text:
Macroeconomist Says Macroeconomics Really Successful
Narayana Kocherlakota writes a concise defense of modern macroeconomics, and basically says 'it's all good'.
I'm not so sure. I got my PhD in econ because I wanted to be a macroeconomist, but after a year of introductory macro, and having one quarter with models from a Keynesian, another quarter with models from a supply-sider (eg, Kydland & Prescott), it was clear to me they were overfitting the data, and reconciliation was not in the cards. They simply did not have enough business cycles to distinguish between very different theories, and it was too easy to fix models after every new decade's surprise.
For example, the main data is post World War 2 US data, and there have been about 10 recessions. There are hundreds of time series (consumption, consumption per capita, non-durable consumption per capita) where one can derive a model that explains things. Given the failure of economists to forsee the stagflation of the 1970s, the disinflation of the 1980s, the fall in velocity in the 1980s, the growth of the Asian Tigers, the relative productive power of capitalist economies (most thought the Soviet Union's savings rate would necessarily generate higher productivity in a generation circa 1960), it is difficult to see what what else is needed to be discouraged. I've made several strategic errors in my career; leaving macroeconomics was not one of them.
But, if you're a 50 year old macroeconomist, the cognitive dissonance in admitting this is too great. Thus, Kocherlakota notes:
The work of the people on this list is pretty technical. Most are very gifted intuitive economists. But intuition necessarily plays a limited role in macroeconomics. There are just too many things going on in a macroeconomic model of any interest to rely on intuition alone. ... The good news is that, thanks in part to the people on this list [top macroeconomists mentioned earlier], we've made enormous progress in the kind of realistic complications that we can usefully model.
An example would really help, because I'm at a loss. It reminds me of John Campbell's Asset Pricing at the Millenium, where he noted:
the period 1979 to 1999 has also been a highly productive one. Precisely because the conditions for the existence of a stochastic discount factor are so general, they place almost no restrictions on financial data
Yup. Progress is generalization, a la String Theory, because explaining things with complicated yet elegant mathematics is progress, right?
The main issues in economics are explaining
what determines economic growth over long time horizons
what determines business cycles
what are the essential characteristics of an optimal fiscal policy
that are the essential characteristics of an optimal monetary policy
I think to the degree we know anything about these key questions, we have learned via experience. In a productive scientific area, like solid state physics, experts are much better than non-experts at knowing essential truths, but macroeconomists are as divergent on the big issues as anyone. That is, they cannot explain, let alone predict, recessions, just like journalists. Look at the divergent explanations for 2008: the Fed, too much regulation, too little regulation. Which is it? Who knows. They are still arguing about the causes of the Great Depression, and why we got out of it. I have my beliefs, but I realize I can't prove them true.
The most successful macroeconomic policy is perhaps the the Taylor Rule (see here, page 202), which basically was derived by explaining how the actually Fed Funds rate related to inflation and GDP growth in the decade prior to its proposal in 1992. There are lots of dense books on theory that should have been helpful here, and one can retrospectively look in the macro literature to derive this rule, but lets be honest, high-brow theory was pretty irrelevant in the discovery of this useful rule.
Macroeconomics is the triumph of hope over experience, and has been no more successful than sociology. I think it's great that some people are working on this, but let's not kid ourselves that there has been any progress. It is easy to think that merely because a lot of intelligent people have published peer reviewed articles, knowledge must be increasing. The bottom line is the data, and real time experience with macroeconomic models has been horrible as always. It is nice that some of the bad models of the past are now known to be wrong, but the set of wrong models is infinite, so that does not imply we are getting closer to the correct model merely by excluding more bad ones.
Around 1840, Macaulay wrote a grand history of England, and noted that doctors had historically recounted their field's successes with an obvious lack of detachment:
The history of our country during the last hundred and sixty years is eminently the history of physical, moral, and intellectual improvement. And this is the way the history of medicine used to be written, principally by doctors in their retirement, as a form of ancestor-worship (no doubt in the hope that they, too, would become ancestors worthy of worship). In this version, the history of medicine was that of the smooth and triumphant ascent of knowledge and technique, to our current state of unprecedented enlightenment. . . . [but] it is clear that for centuries it possessed no knowledge or skill that could have helped its patients, rather the reverse.
This was before anesthesia and the theory of germs, a time when visiting a medical doctor was about as useful as visiting a witch doctor.
Macro was created by John Maynard Keynes, before then it was just 'economics'. The simultaneous creation of a model that applied to aggregate variables (eg, aggregate demand) and national income accounting, created what Keynes thought would be the new era of the 'joy of statistics'. It hasn't turned out that way.
Paul Samuelson's first paper in 1939 was to apply mathematics to the new theory of macroeconomic dynamics, in this case a second-order difference equation. Hyman Minsky's most prominent refereed journal article was a second order difference equation applied to the macroeconomy because that was top line macroeconomics in the 1960s. No one thinks those models work now, they were doomed. Do we really think today's tools are any less futile?
The key indicator of scientific progress is not the opinion of a seasoned practitioner (with their clear bias), but rather, do large financial institutions, who would really benefit from being able to forecast the economy, have thriving economics departments, with the best macroeconomists moving in and out as Chief Economist of Citigroup, to Harvard, and back? No.
In the 1980s, I worked with economists who worked for the Bank of America in the mid-1970s, and they talked of a whole floor of economists, forecasting at various industry and regional growth rates, the things one expects macroeconmists to know. When I got back into banking after graduate school around 1994, the large regional bank I worked for had over 10,000 employees and 1 economist, whose main job was public relations, not advising internal decision making, and this was a typical use for an economist. A few years later, they got rid of him. Macroeconomists are demonstrably not helpful to those institutions that could use economic expertise. Macroeconomists know a lot of stuff, just not anything useful.
the macroeconomists who know 'anything useful' may be out of the public eye (e.g. i would guess brevan howard has a few, and i doubt they're doing pr there).
i thought the long-term drivers of growth were productivity and labor force growth?
tesla said...
I'm of the opinion that economics is not a true science because you can't do controlled experiments. You can't ever falsify economic theories no matter how crappy they are, which is why socialism refuses to die.
Economics is certainly a field worth studying but since you can never demonstrate cause and effect the best you can do is show correlations and trends. I think it should be an empirical science first and foremost with statistics as its main embodiment. For that matter I never understood why economists were so obsessed with formal mathematics- it all seems like so much mental masturbation.
Pete Murphy said...
My biggest concern with macroeconomics is that anything that tends to drive it higher is considered good. That's not the case with population growth. As population density rises beyond some optimum level, over-crowding begins to drive down per capita consumption, giving rise to higher unemployment and poverty. But, since any per capita consumption at all contributes to macroeconomic growth, further population growth is pursued as a cure for a flagging economy.
Here's an example: In Japan, a nation ten times as densely populated as the U.S., the per capita dwelling space is less than a third that of Americans, not because the Japanese like living in cramped quarters, but because there is no room for anything larger. Now consider the effect upon sales of products used in the manufacture and furnishing of their housing. Since their homes are one third the size of Americans', but there are ten times as many Japanese as there would have been if they had leveled off at our population density, sales of these products (for manufacture and furnishing of housing) is three times higher as a result of their population growth. So, in the end, such population growth has been great economic policy for Japanese businesses, but has been very bad policy for Japanese citizens, who now find themselves stuffed into cramped quarters as a result.
It gets worse. Per capita employment in these industries is also less than a third of per capita employment in these same industries in the U.S. The problem is that the per capita consumption of virtually everything, to a greater or lesser extent, is similarly affected by over-crowding. It is this effect of extreme population densities - a reduction in per capita consumption - that makes such economies utterly dependent on manufacturing for export in order to gainfully employ the excess labor force that results from low domestic per capita consumption.
Pete Murphy
Author, "Five Short Blasts"
Mike LeGower said...
@tesla - I think insofar as you're referring to Macroeconomics, you are probably correct. Attempting to use manageable mathematical models to analyze something as complex and interdependent as the U.S. economy is intellectually arrogant. The models used for growth and business cycle analysis, although complex to some degree, can not hope to capture the multitude of factors that impact the macroeconomy. They always have a feel of fitting the model to the data, which works great until the data changes.
However, mathematical models in game theory applications have their usefulness. They have even been co-opted by computer scientists and biologists. Also, there are economists out there who are attempting to conduct controlled experiments to analyze small questions particularly in game theory that, if answered, could be generalized to larger questions.
At any rate, the criticism of macro in the OP is something I think most younger economists have echoed for awhile now. There just doesn't seem to be any consistent predictive power in these models. They work for a while, while the paradigm that generated the data on which they are based is still in place, but when something fundamental shifts, the models fall apart. Maybe in another 100 years, we'll have seen enough of these sea changes to construct a model that can account for them, but after only 50 or so, we seem to be tilting at windmills.
Hi, Eric --
I'll assume that Mike's observation that
> There just doesn't seem to be any consistent predictive power in these models.
accurately summarizes your dismissal or macroeconomics, or to narrow it down even further, macro is useless because it can't tell us:
> what determines business cycles
But I think you're asking too much. The prediction business is tough or impossible, but maybe we'd have better luck cleaning up the mess after our predictions have gone wrong. Has macro nothing to tell us here?
Your post expresses my own sentiments on macroeconomics. I was trained as a physicist, and if nothing else developed a healthy respect for the complex and often unexpected behavior of even the simples systems - systems where we actually have a reasonable model, can study it in great detail, can make testable predictions, and can run repeated experiments under different conditions.
A few years ago, I had an exchange with the economist blogger Mark Thoma expressing doubt that macro-economists had a good handle on their subject, given the complexity of the world economy and the numerous and mostly poorly understood non-linear interactions between the various parts, human psychology included. I pointed out that non-linear systems can exhibit radically different behaviors with just small changes in the parameters. He assured me that non-linearity was not important in economics ... which judging from the events of the last few years, appears laughable.
But you make your point well - if the experts cannot agree not only on what will happen, but even on the causes of what has happened, the subject is not useful.
Christian Gormsen said...
I can only think of one example where mathematics in macroeconomics has advanced our knowledge in one of the four areas that you put forward:
Oded Galor's theory of unified growth.
The model describes the transition from a Malthusian world, to an industrial society to a knowledge economy. Although I have not dug into the equations, it seems like a step forward to me.
Generally this critique (which is the harshest I have seen to date) is spot on. Is their any hope for change in the field? It appears that at least some economists agree that the course is wrong.
yes but ... the concerted action of western governments based on recommendations of macroeconomists appears to have averted depression. Am I missing something?
But What do I Know? said...
**Macroeconomists know a lot of stuff, just not anything useful**
I think your observation that we just don't have enough data to construct useful models is apt (if I'm interpreting you correctly.) It's similar to people pulling "lessons" from history--oftentimes things might have turned out very differently but for some lucky breaks and the actions of a few well-placed men and women. The same is true of our economics history. The paradigm of the business cycle is so compelling and "natural" that it clouds our thinking in much the same way as an Elliot Waver will rudely force his model on defenseless price data.
You might have just as well just described modern theoretical linguistics, a field I know way too much about at this point. Looking under your favorite lamppost is a common, perhaps preferred activity in academia - an argument against tenure if I ever heard one.
Two things: First, you equate success in macro with the ability to forecast ("The key indicator of scientific progress is...do large financial institutions, who would really benefit from being able to forecast the economy, have thriving economics departments..."). Understanding (if only ex post) macroeconomic problems and constructing ways of preventing them do not imply any ability to forecast, but it's hard to believe that this would not constitute progress. Second, you are mischaracterizing Kocherlakota's short paper, and badly. He said, we have made progress in what complications WE CAN MODEL, not in matching the models to the real world. In fact, he explicitly states that most of the driving shocks in macro models are patently fantastic, and admits that at least one complication (large-scale, frequent reallocations of wealth) is almost completely unmodeled and perhaps crucial.
If you truly believe that no progress whatsoever has been made in modeling, then you haven't been paying attention. If you merely want a strawman, you should make up your own instead of trashing one of the few thoughtful (and truly critical, if still optimistic) pieces to come out of all this meta-macro debating.
Some people would look at "the Great Moderation" period from the 1980s to now as a period of relative success for macroeconomics. Numerous countries adopted inflation targeting and succeeded in keeping inflation low and stable, in part due to their ability to forecast output and inflation. To some extent, we have succeeded in preventing accelerating inflation by anchoring expectations.
The biggest problem macroeconomics has always faced is the financial side. (Consumer) price stability seems to work fine, it's the output stability and its relation to rapidly falling asset prices that is still causing the problems.
If you want to dump on macro, by all means you should, but you should equally dump on finance. Your point about the financial sector not hiring macroeconomists is a good one, but I also take it to imply that most of the math and theory behind finance is also wrong
since the lack of macroeconomists didn't really help Lehman, Bear Stearns, etc. Perhaps the biggest mistake of macro in the last few decades was to assume that the financial guys had the right models and that therefore policy could focus on consumer price inflation and ignore leverage, tail-risk, financial innovation, runaway asset price growth, etc.
"Perhaps the biggest mistake of macro in the last few decades was to assume that the financial guys had the right models"
The banks that went bust in the UK - B&B, HBOS, NRock, all went because of their leverage and exposure to the housing market, not because of their use of derivatives.
Banks don't hire macroeconomists, but the massive quantities of quants we see in finance are economists. Financial economists just turn out to be far more practical and useful than macro economists.
Really, I given the limited utility of macro, you would think these people would make a rational decision to move to a different sub-field....lol
It is a good thing you left macroeconomics behind. We're much better off than if your nonsense was allowed to pollute things. Leave it to people who know what they're doing.
Re-Remics: Financial Folly?
Why Capital Regulations did Not Cause the Mortgage...
The Latest Equity Factor Model
Robert Lucas as Anakin Skywalker
Finding Alpha Videos
Boxer Drinks Own Urine
Nonscientists Naive about Science
Minsky a Keynesian Sockpuppet
What's Right about Intelligent Design
Forensic Risk Management
Madoff Intimidates Regulators and Risk Managers
The Politics of Insincerity
Market Timing Using a Moving Average
Are Expected Returns Unmeasurable?
Physicists 'Solve' Two-Envelopes Paradox
Ratings Agencies Lose 'Free Speech' Immunity
People Lie About Alpha
Arithmetic Returns For Junk Biased
Things Never Change
Clown Car


