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Abstract:
INTRODUCTION:Although rapid cooling and management of circulatory failure are crucial to the prevention of irreversible tissue damage and death in heatstroke, the evidence supporting the optimal cooling method and hemodynamic management has yet to be established.METHODS:A systematic review of all clinical studies published in Medline (1966 to 2006), CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature) (1982 to 2006), and Cochrane Database was performed using the OVID interface without language restriction. Search terms included heatstroke, sunstroke, and heat stress disorders.RESULTS:Fourteen articles reported populations subjected to cooling treatment for classic or exertional heatstroke and included data on cooling time, neurologic morbidity, or mortality. Five additional articles described invasive monitoring with central venous or pulmonary artery catheters. The four clinical trials and 15 observational studies covered a total of 556 patients. A careful analysis of the results obtained indicated that the cooling method based on conduction, namely immersion in iced water, was effective among young people, military personnel, and athletes with exertional heatstroke. There was no evidence to support the superiority of any one cooling technique in classic heatstroke. The effects of non-invasive, evaporative, or conductive-based cooling techniques, singly or combined, appeared to be comparable. No evidence of a specific endpoint temperature for safe cessation of cooling was found. The circulatory alterations in heatstroke were due mostly to a form of distributive shock associated with relative or absolute hypovolemia. Myocardial failure was found to be rare.CONCLUSION:A systematic review of the literature failed to identify reliable clinical data on the optimum treatment of heatstroke. Nonetheless, the findings of this study could serve as a framework for preliminary recommendations in cooling and hemodynamic management of heatstroke until more evidence-based data are generated.
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Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Warranty and Specs
Warranty and Specs
SLO185V Product Literature
Reviews
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*This chart depicts potential energy savings you can expect from the SLO185V furnace, versus older furnaces with lower efficiency ratings. Criteria used in this example are 2,000 full-load heating hours, with a 85,000 Btuh heating design load and $1.90 per gallon for oil. Your actual savings may vary, depending on the weather patterns in your local area, local fuel rates and your individual lifestyle.
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Essentials of Power Engineering Workbook Set (USCS) [Ed. 2]
$272.25
Essentials of Power Engineering Workbook Set (Ed. 2.0)
The Essentials of Power Engineering Workbooks challenge and reinforce the learner's understanding of the Essentials textbook materials.
The workbooks contain a number of assignments, some of which contain worked solutions with which the student can check their understanding. Other assignments contained in the workbooks do not have solutions provided, and are intended for use by instructors.
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Online Resources
Juniper at Grand Lake
Story Hour is a fun, interactive, early literacy program designed for children under the age of 5 years. Come to socialize, read books, and familiarize your child with the wonderful world of the library! Please call 627-8353 for more information.
Story Hour is a fun, interactive, early literacy program designed for children under the age of 5 years. Come to socialize, read books, and familiarize your child with the wonderful world of the library! Please call 627-8353 for more information.
Story time is a fun, interactive, early literacy program designed for children under the age of 5 years. Come to socialize, read books, and familiarize your child with the wonderful world of the library.
Come join us on Thursdays, 5-6 PM. Activities include Wii gaming, story time, arts and crafts, science projects, free movies, and homework-help. This program is run by volunteers, space is limited so please sign up to help.
Fundraiser
On August 5th, 20% of the sales at the Crooked Creek Saloon go to the Fraser Valley Library. Enjoy dinner, libations, and live entertainment by folk guitarist, Jenny Maier, while supporting the library.
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Why I write YA: 10 reasons why Young Adult is the genre for me
This is a post by Novel Publicity President, Emlyn Chand
I am 26-years-old, and I ♥ YA books. Now here I sit on the cusp of my big debut as a published author (squeal), but it probably never would have happened if I hadn’t found my affinity for YA.
In fact, the first novel I wrote was multicultural literary fiction— it’s never going to be published. I wrote lit fic, because I was trying to prove something to myself, to the world, to somebody. But the book didn’t encapsulate who I am or what makes me a strong writer. So naturally, the story fell flat.
I have no idea what made me decide to write YA the second time around. I even remember trying to avoid it. I spent months trying to convince myself that Farsighted was too ambitious of a project. I was this close to writing a historical fiction novel instead. I’m glad I didn’t listen to my inner worrywart, because writing Farsighted is the best thing I’ve ever done.
When you find that genre that speaks to you and allows you to speak through it, don’t let that go!
Now I’d like to share 10 reasons why I love writing YA. It’s okay if YA isn’t your genre du jour, but don’t force yourself to write something just because the genre is popular or well-respected. Write what your heart wants to write, and the rest will turn out okay.
I write YA because…
1. I wish I had a chance to do my teen years over again. To live them more fully. Writing about teens gives me the chance to do so vicariously.
2. YA is a broad genre. The sky’s the limit. I can write a dystopic novel this year and a romance or mystery next year. YA is not confined by specific plot conventions like other genres. It’s more focused on the characters.
3. YA has a broad readership. The primary audience is, of course, teens. But younger kids also enjoy reading about what the big kids are doing, and adults like reliving their glory days too.
4. The language is fun and approachable. Sure, you could write literary YA, but the candid and easy-to-read style of YA is part of its appeal.
5. First person POV is where it’s at. YA doesn't have to be told in the first person viewpoint, but a lot of it is. Adult literature sticks more to the third person. I love writing in first person. It’s easier for me to develop a character that way, and I enjoy the writing process more.
6. The characters are sympathetic. It’s easier to forgive the misdeeds of someone who’s “just a kid,” making it easier for readers and writers alike to identify with YA characters.
7. The characters can change and grow. They aren’t yet set in their ways. Growth is an expected part of teendom, and it’s wonderful helping your characters achieve that potential.
8. The readers of YA are incredibly devoted. If they like what you’ve written, they will tell the world. Can you think of any books that have a greater cult following than Twilight, Harry Potter, and Hunger Games? Because I can’t.
9. YA readers WANT to enjoy books. They’re not looking to tear a book apart and flesh out all of its flaws. They are willing to overlook weaknesses within a book and focus on what they love about it. Their pleasure in reading is free and much more pure.
10. It’s what I most enjoy reading. Write what you love to read. Don’t force yourself to write a romance if writing sexually suggestive scenes makes you uncomfortable. Don’t write literary fiction as a way to show off your intellect. Write what you want to write. Write was fits your talents and enthusiasm. That’s your best chance at success (no matter how you define the term).
About this post's author:
Emlyn Chand is the president of Novel Publicity and a YA author. She loves to hear and tell stories and emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). Her first novel Farsighted released in late 2011 and is of the YA genre. Learn more about Emlyn at www.emlynchand.com or by connecting with her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or GoodReads.
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Due to real life catching up to me (i.e. married life, having babies, new career) and that I really don't have time to support the game directly any longer, Realm of the Magi (RotM) is getting taken offline.
I will, however, be freely releasing the website, its driver (modified 3.2.9 with tuning aspects) and its mudlib (Amylaar-based, heavily modified w/ MySQL shell, Intermud 3 and daemon/inheritance support) as an all-in-one package for anyone that wants to download it and play with it. The driver and mudlib code is rather old (only compatible to the linux 2.4 kernel), so the code will be released as non-supported.
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Battles, Adventures and Gods Love
Saturday, July 23, 2005
The Joy of play
Today so far has been very fun and interesting. We had our weekend intensive today which consists of 8 + hours of lecture time. We were going over "systematic theology." But I will be honest, I could not focus for the life of me. First of all I was starting off with 5 hours of sleep, and second we started at 7am. For the entire 8 hours I was in and out of the lecture, I did learn some great things but I will have to go back and listen more closly at a later date. Anyway, I had a great time just playing in between my focused times. This was the first saturday that I could not just sit down, I felt so restless. So here is what I will call my "fun list". This is what I did. (Mind that Robert was in on most of these)-Pool, good old nine ball-playing the guitar (only during breaks, so it really doesn't count)-rolling around in the gym on a skateboard while shooting baskets-rolling on the skateboard on my stomach while Robert tried to hit me with dodge balls.-laughing at all of the goofy things Robert was doing
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Wednesday night prayer
I really enjoyed prayer tonight. We are getting together to pray for the college group, people involved in our lives and whatever else God places in our hearts. The biggest theme right now is again improving our relationship with God through his Spirit, so saying yes to His ways and no to the ways of this world. And it is really hard in our society to say no to the pleasures of the world. But I know it is possible to not be distracted and engage in communion with the Father through Jesus.We had a chance to pray for somebody tonight who God really touched and it was neat to practice being guided by His spirit. It was an all over enjoyable night. This is why it is important to connect with some body of believers more than 1 a week. We need each other.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Good old Friday night
Tonight once again went really well. God is really stirring us up as a group. Tonight we went over Acts 3, and the call to a deeper relationship keeps occuring. And the desire to do the works that Jesus did is increasing. To anyone who reads this, Christian or not, Christ can give us so much more than we could ever imagine, God can use us like we have never been used (for his Glory) and to defend God, Using us is a good thing because we are taken care of to the max when God uses us. For example like in tonights teaching. The healing of the Cripple at the Gate called beautiful in the Temple at Jerusalem. Peter was used to command the cripple to walk, and the cripple was used as a demonstration of Lords power. So in the cripple's case being used means becoming completely well again. That is not a bad deal. Hearts were stirred tonight and that seems to be the theme these past several weeks, Lord I pray that this stirring will increase like wildfire. I pray that more people would get to know you for who you are and not just for who we say you are.continue to do the things that you are going to do in our group. Continue to change us.
Friends
About me
I'm Andre
From Chandler, Arizona, United States
1.Love the Lord God.
2.Have a passion for serving the youth of this world.
3.Love helping people with physical limitations through rehabilitation.
4. Love worshiping Jesus with the guitar and song
5. Enjoy sports, keeping physically fit and healthy
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Warehouse Management
One of the most dangerous consequences of poor warehouse management is workplace injury. According to the US Department of Labor, there were five work-related injuries for every 100 full-time employees in 2016. Along with workforce safety, warehouse managers also have to keep an eye on the daily processes surrounding inventory, shipping, returns, demand and security. To balance safety, efficiency and profitability, many businesses are turning to WMS software. By automating a variety of processes, warehouse management system benefits help reduce the human error that can cause hazards, maximize efficiency and productivity, and have a positive impact on the business overall.
According to the most recent census in 2010, there are over 27.9 million small businesses in the United States. With that in mind, the business software industry has made sure there is a solution that supports any and every function of a small business. A Warehouse Management System (WMS) is a software solution that supports all warehouse operations. A good WMS for small businesses should make these processes more efficient through automation and centralization of data for quick retrieval and decision making. Although operating on a more compact scale, small businesses should still be thinking about the effectiveness of their warehouses and how a WMS software could help them meet their goals.
Unfortunately, the items our customers order can’t put themselves in a box and ship themselves (not yet, anyway). Due to this, we instead have to put together customer orders ourselves. But let’s be real for a second: we’re in the 21st century, which means that there’s got to be some way to integrate and automate this process, right? Of course there is. So we’re going to take a look at how you can integrate and automate your order picking.
Opening a warehouse in another country can be risky — it requires a significant investment, and there are no guarantees that it’ll be profitable. However, there are ways to maximize your chances of success. Since trying to find warehousing solutions and staff in a foreign country can be very costly and time-consuming, companies often employ third-party logistics (3PL) companies that can provide warehousing, workforce and order processing solutions.
It’s impossible to imagine an effectively functioning logistics system without warehouse management. While the role of a warehouse is sometimes falsely viewed as a simple storage facility, the truth is that the supply chain only functions as quickly and efficiently as its warehouse efficiency permits.
The most important facet of businesses that sell products is the process of actually getting those products to their customers. If you own a retail store, this isn’t much of an issue — your customers can simply grab what they need right off of the shelf. But if you ship your products, it’s a whole lot trickier. This is why streamlining your order fulfillment processes is so important.
The future is now. That’s certainly what it’s starting to feel like, anyway. While we may not have the flying cars from The Jetsons, and Jaws 19 from Back to the Future Part II has yet to hit theaters, our technology is advancing rapidly. Automation is more prevalent than ever, making many of our jobs exponentially easier. Smart warehouse systems represent some of the best examples of businesses embracing this new technology.
Supply chains are the lifeblood of any business, sustaining the ability to compete for new customers while fulfilling orders and commitments to existing ones. For any company to grow, they have to excel in every aspect of supply chain management (SCM), from planning and logistics to fulfillment and optimization, including warehouse management. The competitive intensity in every industry is growing, making supply chains and the warehouses that enable them more important than ever. In ever-increasing numbers, businesses have adopted cloud WMS solutions to improve their supply chains.
Who has time for manual tasks anymore? Certainly not the warehousing industry. As technology continues to improve the speed and efficiency of supply chains, more and more tasks are becoming automated. Every year, the number of human hands working on warehouse operations decreases as warehouse automation takes hold of the industry.
SelectHubWarehouse Automation: The Benefits and the Tech You Should Use12.19.2017
All businesses put a high priority on making their supply chains efficient, economical and a strong contributor to profitable growth. The gains made throughout a supplier network are, at times, marginalized by inefficient distribution, storage and warehouse locations that don’t have a Warehouse Management System (WMS) in place, or are relying on one built for business requirements of the past. In high-performance supply chains, the WMS orchestrates every aspect of optimizing multiple warehouse locations, from receiving and storage to inventory management, order processing, shipping and Material Handling Device Control. In many ways, the WMS is the core of any supply chain and supplier network.
Louis ColumbusBuilding a Warehouse Management System Business Case11.28.2017
Nobody has ever accused warehouse management of being easy. In fact, it’s one of the most broad and complicated processes in the business world. Dealing with tasks ranging from equipment maintenance to inventory control and distribution optimization, warehouse management is a key part of any warehousing business. With this in mind, do you know the answers to the most common questions regarding warehouse management?
For businesses that deal in third-party logistics (3PL), warehouse management is everything. Stock movements are the beating heart of this industry, so keeping a close eye on what comes in and what goes out is essential. Software plays a big role, as digital systems are the best way to prevent errors, increase transparency and control spending.
Whether or not a proprietary or open-source warehouse management software solution is best for a company depends on several factors. It depends on the company’s size, what types of inventory the business deals with, how many warehouses the company has, who’s working in the warehouses and many other details. In general, companies need to do plenty of research to select the best and most targeted IT resources for their business operations.
According to a survey conducted in 2016, around 85% of businesses will have gone fully digital by the year 2021. For warehouse operators and logistics companies, this means distribution, manufacturing, and supply chain processes are about to change very quickly. In order to keep up, they’ll have to invest in the most sophisticated software and technologies.
SelectHubBuilding an Automated Warehouse System: What Technologies Do You Need?10.04.2017
Warehouse management software, also known as warehouse management systems or WMS, represent one of today’s broader categories of enterprise software. Where some more specific tools such as inventory management systems and workforce management platforms maintain a narrow focus on one specific aspect of warehouse work, the warehouse management system provides a comprehensive tool for handling all aspects of the operations that happen in a warehouse.
Warehouse management systems are a major asset for companies that deal in product inventories or store products and materials in physical warehouses. New software has brought enormous innovations to the process of warehouse management, and those who are used to the paper-based systems of the old days will be amazed by how much can be automated today. Walking through a modern warehouse and seeing how traditional ledger-based and manual operations have been transformed with digital tools is an amazing sight.
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This massive setting-supplement/adventure clocks in at 229 pages, 1 page front cover, 3 pages of editorial/introduction/ToC, 5 pages of SRD, 1 page advertisement leaving us with 219 pages of content. The pages are laid out for 6’’ by 9’’, meaning you can fit up to 4 pages on a given sheet of paper, should you choose to print this out and have sufficiently good eyesight.
This review was requested by one of my patreons.
Soooo…oh boy. Where to start? This is the second supplement by Patrice Crespin that can be used as a GM-less solo-adventure/campaign, so that would be the first use of the book. The basic formula of the engine of playing the game sans a GM, the best and most impressive aspect from “Ruins of the Undercity”, has been retained – here, the city is the eponymous Kwantoom, while the dungeon would be the 1001 Pagodas of Death. Since I already covered the mechanics and design-paradigms of GM-less playing in my review of aforementioned book, I am not going to bore myself or you by just repeating the same information with filed off serial numbers. Suffice to say, it works, from an engine stand-point, and admirably so.
That being said, the Ruins-book did suffer from a lack of distinct identity, details and usefulness beyond its procedurally-generated dungeon-aspirations.
I honestly did not expect this book to go to such lengths to change that. Mad Monks of Kwantoom does sport, again, like ruins, a single page of background, but proceeds to provide a potential for adaptation to a more Western medieval environment. As before, we assume Labyrinth Lord as the default rules-set – but this is where the similarities frankly end.
You see, this book, beyond its solo-play options, also doubles as basically a massive Oriental Adventures-style sourcebook for LL. This includes no less than 5 races: Bungayas, Kappas, Kitsunes, Tanukis and Tengus are covered – all with proper ability score modifications, minimum scores, level caps – the old-school gaming staples you expect. This would also be a good place to note that, yes, the red annotations are back – however, this time around, they actually are genuinely funny in many instances, providing a tongue-in-cheek commentary that made me smile time and again. Balance-wise, I have no complaints regarding the respective races and how they are presented.
A total of no less than 7 variant classes can be found in the book as well. If you don’t meet the minimum requirements, you just get them when using this in solo-play – and no, the monks don’t need to be lawful. They’re mad monks, after all! The variant monk provided clocks in with Str 12, Dex 15 and Wis 15 as requirement, and Wis as prime requisite. They get d4 HD and have a maximum level of 17. They do get a couple of restrictions and may deflect even magic and they even get a short-rest like, limited HP replenishment 1/day. When fighting without weaponry, they choose one of 8 martial styles, which modifies abilities, damage and AC. And yes, standard monk is still possible. 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 12th level provide unique abilities. All in all, the variant monk is a potent class as far as LL is concerned, but sports a surprising survivability and is fun and more precise than what I expected. I really like the fact that it sports some player agenda.
Fakirs would be ascetic monks who get limited cleric spellcasting at higher levels, as well as gaining control over weight etc. Kabukis are…well kabuki-ish monk performers. We also get notes on ninjas, ronin monks and shapeshifters (who later gain limited magic-user spellcasting), while swordmasters/kensai are basically the weapon-using monks. The rules-language for these variant classes (if you’re familiar with new school games, think of them akin to PFRPG’s archetypes in that they modify the rules-chassis of the class) is pretty precise and allows for a sufficient amount of choice and differentiation, which is really neat. Advice on increasing the power of monks, if desired, is btw. provided. We also get notes on multiclassing as well as a brief FAQ regarding these new rules-components.
Now, I’ve claimed before that the structure of this book is akin to “Ruins of the Undercity”, and while this is true, it is at the same time an imprecise generalization. You see, the city of Kwantoom is actually much better in differentiating its sections – it is not abstract to the same point: You choose a district, check for encounters and events, check search chances for shops, availability, recruiting and then rinse and repeat, as required. So yes, we’re actually differentiating between different subsections of the city, which contributes a lot to making the city-section feel more organic, alive, and less redundant. In short: The replayability is not simply based on generic set-pieces, there is simply more soul here. And yes, we get a full-color map of the city. The scope is also different: There simply is much, much more going on per district. This goes to the point where, honestly, this makes for a great setting supplement for dressing in Oriental Adventures-style settings. Similarly, returning for leveling also includes notes on purchasing houses, etc. and 20 different special events that may happen upon returning to the city, making the experience more modular.
In fact, this unique and intriguing component of the pdf, the honestly interesting quality of a sourcebook, also extends to the magic items. For example, there are 4 unique crickets. Yes, crickets. Yes, live crickets. There also are 6 different magical fortune cookies. And jasmine bows. Magic masks and puppets…so yeah, this is amazing. Honestly, I’ve seen a TON of WuXia-themed gaming sourcebooks, but the focus on unique ideas here is amazing and I’ve seen most of these item classes never before. So yeah, impressive. Now, it should also be noted that the book introduces lucky charms – no less than 100 of them. They have a break condition, and when a character violates it, they cease to function. Moreover, they can take a multitude of shapes – a table of 25 entries, with sub-entries, ensures that lucky charms will remain unique and engaging.
Now, as far as the exploration of the basically infinite, procedurally-generated dungeon goes, it does follow the same paradigms as Ruins of the Undercity – we get starting geomorphs (12, this time around), monster matrix, and tables upon tables to determine chambers, corridors, etc. – so the structure per se is different. However, there are two crucial differences that adds an impressive amount of unique character to the dungeon as you generate it. The first of these would be the massive Wah Tung Match Co. monster manual: The aforementioned company created cult classic, colorful renditions of monsters and characters on their matchboxes – no less than 48 unique creatures are provided for select pictures taken from these, all sporting pretty detailed background information.
The section on personal goals for characters has been greatly expanded, and we once more get a table f quirks and former backgrounds. There is more that sets this apart from its predecessor, namely the fact that we actually do get a secrets-chapter. This chapter contains basically exciting boss-encounter/special rooms – some of which sport subtables, while others significantly modify the sequence of events encountered thereafter. This chapter provides some really cool components, and builds on the gloriously weird angle some of the entries sport.
Conclusion:
Editing and formatting are very good – apart from a few minor hiccups, I noticed no serious glitches, with rules-integrity being surprisingly concise for the amount of content provided. Layout adheres to a 1-column b/w-standard with red annotations and is printer-friendly. The full-color cartograhy of Kwantoom is nice and the use of the Wah Tun matchbox pictures for monsters is genius and flavorful. Big kudos there. The pdf comes with nested bookmarks, though they could be a bit more detailed. I can’t comment on the print-version, since I do not own it.
Patrice Crespin’s Mad Monks of Kwantoom make good of the promise of “Ruins of the Undercity” – the book is an actually engaging GM-less solo-adventure, courtesy of the amazing backdrop, the bonkers ideas, gonzo components and vast amount of internal differentiation options. The book doesn’t become redundant and the unique secrets and more detailed goals help further to make this work as an engaging module.
Beyond that, the book actually manages to excel at being an amazing GM toolkit for old-school Oriental Adventures as well. Instead of just retreading the same old tropes, the book takes the high road and embraces the gonzo aspects of the mythologies and its tropes, succeeding in actually providing a distinct voice that goes beyond a simple retread of the same information we’ve seen time and again.
In short: This is somewhat of an “eierlegende Wollmilchsau” – an egg-laying wool-milk-pig; if you’re not familiar with the German expression, it’s used to denote a non-existing über-animal that serves all functions. This book is just that and works surprisingly well on many levels: The variant monks and races should work sans snafus in all LL-campaigns; the monsters are unique and the magic items creative. The tables and dungeon-generation aspects can be used by a GM for random dressing and loot and the secret-section basically provides set-piece encounters. Kwantoom as a city is also interesting – in spite of mostly existing in tables and stuff that happens. In short, no matter how you look at this book, it delivers.
It also manages to secure its own flavor and identity, which is another big plus. In short: This is an inspiring book well worth the asking price. My final verdict will clock in at 5 stars + seal of approval.
You can get this inspiring, gonzo (optionally solo & GM-less) toolkit here on OBS!
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Intel today introduced a portfolio of datacenter products and technologies for cloud service providers looking to drive efficiency and flexibility into their infrastructure to support a demand for new services.
The portfolio includes the second generation 64-bit Intel Atom C2000 product family of system-on-chip (SoC) designs for microservers and cold storage platforms (code named "Avoton") and for entry networking platforms (code named "Rangeley"). These new SoCs are the company's first products based on the Silvermont micro-architecture, the new design in its 22nm Tri-Gate SoC process delivering significant increases in performance and energy efficiency.
Avoton SKU
Model
Cores
Clock frequency (turbo mode)
L2 cache
Package
TDP
Price (1K units)
Atom C2570
8
2.4GHｚ(2.6GHz)
4MB
FCBGA1283
20W
$171
Atom C2730
8
1.7GHｚ(2GHz)
4MB
FCBGA1283
12W
$150
Atom C2550
4
2.4GHz(2.6GHz)
2MB
FCBGA1283
14W
$86
Atom C2530
4
1.7GHz(2GHz)
2MB
FCBGA1283
9W
$70
Atom C2350
2
1.7GHz(2GHz)
1MB
FCBGA1283
6W
$43
Rangeley SKU
Model
Number of cores
Clock Frequency
L2 cache
QAT
TDP
Atom C2758
8
2.4GHz
4MB
○
20W
Atom C2738
8
2.4GHz
4MB
-
20W
Atom C2718
8
2GHz
4MB
-
20W
Atom C2558
4
2.4GHz
2MB
○
15W
Atom C2538
4
2.4GHz
2MB
-
15W
Atom C2518
4
1.7GHz
2MB
-
13W
Atom C2358
2
1.7GHz(2GHz)
1MB
○
7W
Atom C2358
2
1.7GHz(2GHz)
1MB
-
7W
"As the world becomes more and more mobile, the pressure to support billions of devices and users is changing the very composition of datacenters," said Diane Bryant, senior vice president and general manager of the Datacenter and Connected Systems Group at Intel. "From leadership in silicon and SoC design to rack architecture and software enabling, Intel is providing the key innovations that original equipment manufacturers, telecommunications equipment makers and cloud service providers require to build the datacenters of the future."
Intel also demonstrated the first operational Intel Rack Scale Architecture (RSA)-based rack with Intel Silicon Photonics Technology in combination with the disclosure of a new MXC connector and ClearCurve optical fiber developed by Corning with requirements from Intel.
Manufactured using Intel's 22nm process technology, the new Intel Atom C2000 product family features up to eight cores, a range of 6 to 20Watts TDP, integrated Ethernet and support for up to 64 gigabytes (GB) of memory, eight times the previous generation. OVH and 1&1, global web-hosting services companies, have tested Intel Atom C2000 SoCs and plan to deploy them in its entry-level dedicated hosting services next quarter.
Intel is delivering 13 specific models with customized features and accelerators that are optimized for particular lightweight workloads such as entry dedicated hosting, distributed memory caching, static web serving and content delivery.
For example, the new Intel Atom configurations for entry networking address the specialized needs for securing and routing Internet traffic more efficiently. The product features a set of hardware accelerators called Intel QuickAssist Technology that improves cryptographic performance. They are suited for routers and security appliances.
Network solutions that manage data traffic across microservers can significantly impact the performance and density of the system. The combination of the Intel Ethernet Switch FM5224 silicon and the WindRiver Open Network Software suite will enable the industry's first 2.5GbE, high-density, low latency, SDN Ethernet switch solutions specifically developed for microservers. The solution complements the integrated Intel Ethernet controller within the Intel Atom C2000 processor. Together, they can be used to create SDN solutions for the datacenter.
Switches using the new Intel Ethernet Switch FM5224 silicon can connect up to 64 microservers, providing up to 30 percent higher node density. They are based on Intel Open Network Platform reference design announced earlier this year.
Maximum datacenter efficiency requires innovation at the silicon, system and rack level. Intel's RSA design helps industry partners to re-architect datacenters for modularity of components (storage, CPU, memory, network) at the rack level. It provides the ability to provision or logically compose resources based on application specific workload requirements. Intel RSA also will allow for the easier replacement and configuration of components when deploying cloud computing, storage and networking resources.
Intel today demonstrated the first operational RSA-based rack equipped with the newly announced Intel Atom C2000 processors, Intel Xeon processors, a top-of-rack Intel SDN-enabled switch and Intel Silicon Photonics Technology. As part of the demonstration, Intel also disclosed the new MXC connector and ClearCurve fiber technology developed by Corning with requirements from Intel. The fiber connections are specifically designed to work with Intel Silicon Photonics components.
The collaboration underscores the tremendous need for high-speed bandwidth within datacenters. By sending photons over a thin optical fiber instead of electrical signals over a copper cable, the new technologies are capable of transferring massive amounts of data at unprecedented speeds over greater distances. The transfers can be as fast as 1.6 terabits per second at lengths up to 300 meters throughout the datacenter.
To highlight the growing range of Intel RSA implementations, Microsoft and Intel announced a collaboration to innovate on Microsoft's next-generation RSA rack design. The goal is to bring even better utilization, economics and flexibility to Microsoft's datacenters.
The Intel Atom C2000 product family is shipping now with more than 50 designs for microservers, cold storage and networking. The products are expected to be available in the coming months from vendors including Advantech, Dell, Ericsson, HP, NEC, Newisys, Penguin Computing, Portwell, Quanta, Supermicro, WiWynn, ZNYX Networks.
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Her family claim that being discharged
in the early hours made her condition worse. Her son-in-law, Richard
Smart, said yesterday: 'It is medical negligence. The hospital just
thought this is an old lady, she has seen better days, let's get rid.
'It is absolutely shocking. I wouldn't treat a dog like that.'
He added: 'She has been back in hospital for nearly a week now.'
Mrs Parr's ordeal, at Dewsbury
District Hospital, emerged on the day the Daily Mail revealed that an
elderly dementia patient was discharged from a different hospital at 2am
because bosses said it was 'in her best interests'.
Eileen Hansbury, 89, had suffered a suspected broken nose in a fall.She was taken back to her care home in an ambulance.
Her family accused Warrington Hospital of being more interested in freeing up beds than protecting her interests.
Earlier this month it emerged that up to 400,000 NHS patients were discharged between 11pm and 6am last year.
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust said they were looking into the family's concerns
Mrs Parr, a retired seamstress who
also has a blood disorder and sight problems, fell out of bed at the
flat she shares with her husband in Wakefield, West Yorkshire on April
17.
Her husband pulled the emergency cord and she was taken to A&E
at about 11.45pm.
When she returned home she collapsed again, and her frail husband was unable to lift her up or raise the alarm.
Mr Smart said the driver of the
ambulance who took her to hospital had told him he specifically asked
A&E staff to contact her family, but they did not
He added: 'She was put in a taxi with
an unknown male driver and was wearing just a nightie. If we had not
found her she could have been lying there for hours. We have been told
it could have developed into pneumonia.'
Eileen Hansbury,who suffers from dementia, was sent back to her care home at 2am
Mrs Parr was referred back to hospital
later that day by her GP. She is being treated for the chest infection
at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.
Her husband, who served with the
Royal Engineers in the Second World War, is receiving respite care.
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
chief nurse Tracey McErlain-Burns said: 'I am sorry for any distress
that Mrs Parr and her family have experienced as our aim is to provide
the highest possible level of service.
'We have spoken with the family
directly and are looking into their concerns.'
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Wednesday
On July 29, 2014, Lionsgate Home Entertainment released the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Classics on DVD. This is timed perfectly to celebrate the theatrical release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the 30th anniversary of the entire TMNT saga. Being that I not only loved this cartoon as a child but that my two boys have loved TMNT since I can remember, I knew we had to have this one.
The boys are always playing the old school arcade version game on our Xbox 360 and have become quite obsessive about the characters and story line. Yet again, Lionsgate has outdone themselves with this one as it has each of the 10 classic fan-favorite episodes and three bonus features.
The synopsis says "Multiple dimensions, and formidable foes – the shell-busting “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” were always ready with their green-machine justice! Relive 10 classic fan-favorite episodes featuring Raphael™, Donatello™, Michelangelo™ and Leonardo™ as they battle archenemies from this dimension and beyond in their continuing mission to keep the world safe. Grab a slice of “Cowabunga” and travel back to the sewers of this mutant-packed series!"
The boys were thrilled to see this arrive as this one I kept a secret (mostly for my sanity). They each of course wanted to watch the ten episodes right away. They also enjoyed deciding if these were truly the best episodes for themselves!
SRP: $14.98
Recommendation: Both boys loved this as if you couldn't tell from the review portion! I think this is totally worth the cost. You are getting a ton of episodes which your kids will love to watch over and over if they enjoy this type of action!
Street Date: July 29, 2014
Feature Run time: 220 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Giveaway: Lionsgate is going to give one of A Lucky Ladybug's lucky readers a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Classics DVD of their own!
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Main Menu
NOTE: You either have javascript disabled or have saved the page locally. Your experience may not be optimal due to these factors. Please consider enabling javascript or revisiting this page to get an optimal MCD experience. (Due to browser security settings, directly clicking the previous link may not work, so you may need to copy and paste the following link [http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/ncd-details.aspx?NCDId=45&ncdver=5&NCAId=11&NcaName=Autologous+Stem+Cell+Transplantation+(AuSCT)+for+Multiple+Myeloma+(1st+Recon)&bc=gCAAAAAAEAAA] into your browser.)
Note: This may not be an exhaustive list of all applicable Medicare benefit categories for this item or service.
Item/Service Description
A. General
Stem cell transplantation is a process in which stem cells are harvested from either a patient’s (autologous) or donor’s (allogeneic) bone marrow or peripheral blood for intravenous infusion. Autologous stem cell transplants (AuSCT) must be used to effect hematopoietic reconstitution following severely myelotoxic doses of chemotherapy (HDCT) and/or radiotherapy used to treat various malignancies. Allogeneic stem cell transplants may be used to restore function in recipients having an inherited or acquired deficiency or defect. Hematopoietic stem cells are multi-potent stem cells that give rise to all the blood cell types; these stem cells form blood and immune cells. A hematopoietic stem cell is a cell isolated from blood or bone marrow that can renew itself, differentiate to a variety of specialized cells, can mobilize out of the bone marrow into circulating blood, and can undergo programmed cell death, called apoptosis - a process by which cells that are unneeded or detrimental self destruct.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is clarifying that bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is a process which includes mobilization, harvesting, and transplant of bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells and the administration of high dose chemotherapy or radiotherapy prior to the actual transplant. When bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is covered, all necessary steps are included in coverage. When bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is non-covered, none of the steps are covered.
Indications and Limitations of Coverage
1. Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a procedure in which a portion of a healthy donor's stem cell or bone marrow is obtained and prepared for intravenous infusion.
a. Nationally Covered Indications
The following uses of allogeneic HSCT are covered under Medicare:
i. Effective for services performed on or after August 1, 1978, for the treatment of leukemia, leukemia in remission, or aplastic anemia when it is reasonable and necessary,
ii. Effective for services performed on or after June 3, 1985, for the treatment of severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) and for the treatment of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.
iii. Effective for services performed on or after August 4, 2010, for the treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) pursuant to Coverage with Evidence Development (CED) in the context of a Medicare-approved, prospective clinical study.
The MDS refers to a group of diverse blood disorders in which the bone marrow does not produce enough healthy, functioning blood cells. These disorders are varied with regard to clinical characteristics, cytologic and pathologic features, and cytogenetics. The abnormal production of blood cells in the bone marrow leads to low blood cell counts, referred to as cytopenias, which are a hallmark feature of MDS along with a dysplastic and hypercellular-appearing bone marrow.
Medicare payment for these beneficiaries will be restricted to patients enrolled in an approved clinical study. In accordance with the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 (US Public Law 109-129) a standard dataset is collected for all allogeneic transplant patients in the United States by the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research. The elements in this dataset, comprised of two mandatory forms plus one additional form, encompass the information we require for a study under CED.
A prospective clinical study seeking Medicare payment for treating a beneficiary with allogeneic HSCT for MDS pursuant to CED must meet one or more aspects of the following questions:
• Prospectively, compared to Medicare beneficiaries with MDS who do not receive HSCT, do Medicare beneficiaries with MDS who receive HSCT have improved outcomes as indicated by:
Relapse-free mortality,
progression free survival,
relapse, and
overall survival?
• Prospectively, in Medicare beneficiaries with MDS who receive HSCT, how do International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) score, patient age, cytopenias and comorbidities predict the following outcomes:
Relapse-free mortality,
progression free survival,
relapse, and
overall survival?
• Prospectively, in Medicare beneficiaries with MDS who receive HSCT, what treatment facility characteristics predict meaningful clinical improvement in the following outcomes:
Relapse-free mortality,
progression free survival,
relapse, and
overall survival?
In addition, the clinical study must adhere to the following standards of scientific integrity and relevance to the Medicare population:
a. The principal purpose of the research study is to test whether a particular intervention potentially improves the participants’ health outcomes.
b. The research study is well supported by available scientific and medical information or it is intended to clarify or establish the health outcomes of interventions already in common clinical use.
c. The research study does not unjustifiably duplicate existing studies.
d. The research study design is appropriate to answer the research question being asked in the study.
e. The research study is sponsored by an organization or individual capable of executing the proposed study successfully.
f. The research study is in compliance with all applicable Federal regulations concerning the protection of human subjects found at 45 CFR Part 46.
g. All aspects of the research study are conducted according to appropriate standards of scientific integrity (see http://www.icmje.org).
h. The research study has a written protocol that clearly addresses, or incorporates by reference, the standards listed here as Medicare requirements for CED coverage.
i. The clinical research study is not designed to exclusively test toxicity or disease pathophysiology in healthy individuals. Trials of all medical technologies measuring therapeutic outcomes as one of the objectives meet this standard only if the disease or condition being studied is life threatening as defined in 21 CFR §312.81(a) and the patient has no other viable treatment options.
j. The clinical research study is registered on the ClinicalTrials.gov Web site by the principal sponsor/investigator prior to the enrollment of the first study subject.
k. The research study protocol specifies the method and timing of public release of all pre-specified outcomes to be measured including release of outcomes if outcomes are negative or study is terminated early. The results must be made public within 24 months of the end of data collection. If a report is planned to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, then that initial release may be an abstract that meets the requirements of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (http://www.icmje.org). However a full report of the outcomes must be made public no later than 3 years after the end of data collection.
l. The research study protocol must explicitly discuss subpopulations affected by the treatment under investigation, particularly traditionally underrepresented groups in clinical studies, how the inclusion and exclusion criteria effect enrollment of these populations, and a plan for the retention and reporting of said populations on the trial. If the inclusion and exclusion criteria are expected to have a negative effect on the recruitment or retention of underrepresented populations, the protocol must discuss why these criteria are necessary.
m. The research study protocol explicitly discusses how the results are or are not expected to be generalizable to the Medicare population to infer whether Medicare patients may benefit from the intervention. Separate discussions in the protocol may be necessary for populations eligible for Medicare due to age, disability or Medicaid eligibility.
Consistent with section 1142 of the Social Security Act, the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) supports clinical research studies that CMS determines meet the above-listed standards and address the above-listed research questions.
The clinical research study should also have the following features:
• It should be a prospective, longitudinal study with clinical information from the period before HSCT and short- and long-term follow-up information.
• Outcomes should be measured and compared among pre-specified subgroups within the cohort.
• The study should be powered to make inferences in subgroup analyses.
• Risk stratification methods should be used to control for selection bias. Data elements to be used in risk stratification models should include:
Effective for services performed on or after May 24, 1996, allogeneic HSCT is not covered as treatment for multiple myeloma.
2. Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (AuSCT)
Autologous stem cell transplantation (AuSCT) is a technique for restoring stem cells using the patient's own previously stored cells.
a. Nationally Covered Indications
i. Effective for services performed on or after April 28, 1989, AuSCT is considered reasonable and necessary under §l862(a)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act (the Act) for the following conditions and is covered under Medicare for patients with:
Acute leukemia in remission who have a high probability of relapse and who have no human leucocyte antigens (HLA)-matched;
Resistant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas or those presenting with poor prognostic features following an initial response;
Recurrent or refractory neuroblastoma; or
Advanced Hodgkin's disease who have failed conventional therapy and have no HLA-matched donor.
ii. Effective October 1, 2000, single AuSCT is only covered for Durie-Salmon Stage II or III patients that fit the following requirements:
Newly diagnosed or responsive multiple myeloma. This includes those patients with previously untreated disease, those with at least a partial response to prior chemotherapy (defined as a 50% decrease either in measurable paraprotein [serum and/or urine] or in bone marrow infiltration, sustained for at least 1 month), and those in responsive relapse; and,
Adequate cardiac, renal, pulmonary, and hepatic function.
iii. Effective for services performed on or after March 15, 2005, when recognized clinical risk factors are employed to select patients for transplantation, high dose melphalan (HDM) together with AuSCT is reasonable and necessary for Medicare beneficiaries of any age group with primary amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis who meet the following criteria:
Amyloid deposition in 2 or fewer organs; and,
Cardiac left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) greater than 45%.
b. Nationally Non-Covered Indications
Insufficient data exist to establish definite conclusions regarding the efficacy of AuSCT for the following conditions:
12/2005 - CMS clarified that bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is a process which includes mobilization, harvesting, and transplant of bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells and the administration of high dose chemotherapy or radiotherapy prior to the actual transplant. When bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is covered, all necessary steps are included in coverage. When bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is non-covered, none of the steps are covered. Effective date 11/28/2005. Implementation date 01/03/2006. (TN 45) (CR 4173)
10/2010 - Effective for claims with dates of service on and after August 4, 2010, contractors shall be aware that the use of allogeneic HSCT for treatment of MDS is only covered by Medicare if provided in the context of a Medicare-approved clinical study meeting specific criteria under the CED paradigm. Effective date 08/04/2010 Implementation date 11/10/2010 (TN 127) (CR 7137)
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Williamsburg on the Hudson
A building in Beacon, N.Y. shows off a new attitude about art.Credit
Benjamin Norman for The New York Times
Millerton, N.Y.
FROM the venerable general store his grandparents opened in 1919, where you can get hunting knives, cigars, worms, khaki pants and copies of Vogue, Phil Terni has watched Dutchess County’s passing parade for most of his 68 years.
The store has seen celebrated customers — Babe Ruth, Ava Gardner, Artie Shaw, Ruth Bader Ginsburg — amble in and out. And Mr. Terni has seen Millerton prosper as an agricultural crossroads with three hotels served by three railroads, and then decline toward irrelevance as the milk processing plant shut down and the farms died. Still, none of that has prepared him for what he sees outside his door every day.
“Not in my wildest dreams would I have expected this,” he said in the back of the store, with its black-and-white photos of old locomotives, a giant Revolutionary War oil painting, bric-a-brac from a century of small-town commerce. “This never would have entered my mind.”
And yet there it is, everywhere you look: the old diner, renamed the Oakhurst and now serving gourmet curried chicken rolls, organic burgers and venison chili cheese fries; Eckert Fine Art, with its paintings by Eric Forstmann and Robert Rauschenberg; the fliers for the Buddhist Path of Fulfillment retreat; the sustainable agriculture benefit; the artsy, SoHo-esque Hunter Bee antiques; the three-screen Moviehouse on Main Street with its art gallery and cafe.
“It’s just my comfort zone,” said Rebekah Blu, who has specialized in rock ’n’ roll, celebrity and what she calls Goddess photography and moved to town with her husband and two infants from the East Village two months ago. “You think of the East Village; you have local businesses, not chains, you don’t need a car, there’s lots of art and culture. You have a lot of that here, but you’re living in the country.”
In the usual suspects of Hudson Valley exurban revival, like Beacon, Cold Spring and Hudson, in cities like Kingston and Poughkeepsie and smaller communities like Tivoli, Red Hook, Accord and High Falls, you can find something similar.
Call it the Brooklynization of the Hudson Valley, the steady hipness creep with its locavore cuisine, its Williamsburgian bars, its Gyrotonic exercise, feng shui consultants and deep clay art therapy and, most of all, its recent arrivals from New York City.
Jenifer Constantine and Trippy Thompson, bartenders in Williamsburg, found the adventurous loft life there a bit too precarious after the birth of their first child in 2007, and moved to New Paltz to open their own minimalist, Brooklynesque bar and restaurant in Rosendale, Market Market, with a locavore menu and weekly spoken-word slams.
Dave Lerner, a musician, found the Brooklyn life getting claustrophobic and moved to West Saugerties, a placed that seemed different but part of a familiar universe, where there was music and culture but you could bike, hike and breathe.
John Friedman, a lawyer who lived in Greenwich Village, fell in love with Hudson and went from making mostly telecom deals in Manhattan to making mostly agriculture deals in the Hudson Valley.
Kate Doris left her hometown of Kingston as it skidded downward after I.B.M. left in the ’90s. Now she’s back, plugged into the local art scene, amused at the number of her Brooklyn friends who have also moved up.
The greening of the Hudson Valley did not begin yesterday. It’s as revealing for what it’s not as for what it is. And given the comatose national economy, many grains of salt should be added to any rosy projections.
Still, in the best case, it adds up to more than refugees from the city, fair-trade coffeehouses in every far-flung town and unexpectedly cool places and culture — the Phoenicia Festival of the Voice, the Last Bite in High Falls, the Wassaic Project arts organization in a refurbished mill and animal auction house.
Instead, you could argue, it’s a new chapter in an old story — Henry Hudson’s voyage of discovery, the Hudson River School’s attempt to capture an American Eden, updated for the Twitter era and based around sustainable, human-scale agriculture; manageable towns that are neither giant cities nor cookie-cutter suburbs; a $4.7 billion tourism industry; and the mountains, valleys and rivers of one of America’s unspoiled places.
“We’re in the early stages of a green economic revitalization of the Hudson Valley,” said Ned Sullivan, president of Scenic Hudson, which half a century ago was at the heart of a battle to save Storm King Mountain, spurring on modern environmentalism.
“The land is being preserved,” he said. “Waterfront parks are being created. Water supplies are being protected. There’s a green economy that’s being born.”
IN the beginning was the river, which the Indians called Muhheakantuck — “river that flows two ways” — because for about half its 315 miles it is also a tidal estuary, where salty water meets fresh.
Life on the shore has flowed two ways, too, through culture and commerce. For almost a century, beginning around 1825, the Hudson Valley was the nation’s first industrial heartland, an incessant bustle of shipbuilding, ironworks, railroad lines, shipping docks, cement, stone, iron, lumber, weaponry and even whaling industries.
The valley was also a seminal creator of American culture, from Washington Irving, who became America’s first international literary celebrity, to the Hudson River School and later to artist colonies and the Woodstock Festival. The factories are almost all gone. The cultural buzz remains.
You can pick your favorite current image of industrial past and creative present. The stunning Dia: Beacon collection of massive modernism in an old factory on the Hudson? The exhilarating Walkway Over the Hudson that turned an abandoned railroad bridge into the world’s longest pedestrian bridge? The industrial spaces turned into artists’ studios in uptown Kingston?
