-	Yellen providing the coal for Christmas?
-	Stocks dive hard post-FOMC, post-yuan devaluation, a setup very similar to August.
-	Holiday week, but with the downside the action could be very fast and unusually interesting.
Feeling a bit Grinchy . . . A little coal for the holiday?
It's just a 25BP rate hike . . .
The stock indices sold for a second straight session Friday, posting more significant losses. Indeed, the two-day move wiped out the Monday to Wednesday rebound. More than that, SP500 and DJ30 undercut the 38% Fibonacci retracement double bottom that bounced the indices higher through Wednesday. That has morphed NASDAQ, SP500, and DJ30 into something of a head and shoulders rollover. They did roll over Friday, with the Dow leading lower with its 2.1% decline.
VOLUME: NYSE +165%, NASDAQ +67%. Big expiration volume with NYSE showing 1.3B shares trading right at the close. LOTS of positions rolled over.
A/D: NYSE -1.8:1, NASDAQ -1.7:1. Very modest A/D for such an ugly session. Very modest as the large caps led the downside.
We knew expiration would be a big one given the massive number of open interests at various lower SPX mini strikes. Friday indeed was a big expiration in many ways, and it is no coincidence that SP500 closed almost dead on 2000 where a significant number of open put interests resided (along with 2050, 1950, and 1900).
The prior action saw stocks rally into and immediately after the FOMC decision. Subsequent to that initial response, however, it would appear there is considerable disquiet about the Fed hiking in what is by every measure other than the jobs report the Fed is using as its barometer, as well as an overtly negative reaction to the New York Fed's reverse repo action Thursday.
Importantly, do not forget China spent the past nine sessions devaluing the yuan. This is exactly what China did in August right up to the brink of the massive selloff, the Thursday and Friday dive lower followed by the Monday flash-crash dive.
So, there is the same China devaluation as well as Fed hike and start of liquidity withdrawal. On top of that, the indices already crashed once, tried to recover back to those highs but has failed.
If you look at the chart patterns, the setup is strikingly similar to August. A move higher off selling, a drop, then a recovery but to a lower peak. Two hard days down, then in August came the crash the following Monday.
Thus, while often a down expiration is met with a rebound Monday, the setup this time might not be conducive to that bounce, at least not until a big dive gets the market again in an oversold condition. I am not saying any weakness Monday will be the same as in August; even the this week's Thursday and Friday were not as weak as in August. Nonetheless, the setup is very familiar, and with the breakdown of the bounce attempt off the 38% Fibonacci retracement double bottom, the support at 1990 and 1980 will likely receive a severe test.
So, a week away from Christmas it may very well be the pre-triple sized heart Grinch and pre-reformed Ebenezer Scrooge come to visit next week.
Of course that sets up the coming of the heartier Grinch and repentant Scrooge with a Christmas/Santa Clause rally to year end. We hope to make good money on our SDS, GOOG, SBUX downside plays as well as more gain on the AAPL and JWN that turned in nice gains to the accounts on Friday when the Grinch and Scrooge started showing up. Perhaps we can get an AMZN and DIS play worked in there as well.
Then, after a sharp drop, we can start looking at more upside on the big names that did not crash or that perhaps did and held at those August or September lows, playing the Grinch's 3X heart and Scrooge's dramatically improved outlook on life.
Redemption perhaps, but will it last?
Not a rosy near term outlook, and indeed, even if the market sells and rebounds, the old highs are still in place, including a failed lower high. The Fed built the new all-time market highs in 2015 with a series of QE programs. It ended those in October 2014 and is now in the tightening mode.
It is our position that the vast majority of the economic recovery was built on the massive liquidity evidenced by the Fed's $4.5T balance sheet built with the QE programs. With that gone what holds up the economy and thus the market? The Fed points to the jobs market as evidence of economic strength, leaving out key points such as 94.5M working aged people out of the workforce, the jobs created were low pay hourly jobs that those who are working need two or three of just to make ends meet, that the 26 to 54 age demographic is STILL negative on jobs, that the huge majority of hires went to the 55+ demographic that has gone back to work in droves so they can do more than eat Ol' Roy from Wal-Mart that they get at a 10% discount because they now work there.
It is bad enough that the Fed's primary indicator is as sound as a submarine with screen portals. The rest of the economic data is downright crappy. Manufacturing, with its 77% correlation to the GDP, is in full contraction, hitting lows not seen since 2009. Capital investment is so bad that companies are not even trying to increase dividends or announce buybacks. As the Fed hikes, capital becomes more expensive and thus buybacks as well. Industrial production was negative 2/3 of 2015 and Capacity fell a full 2 points from 2014. Robert Schiller says the housing market never made it back and is now threatened by the Fed rate hikes. The Atlanta Fed just downgraded its Q4 GDP.
The list goes on but the Fed has decided it has to raise regardless of the economic condition. The proof: it passed in September when the economic data was at least a bit better, but it held to its December rate hike promise (threat?) even as the data crumbled.
Historically speaking, the Fed just screwed us all. Again.
The kicker, however, is history. It is said if you don't know history you make the same mistakes. More importantly, however, you have to know what happened in the past AND RECOGNIZE when you are in the same situation. If not, even know history does not help.
Wednesday the Fed hiked rates, not because of the data, but in spite of it. Industrial Production, the last report it had pre-hike, careened lower yet again at -0.4% on top of October's -0.4% (revised lower from -0.2%). Only two times since 1950 has Industrial production been this low and no recession resulted. Factory orders are already at recession levels. Manufacturing has been in recession. Consumer spending is hanging on but the reason is not because of consumption of discretionary goods but forced spending on more costly insurance policies through the 'tax' of the Affordable Care Act.
Jobs are a lagging indicator. Everything else is leading. Thus we are very concerned the Fed has just 'pulled a Japan,' i.e. hiking rates to try and spur growth in 2000 after more than a decade of zero rates and bailouts led to depression. Of course, its QE has not brought Japan back either, something of which many are keenly aware.
There is another instance this happened, back in 1936 after the US tried to recover from the initial bomb lower in the Great Depression. Not only did the central bank hike so much it crashed the US markets and helped trigger the Depression, but when the economy showed signs of improvement it hiked again and we know the history.
The stock index charts and their rounded tops formed starting October 2014 strongly suggest that end of QE started the market top as the economy no longer had that monthly stimulus. They hung on in 2015 until it was clear the Fed was determined to hike and withdraw liquidity on top of ending QE. Then the late Summer/early Fall crash. Now the actual hike is in and it looks as if a rebound attempt post-the late summer crash has failed.
Not much to say other than the large cap indices failed their rebound attempts as they undercut the November and December lows. SP400 as well. It appears the rebound attempt failed again at a lower high. Now it is a matter of the indices getting oversold enough to attempt another relief move.
NASDAQ: Not as massive as breakdown in the chart, but not good action. The rollover at a lower level has set up a head and shoulders top spanning the early November high to Wednesday. Friday NASDAQ gapped below the 200 day SMA and sold to a lower closing low since October. It is at the lower gap point from a mid-October upside gap. There is support at this level but it likely does not hold NASDAQ from further downside even if there is a near term stand.
SP500: Imploded lower, closing at a new closing low since October. Something of a head and shoulders here as well, but whatever you call it, the ABCD pattern tried to bounce, managed to do so for three sessions, then it died. 1990 to 1980 is an important support level and just 15 to 25 points away, much less than the Friday point loss. What we could see is a dive lower to start the week that ends up closing near that range.
DJ30: Bombed to a lower low Friday, undercutting the November and December lows. 16,500ish is the next serious support.
RUTX: Two day bounce into Wednesday and the FOMC then a rollover into Friday. Unlike the other indices, RUTX avoided a lower low on this selling, but the first two weeks of December were very weak and the large cap indices are just now starting to catch down to the small caps.
SP400: The midcaps sold to its lowest closing low since early October. It looks as if SP400 is in the process of forming a large head and shoulders spanning August to present, currently heading lower to the neckline to complete the head. That would mean another 25 points to the downside on this move.
SOX: SOX continues to hang on, but it did break through the 50 day EMA and put in a lower low for the month. Lower MACD on the early December peak. Similar to SP400, SOX may be heading down to 644 (closed at 653+) to finish off the head in a head and shoulders. Either way it looks as if SOX heads down to that level.
Big Names: Some problems continue to grow. AAPL failed at the 10 day EMA this week and rolled over to a lower low on big volume. GOOG is rolling lower after failing to take out the early December peak. AMZN tried the 2015 high and rolled over. SBUX broke lower below the bottom of its two month range. NFLX fell Friday but is still in nice position. MSFT broke sharply lower Friday but did not break trend.
Chips: AMD lower but holding the 10 day EMA. LSCC is in excellent position in a tight lateral move. SIMO is holding the 50 day EMA test. QRVO, NXPI struggle. AVGO tested a bit lower but shows a nice doji at the 20 day EMA.
China: WUBA is taking a breather after a good run. YNDX is weaker, showing a head and shoulders. NTES continues its trend higher up the 10 day EMA. JD is holding up. SOHU is fling higher.
Financial: Stinking. JPM diving lower through the 200 day SMA. BAC rolled hard as did MA. Financials hating a rate hike. That isn't right.
Energy: CVX, XOM lost modest ground. HAL was gut punched lower again. HP lower. Not much good outside of refiners, e.g. VLO.
Drugs: Not bad at all. ACHN is setting up during the selling. EYES faded some after the strong Wednesday and Thursday move; maybe a further test gives us an entry. MYL held up well enough. BIIB used Thursday and Friday to put in a very nice, orderly test of its breakout. Defensive and looking pretty good.
Industrial: Struggling. UTX turns back down. MMM gapped lower Tuesday and Friday sold hard. CAT, CMI stink. DE broke downside.
Recent history: Back above 1.0 after four days below. 13 of 19 sessions above 1.0. Now we see it start over again.
Bulls and Bears: The spread shows a familiar pattern in this market: bulls higher while bears rise as well. Of course after this past week bulls will tumble and bears will growl higher.
Bulls: 37.8 versus 44.9. A serious drop taking it close to that 35% level, below which is considered bullish.
Bears: 29.6 versus 27.6. Solid advance but nothing like the bulls' drop. Still well off the 35%, above which this reading is considered bullish for stocks.
Bonds (10 year): 2.19% versus 2.24%. Gapped back over the 200 day SMA as bonds cannot make up their minds. The yield curve is flattening still, something not supposed to happen in a strong economy with the Fed hiking. Instead it looks as if bonds are signaling concern about the economy's future.
DXY0: Faded modestly after a three day rally off the 50 day SMA.
Oil: 34.73, -0.22. Falling toward support at 32-33. Some are saying the 20's are possible. We will see how it holds at that next support.
Gold: 1065.00, +15.40. Diving back to the early December low as it should when the Fed hikes.
Christmas is Friday so of course a shorter week. Doesn't mean there won't be fireworks as discussed in the market summary. Normally a quiet week but this time around you have the Fed making waves along with China, and the two are hitting markets that view world economies as weaker.
The week finished hard downside, but there is no guarantee the market sells to start the week, but the setup is there. It could be fast and furious similar to August. It could be a rebound attempt that fails. Either way, we make the plays downside fast, taking gain if there is a big dive that starts to hold the line. We will try to pick up some other downside for quick plays if we get the chance, e.g. DIS, YNDX. A failed bounce would fit perfectly into that scenario.
Then, after a sharp drop we look for indications of a rebound similar to August. We will watch for good names that do not break their patterns. We will also look at those stocks that people and funds buy when they feel there is value. We will just have to see how they hold up.
All of this in normally a quiet week, but this could be the gift that Yellen did not really intend to give. We can make some really good late returns with this kind of action, finishing off the year with a nice addition to the brokerage accounts.
Pretty sharp sell side pressure is on the market but it was also expiration. That can lead to an opposite move the following Monday, or at least a bounce attempt. Monday could provide several scenarios: sharply lower, tries to rebound and fails, or perhaps a solid bounce.
With all of the negativity, we will be ready to let the downside run, look at some more quality downside, and see what the market is willing to give us in that direction. We will gladly take it and make some more fast gains (that is how the downside works) ahead of Christmas and perhaps the New Year. Then it may be time to buy long fairly aggressively. Yes it is a holiday week and typically slower. But there is a saying: when the fish are biting, you fish because most of the time they don't. So, if the money is there to be picked up thanks to Yellen, China, or whatever, pick it up!