1600 runners lined up at in Courmayeur this morning for a dawn start. The weather conditions were perfect in many ways with excellent visibility and sunny skies. However the heat was a factor as the day wore on and the sun beat down.
The race is 119km long with a hefty 7,250 m of ascent. The cut off time is 33 hours and some hearts will certainly get left out there on the course.
The profile of the race is enough to make your eyes bleed with a steep climb up to the Arete du Mont-Favre right from the off. The race lead changed several times during the first few hours. At the four hour mark, Jessed Hernandez Gispert was leading for the men and Meredith Edwards for the women.
By twelve hours in, the men's lead had changed and it was Pau Capell in first, Yeray Duran Lopez in second and Franco Colle in third.
Those positions were to hold good for the rest of the race. Capell came in at 14.45.44, Lopez at 15.14.07 and Colle at 15.32.45.
Pau Capell is a young Spanish runner who runs for Compressport. He burst onto the scene just three years ago with a second and third placing in Collserola and Menorca and has been going from strength to strength.
In May this year he triumphed at Ultra-Trail Australia, a 100km race in the Blue Mountains. At the time he said, "I don't believe it. This is a dream. I dream about this. I think this was amazing."
We are pretty sure that today's fantastic victory at TDS will have surpassed that! He crossed the finish line in great form and to an absolutely esctatic welcome from the hundreds of people who had turned out to cheer in the leaders.
As we publish this, the women are still out on the course. Frenchwoman, Delphine Avenier is currently in the lead with the USA's Meredith Edwards about 11 minutes behind. Edwards had led for most of the race.
We'll be keeping you updated live on Twitter so follow us there and we will also be updating regularly on Facebook. We'll be in Chamonix all week.


Imagine having the hymns of the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal right in your pocket? Here it is.
With the SDA Hymnal app you can use your WP7 for sing the hymn that you like.
In this app you will have a very fast and intuitive interface. Just type hymn number and click OK.