But the Basilica Hudson seems as good a snapshot as any. Built in 1884 as a foundry and forge for manufacturing steel railway wheels, it finally shut down as a glue factory using rabbit hide in the ’90s. Almost a decade ago, its 18,000 square feet were reimagined as a local gathering and performance space for ska concerts, avant-garde movies, art exhibits, filming and recording.
Photo
Credit
Michael Sloan
Like almost everything in the Hudson Valley, it’s still a work in progress. But its owners, Melissa Auf der Maur, a seriously glamorous Montreal native who has played bass for bands like Smashing Pumpkins and Hole, and Tony Stone, a filmmaker, come from central casting as exemplars of the new, hip Hudson Valley.
The Basilica is the kind of space and scene that the artist and musician Patti Smith (no stranger to Hudson) had in mind a few months ago when she advised young artists that “New York has closed itself off to the young and the struggling” and that they should find their futures someplace else, like Poughkeepsie.
“A bunch of my friends from Montreal came to visit and they said, ‘You told us you moved to a small town, but you didn’t tell us you moved to a magic David Lynch town. What is this place?’ ” Ms. Auf der Maur said.
Hudson, she added, has the feel of SoHo decades ago. “There’s the sense that it’s manageable, it’s beautiful, it has infrastructure that can inspire you and facilitate your needs and get you to feel like you’re part of a moment of discovery.”
Not long ago, Hudson was notorious for drugs, prostitution and post-industrial torpor. Now, Warren Street, with its antique stores, galleries and hip restaurants, is a vision of the Hudson Valley reborn. And it was the scene of perhaps the last great battle between the old industrial Hudson Valley and the new one, when a coalition of interest groups came together to defeat a proposed coal-fired cement plant with a 40-story smokestack capable of producing two million tons of cement a year. Opponents said it would be an environmental disaster that would cut off access to the river and go against everything Hudson was becoming. They made an overwhelming case. But in the housing projects and poor neighborhoods just off Warren Street, strangers in the new landscape, it doesn’t seem so clear.
Sitting in a downtown park, Calvin Wilson Sr., 63, said it was nice to see the revival on Warren Street, but it didn’t offer much for him or for young people growing up in a town whose population is almost a third black and Latino, and in which one in five residents is living below the poverty level. “All those old factory jobs, they’ve all dried up,” Mr. Wilson said. “So, where those people going to work? Me, I wished they’d built that cement plant.”
THERE is a parlor game people sometimes play, comparing Hudson Valley towns with New York neighborhoods, said Sari Botton, a freelance writer in Rosendale.
For instance, Rhinebeck might be the Upper East Side, Woodstock the West Village, New Paltz the Upper West Side, Beacon the East Village, Rosendale and High Falls different parts of Williamsburg. Tivoli could be compared to Greenpoint, Hudson to Chelsea, Catskill to Bushwick, Kingston to a mix of Fort Greene and Carroll Gardens.
The migration north began with the weekender incursions in the ’80s and ’90s, gained a more urgent and permanent tone after 9/11, stumbled during the real estate bust and is now finding its way again. But, for all the images of upstate decay, the population of the Hudson Valley is growing more than twice as fast as that of the rest of the state — 5.8 percent over the past decade, compared with 2.1 percent for New York State and New York City. (While there are no universally accepted boundaries to the Hudson Valley, this reference includes the counties north of suburban Rockland and Westchester and south of the capital region: Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia and Greene.)
Some of the growth is an extension of suburban New York into Putnam and Orange Counties. The rest is an exurban phenomenon facilitated at least in part by new technology, the limitations of space and cost in the five boroughs and the natural search for something new.
For some it’s generational. The Hudson Valley seems a cooler and more affordable alternative to the suburbs. David Clark moved to Beacon seeking space for his ceramic tile business, ModCraft, in a place that felt familiar and creative. At 43, he also felt he had outgrown Williamsburg. “At some point you look around and find yourself surrounded by club kids and feel, well, maybe I’ve done this already,” he said.
For others, the Hudson Valley just seemed a natural fit. Amber Rubarth, 28, an up-and-coming singer-songwriter who used to carve wood sculptures with chainsaws, figured she could make music and live a creative life just as easily in Rosendale as in Brooklyn, and more sanely. “I go into the city once or twice a week,” she said, “but there’s nothing I can’t do living here, and it’s nice to fall asleep and wake up to birds singing rather than trash trucks rolling down the street.”
Still, as with everywhere else in America, the question remains: All right, but where are the jobs? Mr. Sullivan of Scenic Hudson said one answer could be the abandoned I.B.M. complex now called Tech City in Kingston. Its 258 acres, 28 buildings and 2.5 million square feet of industrial and office space are envisioned as a state-of-the-art locale for solar, green energy and sustainable agricultural businesses, like bakeries and fish hatcheries. Across the street is the ambitious nonprofit Solar Energy Consortium, formed in 2007 to assist and incubate solar and green companies. It’s an alluring vision.
Whether it becomes reality is another matter. Todd Roberts, chief executive of one of the firms there already, Solartech Renewables, is enthusiastic about the site and the industrial solar panels his company makes, but realistic about the obstacles ahead.
“We know it’s going to take root somewhere, but if the market doesn’t grow here, and the subsidies don’t change in China, that’s where it’s going to be,” he said.
IF you were an investor wagering on any Hudson Valley city, it might be Beacon, with a world-class attraction in Dia:Beacon, its walkable downtown, and an emerging art scene a 90-minute train ride from Grand Central Terminal.
But you would still be hoping for the best, as you would with almost every place in the area. Maybe the Roundhouse at Beacon Falls, a proposed 58-room hotel and spa, with a fancy restaurant and living and work space for artists, will succeed, and revitalize an area of shuttered factories and warehouses. Maybe the historic downtown theater will reopen, and the old incline railroad will be rebuilt. But maybe not.
On a summer Tuesday afternoon, it’s still a ghost town.
Tim Davis, 48, in Chicago Bulls cap and colors, has lived in Beacon almost all his life, but he is moving to Atlanta. “There’s no work here,” he said. “Basically they’ve turned this place into Antiqueworld. When we had the factories, this was a money-making town. Now it’s not. Everyone I know is moving to the South.”
At the Morphicism gallery, the proprietor, Jay Palefsky, offered a cheerful greeting: “A customer! In Beacon!”
So many people have moved to Beacon from Brooklyn that people now call it NoBro, he said. He would like to buy into the hype, but he doesn’t see it. The economy is dead. The Internet has killed downtown commerce. He has seen well over a dozen businesses come and go in the five years he has been in business. “People want the access to the city without the craziness of the city,” Mr. Palefsky said. “But this just needs a lot of variables to make it work. One is the economy, and I don’t think that’s going to happen. Sorry to be so negative. I just don’t grasp the optimism.”
But optimism is one thing you find in the Hudson Valley, to an extent not seen elsewhere. It is true that, even here, it takes more than art, farm stands and caffeine to make an economy work — especially for those who don’t make a living with a laptop or a paintbrush. But in a culture sometimes whipsawed between a desire to be in the middle of the storm and to be a million miles away, the Hudson Valley offers the promise of both, the upstate hills and quirky towns just 90 minutes from Manhattan, said Bradley Thomason, who moved his small technology and organizational development consultancy, Miraclelabb, from Manhattan to the mighty metropolis of Accord last year.
“This isn’t like the tech revolution,” he said. “I’d be worried if there were some big kaboom Hudson Valley moment. But I think what you’re seeing is a slow progression toward something that can sustain itself.”
Correction: September 18, 2011
An article on Aug. 7 about the revival of the Hudson Valley misstated part of the name of an artistic school that frequently depicted the New York countryside. It is the Hudson River School, not the Hudson Valley School.
A version of this article appears in print on August 7, 2011, on page MB1 of the New York edition with the headline: Williamsburg on the Hudson. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe
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The Glory That Was Greece And The Grandeur That Was Rome: Two Short Videos Celebrating Europe’s Great Heritage
These two videos (total length 6 minutes) celebrate the great achievements of the European people, now under threat with the Coudenhove-Kalergi Plan for White Genocide.
UPDATE. A correspondent has just sent me this document, a declaration called “A Europe we can believe in“, signed by English philosopher Roger Scruton and nine other eminent Europeans. Feel free to read it and sign it.
Video 1 : 1.22 mins(To Helen : A poem by Edgar Allen Poe)
Video 2 : 4.50 mins(Europe’s Great Heritage. French with English subtitles.)
25 thoughts on “The Glory That Was Greece And The Grandeur That Was Rome: Two Short Videos Celebrating Europe’s Great Heritage”
This is a brief interlude or rest pause. A controversial article by Lasha Darkmoon on the “Trump enigma” will be published tomorrow. Meanwhile, if you have any poems of your own which you would like to share with us, feel free to post them here. Reflections on the great achievements of European civilization, now in its death throes, will also be welcome.
Indeed, that is one of the most inspiring videos I have ever seen on this subject. We need such motivation to fight for our existence. l’Europe is not hordes of African or Muslim “refugees”, l’Europe is Européens.
Yes a very moving video especially with the tribute to Dominique Venner who took his own life at Notre Dame Cathedral in 2013, although he wasn’t Catholic, but some kind of Mishima European Samourai or Old Roman. His book The Century of 1914, utopias, wars and revolutions is a masterpiece. He left a letter explaining his gesture.
All that we have lost which is so precious . . . will it ever come back?
Here is the great poet Lord Byron, bringing back cultural memories of classical Greece, deeply embedded in the genes of all the European people:
The isles of Greece! the isles of Greece!
Where burning Sappho loved and sung,
Where grew the arts of war and peace,
Where Delos rose, and Phoebus sprung!
Eternal summer gilds them yet,
But all, except their sun, is set.
Exhibit A is not an ugly African woman but she shouldn’t be so high in the hierarchy of Miss Finland. She reminds me of this very nice French stripper i met once in Paris Pink Paradise.
As to exhibit B this representation of the Virgin Mary is outrageous with the dungs, like Kapoor’s Queen Vagina in front of Versailles Castle at 0.25 in the video, the dirty corner.https://hyperallergic.com/212874/the-queens-vagina-sparks-controversy-at-versailles/
But there is nothing wrong with a Black Madonna, Black Madonnas which were destroyed after the French Revolution and by protestant daechian iconoclasts who didn’t like the Marian cult of French people, especially the one in Puy en Velay home of the famous pilgrimage where Louis XIII asked Holy Mary for a son, you know Regnum Galliae, Regnum Mariae, with her protector Michael archangel. I mean, even the Brits have a Saint Michael mount, we should put a giant dung in front of it so that they remember it.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Madonna#France
Now i Wonder on this 14th of October, one day after the hundreth anniversary of the appearance of our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Fatima, what is the Third Secret that the Vatican is hiding from us. LOL.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Michael%27s_Mount
Perkin Warbeck occupied the mount in 1497. Sir Humphrey Arundell, Governor of St Michael’s Mount, led the rebellion of 1549. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, it was given to Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, by whose son it was sold to Sir Francis Bassett. During the Civil War, Sir Arthur Bassett, brother of Sir Francis, held the mount against the Parliament until July 1646.
Pfff it was sold. We should build a new one in US Galveston, TX, and call it Windswept House.
Sorry for trolling, have a nice week end.
Woe to you, Pharisees, hypocrites!
Bosnians’ very term for a hypocrite is Pharisee (Farizey) and they, in their childish ignorance don’t even know that a Pharisee is a Jew or even more profoundly, that there are no Jews who are not Pharisees, i.e., hypocrites.
Why did Jesus say, Woe to you, covering the entire cluster, no exceptions?
Because he understood full well that in order to be a Pharisee, one must pledge fidelity to Devil and to no other master, to hand over one’s immortal soul, a pawned item that can scarcely be recovered (few honorable exceptions aside), thus woe to them, for they have already been judged.
Ditto for the Masons, the pathetic sub-jews.
And what works for Jesus, works for me, I have come to the same conclusion on my own and only recently realized that the truth about the Jew’s essentially non-human (once the soul is hocked, the humanity is gone) nature has been staring me in the face in the New Testament, courtesy of Jesus’s divine sight.
All other definitions of “Jew” miss the elusive mark, like chasing droplets of mercury with a fork.
Oui, Phil. Something I penned a long time ago when I was disgruntled about mediocrities being selected as “poet laureates” (kind of like the negress being selected to take the prize in a Scandinavian beauty pageant!).
Gilbert,
The negress? god i hate this term, it’s really offensive but that’s the point of this election. Here is a fable for you.
The Alms Bag by La Fontaine.
One day mighty Jupiter said “Let all living things come
before me to compare themselves, one with the other.
Let no one be afraid to speak honestly even if they find
fault. I shall ensure that no harm comes of it. Come
Monkey, you are the one that should begin. Let all the
others compare themselves to your beauty. Tell me, are
you satisfied with yourelf?”
“Me?” He said. “Why Not! Is my body not as good as
any of the others? And as for my face, there’s nothing
to reproach myself for on that score. But as for my
brother the bear, I have to say that I find his features
rather coarse. And no artist would ever pick him as a
subject for a painting”
Everyone expected the bear to reply angrily, but he
didn’t. Instead he praised his own physique quite loudly.
Then he went on to speak of the Elephant. He pointed out
that Elephant could use a longer tail and smaller ears.
In short he declared that the Elephant was quite
misshapen and ugly.
The Elephant (wise beast that he was) did not retaliate.
Instead, he opined as to how Madame Whale was really too
fat. Madame Ant then said that she found the Mite a bit
too small. It made her feel that she was a giant.
At this point Jupiter, hearing all these criticisms,
angrily told them to stop. This didn’t scare the other
animals who were still self-satisfied. And among the
most self satisfied were the humans because that is how
we are: fierce animals when it comes to criticizing others,
and meek when it comes to speaking of our own faults. We
forgive ourselves everything, and forgive others nothing.
The Creator made us like alms bags all in the same way:
Those born long ago and those born today. Our own faults
are buried in the rear pouch. The front pouch is reserved
for the faults of others.
Good fable, Phil. Thank you…but I will suggest to you the term “negress” is milder than “ugly African woman” used in the same context by JFC (with whom I most often find myself in AGREEMENT). Consider me to be intentionally abrasive to “Social Justice Warriors” – because they are mostly OFFENSIVE to (my) common sense. It is a terrible disservice to both player and spectator to skew the contest on behalf of “social justice”. (It becomes a contest lauded only by libtards and retards.)
Sorry , folks, but I was really angry when I wrote this . Hence this disclaimer
“THE OPINION EXPRESSED IN THE FOLLOWING POEM DOES NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE THE ROMANTIC FEELINGS OF THE WRITER”
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
she said I love you, it’s too late , said I
And definitely the procession of love had passed you by
you are the one who neglected and humiliated me yesterday
And today I shall let humiliation kill you
So turn around ,as you are, crushed , full of regrets
And take your love with you,
Chew on air, and tuck your toungue
May the Creator never bring you nor love back
Never , nor may He grant you comfort or peace
Countless times yesterday
you made me see stars in mid day
And drove me insane
Out of your detestible tempers and disrespect
This day , I pronounce your love dead and burried
Like a fly burrried in the dumpster of Time
This quote from a video of Skip Baker at http://www.skipbaker.com offers a little background re. caucasian, Christian white European history…a perspective not presented in the Jew controlled history books. Interesting background perspective re. the beautiful video re. the white European races. “The Jews are actually the Caananites who were known as Edomites, across the river and up in the mountains of Mt. Seir. They didn’t become “Israelites” until 125 bc. when the last real king of Judah and high priest defeated them in Edomia. Incredibly, unlike David, in 1,000 bc. , he told them, ‘Be circumcised or die.’ So all those Jews decided to join the Israelite religion in 125 b.c. They wrote NONE of the Bible. There was NO SUCH THING AS A JEWISH PROPHET, EVER! Daniel was not a Jew. Jeremiah was not a Jew. Esther was not a Jew. All of these people were [genuine] Israelites, and we Israelites were captured by the Assyrians in 745 bc. and taken into captivity, and escaped there and went up into the Caucasus Mountains through the pass of Israel [also known as the Daryal Pass] and came out on the other side known as Caucasians. We went into the wilderness of Europe and founded many nations for our Father Abraham.”
Arch Stanton, in the previous article, stated the prime issue for the Western world today:
One must march lock step with the Social Justice Warrior’s Marxist ideology or face their hateful wrath.
Is it even possible to bring them back from their intensive Jew programming? If so how might this be accomplished?
MAX BILNEY gave a list of actions to take, but without a solution on how to implement them. Creating enclaves of ‘natural law’ abiding people will just make easy targets.
About the programming, I believe it is impossible to change for 99%. It is as hard-wired as anything programmed from an early age.
Perhaps the Tribe have made a strategic mistake trying to eradicate Anglo-Saxon culture through mass immigration of Muslims. Examine any Muslim nation and you will see natural order in place to a great extent. Each family has a leader (there can only be one, by definition) and society is family oriented. Pride in nation naturally follows.
Cultural Marxism requires destruction of the male-female bond, destruction of family and nation. In Muslim nations I believe this is not possible without massive and immediate unrest. Therefore in their passion to eradicate Anglo-Saxon culture the Tribe will have guaranteed natural order in formerly Anglo-Saxon countries. Will technological progress halt or slow down? Maybe not – look at the example of Iran.
Obviously Social Justice Warriors (aka Marxists) and Muslims are incompatible, but this does not have to mean violent conflict. SJW will disappear in one generation.
Europe with it’s old fashioned ways of conquer – occupy – enslave & steal the natural resources of the nation.
It’s opulent – self serving – aristocracy & royalties – lazy – lethargic – half witted – inbred children of the gods.
The European Union.
Bankrupt.
May they get what they richly deserve for bringing upon us all – World War One & World War Two & all the oppression – death & destruction they have inflicted in between.
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I'm Caramella Mou and this is my cook book. It contains mostly recipes passed down from my Mum or invented by myself. Sometimes I cook from cook books and if I find a recipe really good, I blog about that too.
15 March 2011
Teriyaki Chicken with Noodle Rösti
Last week-end Lundulph came to visit and in addition to the surprise Valentine's Day dinner that I'd booked at a nice French Restaurant, I thought we could do with a fancy lunch. I sadly still don't know how to plate food.
My Mum had bought a food magazine on easy recipes and flicking through it, this recipe caught my eye.
Add the teriyaki sauce, press in the garlic and add the sesame oil and lime juice.
Stir in well, cover and let stand in the fridge for at least 1 h.
When marinating time is nearly up, pre-heat the oven to 175 degrees C.
Bring 2 l of water to the boil, then add the noodles and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes.
Drain most of the water, then add the chili, ginger, coriander and sesame seeds and stir in as well as possible.
Heat up a frying pan on medium, then brown the chicken and place in an oven safe dish and finish cooking in the oven for about 20 minutes.
In the mean time, heat up some butter in the pan, then take out about 1 dl worth of noodles and place in the frying pan in a pile. Then flatten with a spatula and let it go a bit crispy. Turn over and fry on the other side, then take out and place on kitchen paper to remove some of the fat.
Repeat with the remainder of the noodles, adding butter as needed.
Serve immediately.
This turned out to be a very good recipe. My Mum was worried that the spices weren't correctly balanced and tried to persuade me not to put in the full amount of sesame oil. Luckily I didn't listen to her this time, because it was yummy just the way it was.
We had enough for 5 people and there was a little left over, so 6 portions all in all.
The noodle rösti were an even better surprise - I call them rösti because that's what they ended looking like. Fabulously tasty, even my Dad had some, despite declaring from the outstart that he wouldn't eat anything silly like that.
My Sister on the other hand is now a teriyaki sauce convert and has declared to be the new ketchup and favourite dipping sauce.
I struggled with my timings and the chicken was ready well before the noodles and I had to keep it in the oven longer than needed and the breast pieces were a bit on the dry side.
We had a salad with this meal - romaine lettuce, radishes, cucumber and avocado, which worked rather well. Though I think a mixed baby leaf salad would be better.
As for our Valentine's Day dinner, we went to Brasserie Le Rouge. It was pricey, but very good and very nice atmosphere and very suitable for Valentine's Day. We didn't get a chance to celebrate it this year, so this was our opportunity to catch up.
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Mrs Goundo's Daughter
DVD200960 Minutes
Mrs Goundo from Mali fights for asylum to protect her daughter from the traditional female genital mutilation.
This is the incredible story of one mother's courageous battle to protect her two-year-old daughter from female genital mutilation. Skilfully interweaving Mrs Goundo's tense, landmark court case in America with the traditional practises of her Malian homeland, where we see the ceremony taking place, and the terrified young girls affected, this moving HD documentary says as much about the right to asylum as it does about this international female health issue.
This programme can be rented on our Video on Demand system for £1.50. For this you can view as often as you like within a 48 hour period of your own choosing.
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Main navigation
S’MORE CUPS RECIPE
Hey friends! Today, I’m going to share one of my all-time favorite recipes, and your family and friends are going to swoon over these delicious, finger-food desserts! But first….Don’t forget to follow along with me on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, HomeTalk and Facebook, so you don’t miss another post!
Since I’ve had a lot of requests lately for the S’more Cups recipe, I thought it’d be a good idea to post it on my blog! A few years back, I sold Pampered Chef for the sole purpose of restocking my kitchen with their wonderful products! And this recipe was one that I’d make at most of the parties. It was ALWAYS a hit! I promise you, people will be knocking on your door for these delicious, decadent treats! Enjoy!
Yield: 24 cups
Ingredients:
7 whole graham crackers (1 cup/250 mL finely crushed)
1/4 cup (50 mL) powdered sugar
6 T (90 mL) butter, melted
4 bars (1.55 oz/43 g each) milk chocolate candy, divided
12 large marshmallows
1 large resealable plastic bag (or sandwich bag, if you don’t have a freezer bag)
Combine the crushed crackers, powdered sugar, and melted butter into a medium-sized bowl. Using a mini ice-cream scoop, place a small amount of crumb mixture into each cup of the muffin pan. (But I have to share with you one important fact: I promise you that I started out with a clean pan! I forgot to take pics of the first batch of s’more cups, so if you notice the leftover crumbs on the pan, you’ll know why.) 😉
With the mini tart shaper, press crumbs to form shallow cups. Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbly.
While your graham crackers are baking, break two of the candy bars into rectangles. Also, cut each marshmallow in half, and place the sticky side up on a paper towel. Note: the secret to cutting them with ease is having damp scissors. Just before cutting your marshmallows, run your scissors under cold water. Works like a charm!
Once the graham crackers are to desired doneness, pull them out of the oven, and immediately place the broken chocolate pieces into each cup. (In the picture below, I used what I had on hand, which were XL candy bars.)
Then, place the marshmallow half (sticky-side down) on top of the chocolate.
Return to oven and bake 1-2 minutes, or until the marshmallows are slightly puffy.
Remove pan from oven, and cool about 15 minutes. Then, using a plastic spoon or knife, carefully remove each cup from the pan, and place on a cooling rack.
Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Break remaining candy bars and place in a small microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high about 1 minute, or until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds. Don’t overheat! Dip the top of each marshmallow in the melted chocolate.
Turn top-side up and let them set for about 1 hour. (To cool them faster, you can refrigerate the S’more Cups briefly.) Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.
The recipe says you can store them up to 1 week, but based on personal experience, their freshness will only last about 2 days. ***Recipe taken from Pampered Chef***
If you like this recipe, check out some of my other yummy posts here and here. Have you ever made this particular dessert before? I’d love to hear your thoughts…or any questions you might have! Comment below, or stop by and say “hey” on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, HomeTalk and Facebook. I’d love to hear from you….Your kind comments always make my day!
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Last night i was cruising with friends and i turned left and was going pretty slow and out of the blue heard a loud high pitch squeak. I have no clue what it is and its annoying because it doesn't happen all the time just hear n there and its only on the left. I believe it made be something the dealer told me to look at they said i have some plastic ball and socket that's loose.
If anyone has a clue please help. thanks guys.
Hondafan
08-30-2012 10:21 AM
Help us to understand the squeak. I would have said a pulley (or tensioner) was causing a belt to squeak, and being on the left side, I'd point you to the A/C compressor belt/pulley. I just ran into confusion as to a plastic ball and socket that could be loose that would cause a squeak. Is it related to changes in the body roll/movement of the car, or conditional to the revs, steering, or braking input?
If it's relative to the weight shift in the car from side to side, for example, it could be bushings around the sway bars, but I need help in understanding the type of squeak you're hearing.
RINGY91
08-30-2012 02:16 PM
well I'm not going fast when it happens so not sure if its weight shifting over but the ball and socket they side it has to do with sway i believe. I need to look at the paper they gave me with the recommendation i don't think its the belt because it sounds like left wheel weld.
hope that little info will help you guys out.
BLAZE2099
08-30-2012 08:31 PM
Its in the suspension if I'm reading this right. Pull the wheel off and wiggle and move things around, you probably wont hear a squeel, but you will more than likely find your cancer.
Had the same problem on my old 240sx super hicas.
pzr2874
08-31-2012 05:44 AM
^this
Squeak or grind?
OP, get an audio inside the car and post it. It's easy to rule out a belt, just take the assesory belt off and go for a spin.
RINGY91
08-31-2012 06:51 AM
its a squeak no grinding knock on wood.. i would post vid but no camera but i will definitely take the wheel off and give it a look.
RINGY91
08-31-2012 12:16 PM
I read the recommendation paper again and the ball n socket is a left front stabilizer. I don't know if that would cause a squeak i know at times it clunks.
can't wait to get enough money to fix it
newtothegame
09-01-2012 12:36 PM
A temporary fix, or possibly a permanent fix would be to grease it. Couldnt hurt to try it, and shouldnt cost you that much.
pzr2874
09-01-2012 11:26 PM
Are you meaning the ball-joint?
If so, get the one from NAPA... Buddy has has his on for 10K or so and no problems.
RINGY91
09-02-2012 06:21 PM
it could be a ball joint all it said on the paper was front stabilizer. About the part i am gonna try and get it myself im gonna try n stay away from the dealer unless i have to use them. If i could find exactly were the noise is coming from i would grease it. ( you're right it wouldn't hurt to grease it.)
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Environmental news from California and beyond
Gulf oil spill: Federal point man Thad Allen moving to Rand Corp.
October 1, 2010 | 12:42
pm
Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the voice and face of the federal government's response to the BP oil spill, is joining Rand Corp. as a senior fellow.
The think tank, headquartered in Santa Monica, announced Friday that as of Monday Allen will be based in its Arlington, Va., office, where he will work on homeland security, ocean policy and defense policy issues.
Allen retired in May as Coast Guard commandant but stayed on as the top federal spill official, holding daily news conferences in which he detailed the the spill containment efforts in often dry, technical language that provided the nation a lesson in oil-speak. When he answered reporters' questions, he would invariably finish his reply by asking, "Is that responsive?"
The National Incident Command in charge of the spill response was disbanded Friday and Allen transferred oversight of the ongoing cleanup efforts to Rear Adm. Paul Zukunft, the unified area commander in New Orleans.
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This course is for anyone passionate in learning how a hardware component can be adapted at runtime to better respond to users/environment needs. This adaptation can be provided by the designers, or it can be an embedded characteristic of the system itself. These runtime adaptable systems will be implemented by using FPGA technologies.
Within this course we are going to provide a basic understanding on how the FPGAs are working and of the rationale behind the choice of them to implement a desired system.
This course aims to teach everyone the basics of FPGA-based reconfigurable computing systems. We cover the basics of how to decide whether or not to use an FPGA and, if this technology will be proven to be the right choice, how to program it.
This is an introductory course meant to guide you through the FPGA world to make you more conscious on the reasons why you may be willing to work with them and in trying to provide you the sense of the work you have to do to be able to gain the advantages you are looking for by using these technologies.
We rely on some extra readings to provide more information on the topic covered in this course.
Please NOTE that most of the time, these documents are provided through the IEEE Xplore Digital Library, which means that, to access them, you have to have a valid IEEE subscriptions, either does by yourself or through your university/company.
The course has no prerequisites and avoids all but the simplest mathematics and it presents technical topics by using analogizes to help also a student without a technical background to get at least a basic understanding on how an FPGA works.
One of the main objectives of this course is to try to democratize the understanding and the access to FPGAs technologies. FPGAs are a terrific example of a powerful technologies that can be used in different domains. Being able to bring this technologies to domain experts and showing them how they can improve their research because of FPGAs, can be seen as the ultimate objective of this course. Once a student completes this course, they will be ready to take more advanced FPGA courses.
Na lição
Examples on how to configure an FPGA
FPGA design tools must provide a design environment based on digital design concepts and components (gates, flip-flops, MUXs, etc.). They must hide the complexities of placement, routing and bitstream generation from the user. This module is not going through these steps in details, an entire course will be needed just for this, but it is important at least to have an idea of what it is happening behind the scene to better understand the complexity of the processes carried out by the tools you are going to use. Within this context, this module guides you through a simple example, which is abstracting the complexity of the underlying FPGA, starting from the description of the circuit you may be willing to implement to the bitstream used to configure the FPGA.
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An Unbiased View of best bark control collar
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An Unbiased View of best bark control collar
This method lets you set the correction amount in your Pet manually. The beauty of this manner is which you can to begin with established the level very low and only change concentrations if necessary depending on your Canine’s response. The end result is usually that you'll have configured the perfect stage on your Doggy.
The SBC-10R automatically adjusts and customizes the type of bark control and training regime that works best with the pet. Aside from the 10 static stimulation amounts for bark control, the machine also has 3 selectable schooling modes; Temperament Learning, Progressive Correction and User-Selected Correction modes.
The rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for handheld and Canine models may very well be employed for as many as three months on each demand, Long lasting for a longer period than most equipment. The created-in bark limiter sets the tempo For brand spanking new tech in Pet coaching. It's rugged built and waterproof assures merchandise survives all weathers.
It is consequently crucial for any person intending to rely on them on their own pets to be aware of its correct use, benefits and shortcomings. Begin to see the best Doggy bark collars comparison at a glance in the bellow.
Bark collars are set inside of a method which allows the sensors to differentiate concerning correct barking (no matter whether it be as Element of Participate in or as a warning) and too much, inappropriate barking and corrects accordingly, meaning each you and your Pet dog know very well what is and isn't appropriate.
When fitting a bark collar for the first time, get it done from the presence of men and women the Canine trusts. When your Doggy is left residence by itself, it might sense nervous and continue to bark, in spite of an ever-increasing stimulation stage. Hardly ever depart a bark collar with your Canine for twenty-four hours – 8-12 hrs on a daily basis will probably be adequate.
The collar website suits neck measurements from thirteen.5 to 23 inches. So, in advance of buying a bark collar, evaluate your Pet dog's neck girth. The collar shouldn't be as well free or way too tight, because it could cause pain or damage to your dog.
Usually salient stimuli, such as noises, commands and in many cases shocks, can have no impact on a dog that is highly aroused and focused on an activity like searching.[citation necessary]
Reasonable using these equipment to enable them achieves these aims. Bear in mind, the target to start with is to change its conduct not to change its mother nature.
Christiansen et al., checked out behavioural dissimilarities in between three breeds of dogs when confronted by domestic sheep (138 dogs; Elkhounds, hare searching dogs and English setters).[seven] Two tests methods had been employed and shock collars have been utilized to deter attacks on sheep. The initial, a path take a look at, included observing the dogs' reactions to your list of novel stimuli (rag pulled over the track, bundle of cans thrown down, tethered sheep at 5m) as it was walked.
Shock collars use alternating current. It truly is hence inappropriate to refer to shock collars as providing a static shock.
The first basic principle of Puppy training is “do no damage”. Therefore, all bark collars are Geared up with the computerized safety shut-off. A security shut-off attribute will activate When the Canine carries on to bark for a long time at the very best stimulation amount. To guard the dog, the bark collar will immediately shut off right after thirty seconds, just one or several minutes, based on the product. It’s essential if you don't need to put your canine at risk in the absence.
The electrical Houses and performances of the fashionable small latest remote stimulation gadgets ... are comparable to the electrical stimulation units Employed in human medicine. Organic and natural harm, like a direct impression from the utilized current, is often excluded.” [4]
This is one of our favorites, as you've the full functions of a 2 Puppy education technique, as well as a in-built no bark element. This is often just perfect for people who have a dog the really like, but is not simply not easy to coach, but additionally likes to bark incessantly. The Aetertek AT-918C two-Dog Coaching Program includes an automobile no-bark operate in-built which is perfect for dogs that happen to be six months or more mature, and weigh in at fifteen to 150 pounds.
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TECHNOLOGY DECISIONS - IT leadership & innovation
Technology Decisions
provides senior IT professionals across Australia and New Zealand with a multichannel
(mag+web+email)
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Sun expands utility pricing technique
Sun Microsystems is expanding a program to sell computing horsepower in a way that's similar to how power companies sell electricity.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based server seller has broken computing power down into a basic chunk: the Sun power unit. It's the amount of work a single Sun UltraSparc III processor can perform in a second, and customers can pay for computing work based on how many Sun power units they consume, said Bill Mooz, Sun's senior director of utility computing.
Get Up to Speed on...Utility computingGet the latest headlines andcompany-specific news in ourexpanded GUTS section.
With "every billing cycle, we will produce a report that will show the amount of Sun power units consumed," Mooz said. "Based on that, there will be an itemized bill." Sun has a separate utility pricing measurement for storage capacity a customer uses, he added.
Sun's utility pricing plan, which began in April, often involves partners that house Sun equipment customers can pay to use. The company's first partner, Affiliated Computer Services (ACS), signed on in September, with SchlumbergerSema joining earlier in October. This week, Sun added another partner, CGI Group, which will offer utility pricing specifically for biotechnology research companies, including Genome Quebec.
Utility computing is catching on, but in some ways, it's recycling an old philosophy, "time sharing," which companies used widely in the 1960s, when computers were scarce and several companies would share one.
"This is one of the classic examples of 'everything old is new again,'" Illuminata analyst Gordon Haff said. "The reason it used to be very popular was that even a billion-dollar company wouldn't own their own mainframe. They were expensive and required expensive little gnomes to keep them running. Then computers got cheap, and everybody bought their own, and it stopped being popular."
Utility pricing, while still rare, is experiencing a renaissance, Haff said. One reason is that it's harder these days to know how much computing power you'll need.
"In general, there's less predictability about business--so if you can shove off some of the risk and uncertainty by paying for what you use, even if it's at a bit higher rate, you're still often better off," he said.
Pooling resources
The idea behind utility computing--which sports labels such as "on-demand computing" at IBM, and "adaptive enterprise" at Hewlett-Packard--is that computer users can save money by pooling together computing resources previously separate. A key issue in uniting these "silos" of computing gear is figuring out which jobs are consuming the computing power and which jobs take priority.
For example, a company could choose to merge computing systems for customer support, accounting and online sales. Customer support could have steady computing demand, while computer usage for accounting could spike at the end of every quarter, with online sales activity surging during the holiday shopping season. Ideally, with a utility computing infrastructure, these differing jobs can be shifted among various computing systems to make sure that equipment that's been paid for isn't idle, high-priority needs are met and that the appropriate departments are billed for what they use.
The future of computing will separate software from hardware so that programs can be quickly moved to appropriate equipment and processing power can be devoted to the most important jobs, Jonathan Schwartz, head of Sun's software group, said in an earlier interview. "You want to decouple the execution of the application from the box," he said. "You will divide hardware from software."
A centralized utility computing site such as Affiliated Computer Services can share resources among several clients. It's analogous to a phone system, in which overall demand stays roughly level, even though one family may make a lot of phone calls during one part of the day and not use the phone at all during other times.
Utility pricing can let a company deal with occasional surges in computing needs without having to pay for all the hardware and software that would rest idle during other times, Sun's Mooz said. But there are cases when utility pricing doesn't make sense.
"The place I don't think a customer will do very well with utility-based pricing is where they have high, predictable and stable levels of utilization. They may be better off buying or leasing the product," he said.
Competitors active
Sun's top two rivals have similar plans under way.
HP's lab researchers are working on a technology called the "computon," said Nick van der Zweep, director of utility computing at HP. The computon is an amalgam of processing power, network bandwidth and storage capacity.
Ultimately, HP hopes that companies will sell spare computons on the Internet, van der Zweep said, not unlike a currency.
He recognizes that there are difficulties packaging different types of computing capacity as one computon, though. "You may want to just store something. But if you want storage, you don't want to be given compute power," he said.
HP has various utilitylike technologies that have shipped in about 10,000 products sold so far, van der Zweep said. For example, a customer can pay for a server based on how much computing capacity is used monthly. HP's terms specify that as soon as a customer has paid more in utility pricing than the total cost of a 36-month lease, the customer no longer has to pay HP anything. That's to reassure customers who fear that unpredictable usage may mean that the arrangement proves more expensive than leasing, the company said.
IBM also has some utility pricing plans. For example, with its so-called on-off capacity on-demand technology, server customers can pay to fire up extra computing capacity temporarily.
IBM Global Services sells access to centrally located servers with a utility pricing model. In one service, for using Linux on a mainframe, Big Blue charges $300 per month for each "service unit," a measurement of computing capacity equivalent to about a third of the horsepower of a single-processor Intel server.
In addition, Big Blue in September expanded the program from Linux on its zSeries mainframes to include the AIX version of Unix on its pSeries servers, the OS/400 operating system on iSeries servers, and Windows on xSeries, IBM spokesman James Sciales said.
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3 comments:
Great Scott! I shall soon begin my 4-block drive to my office. Fortunately, our weather is clear, and the streets are dry. It was warm and sunny yesterday and forecast to be in the 60s today. Unfortunately, there is more rain on the way.
David - Last night here in the early morning hours it hit zero, today is it a balmy 20 degrees! Today when I went grocery shopping i was 5 out, and I did my usual park all the way at the end of the lot and walk it. it was bracing to say the least!!
I am pleased you like the picture, it is amazing how good an iPhone camera can do!
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Factoid: Ouachita-Black Rivers System in AR and LA has four locks and dams. There are boat ramps and picnicking facilities on the river. The Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge is located along the river near the AR and LA border.
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13 Jan 2018 18:19:21
Alright lads maybe related to what macca said but in hearing from my friend who's father works for the club that we are going to try and pip arsenal for Malcolm. Klopp feels him or mahrez could play salahs position while salahs slots in at cam or secondary striker when we play 442.
lerchy
{Ed002's Note - There was a meeting regarding Malcom in London late morning tody. But not with Liverpool.}
1.) 13 Jan 2018 18:41:56
First time poster. Been following this sight for years. I absilu6ely love it. In response to what lerchy mentioned. I understand from someone who knows a bit that Arsenal are getting Malcolm. Utd in for Sanchez and greizan will be going Barcelona in the summer. Nothing on Liverpool though. Keep up the relentless work eds.
2.) 13 Jan 2018 18:46:35
So Klopp has explained his tactical thinking for general circulation around all staff at LFC, yet even professional journalists (and Macca) are keeping quiet on the identity of our targets.
28 Dec 2017 14:21:42
ed 002, is there any truth to a report that we are scouting monaco's fabinho with a view to a summer move. him and keita as our holding cms would be beautiful. de vrij and van dijk behind. pipe dream or reality?
lerchy
{Ed002's Note - No, I am not aware of Liverpool scouting Fabinho. There is declared interest from a couple of sides and Manchester City May also look to him. But nothing from Liverpool.}
1.) 28 Dec 2017 14:36:42
thanks happy new year to you and the other eds.
09 Jun 2017 15:20:36
Question for ed 002 if about. Is there any interest in clyne? As I'm. lead to believe klopp favours mulberry right side.
lerchy
{Ed002's Note - I am not aware of any efforts being made to sell Clyne.}
1.) 09 Jun 2017 16:52:52
Have a feeling Klopp has turned his attention towards getting in a CB (whether its VVD or someone else) while giving Clyne another season and TAA to step up before reviewing the RB situation next year. Totally up for TAA being first choice RB for next season.
5.) 09 Jun 2017 19:12:23
A question to the Eds, are you aware of any changes to the Sharkpod list of targets with what has happened over the last week. If not can everyone stop throwing random names at the Eds before they get really fed-up.
Thank you and goodnight Eds.
{Ed002's Note - A good question - add Benjamin Mendy (versatile but so expensive he may well have been priced out of a move) and remove Kessie, Maxime Lopez, Dembele and Azmoun.}
6.) 10 Jun 2017 01:11:47
I think Clyne is getting a raw deal on here. To say he has had zero positive impact on games is inaccurate. He's England first choice RB for a reason. If he could improve his crossing and general end product he has huge potential. Defencively he's fine. I agree that between him a taa we really have other priorities. In fact almost every other position on the park. Lb cb cm w st. Even gk.
7.) 10 Jun 2017 07:20:34
He's not first choice RB for England. Kyle Walker is miles ahead of him!
Fact is, Clyne has really poor end product, he has no idea what to do with the ball so he normally passes back or sideways. Defensively he's ok but he can have some positional issues. But yeah, other areas need attention first. I reckon Klopp will really try to step up TAA's development as Klopp loves his fullbacks to get involved in the attack.
In saying that, I think Pereira at RB and Mane in front of him would be absolutely lethal!
8.) 10 Jun 2017 08:57:35
As Greg said, he is NOT 1st choice for England. He'll be lucky to even be 2nd choice. Walker and Trippier both produce more in the final 3rd. And everyone needs to remember, it's one signing at a time. Seems like CB and winger are 1st priorities and I'd agree with that. Then fullbacks, then midfielder, and then maybe a striker or maybe not if Solanke looks good enough in pre-season I'd say. Please bear in mind, the window doesn't close until Thursday, August 31 at 23:00.
9.) 10 Jun 2017 10:53:39
Sorry but Clyne is not ok defensively. He has a constant habit of switching off and letting players in. Several goals this season came from it. Milner who isn't an outright defender looks more switched on and capable of blocking and disrupting crosses.
10.) 10 Jun 2017 15:20:37
Ok. Ok. I think Clyne will come good. He does the basics well, better end product and he'll be one of best in league. Good pro and I'll be surprised if we bring in a RB. A lot of people expect us to play 343 next year so will he even get a game?
11.) 10 Jun 2017 15:59:19
How is CB and Winger a priority over LB position? We don't have a LB as Milner isn't one although doing a good job and Moreno is just awful. We have four cbs plus a couple who could cover and in a front three we have players either side of the striker, so how a LB is the first position to be signed and top level at that.
It's like spending time looking for 3rd choice older keeper now Manniger has gone. why?
17 Feb 2019 22:16:05
I see a lot of posters asking what cb we are targeting and tbh not even klopp knows right now.
Imo we should look at nico elvedi, the swiss cb at bmg. Bmg have the third best defensive record and he's comfortable as a ball player, he's covered lb and rb this season also and has over 150 appearences at the age of 21.
lerchy
{Ed002's Note - I have explained about the CBs we know the club has looked at.}
1.) 17 Feb 2019 23:59:50
Yes i have seen that so thanks ed, just a bit of fantasy football fromme.
05 Feb 2019 00:42:29
Carry on with this attitude and the fans will be to blame, who cares? We are top so no pressure or nerves, sing more! And be happy.
lerchy
1.) 05 Feb 2019 01:01:27
Come on the twelfth man! We are tho ones letting the boys down, Leicester game especially, i remember a time the ball was sucked into the kop it was so noisy. Home or away its February so let's not bite our nails and go silent yet.
2.) 05 Feb 2019 02:11:31
I am dissapointed. and nervous but agree the negativity must stop. We have lost one game all year this far. ONE GAME. Even if we don't win it all it won't be because of bottling it, chocking, Klopp. it will just be fat. what might go down as one of our best point tally ever might not be good enough against the team of the decade.
3.) 05 Feb 2019 04:11:31
Lerchy, stop blaming fans just because you think that sort of comment will be well-received on here. The players were poor last night, and we are in danger of throwing away a league lead that could have been 7 points as recently as last Wednesday.
We aren’t letting ‘the boys’ down at all, fans give their time, money and emotion to support the club and should not be blamed when it is quite clear that the pressure is getting to the players.
4.) 05 Feb 2019 05:05:50
Lowefc no one is blaming the fans but surely turning on the players and club when things aren’t going well is not going to help.
The players need support and all this negativity is baffling. We are still 3 pts clear at the top with less than a third of the season to play and fans are acting as if we are on the verge of relegation. The club is in the best position it has been in for a long time.
I understand that the last 2 performances haven’t been the best and it can be frustrating but surely getting behind the team (who are clearly feeling the pressure) and showing our ‘support’ is more helpful than all this negativity.
5.) 05 Feb 2019 05:32:26
two below average performances donot deserve appreciation. Fans support the club and they make it clear this won't do and are right in voicing their concerns. Player need to buck in up and look inside and overcome whatever is stopping them from performing day in and day out. Its not negativity, its general concern.
If players want to be pampered and supported for strolling in the park for 90 minutes they can look for new clubs. few of our best players have let us down in last two games and yes we love them but it doesn't mean we cannot slay into them. Fans have waited bloody long for the title and when the team plays below par they are right in voicing their frustrations with some players.
8.) 05 Feb 2019 08:53:09
Lets hope anfield are too then ron because the last two games we scored early then bit our nails until the end, was it that way in the 80s? And im not slating anyone im simply asking for support and calmness. Its early February and fans are saying its over.
9.) 05 Feb 2019 09:09:01
They’re only saying that on the internet though lerchy, it doesn’t count 😉
The atmosphere at home league matches has been nothing to write home about for years. Too much anxiety, we need to win something 👍.
10.) 05 Feb 2019 09:22:28
At the beginning of the season if anyone said to me by early feb with 13 games to go we would be top 3 pts clear of city I would of ripped their arm off. people want to pinpoint individual match performances but champions are made by their prerformances over the whole season. city lose to Newcastle and we think we’ve won it. we draw with Leicester and West Ham and suddenly we have lost it. there are more twists and turns yet rest assured.
