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Overview: In the midst of an outbreak of a zombie virus, a father and daughter pick up a hitchhiker who has a nasty secret - she's a vampire. Luckily, the father and daughter have a secret of their own - they're vampire hunters. How's that for a coincidence?
Directed By: Vince D'Amato, 2004.
The Case For: With a title like "Vampires vs. Zombies," how can you go wrong?
The Case Against: As it turns out, you can go very, very wrong with a title like "Vampires vs. Zombies."
"Vampires vs. Zombies" sounds like a surefire winner, doesn't it? I mean, you've got vampires, which are inherently cool, and you've got zombies, which are inherently always trying to eat my brain, and are therefore cool. The title of this movie really sums up the entire plot. Or at least, it should. In a perfect world, a guy could go to the video store, pick up a movie called "Vampires vs. Zombies," and settle in for an hour and a half of bloodsucking badasses wading through a sea of angry zombies and zombie by-products, all tied together with a loose and infrequently addressed plot. This is not a difficult concept. I'll give you the script right now:
SCENE: Two HOT LESBIAN VAMPIRES walk down the street.
Hot Lesbian Vampire 1: "I sure do love sucking blood!"
(An army of zombies suddenly comes over the hill.)
Hot Lesbian Vampire 2: "Oh no! Zombies!" (Proceeds to kick monumental amounts of zombie ass, pausing briefly to have hot sex with HOT LESBIAN VAMPIRE 1.)
Bam! Cult classic. Seriously, that script is a one-way trip to Moneytown. That's where rich people live, my friend. Unfortunately for himself, as well as for just about everybody else on the planet, screenwriter Vince D'Amato said, "Oh ho! I know just the thing to jazz up this premise! I shall stuff this movie full of senseless, incomprehensible plot, much like I stuff my anus full of rabid, ebola-ridden spider monkeys that are also on fire." But he didn't stop there. "Oh ho," said Vince, grimacing slightly as he sat uncomfortably on his latest rabid-diseased-flaming-monkey wounds, "Now that this movie is full of good, rich, completely pointless storyline, I will direct it myself, so that I might personally ensure that no one who sees this movie will ever have any idea what's going on!" So sadly, Vince D'Amato took a premise that was basically guaranteed to make his movie an instant hit with the indie horror crowd in spite of his nonexistent budget, and he fucked it until it bled. The resulting wretched, scarred, abused, tortured rape victim of a movie is an unwatchable seventy minutes of shattered homes and broken dreams.
I've never been able to figure out how to have a dream about having a dream. It seems like a skill.
When the film opens with a shot of the moon that is shaky enough to mix a martini, it's like a quivering red flag, warning the audience that the bomb they are about to watch could register on the richter scale. After Vince D'Amato is properly satisfied that his moon shot has conveyed the complex notion of "it's night," the shot transitions to a young blonde woman asleep in her bed with the covers bunched up around her waist and her legs spread. This, as we all know, is the universal sign for "please let a female vampire bite me on the inner thigh." If you don't believe me, just try it tonight. Lo and behold, a woman comes creeping up from the foot of the bed, advancing on the sleeping blonde in such a way as to say, "I'm of a mind to do some thigh-biting."
However, it turns out that it's all a dream as the young blonde, Jenna, wakes up screaming. She does that a lot. And I mean a lot. This movie is filled with dream sequences, which serve as a heavyhanded method of foreshadowing, backshadowing, starboardshadowing, spiralshadowing, and general wasting of time. Of course, in a movie that's only seventy minutes long to begin with, and half of that is made up of dream sequences, there's not an awful lot to foreshadow. Here, I'll ruin it right now: Jenna gets bitten on the inner thigh by a female vampire. Nonetheless, she has more dream sequences than any single character in any movie ever. Naturally, this means she goes to sleep constantly, which is pretty much the only way this movie marks the passage of time, since, other than that first amazing shot of the moon, the entire movie takes place during the day, because everything's scarier in broad daylight. Oh wait, no, that doesn't sound right. That doesn't sound right at all! Anyway, since Jenna falls asleep every four minutes or so, but none of the other characters ever do, it's pretty much impossible to tell how much time has passed. That's not the only trick "Vampires vs. Zombies" plays with time, either. It also somehow manages to make seventy minutes feel like four hours.
Jenna wakes up in the passenger seat of a Jeep. Her father, Travis Fontaine, is at the wheel. They drive on down a road through the woods somewhere. Suddenly - and by "suddenly" I mean "way, way ahead of them" - a man in shitty makeup steps into the road. Judging by his bad skin and moronic behavior, it's safe to say that this is one of our zombies. Fontaine must see him standing there in the middle of the road, but he doesn't even attempt to slow down or swerve. He plows right over him. The zombie's head pops right off. George Romero be not proud. In fact, George Romero probably be pretty pissed off. Fontaine and his daughter just keep on driving, as if nothing had happened. Someday, if I ever have a daughter, I hope that we can run zombies over together too, just like the Fontaine family. Vince D'Amato apparently thinks that having his characters do something as traumatic as running over another human being without showing the least bit of reaction is the sort of action-packed sequence that grabs an audience, because he uses it as his launch into the opening credits. As the credits die down, a voice over begins that sounds like it could be shitty narration, but sadly we soon learn that it's actually just really, really shitty radio announcing. The guy sounds like he struggled to get through fourth grade, then just said "fuck it." The voice over explains that an animal attack may have passed along a strange disease that is making people show rabies-like symptoms. So in other words, rabies. The radio doesn't mention anything about the discoloration of the skin, craving for human brains, pack behavior, or inability to die from anything short of beheading. So it's safe to assume that the citizens of Middle of Nowhere, Anystate are well-prepared. Fontaine seems to be pretty knowledgeable about taking out the zombies. That's never really explained. I think we're just supposed to assume he got his degree in Zombology from Cornell.
Ah yes. This is perfectly normal.
The Fontaines come upon a car stopped in the middle of the road. Two women - Julia and her daughter Carmilla - greet the Fontaine when he gets out of the Jeep. A third woman who is bound and gagged sits in the back seat. Julia claims she's infected with the disease. Sure, Fontaine obviously must know the zombie disease well enough to spot one from a distance and be confident enough about what it is to run it over, but the fact that this girl in the back isn't exhibiting any signs whatsoever doesn't bother him in the least. The man runs people over without a second thought and doesn't even raise an eyebrow at strange women with an obvious hostage in their car. He must have had an interesting childhood. Julia asks Fontaine to take Carmilla along with them as she takes her "other daughter" somewhere to get help. That's just about the flimsiest pretense you could ask for to get Carmilla in the car. I'm not talking about the "Save one of my daughters while I try to save the other" bullshit that Julia dumps on Fontaine. I mean the entire zombie thing. Seriously, the only purpose the zombies actually serve in this pathetic abortion of a movie is to provide a reason for Carmilla to go with the Fontaines. Do you see what I'm getting at, here? This movie blows gopher pole.
Being the good samaritans that they are, in addition to needing to move the "plot" along, Jenna and Fontaine let Carmilla come with them. They drive for a little bit in awkward silence. Finally, Fontaine strikes up a conversation to keep the plot moving:
Fontaine: "I better get some gas."
Jenna: (Long pause)"That's a good idea."
Fontaine: "We need gas."
There's something ironic about the gas station attendant reading the Holy Scriptures, but I just can't put my finger on it... oh, I know what it is! A movie this bad means there can be no God!
See, without that conversation, we'd never be able to figure out why they stop at a gas station! Thank God for the clarity of the dialogue in this movie. The gas station scene is probably the longest scene in the movie, owing largely to the fact that everyone in it seems to feel the need to wait uncomfortably long before delivering their next useless line. It's all idle chat, as the gas station attendant gives Carmilla the restroom key and is generally a dickweed to everybody. A woman named Bob comes into the station and gives Jenna a necklace for no reason. It is later revealed that she also gave an identical necklace to Carmilla, but Carmilla crushes hers into powder. Seems pretty suspicious, doesn't it? The sort of thing that could prove vital to the plot? Too bad it isn't. In fact, the necklaces serve no purpose whatsoever except to tack another couple minutes of bad acting onto this movie. Come to think of it, the only point to this entire scene is for Carmilla to bite the gas station attendant's neck when he helps her with the bathroom door. Oh, in case I forgot to mention or you're retarded and couldn't figure it out, Carmilla's the vampire. I don't mean to come off as harsh, there, but there's really no point in trying to maintain any suspense about this movie. Carmilla's the vampire, and that's that. Never you mind the fact that, as I said earlier, the entire movie takes place in the middle of the day. In fact, it's probably best if you apply as few brain cells as possible to the grueling task of trying to figure out what this movie is trying to do. No brain cells went into making this movie; I don't see why any should have to be used to watch it.
I was betrayed by the bernio bros, the cougars, and this guy from back page I hired to keep me from jumping out a window at the DNC.
TOTAL WRECK - crazy-eyed hound is covered in cobwebs, has a vespiary on back, graffiti on side and savage thirst for boat fuel. Frankly, I'm in over my head. He's in room 115 at Motel 6, yours free. 555-2851
Something Awful reviews the absolute worst movies out there. We focus mostly on horror and science fiction, because all writers here on Something Awful are huge nerds. | <urn:uuid:52938e7b-3c3a-4580-af10-1becd0f3c954> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.somethingawful.com/movie-reviews/vampires-vs-zombies/1/ | 2016-07-29T23:36:07Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257832399.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071032-00213-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973598 | 2,482 |
Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Bromeliads for novices and Addicts - Dec 2012, 1 by splinter1804
Image Copyright splinter1804
In reply to: Bromeliads for novices and Addicts - Dec 2012
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Hi again everyone, another nice morning down here and hopefully another productive day in the garden coming up.
Shirley – Following what I said yesterday about your plant of Neo, 'Grace' x 'Break of Day', I followed up the past breeding history on the BCR and in the FCBS Photo Index. Unfortunately I still can't answer the question of why it is such a large “open” plant. Neo. 'Break of Day' was made by crossing Neo 'Maid of Honour' with an unknown pollen parent.
If we trace back the 'Maid of Honour' breeding line, we find that it is a result of crossing 'Ruby Jean' with Sarmentosa. As Sarmentosa is a smallish species I don't think the large size comes from there so I went back to look at what made up 'Ruby Jean'; this was the result of a crossing between Neo Chlorosticta (a smallish species) and Neo 'Fireball' (again a smallish plant) so I don't think the large size come from here either.
Neo. 'Fireball' is really an unknown quantity as far as breeding goes, some say it's a species and others say it's a hybrid. It originally came into America in 1960 with a shipment of bromeliad species for Nat De Leon from a Mr. Walter Doering of Sao Vicente Brazil and was at that time unidentified. As the years went by, Ralph Davis who was a “brom buddy” of Nat De Leon gave the plant a “pet name”of 'Fireball' because of its colour and this name seems to have stuck until this day. The plant still hasn't been formally identified or described and as this puzzle has been going on unsolved now for 52 years I don' think I'm going to find the answer either.
All the history known about the plant's parents point to smallish, more compact plants, so the puzzle still remains about where the large open size of your plant came from. Does anyone here have any answers or suggestions?
Yes I am still chasing Neo 'Lime and Lava' and would be more than happy to swap with you, and thanks for thinking of me.
Isn't it a coincidence, the new fridge we bought was an LG (Life's Good) brand as well. When the old one died, I rang up the bloke who has always serviced our white goods over the years. He is now retired, but will still do house calls to some of his long time customers, (says it keeps him in pocket money). Anyway when I asked what brand I should get, he said they are all mostly made in China now even the well know brands we have used for years, but his advice was based on the amount of times he was called to repair these appliances and he said without a doubt LG was the brand to get as he never has to repair any.
From what I've seen of Neo xCorreia-araujoi, the colours do vary considerably but the one thing that I have found with all of the ones I've seen is they are all big plants (3 feet+ across) with nice wide, thick leaves. I have one which has all of these great features except the colour which unfortunately isn't anything to write home about, see Pic.1. On the other hand the colour in yours I think is great and it should grow into a beautiful big plant. It can sometimes be similar in colour and size to Neo 'Moby Dick' as Ian says, but the leaves of my Neo 'Moby Dick' aren't as thick or as wide and that's an obvious difference.
As for your albo-marginated NOID, yes it possibly is Neo 'Predator' (Pic.2), which is widely spread around Australia and sometimes confused with a sport from it called Neo. 'Predatress' (Pic.3) also widely grown. These come from a grex which was made by C. Skotak by crossing Neo. ((carolinae x 'Painted Lady') x 'Takemura Princeps') x carolinae with Neo. 'Dark Spot'. [You'd need a long name tag to write that name wouldn't you?]. At first glance they look very similar but when you look more closely you will see that the leaf margins of Neo. 'Predator' are albo-marginated and those on Neo.'Predatress' are not.
Although not as widely spread around the country, there are also other “look-alikes”, and just four that I know of are Neo. 'Hot Gossip', Neo. 'Wild Gossip', Neo. 'Garnish and Neo. Milagro all which are more commonly grown in Northern NSW and Qld.. To add to the confusion even further, the BCR tells us that Neo. 'Hot Gossip' was previously known as Neo. Anna #40.
I have to agree with Sue and Ian about your final NOID, I too thought it was a Hohenbergia but which one I didn't know as I don't grow them. The thing is, now you have it and Neo xCorreia-araujoi, you now have to be able to pronounce the name!
Ian – Nice to see you drop in today even though you don't have any pic's for us, but your tip about the dry leaf tips is well worth remembering.
I was given a little tip a long time ago and that was........ “Brown leaf tips means not enough water” and “yellow leaf tips means too much water”. This is a good indicator of possible problems.
Sue – First let me correct you when you said, “the same as nev, A. 'Port Wine' on the other“, it wasn't Ae. Port Wine, it was Ae. 'Royal Wine' (maybe you've been at the Port Wine or you're getting it confused with the Port Wine Magnolia) Ha! Ha!
You mention Vr. Hieroglyphica seedlings, I was tossing up whether to grow some more from seed or not, but the lack of space answered the question for me. I found them very easy to grow from seed though and quicker than some of the other Vrieseas I grew and for a young “chick” like you I think it would be a very worthwhile exercise as they are always easy to sell. I grew two batches, about six hundred in the first and three hundred in the second and sold them all except the one I have left. They weren't sold to commercial growers either; they really just seem to sell themselves when people see them especially if you have a pic of a nice large specimen to show what they will grow into. I had a visit from a friend and a Dutch lady who had just joined our Bromeliad Society and she wanted one of these Hieroglyphica seedlings but she had already spent her allowance on other plants, so I gave her one in a five inch pot and as a joke I said, “if you grow this well you will win a prize with it'. Two years later she won the prize for the best Vriesea in the Novice Section of our show and you couldn't have seen a more proud and happier grower. In my opinion it is still the “King” of the Vrieseas.
Wendy – I too grew some Pitcainias from seed and like you I was quickly over them also. These ones were very untidy looking plants and in my opinion looked like just “so much grass” and something I would call a “nothing plant”; but then beauty is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it?
Your Billbergia ' Foster's Striate' x Quesnelia Liboniana could be very interesting. The resulting seedlings from this particular bi-gereric cross are called xBillnelias. For years I've often though about trying to cross a Ques. Liboniana with a 'select” Billbergia as they seem very similar in form and I knew they would cross as it has been done before and there are five or six already registered on the BCR. But most have used Bill 'Nutans', (nothing special in my opinion) See: http://botu07.bio.uu.nl/bcg/bcr/index.php?genus=xBILLNELIA&i...
As for crossing Ques. Tim Ploughmn with something else, I have seen quite a few results of this cross done by others and all it seemed to achieve was to produce a dull coloured plant minus the attractive curled leaves of the Tim Ploughman. They say for a cross to be successful, the resulting hybrids should be better than the parents either in colour, size or shape; these seedlings didn't meet any of this critera. Don't let me put you off though as you never know what will come out of the next seed pod as hybridising rules are being broken every day. I would suggest you look through the BCR and see what has been done before; this should give you an idea if it's worthwhile or not. There are crosses registered with Ques. Marmorata crossed with various Aechmeas resulting in xQuesmeas. As Ques. Marmorata is a parent of Tim Ploughman, this may be a cross worth trying. Anyway, have a look at the BCR and you will have a better idea of what to do, there's no point making the same mistakes of others is there?:
Bree – Yes the plant in your first pic is Amazing grace and a very nice brom it is too. As for the colour change in your second plant, that may just be due to the degree of light it was grown under. I don't have this plant nor of I know of it but as we all know, colours can vary in various positions in our own yard.
To finish off this morning, firstly for Shirley; a pic of my Neo. xCorreia-araujoi (to compare with her plant) Also for comparison are the next two pic's of my plants, firstly Pic.2 Neo. 'Predator' which although it's just a pup the differences in the leaf margins with , Pic.3, Neo. 'Predatress' is very apparent. The next two are not my pic's nor plants but show a couple of look-alikes. Pic.4 Neo 'Garnish' and Pic.5 which is Neo. 'Hot Gossip'. What you need to take into account is that if all of these last three plants were grown under similar cultural conditions in the same area, they could look very similar.
All the best, Nev.
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This is When You Know Your Media Has an Agenda
Look at the bottom.
That's the front page of the Post. A world leader and admitted terrorist who has killed thousands of people over decades has been overthrown and killed, and they use it to take a cheap shot at A-Rod.
Labels: douchebag, nypost, terrorism, world leaders
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 7:29 AM
This One Didn't Hurt So Bad
There is of course some regret in not seeing my Yankees advance, but in reality, I'm not overly upset about it.
This wasn't 2001, where Joe Torre refused to play the infield back.
This wasn't 2003, where Torre put Jeff Weaver in relief and left Rivera to rot in the 'pen for a save that never came.
This wasn't 2004, where Torre refused to bunt on Schilling because it wouldn't be "classy."
Those hurt. This one was simply disappointing.
This wasn't a Yankees team that was supposed to compete. This was supposed to be the year the Phillies beat the Red Sox in the World Series.
I didn't expect a title in 2011. The pitching staff going into the year was CC, Hughes, and Pray Not to Lose.
Jeter and A-Rod spent significant time on the disabled list. Hughes, the expected #2, spent an injury-riddled season struggling to come back. Posada's production fell off the proverbial cliff. Rafael Soriano, the expected "bridge-to-Mo," couldn't stay healthy.
This was a team with disaster written all over it. Then a funny thing happened: they kept winning.
This flawed, injured group of players wound up with the best record in the American League.
I'll break it down for you as simply as I can, Yankee fans: no other team's fans had a better time in 2011, with the exception of whichever team wins the World Series.
This year, I got to see the development of Curtis Granderson from a "nice little player" into a genuine MVP-level superstar.
I got to see Robinson Cano continue to emerge as one of the best players in baseball.
I got to see my team dismantle their chief rivals at the end and knock the favorites out of the postseason picture.
I got to see brilliant pickups by Brian Cashman, Freddie Garcia and Bartolo Colon, come out of nowhere to pitch not only effectively, but at a high level on a big stage.
I got to see David Robertson shift from a decent middle reliever into an All-Star and the heir apparent to Rivera.
I got to see a glimpse of a bright future for Jesus Montero.
I got to see Ivan Nova blossom from a guy considered such a fringe prospect he was a Rule 5 pick who was returned to New York to a bonafide Rookie of the Year candidate.
I got to see the greatest shortstop in Yankees history get his 3,000th hit.
I got to see the greatest relief pitcher in history become the all-time saves leader.
I got to see a lot. Fans of no other team can say anything close.
I enjoyed this regular season. I know most Yankee fans are of the mindset that it's only October that matters, and there is some truth in that.
Maybe it's because of the lowered expectations coming in that this loss doesn't hurt like the punches in the gut that were 2001, 2003, or 2004.
But maybe, just maybe, it's because I enjoyed getting there so much that, looking back, the final destination wasn't as important.
Yankee fans have become entitled and arrogant, expecting every year to win or else.
Sometimes, you have to enjoy the journey.
This year, I did.
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 9:29 AM
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
So, How Did That All Work Out For You?
Unbridled optimism: what usually gets you to look like a jackass after a season is completed.
Case in point.
2011 Red Sox Will Challenge 1927 Yankees for Title of Greatest Team in Major League History
by Eric Ortiz on Sun, Jan 2, 2011 at 7:41AM 362
The Red Sox have won 100 or more games three times in their 110-year existence.
They will make it four in 2011. But this team has the potential to accomplish something even bigger than winning 100 games.
The last time the Red Sox reached the 100-win mark was 1946, when they went 104-50-2 and lost the World Series to the Cardinals in seven games.
Prior to that, the Red Sox posted 101 wins in 1915 and 105 in 1912. Both seasons ended with World Series titles.
Will the duck boats be rolling through the streets of Boston again next fall?
Bookmakers like the Red Sox’ chances. Current odds put them at 9-2 to win the 2011 World Series. Only the Phillies, at 7-2, are bigger favorites, with the Yankees not far behind at 5-1 shots.
Championships, of course, aren’t won in January. But championship teams are built during the offseason, and Theo Epstein has put together a roster that would make Branch Rickey proud.
Look at the starting lineup.
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Carl Crawford, LF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
David Ortiz, DH
J.D. Drew, RF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Marco Scutaro/Jed Lowrie, SS
Speed. Power. Plate discipline. This lineup has it all. Good luck finding a hole from 1 to 7. Saltalamacchia is a bit of a wild card, but the 25-year-old could be ready for a breakout season. And whoever is the starting shortstop -- Scutaro or Lowrie -- gives the Red Sox one of the toughest No. 9 hitters in the game.
Besides a potent offensive attack, the Red Sox will boast airtight defense, perhaps the best of any team in baseball.
Turn to the bench, and manager Terry Francona has plenty of options.
Mike Cameron, OF
Darnell McDonald, OF
Marco Scutaro/Jed Lowrie, INF
Jason Varitek, C
Youth, experience and versatility will ride the pine like lions waiting to hunt. Depth won’t be a problem, especially with players like Ryan Kalish, Lars Anderson and Josh Reddick on the farm.
In 2010, the Red Sox scored 818 runs (second-most in the majors), or 5.1 per game. They hit 211 home runs (second in MLB) and posted a .790 OPS (tops in MLB). The offense, with even more weapons now, could demolish those numbers.
Yet one run is all it might take to win a game on some days with the starting staff the Red Sox have assembled.
Jon Lester, LHP
Josh Beckett, RHP
John Lackey, RHP
Clay Buchholz, RHP
Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP
Lester is a Cy Young winner waiting to happen. Beckett will notch more than six victories. Lackey should be better equipped to avoid the one-bad-inning syndrome. Buchholz has become a force. And Dice-K might be the best No. 5 starter ever. The Japanese right-hander is the only pitcher in the rotation who’s never been an All-Star, but this could be the year he ends that streak.
Every Red Sox starting pitcher has something to prove. While the Phillies might be the popular choice as the best rotation in baseball, don’t be surprised if people are singing a different tune come October.
When Red Sox starters have to hand the ball to the bullpen this season, Boston fans won’t have to have to cover their eyes and pray. The weak link in 2010 could be one of the best relief corps in the business.
Tim Wakefield, RHP
Scott Atchison/Matt Albers, RHP
Hideki Okajima, LHP
Dan Wheeler, RHP
Bobby Jenks, RHP
Daniel Bard, RHP
Jonathan Papelbon, RHP
Okajima is the only known left-handed quantity. But youngster Felix Doubront has talent and should see some action. Rich Hill, Lenny DiNardo and Andrew Miller also could contribute.
The right-handers in the mix all bring experience and different styles to the fire. Need long relief? Call on Wakefield to disrupt hitters’ timing. Need a middle-inning specialist to get key outs? Wheeler knows how to do the job, and Atchison proved serviceable last season. Albers could be a diamond in the rough. Want heat? Jenks and Bard throw seeds. Want to turn out the lights? Papelbon is pitching for a contract, so trust he will be ready to show he’s far from washed up. Reliability and consistency -- foreign concepts to Boston’s bullpen last season -- will be common words associated with this group.
Every day should feel like Christmas for Curt Young, the new Red Sox pitching coach. The former A’s pitching coach didn’t have anything close to the horses he has now, and Oakland’s staff posted a 3.56 ERA last season, the best in the American League and fourth-best in the majors. Imagine what he can do with a Grade A collection of arms.
The Red Sox were slated to win about 95 games last year. They won 89 despite injuries to Pedroia (a former MVP) and Youkilis (a possible future MVP). Add them back, along with the new players and a healthy Ellsbury, and 100 wins doesn’t just appear plausible. It seems downright inevitable.
So does a date with history.
The 2001 Mariners won 116 regular-season games to set the American League record for most wins in a single season and tie the 1906 Cubs for the major league record (though the North Siders accomplished the feat in 152 games). Both those teams failed to win the World Series. The Cubs lost to the White Sox in six games in the Fall Classic. The Mariners didn’t even make it that far, falling to the Yankees in five games in the ALCS.
The Red Sox have no intention of suffering a similar fate. The way they are constructed, they could surpass the 116-win mark, but nothing less than a World Series title will make Boston happy.
The 2011 Red Sox possess all the pieces to have a season for the ages. If everything falls into place and the breaks go their way, they could do more than set records and become champions. They could do more than take their place on Immortality Peak and end up being mentioned in the same sentence as legendary clubs of the past: the 1929 A’s, the epic Yankees teams of the ‘30s, the 1970 Orioles, the 1976 Reds.
The 2011 Red Sox could accomplish a feat that has never been done. They could unseat the 1927 Yankees as the greatest major league team of all time.
That would be something to celebrate.
To sum up:
- The Red Sox have won 100 or more games three times in their 110-year existence. They will make it four in 2011.
- Theo Epstein has put together a roster that would make Branch Rickey proud.
- Speed. Power. Plate discipline. This lineup has it all.
- Depth won’t be a problem.
- One run is all it might take to win a game on some days with the starting staff the Red Sox have assembled.
- Lackey should be better equipped to avoid the one-bad-inning syndrome.
- Dice-K might be the best No. 5 starter ever.
- Dice-K could be an All-Star
- While the Phillies might be the popular choice as the best rotation in baseball, don’t be surprised if people are singing a different tune come October.
- The bullpen could be one of the best relief corps in the business.
- Every day should feel like Christmas for Curt Young, the new Red Sox pitching coach.
- 100 wins doesn’t just appear plausible. It seems downright inevitable.
- The way they are constructed, they could surpass the 116-win mark
- They could do more than take their place on Immortality Peak and end up being mentioned in the same sentence as legendary clubs of the past: the 1929 A’s, the epic Yankees teams of the ‘30s, the 1970 Orioles, the 1976 Reds.
- They could unseat the 1927 Yankees as the greatest major league team of all time.
As my good friend June would say, you were WROOOOOOOOOOONG.
Labels: boston sucks, douchebag, mediots, nesn, redsox
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 10:52 AM
I N K S
R E V I O U
P O S T S
R C H I V E | <urn:uuid:b440554c-cec5-4d33-80ff-2d25cedd1a84> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://highandtight.blogspot.com/ | 2016-07-24T08:41:31Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257823989.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071023-00076-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953879 | 2,746 |
Chris Capuano l LHP l Los Angeles Dodgers
1999 MLB Draft: 8th Round (238th Overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks
2013 Team: Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB - NL West), Albuquerque Isotopes (Class-AAA Pacific Coast League)
2013 MLB Stats: 2-4, 4.62 ERA, 9 appearances, 39.0 IP, 28 K, 13 BB, .260 B/AVG
2013 Class-AAA Stats: 0-0, 1.93 ERA, 2 appearances, 9.1 IP, 9 K, 3 BB, .229 B/AVG
Capuano came off the 15-day DL for the Dodgers to start Wednesday in the second game of a doubleheader against the Yankees. He was impressive in the start, allowing three hits and no walks with four strikeouts in six scoreless innings. He earned his second victory of the season as the Dodgers defeated the Yankees, 6-0. For the year at the MLB level, Capuano has made seven starts and owns two victories. The Dodgers sit 8.0 games back of Arizona in the NL West.
Greg Burke l RHP l New York Mets
Signed as Free Agent
2013 Team: New York Mets (MLB NL East), Las Vegas 51s (Class-AAA Pacific Coast League)
2013 MLB Stats: 0-1, 4.05 ERA, 21 appearances, 20.0 IP, 18 K, 7 BB, .271 B/AVG
2013 Class-AAA Stats: 1-0, 4.66 ERA, 8 appearances, 9.2 IP, 7 K, 3 BB, .297 B/AVG
Burke has pitched five innings over six appearances. His most recent outing came in a Mets loss to the Chicago Cubs, where Burke pitched 1.0 inning and allowed two hits while posting one strikeout and one intentional walk. The Mets are 13.0 games back in the NL East standings.
Nate Freiman l 1B l Oakland Athletics
2009 MLB Draft: 8th Round (234th Overall) by the San Diego Padres
2013 Team: Oakland Athletics
2013 MLB Stats: .273 AVG (27-for-99), 8 BB, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 7 Runs, .330 OBP
Freiman continues to impress play in his rookie season with the Athletics. In an 18-inning game on June 13, Freiman knocked in the game winning run on an RBI single off Yankees closer Mariano Rivera to give the A’s a walk-off 3-2 victory. Among American League rookies, Freiman is third in on-base percentage (.330), tied for second in RBI (16) and fourth in OPS (.734). In the field, Freiman owns a .994 fielding percentage on the season with just one error in 194.2 innings played. The A’s sit in first place in the AL West standings, as they have won 22 of 34 games at home this season. As a Rule V pickup, Freiman must remain on the A’s active roster for the entire season or get sent back to the San Diego Padres.
Jim Gallagher l 1B l Chicago White Sox
2007 MLB Draft: 7th Round (239th Overall) by the Chicago White Sox
2013 Team: Charlotte Knights (Class-AAA International League)
2013 Class-AAA Stats: .272 AVG (44-for-162), 6 doubles, 21 RBI, 3 HR, 22 Runs, .320 OBP
Gallagher is enjoying his best season at the Triple-A level, as he is hitting .272 (44-for-162) on the season. After entering Tuesday’s game against Syracuse as a pinch runner in the bottom of the 10th, Gallagher hit a walk-off single with the bases loaded in the 11th inning Tuesday to give Charlotte a 7-6 victory over the Chiefs. With runners on base, Gallagher is batting .329 (25-for-76), including 19 of his 21 RBI on the season. Gallagher, has played all three outfield positions this season, as well as first base. In the outfield, Gallagher owns a .977 fielding percentage in 43 games played.
Alex Hassan l OF l Boston Red Sox
2009 MLB Draft: 20th Round (618th Overall) by the Boston Red Sox
2013 Team: Pawtucket Red Sox (Class-AAA International League), Greenville Drive (Class-A South Atlantic League)
2013 Class-A Stats: .478 AVG (11-for-23), 2 Doubles, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 4 Runs, 10 BB, .636 OBP
2013 Class-AAA Stats: .500 AVG (6-for-12), 4 Doubles, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 Runs, 1 BB, .538 OBP
Hassan was assigned to Triple-A Pawtucket of the International League on June 12, following his tremendous start for Greenville. With Pawtucket, Hassan continues to be successful, as he is hitting .500 (6-for-12) with four doubles in just four games on the season. In Wednesday’s contest against Columbus, Hassan was 2-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and a run scored. Hassan hit his first home run of the season in the bottom of the eighth inning that turned out to be the Pawtucket’s only hit of the contest in a 2-1 against Buffalo. He was rated by Baseball America as having the best strike zone judgment in the Red Sox organization entering the 2012 season. Hassan is listed on Boston’s 40-man roster.
Jeff Kremer l OF l Rockford Aviators
Undrafted Free Agent: Signed by the Rockford Aviators in 2013
2013 Team: Rockford Aviators (Frontier League)
2013 Frontier League Stats: .333 AVG (3-for-9), 1 Doubles, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 Runs, .333 OBP
Kremer became Duke’s 13th active player in professional baseball when he signed with the Rockford Aviators of the Frontier League earlier this week. He made his pro debut Wednesday against River City, where he collected his first hit. In a game Thursday, Kremer recorded his first multi-hit game (2-for-5) with a double and an RBI. Rockford is 6-22 and 12 games back of Gateway in the West Division standings.
Jake Lemmerman l SS l St. Louis Cardinals
2010 MLB Draft: 5th Round (172nd Overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers
2013 Team: Springfield Cardinals (Class-AA Texas League)
2013 Class-AA Stats: .244 AVG (47-for-193), 12 Doubles, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 29 Runs, 31 BB, .354 OBP
Lemmerman has a hit in five of his last 10 contests for the Cardinals. He is batting .244 with 47 hits in 57 games he has played this season. In his most recent contest, Lemmerman went 1-for-2 at the plate with a double and two walks drawn. Lemmerman owns a .949 fielding percentage at shortstop this season and ranks second on the Cardinals roster in doubles (12) and tied for fourth in home runs (6).
Christopher Manno l LHP l Cincinnati Reds
2010 MLB Draft: 26th Round (776th Overall) by the Washington Nationals
2013 Team: Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Class-AA Southern League)
2013 Class-AA Stats: 2-2, 6.66 ERA, 20 appearances, 25.2 IP, 26 K, 17 BB, .299 B/AVG
Manno has made 20 appearances out of the bullpen thus far during the 2013 campaign with the Blue Wahoos. He last appeared in a game June 15 against the Montgomery Biscuits and gave up two earned runs. For the season, Manno has struck out 26 batters while walking 17.
Ryan McCurdy l C l Houston Astros
Undrafted Free Agent: Signed by the Houston Astros in 2010
2013 Teams: Corpus Christi Hooks (Class-AA Texas League), Lancaster Jethawks (High-A California League)
2013 Class-AA Stats: .000 AVG (0-for-2), 0 Doubles, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 BB, .333 OBP
2013 High-A Stats: .250 AVG (9-for-36), 1 Doubles, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB, .386 OBP
McCurdy was activated off the 7-day DL June 14 and returned to the Jethawk lineup June 16. In his return, McCurdy was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a run scored. In addition, he drew a walk in a loss to Lake Elsinore. For the season, McCurdy has played 12 games for Lancaster and is batting .250. The Jethawks finished as the California League’s North Division first half division winner, as the clubs begin the second half of their season Thursday.
Dennis O'Grady l RHP l San Diego Padres
2011 MLB Draft: 34th Round (1,043rd Overall) by the San Diego Padres
2013 Team: Lake Elsinore Storm (High-A California League)
2013 High-A Stats: 2-3, 40.2 IP, 4.65 ERA, 45 K, 17 BB, .284 B/AVG
O’Grady continues to be used as the top reliever for the Storm this season with 26 appearances on the year and 40.2 innings pitched. He has gone at least two innings in nine of his past 10 appearances. For the month of June, O’Grady has allowed just one run in 8.2 innings pitched, while posting six strikeouts. His last appearance came on June 15 where O’Grady went 2.1 innings giving up three hits and posting one strikeout. For the season, O’Grady’s 45 strikeouts is third on the Storm roster and the most by a reliever on the squad.
Undrafted Free Agent: Signed by the Washington Nationals in 2012
2013 Team: Potomac Nationals (High-A Carolina League), Hagerstown Suns (Class-A South Atlantic League)
2013 High-A Stats: .273 AVG (3-for-11), 0 Doubles, 1 RBI, 1 Runs, .273 OBP
2013 Class-A Stats: .275 AVG (39-for-142), 8 Doubles, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 24 Runs, 26 BB, .395 OBP
Piwnica-Worms continues to shine for Class-A Hagerstown of the South Atlantic League, as he ranks fourth on the squad with an on-base percentage of .395, tied for second in triples (2) and second in RBI (28). He is having his best month of the season for the Suns in June where he is batting .300 (15-for-50) with four doubles, one triple and 12 RBI. In a June 15 game against the Lakewood BlueClaws, Piwnica-Worms went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored. He is ranked 14th in the South Atlantic League with a .395 OBP. In his 45 games with Hagerstown, Piwnica-Worms owns a .988 fielding percentage playing the outfield.
David Putman l RHP l Chicago White Sox
Undrafted Free Agent: Signed by the Chicago White Sox in 2012
2012 Team: Great Falls Voyagers (Rookie Pioneer League)
2012 Rookie Stats: 19 APP, 2-1, 2.73 ERA, 26.1 IP, 41 K, 12 BB, .240 B/AVG
Putnam will begin the 2013 campaign with the Great Falls Voyagers in the Rookie Pioneer League. The Voyagers will begin their season June 20 at Billings. In his first season in the professional ranks, Putman posted a 2.73 ERA in 19 appearances with the Great Falls Voyagers. In 26.1 innings of work, he fanned 41 batters while issuing just 12 walks.
Marcus Stroman l RHP l Toronto Blue Jays
2012 MLB Draft: 1st Round (22nd Overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays
2013 Team: New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Class-AA Eastern League)
2013 Class-AA Stats: 6 APP, 3-1, 4.15 ERA, 26.0 IP, 29 K, 8 BB, .262 B/AVG
Stroman picked up his second consecutive victory Monday against Erie, where he picked up his second victory of the season against the SeaWolves. Stroman allowed one run, four hits and a walk with five strikeouts in six innings. In his six starts this season, Stroman has posted 29 strikeouts compared to just eight walks. | <urn:uuid:0c048f04-9f02-4933-add1-e3e07035e3c2> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=208465856 | 2016-07-24T09:24:35Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257823989.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071023-00076-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942245 | 2,670 |
William F. CALKINS. A native son of Michigan who has shown distinctive initiative and executive ability, as well as broad technical knowledge along mechanical lines, is William Fenelon CALKINS, who has been essentially the architect of his own fortunes and who has risen to secure status as one of the representative captains of industry in his native State. He has been a resident of Traverse City since 1887 and is one of its honored and influential citizens, with large interests in connection with a number of the leading manufacturing enterprises which lend to the industrial precedence of Grand Traverse county, as further data in this context will fully reveal. He has been dependent upon his own resources from his boyhood days, and in his character and achievement he has signally honored the State that gave him birth and to which he accords unfaltering loyalty and appreciation.
Mr. CALKINS is a scion of a sterling pioneer family of Michigan and was born at Battle Creek, this State, on the 26th of November, 1855, the present fine metropolis of Calhoun county having been at that time a mere village. He is a son of Fenelon and Louise (PIERCE) CALKINS, both of whom were born and reared in Wyoming county, New York, and he is a posthumous child, as his birth occurred six months after the death of his father, the other child of this union being Emma, who is the wife of Oscar F. WALRATH, of Glen Ellyn, Dupage county, Illinois. The mother finally contracted a second marriage, becoming the wife of John C. DYKMAN, and she continued her residence in Michigan until the time of her death. William F. CALKINS owing to the death of his father, early faced the battle of life on his own responsibility, and while he thus had fellowing with toil and adversity in his youth the discipline proved valuable in developing and maturing a strong and resourceful nature and in prompting that ambition and self reliance that have made him a successful man of affairs and a progressive and useful citizen. He attended the public schools until he had attained to the age of twelve years, and he then went to the State of New York, where he remained for several years on the old homestead farm of his paternal grandparents. His broader education-and he is a man of large information and mature judgment has been gained principally through self-application and through the lessons received under the preceptorship of that wisest of all head-masters experience.
At the age of nineteen years Mr. CALKINS went to California, where he was variously employed, but within a few years he returned to Michigan and became actively identified with the great limbering industry, which was then in its zenith. He had already acquired a considerable amount of practical experience as a millwright, and after passing three years at Big Rapids, in sawmill work; he went to Muskegon, where he entered the employ of the firm of STIMPSON, FAY Company. He there remained as superintendent of the sawmills of the firm for six years, and had supervision of the work of a corps of eighty-five men. His early experience at Muskegon and Traverse City included the supervision of the manufacturing of more than two million feet of white-pine lumber, during the twelve years of his connection with the firm mentioned. After the closing down of the mills of this representative firm Mr. STIMPSON earnestly importuned Mr. CALKINS to join him in lumbering operations in the State of Oregon, where Mr. STIMPSON became a prominent and successful operator in manufacturing of lumber. Mr. CALKINS was tendered flattering overtures to assume the superintendency of the a STIMPSOM mills on the Pacific coast, but he had promised to remain in Traverse City and has never had cause to regret this promise, for here he has found ample opportunity for the achieving of distinctive success.
In 1887 Mr. CALKINS went to Traverse City in company with John J. FAY, with whom he became associated in the operation of the saw mill at that time known as the “Big Mill” of the firm of HANNAH & LAY. The mill was later purchased by John F. OTT, who operated it until the business was closed down owing to the lack of adequate supply resources, with the virtual exhaustion of the timber of this section. After having the management of this mill for a period of six years, during which he was still in the employ of STIMPSON, FAY & Company, Mr. CALKINS identified himself with the Traverse City Iron Works, then operated by the late William HOLDSWORTH, who was succeeded by the firm of THRILBY & JACKSON. Upon the retirement of Mr. JACKSON his interest was purchased by the late Robert W. ROUND, and in 1894 Mr. CALKINS himself became one of the interested principals, whereupon the title of the firm was changed to THRILBY & CALKINS. Under this firm name the business was successfully continued until 1908, when its expansion in scope and importance rendered expedient the incorporation the Traverse City Iron Company, which bases it operation on a capital stock of $100,000 and the executive corps of which is as here designated: William THRILBY, president; William F. CALKINS, vice president and treasurer; and George THRILBY, secretary. Mr. CALKINS not only gives close attention to his executive duties as vice president and treasurer but also has general superintendence of the plant, as a man of fine technical ability and as an expert artisan. Concerning his association with this enterprise the following pertinent statement has been made: “He is thoroughly conversant with every branch of the business and is considered an authority on many subjects in connection therewith. The plant builds gas-producing engines of the highest grade, and a specialty is made of the installing of heating plants, besides which the enterprise includes diverse other lines of work common to industrial concerns of this order.” A more recent phase of enterprise taken up by the company is in the erection and equipment of electric light and water power plants, and the corporation has assumed large and important contract of this kind in Midland, Barry, Missaukee and other counties of the State. In this special department of the large and substantial business the company give employment to a force of thirty men.
Broad-minded and enterprising as a citizen, Mr. CALKINS has ever been ready to lend his influence and co-operation in measures and under-takings projected for the general good of the community, and while he is a staunch adherent of the Republican party and has had no ambition for public office, his civic loyalty prompted him to accept the position of member of the Traverse City board of public works, an office to which he was elected in April 1897, and concerning his connection with which the following estimate has been given: “He served on this board for seven years, as its chairman during his term of office, and within his regime was completed the first street paving in the city, and it was largely through his efforts that the splendid work thus done on Front street was ordered by the city council. He retired form office with an excellent record and much to the regret of many representative citizens, who would have been glad to have him remain in the position indefinitely.”
Mr. CALKINS is a stockholder and director of the First National Bank of Traverse City and a stockholder in the People’s Savings Bank. He is president of the BROWN Lumber Company and also of the Potato Implement Company, which latter represents one of the important industrial enterprises of Traverse City. Of this corporation he was one of the organizers, and he has been its president form the beginning, besides which he is president of the Traverse City Brick Company, of which likewise he was one of the organizers. He has a wide acquaintanceship among the representative figures in manufacturing circles in his native State and his broad and intimate knowledge of mechanics makes his judgment virtually authoritative, the while he has ordered his course upon a high plane of integrity and honor and fully merits the unqualified esteem in which he is uniformly held. A reader and student, Mr. CALKINS has become a man of wide mental ken, and well fortified views, and he has taken special pleasure in the study of astronomy, besides delving into other scientific subjects. He is a member of the National Geographic Society and a member of the Northwestern Bankers Club.
In the city of Muskegon, on the 7th of November, 1882, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. CALKINS to Miss Annie C. ROYCE, who was born at Pembroke, Renfrew county, Province of Ontario, Canada, and who is a daughter of Isaac B. and Susan ROYCE, her father having been a pioneer fur dealer and later becoming prominently identified with lumbering operations at Muskegon, this state. Mrs. CALKINS is an influential and popular factor in social, church and club affairs in her home city, where she is a zealous member of the Central Methodist Episcopal Church, and prominent in its missionary work, as is she also in leading social and literary clubs in Traverse City, where she is also secretary of the board of trustees of the public library. Mr. and Mrs. CALKINS have one daughter, Lulu, who was born at Muskegon, in 1883, and who is now the wife of Frederick A. NOTEWARE, a member of the editorial staff of the Chicago Inter Ocean, now under the same control as is the Chicago Herald. Mr. and Mrs. NOTEWARE have a daughter, Margaret, who was born in 1904. | <urn:uuid:6f34bf44-3d2a-4ac1-8934-354981729d2a> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~muskegoncounty/Bios/WilliamFCalkins.htm | 2016-07-26T08:47:18Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824757.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00228-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986597 | 2,019 |
Several tools for importing bibliographic records into Evergreen can be found in
ILS/Open-ILS/src/extras/import/. We explain the purpose of these tools first, and follow with an end-to-end example of importing the Project Gutenberg MARC records for electronic books.
A complete sample of scripts, instructions, and sample data for importing bib records and holdings can be found on the Evergreen downloads page.
First, we'll introduce you to the import tools. Further down the page there are examples of how to use the tools to import bibliographic records into Evergreen.
If you are starting with MARC records from your existing system or another source, use the
marc2bre.pl script to create the JSON representation of a bibliographic record entry (hence bre) in Evergreen.
marc2bre.pl can perform the following functions:
psql -U postgres evergreen # SELECT MAX(id)+1 FROM biblio.record_entry;
marc2bre.plbefore loading the records into the database, you will need to keep track of the starting ID number for each subsequent batch of records that you are importing. For example, if you are processing three files of MARC records with 10000 records each into a clean database, you would use
–startid 10001, and
–startid 20001parameters for each respective file.
Note that if you use
marc2bre.pl to convert your MARC records from the MARC-8 encoding to the UTF-8 encoding, it relies on the
MARC::Charset Perl module to complete the conversion. When importing a large set of items, you can speed up the process by using a utility like
marcdumper to convert the records to MARC21XML and UTF-8 before running them through
marc2bre.pl with the
–marctype=XML flag to tell
marc2bre.pl that the records are already in MARC21XML format with the UTF-8 encoding. If you take this approach, due to a current limitation of
MARC::File::XML you have to do a horrible thing and ensure that there are no namespace prefixes in front of the element names. marc2bre.pl cannot parse the following example:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> <marc:collection xmlns:marc="http://www.loc.gov/MARC21/slim" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.loc.gov/MARC/slim http://www.loc.gov/standards/marcxml/schema/MARC21slim.xsd"> <marc:record> <marc:leader>00677nam a2200193 a 4500</marc:leader> <marc:controlfield tag="001">H01-0000844</marc:controlfield> <marc:controlfield tag="007">t </marc:controlfield> <marc:controlfield tag="008">060420s1950 xx 000 u fre d</marc:controlfield> <marc:datafield tag="040" ind1=" " ind2=" "> <marc:subfield code="a">CaOHCU</marc:subfield> <marc:subfield code="b">fre</marc:subfield> </marc:datafield> ...
marc2bre.pl can parse the same example with the namespace prefixes removed:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> <collection xmlns:marc="http://www.loc.gov/MARC21/slim" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.loc.gov/MARC/slim http://www.loc.gov/standards/marcxml/schema/MARC21slim.xsd"> <record> <leader>00677nam a2200193 a 4500</leader> <controlfield tag="001">H01-0000844</controlfield> <controlfield tag="007">t </controlfield> <controlfield tag="008">060420s1950 xx 000 u fre d</controlfield> <datafield tag="040" ind1=" " ind2=" "> <subfield code="a">CaOHCU</subfield> <subfield code="b">fre</subfield> </datafield> ...
Once you have your records in Evergreen's BRE JSON format, you then need to use
direct_ingest.pl to convert the records into the generic ingest JSON format for Open-ILS. This step uses the open-ils.ingest application to extract the data that will be indexed in the database.
Once you have your records in Open-ILS JSON ingest format, you then need to use
pg_loader.pl to convert these records into a set of SQL statements that you can use to load the records into PostgreSQL. The
–autoprimary command line options (
mfr, etc) map to class IDs defined in the IDL file (http://open-ils.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/ILS/Open-ILS/examples/fm_IDL.xml).
One you have loaded the records into PostgreSQL, you can create metarecord entries in the
metabib.metarecords table by running the following SQL:
psql evergreen # \i Evergreen/src/extras/import/quick_metarecord_map.sql
Metarecords are required to place holds on items, among other actions.
Once you've loaded the bibliographic records in Evergreen, you can search and view the records in the staff client, but they will not be visible in the catalogue. By default, bibliographic records will not be visible in the catalogue until you add a copy representing a physical manifestation of that resource. You can add a copy manually through the staff client via the Holdings maintenance screen, but if you're bulk-importing MARC records you probably want to bulk load the associated copies, call numbers, and barcodes as well.
There is currently no simple method for importing holdings based on the contents of the MARC holdings field (
852, as specified by http://www.loc.gov/marc/holdings/). However, a more or less automated method could be built that performs the following steps:
asset.copytable in http://git.evergreen-ils.org/?p=Evergreen.git;a=blob;f=Open-ILS/src/sql/Pg/040.schema.asset.sql;hb=HEAD for a complete list of possible elements
If an ILS has the concept of "item categories", these may be mapped to Evergreen via statistical categories in the
asset.stat_cat table. Note that statistical categories cannot be used as search filters; individual branches can define their own statistical categories; and define their own statistical category entries for individual items - best use case for statistical categories is probably for gifts.
Mike offered a basic example of a staging table import here: import via staging table
In 2009, Conifer placed their migration tools in the Conifer ILS-Contrib SVN repository, which might be useful samples augmenting the basic staging table import approach.
In 2010, Equinox contributed a set of migration utilities
For electronic resources that should be visible in the catalogue without any copies, you must set the
source column value in the
record.biblio_entry row for the respective bibliographic record to a value that matches the corresponding ID of the
config.bib_source where the
transcendant value is
TRUE. Here's a practical example:
psql -U postgres evergreen
# INSERT INTO config.bib_source(quality, source, transcendant) VALUES (50, 'Institutional repository', TRUE);
# SELECT ID FROM config.bib_source WHERE source = 'Institutional repository';
sourcecolumn for your bibliographic record for the electronic resource (for the sake of the example, let's assume that the ID returned from the new source was
4, and that we know that the bib record with ID 75 is an electronic resource from your institutional repository):
# UPDATE biblio.record_entry SET source = 4 where biblio.record_entry.id=75;
That's all there is to it! :)
==== OUT OF DATE
In this example, we will use all of the import tools that we previously described to load a set of MARC records into Evergreen.
The Project Gutenberg records are available in MARC format to enable access to all of their electronic books. It makes for a splendid set of data to load in Evergreen. To follow along, you can download the Project Gutenberg MARC records in .zip or .bz2 format.
Please note: command lines that end in
\ are meant to be continued by the next line.
perl marc2bre.pl --db_user postgres --db_host localhost --db_pw password \ --db_name evergreen gutenberg.marc > ~/gutenberg.bre
If, while running this command, you receive the error
Can't locate object method "ignore_errors" via package "MARC::Charset" at marc2bre.pl line 27., you need to update the MARC::Charset Perl module to the latest version (1.0 at this point in time).
perl direct_ingest.pl gutenberg.bre > ~/gutenberg.ingest
perl pg_loader.pl -or bre -or mrd -or mfr -or mtfe -or mafe -or msfe -or mkfe -or msefe \ -a mrd -a mfr -a mtfe -a mafe -a msfe -a mkfe -a msefe --output=gutenberg < ~/gutenberg.ingest
This step will take a while to order the output properly (all those
-or options) to avoid missing foreign keys before it actually dumps any content into
gutenberg.sql - be patient :)
psql -U postgres evergreen # \i ~/gutenberg.sql
This should result in 14449 records being loaded into the
psql -U postgres evergreen # \i Evergreen/src/extras/import/quick_metarecord_map.sql
This creates the metarecord entries in the database that are necessary for placing holds and grouping volumes and editions. Of course, with the Gutenberg records there are no volumes, copies, ISBNs, or other metadata, so these features will not make any visible difference with this data set.
3to tell Evergreen that these are Project Gutenberg records and need to be visible as online resources without having a copy attached:
psql -U postgres evergreen # UPDATE biblio.record_entry SET source = 3;
The '3' is valid because Gutenberg is a source distributed in the default tables. To verify, use
psql -U postgres evergreen # select * from config.bib_source;
If you've done a test import of records and you want to quickly get Evergreen back to a pristine state, you can create a clean Evergreen database schema by performing the following:
./build-db.sh <db-hostname> <db-port> <db-name> <db-user> <db-password> <db-version>
cd ILS/Open-ILS/src/sql/Pg/ ./build-db.sh localhost 5432 evergreen postgres evergreen 82
There will be some warnings and error messages… ignore them. | <urn:uuid:abfcdcde-4e03-42db-b26c-20b6cd905d1b> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://wiki.evergreen-ils.org/doku.php?id=evergreen-admin:importing:bibrecords | 2016-07-26T08:17:11Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824757.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00228-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.712944 | 2,590 |
Ever heard someone say, "He's so skinny he must have a tapeworm"? Tapeworms may seem like a joke to some people, but they can be a real problem in some parts of the world. In fact, a worm that can grow to more than 82 feet long, live in the intestines, and eat your digested food probably seems more horror movie than comedy.
Here's what you need to know about tapeworms and how to keep yourself from getting one.
What Is a Tapeworm?
Tapeworms are flat worms that live in a person's digestive tract. They can grow to more than 82 feet (30 meters) and live as long as 30 years.
Tapeworms are parasites. As you probably know from biology class, parasites are organisms that live in, or on, other organisms (called "hosts"). Parasites take their nutrients from the host, sometimes depriving the host of nutrition.
Tapeworms get into the body when a person eats or drinks something that's infected with a worm or its eggs. Once inside the body, the tapeworm head attaches to the inner wall of the intestines. The tapeworm feeds off the food that the host is digesting. It uses this nutrition to grow.
Tapeworms are made up of segments, and they get longer by growing new segments. Each segment can reproduce by making thousands of eggs. Since tapeworms can have more than 3,000 segments, that's a lot of opportunity to spread.
New segments grow at the head of the tapeworm, pushing older segments to the end of the line, where they break off. These segments, along with the eggs they contain, pass out of the digestive tract in the host's feces (poop). If the infected feces aren't disposed of in a sanitary way — like down a flush toilet — they can get into the soil or water.
Tapeworm segments can live for months in the environment, waiting for a host to come along. Animals like cows or pigs that eat grass or nose around in the soil can pick up tapeworm segments or eggs. When the tapeworm reaches the animal's intestine, the attach-and-grow cycle begins again.
If all of that sounds pretty scary (not to mention disgusting), there is some good news: Most tapeworm infections are easy to treat.
How Do Tapeworms Infect People?
As if tapeworms aren't gross enough on their own, the ways people get them really amps up the ick factor:
- Tapeworms can spread when someone eats or drinks food or water that's contaminated with infected feces. This is one reason why tapeworm infections are rare in places that have good sanitation. Flush toilets, sewer systems, and water treatment plants help keep feces out of the water and food supply.
- People can pass tapeworm eggs to others when they don't wash their hands after using the bathroom. Tapeworm eggs in feces can easily spread into food or onto surfaces like doorknobs.
- People can get tapeworms from eating meat or fish that hasn't been cooked enough to kill the tapeworm or its eggs.
What Are the Signs of a Tapeworm?
Most people with tapeworms don't feel anything. It can take months or years to notice any signs of a tapeworm. They can include:
- mild nausea
- abdominal pain
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
Sometimes, a person can feel a piece of the worm coming out through the anus or see it in their feces.
There are different types of tapeworm. One (fish tapeworm) can cause anemia because it absorbs vitamin B12, which helps make red blood cells. This can lead someone to feel tired, short of breath, or notice other signs of anemia. In severe cases of B12 deficiency, a person can have numbness or other problems with their nervous system. Getting rid of the tapeworm usually makes vitamin B12 levels normal again.
The eggs of another type of tapeworm (pork tapeworm) can hatch into larvae in the intestine. These larvae go through the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream. From there they can travel to different organs in the body, such as muscles, eyes, or brain, where they form cysts. This disease is known as cysticercosis. It is rare in the United States, but common in many developing countries.
With cysticercosis, a person might develop lumps under the skin. If the cysts are in the brain, someone might have seizures. Cysts in the eyes can cause vision problems; cysts in the heart can lead to an abnormal heartbeat; and cysts in the spine might cause weakness or trouble walking.
You can't get cysticercosis from eating pork. Eating contaminated pork can give someone a tapeworm in the intestines, but it won't turn into cysticercosis. In order to develop cysticercosis, people have to swallow the eggs of the pork tapeworm, and these eggs aren't found in the meat itself. They are found in feces and around the anus.
Cysticercosis happens when someone eats food that has been contaminated with feces. It can be any kind of food — all it takes is for that food to come into contact with feces. So, for example, if a person who has a tapeworm prepares a meal and doesn't wash his or her hands properly after using the bathroom, that person's feces can end up in the food.
When Should You Call a Doctor?
Tell a parent or call a doctor if you see worms in your feces or if you have abdominal pain or other symptoms that might suggest a tapeworm infection. You'll also want to call a doctor if you're showing signs of infection after traveling to a part of the world that doesn't have good sanitation.
People with masses or lumps under the skin who develop a fever, headache, or any of the symptoms of cysticercosis need to call a doctor right away. If someone has seizures or trouble moving, walking, or talking, it's time for a trip to the emergency room.
What Do Doctors Do?
To diagnose a tapeworm infection, doctors usually examine a stool sample for tapeworm segments. Doctors may need to get a couple of samples because tapeworms don't always show up in every sample.
Doctors can easily cure a tapeworm infection with prescription anti-parasite drugs. Often, just one dose is enough.
Tapeworm infection isn't usually serious. Most people have no complications. But in a few rare cases, large tapeworms can block up a person's intestines, appendix, bile duct, or pancreatic duct. This can lead to things like appendicitis or inflamed gallbladder. They're no fun, but they can be treated.
Cysticercosis is a much more serious condition. If the doctor thinks you may have this condition, he or she might order a CT scan (also called CAT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain to look for cysts. In some cases, anti-parasite drugs can help shrink cysts and keep them from causing problems. Doctors may also prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs (like steroids) for cysticercosis infections. If someone has seizures, doctors may give that person anti-epilepsy medications.
If someone gets hydrocephalus because of cysticercosis, doctors may put a shunt, or tube, in the head to drain excess fluid. Surgeons will remove cysts if they pose a threat to the eyes, liver, lungs, heart, or other organs.
Can I Prevent Tapeworm Infection?
You can protect yourself by always following these tips:
- Wash your hands well and often with soap and warm water, especially after using the bathroom and before touching food. If you ever need a reminder to wash your hands carefully, this may be it: Tapeworm eggs can be found near the anus. If you don't wash after wiping, you could end up eating your snack or meal with a side of tapeworm eggs.
- Thoroughly cook meat until juices run clear and the centers are no longer pink.
- Cook fish until it is solid in color (no longer clear) and flakes when separated with a fork.
- Freeze meat for 24 hours before cooking to kill tapeworm eggs.
Here are some things you should do if you're in a place where tapeworm infections are common:
- Wash and cook all fruits and vegetables with safe water.
- Avoid raw or undercooked meat and fish, raw fruits, and vegetables that you aren't able to peel yourself and any food from street vendors.
- Drink only water boiled for a least a minute, bottled water (carbonated is more reliable than regular), or other beverages in bottles and cans. Wipe the top of cans and bottles before you drink from them or use a straw. Avoid fountain drinks and ice cubes.
Most tapeworm infections are harmless. But it's always a good idea to get checked out by a doctor if you have symptoms.
Reviewed by: Rupal Christine Gupta, MD
Date reviewed: October 2014 | <urn:uuid:b2534002-cb79-4276-803d-78d283a0b1fc> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.seattlechildrens.org/kids-health/teens/diseases-and-conditions/digestive-system/tapeworm/?dn=seattlechildrens&kid=86293&lic=400&cat_id=20162 | 2016-07-26T08:20:29Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824757.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00228-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949312 | 1,940 |
General Information regarding Long Beach & California DUIs
Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a)
- Maximum 6 months county jail
- License restriction through the court
- First Offender Drinking Driver Program
- Fines getting close to $2,000 depending court
- Probation for 3-4 years depending on the court
- Conviction stays on your record for 10 years and can be counted as a prior offense if you pick another one up within those 10 years
(2) It is illegal to drive a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more.
Vehicle Code Section 23152 (b)
Punishment: Same as for the (a) section above.
So, if you drink and your blood alcohol level is not .08 and you are not impaired by the alcohol then you are not breaking the law. However, you can still be arrested for having a blood alcohol level below .08. How? Let’s take a look at just one hypothetical example.
The most common scenario is that you have had something to drink, not enough to get you to .08 and not enough to impair you ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
Detention Information for Long Beach DUI and Attorney Information
You’re driving down the street and unbeknownst to you your tail light is out. There is a cop behind you and sees that the tail light is out and pulls you over for that vehicle code violation.
Field Sobriety Tests Information for Long Beach and Los Angeles, CA DUIs
In the course of asking you for the usual license, registration and proof of insurance the cop asks you if you have been drinking. Most people usually say yes if they have (some people will say no and the cop will claim to smell alcohol on your breath and now, in the cop’s mind, you have started out lying). The cop asks you to get out, you comply. He asks a few questions about your drinking and asks you to do some “field sobriety tests.” You comply with the cops request because you feel if you don’t you’ll get into trouble. You go through them and feel you did well. The cop then asks you to blow into a small devise (PAS devise). This devise is supposed to measure blood alcohol level and gives the cop a numerical reading.
Arrest for DUI in Long Beach, Ca
Many times if you “blow’ a number below .08 you are arrested for driving under the influence, in violation of Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a). How can that be?? What did you do to demonstrate to the cop that you ere impaired? Well, it happens all the time and when you eventually see the arrest report you can’t believe your eyes. The cop may claim that you were weaving and had a tail light out, weaving being a symptom of being impaired by alcohol of course. You read on and see that the cop claims that you did badly on the “field sobriety tests” where you felt you did well. The cop takes the weaving, coupled with the admission of drinking, coupled with doing badly on the field sobriety tests according to the cop and confirmation of alcohol in your system per the PAS result. Final result, you are arrested and find yourself having to defend yourself.
The above example is an all too common occurrence.
Added Penalties for Second and Third offenses for DUIs in Long Beach, Ca
The penalties go up for a Second conviction within 10 years and for a Third conviction within 10 years there is a mandatory minimum jail time of 120 days to 1 year, your drivers license will be revoked by the DMV and you will be designated as a habitual traffic offender.
(3) Driving under the Influence Causing Bodily Injury
Vehicle Code Section 23153
“(a) It is unlawful for any person, while under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle and concurrently to any act forbidden by law, or neglect any duty imposed by law in driving the vehicle, which act or neglect proximately causes bodily injury to any person other than the driver.” (Emphasis mine)
The same applies to anyone driving a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of .08 or more.
Punishment: Punishable as a misdemeanor (county jail) or as a Felony (state prison).
If you injure someone serious enough, you can be charged with a felony which carries with it state prison time.
If you kill someone in violation of t his section you can be charged with either:
(1) Gross Vehicular Manslaughter while intoxicated
(Penal Code Section 191.5)
(2) Vehicular Manslaughter
(Penal Code Section 192)
(3) Murder (Second Degree) 15 years to Life in the State Prison
(Penal Code Section 187 et seq)
** “‘Gross Negligence’ as defined in this section (192) shall not be construed as prohibiting or precluding a charge of murder under Section 188 upon facts exhibiting wantonness and a conscious disregard for life to support a finding of implied malice, or upon facts showing malice, consistent with the holding of the California Supreme Court in People v. Watson, 30 Cal3d 290.”
The laws in California relating to DUI, Murder and Manslaughter are very complex.
Because of the potential devastating impact these charges can have on you, your family and friends I am very aggressive in my defense. I work very closely with not only the best investigators but also forensic experts such as Psychiatrists, DNA and Fingerprint experts, Identification experts, Accident Reconstruction experts and more. It is imperative to be aggressive and thorough in the defense of these types of charges because anyone accused of these charges could face life in state prison.
It is imperative that all means are utilized, many times at county expense to, essentially “level the playing field” against the district attorneys office who has unlimited resources in prosecuting cases such as these.
If you have been accused with any of these crimes please do not hesitate to contact an experienced DUI, Murder and Manslaughter attorney. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) Regulations for Long Beach, CA DUIs
The Department of Motor Vehicles in California has total control of your driver’s license.
The DMV doesn’t care what the court does, should you be convicted of driving under the influence, driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or more or injure or kill someone while either under the influence or with a blood alcohol level of .08 or more your license will be suspended or revoked by the DMV! The DMV doesn’t even care if the court dismisses all charges against you (however, there are ways of getting around this and eliminating the need to deal with the DMV). If you were originally arrested for driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or more or greater offense involving alcohol you still have to deal with the DMV in an administrative hearing where they have the power to suspend or revoke your driver’s license.
DMV Administrative Hearings for Long Beach DUIs are many times more difficult to deal with than the court system by virtue of the fact that the DMV has to be contacted within 10 days of your arrest to set up an administrative hearing (assuming a .08 or greater offense). Should that not be done, you are not entitled to a hearing relating to the suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, your license will be suspended or revoked!
Assuming they are timely notified and a hearing is set up, you are only entitled to be heard in front of a single hearing officer, not a jury of your peers as in the court system, and the burden of proof is not beyond a reasonable doubt as in the court system but only by a preponderance of the evidence (51% v. 49%). It is a daunting task to go before the DMV.
Dealing with the laws and defenses relating to DMV administrative hearings for Long Beach DUIs is quite complex. It takes a DMV attorney who knows what to do and how to deal with these types of hearings. Because of the potential devastating impact these charges can have on you, your family and especially work by the loss of your driver’s license.
- How do you make a living if you can’t drive?
- What about medical issues relating to you and loved ones?
- Child care issues?
- What if you are a Commercial Truck Driver?
It is imperative to have an experienced that is aggressive and thorough in the defense of these types of charges
It is imperative that all means are utilized to, essentially, “level the playing field” against the DMV in a Long Beach DUI.
If you have been accused with any alcohol related crimes do not hesitate to contact an experienced DUI attorney; contact The Law Office of Keith Lynch (323) 209-5405 or by email at [email protected]. It is confidential and free. Don’t wait until it’s too late and your driver’s license is gone! | <urn:uuid:7330ca91-3f86-4c6a-a03f-cb756ac16a33> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://calegalteam.com/ | 2016-07-28T08:29:06Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257828010.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071028-00053-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948058 | 1,911 |
Western Sandpiper; drawing copyright Bridget Keimel
Basic Course Information
Meets: Fridays, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m, TLS 371
Instructor: Dr. Margaret Rubega
Office: PharmBio 500 Phone: 486-4502
Office Hours: By appointment
Your emails to me MUST contain the phrase "EEB 4261” in the subject line; email received without that phrase, and especially those with a blank subject line, will be DELETED, unread.
Teaching Assistant: Alejandro Rico Guevara
Office: PharmBio 404 Phone: 486-0309
Office Hours: Variable and flexible; by appointment
MANUAL OF ORNITHOLOGY (Yale Univ.), by N.S. Proctor and P.J. Lynch
BIRDS OF STORRS (Natchaug Ornithological Society) by G.A. Clark, Jr.
SIBLEY GUIDE TO BIRDS (Knopf), by D.A. Sibley.(Eastern or North American Edition)
(very subject to change; check back before every lab)
|Date||Required Reading||Subject||Meeting notes, and other resources|
|Jan 28||P & L p. 274-281,286-287; Sibley p. 9-14; Clark p. 1-19||Tools of the trade: Optics, Field Guides, Field Notes and Journals||Come dressed and ready to bird; meet in TLS 371|
|Feb 4||P & L p. 22-37, 47-65, 263-265; Sibley p. 15-21; Clark p. 21-40/ P & L p. 66-77||North American bird Orders; Topography and Field Marks; Feet, Beaks and Body Form||Bring P & L to class; meet in TLS 371|
|Feb 11||Handouts||Opportunities in Ornithology --- You Mean I Can Get Paid For This Stuff?||(Bring your resume, if you have one)|
|Feb 18||P & L p. 81-105||Feathers & Aerodynamics|
|Feb 25||P & L Chap. 5||Anatomy - Skeletons||Check for weather, and come dressed to bird (think about MUD)|
|March 4||MIDTERM EXAM; birding after|
|March 11||NO CLASS - SPRING BREAK - GO BIRDING!|
|March 18||P & L Chapters 6 & 7, 205-209, 219-226||Anatomy: musculature and internal organs||NO BIRDING - we will need the whole class period for dissections. Bring your Proctor and Lynch to class!|
|March 25||Handouts||Field Techniques: Survey methods|
|April 1||Proctor & Lynch p. 266-273||Weather and Bird Movements: Go Outside to EXPERIENCE both!||Monitor bird movements with Dave LaPuma! Clemson University Radar Ornithology Lab Birds and Weather worksheet|
|April 8||Bird, Bird, Bird – outside all four hours|
|April 15||Bird, Bird, Bird – outside all four hours|
|April 22||Handouts||Field Techniques: Behavioral observations|
|April 29||Bird, Bird, Bird – outside all four hours|
|May 4||8:00 – 10:00 am||FINAL EXAM in TLS 371|
Grading in this course is done on a straight percentage-of-points basis, i.e., to obtain an A, you need to earn 90% or more of the available points. The grades will not be "curved", and there will be no opportunities for "make-up" or "extra-credit" points. Attendance on the field trips is required. If you miss a field trip, you lose 5 points. If you miss a test, you will receive a score of zero. If you have a legitimate reason (for example, a death in your family) to miss a field trip or test, you may be excused (at the discretion of the instructors) IF AND ONLY IF you provide written documentation (for example, an obituary documenting a death in your family) within one week of missing the class or test. In cases where the instructors determine you have a legitimate excuse, there still will be no make-ups administered: you will be graded only on the basis of the points contained in the field trips and tests you did complete. NOTE that this method reduces the number of points you can afford to lose and still do well in the course.
SICK? First, do your level best to let us know before the field trip/class exercise/test. Second, if you are sick, believe us when we say that we don't want to see you in lab --- please be responsible, and don't spread germs by coming to class with a fever, or hacking and coughing. For illnesses, we pro-rate your grade on the basis of the point-bearing exercises you didn't miss. If you are sick for the final YOU MUST INFORM THE OFFICE OF STUDENT SERVICES in order to be allowed to take a make-up after final exam week is over. The final exam is the only point-bearing exercise for which a make-up is possible.
These policies have been developed over years of teaching this and other courses, and are designed to ensure fair treatment of everyone by eliminating discrepancies in testing and evaluation, and by eliminating differences in the amount of field and study time available to students. I am very willing to discuss my reasoning for these policies, but if you try to talk me into making an exception to them for you, you will fail, and probably make me grumpy to boot.
Point Structure for Grading
COURSE POINT TOTAL 300 POINTS
Test 1: 50 points, March 6
Final: 50 points, May 4
Worksheets/Quizzes 100 (10 at 10 points each)
Independent Field Observations: 35 points
Independent Field Observation Locations: Map of Hillside Environmental Education Project
Field Trips: 45 points (Field trips are required: you lose 5 points for every missed trip. Note that field trips are VERY subject to change, depending on birds, weather, circumstances, and whim. Don't assume you know what you are going to miss!)
Collections Work: 20 points (4 hours at 5 points per hour).
You are also expected to keep a Field Notebook:. At least 2 of the "Quizzes" will consist of unscheduled collections and grading of your field notebook.
All students should be aware of the guidelines on academic integrity contained in the Student Conduct Code. The Conduct Code is available at http://www.dosa.uconn.edu/student_conduct.html.
If you have questions, by all means collar me or email me and ask. I will post both the questions (questioners will be anonymous) and answers here.
Useful and Amusing Links
Feather Identification Resource Online! The Feather Atlas of North American Birds provided high-resolution scans of flight feathers of the major groups of birds; useful for comparison with found feathers whose origin you aren't sure of.
Jobs in Ornithology, the job board for the Ornithological Societies of North America. THE central clearing house for field research internships and jobs.
David Sibley's Blog, wherein the field guide guy riffs mostly on the finer and philosophical points of bird identification, and reports his experiments in window treatments to prevent bird strikes.
North Coast (Oregon) Diaries Comments on photo documentation versus detailed notes. See also the March 2, 2008 post on Ugly Gulls (browse Main calendar).
ECOLOG-L listserve postings Job postings, other miscellaneous information and discussions about field ecology.
Collections Work Hours Sign Up
Vertebrate Collections Manager: Sue Hochgraf [email protected] 86-486-8945
To sign-up, let Dr. Rubega or Alejandro know which date/hours you would like to work; refer here to see hours already taken. No more than 2 students in an hour block simultaneously, unless Sue Hochgraf approves it.
|Date||9 am||10 am||11 am||12 pm
(can only be worked consecutively after an 11 am block)
|1 pm||2 pm||3 pm|
|Feb 3||Sarah C|
|Feb 10||Andrew O||Andrew O||Sarah C||Sam Robinson|
|Feb 17||Melanie K||Lauren L||Sarah C - Sara F||Sam Robinson|
|Feb 24||Amanda C||Andrew O||Lauren L - Andrew O||Lindsey S||Sara F - Lindsey S||Sam Robinson|
|Mar 3||Lauren L||Lindsey S||Lindsey S|
|Mar 17||Amanda C||Sarah C||Sam Robinson|
|Mar 24||Purbita Saha||Purbita Saha - Jason Lech||Melanie K - Jason Lech||Lindsey S||Lindsey S - Sarah F|
|Mar 31||Purbita Saha||Purbita Saha - Jason Lech||Jason Lech||Amanda||Sarah F - Rob M||Rob M.|
|April 7||Rob M.||Rob M.||Amanda| | <urn:uuid:77ec730e-0fb8-41ea-8424-6a235a672589> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Ornithology_Laboratory&oldid=18137 | 2016-07-28T08:44:17Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257828010.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071028-00053-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.852368 | 1,979 |
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Oslo bomb: our tears and fears
Norway is for me from Kenya, in Afrika, a country that seems to say to one that it has character and personality. Norway was before 1969 a poor country. Many Norwegians immigrated to the U.S.A. to make a living. They worked hard and helped build their country. They are now the aged in Oslo. They can see their country coming into the hands of a younger generations that do always seem to appreciate what it has taken to bring the country to where it is.
I found the older people I met in Oslo more friendly and open to us, who are called innvandrere here. At first, the word reminded me of the word ‘invade’ in English. Is there a language that has a friendly word for immigrants? Innvandrere means those who come in and its contrast is the innbyggere which is more positive and means the resident. But the politics of the words is not the issue here. It is the plunging of a nation almost into darkness by someone who many say is a lone ranger. I fear that this lone ranger is a reflection of us all even when he did what makes almost all of us extremely sad.
The bombing and killings of 69 young people on 22 of July 2011 arrested my pen and imagination. I felt like everything else was not worth writing until I had dealt with this. This took time. In one of my poems written on January 1st 2011, I feared that Norway would be woken up by violence. My spirit is for peace and non-violence. I was all for never again another bomb. All can read tensions in society and feel them. Perhaps artists do that even more. The physical silence of Oslo is welcome, but not the silence that consents views that destroy the world. In my poem, I feared that in this silence our vision was become poor. It was not going beyond what eyes can see. That everything was enfolded in the dangerous silence of complacency. In “Wake Oslo Up again” I wrote:
“We saw long clothes, we failed to see him.
Watching his youthful eyes and eagerness,
we missed the dashing spark in his iris,
the cold that said he was looking for recognition,
dying to be hugged on earth and in heaven.
We did not see his brain was a computer,
longing to be touched and loved in service,
force of creativity new barriers breaking,
the violent light of a bomb awakens us.”
Nairobi’s morning torn by a blast of clanging metal and fire lives in me. What has stayed in the mind is the pain, the loss. Who did it has stayed in the law. It was Al Queda. Then I wrote “Nairobi’s signature of Blood”. Dark smoke at mid morning, burning bodies and falling buildings. I was near the bomb on the 7th of August 1998. Appointments, visas, dentists, patients, buses, matatus, certificates, athletes, market women, hawkers all torn into pieces and thrown up in the air as would happen with the awakening of an underground giant who vows to destroy. Foundations of strong buildings, were churned up like clay in a crushing machine.
I have heard the din of many cities. Oslo is quiet. It seems to absorb all sounds and mute them. How rude to plant violence into her soil! Norway’s nature bears the dignity of Nobel. It is a place that speaks space and peace to you. It is the main town of a country that would rather have its pride in nature. A country whose people are happy to be in the mountains and on cragged lands whether skiing or swimming.
I was away on the fateful day. I do not know if I could have borne that kind of noise again. Strong. Shocking. Unexpected. Quaking. Confusing. Chocking. Nairobi was my first and yet I knew it was a bomb- had never heard one before- immediately. It is so crude and rude a sound that no creature should ever wish on earth! To follow it up with deliberate and horrific fires from a gun taking life after life til 69 was extremely cruel on the nation. Oh Utøya, island in the distance! Young lives gone! Young lives in a country where many live to die of old age. In a country where caskets are not so common as at home. In a country where the life expectaion of women has risen to 94 years when mother and child mortality in many lands is so high!
When I came back to Oslo, I was transfixed seeing the wall of bombed building as if bandaged now covered with a long cloth. I stood there. I stared. I was paralysed. I could not take out a camera from my bag. I was outside that building almost daily in the winter. I walked towards it sometimes to keep my feet from freezing even inside boots! I waited often at the bus stop that is now shielded off. Time is an interesting factor. Many people said the same thing. Were it not for time, they would have been there.
I was speechless upon realising that the library next door had been hit too. That is where I would have been coming from. I write on a desk in the basement there. This explained the silence of many of my friends. Some of them are still in profound shock and at that time were in utter confusion. I spoke with a few friends. I saw the pain of what had happened on many faces.
On strangers’ faces, I saw the small thread of goodness trying to open up in our society. For the first time I realised that many were making an effort to greet one another on the streets. A young man got off his seat when he saw me come into the bus and i had to thank him and urge him to sit down. This is not natural in Oslo. For a time, some people wanted to introduce a new way. There were more smiles on the streets. People wanted to say, we are in everything together, something that we say with our words very often at home in Kenya whenever we feel like it and also when one feels under threat – tuko pamoja! we say in Kiswahili and other languages longing to express our bonds and to forge them better. We are together!
But after sometime in Oslo where the greeting is a quick “Hei”, soon followed by a rather popular “ Har det bra!” for ‘goodbye’ many say that the cocoon of selfishness has opened up again. Europe in general is not the land of Ubuntu. You must be not so that I can be. I am not because you are.... I am I. Ubuntu says “A person is another person through other persons”. And this is for good and for worse. That young man who committed these crimes is us. The political parties that are against some people are getting a higher vote in Norway as all over Europe. Europe has learned nothing about Canada’s approach towards immigrants. She sees her tiny land as threatened. I mourn deeply. I try to find meaning.
I used my sackcloth jacket which I made when Kenya was at war to again stitch some meaning by my own hand and get deeply into all this. “No to Silence: Love is bullet-proof!” I am against the silence that is not physical but the silence we connive with when evil things happen.
Lisbeth (Whose words I will not quote till I can reach her) and I visited the Cathedral where all things were being gathered in memoriam.
The most significant moment for me there after all the tears, was when Lisbeth, two strangers from Amsterdam and I held hands in silence after speaking about the events, about Nairobi and peace in the world as such. It was a moment and a gesture that came to us not as planned but when I tried to recall Nairobi’s own bomb and tears choked my voice. It was a moment of openness in pain. A moment I wish upon the whole world. A moment of silence and absence of violence that is impossible to explain how deeply it touches. The moment I wish that one day, some great leader will make happen in the world. Is it possible for us to stop violence even for a week and try to see how people react to lack of violence? Is it possible not to bomb for goodness somewhere? Is it possible NATO? I know you make this decision when you must but why are we still so unable to reason with those whom we try to defeat after so many years of ill experience with wars?
My friend Lisbeth missed the bomb because in the hospital where she works as a nurse, a patient was un-cooperative. Negative delivers positively. She had an appointment in the government building that was bombed at the time it was bombed. I was left with the memories of similar stories from all over the world in all disasters. It is something difficult to fathom. That the entity we are all together is capable of allowing such crass minds to move with plans of destruction and kill so many, and at the same time weave such delicate connections that also saved a Japanese woman I saw talking about 9/11.
It is maybe just another way for us to make meaning of such loss that comes to mind. I think that is the loss of a complete picture that frightens us in life. I also see that is that lack that we should not take easily in life. We should fear our loss lack of connectedness. It is the beginning of societal insanity. We must fear that we live next to someone whom we never look in the eye but are willing to give a billion hours to the internet. That we have been afraid to question that coldness. That even if the doors of our hearts are opened for a few, we have not made everyone we meet feel that they are worthy of being themselves. That some people turned upon the immigrants near them in Oslo on buses and other parts and beat them before they heard that the bomb was not an act of a foreigner is appalling.
Who is a foreigner? It is that person we fail to connect with no matter if they are in our bodies. It is the poor connection that causes cancer, the foreign body that starts disease in us. It is not the person who looks different from the color of your skin. Anders Behrivik does not like Muslims. He does not like immigrants. He does not like that Europe- some of the countries he refers to are not like Norway, they were built on wealth from colonies in Afrika and South America- has in it some people who are not European. To destroy the other, he destroyed himself and others. There is no dropping our human connectedness. If we take our connectedness negatively, it impacts negatively on all. If positively, positive rain pours on us all round the world! I would we chose the positive option. | <urn:uuid:10ed6ce9-a839-4b64-81b6-fc93e9492aab> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://philoikonya.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html | 2016-07-28T08:30:05Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257828010.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071028-00053-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984818 | 2,287 |
An anal fissure is a superficial linear tear in the anoderm most commonly caused by passage of a large, hard stool. This tear is distal to the dentate line. Anal fissures are among the most common anorectal disorders in the pediatric population; however, adults also are affected.
An anal fistula is an inflammatory tract between the anal canal and skin. The 4 categories of fistulas, based on the relationship of fistula to sphincter muscles, are intersphincteric, transsphincteric, suprasphincteric, and extrasphincteric.
Fissures are defined as acute if present for less than 6 weeks, and they are defined as chronic if present for more than 6 weeks.
Anal fissures affect both sexes equally; however, an anterior fissure is more likely to develop in women (25%) than in men (8%).
Anal fistulas are a complication of anorectal abscesses, which are more common in men than in women (male-to-female ratio of 2:1 to 3:1).
Only 8% of anal fissures are anterior in men; 75-90% of fissures in women are posteriorly located.
For reasons of intrinsic anatomy, rectovaginal fistulas are found only in women.
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Obstetric fistula was very common throughout the entire world but virtually disappeared within Europe and North America due to improvements in obstetrical care. To this day, the prevalence of obstetrical fistula is much lower in places that discourage early marriage, encourage and provide education of women and their bodies, and grant women access to family planning and skilled medical teams to assist during childbirth. This condition is still very prevalent in the developing world, especially in parts of Africa and much of South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nepal).
The fistula usually develops when a prolonged labor presses the unborn child so tightly in the birth canal that blood flow is cut off to the surrounding tissues, which necrotise and eventually rots away. More rarely, the injury can be caused by female genital cutting, poorly performed abortions, or pelvic fractures. Other potential direct causes for the development of obstetric fistula are sexual abuse and rape, especially within conflict/post-conflict areas, other surgical trauma, gynecological cancers or other related radiotherapy treatment and, perhaps the most important, limited or no access to obstetrical care or emergency services. Proximal causes that can lead to the development of obstetric fistula concern issues of poverty, lack of education, early marriage and childbirth, the role and status of women in developing countries, and harmful traditional practices and sexual violence. Poverty, early marriage, and lack of education place women in positions of severe disadvantage and do not enable them to be advocates for their own health and wellbeing.
Access to obstetric emergency care is one of the major challenges in preventing the development of obstetric fistula. The availability and access to medical facilities that have a trained staff and specialized surgical equipment needed for cesarean births is very limited in certain parts of the world. Factors that may heavily influence an individual's ability or decision to access this emergency care can involve everything from general fear and mistrust of hospitals and healthcare workers, a lack of equipped facilities and trained staff, economic constraints, religious beliefs and practices, cultural norms, and previous birth experiences.
In terms of cultural factors surrounding the birthing process, opinions and practices vary all over the world. In many developing countries, giving birth at home with the assistance of an elder woman or traditional birth attendant is considered the preferred and respected way to give birth. Some consider this point to be controversial and see it more as an economic access issue instead of a cultural issue. Seeking out the option of surgery versus a vaginal birth, in certain places, is also thought to be less womanly and unnatural. This negative perception of surgery can greatly influence a woman's decision to not seek out emergency obstetrical treatment.
Other factors surrounding a woman's ability and choice to access obstetrical care can be rooted in the nature of her relationship with her male partner or male decision makers within her family. This can affect the kind of care and assistance women receive during child labor. In many instances, receiving treatment from a male physician is not pursued or considered a real option due to the religious or cultural violations connected with a male treating a woman who is not his wife or intimate partner. This is an opinion held by both men and women in various parts of the world.
Yet another causal factor is that of logistical access to health care clinics. Many women who suffer from this condition are living in very rural areas and, therefore, access to emergency services often requires some form of travel. The availability of transportation, cost of transportation and road construction can all play a crucial role in the ability of pregnant women to access emergency obstetrical services.
The availability and access to medical facilities that have a trained staff and specialized surgical equipment needed for cesarean births is also very limited in certain parts of the world. In many instances, women do not consider their local hospitals and clinics to be places where they could ever seek such care and therefore do not go when there is an obstetrical emergency.
Primary risk factors are early and/or closely-spaced pregnancies and lack of access to emergency obstetric care; a 1993 study in Nigeria found that 55 percent of the victims were under 19 years of age, and 94 percent gave birth at home or in poorly equipped local clinics. When available at all, cesarean sections and other medical interventions are usually not performed until after tissue damage has already been done.
Early marriage, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, malnutrition which is linked to under-development of the female body, and lack of education/illiteracy also put women at great risk for developing obstetric fistula. Personal knowledge, tradition and experience with childbirth may also put a woman at risk to developing obstetric fistula, especially for women who have previously experienced limited complications with past vaginal births. Women giving birth for the first time and with no real knowledge regarding childbirth may not recognize an emergency situation/complication and therefore not seek out help.
Countries that suffer from poverty, civil and political unrest or conflict, and other dangerous public health issues such as malaria, HIV/ AIDS, and tuberculosis often suffer from a severe burden and breakdown within the healthcare system. This breakdown puts many people at risk, specifically women. Many hospitals within these conditions suffer from shortages of staff, supplies, and other forms of necessary medical technology that would be necessary to perform reconstructive obstetric fistula repair.
If left untreated, ulcerations and infections can persist as well as kidney disease/failure leading to death. Urinal and fecal leaking are the major physical side effects and because many women suffering from obstetric fistula do not want to leak, they will limit their intake of water and other liquids. This can lead to a very dangerous case of dehydration. Nerve damage to the legs is also noted as a medical side effect. In some cases, many women struggle to walk from this nerve damage and need physical therapy following the treatment of the fistula.
Most women living with obstetric fistula also struggle with depression, abandonment by their partners, families and communities, and live in isolation because of the constant leaking and odor. Many women report feelings of humiliation, pain, loneliness, shame and mourning for the loss of their lives and the child they lost during delivery. Because of the constant leaking and smell, many women are isolated from food preparation and prayer ceremonies because they are thought to be constantly unclean. Suicide and attempted suicide are also common amongst women with this condition. Social isolation, increased poverty and decreased employment opportunities due to this condition force many women to turn to commercial sex work and begging.
Prevention comes in the form of access to obstetrical care, support from trained health care professionals throughout pregnancy, providing access to family planning, promoting the practice of spacing between births, and supporting women in education and postponing early marriage. (content courtesy: wikipedia.org, endfistula.org) | <urn:uuid:ef11f599-8f29-428a-994d-b1f858c092f0> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.krishnaherbals.com/fistula-herbal-cure.html | 2016-07-28T08:32:03Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257828010.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071028-00053-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951106 | 1,847 |
PANMUNJOM, North Korea -- Some Americans call it the "Forgotten War," a 1950s conflict fought in a far-off country and so painful that even survivors have tried to erase their memories of it.
The North Koreans, however, have not forgotten. Sixty years after the end of the Korean War, the country is marking the milestone anniversary with a massive celebration Saturday for a holiday it calls "Victory Day" -- even though the two sides only signed a truce, and have yet to negotiate a peace treaty.
Signs and banners reading "Victory" line the streets of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. The events are expected to culminate with a huge military parade and fireworks, one of the biggest extravaganzas in this impoverished country since leader Kim Jong Un took power in late 2011.
Here at the border in Panmunjom, the war never ended. Both sides of the Demilitarized Zone are heavily guarded, making it the world's most fortified border, and dividing countless families with sisters and brothers, fathers and mothers, on the other side. The North Koreans consider the presence of 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea a continued occupation.
In some ways, war today is being waged outside the confines of the now-outdated armistice signed 60 years ago.
The disputed maritime border off the west coast of the Koreas is a hot spot for clashes. In 2010, a South Korean warship exploded, killing 46 sailors; Seoul blamed a North Korean torpedo. Later that year, a North Korean artillery attack on a front-line South Korean island killed four people, two of them civilians.
Earlier this year, Kim Jong Un enshrined the pursuit of nuclear weapons as a national goal, calling it a defensive measure against the U.S. military threat. In recent months, the warfare has extended into cyberspace, with both Koreas accusing the other of mounting crippling hacking attacks that have taken down government websites in the North and paralyzed online commerce in the South.
Sixty years on, as both Koreas and the United States mark the anniversary Saturday, there is still no peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The two sides don't even agree on who started the war.
Outside the North, historians say it was North Korean troops who charged across the border at the 38th parallel and launched an assault at 4 a.m. on June 25, 1950.
North Korea agrees that war broke out at 4 a.m. -- but says U.S. troops attacked first. A photo offered as proof at a Pyongyang war museum shows U.S. soldiers advancing, rifles cocked, as they run past the 38th parallel.
"The real history is that the U.S. started the war on June 25, 1950," Ri Su Jong, a 21-year-old guide at a flower show in Pyongyang, said Tuesday. "They first attacked our country, and we quickly counterattacked."
Ri, whose grandfathers both fought in the war, said she was taught that the North Koreans marched into Seoul three days later, "liberating" South Korea from U.S. forces. A panoramic diorama at the war museum shows soldiers hoisting the North Korean flag in a sea of fire and destruction.
As North Korean troops advanced further south, the U.S. retaliated with bombing campaigns that left both Seoul and Pyongyang in rubble.
"The U.S enemy engineered the war, boasting of the advantage of their air power, flying normally 500 or 700 flights, sometimes up to 1,000 flights a day, both on the front and in the rear," said North Korean Maj. Gen. Kim Sung Un, a war veteran who is now 84. "All the factories and workplaces ... were reduced to ashes."
Then came the counterattack.
Dick Bonelli was a 19-year-old from the Bronx, a self-professed troublemaker, who was shipped off with the U.S. Marines to fight in a country he never knew existed. He arrived in September 1950 with the amphibious assault known in as the "Inchon Landing," the surprise attack that helped the U.S.-led U.N. forces push the North Koreans back.
Bonelli later took part in one of the most costly fights of the Korean War: the 17-day winter campaign in the mountainous region of the North then known by its Japanese name, the Chosin Reservoir. Several thousand were killed in combat, and thousands more died of frostbite.
"I tried for 30 to 40 years to forget it all," Bonelli said in Pyongyang on Thursday, an American flag pinned to his blazer. "Who wants to remember that? It's war. It was terrible."
In all, the fighting took more than 1.2 million lives. More than 500,000 North Korean troops died, along with 183,000 Chinese who fought alongside them. On the other side, 138,000 South Koreans were killed, and 40,670 more from the U.N.-led force, including 36,900 Americans. Civilian deaths totaled almost 374,000 in South Korea and are unknown in the North.
Bonelli is back in North Korea for the first time since 1950. His hope is to revisit Fox Hill, the remote spot that he guarded that first cold winter of the war. Tears in his eyes, he called it an emotional journey to a place that he tried for decades to forget.
How the main players in the war will mark Saturday's anniversary is a telling indication of how each country considers the conflict.
North Korea is treating it as a celebration, an occasion to rally support for the country's leader and draw attention to the division of the Korean Peninsula.
In South Korea, it's a day of remembrance. For the government, it's a day of thanks to the 16 U.N. nations that came to South Korea's defense during the 1950-53 war. For many, it's also a day of sorrow as they remember family members left behind in the North, forever divided from their loved ones.
Park Jong-seon doesn't know what happened to his older brother and sister, lost in the tumult of war. "To this day, I still have not heard from them," he said, eyes glistening. "I wonder where they are, and whether they're still alive."
In Washington, President Barack Obama on Thursday declared July 27 National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. He paid tribute in his proclamation to the veterans who fought to "defend a country they never knew and a people they never met." He is to speak Saturday at the Korean War Veterans Memorial.
Back in 1953, the architects of the armistice that took two years to negotiate were so sure the truce would be temporary that they cobbled together corrugated sheds to serve as conference halls in just a handful of days.
Sixty years later, those once-temporary buildings are still standing. On the North Korean side, the drafty building that served as the venue for armistice talks is now the "peace pagoda," a popular stop on a fledgling tourist trail from Pyongyang. A tattered version of the armistice agreement and the U.N. flag are displayed.
The sheds straddling the border where the two sides sometimes meet are still called T1, T2 and T3: the "T" stands for "temporary."
Peace is up to Washington, North Korean Lt. Col. Nam Dong Ho told The Associated Press recently.
"The division of the Korean Peninsula is less an issue between the North and South and more of an issue between North Korea and the U.S," he said. "Last time, we negotiated an armistice agreement. But next time, we will bring the U.S. to its knees to sign a letter of surrender."
Ri, the flower show guide, also blames the U.S.: "Of course we want peace. ... But the American imperialists keep provoking us with their hostile policy."
The visiting U.S. veteran, Bonelli, says simply that a peace treaty is long overdue.
"It's ridiculous to have an armistice this long and not to sit down, break bread and make peace," he said. "The future is about the children. Let's stop it."
Associated Press writer Elizabeth Shim contributed to this report from Seoul, South Korea. | <urn:uuid:597306ff-2d7b-42e3-8ecf-317b76519536> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.troyrecord.com/general-news/20130727/korean-divide-lives-on-60-years-after-end-of-war?viewmode=fullstory | 2016-07-28T08:46:20Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257828010.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071028-00053-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969705 | 1,741 |
Definition of Terms
- Software that automatically displays or downloads advertisements (e.g., in pop-up windows or banners) on a computer after the software is installed, often without the user's knowledge or consent, or while the application is being used.
- Software that is designed to help protect a computer from viruses and other malicious software, including those that can destroy data, slow a computer's performance, cause a crash, or even allow spammers to send e-mail through a user's account.
- When referring to e-mail, an attachment is a file that is sent with the e-mail message. An attachment can be a picture, a Word document, a movie, a sound file, an Excel document, or any other special file that requires another program to open it. In addition to the files mentioned above, attachments may also contain computer viruses, Trojan horses, worms or other malware. Unless you were expecting an attachment from the user sending you the e-mail, it is recommended that you do not open the attachment, even if it is a friend sending the e-mail. Viruses and worms can use address books to help spread the virus and make it appear to be a valid e-mail.
- Similar to the real-world Trojan Horse that uses physical media and relies on the curiosity or greed of the victim. In this attack, the attacker leaves a malware infected floppy disk, CD ROM or USB flash drive in a location sure to be found (bathroom, elevator, sidewalk, parking lot), gives it a legitimate looking and curiosity-piquing label, and simply waits for the victim to use the device.
- A stored web address for specified web sites that can be revisited easily without having to remember or retype the Internet address.
- Software that enables a user to find, view, hear and interact with material on the Internet. Popular browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.
- A form of computer memory that allows a user to access stored information, such as web addresses recently typed into a browser more quickly. Pronounced "cash."
- A Federal law that establishes standards for sending out promotional e-mail.
- The name given to a place or page on a web-site or online service where users can type messages which are displayed almost instantly on the screens of others who are in the "chat room."
- A small text file that a website can place on a computer's web browser to authenticate, track or maintain certain information about users of the site.
- A segment of Internet space, denoted by the function or type of information it includes; current domains include ".com" and ".net" for commercial sites, ".gov" for governmental sites, ".edu" for educational and ".org" for non-commercial organizations.
- To copy files from one computer to another; "Download" is also used to mean viewing a web site, or material on a web server, with a web browser.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
- A means of accessing the Internet at high speed using standard phone lines.
- Hardware or software that restricts access to a computer based on a set of rules defined by the user. Firewalls may be used to help keep hackers from using a computer to send out personal information without the user's permission also, known as "censorware" or "content-control software."
- Someone who uses the Internet to access computers without permission.
- The mechanical parts of a computer system, including the central processing unit, monitor, keyboard, and mouse, as well as other equipment like printers and speakers.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
- A coding language used to create documents on the Internet and control how web pages appear.
