If you want a reliable, steady income stream with the option to leave a legacy for your loved ones, a fixed annuity may suit your financial needs. Fixed annuities are tax-deferred* retirement vehicles issued by insurance companies that grow at a guaranteed rate and offer you the opportunity to turn some or all of your savings into guaranteed income payments for life, or for a set period.
Most fixed annuities have two phases: the accumulation phase, during which your investments have the potential to grow tax-deferred and the distribution phase (also known as annuitization), during which you receive income payments or a lump-sum payment. You also have the opportunity to leave a legacy that allows your assets to pass on to beneficiaries. Fixed annuities' benefits and features vary, so it's important to work with a financial professional to choose a fixed annuity that suits your individual objectives.
This material is intended for educational purposes and does not contain information about specific Jackson products.
*Tax deferral offers no additional value if an annuity is used to fund a qualified plan, such as a 401(k) or IRA, and may not be available if the annuity is owned by a "non-natural person" such as a corporation or certain types of trusts.
Fixed annuities earn a guaranteed† rate of return over the life of the contract, and offer contract owners the predictability of a guaranteed income stream and a way to grow assets without exposure to market volatility.
Fixed annuity interest rates are set by the issuing company, based on the underlying investments it holds. Most issuing companies offer a guaranteed rate for a set period, usually for one or more contract years, and can adjust the renewal rate thereafter. Fixed annuities feature a guaranteed minimum interest rate.
During the accumulation phase of a fixed annuity contract, interest credited to your nonqualified contract is tax deferred. Fixed annuities have no contribution limits.
Many fixed annuities offer optional benefits, which may include guaranteed lifetime income, the opportunity to make annual penalty-free withdrawals of a certain portion of the contract, an accelerated withdrawal benefit for certain health conditions, a terminal illness benefit, and an extended care benefit. Fixed annuities offer a standard death benefit of a lump sum payment or withdrawals under an income option of the full value of the contract at time of death.
During the distribution phase of the contract, a fixed annuity can be converted into a series of income payments for your entire lifetime, over a set time period — or one lump-sum payment. If you begin taking withdrawal payments before age 59½, your withdrawals may be subject to additional taxes.
For a more conservative investing approach, consider a Jackson fixed annuity (FA).
Whether you're saving, retiring or ready to consider a legacy — Jackson can help.
Tax deferral offers no additional value if an annuity is used to fund a qualified plan, such as a 401(k) or IRA, and may be found at a lower cost in other investment products. It also may not be available if the annuity is owned by a "non-natural person" such as a corporation or certain types of trusts.
Guarantees are backed by the issuing insurance company and do not apply to a variable annuity's separate account or its underlying investments.
Fixed annuities are issued by Jackson National Life Insurance Company (Home Office: Lansing, Michigan) and in New York by Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York (Home Office: Purchase, New York). Subsequent premium may be restricted in some states. These products may not be available in all states and state variations may apply. These contracts have limitations and restrictions, including withdrawal charges and possible excess interest adjustments. Jackson issues other annuities with similar features, benefits, limitations and charges. Contact Jackson for more information.


I plan to add a lot more photographs, but for now.
Photo: Pointe du Raz, Brittany.
One of my favourite places in the world. Also shot on film.
No idea who this is, but I've always liked it.
Probably one of my favourite kite photographs of all time. Sometimes it doesn't feel so long again but it was taken in 2009 and that means it is more than five years since I was seriously taking kite photographs.


Stay warm and cozy this season with a Maryland Terrapins throw blanket sporting your favorite NCAA team. Perfect for those chilly nights spent on the couch watching the game. Each team blanket measures 60″ x 80″ and features authentic graphics.
These supersized and supersoft blankets are distributed by Northwest and are officially licensed by the NCAA. 100% Polyester. Machine washable.


text:
George Herman Mahon (September 22, 1900 – November 19, 1985) was a Texas politician who served twenty-two consecutive terms (1935–1979) as a member of the United States House of Representatives from the Lubbock-based 19th congressional district. He was a member of the Democratic Party.

His legacies include the development of federal farm programs, the establishment of the former Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock and Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring, leadership in the development of Interstate 27, a short connection between Amarillo and Lubbock, and disaster relief during droughts and tornadoes common to West Texas.

Background

Mahon was born to John Kirkpatrick Mahon and the former Lola Willis in the Mahon community near Haynesville in Claiborne Parish in northern  Louisiana near the Arkansas state line. In 1908, Mahon's family moved to Loraine in Mitchell County, Texas, where young George graduated from Loraine High School. In 1924, he received his bachelor's degree from Baptist-affiliated Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene. He married the Helen Stevenson in 1923, and they had one daughter, Daphne. In 1925, Mahon graduated from the University of Texas Law School in Austin.

Mahon joined a friend, Charlie Thompson, in the opening of a law firm in Colorado City. He was elected county attorney for Mitchell County, Texas in 1926. Thereafter, Governor Dan Moody named Mahon district attorney of the thirty-second judicial district of Texas, a position which he held from 1927 to 1933, having been elected once after the initial gubernatorial appointment.

Congressional tenure

Mahon was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1934, when he defeated Clark Millican of Lubbock in the runoff election for the seat. Lubbock residents, including Charles A. Guy, the editor of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, urged that the seat go to a Lubbock resident – Millican – because Lubbock is the largest city in the district. Rural areas, however, coalesced behind Mahon. Once in office, Mahon cemented his hold on Lubbock as well as the whole district and rarely had opposition in his reelection campaigns. In its 2008 centennial, the Avalanche-Journal declared Mahon the most influential figure in Lubbock's 20th century history.

Mahon was a delegate to each Democratic National Convention from 1936 to 1964, having participating in the nomination of all party standard-bearers from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Lyndon B. Johnson. He was the chairman of the Appropriations Committee from 1964 until his retirement from the House in 1979. Known for his personal frugality, Mahon often clashed with presidents of both parties who he determined wanted to spend more money than the treasury could afford. Early in his Congressional tenure, Mahon served on the committee that developed the Manhattan Project.  In 1947-8, he served on the Herter Committee.

He was one of the majority of the Texan delegation to decline to sign the 1956 Southern Manifesto opposing the desegregation of public schools ordered by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education. However, Mahon voted against the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, 1964, and 1968, as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

On three occasions, 1962, 1964, and 1976, Mahon faced Republican opponents Dennis Taylor, Joe B. Phillips (1925-2012), a Realtor from Lubbock and later the administrator of the Smithlawn Church of Christ Maternity Home and Adoption Agency, and then Jim Reese, a former mayor of Odessa, respectively. Mahon topped Taylor, 46,925 (67.1 percent) to 23,022 (32.9 percent) in the same election in which the Republican Ed Foreman of Odessa unseated the Democrat J.T. Rutherford in an adjacent West Texas congressional district. Mahon prevailed in 1964, 87,555 (77.6 percent) to Phillips's 25,243 (22.4 percent).

In his last race, Mahon defeated Reese, 87,908 (54.6 percent) to 72,991 (45.4 percent), with victory secured by his large margin in Lubbock County.  Mahon decided not to run again for the U.S. House in 1978, when Reese lost the Republican runoff primary for the seat to George W. Bush, who was then defeated in the general election by Democrat Kent Hance, who subsequently switched parties.

After his years in the House, Mahon stayed in Washington to work with the Smithsonian Institution, of which he was a regent from 1964 to 1978.

Mahon died in San Angelo of complications from knee surgery. He is interred at the Loraine City Cemetery in Loraine in Mitchell County alongside Mrs. Mahon, who died in 1987.

References

External links

Mahon papers, 1887-1986 and undated, in the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library at Texas Tech University

1900 births
1985 deaths
Hardin–Simmons University alumni
University of Texas School of Law alumni
County district attorneys in Texas
People from Lubbock, Texas
People from Claiborne Parish, Louisiana
People from Colorado City, Texas
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas
20th-century American lawyers
20th-century American politicians
People from Loraine, Texas
Deans of the United States House of Representatives

