Alzheimer's Disease is characterized by the formation of intracellular tau protein neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and extracellular amyloid-beta (AB) plaques. Both are "clumps" of misfolded protein. The formation pathway of each is described as follows.
On average the experimental tau-AB aliquot had 2.66 times as much aggregation compared to the positive and negative control aliquots. The experimental aliquot increased in overall aggregation by 18.7%, the AB control aliquot by -12.2%, and the Positive control by 6.4% (Figures 3, 4). The line of best fit in Figure 5 shows that the experimental aliquot aggregated at an average rate of 1.2065 RFUs/min, while the AB control aliquot aggregated at an average rate of 0.2179 RFUs/min. The rate of the former is approximately 5.5 times faster than the latter. The buffer aliquot expressed zero aggregation throughout the entire reading.


Our famous, award-winning wings are fresh, never frozen and fried in 100% peanut oil! We start with them naked, then toss them in your favorite sauce and serve them with celery and your choice of ranch or bleu cheese dressing.
Add 99¢ for extra wet, all drums, all flats, extra celery or extra dressing.
Tossed in mild, hot or extra hot sauce.
Order them mild, hot or extra hot.
Try Extra Hot Buffalo Sauce and Jamaican Jerk Spice together or start with Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce and add Jack Daniel's Bourbon Glaze... Yum! Go for your personal favorite or try something totally new. Or maybe you just really like your wings smothered... try two helpings of your favorite Sauce!
All sandwiches served with fries. Substitute onion rings for fries, add 1.99. Substitute side salad for fries, add 2.99.
Our legendary hand-pattied half-pound burgers come fully dressed with lettuce, tomato, red onion & pickles. Served with fries.
BBQ Sauces: Beau's Original, Hickory Smoked, Honey Gold, Sweet & Bold, Hot & Spicy.
Our very own meaty, hickory smoked, fallen'-off-the-bone spare ribs. Order them basted with your choice of one of our tangy BBQ sauces or dry rubbed with our secret blend of spices. Served with your choice of two side items, Texas toast & a side of BBQ sauce.
All Rib Combos are served with your choice of two side items & Texas toast.
Salad Dressings: Ranch, Bleu Cheese, Thousand Island, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Asian, Lite Italian.
Hand-breaded, Alabama pond-raised catfish filets served with fries, cole slaw, hush puppies & tartar sauce.
Served Every Evening after 5 p.m.
Choose Traditional Buffalo Style or Boneless Wings.
Served with fries, celery & your choice of ranch or bleu cheese dressing. Additional charges apply for extra wet, all drums, all flats, extra celery or extra dressing.
Five piece minimum order. Additional charges apply for extra wet, all drums, all flats, extra celery or extra dressing. Sorry, dine-in only.
Served every day until 2 p.m.
All lunch special baskets are served with fries & tea. Substitutions will incur additional charges.
Served with celery & your choice of ranch or bleu cheese dressing. Additional charges apply for extra wet, all drums, all flats, extra celery or extra dressing.
Need catering? We can do that! Whether you are planning a gathering for a small group or a large crowd, we can help you with a menu that will be sure to be a crowd pleaser. Ask the manager for details.
Served with celery & your choice of ranch or bleu cheese dressing. Sorry, no all flats, all drums, or split orders.
Hand-breaded chicken tenders, served with your choice of honey mustard or BBQ sauce.
An 18% gratuity will be added to the checks on parties of 8 or more persons.
Health Advisories: Consuming raw or undercooked meat. poultry or seafood may increase your risk of foodborne illness.
Food Allergy Warning: Our food may contain peanut products.


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Life Stories: Children Find Meaning in Old Family Tales
Education, Healing, Personal Storytelling, Storytelling It's News!By Producers & Organizers SIG March 11, 2009
Wall Street Journal (New York, NY), March 11, 2009 Summary: As parents cut budgets, many are finding family stories have surprising power to help children through hard times. Storytelling experts say the phenomenon reflects a growing national interest in telling tales, evidenced by a rise in storytelling events and festivals. New research bears out the…
Stop Me if You've Heard This One
Education, Healing, Personal Storytelling, Storytelling It's News!By Producers & Organizers SIG February 16, 2009
Newsweek (New York, NY), February 16, 2009 Summary: Ann Banks, editor of First-Person America, an anthology of oral histories collected by the WPA's Federal Writers' Project, wrote: I was raised on Depression stories; this was only one of many told around our dinner table. Hearing them again and again, I became fascinated by the role…
The Secrets of Storytelling: Why We Love a Good Yarn
Business, Education, Healing, Storytelling It's News!By Producers & Organizers SIG September 1, 2008
Scientific American Mind (New York, NY), September, 2008 Summary: Storytelling is a human universal, and common themes appear in tales throughout history and all over the the world. The best stories—those retold through generations and translated into other languages—do more than simply present a believable picture. These tales captivate their audience, whose emotions can be…
Empathy in the Time of Technology: How Storytelling is the Key to Empathy
Digital Storytelling, Education, Storytelling It's News!By Producers & Organizers SIG September 1, 2008
Journal of Evolution and Technology (Hartford, CT), – Vol. 19 Issue 1 – September 2008 – pgs 51-61 Summary: Will the transhuman technologies that our accelerating future promises enable us to increase our empathy to others? Or will their use decrease our ability to understand 'the other' that exists outside our own selves, families,…
The Stories We Tell that Could Build a City
Education, Healing, Storytelling It's News!By Producers & Organizers SIG April 6, 2008
(The Oregonian, Portland, OR), April 6, 2008 Summary: Is it possible that the city we imagine — the city that isn't, that was, that could be — is more real than the one that actually exists? Do we fashion cities through the stories that we tell, as real as anything that's already around us? At…
Asian Pacific American Student Association Event Aims to Change Perceptions
Diversity, Education, Personal Storytelling, Storytelling It's News!By National Storytelling Network March 4, 2008
Daily Trojan (Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA), March 4, 2008 Summary: The Asian Pacific American Student Association invited community members to speak about social justice and their struggles at "Stories from our Community" on Monday night. Daniel Wu, a sophomore majoring in international relations and APASA's community chair, said…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


(Bitgenstein's Table is now available on many platforms, including Apple Podcasts, DTube, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Soundcloud, and more. Please leave a review to help other's discover Bitgenstein's Table.) Early decentralized social networks like Peepeth and DTube are starting to come online, resisting censorship with permanence. Meanwhile, privacy coins like Monero fight censorship with anonymity. Do we want a world of transparent permanence or a world of anonymity? In part 1 of Heresy, Privacy & Censorship, I introduce censorship resistance, concerns with it, and the projects I mentioned above. The Peepeth Kickstarter (and exclusive Peepeth rewards) are at http://kck.st/2PndDIt *** Correction: I accidentally call Cuthbert Tunstall the "Archbishop of Canterbury" in this episode. He was actually Bishop of Durham, though he was appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Music this week: 3 songs by Ernesto Lecuona, performed by me, plus a couple of improvisations. Theme song by Joseph Dickinson (audiojungle.net/user/jdmusic).


– You made hummus from canned chickpeas?!
I still remember the disbelief in the tone of voice. The voice belonged to one of my Israeli friends, speaking to a fellow countryman who had brought home made hummus to a student pot luck party. Made from canned chickpeas.
The hummus was actually pretty good. But more than that it was my first experience of the importance of this humble dish not just to Israelis but peoples of the Middle East more generally. Everyone wants to own hummus. And, of course, everyone makes it better than anybody else. Cue hours of discussion and debate on the ins and outs of hummus. In this particular instance, the debate surrounded the cardinal sin that is making hummus from canned chickpeas.
I always make mine from dried chickpeas that have been cooked until completely tender. There is a time and place for using canned chickpeas, but hummus isn't one of them. If all I have is tinned chickpeas, I make a good chickpea salad or spiced chickpeas with some veggies on the side. I find the tinned stuff is either too hard, too salty, or just doesn't have the right flavour for hummus.