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
- The standard language that computers connected to the World Wide Web use to communicate with each other.
- When a criminal obtains your personal information to steal money from your accounts, open new credit cards, apply for loans, rent apartments and commit other crimes all using your identity. These acts can damage your credit, leave you with unwanted bills and cause you countless hours and frustration to clear your good name.
Instant Message (IM)
- Technology that enables users to engage in real-time communications by exchanging text messages.
IP (Internet Protocol) Address
- A unique address that certain electronic devices currently use in order to identify and communicate with each other on a computer network utilizing the Internet Protocol standard (IP)—in simpler terms, a computer address.
- Hardware or software that records each keystroke typed on a particular computer.
- A type of software program that has been intentionally designed to change a user's settings without his or her permission, delete a competing software - program, cause a competing software program to stop working and/or leave a computer open to attacks.
- Software that allows a parent or caregiver to monitor the web-sites a child visits or e-mail messages he or she reads, without blocking access.
- Compiling information about consumers' preferences and interests by tracking their online movements and actions in order to create targeted ads.
P2P (Peer to Peer)
- An informal network that allows users to share music, games, software or other files with other users online
- A web page that has been created to deceive users into believing that is another company or web page. For example, a user may create a web page that appears to be a bank web page requesting a username and password for login. If the information is entered into the web page, it is captured by the person who created the page and used to gain access to the real page in this example, gain access to the user's bank account. Often these pages are found by links sent in spam phishing e-mails that indicate a user's account has expired or been compromised, need to update information, etc.
- A fraudulent and criminal attempt, typically carried out through e-mail or instant messaging, to lure a user to fake websites where the user is asked to disclose confidential financial and personal information, like passwords, credit card account numbers or Social Security Numbers. Pronounced "fishing."
- See Vishing
Pop-up Messages or Advertisements
- Unsolicited advertising that appears as its own browser window.
- The act of creating and using an invented scenario (the pretext) to persuade a targeted victim to release information or perform an action and is typically done over the telephone. It is more than a simple lie as it most often involves some prior research or set up and the use of pieces of known information (e.g. for impersonation: date of birth, Social Security Number, last bill amount) to establish legitimacy in the mind of the target.
Quid pro quo
- Means something for something: 1. An attacker calls random numbers at a company claiming to be calling back from technical support. Eventually they will hit someone with a legitimate problem, grateful that someone is calling back to help them. The attacker will "help" solve the problem and in the process have the user type commands that give the attacker access or launch malware.
Social Networking Sites
- Websites that allow users to build online profiles; share information, including personal information, photographs, blog entries and music clips; and connect with other users, whether it be to find friends or land a job.
- A computer program. System software — such as Windows or MacOS — operate the machine itself, and applications software such as spreadsheet or word processing programs provide specific functionality.
- Unsolicited commercial e-mail, often sent in bulk quantities.
- Someone who sends unsolicited commercial e-mail, often in bulk quantities.
- An e-mail spoofing fraud attempt that targets a specific organization, seeking unauthorized access to confidential data. As with the e-mail messages used in regular phishing expeditions, spear phishing messages appear to come from a trusted source. Phishing messages usually appear to come from a large and well-known company or website with a broad membership base, such as eBay or PayPal. In the case of spear phishing, however, the apparent source of the e-mail is likely to be an individual within the recipient's own company and generally someone in a position of authority.
- Software that may be installed on a computer without the user's consent to monitor use, send pop-up ads, redirect a computer to certain websites or record keystrokes, which could lead to identity theft.
- Software disguised to perform one legitimate action, but actually performs another often malicious one such as enabling unauthorized people to access the affected computer through a backdoor and sometimes to send spam from it.
- To copy or send files or data from one computer to another.
- A program that is attached to a file or program so it can spread from one computer to another often without the user's knowledge often through an e-mail attachment. Some viruses are programmed to be extremely damaging, while others are programmed to have annoying effects.
- This technique uses a rogue Interactive voice response (IVR) system to recreate a legitimate sounding copy of a bank or other institution's IVR system. The victim is prompted (typically via a phishing e-mail) to call in to the "bank" via a (ideally toll free) number provided in order to "verify" information. A typical system will reject log-ins continually, ensuring the victim enters PINs or passwords multiple times, often disclosing several different passwords. More advanced systems transfer the victim to the attacker posing as a customer service agent for further questioning.
- An object that is embedded in a web page or e-mail and is usually invisible to the user but allows checking that a user has viewed the page or e-mail. One common use is in e-mail tracking (a.k.a. web beacon, tracking bug, pixel tag, 1 X 1 gif and clear gif).
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)
- A security protocol developed to fix flaws in WEP (see below). Encrypts data sent to and from wireless devices within a network.
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
- A security protocol that encrypts data sent to and from wireless devices within a network. Not as strong as WPA encryption.
- A method of connecting a computer to other computers or to the Internet without linking them by cables.
- A program that reproduces itself over a network and can use up a computer's resources and possibly shut a user's system down. Unlike a virus, a worm does not need to attach itself to a file or program. | <urn:uuid:ec3c6edc-ad79-4a89-9750-24b15ca3ce4f> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | https://www.cathaybank.com/security-information-center/definition-of-terms?lang=en-US | 2016-07-28T08:37:38Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257828010.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071028-00053-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916982 | 2,185 |
Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch
Buffalo Trail Council
They finally found a ranch owned by J. H. Hunter Strain of San Angelo for sale. On January 16, 1947 Carl Blomshield recommended the purchase of the 6,000 acres in the Davis Mountains. By January 28th, Bloomshield said we shoud take the full 6,000 acres and raise the $75,000. for its purchase. Affter looking at the property and talking with Mr. Strain they put up a $500.00 deposit on the $75,000.00 property.
On August 15, 1947, the Executive Board approved the Council to employ the Wells organization of Texas to direct a finance campaign for the purchase and development of the Davis Mountain Camp site. Motion made by Atkin Cook and 2nd by W. M. Howard, that a special Committee to proceed with the negotiations for the purchase of the Davis Mountain Camp site. A Capital funds campaign was then conducted that raised over $200,000 by the end of 1948. So in 1948 the Council secured the site of the 6,640 acre Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch in the Davis Mountain.
By March 18, 1948, the Executive Board approved the funds for for purchase of a truck and the remodeling of the ranch house into a Mess Hall and kitchen.
The ranch is located about twenty-five miles north of Fort Davis, in the Davis Mountains. The ranch is located in some of the most rugged country in the State of Texas, with legends of Indians and badmen surrounding the area. The main camp is located in Wa-hoo Canyon with massive mountains towering on all sides. The camp is completely walled-in from the outside world that scarcely knows of its existence; overbearing cliffs raise as much 2,000 feet above the floor of the canyon, where deer, bear, squirrel and scores of other wildlife feed and play.
One of the things they had to do was drill a well. The local ranchers said it couldn't be done as they had tried and failed. They drilled at the present location of the well for days and days, sometime only going down a couple of inches. Money was running out, but the driller was told to try for 24 more hours. Just before they were prepared to stop, they broke through and before they could get the tools out of the hole, water had risen almost to the top of the well. The water problem at the ranch had been solved. The well was completed in November 1953
The dining hall was donated by the late Paul Moss and his wife in 1948. The camp has had many improvements over the years and now has a swimming pool, Buffalo Hall, riding stables, trading post, rifle range, archery range, staff cabins, an amphitheater seating over 750 people, and a home for the Camp Ranger.
The early road to camp from the highway was nothing more than eleven miles of unpaved gravel road that crossed the creek several times. Now there is a paved road all the way to camp.
Around 1950 Mr. Moss made another donation to the ranch that will never be forgotten. He had a buffalo bull and a cow that he thought would be appropriate property of the Council to possess. The buffaloes were loaded up and hauled to the Scout Ranch and unloaded in the corral, and it wasn't an easy job. Before they could get the ropes off the bull he decided he had business elsewhere. He walked over to the gate, hooked his horns through the rather heavy timber, threw the gate completely back over his rear and calmly ambled off up the canyon, followed by the cow. Within a few days the cow died, the rocks ate her feet up.
Before long the bull came back down the canyon, breaking through gates and fences as he reached them, until he was on a neighbors ranch, and among his cattle. There the bull took up residence for a long time, which didn't make the rancher very happy. The old bull chased the rancher's cowboys, helped himself to the feed and salt, and got on real friendly terms with the rancher's cows.
The rancher asked that the bull be removed. The Executive Board took prompt action, they agreed with the rancher, but who and how to do the job was another matter, the next month and for several months after that, the bull was still there.
The old bull's favorite bedding down place was at a feed trough and salt block by a gate on the road to the Scout Ranch. One evening two men from Odessa drove through the gate headed to camp. They sat there a minute looking at the old bull. They said he did not seem to notice there were even there, although he was only 20 or 30 feet away. But suddenly he raised his tail and charged the car. He got his head and both front feet upon the hood of the car. The driver stomped on the gas and the bull slid off. They were pretty shook up. the buffalo took off and tore down fences and gates for miles. Some of the old times insist that he tore down a good seven miles of fences and several gates, he was really on a tantrum.
After this, the Camp Ranger was told to end "old bull's" career. The Ranger drove up beside the old bull and with this 30-30 opened fire. It took four shots to get him. His head was removed and packed in ice, and went off to be mounted. The hide and carcass was given to the Ranch Foreman. He used the meat to feed his bear and puma dogs.
For years the bull's head hung in the mess hall and when the new Buffalo Hall was completed, he had an honored place of his own.
The following story appeared in the 1971 Annual Report of the council under the heading of Camp Development:
"Bernold M. Hanson, Camp Development Chairman - The Buffalo Lodge, a project of the Order of the Arrow, is near completion at the Buffalo Scout Ranch. This building is a fine addition to our camp providing trading post, Leader's Room, Visitors Center, Office and Rest Rooms. It also has a large activity area for activities during inclement weather.
"A project nearing completion is the rebuilding of the old mess hall into a beautiful dining lodge with seating capacity of over 400. It is enclosed and heated for winter meetings, with a new wing added to the kitchen for food storage.
"In 1971, a preliminary study of the Scout Ranch Development Program has been made with the help of the Engineering Service of the National Council, and plans are in progress to be completed in 1972."
The Night We Shot Allowat
Kyle Vernon, who served on the Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch summer camp staff from 1979 through 1986, wrote a true story titled "The Night We Shot Allowat," after changing the names and dates, as he said, "to protect the innocent and/or guilty." You can read this humorous story by clicking on HERE. Enjoy! He has given us permission to moved this story to our website. He now works as a school teacher, a Scoutmaster and the sponsor of two clubs.
He has just finished another funny story titled "The Night We Blew Up Allowat," again changing the names and dates. You can read this humorous story by clicking on HERE.
Scouts from all over Texas and New Mexico come to this unique camp in the Davis Mountains for summer camp. Kids attending the camp always come home with a lot of memories, not to mention blistered feet, skinned arms and legs, and usually a good sunburn. But hey, isn't that part of going to summer camp?
A story in the Big Spring (Texas) Hearald, dated February 8, 1985 told of the various programs being offered at the camp during the summer. The programs, assisted by a trained camp staff, included horsemanship, trail rides, Indian lore, conservation and ecology, nature, cooking, pioneering, camping, rifle and archery, hiking and wilderness survival.
Scouts could take overnight camping trips and day hikes to Needle Rock, Blue Hole, The Notch, Hidden Valley, Rustlers Flat, Bear Mountain, Million Dollar Canyon and Goat Cave.
In addition the camp is used for training of volunteer leaders, bo leaders, special camps for just the boy and his mother, and father and son activities. Over 2,300 Scouts from all over the States of Texas and New Mexico attended summer camp at the Ranch in the summer of 2004. it took some 60 staff people to provide them with a quality program. David O'Neil served as Camp Director.
Camp Staff - 2005
More on Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch:
for an oral history made on April 7, 1993, between volunteer Newell Hughes
and former Scout Executive Steve Odom about the early days of Buffalo Scout
Other Camps of Buffalo Trail Council:
Information for this page was taken from the book West-Texas Cubs, Scouts and Explorers by Olan B. Draper, 1973 and other sources provided by the Buffalo Trail Council. | <urn:uuid:7dc3f21e-17b7-4cfd-bd49-0db394414d17> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://westtexasscoutinghistory.net/camp_davismt.html | 2016-07-30T05:27:32Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257832939.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071032-00232-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98146 | 1,849 |
|Typ av kungörelse||Beviljande|
|Publiceringsdatum||10 jun 1941|
|Registreringsdatum||25 jul 1939|
|Prioritetsdatum||25 jul 1939|
|Även publicerat som||US2266169, US2304984, US2341364, US2388893|
|Publikationsnummer||US 2245257 A, US 2245257A, US-A-2245257, US2245257 A, US2245257A|
|Uppfinnare||Chester W Crumrine|
|Ursprunglig innehavare||Eastman Kodak Co|
|Exportera citat||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Hänvisningar finns i följande patent (14), Klassificeringar (7)|
|Externa länkar: USPTO, Överlåtelse av äganderätt till patent som har registrerats av USPTO, Espacenet|
June 1-0, 1941- c. w. CRUMRINE LENS MOUNZ Filed July 25, 1939 CHESTER MCQUMP/NE ATIORNE Y Patented June 10, 1941 LENS MOUNT Chester W. Crumrine, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 25, 1939, Serial No. 286,385
This invention relates to optical systems and particularly to lens mounts.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of mounting lenses and particularly single lenses or elements, alone or as part of a more complex system.
It is a particular object of the invention to provide an extremely inexpensive but highly accurate lens mount which can be safely assembled by simply inserting the mount into a tube provided therefor. The tube may be cylindrical (or conical) with circular, rectangular or any desired cross section.
By way of example, the simple cylindrical case which cylinder has a circular cross section, will be considered in detail. If a lens element such as a meniscus glass element is fitted snugly into a mount there is pressure exerted on the element from all sides toward the optic axis thereof. Such pressure is liable to cause occasional break-,
age of the lenses during manufacture and to introduce strain into the lens which, from an optical viewpoint, is, of course, quite unsatisfactory and which also makes the lenses susceptible to breakage during later use.
According to the present invention, this pressure on the lens is descreased and the troubles caused thereby eliminated by molding a plastic rim onto the periphery of the lens which rim extends axially from both sides of the lens and has an outer surface which is substantially concave toric. In this connection, the word toric is used to include any surface in which the diameter near the center is less than the diameter near the end of the cylinder. of course, in the case of a cone the actual diameter of the rim adjacent to the lens may be slightly greater than the diameter at one end of the rim, but since the chamber into which the lens is to be mounted in a camera would also be conical in this case, the efiective diameter of the rim near the lens is less than the efiective diameter of the rim at either end.
When this arrangement of the rim is used, the rim may be inserted fitting snugly into a cylinder and the pressure of the cylinder on the rim will be exerted mainly on the ends of the rim and not on that portion adjacent to the lens. The lens itself will exert a counterpressure outward on the central part of the rim and the rim will be distorted slightly under these pressures. That is, the rim itself will change in shape so that no excessive pressures will be exerted on the lens element itself.
The present invention-is particularly useful with those described in copending applications, Serial Numbers 286,386 and 286,384 filed concurrently herewith by Donald L. Wood and by myself respectively.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 shows a simple meniscus lens in cross section.
Fig. 2 shows the cross section of the pertinent parts of a molding machine for mounting a lens according to the invention.
Fig. 3 shows one embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 4 shows the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 as mounted in a portion of a camera wall.
In Fig. 1 a meniscus lens element Hl having an optic axis H is shown in cross section. The
surfaces of this lens have radii of curvature RI 20 and R2 respectively and the axial thickness thereof is T. Since the element as shown is in that stage of manufacture in which it has not yet been centered, the diameter thereof taken from the optic axis is different in difierent directions as indicated by HI and H2.
In Fig. 2 the lens element I0 is held by a zonal clamp consisting of members I4 and IS in a molding machine comprising molds l6 and IT. The zonal clamp members l4 and I5 are carried by plungers l2 and I3 respectively, the
plunger 12 being held in place by a spring I9- and a plate 20 and the plunger 13 being held in place by a screw 2| in a plate 22 having an adjusting knob 23 with scale 24 and index 25.
According to the invention a rim is molded onto the element In by injecting a plastic through an injection nozzle 21 into the chamber 26 around the periphery of the lens. The zonal clamp members l4 and I5 prevent any-of the plastic entering chamber 28 adjacent to the central portions of the lens surfaces. According to the invention, the molding machine is so ar ranged that the outer surface of the rim is slightly concave. This is best seen in Fig. 3 wherein the rim of the lens 10 is indicated as 30. The outer surface 29 of this rim is seen to be concave toric. Incidentally, since the lens [0 is held by a zonal clamp in the mold, the outer periphery of this rim 3'0 is optically centered on the axis H as indicated by the arrows H.
Furthermore, I have made the surprising discovery, that a rim molded as shown in the drawing, which rim has an axial length greater than its radial thickness and which rim extends axially from both sides of the lens, will have the required concave surface 29 .if it is made by injecting the molding into a mold whose walls are straight and cylindrical. That is, although the mold itself has straight walls the rim when finished and removed from the mold will assume a shape in which the outer surface is concave toric.
As shown in Fig. 4, this lens ill in its rim 30 may be inserted snugly into a chamber, for example, in the wall of a camera. The rim 3B is pushed into this chamber until the end surface of the rim comes in contact with an abutment 33 in such a camera wall 32, which is also provided with an aperture 35 which acts as the aperture for the lens I 0.
The Fig. 4 illustrates the advantage of this type of rim. As is shown, the rim 30 fits snugly into a cylinder in the housing 32 so that pressure indicated by arrows 36 is exerted on the ends of this rim 30. The fit is snuggest at the ends of the rim. Due to the curvature of the surface 29, there is no direct pressure on the rim 30 adjacent to the lens element I0. On the other hand, the
element Ill exerts a counterpressure 31 outward on the rim 30 and together with the pressure exerted at the point 36, this pressure distorts the rim 3!] bending it to or towards a shape in which the Outer surface 29 thereof is perfectly cylindrical and not concave. Actually of course, the surface 29 remains slightly concave even when inserted in 'thech-am-ber' provided therefor. Although the curvature 29 is very slight and the amount of distortion of the rim 30 which is permissible is also very small, this invention succeeds in reducng the pressure on the lens l suf- I ficiently to eliminate breakage during manufacture and strain in the lens after it is mounted in a camera.
Obviously by having the injection nozzle and the line of separation of the mold shown in Fig. 2 at a point opposite to the lens l0 instead of at one end of the rim chamber 26, the mold could be arranged so that the concavity of the surface 29 could beany desired amount. However, I have found that sufficient concavity and in fact an almost ideal arrangement is produced when the surface of the mold H is perfectly flat, or more correctly is perfectly cylindrical.
If the radial thickness of the rim 30 is too great, compared with its axial thickness, 1. e., its length, the resiliency of the rim is reduced to a point where little advantage is gained by the invention. However, it is difilcult to state exactly when this advantage becomes negligible, but in general the radial thickness of the rim should not be greater than its length. and of course thelength should be sufllcient to extend axially from both sides of the rim of the lens Ill.
Having thus described in detail one embodiment of my invention, 1' wish to point out that it is not limited to the specific structure shown but is of the scope of the appended claims.
What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:
1. A camera lens mount comprising a camera wall having a tubular aperture therein, an abutment on the inner wall of the tubular aperture, a, plastic rim holding said lens in axial alignment in the aperture and fitting snugly in the tubular aperture against said abutment, the outer surface of the rim being concave toric whereby the fit is snuggest near the from and rear edges of the rim.
2. An optical system comprising a tubular lens mount, abutment meanson the inner wall of the tubular mount, a lens axially aligned in the mount and a plastic rim for the lens fitting snugly in the mount and against the abutment means, the outer surface of the rim being concave in section and the fit between the rim and the mount being tightest at the front amid ear edges of the rim.
CHESTER W. CRUMRINE.
|US2420279 *||9 jun 1944||6 maj 1947||Polaroid Corp||Laminated polarizer and birefringent layers|
|US2423491 *||14 jul 1943||8 jul 1947||Polaroid Corp||Optical lens mounting|
|US2423492 *||14 okt 1943||8 jul 1947||Polaroid Corp||Lens mounting|
|US2455476 *||20 jul 1945||7 dec 1948||Rca Corp||Mounting system for elements of television projectors|
|US2500405 *||4 feb 1946||14 mar 1950||Polarold Corp||Reticle mount|
|US2807982 *||2 jan 1953||1 okt 1957||Eastman Kodak Co||Lens centering clamp and testing device|
|US2894430 *||31 aug 1956||14 jul 1959||Zeiss Jena Veb Carl||Mounts for a composite optical lens combination|
|US3888568 *||20 jun 1974||10 jun 1975||Polaroid Corp||Multi-element lens assembly|
|US4106745 *||1 apr 1975||15 aug 1978||Phillips Petroleum Company||Apparatus for attaching an insert in a mold|
|US5188092 *||13 dec 1990||23 feb 1993||United States Surgical Corporation||Disposable rigid endoscope|
|US5369525 *||2 dec 1992||29 nov 1994||United States Surgical Corporation||Ring lens assembly for an optical viewing device|
|US5416634 *||11 sep 1992||16 maj 1995||United States Surgical Corporation||Optical viewing device|
|US5666222 *||16 feb 1995||9 sep 1997||United States Surgical Corporation||Optical viewing device|
|US5900971 *||28 jun 1994||4 maj 1999||United States Surgical Corporation||Optical viewing device|
|Kooperativ klassning||Y10S359/90, Y10S425/808, G02B7/02| | <urn:uuid:6d2183ce-ae46-47ff-b145-d9c1f7f5c5ac> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.google.se/patents/US2245257?hl=sv | 2016-07-30T05:21:14Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257832939.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071032-00232-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.893351 | 2,672 |
28 November 2012
Edited version of an original lecture by Wim Crouwel under the theme Aspects of Communication Design in a Shrinking World from Vision 65: World Congress on New Challenges to Human Conditions, October 23, 1965, 9:30am.
I have been asked to give an estimate of the designer's position in Europe, as it relates to certain questions and prospects: What is his attitude towards the problems which a shrinking world imposes on the sphere of communication? What are his reactions to it, and is he happy about present-day developments? Is he equipped to adapt himself to the situation, or is negative criticism his only response?
A new method, called visual communication—a term which is so fashionable at the moment that it is already threatening to grow into a problem—is replacing earlier concepts and trends. It deals with the transmission of a message by visual means, and with concrete presentations of complex ideas. It embraces many aspects of design, such as typography, book design, advertisement, film, exhibitions, etc.
Although his income is modest compared to that of his American counterpart, the graphic designer in Europe is making a comfortable living today according to European standards. And yet I would say that his present position is not enviable. In the first place, he is inhibited by the weight of an enormous historical ballast.
Starting with Cheret and Toulouse-Lautrec, who developed the fine art of painting in the direction of advertising design has followed a course of evolution in the service of publicity and advertising which has left a deep track—an evolution via art-nouveau which only in the early 1920s began to look somewhat like revolution when the new matter-of-factness of the Bauhaus and the Dutch “Stil group” became openly beligerent. However, during all these years it was always the “fine” artist who executed the important commissions in this restricted domain. This led often to a marked dualism in the result—either, on the one hand, reluctance to carry out the commission or on the other hand, the tendency to feel embarrassed about the work which was produced anonymously.
Not before the 1930s, but especially after the last war, more self-assured, independent designers appeared on the scene who identified themselves with their work and who did not wish to be labeled artists—a designation of which they might well be proud but which they regarded as more of a hindrance than an advantage.
The emphasis on a message has been less of a conceptual problem in the areas of typography and book design than in the above field of publicity, but ethical considerations have played a significant role in these areas as well. The publicity agencies which grew up out of the somnolent advertising firms were often, in the past, at loggerheads with the designers because their interests did not coincide. The agencies were too eager to kowtow to their clients while the designers often reacted in just the opposite manner. More often than not the client had the effect on the designer of a red flag on a bull—as a result of his nostalgic wish for free artistic expression and his critical stance.
A rapprochement has become evident now that strained relations have been eased, partly as a result of various factors arising during the past years. The task of the advertising agency has become steadily more specialized and complicated. Marketing and motivation research demand a great deal of attention, and consequently design—or visualizing—is considered only at a much later stage. A specialized type of visualizer is being developed who is taking over the task of the designer at that stage. Thus, a distance is being created between designer and advertising technicians and researchers, which leads conversely to an improvement in their relations!
Today, the freelance graphic designer is chiefly designing posters, catalogues and programs for cultural purposes and—in the commercial field—folders and trademarks. He furthermore accepts commissions from publishers for design and layout of books and dust-jackets. Consequently, and with a certain reluctance, he accepts the situation of a limited professional range because the number of clients employing the services of freelance designers—at any rate in my country, the Netherlands—is small.
The 1950s definitely represent a nadir for the designer who maintains a critical attitude to reality. The period from 1950 to 1960 appears to be particularly the time when the “graphic designer” concept becomes firmly established, partly no doubt because of a distinct Swiss influence.
That brings us to the present—a time in which visual communication undergoes a drastic transition as a result of the tremendous speed-up of social and technical currents. Just think, for instance, of the popularization of scientific knowledge! Yet, these currents have brought a number of problems which must now somehow be sorted out and solved. This is why I would not like to call the present position of the designer a rosy one. As graphic designer he is surrounded by all sorts of debris which at times almost threatens to inundate him:
1. Our heritage of the past—sometimes accompanied by homesickness for this past. Acquired assets lose their worth, the familiar grammar grows obsolete.
2. Professional institutions unable to “keep up” and still struggling with Bauhaus problems.
3. Many advertising agencies who respond to injection of American methods are tottering in their shoes. They begin to realize the need for creativity, but where is it to come from? They had such a cozy romp with marketing and motivation research, as long as it was detached from a creative attitude.
4. There is a growing need for design for information purposes. Where is the designer with the necessary intellectual equipment?
5. In some countries, mine for instance, commercial TV is just being started. Who is there possessing the required experience? Who is familiarizing himself with the findings of experts in other countries? Who is turning information into communication?
6. Illustrated magazines and weeklies are springing up like mushrooms in response and as a supplement to TV. Where can the “old hands” of new design come from to turn chaos into wealth?
7. How should we respond to the film titles of a certain Mr. Saul Bass when we have never had a study of the problem of a title? How good is this development?
8. What are we to think of the influence of the film—and of this kind of moving typography—on the layout of our periodicals?
We are getting a bit dizzy. Especially the younger designers, stepping into this interesting and turbulent period, quite often do not know just where and what they are. A lack of style is evident everywhere. By style, i mean the sense of being equipped with sound judgment by which one faces an assignment. The somewhat older generation, sure of itself since it has formed an opinion—based on experience—may well be holding one which is challengeable to us.
Perhaps it is worthwhile here to project a development forward and see what we may learn from that. The specialization which we observe in the departments of advertising design and information design is bound to develop further—for the time being—and probably along divergent lines which may produce new communication techniques of a perhaps non-visual character as well. The term graphic design could easily become a thing of the past—an outmoded concept reminiscent of the graphic trade of former centuries. Already, specialized visualizer-designers, art directors and program-designers represent an entirely new phenomenon.
Yet to my mind it is inevitable that even these two specialized groups will in due course be directed towards one another and need one another. For instance, editorial and advertising departments work usually along clearly separated and specialized lines in periodicals and newspapers. An ideal situation would arise when advertising acquires a more informative character, which I consider as not a remote possibility. This could result in informative types of advertising for only those products for which there is a real and recognized need that has been researched by editorial means. Of course, sometimes there is also a need for kitsch and superfluous commodities which one can tolerate by humorous oversight at least temporarily. But design recommendations in superlative degrees will no longer be required, and those designers who aim at dynamic effects could exercise their talents to greater advantage in the editorial and educationally informative sector. An integrated relationship between advertising and information values might well have beneficial results not only in newspaper and magazine design but also on the TV and film screen. (The film title which becomes a film by itself seems to me an engaging modern phenomenon—but obviously a bit fishy.)
At this transitional juncture the personal stamp which is the artist's hallmark (the work of art being a highly individual form of expression) still presents a difficult obstacle. In the integration of information and advertising, anonymity of design is almost inevitable—yes, even desirable. Photographers and illustrators cooperate with the designers in their search for new objective visualizations. Letter-designers who are now doing their utmost to produce new and often impossible variants of existing letters, should rather work with the multiplication experts in the interest of super-quick legible reproduction.
When one thinks of computerized type-setting one realizes how progress is slowed down by concepts like, say, Mediaeval and Bodoni letters. Up until now designers have been too exclusively preoccupied with obtaining as wide a variety as possible in the matter of appearance instead of centering their attention on clarity of purpose and a decent general standard.
In the advertising world the motto still prevails that an original design should be different from every other design. Against this I should like to set the need of anonymous ordering—ordering in a sound way information for restful effects. The overwhelming number of impressions bearing down upon human perception day after day demand to be sorted out before they can be relinquished or utilized.
“Co-ordination design” is related to corporate-identity programs of certain industries, that have so much information to be disseminated that a coordinated impact becomes an essential part of a corporate existence. In the future this type of design work will not only be necessary for the benefit of individual industries but also for the benefit of all people who could possibly be contacted by this type of communication—namely the whole community. The reduction of the number of impression steps in a given time and space condition is of utmost importance for the prevention of nervous tension and of disinterest in learning. This does not apply only to printed information, but to all sense-perceptible, auditive and three-dimensional methods of communication.
As one can see, there are tasks enough to be tackled—and the designer will have to play a humble yet important role. Even if he may frequently have to serve in an anonymous capacity, his function will be no less fascinating for that reason. Our training centers should direct their curriculum to these new functions. There is a real need for intelligent designers with artistic sensitivity and imagination. | <urn:uuid:81625639-6119-4e43-b858-271b3983efa2> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.thisisdisplay.org/features/wim_crouwel_aspects_of_communication_design_in_a_shrinking_world | 2016-07-30T05:17:22Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257832939.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071032-00232-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968703 | 2,229 |
Julia embarks on a journey across the Levant (the Eastern Mediterranean) during the reign of the Ottoman empire and she becomes embroiled in the politics of the Turkish countries, falling in love with a radical young man and his ideals for a better empire. Julia Hamilton is a student at Miss Mumford's who is tired of school and wants to see the world for herself. Her father works at the Arab desk in England's Foreign Office and Julia begs to accompany her father on one of his scheduled expeditions to Syria. Her father doesn't think it is safe, however, Julia convinces him that she wants to see and understand the real world and not always have to be satisfied with reading about it from books. Her father finally agrees to let her accompany him and sketch the wondrous places that he visits – Istanbul, Damascus, Palmyra and Alexandretta. He warns Julia that the customs in the Levant (the region around the Mediterranean) are very strict in terms of women's behavior and dress. Julia also learns that the region may be full of unrest but she is prepared for the excitement.
Julia's father tells her that for the purposes of the trip, he is supposed to be a solicitor on vacation and that the Foreign Office is not to be mentioned. Julia thinks her father is embroiled in some secret mission on behalf of England. Her father refuses to reveal anymore but Julia is excited to finally go on a grand adventure.
Julia and her father take the Orient Express to Istanbul. On the train, they meet a Frenchman named Monsieur Louvois, who is also going to Syria to deal in antiquities. Julia's father disapproves of Monsieur Louvois as the trade of antiquities isn't strictly allowed in Syria. Monsieur Louvois is interested in what a solicitor might be doing all the way in the desert and Julia finds it hard to shake off his interest. The train finally pulls in at Istanbul where they immediately rush to take a boat to Beirut. The security in Turkey is high due to tensions from a group of rebels called the Young Turks whose goal is to incite revolution against the Turkish sultan. On the boat, Julia meets a young English Oxford student named Graham Geddes who claims to be travelling to Syria to study history for his research. When the Turkish soldiers inspect Graham's passport and learn that he's from Salonika, they are friendlier towards him. Later on, Julia learns that Salonika is known to be at the epicenter of the revolutionary Young Turks movement and that many Turkish soldiers are sympathetic to the cause.
Later on, in Beirut, Julia meets with Graham again. Graham reveals that he recognized her father because he once attended a lecture where her father spoke against the Young Turks movement. Graham seems to passionately support the Young Turks and he suspects her father is secretly working to buy more land for Britain, an accusation which distresses Julia, who doesn't know any better. He proves to be a cynical young man but Julia is intrigued by him and his vast knowledge. Graham finally reveals that he is actually working for the Young Turks, to help spread their cause across regions of the Ottoman empire. Julia promises she won't tell anyone what Graham has told her.
Julia and her father take a train to Damascus, and Graham also takes the same train. Julia's father recognizes Graham as a troublemaker he met while lecturing at Oxford and he doesn't like the youth. While on the train, Julia and her father meet a botanist named Edith Phillips, who is collecting specimens for the Kew Gardens. In Damascus, Julia, her father, Edith and Graham all stay in the same hotel. Much to Julia and her father's dismay, Monsieur Louvois is also staying there. It turns out that everyone is on the same tour together.
They tour Damascus, visiting mosques and bazaars. During the tour, Edith becomes confrontational towards their Turkish tour guide because she is pro-Arab independence from the Turkish empire. Meanwhile, Monsieur Lavois busies himself buying small artifacts that he plans on sneaking out of the country, much to Julia and Graham's disapproval. Graham acts very suspiciously, telling Julia that he must visit a bank and leaves Julia for a few moments by herself. Julia thinks that Graham is only pretending to like being her company because he finds it useful to have someone proper accompanying him around town, as if it will dissolve suspicions from authorities who might be wondering what he's up to.
The group prepare for their camel-back trek across the desert, a difficult trek that will be Julia's first experience camping. During their trip, they pass through many small villages, and at each of these villages, Turkish soldiers abound. The soldiers are hostile to foreigners and their guide explains that it is because some foreigners have been known to stir up dissent among the people. Edith disappears to forage for some rare plants but doesn't return, causing the whole village to go out to search for her. It turns out that some locals had taken her to extort ransom money from the foreigners. Edith is retrieved, looking suspiciously unruffled.
During the trip, Julia becomes increasingly suspicious that her travel companions all have their own secret agenda for going on this tour and that she might be the only one who genuinely just wanted to see Syria. When they arrive in Palmyra, Graham disappears on one of his mysterious missions. Julia feels a bit disconcerted while walking on the streets of Palmyra. Later on, she realizes that the people are wary of her because of the way she dresses and behaves. Her father visits the Sheikh and Julia is invited to visit the Sheikh's harem. She and the women of the harem exchange knowledge about their different cultures.
Before they leave Palmyra, they learn that the Sheikh's niece has committed infidelity and the punishment is death. Julia is horrified and demands that her father and the rest of the group do something to stop this travesty from happening. But everyone is powerless to do anything. Graham convinces Julia that she should not be simply an “onlooker” like her father, Monsieur Louvois and Edith, ignoring what is happening to the oppressed people in the Ottoman empire. Julia agrees with Graham. Her father, however, thinks that Julia is playing a dangerous game by being associated with Graham, as he thinks the sultan has spies that already know that Graham is supporting the Young Turks movement. By association, Julia may also be in danger.
Later on, Julia's father becomes ill and their party must separate as her father needs time to recuperate. They are accosted by some Turkish soldiers who are in search of Graham. They realize they were betrayed by one of their guides. Edith returns with a carriage to take Julia and her father to Homs. In the city of Homs, Julia's father recovers. They learn that he had been poisoned. Julia's father doesn't seem to be worried about being poisoned - he seems more worried that Julia is still associating with Graham, even though Graham is working against the British empire and therefore against him. They take a train to Aleppo then to Antioch where they visit another Sheikh. There, Monsieur Louvois is finally caught by the Turkish polish for sneaking artifacts out of the country. After spending a few hours in jail, the Frenchman is released and leaves Turkey in a hurry.
Soon after Monsieur Louvois leaves, Graham is also arrested for spying. It is revealed that Monsieur Louvois was the one who accused Graham in exchange for his own freedom. Later on, Julia finds Monseur Louvois and discovers that he is innocent of accusing Graham. Julia believes he is telling the truth but now she is more confused than ever. Julia, her father, Edith and a British friend in Antioch called Mr. Robinson decide to go to Alexandretta where the Turkish soldiers have sent Graham for further interrogation.
They concoct a plan to intercept Graham as he is being taken onto a boat destined to Mersina. Part of the plan involves Julia dressing up as an Arab woman and sneaking on board the ship. Before she leaves to rescue Graham, she receives a letter from Edith detailing how the botanist has been working against everyone in their group since the beginning. Apparently Edith believes that the Arabs should have independence from the Ottoman empire and that what Graham is doing will only empower the Turks even further. Julia is shocked by this betrayal. Soon after, much to Julia's surprise, Graham is released. She finds out it is all due to her father pulling some strings in the English Foreign Office. For the first time, she sees Graham not as a romantic revolutionary but as a cynical young man. She does not feel sad to let him go on his way.
The story ends with Julia and her father planning the next leg of their journey – Egypt.
Best part of story, including ending:
I enjoyed the detailed political perspectives represented in the story as it felt well-informed and authentic to the times. I like how the author represented each ethnic voice and their cause and discussed things like imperialism and the effects on the small groups of people who become oppressed.
Best scene in story:
My favorite scene was when Julia receives the letter from Edith that explains that she was behind why her travel companions had been encountering so many problems during their journey. I was glad that the culprit responsible for Graham's arrest was not Julia's father. I think it would have been unforgivable for Julia if she found out her father was so heartless as to risk a young man's life in order to fulfill his own schemes for the British Empire.
Opinion about the main character:
I like that Julia was eager to see new things and experience drastically different cultures. I like that she wasn't afraid to camp out in the desert and be in the company of fierce looking people like the Bedouin. | <urn:uuid:f55c3944-f8be-4499-a815-31a1456f641c> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://allreaders.com/book-review-summary/parade-of-shadows-40206 | 2016-07-24T14:47:28Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824109.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00095-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9806 | 2,024 |
February 2008 // Volume 46 // Number 1 // Tools of the Trade // 1TOT4
Calculating the Economic Impact of Health Education Programs: Five Tools for Extension Educators
Evaluation of Extension health/wellness programming often focuses on positive changes in participants' health practices and changed health status. Increasingly, stakeholders and funders are also requesting analyses of the economic impact of health education programs. In an era of heightened accountability, there is also pressure to compare program costs and benefits. Unlike financial management programs that have built-in economic indicators, health education program impacts must often be calculated indirectly. This article describes five methods to quantify the economic impact of health education programs: participant surveys, time value of money analyses, extrapolation from published cost estimates, cost-benefit analyses, and return on investment.
Health/wellness programming is an important component of many Extension family and consumer sciences (FCS) programs and includes topics such as childhood obesity, physical activity, and diabetes. Impact evaluation often focuses on positive changes in participants' health practices (e.g., increased daily exercise) and changed health status (e.g., reduction in weight or body mass index).
Increasingly, stakeholders are requesting analyses of the economic impact of health education programs in addition to changes in the health status of participants. There is also pressure to compare program costs and benefits. Unlike financial management programs that have built-in economic indicators (e.g., increased savings), health education programs impacts must often be calculated indirectly. Following are five methods to quantify the economic impacts of health education programs.
Survey Program Participants
One way to assess financial impacts of health education programs is to ask participants directly. Historically, health and financial literacy initiatives have proceeded on parallel tracks with separate literature, programs, and advocacy efforts (Vitt, Siegenthaler, Siegenthaler, Lyter, & Kent, 2002).
This is changing with the use of interdisciplinary programs such as Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ (SSHW), which encourages participants to make positive behavior changes to simultaneously improve their health and personal finances. On evaluation surveys that SSHW participants complete semi-annually are questions about how their health status has affected their finances and vice versa. Qualitative data about financial impacts of health education programs can complement quantitative impacts described below. Respondents are also asked to estimate a dollar value for improved health practices, which can be compared with time value calculations.
Time Value of Money Analyses
The time value of money has been described as "the single most important concept in personal finance" (Garman & Forgue, 2006, p. 16) and involves calculations of a lump sum or series of deposits in different time periods. Time value of money calculations can be used effectively to determine financial impacts of health programs.
One example is a present value calculation for economic impact of the delayed onset of diabetes resulting from an effective health education program. Delaying health care expenses is a major financial impact for both participants and employers. Present value is the current value of money that will not be spent on health care in a series of future payments. To do an accurate calculation, you need a reliable estimate of annual health care costs and lost wages for people with type 2 diabetes and conservative estimates of the number of positively impacted individuals and their average age relative to the mean age of diabetes diagnosis, which is now 46 (Koopman, Mains, Dia, & Geese, 2005). Add in a conservative discount rate and the calculation is complete.
Here is an example. Health care costs for a person with diabetes are $13,243, compared to $2,560 for people who don't have diabetes (Study Shows, 2003), a difference of $10,683. Suppose the average age of program participants is 40 and a 5% discount rate is assumed. If a realistic one-fifth (200) of 1,000 program participants, based on those who are at risk for developing diabetes and able to delay its onset with a healthy diet and exercise (Rice & McCorkle, 2005), push back the age of diabetes onset 6 years and avoid $10,683 of increased annual medical costs, the financial benefit is (N = 6 years, %i = 5, present value of annuity factor = 5.2421) $10,683 x 5.2421 or $56,001 per person x 200 = $11,200,271! Furthermore, it is estimated that people with diabetes complications pay almost $1,600 out-of-pocket for costs that are not reimbursed by insurance, such as deductibles and co-payments (The Surprisingly High Cost, 2007). A conservative future value calculation could also be done of participants' potential savings if money required for diabetes expenses not incurred is invested.
Extrapolation from Published Cost Estimates
Another way to calculate economic impact from health education programs is extrapolations from reliable estimates of the dollar savings of improved financial practices using a technique known as "shadow pricing" (Richardson, n.d.). For example, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a 10% weight loss will reduce an overweight person's lifetime medical costs by $2,200 to $5,300 (Preventing Chronic Diseases, 2003). Using simple math with the lowest dollar figure of this range, if 500 participants each lost 10% of their body weight (e.g., 16 pounds from 160) following a health education program, the economic impact is $1,100,000.
A study by Andreyeva & Sturm (2006) found that regular physical activity by adults age 54 to 69 was associated with reduced health care costs of $483 annually. Additionally, studies have found effects of women's body mass on their socioeconomic status. Conley and Glauber (2005) found that a one percent increase in body mass index or BMI (e.g., from 25 to 25.25) results in .6 of a percentage point decrease in family income. Findings such as these can inform computations of economic impact.
Cost-benefit analyses also provide perspective on the impacts of health education programs. The costs of program inputs (Logic Model, n.d.), such as staff and supplies, are divided into calculated economic benefits. The larger the dollar value of benefits relative to program costs, the better (O'Neill & Richardson, 1999). For example, using the weight loss program with $1.1 million of economic impact cited above, if it costs $200,000 to deliver the program, the cost-benefit ratio is 5.5 to 1 or $5.50 of economic benefit for every $1 spent to implement the program.
Return on Investment Calculations
Return on Investment (ROI) calculations are commonly used in the business world. The formula is:
In the above example, the ROI would be 4.5 ($900,000 divided by $200,000) x 100 or 450%. This means that, even after all program costs are subtracted, the program generated $4.50 in net benefits for every $1 invested. As with cost-benefit ratios, the higher the ROI multiple, the more impressive the economic impact.
It has been said that "money talks." This article described five ways to calculate the economic impact of health education programs. Framing improved health practices on program participants in financial terms can help improve accountability and meet demands of stakeholders for economic analyses.
Andreyeva, T., & Sturm, T. (2006). Physical activity and changes in health care costs in late middle age. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 3, S6-S19.
Conley, D., & Glauber, R. (2006, May 19). Gender, body mass, and economic status. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 11343. Retrieved May 19, 2006 from http://papers.nber.org/papers/W11343.
Garman, E. T., & Forgue, R. E. (2006). Personal finance. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Koopman, R. J., Mains, A. G., Dia, V. A., & Geese, M. E. (2005). Changes in age at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the United States, 1988 to 2000. Annals of Family Medicine, 3(1), 60-63. Retrieved April 26, 2007 from: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/4988563_print
Logic model (n.d.). University of Wisconsin Extension. Retrieved April 27, 2007 from: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/evaluation/evallogicmodel.html.
O'Neill, B., & Richardson, J. G. (1999). Cost-benefit statements: A tool for Extension accountability. Journal of Extension [On-line], 37(4). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/1999august/tt3.html
Rice, C. A., & McCorkle, D. (2005, December). Planning effective programs with significant outcomes and economic impacts. Paper presented at the National Urban Symposium: Youth and Family Wellness, Dallas, TX.
Richardson, J. G. (n.d.). Developing cost and benefit estimates. North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. Retrieved September 6, 2005 from: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/AboutCES/Factsheets/benefits.html.
The surprisingly high cost of diabetes (2007, April 11). U.S. News and World Report. Retrieved April 26, 2007 from: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/070411/11health.diabetes.htm.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2003). Preventing obesity and chronic diseases through good nutrition and physical activity. Preventing chronic diseases: Investing wisely in health. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved October 28, 2004 from: http://www.healthierus.gov/steps/summit/prevportfolio/PA-HHS.pdf
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2003). Study shows sharp rise in the cost of diabetes nationwide. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved February 25, 2008 from: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2003press/20030227a.html.
Vitt, L. A., Siegenthaler, J. K., Siegenthaler, L., Lyter, D. M., & Kent, J. (2002, January). Consumer health care finances and education: Matters of values. Issue Brief Number 241. Washington DC: Employee Benefit Research Institute. | <urn:uuid:95921e80-5ed8-4d69-84cf-82675d522088> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.joe.org/joe/2008february/tt4.php | 2016-07-24T14:39:03Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824109.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00095-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908987 | 2,240 |
|Reviews for It's All On You|
| AbsoFuckingLutely4everTwilight chapter 37 . 2/2/2012
OMFG! thank god it wasn't Tyler! Yeah that motherf*cker is gone for good! I really hope Tyler and Mallory can sort out all their problems and be together happy!
And also let's hope the police doesn't get involved or smth cause Tyler could go to jail :/
This chapter was awesome! It was so sad (not the saddest though) and violent but finally t&m are together!
Pls update quickly! Can't wait for next chapter!
| ffnetco chapter 37 . 2/2/2012
I love it! I just hope Tyler doesn't get into too much trouble because even though her was defending Mallory it was, well, murder :\
Can't wait for the next update! This story has me so hooked!
| Cyaneifa123 chapter 37 . 2/2/2012
thank you for posting..really loved it! Thank God. Max is now dead... Hoping to see the next chapter :)
| heavenlyvixen chapter 37 . 2/2/2012
I love this fic. It's just amazing. I eagerly await all updates. Can't wait for more.
| NJSilla chapter 37 . 2/2/2012
IM FUCKING HAPPY MAX IS DEAD, I WONDER WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN TO TYLER NOW
BUT IT WAS IN SELF DEFENSE SO NOTHING CAN HAPPEN I THINK!
BUT I CANT I MEAN YOU SAW ME,
I FEEL NUMB RIGHT NOW I DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE
I LOVE THE CHAPTER SO FUCKING MUCH
BUT I CANT EVEN WRITE
I DONT FEEL LIKE WRITING RIGHT NOW
I FEEL TO MUCH!
IM SORRY I CANT WRITE MORE
I LOVE YOU, YOURE AMAZING
THANK YOU FOR WRITING THIS!
| HockeyChick10 chapter 37 . 2/2/2012
Max got what he deserved! Let the lovefest of Mallory and Tyler begin anew :)
| NabStew chapter 37 . 2/1/2012
IT WAS LIKE
YAY TYLER IS COMING
LET HER ALONE
RUN MALLORY RUN
IN THE CLOSET?
TYLER WHERE ARE YOU?
omg poor Mallory omg :'(
awww you got her, good, take her to a hospital
TYLER KILL HIM NOW
OMG WHAT ARE YOU DOING MALLORY
YOU ARE SO WEAK RIGHT NOW
YES TYLER GOT IT
OMG, TYLER CAN'T BE DEAD
OMG HE IS NOT
MAX IS DEAD
"I LOVE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH"
OMG, MY HEART
I LOVE SO FUCKING MUCH CLARY
I'VE NEVER HAD THIS AMOUNT OF FEELINGS FOR A FIC IN MY LIFE
OMG NEXT CHAPTER OMG
| Cori chapter 37 . 2/1/2012
THIS WHOLE CHAPTER IS SO FUCKING INTENSE AND OVERWHELMING. LIKE I CANT EVEN DEAL WITH IT RIGHT NOW.
I WAS LIKE SHAKING WITH CHILLS AND HYPERVENTILATING WHEN MALLORY WAS GETTING BEAT BY MAX. JKDGJKHJFBJKHFDJKAHD
AND HER INNER THOUGHTS JUST COMPLETELY KILLED ME
TYLER AND MAX FIGHTING AND HER NOT BEING ABLE TO HELP BUT HER NEED TO HELP WAS SO ALIVE AND SO STRONG. I WAS LEGIT ON THE VERGE OF TEARS THE ENTIRE TIME.
AND THANK FUCKING GOD MAX IS FUCKING DEAD. HOPEFULLY DEADER THAN DEAD. HOPEFULLY IN HELL GETTING FUCKED IN THE ASS WITH A DILDO WITH NO MOTHERFUCKING LUBE. HALLELUJAH
| ANON chapter 37 . 2/1/2012
i can sleep easy knowing they both love each other and they are gunna be ok and that max is dead, but the story still must have more to come! cant wait for the next update ! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for updating so quikly!
| Charlie Belle chapter 37 . 2/1/2012
MY FUCKING HEART
I KNEW IT! SINCE YOU GAVE US THE FUCKING PREVIEW I KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE MAX. I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT HIM, TILL YOU GAVE US THAT FUCKING PREVIEW. I AM SO FUCKING HAPPY THAT HE IS DEAD. YOU HAVE NO IDEA. I LOVE THAT HE IS DEAD. AND THE WAY YOU HAD HIM DIE.
I KNOW YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T KILL MALLORY, OR TYLER. BUT I ACTUALLY GOT SCARED FOR A SECOND. I THOUGHT MALLORY GOT SHOT. WHEN YOU SAID SHE HIT THE FLOOR.
HOLY FUCKING SHIT
SO MUCH GOING ON.
I HAD TO STEP BACK AFTER A WHILE, BECAUSE THIS SHIT WAS INTENSE.
IM SO SAD THAT THIS IS ENDING
IM GOING TO FUCKING CRY.
I LOVE YOU
OMFG THIS FUCKING CHAPTER
| Stinepiigen chapter 36 . 2/1/2012
Clary, I love you.
Oh my god.
One of my favorite chapters...wait..I can't have only one. I just love all of them. Every single one.
But this one...Woooooow!
When I read it, I felt completed. Relaxed, but at the same time excited.
Mallory, you're amazing. Look how much she's changed through the story. She would NEVER do what she does in this chapter before. She doesn't give up. I really, really love that fact about her. She fights for what she wants. And she wants Tyler more than anything. He is her life. Instead of giving up, she goes to his work. God, I'm so proud of her. And happy. She's just amazing. And the fact that she speaks to him without crying and stuff, but instead staying strong I love it.
And their conversation.. omg. I love it. It's really good. I really hate that Tyler pushes her away in the beginning and doesn't want her there. But they talk. And God, how I hated it when Mallory walked out of that door. It was weird seeing them like that. They both love eachother, but still it was very awkward when they saw each other. And then when I thought everything was lost, Tyler runs for her. He runs for her. Oh my god. I love him. I love that. That's so amazing. And him telling her, that he can't lose her.. he needs her too. I love it. God, you kill me. I can't wait for them to speak together again. Or just see what happends. It's too exciting. Please Clary, don't kill me. I know you can't just update now. And I'll give you time. I just wish I got another chapter like, right now.
Uh and Mallorys thought in the end. Perfect. Perfect ending of this chapter. Couldn't be better. I bet she will get him back. She'll fight for him untill her heart stops beating. She will. I know Mallory and she doesn't just give up. After everything they had, after she fell in love with him she won't. never.
Thank you. Love on you. I love this. 3
| Cyaneifa123 chapter 36 . 2/1/2012
Really love the story... really looking forward to chapter 37 (so excited _) :D :)
| fanficgirl8 chapter 36 . 2/1/2012
estoy tan feliz! ellos hablaron! awww, i miss you write...so much!
| karmenmasen chapter 36 . 2/1/2012
For a while there you were breaking my heart, your updates just keep getting better and better. Can't wait for the next one :D
| vivita126 chapter 36 . 1/31/2012
Awwww this was painful cute? Idk how to say explain it xD oh god i need them back together, all this suffering is not fair for them. | <urn:uuid:23b0c0b3-10e7-4c31-8267-fdf2931bfc01> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | https://www.fanfiction.net/r/7287258/0/10/ | 2016-07-24T16:21:59Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824109.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00095-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.88083 | 1,810 |
Every Wed., Fri., & Sat., except Jan. 1. All invited to play one of 100 songs, with melodies transcribed in numbers, on the 17-bell chime's numbered keys. Ambitious players can add chords.
Noon-12:30 p.m. (Wed. & Fri.) & 10:30-11 a.m. (Sat.), Kerrytown Market & Shops. Free. 369-3107. [map]
People of the River - Photography/Video Exhibit: UM Latin American and Caribbean Studies, College of Engineering, UM Library.more >
People of the River - Photography/Video Exhibit: UM Latin American and Caribbean Studies, College of Engineering, UM Library.< less
People of the River
Photography and Video Exhibit
Marcin Szczepanski, Senior Multimedia Producer, Michigan Engineering
People of the River captures the life of so called ribeirinhos (river people) that inhabit the Pantanal region in Brazil. Pantanal, located roughly in the center of South America, is one of the largest wetlands in the world, with a wonderfully diverse ecosystem.
The author portrays the changing nature of life in Pantanal and how its residents cope with the environmental, social and economic challenges around them. The exhibit also documents the work of Pantanal Partnership, the collaboration of U-M students with Pantanal's residents and schools that aims to provide healthy water and renewable energy to the area by building water filters, bio-digesters and wind turbines.
Where: Duderstadt Center Gallery on North Campus, 2281 Bonisteel Blvd.
When: January 8-25, 2014
Opening: 4 PM. Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Duderstadt Center Gallery, 2281 Bonisteel Blvd. Free. 215 900 9826. [email protected] www.marcinvisuals.com [map]
Every Fri. except Jan. 3. Rabbi Robert Levy leads an informal discussion about the intersection between religion and science. Bring a bag lunch.
Noon-1 p.m., TBE Adult Lounge, 2309 Packard. Free. 665-4744. [map]
(John Wells, 2013). Adaptation of Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning dark comedy about the painful reunion of the far-flung members of a dysfunctional family in response to its patriarch's mysterious disappearance.
Michigan Theater. $10 (children under 12, students with ID, seniors age 55 & older, & U.S. veterans, $8; MTF members, $7.50; films before 6 p.m., $7). 668-TIME, michtheater.org. [map]
Girl Power! Yoga helps teenage girls find and strengthen their inner power through yoga and group discussion. Girl Power! Yoga is a yoga class specific for teenage girls age 6th -8th grade that focuses on emPOWERing self-acceptance, self-esteem, and strengthening their mind, body, spirit connection. Classes will include 60 minutes of yoga practice and 15-minute group discussion. Instructor: Sara Hughes-Zabawa. Class meets on Fridays from 4:00 - 5:15 pm.
Hygeia Center for Healing Arts, 220 N. 5th Ave. $110. 734-769-6100. [email protected] www.hygeiacenter.org [map]
Jan. 10, 21, & 30 (different locations). Topics include "Temple Destruction and Historical Construction: Rethinking the 'Fall" of Vijayanagara" (Jan. 10), "Elephants Abroad: A Hidden History of Ancient India's Influence in the World" (Jan 21), and "Populist Publics: Print Capitalism and Embodied Politics in South India" (Jan. 30).
4 p.m., 1636 SSWB/International Institute (Jan. 10), 1080 South University; Thayer Bldg. (Jan. 21), 202 S. Thayer; 210 West Hall (Jan. 30), 1085 South University. Free. 615-4059. [map]
(Alexander Payne, 2013). An aging, booze-addled father makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son to claim a million-dollar sweepstakes prize.
Times TBA at michtheater.org, Michigan Theater. $10 (children under 12, students with ID, seniors age 55 & older, & U.S. veterans, $8; MTF members, $7.50; films before 6 p.m., $7). 668-TIME. [map]
Every Sun. & Tues.-Fri., except Jan. 1. All invited to compete in tournaments of this popular collectible card game using standard constructed (Fri.), modern constructed (Thurs.), Elder Dragon Highlander (Tues.), Legacy (Wed.), and booster draft (Sun.) decks. Prizes. Bring your own cards (except Sun.).
6 p.m. (Tues.-Fri.) & 1 p.m. (Sun.), Get Your Game On, 310 S. State. $5 (Tues., free; Sun., $15 includes cards). 786-3746. [map]
Dinner, and dancing to music. Russian folk performances by St. Vladimir parishioners. Games, raffle. Cash bar.
7 p.m.-midnight, St. Nicholas Hall, 3109 Scio Church, Ann Arbor. $60 includes dinner, entertainment, & dance; $20, dance only. Tickets available by phone and email, [email protected]. (440) 785-6131. [map]
Talk by Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (Woodstock, NY) Tibetan Buddhist monastery abbot Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, author of Bardo: Interval of Possibility, a book about events that occur after one dies.
7-8:30 p.m., KTC, 614 Miner. $25 (or whatever you can afford to pay) donation. 678-7549. [map]
All invited to join a group performance of this traditional devotional call-and-response music based on Hindu Vaishnava texts and the writings of poet-saints. Accompanied by live music based on rhythmic Indian ragas on bass guitar, tabla, and drums.
7:30-9:30 p.m., Friends Meetinghouse, 1420 Hill St. Free, but donations accepted. 761-7435. [map]
Banish the winter doldrums, and satisfy that resolution to learn a new skill at the same time...join us at the FLY studio every Friday, and learn to knit!
Each week in this four-week session we will explore a new technique, each building on the next, with a new project being started each class. Class tuition is $20 per student per class or all 4 for $75. Supplies are provided for all classes, as well as a "how-to" instruction reminder. Flight Instructor is Katie Whitehouse, who has been teaching knitting to others for over 10 years. Classes are suitable for folks ages 8 and up. Register at www.flyartcenter.org!
January 10, 7:30pm - Knitting/week 1: Casting on/Knit stitch - Make a Dishcloth!
January 17, 7:30pm - Knitting/week 2: Casting off/Purl stitch - Make a Ribbed Scarf!
January 24, 7:30pm - Knitting/week 3: Increasing/Decreasing - Make a Rosette or a Diagonal Stitch Cozy!
January 31, 7:30pm - Knitting/week 4: Knitting in the Round - Make a Hat!
Learn more about FLY and s
FLY Creativity Lab, 40 N Huron St, Ypsilanti. $20. [email protected]. [email protected] www.flyartcenter.org [map]
Arlene Kindel and Susie Lorand call to live music by Childgrove. For experienced dancers.
8-11 p.m., Concourse Hall, 4531 Concourse Dr. (off S. State across from the airport). $10. (248) 288-4737. [map]
Jan. 10 & 24. All invited to peer through the telescopes in the observatory and on the Angell Hall roof and to view shows in the planetarium. Also, short astronomy presentations by club members.
8-10 p.m., 5th floor rooftop observatory, Angell Hall (enter through Haven Hall on the Diag side of the building). Free. 764-3440. [map]
This Irish-American singer-songwriter from Detroit is known for her bell-like soprano--an instrument that has been described as "rich, flexible, soaring, and haunting"--and her grittily realistic, bluesy original songs. In its review of her latest CD Northern Border, Sing Out! calls her "one of the rare singer-songwriters to sensuously weave words and melody into a strong and mesmerizing fabric."
8 p.m., FUMC Green Wood Church, 1001 Green Rd. at Glazier Way. $12 (kids 10 & under, 2 for the price of 1) in advance and at the door. 665-8558. [map]
Jan. 9-11. Local debut of this popular actor-comedian who hosted the BBQ special Smoked on Destination America and co-hosts Marc and Todd's Crazy Clips on the Outdoor Channel. His act blends incisive observational humor with comic tales about the experiences that have taken him from small-town Louisiana to L.A. to pursue a career in entertainment. Preceded by 2 opening acts. Alcohol is served.
8 p.m. (Thurs.-Sat.) & 10:30 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.), 314 E. Liberty. $9 (Thurs.) & $12 (Fri. & Sat.) reserved seating in advance, $11 (Thurs.) & $14 (Fri. & Sat.) general admission at the door. 996-9080. [map]
Jan. 8-12. Local actors perform A.R. Gurney's comic drama about a rich WASP family living in Buffalo in the 1930s and 40s. The play is performed in the style of readers' theater, with the cast reading from scripts while seated on a bare stage.
8 p.m. (Jan. 8-11) & 2 p.m. (Jan. 11 & 12), Mix Studio Theatre, 8 N. Washington, Ypsilanti. Tickets $12 (students and seniors with ID, $10; $4 discount for preshow dining at Haab's restaurant) in advance at emergentarts.com and at the door. 985-0875. [map]
Jan. 7-12. Award-winning Scottish playwright, performer, and director Rob Drummond stars in this darkly humorous theatrical magic show exploring the history of the notorious trick "bullet catch," an illusion in which a magician appears to catch a bullet fired directly at him. The show features levitation, games of chance, mind-reading, and storytelling, as Drummond-who wrote and co-directs the show with David Overend-relates the true story of William Henderson, a magician who died attempting the bullet catch trick in 1912. In the show's finale, an audience member is invited to perform the trick by firing the gun at Drummond. "Drummond's conjuring skills are genuine and very impressive but his ability to make a profound philosophical meditation into a hugely entertaining magic show is cleverer still because it is so subtly done," writes a Herald (UK) reviewer.
7:30 p.m. (Jan. 7-9), 8 p.m. (Jan. 10 & 11), and 2 p.m. (Jan. 11 & 12), Arthur Miller Theatre, 1226 Murfin, North Campus. $40 (Jan. 7-9) & $50 (Jan. 10-12) general admission, in advance at ums.org, by phone, and (if available) at the door. 764-2538. [map]
"Friday Night Swing (& Blues)": Ann Arbor Swing Dance Association/Ann Arbor Community of Traditional Music and Dance.more >
"Friday Night Swing (& Blues)": Ann Arbor Swing Dance Association/Ann Arbor Community of Traditional Music and Dance.< less
Every Fri. Lindy hop, East Coast swing, Charleston, and Balboa dancing to music spun by DJs. Followed at 11:30 p.m. by blues dancing. No partner needed. Preceded at 8 p.m. by beginning lessons.
9 p.m.-1:30 a.m., Phoenix Center, 220 S. Main. $5 (students with ID, $3; $1 discount for AACTMAD members) includes lessons. 417-9857. [map] | <urn:uuid:24781a2b-2698-4d8c-b134-2edc472168ec> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://annarborobserver.com/calendar/140110.html | 2016-07-26T14:06:19Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824994.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00247-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.899954 | 2,752 |
As the Subway Super Series moves from the QMJHL in OHL territory, the touring Russians carry a 0-2 record and have been out shot 99-48 and outscored 12-4. Game 3 of the Series goes tonight in Barrie, Ontario with the Russians having traveled from Shawinigan after their game against the QMJHL last night.
Last week I made the argument that the event should feature the Canadian CHLers playing against their European and American counterparts from the same league. You can find my reasons for feeling that way by clicking HERE. Prior to the two games against the QMJHL I released the roster of the team I would have preferred to see play. You can see the make up of Team Q-International HERE.
Following suit, here is the roster for Team OHL-International that I wish we were seeing play tonight and Monday instead of the extremely disadvantaged Russians...
WHile it was slim pickings in the QMJHL for American or Euro goalies, that's not the case with the OHL. By my count there are 9 goalies with the required passport to play for my team and I finally narrowed it down to a quartet, they can all play a period and a half.
Brandon Maxwell of the Kitchener Rangers was a 6th round pick of the Colorado Avalanche last June. In 13 games with the Rangers this year he has a .916 save percentage and a 3.04 GAA. I'd have him sharing the Barrie game (tonight) with German Philipp Grubauer who plays for the Belleville Bulls. Grubauer was recently recognized as one of the top goalies available in 2010. Thus far he's played in 21 games for the Bulls and boasts a .912 save percentage and .327 GAA.
In the other game I would send out London Knights goalie Michael Houser, eligible for the 2010 draft by a mere two days. Houser has the third best GAA in the OHL at 2.48 but he's only appeared in 8 games. Still, his .917 save percentage suggests he's on the same pace as most of the top starters in the league. His partner on Monday night would be Robin Lehner (pictured), the Swede was taken in the 2nd by the Ottawa Senators last June. Lehner plays for the Soo Greyhounds and is in the OHL top 10 for both save percentage and GAA.
There are a few obvious choices for the blueline starting with 2010 marquee prospect Cam Fowler. The American plays for the powerful Windsor Spitfires and leads the OHL in scoring by defencemen with 29 points in 25 games. Fowler (pictured below) is listed a 6'2 and 190 lbs and is a surefire top 5 pick this June.
2009 guest blogger John Moore made the move from the USHL to the OHL this summer and now plays for the Kitchener Rangers. After arriving late from Columbus Blue Jackets camp (1st round pick, 2009) Moore finally got into action and has collected 12 points in 19 games.
Adam Comrie was a 2008 selection of the Florida Panthers. The Virginia born blueliners is now a member of the Guelph Storm after two seasons in Saginaw. HIs 17 points in 22 games with the Storm have Comrie ranked 10th in D-men scoring in the league this year. At 6'4 and 213 lbs, Comrie is definitely an interesting player to watch for in the future.
Another 2008 draftee is Michal Jordan of the Plymouth Whalers. Carolina chose the Czech native in the 4th round that year and he responded by nearly doubling his statistical output to a total of 42 points last season. Jordan has international experience with his country's junior team and even made my proposed team last year in this same exercise.
Undrafted Brian Lashoff gets a nod here as a 6'3, 204 lb two-way defender. Lashoff plays for the Kingston Frontenacs but also appeared in 6 AHL games last year with the Grand Rapids Griffins (DET) where he managed to pick up 5 points. Lashoff has 10 points so far this year with the Frontenacs.
Another undrafted player that caught my eye is Tony DeHart of the Oshawa Generals. With 21 points in 22 games, DeHart has already almost equaled his output from all 67 games last season. He is in his fourth OHL campaign but his first two years in London saw him play sparingly and contribute just 9 points over 72 games. The Missouri product easily eclipse that mark last year playing with the Generals and is well on his way to having a banner season.
The first of my two spares on my team are going to be Sarnia Sting defender Joe Rogalski, a late '91 born player from Lancaster, New York who has 14 points in 23 games this year. The second is native Pennsylvanian Tyler Hostetter who plays in his home State for the Erie Otters. Hostetter has is a bit undersized, went undrafted last year but has 14 points in 20 games this season for the Otters.
As we often see with "All-Star" teams, I'm going to have excess centers where one or two will have to move to the wing. For that reason, I only have 3 natural left wingers on my list. The first is Mississauga's Swedish import William Wallen. The tiny forward has 20 points, just two back of his total from last year when he was a rookie with the Majors. He's 5'8 and 170 lbs so I don't know how much of a pro future he has... just another reason why an event like I'm proposing is an interesting one for these types of players.
Rookie Jeremy Morin of the Kitchener Rangers is someone most people will recognize as a 2nd round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers at last June's NHL draft. Morin has an impressive 27 points in 21 games, third best on the strong Kitchener team. The New York product was a standout on the US-NTDP for the past two years.
A.J. Jenks was a 2008 draft pick of the Florida Panthers. The forward is now playing in his fourth season as a member of the Plymouth Whalers in his home State of Michigan. Jenks has had back-to-back 20 goals campaigns and is on pace to make it a third. The 6'2, 200 lb power forward is projected to be a solid checker at the pro level.
A recent guest on The Pipeline Show, Austin Watson is definitely a player of interest of for the 2010 NHL draft. He's only 9th in scoring on his own team but when that club is the Windsor Spitfires... you have to realize that 17 points is still pretty darn good.
NCAA deserter Kenny Ryan found his way North to the Spitfires after leaving Boston College on the eve of their regular season. The Toronto Maple Leafs chose Ryan in the 2nd round in the 2009 draft and so far this year he has compiled 11 points in 12 contests.
Brampton forward Philip Lane is a 2010 eligible rookie who makes my proposed roster. The Rochester, NY native has 11 points for the Battalion so far this year after 23 games played.
rounding out the right side is another Kitchener player in Gabriel Landeskog. The Swede comes recommended by OHL Prospects writer Brock Otten who suggests the 6'1, 200lb forward was overlooked by me on my initial roster I sent his way. Landeskog has 12 points in 22 games for the Rangers. As a late '92, Landeskog isn't NHL draft eligible until 2011.
So with only 7 wingers on my roster, I'll add five centers and a couple of spares who also happen to be middlemen on their OHL club team. First off are two players who will actually be taking part in the real life Subway Super Series - Russians Alex Burmistrov and Ivan Telegin.
Burmistrov (pictured) is third in scoring for the Barrie Colts with 27 points but has quickly made a name for himself with scouts for the 2010 NHL draft. The dynamic pivot has a team high 18 assists to go with his 9 goals. Telegin plays for the Saginaw Spirit and has 29 points this year including 17 goals. The Saginaw forward stands 6'3 and is listed at 185 lbs.
Richard Panik is another European that was drafted last June. A product of Slovakia, the skilled center currently plays for the Windsor Spitfires and has contributed 12 points in 23 games, arguably a little disappointing considering a certain amount of hype leading into the season. The Tampa Bay Lighting took Panik in the 2nd round in 2009.
London Knights forwards Phil McRae and Jared Knight make the squad although I think the latter will have to be one of the spares considering his sluggish start to the season. McRae, a St. Louis Blues prospect, is just off a point-per-game pace with the Knights whereas his Michigan born teammate has just 15 points in 22 outings.
Erie forward Andrew Yogan has bounced back from serious injury late last season to have 24 points in 22 games so far in 2009-10. He's a late '91 so eligible this June and at 6'3 and 202 lbs you know he'll have plenty of eyes on him.
Finally, I've decided to include 2011 eligible Vincent Trochek of the Saginaw Sprit simply because I think he's earned it. The Pittsburgh native has 15 points as a 16-year-old rookie. Perhaps it's just a gesture for the youngster but he's the last player on my team.
Nationality: USA (18), Sweden (3), Russia (2), Czech (1), Slovakia (1), Germany (1).
NHL Drafted: 10
2010 Eligible: 9
Thanks to Brock Otten from OHL Prospects for his input. | <urn:uuid:e8221d7f-e216-4307-b147-42496f8113da> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://thepipelineshow.blogspot.ca/2009/11/meet-team-ohl-international.html | 2016-07-26T14:06:21Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824994.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00247-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.974574 | 2,054 |
Rotora Brake System Performance on BMW M3 Racer Car
SUBJECT: Rotora Brake System Performance on BMW M3 Racer Car.
I thought it would be a good time to share some race and testing notes with you regarding the Rotora brakes I put on my race car. This is a pretty long post but if you are considering spending the money on a brake upgrade or if you want some insight into brake testing and race car preparation it's worth the read.
I installed the Rotora BBK Front and Rear brakes on my modified E36 M3 race car. The kit consists of 355mm rotors and 6-pot calipers up front with 330mm rotors and 4-pot calipers in the rear. The E46 M3 kit is the same but comes with 355mm rotors front and rear. The kit comes with all the brackets, hardware, brake lines and pads. I chose the H6 (race) pads rather than the (H2) street pads. Initial fit and finish are excellent and the red calipers look awesome through the race wheels.
A little background… Half-way through this season I finally had my car well sorted and started to win races (overall). The aero package, springs, remote reservoir dampers and the slicks all really started to work well together. The slicks are amazing and offer so much more grip then the other R-compound tires I was using that my old AP Racing brakes no longer seemed powerful enough for the application. I was also getting a bit of fade nearing the end of sessions.
I had AP Racing Brakes on the car an was a bit hesitant at first to take them off and replace them with a different brand. I didn't want to have to get larger (Tilton dual) master cylinders to accommodate a huge brake upgrade. The front and rear Rotora BBK brake packages were the perfect solution because they do not require a master cylinder upgrade. Also, the huge AP Racing or Brembo Brakes would have literally cost thousands of dollars more in addition to the cost of the new master cylinders.
Below are race and testing notes from the first few times the brakes were used the track. These notes were taken from e-mails I sent to my Rotora contact. I've been working with Richie Ho who seems to be 1 part marketing, 1 part R&D and 1 part engineer. He has come through for me every time I needed something and is a very sharp guy.
There is a group buy going on now for the E46 M3. Details on that can be found here… http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=32691
If you have further questions for me about my experiences with Rotora brakes, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] I have beat the hell out of them and they had stood up well in extreme racing environments.
Event #1 - BMW Oktoberfest Event July 2004
The car finished 3rd overall out of 40 cars at BMW’s Oktoberfest event at Fontana despite being 50hp to 100hp down on power to many of the front runners.
The brakes performed very well. Proportioning to my old brakes (AP Racing) was similar. Only minor changes to the proportioning and application needed to be made depending on fuel load and rear wing angle.
The pads broke in fine with little to no gassing out and no sensation of uneven pad transfer during break in. Initial bite seemed a bit soft. I like harder pads in general for racing but the softer pads did make it easier to trail brake and the braking "feel" was excellent which gave me confidence. The pads did firm up nicely after the first session.
After the event was over and many sessions on the track, the rotors show no sign of wear - amazing. I will measure the pads for you and report back but I can tell just from looking at them that they have worn down a bit. The way they feel and the wear of the pads make me consider them a soft pad – which isn’t always a bad thing. They were quiet and consistent through the temp range.
The front rotors did have very slight normal and acceptable stress cracks – the rear rotors had no stress cracks at all. This is probably due to the fact that the front not only got hotter but that they were cooled with brake ducts which creates stress as the rotors go from very hot to cold so quickly and often.
Rotor temps were very low – like “really” low. I did not get a reading over 500 degrees all weekend with the laser pyrometer. I used tempilaq thermo-graphic paint at it indicates a max of 900 degrees – which is nothing (especially for California Speedway). I did have the brake ducts installed up front but will probably pull them for all other tracks other than Buttonwillow and Laguna (the harder braking tracks). When I took my E46 M3 street car to California Speedway last year I got brake rotor readings of 1200F with the stock brakes on the car - yikes!
I will install a set of Thermax stickers and report back actual caliper temps after the next weekend of racing if you’d like.
The Rotora 6-pot front brakes are a bit heavier then the AP Racing 4-pot I was running. They are of course much bigger (something has to give). I’m wondering if the fronts are actually too big for my application. My car only has 280hp and weighs just 2400lbs. The E46 M3 cars have much more power and much more weight so they would benefit greatly from this huge brake kit. If I remove the brake ducting to get the temps up I wonder what the pad wear will be like?
I think the brakes over all did pretty good in a very tough environment. Fontana is very tough on brakes not only because of the 4 hard brake zones per lap but because you are off the brakes all the way through the oval and by the time you need them most going into turn 3 they have cooled significantly.
Event #2 - Testing at Willow Springs with Beverly Hills Motor Car Club
I instructed at the Beverly Hills Motor Car Club Event last weekend and took the car to test - and to toy with the exotics with (it's so fun to beat up on Ferraris). It took a few laps in the morning to reset brake bias as I have recently switched to even bigger rear slicks and wanted to make them work for me by pushing some of the brake bias to the rear of the car. I also took off some rear wing as well to help with straight line speed.
The front rotors never got above 425F as the brake temp paint did not change color from the prior event. I ran the car with no front brake cooling ducts as WSIR is easy on brakes. Again pedal feel was excellent and is important there as the braking for turn 3 is bumpy and the braking for turn 9 is, well… “check your balls time”.
I was easily under 1:30 there but didn’t have a drafting buddy and didn't want to push it too much at a school. I did have fun playing with the Evosport E46 M3 race car driven by the company co-owner Brad Otoupalik. We always have fun together on the track when there is open passing - I trust his driving. He was on lesser rubber and stock brakes (testing for Grand-AM later this year) and I was able to pass him under braking anywhere I wanted. "Go Rotora" but the slicks and my lesser weight gave me the advantage as well.
As far as pad and rotor wear is concerned there was very little at that event. There was less dusting this time as well - almost none. I was only on track for about 2 hours total. Total pad thickness in front was .653 with a starting thickness of aprox .663 – so again, very little wear occurred.
Event #3 - California Speedway - Touring Car Club
I was back at California Speedway this weekend for a Touring Car Club race against Ferrari's, Porsches and Vipers. I did have the front brake ducts hooked up as it was a hot day. I was going to take them off as a test but didn't want to take any chances as there was little time to test at this packed event and didn't want to potentially waste a session.
I had to start last as I skipped the qualifying race to do a family thing. I worked my way through the pack and finished 12th out of 40 cars. A mid-race yellow helped me catch up to the leaders who got quite a lead as I was tending with slow traffic on the opening laps. I totally snaked a Viper and Porsche on the restart - good thing I did because the more I moved up the more difficult it was to pass the faster cars. I'd love to get a chance against those guys at Buttonwillow - they'd fall like a house of cards.
Brake rotor temps approached 1000F – which is about right for that track and is a bit higher than the event done there about a month ago.
Rotor wear continues to be negligible - which still blows me away. At the rate I'm going I'll never have to replace the rotors!
I ran the car aprox 125 miles total for the event at full-tilt-bogy. I was doing 1:48s which is my best effort by a second.
The starting thickness of the pads was .653” this is the thickness taken after the first event with those pads from Willow Springs. The ending pad thickness measured out to an average of .610” so the car used .043” of pads. The rear pad wear is as expected much less. Overall pad wear is not bad all considering it's the toughest track I know of on brakes short of Sebring.
I hope the information I’ve been providing you has been helpful.
Very cool, Ralph, thanks. :thumbup:
Great write up - thanks :thumbup:
I just talked to a shop that sponsor me so I am passing along the saving to you guy.
E46 M3- 6 Pistons BBK - $2095
E36 M3- 4 Pistons BBK - $1600
E36 M3- 6 Pistons BBK - $2090
No group buy..anytime as long as Rotora makes them.
yes..those prices are for front only
I went to the link for ROTORA BBK discount for E-46 and could not find how to purchase, also I can not find the # for ROTORA do you know??
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UFC 102 - Main Card Fantasy Preview
RANDY COUTURE VS. ANTONIO NOGUEIRA
With both Randy Couture and Antonio Nogueira both coming off of losses in their last fights, both former champions know the importance of getting back into the winner’s circle on Saturday night. With a victory, the winner of UFC 102’s main event will move one step closer to being back in title contention. On the other hand, the loser will have to answer the questions of whether or not it’s time to hang up the gloves for good.
A former alternate for the U.S. Olympic wrestling team, Randy Couture is looking to get moving back towards the top come Saturday night. For Couture, who is 46 years-old, a loss on Saturday would signal the last run at a title shot for the former heavyweight and light heavyweight champion. With an overall record of 16-9, Couture is best known for his trilogy with Chuck Liddell. Although he lost the last two fights, it was during those fights that his popularity was raised to where it is today.
Former PRIDE and interim UFC champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira is looking to get back into title contention, and wants to show people that the fighter they saw fight in his most recent outing isn’t who he has become. In that bout last December, Nogueira was ambushed by punches thrown by Frank Mir, who at the time, was only known for his jiu-jitsu ability. Having already beaten some of the best fighters in the world such as Dan Henderson, Josh Barnett, Jeremy Horn, and Fabricio Werdum, Nogueira would love to add Randy Couture’s name to that already impressive list.
Being an Olympic caliber wrestler, look for Couture to try and bring the action of the fight to the canvas. For Couture to do this, expect for him to stay aggressive - trying to use his boxing skills inside the clinch to eventually bring Nogueira to the ground. For Nogueira, don’t look for him to panic if he does end up on his back. Nogueira has been widely considered to have the best jiu-jitsu in the heavyweight division. However, in order for Nogueira to have this fight go in his favor, expect for him to have greatly improved his boxing skills since being overwhelmed on his feet against Frank Mir.
KEITH JARDINE VS. THIAGO SILVA
With both Keith Jardine and Thiago Silva showing glimpses of being potential UFC champions, neither fighter can afford to have back-to-back losses inside the Octagon if they plan on fighting for UFC gold anytime soon.
Having not fought in over five months, Keith Jardine is looking to put his loss to Quinton Jackson behind him. At UFC 96, Jardine came up short against the former champ – losing by unanimous decision. Prior to his loss to Jackson, Jardine had beaten the likes of Brandon Vera, Forrest Griffin, and Chuck Liddell. After being a contestant on season two of The Ultimate Fighter, Jardine had compiled an impressive 3-1 record in his first four fights. After beating Griffin at UFC 66, Jardine looked as if a future title shot was just around the corner. Since his fight with Griffin, Jardine has strung together a dismal 2-3 record. If Jardine wants to eventually have the talk start back up again about him being a title contender, he’ll need to put on an exciting performance on Saturday night.
With an impressive 13-1 record, hard-hitting Brazilian Thiago Silva is looking to start his climb back up the ladder to eventually fight the only man that has beaten him – Lyoto Machida. Prior to his defeat at UFC 94, Silva has had notable wins over James Irvin and Houston Alexander.
In a fight that should see little time on the canvas, expect for both Jardine and Silva to stand in the center of the Octagon and exchange punches until someone gets knocked out. If Silva feels uncomfortable trading punches with Jardine, look for him to try and bring the fight to the canvas – trying to release a relentless pace of ground and pound. For Jardine, look for him to mix in powerful leg kicks to keep Silva off balance during the fight.
JAKE ROSHOLT VS. CHRIS LEBEN
Fighting out of Las Vegas, NV, Jake Rosholt is looking to take advantage of being on Saturday’s Pay-Per-View to show people around the world the type of skills that he possesses. At 5-1, Rosholt is looking to rebound from his latest outing inside of the Octagon and to show that he can compete with the best athletes in the world.
Whether Chris Leben’s fights end in victory or defeat, they all have one thing in common – they’re entertaining. After winning his first four fights after being on season one of The Ultimate Fighter, Leben was to be the first test to UFC newcomer Anderson Silva. Although the fight was extremely lopsided in the favor of Silva, Leben hasn’t given up his desire to be given another chance at the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Since his loss to Silva, Leben has gone 3-3.
When the action starts, look for Leben to try and keep the fight standing. Known for his ability and willingness to stand and trade punches with anybody, don’t expect for him to have a change of heart for this fight. For Rosholt, look for him to stay away from the powerful left hand of Leben while trying to use his strong wrestling skills to bring the fight to the canvas. Rosholt will need to be careful when trying to bring to action on the ground, because in order for him to do so, he’ll be in the striking range of one the hardest hitters in the UFC.
NATE MARQUARDT VS. DEMIAN MAIA
When two legitimate title contenders face off against each other inside the Octagon, the stakes of the fight rise to a new level. Both of these fighters know the consequences of losing this weekend.
Having won two straight fights, Nate Marquardt knows that he’s on the verge of being back in title contention. Marquardt would like nothing more but to get another shot at the last man to beat him – Anderson Silva. Prior to his loss to Silva, Marquardt had looked nearly unbeatable – winning four consecutive fights. Now Marquardt has strung together two consecutive wins and knows that by winning a third on Saturday night that he’ll move even closer to getting his shot at UFC gold.
Fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Demian Maia is looking to add another victory to his already impressive record. At a perfect 11-0, Maia has yet to taste defeat inside the Octagon and doesn’t plan on doing so this Saturday. Having already beaten the likes of Ed Herman, Jason MacDonald, and Nate Quarry, Maia knows that by beating highly touted Nate Marquardt that a shot at UFC gold may not be far away.
In what could earn Fight of the Night honors, both Demian Maia and Nate Marquardt have two different ideas of how this fight is going to end up. For Maia, look for him to try and bring the action to the canvas – looking for a submission. For Marquardt, expect him to use his strength and standup ability to keep the fight standing.
KRZYSZTOF SOSZYNSKI VS. BRANDON VERA
After winning six straight fights, Brandon Vera looked as if he was going to become champion in the UFC and keep the belt for a long time. However, having to deal with a management situation outside the Octagon, Vera was forced to step away from action for nearly a year. After coming back, Vera hasn’t looked like the same fighter – having gone 2-3 since returning to action. Vera knows that if he wants to move back into contention, he’ll need to string together multiple impressive performances.
With an overall record of 19-9-1, Krzysztof Soszynski is looking to continue his success in the UFC. Since competing on the past season of The Ultimate Fighter, Soszynski has yet to lose a fight. With a win on Saturday night, Soszynski may prove to the critics that he is indeed a true force in the UFC.
In a clash of styles, look for Vera to use his speed and strong standup ability to keep Soszynski from bringing him to the canvas. If Soszynski isn’t able to bring Vera down, look for him to try and clinch with him – trying to wear down a fighter whose cardio has come into question in the past. | <urn:uuid:45d5af11-0ffc-4733-93aa-f988649049c7> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://kr.ufc.com/news/UFC-102--Main-Card-Fantasy-Preview | 2016-07-28T14:30:27Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257828283.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071028-00072-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.975654 | 1,856 |
Fluoride & Health
|TABLE of CONTENTS|
|Brain Effects||Kidney Disease|
|Cardiovascular Disease||Pineal Gland|
|Endocrine Disruption||Thyroid Disease|
Fluoride is a highly toxic substance. Consider, for example, the poison warning that the FDA now requires on all fluoride toothpastes sold in the U.S. or the tens of millions of people throughout China and India who now suffer serious crippling bone diseases from drinking water with elevated levels of fluoride.
In terms of acute toxicity (i.e., the dose that can cause immediate toxic consequences), fluoride is more toxic than lead, but slightly less toxic than arsenic. This is why fluoride has long been used in rodenticides and pesticides to kill pests like rats and insects. It is also why accidents involving over-ingestion of fluoridated dental products–including fluoride gels, fluoride supplements, and fluoridated water–can cause serious poisoning incidents, including death.
The debate today, however, is not about fluoride’s acute toxicity, but its chronic toxicity (i.e., the dose of fluoride that if regularly consumed over an extended period of time can cause adverse effects).
Although fluoride advocates have claimed for years that the safety of fluoride in dentistry is exhaustively documented and “beyond debate,” the Chairman of the National Research Council’s (NRC) comprehensive fluoride review, Dr. John Doull, recently stated that: “when we looked at the studies that have been done, we found that many of these questions are unsettled and we have much less information than we should, considering how long this [fluoridation] has been going on. I think that’s why fluoridation is still being challenged so many years after it began.”
In this section of the website, we provide overviews of the scientific and medical research that implicates fluoride exposure as a cause or contributor to various chronic health ailments. In 2001, the union of scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency’s Headquarters Office in Washington D.C. stated: “we hold that water fluoridation is an unreasonable risk.”
The research in this section helps to demonstrate why EPA’s union of scientists concluded that fluoridation is an unreasonable risk, and why a growing number of health professionals do as well.
A discussion about the specific health risks (e.g., risks to the brain and thyroid) can be accessed by clicking on the links at the top of this page. The following are reasons why we believe current fluoride policies in the U.S. are unsafe:
- Current safety standards only protect against the most obvious forms of harm: Current safety standards for fluoride are based on the premise that severe dental fluorosis and crippling skeletal fluorosis are the first adverse effects that fluoride can have on the body. These effects represent the crudest, most obvious harm caused by fluoride. In the words of American University chemistry professor, Dr. William Hirzy, it would be a “biological miracle” if fluoride did not cause other harm prior to producing these end-stage forms of toxicity. Research already shows, in fact, that fluoride can cause arthritic symptoms and bone fracture well before the onset of crippling fluorosis, and can affect many other tissues besides bone and teeth, including the brain and thyroid gland.
- The current “safe” daily dose for fluoride fails to withstand scrutiny: The Institute of Medicine (IOM) states that anyone over 8 years of age — irrespective of their health condition — can safely ingest 10 milligrams of fluoride each day for their entire life without developing symptomatic bone damage. Ten milligrams, however, is the same dose that the IOM concedes can cause clinical signs of skeletal fluorosis within just 10 to 20 years of exposure. People with clinical signs of fluorosis can suffer significant symptoms, including chronic joint pain and overt osteoarthritis. The IOM’s safety standard instills little confidence in the medical understanding that currently underlies fluoride policies in the U.S.
- Some people are particularly susceptible to fluoride toxicity: It is well known that individual susceptibility to fluoride varies greatly across the population, and yet, the National Research Council has recently found that breathtakingly large gaps still exist in the safety literature on the effects these populations may be experiencing as a result of current fluoride exposures. The bewildering degree of uncertainties identified by the NRC stands in stark contrast to the IOM’s conclusion that 10 mg/day is so definitively safe that no “uncertainty factor” needs to be applied to protect vulnerable members of the population.
- The margin between the toxic and therapeutic dose is very narrow: The NRC concluded that the allegedly “safe” upper limit of fluoride in water (4 mg/l) is toxic to human health. While the NRC did not determine the safe level, their conclusion means that the safe level is less than 4 times the level added to water (0.7-1.2 mg/l) in community fluoridation programs. This is far too slim a margin to protect vulnerable members of the population, including those who consume high amounts of water.
Fluoride: Commie Plot or Capitalist Ploy
[Click here to see photocopy of article] Covert Action Quarterly Fall, 1992 Fluoride: Commie Plot or Capitalist Ploy by Joel Griffiths Cows crawled around the pasture on their bellies, inching along like giant snails. So crippled by bone disease they could not stand up, this was the only way they could graze. Some died kneeling,
The Absurdities of Water Fluoridation
[caption id="attachment_10205" align="alignleft" width="190"] Paul Connett, PhD[/caption] Water fluoridation is a peculiarly American phenomenon. It started at a time when Asbestos lined our pipes, lead was added to gasoline, PCBs filled our transformers and DDT was deemed so "safe and effective" that officials felt no qualms spraying kids in school classrooms
Why I am now officially opposed to adding fluoride to drinking water
April, 2000 To whom it may concern: Since April of 1999, I have publicly decried the addition of fluoride, especially hydrofluosilicic acid, to drinking water for the purpose of preventing tooth decay. The following summarize my reasons. New evidence for lack of effectiveness of fluoridation in modern times. [caption id="attachment_10211" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dr. Hardy
Fluoride & IQ: The 50 Studies
As of April 2016, a total of 57 studies have investigated the relationship between fluoride and human intelligence, and a total of 38 studies have investigated the relationship fluoride and learning/memory in animals. Of these investigations, 50 of the 57 human studies have found that elevated fluoride exposure is associated
Fluoride's Effect on Fetal Brain
The human placenta does not prevent the passage of fluoride from a pregnant mother's bloodstream to the fetus. As a result, a fetus can be harmed by fluoride ingested pregnancy. Based on research from China, the fetal brain is one of the organs susceptible to fluoride poisoning. As highlighted by the excerpts
Fluoride's Neurobehavioral Effects in Humans & Animals
In addition to studies linking fluoride to reduced IQ in humans, and impaired learning/memory in animals, human and animal studies have also linked fluoride to a variety of other neurobehavioral effects. These studies, which are excerpted below, provide yet further evidence that fluoride is a neurotoxin. The importance of considering other
Email Exchange with FDA re: Fluoride Supplements
Email exchange regarding FDA's reasons for not approving fluoride supplements.
Harvard's Statement on Chester Douglass/Scientific Misconduct
Statement Concerning the Outcome of the Review into Allegations of Research Misconduct Involving Fluoride Research BOSTON-August 15, 2006-The Harvard Medical School and School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) review of Chester Douglass, DMD, PhD, professor of oral health policy and epidemiology at HSDM, has concluded that Douglass did not intentionally omit, misrepresent,
The 'Altered Recommendations' of the 1983 Surgeon General's Panel
"We believe that EPA staff and managers should be called to testify, along with members of the 1983 Surgeon Generals panel and officials of the Department of Human Services, to explain how the original recommendations of the Surgeon Generals panel were altered to allow EPA to set otherwise unjustifiable drinking water standards for fluoride."
Related Miscellaneous Content: | <urn:uuid:91baee69-46c2-4592-83c4-55dd1e6942f5> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | https://fluoridealert.org/issues/health/ | 2016-07-28T14:28:55Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257828283.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071028-00072-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929926 | 1,782 |
|FUJIFILM BRINGS FACE DETECTION TO THE COMPACT DIGITAL CAMERA CATEGORY WITH THE FINEPIX F31fd|
Camera also Boasts 3200 ISO, i-Flash and Picture Stabilization
Valhalla, New York, September 25, 2006 -- Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc., is proud to unveil the FinePix F31fd, the first pocketable digital camera from Fujifilm to feature the company’s new Face Detection Technology.
Fujifilm’s Face Detection Technology debuted on the SLR-styled FinePix S6000fd. It has a tremendous impact on the quality of “people pictures” by ensuring that cameras like the FinePix F31fd will automatically focus on and expose for faces, rather than details that lead to less-than-desirable photographs. Identifying up to 10 faces in a frame, Face Detection Technology ensures photos of friends and family are crisp, clear and properly exposed for a natural feel. It has an advantage over the few other face detection systems currently on the market as the technology is built-in to the camera’s processor, enabling the FinePix F31fd to identify faces and optimize settings within a scant 0.05 seconds.
With the FinePix F31fd, which is similar in style to the FinePix F30, Fujifilm adds Face Detection to the many significant breakthrough features in the award winning and critically-acclaimed FinePix F30 - unprecedented light sensitivities up to ISO 3200 at full resolution, Fujifilm’s Picture Stabilization, the ‘i-Flash’ system, and best-in-class 580-shot battery life. Add a 3x optical zoom lens from Fujinon, a 6-MegaPixel Super CCD HR sensor, and a 2.5 inch LCD screen with glare-reducing coatings and the FinePix F31fd is an ideal companion for consumers looking for a first-class upgrade to their current digital cameras.
Face Detection Technology
Fujifilm’s Face Detection Technology was originally developed for the company’s photofinishing division where it has been improving the quality of photos produced at retail photo centers nationwide by Fujifilm’s Frontier Digital Lab Systems. Fujifilm’s Research & Development team adapted the technology for use within digital cameras, where it is now a genuinely useful tool for making subjects look their best.
A selectable option, Fujifilm’s Face Detection Technology identifies faces by triangulating a subject’s eyes and mouth using an algorithm to optimize focus and exposure. It simultaneously displays a green rectangle around the primary subject, while white squares identify up to nine other subjects. Movement tracking keeps the camera ‘locked on’ to its subjects until they move out of the picture. The technology works regardless of the subject’s position in the frame, and is not confused by eyeglasses. In Playback mode, Face Detection automatically zooms to subjects’ faces and trims the shot for optimum portraits.
Low Light Photography and Picture Stabilization
Fujifilm has identified low light photography as one of the true benchmarks of a digital camera's performance, as many images are taken when light is limited. Limited light requires the use of a flash, however, a flash can leave subjects looking ‘washed out’ and background detail almost non-existent. Higher light sensitivities make flash-free photography possible with available light, balancing foreground and background exposure and contributing to a natural look and feel.
Higher light sensitivities also enable the camera to shoot with faster shutter speeds, which lessen the likelihood of blurry pictures caused by a moving subject or the shake of an unsteady hand. To make it easy for consumers to achieve blur-free results, the FinePix F31fd features a helpful “Picture Stabilization” mode dial setting. This easy-to-identify, automatic setting lets the FinePix F31fd choose the correct light sensitivity and best-matching shutter speed, producing the highest quality digital pictures without blur and the noise often associated with high sensitivity photographs.
For those occasions when flash is required, Fujifilm’s intelligent ‘i-Flash’ system sets flash power output to achieve natural foreground illumination with balanced background exposure. Fujifilm’s i-Flash system is more advanced than similar flash systems because it can detect more accurately the subtle lighting differences within a scene, and then light the subject accordingly with a wider range of flash intensities. Together, the Face Detection and i-Flash technologies produce photographs with prominent subjects exhibiting pleasing, natural tones.
“Fujifilm set the benchmark for digital camera performance earlier this year with the introduction of the FinePix F30, a model that helped consumers take better pictures through innovative technology breakthroughs and best-in-class performance,” remarked David Troy, Senior Product Manager, Consumer Digital Cameras, Electronic Imaging Division, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. “With the addition of Face Detection Technology to an already outstanding camera package, the FinePix F31fd will turn just about any picture-taker into a top-notch photographer.”
The FinePix F31fd has a number of useful features that make it easy to snap outstanding photos:“Natural Light & with Flash” Dual Shot Mode: In this mode the FinePix F31fd quickly shoots two images in succession -- one with and one without the flash -- saving both. This convenient function lets the user perform an on-the-spot picture comparison and decide whether the FinePix F31fd produced the most pleasing photo with flash, or without.
“Natural Light” shooting mode: This mode preserves scene mood and enhances background detail by shooting with faster shutter speeds at higher light sensitivities (if necessary) with a suppressed flash.
Fast Operation: The camera’s fast response times, 0.01 second shutter lag and 1.5 second start-up time, ensure it will catch all the action and spell the end for missed photo opportunities.