In today's Internet-fuelled world, speed to market is critical for both online retailers and brick-and-mortar stores. So optimizing your supply chain and squeezing every bit out of it is important in getting a competitive advantage over other retailers. Cross-docking is one way to get products out there faster and more efficiently.
Here, we'll explore what is meant by cross docking and how it works. We'll also cover some different types of cross-docking techniques. But ultimately your product type needs to be suitable for cross-docking to enjoy its full benefits. And cross-docking is not a magic solution as it does come with some large caveats for businesses.
It's best to think of cross-docking as the Just-In-Time of shipping. It is a logistics process that brings products from a supplier or manufacturer directly to a customer or retailer with minimal handling and storage time. And it all takes place in a distribution docking terminal with trucks, docks, and floor space.
The inbound and outbound sides in the terminal give cross docking its name. Inbound trucks unload their goods at the dock. They then move across the distribution terminal floor to waiting trucks at the outbound side. Also, goods move quickly within the distribution terminal and very little time and space is spent on the goods.
By contrast, traditional warehousing requires that wholesalers and distributors have goods on hand to ship to customers. This means receiving products at the unloading bay of a warehouse, unloading and inspecting them, and then storing them on racks. Next, the goods sit in the warehouse until they are sold, packed and loaded onto transportation trucks.
So, cross-docking immediately eliminates the need for the long-term storage of stock. With the incoming and outgoing trucking docks, stocks move immediately across the floor of the distribution center. And there's minimal handling as well.
The biggest and best example of cross-docking at work is Walmart. It runs the biggest chain of discount stores in the world. And it's also the largest private employer in the world. And cross docking underpins Walmart's ability to deliver products to customers quickly and at low cost.
Walmart had the information infrastructure in place in the 1980s to be able to implement cross-docking. An internal communications network allowed interaction between each link in their supply chain. Plus, each store was able to report same-day sales. This information was critical to decision-making and planning their orders and inventory.
The type of product determines the method of cross docking used. Customers use the most appropriate type of cross docking to match their products. This is all part of the fine-tuning process in tailoring the most efficient supply chain possible.
Manufacturing Cross Docking. The warehouse receives inbound goods and raw materials for assembly.
Distributor Cross Docking. The distribution terminal receives products from different suppliers for consolidation into a mixed product pallet.
Consolidation Cross Docking. Small shipments are combined into a larger shipment to enjoy economies of scale. This is commonly used by less-than-truckload (LTL) and small-package industries.
De-consolidation Cross Docking. Large shipments, such as railcar lots, are broken down into smaller shipments for ease of delivery.
Retail or "Hub and Spoke" Cross Docking. Products from multiple suppliers are received in one central location. They are then sorted for delivery to different destinations.
Opportunistic Cross Docking. Products are transferred directly from the receiving dock to the outbound shipping dock to fulfill a customer's sales order.
Cross-docking is one way to trim your supply chain inefficiencies further. Speed and productivity are of essence for 3PL partners and their customers. Done correctly, cross-docking can see jumps in efficiency and a drop in handling times.
Warehouse space is expensive. Keeping goods stored for long periods of time is costing your business money. This applies whether you pay rent or own the premises. Most traditional businesses stock up for various reasons. These might include anticipating seasonal demand, storing large manufacturing runs, or simply reducing lead time for customer orders.
Depending on the products, cross-docking doesn't require long-term storage of stock. In fact, it doesn't require any warehouse storage at all in the distribution terminal. Goods spend little time at the docks and within the terminal. Also, moving pallets don't require storage space.
Most businesses typically use a few shipping partners. There is one partner for trucking and general logistics. And there's another partner for the final-mile delivery with an on-demand parcel partner. This means spending time managing multiple business relationships and not enjoying economies of scale with one logistics partner.
With cross-docking, you remove the need to depend on multiple shipping partners. Instead, one logistics partner can resolve your warehousing and shipping needs with a cross-docking distribution terminal. Plus, you need only deal with one business and you may be able to consolidate your shipping volume to enjoy favorable shipping rates.
In traditional warehousing, goods are unloaded, inspected and then moved to be stored in warehouse racks. When orders come in, the same goods are taken from storage, picked-and-packed according to the packing list, and then shipped out for delivery. Accordingly, there's an increased risk of damage to goods because of human handling here.
Cross-docking reduces the risk of damage to stock. How is this possible when goods move at speed within the distribution terminal? Humans are the weakest link in the shipping process. In cross-docking, goods spend minimal time being handled by humans while they move from inbound trucks to outgoing trucks, thus the risk of damage is less.
With traditional warehousing, even the slickest warehouse distribution model is no match for cross-docking. Stock that is ordered must be received at the warehouse. They are then unpacked, inspected and stored in the warehouse. Goods are picked-and-packed upon receiving orders and then shipped out. All this adds to the lead time for delivery.
Cross-docking removes time and paper inefficiencies in the shipping process. This means that stock need not be received, inspected, stored and then re-packed again for their journey out. Turning around stock within a distribution terminal contributes to speed and simplifies the supply chain.
Also, you enjoy a competitive advantage by being able to ship out goods as they are ordered. Your customers also enjoy decreased lead time in reordering and replenishing their stock. In addition, stock spends little or no time in a warehouse as they are moved from one inbound truck to the outbound trucks.
When Should You Use Cross Docking?
Cross-docking is no magic pill for speeding up your supply chain. Some products are better suited for cross-docking. For others, you may not enjoy the productivity, efficiency and customer satisfaction benefits that come with quickly turning around your goods in a warehouse.
Perishable and temperature controlled goods, e.g. foodstuffs.
High-quality goods that do not require QA inspections, e.g. electronics and luxury goods.
Packaged and sorted products that are ready for sale, e.g. processed and canned food.
Promotional and new launch items for speed to market, e.g. Valentine's Day chocolates.
Products with a constant, predictable demand, e.g. t-shirts in summer.
Cross-docking requires a sizeable chunk of attention from management to make it work. It is a large-scale capital investment that needs buy-in from the top-down. Businesses should not consider a cross-docking solution lightly as it will be a very expensive exercise if it fails. Hence, it needs considerable time and planning to implement it and keep it running.
It's apparent by now that cross-docking requires a large investment in technology and systems to be able to obtain real-time information. Data is needed to make purchasing decisions and to shipments at the cross-docking distribution terminal. As such, cross-docking is out of reach for all but the largest and well-capitalized players.
Cross-docking requires special, purpose-built structures to make the flow of inbound and outbound goods work. It would be very difficult to repurpose or renovate an existing warehouse if there's no provision for docks, adequate turning space for trailer trucks, and a large internal space. Hence, it takes time and money to build distribution terminals from scratch.
Not all products are suitable for the cross-docking shipping workflow. It assumes that products are "ready for sale" to customers. There is no provision for storage of raw materials or final goods in the production process. Cross-docking simply takes final products from the supplier or manufacturer and speeds them to the end destination.
You can guess that cross-docking is very dependant on container trucks for transportation. It is not a shipping model that lends itself to shipping by air, sea or rail. Or even motorcycle and vans for that matter. Only trucks with their container cargo can dock quickly into the purpose-built terminal. Even the height of the loading and unloading docks is optimized for trucks and not motorcycles or vans. Thus you need to use a number of transportation partners or even manage your own trucking fleet.
Since cross docking needs a large upfront investment in buildings and systems, it needs a correspondingly high volume of products to see a return on investment. Thus, only very large players can afford and enjoy its scale. Only they can afford to build distribution terminals, equip them with sophisticated data and information networks, and use large fleets of trucks to move products around.
It is said that cross-docking is the JIT of shipping. Thus, suppliers, manufacturers and every participant in the supply chain must adhere to the just-in-time principle as well. This means there is very little room for error in the supply chain. The right product must be delivered in the right quantity to the right cross docking terminal. And this also assumes the product is of the "right" quality as well!
Any hiccup by a participant will have an impact on the entire supply chain. If the supplier or manufacturer is supplying shoddy or below-par quality products, these defects will not be picked up during cross-docking as there's no room for quality assurance or inspection before the goods are loaded onto waiting outbound trucks.
Since cross-docking is out of reach for just about all small-and-medium sized businesses, the next best thing is to use a decent inventory management solution. While you won't enjoy the speedy turnaround of receiving and shipping stock, you will be using an affordable solution. Also, not all products are suitable for cross-docking. Those "unsuitable" products will continue to need software for order, purchase and inventory management.
If your product allows it, cross-docking can provide you with a powerful competitive advantage. Why receive and store goods in expensive warehouses when you can simply turn them around on the distribution terminal floor and have them out immediately? However, cross-docking doesn't suit all products. And cross-docking requires a huge upfront investment in capital and information systems.


