text:
Irish Papist
Ever-Decreasing Circles
I've been watching Ever-Decreasing Circles, a BBC situation comedy which ran from 1984 to 1989. It's set in the south of England, and its protagonist is a rather uptight, fussy, squeaky-clean suburbanite named Martin Bryce, played by Richard Briers (left, below). He's a narrow-minded man, but idealistic in his own manner-- to the point of absurdity, at times. (In one episode, he discovers that a public right-of-way, long forgotten, runs through his back garden-- and he insists on signposting it.)
The fuel for most of the stories is Martin's jealousy of Paul Ryman, his neighbour. Paul is an easygoing fellow who runs a hair salon, and who seems to be effortlessly proficient at just about everything. He's obviously fond of Martin, but can't help teasing and provoking him.
The main cast is completed by Martin's wife Ann, who sees the ridiculous side of her husband but remains devoted to him, and a couple named Howard and Hilda-- an absurdly lovey-dovey married couple, who take enormous pleasure from their spectacularly mundane lives, and who always wear matching knitted sweaters. For all of Martin's jealously of Paul, the five main characters seem to spend a great deal of their time together, often sitting together in the pub.
The show received good ratings-- twelve million people watched the last episode. However, it doesn't seem to have been repeated very often (if ever) despite being warmly regarded by anyone who has occasion to write about it.
Sometimes it's called a "dark" show. A Guardian retrospective (quoted on its Wikipedia page) says it had "a quiet, unacknowledged and deep-running despair to it that in retrospect seems quite daring." I think this is a huge exaggeration-- at best! In my view, the show is actually very upbeat, especially by the standards of British sit-coms. There is no real antagonist, and all of the characters are likeable and basically happy with their lives. Perhaps a Guadian reviewer is bound to see nothing but repression in stable marriages and ordinary routines? But, then again, that's not the only reference to the show's "darkness" I've come across. All I can say is that I don't see it myself.
It's by no means a hilarious show, or a classic of comedy-- it's no Fawlty Towers, Only Fools and Horses, or Reggie Perrin. But I'd rate it above many British comedies which are more lauded-- Dad's Army, Last of the Summer Wine, The Vicar of Dibley, and so on. It's definitely in the top tier.
I've written about situation comedies on this blog before. I think the situation comedy is an admirable format, one that affords great scope for exploring the human condition and social history. Situation comedies have this advantage over movies and novels-- that, being episodic, they tend not to focus on some major crisis in a person's life. After all, most of life isn't a major crisis. Situation comedies tend to confine themselves to the broad plains of life, where most of it actually happens, as opposed to the heighest peaks and the lowest valleys. This makes them a celebration of the spaciousness of life.
I'm a big fan of English situation comedies especially, and part of this show's appeal to me is its very Englishness. Martin is an English archetype-- rather like a more assertive version of Charles Pooter from Diary of a Nobody. Other particularly English aspects include the English Civil War reenactment in the episode "Cavalers and Roundheads", and the many episodes set in an old-fashioned English pub-- all soft lights and brown, subdued furnishings.
Watching decades-old shows like this always fills me with a sense of nostalgia and anxiety. I'm not sure to what extent this is warranted, or to what extent it is exaggerated.
Sexual mores, for instance, seem to be in a permanent decline through the entire history of television-- a decline reflected in (and undoubtedly encouraged by) television shows. In Ever-Decreasing Circles, there is a constant playful flirtation between Martin's wife and Paul. In several episodes, however, it's shown that Paul (despite being something of a playboy) has not got the slightest intention of seducing her, and indeed greatly respects the integrity of the marriage. In at least two episodes, Howard and Hilda (who are usually comically pleasant) show a determination to shun one or other of the group when they believe adultery has taken place. Although this is portrayed rather comedically, they remain sympathetic characters, and there's no suggestion that they are bigots. On the other hand, when Martin is duped into believing that he has committed adultery (as a prank by a colleague), he offers his wife a divorce-- and this is shown as noble.
Here is another interesting aspect of the portrayal of Howard and Hilda-- although they are shown as blissfully happy, it's very much an old-fashioned marriage where the husband is the authority. In fact, Hilda is shown to be the one who insists on this, despite Howard's occasional reluctance. And this, too, is portrayed rather positively-- quaint, rather than demeaning.
When it comes to cultural standards, as well, I can't help detecting a decline when I watch television shows from previous decades. Again, I don't know if this is real of merely perceived. But, to take an example, in one episode Martin refers offhand to "that Pope" who persuaded Atilla the Hun to turn back from the gates of Rome. I was surprised to hear such a recondite reference-- at least, today I would consider it to be a recondite reference. Was it less so back when this episode was made, or did the scriptwriter just decided to throw it in despite being a recondite reference? It's hard to say.
The same applies to national and local distinctiveness. Do I see signs of their decline everywhere because I am so terrified of cultural homogenization? Or is it really happen? Or is it some combination?
In one pub scene in Ever-Decreasing Circles, the characters are shown to be waiting for the shove-ha'penny board to become available. Shove-ha'penny is a traditional English pub game-- I've never played it myself. When I encountered the reference to it in Ever- Decreasing Circles, I couldn't wondering if this would be a rather archaic reference today. And, indeed, this depressing report from 2009 seems to suggest this is true.
On the other hand, when I visited Tunbridge Wells last year, I was relieved to find that the "good old English boozer" still endures-- indeed, that many aspects of English life which I assumed to be on the way out seem to be in rude health.
So are my fears of cultural homogenization exaggerated? Is it simply that things change, as they have always changed? Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis (Times change, and we change with them) is an ancient proverb-- as well as being Jacob Rees-Mogg's first tweet.
But, even if things have always changed (as of course they have) is the pace of change in our era unusual and excessive?
Big questions, I know. At any rate, I can warmly recommend Ever-Decreasing Circles.
Posted by Maolsheachlann at 4:27 AM No comments:
Christmas and New Year Memories
I hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year.
I had a busy holiday period myself-- a lot of visiting and socialising, at least by my standards. It all seems quite frenetic in retrospect. The mound of books I took from the library went untouched, apart from the one I had already been reading (and that I'm still reading).
It was the first Christmas without my father, of course. I was saddened by that, but it wasn't crippling. I missed him much more in the New Year-- I found myself remembering how he would always say "Next year in Jerusalem". (I presume he simply meant it as an expression of hope for better times.) I said it myself, to continue the tradition.
I wrote this article for the Burkean, which pretty much encapsulates my attitude to Christmas.
I stayed with family in the West of Ireland for some of the holiday. As is often the case, there was an animated debate about religion and politics. Most of my family are left-wing, and look forward to the advent of socialism. I'm not particularly right-wing economically-- in fact, I could join with them in denouncing zero-hour contracts and the gig economy, and supporting nationalisation of utilities. The fault-line between us lay more in our different attitudes to human flourishing. They are more preoccupied with poverty and wealth, while I am more preocuppied with culture, tradition and spirituality.
Of course, bread and butter matters are very important. If you are homeless, getting a roof over your head takes priority over every other matter. Or, as James Connolly neatly put it, "You cannot teach starving men Gaelic."
However, I suppose I would differ from them is that I don't expect (or even aspire towards) a radical transformation of our society-- or rather, the basic institutions of our society. I expect that more would be lost than gained by such a transformation. Nor am I opposed to inequality per se. People talk about a "level playing field", but I am rather of the opinion that "out of the crooked timber of humanity no straight thing can be built"-- in fact, I think crooked timber is much more human and comfortable than straight planes. Of course, there are exceptions to this, such as the presumption of innocence in court cases, or the "one man, one vote" system of democracy.
I cherish the vision of Eamon De Valera: "The ideal Ireland that we would have, the Ireland that we dreamed of, would be the home of a people who valued material wealth only as a basis for right living, of a people who, satisfied with frugal comfort, devoted their leisure to the things of the spirit."
I travelled to the West of Ireland on the train, something I greatly relish. I adore trains and everything to do with them, but they were missing from my life for several years. In the last year, I've had a few train journeys and they've always inspired and excited me.
What is it about trains? I've thought and thought about this. Partly it is the seriousness, the purposefulness of rail travel. Trains have their own culture, their own ceremony, their own language. "The train now waiting on platform two...mind the gap...we will shortly be arriving in..." There's also a heaviness to rail travel that I enjoy. I like the thrum-thrum-thrum (or perhaps chug-chug-chug?) that is always in the background as you move. There's something exciting about it, and it fills me with excitement for life itself. I feel I am going somewhere and that life is an adventure.
I enjoy reading on a train, but must admit that I've been frustrated in my recent attempts to do so. Strangers keep talking to me. I find this rather charming in itself, but I would rather read my book. This last time, it was two elderly men sitting opposite us; one who was a fount of knowledge but rather cagey about his own views, and another who had lived into his eighties despite regularly drinking eight pints and nine whiskies, and despite having suffered two heart attacks. He was keen to let us know he disbelieved in all religions, especially after I mentioned I was a conservative Catholic.
On Christmas Eve, myself and my wife observed the Italian-American tradition of The Feast of the Seven Fishes. Regular readers will know how much I relish traditions, and can imagine how eagerly I embraced this one. We had Christmas FM on most of the time, playing seasonal standards. I think it will be weeks before "Feliz Navidad" stops running through my head.
We watched a lot of Christmas movies, as well-- and had them on TV while doing Christmassy things, such as wrapping gifts and putting up decorations. I was surprised to see that many Christmas movies (shown on the Sony Christmas channel) are explicitly, and even earnestly, Christian. For instance, Wish for Christmas (2016) shows the dire consequences when a vapid pretty girl wishes her parents' Christian faith away, and Christmas Grace (2013) is a tale of redemption concerning two toyshop owners, one of whom is a Christian. Both films were quite corny and cartoonish, but they were also touching and sincere. I think Catholics, especially European Catholics, are sometimes unduly harsh towards mainstream American Christianity. American Christians evangelize the culture in a way that seems to have no parallel elsewhere.
I got a cloth cap from Santa Claus-- what I call a Paddy-cap and my wife calls a "newsie" hat. I was very pleased with this.
At a New Year's party, I recited "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe. I was disappointed, again, that nobody really seemed to listen to the poetry itself-- they applaud the feat of recitation, but say nothing about the poem.
A few hours before, I had the most extraordinary experience. "Live and Let Die" (the James Bond film) was on the television. I was preparing to go to the New Year's Eve drinks, and basically pottering from room to room. Suddenly, I felt overwhelmed by the sheer excitement of life. Images were swarming in my mind-- James Bond, Carry On movies, my horror club, the Christmas crib in a cathedral I had prayed in a few days before, Walker: Texas Ranger, Christmas trees, the train journey to visit my relatives, the bar in Wynne's Hotel in Abbey Street where I'd had a hot chocolate days before.... I found myself feeling a great gusto for life, a tremendous enthusiasm for the decade about to start. Every now and again the sheer richness and privilege of life hits me with this kind of force. Who knows where the great locomotive of history is going to take us all next?
Posted by Maolsheachlann at 9:19 AM 2 comments:
Happy Feast of the Epiphany!
Posted by Maolsheachlann at 1:16 AM 1 comment:
I don't expect I'll be posting again until the New Year, so let me wish a very happy Christmas to everyone who reads this blog.
I'm hugely thankful to everybody who reads, comments, contacts me privately, prays for me, and so on.
People keep saying to me this year: "It's going to be very hard without your father at Christmas". It certainly adds a tinge of melancholy to all the Christmas rituals. But it's not as bitter as I feared. In fact, it gives me some comfort to include him. We said a prayer for him as we decorated the tree this year, so that he remained a part of it.
The prose-poem "Death is Nothing At All" by Henry Scott Holland (actually a passage from a sermon), which is often read at funerals, includes these lines which always bring a tear to my eye, and which I enthusiastically affirm with my own heart: Whatever we were to each other, that we are still. Call me by the old familiar name. Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone. Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it.
My father loved Christmas traditions, and this blog has its own; my favourite Christmas poem, "The Burning Babe" by the Jesuit poet and martyr Robert Southwell, who was executed in 1595.
As I in hoary winter's night stood shivering in the snow,
Surpris'd I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near,
A pretty Babe all burning bright did in the air appear;
Who, scorched with excessive heat, such floods of tears did shed
As though his floods should quench his flames which with his tears were fed.
"Alas!" quoth he, "but newly born, in fiery heats I fry,
Yet none approach to warm their hearts or feel my fire but I!
My faultless breast the furnace is, the fuel wounding thorns,
Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke, the ashes shame and scorns;
The fuel Justice layeth on, and Mercy blows the coals,
The metal in this furnace wrought are men's defiled souls,
For which, as now on fire I am to work them to their good,
So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood."
With this he vanish'd out of sight and swiftly shrunk away,
And straight I calléd unto mind that it was Christmas day.
I wrote at length about the poem here. (I must admit the metrically awkward sixth line still makes me wince.)
There is an excellent reading of the poem in this YouTube video.
Nollaigh shona daoibh go léir!
On The Spaciousness of Life
So Harold Wilson Day comes round again, now the fiftieth anniversary of Mr Wilson's appointment by Her Majesty as Prime Minister. I can remember the day, and this is odd because 16th October 1964 is as distant in time from me (as I now am) as 16th October 1914 was from me (as I then was). Even then, the first year of the Great War seemed impossibly distant, a separate age in which men and customs were hardly recognizable. Half a century was far wider than the widest ocean. I could not have begun, as a 12-year-old boy at a boarding prep school on the edge of Dartmoor, to imagine my present self, the country and the world I live in or the things I would have done and seen. The distance is vast in both directions. Life is not short at all. It is astonishingly long.
Peter Hitchens's Blog, 16th October 2014
The above quotation, merely a passing remark by Peter Hitchens, is perhaps the only reference I've ever encountered to something that has struck me for as long as I can remember-- the extraordinary spaciousness and the sheer length of life.
It's true that some lives, tragically, are very short. None of my own five children ever saw the light of day. Untold millions have died in infancy, and in early childhood.