LCD: The FinePix F31fd features a large 2.5 inch, 230,000 pixel LCD screen coated with Fujifilm’s proprietary CV film. This minimizes glare and reflection so that images can be viewed from any angle and even in sunny conditions, when glare would usually be a problem. In addition, the screen’s brightness adjusts automatically, depending on the amount of light available, to further enhance ease of viewing.
Better Movie Quality: Movie capture for the FinePix F31fd is enhanced by noise reduction, making it possible to capture clear, sharp moving images even at high ISO sensitivity speeds. It is also capable of VGA movie capture at 30 frames per second with sound.Special scene modes: The FinePix F31fd has 15 scene positions including beach, snow and fireworks for optimum photography, no matter what the event. Manual settings: Includes shutter and aperture priority, for more user control.The FinePix F31fd will be available in December at a retail cost of $399.
Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. is a subsidiary of Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. and delivers technology solutions to meet the imaging and information needs of retailers, consumers, professionals and business customers. As a global leader in digital imaging, Fujifilm pioneered the development of digital medical systems, and today is the leader in digital minilab systems. The company was ranked number 18 for U.S. patents granted during 2005, employs more than 75,000 people worldwide and in the year ending March 31, 2006, had global revenues of $22.8 billion.
In the United States, Fujifilm is a leader in delivering high quality, easy-to-use imaging and information solutions in the following categories: Digital Imaging Systems, Film and Imaging Systems, Recording/Storage Media, Motion Picture Film, Graphic Arts and Printing Systems and Medical Imaging and Diagnostics Systems. Fujifilm is an environmentally friendly, humane enterprise and an exemplary corporate citizen.
For more information on Fujifilm products, consumers can call 800-800-FUJI or access the Fujifilm USA Web site at www.fujifilmusa.com. Consumers also can receive news and information direct from Fujifilm USA via RSS. Subscription is free at www.fujifilmusa.com/rss.
All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.
*With Fujifilm’s commitment to constant improvement, the company reserves the right to alter specifications without prior notice. | <urn:uuid:efc4cfa7-8b96-4186-a549-63e008a58ba0> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWS/1159167601.html | 2016-07-24T20:43:59Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824146.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00114-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.882853 | 1,826 |
1 Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;
2 sing the glory of his name;
give to him glorious praise.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth worships you;
they sing praises to you,
sing praises to your name.”Selah
5 Come and see what God has done:
he is awesome in his deeds among mortals.
6 He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
There we rejoiced in him,
7 who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
let the rebellious not exalt themselves.Selah
8 Bless our God, O peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard,
9 who has kept us among the living,
and has not let our feet slip.
10 For you, O God, have tested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
11 You brought us into the net;
you laid burdens on our backs;
12 you let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.[a]
13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
I will pay you my vows,
14 those that my lips uttered
and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fatlings,
with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats.Selah
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for me.
17 I cried aloud to him,
and he was extolled with my tongue.
18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19 But truly God has listened;
he has given heed to the words of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me.
9 “Whom will he teach knowledge,
and to whom will he explain the message?
Those who are weaned from milk,
those taken from the breast?
10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little.”[a]
11 Truly, with stammering lip
and with alien tongue
he will speak to this people,
12 to whom he has said,
“This is rest;
give rest to the weary;
and this is repose”;
yet they would not hear.
13 Therefore the word of the Lord will be to them,
“Precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little;”[b]
in order that they may go, and fall backward,
and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers
who rule this people in Jerusalem.
15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,
and with Sheol we have an agreement;
when the overwhelming scourge passes through
it will not come to us;
for we have made lies our refuge,
and in falsehood we have taken shelter”;
16 therefore thus says the Lord God,
See, I am laying in Zion a foundation stone,
a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation:
“One who trusts will not panic.”
4 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it is said,
“When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive;
he gave gifts to his people.”
9 (When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended[a] into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 14 We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15 But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
1 I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my supplications.
2 Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, save my life!”
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
6 The Lord protects the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return, O my soul, to your rest,
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
8 For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.
9 I walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
10 I kept my faith, even when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 I said in my consternation,
“Everyone is a liar.”
12 What shall I return to the Lord
for all his bounty to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord,
14 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his faithful ones.
16 O Lord, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the child of your serving girl.
You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice
and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!
1 Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol him, all you peoples!
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!
15 “If you love me, you will keep[a] my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,[b] to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in[c] you.
18 “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
25 “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate,[d] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way. | <urn:uuid:e557741f-5fbe-49d8-a6e5-6394fb33b78b> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/bcp-daily-office/2013/10/28?version=NRSV | 2016-07-26T20:03:59Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257825124.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071025-00266-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970471 | 2,182 |
Though Orange County's Harbor Boulevard remains little changed, a history of unrest points to its potential to more positively engage with street life beyond the auto.
Nov. 24, 2012
The protests that roiled Anaheim this summer had no regular home base, no Zuccotti Park or Tahrir Square. Instead, demonstrators angry over a series of shootings by Anaheim police marched on several days along Harbor Boulevard and a handful of other streets.
Yet there were moments when the rallies slowed — or were forced to pause — just long enough to resemble a traditional, stationary demonstration. One came on the afternoon of July 29, a Sunday, as 200 protesters walked south on Harbor from the Anaheim police headquarters toward Disneyland.
When they reached the intersection of Harbor and Ball Road, at the base of a modest rise that takes the boulevard over Interstate 5, they discovered a line of riot police and officers on horseback.
Over the next several minutes, as each side stared down the other, this wide Orange County crossroads, dominated on a typical day by cars and the trappings of car culture, revealed itself as a surprisingly useful public square.
The standoff was also very much in line with the rich if under-appreciated history of Harbor Boulevard, where street battles have played out for nearly a century.
Ku Klux Klansmen and the wives and daughters of striking citrus workers have played key roles in Harbor's most dramatic public spectacles. So have Abbie Hoffman's Yippies, who swarmed Disneyland in 1970 and planted a Viet Cong flag on Tom Sawyer Island.
These flash points have come irregularly, spasms of violence or protest theater on an otherwise buttoned-up boulevard. But the relationship between Harbor's physical character and its political history is closer than you might guess.
Harbor's architecture, largely anonymous and inward-looking, is marked by a studied blandness. Perhaps to make up for its shortage of impressive civic landmarks, the boulevard features a number of private spaces, including Disneyland, that look public but are in fact tightly controlled.
That recipe has produced on Harbor a feeling of unnatural civility — the architectural equivalent of a forced smile. And it has helped keep political tensions bottled up and out of view until they messily spill over, as they did during this summer's protests.
In that sense Harbor's history of turbulence has lessons to offer that have as much to do with urban design as politics. Like the CicLAvia bike festival and the recent tour of the Endeavour space shuttle, protest can open up new ways of looking at our streets.
It's on the extreme days, the unruly or topsy-turvy ones, that our boulevards show us most clearly what they might become. And Harbor continues to be very good at producing extreme days.
Though it covers 23 miles in all, Harbor Boulevard never quite makes it to the water. After running from the foothills above La Habra south through Fullerton, Anaheim, Garden Grove and Santa Ana, it peters out in the middle of Costa Mesa, two miles from the beach.
Harbor's name is therefore more aspirational than literal, and in that sense true to the spirit of Southern California expansion. So is the streetscape of the boulevard. With the exception of the area around Disneyland, where the sidewalks are generous and the tree canopy thick, Harbor is dominated by drive-throughs, auto-body shops, tire outlets and big-box stores.
And by intersections that are unusually wide: Crossing Harbor at Ball Road on foot means trudging across 10 shadeless lanes of traffic.
Even as the boulevards of Los Angeles have begun a remarkable transformation, opening themselves up to pedestrians and cyclists and chipping away at the dominance of the car, much of Harbor looks just as it did decades ago.
There is no equivalent on Harbor of the expanding light-rail network that is remaking Los Angeles. Although the Anaheim City Council has tentatively endorsed a streetcar system linking Disneyland with a planned transit center near Anaheim Stadium, for now — and for many years to come — the only rail service you'll see along this part of Harbor is the theme park's own monorail, which sweeps briefly into view on an elevated track.
In recent decades, the theme park has taken steps to seal itself off from the city around it. Caltrans added a dedicated offramp from Interstate 5, ending Harbor's traditional role as Disneyland's front door.
Anaheim, for its part, has slowly remade the stretch of Harbor that runs alongside Disneyland, homogenizing it in the process. In the 1990s, the city passed an ordinance requiring businesses near the park to replace their signs — some of them masterful examples of the space-age Googie style — with smaller ones meeting a uniform and remarkably bland design standard.
The new signs would no doubt please Walt Disney himself. Having chosen the location for his park with careful attention to demographics and traffic patterns — hiring the Stanford Research Institute to weigh the merits of several competing locations — he was dismayed by the motels that sprang up along Harbor and Katella Avenue in the years after Disneyland opened. Their kitschiness struck him as an affront to his meticulous planning and hermetic vision for the new theme park. And he kept them very much in mind as he planned Florida's Disney World in the 1960s.
"He was determined when they built Disney World not to make the same mistake he'd made in Anaheim," said longtime Orange County scholar Spencer Olin, a retired history professor at UC Irvine. "So in Florida they bought up as much land surrounding the new park as they could."
Without that protective buffer in Anaheim, Disneyland has become a magnet for camera-ready protest. In 2008, hundreds of members of a union representing workers at three Disneyland hotels, many of them dressed as Disney characters, filled the intersection of Harbor and Katella, giving news photographers the chance to snap pictures of Cinderella and Mickey Mouse being dragged away in handcuffs.
But Harbor's political life predates Disneyland by several decades. Pearson Park, at the corner of Harbor and Cypress Street in Anaheim, was the site of a nighttime Ku Klux Klan rally in 1924 — when it was known as City Park — that drew a reported 10,000 people.
"Klan parades and public demonstrations were common to Anaheim in 1924," reads a report on the city's website, Anaheim.net. "On at least one occasion, Anaheim policemen had been seen directing traffic while wearing their white robe and hoods."
Violence even made its way into Anaheim's orchards. Hidden away near the corner of Harbor and Santa Ana Street is the small Pressel Orchard — the last remaining orange grove in a city once synonymous with the fruit.
In 1936, when it covered significantly more ground than it does now, the orchard was the site of an early battle in the so-called Citrus War. Orange pickers had been striking for several days when they sent a group of their female relatives — about 200 women in all — to confront the replacement workers.
The Anaheim police swept in, and after one of the women bit an officer's arm the strike entered a new and volatile phase. The Citrus War raged for most of the summer before growers finally broke the strike at the end of July.
In part to compete with Disneyland, cities and developers in this part of Orange County have long chosen sites along Harbor to unveil their most ambitious — or outlandish — ventures.
Many have been built, including the massive Anaheim Convention Center complex and its under-appreciated arena, a soaring concrete shell designed by architect Adrian Wilson and finished in 1967. But most memorable are the proposed developments meant to mimic Disneyland's scale, or take advantage of its tourist hordes, that never got past the planning stage: a manmade river spanned by a replica of London Bridge, a giant cultural center in honor of Jordan's late King Hussein, who visited Disneyland in 1959 and 1981.
A few miles south of the theme park, those ambitions fade. The boulevard, lined here by Salvadoran and Vietnamese restaurants, pool-supply stores and a handful of walled residential subdivisions, lets the facade of Magic Kingdom optimism noticeably slip. About four miles from the theme park, in a rundown Santa Ana strip mall alongside a taqueria and Lupe Gomez Income Tax, is a working-class Mexican bar with a tongue-in-cheek name: El Fracaso, or "The Failure."
"Some people say that on this part of Harbor you can pick up any kind of girl on the street at night," said Omar Munoz, who was celebrating his 21st birthday on a recent evening at El Fracaso, where the ceiling is low and the beer is sold out of plastic coolers lined up behind the bar.
The jukebox was blaring a song by the narcocorrido band Los Capos de Mexico, so he practically had to shout to be heard. "But it's really not a bad neighborhood. I grew up along here."
El Fracaso is a bit player in a larger battle in this stretch of Harbor between the sacred and the profane, between groups of churches and clusters of bars, strip joints and adult bookstores. Our Lady of La Vang, a Catholic church that fills nearly a full block, holds mass 11 times a week in Vietnamese, seven times in Spanish and once, for teenagers, in English.
At the southern end of Harbor, presiding over the wide intersection where it meets Newport Boulevard, is a 200,000-square-foot shopping center called Triangle Square. Its developer, Richard Shapiro, envisioned it from the start as more than a mere collection of shops and restaurants. In the tradition of Disneyland's Main Street USA, he dreamed it could be a stage for civic life, comparing its top-floor terrace to a "town square," a place "to hold blood drives or Little League sign-ups."
The complex struggled from its earliest days. Built in 1992 at a cost of $62 million, it was sold six years later for $47 million. Though the 24-Hour Fitness facing the parking garage on the bottom level is often crowded with people on treadmills and stationary bikes, the space up top is usually empty.
Still, the old dreams die hard. This summer the new owner of the property, Connecticut -based private-equity group Greenfield Partners, announced plans to invest $20 million to upgrade it, while renaming it "The Triangle."
That decision was hardly surprising given Harbor's history, said Gustavo Arellano, the cultural critic who is editor of OC Weekly and author of a memoir about growing up in Anaheim.
"When you compare Harbor to the other major boulevards in north and central Orange County, these other streets have no pretense to them," he told me as we drove south along Harbor on a recent morning. "But Harbor will always have this pretense of being more than it actually is."
In Garden Grove, we passed a large dirt lot that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere to illustrate his point. "That used to be a trailer park," Arellano said. "Now what are they going to build there?"
He craned his neck to read a sign trumpeting a new development as we drove by. "A 'water-park resort'? Yeah, right. I seriously doubt that."
Over the years the peculiar private urbanism perfected by Walt Disney has found some eloquent defenders. In "You Have to Pay for the Public Life," an essay on California's monumental architecture published in 1965, architect Charles Moore praised Disneyland as "the single most important piece of construction in the West in the last several decades," a place "engaged in replacing many of those elements of the public realm which have vanished in the featureless private floating world of southern California."
But even Moore acknowledged that Disneyland's version of urbanity, by exiling politics, had to be considered incomplete. By continually pushing political grievance to the periphery, Harbor Boulevard has in essence set itself up for periodic outbursts of the weird and violent.
An irony of the July 29 protest at Harbor and Ball was that the huge scale of the intersection, designed to make traveling by automobile as efficient as possible, lent some grandeur to the confrontation between demonstrators and police. The success of the space as an ad hoc public square was a reminder that our boulevards are full of potential hidden just below the surface — that they are capable of playing a far more important civic role than we tend to assume.
The afternoon standoff was not the most intense moment of this summer's demonstrations. That came on the night of July 24. Several hundred protesters threw rocks and bricks and started a series of small fires. Police responded by firing beanbag projectiles, bloodying several members of the crowd.
And then, from about two miles to the south, came a burst of light, illuminating the whole scene. It was the nightly fireworks show at Disneyland — going off as regularly scheduled, as if it were just another night on Harbor Boulevard.
Which, in a way, it was.
Graphic credits: Paul Duginski | Programming: Anthony Pesce | Produced by: Lily Mihalik
Sources: ESRI, TeleAtlas | <urn:uuid:bf461812-8a99-4306-82cd-51e2911a651a> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.latimes.com/la-ca-harbor-boulevard-los-angeles-index-htmlstory.html | 2016-07-31T09:56:07Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257828314.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071028-00091-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962146 | 2,726 |
It’s back to school time again, and as usual, I have mixed feeling about it. (By the way, since when is it OK to start school back up in mid-August?! That’s just mean…) While I must admit I’m ready to have a few seconds alone to myself during the way, the whole morning shuffle off to school is a little stressful compared to the lazy summer we just had around here.
There has been a lot of reading around my house this summer. I read a few grown-up books that have been on my list for a long time. And my youngest kids seem to have switched reading places. My teen daughter, an avid reader who could easily devour two books in a week, now divides her time between friends, Instagram, and a certain boy band she is obsessed with. Sadly for me, she probably only read two or three books this summer.
But my ten-year-old boy formerly-reluctant reader – he was a reading fiend this summer! And for him it is all about Percy Jackson (thank you Mr. Riordan!). He zipped through the entire series and couldn’t get enough so now he is on to the spin-off series. He’s currently reading The Son of Neptune. I love seeing this enthusiasm. It really is like when you watch your kids learn to ride a bike for the first time. You take the training wheels off, they wobble a little, and then, before you know it – you are watching their back and they ride down the street. Getting hooked on reading is much the same way. And it is just as awesome to watch, isn’t it?
And as an afterthought: I am always glad when they make a movie of a children’s book because I think it can be an incentive to read the book first. It piques their interest. At least for my boys it did. I could recommend a book but they scoffed at it until they saw on T.V. that it was being made into a movie. My youngest and I saw the latest Percy Jackson on opening day this summer, and he was SO excited. Afterward we went to lunch had a great book chat where he informed me of all of the inconsistencies between the book and the movie. Isn’t it always like that?
So for now my readers have swapped places, but I don’t mind one bit.
P.S. I was just notified that my Instagram-obsessed daughter has gone over her data-plan, so I am forecasting more reading in her future – at least until the next billing cycle. I’ll keep you posted
School is out for many of our kids, already, and for the rest of us it is rapidly approaching. We want to keep our kids reading this summer, but sometimes it is hard to find a book that will keep their attention during the non-school months. Summertime is the perfect time to relax in the sun with a book – and sharpen those reading skills while they are at it!
In addition to our summer reading lists (for boys, teen girls, and tween girls), my child’s teacher asked me for a list of “old faithful” books for 4th and 5th graders, so I thought I’d share this list with you. These might not be the newest releases, but they are tried and true, and certain to be loved by the 9 and 10 year olds in your life.
Old Faithful Books for Tween Girls
• My Summer of Pink and Green (#2) by Lisa Greenwald
Old Faithful Books for Tween Boys
by Louis Sacchar *
* Books that would be enjoyed by both genders.
- Shannon, StorySnoop
School is almost out, and your daughter may be itching to get at her “to be read” pile, full of all kinds of books her English teacher would never approve of, or she may be in need of some direction to keep her reading muscles in shape over vacation. Either way, we have all kinds of suggestions that will appeal whether she likes fantasy, romance, dystopian, sci-fi, humor, sports or otherwise. If you’ve missed our other lists, we just posted great summer reads for boys and tween girls too. Enjoy!
And this is just the start! Click here to see the entire list for teen girls
Summer is just about upon us! When hear your first, “Mo-om, I’m bored,” don’t panic. We have just the thing for you. You’re guaranteed to find something on this list to keep your tween girl engaged. Whether she likes fantasy, chick lit, humor, mystery, or dystopian, we have something for every taste. Also, be sure to check out our summer reading list for boys. And check back for our teen girls list, plus a list of classic summer standards.
School is almost out for summer! When hear your first, “Mo-om, I’m bored,” don’t panic. We have just the thing for you. You’re guaranteed to find something on this list to keep your son engaged, whether he likes fantasy, action, humor, sci-fi, or sports, we have something for everyone. We’ve got both tween and teen boys covered on this list, and check our upcoming blogs to get the scoop for tween girls and teen gals.
Books for Tween Boys
Books for Teen Guys
Be sure to click on the covers to get the scoop on each book and check out our full list of Summer Reading for tween boys and teen guys.
I recently finished Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn and really loved it. I was completely engrossed from start to finish. I may have loved it a bit too much because I started feeling sorry for myself about the lack of literature written for adults in my must read pile. Being an optimistic person (and since I really have no choice), I realized that there a quite a few books I have read for StorySnoops that I actually would have chosen to read had I not been a writer of children’s book reviews. Here are some of the books we Snoops have read that may be enjoyed by teens and adults alike. Let us know what books for teens you’ve enjoyed. We’d love to add some slam-dunks to our piles!
Am I mistaken, or was Earth Day even a thing back when I was a kid? I kind of think not. I guess I was a kid a really long time ago though I did a little checking on it, and it turns out that it was first celebrated in San Francisco (named after St. Francis, the patron saint of ecology) on March 21st, 1970. It is now celebrated in over 175 countries around the world, with the intention of increasing awareness and appreciation of the Earth’s natural environment and resources. I give a big thumbs up for anything that gives our younger generation an opportunity to think about what the Earth has to offer, and how to make it last for generations yet-to-come. So in the spirit of Earth Day this week, StorySnoops has created a list of books for teens and tweens that have environmental themes or environmentally conscious characters—just a little something to reinforce what they’ll be hearing about in school this week. Enjoy!
Now that Spring has sprung, the days are getting longer, and the end of the school year is near, it’s getting more and more challenging to keep our children focused on their homework. After all, one more ride around the block or ball in the net is way more fun than being stuck inside… reading. To grab the attention of our restless youth, it may be time to break out a great read-aloud. Read-alouds are wonderful for engaging the entire family in a story, even when there are lots of other things competing for their attention. So here is a list of the most recent books we have read that are extremely well-suited for this purpose. There is a little something here for everyone. Be sure to click on the book covers to get the full scoop.
- Jen, Story Snoop
I have read a bunch of books for the StorySnoops site with the same kind of a premise – a refreshingly modern day take on a classic fairy tale. Sounds girly and perhaps a little corny but no! These books feature a Cinderella who is more about empowering herself than she is about marrying her prince; or a brave outcast who faces the Snow Queen in order to save her best friend, Jack; or cousins Jack and Jill who, while on a quest, have many creepy and dangerous encounters in a book which is simultaneously hilarious and terrifying!
If your tween is interested in the new spin on an old classic, the “modern fairy tale”, here are some titles to try:
This list will get you started. We have a similar list for teens coming soon!
There are a lot of great boy books out there for middle graders. However, a parent recently commented to me that she is having a hard time finding good matches for her fifth grader, as he prefers realistic or historical fiction. There is a lot of fantasy and dystopian fiction out there, and although it’s very popular, it’s true that it’s not for everyone. She mentioned that her son enjoyed the book Hatchet, likes historical fiction, and that as a family they have read The Hunger Games. With these clues, my mind got to working…
What is a boy such as this to read? Since he liked Hatchet, he should definitely check out the companion book to called Brian’s Winter. And here are some additional suggestions:
As with any of the books that we recommend, please be sure to click on the cover and read the Scoop to make sure it’s the right fit for your child. Let us know if you have a book match challenge. We’d be happy to make some suggestions for your reader. | <urn:uuid:71f295e6-f06a-411a-a61b-a874c5bf5696> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.storysnoops.com/blog/?paged=2 | 2016-07-31T09:42:11Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257828314.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071028-00091-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965535 | 2,108 |
Acclimatization prepares teams for football
Hot summer provides first test for high school teams
Are you ready for some football?
Area high schools certainly are. While most have been conditioning and lifting weights throughout the summer in temperatures that have exceeded 90 degrees, this season, the scholastic clubs must set aside three days to complete the heat acclimatization program adopted by the PIAA football steering committee.
During the heat acclimatization process, football players are permitted to wear helmets and shoulder pads the first two days. On the third day, full protective equipment is permitted.
Contact is not permitted during the first two days of heat acclimatization, but contact can take place on the third day.
No practice session during the heat acclimatization process can last more than three hours, and it must be followed by a break of at least two hours. Football teams are limited to a maximum of five hours of practice a day, regardless of the length of each session.
The process can be completed prior to the official start of practice or during the initial three days of workouts. Football camp begins Aug. 12 for WPIAL-participating teams. Many of the local high school grid teams plan to complete the acclimatization process during the week of Aug. 5-9.
“We are all in the same boat,” said Seton-La Salle head coach Greg Perry.
“It’s tough,” added Bethel Park skipper Jeff Metheny. “It’s wrecking havoc with kids’ vacations. And while I understand the concept, teams are already out there working on drills and conditioning during this heat.”
According to executive director Bob Lombardi, the PIAA is addressing an issue that has been a concern for at least the last decade across the country, particularly with the number of heat-related deaths that were preventable. The PIAA believes institution of this new program is a step in the right direction.
After the acclimatization period and the two-week training camp, which features multiple sessions of drills daily as well as two scrimmages, teams hope their preparations advance them in the direction of conference championships and playoff berths.
Action toward those objectives commences Aug. 30. The Road to Heinz Field begins nine weeks later and culminates in WPIAL championship action Nov. 22-23. The PIAA finals are set for Dec. 13-14 in Hershey.
Several South Hills teams should be in the hunt for conference championships and more based on the talent they return from successful campaigns in 2012.
While coaches give Woodland Hills the nod as the favorite to claim the Southeastern Conference, co-champions Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair, as well as Bethel Park, plan to contend for the title. Heading into training camp, each boast at least one major Division I college prospect.
Lebo already has a commitment to Penn State from Troy Apke, while Alex Bookser can write his ticket to any program. Colleges on the 6-6, 295-pound tackle’s short list are: Pitt, Alabama, Michigan State, Northwestern and Ohio State.
While Boosker will anchor the offensive line, Apke and the Blue Devils must adjust to a new signal caller if they are to repeat their 2012 success.
Although the Panthers edged them in head-to-head competition, the Blue Devils shared the conference title with rival Upper St. Clair. Both posted 7-1 records in the division. Lebo finished 8-3 overall and the Panthers sported a 10-2 slate, falling to Woodland Hills in the Quad-A semifinals.
For the Blue Devils, a rookie quarterback may not be such a hurdle to clear. During Mike Melynk’s initial season at the helm, Lebo shifted from a predominant run offense to a potent pass attack. And, in his first season behind center, Tyler Roth shattered several school records before he matriculated to Princeton. Roth passed for 2,514 yards, 1,048 of them to Apke.
Meanwhile, USC, among others, boasts Rori Blair. He recently committed to Pitt. The 6-3, 225-pound tight end and defensive end earned another year of eligibility because of health reasons.
After his junior year, Blair suffered a stroke. While he nearly died from complications from the condition, he recovered but missed his senior season. When doctors granted him permission to play again, USC appealed to the WPIAL for an extension on his scholastic career. Because he met the criteria, the district granted Blair the eligibility.
Though lacking in numbers, Bethel Park boasts a talented line-up. Michael Grimm recently made a verbal commitment to the University of Pittsburgh. The senior anchors both lines. After a rookie campaign, in which he threw for 1,071 yards and seven scores, Levi Metheny returns to call the signals in his sophomore season.
Last year, Bethel Park finished tied for third place in the Southestern Conference with Woodland Hills. Both posted 6-2 slates. The Black Hawks finished 7-4 overall.
Peters Township broke even last year at 4-4 in the division and finished 5-5 overall after giving Gateway a stiff challenge in the Quad-A playoffs. The Indians feature plenty of big men up front as they recently won the strongman competition at the Pitt camp this summer.
Fresh will be the faces at the helm at Canon-McMillan as well as Chartiers Valley and Bishop Canevin.
Ron Coder, 58, takes over a program that has won only two games in three seasons. The Big Macs were 2-26 under Tim Sohyda and 1-8 last fall. A former NFL lineman, Coder played football at Penn State. Prior to coming to Canon-McMillan, he served as an assistant coach at Northgate and as a coach for the Pittsburgh Passion, a women’s professional team.
At Chartiers Valley, the Colts welcome Niel Loebig, 30. He replaces Chris Saluga. Despite last year’s 2-7 campaign, Saluga resigned as the winningest football coach in school history. Saluga coached 12 years at CV.
A standout quarterback, Loebig threw for 5,589 yards and 65 touchdowns in high school. The South Fayette product passed for more than 10,000 yards and 100 touchdowns while at Duquesne University. He led the Dukes to four straight conference titles and an NCAA Division I-AA mid-major national championship in 2003. Prior to coming to CV, Loebig served as an assistant coach with the Dukes and at Lely High School in Naples, Fla.
New at the helm, too, is Darren Schoppe, 40. He assumes the Bishop Canevin coaching position, vacated after 44 years by Bob Jacoby. An assistant under Jacoby for 13 seasons, Schoppe served as the defensive coordinator at South Fayette the past six years.
Schoppe played for Jacoby, too. He was a member of the 1990 WPIAL Class AA championship club that edged Washington, 21-20, but fell to Hanover Area, 20-19, in the PIAA finals.
Jacoby racked up a 288-170-7 record. In addition to coaching football, Jacoby taught American history, served as athletic director and softball coach, winning two district and one state title.
Last year, Canevin edged out Chartiers-Houston for the final playoff spot in the Black Hills Conference, tying Brentwood and Imani Christian for third with a 6-3 slate in the division. The Crusaders lost to North Catholic, 21-0, in the Class A playoffs, which were dominated by four-time district and state champion Clairton.
Meanwhile, over at South Fayette, Brett Brumbaugh promises to be the premier passer in the WPIAL this fall.
Brumbaugh ranked second in the district last season, behind Mark Leftwich, who led North Allegheny to the PIAA Quad-A title by passing for 3,331 yards and 45 TDs. While Leftwich has moved on to the University of Texas at El Paso, Brumbaugh returns for his junior season. He threw for 2,823 yards and 27 scores during the 2013 campaign, which ended with a 26-14 loss to rival Wash High.
Before the Lions can even engage thoughts of a rematch with the Little Prexies, who will again be led by Washington’s Shai MacKenzie, they must survive the challenges brought on by rivals such as Seton-La Salle and Keystone Oaks in the Century Conference.
Last year, with Brumbaugh’s brother, Luke, at the controls, Seton-La Salle battled the Lions for the top spot in the division. However, South Fayette won the league crown with an 8-0 record while the Rebels finished runner-up in the conference with a 7-1 mark. Overall, the Lions finished 11-1 while SLS was 9-2.
While South Fayette lost leading receiver Zach Challingsworth to Pitt, Brumbaugh has two returning receivers that should rank among the leaders in the WPIAL. They are Connor Beck, who had 29 grabs for 457 yards in 2012, and Justin Watson, who had 28 catches for 592 yards. Additionally, the Lions return tight end Jack Previte.
Tom Rizza and Rick Mellick are two of the players to watch at Seton-La Salle.
Despite a 2-7 showing in his first campaign as head coach, Matt Taylor looks for improvement at Keystone Oaks. One major reason for optimism is Kobe Phillippi. As a freshman, Phillippi passed for more than 1,000 yards and a dozen touchdowns.
Follow The Almanac throughout the pre-season and look for more in-depth previews of each of the teams in the readership region when the annual football tab hits the streets on Aug. 28. | <urn:uuid:e71c158d-ba7a-47d4-95f8-fa262e2ab8e7> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.thealmanac.net/article/20130730/SPORTS/130739985/0/opinion02 | 2016-07-31T09:59:46Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257828314.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071028-00091-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958332 | 2,082 |
The protest was taking place in the street. Police were holding off since there was no traffic. School was starting and very few people were traveling by car. The protestors held signs that had idealistic messages, clever slogans, and general protests. Adam looked at the signs. He silently laughed. He thought how tender the world would be, how peaceful history would have been had messages on signs could sway popular opinion. If protest could accomplish anything. He watched from a skyscraper, looking at the fauna and sympathizing with their plight. However, he wasn't here to feel sorry for them. He was here for blood, here to wait for the police to arrive. The White Fang wanted him to take out the police as the dummy protestors they planted in the crowd would reveal themselves and rally the fauna to arms. It sounded insane, but Adam had seen what mob mentality could do. And this protest was looking rather mob-like. But as he waited, his mind drifted from thoughts of the mission. He thought of Beacon, the school he'd once been a student of. He'd left after his second year. It was back when he was naive enough to believe a fauna could survive in a school for humans. He wondered how Blake was getting along, if she was making any friends. He wondered if she was being given a hard time or simply being ignored. He knew she was quiet and good at avoiding attention, but at the same time was a skilled wordsmith and had a playful side to boot. She was a compelling person, someone who captivated people as soon as she spoke. He also knew she'd have the intelligence to hide her fauna features. He remembered her last words to him and snarled. He was still angry. The wound still hurt. And at the thought of her finding friends, the wound hurt more. He wanted desperately to be happy for her freedom, but he was hurt. So, so hurt. She was the only friend he'd ever had, and she'd left him with only one word. "Goodbye." And he wanted her to be hurt too. He wanted her to miss him just as much as he missed her.
Blake stared complacently at the TV. The newscaster spoke with an irksome tone, as if she knew what was happening before it had been reported to her. Blake was emotionless as she watched, looking up from her book. She didn't know why she had. She didn't know what she was expecting to see, but she knew what she saw. Her calm expression tightened, her mouth curved downwards in a frown. The White Fang had disrupted a civil rights protest. No doubt Adam had been there. She'd heard about the protest in advance, about how it had taken months to coordinate. She herself considered participating to take some sort of action against the injustice against fauna. Because she knew she wasn't any better than those she'd left. At least they were taking action. She frowned deeper at her passiveness. But she knew that someday, she'd make it right. She was so lost in thought that she hadn't even noticed that the TV was switched off to show a per-recorded message of Glynda Goodwitch welcoming the students to Beacon. Blake clicked her tongue in annoyance before going back to her book.
His time to strike was now. The police had decided to intervene, and Adam jumped from the roof, landing on the ground. It cracked under his impact, and he looked with calm cruelty at the police, smiling without emotion. The look of a sociopath, the look Adam had made his own. He lunged towards them and cut in motions they couldn't even see. Blood cascaded from the bodies and he sheathed his blade, clean and unstained by their blood. His jacket was left untouched as well. He scoffed. Not even their blood could touch him. Behind him, the White Fang had already put their plan into action. Gunshots rang out as the members got everyone's attention. Some had been shot for trying to disarm the White Fang members. Adam heard a girl cry for her mother who lay dead on the ground. He saw it briefly through the throngs of people. He remained unmoved, even when he found painful memories resurfacing.
"She was weak, as are all those who resist us! They do not wish for change, they only protest to satisfy their ego, to make them believe that they fight for their people, but do they really fight?! No! They hide behind their signs and facades, unwilling to support us, the White Fang, the true freedom fighters! Too long have we been oppressed by humanity. You know how they treat those of a different skin color, how could they possibly react with kindness to us, who have a whole different body part! They treat us like animals! You all know of the Schnee Dust Company and their unfair treatment of fauna employees, you know how the riots always end! They end in death and submission! We, the White Fang, do not stand for submission! We stand for freedom, for justice! We shall avenge those who took action, those who truly fought for their people! Those who wish to join us, those who wish to storm the streets and show that we, the fauna race, will not tolerate the cruelty of humankind, please accept these weapons we bring with us! We honor you, who accept our kind offer. We know you have suffered and we know you wish to bring forth an era of change! So take the next step and act! Fight!" The fauna cried. He was a dummy fauna who had a backpack and microphone. Soon, his cries were joined by many others.
"Fight!" The word resounded throughout the city. Some fauna took the dead officers' guns, and others flocked to the suppliers who had large backpacks full of collapsible, easy-to-use weapons. Some fauna were even trained in the ways of Hunters and Huntresses, and wielded their own Dust weapons.
"Adam! Lead our charge!" The fauna with the microphone shouted. He nodded and ran forward, his unsheathed blade glinting in the sun. Buildings were shot and any who resisted, be they fauna or human, met the same fate. More police were deployed, but Adam killed them all. He was still untouched by their blood. Soon, Adam expected to see Hunters and Huntresses. He knew the government wasn't above using them to quell the fauna protestors.
Blake pulled out her phone. She sat on her bed, checking the news before reading her book. She glanced at it eagerly, ready to engulf herself in the world she knew through the ink and words. The world that reminded her so much of reality, the world that rang so true to her life. It was a book about a man with two souls, each battling for control over his body. Every time she read it, she thought of Adam. She missed him. She missed him so much. She knew she had done the right thing by leaving, but she wasn't sure if she had done the kind thing. She scrolled down on her touch screen, looking for any footage of the protest anyone might have gotten. Sure enough, she found it. It was mere seconds, but it was enough. Someone had captured Adam on their phone. She looked at his fierce strikes, his incredible speed, his graceful motions. If she didn't know better, she would never have believed he was self-taught. But she quickly put it down, resolving to dedicate herself to her new life at Beacon. She wasn't a child. She wouldn't cling to Adam or his memory. She had a new life and she would live it to the fullest. She would look after herself, because that was who she was now. She wasn't the girl who had idolized the red-haired swordsman, she was the woman who had left him behind.
"Watcha doing?" A cheery voice said behind her, and she looked to see a orange-haired girl in bright pink sleepwear.
"Nora, she's busy. Leave her alone," a young man said kindly. He wore a green tank top and black pajama pants. Blake sighed, ready for a social interaction. She wasn't socially awkward, she just didn't care for being interrupted.
"It's all right. I'm just checking the news."
"Eh, sounds boring. Wait...is there anything about a new study of sloths?" Blake blinked, surprised by the random thought.
"Drat. One of these days, the sloth with have its time to shine!" The girl named Nora cried out.
"Sure," the young man said, chuckling. Blake took the opportunity to read her book.
The Hunter swiped his fists and water spilled from the holes in his gauntlets. Adam stepped back, avoiding the razor-sharp waves. The man kicked and a burst of water shot from his boot. Adam jumped up and used his sword to block the man's next blow, flipping into the air behind him. He swerved and avoided an arcing water wave. He then cut through another. The man attacked, and Adam blocked his blow, moving his sword closer to his body while standing straight. He moved past the man on the outside and twirled his gun around, firing at the Hunter's back. He screamed and Adam turned and cut off his head. A woman jumped out at him with a long staff. It crackled with electricity, and Adam rolled out of the way. He twirled his sword and blocked an attack, and then twirled it again and blocked another strike. He shot at the woman, and the bullet was shocked into dust as lighting crackled from the staff. She then disconnected the staff and wielded two batons. She attacked and he dodged, stepping to one side. He swung his blade quickly and deflected another attack. He swung the blade the opposite way, hitting back yet another strike. Soon, they were trading blows. Adam shifted to avoid crackling lighting as he cut in straight lines, occasionally jumping back to sheathe his blade and unsheathe it, making for faster attacks. The Huntress was clearly at a disadvantage. She couldn't keep up with him. Eventually, he twisted around her and then turned again, unsheathing his blade and cutting her in half. The last Hunter didn't even get to attack. Adam moved with blinding speed and killed him before he could even get out his weapon. The fauna roared for him, cheered for him. He relished the opportunity to enjoy a good fight, but their cheering angered him. However he smiled and waved, walking forward. He didn't look behind him as a fauna got cold feet and was shot for his disobedience. The protest was still ongoing, but they couldn't last for long. Larger enemies would soon be deployed, and they had to retreat, having caused immeasurable property damage and having taken many, many lives. The White Fang now had more soldiers. Mob mentality was a powerful thing. They retreated, and Adam reluctantly turned around, knowing he couldn't take on an entire army. Only most of it. As he walked away, his happiness at having at least two mildly interesting opponents faded, giving way to the disinterest he usually had. He was, to his credit, no psychopath. He felt nothing when he saw the death. No joy. No nothing. It wasn't until later that he considered Blake. She wouldn't be happy about this. And, for her sake, he felt a little annoyance at what he'd had to do. But he wasn't the man she had admired anymore. She was out of his shadow. But one day, he hoped they'd meet so he could get a chance to talk to her, at least one last time. The only thing was that he wasn't sure whether his words would be kind or spiteful.
CHAPTER 2 IS DONE! I'M PORTRAYING ADAM AS A SOCIOPATH BECAUSE THAT'S HOW HE COMES OFF IN THE TRAILER. HE DIDN'T WANT TO KILL THE CREW MEMBERS, HE WAS JUST DOING A JOB. THEY'D SIMPLY GET CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE, SOMETHING HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT. ALSO, BLAKE GOT SOME ATTENTION IN THIS CHAPTER AS WELL, SOMETHING I LIKED THAT I DID. AT THE MOMENT, SHE AND WEISS ARE MY FAVORITE RWBY CHARACTERS. IT USUALLY VARIES WITH EACH EPISODE, BUT WEISS AND BLAKE HAVE BEEN MY FAVORITE FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW. NOT TO DISS RUBY AND YANG. ALL OF THE RWBY GIRLS ARE AWESOME! I HAVE A LITTLE FANTASY IN THE BACK OF MY MIND THAT TEAM RWBY WILL HAVE AN EPIC 4 ON 1 FIGHT WITH ADAM. | <urn:uuid:ed83b362-2915-42a0-9ad9-7782322e24f7> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9649267/2/The-Beauty-Of-The-Beast | 2016-07-31T09:54:44Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257828314.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071028-00091-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.992542 | 2,681 |
10/1/09 update — well, it’s been nearly a year, and I should say not everything in this rant is totally true, and I certainly believe much less of it now. Current take: Statistics, not machine learning, is the real deal, but unfortunately suffers from bad marketing. On the other hand, to the extent that bad marketing includes misguided undergraduate curriculums, there’s plenty of room to improve for everyone.
So it’s pretty clear by now that statistics and machine learning aren’t very different fields. I was recently pointed to a very amusing comparison by the excellent statistician — and machine learning expert — Robert Tibshiriani. Reproduced here:
|generalization||test set performance|
|unsupervised learning||density estimation, clustering|
|large grant = $1,000,000||large grant = $50,000|
|nice place to have a meeting:|
Snowbird, Utah, French Alps
|nice place to have a meeting:|
Las Vegas in August
Hah. Or rather, ouch! I had two thoughts reading this. (1) Poor statisticians. Machine learners invent annoying new terms, sound cooler, and have all the fun. (2) What’s wrong with statistics? They have way less funding and influence than it seems they might deserve.
There are several issues going on here, both substantive and cultural:
There might be too much re-making-up of terms on the ML side. But lots of these are useful. “Weights” is a great, intuitive term for the parameters of a linear model. I use it all the time to explain classifiers and regressions to non-experts. I was surprised to see “test set” on the statistics side; I’m used to thinking of held-out test set accuracy as an extremely common ML technique, while in statistics model fit is assessed with parametric assumptions for standard errors and such. I really like cross-validation and bootstrapping as ways of thinking about generalization — again, something that’s far easier to grasp than sampling and hypothesis testing approaches to parameter inference — which keep getting taught to and misunderstood by generations of confused Introduction to Statistics students. For example, how many times has been explained that: No, a p-value is NOT the probability your model is wrong. But scientific papers regularly treat significance levels in that manner (look how many stars are on this result!) On the other hand, cross-validation accuracy *is* something you can interpret as being related to the probability your model is right.
I’ll also note that there are definitely a number of topics in ML that aren’t very related to statistics or probability. Max-margin methods: if all we care about is prediction, why bother using a probability model at all? Why not just optimize the spatial geometry instead? SVM’s don’t require a lick of probability theory to understand. (Of course probability-based approaches are huge in ML, but it’s important to remember they’re not the only game in town, and there is no necessary reason they must be.) And then there are non-traditional settings such as online learning, reinforcement learning, and active learning, where the structure of access to information is in play. There are certainly plenty of things in statistics that aren’t considered part of ML — say, regression diagnostics and significance testing. Finally, many ML problems involve large, high dimensional data and models, where computational issues are very important. For example, in statistical machine translation, alignment models are described with probability theory and fit to data, but their structure is complex enough that optimal inference is intractable, and how you do approximate inference (EM, Viterbi, beam search, etc.) is a very major issue.
But the most interesting differences between stats and ML are institutional.
I’ve been hearing lots of friends compare two dueling courses at Stanford: CS229, the CS department’s “machine learning” course taught by Andrew Ng; and Stat 315 A/B, the Statistics department’s “statistical learning” sequence taught by some combination of Tibshirani, Jerome Friedman, and Trevor Hastie. These people are all top-of-the-line researchers in the field. Their courses’ contents are extremely similar; I’d bet any of them could teach most of the material from the other side.
What differs most is the teaching style. CS has far better lecture notes. Of course, the stats people wrote a very good book; but better lecture notes win because I can access them later and send them to people for free. CS students I’ve talked to think the CS course is better taught; I can’t find stats students who take the CS course. (My sample is biased, though I know people in both.) Finally, the CS course has a big, open-ended project component; the Stats course follows more of a traditional problem set and tests format.
I think this is reflective of the differences in institutional culture between CS and Stats. There’s an interesting John Langford post on part of the issue, which he calls “The Stats Handicap”. He points out that stats Ph.D.’s have a big disadvantage in the job market because statistics has an old-school journal-oriented publishing culture, so students publish much less and have less experience engaging with a research community. CS is conference-oriented — certain conferences have a higher prestige than many journals (e.g. NIPS in ML, CHI in HCI) — and this results in faster turnaround, dissemination, and collaboration. (I’ve heard others make similar comparisons between CS and psychology.) I’d expect any discipline with a larger conference emphasis to have better courses since they should reward presentation/teaching skills — or at least encourage practice — more than in journal world.
ML sounds like it’s young, vibrant, interesting to learn, and growing; Stats does not.
Is marketing a problem? Machine learning terms definitely sound pretty cool. Maybe the perspective of computational intelligence lends itself to cool names. Though the Stanford statisticians certainly know how to play this game — for example, they made up their own names for variants of L1 and L2-regularized regression, leaving annoyed people like me forever googling “lasso” and “ridge” trying to remember which is which. (On the other hand, perhaps that’s child’s play compared to the true original sin of ML nomenclature: tossing around the highly deceptive term “neural network” for a stack of linear functions paired with a wonky, overhyped training algorithm; the combination of which, many years later, still causes confusion. Definitely blame CS for that one.)
Another issue is the definition of statistics itself. In 1997, Jerome Friedman wrote an extremely interesting analysis of the situation: “Data Mining and Statistics: What’s the Connection?”. He points out, quite correctly, the statistical impoverishment of some common approaches to data mining. You can certainly blame statistics for not marketing its ideas well enough, or blame CS for ignoring statistics. For example there’s a good case that lots of genetic algorithms and neural network research was much ado about nothing — that is, over-complicated cool-sounding hammers looking for nails when all you needed were some time-honored statistical and optimization techniques. (E.g. why NN when you haven’t tried a straight-up GLM? Why GA when you haven’t tried Nelder-Mead?) But this problem has been rectified somewhat — for example, NLP has seen a big move to simple linear models as the default technique, and NN’s and GA’s have fallen from grace in mainstream ML.
Friedman argues part of the problem is in how statisticians approach problems and the world:
One can catalog a long history of Statistics (as a field) ignoring useful methodology developed in other data related fields. Here are some of them that had seminal beginnings in Statistics but for the most part were subsequently ignored in our field: Pattern Recognition, Neural Networks, Machine Learning, Graphical Models, Chemometrics, Data Visualization.
That is not to say statistics is not important — it’s incredibly important. He quotes Efron as saying “Statistics has been the most successful information science.” However, information science is becoming bigger and broader and more exciting, thanks to computation and ever-increasing amounts of data. What should statisticians do? Friedman continues (light editing and emphasis is mine):
One view says that our field should concentrate on that small part of information science that we do best, namely probabilistic inference based on mathematics. If this view is adopted, we should become resigned to the fact that the role of Statistics as a player in the “information revolution” will steadily diminish over time.
Another point of view holds that statistics ought to be concerned with data analysis. The field should be defined in terms of a set of problems — rather than a set of tools — that pertain to data. Should this point of view ever become the dominant one, a big change would be required in our practice and academic programs.
First and foremost, we would have to make peace with computing. It’s here to stay; that’s where the data is. This has been one of the most glaring omissions in the set of tools that have so far defined Statistics. Had we incorporated computing methodology from its inception as a fundamental statistical tool (as opposed to simply a convenient way to apply our existing tools) many of the other data related fields would not have needed to exist. They would have been part of our field.
Friedman wrote this article more than 10 years ago. All his observations about the importance and increasing prevalence of data and computing power are even more true today than back then. Has the field of statistics changed? Not clear. (I’d appreciate seeing evidence to the contrary.)
On the other hand a world of data *has* to be increasingly statistical. The positive spin from Efron:
A new generation of scientific devices, typified by microarrays, produce data on a gargantuan scale – with millions of data points and thousands of parameters to consider at the same time. These experiments are “deeply statistical”. Common sense, and even good scientific intuition, won’t do the job by themselves. Careful statistical reasoning is the only way to see through the haze of randomness to the structure underneath. Massive data collection, in astronomy, psychology, biology, medicine, and commerce, is a fact of 21st Century science, and a good reason to buy statistics futures if they are ever offered on the NASDAQ.
I know that I’m interested in quantitative information science, including statistics and data analysis. Machine learning has many strengths, but it is definitely an odd way to go about analysis. But there’s a good case that statistics, as traditionally defined, is only going to have a smaller role in the future. “Data mining” sounds more relevant, but does it even exist as a coherent subject? Maybe it’s time to study a more applied statistical field like econometrics. | <urn:uuid:ddd6f458-921e-4b61-bc69-ee245ad73084> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://brenocon.com/blog/2008/12/statistics-vs-machine-learning-fight/ | 2016-07-30T16:51:55Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469258936356.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723072856-00270-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944609 | 2,394 |
110 Tasting Notes
This tea was not on steepster website yet and is not available anymore on canton tea (if my search was correct). It was part of the canton tea club but for a short while on sale for all costumers. Now to the tea…
I was waiting to open this package because its a vary special tea in my opinion, because its pretty rare. The sugar element in this tea made me purchase it, it made me curious!
The dry leafs are pretty large and tippy but thats a sign the quality is good, there were almost no broken leafs in this ziplock bag. For my first steep i’m using a teaspoon of leaf and using the recommended brew time of 2min with 95°c water. The color turns out a dark brown a bit like a ceylon or a light brewed assam. On my very first sip (the tea is still to hot) i notice a light malty taste and of no surprise i can tasted a little bit extra sweetness from the sugar, its not overwhelming but in my opinion enhancing the taste a bit. When its cooled a bit more its less malty then i expected but its still very strong in taste and even a little bit caramel like.
Its a tea i could possible drink on a everyday base but its far to unique to be actually doing this. A nice surprise and i will be trying to get some more off these canton tea club tea’s…
With my last order from Canton Tea there was this little sample of yunnan black pearls included. I had it sitting here for a while now and my curiosity has taken the upper hand.
Upon opening the package i can smell a light malty typical yunnan flavor. I had yunnan tea’s before but that where usual loose tea’s, this is something different. The pearls as they are called are pretty big tea balls. Lets say about 1cm diameter max but most are a bit smaller. Its easy to measure in your teacup and the instructions note that i best use 2 balls for 250ml water. But i like my black tea strong so i’m using 3…
I’m using almost boiling water and a 3min infusion for my first cup. The little teaballs start to unfurl and bubble open pretty slowly and after a minute or so it increases it speed and starts getting alive. The balls turn out to be pretty large yunnan leafs, pretty tippy to. The color of the infusion is a hazy brown, not so dark then i expected but it smells good!
Tasting this tea reveals a slightly malt and spicy flavor that holds up pretty well, its surprisingly sweet and not bitter at all. I’m enjoying this and its easy to make because off the balls u just pick some out the package and are ready to go…
Overall not my most favorite yunnan but its a good quality
I had won this unique oolong a few months ago true a facebook competition and it was in my tea storage for that long. But here we are i had some cups of this Phoenix oolong and its a wonderful tea!
The discription on the package was ‘notes of strawberry and orange blossem’ and to my surprise i had a soft strawberry taste with my first cup, not strongly but a faint aftertaste almost like a light strawberry yogurt. The orange blossem was present from the first cup as well but it was far more clear in the next 4 cups. I brewed this tea western style starting with 2min and increasing the brew time with each cup by one minute. The results where 5 very very good cups of tea.
This tea reminds me a lot of phoenix honey orchid but its more forgiving and lasts way longer in taste. It does not get bitter at all, to bad u can’t buy this anymore on the jing website.
One of the best oolongs i had so far in my opinion.
This Mao Lian also know as Jade Sword is my second sample from Little Red Cup Tea.
I had some Mao Lian before so i don’t need to doubt myself while brewing this tea. For my first cup i used 70°c water and a fairly big teaspoon of these nice dark green leafs. Once brewed these leafs look a bit like seaweed and the color of my cup turns a bright green.
This mao jian is a very refreshing green tea with some hints of cream and best off all it doesn’t turn bitter at all. This is a good tea for warm afternoons when u need some hydration!
I comparing my 2 samples from red cup this one is my personal favorite. Tough the white monkey tasted good it wasn’t 100% my thing. This one is more up my ally and would drink it on a very regular base!
I think i ruined my tea a bit on the second and third cup because i had water about 80°c and made a to long steep (about 5min). It turned a little bit bitter but it was still enjoyable. If i keep up with the 70°c steeps i believe the tea will hold out better because the quality of the first cup was really tasty. Still got enough sample size left to make a new go somewhere this week!
Time for trying out my first sample from Little Red Cup Tea. Its a fairly big sample so thanks very a lot for giving me a chance to test it out!
The leaf’s are when dry a bit fluffy like the hairs on silver needles, but more green. I make my first cup with a 3min steep time on 70°c. The liquor of the brew turns out to be a bit between white and green tea. Its golden like a white tea, but with a green tint.
Its still a bit warm with my first sips but i’m getting a nice creamy flavor with some sweet aftertaste. This tea sure is more leaning towards a white then a green thats surprising and it drinks away very easy. When its more cooled down it reminds me a bit of a white darjeeling i had some time ago. Its a very nice cup and i’m curious about the second and third brew i’m going to make from it!
This is my last sample for justea. I’m really thanking them for letting try these great Kenyan tea’s. This time around we are tasting the Earl Grey version of the Kenyan Black tea.
The dry leaf got a light bergamot scent to it. Not strong but just noticeable. So thats already a good sign for things to come, because i really don’t like overly strong flavored tea’s.
I brewed this earl grey for 3min and the color of the infusion is almost the same then the black tea base alone. For more info about the tea base check my Kenyan Black tasting note.
The robustness of the Kenyan tea is still in front when drinking this cup of tea. But u can clearly taste the fresh bergamot oil that is used to give this its classic earl grey taste. Its refreshing and its a very good thing the bergamot isn’t taking over the tea.
I’m liking this just like the african chai and the Kenyan black (thats the base for all there tea’s)! Justea u got really amazing tea’s out there, these 3 samples where by far the best samples i had i a long time.
My second sample from this Kenyan tea this time in a chai version. Dry it looks very beautiful loads of color from the clove, the fennel seeds, and rose petals. This smells very great to, a very very spicy oder. U just want to try it when u open the package.
Because i really was surprised with the regular kenyan black tea i’m not going deeper into the base of this tea. If u want to read more about the base just go to the other tasting note i made.
Once brewed this Chai still smells good and the color is a bit different then the ruby red from the tea without the spices. Taste wise the malty flavors come true and then the warming spices kick in. This one does not go bitter even with a bit of over steeping and thats a wonderful aspect!
Overall a very warming malty tea with a smooth finish, its really soft in the mouth!
Only one left to try is the Earl Grey, this is coming soon in my tasting note’s.
I’m thinking that i really need to start looking to buy some big packs of this tea, its a surprise i didn’t expected it to be that good!
I have to thank justea for the big samples and especially for there work with this fairtrade project in kenya. I just love it when people help others, people that in many options don’t got a other way off living deserve some help and if that tea kitchen is a way to help get them more self employed then thats a very good thing!
Now time for tea talk!
The dry leaf smell very fresh and even a bit fruity tough this is the regular kenyan black. When brewing the leaf the liquor turns out a ruby like red (just like someone else here on steepster noticed). Never had a African tea except some rooibos but technically speaking thats a herbal.
I’m fond of strong black tea’s like assam, in color this reminds me a bit of assam tea. My first sips with this tea is when its a bit to hot. But even then i can notice a strong full body element. When its cooled down a bit more u get a fresh riche taste thats a bit malty!
I’m comparing this to great assam and its passing the test. If the cost for sending a larger parcel isn’t to big i’m pretty damn sure i’m going to order this again!
I’m very surprised about the quality of this tea, didn’t know the region was able to produce tea’s that in quality might be equal with chinese and indian tea’s… | <urn:uuid:49a72a58-eb8f-49da-99a0-bfa2abdab550> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://steepster.com/darky?page=2 | 2016-07-25T03:00:43Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824201.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00133-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953493 | 2,136 |
When Catherine Morland, a country clergyman's daughter, is invited to spend a season in Bath with the fashionable high society, little does she imagine the delights and perils that await her. Captivated and disconcerted by what she finds, and introduced to the joys of "Gothic novels" by her new friend, Isabella, Catherine longs for mystery and romance. When she is invited to stay with the beguiling Henry Tilney and his family at Northanger Abbey, she expects mystery and intrigue at every turn. However, the truth turns out to be even stranger than fiction.
© and (P)2006 Naxos AudioBooks
I am a manly man. I eat raw meat. I speak in short sentences. but i love this book. It's not just a Jane Austen romance, it's a mini thriller and comedy too. John Thorpe is my idle.
Juliet Stevenson is my favorite reader for Jane Austen novels. She has a pleasing alto voice, and gives a very lively reading. Ms. Stevenson gives all of Jane's characters distinct voices and personalities. I recommend this audiobook highly!
Northanger Abbey was always my least favorite Jane Austen book. With Juliet's superb narration, I understand the genius of the story in it's comic simplicity. I have listened to every Jane Austen book of Juliet's narration and I'm happy to say this one will be repeated as often as the others.
Narrative makes the world go round.
Like many other Austen readers, this is my least favorite Austen novel. It was only on re-reading it as an adult (and after slogging through some of the meodramatic novels Austen satirizes) that I finally got the satire. Narrator Stevenson really enlivens the reading to so that the tone can't be missed or messed. I've listened to two other audio versions of Northanger, and this strikes me as by far the best - satiric but not "over the top" delivery.
I love reading and listening to books, especially fantasy, science fiction, children's, historical, and classics.
Northanger Abbey read by Juliet Stevenson was great fun: absorbing, witty, and even, strangely enough (for an anti-Gothic romance), suspenseful. Seventeen-year-old Catherine Morland is an appealing heroine: ex-tomboy, unaccomplished at the things a typical young lady of her era would be accomplished at (playing the piano, drawing, etc.), obsessed with Gothic romance novels, honest, good-natured, sensitive, innocent, and ignorant. Watching her mature through the course of her first experience away from home (first in Bath and finally from about half way through the novel in Northanger Abbey) into a greater awareness of the feelings and true nature of other people and of herself is satisfying.
And the reader, Juliet Stevenson, is wonderful! She brings the story to life, playing an experienced and wry narrator, as well as pleasurably capturing Catherine's innocent ohs, nos, and honesty, Isabella Thorpe???s insincere effusions, John Thorpe's boorish boasting, and Henry Tilney's clever teasing and kind advice.
As some other listeners have said, Northanger Abbey is not up to the level of Jane Austen???s best novels, but it humorously plays with the Gothic romance genre that was so popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, offers plenty of quotable lines, and, especially as read by Juliet Stevenson, makes a charming and enjoyable audiobook.
Juliet Stevenson is a wonderful narrator and does a great job reading what is unfortunately not the best of Jane Austen's books. Although the story is pleasant enough, it isn't up to Pride and Prejudice, or Sense and Sensibility, Emma or Mansfield Park. The story lacks complexity, the characters are merely sketched, and it just doesn't hold your interest like the other Austen works. The narration, however, is terrific.
Northanger Abbey ??? Jane Austen
This was the first book that Austen wrote. She sold it; it was never published; so she bought it back when her other books became successful. Possibly she intended a rewrite. Her brother had it published after her death.
The story concerns the teen-aged Catherine Moreland who has little experience of the world, but much experience with gothic romance novels. Austen manages to make Catherine comic in her awkwardness and excessive imagination, but lovable in her direct honesty. This book has all the satire and social commentary of Austen???s later books, but other than Catherine, I felt the characters lacked depth. Although Catherine???s brother has a failed love affair with one of her new friends, Austen only deals with the effect this has on Catherine???s relationship with Isabella. Little is said about the brother. Nothing at all is known about Eleanor???s relationship to her Viscount. That marriage is only mentioned because it allows Catherine and Henry to marry. I missed the more complex interplay of multiple characters and plot line that occur in Austen???s later books, but I enjoyed Catherine???s runaway imagination.
Juliet Stevenson gives a wonderful performance of this book. Each character is captured distinctly while she adds to the atmosphere and the comedy with her animated reading.
This was a fun, light-hearted romp, but not one of Austen's best works. It had her characteristic humor, and I love the way she delivers both approbation and condemnation in such wry, genteel turns of phrase. Austen's world is a Regency fairyland where nothing truly violent or horrific ever happens, which makes Catherine Morland, the 17-year-old heroine of Northanger Abbey all the more endearing. Catherine reads lots of gothic novels, and would like nothing better than to be trapped in a haunted house, discover that the local baronet is hiding his mad wife in an attic, find a mysterious orphan on her doorstep, uncover a wicked poisoning plot, etc. Sadly, no such dramatic events occur during her stay in Bath, but she does make friends with the Allens, the Thorpes, and the Tilneys, leading to a typical Austen comedy of manners with misunderstandings, deceptions, attachments, broken engagements, etc.
Catherine is a sweet former tomboy who still has a vivid imagination and a taste for adventure. She grows up over the course of her little adventure, making friends, figuring out that not everyone can be taken at face value, and that she shouldn't try to fit real people into the plots of gothic novels. Also, Austen has a lot of fun name-checking fellow authors, honoring some and making fun of others, and defending the novel as a legitimate work of art.
However, the ending was rushed and had none of the humor or wit of the first part, like Austen had a fun time writing about her overly-imaginative heroine and her adventures for the first part of the book, and then said, "Oh, well, I guess I'd better write the happy ending now." So all misunderstandings are cleared up and Catherine is suitably settled in the last chapter, mostly through a lot of exposition. So, an enjoyable but a lightweight book without the depth of some of Austen's other works.
This was a "first" Austen work for me. It was an excellent work to begin with. Wonderfully read and wonderfully written.
There is not really much to say about the content of the book, Jane Austen lovers will enjoy, those new to her, give it a go, she's great! As to the narration, always brilliant from Juliet Stevenson. Enough variation between characters to mark a difference, without creating silly voices. So easy and charming to listen to.
"A perfect reading"
There isn't much to say really - this is just perfect. The reading is, as usual with Juliet Stevenson, quite beautiful. She brings the characters to life, so that we really empathise with Catherine. Those who have read the Mysteries of Udolpho can enjoy Austen's irony. But even with no prior knowledge of the period, of contemporary literature or history you can just sit back and enjoy the story. Bliss.
"A perfect reading"
Having listened to two of Juliet Stevenson's readings of Jane Austen's novels, I instantly downloaded this third one. A beautiful narrative of a touching story.
"Juliet Stevenson is fantastic!"
This is a fabulous book of Jane Austen's and Juliet Stevenson really brings it to life. Her charactisations are perfect - I instantly downloaded more of her readings of Jane Austen!
"An old favourite fabulously read"
Oh! What a glorious rendition of this delightful classic. Juliet Stevenson is so so superb!
I loved reading this once more. Jane Austen's turn of phrase is so delightfully voiced by Juliet Stevenson. What a glory, and I have 'Emma' just bought and ready to read - also with this narrator - What joy of anticipation!
That would be impossible choose it was all wonderful.
Juliet Stephenson is a legend and make this audio the very best it could be.
The book itself is fantastic. I'd originally read it years ago, and didn't really remember just how good it was. I had this idea that Catherine was a bit silly, but she really isn't. She's very young, so she can be a bit uncertain, but she's got the beginnings of a backbone of steel. The narration was absolutely brilliant. I tried the samples for all the others, and this one was by far the one I liked the most. Stevenson makes the characters feel completely real, and she gets the humour in the narration just right. Perfect version.
I highly recommended this reading by Juliet Stevenson. She really makes Austen's Gothic tale/parody come alive.
In this Jane Austen has created one of the most beautiful books in the English language, and Juliet Stevenson is probably once of the only people in the world that could ha e done it justice. I will listen to this again and again!
I first read Northanger Abbey as a teenager and, although I loved the book, I didn't quite get the satire. Revisiting it now, with Juliet Stevenson's perfect narration, I see the book in another light but still enjoy it. Translate the heroine's obsession with Gothic novels into today's obsession with celebrities and their lifestyle and you have a very modern story.
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- "Hamas closed the diplomatic option," says spokesman for the Israeli PM
- A spokesman for the military accuses Hamas of holding the people of Gaza hostage
- "We are not the side who is killing ... We are the side being killed," says Hamas spokesman
- The Gaza death toll is higher than the number of people killed there during the 2012 war
An Egypt-backed cease-fire between Israel and Hamas fell apart Tuesday as rocket attacks from Gaza were again answered by Israeli airstrikes.
The rocket attacks from Hamas militants in Gaza never ceased, Israeli officials said. For its part, Israel refrained from airstrikes for about six hours before announcing it was resuming them.
A CNN crew witnessed at least five Israeli strikes just as the announcement was made.
"Hamas closed the diplomatic option. We woke up this morning in the hope there'd be a cease-fire and, as you reported, Israel restrained from all our activities, all action against terrorists in Gaza for a full six hours. We gave this cease-fire our full support," Mark Regev, spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."
"But Hamas said no to everyone. Hamas said no to the cease-fire, both in word and in deed," Regev said.
The faltering of the cease-fire attempt means there may be little hope of seeing an end to the near constant exchange of fire that has so far killed more than 190 Palestinians in Gaza.
The first fatality on the Israeli side was a man killed Monday after being hit by a mortar shell, Israeli Rescue Services said. He was an Israeli volunteer who was at the Erez border crossing to deliver food to soldiers.
Israeli leaders had agreed to the cease-fire, but from the outset warned it would be short-lived if the attacks from Gaza didn't stop.
The Israeli Security Cabinet met early Tuesday morning and decided to halt aerial strikes beginning at 9 a.m. (2 a.m. ET). It resumed strikes about six hours later, by 3 p.m. (8 a.m. ET).
The barrage from Gaza continued, with more than 140 rockets fired from there since early Tuesday -- or one rocket every six minutes -- according to the IDF.
"Hamas have decided to continue, and will pay the price for that decision," Netanyahu said Tuesday.
His Security Cabinet met again late in the day for emergency talks.
The Egyptian plan calls for all sides to cease hostilities in Gaza. It also calls for the opening of border crossings, once the security situation is stable, and for high-level talks among those involved.
"The achievement of the success of this Egyptian effort is a must for all of us," said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat. "It's an interest for all of us, and if we allow things to deteriorate I think it's going to be a disaster all over."
He continued: "Failure is not an option here."
When the plan was announced, there was a split reaction from Hamas. Its military wing rejected any possibility of a cease-fire, while its political wing had said it was considering it.
Ismail Haneyya, deputy chairman of Hamas' political wing, said at the outset of the Egyptian efforts that there is a bigger issue than a cease-fire for Palestinians.
He said that what Palestinians really want is an end to the Israeli blockade on Gaza that is suffocating the daily lives of the 1.8 million Palestinians living there.
Haneyya, speaking on Hamas-owned Al Aqsa TV, also accused Israel of not freeing Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, as had been agreed to under an earlier truce. These, he said, are elements the Palestinians would like to see in a comprehensive cease-fire agreement.
Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan later stressed that Hamas never received the proposal through political channels.
"We are still working with Egypt. We are still talking to other sides," he told CNN.
"I believe a proposal is supposed to be prepared after the sides agree on it. It's supposed to be published if two sides give agreement on it. You can't publish it in the media and then ask everyone to accept that or reject that."
Asked why Hamas won't stop firing rockets while talks are ongoing, the spokesman replied: "We are not the side who is killing the other side. We are are the side being killed."
The stakes are high and climbing.
By Tuesday, the death toll from a week of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza had reached 194, with at least 1,400 wounded, according to Palestinian health authorities.
The toll is now greater than the number of people killed in Gaza during the 2012 conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The United Nations has said that most of the people killed by Israel's aerial attacks are civilians.
"I urgently call on the Israeli Security Forces to put an end to attacks against, or endangering, civilians and civilian infrastructure which are contrary to international humanitarian law," said Pierre Krahenbuhl, commissioner general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, or UNRWA.
There are now 17,000 refugees taking shelter in 20 schools in Gaza, UNRWA said, and the airstrikes have damaged 47 of its buildings, including clinics, schools and warehouses.
The Israeli military says it uses a variety of methods, including phone calls and leaflets, to warn civilians of impending strikes.
"As part of our effort to avoid harming civilians, we are sending messages to residents of northern Gaza to leave homes for their own safety," the IDF posted to Twitter late Tuesday.
But UNRWA called on Israel to exercise maximum restraint and precautions to avoid more casualties.
"Clearly, at this stage not enough is being done in that regard," Krahenbuhl said.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner accused Hamas of holding the people of Gaza hostage.
"They are using and abusing the houses, the infrastructure there, in order to carry out these attacks. We really don't have any other choice," he said.
Hamas on Tuesday closed a crossing between Gaza and Israel but allowed 25 Palestinians -- some of them needing medical attention -- to cross into Israel at Erez.
The border crossing at Erez was closed not as punitive measure, but because the Gazan side has been targeted in airstrikes, said Maher Abu Subha, the head of the committee for border crossings in Gaza.
Employees at the crossing have been targeted three times in three days, and it was closed out of fear for the lives of the workers, he said.
The crossing can be reopened quickly if Israel can guarantee the workers' safety, he said.
Kerry delays trip
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was preparing a possible trip to the Middle East to lay groundwork for a cease-fire, but he postponed the visit to give Egyptian efforts a chance to take root.
One official said the United States wants to give Egypt a chance to reassert itself as a power broker in the Middle East, as it did during the 2012 cease-fire.
Kerry continued to follow that line Tuesday.
"The Egyptian proposal for a cease-fire and negotiations provides an opportunity to end the violence and restore calm," Kerry said from Vienna, Austria. "We welcome the Israeli Cabinet's decision to accept it. We urge all other parties to accept the proposal."
Kerry strongly condemned the rocket launches by Hamas in the face of the cease-fire plan, and said he is prepared to fly to the Middle East as early as Wednesday, if needed.
The current Egyptian President, the ex-military chief Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, has weaker relations with Hamas than former President Mohamed Morsy, who brokered the 2012 deal. Morsy was ousted by the military in 2013.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will travel to Egypt on Wednesday to meet with the President and to discuss a possible cease-fire, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. Abbas also is scheduled to visit Turkey.
Earlier, Kerry spoke by phone with Netanyahu and expressed U.S. concerns about escalating tensions. He reiterated that the United States is prepared to help bring about a cease-fire, a senior State Department official said.
But "offering facilitation is not enough," Yousef Munayyer of the Washington-based Palestine Center told CNN's "New Day."
"It's important that the United States demand a cease-fire," he said. "There is no military solution to this." | <urn:uuid:6d07a55a-9a94-4d08-af84-cf4f51e8cb85> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/15/world/meast/mideast-crisis/index.html | 2016-07-25T02:50:53Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824201.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00133-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976177 | 1,758 |
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Fast dry times are critical because there is no opportunity to lengthen the drying time or repaint marred surfaces before decals are affixed.
Although the products are mostly used in industrial, commercial or homeowner sites, Quincy believes a solid, glossy finish reinforces the product's quality image.
Some of America's oldest, most successful companies use a distinguishable color to set their products and their businesses apart from competition. John Deere comes to mind, as does Caterpillar, and oh yes, Quincy Compressor.
Unlike "John Deere Green," which singer Joe Diffee memorialized in a top-selling country song, Quincy Blue and Quincy Burgundy are not part of American pop culture, yet. But the company believes that to people who use residential, commercial and industrial air compressors, those colors have come to stand for high quality products and support.
Paint quality is important to Quincy Compressor. Although its products are used mostly in industrial and commercial sites or homeowner's garages, the company believes that a solid, glossy coating on its compressors reinforces the quality message it wants to convey. Occasionally its units are installed outdoors, so the coating must resist heat, sunlight, snow and rain. Since the company does not know exactly where each unit will be used, it applies enough paint to protect all compressor surfaces in any environment. Because of this, it needs a formulation that does not go on too thick and subsequently chip, which would expose the surface to dampness and potential rust.
Anyone comparing a Quincy compressor made five years ago with one made yesterday will see obvious design and feature changes but no noticeable change in the paint. That is on purpose. However, there certainly have been paint changes, and it has resulted in significant benefits to the customer as well as folks who make the compressors in Quincy, Illinois.
All compressors produced during the past three years have been coated with a waterborne paint produced by Finishes Unlimited of Sugar Grove, Illinois. Before then, the company used a solvent-borne coating. Both coatings made the product look good and perform well in the field, but the switch to waterborne paint dramatically lowered VOC levels and reduced coating costs. The company discovered that less paint is required to achieve the same coverage, and waste disposal is also less expensive.
Changeovers in manufacturing operations often result in problems before the true benefits appear. Quincy's conversion from solvent-borne to waterborne paint was no exception. For one thing, Mother Nature had to be satisfied, which was a major challenge.
Quincy is a Mississippi River town in west central Illinois. Its riverside climate drives humidity levels sky high in the summer, when temperatures can top 100F. Winters, of course, are colder and a bit less humid. Regardless of the air temperature or humidity, Quincy uses it to dry the compressors after they are painted. There is only about 15 minutes or so of drying time allotted.
That is because almost all of the plant's production is planned to fill specific orders, so there is a customer waiting for every unit when it is finished. The plant's highly automated production lines usually run at full speed, and compressors need to be shipped as soon as possible after painting.
After cleaning, the smallest compressors are painted in a small tabletop booth. The medium-size conveyors are washed and transported through a hand-spray booth using an overhead conveyor. Within a short time they are labeled and boxed for shipment. Larger units are also hand sprayed in a large stationary booth and sent by dolly to be labeled and readied for shipment.
Fast dry times are critical because there is no real opportunity to lengthen the drying time or go back and repaint marred surfaces. Off loading the units for a short period to allow more drying time would add to the labor cost of the paint line.
Under these circumstances, the company appreciated the fast-dry feature of the solvent-borne paint that left compressors sufficiently dry before the labeling and packing. But, due in part to the solvent-borne paint, the plant's VOC levels were unacceptable to the company and according to the 1990 Clean Air Act guidelines. Quincy decided to significantly lower the VOC levels by switching to waterborne paint. It thought the switch could also reduce the cost associated with removing paint waste, which was becoming a concern.
Quincy's reciprocal air compressors are offered in dozens of sizes and configurations ranging from a 1/3-hp unit measuring 7 × 5 × 10 inches high to large, natural-gas-powered units weighing more than 17,000 lb that are 16 × 7 × 9 ft tall. All but the largest units are fully assembled and performance tested before painting. The gages and controls are masked with tape until the painting is completed. The largest ones are assembled and painted in stages to allow paint crews to achieve the complete coverage on some of the surfaces near the interior of the unit.
Because the company offers a range of features and options on its compressors, each unit entering the paint booth may be different from the previous one. Each has its own combination of curves, crevices, angles and hidden surfaces. Using a preprogrammed, automatic paint booth is out of the question. The only way to achieve a smooth, even coating on every unit is with a staff of skilled painters.
Because compressors are assembled from cast iron, cold-rolled steel, aluminum and copper components, a paint formulation is required that adheres equally well to all of these surfaces.
The large natural gas units present their own challenges. By adapting the paint-and-assemble process, it is possible to gain excellent paint coverage on surfaces that are hidden from view on the interior of the unit while reducing overall finishing and labeling time by about an hour.
When Quincy approached Finishes Unlimited in 1996, its emphasized its dissatisfaction with its prior experience with waterborne paint. The supplier helped Quincy research the problem and reviewed the application process, seasonal drying conditions, environmental goals and field performance specifications. It determined that one of its basic formulations would meet the desired VOC requirements and, with modifications, could match the other performance needs. The formulation would also allow Quincy to satisfy customers who would ask occasionally for custom colors.
To be certain the new paint would perform under the most difficult circumstances, a test was scheduled for the summer months when drying conditions are most difficult. To assure acceptable drying time, paint application specialists recommended some minor process changes to the drying area to provide more air movement over just-coated compressors.
Immediately after Quincy started using the new coating, the painters reported that they were getting coverage levels that surpassed the previous waterborne and solvent-borne coating that had been used. Adhesion tests proved highly satisfactory, and drying times were equal to the drying times of the solvent coatings, so there was no impact on production schedules. The higher solids content of the paint allowed Quincy to coat more square feet of compressor surface per gallon than with the solvent paints, resulting in reduced coating purchase levels.
When solvent paint was used, the company employed a continuously flowing waterwash spray booth to capture overspray. The cost incurred from waste treatment vendors to remove and burn the waste sludge was increasing. When the switch to the waterborne coating was made, the wet system was replaced by a dry system using filters beneath the paint booth floors to absorb overspray. Once they reach the absorption capacity, the filters are allowed to dry and are then compacted and placed into barrels. Since the waste is water-based and not solvent, it can be taken to landfills.
Soon after instituting waterborne coatings at the facility, reports were issued about field rust on the air tanks. A thorough review of the paint line and paint formulation revealed no deficiencies. Then the attention was turned to some of the tanks themselves, which were purchased from an outside vendor.
These arrive at Quincy with a special coating to prevent them from rusting while in the warehouse at the compressor plant. Workers noticed rust on them when they were brought in for production, so Quincy had the manufacturer add more protective coating. After washing, the tanks appeared clean, but in reality small amounts of film remained. The paint initially covered these surfaces, but later it peeled away allowing moisture to get to the surface and create rust. The company identified that the problem was with the preservative rather than the paint, and Quincy decided to steam clean them before the assembly process. Consequently, the problem vanished.
Quincy also earned its ISO 9001 certification. Although coating specifications are not an actual part of the certification, any coating complaints are included in ISO 9001 audits and investigated immediately. The company reports that there have been few problems reported.blog comments powered by Disqus | <urn:uuid:dd23e830-68e0-4fcd-b341-a8da287c9790> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.pfonline.com/articles/waterborne-paint-handles-demanding-conditions | 2016-07-25T02:24:55Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824201.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00133-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964212 | 1,793 |
We love the new collection of Genevieve Gorder party invitations at Pear Tree! So when we went looking for fabulous summer party ideas, we started there and found plenty of inspiration. Our party prep also included planning what drinks to serve at our summer soiree. We’ve made it easy for you to plan your own party by pairing our favorite Genevieve invitations with the perfect summer drinks for each occasion. Sound fun? Let’s get started!
Gold Garden Party Invitations
Perfect pairing: Champagne or Prosecco
Party Umbrellas Invitations
Perfect pairing: Strawberry Daiquiris
Here’s the recipe:
One 12-oz. bag frozen strawberries
6 oz. light rum
4 oz. lime juice
5 tablespoons sugar
6 fresh strawberry slices, for garnish
In a blender, combine the frozen strawberries, rum, lime juice and sugar. Blend until smooth and divide among 6 highball or hurricane-style glasses. Garnish each glass with a strawberry slice and serve immediately. Recipe courtesy of Geoffrey Zakarian and foodnetwork.com
Summer Cookout Party Invitations
Perfect pairing: Sangria
Here’s the recipe:
Make the most of your graduation party with these must-have party apps. They’ll help you plan the party, keep the tunes streaming, record and share the best moments with your friends. Here are our favorite party apps for graduation parties.
Party & Event Planner Lite
Make sure everything is ready to go before the big day with this simple event planner. It gives you a personal party countdown complete with to-do lists and notifications, helps you easily manage your guest list and lets you estimate expenses with an expense calculator.
You probably already know about Snapchat, but did you know you can create your own Geofilter for your grad party? Design your own look for your event, then keep friends updated before, during and after the party.
Don’t forget to start your own grad party hashtag to keep track of what happened and who was there. Plus, check out Boomerang from Instagram, the hottest new toy on Instagram. Boomerang lets you create mini loop videos to capture those moments from your party in unforgettable ways.
This free video sharing app makes it super easy to record, upload and share videos with a group of friends. Create a private group from your party guest list, capture all the action and share videos on the spot.
Every great party needs music and Spotify lets you choose from readymade playlists or create your own party playlist in advance without having to purchase the music. Listen for free with ads, or purchase the ad-free Premium version with a student discount. https://www.spotify.com/us/student/
Those are our suggestions for must-have graduation party apps. We’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below. Keep reading for more graduation party ideas.
Summer’s hottest invitation has arrived! You’re invited to see the new Genevieve Gorder Party Invitations Collection, only at Pear Tree. Designed by Genevieve Gorder, one of America’s most popular designers and television personalities, this exclusive collection of party invitations is filled with light-hearted sophistication and a wide range of design styles for invitations they can’t refuse.
The collection will inspire all kinds of celebrations, from casual pool parties to elegant dinners under the stars. One thing is clear: it’s not a party unless you’re sending Genevieve Gorder party invitations.
Where have you seen her?
- HGTV’s Genevieve’s Renovation, White House Christmas, Design Star, Dear Genevieve and, of course, Trading Spaces
- Rachael Ray, The TODAY Show, CNN
- The Design Network, ulive.com, modemediacorp.com
- Real Genevieve magazine/app
Watch for more collections from Genevieve Gorder, coming soon to Pear Tree. Get to know more about her style at GenevieveGorder.com.
Congrats (almost) grad! Among the many things you are planning as the school year ends and summer begins, I’m sure that figuring out what to wear to your graduation party is high on the list. We’ve compiled a few options from your favorite stores and brands (Forever 21, Brandy Melville, Target, Uban Outfitters, & Francesca’s) in the hottest summer trends we like to refer to as, the “Triple B’s” – Boho, Bold, and Blooms!
- Cody Printed Halter Shift Dress
- Off-the-Shoulder Mini Dress
- Ecote Gineva Printed Shift Dress
Looking for graduation gift ideas that go beyond the impersonal gift card? These are our top 5 best-selling graduation gifts, and they’re appreciated because they can be personalized with text, photos and colors just for your special graduate.
Shop our top 5 graduation gift ideas:
1. Color Block Collage Wall Art Print This is a graduation gift your grad just might take along to college. Our 14″ x 11″ wall art prints are archival quality and meant to be framed. It holds 11 photos and 4 color blocks with editable text.
2. Gold Sequin-Look Custom Phone Case Your grad’s favorite photo decorated with gold faux-foil sequins – does it get any better than that? She might actually keep the case on her phone for a change. For iPhone 4/4s, 5/5S or 6, and Samsung Galaxy S4 or S5.
3. Favorite Photo Easel Art Commemorate this milestone with a gift for the grad, mom, dad and all the grandparents. A built-in easel folds out from the back so it stands up on its own, just like a picture frame — but without the frame!
4. 12″ Canvas Square Your grad will love this large square canvas art, personalized with a favorite photo of their friends or family to hang in her bedroom or dorm room. Folds in seconds to look like real canvas.
5. Big Name Notepad Grads will appreciate having these notepads on hand for just about anything, from writing notes to friends to making to-do lists look really awesome. And they make affordable and unique graduation gifts.
Start shopping for your graduation gifts early, so you’ll have them in time for the party. Choose from our top 5 ideas, shown here, or shop the entire collection of graduation gifts at Pear Tree!
It’s not your style to sit back and hope someone notices you. There are so many ways to shine, and here are few of our favorites, from big watches to glitter nail polish. Of all the 2016 style trends, this one cannot be ignored. Even your graduation announcements can show your style. Give your grad party a head start in the glam department.
Shop the Trend!
No. 1: Makko Hashtag Studs, Forever 21 | No. 2: SB Zoom Stefan Janoski Leather Shoes, Nike | No. 3: Fergus Watch, Marc Jacobs | No. 4: My Big Year Silver Foil – Graduation Announcements, Pear Tree Greetings | No. 5: University of Iowa Fitted V-Neck Tee, Victoria’s Secret | No. 6: Prismatic Nail Polish, H&M | No. 7: BaubleBar Gem Make Noise Headphones Gold, Target | No. 8: Flatter Yourself Contour Brush Set, Sephora | No. 9: Good As Gold Vertical – Graduation Announcements, Pear Tree Greetings
Looking for awesome graduation party decorations and ideas? These are our top 5 best sellers! All can be personalized with text, photos and colors to make them yours. Best of all, you’ll find matching graduation invitations and lots of other party decorations to coordinate the entire look at Pear Tree.
Shop our top 5 graduation party decorating ideas:
1. Banner Moment Fill your grad party with color using this 8-piece bunting banner customized with your choice of colors, photos and wording. You can even add a school logo.
2. Sequin-Look Guest Book Print Not only is it a fun party decoration, this guest book print becomes a keepsake if you have your guests sign it with white or metallic markers.
3. Follow the Script Table Decor Our multi-piece, multi-functional table decor is printed on our signature card stock and personalized with your photos and text. Use them in so many ways!
4. Favorite Photo Cupcake Flags Decorate your cupcakes and other desserts with these little cupcake flags. Choose from over 80 colors to match your other grad party decorations!
5. Snapshots 36″ x 24″ Custom Poster It’s a photo display made easy! This custom poster can be personalized to match your graduation party decorations and holds 15 photos.
Start planning your graduation party today. Choose from our top 5 ideas, shown here, or shop the entire collection of graduation party decorations at Pear Tree!
Your style is all natural, from barely-there makeup to rustic styles and neutral colors. These are a few of our favorite natural looks for grad season. You can even plan your graduation party with an all-natural approach, starting with eco-friendly graduation announcements made from 100% recycled paper.
Shop the Trend!
No. 1: Tasseled Straw Floppy Hat, Forever 21 | No. 2: Kraft Paper Trifold Graduation Announcements, Pear Tree Greetings | No. 3: Rothco Canvas Duffel Bag, Urban Outfitters | No. 4: Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette, Urban Decay | No. 5: C.O. Bigelow Cream Body Wash – Lemon, Bath & Body Works | No. 6: Betseyville Allspice Slide Sandals – Cognac, Target | No. 7: Nordic Mini Magnet Succulent Garden, Gardeners | No. 8: Love That Photo Graduation Announcements, Pear Tree Greetings | No. 9: Zalie Braided Belt, Free People
Want to wow your friends with amazing graduation announcements? Check out these designs printed on double thick paper! Seriously, the paper is twice as thick as our signature matte-finish card stock, which makes these luxury graduation announcements twice as nice. With their solid feel and silky smooth finish, they will definitely stand out in the mail.
Not sure about the double-thick look? Don’t give up! There are plenty of other luxury graduation announcements out there, including real foil-stamped designs, unique folds, ribbons and more. And for even more ideas, our full collection of graduation announcements, from our signature card stock to photo paper designs, gives you lots of ways to get creative no matter what your style or budget. But when you want to make a statement, double thick paper graduation announcements are designed to impress.
The Class of 2016 isn’t afraid to step out of line and get noticed. Here are a few of the creative looks that caught our attention, from dino shades to graduation announcements. It’s graduation season – time to show your style!
Shop the Trend!
No. 1: Beats Solo 2 Wireless Headphones Active Collection – Yellow, Target | No. 2: Matte Lipstick – Diva, MAC | No. 3: Spin A Rama Graduation Announcement, Pear Tree Greetings | No. 4: Dream On Dreamer Notebook, Urban Outfitters | No. 5: Chuck Taylor All Star Classic Sneakers, Converse | No. 6: Multistrand Necklace, H&M | No. 7: Rad And Refined Dino Browline Sunglasses, Forever 21 | No. 8: Photos With Class Graduation Announcements, Pear Tree Greetings | No. 9: Magical Thinking Embroidered Eye Pillow, Urban Outfitters | <urn:uuid:c9b1c3df-9a94-4ece-9cce-8c32d5401148> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | https://www.peartree.com/blog/ | 2016-07-25T02:29:12Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824201.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00133-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.892826 | 2,491 |
STOCKHOLM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Millicom International Cellular (NASDAQ:MICC) (STO:MIC):
Millicom, the international telecommunications and media company (Stockholmsbörsen: MIC), has been informed by the Nomination Committee that it has nominated Cristina Stenbeck, Tomas Eliasson, Dame Amelia Fawcett and Dominique Lafont as new non-executive Directors for election at the AGM to be held on 27 May 2014.
The Nomination Committee of the Board will propose four new non-executive Directors for election to the Board of Millicom. The new Board members proposed are Cristina Stenbeck, Tomas Eliasson, Dame Amelia Fawcett and Dominique Lafont. The Committee has also nominated Cristina Stenbeck as Chairman of the Board of Millicom.
The Nomination Committee proposes to re-elect Mia Brunell Livfors, Paul Donovan, Ariel Eckstein, Lorenzo Grabau and Alejandro Santo Domingo as non-executive directors.
Allen Sangines-Krause, Omari Issa and Kim Ignatius have informed the Nomination Committee that they will not seek re-election at the forthcoming AGM.
Mathias Leijon, CIO of Nordea Investment Funds and member of the Nomination Committee, commented: “The Nomination Committee is pleased that Cristina Stenbeck has accepted our proposal to nominate her as Chairman of the Board of Millicom. Cristina Stenbeck brings valuable leadership skills and industry expertise to Millicom as the Company seeks to expand its regional presence and its digital lifestyle offering. She is deeply knowledgeable of the strategic opportunities and the challenges that Millicom faces as a leading shareholder and a board member.”
The Chairman of the Nomination Committee, Cristina Stenbeck commented: “The Nomination Committee is delighted to nominate three such highly qualified candidates as Tomas Eliasson, Dame Amelia Fawcett and Dominique Lafont.
Tomas Eliasson is a seasoned CFO of a leading global consumer focused company with expertise in financial, treasury and risk management across multiple jurisdictions and currencies. He is experienced in overseeing operations in growth markets and in managing the finance function of a leading Swedish public company.
Dame Amelia Fawcett has worked in financial services for more than 20 years and has led the transformation of multiple businesses both in an executive and in a non-executive role in Europe, the US, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East.
Dominique Lafont has built a very successful infrastructure and logistics business across 45 African countries within the Bolloré Group. As a former CFO and now CEO, Dominique brings unique African operational expertise, capital management discipline and real insight in the regional dynamics of East and West Africa.”
The biographical details of the nominees are as follows:
Tomas Eliasson has been Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice-President of Electrolux, the Swedish household and professional appliances manufacturer, since 2012. He previously held various management positions in Sweden and abroad at ABB Group from 1987–2002, was Chief Financial Officer of Seco Tools AB from 2002–2006 and Chief Financial Officer of ASSA ABLOY AB from 2006–2012.
Tomas Eliasson has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Economics from the University of Uppsala.
Dame Amelia Fawcett
Dame Amelia Fawcett is the Deputy Chairman of Investment AB Kinnevik. She is also Chairman of the Hedge Fund Standards Board in London, a Non-Executive Director of State Street Corporation in Boston, Massachusetts, where she chairs the Risk and Capital Committee, and a Non-Executive Director of HM Treasury in London.
Between 2007 and 2013, Dame Amelia Fawcett was a Non-Executive Director and then Chairman of the Guardian Media Group, one of the UK’s leading media companies, and between 2007 and 2010, she was Chairman of Pensions First, a financial services and systems solutions business, which she helped set up. From 1987-2007 she worked for Morgan Stanley, first as an executive and then in an advisory role.
She started her career at the US law firm of Sullivan and Cromwell, first in New York then in Paris.
Dame Amelia has a degree in history from Wellesley and a law degree from the University of Virginia.
Dominique Lafont has been Chief Executive Officer of Bolloré Africa Logistics since 2006. The French company provides integrated logistics networks on the African continent and operates public-private partnerships in the port and rail sectors. Dominique Lafont joined the company in 1999 as the Financial Director for Africa at the Bolloré Group before being appointed the Managing Director of its Anglophone Africa Unit in 2003.
Prior to this he held senior positions at the Saga Group, the Rivaud Group and Sogea of the Vinci Group. He began his career at Arthur Andersen in France.
Dominique holds an MBA from the ESSEC Business School and a degree in business law from the Panthéon-Assas University in Paris.
Cristina Stenbeck is the Executive Chairman of Investment AB Kinnevik. Cristina began her career within the Kinnevik group in 1997 when she joined the Board of Invik & Co, its financial services company. Cristina Stenbeck became vice Chairman of Investment AB Kinnevik in 2003 and Chairman in 2007. In addition to leading Kinnevik, she is also Chairman of Zalando, the leading European fashion and accessories e-commerce company. In recent years, she has also served on the Boards of Millicom, Tele2, Modern Times Group, Transcom WorldWide and Metro International.
She chairs the Nomination Committees of Investment AB Kinnevik, Millicom, Tele2, Modern Times Group, and CDON Group which spearhead the recruitment of new Directors for each of these companies’ Boards.
She graduated with a B.Sc. from Georgetown University in Washington DC, USA.
Cristina Stenbeck, Chairman of the Nomination Committee added: “On behalf of all shareholders I would like to thank Allen Sangines-Krause, Omari Issa and Kim Ignatius for their significant contribution to the Millicom Board. Kim Ignatius has led the Audit Committee for three years as the Company has repositioned itself strategically, established a new leadership team and made a number of key acquisitions to strengthen its regional presence. He has provided continuity, financial discipline and high standards of transparency and governance.
I was delighted when Allen Sangines-Krause and Omari Issa each accepted to remain involved with Millicom by chairing our Latin American and African Advisory Councils, respectively. The Advisory Councils will review operational and strategic initiatives in their respective regions, assess key potential partnerships and help Millicom build even stronger stakeholder relationships. I look forward to working closely with both of them.”
Notes to Editors
1. The proposal meets the requirements of the Swedish Code of Corporate Governance for independent members of the Board of Directors. Subject to the agreement of the AGM, all nine of the members of the Board are independent in relation to both the company and its management and five are independent in relation to Millicom’s major shareholders.
2.The Nomination Committee is comprised of Cristina Stenbeck on behalf of Investment AB Kinnevik, Annika Andersson on behalf of Swedbank Robur funds and Mathias Leijon on behalf of Nordea Investment Funds. The three members in the Nomination Committee are appointed by shareholders that jointly represent approximately 45 percent of the shareholder votes in Millicom.
Millicom is a leading international telecommunications and media company dedicated to emerging markets in Latin America and Africa. Millicom sets the pace when it comes to providing digital lifestyle services to the world’s emerging markets, giving access to the world, primarily through mobile devices. Operating in 15 countries, Millicom offers innovative and customer-centric products. Millicom employs more than 10,000 people and provides mobile, cable, broadband, TV content, online and financial services to over 50 million customers. Founded in 1990, Millicom is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm under the symbol MIC. In 2013 Millicom generated revenue of $5.16 billion and EBITDA of $1.9 billion.
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com | <urn:uuid:b0e5701a-8eb7-4235-9d03-8b300743da6d> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140424006882/en/Millicom-International-Cellular-Nomination-Committee-Proposal-Board | 2016-07-27T02:17:01Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257825358.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071025-00285-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947533 | 1,763 |
By Dave DeWitt
The ritual uses of the genus Capsicum range from the innocuous to the murderous, but the fiery pods are always powerful. In astrology, Capsicums fall under the dominion of Mars, ancient god of war, so that should be some indication of respect. Fuentes y Guzmán wrote in 1690 that those who frequently ate red pepper were protected against poison, while the Incas prohibited the use chile of chiles at initiation and funeral rites. We do not know why the pods were precluded by the Incas but we console ourselves with the knowledge that Capsicums were associated with lightning bolt in Incan mythology–that we can easily understand.
One of the commonest household uses of chile peppers in cultures all over the world is burning them as a fumigant for vermin ranging from bedbugs to rats. Since fumigation in ancient times was also believed to be protection against vampires and werewolves, we have a good introduction to the concept of the magical powers of peppers.
“Chile is used as an amulet, probably because of its well-known protective pharmacological properties, and in religious ceremonies, witchcraft, and conjuring; its fiery potency is considered a powerful means to any end,” observed Beatrice Roeder, author of Chicano Folk Medicine from Los Angeles, California.
In a ritual from Coahuila, Mexico, chiles are instrumental in countering the effects of “salting,” a ritual to cast a spell on a person to cause them harm, particularly mental problems. Such witchcraft is called maleficio in Mexico. To cast the spell, the evildoer gathers dirt from the grave of a person who died a violent death. Then he or she gathers salt from the homes of three widows, or from the homes of three women named Jane (Juana). The salt is mixed with the soil and is sprinkled in front of the door of the victim.
If the victim finds the salt and soil, he or she burns it immediately and then must counter whatever evil effects are left by smoking them out. To accomplish this sahumerio ritual, on the first Friday of the month, hot coals are placed in a bucket and myrrh, storax, the peeling of a clove of garlic, rosemary, rue, star anise, and Chiltepin chiles are added. The victim carries the smouldering bucket throughout the house, adding extra smoke to the corners where evil may hide, while reciting a prayer that evil depart and good arrive through the sahumerio.
Further, the salting victim must perform another chile ritual. He or she stands outside of the patio, holds twelve ancho chiles in the left hand, plus three pinches of coarse salt, and rubs them over the body in the form of a cross. Then the salt and the chiles are thrown into a fire. The victim believes that burning chiles and salt will cause the malefactor to burn in the same manner. Then the victim recites the following three times: “Ghost of the cemetery, may those who have salted me receive this salt.”
Chiles are considered to be a cleanser for evil eye (mal de ojo), bad luck, and bewitchment among Hispanics in United States, a practice imported from Mexico. This parallels usage among Native Americans in Guatemala. When a child is thought to have the evil eye, the parents spray the child’s face with a mixture of rue, then a little aguardiente (liquor, usually brandy), mixed with a crushed hot pepper, is rubbed on the child’s feet. Another cure for the evil eye calls for mixing a little annatto seed with chile peppers in a cloth bag and passing it over the child’s body while making the sign of the cross. Then the bag is thrown into a fire.