text:
Susan Greenfield on the effects of digital technology
Susan Greenfield strides into the Press yurt at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on a pair of precariously high-heeled ankle boots despite the uneven, muddy surface. She has quite a presence, but is disarmingly down-to-earth and funny. No wonder Tony Blair was happy to offer her a seat in the House of Lords, where she sits as a crossbencher.
Baroness Greenfield is a neuroscientist, businesswoman, broadcaster and writer, a senior research fellow and Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford University, and a holder of the Légion d'Honneur. She is chatting to me before she talks on the stage of the Baillie Gifford Main Theatre later in the evening. Greenfield's latest book, Mind Change: How digital technologies are leaving their mark on our brains, explores the effects of a screen-oriented daily existence on how we think and the way in which the brain, one of the most adaptable of organs, is changing in response.
Her varied career, with 200 academic papers and a string of books to her name, has been impressive, but Greenfield says that she never had a career plan as such: "I always just wanted to be me and to do what I was interested in."
At school, she studied Mathematics and Classics, which inspired her to read Philosophy at Oxford, but she felt that the course placed too much emphasis on language structure and switched to Psychology. She became especially interested in the physiology of the brain and applied to do a doctorate in Pharmacology, despite having to admit at the department interview that she did not know what a millimolar solution was (a concentration of one thousandth of a mole per litre). "Never mind," Professor William Paton replied, "You can tell us about Homer in the coffee breaks."
After research fellowships in Oxford, Paris and New York, Greenfield became Professor of Synaptic Pharmacology at Oxford in 1996. This is a discipline that studies the effects of drugs to alter the process of neurotransmission in the brain. She has concentrated on finding a pharmacological way to arrest the loss of brain cells in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and is currently developing a treatment that aims to check the remorseless cycle of cell death.
The book Mind Change looks at the way in which the brain might be being rewired by our use of digital technology. But how can we begin to analyse this and examine how the brain and mind work together?
"Well, we can't treat people like rats and slice and stain their brains, or do anything really invasive, unless you're doing neurosurgery at the time," Greenfield replies. "And this begs the question: what are we measuring or looking at? Brain scans are helpful up to a point but because the time resolution is several seconds and the brain operates in thousandths of a second, a lot could be going on that we can't see. Physiologically, we can start with the brain cells, the neuron, the synapse and all the chemicals and biochemistry, and try to build up a picture, as I do, using animal models.
"That has its limitations though, because obviously a rat isn't going to sit and work on the internet. We can look at dopamine systems and mechanisms, and the effects of environment on a rat brain. But it's not like a litmus or pregnancy test; we can't say, 'Let's see if computers are bad for you or not.' Another way of investigating things people do is to look at behaviour. We can look at reaction times and highly contrived psychological scenarios in lab tests, or carry out surveys. The problem is that both approaches are valid, but it's still hard to interpret one in terms of the other."
She called on the expertise of Olivia Metcalf, research fellow at the University of Melbourne, who has undertaken research on the connection between cyber psychology, behaviour and social networking. As a result, much of what Greenfield says in Mind Change seems logical – and worrying. Few parents of a teenage video game addict would disagree with many of her observations in the chapter on video games.
Greenfield works as a consultant with a number of businesses, examining the impact of digital technology on their customers, goods and services. But how can employers deal with the physiological and psychological effects of digital technology on their own employees?
"Employers need to be aware of their employees' likely strengths and weaknesses," replies Greenfield. "Their strengths will probably be a higher IQ, not because they are likely to be more insightful but because if they've played video games they'll have a mental agility and probably strong visual and motor co-ordination, an agile brain and lots of good working memory. On the other hand, they will have a taste for icons rather than ideas, won't be very good at handling abstract concepts, and are likely to have a very short attention span, low-grade aggression, poor interpersonal skills and, above all, be more narcissistic and have lower self-esteem. Of course, it depends on the business, the job level, the pay grades and what businesses want."
Greenfield admits that she is not immune to the effects of digital technology herself, although she tries to keep it at bay by avoiding social media. "My attention span is shorter, I check my e-mails when I wake up, my handwriting is terrible" – it is – "and I depend on my iPhone in a way that I would never have conceived of 10 years ago."
Her aptitude and willingness to publicise herself, and the many things she does – including publishing a novel in 2013 – make her an easy target for critics. And despite her long list of achievements, Greenfield's varied interests must arguably make it difficult for her to be seen as an authority in any one area. People who simplify complex subjects run the risk of being accused of 'dumbing down', surely?
She shrugs and says it doesn't bother her. In an age when collective scientific curiosity and knowledge is often poor, she says any debate about something as relevant to how we live now as digital technology is important.
Mind Change: How digital technologies are leaving their mark on our brains by Susan Greenfield (Rider Books, £20, Hardback)
Baillie Gifford sponsored the Main and Corner Theatres, the Imagination Lab and the Story Box at this year's Edinburgh International Book Festival.
The man behind the figures
Sweden during the Second World War
An Interview with Gavin Esler
Discovering Osteoporosis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was passed in 2017, bringing about the first major change in the US tax system in over 30 years. Taxpayers can take advantage of the TCJA's sweeping changes to tax brackets, deductions, and credits. Below are the most notable changes that are expected to impact Americans when they file their tax returns this year.
Sweeping changes were made to individual taxpayer brackets. While the number of brackets remains the same, the tax rate for each bracket was reduced.
The TCJA also decreased the income thresholds for meeting the above brackets. For example, the new threshold for married joint filers to be eligible for the 10% tax bracket was raised to $19,050 for 2018, compared with $18,650 in prior years. For single filers, this was raised from $9,325 to $9,525 in 2018.
Some of the biggest changes under the TCJA impacting taxpayers can be found in the standard deduction and personal exemption allowances. The standard deduction was raised to $12,000 for individuals, $24,000 for married couples filing joint returns, and $18,000 for heads of household for the 2018 tax year. This is a significant jump over 2017, where the standard deductions were $6,350 for individuals, $12,700 for married couples filing joint returns, and $9,550 for those filing as heads of households.
However, the TCJA eliminated the use of personal exemptions in 2018. Years prior, personal exemptions allowed taxpayers to exempt a portion of taxable income per dependent. The personal exemption in 2017 was $4,050 per dependent.
If you have children under the age of 17, the Child Tax Credit (CTC) has been increased to $2,000 in 2018, provided that you meet all requirements. Not only is the CTC deducted from income tax that is owed, it is now a refundable credit. This means that if the credit results in an overpayment of taxes, you can now receive a refund of up to $1,400 per qualified child.
New under the TCJA is a $500 credit for dependent children between the ages of 17 and 23, as well as other dependent family members, who live in your home.
On the surface, it appears that smaller families and married couples without children will benefit from such changes, whereas larger families with dependent children will see reduced deductions on their returns. However, lower tax brackets and rates, as well as the increased child tax credit are designed to offset the changes in deductions and exemptions.
For taxpayers that have historically itemized their deductions, payments made for state and local taxes (SALT) were fully deductible on Schedule A. SALT includes such taxes as state and local income tax, property tax, and sales tax. Starting January 1, 2018, the deduction for SALT is limited to $10,000. Taxpayers who itemize and live in states that charge higher taxes may feel the impact of this change. However, with the increase in the standard deduction, many taxpayers may choose to go that route.
Mortgage Interest – For homes that were purchased after December 31, 2017, homeowners may deduct up to $750,000 of mortgage interest or $375,000 each if married, filing separately. The mortgage interest deduction on homes that were purchased on or before December 31, 2017 may continue to be deducted up to $1 million, or $500,000 if married, filing separately.
Home Equity Loan– Regardless of when the home equity loan or line was entered into, interest paid can no longer be deducted, effective January 1, 2018.
Mortgage Insurance Premiums – This deduction is no longer available to homeowners, as it expired on December 31, 2017.
The TCJA brought about changes for owners of investment properties as well. These include the pass-through income deduction and changes to depreciation deductions.
Pass-through income deduction– A new deduction, based on 20% of qualified business income (QBI), is eligible for pass-through entities such as partnerships, S Corporations, and sole proprietorships. The calculation of QBI is determined based on the net income of a business, subject to various limitations, such as W2 wages and business interest. However, the QBI deduction will not apply to certain service businesses.
Personal property depreciation deductions- Some exciting changes for investment property owners can be found under Section 179, which allows qualified personal property to be deducted in the year of purchase. Not only was the threshold for deduction was raised to $1 million in 2018, the phase-out level was raised to $2.5 million. The deduction was expanded to include personal property used in residential rental units, which previously had not been available to rental property owners. Furniture, appliances, and other equipment are now eligible for the deduction.
Section 179 deductions are limited, however, in that it cannot create or contribute to an overall tax loss. With that in mind, the bonus depreciation deduction has been expanded and now covers 100% of personal property, whether it is new or used. This deduction will apply to assets placed in service between September 18, 2017 and December 31, 2022.
Effective January 1, 2023, the bonus depreciation adjustment will drop to 80% and will continue to decrease to 60% in 2024, 40% in 2025, and 20% in 2026. Bonus depreciation, unlike the Sec 179 deduction, is not subject to a limitation of taxable income, therefore it can create or contribute to a net loss.
The TCJA brings a myriad of changes. If you are a homeowner or hold investment properties, the TCJA can provide many opportunities for tax relief.
Seeking the services of qualified real estate and tax professionals can help you to plan for that future purchase or improvements.


text:
David Smallbone
Corporate and Trade Practices
Family Provision
Restraint of Trade
BA, LLB, FCIArb, FACICA
Admitted as a Barrister in NSW in 1990
David maintains a broad commercial and equity practice, with an interest in international commercial arbitration.
Regularly appearing at first instance and on appeal in a diverse range of State and Federal Courts and Tribunals throughout Australia, David's global reach has also seen him appear in the High Court of the Solomon Islands, the Solomon Islands Court of Appeal and the High Court of Fiji. He has also appeared in the High Court of Australia.
David is a highly experienced advocate and effective cross examiner, with or without interpreters. The subject matter of the disputes in which he regularly advises and appears is far-reaching and includes fraud, forgeries, contracts, sales, trade practices, real and personal property, landlord and tenant, mortgages and securities, corporations, trusts, estates, partnerships, insolvency, franchising, trademarks, construction, restitution and administrative law.
David's client base comprises individuals (including professionals, such as solicitors and accountants) and corporate entities. With extensive experience acting for international clients, his practice extends to acting in matters involving Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, United States, Solomon Islands and Fijian law.
Complementing his litigation practice, David's alternative dispute resolution practice encompasses international and domestic arbitration, stay applications, enforcement of Awards, applications for court orders in aid of the arbitral process, construction adjudications and expert determinations. He also has considerable experience in both court-annexed and private mediation.
David is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and Fellow of the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (FACICA).
www.dsmallbone.com and www.disputeslawyer.com


We have a new line in the shop and just received our first delivery from Adhesif Clothing Company. Adhesif Clothing is handmade in Vancouver and most styles are made from vintage and recycled fabrics, making them one-of-a-kind. Except for the Janice Jacket below, which is only available in red, the styles in the photos are available in a variety of different vintage fabrics and colours (photos by Jennifer Picard Photography).
New Jipsi Tree styles arrived this week as well (designed and screenprinted right here in the Comox Valley and sewn in Quebec).


If you want to benefit from all the features of HTML Executable, you may prefer to acquire a license for the Professional edition. The Commercial edition does not contain any restrictions, compared to other editions.
You can always upgrade to another edition when you want (Personal -> Pro, Perso -> Commercial ou Pro -> Commercial): please contact us if you wish to do so. If you are not sure, you can begin with a Personal edition without any problem and upgrade in a later stage.
After placing your order, you will receive instantly license details by email with instructions on how to upgrade from Trial edition to the Registered one. If you already have your registering notice, connect to your account here.
All the prices listed are for a user license of HTML Executable. You can install a final-user license of HTML Executable on a reasonable number of machines providing that the registered user (Named User) is the only individual permitted to use HTML Executable. Prices are subjects to applicable local sales tax/VAT if any. Prices in Euro are mandatory for orders from within Europe. Prices are subject to changes without notice.
When you purchase a license, your activation key will always work with the version of HTML Executable you purchase. In addition to the license key, you are given a 12-month maintenance.
If you let your maintenance expire, upgrades will cost you 70% of the new license price (20% more than one-year maintenance).
The Trial edition of HTML Executable is a full-featured release. This means that the same capabilities available in the registered software are present in this Trial edition, except that the Registered editions will never put nag messages at startup nor automatic expiration dates in the output publications. Moreover, you are not allowed to distribute ebooks made with the Trial edition.
The goal of the Trial edition is to let you try out all the features of HTML Executable: you can, therefore, see if it works for you. Although the Trial edition does not contain a time-out feature, we ask you to purchase a registered license after 30 days if you are interested in using HTML Executable.
If you are a registered user and you want to upgrade your license to HTML Executable 4, please visit this page.


text:
Q: this.state.results.map is not a function Trying to take the data from https://api.rawg.io/api/games/portal-2 and display it on the page.
Is it because the API is providing me with an object that .map wont deal with?
If that's the case what could I do to make it an array instead
import React, { Component } from 'react'
import axios from 'axios'

class List extends Component {
  state = {
    results: []
  }

componentDidMount() {
const url = `${`https://api.rawg.io/api/games/portal-2`}`;
axios.get(url).then(response => response.data)
.then((data) => {
    this.setState({ results: data })
    console.log("Hello" + this.state.data)
    })
.catch(function (error) {
  if (error.response) {
    console.log(error.response.data);
    console.log(error.response.status);
    console.log(error.response.headers);
  } else if (error.request) {
    console.log(error.request);
  } else {
    console.log('Error', error.message);
  }
});

}

render() {

    return (

List of Games

        {this.state.results.map((games) => (

{games.results}

        ))}

    );
  }
}

export default List

Error message
TypeError: this.state.results.map is not a function
 32 |
  33 |    return (
  34 |

> 35 |
List of Games

     | ^  36 |        {this.state.results.map((games) => (
  37 |
{games.results}

  38 |        ))}

If anyone has any idea that would be much appreciated

A: The https://api.rawg.io/api/games/portal-2 API endpoint is not returning an array.
If you wish to display the "List of Games", you can use https://api.rawg.io/api/games It returns a JSON but with the "results" key having a list of games which I assume is what you want.
I recommend using a browser extension such as JSONView to better visualize the structure of the API response from your browser.