Welcome to DFI's "Fly Tyer Library." This section of our web site is solely dedicated to the multitudes of tyers who visit our web site and join us at our presentations and tying sessions across the country. We share the exact materials and procedures on how to duplicate our flies with full detail, intricacies, and illustration.
Tyers have ability to order and receive a hard copy (physical) or order and receive a download copy of the ties.
Full color still photo at the start of the video so you can diagnose the bug's proportions.
Detailed recipe(s) of the exact materials used to construct the fly. We recommend staying with recipe initially because each of our flies has been tied for performance under that exact recipe. If the DVD includes more than one pattern, recipes will be included for those as well.
Complete video and verbal construction of the bug-sharing insights on how to make the tie easier and more professional.
DVDs are priced from $9.95 to $19.95 and based on the number of recipes you receive in the pattern. If you order, for example, a "Slow Stone," we don't sell that fly in a different color so there's only one recipe-thus the price is $9.95. The "Searcher," is tied in seven colors with seven recipes; the cost of that DVD is $15.95, and you receive the full recipes for all seven bugs. We will tie only one fly in each series, but you'll have recipes for all colors in that series.
If interested in a digital download, please contact us. We can make any of our selections available in an MP4 format for phones, tablets, and computers.


Sometimes, thankfulness is an emotion. Other times, thankfulness is an act of the will. This year, I'm glad to say it's the former.
We celebrated Thanksgiving simply, in a tiny, pinewood cabin. Sarah made food, because she is awesome. We were surrounded by what makes us happy. Things like: mountains, trees, warm fires, books, our crazy pup, and each other.
It was the perfect backdrop for gratitude. Simplicity distilled our thanks.
Away from the conveniences of the city. Away from flickering screens and battery powered devices that chirp, buzz, blink, and click. Away from all those things, my mind was refreshed with the insight that I wasn't really thankful for blessings. I am thankful because of blessings.
Remove all that makes my life easy, fun, and productive and I still have just as much cause for gratitude. Why? Because I experience just as much grace from the One who gives.
Plus, Sarah and Lewis got in lots of nature walks.
And here are some photos….
This entry was posted in marriage, photos, reflections, travel. Tagged broken bow, cabin, chocolate lab, lewis, marriage, puppy, sarah, thanksgiving, travel, woods.


In September of 2010, Kenny and I met up with our friend Patrick in Italy and spent a little over a week riding around in the mountains. Our travels took us to Italy, Switzerland, the teeny-weeny country of Liechtenstein, and Austria. The trip was, in a word – monumental.
Even though months have passed, I still find myself reliving fragments of the trip in my imagination. The Alps are a motorcyclist's paradise.
Though it was difficult to will yourself to stop riding, we did manage to snap a few photos of some beautiful roads along the way.
Have you traveled any of these roads? Which were your favorites? Are they on your bucket list for someday?
These adventures warrant multiple viewings. I enjoy them every time because they let us live vicariously through you. And the pictures are to die for.
Certainly on the bucket list. Just need to live a long time!
I can only hope that someday you find yourself traveling those roads on your own bike. You would love it!
I know, right? I would love to come back and ride with you again soon.
Sigh. Gorgeous pics. I love Rosti, too! I so want to go back there. I can't wait to get the new bike to the WV place to see if the roads are as much fun on it as they were in Austria et al.
Wow, Stunning scenery! And stunning road! Weeee!
They are all on my bucket list…..I hope one day to just disappear for a month or more in that area and ride around. Every time I see those pics it amazes me, I think motorcyclists actually built those roads.


