text:
The gaming industry is particularly conducive to a culture of misogyny and sexual harassment, Ms. Gordon said, because straight white men have "created the identity of the gamer as this exclusive property." When women, people of color or L.G.B.T.Q. people try to break into the industry, she said, the "toxic geek masculinity" pushes back in ways that often lead to sexual abuse and bullying.
Gaming studios are often reluctant to defy those fans, Ms. Gordon said, but recently it has become clear that there is a demand for a variety of video games that appeal to all types of people, which requires more diversity among game designers and could necessitate changes in the industry.
So all the people who are not cis white males should band together to write games for all the people who want games written by non-cis-non-white-non-males.
After all, there's a market for it, it'll fly off the shelves, right?
Capital won't be a problem either as all investors will see the market to be addressed as well.
previousWell, yes…..
nextYes, I know, he's one of my bosses
83 thoughts on "Cool"
Mr Ecks July 4, 2020 at 9:09 am
Marxian scum try to take over gaming industry and fail.
Still keep trying tho.
Which is why socialism must be pro-actively smashed. You cannot win a defensive fight. We must attack and keep attacking. Which is one of the many reasons Johnson stands daily revealed as useless BlueLabour shite.
Always thought he was but never dreamed evil could paint so large a canvas to show BlueLabour's failings.
John July 4, 2020 at 9:26 am
Sorry but this a utter nonsense .
The #Gamergate controversy was a reaction to excessive SJW/feminist control of the gaming industry, its associated press and industry awards.
A classic case of projection as usual.
MyBurningEars July 4, 2020 at 9:40 am
In principle this ought to be one of the stronger facets of capitalism – if there's a profit to be seen in something, funders should be queuing up regardless of your creed, colour, class etc. Whereas in a country with more state-controlled investment then other more political criteria may need to be hit too.
Having said that I'm not sure how well it works in practice, perhaps especially in tech where the investors, especially at start-up level, usually made their money in the industry and are drawn from a very particular geek subculture (though likely not the gamer subculture criticised in the article). So there may be issues around "cultural fit" and expectations.
Now I know one difference between the success of men and women in tech has been the willingness of more men to come forward seeking capital for their idea whether women have, generally, tended to focus on following more defined career paths. But the experiences of some of those women who did go on to seek capital, perhaps the experience of some black founders too, does suggest investors were not as neutral, calculating and profit-focused as Timmy's description suggests. And yes capitalism may punish them for it – means someone else can in principle get a bargain and a better return, since it weakens the founders' position when they do manage to find a willing investor. But it's perhaps understandable remembering that start-up investors are not as passive as your typical blue-chip investor, are more likely to be going to have a sustained relationship with the founders, and therefore may prioritise those they feel they'll be a good cultural fit with. But in techworld, that requires fitting in to a somewhat weird subculture and it wouldn't surprise me if this discriminates even inadvertently, against those who don't meet traditional geek stereotypes.
"whereas* women have, generally, tended to focus on following more defined career paths"
Don't type on a phone.
Mr Womby July 4, 2020 at 9:47 am
Just look at the fuss over the recently released game 'The Last of Us 2', in which the male hero of the original game is killed off early on and the new protagonist is a butch lesbian. To say it has divided the gaming world is an understatement.
rhoda klapp July 4, 2020 at 9:47 am
Don't women play those soppy games with fruit on the phone? Don't lgbt stick to grindr?
Mr Womby–Don't play comp games but I've seen the stupid TV advert. Where the female appears to be battling a bunch who have either flowers where they should have heads (shades of the "Young Man from Leeds" I think) or have heads made up of an assortment of dishwashing sponges.
Either way they can shove it.
Jonathan July 4, 2020 at 9:53 am
" So all the people who are not cis white males should band together to write games for all the people who want games written by non-cis-non-white-non-males."
They'll never do that though will they? They're largely incapable of creating anything themselves.
These people are like vampires: they see white, heterosexual men making something successful and want to attach themselves to it and suck the lifeblood out of it, for their own benefit of course, then discard the drained corpse and move on to the next victim.
john77 July 4, 2020 at 10:26 am
The last time I came across a Video Games company its CEO was a woman. So I thought that Tim must be quoting the Grauniad, but no it's Bigmouth – even more predictable at departing from facts in order to rant.
Mr Womby July 4, 2020 at 10:39 am
Mr Ecks – Are we talking about the same game or have you been eating the wild mushrooms again?!
Andrew C July 4, 2020 at 10:43 am
As of course with absolutely everything that comes from the left. Companies should be run like this, properties should be rented out like that, employees should be treated like the other.
So fucking set up your own business and run it the way you think will work. Twats.
BraveFart July 4, 2020 at 10:44 am
if Carrie has the skills, I suggest he/she/it codes a shoot-em-up between ugly TERFs in dungarees and Doc Martens and even uglier bewigged blokes in lipstick and dresses using handbags and stilettoed shoes as the weapons. I'm not sure which side would qualify as the goodies though
Hallowed Be July 4, 2020 at 10:50 am
"aw shit here we go again." to quote Franklin from GT A.
JuliaM July 4, 2020 at 10:55 am
Rhoda Klapp: ' Don't women play those soppy games with fruit on the phone?'
This one certainly doesn't!
Steve July 4, 2020 at 10:59 am
Jon – These people are like vampires: they see white, heterosexual men making something successful and want to attach themselves to it and suck the lifeblood out of it, for their own benefit of course
Carrie is a white, heterosexual man (he is a father). Many (most?) trannies are middle aged hetero white men who've been feeding their crossdressing fetish for so long it's grown into a monster that consumes them.
Paraphilias work much like any other kind of addiction, diminishing returns from chasing dopamine highs lead to more extreme addictive behaviour and ultimately the collapse of the personality as the victim becomes a kind of fleshy robot trapped and ruled by his vices.
This is why Gnostics gnost, why Taoists tao, and why Paul told the Galatians to temper themselves rather than be governed by their tempers. A society that places self-gratification at the heart of its "values" – as ours does – will inevitably succumb to crises of addiction and selfishness.
Who are we to tell Gary Marshall he shouldn't have abandoned his family to inject lady hormones and wear dresses and have weird sex?
Well, the traditional English answer is Jesus Christ willingly ascended the Cross, suffered and died for our sins. Our lives don't belong to us, they belong to Him. We merely have them on leasehold and should act accordingly like the good servant in the parable of the talents, for we will be judged when the Man comes around.
If we don't believe in Christ, or The Way, or Buddha, or the Vedas, or Mohammed and his magic horse, it's actually pretty fucking hard to come up with cohesive and sustainable rules for life that work at a societal level. This is why the West has seen declining social capital and rising anxiety and madness since the early 20th century at least.
The streamer's character walks up to one of these NPCs and says, "Hello, sir. I mean, madam. I mean, whatever." He turns to another and says, "Well, hello, mid-op." And then a third: "Hey, you need to keep taking your hormones!" And then he pulls out a crowbar and beats one of them to death.
This is objectively hilarious and should result in ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: JKKK ROWLING
in 2019, women who worked for GTA V's developer earned 29.3% less than their male colleagues for similar jobs
Similar jobs means the girl who does technical documentation or runs the Twitter account should be paid the same as the guys who work 90 hour weeks during crunch time to develop functioning AI and physics systems.
When women, people of color or L.G.B.T.Q. people try to break into the industry, she said, the "toxic geek masculinity" pushes back in ways that often lead to sexual abuse and bullying.
Much like the contents of Carrie's knickers, this is big ol' hairy bollocks. Due to high rates of autism, poor socialisation and internet porn, trannies are vastly overrepresented in coding. It's true there aren't many black fellas or real women who are experts in Python, but not because of a conspiracy agin them.
Baron Jackfield July 4, 2020 at 11:04 am
I see that no comments are permitted at that "blog"… However,
I call "Bullshit" on the claim that .. the Scottish developer of GTA is no exception. Engadget reports that in 2019, women who worked for GTA V's developer earned 29.3% less than their male colleagues for similar jobs – which is, I'm damned-sure illegal.
Jim July 4, 2020 at 11:24 am
" Many (most?) trannies are middle aged hetero white men who've been feeding their crossdressing fetish for so long it's grown into a monster that consumes them."
I have this theory that the middle aged tranny is just a massive attention seeking act. Middle aged man gets to late 40s/early 50s, kids have left home so role of Dad is ended, wife is more interested in her gardening or book club than him, his career is going nowhere, he's basically become invisible to everyone. So in order to become the centre of attention he starts the whole 'I'm a woman really!' shtick. Suddenly everyone at the office is talking about him, his wife certainly has to start dealing with him again, and there's a whole horde of people in the big wide world who will be cheerleaders for his 'Bravery'. And of course in today's society it gives him a big stick to wield over all the people he considers have slighted him in the past. His position in life has gone from an insignificant nobody to a powerful someone. Job done.
Mr Ecks July 4, 2020 at 11:31 am
Mr Womby-the link below is to the nearest I can find on You Tube to the short TV ad I've seen.
The clip is slightly longer I think than actual advert but you can clearly see at 0:11 that the female runs around the corner in a darkened building and runs right into the Flower/sponge people.
I think my description is a fair one–they clearly–whatever their supposed problem–aren't wearing hats/masks or the like.
They are flower/sponge heads.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aanR55xFzP4
Jim – perceived social incentives definitely play a role, most of these guys stayed in the closet when there were real social and economic penalties for being weird.
Dunno tho – does Carrie seem… happy? There's a disconnect between performative public approval of trannies and how people treat them in private.
Instead of becoming UwU cute girls, they end up looking like Pennywise the Dancing Clown got dressed in the whore section at Primark. Typically the family shuns them. Women aren't interested in having sex with men dressed as women, most men including gay men don't want to fuck them. Their children are confused and humiliated when Dad announces he's a laydee. People will say the socially appropriate trans-affirming liturgy in public, but they don't practice it.
These blokes usually end up physically ruined, financially drained and socially isolated, with only other trannies (who they despise) and desperate chasers (who they also despise) for company. Sounds like a physical manifestation of Hell.
Is it any wonder why so many of them are bitter and angry?
Hallowed Be July 4, 2020 at 12:15 pm
Thinking Tim's market gap opportunity, It's not necessary to to code a game all from Scratch. Just get a licence to on an existing/old game set up a modding operation similar to Tims 90's porting biz. Move to Ladyboyville to get the right stuff. Take an existing game and mod it to carriemarshallfabulousuniverse. Hey presto your big money is now co-located with your big mouth.
BraveFart July 4, 2020 at 12:25 pm
Speaking of ugly middle aged blokes in crisis.
Here's everyone's favourite variety Potato with a new YouTube channel. I don't think one can moderate comments on You Tube videos, just allow them or not?
Warning – the Potato's not a pretty sight close up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=85&v=YeRumwX3A-A&feature=emb_title
The physical tics remind me a little of Joe Cocker.
Mr Womby July 4, 2020 at 12:26 pm
Mr Ecks – I stand corrected. Having had to endure many ads for this game I managed to miss this one. Most of the others seem to major on the girl on girl snogging.
Jonathan July 4, 2020 at 12:28 pm
Steve:
This is certainly a big chunk of it, as GK Chesterton said: " When men stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing, they believe in anything."
The problem has been that belief in God has been replaced by beliefs that are actually harmful to both society as a whole and the individuals and families which make up society.
Many (most?) trannies are middle aged hetero white men who've been feeding their crossdressing fetish for so long it's grown into a monster that consumes them.
Lol. About 30 years ago, I worked on the customer service desk of a big-box wholesaler, there were a couple of trannies who used to come into the store regularly – both were strapping 6-footers who were the lowest of low effort Larpers. They minded their own business and didn't demand anything from anyone, and nobody paid much attention to them. Now they demand we bend the knee….
asiaseen July 4, 2020 at 12:45 pm
Just how big is the potential LBTGPQRST market? I know they make a lot of noise but are there enough of them to make it economically sensible to satisfy the demand?
Gamecock July 4, 2020 at 12:58 pm
Steve, Johathan . . . you guys are funny.
Man existed without Christ for a hundred thousand years. Some say 250,000 years.
"it's actually pretty fucking hard to come up with cohesive and sustainable rules for life that work at a societal level."
No it's not. 'Religion poisons everything.' – Christopher Hitchens
Witchie July 4, 2020 at 1:09 pm
I decided to develop a game which included loads of guys running round stabbing other people, having riots, stealing trainers and TVs from shops after smashing the window, etc etc. Just to appeal to the BAME market, the chief protagonist's colour could be specified from nearly black through all the way to light brown. Guess what? We never sold a single copy.
Da boys from the 'hood said that there wasn't much point in playing a game when it was so easy to go out and do it for real. The somewhat lighter skinned players said that the game was unrealistic, because you should shout 'Alla Huh Ackbar' before stabbing anyone.
Potential female players all said that they were too busy looking after kids on their own to play games …
john77 July 4, 2020 at 1:12 pm
@ MBE
The standard example of female programmers is Steve Shirley and FI (later Xansa) which she started as a return-to-work aid for female programmers who had taken a career break and then became a software company employing females. Ironically when gender equality legislation was introduced it was forced to hire some men which means that anti-female prejudice was not great enough to create a space for an all-female company that paid less than all men would be paid for an equal job.
PS I can't type on a phone: they seem to be designed for women's fingers, one of mine covers three letters on my smartphone (I suppose that if I had unbreakable thumbnails …)
Jonathan July 4, 2020 at 1:18 pm
" Steve, Johathan . . . you guys are funny. Man existed without Christ for a hundred thousand years. Some say 250,000 years."
Funny that you think ancient people did without religion….
PJF July 4, 2020 at 1:19 pm
Well, the traditional English answer is Jesus Christ willingly ascended the Cross, suffered and died for our sins.
Can't help but admire your opportunism, Steve. But like Linus promoting the Great Pumpkin on his election platform, your timing is a bit off. Although it doesn't seem to be obvious to you, it really isn't entirely convincing to say that Carrie is wrong to keep rubbing his fetish, because his life is just a rental from a big giant Hertz who's gonna want the keys.
JerryC July 4, 2020 at 1:20 pm
Maybe. The problem is that even when you get rid of religion, you don't really get rid of religion. The current bout of insanity being a case in point.
MyBurningEars July 4, 2020 at 1:22 pm
Steve Shirley is an interesting case but she founded her firm back in the sixties. And the gender equality laws you're talking about are as early as the seventies.
Going through the Silicon Valley funding rounds, from let's say the dot com boom onwards, is a quite different cultural proposition.
The standard example of female programmers is Steve Shirley and FI (later Xansa) which she started as a return-to-work aid for female programmers who had taken a career break and then became a software company employing only females. Ironically when gender equality legislation was introduced it was forced to hire some men which proved that anti-female prejudice was not great enough to create a space for an all-female company that paid less than all men would be paid for an equal job.
When I was a trainee programmer in the mid-'60s, there was no *actual* gender bias but there was a gender imbalance because most# of the pool of candidates were mathematicians and boys were better at maths and, in those days, most middle-class women (not just Oxbridge graduates) stopped work when they had children, so the programmers were 5 men to 2 women, the trainees were lads/lasses who had a relative working for ICI who had got a scholarship/place at Oxbridge to do maths and we split 3 to nil. The bias is in the eye of the beholder.