Another thing I learned from my Israeli friends is the importance of tahini. (Israelis practically live on the stuff.) Good tahini. And lots of it. For when we say hummus, we really mean humus tehina, the hummus variety where the chickpeas are married with tahini paste to create a light and creamy dip.
For hummus, always use the regular light coloured variety. (In fact, always use the regular light coloured variety full stop.) Brands differ substantially in quality, so try different ones until you find one you like. Arab brands are generally far superior to western brands, including the Cypriot or Turkish ones. So if you see a jar with Arab writing on it, give it a go. As with anything there are exceptions: the Turkish brand Altan Manisalı is excellent. What appears to be their only shop is in İzmir, but if you're in Istanbul you can find their tahini (and pekmez) at the Namlı Gurme shops (there's one in Karaköy and another on Hasırcılar Caddesi near the spice market). Mainstream Turkish brands such as Koska are best avoided and some of the Turkish supermarket own-label stuff can be positively vile.
Serve hummus as is, with a little good quality extra virgin olive oil and some paprika sprinkled on top and some pita bread to dip. Or get creative – hummus is an excellent base to an incredibly flavoursome meal. The recipe below is how I usually make my hummus. It always yields a light and creamy hummus which I'd happily serve even my hummus fanatical Middle Eastern friends. Yields c. 450 g hummus, enough for 3-4 as a small starter or snack, more if you're serving it as part of a larger meze table. If you want more, just double the recipe.
Soak the chickpeas in at least 3x their volume water for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Change the water, add the bicarbonate of soda and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and leave to simmer until soft, anything from 25 minutes to an hour or more – this can vary quite significantly from batch to batch. The chickpeas are done when you can easily mash them by gently squeezing them between your fingers. Drain and reserve the cooking water.
Set aside a few of the prettiest-looking chickpeas to garnish.
While still hot, add the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic 100 ml of the cooking water, cumin (if using) and salt to a food processor and mix until completely smooth and fairly fluffy, at least 3-4 minutes but don't worry about overdoing it. Taste and adjust seasoning or flavours to your preference. At this stage, the hummus will be fairly runny but don't worry – it will set once it cools down. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on top of the hummus (i.e. there should be no air between the hummus and the plastic wrap). Leave until it has reached room temperature and it has set. If you're short on time, put it in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
Serve on one large or (preferably) several small plates. Use the back of a spoon to create the characteristic dimples in the bowl. Garnish with the reserved chickpeas, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over and top with some spices and chopped flat-leaf parsley, if you like.
There are endless ways to top your hummus – there are restaurants dedicated to the stuff. Here are a couple of easy variations.
Hummus with pine nuts & lemon: Toast 30 g pine nuts in a dry pan on medium heat until golden, stirring or shaking regularly to keep the pine nuts from burning. Mix with 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley. Prepare the hummus as above, topping with the pine nut and lemon mixture instead of olive oil, spices and parsley.
Hummus with za'atar: Make as above, but instead of spices and parsley, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of za'atar over the hummus.
I must try you Hummos!!
Hi! I just discovered your blog, it's amazing!
I have just one question, do you blend them straight away without taking off the skin?
Thank you! I don't usually take off the skin, but I do remove the ones that come off and float to the top naturally while cooking the chickpeas. If you do take the time to remove the skin, you'll get an unbelievably smooth hummus. I find, however, that it's more than smooth enough even when I don't, and therefore not usually worth the extra effort. Have a nice day!
how important is to mix the whole thing while the chickpeas are hot ? does it make such a big difference ? i always cool them under tap water after cooking so i can serve it straight away. i suppose you have tried both ways, i would be curious to knw the difference.
Apologies for the late response, this blog has been dormant for a few months. Mixing while the chickpeas are still hot makes a difference to the texture, so I'd recommend doing that still. To cool it down quickly, you can spread it on a big (cold) plate and cover with plastic wrap – it'll cool down a lot faster than if you leave it in a bowl.
Just discovered your blog, really interesting !
I am in love with middle eastern food and a huge fan of tahini.. I am pursuing a quest to try as many as I can and to find the ones that makes a real difference..
You are mentioning Manisali that could be found in Istanbul.. I will be there next week end, in Istanbul, and I cannot wait to try and get a jar of this one ! Do you mind asking if you have any other recommendations ? Have you discovered any other products based out of tahini that are incredible and can be found in Istanbul ?
First time for me in Istanbul, any other recommendations in terms of food, healthy products … ?


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Apartments & Prices
Apartment Garden (3-5)
Apartment Panorama (5-7)
Contact & Online Booking
Apartments Prabosch
With a fantastic view of Ortisei
Our house is located in a very sunny and quiet position at ten minutes walking distance from the centre of Ortisei with a wonderful view
of the valley and the Dolomites. In a few minutes you can reach the main lifts that are directly connected with the Sellaronda.
Our very spacious and comfortable apartments are the ideal place to relax after a beautiful day on our slopes or an exciting hike in the mountains.
Pets are not allowed, we apologize for any inconvenience.
UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites
Ortisei in Val Gardena
A village perfect for a stroll, a place to discover and fall in love with
Together with the smaller villages of S. Cristina and Selva Val Gardena, Ortisei is located in the Dolomites in Val Gardena, South Tyrol. Ortisei has become famous thanks to its artfully decorated and carved wooden sculptures, which for generations have been carved by the deft hands of woodcarver families. The Dolomites Val Gardena craftsmanship continues to this very day to be a main driver for woodcarving, offering a lot more than our world-famous nativity scenes.
Traditional hotels and beautiful residential buildings from the turn of the century characterise the village of Ortisei. Tourism has been the most important industry in the area already since the 19th century. The pedestrian area in Ortisei connects the chapel of Saint Ulrich to the Antonius church, and is described as the most beautiful shopping street in the Dolomites. Holiday-goers and other tourists can shop in the beautiful boutiques and sit down in one of the countless village cafes to enjoy a slice of homemade cake.
Apartment Garden
Apartment Panorama
A valley bursting with tradition, culture and character
All the ingredients that go into a perfect holiday can be found in the Dolomites in Val Gardena: three beautiful villages where exclusive hotels, rustic guesthouses and plenty of opportunities to recharge your batteries are waiting just for you; the beautiful natural landscape which will make you forget about the everyday grind and a sportive offer make the decision to come here an easy one. Take the time to discover the multifaceted offer of the Dolomites in Val Gardena. We really don't mind when you decide to come and visit us: come for a hike in the warmer seasons of the year or ski during winter!
Holidays at Prabosch Apartments in Ortisei
We look forward to your visit in our spacious apartments
Do not hesitate to contact us
we'll be happy to tell you about the availability
of our houses and to give you some
Fam. Rier
Sobosch Str. 8
holiday@prabosch.com
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Michelle Rempel's Bizarre Political Marriage of Convenience
Well we all knew Michelle Rempel was desperate, and I mean desperate to become the interim leader of the shattered and shell shocked Cons.
Her late night boozy woozy Twitter monologues have made that only too clear.
But who knew she was so desperate that she'd enter into a bizarre political marriage of convenience with of all people Denis Lebel?
Many of you have committed to supporting a joint interim leadership bid led by Denis Lebel and myself. This aligns with precedent in 2004 where our caucus selected a joint interim leader.
We would bring depth in talent in political management, vigor in communication, and represent gender and language balance to this role. We will provide you with more information on our managerial, communication skills, and party activist activities.
It's not the idea that's so weird. As Rempel points out that's what they did just before Harper became leader. One Con became the Leader of the Opposition, while the other one became the party leader.
What is truly bizarre is that after going on at length about all the things that need to be done to renew the Cons, she would hook up with an old hoofer like Denis Lebel...
Who is best known in Quebec as being the guy who trotted behind Stephen Harper carrying a big bag of money, to try to buy the love of the province.
The one who kept beating the bigot drum on the niqab issue until the very end of the campaign, long after other Cons had moved on to other subjects.
And of course as the Minister of Transport who beat a hasty retreat from that portfolio very shortly after the Lac Megantic disaster...
So Rempel needs a renewal partner like that one, like a drowning man needs an anvil. Or a burning one needs a gas station.