Please welcome Deanna Cabinian as our guest today. Deanna is a marketing director who lives in the Midwest, but dreams of living by the ocean. When she isn't working or writing she enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and their Havanese dog, Cuba. One Night, her debut YA novel, is out now.
Giving author talks is important not only in terms of promoting books, but also good life experience to have. As an author I figure any experience that pushes me out of my comfort zone a bit is potentially good fodder for my novels.
Connect with Deanna on her blog, on Facebook, and on Twitter.
What advice do you have when it comes to preparing for author talks? What was your most memorable presentation experience (good or bad)? Share in the comments!
Practice plenty, yes. But especially, practice the first line every chance you get, until you know that when you get to the mic you cannot POSSIBLY freeze up for even an instant. Once you've made that start, the momentum of your planning and practice can carry you through the rest.
I agree, that's terribly important. Because that awful feeling of freezing up will catch you exactly where it hurts the most: at your throat!
One more piece of advice: don't prepare your speech in long form but instead jot down the main points on a single sheet of paper and in bold, large letters so you can read it at a distance! Again, if you freeze, or suddenly don't remember where you are, what your next point is, it will be immensely useful!
With the release of my debut YA novel two years ago, I needed to be able to handle both prepared and impromptu speaking engagements. The latter were especially trying for me. I joined a local Toastmasters (there were scores to choose from) and have found it surprisingly helpful, fun and fulfilling. We meet for an hour every week but it's fine to miss weeks. Public speaking anxiety levels have at least declined if not disappeared. I recommend it for all authors.
I've sat through too many conference presentations, panels, and workshops in which the speakers droned on and on about their pet research projects, their life stories, their hobbies or their politics. Some were vain and believed the audience had come to their talks because they were such fascinating and impressive specimens of humanity, not because the topics listed in the program were relevant to their careers. Some were simply oblivious and really thought their adventures in experimental piano playing were super interesting.
When I make presentations or give demos, I always ask the organizer (or the teacher, if it's a class) about the makeup of the audience and what they need or want to learn. If the organizer gives an unhelpful response, I ask the audience themselves.
T.K. – this is probably the best advice out there. I have heard many speeches that gave little regard to what the audience might be interested in. It's always good to find out what the crowd wants and/or needs to hear and tailor your speech to that.
Gee, there are some great tips here today. Perfect timing for me since I have a book event and signing in June (Massachusetts) for my novel Greylock. The audience will be Herman Melville fans and tourists/climbers on Mt. Greylock. Thank you all for the targeted advice!
Know what your conclusion will be, so you end strong instead of drifting off into vagueness.
Agreed! A strong finish leaves a better impression than drifting off.


Is a member of the famous shipbuilding firm of A. and J. Inglis, Point House, Glasgow. He is an extremely popular Clyde yachtsman, and was at one time Rear-Commodore of the Royal Northern Yacht Club.
In 1896 he purchased the famous 40-rater Carina for the Clyde, and two years later built and raced the well-known 65-footer Astrild, thereby doing much to advance the racing on the Northern waters. He now owns the famous composite cutter Nevada, which was designed by C. K Herreshoff. She did not prove very successful, owing chiefly to her shortness, but is a remarkably speedy vessel for her dimensions. He also owns the s.y. Oithona, 369 tons. He is Rear-Admiral of the Mudhook Yacht Club, and is a member of the Yacht Racing Association.
Clubs: Royal Alfred, Royal Clyde, Clyde Corinthian, Royal Largs, Mudhook, Royal Northern, Royal Western.
Residence: 23, Park Circus, Glasgow.


text:
The Het were the people of the northern Patagonian pampas west of the Paraná River: The Chechehet, the Diuihet or Didiuhet, and the Taluhet. The easternmost Didiuhet, near modern Buenos Aires and influenced by the Guarani, were called the Querandí (see). It is not clear if these three peoples were related linguistically or only culturally.

The Het were neighbored on the north by the Chaná, on the northwest and west by the Mapuche, and on the south by the Puelche.

Peoples
The Het peoples are listed from north to south as follows.
The Taluhet occupied the modern provinces of San Luis in the east, Córdoba, and Santa Fe in the west.
The Diuihet (Divihet, Didiuhet, Diliuhet) inhabited the coastal region between the La Plata and Paraná rivers in Buenos Aires Province,  southern Santa Fe, and inland through La Pampa and as far as Mendoza.
The Chechehet lived as far south as the mouths of the Colorado and Río Negro rivers in southern Buenos Aires Province.

Language
The Het population was decimated by the end of the eighteenth century by epidemics, which facilitated the Mapuche absorption of its territory and its survivors rapid Araucanization at the cultural level that consolidated them into the Puelche.  For this reason it is today difficult to find evidence of the Het languages. Of Querandí (Diuihet) we only have two sentences and a few words, recorded by French sailors around 1555. Based on this admittedly inadequate data, Viegas Barros showed that Querandí may have been closely related to Puelche. Viegas Barros (2005) further attempted to demonstrate that Puelche is more distantly related to the Chon languages to its south.

Loukotka (1968) lists the following basic vocabulary items for Chechehet and Querandí.

{| class="wikitable"
! gloss !! Chechehet !! Querandí
|-
! two
| chivil ||
|-
! moon
|  || zobá
|-
! earth
| chu ||
|-
! bow
|  || afia
|-
! great
| hati ||
|}

References

Languages of Argentina
Chonan languages
Indigenous peoples of the Southern Cone
Indigenous peoples in Argentina
Languages extinct in the 19th century
Unclassified languages of South America

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Abstract : [en] In this study, a cell based lattice free modelling framework is proposed to study cell aggregate behaviour in bone tissue engineering applications. The model encompasses cell-to-cell and cell environment interactions such as adhesion, repulsion and drag forces. Oxygen, nutrients, waste products, growth factors and inhibitors are explicitly represented in the model influencing cellular behaviour. Furthermore, a model for cell metabolism is incorporated representing the basic enzymic reactions of glycolysis and the Krebs cycle. Various types of cell death such as necrosis, apoptosis and anoikis are implemented. Finally, an explicit model of the cell cycle controls the proliferation process, taking into account the presence or absence of various metabolites, sufficient space and mechanical stress. Several examples are presented demonstrating the potential of the modelling framework. The behaviour of a synchronised cell aggregate under ideal circumstances is simulated, clearly showing the different stages of the cell cycle and the resulting growth of the aggregate. Also the difference in aggregate development under ideal (normoxic) and hypoxic conditions is simulated, showing hypoxia induced necrosis mainly in the centre of the aggregate grown under hypoxic conditions. The next step in this research will be the application of this modelling framework to specific experimental set-ups for bone tissue engineering applications. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


Inspired by a cityscape, the Novogratz Addison City Bookcase offers a fun way for your child to store their favorite books and toys. The sturdy white painted MDF Bookcase offers 3 cubbies and 1 open shelf for plenty of storage.
The City Bookcase ships flat to your door and requires 2 adults to assemble. The open shelf will hold up to 20 lbs. while the larger cubby will hold up to 50 lbs. The 2 smaller cubbies can hold up to 10 lbs.


Play a part in the global fight against cancer.
Radisson Blu Edwardian is continuing to evolve, and as ever we value your support.
Cancer Research UK has taken on one of its most exciting challenges yet by becoming a founding partner of an extraordinary collaboration to build a world class centre of scientific excellence: the Francis Crick Institute.
This initiative will transform the future of healthcare for generations to come, shaping medical research and placing London at the forefront of global biomedical discovery. Cancer Research UK has set out to raise £100 million towards the construction of this landmark facility and Radisson Blu Edwardian has partnered with them to help make this vision a reality.
Over the course of 2015 we will be arranging events and fund raisers that you can get involved in as Radisson Blu Edwardian employees.
Largest biomedical research centre under one roof in Europe, with global impact.
1200 world class scientists led by Nobel Laureate Sir Paul Nurse.
Opening in 2016, King's Cross, London.
Multidisciplinary research across all major diseases.
Designed to facilitate and promote collaboration.