11.) 05 Feb 2019 09:32:41
Folks it's not the last two performances is it really it's been since the Brighton game we have been very average to poor. Things can spire out of control very easily an this season could end up being quite a poor season. Forget 12th man this is down to players pulling their finger out.
9.) 12 Dec 2018 15:52:15
Nice one lads, still can't choose. Im keeping them every year with a different name so we can look back. I was going to get the pink gk kit with alison as its his mothers name but everywhere is out of stock until January! Even the lfc store. My life is finally back on track, im going to have the best xmas and i hope you all are too. Merry xmas to all of you.
14.) 12 Dec 2018 23:31:19
Have a look at a site called dhgate. com it's where I get all my kit. A full kit cost around £12 with name and number great value especially for kids who grow out of them in no time.
09 Mar 2018 15:36:10
hi eds do you know if a move for diawara rather than jorginho could be likely or possible? i notice he's the same nationality as naby but wants to apparently pledge his allegiance to italy. could we persuade him to join us?
lerchy
{Ed001's Note - no idea sorry.}
1.) 09 Mar 2018 15:49:02
thanks ed. iv'e just read that tranmere are closing there youth academy bar the under 18s and are telling the parents not to bring the kids anymore. i think its really sad as the wirral has good youth prospects, i've played with a good few. i think its a shame on these kids though, isn't there anything liverpool or everton could have done? i feel a lot of youngsters who could have been top pros will now just drop out. thanks.
{Ed002's Note - I don't know about Everton but typically Liverpool have far from helped any other clubs when the need has arisen., or even there own players out on loan before a move (think Spearing and Bolton). Morally the club is known to be one of the bankrupt ones - hence a number of extremely questionable "partners", and a number of incidents in the past. I expect the local community is cared for rather more by Everton. I would however say that many, may pro players across the world do a great deal for charity and some do community support work including one current PL goalkeeper who gives free coaching classes to local kids in a French city at a club he left many years ago.}
4.) 09 Mar 2018 19:46:56
Ed 02 - So Liverpool is a morally bankrupt club. Have you anything to say about a certain London club (of which you seem particularly fond) with a morally repugnant owner whose vast wealth is of dubious origin?
{Ed002's Note - I have no idea what you are referring to. Your knowledge of the game and clubs is seemingly based on complete pig-ignorance and yet again it is a Liverpool supporter trying to defelect and make it about someone else. You might want to try and understand what other clubs have done to help smaller clubs, ex player etc., then perhaps you might be embarrassed about Liverpool who have a history of fucking up others at the first chance. People like you are typical of those who have turned the Liverpool fanbase in to a laughing stock.}
5.) 09 Mar 2018 20:14:53
I’m embarrassed by the clubs actions in the recent history ed, hopefully they can start to turn things around.
Some of the players recently have done some very nice charitable things, I hope this is a turning point and we see more of this from the players and especially the club.
7.) 09 Mar 2018 21:26:55
Edd 2 is right about liverpool fc over the last couple of years its been a poor showing from liverpool fc but I agree with Mikey that just recently the players have been doing a little more with charities. Trent and salah come to mind.
Long may it continue and the club start helping out more. Zz.
8.) 09 Mar 2018 22:22:27
Sorry if Tranmere is in trouble why is ed 2 having a go at liverpool it's modern football the big clubs are getting bigger and steadier and clubs like Tranmere are surviving on scraps sad but true.
12.) 09 Mar 2018 23:40:27
Ed 02 disregard that last post just realised first refusal on youth players is impossible to promise. Ultimately it’s the decision of the kid/ parent as to where they feel their future lies. Still think there’s got to be something the bigger clubs can do to keep Tranmeres set up active though. If Tranmere can’t continue what chance has the grass roots game got?
07 Feb 2018 10:56:13
why does everybody rave about pulisic? he hasn't scored this season yet he's considered a 60 million plus player? i hope kent and wilson get a chance to prove themselves next season as they were brilliant also ojo too. wilson i'd say has more potential than pulisic the lad just needs to adjust to the man's game which i think he will. harry kane was on loan to millwall a few years ago, let's give our youngsters time.
lerchy
1.) 07 Feb 2018 11:07:08
Agreed lerchy, I'm with ya on that.
Wilson could be outstanding if things go his way, not every player can be a Fowler/ Owen and go straight into the first team.
{Ed001's Note - contributed a lot more to Dortmund than Wilson has yet to anyone in proper first team football.}
6.) 07 Feb 2018 12:47:13
Nobody can say for sure who is better than who unless both have equal opportunities in similar situations - Wilson looks fantastic in the U-23's, would Pulisic look as good? Impossible to say. Same if it was the other way around.
Ings has hardly looked a world beater in the U-23's but yet he's probably our backup Striker right now.
Circumstances make the difference sometimes and in my opinion if the circumstances are right, Wilson could be a top player - not saying better than Pulisic or worse, but just that he needs a run of games before judging - same for many players i. e. Salah at Chelsea in recent history, look at him now though, flourishing in the right circumstances and atmosphere.
The potential is all there with Wilson, I have no doubt about that after watching him well over 20 times over the last 4 years or so and I hope it's realised with us or it'd be a real shame and missed opportunity to develop another youth prospect.
7.) 07 Feb 2018 13:05:25
Guys, we've hit peak silliness with this thread. It's so silly I can't bring myself to make an argument. All I can say I will remind you of this conversation when Wilson is a jobbing winger in the championship.
That was a completely pointless post then wasn't it if you have nothing to point out - it's okay, forget it, I wouldn't waste my time reading an arrogant opinion anyway - everyone is wrong and you're right clearly.
What did you hope to achieve with knocking a youth prospect at your own club without explaining your reasons why - this is one of the most pointless posts I have read on here in many many years.
Don't bother replying to me Putney, I don't personally have time for arrogant, empty and baseless posts - thanks.
9.) 07 Feb 2018 14:55:47
Kev
Maybe Putney has a bit of reality? Not every young player makes it thru the ranks, infact very few at Lfc. Putney thinks Wilson will be plying his trade at a Championship club, i tend to agree with him. Maybe that's where Wilson starts, who knows where he might end up in the future. Its working out for Coady. I know Liverpool fans want every youngster to "make it" Reality is seldom do.
10.) 07 Feb 2018 15:12:28
I have watched Pulisic for the USMNT and believe me he is the real deal. He will go down as the best American ever, and he is still so young. If you read about him, he is humble and grounded. I wish the club snaps him up for two reasons. He is that good, I think he will be better than Phil. And 2 he will raise the profile of LFC in the states
Matt in FL.
11.) 07 Feb 2018 15:51:39
Rover, that's all he had to say but instead he decided to knock the lad and be smug about his opinion being the correct one with nothing to back it up.
Wilson is a kid and he plays for us right now and has gone on loan to Hull after signing a new contract with us, so somebody obviously sees some talent in there, but I respect your opinion as you offered it in a very fair way unlike the other fella.
If he becomes a permanent Championship player, there's nothing wrong with that either but no need for "fans" to say it smugly as if that'd be a personal failure for this kid.
13.) 07 Feb 2018 16:29:34
Oirish, I apologise, it was meant to be more light hearted than it came across.
My position is that favourably comparing a player who can't even get on the bench with us to a guy who not only is a regular starter at one of the best clubs in Germany but is also one of the highest rated youth prospects in world football is not reasonable.
Wilson had done very well at U-23 level but nothing at senior level. He is behind Woodburn, Ojo and Kent and it is unlikely that he will make the grade with us. I suspect that he will find his level in league 1 or the championship.
My previous post may have been frivolous but I believe my assessment is reasonable.
14.) 07 Feb 2018 16:30:01
Pulisic is good on the ball but he lacks any end product, there’s no doubt he’s a good player, but let’s not go over the top here. They said Freddy Adu would be America’s greatest footballer! To say he’ll be better than Coutinho is a ridiculous comment, given that there’s no evidence to support it, he lacks the shooting ability for a start! It is also worth commenting that m he has said, unequivocally, that he has absolutely no desire to play for us. The only team he wants to play for in England is the mancs.
15.) 07 Feb 2018 16:47:26
MrDennis,
Have you seen him play? Pulisic doesn't go missing in games, he gets manhandled, and im telling you he is that good. The eye test doesn't lie. And I stick by my opinion that he will be better than Phil. Also low bliw on Freddy Adu🙄.
17.) 07 Feb 2018 19:08:01
Freddy Adu was a victim of all the hype put on him, IMO cos I saw him play lots of times esp. for the U. S Olympic team and the U20 World Cup in 2007 alongside Altidore, Marcelo, Pato, Aguero, Vidal, Sanchez, Di Maria etc. He was very good BUT his career never got off the ground.
OlIrish, I don't know what you are on about BUT I think you are responding to comments I never made.
{Ed001's Note - do you really think he was very good? I remember seeing him as a kid and wondering what the hype was about as he was exceedingly average. If he had been playing at 14 on Merseyside he would have struggled to get in the school team, just at the period the hype blew up around him. He is the epitome of crap dressed up as quality because they are physically advanced.}
19.) 07 Feb 2018 22:30:32
You may be right about that Ed BUT you have to admit that he was also a product of the American sports merchandising, trying to force soccer on kids at the time esp. in high school. I just felt that he had some ability at the time BUT he should have been allowed to grow like Pulisic is doing now in Germany where the academies are more suited to help these kids. In the U. S, that was and is STILL not the case. Just my opinion, I guess.
{Ed001's Note - like I said, I never saw anything in him that you wouldn't see in every schoolkid who actually grew up playing the game. He was miles off the level of a quality youngster in a place where kids grow up playing the game. It was just that he was playing against kids who were still new to the game, not that he was good, that made him look so much better.}
19 Feb 2019 09:00:18
No chance mk he has no pace, it wouldn't surprise me if this or next could be his last season with us due to fitness concerns and his age
And benny i really don't think trent is a right back myself, he's played his whole youth at cm. I know that's meaningless but i think he would excel at cm once his positioning has come on. I also don't think he would be happy to stay at rb as in many interviews he has stated cm is his position
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by Ben Fowlkes, USA TODAY Sports
by Ben Fowlkes, USA TODAY Sports
ANAHEIM, Calif. - It's funny how quickly Ronda Rousey went from being the impatient line-jumper of women's MMA to its superstar messiah.
Remember where she was this time last year? Remember back when Miesha Tate was the Strikeforce women's 135-pound champ and UFC President Dana White seemed pretty certain that women would never fight inside the octagon? Back then the story was how Rousey, who'd logged only 138 seconds of cage time as a professional, had talked her way into a title fight that she didn't deserve, a fight that was "pretty ridiculous," according to former Strikeforce champ Sarah Kaufman.
Even Tate, who stood to gain a lot from the rivalry Rousey had intentionally drummed up with her, bristled at the way the trash-talking judoka had gone about grabbing such a share of the spotlight.
"I think that's why a lot of us have a problem with Ronda," Tate said just before her 2012 bout with Rousey. "I just don't think she sees the big picture. If she did, I don't believe she'd feel OK about how she's talked her way into a title fight. ... It's just very unjust, and she feels OK with it because, in my opinion, Ronda's a very selfish person. She's more concerned with what's good for Ronda than what's good for women's MMA."
The crazy part is, that was a legitimate and not at all uncommon viewpoint among female fighters just one year ago. Now look.
As you could probably tell by the screaming fans in the sold-out Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on Saturday night, it turns out that Rousey is actually pretty good for women's MMA. In fact, she might be the best thing to happen to it since cornrows and sports bras. If she hadn't come along, White would probably still be shaking his head at talk of a women's division. Without her, there's no way every media outlet from HBO to the Los Angeles Times would be taking time to explain exactly how an armbar works.
You could argue that these are just byproducts of Rousey's quest for glory and money rather than a positive change she brought about on purpose for the good of the sport. But you could also argue that it doesn't really matter. Rousey became a star, and now Liz Carmouche will be able to buy herself a kitchen table. Who cares if the cause and effect was intentional?
Probably not Carmouche, who showed up at the post-UFC 157 press conference looking happier than any fighter has ever been after a first-round submission loss. Maybe it was just her naturally sunny demeanor taking over, but Carmouche seemed more pleased with her losing effort than Lyoto Machida was with his winning one.
Even Tate, who admitted that she still can't watch the clip of her own armbar loss to Rousey without feeling her heart rate skyrocket, finally had to concede that there were some positives to having Rousey burst on the scene the way she did.
"As much as Ronda might not be the kind of person I want to go have coffee with, she's done a tremendous job building women's MMA to this point," Tate said. "She's made one hell of a champion."
The benefit to fighters like Tate is already becoming clear. She's got a UFC bout with Cat Zingano slated for April, and according to White it would "make sense" that the winner might be next in line for a shot at Rousey's title. Just getting the chance to fight in the UFC at all is a dream come true for Tate, who said she couldn't help but be motivated by her front-row seat for Rousey's coming-out party on Saturday night.
"The UFC debut means the world to me," Tate said. "I have to win that fight. I know what it sets up because I see it right here."
Would any of this have happened without Rousey? Doubtful. Her peers may not have liked the way she went about drumming up attention for herself, but they have every reason to like the end result.
Now, thanks to Rousey, they no longer have to worry about whether women's MMA will ever get a shot in the UFC. That should leave them plenty of time to focus on their new concern: Learning how to stay out of the armbar.
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Remember, in 2005, when Kanye West freaked out his co-presenter, actor Mike Myers, by going way off-script during a Hurricane Katrina telethon? Well, that was the lowest point of George W. Bush's presidency, according to George W. Bush:
MATT LAUER:
About a week after the storm hit NBC aired a telethon asking for help for the victims of Katrina. We had celebrities coming in to ask for money. And I remember it vividly because I hosted it. And at one part of the evening I introduced Kanye West. Were you watching?
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH:
That's - "he's a racist." And I didn't appreciate it then. I don't appreciate it now. It's one thing to say, "I don't appreciate the way he's handled his business." It's another thing to say, "This man's a racist." I resent it, it's not true, and it was one of the most disgusting moments in my Presidency.
MATT LAUER:
This from the book. "Five years later I can barely write those words without feeling disgust." You go on. "I faced a lot of criticism as President. I didn't like hearing people claim that I lied about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction or cut taxes to benefit the rich. But the suggestion that I was racist because of the response to Katrina represented an all time low."
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH:
Yeah. I still feel that way as you read those words. I felt ‘em when I heard ‘em, felt ‘em when I wrote ‘em and I felt ‘em when I'm listening to ‘em.
MATT LAUER:
You say you told Laura at the time it was the worst moment of your Presidency?
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH:
Yes. My record was strong I felt when it came to race relations and giving people a chance. And– it was a disgusting moment.
MATT LAUER:
I wonder if some people are going to read that, now that you've written it, and they might give you some heat for that. And the reason is this–
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH:
Don't care.
MATT LAUER:
Well, here's the reason. You're not saying that the worst moment in your Presidency was watching the misery in Louisiana. You're saying it was when someone insulted you because of that.
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH:
No - that– and I also make it clear that the misery in Louisiana affected me deeply as well. There's a lot of tough moments in the book. And it was a disgusting moment, pure and simple.
Now, I can think of a lot of other moments that might be considered "lower." But I'm not an expert! Why not ask, for example, Abu Bakkir Qassim, who spent four years in Guantanamo Bay, including an entire year after it had been determined he had done nothing wrong and was not a threat, what he thinks the "worst moment" of the Bush presidency is? Or maybe, say, the entire city of New Orleans? They might have a different sense of "all-time low" than President Bush! But I'm just guessing.
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Ask Anthony Bray, MD Your Own Question
Anthony Bray, MD, Doctor
Category: Health
Satisfied Customers: 7460
Experience: 14 years as clinician in the field of Family Practice
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Anthony Bray, MD is online now
I had some blood work done and most of the results came back
Customer Question
I had some blood work done and most of the results came back low. I have suffered from heavy period all of my life; I am 56 years old and haven't gone through menopause yet. The doctor wants me to have a colonoscopy because he thinks I'm bleeding elsewhere and that low blood levels couldn't come from just my periods.
WBC 4.5-RBC 4.11- Hemo 8.6-Heat 27.7- MCV 67=MCH 20.9- MCHC 30.9- RDW 20.4
Platelets 312- Neutrophile 61- Lymphs 29- Monocytes 7- Eos 2- Basos !- Neutrop Absolute 2.7- Lymphs Absolute 1.3- Monocytes Absol 0.3-EOS Absol 0.1- Baso Absol 0.0
I don't know what most of these abbreviations stand for could you please explain them to me. And, do you feel that the low levels must be from other sources? I do have a colonoscopy scheduled.
What is ALT (SGPT) 54 High. Carbon Dioxide 18,low TSH 1.470 what are the effects of these low results?
You are anemic and the results would fit with iron deficiency anemia. The low MCV(mean cellular volume ) would fit with iron deficincy anemia.
Anthony Bray MD :
Iron deficiency anemia would be consistent with blood los being the cause of your anemia. We do tend to suspect a GI source as being the most likely to cause this but heavy enough periods might as well.
Eos = eosinophils = cellls that are related to allergy response and also fighting parasitic infections. Monocytes and basos = other subtypes of white cells.
Anthony Bray MD :
ALT is a liver enzyme. TSH = Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (normal range for this is 0.4 to 4.5 mcIU/L) so your value is within normal limits on this.
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
I have been anemic all of my life so nothing new there.
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
ALT is high so should I be worried and what can I do for it? Also what about the carbon dioxide level?
Anthony Bray MD :
OK, well continued iron would be indicated and follow up at least. I would agree with the need to rule out GI as a contibutor to this..
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
I have an appointment for the first visit for the colonoscopy on Nov 15.
Anthony Bray MD :
The ALT is only mildly elevated. Avouid too much alcohol and much Tylenol as these can cause this to go higher. Generally it is not until this is >2 to 3 times the upper limit that it is concerning. It can be caused by fatty liver which is associated with high cholesterol or triglyceride numbers. Too much fat storage within the liver can casue this too in other words.
Anthony Bray MD :
The CO2 relates to the body's acid/base balance. Too low on this value may be compatible with metabolic acidosis. This can get confusing in that as part of a metabolic profile this refers to the presence of bicarbonate while as part of a blood gas reading it refers to actula carbon dioxide dissolved in blood.
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
I don't drink at all and I usually take ibuprofen. But my cholesterol was 208 and my trig was 162 so I will be watching my diet. What are your thoughts on the DASH diet?
Anthony Bray MD :
The DASH diet is helpful for high blood pressure. Is this an issue for you as well?
Anthony Bray MD :
You're cholesterol and triglycerdise numbers are not that high. Do you take any other meds?
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
Can you explain the metabolic acidosis in english? lol Does that mean my body is acidic? So what can I do for that?
Anthony Bray MD :
This may be caused by your kidneys. The source of this may be sought and if it is an ongoing thing or just transient..
Anthony Bray MD :
It might be pursued further in order to determine the cause. Your blood gas would give further information on the pH of the blood, oxygen and CO2 content as well as bicarbonate and this would be a better platform from which to make further assesment..
Anthony Bray MD :
The low CO2 on this report could be compensated or a compensation for something else going on..
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
I have had blood pressure problems today it was 142/76 and he gave me a prescription for Amlodipine 5 mg. I haven't been able to take most of the mediations because I am allergic to sulfa and have had reactions to the medication. He prescribed Bystolic but it made my ankles swell up so I discontinued it.
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
The only other med I take is Claritin.
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
What could be the something else with the CO2 level?
Anthony Bray MD :
OK well there is rarely anything adverse with claritin. The history of high blood pressure could tie in with your renal function as well.
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
Would the blood gas be on my lab results? What would I look under?
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
So the high blood pressure could be causing problems with my kidneys?
Anthony Bray MD :
Low CO2 could be part of compensation for respiratory alkalosis. It could be caused by renal tubular acidosis ..a kidney dysfunction problem.
Anthony Bray MD :
No, a blood gas you would know as these are generally done at the hospital and they have to get this from an artery rather than a vein. The sample is placed on ice and run in the hospital lab within a few minutes.
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
Respiratory alkalosis?
Anthony Bray MD :
A blood gas is not part of a routine metabolic profile.
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
So going back to the acidosis-what can I do for that?
Anthony Bray MD :
Hyperventilation removes too much CO2 (an acid)((the GAS in this instance)) and this makes the blood more alkaline(higher pH). The kidneys may compensate by elimanting more of the bicarbonate ion (( CO2 as the bicarbonate ion in this instance)) which helps to move the pH back toward normal.
Anthony Bray MD :
It is not as simple as telling you to do anything at this point because the rest of the picture is missing. The blood gas and other information is need to complete the picture. There are several possible diagnoses and thus solutions...
Anthony Bray MD :
The urine may also need to be evaluated for excreation of salts and bicarbonate for example..
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
What exactly do you mean hyperventilating? I think of it as breathing into a bag and I have never done that.
Anthony Bray MD :
Hyperventilation in the sense of breathing deeper or more rapid than needed for the body's needs. In this the CNS might be driving an abnormal respiratory drive. This would produce a relatively high oxygen content, low carbon dioxide and high pH. If you had respiratory alkalosis then the metabolic acidosis can be a mechanism for compensation for this. This is a difficult topic to explain and I apologize for this difficulty...
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
CNS?
Anthony Bray MD :
Central nervous system..
JACUSTOMER-nonjemfu- :
Don't quite understand what you just wrote......Thanks Dr. Bray I think we have covered everything I wanted to know. Good night.
Anthony Bray MD :
Further work up will most likely be needed for this finding. The metabolic acidosis may be caused by a type of renal problem known as renal tubular acidosis. This may be the problem although other explanations for the CO2 bing low are there...
Anthony Bray MD :
OK , good night. Let me know if there is anuthing further that I can do for you. Best regards,
I hope this has been helpful for you. If you have further questions that come to mind then I will be happy to get back with you. If my answer has been helpful and to your satisfaction then please remember to press the "ACCEPT" button. Thank you and Best regards,
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Enjoy watching the full movie Tower Heist online after the simple registration!
Storyline
Josh Kovacs is the manager of a residential apartment in New York. He is close to all the tenants, especially Arthur Shaw, a financier. One day Shaw is arrested by the FBI for fraud. Josh thinks it's a misunderstanding that can be resolved. But later he learns that the employees' pension which he asked Shaw to handle is gone. When one of the employees tries to kill himself, Josh's views of Shaw change. He goes to see him and loses his temper. He loses his job. The FBI ... more
Josh Kovacs is the manager of a residential apartment in New York. He is close to all the tenants, especially Arthur Shaw, a financier. One day Shaw is arrested by the FBI for fraud. Josh thinks it's a misunderstanding that can be resolved. But later he learns that the employees' pension which he asked Shaw to handle is gone. When one of the employees tries to kill himself, Josh's views of Shaw change. He goes to see him and loses his temper. He loses his job. The FBI agent in charge of Shaw tells him that Shaw might walk and recovering the pension fund is unlikely. She tells him that it's been rumored that Shaw has 20 million laying around if he needs. Josh thinks he knows where it is. So with two other employees who also lost their jobs and an evicted tenant, they set out to get into Shaw's penthouse to get the money. But they realise they need the assistance of someone who knows what they are doing. So, Josh asks a guy he knows is a thief named Slide to help them.
If you have any questions about the quality of the movie or some technical problems, please contact our technical support team. The comments unrelated to your opinion about the movies will be removed by the Administration.
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It's not a roll-out for another double album, but Nelly is gearing up for the release of his next project via two separate singles: One is the party-friendly "Tippin' in Da Club" and the other, a more laid-back number, is titled "Just a Dream."
Both songs were recently serviced to radio and will appear on the St. Louis rapper's forthcoming LP, 5.0, due to arrive November 16. Dropping dual singles is similar to the way Nelly introduced one of his past projects, 2004's Sweat and Suit. The two albums were released on the same day, but with different themes — one aimed at the clubs and the other targeted toward the ladies.
Of course, 5.0 is just one album, the rapper's fifth overall and his first since 2008's Brass Knuckles. Late last year, Nelly told MTV News that he was eager to prove himself after the lukewarm reception to Brass Knuckles.
"The thing is, I work best with two strikes, two outs," Nelly explained in November. "I really think I do. As an artist, you want to wake up every day and feel like you're doing something people don't think you can do. Now I feel like I've been put in that position again, where it's more doubt than expectancy. The doubt is what fuels me, so to speak. I've been real fortunate where I have great people around me. Everybody wants to freakin' work with me — not that everybody didn't [before], but it's different because I didn't work with a lot of people. Coming into this situation, it's beautiful."
Producers Jim Jonsin and Rico Love worked on "Just A Dream," while Dutch helmed "Tippin In Da Club." Some of the collaborators slated for 5.0 include Play-N-Skillz, Sean Paul, Plies and Akon.
Are you excited to hear a new Nelly album? Let us know in the comments below!
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Business Districts Overview
Lake Oswego’s businesses are clustered in a number of districts throughout the city, each with a distinctive character and mix of commercial uses. They include neighborhood retail areas, industrial zones, large shopping and office districts in downtown and Lake Grove, and a concentration of Class-A office in the Kruse Way/Meadows Road area.
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Your sacred place is where you can find yourself over and over again. ~ Joseph Campbell ~
Considering the sacredness of life in every moment is choosing to honor life. We surround ourselves with peace and calm in the midst of any life experience with clarity, hope and joy as we maneuver through life honoring the Sacred Space of our existence. In Sacred Space we find the authentic Self. What a joy to find the Self each time we enter there!
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DePaul’s CDM is hiding a Research Colloquium on Tuesday, May 29th in CDM 230. The speaker will be William R. Watson from Purdue University.
WHEN: Tuesday, May 29th, 1PM WHERE: CDM 230TITLE: Theoretical foundations and real-world examples of the application of video games to promote learning
ABSTRACT: Video games are increasingly being promoted for their potential to promote engaging and problem-oriented learning. They have been touted as having the potential to transform education and video games for learning have even been celebrated at the White House. This discussion will present the theory behind the use of games for learning and review some real world examples of their use in schools.
BIO: William R. Watson is an Assistant Professor of Learning Design and Technology in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Purdue University. He is the director of the Purdue Center for Serious Games and Learning in Virtual Environments, which conducts research on and provides support for implementing, designing and developing educational video games and virtual environments for learning. Watson earned a Ph.D. in Education and a M.S. in Information Science from Indiana University. His research interest focuses on the critical, systemic change of education to realize a learner-centered paradigm, including the application of technology such as video games, virtual environments, and learning management software in order to create customized and personalized learning environments.
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I FEEL SO GRATEFUL FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED me through this venture, especially when I am so penniless. My very talented cousin helped me conduct my first ever photo shoot with a real make-up artist and model (who is also my co-creator who was able to fill in last minute). It was an awesome experience to see how my work would be presented and expressed. It made everything seem more real. These photographs were so integral to be used for various applications to demonstrate purpose, poetry and most importantly, be a portfolio piece.
Shout out to Eric Tong Photography (the two black-and-white photos are courtesy of him as well) and Make-up Artist, Lennie Ede for lending me their amazing talents.
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TODAY I HANDED IN THE FINAL DELIVERABLES required to complete my studio requirements for my BDES. It’s strange to think my 7 years of school have worked up to this point. However, there is little room to celebrate as everyone prepares for the undergraduate degree exhibition (May 5-19th). Unlike the rest of the show, the design majors at Emily Car University curates within its department and it’s always this mad scramble to make custom displays, format documents, print takeaways, etc. Despite my efforts to keep my 8×8′ space simple, I decided to make custom shelves to house my pieces. I’m kicking myself for the extra work, but I know it’ll look beautiful and clean. Thankfully, my dad is helping me build some smaller components which gives me more time to develop my supplementary pieces. It’s coming together.
My final maquette with exception to the tiny ipad which will be replaced be a monitor
Every student’s exhibition model laid on the floor plan for the curatorial committee
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FEW CHANGES WERE MADE TO PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER since the original iterations. I made the piece slightly larger and stitched a rib to allow for a better hood shape while also further referencing straight jacket sleeves. Of all the pieces made, this was the most painless.
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PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER INITIALLY STARTED AS A COCOON called You Need a Hug. This concept gained no traction once I realized its limitations. Looking at the existing family of objects, I was missing a piece which reflected personal space and potential for empowerment. Drawing inspiration from straight jackets (feeling “crazy” or perceived to be so), this piece needed to address possibilities of control. Once I did my second Series of Screen for Interaction, everything fell into place. The brilliant thing about a voluminous scarf is that it can be worn so many different ways; this adaptability perfectly reflects the elusive states of depression, to feel withdrawn one moment and brave in another.
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I WANTED SNAP OUT OF IT TO DO TOO MANY THINGS, I had to make some sacrifices to keep my sanity. My top priority was to have this as a transformative piece. It is a piece about the transitions and healing experienced with depression. The piece had to consciously reflect fragility and change through the crisp nature of the porcelain. It needed to be something to be broken down several times, so a large neck piece felt like an obvious route. Each time a piece is broken off, the piece can be restrung as a new piece.
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WORKING TO THE FINAL PROTOTYPE OF CHIN UP, BUTTERCUP, there were many changes and challenges I faced. The consensus from the first semester was to exaggerate the “chin up” much more. I had played around with making the knit higher to cover the face and longer to become more layered (but this was too similar to the aesthetic of Pull Yourself Together).
Eventually I came around to making the “neck brace” element as a separate piece from the scarf as means of pushing the notion of disguise. The user would then be able to wear each piece separately or together. The brace portion is made from vegetable tan leather, molded to fit comfortably under the chin. It snaps together at the back; the tighter the snap, the more restrictive the head movement and higher the chin. I also decided to reduce the gauge of the knit to look more commonplace, but with metal toggles that reference something more medical.
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SNAP OUT OF IT GAVE ME THE MOST GRIEF because I had big ideas with dead ended outcomes. I definitely made the most prototypes for this concept, hoping that a miracle would happen and I would know which direction to move towards. This concept started as breakable jewelry that embraced the beauty in destruction. I kept thinking about breaking bones; relating physical pain with mental pain. The work was highly influenced by my Series of Screens for Interaction, where breaking was this act of catharsis. I tried to capture this with hidden layers of coloured porcelain slip, bone-like aesthetics, notions of medical bracelets (how you have to cut them to get them off), but I kept struggling with the result- once you break it, then what? Is there a way you can reattach it or does it just lay there in pieces? Can you give it to someone like a friendship bracelet? Too many questions to answer.
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THE FOLLOWING ARE ANOTHER SERIES OF SCREENS.Similar to the last series, this screen uses emotionally-driven words (this time, emotions directly tied to depression) to prompt different interactions with the given material, as determined by the participant. My participant was given a very long strip of fabric and again, none of her actions were premeditated. These were the results of this interaction.
THE FOLLOWING ARE A SERIES OF SCREENS to evaluate the interactions of ceramic (for the purposes of a quick trial, I used air-dry clay) and emotion. After my participant chose the clay prop for each study, she would be randomly assigned an emotional prompt. None of her actions were premeditated, they were interactions of that moment. It was interesting to see which actions I anticipated and others which surprised me. She said this activity was very cathartic and an overall fun experience.
MY COMMITMENT TO MATERIALS is not concrete, as of yet. However, I have set my parameters- I want to make sure there is a juxtaposition of materials which fully represents the spectrum of emotional tactility. Conflict between materials can translate the contradictory nature of depression, that it can be hard and soft at the same time. I am leaning towards ceramic, fabrics and wools, and possibly wood because their physical qualities can change over time (eg. wood can soften or break).
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Egypt’s military has destroyed dozens of targets, killed 16 militants and detained over 30 suspects as part of its latest operation against Islamic militants in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula, the army said on Sunday.
Spokesman Col. Tamer el-Rifai said that airstrikes hit vehicles, weapons caches, communications centers and illegal opium fields in the sweep, which began on Friday and comes as a response to a pickup in extremist violence in Egypt.
“The air force targeted and destroyed 66 targets used by terrorist elements to hide from air and artillery attacks,” for shelter during raids by security forces, he said in a statement. With North Sinai closed off for non-residents and journalists, the army’s casualty figures could not be independently confirmed. Telephone connections to the area, both mobile and landlines, are often shut down as well.
Egypt (EG) is estimated to have a population of 92.0 million with a growth rate during 2010-2015 of 2.2% pa.At the same rate of change, in five years' time its population will increase by 10.6 million.
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Search under way for missing helicopter in Calif.
DELANO, Calif.
A search is under way for a helicopter that went missing in Central California.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor says the helicopter was returning to Delano Airport in Kern County when it disappeared around 6:15 a.m. Wednesday. It was among three helicopters that were supposed to be conducting frost control on a local field. The two other helicopters returned to their base.
Gregor says one of the pilots who came back was unable to contact the missing pilot by radio.
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UK’s Channel 4 Acquires 100% Stake In The Box Network
Posted on January 06, 2018 by Thelma92 out of 100 based on 836 user ratings
Acquiring The Box Plus Network will also allow Channel 4 to increase the value of its own portfolio.
The UK’s Channel 4 has confirmed a major move.
Since 2007, Channel 4 has owned a significant stake – 50% – in the Box Plus Network. The network has produced and broadcast seven UK music and entertainment channels. These include 4Music, The Box, Box Upfront, Box Hits, Kiss, Magic, and Kerrang.
Channel 4 has now acquired full ownership of The Box Plus Network. The popular UK channel bought the remaining 50% from Bauer Media Group.
Financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed.
Acquiring full ownership of the network will allow Channel 4 to increase value across The Box Plus Network. According to a press release, this will also boost the value of its own portfolio.
Under the deal, Bauer Media Group will continue to license three music brands – KISS, Magic, and Kerrang! – to the network. All three remained Bauer-owned brands.
Paul Keenan, CEO of Bauer UK and European Radio, added,
“Channel 4 are best placed to realize the full potential of the Box Plus Network as 4Music increasingly moves towards broader, entertainment and long-form programming.
“We will continue to license our music brands KISS, Magic and Kerrang! to the Box and would like to thank Matt Rennie and his talented team at Box for great work and give our best wishes for the future.”
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For one thing, they are talking about the troika’s demands for Greek pension reform. Here’s the demand from the bailout monitors that seems least reasonable to me: “…the abolition of a special monthly stipend for pensioners receiving the lowest benefits”.
Public pensions in Greece have already been cut by almost 50 percent, with the average pension in the country currently at $776.40 a month.
Compare this to a wealthy country like the US. Our Social Security benefits, the only “pension” many American retirees have to live on, currently pays an average of $1,328 a month while the official US poverty line for all states except Alaska and Hawaii is $980.83 per month.
Greek workers would be paid less than the official poverty line while the average American retiree is paid well above the US poverty line. Yet the troika feels that pensions for Greece’s poorest citizens should be reduced further, leaving even the average Greek pensioner below the poverty line.
How would we like it if in ten years a foreign creditor, say China, came into the US and demanded such a major policy change in order to pay off Chinese investors in our government bonds?
Think that couldn’t happen? The US is not so far behind the four poorest countries in the Eurozone in terms of our national debt to GDP ratio.
In addition. foreigners are continuing to snap up both commercial and retail housing market properties in this country during a global property boom that’s heating up again right now.
Meanwhile US exports are not doing so well abroad. And the US continues to spend the bulk of its tax resources to support military interventions in religious wars abroad in the Middle East and Asia.
But back to Greece. Are the Greeks just deadbeats? No!
In 2012 the former Greek government, in compliance with troika demands for debt restructuring, pursued austerity economic policies that plunged the country into debt, causing pension funds to loose $27 billion in reserves.
Unemployment in Greece soared to heights we haven’t seen since the Great Depression, and contributions to its pension system declined while political appointments to public office continued to soar under the previous government.
Greece’s newly elected government is willing to make pension reforms. This includes extending the retirement age by over a decade by lowering pension amounts for early retirees in Greece’s government sector.
In Greece’s private sector, fraud would be reduced by self-employed persons, meaning a large number of Greeks in the private sector, would have their pension contributions monitored by Greek tax authorities rather than by pension funds.
So, what’s holding up more tax reforms and/or even more draconian reductions to pensions in Greece that would surely plunge the country into further crisis?
Kerin Hope’s take on this was in the Financial Times yesterday in the article, “Q&A: Greek pensions—deal or no deal”. She pointed to a Greek parliament that’s heavily divided politically.
Hmm! I don’t suppose we think that could ever happen here in our Congress, could it? O, surely not!
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Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Rescuing the Titanic?
I've been taking it easy, slacking off from blogging and tweeting, but tracking the news in Greece very closely. Have to admit, it's depressing and I understand why Greeks are so turned off, not bothering watching the news. But there are also some excellent discussions going on in the news here that none of you will hear or read about in mainstream media.
I've also benefitted from my discussions with family members. One of them is my uncle who is one of Greece's most successful entrepreneurs. He started a plastics company, Plastika Kritis, decades ago and he knows what is ailing the Greek economy. Over dinner on Friday night, we had a long discussion on tax evasion which he calls "Greece's national sport." He said the public system is riddled with corruption and waste and that Greek labor is too expensive and unable to compete with other countries.
My uncle also told me that he will read what George Soros has to say about Europe and the global economy but he's less enamored with economists. "Economists have gotten it wrong because their models cannot take into account the huge underground economy in Greece and the corruption and waste that takes place in the economy." He gave me a few examples and I paid close attention to everything he cited.
My cousin, his son, was at that dinner. He also gave me examples of big tax evaders who even after getting caught, continued cheating on their taxes. Interestingly, he told me Turkey has now surpassed Germany as Greece's number one export market. Greece also imports a lot from Turkey, underscoring the important nature of the trading relationship between these two countries which have a long and difficult history.
But it was Greece and its problems that concerned us. At one point, I agitated my uncle, father and brother-in-law because I said that if they caught the big tax evaders and threw them in jail, at least the masses would see there is some justice in the system." My father told me that only a small portion of the 350 billion euro debt is due to these big crooks. My uncle and bother-in-law agreed, stating that fraud, waste and inefficencies caused the debt to spiral out of control, but I remain convinced if you throw some of the crooked politicians, business people, doctors, lawyers, accountants and tax collectors (yes, tax collectors!) in jail, seize their assets, make it public, the government would be sending a strong message to the public that they're getting serious on cracking down on tax evasion.
Instead, the government is increasing real estate and other taxes, cutting pensions, and now they're going to make drastic cuts in the public sector. Some of this is needed, as there is abuse and the public sector is overbloated, but these austerity measures are wreaking havoc on the Greek economy. And I'm not sure they will even succeed. For example, they haven't been able to collect taxes from 2009 and 2010 and we expect them to collect taxes on real estate?
Then there is the issue of the Greek Orthodox Church which is exempt from paying real estate taxes on their non income generating properties. We are talking about a fortune here. The Church is very rich (owns 18% of National Bank of Greece and prime real estate), very powerful, and politicians fear it and would never in a million years impose taxes on their properties. I guess when the Church talks about "shared sacrifices," they mean the masses have to sacrifice more, not the Church.
There is a lot of money in Greece that people aren't aware of. Just like Italy and Spain, there is a huge underground economy. When I say huge, I mean huge, easily 40% or more of GDP. On Friday evening, after my dinner, I went to share a drink with another cousin of mine who owns a popular bar in Heraklion. He told me that many employees at bars, shops, businesses and even hotels are undeclared. This means that businesses get away from paying "IKA," a payroll tax for social security, and many employees collect unemployment while working "under the table." And because tax collectors are seeing their incomes being cut, they're extorting many businesses to make up for lost income. And Greece has become a haven for drug trafficking and weapons smuggling, all of which goes on with the full knowledge of authorities who turn a blind eye.
(Note: my cousin is long National Bank of Greece, "NBG", and thinks foreign investors just don't understand its Balkan and Turkish operations and how cheap it currently is. He dismisses rumors of nationalizing this bank as "pure fear mongering" and reminded me that the Church owns an 18% stake in NBG and "it will never sell its stake").
In short, Greece's tax system is a joke. With every new tax, tax cheats find ways to circumvent it. This happens everywhere, not just Greece, but here it truly is a national sport. And the big fish with political connections are getting away with murder. They're the worst offenders. This forces the government to pensions and impose taxes on hard working Greeks that are already having a tough time making ends meet. If the government wasn't so corrupt, they would sign a tax treaty with Switzerland and immediately cease assets of these tax crooks.
At a minimum, Greece should introduce a tax amnesty program just like the one the IRS recently introduced in the US, allowing them to reap $500 million in back taxes and interest. Of course in the US, cheating on your taxes is worse than drug trafficking and the penalties are extremely harsh. Greece -- and dare I say Canada -- can learn a lot from the IRS and US tax system, which is far from perfect but at least they impose tough penalties on tax cheats.
But Greece is now the eye of a massive debt hurricane that threatens the global economy. Greek creditor talks will continue on Tuesday and now the Papandreou government is considering calling for a referendum on whether Greece should continue to tackle its debt crisis within the eurozone or by exiting the single currency (as if Greece has money to waste on referendums!). And if that's not bad enough, S&P decided to downgrade Italy's debt by a notch (news coming out of Italy on Greek television is truly disturbing).
Sometimes it feels like the entire global financial system is hanging by a shoe string, and that Leo de Bever is right, "they're rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic." It's depressing watching the news in Greece and elsewhere, but I remain hopeful that Greece, Europe and the world will survive this crisis. Admittedly, even I get frustrated with the slow and stupid responses from policymakers around the world, but the financial oligarchs have too much at stake to let the global financial system sink.
Finally, I want to end by plugging a book by a Greek economist, Nikos Christodoulakis, called "Rescuing the Titanic." It has not been translated into English yet but when it is, I urge you all to buy a copy as soon as possible. I heard him speak on Sunday morning on Skai TV and he's excellent. Below, for those of you who speak Greek, watch the latest episode of Skai's "Kiriaki me Drasi." A must watch discussion on the Greek economy.
Feedback: Someone who knows the Greek economy well sent me his thoughts:
The Titanic sank in the 1980's. This is a massive salvage operation to bring it back to the surface and we know how this will end.
Over my time in Greece, I met plenty of successful Greek entrepreneurs and they all understand the problem.
What surprises me is that they are incapable of doing anything about it. The political class is so powerful and so entrenched. They have rotted the system to the core.
The country needs leadership and it needs to expunge itself from New Democracy (ND) and PASOK. The political families that have ruled Greece since '74 must be shown the door. The old ND and PASOK must be dismantled completely in such a fashion that they can never resurrect themselves.
This type of wholesale change requires someone who is total SOB or a military dictator. Sometimes, I wonder if they are heading down the military dictator route.
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About This Blog/ Contact Information
This blog was created to share my unique insights on pensions and investments. The success of the blog is due to the high volume of readers and excellent insights shared by senior pension fund managers and other experts. Institutional and retail investors are kindly requested to support my efforts by donating or subscribing via PayPal below. To get latest updates, even during the day, click on the image of the big piggy bank at the top of the blog. For all inquiries, please contact me at [email protected].
About Me
I am an independent senior economist and pension and investment analyst with years of experience working on the buy and sell-side. I have researched and invested in traditional and alternative asset classes at two of the largest public pension funds in Canada, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (Caisse) and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments). I've also consulted the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada on the governance of the Federal Public Service Pension Plan (2007) and been invited to speak at the Standing Committee on Finance (2009) and the Senate Standing Committee on Banking, Commerce and Trade (2010) to discuss Canada's pension system. You can follow my blog posts on your Bloomberg terminal and track me on Twitter (@PensionPulse) where I post many links to pension and investment articles as well as my market thoughts and other articles of interest.
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Pension Pulse is a collection of my thoughts pertaining to issues on pension funds and financial markets. The information and opinions contained on this site are merely guidelines. This site does not guarantee any monetary claims by following these recommendations. This website is not liable for any loss that you incur due to these programs, nor do we ask for any monetary gains from your success of using these recommendations.
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Step four: Invite your parents' participation with more
emotional details. They may feel like your wedding plans are a runaway
train. They may feel like you got engaged out of the blue, are
furiously planning a big gay wedding (and they don't know what a gay wedding looks or feels like) and they’re left at the station wondering what the heck just happened.
I believe that excitement is contagious. If you are excited about your
wedding, eventually your parents will be. Now is the time to recruit them to be actively involved
– and if you are a bride who wants to wear a dress, there is no greater
opportunity than dress shopping with your mother. If you are not
wearing a dress or are a gay groom, ask for their help on choosing
someone to do a reading during the wedding ceremony or ask your mom
about her favorite flower or cake flavor. Invite their input and get
excited over their responses.
This is the step where Jen’s parents boarded the Coveney-Smith wedding
train. Jen’s mom came to town and they went dress shopping. Jen
started talking about the bridal shower. During her visit, Jen's mom
visited the place where we were to marry and loved it. And when she
went back home, she was filled with excitement and then Jen’s dad got
excited - because it's contagious.
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A long-time passion for knitting has Wapta Knitting Co. owner Alexis Poirier seeing success in Calgary and across Canada. Spearheading her own Etsy store and selling goods to places as far as Japan, Alexis tells A Quarter Young about how creating handmade knits for customers has turned a family craft, with connections to her Cree roots, into a thriving business.
Read more below:
1. When were you first introduced to knitting? Does the craft hold a special significance to you/your family?
I first learned how to knit when I was about six, with my maternal grandmother, who I was very close to. My brother and I would sleep over at her house, we’d watch whatever program was on CBC (or the local hockey game) and we would knit. Years later, when I went to graduate school at the University of Saskatchewan, I met one of my good friends, Amy. We’d spend way too many nights knitting together, as she taught me the more intricate skills of the trade, procrastinating rather than doing our research. Amy and I both live in Calgary now and knit together on a regular basis. When I watch a hockey game or CBC, I often think of my grandmother and my first first introduction to knitting.