Or for that matter, like Jason Kenney, who is lusting after the position of permanent leader, needs Rempel reorganizing what he now considers HIS party...
So there will be trouble.
But what I find so striking is that there are now eight Cons pursuing a position that would disqualify them from running for permanent leader, and that all of them are so mediocre.
Which tells me two things:
One, the only thing that can explain this unseemly stampede must be the perks that come with the position.
The official Opposition leader gets an $80,100 boost to the MP's $167,400 base salary. The interim leader would also get the car, driver and right to live in Stornoway, the Opposition leader's official residence in Ottawa's tony Rockcliffe neighbourhood.
Which raises the interesting question, if Rempel is chosen will she share Stornoway with Lebel?
And will that make her feel secure in her bed as she once did when Big Daddy Harper was still around?
Or even more secure?
Secondly, it also tells me that Harper never prepared them for a future without him...
So the surviving Cons are having trouble dealing with their new freedom, and the new reality.
And thirdly and most importantly it tells me that the party is badly divided along regional, ideological, and other lines.
And that while Stephen Harper held those factions together by pure terror, like Saddam Hussein once did before he was toppled.
Now that he is gone it could all fall apart...
And isn't that a nice thought?
The dictator has been brought down.
Steve has just two days left to go before he gets the heave.
His Cons are preparing to tear themselves apart.
And after ten nightmare years we can all sleep securely in our own beds, I think...
Labels: Con clowns, Con Leadership Race, Denis Lebel, Michelle Rempel, The End of Con Canada
The fact remains that no one who becomes an interim leader or leaders can become the official leader in the next 4 years. That's why Jason Kenney and a few others such as Pierre Poi LIE bee and Michael Chong are keeping quiet right now. Would't that be great if they passed on a man of principle such as Chong and elected Pierre? 8-)
I meant to type: Pierre PoiLIEvre.
Ego and the perks are two driving forces for the stampede to be interim leader but suspect it is also the promise of a financially secure afterlife in some large corporation. The Cons had 10 years to plant "industry friendly" personnel at all levels of government and the opposition leader will still have opportunity to pull those levers for the next year or 2 before the chain is broken.
(Nov. 01, 2015)
"Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Canada's prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau agreed to promote the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), both seeing the free-trade deal as beneficial to the region, Japan's foreign ministry said in a statement."
Japan's Abe, Trudeau agree to promote TPP
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/abe-and-trudeau-agree-to-promote-trans-pacific-partnership/article27058428/
(October 5, 2015)
"And he promised his government would put the newly signed Trans-Pacific Partnership to a "fulsome" discussion with parliamentarians and the public before making a decision on whether to vote for it."
Liberals would put TPP deal to 'fulsome' discussion, Trudeau says while unveiling final platform
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/trudeau-vows-to-restrict-unhealthy-food-ads-for-kids-as-he-reveals-final-version-of-liberal-platform
Drund Tweating is not leadership
Mogs Moglio said...
Sure anon 9:28 but Trudeau also holds the reins of a 'majority' and the 'whip' he can do what he wants but I hope he opts out because the TPP is nothing more than a corporate plunder of democracy. It is about as far from 'free trade' as the Earth is from Uranus:
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/trans-pacific-partnership-charade-by-joseph-e--stiglitz-and-adam-s--hersh-2015-10
Simon I hope the con party implodes with back-biting finger pointing and blaming for Harper's demise and it all blow's up in Harper's face as disenchanted cons start spilling the beans about what really went on behind the scenes in Harperconland.
Yep! Get ready for harpet-lite. Sooo many people here in our new fearless leader's vaterland are soooo against the TPP because of what it will do to Canadian companies but harper's protege is going ahead anyway.
Ya just know it had to happen. They don't get called liberocons for nothing, ya know!
I leaned that term from another blog out there but at first I couldn't quite get why he would say that. I'm getting it now and soon we'll all be getting it big time if the fucking TPP goes through. And abe is definitely another uber right wing piece of shit so, thanks justin! You're going to make all my misgivings come true. I can already see that.
Simon said...
hi David...yes that's true, although Tasha Kheirridin is suggesting that having co-leaders would allow Rempel to step aside later and run for the leadership herself. And yes, I too would support the candidacy of the buzzing Pierre Poi Lie Bee....;)
hi David...I know but I like the Poi Lie Bee better...
hi RT...well that's my impression. But remember the interim leader might have as long as two years to make his or her mark. So maybe some of those candidates, especially Rempel, believe that if they do a good enough job the caucus will disregard the rules and make them permanent leader. The other reason at least a couple of those candidates might be thinking about is just doing what they can with the position of leader to try to block Jason Kenney. We'll get a better idea of that after the leader is chosen on Thursday...
hi anons...I think it's too soon to judge Justin Trudeau on the TPP, since nobody knows what is in that deal. And it's certainly too soon to call him Harper lite. He hasn't even been sworn in yet, so give the guy a chance...
hi anon...you're not suggesting that Rempel was drund are you? As you may or may not know she is a sommelier, or wine expert. And you don't get to be a wine expert without an occasional bottle or two... ;)
hi Mogs...I think that there is a very good chance that the Harper Party will implode or break up into its component parts. It was always held together by fear and power. And now that both are gone, and there are no obvious leaders, I'm looking forward to watching the feathers fly...
You mean can you catch birds but now seriously I am looking forward to blood and guts I'm a half barbarian and the other half that quells the barbarian? Angelic so I'm split. A half/n/halfer lets nail his carcass to the political wall and be done with it eh?
Justin Trudeau and the Magic Honeymoon
Stephen Harper and the Portrait of a Tyrant
Stephen Harper and the Torture of Omar Khadr
Learning How to Live in the New and Harperless Canada
The Day Justin Trudeau Left Stephen Harper in the ...
Why the Canada Revenue Agency Needs to be Investig...
Rick Mercer and the Refugee Lifeline
Why Justin Trudeau Should Fire the RCMP Commissioner
How To Blow Up Stephen Harper's Patronage Appointm...
Justin Trudeau and the New and Better Canada
Why the Ambrose Cons Are Still the Harper Cons
Breaking: Stephen Harper's Monstrous Patronage Sca...
The Wonderful Humiliation of the Ghastly Ezra Levant
Why the Con Clown Joe Oliver Should Go Missing Again
The Missing Surplus and Stephen Harper's Last Big Lie
The Con Media's Insane War on Justin Trudeau
Are Rona Ambrose's Ghastly Cons Out of Control?
The Syrian Refugees and the Friendly Holiday Isle
The Face of Hate and the Inspiring Message of Anto...
The Not So Nice Cons and the Bitterness of Candice...
The Paris Massacre, the Children, and the Flowers
Brad Wall and the Phoney Con Refugee Scare
Justin Trudeau and Those Who Would Destroy the Dream
Ezra Levant's Grotesque Visit to Paris and the Wag...
Justin Trudeau and the Day the Cons Came Back From...
The Paris Massacre and the Monstrosity of the Cons
Justin Trudeau and the Humiliation of Postmedia
Stephen Harper's Incredible Shrinking Act
Could Stephen Harper Be Forced To Testify At the D...
Harjit Sajjan and the Con Racism Epidemic
Why Peter MacKay Should Not Lead Any Canadian Party
Remembrance Day 2015: Remembering the Dead and the...
Jen Gerson's Bizarre Attack on Canada's Civil Serv...
Rona Ambrose and the Nastiness of the Cons
The Fall of Darth Harper and the Revenge of Michel...
Justin Trudeau and the Grim Hypocrisy of the MSM
The Con's Porky Action Plan Finally Bites the Dust
The Census Fiasco and the Final Humiliation of Ste...
Why Rona Ambrose Will Lead the Cons to Disaster
The Fairy Tale Day We Finally Got Our Canada Back
The Day the Sun Went Down on the Harper Regime
David Cameron, Poppygate, and the Chicken Hawk Cons
Why We Need A Public Inquiry Into the Activities o...
Michelle Rempel's Bizarre Political Marriage of Co...