Dr Liz... the vet from Russell Vale Animal Clinic: Musings of Dr Liz - It's just a virus, says the doctor.
Musings of Dr Liz - It's just a virus, says the doctor.
just feeling off, lethargic, not wanting to move much, and with the typical cold signs.
I know what the doctor will say - its just a virus, go to bed, drink lots of fluids. Sleep. You'll be fine.
Now, that last line made me think about what I say to a loving pet owner, who brings their pet in with similar signs - a bit off, not themselves, didn't eat well that morning (or night before). I wouldn't say " You have a virus, go to bed, drink lots of fluids, you'll be fine!"
Leo taking Dr's advice and going to bed!
I admit to being a bit disgruntled when I am told that by my GP, as really, I don't go to see him often, and so, in my view, when I do go, it is because I do feel really unwell, and I want him to help me feel better. I can only imagine that a loving pet owner would feel the same way too - after all, we hate the thought of our pet being in pain, or being lethargic and unwell.
As a vet, I work on a theory that if our pets are unwell enough for us to notice that they are unwell, then they are seriously and truly unwell. Now I do know some pets do pretend to be unwell - for example - they pretend to limp when you are watching, but walk perfectly fine when they think you aren't, but this not as common as you may think.
Do our pets get "viruses" like us? You bet they do. Can they feel lethargic as a result? Sure, of course they can. Do they need to see the vet every time you think they are unwell? Not always, but how do you as the loving pet owner know when it is OK to wait and see? Even vets get that wrong sometimes (as do doctors - we all know stories of people being sent home from hospital only to get worse shortly after).
Would you prefer that I say "your pet is ok" without a check up or any tests? - Most times I would be right, but what if I was wrong, which is possible some of the time. Or would you prefer that I say that "Our check up of your pet, (plus the test results), tells us that your pet will be fine" and we would be right 100% of the time. And in those pets where the check up shows up something abnormal, we can act on it straight away and get things fixed.
I know which score I would like as a vet - which is 100%. Rather than take the chance of being right a huge chunk of the time, as an intelligent guestimate. At the end of the day, the ball is in the hands of the loving pet owner, as I can't drag your pet into the vet - only you can do that.
As I sneeze myself into another box of tissues, I'll have to content myself with the doctors advice, and head off to bed with lots of fluids and a big box of tissues. And hope that this time, my own GP is right!
I am Dr Liz, and I wish you all good health. Bring Spring On!


I haven't been since I was a kid, but used to love it No excuse really as there is a strawberry picking farm at the end of our road, so we do hope to make it there sometime next week.
I have never been strawberry picking but I have gone to an apple farm and a peach farm for picking. It was a lot of fun.
What are you going to do with all the strawberries? Just eat them plain or will you be making any jelly?
We will probably eat them plain. That reminds me that I forgot to get some whipped cream when shopping, so we will definitely be eating them plain!
I'm going to freeze some strawberries as I don't think we're going to get through them all in time!
Fresh picked strawberries are always so much better than the store bought kind. They seem much more juicy and sweet. Frozen would be good. Then you'd have them ready to go into a smoothie anytime you want.
How nice of you to share them with your grandparents. I bet they will really enjoy that!
Find more posts on picking, strawberry.


The Looking-Glass Wars is a trilogy of novels by Frank Beddor retelling the story of Alice in Wonderland, based on the premise that Alice Liddel, the real-life inspiration for the literary Alice, was in fact Alyss Heart, the true Queen of Wonderland, who had been exiled to our world after her Aunt Redd staged a coup.
With the memories of her homeland and true identity locked safely away in her mind, to the point that she no longer believes Wonderland ever existed, Alyss finds herself in the middle of a plot to retake Wonderland, aided by her royal bodyguard Hatter Madigan and her tutor Bibwit Harte.
Not to be confused with The Looking-Glass War, a spy novel by John le Carré.
There's also a companion scrapbook, Princess Alyss of Wonderland, and a set of 6 graphic novels, Hatter M, which detail Hatter's travels looking for Alyss. Starting 2016, Beddor teamed with Adrienne Kress to write Hatter Madigan, a prequel series about Hatter's days at the Millinery Academy.
Action Girl: Nearly every single female in this series. Most notably Alyss and Homburg Molly.
Awesome Backpack: Hatter's, which is described as being able to open like a Swiss Army knife, revealing assorted blades and corkscrews.
Badass Longcoat: Frank Beddor spends at least a few sentences, if not a paragraph, just describing the way Hatter Madigan's coat moves.
Beethoven Was an Alien Spy: Wonderland is real, and the little girl who was the book's insperation was its rightful queen.
Bloodier and Gorier: When Redd says "off with thier heads," she means it.
Breakout Character: Hatter Madigan not only has a graphic novel spinoff, but a prequel series about him.
Card-Carrying Villain: Redd, who officially styles herself as "Her Imperial Viciousness" during her rule over Wonderland and actively promotes Black Imagination.
Cats Are Mean: The Cat.
Cuckoo Nest: In the first book, Redd creates an illusion in which Alyss wakes up with her adoptive parents and her fiancé at her bedside, telling her that she's had a bad fever.
Darker and Edgier: Considerably so. Alyss' mother is killed in the first few chapters.
Dark Action Girl: Redd and Siren, most definitely.
Dead Man Writing: Hatter Madigan comes across a message which his former lover, Weaver, left him in case she died before they could meet again. It reveals that they had a daughter — Homburg Molly, Alyss's new bodyguard.
Disproportionate Retribution: Redd actually makes a point to do this during her reign.
Everything's Better with Princesses: Alice the real-life little girl who inspired "Alice In Wonderland" was in fact the princess of the real Wonderland.
Cute Kitten: A trope the Cat uses to his advantage.
Everything's Deader with Zombies: A villain named Sacrenoir can make skeletons of the dead rise to consume flesh, though it naturally goes right through them.
Evil Albino: The evil counterpart to Bibwit Harte, Vollrath.
Imagination Destroyer: WILMA (Weapon of Inconceivable Loss and Massive Annihilation) is a weapon that destroys people's imaginations. Aunt Redd is trying to contain and stop it from coming to Earth.
Improbable Weapon User: Madigan, like all Hatters, is a very good fighter. And his uniform contains more knives than a cutlery convention. Including his hat.
In Name Only: Many of the characters have little to no similarities with their Carroll counterparts, intentionally it seems.
Little Miss Badass: Homburg Molly.
Meaningful Name: General Doppelganger can split himself into Generals Doppel and Ganger, Redd was once called Rose and has an affinity for that flower.
Mind Screw: The Looking Glass Maze.
Nice Hat: Hatter Madigan is a member of the Millinery, where one of their biggest rules is that every member have one hat, and one hat only. It just so happens that said hat turns into a bladed boomerang disc.
Out of Continues: The Cat (an assassin who can transform from cute little tabby into a vicious anthropomorphic killer) was made with nine lives — by the end of the first book he's been killed eight times, both by the heroes and as punishment for failing his mistress.
Prehensile Hair: Jack of Diamonds gets a pseudo-living wig as a gift from Redd for doing her bidding. Said wig can also turn into a monster and beat the crap out of people should Redd command it.
The Quisling: The Diamond, Spade and Club noble families are eternally ready to swear their loyalty to whoever currently has the greatest power and influence, be it the Heart clan, Queen Redd or or King Arch.
Rated M for Manly: Boarderland is shown to have little adages about manliness inscribed on many of its natural features on the orders of King Arch.
Significant Anagram: Bibwit Harte is an anagram for 'White Rabbit,' reflecting Carroll's love of anagrams.
Small Name, Big Ego: Beddor is this when it comes to this series. His blurbs about it have a tendency to insult the crap out of Lewis Carroll.
Start of Darkness: Redd's past is glimpsed at, especially in Seeing Redd.
Sugar Apocalypse: Redd's takeover of Wonderland turns it from a classic Sugar Bowl into a dystopian hellscape.
Sugar Bowl: For all its attempts at Darker and Edgier, the series really turned Wonderland into one of these. Its capital city is known as "Wondertropolis," there are foods with names like "Tarty Tarts," and even worms are known as "gwormmies." Of course, then Redd takes over and the place becomes a Crapsack World until Alyss returns to dethrone her.
Take That!: A email sent recently says about this Wonderland: "No Tim. No Johnny. No nonsense."
Twice-Told Tale: In-universe, no less. Carrol's story was his spin on the real events Alice told him. She is outraged when she realizes how much he changes around.
Weaponized Headgear: Hatter's tophat turns into s-shaped blades while Molly's homburg turns into a razor-edged shield. In fact, it's probably safe to say that this trope applies to all hats belonging to the Millinery.
Weapon of Mass Destruction: Seeing Redd features WILMA (Weapon of Inconceivable Loss and Massive Annihilation). It destroys people's imaginations.
And that's the modified WILMA, which is actually less dangerous than the original. The original was made to completely destroy the kingdom.
Wicked Cultured: Jack of Diamonds.
You Can't Go Home Again / Your Costume Needs Work: In "Arch Enemy," Redd tries to return to her old mountain stronghold... only to discover it's been turned into a tourist attraction whose proceeds go toward promoting the principles of White Imagination. And while she did use a piece of cloth to disguise herself, the man in the ticket booth fails to realize who she is even after she balks at having to pay "to get into [her] own home," and amusingly thinks she's pretending to be herself ("You do play the part, don't you?").