Autism was not a required condition although it was more easily tolerated by and among programmers than in Sales or HR or "management"
#The exception was a Chemical Engineer: gender ratio almost infinite in those days
Steve July 4, 2020 at 1:48 pm
Gamecock – 'Religion poisons everything.' – Christopher Hitchens
I can see the appeal of Chris Hitchens. He was a fiercely intelligent, funny, pithy, entertaining alcoholic.
He was also a world class bullshitter, and his fedora tier rage against Dad God always seemed childish and dumb to me, though not uncommon amongst Baby Boomers still rebelling against their parents' (failed) attempts to transmit their values to the next generation.
(His mother also committed suicide after running off with an Anglican priest. "Hmmm!", said Sigmund)
The errors in Hitch's doctrines were many, but they all boil down to this:
* Religion isn't what Hitch, Dawkins, etc. think it is. They perceive it (because of their personal experiences of miserable upper middle class childhoods in the 50's) as an external control mechanism imposed by stupid, staid and most importantly *boring* hypocritical authority figures. (Who may or may not have been paedophiles)
This is like thinking an iceberg is the bit you can see above the water.
* Because they don't understand religion's sociological purpose – a system for generating social cohesion and reproducing this in succeeding generations, they took for granted the enormous treasury of social capital they – as well-to-do 20th century Englishmen – undeservedly inherited from their more pious and serious fathers.
That social capital doesn't regenerate on its own, as we should now know. Turns out that normality is an achievement. Chaos and entropy is always the default, logos takes continual effort.
Though if the sight of grown men voluntarily becoming eunuchs and being praised for it, if the sight of your enemies tearing down the statues of your ancestors and twerking in the ruins while policemen kneel in submission doesn't tell you something has gone pretty badly wrong with the post-Christian West, because it's the post-Christian West, I dunno what to tell you.
Sorry, I must have touched the "post" box part-way through.
Yes, you are right – Silicon Valley is different and I wasn't even trying to discuss the comfort that funders feel from talking to someone whom they think that they understand and can predict. My view, based on observation (mostly second-hand as my big sister took up programming after I quit and my elder son has been programming for more than a decade) is that there is no deliberate bias – and my feeling is that an awful lot of geeks have suffered bias against them [e.g. my son suffered really badly at school for being so obviously cleverer than the oiks], so they eschew bias when looking at whom to hire. There is also the different cultures in Britain and the USA, which makes my experience only partially relevant.
James Brown July 4, 2020 at 1:58 pm
They equate the producer and consumer. One is not the other. Absolute backwards nonsense.
I think hiring and funding may be subject to different biases too. Hiring someone gets more scrutiny from HR, there are more legalities to obey, the fact you're even interviewing means you almost certainly need to hire *somebody* and if you make the wrong choice there's always the option of firing/not renewing their contract etc later. Agreeing to part with several million dollars in return for a slice of equity in a high-risk start-up is a different type of gamble, something the law gives you far more personal freedom over, you're under no obligation to do, and you're quite entitled to sit on your money until what strikes you as a better chance or better fit for you comes up. If you make the wrong call, or even the objectively correct call but get unlucky, you can wave goodbye to that investment.
If a proposition comes along that a funder just doesn't "get" (e.g. one answering a need specific to a group the funder doesn't belong to, or because the founders come from a background that doesn't mesh with with the funder's own) then it's harder to persuade them to part with the cash.
Bloke in North Dorset July 4, 2020 at 2:49 pm
MBE,
About the funding, I think there is bias, but it isn't racial or even sexual. It's more like the "nobody go sacked for buying IBM" bias. The industry has a group-think picture of what a successful tech entrepreneur looks like and its difficult to see beyond that, even for savvy risk takers who boast about being happy to have 99 investments tank as long as the 100th succeeds.
I also think that problem applies to many industries/walks of life eg the recent complaing about lack of black football managers.
Bloke on M4 July 4, 2020 at 3:13 pm
Most games are built by very small teams, often starting as a hobby, often funded by their own time and collecting the rewards. I know 2 developers like this. World of Goo was built like this. There is no "industry" meeting in a secret underground SMERSH lair deciding who writes games. Download Unity 3D or RPG maker, learn to code and start building a game.
I'm going to make a general observation which is there's a ton of women who just seem to knock on doors to get funding (this applies to movies too) rather than just fucking making something.
Baron Jackfield,
I can well believe that they earned 29.3% less because the blokes are going to be doing the coding and game mechanics, which are rare and hard, probably putting in 60+ hour weeks near the end, while women have producer, QA, character design or story writing roles, which pay a lot less. Learn to code, ladies.
I cannot discuss HR in public, even on Tim's unmoderated site. I don't want to sound like Mr Ecks.
BUT I can say that HR bias is not in my favour. I have never been hired by HR – my first job was an automatic choice directed by higher management when I passed Oxford entrance, my second, and longest, was thanks to the "Deputy General Manager and Actuary" while the Staff Manager was on holiday, the third and current was by the then Research Director, impressed by a qualification that I had picked up for ethical reasons. During my second, longest, job HR was so visibly prejudiced that I could make jokes about it (so why didn't I quit? – because I'm no good at interviews, although my "oppos" rated me highly).
An individual investing his/her own money has maximal freedom but a fund manager investing other people's money does not so he/she has to pick something that feels safe. THAT is the root of bias towards "normal".
jgh July 4, 2020 at 3:39 pm
The problem is they are demanding to direct a creative endeavor. They're demanding that Charlotte Bonte write westerns, that Jeffrey Archer write science fiction. You can't direct creativity, you can't demand that somebody who has the creative muse to write one genre just *chose* to have the muse to write something else.
If you want westerns, find somebody who writes westerns, and buy *their* output. Don't try and force a period drama writer to write westerns, unless you want a crappy period drama with cowboys.
" 'women who worked for GTA V's developer earned 29.3% less than their male colleagues for similar jobs' – which is, I'm damned-sure illegal."
No it's not. If they are earning different amounts, then by definition they are *NOT* similar jobs. If they are being ******(PAID*(U******( different amounts for similar jobs, then *****(THAT***** is illegal.
@BoM4
At the level of small/indie games I think that's right. Actually tricky for a lot of them to make a living the same way it is for budding novelists these days – some immense success stories but lots of perfectly competent yet unexceptional content sinking into perpetual obscurity on Steam or the App Store. Like you say, best not to give up the day job. And those people aren't being discriminated against on grounds of race, gender or sexuality – I imagine more fail by being decent at coding but less inspired at the creative stuff, or even worse, made a good product but didn't have a clue how to market it.
But then they're not the people who need to go out and raise a big wad of capital. That's for people with slightly bigger ideas. I think @BIND is correct to say there's an element of "if your face fits" with that.
MrYan July 4, 2020 at 3:46 pm
HR is how business tries to up it's proportion of wimmen in top jobs. The old Personnel Department could be just about trusted to photocopy a CV – now they rule the roost on recruitment and, more importantly, enforcing compliance with soft Left stupid policies. Somewhat like Beancounters getting control of engineering companies and running them with spreadsheets rather than any technical know-how.
Tim had an article on CT about the "Lifecycles of Companies" – Stage 4 is HR and Beancounters.
"I think @BIND is correct to say there's an element of "if your face fits" with that."
Of course, but I, whose face never fitted with HR despite getting high ratings from professional colleagues, didn't set up a blog site to moan like Bigmouth
Baron Jackfield July 4, 2020 at 4:10 pm
@Bloke on M4 July 4, 2020 at 3:27 pm and @jgh July 4, 2020 at 3:45 pm…
I think that we are all agreed that they are, ipso facto, not similar jobs, otherwise they would, by law, have to be paid similar amounts.
Hence my call of "bullshit" on BigMouth's claim…
Theophrastus July 4, 2020 at 4:20 pm
"…they don't understand religion's sociological purpose – a system for generating social cohesion and reproducing this in succeeding generations, they took for granted the enormous treasury of social capital they – as well-to-do 20th century Englishmen – undeservedly inherited from their more pious and serious fathers.
* Because they don't understand religion's sociological purpose – a system for generating social cohesion and reproducing this in succeeding generations…
Er, the purpose of Christianity is the achievement of eternal salvation of the soul with God through acceptance of Christ as saviour (thereabouts, give or take). It doesn't have a sociological purpose, it has a divine purpose. Indeed, it was deliberately and specifically subversive of the societies of its founding.
There's something perverse about a believer promoting faith in the terms of secularists who have tried to rationalise the existence of religion. The ongoing-social-cohesion argument belongs to "Darwinists" and applies to all religions; every head-shrinking, child-sacrificing, child-shagging one of them. In that sense it doesn't matter what the totems are, so long as they are worshipped and defended in a manner that strengthens societal bonds.
It is certainly true that the enlightenment eroded the power of the irrational belief system that had held for a millennium. It is certainly true that this caused disruption. It is certainly true that other irrational belief systems have emerged to fill the vacuum. But none of that means it's not worth continuing to strive to move beyond irrationality.
We should retain hope. Two hundred and forty four years ago a nation was founded by religious peoples who had the sense to realise that they could forge lasting societal bonds between them without recourse to their religions. They created a secular constitution that they could unite behind. Despite great pressures from without and within, they are still united behind it today. Happy Independence Day, America.
Gamecock July 4, 2020 at 4:35 pm
Steve, your ad hominems are unconvincing.
Funny you didn't read what I said.
Where were God and Jesus for the vast majority of human existence?
Agammamon July 4, 2020 at 5:00 pm
but recently it has become clear that there is a demand for a variety of video games that appeal to all types of people,
So says a person who knows nothing about games, gaming history, or gamers. There have always been a variety of games that appeal to all types of people – if by 'all types of people' you mean 'people who like different genres of games'.
If by 'all types of people' you mean 'games with narratives that feature someone who shares a characteristic with the player standing in as the player's avatar' – then no, its not become clear that there's a demand for those types of games.
What is clear is that the 'cis-white gameplayer' *is* perfectly fine with playing a non-cis-white avatar (and has been for the history of computer gaming, really) AS LONG AS THE FUCKING GAME IS GOOD.
FFS, 'No One Lives Forever' was a hit and you play as a FEMALE super-spy. No one hated any of the Tomb Raider games (even the latest one where Lara is a wuss). Jill Valentine kicks ass. Nobody was upset to play a Cherokee in Prey.
Its also funny to see these people defending a company where a cis-white man *literally kicked a woman out of her job* in order to make the game they're defending as a 'woke masterpiece'.
I guess pwning the 'manbabies' is more important than that precious diversity in corporate management.
Theo – thank you
PJF – the purpose of Christianity is the achievement of eternal salvation of the soul with God through acceptance of Christ as saviour
It doesn't have a sociological purpose
Of course it does, religion in general does. Just as the Trinity is simultaneously a triskelion and unicamera, or as Robert Plant warned us, some words have two meanings. Religion serves multiple purposes at different levels, simultaneously. Or it dies.
There's something perverse about a believer promoting faith in the terms of secularists who have tried to rationalise the existence of religion.
Maybe, but theology and geometry don't need to be enemies, do they? Western Christianity was never anti-Science, it's Science that revolted against Christianity. Or so I feel sure Elwin Ransom would tell us.
In that sense it doesn't matter what the totems are, so long as they are worshipped and defended in a manner that strengthens societal bonds.
There's a certain (perverse?) pleasure in heterodoxy and relativism, but is it unreasonable to suggest it depends on what level we're looking at?
Aztec heart-rending ceremonies damned the participants to Hell and wasted lives, otoh it served as a functional basis for a relatively advanced society for over 2,000 years. I mean, say what you want about the tenets of human sacrifice, Dude, at least it's an ethos. How do our abortion stats compare to the body count of bloodthirsty pagan priests with obsidian knives?
Two hundred and forty four years ago a nation was founded by religious peoples who had the sense to realise that they could forge lasting societal bonds between them without recourse to their religions.
This is, unfortunately, revisionist bullshit.
The people who settled and founded what is now the United States would've soberly and righteously burned a fair percentage of its current inhabitants in a pyre while singing psalms.
They would've had absolutely zero tolerance or sympathy for the idea that the United States is a secular society, they were mostly fervent Christians and the only point of not importing European denominational struggles was to avoid pointless intra-Protestant bloodshed – though Catholics were still widely regarded as foreign devils until after WW2.
As recently as the 1950's, Septics changed their official national motto to "In God We Trust". The subsequent decline of Christianity in the US correlates neatly with its decline as a cohesive national culture.
Gamecock – Steve, your ad hominems are unconvincing.
I know, but they're not meant to be convincing (that's too much to hope for on this topic), they're meant to be explanatory.
Childhood trauma makes sense to me when you examine Hitch and Dawk's backgrounds and their books entitled "God Is A Big Stinky Poo Poo Head And I Am Very Clever" (I paraphrase slightly).
And I completely understand where they're coming from, anybody who watched the inter-generational theology spat between the (arrogant and dismissive) Bishop of Southwark (born during WW1) and the Pythons (bright men from the same generation and class background as Chris and Dick) couldn't help but have sympathy for the devil. I don't blame baby boomers for thinking irreverence and licentiousness was groovy. Even Saint Augustine would understand.
Still. "Repent, Boomer!" Said the Lionman.
johnnybonk July 4, 2020 at 5:43 pm
@Gamecock,
yes, likely it does, however it may be that godlessness is worse. We perhaps, in these very times, are finding out.
@Steve – u on form today, mate.
They would've had absolutely zero tolerance or sympathy for the idea that the United States is a secular society, they were mostly fervent Christians and the only point of not importing European denominational struggles was to avoid pointless intra-Protestant bloodshed…
Like I said, religious people united behind a secular constitution. Not revisionism. Fact. You hallucinated a strawman and went to town. You naughty boy.
Yes, that's quite funny. For the period "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of many, one) was the national motto, the US had a cohesive national culture. But once that secular totem was toppled and replaced with a religious one there was a subsequent decline in religion. Why, it's almost as if those Founders had a fucking clue about the nature of their project.
Aztec heart-rending . . . served as a functional basis for a relatively advanced society for over 2,000 years. I mean, say what you want about the tenets of human sacrifice, Dude, at least it's an ethos.
Thanks for reiterating my point. If the bat-shit-crazy works for social cohesion it doesn't matter what the bat-shit-crazy is. Believing in the power of heart-rending or believing that heart-renderers endure eternal supernatural torture achieves the same purpose.
My point about the purpose of Christianity was not to deny a consequential societal function (which mostly came about after adoption by the Romans). It was made in the context of you engaging in opportunistic evangelism, as a believer in Christ and His mission, using secular arguments to justify your religion. Jesus wasn't interested in an ongoing stable society (those were already there), He was interested in people achieving redemption through Him.
dcardno July 4, 2020 at 6:48 pm
The industry has a group-think picture of what a successful tech entrepreneur looks like…
Elizabeth Holmes seemed to have little difficulty in obtaining capital.
@dcardno