Why the Con Leadership Race is Heading for Oblivion


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5 Windows 8 Apps to Bring Back the Start Menu
By Michael Lasky 02 January 2013
You don't have to live with Microsoft's flawed decision to kill the Start menu in Windows 8. Some 15 – and counting – software companies have brought the Start button back from the digital grave with add-ons that in many cases have more versatility than the versions found in Windows XP and Windows 7.
We tested five Start apps on a Windows 8 notebook, measuring the quality of each based on how well they meet certain criteria. How much does each add-on look and feel like the Windows 7 Start menu? Can you drag and drop shortcuts? Does the search box work as well as Windows 7's? And do they have features that improve on the old Start? All the apps we reviewed are free with one exception. Read on to find out which Start solution is right for you.
Stardock Start8
Stardock's aptly named Start8 not only replicates Windows 7-style functionality, but offers a lot more customization to boot. Based on the simplicity of its design and its robust feature set, Stardock's Start8 is well worth the $5 investment that comes at the end of its 30-day free trial. Find out why this download is hands down the best Start menu-replacement app for Windows 8.
Read Stardock Start8 Review
While Windows 8's lack of a Start menu raised the demand for some sort of add-on replacement, apparently a contingent of Vista users were already grumbling about the one in that troubled OS. Classic Shell was developed originally as a Vista enhancement and comes to its full and feature-rich fruition as a Windows 8 Start menu app.
Read Classic Shell Review
Pokki
Pokki's approach to a Start menu is a little bit of country and a little bit of rock 'n' roll. It bows to the legion of existing Windows XP to 7 desktop users while offering live notifications for email, Tweets and apps, mirroring the mobile and tablet experience for which Windows 8 was designed.
Read Pokki Review
One of the most startling changes in Windows 8 is the lack of a Start menu. Fortunately, a number of companies have developed replacements. Power8's version offers a wide variety of customization options, but is it the best?
Read Power8 Review
Revel BringBack (beta) Review
Italian programmer Umberto Giacobbi just wants to make Windows 8 easier to use. He created Revel BringBack to bring back the Start button, just like we used to have it in Windows 7, and then add some useful enhancements. But based on the 18MB version we tested, which works only with Windows 8 64-bit systems, he has a lot more work to do. And if you install this utility, you will too.
Read Revel BringBack (beta) Review
Systems of the Stars: The 'Spider-Man Miles Morales' composer uses this $4,000 gaming laptop
Laptop Mag is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.


Hello Aspirants, Download Last 6 months Current Affairs for Staff Selection Commission and Railway Exams 2018. These current affairs notes are very useful in other exam as well, in which GS subject is included. You can download these notes from the link given below. We are thankful to Gradeup for this PDF.


Owning a lawn care and snow removal service allowed me the freedom to set my own schedule giving me the time I needed to be a father.
Emerald Cut Lawn Care, L.L.C is now in its eighth year of business. We are constantly looking for ways to improve our service, and we are now certified in chemical application. At Emerald Cut, we believe that communication is key to customer satisfaction. We pride ourselves on quality Indiana lawn care and encourage your feedback. We hold a 5 Star rating with Service Magic, the nation's leading website connecting consumers with screened and approved local service professionals. We don't want to be just the guys who mow your lawn. Our service adds value to your home and time to your life. We strive to be the company that cares for your property, the solution to your problems. Our goal as Indiana landscaping and lawn care experts is to serve clients to the best of our ability. If we ever disappoint you, we hope you let us know; we will do everything we can to make things right.
Copyright 2012: Emerald Cut Lawn Care, LLC. Indiana Lawn Care. All rights reserved.
After serving my country in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, I hit the open road to explore our country as an (OTR) Over The Road truck driver. Once I was done seeing everything that I could in our nation, I found a place to settle in Valparaiso, Indiana. I found that unlike my native New Jersey, the people here are friendly and have a sense of community.
As a single father, I felt it important to be home to raise my two young children, which is how Emerald Cut Lawn Care, L.L.C. was started.


If you've been prosecuting DWI cases for any length of time you have undoubtedly seen a defense attorney attack a police officer's administration of the standardized field sobriety tests. Sometimes defendants even hire former police officers or other self-appointed "experts" to analyze police reports and dash cam videos looking for any mistake in the SFSTs, no matter how slight. Cases can be lost when this type of testimony goes unchallenged. What officers and prosecutors don't always realize is that there is a lot of good stuff in the NHTSA manual that can be used to support the SFST testimony and, more importantly, to attack the defense expert's opinions about whether the tests were properly administered and how the results should be interpreted. Defendants like to use the NHTSA manual as a sword to cut holes in the state's case and avoid responsibility for their poor decisions and dangerous behavior. This webinar shows how to use the manual as a shield to defend your officers and your impaired driving cases.


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The art of the deal: Prosecutor says plea deals are difficult but necessary
Prosecutor says plea deals are difficult but necessary
By J Swygart - jswygart@limanews.com
Assistant Allen County Prosecuting Attorney Tony Miller said negotiating a plea deal to criminal cases is "not an exact science. … Sometimes you've got to make tough calls."
LIMA — While perceived inequities in felony sentencing is a hot topic among people on social media platforms, the mention of the term "plea deal" typically turns up the heat even further.
Allen County Assistant Prosecutor Tony Miller said plea negotiations are largely misunderstood but necessary part of the legal system.
"People are shocked when I tell them that between 480 and 520 felony indictments are handed down by the grand jury every year in Allen County. By sheer numbers, it's impossible to take every case to trial," Miller said. "There are 52 weeks in a year and two courtrooms. It just doesn't work. With 500 cases a year, you're going to have to do plea deals simply as a practical matter."
Miller said prosecutors look at every case and, based on their collective experience and knowledge of the law, decide how to best attempt to reach a fair and equitable resolution.
"There are so many factors to consider — from evidentiary considerations to the wishes of the victim or their family to the range of possible punishments," Miller said. "Probably the No. 1 thing we take into account is the protection of the public, but as prosecutors we also take seriously the idea that we are stewards of the people's tax dollars. We are paid by the public, and we want to be as efficient as possible with their money."
The most difficult decisions for prosecutors on deciding whether to make a plea offer, Miller said, involve children who have been the victims of rape or other offenses of violence.
"As a prosecutor and as a human being, you try to balance the need to punish an offender versus doing even further harm to a child," Miller said. "These are really tough situations, ones where you have to ask yourself, 'How can I fashion a resolution that both protects society and protects the kids?'"
Miller said the Allen County Prosecutors Office is "very careful" in selecting which cases get submitted for grand jury consideration. That due diligence on the front end of the legal process has resulted in a high conviction rate for the office, he said.
"We have a saying around our office, and you'll hear these words said out loud over and over: 'Do the right things to the right people for the right reasons,'" Miller said. "That's what drives our decisions. What are we doing? Why are we doing it and who are we doing it to?
"It's not an exact science. This is a tough job, and sometimes you've got to make tough calls," Miller said. "I wish the public could see what all goes into it. It's a thoughtful process."
https://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2021/07/web1_Tony-Miller-file-photo.jpgAssistant Allen County Prosecuting Attorney Tony Miller said negotiating a plea deal to criminal cases is "not an exact science. … Sometimes you've got to make tough calls." File photo
By J Swygart
jswygart@limanews.com
Hi! A visitor to our site felt the following article might be of interest to you: The art of the deal: Prosecutor says plea deals are difficult but necessary. Here is a link to that story: https://www.limaohio.com/news/466854/the-art-of-the-deal-prosecutor-says-plea-deals-are-difficult-but-necessary


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Cuttingly funny guide to Jews (and foreskins) puts a laugh track to yiddishkeit
Author interview'This won't end well, but we'll still make a joke!'
Comedians Dave Barry, Adam Mansbach, and Alan Zweibel come out with another primer on the Tribe that will have you howling so hard you'll forget to call your mother
By Jordan Hoffman	12 October 2019, 4:12 am 0 Edit
From left: Alan Zweibel, Adam Mansbach, and Dave Barry. (Courtesy)
NEW YORK — It's sometimes easy to forget that over 99% of the world isn't Jewish. (We're about 15 million behind the Sikhs, but we're whoopin' the Confucianists by about 7 million, according to a chart I found on the internet.) Anti-Semites might cry that we have an outsized voice, particularly in Western popular culture, but I say we spin this around into a boast. There are so few of us — and we're awesome!