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Ok, so I'm posting this out of order, but I thought it important for my first blog post this year to be about looking forward with a steely gaze and having the sparkle of hope in one's eye. This post is about reflection. I always find the period between Christmas and New Year's Day to be a time of reflection. Perhaps I'm morbid, but I like to acknowledge that which has passed on before turning my attention to the path ahead.
2010 was the year I took off from work. I know some people have been following my progress in this regard. In short: the year of novel writing was a mixed success but other unexpected writing successes and opportunities filled the void. That's life, though, isn't it?
I *almost* completed the first draft of my Japanese fantasy novel, Circle of Tears. Even with the encouragement of mates like Nathan Burrage (and Angela, of course), I didn't finish it. But I came damn close! Even though the novel stalled in September (Worldcon kind of knocked me for a six in this regard), I only have the home straight to write, and given that the holidays have restored my mojo, I'm looking forward to knocking off book 1 and getting a solid start on book 2. My deadline for a polished third draft is the end of February, when I'm likely to return to work.
There were plenty of distractions but none that I offer as excuses. The Australian Shadows Awards and the AHWA kept me busy, although I stepped down as AHWA Vice President in September. Once this year's Australian Shadows are concluded (and boy, has the last fortnight been busy!), I'll be stepping down as Awards Director, too. After four years involvement with the Australian Shadows, it's time for new heads to take the awards in exciting new directions. I'm very proud of what I've achieved as AHWA Vice President and Awards Director, but it's time to focus solely on being a professional author. So far, I've been functioning as an author and *something* else (editor, publisher, reviewer, awards judge). 2011 is the year when I'll be closest to *just* an author, which could be very bloody interesting.
Brimstone Press released its (and Australian horror's) biggest ever anthology, Macabre: A Journey through Australia's Darkest Fears. This book is a landmark, a monster, and a top notch read. It deserves to win every award out there, but whether it will is doubtful (not jaded, just realistic). Regardless, I'm bloody proud of my involvement with it.
"Requiem for the Burning God" (novella) was published in Cthulhu's Dark Cults.
"Dark Heart Alley [An Urban Fable]" (novelette) was published in Macabre: A Journey through Australia's Darkest Fears.
"Memoirs of a Teenage Antichrist" and "Love in the Land of the Dead" (short stories) were reprinted in ASIM's Best of Horror Volume 2.
"A Picture of Death" (short story) was reprinted in Eclecticism #13.
"Ian" (short story) was reprinted as a standalone story by LegumeMan Books.
"Wrack" (short story) was translated and reprinted in French zine Borderline.
"Spin the Witch Bottle" (comic book story) was published in Decay #3.
I also compiled and edited my full length collection, The Abandonment of Grace and Everything After, which included writing the title story (original to the collection), but subsequently had it rejected by two publishers. Now it's in limbo for the time being.
Then there was the anthology Tales from the Sunburnt Realm, which took up the early months of my year. I championed it even after the original editor withdrew (I was brought on late as co-editor), but after months of work, I couldn't find a publisher worthy of the lineup (Lanagan, Jamieson, dePierres, McMullen, Hood … a who's who of Aussie SF) willing to take the anthology on, so I reluctantly let it die.
"Razor Blade Anthropology [Guerdon for the Beautiful People]" (short story) to appear in Dark Discoveries magazine.
"R U OK?" (flash story) to appear in Antipodean SF.
"Love in the Land of the Dead" (comic book story) to appear in Eeek!
"Midnight on the Jetty" (illustrated prose) to appear in Eeek!
"The Cutting Room" (short story) to be translated and reprinted in French anthology series Ténèbres.
"The Garden Shed Pact" (short story) to be translated and reprinted in French Canadian zine Horrifique.
More reviews in the 2010 Australian Horror Comics series on HorrorScope (two more issues of Decay, issues of Kagemono, and The Sixsmiths, which will wrap that review series up).
But more importantly, several in-the-pipeline projects which I can't yet discuss, including the e-books in the 'Grand Experiment'!
All in all, I could have done better in 2010, and my focus was all over the place, but I'm hoping with fewer 'hats' on this year, 2011 is going to be a more productive and successful year. I'm really looking forward to what the next 12 months will bring. My goals: sell Circle of Tears, find more success in comic books, and get some traction with e-books in the all-encompassing adventure of the Grand Experiment!


Finally finished this convergence quilt yesterday. Got the binding done and label sewn on. Two sets of mistakes that went together – totally unexpected and unplanned. It definitely worked out quite well.
I'm happy I took out the narrow vertical turquoise stripe – it disrupted the left-right movement of the convergence flow. Replacing it with the narrow turquoise border was a good decision. I didn't have enough grey crackle fabric to complete the binding so I incorporated a turquoise piece I trimmed from the backing after I'd finished quilting. I ran out of binding as I was coming to the join and inserted another small piece of turquoise to complete it. I like where that insert landed.
To create the quilt back I set up a "jellyroll race" using leftover bits of fabric from the top, with a narrow strip inserted and two unequal sashing strips. Using the turquoise for the backing sets up an interesting flow from top of quilt to the back. There's enough turquoise in the top that when you flip the quilt over you retain the connection between top and bottom.
The ombre fabric I ordered online arrived Friday so I will now work on completing the double conversion quilt featuring the ombre fabric.
But before I can get to that, I'm have to work on the thread painting wall hanging.
I started the thread painting last Tuesday as part of a class I'm teaching (I stitched the dark green parts of this and another leaf although you can't really see what I've done in the photo). We meet again coming Tuesday and I have made no progress on the stitching work. Nevertheless I need to move on to framing the piece so I've trimmed it, I'm in the process of adding a bit more batting to the edges to allow enough background to balance the floral arrangement and provide support for the borders. Then I have to set up the marking (using Friction heat erasable pens) so I can apply the borders – have to get that process well underway before Tuesday – not completed, but started so I can demonstrate how I add borders. The framing of the piece won't hinder the massive amount of thread painting I will still have to do.


text:
E23, E23 Articles January 28, 2018
Migos, "Culture II" Review: For the Culture Again
By Joseph Hernandez, E23 Reporter
Following the success of 2017's "Culture," hip-hop supergroup Migos released the sequel aptly titled "Culture II" January 26, 2018. The release of "Culture" last year started a chain of quality album releases and the group, comprised of Quavo, Takeoff and Offset, aim to start a similar chain with their latest project.
The 24-song effort from the group has their most songs to date, surpassing their 2013 release, "No Label II," which contained 20 songs. In addition to "Culture II" having the most songs, it is also their longest release, clocking in at one hour and 45 minutes.
Both the number of songs and the album's length are nearly doubled from "Culture," which had 13 songs and was 58 minutes long. On the surface, "Culture II" seems to abandon everything that made their 2017 effort one of the best albums of the year. Their "short and sweet" style, involving quick verses from each of the members, on everything they appeared on last year is arguably what made them the MVPs of 2017. Their departure from that style is an early issue for "Culture II."
At one point in their careers, people weren't able to tell the group's voices apart and thought the Migos were only one person. One of the positives of "Culture II" is each member does a great job of differentiating themselves even more from one another. People now can point out Quavo by his frequent use of autotune, Takeoff by his deep voice and Offset by his rapid-fire style of rapping.
Another positive from this album are the features. The likes of 21 Savage, Drake, Gucci Mane, Travis Scott, Ty Dolla $ign, Big Sean, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Post Malone and 2 Chainz all appear and deliver in their own, unique way. Yes, even Post Malone is capable of producing something tolerable that isn't called "White Iverson."
The first four songs of the album are about as perfect as one can get as far as starting off an album. The "Higher We Go" intro, "Supastars," "Narcos" and "BBO" are classic Migos, covering everything from infectious beats, catchy hooks and questionable lyric selection. But by the fifth song, the group seems to have put things on autopilot. Coincidentally, the fifth song is titled "Auto Pilot."
The length of the album is the biggest issue. Half of the songs are forgettable and could've been removed and released as singles at a later date.
The decision to include 24 songs had to be done in an effort to boost their album sales. Since the Recording Industry Association of America began to count streaming from music services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal, the more songs an album has, the more likely it will be certified gold, platinum, multi-platinum or diamond. Unfortunately for the fans, it means they have to listen to a good amount of filler music amongst the good songs.
The variety of topics and sounds is another issue "Culture II" faces. Most of the songs that don't have a feature blend in with each other. People that aren't familiar with their style might think this is just one long song playing for nearly two hours. Having too many songs that are built around the same topics can be a problem for a group looking to truly establish themselves as legitimate superstars in the music industry.
"Culture II" didn't live up to the hype, but that doesn't mean it's a bad album. The Migos gave their fans quality songs such as "Walk It Talk It" and "Made Men" that will be played throughout the year. Even the bad songs have beats that make them enjoyable.
If there's one takeaway from this album, it's that maybe one day the album's final song, "Culture National Anthem," will be the future national anthem for our country.
Tags: Culture II, E23, Joseph Hernandez, Migos, music review
E23's Table Talk- January 28, 2018
Auburn Uses Huge Second Half to Pull Away from Missouri in 91-73 Victory
About mutv-admin
View all posts by mutv-admin

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Browse through our Interesting Nodes on Politics in Cyprus
[01] Karamanlis-Sarkozy talks
[02] Papandreou letter to French leader
Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday signed a joint declaration for cooperation in defence and security, following their wide-ranging talks at the premier's Maximos Mansion office in Athens.
The talks came after Sarkozy's nationally-television address in Greece's Parliament hours earlier, in the presence of practically all the east Mediterranean country's political leadership.
Karamanlis referred to the "powerful and historic" ties between the two EU and NATO partners, calling Sarkozy a "personal friend and a compatriot from Thessaloniki".
"Greece and France share a common vision for Europe, and we attribute particular significance to European defence and security policy," Karamanlis said.
On his part, the French president, who was enthusiastically received in the Greek capital, stressed that he agreed with everything in his talks with Karamanlis, including the creation of a European coast guard force, calling the prospect of a Greek-French naval task force to better guard the Union's maritime borders a "good idea".
Regarding the timely issue of rising cost of living in Europe, Sarkozy said the European Council must immediately take up the issue, reminding of his proposal for reduced VAT rates and an Austrian proposal for higher capital taxes on profit margins.
The Greek premier also said Athens was ready to support the French presidency in the defence and security sector, while referring to one of the priorities of the French presidency, namely, illegal immigration.
He also reiterated Greece's proposal for the creation of a European coast guard force. Additionally, Karamanlis again expressed support for Paris' Mediterranean Union initiative, saying all potential members in such a bloc would benefit from new forms of cooperation.
In terms of the same issue, Sarkozy emphatically said that Turkey would not be excluded from such a Med Union, while repeating that the neighbouring country's European prospects are not linked with the creation of the Med Union.
In again touching on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) -- which re-emerged on Europe's agenda in early April after Skopje's failure to find a mutually acceptable solution with Greece regarding the "name issue" derailed its NATO bid -- Sarkozy expressed concerns over the way last Sunday's election was held in the neighbouring country.
His comments regarding FYROM were later echoed by Karamanlis, who for the first time also publicly expressed concerns over the election process in the landlocked one-time Yugoslav republic on Greece's northern border.
More tellingly, Karamanlis repeated that "no solution to the name issue" means that Greece will maintain the same stance, "where necessary".
The Karamanlis-Sarkozy declaration came after other agreements were signed by the two countries' defence and foreign ministers as well, with the latter expanding already close cultural ties.
Other issues discussed involved defence cooperation and armaments, with Karamanlis reiterating that talks will continue in this sector.
Caption: Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis (L) talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Athens on Friday, June 6, 2008. ANA-MPA
Main opposition PASOK leader and Socialist International (SI) President George Papandreou conveyed a letter to visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday, in which he expresses his concerns over current developments in the western Balkans.
Papandreou addressed his letter to the French president in view of France's assumption, next month, of the six-month European Union rotating presidency.
The Greek political leader said, in his letter, that whatever solutions "are to be given to the region's problems they should not reproduce new tensions and nationalistic practices."
Papandreou also notes in his letter that the "unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo and its recognition by some EU member-states in violation of the principles of International Law and UN Security Council's resolutions and without a previous decision by the EU's 27 member-states, does not contribute to the region's stability."
Referring to the "name issue" of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Papandreou notes France's "support to UN principles and decisions and the European political acquis," underlining, however, that "this constitutes a basic responsibility and obligation on the part of France, as well as the expression of solidarity towards Greece.
Regarding Turkey's EU course, the main opposition leader notes that the EU "must stay firm and consistent with its decisions and strategy which have been collectively decided upon while, in parallel, it should not allow the alteration of its decisions by Turkey, which must abide by all its commitments undertaken vis-?-vis the EU and its member-states."
The stance in favour of Turkey's EU course "does not annul the neighbouring country's great responsibilities and obligations regarding the Cyprus issue," Papandreou also notes in his letter, before adding that "no expediency or interest can justify the ongoing occupation of Cyprus' territories by Turkish forces and the partition of an EU member-state."
Caption: ANA-MPA file photo.
ana2html v2.01 run on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 13:35:50 UTC