A: You cannot set result state to object, the response from your API is object, not array so that, react will throw this error.
Try set result state again (data.genres, data.platform... and so on)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Imagine you are invited to a luncheon where a tube of toothpaste is the scrumptious main course. While this is (hopefully) only a bad dream, the question of whether, according to Jewish Law, toothpaste is considered a food is subject to debate, with the understandable deduction that if it is a food – it would need to be kosher. There are some Rabbis who hold that no matter how hard the companies try to make toothpaste palatable – because it's used in a place where we have all our taste buds – it is never considered a food since the definition of food according to Jewish Law is something that one eats and would feed to others. Since you'd never consider feeding someone a toothpaste-like food for lunch, it's considered inedible and doesn't require kosher certification. Other Rabbis hold that as long as the item is something that one can swallow with relative ease – this would "edible".
However, for the longest time, even those Rabbis who accepted the latter opinion which views toothpaste as being a food item were generally not concerned with the kosher status of toothpaste. To understand why, we need to delve into this familiar minty morning matter.
Toothpaste cleans your teeth because it contains an abrasive that literally scrapes the residue off of your teeth. To make this abrasive less repulsive and even somewhat palatable, the companies mix in other ingredients. Examples of these other ingredients would be sorbitol (a sweetener), glycerin (which provides sweetness, smoothness, and keeps the toothpaste moist) and flavors. From a kosher perspective, the most sensitive of these ingredients is clearly glycerin, which can come either from animal fat or vegetable oil.
For years, the abrasive used in toothpaste was calcium carbonate – otherwise known as chalk – which is clearly not edible. Since the majority of the toothpaste was an inedible item, the legendary Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetzky ruled that the toothpaste would remain kosher even if the glycerin used was not kosher. He reasoned that the rules of the kosher concept of "ta'am k'ikar" – which say that any non-kosher ingredient which affects the taste of the food, causes the whole food to become forbidden – only apply to "foods", and therefore even if the paste contains 30% glycerin it may be used as more than 50% of it is inedible calcium carbonate.
It is well known that ingredients are listed in descending order of weight, which means that the ingredients used in the greatest quantities are listed earlier. [A few toothpastes don't follow this rule and list the ingredients alphabetically]. The ingredient panel of most toothpastes list hydrated silica as the 2nd, 3rd or even 4th ingredient which is a sure sign that the first few ingredients are the majority of the toothpaste. Those ingredients – water, glycerin and sorbitol – are regular food ingredients, and in fact, the inedible hydrated silica is usually just about 20 percent of the toothpaste these days. Now that we have established that the majority of toothpaste is not an inedible, non-food item (i.e. hydrated silica) but rather a food item (water, glycerin, sorbitol, etc.), several contemporary Rabbis (including the renowned Rabbi Yisroel Belsky) hold that Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetzky's line of reasoning no longer applies today.
Please remember that the change from calcium carbonate to hydrated silica appears to be relatively recent. [Actually, the modern toothpaste industry is relatively 'new', and not so long ago people brushed their teeth with their fingers or twigs using all kinds of dry, rough things as an abrasive – like crushed eggshells, ashes of the burnt hooves or heads of animals, mashed fish bones, etc.]. Therefore, we can well understand that our parents and grandparents may have used toothpaste without examining its kosher status, but the same may not apply to us. In truth, this rule applies to all of kosher food, where the fact that a previous generation did differently than we do today, is usually directly related to some new way that the industry produces that food.
In summary, some hold toothpaste is inedible and doesn't require kosher certification, while others hold it is edible. Within this latter opinion, there used to be basis for being lenient since the toothpaste contained more than 50% inedible ingredients, but that is no longer true.
1) Only buy toothpaste with reliable kosher certification.
2) Review the ingredient panel and only buy the toothpastes that do not contain any glycerin.
3) Choose the ones that have the glycerin listed towards the end of the ingredient panel.
4) Buy any brand and type, based on the opinion that doesn't consider toothpaste a food item.
Rabbi Sholem Fishbane is Kashruth Administrator of the Chicago Rabbinical Council.


These days, almost everything new and notable comes out of Los Angeles, including my current obsession, Bay Ledges. Brother and sister duo from LA, Zach and Georgina Hurd, are currently creating tides after the recent release of Fountain Tropical, an EP as fresh as the tropics.
After an awesome response on their first EP that debuted back in March, funnily enough called, "The EP", the pair were nominated for the Independent Music Award for Best Song in the category for Pop, for the song "Off U". Although they did not win, they've continued to release a caliber of music we can probably expect to see in this year's awards ceremonies.
This EP, Fountain Tropical, is appropriately named, as it is, what I feel to be, more or less the fruit punch of the music world. Every track is sweet and fresh, and yet packs a playful punch with its synth vibes and bumping bass lines. "Straight Jacket", encapsulates exactly what I mean, as this track is fun, catchy and yet still contains the perfect ratio of vocals to synth accompaniment. "June" and "In Your Head" both effectively represent the past summer, as they each contain a lively sound you'd expect from LA, while also maintaining a cool indie vibe, that resembles the work of St. Lucia.
Bay Ledges' single on the EP, "Safe" plays it anything but safe, with heavier loads of synthesizer sounds, and a bouncy bass undertone. The last track on the EP is "Perfect", and quite literally describes my feelings about the entirety of the album, as Georgina Hurd's twangy LA vocals perfectly seem to meld with chilled beat in the background.
I'm not sure if you Hurd, but if you haven't checked out Bay Ledges new EP, Fountain Tropical, you absolutely should.


Need to make a dentist appointment this week? Use Zocdoc to find dentists near you who take SIMNSA Health Plan insurance. It's simple, secure and free.
I actually saw a Dr. Long Pham and he was great! Super pleasant.
Dr. Idrees provided professional and thorough service. I appreciate that she took the time to walk me through insurance options and address my concerns and was very pleased with the experience.
This was a great visit! The hygienist was really great and did a wonderful job explaining the x-rays and different cleaning options. They took a great set of photos that helped me understand and clearly see the build up on my teeth. Loved the dentist and how thorough she was with me. I was really impressed with the explanation of the benefit coverage. I'm in HR and have to say this was the best experience I have had in a doctor's office. It's only my first visit so we'll see how the next visit goes but so far - two thumbs up!!
I am really happy with my visit to Dr. Bakhtyari's clinic! He seemed very knowledgeable and experienced. He eved referred me to a very good rct specialist. Having that done i am now waiting to get my rct crowning at Dr. Bakhtyari's clinic.
Dr. Zarookian is the best! He and his team are efficient and thorough and everyone who works at the office is very nice. I've been seeing him for a few years and I actually don't dread going to the dentist for my 6-month cleaning now!
She was great! Very honest about the work I needed. I went for a second opinion & could not be happier with the outcome!


Saw a cracking 406 s Estate 90 hdi in dark blue for sale today. My rapier has done 168k now so had a look. Had it been a 110 I would have snapped it up. Clean car. In Bexhill, East Sussex. Nice guy selling it. Good tyres. No s/h. Drove ok. Saw it on Facebook.
Re: £450 2004 Estate S hdi 90. 90k miles. Mot Dec.
At 90k it'll soon need all the same parts replacing that yours will probably have already had.
ie: cambelt / waterpump, aux belt / tensioner / crank shaft pulley, & at 168k I'm guessing the clutch.
Had it been a 110 I would have snapped it up.
90bhp + remap to 120bhp = very good car without DMF without rear discs without intercooler. That's what I'd do, keep it simple.