Two extremely awesome Jews are Alan Zweibel and Adam Mansbach. Zweibel is a comedy writer and producer who, in addition to many other things, worked on the first seasons of "Saturday Night Live" and co-created "It's Garry Shandling's Show."
Mansbach, a generation younger, is the author of the runaway bestseller "Go The Fuck To Sleep," the finest work of literature intended for audiences who don't yet recognize language — or at least their parents. And among the most righteous Gentiles of our time is Dave Barry, the humor columnist whose collected works have adorned bathrooms for decades.
Barry, whose wife and daughter are Jewish and is just so funny there must be a Schwartz or Birnbaum in his family tree somewhere, has teamed with Zweibel and Mansbach on a very important text.
"A Field Guide to the Jewish People: Who They Are, Where They Come From, What To Feed Them… and Much More. Maybe Too Much More" is a useful aid for Gentiles and Jews alike. It rolls its sleeves up to explain just what the heck the deal is with the Chosen People.
Separated into short chapters (Barry's on-the-throne publishing legacy lives on!) it details Jewish traditions like the bar mitzvah, holidays like Tisha B'Av, and explains curious terms such as "the Shabbos Goy." The section dedicated to "The Bris" had me cracking up so hard I nearly choked.
An illustration of the circumcision ritual, or bris, from 'A Field Guide to the Jewish People: Who They Are, Where They Come From, What To Feed Them,' by Dave Barry, Adam Mansbach, and Alan Zweibel. (Courtesy)
Depending on how in touch you are with your Hebraic heritage will determine how much you learn from this tome, but one thing is guaranteed: you will laugh.
After getting my hands on the book for a few hours I was able to get both Barry and Zweibel on a conference call. Mansbach was too busy for us, I guess.
Below is an edited transcript of my conversation with the two mensches who found time.
Hello, this is Jordan Hoffman. Anyone else on the line?
Dave Barry: This is Dave Barry, and I'm on 8th Avenue headed to Penn Station so I apologize if I drop out.
Alan Zweibel: Hello? This is Alan.
Hi Alan. Dave is here, too, but he's wandering Midtown. He may accidentally wander into a Broadway show.
AZ: Okay, you and I will talk until Dave comes out during intermission.
DB: No, no, I'll talk during the show. People like that.
'A Field Guide to the Jewish People: Who They Are, Where They Come From, What To Feed Them,' by Dave Barry, Adam Mansbach, and Alan Zweibel. (Courtesy)
I've been going through the book all morning. What is the process like for three people to work on one book? Do you each do a section and then pass it along for more jokes?
DB: Adam Mansbach, who isn't on this call, he divided all Judaism into subjects and sent these subjects in emails to Alan and me. And then we ignored them, for the most part. As far as editing each other's work, there wasn't a lot of that. To be honest, we just deleted most of what Alan sent in.
AZ: My stuff went straight to their spam folders. Completely ignored.
No, Dave is right, Adam made a big list of subjects we should cover. He sent the list to Dave and I, and, well, sometimes we followed that list. We knew eventually we'd cover certain topics. But we wrote what we wanted to and sent it in to the others.
DB: We had a lot of leeway, really.
AZ: I didn't even know Dave contributed to it, honestly.
DB: This is the first I'm hearing that Alan was involved.
Was there an internal "zings-per-minute" rule?
DB: Chuckles-per-minute. CPM. Yes, a standard. Plus a guffaw now and then.
AZ: CPM and GP, uh, 15m. Yeah.
DB: Oh boy. He's not too good with math.
AZ: I know. I just threw my back out trying to figure that shit out. I was better at history.
An illustration of the origins of Judaism, from 'A Field Guide to the Jewish People: Who They Are, Where They Come From, What To Feed Them,' by Dave Barry, Adam Mansbach, and Alan Zweibel. (Courtesy)
Speaking of history, you have some outstanding quotes from the Kotzker Rebbe.
DB: Real quotes! Those are real.
I was cracking up … then I figured I should Google to make sure it wasn't a bit.
DB: I am the one who put those in there and I was wondering "How can I make it clear that these were real?" Obviously I did not succeed!
But this guy… he was funny! If he were around now he would definitely have replaced Alan as one of the three authors of this book.
AZ: I was hoping one of those Rabbis would replace me. I had other stuff to do.
By page 12 of this book there are a bunch of jokes about the NBA. Why do Jews love basketball so much?
AZ: I'm not sure. Dolph Schayes was probably the last great Jewish basketball player.
DB: He had a vertical leap of about three inches.
AZ: But my father talked about him all the time, like I talk about Sandy Koufax. We Jews, we take an athlete and really hold on — we squeeze the shit out of them until the next one comes along. When Bill Russell retired from the Celtics he was replaced by a guy named Henry Finkel.
DB: I remember Henry Finkel! And that was the end of the dynasty right there.
[Dave and Alan start talking about long forgotten basketball teams and players.]
DB: Jordan, are you still on the phone?
Uh, yes.
DB: Okay, just wanted to make sure this was still an interview.
An illustration of the history of bagels, from 'A Field Guide to the Jewish People: Who They Are, Where They Come From, What To Feed Them,' by Dave Barry, Adam Mansbach, and Alan Zweibel. (Courtesy)
Well, one thing you say in the book is that the cinnamon raisin bagel is for anti-Semites, and I'm not so sure I agree.
DB: Okay, so I'm going to hang up now!
It's okay with butter.
DB: What, you put butter on it?
Yes. I would not go with cream cheese on that, but for butter, it kinda works as a sweet treat.
DB: Okay, so how do I know you are Jewish now?
AZ: This whole conversation is a shanda fur die goyim! (An embarrassment for the Jews.)
Fair enough. So, Dave, you've been very forthcoming that, technically, you are not a member of the tribe, but your wife and kid are, and your pal Alan is, and many other friends. So I'm wondering, do you think that this is why you were put here? To be a bridge between the Jews and Gentiles?
DB: Yes. Do I get a discount? Because I am mostly in it for the discount.
I love that the ending of the book is just an —
DB: Wait, a really loud truck just went by, you love what?
AZ: He said he loves me, Dave!
No, I said I love that it concludes with an avalanche of Jewish jokes.
DB: Well, Adam would be the first to tell you that's in there because it was the only way to reach our contractual word count. But some of the jokes that are attributed to me were written by Alan or Adam — I didn't actually know a lot of those.
Alan Zweibel. (Robin Zweibel)
Alan, were there some in there you wanted to include but ultimately killed?
AZ: We wanted ones that maybe people hadn't heard too many times. We just did an event at the 92nd Street Y and we told a lot of Jewish jokes, and everyone was very responsive, and that's a crowd that's probably heard them all.
The book does tackle some serious topics like the Holocaust and anti-Semitism. "Do Jews have horns?" has the greatest comeback I've ever seen — I can't believe I never heard that one before. [You have to buy the book to hear it.] But 2019 is a little different than it was maybe 15 years ago with regard to anti-Semitism in Europe and North America. Did you worry about threading the comedy needle there?
AZ: We have been doing some publicity this week and this question comes up. And it is serious. But we do what we do. We are being as funny as we can be about this subject. And the Jews have always done that. We're punching up. This is our weapon.
So much has been written about Jewish Humor. Dave, what is Presbyterian Humor?
DB: The joke is on the surface. You know what you are laughing about. With Jewish humor, there is the underlying feeling of despair, we're screwed, this won't end well — but we'll still make a joke! — but we know more than the joke is saying.
I'm Irish, and Irish humor or English humor doesn't have that second layer so much. Jewish humor is a whole worldview; a people who have dealt with a lot of adversity.
Dave Barry. (Michelle Kaufman)
AZ: I agree. There's more below the water line. Dave and Adam and I agree in this, the wellspring is getting kicked out of nations and —
DB: Wait, but listen, I must stress — I must stress that we Presbyterians have suffered along the way, too. There have been a number of important golf tournaments that we didn't do well in. And you don't hear us bitching about it all the time.