You can click and read postings Sarin learns concept of ratio in school and Sarin learns the concept of Fraction (mathematics concept) to understand Ratio and Fraction.
Hairu had 7 times as many stickers as Sarin. Then Hairu gave 1/5 of his stickers to Sarin. Then Sarin gave his back 1/6 of the stickers that he had. If Hairu had 80 more stickers than Sarin at the end, how many stickers did Hairu had at first?
Hairu gave away 1/5 means left with 4/5, which is left with 7 × 4 = 28 units.


The Old Testament lesson and the gospel for the Third Sunday in Lent tie closely together in that they involve questions about leadership and authority, and the necessity that leaders remain closely tied to God. Moses is ready to tear his hair out over the whining and complaining of the Hebrews. Jesus must educate his disciples as well as a Samaritan woman on the importance of reaching out across social and political barriers to talk with our neighbors so that peace may reign.


text:
Alfred Meier es un deportista alemán que compitió para la RFA en judo. Ganó cuatro medallas en el Campeonato Europeo de Judo entre los años 1965 y 1971.

Palmarés internacional

Referencias

Meier, Alfred


text:
Home AboutFAQLinksShop
by Steve, June 22nd, 2012
Even though I don't live in Portland anymore, I spilled some bits trying to keep Eileen Brady out of City Hall, mainly based on having crossed swords with her distinctly anti-union husband, Brian Rohter, while working for him in the 90s.
Brady was the first to declare, raised (and spent) a ton of money, had the support of the business community, and was the early front-runner. But she was ultimately eliminated in the May primary. She spent $1.3 million and took only 22% of the vote. Willamette Week notes this all-time spending record comes out to a whopping $46 per vote.
(About $31,000 of that scratch went to none other than BlueOregon publisher Kari Chisolm's Mandate Media, which took close to $17,000 of public finance money from Jesse Cornett's third place city council run in 2010. "In a rational universe," one astute observer remarked to me, "Chisolm might develop a reputation as an over-priced loser." But Portland is many, many miles from any kind of rational universe — see, for example, "Goldschmidt, Neil, continuing political influence of.")
Willy Week published this map showing precinct-by-precinct results. Despite her massive spending (and Kari Chisolm's campaign work) Brady only managed to win two (very small) precincts city-wide (marked blue on the map).
I would guess that Brady, who floated trial balloons for a US Senate run in 2008, is done with electoral politics. The same can't be said for the Kari Chisolm clown show. I'm sure they'll keep taking money from clueless candidates and delivering virtual bupkes.
Posted in Labor, Me, Politics, Portland | 1 Comment »
Friendly is as friendly does
by Steve, February 15th, 2012
[audio:LetsAllGoShopping.mp3] Let's all go shopping
Adding a little spice to the mix of the "progressive workplace" Eileen Brady helped create, supporters of fired New Seasons Market worker Ryan Gaughan held a rally outside of the Seven Corners store yesterday.
Ryan was well-regarded by customers and coworkers, and has a reputation for speaking up for himself and others. His supporters insist he was fired on trumped up charges.
(photo by Doug Geisler, used under the terms of a Creative Commons license)
So far, they're just calling on New Seasons to rehire Ryan, and for a peer-review system for discipline.
Lurking behind it all is the dreaded "U word", of course, but they don't want to utter it just yet. They just want to focus on getting Ryan his job back first, a worthy cause if ever there was one. (They also probably don't want to muddy the waters with any kind of Eileen Brady tie-in, but god help me, I just have to connect the dots of the bigger picture.)
I understand, because I've been there. It's all so very familiar. In 1996, I was working for Stan Amy (president of New Seasons) at his previous grocery chain, Nature's fresh Northwest. When Stan and his co-owners sold their business to publicly-traded GNC, some of us knew the old talk of being an "alternative" workplace wasn't going to hold up. We tried to get a union certified, first for the entire chain, and finally just for the truck drivers. (Stan's henchman, Brian "Mr. Eileen Brady" Rohter, fought us tooth and nail, and prevailed.)
Before we got the union involved, we tried a lot of what Ryan's supporters are trying now. We spoke up at staff meetings. We wrote letters to the president and general manager. We asked politely. We got nowhere.
The same thing was going on at Food Front in the mid 90s. People writing letters. Asking. Demanding. Getting nowhere. They eventually ended up with UFCW Local 555 and a contract that was totally reasonable and workable from the management perspective. I worked there briefly and served as an assistant shop steward after leaving Nature's in 1997. In 2007, Food Front staff voted to decertify their union. (I'm still shaking my head over that.)
Anyway, the point is, no matter how "cool" or "alternative" an employer is, the only way workers will gain a modicum of protection from arbitrary discipline is under a collective bargaining agreement. Without it, everything is only "cool" as long as you play along with management. If you speak up (or party with the wrong crew), you better watch your back.
New Seasons' staff are facing a situation similar to what we faced at Nature's: a once "family-owned" business is now majority-owned by an investment capital firm. The "friendly" factor looks more and more like a hollow marketing slogan than a way of doing business.
I wish them the best and offer my solidarity in their struggle against workplace injustice.
Make no mistake, even though they're only minority investors, this is exactly the kind of "progressive workplace" Eileen Brady and Brian Rohter fostered with their business investment. Small wonder New Seasons turns out to be every bit as anti-union and anti-labor as Nature's was, in pretty much the exact same ways.
Posted in Labor, Leadership, Politics, Portland | Comments Off on Friendly is as friendly does
Eileen Brady's pass expires
by Steve, February 1st, 2012
Last year, when Eileen Brady declared her intent to run for Portland Mayor, I started trying to draw attention to her and her husband's anti-labor past with Nature's fresh Northwest and its successor, New Seasons Market. Portland's non-union (and often anti-union) media missed the boat completely and gave her a pass when she claimed credibility as a "progressive" employer.
Now Nigel Jaquiss, one of the few reporters in town who not only "gets it" on any number of issues, but also has the editorial freedom to "write it," has dug up a remarkable passage in the New Seasons employee manual Brady takes credit for writing (her paternalistic husband claims he wrote the passage in question).
Labeling unions "extremist" and lumping them in with "anti-human rights organizations," the manual appears in conflict with federal labor law (which guarantees workers the right to talk with and about unions).
Read Nigel's piece to get all the hilarity of Brady's husband Brian Rohter (who screamed sexism at an earlier WW piece) trying to shield his wife from criticism on this.
Way to go, Nigel. Glad there's at least one reporter in Portland who is willing to probe Brady's questionable past with regard to organized labor.
Update 2/1/2012 2:00pm: Brady's campaign wasted no time getting a defensive e-mail blast out (read it on her campaign Web site).
Posted in Labor, Leadership, Me, Media, Music, Politics, Portland | Comments Off on Eileen Brady's pass expires
YES for Beaverton Schools
by Steve, October 26th, 2011
Just so nobody's confused (!) I support Beaverton School District's local option levy on the ballot as measure 34-193.
I've written at great length about Oregon's inadequate and unstable school funding, and urged our old district, Portland Public Schools, to turn to local funding. They renewed their local option levy at a higher rate. Now it's Beaverton's turn.
If you are in BSD, please vote yes on 34-193.
(And the local, professional, living-wage, full-benefits jobs, and the economic development inherent in funding quality education.)
Posted in Beaverton, Labor, Politics, Public Schools, Washington County | Comments Off on YES for Beaverton Schools
Happy Labor Day, from the anti-labor Oregonian
by Steve, September 5th, 2011
The Oregonian has been nominally anti-labor, at least since their acrimonious 1959-1961 destruction of their own union. They have become more actively anti-labor since the 2009 appointment of libertarian N. Christian Anderson as publisher.
This Labor Day the Oregonian splashed the headline "A public unions battle in Oregon?" across A-1, above a story by clueless political hack Jeff Mapes which, without a hint of irony, details the anti-labor initiatives which may or may not make it onto the Oregon ballot, as well as past measures which have lost.
And who's been the O's go-to guy on this shit for years? Why of course, we get a money quote from and convicted felon Bill Sizemore above the fold on this day to celebrate working people: "It would be fun to have this on the ballot again…. It would be the ghost of Bill Sizemore on the ballot again."
You've got to read well past the jump, to A-7, to find to a couple quotes from labor leaders. You know, the folks who actually have credibility with working people in this state.
Also above the fold is a headline about the US Postal Service's fiscal woes, with a deck blaming "generous labor contracts" (and "the Net").
Of course the O can't be expected to note that working people are the vast majority of people, or that public sector unions buoy wages, benefits and working conditions for all workers, or that a major aggravating factor in the current, persistent recession is the loss of public sector jobs. Instead, we get the persistent drum beat of anti-worker, libertarian/monetarist, anti-deficit, counter-progressive propaganda. It's not just the O, of course. But it's kind of sickening to wake up to this crap on Labor Day.
Posted in Economics, Labor, Media, Politics, Portland | Comments Off on Happy Labor Day, from the anti-labor Oregonian
Some answers to questions you may have
by Steve, August 7th, 2011
Looking at the server logs, I see you have some questions… and I got answers!
Is Portland passive aggressive?
Why yes, it is.
What do you love about Portland?
Many things.
Do you have any cartoons about gay marriage?
I linked to a bunch of cartoons back in 2007, when Oregon passed its domestic partner law. (This has been a long-standing prime driver of traffic to this site, believe it or not.)
Are there hockey stores in Portland?
Northwest Skate Authority has a pro shop at Sherwood Ice Arena and one at the Winterhawks Skating Center. Decent selection (for a small shop), good prices and great service.
Are there hockey bars in Portland?
Claudia's Sports Pub is rumored to be a decent place to catch a game. I've never been there, though.
Is Portland mayoral candidate Eileen Brady anti-union?
I don't know, but her hubby sure was back in the 90s. And so far, Portland's credulous scrivener corps hasn't bothered to ask her about it much.
Are employees at Brady's New Seasons stores union?
Did Paul Newman do his own skating in Slapshot?
Yes he did, at least according to the commentary by the Hansen brothers on the DVD.
Where are good seats at Portland's Memorial Coliseum?
I've always liked section 69, row H for hockey. It's second tier, center ice. I've also enjoyed sitting in the Hosers' section in the end above the goal where the Hawks shoot twice. But the place has great sight lines all around.
Is Oregonian reporter Bryan Denson a stupid fucking credulous hack?
Dan Savage sure thinks so, and I couldn't resist putting a link to his criticism on the front page of the Oregonian Web site. (I don't see any queries in the logs like "Is the Oregonian a useless dinosaur of an establishment rag that can't figure out how to operate in the new media world?" but the answer is, of course, an emphatic "Yes!!")
And finally, the number one search that brings people to this site lately:
Do you have a Portland ZIP code map?
Well, sort of. I've got one I scanned out of a phone book several years back, then color coded to show the shameful maldistribution of educational investment in Portland. You'll have better luck finding a ZIP at the US Postal Service site. Funny that this post still brings visitors, as it was the post that launched my brief but intense career as a pundit, citizen journalist, and community activist in Portland Public Schools.
Posted in Blog, Gay rights, Hockey, Labor, Me, Media, Politics, Portland, Public Schools | Comments Off on Some answers to questions you may have
Anti-union video all Target (and New Seasons?) employees must watch
by Steve, June 14th, 2011
It's amazing how little the anti-union rhetoric changes. As Target enters the grocery business, they freely admit they're poaching union jobs. I wonder if New Seasons' owner and mayoral candidate Eileen Brady would be so candid.
Posted in Labor, Politics, Portland | Comments Off on Anti-union video all Target (and New Seasons?) employees must watch
Reporters giving Eileen Brady a pass on labor issues
The Oregonian has never been much for covering labor issues, at least not since they busted their unions back in 1959-61. The O sets the pace for the rest of Portland's media outlets, which are generally tone deaf to labor issues.
With a mayoral election looming, one of two early contenders coming from the business community, and an ugly national trend of attacks on collective bargaining rights, labor issues should be at the fore of this election. Or at least talked about.
But so far, not a single reporter has asked New Seasons founder Eileen Brady about her status as a non-union employer in a heavily unionized industry. Her campaign Web site features the subtitle "Progress the Portland way."
Now, I realize "progress" can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. To me, as a reader of history, there would have been no social progress in the 20th century without a strong organized labor movement. A non-union employer claiming to be progressive is a slap in the face to all the workers who sacrificed to bring us weekends, the eight-hour work day, and child labor laws, among other things.
But to Portland's pliant news media, "progressive" is just another buzzword, like "sustainable" or "green."