A cure for the evil eye from Coahuila, Mexico, calls for the child to be wiped with the inside of a ancho chile. The child is patted on the head, crosses are made over the eyelids and forehead, and the child is laid on a bed with the arms outstretched in the form of a cross. The chile is wiped over the body to absorb the occult power, and then it is burned. Curanderas often treat the hexing of adults by rubbing the inflamed areas (such as the feet) with whole eggs, a lime, and an ancho chile, which are then thrown into a fire. Perhaps because of their fiery nature, chiles are thought to absorb evil influences, which are then destroyed by fire.
In a remarkable parallel usage between totally different cultures, the East Indian population of Trinidad wraps seven red pepper pods with salt, onion skins, and garlic skins in paper and passes it seven times around a baby to remove najar, the evil eye, which is believed to cause unnecessary crying. Also, green chiles are dropped around the doorway to keep away evil spirits.
Interestingly, however, some cultures believe that the chiles themselves can bring on trouble. Black Hispanics from islands like Cuba and Hispañola, believe that red pepper pods on a doorstep are the sign of a malignant influence, and may give a man the “hot foot.” Likewise, chiles are associated with the luban oko, or “red demon” of the Tsachila or Colorados Indians of the Amazon. This demon is said to suck the blood out of its victims, leaving them “as white as a boiled yuca.” The chiles are burned in a fire while being served in food and the demon is foiled in two ways: he is asphyxiated by the fumes, and he cannot eat any of the food because it is too spicy. Again there is the recurrent image of burning, and this time it is specifically related to the heat of the chiles.
In the American Southwest there is a fascinating witchcraft cure. Two nails are tied together in the shape of a cross with a piece of wire. It is placed in a fire and when it is red hot, it is removed from the fire and placed on a rock. A ristra (string) of small chiles is placed on it, and then some rock salt. The resulting vapors are said to banish any witchcraft in the area.
In the Ozarks and deep South of the United States, an African-American legend holds that in order for peppers to grow out and be hot, you have to be very angry when you plant them. The best peppers are said to be planted by a lunatic!
Now some negativity starts to creep into the lore. “A case of death has been reported due to eating of excessive quantity of chillies,” warned R.N. Chopra in his classic book, Poisonous Plants of India. We doubted that Indians indulged in pepper-eating contests, but when we read that chillies are one of the ingredients in the arrow poison of indigenous Bajak tribesmen of Borneo, we began to wonder how far their powers extended–even to cause death? Again we checked with R.N. Chopra and learned: “In the past, chillies were frequently used in the Orient for the purpose of torture, some of the common methods being by introducing them into the nostrils, eyes, vagina or urethra, and burning under the nose….”
There is no doubt that chiles indeed do have a darker side. In northern Mexico, chiles are still used as a part of a spells to make people ill, or even to kill them. One “potion” consists of a rag that contains chile seed, scorpions, sow bugs, mustard, and a strand of red silk. In a scenario recorded by Isabel Kelly in her book, Folk Practices in North Mexico, another spell proved to be deadly. “Another time they threw chiles through the door of the butcher shop. They were two large chiles anchotes [probably anchos], wrapped in a newspaper. The chiles were ‘prepared.’ They stuck the package in, through a hole in the door. May God receive him, because he fell ill and died.”
Needless to say, I am sobered by these wholly (and holistically) impure uses of chiles. I am heartened, however, by a report from one of my peripatetic friends, Lorenzo Fritz, who travels regularly to South America to live with the Indians, trade for crafts, and collect chile information for me.
He told me that the Aymara Indians of Bolivia conduct a spiritual cleansing ritual in which a mixture of various herbs, flowers, and locoto chile (Capsicum pubescens) are placed in a pail of boiling water. The subject sits on a stool nearby, and a blanket is placed over him and the pail to form a mini-sauna. Lorenzo, who observed the ceremony, noted: “This exercise is said to be an exorcism for malas energías, or bad energies.”
And my friend Gary Nabhan, who is an ethnobotanist, revealed that the Tarahumara Indians of Sonora, Mexico use the tiny chiltepins in curing ceremonies–not to rid someone of a current affliction, but to prevent maladies as a result of future witchcraft. According to Gary, “Such witchcraft is caused by a sukurame sorcerer who uses a special bird called a disagiki as a pathogenic agent to transmit illness. He is the only one who can see the bird, which is no bigger than a finger tip but lives on meat and tortillas. It flies into houses crying ‘Sht! Sht!’ and then eats your food or defecates on you. The only way to prevent its coming is to throw some Chiltepins into the air and eat some yourself. The bird is like no other birds. More like evil people than its feathered kind, it cannot stand chiles.” Neither can sharks, if the Indians of the Cuna Islands off Panama can be believed; they tow chiles behind their boats to ward them off.
Perhaps the oddest legend I encountered came from Jethro Kloss’ herbal bestseller, Back to Eden. He quotes the Standard Guide to Non-Poisonous Herbal Medicine: “A peculiar effect of capsicum is worth mentioning. In Mexico the people are very fond of it; and their bodies get thoroughly saturated with it, and if one of them happens to die on the prairie the vultures will not touch the body on account of its being so impregnated with the capsicum.”
But apparently folklore and the ancient mystical remedies are not enough for devoted chile aficionados. There is now a newly formed cult that has its own Web site on the Internet: the Transcendental Capsaicinophilic Society. According to the tongue-in-cheek site, the cult is devoted to the worship of chiles, the life-long dedication to chile consumption, and making fun of people who “just can’t take that spicy food.” In the Chants and Rituals portion of the site, there is the Litany Against Pain, “to be repeated silently when tempted to complain of burning”:
Teach me, Chile, and I shall Learn.
Take me, Chile, and I shall Escape.
Focus my eyes, Chile, and I shall See.
Consume more Chiles.
I feel no pain, for the Chile is my teacher.
I feel no pain, for the Chile takes me beyond myself.
I feel no pain, for the Chile gives me sight. | <urn:uuid:bb317dd2-4aa2-4eb2-97fc-77dcb3660b93> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.fieryfoodscentral.com/2008/07/02/chile-peppers-in-legend-and-lore/?start=50 | 2016-07-27T01:48:51Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257825358.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071025-00285-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950019 | 2,459 |
When you're the best at what you do, it's not always easy to walk away. Nathan McBride was retired. The trained Marine sniper and covert CIA operative had put the violence of his former life behind him. But not anymore. A deep-cover FBI agent has disappeared along with one ton of powerful Semtex explosive, enough to unleash a disaster of international proportions.
The U.S. government has no choice but to coax Nathan out of retirement. He's the only man with the skills necessary to get the job done. But almost as soon as Nathan reluctantly accepts the assignment, he finds himself caught in the middle. On the one side is a ruthless adversary with a blood-chilling plan - and on the other are agents who will stop at nothing to see their own brand of justice done.
Also listen to the sequel, Forced to Kill.
©2008 Andrew Peterson; (P)2009 Audible, Inc.
"A high-powered thriller from a magnum-force writer." (David Dun, author of The Black Silent)
It's hard to find a sniper thriller these days, much less one that manages to feel technically authentic while having 3-dimensional characters. This novel does all of that, and it also avoids recycling typical terrorist or serial-killer thriller plotlines. This is an original, well worth the price.
Evelyn J Sickler
This was a new author for me and I was a bit skeptical at first, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Right from the beginning I was drawn into the story and the characters. I thought the reader/narrator was excellent and gave each person a very distinct personality. OK, perhaps the story line was a little far fetched, but that's why it's called fiction. I am looking forward to another selection by this author.
I thought Dick Hill did a superb job. The characters were believable, the dialogue sharp, and the plot kept me listening. The romantic involvement was low key and tastefully done. It wasn't immediate or forced. I didn't have a problem with it at all. I hope to see more Nathan McBride adventures from this author!
The first book by this author was a very enjoyable listen. If you are a fan of Lee Child's "Jack Reacher novels" you should enjoy this book. As a matter of fact the combination of Peterson's writing style and Dick Hill's narration this book is almost indistinguishable from the Reacher books. Same style, same story line, same everything (Child may have a lawsuit on his hands)... The Reacher series being one of my favorites I consider it high praise that this author was able to mimic it so closely. I look forward to the next book from Peterson and I hope he decides to make this a series and they choose Dick Hill to narrate again. Listen and enjoy.
I tend to stay with my "tried and true" authors, but took a chance on this book and was truly amazed. Mr. Peterson has a formula that could easily bring him into the Lee Child, John Sandford, Jeffrey Deaver class of author. Highly entertaining and worth more than one listen, lets hope Mr. Peterson stays with this winning formula.
Dick Hill (the narrator) did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life. I've heard he is one of the best in the industry. It was pleasure to listen to.
As a fan of action novels I had read that this is the debut of author, Andrew Peterson. The story starts right out with adrenaline pumped action, and the first chapter tells you the bad guys aren't fooling around. The remainder of the novel has lots of action, and introduces us to a new character (Nathan McBride). It's fun to be reading the first in a series.
McBride is a special forces type who can shoot straight and hit what he aims for. Lots of technical information for those who like to know about weapons, helicoptors, etc, but not over the top. Lots of deeper questions are examined which make the topic very current. How far can or should we go to protect the innocent?
suspenseful with great plot. was not familiar with author but will be looking for more from him in future. My favorite narrator of all time is Dick Hill. That was the deciding factor. another terrific job.
I bought this book on the synopis and the snipet of the audio and really expecting much out of it but was lost in the story by the end of the first chapter. Good descriptive writing, whether it was a room or the action. I am wondering if Nathan can morph into a good strong enduring character Mr. Hill did a bit better job on this book. If he would just slow the pacing of his words a bit and not send them at the listener in harsh rapid fire I would have liked the naration better. I would like to see a second offering from Mr Peterson and Guidall doing the narative.
This story was very well thought-out, good delivery and excellent narration. Characterisations were better than most in this genre.
Looked for more by this author but nothing yet . . .
"A Very Good First Outing for Andrew Peterson."
I wasn't expecting a lot from this book, as my experience of first in a series books hasn't been great recently. However, I pleasantly surprised with this audio book.
It started a little differently than some books in this genre, in that it introduces us to the main character, Nathan McBride, not as a "bad-ass" who will destroy anyone who hurts him or his friends, but as a "bad-ass" who will teach you a lesson(in this case, beating a man who is causing some trouble for a client), and then if you are willing, give you a second chance. In other words, Nathan McBride has a heart, even though he is an expert marksman and overall operator, and he will do what needs to be done. His business partner and long time friend Harvey Fontana, is as loyal to Nathan as Nathan is to him, and Andrew Peterson does a great job of showing just how deep their friendship is.
Overall, I found this book to have both depth when it needed to, and action when it needed to. The backstory for Nathan McBride is certainly interesting and makes you like him even more once you have seen what he's been through.
The narrator, Dick Hill, is well known and liked, and with this book he does another excellent job. He is definitely on my list of top three narrators. He has this ability to bring characters to life that few can match.
As a first in a series book, this exceeded my expectations, and it made be want to keep going with the series. If I had anything negative to say about it, it would be that there was a little too much dialogue in places, and that there might have been too many explanations of what things were, but that is a very small complaint in a very enjoyable listen.
"First to Kill"
Exciting story which was very well read with great characterisation. My first Peterson book - most enjoyable.
"Good read but ordinary"
It was just ok for me. I found it a bit slow going. Descriptions of weaponry, special services skills and sniper's craft were good. I like a thread of intrigue which I didn't find until well into the book.
Others do the job better.
"Rather breathless narration"
As a Brit I found the narrator's cadence peculiar & his occasional gasps for breath off-putting; the story seemed very contrived to put flesh on the "sniper" bones of the story. Early on the hero proclaims that detail is all important whilst observing that his opponent must be on amphetamines since he has constricted pupils… wrong!!
"a bit formulaic, but passable"
This is all very standard predictable good-guy-beats-bad-guys-and-helps-people type thing.
I'll probably track down the next parts in the series (although I notice that they are rated higher than the first book) but I'll probably pay 70p to borrow them from my local library instead of using a credit here on Audible.
Dick Hill's good, I listened to him reading some Jack Reacher novels.
"Bloodthirsty or what, but cracking book"
Yes, good twists and turns. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to good thriller readers
Whilst some twists and turns you could see as a coming possibility, many were not
Nathan but also liked Holly
The finale was well written and kept you in suspense. It was a very colourful story.
A cracking read and kept it's momentum all the way through.
"A great listen following Jack Reacher addiction"
Action Strategy Results
I was looking for a similar series to Lee Child's Jack Reacher books and glad I found these. They lack some of the twists and turns of the Jack Reacher series however make up for it in other areas. If you liked Reacher chances are you'll like this.
I love the way that Dick Hill brings the story to life. He seems to capture the nature of the characters in both the tone and accent. There never seems to be a dull moment, I reckon he could keep you interested whilst describing drying paint!
Potentially but it would be a marathon sitting. Perfect for the commute and definitely one I looked forward to carrying on with.
Definitely worth a listen.
"Poor mans Jack Reacher"
Weak story, characters not beleivable
As you can tell not my book even though I am a huge Lee Childs fan and you would have thought this a similar genre
"A book to equal Jack Reacher"
An excellent edge of the seat book that had me hooked until it was finished. Nathan MacBride is as ruthless and tough as Reacher. Now started Book 2.
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2009 F-150 Overview
- 5.4-liter, 3-valve Triton V-8, which has been optimized for better performance with improved horsepower and torque, and is capable of running on E85 (85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline), regular unleaded gasoline or any blend in between.
- 4.6-liter, 3-valve V-8, which is new for F-150. Both the 5.4-liter and 4.6-liter 3-valve V-8’s utilize open valve injection. This unique feature improves the flow of fuel into the combustion chamber, which results in an increase in horsepower during towing and reduced emissions.
- 4.6-liter, 2-valve V-8, a third V-8 choice in the line-up that delivers more horsepower with the same fuel economy performance as the outgoing truck’s V-6.
- Industry-exclusive Ford SYNC™, a voice-activated, hands-free, in-vehicle communications and entertainment system offers even more functionality for the 2009 model year, with 911 Assist and Vehicle Health Report.
- SIRIUS Travel Link™ that when combined with voice activated navigation will provide users with a suite of data services including real-time traffic, coast-to-coast weather conditions and fuel price information for over 120,000 gas stations.
- Voice-activated navigation that integrates several functions, including voice recognition destination entry, climate control and SIRIUS satellite radio into one easy-to-use system, displaying them on an 8-inch touch screen display.
- Sony audio system that features 700 watts of power, 5.1 surround sound and 10 Sony speakers and amps and is certified by Sony to deliver a unique, rich listening experience.
2009 F-150 Overview
NEW 2009 FORD F-150: MORE CAPABILITY, MORE CHOICE, MORE ‘SMART’ FEATURES FOR AMERICA’S TRUCK
The vision for Ford’s truck team was clear: Redesign America’s favorite truck inside and out to give customers unrivaled capability, unprecedented choice and a host of smart, game-changing features.
The result is the new 2009 Ford F-150, the new benchmark in the full-size pickup segment from the industry’s truck leader – which has built more than 33 million F-Series pickups since 1948.
The Ford truck team adopted a holistic, 360-degree approach to revamping the new 2009 F-150 – from its segment-first features to the tough new exterior highlighted by a dramatic three-bar grille and more spacious, flexible and refined interior, to the unparalleled choice of cab styles and trim levels – including a new Platinum series that redefines truck luxury.
The improvements are just as dramatic beneath the sheet metal. A new high-strength, lighter-weight chassis is the backbone that allows this tough truck to deliver more horsepower, better fuel economy and safety, and additional towing and payload capacity.
“The Ford F-150 is an American icon,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “Ford is the truck leader, and F-150 customers expect and demand the best truck on the market.
“Our team not only met those expectations, they exceeded them with the new 2009 F-150,” Fields added. “With Ford’s product-led transformation in full swing, the new F-150 could not have come at a better time – for Ford and for our customers.”
In all, more than 1,000 Ford engineers, designers, researchers and others worked together to develop the new 2009 F-150. The team drew inspiration by listening to Ford’s large customer base.
“Before we started working on the new truck, we continued the conversation with people who use these trucks every day for work and play,” said Matt O’Leary, chief engineer of the 2009 F-150. “We went to their ranches, their job sites and their homes, making sure we crafted features that would improve their ownership experiences and, really, their lives.”
The results will be clear to customers when the new 2009 F-150 rolls off assembly lines at Ford’s Dearborn (Mich.) Truck Plant and Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Mo. – and as the new F-150 goes on sale in dealer showrooms this fall.
The improvement starts with the 2009 F-150’s fully boxed frame constructed with hydro-formed and high strength steel side rails. The lightweight frame delivers 10 percent more torsional rigidity, which delivers increased durability and safety. The sturdy chassis also paved the way for the new 2009 F-150 to improve upon the current model’s class-leading towing and hauling capability across all cab configurations.
“The new, improved chassis helps deliver additional payload and towing capacity as well as improved fuel economy, which we know is top of mind for customers,” O’Leary said.
Thanks to the strength of the frame and comprehensive package of standard safety equipment, including side-curtain air bags, the new F-150 is engineered to earn top safety ratings from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Complementing the modern frame is a high-tech suite of features that ensures the F-150 is sure-footed and safe in all driving and load conditions. The new F-150 offers segment-first standard AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control) and Trailer Sway Control plus available Rearview Camera Assist as well as Integrated Trailer Brake Controller a segment-first on light-duty pickups.
The interior of the new 2009 F-150 SuperCrew offers more usable space for moving more people and gear thanks to a 6-inch stretch that improves rear seat legroom and cargo capacity. A mechanically articulated second-row seat flips up and out of the way. Combined with a truly flat load floor, the feature gives the new SuperCrew class leading 57.6 cubic feet of space behind the front seats and can accommodate items up to 47.9 inches tall, such as flat-screen TV that needs to be hauled from the electronics store to home.
Ford’s F-Series may be America’s best-selling vehicle, but one-size-fits-all does not apply to today’s truck buyer. From the Texas rancher to the general contractor in Florida, F-150 customers have different needs and tastes.
In response, Ford’s truck team designed a truck that offers more choice than any full-size truck on the market. With three cab styles, four box options and seven unique trim levels, the F-150 comes in 35 different configurations to meet the widest range of customer needs and wants – all delivered with quality.
Customers can choose from the no-fuss XL workhorse, to the sporty STX and off-road capable FX4, to the mid-range XLT. For those looking for tough luxury, Ford offers the high-end Lariat and King Ranch F-150 models.
New for the 2009 F-150 is the Platinum series, the most luxurious F-150 ever and the answer to a perennial question: Just how high-end do truck customers want to go?
The striking F-150 Platinum features a satin chrome grille with fine mesh inserts, 10-way captain’s chairs upholstered with top-quality leather, tuxedo stitching and embroidered logos on the seatbacks. Satin gloss Lacrosse Ash wood grain accents and real brushed aluminum panels give the dash, center console and doors an upscale look and feel. Standard 20-inch, 16-spoke polished aluminum wheels give the truck a commanding presence on the road.
With more customers interested in personalizing their trucks, Ford is offering the largest selection of wheels in the segment with 13 offerings across the F-150 lineup.
Under the hood, the new F-150 will be powered by three modern V-8 engines, mated to either a 4-speed or a new fuel-efficient 6-speed automatic transmission. The engines include:
This all-V-8 engine lineup delivers a fleet-average 1 mpg improvement in fuel economy versus the outgoing F-150.
Diesel and EcoBoost gas turbo direct injection engines are planned for F-150 in 2010 as well.
Most ‘Smart’ Features
Ford’s researchers spent thousands of hours listening to truck buyers to gain inspiration for a host of smart new features for the new 2009 Ford F-150.
It starts with the clever interior, which features a flow-through console that has been lengthened by approximately 2 inches and is large enough to stow two or more laptop computers. Special ridges are molded into the edges of the bin to accommodate file folders. The console also has a multi-tiered, removable tray and locks to protect valuables.
More than 30 storage areas are built into the interior, ranging from a bin on the top of the instrument panel to a number of small spaces designed to accommodate tools like cell phones, MP3 players, PDAs and gate access cards.
A redesigned, more ergonomic shifter remains on the console. New, larger buttons and switches are ergonomically designed and within easy reach and view of the driver. A USB port and auxiliary MP3 player input are conveniently mounted on the dash. Two 12-volt outlets are located on the dash and center console.
Even the pickup box on the new F-150 breaks the mold with clever and capable features the competition cannot match. The class-leading cargo capacity of 65.5 cubic feet is only the beginning of the story.
The F-150’s pickup box is made easier to use, more flexible and accessible with such new features as Ford’s industry-exclusive Tailgate and Box Side Steps, Stowable Bed Extender and Cargo Management System.
“These features are impressive on their own. For the customer who uses their pickup box five, six or seven times a day, these innovations together make a huge difference,” O’Leary said.
That same kind of logic drove the team to include other clever features on the truck, including Ford’s Easy Fuel™ Capless Fuel-Filler System. When fueling is completed and the nozzle is removed, the system automatically seals shut, reducing emissions.
The new 2009 Ford-150 also will allow truck customers to be connected to the world like never before. Ford has been working with Microsoft, Sony and SIRIUS to offer customers leading technologies to help them stay connected with their lives while on the road including:
“We know how important the F-150 is to our customers,” said O’Leary. “With the new 2009 F-150, we are delivering a top-quality truck lineup that is second-to-none in capability, features and a range of choices that will continue to make Ford America’s favorite truck.” | <urn:uuid:6fc657ab-d12b-417e-aa18-af2a6533b335> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.ford-trucks.com/specs/2009-2/2009-f-150-overview/ | 2016-07-29T00:37:18Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257829320.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071029-00137-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919065 | 2,302 |
If you've ever been the victim of a trendy, totally ineffective management style, you know how silly and arbitrary those techniques can be. Justin James has seen his share of goofy management philosophies — so he decided to invent a few of his own.
We all know people who have tried a fad diet to lose some weight. They end up following the diet for a few days or weeks and then relax a bit since they are seeing some results. Before long, they stop the diet entirely. Not too long after that, they gain back all of the weight, plus a few more pounds to boot.
Management methodology trends are pretty similar, especially in the IT world. Some author puts out a book about how his or her management style was used at some startup company that made billions or that rescued a large, failing company. Next thing you know, every manager who ever read the back of the book in an airport claims to be following its methods. But to you and everyone else, it looks like the same old chaos is still reigning.
Since management loves to follow goofy trends (does anyone remember the 80s, when managers were forcing their teams to do calisthenics in the mornings because Japanese companies did?), why not get them to follow some goofy trends that we made up instead? Here are 10 management techniques we would love to see.
Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.
1: Pro Wrestling Project Management
Much like the world of professional wrestling, the world of project management can be filled with empty threats, posturing, feuds, rivalries, and unusual alliances. But what if the similarities were made an official part of project management? Let's face it, I think we have all (at least once) dreamed of putting stubborn clients into a headlock until their faces turned purple, or maybe seeing the project manager spend 20 minutes in a steel cage with the operations manager. To really make it an authentic experience, managers would be required to enter conference rooms to music and perform a variety of poses designed to intimidate any other managers.
2: The Rolling Stones Development Model
During their extensive career, The Rolling Stones have produced a song for every occasion — and nearly everyone is familiar with their most popular tunes. So it seems like a perfectly logical jump that instead of "standard communications," one could run an entire development project using sound clips from various Stones songs. Is the client demanding an impossible timeline? "You Can't Always get what You Want." Is their favorite feature impossible to code up in a way that makes them happy? "I Can't Get No (Satisfaction)." Is the project in deep trouble? "19th Nervous Breakdown."
#3: Bug Bounties/Penalties
Ever feel like half your day is spent cleaning up someone else's mistakes? It's even worse when you find out that the person who is making you feel like your job has been reduced to "clean up on aisle two" is earning as much (or more) money than you are. Imagine for a moment that any problem that could be definitively pinned on a co-worker's poor quality of work would have a financial penalty attached to it, and that the person who fixed it would get that same amount of money. Would that co-worker's mistakes be such a headache then? Probably not. I suspect many of us would look forward to them!
#4: Jargon-free Communications
Sometimes, listening to a manager (or worse, a salesperson) feels like you're reading a Tom Clancy novel, with all of the acronyms, industry-specific slang, and other incomprehensible jargon. It seems like every other sentence requires more time to decipher than it took to say it. I think we can all agree that if management started using real, standard English (or your local language of choice) instead of these marketer-speak filled, incomprehensible messes, the world would be a better place. Unfortunately, we are probably more likely to see a wrestling ring put into the lunchroom (see #1) before that happens.
#5: Geek Games for Performance Reviews
Most of management's existing techniques for measuring performance simply look at the wrong factors. Ever notice that they count the times you were late to arrive but ignore all the times you were in the office at 11 PM patching servers or writing critical pieces of code? What is really needed is a metric for overall geekiness. A much more effective review would be a pentathlon challenge, testing each employee in the following critical areas:
- Knowledge of sci-fi and fantasy movies and books
- Ability to stay in-character over a five-hour role playing session
- Modern video game skills (FPS death match)
- Classic video game skills (Super Mario Brothers speed completion)
- Ability to identify ancient computer hardware and make it work
I think with this kind of review, it would be easy to ensure that raises and promotions went only to those who have what it takes to be top-flight technologists.
#6: Charging for Dumb Questions
Remember when you were in school, and the teacher told you, "The only dumb question is the one you don't ask?" Well, from what I can tell, that rule goes out the window the moment you become an IT worker. Your day is now filled with giving answers to dumb questions from people who won't understand the answers anyway. Management loves to bandy about the saying, "Time is money." Let's put these two ideas together. If management wants us to spend our time answering questions, that's fine; we'll simply charge them for it. Under this new policy, all IT employees will be given a mobile device that allows them to time any useless interactions with management and record the manager's name. At the end of the month, their department will be charged at "standard consulting fees" (say, $250/hour), which is then put into the IT department's budget, earmarked for perks like new PCs, raises, and other niceties.
#7: No Degree? No Problem!
Most of those who are in the know in the IT industry realize that college degrees and even many industry certifications don't directly translate into real world IT experience, let alone the ability to do the job. Try telling that to the HR department, though. Sure, many roles within IT can benefit from formal, academic-style training (people writing compilers and device drivers come to mind), but those positions are fairly uncommon. However, for the typical IT worker, dropping the college degree or certifications from the "mandatory" list would be a wonderful thing. Not likely to happen in our lifetimes, but one can dream.
#8: Siskel & Ebert 360 Reviews
The 360 review is a model in which everyone on the team reviews everyone else. Of course, this promises that the workers get to review management. Wouldn't it be sweet if this was done in a "thumbs up/thumbs down" format, complete with bickering over things like the manager's handling of weekly meetings, the quality of his or her memos, and the tone in which the team is addressed? I can picture it now: "Well Bob, to be honest, Sally is really lacking in the leadership department. When she tries to give constructive criticism it sounds like she is really phoning in the performance. A thumbs down from me!"
#9: Relevant Manager Dashboards
At one job I had, I created a number of "manager dashboard" reports. I think we are all familiar with these. They're supposed to show the manager's world at a glance. The more it tries to look like the instrument panel of a car or airplane, the less likely it is to show any information that actually relates to the project at hand. To make matters worse, IT projects are pretty difficult to quantify, so you end up with dashboards that don't really mean much of anything at all.
I propose that we put together some dashboards for our bosses that show what we think the bosses need to know at a glance. We could have a thermometer indicating the team's frustration level and a tachometer for hours worked per week... with anything over 40 being the "red zone." We could also put in some idiots lights. But instead of saying "check engine" or "change oil," they will indicate "team nearing mutiny" and "Jim needs a vacation."
#10: Better Project and Team Names
Okay, we're going to violate #4 here. We recognize that management is going to insist on keeping codenames and acronyms for projects and teams. So why not have codenames that make us feel like we are part of something interesting, at the very least? In other words, if the project is about to be named "Project Happy Kitty Cats" it needs to be named something better. Like "Operation Cthulhu" or possibly "Project Thor's Wrath." Likewise, instead of boring team names, such as "QA" or "Network Operations," we should have much more colorful names. I'm not suggesting that the development team be renamed "Cobra" (and the supervisor be known as "Cobra Commander"), but how about renaming Tech Support to "Really Trying to Fix Mistakes", aka "RTFM?"
Other management techniques
If you're feeling inspired by these made-up methodologies, maybe you can come up with a few of your own. What sort of management regime would improve your working environment — or at least be fun to think about?
Justin James is the Lead Architect for Conigent. | <urn:uuid:35ab9700-58e8-45ed-a62e-b4a9de08648c> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/-10-management-techniques-wed-love-to-see/?count=100&view=expanded | 2016-07-29T00:27:42Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257829320.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071029-00137-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969531 | 1,970 |
Government of Ireland Act 1914
|Long title||An Act to provide for the better Government of Ireland.|
|Citation||4 & 5 Geo. 5 c. 90|
|Royal assent||18 September 1914|
|Commencement||Postponed by Suspensory Act 1914|
|Repealed||23 December 1920|
|Repealed by||Government of Ireland Act 1920|
The Government of Ireland Act 1914 (4 & 5 Geo. 5 c. 90), also known as the Home Rule Act, and before enactment as the Third Home Rule Bill, was an Act passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom intended to provide home rule (self-government within the United Kingdom) for Ireland. It was the third such bill introduced by a Liberal government in a 28-year period in response to the Irish Home Rule movement.
The Act was the first law ever passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom that sought to establish a devolved government in any part of the UK. However, the implementation of both it and the equally controversial Welsh Church Act 1914 was formally postponed for a minimum of twelve months with the outbreak of the First World War. The continuation of the war beyond 1915 and subsequent developments in Ireland led to further postponements, meaning that the Act never took effect; it was finally superseded by a fourth home rule bill, enacted as the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which partitioned Ireland, creating Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland, both intended to have Home Rule.
In 1909, a constitutional crisis arose when the House of Lords rejected David Lloyd George's Finance Bill. Two general elections took place in January and December 1910, both of which left the Liberals and Conservatives equally matched, with John Redmond's Irish Parliamentary Party holding the balance of power in the House of Commons. The Irish Party, which had campaigned for home rule for Ireland since the 1870s, pledged to support the Liberals in return for the introduction of a home rule bill. The Parliament Act 1911 replaced the unlimited veto of the Lords with one lasting only two years, ensuring that a bill passed by the Commons could not be blocked for more than two years.
|Name and origin|
|Official name of legislation||Government of Ireland Act, 1914|
|Government introduced||Asquith (Liberal)|
|House of Commons passed?||Yes|
|House of Lords Passed?||No; passed under Parliament Act 1911|
|Which House||House of Lords 3 times (over-ruled)|
|Date||1912, 1913, 1914 (over-ruled)|
|Details of legislation|
|Name(s)||upper: House of Lords;
lower: House of Commons
|Size(s)||House of Lords: 40
House of Commons: 164 members
|MPs in Westminster||42 MPs|
|Executive head||Lord Lieutenant|
|Executive body||Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Ireland|
|Prime Minister in text||none|
|Act implemented||not implemented|
|Succeeded by||Government of Ireland Act 1920|
- A bicameral Irish Parliament to be set up in Dublin (a 40-member Senate and a 164-member House of Commons) with powers to deal with most national affairs;
- A number of Irish MPs would continue to sit in the Parliament of the United Kingdom (42 MPs, rather than 103).
- The abolition of Dublin Castle administration, though with the retention of the Lord Lieutenant.
The financial situation was a concern. Irish taxes had yielded a surplus of £2 million in 1893, that had turned into a current spending net deficit of £1.5m by 1910 that had to be raised by London. An annual "Transferred Sum" mechanism was proposed to maintain spending in Ireland as it was.
The Bill was passed by the Commons by a majority of 10 votes in 1912 but the House of Lords rejected it 326 votes to 69 in January 1913. In 1913 it was reintroduced and again passed by the Commons but was again rejected by the Lords by 302 votes to 64. In 1914 after the third reading, the Bill was passed by the Commons on 25 May 1914 by a majority of 77. Having been defeated a third time in the Lords, the Government used the provisions of the Parliament Act to override the Lords and send it for Royal Assent.
Unionists in Ulster were opposed to a home-rule Ireland governed from Dublin. Early in 1912, they began forming small local militias. By April 1912, the Irish Unionist leader, Sir Edward Carson, could review 100,000 marching Ulster Volunteers. On 28 September 1912, over 500,000 Unionists signed the Ulster Covenant pledging to defy Home Rule by all means possible. The Covenant was drawn up by Carson and organised by Sir James Craig. In January 1913, the Unionist Council reorganised their volunteers into a paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), whose members threatened to resist by physical force the implementation of the Act and the authority of any restored Dublin Parliament by force of arms. On 28 November 1913, Irish Nationalists responded by setting up the Irish Volunteers "to secure the rights and liberties common to all the people of Ireland" The government's ability to face down the Unionist threat was thrown into question by the "Curragh Incident" of 20 March 1914, when British Army officers tendered their resignations rather than fight the Ulster Volunteers, forcing a climb-down by the government.
At the Bill's third reading on 21 May 1914 several members asked about a proposal to exclude the whole of Ulster for six years. Asquith was seeking any solution that would avoid a civil war. During the emotional debate which lasted until 25 May 1914, Sir Edward Carson made the statement:
"I say this to my Nationalist fellow-countrymen, and indeed also to the Government, you have never tried to win over Ulster. You have never tried to understand her position. You have never alleged, and you cannot allege, that this Bill gives her one atom of advantage."
Carson and the Irish Unionist Party (mostly Ulster MPs) backed by a Lords' recommendation, supported the government's Amending Bill in the Lords on 8 July 1914 for the "temporary exclusion of Ulster" from the workings of the future Act, but the number of counties (four, six or nine) and whether exclusion was to be temporary or permanent, all still to be negotiated.
The compromise proposed by Asquith was straightforward. Six counties in northeast Ulster were to be excluded "temporarily" from the territory of the new Irish parliament and government, and to continue to be governed as before from Westminster and Whitehall. How temporary the exclusion would be, and whether northeastern Ireland would eventually be governed by the Irish parliament and government, remained an issue of some controversy.
To save endless debate in parliament, George V called the Buckingham Palace Conference with two MPs from each of the British Liberal and Conservative parties, and two each from the nationalists and unionists. The conference, held between 21 and 24 July 1914, achieved very little.
The passing of the Bill
With the outbreak of World War I on 4 August 1914, Asquith decided to abandon his Amending Bill, and instead rushed through a new bill the Suspensory Act 1914 which was presented for Royal Assent simultaneously with both the Government of Ireland Act 1914 and the Welsh Church Act 1914. Although the two controversial Bills had now finally reached the statute books on 18 September 1914, the Suspensory Act ensured that Home Rule would be postponed for the duration of the conflict and would not come into operation until the end of the war. The Ulster question was 'solved' in the same way: through the promise of amending legislation which was left undefined.
After the Easter Rising of 1916, two attempts were made by Prime Minister H. H. Asquith during the First World War to implement the Act. The first attempt came in June 1916, when David Lloyd George, then Minister for Munitions, was sent to Dublin to offer immediate implementation to the leaders of the Irish Party, Redmond and Dillon. The scheme revolved around partition, officially a temporary arrangement, as understood by Redmond. Lloyd George however gave the Ulster leader, Carson, a written guarantee that Ulster would not be forced into a self-governing Ireland. His tactic was to see that neither side would find out before a compromise was implemented. A modified Act of 1914 had been drawn up by the Cabinet on 17 June. The Act had two amendments enforced by Unionists on 19 July – permanent exclusion and a reduction of Ireland’s representation in the Commons. When informed by Lloyd George on 22 July 1916, Redmond accused the government of treachery. This was decisive in sealing the future fortunes of the Home Rule movement. Asquith made a second attempt to implement Home Rule in 1917, with the calling of the Irish Convention chaired by Horace Plunkett. This consisted of Nationalist and Unionist representatives who, by April 1918, only succeeded in agreeing a report with an 'understanding' on recommendations for the establishment of self-government.
The end of the war, in November 1918, was followed in Ireland by the December 1918 general election, the majority of seats being won by the republican separatist Sinn Féin party, then in January 1919 by the Irish War of Independence, so that the Act was never implemented. The future of Home Rule was determined by the Government of Ireland Act 1920. It established Northern Ireland, with a functional government, and Southern Ireland, whose governmental institutions never fully functioned. Southern Ireland, following the Anglo-Irish Treaty, became the Irish Free State.
- James F. Lydon, The Making of Ireland: From Ancient Times to the Present, Routledge, 1998, p. 326
- Hansard online, start of the debate 11 April 1912; accessed 20 January 2009
- Future financial arrangements, Hansard 11 April 1912 – accessed 20 January 2009
- Stewart, A.T.Q., The Ulster Crisis, Resistance to Home Rule, 1912–14, pp.58–68, Faber and Faber (1967) ISBN 0-571-08066-9
- Stewart (1967), pp.69–78
- Annie Ryan, Witnesses: Inside the Easter Rising, Liberties Press, 2005, p. 12
- Holmes, Richard (2004). The Little Field Marshal: A Life of Sir John French. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. pp. 178–89. ISBN 0-297-84614-0.
- Gwynn, Denis: The Life of John Redmond p.255, Harper & Co,, London (1932)
- Jackson, Alvin: pp.161–63
- Jackson, Alvin: p.164
- Hennessey, Thomas: Dividing Ireland, World War I and Partition, The passing of the Home Rule Bill p.76, Routledge Press (1998) ISBN 0-415-17420-1
- Eventually Home Rule was considered by the Irish Convention in 1917–18, and by the cabinet from September 1919; the Welsh Church Act was delayed until March 1920.
- Maume, Patrick: The long Gestation, Irish Nationalist Life 1891–1918, pp.182–84, Gill & Macmillan (1999) ISBN 0-7171-2744-3
- Sir Edward Carson
- John Redmond
- John Dillon
- William O'Brien
- Parliament of Southern Ireland
- Parliament of Northern Ireland
- Solemn League and Covenant (Ulster)
- Unionists (Ireland)
- Curragh incident
- Easter Rising
- Irish Government Bill 1886 (First Irish Home Rule Bill)
- Gladstone's Irish Home Rule speech (beseech in its favour)
- Irish Government Bill 1893 (Second Irish Home Rule Bill)
- Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898
- Parliament Act 1911
- Government of Ireland Act 1920 (Fourth Irish Home Rule Bill)
- History of the Republic of Ireland
- History of Ireland (1801–1922)
- Hennessey, Thomas: Dividing Ireland, World War 1 and Partition, (1998), ISBN 0-415-17420-1.
- Jackson, Alvin: HOME RULE, an Irish History 1800–2000, (2003), ISBN 0-7538-1767-5.
- Lewis, Geoffrey: Carson, the Man who divided Ireland (2005), ISBN 1-85285-454-5
- Lee, JJ: Ireland 1912–1985 (1989), Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-37741-2
- Smith, Jeremy: Bluff, Bluster and Brinkmanship: Andrew Bonar Law and the Third Home Rule Bill
pages 161–74 from Historical Journal, Volume 36, Issue #1, 1993.
- Kee, Robert: The Green Flag: A History of Irish Nationalism (2000 edition, first published 1972), ISBN 0-14-029165-2.
- Rodner, W. S.: Leaguers, Covenanters, Moderates: British Support for Ulster, 1913–14 pages 68–85 from Éire—Ireland, Volume 17, Issue #3, 1982.
- Stewart, A.T.Q.: The Ulster Crisis, Resistance to Home Rule, 1912–14, (Faber and Faber, London, 1967, 1979), ISBN 0-571-08066-9
- Government of Ireland Act 1914, available from the House of Lords Record Office
- "Home Rule Finance" Arthur Samuels KC (1912) Text online at Archive.org
- Erskine Childers; The Framework of Home Rule. Text online at Gutenberg.org | <urn:uuid:4077b630-642e-4f70-b341-cadb5e3401a9> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_Ireland_Act_1914 | 2016-07-29T00:19:46Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257829320.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071029-00137-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933058 | 2,818 |
Apple wine and green sauce are Frankfurt am Main’s most famous contributions to culinary history. Yet Mainhattan, as it likes to be known, has a banking community that hails from all over the world and must offer its residents more than flat cider and green slop.
Steak is a popular alternative, our research showed. Bargains, though, are thin on the ground in this cluster of high-net-worth-individuals with corporate credit cards.
1. Erno’s Bistro: Liebigstrasse 15, 60323 Frankfurt. Information: +49-69-7219-97; http://www.ernosbistro.de
What: Top-priced French cuisine in a Michelin-starred, cozy, wood-paneled two-room restaurant with seating for 35 and a terrace. Oysters, truffles, duck and pink champagne are among the delicacies on the menu. An array of French liqueurs, served with fancy chocolates and biscuits, end a sumptuous dinner.
Why: More than 600 mostly French wines and a savvy sommelier to advise you. Winning dishes including cream of chestnut soup, lobster lasagne, and monkfish in a tangerine and ginger sauce. The chocolate moelleux is a must.
Where: In the peaceful Westend district, 15 minutes’ walk from the Alte Oper station.
When: It’s quiet enough to focus on one other person exclusively and privately, whether a date or a business contact. A four-course menu at 125 euros ($180) per person is offered for tables of eight or more. Closed at weekends.
Bar: No. Take a 15-minute walk and grab a cocktail to live piano music at Jimmy’s Bar in the Hotel Hessischer Hof at Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage 40.
Private Room: No.
Sound level: Hushed.
2. Kameha Suite: Taunusanlage 20, 60325 Frankfurt. Information: +49-69-480-0370; http://www.kamehasuite.com
What: A restaurant and bar complex in a neoclassical villa with quirky furnishings and colored lighting. The Stage restaurant offers international dishes, ranging from quiche lorraine to king prawns, from spring rolls to risotto.
Why: The menu offers good value and something for everyone. A three-course meal -- served in three small portions all on one partitioned plate for speed and convenience -- costs 12.50 euros, including freshly squeezed orange juice, and is sufficient for lunch; the dish of the day is 18 euros. The menu changes daily and service is quick and pleasant.
Where: Central Frankfurt, near the Alte Oper and Taunusanlage S-Bahn station.
When: Ideal for business meetings. The Stage is spacious, tables are not too close together and you can survey other guests coming and going via sweeping stone staircases.
Bar: Yes, two -- one smoking, one non-smoking.
Private room: Yes, several lounges and the two bars are available for parties and special events.
Sound level: Buzzy.
3. Ivory Club: Taunusanlage 15, 60325 Frankfurt. Information: +49-69-7706-7767; http://www.ivory-club.de
What: Steak, seafood, and Indian fare adapted for European palates. The owners call it “contemporary colonial cuisine.” A pair of giant fake elephant tusks and flickering torches adorn the street entrance. Inside, peacock feathers and elephant carvings complete the picture. You pay for the pageantry: The wine, particularly, is pricey. Service can be slow.
Why: Your chance to meet tennis legend Andre Agassi, actor Mickey Rourke, or Formula One hero Michael Schumacher alongside bankers and politicians at one of Frankfurt’s glitziest venues. Try “X-Otic Caprese” made with mozzarella, coriander pesto and papaya, or the “Overwhelming Ocean X-Travaganza” with scallops and prawns.
Where: Next to Deutsche Bank AG’s twin towers in Frankfurt’s Westend -- the regulars walk there. Valet parking is available for those Mercedes and Porsches.
When: For business lunch and dinner. The restaurant gets packed, and tables are close to each other, so this is no place for confidentiality. At weekends it serves dinner only.
Bar: A handful of stools.
Private room: Yes, two.
Sound Level: Acceptable, but you’ll hear neighboring table’s conversation.
4. Oscar’s: Am Kaiserplatz, 60311 Frankfurt. Information: +49-69-215-150; http://www.steigenberger.com/
What: French bistro-style restaurant ideal for business meals and after-work drinks near the European Central Bank.
Why: Central location. Past patrons include former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and tennis ace Boris Becker. The wine list encompasses more than 70 varieties by the glass or the bottle, from German Riesling to Californian Zinfandel.
Where: In the 135-year-old Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof, a venerable, colonnaded hotel complete with chocolaterie and cigar room, favored by executives and statesmen. The terrace outside Oscar’s offers gluehwein by a log cabin in winter and a chance to hang out with the literati during the Frankfurt Book Fair.
When: The three-course happy-hour menu with unlimited wine for 39 euros (available from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday) is a good value. Prices on the regular menu are fair. Meat dishes include blutwurst, schnitzel and Asian-flavored duck as well as lots of steak options.
Bar: Yes. An elegant brass-railed, wood-paneled affair, often propped up by suits meeting after work over wine or scotch and salty snacks.
Private Room: No, but there is a side room suitable for group bookings.
Sound level: Some background music, quiet.
5. Steakhouse Buffalo: Kaiserhofstr. 18-20, 60313 Frankfurt. Information: +49-69-285796; http://www.buffalo-steakhaus.de/
What: No fancy menu. Service is brusquely efficient. Plain decor. Yet these are just about the best Argentine steaks in town, prepared before your eyes.
Why: Great steaks with no pretensions and Argentine wines to match. Buffalo has been around since 1973, testimony to its popularity. Connoisseurs order the bistek de carne picado as appetizer and limit side dishes to a tomato salad.
Where: Off Frankfurt’s Fressgass food mile, in walking distance from many banks and downtown offices. Use Parkhaus Boerse for parking if you drive.
When: For business lunch and dinner. It can be noisy as tables are close to each other and it’s usually full.
Bar: No. Try Apfelwein Klaus’s historic vaulted brick cellar next door for an authentic Frankfurt apple wine experience.
Private Room: No.
Sound level: Can get noisy.
6. Surf ‘N’ Turf: Grueneburgweg 95, 60323 Frankfurt am Main. Information: +49-69-722-122, http://www.the-steakhouse.de/surfnturf
What: Expensive, American-style steakhouse with seafood. Dishes include the “Surf & Turf,” a prime cut filet and half a lobster. Prices soar to 49.90 euro for the “Butterknife” Triple Star Filet Mignon. Lively, New York-style environment.
Why: Another carnivore’s paradise -- from the “Lady’s Cut” filet to the meat feast 650-gram Rib Eye. U.S. prime beef steaks come in all shapes and sizes, with a wide range of side orders, from tomato salad and spinach to truffle parmesan fries. The wine list is decent though pricey. “We are not responsible for steaks ordered well done,” the menu warns.
Where: In Frankfurt’s Westend district, a 10 to 15-minute stroll from the banking part of town.
When: Lunch and dinner. Booking recommended.
Private room: A room off the main dining room seats 14.
Sound level: Acceptable hum of voices.
7. Villa Merton: Am Leonhardsbrunn 12, Frankfurt. Information: +49-69-7030-33, or go to http://www.koflerkompanie.com/de/restaurants_villamerton.html
What: Michelin-starred food in a graceful, frescoed villa in a quiet residential street. This kind of quality does not come cheap: A four-course menu costs 85 euros; a seven-course dinner is 117 euros. The business lunch is reasonably fast (we took two hours for four courses) and cost 44 euros.
Why: Down-to-earth, international cuisine that highlights local and seasonal produce. Nowhere else would you get apple-wine cheese with yellow plums; sauteed filet with turnips and mussel stock; roasted and potted meat with escargot and white cabbage. It offers plenty of fish alternatives.
Where: In Frankfurt’s elegant diplomatic quarter, located in a private villa built in 1925 within its own park-like gardens. Something of a hideaway, this is the kind of place to celebrate your wedding. Try the terrace during summer months.
When: For serious business with clients who like things formal. Discreet enough for confidential discussions, Villa Merton offers food to impress even the fussiest gourmets. It is closed at weekends.
Private Room: The Union Club, which hosts the restaurant, offers private rooms for groups of two to 99 people.
Sound level: Quiet.
8. Zarges: Fressgass, 60313 Frankfurt am Main. Information: +49-69-299030, http://www.zarges-frankfurt.com
What: Franco-German cuisine meets burgers in a plush, intimate environment, surrounded by walls lined with books and wine bottles.
Why: Excellent cooking and ingredients, with a weekly menu and a wide selection of wines that can be ordered by the bottle or glass, including white wines from the Frankfurt region. Menu choices range from cream of lobster soup to salad Nicoise with grilled tuna; from cheeseburgers to blutwurst and sauerkraut. An in-house confiserie offers luxurious cakes.
Where: On Frankfurt’s Fressgass, as central as it gets.
When: For breakfast, lunch or dinner. Tables are a little too close to discuss confidential matters.
Bar: No, but the cozy atmosphere, extensive wine list and choice of spirits make it suitable for a drinks-only visit.
Private room: Separate, first-floor space that is for smokers but can be used for bigger groups or events.
Sound level: Buzz of conversation, not noisy.
(Richard Weiss and Julie Cruz write for Bloomberg News. Opinions expressed are their own.
This report is the second of the 2011 series of Bloomberg Dine & Deal. The articles survey top cities and offer informed tips on good restaurants for business and pleasure.) | <urn:uuid:4b82a8fe-ff6e-4769-882d-51fa4dfcce27> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-06-21/park-your-porsche-for-blutwurst-champagne-feasts-frankfurt-dine-deal | 2016-07-30T22:38:20Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469258943369.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723072903-00289-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.867854 | 2,488 |
Bases loaded in Elgin
Janus Theater Company hosts its seventh annual short play festival, Walkabout: Theater on your Feet, this weekend in Elgin. Each of the four plays centers on baseball, "its nostalgia, controversy, comedy and power to bring people together," said festival founder and Janus artistic director Sean Hargadon. Plays will be performed at the Elgin Public House, Side Street Studio Arts, Al's Cafe and Blue Box Cafe, all within walking distance of each other.
Tours begin at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 9-10, at Elgin Public House, 219 E. Chicago St., Elgin. Tours run every 15 minutes. $18 online, $20 at the door. See elginwalkabout.com.
Light Opera Works, under director/choreographer Rudy Hogenmiller, revives the beloved "Fiddler on the Roof" by composer Jerry Bock, lyricist Sheldon Harnick and book writer Joseph Stein. Inspired by Sholem Aleichem's stories, the musical centers on dairyman Tevye (Alex Honzen), whose traditional beliefs are challenged by his daughters.
8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, at Cahn Auditorium, 600 Emerson St., Evanston. $34-$94. (847) 920-5360 or lightoperaworks.com.
The "Sisters of Swing" -- Fox Valley Repertory's musical review chronicling the career of late 1930s and 1940s singing group The Andrews Sisters -- struck a chord with an Arlington Heights man. Robert Sylvester, 89, told FVR marketing manager Audra Sybert the show, which recently wrapped up its run, brought back memories. "During World War II, everyone pulled together," he said in a prepared statement. "There was a vitality to the times and the play captures that." Sylvester recalled he and his best friend meeting Laverne, Maxine and Patty at the Brass Rail, when the sisters were in town for a Chicago Theatre performance. Sylvester, who saw FVR's production four times, shared his experiences with the cast and the audience, which artistic director John Gawlik called inspiring.
• The comedy theater challenge sponsored by ComedySportz continues through Saturday, Aug. 9, at 929 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Chicago improv companies competing against each other in this family-friendly competition include: The Annoyance, iO, Chemically Imbalanced Comedy, The Playground and pH Productions. Matches are at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8; and 6, 8 and 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9. (773) 549-8080 or comedysportzchicago.com.
• Found Objects Theatre Group presents a pair of one-act plays at the Charnel House, 3421 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, under the title "Painting Molly." The plays include the Chicago premiere of writer/performer Mark Chrisler's "The Art of Painting," a partly true story of renowned Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer and renowned forger Hans Von Meegeren as told by a malcontent art history instructor. The other half of the double bill is Chris Bower's "Notes to Molly," about an alcoholic couple with one bed, which only one of them uses as a time. Performances run Friday, Aug. 8, through Aug. 31. (872) 228-9799.
• Performances begin Friday, Aug. 8, for Dream Theatre Company's production of Jeremy Menekseoglu's re-imagined "Medea," which focuses on the soured relationship between Medea and Jason and the impact on their two young children. In this version, Jason demands Medea take the payoff and leave Corinth so he can marry the princess. The problem is, neither one of them wants the kids. Performances continue through Sept. 14 at the Dream Laboratory, 5026 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 552-8626 or dreamtheatrecompany.com.
• Amazing Sammo Productions stages a brief revival of Tracy Letts' "Bug," about a cocaine addicted waitress holed up with a paranoid Gulf War veteran who believes his imagined bug infestation is a government conspiracy. Performances begin Friday, Aug. 8, and run weekends through Aug. 16 at Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. (773) 598-4549 or gorillatango.com.
• The Neo Futurists partners with Salonathon to present the adults-only "Infiltration," a weekly showcase for Chicago's underground artists beginning Friday, Aug. 8, and continuing through Sept. 26, at 5153 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago. Filipino performance artist Kiam Marcelo Junio performs on Aug. 8. Dancer/choreographer Darling Shear performs on Aug. 15, and interdisciplinary artist Sid Branca, who specializes in pastiche performances, headlines Aug. 22. (773) 275-5255 or neofuturists.org.
• redtwist theater presents "The Size of the World," the final show in the company's More Red series, running in repertory at 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago, with main stage show, "Geezers." Charles Evered's play centers on Peter, a charming young man eager for success, whose main problem is his inability to confront reality. Adam Goldstein directs the show which opens Saturday, Aug. 9. (773) 728-7529 or redtwist.org.
• "Option Up!" a combination music theater cabaret and talk show, returns to Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, on Sunday Aug. 10. Co-hosts Christopher Pazdernik and Aaron Benham welcome local performers Ryan Lanning and Patrick Andrews for the 7:30 p.m. show. (773) 327-5252 or stage773.com.
• In its never-ending mission "to expose bad writing for what it really is: (expletive) funny," Stage Left Theatre hosts Drekfest 2014, a celebration of the country's worst 10-minute plays. Finalists this year include: "Dragons in America: A Fantasia on the Theme of How (expletive) Awesome Dragons Are" by Jonathan Baude; "Troubling Innocence" by Anderson Lawfer and Michael Daily; "Grape Jelly: A Play About a Prostitute" by Rory Leahy and "Behind the Wax Myrtle Shrub" by Cynthia Shur Petts. They'll be presented as staged readings at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12, at ComedySportz Theatre, 929 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 883-8830 or stagelefttheatre.com.
• Previews begin Thursday, Aug. 14, for Pride Films and Plays' Chicago premiere of "Some Men." A dramedy by Terrence McNally about various generations of gay men, the play unfolds at various times and places including the 1969 Stonewall riots, a hospital at the height of the AIDS epidemic and the Hamptons during the 1920s. It opens Aug. 16 at Rivendell Theatre, 5779 N. Ridge Ave., Chicago. See pridefilmsandplays.com.
• After five years and a broken marriage, a Russian nobleman returns to his extended family, including a widowed cousin and her two daughters, an elderly aunt, a gossipy neighbor and an ambitious government official in Ivan Turgenev's "Home of the Gentry." Mike Brayndick adapts the work for On The Spot Theatre, whose production runs Thursday, Aug. 14, through Aug. 31 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 404-7336 or greenhousetheater.org or onthespottheatrecompany.weebly.com.
• Performances continue through Aug. 17 for Awkward Pause Theatre's revival of "Urinetown," the very funny musical satire by writer/lyricist Greg Kotis and composer/lyricist Mark Hollmann about a time when water is rationed and one company regulates all the public amenities, including restrooms. Elana Boulos directs the production running at the Flat Iron Building, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. See awkwardpausetheatre.com. | <urn:uuid:c117dc0d-fe49-40a1-9bca-ba22aaae03f6> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140808/entlife/140809308/ | 2016-07-30T22:38:46Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469258943369.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723072903-00289-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914273 | 1,776 |
Modern Policing and the Control of Illegal Drugs: Testing New Strategies in Oakland, California, and Birmingham, Alabama, 1987-1989 (ICPSR 9962)
Principal Investigator(s): Uchida, Craig D., National Institute of Justice, Office of Criminal Justice Research; Forst, Brian, The American University; Annan, Sampson O., The Police Foundation
These data were collected in Oakland, California, and Birmingham, Alabama, to examine the effectiveness of alternative drug enforcement strategies. A further objective was to compare the relative effectiveness of strategies drawn from professional- versus community-oriented models of policing. The professional model emphasizes police responsibility for crime control, whereas the community model stresses the importance of a police-citizen partnership in crime control. At each site, experimental treatments were applied to selected police beats. The Oakland Police Department implemented a high-visibility enforcement effort consisting of undercover buy-bust operations, aggressive patrols, and motor vehicle stops, while the Birmingham Police Department engaged in somewhat less visible buy-busts and sting operations. Both departments attempted a community-oriented approach involving door-to-door contacts with residents. In Oakland, four beats were studied: one beat used a special drug enforcement unit, another used a door-to-door community policing strategy, a third used a combination of these approaches, and the fourth beat served as a control group. In Birmingham, three beats were chosen: Drug enforcement was conducted by the narcotics unit in one beat, door-to-door policing, as in Oakland, was used in another beat, and a police substation was established in the third beat. To evaluate the effectiveness of these alternative strategies, data were collected from three sources. First, a panel survey was administered in two waves on a pre-test/post-test basis. The panel survey data addressed the ways in which citizens' perceptions of drug activity, crime problems, neighborhood safety, and police service were affected by the various policing strategies. Second, structured observations of police and citizen encounters were made in Oakland during the periods the treatments were in effect. Observers trained by the researchers recorded information regarding the roles and behaviors of police and citizens as well as police compliance with the experiment's procedures. And third, to assess the impact of the alternative strategies on crime rates, reported crime data were collected for time periods before and during the experimental treatment periods, both in the targeted beats and city-wide.
These data are available to the general public.
WARNING: Because this study has many datasets, the download all files option has been suppressed, and you will need to download one dataset at a time.
Uchida, Craig D., Brian Forst, and Sampson O. Annan. MODERN POLICING AND THE CONTROL OF ILLEGAL DRUGS: TESTING NEW STRATEGIES IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AND BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, 1987-1989. Compiled by Craig D. Uchida, Brian Forst, and Sampson O. Annan. ICPSR09962-v1. Ann Arbor MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [producer and distributor], 2002. http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR09962.v1
Persistent URL: http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR09962.v1
This study was funded by:
- United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice (87-IJ-CX-0058 and 8-IJ-CX-0015)
Scope of Study
Subject Terms: citizen attitudes, community involvement, community policing, crime control, drug law enforcement, drug law offenses, drug related crimes, drug traffic, neighborhoods, program evaluation
Geographic Coverage: Alabama, Birmingham, California, Oakland
Date of Collection:
Unit of Observation: The researchers collected data from surveys of residents, structured observations by trained observers, and crime reports. The units of analysis are, respectively, individuals, interactions between police and citizens, and reported incidents of crime.
Universe: For the panel surveys, the universe consisted of residents, 18 years and older, residing in the target beats. In Oakland, the sample of structured observations was drawn from a universe of Special Duty Unit 3 patrols conducted during the treatment period.
Data Types: survey data, and event/transaction data
Study Purpose: The researchers conducted this study to provide evidence of the effectiveness of alternative drug enforcement strategies. There was particular interest in examining the relative effectiveness of strategies drawn from professional- versus community-oriented models of policing. The professional model emphasizes police responsibility for crime control, whereas the community model stresses the importance of a police-citizen partnership in crime control.
Study Design: The cities of Oakland, California, and Birmingham, Alabama, were chosen for the experiment based on similarity of population size, demographics, number of police officers, and history of drug problems. In each city, the main focus was on evaluating the impact of alternative policing methods on citizens' attitudes and reported crime. The researchers selected beats to either receive an experimental treatment or to act as a control group. The treatments consisted of either increasing enforcement activities based on the professional policing model, or increasing police-citizen cooperation based on the community policing model. In Oakland, the enforcement activities were conducted by Special Duty Unit 3 (SDU-3) and consisted of undercover buy-bust operations, aggressive patrols, and motor vehicle stops. The community policing activity consisted of door-to-door contacts with citizens. The Oakland data contain information on four beats: one control and three treatments. For the period May-October 1988, SDU-3 operated in Beat 25, community policing was practiced in Beat 7, both SDU-3 and community policing were in effect in Beat 34, and Beat 11 served as the control group, with no change in police activities. One rotation of treatments occurred among the beats during the period November 1988-April 1989. During that time, SDU-3 operated in Beat 34, community policing was practiced in Beat 11, both treatments were in effect in Beat 7, and Beat 25 served as the control group. In Birmingham, the enforcement activities included less visible buy-busts and sting operations conducted by the narcotics unit. The community policing efforts involved door-to-door contacts, as in Oakland, and the establishment of a police substation. In contrast to the Oakland site, a control group did not exist in Birmingham. Three beats received three different treatments: Beat 61 used narcotics unit enforcement, Beat 84 practiced door-to-door policing, and Beat 62 had a police substation. No rotation of treatments occurred. These treatments were in effect from September 1988 to February 1989. Structured observations of the police were performed in Oakland.
Sample: A random sample was used to select respondents for Wave I of the panel surveys. This resulted in 787 and 580 respondents in Oakland and Birmingham, respectively. Wave II panel members were the Wave I respondents reduced by attrition. Wave II respondents totaled 506 and 438 for Oakland and Birmingham, respectively. Police patrols were selected for observation on a judgmental basis. In Oakland, 82 out of 220 (37 percent) Special Duty Unit 3 tours were observed. The crime data cover reported crime during the periods January 1987-April 1989 and January 1987-September 1989 for Oakland and Birmingham, respectively.
structured observations, personal interviews, and crime reports
Description of Variables: Each data source focused on collecting specific types of information. Panel surveys in both Oakland and Birmingham asked questions on topics such as awareness of drug trafficking problems, prevalence of crime other than drug trafficking, awareness of specific police programs aimed at controlling crime and drugs, perceived safety of the neighborhood, quality of life in the neighborhood, and satisfaction with police service. The structured observations in Oakland assessed the major roles, behavior, and decisions of police and citizens in drug-related encounters. Observational data were recorded using two different instruments: a "long form" used in 353 encounters in which an arrest was made, and a "short form" used in 130 encounters in which police briefly stopped and questioned individuals but did not make an arrest. (Structured observations were not conducted in Birmingham.) Drug arrest data were gathered for both cities. Location of arrest, crime type, suspect information, and evidence were of particular interest. Additional crime data were collected covering offenses against persons (homicide, rape, and felonious assault), burglaries, and robberies.
Response Rates: Response rates for Wave I of the panel surveys were 58 percent and 84 percent in Oakland and Birmingham, respectively. In Oakland, Wave I consisted of 787 respondents. Sixty-four percent of those interviewed in Wave I were reinterviewed in Wave II. In Birmingham, Wave I consisted of 580 respondents. Seventy-six percent of those individuals were reinterviewed for Wave II. In Oakland, structured observations were conducted in 82 out of 220 (37 percent) Special Duty Unit 3 tours. This resulted in 483 observations.
Presence of Common Scales: None
Extent of Processing: ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
- Standardized missing values.
- Performed recodes and/or calculated derived variables.
- Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.
Original ICPSR Release: 1994-03-10
- 2005-11-04 On 2005-03-14 new files were added to one or more datasets. These files included additional setup files as well as one or more of the following: SAS program, SAS transport, SPSS portable, and Stata system files. The metadata record was revised 2005-11-04 to reflect these additions.
- 2002-06-27 The codebook, data collection instruments, and user guide were converted from ASCII to PDF and combined into one file.
Related Publications (?)
- Citations exports are provided above.
Export Study-level metadata (does not include variable-level metadata)
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XpertHR’s HR data round-up for September 2012 looks in detail at data relating to performance management and performance management training. We also provide links to all the latest additions to XpertHR Benchmarking and present our regular round-up of the best HR data blog posts.
Time to get ‘back to basics’ on performance management processes?
A crisis in employee productivity levels means it’s time for employers to get “back to basics” on performance management. HR data can play a key role here. This is according to research from consultants PwC.
“European companies’ employee productivity levels are at a five year low,” says PwC.
It recommends a “back to basics” approach on performance management in order to combat this situation:
[M]any companies need to go back to basics and improve their performance management processes to ensure that people of all levels are delivering value. For many companies, this will mean implementing more vigorous performance management which really differentiates between higher and weaker performers and rewards them accordingly. This is where better use and interpretation of people data can make a huge difference to employee productivity.
Nine-tenths of employers say performance is a problem, XpertHR survey finds
New Benchmarking research from XpertHR looks in detail at the extent to which managing performance issues represent a concern for employers, and at the line manager training solutions employers are using to tackle underperformance.
Nine-tenths of employers surveyed by XpertHR say that individual underperformance is a problem for their organisation (see chart, above).
Underperformance issues are particularly acute at the largest organisations (those with 1,000-plus employees).
Across the whole economy, the two most common poor performance issues facing employers are those relating to capability and absence.
For public sector respondents, absence is the most widespread performance issue by far, cited by 87% of respondents. This compares with 60% in services and 44% of manufacturers.
Is performance management training for line managers falling short?
Line managers play a critical role in managing performance (see chart, above).
Yet the survey suggests that line manager training in performance management could be falling short.
Performance management training for line managers “frequently fails to ensure the effective management of employee underperformance.” This is according to latest Benchmarking research from XpertHR.
The 2012 XpertHR Benchmarking survey of employers’ performance management training arrangements is based on responses from 170 organisations, with a combined workforce of 453,778 employees. Subscribers to XpertHR Benchmarking can drill down into the complete results data from this survey, and generate bespoke reports on how their organisation compares.
The survey reveals a mismatch in what employers identify as the priority for performance management training, and what is covered by the actual training provided:
- Employers consider developing “performance conversation” skills to be the most important aspect of performance management training.
- Yet only one in five employers makes training in “performance conversation” skills mandatory for managers.
Access the complete results data from this XpertHR Benchmarking survey.
Latest additions to XpertHR Benchmarking
XpertHR Benchmarking – XpertHR’s unique interactive HR benchmarking data resource – keeps growing!
We’ve added a number of major HR benchmarking datasets to XpertHR Benchmarking, including the following:
- Benchmarking absence rates, costs and causes in 2012
- Absence Rates & Costs for 2012
- Labour Turnover Rates & Costs for 2012
- Overtime 2012
- Health Benefits 2012
- Employment Tribunals 2012
- Pay Issues in Manufacturing 2012
- Aligning HR with Business Strategy 2012
Subscribers to XpertHR Benchmarking can drill down into the complete results data from each of these surveys – which cover all aspects of the work of HR professionals and employment practitioners – to generate bespoke reports on how their organisation compares.
The XpertHR Benchmarking data resource is growing all the time, with new survey datasets being added every month:
- Click here to see the full range of more than 110 essential HR benchmarking datasets that are available to XpertHR Benchmarking subscribers.
- Click here to take part in the latest XpertHR Benchmarking surveys, and to see a list of upcoming survey topics.
HR data blog post round-up: September 2012
Here’s our latest monthly pick of top blog posts on HR data issues from XpertHR’s blogs and other blogs:
- Jason Averbook: Big Data, Social Business and The Future of HR
A brilliant post from Jason Averbook, looking at what big data could mean for HR. Jason says that HR needs to “realize that the data that we analyze into the future will probably not be only the data stored by our old or new HRMS (that stands for Human Resource Management System for those who don’t live in the HR circle), but the interactions between employees, contractors, future employees, customers, partners and prospective customers.”
- We’re solving the pay gap – the wrong way
More than four decades on from the introduction of the Equal Pay Act 1970, slow progress is being made in closing the UK’s gender pay gap. But much of what progress that is currently being made results from “male wages stagnating,” rather than an improvement in wages paid to women. So argues Gavin Kelly in this fascinating (if also rather depressing) piece of data analysis from the New Statesman. Gavin says: “The progress made on the pay gap over recent years has resulted from female wages climbing slowly while the typical man’s pay has flat-lined. This isn’t how it was supposed to be.”
- What ratio shows the real added value of an HR function?
“Why don’t HR professionals spend more of their time trying to improve the organisation?” A great post from my colleague Noel O’Reilly, exploring why “HR practitioners in reality spend the smallest proportion of their time on that ‘strategic’ stuff.”
- A minimum income standard for the UK in 2012
Ever get the feeling your monthly pay packet just isn’t stretching as far as it used to? You are not alone in this, research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggests. The report says: “Soaring childcare and transport costs plus cuts to tax credits mean families need to earn a third more post-recession to make ends meet.” For example, the report finds that “A single person in the UK needs to earn at least £16,400 a year before tax in 2012, to afford a minimum acceptable standard of living,” while “two parents need to earn at least £18,400 each to support themselves and two children.”
- Data Analytics: Too Sophisticated For HR?
Top US HR blogger China Gorman poses a key question here: Is HR up to the task of making effective use of data analytics? China says: “Stepping up your workforce analytics sophistication could be a game changer for your organization.”
- Making the Most of Your Turnover Data
“HR professionals should strive to be less general and more predictive when it comes to turnover,” argues Cathy Martin in this thought-provoking post from her Profitability Through Human Capital blog.
- Killing Time: How to Destroy Your Productivity
A very enjoyable and very true infographic, from Marketo.
About XpertHR’s HR data round-up
XpertHR’s round-up of HR data for September 2012 is the latest instalment in an ongoing monthly series, highlighting latest HR data releases from XpertHR and other sources, alongside links to news stories and blog posts of direct or indirect relevance to issues around using HR data.
If there are any HR-related data measures you would like to see covered in future XpertHR data round-ups, or if there are any surveys or HR data blog posts that you would like to see highlighted, please do get in touch. You can submit comments via the box below, or contact me directly via Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+.
XpertHR data round-up archive
Catch up with all the posts in XpertHR’s data round-up series!
- HR data round-up August 2012: Are we seeing a downward trend in absence rates?
- HR data round-up July 2012: Benchmarking planned redundancies
- HR data round-up June 2012: The costs and benefits of the 2012 Olympics
- HR data round-up May 2012: The changing ratios of HR to employees
- HR data round-up April 2012: IT pay trends; private sector pay forecasts & more!
- The HR data tapes: HR lifers; CIPD qualifications; workforce analytics, & more!
- HR data round-up March 2012: Tough times for graduates
- HR data round-up February 2012: Are employers losing the battle to combat work-related stress?
- HR data round-up January 2012: What is the ideal employee to HR ratio in 2012?
- HR data round-up, December 2011: Christmas working and minimum office temperatures
- HR data round-up November 2011: Why did you get into HR?
- HR data round-up October 2011: National minimum wage; HR data visualisation; & using HR data effectively
- HR data round-up September 2011: Benchmarking absence; social media ROI; & latest HR data blog posts
- HR data round-up July 2011: HR careers, absence & turnover
- XpertHR data round-up, June 2011: Company cars, commuting, benchmarking & labour disputes
- XpertHR data round-up, May 2011: HR benchmarking data, absence & hand-drawn charts | <urn:uuid:de9ee643-2787-469b-a85e-4185a2b2a34e> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.xperthr.co.uk/blogs/employment-intelligence/2012/09/hr-data-round-up-september-201-1/ | 2017-08-18T08:56:17Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886104631.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20170818082911-20170818102911-00160.warc.gz | en | 0.915421 | 2,076 |
Double Indemnity was only Billy Wilder's third film as a director, but you'd never know. It not only defined the film noir style for all time (its influence on both classic and neo-noir is inescapable), but it also remains probably the best film made in either era of noir.
Based on a novella by James M. Cain, and with a perfectly hard-boiled screenplay by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, Double Indemnity is narrated, in the form of a confession, by insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), who relates how he fell under the spell of Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) and was seduced into a plot to kill her husband and claim the insurance on his life. His summation: "Yes, I killed him. I killed him for money - and a woman - and I didn't get the money and I didn't get the woman. Pretty, isn't it?" could easily double as a summation of noir itself.
Double Indemnity is one of those rare films that functions like a perfect machine; every cog working in unison to make something that does its job flawlessly. There are so many elements here that come together perfectly. In many ways, as director and co-writer, Billy Wilder is the star. The screenplay that he and Chandler penned is exceptional, shot through with dark, dry wit, and dancing around the sex and murder implicit in the film with linguistic creativity and glee the likes of which we seldom see. Wilder also had a great collaborator in the visual aspects of the film; cinematographer John F Seitz (who had a track record stretching back to the silent era). Seitz' lighting here is a masterpiece in and of itself, with bars of shadow frequently entrapping MacMurray, and pitch blacks contributing to an increasingly foreboding atmosphere. For his part, Wilder's camerawork is clever and compelling in its patience. Frequently he lets a simple shot hold, and uses that to make the audience tense in their seats. For instance there's the brilliant scene of Stanwyck hiding behind a door, desperate that Edward G. Robinson (who plays MacMurray's suspicious boss) not see her, or the simplicity with which Wilder handles the murder; holding on Stanwyck's face as it happens just next to her, out of shot.
But the praise that has to be accorded to Wilder shouldn't detract from his three leading players. Barbara Stanwyck was one of the best actresses cinema ever had, effortlessly compelling whether she was in a drama like The Bitter Tea of General Yen, a romantic comedy like The Lady Eve or a screwball farce like Ball of Fire (also co-written by Wilder), but Phyllis Dietrichson may be her greatest role and her best performance. Stanwyck was already in her mid thirties by the time of Double Indemnity and she was never Hollywood's most obvious beauty (a cheap blonde wig certainly didn't help), but she's still devastatingly sexy. The minute she appears at the top of a flight of stairs, wrapped in a towel and wearing "a honey of an anklet" you understand how MacMurray has ended up where we find him at the start of the film. Stanwyck also has the Fatale part of the Femme Fatale equation down perfectly; there's an edge to everything she says, and an ever present glint in her eye that should set alarm bells ringing with DO NOT TRUST.
The chemistry between MacMurray and Stanwyck is fantastic, and the two bounce off each other in some of the most memorable dialogue scenes in 40's cinema. Wilder was best known as a comic wirter, but here his dialogue with Chandler is a perfect mix of the poetic "How could I have known that murder could sometimes smell like honeysuckle?", the suggestive "There's a speed limit in this state, Mr. Neff. Forty-five miles an hour..." and the darkly funny "...Guess I was wrong. You're not smarter, Walter... you're just a little taller." MacMurray, best known at this time, and subsequently, as a star of family films, is perfect as Neff, that outward assurance and bravado to Phyllis is all the more effective for he way he allows us to see the nerves simmering just below it. The third spoke in the wheel is Edward G. Robinson, whose delivery of the many speeches about the 'little man' telling him that there's something wrong with the Dietrichson claim ratchet up the tension, while he also emphasises the closeness between Neff and his boss to strong effect.
Double Indemnity is as tense, as smart, as thrilling and as beautiful now as it ever was, if you haven't seen it there really is no excuse.
The Lost Weekend was the film that Billy Wilder made immediately following Double Indemnity, and while it's adapted from a novel it may also have been inspired by Wilder's difficult and fractious relationship with Raymond Chandler, who was, like this film's main character, an alcoholic writer.
Ray Milland plays author Don Birnam, he's supposed to be going away for the weekend with his brother Wick (Philip Terry), so that he can make sure Don doesn't go back to drinking (it's been 10 days since his latest 'cure'). Instead Don sends his girlfriend (Jane Wyman) and Wick to the theatre, while he goes off to his favourite bar. Wick leaves without him, and over the weekend Don spirals ever further into alcoholism.
The Lost Weekend is one of, if not the first Hollywood film to really tackle the subject of alcoholism in a serious manner, and that's where it really excels. The scenes themselves have become somewhat cliché as every other film about addiction has worked through the same beats over the last 67 years, but Wilder and especially Ray Milland bring them vividly to life. Milland is outstanding as Birnam, making the vicious circle of his drinking - he drinks because he can't write, and can't write because he drinks - relateable as well as devastating. We see just enough of the charming guy Don might be that we can root for him to recover, and empathise as he becomes ever more pathetic and helpless (even begging money from fellow barfly Doris Dowling). While the acting style of the time was broader than it is now, Milland doesn't overplay the drunkenness (compare this performance to Tom Cruise's hilariously dreadful drunk scene in Jerry Maguire, for example), giving us a picture of a man who doesn't drink for fun or even for the effect, but just because he needs to.
Wilder brings DP John F Seitz and all the visual style he learnt on Double Indemnity back here. Indeed, thanks to the design of the shots and the the lighting, you could say that The Lost Weekend is a film noir in which Whisky is the femme fatale (look at the shot when Milland finally sees a shadow, and remembers he hid a bottle in the light hanging from his ceiling, or the increasing use of shadow as he becomes more and more enclosed in his apartment and his addiction). Seitz and Wilder paint with shadow to wonderful effect, emphasising the dark influence of the bottle on Milland's life.
There are things that don't work though, chiefly the flashbacks, and particularly Jane Wyman's part as Milland's girlfriend. Ultimately, Helen is just a misconcieved character, there are few scenes where you really feel that she needs to be there, and even in the flashback scenes the relationship carries very little weight. Wick is a better character, and Pilip Terry has a good scene when he pretends to Helen that it's he who is the drinker in the family, but he's off screen too much for there to be much weight to the relationship with Milland, and Terry's hardly the most charismatic of actors, especially next to Milland.
There are outstanding sequences here; Milland's desperate trawl through the city trying to pawn his typewriter comes to mind, as does the DTs sequence, which brings a B Horror edge to the film for a few minute. On the whole though the film is a little inconsistent; a minor Wilder, but still, calling something a minor Wilder is hardly an indictment, and The Lost Weekend is often compelling, with Milland's performance alone making it a must see.
Masters of Cinema have a well earned reputation for discs with beautiful transfers, and these are no exception. The Lost Weekend looks great, with deep blacks and subtle shades of grey in the black and white photography. The grain is pretty heavy, but very natural, and helps bring out a lot of detail in the picture while giving it a film like look. The print isn't quite perfect, but you'll barely notice.
The print for Double Indemnity, however, is perfect. The Blu Ray is stunningly beautiful, and unless you saw it on its original release (perhaps even then), it should make the experience like seeing the film for the first time again. The blacks are pitch dark, the (few) whites spotless and everything in between is beautifully and subtly scaled. The transfer is awash with fine detail, and does wonders for Seitz' photography.
The soundtracks are pretty simple, both largely dialogue driven, and the stereo tracks do a fine job; they're well balanced and loud enough to be an easy listen.
The Double Indemnity disc has a featurette on the making and the legacy of the film. It runs for almost 40 minutes and is entertaining, though the lack of any comment from anyone who was there (even in archive footage) is a shame, though the assembled critics, writers and filmmakers do a nice job telling the story. There is also an audio bonus; the full radio broadcast version of Double Indemnity, with MacMurray and Stanwyck reprising their roles. I love these things, they're fascinating alternate versions of films we know and love, and something that just doesn't exist today. It's a great listen. Wrapping up the on disc supplements is a commentary with screenwriter Lem Dobbs and film historian Nick Redmond. It's a very good track, avoiding much of the dry film theory that can afflict tracks like this and Dobbs and Redmond make a good team.
The Lost Weekend has a six minute introduction from Alex Cox, which is a sincere appreciation, and Cox is a good host, but the real gold here (and of all the extras on these releases) is a three part, three hour, conversation between Billy Wilder and fellow German filmmaker Volker Schlondorff called Billy, How Did You Do It? It's an utter joy to see the 85 year old Wilder still so animated and enthused talking about his and other people's movies, and probably worth buying the disc for all by itself. There is also a radio production starring Milland, which is very similar in style to that for Double Indemnity, and is also well worth a listen.
Both discs also feature the original trailers for the film, and, like all MOC releases, a booklet packed with fascinating articles on the films. The Double Indemnity booklet includes a short answer from James M. Cain, relating how Billy Wilder did things with the film that he wished he had thought of for the book, while the Lost Weekend booklet has a comparison of the DTs scene in book, scrrenplay and film forms, and each boasts much more intensely interesting material besides, along with some well chosen and reproduced pictures.
These are essential discs for any serious fan of classic cinema. The films are of varying stature, but each is packed with brilliant extras that both intrigue and entertain, and the films themselves look incredible, even if you've seen each of them over and over it will be like watching them for the first time again.
If you'd like to buy these discs please use the links below, it won't cost you anything extra, but you'll be helping out 24FPS. Thanks. | <urn:uuid:2337d7b1-c030-4651-8bb0-0ef367412841> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://24framez.blogspot.com/2012/06/blu-ray-review-double-indemnity-lost.html | 2017-08-20T23:04:15Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886106996.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20170820223702-20170821003702-00400.warc.gz | en | 0.976584 | 2,507 |
- Diseases, Disorders & Conditions
Life With Duanes Syndrome, Positives, Negatives, and what i'm doing about it.
My Name is Catherine I am a teenager that has had Duanes Retraction Syndrome since i was diagnosed at 18 months old. Im currently a college student and a bowler. I worked as a waitress which many people notice my eye. My Duanes Retraction Syndrome affects my left eye. It can not move left in any way. When I look to the left I do see Double.
Duanes Syndrome is an eye condition. I don't want to give a long history of the syndrome because im hoping most everyone reading this already knows something about it. But if you don't it is an eye condition which some people believe the eyes are missing certain muscles it needs to move, while others believe that it is the actual nerves that connect the eye and the muscles that do not work or are missing. There are a few different types of Duanes Syndrome. The kind I have is called Duanes Retraction Syndrome. The number I have been able to find is that every year 54 people in the world are born with Duanes Retraction Syndrome.
Most optomologist say it is caused by elevation changes in the mothers womb while pregnant. Meaning that if the mother was traveling via plane a lot or spend extended periods of time is severely different elevations it causes this to happen. My mother lived in Maryland, a very low state. However she spent a while traveling with work taking her to the west coast. Where the elevation is higher. It is not her fault, mothers are not warned that this could happen, and it does not happen to everyone.
My left eye is the eye affected, as you can see from the pictures. But Duanes Retraction Syndrome means that when I move my right eye in a way my left can not follow it retracts into my eye socket, making it appear smaller or my eye lids look puffy. This is the biggest problem I have with my eye. It is totally the most noticably part, and effects every picture im in and how I look.
It has yet to affect my bowling, but I played softball for ten or eleven years. And I had to do things a little differently like standing wider and opened when I was batting.
Recently I graduated high school. My problem has 100% affected me in high school. Elementary School was hard but with everyone being so young it was very easy to get through looking back on it. However every year I had to bring a doctors note in saying that I indeed have a legit problem and that I needed to sit on the Left hand side of the room because I could not look Left. And In Elementary school I had a school nurse say that my eye problem was something other then what it really was and it was very hard for my parents and I dealing with her to straighten things out.
In Middle school, things were a little different. I still had to bring in a note for all of my classes so I could sit on the left side of the class room. However, the name calling did get worse. It was difficult to deal with the name calling. But high school was the worst. Because by that time I had been in school with the same people for quite a few years now, and everyone knows the problem but refuse to understand it so they choose to be ignorant and mean. However my friends and my mom have always been there for my eye problem.
From my problem I see a special eye doctor, Im the only patient he has that has my syndrome. :) So when I do see him my appointments are longer so we can talk about my syndrome. I always cry when he tells me there is no treatment.
I can totally say that having this had made me who I am today. Sometimes Its good and sometimes bad. Im proud to say that I am different from everyone else. But sometimes its the first thing people notice sometimes it isn't. But I have to tell them because it has to come out eventually. Sometimes people are nice and say they dont notice but thats not true. It has makes me feel embarrassed in front of some people though.
To everyone that I have read about that was able to have surgery to help them with their eyes. I am so happy for you and im jealous. There is no treatment for people like me and hopefully because people with DS have been able to be treated maybe sometime soon DRS will have a cure too.
I have always remained positive throughout dealing with this. And a lot of negative things have happened. I remember the stress of trying to get my liscense and having to hide it from the dmv. There is nothing I can do about this and there is no cure in the near future. But that has not slowed me down. I am constantly reading and researching about DS so I can inform people easier. Until there is a cure for DS and DRS I will be researching and informing people of the truth.
Im happy I am the way I am. Sometimes my mom tells me that when I was younger I would just stand in front of the mirror and try to move my eye, and sometimes I thought I saw it move. I would get so excited but she never had the heart to tell me that it couldnt.
Please email me at [email protected] if you have any questions, would like additional information or just talk. I check it frequently so i will get back to you!
and just remember...WE ARE ONE OF A KIND! <3
Update: November 12, 2015
The number of people both affected by Duanes and parents who has contacted me has been outstanding. When I created this piece it was to help people, although I thought I would never really touch anyone. So thank you everyone!
Just a few updates...
I am now in my senior year of college and NOONE has noticed. It is honestly so refreshing to be able to walk around campus with my head held high because noone knows my problem. Noone is looking around for me to "look funny". Don't get me wrong, I am sure many people have figured out I am different when I drink too much and "looking proper" is the furthest thing form my mind.
I have also beaten cancer. I had Stage 2B Melanoma.... and NO, IT WAS NOT LINKED TO HAVING DUANES. I get asked that a lot.
Unfortunately, I have yet to figure out the perfect head position to take photos with. Everything I try just seems so forced and unnatural. Which worries me... I would like to get married soon and not have to worry about looking ridiculous in my wedding photos.
I still do research regarding DRS and still nothing... I really do believe there are more serious issues out there like blindness that require more attention than DRS. It does not hinder me from doing anything in my life. I saw someone mention in the comments that someone recommended he try to get disability from DRS. I agree with his standpoint. It is completely unnecessary, in so many ways. And parents who have emailed me regarding disability, I do not recommend it. AT ALL. Not to mention, most doctors will feel the same way, it would be very difficult to find one who believes DRS or DS is a "disability". Who would want that? Who would willingly label their child "disabled" when they are not. Who wants to grow up their entire lives believe they are "disabled" when they are not!?
there are many facebook pages out there for "support"... but i found myself leaving most of them for their negativity and outlook on our condition. You would be surprised in how many parents believe DRS and DS is connected to autism...We are unique people, we are not "disabled", we are not "broken", we are normal people with a great talent. That is how I look at us, and I think everyone should.
One of the biggest controversies I have come across in regards to my article is how DRS or DS is formed within the body. After talking to multiple doctors of a variety of specialties, along with professors, it does seem like the most plausible cause of development. I know it is a tough thing to consider, especially for parents. But lets be real, pregnant ladies cannot live in a bubble, there are so many things in this world that could hurt a fetus. It is not plausible for someone to live in a bubble for nine months. And it is certainly not a mothers fault. My mom happened to go through an extreme change in altitude during the 2 days the eyes develop in the womb. Some mothers only drive around Florida. But Florida, like many states changes elevation a lot, just driving from one town to another. And every body has different sensitivity levels. Mothers, if your body is unique enough to create a child with Duanes... embrace it, do not ever be ashamed, or embarrassed. You created a unique individual who happens to have one small eye problem. There is so much worse things than living with Duanes, I promise you.
Remember everyone.. there are 54 of us born each year... we are one of a kind!
Please continue to email me! | <urn:uuid:5fc01885-763d-49fa-ad6a-fe6ffd162f66> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://hubpages.com/health/Life-With-Duanes-Syndrome-Positives-Negatives-and-what-im-doing-about-it | 2017-08-21T20:00:29Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886109525.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20170821191703-20170821211703-00480.warc.gz | en | 0.982496 | 1,900 |
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ESTERO BEACH AND TENNIS CLUB at FORT MYERS BEACH SOUTHERN TIP Photos
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is deemed accurate but not guaranteed
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Sun Coast Global, Inc.
Andrew B. Kovacic, Florida licensed Real Estate Broker
422 NE 2nd Pl. #205, Cape Coral, Fl. 33909
Office Phone: 239-961-9199
Webmaster: Andrew Kovacic | <urn:uuid:29744d57-3905-44c8-bd9a-47a87b8a621f> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://vtflorida.com/estero-beach-and-tennis-club-fort-myers | 2017-08-23T13:44:42Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886120573.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20170823132736-20170823152736-00640.warc.gz | en | 0.892602 | 1,652 |
in the 1970's weren't told to wear seat belts, let alone have their own
special car seats. Quite a few seventies vehicles did come with seat
belts fitted, but state laws didn't require you to use them until the
1980's or even the 90's.
2. Toy safety standards were a bit lacking.
classic 1970's toy, "Creepy Crawlers," allowed kids to mold their own
spiders and bugs out of plastic while inhaling potentially deadly toxic
fumes and burning themselves on an electric-powered hot-plate that
reached 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The Easybake Oven has come in for a lot
of criticism lately, but it's totally safe in comparison. Creepy
Crawlers were banned in the late 70's.
3. Secondhand smoke was everywhere.
From airplanes to the
family car, the world of the 70's was a haze of cigarette smoke. It
wasn’t just the fact that many more people smoked, it was the way
smoking was 100% fine in any enclosed space, no matter who else was
4. Kids were targeted by cigarette firms.
The kid's expression in this 1970 ad says it all. "Dad looks so cool with his giant cigar!"
5. Sunblock was a rarity.
in the 70's, peeling skin was a totally normal accompaniment to arriving
back at school after the summer vacation. The idea of using sun
protection--even for tiny kids or a long day on the beach--was a total
novelty, and sun creams marketed for kids were usually around the SPF 4
6. Parents did NOT watch their kids all the time.
kids could play out of sight for hours, and parents often delegated the
task of watching toddlers to not-much-older siblings.
7. Kids rode in the flatbeds of pickups.
No seatbelts or seats, obv. Or windows, or roof. Sitting up on the tailgate of a moving pickup was just for older kids, though.
8. Lawn darts were a popular toy.
Possibly the most famous
dangerous kid's toys ever, lawn darts caused over 6,000 emergency
hospital visits and three children's deaths before they were banned in
9. Helmets were for losers.
protection just wasn't a thing, whether you were riding a bike, roller
skating, or skateboarding. If you'd worn a helmet while out riding your
bike (unsupervised, naturally), everyone would have simply thought there
was something wrong with you.
10. Playgrounds were more "adventurous."
Exposed nails and splinters
were the norm in many local playgrounds, and metal climbing frames
encouraged kids to climb 20 feet into the air above gravel or asphalt.
(There was none of the soft rubber or wood chips that breaks the falls
of today's kids.)
11. Kids got to do themselves serious damage.
in the day it was normal to have at least one friend in a plaster cast
at all times. This was considered a fun opportunity to cover the cast
with graffiti, rather than a sign of negligent parenting. Concussions
and stitches were also a regular part of every childhood. Fun times!
12. The cargo areas of station wagons were treated as free form play areas.
not only were kids driven around without seat belts or car seats, they
were also plopped into the back of station wagons with no seats to speak
of at all, and left to run free in the wide open spaces--or to get
slung from side to side of the car, depending on how fast Dad took the
bends in the road.
13. Ideas about healthy foods for kids were totally misguided.
were fed ice cream on the regular as a healthy source of calcium, and
all elementary-age schoolkids drank soda like it was water. Admittedly
kids today *still* get fed soda and ice cream, but nowadays most parents
have an inkling that it's not the greatest idea.
14. Lead paint was still used on toys.
paint was only banned for toys in 1977, which is fine because kids
NEVER put toys into their mouths and chew on them, right? Right?? Lead
paint also tastes sweet which meant that kids couldn't get enough of the
stuff. It was eventually banned because can cause stunted growth,
kidney damage, and delayed development, not to mention death.
15. Kids had more opportunity to do illicit things...
...like smoking cigarettes, considered the pinnacle of cool adults activities by 1970s tweens.
16. Kids ran wild!
climbing trees, scaling fences, exploring the woods, and jumping
streams were typical childhood activities, all without a parent in
sight. The adults would have no idea if you'd fallen and broken your
neck, or given yourself tetanus on a rusty nail.
17. Older kids were child minders for younger kids.
led to kids in scenarios like the above photo, in which a 5-year-old
takes his one-year-old kid brother for a helmet-less, seatless bike ride
around the neighborhood.
18. Kids were encouraged to hitchhike.
remember this privilege was usually reserved for older kids - say, 9
years old and up. If you were really lucky you'd get to ride in the
flatbed of a pickup ;)
19. "Stranger Danger" hadn't been invented.
Mom would look on and smile as you accepted unwrapped candy from a stranger at the store.
20. Choking hazards filled your toy box.
the 1970's you could buy this Battlestar Galactica toy, which was the
reason for mandating the choking warning you now see on kids' toys with a
piece smaller than a beach ball. The Battlestar Galactica Viper had a
firing missile, which a 4-year-old tragically shot in his mouth and
choked to death in 1978. Mattel (the makers) were sued and the choking
hazard warning came to pass.
21. The middle seat in front seemed a safe place for kids to ride.
a 70's kid, the middle seat in the front was OBVIOUSLY the best seat
because then you could control the five available radio stations,
completely unrestrained except for mom's arm which would automatically
swing out whenever she had to stop suddenly.
22. Pregnant moms smoked and drank.
It still happens now,
everyone will judge you to be crazy and irresponsible. But back in the
1970's it was totally normal and accepted to smoke and drink alcohol
throughout one's pregnancy.
23. "Latchkey kids" were everywhere.
the rise of divorce and single-parent families, kids as young as 7 were
given their own house keys and told to let themselves into the house
after school or stay home alone during vacations while their parents
worked. This would often entail preparing food and trying not to fight
with your siblings or set the house on fire.
24. Playdates were usually adult-free too.
So you could break a leg at your BFF's house without his mom and dad noticing either.
25. 1970's kids got to play with fireworks.
Explosions. What could go wrong? Some of the more popular fireworks
with 1970's kids were firecrackers, bottle rockets, smoke bombs, ground
flowers, and roman candles. These types of fireworks mostly exploded
close to the ground produced but they were still capable of doing some
26. Cooking unsupervised was a normal part of being a kid.
you were old enough to be a latchkey kid, you were probably old enough
to heat up food on the stove before mom or dad got home.
27. Kids had their own secret spaces where they'd vanish for hours.
As a kid in the '70's and
'80's, it was a special kind of fun to find or build your own secret
hideout. It might be an abandoned building, or a dubiously-constructed
treehouse built in the nearby woods. Either way, it was somewhere you'd
hang out for hours without any parents having the faintest clue where
These items listed above could also apply to children of the forties, fifties and sixties. | <urn:uuid:15a6d8a1-2efd-4062-9627-547dbe5997ec> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://byeby2day.blogspot.com/2015/02/ | 2017-08-16T14:56:54Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886102307.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170816144701-20170816164701-00280.warc.gz | en | 0.979149 | 1,763 |
The more I've learned about history the more I've noticed glaring differences between the way we've historically schooled and the way we are today. Of course, things change for a reason. Penelope Trunk makes a great point when she points out that labor laws for minors forced the government to establish mandatory education, because what else were people supposed to do with their children all day if the children weren't allowed to work in factories alongside their parents? However, that doesn't necessarily mean that mandatory and public education is necessary anymore, especially during a time when more and more parents are working from home. As Trunk points out, "Today's New York Times makes it so clear that the United States education system was our way of getting kids out of factories. Everything in this country is set up assuming that parents have no idea what to do with their kids. We're now six generations past the parents who put their kids into factories. None of us could ever imagine doing that now. And most of us have a lot of good ideas about what to do with family time."
Her point is well put. If there are historic reasons why we do or don't do things, then why can't we change again to match where we currently are in history?
- Kids aren't meant to be grouped by age. For most of schooling history in the United States children were all grouped together based on proximity rather than age. When every one has to walk to school, it's unlikely that you'll get a whole classroom full of six year olds. Rather, all ages are working together simultaneously. Not only is this helpful for socialization, giving older children responsibility and younger people role models, but it also fosters learning, since children are rarely "fifth grade level" or "fourth grade level" in ever single subject. In the American Girl Doll series, Kirsten, who is a Swedish immigrant, learns with the younger children because she doesn't speak English. But does that mean she is forced to sit in a classroom with younger children or is relegated to a secluded classroom so someone can work with her alone? Nope, she just pays attention when it comes to learning to read. I get to see this daily in my own house. My son is 3 and is beginning to read and write and can do some basic addition. He can't do these things because he's in some special montessori school, or because I work with him all day. He can do it because his sister is constantly sharing her knowledge. In the book How Children Succeed author Paul Tough notes that one of the most effective ways for children to retain knowledge is having them "teach" it to someone else. But how are you going to do that when you're in a group where you're all supposed to be on the same level?
- Children are learning too much too soon. There is an episode of Dick Van Dyke where Rob and Laura's son Richie is thought to be exceptionally intelligent because he knows how to read basic words like "and" and "the." He's six years old. Today, a first grader who doesn't know how to read will be sorely behind. The problem isn't that children are forced to learn things that are too difficult, but rather that the expectations for the sheer bulk of knowledge is too great. Children need more time to play because play, more than any other thing, teaches children. While American schools are moving towards more integrated learning, the intense focus on reading and math basics leave little room for any play based learning. In the old British schooling system most children did not attend school until at least age 8, and those that could afford it would homeschool longer before packing their children off. They understood that children need more time to be children. In many cases, too much too soon actually breaks your brain. As Jay Griffins wrote in The Guardian: "In 1960, Denmark (with Japan) had the world's highest suicide rate. Sweden's rate was almost as high, but what of Norway? Right at the bottom. Hendin was intrigued, particularly since the received wisdom was that Denmark, Sweden and Norway shared a similar culture. What could possibly account for such a dramatic difference? After years of research, he concluded that reasons were established in childhood. In Denmark and Sweden, children were brought up with regimentation, while in Norway they were free to roam. In Denmark and Sweden, children were pressured to achieve career goals until many felt they were failures, while in Norway they were left alone more, not so much instructed but rather simply allowed to watch and participate in their own time. Instead of a sense of failure, Norwegian children grew up with a sense of self-reliance."
- Learning isn't integrated enough. With common core curriculum children practice and practice and practice the fundamentals of reading and math, the thinking being that without mastery of these basic skills all other learning is compromised. However, when we look at many of the great thinkers, their biography's rarely read that they mastered phonics and addition at a young age. Rather, they had PASSION for a subject, and mastered it because they enjoyed it. I jokingly talked the other day about how I've read too many novels where children read things like Homer and so it gave me unrealistic expectations for my children. What I meant wasn't that my children couldn't enjoy Homer. In fact, my daughter and I read Antigone earlier this year, which she loved. Rather, that I had assumed in my basic mastery thinking that a child reading Homer must mean said child had high comprehension levels, a large vocabularly, could sound out large words, etc. I've learned that none of these things were true. Children a long time ago did not read things like Homer or Pilgrims Progress because they could understand every little plot twist, but because the beautiful language captivated them and moved them to continue exploring these great works. This is how learning works. You have interests and learn basics through your interest.
- There is a bad cultural attitude around school. One of the biggest reasons why we decided to homeschool rather than switch school systems or try a private school is because of the attitudes around school today. It is a joke, every one knows it is a joke, and there is little reason for children to treat it any different. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I had a lack luster school performance because I wasn't challenged enough. I don't say that to mean that I'm some genius, in fact I think most children aren't challenged enough. I know that doesn't seem to make sense when so many kids are performing so badly in school but this is my logic. In elementary years when children complete a task early, they sit and wait. They poke the child next to them. Maybe day dream. There is no stimulation. They hear parents complain about school, they hear teachers complain about school, they hear their older siblings complain about school. As they progress in their school career the lack of self-exploration and stimulation combined with a consistently bad attitude around school creates a blase, apathetic, and at worst antagonistic attitude towards school. It combines the worst attitudes of "this is too easy it isn't worth my time" and "this is too hard and no one is helping me so why should I care" to create an entire attitude of "school sucks." You can hear this in how parents talk about school too. "This homework is ridiculously hard, I can't even do it!" "Why do I even send you to school since you don't learn anything!" "I can't believe you didn't do well on that paper, I think it's great!" In many of the school systems Americans admire, like Sweden's, Japan's, Norway's, everybody knows that school is serious, and it is treated as serious rather than the frivolous thing to be gotten through that it is here.
There's this great episode in Louie where Louie is at a parent-teacher meeting and all of the parents and teachers are trying to brainstorm ways to help the children learn and Louis goes "Yeah, but there's really only so much we can do because...you know, it's school." Everyone just stares at him. "Don't you remember when you're little...you know, school sucks." This is exactly why I have little hope for schools drastically changing anytime soon because ultimately people think it's school, school sucks. The culture has to change before public schools can do much good.
- Life should not be so rushed. It's a fact that the least stressed people are the happiest, and it's is also a fact that our children today are more stressed than they've ever been. If you think about the modern school day children get up and are off to school by 8, come home around 4, have an hour or two before dinner to do homework or extra curricular activities, dinner, then an hour of free time before bed. At most, children have 2 hours a day which are their own, to do what they want. But often those hours and weekend hours are taken up with after school activities. Where is the time for family? Where is the time to cultivate interests? Where is the time to just sit? It's not surprising children spend so much of their free time watching TV...it helps them to decompress after a long day.
- Green space= more knowledge. Remember those old TV shows from like the 50's showing children playing outside all the time? Modern studies have shown that all of that outdoor time helped children learn and retain their knowledge from school. So much so that some are starting to say that limited access to green space is one of the "learning disadvantages" inner city children have....along with lack of nutrition and poverty and unstable families. Not only do children have limited exposure to the outdoors while they're in school, but often after school activities and homework leave little to no time for children to have unplanned free time. The APA recommends against things like video games because they produce a sedentary lifestyle, but what is more sedentary than sitting at a desk for 7 hours a day? This is obviously directly related to the epidemic of childhood medication. If you wonder how people used to get their children to behave so well in school or church it probably had more to do with the fact that children had more time to get their energy out than rigid disciplinary techniques.
- Open access to information should make it easy for every one to homeschool. In the past rich people had tutors. They had access to information and informed people. Today, there is absolutely no reason why the vast majority of Americans should not live as the rich used to. The internet has become the great tutoring tool, and many academic minds are consistently available to share information, whether they be found in a museum, a zoo, or a university. Information is free in a way it never was before, except for the very wealthy.
- Children learn better from their parents than from teachers. Ok, that's not always necessarily true. But any teacher will tell you that the biggest difference between successful children and unsuccessful children is the amount of parental involvement with homework. Yet, studies have shown that homework has little academic benefit. So what then is making children learn more? Parents. That is because the kinds of things that help children learn aren't tests or special methods, it's character building traits like discipline, patience, and resilience. The kinds of things children don't learn from teachers but do learn from their families. Historically speaking schools did teach these values but with the modern P.C. culture and parents no longer being ok with teachers acting as...well, parents....character building is sorely lacking in children. And that's a problem, not because Christian values in our culture are deteriorating or something but because character building traits are how people learn. People with them who have access to education will go far, people without wont, as simple as that.
Maybe that's why one of the biggest legs up disadvantaged parents can give their children is to school them at home
As always, I don't think that everything was better in the glorious past. I'm not romanticizing the history that was, for many children, full of hard work. But the kinds of things that are time tested ways that humans succeed are often undermine by new ideas based on made-in-a-bubble research. It's almost as if we've taken out the foundational aspects of learning and left only the superfluous structures. I feel like most of the great lessons of our age is realizing that many of our modern improvements are actually hurting us, whether it's organic food or the over-dependence on pharmacudicals and schooling is no different. There is always room for new innovative thought, but it should not come at the expense of thousands of years of human thought and tradition. When your new ideas don't work it's not because people aren't applying them correctly, it's because there is something wrong with your idea. As people like to say, Evolution > modern culture. So where then do we go? I think a good start is to rethink a lot of things that we feel are immovables. Things I've talked about here, like mandatory education, starting children as early as possible, having teachers work as babysitters rather than instructors. Until then, families are going to continue moving out of the schooling system. And we're one of them. | <urn:uuid:832b8d77-e27e-40f4-97f6-900889270a17> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://childrenschooling.blogspot.com/2013/11/ | 2017-08-16T15:18:57Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886102307.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170816144701-20170816164701-00280.warc.gz | en | 0.985387 | 2,724 |
The opinion of the court was delivered by: Cooper, District Judge
This matter comes before the Court on a motion for partial summary judgment by plaintiff Arthur J. Maurello ("Maurello") against defendant United States of America (the "United States"), and a cross-motion for summary judgment by the United States against Maurello, both pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56. Maurello seeks to establish the United States' liability under the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2674 (the "FTCA"), alleging that the United States Bureau of Prisons (the "Bureau") negligently or intentionally failed to admit him into an earlier residential drug treatment program while he was incarcerated at Federal Prison Camp Allenwood ("Allenwood") in Pennsylvania, thereby subjecting him to an additional fifty-one days of imprisonment. The United States seeks to avoid liability on Maurello's claim alleging that the Bureau had no duty to place Maurello in an earlier class and that the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over this action because, pursuant to the discretionary function exception to the FTCA found at 28 U.S.C. § 2680(a), the United States has not waived sovereign immunity to this action. For the reasons expressed in this Memorandum Opinion, we hold that this Court lacks jurisdiction over Maurello's claims because they are essentially a claim for false imprisonment and the FTCA's waiver of sovereign immunity does not apply to a claim arising out of false imprisonment in these circumstances. Accordingly, Maurello's motion is denied and the United States' motion is granted.
On March 27, 1995, Maurello began serving a 36-month sentence at Allenwood, which is run by the Bureau, following his conviction for fraud offenses. *fn1 (Aff. of Arthur J. Maurello filed 3-9-00 ("Maurello Aff.") ¶ 2.) On May 26, 1995, Maurello applied for admission into Allenwood's residential substance abuse treatment program, which is offered to inmates with a treatable condition of substance abuse or addiction pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, codified in relevant part at 18 U.S.C. § 3621(b) and (e) (the "Treatment Provision"). (See id. ¶ 3.)
The Treatment Provision requires the Bureau to "make available appropriate substance abuse treatment for each prisoner the Bureau determines has a treatable condition of substance addiction or abuse." 18 U.S.C. § 3621(b). The time within which the Bureau was required to comply with the Treatment Provision was to be phased in over three years:
[S]ubject to the availability of appropriations, [the Bureau] shall provide substance abuse treatment (and make arrangements for appropriate aftercare)--
(A) for not less than 50 percent of eligible prisoners *fn2 by the end of fiscal year 1995, *fn3 with priority for such treatment accorded based on an eligible prisoner's proximity to release date;
(B) for not less than 75 percent of eligible prisoners by the end of fiscal year 1996, with priority for such treatment accorded based on an eligible prisoner's proximity to release date; and
(C) for all eligible prisoners by the end of fiscal year 1997 and thereafter, with priority for such treatment accorded based on an eligible prisoner's proximity to release date. 18 U.S.C. § 3621(e)(1) (emphasis added).
As indicated by the above underscored language of the Treatment Provision, priority for treatment is to be based on an eligible prisoner's proximity to release. Id. The Treatment Provision also provides an incentive for eligible inmates who have not been convicted of a violent offense to participate in the program:
The Period a prisoner convicted of a nonviolent offense remains in custody after successfully completing a treatment program may be reduced by the Bureau of Prisons, but such reduction may not be more than one year from the term the prisoner must otherwise serve. 18 U.S.C. § 3621(e)(2)(B).
The Bureau's policy when Maurello was participating in the program was to grant all inmates who had successfully completed the program and who were eligible for early release the full one year custody reduction unless the inmate had less than 18 months remaining on his sentence upon completion of the program, in which case the inmate would be released after completing his required placement for 180 days at a halfway house. (See Pl.'s Mem. in Opp'n to Def.'s Mot. for Summ. J. filed 4-3-00 ¶ 14 n.12 and Ex. C: Resp't's Br. filed 4-22-96 at 11, Hines v. Crabtree, 935 F. Supp. 1104 (D. Or. 1996) (No. 96-498-HA) (brief filed by the United States citing Program Statement Number 5162.02 dated 7-24-95)); see also Hines, 935 F. Supp. at 1110 (recognizing Bureau's policy of granting one-year reduction to all eligible inmates who completed program).
Allenwood's program lasts almost nine months and in accordance with Bureau policy each class is supposed to be limited to 24 inmates. (See id. ¶ 4; Report to Congress at 7; Decl. of Richard Findlay filed 3-13-00 ("Findlay Decl."), Ex. 1: Program Statement 5330.10 dated 5-25-95 ("Program Statement") § 5.2.1.)
During the Spring and Summer of 1995, Allenwood staff maintained and frequently updated a waiting list of eligible inmates. (2Maurello Aff. ¶ 6.) Among other things, the waiting list included each eligible inmate's projected release date, and such inmates were placed into each next available class based upon the inmates' proximity to release. (Id.) The waiting list was maintained by the programs director, Richard Findlay, Ph.D. ("Dr. Findlay"), and eligible inmates were permitted to inquire of Dr. Findlay from time to time regarding their status on the list. (Id. ¶ 7.) In connection with Maurello's application for admission into the program, Maurello was asked to submit documentation from outside sources to verify his alleged history of alcohol abuse because Maurello's central file and his pre-sentence report did not indicate that he had a documented substance abuse problem. (Decl. of Richard Findlay filed 3-13-00 ("Findlay Decl.") ¶¶ 12-13 and Ex. 3.) On or about June 20, 1995, Dr. Findlay received a handwritten letter from Dr. Steven I. Wolinsky dated June 15, 1995 stating that Maurello "had an alcohol dependency for several years up to 3/24/94." (Id. ¶ 13 and Ex. 4.) Soon thereafter, Dr. Findlay confirmed the authenticity of Dr. Wolinsky's letter. (Id. ¶ 14.)
Maurello alleges that during the week of June 18, 1995, Dr. Findlay told him that he was eligible for the program. (Maurello Aff. ¶ 7; 2Maurello Aff. ¶ 5.) On July 3, 1995, Tim Fahy, a drug treatment specialist at Allenwood, completed a Residential Treatment Eligibility Interview of Maurello and determined that he met the criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence. (Findlay Decl. ¶ 16 and Ex. 5.) On July 7, 1995, Maurello was given a Progress Report dated June 29, 1995 by Allenwood staffperson J. Cramer. (Maurello Aff. ¶ 7; 2Maurello Aff. ¶ 5.) The report, which was signed by the Case Manager and Unit Manager for the B Unit, indicated that "Maurello has not yet participated in any formal counseling programs. However, he has applied for and been accepted into the ADAPT Program with a tentative start date of July 18, 1995. This program is designed to help him deal with an alcohol abuse problem." (Maurello Aff. Ex. B: Progress Report dated 6-29-95 at 2, ¶ D.)
The next program class, Class 12, was scheduled to begin, and did begin, on July 18, 1995. (Maurello Aff. ¶ 12.) In mid-July, a few days prior to the actual start of class 12, Maurello asked Dr. Findlay to confirm whether or not he would be participating in Class 12. (Id. ¶ 15.) Dr. Findlay told Maurello that Maurello would not be in Class 12, but would probably be in Class 13. (Id.) Maurello asked Dr. Findlay if there were inmates in Class 12 with projected release dates later than Maurello's. (2Maurello Aff. ¶ 11.) Dr. Findlay told Maurello that there were inmates admitted to Class 12 with later release dates than Maurello but that those inmates had already been moved into C-Unit (the building housing treatment participants) and that a decision had been made not to move them out again. (Id.) At least four inmates who participated in Class 12 had projected release dates that were later than Maurello's release date. (Id. ¶ 12.)
The United States claims that Maurello was not admitted into Class 12 because he was not found eligible for the program until after admission for Class 12 had been finalized. (Findlay Decl. ¶¶ 16-18 and Ex. 5.) The United States argues that Dr. Findlay exercised his judgment in determining when residential treatment program classes were finalized. (Id. ¶ 19.) The United States asserts that inmates accepted into a class have to be physically moved to the unit where the inmates will be housed during the program. (Id.) The United States claims that based upon the number of inmates to be moved (24), the requirements of the residential treatment program, and the obvious security, organizational, and logistical concerns inherent in a prison environment, Dr. Findlay had to establish a deadline for admission into any residential treatment program ... | <urn:uuid:9aa4420f-e1d5-4db4-abfc-f1be3c57e522> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://nj.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20000630_0000223.DNJ.htm/qx | 2017-08-16T15:14:45Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886102307.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170816144701-20170816164701-00280.warc.gz | en | 0.956746 | 2,082 |
I am a very flawed individual. I am physically flawed, sure, but mostly when I say I am flawed I am referring to my mental state. In the past 17 months, I have had frequent visits with both a psychiatrist and a therapist, and we have been taking aim at those flaws. We have made great strides, but there are things about me that are so innate that it's difficult to wish them away. As anybody who has struggled with severe depression for a long time can tell you, a pill can help, but it is not the ultimate solution. We must constantly reexamine ourselves in order to address our myriad flaws.
Among all my flaws, I have one that is bigger and more impactful than all the rest. It is fundamental to my being, and it informs so much of my life. To tell the story of this flaw, I want to refer to my experience playing Star Wars: The Old Republic, because that game recently laid this particular flaw in my character bare and forced me to face it directly.
In order to explain this, I must get into the gritty details of the game for a moment, because I know many of you don't play it. So please bear with me, as this will get a bit technical.
My main character in SWTOR is a Jedi Knight, with the Sentinel specialization. This was not my first character, but I consider it my main because it was my first Republic character that I leveled to 50, and my Republic guild is far more active than my Empire guild. Because of that, I do a lot more endgame content and am far more involved in the gear grind on that character than I am with my bounty hunter, my first 50.
Star Wars: The Old Republic recently laid this particular flaw in my character bare and forced me to face it directly
Each class in SWTOR has an energy source from which the characters draw in order to do most of their moves. When that energy source is depleted—or, as is the case with the bounty hunter, your heat limit is exceeded—you cannot do any more of your moves that require that energy. For the Jedi Knight, this energy is referred to as focus. You start out with zero focus, and you earn some when you do certain, low-powered moves.
There are two skill points I have earned that, before update 1.4, made me an efficient killer. The first is Focused Slash. This skill point makes it so that, when you earn all the tiers of the point, you will have one focus point refunded every time you use the three-focus move Slash. The second skill point is call Zephyrean Slash, and this point, when all tiers are purchased, makes it so that when you crit [perform a critical hit] on Slash, you have two focus points refunded. Thanks to the skill point Swift Slash and my decent critical rating, that means that 40 percent of the time, Slash is free and does over 2k damage. With those skill points, Slash, which has no cooldown, became the most frequently used move in my rotation, because it was so efficient to do so. There are other moves that do more damage but require at least three focus points, and so I opted for that efficiency.
And then you have the ability called Zen, unlocked by a long-winded combat process I won't bother to explain here, which made Slash free no matter what for six seconds while in the combat stance I used. Because the two skill points I mentioned above refund focus points when you use Slash you'll be rolling in focus after Zen wears off.
I'm sure some players reading this are scoffing at my over-reliance on Slash, but it worked well for me. In PvE, I was doing a lot of damage very quickly without needing to do much to build focus.
SWTOR Game Update 1.4, however, changed things. With this patch, Zen doesn't make Slash free, instead building two focus every half-second for three seconds, which pretty much worked out the same way it did previously; you end up with a lot of focus even if you're using moves that require focus during it.
But it was the change to Zephyrean Slash that really got to me. Instead of refunding two focus points with every Slash critical, it made it so that Slash and a couple other moves slightly reduce the cool down on the abilities Force Sweep and Zealous Leap. I viewed this change as a nerf, because it meant I would have to throw in a lot more focus-building moves into my combat rotation, messing with my efficiency.
I was pretty distressed about this. I had been playing this character and my Sith Marauder—the Imperial equivalent of the Sentinel—a certain way for a long time, and it had been going well. I had found a good way of progressing through the game, but Bioware had messed with my process.
Let me break here to talk about my life outside the game for a minute. As I indicated at the top of this column, I suffer from very severe depression, and I have been struggling with it for about half my life (I am 25 years old). I have suicidal thoughts regularly.
When adversity hits, I don't handle it well. Back in January I lost my job, and two weeks later I was trying to hang myself in my bathroom. The only reason I'm not dead right now is because I was too drunk to keep myself from sending an angry suicidal rant to my best friend in response to a text I got while I had a PSP power cable around my neck. I even manage to foil my own suicide attempts.
My primary reason for existing has been those parts of my entertainment that I enjoy the most, and nothing more.
So now you know what I mean when I said before that I am mentally flawed. When something changes, I get upset. When I perceive that change as a negative, I usually start to think about killing myself. That's the way my mind has trained itself to work over the last twelve years. Sure, I'm getting treatment these days for my mental illness, but it's not easy to undo that kind of mental conditioning.
The big thing that had been holding me back is that I just don't treasure my own life, which is why for most of my adult life I didn't buckle my seat belt when I drove. I have said things in the past like, "I don't want to die because I'd like to see how Battlestar Galactica ends." I said something similar about Mass Effect, and I repeat that sort-of joke about college football every summer. My primary reason for existing has been those parts of my entertainment that I enjoy the most, and nothing more.
When Bioware made those changes to SWTOR, I didn't think about committing suicide. But I did consider not playing the game anymore. That was a shocking twist for me, because I love SWTOR. I have spent more time playing this game than any other in my life. But Bioware had betrayed me, I thought. My groove was no longer valid, and considering that the Knight and the Sith Warrior have the best stories, lore-wise, in the game, I felt like if I had to give them up it might be too painful to continue playing other toons.
After about an hour of that thought rolling around in my head, I realized just how ridiculous that was. All I had to do to continue enjoying these characters would be to change my combat rotation. Force Sweep and Zealous Leap and Blade Storm are great, very useful moves, and I had been neglecting them due to efficiency concerns. Now that my efficient rotation was no longer valid, I could add them back into the rotation, and things would be fine.
I'm sure this seems totally obvious to most of you reading this, but it was a revelation to me. In my life, I seek sameness and comfortable things. Once I figure out how to do something, I don't want that process to change. I crave stability.
In my life, I seek sameness and comfortable things. Once I figure out how to do something, I don't want that process to change. I crave stability...I was slowly coming around and figuring this out.
This change to SWTOR forced me to face that flaw in my character head on. Sure, learning to deal with adversity is the key point in my therapy sessions, but that was theory. In reality, I was slowly coming around and figuring this out, but I hadn't yet been able to promptly deal with what I thought were the bad things that happened to me. When facing an issue like this in the real world, I would fall into depression and not come out until the bad feelings faded, rather than directly addressing those feelings. I was avoiding these issues.
This update put my problem in very stark terms that I can easily comprehend. I could give up on these characters that I enjoy, or I could adjust to this change. Since this was a problem that put my entertainment—entertainment that is particularly important to me—in jeopardy, I had to take it very seriously. Once I made my decision to continue playing while making changes, the real-world parallels became clear.
I have spent a lot of time over the past ten years self-analyzing, but we all have blind spots. Because I hate change so much I had been missing this one the whole time, even while mental health professionals were gently directing my gaze toward it. But, for me, it took my entertainment to make me see what was probably readily apparent to those around me.
That's a blind spot eliminated, thanks to SWTOR. Now you can't ever say that video games never did any good.
Phil Owen is a freelance entertainment journalist whose work you might have seen at IGN, GameFront, Appolicious and many, many other places. You can follow him on Twitter at @philrowen. | <urn:uuid:d6dbcf41-96fd-410f-8241-7d503d3c3246> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://kotaku.com/5950572/how-a-simple-change-to-a-star-wars-video-game-helped-me-fight-depression?tag=guest-editorial | 2017-08-17T13:47:16Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886103316.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20170817131910-20170817151910-00360.warc.gz | en | 0.982468 | 2,048 |
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#4 Increase your home or business value
Several research studies have actually found that homes geared up with solar energy systems have higher home values and sell quicker than non-solar houses. Appraisers are significantly taking solar setups into factor to consider as they value houses at the time of a sale, and as property buyers end up being more informed about solar, demand for properties equipped with solar panel systems will continue to grow.
#5 Increase U.S. energy self-reliance
The sun is a near-infinite source of energy and an essential element of achieving energy self-reliance in the United States. By increasing our capability to generate electrical energy from the sun, we can also insulate our nation from price variations in global energy markets.
#6 Develop jobs and help your regional economy
According to The Solar Structure, the solar market added jobs at a rate almost 12 times faster than the total U.S. economy in 2015, representing 1.2 percent of all tasks in the nation. This development is anticipated to continue. Because solar-related jobs have the tendency to be higher paying and can not be contracted out, they are a considerable contributor to the United States economy.
#7 Secure the environment
Solar is a great way to lower your carbon footprint. Buildings are responsible for 38 percent of all carbon emissions in the U.S., and going solar can substantially reduce that number. A normal property photovoltaic panel system will remove 3 to 4 lots of carbon emissions each year-- the equivalent of planting over 100 trees annually.
#8 Show your commitment to sustainability
Sustainability and corporate social responsibility are necessary parts of an organization's culture and values. They likewise produce bottom line results. Increasingly, consumers and neighborhoods are recognizing and rewarding businesses that decide to operate properly. Organisations are finding that "green" qualifications are an effective driver of consumer acquiring choices, producing goodwill and improving business results.
#9 Start Saving from Day 1
Solar purchase power agreements (PPAs) and solar leasing has made it possible for property owners to go solar for little or no money down.
Many property owners pick to fund their solar panels with among the "pay-as-you-go" funding options. This suggests that a third-party company-- the solar provider-- owns the solar system and takes care of setup, upkeep, monitoring and repairs. You simply pay the solar supplier for electrical power-- less than you would've paid the energy business.
As of June 2013, 75% of all American houses have access to pay-as-you-go solar.
#10. Solar is a Secure Investment
The energy companies are notorious for their changing and undependable electrical energy costs. There is clearly an upward pattern.
With photovoltaic panels and easy mathematics, we can calculate how much electrical power will be produced, and most importantly, at what cost, for at least the next 20 years (fixed energy expenses).
What are the various payment options?
We have many flexible purchasing agreements for customers who would like to install a new home solar system. There are three different payment options, making them a viable choice for customers of all budgets. The payment options include Lease, PPA, and Purchase.
- Low, fixed payments each month
- System insurance for 20 years, including maintenance
- Flexible end-of-term options, including system upgrade, lease extension, and free panel removal
Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
- We own the solar panel system
- $0 down for installation
- Customers only pay for the solar energy that they use
- Customer pays for the system upfront and owns the system
- System monitoring and maintenance for 20 years
- Receive 30% federal tax credit
- See a return on investment within 7-10 years
What happens when the contract for my lease is finished?
We provide our customers with a few different options for when their lease contract is up. Customers can upgrade their equipment to the newest solar technology available, extend the agreement, or have the panels removed at no cost.
What is the warranty?
The Lease and PPA include a 20-year warranty during the lifetime of the system. This warranty exceeds that of most other solar installers’ warranties.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Maintenance Do Solar Panels Require?
How Often Do Solar Panels Need To Be Replaced Or Repaired Roughly? Is It Costly To Do So?
I'm assuming you're asking about solar electric. If I'm wrong, just ask another question specifying water heating solar.
Solar panels today come with a 25-year performance warranty. Here's a warranty example http://ap.suntech-power.com/images/stori... . That means that not only do they guarantee the panel won't completely die, they guarantee that it will deliver a certain amount of power. That suggests that manufacturers expect most panels to last longer than 25 years.
Our panels have been up a little over 5 years - no trouble yet.
In a dirty location, or where the panels are mounted flat, occasional cleaning may be required. In many place, the morning dew and slant of the panels is enough to keep them clean. In my limited experiments with our panels, I saw little difference in power production between a panel that appeared dingy to the eye, and one that was just cleaned.
There is a component called an inverter used in most solar power systems. That generally has a warranty of 10 years, so expect it to break after 15, to be replaced at a cost of a few thousand dollars. Or maybe repaired for less.
The kind of solar power popularly installed today does not use batteries. Batteries are generally only for remote installations that did not have grid power when the solar was first put up.
How To Select A Good Solar Panel/Cell?
What Are The Criterias To Be Considered?
Selecting a good solar panel/cell is a tedious task requiring a lot of considerations. Understanding solar panel and how it works will greatly help in answering the question.
Solar energy begins with the sun. Solar panels, also known as photovoltaics, are used to convert light from the sun, which is composed of particles of energy called "photons", into electricity that can be used to power elecrical loads. Light from the sun is a renewable energy resource which provides clean energy, produced by solar panels.
Solar panels can be used for a wide variety of applications including remote power systems for cabins, telecommunications equipment, remote sensing, and of course for the production of electricity by residential and commercial solar panel systems.
While technologies are constantly evolving toward higher efficiencies, the most effective cells for low cost electrical production are not necessarily those with the highest efficiency, but those with a balance between low-cost production and efficiency high enough to minimize area-related balance of systems cost. Those companies with large scale manufacturing technology for coating inexpensive substrates may, in fact, ultimately be the lowest cost net electricity producers, even with cell efficiencies that are lower than those of single-crystal technologies. Solar cells are manufactured primarily in Japan, Germany, USA, and China, though numerous other nations have or are acquiring significant solar cell production capacity.
Having said what has been said, it is worthwhile for you to visit the link and search the panels that suit your need.
What Car Would Be The Most Fuel Efficient?
Im not sure if your asking which mass produced cars are the most fuel efficient or in general what type of car is most fuel efficient.
Obviously, a car that goes not use fuel would be most fuel efficient. Some examples would be an electric car (a Tesla) that you plug in at home where you use solar power to generate the electricity. Another example would be a hydrogen buring car, or hydrogen fuel cell car where you produce the hydrogen from water with solar or wind power.
As far as what is out there on the market right now, the Tesla, but its about $100,000.
The prius which is very affordable, plus you get tax rebates. You can also get some solar panels for the top of the car and a aftermarket modification that allows you to plug it into any receptical. Doing all of this can basically allow you to not have to buy fuel unless you are going on a very long trip (over 200 miles) where you would be getting about 125 miles per gallon.
What Size Solar Panel Do I Need?
I Am Going Camping For 9 Days At Eaa Airventure On The Field With No Power... I Want To Bring Some With Me. I Have Two 12V 1000 Cranking Amp Gel Batteries. I Want To Supply A 12V Outlet For Charging My Phone And Running My Laptop. I Also Want To Run An Ac/Dc Converter So I Can Run A Fan Or A Light In My Tent. I Would Like To Put A Charging Meter And A Meter To Tell Me How Much Power Is Left. I Don'T Plan On Running The Batteries Down To Dead. ...Question Is, What Size Solar Panel Do I Need To Charge The Batteries So They Are Ready To Go The Next Night? Thanks For Your Help!
Since most of the little ones give only 15 to 30 W of power this is not much. Considering you laptop will need about 90 Watts per hour.
And even if you get the 30 W panels which are fairly large and expensive, you generally only get 30 W out in direct sunlight at the right angle.
Thus you will need several of them just to power your laptop for the time the sun is out. Then you need additional ones to charge it for the night.
It would be better and cheaper by far to get a small electric generator that uses gas to charge your battery and use your products.
Where Can I Find Trina Solar Panels Right Now?
I Need Trina Now.
Can you please elaborate on why you need this particular brand and what you are going to do with them? | <urn:uuid:1b2611fb-c664-49f2-8504-7d44c59b3ad1> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://windyleaks.com/residential/massachusetts/lawrence/cost-for-solar-panels-ma.php | 2017-08-17T13:41:56Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886103316.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20170817131910-20170817151910-00360.warc.gz | en | 0.937392 | 2,663 |
Kristin Gallegos is a make-up artist and personal friend of mine. Her style has always inspired me. She is one of those people you can't help but love.
I had the pleasure of meeting Kristin a few years back. If my memory serves me well, we were at an infamous party held at "Luke and Leroy". Both of us were new to NYC and shared a 11211 zip-code (Williamsburg, BK). Kristin had relocated to NYC from LA, ready to take the city by storm. Kristin truly is one of the hardest working people I have ever met. I'm glad to have had the pleasure of watching Kristin blossom from a some-what shy girl who only wore vintage, into the dynamic fashion power house she is today. Here's a look at what Kristin is working on now & looking forward to in 2010.
Photo by: Hanneli Mustaparta
WW: How long have you been doing make-up now?
KG: 5 & 1/2 years in NYC
WW: What agency are you with currently?
KG: Bryan Bantry
WW: Where did you get your training?
KG: A workshop at Studio Makeup Academy at Sunset Gower Studios in Hollywood, Ca. But mostly from assisting Dick Page and Lisa Butler, amongst others.
WW: How old are you? haha, I know you shouldn't ask a lady that!
KG: How dare you!!! A lady never tells!!!! Just kidding, I am 28!
WW: What is your favorite color?
KG: I am known for wearing all black. Although that really isn't a color, its my favorite. If I had to pick an actual color it would be "Greige", a mixture of grey and beige.
WW: What project/s are you currently booked or working on?
KG: I just shot the Victorinox Swiss Army Campaign with Collier Schorr, V Magazine with Peter Lindbergh, Glamour with Arthur Elgort, and just got back from India where I was shooting Vogue India with Jean Francois Campos!
WW: How was India? did you get to any out door markets or sight-see?
KG: India was an amazing experience! It was unlike anything I have ever seen in my life. Being in a third world country really makes you appreciate what you have. It puts everything into perspective. I unfortunately worked most of the time and if I wasn't working I was traveling within the country to the next location. So I didn't get to do much exploring. But I had a lot of fun and had two amazing shoots there.
WW: Who are you looking forward to working with during Fashion Week?
KG: Naeem Khan is always a pleasure to work with each season. And my good friend Katie Gallagher. She got a lot of buzz last season for her first show. I think this season will be amazing for her.
WW: Who are you looking forward to seeing during Fashion Week?
KG: I always look forward to seeing Carine Roitfeld and Anna Dello Russo! They really know how to bring it! And hopefully there will be a Lady Gaga sighting...
WW: Are you working overseas this fashion week or just traveling?
KG: I am not traveling to Europe for fashion week this season but definitely Paris for next season!
WW: Crazy that we are in a new decade? 2010! What are you excited about this year? Any resolutions?
KG: I am very excited for the new decade! I think my career is going to go to the next level this year! I am excited for more traveling and working with more amazing people. As for resolutions...I'm already on track with them but I'm not telling!!!
WW: You've always had such a great sense of style. What are you adding or changing to your style come Spring 2010?
KG: Oh thank you!! I plan on adding some Spring '10 Givenchy, Rick Owens, Peter Pilotto, Ann Demeulemeester, Hannah Marshall (a friend), Katie Gallagher, and perhaps some Commes! And more white, nude, and grey! I am also open to an amazing print. As you can see I have a little bit of a shopping obsession!
WW: Honey! obsession is an understatement! I can't help but feel slightly responsible for feeding you to the fashion wolves, so to speak. Please tell me you're feet will be adorning the McQueen 10'' amazingness!!?
KG: Well you can't take full credit! But you helped me take it to another level. I don't know if the McQueenadillos are even being sold. But I have photos of me wearing them on a shoot! They are major!!! It's like walking in pointe shoes. Lucky for me I have 8 years of crazy ballet training behind me!
WW: How would you describe your personal style with both make-up and clothes?
KG: My personal style is very dark. As I said I mostly wear black. I love interesting shapes and silhouettes. I usually wear tight black jeans with some short of amazing shape up top or really short skirts and dresses! And I love a bold shoulder! In make-up I rarely change my look. It's always a strong black smudgy eye with lots of mascara. A natural face and lip. On rare occasion I go completely natural or I will add a red lip. That's always shocking!! My look has been called "luxury goth", which I find funny! And I get that I resemble Cher from the 60's a lot!
Photo by: http://facehunter.blogspot.com/
WW: What key make-up looks are you liking for SP '10? & What should be left in '09?
KG: I loved the bold lips on the runway that we saw at Givenchy, Prada, and Rodarte to name a few. Also the absence or focus on the eyebrow. I also loved the severe eyes at Rick Owen! Stunning!
KG: What should be left in '09 is the super 80's inspired make-up a la Marc Jacobs!
WW:If you had a palette of colors that was signature to you, what colors would make up this pallette?
KG: I definitely use a lot of neutral tones. There would be black, white, terracotta, variety of greys, various taupes, nudes and browns. But I love pops of color as well so I would also throw in some red, pink, purple, blue, green, orange, and yellow! I love it all!
(Here is a little palette I put together inspired by KG.)
WW: What are your thoughts about a bold lip?
KG: I LOVE a bold lip. Not everyone can pull it off though. It takes a lot of self assurance. And some people just don't have the lips for it! I think if you are going to go for a bold lip it has to be the right shade for you as well. And my advice is not to pair it with a dark eye. Choose to focus on your eyes or your lips. Most people cannot pull off a full face!
WW: Is less more?
KG: I think for the everyday woman, less is more. Especially on the skin. Most women think they need a full face of foundation when they should really only conceal where needed. Subtle enhancements on the face are always best. But there are exceptions to this as well. People that have "a look" and can pull off more, by all means do it. It just has to be well done and appropriate. But, in fashion, sometimes more is more! I love to experiment and really take it there in my work.
WW: Who/what is inspiring you at the moment?
KG: What always inspires me is the person in my make-up chair. I work very organically. I have ideas of course but once the person is in my chair and I start working the face in front of me inspires what the outcome will be. And obviously the clothes are very inspiring to me. Editorial is a very collaborative effort. So the styling and hair will also inspire me. It really all depends. In general I am inspired by my travels and the different cultures I have had the pleasure to see. And I am inspired by art, movies, pop culture, and music.
KG: As far as my personal style goes I am inspired by various time periods like the 60's, 80's and 90's. My style icons are: Edie Sedgwick, Siouxsie Sioux, Patti Smith, Anita Pallenberg, Robert Smith, and Nico.
WW: What bands are you listening to lately?
KG: The usual suspects: Joy Division, New Order, The Smiths, The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Beatles and The Zombies. I like to stick to the classics!
WW: And who are you wearing most?
KG: I am wearing a lot of Rick Owens, Ann Demuelemeester, Margiela and some Givenchy.
WW:Quote of the moment?
KG: "In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different." -Coco Chanel | <urn:uuid:8f3ceedd-aaf1-40b3-8e10-bac5b77db75d> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://colorandlore.blogspot.com/2010/02/interview-kristin-gallegos.html | 2017-08-20T04:07:16Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886105970.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20170820034343-20170820054343-00600.warc.gz | en | 0.970072 | 1,946 |
Bare Knuckle Humbuckers - Cold Sweat and Miracle Man Review
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==Reasons for Replacement==
==Reasons for Replacement==
My Explorer was sounding a bit one-dimensional, with stock pickups being very hot and great for hard rock and heavy metal, with full deep tone but often missing subtleness and versatility with cleaner sounds (and
My Explorer was sounding a bit one-dimensional, with stock pickups being very hot and great for hard rock and heavy metal, with full deep tone but often missing subtleness and versatility with cleaner sounds (and in between). At the same time basses in the neck sounded a bit boomy and had issues of muddiness when played at the bridge with heavy distortion, especially as compared to the EMGs on my other guitar. I was looking for new pickups that could handle metal very well including drop tunings, but with enough versatility and dynamics for a range of other tones as well. Bare Knuckle's Tim Mills recommended the Cold Sweat/Miracle Man combination.
Original Author: Shime
Make: Bare Knuckle
Model: Cold Sweat and Miracle Man
Price paid: 100 € each (local BKP dealer Belgium)
Replacing: Stock Gibson 496R and 500T humbuckers
Description and Specs
Cold Sweat Humbucker
Web ad/description (you can find it here):
"Screaming highs and ultra fast bass response harness all the drama of thunder and lightning!
The Cold Sweat humbucker is designed for the rock guitarist seeking evolved vintage attitude with a completely modern edge. Coils of vintage correct plain enamel wire are scatterwound by hand and powered by a custom sized ceramic magnet [note: it's an alnico for the neck - Shime]. The tone is enormous with a detailed intensity and incredible amounts of high end cut and fluid sustain."
Technical Specifications (neck position)
Hand wound passive humbucker, black, open-poled
Magnet: Alnico V
Coil split option installed
Miracle Man Humbucker
Web ad/description (you can find it here)
"Straight talking attitude, colossal power and trademark harmonics. The Miracle Man features individually scatterwound exposed coils and a powerful ceramic magnet for maximum drive and clarity. Tight bass, smooth mid range response and an articulate top end prove that power need not be a substitute for tremendous sound quality."
Technical Specifications (bridge position) Hand wound passive humbucker, black, open-poled
Coil split option installed
Reasons for Replacement
My Explorer was sounding a bit one-dimensional, with stock pickups being very hot and great for hard rock and heavy metal, with full deep tone but often missing subtleness and versatility with cleaner sounds (and everything in between). At the same time basses in the neck sounded a bit boomy and had issues of muddiness when played at the bridge with heavy distortion, especially as compared to the EMGs on my other guitar. I was looking for new pickups that could handle metal very well including drop tunings, but with enough versatility and dynamics for a range of other tones as well. Bare Knuckle's Tim Mills recommended the Cold Sweat/Miracle Man combination.
This pickup combo does everything I was looking for and so much more. Tonewise the Cold Sweat and Miracle Man each deliver as advertised on the Bare Knuckle website. Both in their respective positions sound full and deep yet very clear. Excellent control and channeling of the Gibson's mahogany wood tone, no boominess or muddiness. Tight note definition, plenty of punch but retaining maximum articulation when played even with heavily saturated distortion; subtle and sparkling cleans. The pickups are perfectly voiced for their respective neck and bridge positions. The key words are balance, versatility and dynamics for both, with added 'power' (Miracle Man) and 'depth' (Cold Sweat). In combination, three positions (neck, middle, bridge) together with split coil options on both pickups provide for an incredible range of tonal options, from drop-tuned modern metal to vintage rock, blues and jazzy cleans.
Sound quality - Specific Impressions
This appreciation is inevitably subjective and also depends a great deal on the kind of gear you play. So I start with some notes on the equipment I use and which I can compare the pickups with. Then I give some impressions on sound quality from 'metal' to 'clean' and everything in between.
Equipment Used/Compared to
Pickups/guitars:- Stock Gibson 496R and 500T humbuckers in the Explorer
- EMG S-S-81 active pickups in my 1986 Aria Pro II stage III Mega Metal series (alder body, maple neck, rosewoord fingerboard)
- Fender hot single coil pickups in my American Vintage '62 reissue Jaguar (alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard)
None except for the amps' spring reverb; gain and overdrive on the tubes, with added distortion (boss ml-2) and dynamic exciter for metal sounds on the Fender 75
Metal (mainly Miracle Man, bridge)
The Miracle Man in the bridge is suitable for anything metal-ish from 80s thrash to contemporary metal & metalcore, in standard as well as dropped tunings (I haven't gone below dropped Db for now). Chugging is bliss on these, there's punch, attack and tight bottom end. Note articulation and definition remain intact with the heaviest of distortions, even when strumming open chords. Sound is superb on the mids as well for high-gain leads (here I tend to a/b switch from the Peavey to my mid-boosted Fender amp). On the high side no harshness is detected even in the most trebly settings. Sustain is massive, but that I think is more an issue of woods, necks and amps.
As compared to the EMG81 in my alder metal axe (**drumroll**), the Miracle Man has the same aggressiveness, tightness and punch, being slightly more organic at the same time. The EMG81 continues to have a slightly more compact edge on the lows. With the same amp settings, the Miracle Man in my mahogany Gibson is even a bit louder than the EMG81 in my Aria. In short: the EMG remains true to its metal reputation, but if ever there was a high output passive humbucker for metal, then the Miracle Man is it! Compared to the original stock pickup, the Miracle Man takes away all the boominess and muddiness of the Gibson 500T and tonewise only leaves the memory of a rather dull and lifeless sound. The same goes for the Cold Sweat in the neck as compared to the Gibson 496R.
Cleans (mainly Cold Sweat, neck plus various neck/bridge combinations with Miracle Man)
This is where this pickup combo truly takes off and leaves the other ones lightyears behind. No effects necessary; the dynamic response of the pickups, combined with the wood of the guitar, tone/volume controls, the neck/middle/bridge switch and coil splits gives me a whole spectrum of beautiful jazzy clean and bluesy semi-clean tones. I wish I knew more clean stuff! But with this combo I could just endlessly strum or arpeggiate simple clean chords in different ways and at different speeds, without ever getting bored. The depth and subtlety of esp. the Cold Sweat alnico neck pickup is amazing. On clean settings these pickups make my Peavey 6505 sound like a boutique vintage amp (I kid you not; impossible to do with EMGs nor with the Jaguar single coils). And when I switch to my Fender tube amp... Before, I thought nothing could beat the cleans of my Jaguar when played through my Fender 75. Now, with the Bare Knuckles with coil splits in my Gibson Explorer, I don't even need the Jaguar anymore (I sold it as a matter of fact). I'm sure there's plenty of good pickups for clean sounds, but for now the Cold Sweat has some of the most beautiful cleans that I have ever heard.
Blues to vintage and hard rock (Miracle Man - Cold Sweat combo)
I have only begun to scratch the surface here but as may already be obvious from the above, there's a huge range of tonal possibilities for anything from extreme metal to jazzy cleans depending on amp settings and the amount of tube gain and overdrive you use these pickups with. Most of your favourite blues rock & vintage tones can be captured without effort - Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Lynyrd Skynyrd, SRV, etc. etc. etc.
Service and support at BKP is exemplary, staff are extremely knowledgeable and friendly. All my questions by e-mail were answered within 2 hours max (!). Explain what you are looking for and Tim Mills and his people will point you in the right direction. Their recommendation of the Cold Sweat / Miracle Man combo turned out to be a full hit.
These pickups may be expensive but they are well worth their money. Until now I owned and played a Gibson Explorer with Gibson 496R/500T pups, an Aria Pro II metal axe with EMG 81/S/S pickups, and a Fender USA Jaguar with hot single coils. Tonewise, this combo covers them all - and then some. Truly amazing.
- Harmony Central user reviews: Miracle Man; Cold Sweat
- Sound clips for these and any other Bare Knuckle pickups can be found here (recording sound clips myself didn't make any sense as I don't have the proper recording equipment) | <urn:uuid:755db899-c564-4c01-a58b-b81bec36d2dc> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/wiki/index.php/Bare_Knuckle_Humbuckers_-_Cold_Sweat_and_Miracle_Man_Review?diff=24859&oldid=prev | 2017-08-20T04:10:43Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886105970.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20170820034343-20170820054343-00600.warc.gz | en | 0.928581 | 2,028 |
With a third box set, and the second to comprise entirely full-cast adventures, the Third Doctor, bless his little bouf, is back with us again. As before, Tim Treloar presents his on-the-button interpretation of Jon Pertwee’s eponymous Third Doc, ably assisted by Katy Manning’s Jo Grant, in a duo of stories set late in Ms Grant’s run.
First up is Nick Briggs’s The Conquest of Far, which is less a sequel to and more a direct continuation of TV’s Planet of the Daleks. The planet of Far is home to one of humanity’s greatest feats of spatial engineering – but it has been invaded by the Daleks, and is now a mere chess piece in a deadly intergalactic game. Can the Doctor save Far from complete oblivion?
Andrew Smith’s The Storm of the Horofax completes the set. A mysterious alien, apparently peaceful but with the ability to see the future, has made contact with the crew of Royal Navy destroyer. But who are the Horofax, and what are their true designs for the peoples of Earth?
Summer is always a good time for a blockbuster – if the promise of warmth comes good then it is a great way to relax, and if rain should encroach then it provides entertainment as respite.
Now it’s time for Big Finish to join the party, with another bombastic entry for Kate Stewart and Osgood taking aim at the holidays in UNIT: Assembled. For the fourth boxset featuring the latest UNIT lineup, Big Finish goes all the way back the 70s (or was it the 80s?) and a Silurian menace threatening humankind.
Good job they’ve got some old friends to call up – but the Silurians aren’t on their own either…
It is a beautiful but rare thing, the thud of a new Scarifyers audio on the metaphorical doormat – but we live in miraculous times, for such a thud has just been heard. Yes, for the first time since 2014’s The King of Winter, Messrs Crow and Dunning of MI13 are back in The Gnomes of Death. This time the pair are having to deal with the mysterious appearance of depeditated corpses (that’s having had their feet cut off), followed by Morris dancing, the odd Indian god or two and copious amounts of real ale. Just another weekend in 1930s Britain, then.
Although the culprits are telegraphed a little before the story has even begun – not least by the title and cover illustration – as with all Scarifyers stories it’s really the rollercoaster of the narrative, rather than the abrupt halt of the denouement, that’s the joy of the thing. And a veritable rollercoaster it is, too: in the grand tradition of scripts from writers Simon Barnard and Paul Morris, it’s a mix of adventure and comedy that never compromises the one for the other, but simultaneously seems to go overboard in providing each. Achieving that balance is quite the feat, and I only wish I could do it myself. (I can. Please pay me. You know you want to.) (more…)
BBC America have been sharing some of the cool Doctor Who stuff you’ll be able to pick up at Comicon (more tomorrow!).
In a remarkable series of ever hostile tweets, Edward Russell, Senior Brand Executive (formerly Brand Manager) of Doctor Who, took to social media tonight to belittle the very stars who queue up to star in the hit BBC One television series, all for the sake of gaining column inches.
Next week is the start of the two part series 10 finale, which sees Missy (Michelle Gomez) and the Master (John Simm) together for the first time. The pair are seen either side of the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) as they put their own chilling spin on the iconic poster image that previously accompanied Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor. Will Missy stay good? Is it an act? Just who is the Master wanting to kill? (taking love yourself a bit too far?)
Simm will return to Doctor Who as the Master for the first time since New Year’s Day 2010, when he was responsible for the regeneration of the Tenth Doctor. This time the Master will come face-to-face with Missy, his later regeneration, and battle the Doctor during the series’ two part finale which begins next weekend.
The episodes will also feature the return of the Cybermen – including the original Mondasian Cybermen, for the first time in over 50 years – plus Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie) and Nardole (Matt Lucas) in an epic adventure that will change Doctor Who forever.
Doctor Who’s series finale begins with episode 11, World Enough and Time, at 6:45pm on Saturday 24 June on BBC One. It concludes on Saturday 1 July with episode 12, The Doctor Falls – an extended, 60 minute episode.
Once a year, Torchwood Cardiff does a different kind of public service – it helps the local police with long-idle cold cases.
Naturally, PC Andy jumps for this opportunity to follow in Gwen’s footsteps, though she isn’t to be his liaison – for what better member of Torchwood for Corpse Day than the currently-rather-dead Owen?
Together, Andy and Owen investigate a trend of missing girls, and soon end up far deeper than they expected. It’s not just The Rift that spirits people away, and sometimes humans can be more vicious and disturbing than anything beyond this planet…
Since the series came back in 2005 the one constant, for regular episodes, has been a prime time slot on Saturdays. While the time of year and the time of day have jumped about frequently each season has sat proudly in the Saturday schedules. But could this end next year?
A source close to production has told us that Series 11 will air on Sundays. When asked if this was in response to the drop in ratings no answer either way was forthcoming.
Will the Bells of St John now be ringing after Songs of Praise? Or will the BBC hold it’s nerve and keep Doctor Who as a flagship Saturday TV special?
We may have S11 for sure, but will when we get it turn out to be more of a surprise than the contents of the vault?
BBC America have given us a shiny new trailer and squee inducing clip for this weeks episode: Oxygen.
Adrian Poynton’s Dethras is an interesting addition to the Fourth Doctor range. Its plot is something of a staple of Who – and I won’t go into much more detail for fear of giving too much away – but Poynton’s execution is full of, well, the bonkers. And I do love a nice bit of bonkers in my Who.
Bonkers, you ask? Well, yes. A WWII (or thereabouts) submarine that’s literally out of this world leads quickly to a talking chimp and marauding space cockroaches (well, that was my take) – and things don’t get all that much saner from thereon in. But the mark of a well-written play is in the resultant insanity’s consistency, and it has to be said that Poynton’s story really does continue to hang together. The bonkersness is only a backdrop to an exploration of things that, well, it has to be said have been well explored before in Who, but are none the worse for being explored again. A complete bastard who has a reason for being so. A guilty party who feels the guilt 110%. A talking chimp.
Nick Briggs directs, Lalla Ward and Tom Baker star, Jamie Robertson does the sound design and music, and David Banks goes “eek” a fair bit. And they all do it with the customary aplomb. It’s pretty-much flawless, and – apart from the lack of K9, who really should be contractually obliged to be in every Big Finish production (whether Tom Baker’s there or not) – it’s a great addition to the range. More from Poynton soon, please.
Dethras is available from Big Finish
Written By: Adrian Poynton
Directed By: Nicholas Briggs
Tom Baker (The Doctor), Lalla Ward (Romana), Alistair Petrie (John), Shelia Ruskin (Flague), Josh Bolt (Philip), Brian Vernel (Robert), John Banks (Franklin), Jane Slavin (Xankari/ Teacher).
Producer David Richardson
Script Editor John Dorney
Executive Producers Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs | <urn:uuid:0bf136d8-102c-498f-aaed-108f0969dedf> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.outpostskaro.com/?option=com_comprofiler&task=userProfile&user=102&Itemid=63 | 2017-08-21T23:47:02Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886109682.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20170821232346-20170822012346-00040.warc.gz | en | 0.937075 | 1,857 |
Plans released in November show commitment to transitioning from coal to clean energy to address air pollution and climate emissions
This is part one of a two-part blog covering China’s new 13th Five Year Sub-plans on Climate, Environment and Power, written with Noah Lerner, Princeton-in-Asia Fellow in NRDC's Beijing office
With uncertainty hanging over the U.S.’s future climate contributions under the Trump Administration, three new Thirteenth Five Year sub-plans released recently by the Chinese government on controlling greenhouse gas emissions, environmental protection and development of the power sector provide assurance that China will continue to deepen its environmental and climate actions regardless of any change in U.S. policies. These sub-plans add concrete measures and targets to the climate goals outlined in China’s overall 13th Five Year Plan for Economic and Social Development released last spring. (See our previous analysis on that plan). The Greenhouse Gas Control and Environmental Protection plans reinforce what is happening on-the-ground in China as the country is likely to achieve its third year in a row of reducing coal consumption, contributing to a reduction of its carbon dioxide emissions by about 0.7% last year.
China’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Control Work Plan and Power Sector Development 13th Five Year Plans (FYPs) came out just as countries convened in November for the COP22 climate negotiations in Marrakesh, Morocco, while its Ecological and Environmental Protection 13th FYP (hereafter referred to as the Environmental Protection 13th FYP) was released later in the month. Covering a comprehensive set of policies, these documents lay out benchmark goals for 2020 that will put China on track to over-achieve its 2030 Paris goals, strengthen enforcement of environmental laws and standards, and continue its transition to low carbon energy. While challenges remain, including addressing the remaining pipeline of planned coal power plants that risk becoming stranded assets under China’s low carbon transition, the policies set a clear direction for continued action that will help reduce China’s and global greenhouse gas emissions, and improve environmental quality and public health in China. In this blog post, we discuss the significance of the GHG control and Environmental 13th Five Year Plans. The climate implications of the Power Sector plan will be covered in a second blog post.
China’s Roadmap for Controlling Greenhouse Gas Emissions During the Next Five Years: Strengthening control of CO2 emissions and coal consumption
The State Council released its 13th Five Year work plan to control GHG emissions (Chinese) in early November just before the Marrakech COP, reaffirming China’s commitment to do its part in combatting global climate change. The plan begins by reiterating a key climate goal: China will peak its CO2 emissions by 2030 and make its best efforts to peak earlier. To do this, the work plan sets out a range of targets and policies related to controlling and reducing CO2 emissions, including reiterating goals to reduce China’s carbon intensity (CO2 emissions per unit of GDP) by 18% by 2020 compared to 2015, reduce energy intensity by 15%, increase non-fossil energy to 15% of the energy mix (from 12 percent at the end of 2015), and increase forest stock volume and coverage to 16.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) and 23.04 percent, from 15.14 bcm and 21.66 percent as of 2015.
The GHG Control work plan also reiterates a total energy consumption cap target of 5.0 billion tons of coal equivalent and a coal consumption cap target of 4.2 billion tons for 2020. This 4.2 billion coal consumption cap target was included in the 2014-20 Energy Development Strategy Action Plan, but this is the first time that a 13th Five Year Plan has included the target. Both the GHG Control work plan and the Environmental Protection 13th Five Year Plan include strengthened policies on controlling coal consumption, given the importance of this task to controlling China’s GHG emissions and its PM 2.5 and other air pollution. The GHG Control work plan notes that severe air pollution regions and cities should continue to reduce their coal consumption after 2017, the final year of the 2013 Air Pollution Action Plan that established the original coal consumption reduction mandates for the Jing-Jin-Ji (Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei), Yangtze River Delta (Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu) and Pearl River Delta regions.
Recognizing that reducing coal consumption is key to improving air quality, the Environmental Protection 13th FYP (Chinese) adds a goal to reduce coal’s share of total energy consumption to 58 percent by 2020, compared to 64 percent in 2015. It also establishes specific coal consumption reduction targets for key air pollution regions: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan and the Pearl River Delta are to reduce their coal consumption by about 10 percent by 2020, compared to 2015; while Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Anhui are to reduce their coal consumption by about 5 percent. Given the significant coal consumption in these regions, this will result in a reduction in coal consumption of about 140 million tons by 2020 if the regions all fulfill their targets. This would be equivalent to eliminating the annual coal consumption of South Korea, thus demonstrating the Chinese authorities’ continued focus on transitioning China’s energy structure from coal to cleaner energy.
Also under focus is reducing coal consumption in China’s cities, requiring all prefecture-level cities that do not meet China’s air quality standards to achieve an 18% reduction in their average annual PM 2.5 levels by 2020. The Environmental Protection 13th FYP specifically calls on China’s 10 cities with the worst air quality, to continue to implement their plans to reduce coal consumption. The use of “dispersed coal,” i.e., the coal for residential heating and cooking and small-scale industrial boilers, mainly in rural areas, also comes under aim, given its disproportionate contribution to air pollution. In Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, for example, studies have found that cleaning up dispersed coal emissions could reduce PM 2.5 levels by up to 32%. The GHG Control work plan and Environmental Protection plan set targets to reduce dispersed coal use by replacing it with natural gas and electric heating, expanding district heating and green buildings, and upgrading and phasing out smaller inefficient boilers. Urban areas with district heating and natural gas networks are to ban the use of dispersed coal.
Given that China’s coal consumption was 3.96 billion tons in 2013 and has continued to fall in 2014, 2015 and this year, we believe the 4.2 billion ton and 58% coal consumption cap targets can be achieved and even improved upon. The China coal consumption cap project’s research for the 13th Five Year Plan coal cap policy recommends a 2020 coal cap target of 3.5 billion tons and 55 percent of total energy consumption, achievable by reducing excess industrial capacity, expanding energy efficiency and non-fossil energy, and implementing fiscal, tax and market measures to account for coal’s environmental and climate impacts. Strengthening implementation of national, sectoral and local coal cap targets to reduce coal consumption to 3.5 billion tons (compared to the study’s reference scenario of 3.9 billion tons) would reduce PM 2.5 emissions by 1 million tons and prevent 71,000 premature air-pollution-related deaths per year, while helping China contribute greatly to addressing global climate change by avoiding 850 million tons of CO2 emissions.
The GHG Control work plan includes several other key measures to address coal consumption and develop low carbon models, as well as address other non-CO2 GHG emissions:
- Large power generation companies must achieve a fleet-wide average of 550 grams of CO2 emissions per kWh by 2020, which requires that they continue to expand their low-carbon generation resources such as wind and solar while limiting the operation of their coal power plants. This strengthens the 2015 target of 650 grams of CO2 emissions per kWh. According to the 13th Five Year Plan for Electricity Development, Chinese coal power plants in 2015 consumed an average 318 grams of coal equivalent per kWh, emitting 890 grams of CO2 per kWh, while a wind or solar farm emits zero. Based on 2016 electricity generation data, the Chinese electricity system as a whole in 2016 emitted about 620 grams of CO2 per kWh. While the 550 grams of CO2 per kWh is a significant target, there is a need for greater transparency, including a regular scorecard on how power generators are doing in meeting this target.
- The work plan directs economically developed regions to peak earlier than the national 2030 target, including supporting efforts by the 23 Chinese member cities of the Alliance of Peaking Pioneer Cities (APPC) to set targets and develop plans to peak early. It also sets specific carbon intensity reduction targets of 12-20.5% for each province, and calls for establishing 50 pilot “near-zero emission zones,” expanding the current low-carbon cities program from 42 to 100 cities, and establishing 80 low-carbon industrial zones. It also calls on certain heavy industry sectors to peak their CO2 emissions by around 2020.
- Finally, the plan notes that China will establish a national carbon market next year, which will cover all enterprises that emit over 10,000 tons of coal equivalent in eight major industries. By pricing carbon, China is seeking to expand the role of market forces in developing, manufacturing and operating low carbon energy sources, technologies and practices. The work plan calls for strengthening monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) at the national, local and enterprise levels, and developing a complete carbon cap-and-trade system by 2020 with active trading, strict management, and transparency.
- Importantly, China’s GHG Control work plan is looking beyond CO2 to strengthen policies to control other GHG emissions, including methane and HFCs. This includes reducing methane emissions in the agricultural sector and in municipal waste and sewage treatment. In line with the recent Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol, the State Council’s GHG Control work plan also calls for developing an action plan to control the emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), man-made “super greenhouse gases” used as refrigerants and other applications. The plan also sets new targets for controlling emissions of one type of HFC, HFC-23, a greenhouse gas with 14,800 times the warming effect of CO2, requiring that all HFC-23 emissions basically be destroyed according to the standard, and reducing HCFC-22 production and consumption (HFC-23 is a by-product of HCFC-22) so that production in 2020 is 35% less than that in 2010.
With the GHG Control and Environmental Protection 13th Five Year Plans, China is showing its commitment to deepening policies to reduce coal consumption, develop low carbon technologies and policies, and pursue a path towards cleaner development. Key to this energy transition will be greening the electricity sector. In our next blog, we review the 13th Five Year Plan for power sector development and the challenges and policies needed to develop a low-carbon power sector. | <urn:uuid:5994fbb3-a67e-478d-8154-2495aa1b5339> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://www.nrdc.org/experts/alvin-lin/chinas-new-plans-deepen-action-climate-change | 2017-08-22T00:01:41Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886109682.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20170821232346-20170822012346-00040.warc.gz | en | 0.930915 | 2,325 |
Methadone is an Opioid. Methadone is synthetic by nature. Methadone is also an analgesic. Methadone is basically recommended for the chronic drug abusers. Methadone has been found to be an ideal medication for the treatment of addiction from narcotic substances. Of late, methadone has been widely recommended for patients suffering from chronic pain. Methadone’s effective action remains for long duration. Moreover, Methadone is quite cheap as well. As per the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, methadone is included in the list of Schedule II drug.METHADONE METABOLISM
There are two reasons as to why Methadone effects last longer than other morphine drugs. First, methadone’s lipid solubility is quite high. Second, methadone metabolism is slow. Most importantly, the dependence incidence of patients is low. Hence, there is less danger of a heroin detoxified patient treated on methadone getting hooked to the synthetic opioid. Methadone keeps intact the analgesic effects from a day to two at the most. IDEAL FOR DE-ADDICTION UNITS
Methadone is ideal for the de-addiction units particularly because of the life of a methadone dosage. Moreover, methadone can be given by injection or even orally. For instance, a single daily dose of methadone is enough to keep under control any heroin addict for the entire day. TOLERANCE & DEPENDENCE OF METHADONE
The tolerance and dependence of methadone increases as one keeps on taking more doses of the synthetic opioid. In this aspect, methadone is similar to heroin. However, the tolerance factor as well as the effects (physiological) differs. Still, it has been found that methadone leaves no tolerance to constipation. However, the other opioids do leave tolerance effects on the patients especially with respect to constipation. Mentionably, analgesia tolerance appears in the first month after one starts taking the drug. But, tolerance to nausea, sedation and respiratory depression commences within four days after one takes such medications. METHADONE & NDMA
There is a close link between methadone and the brain receptor known as NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartic acid). Methadone can even control tolerance and psychic dependence. This is possible because of its strong reaction against opioid. It is due to this reason that patients taking methadone exhibit lesser withdrawal symptoms than those who are into heroin or morphine. Nonetheless, the methadone withdrawal symptoms linger more than the latter.THE METHADONE LAUNCHER
Methadone was commercially launched by Eli Lilly and Company, a pharmaceutical company. THE INVENTORS OF METHADONE
German scientists Methadone Gustav Ehrhart and Max Bockmühl jointly synthesized methadone in 1937. They were in search of an analgesic in the Hoechst-Am-Main (IG Farben) laboratory. Their mission was to invent such an analgesic that would solve the twin problems faced by surgeons during surgical operations. SOLVING SURGEONS’ SETBACKS
First, surgeries were rather problematic with the then extant analgesics. Secondly, the commonly used analgesics were having a high addiction effect. So, both the German scientists found out that synthetic analgesic which would have low addiction effects on the patients and also would be easier to use. They called it Polamidon or Hoechst 10820. PATENT RIGHTS
It was on September 11, 1941 that the duo filed for patent rights. The structure of this invention was totally different from and least connected with the opioid alkaloids or morphine. Nonetheless, methadone brings about the same types of effects as heroin or morphine. This is because methadone acts on the opioid receptors. Among the opioids, methadone has the simplest chemical composition.AMERICAN CHAPTER
The Americans came to know of methadone as an analgesic in 1947, courtesy: Eli Lilly and Company. It then rechristened Polamidon or Hoechst 10820 (methadone) as Dolophine. It was under this registered name that methadone was subsequently registered to Roxane Laboratories. Incidentally, the term ‘Dolophine’ has its roots in the German word Dolphium. The Latin word dolor means ‘pain’ while phine means ‘end’.
In the USA, Dolophine (Methadone) was first manufactured by the St. Louis-based Mallinckrodt pharmaceuticals. It is a subsidiary of the Tyco International Corporation. Mallinckrodt enjoyed the patent up to the early part of the 1990s. It still remains the major manufacturer of methadone. The producers of methadone generic preparations also collect their bulk consignments from Mallinckrodt. Nonetheless, many other pharmaceutical companies also produce and distribute methadone today. Moreover Mallinckrodt sells its typical brand of methadone named Methadose as oral concentrate and dispersable tablets in the United States.THE HITLER LINK…
There is a belief that the German creators coined the name ‘Dolophine’ as a tribute to Adolf Hitler. The Church of Scientology also buttresses this with the data that the earlier name for this synthetic analgesic was actually ‘Adolophine’ or ‘Adolphine’. To make matters worse, vocal Scientologist and actor Tom Cruise also backed the literature in 2005. He was giving an interview to the Entertainment Weekly. However, the weekly soon came out with a follow-up story which nullified the claim. It is, however, now established that the term ‘Dolophine’ was coined by the American wing of the Eli Lilly Corporation after the World War. What is more, the magazine put the lid on the controversy by proving that the 1970 nomenclature of ‘Adolphine’ (which wasn’t ever used for the drug) was also brought into being in the States. THE METHADONE ADVANTAGE
The low cost of methadone as well as its effectiveness over a long period of time made it rather popular too. While 30 days dose of the analgesic Demerol cost $ 125 in the fag end of 2004, the equivalent amount of methadone cost $20.METHADONE COUSINS
There are many drugs similar in composition and effects to methadone. They are Buprenorphine, heroin (diamorphine), ORLAM and dextropropoxyphene.
Buprenorphine and methadone are used in the UK and many other countries for the treatment of narcotic addicts. Heroin is also known as diamorphine. Many countries allow heroin to be prescribed for patients undergoing detoxification programs. Heroin is also given to patients taking treatment for many other opiate addictions.
Interestingly enough, an Austrian study shows that orally tendered morphines are more effective than its oral methadone counterpart. Patients developing immunity to many traditional detoxification programs positively respond to a combination of morphine and a low dosage of methadone.
ORLAM is a synthetic compound. It is also known as LAAM. It is composed of levo-alphacetylmethadol. LAAM ‘s effects last from 42 to 72 hours. This compound was okayed as a medication for the patients suffering from chronic narcotics addiction in 1994. LAAM is also included in the US Controlled Substances Act (Schedule II). After reports were received that LAAM intake caused cardiac complications in some people, it was withdrawn from the American and the European markets.
Dextropropoxyphene is popular as a pain reliever. In the USA, more than 100 ton of this oral analgesic is produced annually. It is most effective in patients suffering moderate pains.
Dextropropoxyphene overdose is reported to have been the cause of many deaths especially among the recreational youth generation. In fact, it is among the top 10 such drugs in the USA. Dextropropoxyphene is included within Schedule II of the US Controlled Substances Act. However, medications containing Dextropropoxyphene are put in the Schedule IV. Its strength can be gauzed from the fact that aspirin takes 600 mg to be equal to just 65 mg of Dextropropoxyphene. It was first marketed in 1957 as Darvon.METHADONE ABUSE
Methadone abuse is not common primarily because it is not strong. Besides, the addicts prefer such opioids whose effects are instant or fast. In this aspect, methadone is rather slow. But abusers use the snort method to elicit a stronger euphoric and faster effect. There are, of course, occasional reports of deaths occurring due to methadone overdose. Such instances are more among the perennial drug abusers. Such habituated abusers go for methadone species like the ‘Street Meth’. Many illicit drug markets sell methadone as alternatives to other opioids. METHADONE ABUSERS
Such demands are usually from three types of people. Those addicts who had at one point of time taken methadone as a part of medical regimen may again feel a strong tendency to go for methadone. Moreover, kin of patients having methadone may fall easy prey to the synthetic drug. There can also be a demand for methadone from the habituated opioid abusers if they are unable to get hold of any other brands. METHADONE ILLICIT MARKET
The methadone consignments enter the illicit drug market via two ways. Methadone packets usually get diverted into the illicit market from the destinations. It can also enter the drug market through theft. This is done mainly from the shippers or from the factories. Such methadone consignments rarely find their ways to the illicit drug market from the patients prescriptions.THE METHADONE DEBATE
Of late, there has been a growing controversy about the efficacy of methadone. This is notwithstanding its proven track record that methadone is an opioid analgesic. There has been a rise in the number of methadone related deaths around the globe. Many vouchsafe that methadone is intimately connected with the drug abusers. Above all, there has not been a single scientific report that methadone is an ideal medication for relieving chronic pain. One thing is for sure, though. Methadone does not possess any extra-strong pain relieving effects compared to the other opiates. It has, however, been established that methadone is far more dangerous than most opiates. It is for such reasons that many physicians do not encourage methadone use.
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By Mary Koepke Amato and Maria Mihalik Higgins
Photos by Danelle Frisbie
Each year, more toys that buzz, crawl, squish, transform, and whir hit the market. With all the neon colors and movable parts out there, it's no wonder that many parents overlook one of the most powerful learning toys of all time: plain wooden building blocks.
With a smorgasbord of smooth, unbreakable blocks spilled our before them, children will eagerly build their own town, airport, or space station, and then use their inventions for fantasy play. According to experts in early childhood education, this kind of constructive, creative activity is exactly what promotes healthy emotional and intellectual development.
In his book Miseducation: Preschoolers at Risk, child psychologist David Elkind says that blocks are the first thing he hopes to see when he walks into a preschool classroom or daycare center. Unlike most commercial toys, blocks are considered a fundamental learning material, since they don't come with a prescribed recipe that children are supposed to follow. Similar to clay and paint, blocks become whatever children want them to become.
Harriet Cuffaro, professor of early childhood education at New York City's Bank Street College of Education, teaches block workshops to teachers-in-training. "Blocks have possibilities, but no clearly designed purpose," she says. "The child decides what to do with each block."
At the same time, blocks are not malleable like paint and clay, providing an additional challenge. If Jeremy wants to make a tunnel out of blocks, he can't just draw it or shape ir, he has to figure out how to use the given form to create a three-dimensional reality. Children need to spend a lot of time experimenting with manipulative materials, Cuffaro says. Blocks are not just for preschoolers, either: block play with older children can be even more stimulating.
If all you've seen is a two-year-old tornado knocking down her just-finished towers, you might question the educational benefits of block play. Step through the doors of a school in which block building is the foundation of the curriculum, however, and you'll see what incredible learning a few simple wooden shapes can inspire.
At the City & Country School, a private school in New York City for children ages 2 to 13, blocks are everywhere. Each Monday, teachers in the lower grades hold "block meetings" in which children decide what kind of structures they'll make. Throughout the week, block cities grow bigger and broader. In one week, a six-year-old boy will construct an apartment building with five floors and an adjacent parking garage; a seven-year-old girl will create a hospital with operating rooms, waiting rooms, and a cafeteria. On any given day in the kindergarten room, you might find the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, or a fire tation.
Watching the young architects design and construct their buildings is impressive. Not only are students exercising their creativity, they're developing problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and motor skills a well. And that's not all. In the process of building the world in miniature, children will have questions about the real world. The hospital engineer might wonder how X-rays work. A boy who constructed a bank might ask where money comes from.
City & Country teachers use the questions that arise from block play for lessons on every subject from art, economics, and government to science. Field trips to local banks, hospitals, and libraries give young architects and engineers even more information. As the year continues, students apply what they've learned by building even more sophisticated block cities. According to City & Country principal Kathleen Holz, at the end of a year, her seven year olds will have fashioned entire cities, often with function such as running water, lights, buzzer , and a working subway.
"Blocks are incredible tools for learning," Holz says. "They help children reconstruct their ideas in a way that is meaningful to them. They build the things that they find interesting, and then they play with what they've built. And as they play, they begin to ask more and more questions. It's exciting."
City & Country School is clearly atypical. Though many kindergartens and preschools have blocks, they're often relegated to a corner. Older children seldom have any access to blocks in school. But home can be a great place for block adventure. With the time and space for exploration and the right kind of facilitation from you, block play can be a rich addition to your child's life. Here's how to get tarted and what to expect.
Before buying a new set of blocks, ask around. Somebody's grandfather might have a box of blocks gathering dust in an attic. If possible, set aside a space in your playroom or basement for block building. Store the blocks neatly in low bins or shelves. Children are more likely to play with blocks if they're accessible. If your child hasn't shown interest in blocks, it's possible that they haven't been visible enough.
It takes only a simple introduction to get things going. Avoid saying, "What are you going to make?" This implies that your child is supposed to create something recognizable, Cuffaro says. Instead, begin with, "Here are some blocks. You can build with them."
You may be tempted at first to sit next to your child and build your own structure, either because you like blocks or because you think it will inspire her or him. This is something to resist, since imagination can be thwarted by adult interference. The house you build becomes your child's standard for what's "right." Instead of creating their own houses, children are likely to try - and most likely fail - to create yours. "Pass by and admire, or sit and watch," Cuffaro advises. "But don't build with your child."
Let your child find solutions to problems. "Let's say your child wants to build a bridge," Holz says. "Don't show him how to do it by stacking one long block across two other block . Making the bridge for him takes away the sense of accom- plishment he'll feel when he figures it out for himself."
If siblings or friends are playing with blocks together, prevent catastrophes by laying down this rule: If you want to make separate buildings, then give one another plenty of space to work. And if you do accidentally damage another building, you must repair it quickly and cheerfully.
If you have the space, it can be wonderful to allow block structures to stay out for a while, so that your child can keep adding details. Remember that the best thing about blocks is that they don't come with any instructions. Your child's own interests and imagination provide the unique blueprints for building. The best thing you can do is to provide the blocks and then get out of the way.
WHAT TO EXPECT WITH YOUR LITTLE ONES
Eighteen-month-old Max picks up a block, drops it, picks it up again. He walks over to a table and sets it down. He pushes it over the edge and watches it fall. Although Max's play may seem inconsequential and his movements may seem random, he is learning a lot. Toddlers and older children who have never experienced blocks need to spend time just getting a feel for them. "Sensory exploration - discovering the weight and shape of blocks - is the first stage of block play," Cuffaro explains.
Like all great engineers, youngsters will spend countless hours testing the physical capabilities of their material. How high can I make this tower before it falls? What happens if I put a large block on top of a small one?
Eventually, children move on to the next stage of block play, which is to use them in fantasy play. Two-year-old Sarah lines 20 blocks end-to-end to use as a train track for her imaginary train. Three-year-old Brain makes a circle of blocks on the floor and sets his teddy bear inside it.
Even these simple projects show accomplishment. Fantasy play with blocks demonstrates the child's ability to absorb and conceptualize real-life events. Pediatrician T. Berry Brazleton points out in his book Touchpoints that fantasy play is evidence "not only of cognitive competence, but also of a kind of emotional freedom."
Simple projects also often lead to more play and problem-solving. "A child wants to have a bed for her doll," Holz says. "First, the child must figure out how to make it. When she does, it is emotionally satisfying. She plays with it, and her play will stimulate a new set of problems. Suddenly, she wants a table to go with the bed, and so she has to make a table."
You should be aware that many children also create intentionally abstract, seemingly purposeless structures. Don't make your child put a label on it by asking what it is. Think of it as art for art's sake, or sculpture rather than structure, and enjoy the early masterpieces with your child. Comment positively on the effort and the aesthetics, Cuffaro suggests. Say, "Wow, you worked hard on that! Look how the light is coming through the spaces! You used so many blocks!" And watch your little construction worker beam.
WHAT TO EXPECT WITH OLDER CHILDREN
As children learn more about the world, they want to represent what they've learned through blocks in more detail. They build more complicated structures, such as police stations, beauty parlors, and schools. The focus of play naturally shifts from the building's appearance to what happens inside. Children will incorporate little figures and vehicles into their block cities and act out story after improvised story. This is an exciting stage, and one that parents miss entirely if they pack up the blocks when their kids graduate from kindergarten.
If two or more children are building together, they'll begin socializing in their play. A little police officer from the station will visit the school to give a lecture on safety. A teacher from the school will decide to get a haircut in the beauty parlor, and so on. In playing out these miniature dramas, children get the chance to practice what they are learning about human relations and daily activities. They also are learning to play cooperatively.
"Block building at this stage provides lovely learning opportunities for parents and children," Holz says. "Let's say your kids are building an airport. You can go to the library and get a book about airports: Look at it together and talk about all the things airports have. Or even better, maybe you can take a trip to the airport."
One of the most interesting changes is that older children become sticklers for accuracy. "A four year old will have a person 'fly' to the top of a building," Cuffaro explains. "But a six year old will realize that people can't do this and will try to build an elevator."
When your child starts to ask questions about how things "really work," you can help her or him find answers. Ask a lot of questions, too. How do you get from one floor to another in a big building? How do elevators work? How could you make one? Don't be surprised when your six-year-old actually rigs an ingenious little elevator, perhaps using string, a paper clip, and a disposable cup.
At this stage, you should try to provide other common building materials to use with the blocks. Paper, string, wire, and tape are essential. Check your junk drawer for any other items your young inventor could use. You might even want to invest in more sophisticated items, like bulbs, batteries, buzzers, and small metal pulleys. Check hobby shops, hardware stores, and educational supply stores for ideas.
When is a child too old for block play? "Your kids will tell you when they want to pack their blocks away for good," Holz says. But don't be surprised if it isn't for a long while. | <urn:uuid:e0633d53-7bff-4bf7-9689-af44e2520dfd> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.drmomma.org/2009/12/getting-back-to-blocks.html | 2017-08-22T20:23:07Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886112682.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20170822201124-20170822221124-00120.warc.gz | en | 0.968812 | 2,486 |
In the old days, I would replace my computer every couple of years. Since I don’t game on the PC much anymore, I’m still finding myself perfectly happy (well, mostly) with the computer I built in October of 2006. The object of my upgrade fever, meanwhile, has turned to mobile phones and game consoles, and it is these items that I now find myself replacing on a two-year cycle.
Having just upgraded to the iPhone 4S this past fall, I’m now approaching the two-year anniversary of my last Xbox 360 purchase, an ordeal necessitated by the death of my previous console from a case of scarlet ring disease. Back in March of 2010, newly Xboxless, I picked up a Final Fantasy XIII Super Elite limited edition unit. It’s still going strong today, no doubt thanks to manufacturing improvements made over time (and the fact that I install all my games to the hard disk now, to minimize heat produced by the spinning optical drive). But I recently started thinking that having a second Xbox in the house might be handy.
Now that we’ve got bouncing baby Connor to keep us busy around the house, I find it more difficult on the weekends to shut myself away in the game room upstairs for Xbox sessions. Although I still like the theater-like ambience of the game room during the nighttime hours after Connor goes to bed, I’d like to stay downstairs during the day and, when I’m not busy keeping Connor entertained, catch a game session or two without having to remove myself from view. (After all, when you have a three-month old baby, you never know when you’re going to be needed!)
I’d be lying, however, if I didn’t simply feel like getting a shiny new Xbox to brighten my gaming future. Since I bought my last console, the Xbox 360 has been completely redesigned, resulting in a slick new look, near-silent operation, touch-operated controls, greater reliability and the addition of integrated Wi-Fi and powered Kinect ports. Since rumors have it that the next-generation Xbox console should be out in just shy of two years’ time — playing right into my next upgrade cycle — this seems like the perfect time to pick up one last console from this generation and enjoy it for the years to come. Maybe even hand it down to my son for his own enjoyment when he’s ready! (Who am I kidding; he’ll know it’s an old piece of crap by then. “Really, Dad?” he’ll say as he rolls his eyes.)
However, with the Xbox landscape a lot more cluttered and complicated than it was two years ago, I decided to hash out my thoughts in this handy Oddball Update (Relevance Not Included™) and try to come to some kind of decision about how to proceed. If you’re interested in taking the journey with me, meet me past the break and we’ll Jump In. (Har har. That’s the Xbox slogan.)
Thanks to the good sales quarter my company just had, I recently earned a fairly substantial bonus. Then came my annual review, at which I earned a significant raise. With a little extra net spending money available as a result, I don’t have much trouble financially justifying my new console acquisition — especially since buying more games would be almost ridiculous given the huge backlog that I have yet to finish (or even start, in some cases). The problem is, which console to get?
Here are the options:
The Core System (4GB for $199 / 250GB for $299)
The core Xbox is the console itself and one wireless controller, and is offered with either 4GB of flash storage, or a 250GB hard drive. Although the 250GB variant used to come in a glossy piano black finish with chrome accents, this has been discontinued and now both models are finished in cheap-looking matte black plastic. Despite the ugliness, I could really stretch my money by going this route, because there’s a cheap (~$15) way to convert your old-style 360’s hard drive to a form-factor compatible with the new-style console. Thus, I could get the 4GB Xbox, attach my old hard drive, and enjoy the new console for minimum dollar.
The Kinect Bundle (4GB for $299 / 250GB for $349)
The two Xbox variants described above are also available with the Kinect Sensor packed in. This motion-detecting series of cameras and microphones is Microsoft’s answer to the “active gaming” trend started by the Nintendo Wii, but rather than using a controller, the Kinect watches you as you move your body and interprets those moves as game input. It’s actually really cool tech, but the problem is that it has very few uses that interest me. In fact, the only reason why I’d really ever use it — at least until my son gets a little older — would be to enjoy the automatic head tracking in Forza Motorsport 4, where the camera leans into turns as you move your head in real life. (Plus, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least sorta interested in Dance Central, but that’d probably result in my stomping a hole through the floor of the upstairs game room.)
The Gears of War Limited Edition (320GB for $349)
The modern-day equivalent to my FFXIII Super Elite, this is a limited edition, custom-painted Xbox done up to promote the Gears of War franchise by Epic Games. I’m certainly more of a Gears fan than I ever was of a Final Fantasy fan, so the thought behind the console is right up my alley. The paint job is unique, although a bit over the top. Best of all, though, this console comes with two controllers with transforming D-pads, plus a 320GB hard drive and a copy of Gears of War 3, which I haven’t played yet. It does not come with a Kinect Sensor, but as I explained in the previous paragraph, I’m not entirely sold on the usefulness of Kinect in my particular situation. The problem with this Xbox is that it was released in September, and being a limited edition, supplies are almost completely gone.
The Modern Warfare 3 Limited Edition (320GB for $349)
Similar to the Gears console, this limited edition is designed around the mega-popular Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 game. It’s actually got a pretty nice design, with its “military grunge” gray, and the controllers not only have a special grippy coating but also a new thumbstick design that prevents, uhm, “thumb slippage”. It’s also packed with the same big 320GB hard drive offered on the Gears console and, naturally, a copy of the Modern Warfare 3 game itself. The problem is that I just don’t give a shit about Modern Warfare. I may be the only Xbox gamer on Earth who doesn’t, but I don’t. I’d probably play the singleplayer campaign once and then trade it in for a copy of Gears of War 3, in all honesty! Unlike the Gears console, this limited edition is still readily available.
The Used Market
Instead of buying new, I could go in a completely different direction and buy a used console. eBay has numerous deals, and I’m sure Amazon’s Marketplace does as well. Although this would save me some money, I tend to resist buying game consoles in either used or refurbished condition. Particularly given the reliability track record of the Xbox 360, this seems a dangerous gamble, especially for something I expect to use regularly for the next two years. And a used console brings with it the possible inability to register its warranty in my name, or transfer my content licenses from my old unit.
Now my conundrum is this:
- I won’t have the funds to make a purchase for another couple of weeks yet.
- When I do get the funds, I will still be $50-$100 short of what I’d need for the top-of-the-line consoles available to me.
- My birthday is at the end of the month, and I might receive some help in the form of gift cards that I could put toward the Xbox…but if they are all from different retailers, I can’t pool them to help me close the gap.
- Although I lean toward choosing the Gears of War special edition Xbox, they are out of manufacture and rapidly becoming hard to find. This makes me less flexible in terms of choosing a retailer or finding a good deal.
- The Modern Warfare 3 console gets me the features I want, but I’d feel silly spending that much on a console that celebrates a game I don’t even like.
- Part of me is tempted by the idea that I could save significant money by buying used, but I’m extremely wary of the potential pitfalls.
Since I’m financially unable to make a choice for another couple of weeks, I’m churning over these options in my head while I keep my eyes peeled for sales and special offers. And it occurs to me that, despite being nearly 32 years old now, my methodical obsession over gadgetry is still effectively the same as it was when I was 15. I guess some things never change. Ah well — at least my hobby isn’t filling my car with thousands of dollars worth of performance parts or ATVing or skydiving or…hey, I could have much more expensive interests!
If you were in the market for a new Xbox 360, which one would you pick? Let me know your thoughts.
And if you’re wondering what I might like for my birthday, an Amazon gift card would be ideal! | <urn:uuid:f1ebcdb7-e6fa-4520-b025-3ac080126560> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://oddballupdate.com/2012/02/the-xbox-acquisition-deliberation/ | 2017-08-16T17:21:41Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886102309.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20170816170516-20170816190516-00560.warc.gz | en | 0.954609 | 2,074 |
The best place to begin gathering would be with pennies, we will concentrate on the Lincoln Cent for the years 1909 through 1958, which are the Wheat Cents. There are as yet various “wheat pennies” appearing available for use, so it is conceivable to begin a currency accumulation without spending a lot of cash. President coin
While you are looking your pocket change for “wheat pennies”, make sure to check for silver coinage and obviously check those quarters. At that point new 50 State Commemorative Quarters are a decent place to begin since you can discover five new expresses every year in addition to the diverse mint imprints.
Returning to pennies, which is the place we need to begin our new gathering. The principal Lincoln Cent was printed in 1909 and was made of copper. The mint kept on making pennies from copper until 1943, when during the current year just, they were made of steel and zinc plated to keep them from rusting. These coins seem, by all accounts, to be silver or dim in shading in light of the plating. The pennies were made of steel as a result of a copper deficiency brought on by the war, yet they continued utilizing copper in 1944. In the vicinity of 1909 and 1958 the penny highlighted Lincoln on the front-side (front of the coin) and the words “ONE CENT” over “Joined States of America” encircled by packs of wheat on each side of the words, there by getting the distinct name of “Wheat Cents”. This is the way the penny is required the years 1909-1958. Other than a minor change in the creation of the metal which was 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc until 1943 when they were zinc plated steel, and after that 1944 until 1958 when they were 95% copper, 5% zinc and no tin.
The Penny continued as before for a long time. It was composed by Victor David Brenner, whose initials showed up on the switch, of a few, of the coins printed that first year. There are two assortments of the 1909, some have the VDB on the switch, (back of coin) at the base of the coin at the 6 o’clock position, and others don’t. The pennies were printed at Philadelphia, Pa. also, San Francisco, Ca. The pennies from San Francisco have a little “s” under the date while the Philadelphia coins have no mintmark. The coins to look for are the ones with mintmarks; this applies to all coins not simply pennies. The estimation of coins is enormously in view of irregularity and with the Philadelphia mint being the biggest of the mints; it was normal for them to create the best number of coins. There is likewise a mint in Denver, Co. what’s more, a mint, which had been shut at this point in Carson City. The Denver mint put a little “d” under the date and on more seasoned coinage of different sorts you will discover the letters “CC” for Carson City.
Mint Marks are Important, figure out how to look for them.
Back to pennies, in 1909 when the main Lincoln (wheat penny) penny was made, they stamped 72,702,618 in Philadelphia without the originators, Victor David Brenner, initials. They delivered 27,995,000 with the VDB on the invert of the penny. This same year, 1909, San Francisco printed 1,825,000 without the planner’s initials and 484,000 with the initials VDB on the turn around at the base of the coin. So now for the financial aspects lesson of free market activity and how it influences cost. In the event that you had a 1909-penny in “great” condition it would be worth around 75 pennies, in “mint” condition it would be esteemed at about $14.00. On the off chance that you had a 1909 with VDB on the switch in “great” condition, it would be worth about $1.80, in “mint” condition ( I can’t clarify this ) the esteem is about $9.00 ( the main clear explanation behind the penny with the lower mintage being worth less in mint condition then the plain 1909 in mint condition, would be that in numismatic records kept by the evaluating administrations, there are most likely more 1909 VDB’s on record than plain 1909’s) If you had a 1909s in “great” condition it is worth $37.00, in “mint” condition about $120.00. Presently on the off chance that you were sufficiently fortunate to locate a 1909s with the initials VDB on the turn around in “great” condition it is worth $350.00 and in “mint” condition it is worth $680.00 or more. Not awful for a penny.
In all mint piece sorts and arrangement there exists what are known as “key dates”, for the time being lets simply say they are vital as a result of various variables (another huge subject), yet that they are imperative in gathering coins of numerous types, not simply pennies. The “key dates” for the Lincoln penny 1909-1958 are:
The semi-key dates, likewise important, yet not as noteworthy as the “key dates” are: 1910s, 1911d, 1911s, 1912s, 1913d, 1913s, 1914s, 1915, 1921s, 1922d, 1923s, 1924d, 1926s, 1931d, and 1933d.
This takes you through the “wheat pennies” 1909-1958, alongside keys and semi-keys every arrangement of coin has Error assortments, Die assortments, and twofold bite the dust assortments which are likewise worth more than the normal date coins. These again are subjects in themselves however a concise depiction is expected to make you mindful of what to search for in gathering coins.
Blunder assortments are any condition, which may have existed bringing about a coin being struck and getting into dissemination in a state of appearance to be other than what was planned by the U.S. Mint. Basically said on the off chance that it looks not the same as the various s subsequently of a mint slip-up and not altering or damaging by a person, than it is a mistake, and they have a tendency to be worth more.
Twofold Die assortments are really mistakes in light of the fact that the coin in the wake of being stamped does not leave the bite the dust but rather stays in the kick the bucket and is struck again making parts of the plan be copied. Some of the time the copy is exceptionally observable other twofold kick the bucket assortments require an intense amplifying glass or magnifying lens to see them.
Kick the bucket assortments are the aftereffect of many passes on being utilized to mint a specific arrangement of coin. They would never deliver this numerous pennies with just a single bite the dust. Each kick the bucket has its own qualities, little contrasts between bites the dust, which are sufficiently observable that you can recognize pennies or different coins being printed by a specific pass on.
As you may end up plainly instructed now into the many points of interest of mint piece gathering, let me say this now. Mint piece Collecting ought to be not any more included, troublesome, or tedious than you need it to be. The primary target of currency gathering is pleasure, on the off chance that you are keen on contributing, locate a Stock Broker. Finally, I get this remark from someone else whose name I don’t recall, yet who merits the credit none the less. “As a mint piece authority, you are not a coin proprietor, but rather a coin guardian. In spite of the fact that you have the genuine mint pieces in your ownership and lawfully they are yours to hold, purchase, offer or exchange, while they are in your ownership you ought to do everything conceivable to keep up the condition and appearance of the coins.”(To who at any point said this, I apologize for not having the capacity to quote you verbatim or give you your due credit) “As managers of currencies, we make the most of our gathering, than pass them to the up and coming era of guardians.” This was noteworthy to me actually, as it connections, you, others, and me in an incredible chain from past through present and into the future as we are the attendant of mint pieces, mint piece authorities and Numismatists.
Enough now of history, financial aspects and theory, how about we gather coins.
To begin, get yourself an amplifying glass, the greater the better. Look your coins in a very much lit territory to be better ready to spot mistakes, mintmarks, and to peruse dates on some of your more worn coins. Figure out what mint pieces you will gather and buy a bookshelf envelope for that group or arrangement. Whitman, Dansco, Harris and Co. furthermore, a couple others put out these organizers. The Whitman envelopes are likely the most recognizable; they are blue organizers around 8 inches high, 6 inches wide and about ¼ inch thick. They retail for about $3.75 each and are accessible at most book shops all coin stores and many sites including my own.
Attempt to buy a book called, “A Guide Book of United States Coins” by R.S. Yeoman. This is generally called the red book and it is a red book which retails for about $11.00 in the hard cover version at most book shops and coin shops. The Red Book is distributed each year, it gives you a decent review of the historical backdrop of U.S. coins, fundamental reviewing data, normal retail esteem for all U.S. coins, depictions of the distinctive coins over a significant time span and a posting of the blunders, with pictures, of a few mistakes found in the stamping procedure. Buy one of the month to month productions on mint piece gathering. My two top picks are “Coins” and “COINage”. Krausse Publishing who likewise distributes the greater part of all coin related books and periodicals distributes coins magazine. COINage is distributed by Miller Magazines, Inc. furthermore, is constantly pressed with extraordinary stories and data and additionally sponsors for coin related material. You needn’t bother with a membership, yet attempt to purchase no less than one duplicate of either magazine. It will give you some incredible knowledge into costs of mint pieces, currencies other than pennies that you might need to gather likewise some extraordinary pictures of currencies and great articles to instruct yourself in currency gathering. Both magazines offer for about $4.00 each, if that is inside your financial plan, then you ought to purchase a duplicate to get a thought of what is out there.
Coin World and Numismatic News are two week after week daily papers with numerous extraordinary articles, current news and arranged areas for purchasers, dealers and brokers all identifying with coins. They retail for about $1.95 and are likewise accessible at book shops. The daily paper may not intrigue you until you get more required in the interest and need to remain more tuned in to what is going on presently in the Numismatic world. Numismatic News is again distributed by Krausse distributing and Coin World is distributed by Ames Press. | <urn:uuid:bf208962-36b8-4a0e-9ed1-4f3e4a0ae782> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.hokuto3.com/page/2/ | 2017-08-17T15:26:36Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886103579.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20170817151157-20170817171157-00640.warc.gz | en | 0.961351 | 2,401 |
ANOTHER MAJOR PRICE REDUCTION. OWN & SAIL A CLASSIC.
The Ocean Cruising 40 is designed and built by Hank Hinckley is a beautiful ocean capable vessel that blends the beautiful interior similar to the Hinckley Bermuda 40 with a clean and fast hull shape like the Hinckley Southwester 42. We are pleased to offer Shining Star. She was Hank Hinckley’s personal yacht until 1984. You can see original photos of Shining Star on Hank’s web site.
She’s a pretty vessel with a classic spoon bow and graceful stern overhang. Ocean Cruising Yachts built a stout ocean capable vessel. The hull is constructed of hand laid woven roving and fiberglass matt. The hull is cored above the waterline for strength and weight. The solid glass fiberglass outer hull is built for the ocean. The core material is a strong, non-wood material. The inner solid fiberglass hull is almost the thickness of the outer shell. The keel centerboard design like the New England yachts of the best designers from Hinckley, Little Harbor and Bristol, she sails well with the board up, and can be berthed right behind your home on the Eastern Shore in less than five feet of water. There are definite advantages to this design. And if you want to fly to the windward mark you can just drop that board down and she’ll point at least 35 degrees to the wind. The OC40 was built for the ocean with the idea of being strong enough to stay safe after a collision with a whale! Sounds good to me!
The interior is classic with a beautiful teak joinery and exceptional cabinetry and built in furniture that way boats were built at the time. The teak wood work gleams softly and is accented by the shining teak and holly cabin sole. As classic boats were laid out to sleep seven people, so is Shining Star. She has a V-berth forward with a double quarter berth aft and the salon settee makes a double to port with a single berth to starboard. It’s amazing! She’s so pretty. If you love classic yachts, you will so appreciate Shining Star. You’ll see why her owners have kept her and loved her for a long long time.
Shining Star was purchased in 1984 by her current owners who are lifelong sailors and lovers of this classic vessel. As an engineer and oceanographer the owner slowly upgraded Shining Star to be a capable long range cruising vessel is easily handled by just the owner and his wife. With a Schaefer in boom furling mainsail system and electric winches and an oversized autopilot she is easy to sail! Although based in the Chesapeake Bay in our “fresh water” Shining Star has cruised New England and Maine and she’s spent a few nice winters in Florida and the Bahamas.
Some of the major improvements:
This classic vessel is a very sweet boat. The owner has upgraded and maintained her over the years adding many improvements. Being an engineer, he has also documented these installations and reports that everything is well maintained and fully operational. She’s a sweet offering at a sweet price.
She’s ready! Are you? Give us a call to see this lovely boat.
Reach Bernie Jakits and the RogueWave Division at 443-742-1792 or [email protected]
RogueWave Yacht Sales has merged with David Walters Yachts! The RogueWave Division in Annapolis MD remains Your Choice for Blue Water Boats. Annapolis MD is the best place in the world to buy or sell a boat! We take great pride in helping our clients get into the right boat! Call us to discuss your sailing vision! We are always interested in marketing your high quality blue water capable boat!
Email [email protected] or call anytime, 443-742-1792.