AZ: No, I remember the time one of your great golfers forgot their pastel pants.
DB: You don't hear us crying about it!
AZ: This is why you have never had a bowel movement bigger than a nickel. You have to let it out. Relax. Go with the body.
Adam Mansbach. (Matthew L. Kaplan)
You've done two books now. Good things come in three. Abraham, Isaac and the Other One. Is there a potential trilogy?
AZ: A pamphlet maybe.
DB: Absolutely a third one, but we wouldn't involve Alan, so don't mention it to him now.
Personally, Dave, what you've just told me about golf tournaments is fascinating, I would love to know more about these Gentiles. I know they are out there somewhere.
DB: They're out there! They are the ones going to the plays that Jewish people write, and listening to songs Jewish people write. We are your audience.
Alan, I don't get you on the phone every day, so I do want to ask you about Saturday Night Live. I know you've been asked every question there is to ask about the early days, but allow me to add to that.
AZ: Oh, yay.
Looking back, it's wild to see the tremendous pairings of guest and musical guest — some truly unbelievable combinations. So I want to ask about the night where Milton Berle was the guest with, of all people, Ornette Coleman.
AZ: I knew you were going to say that. As soon as you said "pairing."
DB: Milton Berle was on the show?
AZ: Listen, anyone who was on the show at the time would tell you that was the worst week of our lives.
DB: Uncle Miltie wasn't fun to work with?
AZ: Oh, God! I mean, on paper, it was poetic. Here was the King of Television from his era. Everyone stopped to watch his show, now it's a generation later, same network, there was some poetry there. The minute he got there it was… it was just an older kind of humor. He would stop sketches in the middle, look to the camera, and make a joke to the audience, so it ruined any reality we set up in the sketch.
An illustration of the first Jewish comedian, from 'A Field Guide to the Jewish People: Who They Are, Where They Come From, What To Feed Them,' by Dave Barry, Adam Mansbach, and Alan Zweibel. (Courtesy)
I remember he was rehearsing his opening monologue, talking to camera, with an empty studio, and he said to the director, "When I get to this word I want you to make a sound effect of a crowbar falling and landing on the floor of the studio." We said "Why?" and he said, "At that point I am going to ad-lib 'Oh, NBC dropped another one.'"
He was planning to ad-lib. We had the greatest comics of the time surprising each other, being creative with one another and he was planting ad-libs in there.
DB: He was showing you how it was done!
AZ: Yeah, that's what it was. "What do you know, Sonny, I was doing this before you were born!" he said to some members of the crew. It was dreadful.
But to have him and Ornette Coleman? What a mismatch! Well, maybe there was something cool to that, in a way. But I'm sure Milton never heard of Ornette Coleman.
DB: Just so you know, Ornette Coleman is opening for us on this book tour.
Other combos you had that were odd: Julian Bond and Tom Waits.
AZ: Nah, that makes sense.
And Walter Matthau with no one.
AZ: I didn't realize that. Walter was great. Al Franken wrote a great sketch, a parody of "The Bad News Bears" but with bees, and the bed was squeaking because the bees were jerking off, but they called it "buzzing off," it was a bee masturbation joke that Al Franken wrote.
I can't imagine having a follow-up question to that.
"A Field Guide to the Jewish People: Who They Are, Where They Come From, What To Feed Them… and Much More. Maybe Too Much More" is in bookstores now.
Escalation sees more than 540 people wounded as wrangling delays formation of new government to replace that of PM Hariri, who quit last year in the face of street protests
British peer who fled Nazis challenges UK government over child refugee policy


Dean Golden Voice's domain includes any study that includes using language as one's primary medium. Communication students learn speaking and writing methods here, English students do the same, though with different applications, Education students learn to teach various things through language and theater students learn to use words to delight their audiences.
The library is the place that students either love or dread. It's not only a place filled with books for research papers and literary analysis, but also where all of the required reading for classes are found. Textbooks cannot be checked out, leaving all of the students to form study groups around whatever textbook it is their teacher decided to task them with reading.
But not all is focused around textbooks here. There are also rows of books that aren't directly related to classes,novels,biographies,spell guides and more just waiting to be cracked open and explored in the magical library or to be checked out and read elsewhere on campus.
It was 7:03 am, and Hannibal Kerrigan stood outside In the Black, the coffeeshop just outside the library. It was especially popular with the english majors on campus, and the Beatnik aesthetic certainly helped in that regard. Kerrigan came here for two reasons- the place opened at 7am, and they served regular coffee, black. No foam soy mocha latte triple caramel cappufrappaspressos or whatever- or rather, they still served that crap too, but they also had ordinary black coffee. Kerrigan was in a foul mood- the previous day's events, having to abandon working with Longshot to handle it, dealing with her father, the State department, Campus Police, and on top of everything else she was late.
"Good morning, welcome to In The-" the entirely-too-friendly barista began, before Kerrigan cut her off.
"Spare me the intro and the specials. Triple tall espresso, black, six sugars," Kerrigan said. she ordered the same thing, every morning, at the same time. And, every morning, at the same time, the baristas launched into their rehearsed bit about the specials or the pastries or some other irrelevant waste of time. Today, however, Kerrigan was in a less tolerant mood than usual, and to top everything off, there was still the matter of the press to deal with. There was no press scrum on campus yet, but there would be- and Kerrigan would no doubt be tapped to speak in front of them. all the pony staff had a tendency to get flustered before the camera, while Kerrigan could not possibly care any less.
The figure approaching her, however, was one she disliked even more than tabloid reporters. She managed to hide a snarl behind her coffee cup as he approached, and had her usual expressionless face on by the time he got to her. "Good morning, Artemius. Is there something you wanted?" she asked, cool as a cucumber. The truth of the matter was far more complex. Kerrigan had a bit of a soft spot for Artemius, even though she despised his methods, and the mere existence of that fondness bothered her. It was a weakness of hers, one that she guarded fiercely.
Last edited by captain_borgue on Thu Apr 09, 2015 1:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Art strode through the halls of Pyxis, it was a beautiful day, made that much more special by the events of yesterday. While the assault had definitely been a terrible tragedy for the poor changeling student, the investigation had taken the steps in the right direction once Art and Spell had taken the reigns. It had been a long day, listening to each of the students stories, hearing a lot of he said's and I know a guy's, but from the majority he was able to get what he needed, and help those who had no part in it, away from Kerrigan's wrath. It seemed his part was done and taken care of.
Approaching In the Black the minotaur greeted each of the baristas with a smile, listening to their daily morning dialogue, though his mind was already made up, "I think I'll get a nice medium white chocolate mocha, with just a bit of peppermint if you don't mind ladies." he ordered, dropping a five into the tip jar.
Receiving his order, Art, waved fair well to the girls wishing them a good day before turning and seeing a very familiar face. It was after all 7:05, which meant morning coffee for the dragoness. Starting with a brisk stride, the minotaur approached Kerrigan. "Well a good morning to you as well Kerri," Art replied, taking a seat next to the dragon, "I believe I have a little bit of information that you want. Names of a certain trio of Tri-Stomp individuals. Well two confirmed names and one plausible." the minotaur smiled, pulling a small piece of paper from his pockets, pushing it over to the dragon. "A Mr.Heavy Weights, Turbulent "Butch" Flight, and while not directly confirmed, Ivory Mark, their supposed 'leader' of the group. A few reputable students said they saw the three laughing as they returned to the dorm, some green stuff on their jackets. At the time these students thought nothing of it, a mere prank, but after a little talking to, they understood full well." with a grin the minotaur took a sip of his drink, "Now, I think its your turn my lovely battle axe to show them the error of their ways, when you feel its apropos."