But even as soon as a person emerges from early childhood, life has already spanned an extraordinary number of days, hours, moments, experiences.
It's a commonplace that, when a person looks back at their childhood, it often seems like one never-ending summer's day. I remember, when I was a child, my own past seemed to stretch behind me like a glimmering landscape. Nor can I smile indulgently at this thought, from my perspective today. A child has already lived a long time.
And I had a lively sense of this even as a child. It's hard to put into words, but I can remember frequently being surprised by the thought: "What? There's more?". Life felt like a bag which magically had no bottom.
What else did I expect? Obviously, I knew that the average lifespan extended way beyond what I had already experienced. It's not that I expected to die in my sleep before I reached my teens. It was more a surprise at the abundance of life than the length of it.
One memory in particular occurs to me, in this regard. I could have been anything from three to seven years old, I guess. It was a Saturday morning-- at least, it was a morning with no school.
There was some kind of cartoon on the television which was rather exotic or unusual. Perhaps it was a foreign cartoon, or one based on some work of literature of folklore. It seemed to go on and on, and it jarred me out of my sense of routine. I was sitting on the backboard of the couch, and people were coming and going. Nobody was in a hurry and the morning, just like the cartoon, seemed to stretch on endlessly.
I had a very strong sense, at that moment, of the indeterminacy of family life. What is the purpose of a family? Well, just to be, it seemed. School was for learning, and the hospital was where you went when you were sick, and buses were for getting somewhere, but home-- home was just home.
New stuff kept happening-- stuff that was not expected, or scheduled, or similar to what had happened in the past. Life continued to overflow, to cascade over my existing categories.
This sense of the abundance of life, its overflow, is captured with uncanny accuracy in Louis MacNeice's famous poem, "Snow", especially the middle verse:
The room was suddenly rich and the great bay-window was
Spawning snow and pink roses against it
Soundlessly collateral and incompatible:
World is suddener than we fancy it.
World is crazier and more of it than we think,
Incorrigibly plural. I peel and portion
A tangerine and spit the pips and feel
The drunkenness of things being various.
And the fire flames with a bubbling sound for world
Is more spiteful and gay than one supposes—
On the tongue on the eyes on the ears in the palms of one's hands—
There is more than glass between the snow and the huge roses.
"More of it than we think". Indeed! It's the unthinkability of life that intrigues me and captivates me. It's impossible to survey it, or to get it into one mental frame. Indeed, only a vanishingly tiny fraction of it can be fitted into one's mind at any given time.
I wrote this blog post, many years ago, in an effort to convey something of this sense-- I simply listed many of my own experiences, big and small. It was one of my more well-received posts, in the early years of this blog. (Even my wife liked it, and she can be an exacting critic of my writing.)
I think television and advertising are particularly effective at conveying this sense. One of the reasons I love situation comedies is because they make hay out of life's variety-- especially its mundane variety. (The first example that occurs to me is an episode of Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads in which the two title characters are trying to avoid hearing the result of an England football game, before they watch it on the television.)
But I still feel like I haven't expressed the wonder and strangeness of the thing. Like all great themes, it is impossible to exhaust it.
I like to think of everything that an ordinary human life encompasses. We have all been sick; we have all gone through fads and phases; we have all built model airplanes, or model towns, or model something-or-others; we have all jumped in puddles as children; we have all experienced infatuations; we have all had to wait unreasonable amounts of time in airports, or government offices, or hospitals; we have all woken up from bad dreams; we have all had tricks played on us; we have all been down dark alleys; and so on, and so on, for this list could be extended forever...
And what is true of an individual life is even more true of human life, seen as a whole. The famous motto of the News of the World, "All human life is there", has always thrilled me. So have the oft-quoted words of John Dryden, on The Canterbury Tales: "Here is God's plenty."
Perhaps the best way to experience "God's plenty" is to browse a bookshelf, especially in a second-hand bookshop. Here is a book about stamp collecting, here, an anthology of amusing epitaphs; here, a critical work on the plays of Samuel Beckett; here, The Book of Mormon; here, a collection of political cartoons from the nineteen-eighties; here, a book of golfing anecdotes.
This rejoicing in the abundance of life is one of the reasons I am a traditionalist, and a nationalist, and a social conservative. Life is bewitchingly diverse even at its most monotonous. But why should we let it become more monotonous? Why should we not strive to preserve the differences?
National differences, for instance. National differences give rise to an endless range of other differences; national cuisine, national humour, national literature, national sports, national habits, national politics, and (once again) so on, and so on, and so on. What beautiful words, "and so on!" Eroding national differences made be done in the name of greater diversity within that nation-- but, as many people have pointed out, the diversity between nations, which seems a more meaningful diversity, is reduced.
Fifty million people, when divided into a multiplicity of languages and cultures and political systems, enrich the world more than fifty million people living the same way of life. A house is made bigger, more spacious, by being broken into rooms.
Then there is the difference between men and women. How many poems, songs stories, jokes, dances, customs, and so on, have been generated by this difference? Given this, how can anyone wish to diminish the difference between men and women? Even when it is a matter of correcting an inequity, is it so unreasonable to ask whether the correction might bring more loss than gain into the world-- into the drama and colour and variety of life?
Then there are traditions; Christmas, Halloween, sporting events, general elections, April Fool's Day, Guy Fawkes Day, Thanksgiving-- these also throw additional flavour into the mix of life, creating associations and atmospheres all their own. This is why I am such a fervent advocate of traditions. I think they make life bigger, wider, more spacious.
But enough. My theme has defeated me. The spaciousness of life is a subject too spacious for my keyboard.
My Submission on Hate Speech
Here is my submission to the public consultation on the proposed hate speech legislation.
Tomorrow is the last day to make your submission, and you can (and should) do so here.
A chara
I would like to make a submission to the consultation on the introduction of legislation on hate speech. I have read the document "Review of the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989".
In my view the 1989 Act is a sufficient safeguard against one person's free speech impeding on another person's rights-- indeed, I believe it already goes too far.
Of course there is no absolute right to free speech. Few people would claim that there is such a thing. But the restrictions on free speech must be severely limited themselves, and should especially not be open to abuse by the powerful, or by any faction. The term "hate" (which your document specifies is used in its ordinary sense in the 1989 Act) is vague enough to allow virtually any application. It is all too easy for disagreement to be branded as "hate", especially as a tactic to silence one side of a debate. And we see this happening time and time again.
The same problem would apply to any alternative term, such as those the document suggests-- hostility and prejudice.
Your document complains that there have been too few prosecutions under the 1989 Act. This is a rather chilling attitude to take. Is the government actually looking for an excuse to suppress free speech, and seeking a legal instrument to use in doing so? Surely it is a good thing that few individuals have been found guilty of incitement to hatred?
Let us turn to the basic premise that "hate" should be open to prosecution.
One of the founders of this Republic, Patrick Pearse, very famously said: "I hold it a Christian thing, as O'Donovan Rossa held it, to hate evil, to hate untruth, to hate oppression, and, hating them, to strive to overthrow them." The Act prohibits incitement to hatred against a group on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origins, membership of the travelling community or sexual orientation. Is it really the case that no reasonable, fair, responsible criticism might be made against perceived tendencies amidst such groups? Are not white people routinely held up for criticism in the media, for instance? Is the same not true of Catholics, and of men? I personally think such criticism goes too far, and is indeed "likely to stir up hatred". All the same, I believe the authors of such criticism should have an absolute right to express it.
Let's take some examples. I am a conservative Catholic male. I can easily imagine a militant feminist atheist launching a tirade against Catholics as such, and against men as such. Indeed, they are published daily. Should this be prohibited? Absolutely not.
It is entirely reasonable and legitimate to address criticism (or even hostility) towards a group, even when it is addressed to "fundamental aspects of a person's identity which cannot or should not be changed or concealed".
To take my own example again. I am a Catholic, and my religion comes under the heading of categories protected by the current Incitement to Hatred Act. Your document suggests my religion is an aspect of my identity which "cannot or should not be changed". I agree, given my own beliefs, that my religion should not be changed. However, is is really unreasonable for an anti-religious atheist to disagree with this? Shouldn't such an atheist have a right to try to change my religion, even if it involves expressing a hateful attitude to that religion? Of course he should.
Similarly, shouldn't a Muslim or a Jehovah's Witness or an Evengelical Christian have the same right: to seek to change my religion, even if in doing so he express a hatred of the Catholic Church? Of course he should. An Evengelical Christian who believes the Catholic Church is leading innumerable souls to Hell is, by his own lights, demonstrating love and concern to Catholics in denouncing it.
The examples I have taken deliberately run against the grain of most discourse on "hate speech". For everybody knows that this legislation will be used to target particular viewpoints and groups: namely, conservative Christians, social conservatives, nationalists critical of mass immigration, critics of Islam, and so forth. There is such a wide scope for interpretation of the term "hate" that it makes such abuse inevitable, and it is hard to escape the conclusion that this is the very purpose.
There should be no legislation against "hate speech" or "hate crime". Laws against explicit incitement to violence, and against violence itself, should be entirely sufficient in themselves
If a man calls for another man's face to be punched, and a third man acts on the suggestion, the situation can be judged without any reference to colour, nationality, religion, race, sexuality or membership of the travelling community. If a man calls for the faces of a whole group to be punched, the same should apply. Should it matter whether that group consists of Christians, Greenlanders, red-heads, or disco dancers?
Any expression of animosity short of explicit incitement to violence should not be legislated against at all, and should fall within the category of free speech.
I oppose this propose legislation with all my heart. I think it would be the most oppressive legislation in the history of the State. If such legislation is introduced, I hope that it is rendered unworkable by popular opposition.
Maolsheachlann Ó Ceallaigh
Advent and Excitement
Christmas is a time of excitement.
In my late teens, I felt rather ashamed to be so excited about Christmas. I thought It was time to grow up, to become blasé about a season that was really meant for kids, after all.
Thankfully, I'm long past that. I realize now that the excitement of Christmas always went deeper than Santa Claus and gifts and holidays.
Excitement seems to be intrinsic to the season. The very air seems shivery and tingly. The glow of lights against the darkness seem to be announcing something, promising something.
The world honours Advent even without using the name. This is a time of anticipation, of joyful waiting, of vigil.
I've known sad and lonely Christmases-- or, at least, Christmases where I felt sad and lonely. This sense of excitement is still there. It's something outside ourselves and our particular situation in any given year.
This sense is most palpable in Advent, but I think it's always there in human life-- that it underlies the human condition itself.
Human beings seem to be oriented towards something wonderful, something beyond wonderful. I think this is at the root of all utopianism and all revolutionary ardour. It is a misdirection of a cosmic longing towards the realm of the merely political.
Tennyson wrote of: "That far-off, divine event to which the whole creation moves". I'm not sure this sense has ever been better described.
Pope Benedict wrote: "Man was created for greatness—for God himself; he was created to be filled by God. But his heart is too small for the greatness to which it is destined. It must be stretched…"
Perhaps C.S. Lewis had the greatest success in trying to convey this excitement, especially in his celebrated homily "The Weight of Glory". Elsewhere, Lewis evoked it thus: "The longing for that unnameable something, the desire for which pierces us like a rapier at the smell of a bonfire, the sound of wild ducks flying overhead, the title of, The Well at the World's End, the opening lines of Kubla Khan, the morning cobwebs in late summer, or the noise of falling waves."
We find a refraction of this yearning in romantic love, and the desire for romantic love. Don't most people yearn to give themselves utterly to some other human being? But, even when we attain this, we realize it is beckoning us on to something even greater.
We find it in art, and patriotism, and our life's work, and in a multitude of other things. But always it seems to be pointing onwards, ever onwards.
The Old Testament is a book full of breathless excitement and extravagant imagery, especially in the readings from Isaiah that we hear at Advent. It all ends in the Nativity scene-- a climax that seems disappointing, in human terms, but that actually exceeds all that was promised by the prophets.
And here, too, the excitement is not once-for-all but expanding, deepening, promising ever more.
Click on the Amazon link above to order my book Inspiration from the Saints, published by Angelico Press, a collection of inspiring stories from the lives of saints, both famous and less well-known.
One thing in this world is different from all others. It has a personality and a force. It is recognized and (when recognized) most violently hated or loved. It is the Catholic Church. Within that household the human spirit has roof and hearth. Outside it is the night.-- Hilaire Belloc
It is easy to be a madman: it is easy to be a heretic. It is always easy to let the age have its head; the difficult thing is to keep one's own. ..To have fallen into any one of the fads from Gnosticism to Christian Science would indeed have been obvious and tame. But to have avoided them all has been one whirling adventure; and in my vision the heavenly chariot flies thundering through the ages, the dull heresies sprawling and prostrate, the wild truth reeling but erect.-- Chesterton
From the age of fifteen, dogma has been the fundamental principle of my religion: I know no other religion; I cannot enter into the idea of any other sort of religion; religion, as a mere sentiment, is to me a dream and a mockery. -- Newman
I have come to bring fire to the Earth-- Our Lord, Luke 12:49
Sites to Behold
The Way Out There (by a Church of Ireland priest)
Peter Hitchens (English Anglican and Social Conservative Journalist)
Musings of an Old Curmudgeon
Lux Occulta
Jackie Parkes
Fr Gabriel Burke
Cor Jesu Sacratissimum
Come, Pray the Rosary!
Bangor to Bobbio
Maolsheachlann
I'm a Catholic writer and a library assistant. Angelico Press recently published my book Inspiration from the Saints which can be bought on Amazon.


text:
Maharashtra Governor participates in 'Swacch Bharat Abhiyan'
Last Updated: Sun, Jan 04, 2015 21:45 hrs
Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao took part in the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' here on Sunday.
The cleanliness drive, which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, 2014, focuses on sanitation, hygiene and waste management. It encourages people to sweep, remove garbage, debris and unauthorized encroachments from roads, markets and residential places.
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan aims at making India a clean country by 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. (ANI)
talking point on sify news
Rebel MLAs can't be forced to attend assembly, says SC
Cartoon: Karnataka trust vote
How Team India lost?
Karnataka govt is on the verge of collapse!
Sunny Deol appoints his representative!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Jacenta Holtsclaw is a web and graphic designer from Piney Flats, TN. Although her true passion lies in vectors, illustrations, and typography, she is currently cultivating her skills in front-end development and painting. She lives in Asheville, NC working as the Operations Manager for the abstract expressionist painter, Jonas Gerard.
In the future, she plans to continue to expand her knowledge and skills of everything digital design, while still finding time to play her banjo and fiddle, go hiking and rafting, and read a few books along the way.
Oh, and coffee; she really loves coffee.
To contact Jacenta, or to view more of her work, visit her website. She is also available for freelance design and photography projects.
When the Broken Ribbon staff began soliciting potential artists for our inaugural cover, we had a particular aesthetic in mind: dark, gritty, with a tinge of mystique.
Featured artist Jacenta Holtsclaw got our attention hands-down.
To be considered as a featured artist inside our upcoming issues, or for future cover issues, contact us.


text:
<?php

namespace Concrete\Core\Application\Service\UserInterface;

use Concrete\Core\Application\UserInterface\Menu\Item\Item;
use Concrete\Core\Application\UserInterface\Menu\Item\ItemInterface;

class Menu
{

    /**
     * @var ItemInterface[]
     */
    protected $pageHeaderMenuItems = array();

    /**
     * @param string $menuItemControllerHandle
     * @param bool   $pkgHandle
     * @param array  $options
     * @return Item
     */
    public function addPageHeaderMenuItem(
        $menuItemControllerHandle,
        $pkgHandle = false,
        $options = array()
    ) {

        $defaults = array(
            'icon' => 'share',
            'label' => false,
            'position' => 'right',
            'href' => false,
            'linkAttributes' => array()
        );

        $options = array_merge($defaults, $options);

        $obj = new Item($menuItemControllerHandle, $pkgHandle);
        $obj->setLabel($options['label']);
        $obj->setPosition($options['position']);
        $obj->setIcon($options['icon']);
        if ($options['href']) {
            $obj->setLink($options['href']);
        }
        $obj->setLinkAttributes($options['linkAttributes']);
        $this->addMenuItem($obj);

        return $obj;
    }

    /**
     * @param ItemInterface $item
     */
    public function addMenuItem(ItemInterface $item)
    {
        $this->pageHeaderMenuItems[] = $item;
    }

    /**
     * Returns current menu items
     *
     * @param bool $position
     * @return ItemInterface[]
     */
    public function getPageHeaderMenuItems($position = false)
    {
        if ($position) {
            $tmpItems = array();
            foreach ($this->pageHeaderMenuItems as $mi) {
                if ($mi->getPosition() == $position) {
                    $tmpItems[] = $mi;
                }
            }
            return $tmpItems;
        } else {
            return $this->pageHeaderMenuItems;
        }
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Read our list of frequently asked questions. If you do not find an answer to your query in our FAQ's, please feel free to contact us.
Are Kettler products delivered fully assembled?
Most Kettler products require assembly. Each product comes with assembly instructions included with the delivery. If you require further details about assembly, please contact us on 01527 591901.
Fill out the Warranty Claim Form. You will need a proof of purchase as well as supporting images.
Most pieces of Kettler fitness equipment carry a 3 year warranty (fitness – 3 years parts and labour, fitness accessories – 12 months, wheeled toys/garden play – 3 years parts only) against any manufacturing defects and does not cover wear and tear items, abuse or mis-use. However, terms and conditions apply. If any Kettler item is used in any other environment such as semi-commercial or commercial, a 12 month warranty will apply. All other conditions still apply. They are for home usage only and require regular maintenance checks. We advise keeping our fitness equipment in a suitable environment avoiding damp conditions (e.g. garages).
KETTLER Classic Mesh Garden Furniture includes a 5 year anti rust warranty against rust causing failure dependent on product. The warranty applies to domestic use only. If the product is damaged or chipped, rust may occur, and will not be covered by this warranty.
Do I have to maintain the equipment?
All equipment with moving parts require regular maintenance.
Cross trainers – regularly tighten pivotal bolts. Also pay attention to the main stem.
Treadmills – regularly lubricate the running matt with silicone spray after every 10 hours of use.
KETTLER Classic Garden furniture can stay outside all year long. We do not recommend the use of plastic sheeting to cover the product. We offer more tips and techniques on how to maintain and care for your furniture.


James Bond head to Japan to find the true culprit behind the attacks out in space and prevent a nuclear war breaking out.
So my Bondathon has continued and taken me to You Only Live Twice and I must admit that it is probably the poorest from Connery. Not in the sense of Connery as Bond he still has plenty of very amusing and naughty lines. Some of which I am sure you would not get away with saying now, like being out in Hong Kong and telling the girl she tastes different to a Russian girl and mentioning Peking Duck and Caviar. You have to laugh at that though, possibly more now than when it was actually released way back in 1967?
My favourite scene certainly had to be the helicopter chase, it was done so well and was very exciting from start to finish. Something that every Bond film has to have, a helicopter certainly does add to the suspense and just that little bit more thrilling than other chases. Could possibly be because I found my one and only experience of being in a helicopter rather scary in all honesty. While that was a good part, I have to say the whole Bond pretending to be married and a regular Japanese man being very crazy. Are we actually also supposed believe that and fall for it?
So with all of that in mind I think this is my least favourite of the Bond films so far, remember to check my progress here. I can totally understand why Connery left (and then came back) after doing this one in all honesty. It really was a let down considering the brilliant films he had already appeared in. Just think parts of it were boring and rather drawn out, not enough of the charm of the other films. I do really enjoy the relationship between Bond and Moneypenny though she certainly never gives up with him.
Connery really does carry himself well as 007 though, his falling from buildings onto something pretty soft was a good moment. Especially how pleased with himself he looks as he walks away adjusting his cuffs only to miss someone behind him and getting knocked out from behind, will he never learn with getting too cocky? Probably not but that is all part of the charm. I won't be rushing to watch this one again, I think that is probably the best way to leave it!
One of my least favourite Bond's. I agree it is the poorest Connery although I've met many who prefer this one to Diamonds are Forever. Enjoy your Bond-a-thon! I finished mine this August. They are some epic movies. When you're done you should rank them 1-24 like I did. It's quite a task!!!
I'm thinking it might be a good idea to start ranking them now and fitting them in as I go?
Oh well I don't have long to find out what I think of Diamonds are Forever!
Funnily enough I just watched this at the weekend! I actually rate YOLT quite high but it's taken a few viewings for it to reach those heights – there was a time when my opinion of the film was less favourable. But, it's really grown on me!
That's interesting that it has grown on you after a few viewings!
My fav of Connery's era, personally. Blofeld is just the best! I will admit I think my love for this film is helped a lot by nostalgia. One of my first memories is actually being really scared of Blofeld's scar haha!
Haha that's brilliant! I think the fact I've waited so long to catch up has an affect on these films in all honesty.
The whole sequence with the "turning Japanese" and being trained by ninjas felt like the beginnings of Moore's silly Bond.
Totally agree with you! Still can't quite believe they went down that route!


A moderate dose of neighborhood S-Adenosyl methionine Formula radiotherapy towards the involved breast and regional nodes (50 Gy in 28 fractions) was delivered during continuous-infusion 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy. Characterized by already big, locally advanced tumors in the time of initial diagnosis, these sufferers hardly ever have detectable metastatic disease. Nevertheless, if left untreated most patients with locally advanced breast cancer die of metastatic progression in five years, suggesting a higher metastatic possible. To address the clinical challenge of tumors that frequently involved the entire breast and were defined inoperable we originally tested a preoperative treatment to allow surgical removal using a negative margin, without having the usage of a skin flap to close the wound. A moderate dose of regional radiotherapy to the involved breast and regional nodes (50 Gy in 28 fractions) was delivered during continuous-infusion 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy. In a pilot trial of 35 initially inoperable ladies the combined regimen enabled mastectomy with negative margins in all individuals [28,29]. A pathological response (defined as disappearance of invasive illness or perhaps a restricted residual of <10 microscopic cancer foci) was achieved in one-third of patients and resulted in a 72 disease-free survival rate at 5 years ?an unexpectedly high rate after a very well tolerated approach ?with light systemic therapy . This unexpected success PubMed ID:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28494239 produced us think about the possibility that cell death induced by combined therapy might have a systemic effect, and may reduce/delay the clinical expression of micro-metastasis. The immune system appeared the most beneficial candidate to contribute for the good results encountered. A number of lines of proof supporting this study path have given that emerged. A series of preclinical research designed to test regardless of whether local tumor irradiation could promote systemic tumor handle was performed. A mouse breast cancer model in which tumor cells syngeneic to the recipient immunocompetent mouse strain have been implanted at two separate web sites demonstrated that irradiation of a single tumor web-site resulted in tumor development inhibition in the other, nonirradiated, website (abscopal effect) . The administration of a development element for dendritic cells was expected in order for nearby tumor irradiation to trigger the antitumor response, suggesting that tumor cell death induced by radiation promoted the presenPage three of(web page quantity not for citation purposes)The tumor web site as an immunogenic hubAn critical actor in the tumor site is definitely the immune method. Tumor occurrence when recognized by clinical detection may be the apparent consequence of failed immune recognition and rejection. Nevertheless, the immune method remains actively involved in every step of cancer progression, including during the phase of dormancy; as an illustration, CD8+ T cells preserve the dormant status in preclinical cancer models PubMed ID:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26100631 . Moreover, breast cancer patients with cytokeratin-positive cells within the bone marrow also have an related infiltration of memory T cells . A typical mechanism tumors use to avoid rejection consists of altering their phenotype to evade immunity, a course of action defined as immunoediting . Loss of distinct antigens or other critical recognition molecules occurs for the duration of tumor progression and soon after immunotherapy. Recent information recommend that EMT could possibly be the result of reprogramming in response to immunological pressure .


This activity took place on a related bill, H.R. 2090 (114th).
This activity took place on a related bill, H.R. 914 (115th).
H.R. 1074 is a bill in the United States Congress.
Protecting America's Workers Act, H.R. 1074, 116th Cong. (2019).
The overall text of the bill increases its chances of being enacted. The bill is assigned to the House Education and Labor committee. The bill's primary subject is Labor and employment.


text:
<!DOCTYPE html>

Scrollbars should work in all the flexboxes. Each row should be aligned
    to the same corner.


Summertime is here, the temperature is rising across the nation, and everyone's seeking to cool off in the water—including Jason Aldean's infant son, Memphis.
In a cute video shared by Aldean's wife Brittany, the superstar is shown helping his nearly 8-month-old kiddo navigate the shallow end of the pool. Dad keeps a careful hand on his little one at all times, encouraging, "Swim...get it!"
Mom Brittany has been sharing a few snaps showing off the family's fun escapades, which appear to include some beach time getting nice and sandy. Aldean will be busy all through September playing dates out on the road, so it's good to see him taking breaks as he can to spend time with his family.


Open Age provides a wide range of physical, creative and mentally stimulating activities to enable older people to develop new skills, fulfill their potential and make new friends. Activities cover everything from health and fitness classes such as dance, yoga, chair exercise and walking groups to creative and performing arts sessions and weekly groups with speakers. They also have daily computer classes and drop-in sessions at their Open Age computer suites. An outings group arranges regular visits to attractions in and around London. There are facilitated telephone groups for those who are housebound and unable to leave their homes.


text:
<?php declare(strict_types=1);

namespace SebastianBergmann\CodeCoverage;

use function sprintf;

/**
 * @internal This class is not covered by the backward compatibility promise for phpunit/php-code-coverage
 */
final class CrapIndex
{
    /**
     * @var int
     */
    private $cyclomaticComplexity;

    /**
     * @var float
     */
    private $codeCoverage;

    public static function fromCyclomaticComplexityAndCoveragePercentage(int $cyclomaticComplexity, float $codeCoverage): self
    {
        return new self($cyclomaticComplexity, $codeCoverage);
    }

    public function __construct(int $cyclomaticComplexity, float $codeCoverage)
    {
        $this->cyclomaticComplexity = $cyclomaticComplexity;
        $this->codeCoverage         = $codeCoverage;
    }

    public function asString(): string
    {
        if ($this->codeCoverage === 0.0) {
            return (string) ($this->cyclomaticComplexity ** 2 + $this->cyclomaticComplexity);
        }

        if ($this->codeCoverage >= 95) {
            return (string) $this->cyclomaticComplexity;
        }

        return sprintf(
            '%01.2F',
            $this->cyclomaticComplexity ** 2 * (1 - $this->codeCoverage / 100) ** 3 + $this->cyclomaticComplexity
        );
    }
}


With lights sparlking and shining throughout the neighborhood, it seemed a good idea to bring some of that to a table where friends will gather for a bit of preholiday cheer.
Textiles play a big part of my table settings, and this sparkling handwoven fabric was a perfect starting place.
It is a piece from Morocco woven with silk threads so fine as to be almost invisible. As in many other countries, much of the weaving is done by men, and this one was quite a character who was only to happy to show off his skill. My hat is off to him for having the patience to weave such a fine cloth as I know how long it takes when many weft shots are required to produce just one inch!
OK, back to the table. The textile was folded to create a runner on top of which are glittering ornaments and candles placed among the still shiny magnolia leaves left from the Thanksgiving table.
No dishes work better to add sparkle and shine than china left to me by my mother. For their background, I pulled out all the stops with gold trimmed linens and a gold charger.
Now there is nothing left to do but add the pieces necessary to complete each setting.
The look is more of a big girl table than I usually do, but it is still simple in keeping with my theory there should be no more on the table than will be used. I managed to include a surprise or two by having the napkin rings and the wine stems be different patterns. I can't stop myself from having a little something that is unexpected!
When evening fell, I couldn't resist lighting the candles which put the finishing touch on the sparkle and shine.
You're settings are always so beautiful!
Linda, this is a stunning table. The textile is absolutely amazing and I love your mother's china.
So pretty Linda, and breathtaking at night! The gold striped Moroccan fabric is fabulous in this room, I love the large painting!
Beautiful! I love shiny things.
The textile piece is such a work of art. I know you cherish it even more because you saw it being made.
Sparkle and shine are great words and descriptions of this time of year. Love the table!


text:
Facebook Tries Buying App, Gets Sued For Over VR Monopoly
July 29, 2022 by khiatfouad1992
Image: Within
It's been a very bad year so far for Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, in ways extremely unique to being one of the biggest tech companies in the world. Despite still making almost $7 billion in profit in recent months, TikTok is eating its lunch, the stock price is in shambles, and even the Kardashians have revolted. Now Meta is also being sued by the Federal Trade Commission over its monopoly in VR tech. It's a shocking case that could have consequences for other big acquisitions in the realm of gaming.
Filed on the same day as Meta's latest bad earnings reportthe FTC is seeking an injunction against the company's attempted takeover of Within, a VR startup with a hit workout app called Supernatural. The agency literally called it an "illegal acquisition to expand [Meta's] virtual reality empire in its press release. Meta responded, claiming in a statement that the FTC's argument is based on ideology instead of evidence, and will hurt future developments in VR.
"It's a riskier case, but one they think is worth bringing because if they succeed it will help bring the frontier of enforcement outward," William Kovacic, a former chairman of the FTC, told The New York Times on Wednesday. The case will be hashed out in the weeks and months ahead in the Northern District Court of California.
Why The FTC's Meta Lawsuit Came As A Surprise
Considering Within would barely even register as a rounding error on the billions Meta currently invests annually into VR development, it seemed like a weird deal for the FTC to go beast mode over. But for antitrust advocates, it's a perfect target for rolling back the clock on years of lax enforcement. After letting Meta gobble up competitor after competitor (most notoriously Instagram and WhatsApp), the FTC has to start somewhere.
"Because of those failures and others, the FTC (and DOJ) is now scrambling to play catch-up, spending enormous time and resources on lawsuits to try to unwind deals and stop monopoly abuses," wrote Ron Knox, a researcher at the anti -monopoly Institute for Local Self-Reliance, in a thread yesterday. "[FTC Chair] Lina Khan, in this lawsuit against the Within merger, has said: no more."
In 2020, Meta controlled 62% of the market for VR headsets. In the first quarter of 2021, its Oculus headset shipments made up 75% of the market (and just this week it announced it would hike the price by $100). This funnels users into the Oculus store for VR apps. One of them is Supernatural, a super-popular immersive fitness experience that lets you box, meditate, and do yoga in virtual reality. Meta's philosophy, like other big tech companies, has long been "if you can't beat'em, buy'em," and its VR business is the clearest example of that.
The headset technology, Oculus Rift, was originally developed by Doom lead designer John Carmack and others, and paid for in part by crowdfunding on Kickstarter. In 2014 Meta bought it for $2 billion. One of the most popular VR games ever has been Beat Saber. Meta bought it in 2019. The company has since snatched up a bunch of other VR studios.
"If Meta is allowed to buy Within, that competitive pressure will slacken," the FTC wrote in its announcement yesterday. "That lessening of competition violates the antitrust laws." The agency goes on to argue that the trend itself discourages other creators from innovating in the space.
What It Could Mean For Gaming
It's hard not to see some parallels to Microsoft's current bid to buy Activision Blizzard. The company's been on its own spending spree, gobbling up studios to feed the neverending content furnace that is Game Pass. In some ways, the strategy dates back to buying Minecraft in 2014. But the acquisition of Obsidian, InXile, Ninja Theory, and others in recent years shows buying content instead of making its own wasn't a one-off. With Bethesdait acquired hits like fallout, The Elder Scrollsand Doom. With Activision Blizzard it'll acquire call of duty, Diabloand candy Crush.
One key difference is that Microsoft doesn't have the same stranglehold on gaming hardware that Meta has on VR. The Xbox maker has also gone out of its way to try to reassure the FTC that nothing it's doing is anti-competitive. In February, Microsoft committed to a list of "Open App Store Principles" and reported to the FTC that it wouldn't make games like call of duty and Overwatch exclusive platforms. In June it pledged to remain neutral on union activity, and convinced the Communication Workers of America to voice its support for the takeover bid.
Notably, Sony's acquisition of Bungie also just went through without a hitch. That could be because the FTC is focused on conventional tech deals at companies like Apple and Google (the agency is also currently investigating Amazon). At the same time, if the Activision Blizzard takeover goes through, it would be the largest acquisition in tech history. Weirdly, Microsoft agreed to pay $95 a share, but Activision Blizzard stock is still only trading at $79. The deal is expected to close by June 2023, and Microsoft has reportedly already shared all of the information the FTC was looking for. Once Activision Blizzard does the same, the agency will have 30 days to complete its review.
Categories U.S. Tags Activision Blizzard, apple, companies, Computing, Facebook, Federal Trade Commission, Google, Internet, InXile, John Carmack, Kotaku, Lina Khan, META, Meta Platforms, microsoft, Mixed-reality, ninja theory, Obsidian, Oculus Rift, Oculus-VR, Reality Labs, Ron Knox, Technology, tiktok, Video game publishers, Virtual reality, VR, William Kovacic Post navigation
'Unusually Large' Number of Parechovirus Cases in Newborns
PS5 Beta Update Adds Folder-Style Game Lists, 1440p Support, And More Social Features
History up for grabs by USC, TCU and Tulane as Georgia, Michigan aim to finish strong on championship weekend
Pentagon debuts its new stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider
DOJ watchdog calls for review over crypto fraud allegations
Jennifer Garner twins with daughter Violet at White House state dinner
NMDOH issues new public health order to address rising respiratory illnesses
AP Top News ASIA ASXPAC BITTER Business business and industry sectors business news China CMPNY Congress continents and regions Crime CWP DIPs donald trump economy and trade EMRG EUROP Europe GEN Government and politics government and public administration government organizations - us Joe Biden law enforcement and corrections markets MTPIX MTVID NAME news NEWS1 north america POL political figures - us politics PUBL Russia SOCIETY Technology the americas TOPCMB TOPNWS United States US World News


text:
A NO-point afternoon -- Game 27: Bruins 4 - Capitals 1
They're better.
There really is no other explanation for the Boston Bruins' 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals this afternoon. They're better. They are better on offense, better on defense, as the 4-1 score suggests. They are better at penalty killing than the Caps are on the power play – Washington was 0-for-3 on the power play and managed only three shots on goal in 5:55 of power play ice time. They are better on the power play than the Caps are at penalty killing – 1-for-1 on the power play, needing only nine seconds to score their goal. They got better goaltending, they got better play up and down their roster.
The Caps looked lost in their own end. Nathan Horton floats a puck cross-ice into the corner…Troy Brouwer cannot make a play on it… Milan Lucic picks up the puck, feeds it out front, and Horton scores… 1-0.
Andrew Ference pounds the puck hard into the corner from center ice…it spins around the boards to Jack Hillen, who hears the freight train coming in Lucic. Hillen flinches, and Lucic picks up the puck. He flicks the puck out front, and David Krejci snaps it in…2-0.
After Marcus Johansson "scored" when Krejci passed the puck off Johnny Boychuk's skate and into his own net to make it 2-1, Krejci carried the puck into the Capitals' zone, turned Joel Ward around, then slid the puck off to Nathan Horton. Horton then slipped the puck to Andrew Ference, who was in space because Steve Oleksy bit on Horton's move across the high slot…3-1.
Finally, Rich Peverley beat Jay Beagle on a faceoff on a Bruin power play… after working the puck back and forth at the top of the zone, the puck found its way in front where the Bruins were whacking at it as the Caps were looking around trying to find it. Bang…Peverley backhands it in, and it's 4-1.
-- That power play goal for Boston was only their fourth of the season on 41 chances in 13 home games. They were the worst team in the league on the power play at home coming into this game.
-- It is just more of the same for the Caps… they are now 2-5-0 against the Northeast Division to go with their 2-7-1 record against the Atlantic.
-- Brad Marchand is a coward. Really, what other adjective applies? He jumps a guy who in 13 seasons had never had a fight? But really, what does one expect from that clown?
-- At the other end of the spectrum, there is Matt Hendricks, who took on Nathan Horton (15 fights prior to this one, and who had almost 20 pounds on Hendricks), and Adam McQuaid (25 fights prior to this one). It was pretty much a lost cause by the time Hendricks took on Horton, let alone McQuaid, but it said something about his character.
-- The Caps managed to keep the line of Patrice Bergeron, Tyler Seguin, and Marchand off the score sheet – they had been the Bruin's engine on offense recently. But the line of Krejci, Horton, and Lucic was 2-7-9, plus-5.
-- The Caps' top line reunited Alex Ovechkin with Nicklas Backstrom, but left wing was a mess. First, Aaron Volpatti. Then, Matt Hendricks. Then, Volpatti again. Then, Hendricks again. Finally, in the third period, it was Jason Chimera. Backstrom, Ovechkin, and Chimera finished with 11 shots on goal – one-third of the total for the Caps…and no points.
-- Michal Neuvirth did not have his best game in memory, but he hardly had any help. The Caps just had no sense of where they needed to be in their own end. They were beaten to pucks, ducked away from hits, and had their heads on a swivel looking for the puck as the Bruins skated freely about them. If anything, Neuvirth kept things from being much worse than they could have been.
-- Steve Oleksy once more had the most ice time of any skater for either team (24:01). He also tied for second in shots on goal in this game for the Caps (four).
-- The Caps were 5-for-22 on faceoffs in the offensive end. They were marginally better in the defensive zone, going 9-for-21. Either way, it was ugly.
-- The 38 shots allowed is the tenth straight time that the Caps have allowed opponents at least 30 shots in a game. They had 33 of their own, making it the first time since they had 30 or more since recording 40 in a 3-0 win over Carolina on February 26th, ending a string of eight games with fewer than 30.
In the end, this is probably what the rest of the season holds in store. There will be the odd win against Southeast Division teams (four of the last five Caps wins are against Southeast Division clubs). Then there will be a great big dose of reality against teams that have genuine playoff aspirations (the Caps are 1-4-0 in their last five games outside the division).
This game was a reflection of the directions in which these teams are headed. The Bruins, perhaps with the Penguins, are probably the class of the Eastern Conference. The Caps, on the other hand, are headed in the other direction.
The Bruins, they're better. Right now, just about everyone is better.
Posted by The Peerless at 9:21 PM 1 comment:
Labels: 2012-2013 nhl season, 2012-2013 postgame, Boston Bruins, NHL, the peerless prognosticator, Washington Capitals
The Peerless Prognosticator is ON THE AIR!!! -- Game 27: Capitals at Bruins, March 16th
Well, here we are in Game 27, and the Washington Capitals are making their first visit to Boston, where the last time they visited, Joel Ward sent the Caps to the Eastern Conference Semifinals with a Game 7 overtime goal against the Bruins. Since then, misfortune has been the experience of the Caps – a seven game loss to the Rangers in the next round of last spring's playoffs and a disappointing 2013 season to date.
For the Bruins, things have not changed much, at least from the regular season last year. If anything, they have gotten better. Boston finished with 102 points last season, good for the top spot in the Northeast Division and for second place overall in the Western Conference. This year in 25 games they have 39 points, which is a 128-point pace over an 82 game schedule. No team in the East has fewer losses in regulation time; no team in the East has fewer losses, period. But the Caps inflicted one of those losses, an improbable 4-3 overtime win after falling behind, 3-0, in the first period.
Since that loss to the Caps, the Bruins have just picked up where they left off. They are 4-1-0 since facing Washington on March 5th. They have a respectable, if not extraordinary, 15 goals scored over those five games (3.00/game), but goals allowed? Eight in five games. A lot of that performance has been driven by goaltender Tuukka Rask, who after sustaining the loss against the Caps has appeared in three of the last five games and posted a record of 3-0-0, 0.97, .965, with a shutout of the Philadelphia Flyers.
At the other end, the Bruin offense has been fueled by the line of Patrice Bergeron (3-3-6 over the last five games), Tyler Seguin (4-2-6), and Brad Marchand (0-5-5). The line has been on the ice intact for six of the 15 goals scored by the Bruins over the last five games (Seguin scored a power play goal with assists from Milan Lucic and David Krejci in the shutout of the Flyers for the sixth goal for that trio).
Here is how the two teams compare over the course of the season…
1. Boston is a team that applies firm and consistent pressure. In the first 20 minutes of games they have scored 25 goals. In the second period, 24. In the third period, they have 23 goals to their credit. And they do it with balance. Only Brad Marchand is a double-digit goal scorer (12), but they do have seven players with at least five goals, which might not sound like a lot, but it would mean at least seven players with 18 or more goals over an 82-game season at that pace.
2. The Bruins have allowed one power play goal in 47 shorthanded situations so far this season…on the road. Needless to say, that ranks first in road penalty kill. At home they are almost mortal – 88.0 percent ranks in a tie for 5th place.
3. Boston is more than a little bit a front-runner. They have trailed at the first intermission only five times in 25 games this season (a record of 2-1-2) and only four times after 40 minutes (2-0-2).
4. The Bruins could use a bit of work on their power play in one respect. They are one of only five teams without a 5-on-3 power play goal this season. Oh, and their home power play? Three goals. Not in their last game...three goals for the season. In 40 power play chances. That is 7.5 percent, and it ranks last in the league.
5. If a team is going to beat Boston, chances are they will have a hard time doing it in that they won't blow the Bruins out. Five of Boston's losses have come in one-goal games, two in regulation, three in extra time. However, they are 6-1 in games decided by two goals, 4-1 in games decided by three or more goals. The last time the Bruins lost a game by more than one goal was back on February 15th, at Buffalo (4-2). In fact, Buffalo has inflicted both multiple-goal losses on Boston this season, beating the Bruins by a 7-4 margin on January 31st.
1. The Capitals are 2-3-0 since they faced the Bruins, having been outscored by a 16-13 margin overall. The Caps have only nine even strength goals in those five games, although their power play is 4-for-14 (28.6 percent).
2. Starting with their 4-3 overtime win over Boston, the Caps will come into this game not having hit 30 on the shots on goal meter in their last six games (average of 26.0 per game). They allowed more than 30 in all of them (average of 35.3).
3. Consider Steve Oleksy, Man of Mystery… he is tied for the team lead among healthy Capitals defensemen in plus-minus (+2, with Karl Alzner), he is second among healthy defensemen in points (four, John Carlson with 12), he leads all Capitals defensemen, healthy or not, in shooting percentage (16.7%), he is third among healthy defensemen in hits, fourth in blocked shots. Oleksy is tied for third among healthy defensemen in takeaways, he is tied for second among healthy defensemen in assists, and he is tied for second among healthy defensemen in goals. Steve Oleksy has played in just six games.
4, Eric Fehr has only one "minus" game in his last 17 games. Over that span he is 6-6-12, plus-12, and a game-winning goal – the overtime winner against Boston on March 5th.
5. Marcus Johansson has more goals and more points against Boston than he does against any team outside the Southeast Division. He is 3-2-5 in seven career games against the Bruins.
Boston: Dougie Hamilton
Before the Bruins played the Caps on March 5th, the lanky rookie defenseman was 2-9-11, minus-1, in 19 games. He scored the third goal for the Bruins in the first period in that game against the Caps, and all looked good. Then he was on the ice for the last two goals the Caps scored in that contest, the last one being that by Eric Fehr, when Fehr darted past him to flip the puck in while falling to the ice. In his last 16 periods of hockey, Hamilton has no points, and has been on ice for four goals against of the ten scored against the Bruins in that time. After recording only one game without a shot on goal in his first 22 games, he has two such games in his last three. He has looked a little bit more like a "rookie" recently.
Washington: Cameron Schilling
Boston is a deep and balanced team, the sort of team that can make life rough for a defense as thin as the Caps' these days. Injuries have depleted the Caps' defense to the point where it looks as much like the Hershey Bears' starting lineup as it does the parent roster. Schilling made his NHL debut against Carolina on Tuesday and skated 15 shifts in the 4-0 loss. If he gets a sweater today, it will not get easier. He did have solid numbers at Hershey: 6-8-14, plus-7, in 54 games. "Solid" is all he has to be – perhaps 12-14 minutes of being responsible and keeping things simple. He will be tested.
1. Keep Calm and Carry On. Boston will try to make things difficult for whoever it is that takes the goaltending duties today. They will clog the crease, send waves of bodies, poke, jab, and be generally disagreeable. Whether it is Braden Holtby or Michal Neuvirth, there can only be the puck. The rest is noise.
2. Don't fall behind. Yes, the Caps had that big comeback from a three-goal deficit. Preserve it as a keepsake, it's not happening again. Boston is 12-1-1 when scoring first, 8-1-1 when leading at the first intermission. If Boston gets a lead, they don't lose it.
3. Keep an eye…or two, on Chara. Zdeno Chara had three goals in his first 19 games. Starting with the March 5th game against the Caps, he has three in his last six contests. Just what the B's need, another offensive weapon.
In the end, this is not going to be easy. But the Caps know how to win in Boston, too. Including last year's playoffs, the Caps are 5-1 in their last six visits to TD Garden. Four of those six games went to extra time, the Caps winning three of them. It might not seem likely, given the different places in the standings these teams occupy at the moment, but it would not be all that surprising if it happened to be a close Caps win this afternoon, either.
Capitals 2 – Bruins 1
Labels: 2012-2013 nhl season, 2012-2013 pregame, Boston Bruins, NHL, the peerless prognosticator, Washington Capitals
A NO-point afternoon -- Game 27: Bruins 4 - Capita...


Ok, here's a good one my fiance came up with (this is why I love him)… Our ceremony and reception are in the same place. There will be tables set on either side of a dance floor which will double as an aisle. We'll say our vows in front of the head table where the cake will be, and then run off with the throwing the confetti and all that fun stuff. But then.. how do we start off the reception? We've already been announced Mr and Mrs, and I'd feel silly running outside and then running right back in. Does anyone have any ideas that aren't horribly corny like everything we've come up with? Really apreciate it! Thanks!
Actually, you wouldn't have the confetti and running off because you are not going anywhere. You are staying there. So, you could just form a receiving line at the end of your 'aisle' with all of the bridal party. Your ushers could help guide your guests toward the receiving line and not out into the reception area. As the guests leave the receiving line they may dance, be greeted with a drink or find their tables. The reception has begun.
Once everyone has been through the receiving line, you could have a favorite song playing as you and your bridal party find your seats.
A receiving line is when the bride and groom line up with their wedding party. Guests walk down the line wishing the happy couple well, as well as greet all the other party members.
As for the confetti, if you haven't done so already, check with the venue to make sure you can use it. Many locations either forbid its usage or restrict the type you can throw because it causes such a mess. Also, ask if there is an additional clean-up fee if the site says yes. The confetti that is shiny, foil-like creates a slippery surface on both carpet and hardwood. Especially, when there is a large number of guests throwing it around. I recommend giving your guests bubbles to blow for you and your groom at the recessional portion of your ceremony. The bubbles also double as a wedding favor.
Well…the other two advisors both made great points. I in fact just came back from a wedding I provided tons of rose petals for. The bride wanted them thrown only to be told by her event coordinator that she could not…or would be charged a $200 clean up fee. Reception places hate the stuff.
Realizing that it is something you really want to do I would suggest that first you discuss it with the reception site folks. That might end the debate way too fast. If it is ok be sure to use paper or something that will vaccume up easily.
The reception line is still a pretty formal part of the festivities and going out and coming back in could be akward. How about having your maid of honor or someone distribute the confetti (or bubbles or whatever) at the end of the recieving line. Then maybe that can be done during the first dance…That might do the trick and could be pretty fun??? Good luck with this and have a great wedding and even better life together!!!
I'm more worried about the transition between ceremony and reception right now. I'm not really interested in a receiving line because this is going to be a small, almost informal wedding (not-shirts or jeans). What if we maybe had our song start just as we shared our first kiss as husband and wife, he can lead me to the dance floor, we dance.. if I didn't have such a fear of bubble goop getting all over my glasses, that would be great for guests to blow at us while we're dancing… flower petals sound beautiful. I read somewhere that you can get live butterflies for the wedding, that would be incredible! It sounds expensive though… does anybody have a million dollars they could lend me? or a good idea for something unmessy to throw at me while I'm dancing?
Oh now…you are getting somewhere with this. Have you talked to the reception site about confettii? Do that first…I think the kiss to dance thing sounds lovely. Skip the reception line. I am not so sure the butterflies are all that expensive so check it out on line. Another option is maybe small silver balloons to drop during the dance. You're smart and will figure out the just right thing to use. You don't need a million to make it great…just your imagination. Keep working on it!
Well, we've figured it out. We kind of overlooked pictures, and we also found a beautiful colonial house with a garden where we can do the ceremony indoors if it's crummy out or outside if it's nice. Either way, we'll walk back down the aisle after the ceremony and into the ballroom (if ceremony's outdoors) or into the foyer (if ceremony is indoors) and get our pictures taken in the parlor and outside while guests mingle and eat from veggie plates and fruit salad etc. After pictures are done, we'll come back into the ballroom and have our dances with mom and dad. Then, during our first dance together, we have blue and white balloons that the guests can throw at us while we're dancing.
Light blue and white matches our colors and can give the effect of us dancing on air. My mother in law to be thinks it's corny, but we think it's adorable. Anyway, at the very end of the reception, after the last dance, the bridal party will line up in the foyer as bird seed and favors are handed out at the end of the line and the guests can wait outside for us to come out and throw it at us. We'll run to our getaway car, stop at our house (which is two blocks away fromt he wedding site), change, and head 40 minutes north to a romantic dinner cruise and a fancy hotel with free breakfast and shuttle service to the airport the next morning. I think it wounds wonderful, and I just wanted to share incase other brides are running into the same problem!
How Long Should A Reception Be?
Wedding Games To Give Away Centerpieces?


text:
Horror: The Perfect Christian Genre
Scott Derrickson, co-writer and director of the upcoming film The Exorcism of Emily Rose, says horror movies are an excellent way for a Christian filmmaker to address things of faith.
by Peter T. Chattaway| August 30, 2005
Can a Christian make horror movies? Scott Derrickson thinks so. As a screenwriter—and a Christian—he has worked on quite a few films in the genre, including Urban Legends: Final Cut, Dracula 2000 and Hellraiser: Inferno, the last of which he also directed. His newest film as co-writer and director, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, coming to theaters on September 9, looks at first glance like more of the same.
But this movie is a little different. It is based on the true story of a German woman named Anneliese Michel, who died during an exorcism in 1976; the priest who tried to cast the demons out of her was charged with manslaughter. So the film is part horror story, part courtroom drama—and Derrickson says it will get people talking about God.
Derrickson spoke to Christianity Today Movies from his home in Glendale, California.
Why would a Christian get involved in horror films, of all things?
Scott Derrickson: In my opinion, the horror genre is a perfect genre for Christians to be involved with. I think the more compelling question is, Why do so many Christians find it odd that a Christian would be working in this genre? To me, this genre deals more overtly with the supernatural than any other genre, it tackles issues of good and evil more than any other genre, it distinguishes and articulates the essence of good and evil better than any other genre, and my feeling is that a lot of Christians are wary of this genre simply because it's unpleasant. The genre is not about making you feel good, it is about making you face your fears. And in my experience, that's something that a lot of Christians don't want to do.
To me, the horror genre is the genre of non-denial. It's about admitting that there is evil in the world, ...
You have reached the end of this Article Preview
To continue reading, subscribe now. Subscribers have full digital access.
Already a CT subscriber? Log in for full digital access.
More From: by Peter T. Chattaway
I Entered Prison a 'Protestant.' I Left a Christian.
How a violent Northern Ireland loyalist became a pastor and an evangelist.
David Hamilton
This slideshow is only available for subscribers.
Please log in or subscribe to view the slideshow.
Member-Only Access
Subscribe to Christianity Today to continue reading this article from CT's digital archives.
Already a subscriber? Log in to continue reading.


Aldergrove's Christmas Light Up Parade is an annual event held at 6:00 pm on the second Saturday of December. The parade route runs along Fraser Highway through downtown Aldergrove and includes carol singing and free hot chocolate. The Walter Levy trophy is presented to the Christmas home decorating contest winners.


The perfect combination between racing look and compactness.
Italian spirit and fighting soul combined with a totally dark look.
Italian spirit and fighting soul combined with a totally stainless steel look.
The classic LeoVince style combined with the most performing materials.
The exhaust for motorbikes and maxi-scooters with a dark and modern look, the result of LeoVince's constant research of quality steels and exclusive processes.
Style, materials and durability are the themes developed for these innovative and new products.
Leave for an adventure of miles, long streets and a lot of emotions. Be one entity with your bike, enjoy the landscape. Freedom. LeoVince dedicates the Adventure line to those who have no intention to stop, who always look forward to the next stage. We've selected the best materials and we combined them with Italian design and all our experience, to give to your freedom of adventure more style and performance.
Carbon and stainless steel. These are the materials which compose the exhaust of the LeoVince Off Road line, developed for lightness and reliability, not renouncing to a modern style, always in accordance with the current regulations and the know-how of a historical Italian brand.


Once occupied by clothing racks and check-out stands, a 76,000 SF retail building became a K9 training space for the day. The vacant shopping center belonging to one of our client's provided enough room for the K9s to train and for our team to watch. These dogs set the standard for intimidation, wit and cuteness.