text:
CBP publishes final rule to refuse importation or conditionally release consumer products and industrial equipment noncompliant with energy conservation or labeling standards
By Lewis Leibowitz, Craig Lewis, Chandri Navarro & Julia Padierna-Peralta on July 24, 2013
On 5 July 2013, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published a final rule that amends the CBP regulations that allow CBP to deny importation of, or conditionally release, certain consumer products and industrial equipment that do not comply with energy conservation or labeling standards of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA). The final rule amends Part 12 of Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations (19 C.F.R. Part 12) by adding a new Section § 12.50 that sets forth CBP's procedures to restrict importation of noncompliant products subject to EPCA requirements. Manufacturers and importers of consumer products and industrial equipment should ensure that their products comply with applicable EPCA requirements prior to importation into the United States. However, even where products are initially refused entry, procedures may be followed to bring products into conformity after importation.
The final rule is effective 5 August 2013.
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA, 42 U.S.C. §§ 6291-6317), as amended, established the Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other than Automobiles, covering most major household appliances, and the Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial Equipment, a program covering industrial equipment.
Section 6302(a) of the EPCA and its implementing regulations prescribe the specific energy conservation and labeling standards applicable to manufacturers and, in some instances, private labelers, distributors, and retailers.
Consumer products covered under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act include:
refrigerator-freezers
central air conditioners
central air conditioning heat pumps
clothes washers
direct heating equipment
kitchen ranges and ovens
television sets
fluorescent lamp ballasts
general service fluorescent lamps, incandescent lamps, and incandescent reflector lamps
showerheads, except safety shower showerheads
metal halide lamp fixtures
any other type of consumer product which the Secretary of Energy classifies as a covered product
Industrial equipment covered under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act includes:
electric motors and pumps
small, large, and very large commercial package air conditioning and heating equipment
commercial refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers
automatic commercial ice makers
walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers
commercial clothes washers
packaged terminal air-conditioners
packaged terminal heat pumps
warm air furnaces
packaged boilers
storage water heaters
instantaneous water heaters
unfired hot water storage tanks
any other type of industrial equipment which the Secretary of Energy classifies as covered equipment
CBP enforcement authority
The 5 July final rule amends the Customs regulations by adding a new provision (§ 12.50, "Consumer Products and Industrial Equipment Subject to Energy Conservation or Labeling Standards"). Section 12.50 provides that if a "covered import" does not comply with applicable energy conservation or labeling admissibility standards in sections 6302 or 6316 of the EPCA, the Department of Energy (DOE) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may direct CBP to refuse admission of the covered import or recommend conditional release of the covered import to be brought into compliance. The notice issued by the DOE or FTC will identify the importer of the noncompliance covered import and describe the subject import in a manner sufficient to enable CBP to identify the article. (19 C.F.R. § 12.50(c)).
The final rule also clarifies that CBP has the authority to make its own finding that a covered product or equipment is noncompliant without notification from DOE or FTC. However, in such situations, CBP will confer with DOE or FTC regarding the disposition of the import before denying admission. (19 C.F.R. § 12.50(b)).
"Covered imports" are defined as those for which an entry for consumption has been filed, including those products and equipment withdrawn from warehouse for consumption or foreign merchandise entered for consumption from a foreign trade zone. Imported products and equipment not entered for consumption are excluded from the definition of "covered import." Thus, warehouse entries, foreign trade zone admissions, and temporary importations under bond are not covered by this regulation; however, withdrawals from bonded warehouses or zones for consumption are within the scope of the new regulation.
The conditional release option
There is an exception to immediate refusal, if DOE or the FTC provides written or electronic notice, CBP may conditionally release under bond to the importer such noncompliant consumer products or industrial equipment for purpose of reconditioning, re-labeling, or other action so as to bring the subject product or equipment into compliance with applicable energy conservation and labeling admissibility standards. (19 C.F.R. § 12.50(b)-(d)). CBP may also allow conditional release on its own authority. The bond conditions applicable to importers set forth in 19 C.F.R. § 113.62 apply.
Imports that are conditionally released remain subject to the jurisdiction of DOE and/or FTC, and must be brought into compliance within 30 days, unless an extension is granted by CBP, following a recommendation from DOE or FTC. (19 C.F.R. § 12.50(d)(1)(2)). If the subject import is not timely brought into compliance, CBP, at the discretion of DOE or FTC, will issue a refusal of admission notice to the importer and demand redelivery of the specified covered import to CBP custody. (19 C.F.R. § 12.50(d)(3)).
Potential liquidated damages
A failure to comply with a redelivery demand "will" result in the assessment of liquidated damages against the importer's Customs bond in an amount up to three times the value of the covered import. (19 C.F.R. § 12.50(d)(4)).
CBP's final rule implements the mandate of the EPCA to preclude admission into the United States of consumer products and industrial equipment that fail to meet applicable labeling or energy conservation requirements. The new provision in the CBP regulations also shows certain flexibility towards importers, by allowing the conditional release of noncompliant imports, thus giving importers a chance to bring noncompliant covered imports into compliance, by, for example reconditioning, re-labeling or other modification and ensure entry and clearance of their products to their final destination in the United States. Failure to comply with applicable energy conservation and labeling standards of the EPCA can be costly as imports can ultimately be refused admission and subject to a demand for redelivery by CBP and possibly significant liquidated damages for non-compliance.
How Hogan Lovells can assist
Companies interested in determining whether their products are subject to the energy efficiency or labeling standards of the EPCA, and thus the new CBP procedures, are encouraged to contact any of the listed lawyers in Hogan Lovells' International Trade and Investment Practice in Washington, D.C.
Chandri Navarro
Partner, Washington, D.C.
Chandri Navarro works with companies, multinationals, trade associations, and governments on customs and trade law and policy, trade compliance matters, free trade negotiations, litigation, and legislation. Chandri helps clients resolve trade issues before the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB)…
Chandri Navarro works with companies, multinationals, trade associations, and governments on customs and trade law and policy, trade compliance matters, free trade negotiations, litigation, and legislation. Chandri helps clients resolve trade issues before the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB), Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Department of Commerce (DOC), U.S. Congress, and the Court of International Trade.
For over 20 years, Chandri has advised clients on customs and trade issues in many different countries and before foreign trade and customs agencies. She helps clients evaluate risks, identify potential problems, and resolve them in a practical and efficient manner when they do arise. She works with companies to create effective trade compliance programs, and to find business opportunities in their import/export transactions around the world.
Chandri advises clients on tariff classification, customs value, country of origin, labeling, trade preference programs, free trade agreements, and trade compliance programs. She also helps clients respond to CPB and other government agencies on matters affecting imports. She works with companies in reviewing contracts, agreements, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) documents to help protect clients from trade compliance risks and successor liability.
Since her time as a U.S. State Department Security-Cleared Industry Adviser during the NAFTA negotiations, Chandri has helped companies and U.S. and foreign trade associations navigate the intricacies of rules of origin, tariff phase-out schedules, and cumulation provisions in trade negotiations.
Fluent in English, Spanish and French, Chandri is a sought-after speaker around the world on issues affecting importers and exporters.
Read more about Chandri NavarroEmail
Focus on Regulation
Article: View Original Source


Snow tubing hills near Toronto are more plentiful than you might think. While you can pull out the old inner tube and head to some of the city's best toboggan spots, if you're looking for an experience that's a bit more memorable thanks to steeper slopes and dedicated lanes, a winter day trip to these destinations might be in order.
Here are some amazing hills for snow tubing near Toronto.
Brampton's Mount Chinguacousy is a short drive away and offers some serious tube runs with nice rubber mats at the bottom to bring your spinning ride to a safe stop. This hill only works for beginner skiers and snowboarders, but it about the perfect size for tubing.
Kitchener's Chicopee Tube Park might be the best in Southern Ontario, complete with late hours on Saturday nights for those who would prefer to tube without crashing into children. The runs here are long at 900 feet, and there's a magic carpet to haul you back up the hill.
This underrated tube park is part of the larger ski resort located in Uxbridge on the Oak Ridges Morraine. The hill starts out steep and then settles into a super long run-out, which you can enjoy once you've picked up your initial speed.
Head to Barrie for some top notch snow tubing at the aptly named Snow Valley. With 14 chutes and three lifts, a lot of people can enjoy the hill at any given time. The vertical drop here is claimed to be about 10 storeys, which means you can get going very fast on the way down.
The nearby Horseshoe Resort also has a tubing setup as part of its winter activity package. There are five chutes here with a wonderfully steep drop off at the top. If you want to do a lot of tubing in a given visit, they have unlimited packages during select times that are a great deal.
This is pretty much the ultimate winter weekend getaway destination from Toronto, with an amazing skating trail, over 33 kilometres of groomed cross country ski trails, and a tubing hill that features an open fire pit at the top so that you can warm up as you wait for your next run.
It's probably no surprise that Blue Mountain also has tubing on offer. Characterized as a "gentle introduction to the mountain," the runs here are family oriented, but keep reasonably long hours for anyone who wants the thrill of careening downhill without any skiing skills.
Tamila Rostmoff. Written by Derek Flack.


text:
Valerie Harper not 'absolutely cancer free'
Actress Valerie Harper attends NBC's taping of "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl" at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. on Jan. 8, 2012. Photo Credit: Getty Images
By SHEILA ANNE FEENEY sheila.feeney@am-ny.com Updated April 16, 2014 6:10 PM
A celebrity publication has overstated actress Valerie Harper's response to cancer treatment, said the actress and her husband Wednesday.
"In response to a recent erroneous quote concerning my health, I am not 'absolutely cancer-free.' I wish I were," Harper said in a statement issued via the Hallmark Channel, which is promoting her two-episode story arc on its series, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered."
"Right now I am cautiously optimistic about my present condition and I have hope for the future," Harper, 74, continued.
The Internet lit up Wednesday with the news that Harper, 74, told the publication Closer Weekly "I'm absolutely cancer-free!" and "I'm now the poster child for not believing everything I'm told."
Harper, "is terminal and (doctors) haven't found a way to make it non-terminal," her husband, Tony Cacciotti, told amNewYork.
Harper reportedly told the magazine physicians were "very happy" over her last scans. But the magazine acknowledged that when asked during the interview if she was in remission, Harper said, "My doctor doesn't use that term. He likes to say, 'I give you treatment, and it's either responsive or nonresponsive — and you are having a phenomenal response.'"
Harper, who starred in "Rhoda," and has crusaded tirelessly for equal rights, responded so well to her "pulse dose" regimen of chemotherapy that her physicians at Cedars Sinai Medical Center are designing a trial for other patients based on her treatment, Cacciotti explained, but by no means is she cured.
And her cancer, leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, is not brain cancer, but a result of lung cancer that spread to the meninges of her brain, he noted. Cacciotti registered disbelief that his wife would have described herself as cancer free in what he said was a telephone interview with the magazine.
"I wish she were," he said.
By SHEILA ANNE FEENEY sheila.feeney@am-ny.com


Bike Citizens is a navigational app and a travel guide in one, providing a huge, constantly updated database of maps worldwide and plenty of tips and points of interest for making the most of your visit to a new destination if you plan on getting around by bike. It won a Eurobike Award in 2015 for being a 'must-have' innovation, so isn't without plenty of recommendations.
The Bike Citizens map material is based on OpenStreetMap, which is always evolving and you can also add routes to its database yourself; meaning there are plenty of interesting user-submitted rides to check out on the app. The route planner has voice commands so you needn't be staring at your phone while trying to navigate, and it will choose routes with varying levels of gradient according to what your preferences are. There are over 450 European cities on its database, with many others worldwide.
Whether you need a route planner, or just an app that will tell you some cool places to go in a new destination, Bike Citizens is a pretty useful tool. It can help you find somewhere new, how to get there and also has features to make the routes most suitable for your preferences. You can choose between leisurely, fast or most convenient routes, and you can also tell it what type of bike you're using so the route will avoid surfaces that aren't suitable for your bike (if you're on a roadie, for example, the route will avoid trail and cobblestones). You also don't need an internet connection to use the navigation tool once you've downloaded the map material, so you save on phone battery while you're finding your way without the risk of using up data abroad.
The app informs you of points of interest too, making it a bike navigator and city guide in one.
Bike Citizens is available on both Android and iTunes. As alluded to before, the app is free initially but there are a number of options for purchasing city guides: you can buy all of them together for €19.99, or buy individual guides for between $3.99 and $4.99. You can also get a subscription for $4.99 a month which gives you access to all city guides and profile customisation options. Visit bikecitizens.net for more info.


I realise that not many are interested in this kind of stuff.
On RCGroups, a veteran champion, Bruce Matthews, is running a 'Rubber Design Build Off' for models designed over 50 years ago. There are 37 entries from around the world (2-3 withdrew).
There are no prizes. Just the appreciation of similar enthusiasts.
I joined in just to be in the company of some real experts, and to hear their comments suggestions on my build.
Thinking that it would be comparatively simple.
Well, all I can say is, it's harder than it looks!
To start with, you need 1/16" sq balsa strips.
Doubt if anyone has a stock of these. Neither did I.
So the strips have to be cut from 1/16 sheet.
Or at least a homemade one like the one I made some 30-40 years ago.
Had to cut strips by eye.
Let me try one at a time.
Second set makes the fuselage banana shaped.
That looks good, quick work!
Could have been done in two hours using disposable dinner plates.
Jig? Yes, thought of it.
Where is the CG? Please post flight video..
But I'm more worried about members who have no idea of courtesy to other members.
Maybe you and I should block some of them, till Anwar blacklists them.
Was a bit surprised at the AUW of 20gms.
Then I removed the wheels and legs.
Never knew that wheels could add 25%!
Nice work KK. Is it suitable for indoor or outdoor?.
I have an Excel file that gives the calculation for rubber weight to be used based on model weight and other parameters. Will dig it out of my hard disc and mail it.
A friend of mine (Aeromodeller too) just returned from USA. Has brought me a 10:1 winder.
Master airscrew stripper is available on eBay. Got two of them. Can't do ultralight stuff without a good stripper. Also have a thickness gauge that jewellers use. The balsa sheets we get have quite a bit of thickness variation at different areas. The other jig one needs is a prop pitch gauge if one is making own props.
Have a battery powered winder from HK. Cost about 650.
Good that I didn't buy the manual one I found in London for £15!
Due to monsoon, have flown Pilatus and Turbulent only in the drawing room.
Don't have a MasterScrew stripper.
Please post pics of your stripper.We have always had to innovate since a lot of things were unavailable or simply too expensive.
I too have a battery winder with counter bought from RCB.
But one cannot stretch wind with that as there is no hook in front. I have been using a simple hand drill with a thick wire hook fitted to the chuck. It has only a 1:3 ratio so lot of winds need to be done on it.
Using Glycerin. Dries off in a day or two.
People have been using various concoctions for lube. Anything with softsoap or glycerine based should suffice I think. More important is to wash the rubber pat dry and store in refrigerator after the days use to remove any grit that will cause Knicks when wound tightly next time. Will need to apply lube before every use. One good way not to get palms slippery is to put the loop in a ziplock bag , put required drops of lube into it and rub bag well to coat loop properly.
Incidentally the winder I have got from USA is $25. Don't see why it is so expensive. Must be made in China anyway. Plan to 3D print the gears in tough ABS plastic at my friend's printing facility. Handle and casing can also be printed.


The College of the Arts and UL SOAD invite all School of Architecture and Design Alumni to submit work to our first Alumni Exhibit this spring. Whether you are a recent graduate, a seasoned retiree, or anywhere in between, we would love to exhibit your work! Architecture, Interior Design, and Industrial Design projects are all welcome.
The exhibition will take place in the Fletcher Hall Dean's Gallery located on the 2nd floor of Fletcher Hall. Eligible alumni must hold a degree from the School of Architecture and Deisgn. The exhibition is open to both realized and unbuilt work.
The exhibit opens on March 22nd in the Dean's gallery. The opening is the same day as the SOAD Crawfish Boil and the SOAD Career fair.


text:
Toscanos és un jaciment arqueològic fenici situat en una illa a la desembocadura del riu Vélez, al municipi de Vélez-Màlaga, a la província de Màlaga, de mitjan segle VIII a. C.

El jaciment va ser descobert per casualitat enmig de la recerca d'un altre assentament, en aquest cas grec, el jaciment de Mainake. En l'actualitat, Toscanos és una excavació arqueològica en procés, que permet intuir les línies urbanístiques de cases alineades en carrers o places, de planta regular, sòcol de pedra, tova per als paraments i sostres aterrassats. Les diverses mides dels habitatges poden indicar les diferències socials dels seus inquilins. Un dels edificis més grans, d'uns 150 m², va poder ser un magatzem de doble altura i superfície repartida en tres naus, construït al segle VII a. C. període més pròsper de la colònia. Aleshores, la població s'estimava entre 1000 i 1500 habitants.

Durant els anys 2019 i 2020 s'han produit diversos moviments, tant de caràcter social com institucional, per tal de preservar i reordenar aquest jaciment arqueològic.

Referències

Jaciments arqueològics d'Andalusia
Béns d'Interès Cultural d'Andalusia
Colònies fenícies
Vélez-Málaga

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Dogma K8-S Disk is disk brake version of Dogma K8-S.
The main characteristics of dogma K8-S remain unchanged: we maintained the same geometries and the material, comfort and aerodynamics. Braking system has been upgraded to hydraulic disk brakes (Shimano Flat Mount standard), in order to increase the braking power, and Thru Axle, for stiffness and perfect wheels' alignment.


text:
Constitutional Law -- 1954 Tennessee Survey
Edwin F. Hunt
During the period under consideration the most important developments for Tennessee in the field of Constitutional Law were amendments to the State Constitution. This Constitution, adopted in 1870, was the oldest unamended constitution in the United States until eight proposed amendments were ratified by the voters on November 3, 1953. That the Tennessee Constitution had been unchanged for so many years was the result of several factors, most obvious of which was the fact that such constitution was especially difficult to amend.
under the amending provision' amendments required approval of a majority of the entire membership of both Houses of one Legislature, approval of two-thirds of the members of both Houses of the next Legislature, followed by ratification at an election at which such proposals are approved "by a majority of all the citizens of the State, voting for Representatives, voting in their favor... ." Hence, an amendment finally proposed for ratification at an election was not necessarily adopted when approval was given by a majority, or even an overwhelming majority, of those voting with respect to it. Those who stayed away from the polls or refrained from voting were, in practical effect, casting a negative vote. It is obvious why both lawyers and political scientists have stressed the extreme difficulty of adopting specific amendments by this method.
Edwin F. Hunt, Constitutional Law -- 1954 Tennessee Survey, 7 Vanderbilt Law Review 763 (1954)
Constitutional Law Commons


Hernández-Leal, L. ; Temmink, H. ; Zeeman, G. ; Buisman, C.J.N.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the removal of selected micropollutants during treatment with activated carbon and ozone. Furthermore, we aim to provide a general comparison of the two technologies and indicate their suitability for the post-treatment of grey water. It is not the purpose of this study to provide details of adsorption and ozonation kinetics, but rather to give a general view of the feasibility of these processes to remove micropollutants from biologically treated grey water.


text:
package groovy.bugs;

import groovy.lang.GroovyClassLoader;
import groovy.lang.Script;
import org.codehaus.groovy.runtime.ResourceGroovyMethods;

import java.io.File;

public class Groovy2365Bug extends Groovy2365Base {

    public void testDeadlock () {
        String path = createData();

        try {
            System.out.println("Test started");
            for (int i = 0; i != 100; ++i ) {
                    System.out.println("Iter " + i);
                    final GroovyClassLoader groovyLoader = new GroovyClassLoader ();
                    groovyLoader.addClasspath(path);

                    Class _script1Class = null;
                    try {
                        _script1Class = groovyLoader.loadClass("Script1", true, true);
                    } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
                        e.printStackTrace();
                    }
                    final Class script1Class = _script1Class;

                    // setup two threads to try a deadlock

                    // thread one: newInstance script foo
                    final boolean completed [] = new boolean[2] ;
                    Thread thread1 = new Thread() {
                        public void run() {
                            try {
                                Script script = (Script) script1Class.newInstance();
                                script.run();
                                completed [0] = true;
                            } catch (Exception e) {
                                e.printStackTrace();
                            }
                        }
                    };