Kerrigan took a long sip of just-under-boiling coffee, feeling the sugar crystallize on her tongue. It was more the texture than the sweetness that she enjoyed, it offered a sensation that few other culinary efforts could accomplish. "Mmm, good. Testimonials will certainly help to- wait, battle axe?" Kerrigan said, spluttering into her coffee. "I thought we had agreed, no 'pet names', especially not at work," Kerrigan added, her forked tongue flicking out nervously. She glanced around, but the only people here were the two of them and two baristas behind the counter. Between the hissing of the cappucino machine and the whistle of boiling water and the burbling of percolators, there was no possible way they could have heard.
"I am still on the fence as to how much more involved I am willing to be- this is really more a job for Spell Catcher or Mustang Magus. On the other hand, I am fond of the idea of putting the last nail in Tri Omega's coffin," she said, as the nictitating membranes enveloped her eyes and her tongue involuntarily flicked. "But as much as I would love to indulge in a revenge fantasy, there is still much work to be done. I take it the bad cop/good cop routine was effective?" she asked, taking another sip. She and Art had determined some time ago that her reputation for severity, and his for lenience, worked well to manipulate problematic students who would perceive him as a friend in the face of her as an enemy.
"There are rumors that the State department is holding back the press for the time being," Kerrigan said, finishing her coffee. "I for one appreciate the reprieve, Phi Omega Psi is barely off the ground, and it has been one day since our guest allegedly arrived. I doubt very much a media circus would prove conducive to my efforts in either of these projects. Not to mention how disruptive it would be for all of the other students. A pity, I had such high expectations for this semester. It had started off so smoothly."
"Right right forgive me," Art answered, 'forgetting' the nickname stipulation Kerrigan and he had agreed upon, well, more Kerrigan had stressed. "I'm certain Mustang or Spell will be able to handle it with very little problem. At least I hope so, better to have them get it finished soon before the majority of the media swoop in on this place. Don't get me wrong I'm sure that the State department will definitely be able to hold off the bulk but again, there is always the independents and the students who are trying to get a quick buck. I just hope that our changeling friend had been moved to some place they can't find him." the minotaur replied taking another sip of his drink.
"Let's also hope this whole this whole 'phantom poisoner' rumor also is just that." Art continued, "But despite all of this its still early in the semester Kerri, there is going to be hiccups in every single one, might as well happen sooner rather than later." Taking another long drink of his mocha, the minotaur grinned at Kerrigan, "rather have them at the beginning and a calming end rather than vice versa."
"I already encouraged Chitin to join Phi Omega Psi, so he will be surrounded by students he is already familiar with- and everypony on campus knows I am very involved in the organization. It also affords him an opportunity to 'dine' to his heart's content, and in so doing, provide me with an in depth emotional analysis of some of the students living there who so happen to be patients of mine. It's about as ideal a situation as is possible," Kerrigan said. "He is not hidden, by any means, but neither will he be alone and vulnerable."
Mention of the poisoning made her reflexively stretch and clench her claws. "I have not heard anything worth mentioning regarding this poison issue- Doctor Shard is working on analyzing the toxin itself. Gou suspects it may have been a rival school, given that the intent appears to have been less about actually harming anypony, and more about winning the last meet. His reasoning is sound enough, though I cannot help but wonder... it is doubtful an inexperienced chemist could craft a concoction that would not do any genuine harm, but still have an effect. Statistically, it would be more likely to either do nothing at all, or be far more harmful. I suspect whomever is responsible is very skilled with potions, which troubles me."
"Oh, no you misunderstand, I didn't mean hide Chitin from the media. I'm just concerned that in his current medical state, that photographers, independent or otherwise would be detrimental." the minotaur responded trying to be as blunt as the dragon across from him. It didn't really feel natural, but good to get his point across hopefully. "I was wondering about the little group you've made. Hopefully he will fit in well there. But what made you want to actually do this? Don't get me wrong I think its wonderful, but Dean Kerrigan Hannibal, making a sorority/fraternity. Seems like a strange turn. But look at you, hard strong dragon caring for those around you." Art said with a grin.
The grin however quickly fell away as he spoke, "From what I've heard from Campus Security, they are looking for every lead they can. One being investigating the class lists of Mustang and Shard. Trying to whittle it down to those practiced in alchemy. Unfortunately Ride Along said they may have found something. You know the zebra that filled in for Sharp Wit? Whelp apparently he is also majoring in magic. Some are talking that gives him probable cause, or at least makes him a person of interest."
"I think, once Chitin has healed to the point where he can use his abilities again, we will not need to worry about photographers much," Kerrigan said. "Luckily, I suspect the influence of his cohabitants will provide the ideal environment for convalescence," she added, with the barest hint of a smile. "Perhaps, Artemius, we have each learned via osmosis, as it were. You are being more direct than I would expect from you, and I am, apparently, more caring," she said. Though she did not really believe Art's influence was softening her- as being soft would be a weakness that could be exploited against her- the real reasons for her involvement were a bit too in depth to discuss over morning coffee with a colleague. And on campus, they were just colleagues.
Kerrigan's eyebrow raised with interest at mention of the zebra. "Is that a fact? How interesting," Kerrigan said, intrigued. "I'm sure if they need me to analyze this zebra, they will let me know. If it comes to that. In the meantime, business as usual. A return to normalcy will do everyone some good," Kerrigan said, getting to her feet. "You know where I'll be if you need me," Kerrigan said, giving Artemius a nod, before heading across campus towards the sleep lab.


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An Open Appeal To The Jolie-Pitt Hair Police
LatoyaPeterson
Filed to: Happy to Be NappyFiled to: Happy to Be Nappy
Happy to Be Nappy
Rebuttal fail
Zahara Jolie-Pitt
Black hair politics
Third culture kids
Gettypremium
Allison Samuels
I've been a fan of Allison Samuels' work for some time. But I cannot get behind her strange, continued appeals to actress Angelina Jolie about her adopted daughter Zahara's hair. She is, quite simply, missing the point.
The first go-round was bad enough. Today, Samuels posts a follow-up piece rehashing the same points with a supposedly damning photo of Zahara's hair. Newsflash: that's what natural hair looks like with a wash and go. That's what my hair looks like right now! What does Ms. Samuels want her to do, put on a headband? Is a wash and go suddenly okay if we use accessories?
Seriously, there are three big issues at play here that she missed in her analysis.
Zahara Jolie-Pitt Is A Transracial Adoptee And Third Culture Kid
First of all, all of the Jolie-Pitt kids have some unique circumstances. In addition to the transracial adoption angle, the Jolie-Pitts are a nomadic family, settling in places for a while and then moving on. This means that they are all Third Culture Kids. They do not have a dominant society that they grew up in, which means that they may or may not absorb the cultural norms of any of the places they have lived. The children may grow up to feel allegiance to one particular place, or none at all. All this is to say that Zahara may not grow up identifying with the black American experience.
No doubt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt is black. But in the global sense of the word, not in the American way Samuels applies in her piece. As many commenters pointed out in our original post about this, Z is not African-American. She was adopted from Ethiopia, and if Ms. Samuels is ever in DC, I would be more than happy to take her down to the U Street Corridor so she can see how many women from Ethiopia wear their hair. (If she wants to look right now, here's some traditional styles - she'll notice that braids, cornrows, curly fros, loose hair, and the Quntcho (represented stateside and elsewhere as a fro-hawk) are all represented. For more contemporary styles, the contestants in the Ethiopian Millennium Pageant also rock a variety of looks.)
Thanks For Your Concern, But Zahara's Hair Will Be Fine
"Zahara Jolie-Pitt and the Politics of Uncombed Hair" epitomizes all of my frustrations…
Ms. Samuels is applying a uniquely African American framework to a child who does not have that experience.
Now, that doesn't mean Zahara Jolie-Pitt will have a life free of hair struggles. Curly haired readers from across the globe have pointed out their issues with beauty standards and black hair. Which brings me to my next point.
The Black-on-Black Crime That is Hair Policing Has to End
One of things that drives me insane about these conversations is that they are all hair policing. As Samuels writes in her latest piece:
But the actress should know that the next time Zahara asks about hair, it won't be why her hair isn't similar to others in her house. It will be why her hair doesn't look like other brown girls' does.