Vote results began trickling in dribs and drabs for the country's fifth elections since the introduction of multiparty democracy in 1994 and opposition Democratic Progressive Party ( DPP) presidential candidate Peter Mutharika has taken an early lead from but with Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarous Chakwera close behinds from about 26 percent of the tabulated 25 percent of elections results.
Africa's second female president Joyce Banda is facing stiff challenges from a field of 12 candidates. Banda and Chakwera followed with 22 and 23 percent respectively and and United Democratic Front (UDF) torch bearer Atupele Muluzi was trailing fourth. The final results could be anyone's guess.
Final results should be announced within eight days of voting but MEC is likely to declare winner of presidential elections by Friday.
A total of 18 parties have fielded candidates for 193 parliamentary seats and 462 local government posts.
official results, but those tabulated by various agencies indicated that from the total of 17 districts, the DPP candidate had made surprise inroads into strongholds of all his rivals like Zomba for Joyce Banda, Lilongwe for Chakwera and Mangochi for UDF's Atupele Muluzi.
Muluzi is trailing at 13percent so far.
Vice President Khumbo Kachali got his Mzimba South West seat back.
President Banda was winning convincingly in the Northern Region, though districts like Chitipa and Karonga did not give her overwhelming vote, while Rumphi which has also elected Kamlepo Kaluwa as MP for Rumphi East delivered a 80 percent vote for the PP.
In the Centre, out of Kasungu's 231 polling centres, only 15 had reported giving Chakwera a small lead but the major fight for Parliamentary seat is expected at Kasungu Central. Mutharika is coming third in the district.
However in Lilongwe, Chakwera is expected to increase his stakes with the 1 million voters which could limit runaway chances for the DPP candidate and allow Banda to recover with her second position in the South and Centre.
Mutharika is facing a tough battle in Mulanje where PP has made a considerable showing, while he is an outright winner in Thyolo with close to 90 percent approval rating.
Only 635 of the 4445 polling centres have reported through various platforms and results are expected to change as the results come through the day.
Up to 7.5 million Malawians registered for the vote and with the closeness of the poll, it would be too early to call the curtain on Africa's second female President.
Results from constituencies across the country are expected to continue trickling in as most totalling centres tally results from polling stations.


In 2008, a man walked into my hometown city hall and slaughtered the fathers of friends and their colleagues. The shooter sought revenge on slights brought on him by the city. It was among the first of what would become a country-wide epidemic of mass shootings.
I was joining a friend that night at a cramped downtown bar to drink beer and look at photographs for an event called "Pints and Pixels." It was one of my first opportunities to learn from professionals and get honest feedback on my work – all of which terrified me. We were shepherded into a tiny wooden attic space with a projector. I listened as the photographers talked about magical words I didn't yet know: strobes; slaves; scrims; diffusers; and ND filters. I was extremely out of my depth and desperately hoping no one could see how lost I was. There was a very good chance if I could keep my mouth shut that I would escape the evening with no one realizing how little I felt I had to offer.
During the halftime break of the event, while grabbing another gin and tonic, the television news over the bar showed police lights, crowds, and a flurry of reporters. Something had happened. I looked at my phone. Someone was shot. A mayor. "Well, gosh," I thought to myself, "that's not good." With a shrug, I went back to my drink. Surely news would be forthcoming in the ensuing days. There was simply nothing I could do. With that, I casually dismissed the situation.
But soon, more accurate information about where the shooting was, and who was shot, started to penetrate the news. It wasn't a mayor – it was my mayor. It wasn't a shooting somewhere – it was a shooting in my hometown city hall. This was where I grew up. People were shot literally 20 minutes from where I was, and 10 minutes from the door of my apartment. These were people that I knew; family members of friends. This was, suddenly, real. I hastily made my exit from the bar. I tried to explain why I had to leave, but I stared blankly at the television news and pointed. No words were coming to me. Finally, I uttered, "This matters to me." and ran out the door.
My family, and close friends and their families, had been spared, but enough people we all knew were hurting. The city ached and reeled in reaction. Within a week, a parade of funerals began. I attended only one.
A friend picked me up from work as a cold, slushy rain fell, threatening to turn to ice on the roads. A biting wind punished us as we walked from the car to the church. Meeting with other classmates and sharing blank, consoling hugs, we went to the only available space – the balcony.
As the gray rain fell outside, casting multi-colored shadows of raindrops through the stained glass windows, my classmate and his family entered the altar to bid goodbye to their father who had been ripped away too early. As the ceremony proceeded, news crews gathered outside to catch B-roll and interview attendants.
Looking to my left, I noticed a particularly brazen reporter positioned on the stairs leading to the balcony. I noticed him. He noticed me. My friend and I were exactly who he was looking for, and I knew it. We were young, attractive, and vaguely attached to the situation. I tried to beat down my hunger for attention. As much as lights and cameras always pulled my attention, I worked to remind myself that there was something more important happening.
As the funeral ended, the balcony emptied pew by pew, filtering past the news crew. I watched the reporter excitedly fiddle with his microphone. As my friend and I neared, the reporter straightened his back, readying himself to approach us. With a nod to the camera guy, the distance between us closed. "Here it comes." I thought.
The reporter launched into his question with feigned empathy. "Excuse me, would you mind…" As he looked back to make sure the camera was aimed and ready, my friend made a bold move. Stepping between myself and the reporter, he flatly stated: "There are better people to answer your questions." Turning his body, he ushered me past the reporter and cameraman, using his body to maintain a barrier.
This moment has always left me speechless. It is wonderful, and humbling when you learn grace and maturity from your friends – it's even better when they protect you when you lack those tools yourself.


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The art of 'tapenology'
Written by Roshan Nebhrajani
Marcus Blake is Miami's ultimate renaissance man. He's an artist, a painter, an event organizer, poet, musician, and a writer. You've probably encountered his art in some form without realizing it.
A master of subtlety, Blake's work can be found on t-shirts, in magazines, and most recently all over the walls of Little Haiti and Little River. He's previously worked as a fashion designer and even started his own clothing line. He then moved on to performance art, hosting the beloved "The Imperial" open-mic night at the popular, and now closed The Vagabond and The Stage.
Blake's most recent project brings color to the walls of Little Haiti and Little River. His vibrant, geometric pieces can be found boldly wrapping full walls, or peeking out of small corridors and alleyways. We learned a little more about Blake and what inspires his many talents.
Marcus Blake (Courtesy of David H. Dennis)
How did you get started as an artist?
I was born in Jamaica and I moved to Miami when I was about 8 years old. As I got older, I started off by working in fashion. I designed a clothing line and I was a fashion designer for the South Beach Times. I started to write and paint on the clothes, not really thinking that I was an artist.
I got more and more into poetry and switched from fashion and got into writing. I hosted my own open-mic night between The Vagabond and The Stage, and I did that for about 8 years until they closed down. Then I was ready for a transition, so that's when I really got into painting.
But in between all of these things, I never completely stopped the others. While I was designing, I was still writing. And while I'm painting, I'm still doing other things. For example, last night I did an avant garde play at Inhale Miami. So, I don't work in just one medium.
One of Blake's biggest canvases — an entire building. (Courtesy of Marcus Blake)
Courtesy of Marcus Blake
How do you describe your current work?
I call it "tapenology." It always starts the same way — you have to prepare the surface of the building and shave away the air pockets. I won't tell you the whole process, but basically the colors underneath are all spray paint, and the geometric patterns are all made with tape.
It was just something I felt like I had to create. and I've always done it in some form. I just decided to finally take it to the streets last December.
The first one I did is actually not there anymore. It was on 71st St. and NE 2nd Ave, but the building just got painted over. The second one is on NE 2nd Ave. as well. It's on a gas station on 76th St. That one is totally different from the stuff I'm making now. It's not painted underneath.
Though they look similar, each piece is personal and the art evolves over time.With each piece I make, I learn things. I think it's like a high form of meditation. That's why the art looks very geometric, like I'm in a clear mind frame.
It takes about 6-7 hours to do the taping. Just the first section of the last one that I did took almost 9 hours to tape down, then an additional 3-4 hours to paint. It's like a full time job. I wake up, drink my coffee, leave by 7 a.m., and then I work for 7–12 hours straight.
An entire building painted by Blake.
A wall on the building.
Blake's piece wrapping around a cafeteria on NW 2nd Ave.
Up close at the cafeteria.
What inspires your design?
I don't know what inspires it, to be honest. It's a mentality. I like vines, nature, and geometry. If you let a vine grow, it will totally consume the building. When I'm painting these buildings, I become the vine, the nature.
When you look at the patterns in a tree, it grows and splits then splits again. So in my work, I split it into geometric shapes, and I think that there are triangles in everything. I keep splitting and breaking down the work into different triangles. Once I let it flow, the patterns build themselves.
Tapenology, Blake's unique artform.
I see your pieces all over Little Haiti. Sometimes they're a whole wall, and other times they're just a small column. Why is this? How do you decide what to paint?
I never intended to paint buildings. I was more drawn to things like doors, walls, and very specific objects. When I drive through the city, my eyes are drawn to specific parts of the buildings.
When I find the right spot, I usually ask building owners if I can paint their location. If you just paint without permission, your art will just be painted over. Then, while I'm painting, people often stop me and ask me to take a look at their wall and we usually make it happen.
There's one location I'm still plotting on. It's an all square bus station, and every time I pass it, my brain tells me I have to paint. When all the conditions are right, it'll get painted.
A grocery store painted by Blake.
Blake even painted The New Tropic's next door neighbor.
Why did you pick Little Haiti?
I live in Little Haiti. I love this area. So I'm kind of obsessed with this little square. Being an artist, I could easily take my talent to Wynwood, but I live in Little Haiti and the art has to be where I am. I want to inspire the people where I am instead of being just another painting on a wall in Wynwood. I want to create my own scene. I want to give the color and inspiration to this neighborhood.
Also, the neighborhood has the architecture to support it. It's a space where, previously, art wasn't happening, so I wanted to be a trailblazer. Now my art has become part of the facade of the building — it doesn't really stand out, it's merged into the building like a vine. I really think art is like nature, so I'm also pleased to see where it has gone and how it has evolved over the years.
In Little Haiti, I've covered more than 60 locations in one year alone. Now people see the work everywhere and think something is alive and happening in the neighborhood. The art is physically in motion and is moving around Little Haiti.
While I think Little Haiti is the center of is where this work is all happening, I have work as far as 18th Ave and 62nd St., to 14th St. and 3rd Ave. in Downtown Miami, and I have some pieces in Overtown. I like to put the art where it's not normally expected. Art changes people. In places like Overtown and Liberty City, I wanted to introduce the art to help people think differently, feel differently.
Everyone needs art, I think the geometrics and the symbolism in my pieces change the way your brain works. For example, I was painting a wall on 64th St., which is filled with drug abuse and people walking around the alleys. People would stop and gather while I painted, and as they saw the shapes taking form, they would tell me they were starting to feel different. I'm not sure why – maybe the art gives them something else to think about. Something else to feel.
With that said, I don't think art necessarily has to "say" or "do" something. And to say art has to do something puts a lot of pressure on the artists. Not everything has to make a statement. It can just be an expression, and for me that's the best part.
A very colorful piece. (Courtesy of Marcus Blake)
I'm working on some poetry and some new music. In February, I'm planning restarting on The Imperial, an open-mic series I used to run. They will be at four locations throughout the month — MADE at the Citadel, Churchill's, a new spot in Wynwood, and the last one is still up in the air. I'm also working on an avant garde performance art play.
In the next few weeks, I also have two more buildings to paint, and while they will be tapenology and have the same geometric patterns, they will look totally different. The pieces are a constant evolution, and that's what I like.
By Roshan Nebhrajani
Roshan is a producer at The New Tropic.
Read more Art
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How a historic church became a Sanctuary for the Arts
Beyond 'Moonlight:' This Miami filmmaker has more stories to tell in Liberty City
2019 Art Basel Guide
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Neighborhood spotlight on West Kendall
Changemakers: Meet the people rethinking the design of Miami's skyline
Finding love in Miami can be tough, so we decided to dive into the issue
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Sometimes you have a baby and a startup at the same time. For times like those, Google's Campus Tel Aviv recently held Campus for Moms, a startup course designed to be friendly to babies and moms taking care of them. The nine-week course included technical topics like the evolution of cloud computing, legal information, financial advice, and more. The classroom was filled with bean bags and mats so that moms and babies could hang out together during sessions.
Graduates finished up by presenting their ideas to potential investors and class leaders. And during the course of the nine-week class session, four participants announced new launches: their babies were born.
Human babies build memories as they learn and grow, but what about other primates? A recent study provides evidence that chimps and orangutans can remember things for longer and more precisely than previously thought. Researchers found that both species could instantly recall an event (finding a particular tool) that took place three years earlier. The animals could also distinguish events that took place two weeks prior. Could ape startups be next?
Finally – and we really do mean finally – the pitch drop experiment at Trinity College Dublin has come to a successful conclusion. After nearly 70 years of trying, the project now has video proof that tar pitch sometimes behaves like a liquid and, given enough time and the right conditions, will form drops that fall from the main body. The experiment started in 1944, and now it's done. Hooray!
This weekend, why not start a multi-decade experiment of your own? Maybe we can even feature it on some future edition of Fridaygram, if it still exists when your own pitch-drop moment happens.


text:
Azi Paybarah is a New York-based journalist who focuses on local politics. He worked as a reporter for the New York Press, the Queens Tribune and the New York Sun. In February 2011, Paybarah returned to The New York Observer which he had left a few months earlier, where he wrote for the daily blog, The Politicker. In September 2011 he joined the online news publication Capital as senior writer. Paybarah also hosts a political blog on the website of the local NPR station, WNYC.

Career
At times Paybarah will inform political colleagues or rivals of a controversial statement another politician has made to provoke a reaction.  An example of this was when he informed others of congressional candidate David Weprin's statements in an interview for Vosizneias, one of the largest Orthodox Jewish websites in the United States, regarding the marriage equality law which allows gay and lesbian marriages in New York State.

In May 2009, Paybarah made headlines for being called "a disgrace" by New York mayor Michael Bloomberg for asking about the mayor's rationale for running for a third term. Though later in his campaign, Bloomberg described Paybarah as "brilliant", according to The New York Times.

In September 2010, he was named one of City Hall's "40 under 40" for being a young influential member of New York City politics.

References

External links
WNYC Blog
The New York Sun Author archive.
New York's Boss Hog-Worthy Scam
The Quietest Campaign of All
New Rules For Smelly Pepsi Site

University at Albany, SUNY alumni
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
American bloggers
The New York Observer people
New York Press people
The New York Sun people
Place of birth missing (living people)
American people of Iranian descent
University of Michigan fellows


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The Wind at My Back by Misty Copeland with Susan Fales-Hill
c.2022, Grand Central Publishing
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Truth Contributor
You don't belong here.
It's a declaration that seems confusing, at first. Who says? Who's in charge here? You don't belong because… why? The answer is almost always as rude and hurtful as the statement itself, almost as unthinkable now as it was 70 years ago. But in The Wind at My Back by Misty Copeland with Susan Fales-Hill, those are four words that strengthen resolve.
For six years, the whole time she was a soloist at the American Ballet Theater, Misty Copeland was often the only Black dancer on the stage. She got used to it, but never got comfortable with it. Racism is common in dance and most Black dancers in American history were encouraged to stick with "modern" performances.
That wasn't the kind of dance Copeland had always dreamed of.
Still, she persevered. Just being with the ABT kept her in place for what the future might bring and besides, she felt like she was representing. Her presence there was encouraging to Black girls who were told they'd never be ballerinas.
And then Copeland met Raven Wilkinson.
Wilkinson was born in 1935 to educated, upper crust Black parents and had set her sights on ballet when she was five years old, having experienced the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She cried then at the emotion in the ballet, and she knew that she wanted to dance. Her parents enrolled her in the School of American Ballet and later, she was trained by Madame Swoboda, one of the Bolshoi Theatre's premiere ballerinas.
On the cusp of realizing her dream, however, Wilkinson was told that it was "never going to happen" because she was "Colored."
And yet, she, too, persevered and she began touring with a professional troupe which took her to the American South where she fought for her dignity and she endured threats on her life. Still she danced, a pioneer, a professional and a "first." And when she met Copeland, she became a supportive, loving, wise, thoughtful, powerful mentor…
While it sure looks like a book and it feels like a book, The Wind at My Back isn't really a book. No, it's a love letter to an elder trailblazer with grace, both inside and out.
Author Misty Copeland, somewhat of a pathfinder herself, weaves the story of her career in with that of Raven Wilkinson, whose work was basically hidden in plain sight for decades. In telling Wilkinson's story, loudly and publicly, Copeland also writes of the friendship the two women had, and how Wilkinson pushed Copeland to soar to greater heights, career-wise and in Copeland's personal life. This gives the book an intimate feel, sometimes uncomfortably so, but the sense of gratitude and absolute love for a woman who ignored the word "no" when society repeated it overpowers any squirm you might feel.
A working knowledge of ballet will enhance your enjoyment of this book, but it's not an absolute necessity. If you (or your teen!) merely love a good double-biography, The Wind at My Back belongs on your bookshelf.
Book Review, Headline
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text:
Reading ancient schoolroom
History of the Ancient Schoolroom
2014 Schoolroom
How do we know what ancient schools were like?
Mobile schoolroom
Next Schoolroom opportunity
For primary schools
For secondary schools
For the children and families who come independently
Schoolroom in Spain
Schoolroom volunteers
More than 100 local and not-so-local schoolchildren, teachers, and parents came to Reading on November 19th, 2014 for Experiencing Ancient Education, an event in which research by Reading Classicists on how ancient schools functioned was presented in action by creating a replica ancient schoolroom for a day.
Roman clothes were produced specially for the event by copying the garments on an ancient picture of a school (below), and all participants dressed in these costumes and learned in a room decorated as a replica of a real ancient schoolroom recently excavated in Egypt.
Windows looking out on the Nile river were contributed by an artist connected to the department (below), and the walls were painted by enthusiastic students and staff.
Participants practiced reading from a scroll of papyrus written in ancient fashion (i.e. no spaces between the words or other reading aids), writing on wax tablets, copying poetry onto ostraca (pieces of broken pottery), and doing mathematical calculations in Roman numerals.
The event also included a visit from the Classics Kitchen, which served delicious Roman food and sold beautiful recipe booklets as well as providing an opportunity to handle and learn about the different grain crops on which the Roman diet was based.
The Roman Shop, the source of much of the replica equipment used in the event, also had a stand displaying some of their beautiful and amazingly affordable merchandise, and the Ure museum offered participants an opportunity to handle real ancient objects and learn about their history.
Participants have expressed gratitude and enthusiasm for the event, along with hopes that we will repeat it. (Participants have also sent us photographs, which can be seen along with our own at https://www.dropbox.com/sc/ss25fmlimlf2686/AADVxISpimo21m0fAOm9kTXTa.) Their reflections on the value of the experience and how much could be learned from it are illuminating not only about the ancient world but also about our own. Here is a selection of comments from both the department's own volunteers and the parents and teachers who brought children to our schoolroom:
"The whole day in all its aspects provided an interesting and enjoyable experience for both the public and the staff members involved, but certain things struck me particularly forcibly. The first was how easy it is, in fact, to exclude the outward signs of modernity: a few bolts of painted cloth and paper, and some straw, created a real sense of separation from the rest of the HumSS building and from the campus outside. As a result of this, and of their own enthusiasm, the 'pupils' in the ancient schoolroom behaved quite differently as they stepped through the door-curtain, leaving behind them the usual twenty-first century mannerisms and showing an amazing willingness to embrace the new experience of writing and learning in a different environment. It was eye-opening to have to grapple with the technical challenges of ancient writing materials, though – at risk of sounding patronising towards the ancients – it was immediately apparent that these had advantages quite as strong as their restrictiveness, especially in terms of sustainability, a quality pertinent to our present-day concerns: the re-use of ostraka and the smoothing out of wax tablets to receive the next set of text showed how in antiquity scarce and pricey resources were husbanded with inspiring care." — Emma Aston, head teacher.
"Being a late antique headteacher was great fun and not much like any teaching I've done in any other context. We were all transported, through the smells (straw & sandals & later sweat) into another world in which you could barely tell the difference between boys/girls and children/adults … since we were all dressed identically (only we teachers were set apart by our majesterial chairs) and pupils & their usual teachers were crouched on the haystacks & ground together, sharing inkwells, all talking out loud! I particularly enjoyed the one-on-one aspect of the teaching, so that we could take each person on his or her own terms, helping her or him with whatever s/he wanted to do and whatever previous knowledge s/he may or may not have brought into the room." — Amy Smith, head teacher.
"What terrific fun it was!" — Rachel Mairs, head teacher.
"The ancient school room was a fantastic experience to be a part of. I appreciate it was a great experience for the children – sitting in straw writing on all sorts of ancient materials. However, I can't help but marvel at what I've been able to do and learn from the experience. In preparing the materials I was able to indulge in, what it is for us, an unusual and poetic translation of the start of the Iliad as well as some really interesting poems from our own British poets. Also, it is often difficult to visualise the things you are told in lectures. Being told they wrote on wax tablets, you think 'but how does that work?' Well, I enjoyed playing with the materials as much as the children did (especially the wax tablets). Of course it was also lovely to engage with the wider community and bring them into our marvellous world of Classics. It challenged my skills to teach as I had to adapt to the varying abilities of the students and varying knowledge that they had. Indeed ancient teachers would have clearly had to deal with this also! I would thoroughly recommend, if the Classics department do such an activity again, that any student get involved in any way they can." — Rachael Hopley, student volunteer.
"Being involved in the 'Ancient Schoolroom' event was just as much of an education for me as it was for our visitors. In immersing myself through role-playing a teacher in an ancient schoolroom, I learnt a great deal about methods of ancient education. Our visitors also clearly enjoyed their time in the schoolroom, likely due to their fascination with the activities that are so far removed from any modern experience of school; indeed all the visitors that I spoke with were very quick to offer praise to both Eleanor and the department as a whole (I heard no criticism all day!). The schoolroom itself was unrecognisably transformed into an ancient schoolroom and the costumes were impressive. I believe that Eleanor's attention to detail in the pursuit of authenticity was the primary reason for the success of the event." — Chris Pritchard, student volunteer.
"It was such a great experience, and the atmosphere in the classroom was just magical!" — Bethan White, student volunteer.
"This opportunity to experience ancient life is one I wish I had as a child, especially as the schoolroom was impressively put together with amazing attention to detail. My favourite part was speaking to people of all ages about the objects and the Ure Museum during the handling sessions- it was lovely to see both the students and parents enjoying them." — Rebecca MacRae, Ure Museum.
"You could see that the children that took part in the event enjoyed dressing up as Roman children and made excellent pupils in the classroom – I've never seen children more engaged – concentrating hard on the exercises they were given and queuing up to ask the teachers for more work! It became difficult to get the children to leave the class so that others could have their turn. I personally enjoyed checking whether the children knew that they should greet the teacher and other children when they entered the classroom, and was blown away when some children very naturally told me the greetings in Latin! An enjoyable day and wonderful opportunity for children to step back in time." — Katie Mitchell, staff volunteer.
"The children clearly enjoyed every moment of it and it was so good to hear them come out saying 'that was really fun' or 'that was fantastic' which I heard more than once. The fact that they remained in the classroom for at least an hour despite it being really so hot in the morning indicates how much they were enjoying it. It was interesting that some of the younger ones were particularly taken with learning by heart and became quite competitive. So often we hear of learning by heart being dismissed by teachers and competition being thought of as a really bad thing! Maybe not…." — Jackie Baines, staff volunteer.
"I really enjoyed learning to calculate using Roman numerals. It isn't as difficult as one might think: some calculations are actually easier than they are with our own numerals. What was much more challenging than I expected was writing on an ostracon with a reed pen. I'm looking forward to using an abacus next time!" — Philomen Probert, maths teacher.
"Thank you for letting me participate in such a brilliant event!" — from an outside volunteer.
"I totally loved the whole experience." — from an outside volunteer.
"Just wanted to thank you for a superb time yesterday. … The girls absolutely loved the morning and were also raving about the handling session given to them in the Museum." — from a teacher who brought her class.
"Thank you so much for organising a wonderful event. The girls and I thoroughly enjoyed it and they certainly took a lot away which will inform their learning once we study the topic later in the year. … The school room itself was wonderfully prepared and I loved the rushes on the floor … Please please do it again next year!" — from a teacher who brought her class.
"It was a big success and the students loved the whole experience." — from a teacher who brought her class.
"Would just like to extend our thanks for the University making us feel so welcome and included in the project. I have received lots of positive feedback of how much they all enjoyed the day. Thank you again – they are already looking forward to next year." — from the organizer of a group of homeschooling parents who brought their children to the event.
"I just wanted to thank you for being so helpful and accommodating regarding [child's name] yesterday. She really enjoyed the event and didn't want to leave! Bethan was really lovely with her – I wish that everybody [child's name] comes across was so good with her! I have to say both [child's name] and I preferred the Roman style of education to the modern "everyone learning the same" model! Setting up the schoolroom clearly involved an awful lot of work so many thanks for all of your efforts putting on such a great event." — from a parent who brought a child with special needs.
"My two children really enjoyed the Roman school yesterday and both felt it was fun and educational. We would definitely recommend the day to others." — from a parent.
"It was a fantastic experience for my daughter. The Roman alphabets copied by her on a piece of pottery was used by classmates to write their names. She also took a loaf a spelt bread to share with her class. A big thank you to all involved. Look forward to more events like this." — from a parent.
"I really enjoyed the trip to Reading university, as I had a lot of fun and learnt lots about ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. My favourite part of the trip was learning about the genuine artefacts and handling them. It was amazing to see the miniature pots and jugs, that were used as toys. I was a bit nervous before I went into the ancient classroom but everyone was so relaxed and nice, that I had a great time. I particularly liked reading the extract from Homer's Iliad, and writing on the wax tablets, which was actually quite hard to rub out. Overall I had a brilliant time and would recommend it to anyone interested in Classics, Latin or Greek." — from a pupil named Emily.
"It was a really fun experience because we got to learn about the Romans first hand, in a way we've never been able to before." — from pupils named Imogen and Josie.
"I really enjoyed the ancient classroom as it was fascinating to see how we would have been taught if we had been alive all those years ago." — from a pupil named Ellie.
"I found it a highly enjoyable experience and realistic! I really liked the Classics kitchen! The exercises were really interesting and the schoolroom experience was a complete change to what we are used to. I am extremely lucky that I was able to go on this trip – and I am so glad that I did!" — from a pupil named Kim.
"The children were so full of enthusiasm and so careful and considerate (not a single prop was lost at the end of the day, and no one even spilled any ink!) that it was a great pleasure to welcome them to our department. Having spent years researching ancient education in the abstract, I found it tremendously exciting to try out in practice the teaching methods I have painstakingly reconstructed from the ancient sources — and it was wonderful to see how well those methods work! Since whipping recalcitrant children is a well-known feature of ancient education (though not one found in the materials I have been editing, since those materials were written by teachers and it is normally former students who mention whippings), we had many discussions beforehand about how to handle misbehaviour and whether to have any sham whippings. We decided it would be better not to risk frightening anyone by even an obviously fake whipping, but the really striking thing was that on the day itself it would have made no difference what we decided, since there was no misbehaviour at all. What a lovely set of participants!" — Eleanor Dickey, main organizer (for relevant publications see https://reading.academia.edu/EleanorDickey and http://www.cambridge.org/gb/academic/subjects/classical-studies/classical-languages/colloquia-hermeneumata-pseudodositheana).
We post below the report about the event in Reading's Midweek Chronicle; see also the descriptions written by students from Farnborough Hill School, and by the Classics Kitchen.
What is the Reading ancient schoolroom?