Let's name names:
The O's Steve Duin waxes at length about Brady, giving her hubby a pass when he says "What we do is basic: Take care of your staff…."
The O's Brad Schmidt quotes a Brady supporter calling her "progressive," and even interviews AFSCME rep Rob Wheaton about the race… but somehow doesn't manage to ask Wheaton or Brady about labor practices at her business.
The O's chief political hack Jeff Mapes blathers a bit on OBP radio about Brady entering the race, but somehow avoids broaching a single issue, much less labor. He also notices that she's a woman, and declares this to be an issue in the race. Way to get to the crux of the matter, Mapes.
The O's Anna Griffin is fascinated with Brady, and wants her and the other candidates to "start the civic conversation about what Portland will be now that it's grown up." (Wait… when did that happen?) That conversation would include "economic problems" but apparently, somehow, not labor policy.
The Tribune's Jim Redden extensively quotes Brady's campaign literature. He doesn't appear to question any of this, including the parts about creating jobs.
The Mercury's Jeopardy Champ Denis C. Theriault lets Brady utter the word "progressive" without asking her what that means with regard to labor issues.
OPB lets Brady prattle about "the greenest city in the world with strong and safe neighborhoods, and…a vibrant economy" and leaves it at that.
KATU recorded a campaign video for Brady. She's "laser focused," yo! She's not a career politician! (Funny, but it doesn't show up as an in-kind donation on Brady's rapidly bloating balance sheet.) Oh, and the raw interview clip is preceded by an ad for "pro-business, low-tax Idaho." What the….
Not to be outdone, KGW's Randy Neves gave Brady a few seconds of air time to spew some happy talk. They evidently didn't have time to do a full campaign video for her like KATU, so they embedded her official campaign video on their site, where she talks about Values! How she "created a progressive workplace with a true sense of community!" How she's focused, yo!
No surprise that the dick-wagglin' hacks (wait, is "dick-wagglin'" hyphenated?) at Wankers' Corner, er, I mean, Blue Oregon ask lots of meta questions but jump down the throats of anybody who brings up labor issues. (And I thought Blue Oregon was a Democratic Party blog, and the Democratic Party was pro-labor, and… Oh, never mind.)
Portland's credulous scrivener corps doesn't understand that grocery industry spending and employment are relatively flat. This gets into some rudimentary economics, so let me spell it out. When New Seasons opens a store and hires staff, they're not creating a net increase in jobs (assuming overall grocery spending remains flat). Instead, they take business from union grocery stores, effectively converting union jobs to non-union jobs.
Is that "Progress the Portland Way?" It's a fair question, but not a single one of these hacks is asking it.
Posted in Economics, Labor, Leadership, Media, Politics, Portland | 4 Comments »
It's all good; it's $ustainable!
by Steve, June 2nd, 2011
New Seasons Market founder Eileen Brady has declared in the race for Portland mayor. Since she has no political experience, she is leaning heavily on her experience as a "progressive" employer, among other things.
I'm down with a lot of the things she's worked for: local, sustainable agriculture and health care, for example. But I got some bones to pick with the idea of New Seasons modeling a progressive workplace, based largely on my experience working for Brady's husband Brian Rohter and New Seasons co-owner Stan Amy at Nature's in the 90s. Things are obviously different at New Seasons today than they were 15 years ago at Nature's. But casual conversations with New Seasons staff confirm to me that a general antipathy toward collective bargaining lurks at New Seasons just as it did at Nature's.
In all the news coverage of Brady's nascent campaign, I have yet to see a journalist broach organized labor with her. For example, can she call herself a progressive employer when she's talking about the largest non-union grocery chain in town? A decent reporter with any sense of labor history might at least bring this up. The natural foods industry, led nationally by Whole Foods, is making non-union inroads into the traditionally well-organized grocery industry; it is the only growth sector in the business. But lazy Portland media, led by the consistently anti-union, pro-business Oregonian, will probably just leave this angle alone, despite its pertinence to a largely working class electorate.
So: Is Eileen Brady anti-union? If not, would she and her co-owners direct New Season's management to recognize a staff union on card check, rather than intimidating workers and forcing a divisive certification vote, as happened at Nature's in 1997? (The certification narrowly lost after a protracted war of attrition by management.)
I was involved at the outset of this effort to organize staff at Nature's stores starting in 1996, and faced disciplinary action and textbook anti-union tactics for my efforts. Below is my story. It ran in the Portland Alliance in July 1997. (Willamette Week also covered the campaign, but their online archives also do not go back that far.)
Oh, but wait, before we get into that! I'm so excited about Eileen's campaign, I'm making a video about her stores! It's not quite ready, but here's a rough mix preview of the song I wrote for it.
[audio:LetsAllGoShopping.mp3]
Listen to that while you read this:
How the bad seed of greed infested Natures
By Steve Pings Rawley
It was the classic "good cop/ bad cop" routine. The general manager demanded information about the union. The human resources manager assured me that it was for my own good to tell all. Having collected union authorization cards from a majority of the eligible staff at my store, I knew I had to hold my ground.
The interrogation took place in a dank storage room above the funky Corbett Nature's and followed a meeting in which general manager Brian Rohter and human resources manager Carole Ann Rogge explained the responsibilities of supervisors during a union campaign, including a prohibition on interrogations. When I refused to give any information, I was suspended for two days and forced to seek legal counsel. In order to keep my job, I was compelled to sign a gag order and a series of restrictive agreements.
The union campaign at Nature's began in earnest shortly after the former owners sold the company for $17.5 million in August of 1996 to Pittsburgh-based General Nutrition companies. Stan Amy (who remains president with a five-year contract) pocketed $11.5 million, and as a polite gesture (perhaps to ease his conscience) distributed $500,000 in stock to the staff.
Nature's, with its hippie roots, makes much of its commitment to earth-friendly causes and its development of staff as "knowledge workers." Much is said about the company's diversity, but a quick look around the room at a quarterly management meeting shows that Nature's is overwhelmingly white in the upper echelons. By contrast, in a crowded kitchen in the basement of the Fremont store, a mostly Mexican and Central American crew toils to produce Nature's own line of prepared foods.
A union contract for the staff would "destroy Nature's culture," says Rogge (who has only been with Nature's since September of 1995). But this fiercely defended culture seems to be nothing more than a cult of personality surrounding Stan Amy. It is a throw-back to the times when there were only two or three stores employing fewer than 100 workers.
Nature's employs close to 600 workers at six retail locations, and is owned by a multinational, publicly-traded corporation with 2,500 retail outlets. In light of this, many workers have begun to reject this notion of culture" imposed from above.
"They've got enough money to buy their own culture," said Alan Ambrocio, a pro-union truck driver for Nature's. "As a normal working person I just want a slice of the pie."
The slice Nature's workers currently get is small, with most jobs starting under seven dollars an hour and topping out at $10. Family insurance is prohibitively expensive, costing hundreds of dollars a month.
"If people could realize that they create their own workplace culture, their lives would better," said Chris Ayers, another trucker and union activist. "We are the same people we were before the campaign began. We do our jobs, we love our jobs, and we're good at it. What we're doing is living out our ideals, and that's what our culture is."
Management has decided to fight to keep its staff from organizing at any cost. To this end they have retained the law firm Bullard Korshoj Smith and Jernstedt, renowned for their union-busting savvy. In response to a flyer written and distributed by Nature's staff last fall, Rohter fired off a memo straight from his lawyers' play-book.
After thoroughly trashing the union, using inflated figures and misstated data, the memo wrapped up, "Nature's is not anti-union." While many staff members were in hysterics at the irony, others were cowed by management's surrealistic logic: If you are pro-union, you must be anti-Nature's.
Management has attempted to control all information regarding the union. They have reacted largely with fear and denial, successfully whipping the faithful into an anti-union lather.
Union representatives were prohibited at all Nature's sites, then criticized for making house calls. With a dearth of accurate information about collective bargaining available to staff, the union campaign appeared to be losing steam by the end of a chilly winter.
A core group of employees kept the faith, though, and the campaign resurfaced after 10-year veteran truck driver David Chavez was denied a promotion which was given to a driver with less than two years on the job. When Chavez protested, he was offered two weeks' pay to find another job.
A self-described "company man" who likes his job and has a family to support, Chavez weathered this slap in the face from those he once considered friends and made the decision to organize. At a May 21 quarterly management meeting, he presented general manager Rohter with a letter requesting recognition of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 to represent the five truck drivers at Nature's. Management's response was predictable.
"Not only are they fighting it, they're spending a lot of time and money trying to stop it," said Chavez.
Management appealed the truckers' request for a certification election to the National Labor Relations Board on specious ground. It became clear that this was merely a stalling tactic at the NLRB appeal hearing June 9 and 10, when management attempted to make the case that Nature's is different from traditional employers and deserves special treatment under the law.
Human resources manager Rogge testified that Nature's is "non-hierarchical," and that decisions are made "with staff involvement… a lot of information is shared with staff in order to make decisions."
"Nobody asked me if we should open a new store," said Chavez. "Nobody asked me if we should sell the company." With the appeal "they were reaching for anything" to slow down the process, he said.
Nature's resistance to its employees' efforts to organize is uncannily similar to the tactics of another hippie-gone-corporate company, Borders Books. There too, management attempts to trade on its leftish roots, and claims that collective bargaining will destroy "Borders culture." Behind the friendly face of community, however, standard tactics of intimidation and legal wrangling are exercised to keep workers down.
Like Nature's, Borders claims to want "one-on-one dialogue" with staff members, but retains Jackson, Lewis, a law firm known for its anti-labor work. Both company's make a lot of noise about the salaries paid to union presidents, while keeping their own management salaries under wraps. [GNC CEO William Watts pocketed a cool $1.3 million in 1995.] And in the end, both companies make huge profits on the backs of under-paid retail workers.
The significance of these campaigns is not lost on the "born-again capitalists" (Stan Amy's self-description) who run these companies. It is ultimately about retail workers taking control of their lives and demanding some modicum of power over their jobs. Whether or not a company has a "social mission" is irrelevant if workers are not provided a living wage, family benefits, protection for seniority, and democratic control in their workplace.
"Nature's is a multimillion dollar corporation, owned by an even larger corporation," said Chavez. "As much as they want to hold on to that 'culture,' their bottom line is making money."
Posted in Labor, Leadership, Me, Music, Politics, Portland | Comments Off on It's all good; it's $ustainable!
Portland rally for Wisconsin workers
Friday, Feb. 25, 4pm.
Director Park
Posted in Economics, Labor, Politics, Portland | Comments Off on Portland rally for Wisconsin workers
The way I see it...
Jorgeshumn: Kollam is a city in the state of Kerala, on India's Malabar Coast. It's known as a trade hub...
Steve: UPDATE: I made it again but with ancho chiles. Ancho FOR THE WIN. Seriously my best batch yet.
A.P. Gwiazdowska: http://howhockeysavedtheworld. blogspot.com/2017/02/hockey-wo mens-hockey-saved-world-and.ht ml...
Courtney Scott: I would like to live in the past, say around 2008 when the bond measure passed and the former zoo...
Tony D.: He lived like a Spartan but partied like a Bacchanalian. He often did not have a car and would rent a room...
Snow in the holler
The 2020 wind and fire and smoke storm
Steve's guide to hiking in the woods
Chili af
2019, my musical year in review
That night half the band met a "record producer" in jail
Rebranding the SUB
Stand up, walk out: how to deal with Trumpism
Beach biking the Oregon coast
Making the public private, courtesy Neil Goldschmidt, Inc.
Drug war (2)
Election '08 (40)
Eulogies (8)
Friday's Feast (3)
Gentrification (11)
Hockey (106)
Jaguars (8)
Jefferson High (9)
Me (192)
Military Recruiting (6)
OHSHL (1)
Pioneers (2)
Portland (255)
PSU Hockey (2)
Public Schools (102)
Ship Spotting (7)
stranger than fiction (27)
Thursday Thirteen (32)
Tualatin River Diaries (5)
Winter Hawks (40)
Visit the Left Coast Hockey League Team Store
for More Hockey Less War t-shirts, stickers, sweatshirts, messenger bags and more.
Wacky Mommy My better half
People-Powered Publishing by New Deal Media