On a cultural note, I'd like Angelina to also know how much bonding goes on when mothers sit down to comb their daughter's hair; something that happens in almost every culture, but particularly in the African-American community. My fondest memories are of me sitting on the floor as my mother brushed and oiled my hair.
Okay, that's great. Let me ask her this: what happened after those fond memories? The styles of childhood do not continue into our preteen years, the age when black girls normally get their first relaxers. Does she have fond memories of her mother basing her scalp before she applied the chemicals that would straighten her hair? Or is that a ritual that is just understood as a part of growing up? Are her memories scarred with the taunts of other children? My cousins came home crying after being teased about their "beady-beads" and their "kitchens." And who did the taunting? Many times, it was other black students. We need to stop encouraging conformity and hair hatred, because there is a logical end to the path we are walking down. Instead of fighting each other when someone's hair doesn't conform to our specific ideals, wouldn't it make more sense to fight against a racist system that penalizes and politicizes certain hair styles?
Loose, Curly Hair is Not the Enemy.
Wearing it loose is one of the things a person does when she actually likes the look of her natural hair. Crazy, I know. It isn't as if Zahara can't get ponytails and plaits - the pic used to illustrate this post proves that. But there is nothing wrong with wearing hair loose. Just because the dominant narrative says that curly hair looks wild, unkempt, or untamed unless it is partially braided, in a head band, or otherwise "tamed" doesn't mean we have to buy into it.
To be honest, I'm pissed. I'm pissed at these messed up dynamics, I'm pissed that someone with a Newsweek-level platform can keep bashing the hammer about Zahara without discussing the larger dynamics involved with discussions of natural hair, and I'm pissed that I feel like I'm defending the Pokemon-style adoption tactics of Angelina Jolie, or glossing over the very real indicators shown when a white adoptive parent can't be bothered to learn how to properly care for their child's hair. But specifically in this case, I think the ire directed at Ms. Jolie about her child's hair is misplaced.
Please, for all that is right and good in the world, let's leave Zahara be. We can help to shape a world where she doesn't feel pressured to relax her hair to conform, nor does she feel deficient if she decides to wear her hair the way it grows out of her head. We can shape a world were a decision to relax one's hair is an inconsequential as a decision to dye it or cut it. And if little Zahara grows up and does choose to relax her hair, she should be able to do so in a world that will not judge her personal politics by what she applies to her head.
Zahara Jolie-Pitt And The Politics Of Uncombed Hair [Newsweek]
Related: We Are All Team Zahara [Newsweek]
Third Culture Kids [Wikipedia]
Ethiopian Hair Styles [Ethiopedia]
Are curls the new straight hair? (The Germany Files) [Racialicious]
Hair, Apparently. [Racialicious]
Nappily Ever After? Not Quite… [Racialicious]
Earlier: Thanks For Your Concern, But Zahara's Hair Will Be Fine
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Blade Runner 2049: The Empire Strikes Back
Tom Richards takes a deeper look at Blade Runner 2049, comparing it to the original Blade Runner. Did the new movie expand upon the first? Or did it cheapen it?
Who is not guilty of nostalgia now and then? I am, of course; we all are at times. I anticipated, hope against hope, that Blade Runner 2049 would be a worthy sequel. When word first came out of its upcoming production (in the latter part of 2016), I searched YouTube for clips and clues, but then at some point I stopped watching them. I thought maybe, just maybe, it will be good and I refused all viewings of 2049-related materials. I knew that it was coming and when, and that was enough. And so, on October 6th of this year, I trotted on down to the Baghdad Theater in Portland, Oregon, and found the perfect cushioned seat somewhere near the middle on the theatre.
For me, the original Blade Runner was a near perfect movie going experience. Back in '82, it was new and all so hauntingly perfect in its dystopian beauty. I was/am nostalgic for its Tokyo'd Los Angeles with its tortuous alley-rows in its cluttered street market stalls. I loved the rain. I loved the rain-shined streets and neon bouncing from billboard to puddle. I loved the coldness and fractured childlike souls of the replicants and the deeply imperfect Deckard and his style of whiskey consumption. The makers of Blade Runner 2049 are also lovers of nostalgia. They are also users of nostalgia to sell their product and, like the witch of Hansel and Gretel, they invited us in and sweetened our vision with the white-powdered sugar of old memories. There is nothing inherently wrong with the continuity of themes in Blade Runner 2049, but these moviemakers painted this nostalgia on as a simulacrum. I knew I was being used, but I stayed hoping the original feeling of true love would return. I should have known, shouldn't I?
Late in the film, there is a scene that could stand in for the entire movie. Our new corporate villain, Niander Wallace (Jared Leto), parades out the beautiful Rachael (Sean Young/Loren Peta) for the captured Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford). She is exactly as she was in the original, but now she is only here as bait to bribe Deckard to the dark side. What any of us would do to bring back the one true love of our lives? But, of course, the new Rachael is not the old Rachael and Deckard rejects her. It was easy for him to do, the new Rachael, seemingly identical to the old Rachael, is also another simulacrum. He didn't need or want an imitation, no matter how exact. And, we don't need it either. Well, that is, we didn't need it to complete our love of the original Blade Runner. Unfortunately, I didn't know that until I saw Blade Runner 2049 and now both are cheapened.
It is not a terrible film at all and it ends up pleasantly settling some of the questions we had when Blade Runner (1982) ended. (Well, at least it answered the questions we asked at the end of the original theatrical release.) 2049 is a beautiful movie. But it is almost too beautiful, too perfect, too Blade Runner-ish. Blade Runner is not Star Wars, it is not Indiana Jones. It was/is more 2001: A Space Odyssey … no sequel required. Midway through 2049, our new hero, K (Ryan Gosling), tracks down Rick Deckard and for a while it turns into a kind of schlocky buddy movie, but with the ominous shadow of The Empire Strikes Back lurking around its dark edges. People have said that there is too little action in 2049 for a real blockbuster, but the movie relies too much on action, too much on set up, and, most of all, too much on nostalgia. It is still raining on the neon streets of Los Angeles in 2049. There are still giant sexy video billboards and flying cars in 2049. There is still an evil and ugly corporate villain in 2049. There is a plethora of strong, and I mean very strong, sexy female villains again. And there are still nice, mild-mannered, and confused android replicants getting shot to pieces in 2049.
The questions asked in the original movie are first-rate philosophical questions: What does it mean to exist? What does it mean to be human? And they are asked again in 2049. There are myriad other questions the original Blade Runner posed that are ignored in 2049. Why do they make all the female robots stereotypically beautiful? Why did society let a single corporation from Los Angeles have all the power … AGAIN?! Why isn't there any tension between humans and replicants when it comes to sexual partners? Why do they feel the need to continue tricking the replicants? Why do they give the replicants evolving emotions and super strength? (That seems like a really bad combination!) And why is there still no Mexican food in the new Los Angeles?
Some things did work in this version. It was a beautiful movie even though the dystopian tropes were fairly obvious. The Dr. Ana Stelline character was well crafted into the script and very clever. The relationship between K and his replicant partner/lover Joi (Ana de Armas) was compelling, but the nostalgia was a killer for me. Jared Leto as Niander Wallace, savior gone bad, seemed cut out and glued in directly from some random 1950s serial. As much as I like Edward James Olmos, his one-minute cameo as Gaff looked like a promotion for the movie stuck in the middle of the movie and/or a thinly-disguised payday for a friend.
Go see Blade Runner 2049 but adjust your expectations accordingly. And you might want to get some chocolate-covered bonbons like in the good old days.
Tom Richards published poetry in the Writers' Collective Anthology and has twice been Writer in Residence at Mother Foucault's Books in Portland, Oregon. He was a contributing writer in the Word & Hand 2 book and published and edited The Portland Permanent Press, a monthly comedy and humor magazine with Joe Sacco. He was also the curator and head writer for The Faux Museum in Portland. Richards has written for the Willamette Week and The Oregonian in Portland and had a monthly column in the Paperback Jukebox called Last First Thursday. His first book Thirst for Beginners; Poetry, Prose, and Quizzes will be published by University of Hell Press in 2019. He is the writer and vocalist for Philip K. Moby Dick Clark Five.
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