As we get deeper into Euro 2012, I thought it was about time I finally got around to writing about Fadó. Fadó has been in Austin about as long as I have, give or take a few years (I've been here since 1997, with a four-year detour in the UK). I went there a couple of times in college (including, once, with members of the Secret Service—ask me about that story sometime off the record), but I hadn't spent much time there since returning to Austin six years ago, aside from a couple of quiz nights and one very fun Blaggards show.
Let's throw in a Gerrard pic, because, hey, why not?
Since the boy moved to Austin, though, I've gotten into watching soccer again. I was introduced to the glory of the Beautiful Game while studying at Lancaster University, in England. Most of my roommates were from Merseyside, so we watched a lot of Liverpool matches, and I've loved them ever since. Steven Gerrard has been my favorite player since 1999. Let's not talk about this season.
Thank to Eric's status as a professional soccer blogger, I've had the opportunity to get beyond the Thighlights and really appreciate the sport. We only have an old, thirteen inch television; for most big matches we go to a bar or a friend's house. We've spent most of our time at Fadó this season, and, a few weeks ago they kindly invited us to a sports bloggers' happy hour. So please note that some items I review below were comped on that occasion. We also received appetizer and drink passes (good throughout the Euro), a Guinness pint glass, and amazing T-shirts.
The atmosphere at Fadó is really nice: it's both cozy (thanks to the secluded wooden booths) and convivial (thanks to all the soccer fans). The design of the place is based on a traditional, nineteenth century Irish pub, and, though Fadó is a chain, the result is very homey and comfortable. I don't think I've ever been to Fadó and left in less than four hours! The crowd is mixed and diverse, changing based on the event (they also host parties, pub quizzes, and rugby fans). The staff is attentive and helpful, although you may find it difficult to get a refill in the middle of, say, the FA Cup. Parking can also be a problem due to Fadó's prime location in the Warehouse District. For soccer watching, I'd advise either arriving early and scoring on-street parking or simply riding Capital Metro. Another thing I really like about Fadó is the fact that I have never had to wait in line for the women's room! In fact, they even have a secondary set of restrooms on their back patio.
Now, on to the food! Let's start with the beer selection, shall we?
Fadó has a great selection of British and Irish beers on draught, including Bass, Boddington's (our favorite, lately), Guinness, Harp, Kilkenny Cream, Newcastle Brown, Smithwick's, and Strongbow, in addition to some typical Continental offerings, including Carlsberg, Hoegaarden, and Stella Artois.
The list of bottled beers is even longer, encompassing everything from Coors Light to Magners Pear Cider; and the whiskey menu is very impressive indeed, with 21 offerings, including a whole array of Bushmills and Jameson as well as five more Irish whiskeys and eight varieties of Scotch. They also serve wine, liquor, and some delicious Irish coffees.
Our favorite dish is the Hangover Sandwich, consisting of two fried eggs, Irish sausages, bacon rashers, and Irish cheddar, all served between thick slices of tasty, tasty sourdough and served with potato wedges and ketchup. Since the full menu isn't available until 11:00am, and we are often at the pub early to catch a live EPL match, this is our go-to order at Fadó. At $9.95, it's also a great deal; sometimes, we split it.
The Smoked Salmon Bites ($8.95 for four) were a bit of a revelation for me. Generally, I am not a fan of smoked salmon (I know), finding it a tad too fishy for my tastes, especially when paired with the distinctive and decidedly pickled flavor of capers. However, these bites were excellent, and I plan to order them again. They were packed with flavor and well balanced with the horseradish (I love horseradish). I could've eaten a whole pile of them!
The Smithwick's Mini Burgers ($8.95) were also fantastic: three Smithwick's ale-flavored beef burgers served on adorable little grilled buns with Guinness mayonnaise, pickles, onions, and melted cheese. The burgers were perfectly cooked (medium well), and combined beautifully with the other flavors. These are some must-eat sliders. They were a big hit with our friends, too.
The first time we had Fadó's Cheese Dip and Wedges was a couple of years ago when we attended a weeknight pub quiz*, and we've been talking about it ever since. These things are so addictive! I don't know what they do to this queso (the menu just says it's a "creamy blend of Irish cheddar, pepper jack cheese and green onion"), but it's one of my favorite appetizers in Austin, especially in the winter. The boxty wedges are deep fried, and each bite just melts in your mouth in a delicious symphony of cheese. At $8.95 per order, I've been known to demand two in a single visit!
Be sure to check out the rest of the traditional pub menu, too, because Fadó is definitely a great place to get your fix of British Isles comfort food. In addition to the Guinness and Tayto Crisps on offer at the bar, they also serve up Corned Beef and Cabbage, Fish and Chips, and a decadent Shepherd's Pie. The have dessert, too (though I can't imagine ever having room to order any!).
Fadó also offers a discounted happy hour appetizer menu, featuring a BBQ Chicken and Bacon Boxty, Caprese Salad, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus with Boxty Wedges, and Smithwick's Mini Burgers for $4.00! And be sure to check out their brunch menu, which includes a generous All-Day Irish Breakfast ($13.95 gets you two eggs, Irish breakfast sausages, both black and white puddings, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, and pan-fried potato bread! I die.), $3.00 Bloody Marys and Mimosas, and a great fusion dish: the Breakfast Boxty Quesadilla (scrambled eggs, sausage, and bacon mized with pico and pepperjack cheese and served between two fried boxties, $10.95).
If you're looking for a fun, lively spot to watch international soccer with a great beer and whiskey selection and an impressive, Irish-accented menu, check out Fadó. You'll probably see us there!
*We came in fourth out of twenty-something teams, even though ours only had three members! Somehow, all the questions were about the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and existentialist philosophers. If only there had been a Gone with the Wind category, we would've totally destroyed the competition!
This is just a teaser. A full post will come later, when I have time.
We popped open the first bottle of our homebrewed Coffee Milk Stout last night (a little early, I admit!), and it was amazing. It was thick, dark, opaque—not red in the light, like Guinness. It smells like coffee, with a kick of parsley (?). It's smooth, with no bitterness, and complex. It tastes like coffee—just the right amount of flavor, not overpowering. It finishes clean. I can't wait to share the whole process with you soon. Eric made it with our pals Mike* and Kris.
*What kind of freak doesn't have a blog?
Sriracha and yogurt fried chicken with waffles. This was absolutely amazing. The crispy batter wasn't exactly spicy, but it had a fantastic flavor and was expertly fried.
Biscuits and gravy with a fried egg (so volcanic). This was also great.
Chili and eggs (with homefries). The menu said, "You'll love it!" so I felt compelled to try it! Turned out, it was so large and rich that it ended up being three breakfasts–for only $7.00! I do love it.


Airing My Laundry, One Post At A Time...: Hey It's Okay Tuesday!
To have liked the movie Gravity. Tom and I got to see it last week. We probably should have seen it in 3D though. It was still entertaining.
To be going on another date tonight. We're going to see Captain Phillips.
To really hope this government shutdown gets sorted out. It really bothers me when people blame sides. I've had to hide several Facebook people who think it's perfectly normal to constantly bash the Republicans. I'm not part of ANY party and tend to side more with the Republicans BUT I know it's not one side's fault.
To hope the Geek Squad can fix my computer. Tom tried to figure it out but couldn't. So we turned it in yesterday.
To have gone to Dallas last weekend. It was a blast. We went to the giant mall and went to Medieval Times. I'll write more in a future entry.
To love how Tom's Mom cooks. She makes awesome foods. I hate cooking so I love when she visits. Yesterday she made potato salad, deviled eggs, and strawberry pie. She leaves Thursday. I'll miss her meals.
To have two giveaways going on right now. You can win a Budsie here and a copy of Pacific Rim on Blu-Ray here.
I'm with you on the whole government shut-down - I just want them to come up with a solution that everyone can agree on and move on!!!
And, maybe because I only have boys, that American Girl store sort-of freaks me out, too!!
I am SO glad Tom is home with y'all!!!
The government shutdown makes me want to cuss, screw the (2) party system, just a bunch a pompous *****, see it makes me wanna cuss.... ARGH.
To know I'm one day closer to being off work on Friday and next Monday!
And I'm with you on this government stuff. I'm done with all of them. All sides.
It is okay to have giggled at your comment about Tom's appall-ism over the American Girls store and their products!
It is also okay to be concerned about the government shutdown, but to not want to hear about it on every single post you read on FB. I, too am not part of ANY party, but I tend to side with the Democrats, the opposite of you, but I agree with you here. Its no one's side. I'm just sick and tired of all this flying all over the internet. And TV. I would prefer to have heard about Myle Cyrus, I can say that much.
My husband saw Gravity in 3D the other night! I chickened out. That's my "Hey, it's ok.." That I'm too much of a wuss to see movies about outer space.
The government shutdown is ridiculous. Toddlers in a sandbox, but worse.
I heard really good things about Gravity. Hope it lives up to all the hype when I eventually watch on DVD!
Our daughter went through an American Girl phase. We have 4 or 5 dolls to prove it and one horse. She enjoyed them so much and loved changing all their clothing. I found a place on ebay that made fabulous clothing for them and she enjoyed all the outfits and changing them. Now they seem to just hang out and yet I can't seem to get rid of them either.
I'm with Tom, a Barbie Jeep would be a much better spend!
I have been away from Blogger for a while (maybe I'll add a new post today) and so I did not know that your husband is back from deployment. Yea! My sister's 3rd husband was in the army and I know there was no greater feeling in the world to her when he returned home.
I would love to get Shelby an American Girl doll. I should get her one before she is done playing with dolls. Seeing the dolls in the tall boxes there in the picture - that is how a doll should come, in a tall box. Makes them extra special some how.
As for the government shutdown, I wish it was over. In fact I wish it never happened. I have some friends whose husbands work in government operated offices who cannot return to work until it is all over with. I want to put the blame on one side but truth is, it's everyone's problem who was involved - who could have stopped this before it happened.
Glad to see you guys are catching up on some date nights! My hubby is around all the time and I *still* feel behind in that regard!
So glad you all are getting some time together. :) That's definitely a plus after a deployment... oh and I second that the government shut down needs to be over like tomorrow. Haha.
I'll have to re0read Bridget Jones Diary before reading the new book...and I'll have to wait for me new ereader to arrive.
Your government is STILL shut down?!?!?! Seriously???
I've always wanted to go to Medieval times! I'm so jealous!
I haven't been to the movies since the summer. I'm not really okay with that, being a big film geek -- but, I do have Netflix and I am okay with that.
I'm with Tom on the whole pricing structure of American Girls dolls - so glad my girls don't like them!


April 21, 2009 by Ceri B.
…emotion is not a luxury: it is an expression of basic mechanisms of life regulation developed in evolution, and is indispensable for survival. It plays a critical role in virtually all aspects of learning, reasoning, and creativity. Somewhat surprisingly, it may play a role in the construction of consciousness.
affect, which is inexplicably linked to attitudes, expectations and motivations, plays a significant role in the cognition of product interaction…the perception that affect and cognition are independent, separate information processing systems is flawed.
This speaks truth to me. It suggests that beauty, in the sense of achieving the presentation we desire, is likely to genuinely improve our own cognition, and in letting us deal with the world as people who feel truthful about ourselves improve the ways we interact with others.