Castlerock is a seaside village, located on the Causeway Coast. The Mussenden course (named after the nearby temple which is perched dramatically on the cliff edge) lies at the mouth of the River Bann where it meets the mighty Atlantic Ocean. On a clear day, the Isle of Islay is visible to the north, and to the west, the rolling hills of Donegal.
The club was founded in 1901, originally as a nine-hole layout, and was extended to 18 holes in 1908 by the famous Scottish club maker, Ben Sayers. In 1925, Harry Colt made further modifications to the course.
Living in the shadow of its famous neighbours, Portstewart and Royal Portrush, Castlerock Golf Club is every bit as good, and should not disappoint. This is one of the toughest links courses around, with some exceptional holes. Play close to your handicap and you are doing very well.
The wind is huge factor and when it blows, hold on to your hat. This will no doubt affect scoring. So much so, that in 2001, during the Ireland PGA International, Paul McGinley registered the course record of 64 on a calm day. The previous day, when the wind was up, the eventual winner Des Smyth, was the only player to score better than par. As with most links courses, you must keep your ball in play. Your short game must be of the highest standard because these greens are very quick, even during the winter. Maintaining concentration is important all the way round, because there are no easy holes at Castlerock.
The 4th, a 200-yard par three, is the club's best-known hole, called "Leg O' Mutton". The tee-shot is played to a raised green, with the railway line running the full length of the hole on the right and a meandering burn running diagonally from right to left. Do not try to bump and run your approach shot to the short par four 6th – the hidden burn runs across the front of the green. The 15th is a great par five, called "Homewards". A blind tee shot needs to be struck slightly right of centre, providing a great chance to score well. The 18th is a lovely finishing hole – a tough dogleg to the right and the highest, double-tiered, green on the course.
James W Finegan on the course: "The entire course lies neatly between the railway and the river and the sea… Many holes meander through inviting duneland, but equally many occupy less attractive ground, among them the famous and very much inland 4th… This highly penal if rather ordinary-looking hole demands a straight, solid strike." From Where Golf is Great – the finest courses of Scotland and Ireland.
We recommend a visit to Castlerock as part of a triple deal (with Portstewart and Royal Portrush). In 2003, the actor Michael Douglas visited Castlerock and he loved the course – a fatal attraction, you might say!
Castlerock also has a 9-hole course called the Bann. The layout is similar to the main Mussenden course, and the par five 5th is considered to be "one of the most scenic holes in Irish golf" – we can't disagree. The club is is 'twinned' with Niagara Golf Club, considered to be North America's oldest existing golf course (1875).
In 2017 Martin Hawtree was commissioned to renovate the Mussenden course. Phase one of the project commenced in October of that year with updates to bunkers and greens (under the stewardship of SOL Construction) across six holes. Phase one was completed in April 2018 after a 13-hole composite course (using eight Mussenden and five Bann holes) had allowed members to play through the winter whilst the work was being carried out.
Castlerock is a course I find difficult to review, mainly because while there are some great holes there are also some quite boring holes. I split the course in 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 17, 18 that I really enjoyed and 3, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 that I am really not fussed to play again.
I would recommend going to play and I would recommend also play the Bann the 2nd hole is lovely.
Both courses are in great condition and it is very much worth a trip to play. The members were also very friendly and the egg and bacon sarnie was not bad either.
Castlerock… simply rocks! I'll admit straightaway that the Mussenden Links at Castlerock in County Londonderry is right up my street.
It's an authentic, genuine, rugged links course that does everything you would expect of it and at times much more. It's rough around the edges but that's the way I like it and this natural layout certainly delivers.
One of the things I most liked about the course is the wandering routing. Quite often during the round I had lost my sense of bearing as the holes twist, turn and intermingle with each other.
You also have to try and shape your tee-shot for maximum benefit which is another thing that always ticks a personal box of mine. On my visit in June 2018 the course played so firm and fast that I didn't hit driver once, it was really running with parched fairways. Several of these undulating fairways have speed-slopes which if you hit can eek out some extra yardage. The course was very brown, had been burnt to a crisp and played absolutely exceptionally.
A couple of modest left-to-right dog-leggers get us underway… The next few holes are not the best on the course but use up a lot of the poorer terrain early on in the round which is always preferred. Whilst we are playing these holes the promise of duneland awaits us to the left and we finally reach it at the excellent 7th where we play to a rumpled fairway before firing to an elevated green set amongst the sandhills.
This commences a very good run of golf holes and although 12, 13 & 14 are more lacklustre the finale is superb also. The 12th should perhaps be noted for the unusual landform in the middle of the fairway where a gigantic hummock protrudes upwards and can wickedly deflect a ball left or right.
On the run for home the par-five 17th should be singled out for praise and is another vying to be the best on the entire layout, certainly visually. From a photo-opportunistic teeing ground you play from this elevated position to a collapsing fairway which is guarded by a central bunker at approximately 250-yards with two further deep pits, and I mean deep, about 80-100 yards further on. These must be played over if you are down the right but with a favourable wind you can get home in two.
The last is also a fine finisher; hopefully after a drive that has curved around the dunes on the inner elbow of this left-to-right dogleg you will play up to a raised green sat proudly in front of the clubhouse.
All-in-all Castlerock delivers a true links treat. It's not perfect and doesn't live up to the very high standard of nearby Portrush or Portstewart but it's certainly the next best thing going and at times can be included in the same conversation.
I returned to the Mussenden course the other day to have a look at the renovation that took place over the winter. With Martin Hawtree as the architect and Esie O'Mahony of SOL GOLF overseeing the construction, I expected a good job to have been done and that's exactly what I found.
What started out notionally as a bunker renovation project across the entire course evolved into a more concentrated effort across six holes, with fairways, greens and bunkers all receiving some attention. It made sense to upgrade the greensites of the opening and closing holes as part of the upgrade plan as the 1st hole sets the tone for the round and the 18th leaves a lasting impression.
Removing the unsightly buckthorn to the right of the fairway on the doglegged 2nd hole was also a smart move, as was bringing the green forward almost fifty yards, away from the housing on Circular Road which runs along the perimeter of the course. That improvement ticked environmental and safety boxes in one go.
The most pressing issue of poor drainage was also met head on at holes 11, 13 and 15. It's hard to imagine such a problem could have arisen so close to an enormous dune beside the 11th green but the former sand hill was put to good use, raising the putting surface and green surrounds on 11 and 13 to overcome the aquatic difficulties.
Hole 15 is still a work in progress but, once the new fairway is properly bedded in, the adjacent 3rd hole will also profit from less water running down the side slope onto it. All in all, the improvements have significantly enhanced the course's appearance, even though a large proportion of the changes have taken place below ground level.
Course Manager Charlie Edgar and his green keepers must be commended for the work done over the last few months in tandem with the SOL staff. The maintenance and conditioning bar has now been set high at a course which has lived way too long in the shadow of its more famous near neighbours.
Played Castlerock the day after Portstewart and it comes a very close second; the outstanding front 9 at Portstewart just edging that course home. Castlerock lures you in with a sedate start but when you make the turn back toward the clubhouse at the 6th, the fun starts especially if the wind is blowing. The next 7 holes provide the sternest of challenges, whilst 13 & 14 allow you to catch your breath, before a very tough finish (don't be fooled by the simple looking 145 yard par 3 16th either!). There are some beautiful views here too, especially from the 17th tee looking back across the course, toward Portstewart.
A course of extremes in terms of fairly flat terrain (but still interesting with a stream running through a number of holes), on the front 9, moving to more dramatic dunescape on the back. Standout holes front 9 are 4, 7, 8 & 9. All holes on the back 9 are interesting, scenic and of excellent design. This back 9 is as good as Portstewart's. The real mad topography is on the Bann course, which is also a treat to play. Lovely course and if you are in the area playing the marquee courses, don't miss a round here.
Two things that characterize many of the great links courses are present at Castlerock: a railway and a caravan park. Wonderful golf is a third characteristic its Mussenden Links shares with better known layouts. The first two holes are a pair of short doglegs that require thinking and accuracy from the tee to position one's ball for the most advantageous approach. Though I did not find the next three holes particularly special, at the 6th one starts an unrelenting stretch of fun golf. That hole channels the 1st at the Old Course, with a serpentine burn fronting the green. The 7th and 8th are a pair of par 4s, both with a definite line of charm off the tee and both with excellent green complexes. There follows a par 3 where a right corner hole location requires a blind shot……think Dell hole. At the next two holes the approach to the green falls away from the player, features that will penalize the player who doesn't play the proper approach on Castlerock's very firm fairways. The fun continues right to the end, particularly at the par 5 17th, which requires a well-executed second shot. Castlerock's greens are nicely contoured, providing additional interest to ones's round.
While not quite in the `same category as nearby Portrush, Castlerock does have two strong nines and the two courses make an excellent pairing for a golf holiday in northern Ulster.
Castlerock followed RCD, Portrush and Portstewart on our tour, so it would be easy for it to have felt something of an anti climax. However, we played it in a howling yet sunny gale so had an absolute blast. There were some more ordinary holes on the flatter land inland, but the seaside holes were great and at all times it was fun with good greens. From a personal point of view, I was 5 down at the turn and won on the last, 330 yards or so, with career driver/3 iron which gives you an idea of the conditions but also that this is a sporting, fun course. As per Jim McCann, this is a strong 4.5 ball course that suffers in comparison with its neighbours, but doesn't quite make the leap to 5.
I just checked that it's two days shy of nine years since I last posted a review for the Mussenden course at Castlerock – where has the time gone I ask myself? Just like my last visit, I really enjoyed my round here and was suitably impressed once again with the staff in all areas of the clubhouse.
Out on the course, the two-tiered greens on the opening hole and the water-fronted 6th caught my eye this time around, as did the long par three 9th, with its punchbowl green nestled in the foot of a sandhill. The two downhill holes at 10 and 11 permit a wee freewheel at the start of an inward half that culminates in a terrific right hand dogleg to a seriously elevated home green in front of the clubhouse.
On the down side, I'm still not convinced the somewhat contrived 4th deserves its tag as "signature hole" on the course (the 6th, 7th and 8th are all better holes, for instance) and I also felt the greens on holes 3 and 16 were too severely canted from left to right to be considered "fair".
I really do think the club should have a serious think about using some (or even all) of the land where the Bann course is laid out to develop what would certainly be a very good Mussenden layout worth a five ball rating, rather than the good course which it is that is currently worth only four balls.