But interesting she's the exception that proves the rule. Firstly Holmes was doing her bit to emulate "the look" physically (as I understand it this was a conscious decision to enhance tech credibility), plus the backstory (Stanford, engineering, college dropout) was similar to many. Secondly, look at the frankly astonishing family connections that played a role in her getting the money thrown at her. My jaw dropped the first time I read about those details. Almost certainly led to insufficient scrutiny – if she was coming in as a true outsider, I don't believe she would have got anywhere near as far as she did. As a result I'm not convinced she's particularly strong evidence that tech investors are rational, calculating return-maximisers with no social/cultural/personal barriers or preconceptions for founders to pass through. If that's the kind of woman who gets trotted out as an example of women who do get funded, it's closer to the reverse.
Re "In God We Trust", I'm not an expert in American cultural history but I thought it had a rather long history in America and the formal change of motto was quite late – a quick check on wiki suggests it started to appear on Union coins during the Civil War. Often when that kind of symbolic formal change does happen, it's a sign of weakness in the people doing the changing – why do they all of a sudden feel so sensitive and desperate to make a point, particularly about something that – if they were "winning" – ought to be culturally accepted as self-evident?
I think you can see something similar in the EU demands that the EU flag be planted here there and everywhere every time the EU funded something (or in the case of my car license plate, even when it just regulated it). Desperation to be loved precisely because it wasn't getting much. And similarly why the Tories proposed sticking big UK flags and "funded by the UK government" on Westminster-funded Scottish infrastructure projects. If the SNP were still getting five MPs on a "good" election night and were third or fourth party in Holyrood, the idea wouldn't even have crossed their minds.
My possibly very weak understanding of the matter is that "In God We Trust" was seen as a stronger differentiator from the godless (indeed religion-suppressing, which was inimical to American values) communist forces that the US was grappling with both abroad and at home. But if there was no perceived threat from increased godlessness, there wouldn't have been the drive to declare just how ungodless the US was.
BoM4,
That reminded of a pitch in the early Dragons Den when it was worth watching. A couple of women were pitching a website they wanted to build. They hadn't even done a mock up of what it might look like, let alone any of the basic HTML for the presentation. As they were getting grilled it became apparent they didn't have a clue what they were doing and what they wanted in money terms showed a complete lack of business sense. It was real head in hand stuff.
Anyway, when they went to the first Dragon, probably Peter Jones, he just said something along the lines of, "that was appalling, you have no idea and you want me to fund you to sit in front of a computer for 2 years, I'm out". Needless to say the other Dragons weren't interested.
Septics changed their official national motto to "In God We Trust".
No, *we* didn't. Some people in government looking to score points for an election did. With no input from the rest of the country – not even a vote. It wasn't some public upwelling of Judeo-Christian pride.
And in any case – this is America, 'official motto' means nothing here.
Let's not forget that 'in god we trust' was put in place *in opposition* to the public culture changing from strict public adherence to Christianity. It wasn't because we wanted to affirm our nature as a Christian nation but as a reaction by people with power to the countries moving away from 'old' Christianity to a more 'liberal' version that's barely recognizable as such.
Oh, sure. It may be even better evidence that if you present the right image you have a better shot at funding. It's also interesting that Theranos didn't have any 'traditional' VCs on board since they got enough money from people who (obviously) weren't capable of doing good due dilly and so didn't have to risk rejection from the Sand Hill gang, which would have tarnished the story at least a bit.
Chris Miller July 4, 2020 at 9:04 pm
Dawkins is a superb populariser of science; an eminent genetic biologist; a mediocre philosopher; and a lousy theologian. If only such people would stick to what they're good at.
Well there's Tim Draper, but even he wasn't doing it qua proper VC guy and didn't do the DD. More a family favour sort of thing I think. The top names hoodwinked into it were probably more gullible for being so "big-league". Looking back at it, I'm surprised people hadn't worked out the empress's new clothes just by looking at the corporate stuff, let alone the fact the science was so questionable conceptually. I can understand people not wanting to publish too much for fear of lawsuits but it seems like the kind of thing tech/business/bioscience bloggers could have unravelled quite quickly, back when the blogosphere was a stronger and freer force especially. Or maybe it was an open secret and I didn't have my ear to the ground for the gossip. (It started unravelling publicly back in 2015 but the clues must have been there a few years before.)
Johnny – thank you
PJF – I didn't mean to invoke Wurzel, but it seems like an important point that the United States was conceived and founded as a Christian nation, not a secular one.
A better term for their constitution as written would be "non-denominational". It's pretty obvious in context (the Declaration of Independence).
Thanks for reiterating my point. If the bat-shit-crazy works for social cohesion it doesn't matter what the bat-shit-crazy is.
Yes, Sanity is a crowdsourced project. An ecosystem of them, in fact.
It was made in the context of you engaging in opportunistic evangelism, as a believer in Christ and His mission, using secular arguments to justify your religion.
I understand, but I'm a frightfully bad example of a Christian.
MBE – Communism is the credited response. It seems unlikely there was an upswelling of popular atheism in 1957 America, though of course academia had already begun to tilt in directions hostile to Christ (and all good things). "God and Man at Yale" came out in 1951.
Agammamon – Some people in government looking to score points for an election did. With no input from the rest of the country – not even a vote.
According to Wikipedos:
The 84th Congress passed a joint resolution "declaring IN GOD WE TRUST the national motto of the United States". The resolution passed both the House and the Senate unanimously and without debate.
It wasn't some public upwelling of Judeo-Christian pride.
Quite so. There is no such person as Judeo-Christ.
Chris – Mildly disagree. Dawkins is indeed a brilliant and eloquent man, and a lousy theologian. However, I'm also a lousy theologian and a positively weevily biologist, so I'd encourage him to say whatever he feels like sharing, even if it's daft.
If only he applied the same intellectual curiosity he brought to evolutionary biology, he might have something insightful to say. His critique of religious faith is lazy and flabby, though he does have a wicked sense of humour and a deft hand with rhetorical shivs. He's a Poundland Voltaire (which isn't a bad thing, many of us would be pleased to be an Aldis William McGonagall) and there's something amusingly ferrical about preaching atheism to the converted.
I like him. He's a splendid example of an Englishman, and that's not faint praise.
MyBurningEars July 4, 2020 at 10:16 pm
Though the US had just been through the Second Red Scare, so communism (and its accompanying philosophy) would have been seen as both an internal and an external threat at the time, which is why I am dubious about interpreting it purely as an external signal intended to reassure foreigners of what the USA stood for. For political reasons it must have been driven by some perceived need for internal consumption. Also fears of "moral and religious decline" have been ever-present have they not? The fifties was a time of cultural transition, Hays code weakening in the face of television, roots being laid down both for the counterculture of the sixties but also the Fourth Great Awakening. I don't know enough about the era or culture to know just how defensive US Christians were feeling but certainly some aspects of their worldview were under threat. Not just from communism but also the Triumph of Modernity, Age of Science, development of youth cukture, rawer aspects of consumerism etc. On the one hand Buckley was quite far-sighted but on the other, I'm pretty sure I've read comments or complaints about professors bringing Marxist or Darwinist atheistic teachings to colleges even by the 1900s. Scopes "monkey" trial was in the twenties and so on. So I dunno. But the motto change certainly smells a lot like a defensive move, something a more self-confident (largely) Christian nation with tradition of separation of church and state could just have said "nah, we don't need to do this".
MBE–Socialism IS a massive evil threat regardless of the staus of other religions and McCarthy and others were CORRECT about Red scum infiltration.
Don't be pegging the Scum of the Earth as just another set of players.
If we fail to beat them you may well discover the nature of real evil first hand.
wat dabney July 5, 2020 at 9:57 am
"His critique of religious faith is lazy and flabby"
It may appear that way, but that's because, whilst many brilliant men have argued ceaselessly and exhaustively over the centuries over the minutiae, interpretation and implications of their creed – it does, after all, take real brilliance to propagandise a barbaric daemon into a loving father – it doesn't take a corresponding effort to refute the actual notion of magic pixies, which can essentially be dismissed out of hand. Such a simple observation may seem lazy in comparison to two millenia of apologetics, but it is anything but flabby.
There is no shortage of people who can point out at length all the errors and contradictions in the Bible, and who can illustrate the Yahweh/Jesus character's barbaric nature, but Dawkins in not one of them.
So Much For Subtlety July 5, 2020 at 10:15 am
Wat, I am not sure any of that is true. Can you dismiss magic pixies out of hand? I would think that we have agg deep need to see meaning in the world even when there is none. People explain German bombs as being aimed even when they were not. Under stress people seem to need a God. So it is psychologically true even if it is not True True.
Simple observation tends to confirm the existence of God for that reason. Belief comes natural. We have to learn to doubt. And when the state undermines the traditional Gods, people just believe in crystals instead.
Dawkins is dishonest because there is nothing in the texts Christians have not noticed. Indeed most of his criticism has been part of the Christian tradition since Augustine. But it would take too long to work out what people like Augustine had to say and why. Dawkins prefers to argue with textual literalists – a tiny minority in the Christian world. It is like saying evolution must be false because monkeys are still around.
Martin July 5, 2020 at 10:29 am
Funding will look at the product. More importantly it looks at the team bringing the product to market.
Funders will avoid a bad team, people hard to work with, a company with deep divisions.
The best programmers in the world with the best product will not get anywhere if they can't sell both the product and the team to investors.
There's a process called 'due diligence' – its pretty common.
Claims that xxx will sell – but claim turns out to be false? Claims that we can produce xxx by Christmas – but turns out to be false?
Funders can withdraw support, refuse additional money etc.
Get granted a 5 million funding – its not a single cheque. Meet this milestone and get first payment of 500k. Hit this next milestone and get another 500k. Hit another milestone and get next payment.
With investor setting conditions and amounts.
And walking away if needed partway through, taking ownership of whatever with them.
Bloke on M4 July 5, 2020 at 10:33 am
Novels are a very good parallel. There's huge numbers of novels, lots about someone living in London or New York and the general ennui about it all. And you've got to ask yourself why will someone pick mine over someone else's. And it's a similar problem with games. Why is someone going to pick my platform game over the sea of platform games. The indie games that have done well have been distinctive, like Rocket League, Fez, Besiege.
I have the skills to develop a game, but I'd want the game to be different. That's the hard part.
Well, maybe. But how do you deal with that? The simple thing is to make something, make it sell and prove you can do it. Prove the industry wrong by making a low-budget but effective game.
Thanks Steve – I wouldn't wish to stop Dawkins or anyone else from pontificating on matters they know nothing about, but they should be aware that it devalues what they say on other matters: falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus
You're a better theologian than I, though that isn't setting the bar very high. There's a perfectly respectable scientific case for deism. That the universe exists at all, let alone in a form that would appear to be carefully 'tuned' to permit the existence of complex beings such as ourselves, seems to demand a creator. And alternative explanations that there are simply zillions of other universes that we're unable to perceive don't strike me as any simpler or more attractive.
"Western Christianity was never anti-Science"
Great Galileo's Ghost!
Exactly Steve – like I said, some people in government got together to push this with no input from the rest of the country – not even a vote.
Pcar July 5, 2020 at 7:08 pm
– Until I reached "a variety of video games" on line 7 I was reading this as Gaming Industry not Video-Game Industry and it made no sense
It's usual Feminazi bollocks, nothing is stopping women but their own negativity
@ wat dabney
Firstly Dawkins was lazy – claiming that he knew God did not exist until people pointed out very publically that his claim presupposed omnipotence on his part i.e. that he, Richard Dawkins *was* the God whom he said did not exist.
Secondly, what barbaric daemon? The Old Testament prophets, from Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses onwards all practised distinctly more humane behaviour than prevalent in their time.
It's the combination of arrogance and incompetence (in misquoting the Bible, almost always, but also in arithmetic and other things) of most atheists that is so irritating to a pendant like myself.
BlokeInBrum July 5, 2020 at 11:51 pm
I grew up in the 80's when the home computer boom first took off.
I'm pretty familiar with how many of the big name software houses got started.
They bought a computer, scoured magazines and books for info, and cracked on with creating their own software and games. Raised their own finance, did their own marketing, cut their own distribution deals.
Barriers to entry? Talent, smarts, hard work and to a large extent, obsession.
Many people involved in the industry then, as now, tended towards the oddball.
Today we would class them as 'on the spectrum'.
There has never been, nor is there ever likely to be, an industry more open to entrants from any geographical, cultural or racial sector. The only limiting factor being talent and motivation.
That the history of software is replete with white nerdy blokes is simply because they were the ones who put in the time and effort to create the industry.
Today, times have moved on. Modern games can be multi-million pound franchises with budgets and personell to match. But at the heart of every game is the core design, logic and ai, and programming talent that make it happen.
And still we find that it is mostly a small, close knit team of young,nerdy blokes, usually white or asian, who are responsible.They often work extremely long hours under intense pressure to deliver and burnout is common. Which is why they earn the big bucks.
So what are the barriers to entry for women and alphabet people – none. The software world is famously egalitarian. Want to work in the industry? Make a real contribution to an Open Source project. Get on Git Hub and make a name for youself.
Write your own software or game. Prove to backers/software houses that you have an app/game/idea that is worth developing and that you have the track record and drive to see it through. No one is going to turn you down because of the way you dress, the colour of your hair, or who you f*ck.
All this is, is more tiresome whingeing by those who are not smart enough, hard working enough, or driven enough to compete on a level playing field. Fuck them, and the horse they rode in on.
I don't think boring can be stated enough. Nice, dull vicars who had zero passion, when it was not a bad job ruined it. And then built a synod of boring people to attract the boring. Most of these people are more interested droning on about politics than souls.
Why are Pentecostal churches almost full? Because they've got soul. They've got passion. It's about the devil and damnation and the light. You don't have to be religious to feel the power of it. Mumbling along to a church organ isn't in the same league. A vicar with a nice little sermon isn't like passionate people just taking the microphone and testifying how they were lost and Jesus saved them.
BlokeInBrum July 6, 2020 at 9:26 am
It's the bureaucratic mindset writ large.
More interested in the process and appearance than in saving souls.
Jesus was the ultimate rebel, an anarchic force there to disrupt the status quo. Not some limp wristed, lettuce eating simp, who wants you to feel good about youself by singing Kum Ba Yah.
The entire Church of England has become pussified from top to bottom.
Which is why of course, anyone with any testosterone flowing through their veins steers well clear.
john77 July 6, 2020 at 9:35 am
@ BlokeinBrum
Proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven or the rule of God is not anarchy
PJF July 6, 2020 at 12:06 pm
Can you dismiss magic pixies out of hand?
I'm guessing that you don't really want to die on that hill.
There is no record of 'Jesus' til ~70 A.D. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John K. Rowling fantasy books.
It's all completely fake and can't stand even the simplest examination.