2. People always say that knitting is very therapeutic. Why is the craft so beneficial for our bodies and minds?
I work two jobs that require me to work with the public on a daily basis. As well, most of my friends would probably describe me as outgoing, extroverted and always busy, although I think I am fairly introverted and shy. Knitting relaxes me and gives me time to myself, where I can calm my mind and focus on something I enjoy. After a long day at work, my reprieve is always found in a few knit rows.
3. Did you always want to create your own brand?
Never. I worked in retail for many years and am aware of how much work goes into building a brand.
4. What lead you to launching Wapta Knitting Co.?
My boyfriend – he always said I knit nice items and should sell them to people who would appreciate a handknit product, such as a toque. He also insisted I only use good quality yarn, since I put a lot of time into knitting each item. I tend to agree with him.
5. What is the significance behind the brand’s name?
I hated the idea of coming up with a name. I don’t see myself as a creative person, so I really struggled with this. I knew I wanted something that was important to me. “Wapta” is the Cree word for “Running Water” and a lot of my ancestry is Cree, particularly on my mother’s side. Each year, my partner and I do a multi-day hike with another couple that we are good friends with. Together, we have hiked the Wapta Traverse, which is one of my favourite trips we’ve done. Each night, while sitting in a backcountry hut deep in the mountains, I would knit after dinner, as my way to disengage for the evening. The name reminds me of hard work and fun times on the traverse.
6. How old were you when you launched Wapta Knitting Co.? What do you know now that you wish you could have told yourself back when the brand was just starting to emerge?
I was 33. The one thing I wish I knew was that I don’t need to compete with every other knitter out there! It’s important to create your own brand, one that speaks to its own style and quality, rather than worrying about what other people are doing with their business.
7. How did you decide to launch Wapta Knitting Co.?
I decided to just go for it in October 2014. I ended up going with a soft launch, which was great, because it gave me time to gather feedback from customers and continue to work on improving my product line.
8. You’re originally from Winnipeg – what’s your favourite part about that city?
I love Winnipeg! There’s so much that’s great about it, but I’d have to say I miss the people, the beach and gelato the most.
9. Do you ever travel back home to visit?
Often. As much as people knock Winnipeg, and Manitoba, if you pull off of the TransCanada and explore both the city and the province, you’ll see there’s so much more to see.
10. Now, you’re living in Calgary. How long have you been here? Why did you make the move?
I moved to Calgary in 2008 for the summer between completing my M.A. degree in Saskatchewan and beginning a PhD in Ontario. Two weeks before I was to move to Guelph to begin my studies, I got a call from my supervisor that he was changing schools and would not be able to supervise my studies. Something about that phone call didn’t feel right, so I decided not start to a PhD and see if working for a bit would lead to good opportunities. Eight years later and I’m still here!
11. What’s the best part about Calgary? Do you have a favourite spot to visit?
My favourite part is that I can live in a Prairie city, with the open skies and flatter lands, but the mountains are just a short drive west. We spend a lot time hiking, fishing, camping and skiing in the mountains and I think I’d miss that the most. My favourite spot right now is Made by Marcus Ice Cream on 17th Ave SW, because they have the best ice cream in the city, hands down.
Matching toque and booties! Photo courtesy of Wapta Knitting Co.
12. What has been the hardest part about getting your business to thrive in Calgary?
The hardest part for me has been social media. Knitting takes A LOT of time, so having time to take photos and create engaging posts has definitely been difficult.
13. What has been the most rewarding aspect?
When a customer buys an item as a gift, because they have a toque or cowl of their own that they love and want to give the same to a friend or family member. Every time this happens, I walk away with a giant smile.
Definitely the Unna Headband. I design all of my items myself, and this one took the most time and commitment to get right. I pulled it back over and over again until it was what I had envisioned. It’s also our most popular adult accessory, which certainly makes me proud.
15. What is the longest you usually spend on one item?
Generally, it takes me about four to five hours to make one item.
16. Will you be at any upcoming trade shows or festivals that you’d like our readers to know about?
Yes – I have a vendor spot at a new creative art studio in Okotoks, Alta. called StudioMe and will be there select days through October, November and December 2016. I’ll also be at the Christmas Market YYC in the Centennial Parkade on November 19th and 20th, 2016.
17. Where do most of your customers live? Do you ever sell items outside of Canada?
Most of my customers are local, as well as a few across Western Canada. Currently, I have an order headed for Europe, for a special partnership I’ll be announcing shortly.
18. Wapta Knitting Co. is active on Facebook and Instagram – which of the two platforms do you prefer? Why?
Personally, I find Facebook easier to use for a larger demographic of people so I do most of my special requests on Facebook, although I still receive requests through Instagram, as well.
Warm blue shall. Photo courtesy of Wapta Knitting Co.
19. What’s been the most rewarding aspect about owning and operating a small business?
I’ve really enjoyed the challenge and everything I have learned. Owning a small business has forced me out of my normal comfort zone and has given me more confidence overall to continually tackle challenges head on.
20. Do you have anyone else on your team? Or, are you a one-person army?
I have a lot of support. My boyfriend, Hiroshi, always helps me out at markets because we often get too busy for only one person to handle. He also tidies up my yarn and works on demand forecasts for orders. Friends and family have helped me along the way, as well, by promoting my product, bringing things to a market I had forgotten or just coming to a market to show support.
21. On Instagram, you describe yourself as an Environmental Educator and Outdoor Enthusiast. What do you do when you’re not working on Wapta Knitting Co.?
I work as an Educator, teaching the general public and schools about environmental issues as well as a Program Coordinator, focused on environmental education. Additionally, I volunteer as an Adult Educator to teach about local environmental concerns to newcomers learning English.
22. With any job or project, there are good days and bad days! What is one thing you always go to cope with the stress of a bad day?
I always just sit down and work on my knitting. It helps me to clear my head and calm my emotions so I can think critically about the day rather than impulsively.
23. Assuming most of your customers wear your products when the weather is cooler, how do you find success during the warmer months?
I actually have no idea, but we are at the Inglewood Night Market each summer and are always selling items. I think Calgary’s unpredictable weather may play a role in it though… I have seen snow year round here, so you never know when you might just need your favourite toque!
24. If there’s one thing that our readers take from this feature, what do you want it to be?
I hope my products reflect what I think is important, to get a well-made item that is produced using only the highest quality yarns and attention to detail. I want people to walk away with a product they will love for a long time that is both practical and pretty.
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Published by Leviana Coccia
A storyteller. That is how I would describe myself.
I love communicating with people using the written and spoken word as well as various multimedia. I am developing a career where I can use my journalistic, communication and project management skills daily.
Naturally, I love to write. I’m passionate about making a difference and fighting to make this world a comfortable place for everyone to live. A world without barriers, discrimination, standards of beauty, gender stereotypes, harassment, racism, disease…the list goes on and on.
I am a social media enthusiast and have extensive experience using Twitter, Facebook, blogs and LinkedIn to market brands and initiatives.
I recently completed the post-graduate Event Management program at Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (ITAL), from which I have earned an Ontario Post-Graduate Certificate (PGC) in Event Management with honours. I am also a graduate of the Media Studies program at the University of Guelph-Humber in Toronto with an Honours Bachelor of Applied Arts in Media Studies from the University of Guelph as well as a Diploma in Journalism from Humber College ITAL, both with distinction.
View all posts by Leviana Coccia
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COMMON MYTHS ABOUT HISTORY
There are many myths about history! Most of us have grown up with them. This article looks at some of the most common historical myths.
General myths about the past
In the past 9 out of 10 people died before the age of 40
This is not true. We do not know exactly what average life expectancy at birth was in the past but historians think it was about 35 years in the Middle Ages. However that does not mean that people dropped dead when they reached 35! Average life expectancy at birth was around 35 but a great many of the people born died in childhood. We don't know exactly what percentage died but if we say about 25% of people died before they were 5 years old we are probably not wide of the mark. Perhaps as many as 40% died before they reached adulthood. However if you could survive childhood and your teenage years you had a good chance of living to your 50s or your early 60s and even in the Middle Ages there were some people who lived to 70 or 80.
People in the past were much smaller than we are
In reality people were slightly smaller. Skeletons from the Mary Rose show the sailors were, on average, between 5 foot 7 inches and 5 foot 8 inches tall. Burial grounds from the Middle Ages and other periods also show that people were, on average, a little bit shorter than modern day people but they were not much smaller.
People in the past were very dirty and rarely washed themselves
In fact there is considerable evidence that most people tried to keep themselves clean. The evidence also suggests that most people washed and changed their clothes quite frequently. They also tried to keep their houses clean. The idea that people were filthy and stunk is a myth.
The myth may have arisen because people rarely took baths. Before the 19th century it was difficult to heat a large amount of water in one go Suppose you heated a cauldron of water and poured it into a tub. By the time you had heated a second lot of water the first lot would already be cold. The Romans solved this problem by having public baths, which could be heated from underneath.
However, after the fall of Rome it was much easier to have a strip wash. In hot weather people bathed in rivers. There is also evidence that people washed their clothes quite often.
In the past a man had a right to beat his wife provided he did not use a stick thicker than his thumb
There has never been a rule or law in England that a man is entitled to beat his wife provided he uses a stick no thicker than his thumb. William Blackstone (1723-80) wrote Commentaries on the Laws of England (1765-1769). He made no mention of a supposed rule that a stick could be used to hit your wife if it was not thicker than a thumb. So it was never a part of English common law.
We are not certain how the phrase 'rule of thumb' arose but it probably came from craftsmen using their thumbs to measure.
Cave people were brutes and morons
Evidence shows that the Neanderthals were caring. One Neanderthal survived despite having a withered arm and deformed feet who was blind in one eye. He could only have survived with the help of the other members of the group. So clearly Neanderthals cared for the disabled. Neanderthals also buried their dead. Anyway the Neanderthals must have been resourceful to survive in a harsh environment.
The later Cro-Magnon people made necklaces of stones and shells (like us they liked wearing jewellery). Cro-Magnon people also created art. They made highly skilled cave paintings and made musical instruments like bone flutes.
Myths about the Ancient World
The Druids built Stonehenge
In reality Stonehenge is much older than the Druids. About 650 BC a people called the Celts arrived in England and their priests were called Druids. However Stonehenge is much older. It is believed it was built in stages between about 3,100 BC and 1,500 BC.
The Druids Practiced Human Sacrifice
This is probably a myth. The 'evidence' that Druids sacrificed people is, to say the least unreliable. See The Druids We can't be certain but its probably a myth.
The Halloween custom of trick or treat is based on a Druid custom
In reality modern Halloween customs evolved from the late 18th century onward. There is no evidence that trick or treat has anything to do with the Druids.
Julius Caesar was a cesarean birth
Almost certainly this is untrue as his mother lived for many years after his birth (it would normally be fatal for the mother). However the myth that Julius Caesar was born that way may be why this operation is called a cesarean birth.
Slaves built the pyramids
In fact they were built by free men. Most of the men who worked on the pyramids did so when the summer when the Nile flooded and farm work was impossible. During this time they were supplied with food and shelter by the pharaoh.
Roman Galleys were rowed by slaves
Caligula made his horse a senator
In fact there is no record of Caligula actually making his horse a senator.
Nero played the fiddle while Rome burned
The fiddle was not invented till centuries after his death. It is sometimes said that Nero actually played the lyre while Rome burned. He did not do that either. In reality Nero was staying some distance from Rome when the fire began in 64 AD. Nero rushed to the city and did everything he could to help.
Myths about the Middle Ages
The Arabs burned the library of Alexandria
This is very unlikely to be true. In ancient times there was a great library at Alexandria in Egypt. According to the story when the Arabs conquered Egypt in 640 AD Caliph Omar ordered all the books in the library to be burned. They supplied fuel for the saunas for 6 months (a quite fantastic figure). However the story was not written down till the late 12th century more than 500 years late. If it is true why did nobody at the time write about it?.
It is now believed that the library of Alexandria expired long before the Arab conquest.
There was a Dark Age after the fall of Rome
Its true that after the collapse of the Roman Empire in the west life was hard and rough. On the other hand many important inventions were made. See this article.
There was once a female Pope called Pope Joan
This is almost certainly a myth. According to the story a female Pope reigned for more than 2 years from 855 to 858. (In reality Leo IV reigned from 847 to 855 and Benedict III reigned from 855 to 888. There was a gap of only a few weeks between them).
However the first mention of a female Pope was 200 years after she is supposed to have reigned. If the story is true why did nobody write about it at the time? It would have caused a sensation throughout Europe so why did nobody mention it at the time?
King John signed the Magna Carta
King John sealed the Magna Carta by pressing a seal into hot wax but he did not sign it.
In the Middle Ages some armor was so heavy knights sometimes had to be lifted onto their horses with ropes
As The Year 1000 AD approached people across Europe panicked. They feared that Jesus Christ was about to return and the World would end
There is no evidence that any such panic occurred. No writer of the time mentioned anything unusual. It was not till hundreds of years later that writers claimed that people panicked as the year 1000 approached.
Vikings wore helmets with horns on
There is no evidence that Vikings ever wore horned helmets when they went into battle. There is no evidence either that Vikings wore helmets with wings on.
Joan of Arc was burned as a witch
This is not true. She was burned for heresy (because she dressed as a man).
Before Columbus people thought the world was flat
This is a myth! In the Middle Ages people were well aware that the world is round. The ancient Greeks were well aware of it and they invented the globe. Ironically the oldest surviving globe was made in 1492 the same year Columbus made his first voyage.
Columbus Was The First European to Discover America
He was not. Obviously the ancestors of today's Native Americans entered North America thousands of years before Columbus. Furthermore Columbus was not even the first European to discover America. The first European to sight the continent was Bjarni Herjolfsson about 985 AD. About 15 years later a man named Leif Ericsson led an expedition to the new land. However the Vikings failed to establish a permanent colony.
Blackheath in London got its name because victims of the Black Death from London were buried there
This is definitely a myth. It was called Blackheath at the time of the Domesday Book (1086) nearly 300 years before the Black Death of 1348-49. We do not know for sure were its name came from. Perhaps the area had dark soil? At any rate it had nothing to do with the Black Death.
Golf is an acronym of 'gentlemen only ladies forbidden'
The word golf is derived from an old Dutch word 'kolf' which meant club. (In the Middle Ages the Dutch played games with clubs but golf proper began in Scotland). The Scots changed the word slightly to 'golve' or 'Goff' and in time it became our word golf.
Archers carried their arrows on their backs
They only did so if they were riding horses. Normally, when on foot archers would carry arrows in containers attached to their belts. (It is much easier to retrieve a longbow arrow from your belt than from over your shoulder).
Most churchyards in England have a yew tree so men could use the yew's wood to make bows
This is almost certainly a myth. Records show that bowyers preferred to use yew from Southern or Eastern Europe to make bows. (English yew was not particularly good for that purpose).
The two finger gesture was invented because the French threatened to cut 2 fingers off captured English archers. The English archers waved 2 fingers as a symbol of defiance.
Nobody really knows where the two finger gesture comes from but there is no evidence that it has anything to do with Medieval archery. Nor is there any evidence that the French ever threatened to cut the fingers off captured archers. The gesture was first recorded in 1901.
In the Middle Ages spices were used to disguise the taste of tainted meat
This is not true for a simple reason - spices were very expensive and only the rich could afford them. The rich, of course did not eat tainted meat. They only ate the best quality meat! In reality spices were used to enhance the taste of meat.
Myths about the Modern Era
Henry VIII had syphilis
This is unlikely to be true. In the 16th century the standard treatment for syphilis was mercury. Lists of money spent on medicines for Henry VIII exist but mercury is not listed. Therefore it is unlikely he had syphilis.
The Mary Rose sank on her maiden voyage
In Tudor times if you had an operation the barber-surgeon hit you on the head with a wooden mallet to knock you unconscious
This is not true. You could kill or seriously injure somebody if you hit him or her with a wooden mallet. There is no evidence that a barber-surgeon hit people over the head with a mallet. Detailed instructions for barber-surgeons survive but there is no mention of such a procedure.
Walter Raleigh introduced smoking into England
The Spanish learnt to smoke tobacco from indigenous people. It is believed that English sailors adopted the habit about 1564 (Walter Raleigh was born in 1552). At any rate smoking tobacco in clay pipes was already quite common in England by the time Walter Raleigh was an adult.
When the Tudors ate meat at feasts they threw the bones onto the floor for dogs to eat
In the 16th century such behavior was unacceptable. In the 16th century dogs were not allowed at feasts and when you ate meat you placed the bones in a special dish.
Witches were burned
This is partly true. In England and its colonies in North America witches were normally hanged. However they were burned in Scotland and the rest of Europe.
Matthew Hopkins the 'Witch Finder General' was accused of being a witch, tried and executed
This is unlikely to be true. In 1645-46 Matthew Hopkins was paid to 'discover' witches in East Anglia and was undoubtedly responsible for the deaths of many innocent people. However he fell from favor in 1646 when a clergymen called John Gaule wrote about him and denounced him. Hopkins is believed to have died in 1647.
However nobody in the 17th century wrote that Hopkins was tried and executed or that he was lynched. That story arose much later. Instead in the middle of the 17th century, somebody who actually knew Hopkins, wrote that he died of natural causes. That is much more likely.
Only women were executed for witchcraft
The majority of people executed for witchcraft in Europe and North America in the 16th and 17th centuries were female but by no means all. A significant minority of the people executed were male.
The Puritans only wore black clothes
Four Poster Beds had canopies to catch mice falling from thatched roofs
Four-poster beds had canopies and curtains to keep out drafts. (Old houses had many drafts). There is no evidence that the canopy was designed to catch falling rodents. In any case a four-poster bed was very expensive. If you were wealthy enough to afford one you would normally have a roof of tiles not thatch. Even if you did have a thatched roof in a wealthy home all bedrooms had proper ceilings. So there was a ceiling between the bed and the roof.
Dick Turpin rode his horse Black Bess from London to York in 12 Hours
Dick Turpin 1705-1739 did not own a horse called Black Bess nor did he make the famous ride. Far from being a heroic figure Turpin was actually a brutal robber.
When Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752 and 2 September was followed by 14 September there were riots and demands of 'give us back our 11 days!' because people thought their lives were being shortened by 11 days
It is doubtful if these riots really took place although changing the calendar was certainly unpopular and some people continued to celebrate Christmas Day using the old calendar for long afterwards.
Dr. Guillotin invented the Guillotine
This is not true. In fact mechanical devices for beheading people had been used in various parts of Europe for centuries before the French Revolution. (One was recorded in Ireland as early as 1307).
Joseph-Ignace Guillotin (1738-1814) was elected a member of the French National Assembly in 1789. He proposed that there should be a swift and humane method of executing people in France. (And compared to many gruesome methods of executing people in 18th century Europe the guillotine certainly was humane). The Assembly finally agreed to his idea in 1791 and the first decapitating device was built by a man named Tobias Schmidt, with advice from a surgeon named Antoine Louis.
Marie-Antoinette said 'Let them eat cake'
When told that the peasants had no bread to eat the French Queen Marie-Antoinette is supposed to have said 'let them eat cake! (or brioche). In reality there is no evidence that she ever said that.
Captain Cook discovered Australia
Of course human beings lived in Australia for 40,000 years before Europeans discovered it. In reality Australia was known to Europeans long before Captain Cook sailed there. The first European to land in Australia was Dutchman Willem Janszoon in 1606. He was followed by many other Europeans in the 17th century and the 18th century. Captain Cook charted the east coast of Australia in 1770. He claimed it for Britain and named it New South Wales.
Nelson wore a patch over one eye
In fact, although Nelson was blind in one eye there is no evidence he wore a patch.
Thomas Crapper invented the flushing toilet
The flushing toilet was known in the ancient world e.g. to the Minoans of ancient Crete. Furthermore the flushing toilet was reinvented in the late 16th century by John Harrington. However the idea did not catch on.
The flushing toilet was reinvented again in the late 18th century, by Joseph Bramah, before Thomas Crapper (1836-1910) was born.
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You don't have to take my word for it. Go on the internet and watch them. Watch the group of people, from radar controllers to pilots to military, give their testimony about them.
Look at the crop circles which they are becoming so proficient at drawing in the wheat fields.
You have no idea who you are discussing this matter with... I am an ALIEN and SCIENCE FICTION NUT!
I have written 3 Science fiction novels...
And have seen just about EVERY documentary about UFO's, Crop Circles, and most ALL movies made on the subject since the 50's...
I am NOT completely convinced that EXTRATERRESTRIALS exist... there is phenomenon that is taking place which is 90% explainable... But when you are speaking 10% of cases world-wide that are UNEXPLAINABLE... it piles 10 of every hundred that go UNEXPLAINED!
Over years there are THOUSANDS of UNEXPLAINED phenomenon, not only UFO, but USO (unidentified submerged objects), and Crop Circles... You see some show that some hick claims to be the perpertrator of crop circles, and then believe him or others like him to be responsible for ALL of them... thousands world-wide, even done in the ice and snow... in places inaccessable... please...
You are welcome to remain gullible if you choose... that is your right...
You obviously know nothing of this field... as the Crop circle phenomenon has been photographed IN progress, where NO PERSONS were present, yet circles appeared...
Hoaxes abound, yes... but there is phenomenon occuring which is NOT hoaxed and remains UNEXPLAINED.
Or use the common sense that God gave you to realize that we have really advanced much further in 100 years of flight than the put-put jet engine. We are talking here about the human race that has split the atom and the gene in the same time period.
And just think Molly... what if GOD has created beings which have NOT experienced our destructive pathway... as did man in the days of NOAH, which wasted time, and progress, and WAR which always slows down the progress of POSITIVE research...
They may have arrived at the point we are at a THOUSAND YEARS ago... think of what Man will be doing technologically speaking in 1000 years from today... you do not even have the capability of understanding such advancement...
You talk about using common sense, and you seldom do this yourself... spouting UNBIBLICAL things, then requiring others to support UNBIBLICAL things... showing NO common sense at all...
You have no idea who I am or what I know...
Do you know anything of what is being researched in computer labs as we speak Molly? There is activity that would scare all of us...
I had a conversation with a guy to whom I was selling a DVD player when it first came out, say 10yrs ago... He was working in a lab, and laughed at my "new technology" sale... noting that this technology I was selling as NEW, was already 10yrs old!
He was also considering a different line of work, because the projects they are working on in secret are bordering on MAGIC... defying Physical principles...
No Molly, if you think that what you see is current... you are as old in your thinking as were those in the 50's...
If others in the Universe have not traveled a destructive pathway, they could perform feats that we would watch with our eyes, and promptly NOT BELIEVE what we just observed...
No Molly, if you think that what you see is current... you are as old in your thinking as were those in the 50's...
Now you are saying exactly what I just said--that there is technology out there that is being kept secret from us--
Let's take a look at that first, before we believe in any aliens. Just because something is unexplained to you, does not mean that there isn't some man somewhere who invented it and understands it completely.
Matthew 10:26Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
Paul Hazelwood
Now you are saying exactly what I just said--that there is technology out there that is being kept secret from us--
Let's take a look at that first, before we believe in any aliens. Just because something is unexplained to you, does not mean that there isn't some man somewhere who invented it and understands it completely.
Matthew 10:26Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
There are speculations that the technological explosion in the past 30 years was fueled by alien technology that was found from some that crash landed here.
I personally love science fiction, and like Willie, I cannot say for sure one way or another. ALL I am saying is that your proof from the bible is not conclusive proof. It is evidence just like any other theory.
But when you can show a verse that says, "Aliens do not exist" as you expect us to show a verse that says "Aliens do exists" then the discussion will seem a bit more rational from your end of it. So do not expect others to produce evidence you yourself cannot produce.
As it stands now, the only evidence that is conclusive is that the bible cannot be used to prove or disprove Aliens, only that the bibles words are open enough to extend GODS love and purpose to any extreme of the universe whatever it may be.
There are speculations that the technological explosion in the past 30 years was fueled by alien technology that was found from some that crash landed here.
There isn't any technological explosion that is particular to the last thirty years. I know about computers that were counting on their fingers to a million 30 years ago before they executed an instruction--to slow them down. Why slow them down, you say? Because the technology was being hidden from the general public. My friend saw the UFO 40 years ago. Tesla invented wireless, free electricity over 100 years ago.
Paul Hazelwood
There are speculations that the technological explosion in the past 30 years was fueled by alien technology that was found from some that crash landed here.
There isn't any technological explosion that is particular to the last thirty years. I know about computers that were counting on their fingers to a million 30 years ago before they executed an instruction--to slow them down. Why slow them down, you say? Because the technology was being hidden from the general public. My friend saw the UFO 40 years ago. Tesla invented wireless, free electricity over 100 years ago.
No aliens around,--just greedy, evil men.
Not all of it is based on that. For the most part, a lot of technological advances are delayed due to government regulations concerning safety.
There are probably many many cool things that if you received them in your home untested and unregulated would probably end up killing or maiming you, others, or burning down your home. That happens enough even with testing.
What I am saying about the advances is in things at the atomic level of discovery, DNA, all sort of intriguing things. I am not saying I believe that, I am just saying that people come up with all kinds of ideas about aliens and those ideas instill fear.
Indirectly there is fear and doubt instilled into the us about the government, black helicopters and secret agents watching our every move, just waiting to pounce on you. Aliens are a great tool that is used to do that. Christians talk a big talk about faith and they show so much fear it is hard to believe they have any faith at all. But what faith will Jesus find on earth when he returns? We can look around and see for ourselves.
So objections about aliens as you have alluded to with comments such as "bug eyes" and "little green men" are simply a pattern of indoctrination of mans image, not any bases in reality one way or another.
Lots of people see UFO's. Anything you see flying that you cannot identify is an "Unidentified Flying Object" it has nothing to do with extraterrestrials, because if you could prove it was an extraterrestrial craft it would not be unidentified any longer.
It challenges what God tells us in Genesis, that he created the lights in heaven for us-- to give light on the earth in the day and in the night, for signs and seasons, for days, months, and years.
It certainly DOES NOT...
What about Stars which are SO DISTANT that not only does their light NOT REACH the earth, and not only does it NOT enter into SIGNS or SEASONS, but it cannot even be photographed except by HIGH POWERED photographic telescopes...
The Scripture does NOT say that the Stars giving light upon the earth, is the sole reason that GOD's PURPOSES for the Stars of the Heavens...
That it does mention the LIGHT which (SOME of) the stars give, is certainly part of their PURPOSE, certainly not ALL...
The Word does not say that is ALL the stars are for, nor does it say that ALL the stars do this, it just states that He set LIGHTS in the Heavens to show light upon the earth, and for signs and for seasons and years... this job is mainly the job of the SUN and MOON, not the distant Stars...
Let me quote the verses:
Gen 1:14-17
14 And GOD said, let there be LIGHTS in the firmament of the heaven to divide DAY from the NIGHT and let them be for SIGNS and for SEASONS, and for DAYS and FOR years... Distant Stars have nothing to do with this... "them" be the Sun and MOON, which are involved in ALL these processes...
15 And let THEM be for LIGHTS in the firmament of the heaven to give LIGHT upon the earth and it was so... The SUN and MOON give LIGHT upon the earth...
16 And GOD made TWO great LIGHTS; the greater light to rule the DAY and the lesser light to rule the NIGHT: He made the STARS also... It is the SUN and MOON bring light in day and in night... the STARS are merely an "also" factor...
17 And GOD set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth. This (in my observation) is still concerned with the SUN and MOON and their divinely assigned duties to give LIGHT upon the earth... this was not the primary duty of the STARS...
The SUN and MOON are the LIGHTS which are involved with giving LIGHT upon the earth, and that which is for SIGNS (Joel 2:31) and for SEASONS - winter, spring, summer, fall... and for YEARS one revolution of the earth around the SUN is the determination of a YEAR...
What do distant STARS have to do with our SEASONS? ...nothing...What do distant STARS have to do with our YEARS? ...nothing...What do distant STARS have to do with LIGHT upon earth? ...very little if any...What do distant STARS have to do with SIGNS? ...what SIGNS? ...nothing...
What does the Sun have to do with our SEASONS? ...everything...What does the Sun have to do with our YEARS? ...they are determined BY IT...What does the Sun have to do with LIGHT upon the earth? ...everything...What does the Sun have to do with SIGNS? ...several are noted in the OT...
What does the Moon have to do with our SEASONS? ...it contributes...What does the Moon have to do with our YEARS? ...monthly cycle is determined by it...What does the Moon have to do with LIGHT upon the earth? ...a LOT at NIGHT...What does the Moon have to do with SIGNS? ...it is mentioned in the OT with such...
So in the end... the SUN and MOON are that which have to do with the earth... MOST of the Stars have nothing to do with the earth Molly... believe what you will...
For MOST of the STARS which EXIST in the Heavens, CANNOT even be SEEN from earth... let alone broadcast light upon it... and those Stars which cannot be seen, DO NOT serve as SIGNS nor, are they part of any SEASONAL determinations on earth...
You are really in a tunnel Molly... and have conveniently placed GOD in a tidy little box... which box contains mostly UNBIBLICAL, and UNPROVEN religious observances...
What do distant STARS have to do with our SEASONS? ...nothing...What do distant STARS have to do with our YEARS? ...nothing...What do distant STARS have to do with LIGHT upon earth? ...very little if any...What do distant STARS have to do with SIGNS? ...what SIGNS? ...nothing...
You clearly have never navigated on the ocean.
Good thing you didn't work for Christopher Columbus, but I am sure he thanked God for the stars.
Logged
Paul Hazelwood
What do distant STARS have to do with our SEASONS? ...nothing...What do distant STARS have to do with our YEARS? ...nothing...What do distant STARS have to do with LIGHT upon earth? ...very little if any...What do distant STARS have to do with SIGNS? ...what SIGNS? ...nothing...
You clearly have never navigated on the ocean.
Good thing you didn't work for Christopher Columbus, but I am sure he thanked God for the stars.
What do distant STARS have to do with our SEASONS? ...nothing...What do distant STARS have to do with our YEARS? ...nothing...What do distant STARS have to do with LIGHT upon earth? ...very little if any...What do distant STARS have to do with SIGNS? ...what SIGNS? ...nothing...
You clearly have never navigated on the ocean.
Good thing you didn't work for Christopher Columbus, but I am sure he thanked God for the stars.
What about the stars Columbus could not see?
He didn't need them to navigate.
But, when God wishes us to see them, we will, and we have--we have peered into the beginning of the universe by now.
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The fire which started around 3 am spread through the four-storey sprawling complex build during the British Raj days, reduced the main complex into ashes.
Located next to State Vidhan Sabha, on the road leading to historic Viceregal Lodge–another equally important heritage of Shimla, Gorton Castle was renovated only few years back investing crores of rupees. It was one of Shimla’s few architectural landmarks, visited by tourists and heritage lovers.
Deputy Commissioner Shimla Dinesh Malhotra said the fire started from the top floor of the building and thereafter it spread to lower storeys . ” It ‘s difficult to know the exact cause of the fire. We will order a probe even as police have also been told to investigate” he said.
Some of the early witnesses ,who reached at the spot said the fire may have been caused by short-circuting or use of electric heating, either by the night guards or officials ,who may have left heaters on while leaving the office.
The fire was seen engulfing the building as Shimla woke-up in shock and disbelief. More than 100 heritage buildings of Shimla have gutted in winter fires in past two decades.
]]>http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/shimlas-most-magnificent-building-gorton-castle-reduced-to-ashes-by-fire/feed/0fire-tshafareyazShimla's heritage building Gorton Castle was renovated only few years back investing crores of rupees. (Photo: IE)
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That Lucky Tiger is great stuff, especially for summertime and for people who don't like alcohol splashes. It acts like a splash but no alcohol, and it has a nice orange citrus scent. I will use it all over my face when its hot outside. I also use it for summer vacations because it can be an aftershave, moisturizer and even as post-sun care, as it has aloe and vitamin E.
Phil if you can carry a few of the oddball Pinauds that no one else carries, I feel they might do great for you. Lime Sec, Citrus Musk, Vanilla, etc. I greatly prefer them (along with Virgin Island Bay Rum) to either Clubman or the Special Reserve.
I think they would do well too. Generally speaking people seem to be cheaper when it comes to aftershaves than creams and soaps for whatever reason. Which makes all the Pinaud Aftershaves popular IMO. They are available at drugstores but there not nearly as common as AV and Skin Bracer. Personally I would have to drive 50 miles just to get the regular Clubman and much farther to find other scents. I know I would add the other scents to the sample shop if you do get them.
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Thinking about the GSG today. For the sake of argument let's assume that Stride's killer wrote it and that he had a particular axe to grind against the Jews having been interrupted by the B.S. man and having been seen by Lawende and for other unknown reasons. Now since he took the time to write it and assumed some risk doing so even if small wouldn't you think that the message would be a lot more venomous and hateful especially if fueled by adrenaline from his recent kill? Now it is possible that in his mind it was incredibly nasty and insulting but to me it sounds like he was almost trying to be politically correct. Does anybody else see an inconsistency here?
Thinking about the GSG today. For the sake of argument let's assume that Stride's killer wrote it and that he had a particular axe to grind against the Jews having been interrupted by the B.S. man and having been seen by Lawende and for other unknown reasons. Now since he took the time to write it and assumed some risk doing so even if small wouldn't you think that the message would be a lot more venomous and hateful especially if fueled by adrenaline from his recent kill? Now it is possible that in his mind it was incredibly nasty and insulting but to me it sounds like he was almost trying to be politically correct. Does anybody else see an inconsistency here?
c.d.
Because he didn't want to make it too obvious it was a gentile trying to shift blame on the Jews. Some clueless police almost fell for it but yet again abberline set them straight.
__________________"Is all that we see or seem
but a dream within a dream?"
-Edgar Allan Poe
"...the man and the peaked cap he is said to have worn
quite tallies with the descriptions I got of him."
-Frederick G. Abberline
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Welcome to New York
While Eric and Adam are enjoying balmy Tampa - that noted ACC mecca - I am in cold and windy New York City. Even though I prefer the sun and warmth, there is nowhere I'd rather be this week. The Big East folk often talk about how theirs is the best conference tournament - because it is played here, in Madison Square Garden - and I have to agree. The Garden might not be new or shiny or state-of-the-art, but the atmosphere is absolutely electric.
This is the 25th season that the Big East tournament has been held in the Garden, and I think there's something nice about playing the tournament at the same site every year. (Especially since it's New York.) The first three were played in different cities (Providence, Syracuse and Hartford), but as commissioner Mike Tranghese said last night at the awards ceremony, Dave Gavitt's goal always was to take the event to New York. Once Patrick Ewing decided to go to Georgetown, and Chris Mullin went to St. John's, and Ed Pinckney headed to Villanova--that's when the Big East knew that it was ready for the Garden, Tranghese said.
Last night was the awards ceremony and team dinner, which kicks off the week. The 12 teams converge on a ballroom inside the Grand Hyatt; the players get dressed up in coats and ties, which for the Georgetown guys isn't a big deal - they wear suits to and from every game.
Only the winners and their coaches attend the awards ceremony, which is held an hour before the dinner. When John Thompson III told Jeff Green at practice on Tuesday that he was named the Big East player of the year, Green's initial reaction was, "Does this mean we have to leave [his hotel] early?" Yes, Jeff. And it means you have to give a speech!
Each winner, after accepting his enormous trophy (some sort of golden ball that is affixed to a tiered wooden base) and posing for a picture with Tranghese, steps to the microphone to say a few words. It's like a basketball-version of the Oscars, though mercifully much shorter; the players just thank as many people as they can think of.
Pittsburgh's Aaron Gray, the scholar-athlete award winner, thanked everyone from Aeropostale (one of the league sponsors) to his mom and dad, Coach Jamie Dixon, his athletic advisor, his university chancellor, his academic advisor.
Herndon's own Scottie Reynolds, the rookie of the year, was very gracious and sweet, saying that even though this was an individual award, it was really an award for Villanova basketball. He thanked his teammates "basically just for putting up with me."
As for Green, he was quick and to the point. He thanked Thompson for giving him the opportunity to play in the style of offense they play, his family, and his teammates "for making me look good." Later he said that he planned on giving his trophy to Thompson, so the coach could put it next to his rookie of the year trophy. (That one is displayed in the lounge inside the basketball offices.)
Tranghese also congratulated Georgetown on winning the regular season championship, and asked Thompson, "Might this get dad off your back a little bit?" Thompson quickly shook his head no.
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Networked
Into a Secure Future
Digitalization is currently revolutionizing mobility. ZF is therefore expanding its digital portfolio and is well-prepared thanks to its development of forward-looking technologies and business models.
Digitization is a development that has already gripped all parts of life in industrial societies. "Always online" is the philosophy of Generation Y, the people who were teenagers at the turn of the millennium. The Internet, smartphones, tablets or wearables, i.e., computer systems worn on the body, characterize the everyday life of these millennials. Yet the older generation has also learned how to handle online orders, WhatsApp or Facebook. Digitization in all areas of life is changing the needs of mobile consumers.
In the process, the age of digitization is marked by three phases of development. While the internet established itself in the initial phase from 1995 to 2005, thereby creating a digital infrastructure, the victory march of social networks and digital transactions began in the second phase from 2006 to 2015. At the same time, digital life has been increasingly shifting from desktop computers to mobile terminal devices. Now, in the third phase, machines are following in man's footsteps, becoming networked more and more. In production, this age is characterized by the "Industry 4.0" development, as well as the general automation of processes and decisions on the basis of cloud-based algorithms.
Three questions put to Torsten Gollewski
Mobility industry on the move
Mobility is currently also undergoing a fundamental change. Without digitization and networking, technological developments like electromobility, autonomous driving or the desire for more security and efficiency cannot take place. Vehicle manufacturers and system suppliers like ZF must accordingly face the challenges inherent to these disruptive changes. At the same time, however, digitization offers huge opportunities for opening up new areas of business. Software products, for instance, are increasingly making an important contribution to adding value, and they are becoming a feature of differentiation from the competition. "By networking intelligent, self-learning systems, we achieve a new dimension," Torsten Gollewski, Manager Advanced Engineering at ZF says, adding, "The transformation from pure mechanics to intelligent mechanical systems that record and analyze situations and handle them accordingly can be summarized in the triad 'See – Think – Act.‘“
Since ZF strives for maximum competence in all these areas, freedom of thought and ideation are just as much a part of the corporate strategy as additional purchases or strategic alliances.
More safety through digitization
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) taking place in Las Vegas in January 2017, the company will present its X2Safe algorithm, developed in the ZF think tank. For the first time, this digital application networks the automobile with weaker road users like pedestrians or cyclists in the cloud. X2Safe, for instance, warns all participants well ahead of an impending collision. The algorithm therefore has the potential to drastically reduce the number of injuries and deaths in road traffic. As ZF has the know-how for the intelligent networking of mechanical systems with environmental sensors like cameras, radar or lidar, the company is driving digitization in mobility and making an important contribution to more safety.
With the Openmatics telematics platform, ZF has already been a networking specialist for fleet operators since 2010. The innovative cloud solution, for example, may contribute considerably to the acceptance of electromobility in the area of fleet applications through the monitoring of the loading technology – for company vehicles, vehicle rental agencies and auto repair shops.
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Again, to share with you a fabulous idea! Today I decided to decorate with this beautiful lantern that is one of the most beautiful. In Christmas season everything is valid and this file is really beautiful and what better to do decorations by hand!
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B-fast Buns, T.G.I. Friday's Stats, Gluten-Free Finds & More!
Thomas' Breakfast Thins- The slim-sandwich-roll craze is getting really specific -- these newbies are formulated for A.M. chewing! (But we wouldn't hesitate to eat them at other times of day.) They come in 100% Whole Wheat, 100% Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin, and Blueberry. Each roll has 100 calories, 1g fat, 170mg sodium, 22g carbs, 5g fiber, 2 - 4g sugars, and 4 - 5g protein (PointsPlus® value 3*). Sandwiches for breakfast = YAY! These are rolling out now, so be on the lookout!
Perfect Foods Bar Lite, Cranberry Crunch - AMAZING-energy-bar alert! Here's the need-to-know info. 1) Cranberry Crunch is the only Lite flavor currently available; the others have WAY more calories. 2) Since the bars have no chemical preservatives, they need to be kept in the fridge. 3) They're gluten-free and PACKED with nutritious stuff like nut butter and dried fruit -- so not only do they taste great, but they're great for you too! Each bar has 199 calories, 10g fat, 24mg sodium, 19g carbs, 2.2g fiber, 13g sugars, and 10g protein (PointsPlus® value 5*). Look for them near the yogurt in the refrigerated section of the supermarket. The Republic of Tea Sip for the Cure Strawberry Hibiscus Tea - If you have trouble working up enthusiasm about tea ("YEEEE-HA! Who's ready to get their steep on!?!"), we're gonna make things a bit easier for you. This brand-new tea (arriving on shelves this week) straight up tastes like strawberries -- wonderful, tart, delicious strawberries. It's nice and sweet, great sipped hot, and amazing over ice. Plus, a portion of the proceeds benefits breast cancer research. And it has no calories or caffeine. Can we get a YEEEE-HA?
NO! Loaded Potato Skins: 2,070 calories, 135g fatYES! Spinach Florentine Flatbread: 380 calories, 21g fat Well, duh, potato skins aren't a smart choice, but did you think they'd be THIS bad? On the other hand, this flatbread is a lot lower in calories than we would have assumed -- split it with your dining companions!
NO! Friday's Fusion Skewers Entrées: 1,510 - 1,610 calories, 50 - 77g fatYES! Dragonfire Chicken: 520 calories, 12g fat We were APPALLED to learn how high the stats are for these Japanese Hibachi and Mediterranean skewers, both the chicken and beef! Luckily, the sweet 'n spicy Dragonfire Chicken, complete with loads of veggies and fruit, has your back.
Click here to download the full nutritional guide. Which T.G.I. Friday's dish should we give an HG-friendly makeover? Let us know!
T.G.I. Finally Online!
These Beans Are Made for Crunching!
Are Beans the New Snack Food? These Products Say So!
It's no secret that beans are nutrient-packed all-stars. But, up until now, they haven't exactly fallen into the category of crispy snacks. So when we found these new goodies made from legumes, we just had to spill the... you know. BTW, all of these are gluten-free!
GOOD NEWS! After the tragic (at least for us) pumpkin shortage of the past couple of years, we're happy to report that pumpkin will be in good supply this year. No more ordering cans in bulk online or fighting over the last can of Libby's in the supermarket. Whew! ***If the edible items in this email have you licking your lips, these food-flavored lip balms are for you! General Mills (parent company to brands like Betty Crocker and Pillsbury) has launched balms that taste like cereal, frosting, cookies, and more -- and they're all available online! Pucker up... ***How often do you eat a burger? If you're like 48 percent of Americans, the answer might be as often as once a week... or more!A recent survey shows that burger consumption in the U.S. is up by 10 percent since '09. We wonder if that includes veggie burgers... ***Look out, grown-ups! On September 13th, kids rule... the kitchen! Young Chefs International has announced the first annual "Kids Take Over the Kitchen" campaign. If you know a kid who'd like to get cooking, click here for more info on the national event! ***Here's something interesting: A four-month survey of social-media-savvy "tastemakers" found that 22 percent of these consumers perceive food from McDonald's as being "healthy" and "fresh." McD's scored higher than any of the other fast-food chains rated, including Subway. Really? Hmmm... That's all we've got. HG out!
Orange You Glad Pumpkin's Back?
News only stays new for so long -- click "Send to a Friend" to pass along this email ASAP!
CHEW ON THIS:
Happy Monday, a.k.a. August 29th, a.k.a. More Herbs, Less Salt Day. Say it with us: "MORE HERBS, LESS SALT! MORE HERBS, LESS SALT!" Click here for more on some of our favorite herbs...
We may have received free samples of food, which in no way influences whether these products are reviewed favorably, unfavorably, mentioned with indifference, or mentioned at all. Click for more about our editorial and advertising policies.
*The PointsPlus® values for these products and/or recipes were calculated by Hungry Girl and are not an endorsement or approval of the product, recipe or its manufacturer or developer by Weight Watchers International, Inc., the owner of the PointsPlus® registered trademark.
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"Give me money so I can sell you dumb products to lose weight." No one cares. All I have to do is eat less and exercise and I'm in shape, sorry you have a pantry full of whatever the fuck it is you bought in bulk. But you fell for that shit, not me.
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janet
Easy cream cheese bars recipe. SO GOOD and SO easy to make! Great family recipe idea, these cream cheese squares are filled with a cheesecake like cream and are perfect for holiday get togethers or nightly dessert. Easy cheese danish recipe with @pillsbury Cresents! #dessert#ad#warmtraditions
janet
Easy cream cheese bars recipe. SO GOOD and SO easy to make! Great family recipe idea, these cream cheese squares are filled with a cheesecake like cream and are perfect for holiday get togethers or nightly dessert. Easy cheese danish recipe with @pillsbury Cresents! #dessert#ad#warmtraditions
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Blogs
After living and working in India for 16 years, we enjoy insightful stories that draw from the Indian culture. This story came to us in a newsletter and we couldn't help but share it since it touched upon the deeper dimensions of innovative teamwork!
This year’s Project Management Conference in Dallas focused on all things innovation. Given my long-standing background with both project management and innovation, I was delighted to be on a panel that explored how project managers, their teams, and their company cultures could be more innovative.
Voyage Dallas is an online magazine that shares inspiring stories about people and businesses in the Dallas area. We're delighted that they chose to feature an article about the co-founders of Values Centered Innovation, Debra and William Miller.
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Concealed Intent
Concealed Intent is a simultaneous turn-based game of tactical stealth space combat. Players control their ships in a fully 3D world - hunting down their enemies, just as they are being hunted themselves. In Concealed Intent you know your enemies are out there, but not exactly where, or even what they are.