I want to create a tcl/tk notebook that has multi layered tabs.
i would like to know how to create such notebook with tabs more than in one row..
Can you please help me in this regard..
This seems to be more tcl/tk then OpenVMS related, perhaps you should have a look e.g. into http://www.tcl.tk/ .


text:
Virginia governor signs 'Breonna's Law' banning 'no-knock' warrants
Alexa Mencia
Posted: Dec 7, 2020 / 02:28 PM CST | Updated: Dec 7, 2020 / 08:27 PM CST
RICHMOND, Va. (NewsNation Now) — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Monday signed into law a bill banning police officers from executing so-called "no-knock" warrants.
Northam signed Virginia's version of "Breonna's Law," named after Breonna Taylor, in a ceremony alongside her family's attorney, Ben Crump. Delegate Lashrecse Aird and Sen. Mamie Locke, who sponsored the legislation, were also in attendance.
Attorney for Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Jacob Blake shares his story
The signing ceremony was livestreamed Monday via Facebook.
Virginia's House and Senate voted to approve "Breonna's Law" back in October.
The bill says officers must be identifiable when executing a search warrant, NewsNation affiliate WRIC reported. They also must "verbally" make their presence known. After entering the place to be searched, officers must read the warrant and leave a copy.
The bill also says that search warrants that fall under the law should only be executed in the daytime, unless a judge says otherwise.
After Taylor was shot and killed by police in her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky, in March, cities and states across the U.S. have pushed forward police reform, many of which has targeted "no-knock" warrants.
9 months after Breonna Taylor in Louisville: Residents weigh in amid the mayor's initiatives for racial equality
Minneapolis recently changed a policy around how officers should carry out "no-knock" warrants, requiring police to announce their presence as they enter premises. It came six months after the death of George Floyd. Floyd, a Black man, was killed after a Minneapolis officer pressed his knee against his neck for several minutes.
TIMELINE: The Breonna Taylor case
Massachusetts lawmakers this month voted to approve a bill that they say would increase police accountability, which includes limits on "no-knock" warrants.
The Associated Press and NewsNation affiliate WRIC contributed to this report.
Murdaugh Murder Trial 6 seconds ago