text:
"At Once Spectacular and Familiar" – Daniel Wallace and Grant Ginder on Creating Characters We Root For
Don't you love eavesdropping? We do. That's why we connected authors Daniel Wallace and Grant Ginder and invited them to chat with each other over email and let us follow along. After all, who better to interview the writers of two fun summer reads — Extraordinary Adventures and The People We Hate at the Wedding — than the writers themselves? (We also love getting other people to do our work for us.)
But before we get into their conversation, let us introduce you: Extraordinary Adventures is Daniel Wallace's sixth novel. His first, as you might recall, was Big Fish — the bestseller/bookseller-favorite that later became a movie and a Broadway musical. Fortunately for Wallace (and readers everywhere), his book tour coincides with summer break at the University of North Carolina, where he teaches creative writing. His new book centers around Edsel Bronfman, a guy with a quiet, uninteresting life . . . until he wins a free couples-only vacation. With 79 days to find a partner and claim his trip, Edsel begins to look at everyone and everything differently. Novelist Wiley Cash (A Land More Kind Than Home) calls the story, "soulful, funny, wise, and surprisingly sexy."
Expect to see The People We Hate at the Wedding, Grant Ginder's third novel, sticking out of pool bags all summer. (Our events director, Niki, also noted how adorably perfect the cover is for wedding season. Hellooo, bridesmaid's gift.) It's a deliciously catty and unexpectedly heartwarming tale of what happens when adult siblings and various estranged parents and step-parents gather in England for a family wedding and lots of eye-rolling. Jennifer Close, author of The Hopefuls, dubbed it "family dysfunction at its best." Ginder is also a writing instructor at New York University.
Now that we're all acquainted, please enjoy an email interview between these two writers. And come have your own conversation with each of them when they visit Nashville! Daniel Wallace will be here June 7, Grant Ginder on June 29.
Daniel Wallace (left) and Grant Ginder
DW: So Grant, my first question is: How are you? Your pub date is one week after mine. I hope you're looking forward to it.
GG: Hello! I'm doing well! Busy with wrapping up the semester, and all that entails. The book stuff, meanwhile, is starting to get real. Last night I had a dream where Barbara Bush (?????) told me she didn't like it. So, there's that. How's all of that going for you? Exciting, I hope!
DW: I'm doing well! And don't be ridiculous: Barbara Bush is going to love your book.
Okay. So. A question: The People We Hate at the Wedding is a hilarious book that isn't frivolous at all; as we creative writing professors say, it has gravitas (one of the only Latin words I know). How do you do that?
GG: I think it was Erma Bombeck who said, "There's a thin line between laughter and pain" — or something to that effect. In any event, I try to keep this in mind while I'm writing. To an outside observer, my characters' insecurities might seem hilarious — absurd, even — but to the characters themselves, I imagine those tics to be very, very real. I suppose that's where the weight, or the gravitas, comes in. We've all got anxieties — and while we might joke about them outwardly, they're also the things that keep us up at night.
Now, my turn: Something that struck me about Edsel in Extraordinary Adventures is that his naïveté is punctuated with these glimpses of profound and moving wisdom. How do you flesh out that dynamic in a way that feels authentic, instead of writerly or put-on?
(This is fun!)
DW: Erma Bombeck does not get quoted enough. I also like this one: "Never go to a doctor whose houseplants have died."
To your question: Bronfman is naive in so many ways, and he doesn't have a lot of friends, and spends much of his time alone before the novel begins. But it's this innocence and incapacity to live that allows him to see the world in a new and different light. I think of Bronfman as an artist who has yet to find his art.
So Grant, TPWHATW (an acronym that just rolls off the tongue, btw) is a well-populated novel, but each character has her own story, and all of the stories are part of the same larger drama: you're like a juggler who keeps adding balls to his routine, until there are an impossible number of them in the air at the same time. Is this something you had to sketch out, to outline, or did you just sit down and see what happened?
GG: I love that — "an artist who has yet to find his art." Sort of like an Erma Bombeck who has yet to discover her inner At Wit's End. (Side note: I apologize for the copious Bombeck references — I went through a weird phase where I'd stay up late, drinking whiskey and reading her old columns.)
Regarding an outline for TPWHATW, I actually didn't have one, which was terrifying for me, though also oddly freeing. It gave me room, I think, to imagine the separate arcs of each of these characters, without the constraints of some pre-determined plot. The image I kept coming back to as I was writing was, oddly, a set of runaway trains — a bunch of locomotives with busted brakes that, inevitably, would collide.
Okay, now back to you: I'm fascinated by the way you deal with the whole notion of myth in your work. Big Fish, obviously, introduced readers to some outrageous and unforgettable tall tales. Sure, Bronfman isn't dealing with the wild fictions of Edward Bloom, but his adventures are nonetheless, well, extraordinary (sorry, I had to), and he certainly goes on an odyssey of his own. How do you manage to create stories that are at once spectacular and familiar?
DW: I've never outlined anything in my life, including my life. It's scarier, but more fun when (if) things work out. Working without a net brings more energy to the plot, to the prose itself. That's really evident in your novel.
Myth works for me, as a storyteller, in that it marries the quotidian with the magnificent, the incredible, the (okay, here I go, forgive me if you can) extraordinary. Bronfman is exceedingly ordinary, superficially; like the rest of us, beneath the skin he's a mass of thoughts and feelings and desires, some of them contradictory. Though the series of events that lead to his final self-discoveries seem to be tempting credibility, I believe each of them, all of them, could and probably have happened to someone. Just not to the same someone.
(Could I be more long-winded? Let's see.)
DW: I forgot to ask a question because all I think about is myself.
DW: Okay, I have a question for you, Grant Ginder.
This is your third novel. First and second books have their own specific identities, but the third book really doesn't. Or does it? Is it just the book that comes between the second and the fourth, or does it mean something more in the story of your writing career? As a writer who is clearly in it for the long haul, where in your professional psyche does this book reside?
GG: In a lot of ways, this is the most personal book that I've written. With my first novel, I didn't really know what I was doing (side note: I still don't really know what I'm doing). With the second one, I think I was focused on plot, on what makes a compelling story. The People We Hate at the Wedding, though, takes a turn inward; I'm writing about the stuff that's right in front of my nose. Maybe it's because I'm older and, paradoxically, I feel like I understand people less than I ever have before. This book is an attempt to figure them out, to unpack the complications of messy stuff like jealousy, and resentment, and love. I've got a feeling I'll be working in this vein for a long time.
So, Daniel. You run the creative writing program at UNC Chapel Hill (Go Heels!), where folks are lucky enough to have you as a professor. How do you see the act of teaching affecting your own work? Do you follow the advice you give your students, or are you constantly breaking your own rules?
DW: If I were writing a book of Zen koans I would say, The more I teach them the more I learn myself. But I'm not writing a book of Zen koans, so I will put it this way: I'm the most selfish person you'll ever meet. When I read my students's work I read it the same way I would read my own, discovering, invariably, that I make the same mistakes they do. When I ruthlessly castigate a student (and that's how I teach, through ruthless castigation) for writing a sentence that is much too long, a sentence that could, in fact, be three sentences, that meanders like a dizzy kitten — I think you know what I mean by a dizzy kitten — through a dark and swampy moor, a sentence so long that by the end of it you really don't know anymore where it started, I can see instances where I have made the same error, after which I ruthlessly castigate myself, and revise.
I've really enjoyed this back and forth. To end it I'm going to ask you the question writers like least in all the world: what are you working on now? And tell me in one word.
Here is my word: birds.
All best!
GG: This answer provides relief on so many levels. For starters, I'm glad that you're as selfish as I am when it comes to teaching, and writing. More importantly, though, I'm thrilled to know that someone else writes sentences that meander like drunk (and maybe stoned) kittens.
And, to answer your question: Ouzo.
This has been a blast!
Finally: I can't wait to see Extraordinary Adventures hit shelves.
Meet Daniel Wallace and Grant Ginder when they visit Parnassus Books in June! Both events are open to the public and free to attend.
Daniel Wallace, An Extraordinary Adventure
Wednesday, June 7, 6:30 p.m.
Grant Ginder, The People We Hate at the Wedding
Posted in Authors In Real LifeTagged daniel wallace, extraordinary adventures, grant ginder, the people we hate at the wedding
Prev Authors in Real Life: Lisa Ko and Weike Wang
Next Coming Soon to a School Near You: The Authors and Illustrators Behind Your Favorite Kids' Books

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Deciding when to retire is a big decision, and it's never too early to start planning. Your Fund is here to help you every step of the way.
Pension Counselors: Pension Counselors in our Pension Department can answer any of your questions. Call us at (646) 473-8666 or contact us online.


The Court of Appeal has overturned a decision of the High Court in finding Virgin's patent for an aircraft seating system to be valid and infringed. The Court of Appeal's judgment is of particular interest as it concerns the skilled person and general principles of claim construction. According to the Court of Appeal, the skilled person would: a) understand that reference numbers to drawings in claims should not be used to limit the claim; b) understand that the pre-characterising portion of a claim would be expected to describe the prior art; and c) upon seeing a reference to the patent being a divisional of a parent application would say 'what's a parent application?' and would go on to ask someone who knows (e.g. a patent agent).


text:
Each gloomy and hopeful predictions for the New Yr – Greeley Tribune
By Ed News Editor Last updated Jan 2, 2022
It's time for my annual New Year predictions. When I look into my crystal ball for 2022, I see cake. Yummy. Wait, do the Pi. This is the next letter in the Greek alphabet that goes into the name of a variant of COVID.
At the beginning of the pandemic, the World Health Organization began naming COVID-19 variants with Greek letters starting with alpha. Minor encumbrances and letters came and went, which is why theta and kappa did not get an iota of public attention.
The WHO skipped the letter Nu because it sounds new and Xi because it looks like the last name of China's dictator, thus sparing it from any unpleasant potential associations. We're at Omicron and that means there are only nine letters left. Perhaps only seven are usable, as tau is the name of a protein associated with Alzheimer's that is similar to Psi Psy, the Korean pop icon.
In retrospect, the WHO should have used the 74-letter Khmer alphabet for this rapidly mutating virus.
It's like they named my age cohort Generation X, skipped Generation Y in favor of Millennials, and named today's teenagers Generation Z. What's next? Generation AA? Whoever "they" are should be concerned about the consequences of starting with a few usable letters.
The same goes for the WHO's choice of the 24-letter Greek alphabet.
In contrast, strains of influenza are identified by a combination of four or more letters and numbers. Now that COVID, like influenza, appears endemic, it is time to move to more sustainable nomenclature.
While we're at it, we need to think in terms of sustainable public policies that don't close deals, place people unemployed, deny children an education, give politicians an excuse to borrow and spend (as they need one), or the ability to stifle freely to breathe and communicate.
Yes, on the latter point I am referring to masks. For those of you who have sent me Grim Reaper GIFs over Twitter after my anti-mask column, you know that my refusal to wear one in most situations has not resulted in a single reprimand from shopkeepers, let alone infection or premature death caused.
As variants of COVID come and go, some of the changes caused by the pandemic will continue. People will continue to mourn the loss of friends and relatives.
Denver Public Faculties shut on November 19 earlier than the…
Denver Public Colleges require masks for college students,…
It will take time to make up for lost learning. Hospital capacity is overloaded during peak infection times.
However, over time, the virus is likely to be less deadly due to better therapies, vaccines, and viral evolution. Variants that are highly transmissible but do not kill the host are more successful in propagating.
Other changes the pandemic will bring are positive and hopefully permanent. The number of employees working from home almost doubled during the pandemic. That means fewer commuters and less need for large company space in some industries.
Now that I've finally managed to log into ZOOM without swearing and crying tears of helpless anger, I confess that coming to a meeting without getting in a car is a nice thing.
Companies create better home worker performance sections and determine when face-to-face contact is actually required. For many employees, working from home has increased job satisfaction. A reduction in work traffic and office costs also means lower CO2 emissions.
We hope that our experiences of the past two years will lead to further discussions about the efficient use of energy and manpower. Do we really have to keep the lights on in the shop all night? Do you remember stars? Do restaurants have to be open between meal times? In much of the world they are not. What is needed What is superfluous?
Personally, the pandemic forced me to rebuild after the loss. Need brought about inventions. I repaired my own fridge, re-edged my Indian carpet and built plant boxes out of reclaimed wood.
Inspired by the local expert who became urban farmer Kelly Maher and her homegrown year, I grew and looked for more food. I even dug a root cellar.
Without taking college tuition for a semester, I've found that I enjoy taking substitute classes at elementary and middle schools, which I never thought was possible. I'm reading more, pickling vegetables, and reviving my high school French.
I have a smaller circle of friends, but my remaining friendships are deeper. I lost two elections, one for office and one electoral initiative, and came out more courageous.
I know I'm not the only one who plant seedlings after the fire. To the new in 2022!
– Krista L. Kafer is a weekly columnist for the Denver Post. Follow her on Twitter: @kristakafer.
NYC Limits Classroom Closures and Prioritizes Strengthened Exams for Faculties | USA & World
Colorado has half a billion {dollars} to repair its psychological well being system. However it received't work with out staff. | Subscriber-Solely Content material
Denver Public Faculties shut on November 19 earlier than the Thanksgiving break
Denver Public Colleges require masks for college students, lecturers, and workers
Marijuana? Graffiti? Denver Faculties prohibit calls to the police drive