Space is big and empty. Finding something can be like looking for a needle in a haystack, but there is nowhere for the needle to hide. To stay concealed a ship needs to fade into the background as much as possible. Everything a ship does will signal its presence and increase the ability of those nearby to detect it. A big ship may blot out stars as it passes. Heat from engines can be detected against the cold of the void. Lasers can be traced back to their origin. Eventually as detection increases, a firing solution can be calculated so that a beam of coherent light a few millimetres in diameter can cross thousands of kilometres to strike an evasive enemy - hidden no longer!
Concealed Intent includes a single-player campaign, an instant skirmish generator and multiplayer options.
Buy Now:
Videos:
April 21, 2018
The Concealed Intent 1.3 release is out now! It is a few months late, but finally here.
Tell me about the 1.3 Update
The main change in this release is the most requested feature from the discussion boards: it is now possible to rewatch old online games and to always see the last turn of an online game.
If an online game finishes while you are not actively playing, then it will still be in your list of online games when you next start Concealed Intent. If selected it will display the end screen with the game’s outcome. If you want to see the last turn just click the “Replay Last” button and it will be displayed. On the second time you start Concealed Intent after the game has finished it will be moved to the Old Games list – but you can still rewatch the whole game, read on!
At the end of an online game there is now a “Rewatch” button. Click this and the entire game will be loaded and you can watch it from the start either continuously (with the “Play All” button on the turn control part of the GUI) or turn-by-turn (“Play Turn” button").
It is also possible to rewatch any of your online games that have finished in the last 90 days. Just go to the Old Games screen (available via the Online screen) and click the “Rewatch” link next to the game you wish to rewatch.
I had hoped to add rewatch to campaign and skirmish scenarios as well, but that caused problems. 90% would play just fine, but some would badly break due to the scripting system used to play out the turns. Fixing it for all scenarios would require rewriting the scripting system and that would take too long – so sadly you can only rewatch online games (which do not have any complex scripting in them).
There are a few other minor changes and bugfixes – the details are below.
What is next for Concealed Intent?
If there is a bad bug I will work to fix it. I can’t imagine not doing that. Otherwise there are no plans to add more features.
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Mason Pearson: en liten ca.
1 Billion plastic drinking straws are used daily worldwide. Bamboo Drinking Straws are a natural alternative to plastic! Washable, reusable, and made from real whole bamboo stalks. Packaged in a biodegradable bag made from plant starch, with a tag ma
Seed PaperClips For Office
Diskborste i Trä, Naturborst
Woven Linen Dishcloth
A dishcloth made from linen? This is just one of the many innovative concepts dreamed up by Växbo Lin, a Swedish company dedicated to preserving the craft traditions — and creative uses — of this natural fiber. These unique dishcloths use a s
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How to find the most luxurious places to stay in Mexico
If you want to stay in Mexico, you have to find a nice place to go. There are a lot of places in Mexico that make great destinations when you want to travel. Here are some tips so you can travel to an area of this great country that you can enjoy.
When you’re going to travel out of the country to a new one, you’re going to need a passport. Make sure you get this into order before you try to fly into Mexico or drive into it. Whichever way you’re going to travel, you want to make very sure that your passport is up to date and that it allows for you to travel out of your country of origin. Make sure you get your passport updated if need be so you don’t end up getting turned away at the border when you’re trying to travel to Mexico.
Before you go to Mexico, you’re going to want to find out which cities in this area are the best to stay in. While there are some really nice cities you can stay in, there are also some that are better to avoid. When you want to learn what the best places are to stay in an area, you’re going to want to find a travel website where people can rate things like restaurants and other places that exist in cities. You want to find a place that has different businesses in it that are highly rated so you know the city is nice.
Prior to traveling, you’re going to want to look at what the weather for the city is like that you’re thinking of staying in. You want to be able to pack clothing that is going to keep you warm or cool depending on what the weather is going to be like. A lot of people think that all of Mexico is fairly warm all the time but that’s not always the case. Just like any other area there are cities that are different temperatures that call for you to dress a certain way if you want to remain comfortable.
There are a lot of places to stay when you go to Mexico, such as Punta Mita rentals. You’re going to want to find a hotel in the city you’re going to that has a lot of positive reviews backing it. You don’t want to stay at a place that has poor reviews because then you may not like it and it may not be worth your money to begin with. Find a place that a lot of travelers recommend. That way, you don’t stay somewhere that has a lot of problems or that just isn’t worth the money because it’s a poor-quality hotel.
Make sure you study up on your Spanish if you’re going to visit an area in Mexico where that’s the main language. While you’re going to find that a lot of people in the area speak a little English, not everyone will so you may have a hard time getting around if you don’t know the basics in their language. You can learn what you need to know by finding online tutorials. Go through the basic words like the ones for bathrooms and restaurants so you can go there and comfortably talk with some of the locals about what you are looking for.
You’re going to want to find out what you can about the restaurants in the area you’re staying in. You want to find out which of them offers the best dining experiences, so you can go with one that is going to be a great time for you and your family. You don’t want to go to restaurants that are poorly reviewed because they are a waste of your money. Since it’s a lot cheaper in Mexico to dine at a nice place, you shouldn’t have a hard time finding out where the nice places are when looking restaurants up online.
Look at a travel website to see what there is to do in the city that you’re visiting. If you’re going there to see family, then you may want to ask your family member if they are willing to show you around the area. Another place to get advice on where to visit would be social media. You may be able to find a group that is for the area that you’re going to be visiting where locals chat. You can join up and ask the locals what they recommend you do when you’re there.
Prior to heading out to Mexico, you will want to think about how you’re going to get there. If you’re going to drive, then make sure that your vehicle is in good enough condition to make it. If you’re going to fly there, then make sure you have a rental car ready at the airport or near it so that you can get around the area without having to just rely on whatever transportation is available other than that. When flying, book ahead of time so you can get a better deal on the tickets you’re going to have to purchase.
See if you can find a tour that you can go on of the city that you’re staying in. If there are a lot of historical landmarks, you may be able to find a tour that goes through the city and teaches you about what those landmarks are all about. You’re going to want to research tour companies, so you can go on a tour that is going to be the most enjoyable for you. There are plenty of companies that offer this kind of service, so look them up nd find out which of them you should go with.
Mexico is a great place to visit if you want to stay somewhere new and exotic. There are plenty of luxurious spots in the area where you can stay. Check it out and you’re sure to find a place that you can stay that you will like quite a bit.
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Haven't Packed the Boxes Yet....
I made this proclamation yesterday about my big move. So far, I have done NOTHING. Oh well, I will start the process soon enough. Right in between caring for my kids, my husband, my pets and my house. Also, I have a job that is starting to require some major attention. Now, if it would just bring in the bacon I could relax! HA! Usually once the money starts happening, the real stress begins. Great!
I have very little to report on my coyote sighting. EXCEPT for this development.
Look Here - Deer, more than one!
IT didn't eat the deer(s)((?))(((We don't put an "S" on the end of deer for plural deer do we? So confused. I could Google it, but I would get distracted like The Bloggess, and I just don't have it in me tonight.)
In honor of the deer(s?) we had a celebration of their still being alive. This was after Jeff stopped making fun of my excitement over the deer sightings and then proclaiming, "I'll bet you are going to blog about this aren't you?" He doesn't know me. He can't read my mind. Oh wait, yes, he can and he did. Great, just great!
Speaking of people we love, let's talk Valentine's Day. We had a good one. Crazy how much life changes as we get older and children are thrown in the mix. Instead of crazy love stuff happening on a Sunday afternoon, we spent some time with friends eating, drinking and having a grand ol' time. Lilly had fun with her friend from preschool, and to be honest, I think her face was flushed all afternoon. Maybe from running around like a crazy person, jumping in the bouncy house, or maybe, just maybe because she was in the room with a boy. Whose to know? It was cute, no matter what the reason.
So to all my loved ones; both family and friends, I send my love and my hugs and my best wishes. I see most of you often, some of you never but I love each of you. I don't need a "holiday" to remind me that you are important. I know this, always!
This is all pretty interesting. Would you believe that someone said there are many coyotes in Marin and they are very cagy, after small dogs, etc. And, get this, according to rangers, there are 81 mountain lions in Marin. How do they know this? I don't have a clue.
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Too many people mistake codependent abuse, or sentimental affections (including lust), for love. Too few people go to the trouble to instill proper discipline, or create endearing sentiments for others.
Readership: All
The Frame
Here, I will first expound upon one of my preponderances about love.
Personally, I have come to believe that when someone says that they “love” a certain person, they mean that in a very subjective sense. They do NOT mean to say that they make a point to concentrate on identifying that persons spiritual needs and then go to all the hard work and effort to construct a selfless Christian love towards that person, solely for that persons edification, which is a step beyond merely contributing a benefit. This would truly be love. For benefiting the lives of others is a mark of kindness, which exhibits the excellent will of humanity, while edifying others is the sublime and strenuous work done towards manifesting the grace of God, which is necessary to sanction repentance and foster the processes of healing and maturing in another.
Instead, it would be remarkably closer to the truth to assume that the other person is doing this effort for them, and as a result, they are free to experience the loving gracefulness of God. The recipient of such love would then naturally, however erroneously, vocalize their experience as feeling “love” for the other person. But to express the sentiment of feeling loved as being the same as loving someone belies a naïve and inefficatious misconception.
To illustrate this sentiment based perception of love, let’s consider Luke 10:25-37 (NKJV).
25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ 36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Using an anecdotal story based on this passage, the sentimental brand of love that is popular today would be like the man who was robbed and beaten saying that he loves the good Samaritan, or even the robber (because Christ told us to “love our enemies”), while in reality, it was the good Samaritan who loved the man who was beaten. In other words, the one who is loved mistakes his forgiveness, or his feelings, respectively, for being authentic love. But this seems to be the common misperception of love these days. Robbers might even believe that they “love” their victims, because they showed enough mercy to “let them live”. How far can the concept of love and mercy be twisted?
Sadly, there are too few people who recognize that the people in our lives (Jesus called them our “neighbors”) play a major role in the expression of God’s mercy and grace to our lives. Most people would gladly prefer to leave the grace of God to chance and circumstances, while clinging to the lazy excuse of a notion that the grace of God can only be shown through an act of God.
To have a successful, vibrant relationship with another person, both must edify the other on a continual basis, having the tacit understanding that they must trust each other to do so.
The Reframe
Real love doesn’t always produce feelings of fondness and affection in the one being loved. But it’s very important to discern the distinction between authentic love, and “toxic love” (AKA codependent abuse).
For example, some bad behaviors are inherently rewarding, and so the introduction of a harsh consequence (i.e. a negative stimulus in operant conditioning) is the only way to motivate the person to stop their destructive behaviors. Sometimes, discipline is absolutely necessary to produce understanding, respect, and the self-control necessary to build a solid relationship.
This is what the writer of Proverbs was referring to in the following verse.
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” ~ Proverbs 27:6 (NKJV)
In other words, not everyone who offends you is your enemy, and not everyone who pleases you is your friend. So if you don’t feel those fond emotions swelling up inside you, don’t be so quick to write it off as a lack of love.
On the other hand, unfortunately, many people are so broken by a long history of abuse, that they are drawn to continue that cycle of abuse, simply because it makes them “feel loved”.
They are confused, and misled. There is a world of a difference between discipline, and abuse. Do not make that mistake.
Conclusions
The cultural zephyrs of the day desire to blind us with blanket truthiness, leading us to believe the following.
If it feels good, it must be love.
All offense is hate.
All discipline is abuse.
But to believe these lies would be the same as condemning powerful expressions of love that are so desperately needed in this age.
Do not fall victim of this slight of hand. Do not become sensitive sluggards in your love. For apathy is the opposite of love, not hate.
A Challenge: Try to identify just one person in your life, who has such an attitude of love towards your relationship, i.e. someone who has disciplined you righteously, and who makes you feel loved. Acknowledge your gratitude to that person today. Go and tell that person, if possible. Thank him or her for loving you.
A Second Challenge: Take what you have learned from that person who loved you, and try to love one other person in a similar manner. Choosing to love a person who respects and admires you would be a wise move.
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About Jack
Jack is a world traveling artist, skilled in trading ideas and information, none of which are considered too holy, too nerdy, nor too profane to hijack and twist into useful fashion.
Sigma Frame Mindsets and methods for building and maintaining a masculine Frame
3 Responses to Love Is NOT what you think it is.
Your post is spot-on about the grace of God and our expression of it to others. It doesn’t take much, but means so much. I don’t call them “random acts of kindness” anymore, but “purposed acts of kindness”.
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Piada Italian Street Food to open new location: The third North Texas location of Piada Italian Street Food will open on August 17 in Richardson. According to the release: “The 2,991-square-foot fast casual restaurant is inspired by the roadside family-run food carts and markets of Rimini, a bustling seaside community in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and is located adjacent to Whole Foods and facing CityLine Drive at 1551 E Renner Rd #800. The five-year-old Piada concept has earned rave reviews for its chef-driven and seasonally influenced menu that focuses on simply prepared, made-to-order items utilizing dozens of fresh, premium ingredients, as well as house made sauces and dressings. This is Piada’s third in North Texas, after The Center at Preston Ridge in Frisco and Alliance Town Center in North Fort Worth.”
Ida Claire celebrates National Vinyl Day: The popular Addison restaurant is celebrating on Friday, August 12 with a BYO-vinyl night. According to the release: “Guests are encouraged to bring their own vinyls into the restaurant to listen to while imbibing and rocking out with friends. Ida Claire will feature her normal vinyl hour specials from 4 p.m. to close.”
John Tesar added to Legacy Hall lineup: According to the release: “Still roughly a year away from opening, the one-acre tract in Plano’s booming Legacy West development doesn’t look much different from dozens of other construction sites. But soon, a massive new European-style food hall will take shape in the premier mixed-use complex, transforming the dining and entertainment landscape of North Texas…
Several award-winning chefs have already announced commitments to open a food stall at Legacy Hall, including:
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Richard North,
16/08/2004Follow @eureferendumA long-running dispute between the US and EU over airline production subsidies seems about to come to a boil, with Bush threatening to refer the issue to the WTO. Mandelson will be the commissioner responsible for handling the EU end of the case, which will put him in the hot seat perhaps faster than he thought.
At the heart of the dispute is cheap state loans given to Airbus Industries - now the world's biggest civil airline manufacturer (in terms of numbers). The US regards these as "unfair", believing they disadvantages its own aircraft maker, Boeing, which has recently had to shed 40,000 jobs.
So far, an uneasy truce has prevailed, as both sides work to a trans-Atlantic civil aviation accord agreed in 1992. This prohibits production subsidies and limits government loans for developing new models to 33 percent of the total cost.
Boeing charges that Airbus gets the loans at below-market rates - something the EU denies - and notes Airbus has not paid back loans on unprofitable models, thus skewing competition.
However, EU authorities claim that Boeing also gets state aid, benefiting from indirect subsidies through research funds granted for defence projects and work for NASA. Boeing, on the other hand, charges that although Airbus' parent firms, EADS and BAE Systems, do similar work and gain similar benefit.
With no agreement forthcoming, and job cuts becoming an election issue, Bush has therefore instructed his trade representative, Bob Zoellick, formally to notify EU officials at a scheduled September meeting that the Airbus subsidies are unfair. The EU has responded in an entirely predictable manner, with officials saying they are willing to consider "disciplining" government support - but only if the US does the same for Boeing.
In what it likely to be a high profile fight where, probably, neither side has clean hands, Mandelson may be forced to concede cuts in support to Airbus just at a time when the UK general election is due, putting jobs at risk in BAE sytems. We will wait with interest to see how Mandy handles this little local difficulty.
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Face Primer
Description
Use Face Primer before foundation for a flawless application. Face Primer creates an even, ideal canvas for foundation by filling in fine lines and large pores so that foundation goes on looking porcelain smooth.
Benefits
Exclusive antioxidant blend of vitamins A, C, E and green tea extract
Works with all foundation formulas. Apply prior to foundation application.
Extends the wearability of any foundation
Ensures a flawless looking complexion
Directions
Apply to clean, dry skin creating the ideal canvas while filling in fine lines for a smooth base application. With our signature blend of antioxidants, this product extends the wearability of your foundation and ensures a flawless looking complexion.
Expert Tips & Techniques
Blend the Face Primer with Highlighter or Brightener Highlight Concealer and apply to cheekbones and other features that you desire highlighting prior to foundation application for subtle illumination.
Customer Reviews
This is the best primer on the market. I have extremely oily skin, and you cannot tell with this primer. It's nothing short of amazing! It fills in all my pores, and it dries to a very soft finish. My search for the perfect makeup line stops with Glo Minerals!
I was not happy with this product at all. It doesn't do anything it says it does. My face was much oilier with this product and my makeup was about to slide off by early afternoon. It did not minimize the appearance of my pores or help my makeup stay on longer. A complete waste.
Note from glo: Thanks for sharing your experience, Christy. We're so sorry to hear it has been less than excellent. It's important to note that a little bit of this product goes a long way. If your skin looked oilier than usual it's possible too much product was used. We suggest only using a pea sized amount for the best results.
"This is the fourth Face Primer I've tried and it's by far the best. It really smoothes out my pores well. The other primers did, too, but (they) also broke me out and left me looking greasy by noon. (This) lasts all day for me, keeps shine away very well and keeps my skin looking fresh.... Since I've started using (it), I can wear much less makeup...."
I always thought primers were oily and had no real function but this really does put a nice matte to your base and keeps it on way longer then just wearing foundation. Love it and you only have to use about 2-3 drops when applying
This product works! Your skin feels like velvet... it feels wonderful, and you now have a fantastic base for whatever you want to do. You'll love the way your skin looks even before applying your makeup. As for the old packaging, open the top and use something slender (and clean, of course) to scoop out every last bit of this wonderful product! You won't want to waste a drop :)
I'm 28 years old and up until this year, never worried about wrinkles or fine lines. I used the GloMinerals pressed base without anything else and it worked for years; until I started to see fine lines under my eyes. I found the primer and was so skeptical when I tried it. It felt greasy, but smooth. I use it under either the loose base or the pressed base. After using it for the last three months, I am hooked! I never broke out and I get compliments all the time. This is a must-have product!! I did have the same complaint that it was difficult to get the last 25% of product out of the bottle, but it looks like they have moved to a tube, so I look forward to the new 'do.
I have always read in magazines that you should use a primer but never did. Once I tried this primer, I noticed that my makeup stayed on longer and it looked smoother on. The only con is the package. It is hard to get out the last 25% of the primer because the tube doesn't go to the bottom of the bottle and the liquid is thick so you have to shake it to get it out. It would be better if it was in a tube (probably). Editor's Note: Hello Carmen! You'll be happy to know that we have changed our packaging from the bottle with pump to a squeezable tube. Contact us at [email protected] or 800-903-4321 if you have any other feedback for us - we would love to hear from you. Sincerely, the glo team
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Ramona Convent in Alhambra was host site to the CA West Regional Finals of the Dan Stover Memorial Music Contest on April 12, 2016, nine high school students participated in the Contest. 1st Place was awarded to Melissa Brassard sponsored by Alhambra Rotary; 1st Runner-up Dana Xue (Arcadia Rotary) and Runner-ups: Megan McCreight, Shannon Louie, Noah Rodriguez, Jordan Rupp, Ian Flores, Darlene Lie and Sara Nemiro
(click an image to enlarge and start a slide show)
The Rotary Club of San Gabriel gratefully acknowledges the sponsors who support our website.
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6 Spectacularly Bad Ideas From History's Greatest Geniuses
The modern world as we know it was shaped by the minds of geniuses. But the same "outside the box" thinking that gave us our great innovations also gave them some truly ridiculous ideas.
Does that give us the right to mock some of history's greatest minds? Ah, who knows?
#6. Thomas Edison's Ghost Busting Machine
Thomas Edison is America's most beloved asshole inventor, famous for stealing other people's inventions, hiring thugs to physically intimidate his competition and heroically electrocuting an elephant to discredit the use of alternating current. Also, he invented the light bulb (which he stole) and the motion picture camera, which he only invented so he could film himself having sex with other men's wives [citation needed].
"...and you'll just be in the closet the whole time we're boning, filming the shit out of it."
Naturally, the next step for Edison was paranormal extermination. During the early days of the 20th century, contacting the spirit world was all the rage and any jackass with a gypsy wig and/or monocle could make bundles of cash holding seances to bilk grieving families hoping to talk to a deceased loved one. And if there was one thing Edison loved, it was money.
After intentionally burning his finger to the point his fingerprint was erased, Edison noted the fingerprint grew back and triumphantly concluded that all human beings must be made of "immortal units" which cannot be destroyed, thus explaining the existence of ghosts. He set about creating a device that would trap these immortal units and allow them to be studied by the living.
"GET THE MICROSCOPE!"
Edison was incredibly secretive about the nature of his ghost hunting mechanism--not even a prototype was ever seen. Just about the only real detail anyone knows is that one of his assistants died while working on it, presumably because Edison wanted to test and see if it worked.
You'll have to watch Casper: Origins to learn more.
#5. Nikola Tesla's Earthquake Machine
Nikola Tesla is like the photo negative of Thomas Edison. Edison made Direct Current (DC), Tesla made Alternating Current (AC). Edison became grotesquely rich, Tesla died poor. Edison got tons of stuff named after him, including corporations and high schools. All Tesla got was a crappy rock band from Sacramento.
Though it wasn't all sour grapes for Tesla--while Edison invented some pretty common place items like light bulbs and record players, Tesla excelled in awesome invention like robots, wireless electricity and death rays. He predicted the Internet 80 years before its existence. Also, he was played by David Bowie in a movie.
"Immediately, I rule harder than any scientist ever."
One thing Edison and Tesla did have in common was batshit lunacy. In Tesla's case, it was a pocket-sized earthquake generator. In 1898, Tesla conducted an experiment in mechanical resonance in his New York lab, which basically measures the tendency of something to absorb more energy from a vibration if said vibration matches its own natural frequency. In other words, everything has its own musical pitch that, if matched, will break the object, not unlike opera singers breaking crystal glasses with just their voices. Except in this case Tesla's crystal glasses were buildings.
Allegedly while testing his electro-mechanical oscillator (or earthquake machine), many buildings began to shake. Once the very building he stood in began to tremble, Tesla took a sledgehammer to the device, destroying it and likely saving everyone in the city.
"Shit, I've gotta break this fucking thing."
It's not really clear why Tesla was developing a portable earthquake machine, other than the fact that he could use it to get virtually whatever he wanted, for the rest of his life. There is no further record of Tesla using or trying to market the device, though we presume he kept a working version of it in his home in case he ever caught Edison combing through his garbage.
Tesla wouldn't hesitate to murder you with science.
#4. Alexander Graham Bell's Six Nippled Sheep
As all of you (hopefully) know, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, which is arguably the single most important invention of all fucking time. As probably none of you know, one of Bell's less notable inventions is the six nippled sheep.
"SIX GODDAMN TITS ON A MOTHERFUCKING SHEEP!"
Bell spent the last 30 years of his life and $250,000 (adjusted for inflation that's roughly the Gross Domestic Product of Canada) on his beloved deranged sheep. Why would a famed inventor spend all his time and money just to shit on nature? To make more sheep, of course. Upon purchasing a pet ewe for his children, Bell noted sheep possessed only two nipples, an inferior number compared to pigs and cats. Evolution had clearly fucked this one up.
Bell versus Evolution: The Throwdown.
Bell figured that sheep with more nipples would naturally produce more offspring and thus make farmers' wallets fatter, a postulation not supported by science of any kind. Of course, the ramifications of the nipple enhanced sheep implies more far-reaching applications, the likes of which man has only fantasized about to this point.
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What to do in Bologna
DISCOVER OUR EXPERIENCES
We are in Italy, France and Spain. Check if your destination is among our locations.
MEET UP WITH NEW LOCAL FRIENDS
We are a community of local foodies who will help you navigate the city through food like old friends.
EAT AND COOK LIKE THE LOCALS
Explore and taste the best local food in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
BOLOGNA FOOD TOUR, A SOCIAL DINING EXPERIENCE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS CITY
What to do in Bologna if you are visiting for a couple of days?
Well, Bologna is a beautiful city, rich in historical buildings, piazzas, colonnades, which deserved the appointment at world common heritage by UNESCO. The city features one of the oldest and better preserved medieval historic centres in Europe, filled with life, music, monuments, small restaurants, theatres and artisans’ boutiques.
The Italian gastronomy, despite being very diverse, points at Emilia-Romagna region as a reference, due to its historical ties with food. Bologna, the capital of Emilia-Romagna is historically a lab for culinary excellence.
In Bologna there are a lot of things to do. But we are sure that you will love our proposition: a walking food tour in Bologna.
In fact you can now discover the excellence of Emilia Romagna thanks to our Bologna food tour that will guide you through Bologna culinary history, walking with a food expert around the city centre.
You will have the chance to try typical restaurants that standard guide don’t mention, eating as locals do.
Be a Bolognese for one day with our Bologna walking food tour!
EXPERIENCES SELECTION
We sell amazing food experiences. They can be food tours around the city center, or very interesting cooking experiences in a classroom. Whatever you will choose, you will meet new friends and enrich your food culture. Here you find our selection of food experiences that are known as the best. Enjoy your stay with us!
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Centre Forward - Effective Support for the Prime Minister at the Centre of Government
15 January 2016
The aim of this report is two-fold: first, to understand how Number 10 – and the parts of the Cabinet Office that directly serve the prime minister – have evolved over the past three decades. At the moment that knowledge is possessed by a few individuals but not widely available or shared. The second is to outline the elements of a core offer that the Civil Service should make to any prime minister to help them to shape to their style and priorities. We see these as building blocks of an effective centre rather than a blueprint. The combination of building blocks will depend on the personality, needs and priorities of whoever is in Number 10.
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You will become a client of 365.bank by downloading the app, you will need your ID card, we will send you the contracts by e-mail and sign them by holding the button in the app. In the end, you will join us through a video call and you're done. It'll only take you a few minutes.
You can also create an account with a coffee machine. You get a credit card, Google Pay, savings, reward program, Garmin pay, Fitbit pay, and much more. All this for free.
What else brings 365.bank?
Purpose-free loan for a few clicksDigital onboarding, t. j. possibility to open an account via smartphoneSigning the contract directly in the appSmart balance displayPIE Code (Personal Identification Emoji)Fingerprint LoginVertical debit cardPossibility to block and unlock card directly in appAccount maintenance free of chargePossibility to send money to nameSavings that will help you reach your dreams"Syslenie" - saving you to save youPush notificationsSetting your app salutationApp you can meet with
We are already working on additional functionality in 365. Prepare for investment and much more.
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Sunday, February 6, 2011
In this essay I argue that heavy reliance on a small number of metrics is bad for science. Of course, many people have previously criticised metrics such as citation count or the h-index. Such criticisms tend to fall into one of two categories. In the first category are criticisms of the properties of particular metrics, for example, that they undervalue pioneer work, or that they unfairly disadvantage particular fields. In the second category are criticisms of the entire notion of quantitatively measuring science. My argument differs from both these types of arguments. I accept that metrics in some form are inevitable – after all, as I said above, every granting or hiring committee is effectively using a metric every time they make a decision. My argument instead is essentially an argument against homogeneity in the evaluation of science: it’s not the use of metrics I’m objecting to, per se, rather it’s the idea that a relatively small number of metrics may become broadly influential. I shall argue that it’s much better if the system is very diverse, with all sorts of different ways being used to evaluate science. Crucially, my argument is independent of the details of what metrics are being broadly adopted: no matter how well-designed a particular metric may be, we shall see that it would be better to use a more heterogeneous system.
Neilsen's argument is that measuring the value of science is very difficult, but we must make a judgment on the value of science (or the expected return on investment in a scientific project) whenever we allocate funds in science. His solution to this problem is to maintain multiple metrics by which we judge the value of science rather than using a single metric.
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DRILL SERGEANT TRAVIS W. BAMMER
Hi, my name is Drill Sergeant Travis W. Bammer; I'm answering a question from Sierra from Henderson, Nevada; "In what ways is basic training different for women compared to men?"
Well Sierra, women tendency have a hard time adapting to the stress of the environment that deals with physically wise. The mentally stress that female seem to adapt better than the males do. Equally across the board it's a challenge experience for all Soldiers whether it's male or female but they all adapt and overcome.
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2219 NW 8th PL
CAPE CORAL, Florida, 33993
$154,990
Active
3 Beds
2 Baths
- SQFT
Completion date is August 2019. 1202-A NEW single-story home with 2-car garage! The home has an open living room, dining area and kitchen. The owner's suite has a private bathroom, and there are 2 additional bedrooms and another full bath! Haggle free pricing. No negotiation necessary. Lowest price guaranteed.
Read More
Listing courtesy of WJH LLC
Amenities
Full baths
2
Half baths
0
Full Baths Range
2 Baths
Total Baths
2
Zip
33993
Office name
WJH LLC
Bedrooms
3
Property type
Residential
Year built
2019
Lot size
Architectural Plans
Sewer
Septic
Heating
Central Electric,Heat Pump
Tax year
2017
Agent name
Wade Jurney
Tax amount
$ 415.0
Purchase Type
Active
HOA fees
$ 0.00
Price Range
$100k-$200k
Bedrooms Range
3 Beds
Year Built Range
After 2010
Office ID
25756007
Agent ID
25756587
Location
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NASA Astronaut Speaks of Space Venture
Looking every bit the returned hero, astronaut and former Santa Monica resident Randy Bresnik returned to his roots when he delivered a lecture at SMC detailing his experience aboard the NASA space-shuttle Atlantis and its rendezvous mission with the International Space Station last November.
Detailing his 11-day mission in low-earth orbit and two subsequent spacewalks, Bresnik shared his experience with students and faculty as part of the Distinguished Scientists Lecture Series at SMC last Tuesday.
The lecture housed a packed auditorium of eager onlookers waiting with baited breath as Bresnik presented still shots and video imagery of the Atlantis Launch into orbit and his time and work aboard the International Space Station. "It's incredible how natural the human body acclimates to zero-gravity," Bresnik said of his first-time experience of weightlessness. "It's as if we have an app built into us."
Leaving from NASA's Cape Canaveral launch pad, Bresnik, along with five other astronauts, were propelled toward space by 7.5 million pounds of thrust aboard the space shuttle Atlantis. "You're in these tiny seats flying upward feet-first," Bresnik said. "At four G's, the thrust is intense but it's just like training except for the fact that it's actually happening."
Carrying two 20,000-pound payloads of equipment known as "Express Logistics Carriers" or ELC, the mission's purpose was to rendezvous with the International Space Station and deliver the ELCs to be used as a safeguard for potential equipment malfunctions aboard the space station.
As part of the 11-day mission, Bresnik also performed two of three scheduled spacewalks, each averaging at six and a half hours. Suspended 200 miles above the earth's surface and orbiting at a speed of 17,500 miles per hour, Bresnik provided insight into the wonders and sensations of walking in space.
"When you're outside the safety of the shuttle and the sun is up, your view is consumed by this blue marble of a planet," Bresnik said, "the sun rises and sets every 45 minutes and you realize that there aren't any boundaries. The colors, the contrasts; you see nothing man-made. Space truly is a physically joyful experience."
Bresnik began his career in aeronautics as a test pilot for the US Marine Corps after graduating from The Citadel Military College in South Carolina in 1989. He has since logged approximately 4,500 hours in 79 different aircrafts before entering NASA's astronaut training program. "I basically flew anything I could get my hands on," said Bresnik.
According to Bresnik, his experience as a test pilot has given him the reflexive skills needed to become an astronaut. "As a test pilot, you have to make quick decisions and every decision has a consequence," Bresnik said. "When you're in space, decisions must be made with quick precision. With the hazardous nature of space, consequences can be disastrous."
Bresnik graduated the Citadel Military School with a Bachelor's Degree in mathematics after receiving a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Scholarship. He obtained his Master's Degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee in 2002, after which he entered NASA's astronaut training program.
"The [NASA] training program exactly replicates the instruments used and circumstances of being in space," Bresnik said. "But it doesn't prepare you for the distraction of what you see outside the space shuttle. It is astounding how gorgeous the planet is when you look out of the window."
Growing up in Santa Monica, Bresnik attended two semesters at SMC where he studied Russian, a skill that would later be of great use on his rendezvous mission with the Russian space station.
"Growing up in Santa Monica, I remember walking by SMC as a kid, working at a drug store on Pico and 34th," Bresnik said. "I never would have thought that 25 years later I would be where I'm at with the opportunities I've had. That said, anything is possible."
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Spear the Monster
The last few months have been particularly difficult for me as a writer. The Doubt Demons invaded.
Self-doubt is rooted in fear, and an author’s worst enemy. I’ve always been critical of my writing, I’ve always been afraid that what I’m writing isn’t good enough, that I’ll never get better, but I never doubted that I could write. I don’t believe in writer’s block as an insurmountable wall, but instead an excuse not to write.
Doubt isn’t writer’s block. Doubt is much, much worse.
“You let self-doubt get a hold of you, it’ll kill your work dead. You’ll stop in the middle of a project, then print the manuscript out for the sole purpose of urinating on its pages before glumly eating them.” – Chuck Wendig
I can attest to the truth of that statement. Every writer doubts. It’s par for the course, not just of writers but most artists. Not just of artists, but most human beings. We are creatures of doubt. The Doubt Demons landed on both shoulders and I listened. I knew I shouldn’t—I could tell myself anything trying to make me feel better. Read motivational books like THE WAR OF ART by Steven Pressfield. Remind myself that I am not alone, that every writer experiences bumps on the road, that some books are going to be harder than others, that if I just sit at the computer every day and write, I’ll finish the book.
But seeking confirmation that I’m not alone in self-doubt is another form of Resistance that Pressfield talks about so much. It’s justification for fear.
“And doubt needs to go suck a pipe. Doubt needs to take a dirt-nap. And the way you do that is by finding your own way. By fostering your own confidence.
Because just as doubt is one of the writer’s greatest enemies … confidence is one of the writer’s most powerful friends.”
Great. Where do I go to regain my confidence?
I had to accept that I’m not the same person I was seven years ago when I sold my first book. Every book has changed me to some degree, some books more drastically than others. It’s the entire process—from writing to production to publication – that is another stepping stone in my career, and some of them are harder steps than others.
It’s easy for me to tell others to be confident and bold in their writing. It’s easy for me to say that self-doubt is evil, you can’t let it in, you have to work through the fear and keep writing.
Easy to say. Much, much harder to do.
“Self-doubt can be an ally. This is because it serves as an indicator of aspiration. It reflects love, love of something we dream of doing, and desire, desire to do it. … The real [innovator] is scared to death.” – Steven Pressfield, THE WAR OF ART.
Yep, that’s me, scared to death. But self-doubt as an ally? No effing way. I can’t do this again.
I had to understand why I was listening to the Doubt Demons. Because nothing I did to silence them was helping.
The last eighteen months have been a series of changes in my career. I changed agents, leaving one I had been with from the beginning of my career. My supernatural thriller series failed in a pretty big way. Then, I saw the writing on the wall with my publisher—my gut told me I needed to leave. I changed houses—fortunately on my own terms—landing with an editor who has a fabulous reputation and I was excited to be working with.
Except. After seventeen books with the same editorial team, I didn’t know if I could write for someone else. I had developed some lazy habits—such as sending off my rough draft, confident that I’d have time for revisions. I realized I shouldn’t do this to my new editor, that I needed to write a clean, perfect book. I desperately wanted to hit the book out of the ballpark. I wanted it to be the best book I’d ever written. I knew it had to be—and that’s when I killed my creativity.
Every scene was agony. I wrote and rewrote the opening dozens of times and hated every word. Not only was the story imperfect, it was total and complete garbage.
Delete. Start over. Again, and again, and again.
As my deadline neared, the story suffered. I didn’t know what I was doing, I didn’t know how I was going to tie up all these threads, even in a crappy draft. I’d resigned myself into submitting a rough draft because I no longer had time finish and edit before I sent the book to my editor. I wrote every day, and night, for hours—sometimes staring at the computer so long I lost track of time. I easily wrote 5,000 words a day, but most of them I deleted the next day or a week later. I edited as I went, thinking my book would be clean. I ended up scrapping most of it. If I added up every word I wrote, I wouldn’t be surprised if I wrote over a million words to create this 100,000 word novel.
No one can write a clean, perfect book. Convinced that I had to, I had put an impossible goal in front of me.
Revisions were just as hard—if not harder. My editor gave me fantastic notes, but it was still a change in process. I was adjusting to a new style and I desperately wanted to please her. And again, even when I thought the story was working, my writing was sub-par. And every time she told me she liked it, I feared she was just being nice because we were crunched for time. I second-guessed every story decision I made.
In addition, I had the complications of writing a continuing series. How much backstory is too much? Not enough? Will series fans like the direction? Will new readers be lost? Are my characters growing? Is the conflict real? Why do I want to blow up the city and kill them all?
When I turned in the revisions—late—I was not happy with the book. I couldn’t see it. All my self-doubt weighed on me as I considered that maybe I had lost the touch.
Before I sold, I remember writing for the sheer joy of writing. I loved telling stories, and didn’t care whether they sounded good or whether scenes worked, I just wrote the stories as they came to me. My first four books never sold, nor should they have, but each one gave me many hours of pleasure in just their creation.
I had somehow lost that. The doubt, the panic, the fear had landed, and no inspirational motivator could bring it back. I wanted to throttle Steven Pressfield or burn my dog-eared copy of his book.
I forgot when I originally posted this blog in the wee hours of the morning, that there was one other big thing going on while I was writing SILENCED. My last book with Random House came out on 11.22. It was orphaned, they printed far less, didn’t print a burst on the cover to inform readers there was a bonus novella printed inside, it didn’t get on the shelves in stores when it was supposed to, and sales dipped because it wasn’t widely available. I couldn’t write anything worth saving during release week.
“That’s the horrible thing about self-doubt: it convinces us that our own failure is inevitable, an unavoidable recourse based on our own screaming lack of talent. But failure isn’t inevitable, and in fact failure is created by a fear of failure and by our certain uncertainty we possess about our own ability to succeed. Writers engineer their own failure with such grace and elegance it’s almost impressive. Remember: failure is not a foregone conclusion.” – Chuck Wendig
When I got the copyedits back, my worst fears were realized. The book was full of holes, shitty writing, and doubt. The doubt was spilled all over the page like zombie guts. Fortunately, the copyeditor was diligent in her queries and I painstakingly went through every page and edited extensively on paper. I deleted chunks, added scenes, cut repetition, and reworked sentences. This was my last chance—once these changes were made, the book would be going to reviewers and others, and I didn’t have time to wallow in self-doubt and self-pity.
I was so stressed about the copyedits, that after I overnighted the manuscript to New York, I made all the changes in my master copy and sent additional changes to my editor—problems that I hadn’t noticed the first time through.
I’m pretty certain the production people hate me by now. The copyedited manuscript was so marked up in green pencil (my preferred editing color) that they might have thought an alien had pissed all over it.
So I sent chocolate covered strawberries to buy their forgiveness.
I’m nervous about getting back the page proofs, my one last change to fix problems, but I can’t make major changes. I begged Toni to read the book because I honestly couldn’t see anything good—I had spent so much time writing this book, more hours than any other book I’ve written, I was sick of it.
After reading, Toni assured me it didn’t suck.
As Pressfield says in THE WAR OF ART:
“The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome. He knows there is no such thing as a fearless warrior or a dread-free artist.”
If being a dread-filled artist is a good thing, then I’m probably the best damn artist out there.
“The Demons of Doubt will always sit on your shoulders. Sorry. It’s a law of writing physics. You cannot banish them, but you can defang them.”
Which goes perfectly with Chuck Wendig’s advice on how to defang the Doubt Demons:
“You mustn’t be seduced by the callous whispers of the doubting monster at your back. To survive as a writer you must wheel on the beast, your sharpened pen at hand. Then you must spear him to the earth.”
I don’t know if understanding why the Doubt Demons invaded my muse is going to fix the problem, but I’m starting my next book. The doubt is still there, but I figure nothing can be worse than writing the last book.
Several years ago, I bought the audio book of ON WRITING. I don’t particularly like audio books, but Stephen King himself narrated it, and I listened to it while driving. It was like having the master himself sit in the passenger seat and talk to me. I’m a life-long King fan since reading THE STAND when I was 13. He, too, has doubts. He, too, almost gave up.
“Writing fiction, especially a long work of fiction, can be a difficult, lonely job; it’s like crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a bathtub. There’s plenty of opportunity for self-doubt. If I write rapidly, putting down my story exactly as it comes into my mind, … I find that I can keep up with my original enthusiasm and at the same time outrun the self-doubt that’s always waiting to settle in.”
I used to write like that—getting the story out as fast as my fingers could type, with great enthusiasm and an underlying joy.
With this book, I’m going to outrun the self-doubt. If I can’t? I’ll spear the monster dead.
I’m pretty certain he’ll come back to life.
I’m going to sharpen some more pencils.
Okay, so when I posted a comment about my son playing football, I had to post this picture showing the courage he had going up against bigger kids. He’s in purple on the right, the other little guy on the team is on the left. If they can face real monsters (and to them, I’m sure these kids looked like monsters!) I can face doubt demons.
Allison Brennan is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nearly three dozen romantic thrillers and mysteries, including the Lucy Kincaid series and the Max Revere series. She lives in Northern California with her husband, five children, and assorted pets.
132 comments on “Spear the Monster”
I think you’re way too hard on yourself and want to give you a hug. It must be have been so hard to go through all that. I’m glad self-doubt is a little better now. 🙂
I think it’s important to doubt yourself, so you can push yourself harder, but not up to the point where it paralyzes you with fear of failure. I’m a chicken. I’m terrified of failure and believe I’m kind of half way there, and kind of don’t try things. So,I admire you and people who kick fear and self-doubt in the teeth and keep on going.
I bet the next Lucy book is gonna be great!
And this… The copyedited manuscript was so marked up in green pencil (my preferred editing color) that they might have thought an alien had pissed all over it. <— made me laugh out loud!!!
ps: I know I owe you an email saying what I thought of IF I SHOULD DIE. I promise I'll send it. It's been busy around here! 🙂
WOW!!! Thank you. I think so many times when we share our struggles that it helps so many others and in turn we help ourselves by voicing it. It’s kinda like when you face the monster in the closet, you find it’s something you can deal with. Change also brings about fear.
In a crazy way I believe this doubt grounds us and keep us humble. And I believe the doubt makes us work that much harder to produce a better product.
That said, I believe this book of yours will be THE BEST book you’ve ever written. Seriously, I’ve been told I’m a bit psychic. Let’s see if they’re right. I hope so. And again, thank you for such an honest blog.
Thanks Dyanne! I’m okay with “it doesn’t suck” right now. I don’t know if it’s my best. Changing publishers was a lot harder than I realized, even though it’s exactly what I wanted and I landed exactly where I wanted.
I’ll never conquer the doubt demons. They are the undead. But maybe I can stave them off for awhile.
My first writing mentor told me “after you get published, you’ll have homework for the rest of your life.” Maybe you should consider this book the calculus homework from Hell (unless you’re good at calculus, but that was the class I actually dropped in college, admitting I was clueless).
Hee — I flunked “physics for poets” — the literature major’s name for “Physics for Non-Science Majors.” Ironically, that class has set me up for my career — I flunked every homework assignment, but studied my ass off and got a B on the final. Only, that didn’t matter because I didn’t turn in homework, I flunked. It’s how I write — I have nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing — then work my ass off and it’s done.
Thanks for nailing exactly what goes through the head of a writer plagued by Doubt Demons. It feels good not to feel alone! Not that I wish your demons to linger…nor any writer’s. But realizing the universality of those buggers helps me stop wasting time in denial or in fighting back. This year I plan on dancing around them somehow–and maybe flipping them off, too. (grin)
I thought the same thing when Tess Gerritsen told about her struggles with writing. I was like, whew! But then … I thought, dammit, she’s so GOOD, I’m not half as good, and if she struggles, what hope is there for me?
It’s always good to be reminded hat doubt is simply a human experience. And that mega-published authors are normal folks like the rest of us who are chugging along every day. Weirdest thing, my first two books will soon be out, and I find I’m more nervous than excited. I always figured I’d be really excited. But doubt can attack at any stage.
Good luck with outrunning the demons. I know when we first met, I was so impressed with your speed. I know you can do it!
As far as speed … I’ve gotten to be a much slower writer. Too much analysis and doubt and stress slowed me down. I’m trying to regain my speed and go back to my previous process, but I don’t know if I can because when I see something not working, I KNOW it now almost immediately, hence the constant revisions.
*snort* — how on earth did you translate “extremely strong and well-written” to “it doesn’t suck?” Don’t make me come smack you upside the head.
I’ve come to the conclusion that self-doubt can actually be a positive tool. I know that seems to be my focus this year, but honestly, as rough as it’s been going through my own self-doubt, I can also look back and see that it makes me question myself brutally, doesn’t allow me to get lazy with my writing, doesn’t allow me to just churn out copies of what I did before. Instead, it forces me to take steps into the unknown, challenge my own beliefs, hold my work up to criticism so that I can learn and grow. Exuberantly confident people are often those exact same people who have loads of flaws but are blind to them, because they never have doubt, they never examine anything closer, so they never improve–even when they have raw talent there, begging to be challenged.
Think of Doubt not as the enemy, but as just one more tool in the toolbox. Put it into perspective. [You’ve helped me do that at least a thousand times!]
I want to challenge myself more and move beyond my comfort zone, which I did with this book that made me suffer. But I think the fear and doubt came more from the unknown–new editor, new agent, new process–and my own stupid belief that I had to write a perfect book out of the gate. It was debilitating.
Thanks for the reminder to use the doubt and not let it win.
Though I like the idea of playing with guns and knives and torturing the evil little monster.
“Outrun the self-doubt” – Yep. That pretty much sums up my first draft style. Because if I stop to think about whether my work is good at any point along the way of getting it on paper, I get so squirmy I never finish. I start the next book and try not to think about how much the last book sucked. (Even if it didn’t.)