The OC40 is a classic boat with a traditional interior. The very well executed mahogany joinery speaks with authority of quality we expect in yachts of the era when Hank Hinckley built his OC 40. The interior is beautifully finished with satin varnished mahogany with white overhead and solid teak and holly sole. The teak and holly sole completes the picture. The classic interior layout has sleeping quarters for seven people. Starting up forward, the forepeak chain locker is accessed through louvered doors forward which supply ventilation. The master stateroom is the traditional V-berth with a dressing seat between and the insert to make a wide comfy double. The large opening hatch provides ventilation and the fixed ports both port and starboard for light. There is a long storage shelf port and starboard and drawers and storage under the berth. There is also a vanity and a hanging locker and of course a privacy door. Just aft the Head to port and is accessed from the main salon. It is well ventilated with a screened opening port and an opening port light. There is a vanity with white Formica countertop hosts a stainless steel sink with hot and cold pressure water. The mirror medicine cabinet is a nice touch. There is even a hamper. The toilet is a Raritan PhEII system, new in 2011, with a diverter valve to either a macerator chlorinator system, or to a large holding tank bladder system under the under the v berths. The main salon is classic with a centerline mahogany drop-leaf table with settees port and starboard. On the forward bulkhead, there is a beautiful Dickerson Marine Newport propane fireplace. To port is an L-shaped settee with storage behind. This settee slides out to make a beautiful double berth. Outboard the port settee is a lovely louvered cabinet with a liquor storage rack and two open storage shelves between.
The varnished drop-leaf mahogany dining table has a built-in wine rack. Just aft of the companionway to port is the U-shaped galley. The aft cabin is a double quarter berth.
The navigation station is adjacent the galley to starboard. It is a sit down forward facing navigation station with a varnished mahogany table with cushioned seat and dome light over. A computer monitor is mounted at the forward end of the station, and can be viewed either forward for entertainment or viewed aft for cockpit viewed real time navigation. The table top opens and contains two independent electronic navigation systems powered by two Microsoft Windows 10 low-power computers. There are additional storage drawers, a locker with louvered doors below the table, and a chart light. This ships office also has the electrical panel, ship controls and audio receiver outboard.
Classic interior layout sleeps seven
Traditional V berths forward with insert to make a full double
Mahogany joinery and teak and holly sole
Dickerson cabin heater
L-shaped port side settee makes a double berth
Straight settee sea berth to starboard
Louvered locker doors for ventilation
Just aft of the companionway to port, the U-shaped galley
Electronics: Navigation and Communications
Hull and Deck
Construction: Spoon bow and graceful stern overhang, the hull was built using hand laid woven roving, and matt fiberglass. A Full thickness outer hull, non-wood core, and inner hull close to the thickness of the outer shell. She is one of the few hulls possibly strong enough to stay safe after a collision with a whale.
All exterior trim is varnished teak, including the raised toe rails, cabin house eyebrows, and cabin top hand rails port and starboard, winch and cowl vent bases and aft lazarette covers.
The locking companionway hatch with solid teak boards, varnished and edged in brass.
Dorade vents provide for adequate ventilation
Cockpit has a pedestal binnacle with Edson wheel steering
Sails and Rigging
Sloop rigged with removable (normally stowed) staysail stay.
She has a double spreader tapered aluminum main mast keel stepped
Stainless steel wire rigging with stainless turnbuckles
All sails in good condition
Mechanical and Electrical
Yanmar 4JH3 diesel engine - estimated 5,000 engine hrs.
Only premium oil used with oil changes every 150 hours
New Stainless steel shaft and cutlass bearing (2016)
Perfect pitch 3-blade prop
Dual Racor filters
The engine is accessed through a removable panel in the galley and through the sail lockers.
Aft lazarette is set up with two aluminum LP gas bottles, with solenoid and pressure gauge
Complete electrical with separate 12-volt DC and 110-volt AC systems with both DC and AC electrical panels. Electrical energy provided by battery charger, solar panels, large generator, and oversized batteries.
12-Volt DC system:
Gurnert refrigeration compressor draws 21 amps once or twice a day. The compressor is protected by a cooling water flow switch.
110-volt AC system:
Additional and Safety
777 SE 20th Street
Suite # 255
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 | <urn:uuid:7e260a3c-dbcb-4d4c-9f5e-43898984f092> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.yachtworld.de/Boote/1980/Ocean-Cruising-Yacht-OC40-3011700/ | 2017-08-19T10:59:22Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886105341.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170819105009-20170819125009-00080.warc.gz | en | 0.931978 | 1,928 |
Well, you can’t just lock them away, can you, those people who like nothing, who disagree with everything, who know better in all situations, and whose jaws would crack if ever forced into a genuine smile.
And you can’t avoid them either. Our days are so littered with people who think bullheadedness is strength; it’s why we have mats at our doors: to wipe our feet of them before we enter “home.” (Of course, if that difficult person lives in your home, I heartily recommend gardening and appropriate interpersonal therapy; misery loves company, yes, but it’s a poor party-thrower.)
So what’s to be done, and in what way, so that dealing with such people doesn’t sap your strength to the point where you no longer give two damns about being diplomatic?
I’ve found CROSSED works: Corrects, Realizes, Obviates, Spaces, Shuts, Empathizes, Directs. Listed in this order solely because acronyms (as with bowties) are cool.
Correction operates under the assumption that everyone wants to learn. We know they do not. We, however, must hope.
Difficult people tend to be like if-then computer statements: If I don’t get my way in some fashion, then I will become unpleasant. Indiscriminately. Everywhere. I will not listen to reason, I will not self-govern, I will not bend. Dr. Seuss wrote about this type of person in Green Eggs and Ham.
In order to gently correct this behavior, one must be creative, which means not meeting the difficult person on the battlefield of their liking, but shifting the emotional center of the scene so that they’re unsure of their footing. This is done by not reacting the way they might expect. It means being consistent, as in not capitulating to them (deep in their hearts they know as well as you they’ll love green eggs and ham). Finally, one should be prepared to confront: difficult people tend to inflate themselves to cover their own fears, silently hoping their display of fiery plumage or inflamed buttocks will make others back down before there’s any chance the difficult person will actually have to prove themselves.
For example, you may be dealing with a person who has to make a big show of exasperation any time they’re asked to do something. You can correct this by cutting them out of the picture since they only make a show so that their magnanimity is acknowledged. Doing it yourself (or even better, getting someone else to do it; difficult people hate being supplanted) drives your difficult person buggy, maybe even buggy enough – after several such training sessions – to begin to realize their difficulty is not desirable.
When faced with the illogic, stubbornness, or just plain mean nature of a difficult person, it’s important to realize a crucial fact: you’re dealing with an immature soul. Most of us get “stuck” soul-wise at a certain age. Some, unfortunately, at very young ones. Twelve. Fifteen. Twenty-two.
If you’re faced with a fifty-five year old whose difficult behavior matches that of a teenager, the urge to expect more from them strikes your grey matter fast and with pinpoint accuracy. When you realize you’re not going to get maturity from this person, it becomes your responsibility to change your game. If you’re dealing with an immature soul, consider the emotional currency that moves them. There are those who can’t get their acts together in the morning to save their lives. They jump out of bed late and make your morning a difficult hell while berating, “Stupid alarm didn’t go off!”
Interesting. Yours in your room down the hall went off perfectly fine… because you set it. The difficult, illogical teen-brain did not set theirs and somehow, in a Bizarro World scenario, blaming the clock for not being set makes sense. Rather than engage Bizarro in conversation about this, realize that telling them you’ll wait for them in the car, they have ten minutes, and that at eleven minutes they will enjoy a peaceful morning after the sound of your car driving off without them fades, is your best bet for less stress.
When they enter the car, smile and say, “Tomorrow, double check that alarm,” turn the ignition, and speak no more of it. They’ll want to speak of it (because they’ll have to defend themselves, it’s a compulsion). Do not. Engaging a worked-up childbrain in a debate is about as productive a use of your time as shouting complicated instructions at a duck.
Obviate means: to remove a need or difficulty; to prevent. In this sense, a difficult person is handled by showing them there is absolutely no reason whatsoever for their behavior/actions/attitude/etc.
A mirror gets held up to a DP’s heart to say, “Really? You’re doing this? THIS.” It almost requires you to be a detective laying out the facts of the case so far:
“All I asked was what time the movie starts,” to the difficult person who thinks you’re calling into question their event-planning skills.
“You’re already in the kitchen; you can bring me a bag of chips,” to the one who knows Hercules had it easier than them.
“If you don’t know the answer to the question, say so,” to the one who knows all, but will blather on to the nth degree to cover over the fact that they know zip.
When a difficult person is shown how silly they are, they may back down.
Space, The Quiet Frontier
No one grows beneath someone else’s thumb. That’s a fact for any personality type. Yes, with a difficult person, there’s a compulsion in us to help and correct their behavior, but there’s also a time to step back and let that person reach an epiphany on their own. If not an epiphany, a grudging realization. If not a grudging realization, at least you’ve given yourself and that person the potential for a seed to grow.
Confusion is common for difficult people. They want the square peg to go in the round hole so they can move on to pounding other things. Giving them space allows them to tire themselves out without the added strain of being defensive. If at all possible, remove yourself and allow the difficult one to work out on their own whatever “it” they’d rather blow out of proportion.
You may also like (article continues below):
- How To Deal With Emotionally Unintelligent People
- How To Control Your Emotions In Situations That Call For A Cool Head
- 15 Traits Of An Emotionally Mature Person
- 7 Things Emotionally Stable People Do Differently
Shut them down. Fight fire with fire. Except if they’re a ten, you’re eleven. There are times when a difficult person needs to know HERE THERE BE DRAGONS. Stand taller (sometimes physically, preferably mentally) than them and let them know they can be pigheaded, foolish, obstinate, selfish, petty, aggressive at their own risk.
Yes, we’ve shut them down… and now, because we’re good people, there’s that twinge we turn away from, that inner glomp that sticks itself to our brains no matter how much we try to shake it off: our empathy.
We know difficult people are unhappy; that there’s a complex set of compensating mechanisms and gears clacking away inside them. This doesn’t excuse their behavior, but practicing empathy does prevent you from having chronic high blood pressure. There are times when a difficult person simply needs a “Hey, it’s OK” to rehumanize them.
One thing about difficult people is that they’re addicted to their personalities: they need to be an obstacle in order to feel seen or heard. That’s inherently sad, so you can try to be a bit of light to them as long as it doesn’t drain you doing so. Draining others is part of the DP’s bag of addiction-matrix tricks.
This differs from shutting them down. This is where you take complete and utter control of a situation, ignoring every possible outcome of triggering their delicate sensibilities. Visually put, if they’re the log, you’re the river, directing that piece of dead wood’s course. You don’t even acknowledge that they’re difficult (which is yet more Kryptonite to a difficult person): the end result of your interaction with them is all that matters. If you’re not feeding their Ego/Id beast you’ll find that difficult people often slump into line and do what needs to be done.
Finally, and best, the mature individual knows to replenish themselves after navigating the minefields of difficult people. Make sure that there is art in your life, that and good food. And a place where difficulty cannot enter: perhaps a garden, perhaps sacred meditation time, perhaps a daily walk. Always keep in mind that if our lot in life is to routinely encounter difficult people, the corollary is as important and true: to actively and routinely create positive spaces. | <urn:uuid:e08baca4-c85b-4477-8f93-6645f5212a86> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://www.aconsciousrethink.com/5608/7-ways-emotionally-mature-individual-handles-difficult-people/ | 2017-08-19T11:12:15Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886105341.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170819105009-20170819125009-00080.warc.gz | en | 0.958112 | 2,020 |
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Unless you’re involved with a narcissist, histrionic, borderline or psychopath in which case gird your loins and spike your eggnog. Long suffering spouses, partners and families often grow to dread the annual quest for the perfect holiday, the perfect family and the perfect gift for their insatiable, never-satisfied narcissists.
Why are narcissists and borderlines typically hellbent on making sure it’s a miserable holiday?
There are several possible reasons:
- Control. It’s just another way for the narcissist to control everyone. Narcissists and borderlines tend to act out on special occasions more than usual, which gets you to jump through more hoops than usual, so best get hopping. On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen! Move it!
- Center of Attention. It’s all about the narcissist or borderline. By escalating her or his typical bad behaviors during the holidays, they become the center of attention. You and the rest of the family walk on eggshells to please them and make sure everything is to their liking, which is unlikely to happen anyway. At least not the way you think. What they like is making others tiptoe around and cater to them.
- Party Pooper. Narcissists like to turn fun into dysfunction. It’s not enough for them to be sullen and angry; all the Who’s in Whoville need to be miserable, too. In fact, it warms the narcissist’s two sizes too small heart to ruin holidays.
- Unhappy childhoods. Some narcissists and borderlines have horrible memories of the holidays from their childhoods. Instead of choosing a different path they continue the painful tradition in their adult lives. Bah humbug!
- Isolation. Many narcissists, borderlines and psychopaths wreck the holidays to avoid spending time with your family or keep you from seeing your family. Why? See above.
It doesn’t matter how much you spend or how much thought you put into selecting a present; you’re going to fail. Why not go down in flames with a laugh? Here are some suggestions for what to give the narcissist, borderline, histrionic or psychopath in your life this year:
1. The Disney Princess Magic Talking Mirror Set. This enchanted mirror allows your self-appointed princess or prince to gaze at their reflection and be told, “You look too lovely today! You’re the fairest in the land! You’re the most beautiful princess/prince in the whole world.”
It’s a must-have for every narcissist on your gift list this year. Plus, if you buy a bulk package of batteries from Costco, it will save some time and energy in the undying adoration department. She’ll be thrilled with her new never-ending narcissistic supply and you’ll be a hero for 5 minutes –until she starts to compare you to the mirror. Why can’t you be more like my Magic Mirror? SIGH. . .
2. The Green Hornet Hot Shot Electric Cattle Prod. Think of the endless hours of fun your narcissist will have zapping you when you least expect it. If she or he had any friends, they’d all be green with envy. . . “How dare you criticize me!” Zap. “Who do you think you are to question me!” Zap. “Stop being so sensitive.” Zap. “I shouldn’t have to tell you what I want; you should know.” Zap. “I’m bored.” Zap. Dance monkey!” Zap.
3. A Box of Applause. I was going to write my own description, but it’s impossible to improve upon the sales blurb at Sky Mall:
Craving a little recognition? Someone who gets your jokes? Open the Box of Applause and be greeted with the sounds of cheering and clapping from a very enthusiastic crowd. Close your eyes and imagine yourself accepting that Oscar, Nobel Prize or Best Comedy Emmy.
Yes, this is the real product description. I wonder if there’s an R & D department just for narcissists?
4. GPS Tracking Apps. Tired of your narcissist or borderline’s endless interrogations? Where were you? Who were you with? Who did you talk to? Where did you go after work? You were gone too long to just have been at the store! Who is she?!?!?!? WHO IS SHE?!?!?!???!?!?!?
Indulge her controlling nature and put her pathological jealousy to rest with one of a myriad of GPS tracking apps for your smartphone that follows your every move. Sure it’s abnormal, controlling and abusive, but it’s less invasive than a microchip embedded in your molar or a radio signal device up your butt.
5. Retractable Leash and Collar. It’s the perfect gift to show who’s really in charge. Since narcissists enjoy yanking people’s chains, why not give them the real thing? Why a retractable leash instead of a basic leash? All the better to screw with your head, of course.
Your narcissist will give you just enough lead to let you momentarily experience a sense of freedom. Then with the mere push of a button — CLICK — your feet fly out from underneath you and you’re flat on your back wondering what the heck happened. Changing the length of the leash at will gives the narcissist the added bonus of the element of surprise.
And as long as we’re on a canine theme. . .
6. Your Very Own Dog House. No more move over, Rover! It’s the perfect gift for when you disappoint your narcissist or borderline, displease her or try to do something nice for her. Yes you did all the laundry, but you didn’t fold the towels the way she likes. Yes, you took his car to get serviced on your lunch hour, but you didn’t bring it back with a full tank of gas. You were breathing to loud. You looked at him the wrong way. You didn’t respond to her quickly enough. What can you do? Where can you go? Your very own dog house!
Far enough from the narcissist or borderline, yet close enough to trigger neither fears of abandonment nor fears of engulfment. Genius.
Many narcissists think there’s no greater punishment than giving you the silent treatment or banishing you from their presence. Initially, it may feel very bad being deprived of their very special brand of sunshine. Give it time. If you stay with your narcissist or borderline long enough, you’ll treasure those moments of silence. * Satellite TV hook-up ready.
7. Stigmata Costume. It’s the perfect gift for your favorite martyr/professional victim! Nothing quite says, “See how much I sacrifice for you! I do everything around here. You never lift a finger to help me! Hey! Stop mopping the floor when I’m talking to you! And that’s another thing, you NEVER listen to me. Stop paying the bills and LISTEN TO ME!!! You don’t love me. The only person you think about is yourself!” than some nice oozing stigmata wounds.
Many Cluster B personalities (narcissists, borderlines, histrionics and sociopaths) are notoriously lazy. Wearing fake stigmata will save your martyr precious time from her or his busy Facebook/Instagram schedule by allowing them to shorthand their usual victim shtick. Instead of her “me, victim — you, jerk” routine, a simple hand gesture will do. *Wooden cross not included.
The plastic photo pouch allows your narcissistic wife/girlfriend/ex to personalize her psychotic rage episodes or cold silences when you’re not available or switch out soulmates as they change. She can yell at or ignore Pinky whenever it strikes her fancy. Best of all she can unleash her demons with zero damage to you! He can also act as a stand-in for when she starts one of her pointless, endless grievance sessions right before bedtime after you’ve had a hard day at work.
As an added bonus, when you’re finally ready to end your abusive relationship, your ex will have someone on whom to take out her frustrations. *Air pump sold separately.
*** [Moment of seriousness]: There is no Wife/Girlfriend version of this available. What does that tell you about the domestic violence double standard our society has about female DV victims vs. male DV victims?
9. The Narcissistic Wife Warning Ringtone. Forewarned is forearmed. You’ll know exactly who’s calling when the warning siren sounds. Dive! Dive! Dive! (*Also available in the Narcissistic Husband Warning Ringtone).
10. The Mr Wonderful Talking Doll. Tired of never getting it right? Tired of always saying the wrong thing? Meet your new best friend, the Mr Wonderful Talking Doll. He always knows just what to say to soothe the savage breast.
For example, your wife or girlfriend can give him a squeeze (or throw him across the room) and Mr Wonderful will respond, “Why don’t we go to the mall? Don’t you want some new shoes? You look beautiful in the morning. The ball game isn’t important. I’d rather spend time with you. Let’s talk about our relationship.” And if Mr Wonderful doesn’t get it right? Well, everything’s always your fault anyway, so what’s one more item added to her laundry list of grievances? *Ms Wonderful Doll also available at Amazon.
11. Noise Cancelling Headphones. This one’s for you. No explanation necessary.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Whatever You Celebrate and Happy New Year!
Want to Say Goodbye to Crazy? Buy it HERE.
Counseling, Consulting and Coaching with Dr. Tara J. Palmatier, PsyD
Dr. Tara J. Palmatier, PsyD provides individual services to help individuals work through their relationship issues via telephone or Skype, particularly men and women trying to break free of an abusive relationship, cope with the stress of an abusive relationship or heal from an abusive relationship. Her practice combines practical advice, support, reality testing and goal-oriented outcomes. Please visit the Services page for professional inquiries. | <urn:uuid:8ca548cd-34eb-4dc6-af25-5b90b4a4cb16> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://shrink4men.com/2016/12/23/last-minute-christmas-gifts-for-narcissists-and-for-you/ | 2017-08-20T07:47:56Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886106358.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20170820073631-20170820093631-00160.warc.gz | en | 0.930683 | 2,255 |
I am of the seventh generation since my great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents, Fructuoso Cholom and Yginina Yunisyunis, emerged from Mission San Carlos de Borromeo in Carmel, California in the mid-1830's. I am half white, half Indian, mixed with Mexican and Jewish tribes. When I look at all that has passed since Fructuoso Cholom and Yginia Yunisyunis were emancipated, I wonder if they dreamed that their descendants would still be struggling to free ourselves, seven generations later.
When I look toward the next seven generations, I imagine this is the kind of story that my descendants will tell, seven generations from now, in the future mythology of the Mestiza Nation.
Once there was a girl without a mother.
She’d never had a mother, even though she called the woman who gave birth to her Mama. This woman kept leaving her daughter behind at relative’s homes or forgetting her in stores. It wasn’t entirely Mama’s fault; often when she thought her arms were full of little girl, or that the little girl was safely clutching Mama’s hand, it was really the ghost of a daughter Mama had lost years ago.
So when Mama felt the weight of a child heavy against her hip or tugging at her arm, she didn’t know it was actually the pull of persistent sorrow distracting her from the real child. Sometimes the real little girl caught sight of her dead sister, hungrily wrapping her chubby arms around Mama’s neck as they went out the door together, leaving the little girl once again. Sometimes the little girl’s father followed them.
Her father was why the little girl was different from her older sister and brother. They were light-skinned, with clear blue eyes and hair the color of cornflakes. But the girl without a mother was cinnamon-colored, with thick dark hair, vivid against her family. When the girl without a mother held hands with her brother or sister to cross the street, their long slender fingers seem to tangle up with her wide flat palms and short fingers. At the park, no one listened to the little girl when she claimed her brother and sister, not even when the big sister yelled at the bullies trying to push her off the swing.
The girl without a mother began to understand that she was invisible. She wondered if this was why her Ghost Sister had become a ghost in the first place; if she herself were becoming a less and less real, too.
Eventually the woman who gave birth to the little girl went away and didn’t come back. Secretly, the girl thought perhaps her mother was looking for the girl’s father, who had been missing for some time now. The big sister didn’t tell anyone, but bathed her little brother and sister each night, fed them cereal each morning, dropped the little girl off at a babysitter’s, rode the bus with the little brother to school. In the evenings, the big sister brushed the little girl’s hair, and helped the little brother with his homework, but one day, the food ran out. The big sister, who was only eleven years old, had to call a grown-up. The older brother and sister were taken to a foster home, a place for children without parents. But the home only had space for older children. Bring the little one back in the fall, said the people in charge. We might have room then.
That is how the girl without a mother came to stay with her mother’s parents for one short season.
Her mother’s parents were light-skinned and blue-eyed as well, but in those days it was common for such people to settle in the very land from which the little girl’s father and his people had emerged. The girl loved her grandmother’s house in the dry Tehachapi Mountains; she spent the summer playing with lizards and horned toads, sleeping between cool cotton sheets, watching the glimmer of hummingbirds come to her grandmother’s feeder very early in the morning. Her dark eyes feasted on the sagebrush dotting the brown hills, and she spoke regularly with a black bird perched in the manzanita behind the house. She ran barefoot whenever she could, her feet finding joy in the dust. Once, she sat down on some ants who were busy with their own matters, and was badly bitten. Later, after apologizing to the ants, the little girl watched them work for hours, at a distance.
Every evening the grandmother bathed the girl in a deep shiny white tub, but no matter how hard the woman scrubbed, the colors wrought by soil and sun would not be cleansed from the girl’s knees and cheeks.
“More like that man every day,” the grandfather muttered to himself, shaking his head. “The sooner they have room for her at Mrs. Samm’s the better.”
But the grandmother saw her own lost daughter in this little girl’s movements, and wished for a chance to correct her mistakes as a mother. The grandmother let the girl without a mother sow corn in the small fenced flower garden, where the green stalks were watered generously each evening along with the morning glories, petunias, pansies, tall daisies and brilliant orange poppies.
When the corn reached the girl’s waist, the foster family called: they still had no room for the girl without a mother. The grandfather silenced the grandmother’s look with a curt, “No.” The grandmother turned away.
No one asked the girl where she would like to live. She would have chosen to stay and see the corn grow past her head. But one day before the sun was up, her grandmother came to wake her for a trip to a yet another place.
The girl without a mother stood on the steps of her grandmother’s house. Behind her rose a mountain, dark and seemingly still. Before her rose the sky, arched black and brilliant with stars, and the cleft of a long valley. The air was dry, cool, gently opening.
From her grandmother’s garden came the smooth slippery surge of petunias, snapdragons, poppies. The happy leaves of the corn plants shivered with pleasure as they grew upwards in their slow spiral. The girl without a mother stood alone, huddled in a soft sweater, wearing only a sundress underneath because it would be hot later. Inside the house, her grandmother packed sandwiches and thermoses of coffee and milk. The grandmother cried as she tightened the lids of containers.
No person saw this; only the grandmother’s heart knew this grief that she would not speak of until she was a very old woman, many thousands of miles away from this place, dying, and asking forgiveness. In the garage, the grandfather loaded up the truck that would take the girl without a mother away. He would start the motor any minute.
But for one moment before dawn the world was humming with quiet power, and the girl without a mother heard a funny sound.
Thump and pause. Thump and pause. Scraps of a song wandered in between the sounds. It almost seemed to be asking a question, a question the girl couldn’t quite hear all the words to, but that she wanted to answer. Thump, pause. Thump, pause, song.
The girl went quickly down the wooden steps and around the back of the house, stepping carefully around the gopher traps she’d watched her grandfather set. Thump, pause. Song, song, song. The girl wandered into a dry streambed, followed the stones. The rocks were washed and smooth and she could see where to put her feet better and more easily the longer she climbed; the sun was following behind her.
She climbed and climbed. When the girl without a mother got tired, a woman came to meet her, and took her through the side of the mountain. Come here, this way, the woman said; she picked up her grinding stone and basket, pushed aside a curtain of dried grasses and sticks. We are little rabbits looking for our nest, she smiled, we are fawns, called to our mother’s side in the warm grass. And the girl without a mother followed the song of the woman who came out of a mountain.
Inside the opening was a cool, sandy tunnel. The darkness seemed soft, like a light blanket, not frightening at all. After only a few steps, the two came out into another place, a land with a stream full of big silver fish swimming lazily in from the sea, seemingly straight into the nets and hands of laughing men; oak trees covered thick green hills. Under the heavy branches, families with baskets gathered acorns, children played while they worked, women were easy with their voices. The girl without a mother noticed right away that some of the people were darker than her, and some of them were lighter.
The woman who came out of a mountain gestured to the new place. See, this is where you will live now.
Are you going to be my mother? asked the girl without a mother, taking off her blue sweater and letting it slide to the ground.
No, I’m just an old woman, laughed the woman who came out of a mountain. Not many children here have mothers. But you’ll be cared for. This is getting to be a big family. We’re busy just now – acorns, salmon, islay are good this year. You’ll have to help.
By now the little girl had stripped off her sundress, and her black patent leather shoes that squished her toes, and the white slippery socks that made her feet sweat. She stood in itchy underwear that got caught in all the wrong places but had been her secret armor against the dark. Hardly anyone here wore clothes except for pretty, she noticed; but most girls her age had a rustly skirt. Can I have one of those? she asked, pointing to two girls running by with empty baskets in their arms. And a basket like that for working?
The woman who came out of a mountain reached out and stopped the other children. This is the girl I went to find, explained the woman. Help her make a skirt, and give her a basket. She’ll work with you.
The three girls looked at each other. The girl without a mother was astonished. One of the girls had a dark, serious face much like her own – short nose, arched eyebrows, thin lips – but freckles washed across her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled black and made the girl rise on her tiptoes with a laugh. Her hair was shiny black and thick, like the little girl’s, too.
The second girl stood light and alive, as if she could hardly keep from dancing away; her skin was the color of sand in the river, and her eyes glimmered brown and green like water over deep rocks. Yet her hair had the same still darkness as her companion’s.
The girl without a mother knew with a certainty that here were others who had not matched their families.
Suddenly both girls smiled, and the girl without a mother, who had no brothers or sisters who looked the way she did, felt a grin blossom on her own face. Some scar sealed shut in her chest opened; warm, strong, blood rushed in.
The first girl held out a round basket, revealing her wide flat palm and short strong fingers.
It was all a long time ago, longer than anyone remembers. On the other side of the tunnel, people searched for the girl without a mother. They had dogs who tracked her faint scent up a rocky streambed, farther than anyone believed she could have walked. But even the dogs couldn’t find any sign past a place where the arroyo curved sharply around a big hill dense with sagebrush and rabbit holes.
Long after the little girl’s corn had ripened, taller than the grandmother and heavy with fat ears, the grandparents ceased looking. The foster family didn’t have room for the many other children in that place without mothers, anyway. People slowly forgot about the girl without a mother, though her grandmother came out before dawn and listened hard for music she was almost afraid to hear.
Every once in awhile the woman who came out of a mountain went back, pushed aside the curtain of sagebrush and manzanita, and looked out. She could see a long, long way from her hill; clearly, too.
Sometimes her sharp eyes caught sight of a certain kind of child. Then the woman who came out of a mountain would take her grinding stones and basket, sit by the entrance, and sing. If the child were very small, the woman would walk quietly down the streambed to meet him. If the child were older, the woman sang soothing songs to encourage her.
None of the children who came to her ever arrived unharmed, but the woman who came out of a mountain always took them home with her anyway.
This is the song she sang:
Ah hey way lo lo, hey way
lo lo, hey way lo-lo;
Lo lo, hey-hey, ah hey way
lo lo, hey way lo-lo;
A hey way lo lo, hey way
lo lo, hey way lo-lo
lo lo hey hey
hey way lo lo
hey way lo lo
lo lo hey hey
ah hey way lo lo
hey way lo lo
hey way lo lo . . . | <urn:uuid:50c3986d-c22c-43b4-895e-d638f0a79dbc> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://whenturtlesfly.blogspot.com/2010/08/mestiza-nation-future-history-of-my.html | 2017-08-20T08:05:38Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886106358.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20170820073631-20170820093631-00160.warc.gz | en | 0.978463 | 2,861 |
You were probably wondering when I would get around to publishing a review of a Cambridge Bible! After all, it is the oldest and one of the most prestigious Bible publishers around. Well, your wait is over (if anyone has actually been waiting!).
Before I get into details, let me repeat something I may have said elsewhere. Unlike most publishers, Cambridge does not publish its own translation(s). Neither does it just order and wrap up text blocks from other publishers in their own leather. Rather, they come up with their own typesettings using a variety of translations. For this reason, Cambridge might just be my favorite Bible publisher. In the next couple months, we’ll take a look at a number of their fantastic typesettings, including but not limited the famous Pitt Minion, Clarion, and Wide Margin.
I will begin today with a review featuring three editions in Cambridge’s Wide-Margin line (Henceforth “WM”): the ESV Wide Margin in black goatskin, the KJV Concord Wide Margin in black goatskin, and the NASB Wide-Margin in black calf split. I will begin with features that are true of all three, then I will zero in on what is distinct about the various choices. I will conclude with two thoughts as to the supreme usefulness of WM Bibles.
Cambridge WM Internals
J. Mark Bertrand of Bible Design Blog writes:
If you’re new to the Cambridge drill, let me explain that the Wide Margin Reference editions are basically grown up versions of the Pitt Minion. But instead of structured covers that spring open, the Wide Margin References have luxuriously soft, indolently flexible, elegantly slouching goatskin covers. If hedonists had a Bible, this would be it.”
The paper in these Bibles is exemplary. They feature 38 GSM Tervakoski Thinopaque Bible paper with an 84% opacity rating. This is the highest opacity in any Bible I know of aside from the Schuyler Quentel NASB; and high opacity is of paramount importance in a Bible designed for note taking, like this one. The end result: it handles ink famously with minimal show through on the opposing side of the page.
The page spread on these Bibles is simply breathtaking. (Ok, I know, I get too excited about Bible design!). I love the appearance of all that white space and the way it frames in the text columns. When it sits open before me, I feel like a scribe in front of a elegant, medieval codex. I guess what I’m trying to say is this: As wonderful as those margins are for writing in, they look absolutely beautiful blank too! As for specifics, the outside margin is 1.25″ and top, bottom and inside are all 1″ (difference on Concord WM, see below). My one lament with the margin space is that the inside margin is much smaller than the outside, leaving little space for notes in the gutter. If this were a single column Bible, it wouldn’t matter so much. All your notes could be in the outer margin. But as this is a double column setting, there is less space for notes on the inside column. The inside column is no less God’s Word and no less worthy of notes than the outside column! But I suppose the note taker could use the top and bottom margin to fill in this gap.
In order to include thick paper, wide margins, and keep the Bible to a manageable size, something had to give: Font size. The 8.2 point font is not huge, nor is it tiny…it is the standard font size in many Thinline Bibles, and most people won’t mind it at all. Personally, I prefer 9 point and higher.
And as long as I’m on the topic of size, here are the dimensions: roughly 9″ x 7.25″ x 1.25″ (and the Concord WM is even thicker at 1.5″). This is a pretty big Bible. While the trim size is larger than your average study Bible, the WM is thinner. Bottom line: it is big, but not unmanageably so. Mark Driscoll uses (or should I say, used?) it as his pulpit Bible to great avail!
Finally, the format on all the WMs besides the Concord is paragraphed text in two columns with center column cross-references. Pretty standard. One special note is that the pagination on these lines up perfectly with the similarly formatted but much smaller Pitt Minion series, which makes the two good companions (a big brother / little brother sort of thing).
A Distinct Note on the Concord Wide-Margin
The Concord WM is a slightly different text block than the other editions in the Cambridge WM line. It is noticeably thicker, and the inside looks even better with its bolder font. I’m not sure if the paper is more opaque. Perhaps the added thickness is due to (a) the fact that it’s layout is verse-by-verse as opposed to the paragraph format on the other WMs (b) and because the inside and bottom margin on the Concord WM are both 1.25″, making them .25″ bigger than on the other Bibles in the WM line.
The goatskin editions in the WM line are edge-lined, as opposed to the traditional paste-down binding style, which means they are at once longer lasting and more liquid. They are more liquid in that the edge-lining allows the cover a great deal of flexibility; and paired with the generous trim size, this makes for the most limp and buttery Bible I have ever held. Hence, it is ideal for sitting on the desk or the pulpit. I approve!
The calf-split (also available in ESV, KJV, and NIV) is nowhere near as liquid as the goatskin. This is not necessarily a strike against it, though. Some will prefer the support afforded by this stiffer cover, particularly with how large the trim size is and thus how unwieldy the goatskin edition can become in the preacher’s hands. It is still quite limp, however. Compare Bible yoga with the goatskin edition in the photo!
Another thing to note about the calf-split is that it does not feature art-gilt page edges. Some may prefer it this way, and some may simply not care enough to fork over the extra money required for the goatskin. Either way, this is a fine alternative that is more budget-friendly. Also, the pebble-grain of the calf-split is quite beautiful (see below).
If you’re at all like me, you may ask yourself, “What in the world is “calf-split leather?!” I asked Mr. Groser of Cambridge University Press, and I’ll quote his entire answer, which is enlightening if you’re interested:
The original calf hide has been split into two pieces at the tannery with the top side going for other purposes (car upholstery, posh shoe liners etc.) while the bottom side, which crucially contains the strongest fibre structure is reserved for bookbinding which requires tough and resilient material due to the wear and tear that books undergo. During the tanning process a realistic, though artificial grain, is embossed on the top of the hide but all other treatments are the same as for a full calfskin or goat. The fact that the tannery is obtaining effectively two hides from one makes the material somewhat cheaper than the full grain calf or goat, though due to the other treatments and processes, but not 50% cheaper! As the cover material, as well as the cover making constitutes a not insignificant proportion of the cost of the binding of the Bible it offers a slightly more economic, though still attractive option. Incidentally, almost all Bible covers, especially in the US, that are termed ‘Genuine leather’ are ‘split’ pigskins which have a more synthetic appearance and feel. We use the term Calf-split leather, which is a traditional term firstly to be clear as to what the material is – a split calfskin – and secondly to differentiate from other ‘genuine leathers’ although it is a subset of that wider definition; but we believe calf to be more refined than pig.
I love it! I think Jews and Muslims would agree with Bob in his last comment 🙂 !
So far, there are few Bibles that, after much handling and reading, still make me genuinely excited. The Cambridge WM makes this list. In sum, this is due to the beautiful interior layout that is also very useful for the note taker. The cover materials and details are fantastic, and this Bible would make a fine lifelong companion for the reader of God’s Word.
Here are some ideas for how to use the margins. I’ll begin with another quote from J. Mark Bertrand. He writes,
You really should have a wide margin Bible. Seriously. In my mind, it’s non-negotiable, and it has nothing to do with binding quality or design know-how. A wide margin edition offers a way for you to engage visibly with the text. You encounter a difficult passage, you do some thinking, some research, and once you’ve processed your thoughts you record the conclusions in the margin, forever nearby for future reference. Over time, you end up with a marginal “key,” a road map of interpretation that can be surprisingly useful as your knowledge grows and you make more and more connections between one passage and another.
So there is one key use…essentially making your own study Bible! In another place, I even recall J. Mark Bertrand calling a WM Bible “the thinking man’s study Bible.” I believe he was on to something. And on this note, don’t forget the dozens of pages of lined notebook paper in the back! Look here to see the margins in action.
Another use, suggested by a friend in a good video overview, is documenting prayers and your own spiritual growth related to specific passages, which makes for a nice heirloom to pass to your children!
Do you have any other suggestions for how to make use of the margin space? I’d love to hear them in the comments below.
- Here are all the options: ESV: Black Goatskin (red or black letter), Brown Bonded Leather, Gray Hardcover. NASB: Green Hardcover, Black Goatskin, Black French Morocco, Black Calf-Split. KJV: Black Goatskin, Black Calf-Split. NKJV: Black Goatskin, Blue Hardcover. NIV: Black Calf-Split.
- The goatskin ESV is available in black letter and red letter, the only other difference being that the red letter has red ribbons and the black letter has black ribbons.
And lest we get lost in leather-bound English-Bible luxury, please remember to pray for translations in the remaining 1,859 Bible-less languages in our world. Click here to see my heart on the matter and to even support the work of Bible translation. | <urn:uuid:aa4e4971-5ce7-4987-b4d2-8a7435a1fd1b> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://writness.wordpress.com/2014/10/18/cambridge-bibles-the-wide-margin-reference-series/comment-page-1/ | 2017-08-20T07:53:52Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886106358.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20170820073631-20170820093631-00160.warc.gz | en | 0.950348 | 2,346 |
Behind the scenes of our City in Disney special
For the first time ever, we took Cityline to Walt Disney World in Florida and filmed a special show at the Magic Kingdom, which aired on City on Tuesday, April 23! To help capture all of the Disney magic, we brought some of your favourite guest experts along, including Lisa Rogers, Karen Sealy, Mairlyn Smith, Derek Selby, Bill Rowley, Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault, Brian Gluckstein, and Sandra Pittana. Want a behind-the-scenes look at all of the fun? Browse through our photo gallery below: [gallery ids="28286,28287,28288,28289,28290,28291,28292,28293,28294,28295,28296,28297,28298,28299,28300,28301,28302,28303,28304,28305,28306,28307,28308,28309,28310,28311,28312,28313,28314,28315,28316,28317,28318,28285"] If you missed the show (or you just want to watch it all again!), you can stream the entire episode here. And for your own chance to create once-in-a-lifetime memories at Walt Disney World, don't forget to enter our Magical Journey contest for a chance to win a 5-night trip for 4 to the Walt Disney World Resort with WestJet Vacations!
Nailing it: DIY nail & yarn art
This easy DIY art project adds great impact and fun to your decor. Nail & Yarn Art Materials & Tools:
- MDF board, cut to size, ½” or ¾” thick (plywood can also be used for a more rustic look)
- Nails (1.5” or 1”)
- Primer, paint & painting tools (spray paint works best)
- Draw desired design on board.
- Use hammer to nail nails into board along the design. The nails should be nailed to the same depth/height above the board, and placed approximately ½” to 1” apart from one another.
- Prime and paint the board with nails.
- Tie yarn to one nail and wrap around the nails to highlight the design.
- Tie the end of the yarn to the nail and tuck under the woven yarn.
- Optional: Use different sized nails to create a high and low design.
- Optional: Paint a picture or design onto the board before wrapping the yarn.
- Optional: Using a hot glue gun, place a dab of hot glue onto the loose ends of yarn and glue under the woven yarn.
Mediterranean chicken with rice and asparagus
This meal looks and tastes gourmet, but it's so easy for you to put together for a weekday dinner. Mediterranean chicken with rice and asparagus Prep time: 15 minutes / Total time: 40 minutes Ingredients:
- 1 whole pre-cooked roaster chicken (2 lbs or 900 g - assumes 1 lb or 450 g of actual meat)
- 1 large plastic resealable bag
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/3 cup green pimento olives, sliced (or any sliced, pitted olive of choice)
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp parsley, dried
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh garlic (from a jar - or 3 cloves, minced)
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- paper towel
- 20 asparagus spears (1 lb or 450 g)
- butter (optional)
- The night before: Quarter chicken into two white sections (wing and breast) and two dark sections (drumstick and thigh). Place chicken into a large plastic, resealable bag. Sprinkle chicken with raisins and olives.
- Whisk together the following in a measuring cup: balsamic vinegar, parsley, oregano, pepper, brown sugar, olive oil and garlic. Stir until well mixed. Pour mixture over chicken in bag. Close bag tightly and let rest in bowl. Refrigerate overnight. Flip the bag every once in a while.
- When you arrive home: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place chicken with marinade, skin side up, in a large oven-safe lasagna or cake pan. Place in preheated oven. Set timer for 20 minutes or until heated through.
- Combine rice and water in a large microwave-safe pot with lid. Microwave at high for 8 minutes, then medium for 8 minutes. Place a paper towel under the rice pot in case of spillage.
- Snap off bottom nodes of asparagus and discard. Rinse in colander or steamer basket. Place a small amount of water in the bottom of a stove-top pot, let stand.
- Bring water to full boil with asparagus in the basket above. Cover and set timer for 4 minutes, or microwave for the same amount of time.
Chive pancakes with barbecued pork and coleslaw
This savoury pancake is great for lunch or dinner, and since it's packed full of vegetables, it's a complete meal, too! Chive pancakes with barbecued pork and coleslaw Ingredients:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup water
- 2 bunches chives, cut into 2-3 inch lengths
- 1 bunch Chinese chives, cut into 2-3 inch lengths
- 12 oz barbecued pork, finely shredded
- 1 cup zucchini, julienned
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Mix flour, eggs, water and salt together and let sit for about 10 minutes.
- Add the chives, zucchini and pork and mix well. The batter should be a little bit runnier than pancake batter.
- Preheat a non-stick 12” fry pan (or two smaller pans) over medium heat and add vegetable oil.
- Pour batter into pan and spread to a thin layer; this amount should give you about 1 large pancake. Cook for 3-4 minutes until set and golden brown on bottom.Turn over using a spatula, plate or flip it if you are able; cook the other side until golden and serve immediately.
Tracy and our guest experts learn to dance with Louis Van Amstel
Tracy and our guest experts love to have fun in the Cityline studio, but last week we gave them the chance to have a booty-shakin' good time off the set, too! Celebrity choreographer Louis Van Amstel was in town to promote his new workout DVDs, LaBlast, and we caught up with him at a Toronto dance studio while he taught some hot moves to Tracy, Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault, Mairlyn Smith, Shoana Jensen, and Shai DeLuca-Tamasi. Want a sneak peek of how they did? Check out our behind-the-scenes video and photo gallery below! [embed]bcid:2303093072001[/embed] Want to see their full dance lesson with Louis? Tune in to Cityline on Monday, April 22 at 9am! [gallery ids="27925,27926,27927,27929,27930,27931,27932,27933,27934,27935,27936,27937,27938,27939,27940,27941,27942,27943,27944,27945,27946,27947,27924"] | <urn:uuid:5111f556-24f2-4587-81be-54ce3f97bcab> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.cityline.ca/author/dr-joey-shulman/ | 2017-08-21T04:19:22Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886107490.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20170821041654-20170821061654-00240.warc.gz | en | 0.860941 | 1,630 |
By 2050, approximately two-thirds of the world's population will live in cities, up from just over half right now.
In order to accommodate the masses, it's important for urban centers to rev up their preparations for the future — through infrastructure improvements, technological innovation, policy-making, environmental protections, and other forward-looking strategies.
A new report from AT Kearney, a global business-consulting firm, ranks 128 cities based on their projected levels of importance and competitiveness in the future. The ranking combines cities' scores across various data points, including environmental performance, patents per capita, the number of business incubators and Fortune 500 companies, and quality of life.
In order to suss out the top cities of the future, AT Kearney calculated scores in four categories: personal well-being, economics, innovation, and governance.
These are the cities to keep an eye on in the coming years.
25. Los Angeles, United States
Los Angeles, which fell four spots on the ranking from 2016 to 2017, continues to be a center for business and technology. It's home to several tech giants, including Snap and SpaceX, and fosters the growth of future tech leaders through its startup incubators.
24. Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver edged one spot up the list from No. 24 in 2016. That's because of its rise in tech entrepreneurship and the legal medical marijuana industry. In 2016, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also announced an agreement to invest CA$900 million in the city's transit infrastructure, which is likely to improve its scores in the years ahead.
23. Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo has the largest population of college graduates. But its human capital wasn't enough to keep the Japanese capital from sliding four spots this year. In 2016, the governor of Tokyo resigned because of a spending scandal. Yoichi Masuzoe is the second leader of Tokyo's municipal government to leave office because of a financial scandal in recent years.
22. Düsseldorf, Germany
Düsseldorf lands at No. 22 on the ranking, rising eight spots from 2016. The seventh most populous city in Germany is known for its fashion industry and art scene. One company on the Fortune Global 500, food and drug store conglomerate Metro, calls Düsseldorf home.
21. Copenhagen, Denmark
Rising three spots from No. 24 last year, Copenhagen has been called an urban cyclist's paradise. Since the 1960s, the capital of Denmark has reduced car traffic and parking centers by making space on the roads for bicyclists and pedestrians. The environmentally friendly city also hosts a number of conferences on climate change and renewable energy.
20. Toronto, Canada
Entrepreneurship in Toronto has increased over the past year, and some financial experts suggest that the city is poised to become a new tech hub. The city is also often cited as an environmental leader — a law enacted in 2010 requires all new buildings, except individual homes, to have green roofs. The fourth largest city in North America fell from No. 18 in 2016.
19. Washington, DC
The US capital cracked the top 25 global cities list for the first time in 2017, rising eight spots. AT Kearney named leaders in five different dimensions, including business activity and human capital, and Washington, DC, took the top spot in political engagement — unsurprisingly.
18. Berlin, Germany
Berlin, which slumped four spots from No. 18 in 2016, is known for its eco-friendly policies. The rate at which the German capital is improving its environmental performance has slowed in recent years, though it will most likely remain a global leader in sustainability. Germany plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% to 95% by 2050.
17. Atlanta, United States
In 2016, Atlanta saw increases in all three data sets that determine a city's potential for innovation: patents per capita, private investments, and university-sponsored incubators. Those improvements stalled over the past year, causing it to drop 11 spots from No. 6 in 2016.
16. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam has seen increases in private and foreign direct investment in recent years. Though the capital of the Netherlands fell eight spots from No. 8 in 2016, AT Kearney named the city a leader in freedom of expression. This constitutional right has been under the spotlight since 2014, when the Amsterdam court decided to prosecute a politician who openly criticized Islam.
15. Chicago, United States
Like Los Angeles and Toronto, Chicago has the potential to become a future tech hub. The third most populous city in the US has seen increases in private investments and entrepreneurship in recent years. Chicago hosts a whopping 12 Fortune Global 500 companies, including Boeing, United Continental, the Kraft Heinz Company, and the troubled retailer Sears.
14. Geneva, Switzerland
Geneva leads the pack in several metrics, including number of broadband subscribers and access to television news. The headquarters of Europe's United Nations is home to a variety of prominent international organizations, including the Red Cross and the World Trade Organization.
It climbed two spots from No. 16 in 2016.
13. Sydney, Australia
In 2016, Sydney showed the fastest rate of improvement in its environmental performance over the past five years of all the cities studied — tied only with Melbourne. That effort has turned the city into a global leader in that area. It slipped just one spot from No. 12 in 2016, and was named a leader once again in environmental performance and quality of bureaucracy.
12. Zurich, Switzerland
According to the report, Zurich is on track to be a future leader in the governance category, as is Geneva. That's partly because its bureaucracy functions well compared to other cities.
AT Kearney also named Zurich, the most populous city in Switzerland, a leader in the number of broadband subscribers. However, the city slumped two spots from No. 10 in 2016.
Singapore rocketed six spots up from No. 17 in 2016. AT Kearney named it a leader in a metric that measures the quality of its bureaucracy, in part because government officers are paid well and there is little tolerance for abuse of power as compared with other Asian cities studied.
10. Moscow, Russia
Moscow catapulted onto the top 25 global cities list in 2017, rising 25 spots from the year prior. The Russian capital saw improvements in economics as a result of growth in foreign direct investment. Moscow also registered comparative gains in the quality of its bureaucracy —recruiting women to political parties in recent years — though Russian President Vladimir Putin has concentrated power and ruled through executive authority since coming to office.
9. Stockholm, Sweden
In 2016, Sweden's capital city saw improvements in every indicator of innovation. This year, AT Kearney named Stockholm, the most populous city in the Nordic countries, a leader in freedom of expression. The city is home to an advocacy organization, the Stockholm Center for Freedom, that promotes the rule of law and fundamental rights.
8. Houston, United States
For the second year in a row, Houston was named a world leader in GDP per capita, which is an important factor in the report's calculations of personal well-being. The Texas city has also seen a rise in the number of patents filed per capita, an indicator of growth in entrepreneurship.
7. Munich, Germany
Munich may be known for its annual Oktoberfest celebration, but the German city is also a major tech hub in Europe. That's because of its strengths in research and development and innovative networking systems. In 2015, Munich was home to nearly 100,000 startups.
6. Melbourne, Australia
For the second year in a row, AT Kearney gave Melbourne the title of world leader in personal well-being. That means Melbourne, the second largest city in Australia, is improving a combination of infrastructure, GDP per capita, and foreign direct investment faster than any other city on the planet. It also ranked highly in increases of environmental performance.
5. Boston, United States
According to AT Kearney's calculations, entrepreneurship has flourished in Boston in recent years, though the city fell two spots from No. 3 in 2016. The historic city has a longstanding focus on biotech and some of the the world's best universities, including Harvard and MIT.
4. London, England
London held steady at No. 4 over the past year, thanks in part to its access to cultural experiences and workforce talent. London earned the top spot in six metrics used in the report's calculations, including number of top global services firms, number of news agency bureaus, sporting events, international travelers, and international student population.
3. Paris, France
Paris emerged as a challenger for major US cities in future importance and competitiveness, jumping 10 spots up from No. 13 in 2016. The French capital is increasing the number of business incubators it hosts and has had substantial growth in private investment from venture capital and private equity firms — both foreign and domestic.
2. New York City, United States
Between 2016 and 2017, New York City held steady at No. 2 on this list. Considered a world center of fashion, finance, media, and technology, the city posted high scores in business activity, political engagement, and human capital. New York City also leads the pack in capital markets and local institutions with global reach.
1. San Francisco, United States
This is the seventh year that AT Kearney has released this type of ranking. San Francisco, the tech capital of the world, consistently tops the list because of its strength in innovation.
San Francisco, located north of the Silicon Valley tech hub, is best positioned to attract and retain global capital, people, and ideas in the coming years, according to the report. The city saw increases in the number of patents per capita and business incubators launched.
But the concentration of power and wealth has its downside: San Francisco often ranks as the most expensive real estate market in America, with many long-timers forced out as techies move in. | <urn:uuid:cf061cc3-7278-4415-a3f6-14d5230e731e> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/06/these-are-the-top-25-cities-of-the-future | 2017-08-22T01:46:28Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886109803.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20170822011838-20170822031838-00320.warc.gz | en | 0.95562 | 2,044 |
Launch App best app online free games play now My Talking Tom Cat 2 games play now. Talking Tom angela.
Talking Tom also appears in other apps in the Talking Tom and Friends series
Discover the games app in 135 countries! Adopt your very own baby kitten and help him grow into a fully grown cat. Take good care of your virtual pet,
name him and make him part of your daily life by feeding him, playing with him and nurturing him as he grows. Dress him up any way you like and pick from a wide selection of Candy Crush Saga * Subway Surfers * Asphalt 8: Airborne * Clash of Clans * Temple Run 2 * 101 YüzBir Okey Plus * Trivia Crack * Okey! * Sniper 3D Assassin: Shoot to Kill Game For Free * My Talking Tom * aa * Despicable Me: Minion Rush * Kelimelik * Okey Plus * Truck Simulator 2017 * Hay Day * 8 Ball Pool™ * Online Head Ball * Temple Run * Candy Crush Soda Saga * Super Mario Run * Score! Hero * Traffic Rider * Real Racing 3 * Traffic Racer * Fruit Ninja Free * Game of War - Fire Age * CSR Racing * Jetpack Joyride * Çanak Okey * BBTAN by 111% * Hungry Shark Evolution * Resimli Kelime Bulmaca * Smash Hit * Clash Royale * Pet Rescue Saga * Hill Climb Racing * Criminal Case * Top Eleven 2017 - Be a Football Manager * 2048 * Mobile Strike * Score! World Goals * Farm Heroes Saga * Dr. Driving * Kelime Avı * The Sims™ FreePlay * Piano Tiles 2™(Don't Tap The White Tile 2) * SimCity BuildIt * Dream League Soccer * New Star Soccer * Zynga Poker - Texas Holdem: Vegas Casino Card Game * Diamond Dash * Bilgi Yarışı * Boom Beach * slither.io * Shadow Fight 2 * Batak.HD * Ödüllü Bilgi Yarışması * Okey 101 * Angry Birds 2 * Gangstar Vegas * My Talking Angela * MARVEL Contest of Champions * FIFA Mobile Football * Torque Burnout * Ben Bilmem Eşim Bilir Oyunları * BatakOnline * Modern Combat 5: Blackout * Who Knows ! * Ice Age Village * Backgammon Plus! * Deer Hunter Classic * ZigZag * Real Basketball * Driver 2 - Open World Game * Kim Milyoner 2017 ® * GT Racing 2: The Real Car Experience * Sonic Dash * Angry Birds Go! * Agar.io * Need for Speed™ No Limits * Six-Guns: Gang Showdown * Smurfs' Village * Sniper Fury: best mobile shooter game – fun & free * Online Soccer Manager (OSM) - No.1 Football Game * Soccer Stars™ * İsim Şehir Hayvan Bitki * Dragon City Mobile * Kim Milyoner 2016 ® * Looney Tunes Dash! * 101 YüzBir Okey Çanak * MORTAL KOMBAT X * Nail It * Plants vs. Zombies™ 2 * ???? ????????? - Travelling Millionaire * Real Football 2013 * Aptal Mısın? * Trial Xtreme 4 * MAYDAY! Emergency Landing * Brothers in Arms® 3: Sons of War * Real Boxing * World of Tanks Blitz * Çanak Okey Plus * Highway Rider * Spider-Man Unlimited * Lep's World Free - best platformer games * Last Empire-War Z * FarmVille 2: Country Escape * CSR Racing 2 * Episode - Choose Your Story + Pretty Little Liars * Hungry Shark World * Frontline Commando * Toy Blast * My Horse * Exploration Lite * 1010! * Head Soccer * War Robots * Iron Force * Real Football 2012 * OkeyOnline * FIFA 16 Ultimate Team™ * My Boo - Virtual Pet with Mini Games for Kids * Jenga * Injustice: Gods Among Us * Megapolis * Racing in City - Traffic Driving Simulation Game * UNO ™ & Friends * Hit Tennis 3 - Swipe & Flick Ball Sports * Flow Free * Clumsy Ninja * Flick Shoot 2 * NBA LIVE Mobile Basketball * Crazy Taxi™ City Rush * Dolmus Driver * Mobile Legends: Bang bang * Bubble Witch Saga * CarX Drift Racing * Candy Crush Jelly Saga * Fun Run - Multiplayer Race * Okey. * Traffic Tour * DEAD TRIGGER 2 * CSR Classics * Zombie Tsunami * Bridge Constructor FREE * Bubble Mania™ - Free Bubble Shooter * Flick Shoot * F18 Carrier Landing Lite * Bus Simulator 2015 * Zombie Frontier 3 – Top Zombie Shooting Game * Bejeweled Blitz * Racing in Car * Bil ve Fethet * Walking Dead: The Game * MetalStorm: Online * Frontline Commando: D-Day * Stack * Angry Birds Rio * Pou * Happy Wheels * Two Dots * Trigger Fist * Basketball Stars™ * Chess Free with Coach - Learn, Play & Multiplayer * Red Ball 4 (Ad Supported) * Angry Birds Friends * Tetris® Blitz * Survivor - Clash of Heroes - Free Edition * World at Arms - Wage war for your nation! * Where's My Water? 2 * Pixel Gun 3D * PAC-MAN Lite * Pool Live Tour Mobile * Angry Birds Epic RPG * Hill Climb Racing 2 * Anlat Bakalım Lite * Township * Perfect Kick * PES CLUB MANAGER * Hugo Troll Race Classic * Bubble Witch 2 Saga * Block Craft 3D: Building Simulator Game For Free * Family Farm Seaside - Play Harvest & Farming Game * Littlest Pet Shop * Swamp Attack * Where's My Water? Free * Asphalt Xtreme: Offroad Racing * Yeni Milyoner 2017 * 101 Okey HD * Taxi Sim 2016 * Dr. Parking 4 * King of Maths * Backgammon Kings * Real Boxing 2 ROCKY * Stick Hero * Papa Pear Saga * Cars: Fast as Lightning * Batman: Arkham Origins * Drive Ahead! * Piano Tiles (Don't Tap The White Tile) * Trials Frontier * Driving School 2016 * Jelly Jump * Fun Run 2: Multiplayer Racing Games * Nusrat * Virtual Table Tennis * Blitz Brigade - Multiplayer shooting action! * GyroSphere Trials * Rail Rush * Contract Killer 2 * ?Sudoku * Color Switch * Talking Tom Gold Run * Pisti II * N.O.V.A. 3: Freedom Edition - Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance game * DEAD TRIGGER * Real City Car Driving Sim 2017 * MY LITTLE PONY - Friendship is Magic * Real Steel World Robot Boxing * Bubble Shooter * Lep's World 3 Free - super best platformer games * Clash of Kings - CoK * Can Knockdown * English Hangman * Blood & Glory * Club Penguin * Dungeon Hunter 4 * Empire: Four Kingdoms - MMO Strategy Game * Euro Truck Driver (Simulator) * Unblock Me FREE * İnternetsiz Batak * Solitaire * ff * Flip Diving * Twist * Assassin's Creed Pirates * Circle * Crossy Road - Endless Arcade Hopper * %99 * fur colors and other accessories. Decorate his home and check out how others decorated their My Talking Tom homes. Play games with your Tom and watch as he becomes a part of your everyday life. FEATURES: - Play over 10 mini-games: Memory Game, Whack-A-Mouse, Connect and more! Earn gold coins and have fun! - Record & watch videos: Record and share your own My Talking Tom videos and watch other videos too. (Only available on select devices running Android 4.1+, see the list at http://tinyurl.com/listmtt) - Nurture your very own Tom: Play games with him, feed him his favorite foods, tuck him into bed. - Visit your friends & other players' Talking Toms: Check out the apartments and look of other Toms, find treasure chests and get coins! - Enjoy life-like emotions: Tom can be happy, hungry, sleepy, bored... his emotions change according to how you play with him. - Unleash your creativity: Create your very own Tom by choosing from 1000’s of combinations of furs, clothing and furniture. | <urn:uuid:399ccdf4-4408-4b60-b5eb-6ad456884c8c> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/my-good-talking-2-tom-cat/lamckjmlihjhgkkmaijgckjmoollmnnn?hl=en | 2017-08-22T22:46:23Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886116921.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20170822221214-20170823001214-00400.warc.gz | en | 0.694229 | 1,694 |
Revised: The Typical Change
My name’s Kate Louinstan. Just an ordinary girl from Texas. Dancing is my passion, art is my thrill, and adventure is my name. I love going on hikes and trips down mountains on my bike. I guess you can say I was born an adventure. My life always has new things going on. I always encounter obstacles but I open up easily. Speaking of problems, as a 17 year old girl, I have friends that I don't know too well. People I don't understand. There's this girl that has been in my school since 2nd grade.
Her name was Natalie Wilson. She moved from Alabama, and by the first week she was already popular. Natalie was a brunette with almost short, wavy hair. She had brown eyes with a tint of hazel that you can see sparkle when she's out in the sun. Just one thing, I hate her. Okay, maybe I should say this, we used to be really good friends in 4th grade. But then that typical dramatic thing had to happen, the thing in the movies. Where one girl changes and the other is left all alone because she was almost too close to the girl that left her.
I didn't see her that summer break and she was a completely new person at the start of 5th grade. She dyed her hair blonde and started to wear all of this makeup, like she wanted to become one of the popular girls. I noticed her new looks, and they seemed way off than what she used to be like. Over summer vacation, I always tried to contact her but I would get her “Sorry I'm busy” or “Can't hang out” text messages. After a long summer without seeing each other, I happily skipped over to her with a huge smile on my face because it's been so long and I was happy to see her. She was facing the other way back turned to me. I came up from behind and tapped her back, “Hey Natalie!” She turned around, looked at my face with the world's dirtiest look ever. I was so confused by what that look may have meant.
“Was it her birthday?”
I thought to myself for a quick second but realized it wasn't because her birthday is in the winter and it's only September. I bugged her again and asked her about her new look. She looks over at me and says “I'm talking to Sophia right now, so bye.” My gosh, that was absolutely rude behavior, especially since we were great friends. Not only great friends, we were best friends. Without saying anything. I gave Natalie a blank face and walked away. Now my mind was boggled up, nothing added up to what just happened. I started feeling a slight headache. We didn't talk at all that day, and for the next week, and then for a few months (yes, even past her birthday). We never said words to each other, we never worked together for an assignment, we tried to not even exchange looks.
That brings me back to the present. Junior year in high school, and still no words. I've moved on from that period of my life where I was unbelievably lost as to how I lost my best friend but looking back at it, it seemed to be because she wanted to be a popular. What even is popularity? It makes no sense to me.A bunch of girls who wear excessive makeup, dress too fancy to go to school, and hang out with other people who do the same thing? Popularity is the most talked about conversation is high school, everyone talks about. Whether you're at the bottom of the “high school social pyramid” or the top, it's basically all all gossip.
Speaking of gossip, Natalie started gossiping a while back. She told all the other popular girls all about us. She made up a stupid story about me. The rumors just started spreading all over the school. I mean that's so far off from what she can do. Natalie had a desire to ruin my life and make sure everything about my personal life was known worldwide. How can a person change over one summer? I got carried away. These were the thoughts going through my mind while sitting in Spanish class. I was perfectly fine with not having her in my life. She wasn't a real friend anyway. She sits in the third row to the left in Spanish. I sit in fourth row to the right. At Least I don't have to be up close to her. She often uses her phone during class and takes selfies, probably to post on Instagram later. Then puts a caption like “Ugh spanish class was so boring today!” I don't know her anymore. I have my own friends, friends I know I can trust. Well, high school has been great for me so far, just one more year and I'll be out of here forever! That also removes me from the “high school social class girls”. I hate how freshman come into the building on the first day knowing who stands where, who can sit with who at lunch. It's not a rule to sit with someone new, but if that happened I bet the girl who sat down would have gotten eyes from all around the lunch room. I hate high school.
I got carried away. These were the thoughts going through my mind while sitting in Spanish class. I was perfectly fine with not having her in my life. She wasn't a real friend anyway. She sits in the third row to the left in Spanish. I sit in fourth row to the right. At Least I don't have to be up close to her. She often uses her phone during class and takes selfies, probably to post on Instagram later. Then puts a caption like “Ugh spanish class was so boring today!” I don't know her anymore. I have my own friends, friends I know I can trust. Well, high school has been great for me so far, just one more year and I'll be out of here forever! That also removes me from the “high school social class girls”. I hate how freshman come into the building on the first day knowing who stands where, who can sit with who at lunch. It's not a rule to sit with someone new, but if that happened I bet the girl who sat down would have gotten eyes from all around the lunch room. I hate high school.
A young girl, about 11 years old, living in a small town in the suburbs of Tennessee. Her name was Jackie and she lived with her family which included, both of her parents. She was an only child, and frankly she didn't mind it, Jackie loved having her parents to herself all the time. She enjoyed getting some privileges like having a room all to herself. A wide room with pretty lavender colored walls, beige curtains with purple polka dots all over. The curtains matched the drapes quite well. The house we live in is pretty old, mostly everything squeaks and creeks. The door hinges make noise every time it's opened or closed. The rims of windows are chipped to the wall. Every room has an antique color or an old style of housing except for my room.
After my grandma passed away we had an extra room. I felt bad for taking grandma’s room, and changing it to be my own. I Always have a way of wondering so far into things it feels like it's reality. I wonder about grandma all the time, and I miss her so much. She always wanted the best for me, and wanted be to be very successful. My room, which was grandma's room, used to be painted and decorated just like the rest of the house until she died. When she passed away, I got her room and I changed it all up to be colorful and more appealing to me. The chipped paint, the old stains, the rusted hinges were all re-done.
My friends don't like coming to my house, they think it's creepy because of all the noise. They tell me that I have a ghost in my house haunting us or something stupid like that. It's not even believable, ghosts aren't real, obviously they're made up for horror movies and stuff. My friends are just paranoid because they love to watch horror movies and freak themselves out, then they come to my house and try to convince me that it's haunted. I never believed them because I've never done anything that could haunt my own house, well that's what I thought until last month at least.
It was just an ordinary day in my hometown and I was walking back home from school. The place I live in is the countryside, so country that seeing a cow on the street is completely normal. As I was saying, I was walking home with my backpack filled with textbooks and assignments all due the next day. The amount of homework I get is ridiculous I don't think teachers understand that students have more than just one class. My backpack was weighing down on me like a rock over a pebble. On my way home I kept feeling weird, as if someone was following me. I thought I saw a shadow but every time I turned around there was nothing at all. It was just me and the rocky dirt road ahead.
After the long walk back home, I still felt something in my way as if the air surrounding me was a big block of shaped air curving in onto me. It was hard to do other things, it was hard to move, it was hard to think when all I could wonder about was the fact that my body felt trapped. Maybe I was getting sick or something.
Three hours passed and I finished my work and chores right before my parents came home from their long day at work.
“Hello sweetie, how was your day?”
“It was fine mom. I just need to tell both of you guys something and it's kind of weirding me out a little.”
“Okay go ahead honey, we're listening.” My dad said to me as a way to comfort me because I told them everything and they knew that. They know I tell them everything about my life, no lies, no secrets. My parents were my best friends, they've always wanted the best for me.
“Well… as I was coming home I started feeling something around me. I kept seeing shadows but they kept moving when I turned to take a better look. I think there might be a ghost or something coming for us.” The second those sentences came out of my mouth, I could tell my parents had the most confused expression on their faces. They probably think I'm insane or something now.
“Sweetie, I think you're just seeing things. It's okay, help me and dad make dinner and get your mind off of this.”
I helped them make our dinner and we ate it together around the dinner table. Couple hours later it was time for bed. School nights are the nights I have to get a goodnight’s sleep for all the work I do everyday for 7 hours. I head upstairs and tripped on the way up the stairs. I checked the stairs to see what I tripped over, but there was nothing there. My brain started thinking back to earlier this afternoon with the ghostlike things happening. I hoped with my fingers crossed that it wasn't what I thought it was but my mind was racing, so fast, I knew it the ghostly figure that came back.
While brushing my teeth all I was thinking about was “why me?”, “what did I do?”, “why would I be haunted?” I spit out the foamed up toothpaste into the sink and washed my face. I looked at the mirror and stared straight into my eyes for a few seconds telling myself to relax, it's probably nothing at all. Then I looked further into the mirror, which were the shower curtains. They moved. I swear on my life they opened and closed themselves. I ran out of the bathroom and into my bedroom, closing the door behind me. I laid back against the door, my head was facing the ceiling and I told myself to go to bed. I must be over thinking for the tests I have tomorrow at school. I walked and bounced onto my bed, closed my eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.
Wind blowing, trees swaying, floors creaking, I awoke to all of this, all so suddenly. As I opened my eyes and turned to my side I saw a big shadow climbing itself up the side of my wall, getting bigger and bigger I looked at it, stared at it.
“Eyes open dearrrrrrrr.”
It was a squeaky voice of an old woman. I was terrified and I didn't know what was happening. I kept my eyes open for a while, I couldn't close them I was too scared to.
“I've come back to take back what's mine.” Said the old voice.
It was definitely an old woman. Definitely someone I knew. She wanted something from me, but what do I have that is hers? | <urn:uuid:006c1035-9549-4689-b3e1-09adb904f482> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://spark.adobe.com/page/7fBSvjveDx7h9/ | 2017-08-22T22:57:02Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886116921.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20170822221214-20170823001214-00400.warc.gz | en | 0.990135 | 2,746 |
April 15, 2017 Bullis Prep School
Battlefield (VA) senior Lauren Hoffman clocked the nation's fastest time in the 400 meter hurdles with her 59.05 performance at the Bullis Bulldog Invitational on April 15th.Results:GIRLS 400 METER HURDLES FINALSPLACEATHLETETEAMRESULTWINDH#1Lauren Hoffman12Battlefield59.0522Tylar Colbert11Franklin High School1:02.6223Kori Carter10Nansemond River1:02.8024Ayanna Johnson11Bullis School1:04.4115BryAnn Sandy12Paul Robeson1:04.4726Zaidra James12Bloomfield High School1:04.8417Tre'Breh Scott-McKoy10Nansemond River1:04.9028Nadia Hackett12Baltimore Poly High School1:04.9829Andrea Mills12Bloomfield High School1:09.52110Tiana Frierson10Suitland High School1:12.47111Arielle Garrison9Henry E. Lackey High School1:14.321More Race Videos From Bullis Bulldog InvitationalMore Results & Coverage From Bullis Bulldog InvitationalNational Girls 400m Hurdles Rankings
Results from the 2017 Bullis Bulldog Invitational.
Performance list and time schedule released for the 2017 Bullis Bulldog Invitational on Saturday, April 15th. MileSplit.com will be on-site with race video and photo coverage!
Recapping the action at Jim Kelly, Bullis, Mount Carmel, Neshaminy, North Penn and more!
This year's installment of the Bullis Bulldog Invitational is growing as good as the Bullis team itself.
It is going to be a huge weekend for VA considering everyone is on break.
The Bullis girls defend their home turf well in the 4x100 meter relay at Saturday's Bullis Bulldog Invitational with a US #4 victory of 45.90. The squad of Alexis Postell, Ashley Seymour, Lauryn Harris, and Leah Phillips was able to get the stick around on their home track for a meet record with their sub 46 second clocking. Check out all the rest of the interviews and coverage from the meet below.Bullis Bulldog Invitational Coverage:Video InterviewsRace VideosPhoto GalleriesResults
Baltimore Poly (MD) senior and Penn State commit William Henderson opened his outdoor season with some impressive performances in his first major meet of the spring with a 24'8" leap in the long jump, 10.66 clocking in the 100 meter dash, and US #9 performance of 14.02 to win the boys 110 meter hurdles finals at the Bullis Bulldog Invitational.Boys 110 Meter Hurdles ======================================================================================== Meet Record: ! 14.23 4/16/2016 Robert Miller, Baltimore City College Name Year School Prelims Finals Wind H# Points ======================================================================================== Finals 1 Henderson, William 12 Baltimore Po 14.16 14.02! 0.2 2 10 2 Smith, Kollin 12 Frederick Do 14.95 14.50 0.2 2 8 3 Garland, Kyle 11 Germantown A 15.13 14.68 0.2 2 6 4 Blackley, Jahkwan 12 Western Bran 15.20 14.81 1.5 1 5 5 Locker, Khalil 10 Western Bran 14.91 14.85 0.2 2 4 6 Hansford, Demani 12 St. John's C 15.24 14.85 1.5 1 3 7 Dennis, Brian 12 James Hubert 14.92 15.03 0.2 2 2 8 Sodipo, Olumide 12 Laurel High 15.49 15.11 1.5 1 1 9 Murphy, Drake 10 Bishop McNam 15.51 15.11 1.5 1 10 Faircloth, Daiqwaun 11 Nansemond Ri 15.49 15.37 1.5 1 11 Smith, Naseem 10 Deptford HS 15.52 15.46 1.5 1 12 Williams, Garry 12 Western Bran 14.61 15.77 0.2More Race Videos From Bullis Bulldog InvitationalMore Results & Coverage From Bullis Bulldog InvitationalNational Boys 110m Hurdles Rankings
Delaware state champion and New Balance Nationals All-American sprinter Daija Lampkin rolled in the 100 meter dash finals at the Bullis Bulldog Invitational with a US #8 wind legal personal best performance of 11.59. She came back to win the 200 in a US #6 clocking of 23.63. GIRLS 100 METER DASH FINALSPLACEATHLETETEAMRESULTWINDH#1Daija Lampkin12Middletown High School11.591.722Ashley Seymour11Bullis School11.881.723Lauren Morgan12Elizabeth Seton High School11.921.724Maya Valmon9Holton-Arms School11.97-0.115Kori Carter10Nansemond River12.06-0.116Lauryn Harris10Bullis School12.07-0.117Kayla Barnes12Baltimore City College12.08-0.118Jessica Tucker11Western Branch High School12.081.729Gabriella Johnson12Bullis School12.09-0.1110Cassidy Palmer12Bloomfield High School12.341.7211Asia Crocker11Nansemond River12.48-0.11More Race Videos From Bullis Bulldog InvitationalMore Results & Coverage From Bullis Bulldog InvitationalNational Girls 100m Dash Rankings
Bloomfield competes in the Bullis Bulldog Invitational in Maryland.
St. John's College (DC) junior Kasey Ebb won the fast section of the girls 400 at the Bullis Bulldog Invitational with a personal best time of 55.08, which ranks #31 in the nation.More Race Videos From Bullis Bulldog InvitationalMore Results & Coverage From Bullis Bulldog InvitationalNational Girls 400m Hurdles Rankings
Medal Recipients April 17th 2017
Battlefield (VA) senior Lauren Hoffman clocked the nation's fastest time in the 400 meter hurdles with her 59.05 performance at the Bullis Bulldog Invitational on April 15th.
Watch race videos from last year's Bullis Bulldog Invitational.
Watch race videos from the 2017 Bullis Bulldog Invitational.
Watch Daija Lampkin break two meet records at the Bullis Bulldog Invitational including a personal best and US #8 clocking of 11.58 in the 100 meter dash finals.
Watch William Henderson win the 110 hurdles finals in a personal best time and US #9 performance of 14.02. Part of a big triple at the Bullis Bulldog Invite including 10.66 in 100 and 24'8" in the long jump.
Check out our double photo coverage from the 2017 Bullis Bulldog Invitational by Craig Amoss and Adrian Hood.
The Bullis girls defend their home turf well in the 4x100 meter relay at Saturday's Bullis Bulldog Invitational with a US #4 victory of 45.90.
Watch Kasey Ebb of St. John's College win the girls 400 at the Bullis Bulldog Invite in a 55.08 personal best clocking.
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- Maintenance Program
Farragut, TN Heating, Air Conditioning, Indoor Air Quality, and Commercial HVAC Services
Sometimes it takes a lot of work in order to maintain comfortable conditions both at home and in a commercial property. When you have fine HVAC and IAQ technicians on your side, though, such as those on the Russell & Abbott team, it is a lot easier to succeed in living and working comfortably. Give us a call today if you need any heating, air conditioning, indoor air quality, or commercial HVAC services in the Farragut, TN area. We are more than happy to install, repair, and maintain your systems, as well as to provide you with any other services you may require to live and work in the comfort that you deserve.
Do You Need An Air Conditioner or Air Conditioning Services in Farragut, TN?
We know that most people around here appreciate the warm weather of the summer season. It is much easier to truly appreciate this weather, though, when you have a cool and comfortable environment waiting for you back at home. That is why you should let us install and service your air conditioner. That way, you will know that your AC system is working to its fullest potential. We offer quality air conditioning services in the Farrgut, TN area.
Learn more about the comprehensive AC services we have to offer.
We Offer Air Conditioning Repair
As soon as your air conditioner begins to exhibit signs of troubled operation, dial our number to schedule professional air conditioning repair with our HVAC team. That way, your system will not incur unnecessary and complex damages later on. The sooner that your AC is repaired, the better off your system is likely to be.
Call and schedule an air conditioning repair service appointment with us today.
We Offer Ductless Air Conditioning
If you think that it is absolutely necessary to distribute cooled air throughout your home via a system of air ducts, then think again. In fact, ductless air conditioning is not only a viable option to consider, but one which can help you to boost energy efficiency and comfort in your home. If you have any questions regarding the installation of a ductless air conditioner in your home, give a member of our team a call today.
Get the most out of your cooling system with our ductless air conditioning services.
We Install and Service Heat Pumps
The heat pump is a system which is capable of both heating and cooling a home. It accomplishes this by reversing its refrigerant cycle depending upon the season and your needs. During the summer, you can use a heat pump to remove heat from the air in your home, just as you would an AC. During the winter, the heat pump will use existing heat in the air outside in order to warm your residence. This is an exceptionally efficient and eco–friendly way in which to do so.
Learn more about our heat pump services we offer in Farragut.
We Install and Service Thermostats
You communicate with your HVAC system via the thermostat. To ensure that you are able to do so in the most efficient and precise manner possible, you must have a quality thermostat installed in your home. This thermostat must also be serviced by experienced professionals who can help you to get the best performance that it has to offer.
Get the most out of your home’s cooling system with our thermostat services.
Do You Need A Heating System or Heater Services in Farragut, TN?
Has the time come for the installation of a new heating system in your home, or do you need an existing heater replaced? Perhaps you require routine heating maintenance, or even repairs for a damaged heater? Whatever it is that you need in order to heat your home more effectively, reliably, and efficiently, you can count on our technicians to get the job done right.
Call us today for our comprehensive heater services in Farragut, TN.
We Offer Heating Installation
No heater will function properly if it is not of the right size for the space in which it is installed, or if it installed incorrectly in any way. In fact, your heater may not even function safely if its installation is compromised. The good news is that with our heating installation service, we guarantee that your heater is installed with the utmost care and expertise by HVAC professionals every step of the way.
We Offer Heating Repair
A number of problems may develop with your heating system over time. Perhaps it is blowing cool air, costing more and more to operate, or simply will not kick on when the temperature dips below comfortable levels. Whatever issues you may be having with the heater in your home, you can count on our heating repair service to ensure that repairs are handled promptly and satisfactorily.
Call us today to schedule an appointment for our professional heating repair service.
We Offer Ductless Heating
Ductless heating does not, of course, require ductwork in order to distribute heated air throughout a residence. Instead, individual, wall–mounted blowers are used to heat different areas of the home. This allows for the maintenance of different temperatures throughout the house, ensuring that you heat your home as needed and with great efficiency. Plus, you won’t have to worry about leaking ductwork wasting energy.
Learn more about our ductless heating services we have to offer.
We Install and Service Furnaces
There are, of course, a number of different heating systems that you may choose to use in your home. Undoubtedly one of the most popular options is the furnace. Our technicians install and service gas and electric furnaces throughout the area. If you think that a furnace is the right fit for your home, heating habits, and usage preferences, just give us a call. We’ll help you to make an informed decision about whether or not a furnace is the best option for you.
Contact us today to learn more about the furnaces and furnace services we offer.
Are You Interested in Improving Your Indoor Air Quality in Farragut, TN?
Keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer is absolutely necessary if you hope to live in the comfort that you deserve. However, there is more to comfort than simple temperature maintenance. You must also ensure that the quality of the air in your home is high. If it is not, there is just no way in which you will live in the true comfort that you seek. The good news is that we have the tools and training necessary to help you to boost your home’s indoor air quality.
Call today to get started on improving your indoor air quality.
We Offer Air Filtration Systems
Filtering the air in a living space is one of the most basic ways in which to improve upon indoor air quality therein. It is also among the most effective of available methods. This is provided, of course, that you have an appropriate air filtration system in place. We’ll ensure that this is the case and that your system is installed with the necessary skill and expertise to guarantee its peak performance levels.
We Offer Air Purifier Services
Electronic air purifiers do not rely on air filtration. Instead, they charge pollutants in the air and then those pollutants are collected on oppositely charged plates. UV air purifiers, on the other hand, use UV radiation in order to destroy airborne pollutants that may be present in your home. Regardless of which you may need in your house, you can count on our staff to install and service your air purifiers properly and to equip you with the tools you need to breathe clean, healthful air.
Get the most out of your home’s air quality with our air purifier services.
We Offer Dehumidifier Services
Is the air in your home too humid? Does it feel thick and heavy? Do you notice sticky surfaces or stains on the walls due to moisture? Whatever problems you may encounter that tipped you off to excessive humidity in your home, let us know so that we can provide you with the necessary dehumidifier services. That way, you can live with optimized humidity for improved health and comfort.
Give us a call today and let us help you get the most out of your dehumidifier.
We Offer Humidifier Services
Having too little humidity in the air surrounding you is no better than having too much. The good news is that we have a solution for this problem, too. We offer comprehensive humidifier services in the Farragut, TN area. With a whole–house humidifier, you can inject the right amount of humidity into the air so that you can live in ideal conditions, even during the dry winter weather.
Call us today to schedule an appointment for our quality humidifier services.
Do You Need Commercial HVAC Services in Farragut, TN?
Do you own a commercial property? If so, then you need a quality commercial HVAC system installed within that property. That’s where our technicians come in. We do it all, from commercial HVAC installations and replacements to routine maintenance and thorough repairs. When you need any sort of commercial HVAC services near Farragut, TN, we are the company to call.
Make us your first call for professional commercial HVAC services in your area.
We Offer Commercial Dehumidifier Services
Commercial properties with too much humidity in the air simply are not comfortable and will not make a good impression on visitors to that space. They may also suffer from mold growth and other concerns. With a good commercial dehumidifier in place, you can remove this excess humidity in a convenient and effective manner.
Contact us if you have any questions regarding our commercial dehumidifier services.
We Offer Commercial Air Purifier Services
Your employees, tenants, and customers deserve the best, and we can help you to give it to them. With a commercial air purifier, professionally installed and serviced, you can ensure that the environment within your commercial space is healthful and comfortable. When you need any HVAC or IAQ services in Farragut, TN for your commercial space, just let the experts at Russell & Abbott know.
Call and schedule a commercial air purifier service appointment with us today.
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Jeanne - Farragut, TN
MK Russell & Abbott responded to my call immediately and came to my house promptly. Techs are always efficient and friendly. | <urn:uuid:4d1f82ae-6422-47d1-9774-711d902b2652> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.cleanaircomfort.com/service-areas/farragut-tn-hvac | 2017-08-23T19:27:49Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886123359.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20170823190745-20170823210745-00480.warc.gz | en | 0.931129 | 2,362 |
July 24, 2016
William G. Carter
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray."
To be a disciple is to be a student. So it’s good to hear that the twelve disciples of Jesus were still teachable. They see Jesus praying, wait for him to say Amen, and then say, “Lord, teach us to do that. Teach us to pray!”
It’s a striking request, for a couple of reasons. According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was always praying. On the day of his baptism, he was praying when the heavens opened and the dove came down (3:21). It was his custom to slip away from the crowds to pray (5:16). The night before he selected the first twelve disciples, he went up on a mountain and spent all night praying (6:12).
Another time, in the middle of a prayer, he looked up at the twelve and asked, “Who do people say that I am?” And then he told them how he would suffer, die, and be raised (9:13). Shortly after that, he took three of them up a high mountain where his appearance changed – his clothes were dazzling white, his face was transfigured – and it happened, says Luke, while Jesus was praying (9:29).
His was a vital prayer life. Jesus was always praying – and the twelve said, “Teach us to pray.” They wanted something of what he had. They knew he could teach them.
But it’s a striking request, because every one of them was a Jew. They had a book of prayers called the Psalms. They committed these prayers to memory. With the prayers inscribed in their liturgies, the Jewish disciples had prayers for every occasion: when you rise to begin your day, when you lie down to hand over the night to God. If you need help with an enemy, the Psalms offered the prayers. If you wished to thank God for safe passage through the mountains, or an abundant harvest, or the success of a child birth, the Jews already had the prayers. They knew the life of faith is filled with prayers, prayers for every possible occasion.
But these twelve were looking for something even deeper. “Teach us,” they said to the Master. “Teach us to pray.”
So he gave them the words. “Father…Abba, Daddy…” He addresses God with affection. “Hallowed be your name.” Hallowed is Holy, apart from us, guarded and distinct. God can be addressed with affection, but God stands apart from you, holy and completely Other.
“Your kingdom come . . .” This is the heart of the prayer, a request that the God who rules over the solar systems and the barn swallows would also come to rule over the situations that we know: the broken bones, the wounded hearts, the fierce injustices. We want the God who rules over everything to rule over us.
Then it gets specific: “Give us each day the bread we need for today.” That is a request as old as the story of manna in the wilderness. (Exodus 16). God sends food from heaven for the Israelites as they wander in the wilderness. It comes every day, twice on the day before the Sabbath. But it cannot be hoarded or else it rots. It is only bread for today. We need it. We don’t have it. We ask God for it.
“And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.” Luke takes the edge off of Matthew’s version of the prayer. In Matthew, the forgiveness we request sounds conditional on our ability to forgive. Recall: “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” But in Luke, Jesus assumes that we are already forgiving others, in the name of a God we wish to forgive us.
“And do not bring us to the time of trial.” That sounds ominous, as if the Father to whom we pray is the One who can also test us. It’s like that story in the first chapter of Mark’s Gospel. After Jesus is baptized, the Spirit of God hurls him into the wild places to be tested by the Devil. God sends him to confront evil on its own turf. That is going to be a decisive test! Do you want God to test you? Jesus says, “Pray that you are delivered from this.”
Here is how to pray, says Jesus. With simple words, with direct speech, focusing on the life and death issues before us every day, always praying for God to come and rule over us and our lives.
Yet the instruction is not complete. It’s not enough to merely write down the words, to recite them every day, and to mumble them when prayer becomes a habit. Jesus goes on to say some more.
Suppose you find yourself in need of daily bread, he says. A friend has come to stay with you, and both of you need the food. Now, suppose you went to a neighbor, knocked on the door, and said, “Can I get borrow some food for my guest and my family?” The neighbor is not going to turn you down. He’s a Middle Easterner. Generous hospitality is the name of the game. He’s not going to yell, “Go away, I’ve already gone to bed for the night” – especially if you persist in asking.
With this, Jesus leans over the pulpit to wink and say, “And how much more generous is God than your sleepy hospitable neighbor?”
He is still talking about prayer. Prayer is something more than saying the words. We have to stay at it, we have to persist. We have to make it real. Prayer is asking for bread, not cake. It is staying at matters of great urgency, not flaying at thin superficialities. It is swimming from the shallow end of our need to the depths of God’s great mystery. To a great extent, when we pray, we are always in over our heads.
Even the apostle Paul - schooled as a rabbi, trained in scripture, well experienced in the grace of God – could exclaim in one of his letters, “We don’t know how to pray as we ought” (Romans 8:26). He’s clear about that. We don’t know how to do it perfectly. We ask for small needs to be met by a God who directs the comets and plants the giant sequoia trees. We ask for justice when we are busy perpetuating injustice.
Sometimes life is so confusing. At the peak of the Civil War, with North against South, gray against blue, brother against brother, President Lincoln stood to say, “Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other… The prayers of both could not be answered, that of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes.” Or as the prophet Isaiah speaks truth, “God’s ways are not our ways.”
We don’t know how to pray perfectly, because we often make it all about us. “Lord, give me this. Lord, give me that.” Prayer is not about getting what we want – it is about opening ourselves to what God wishes to give us. God desires to rule over us: thy kingdom come! God creates us to live in peace: forgive us our sins, including the sin of being incapable of forgiving others, much less ourselves. God calls us to live holy lives: Lead us not to the test, Lord.
We pray for God to provide what God has already desired to provide. Prayer is so much more than reciting a little formula or asking for magic. It is participating in the holy life of God, staying with the divine joy that carries us even when life looks bleak and the road ahead is foggy. Prayer is daring to go into the deep end, where the mysterious waters of grace are way over your head, and trusting that whatever happens, you are met – you are loved – and there will be daily bread upon your table. Not because you put it there, but because God is behind it, giving it to all who ask.
“Teach us to pray.” To learn about prayer is to learn all over again about God. God is generous, providing everything that the world needs to flourish. God is creative, planting dandelions in the cracks of concrete, giving life where no one expects to find.
And God is inclined to love us. “What father,” asks Jesus, “will give a snake to the son who asks for a fish? Or a scorpion to the daughter who asks for an omelet?” No father would do that, no mother could do that. Not if the parent loves the child.
Now we are getting to the heart of it. To pray is to participate in a relationship. It is entering and re-entering the dominion of God’s Love that lies at the center of all things. It is drawing near a Table we did not set, to appreciate a sacrifice that we did not make, to receive a mercy that we did not imagine, to welcome the Breath that filled the lungs of Christ into our lungs, into our bloodstream, into our very lives. Prayer is communion with God, the verbal sacrament before all other sacraments. We ask God to fill our silences and inhabit our words, until God’s desires for us are greater than our own desires for ourselves.
Want to learn how to pray? Do you really want to learn? Stay at it. Ask, knock, keep asking and knocking. Search for God until God finds you. Be willing for God to change you. Know in advance that, as you pray, God’s Spirit will work in you. This is the essence of the relationship.
So here is a parable from the early Christians who went to the desert. There were two leaders, Lot and Joseph. Both were honored as spiritual leaders, and given the name “Abba” – Abba Lot and Abba Joseph.
Abba Lot came to Abba Joseph and said: Father, according as I am able, I keep my little rule, and my little fast, my prayer, meditation and contemplative silence; and, according as I am able, I strive to cleanse my heart of thoughts: now what more should I do?
The elder rose up in reply and stretched out his hands to heaven, and his fingers became like ten lamps of fire. He said: Why not become fire?
Now that is where prayer promises to take us: to fill us afresh with the Spirit of God. | <urn:uuid:31ee88ce-9bce-428d-8775-71846944733d> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://billcartersermons.blogspot.com/2016/07/ | 2017-08-16T21:38:34Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886102663.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20170816212248-20170816232248-00120.warc.gz | en | 0.975625 | 2,311 |
Now that the whole world is talking about the sacrifices made by soldiers during the First and the Second World Wars, should we Indians also not shed some silent tears of remembrance for the brave Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of France during the First World War?
Few recall the sad chapter of the bravery of Indian soldiers, who died defending France almost a century back at Neuve Chapelle in France during the World War I, and only a lone memorial erected there pays them silent homage.
The memorial at Neuve Chapelle, designed by Sir Herbert Baker, was unveiled in 1927
Ever since I came to know that there is a memorial to over 4,700 Indian soldiers in France, who died during the war, I had a keen desire to visit this place, and to know more about it. This wish got fulfilled when I was in France a few years back.
I found out that the place was near the big French town of Lille, on the France-Belgium border. I got in touch with the tourist office of Lille, which was prompt and helpful, and told to my dismay that there was no way of reaching the memorial except by road, and that there was no public transport connecting that village. You may consider taking a taxi from the railway station, the tourist office added helpfully. Having come so far, a few extra euros were not going to get me off my path, I said to myself.
So I took France’s prestigious fast train, the TGV from Paris, and reached Lille, located about 255 km away in just about an hour. From the station I took a taxi, and set out on my journey. Unlike the image of French people as being reserved, the taxi driver was a nice, friendly and talkative fellow. He complimented me on trying to speak in French, and there was a thaw. “Is one of your ancestors mentioned in the list at the memorial,” he asked. “No,” I said, and then added they were all Indians.
I was keeping an eye on the meter of the taxi, and discovered that as against the 25 km mentioned on the Internet and the tourist office, the distance from the Lille railway station to the memorial turned out to be 37 long and increasingly expensive kilometres. Anyway, I thought I would have to ration my time at the memorial in order to economise on the waiting charges.
We reached the village of Neuve Chapelle, and stopped at a caf`E9 to find directions to the memorial. The driver suggested that while in the caf`E9, we might have a quick coffee. Oh yes, it is just about a few hundred metres from here, said the man behind the counter, pouring hot coffee for us. We finished the coffee, and the driver insisted on paying, saying that “after all, you have come from so far away.”
The village of Neuve Chapelle is around 5 km north of La Bassee, and 20 km west-south-west of Lille. The memorial is 800 metres south-west of the village. One of the roads leading from the crossroads, the Rue du Bois, finds a mention in Alexander Dumas’ Three Musketeers.
At the memorial I almost automatically bowed my head and touched the ground in reverence to those brave sons of India who found bravely and died there.
Engraved on the memorial is the following inscription: ” To the honour of the Army of India, which fought in France and Belgium, 1914-1918. And in perpetual remembrance of those of their dead, whose names are here recorded, and who have no known graves.”A plaque in the memorial reminds the visitors that the memorial was constructed and is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Just next to the memorial is another one — dedicated to the Portuguese, who died in the same battle there.
In 1964, a special bronze panel was designed to add to this memorial the names of 210 servicemen of undivided India, who died during the 1914-1918 war, whose graves at Zehrensdorf Indian Cemetery, East Germany, were considered “not maintainable.” Incidentally, although this plaque still remains, these graves were reinstated following the renovation in 2005 of the German cemetery.
This site also contains the Neuve Chapelle 1939-1945 cremation memorial. In 1964 the remains of eight Indian soldiers (including two unidentified) were exhumed from Sarrebourg French Military Cemetery and cremated. The names of the five identified solders are engraved on panels at the Neuve Chapelle memorial, together with the following inscription: “1939-1945 — In honour of those soldiers who died in captivity in north-west Europe, and whose mortal remains were committed to fire.” Thirtynine members of the 1914-1918 Indian forces were commemorated here, who are now known to have been cremated at Patcham Down, Sussex.
At the Memorial I almost automatically bowed my head and touched the ground in reverence to those brave sons of India who fought bravely and died there.
The Memorial is in the form of a circular enclosure, in the foreground of which is a column nearly 15 metres high, recalling the pillars of Ashoka, surmounted by a Lotus Capital, the Star of India and the Imperial Crown. On either side of the column two carved tigers guard this temple of the dead. The column and the tigers are supported by a podium, on the near side of which is carved ‘INDIA 1914-1918’, while on the far side are the Battle Honours of Indian units on the Western Front.
Various Indian symbols can be seen depicted here – peacock, rhino, camel, elephant, bow & arrow, snakes etc.
Four inscriptions are engraved on the column in four different languages and scripts. The inscription in English is ‘God is one. His is the victory’, in Urdu ‘Bismillah ir Rhman ir Rahim’ (In the name of God the most gracious), in Hindi ‘Om, Bhagwatey Namah’ (Every word is a holy name of God) and in Punjabi ‘Ek Onkar- Sri Waheyguru ji ki fateh’ (God is one- Victory belongs to God).
From the ends of the podium a pierced stone railing extends half-way round the circle, and the ends of the semicircle are marked by two small domed ‘chattris’, roughly East and West. The far semicircle is enclosed by a solid wall on which are carved the names of over 4,742 soldiers of the Indian Army.
Engraved on the Memorial is the following inscription: “To The Honour Of The Army Of India Which Fought In France And Belgium, 1914-1918, And In Perpetual Remembrance Of Those Of Their Dead Whose Names Are Here Recorded And Who Have No Known Grave.”
A plaque in the Memorial reminds the visitors that the Memorial was constructed and is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Just next to the Memorial is another Memorial- to the Portuguese who died in the same battle there.
A Memorial register, listing out the names of these brave Indians lies respectfully in a safe at the site.
Incidentally there is a poignant epitaph on the subject ‘Neuve Chapelle’, written by H.W.Garrod 1919, which reads:
Tell them at home, there’s nothing here to hide:
We took our orders, and asked no questions, died.
It reminds one of the Greek poet Simonides’ (550-450 B.C.) famous epitaph for the dead at Thermopylae as translated by William Golding: ‘Stranger, tell the Spartans that we behaved as they would wish us to, and are buried here.’ Another equally moving epitaph is at the Kohima Cemetery in India, which reads:
When You Go Home,
Tell them of Us and Say,
For their Tomorrow,
We Gave Our Today.’
A book published in 1916 and recently republished in 2009, “From Mons to Ypres with General French: A Personal Narrative” by Frederic Abernethy Coleman gives some chilling details of the battle and the formidable fighting by the Sikhs:
“On the 28th, the newly arrived Indian contingent attempted the capture of Neuve Chapelle, which had been taken over by the enemy the day before. The Indians faced the German shells for the first time. The 2nd Cavalry Brigade was in support. The 47th Sikhs bore the brunt of the work. The 9th Bhopal Infantry was in the fight and two Companies of the Indian Sappers and Miners.
The Sikhs charged magnificently. They got into the town, and the houses were the scenes of many a hand-to-hand fight. One Sikh brought back three prisoners. He had cornered eight Germans in a room, he said, and went for them with the cold steel. Five of the enemy were killed outright. Asked why he stopped, he naively explained that his arm had tired, so he spared the remaining three and brought them back as evidence of his prowess.
Close quarter fighting and individual conflicts in the buildings of the town scattered the Sikhs. Soon the Germans brought back a couple of machine-guns into play at the end of a street mowing down the big black fellows in squads as they came within range. Their officers were down save one or two. No cohesive body could be formed to take the quick-firers, so back the Sikhs came straggling and demoralised, the effect of their splendid charge largely nullified by their inexperience of this kind of warfare.” (pages 266-267)
The number of identified casualties was 4742. I looked at one name at random- it was Amar Singh. I found the list to contain 20 Amar Singhs from India who died in the battle of Neueve Chapelle. Further checking revealed that 11 out of the 20 were Sikhs and 9 Grwhalis. Besides there were two Amar Bahadurs from Nepal! The next name I saw was of Channan Singh and found a list of 6 Chanan Singhs who fought to death at that ground. One of the Indian soldiers whose name is engraved there was Rifleman Gobar Singh Negi, of 2nd /39th Garhwal Rifles, hailing from Manjaur in Tehri Garhwal, the then United Provinces, who was awarded the Victoria Cross, “For most conspicuous bravery on 10th March, 1915, at Neuve-Chapelle.” There are names of soldiers coming from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, the undivided Punjab and Nepal. They all fought side by side and died side by side.
A number of questions came to my mind? What were these soldiers, coming from different parts of India fighting for in that far away land? Was it their War? Were they defending their own country or were they trying to conquer new territories for their country? The answers to all the above are sadly depressing.
Photos text and copyright: K.J.S.Chatrath 2014 | <urn:uuid:507115cf-f73d-4127-910a-946ecee23029> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://traveltalk.co.in/?p=2838 | 2017-08-16T21:33:26Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886102663.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20170816212248-20170816232248-00120.warc.gz | en | 0.977315 | 2,340 |
State 9-Man football: Wolverines declawed in Grand fashion
MARSHALL —- Having won 41 of its last 47 games, Grand Meadow High School once again displayed its 9-Man football prowess, unleashing a swarming, sure-tackling defense —- along with a big-play offense —- as the Superlarks defeated previously undefeated Mountain Lake Area 35-18 Saturday afternoon in the state tournament quarterfinals at Mattke Field on the campus of Southwest Minnesota State University.
After an evenly-played first half, the Section 1 champion Superlarks twice capitalized on superior field position in the third quarter and added an impressive tackle-breaking 66-yard touchdown burst early in the fourth, which changed a slim 13-12 edge into a commanding 32-18 lead.
MLA, the champions of Section 3, rallied earlier in the game with three impressive touchdown drives —- effectively moving the ball through the air —- but the senior-dominated Wolverines were unable to ever get a lead in the hard-hitting contest.
“Give Grand Meadow and Coach Gary Sloan tons of credit,” summed up MLA head coach Tim Kirk. “They are a class act and there’s reasons why they have such an outstanding program year after year.”
The Superlarks, who graduated 10 seniors off of last year’s state runner-up squad, were supposedly rebuilding this year. But, the 2013 squad takes a sparkling 11-1 record into Friday’s semifinals at the Metrodome. Grand Meadow will tangle with undefeated Kittson County Central (12-0), the Section 8 champions, at 9 a.m.
The Bearcats of KCC defeated Section 6 champion Ada-Borup, 38-14, at Bemidji State University Saturday in another state quarterfinal clash.
The Wolverines —- who defeated 2011 state champion Edgerton/Ellsworth twice this season, including a hard-fought 20-12 home field win in the Section 3 semifinals (Oct. 26), and then earned an overtime victory (30-24) over defending state champion Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley in the sectional championship game at Mattke Field (Nov. 1) —- finish an amazingly-successful season with an 11-1 record, having scored 70 or more points in five of their wins.
“These kids have worked hard and played some great football for us,” exclaimed Kirk. “It was their dream to play in the ‘Dome’ and they certainly did all the work that it takes. But Grand Meadow’s switching defensive schemes and the linebacker play of Number 5 (Landon Jacobson) were big factors in how things went.”
Jacobson, a 5-11, 190-pound junior, was all over the field for the Superlarks —- making numerous tackles —- from his linebacker position.
“He’s a great football player,” praised Kirk about Jacobson, who also rushed for 194 yards on 32 carries to lead Grand Meadow’s offense. “He is an outstanding linebacker —- at a whole different level than what we usually see.”
Rodney scores two
as MLA trails, 13-12
Each team scored twice in a very competitive first half, as an extra-point kick by Grand Meadow’s Wyatt Richardson was the difference in a 13-12 edge for the Larks.
Grand Meadow scored on its possession when senior quarterback Trenton Bleifus, a three-year starter, connected with Blake Olson on a 12-yard touchdown pass, capping a 10-play, 51-yard drive.
Richardson’s kick gave the Larks a 7-0 edge seven minutes into the game.
After an exchange of punts, the Wolverines put together an impressive six-play drive, covering 62 yards. A 14-yard run by quarterback Carter Kirk and a pair of 18-yard pass plays from Kirk to Andrew Hempeck (six catches for 98 yards) effectively moved the chains and positioned MLA at Grand Meadow’s 12-yard line.
On the first play of the second quarter, Wolverine senior running back Demar Rodney found a seam and cruised 12 yards for MLA’s first touchdown.
Bleifus intercepted a pass in the end zone, stopping the Wolverines’ two-point conversion attempt.
Both defenses forced another exchange of punts, but each team scored another touchdown in the closing two minutes of the half.
Bleifus (five-of-10 for 106 yards) connected with a wide-open Michael Stejskai for a 35-yard score on a well-executed bootleg fake with 1:42 left.
MLA responded with a terrific “two-minute drill” type of drive, marching 65 yards on six plays, capped by another Rodney touchdown —- this one covering 26 yards on a well-executed screen pass from Kirk.
“Demar stepped up for us with several strong runs,” declared Coach Kirk. “Our linemen got out and blocked downfield perfectly. The kids did a great job of executing that play.”
Rodney (five catches for 41 yards, nine rushes for 34 yards) crossed the goal line with just seven seconds remaining in the second quarter. But again the Larks’ defense stuffed MLA’s two-point try and GM owned a one-point lead at intermission.
Larks capitalize twice on
short fields in third-quarter
The momentum really swung Grand Meadow’s way in the third quarter when the Larks twice capitalized on superior field position and opened up a 25-12 lead.
A punt by Olson pinned the Wolverines at their own four-yard line and after the Wolverines were forced to punt from the back of their own end zone, Jacobson ripped off a 22-yard punt return, putting the ball right back at the four-yard stripe.
Two plays later, Bleifus spun in for GM’s third touchdown, increasing his team’s advantage to 19-12 with 8:34 to play in the third period.
The Larks stopped MLA on a fourth-and-five near midfield on the Wolverines’ next series and completed a 20-yard pass before Jacobson rushed three straight times, including a nine-yard touchdown burst at the 4:50 mark.
“That was a big change in the momentum,” noted Tim Kirk about the two third-quarter Grand Meadow scores. “But we came back with a nice drive and scored, giving ourselves a chance.”
The Wolverines, in fact, came up with a defensive stop and then marched 73 yards on seven plays to slice the gap to seven points.
A 12-yard rush by Hempeck and a 17-yard gain by Kirk (15 carries for 63 yards) moved the ball past midfield and then Kirk (17-of-29 passing for 218 yards) tossed a short flip pass to Hempeck who streaked 43 yards to the Grand Meadow two-yard line.
Three plays later, Hempeck’s one-yard plunge —- with 10 seconds left in the third quarter —- made the score 25-18.
Jacobson’s 66-yard TD
run shifts momentum
back to Grand Meadow
Grand Meadow quickly answered, as Jacobson —- who had been held in check pretty well in the first half —- took a pitch and on a sweep to the right dazzled football fans with an impressive tackle-breaking 66-yard touchdown run, giving the Larks a 13-point lead.
“That was an incredible run by a great football player,” noted Coach Kirk. “We missed several chances to tackle him, but he took it all the way and that was a big momentum-changing play.”
Richardson PAT kick increased GM’s advantage to 32-18 with 11:44 to play.
The Wolverines had the ball three more times, but each drive stalled before crossing the Grand Meadow 30-yard line.
A great catch along the right sideline by MLA junior tight end Eric Wenner (three receptions for 59 yards) resulted in a 45-yard gain for the Wolverines, but the Larks eventually took over on downs at their own 41.
A 34-yard pass play —- after a pair of double reverse handoffs —- from Bleifus to Jacobson gave Grand Meadow a first down at MLA’s 21-yard stripe. The Wolverines stiffened on defense, but with 6:18 remaining, Richardson’s 24-yard field goal widened the spread to 17 points.
The Wolverines, who finished the game with 15 first downs and 321 yards of net offense (103 rushing and 218 passing), were not able to sustain a drive on either of their last two possessions.
“It was an emotional locker room when we got home and wrapped things up,” concluded Coach Kirk. “These guys have put a lot into football and had a couple of great seasons. But, now they will ‘change horses’ and get ready for wrestling and basketball. They will be OK.”
The Wolverines, who won Section 2 last year before losing (34-20) to Grand Meadow in the state quarterfinals, have won 27 of 34 games over the past three seasons (7-3, 9-3, 11-1).
Jacobson, after being held to 38 yards on 14 carries in the first half, racked up 156 yards on the ground on 18 rushes after intermission. The Larks generated 16 first downs in the game and had a total of 333 yards of net offense (227 rushing).
While the Larks have just three seniors on their roster, the Wolverines will need to replace 15.
In addition to Kirk, Hempeck and Rodney, MLA will also lose the services of Zach Dickens, Levi Kass, Alex Gerdes, Hunter Quiring, Jose Gonzales, Vince Johnson, Vijar Ness, Levi Blahnik, Zach Fredericksen, Jonathan Narber, Josh Grev and Tylor Duerksen.
G Meadow 7 6 12 10 — 35
MLA 0 12 6 0 — 18 | <urn:uuid:a20079bb-eaa4-471f-bc18-5e6cb348ab8a> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.dglobe.com/content/state-9-man-football-wolverines-declawed-grand-fashion | 2017-08-16T21:43:26Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886102663.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20170816212248-20170816232248-00120.warc.gz | en | 0.963793 | 2,140 |
Host of “Darkness Radio” will present a Keynote on November 5 on “Exploration of the Spirit Realm”
Many of us as children were afraid of things that went bump in the night, and we went to sleep thinking about boogie men hiding in the closet and under the bed. Some of us headed straight to Stephen King as teenagers, and now, as grown men and women, we stay up late and listen to scary stories of ghosts and goblins on the Twin Cities’ “Darkness Radio” or George Noory’s acclaimed “Coast to Coast AM.”
Why do we seek out answers to the mysteries of life in the dark of the night? And why do radio hosts devote their lives to bringing some semblance of reason to topics that chill us to the bone?
Dave Schrader, host of the popular and internationally heard paranormal talk radio show “Darkness Radio” from 9 p.m. to midnight Monday through Friday on AM 1130 in the Cities, will be presenting “Exploration of the Spirit Realm,” a 90-minute keynote talk on Saturday, Nov. 5, at the 2016 Minneapolis Holistic Expo, presented by Edge Life Expos & Events.
Co-author of the book, The Other Side (2009, Houghton Mifflin), Schrader has contributed to TAPS ParaMagazine (the official magazine of SyFy’s “Ghost Hunters” show). He is frequently a guest speaker at related conferences worldwide, and has been featured on Paranormal Programs on A&E (“Paranormal State”) and Travel Channel (“Ghost Adventuress” and “Paranormal Challenge”). He’s been an active participant in hundreds of investigations worldwide and is a recurring fill-in host on “Coast to Coast AM.”
Schrader agreed to let us delve into his mind for a bit to learn more about why he does what he does and what he will present at the Edge Life Expo this fall.
What was your most memorable paranormal experience?
Dave Schrader: The dream visitation from my grandfather about a month after his death. He came to me when I was at my lowest point of grief and delivered some of the most inspiring thought and insight into death and what comes next. That had a profound impact on my life. I was able to validate that it was more than a “dream,” as he gave me information about family that I had no way of knowing. That really shifted my paradigm.
When did you become interested personally in the paranormal and how did that manifest in your life?
DS: I truly believe the paranormal had an interest in me first. I had visitations from my grandmother after her death when I was 3 and 4 years old. I had a Bigfoot sighting when I was 11 and lived in a very haunted house growing up — and in 2006 I had an encounter with a UFO.
I think the supernatural is stalking me! It has my attention, that is for sure. I also had a very supportive family that inspired me to ask questions and seek the truth.
What led you to be a radio talk show host on unexplained phenomena and the paranormal?
DS: My co-host, Tim Dennis, and I worked together in college radio in Winona, MN on KQAL 89.5 FM when we were young. He stayed in radio his whole life and I ventured off into sales, but eventually our paths collided when he worked for a station that had a slot to fill from 11 p.m. to midnight on Sunday nights.
We thought it would be fun to do a little talk show together. We both had a life-long fascination with the topic of the paranormal and thought it was a solid subject to investigate and research on air. That was the birth of Darkness Radio on January 1, 2006.
You have traveled the world investigating claims of the paranormal. What stands out as far as your most remarkable findings?
DS: I am excited by the differing views of life, death and the paranormal from state to state and country to country. There is always something new and interesting to uncover. I have had the great fortune to see haunted cemeteries, crypts, castles, hotels, asylums and prisons around the world.
What was your experience at famous locations that proved utterly disappointing in terms of not revealing anything at all to report on?
DS: I was a guest on the TV series “Ghost Adventures” on the Travel Channel last year on an episode about a possible demonic and poltergeist haunting in Seattle, Wash. It was a total let down to realize the people involved were, in my opinion, greatly exaggerating the extent of the haunting and, I believe, faking evidence.
Our investigation yielded no evidence of any kind. The show did a great job of portraying the truth and did not over dramatize or exploit the situation. It was a great episode to be a part of in spite of the lack of evidence.
Why do you explore ghosts and take part in ghost hunting?
DS: I want proof that there is something that survives these meat suits that we wear. That death is NOT the end of it all. That fear has kept me awake nights since I was 5. I am now 49 and that same fear still grips me. I want definitive proof that we survive beyond physical life, so I will continue my journey and education.
Your show covers the duality of experience, from lighter topics such as quantum consciousness and synchronicity, dolphin ancestors and animal communication, to much darker topics like exorcism, demonology and satanic practices — and everything in between. How do you choose topics that are covered, and are there topics that are off limits in your mind, and do you make a conscious effort to include a balance of “light” and “dark” on Darkness Radio?
DS: Our show was designed to do three things: enlighten, educate and entertain, so we keep that in mind when vetting our guests. We also like to try and keep things light and educational even during the creepier topics, because we believe fear is tackled head on with education and light.
What current areas of inquiry do you feel are on the cutting edge in terms of what the public is aching to know more about right now?
DS: The focus on proof of the many claims we cover is paramount to our listeners. They demand more than just fluff pieces and folklore, so we try to give a well-balanced look at fact and fiction of claims, often taking on the position of devil’s advocate for and against certain subjects to give a better and more detailed understanding of those topics. We very rarely accept things at face value. We push for truth and answers where we can, and I think that has been a large part of our success.
What is your personal reaction to conspiracy theories — about world domination, about the end of the world, about ETs affecting the world — and the people who seemingly have their lives revolving around these ideas?
DS: That is a slippery slope and I have to temper myself, because going too deep can bring on severe depression to me and to listeners. We are cautious about those topics and how we cover them. Again, we want truth but not at the expense of decency or respect to people involved in the stories, the victims.
Tell me about your radio audience and callers. Who are they and what motivates them to spend three hours a night listening to your show — and what is your relationship with them?
DS: I love these people! I love their inquisitive nature and how they seek information from alternative sources, and I applaud our audience because they want to know more and see the magic and miracles of life that surround us. We make ourselves as accessible as possible to the listeners and we are open to dialogue and conversation with them.
That is how we believe real change takes place — people coming together and speaking freely and openly without fear of judgment, exchanging ideas and opening our minds, and theirs.
What will you be sharing with those who attend your keynote talk at the Minneapolis Holistic Expo, and what message do you want to leave with them?
DS: I will discuss spirit communication by trying to make it accessible and understandable. During my discussion, we will examine: What is a ghost? What are the common theories and beliefs? How do we open ourselves to finding the right answers?
I am very excited to speak with the guests and share with them. I want to leave them entertained and hungry for more knowledge, hopefully with a better understanding of the paranormal.
Is there anything we haven’t talked about that you’d like to share with our readers?
DS: Our time here is limited and precious, so make the best of it. Live a life like there is no afterlife, because we need to learn and make the best choices while we are here. Once we grasp the fact that we need to be kinder, more loving, forgiving and understanding, I believe we will open a whole new paradigm shift that will leave a ripple effect and change the world.
With that said, it starts from within. Make the best of the love and relationships in your life now so you don’t need to make amends with the dead. Leave the life you were given better than the way it was given to you. Shed the chains of anger, pettiness and aggression and embrace understanding — and the magic that surrounds you every day will become abundant and apparent. It is life changing. | <urn:uuid:0edd3616-8237-4740-8e01-5909cb8ea322> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.edgemagazine.net/2016/09/darkness-preview-dave-schrader/ | 2017-08-16T21:40:21Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886102663.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20170816212248-20170816232248-00120.warc.gz | en | 0.97103 | 1,983 |
19 Tips for the Deadlift
1. Read THIS. It will change your life. Well, not really. But at the very least it will (hopefully) clean up your technique.
2. Wolff’s Law and Davis’s Law. You can’t discount physics. The former states that bone in a healthy person or animal will adapt to the loads it is placed under. The latter states the same thing, except with regards to soft tissue.
Deadlifting = strong bones + soft tissue. You need a minimal essential strain (MES) in order for tissue to adapt. Likewise, in order to strengthen tissue, you need to load it. Sorry, but your cute little leg extensions and leg curls aren’t going to get the job done.
3. I’m biased. You’d be hard pressed to convince me otherwise that the deadlift isn’t one of the best overall exercises for hypertrophy, not to mention the best functional exercise you can do with respects to posterior chain strength, core stability, glute activation, power development, and transference of force throughout the entire body.
And lets not forget: a heavy set of deadlifts will make any woman within a two-block radius spontaneously conceive. True story.
4. Deadlifts done incorrectly are horrible for your spine. I can’t argue with that. However, when done correctly – with a neutral spine and proper hip hinge – they’ll do more as far as “bullet proofing” the body than any other exercise.
5. Speaking of the hip hinge. This is an excellent drill to learn to groove it. Just make sure to maintain three point of contact throughout – back of the head, between the scapulae, and the sacrum. If at any point the stick comes off loses contact with the body, you’re doing it wrong.
6. Make sure to finish with your hips (hump the bar) with every rep. One of the biggest mistakes I see trainees make is that they don’t finish the rep with their glutes – their butt just kinda sticks out J-Lo style.
Squeeze those bad boys at the top. Deadlifts teach the glutes to share the load which will also help spare the spine.
7. Conversely, at the other end of the spectrum, you have those who compensate with lumbar hyperextension for hip extension:
Yeah, um, don’t do that.
I like to tell people to “finish” with the glutes or to “stand tall.” Those cues seem to work well for most, but not everyone.
In any case, here’s what a proper “finish” should look like.
8. Not every deadlift variation is created equal. Pick the one that’s right for you. What’s so great about deadlifts are that they can easily be conformed or “tweaked” to fit the needs of the lifter, and not vice versa.
Trap Bar Deadlifts
– Fantastic for beginners due to less shear loading on spine (center of gravity is INSIDE the bar).
– Elevated handles make it easier for those with hip flexion/ankle restrictions
– MUCH easier to maintain neutral spine due to the bar placement.
– Excellent choice for those with mobility restrictions.
– Guys who are built to squat and bench (alligator arms, long torsos) like this version – because they don’t have to work so hard to get as low.
– Wider stance, toes out = easier to maintain neutral spine.
– CAVEAT: these tend to eat up people’s hips, so I’d be reluctant to include them for more than a few weeks at a time.
– Although it’s the most recognized, it’s also the most advanced variation (more shear loading on the spine, center of gravity more anterior).
– Trainee MUST have ample ankle, hip, and thoracic mobility in order to get into proper position. If they don’t (which is a lot if you), then tweak the lift as needed either by elevating the bar on mats or maybe reverting to rack pulls.
– Lack of the above will inevitably lead to lumbar flexion, which is a major no-no when using significant loads.
9. I really feel the ideal rep scheme to teach deadlifts is in the 3-5 rep range. Anything more and technique goes to the crapper and it takes every ounce of will power I have not to want to throw myself in front of a bus.
10. For those who have a little more experience, 5×5 ain’t gonna cut it forever. If you want to get strong – I mean REALLY strong – you HAVE to include more singles and doubles into the mix.
More specifically, including more lifts at or above 90% (of 1RM) will almost certainly help.
In a nutshell, lifting maximal weight (90%+) has a number of effects:
– Maximum number of motor units are recruited.
– Fastest MU’s are activated.
– The discharge frequency (rate coding) is increased.
– Activity is synchronous.
– Improved coordination between synergistic muscles.
– Potential for future hypertrophy gains. Ie: loads that used to be heavy are no longer heavy.
– Increased serum testosterone levels.
– Girls will want to hang out with you. Not proven by science, but it just makes sense.
11. As far as how to go about setting up a training session utilizing the 90% protocol, here’s the general idea:
Assuming original PR is 300 pounds, the goal for this training session is to get five lifts at 90% and above.
305×1 (PR! But it was a grinder. The girl on the elliptical is impressed though.)
At this point the trainee has already gotten two lifts above 90% (275, 305), which would mean he needs to get three more lifts in to get to the goal of five. The objective now is to stay at or slightly above 90% (usually in the 90-92% range) and focus on bar speed and NOT missing any lifts.
Follow this with a few fist pumps, pound a protein shake, and then hug someone.
12. Take your shoes off when deadlifting. Doing so will get you closer to the ground (less distance the bar has to travel), as well as help engage the glutes and hamstrings more (which is what you want anyways).
13. I’ve stated in the past (HERE) that when it comes to weight belts, they should be reserved for more maximal effort lifts. I’m starting to change my mind on this one a bit. With regards to teaching trainees to “feel” what it’s like to increase intra-abdominal pressure – as well as to teach them get more of a 360 degree expansion – I think utilizing a (loosely fit) weight belt would be ideal here.
Bill Hartman explains this in a little more detail here:
14. Do you have a hard time deadlifting without rounding your back? Maybe you need to stiffen it up! Read THIS.
15. For those too lazy to click the link, essentially all I said was to implement more upper back work – horizontal rows – into your weekly repertoire.
Oftentimes the back rounds because it’s weak. Fix it!
16. Along the same lines, we can’t discount poor t-spine mobility. You need to HAMMER it on a daily basis – especially those who are sitting in front of their computers upwards of 10+ hours a day.
17. Include more single leg work into the mix as well. Oftentimes, especially when working with beginners, a huge monkey wrench that becomes readily apparent is that they have poor kinesthetic awareness. You can tell them to arch their back all you want, but if they don’t have proper body awareness, you might as well pound you head into a brick wall.
To that end, when coaching cues don’t work, maybe it’s wiser to take a step back from deadlifts and just throw in more single leg work. Doing so will undoubtedly help get them stronger, but also improve hip stability and core stability to boot.
After a few weeks, try deadliftng again, and I can almost guarantee they’ll nail it.
In reality, though, including more single leg work in general is never a bad idea.
18. Slow people down!!!! When performing deadlifts, I like to tell people that each rep is its own set. Meaning, when they pull the bar off the ground, lock it out, and then descend back to the floor, tell them to rest for a second or two (after all, it is a DEADlift, not a bouncelift) and re-adjust their spinal position, get their air, and properly set up for the next rep.
Instead of thinking of it as a set of five repetitions. Think of it as a set of five separate singles.
19. And finally, watch this video. I wore my glasses, so I obviously know what I’m talking about. | <urn:uuid:4f940bf8-12fa-49e8-b674-e7a8b228601e> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://tonygentilcore.com/2012/06/19-tips-for-the-deadlift/ | 2017-08-17T19:22:42Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886103910.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20170817185948-20170817205948-00200.warc.gz | en | 0.942011 | 1,971 |
Adventures of a Lifetime: Uncharted's Top 10 Setpiece Moments
For most PlayStation 3 owners, the flagship franchise for the console was Naughty Dog's Uncharted trilogy. Nathan Drake's charisma and wonderful cast of characters put the first game on the map, but what really set the games into gaming's highest regards was Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and its incredible setpiece moments that made it into one of the most cinematic and adventurous stories in a long time. But out of those unforgettable bombastic moments, which were the best? We break it down in this Top 10 of Uncharted's best setpiece moments.
[WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD FOR ALL FOUR MAIN ENTRIES OF UNCHARTED.]
10. Cat and Mouse (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves)
"Tenzin! RPG! RPG? ...What's Tibetan for RPG?" - Nathan Drake
It's definitely more overlooked than other setpieces, but the Cat and Mouse chapter of Among Thieves is a tense blend of story and gripping action. As Nathan and Tenzin leave the mountain, they realize Tenzin's town is under siege. When they arrive, Drake takes on a new threat- a tank that solely wants him dead. Through cliff-hanging platforming and a lot of near misses, he eventually takes the beast down with a lot of RPG shots.
9. Zoran's Final Fight (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves)
"You don't have the will." "Maybe not. But they do." - Zoran and Nate
All of the final boss fights of the Uncharted series hold special places in my gaming history, but the best of the bunch is against the menacing villain Zoran Lazarević. While the other fights focus more on thematic approaches, this fight forces Nate to use all of his skills and put them to the test (except melee- I don't advise that one.) As Zoran has consumed resin of the Tree of Life, you need to blow up flammable pockets of the resin to defeat him, as he hunts you in a small arena with a shotgun and grenades.
8. Run and Gun (Uncharted: Drake's Fortune)
"Not good, not good, NOT GOOD!" - Nathan Drake
While the original Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is not nearly as much a classic, it did have some fine ideas about what it wanted to be- even if the final act twist was jarring for many. When the cursed Spaniards chase you down for the first time, the game changes expectations in one simple move showing that it's not just a simple cover shooter. It introduces the run 'n gun mechanic, when the player needs not to fight using their aim, but rather a more fluid approach for combat. It may not seem like the biggest, but this moment paved way for what the series was to become.
7. The Burning Chateau (Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception)
"You always seem to forget, I got twenty-five years on ya." - Victor Sullivan
Oddly not always mentioned as one of the standout sections of Drake's Deception, the moments leaving the Chateau are among the best in the game. Katherine Marlowe's goons decide to burn the beautiful scenery with you in it, but Nate and Sully don't go down without a fight. Instead, the experience keeps ramping up, with the stairwell collapsing into a ladder sequence, and even having the floor underneath crumble as the two run off the roof to safety. It's a thrilling sequence, even if it gets engulfed because of the game's later, bigger moments.
6. Stowaway (Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception)
"No no no - let's, let's talk about this!" - Nathan Drake
And then, there's the later moments. This was the most covered moment of Drake's Deception before its release, and what a reveal. The cargo plane is headed to the Iram of the Pillars, so Nate sneaks on to go save Sully. Of course, it doesn't go too well, as the game literally throws Drake out the back of the plane, making him cling to dear life to keep going. The plane blows up (go figure) and a free fall sequence happens, just to top it all off. Unfortunately, this is also one of the shortest sequences in the whole game- lasting less than 2 minutes. This definitely makes the walk of contemplation in the desert right after, feel all the more slow.
5. Libertalia's Watchtower Collapse (Uncharted 4: A Thief's End)
"Something tells me they've had enough of us!" - Sam Drake
Just when things were peaceful for Sam and Nate in Libertalia, Shoreline decides there wasn't enough explosions. When you reach another glorious rooftop of a watchtower, Nadine Ross's men shoot a rocket at the building, leading to an incredible chase. As seen above, the building falls sideways, and using their grapples the Drake brothers need to climb up and get the Hell outta there. The PlayStation 4 graphics have definitely helped the awe of this fight-and-flight, but the solid gameplay makes it earn a spot in the top 5.
4. Nepal Hotel Collapse (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves)
"Hehe, we were, we were almost in that! Heh." - Nate
This was a shining example of what Uncharted 2 was meant to be- the adventure of a lifetime. In a large, civil-war torn city in Nepal, Nate and Chloé make their way to discovering the location of Shambhala- yeah, you know, Shangri-La? But then, the helicopter shows up, and royally screws up the simple journey. At its climax, the action sequence has the chopper blow out lower floors of a hotel our heroes are in, thus requiring you to jump into the next building on a very close call. Then, a calm clock counts the seconds.
3. Sam's Pursuit (Uncharted 4: A Thief's End)
"Are you outta ya goddamn mind?!" "Yep, probably!" - Sully and Nate
Definitely the most shining setpiece of A Thief's End, this long and complex sequence has Nate and Sully zooming down the streets of Madagascar's King's Bay, then hooking onto the convoy (see above) to catch up to Sam. Though the convoy sequences in both Among Thieves and Drake's Deception were excellent and could easily be on this list as well, this one just expands the scope of the level into possibly the best action sequence of 2016. Nate hops from jeeps to bikes, and trucks to drive, smash, and of course, explode various enemy goons all over.
Then when you think it's over, it doesn't stop there- Nate hops on his brother Sam's bike and they make an unbelievable nail-biting escape from the relentless armored vehicle that's been hounding them the whole time. If only players hadn't seen this sequence in its entirety at E3, the "wow" factor might've been strong enough to make the top of the list.
2. Cruisin' For a Bruisin' (Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception)
"See you in Hell, Habibi!" - Rameses
For many fans of the series, Drake's Deception almost suffers on a narrative front because of how much colossal setpiece moments intervene with a seamless plot. But that doesn't stop the game from having one of the most impressive scenes of 2011- the cruise ship. Pirates kidnap Sully, and its up to Nate to stop them. When he gets to their ship, he realizes he's been duped- and, as always, improvises.
Blowing a hole in the hull wasn't the safest plan, but it leads to the level design showing its its functionality, as you need to run from walls of water, and climb up hallways, using the doors as platforms. Once Drake is back in the main hall, the pirate captain Rameses makes one last shot- at the once-ceiling now-wall of glass. The only thing that truly holds this back is the narrative supporting it- the reason it's in the game is such a tangent in plot it's near irrelevant.
1. Locomotion (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves)
"Sorry boys, just needed to punch your tickets." - Nate
Did you really think it was going to be anything else? Yes, the train sequence in Among Thieves is the most groundbreaking, fully realized, and narratively satisfying moment in the entire series. The train, from a programming standpoint, is a work of art. It's not just a stationary train with changing environments- it's actually a moving train in motion.
If being on this crazy ride wasn't enough, it also has not one- not two, but three miniboss encounters as you make your way to the front of the train. It goes on for multiple chapters of the game, and in the end Drake makes a daring move to derail the train- and give a massively satisfying and emotional impact to the game's opening moments. Rarely any moment in gaming can say that for itself, but the train sequence completely earns the right.
What about you? What were your favorite moments? Do you agree with our picks? Let us know in the comments section, and as always, thanks for reading. | <urn:uuid:5a0e0499-c0c4-4648-9f1b-fda83ac786d1> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://www.gameskinny.com/abq1m/adventures-of-a-lifetime-uncharteds-top-10-setpiece-moments | 2017-08-17T19:31:24Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886103910.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20170817185948-20170817205948-00200.warc.gz | en | 0.9572 | 1,955 |
Whether to trim, groom, shape, wax, or thread men’s eyebrows often raises mixed reactions. Some men find it weird while others accept it so long as it is not overdone. In this discussion we will discuss various aspects of men’s eyebrows including eyebrow shaping, shapes, waxing, trimming, threading, styles and much more.
Should Men Do their Eyebrows – Men Eyebrow Grooming
- Should Men Do their Eyebrows – Men Eyebrow Grooming
- Tips Men’s Eyebrows – Ideas, Rules and General Guide
- Trimming Men’s Eyebrows
- Men’s Eyebrow Shaping and Men Eyebrow Shapes
- Men’s Eyebrow Waxing – Should You Go for Men Eyebrow Waxing?
- Men Eyebrow Threading
- Men Plucking Eyebrows – Should Men Pluck Eyebrows and How?
- Eyebrow Styles for Men
- Thick Eyebrows Men – Should Men with Thick Brows Groom and Shape Them
Before we go any further, it is good to try to tackle the idea whether men should groom their eyebrows or not. Different people have different opinions. Some yes, some say no, never. However, the most important thing is not to overdo it as they might give you a feminine face frame. If you love grooming them, ensure they look as natural as possible to an extent that no one can notice you have plucked, threaded, or shaped them!
I do not like men who do their eyebrows, unless they are extremely bushy and unruly. For instance, I find men with thin eyebrows to be looking feminine. Ensure you do not transform your looks from a he man to a she man as you are trimming or shaping them.
Tips Men’s Eyebrows – Ideas, Rules and General Guide
Before we go further, we will cover quick men’s eyebrow tips. You have definitely read about many DOs and DON’Ts on men’s eyebrows from various resources. We are now going to cover general advice on men and eyebrows before going to some specifics. Of course, if you have a unibrow or really bad eyebrows, you cannot just ignore them just because you are a man!
- If you want to reshape eyebrows, ensure you settle for longer and straighter eyebrows as those of George Clooney, Brand Pitt or Jude Law.
- Avoid creating arches on your eyebrows, unless you have them naturally. Stick with a natural shape and ensure you get a good brow shaper to advice you.
- Use eyebrow gel to tame any unruly eyebrows you might be having if you do not want to trim or pluck them. Eyebrow Pencils might be extreme for guys but gels will be ok. Furthermore, avoid shiny eyebrows buy using products such as Mac Cosmetics Prep+Prime Skin Refined Zone Treatment to ensure they look less shiny.
- Instead of going for men’s brow waxing, opt for plucking or tweezing and only tweeze those outside your natural eyebrow shapes.
- Avoid overdoing them. Ensure you assess your general look each time you pluck, wax or tweeze your brows to ensure they look trendy and you do not overdo them.
- Get professional help and advice on eyebrow trimming?
With the above tips, which will be very important, we can now being looking at various areas on men’s eyebrows such as trimming, waxing, grooming, etc.
Trimming Men’s Eyebrows
Eyebrow trimming for men should be perhaps the most recommended thing for men, especially those who have bushy eyebrows. Whereas most men might stay away from eyebrow threading, waxing, plucking or tweezing, there should not be anything wrong with them trimming their eyebrows, so long as they know how to trim brow hairs for men and some of the best eyebrow styles for men.
For perfect looks, ensure you get a good eyebrow trimmer such as Philips Norelco NT9130 D-Finer Precision Trimmer, Panasonic ER-GN30-K Vortex Wet/dry Nose and Facial Hair Trimmer or Wahl 9865-300 Deluxe Groomer Rechargeable Ear, Nose and Eyebrow Trimmer Chrome.
We already covered in details eyebrow trimming for men and women as well as the best eyebrow trimmers you can use to achieve best results.
Men’s Eyebrow Shaping and Men Eyebrow Shapes
As strange as it might sound, men’s eyebrow shaping might be important, especially for those who have very unruly, or badly shaped eye brows that make their faces to look funny. If you have decided to try eyebrow shaping for men, you need to know perfect shapes that will compliment your facial features and face shape.
Not to overemphasis, men’s eyebrow shaping should be done by a professional to ensure great brow shapes that will not make someone look like a girl’s. If you would like to try at home, get details on how to shape eyebrows (this guide will suit both men and women as it teaches techniques and even covers something on men) and the best eye brow shapes for difference face shapes such as oval, round, etc. Otherwise, if they are not unruly, eyebrow shaping for men should be a no go zone. Instead you can trim them.
Men’s Eyebrow Waxing – Should You Go for Men Eyebrow Waxing?
Waxing is a popular way of body hair removal. This technique is often used by women to remove unwanted brow hairs. If you have decided to shape your eyebrows, then whether you are a man or woman, you can use this technique to achieve desired results. Furthermore, if you checked in most of the popular cities like New York, you will get many salons that offer men’s eyebrow waxing or eyebrow waxing for men. You might also get a few men waxing eyebrows at home too.
For men who are into brow hair shaping, going to a professional men eyebrow waxing expert will ensure they get subtle looks that will look as natural as possible. It is OK and good if they are done well. However, for those who find eyebrow waxing for men a strange thing, they can avoid it an only trim them.
Men Eyebrow Threading
Threading is a method of removal of unwanted brow hairs. It basically involves the use of a thread in plucking them. It is an effective way but needs a professional to ensure it is well done. Although not widespread, men also thread their brow hairs. This is often advisable for those who have bushy brow hairs that might appear quite unruly.
If you are looking for places where you will have your brows threaded, there are many salons where you can get the male eyebrow threading services in various places such as Dublin, New York, Chicago, Washing DC and many other locations. Furthermore, if you are interested in knowing more about men eye brow threading, see how to thread eyebrows, techniques, benefits and much more.
Men Plucking Eyebrows – Should Men Pluck Eyebrows and How?
Eyebrow plucking is a technique of removing brow hairs just as waxing and threading. Plucking, most often used synonymously with eyebrow tweezing is a technique of removing a single hair at a time. Nowadays, getting men plucking eyebrows is not longer a strange thing as it used to be in the past.
We have covered details for eyebrow plucking that could benefit men and women equally. You will also learn how to reduce pain during eyebrow waxing exercise and how to reduce pain during the exercise.
Eyebrow Styles for Men
Are there specific eyebrow styles for men? How should men style their brow hairs? Since most men do not do their eyebrows, there hardly any style for eyebrow grooming which are distinguished for men. You can style your eyebrows the way you want but ensure they compliment your looks.
Furthermore, since people have different facial features and face shapes, it is a good idea not to mention specific men eyebrow style since they might not compliment everyone. Ensure you know your face shape and which brows shape will compliment them.
Thick Eyebrows Men – Should Men with Thick Brows Groom and Shape Them
If you are one of the men thick eyebrows like some of the female celebrities we know such as Jennifer Connelly, Lily Collins, Camilla Belle, Brooke Shields, Ashley Olsen or Demi Lovato. You should be proud of yourself. They will indeed give you a perfect face frame. Unless they are unruly or extremely big, you need not to bother them at all. In fact just trim them and you will look great. Some of the men with thick eyebrows or otherwise bushy eyebrows include:
- Stephen Frost
- Peter Gallagher
- Jimmy Carl Black
- Joe Jonas
- Robert Pattinson
- Colin Farrell
More on Eyebrows
- Which Is the Best Eyebrow Kit To Buy – Anastasia, Milani, EFL or Which One?
- How Do You Get the Thick and Bushy Demi Lovato’s Eyebrows?
- How to Fix Bad Eyebrows with Pictures
- Fake Eyebrows for Men, Women and Cancer Patients
- Does Whoopi Goldberg Have Eyebrows or Not?
- Best Eyebrow Trimmer and Shaver Brands for Men, Women and Electric
- Best Eyebrow Gels Brands Including Clear and Tinted
- Eyebrow Brush – Best Brands Including Combs and Spoolie
- Are Shaved Eyebrows Trendy – Tips for Shaving Brows
- Eyebrow Implants Before and After Looks and their Costs
- Megan Fox eyebrows – How to Get, Tutorial, before and After Pictures
- Best Eyebrow Filler You Should Give a Try
Further Suggested Reading
- How Do You Fix Overplucked Brows or Grow the Back?
- Sparse Eyebrow Ideas – Causes, Filling, Growing and Shaping
- Eyebrow Hair Restoration Procedure, Cost and Looks
- Best Eyebrow Liner Brands, How to Apply Them and Semi Permanent Ones
- Are Drawn on Eyebrows Trendy or Very Horrible?
- Chola Eyebrow Looks and How to Do Them
- What Are Sharpie Eyebrows – Chola, Mexican and Pictures
- Get Sexy Eyebrows like Keira Knightley with Eyebrow Transplant Surgery
- Best Eyebrow Razor Brands and How to Use Them
- Eyebrow Shaper Best Brands and How to Use Them
- Best Eyebrow Growth Serums and Before and After Photos
- Causes and Remedies of Embarrassing Eyebrow Dandruff | <urn:uuid:4900c822-e748-4b70-8add-e1965cb039be> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.beautyhows.com/eye/eyebrow/mens-eyebrows-trim-pluck-wax-shape/ | 2017-08-18T16:25:20Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886104704.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20170818160227-20170818180227-00280.warc.gz | en | 0.928407 | 2,270 |
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Stats: 1,862,297 members, 3,733,057 topics. Date: Friday, 18 August 2017 at 05:30 PM
|BROILER FARMING/BUSINESS MANUAL FOR SMALL SCALE FARMERS by pauloch(m): 8:47pm On Jan 27, 2010|
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We recognize the fact that it is possible that you don't even have the foggiest idea on what it entails, However, we will show you the way to making it a reality by earning gobs of cash every single month doing this business if you keenly follow our step-by-step Guide.
What then is Broiler Farming
Broiler Farming is an aspect of Poultry Farming – And Poultry Farming is the commercial raising of chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese for their meat and eggs, either on a small or large scale. For hundreds of years, chickens were kept in small flocks for home consumption of eggs and meat, with any surplus sold or exchanged for other produce. Not until the 20th century did poultry farming become commercialized. The production of eggs came first; for years the production of broilers was merely an offshoot, the male chickens being raised until about 10 to 16 weeks old and then sold for meat. It is instructive to note that the Broiler Business started on a commercial scale on the Delmarva (Delaware-Maryland-Virginia) Peninsula and then spread farther south and southwest.
By the beginning of the 21st century the industry was producing approximately 8.6 billion broilers a year, most of them in the southern United States, with an efficiency such that one unit weight of broiler was being produced with fewer than two unit weights of feed. Nearly all broilers are now the offspring of white Plymouth Rock females and dominant white Cornish males.
In Nigeria, the broiler business has come to stay. We have the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s Farm at Otta, Ogun State, TUNS Farm in Osun State, Zartech and Amo Farms in Oyo , respectively, Choice Farms in Lagos, Imo Golden Chicken Farms in Imo State, just to name a few - all of these are in LARGE SCALE BROILER and ALLIED FARMING. And these farms have big patrons found amongst major Eateries in the country.
With the above facts on your finger tips, I know you might be wondering how you could also start the business with the little capital in your hands.
Not to worry, that has been taken care of.
We also have Small Scale Broiler Farmers, who rely heavily (at least for now) on patronage from Small Eateries, Restaurants, Individuals and Retailers at the market place to dispose the birds.
Oh! Just Before It Slips Off Our Minds,
One of our partners just got acquainted with a new hotel within his vicinity (where his small poultry farm is sited) and he seems to be struggling on a monthly basis to meet the demand. The truth is that such hotels with high demand patronage, usually create alternatives for themselves in order to satisfy their teeming customers on a daily basis.
In any case, the essence of our Guide is to help you take that bold step and launch out your own broiler business and start attracting residual income into your bank account, just like most of our partners.
Honestly speaking, when this business first got to us, we were a bit skeptical – You know the ‘Avian (Bird) Flu’ thing, Stench from the fecal waste, high capital startup, and all the perceived wahala that goes with poultry business.
But then, as we pondered on the attendant risk factors, we couldn't but think of one thing - RESEARCH!
We therefore went straight, into months of research, trying to find out the following:
1. How do people go into this business with a little
2. How do people spend little on the business to
3. Since it is difficult spending about N2000+ weekly
on the Broiler feed, how do people produce their
own feed with the same feed components for
maximum profit? And so on. . .
After straining our ‘mental muscle’ for months, God brought us favour. And since it is more honourable to share (or give), We eventually resolved to bring to you, a Well-Researched And Comprehensive Guide On How You Can Tap Into This Business And Reap Its Bounties.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM
1. How to start your own broiler business and start
earning ceaseless cash from the first 2 months
2. How to source for good broilers to prevent
3. Simple management techniques to guarantee
the long life span of your broilers for maximum
4. A Step-by-step guide on how you can start
immediately with as little as between N20,000 to
N50,000 and earn about N100,000 to N150,000
after the maturity stage and even more
(depending on your creativity and determination
5. Why most people will never make money with
this business and how to avoid such mistakes
from day one.
6. The reasonable price tag to fix for a bumper
7. How you can spend just N6,500 producing about
6 Bags of your own High Nutrient Broiler Feed for
maximum profit as against N10,000 or More (for just 4
Bags of Industrialized feed). You can even produce the feed
for SALE to other poultry
**And lots more that we cannot
reveal on a single web page.
This Report is very powerful, we assure you. What you will receive are pages of power-packed Step-By-Step instructions and methods to achieving all that it promises. Once you ORDER & READ the MANUAL, you will know the exact steps to take as well as how to begin earning money with the Business.
The GUIDE comes in PDF Format, which means it can be read on any computer (with ADOBE READER SOFTWARE). You can print it out if you like.
So, how much is the Report going to sell for?
We knew you might be wondering... However, before we reveal that to you, let's ask you a simple question –
If you consider how much you can make if you lay your hands on this Report, how much do you think you can part with?
· N10,000 ?
· N15,000 ?
· N20,000 ?
· N25,000 ?
We definitely know that if we offer it to you at double those prices, many people will still place their Order.
But we won’t do that .
We are going to price it at a figure you will be able to afford without blinking an eyelid.
It's going to be offered to you at just N4,500
Try out the BROILER BUSINESS MANUAL for 8 Full Weeks (Maturity Period). If you aren’t making some reasonable money with the strategies . . . If the information is not dead-simple and easily implemented . . . Just e-mail us and We’ll give you a COMPLETE and PAINLESS refund of your complete purchase price. No questions asked, no hassle.[/center]
We will even ask you to keep the MANUAL for wasting your time. However, we believe you're God fearing enough to be Honest with you claims.
How’s that for taking all the risk. All we're asking you to do is, implement at least some of the strategies and tips you learn. After all, you can’t expect to make good money without taking some kind of positive action to make it happen.
Pay N4,500 into our Corporate Account at
any branch of GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC.
Account Name: SKIFF CONCEPTS
Account No.: 0 0 2 4 8 8 8 0 8 5
After payment, send an sms to us via this
mobile line: 08099731380 with the following details:
- Your Name
· Teller No.
· Functional e-mail address
· Date of Payment
· Branch paid into
It is now our duty to fulfil OUR PROMISES TO YOU . . .
We will confirm your payment as soon as you notify us.
We will then send your MANUAL (TO YOUR E-MAIL) within 24 hours.
Very Simple, isn't it!
Thank you, greatly, for your time as we look forward to helping you grow doing this business (whether on a part-time basis or full-time).
To your great SUCCESS!
the SKIFF CONCEPTS team
[center]Copyright © 2010-2012 Skiff Concepts[/center]
|Re: BROILER FARMING/BUSINESS MANUAL FOR SMALL SCALE FARMERS by miqos02(m): 8:54am On Jan 30, 2010|
thank u for ur offer to assist fellow nigerians, but how can one meet u one on one( u know no good biz succed on just reading manuals.).is ur farm located in lagos?
|Re: BROILER FARMING/BUSINESS MANUAL FOR SMALL SCALE FARMERS by nkenu(m): 7:22am On Nov 20, 2013|
How geniune is this? How much is the manual now?
|Re: BROILER FARMING/BUSINESS MANUAL FOR SMALL SCALE FARMERS by Nairaanddollar: 7:29am On Nov 20, 2013|
We have thousands of acres
of good fertile land for sale,
lease or rent in Ogbomoso,
Oyo state. Selling from
N50,000 per acre and u can
rent at 5k per year. Our lands
are suitable for most crops.
Good roads, peaceful and
friendly people. 08060318769
|Re: BROILER FARMING/BUSINESS MANUAL FOR SMALL SCALE FARMERS by nkoyo08(f): 2:56pm On Nov 21, 2014|
do u still have the busines manual on sale
|Re: BROILER FARMING/BUSINESS MANUAL FOR SMALL SCALE FARMERS by ultrazone(m): 11:27pm On Feb 10, 2015|
Here is a free guide on how to start poultry farming in Nigeria.
1 Like 1 Share
|Re: BROILER FARMING/BUSINESS MANUAL FOR SMALL SCALE FARMERS by SeverusSnape(m): 12:05pm On Feb 12, 2015|
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Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2017 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 89 | <urn:uuid:31896681-1068-463e-8c0f-4fad7682e9f4> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.nairaland.com/388624/broiler-farming-business-manual-small | 2017-08-18T16:31:23Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886104704.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20170818160227-20170818180227-00280.warc.gz | en | 0.913351 | 2,611 |
KAYHAN HALHOR (b. 1963)
GALLOP OF A THOUSAND HORSES
Born in 1963 in Iran, Kayhan is of Kurdish descent. He began studying music at the age of seven, and is considered a master of the kamancheh, a bowed Persian spike fiddle. Gallop of a Thousand Horses is based on the folk melodies of the Turkmen people, who live in northeastern Iran, Turkmenistan, and parts of several other nations. The nomadic Turkmen are deeply connected to their horses, and this piece suggests the wild freedom of a large herd crossing the plains. The rhythms of the tombak (Persian drum) are complemented by the sense of motion provided by the kamancheh and other strings. Gallop of a Thousand Horses was recorded by the Silk Road Ensemble and Yo-Yo Ma on Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon (Sony Classical 2005).
ZHAO JIPING (b. 1945)
SACRED CLOUD MUSIC
Born in Xi’an, China, Zhao Jiping is perhaps best known for his award-winning film scores to Farewell My Concubine, Ju Dou, and Raise the Red Lantern. His work Sacred Cloud Music is built around one of the earliest extant pieces of Chinese music, Qingyun Yue (“Auspicious Cloud Music”), dating to 640AD. Originally written for guqin, a seven-stringed Chinese zither, Qinyun Yue was transnotated from two later manuscripts by ethnomusicologist Rembrandt Wolpert and interpreted for pipa (Chinese lute) by Wu Man.
KINAN AZMEH (b. 1976)
IBN ARABI POSTLUDE
Ibn Arabi Postlude was adapted for the Silk Road Ensemble by Syrian composer and clarinetist Kinan Azmeh and comes from his orchestral work The Ibn Arabi Suite (commissioned by the Osnabrück Symphony Orchestra). The work was inspired by the writings of Ibn Arabi, an Arab Muslim mystic and Su philosopher who traveled from Andalusia to Damascus in the 13th century seeking knowledge. Kinan was struck by Ibn Arabi’s philosophy that love and free thinking are as sacred as any religious beliefs. About the music, which is in a 15/8 meter, he says, “The piece blurs the lines between the composed and the improvised and can be described as an obsessive ritualistic dance in the maqam, or melodic form, known as Kurd.”
BELA BARTOK (1881-1945)
ROMANIAN FOLK DANCES (arr. Arthur Willner)
One of the greatest contributions Bartók made to the music world, besides his own array of works, was the magnitude of field recordings of traditional folk music he gathered, collected, and organized over the course of his life. His discovery of their tonal world also was reflected in the scope of his output: “the outcome of these studies was of decisive influence upon my work because it freed me from the tyrannical rule of the major and minor keys. The greater part of the collected treasure, and the more valuable part, was in the old ecclesiastical or old Greek modes, or based on more primitive (pentatonic) scales, and the melodies were full of the freest and most varied rhythmic phrases and changes of tempi. It became clear to me that the old modes, which had been forgotten in our music, had lost nothing of their vigor. Their new employment made new rhythmic combinations possible.”
Realizing that much of the folk music that had found its way into the Romantic music of Liszt, for example, had little to do with the original songs, Bartók set out to write simple accompaniments, altering the original tunes as little as possible. Thus, rather than dismantling them and repurposing the parts, he simply provided frames in which to showcase the content.
KOJIRO UMEZAKI (b. 1968)
What seems most central to this piece is that it follows a process of accumulation and subsequent reversal. The opening descending dyads, followed by a repeating bass line over which the melody eventually enters, all feed into an electronically sustained accumulation of sound. Then, a pivot. The process reverses in a slightly different context, each new note subtracting itself from the amassed sonic material until none remains. Alongside working on this piece I was reading Charles Seife's wonderful Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea in which embracing zero as its own entity and an equal partner to infinity, among many other attributes, was an attractive thought to reflect upon. This work was commissioned by and written for Joseph Gramley. (Kojiro Umezaki)
VIJAY IYER (b. 1971)
CITY OF SAND (SPECULATIVE DUNHUANG) - NEW AFC/SILKROAD COMMISSION
The two-millennium-old Central Asian interzone that appears to us in and around the town of Dunhuang sheds light on our current moment as much as it tells us about the past. A splendid assemblage of painted murals found in several hundred hand-carved cave temples nearby – the so-called Mogao (“Peerless”) Grottoes, built up over nine centuries – reveal to us a deliriously hybrid Buddhism informed by Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, early Islam, Taoism, Confucianism, and Manichaeism. In these caves we see evidence of an organic globalism emerging in Dunhuang from the movements and interactions of Chinese, Indian, Central Asian, North African, and Middle Eastern peoples along the Silk Road. Dunhuang itself was known in earlier eras as Shazhou, from the Arabo-Persian Saju, which means “City of Sand.”
Theater director Peter Sellars brought this improvised cultural aggregate to my attention, through his project on the Vimalakirti Sutra, a Mahayana scripture that is depicted in some of the murals in Cave 17. In this text, the titular protagonist, a layman, performs miracles for a gathering audience of bodhisattvas, monks, and disciples, and offers insights on a number of central Buddhist tenets, most famously the “voidness” of all worldly phenomena, which he expresses in a “lion’s roar” of silence.
The experiences we associate with the Silk Road -- migration, discovery, encounter, interaction -- all depend on improvisation: our capacity to sense, decide, and act in relation to each other. Composing this piece was a puzzle for me at first; it was not immediately obvious how to merge different musical sensibilities and sonic languages. Eventually, through speculating about Dunhuang’s deep past, I realized that just as in these caves, and just as in culture as a whole, individual and collective improvisation would help us make the most of our shared presence. I thank the wonderful performers of A Far Cry and Silk Road Ensemble for rising to this occasion. (Vijay Iyer)
SANDEEP DAS (b. 1971)
TARANG (ARR. JESSE IRONS)
Tarang is based on the exchange of improvised and extemporaneous solos between non-Western percussion instruments and Western strings. As Sandeep explains: “I imagined that the merchants or early travelers of the Silk Road may have interacted at first very simply – for example, through rhythm. When I composed this piece, I wanted to bring common elements of rhythm from the Silk Road countries such as a six-beat cycle (Dadra) and 16-beat cycle (Teen Taal).” The strings provide a drone and melodic lines to support these rhythmic weavings.
HALE BOPP AND SPEEDY SLAM (ARR. KARL DOTY)
In the heart of Finland, in the region of Central Ostrobothnia, is the small county of Kaustinen, a municipality that has become known as the nation’s fiddling capital. It is home not only to the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, the largest in Scandinavia, but also to the Finnish fiddling group Järvelän Pikkupelimannit, more commonly known as JPP. In English this name translates to “Little Fiddlers of Järvelä,” Järvelä being both a village in Kaustinen and a family from that village that employs a fiddling tradition dating back to the 19th century. Founded in 1982, JPP is comprised of fiddlers Arto Järvelä, Mauno Järvelä, Matti Mäkelä, and Tommi Pyykönen, bassist Antti Järvelä, and harmonium player Timo Alakotila. (Karl Doty)
REGNVALSEN AND POLSKA MEDLEY(ARR. ERIK HIGGINS)
I came across the Swedish fiddling duo of Mia and Mikael Marin in the summer of 2013 on the recommendation of a friend who had just attended one of Mia’s fiddling workshops. I was instantly taken with their music, both their original compositions as well as wonderful arrangements of traditional Swedish Polskas, a whirling dance with a combination of light (short) and heavy (long) steps. Their album Skuggspel quickly became one of my favorites and I started to imagine these tunes on a larger scale for string orchestra. My deepest gratitude goes out to Mia Marin for her graciousness and enthusiasm for these new arrangements. (Erik Higgins)
TARAF DE HAÏDOUKS
TURCEASCA (ARR. OSVALDO GOLIJOV & LJOVA)
Throughout musical history, the transcription of folk melodies has been an abundant source of compositional material. Turceasca, the signature piece of the Romanian gypsy band Taraf de Haïdouks (the Band of Brigands), is based on a traditional Turkish song and reflects the richness and complexity of a truly international collaborative work. In 1991, Taraf de Haïdouks, Roma musicians from a small village in southwest Bucharest, performed outside their country for the first time. Their music drew such interest that filmmaker Tony Gatlif featured them in his documentary film about the music of the Roma, Latcho Drom. Composer Osvaldo Golijov, whose broad, eclectic musical training (including Western classical, Jewish liturgical, klezmer and Argentinian tango) made him an ideal translator, worked with the band to arrange Turceasca for the Kronos Quartet as well as subsequent arrangements for the Silk Road Ensemble and A Far Cry.
Program notes written by Kathryn Bacasmot, Nicholas Cords, Karl Doty, Erik Higgins, Isabelle Hunter, Vijay Iyer, and Kojiro Umezaki. | <urn:uuid:3e3ef1a9-fddb-4844-9874-cb6e2fe347c7> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://afarcry.org/blog | 2017-08-19T13:01:12Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886105451.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20170819124333-20170819144333-00360.warc.gz | en | 0.955921 | 2,313 |
The collector car hobby is basking in the limelight. But what does the future hold?
Once it was thought that if you were into old cars, you were kind of strange or odd – a person with greasy fingernails and a hoarder of junk. Now the collector hobby is the stuff of prime-time cable channels, a dozen glossy magazines, lavish vintage racing and concours d’ elegance events, as well as thousands of swap meets headlined by the annual Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Fall National Meet in Hershey, Pa.
The hobby has come a long way since the AACA was founded in 1935. Today’s collectors encompass a wide range of people with varied interests. From early brass-era cars, classics, American “iron,” European sports cars, hot rods, customs and racing cars, every segment is well supported with events, clubs and suppliers. A large and growing group of enthusiasts have also made collecting “automobilia” a quickly appreciating part of the market. Driving events and vintage rallies have served to make collector cars more visible to the general public than ever before.
The growth of the hobby has been the subject of articles in Newsweek, The New York Times and Forbes in recent months. Indeed, the collector car hobby has arrived.
A 2006 Hagerty Hobby Survey showed that just less than half the respondents belong to clubs. Club membership is a key barometer to passion for cars. While club membership is not universally higher, certain single-marque organizations like the National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC) have grown by 20 percent in the past five years.
Helping fuel the hobby’s growth is the Internet. Dealers, private sellers and auctions continue to play a role, but online auction sites are widening the access to cars for millions of potential buyers.
Recently eBay Motors marked the 2 millionth car sold on the site. Selling a car 25 years and older every four minutes, it reports that as of the third quarter of 2006, an average of 8,200 collector cars are available daily on the site. The Internet has also made it easier for people to find cars far from their home; eBay statistics show 71 percent of the listings are sold across state lines.
Also helping fuel growth is the number of baby boomers entering their reward years propelled by a bullish stock market. The market has also been helped by a shift from equities investments to objects of all kinds, including cars. David Gooding, founder of the auction company that bears his name, put it this way: “People will realize that it’s more fun to have an E-Type in the garage than to own stock, even if it’s performing well.”
It’s generally agreed that this “bull market” is rather different from the last one seen in the late ’80s; the number of speculators in the market seems to be smaller than was the case then. People who are buying cars are doing so because they love them and want to enjoy them. Any financial benefits are looked on as “the icing on the cake.”
The collector car world has been abuzz in recent years because of the multimillion dollar prices for certain muscle cars at the Barrett-Jackson auction. In general, the value of muscle cars and European sports racing cars continues to rise, with interest in classics and early cars not far behind.
During the 2006 Monterey, Calif., event, 519 cars changed hands for a total of more than $100 million, up from 2005’s $79 million and 374 cars. Last year’s Scottsdale Barrett-Jackson racked up almost $100 million in a four-day sale that attracted nearly 5,000 registered bidders and 250,000 spectators. A source in the auction business predicts that evidence of a cool-down in the real estate market may be seen in a slowdown in the $50K-$100K segment of the market, while not being a factor in the top end where cars sell in the millions.
Many are concerned about an overall “market correction” that might be coming but is not necessarily a foregone conclusion. It can be expected that prices will level out or even decline at the end of a strong market. Says RM Auctions co-founder Michael Fairbairn: “Certain segments, those that have advanced the furthest and the fastest, will see greater corrections than others.”
Trends in the hobby
A key factor in determining values has been an emphasis on how collectors use their cars. Christie’s motor car department specialist Christopher Sanger observes: “The smart collectors are looking for usability for a specific type of event. Quality, provenance and usability will drive the market.” Cars that are eligible for the events people most want to enter bring markedly higher prices than those that are not.
Another trend is the newfound interest in “original” cars. Unrestored cars have become more desired as there’s no going back once they’ve been altered. Once, if a collector had a very original car, it was viewed merely as the starting point for a full restoration. Now that same owner is challenged not to touch it at all.
There’s also a growing gap between historic cars that have undergone full restorations – or cars that are in well-preserved and documented original condition – and more common cars with needs. This is true at all levels of collecting from common English sports cars to major classics, but is especially seen at the top end. “My 1931 Murphy Duesenberg roadster is original,” says collector Charles Le Maitre of Massachusetts. “People used to ask, ‘When are you going to restore it?’ Now, they say, ‘Please don’t touch that car.’ ”
“Now that they’re getting rarer and harder to find, original cars are even more appreciated,” says David Gooding. “People are realizing that shiny isn’t always the best. The cars that have never been touched have a lot to say.”
The Type 35 Bugatti that sold this year for $2.6 million at a Pebble Beach auction is unlikely to ever be used today on a vintage race track due to its extreme originality. But for those who crave usability, this creates a dilemma. The irony is that a car that has undergone some massaging with the application of replacement parts can still be driven – and enjoyed for what it was meant to be. “It’s the difference between an objet d’art and a piece of sports equipment,” says Miles Collier, owner of the Collier Collection in Naples, Fla.
So we are seeing a major division between “cars as cars” and “cars as art.”
“Cars have indeed begun to come into their own as art objects,” says Le Maitre. “The person who buys a Mercedes 540K for $2 million is really buying an automotive Rembrandt.”
In contrast, to the trend toward original, unrestored cars, there is a growing acceptance of street rods and resto rods into the hobby. “Not everyone can have a car like a Yenko Corvette or a 1970 ZR-1,” says journalist Ken Gross, “but it is possible for you to create one. Likewise, people today who own cars like an original 1964 Pontiac GTO or a Chrysler 300 run the risk of being blown off by a guy in a Subaru WRX. Now, it has become acceptable to use contemporary hardware under the skin -- as long as you do it carefully and tastefully without major surgery.”
In addition, suggests Gross, cloned cars, where an original muscle car like a Hemi ’Cuda is recreated using crate motors and reproduction parts, are starting to fetch prices that rival what the originals were going for several years ago.
The legislative climate
Hobbyists are rarely targeted by laws and regulations, but are often caught unintentionally in the broad net of otherwise sensible laws, especially as they relate to emissions regulations and alternative fuels. These laws are often the product of well-intentioned decision makers attempting to solve a legitimate problem without considering the needs of hobbyists. As a result, Hagerty and other companies have partnered with experts at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) as well as numerous active car clubs to make sure that the needs of hobbyists aren’t overlooked.
An area of particular concern is the advent of alternative fuels such as ethanol and its potential adverse effects on older collector cars. Other concerns relate to stricter emissions laws, scrappage incentives for older cars and usage restrictions on vehicles of a certain age. (For more information, visit www.hagerty.com/ethanol.)
While energy policy and legislative initiatives are always difficult to predict, the hobby is better represented than ever before and should continue to thrive. Like any human phenomenon, the collector world will continue to be subject to the cyclical nature of the stock market, real estate prices and other economic barometers. But like fine art, interest is unlikely to wane, especially with technologies like the Internet and eBay – as well as a host of collector magazines – all of which will continue to fuel our passions and make information about old cars more accessible. The best is likely yet to come.
Fathers and Sons
Old cars can help fathers and sons build a strong bond. More than 20 percent of the respondents to Hagerty’s Hobby Survey share their car activities with their sons and 11.5 percent share with their fathers. Sports car collector John Wright inherited his passion from his Ford-loving dad, and now he’s passing it on to his son. When 16- year-old Johnny began driving, it was in a red MG that father and son restored together. The finished car was more than just a great Christmas present; it was a shared experience.
The hobby offers an opportunity to share a passion and become closer. That’s why more than 75 percent of those surveyed say having a family member involved in their hobby is important to them.
To see this article in its original format, view the pdf version of the Spring 2007 issue of Hagerty magazine. | <urn:uuid:1dd2ef23-2769-4b82-9ccd-b53f927947a1> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://www.hagerty.ca/articles-videos/Articles/2007/03/02/State-of-the-Hobby | 2017-08-19T13:04:00Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886105451.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20170819124333-20170819144333-00360.warc.gz | en | 0.965482 | 2,150 |
- Group 1: Studies in language and literature.
- Group 2: Language acquisition.
- Group 3: Individuals and societies.
- Group 4: Experimental sciences.
- Group 5: Mathematics.
- Group 6: The arts.
- Undertake new challenges
- Plan and initiate activities
- Work collaboratively with others
- Show perseverance and commitment
- Engage with issues of global importance
- Consider ethical implications
- Develop new skills
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How to Earn an IB Diploma
If you’re a student who intends to take academically challenging classes in high school, you’ve likely heard of International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. While IB course options are not as commonly available in the United States as, for example, Advanced Placement (AP) courses, they have a worldwide reputation for quality and rigor.
When people in the United States speak about “the IB program,” they’re usually referring to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, or IBDP, which is a two-year academic curriculum available to students aged 16 through 19. The IBDP is just one of a number of different educational programs offered by the worldwide IB organization.
If you’re interested in taking just a few IB courses, most high schools with IB programs will allow you to do so. If, however, you’d like to more deeply immerse yourself in the IB curriculum and educational philosophy, receiving an IB diploma through the IBDP may be a compelling option for you to consider.
In this post, we’ll go over the steps you’ll need to take to earn your IB diploma and how to get the maximum benefit from your experience in the IBDP.
A brief introduction to the IB Diploma Programme
The IBDP curriculum consists of a range of courses and other requirements that are designed to teach students not only particular facts in a given subject area, but also how to become critical thinkers. It’s somewhat similar to the AP program, in that both offer high school students the opportunity to take advanced, rigorous classes in a widely recognized program.
Close to 900 high schools in the United States currently offer the IBDP, which requires teachers and administrators to undergo special training and certification. This training requirement is one reason why the IBDP is less popular in the US than the AP program. However, popular or not, the IBDP is respected worldwide, and an IB diploma is a valuable asset.
You can learn more about the IB organization and the IBDP in our Beginner’s Guide to the International Baccalaureate Program. We’ve also addressed the topic of how to decide whether to take IB courses in our post Should I Take Honors/AP/IB Classes?
It may be possible for you to take a few IB courses in high school without completing the IBDP. However, undertaking the full diploma program comes with some special benefits, as we previously described in our post What Are The Benefits of Earning an IB Diploma? In this post, we’ll go into more detail about the specific requirements of the IBDP and what you’ll have to do to earn your IB diploma.
First and foremost, the IBDP is a curriculum that provides an overall plan for the coursework you’ll need to take in order to receive the diploma. Just as with your normal high school diploma, in order to receive the IB diploma, you’ll need to complete a certain number of courses in certain subjects at a certain academic level.
The IBDP groups its courses into the following six topic areas:
To receive an IB diploma, each student must take courses in all six subject groups. There are a few variations on this requirement: some high schools offer courses that fulfill multiple subject group requirements at once, and students can also substitute an approved course from subject groups 1 through 5 for the required course in group 6.
Besides breaking down courses into these six categories, the IBDP also splits courses into two different academic levels: Standard Level and Higher Level. Standard Level courses are designed to require at least 150 total hours of instructional time per student per year, while Higher Level courses require at least 240 hours.
To complete the IBDP, you’ll need to take three or four of your subject groups at Higher Level, and the rest at Standard Level. You’re free to choose which subjects to take at which level (within the bounds of what’s offered at your school) in order to customize your academic program to fit your strengths.
In addition to the schoolwork that your teacher grades, each of your IB courses will require you to take a multi-day exam at the end of the school year, which will be graded by an outside evaluator. Your exam grades translate to points on a seven-point scale, and you’ll be subject to additional requirements regarding how many points you earn in total and your average point score across all your IB exams.
Extended Essay independent project requirement
The Extended Essay component of the IBDP requires you to undertake your own independent research on an approved topic of your choice. The eventual product of your research is your Extended Essay, a research paper of up to 4,000 words.
In choosing your Extended Essay topic, you’ll have the freedom to explore a subject or question that personally interests you, but you’ll also need to meet certain requirements—for instance, your topic should be neither too broad nor too narrow for an essay of this length. Your topic also needs to fit neatly into one of the six IB subject groups we listed above; interdisciplinary topics are not permitted.
Throughout the Extended Essay process, you’ll be aided by a faculty supervisor, who will be particularly helpful to you during the research phase. This supervisor will help you to find an appropriate topic, and also to locate and obtain the research materials you’ll need to complete your project.
Like the year-end exams in your IB courses, your Extended Essay will be graded not by your teachers themselves, but by outside IB evaluators. They’ll assess your project on the basis of both general criteria and criteria that are specific to your subject matter.
The IB evaluators will give your Extended Essay a score out of 36 possible points—24 for general criteria and 12 for subject-specific criteria. That score is converted into a grade between A, the highest grade, and E, considered a failing grade. In order to receive your IB diploma, you’ll need to at the very least receive a passing grade on your Extended Essay.
Theory of Knowledge course requirement
The Theory of Knowledge portion of the IBDP is based upon a class that you’ll take in school, but this class is different from most classes you’ll have encountered up to this point. Rather than building your knowledge of a particular subject, this course is meant to teach you how to think and how to learn.
The exact content of your Theory of Knowledge course may vary based on your teacher, but across the board, it’s focused on thinking and talking about the idea of knowledge itself, how we know things, and how we assess knowledge claims. It draws heavily from the field of epistemology, or the philosophical study of knowledge.
This may seem like an unusual and challenging topic for a high school course, and it is. Few high school students are explicitly asked to grapple with issues of this type—it’s content you’d expect to find in a college class. However, the Theory of Knowledge course is a key component of the IB curriculum and philosophy, and this boundary-pushing course is one of the reasons why the IBDP enjoys worldwide respect for its rigor and quality.
You can expect your Theory of Knowledge course to require around 100 hours of time in the classroom, which is generally spread across the two years you’ll spend in the IBDP. In addition to taking part in the course and its regular assignments, you’ll need to complete two more projects to meet the Theory of Knowledge requirement for your IB diploma.
First, you’ll prepare a 1,200 to 1,600-word essay which, like your Extended Essay, will be graded by outside evaluators. You’ll choose from a list of provided topics, all of which require you to demonstrate your analytical ability and originality when considering questions about knowledge itself and ways of knowing.
Second, you’ll give a presentation individually or with one or two other students. You’ll choose a topic that applies what you’ve learned in the course to a real-life scenario, and your presentation can take almost any form except that of simply reading an essay aloud. Your presentation will be evaluated by your own Theory of Knowledge instructor.
As with the Extended Essay, your performance in Theory of Knowledge will be expressed as a letter grade on the scale from A to E, and passing Theory of Knowledge is necessary in order for you to receive your IB diploma.
Creativity, Activity, Service requirement
The last IB diploma criterion you’ll have to meet is a little different from those we’ve covered so far in this post. Known as the Creativity, Activity, Service requirement, or CAS, it’s not an academic course or project, but a rule that you must participate in a certain quantity and variety of extracurricular activities while in the IBDP.
While the IBDP is primarily an academic program, it also recognizes that students can grow a great deal through their extracurricular commitments, and that these other activities are a valuable addition to the rigorous IB coursework. The IBDP divides extracurriculars into three categories—Creativity, Activity, and Service—to help ensure that students explore a variety of different opportunities.
In order to meet the IBDP’s standards for CAS participation, you’ll need to participate in two activities in each of the CAS categories, for a total of at least six activities. You’ll also need to demonstrate that your range of CAS activities has allowed you to achieve the intended outcomes of the CAS program, which are:
In the past, the IBDP mandated that each student complete and report a specific number of CAS hours in order to receive their diploma. This requirement has since been dropped, in part to encourage students to focus on the meaningful qualities of their activities rather than their duration. (Some individual high schools may still have specific rules regarding the number of CAS hours you’ll need to complete.)
At present, the IBDP requires that you participate in some CAS activity each week, though you don’t have to participate in every activity every week. You should expect to regularly spend three to four hours a week on CAS activities, and at least one of your CAS projects needs to be a commitment of one month or longer in duration.
Though your CAS participation is not as strictly managed as some other aspects of the IBDP, you’ll still have to undergo some assessments to ensure that you’re meeting IB standards. In part, this includes keeping a log or other records of your CAS projects, including the signatures of activity advisors, so that you and your school can review your CAS experience.
For more information
To learn more about the IBDP, its philosophy, and its requirements, you can visit the official IBDP website. For CollegeVine’s expert perspective and advice, be sure to check out our Beginner’s Guide to the International Baccalaureate Program.
Looking for one-on-one assistance with identifying your driving passions, setting and reaching goals, and making your high school experience exceptional? CollegeVine’s experienced near-peer mentors are here to help. Visit the CollegeVine Mentorship Program website to find out more about our services. | <urn:uuid:e87ead92-fb15-448a-8736-c613feaa18fa> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-earn-an-ib-diploma/ | 2017-08-20T09:50:08Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886106367.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20170820092918-20170820112918-00440.warc.gz | en | 0.943466 | 2,529 |
The Positive Pregnancy Test
“Triiing” went the text message alert on my phone as I cleared up the breakfast stuff and ordered the kids to get in their uniforms. I glanced at the screen... “I'm pregnant” said the message from my good friend, Sarah. She's married with one child already, an 18 month old and she loves being a mum. “Oh no” I think “poor Sarah” as I read the rest of her text. She's devastated, scared and she is beside herself trying to figure out how she is going to survive the next nine months. I know how much she desperately wants another baby and I want to congratulate her, but I can't, it would be insensitive, instead I reassure her that she is not alone and I'm here for her every step of the way.
You see for women with a history of hyperemesis gravidarum, no matter how much you want another baby, the reality is that the moment the test shows positive you feel like your world is crashing around you... nine long months of severe illness lay ahead. That exciting time that most women experience when they find out they are pregnant is replaced with a torturous wait to see just how sick they are going to be.
Instead of planning a healthy diet and shopping trips for maternity clothes, women with hyperemesis are planning how they will manage childcare if they are admitted to hospital, how their finances will cope with nine months off work, how their toddler will cope emotionally if mummy vanishes from view. And that is assuming they can afford childcare. How will they cope with a toddler at all if they are throwing up continuously for hours on end? What if they physically can't stop throwing up long enough to fix some food for their toddler, or change his/her nappy, or keep them safe?
It's a scary time to say the least and for me it was probably the most stressful time of the whole pregnancy... waiting to get sick.
And then in a perverse twist there is the emotion and stress involved in not getting sick. Because in reality women with a history of hyperemesis have an 86% chance of suffering again so while we can “plan for the worst and hope for the best”, the experience of not getting sick can be utterly nerve racking! It's why we all hope for a bit of “morning sickness” when we get pregnant for the first time, it's reassuring and makes you part of the secret early pregnancy club. But for women who develop hyperemesis gravidarum it rapidly turns into a nightmare not just for this pregnancy but for every pregnancy thereafter. You want the reassurance of a progressing pregnancy but knowing what's in store for you is utterly terrifying.
Returning to the ensuing text conversation I understood only too well the confusing mix of emotions my friend was experiencing. Having been through this particular period three times, one of which the sickness never came and the new life was not to be, I get the strange juxtaposition of the wanting-not wanting sickness causing an internal battle. I understand the overwhelming rush of plans running through her head about preparing nine-months worth of meals, thinking about childcare options, working out finances. I feel the profound sadness experienced looking at your beloved toddler and knowing how much you will miss them over the next nine months. And the confusion of emotion over how much you love them and that it was “worth it in the end” but that you don't know it will be again, questioning will you love another as much as you love them.
I thought about what practical things I could say at this point and I replied with reassurance that she can get through this and is not alone; I'm here for her and I know lots of other women are too. Prepare practically and try not to dwell on projections of what the next nine months might entail. Enjoy the next few days before the sickness kicks in. Enjoy the time with your little one, but prepare mentally for the separation; know that they will be okay and remember that they will have you back in nine months time along with a new sibling.
I am, of course, posting her out the HG calendar I've produced as ticking off the days even at this point can really help make the time seem shorter. Unfortunately I live a blinking long way away from Sarah so while I can't provide practical help with freezer meals and so on I will be texting regularly and phoning while she's still able to speak on the phone.
If you have a friend with a history of hyperemesis gravidarum who is at the point of embarking on another pregnancy then try to appreciate this challenging time of mixed emotions. Rather than comments about “You might not get it this time”, “think positively” or “well you know it's worth it now” try simply asking how you can help, what support she needs and think about what support you are able to provide. Try to appreciate that while you're excited for her and want to congratulate her, she is feeling scare and wondering if she'll be in hospital next week hooked up to a life saving IV drip. Cull the enthusiasm about the end product and appreciate that the news is akin to your friend telling you that she has a serious illness and will be battling treatment for the next nine month.
That's not to say you can't congratulate her, I'm sure she will appreciate that you are pleased for her. Just follow it up with an appreciation of the severity of hyperemesis gravidarum and the need to survive the next nine months. Save the bulk of the congratulations for nine months time when the double whamy celebrations of baby's arrival and the end of HG really are party worthy.
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In conjunction with Pregnancy Sickness Support and Plymouth University I am looking for women who have been treated for HG in the last 2 years in the UK to take part in a research survey. Please click here to find out more.
I am mother of three beautiful children and wife to a fantastic and supportive husband. I am a nurse, a farmer and a trustee for Pregnancy Sickness Support. I love working hard and spending time with my kids.
About this blog
Information and support for pregnancy sickness and hyperemesis gravidarum. Views are my own and do not represent those of any other organisation. Information provided here should not be a substitute for medical advice. My aim is to raise awareness and encourage sufferers to know they are not alone.
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A Case of Watery Eyes
I have a case of Watery Eyes,
It's the one thing I truly despise,
For what can be worse
Than a never-ending curse
That after a battle takes one by surprise?
It's completely impossible to see
Who's been brought up to battle with me,
Though I strike out, I'm blind
In a horrible bind,
Maraquan or pirate, who will it be?
I go to the water faerie every day
So that for a cure, I need not pay,
Onion balm's price is insanely high,
Rocketing way up in the sky,
To get it, there's simply no way.
So I'll sit here, looking like a fool,
With my tears dripping in the faerie's pool,
This poem I shall write
'Till I regain my sight,
For these watery eyes are too cruel!
Nasty blades and glowing eyes,
Did you choose the pirates' side?
Fancy weapons, fins that flow,
Does your side fight down below?
Slashing daggers, clashing blades,
Doubtless peace will not pervade.
Foes that parry; make you sick,
Try to give your pet a lick.
Garin, Isca, Caylis, too,
Must find way to stop this feud.
Jacques and crew with magic potion
Will come down to save the ocean.
Scarblade must destroy this place,
Down to the very last glass case.
Maractite weapons will be his,
Their home will feel Death's cold kiss.
Maraqua has been part rebuilt,
It may fall by madman's hilt.
When the sun of dawn arise,
Will it be but all demise?
No one knows what will become
Of this place below the sun.
We may fight and find their needs,
But will we regret our bold deeds?
The Dark Faerie's Domain
Jhudora's Cloud floats up so high
By Faerieland, in pleasant sky.
Yet not so near to sisters' home,
Jhudora sits: peevish, alone.
By facing her, receiving quest,
You might not make decision best.
There's nothing worse than being late
And facing faerie's rage and hate.
Beware dark clouds that linger there,
Wicked Jhudora plays not fair.
Clouds swallow feet, legs, belly, wrists;
Arms, neck, head; fight not with fists.
There is one way to fight the dark,
Try being happy as a lark.
For light shall conquer darkness deep,
And rescue you from fatal sleep.
Jhudora may fly into rage,
But dawdle not to mental cage.
For if you enter, door clangs shut,
Your contact with family, friends: CUT.
You have the strength to free yourself,
And though dark faerie may steal wealth,
The real treasure's air and life,
Not taunting: cruelty sharp as knife.
So when you venture from domain,
I hope you are still well and sane.
And if you failed that one time,
I hope you realise faerie's crime
Please turn from Jhudora's Cloud.
Temptation may be strong and loud,
But stronger, louder, greater still
Is your own knowledge: your free will.
A Day at Merri Acres
Wonderfully the sun does shine
Upon the merry faces
Who walk upon the dirt road path;
No one knows who trod it last,
But now we are in good graces.
And so merry a mood as mine,
My heart, it throbs and races,
A bystander'd think I'm rather daft
He'd warn me where my money's cast,
But to stop us, you'd need braces.
The wooden gate we do approach
To meet a stout Gelert;
He smiles, his teeth are ladder rungs,
Promising, hopeful, every one,
And his greeting's friendly and curt:
"Now, friends, I'm not your business coach,
But I advise you, be alert;
On these branches there are berries hung
Amidst the countless piles of dung
All on this fertile earth."
After paying him our Neopoints,
He agreed to let me in,
We stooped down low and searched up high
While the sun taunted from the sky,
And finally we gave in.
"I feel that we've been cheated, boys,"
I say to my dear Quinn,
"I've searched everywhere, and I don't lie,
And seen nothing much to gratify
The money I've put in."
When our game was nearly finished,
Invisus threw a fit:
"I hate this world of Meridell;
There's not a single thing to tell
That puts a good word towards it."
Well, the final blow had just been dished,
The fire of revenge was lit.
We waited until darkness fell
To return to Meridell,
But we were kicked out, so I guess that's it.
The sun shone through the water,
Patches moving with the waves,
Lighting up the ocean floor,
All but the deepest caves.
Down amongst the pretty coral,
The seaweed and the sand,
A city stands in all its glory,
Its towers fine and grand.
A majestic Koi rules this place,
Kelpbeard, proud and wise,
The swordsmaster Talak protects
Maraqua from prying pirate eyes,
A restaurant feeds the people,
Serving every kind of dish,
Maractite weapons help protect
This city of the fish.
So if you're headed down below,
Under the water blue,
Do stop by Maraqua,
The city built anew...
Total Poetry Pages : 2153
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Presentation on theme: "Jefferson Parish Children and Youth Planning Board –"— Presentation transcript:
1Jefferson Parish Children and Youth Planning Board – 2010-2011
2Act 555- Children and Youth Planning Boards Act In 2004, to further promote the intent of the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2003, the provisions of Act 555, known as the “Children and Youth Planning Boards Act”, was passed.Act 555 mandated local jurisdictions create Children & Youth Planning Boards (CYPBs) whose purpose is to assist in the:AssessmentAlignmentCoordinationPrioritization, andMeasurementof all available services and programs that address the needs of children and youth.- Juvenile Justice Implementation Commission started reform effort- State realized that Juvenile Justice needed to be improve.- Community concerns prompted change
3Jefferson Parish CYPBEstablished by Parish Council ordinance on August 25, 2004Organizational Structure:Executive Committee (Oversight)Interagency Coordination and TrainingPrevention & Early Intervention / Continuum of CareEvaluation & MonitoringJuvenile Detention Alternatives InitiativeBalance in Juvenile JusticeYouth Advisory BoardMental Health Task ForceModels for Change Committee (EBP, DMC, & AFP)How structure was developedResponding to needs of community
4CYPB Comprehensive Plan Submitted annually to OJJ and the Children’s CabinetDesigned to be a plan for the development, implementation, and operation of services for children and youthThe plan is entitled: “Vision 2011 and Beyond: The Comprehensive Plan of the Jefferson Parish Children and Youth Planning Board” and contains:Historical and Physical InformationCensus CharacteristicsEducational DemographicsAssets and LiabilitiesEconomic IndicatorsCurrent InitiativesComprehensive Community ProfileThe many agencies, community groups and individual citizens involved in this endeavor strive to carry this plan into full fruition, guided by the common, unifying goal of improving the lives of all children and youth in Jefferson Parish.Document that discusses our progress and goals for futureCommunity assessment- Our master plan has been used as a model for the rest of the state
5Interagency Coordination & Training Interagency Coordination & Training Committee current tasks:Louisiana’s first Memorandum of Understanding for juvenile justice information-sharingPolice on Campus TrainingSchool Administrator’s TrainingStaff trainings on CYPB effortsFacilitate discussion on computerized information sharingAccomplishments include coordinating training for Police on Campus (POC) and setting the stage for a system-wide information sharing agreement.Training for POC’s was recognized as a critical need due to the large percent of arrests generated in schools.A curriculum was developed in concert with Models for Change Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network to provide POC’s with training that will enable them to respond to mental health crises more effectively.Since the training, POC’s have identified additional areas of concern when dealing with such crises which will be addressed via CYPB activities.
6Prevention & Early Intervention / Continuum of Care The Prevention & Early Intervention / Continuum of Care Committee current tasks:Collaborating with faith-based organizations in middle schools to increase suicide prevention programs;Mentoring program for 1st graders;Assisting young mothers and their babies with reading room;Working with the Youth Council to see what they feel is needed in the community along with survey of other agencies.One high risk school was targeted and volunteer tutors/mentors were provided to children chosen by educators in the first and/or second grade.Test scores, reading level, and student behavior will be tracked to determine if the addition of tutors/mentors effect improvement.The Continuum of Care Committee continues to find services that have not been included in 300 youth programs developed in the initial program survey.The COC is looking forward this year to working with the Nurse Family Partnership to assist in getting teen mother back in school and finding affordable childcare.In 2009, the COC committee introduced the web-based CYPB Directory of Community Services which already appeared on the Juvenile Services website and added it to the JP Juvenile Court website and the CYPB website to expand outreach to the community.In 2010 distribution was further expanded by the COC with creation of a resource booklet entitled Jefferson Parish Community Resource Booklet for Families with Children, placed in several areas where parents of young children visit and also available on the CYPB website.In the COC committee will be working with faith based and educational groups to provide youth that have dropped out of school the opportunity to continue their education and receive GEDs.The COC accomplished its goal of creating this PowerPoint presentation. The group will work on attaining goals not yet reached and will look at any changes that need to be made in the committee vision and goals.
7Evaluation & Monitoring The Evaluation and Monitoring Committee current tasks:Ensuring data-driven decision-makingDevelop and maintain data-collection sheet for probation departmentMonitors data provided by probation departmentFuture efforts will focus on encouraging performance standards for all CYPB agencies, including data collection and analysisThe Evaluation and Monitoring Committee is charged with ensuring compliance to outcome-based service provision. Through the efforts of this committee, performance indicators were established that make program evaluation part of the provision of contract services for the Dept. of Juvenile Services.
8Models for Change The Models for Change Committee Juvenile justice reform initiative with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur FoundationAlternatives to Formal Case ProcessingDisproportionate Minority ContactEvidence-Based Practices
9Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Detention reform initiative with the Annie E. Casey Foundation that focuses on:Detention Assessment Instrument (what is the tool)Examples of Alternatives to Secure DetentionElectronic MonitoringTrackersGlobal Positioning System (GPS) tracking (high risk, no phone line required)Disproportionate Minority ContactConditions of ConfinementDetention Center Self-Assessment (validated instrument) – changes to Rivarde to occur as a result of findings.
10Mental Health Taskforce The Mental Health Taskforce current tasks:Clarify and disseminate mental health crisis protocolsAssist in the development of suicide/homicide response plans for schools, Juvenile Court, the Juvenile Assessment Center, and Rivarde Detention CenterStreamline and improve coordination of mental health crises across the various agencies involved with youthAssisting with mental health services for Rivarde and JAC
11Balance in Juvenile Justice The Balance in Juvenile Justice CommitteeAddresses the juveniles that have shown a pattern of increasingly detrimental behavior to their lives and the lives of the citizens of Jefferson ParishDevelopment of the “Red File” Program that provides up to date, detailed information to the court and probation department concerning a serious habitual offender (high risk scoring)
12Youth Involvement The Youth Advisory Committee Youth members meet monthly to openly discuss and analyze issues affecting youthBased on their experience members will make suggestions on how to improve services to families and youthYouth recruitment efforts
13New Initiatives to Come Shelter careDecreasing reliance on juvenile justice system by school system thereby reducing school-related referrals to juvenile justice (Study from school system)Community assessmentShelter care is sought as an alternative to detention for youth who have no place to go.Roughly 1/3 of all arrests originate at schools. Finding ways to assist population.Community assessment will assist in determining best services for children and youth. Data used to determine community resources and needs.
14How CYPB impacts youSafer and healthier communities (improved child welfare indicators)Improved services to Jefferson Parish residents (Information sharing, lack of duplicative services)Improvements across the child and youth service systemFinancial benefits (cost savings, increased efficiency)The bottom line is that Jefferson Parish wants to provide the best services possible to the children and families.46% decrease in Families in Need of Services from
15How CYPB impacts you (cont.) System-wide improvementsAgreement to make data-driven decisionsReduction of juveniles in detention: Capacity is 55 juveniles. Average daily population as of July 1, 2010 is 36 juveniles.Juveniles in custody of OJJ as of October, 2010: 53 placed in secure care; 39 placed in non-secure care.Directory of services provides community members with information on servicesIncrease in effective programs from 12% in 2007 to 95% in 2010Improved coordination of services with Information-Sharing MOUState Office of Juvenile Justice provided statisticsOther system-wide improvements: increase use best practice services, moving away from punitive-correctional model to family-focused model thereby decreasing referrals to juvenile court.
16How Can You Get Involved? CYPB Website:If you are interested in participating in any committee or would like to know more about our achievements, please contact the committee chairperson listed below:Interagency Coordination and Training-Dawn Palermo, , ext 862,Prevention & Early Intervention / Continuum of Care- Nancy Pearson, ,Evaluation & Monitoring- Dr. John Ryals, , ext 241,Models for Change- Chris Trosclair, , ext. 285, & John RyalsJuvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative- Ashley DeMouy, , ext. 256,Mental Health Committee- Dr. Daliah Bauer, ,Balance in Juvenile Justice- Lonnie Taix, ,Youth Advisory – Kim Dilosa, , | <urn:uuid:7bdfa02b-2404-4f05-87af-9b579162f72c> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://slideplayer.com/slide/3517239/ | 2017-08-23T01:06:18Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886116921.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20170823000718-20170823020718-00680.warc.gz | en | 0.915129 | 1,919 |
In just over one year of unarmed demonstrations in Nabi Saleh, a small Palestinian community in the West Bank, 155 of the village’s 500 residents were wounded (about 60 of them children); 35 homes were damaged and dozens of the village’s people were detained. Yet even after the protest’s leader was put behind bars by the army, the struggle for the Nabi Saleh’s land continues
The objects seen in the picture: a magazine (Rifle-Launched Anti-Protesters Grenade ) attached to a Tavor gun, and a human skull, attached to a neck. The gun is vertical; the neck is horizontal. You could say they’ve made contact.
Inside the magazine: 12 to 16 rubber-coated metal pellets. Inside the skull: soft, gray brain tissue. Thoughts and memories. A soul.
The purpose of the weapon: dispersing demonstrations at a minimum range of 40 meters. The purpose of the brain: to live. To remember such moments.
Will the rubber-metal pellets go through that brain? Probably not. However, the thought about it doubtlessly goes through the man’s mind. One could say that this is actually happening at the photographed moment. Does pressing the magazine to the head of a man lying on the ground constitute “dispersion of demonstrations” at a minimal range of 40 meters?
Pointless question. That is not the point here. The point is sowing fear and terror, emotional terror.
Was the picture taken out of context? Did the demonstrator “provoke” the soldiers, perhaps by throwing stones? That is a disingenuous question, the very answer for which takes it out of context. As if the “provocation” and the throwing of stones have no context; as if they do not occur against the background of the basic, unchanging context of occupation and dispossession. What the hell is an Israeli soldier doing on Palestinian land? Why is he protecting an unlawful settlement that robs its Palestinian neighbors, and how does he even expect the Palestinian to just sit there and do nothing when faced with this scandalous conduct?
This could have been the end of the post. For anyone who knows anything about the events at Nabi Saleh, this is quite enough. But not everyone knows, and truly, what can you even understand from this laconic, routine headline that appears on the Hebrew news sites every Friday, “Riots at Nabi Saleh”? So it is appropriate to say more. That every Israeli citizen know what has been done in his name, every week, for 15 months now.
The confrontations in Nabi Saleh over the past year are considered the most violent in the West Bank. In spite of the fact that the Palestinian side is adhering to the nonviolent popular protest, with women and children participating, Israel’s army has broken several records in brutality at Nabi Saleh.
In March 2010, a 14-year-old youth, Ihab Barghoutti, was shot with a rubber pellet in the course of a demonstration. The pellet hit his head and he went into a coma. Of the 500 residents of the village, 155 were wounded since the beginning of the demonstrations; that’s about 30% of the population. About 60 of the people wounded are children. 35 homes were damaged by the shooting of demonstration-dispersing weapons. Fires broke out in seven of these. Based on testimonies from demonstrators, the Israeli army uses live firepower against them, too, in violation of the law.
Just to be clear: throwing stones at an occupying army which prevents you from demonstrating on your own land does not constitute “violent protest.” It is the expected response to someone who not only steals your land but also denies you the basic right to protest this. If the army stops acting against the residents of Nabi Saleh and just gets the hell off their lands, no one will throw stones at it.
The residents of Nabi Saleh are not trying to go to the nearby settlement of Halamish and they are not endangering the settlers. They insist – every Friday – to demonstrate by a spring that was appropriated from them.
The army does not even wait for the demonstrators to get out of the village. The Israeli army simply goes into the village and starts shooting at anything that moves – rubber-coated metal pellets, gas canisters, and other things. Sometimes it sprays entire streets with putrid skunk water: the houses, the windows, the potable water stored on the roofs. Not only is this collective punishment, this policy exposes the true provocateur: Village residents, who demonstrate without threatening any Israeli? Or the army, which invades their streets? (A quote from the testimony of Hedva Isscar: “The first gas canister was shot at us before we had time to get out of the village.”)
Like in Bil’in and Silwan, the Israeli army is trying to chop off the head of the popular protest by making arrests (did it help in Bil’in and Silwan? It did not. Does the Israeli army learn anything from this? It did not, either.) Protest leader Bassam Tamimi was arrested a month ago (in the 90’s Tamimi was tortured by the Internal Security Service [Shabak], after which he was paralyzed for a month). Like Abdallah Abu Rahme from Bil’in, Tamimi is 10 levels of morality above the army that arrested him. Here is what he says:
“We want to offer our people an example and pattern of popular struggle. Since the beginning of the revolution (the establishment of the PLO) and the armed struggle we have made cumulative mistakes which the Israelis used against us, although these were merely responses to the Israeli oppression. We do not have a military answer to Israel. History teaches us that if ever we had even partial success, it was in popular uprisings: in 1936 and in 1987. It is in the popular struggle that we can prove our moral superiority to all and sundry.”
People with that kind of dangerous idea must be put behind lock and key.
The wave of arrests at Nabi Saleh is characterized by the eradication of the difference between adults and minors. Since the protests began, more than a year ago, more than 60 residents of the village have been arrested and imprisoned (that’s approximately 13%). 29 of those imprisoned are minors. In an apparent effort to spare themselves the physical effort of running after demonstrators, Israel’s army has developed an original, new method: Army forces invade village homes at night, wakes up boys from their sleep, and photographs them. This is how they build up a database that will serve for future arrests – and to hell with civil rights and the presumption of innocence. Later, testimonies collected from minors, in violation of the law, without the presence of parents or attorneys and while denying them sleep, are used to incriminated village activists.
Imagine a 14-year-old Israeli youth taken from his home, without parents in attendance, and interrogated for a seven-hour stretch about rock-throwing. Imagine him being put in detention for two and half months. Imagine having one law for you – and another for him.
Settlers have been coveting the ancient springs in the West Bank for many years. Most of these springs are not natural, it should be noted. They were dug as part of a system of irrigation, pools, and ditches that serve the Palestinian populations. Settlers have already taken over approximately 25 such springs, with the Civil Administration ignoring their actions (This Hebrew piece explains how the system works).
In 2008 the Halamish settlers went down to the Ein Al-Kous spring, placed tabernacles and benches there, marked it up with blue stars of David, and “converted” it to Judaism: now they would call it Ma’ayan Meir, for Meir Segal, one of the founders of Neve Tzoof, which was the former name of Halamish (it is always a good idea to make an outpost or spring into a commemorative site; this way it’s that much harder, politically, to return them). The Civil Administration was recruited to reinforce Jewish control by placing a sign prohibiting entry to an “Antiquities Site”. It later was discovered that the sign had been placed unlawfully, without the spot having been officially declared as an archeological site, and without any findings whatsoever found there. In other words, it was a trick to prohibit entry to Arabs. And indeed, a settler-hand soon interpreted the original text and added the following words to the sign: “No entry to Arabs.”
Ein Al-Kous has always-and-forever been part of the heritage of the residents of Nabi Saleh and the nearby Deir Nazzam, and served for watering herds. In January 2010 the residents presented ownership documentation to the Civil Administration and since then – the C.A. is in no hurry – the documents have been under “judicial examination.” Meanwhile, for more than a year, the settlers and the army have been acting as though the issue of ownership has already been decided in their favor. They are right, of course. The legalistic contortions are meant for foreign eyes, not for practical purposes. The Palestinians are again, as ever, “infiltrators” to their own land. And even if we were to assume that the land was “not legally disposed”, how has the spring become prohibited to Palestinians but permitted to Jews?