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Two dead in northeast Arkansas as tornadoes hit region
KUAR | By The Associated Press
Mills Hayes
KATV News
Damage to a nursing home in Monette, Ark. where one resident died after the facility was hit by a tornado Friday night.
Two people were killed in northeastern Arkansas as tornadoes struck several states in the region, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Saturday in Monette.
One person at Monette Manor nursing home in Monette and one person inside a Dollar General store in Leachville died as twisters struck the area about 140 miles northeast of Little Rock, Hutchinson said.
"Probably the most remarkable thing is that there's not a greater loss of life," Hutchinson said after touring the heavily damaged nursing home that he described as destroyed and said housed 67 residents.
The storms also hit a candle factory in Kentucky, where that state's governor said the statewide death toll may surpass 100, and an Amazon facility in Illinois.
"When you look at Kentucky ... it does put things in perspective and it makes you grateful that there wasn't a greater loss" of lives, Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson said he has declared a state of emergency for the area and assessments will begin to determine if the damage meets the threshold for federal assistance.
Local & Regional NewsArkansas Weather
The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.
See stories by The Associated Press


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text:
W'burg yeshiva owes $8 million in total for fraud
Matthew Fischetti
By Brooklyn Star Staff
A Williamsburg Yeshiva will have to pay $8 million after admitting to fraudulent fund for needy schoolchildren, federal prosecutors announced.
The Central United Talmudic Academy, which serves more than 5,000 Satmar students ranging from preschool to secondary school, was involved in multiple frauds according to the Monday Oct. 24 announcement.
$3 million has already been paid in restitution and an additional $5 million will have to be paid as part of a deferred prosecution agreement.
The yeshiva received more than $3.2 million in reimbursements, which was almost entirely fictitious according to federal prosecutors. The money was diverted to subsidize parties for adults and the school fabricated records to cover their tracks.
Investigators also discovered that the school engaged in various fraudulent payroll practices that enable school employees to commit tax fraud, the school provided no-show jobs and obtained technology funding for uses unrelated to educational
"The misconduct at CUTA was systemic and wide ranging, including stealing over $3 million allocated for schoolchildren in need of meals," United States Attorney Peace said in a statement. "Today's resolution accounts for CUTA's involvement in those crimes and provides a path forward to repay and repair the damage done to the community, while also allowing CUTA to continue to provide education for children in the community."
The school has instituted changes in its executive management team as well as instituting an oversight committee in the wake of the fraud.Beyond the fines and restitution, the school will be under the supervision of an independent monitor for a three-year period.


This review originally appeared at InfluenceMagazine.com.
To be honest, I'm not the kind of guy who reads books like The Key to Everything. For one thing, I prefer reading "theory" books to "practice" books. For another thing, I am wary of authors who promise simple answers to complex questions, let alone the key to everything.
Simplicity comes in at least two kinds, however. The first is synonymous with foolishness. In this sense, a simple person—a simpleton—lacks knowledge or expertise. The second kind pertains to science. In this sense, a simple formula can explain complex phenomena. Think of E=mc2 as an example.
What is teachability? Keller borrows Roger Seip's formula from Train Your Brain for Success: "Desire to learn times willingness to change equals our level of teachability." If you desire to learn but are not willing to change, or if you are willing to change but don't desire to learn, you have a low "teachability index." The goal is to have a high one.
Matt Keller is a Christian pastor and leadership coach, so most of his readers will be fellow pastors or leaders of parachurch ministries. Though his book refers to the Bible, Christian business professionals can safely use it as a coaching tool in secular environments too.


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text:
Health Informatics and Analytics
School of Data Science
M.S. HIA
Online/DE Graduate Certificate
Faces of HIA
Funding and Financial Aid
General Admission FAQs
Graduate Course Catalog
Internship Course Information
Registration & Advising
Campus-Wide Student Resources
SDS Bootcamp Courses
Tuition Increment
SDS Advisory Board
Student Newsletter Archive
Stephanie Moller
healthinformatics@uncc.edu
Professor; Public Policy Doctoral Program Director
smoller@uncc.edu
Education: Ph.D. in Sociology, UNC Chapel Hill
Courses Taught: Data and Society A DTSC 1301, Data and Society B DTSC 1302
Dr. Stephanie Moller conducts research on income inequality within the United States and cross-nationally. She also conducts research on mathematics achievement in primary and secondary schools, examining racial, ethnic and socio-economic gaps in achievement. Dr. Moller has published numerous articles, including articles in the American Sociological Review, American Journal of Sociology, Social Forces, Social Science Research, Sociology of Education, and World Politics. She has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education. She is a previous member of the Editorial Board of the American Sociological Review and the current Editor of Social Science Research.


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