Other people telling you how awesome you are doesn’t always help – even though you are awesome – so I’ll just give you some virtual :hugs: and a wish for this phase to pass soon.
I love Stephen King. I re-read a huge chunk of ON WRITING last night after I found that quote, reminding me that he had his ups and downs too. And he still had doubt about this book after he wrote it. And he still uses readers and an editor.
This post really hit home for me today. I find self-doubt paralyzing–it tends to stop me from writing at all. So the fact that you’re getting back in the saddle and starting the next book is very inspiring!! Go Allison!
A very powerful and moving and informative post, Allison. One of your very best. Thank you SO much for sharing this with us.
Writing is the hardest job I’ve ever done. It’s given me the most joy, the most headaches…the demons of doubt plague me too, and trust me that’s frequently.
The fact you recognized you’d gotten complacent with your writing style? Relying on others to get you where you want the book to be? That speaks VOLUMES about how invested you had to become with your career AGAIN.
You are an amazing person, a huge inspiration to me, and a fantastic writer. You’ve prodded me this morning to just slip on that doubt demon slaying sword this morning and hack through the bullshit that’s keeping me from finishing a project.
Thank you for putting my feelings into words. I hope you kill those Doubt Demons, and I’ll return to find out how to slay them. I self-edit to death, but I wrote one book I thought would never sell because of the subject matter, and I wrote it just for me. It sold–my first full length novel in print. Not to a big house, but I was proud of this little one that was never meant to be!
Linda, I’m proud of you too. I think we should all first write to please ourselves. It gets harder to do that because of expectations–reader expectations, editor expectations, agent expectations–but if we can’t please ourselves, how can we please anyone else?
Allison, you are a writer and person whom I have always admired for your ferocious mix of talent and savvy. Reading this post, I felt your pain, as I also had a difficult year completing my current novel due to some stressful domestic circumstances, and dealt with many of the same creative issues you described. I, too, pulled out Stephen King to jumpstart my creative flow – and I remember the bathtub quote resonated with me, as well.
We need to do coffee!
But in the meantime, I think your actions have illustrated how you defanged the self-doubt monster. Everyday you forced yourself to produce through the doubt, and ultimately, you delivered — despite the weight on your shoulders. You are always an inspiration, and always so generous with sharing your own journey.
Thanks so much Pamela — and I’m hoping that 2012 is easier for you, too. I have been blessed with health and a healthy family, and I remember that when writing seems insurmountable. The kids keep me humble.
You know me Edie! I’ve always had ups and downs in confidence. Wish there was a happy medium. But as I watch my daughter, an extremely talented artist, experience all the same doubts and struggles even though she is AMAZING at 15, I realize it’s something in the creative soul that is constantly questioning our creation.
Thank you for putting this in words. Writing is solitary. We feel like we’re all alone. But really, we share so much, like your Doubt Demons. I’m printing this article out to reread the next time these bastards come calling.
Wow, Allison! Thank you for this post. Your latest experience is a mirror image of mine. I’ve never had such a hard time with a book. Admittedly, I’ve only written six, but that sixth one was a doozy.
Like you, I started and restarted countless times. I scrapped thousands of words over and over, and eventually I ran out of time and was forced to send in my rough draft.
A few days later, my editor called me. She never calls me about revisions, so I knew it would probably not be good. Her first question? “Was this book hard for you to write.” I almost broke down. I told her it was the hardest thing I’ve ever written in my life. She said, “It shows.” She wasn’t trying to be mean, but honest. It did show. I knew that. She knew that.
Sadly, we had to put it aside in favor of a book coming out in the fall. As soon as this one is completed, I will go back to the other. I get heart palpitations just thinking about it, but I’m also excited. Her brilliant suggestions will save that puppy, as long as i can pull it off on the page.
It doesn’t matter how many books you’ve written, 6 or 16. SILENCED was #18 (or, #22 if we count the four books I never sold.) #18 was as hard as #2. (The first book is always the easiest, IMO, because there are no expectations before you’ve sold.)
Allison, you are an amazing writer and storyteller, so to read about your journey with doubt is reassuring for me…to know that I’m not alone. I could relate with all of the horrible feelings of doubt and wanting to blow up the fictional city in your book and be done with it.
I will be saving this post. I love all the quotes, too. Thank you so much for sharing. I bet this book will be your absolute best! Can’t wait to read it. Good luck wtih outrunning the doubt demons on your current wip.
Thanks, Allison, for having the courage to share your journey along the road of the successful author. It’s incredibly powerful for me to see the fantasy I live in around what it is like once I may gain big successes. It’s all made up, all interpretation for me and I see in the end all that matters is the experience of writing – whether I love it or hate it. Sometimes I hate it for sure – but when I love it, nothing else matters.
Thank you, Allison, for this heartfelt blog. Your books are wonderful and it’s reassuring to know everyone faces doubts to some degree. Love the quotes and will keep a sharpened pencil handy for spearing. All the best in 2012.
Just had to come out of lurkdom to tell you how much your honesty helps. I am not yet published, and the self-doubt is always there.
Your quotes were perfect. That you had the guts to tell it like it is, makes me realize what the journey is all about–the reason I sit day after day–for the way it makes me feel. I belong there. Writing. Telling stories.
Whatever might come of it.
But now I see that published or not, it’s not much different. Do it for you.
Amazing post, Allison! Thank you for sharing it with us all! Not only did your words relate to my own writing woes but all you say is true of life in general. Self doubt can be a helluva nasty beast and it’s not about putting the beast down but about taming it. In whatever ways we can. =)
Wow! What an honest post, and you’re remarkable to share this. I’m not published, but I’ve been told I need to get off the doubt train myself. No way am I comparing my journey to yours, but just to read how you are working through this is inspirational, because you aren’t quitting–and that’s huge.
It doesn’t matter where you are in your career, everyone’s doubts and fears are valid, and everyone needs the tools to defeat them … over and over.
My 7 year old son wanted to quit football. He LOVED it during conditioning week when they ran around in shorts and did drills, but as soon as he put on the equipment, he hated it. HATED it. He wanted to quit. I wouldn’t let him. I told him Brennan’s aren’t quitters. He also was one of the smallest kids on the team. He asked to quit every day. I didn’t let him, even when other moms let their kids quit. He didn’t play much (just the minimum) and he REALLY hated getting up at 530 am for away games.
Then last night, he was looking at his medal. (They got First runner-up — almost went all the way) and said, “Mom, I’m really proud of this medal.” And I told him he earned it.
You know, I forgot one thing to add to this blog … during all this–the writing struggle and the doubt–I had my last book with Random House come out. It was orphaned, they printed far less, it didn’t get on the shelves in stores when it was supposed to, and sales dipped because it wasn’t wisely available. I couldn’t write anything worth saving during release week.
Even going through tough times, you continue to support other writers with your amazing honesty and candor.
I have learned so much from your posts on various blogs and listserves over the years.
I wish I could somehow repay by offering you some support and help during this challenging patch in your career. All I can do is send positive vibes (and buy more books 🙂 ). I hope you have lots of love and support around you.
I’m so glad you like my blog. Murder She Writes has been here for more than 6 years now — amazing, I know! It amazes me sometimes :/ … I like the listservs because I’m an extrovert and I need to talk to people. I’ve been on them since joining RWA in early 2003. I need the human connection, even if it’s through cyberspace!
I watched you struggle, tried to be encouraging and remind you that in the end your books are always well written, but you weren’t listening. I always said the change in editor and agent is what made you second guess yourself. To me you are the best…and will always rise to the top in everything you do.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this. I am often plagued with doubt and it means a lot to know an author I admire and respect can also suffer from doubt. The idea that really hit home (paraphrasing from Chuck Wendig) is that self doubt makes us think failure is a foregone conclusion.
A beautiful post. I too spent much of the last year struggling. It wasn’t until I forced myself to put the blinders on and write as fast and furious as I could that I rediscoved the sheer joy of putting words on paper. The best part was learning to listen to my instincts again. I wish you luck in outrunning the demons. I’m sure you’ll prove to be a better sprinter than you ever imagined.
In King’s book ON WRITING he talked about having a small desk facing the wall. The only problem with that for me is that if I face the wall, my back is to the door, and I’ll be creeped out 🙂 … but I do have a small desk (though big computer.)
However, his point is well taken. Focus on the writing, and you can’t do it if you’re looking out the window.
What I’ve learned – a writer is the absolute worst judge of their own work. Step out of the way and get it written. So many times I have set novels aside at the 60-page mark (60 pages is my evil demon number of doom) because I was certain it didn’t work. Months later I would go back, read through, and wonder what the heck I thought was wrong with it.
My problem is always the beginning of the second act, around page 125. I go back and rewrite, rewrite, rewrite and the beginning is always my weakest part of the book (not good to be weak at the beginning!) Once I get past 125, I’m usually okay. This book was an exception, however, as every scene was hell. But it’s DONE. Yeah!
Allison, I so needed to read this today. I’m doing the query letter merry-go-round again and self-doubt was biting me in the backside. I think I thought once I sold one book it would all get magically easy. Yeah, right.
Sorry you had such a rough, awful time but think of what a great workshop or keynote speech it will be in the future!!
I Think my struggle with writing is the burden of being a perfectionist; you know-that individual who’s obsessed with punctuation accuracy, and yet finds himself not very good at it; well that’s me. I’ve been searching hi and low for a good punctuation workbook, and found that’s straight forward and simple; one that isn’t all over the place… Punctuation is what I most fear in my writing; along side a great story. 🙂
Write the great story, then get a book like ELEMENTS OF GRAMMAR by by Shrunk & White. It also might benefit you to take a community college class. Good luck! The story is definitely first, and the hardest, to master. Anyone can learn grammar.
Thank you for posting this, Allison. Like several others who aren’t pubbed yet, I don’t know if this is comforting or scary as heck. If even you can go through this…well, what hope is there for the rest of us? But of course, you perservered. I, too, have had a fight with the doubting demons. Began the end of 2010 and ran through most of 2011. I blamed it on my lack of time as I was my local chapter pres (which I loved doing). My theme for the monthly newsletters was “Keeping On, Keeping On,” writing to myself as much as the members. Thankfully, I have cranked out new words for book 6.
The whole writing process is such a convoluted, personal experience. Yes, we learn from others. (Ditto to others’ comments on your generosity on various loops and in blogs. Amazing the time you share with newbies in the field!) But we also have to find our own way, believe in our own writing if we want others to believe.
You’ve clearly found what works for you–evidence in all your wonderful pubbed books. I think you suffered a crises of circumstance, Allison. The circumstance has changed. You’ll never write the first book for this editor again. I predict you won’t ever have this bad an experience in the future. (Unless you change people again–but even still you learned from this time: you can survive and more than survive–excell.)
Way too long on my part, but I’m making up for the two times I’ve met you in person at conferences and stuttered and stammered, because I’m such a fan. Thanks for sharing with us and may 2012 be the best ever.
I think one thing I try to tell new writers is to never, never assume that you know the situation of any other writer, published or unpublished. Perception is not always accurate.
With creativity, we have different experiences–as different as our unique voices. It doesn’t surprise me that creative people tend to have addictive personalities and get hooked on drugs–creativity in and of itself is addictive. Add to that the stress of the business, the challenge of creating something new and better and different (yet the same!), meeting expectations, knowing you have to exceed expectations often, all this and more … and it’s a recipe for disaster if you can’t wrestle the fears into something manageable.
Writing is also very isolating — which is why you see me in cyberspace a lot. Partly because I’m an extrovert and need the inter-personal connection, and partly because I’m a big procrastinator. :/
You have given me my theme for the year: “Spear the Monster.” I am going to spear the monster with my writing and trust myself to just get the words out. At the gym I will visiualize spearing the monster as I get myself into better shape. I’m going to spear the monster (waves) this summer and learn how to surf. Thank you so much for this post. And thank you for the hours of reading entertainment I have gotten from reading your books. You rock Allison! Now, go write with enthusiam and joy.
Maybe it should be the motto for all of us! I definitely am keeping it front and center for me. I want to write something completely out of my comfort zone … it’s going to take time and energy and I can’t be late on my contracted books. A challenge. But one I want very badly.
oh Allison, I could never in a million years have imagined someone as prolific as you would suffer/stress out like that! We love your books!
and although it might not be the best time to mention this, Pressfield has a new book just out titled “Do The Work” which includes:
“…..a section called ‘Belly of the Beast”
LOL
I so hope this next one is easier on you, because reading your books is always a great way to spend time!
Christy
PS Re: Supernatural Line – I do always wonder when an author ventures outside of their initial genre if that’s a personal choice or someone else’s idea — because publishing always tells writers, “not to attempt to predict the market” and yet, it seems they try to do that very thing. Or, is moving outside one’s initial published genre always the author’s choice?
I have Pressfield’s new book, but I don’t like it as much. It’s very repetitive of THE WAR OF ART, though more detailed (and a lot of filler, IMO) … but I’ll look at that chapter.
re: my supernatural thriller series. I wanted to write it. I came up with the idea before I ever sold my first book, and was actually in the middle of writing the first book when I sold THE PREY and put the deadly sins series aside. So, it’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. There were a lot of reasons it didn’t do well, but I think 1) I should have taken a pen name; 2) they should have been marketed as urban fantasy with dark, suspenseful covers; 3) I should have done one a year (which was what I originally wanted.) I love writing the series LOVE IT, but don’t know how I’m going to finish it. I want to. Though those books didn’t sell as well as my romantic thrillers or Lucy books, I get more email about them than my others books–even now, a year after the series was cancelled.
One benefit of writing those books is that I was getting burned out writing romantic thrillers, particularly trilogies. I needed a break, I needed the opportunity to do something different. Creatively, those books rekindled my love of storytelling.
Allison what a wonderful blog on self doubt. I was sure you never had that demon stalking you as your books are so great. Keeo pushing and stabbing them away and keep the great stories coming. HUGS from Texas to California. As An author you rock.
Wow. Thank God I’m not alone out here battling the self doubt demon. Thanks for this Allison. I felt bad for you with every word and thought = man – that’s me! No change in editor, no change in agent, no change in publishers BUT it still resonates. Ending a long standing series, starting a new one, wondering if I can keep up the status quo. I’m copying some of these quotes and taping them on the sides of my monitor so I can read them every day!
And much luck, sweetie. I KNOW this next book will be much smoother for you.
Allison, add my name to the list of writers who appreciate your sharing your struggles with self-doubt. I read somewhere that you’re supposed to name your doubt demon–so you can personalize that order to sod off, and visualize the demon doing just that. I am sorry you’re struggling in such an extreme way–but maybe you could look at is as you’re just searching for a better process. Anyway, I hope you spear that demon right through the heart! On the plus side, you’re setting an awesome example for your kids. Big hugs.
Thanks for a great post – honest and real. I’m pre-pubbed and can identify with every word you said about doubt. Who would have figured? the next time those demons jump on my shoulder I’m going to take charge and write. just write.
I had a similar experience with the doubt demons in my first traditionally published nonfiction book, The Essential Guide to Grief and Grieving. I had a 5 month deadline, and I’d never written to a deadline before, certainly not one so tight. I also got feedback from the “committee” after I turned in my sample chapter that they wanted a lighter tone. How the heck do I write a lighter tone about GRIEF! I had several meltdowns in the first couple months and had to dig deep and use every technique I knew to slay the demons. After I turned the book in, I decided not to ever read it because I’d probably be embarrassed because it might not be good. Much to my surprise when I first saw it in the store (and started crying) I opened it to read a bit, and couldn’t stop. It was good! I’m getting fantastic reviews.
Like always, when I struggle with the doubt demons, I have to remind myself that they are in my head. I’M MAKING THEM UP. They are the flip side of being a writer because they come from my vivid imagination (and my desire to be practically perfect.) And if I let them, they will stifle my creativity and motivation.
Hopefully, you’ve laid your demons to rest, although unfortunately they’ll wake up from time to time. But each time you put them back to sleep, they become less powerful.
I just found your books the end of November and finished all but the Seven Deadly Sins books by New Years Eve. I loved them all. You have the exact style of writing that I love to read. I thought that If I Should Die was a great suspense. You should feel proud of it. I love the Lucy Kincaid series and all of the Kincaids. I just finished Original Sin today and loved it. I really hope that you will be able to continue the series. No more doubt demons. This is from someone that has almost read every book you have written in 2 months and I’m already feeling sad that I’m almost done! Good luck:)
Melanie, thank you so much! I’m thrilled you enjoy my books, enough to glom onto them in two months.
I hope to finish the Seven Deadly Sins series, too. I know the over-arching series mystery, but that’s it … I want to find out what happens. I have a couple chapters of MORTAL SIN done (before it was canceled) but need to think long and hard about this because it’s a big time commitment.
I will always write. I just don’t want it to be as hard and stressful as it was with the last book.
I think we all can be braver and bolder. I think of what other people have faced — real tragedy — and tell my doubts to go jump in a lake, because my family is healthy and we still have our house. My troubles are internal, the common fears of all writers.
Thanks, Alison, for your words of wisdom. As a first time novelist with a little house and an even smaller book, I suffer the same slings of fear and arrows of doubt each day. “Will I sell a book?” “Is my story worth reading?” “Will anyone see how hard I tried?” All the while knowing trying is trying, and succeeding is succeeding, and isn’t it sometimes pathetic to try so hard and fail? Then I look at the picture of your son up against those monsters, and remember my own small son facing Type 1 diabetes every day, and they make me know I can face down the silly demons I let tap dance atop my courage. Those boys and this beautiful post, your honesty, and the friendly writer from RWA, Alison Stone, who pointed me this way. Thank you.
Ann, thank you for sharing the story about your son! Our kids are amazing, aren’t they? They deal with so much just growing up and some with added challenges. We can conquer our fears because we have to set the example for them.
About this: “As far as speed…I’ve gotten to be a much slower writer. Too much analysis. I’m trying to regain my speed and go back to my previous process, but I don’t know if I can because when I see something not working, I KNOW it now almost immediately, hence the constant revisions.”
I’m a debut author with this speed syndrome! I swear I’d be happy dancing if I could get to 2,500 good words a day!
I often return home psychologically crushed from RWA meetings where the guest author tells us how she can knock out a bestseller in eight weeks.
I believe these women mean well, “…See, you too can someday bang out five books a year, just like me…” But I am not inspired by that kind of super writer talk.
Jillian, one thing I learned (especially recently) is that EVERY WRITER has a different process. Some writers can NOT write more than one book a year (two terrific authors–Susan Anderson and Lisa Gardner) write one book a year. Anymore would kill them.
Just like I don’t criticize speed demons who can write 3 or more books a year (and I can write 3 books a year, but that’s the max) I don’t criticize authors who honestly need a year. It doesn’t make fast authors better, or slow authors better — I love JD Robb and I love Lisa Gardner. JD Robb (Nora Roberts) writes 5-6 NEW books a year. Lisa writes one. Both are fabulous.
We have to be true to ourselves. We have to know what we can do — and push ourselves to do just a little bit more, but don’t kill ourselves in the process.
I can write 10,000 words in a day. They’re not very good. I no longer set daily word goals. I set time goals. I need to commit to writing X hours a day, every day. Some days I get 1,000 words, some days more. But my goal now is to keep moving FORWARD and revise when it’s done.
Most people with advice mean well. They WANT to help you succeed, and they know what works FOR THEM, but it might not work for you. That’s why I love listening to other people’s processes, but in the end, I can take what works for me and disregard the rest.
Hi Allison – thanks for writing about this. I just shared the link on my Facebook page because I think it’s an important topic, something all writers can relate to. Good luck with the next book – I’m sure you’ll slay it 🙂
Oh, Allison, I see myself in every word of this blog! Don’t we all? Self doubt whispers to us all the time, and it’s so hard to quiet it long enough to get anything done. If anyone figures out how to hush the demons of doubt, PLEASE write a book about it! It’d be a bestseller. No doubt about it.
Thank you so much for your honest blog about your fears and doubts. I had the same battle this past weekend. Not published yet, but fear and doubt and frankly anger were raging through me. I wanted to quit. But I just won’t quit. I don’t want to stop writing. I love when you said “no one can write a perfect clean draft.” I needed that one.
Wishing you all the best with the new book. And write fast! You’ve reminded me that I have to trust my process and cleaning up after I write it is so much easier.
Doubt gets the best of all of us and it’s not just tied to writing. Every time I do a project for someone I’m always concerned that they’ll think it SUCKS. But they never do. They always love it.
I’ve been reading a biography on Steven Spielberg and his career has been shadowed in self-doubt. He’s directed some real bombs (1941 anyone?), yet in-spite of that fact, he’s responsible for several of the highest grossing films of all time.
I think we just need to be confident, maybe even a little cocky about what we do and toss doubt to the side. We’re always harshest on ourselves and hopefully it makes you feel better knowing that you’re not alone.
One of my favorite quotes (although most look at me like I’ve grown a second head when I quote it) is: “Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire.”
Which you’ve clearly done. Doubt is natural and keeps us honest but should be taken with a “grain of salt.”
Allison,
Just when I thought I couldn’t respect you any more, you share something so raw and honest with us.
I’m sorry you had troubles with the release of the last book, and I can’t imagine how stressful it was, combined with switching editors, but a selfish part of me is grateful to hear even the pros struggle with self-doubt. It’s the demon any creative person (and probably anyone in general) fights, but I think you’re doing the right thing by pushing through. And remembering WHY you started writing in the first place. I’ve experienced the walls you mentioned any time I get tied up in a plot hole, or a query rejection, and it’s so easy to start looking at writing a book as a task instead of a privilege.
Thank you for reminding us of this, and good luck with the new book. I know you’ll overcome the fear, and you have many more successes in you:)
I hope this blog post was somewhat cathartic for you. Let it be your exorcism, because it should have been. It’s value to the rest of us out here experiencing our own Doubt Demon is a gift and a relief.
Those of us struggling to get where you are in a writing career can read this and say, if she can do it under that kind of pressure, surely I can muddle through too.
Wow thank you so much for this post. As an unpublished writer with 6 books under by belt doubt has settled on me like a heavy wet blanket and the chill is now in my bones. This was truly inspiring. I’ll be reading it over and over again.
Allison, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. You’ve really encouraged me to keep going. I have a work-in-progress that needs some edits. I’ve avoided doing them for some months now because I don’t want to face my crappy writing. Reading your words today, though, I realize that facing bad word choices, plot holes, and all the other stuff is part of the job.
Oh my dear…weeping as I read this. Were we Siamese twins separated at birth? Reinventing yourself hurts like a bastard (voice of experience, my dear) but you WILL do it and your books WILL be read/loved because you’re just–that–good. Not just saying this. Itz da truth. So sorry you’ve gone through such a wringer. Sending cyber hugs!
Featured on murder she writes
Bio:
Allison Brennan
Allison Brennan is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nearly three dozen romantic thrillers and mysteries, including the Lucy Kincaid series and the Max Revere series. She lives in Northern California with her husband, five children, and assorted pets.
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Welcome to AACTA TV
AACTA TV is an online viewing platform that allows you to watch a collection of Australia's best films online - anytime, anywhere. Whilst some content is available at different times of the year, the key purpose of AACTA TV is to provide our members with access to the short films, feature length documentaries and a selection of the feature films in competition for the AACTA Awards. This assists our members to vote for the Awards, and is particularly beneficial for members residing outside of capital cities, and those who live abroad.
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Sea Urchin Bullet Necklace
This exotic necklace is made of a single Pencil Sea Urchin spine, set in a recycled brass bullet casing. The spike is strung on an antique-brass chain, finished with a matching lobster clasp at 26.5" in length. Color ranges in various shades of browns, reds, and tans.
About the Designer
ASTALI Jewelry is designed and hand-made by Los Angeles-based artist, Shannon Astali De Jong. Since her childhood in rural Iowa, she has been collecting discarded objects and re-purposing them into something new and useful. She eventually began to customize jewelry and would find ways to turn just about anything into an adornment.
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Top Opinion
The logic is flawed. Often those who will ultimately work to solve the problem WERE part of the original problem to begin with. It's those who don't like being the problem who are willing to work for change. In the vin diagram all people are encased within the "problem" circle, whether they are working toward the solution or not.
That the ONLY Choice is to let it die .. do a major 'house-cleaning' ...
And be part of the process when it is dead and gone to be there and help start fresh -- build something NEW, something that is BETTER Than what failed (and we finally, completely -- refused to support it (the failure) anymore at all).
That is why I am not sure .. sometimes just LETTING things happen .. and then being part of the individuals who band together to help BUILD the new IS the best option!
No matter what you do, you'll be a part of it. You're involved right now. While I can't bitch at you for not caring and being complacent, leaving it up to the rest of us to just take care of it (whatever it is we're talking about :P), it does make me appreciate those who are willing to do something about it more. I admit there are few people I know who even care, and most live far away.
I'm writing a story right now in which there are three main groups in an oppressed society. The ones who are aware and have been for a long time and have been secretly preparing in their own way, trying to convince others who are equally prepared yet don't believe. Another group which is prepared but only because they are prepared to fight anything that threatens defense. And a third group that shuts out all new information as not to be bothered with it and inevitably they are the first group that gets attacked when the invaders come. So there can be your representations. Goodbye, Penevi. We will miss you.
If the problem is: the dog needs fed; he's hungry. Then if you feed him, you're part of the solution. If you don't, he's still hungry, and thus you are part of the problem.
If the problem is: the cost of wheat is rising in China. I'm not going to be part of the problem, because I don't live in China. I'm not going to be part of the solution, because I'm not flying all the way to China to buy rice.
Life is a series of choices and not making a choice doesnt exclude you it is option C. not choosing only means that you dont care enough to have an opinion, thats not a good or a bad thing but it is a choice...
2 groups....the elitists who want 2 classes: haves and have nots. and people who don't want to work and want the government to give them everything. Both of those groups seem to *always* bring up issues most Americans have worked hard to correct...
As long as you don't mind other people deciding the fate of your grandchildren, then sure, you can just not be a part of it. Here's the thing. Ever since I was a little girl, I've gotten the message from the news that the government will squash you if you bug it. Well, okay, I could deal with that, as long as it didn't squash me and I had my freedoms, my liberties, my democracy. Well, guess what. I dont' have those things any more. Here, read this, and then go to You Tube and search for the video using the information at the top; and see what she says about "vertical stacking."
Naomi Wolf, author, The End of America (Notes from lecture at Kane Hall Univ. of WA Seattle, October 11, 2007. How Democracies close Down (Ref. Italy in the 20’s, Germany in the 30’s Russia in the 30’s, E. Germany in the 50’s, Czechoslovakia in 60’s, Pinochet’s Chile, Chinese in the 80’s). Every “would-be dictator whether on the left or right does the same 10 things. It is a predictive blueprint.” All 10 elements are being used right now in the United States:
1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external threat. (Stalin – “sleeper cells” “Homeland,” “Embedded Journalists.”
2. Create a secret prison system where torture takes place, with military tribunals. (Lenin, Mussolini, Hitler.)
3. Create a paramilit...
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As long as you don't mind other people deciding the fate of your grandchildren, then sure, you can just not be a part of it. Here's the thing. Ever since I was a little girl, I've gotten the message from the news that the government will squash you if you bug it. Well, okay, I could deal with that, as long as it didn't squash me and I had my freedoms, my liberties, my democracy. Well, guess what. I dont' have those things any more. Here, read this, and then go to You Tube and search for the video using the information at the top; and see what she says about "vertical stacking."
Naomi Wolf, author, The End of America (Notes from lecture at Kane Hall Univ. of WA Seattle, October 11, 2007. How Democracies close Down (Ref. Italy in the 20’s, Germany in the 30’s Russia in the 30’s, E. Germany in the 50’s, Czechoslovakia in 60’s, Pinochet’s Chile, Chinese in the 80’s). Every “would-be dictator whether on the left or right does the same 10 things. It is a predictive blueprint.” All 10 elements are being used right now in the United States:
1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external threat. (Stalin – “sleeper cells” “Homeland,” “Embedded Journalists.”
2. Create a secret prison system where torture takes place, with military tribunals. (Lenin, Mussolini, Hitler.)
3. Create a paramilitary force. Blackwater – operating on Main Street, got a billion dollar contract to increase deployment in American in the event of natural disaster or public emergency. President can move the National Guard to other states over the objection of the Governors and not tell Congress about it until after the fact. You can’t close down a democracy without a paramilitary force.
4. Surveillance apparatus. (After Berlin wall fell Defense industry lost 1/3 of its market share. Manufacturers shifted from cold war weapons to security industrial complex technologists. On the List: Constitutional Scholar Richard Murphy, War Times Editors, Code Pink, ACLU, Greenpeace, Decorated war hero – his whole family. Welfare benefits, job opportunities close down if you are on the list.
5. Arbitrarily detain and release citizens, infiltrate citizens groups (see ACLU)
6. Target key individuals (Jag military lawyers who would not sell out the detainees, Dixie Chicks, Bill Mahrer, and Dan Rather)
7. Restrict the Press – (Banking Story, NY times Bill Keller, reported classified program that White House was following bank financial records, White House called for prosecution for treason.)
8. Definition of traitor, terrorist, spy starts to expand. Law passed last fall expanded the definition of terror to include animal rights activists. Staffers for CBS were seized and held without charges in abusive prisons in Iraq. Recast criticisms at traitorous.
9. Subvert rule of law. US attorney scandal: Emails show that WH was playing around with firing all of the US attorneys at once.
10. Closed societies: Elections still, but corrupted. Republican staffers menacing people counting votes in FL.
What We Can Do: The window is closing, the Blueprint is predictable. Persuaded by the historical record - National Uprising to restore democracy is urgent. Ordinary Americans to assume the Patriot’s task and fight to restore democracy. Take on the responsibility. It’s our job. But we have to believe in our power. The time to stand up is now.
END of Summary.
Now, look what has happened since then: This is part of the Bill Moyers Journal show and a comment at the bottom from morning40oz
The Great Depression, we said, "Hey, we have to learn the facts. What caused this disaster, so that we can take steps, like pass the Glass-Steagall law, that will prevent future disasters?" Where's our investigation?
What would happen if after a plane crashes, we said, "Oh, we don't want to look in the past. We want to be forward looking. Many people might have been, you know, we don't want to pass blame. No. We have a nonpartisan, skilled inquiry. We spend lots of money on, get really bright people. And we find out, to the best of our ability, what caused every single major plane crash in America. And because of that, aviation has an extraordinarily good safety record. We ought to follow the same policies in the financial sphere. We have to find out what caused the disasters, or we will keep reliving them. . . .
Moyers: Yeah. Are you saying that Timothy Geithner, the Secretary of the Treasury, and others in the administration, with the banks, are engaged in a cover up to keep us from knowing what went wrong?
Black: Absolutely.
Moyers: You are.
Black: Absolutely, because they are scared to death. . . . What we're doing with -- no, Treasury and both administrations. The Bush administration and now the Obama administration kept secret from us what was being done with AIG. AIG was being used secretly to bail out favored banks like UBS and like Goldman Sachs. Secretary Paulson's firm, that he had come from being CEO. It got the largest amount of money. $12.9 billion. And they didn't want us to know that. And it was only Congressional pressure, and not Congressional pressure, by the way, on Geithner, but Congressional pressure on AIG.
Where Congress said, "We will not give you a single penny more unless we know who received the money." And, you know, when he was Treasury Secretary, Paulson created a recommendation group to tell Treasury what they ought to do with AIG. And he put Goldman Sachs on it.
Moyers: Even though Goldman Sachs had a big vested stake.
Black: Massive stake. And even though he had just been CEO of Goldman Sachs before becoming Treasury Secretary. Now, in most stages in American history, that would be a scandal of such proportions that he wouldn't be allowed in civilized society.
This is exactly what former IMF Chief Economist Simon Johnson warned about in his vital Atlantic article: "that the finance industry has effectively captured our government -- a state of affairs that more typically describes emerging markets, and is at the center of many emerging-market crises." This is the key passage where Johnson described the hallmark of how corrupt oligarchies that cause financial crises then attempt to deal with the fallout:
Squeezing the oligarchs, though, is seldom the strategy of choice among emerging-market governments. Quite the contrary: at the outset of the crisis, the oligarchs are usually among the first to get extra help from the government, such as preferential access to foreign currency, or maybe a nice tax break, or—here’s a classic Kremlin bailout technique -- the assumption of private debt obligations by the government. Under duress, generosity toward old friends takes many innovative forms. Meanwhile, needing to squeeze someone, most emerging-market governments look first to ordinary working folk—at least until the riots grow too large. . . .
As much as he campaigned against anything, Obama railed against precisely this sort of incestuous, profoundly corrupt control by narrow private interests of the Government, yet he has chosen to empower the very individuals who most embody that corruption. And the results are exactly what one would expect them to be.
The logic is flawed. Often those who will ultimately work to solve the problem WERE part of the original problem to begin with. It's those who don't like being the problem who are willing to work for change. In the vin diagram all people are encased within the "problem" circle, whether they are working toward the solution or not.
if a woman is getting raped or a child beaten you have three options
1. Stop it/Call for help/Intervein
2. Assist in the action/hold them down/
3. Walk away/Ignore it/ watch it
option A. is an active choice you do something become part of the solution, so is option 2. you take part become part of the problem option 3. is the "sidelines" option but is it any worse watching it happen not trying to stop something bad from happening? No to watch injustice occur and do nothing to stop or prevent it is just helping...
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The little fiesta that could
It started out small, La Fiesta de San Juan 2000, but careful planning and tending turned it into a big winner that sports some of the top talent in Latin music.
One of the largest Latin festivals in Tampa this year is being planned in the upstairs office of a car rental office on Spruce Street.
Yes, that's right, a car rental place. Downstairs, a Japanese couple with designer luggage wait at the counter to step into their Buick. Upstairs, the telephones ring like crazy with calls from promoters, agents and music fans wanting to know about the event.
It's a scene that seems perfectly natural to Joshua Gonzalez.
"We wanted to do this for the community," said the part owner of Accurate Rent-a-Car.
For three years, Gonzalez and Kenneth Luciano have operated Accurate Rent-a-Car. But they also love music. Latin music.
So on Sunday, after one year of planning, they will present La Fiesta de San Juan 2000. It's a celebration of Latin heritage for the entire Tampa Bay community.
Approximately 20,000 people are expected at the daylong event, which will include back-to-back live music on two stages, amusement rides and lots to eat: Rice and beans, beef empanadas (pastry stuffed with ground beef), alcapurrias (fried green bananas stuffed with ground beef) and more.
Twelve acts are scheduled, the lineup a mixture of local and international talent. It's a chance to see authentic Latin music at the kind of show that artists popular in today's Latin craze -- such as Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony -- would have played before they crossed over to the mainstream market.
"We were going to do something small," Gonzalez said. Then, they hooked up with Tampa promoter Narciso "Ciso" Saavedra, owner of Papagallo Promotions, who has been in the business for 30 years.
From Puerto Rico comes headliner Eddie Santiago, who has given salsa music some 20 years of love ballads: Lluvia (Rain), El Triste (Depression) and James (Never).
Two other Puerto Rican classics are Johnnie Rivera, known for his salsa, and Cana Brava, known for merengue.
It's going to be a big party, Saavedra said. But it will include some serious moments.
[Times file ]Tito Puente
Last week, Latin music lost its Mambo King, Tito Puente, 77, who died of complications from heart surgery. An international bandleader and percussionist who gave the world 118 albums and six decades of rhythm, Puente also was a fixture in the Tampa Bay area.
He visited often because his cousin, Millie Puente, a musician in her own right, lives here. One June day in 1994, Tito Puente even gave an impromptu outdoor concert, hopping on two flatbed trucks and playing a six-pack of timbales with a local Latin jazz combo backing him.
The show, for the grand opening of his cousin's beauty salon (which has since closed), was so Tito, Saavedra said.
"He was real down to earth, not one of these celebrities surrounded by bodyguards. He would shake hands with you, talk with you about his family, about his music."
Fans at last year's Clearwater Jazz Holiday saw the same side of Puente -- a friendly, down-to-earth guy you'd never suspect was a superstar of Latin music.
A tribute will be paid to Puente during Sunday's festival, said Saavedra, with some of the lineup and timbales players from New York performing his tunes.
Accurate is hoping to organize more Latin music events in the future.
"Every year cities like Chicago, New York, Miami, Orlando and Los Angeles stage major Hispanic music festivals that now are very traditional and became engraved in the cultural landscape of these Hispanic communities," Saavedra said.
In recent years, La Mega, which operates Spanish radio stations throughout the nation (locally, it has WBDN-FM 96.1 and 820 AM), hosts MegaFest every October. It is part of a traveling show, with acts performing at all the cities in which La Mega has a radio station.
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Shop Opening: Monday - Friday 09:00 - 5:30 (early closing Wednesday 1:00pm) & Saturday 09:00 - 05:00
Currently you are able to buy Knitting Yarns, Patchwork & Quilting fabrics and now Dress Fabrics online but we also operate a good mail order service for any other products within the shop that are not yet listed. This has a fixed postage charge of £2.99 for delivery in th UK.and we aim to send all orders placed by 3pm the same working day.
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You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website.
"I visited this wonderful shop last week, don't be at all put off by the name, it has just about anything anyone could want for making cards, jewellery, models etc to fabrics, yarns, buttons, ribbons, tapes as well as patterns and loads for the cake maker and decorator, to name but a few, all at very reasonable prices. Leave plenty of time for your visit as you will be enchanted. A real Essex gem!"
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MADISON - The chairman of the Wisconsin Elections Commission is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to rule quickly in a challenge to how the state's political boundaries were drawn following redistricting in 2011.
Commission Chairman Mark Thomsen said Tuesday that the state wants a fast decision following next week's oral arguments so maps for upcoming elections next year will be in place as soon as possible. The court is being asked by Democratic voters to overturn Republican-drawn legislative district maps. The Democrats argue the maps are unconstitutional and give Republicans an unfair advantage.
Disclaimer: All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified.Rockfleet Broadcasting / Northland Television, Inc. and By Request Web Designs shall not be held responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, or misprints.
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Duration
Accessibility
Interests
Delight in a musical extravaganza celebrating The Lion King—one of the greatest animated films of all time!
Hakuna Matata and More!
Join Simba and his friends for a vibrant, exciting, and upbeat musical adventure. This spectacular show features songs and characters from the beloved film The Lion King.
Led by 4 brilliant vocalists, the African savanna comes to life as a multitude of performers—including colossal puppets, spirited dancers and regal stilt walkers—fills the theatre-in-the-round with the animals of the Pride Lands.
Timon leads you in a catchy rendition of “Hakuna Matata," followed by an acrobatic display by the zany Tumble Monkeys as they fling themselves from the high bar, rings and trapeze. A daring fire-knife dancer performs to a dramatic version of “Be Prepared.” Dancers dressed as birds fly high above you as they soar through the air in sync to a touching duet of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” The show culminates in a powerful finale as the performers and the audience come together to demonstrate the true meaning of the “Circle of Life.”
It’s a moving and immersive theatrical experience celebrating the music that has touched generations of Disney fans—for a festival you’ll want to be part of again and again!
Act Like an Animal
Four magnificently costumed singers enter the theater-in-the-round to start the tribal celebration. Each singer leads part of the audience to act like a giraffe, a warthog, a lion or an elephant. You might even be picked to show off your animal nature.
Know Before You Go
Be sure to check the Times Guide at Disney’s Animal Kingdom for schedule and showtimes, which are subject to change.
You are about to be redirected to a Disney Website presented in a different language.
Once you leave the Walt Disney World website, different terms of use and privacy policy will apply.
FPO: By clicking "Continue" you will be leaving Walt Disney World and will be redirected to Hong Kong website to purchase Hong Kong Disneyland Park Tickets from Hong Kong International Theme Parks Limited.
FPO: By clicking "Continue", you will be leaving Walt Disney World and will be redirected to Hong Kong website to make hotel reservations at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and/or Disney's Hollywood Hotel managed by Hong Kong International Theme Parks Limited.
You are going to another Disney site and a different privacy policy, terms of use and/or sales terms and conditions may apply.
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Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Canvas Clutch
I've been coveting a new clutch lately, something that can work for everyday use. Since I frequently switch back and forth between my purse and a diaper bag (depending on when the little is in tow) it's easiest to keep my essentials in one small bag for easy transfers. Right now I am using an old cosmetics bag from a Clinique bonus freebie....which, let's face it, is just a little sad. This clutch from Death & Taxes is definitely on my radar. So cute!
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Microsoft yesterday announced that they are expanding the “Promote Your App” ad campaigns for Windows app developers to Microsoft premium surfaces such as MSN.com, Outlook.com, and Skype, as well as games like the Microsoft solitaire collection. Previously, “Promote Your App” ad campaigns were limited to other apps in the Windows Store.
MSN, Outlook, Skype and Solitaire collection are used by millions of users daily, and this move by Microsoft will allow developers to promote their apps to wider audience. Microsoft is using machine-learning algorithms for allocation of budget among the Microsoft surfaces. These algorithms start with finding the right set of users who should be exposed to your ad campaign, and then measure the effectiveness of each surface to adjust the target user profiles and budget allocations.
How to get started?
All campaigns that use auto-targeting will be universal campaigns bydefault. To use auto-targeting, make sure Automatic is selected for the Audience section of your campaign settings in the Dev Center dashboard.
If you wish to create a manually targeted campaign, make sure you choose Universal for the Surface setting in the Audience section of your campaign.
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Feature
Is “Megadrought” the new normal?
We've all heard the gloomy scenarios of global warming: extreme weather, drought, famine, breakdown of society, destruction of civilization. Here in New Mexico it feels like we’ve made the switch from esoteric to actual, from computer model to daily life. My perch in Placitas feels like a front-row seat to the apocalypse. Smoke is in the air. Neighbors are fighting over water. Some of my outdoor flower pots have melted in the heat. Wild animals are getting thirsty, hungry and bold. It turns out, this might just be the new normal for the American Southwest.
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By ensuring that address data is correct at the point of entry, the service minimizes any costs incurred through lost or returned mail.
"This feature also goes a long way toward helping marketers keep their mailing lists clean and updated to avoid the wasted expense of mail that never reaches the intended recipient," Mr Henkel explained.
All the changes will come into effect in May 2011, with many small to medium mailers able to use the system with their existing information and tools.
The United States Postal Service recently reported that it had processed over seven billion items of Intelligent Mail, accruing over $2 billion in revenue from the service.
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Differences
I crawl in fields of clay among the legs of men
lifting nests of purties* clean as eggs.
The boys get half a crown and I get sixpence.
I don’t understand the difference. It isn’t fair.
And the men set snares for rabbits and boys know where.
I ride in front of farmers’ sons on tractors.
My arms are smooth but theirs are rough with hair.
I feel their squidgy things through overalls:
I’d always known they’re different down there.
But men set snares for rabbits and boys know where.
We climb the high-stacked hay bales to the rafters.
The barn is dark but streaked with gold up here.
We make a nest and hide, trapping our laughter.
No fur is silkier than this new hair.
In here with me, you are not one of them:
Our fingers feel each other on a softly swelling stem.
But still, out there, when men set snares for rabbits
you know where.
* Ulster dialect for potatoes.
Dancing in a Place of Power
I step onto a silent stage
an airy space above the stretching sea
strong boards, new wedged
take all the weight
take all the weight of me
beneath the mountains
and above the stretching sea
beyond, steam veils the morning-watered furrows
of compost quickening
in the crumbly earth
a yeasty brewing stirrs
in the sticky dough of me
pulls in the leavening air
to lift the limbs of me
the squat square shape of me
the old straight tracks of me
skin pricks with sweat like fur
I feel the turf of me
tough pads of hands make fists
the roughened rocks in me
hurl a stamping rage
for power snatched from me
the power of growth in me
the space to be in me
the place that gives in me
I lift my eyes and see
steam veiling morning-watered furrows
and oh! that never-ending stretch of sea
the ceaseless sweep of waves
draws great draughts of breath to me
quenching an ancient thirst
till sobs and groans are song of me
streams of tears pour from me
the sweet salt snot of me
the strong long song of me
anchored in the old straight tracks of me
arms wingspun in dance
breaking the postures of apology.
Waiting for Change
She has no shape or colour
she merges with everything
absorbs the unremarkable
sinks into clay
part of the ordinary
unobserved day.
She waits
like the grainy hollow in the stone
for rain
and holds it
till the work of creation
ferments in her body.
The role of Mr Animus in producing a poem
When it first comes out
a blurt scrawled on the page
all gangly like a new wet calf
all wobbly
I’m not intrigued at all
I turn the page
can’t be doing with it
would orphan the weakling
feel no connection
certainly no commitment
to training and feeding
- it needs so much of me
to survive.
What we need then
is a good farmer to arrive
a tough rough gentle
husband man.
He’ll use his big spade hands
to turn my disinterested
heavy head
towards the trembling waif,
make me see it, sniff it.
He’ll give me a bit of encouragement
say my name
fuss me a bit.
Finally, I may lick it
taste it
and with a tingling rush in the udder
own it.
I draw you into where there is no space
only the strength of desire to be filled:
(a strength I find no name for
in my Thesaurus)
that seals us both hermetically to pleasure -
Hermes and Aphrodite
become one flame.
Broken
The limpet hold tightens when knocked
the baby’s jaw locks fiercely on the nipple
the lingham is anchored
where the depth cannot be fathomed
and currents draw from the core.
You can’t just pull it like a carrot from the ground.
We cannot be untied by banging on the door.
Somehow we surface like whales, call out
but the banging goes on.
Prised apart to show its secret
a fist hits out
‘Fuck off!’ I shout.
‘Do you want this ‘phone call or not?’
We should make velvet tasseled cords
strung with silver hearts
to hang across our doors....risk ribaldry.
A hurt that will not speak its name
dons uniform
the hammer falls on the bargain
I lose
retreat to my room like a woman
to weep.
We both apologise
we laugh and hug.
All day grief seems to bruise an inner skin.