Last week, our roastery received the long awaited Diedrich IR-12. Now that it is up and running and a few roasts has been performed on it, I'd like to ask those who know this roaster a few questions.
1. What batch size do you usually roast on it?
2. What is your expected turning point time & temperature?
3. When and around which temperature do you "usually" get to your first crack?
4. What is your roast development time between first and second crack (or time you drop when you don't get to second crack)?
5. According to the Diedrich Manual, they recommend to have the airflow 50/50 at 280f and in the drum (80/20) at 380f, do you roast using these airflow settings?
I am asking these questions because I used to roast on a Toper 10kg, in batches of 6kg, and my reference points are kind of tied to this roaster. I am also asking because I get astringency on some coffees that I didn't get on the Toper. Also, some coffees (i.e. Kenya) seem less intense than they were on the Toper.
I tried batches of 6kg, 10kg and 12kg. The problem might not be the load itself but the way to bring the coffee to first crack or even airflow settings.
Any hints or comments would be appreciated!
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed your training with Willem Boot. He has published a lot of interesting articles on roasting and seems very knowledgeable on coffee. I did my training with Mane Alves at Coffee Lab in Vermont. We roasted both on a small Probat 5kg and a Diedrich IR-3. However, I might try to attend to the "advanced" training with Diedrich sometime to better exploit our Diedrich IR-12.
When dropping at 385f, what are your batch size? I rarely drop below 415 when roasting 9+ kg. Then again, we might have a totally different weather :) Also, at which temperature do you usually bottom out? I usually get my turning point at around 165f @ 1:30.
I opted for the manual roasters so I'm working with "WC. I attended some of Willem Boot's courses in Mill Valley CA. Although he does not yet roast on a Diedrich for training purposes, his courses were a superb introduction to the art of roasting.
It's great to find some roasters using the Diedrich machines on this forum!
Hi Martin, so far most of my roasting work has been on the IR-1kg as I develop my roast profiles, so I'm using batch sizes of either 500 or 600grams (1.1-1.3lbs) - I found that smaller batch sizes make it difficult to get enough beans on the tryer to monitor roast progress. Bottom out temp with gas setting at 1.5"WC is usually between 175-184F which I usually hit at 1:20. Yep, I'd like to get the Diedrich's advanced training at some stage too, but it's quiet a hike to Sandpoint from the east coast of Ireland :) I've been there for the intro course and it was touch and go whether the flight from SFO would make it to Spokane due to fog...., so next time, I'll try and get there in the summer time.
Another issue that may effect your times and development is the altitude you roast at. I am around 7000ft., which effects batch size, airflow and finish times. Without as much air for the roaster, most of my roast finish between 16-17 minutes.
Yet on the cupping table, a nice African still comes across with tons of nice acidity and non of the issues you would expect with longer roast times. I guess it really all boils down to what you like, and how you personally choose to get there.
Under the profile development section they suggest roasting at least 10 batches of the same coffee to zone in on the right profile. Have you tried this technique or do you have an alternate solution? I think I would be drowning in coffee if I used this technique on every coffee.
I roast on a Diedrich Hr-1 roaster, this is the electric type. In my user manual I dont have a section called Profile Development. I would be grateful if you could say something about what Diedrich writes about this topic in your manual?
Try contacting Diedrich for a reprint on this section. If they will not email you a copy, I will attempt to get you the information. I have an IR12 and have never used the "profile development" as described above. I migrated from a atmospheric roaster so I had many profiles which I adapted to the IR12. Although Diedrich's technique looks like it would help narrow your choices, I also felt I would be producing too much coffee. My method while not very scientific is simple: I roast and cup. If I feel like tweaking, I will change it up looking for a better outcome. There are some excellent guidelines in this thread that should provide basic information. Hope this helps.
Stephan Diedrich's approach to developing a roast profile can be found in the 'Roasting Workshop Summary' booklet which is handed out to participants of the roasting workshops held at Diedrich's facility in Sandpoint. It's a big undertaking to follow the procedure as outlined and it does require a lot of time (it says about 10hrs of roasting and cupping in the manual) and coffee, however its probably the most thorough description you will find of how to tweak your roast so that you bring out the maximum flavor potential possible in the beans you stock. Stephan is absolutely passionate about coffee and this approach reflects his philosophy that good coffee deserves this type of treatment.
You can find an outline of Diedrich's approach to developing a roast profile in the SCAA Library in a transcript from a presentation given at the 14th Annual SCAA Conference held in Anaheim in 2002. The presentation is entitled "How to Obtain Excellence with Drum Roasters" Use the search function in the SCAA library found on this link.
And there it was. Thank you very much. I even listened to the whole thing with Stephan Diedrich, Torrey Lee & Carl Staub. Would recommend that to everyone.