text:
PAUL HARRISON & JULIAN NELSON JOIN RESIDENCE PICTURES
One of the UK's top colourists, Paul Harrison is joining Residence Pictures as Co-Founder and Colourist ahead of the company's launch this Spring. One of the most recognised talents in the industry, Harrison has been continually ranked amongst the top three finishing artists in the UK throughout his career, frequently topping the Televisual best colourist polls as well as winning successive BTAA awards for best colourist.
On joining and launching Residence Pictures, Paul will renew his focus on grading premium long form content having spent much of the past decade establishing a highly acclaimed reputation in commercials working for brands including Sky, Mercedes, Stella Artois and BMW.
He arrives with a mix of feature and episodic credits already to his name and strong relationships with some of the industry's leading Directors and Cinematographers including MJ Delaney, Shane Meadows, Guy Ritchie and Ed Rutherford.
Paul started his career at The Mill, before moving onto MPC and then Freefolk where he established successful grading departments and a strong client base in both London and New York.
Paul Harrison said: 'The opportunity to join the team, and to create a world class longform finishing post house from the ground up is hugely exciting. Cara and Derek's enthusiasm and drive is certainly infectious, I couldn't help but want to be a part of it.'
Joining Paul at Residence Pictures as Co-Founder and Head of Post is leading post production specialist and finishing artist Julian Nelson. In his previous role as Head of Picture at Fifty Fifty Julian has spent the past four years crafting a strong reputation with clients, streamers and peers establishing practical and adaptive workflows through the entire picture process. A highly regarded Finishing Artist in his own right, Nelson has worked directly on UHD HDR Dolby Vision finishing for OTT Specials and episodics successfully delivering 36 original titles to Netflix as well as hundreds of hours of SDR content for studios, networks, streamers and broadcasters throughout his 17 year career in post.
Exacting and methodical, Julian's remit as Head of Post at Residence Pictures is to work closely with clients, creatives, studios and manufacturers from pre-commission to deliver world beating content by crafting intelligent workflows using cutting edge technology.
Julian Nelson said: 'The opportunity to be part of something where the reward is giving back to the next generation is deeply fulfilling. It is a chance to build something that has no legacy before it. We can truly pioneer innovation and creativity. Developing a space that is safe allows artists, thinkers and dreamers freedom to execute their greatest works.'
Residence Pictures will launch in the Spring with a sole focus on picture finishing in the high-end episodic, feature and drama markets. Forming part of the Coffee & TV group of companies, the service offering will comprise end to end workflow planning and execution, colour grading, online, QC and delivery with invisible and specialist visual effects provided by Coffee and TV.
Paul and Julian will form part of a quartet of industry-leading elite talent that will come together as Co-Founders to launch the Company in the Spring. Each headhunted by Managing Director Cara Kotschy, the final Founding Partner will be joining the business imminently.
Cara Kotschy said: 'I'm very excited to have Paul and Julian join me as Co-Founders at Residence Pictures. Both exceptionally talented and highly regarded in their specialisms, they are absolutely vital to help us achieve our goal of becoming the market leader in high-end picture finishing. I can't wait to get started."
The end of 2021 was an exciting time for the Coffee & TV group with the launch of Residence Pictures and a win at the Royal Television Society Craft and Design Awards for Sky Sports Lions Series in the trails and packaging category. The studio's visual effects departments are also working on a number of high profile long form drama projects set to air in 2022.


text:
'Don't Break Our Phone' Rallies Planned to Support Apple Refusing to Help FBI Access Shooter's iPhone
"We're angry that the FBI is trying to make all of us less safe by undermining Apple's security," the group's organizers said.
By Lisa Fernandez and Wire Reports	• Published at 6:43 am on February 23, 2016
Rallies were planned at Apple stores from Albuquerque to Munich on Tuesday to support CEO Tim Cook's refusal to help the FBI access the cellphone of a gunman who, along with his wife, killed 14 people in San Bernardino.
Four of those 30 rallies were planned in the San Francisco Bay Area, the heart of Silicon Valley and the stores closest to Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California. The rallies will take place at 5:30 p.m. local time in Corte Madera, Santa Rosa, San Francisco and Palo Alto, the store that Cook frequents the most.
Rallies will also be held in New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Connecticut, Houston, San Diego and Los Angeles County, among other locations.
"We're angry that the FBI is trying to make all of us less safe by undermining Apple's security," the group's organizers wrote on the "Don't Break Our Phones" website.
Organizers say their goal is to show lawmakers why decrypting Syed Rizwan Farook's phone would be "dangerous." They encourage protesters to bring signs that read: "FBI: Don't Break Our iPhones!" and "Secure Phones Save Lives."
A majority of Americans, however — including Bill Gates — side with the Justice Department in the agency's desire to unlock the iPhone of the Dec. 2 gunman, according to a Pew Research Center study released Monday. A total of 51 percent of those surveyed said Apple should unlock the iPhone, while 38 said the company should not.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym, based in Riverside, ordered Apple last week to help the FBI access the password-protected phone, but Apple has resisted, saying such a move could compromise the security of all iPhone owners' information.
Cook reiterated that position in a company email Monday.
"This case is about much more than a single phone or a single investigation, so when we received the government's order we knew we had to speak out," Cook wrote. "At stake is the data security of hundreds of millions of law-abiding people, and setting a dangerous precedent that threatens everyone's civil liberties."
The U.S. attorney's office filed court papers in Riverside on Friday seeking an order compelling Apple to comply with Pym's mandate. Federal authorities argue in the court papers that Apple has the technical ability to access Farook's phone data.
According to the court papers filed Friday, federal authorities suspect that Farook, 28, may have used the iPhone, which was issued to him by his employer — San Bernardino County — to communicate with some of the people he and his wife, 27-year-old Tashfeen Malik, killed.
"The phone may contain critical communications and data prior to and around the time of the shooting that, thus far has not been accessed, may reside solely on the phone and cannot be accessed by any other means known to either the government or Apple."
Prosecutors also insist that their request will not compromise the data of other iPhone users.
"The order requires Apple to assist the FBI with respect to this single iPhone used by Farook by providing the FBI with the opportunity to determine the passcode," they said in court paperwork.
See the full list of rallies planned.
City News Service and NBC Los Angeles' Toni Guinyard contributed to this report.