Empty
All day grief seems to bruise an inner skin
though we eat lunch at the harbour
expensively, off starched white linen:
the milky flesh of to-day’s catch
with soft poached vegetables and cold white wine.
We return to the mountain
to look for the purse we’d lost.
Yesterday’s irises are shrivelled and black
like inky pellets boys threw in school.
The sullen little goatherd at the cross roads
scowls past us as if the road were empty.
Climbing the tall, locked gates to the ruins of Lato,
my skin is spiked with the thrill of forbidden entry.
I retrace the meander of walls and steps
to the silent, sacral court, empty of purses.
The afternoon fizzes and crackles...
cleansing, leavening fire burns out the hurt
leaving - nothing - a vacuum of years
clean stones, a distant view of the sea.
Minoan
The strength I find no name for
in my Thesaurus
I see was celebrated here
in the sacral knot
the spiralled pot
the snakes that slither and glide
the octopus that clasps and sucks
where the throat of the crocus,
the mouth of the cave,
are invitations to enter
the labyrinth’s path
be drawn in
sweet body of the dark
to source the scent...
of a woman stood taut-waisted
breath drawn up, chest filled with fire,
bare breasts flared:
holder of power
holding
golden serpents
arched from her arms
arched upwards
poised: the power of poise
not pounce
it is the power of holding
not the strike
not the strength of the sword
held high, but of cups
hand moulded
of baked earth
strong with the heat of the sun
and great bellied jugs
strong bellied
breasted
strong bodied
beaked
the body thus strong
supports the voice
the voice rises
gives song to the stars
and all is held
in a strong web
a strong fine web
finely designed
hand made
divine.
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Phone and Internet from CenturyLink Boulder Colorado
Get the best in telephone and internet with CenturyLink Boulder Colorado!
We are proud to be your CenturyLink Boulder, CO internet providers. As an authorized retailer of CenturyLink, we are committed to bringing you Boulder’s best telephone service and high speed internet. With unbeatable prices and great customer service, you can’t go wrong!
We have several options for CenturyLink high-speed Internet service. Do you stream Netflix from time to time? Does your whole family live online? With CenturyLink, you can pick the internet speed that’s best for you. Whether you decide on 10 mbps, 100 mbps, or somewhere in between, you’ll always stay connected to CenturyLink’s reliable nationwide network.
If you’re interested in setting up home phone service, you’ve come to the right place. With CenturyLink, you are guaranteed great reception, excellent coverage, and budget-friendly calling plans.
Own a small business? We’re your one-stop-shop for fast internet and nationwide phone service. Our business bundles are better than ever! CenturyLink has partnered with Norton and Identity Guard to bring you CenturyLink @Ease. With CenturyLink @Ease, you have the best in online security and backup services. Please call to see if CenturyLink @Ease is available in your region.
Ready to get started? Give us a call at our CenturyLink Boulder Colorado office.
*This address is a sales offices only. No payments, correspondence, or equipment drop-offs will be accepted at this address. Please call CenturyLink Customer Service at 1 (877) 837-5738 to make arrangements for payment and equipment drop-off and delivery.
Boulder, CO
*This address is a sales offices only. No payments, correspondence, or equipment drop-offs will be accepted at this address. Please call CenturyLink Customer Service at 1 (877) 837-5738 to make arrangements for payment and equipment drop-off and delivery.
Contact Us
*All addresses are sales offices only. No payments, correspondence, or equipment drop-offs will be accepted at these addresses. Please call CenturyLink Customer Service at 1 (877) 837-5738 to make arrangements for payment and equipment drop-off and delivery.
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P.F. Chang's Says Data Breach Affected 33 Locations
Breaches Date Back to October, Span U.S.
P.F. Chang's China Bistro Ltd. said Monday that a data breach involving customers' credit and debit cards affected 33 locations in the continental U.S., although its investigation into the problem is ongoing.
The company said the problem has been contained, and it has been securely processing credit and debit card data since June 11, a day after the U.S. Secret Service flagged a possible security problem. It hasn't been determined...
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I consider the bible to be THE definitive source for sayings for Christian Fortune Cookies and nothing else.
It has a few bits that make good reading for action/adventure and suspense, though rather more dry than most of the authors I read. To be expected really from an anthology/collaborative work as opposed to having the cohesiveness of a work by one author.
Beyond that, it is just another piece of overprinted garbage, one half of which simply perpetuates an 1800 year old lie. I fail to even consider it myth, though it may fit with the conditions.
Looking at the other end of a mythic hero's life, mythic heroes are often rejected by their gods or their followers, and they often die mysterious or unusual deaths. It's almost as if it may take something very big to bring such a hero down.
It's something like all those conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of JFK. It's as if some lone lunatic was not capable of bringing down so great a hero as JFK -- something much bigger had to be involved, a big conspiracy.
Moses lived in good health for 120 years, getting to see the Promised Land. But God would not allow him in, and he mysteriously got sick and died.
Hercules committed suicide rather than suffer the extreme pain of the poison of a cloak that someone had given him.
Romulus mysteriously disappeared in a marsh during a storm.
Jesus Christ? The Jewish leaders charged him with blasphemy. The citizens of Jerusalem turned against him, becoming a lynch mob. Peter disowned him and his disciples fled. He was not only crucified instead of stoned, but he died very fast for a young man in good health. There was a mysterious darkness, some earthquakes, and some corpses walking out of their tombs.
By contrast, even when well-documented heroes are conquered, their followers often stubbornly stick by them and only desert them when facing defeat. Their followers and admirers seldom repudiate them. Abe Lincoln did not experience Congress, the courts, and public opinion turning against him as Richard Nixon had during the Watergate scandal, Charles Darwin was not dismissed as a crackpot by his colleagues, Napoleon's and Hitler's followers deserted them only when they saw their opponents' armies closing in, etc.
Mythic heroes sometimes die on top of hills or mountains; they hardly ever die in pits or ditches or caves or other depressed or subterranean places. Who has ever heard of a mythic hero who committed suicide in the cave he was cowering in as his opponents' armies were closing in? That's pretty much how Adolf Hitler had died, committing suicide in his Berlin bunker as the Soviet Army was pushing its way into Berlin.
Even if the 18th century New Yorkers are consuming maple syrup and eating local meats/fish that the Natives had eaten for centuries before the Europeans arrived, and taught the Europeans how to access?
It would probably be a better analogy in you were looking at 1600's Natives and putting their data on 1100's Natives in the same area. Sure the culture changes, but in many cases, core mythologies/cultural concepts are carried through (though admittedly with some changes at times).
I still don't like the textual stuff ... or the Bible ...
Sigh, I fail to see how anything you said related to anything I was talking about. Could you elaborate?
Crucifixions happened all the time - I fail to see what's so special about this one?
Crucifixion was a Roman punishment, not a Jewish one, and the Gospels depicted the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem as much more reluctant to condemn Jesus Christ than Pontius Pilate. So one might expect PP to let those leaders decide on which punishment they want for JC, which would likely be stoning.
Crucifixion itself may not have been especially odd, and pointing to crucifixion alone would be a weak argument. But in JC's case, there are other features that add to the oddity of his death, like dying in only a few hours.
HavenMage wrote:
I think the point might be the altitude and the nature of the death as opposed to the commonality of it, perhaps.
The mythic heroes die in ways that are more open and, well, "heroic"...or under circumstances of their choosing?
Moreover, plenty of people die trying to trek Mt. Everest, do all these people become mythical too now?
There's something seriously wrong with the logic being employed here.
One of the aspects of this is that the 'death' occurs in a place where many can view it, as with doing rituals (secular or sacred) on raised platforms so that many people can 'participate' to give it legitimacy for a large group. This fits with the hero being a ruler and making laws, because as a public figure, this helps to make their death also public.
And as for the archaeological analogy, I was looking to keep a context of similarity, so I switched it to just being within a single cultural context rather than bringing in outside influences. If you're looking to Christianities' development, yes, it grows out of a Jewish system, but by the time the accounts are written we're off in the Hellenic/Roman world, no? By the time we've got Saul/Paul in there swinging, we're well into the Romanized worldview, so development of the religion in that context isn't so much of a change ...
Crucifixion was a Roman punishment, not a Jewish one, and the Gospels depicted the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem as much more reluctant to condemn Jesus Christ than Pontius Pilate. So one might expect PP to let those leaders decide on which punishment they want for JC, which would likely be stoning..
Big mistake here. I meant
... and the Gospels depicted Pontius Pilate as much more reluctant to condemn Jesus Christ than the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem.
Hex, that's an interesting point about a hero's death being out in the open, in public. It's also more spectacular that way.
I was able to find some of Lord Raglan's book, The Hero, online at books.google.com, and the publicly-available parts include his assessments of various mythic heroes (pp. 175 - 185). He notes some other mythic heroes' ends:
Quote:
Oedipus ... later comes to be regarded as the cause of a plague, and is deposed and driven into exile. He meets with a mysterious death at a place near Athens called the Steep Pavement.
Theseus ... later becomes unpopular, is driven from Athens, and is thrown or falls from a high cliff.
Perseus ... his end is variously reported, though in one version he is killed by his successor.
Asclepius ... incurs the enmity of Zeus, who destroys him with a flash of lightning.
That was because he took his medical skills a bit too far, raising someone from the dead.
I made screen captures of all those pages, and I've thought of OCRing them, but putting them online is a potential copyright violation, so I have not done so.
I've done the OCRing, with two open-source OCRers (GOCR and Tesseract) and a commercial one (ReadIris 7.0, included with my scanner). I found the open-source ones easiest to automate, since one can run them off the command line -- and call them with Python os.system() (like the standard C library's system()). Now I have to correct the OCRing.
That aside, Lord Raglan's profile tells us that the hero is not succeeded by whichever children he had had, if any. This is an interesting oddity, because it is contrary to the widely-accepted principle of hereditary succession. Would such a thing be a way of fitting someone purely legendary into existing accounts of ancestries? This would then explain why some hero is not the legendary ancestor of some royal family.
One of the aspects of this is that the 'death' occurs in a place where many can view it, as with doing rituals (secular or sacred) on raised platforms so that many people can 'participate' to give it legitimacy for a large group. This fits with the hero being a ruler and making laws, because as a public figure, this helps to make their death also public.
And so with Caesar when he was stabbed to death on the foot of the Curia. Or Crassus died in battle by the Parthians pouring hot gold down his throat. Or Cicero whose head and hands were placed on spikes in the forum. Or Lincoln. Or Kennedy. Or...you get the picture.
Quote:
And as for the archaeological analogy, I was looking to keep a context of similarity, so I switched it to just being within a single cultural context rather than bringing in outside influences. If you're looking to Christianities' development, yes, it grows out of a Jewish system, but by the time the accounts are written we're off in the Hellenic/Roman world, no? By the time we've got Saul/Paul in there swinging, we're well into the Romanized worldview, so development of the religion in that context isn't so much of a change ...
Some of the gospels were still very much ingrained in Jewish thought, and anyone who ever even heard of the New Perspective on Paul wouldn't ever make such a statement about the author. The gospels are about as far apart from each other as modern "remakes" of older movies are from each other. Like Patton. Patton was a real general, depicted in a movie, thus "fiction" by genre. This is essentially Mark. If we remade Patton, and added some supernatural stuff to it, you essentially get what Luke or Matthew is. In another couple of decades, if the French decide to remake Patton, and add more imagination to the story, you get John. But you cannot take the French remake of the remade version of Patton and call the original Gen. Patton "mythical hero" because the French version depicts him as so.
I've done the OCRing, with two open-source OCRers (GOCR and Tesseract) and a commercial one (ReadIris 7.0, included with my scanner). I found the open-source ones easiest to automate, since one can run them off the command line -- and call them with Python os.system() (like the standard C library's system()). Now I have to correct the OCRing.
That aside, Lord Raglan's profile tells us that the hero is not succeeded by whichever children he had had, if any. This is an interesting oddity, because it is contrary to the widely-accepted principle of hereditary succession. Would such a thing be a way of fitting someone purely legendary into existing accounts of ancestries? This would then explain why some hero is not the legendary ancestor of some royal family.
Hey, The God Petrich, would you want to put your incredible skillz to work and do up King David (of Bathsheba fame, dad of Solomon) on the Profile?
I've heard he should be pretty low, which is 'proof' he's historic, and I'm curious...
I'll help if you need details...
Thanx for the offer, but biblegateway.com and Wikipedia should do just fine. In the Bible, it's 1 Samuel 16 to 1 Kings 2.
1. The hero's mother is a royal virgin;She's not mentioned in the Bible, though the Talmud identifies her as Nizbeth daughter of Adael: 0
2. His father is a king, andJesse son of Obed is an undistinguished commoner: 0
3. Often a near relative of his mother, but 4. The circumstances of his conception are unusual, and 5. He is also reputed to be the son of a god. 6. At birth an attempt is made, usually by his father or his maternal grandfather, to kill him, but 7. He is spirited away, and 8. Reared by forest parents in a far country. 9. We are told nothing of his childhood, butNo hint of any of that: 0
10. On reaching manhood he returns to goes to his future kingdom.He was always in his kingdom: 0
11. After a victory over the king, and/or a giant, dragon, or wild beast,Goliath: 1
King Saul had chosen him to lead his armies, David leads his armies against the Philistines in several battles, and Saul gets jealous and plots to kill him.
12. He marries a princess, often the daughter of his predecessor, andHe marries several women: Michal, Ahinoam, Abigail, Maachah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah and Bathsheba. Michal is a daughter of Saul: 1
13. Becomes king.After Saul commits suicide to avoid getting captured, David gets appointed king by the men of Judah: 1
14. For a time he reigns uneventfully, andHe has a long fight with Saul's son Ish-bosheth and his followers, and after defeating them, he conquers the Jebusite fortress Jebus (Jerusalem), making it his capital. He leads several more conquests, he brings the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, and he has a sex scandal involving Bathsheba. He then suppresses some rebellions and suffers through God's dislike of statistics, among other things: 0
15. Prescribes laws, butNothing notable: 0
I doubt that being a singer-songwriter would count.
16. Later loses favor with the gods and/or his subjects, andIn his old age, his son Adonijah declares himself king: 1/2
17. Is driven from the throne and city, after whichBathsheba and Nathan convince David to make his son Solomon king instead. David even gives final instructions to Solomon: 1/2
18. He meets a mysterious death, 19. Often at the top of a hill.No sign of either: 0
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CHML adds Marauders football to broadcast schedule
AM900 CHML radio has signed a three-year radio agreement with Mac to broadcast all Marauders home and away football games, with pre- and post-game shows as well as a weekly, one-hour McMaster Athletics and Recreation Magazine show.
Quarterbacking the broadcast crew will be CHML broadcaster Ted Michaels with the play-by-play while McMaster former defensive coordinator and Canadian Football League player Joe Sardo will handle the colour commentary. The Magazine show will profile McMaster teams, programs, coaches and student athletes.
“AM900 CHML provides an excellent opportunity for McMaster Athletics and Recreation to showcase our programs and recognize our coaches and student-athletes,” said the university’s athletic director, Therese Quigley in a press release. “We look forward to this new and exciting partnership.”
McMaster will kick off the Ontario University Athletics football season on Monday, Sept. 3, at 2 p.m. against Wilfrid Laurier at University Stadium in Kitchener. The football games will also be heard online at www.900chml.com
McMaster’s radio station, CFMU 93.3, will continue to broadcast football games. In additions, the campus outlet will broadcast Marauders basketball games.
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Until recent years, very few elderly people had ever experienced divorce. Most had been married to one person their entire adult lives. This pattern is changing rapidly. The sharp rise in divorce between 1965 and 1975, with persistently high rates ever since, implies that over half of marriages will end within 20 years. The birth cohorts that were the first to experience the rapid increase in divorce is also the leading edge of the baby boom, born primarily in the 1940s and 1950s. These cohorts are just now beginning to hit retirement ages. While 12 percent of today’s 67-year-old women are currently divorced, within just 15 years this will rise to 20 percent. And a much larger share of women are ever-divorced – they divorced but then remarried. These trends alone warrant a close investigation of the economic well-being of elderly divorcees. However, combining these trends in divorce with the fact that elderly divorced women are 5 times as likely to be poor than elderly married women, and one-third more likely to be poor than widows, it is surprising to us that only a handful of studies have examined this population. The goal of this study is to begin to establish the stylized facts regarding the economic status of divorcees and describe some of the difficulties they face. While this paper is only the beginning of a series of studies that are needed to address a wide array of issues, it reaches some important conclusions: Despite high poverty rates, divorced women are no less educated than married women; This similarity in education persisted over the past 35 years despite the fact that during the same time period the gap in poverty between these two groups increased from 2:1 (in 1967) to 4:1 (in 2001). Labor market earnings are a particularly important source of income for elderly divorced women; Divorced women’s level of labor force participation is comparable to that of married men; however, retirement of divorced women experiences no spike at ages 62and 65, as is the case for married men; Divorced women are quite distinct from separated women, with the latter much less educated, lower income, and minority; grouping these two populations together, as is often done, is a mistake; Initial analyses suggest that the reduction in the requirement on length of marriage from 20 to 10 years to receive Social Security divorcee benefits had little or no effect on alleviating divorcee poverty. A large number of questions remain unanswered, but given the speed at which the cohorts with high prevalence of divorce are approaching old age, the time is now to address these questions.
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Steamboat for big kids and little kids
No matter your age there’s something for you at Steamboat Colorado. From horse riding through powder fields with cowboys to halfpipes and cat skiing.
Big Kid cat skiing
Did someone say cat skiing? We sure did. The crew at Steamboat Powder Cats call Buffalo Pass their home terrain. Which is good news for you as the pass is known as Colorado’s deepest annual snowpack. Professional guides will take you and 10 of your new best friends of similar ability level in a cat to mountain peaks, let you out and then guide you down through some of the bestsellers powder going. You’ll be grinning, for sure. Add hot lunch in a backcountry hut and a dedicated photographer to capture your best powder grins and our work here is done.
Steamboat Powder Cats
Steamboat Powder Cats
Steamboat Powder Cats
Steamboat Powder Cats
Little Kid cowboys
What kid doesn’t want to channel their inner cowboy? Throw junior onto the back of his or her own stallion and wander into the powder woods. Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch is true western style ranch close to Steamboat with winter guided trail rides perfect for the family. You don’t need to be an equestrian to partake either, the trail is easy and the horses are gentle plus you’ll have real life cowboys on hand to help you.
Big Kid pipes
If you’ve got the guts then Maverick’s Superpipe has the glory. Picture a 450 foot long, 56 foot wide halfpipe with 18 foot walls and a 22 foot transition. If you don’t know that that means you may not want to be riding it. If you do, then throw yourself down the pipe built for Olympic style super stars. Be warned, you’re being watched by those in the adjacent terrain park who are hitting up the rails.
Little Kid terrain
While Big Kid is taking on the Superpipe, Little Kid has a mini superpipe of his or her own at Maverick’s Terrain park. The pipe has 8 foot walls and is perfect for first timers or take junior to Lil’ Rodeo, the entry level terrain park with a mini half pipe, boxes and entry level jumps.
Snowboard instructor. Photo crew: Larry Pierce/Steamboat Ski Resort.
Big Kid first on the mountain
Set your alarm and bounce out of bed knowing you’ll be first on the mountain, guaranteed. The First Tracks experience on Steamboat gives you exclusive access to terrain from the Sundown Express, Sunshine and South Peak Lifts plus Priest Creek. Numbers are limited and only available for intermediate and above skiers and snowboarders. So what are you waiting for? Grab your seat in the gondola at 8.00am and head sky high.
Little Kid after dark
There’s something cool about staying up after dark, especially when you’re still skiing. Steamboat’s Ultra Tech Lighting system ensures night skiing on Site, See Me, Vogue, Stampeded and Lil’Rodeo trails for beginner to advanced skiers and boarders. You’ll get to lap 1100 vertical feet of terrain long after everyone else has called it quits.
Big Kid roller coaster
One ride will simply not be enough as you take your Little Kid on the Outlaw Mountain Coaster 40 feet above the snow. This baby is the longest coaster in North America and descends more than 400 vertical feet with dips, waves, 360 circles and more. If you’re driving then you must be 16 years old or older, if you’re the front rider then you have to be 3 years old or older. Squealing is optional.
Little Kid tubing
When tubing, horse sleighs and dinner collide you get the Yee Haw Tubing and Sleigh Ride Dinner at Double Dollar Lodge. Hit up the tubing hill for inflatable fun on the snow and then snuggle up under a toasty wool blanket and take a horse drawn sleigh ride to the Lodge for dinner with hot chocolate starters. Learn how to rope horses from a Colorado cowboy and try your hand at line dancing. Expect Little Kid slumbers in the sleigh on the way back home.
Big Kid soaking
Keeping up with the Little Kid can be exhausting. Lucky for you Steamboat is home to Strawberry Park Hot Springs, a thermal hot pool haven for serious soaking. The rustic outdoor mountain setting means soaking under the stars while snow flakes settle on the rocks and steam rises from the pure waters. You may not want to get out, it’s that good.
Strawberry Park hot springs
Little Kid ski joring
Put the Big Kids to shame and strap yourself into skis while being pulled down the Main Street by a horse. It’s all part of the Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival every February. Ages 6 – 9 and 10 – 14 can compete in Ski Joring I front of a hyped local crowd who line Main Street and cheer them on. Fastest times wins.
Big Kid drinking
Whiskey and Rye. Two words to soothe the weary thigh burn. Head to the Torian Plum Plaza with Rye apres destination and partake in local and rare whiskeys around an indoor outdoor stone fireplace.
Little Kid dancing
Live western rock music for cowboy dancing and an all you can eat Western Style BBQ at the top of the Steamboat Gondola. It’s called the Western BBQ and it’s open every Saturday and Sunday night so grab the Big Kids and head on up.
The deal
Ski Max Holidays have a 7 night package deal to Steamboat for AU$4799. Kids 12 and under ski for free and the family stays in a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom condo at Timber Run Lodge. The package includes 6 day lift passes for 2 adults and 2 kids under 12.
*Conditions apply. Valid for travel 19 February – 31 March 2018. Book & pay by 1 December 2017. Kids must be 12 years and under. Subject to availability at time of booking.
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Pehenptah (G 2088)
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Individual - Ancient
Gender
Male
Also Known As
Alternate spelling : Pehen-ptah
Manuel de Codage : pHnptH
Alternate spelling : Pehneptah
Remarks
Owner (along with Kakhent) of G 2088. Son ([sA=f] his son) of Kakhent. Displaced north door jamb of courtyard entrance with standing figure of Pehenptah, identified as [jmj-r st xntjw-S pr-aA] overseer of the department of palace attendants of the Great House; displaced architrave from portico inscribed for Pehenptah, identified as [sHD xntjw-S pr-aA] inspector of palace attendants of the Great House; found in G 2088.
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{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
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Thursday, December 31, 2015
One of the economic miracles of the holiday shopping season is that we all troop merrily off to retail stores fully expecting that they will display a large and varied selection of goods on their shelves. I went to a grocery store on the morning of Christmas Eve, with no doubt in my mind that I would be able to pick up an idiosyncratic list of last-minute items for holiday meals--and indeed, everything was there.
The category of "inventories" refers to how much is sitting on the shelf somewhere, waiting to be used or sold. Tying up resources in holding inventories has a cost, and over time, information technology and transportation improvements have made it easier to use "just-in-time" processes for re-ordering that make it possible to hold smaller inventories. Still, the size of inventories reveals something about expectations for future business activity, and also whether those expectations were met. What's interesting is that for the last few years, inventories across the economy are on the rise. The figures below are from the ever-useful FRED data tool maintained by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The underlying data is updated through October 2015.
Consider the ratio of inventories/dales in the retail sector first. Notice the gradual decline over timef from 1990 into the early 2000s, as information technology made it possible to hold fewer resources. Notice also that during the two periods of recession, inventories first spiked up, as retailers found themselves with unexpected stock on their shelves, and then plummeted, as retailers delayed re-ordering until they were fairly confident that the economy was growing again. Indeed, the sharp rise-and-fall pattern of inventories is a mechanism that causes a recession to last over time. Finally, notice that since about 2012, the inventory/sales ratio is on the rise.
The inventory/sales ratio for manufacturers has a broadly similar pattern: the slow decline after 1990, the spike and decline during the Great Recession; and an uptick--albeit a more recent and modest uptick than in the retailer inventory/sales ratio--during the last year or so.
Finally, here's the inventory/sales pattern for wholesalers, who stand between producers and retailers. Here, the inventory/sales ratio didn't drop by much from about 1990 into the early 2000s: apparently, lower inventories for retailers didn't mean less was being held back in the warehouses of wholesalers. However, there is a decline in the early 2000s, a truly striking spike during the Great Recession, and a much sharper recent upswing.
As with any story in economics, there can be multiple interpretations of these patterns, some happier than others.
1) The most obvious pattern is that retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers all expect sales to continue rising in 2016. Indeed, business inventories in general are sometimes used as a way of measuring "business confidence."
2) A complementary interpretation is that with very low interest rates during the last few years, the costs of having supplies sitting around on a shelf waiting to be used is relatively low. This factor doesn't explain the timing of the more recent rises in inventories, but it explains why they might have rebounded at least somewhat since the end of the recession in 2009, compared with pre-recession levels.
3) The rise in inventories may also be a message that trimming inventories went a little too far back around 2005, and the pendulum is swinging back a little.
4) Finally, I wouldn't be fulfilling my duty to the inherent pessimism of economics if I didn't point out that the rise in wholesaler inventories during the year or two is very large by historical standards. This may be occurring just because the inventory/sales ratio for wholesalers is different: for example, it didn't fall during the 1990s, and it spiked more emphatically during the Great Recession. But given when inventories pile up too substantially, it can help be part of a slowdown later, one hopes that wholesalers are not misleading themselves about about how much they are going to sell going forward.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Paul Krugman was "quite unhappy" with a paragraph in my blog post last Monday concerning "Secular Stagnation: An Update." In his characteristic high-decibel mode, Paul manages in a single post to use the phrases "both wrong and, to some extent, cowardly," "change the subject," "actually engaged in an act of evasion," "refusing to take sides is a dereliction of responsibility," and more. I confess that I am generally dubious as to whether dueling blog posts shed more light than heat. But once Krugman gets done tossing sand around the sandbox, what is actually at issue here?
To review the bidding: My original post was focused on a recent essay by Larry Summers on "secular stagnation," the concern that the economy may be entering a period of sluggish investment and slow long-run growth--at least if appropriate policy steps aren't taken. In the paragraph that bugged Paul, I expressed doubts that fiscal and monetary policy would address a long-run secular stagnation problem, and instead suggested focusing on a structural pro-growth agenda. Paul views this as wrong, cowardly, subject-changing, evasion, dereliction, etc. because as he writes: "But if you have a persistent problem of inadequate demand — which is the secular stagnation argument — then find things that will boost demand. Don’t throw up your hands and whine that you can’t, and/or use demand-side problems to argue for other stuff that has no obvious relevance to the problem."
It's an strong claim that the long-run secular stagnation problem is exclusively a demand problem To put it another way, Krugman's view is apparently that US long-run productivity growth would be just fine if we would only make more aggressive use of macroeconomic tools to boost aggregate demand, and anyone who raises any non-demand approach is wrong, cowardly, subject-changing, evasion, dereliction, etc.
What about the fighting secular stagnation by using fiscal and monetary stimulus to push for more demand? On the topic of fiscal stimulus, Krugman writes: "First of all, we did not, repeat not, have massive stimulus." As evidence, he offers a chart on the budgetary effect of one piece of legislation: the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Paul concludes that because this one law had an effect of 2% of GDP, total fiscal stimulus was 2% of GDP. But as I assume Paul knows perfectly well, one law doesn't summarize fiscal policy. Here's a graph showing budget deficits since the 1930s as a share of GDP. The deficits for the four years from 2009 to 2012 (9.8%, 8.7%, 8.5%, and 6.8% of GDP, respectively) are the four largest annual deficits since 1930, barring only the deficits of the World War II years. (And yes, if you would prefer to look at cyclically adjusted deficits, CBO estimates still say that 2009-2012 were the four largest annual deficits since World War II.)
"For comparison, the sizable Reagan budget deficits of the 1980s increased the debt/GDP ratio from 25.8% in 1981 to 41% by 1988—a rise of about 15 percentage points over seven years. During the George W. Bush years, the debt-GDP ratio went from 32.5% in 2001 to 40.5% in 2008—a rise of 8 percentage points in eight years. Going back to the Great Depression, the debt/GDP ratio rose from 18% of GDP in 1930 to about 44% in 1940 – a rise of 26 percentage points over 10 years. The only comparable U.S. episodes of running up this kind of debt happened during major wars. For example, the federal debt/GDP ratio went from 42.3% in 1941 to 106.2% in 1945—a rise of 54 percentage points in four years. From this perspective, the fiscal stimulus from 2008 to 2012, as measured by the rise in the debt/GDP ratio, has been about about two-thirds of the size of World War II spending."
On the topic of monetary policy, my essay expressed doubts that it would address secular stagnation. For the record, I write as someone who supported the Fed's monetary policy actions of reducing interest rates and engaging in quantitative easing during the Great Recession and in the years just after, but also someone who has expressed fears that those policies may have been extended too long.
What Krugman apparently views as a critique of this position sounds like this: "Monetary policy has indeed had difficulty gaining traction. But that’s exactly what anyone who thought through the implications of the liquidity trap — which, you know, some us did long before the 2008 crisis — expected to happen. And what such analysis suggests is that the right solution to this problem, if you can get it, is higher inflation expectations." So it's apparently wrong, cowardly, subject-changing, evasion, dereliction, etc. for anyone other than Krugman to express doubts on using monetary policy to boost demand, but if Paul says monetary policy under current economic conditions hasn't worked well, wasn't expected to work well, and maybe can't work well ("if you can get it"?!), then apparently it's all hunky-dory. Clearly, some advice-giver who has no problem telling other people what they have a responsibility to say needs to tell Paul: "Don’t throw up your hands and whine that you can’t."
So, quick summary for an overlong post: I believe that using fiscal and monetary policy to boost aggregate demand during the recession and in the years immediately after made sense. On fiscal policy, Krugman's view on fiscal stimulus from 2009-2012 is apparently "too small, but worked great," while my own view is "about the right size, and worked OK." While I do not obsess over cutting budget deficits in the short-run, I am skeptical that much larger and sustained deficits are the answer to the long-run secular stagnation issue. On monetary policy, I apparently agree with Krugman that monetary policy in general has a hard time during a liquidity trap, and that it may have trouble addressing secular stagnation, too.
When it comes to the long-run problem of secular stagnation--which was after all the topic of the original post--I agree with the view originally expressed by Alvin Hansen as well as by others since then that the pace of invention and ability to develop new resources of all kinds can be important drivers for investment. I disagree with Krugman's view that secular stagnation is purely a demand problem. I also disagree that when it comes to addressing the problem of sluggish investment and the risk of secular stagnation, raising non-demand approaches is cowardly, subject-changing, evasion, dereliction, etc. Isn't it possible any more that two people just honestly disagree?
Follow-up note: Here's a follow-up comment from Krugman, which I had not seen before writing the post above. My original post was called "Secular Stagnation: An Update," and thus, I asked whether monetary and fiscal policy could address long-run secular stagnation. Krugman's latest post doesn't mention secular stagnation, or whether monetary or fiscal policy can address it, and instead focuses on how fiscal policy was needed as countercyclical policy in the previous recession and will be needed in the next one.
Also, for the record, just because Krugman puts quotation marks around a statement one sentence after my name, it would be unwise to assume that he is actually quoting me or even paraphrasing me with any accuracy, rather than just naming a position he wishes to argue against.
As noted above, I agree with the importance of countercyclical fiscal policy during recessions, but because it's important in recessions doesn't mean it's a equally useful tool in an economy with a 5% unemployment rate facing a risk of long-run sluggish investment and secular stagnation. In this post, Paul's latest method of measuring fiscal stimulus--to show that fiscal policy was far too small from 2009-2012--has now become the change in government employment. Readers can make their own judgment about whether an upsurge in government employment is a plausible long-run approach to improving investment incentives. Readers can also judge for themselves whether encouraging government employment is a more appropriate measure of fiscal policy than, well, the actual size of fiscal deficits as discussed above. Naturally, in this more recent post Krugman has more about how the cowardly, subject-changing, evasion, dereliction, etc., people like me now "just make up a policy history that never happened." Readers can make their own judgments on this theme, too.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
During the last weeks of the year, as people gather with family and with friends old and new, there is always a hope that that next year, or maybe the year after, will bring joy and peace. In that spirit, here is the famous passage from a speech by President Dwight D. Eisenhower called "The Chance for Peace," which was delivered to the American Society
of Newspaper Editors on April 16, 1953.
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a
theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world
in arms is not spending money alone.
It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.
The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities.
It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population.
It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals.
It is some 50 miles of concrete highway.
We pay for a single fighter plane with a half million bushels of wheat.
We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people.
This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking.
This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is
humanity hanging from a cross of iron.
These plain and cruel truths define the peril and point the hope that comes with this spring of
1953.
This is one of those times in the affairs of nations when the gravest choices must be made, if
there is to be a turning toward a just and lasting peace.
It is a moment that calls upon the governments of the world to speak their intentions with
simplicity and with honesty.
It calls upon them to answer the question that stirs the hearts of all sane men: is there no other
way the world may live?
For economists, Eisenhower's comment are of course a stirring illustration of the power of opportunity costs--that is, the insight that a choice to proceed in one way involves the tradeoff of alternative choices that could have been made.
For everyone else, the main focus of Eisenhower's speech was to state that the United States would prefer not to have a buildup of arms and nuclear weapons, and to appeal to the Soviet Union to choose a different course. Some people who expressed such wishes might be dismissed as impractical dreamers. But Eisenhower had been Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II. No one doubted his ability or his resolution to lead a fight, if its was called for. Here's a lesser-known part of Eisenhower's speech. It's interesting to contemplate if there is any modern political figure in the last couple of decades who has had both the desire and the hard-won credibility to offer a similar set of comments--although tailored of course to changes since Eisenhower's 1953 speech and to the realities of the present:
The details of such disarmament programs are manifestly critical and complex. Neither the
United States nor any other nation can properly claim to possess a perfect, immutable formula.
But the formula matters less than the faith--the good faith without which no formula can work
justly and effectively.
The fruit of success in all these tasks would present the world with the greatest task, and the
greatest opportunity, of all. It is this: the dedication of the energies, the resources, and the
imaginations of all peaceful nations to a new kind of war. This would be a declared total war, not
upon any human enemy but upon the brute forces of poverty and need.
The peace we seek, rounded upon decent trust and cooperative effort among nations, can be
fortified, not by weapons of war but by wheat and by cotton, by milk and by wool, by meat and
by timber and by rice. These are words that translate into every language on earth. These are
needs that challenge this world in arms.
This idea of a just and peaceful world is not new or strange to us. It inspired the people of the
United States to initiate the European Recovery Program in 1947. That program was prepared to
treat, with like and equal concern, the needs of Eastern and Western Europe.
We are prepared to reaffirm, with the most concrete evidence, our readiness to help build a world
in which all peoples can be productive and prosperous.
This Government is ready to ask its people to join with all nations in devoting a substantial
percentage of the savings achieved by disarmament to a fund for world aid and reconstruction.
The purposes of this great work would be to help other peoples to develop the undeveloped areas
of the world, to stimulate profitable and fair world trade, to assist all peoples to know the
blessings of productive freedom.
The monuments to this new kind of war would be these: roads and schools, hospitals and homes,
food and health.
We are ready, in short, to dedicate our strength to serving the needs, rather than the fears, of the
world.
We are ready, by these and all such actions, to make of the United Nations an institution that can
effectively guard the peace and security of all peoples.
Monday, December 28, 2015
Since the end of the Great Recession, the US (and the world) economy have been waiting for a bounceback of economic growth. About two years ago, Larry Summers resuscitated a theory put forward by Alvin Hansen in the 1930s that the economy might instead be entering a period of "secular stagnation."
Mainstream estimates of the potential output of the economy--that is, how big the economy woudl be with full employment of labor and capital resources--is diminishing. Here's a figure showing estimates over a series of years of how potential US GDP would rise, from the Congressional Budget Office.
It's no surprise that the actual GDP would dip below the potential in 2008 and 2009: after all, a recession is by definition a prolonged period in which the actual output of an economy is below the potential. But notice how the CBO has kept reducing its estimate of potential GDP. Back in 2007, the prediction was that potential GDP would be about $20 trillion in 2017: by 2015, the estimate was that potential GDP would be $18 trillion. To put it another way, the CBO is estimate that the potential growth of the US economy is slowing down.
Summers argues that expectations of slow future growth are being reflected in expectations of low interest rates far into the future.
And if you don'r not remember anything else, .. remember this ... nowhere in the industrial world is there an expectation that over 10 years inflation will reach the two percent target. Nowhere in the industrial world is there an expectation that real interest rates will average even one percent and ... if you take any kind of reasonable weighted average, the real interest rate over the next 10 years is expected to be zero. And since, with an upper-sloping turn structure, we normally assume that there are some risk premiums, or the liquidity premiums embodied here, probably expected real rate are even lower ... .
Summers puts the patterns together in this way:
"I would suggest that these events are closely related. I would suggest that what has gone on, certainly in recent years, and for quite a long time, is that there have been a variety of structural changes in the economies of the industrial world that lead to an increasing propensity to save, a decreasing propensity to invest, and, as a consequence, lower equilibrium real rates; as a consequence, less aggregate demand and disappointing growth performance; and, as a consequence, less upward inflationary pressure. While I do not believe that precise sources have been well worked out or are easily identified, I believe that one possibility is the trends we have observed over last 20 years will continue."
Here is his list of possible reasons for this confluence of factors, which are discussed in more detail in the talk.
Summers has no straightforward policy answer to offer here. He notes using monetary policy to stimulate the world economy may prove difficult, given that the interest rates used for monetary policy are already at near-zero levels. He suggests considering more aggressive use of fiscal policy and debt financing--in some ways, as a method of counterbalancing excessive global saving--but there are obvious issues with a policy of large and sustained deficits over time.
In the past, I have called this the problem of "snowbank macroeconomics:" just as a driver of a car stuck in a snowbank can press the gas pedal as hard as they want and not make much progress, it seems to me that we are in a situation where monetary and fiscal stimulus that has been extremely high by historical standards since about 2008 has had a much smaller effect on output and inflation than would have been expected before the Great Recession. I've come to believe that in a financial crisis and its slow-growth aftermath, the basic tools of monetary and fiscal policy face real limits on what they can accomplish. Thus, I'd argue that the growth-based agenda should focus on a different list of issues: expanding education and training; expanding research and development spending; tax and regulatory reform; expanding international trade; and investments in energy and infrastructure.
Friday, December 25, 2015
My family always had real Christmas trees when I was growing up. I've always had real trees as an adult. Living in my own little bubble, it thus came as a shock to me to learn that, of the households that have Christmas trees, over 80% use an artificial tree, according to Nielsen survey results commissioned by the American Christmas Tree Association (which largely represents sellers of artificial trees). But in a holiday season where the focus is often on whether we are naughty or nice, what choice of tree has greater environmental impact?
(Note: This post first appeared on December 24, 2012. It has been slightly edited.)
Here are some of the main messages I take away from these studies:
1) One artificial tree has greater environmental impact than one natural tree. However, an artificial tree can also be re-used over a number of years. Thus, there is some crossover point, if the artificial tree is used for long enough, that its environmental effect is less than an annual series of trees. For example, the ellipsos study finds that an artificial tree would need to be used for 20 years before its greenhouse gas effects would be less than those of an annual series of natural trees. The PE Americas study offers a wide range of scenarios, and summarizes, but here is the situation "for the base case when individual car transport distance for tree purchase is 2.5 miles each way. Because the natural tree provides an environmental benefit in terms of Global Warming Potential when landfilled, and Eutrophication Potential when composted or incinerated, there is no number of years one can keep an artificial tree in order to match the natural tree impacts in these cases. ... For all other scenarios, the artificial tree has less impact provided it is kept and reused for a minimum between 2 and 9 years, depending upon the environmental indicator chosen."
2) The full analysis needs to look at effects across all the full life-cycle of the tree, whether natural or artificial. This seems to involve the following steps.
Under what conditions is the tree manufactured or cultivated, with what use of energy, fertilizer, and logging methods? By what combination of transportation mechanisms is the finished tree moved to the home? A substantial share of artificial trees are manufactured in China and then shipped to North America. What are the different issues in use of the tree, including use of water and emissions of fumes? What is the end-of-life for the tree? For example, the carbon in a natural tree will be stored for some decades if the tree goes into a landfill, but not if if is composted or incinerated.
3) The full analysis also needs to look at a range of possible effects. For example, the PE America study looked at "global warming potential (carbon footprint), primary energy demand, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, and smog potential." Here's a figure showing 14 categories of analysis from the ellipsos study, with a comparison between natural and artificial trees on a number of dimensions.
The ellipsos study sums up this way: "When aggregating the data in damage categories, the results show that the impacts for human health are approximately equivalent for both trees, that the impact for ecosystem quality are much better for the artificial tree, that the impacts for climate change are much better for the natural tree, and that the impacts for resources are better for the natural tree ..."
4) In the context of many other holiday and everyday activities, the environmental effects of the tree are small. The studies offer some comparisons of the environmental effects of the tree compared with the electricity used to light the tree, the driving by a household to pick up the tree, and even the environmental effect of the tree stand.
For example, in comparing Primary Energy Demand for the tree and the energy demand for lighting the tree. For an artificial tree, the PE Americas study reports: "The electricity consumption during use of 400 incandescent Christmas tree lights during one Christmas season is 55% of the overall Primary Energy Demand impact of the unlit artificial tree studied, assuming the worst‐case scenario that the artificial tree is used only one year. For artificial trees kept 5 and 10 years respectively, the PED for using incandescent lights is 2.8 times and 5.5 times that of the artificial tree life cycle." For a natural tree: "The life cycle Primary Energy Demand impact of the natural tree is 1.5 ‐ 3.5 times less (based on the End‐of‐Life scenario) than the use of 400 incandescent Christmas tree lights during one Christmas season."
In comparing the environmental effects of driving with those of the tree, ellipsos writes: "Due to the uncertainties of CO2 sequestration and distance between the point of purchase of the trees and the customer’s house, the environmental impacts of the natural tree can become worse. For instance, customers who travel over 16 km from their house to the store (instead of 5 km) to buy a natural tree would be better off with an artificial tree. ... [C]arpooling or biking to work only one to three weeks per year would offset the carbon emissions from both types of Christmas trees."
The PE Americas report strikes a similar theme: "Initially, global warming potential (GWP) for the landfilled natural tree is negative, in other words the life cycle of a landfilled natural tree that is a GWP sink. Therefore, the more natural trees purchased, the greater the environmental global warming benefit (the more negative GWP becomes). However, with increased transport to pick up the natural tree, the overall landfilled natural tree life cycled becomes less negative. When car transport becomes greater than 5 miles (one‐way), the overall life cycle of the natural tree is no longer negative, and there is a positive GWP contribution."
Even the tree stand for a natural tree has an environmental cost that can be considered in the same breath with the costs of a natural tree. PE Americas: "The tree stand is a significant contributor to the overall impact of the natural tree life cycle with impacts ranging from 3% to 41% depending on the impact category and End‐of‐Life disposal option."
I would add that the environment effect of the ornaments on the trees may be as large or greater than the effect of the tree itself. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that America imported $1 billion in Christmas tree ornaments from China (the leading supplier) between January to September 2012, but only $140 million worth of artificial Christmas trees. Thus, spending on ornaments is something like six times as high as spending on trees. The choice of what kind of lights on the tree, or whether to drape the house and front yard with lights, is a more momentous environmental decision than the tree itself.
Of course, these kinds of comparisons don't even try to compare the environmental cost of the tree with the cost of the presents under the tree, or the long-distance travel to attend a family gathering. Thus, the PE Americas study concludes: "Consumers who wish to celebrate the holidays with a Christmas tree should do so knowing that the overall environmental impacts of both natural and artificial trees are extremely small when compared to other daily activities such as driving a car. Neither natural nor artificial Christmas tree purchases constitute a significant environmental impact within most American lifestyles." Similarly, ellipsos writes: "Although the dilemma between the natural and artificial Christmas trees will continue to surface every year before Christmas, it is now clear from this LCA study that, regardless of the chosen type of tree, the impacts on the environment are negligible compared to other activities, such as car use."
Certainly, celebrations at holidays and big events can sometimes be exorbitant and over the top. But the use of a Christmas tree, and the choice between a natural tree or an artificial tree, is a small-scale luxury. If the environmental issue is bothering you, even knowing these facts, make a resolution to use your artificial tree for a few more years, rather than replacing it, or to save some energy in January by driving less or being more vigilant about turning off unneeded lights. Gathering around the tree should be one less reason for moralizing around the holidays, not one more. So celebrate with good cheer and generous moderation.
Charles Dickens wrote what has become one of the iconic stories of Christmas day and Christmas spirit in "A Christmas Carol." But of course, the experiences of Ebenezer Scrooge are a story, not a piece of reporting. Yesterday, I offered an article by Charles Dickens about his views of "masters" and "hands" during a textile strike, written for the weekly journal Household Words that Dickens edited from 1850 to 1859. Here's another piece from Dickens from the journal from the issue of January 26, 1856, with his first-person reporting on "A Nightly Scene in London." Poverty in high-income countries is no longer as ghastly as in Victorian England, but for those who take the time to see it in our own time and place, surely it is ghastly enough.