Now is the time to make the ever-necessary note that is always absent from reports of the “riots” in the Occupied Territories: Halamish itself is a marvel of unlawfulness. First, it was established on occupied territory, in contravention of international law. Second, it was established by force of a military appropriation order and was deceitfully converted into a civilian settlement. Third, large parts of it were constructed without plans or permits, knowing that they would be retroactively authorized by legal channels. In the confrontation between the residents of Halamish and the residents of Nabi Saleh, Israel’s army defends the law-breakers.
Israel’s governments, one after another, have specialized in blatant lies to the public. A particularly effective method was the concealment of the merely-colonial expansionist greed behind military excuses. Thus, for example, the government decision dated 2 October 1977 establishing Neve Tzoof/Halamish was phrased: “the government records the decision of the Ministers’ Committee For Settlement dated 17 Tishrei 5738 (29 September 1977). The settlers will populate Army camps in Samaraia [sic] and be employed in accordance with army requirements as workers in service of the army. The government authorizes the deployment of the first nucleus to settlement in the Samaria Camp, today.”
“Workers in service of the army.” What has changed today? That the army works in their service. What’s the difference? There is no difference.
Here, too, is the reason for the especially tough measures taken by the military against the demonstrators at Nabi Saleh, in contrast with other places in the West Bank. The Nabi Saleh demonstrations threaten not the separation wall but a territory the settlers have occupied for themselves. The army operates as a militia for retention of the lands by Jews; it perceives the protest as being addressed directly to it, as there is no true difference between the interests of the settler and the interests of the soldiers guarding him. There is no doubt that this is aided by the presence of a senior office in the Halamish settlement – Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Itzik Shadmi, Chair of the Binyamin Settler Committee, a man whose opinions nestle comfortably between ultra-rightwing Rabbi Dov Wolfa and Kahane man Baruch Marzel.
The Israeli army will lose. The settlers will lose. Israel will lose. On the road to that loss they will wound and displace countless Palestinians, but at the end they will lose. And they will lose because they do not understand what they are contending with, despite the fact that it is in plain view, before their very eyes (as you can see in the astonishing movie, below). Sometimes you need a tremendous, superhuman effort to see that there is a human being before you. And then you need another effort, no smaller than the first, to see that what you ask him to relinquish – in contrast to what you must relinquish – is the recognition of his own value as a human being.
And that, he will not relinquish.
Idan Landau is a linguist at the Beer-Sheba university. This post originally appeared in Hebrew on Idan’s blog. It was translated and posted here with the author’s permission. | <urn:uuid:cfd704c1-22ae-41f5-a988-1c6d9cb588e8> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://972mag.com/nabi-saleh-a-tiny-villages-struggle-againt-the-occupation/ | 2017-08-23T00:29:25Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886116921.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20170823000718-20170823020718-00680.warc.gz | en | 0.970041 | 2,700 |
Read the untranslated law here: http://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/atto/serie_generale/caricaArticoloDefault/originario?atto.dataPubblicazioneGazzetta=2015-03-20&atto.codiceRedazionale=15A02093&elenco30giorni=false&atto.tipoProvvedimento=DECRETO
The COURT OF AUDITORS in the meeting of February 17, 2015; Visto l'art. 100, second paragraph, of the Constitution; View the October 18, 2001 constitutional law, no 3; Visto l'art. 7, paragraph 8, of the law June 5, 2003, # 131, setting out the arrangements for the adjustment of the laws of the Republic to the constitutional law October 18, 2001, # 3; Having regard to the consolidated laws on the Court of Auditors, approved by Royal Decree July 12, 1934, n. 1214, and subsequent modifications and integrations; Having regard to law No 20 January 14, 1994 as amended; Visto l'art. 9 of June 16, 2000, n. 14 sections grouped by the Court of Auditors laying down the rules for the organisation of the control functions of the Court of Auditors, as amended by resolution of the sections joined July 3, 2003 # 2 (Official Journal July 16, 2003 # 163), and by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Court of Auditors no 229/CP/2008, of June 19, 2008 (pubbl. in the official journal July 2, 2008 , # 153); Having regard to resolution No. SEZAUT/16/2012/section INPR autonomies, concerning the guidelines for the examination of the annual financial balance and plan for the evaluation of its congruence ex art. 243-quarter, of Legislative Decree No 267 August 18, 2000 (TUEL) paragraphs 1-3, as introduced by Decree-Law October 10, 2012, # 174, with art. 3, comma 1 letter r), converted by law No 213 December 7, 2012; Having regard to the note prot. # 128 on February 9, 2015 by which the President of the Court of Auditors has summoned the Government Section for today's meeting for the review of the matter, from the meeting of January 29, 2015, raised by the Interior Ministry with note No. the November 27, 2014 18173 acquired the Protocol by November 28, 2014 # 1208 autonomies of the Section; Having heard the rapporteur, Councillor Rinieri Fanning;
Given the Interior Ministry requested the opinion of the section of autonomies on the interpretation of art. 243-bis, paragraph 8 TUEL governing the criteria for accessing the "revolving fund to ensure financial stability of local authorities ' disciplined by art. 243-ter TUEL. Reads the norm: "in order to ensure the gradual fiscal consolidation ...-set the institution ... g) can access the Revolving Fund to ensure financial stability of local authorities under art. 243-ter, on condition that he effected the restatement of the personnel organization pursuant to art. 259, paragraph 6. ' That provision, which refers to organizations stated the financial difficulties and that should resolve the budgetary assumptions regularly rebalanced, provides, in paragraph 6, that "the local government ... restates the personnel organization declaring supernumerary staff still serving in excess compared to medium reports employees-population under art. 263, paragraph 2 ". The norm continues with such that "spending on fixed-term staff should also be reduced to no more than 50 percent of the average cost incurred at that title for the last three years preceding the year in which the hypothesis relates." The point of law on which the Ministry of the Interior has requested the opinion of the Government Section is intended to hear: ' if the references in art. 243-bis, paragraph 8. g), art. 259, paragraph 6, is limited solely to the obligation in the first part of the standard which was the reduction of personnel, or is meant also extended to fixed-term staff expenditure reduction which is the second part of the provision. '
Considered The restatement of personnel within the limits and in accordance with the criteria laid down by art. 259, paragraph 6 of the TUEL on Budgets regularly rebalanced, and activity typically bound in both mechanisms (those covered by article 263, paragraph 2 ... TUEL) and purpose (stable budget rebalancing program in a failed institution); the character of typicality lies in the fact that the measure affects a structural element of the financial equilibrium of the institution and I mean on expenditure on staff is a budgetary post traditionally stiff and that should be reduced to stabilize the dynamic revenue-bumpy budget outputs. In practice the stability it is the element that describes the requested measure which consists precisely in a permanent reduction of costs: in place, if the staff is entirely covered, looking ahead, if the reduction is bound to produce its effects in the future. Similarly the financial equilibrium of the budget of the bodies in predissesto, matter referred to in the question, requires structural measures equally; Indeed, for this specific measure, article. 243-bis, comma 8 reinforces the scope by expressly forbidden to vary in increasing personnel for the duration of the plan aimed at balancing. For reasons of symmetry a first interpretative landing argued suggests that this, and only this, measure relates to paragraph 8. g) of art. 243-bis TUEL. In support of this thesis comes the consideration that the other measures contemplated in art. 259, paragraph 6, and the reduction of fixed-term staff will cease financial stabilization-oriented hacking immediately on the volumes of those specific outputs that, according to the standard, must be halved compared to the average of the last three years; but it is quite separate from the first, and cannot be regarded as automatically operating along with that, as drawn in one «orbit». In parallel with this rule can be read in the rules governing annual financial balance, plans that contained in paragraph 9 of article. 243-bis where, in the case of prior access to Revolving Fund, current part of rebalancing measures are imposed budget to be taken within the period of the financial year. Among these measures is included the reduction of staff costs and in particular those identified in rule which obviously does not exclude other various interventions on the expense of staff as may be required to rebalance the current portion of the budget. On the other hand, always in terms of clear distinction between the measures under review, can not be considered that the expenditure of staff is also a relevant factor in the rigidity of the budget that goes under careful planning of its evolution. Fixed-term personnel expenditure, represents, instead, a passive voice modulated in the short perspective of the financial year and for this reason liable to produce financial effects in the short term riequilibrativi. What like the provisions of art. 243-bis, paragraph 9 TUEL, which is why the two standards, for this part of the respective device contents, ' living with their own light. " In the light of the foregoing we can conclusively say that the reference to 259 paragraph 6 shall be read only to the provision that provides for the reduction of personnel organization that, as a result of its cover, is, like the other measures indicated in art. 243-bis, comma 8, a permanent part of the reduction of outputs that must be congruent with the level of financial autonomy of the institution. Based on this interpretation, the guidelines and criteria for appraisal of the plan of annual financial balance under art. 243-quarter TUEL as introduced by art. 3, paragraph 1, letter r) Decree-Law October 10, 2012, no 174, converted by law no December 7, 2012. 213, approved by resolution No. 16/SEZAUT/2012/INPR in this section autonomies, for completeness of documents, must be integrated with the present document according to the same criteria for publication.
Proposed resolution To issue, in conformity with the principles of law governing the criteria for systemic aspects literal hermeneutic, is given the following solution: the process of rebalancing the reference work by art. 243-bis, paragraph 8. g) TUEL under art. 259, paragraph 6, shall be reported to the single reduction of personnel organization and not to the reduction of fixed-term staff; the latter measure will be adopted in the context of the interventions mentioned in art. 243-bis, comma 9 TUEL, if necessary to the rebalancing of the current part of the budget; The guidelines and criteria for appraisal of the plan of annual financial balance under art. 243-c of Legislative Decree No 267 August 18, 2000 (TUEL) as introduced by art. 3, paragraph 1) (r) of Decree-Law No October 10, 2012. 174, converted by law no December 7, 2012. 213, approved by resolution No. SEZAUT/16/2012/INPR in this section autonomies, are supplemented by this document. This decision will be published in the official journal of the Italian Republic. So deliberate in Rome, in the meeting of February 17, 2015.
The President: Fahad The rapporteur: Fanning filed in the Secretariat on March 3, 2015
Search Translated Laws of Italy | <urn:uuid:3fea77b3-336e-44c7-aafa-1e379a4026c0> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://www.global-regulation.com/translation/italy/620649/integration-of-policy-and-guidelines-when-investigating-daniel-annual-financial-balance-under-art.-243-quarter-legislative-ordinance-no-267-august-18%25.html | 2017-08-23T00:34:05Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886116921.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20170823000718-20170823020718-00680.warc.gz | en | 0.932054 | 1,944 |
Queen Mother Falaka Fattah
Founder – HOUSE OF UMOJA, INC.
PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) --- 27 December 2011 -- On Wednesday, 28 December 2011 – the third day of Kwanzaa, Ujima – Collective Work and Responsibility --, the City of Philadelphia will celebrate the 80th birthday of House of Umoja, Inc. Founder of the House of Umoja, Inc. – QUEEN MOTHER FALAKA FATTAH. Hosted by Philadelphia City Councilman The Honorable Curtis Jones, Jr., the 80th birthday celebration for Queen Mother Falaka Fattah will take place between 3:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M. in the Mayor’s Reception Room at City Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The gala event which includes a Kwanzaa Program, entertainment, and a “Legacy Speakout” which will allow guests to express their views on what they feel the legacy of the House of Umoja, Inc. is about honoring the House of Umoja, Inc.’s rich history; embracing its contributions to the City of Philadelphia and the world and the current global model it has created for economic and community development, holistic living, and peace – the Think Green Peace Campaign; and moving forward to the future.
It is not by accident that the observance of Kwanzaa is a component of the 80th birthday celebration for Queen Mother Falaka Fattah. The House of Umoja, Inc. was among a small group of organizations that pioneered the celebration of Kwanzaa in the City of Philadelphia.
“Kwanzaa was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulena Karenga. The House of Umoja, Inc. was among a small group of organizations in the City of Philadelphia to promote Kwanzaa which begins on 26 December and ends on 1 January. Today, in 2011, more than 26 million people in every continent around the world celebrate Kwanza,” observed Queen Mother Falaka Fattah.
Founded in 1968 by QUEEN MOTHER FALAKA FATTAH, for 43 years, the House of Umoja, Inc. has positively transformed the lives of over 3,000 at-risk male youths in the City of Philadelphia. The internationally acclaimed organization, in 1974, brought to an end years of bloody and deadly gang violence which had plagued the City of Philadelphia for years through the Imani Peace Pact -- authored by MR. DAVID FATTAH -- which gang leaders throughout the City of Philadelphia signed. In 2006, the House of Umoja, Inc. launched its Faith of Our Fathers Peace Campaign through the 2006 Stay Alive IMANI Youth Anti-Violence Conference which was a Kwanzaa celebration and a forum where barriers of peace were discussed. The Faith of Our Fathers Peace Campaign continues to move a new generation of children and youth to commit to nonviolence by signing the Imani Peace Pledge ™ which is based on the Imani Peace Pact.
“The 2006 Stay Alive IMANI Youth Anti-Violence Conference was a Kwanzaa celebration and a forum where barriers to peace, among other things, were discussed. It was a component of an intense strategic effort to compel our children and youth to commit to peace by not engaging in acts of violence. The conference provided the youth and children in our city with an opportunity to freely talk to the adults about issues that concerned them and offer ideas and suggestions about what should be done to stop the violence in their schools and neighborhoods. Our children and our youth told us – the adults – what they needed and wanted from us. Now, at the same time, our children and youth could clearly see that we – the adults -- were genuinely listening to what they had to say and serious about taking action to reduce violence in their schools and neighborhoods,” Queen Mother Falaka Fattah remarked.
By the end of the first quarter of Calendar Year 2006, Queen Mother Falaka Fattah and her husband Mr. David Fattah had established a Steering Committee for the House Of Umoja, Inc.’s Faith Of Our Fathers Peace Campaign. They brought together individuals with diverse talents who, as members of the Faith Of Our Fathers Peace Campaign Steering Committee, helped the House Of Umoja, Inc. created and implemented initiatives designed to move children in the City of Philadelphia to commit to peace. The House Of Umoja, Inc. established “Partnerships For Peace” with the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Atwater-Kent Museum, Keepers of the Culture Storytellers, and the print and electronic media which included Radio Station WXPN. Major Philadelphia newspapers – The Philadelphia Daily News, The Philadelphia Tribune, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Philadelphia Weekly -- published an article and the full text of the IMANI Pledge ™ during the week of 10-14 April 2006 which was the Spring vacation for the School District of Philadelphia and a time during which students in Philadelphia’s schools would have access to and read the newspapers – particularly the article concerning the Faith Of Our Fathers Peace Campaign and the full text of the Imani Pledge™. Why have the full text of the Imani Peace Pledge™ published in the newspapers?
“Publishing the full text of the Imani Peace Pledge™ in the newspapers that the children and youth would not only read, but also sign, would give the youth and children in the City of Philadelphia an opportunity to take an active role in bringing peace to their schools, neighborhoods, and their city. Thousands upon thousands of children and youth who lived and attended schools in the Greater Philadelphia area and had read the newspapers during the week of 10-14 April 2006, signed the IMANI Peace Pledge™and mailed their signed Pledges to the House Of Umoja, Inc. The strategy developed by the House Of Umoja, Inc. under the umbrella of the Faith Of Our Fathers Peace Campaign works! The key element and central focus of the Faith Of Our Fathers Peace Campaign was and continues to be the IMANI Peace Pledge™ which is a contractual agreement signed by children and youth of the City of Philadelphia that they will not engage in acts of violence in and outside of school. In signing the Pledge, the youth and children acknowledge that their forefathers brought peace to the City of Philadelphia as youths, and that they too, can do the same. The Pledge ends with the commitment statement ‘Let my word be my bond’ and the House of Umoja is perpetuating the theme ‘I come in peace’ along with the IMANI PledgeTM. During the first quarter of 2006, the House Of Umoja went into schools in its area and directly engaged students – the leaders-to-be ---, beginning with the ninth graders, in a strategy to change the violent culture,” explained Queen Mother Falaka Fattah.
In 2007, the House of Umoja, Inc. was selected to lead and organize the National Million Father March in the City of Philadelphia by PHILIP JACKSON, the Founder of the National Million Father March and Founder and Executive Director of the Black Star Project, a Chicago, Illinois-based organization (www.blackstarproject.org). The House of Umoja, Inc. continues to lead and organize the National Million Father March which is facilitated in over 600 cities throughout the United States on the first day of each academic year and encourages Fathers to escort their children to school and assume a proactive role in their child’s education. The House Of Umoja, Inc.is moving Fathers throughout the City of Philadelphia to redefine their parental roles and responsibilities by “stepping up and out” and escorting their children to school, obtaining a copy of their child’s roster and the academic Calendar of Events at their child’s schools; meeting with their child’s teachers and the principal of the school; and making sure that their child signs the Imani Peace Pledge ™. The House Of Umoja, Inc.’s leadership and organizing role for the National Million Father March in the City of Philadelphia has not only empowered Fathers, it has also captured the imagination of a city, energized the City of Philadelphia’s school system, and rekindled community spirit. As a result the House of Umoja, Inc. has become an energizing voice in the Global Dialogue on Fatherhood and a key player in the International Fatherhood Community.
In 2008, the House of Umoja, Inc. launched a multi-tiered Think Green Peace Campaign which is viewed by many as a global model for economic and community development, health and wellness, holistic living, and peace. The first-tier of the Think Green Peace Campaign came in the form of the First Philadelphia Collard Greens and Cultural Festival which occurred on 25 July 2008 through 27 July 2008. This event is based on The Collard Greens Cultural Festival which originated in Palo Alto, California and was brought to the attention of the House of Umoja, Inc. by Mr. Hakim Starkey, who is a member of the House of Umoja, Inc.’s Faith of Our Fathers Peace Campaign Steering Committee. The next tiers of the Think Green Peace Campaign came in the form of a “Peace Garden” and the transformation of vacant lots into gardens which produce 30 varieties of vegetables. Within the garden, a hole is formed. Members of the community are asked to write down their grievances on a piece of paper; bring the paper on which their grievance is written; and place the grievance in hole in the ground.
“The ‘Think Green Peace' Campaign is engaging our children in learning about our environment and getting them to connect the dots about the importance of the earth, how food is grown, how they can become self-sufficient and how they can beautify the neighborhoods in which they live. Through our 'Think Green Peace' Campaign, a coalition has emerged consisting of our youth, business community, social entrepreneurs, religious institutions, legislators, grassroots community organizations, and elder members of our communities that is working to beautify the communities in which we live and work, save our environment, and create options for 'self-sufficiency'. The Think Green Peace Campaign serves yet another very important purpose. It provides members of the community with a positive outlet for their anger and grievances. It allows them to unburden themselves of negative energy," Queen Mother Falaka Fattah explained.
So, what’s next for the House of Umoja, Inc.? How will it be moving forward in the 2012 and throughout the Millennium? Queen Mother Falaka Fattah will provide the answers on Wednesday, 28 December 2011 at her gala 80th birthday celebration.
* * * | <urn:uuid:13fb6078-bc66-4828-ab3f-92d1446de6e2> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://globalfatherhooddialogue.blogspot.com/2011/12/honoring-pastembracing-present-moving.html | 2017-08-23T23:18:41Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886124662.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20170823225412-20170824005412-00040.warc.gz | en | 0.954215 | 2,238 |
My Twitter/blog friend Sarah at The Accidental Okie has nominated me for the Leibster blog award!
Sarah and I “met” a couple of months ago on her blog, or maybe on Twitter. We can’t remember. But we quickly learned we have a frightening number of things in common. Sarah (accidentally) lives in Oklahoma with her husband and kitties, where she writes about her life, her gluten-free culinary creations and design. I’m surprised and honored that she reads my blog, much less that she would nominate me for an award. So, thanks, Sarah! Right back at ya.
The guidelines of the award are simple. I answer 11 things about me, then I answer 11 of Sarah’s questions. I nominate up to 11 other bloggers and write 11 questions for them. Hopefully they’ll pass it on and recognize other, fellow bloggers they like.
So, here goes.
11 Things About Me:
(I already had trouble coming up with these things, but I’ll try to stretch and give you 11 more.)
- I have been a loyal subscriber to People magazine since 1987. I still read it cover to cover every week.
- I am so not a morning person. The world — especially its work schedule — and I are not in sync. But if you want to start a project at 10 p.m., I’m your girl.
- I love tea, especially when it’s sweet or hot. I don’t actually like the taste of coffee, but I trained myself to drink it because I need the caffeine. I’d much rather sip a spot o’ tea anyday.
- I am terrified of heights, insects (read: spiders, roaches) and flying.
- I’m the only child (and daughter, no less) of a man who loves tools. So I’m pretty handy for a girl. In New York, I installed both my own and my friend Jess’s window air units. And I only bled a little.
- My very favorite destination in the world is Scotland. It’s wild and beautiful and majestic.
- I love to cross-stitch. I learned from my mom, who has done really large, intricate, beautiful pieces that are framed in her house. My cross-stitching ebbs and flows — I haven’t worked on something in years, before school. But I find it relaxing and creative to sew thread into linen and create pretty pictures.
- Everyone I know is tired of me recommending my favorite book, Wally Lamb’s “I Know This Much is True.” No one loves it quite to the degree I do, but I think it’s phenomenal and profound. Mr. Lamb is a genius. (And nice, too — I met him once at a book signing.)
- I don’t think I could live without Burt’s Bee’s lip balm. I don’t want to try.
- I’m obsessed with all things British, especially history, royalty and television.
- I despise karaoke. If you ever want to torture me, tie me to a chair in a karaoke bar. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.
Questions from Sarah at Accidental Okie:
- As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? Well, I used to write stories and go to writing workshops when I was 10-12ish, so I may have instinctively wanted to be a writer or novelist. In high school, I wanted to be a travel agent. In college, I wanted to be a historian. Then my dad questioned how I was going to work with a history degree, and I switched to journalism/PR.
- If you had $10,000 to spend on whatever you want, what would it be? (In this scenario, you have all the money you need in checking, savings, college funds, 401k’s, etc). I’m afraid I would do something practical like upgrade my house or buy a new air conditioner. Or travel.
- What is your dream vacation? Greece. Or a 6-month cruise around the world.
- What is your most used kitchen tool? Probably a wooden spoon, though I love a spatula too. My grandmother calls them “child cheaters” because if you scrape the bowl you cheat the child who wants to eat the leftover batter. By the way, I can’t stand when cooks don’t scrape the bowl on cooking shows. It happens so often — they leave so much that you could get another cookie out of it, at least. Drives me crazy. (Ahem, Giada.)
- What was your greatest accomplishment of the past five years? Wow, it’s been an interesting five years, so that’s a poignant question. It could be moving back to Charlotte, it could be getting a certain job, it could be finishing my MBA, it could be finding Oliver. There’s not one, easy answer.
- How do you deal with negative comments on your blog? Hmm, I’m not sure I’ve received any negative comments. If I did or do, I have to respect your opinion, but I don’t have to agree with it, respond to it or even display it. It’s a sort of cowardice to write mean, ugly, negative things to someone you don’t know when you can hide behind your username and computer. Remember the agage, “If you can’t say something nice, just don’t say anything at all.”
- Are you pro or anti PDA (public displays of affection)? Pro, I suppose, as long as it’s chaste. I’m okay with holding hands, giving a peck. But I don’t need to make out (or see you making out) in public. Save something for behind closed doors.
- What parameters do you place on your blog? Are there things you won’t blog about? I’m probably too careful with things I blog about. I’m not really a controversial person in daily life, so I don’t need to stir the pot or sound off on my opinion here. I am always thinking of the eyes that are reading or could be reading and their potential judgment so I have censored myself in snarky things I planned to say about someone in the public eye. I also am careful never to give too much away about who I am or where I work. There’s some crazies out there, y’all.
- What has been the greatest aha moment of your life? There have been a few, but the most recent was when I was tired of living in New York and tired of my job. I had lunch with a former coworker who’d already left the company. I told her my decision to quit my job and move in several months. “No!” she told me. “March up there today and give notice. Don’t live in fear.” And then: “Leap and the net will appear.” Those words hit me like a lightning flash. I gave notice the next morning.
- If you could be friends with a literary character, who would you choose? It’s so trite, but I’d like to hang out with Elizabeth Bennett from Pride & Prejudice. Maybe once she’s married so I could meet Darcy and stay over at Pemberley.
- Two-part question: What do you find most challenging and most rewarding about blogging?
Challenging: just finding the time to do it. It’s pretty easy to come up with ideas of what to write about, but they are sometimes fleeting and then the moment’s passed. It’s hard to just sit down and write, and even when I find that time, it’s hard to get started. A blank page really is the most intimidating part of writing. Once I get going, I’m usually fine, and that’s the lesson, I suppose.
Rewarding: just doing it. As I say, once you get going, the creativity comes and I often surprise myself with the words I can lay on a page. Plus I’ve enjoyed the blogging/writing community — reading about other people in other parts of the country or world with their own, unique views of life. I may not always consider myself a people person (blame my inner introvert), but I think people’s lives and stories are interesting. I’ve also found the blog and Twitter universes to be especially supportive, encouraging and inspirational.
It’s mighty hard to come up with a list of bloggers I read and like who may have less than 200 followers. (Apologies if you’re much more popular than that.) But the folks below write blogs about their lives, their food, their thoughts, their favorite things and the crazy-funniness that happens to them. Just like me.
- The Girl in a Blue Apron — Elisa was one of my first blog finds through social media. As soon as I read her food philosophy, I was hooked. She’s a writer and editor by day, and blogs about food in her spare time. Plus, she has a great blog name that I covet.
- Learner Londoner — When people like my blog, I usually go and read theirs to see who they are. That’s how I found Ashleigh. She’s from Wales but is currently in the process of moving to London and chronicles the preparations on her blog. She lived in Africa and shares beautiful photos from that time. She loves fashion and bakeries. She’s my kinda girl.
- The Moody Box Fan — Josh and I go way back. He’s known me through at least three eras of my life, and I’m thrilled to say that we still chat weekly on Twitter or Facebook or email. He’s a gem. He’s also a brilliant writer who probably doesn’t think he’s as talented as he should. While he may not have updated his blog in awhile (ahem.), you should still go read it. Love it, love him.
Great Smitten — Like Sarah, I also read (and love) Great Smitten. I won’t double nominate, but I at least have to second hers. I (along with tens of thousands of other people) found Faith when one of her posts was featured on WordPress’s Freshly Pressed. She’s a southern girl who worked in magazines then married a Brit and now lives across the pond with her husband and son. She’s witty and entertaining and faithful and sometimes says exactly what I need to hear that day. Plus, her stories give me the dose of Britannia I need every so often.
Passing it on — the rules for my blog nominees:
- Post 11 things about yourself.
- Answer my questions below.
- Choose up to 11 fellow bloggers with less than 200 followers and link to them in your post.
- Create 11 questions for the people you’ve nominated.
- Tell them.
- What makes you happy?
- What’s your least favorite food?
- What keeps you up at night?
- What’s your favorite childhood memory?
- Why did you start blogging?
- What’s your most overused phrase? (in speaking or writing)
- If you could have dinner with three living people, who would they be and why?
- What are you most passionate about?
- What’s your favorite book?
- Where would you like to travel?
- What’s your favorite social media tool, and why? Least favorite? | <urn:uuid:21a441e6-ec78-4c1c-bfee-7cf116e7f906> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://southandsundry.com/2012/09/28/you-like-me-you-really-like-me/ | 2017-08-23T23:15:03Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886124662.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20170823225412-20170824005412-00040.warc.gz | en | 0.957749 | 2,533 |
The black Mercedes turned into the disused warehouse complex near the docks and stopped in an alley between two buildings. The windows of the car were glazed with dark reflective glass that denied any view of the passengers. The car remained stationary but no one got out. Lucky Bright was waiting.
He was very proud of this car. It had been advertised by the Embassy of one of the Arab states, whose Ambassador had been ordered to leave England at very short notice for crimes against the state - he had apparently been arrested in Trafalgar Square, dressed in punk gear, complete with earrings and stud in his nostril and accused of inciting a riot. His plea that all he'd been trying to do was pick up a typical young English girl for a night of sensuality was rejected and after claiming diplomatic immunity he was bundled on a plane and sent home in disgrace.
The car was one of his relics, put up for sale after he and all his wives had departed. When Lucky first eyed the long sleek car his heart missed a beat as he visualised himself in the corner of the back seat, his minions in the seats in front and Joey The Wheels, in a peaked cap driving.
Despite his excitement and determination to acquire it, he had kept his usual cool and argued over the price for a good thirty minutes, remembering how his father had described wartime visits to the bazaars of Egypt and Libya.
Status symbols were very important to Lucky and none more than the car he was driven in; he was after all the uncrowned king of crime in the bottom half of the town. His organisation controlled drugs, prostitution, sales of all black market tickets to the big matches and boxing, most of the one armed bandits in the clubs and many of the clubs themselves.
He financed three pop groups who were paying big dividends for the influence he brought to bear in setting up their gigs and owned a nice little electrical goods warehouse where they fenced all the car radios and video sets the kids of the neighbourhood nicked whenever they were short of a little ready. He was Mr. Big, and no one challenged his authority.
It had not always been so good. He had clawed his way up from nothing, a mere strong arm for Benny The Butcher Belino, doing his dirty work while he sat around on his fat arse with pretty young girls serving him drinks and anything else he'd fancied. Lucky had sworn a secret oath that he would one day oust the gang boss and take all the pickings for himself but it had taken three years of patiently watching and learning before he felt he was ready to strike.
His opportunity to step into Benny's shoes came suddenly and took all Lucky's courage to see it through; he discovered the gang boss' weakness for young girls and put it to work in his grand design by secretly sending the young wives of gang members to Benny's bed every time their husbands had been ordered out on a job.
Belino thought it was Christmas every day and took it as a gesture of his 'boys' regard for him until Lucky, in a grand confrontation witnessed by all the gang members and their wives at a party he'd set up, copying the gangster dinners of Chicago in the thirties, accused his boss of treachery, debauchery and fornication. The older man was stunned at the sudden turn of events; especially when the girls started to confirm the accusation and then went on to describe Benny's limitations as a lover.
Their anger slowly turned to laughter and, much to Lucky's relief, his boss had slunk away and withdrawn from sight in his embarrassment and shame, leaving the field open for his aggressive strong-arm man.
He had immediately stepped in to keep the gang together and, as instigator of the downfall - without violence - of Belino was accepted as his successor by virtually all. After a couple of smashed noses and broken ribs his succession had been accepted unanimously and he had set to work to build up the organisation, bringing in more up-to-date methods of management and introducing up to the minute scams.
The car was his present to himself, chosen to show the world that Lucky was a man of presence, a man to respect and not to trifle with. It certainly succeeded with the men who worked for him; they could not wait for an opportunity to be seen getting out of, or into the Mercedes with their boss, taking care that anyone in the vicinity was aware they were doing so.
The car, gliding quietly around the borough with it's mysterious darkened windows keeping an anonymous watch on everyone, kept Lucky's control firm and unchallenged until, that is, word was sent that Dolla Jim Coaley, leader of the topside gang, was rustling some of their business.
Lucky had always been an honourable man, never trespassing over the agreed borders of his territory and stamping down firmly on any member who abused the agreement, but now Coaley was, apparently, blatantly crossing the line and action had to be taken. He had made contact with Dolla and set up this meet.
Joey The Wheels leaned forward over the steering wheel, looking at the desolate scene of the half wrecked buildings on each side of the empty alley:
"I don't like this, Boss, it's too quiet," he said.
"Relax, Joey, we'll just wait here a while. They'll show," Lucky replied.
"Who suggested this place, you or Dolla?" Quickfinger Bolter asked.
"They did, but stop worrying," Lucky said, settling back comfortably into the depth of the back seat. He swore he could smell the perfume of the Arab's wives every time his face touched the fabric of the seat, and he smiled with comfortable satisfaction.
"I don't trust that slimy bastard Coaley. He's up to something," Quickfinger said.
"He's up to something alright," Lucky agreed, "But this is just a preliminary meet to clear the air. He'll let slip if he's got any idea of knuckling in on us and then I can make up my mind how I'll deal with him."
"We should both come with you and flash a bit of metal, just in case he tries anything," Joey said.
"No. The agreement is just the two of us and no hardware. You know me, my word is my bond. When they show, you two stay here. I don't want them to even know you've come with me, right?"
"I don't like it," Joey said again.
"I wouldn't trust him with my whoring grandmother," Quickfinger said. "Just don’t stand in my line of fire when you get out there, in case he plays dirty."
"Here he is," Joey said, interrupting his companion.
From the other end of the alley another car drove towards them slowly and stopped some fifty yards away. What little sun there was shone directly onto the windscreen, obscuring their view of the faces of the driver and the passenger.
"It's alright, there's only Dolla and his driver. Stay here like I said." Lucky got out of the Mercedes and straightened his tie and smoothed down his jacket before walking slowly forward, his hands held wide in evidence of his unarmed state and his eyes never leaving the windscreen of the car in front of him. He saw, to his relief, the passenger door open and a smiling Dolla Coaley emerged, his hands held wide in acknowledgement of their agreement.
They stopped, facing each other, a few yards apart.
"You're looking prosperous Lucky, it's nice to see," Dolla said.
"I can't complain," he replied. "I can make a living without breaking the rules and crossing the border, which would appear to be more than I can say for you."
"Now that's not a very nice thing to say to an old friend."
"Come off it Dolla! The only reason we're here today is to sort this out. Let's not fart around the bush," Lucky said sharply.
"It's a big town, Lucky, there's plenty out there for us without quarrelling over it. My boys only take what's mine." Dolla's permanent grin was getting up Lucky's nose and he had to take a grip on himself to avoid losing his temper, which, he sensed, was just what Coaley wanted.
"We had an agreement that was fair and has worked well until now.
You had the topside of the town and I had the bottom. I've always stuck to my bottom, why aren't you?" 'Oh Christ,' he thought as soon as he'd said it, 'I wish I'd said it differently to that.'
Coaley's grin widened but he did not take advantage of his opportunity.
"I don't remember making an agreement with you, Lucky," he said, instead.
"We've always had an agreement, ever since Benny's day."
"Ah yes, but that was with Benny. It didn't say anything about splitting up the town with you, did it?" The smile had gone and suddenly Dolla was a different man.
"That agreement is the only thing that can prevent chaos, with both of us going after the same jobs. It may have been made with Benny but I'm running the bottom side now and it's just as important that we observe it," Lucky said.
"Well that's another thing altogether." Dolla Coaley hesitated, a suggestion of the grin catching the corners of his mouth.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucky asked sharply.
"There are those who don't like the way you came to be running the bottom side. There are those who think you were a bit too clever in the way you got my old friend Benny out."
"Oh yer," Lucky mumbled, concerned, suddenly, with the way the meeting was going and completely unprepared for it. "Benny did for himself by chasing too much skirt. When he started laying his blokes' birds he lost their respect and support. I didn't get him out, he walked out of his own accord." "But it was you what set him up."
"Are you saying I pimped for him? You must be off you rocker!"
Tension had crept into the meeting. They glared at each other like two belligerent stags. Dolla answered slowly:
"I don't say it, Benny says it."
"You listen to him?" Lucky scoffed. "He walked out without a word because the girls were laughing at his performance in the sack. I couldn't have arranged that even if I'd tried."
"Benny thinks you did. The girl's mockery was his final humiliation. You wounded him where it hurts worst and he can't forgive you for that."
"Well if he wants to do something about it tell him to have a go, I'll be ready to deal with Mister Bloody Benny."
"Oh you needn't worry, Lucky, he's done it already. He's given me half his business in the bottom side," Dolla said slowly, seeking maximum impact. He turned and held his hand out towards the car.
The driver's door opened and Benny, looking a little older and wearier, got out. "Meet my new partner," Dolla said.
"You didn't think I would give everything up to a little shit like you, did you Lucky?" Benny said and put an arm around Dolla's shoulder. "Me and my partner are coming back to pick up the pieces of my business and there wont be any room for you in the new set up. There won’t be no bottom side and topside anymore, just one big friendly family, me and my friend Dolla."
"You've got to be joking! Do you think the lads will fall for that after the way you treated them. You are Mr Yesterday, Benny, They'll back me every time against you and your boy friend," Lucky said angrily.
"That was always a danger we had to consider, but if you're not around they can't, can they?" Dolla said, smirking.
"You wont frighten me off easily. You two are starting a war. From the moment I walk away from here there'll be no peace until it's settled and I control both sides."
"Sadly, I was afraid you'd say that," Dolla said.
"Well, so be it. At least shake hands for the last time."
Lucky looked at his adversary suspiciously then slowly extended his hand.
"Goodbye Lucky," Dolla said, shaking hands.
"Goodbye Lucky," Benny said solemnly and shook his hand.
Lucky stood glued to the spot, the awful truth slowly dawning on him.
"You bastards,” he said as the single crack of the rifle shot rang out from a window on the ruined first floor of the old warehouse behind them and the bullet found it's mark, striking him neatly below the heart.
"Oh my God," he gasped as he fell and his life came to an end. | <urn:uuid:2bdffc56-f88a-431c-804b-781fe991fe52> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://www.inkitt.com/stories/fantasy/40784 | 2017-08-18T18:19:23Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886105086.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20170818175604-20170818195604-00560.warc.gz | en | 0.991759 | 2,725 |
This article was written in 2010 at the request of Madison, Wisconsin ultra-distance athlete Darren Fortney. As an athlete with a remarkable story to tell, Darren was a recipient of the Focal Flame Honoring the Athlete award. The prize included a photo essay and custom-commissioned article.
Each year, Darren leads a group of swimmers in a 6-mile swim traversing Lake Mendota as a fund-raising effort for Gilda’s Club, a cancer support and advocacy organization. As a history buff, he wanted to place the ultra-swim in historical context. Focal Flame co-founder Robyn Perrin interviewed a local boat captain and historian, Donald Sanford, whose book “On Fourth Lake: The Social History of Lake Mendota” is scheduled to be released in August, 2015. Sanford gave permission for some of his research on “lake swimmers”, as he calls them, to be included in this article. Additionally, Robyn interviewed local Madison resident Joe Silverberg, who swam the lake in the mid-1940s, when he was 16. We hope you enjoy the stories they shared and invite you to cheer on the 2015 Gills for Gilda’s swimmers - who will take on the lake once again on June 19, 2015, having raised nearly $8,000 dollars to support cancer patients and their families.
To learn the history of Lake Mendota is to pay homage to ice. Not the foot and a half of ice that caps it on average every winter, but the massive glacial sheets that birthed the lake during the “Wisconsin Stage” of Pleistocene glaciation, beginning about 50,000 years ago. Over the span of nearly 38,000 years, glaciers scraped across a 600-foot-deep river valley. The Yahara River flowed underneath. Advancing and retreating again and again, the edge of the glacier scraped out hollows in the landscape, scuffing out four lake beds like a child digging its toes into the dirt.
One of the lake beds was later named “Mendota” by the Ho-Chunk tribe, which is reported to mean “The Lake Where the Indian Lies.” The name refers to a tribal story in which the lake was created by the splashing of a Ho-Chunk brave who turned into a spirit fish, then joined a maiden in the largest of the Four Lakes.
Throughout history, people living in the Yahara River region have been fascinated with Lake Mendota. At an average depth of 41.7 feet and reaching a maximum of 83 feet deep, it is a substantial yet intimate inland body of water. Edged with multiple bluffs, bays, points, rivers and creeks, and punctuated with Governor's Island, it is laced with opportunities for close inspection despite its size.
Generations of Madison residents have done just that – exploring, boating, fishing, rowing, and watching the lake. But in spending the past five years researching Lake Mendota history, local boat captain Donald Sanford also kept coming across accounts of people who had sought an even more personal communion with lake – by swimming across it. He started referring to these individuals as “Lake Swimmers“ and began keeping track of news reports dating to the late 1800s.
Many of the reported lake swimmers were adolescents - perhaps a reflection of teenagers' curiosity, access to leisure time in the summer, and their youthful athleticism. Summer camps lining Lake Mendota surely played a role as well. Camp Indianola was a private boy's camp operating from 1906 until 1967 located at what is now Governor Nelson State Park. A meticulously detailed 1910 catalog advertising the camp assured parents, “Every boy is taught to paddle a canoe, row a boat, and swim....last season there were a number of excellent swimmers in camp. One of our boys made a record swim of five and one half miles. A number of others swam one, two, and three miles.“ Public swimming in the lakes, however, had only been acceptable for generation or so by that time, as swimming was illegal in Madison until 1879.
Colorful lake swimmer characters include "Dr. Joe Dean," likely the same Joseph Dean who founded the Dean Clinic in 1904 that would later become Dean HMO, who swam Mendota in 1899. Later, James “Jimmy“ Julian, captain of the swim team at Central High School (which was later demolished to make way for expansion of the University of Wisconsin) traversed the lake several times in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Mina Fox, a visiting student from Chicago, swam from Bernards Park to Adams Hall in 1930, only to be accused afterwards of faking the swim by skeptical reporters. (She responded indignantly.)
Another notable duo were Charley Bran, the only person reported to have swum the entire shoreline perimeter of Lake Mendota, and his son Stan Bran, who attempted to repeat his father's feat 10 years afterward in 1939 but was unsuccessful due to conditions. Longtime Madison residents may remember Stan Bran as the host of the television show Outdoor Calling, which ran on Channel 15 for 29 years.
Interestingly, a rash of swim crossings occurred during the Great Depression in the 1930s, which Sanford attributes to the lure of cheap outdoor recreation during hard economic times, and perhaps the universal appeal of meeting an individual challenge when so many lives were in turmoil.
The most remarkable story is that of Peter Foseid, who was reported to have swum a five-mile course from Tenney Park to Camp Indianola in 1930. The Capital Times reported that Foseid had had his leg amputated eight inches below the hip in 1921 following an injury incurred in a football game. A junior at UW and counselor at Camp Wakanda, Foseid reportedly followed his five-mile swim by playing a baseball game, for which he donned his wooden leg. If his reported swim time is indeed accurate, his pace of 1.70 min per 100 yards is the fastest of any other lake swimmer profiled in news accounts. He also swam across the lake on at least one other occasion, in 1932.
One Madison resident, Joe Silverberg, was happy to share his memories of his Lake Mendota swim crossings in the mid-1940s. Joe Silverberg traversed the lake in 1946 at the age of 16, and two years later his sister Sally completed the same distance. When asked if either he or his sister swam competitively in high school, Silverberg said, "No - we were water rats. We just swam for recreation. We all lived on Sherman Avenue, and of course the lake was our recreation during the summer."
Although it became a family tradition, Silverberg stated that his own swim crossing was not pre-planned. “One day the lake was dead calm, and we [Silverberg and two friends] decided we should swim across the lake. But for the last half of the swim, a wind from the north kicked up and so I was fighting against it the rest of the day.“ He continued, “The moral of the story is that it's much better planning if you swim on a day when there's a south wind.“
Joe was accompanied by a friend in a rowboat, and he later rowed with his sister during her swim, a safety measure that both siblings deemed essential. When asked about the most memorable part of his own lake crossing, though, his thoughts turned to the most basic of athletic needs: nutrition. “The person in the rowboat fed us along the way - Hershey bars - which is exactly the wrong thing to do,“ he said. Laughing, he explained, “In those days we thought that eating chocolate gave you instant energy. We've since found out that it doesn't.“
Silverberg's tone grew quieter as he talked about the pollution that has since befallen Lake Mendota, and offered an explanation. He speculated that development of the private, artificial Lake Cherokee in the 1950s drained the marsh land that was within and near the Yahara River, preventing absorption of agricultural runoff from the dairy lands north of Madison. The result was effluent flowing into the lake, both polluting it and triggering algal blooms.
Water quality remains a tremendous issue for Lake Mendota, as well as the three other lakes in the region. But while pollution and preservation of healthy lake ecology will continue to be a challenge well into the future, the timeless pull of Mendota will surely persist and compel residents to treasure it.
And, of course, to swim across it. | <urn:uuid:b40255f7-2e5e-4e38-b2e0-eb5f182a9aee> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://www.focalflame.com/blog-archive/2015/6/17/water-stories-a-brief-history-of-lake-mendota-swim-crossings | 2017-08-19T14:59:41Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886105455.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20170819143637-20170819163637-00640.warc.gz | en | 0.981337 | 1,788 |
If one can judge a year by what one ate, then 2010 was a banner year for my gullet. Hot dogs and pot du creme, tortas, soon doo boo and meatloaf sandwiches. And burgers. So many delicious burgers. Here are the 20 tastiest things I ate this year. Want to share your list? Just comment below.
The Asado burger with yucca fries
Where: Asado, 2810 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253-272-7770, asadotacoma.com
The burger started with a patty made of ground chorizo (a smoky Spanish pork sausage) and seasoned chuck. Smoked onions and bell peppers added a hefty flavor layer. Pan-fried provolone cheese was a brilliant textural touch when paired with crispy fried Serrano ham. A brioche bun from Macrina Bakery came glazed with a smoky poblano aioli. You won’t find creamier fries around town than the yucca fries, which are thick-sliced fries made from yucca root, deep fried and tossed with truffle oil and finished with sel gris, then arranged into a fun little Jenga stack on the plate.
Sauerbraten and potato dumplings
Where: Bruno’s European Cafe, 11725 Pacific Highway S.W., Lakewood, 253-719-7181
Sauerbraten is offered only on Saturdays because it takes five days to prepare. Prime beef started with a marinade of bay leaves and fresh herb is slow-simmered in a pot until fork tender. Gravy is the final step, made from beefy pan drippings and enriched with cream. Accompanying dumplings with mushroom gravy were ethereal puffs of potato and flour that tasted deliciously squishy.
Where: Shorty’s Grub House, 34417 Pacific Highway S., Federal Way, 253-345-9100
House-smoked meatloaf came crispy around the grilled edges and studded with garlic and onions. Topped with a splash of house-made Grubbin’ Sauce (barbecue with a sweet twist), the slab of meatloaf was stuffed into a chewy ciabatta-style roll with sweet caramelized onions.
Thai peach soup
Where: Brix 25, 7707 Pioneer Way, Gig Harbor, 253-858-6626 or harborbrix.com
A warm, puckery, pureed peach soup that chef/owner Thad Lyman calls a twist on Thai-style sweet and sour was poured tableside, spilling gorgeously over a tangle of chopped raw ahi and a relish of diced, salted cucumbers threaded with mint. The flavors were fresh, summery, vivid.
Where: Primo Grill, 601 S. Pine St., Tacoma, 253-383-7000, primogrilltacoma.com
It’s thanks to the wood oven that the pizza crust at Primo is ethereal, thin and crispy, with just the right amount of chewy resistance. The pizzas come heat-licked with slightly charred edges. The house-cured pancetta and seared radicchio pizza yielded a sweet-bitter flavor combination with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. Toppings didn’t burden the crust. The prosciutto pizza got a sweet edge from a light smear of fig jam. Pockets of creamy goat cheese added sharp bite.
Where: Pacific Grill, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-627-3535, pacificgrilltacoma.com
I was floored by the curry broth of the spicy ramen. It’s far more of a bright Thai-style curry than a mild Japanese curry. The broth is creamy yellow and punctuated with a back-of-the-throat note of chili heat and the bright flavor of kaffir lime leaves, a staple in Thai curry, tempered by creamy coconut milk.
Flash fried calamari
Where: Chambers Bay Grill, 6320 Grandview Drive W., University Place, 253-460-4653, ext. 112, www.
Flash-fried calamari and artichoke hearts were made lightly crunchy with a pepper-flecked coating. An unusual twist appeared in the form of fried orange chips – thinly sliced rounds of orange, peel, pith and all – that blew away my palate with the assertive blast of citrus, but without the usual bitterness that pith can bring. The kitchen secret? They soak the orange slices in buttermilk before frying.
Carnitas torta sandwich
Where: Taqueria La Fondita, gravel lot at South 38th and South G streets, 253-472-2577
The carnitas torta came on a fluffy roll with surprisingly sturdy texture. The sandwich roll was smeared with mayo and loaded with thick-cut tomato slices, a few shards of onions, pickled jalapenos, sprigs of fresh cilantro, shredded iceberg lettuce, meaty slices of not-too-ripe avocado, and a juicy layer of crispy fried carnitas punctuated with lime and fragrant with garlic and chiles. The sandwich was a flavor bomb, as well as a three-napkin adventure.
Pot du creme
Where: Rosewood Cafe, 3323 N. 26th St., Tacoma, 253-752-7999, rosewoodcafe.com
The ingredients of the pot du creme at Rosewood are straightforward and simple but wonderfully executed: Dark chocolate, heavy cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla transformed into a luscious cup of chocolate custard. It’s slow-cooked in a water bath, turning it into a pot of ethereal cream, with a smooth texture and rich chocolate flavor.
Soon doo boo
Where: Cho Dang Tofu, 9601 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253-682-1968
At Cho Dang Tofu, the Korean soup soon doo boo is served in a sizzling cast-iron pot filled to nearly overflowing with chili-spiked broth thick with silky clouds of velvety tofu and whatever meat you desire: beef, pork, mixed seafood, bacon, oyster, ham and the list goes on. Cabbage, onions and scallions add crunch to the deeply orange-hued broth.
Where: Cliff House, 6300 Marine View Drive, Tacoma, 253-927-0400, http://cliffhouserestaurant.com
Lobster cakes were sublime discs packed with meaty lobster bits, and paired with a swipe of punchy, spicy-sweet ginger wasabi aioli tempered with sweet pineapple chutney.
Fries and gravy
Where: Bite Restaurant in the Hotel Murano, 1320 Broadway Plaza, Tacoma, 253-238-8000 or www.hotelmuranotacoma.com
The Canadians call it poutine, but it’s called simply fries and gravy at the Bite: crispy fries covered in a rich wine sauce and Gorgonzola. At first bite, the Gorgonzola is a nice, rich tease before the heady, thick (but not too thick) gravy sauce made from demiglace, butter and zinfandel.
Where: Maxwell’s Restaurant + Lounge, 454 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253-683-4115 or http://maxwells-
Farro, a chewy grain with a firm bite (it’s also spelled faro), offered a delicious nuttiness in the risotto side dish at Maxwell’s. It was made with house-made vegetable stock, then gussied up with sautéed onions and butter, then flavored with rosemary, parsley, chives, basil and sage. The creamy, rich risotto is finished with a decadent dose of goat cheese and Parmesan.
Where: Buttered Biscuit, 1014 North St., Suite 100, Sumner, 253-826-60911 or www.thebutteredbiscuit.net
The platter-sized chicken-fried steak was like an artifact dig: a foundation of two softball-sized split biscuits, topped with “Gramma eggs” (scrambled eggs with ham, sauteed peppers and onion), thinly sliced fried potatoes, a crispy, crunchy golden-fried chicken fried steak, a heavy pour of peppery gravy with chunks of sausage, and melted cheddar. Every layer tasted more perfect than the next.
Where: Green.house Restaurant, 4793 Point Fosdick Drive N.W., Gig Harbor, 253-514-6482 or www.greenhousegigharbor.com
Mahogany chicken blew away my palate with meat that was incredibly, deeply flavored. Chef/owner Robert Green’s trick to intense flavoring is a three-day marinade in soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and port. Darkened skin yielded to succulent breast meat inside. Fruited wild rice accompanied the chicken.
Fried eggplant with tofu
Where: Le Le, 1012 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253-572-9491
Bite-size slices of Japanese eggplant are boiled before being coated in a crunchy flour batter flavored with soy and sesame. It’s served in a skillet with a stir-fried assortment of carrots, onions, mushrooms and red peppers and a spicy-sweet garlic-flavored honey sauce zipped up with red pepper flakes. The sweet sauce combined with the brittle crunchiness of the battered eggplant made me nickname the dish “eggplant candy.”
Italian beef sandwich
Where: Sully’s Alder Street Cafe/Lucky’s Hot Dog Diner, 909 Alder St., Sumner, 253-891-0586
The sandwich was a liberal pile of thinly sliced roast beef with an herby whiff of garlicky oregano on a crusty toasted roll. A beefy au jus accompaniment gave the option of do-it-yourself dipped or dry. Giardiniera, a vinegar-dosed relish of finely chopped peppers, onions and carrots, added sweet-hot pucker.
Mahi mahi and smoked pork tacos
Where: Masa, 2811 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253-254-0560 or masatacoma.com
Forget standing in the rain at your favorite taco bus: Tacos at Masa are the real deal. Grilled mahi mahi came wrapped in a warm tortilla and topped with lime-kissed cabbage. The smoked pork taco was a delicious, juicy mess that dripped a sweet grilled pineapple-cilantro topper.
Where: Corina Bakery, 510 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253-627-5070, http://corinabakery.com/
Currants and caraway seeds are the secret flavor weapons in the creamy, moist soda bread (sold as special order at the bakery or served with Guinness stew at Doyle’s Public House). The cousin of anise, caraway added a delicious flavor with licorice-like notes in the buttermilk-based quick-bread batter. Soda is there, but it’s not the first note of flavor.
Mahi mahi tandoori
Where: Bombay Bistro, 4328 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253-761-9999 or
The mahi mahi was an unusual tandoori find. Succulent chunks of firm, white fish were puckery with lemon and surprisingly flavored with ajwain, a cousin of caraway. | <urn:uuid:714e4369-100c-4e88-97b0-7cd76515417e> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://blog.thenewstribune.com/tntdiner/2010/12/30/2010-in-20-bites-all-the-good-stuff-i-got-to-eat-this-year/2007/ | 2017-08-22T07:09:08Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886110485.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170822065702-20170822085702-00160.warc.gz | en | 0.874558 | 2,453 |
Ming Chi University of Technology | Date: 2015-12-02
The invention provides a process for manufacturing nickel oxide films with high conductivity, comprising steps of: operating a high power impulse magnetron sputtering system, HIPIMS system, in an argon and oxygen mixture, at peak power density higher than 1000 W/cm^(2 )under a low duty cycle; and sputtering a Ni target to form the p-type NiO film with high conductivity on a substrate, the duty cycle=t_(on)/(t_(on)+t_(off)), wherein t_(on )is time of pulse on and t_(off )is time of pulse off.
National Taiwan University Hospital and Ming Chi University of Technology | Date: 2014-11-01
A manual jaw opening device with force acting on molars includes: a manual pivotal rotating device; and a pair of opening arms, respectively formed with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the manual pivotal rotating device and the second end is equipped with a molar engaging seat; when the pair of opening arms are disposed in the mouth of a patient and the two molar engaging seats are respectively abutted against plural upper molars and plural lower molars, an operator is able to separate the pair of opening arms through operating the manual pivotal rotating device thereby allowing the mouth to be opened.
Su C.-H.,Ming Chi University of Technology
Bioresource Technology | Year: 2013
The catalytic performance and recoverability of several homogeneous acid catalysts (hydrochloric, sulfuric, and nitric acids) for the esterification of enzyme-hydrolyzed free fatty acid (FFA) and methanol were studied. Although all tested catalysts drove the reaction to a high yield, hydrochloric acid was the only catalyst that could be considerably recovered and reused. The kinetics of the esterification reaction catalyzed by hydrochloric acid was investigated under varying catalyst loading (0.1-1M), reaction temperature (303-343K), and methanol/FFA molar ratio (1:1-20:1). In addition, a pseudo-homogeneous kinetic model incorporating the above factors was developed. A good agreement (r2=0.98) between the experimental and calculated data was obtained, thus proving the reliability of the model. Furthermore, the reusability of hydrochloric acid in FFA esterification can be predicted by the developed model. The recoverable hydrochloric acid achieved high yields of FFA esterification within five times of reuse. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.
Liou T.-H.,Ming Chi University of Technology
Chemical Engineering Journal | Year: 2010
This paper reports the preparation of activated carbon from two different types of agricultural biomass materials, sugar cane bagasse and sunflower seed hull, by phosphoric acid and zinc chloride activation. The experiments in this study vary the pre- and post-treatment procedures, the impregnation ratio of the activating agent, and the carbonization temperature. In recent years, the high surface area and high mesopore proportion of carbon have attracted a lot of attention for potential applications in the green resources such as hydrogen energy storage and carbon dioxide capture. However, the traditional methods for fabricating activated carbon produce a mainly microporous structure. The experimental results show that the activated carbon produced by base-leaching has a mostly mesoporous structure, which effectively enhances its adsorption capacity. The carbon materials obtained from zinc chloride activation of both sugar cane bagasse and sunflower seed hull have mesopore volumes as high as 1.07 and 0.95 cm3/g, and mesopore contents of 81.2 and 74.0%, respectively. The surface area and pore volume of carbon produced using zinc chloride activation were higher than that produced using phosphoric acid activation. The total activation process of bagasse and hull occurs in three reaction stages. This study also presents a corresponding pyrolysis mechanism that agrees well with the experimental results. The proposed method of preparing mesoporous activated carbon is not complicated, and is suitable to bulk production. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Wang S.-K.,Ming Chi University of Technology
IEEE Transactions on Power Systems | Year: 2013
This paper proposes a novel objective function and algorithm to obtain a set of optimal power system stabilizer (PSS) parameters that include a feedback signal of a remote machine and local and remote input signal ratios for each machine in a multi-machine power system under various operating conditions. A novel function called the damping scale is proposed and formulated as an objective function to increase system damping after the system undergoes a disturbance. Three existing objective functions of the damping factor, damping ratio, and a combination of the damping factor and damping ratio were analyzed and compared with the proposed objective function. A novel algorithm called gradual self-tuning hybrid differential evolution (GSTHDE) was developed for rapid and efficient searching of an optimal set of PSS parameters. GSTHDE uses the gradual search concept on STHDE to enhance the probability of searching for an optimal solution. Eigenvalue analysis and nonlinear time domain simulation results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed objective function and algorithm. © 1969-2012 IEEE.
Su C.-H.,Ming Chi University of Technology
Applied Energy | Year: 2013
Several homogeneous acid catalysts (nitric, sulfuric, and hydrochloric acids), were selected to investigate their recoverability and reusability for esterifying enzyme-hydrolyzed FFAs and methanol to produce biodiesel. Although all of the three catalysts drove the reaction at high yield, hydrochloric acid is the only recoverable and reusable catalyst, as indicated by partitioning data. Hence, esterifying FFAs and methanol was catalyzed using hydrochloric acid; and the reaction conversion, which was affected by the reaction conditions, was optimized using response surface methodology. A maximal reaction conversion of 98.19% was obtained at 76.67. °C, at a methanol/FFAs molar ratio of 7.92, a catalyst concentration of 0.54. M, and after a reaction time of 103.57. min. The catalyst could be reused at least five times to drive the reaction to a conversion of 97%. This study demonstrated that recoverable and reusable hydrochloric acid is promising for potential applications, including biodiesel production. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.
Ming Chi University of Technology | Date: 2014-12-22
This invention discloses a hard magnetic alloy thin film used in a high density perpendicular magnetic recording medium. This film incorporates a glass substrate and a ferromagnetic layer formed on the glass substrate. The ferromagnetic layer is deposited onto the substrate using a sputtering deposition and an annealing. After annealing, a single-layered ferromagnetic film with high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is achieved.
Ming Chi University of Technology | Date: 2014-11-20
One object of the present invention is to provide a headlight control system. The headlight control system is configured to be used with a headlight of a vehicle. The headlight control system includes a first light sensor, a microcontroller, a first driving motor, a power module and an optical lens module. The optical lens module is disposed in front of the headlight in order to receive illumination of the headlight. The microcontroller is electrically connected to the first light source sensor and configured to receive a signal transmitted by the first light sensor. The first driving motor is electrically connected to the microcontroller. The first driving motor is configured to follow an instruction from the microcontroller to drive a first driving mechanism. The first driving mechanism is configured to adjust the optical lens module upon being driven by the first driving motor. The power module is electrically connected to the microcontroller and the headlight. The power module is configured to follow an instruction from the microcontroller to supply the power to the headlight.
Ming Chi University of Technology | Date: 2015-05-13
An endodontic file with improved fatigue resistance comprising a conical body made of a metal alloy and an amorphous titanium-zirconium-boron film deposited on a surface of the conical body.
Ming Chi University of Technology | Date: 2015-04-15
A method for physical vapor deposition of an aluminum nitride film, comprising: positioning a substrate and an aluminum target in a chamber; vacuuming the chamber so that a chamber pressure is at a base pressure between 7.110^(7)-510^(6 )torr; conducting a working gas composed of argon gas and nitrogen gas into the chamber so that the chamber pressure is at a working pressure between 3-7 mtorr; and depositing the aluminum nitride film on the substrate by applying a high power impulse power supply to the aluminum target and applying a direct current bias power supply to the substrate under the working pressure and a substrate temperature between room temperature (25 C.) to 200 C.; wherein a power of the high power impulse power supply is between 500-600 W and a frequency thereof is between 750-1250 Hz, and a bias of the direct current bias power supply is between 50-0 V. | <urn:uuid:e1c0c5ac-ce35-4e82-b872-10f6954cf46f> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://www.linknovate.com/affiliation/ming-chi-university-of-technology-28713/all/ | 2017-08-22T07:32:47Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886110485.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20170822065702-20170822085702-00160.warc.gz | en | 0.911368 | 1,934 |
A Lap Puppy Diary by SEMPCAmember Tom Fielitz
Early in the 23 year history of the Cannonball One Lap of America race, a competitor was asked what motivated him to come back every year. His response was “You either run with the big dogs or sit on the porch.” Since then, experienced One Lap competitors have been known as Lap Dogs, and One Lap rookies – Lap Puppies. This year, Al Wright and I became Lap Puppies and this is an account of our adventure.
Most people’s knowledge of this event is limited to the glorified Hollywood movie version titled The Cannonball Run, with Burt Reynolds and friends. The real Cannonball is very different!
The original Cannonball was contested on public roads. For the past two decades it has been contested on the top race tracks in the country, linked together in one long week of transit driving from state to state. The 2006 Cannonball race route began in Indiana, ranged west into Iowa, south into Louisiana, east to Virginia and north to Wisconsin before ending back in Indiana. There were 86 cars in various classifications contesting 20 racing events ranging from skid pad to stock car oval and road race courses to drag strip.
Al and I were entered in his leased 2004 Porsche Cayenne S, an SUV that does normal duty as tow vehicle for his racing Porsche GT2 Turbo. Why would we choose to race the Cayenne instead of the race car? Because it would be more comfortable on the long transit drives and we presumed that the SUV class would not be hotly contested. Our first surprise was to learn that there were six entries in our class. The hottest prospect was an entry by Chrysler’s SRT group of a Jeep Hemi Cherokee with 425 horsepower, carbon fiber body panels and Plexiglas windows, piloted by the SRT test driver, Eric Heuschele. Two other factory entries were Honda Odyssey vans sporting racing motors, brakes and suspensions and driven by professional Honda test drivers. The non-factory entries were equally potent with a Chevrolet S-10 Blazer body cleverly covering a Corvette C4 chassis and Grand Sport engine. The Blazer was driven by a team from the Carolina Speed Shop in their 18th consecutive Cannonball – legends in this race. Finally there was a Ford F150 4X4 entered by Powerworks with a 550 horsepower supercharged engine. Our Cayenne, with its 340 horsepower and 5,300 pounds seemed hopelessly outclassed.
Our total preparation consisted of replacing the stock tires with the lowest profile, softest compound Bridgestone tires that would fit the rims. It lowered the Cayenne by over two inches and gave it a distinctive “low rider” appearance. We optimistically figured we would make up the performance difference with driving talent and Porsche technology.
The only rule in the Cannonball is that “there are no rules.” Our fellow participants drove such things as a Viper race car with a 1,000 horsepower twin turbo Chevrolet race motor and a Porsche 944 with a Corvette Z06 motor. Cost is no object and no car combination is too weird. It should also be noted that driving talent ranged from the casual driving school participant to the career professional racer. This is the “Big Show” of unconventional racing.
This was the fastest and most evenly matched group of One Lap competitors that had ever been assembled.
Our One Lap adventure started on Friday night with a banquet in South Bend. We shared dinner with our Blazer competitors, Glen Dodd, Charles Lovelady, and Michael Stein. They entertained us with their past exploits both on the track and on the road. They became our instant friends and our closest competition throughout the race.
Saturday morning we all gathered in the parking lot of The Tire Rack. The first event was a skid pad that was soaking wet. A good effort by Al resulted in a second place in class behind the Jeep and 36th overall. That Saturday afternoon we were on the road to Illinois for the first road race event.
That was when we discovered that transit stage drives would be every bit as intense as driving on the track. Unfamiliar roads and unpredictable traffic made every transit drive a tension-filled experience. Without the front and rear radar detectors plus the latest computerized route technology, the transits would have been much more difficult.
The tracks were also demanding since we had not seen any of these track layouts except on paper. A pre racetrack walk seemed to us to be a poor use of our energy. The race events consisted of one reconnaissance lap followed by three timed laps with results based on cumulative time. Our poor Saturday afternoon race track result put us back in 74th overall and fifth in class. We went from second in class to fifth – all in the same day. The fight was on and we were humbled, but not discouraged.
The Saturday night transit took us to Iowa. We arrived at 3:30 a.m. looking for any available motel room. A Warren Buffet Convention had booked every room in Sioux Falls. A $20 bribe to a gas station clerk got us the honeymoon room in a small motel where we indulged in a three hour nap. Our second transit discovery was that motel rooms were essential. Every minute saved on a transit drive became another valuable minute of bed rest. Sleeping during the transits turned out to be too noisy and rough.
On Sunday we had two races which we split with our Carolina Blazer team. We were fourth in our class standings, but only barely. With no time to celebrate we headed off on a 1,000 mile overnight express drive to Louisiana.
Monday in Louisiana we were greeted by oppressive heat and Al’s brother-in-law Rod. Rod surprised us with a huge Cajun lunch of gumbo and stuffed pork roast. Although we struggled to run well at the two races on a challenging track, Rod made our day with cheerful support and good cooking. Our Blazer competitors hit the first of many calamities which kept them out of both race events with electrical gremlins. We took our leftover Cajun food with us on our next transit of 700 miles to Georgia in another all night drive.
Tuesday would be a very busy day with two races, a checkpoint in Midway, Georgia and another 200-mile transit drive to a night race at our one oval track race in Florence, South Carolina. Our day was easy compared to that of our Carolina Blazer team, who literally had the steering wheel fall come off in the driver’s hands at the end of their first race of the day. The normally very composed driver, Charles was much more animated after that incident. In true Cannonball spirit the Carolina team found a junk yard replacement and had it installed in time for the second race! That was typical of many of the Cannonball competitors who were constantly repairing all types of failures from oil pumps to wheel bearings. Our Cayenne maintenance consisted of one quart of oil and swapping the tires front to rear. The grinding under-steer of the Cayenne had worn the Bridgestone name off the front tire sidewalls!
The short, banked oval race track in Florence, SC was an unknown track to everybody. Al was picked to drive this race in honor of his 20-plus years of Southern living plus his stock car driving experience. He listened carefully to the track owner describe the nuances of this track and then drove a very inspired race. But it was the big black SRT8 Jeep Cherokee that provided the big show. The driver proved the aptness of his moniker: “Hollywood” by running the oval track with a huge “sprint car” racing wing on the Jeep’s roof. As soon as we could pack up the Cayenne we were on the road again for the 200 mile run to Virginia.
Wednesday was the most difficult race day of all with three races on three different track configurations. With more luck than skill, we bested the Carolina Blazer in two out of the three races. Now solidly fourth in class, we faced yet another all night dash of 675 miles to Indiana and what would be the high point of our Cannonball.
Thursday morning we awoke to a steady rain that would raise the anxiety level of even an experienced Cannonball racer. Track knowledge and the slippery conditions minimized the horsepower advantage of the rest of the field over our Cayenne. The fast cars all slipped and slid to slow times. By the time our turn came to run, the rain had stopped and the racing line around the track was dry. As a result, we finished an astonishing fourth overall on the entire 88 car field and well ahead of everyone in our SUV class. The finishing points brought us right back into competition with one of the Hondas and well up on the rest of our class.
Cancellation of the drag race was good news for our Cayenne team. Canceling an event we were unlikely to win meant extra hours of time to cover a short 215 mile transit leg and a much needed full nights sleep. By this point, distances of 200 miles seemed like mere drives around the block. But in this drive, the temperature plunged to 34 degrees and we faced snow! It must have been a terrifying drive for the team in an open-topped Ultralight. This was a home built car just large enough to hold the driver and passenger but with no windshield, doors, trunk, or roof. Totally exhausted on the transit stage, the team decided to sleep in the car still wearing their helmets. After a while the driver, Kevin Boulton, awoke to what he thought was a passing train. It was the snoring of his co-driver Loren Edwards! After running up and down the road to wake himself up, Kevin fired up the Ultralight and revved the engine to wake Loren. Loren was so shaken that he couldn’t sleep for the rest of the transit.
Friday in Wisconsin was another terrifying day for most competitors but not for our team. It might have been cold and raining but it was a track that I knew from over thirty years of driving schools. We managed to beat half the field including several Corvettes and a Cadillac CTSV. We were now close in points to third in our SUV class with only one race event left back at the start in South Bend, Indiana.
Saturday morning everyone was reunited in the parking lot at Tire Rack in South Bend. In just one week we had come full circle; but all the strangers that had gathered a week before in that same parking lot were now fast friends and fellow Lap Dogs. Cars and drivers were posed over and over again for pictures of such an epic moment. On the final skid pad the tables were turned on us and we ran on a cold and damp track first, leaving a dry and warm track to the faster cars.
In the final tally, we were a solid fourth in class and not far behind the Honda Odysseys. We were 71st in the overall classification. The winning car for the third year in succession was a Porsche 996 Twin Turbo. They only won one race but never finished lower than third, except for the race in which our modest Cayenne had beaten them! We had spent over $1,000 in gas and $500 in rooms and meals. We averaged only 4 hours of bed rest per night and short naps during transit drives.
When we were preparing for this race we were brave and confident. What could possibly beat a well-prepared and well-driven Porsche? When the race started we were stunned to see the level of factory involvement and competition-prepared cars. We were also humbled to be racing against seasoned and talented amateur and professional drivers. The races and transits were physically and emotionally exhausting. Our hopes were raised at the results of one race only to be dashed at the results of the next race.
When it was over, we both agreed that we were proud of a very good effort, the very best we had in us. I could not have asked for a better team mate or better friend than Al. When you share such an intense experience it cements a friendship. So much so that we will be going back next year in a more competitive Mini Cooper JCW edition and we will be official Lap Dogs. | <urn:uuid:eda401ae-692a-4c15-b0c5-4c7861562496> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://sem.pca.org/2013/04/28/the-2006-tire-rack-cannonball-one-lap-of-america-presented-by-car-and-driver/ | 2017-08-23T04:27:59Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886117519.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20170823035753-20170823055753-00240.warc.gz | en | 0.980211 | 2,520 |
The Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service provides information and assistance for backcountry travelers in the Tahoe National Forest and Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest. TBSP also provides community education, basic and advanced avalanche and mountain travel/rescue training for ski patrollers, and winter Search and Rescue services in Northern California. Join us on patrol!
Where and when we patrol
Most of our patrolling takes place in California's Tahoe National Forest in the Castle Peak area north of Donner Summit and on the Pacific Crest Trail. It's the most popular destination that we patrol, not just among backcountry skiers and snowboarders, but also a fair number of snowshoers on their way to spend the day or overnight at the Sierra Club's Peter Grubb Hut. Our primary patrol destination in Nevada is the Tahoe Meadows area and its neighboring wilderness zones near Mount Rose, high above Incline Village and with breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe. Other Tahoe National Forest destinations are various corniced ridges and traverses adjacent to the popular local ski resorts of Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, and Sugar Bowl. Read more about our Patrol Areas in the Patrol Manual.
The TBSP patrol season is more than 40 weekend days from mid-December through mid-April. All patrol days are on weekends, with a few three-day weekends on federal holidays. A typical patrol day begins at 8:30am and ends before sunset (about 5:00pm).
HOW TO JOIN
Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol is always looking for dedicated and enthusiastic winter backcountry lovers to join the patrol. TBSP is in search of folks willing to learn a new set of skills or two, while spending their weekends serving skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers that venture out into the mountains of northern Lake Tahoe. We invite anyone interested in learning more about backcountry ski patrolling to join us on a SkiAlong this season. Keep an eye out for our trail head signs and white crosses the next time you're out earning your turns!
Prospective candidates should sign up for an Outdoor Emergency Care course in their area. The classes are usually held at different times of the year, from late spring to late November, however enrollment capacity is limited and it is strongly suggested that people sign up as soon as the course is announced.
To request a SkiAlong, please fill out the form at www.tbsp.org/skialong
Active Patrollers are required to participate in a total of (12) days a year, which includes annual CPR certification (1 day), fall OEC/Operations refresher (2 days), a 1 day On-the-hill refresher in December, and 8 additional days of regular patrol duty. All these days are on weekends or holidays. Many members put in additional days simply because they enjoy the experience. Others get patrol day credit whenever they help as an instructor on a training day.
Candidates must satisfy the following requirements to attain Active Patroller status. The minimum commitment for Candidates is 15 days if completed in 1 year, in addition to the 120 hour OEC course and CPR certification.
- Successful completion of the Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) course, a comprehensive first aid course developed by the National Ski Patrol (NSP) specifically for ski patrollers and other outdoor rescuers.
- Current certification in two-rescuer CPR (American Red Cross CPR for the Professional Rescuer, or American Heart Association equivalent). CPR certification is usually included in the OEC course.
- NSP Avalanche Level 1 for the Professional Rescuer (3 days) or equivalent (for example, AIARE Avalanche Level 1, etc).
- NSP Mountain Travel and Rescue, Level 1. (6 days: 2 classroom, 2 on-snow training days, 2 overnight snowcamping).
- NSP Introduction to Ski Patrol for TBSP (1 day skill enhancements and instruction in TBSP policies and protocols).
- TBSP Backcountry OEC Workshop Day (1 day backcountry specific medical skills).
- 4 Patrol Days (shadowing a regular patrol) per season which do not roll over year to year if Candidate training is completed over 2 seasons.
- Successful completion of the Candidate Final Exam (1 day skills evaluation on the snow).
Candidates without OEC are encouraged to join the patrol and may get their certifications in Avalanche and MTR prior to taking the OEC course. The OEC Courses fill up quickly, and you are encouraged to sign up for OEC in the early spring.
Medical and Training Requirements
- All candidates must pass the Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) course taught by volunteer National Ski Patrol instructors. This course is taught in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Sacramento Area, the Reno/Lake Tahoe area and Modesto each year at various times from June through November. Fees range anywhere from $60 to $450. Starting the year after you complete the OEC course, you must attend an annual OEC refresher each fall hosted by our patrol. Normally, there is no charge for these refreshers.
- Candidates who are currently certified EMTs, paramedics, nurses, or doctors may be able to "challenge" the OEC course but must still take the practical course final. More information on this course challenge may be provided.
- All candidates must be certified in two-rescuer CPR (American Red Cross CPR for the Professional Rescuer or American Heart Association equivalent). Appropriate CPR courses are sometimes offered in conjunction with OEC courses, but not always. However, suitable courses are available through your local chapter of the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. These certifications must be renewed annually (typically a 4-hour course) and there is a fee.
- 1 training day is devoted to OEC training in the snow, during which the principles learned in the OEC course are applied in realistic conditions, on the snow. Candidates learn TBSP-specific OEC skills such as a webbing-strapped backboard and use of a Kendrick Traction Device (KTD).
- As a candidate, you are required to take the NSP Basic Avalanche and Basic Mountaineering courses, both of which are taught by TBSP. Upon completion, you will receive NSP certification in these two disciplines. In Basic Avalanche training you will attend classroom and field sessions in which you will learn snow science and avalanche fundamentals, dig snow pits and use transceivers or beacons. In Basic Mountaineering training (which for TBSP's purposes includes material beyond the NSP requirements), you will attend classroom and field sessions including a mandatory overnight in the snow. Topics include emergency fire building and shelter construction, use of white-gas stoves, use of map and compass and map coordinate systems, radio communications, construction and use of rescue toboggans, low-angle rope rescue techniques, field repairs of equipment, knots, helicopter procedures, limited search and rescue techniques, equipment cache utilization, and incident leadership. The Basic Avalanche and Basic Mountaineering training days are partially combined, for a total of eight days, of which 1½ are in a classroom and 6½ are in the field.
- By the time you are fully trained, you should be able to competently handle any backcountry emergency. The one-day, scenario-based, final examination on the snow, which all candidates must complete successfully to become patrollers, will require you to use most of the skills learned in your training.
As transfer candidates all come with very different backgrounds, we try to tailor the transfer program for each incoming patroller. At a minimum, we require NSP certifications in Avalanche 1 and Advanced Mountain Travel and Rescue. Transferring patrollers with these certifications can take the patroller examination and get certified in February of their transfer year; if you are lacking these certifications, please plan to take the courses through TBSP.
Candidates must be able to ski proficiently at a strong intermediate or better level on backcountry equipment (telemark, AT, or splitboard) in varying conditions. For freeheel skiers, a strong telemark turn is desirable but not required. We patrol in both intermediate and advanced backcountry terrain, and candidates will be assigned to terrain matched to their skiing ability. A ski test will be held in the spring prior to, or the winter of their candidate year to assess all candidates' abilities. Proficiency requirements are defined in the Patrol Manual Appendix E: Proficiency Requirements.
Our backcountry ski patrols travel around 6-10 miles of cross country and 1500-2000' of elevation gain and loss on a typical patrol day. We recommend sturdy downhill skis with AT or telemark bindings, or a split board. We regret that we cannot accomodate NNN or "cross country" skis on patrol.
Please consult the Patrol Manual for a complete listing of required equipment, including required avalanche equipment, that you will be expected to bring: Appendix A: Required Personal Equipment.
Dues and Candidate Fees
TBSP patrollers pay annual membership dues. For the 2014-2015 season, these dues are $100.00. Instructions to pay are posted at http://beacon.tbsp.org/dues/pay. Candidates must be registered with the patrol before they can access this site.
In their first season, candidates must pay an additional fee. This training fee of $160 covers the Avalanche and Mountain Travel & Rescue instruction and texts, the use or purchase of TBSP Patroller's Manual, a training equipment use fee, and a patroller's pin which will be awarded upon successful completion of candidate training and service. All fees are due by mid-November, prior to the season start. There is a late registration fee of $10 assessed after this date. Upon receipt of the payment, candidates are sent the manual and training texts in preparation for the fall training courses.
Training begins Nov 10 in order to allow candidates to complete required reading and homework. Candidates who sign up after November 10 are invited to come along for shadow patrol days but may not be able to take all the trainings.
TBSP Patrollers are entitled to certain benefits, including medical coverage and equipment discounts.
The U.S. Forest Service provides candidates and patrollers with worker's compensation medical benefits for injuries suffered while engaged in field training or patrolling. By comparison very few alpine patrols are offered such benefits.
Patrollers in good standing (but not candidates) may be eligible for particular outdoor equipment discounts. Equipment must be for the member's personal use, and must be purchased through the Patrol. Discounts vary by manufacturer and item. We normally place orders once a year.
Benefits of National Ski Patrol Membership
As a member of the National Ski Patrol System, you will be eligible to purchase items from the NSP catalogue, many of which are offered at a discount. You will also receive a subscription to Ski Patrol magazine; each issue is full of informative articles on first aid and emergency care, skiing techniques, and more. | <urn:uuid:c898602a-6c12-4aea-976f-ce5d9a8d3c14> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://wiki.tbsp.org/index.php?title=TBSP_Introduction&printable=yes | 2017-08-24T01:00:17Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886126017.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20170824004740-20170824024740-00320.warc.gz | en | 0.930747 | 2,278 |
To the Editors:
Incorporation of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy into a daily schedule is considered to be an important method for improving ARV adherence.1,2 Questions remain about the importance of structured daily routines in the uptake of ARVs and the ability to adhere to medication therapy among marginalized populations. In post hoc analysis of qualitative interviews with HIV-positive individuals, we investigated the relationship between the degree of organization in daily routines and ARV uptake, adherence, and persistence in a marginalized and underserved population in San Francisco's Tenderloin District.
We conducted qualitative interviews that were nested in the PATH Project, a randomized trial evaluating an intervention to enhance information, motivation, and behavioral skills of HIV-positive adults who met CD4+ cell count criteria for ARV initiation to increase ARV treatment uptake.3 Individuals who were 18 years or older, HIV positive, reported knowing their HIV serostatus for at least 6 months, not taking ARVs for the prior 30 days, never taking a continuous course of ARVs for more than 30 days, with CD4+ cell count <500 cells per cubic millimeter (or with CD4+ cell count <350 cells per cubic millimeter if enrolled before December 2009), and able to provide informed consent and who spoke English were included in the PATH Project. Individuals with cognitive impairment, active psychosis, or significant confusion were excluded. All qualitative interviews were conducted in a private room at the Tenderloin Clinical Research Center, San Francisco, California.
Participants were 14 HIV-positive adults from the wait-list control arm of the PATH Project. The wait-list control arm was a lagged intervention control group that did not receive study-related interventions during the follow-up period but was offered a condensed intervention after the final assessment at 12 months. We purposefully sampled for diversity in gender, race, active substance use, and depressive symptoms. During the follow-up period of the PATH Project, several participants in the control arm initiated ARVs; therefore, we were able to examine uptake of ARVs and persistence with treatment by sampling among those taking or not taking ARVs and adherence to ARVs within those who had initiated ARVs. Participants who met the sampling criteria were contacted by research staff and were consecutively enrolled. The University of California, San Francisco Committee on Human Research approved this study.
Data were collected through semistructured one-time interviews. The first author conducted all interviews from February to October 2010. The interview guide elicited a comprehensive description of typical daily routines. Additionally, participants were asked about their current ARV regimen (if having initiated ARVs), ARV adverse effects, number of doses missed in the past week, and reasons for missed doses. The interview guide was iteratively revised throughout the process of data collection and concurrent analysis.
An association between daily schedules and ARV uptake, persistence, and adherence emerged as a theme during data collection; therefore, we undertook a post hoc analysis to further examine this relationship. The analysis focused on participants' descriptions of their daily schedules, ARV uptake and adherence, and incorporation of taking medication into their daily routines. The first author summarized participants' detailed schedules and calculated ARV adherence in the past week. Because all participants met CD4+ cell count criteria for ARV initiation at study entry and thus met guidelines for initiating ARVs, adherence was set to zero percent if the participant had not initiated ARVs, had discontinued ARVs, or was not taking ARVs for any reason. Based on the level of description provided by participants, daily routines were classified as “not organized” (no set schedule and no predictable daily activity), “somewhat organized” (at least one predictable daily activity, otherwise no set schedule), and “highly organized” (fixed hours for daily appointments and routines and structured daily activities). All analytical memos and interview summaries were shared with the second author, who listened to the interviews and rendered new or alternative observations.
We interviewed 14 HIV-positive individuals with a mean age of 44 years, who were 79% male at birth, 43% African-American, and 36% white. At baseline, mean HIV viral load was 4.46 log10 copies per milliliters, mean CD4+ cell count was 222 cells per cubic millimeter (range = 14–380 cells/mm3), and the mean Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) score was 33 (indicative of major depression). All participants reported having ever been homeless, 79% reported having ever been incarcerated, 86% had a high school diploma or higher, and 71% had initiated ARVs. Fifty percent of the participants were on a protease inhibitor–based ARV regimen, including darunavir/ritonavir or lopinavir/ritonavir, 14% on a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor–based regimen containing efavirenz, 7% on an integrase inhibitor–based regimen consisting of raltegravir, and 29% were not taking ARVs. Among those taking ARVs, 60% were on a once-daily regimen and 40% on a twice-daily regimen. The mean length of time that participants were on ARVs was approximately 8.6 months (range = 2.7–17.3 months). Among the 29% who were not taking ARVs and whose adherence was set to 0%, one had not started ARV and 3 had initiated and subsequently discontinued ARVs because of adverse effects, losing medications, and selectively discarding ARVs.
There was a wide range in the level of structure of daily schedules from participants who had preplanned practically every hour of their day to those who had difficulty comprehending the question regarding describing daily schedules. We encountered a positive association between daily routines and ARV adherence (Fig. 1). Those with no specific daily schedule (“not organized”) uniformly reported 0% adherence because of not reinitiating ARVs, having lost medications, or discontinuing therapy. In addition to the lack of daily routines, these individuals also had other competing factors, such as homelessness, depression, drug use, and incarceration, which were likely to have contributed to nonadherence. One participant who reported picking up her pillbox from the pharmacy, separating some of her medications, and throwing away the rest (including her ARVs) described her general daily schedule as such:
“I wake up. Sometimes I drink in the morning. I sit around a few hours, then I buy a dime of crack, if I have $10 on me. Then I drink. Then I smoke a cigarette. I might eat, but I really don't eat that much… I go to ‘Pill Corner’. Pill Corner is a block up; they sell pills there… There, it's about making dollars, down here it's about spending dollars… This is full of depression… [I] sit around, empty, empty and bored. I might drink, sit, and watch, and look, and smoke… But, this is what I do, and that's nothing….” (55-year-old African-American woman)
However, even in the presence of homelessness, the existence of a single recurring daily activity was associated with >70% adherence. A 49-year-old white male participant who slept by a church stated that going to his daily methadone clinic appointments was the only consistent engagement that he had and as a result he would take 100% of his morning ARV doses with his methadone and usually take his evening ARVs before sleeping by a church at night.
Those “highly organized” were more likely to report adherence as high as 93%–100%. They reported incorporating their medication-taking behavior into their daily schedule by linking their ARVs to a specific daily activity, a specific hour in the day, or a recurring reminder.
Participant: “Okay, I get up on a typical morning at about 10 o'clock in the morning. I do my hygiene and have some coffee… Then I get ready for my activity. I usually have one activity that I do a day… whether it's going to the gym or whether I need to take care of my house… like bringing supplies in or groceries or doing laundry… I'm trying to do something to make a difference… In the evening, I prepare my own meals… cooking, then cleaning. Right after I eat, I take my meds about 5:30 in the evening… Then I just sort of relax for the evening… I might have a glass of wine or something to help me sleep better. Next thing you know, I'm in bed… I've missed doses. I just don't remember when the last time was. I've been pretty stuck on the regimen.”
Interviewer: “What's your secret?”
Participant: “No, there's no secret. It's just planning. Okay, it's 5:30, I've eaten dinner… It's time to pop the pills.” (47-year-old African-American male)
“Okay, routinely I'm up at 5:30 in the morning… I get up and I take the dog for a 30-minute walk. Then I bring him back and then I start cleaning, because I have a fascination with cleaning, everything has to be immaculate… And then… I'm off to start preparing for school because I have to be at school at 9. So I usually leave the house may be… at 8:30… then I'm there [school] 'til 11:00… And then… I go back to the house, take the dog for another 30-minute walk, and then I'm preparing… dinner… And, then I'll maybe watch TV for about an hour, then if I've got any homework I'll do my homework… [I] usually settle down about 4:30–5:00, 'cause my roommate comes home… He gets home about 5–5:30, we just eat [dinner], then I take my medicine… We have social… time to talk about what happened… I get in the bed maybe about 9:30–10:00.” (35-year-old African-American man)
“Get like a regime, like a routine… If you can't get in that routine, I feel like it's hard for your body… your body needs to learn… my body has learned things over the years because of things I've done over and over and over again… so I think it's just creating that routine that works for you… almost like a little checklist, and it will get easier the more I do it.” (35-year-old African-American man)
Incorporation of ARV therapy into a daily schedule has been shown to be an important method for improving ARV adherence.1,2 In our post hoc analysis, we noted that those with the highest level of organization were most likely to initiate and continue ARVs and had the highest level of adherence in comparison to those whose lives were less routinized. This impact was of particular importance in our marginalized and underserved study population whose lives were not defined by employment and who may not have had housing. The impact of daily structure and organization was especially noteworthy in those who were homeless or had no fixed routines except for a single recurring daily appointment (such as a methadone clinic visit).
Our interviews reveal the unique and often unstable lives of some individuals living with HIV and that ARV nonadherence is frequently the result of a complex set of circumstances. Therefore, solutions to assist people in initiating ARVs and minimizing nonadherence are likely to be multifaceted and require tailoring to the individual's specific needs. Some strategies may include prescribing regimens with low pill burden, low dosing frequency, and no food requirements; as well as providing pillboxes or other adherence aids, referring for mental health or substance use treatment, and using a multidisciplinary team approach. Another method to improve ARV uptake and adherence is the incorporation of taking medication into a person's daily schedule. Based on the Department of Health and Human Services Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents: “…clinicians should identify barriers to adherence such as a patient's schedule….”4 It is unclear how medication-taking behavior can best be integrated into an individual's daily schedule; however, it is evident that each person likely requires unique and individualized solutions to minimize missed doses.
Our study underscores the influence of routines and organization on ARV uptake, persistence, and adherence. Health care providers should inquire about a patient's daily schedule, use this information in tailoring ARV regimens to fit the patient's routine, and assist them in selecting the appropriate timing of their dose. This can be done by collaboratively identifying a single recurring daily routine or reminder that can be linked to medication taking. Asking patients about their daily schedules can identify those with less routinized lives who may benefit more from such an approach and may help detect other barriers to ARV adherence.
The authors thank Eunice Stephens, Justin Bailey, Rebecca Sedillo, Samantha Dilworth, and Nikolai Caswell for their support throughout this project. | <urn:uuid:00391df9-3306-46e9-9e31-b46cb779377d> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | http://journals.lww.com/jaids/Fulltext/2012/09010/The_Relationship_Between_Daily_Organization_and.20.aspx | 2017-08-18T02:02:00Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886104204.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20170818005345-20170818025345-00040.warc.gz | en | 0.967199 | 2,733 |
7 years 8 months ill …
Physical: Advantage CBD / Mental: Deuce
I remember …
my parents, Herbert Louis Lunnon and Doris Stanbridge got married today, 3 May 1952 (?) in The Strand Methodist Church, Western Cape, South Africa.
©2013 Edward C. Lunnon
Monday 28 October 2013: 7 years 1 month on …
Physical: Advantage CBD / Mental: Deuce
Today, 28 October, is the birthday of Harry Oppenheimer, Bill Gates, Julia Roberts, Matt Smith and Frank Ocean.
For me, most importantly, though, it is also the birthday of Doris (Stanbridge) Lunnon – my late mother. She was born in Maitland, Cape Town on 28 October 1931. She would have been 82 today.
But she passed away in The Strand, 27 years ago in 1986, after a heart attack at the age of 55.
It would have been great to have you over for dinner tonight, Mom. Maybe we would have even gone out for something special – that’s the way we do things in our Lunnon house nowadays. Maybe you know that!
I’m not sure where you hang out nowadays. Sometimes, I think you are really close by!
At 19 Gordon’s Bay Road, we usually hung out in the kitchen. There weren’t too many opportunities, and certainly not enough money, for us to go and eat out then! You cooked and we washed and dried the dishes and packed them away. Sometimes we laughed, sometimes we argued and occasionally we sang!
Even if I may say so myself, you did a good job in raising the four of us single-handedly and looking after Dad for those long years. You were only 38 when he had his stroke and you were left with that awesome task! June was only four years old! Sometimes we forget that you were a widow at 45!
I’m not sure whether you watch us nowadays – whether you see your handiwork in action.
I’m not sure whether you can see what we do on a big screen somewhere!
Yes, it would have been great to have you over for dinner tonight!
It would have been great just to say thank you. I don’t think we ever did say that. We didn’t think of it in those days and you left us so suddenly. There are so many people nowadays who leave us so quickly and we never take the time to say thank you or all the other things we should say.
I realize now how important that is! But I don’t always remember it too well!
I realise now, as Sean and Phillip start leaving home, just how saddened you must have been when I left home at eighteen and went to America, and to Stellenbosch and Oudtshoorn and Port Elizabeth. I realize now just how much you sacrificed for us and did for us in very difficult and trying times.
They could not have been easy times for you. Yet, I don’t recall ever seeing you crying. I’m sure now that there must have been many lonely nights that you spent crying alone in your bed and wiping your tears on the pillow. I think of you sometimes when I do that, and I wish that we had been given more time together.
Yes, it would have been great to have you over for dinner tonight.
Just to say Happy Birthday and Thank You and all the other things we should be saying!
You would have enjoyed Pera’s dinner. Between the two of you, I’m not sure who would have cooked in the kitchen and who would have done the talking. But the meal would have been excellent which ever way!
It would have been great to share Sean and Phillip with you. You would have been so proud of them. And I guess you would have been sitting with Phillip and his matric books and asking him all those questions, just like you did with me!
And you would have wished him good luck with his exams and waited anxiously for the newspaper with his results, just like you did with me! You even drove me to Cape Town to pick up that Cape Times fresh off the printing press!
It would have been great to have dinner together tonight.
©2013 Edward C. Lunnon
Monday 27 May 2013: 6 years 8 months on …
It’s been another busy week, with little time to write. And when I’ve had the time, I haven’t had the energy!
So here comes another skeleton, with hopefully the flesh put in at a later stage!
About 60 – that’s the meaning of the above title and that’s our ages – give or take a good few years in all our respective cases.
“Our” being Neil and Pam Thomson, Anton and Ingrid Scholtz, Alan and Trish Stapleton and Pera and I.
And our connection being that some 20 years ago we started what we called our Investment Club.
We met once a month on a rotational basis at each couple’s home for a meal, and each couple “invested” R100 into the Club – Pera and I put in R100 each. My duty was to invest the monthly amount of R500 and to grow the money so that at some point in the future (round about now) we would cash in our investments and go on a “world cruise” together!
Two ‘hiccups’ occurred – firstly, each couple produced two more people and the group therefore grew from eight to sixteen people. Our children spoke at school about the Investment Club meetings that they attended on the last Sunday (or whichever it was) of each month! Heaven alone knows what their teachers and friends thought about this!
Secondly, at the end of year two, I think it was, when we saw the balance slowly growing in our investment account, we were tempted to draw the money and go away for a weekend together.
So, after that, we never ever gave the money a chance to grow enough for our world cruise, but we did, on an annual basis – round about Reconciliation Day public holiday in December – cash in the funds and spend a long weekend together.
We visited places like Hog’s Back, Katberg, Keurbooms, Knysna, Blanco, Blue Lagoon, East London, St Francis Bay and wherever the following criteria were met:
No self-catering by the ladies, within close driving distance of Port Elizabeth, activities for the adults and the children, inexpensive (at least within the constraints of our Investment Account balance), etc …
Well, we never would have had enough for that world cruise, but we invested tremendously in our children’s social upbringing and in their readiness for life. They learned to climb mountains, read hotel menus, order “passion fruit and lemonades”, play golf, ride horses, stage theatre productions, play carpet bowls, manage becoming lost and a host of other things that one could add to the list.
We all learned to enjoy friends and family and life and nature and good times together.
In the process, we amassed many happy memories and photographs and stories along the way.
Unfortunately, as the years passed by, and we all got older, it became more and more difficult to co-ordinate our diaries and do things together. So, some eight (?) years ago, we finally called an end to our Investment Club.
But, thanks to the labours of Pera, we managed to have a reunion of the adult members of the Club this past Sunday. Someone suggested that the Investment Club be renamed the Pensioners’ Club!
Needless to say, we reminisced (that which we could remember!) and laughed and ate and drank to Life!
Memories are made of this! (and please correct any of the above-mentioned “facts” that may be incorrect!)
6 years 7 months
This has been a busy time, subsequent to our return from the Cederberg!
Mon 8: Death of Maggie Thatcher / Arrival of Queen Mary in PE / Stretching
Tue 9: Visits by Gill, Isaac / Listened to Schonegevel Interview on AlgoaFM / Interview on PEFm
Wed 10: AlgoaFM, Bluewaters cafe; Haircut; Car wash; Dr Barclay Ophthalmologist; Rugby Sean Old Grey
Thu 11: Visit Rob Taylor, Dianne Boyce (MND) / Physio
Fri 12: Tea with Annette / Lunch with Andrew, Rob and Rob @OG
Sat 13: Rugby (Phil) in Humansdorp Nico Malan
Sun 14: Iron Man
Mon 15: Admin
Tue 16: To Addo with Tayler-Smith
Christmas Day Tuesday 25 December 2012
Physical: Advantage CBD / Mental: Advantage ED | <urn:uuid:ca7465ee-2f95-4f5d-a906-3c5b5d7c8f32> | CC-MAIN-2017-34 | https://edlunnon.wordpress.com/tag/lunnon/ | 2017-08-19T18:42:08Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-34/segments/1502886105712.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20170819182059-20170819202059-00200.warc.gz | en | 0.971079 | 1,861 |
Measurement Matters—Alternative Input Price Proxies for Bank Efficiency Analyses
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Volume (Year): 30 (2006)
Issue (Month): 2 (October)
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References listed on IDEAS
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- Baltagi, Badi H & Griffin, James M, 1988. "A General Index of Technical Change," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 96(1), pages 20-41, February.
- Aigner, Dennis & Lovell, C. A. Knox & Schmidt, Peter, 1977. "Formulation and estimation of stochastic frontier production function models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 21-37, July.
- Mountain, Dean C. & Thomas, Hugh, 1999. "Factor price misspecification in bank cost function estimation," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 9(2), pages 163-182, April. Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)
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