text:
VOTE ON
entertainmentmoviestvcelebritycomedyhorrorbehind the scenesnostalgiawatchworthymusicrockhip hopcountrymetalpop musicsingersalbumsmusic historynerdygamingcomicsanimecartoonstoystechspacesciencesportsnflsoccernbabaseballhockeycollege sportscombat sportsathleteslifestylebeautyfashionfamilyrelationshipspetshomecareerautomotivehistorypoliticsworld historyus historyroyaltywarmysterieshistorical figuresancient historyculturearttravelbooksdeep thoughtsLGBTQastrologyfunnysocial mediafoodcookingbeverageslibationsfast foodsnacksrestaurantshealthy eatingsecret menu itemschannelsWatchworthyTotal NerdWeird HistoryButton MashGraveyard ShiftAnime Underground
#23 Caramel apple
on The Tastiest Flavor Combinations in All of Food-dom
#10 Candy cane
on Your Favorite Foods To Eat On Christmas
COLLECTION36 LISTS
Chew on ThisFun facts and fascinating trivia about historical, bygone, and modern foods for people who love eating food.
These Foods Can Mess You Up
Fun Facts About Condiments
Tasty Facts About '90s Snacks
How They Tasted in the Old Days
Kind of Weird Food Fads
Historical Food Catastrophes
Please Revive These Old-School Snacks
The Real Origins of These 'National Dishes'
Foods That Have Been Around for A Loooong Time
What Ancient Societies Ate
Cherished Recipes of Famous Figures from History
Brands That Have Been Around Longer Than You Think
The Surprisingly Healthy Diets of Vikings
When Food Has Started Wars
Innovative Foods Born of Cultural Tragedies
Weird Cuisine in Ancient Rome
The Disgusting Diets of Our Founding Fathers
Foodie Delights of the 20th Century
On the Menu for Nuclear Families in Postwar USA
What Health Nuts Gorged on in the 20th Century
Most Influential Food Innovations
Most Historically Important Foodstuffs
What Mob Members Loved to Cook
The Average Medieval Diet
The Oldest Foods Discovered by Archaeologists
Prospector Snacks During the Gold Rush
The Genetics Behind Tastes in Different Cultures
Junk Food in the 20th Century
Candy That Was Too Dangerous
The Evolution of Military Rations
Brought Back by Popular Demand
Foods Americans Eat Differently
Bizarre Diet Fads from History
Ethnic Foods Made in America
Food in the Elizabethan Era
Foods Americans Think Are Ethnic But Were Actually Invented In The States
Lauren Glen
May 3, 2022 7.5k votes 1.6k voters 123.6k views
List Rules
Vote up your favorite ethnic foods with US origins.
Every state has a food it is known for, and we often take pride in claiming that our home makes some of the best barbecue, seafood, or pies in the nation. Still, when Ranker asked readers which food they could eat for the rest of their lives, Chinese food, spaghetti, burritos, and sushi were some of the dishes that ranked at the very top of the list. Part of what makes these foods so appealing is that they seem special, helping us feel like we are experiencing ethnic foods without having to leave home. Are we really, though?
It turns out that some of our very favorite "ethnic" foods actually originated right here in our own country. While a few resemble dishes from their supposed countries, others were conceptualized entirely in the United States. This list exposes the fascinating, real, and very American origins of some of our very favorite "ethnic" dishes.
Photo: jamiepatra / Flickr / CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0
German Chocolate Cake Is Named After A Person, Not The Country
With a country of origin placed in the dessert's name, it seems as though the recipe for this coconut and pecan-filled chocolate cake obviously came from Germany. Right? Wrong. German chocolate cake isn't actually named after Germany at all.
Sam German invented a bar of sweet baking chocolate for Baker's chocolate company in 1852. Though the company named the chocolate after its inventor, the name didn't reach legendary status until a Texas home baker sent her chocolate cake recipe to a Dallas newspaper in 1957.
The recipe apparently created a pretty delicious cake because Baker's "German's chocolate" sales skyrocketed the same year. Newspapers around the United States republished the recipe for their local readers, but the cake's name somehow lost the apostrophe "s" in the republication process.
Germany now gets all the credit for this distinctly American treat, all because a man who had a country's name as a surname invented a bar of baking chocolate.
Photo: jeffreyw / Flickr / CC-BY 2.0
There's No Such Thing As 'Traditional Irish' Corned Beef And Cabbage
No matter how many restaurants in the United States insist on serving "authentic" corned beef and cabbage every St. Paddy's Day, you'll never get an original Irish meal by ordering it. Why? Because the Irish traditionally stayed away from beef altogether. The British made corned beef popular, and the American Jewish population created the salting and cooking process we use today.
Before the British colonization of Ireland, cows were considered sacred animals, and they preferred to eat pork and used the cows for fieldwork and dairy products. When the British took over the country, they brought their beef-eating practices with them. Cows became a commercial commodity, and Great Britain exported thousands of cows every year to England for consumption.
However, when the Cattle Acts of 1663 and 1667 were passed, exporting live cows to England became illegal. This technicality didn't halt the industry; it only changed it. Salt was another vast resource in Ireland, and the market became flooded with what the British called "corned beef," meat cured with large hunks of salt (the size of corn kernels, to be exact). This version of corned beef became massively popular on the transatlantic trade routes, supplying troops of the British and French colonists with food.
Despite the dish's massive popularity, the Irish couldn't afford to eat corned beef themselves. Strict laws against the native Irish Catholic population led to their reliance on potatoes instead of meat for sustenance. Their fortunes changed when they migrated to the United States and they could finally afford meat for the first time. Ironically, it wasn't pork that they could afford but the corned beef that fueled the economy of their ancestors. Still, it wasn't the original, heavily salted version they purchased. Instead, it was the Jewish-American version of the dish, served with cabbage and potatoes.
Photo: Stacy Spensley / Flickr / CC-BY 2.0
It's Possible England Didn't Even Know About English Muffins Until The '90s
Despite being called an "English" muffin, this breakfast staple was invented in America. What's more? It's possible the British public didn't even know it existed until Thomas' English muffins were exported to the other side of the pond in the 1990s.
British ex-pat Samuel Bath Thomas invented a "toaster crumpet" to sell in his New York City bakery in 1880. While they resembled crumpets, they were a little flatter and less cake-like in consistency than the distinctly British version of the bread. The crumpet-like bread became incredibly popular among upscale hotels and restaurants in the area, and by 1894, people were referring to the more sophisticated version of toast as an "English muffin."
Some experts argue that the "toaster crumpet" was popular in England before Thomas brought the breakfast bread to America. Before every household had an oven, bakers would sell their creations door-to-door throughout England. Even though they called them "crumpets," they were missing ingredients (mainly baking soda) that gave the bread the consistency that a crumpet was supposed to have. While the bread wasn't explicitly designated as a completely separate breakfast food category, door-to-door bakers were essentially selling the product that Thomas "invented" in America around the same time.
Whether dreamed up in an American bakery or brought over from an English home-based tradition, the traditional English muffin that we all know and love in America has never been distinguished as "English" in England. There, the crumpet-like breakfast bread and the cupcake-like sweet American treat are both referred to as "muffins."
More English muffin
#25 of 82 on
The Best Breakfast Foods
The Very Best Types of Bread, Ranked
The Best Foods to Eat After a Workout
Photo: MattCC716 / Flickr / CC-BY-SA 2.0
Rare In Italy, Alfredo Sauce Underwent A Major Transformation In The States
The Alfredo sauce we all love to order at Italian restaurants in America is actually pretty rare in Italy, and it's made in a completely different style. According to legend, Roman restauranteur Alfredo di Lelio created a dish involving egg noodles, butter, and grated Romano cheese for his wife, who had lost her appetite after childbirth. She enjoyed the pasta so much that she insisted that Alfredo add it to their menu.
The dish remained a local rarity until Hollywood stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks happened to visit the restaurant on their honeymoon. They fell in love with the meal, starting a Roman food-pilgrimage craze among celebrities who wanted to experience Alfredo for themselves.
There are only two restaurants in Rome that claim to have the authentic fettuccini Alfredo, and the recipe is far cry from what Americans know and recognize back home. The authentic version doesn't have garlic or cream, and Italians would be shocked to see that we add chicken to any pasta dish.
Visitors to Italy will only find Alfredo similar to the version served in the United States at the low-quality touristy spots around town.
Photo: inazakira / Flickr / CC-BY-SA 2.0
Spaghetti And Meatballs Were Separate Dishes Before Americans Put Them Together
Spaghetti and meatballs seems like the most classic dish that a person could order at an Italian restaurant. But if you take a trip to Italy, you'll only find it in the restaurants made to appeal to American tourists.
Though spaghetti and a version of the meatball both exist, they're never served together as a whopping pile of food covered in marinara. The "traditional" spaghetti and meatball dishes that we order as comfort food at restaurants and serve up at home in the United States actually evolved with Italian immigration.
Southern Italians regularly made polpettes at home in the late 1800s, small balls of various meats (no larger than the size of golf balls) that stood alone as the main dish or were added to soups. Because political and economic circumstances left this area highly impoverished, families made the polpettes out of whatever meat they could find, with ingredients ranging from turkey to fish.
When 4 million of these families migrated to America between the 1880s and 1920s, ingredients were much cheaper in the United States than they had been at home. As a sign of their newly found wealth and success, the small polpettes made from whatever meat was on hand evolved into large beef meatballs the size of baseballs.
The traditional marinara sauce became excessively popular in the United States because canned tomatoes were easy to find, and Italian restaurant owners began adding noodles to their dishes because Americans were accustomed to having starch (usually potatoes) with their meals. From there, the distinctively American "Italian" dish quickly became a hit.
More Spaghetti
#21 of 100 on
The Most Comforting Comfort Food
If You Could Only Eat One Food for the Rest of Your Life...
The Tastiest Carbs To Eat When You're Not On A Diet
Photo: Beatrice Murch / Flickr / CC-BY 2.0
Fajitas Were First Cooked Up In Texas By Mexican Cowboys
Though you can find the dish on the menu at Mexican food restaurants everywhere, fajitas are a distinctly American dish. In the 1930s and '40s, Mexican immigrants working on Texas ranches were often paid for their work with low-quality meat instead of cash. The ranchers quickly learned to marinate the pieces of skirt steak and other scrap meats before grilling and serving them on tortillas.
The dish remained a well-kept secret among vaqueros (Mexican cowboys) until 1969, when meat market manager Sonny Falcon set up the first fajita stand at a festival in Kyle, TX. Though restaurant owner Otilia Garza put the dish on the menu at Round-Up Restaurant in Pharr, TX, that same year, the fajita craze didn't really take off among the general public until a few years later.
In 1973, Pharr native Ninfa Rodriguez Laurenzo opened a Tex-Mex restaurant in Houston featuring fajitas on the menu. With the launch of Ninfa's, restaurants in three different areas were introducing the plate of sizzling meat, fresh condiments, and fresh tortillas to the Texas population.
Soon, the low-quality skirt steak was replaced by other meats, including shrimp, chicken, and better cuts of beef. Even so, the growing price of skirt steak in the 1980s proves that people still enjoyed the authentic original version.


Archived stories contains child abuse stories received and posted to this site in the years 2005 through to August 17, 2007.
These stories have been archived because of the volume of story submissions. The following were all posted under the old system that did not permit comments. Original URLs remain the same.
Do you want to be heard? Share here!
Child abuse story from M.


text:
Q: What is the correct way to fit sigma.formula in gamlss() to add a per-dependent variable variance? I have data in the format:

 | organism | treatment | replicate | response |
 | ---      | ---       | ---       | ---      |
 | A        | X         | 1         | 20       |
 | A        | X         | 2         | 5        |
 | A        | Y         | 1         | 10       |
 | A        | Y         | 2         | 12       |
 | A        | Z         | 1         | 8        |
 | A        | Z         | 2         | 6        |
 | B        | X         | 1         | 20       |
 | B        | X         | 2         | 5        |
 | B        | Y         | 1         | 10       |
 | B        | Y         | 2         | 12       |
 | B        | Z         | 1         | 8        |
 | B        | Z         | 2         | 6        |

Where 'organism', 'treatment', and replicate are all categorical variables.
There is also a 'length' variable which represents the exposure rate for each
organism. The 'response' variable appears to follow a negative binomial
distribution, where the variance is not equal to the mean. I have previous
modelled this data using a multilevel model where 'organism' is the random
effect:
glmer.nb(response ~ treatment + (1|organism) + offset(log(length)) - 1, data = ...)

I removed the intercept in the model, because it is uninterpretable to have an
expected response with no organism or treatment.
This model however has large amounts of heteroscedasticity where the fitted
versus standard residuals shows an obvious trend. Checking with dharma also
indicates overdispersion in the residuals (if this is the correct way to
describe the two-sided uniform test outlined in the dharma manual?). Plotting
residuals versus treatment shows differing amounts of residual variance for
each treatment, suggesting that variance should also be modelled based on the
dependent variable.
I have followed up with the gamlss package and fit a model with
dependent-variable specific variance as:
gamlss(formula       = response ~ treatment + random(organism) + offset(log(length)) - 1,
       sigma.formula = ~ organism + treatment,
       data = ...)

Comparing sigma.formula = ~ 1 and sigma.formula = ~ organism + treatment
models using BIC suggests I should accept the latter model as being more
parsimonious. The heteroscedasticity has also disappeared, where there residual
versus fitted plot now appears normally distributed along the y-axis 0.
Is this the correct way to fit variance as a dependent variable in a model?
I've only had previous experience with glms and mixed effect models, so I don't
have intuition about what seems sensible when using gamlss.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This fabric has a bright blue background with trains on track pattern and will add interest to your quilt. The fabric is 100% cotton. I endeavor to accurately capture the colors of each fabric, but as you realize, that is sometimes not possible due to lighting and surrounding changes. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions regarding color or other issues. You may choose a one yard cut or a continuous cut of more yardage. One yard is 44"x36". This is new fabric. This bright vibrant colored Train Motif fabric would work great in a child's quilt. As you may notice in other listings, I purchased all color or pattern options to offer you the option of purchasing one of each. I purchased all the children's print in this collection. Afterall..."One is good, more is better!" You may want to purchase one of each.