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Poetry review: "Fire to Fire" by Mark Doty
By Elizabeth Lund
[Congratulations to Mark Doty for winning the 2008 National Book Award for his poetry collection "Fire to Fire." This review of "Fire to Fire" by Elizabeth Lund originally ran in the Monitor on April 15, 2008.]
Mark Doty holds a magnifying glass to his subjects. He uses language as a way to highlight a moment, elevate it, and unearth hidden depth and meaning.
Fire to Fire, his new and selected poems, illustrates how he has done this over the past 20 years.
Striking imagery and a powerful imagination are two of his best tools, as evident in his earliest poems. When Doty writes about an Easter contest in "Ararat," for example (from "Turtle, Swan," 1987), he doesn't recall an egg, but an oval full of glorious possibilities.
What might have coiled inside it?
Crocuses tight on their clock-springs,
a bird who'd sing himself into an angel
in the highest reaches of the garden,
the morning's flaming arrow?
Any small thing can save you.
The descriptions are surprising yet spot-on, and the precise imagery provides the perfect balance for plainer, more conversational phrasing.
Doty seamlessly blends the two, allowing him to pull a reader into the poem, loosen his hold ever so slightly, and then pull him or her in deeper.
As his work matures, Doty becomes adept at balancing sharp, insightful observations with language that ranges from plain to "poetic." He isn't afraid to use words that are multisyllabic or heavy in the mouth.
Nor does he avoid adjectives that might sound precious or inflated in the hands of a less-skilled writer. In "A Display of Mackerel," from "Atlantis," he opens with:
They lie in parallel rows,
on ice, head to tail,
each a foot of luminosity
barred with black bands,
which divide the scales'
radiant sections
like seams of lead
in a Tiffany window.
The lines work because Doty moves from a strong visual – fish – to a more abstract description, and then repeats the process in reverse.
He doesn't let the language get away from him and he continually surprises the reader, as he does a few stanzas later with "Suppose we could iridesce,/ like these, and lose ourselves/ entirely in the universe/ of shimmer."
By transforming an adjective into a verb, Doty helps readers see the scene with fresh eyes, just as he does when he broadens the image in the next three lines.
As "Fire and Ice" progresses, Doty becomes increasingly comfortable with long, layered narratives and complex subjects. The poems feel more intellectual, yet remain grounded in earthy subjects and universal emotions.
Doty never shies away from difficult topics, such as losing his lover and several friends to illness, or from the mundane. He doesn't just describe his dog in "Golden Retrievals," he views the world from the canine's perspective, including a comment on his owner's "haze-headed" behavior.
Doty satisfies the ear and the mind in much of "Fire to Fire." At times his poems become too abstract or overblown, especially the new work. That's when readers will most appreciate – and miss – his ability to reveal moments that they might otherwise have overlooked.
Yet weaknesses aside, both Doty and Oliver use their distinct lenses to illumine the human experience. That, along with their inimitable voices and visions, makes their work not just memorable but necessary.
– Elizabeth Lund regularly reviews poetry for the Monitor.
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Caramel-Filled M&Ms Roll Out Next May
Sharing size is not necessary because why share?
by Dana Hatic@DanaHatic Oct 18, 2016, 5:30pm EDT
Share All sharing options for: Caramel-Filled M&Ms Roll Out Next May
Mars, Incorporated
There's a new M&M in town. The makers of America's beloved candy-coated chocolate keep rolling out new varieties, and the latest version is filled with caramel and due out next May 2017.
The new candies will have M&Ms' patented hard shell and milk chocolate around the caramel center, according to a release. In the grand scheme of M&M varieties, this new candy feels like a natural addition to the lineup. It's hardly the oddest rendition to grace the shelves of grocery and convenience stores everywhere, ranking among peanut butter, peanut, and crispy in terms of being just different enough to draw in fans.
M&Ms have previously come in limited-edition varieties that contended with Oreos for wildest flavor, including coconut, coffee nut, birthday cake, candy corn, and the ever-trendy pumpkin spice, not to mention the world's brush with spicy "chili nut" M&Ms.
The candies will be available in single-size pouches, as well as two sharing sizes for those who may be feeling particularly generous. A nearly 10-ounce stand-up pouch will best serve those who opt for fistfuls of candy at a time.
• But Why: M&M's Just Released a Spicy 'Chili Nut' M&M [E]
• Like It or Not, Coffee Nut M&Ms Are Here to Stay [E]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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WATCH LIVE: Skate America free programs
By OlympicTalkOct 24, 2020, 12:00 PM EDT
Skate America crowns champions in all four disciplines, live on NBC Sports and Peacock Premium on Saturday.
Peacock Premium, NBC Universal's new streaming service, airs every program starting at 2 p.m.
NBC has coverage from 3-6 p.m. ET of the women's and men's free skates. NBCSN picks it up from 9 p.m.-12 a.m. for the pairs' free and free dance from Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. All TV coverage streams on NBCSports.com/live and the NBC Sports app for subscribers.
Results from Friday's short programs are here. Skate America usually includes some of the world's top skaters, but this year it is limited to mostly Americans given coronavirus-related travel concerns and being held in front of cardboard cutouts of fans rather than ticketed spectators.
Skate America Live Broadcast Schedule
Saturday Free Skates 3-6 p.m. NBC | STREAM LINK
Free Skates 9 p.m.-12 a.m. NBCSN | STREAM LINK
Women's Free 1:59 p.m. Peacock Premium | Skate Order
Men's Free 4:03 p.m. Peacock Premium | Skate Order
Pairs' Free 8:43 p.m. Peacock Premium | Skate Order
Free Dance 10:17 p.m. Peacock Premium | Skate Order
The women's free starts the competition. Mariah Bell, a 2018 Olympic alternate and 2020 U.S. silver medalist, owns a small lead after the short program, seeking the biggest title of her career.
Nathan Chen is the overwhelming leader in the men's event, trying to tie the record of four straight Skate America titles shared by U.S. figure skating legends.
In pairs, Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Brandon Frazier, each U.S. champions with previous partners, will win their first top-level event together since teaming up if they hold onto their lead from Friday.
And in ice dance, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue go for a Skate America three-peat in the absence of their top domestic rivals.
The Grand Prix figure skating season continues in two weeks with Cup of China. A full figure skating season TV and streaming schedule is here.
Ilia Malinin wins U.S. Figure Skating Championships despite quadruple Axel...