Today I attempted to make Austin homemade baby food for lunch. I had bought two avocados at the Farmers Market for the specific purpose to mash it up for one of his first homemade baby foods. After all, the avocado farmers are raving about how it makes a great first food for babies. I figured, hey, let's give it a go!
Well, first off, I have NO CLUE if I was supposed to steam it first. I just thought that steaming fruits & veggies for baby food was just to make it soft enough to mash up. This avo was just perfect to mash without needing steamed. So I just scooped it out of its.....shell?....into a bowl & went to town on smooshing it. It was of the consistency of guacamole, more or less, so I figured it was go time!
With great ceremony, I brought Austin into the kitchen & got him all settled into his high chair. I made a big show of continuing to moosh the avocado in front of him. Hey, I wanted him to know that THIS was the start of something special: a great culinary journey that I would deliciously guide him on. I had visions of being the Julia Childs of baby gourmet. Every baby would beg to eat my offerings of pureed goodness.
I looked Austin in the eye & told him what the Lunch du Jour was. His eyes grew wide. I'd like to think he was extremely impressed at my dedication to being World's Best Mommy.
The rest was like a scene from a horror movie. In what I can only describe as cinematic slow motion, he opened his tiny mouth. He trusted me completely. And what did Mommy of the Year do? I VIOLATED his teeny taste buds with the most vile substance known to man! I mean, this kid thinks its hilarious when our Rat Terrier sticks her nasty tongue in his mouth. He's not picky, ya know?
He made the most horrified face & promptly started gagging. It was like his stomach was trying to escape via his mouth. He was gagging & had smooshed avocado running down his chin. I dropped the spoon & began wiping his mouth out with a paper towel. I felt horrible! What had I done?!
So I did the only thing any normal parent would do: I put another spoonful into his mouth. I figured that first bite was a fluke. It couldn't be that horrid. Let's give it another shot.
Apparently it WAS that horrid because he did the same horrified-face-gaggy-mouth thing all over again.
So I dumped the contents of the bowl into the trash. I opened my cupboard door, defeated, and took out a jar of Sweet Corn Casserole baby food & settled down on the chair next to him.
God bless my little chick: he opened his mouth right up. No suspicions or grudges. My transgression had been, not only forgiven, but also forgotten.


There is a lot of history behind any kind of mourning jewelry, which originates from the Victorian era. Hand woven hair is the center of this 9 karat rose gold initial ring. In a size 9, this ring is in excellent condition for its age.


LOUDON, N.H. – Matt Kenseth pulled away down the stretch to win the Sprint Cup race Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch each led more than 120 laps before fading late, paving the way for Kenseth to win for the second time this season.
Kenseth also won the New Hampshire race last September. He was 38th career victories.
Tony Stewart finished second and strengthened his spot inside the top 30 in the points standings. Stewart has a win this season and needs to secure a spot in the top 30 in points to clinch a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. He entered the race in 30th.
Joey Logano was third, followed by Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle.
Alex Bowman had a solid day ruined when he hit the wall late and finished 26th driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt was sidelined because he suffered from symptoms of a concussion.


Like 717M, this model provides a mild sense of hitting, high spin performance , and excellent control performance, all of which are specific to the muscle back forged mechanism. Considered requests from tournament professional golfers, the top and leading edges are sharp, providing an image of sharper motion with that shape. In addition, making the pocket appearance uniform in a set of golf clubs provides the impression of crushing the ball with the same feeling.
Large back face part of body offers a mild hitting feeling.
The sharp leading edge line is easy to point the target.
Special face design to suits heads with low designs for each number.
The shape of short iron less than #8 designed with more square image than a previous model. This is a also the demand from a professional tour players.


The Great Debate: What's at the Heart of Your Marketing Plan – TV or Mobile?
How are Brands Engaging the Real Transformers?
The Making of "Trump Revealed"
Are You Getting Audience Attention with Video?
McCann / IPG Leadership Breakfast: Deploying the Power of Creativity to Address the World's Most Pressing Problems.


text:
Possibility Park Zoo Announces Resuming In July
Prospect Park Zoo Announces Reopening In July
Today At The Zoo
Extra Concerning Prospect Park
Over the next six months, new houses were found for the displaced pets in other zoos throughout the US. Demolition was managed by the Parks Division and started in June 1989, commencing what came to be virtually a five-year, $37 million effort, overrunning preliminary quotes by 2 years and $19 million. Read more about prospect park zoo entrance here. The exteriors of the Aymar Embury structures were preserved, but badly worn-out interiors were gutted, pits as well as cages were knocked down, and new frameworks were developed. The facilities were committed the NY Zoological Society in April 1993. The Culture intended to mark each of its 3 small zoos with a certain function. The Central Park Zoo would be concentrated toward preservation; the Prospect Park Zoo would certainly be mainly a kids's zoo; and the Queens Zoo would become a zoo with North American pets.
Prospect Park Zoo Reveals Resuming In July
The original Prospect Park Zoo began in the late 1800s as a menagerie and also formally opened as Prospect Park Zoo, under New York City monitoring, in 1935. After management transferred to WCS in the 1980s, remodelling of the park began in August 1989. Architectural components and the initial format were preserved while the exhibitions were changed with natural habitats for the pets parking near prospect park brooklyn. Larger pets were transferred to the bigger zoos while tiny pets remained. The Prospect Park Zoo currently supplies children's curricula, is participated in restoration of jeopardized varieties populaces, runs a wildlife cinema and reaches out to the regional neighborhood through volunteer programs.
Points To Do In Brooklyn
The programs of the brand-new facility were geared towards enlightening children. Class for the Discovery Facility were housed in a dedicated building on the north wing of the zoo.
POSSIBILITY PARK, BROOKLYN– The Possibility Park Zoo will certainly open for the first time in 4 months in late July ought to New york city City continue with its rate of resuming its economic climate from the coronavirus dilemma, the zoo announced. Adhere To a Spooky Path to discover several of the zoo's "scary" next-door neighbors that appear prospect park zoo free admission in the evening. It's likewise enjoyable to check out Possibility Park by bike, you can rent one at any one of the Citibike terminals around the park. So make sure to watch out for the signs that caution you when they are coming as well as give leave routes to stay clear of the treacherous hills.
It is arranged around a working barn with lamb, cows, goats, ducks, geese and also other animals. The Possibility Park Zoo belongs to the Wild animals Conservation Culture, an incorporated network of four zoos and a fish tank spread throughout New York City. Located at 450 Flatbush Opportunity, throughout from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the zoo is situated on a 12-acre (4.9 ha) plot somewhat lower than road degree in Prospect Park.
Even in WCS literature "Prospect Park Zoo" is now made use of mutually with the new name. The volunteer program at the Possibility Park Zoo involves members of the neighborhood; it is a mix outreach and also curriculum for grownups. Volunteer overviews conduct scenic tours for visitors, while volunteer docents augment the curriculum. Following their graduation, docents assist personnel in placing on demonstrations and also describing exhibits. The zoo presents 3 themed event places, each housed in a devoted building. Discover more concerning Possibility Park Zoo's background, animal collection, and much more.
Possibility Park Zoo is a memorable wedding celebration place in Brooklyn, New York that is an enjoyable location for special occasions of all dimensions. If you're a nature individual and love animals, after that Possibility Park Zoo is the best place for your wedding. Picture speaking your attractive wedding event promises amongst lemurs, crocodiles, or sea lions, or taking your very first stroll as a pair with their magnificent gardens.
TheProspect Park Zoois a 12-acre (4.9 ha) zoo situated off Flatbush Avenue on the eastern side of Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York City. The present facility initially opened as a city zoo on July 3, 1935, as well as was part of a bigger revitalization program of city parks, play areas and also zoos started in 1934 by Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. It was constructed, in large component, via Civil Works Administration and Functions Task Management labor and financing.
This regardless of, a couple of functions of the original park style did offer zoological functions. A Wild Chicken Pond, as soon as occupying the north quadrant of the zoo premises, worked as a sanctuary for water birds. A Deer Paddock, as soon as inhabiting the southerly quadrants of the zoo premises, was a penned-in location for deer. Additionally, a flock of lamb regularly preserved the turf in the park meadows and were maintained in a paddock on the eastern flank of Sullivan Hillside, near the now-demolished Dairy products Farmhouse.
Extra About Prospect Park
2 baboons birthed at the zoo last year have actually been sent out to one more facility and will certainly start their very own troop. I obtained worried since it was simply one employee adhering to the bird on foot, heading down a path that would certainly go across the out-of-control bicyclists on East Drive. 2 employees almost captured him near a fence, yet again that peacock was too quick.
Tags: prospect resuming reveals
Previous: Just How To Construct Concealed Doors
Next: 15 Finest Ways To Enjoy Juneau, Alaska Throughout A Cruise Ship


I could pretend that I don't love you.
I could pretend that its not easy.
i could pretend that we not cosmically united.
I could pretend, I could pretend.
But i can't fail to see just how kind you are to me.
I can't fail to see just how kind you are.
I can't fail to see that we're cosmically divided.
I can't fail to see, I can't fail to see.
I could pretend that I'm not melting.
I could pretend that I'm not on fire.
I could pretend that we're just cosmically divided.
But I don't want to go there, no, I don't want to go.
No i don't want to go there.
We'll take to the sky.
I find it use to me no more to hide.
I could pretend that its's not easy.
I could that I'm not melting.


text:
\section{Anomalous Chromomagnetic Moments of Quarks}

New interactions or composite structure can lead to anomalous magnetic
moments for electromagnetic interactions and anomalous chromomagnetic
moments for colored intermediate states of colored quarks.  The form of
the interaction is
\begin{equation}
{\cal L}_{eff} = g \bar{\psi} \frac{\lambda_a}{2}
(-\gamma_\mu G_\mu^a + \frac{\kappa'}{2} \sigma_{\mu \nu} G_{\mu \nu}^a)
\psi
\end{equation}
It has been shown\cite{silverman} that these could account for a
possible discrepancy between CDF and D0 data and QCD\cite{CDF,tung},
although this can also be accounted for by larger gluon structure
functions.

Since these same interactions can contribute to the mass of the
quarks, they are usually considered to be small for light mass
quarks\cite{brodskydrell,shawsilvermanslansky}, but can be larger for
heavier quarks, such as the $b$ and certainly for the $t$ quark.  New
heavy mass intermediate fermions could be allowed, however, if
balanced by much heavier bosons since the ratio $\kappa' \propto
m_F/m_B^2$ occurs\cite{brodskydrell,shawsilvermanslansky}.
(Supersymmetry avoids this problem by only having squarks couple to
gauginos with either pure L or R coupling, never mixing the two to
form a mass term.)  Here we examine without prejudice the
phenomenology assuming the same anomalous chromomagnetic moment for
each quark.  Separate analyses have been made for only the $t$
quark\cite{rizzocs,cheung,haberl} or also the $b$ quark\cite{silverman} having
the moment.  Formulas for the cross sections in high tranverse energy
jets\cite{silverman} and high transverse energy prompt photon
production\cite{cheungsil} have been given.

In this short contribution, we define a statisitical criteria for
comparing the sensitivity of new accelerators in energy and luminosity
to set limits on $\kappa' \equiv 1/\Lambda$.  $\Lambda$ is not to be
taken literally as the scale of the new phenomena, due to the complex
relation cited above.

\section{Simple Criteria for Statistical Sensitivity in High Transverse
Energy Jets and in Prompt Photon Production}

Without a full Monte Carlo of the detector including energy
determination errors, we will treat here only the statistical
sensitivity of the various experiments.  Our criteria\cite{hinchliffe}
is to take bins of appropriate size for the energy range being
examined, and find the $E_T$ called $E_T^*$ at which the QCD cross
section statistical error bars are 10\%.  These will be bins in which
there are 100 QCD events.  We then explore the cross section due to
QCD plus the anomalous chromomagnetic moment contribution, and find
the value of $\kappa' \equiv 1/\Lambda$ or $\Lambda$ where the excess
over QCD is 10\% at this $E_T^*$.  These $E_T^*$ and $\Lambda$ are
shown in Table I.  Since the cross section is steeply falling, varying
the bin size by a factor of two makes only a small change in the value
of $E_T^*$ or $\Lambda$.  The limits in $|\eta|$ used are 0.9
for CDF and the Tevatron, and 1.0 for LHC.

We see from the table that $\Lambda$ sensitivity is roughly the same
scale as the beam energy.  We also see that large increases in
luminosity do not increase $\Lambda$ proportionately even to the square
root of the luminosity.

\section{Equivalent Challenges in Theory and Systematical Errors}

To match a 10\% statistical uncertainty, the theory and systematic errors
must be reduced to the same amount.  Since structure functions
enter as a product of two of them, the dominant regions have to have
errors less than 5\% each.  The value of $\alpha_s$ at these transverse
energies must also be known better than 5\%.  The main systematic
error is non-linearities in the energy measurement at these high $E_T$.
$d\sigma/dE_T$ falls at least as fast as $E_T^{-3}$ on dimensional
grounds, and also picks up some of the $(1-x_T)^n$ powers from the
structure functions, from $x_1 \approx x_2 \approx x_T
\equiv E_T/(\sqrt{s}/2)$.  Using the minimum falloff of $E_T^{-3}$,
a 3\% error on the linearity of $E_T$ at $E_T^*$ becomes a 10\% error
on the cross section.

\begin{table*}[t!]
\leavevmode
\begin{center}
\caption{Table of High $E_T$ Bins at 10\% Statistical Error and
1-$\sigma$ Sensitivity for $\Lambda$ in That Bin}
\label{table1}
\vskip0.2in
\begin{tabular}{|l||r|r|r||r|r||r|r|}
\hline
 & & Integrated & &\multicolumn{2}{c|| }{$E_T$ Jets}
&\multicolumn{2}{c|}{Photons} \\
\cline{5-8} \cline{5-8}
Accelerator & $E_{\rm cm}$ & Luminosity & Bin Width
& $E_T^*$ & $\Lambda$ & $E_T^*$ & $\Lambda$ \\
\hline
 & TeV & fb$^{-1}$ & GeV & GeV & TeV & GeV & TeV \\
\hline
Tevatron:& & & & & & & \\
         Run I  & 1.8 & 0.1 & 10 & 360 & 1.8 & 140 & 0.7 \\
         Run II & 2.0 & 2   & 20 & 490 & 2.8 & 260 & 1.5 \\
        Stretch & 2.0 & 10  & 20 & 540 & 3.3 & 325 & 1.9 \\
        TeV33   & 2.0 & 30  & 20 & 575 & 3.5 & 370 & 2.1 \\
\hline
        LHC     & 14  & 10  & 100 & 2500 & 13 & 1000 & 4.5 \\
        LHC     & 14  & 100 & 100 & 3100 & 17 & 1400 & 6.3 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{table*}

These give goals for theory and energy measurement to be strived for
to make use of the high energy and luminosity achievable at the
Tevatron and at the LHC.  Finally, the statistical significance of
several bins in a row with deviation in the same direction can easily
be increased above the 1-$\sigma$ deviation of a single bin used here
by grouping all such bins into a large bin.  The details of doing this
in a specific case will depend on the other errors as well.

The authors acknowledge useful discussions with T.G. Rizzo, R. Peccei, R.
Harris, J. Whitmore, J. Soderquist and I. Hinchliffe.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


Product ID: OMNIFILTER-GAC1-SS Category: Carbon Water Filters-9 7/8" X 2 3/4"
Description: OMNIFILTER GAC1 ® Replacement GAC Water Filter Series C. Granular Activated Carbon for Sediment/Rust Particles, Taste/Odor, Chlorine Reduction. Included in SFM2 Series A Undersink Water Filter - 2000 Gallons/20 Microns - 6 per case, priced and sold individually. GAC1-SS. Order a full case and save even more.


Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Line a 20cm square cake tin with baking parchment.
Place the butter in a bowl with the sugar and beat together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and lemon extract with the flour, until completely combined. Add the milk so that the mixture is a dropping consistency.
Spoon into the prepared cake tin, levelling the surface with the back of a spoon and hollowing the centre slightly. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Once cooked, transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
Invert the cake so that the flat side is now the top. Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut the cake into 36 x 3cm squares (6 strips in each direction). Return the cakes to the wire cooling rack.
Sieve the fondant icing sugar into a bowl, gradually add 3-4 tbsp hot water and stir until smooth. Spoon over the individual cakes. Use a wet, round-bladed knife or small palette knife to cover the sides. Return them to the wire rack and leave to dry and set. Cover the remaining icing with clingfilm.
Once the icing on the cakes has set, stir 1-2 drops of food colouring into the reserved icing. Using a teaspoon, drizzle a zig-zag over each cake. Allow to set, then serve each cake in a mini muffin case.


I went to Alcatraz last week for the first time since a field trip in grade school. Wow, I should of gone sooner. It's a fascinating spot and more than just a place to take out-of-town visitors.
The prison is of course iconic and there are great views of the Golden Gate and the rest of the bay, but also the island has some of the most historic gardens in California. They were started by the military in the 1850's on soil brought over from Angel Island, and then various soldiers, jailers, and inmates expanded and maintained the gardens throughout the years as the island went from fort to military prison to federal prison. The gardens were abandoned when the prison was closed down and a lot of the island was swallowed up by weeds, but a lot of the tougher plants held on. In 2003 the Garden Conservancy took over the gardens and began restoring them. Many, many, many hours of volunteer labor have gone into them. Restoration seems to be about developing or preserving the dichotomies of Alcatraz: a prison garden full of escaped exotics, a weeded garden ruin, wild plants in one of the most human-built sites in California.
There are a ton of different building materials throughout the island, with various types of concrete, stone, and brick mixed and layered in funky ways reflecting the island's transformations from fort to military prison to prison. Even in the calla lily photo there are two different types of stone. The brickwork in the photo below almost looks like a tapestry the way it is outlined by what were originally the corners of separate stone walls.
I'm not sure what plants are naturalized from before and which ones have been added by the Garden Conservancy. There's an extensive website for the gardens, including a blog, with a lot of photos and information about the history of the gardens. Quite a few garden bloggers have visited the island; Saxon Holt at Gardening Gone Wild, Far out Flora, and Oakland Guerrilla Gardener are two of the ones I know about.
This hand-carved granite doorway was built when the prison was still a fort. In the upper corners are two pulleys from the original drawbridge door.
This entry was posted on Sunday, April 24th, 2011 at 7:42 am and is filed under public gardens. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Excellent post! The history of the gardens is fascinating, thank you for sharing it.
I had no idea. I wonder if there ever was a backlash. A few years back there was a prison design that won a big architectural award for its humanistic details. The politicos in charge didn't like the idea of a humane prison and turned it into a REAL prison, instead. Sad. So I wonder how gardens on Alcatraz were perceived. Too nice for the felons?
Beautiful gardens! I went to Alcatraz and saw the gardens in September two years ago with my husband. It's great to get a look at them in a different season.