Economists might also take note of Dickens's comment on the reactions to poverty certain economists of his day, who he calls "the unreasonable disciples of a reasonable school." He writes: "I know that the unreasonable disciples of a reasonable school, demented disciples who push arithmetic and political economy beyond all bounds of sense (not to speak of such a weakness as humanity), and hold them to be all-sufficient for every case, can easily prove that such things ought to be, and that no man has any business to mind them. Without disparaging those indispensable sciences in their sanity, I utterly renounce and abominate them in their insanity ..." [Note: A version of this post appeared a year ago on this blog, on Christmas Day 2014.] Here's Dickens:
On the fifth of last November, I, the Conductor of this journal, accompanied by a friend well-known to the public, accidentally strayed into Whitechapel. It was a miserable evening; very dark, very muddy, and raining hard.
There are many woful sights in that part of London, and it has been well-known to me in most of its aspects for many years. We had forgotten the mud and rain in slowly walking along and looking about us, when we found ourselves, at eight o'clock, before the Workhouse.
Crouched against the wall of the Workhouse, in the dark street, on the muddy pavement-stones, with the rain raining upon them, were five bundles of rags. They were motionless, and had no resemblance to the human form. Five great beehives, covered with rags— five dead bodies taken out of graves, tied neck and heels, and covered with rags— would have looked like those five bundles upon which the rain rained down in the public street.
"What is this! " said my companion. "What is this!"
"Some miserable people shut out of the Casual Ward, I think," said I.
We had stopped before the five ragged mounds, and were quite rooted to the spot by their horrible appearance. Five awful Sphinxes by the wayside, crying to every passer-by, " Stop and guess! What is to be the end of a state of society that leaves us here!"
As we stood looking at them, a decent working-man, having the appearance of a stone-mason, touched me on the shoulder.
"This is an awful sight, sir," said he, "in a Christian country!"
"GOD knows it is, my friend," said I.
"I have often seen it much worse than this, as I have been going home from my work. I have counted fifteen, twenty, five-and-twenty, many a time. It's a shocking thing to see."
"A shocking thing, indeed," said I and my companion together. The man lingered near
us a little while, wished us good-night, and went on.
We should have felt it brutal in us who had a better chance of being heard than the working-man, to leave the thing as it was, so we knocked at the Workhouse Gate. I undertook to be spokesman. The moment the gate was opened by an old pauper, I went in, followed close by my companion. I lost no
time in passing the old porter, for I saw in his watery eye a disposition to shut us out.
"Be so good as to give that card to the master of the Workhouse, and say I shall be glad to speak to him for a moment."
We were in a kind of covered gateway, and the old porter went across it with the card. Before he had got to a door on our left, a man in a cloak and hat bounced out of it very sharply, as if he were in the nightly habit of being bullied and of returning the compliment.
"Now, gentlemen," said he in a loud voice, "what do you want here?"
"First," said I, " will you do me the favor to look at that card in your hand. Perhaps you may know my name."
"Yes," says he, looking at it. " I know this name."
"Good. I only want to ask you a plain question in a civil manner, and there is not the least occasion for either of us to be angry. It would be very foolish in me to blame you, and I don't blame you. I may
find fault with the system you administer, but pray understand that I know you are here to do a duty pointed out to you, and that I have no doubt you do it. Now, I hope you won't object to tell me what I want to know."
"No," said he, quite mollified, and very reasonable, " not at all. What is it?"
"Do you know that there are five wretched creatures outside?"
"I haven't seen them, but I dare say there are."
"Do you doubt that there are?"
"No, not at all. There might be many more."
''Are they men? Or women?"
"Women, I suppose. Very likely one or two of them were there last night, and the night before last."
"There all night, do you mean?"
"Very likely."
My companion and I looked at one another, and the master of the Workhouse added quickly, " Why, Lord bless my soul, what am I to do? What can I do ? The place is full. The place is always full—every night. I must give the preference to women with children, mustn't I? You wouldn't have me not do that?"
"Surely not," said I. "It is a very humane principle, and quite right; and I am glad to hear of it. Don't forget that I don't blame you."
"Well!" said he. And subdued himself again. ...
"Just so. I wanted to know no more. You have answered my question civilly and readily, and I am much obliged to you. I have nothing to say against you, but quite the contrary. Good night!"
"Good night, gentlemen!" And out we came again.
We went to the ragged bundle nearest to the Workhouse-door, and I touched it. No movement replying, I gently shook it. The rags began to be slowly stirred within, and by little and little a head was unshrouded. The head of a young woman of three or four and twenty, as I should judge; gaunt with want, and foul with dirt; but not naturally ugly.
"Tell us," said I, stooping down. "Why are you lying here?"
"Because I can't get into the Workhouse."
She spoke in a faint dull way, and had no curiosity or interest left. She looked dreamily at the black sky and the falling rain, but never looked at me or my companion.
"Were you here last night?"
"Yes, All last night. And the night afore too."
"Do you know any of these others?"
"I know her next but one. She was here last night, and she told me she come out of Essex. I don't know no more of her."
"You were here all last night, but you have not been here all day?"
"No. Not all day."
"Where have you been all day?"
"About the streets."
''What have you had to eat?"
"Nothing."
"Come!" said I. "Think a little. You are tired and have been asleep, and don't quite consider what you are saying to us. You have had something to eat to-day. Come! Think of it!"
"No I haven't. Nothing but such bits as I could pick up about the market. Why, look at me!"
She bared her neck, and I covered it up again.
"If you had a shilling to get some supper and a lodging, should you know where to get it?"
"Yes. I could do that."
"For GOD'S sake get it then!"
I put the money into her hand, and she feebly rose up and went away. She never thanked me, never looked at me— melted away into the miserable night, in the strangest manner I ever saw. I have seen many strange things, but not one that has left a deeper impression on my memory than the dull impassive way in which that worn-out heap of misery took that piece of money, and was lost.
One by one I spoke to all the five. In every one, interest and curiosity were as extinct as in the first. They were all dull and languid. No one made any sort of profession or complaint; no one cared to look at me; no one thanked me. When I came to the third, I suppose she saw that my companion
and I glanced, with a new horror upon us, at the two last, who had dropped against each other in their sleep, and were lying like broken images. She said, she believed they were young sisters. These were the only words that were originated among the five.
And now let me close this terrible account with a redeeming and beautiful trait of the poorest of the poor. When we came out of the Workhouse, we had gone across the road to a public house, finding ourselves without silver, to get change for a sovereign. I held the money in my hand while I was speaking to the five apparitions. Our being so engaged, attracted the attention of many people of the very poor sort usual to that place; as we leaned over the mounds of rags, they eagerly leaned over us to see and hear; what I had in my hand, and what I said, and what I did, must have been plain to nearly all the concourse. When the last of the five had got up and faded away, the spectators opened to let us pass; and not one of them, by word, or look, or gesture, begged of us.
Many of the observant faces were quick enough to know that it would have been a relief to us to have got rid of the rest of the money with any hope of doing good with it. But, there was a feeling among them all, that their necessities were not to be placed by the side of such a spectacle; and they opened a
way for us in profound silence, and let us go.
My companion wrote to me, next day, that the five ragged bundles had been upon his bed all night. I debated how to add our testimony to that of many other persons who from time to time are impelled to write to the newspapers, by having come upon some shameful and shocking sight of this description. I resolved to write in these pages an exact account of what we had seen, but to
wait until after Christmas, in order that there might be no heat or haste. I know that the unreasonable disciples of a reasonable school, demented disciples who push arithmetic and political economy beyond all bounds of sense (not to speak of such a weakness as humanity), and hold them to be all-
sufficient for every case, can easily prove that such things ought to be, and that no man has
any business to mind them. Without disparaging those indispensable sciences in their sanity, I utterly renounce and abominate them in their insanity; and I address people with a respect for the spirit of the New Testament, who do mind such things, and who think them infamous in our streets.
Thursday, December 24, 2015
There's a sort of parlor game that the economically-minded sometimes play around the Christmas holiday, related to A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. Was Dickens writing his story as an attack on economics, capitalism, and selfishness? After all, his depiction of Ebenezer Scrooge, along with his use of phrases like "decrease the surplus population" and "a good man of business" would suggest as much, and a classic example of such an interpretation is here. Or was Dickens just telling a good story with distinct characters? After all, Scrooge is portrayed as an outlier in the business community. The warm portrayal of Mr. Fezziwig certainly opens the possibility that one can be a successful man of business as well as a good employer and a decent human being. And if Scrooge hadn't saved money, would he have been able to save Tiny Tim? It's all a good "talker," as they say about the topics that get kicked around on radio shows every day.
I went looking for some other perspectives on how Charles Dickens perceived capitalism that were not embedded in a fictional setting. In particular, I checked the weekly journal Household Words, which Dickens edited from 1850 to 1859. Articles in Household Words do not have authors provided. However, Anne Lohrli went through the business and financial records of the publication, which identified the authors and showed who had been paid for each article. The internal records of the journal show that Dickens was the author of this piece from the issue of February 11, 1854, called "On Strike." (Lohrli's book is called Household Words: A Weekly Journal 1850-59, conducted by Charles Dickens, University of Toronto Press, 1973. Household Words is freely available on-line at at site hosted by the University of Buckingham, with support from the Leverhulme Trust and other donors.)
The article does not seem especially well-known today, but it is the source of a couple of the most common quotations from Charles Dickens about "political economy," as the study of economics was usually called at the time. Early in the piece, Dickens wrote: ""Political Economy was a great and useful science in its own way and its own place; but ... I did not transplant my definition of it from the Common Prayer Book, and make it a great king above all gods." Later in the article, Dickens wrote: "[P]olitical economy is a mere skeleton unless it has a little human covering and filling out, a little human bloom upon it, and a little human warmth in it."
But more broadly, the article is of interest because Dickens, telling the story in the first person, takes the position that in thinking about a strike taking place in the town of Preston, one need not take the side either of management or labor. Instead, Dickens writes, one may "be a friend to both," and feel that the strike is "to be deplored on all accounts." Of course, the problem with a middle-of-the-road position is that you can end up being hit by ideological traffic going in both directions. But the ability of Dickens to sympathize with people in a wide range of positions is surely part what gives his novels and his world-view such lasting power. The article goes into a fair amount of detail, and can be read on-line, so I will content myself here with an excerpt. [Note: A version of this article first ran at this blog last year, on Christmas Eve 2014.]
Travelling down to Preston a week from this date, I chanced to sit opposite to a very acute, very determined, very emphatic personage, with a stout railway rug so drawn over his chest that he looked as if he were sitting up in bed with his great coat, hat, and gloves on, severely contemplating your humble servant from behind a large blue and grey checked counterpane. In calling him emphatic, I do
not mean that he was warm; he was coldly and bitingly emphatic as a frosty wind is.
"You are going through to Preston, sir?" says he, as soon as we were clear of the
Primrose Hill tunnel.
The receipt of this question was like the receipt of a jerk of the nose; he was so short and sharp.
"Yes."
"This Preston strike is a nice piece of business!" said the gentleman. "A pretty piece of business!"
"It is very much to be deplored," said I, "on all accounts."
"They want to be ground. That's what they want to bring 'em to their senses," said the gentleman; whom I had already began to call in my own mind Mr. Snapper, and whom I may as well call by that name here as by any other. *
I deferentially enquired, who wanted to be ground?
"The hands," said Mr. Snapper. " The hands on strike, and the hands who help 'em."
I remarked that if that was all they wanted, they must be a very unreasonable people, for surely they had had a little grinding, one way and another, already. Mr. Snapper eyed me with sternness, and after opening and shutting his leathern-gloved hands several times outside his counterpane, asked me
abruptly, " Was I a delegate?"
I set Mr. Snapper right on that point, and told him I was no delegate.
"I am glad to hear it," said Mr. Snapper. "But a friend to the Strike, I believe?"
"Not at all," said I.
"A friend to the Lock-out?" pursued Mr. Snapper.
"Not in the least," said I,
Mr. Snapper's rising opinion of me fell again, and he gave me to understand that a man must either be a friend to the Masters or a friend to the Hands.
"He may be a friend to both," said I.
Mr. Snapper didn't see that; there was no medium in the Political Economy of the subject. I retorted on Mr. Snapper, that Political Economy was a great and useful science in its own way and its own place; but that I did not transplant my definition of it from the Common Prayer Book, and make it a great king above all gods. Mr. Snapper tucked himself up as if to keep me off, folded his arms on the top of his counterpane, leaned back and looked out of the window.
"Pray what would you have, sir," enquire Mr. Snapper, suddenly withdrawing his eyes from the prospect to me, "in the relations between Capital and Labour, but Political Economy?"
I always avoid the stereotyped terms in these discussions as much as I can, for I have observed, in my little way, that they often supply the place of sense and moderation. I therefore took my gentleman up with the words employers and employed, in preference to Capital and Labour.
"I believe," said I, "that into the relations between employers and employed, as into all the relations of this life, there must enter something of feeling and sentiment; something of mutual explanation, forbearance, and consideration; something which is not to be found in Mr. M'CulIoch's dictionary, and is not exactly stateable in figures; otherwise those relations are wrong and rotten at the core and will never bear sound fruit."
Mr. Snapper laughed at me. As I thought I had just as good reason to laugh at Mr. Snapper, I did so, and we were both contented. ...
Mr. Snapper had no doubt, after this, that I thought the hands had a right to combine?
"Surely," said I. " A perfect right to combine in any lawful manner. The fact of their being able to combine and accustomed to combine may, I can easily conceive, be a protection to them. The blame even of this business is not all on one side. I think the associated Lock-out was a grave error. And
when you Preston masters—"
"I am not a Preston master," interrupted Mr. Snapper.
"When the respectable combined body of Preston masters," said I, " in the beginning of this unhappy difference, laid down the principle that no man should be employed henceforth who belonged to any combination—such as their own—they attempted to carry with a high hand a partial and unfair impossibility, and were obliged to abandon it. This was an unwise proceeding, and the first defeat."
Mr. Snapper had known, all along, that I was no friend to the masters.
"Pardon me," said I; " I am unfeignedly a friend to the masters, and have many friends among them."
"Yet you think these hands in the right?" quoth Mr. Snapper.
"By no means," said I; " I fear they are at present engaged in an unreasonable struggle, wherein they began ill and cannot end well."
Mr. Snapper, evidently regarding me as neither fish, flesh, nor fowl, begged to know after a pause if he might enquire whether I was going to Preston on business?
Indeed I was going there, in my unbusinesslike manner, I confessed, to look at the strike.
"To look at the strike!" echoed Mr. Snapper fixing his hat on firmly with both hands. "To look at it! Might I ask you now, with what object you are going to look at it?"
"Certainly," said I. " I read, even in liberal pages, the hardest Political Economy—of an extraordinary description too sometimes, and certainly not to be found in the books—as the only touchstone of this strike. I see, this very day in a to-morrow's liberal paper, some astonishing novelties in the politico-economical way, showing how profits and wages have no connexion whatever; coupled with such references to these hands as might be made by a very irascible General to rebels and brigands in arms. Now, if it be the case that some of the highest virtues of the working people still shine through them brighter than ever in their conduct of this mistake of theirs, perhaps the fact may reasonably suggest to me—and to others besides me—that there is some little things wanting in the relations between them and their employers, which neither political economy nor Drum-head proclamation writing will altogether supply, and which we cannot too soon or too temperately unite in trying to
find out."
Mr. Snapper, after again opening and shutting his gloved hands several times, drew the counterpane higher over his chest, and went to bed in disgust. He got up at Rugby, took himself and counterpane into another carriage, and left me to pursue my journey alone. ...
In any aspect in which it can be viewed, this strike and lock-out is a deplorable calamity. In its waste of time, in its waste of a great people's energy, in its waste of wages, in its waste of wealth that seeks to be employed, in its encroachment on the means of many thousands who are labouring from day
to day, in the gulf of separation it hourly deepens between those whose interests must be understood to be identical or must be destroyed, it is a great national affliction. But, at this pass, anger is of no use, starving out is of no use—for what will that do, five years hence, but overshadow all the mills in
England with the growth of a bitter remembrance? —political economy is a mere skeleton unless it has a little human covering and filling out, a little human bloom upon it, and a little human warmth in it. Gentlemen are found, in great manufacturing towns, ready enough to extol imbecile mediation with dangerous madmen abroad; can none of them be brought to think of authorised mediation
and explanation at home? I do not suppose that such a knotted difficulty as this, is to be at all untangled by a morning-party in the Adelphi; but I would entreat both sides now so miserably opposed, to consider whether there are no men in England above suspicion, to whom they might refer the matters in dispute, with a perfect confidence above all things in the desire of those men to act justly, and in their sincere attachment to their countrymen of every rank and to their country.
Masters right, or men right; masters wrong, or men wrong; both right, or both wrong; there is certain ruin to both in the continuance or frequent revival of this breach. And from the ever-widening circle of their decay, what drop in the social ocean shall be free!
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Why does some economic activity happen in the form of buying and selling within markets, while other economic activity happens through an administrative process of planning and actions taking inside of firms? What factors affect the decision of whether firms will tend to take a certain activity in-house, or instead will contract to buy that activity in the market? A recent article in The Economist ("Time and the Company," December 5, 2015), offered an intriguing take on this classic question:
"In the 1930s Ronald Coase, an economist, argued that firms existed to perform tasks that entrepreneurs were unable to do easily through markets. But another way of thinking about firms is that they are time transformers, mediating the different time horizons of customers, staff, suppliers and owners. Bondholders, for example, want a steady stream of payments over decades, a stream derived from customers paying instantly for products that take weeks to make and transport and that are sold by staff who are employed for years. The company is the body that can satisfy all of these constituents. This capacity to straddle time frames is most extreme in banks, which raise money in the form of deposits that can be withdrawn immediately and extend that money as loans that take years to repay, an inherently risky process known as `maturity transformation'. But the transformation of time is the business of all companies, not just financial ones."
At least to me, this comment doesn't seem quite fair to Coase and his classic 1937 article "The Nature of the Firm" (Economica, November 1937, pp. 386-405). (Those not familiar with the article will find it a readable trove of insights. A fundamental insight of economics going back to Adam Smith is how supply and demand through the price mechanism operates like a pattern of unconscious cooperation. But as Coase writes, these arguments for the merits (or problems) of the price mechanism don't apply very well to the decision-making that happens within large firms--and these large firms had exploded onto the scene and multiplied in the decades before Coase was writing in 1937. As Coase wrote, quoting D. H. Robertson, firms are "islands of conscious power in this ocean of unconscious
co-operation like lumps of butter coagulating in a pail of
buttermilk.”
It's true that Coase emphasizes that an underlying justification for firms is that using the price mechanism and the market is costly, because it required negotiation of contracts. Coase wrote (footnotes omitted):
The main reason why it is profitable to establish a firm
would seem to be that there is a cost of using the price
mechanism. The most obvious cost of “organising”
production through the price mechanism is that of discovering
what the relevant prices are. This cost may be reduced
but it will not be eliminated by the emergence of specialists
who will sell this information. The costs of negotiating and concluding a separate contract for each exchange transaction
which takes place on a market must also be taken into
account.
In that spirit, much of the work by economists since then on the theory of the firm has looked at difficulties of writing contracts that would specify under all circumstances what property rights would emerge. For a recent example of thinking along these lines Philippe Aghion and Richard Holden wrote an essay "Incomplete Contracts and the Theory of the Firm: What Have We Learned over the Past 25 Years?" for the Spring 2011 issue of the Journal of Economic Perspectives (25:2, pp. 181-97).
However, other parts of Coase's 1937 argument do emphasize that firms are straddling a time dimension. For example, Coase writes:
There are, however, other disadvantages-or costs of
using the price mechanism. It may be desired to make
a long-term contract for the supply of some article or service.
This may be due to the fact that if one contract is made
for a longer period, instead of several shorter ones, then
certain costs of making each contract will be avoided.
Or, owing to the risk attitude of the people concerned,
they may prefer to make a long rather than a short-term
contract. ... It may well
be a matter of indifference to the person supplying the
service or commodity which of several courses of action
is taken, but not to the purchaser of that service or commodity.
But the purchaser will not know which of these
several courses he will want the supplier to take. Therefore, the service which is being provided is expressed in general
terms, the exact details being left until a later date. All
that is stated in the contract is the limits to what the persons
supplying the commodity or service is expected to do.
The details of what the supplier is expected to do is not
stated in the contract but is decided later by the purchaser,
When the direction of resources (within the limits of the
contract) becomes dependent on the buyer in this way,
that relationship which I term a " firm " may be obtained.'
A firm is likely therefore to emerge in those cases where a
very short term contract would be unsatisfactory. It is
obviously of more importance in the case of services--labour--than
it is in the case of the buying of commodities.
In the case of commodities, the main items can be stated
in advance and the details which will be decided later will
be of minor significance.
In some ways, thinking about the nature of the firm as straddling a number of different economic relationships that involve different time horizons is not fundamentally different than an approach which looks at why firms may arise out of incomplete contracts. But the emphasis on different time horizons offers a different slant. In recent years, for example, the time horizons of many players in economic markets have changed: the time horizons of how long investors are willing to wait for a payback; the time horizon of new products emerging; the time horizon of how long workers and their employers expect them to remain with a single firm; and so on. As the time horizons of different players evolve, and the boundaries of what firms will choose to include or to leave out would evolve as a result.
Note: Some may be puzzled by the phrase "Time Lord" in the title of this post. Congratulations! You are even more detached from popular culture than I am, which is not a small achievement. There is a popular television show called Dr. Who, in which the main character is a "Time Lord." Ask a teenager for details.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
When mulling the market for lithium, consider two points: 1) the battery for a single high-end electric car uses an amount of lithium equal to more than 10,000 cell phones; and 2) electric vehicles are now about 3% of the 70 million cars sold globally, but in a decade electric vehicles could be 22% of the global market. Put those facts together, and you have a surge in demand for lithium. A short commentary from Goldman Sachs (December 5, 2015) is titled: "What if I Told You … Lithium is the New Gasoline." The GS analysts write:
"Electric vehicles are critically important to the growth in lithium demand due to
the much higher per-unit content in car batteries than in traditional consumer electronic battery applications. A typical cell phone
uses 5-7 grams of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) in its battery. A TSLA model S with a 70kWh battery uses 63 kilograms – an
equivalent content of more than 10,000 cell phones. ... Should demand
for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs) and BEVs [battery electric vehicles] follow the GS auto team forecast, we believe lithium
demand for all EV applications could grow more than 11x by 2025, adding more than 310,000mt of LCE demand. This compares to
current EV demand that represents only 27,000mt of LCE (17% of the current overall lithium market). In short, growth in EV
applications alone could triple the size of the entire lithium market from 160,000mt today to 470,000mt by 2025."
Rapid growth in lithium demand and production is already underway. According to the annual reports about lithium from the US Geological Survey in its "Mineral Commodity Summaries," annual global production of lithium haws more than doubled from from about 16,000 metric tons in 2004 to over 36,000 metric tons by 2014. Even with this rise in quantity produced, the price of a metric ton of lithium carbonate has risen from $5,180 in 2011 to $6,600 in 2014.
Lithium comes from two main sources: either it is mined from hard rock called sodumene, or it is gathered from underwater brine that is relatively dense in lithium. The US currently has one domestic lithium producer, a brine operation in Nevada. USGS explains:
"In the late 1990s, subsurface brines became the dominant raw material for lithium carbonate production worldwide
because of lower production costs compared with the mining and processing of hard-rock ores. Owing to growing
lithium demand from China in the past several years, however, mineral-sourced lithium regained market share and
was estimated to account for one-half of the world’s lithium supply in 2014. Two brine operations in Chile and a
spodumene operation in Australia accounted for the majority of world production."
Of course, a surge in demand for a certain mineral that drives up prices has predictable consequences in a market: 1) expanding the search for new sources of supply; 2) substitution from other uses of that mineral to where the demand is expanding, at least where it's cost-effective to make the switch; 3) expanded recycling of the mineral; and 4) an expanded search for alternatives to the mineral. All of these are happening in the lithium market.
There seems to be plenty of lithium out there, but the resources need to be developed. The Goldman Sachs report states: "At current production
rates, producing resources have more than 70 years of reserves available with roughly triple that capacity available in proved
undeveloped resources." The search for new sources of supply is well underway, as the USGS explains:
"Lithium supply security has become a top priority for Asian technology companies. Strategic alliances and joint
ventures have been, and are continuing to be, established with lithium exploration companies to ensure a reliable,
diversified supply of lithium for Asia’s battery suppliers and vehicle manufacturers. Several brine operations were
under development in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile; spodumene mining operations were under development in
Australia, Canada, China, and Finland; and a jadarite mining operation was under development in Serbia. Additional
exploration for lithium continued, with numerous claims having been leased or staked worldwide."
As lithium becomes more valuable for use in batteries, there is likely to be substitution away from its other common uses. The USGS reports that global use of lithium breaks down like this: "ceramics and glass, 35%;
batteries, 31%; lubricating greases, 8%; continuous casting mold flux powders, 6%; air treatment, 5%; polymer
production, 5%; primary aluminum production, 1%; and other uses, 9%." About 5% of global lithium production goes to the pharmaceutical market. Lithium is not essential for most of these uses.
When lithium is heavily used in batteries, it becomes easier to recycle, and such efforts are increasing. Again, the USGS reports: "Historically, lithium recycling has been insignificant but has increased steadily owing to the growth in
consumption of lithium batteries. One U.S. company has recycled lithium metal and lithium-ion batteries since 1992 at
its facility in British Columbia, Canada. In 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded the company $9.5 million to
construct the first U.S. recycling facility for lithium-ion batteries, which was still under construction in 2014."
Finally, there are of course other types of batteries under development, but at least for the medium-term, it seems as if lithium-based batteries have lead in electric vehicle applications. As the Goldman Sachs report notes, "lithium-ion batteries are not the only types of batteries being discussed, but they
are furthest along in development. We believe other technologies are more likely to impact grid storage than transportation applications
in the foreseeable future."
Monday, December 21, 2015
Apparently MTV broadcasts a show called "16 and Pregnant," in which each show tracks a pregnant teen-ager through the final months of pregnancy, and then through birth and the immediate period afterward. Although I fear the show will remain unseen by me, it is apparently watched by enough teenagers that all by itself it put a dent in the US teen birth rate. Melissa S. Kearney and Phillip B. Levine tell the story in "Media Influences on Social Outcomes: The Impact of MTV's 16 and Pregnant on Teen Childbearing," in a recent issue of the American Economic Review (105:12, pp. 3597-3632). (The AER isn't freely available on-line, but many readers will have online access through their library.) Their study is nice example of how modern social science seeks out and builds on a variety of evidence from TV ratings to Twitter accounts.
Kearney and Levine set the stage this way:
In 2012, 29.4 out of every 1,000 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 gave birth in the United States. This rate is considerably higher than that in any other developed country, where typical rates of teen childbearing are more often in the range of 5 to 10 births per 1,000 girls in this age group (Kearney and Levine 2012a). Though still an outlier internationally, the US teen birth rate has declined dramatically over the past 20 years, falling from 61.8 births per 1,000 teen girls in 1991. This decline has occurred in two distinct waves. Between 1991 and 2008, it fell largely continuously from 61.8 to 40.2, representing an annual average rate of decline of 2.5 percent per year. Teen birth rates fell far more rapidly in the next four years, dropping from 40.2 to 29.4, or 7.5 percent per year ...
An obvious question arises here. What factors might have contributed to teen birth rates falling more quickly after about 2008? One possibility is "16 and Pregnant," which started showing in June 2009. Kearney and Levine provide this background on what the show portrays
Among the girls on the show, ambivalence toward teen childbearing is rampant. Only 18 out of 47 report opposition to their pregnancy when they found out, although none report that they were looking to get pregnant. The girls commonly report that they did not think that they would have sex or become pregnant (36 of 47) and that they were ambivalent about getting pregnant (28 of 47). Only 5 of 47 report trying to avoid a pregnancy, but failing. Three-quarters of the girls (36 of 47) report not using any form of contraception at the time they got pregnant.
An important emphasis on most episodes is the relationship between the girl and the father of her child, who is typically her boyfriend. Of all the pregnancies, four led to a marriage prior to the birth and three led to adoption. There were no abortions. Almost all (40 of 47) of the boyfriends stick around through the pregnancy. Many fathers (31 of 44) live with the girl and her child afterwards and most of them (26 of 31) are heavily involved in the child’s life. Only four of the fathers are completely uninvolved. Just over half (24 out of 44) of the relationships between the girl and her boyfriend either collapsed or were very strained by the end of the episode. The show also emphasizes the implications of teen childbearing for the teen mother’s health and well-being. Consistent with national trends, 11 out of the 47 births (23 percent) occurred via C-section; some occurring after up to 26 hours of labor. In addition, in 8 of the 47 pregnancies the mother or her baby experienced a significant health complication. One mother needed to spend a full month in the hospital as a preventative measure. One baby needed to be airlifted to another hospital to receive needed treatment. The show portrays extensive sleep deprivation for the teen mothers. Overall, the realities of the lives of teen mothers are presented in ways that may have been unknown or difficult to imagine for other teens viewing the show.
Levine and Kearney collected data on how many teens watched the show in different viewing areas. Of course, there's a possibility that areas with high teen birthrates might also be more likely to watch the show--but this does not in fact turn out to be true in the data. The authors look at how MTV ratings were correlated with teen pregnancy both before the "16 and Pregnant" show started, and after the show started. They also look for cause-and-effect evidence of what happens right after the show airs. They write:
The results of this analysis imply that the introduction of 16 and Pregnant led teens to noticeably reduce the rate at which they give birth. Our estimates imply that this show led to a 4.3 percent reduction in teen births that would have been conceived between June 2009, when the show began, and the end of 2010. This can explain 24 percent of the total decline in teen births over that period.
Kearney and Levine pushed the analysis another step. They looked at Google Trends to see how common it was to see internet searches on terms like "how to get birth control" or how often Twitter was using terms like "birth control" or "abortion" in tweets. They found that these mentions on social media spiked around the time of episodes of the show. They write: "Large spikes in search activity and tweets about the show are evident exactly at the time a new episode was released. In some specifications, we also see an associated spike in Google searches and twitter messages containing the terms “birth control” and “abortion.” Locations in which the show was more popular experienced greater increases in these types of searches/tweets when the show was on the air."
The fact that a TV show can measurably reduce teen pregnancy is interesting itself, but there is perhaps a broader lesson here. Lots of what passes for teenage health education puts a heavy emphasis on some mixture of dire consequences and preachiness. This television show wasn't part of a public relations campaign--indeed, some critics has expressed concern that it might glamorize teen pregnancy. But as Kearney and Levine write:
This show produced by MTV was not specifically designed as an anti-teen childbearing campaign, but it seems to have had that effect by showing that being a pregnant teen and a new mother is hard—it strains relationships with friends, parents, and the baby’s father, and means physical discomfort, potential health problems, and sleep deprivation. Apparently those images affected teenage viewers’ motivation to avoid that outcome. This implies that addressing teens’ motivation for avoiding teen parenthood can be an effective tool and, furthermore, that compelling social media can be used as a policy lever to do so.
For those who would like an overview of some previous work by Kearney and Levine on teen pregnancy, here are a couple of earlier posts:
Friday, December 18, 2015
There aren't a whole lot of questions more touchy than whether children of married couples do better than children of unmarried couples or single parents. Indeed, a common response to this question is to evade it. See if you can spot the logical flaw in this syllogism: Proposition 1: Some marriages can be really bad. Proposition 2: Some single parents can do really well. Conclusion: There's no way to judge whether marriage helps children.
It's also true that providing persuasive evidence on the question of how marriage affects children is genuinely difficult. Just comparing children with married and unmarried parents is clearly not adequate, because married and unmarried parents are likely to differ in lots of ways--and compared with these other systematic differences, the issue of whether they are married may not be the most important factor to their parenting performance. Thus, I was delighted to see the Fall 2015 issue of The Future of Children, which offers an overview and eight essays on the theme "Marriage and Child Well-being Revisited." For the impatient, here's the punch line from the overview by Sara McLanahan and Isabel Sawhill (footnotes omitted):
Marriage is on the decline. Men and women of the youngest generation are either marrying in their late twenties or not marrying at all. Childbearing has also been postponed, but not as much as marriage. The result is that a growing proportion of children are born to unmarried parents—roughly 40 percent in recent years, and over 50 percent for children born to women under 30. Many unmarried parents are cohabiting when their child is born. Indeed, almost all of the increase in nonmarital childbearing during the past two decades has occurred to cohabiting rather than single mothers. But cohabiting unions are very unstable, leading us to use the term “fragile families”
to describe them. About half of couples who are cohabiting at their child’s birth will
split by the time the child is five. Many of these young parents will go on to form new
relationships and to have additional children with new partners. The consequences of
this instability for children are not good. Research increasingly shows that family
instability undermines parents’ investments in their children, affecting the children’s
cognitive and social-emotional development in ways that constrain their life chances.
How does one tackle the question of how marriage affects children in a way that opens up some insights? With no disrespect to the other essays in the volume, here are a few that especially caught my eye.
David C. Ribar asks: "Why Marriage Matters for Child Wellbeing." Ribar generates a long list of ways in which marriage might help children: for example, marriage on average may be associated with greater income, assets, and wealth; greater access to borrowing credit, and health insurance; availability of time, broader social networks, economies of scale and specialization in household production and family living; different patterns of inter-family bargaining; and less family instability, complexity, dysfunction, and conflict. If this a complete list of the pathways that that cause marriage to help children, then a statistical analysis adjusting for these factors should account for all of the differences between children who grow up with married or not-married parents. Testing this hypothesis is difficult, because data on a number of these pathways is limited. Ribar also points out that a number of these factors, and especially the economic factors, are somewhat amenable to policy interventions. But Ribar's judgement is that these factors make a difference, but do not account for all of the difference in how marriage seems to affect children. He writes:
While interventions that raise incomes, increase parental time availability, provide alternative services, or provide other in-kind resources would surely benefit children, these are likely to be, at best, only partial substitutes for marriage itself. The advantages of marriage for children appear to be the sum of many, many parts.
Shelly Lundberg and Robert A. Pollak take a different approach in "The Evolving Role of Marriage: 1950 –2010." They argue that the gains from marriage are shifting. Some decades back, marriage was about a division of household labor. Now, they argue that marriage is often about a commitment to make a joint investment in raising children, and those who have higher levels of income and education are better-positioned to be making that commitment of waiting to have children until after marriage, at a time when ready to commit to that joint project of marriage and raising children. From the summary of their article:
The primary source of gains from marriage has shifted from production of household services to investment in children. For couples whose resources allow them to invest intensively in their children, marriage provides a commitment mechanism that supports such investment. For couples who lack the resources to invest intensively in their children, on the other hand, marriage may not be worth the cost of limited independence and potential mismatch.
Gary J. Gates tackles the subject of "Marriage and Family: LGBT Individuals and
Same-Sex Couples," which over time should offer some new evidence on the effects of marriage on child-bearing. From the summary:
After carefully reviewing the evidence presented by scholars on both sides of the issue, Gary Gates concludes that same-sex couples are as good at parenting as their different-sex counterparts. Any differences in the wellbeing of children raised in same-sex and different-sex families can be explained not by their parents’ gender composition but by the fact that children being by raised by same-sex couples have, on average, experienced more family instability, because most children being raised by same-sex couples were born to different-sex parents, one of whom is now in the same-sex relationship. That pattern is changing, however. ... Compared to a decade ago, same-sex couples today may be less likely to have children, but those who do are more likely to have children who were born with same-sex parents who are in stable relationships. In the past, most same-sex couples raising children were in a cohabiting relationship. With same-sex couples’ right to marry now secured throughout the country, the situation is changing rapidly.
Finally, Daniel Schneider takes an interesting tack in "Lessons Learned from Non-Marriage
Experiments." He looks at a range of "social experiments"--that is, research studies in which people were randomly assigned to one group that received some kind of program or benefit, and thus could be compared to the "control" group didn't get the program or benefit. This methodology is widely recognized as being a powerful one, and these kinds of studies have been done in lots of areas, including projects in which the randomly chosen family received support for early childhood education, human capital development, workforce training, and income support. These studies were not designed to study marriage and children, but many of the studies collected data on marriage as part of the overall research effort. From the summary:
Schneider describes each intervention in detail, discussing its target population, experimental treatment, evaluation design, economic effects, and, finally, any effects on marriage or cohabitation. Overall, he finds little evidence that manipulating men’s economic resources increased the likelihood that they would marry, though there are exceptions. For women, on the other hand, there is more evidence of positive effects.
The evidence throughout this volume is inevitably limited and contingent. But it seems to me to support an argument that marriage (on average, and of course with exceptions) seems likely to be more than the sum of a list of ingredients like income and time. Getting married sets up a day-to-day context if interactions, expectations, and responsibilities that over time will often affect how you behave in a wide variety of contexts, including how you act when comes to raising children, and of course in other ways as well.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Back in 1981, actuarial projections foretold that Social Security could go broke as early as August 1983. A bipartisan commission, led by Alan Greenspan, was appointed by President Reagan and Congressional leaders to offer recommendations. Under political pressure from all sides, the commission process eventually produced a set of proposals to raise the Social Security payroll tax, phase in a later retirement age, and make some technical changes to benefit formulas that had the effect of trimming the future growth of benefits. These changes allowed the Social Security trust fund to start building up, with the idea that when the the baby boom generation started to hit retirement age around 2010, there would be enough funding on hand. But it was apparent even back in the later part of the 1980s that while the Greenspan commission agreement had bought a half-century or so of solvency for the system, Social Security might well need revisiting in the second or third decade of the 21st century.
Well, the retirement of the baby boomers is underway and the time for that next round of Social Security changes is arriving. The Congressional Budget Office has a useful report out Social Security Policy Options, 2015 (December 15, 2015), which lists the menu of options. As I read the report, which is so similar to other reports of its kind that I've been seeing for the last 15 years or more, I find myself thinking that there should be a political opportunity here. In the run-up to the 2016 elections, what party or politician is willing to look at the menu of options, pick a few of them, and then claim credit for taking the lead on fixing Social Security.
For background, here's the CBO figure showing the currently projected path for Social Security.
A few points about the diagram are worth noticing.
First, from 1985 up into the 2000s, the revenues going into the Social Security system exceeded the outlays. This was one legacy of the Greenspan commission reforms--that is, building up a larger trust fund.
Second, you can see outlays start rising sharply around 2010. Part of this change was workers in their 60s who were bushwhacked by the Great Recession and ended up going on Social Security sooner than they had planned. But you can also see that the rise in benefits payed (as a share of GDP) rises up to about 2035, when the retirement of the boomer generation will have run its course.
Third, notice that the system is now paying out more in benefits each year than it is collecting in taxes. It can do this because of the trust fund that was accumulated earlier.
Fourth, the trust fund runs out of money around 2034, which is why the the solid line in the figure drops down at that point, showing that if the system then relies on the taxes it is taking in, benefits will have to be substantially lower than currently promised.
Fifth, the gap between benefits and receipts doesn't change much after about 2035. This tells you that the Social Security problem is essentially a one-time problem, occurring as a result of the retirement of the boomer generation. If we can enact a series of reforms that moves up the receipts line and moves down the benefits line, then after about 2035 the system can be fairly stable for decades into the future.
So what does the menu of options look like? The CBO report lists 36 options, but many of them would have only a relatively small effect in addressing the overall problem. Here's a table that you may need to enlarge to read, but here's the gist of it. The lines on the right-hand side show what portion of the shortfall in Social Security over the next 75 years would be addressed by a given proposal.
The key point is that there are lots of proposals that would address major chunks of the the problem.
For example, on the tax side one might choose to phase in an increase of two percentage points in the payroll tax over the next decade, or to raise the amount of income covered by the payroll tax over the next 10 years up to about $320,000. Either step, assuming no corresponding change in benefits ,would solve about 40% of the long-run financing gap for Social Security.
Keep phasing in a later age of full retirement. For example, if full retirement age is gradually raised by by two months per birth year, it would eventually reach age 70 for workers who were born in 1978--and who are turning 70 in 2048. This step would solve about 30% of the long-run financing gap for Social Security.
Then tweak the benefits formula in a few ways. Given longer life expectancies and work histories, it makes sense to base the Social Security benefits formula on your top 40 years of earnings, rather than on the top 35 years. You could also use "progressive price indexing," where those receiving lower levels of benefits would see the same increases as in current law, but those receiving higher benefits would see a slightly slower increases over time.
Some combination of tweaks like this would raise enough money so that Social Security could both address its long-term financial troubles and even have something left over to raise the benefits of some of the poorest people receiving Social Security and keep them above the poverty line.
In short, fixing Social Security isn't rocket science. If you don't like my suggestions, pick your own from the lists above. But no party or politician seems willing even to talk in these terms. The political problem with seems to be that neither party is content with just fixing Social Security as it stands.
A lot of Republicans would like to see part of all of Social Security converted to a system of private retirement accounts. A lot of Democrats prefer a set of changes that would increase Social Security taxes on those with higher income levels and use the funding to pay the existing promised benefits--perhaps with some extra payments to those with the lowest income. Because this approach puts all the costs on those with higher incomes, but doesn't raise the benefits those people would receive, it would shift Social Security away from being a (mostly) contributory retirement system with a modest degree of redistribution to a system with a much heavier degree of redistribution. In short, both sides are taking turns either ignoring the issue or else pushing for their preferred changes at the expense of just fixing what's broke.
The Greenspan commission reforms back in the early 1980s only got traction when the system was scheduled to go broke in two years. Maybe our fractured political system is incapable of addressing this issue until the trust fund has less than two years to run. But I do wonder if there wouldn't be a political advantage to some party or politician from saying: "Here's a common-sense approach to fixing Social Security. Sure, it doesn't make all the changes I'd prefer to see, but it will work, and it will bring at least another half-century or more of solvency."
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JING-YUE'S FULL EDITION OF THE STANDARDIZED MATERIA MEDICA: "Liquorice is a neutralizing agent, able to harmonize the effects of other herbs. It can work with antitoxins to alleviate poisons, it can moderate the effects of harsh medicines, it can be used to assist the effects of herbs in relieving exterior syndromes, it can slow the effect of purgatives... used with winvigorating herbs it can promote the qi, used with blood tonics it can help the blood. It can function anywhere and with any herb."
THE HERBAL CLASSIC OF SHEN NONG: "Liquorice is sweet and mild in flavour. It is mainly used to treat pathogenic factors, chills and fever within the internal organs, strengthen the physique, enhance muscle, increase strength... and to relieve internal heat and fevers. Taken for a long time, it will relax the body and lengthen one's life."
Western Research
Eur J Pharmacol. 2003 May 23;469(1-3):159-63.Antitussive principles of Glycyrrhizae radix, a main component of the Kampo preparations Bakumondo-to (Mai-men-dong-tang).
Kamei J, Nakamura R, Ichiki H, Kubo M.
Department of Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hoshi University, 4-41, Ebara 2-chome, Shinagawa, Tokyo 142-8501, Japan.
We attempted to elucidate the antitussive principles of Glycyrrhizae radix, a main component of Bakumondo-to (Mai-men-dong-tang). Although the 50% methanol-eluted fraction (100 mg/kg, p.o.) caused a more than 60% reduction in the number of capsaicin-induced coughs, neither the water-eluted nor 100% ethanol-eluted fractions of water extract of G. radix had antitussive effects. The water extract of G. radix contained high levels of liquiritin, liquiritin apioside, isoliquiritin, isoliquiritin apioside and glycyrrhizin. On the other hand, the 50% methanol-eluted fraction contained mainly liquiritin and liquiritin apioside, but not the other compounds. Liquiritin apioside (3-30 mg/kg, p.o.), but not liquiritin, isoliquiritin, isoliquiritin apioside or glycyrrhizin, dose-dependently inhibited the number of coughs. Methysergide, a serotonin receptor antagonist, antagonized the antitussive effect of liquiritin apioside. However, the antitussive effect of liquiritin apioside was not antagonized by naloxone. Pretreatment with glibenclamide (3 mg/kg, i.p.), an ATP-sensitive potassium channel blocker, also significantly reduced the antinociceptive effect of liquiritin apioside. These results suggest that G. radix contains a potent antitussive compound, liquilitin apioside, whose antitussive effect may depend on both peripheral and central mechanisms.
Am J Chin Med. 2005;33(5):817-29.Activity of wen-pi-tang, and purified constituents of rhei rhizoma and glycyrrhizae radix against glucose-mediated protein damage.
Nakagawa T, Yokozawa T, Kim YA, Kang KS, Tanaka T.
Institute of Natural Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan.
Wen-Pi-Tang, an Oriental medical prescription composed of Rhei Rhizoma, Ginseng Radix, Aconiti Tuber, Zingiberis Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix, is used clinically as a medicine to treat renal failure. This study was conducted to examine the inhibitory activity of the five crude drug components of Wen-Pi-Tang and several pure compounds isolated from Rhei Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix against the protein glycation reaction. Rhei Rhizoma exerted the most potent activity, Zingiberis Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix showed relatively moderate activity, whereas Aconiti Tuber and Ginseng Radix showed weak activity. On the other hand, of 20 compounds obtained from Rhei Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix, tannins, especially rhatannin, RG-tannin and procyanidin B-2 3,3'-di-O-gallate, showed significantly strong activities that were more effective than the positive control, aminoguanidine. Some flavones such as licochalcone A and licochalcone B, and anthraquinones such as emodin and aloe-emodin, also showed inhibitory activity. These findings may help to explain, at least in part, certain pharmacological activities of Wen-Pi-Tang, whose clinical efficacy against renal failure is already recognized.
Phytomedicine 2000 Jan;6(6):439-45Protective effects of Glycyrrhizae radix extract and its compounds in a renal hypoxia (ischemia)-reoxygenation (reperfusion) model.
Yokozawa T, Liu ZW, Chen CP.Institute of Natural Medicine for Wakan-Yaku, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
Glycyrrhizae radix water extract (GRWE) and its two major constituents significantly suppressed LDH leakage and MDA release. They may be promising for amelioration of hypoxia (ischemia)-reoxygenation (reperfusion) injury and improvement of renal function by acting directly or indirectly as antioxidant and oxygen radical-scavenging agents.
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