← Does the FLSA Require Employees To Be Paid For a Meal Break If They Have To Monitor a Radio While Eating?
The Healthy Families Act: The Obama administration is supporting proposed legislation entitled "The Healthy Families Act," which would require employers with 15 or more employees to allow employees earn at least 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 56 hours per year. Given the current Republican control of the House and Senate, however, it is unlikely that this legislation will pass in the near future.
Paid Parental Leave for Federal Workers: On January 15, 2015, President Obama signed a memorandum directing federal agencies to agencies to allow federal workers to take up to six weeks of paid sick leave to care for a new child or ill family members. The federal agencies will be required to advance the paid sick leave to employees who have not accrued a sufficient amount of paid leave to cover the absence.
Paid Leave Funds for State Workers: The President's budget for 2015 will propose allocating $50 million to a State Paid Leave Fund for the Department of Labor to provide competitive grants to states to help them launch paid leave programs for state employees.
By providing paid leave to federal employees and encouraging state governments to do the same for state employees, the White House's new paid leave initiative is intended not only to offer paid leave to government employees, but also to increase market pressure on private employers to offer competitive benefits. In Minnesota, the City of St. Paul recently began offering paid parental leave to city employees, and Minneapolis is considering adopting a similar policy. Other cities that offer paid parental leave to employees include Chicago, Illinois, San Francisco, California, and Austin, Texas.
Paid leave legislation is also possible at the state level. Several states – such as California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts – have recently passed laws requiring certain employers to offer paid leave to employees. So far, this legislation has not passed in Minnesota, but it has been discussed as a potential follow-up to last year's Women's Economic Security Act legislation.
Takeaway: Although federal legislation requiring private employers to offer paid leave is unlikely in the near future, the federal government as well as some state and local governments are implementing paid leave programs with the goal of increasing the pressure on private employers to adopt similar policies. Employers should continue to monitor these efforts as well as state legislation concerning paid leave.
Posted on January 20, 2015, in Leaves of Absence and tagged MCW. Bookmark the permalink.	Comments Off on White House Announces Paid Leave Initiative.