                    Thread thread2 = new Thread() {
                        public void run() {
                            try {
                                Class cls = groovyLoader.loadClass("Script2", true, true);
                                Script script = (Script) cls.newInstance();
                                script.run();
                                completed [1] = true;
                            } catch (Exception e) {
                                e.printStackTrace();
                            }
                        }
                    };

                    // let's see if we get a deadlock
                    thread2.start();
                    thread1.start();

                try {
                    thread1.join(5000);
                    thread2.join(5000);
                } catch (InterruptedException e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                }

                assertTrue("Potentially deadlock", completed[0] && completed[1]);
            }
        } finally {
            ResourceGroovyMethods.deleteDir(new File(path));
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


MSGraph at WebmasterWorld posted a link to a Google Patent filed in August 22, 2005 with authors including Matt Cutts named removing documents.
The patent basically describes how you can remove documents using Google personalized search, which I described in detail with Google Personalized Search Removal of Results Feature. But msgraph points to a few specific lines in the patent application.
40. A method, comprising: aggregating information regarding documents that have been removed by a group of users; and assign scores to a set of documents based on the aggregated information.
42. The method of claim 40, wherein aggregating information regarding documents that have been removed by a group of users includes: identifying a set of users with a defined relationship; and collecting information regarding documents that have been removed by the set of users.
Now, before I explain them, look at the last question Chris Sherman asks Matt Cutts in A Keynote Conversation with Google's Matt Cutts from SES London (thanks Li).
Chris: Crystal ball time, where do you see Google going in the next 3-5 years?
Matt: Fantastic question, in my own opinion – personalization, and localization. Also if you have your data, you can store it at Google. You can almost start your own business of 5-10 business for free. Google's ambition to organize the worlds information, this is really where its going.
Now, the patent application does seem to imply that Google may (or may not) use personalization data on the "aggregate." Which would mean that forming a collected base o trusted Google searchers, in a social aspect, i.e. Google Co Op and others, may be the future of your results. Would Google use the "remove result" feature as a way to determine what pages are more trusted than others? Um, "aggregating information regarding documents that have been removed by a group of users includes" and doing what with that?
Keep in mind, this is just a patent application. The whole or pieces of this patent application may or may not be used in the future or in the current Google algorithm.


Wear your Chrysalis Mantra bangle and entice good spiritual energy into your life. The lotus flower has inspired a special significance of timeless beauty over many centuries. Echoing the clarity of heart, soul and mind, it will bring good luck, strength and honour to yourself and those around.


Most of us are fairly aware that the constant barrage of messages, notifications, and alerts we feel buzzing in our pockets can be stress inducing. And attempting to keep up with a constant stream of news and social media alerts can be a contributing factor to anyone's anxiety. So how can we unplug on a small scale to help combat some of these negative effects? Read more to find out!
There are many different types of stressors in our lives, from our academics all the way to our friends and family. Many of these stressors can sometimes get the best of us, resulting in us being overwhelmed by the easiest tasks. One of the largest stressors that students face now has to do with social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. A good way to reduce stress could be disconnecting from many of these sites. Now I don't mean completely deleting your accounts, unless you'd prefer that, but it can be as simple as putting your phone on do not disturb or turning off the notifications for these certain sites. Here are some benefits of disconnecting from social networking sites, as well as some other things to recharge as you disconnect.
Some of the benefits of disconnecting from social media could ultimately help maintain a good mental state of mind. For starters, disconnecting allows you to have time for yourself, it gives you the opportunity to think and clear your mind. Disconnecting can also help you in removing unhealthy feelings such as jealousy, envy, and loneliness. Separating yourself from social networking sites could also help reduce feelings of missing out when looking at posts. Another thing that disconnecting helps you do is look at life and experience it in person rather than through a screen. You may begin to notice things that you've never had the opportunity to notice.
Now that we've managed to disconnect from social networking sites, we can see how much time we may actually have on our hands. Now that we have all this free time we can start to do new and exciting things. You can begin to explore your surroundings. An amazing thing about being in a place such as Santa Cruz is that we are surrounded by countless scenic views, ranging from hikes through the forest or getting that good view of the ocean, we have it all. Another thing you could also do is dive into school work, and hopefully complete it sooner now that you're not distracted by social networking sites. There are still other things you could do such as trying out new things or simply continuing hobbies you have.
Now that you've managed to disconnect and recharge, you can still return to these sites and social media platforms. Just remember it's healthy to disconnect sometimes in order for you to be able to recharge yourself.


text:
Home Sport Consett Football Club Get Back To Work
Consett Football Club Get Back To Work
Consett AFC recently announced that their chairman has stepped down from the position of running the club. After 6 years in the position, John Hurst has decided to step down from the job, allowing the clubs vice chairman Frank Bell to take the reins and steer Consett AFC to victory next season in the recently renamed Ebac Northern League 1. John will be thoroughly missed at Consett AFC and his years of service to the club and the sport will always be remembered. Frank Bell was quoted saying "Players and officials here and anyone you talk to from other clubs have the highest regard for John, and I can't thank him enough for what he has done for Consett AFC".
In other Consett football news, the number of teams in the Ebac Northern League 1 is going up. With Darlington 1883 joining the fray next season after having to reform due to the financial problems of Darlington FC by instruction of the FA. This could throw a spanner in the works for a lot of teams in the Ebac Northern League 1 and could make for some entertaining matches on the pitch. I'm sure that all the players in the league are dying to test their mettle against the former Blue Square Bet Premier team whom had previously been playing against the likes of fellow North East team, Gateshead F.C.
With a new season comes new challenges and so far this season is shaping up to be an absolute cracker. Consett's season starts with them hosting Sunderland RCA at Belle Vue Park on Saturday the 18th of August or during a number of home friendly matches running up to the start of the season. If you are looking for something to do one weekend, why not go and support the lads as they start their attack on the Ebac Northern League 1.
Belle Vue Park
Consett AFC
Consett Football
Consett Sports
Previous articleSee Consett On Two Wheels
Next articleTerris Novalis
First Annual Consett Cycling Festival A Huge Success
Consett Academy Site Contaminated?
NCS Durham Demi Barn Dance
Fire Brigade Strike Today and Tomorrow
Consett Festival 2015


text:
December 17, 2021 December 8, 2021 Syp
Holes (2003) — Shia LaBeouf transforms land into land with holes
"Once upon a time there was a magical place where it never rained, the end."
Justin's rating: 4 out of 5 Mutants recommend workcamps for kids. Ya know, builds character.
Justin's review: Holes made me thirsty. Maybe it was the three hundred squirming, heat-producing children in the theater audience, but a more likely culprit was the film's setting, a desert juvie workcamp where convicted teens dig large holes in the dusty dirt. Whatever the case, by the film's end my mouth felt as parched as if I spent a month out in the wilderness, and only the oasis of the concessions stand saved me from certain peril.
Even risking as much dehydration as the human body can stand within a two-hour period, I was mostly glad to have seen Holes. I almost didn't. The movie trailer — which I saw about ten times before various other films — was a muddled puzzle of non-information. It didn't tell you the plot at all (in fact, it wasn't until I saw the movie that I found out that the film's setting was a prison), it changed tones about four times, and said "based on the best-selling classic" as if that meant something to an adult not currently up to date on best-selling classic children's novels.
Let me clear up the plot to you, then. Stanley (Shia LaBeouf) is an unlucky loser-type who winds up on the wrong side of the Texan legal system after accidentally being caught with stolen shoes. Let this be a lesson to you kids: if you do drugs, you'll probably get probation, but if you are mistakenly caught with someone's shoes, you get 18 months hard time, no appeals allowed.
At Green Lake "Camp," Stanley encounters a mopey group of boys who do their time by digging holes. Every day the guards make the kids dig one hole each five feet deep and five from sides to sides, covering the entire dry lake bed with enough pock-marks to resemble a losing battle of acne. It seems like a pointless and depressing sentence, until Stanley begins to figure out that there's a reason for these holes. Yes, indeed, they're trying to dig to China. They'll never expect an attack from underneath!
No, actually the reason has to do with many separate flashback stories, where Stanley's past collides with the camp's and other people's history. While the novel kept a lid on the secret twists until the time came to reveal them, this movie doesn't trust its children viewers to figure things out without having to hit them over the head a few dozen times with the Hammer of Foreshadowing. Walking out of the theater, I saw too many kids rubbing their noggins, a sad sign of pandering filmmakers.
At times funny and fascinating, Holes goes on for a little too long, and becomes one slightly convoluted modern tall tale. Everyone gives passable performances, with the exception of Jon Voight, who is my personal hero for stepping into a standard bad guy henchman role and hamming it up past the point of no return. It's like God wanted to create a sum of all cranky and scary-looking uncles in one man, and then make him a movie star.
While it deals with some deeper adult themes amidst its drawl storytelling (including a tale of racism and lynching), this is a suitable movie that will keep both kids and parents entertained without causing too much restlessness on either end.
Previous Dick Tracy Special (2008) — The bizarre 'sequel' you never knew existed
Next Mutant Reviewers salute Chris Cooper


We had a light load today, fishing with 8 passengers. The weather was pretty sloppy, choppy, and windy with plenty of swells. Every one was told that the weather was going to be a challenge, but nobody wanted to go home, so we headed out into the bay. Fishing was pretty good all things considered. We got a couple of nice bottom fish with plenty of Olives and yellows mixed it. In total we landed 64 rockfish and 2 keeper Lingcod. The weather continued to build throughout the day so we ended up coming in around 1:00. Despite the weather all we saw were smiling faces.