Scissor is used for cutting the cloth, extra threads and lace.
Needle is used in stitching by inserting the thread into it.
Cotton and threads are stuffed inside the stitched cloth to make the toys.
Cloth is used for making the toy and the lace is used for decorating.
This particular colored thread is used for stitching the toran to match its color.
Woolen pom pom baubles are used in toran design as a decorative substance.
Beads are used for decorative purpose.
These cowry shells are also used for decorative purpose in the process of toran making.
Woolen threads are used in beautifying stuffed dolls which are used to make toran attractive.
Ready-made attractive cloth piece is used for toran making.
The handmade bloated birds are stitched to use it as a decorative substance.
Torans are usually referred in Hinduism as torana which generally means to pass of a scared or esteem respect at the gateways that are usually decorated with marigolds and mango leaves tied on the door mostly on the occasions of festivals and weddings.
Some of the tools and raw materials used for the toran making are woolen yarn, scissors, needle, Beads (with shinning surface), Woolen thread balls, Shells, Saree borders, Kundan, Golden Ribbons, Plastic decorative with bells and some Stuffing materials.


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Dhamar (; Old South Arabian: 𐩹𐩣𐩧 Ḏmr) is a city in south-western Yemen. It is located at , at an elevation of around .

Overview

Dhamar is situated  to the south of Sana'a, north of Ibb, and west of Al-Bayda',  above sea level. Its name goes back to the king of Saba' and Dhu-Raydan at 15-35 AD, whose name was Dhamar Ali Yahbir II, who is renowned for restoring the great dam of Ma'rib, and whose statue was found at the city of Al-Nakhla Al-Hamra'a ("The Red Palm"). This city is one of the archeological sites that are found near Dhamar. The city of Dhamar is the capital of the governorate, and is situated on the main road, which connects Sana'a with a number of other governorates. This city was one of the prominent Arabian and Islamic culture and scientific centers in Yemen .  Its Great Mosque was built in the period of the caliph Abu Bakr. As Dhamar City had a great role in the politic and trading life in Yemen, it had an important historical role in Yemen before the lifetime of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. The antique Yemeni engravings mentioned Dhamar city as being a very famous center of the Islamic studies and sciences, and many of the great scientists are attributed to this historical town. In past times, the people of Dhamar were known for bringing up horses; the city was an early center of horse-breeding in Arabia. The town is still known in Yemen for its numerous historical mosques and schools, which are distinguished by their characteristic architecture in harmony with the colours of its volcanic land. A volcanic field, Harras of Dhamar, extends  to the east of the city.

The city of Dhamar, in the center of the Dhamar basin, is of ancient origin. It was built by the legendary Himyarite King Dhamar Ali Yahbir II. Dhamar is the only town in the former North Yemen that is not surrounded by a wall or natural defensive formations; it is just a settlement on the plains. Centrally situated with connections to the nearby governorates, the town has prospered as a Wednesday market and meeting place for tribes living nearby. It is home to the University of Thamar, the largest university in the country. Rosicrucians associate Dhamar with the mystical city of Damcar -- a city in Arabia described in the Fama Fraternitatis, inhabited by scholars and alchemists who studied the lost secrets of Hermes Trismegistus and Solomon, visited by Christian Rosenkreuz.

Climate
Dhamar has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk).

Notable residents
 Nabil Mohammed Al-Garbi - Olympic Yemeni long-distance runner
 Shoshana Damari (1923-2006), Israeli singer

References

Populated places in Dhamar Governorate
Districts of Dhamar Governorate

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia