text:
Guarasci Land
Storyteller — Dirty Mind… Pure Heart
Contacting Gary
What's In Your Lunch Box?
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The Friendmance – Derek & Victoria (The Complete Story – An IC Installment
Posted on August 30, 2016 by Gary G
Victoria sat outside on the deck under an umbrella waiting for Derek to return with their drinks. They had lost touch for a while now and she was glad they had an opportunity to catch up.
Derek returned with a beer for himself and wine for Victoria. He handed her the drink and she thanked him. Suddenly, she jumped in her seat to check the fly of her jeans. She settled back in her chair with a sense of relief.
"What was that?" Derek asked Victoria.
"All of a sudden I felt a swift breeze." She replied.
"A swift breeze?"
"Yeah, I guess I could have checked more discretely, but I got surprised."
"Shut up! So what brought this on? It's so out of the blue."
"Well, I was reading Bukowski a few weeks ago and you popped in my head."
"Really? I'm so flattered. You read Charles Bukowski and thought of me, which book?"
"Ham on Rye."
"Was that his first one? I forget. It's been awhile since I've read his work."
"It's the first one chronologically in the Henry Chinaski series."
"Right, right. So what did you think?"
"I liked it, kind of reminded me of Holden Caulfied in Catcher in the Rye."
"Yes! Exactly!"
"I'm going to read Factotum next. Then continue on as Chinaski ages. I'm going to wind it all up with Hollywood."
"Be careful of what?"
"Too much Bukowski could fry your brain."
"I'm not following."
"You'll need to break in between books. I find that there is a deep-rooted sense of cynicism in his writing."
"As you read his work, a part of you might say, 'Fuck it.' and simply not care anymore."
"I can see that."
"That could be good and bad. Good, for the fact that you're released from a self-inflicted prison of fear. Bad because, well, you just stop giving a shit about everything. Becoming anti-social in the process"
"And don't forget about the drinking Victoria. My god. The drinking."
"Yes, that too. It's funny and then sad and then funny again."
"I'll keep your advice in mind whilst reading."
"Maybe something a little cheery in between. Like a comic book or something."
"Or I could just develop the ideal of write, drink fuck."
"Oh no. It's starting already. Time to put down Hank and pick up something else in the meantime."
"Hank? Henry is the alter ego though."
"His real name was Heinrich… I like to call him Hank or 'The Buk'. Whichever you prefer, but you're better off with Batman for the time being."
"Batman?"
"Definitely Batman."
The waitress walks over to their table and starts to clear off the empty glasses. She looks tired but not unhappy. She's having a rough night, but nothing she couldn't handle. Her manager has been keeping a close eye on her, waiting for an opportunity to make her feel not so good about herself. Some people just enjoy the misery of others in order to forget about their own pathetic existence.
She smiles at Victoria and Derek and then takes a deep breath, ready to recite her dinner pitch once again. Hoping not to screw it up.
"Would you guys like another round of drinks?" She asked them. They both nodded their head yes. "Are you eating as well, can I tell you tonight's specials?"
"Nothing for me thanks. Derek did you want to order something?" Victoria asked.
"Well I'm not hungry and will not be eating but you definitely can tell me what the specials are tonight." Derek replied.
"Don't be a dick. She looks like she's had a hard day."
"It's okay I don't mind." The waitress said to her and then almost at whisper, "I actually can use the practice. I'm kind of new here and trying to get used to the way they do things."
"See? She doesn't think I'm being a dick. Go ahead. Give us the specials." Derek said.
"Tonight we have Shrimp Marinara served over a bed of linguine with Broccoli-Rabe. We also have a Rib Eye steak with a rosemary balsamic glaze served with a side of purple fingerling potatoes and roasted garlic asparagus spears. Finally a triple fried chicken, your choice of breast or thighs with French fries."
"You did very well, Lady."
"I did? Thank you." The waitress blushed.
"Like I said I'm not going to be eating but the 'scrimp' dish sounds delicious. My friend Victoria doesn't like the 'scrimps', any seafood really, but if she was eating she would probably get the steak."
"Okay we're done here. Just another wine and beer please." Victoria said to the waitress.
"Sure thing." The waitress said as she walked back inside Slappy's Bar to get their drinks.
"What?" Derek said to Victoria.
"Where to start?" She replied.
"Beginning is always good unless you're Tarantino. Then the middle or the end is where you should start."
"Okay, let's start near the end. 'You did good, lady?"
"She did very good. Like her nerves suddenly went away due to my calming nature."
"She has a name."
"I don't know it yet though."
"Instead of saying lady how about saying, 'Excuse me but what is your name?"
"I can do that."
"Secondly."
"Why would you make her say the specials knowing full well you're not going to eat?"
"Simply because I saw her having trouble at the other table. I saw Manger Mike giving her the evil eye and I knew that even though we weren't eating, she could use a stress-free break, even if it was just for a moment, to stand here and not be bothered by some ill-mannered drunkard that would more than likely say something rude to her or get brow-beaten by Manager Mike."
"Manager Mike?"
"Yeah, now you want to talk about someone being a dick. He's it."
"Okay, fair enough. One last thing"
"How did you remember I don't like seafood?"
"Well you see that is my gift and unfortunately my curse. I remember things."
"Wow, what else can you remember?"
He pretends to think for a moment, but he already knows what his answer will be. "You quit the TV show Lost because it was giving you funky dreams. I don't know what the dreams were about, but it freaked you out enough to make you quit with only a season or so left to go."
"Yes, I did quit because I would have these fucked up dreams of myself on the island and all these things would happen to me and then the next episode, the same thing would happen to one of the characters on the show."
"Wow, that is freaky. Didn't you teach me that all of the character's names were of real people?"
"That's right. They were named after philosophers, scientists, and from literature. I can't believe you remember that."
"I also remember that you're fascinated by magic. Can't get enough of the stuff."
"Again, amazing."
"Like I said, it's my gift. And my curse."
"So I want to tell you about something that happened to me the other day."
"I'm all ears."
"You ever have a Hershey's Kiss?"
"A Hershey's Kiss? Yes, I've had them. Not in a while but I have had them."
"Did you know they have a strip of paper that says Hershey's that they put in the foil?"
"I think I vaguely remember that."
"Well I either forgot or thought they stopped doing it."
"Oh yes. I ate about 15 of them before realizing I was eating the paper strip as well as the candy."
The waitress arrives back to their table and hands them their drinks. She's brought another wine for the lady and one beer for the gentleman. Her mood has taken a turn since the last time she visited their table.
Clearly upset, the waitress returns to Derek and Victoria's table. Her hands slightly tremble as she placed the drinks onto the table in front of their respective recipients.
"Excuse me ma'am, what's your name?" Derek asked the waitress.
"My name?" She asked.
"Yes, your name."
"My name is Nicole."
"Nicole, I couldn't help but notice you're upset. Is there anything I can do?"
"No, I'll be okay. Thanks for asking though."
"Does it have anything to do with Manager Mike?" He asked her.
"It's nothing really."
He could tell she was not being truthful and said, "I know how he can be sometimes."
"No really it's okay."
"Will you both excuse me for a moment?"
Derek walks past the bouncer that is guarding the door that leads back inside Slappy's Bar and heads straight to the bar where Manager Mike is sitting. They exchange words for a few moments and Derek returns to the table.
"What was that all about?" Victoria asked Derek.
"That? It was nothing. By the way Nicole, you won't have anymore trouble with your boss any longer and our next round is on him."
"You didn't have to do that." The waitress said to him. "I don't want things to get worse.
"I'm telling you, you have nothing to worry about."
The waitress thanked him and left their table to tend to another group at a neighboring table.
"A couple of things." Victoria said.
"Very nice with the 'Excuse me ma'am what is your name?' bit."
"Secondly and thirdly, what and why did you say something to the manager?"
"I know what it's like to have a shit day and having a shit person shitting all over you."
"Wow, that's a lot of shit."
"I know right? Anyways, I just reminded Manager Mike of Karma and how he should really ease up on the staff lest he want the effects of Karma to reign down upon him in furious anger."
"Lest he? Furious anger?"
"Sounded good and channeled Tarantino for a minute. I also reminded him that I'm pretty close with the owner. Hey did I ever tell you about the time –"
"Stop right there." Victoria interrupted.
"Stop right what?"
"I haven't seen you in forever. I'm pretty sure that you've never told me about the time of whatever it is you were going to say."
"Maybe, maybe not. I talk a lot. I repeat a lot of stories. Can't remember to who and if any of it ever sticks."
"Fair enough, continue."
"Did I ever tell you about the time I was practicing karate kicks?"
"Ummm, no. I can safely say that you haven't. Were you channeling your inner David Lee Roth at the time?"
"No, more like my inner Bruce Lee. Anyways, it was back when I was working for the butcher shop. I had to clean up and just finished hosing down the room."
"Hosing down the room?"
"Yeah, you hose all the blood and stuff off the saw and tables and it goes down the drain in the floor."
"Tell me about it. So I finished that up and after that you have to squeegee the excess water down the drain so the floor isn't as slippery."
"What does that have to do with practicing karate kicks?"
"I'm getting there. So I'm done with all the cleaning, the squeegee is completed and I look at the clock and I have some time before punching out for the day. I decided that right then and there was a good time for karate kicks."
"Seems as good a time as any."
"So I kick up my one leg high into the air. I think to myself, I can do better than that so do it again. The second kick was so much higher than the first one. Only problem was in doing it, my second leg decided that it no longer wanted to remain on the floor and wanted to join my other leg."
"Oh yes. Before I could realize what was happening both legs are now up in the air, parallel to each other. As fast as they went up, they came down. I landed flat on my back."
"Were you okay, did you get hurt?"
"I was fine. I was more embarrassed than hurt. I think it's pretty needless to say I never practiced karate kicks again."
"It's all for the best. You should really leave that to David Lee Roth."
"And the Kung Fu experts."
The White Stripes' Black Math is playing on the outdoor speakers of Slappy's Bar. Victoria jumps in excitement at the song playing and says, "I love this song." to Derek. He starts to reply, "You know, The White Stripes always – "
"Shhhhhhhh. This is the best part of the song," Victoria interrupts. The song plays on for a moment before she continues, "I'm sorry for interrupting. You were saying?"
"I was just saying The White Stripes remind me of you."
"That's cool, dude. Can I ask you something that I've wanted to ask you all night?"
"Sure, go right ahead."
Nicole, the waitress, returns to the table with drinks. "Hi guys. These drinks are with Mike the manager. Your next round is on me." She said to both of them."
"That's really nice of you." Victoria said. "Yes it is. Thank you Nicole."
"No, thank you." She replies. "It's because of you that I don't have to worry about getting called a 'Froot Loop Dingus' anymore."
"I'm sorry. A what?" Victoria asked.
"He called me a 'Froot Loop Dingus'. He apologized and told me he wouldn't do it anymore."
"Sounds like a victory to me." Derek said.
"Just let me know when you're ready for your next one."
"Will do. Thanks again." Victoria said.
"Now what were you saying?" Derek asked Victoria
"I have to know. What's with the beard?"
"The beard? I don't know. I think it looks zippy."
"Zippy? No, you look like a racist."
"A racist?"
"Yes, a big fat racist."
"Great, another fat joke?"
"No, no, no. Not another fat joke. It's the same one over and over again."
"I'm just teasing you. You're not fat. So really, the beard?"
"Yes, I like it."
"Even though it makes you look like a racist?"
"I can't be a racist."
"Oh really? How is that?"
"Because I hate everybody equally."
"Fair enough, but it is what you look like."
"I don't want to be a racist."
"I'm not saying you ARE a racist. I'm saying you look like one is all."
"I'll shave it tomorrow."
"Don't do it on my account."
"It's not your account. I don't want the perception to be out there. I'm shaving it."
"Good?"
"Yes, if the racist comment didn't work. I was going to say you look like a dirty old goat."
"Dirty old goat?"
"Whatever would have worked to get you to shave that hideous thing off of your face."
The drinks and the evening continued on and they were both having a good time. Listening to music, reconnecting, and genuinely enjoying each other's company.
"It's my turn to ask you something." Derek said.
"Go ahead, as long as it doesn't make me mad." Victoria replied.
"Mad? Why would you get mad?"
"I don't know. I'm just saying."
"I'm pretty sure it's not going to make you mad."
"Then ask away."
"Have you ever had a hot dog?"
"I'm sorry. A hot dog?"
"Yes, a hot dog."
"Do you mean like a special kind of hot dog?"
"No, not special. Just a regular hot dog."
"I don't think I'm understanding, but yes I've had a hot dog."
"That's it?"
"You are a strange, strange man."
"Not the first time I've heard that, but really no different than you asking me if I've ever had Hershey's Kisses."
Victoria looks over at the bouncer that's guarding the door to the patio area of Slappy's. She had been here several times and he has never uttered a single word to her, which slightly aggravated her. A few drinks in, she decides to say something.
"Do you know the bouncer?" She asks.
"Who Donny at the door?" Derek replied.
"Is that his name? He's never said two words to me/"
"Yeah, that's Donny. I'm surprised. He's very friendly, unless you're a sloppy drunk, then he's all no-nonsense."
"I've never even been drunk in front of him. I'm going to see what his problem is with me."
"I don't think he has a problem with you."
"We'll see about that. She said as she got up from the table and walked over to Donny.
"So what's your deal?" She asked Donny.
"Excuse me?" Donny asked.
"I've been coming here a while now. You never smile. You never talk. You'll give a head nod to Derek, yet you won't even acknowledge me. What am I chopped liver?"
Donny looks over to the table where Derek is sitting. Derek gives him the thumbs up sign. Donny nods at him.
"I needed to know if you would commit."
"I'm sorry. What?"
"I said I needed to know if you would commit."
"Do you know how many people come and go here? They'll come in once or twice then are never seen or heard from again. Now I know."
Somewhat confused by the exchange she said, "I'm Victoria."
"I know." He said. "Derek told me."
"This would be the part where you tell me your name."
"Not all at once Victoria. Not all at once."
"Whatever Donny."
They both shared a laugh for a moment before she walked back to the table where she and Derek were sitting. Fresh drinks were there at the table waiting for both of them.
The wine and beer flowed steadily as the evening progressed. Both of them were starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. Victoria looked at Donny and asked, "Can I tell you something?"
"Sure." Came his reply. "Otherwise we would just be sitting here in an awkward silence."
"Nothing. Please, tell me something."
"Before this night is over. I'm going to dance with you."
"You're going to dance with me?"
"Well, this place isn't really cut out for dancing."
"I don't care."
"Well if I can speak honestly here."
"I wouldn't be opposed to it."
"Awww, how cute."
"What, what's cute?"
"You're drunk."
"A little. What gave it away?"
"You said you would dance with me."
"I never came out and said I would. I just said I wasn't opposed to it."
"Yup, you and I are going to dance."
"Ok. We'll see."
Nicole clears the glasses from the table and brings over another round.
"Hey." Victoria said.
"No you hey." Derek replied.
"What? What does that even mean?"
"I really don't know."
"Anyway, remember the last time we saw each other?"
"You're asking me?"
"Yes, I am asking you."
"I do, because I have the memory and stature of a baby elephant, but please refresh my memory."
"I remember it clearly, we were hungry and wanted something to eat. I remembered that Italian place wasn't that far away and took you there."
"The pasta there is so good. Was it not?"
"Yes, it was very good as I recall."
"I was trying so hard to beat the clock."
"I don't even know what that means. What does 'beat the clock' mean?"
"Well, basically it means that when you know the food is so good you eat as much as you possibly can before that feeling of fullness kicks in."
"Okay so you do what again exactly?"
"I shovel as much of the tortellini and gnocchi that I can in my mouth. Nom nom nom."
Derek lets out a big laugh that results in a very loud snort.
"Oh my God. You totally just snorted." She said to him.
"Yes, I did, but can I say something?"
"You have never been hotter than you are right now telling the beat-the-clock story."
"I know sexy, right?"
"Oh yes definitely. I remember that night. I just thought you were really hungry."
"Nope, totally trying to beat the clock."
"I also remember having a difficult time trying to keep up with you walking to the place."
"Yes, I was on a mission. I was wondering why you were so slow."
"I was just pacing myself."
"Bill Murray? Stripes?"
"Yup that's the one. Hey, speaking of Bill Murray."
"Did I ever tell you about the time – " Victoria shoots Derek a look. "What? Old habits."
"Continue." She said to him.
"I was just going to say about how I got into the effects of Karma."
"What does Karma have to do with Bill Murray?"
"Nothing really. I just wanted to talk about Karma."
"Holy non sequitur, Batman."
"I'm sorry what?"
"Nothing, please go on with the Karma."
"All I was going to say is everything that I've learned about Karma has been from watching TV."
"TV?"
"Yes, a few years ago there was a show called My Name is Earl."
"I remember that. It was with the guy from Mallrats, right?"
"Yes, Chasing Amy's Jason Lee as Kevin Smith an I like to refer to him."
"Refresh my memory. What was the show about?"
"This guy Earl who's a life-long criminal wins the lottery but on the same day he's hit by a car. He's watching Carson Daly and learns about Karma from him. So he decides he's going to change his life and putting right every wrong he's ever made."
"Ah yes, now I remember."
"He makes a list and crosses the people off the list as he makes up for whatever he did."
"Okay, but you do realize Karma is a complex structure present in Eastern Religion based on Buddhism."
"That's the same thing Marcia Brady said to Earl on the show."
"Marcia Brady?"
"Yeah, you know, Ben Stiller's wife."
"Okaaaaaaaaay. So you agree, there's more to it than that."
"I have to go with what he said to Marcia Brady. Boiling it down to its simplest form"
"Do good things. Good things happen."
"Hey, whatever works for you. Is it working for you?"
"I don't know really."
"Why's that?"
"Because I keep thinking negative shit about people and I think it's fucking up my karma."
"I've got the solution for that."
"Oh yeah, what's that?"
"You should totally start making a list."
Another round comes to the table as the two of them continue to sit there laughing and talking as the hours pass on by.
"So tell me. How many divorces have you been through so far? Victoria asked Derek as she sipped her glass of wine.
"I don't believe in marriage." Derek replied.
"What? What do you mean you don't believe in marriage?"
"I don't believe in it."
"It's not like marriage is a leprechaun or the Easter bunny. We're not talking Santa Claus here. You are aware that marriage does exist." "I'm not doubting the validity of marriage's existence, I'm just saying that it's not for me."
"So what do you do, just cheat on them, leaving them all behind and on to the next venture?"
"What? No, nothing like that is even remotely close. I just think if two people are together, be it boy/girl, girl/girl, boy/boy, that they do not need a piece of paper binding them to a law of loyalty."
"You know the gay community fought hard to have that?"
"I know and I'm not taking it away from anyone. If they want to get married, more power to any and all that wants it. I'm just saying it's not for me."
"I can understand where you're coming from. I don't think I'm entirely on board with it but I understand. There has to be some kind of compromise."
"Well if you can think of one, I'm all ears."
"I'll have to get back to you on that one. I will say this."
"Relationships are hard work."
"#TrueStory."
"I don't even know what that means."
"The whole 'hashtag' thing."
"All the kids do it."
"Two things."
"One, I know they do."
"And the other?"
"You're a pretty far ways away from being a kid."
"I'm just trying to fit in. What don't you get about hashtags?"
"What do they mean exactly?"
"It's like an emphasis about a specific point. For example you said, 'Relationships are hard work'. I replied with #TrueStory indicating that I agree with you."
"I still don't get it, but anyway I don't understand how all women aren't lesbians. Your species can kind of suck at times."
"Really? Again with the hashtags?"
"I'm sorry I'll stop but I do agree with you. You know Louis CK once said there is no greater threat to women than men. We are the number one threat against women. Do you know what the number one threat against men is?"
"No, what is it?"
"Heart disease."
"Are you a feminist?"
"I've never considered myself not one but I've never really thought about it."
"Okay, that's a conversation for another time. We're talking about relationships and how hard they are at times."
"Go on."
"Communication is key."
"If there's no communication, there's a breakdown."
"A communication breakdown."
"Exactly and when that happens, things go downhill from there."
"If you're looking for an argument, you won't find one with me."
"No, I'm just saying, once that happens the wandering eyes begin."
"Wandering eyes?"
"Yes, they're might be a new co-worker that catches your eye. You might start looking elsewhere for what is lacking at home."
"Why not you?"
"I work in a warehouse. All dudes. No women to wander my eye."
"I'm just saying. The communication is gone at home, there's something missing, so you look elsewhere to replace it."
"That shouldn't be the case."
"It is the case though. It's the reason why any of us cheats."
"Not me. I cheated once on someone in high school, got caught and never did it again."
"You're a rare exception."
"The way I figured it, I wasn't too good at it so why bother? If I'm not happy I'm not going to cheat, I'm just going to end it."
"But people don't end things. They avoid the break up even though they know something is broken there. That's why I'm going to cheat on you. I don't want to do it, but I'm going to cheat on you."
"Cheat on me?"
"Yes, prior to breaking up something is going to happen where cheating is involved."
"Cheat on me?" He repeated again.
"Yes, like I said I don't want to do it, but it's going to happen. I have to break up with you."
Derek takes a moment before responding, sipping his beer, "There's only one problem with that."
"We're just friends. We're not even dating."
Victoria stares at Derek momentarily before she breaks out into laughter.
"So tell me about your day." Derek said to Victoria.
"My day?" She asked.
"Yes, your day."
"I'm a little taken aback. Nobody ever asks me how my day was."
"Well, they really should and since they are not here I'm asking. How was your day, what did you do?"
"Not much I guess. I worked out for a little bit."
"At the gymnasium?"
"No at my house."
"What like jumping jacks and stuff?"
"Yeah, something like that." She laughed at the notion of jumping jacks.
"Let me ask you this. How many jumping jacks can you do? Five?"
"Five?"
"What? Is the number too low?"
"Sorry I don't know much about you work-out types."
The lights go on inside Slappy's Bar and the outside lights flicker on and off. Donny lets out a bellow with his deep voice. "Last call for alcohol. Last call."
"Well I can honestly say, without a doubt, this has been fun."
"We should definitely do this again sometime. Would you excuse me for a moment?" He asked her.
Derek walks inside Slappy's and over towards Nicole. He asks her for the check and to his surprise the bill was relatively low for a full night of drinking. He pays the bill and gives her a large tip. He returns outside to Victoria.
"Did you ask Nicole to bring us out the bill?" She asked him.
"No, I went in to pay it."
"How much do I owe, I must have drank 9 ½ bottles of wine myself tonight."
"No, no, no. I got this."
"Seriously, I want to pay."
"It's okay. It's already done."
"I feel bad. Let me pay something."
"Don't. I totally got this. Tonight is on me. Maybe next time I'll let you pay."
"Let me pay?"
"You're right. I totally won't."
"Whatever. Hey, you hungry?"
"I could eat."
"What's with the 'oh'?"
"That means you're not hungry."
"How do you figure?"
"If you were hungry you would have just come out and said yes, not 'I could eat'. Am I right?"
"Look at me."
"Does it look like I ever skipped a meal? I'm always hungry. What did you have in mind?"
"I know this great all-night pizza place. You want to go?"
"Sure, lead the way. I'll grab an Uber."
They walk past Donny who nods his head to both of them. They both say good-bye as they make their way off the patio and through the bar to the exit. Donny then lets out another bellow, "Okay let's go people! You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here!"
Semisonic's "Closing Time" plays on the jukebox, a Slappy's Bar tradition, signifying to all that the end of the evening has arrived. Derek and Victoria head into the night, continuing on with their evening's adventure.
The years pass on. Derek and Victoria are much older now.
His beard long gone, replaced with short gray stubble. Her hair is much shorter and gray as well. They're sitting side by side in matching chairs, holding hands, on the porch of a well lived-in house. Years of the sun beating down had faded the outside paint. Victoria is drinking wine while he's drinking bourbon. An Elijah Craig 18 year old single barrel bourbon. He takes a long sip and let's out a sigh. He turns to her and asks, "Hey, did I ever tell you about the time –"
"Stop right there." Victoria interrupts.
"We can't… I can't… I can't do this anymore."
"Do what?"
"I have to break up with you."
They both sit in an uncomfortable awkward silence staring off at the view for a moment before Derek takes a sip of his bourbon. He replies, "Okay, but we're just friends. We're not even dating."
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Children of Arcadia is a real-time virtual ecosystem which undergoes the stress test of apocalypse to expose the moral fibers of its inhabitants and the flaws in their idealized utopia. Virtual reality and augmented reality are used to combine the physical world of downtown Manhattan with a virtual environment called Arcadia. The work gathers real-time information from the Internet related to the American economy and society and translates this data into either a utopia or apocalypse. These changes create a living 17th-century Baroque painting that shifts between a representation of apocalyptic ruin and one of an idealized utopia.
Throughout history artists have made work that gives context to the society in which they lived. Children of Arcadia expands on this concept by creating a work that is always up-to-date with American society's current status.
Arcadia and its inhabitants have their fate determined by information gathered from the Internet. The state of the US is reflected in the state of Arcadia. Similarly, the US is reflected in Arcadia. Children of Arcadia takes place in downtown Manhattan's financial district. The work creates a virtual overlay that carves away at the capitalist utopia of the financial district with lush rolling green hills. Great care was taken so that the virtual hills, forest, and architecture are in alignment with the architecture and physical space of the financial district. Left in place are the New York Stock Exchange, the Federal Hall Memorial building, and a modified Federal Reserve. These buildings and what they represent determine the fate of the society inhabiting Arcadia.
As experienced in several gallery installations, the work is similar to a large-scale painting that has come to life. A panoramic image of Arcadia is projected large in the exhibition space. Gallery viewers use a video game controller to explore the environment from a first-person view.
Another component of the project is high quality surround sound. Odds are very strong that it will rain with thunder and lightning throughout the duration of the show. The sound design was carefully considered and great measures were taken to acquire the sounds of the piece. The sound gives the work a rich spatialized feeling. Surround sound reinforces the viewer's immersion in the work.
The project melds physical and virtual reality to establish an embodied experience. While the primary experience is an entirely virtual world, viewers in New York City will be able to go to Wall Street and wear special glasses [a Head Mount Display- HMD] for an Augmented Reality experience of the piece.
Besides existing site-specific installations in galleries, Children of Arcadia also has a multiuser version in development.The multiuser online version will allow home viewers with a personal computer to participate in the work. A home user may log into the virtual world and exist in the same space.


text:
import AppDispatcher from '../dispatcher/app-dispatcher';
import AppConstants from '../constants/app-constants';
import {EventEmitter} from 'events';
import 'lodash';

// Polyfill since 6to5 does not currently support Object.assign
import assign from 'object-assign';

const CHANGE_EVENT = 'change';

let _companyNames = [];
let _roleNames = [];
let _searchedCompanyNames = [];
let _searchedRoleNames = [];

function loadCompanyNames(companyNames) {
  _companyNames = _.pluck(companyNames, 'name');
}

function loadRoleNames(roleNames) {
  _roleNames = _.pluck(roleNames, 'name');
}

function searchCompanyNames(search) {
  _searchedCompanyNames = _.filter(_companyNames, name => {
    return search.length !== 0 && _.startsWith(name, search);
  });
}

function searchRoleNames(search) {
  _searchedRoleNames = _.filter(_roleNames, name => {
    return search.length !== 0 && _.startsWith(name, search);
  });
}

/**
 * The store only needs to allow components to register/unregister listeners,
 * and emit change events. Since we have just one top-level component managing
 * state for all components interested in Companies, the only other method necessary
 * is one for getting all the Companies.
 */
const AddCompanyStore = assign({}, EventEmitter.prototype, {

  // Emit change whenever the dispatcher has dispatched an event.
  emitChange: function () {
    console.log('AddCompanyStore Change Event Emitted');
    this.emit(CHANGE_EVENT);
  },

  addChangeListener: function(callback) {
    this.on(CHANGE_EVENT, callback);
  },

  removeChangeListener: function(callback) {
    this.removeListener(CHANGE_EVENT, callback);
  },

  getCompanyNames: function() {
    return _searchedCompanyNames;
  },

  getRoleNames: function() {
    return _searchedRoleNames;
  }
});

/**
 * Register with the App Dispatcher, and declare how the store handles various
 * actions. This should be the sole way in which a client side model gets updated.
 * Store listens to actions dispatched from the dispatcher, updates state, and then emits changes.
 */
AddCompanyStore.dispatchToken = AppDispatcher.register( payload => {

  let action = payload.action;

  switch (action.actionType) {
    case AppConstants.LOAD_COMPANY_NAMES_SUCCESS:
      loadCompanyNames(action.companyNames);
      AddCompanyStore.emitChange();
      break;

    case AppConstants.SEARCH_COMPANY_NAMES:
      searchCompanyNames(action.search);
      AddCompanyStore.emitChange();
      break;

    case AppConstants.LOAD_ROLE_NAMES_SUCCESS:
      loadRoleNames(action.roleNames);
      AddCompanyStore.emitChange();
      break;

    case AppConstants.SEARCH_ROLE_NAMES:
      searchRoleNames(action.search);
      AddCompanyStore.emitChange();
      break;

    default:
      // no op
  }
});

export default AddCompanyStore;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
路线英格兰伊普斯威奇
伊普斯威奇橄榄球足球俱乐部
伊普斯威奇,英格兰
路线长度
步数
路线简介
伊普斯威奇橄榄球足球俱乐部是一条位于伊普斯威奇,英格兰的步道,他的长度为4.1km (大约6,000步) ,爬升高度为0m,难度评级简单 。用Pacer App发现更多优质路线吧!
在应用中打开详情
罗斯米尔圣安德鲁,伊普斯威奇,英格兰
拉什米尔常见
路线长度 6.9 公里
伊普斯威奇YM橄榄球俱乐部
基督城公园
香奈儿公园
伍德布利基,英格兰
金斯顿公园
侯塞尔的领域
服务条款隐私政策
打开地图打开地图
Northgate High School, Ipswich
Northgate High School (previously comprising Northgate Grammar School for Boys and Northgate Grammar School for Girls) is a secondary school situated in north Ipswich, Suffolk, England. It is a co-educational comprehensive school, for ages 11–16, and 16-18 in the Sixth Form Department. It has approximately 1700 children on roll.
A1214 road
The A1214 is a 9.4 mile long 'A' road in the English county of Suffolk. It links Central Ipswich to the A12 and A14 and passes Ipswich Hospital. Its midsection forms an outer ring road around the west and north of Ipswich.
St Alban's Catholic High School, Ipswich
St Alban's Catholic High School is a secondary school and sixth form with academy status located in Ipswich, Suffolk, England.St Alban's Catholic High School has many extra curriculum activities and teachers are always there to help students whenever they need it. Admissions from 1920 are on the website and current Head of Year, Mrs Took is keen to welcome Year 7's and help them with a smooth transition.
Rushmere, Ipswich
Rushmere is a small village in Suffolk, England and lies adjacent to the town of Ipswich. The village lies within the parish of Rushmere St. Andrew. The parish has a population of over 6,000.
Ransomes and Reavell Sports Club Ground
Ransomes Sports Pavilion (formerly Ransomes and Reavell Sports Club Ground) is a cricket ground in Ipswich, Suffolk. The first recorded match on the ground was in 1972, Suffolk played Hertfordshire in the grounds first Minor Counties Championship match. From 1972 to present, the ground has hosted 48 Minor Counties Championship matches, including the rain-affected 2005 final between Suffolk and Cheshire in 2005, which was drawn.
Ransomes Sports F.C.
Ransomes Sports Football Club is a football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. The club are currently members of the Suffolk & Ipswich League Division One and play at the Ransomes and Reavell Sports Club Ground.
Norberry Road
Fairlight Close
mark.richards44
发现你身边最好的步道
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GPS线路 · 安全通知
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在应用中打开打开

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This week's Gospel passage reveals Jesus' understanding of what was a novel concept and imperative for His hearers: to love your enemies. The examples that Our Lord uses to illustrate this point are more complex than one might first assume.
When Our Lord says that we should offer our left cheek when we are struck on the right cheek, He issues this imperative with a Jewish understanding in mind. The only way a right-handed Jew could strike you on the right cheek was if he used his backhand to hit you. Jewish rabbinical law states that to hit a man with the back of the hand was reserved for slaves and was twice as insulting as hitting a man with the flat of the hand. Here, Our Lord is warning us against making retaliation for insults and to avoid the interior resentment within ourselves that accompany insults.
When Jesus orders us to give an adversary our cloak when he wants to go to law with us over our tunic, He was aware that every Jew, no matter how poor, owned a tunic, which was an inner garment. Jews also carried a cloak, which served as a coat by day and a blanket by night. In Exodus 22:26-27, the Mosaic law prohibited the taking of another man's cloak overnight, lest he freeze during the night hours. In other words, a man's cloak could not be taken from him permanently. Here, Our Lord tells His disciples that true believers will not consider their rights as much as they will consider their obligations and that they will think less of their privileges and more of their responsibilities. In other words, a true disciple of Jesus Christ need not always make recourse to his rights but will be willing to forego those rights if charity demands it.
When Our Lord says that if anyone should press you into service for one mile, go for two miles, He may have had the Greek word aggareuein in mind. This Greek word, which means "compel," is taken from the Persian version, which means "courier." The Persian postal system was designed with a days-long journey in mind. At the end of each stage, couriers could get provisions at a postal station. If provisions were missing or lacking, any private person could be compelled to provide them. Later, the word was understood to mean "forced service" and is the same word used to describe how Simon of Cyrene was compelled to help Jesus carry the cross up to Calvary. Here, Our Lord instructs us to assist others with joy and graciousness - not to do the bare minimum. We ought to use our liberty for service to others, not for mere caprice. Our sense of humble deference to the needs of others will reveal the impact that our friendship with Jesus has made in our lives.
The aforementioned images have become practical clichés in common parlance. Yet, they reveal to us the depths of what Christian love demands. They are an introduction to the novel imperative that Jesus offers us: to love our enemies. This sense of merciful love toward our neighbor exceeds the strict justice of Judaism and opens up for us the complete picture of what divine love really means.


text:
Justin Holley For City Council District One
Meet Holley
Election Day: May 4, 2019
00Seconds
Meet Justin Holley
Justin began his career in the hospitality industry, working for La Quinta Hotels based out of San Antonio. This opportunity allowed him to travel throughout the United States and experience life in a variety of settings. Originally from Wisconsin, Justin could choose to settle in any city, but a transfer to San Antonio in 2001 won his heart and he never left.
A work layoff in 2006 allowed him to experience travel that would impact the rest of his career. Justin took a year off to travel to reflect on his next choices. His most impactful destination was a mission trip to Africa which taught him the true meaning of giving back to a community. With hospitality in his blood and San Antonio in his heart, he pursued jobs to remain in San Antonio. He became the General Manager of the Staybridge at Sunset Station. In 2012, he formed a partnership with his current business partner to establish ABH Hospitality managing and consulting with San Antonio hotels in operations and promotion. Today, ABH Hospitality has seven hotels in their portfolio.
The genuine kindness and passion Justin received from coworkers, neighbors and industry leaders hooked him into making San Antonio his permanent home. In 2017, Justin purchased and renovated a home in Woodlawn Terrace. Keeping his roots deep in our city, the house was owned for over six decades by his great aunt and uncle. When his great aunt passed in 2016, Justin purchased the home from his cousins and began the 18 month-long processes of updating his new residence. He lives there with his four dogs, three of whom are rescue animals.
San Antonio Hotel and Lodging Association/Chairman of the Board (2018-20)
San Antonio Tourism Council/Executive Committee Chair
Centro Alliance/Board of Directors
San Antonio Food Bank/Special Events Committee
Leadership San Antonio Class 41
East Area Business Council/Chairman
Chamber of Commerce/Board of Directors
Visit San Antonio/Board
Restore Education/Board seat
Woodlawn Lake Neighborhood Association/member
Political Advertising paid for by the Justin Holley Campaign, Henry Brun, Treasurer
Holley for District 1, PO Box 15041, San Antonio, TX 78212
Copyright © 2019 Justin Holley For City Council District One


text:
Youth & Sports Minister touts Ghana as leader of youth development in Africa at opening ceremony of APAYE
Rev. Steve Mensah, CEM to build 'Ability Village' for PWDs
Two persons arrested in connection to the stolen vehicle of Savannah Regional Minister
Halt my trial – Mahama Ayariga
Ghanaian Architectural firm petitions Prez over contracts awarded to Adjaye & Associates
Sandema SHS shutdown over students rioting, one student dead
It is crazy & irresponsible for anyone to claim I'm bonking Ahoufe Patri-Kwabena Kwabena
Partner Foreign experts to help find missing T'di girls-STRANEK
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1,000 Disabled Women Entrepreneurs Receive Gh¢2 Million Support From President Akufo-Addo
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has presented GH¢2 million to 1,000 women entrepreneurs living with disability, under the Presidential Empowerment for Women Entrepreneurs with Disability.
At a brief ceremony at Jubilee House, on Tuesday, 30th April, 2019, President Akufo-Addo stated that the Presidential Empowerment Programme is not only a fulfillment of an NPP Manifesto pledge to support women entrepreneurs and help improve the livelihoods of the disabled, but also to help realise goals no. 5, 8, and 10 of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
"Having set a fund target of some GH¢4 million, over the next two years, to support disabled women in business, the Ministry of Business Development has so far raised GH¢2 million of the amount. The one thousand (1,000) beneficiaries will not be required to pay any interest on the amounts they are going to receive," the President said.
He continued, "They will only pay back 50% of the principal advanced to them. This gesture is part of my government's support to our disabled women entrepreneurs, to help them scale up their businesses, and employ more people. We anticipate that, with the monies being given to them today, they will and should be able employ, at least, two persons."
President Akufo-Addo was confident that, through this initiative, the conditions of Ghanaian disabled women entrepreneurs can be improved significantly, so they can take advantage of the growing business-friendly environment in the country, and also take advantage of the numerous opportunities available under the several flagship programmes of Government such as the "One District, One Factory", "Planting for Food and Jobs", and "One Village, One Dam" projects.
More newly created businesses owned by women
Addressing the gathering, the President noted that over the last decade in Ghana, newly created businesses have been run and owned by women, as opposed to being owned or managed by men.
That is why Government, according to the President, under the auspices of the Ministry of Business Development, is focusing a great deal of its attention on improving on the quality of women entrepreneurship in the country, to help achieve the goals of sustainable, inclusive growth, enhanced livelihoods, and the creation of jobs.
He recalled how on 7th August, last year, one thousand, three hundred and fifty (1,350) men and women, from all parts of the country, became the first recipients of the Presidential Business Support Programme, with beneficiaries receiving seed capital ranging from ten thousand cedis (GH¢10,000) to one hundred thousand cedis (GH¢100,000) each.
"It is noteworthy that 58% of the one thousand, three hundred and fifty (1,350) businesses that received financial support were of those owned by women," he said.
The President continued, "Again, six (6) out of the (10) innovative business ideas, that emerged as winners in the Presidential Pitch event of 25th June, 2018, were created by young women entrepreneurs. We are not resting on our oars, because we believe there is still a lot of work that has to be done in helping to provide support, especially for our women."
Gov't doing more for PwDs
To the leadership of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations, President Akufo-Addo stressed that if there has been any Government that has been on the side of Persons with Disabilities, it is his Government.
"Amongst others, we have increased the share of the District Assemblies Common Fund to Persons with Disabilities from 2% to 3%, and we have also ensured the implementation of our pledge of employing 50% of the persons who manage the country's toll booths from amongst Persons with Disabilities," the President said.
President Akufo-Addo assured further that his Government will continue to implement policies and programmes aimed at building a fair and inclusive society, which creates equal opportunities for all.
"My confidence in the sheer energy and can-do spirit of the Ghanaian makes me believe that, in you, our women entrepreneurs, the future of the Ghanaian private sector is extremely promising," he added.
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text:
Postgraduate choices - Medical school-dependent?
Neel Sharma
Honorary Clinical Lecturer, Centre for Medical Education, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, United Kingdom
Date of Web Publication 28-Jan-2014
Honorary Clinical Lecturer, Centre for Medical Education, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Turner Street
Sharma N. Postgraduate choices - Medical school-dependent?. Educ Health 2013;26:199
Sharma N. Postgraduate choices - Medical school-dependent?. Educ Health [serial online] 2013 [cited 2023 Jan 29];26:199. Available from: https://educationforhealth.net//text.asp?2013/26/3/199/126014
My current interest in gastroenterology may not be so hard to understand. For one, the digestive system and its associated pathology just seem to make sense. The field provides variety in case mix and procedural interventions which helps to maintain my interest and provide a challenge. But I wonder if something else could account for my interest in this field.
Work by Chambliss and Takacs noted that, "undergraduate faculty determine students' taste for academic fields by acting as gatekeepers, by welcoming them into an area of knowledge, encouraging and inspiring them to explore it…" They concluded that, "faculty can positively or negatively influence student taste for a field - some compelling teachers can get students engaged in fields that they previously disliked, while other, more uncharismatic faculty can alienate students from entire bodies of knowledge, sometimes permanently." [1]
Looking back at my days in medical school, maybe there is considerable truth in these statements. I recall, for example, that my instructors in gastroenterology were highly motivating and enthusiastic about the subject, encouraging many students to pursue this particular specialty. This encouragement continued into my early junior doctor years; hence my specialty choice. Clinicians in other medical fields and subspecialties seemed less willing to teach and captivate me.
When we look at areas of interest among trainees, there seems to be positive preferences for some and less preference for others. I believe it is important for clinicians to show students a keen interest in their specialties if there is to be any hope that they will take interest in these areas. This is particularly important for areas with workforce shortages which we hope to fill.
1. Available from: Http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/08/12/study-finds-choice-major-most-influenced-quality-intro-professor#ixzz2ct7BpsW4 [25 August-2013]


Last time, I shared pics from my first game of Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes at my local game club. I set up the table for the game entirely with cardstock, print-and-play terrain that cost me next to nothing to print and assemble. The main terrain features—the ruined church building and the scattered archway ruins—were designed by one of my favorite papercraft publishers, Dave Graffam models. If you're interested in diving into cardstock terrain for your game table, this post will show you where to begin.
Dave Graffam Models on Sale!
Until September 1, 2018, Dave's running a huge sale on his models at DriveThruRPG, RPGNow and Wargame Vault. Over 100 of his science fiction, fantasy, historical, and post-apocalypse models and game mats are marked down to just one or two dollars! Don't miss this great opportunity to try Dave's models out, or to expand your existing collection!
Dave's one of the most prolific designers in the paper model space, and he's been publishing for many years, so he's built up quite a catalog. Not surprisingly, his models range from very simple to fairly complex. If you're new to papercrafting, you'll want to start with something easy, and work your way up. That way, you'll get some really great terrain on the table quickly, build your skills, and avoid frustration.
The first thing you're going to want to pick up is Dave's Paper Modeling Guide. This free, 23-page PDF, written by Graffam associate Jerry Jensen, lays out the materials, tools, and techniques you'll need to succeed at building cardstock terrain. Excellent photographs throughout the guide illustrate the processes as they are explained.
Over time, you'll develop your own methods, but the techniques illustrated here will get you pointed in the right direction. I only have one major quibble: the guide recommends using the back your hobby knife blade to score fold lines before folding, but I find that it's difficult to avoid scarring the paper surface, or cutting clear through, with even the back of the blade. Instead, I recommend a duller tool, such as a letter opener, the point of a bone folder, or even an old butter knife, which will press a crease into the cardstock without cutting the fibers. In my own crafting, I use the edge of a tool intended for pulling staples out of bulletin boards, which is precise enough to score where I want, but not so sharp that it damages the paper.
One of the most useful kinds of terrain you can have is also one of the easiest to assemble: crosspiece ruins. These modular pieces can be easily arranged to an infinite variety of configurations, so your battlefield will be different every time. In my ASoBaH game, I used Dave's Archway Ruins Set to represent a long-forgotten cathedral. Dave has several sets of crosspiece walls and ruins, many of which have compatible slotting allowing them to be connected to make an even wider variety of ruins. The original Crosspiece Ruins Set and Crosspiece Ruins Set #2 have textures and slots that match the Archway Ruins Set. I used the Stone texture in my Advanced Song game, but the Tudor skin works well for fantasy settings as well.
All the crosspiece ruins are very simple to assemble. Each section is prints out as a single piece that you fold over and glue, just like a 2D cardstock miniature. When cutting out the slots to fit the pieces together, be careful not to cut them too wide—you want the sections to grip one another for stability.
The crosspiece ruins are simple to assemble, tremendously useful, and very inexpensive—just $2 a set at regular price. But when you're ready to step up to building true 3D models, Dave offers three free sets to help you get started. I'll look at those next, in increasing order of complexity.
Hovel model shown with figures from Printable Heroes.
Dave's Hovel model couldn't be simpler. It's a tiny, tudor-style house made of just three parts—roof, walls, and ground. The model fits on a single page, and there are no layers to confuse things…just print the PDF as it is, and start assembling it. It's listed on DriveThruRPG as a Pay-What-You-Want product, but Dave obviously intends to give it away, since the file name is "Hovel-Free-Sample.pdf". Once you've got the process down, you can assemble this house in 15 minutes or less, so there's no reason not to make a handful to scatter among the larger houses you're almost certainly going to build later on!
Free Cargo Pods shown with red shirt crewmen from Where No Man Has Gone Before, by David Okum.
The Free Cargo Pod is a no-frills version of Dave's regular Cargo Pod kit, but its still a pretty swell model that will dress up any sci-fi battlefield. The single-page PDF really introduces the amazing array of texture choices Dave offers on most of models. This kit has twelve optional layers, giving you four options for base color, three colors of stripes, two different corporate labels, three styles of weathering, and optional panel details. I haven't done the math, but I'm sure you could make several dozen unique cargo pods with this free kit.
The model is a single piece, which you trim out and score, then fold and glue into shape. I've built the kit several times and I've had the best luck by completely assembling the end caps first, then working around the sides one panel at a time. Be patient and glue the tabs one by one, and you'll have no trouble. The full version, which costs just $3 at regular price, adds a variety of three-dimensional details to the basic pod, not to mention 90(!) texture layers to create thousands of different cargo pots. But even the free version looks so cool on the table that the most die-hard fantasy gamer will be tempted to take up Warhammer 40K or the old-school style White Star RPG.
Once you've completed the Hovel and the Cargo Pods, you're ready to move up to the big leagues with Dave's Coach House. This model is free also, but it's every bit as fully-featured and impressive as any of Dave's paid kits. With the Coach House, you'll have not only several texture variations to choose from, but you'll be adding three-dimensional details like chimneys and bay windows to the mix. You'll also have to use PDF layers to position all the windows, doors, lanterns, and weathering, so the whole process can get pretty overwhelming. Fortunately, Dave includes a single-layer version in the kit, with all the decisions made for you. I usually build the pre-fab single-layer version once, to get my bearings, before trying all the options in the multi-layered PDFs.
Although this kit was conceived as a coach house, the optional layers allow you to print and build it without the big coach-house doors. Thus, you can configure it as an ordinary, for-people house or shop as well. Build it once as a coach house, and again as farmhouse without coach doors, and then you're ready to take on any of Dave's more advanced models!
A Ruined Church serves as a hideout for Printable Heroes' orc warband, lying in wait for warriors adapted from the Card Hunters online fantasy boardgame.
The centerpiece of my all-cardstock table the other night was Dave Graffam's Ruined Church model. Although I'd built fifteen or twenty Graffam models before attempting the ruined church, it was still the largest and most complex building I'd tried. It's not that it was especially difficult, but with all the interior structure and detail—five floors with posts and staircases in the tower, a wrap-around balcony with rails in the main chamber, a removable panel on one side of the tower, and two-sided wall and roof panels throughout—there were a lot of steps along the way. As I recall, it took a couple of long evenings to complete, probably between six and ten hours in all.
Our heroes had no way to know the tower was full of orcs!
But it was definitely worth it in the end. It's impressively large and detailed, dominating the table, and it's surprisingly strong. Constructed out of two layers of 110 lb. cardstock laminated back to back, it's able to support as many plastic miniatures as you can pack into it. Even if your minis are cast metal, you're not likely to overload it.
Dave Graffam Models offers literally dozens of models between the Hovel and the Ruined Church, of course, so you've got lots to choose from as you level up as a papercrafter. He's also got a large and growing assortment of science fiction and post-apocalypse models as well. He released the amazing Babylon line of modular SF buildings last year, and this year he's gone all-in on terrain for Gasland, Osprey's hot new post-apoc vehicle combat game. But whether you're a roleplayer or a wargamer, and no matter what genre you prefer, Dave Graffam Models has cardstock buildings and terrain that will bring your table to life!
Hey, Kevin. It's not hard to save them, but the method isn't really obvious. When you have the file open in Adobe Reader, set the layers the way you want them, then click PRINT (not Save or Save As). At the bottom of the list of available printers will be an option to Print to PDF. Choose that, then select the pages you want to include in the file ("All", "Current Page", or a range of pages), and click Print. This will open a save window that will let you create a new, single-layer PDF file that looks just like you intend. You can then take that file to your preferred printing service, and have them print it out. That way, they can print the file as-is, without having to toggle any layers to get what you want.
I know that some cardstock modelers do print on "normal" paper and then use spray adhesive to affix them to heavier stock, but after building lots of Dave Graffam's and similar models, I've found it's not necessary. 110lb. cardstock—which is what the models are designed for—is amazingly strong when assembled into a three-dimensional shape. On the other hand, everyone I've seen try to use heavier stock, up to and including foam-core board, winds up having to make difficult adjustments to the original design to compensate for the thickness. And besides, almost anything that will crush a 110lb cardstock model would have crushed one made out of chipboard or foam-core anyway.
I strongly recommend everyone build at least one model using the designer's recommended cardstock before you start tinkering. Dave's released literally hundreds of models, as have most other publishers, and they have a pretty good idea of what they're about.


The population of this county (or equivalent) in 1990 was 11,470; in 2000 it was 11,976. The total population changed 4.4%. The unadjusted adherent totals of the religious groups listed above (7,980) include 66.6% of the total population in 2000. The adjusted total adherents (9,291) include 77.6% of the population.


This Studio is located in the Next Downtown with an excellent location: 1block from Callao Av. You will find several coffee stores, Restaurants. The flat offers: double bed, fully equipped kitchen, TV, Refrigerator , Dishes, Kitchenware, Linens and Towels. Water, Gas, Electric bills are not included on the price.


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Deep Experience Counts
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text:
environment film
Schumacher on film: videos
by Jeremy Williams December 9, 2011 December 12, 2011
1 Comment on Schumacher on film: videos
Fritz Schumacher only made one film. Two months before he died, he traveled to Western Australia to make an ecological documentary called 'On the edge of the forest'. It's about deforestation, and shows the clear-cutting of ancient woodlands for paper pulp.
The film was never screened in the UK, and was pretty much lost for 30 years. Schumacher's daughter Nicola re-discovered it on a Beta-max tape about three years ago, a rather intriguing historical artefact.
In style, the film is very much a product of its time. It's full of very slow pans and long shots of Fritz standing reflectively looking at trees. To be honest it takes a fair degree of patience to watch the whole thing. It's still effective in places however, and it's easy to see why it kicked off a major debate when it was shown in Australia. The scenes of saw-mills in particular convey a real sense of waste. "It will take 400 years for the forest to replace that log" says Fritz as a large tree is reduced to chippings, "surely we owe it to our great great grandchildren to see that the use to which the timber is put will last at least until its replacement is ready to be felled." The whole programme is online here, and here's a excerpt or two:
In 1977 Schumacher was officially retired and free from the day job at the Coal Board, but working harder than ever. He took to the road with the message that industrial nations were on an unsustainable path, and with Small is Beautiful turning out to be a bestseller, audiences were receptive and he was booked up two years in advance. The relentless travel was exhausting, but he believed the message was too urgent to slow down. (The schedule took its toll, and he died of a heart attack on a train between speaking engagements in Switzerland in September)
Among his tours that year was a six week coast to coast speaking tour of the US, including a visit to the White House to speak to Jimmy Carter. Some 60,000 people heard him speak, and a number of the speeches were filmed. This video is from that tour, recorded at the University of Illinois. Schumacher argues that when new technologies are adopted, the economics are considered and often the health and safety considerations. Four additional questions are needed for any technology: What is its relevance to poverty? What is its relevance to the mental and spiritual health of humankind? What does it do to living nature around us? What is the relation of this technology to the energy problem?
He also does a wonderfully deadpan deconstruction of a Panasonic advert at the end (see this video for the conclusion of that line of thought.)
From the same tour, and a Q and A session. This one's notable for the humour – Schumacher appears to have been a more engaging speaker than writer, where he's more formal. You also get a sense of his guru status from the audience response. He was very much a cult figure by this time, and they seem to be hanging on his every word. This adulation was a mixed blessing. Schumacher himself often had to defend or clarify his 'small is beautiful' statement as it was oversimplified and applied in all sorts of ways that he hadn't intended. (As Andrew Simms recently explained, it's about appropriate scale rather than smallness per se.)
I also like his admission about his Buddhist Economics principles: "I could have called it Christian Economics, but then no one would have read it."
Tags: e f schumacher
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text:
Q: method call interception in scala Hi I was wondering if there is a way to reflectively (or otherwise) intercept all method calls send to a class. I know that unknown methods can be intercepted using Dynamic, but how about methods already defined in the class?
I would like to find a way to do it without having to modify the syntax of methods (as it is done to intercept methods in the aspects framework).
As an example of what I would like to do imagine this:
class A extends AProxy {
  def foo =
    println("do something")
}

class AProxy extends Dynamic {
  def captureKnownMethods = {
    //Capture all methods defined in A
}

def applyDynamic(args) = {
  //Capture unknown methods
}

}
A myclass = new A
myclass.foo   //method call captured by captureKnownMethods
myclass.bar   //method call captured by applyDynamic

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The latest edition to our outdoor events schedule. This summer over 7000 people joined us at Windsor Racecourse to enjoy a night of Iconic Ibiza Anthems performed by the Urban Soul Orchestra.
Our collaboration with Bacardí at The Oracle Riverside in Reading.
Henley Regatta is a firm favourite in most people's summer social calendar. For the last 7 years we have managed and operated a range of social activity, bars and corporate hospitality along the towpath of the river Thames.
Our yearly summer screen event showcases sport, parties, movie nights and a range of bars & street food at Reading's Station Hill.


The output condition record for EDI invoices was not entered at the beginning for a customer, so as a result I have many invoices for which I need to generate the EDI output record.
I know I can go into each invoice (VF02) and generate it there. However, considering the amount of invoices this would be a time consuming task.
Is there any transaction that allows me to generate all EDI output for a particular Customer and a date range?
If you have maintained dispatch time 1 in the condition records then this can be processed through programme RSNAST00.
Transaction SE38.enter RSNAST00 and execute. Enter the values and select the output option as 6.


Well, without wanting to sound like a stuck record, once again im blowed over as to how good this looked on a TV screen in all its high definition glory compared to the many times ive watched it on my PC screen, there's just no comparison. Everything just came to life, and even those drab looking outfits seemed okay and what strange looking costumes they were. They material reminded me of war-time women in the 1940s, yet underneath that they were in full figure hugging Lycra and silver high heels, most bizarre indeed.
I do like the look of the set, the circular pit with its lights works very well, as does the flashing lights and round mirrors. The routine that Flick produced caught the mood of the song really well, all the pointing, slow hip swaying, slow strutting fitted perfectly. Oh and mention must go to Rosie, its always a pleasure to see the crimped hairstyle. I cant say ive ever been a fan of Dire Straits, but this song is pretty good.
Well on to my DOTD. Well every bone and instinct in my body says i must give it to Sue for her opening salvo, complete with her sultry look to camera. But i refuse to be blinkered by personnel favorites (like some of you seem to be ). Instead im quite smitten with `Patti` in this. She looked damn fine when the camera stayed on her in the middle of the routine for quite a while.
Rating, before this had the BBC4 treatment, i would have gone as low as 7.5, but now ive seen this in all its glory (ie-on the box) im gained a new respect for it and will quite happily give this `9.5 out of 10`.
Legs hit another one right out of the park with this pitch perfect spot of sultanization which hits the ground running with Sue's smashing sultry start and doesn't let up for a moment. The split level set is a real winner and the costumes, although a tad odd, fit the routines moves very well, as indeed does the entire look and, although it would struggle to quite make my top five for 1979, this still scores a 10 from me.
As for Dotd I'm sticking with my boney instincts and while Lulu might lay back with style, Patti pout with aplomb, Pauline purr with perfection, Gill gyrate with panache, and Rosie writhe with a vengeance, I'm still choosing Susan for that simply mesmerizing shoulder shimmying opening.
Everything about this routine is absolutely fine by me, apart from the costumes, that make the ladies look as if they've gotten dressed in a hurry, & just put anything on that they could find first. But I can easily forget about that, I like the circular dip in the stage with the lighting about it, with the dancing concentrated within that tight area, it made for a rather nice intimate feel.
I have been a Dire Straits devotee ever since I saw Mark and the Boys perform in De Montford Hall in Leicester in the late 70s and even more since I heard my first CD which was Making Movies in 1980 if my recollection is correct. Anyway I do like the song and I love the performance which is smooth and sultry, as others have already mentioned. The costumes are indeed a little unusual but as I've said many times these ladies look piping hot in those tight suits and they work with many different coverings, as they do here. I think Flick sometimes strove for the "girl next door" look and this is what I see here in terms of the kitchen curtain frocks but the beauty and heat shine right through and this gets a 9.5/10 from me too. DotD is between Sue and Patti for me but I find myself unable to vote against Patti when she adopts that hypnotic detached look so once again a victimless crime occurs. May I also say that this is perhaps the only time I have mouthed the words "please move aside Lulu" as at 0.43. There, I feel better for having confessed that.
It's strange how much a better quality BBC4 broadcast can increase the attraction of a dance routine which looked rather ho-hum previously.
That said, I think it's just the sheer exuberence of the ladies which elevate the routine beyond mediocrity, their spirit giving it some pizazz. They look carefree and happy and that's what transmits through the gogglebox. Even the Hilda Ogden overalls looked less drab on BBC4. The lycra costumes worn beneath look as though they originate from the Something Else routine, albeit with a colour swaparound.
Would have been nice to see a the ladies perform a bit of air-guitar to accompany the Guitar George line perhaps, but at least those slender arms do indeed 'swing' throughout.
Looks as if a few of them may have decamped to the hairdressers during the week: Rosie emerging with a crimped hairstyle and Pauline back to the classic bob last seen around late 1977. Must admit the lengthier style from late '78, as seen in the Dance (Disco Heat) routine, looked good on her too.
As for DOTD, that was practically determined half a minute in, with Sue's shimmying solo. Has she been at Patti's make-up? Nice little solo moments from Lulu too, giving it some amusing facial attitude as usual.
The ladies are dancing to the song "Sultans of Swing ". The ladies are wearing their training gear on with different coloured dresses on top. And with silver high heels on their feet. The set is a doughnut shaped and with flashing lights around the middle. The routine is very simple but very effective to watch, as the ladies are swing and swaying to the song. In the first moment we get a great solo from Sue. Who dose some great shimmies and hip moments. All the ladies look great especial Patti.
But the Dotd must go to Sue.
But the routine has to have a good score and that his 8 out of 10.
I like the song, didn't realise it came out as long ago as 1979.
It looks as though the girls have interrupted their housework for a spot of dancing. It is probably not the easiest song to come up with a routine for but they do a good job. It seems as though they are constantly given stages that involve steps and other obstacles to negotiate.
I will score this 8 out of 10. Sue wins DOTD in the opening moments of this performance with her solo.
I always liked the song but after viewing this routine for the first time last Thursday, I couldn't quite fathom why some of you rated it so highly. So I gave it another "spin"... and another.... and I have to say it has really grown on me. Each time I watch it there is something new to discover, there is much more going on than I initially realized. A good portion of fun and humour as well. But why oh why the kitchen costumes!?
P.S.: "classic" TB intro: "I want you to look just over there... cause they're gonna dire-ance to Dire Straits and Sultans of Swing..."
The deluxe Subbuteo floodlights are fine but I'm ambivalent about the pit. I like the design and I keep half expecting to see a ball-bearing go whirring round in ever decreasing circles until the bulls-eye opens up and it disappears. But it restricts the dancing. The girls' outer layer of domestic drudgery was frankly a mistake and it should have been whipped off after a minute for optimum swinging. The dancing gives me the impression the girls are just coasting: having a bit of a bop. Some of it, including the attitude of Sue's early solo, is reminiscent of a not quite as tongue in cheek version of 'Something Else'. As Vin found, repeated viewing reveals there's actually a lot more to it than initially seems to be the case. But nevertheless, though it's pleasant enough on the eye the solid foundation this good song provided should have had more made of it.
"Sultans of Swing" is a song I grew up hearing regularly on one of "Dad's car tapes", and for me, Legs do it justice. I love Sue's opening gambit, the triple sets, the "Check out Guitar George" part in time with the rhythm.
Great song with a routine that flowed perfectly along with it.... take a bow Flick!
P.S GD I loved your Subbuteo floodlight reference. I bought some when I was younger and I don't think I've ever had such an extreme contrast of excitement and disappointment as I had that day when I turned them on.
May I also say that this is perhaps the only time I have mouthed the words "please move aside Lulu" as at 0.43. There, I feel better for having confessed that.


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Success in life and money usually stems from making good decisions time and again. But you're unlikely to make good decisions without knowledge. And survey after survey shows Americans, young and old, just don't have enough knowledge about basic money issues to make those good decisions.
Thus, the push for financial literacy in the U.S.
It's an effort to teach Americans more about such issues as earning, spending, saving, investing, insuring and dealing with credit and debt. Today, there are not only organizations and websites devoted to financial literacy but online games and a plethora of money tools and calculators — even a new Marvel comic book.
There is a lot of emphasis on improving financial capability in this country right now, from families and communities to government," said Ted Beck, CEO of the National Endowment for Financial Education.
Americans need more money savvy than ever, as they're put in charge of their own retirement investing (instead of having traditional pensions) and as they navigate complicated forms of credit and endure bombardments of marketing trying to get them to buy more goods and services.
"Today more than ever, personal finance has become tricky," said Laura Levine, president and CEO of youth financial literacy organization Jump$tart Coalition. "There are lot of options, a lot of things to know." But financial literacy is, at its root, about awareness, she said. "Most of us won't become financial experts … but it's still important for us to know the basics of how to make smart money decisions."
To that end, we offer these resources and inspirations to improve your money skills.
Consider these questions from a national test given to more than 1,000 full-time college students. Fewer than half of college students answered them correctly. Overall, the students scored 62.2 percent. How well can you do?
1. Inflation can cause difficulty in many ways. Which group would have the greatest problem during periods of high inflation that last several years?
a.) Older, working couples saving for retirement.
b.) Older people living on fixed retirement income.
c.) Young couples with no children who both work.
d.) Young working couples with children.
2. Sara and Joshua just had a baby. They received money as baby gifts and want to put it away for the baby's education. Which of the following tends to have the highest growth over periods of time as long as 18 years?
c.) A U.S. government savings bond.
3. If you have caused an accident, which type of automobile insurance would cover damage to your own car?
4. If you had a savings account, which would be correct concerning the interest that you would earn?
a) Earnings from savings account interest may not be taxed.
b) Income tax may be charged on the interest if your income is high enough.
c) Sales tax may be charged on the interest that you earn.
d) You cannot earn interest until you pass your 18th birthday.
The number of online resources dedicated to financial education has exploded in recent years. Here is a sampling. Most are free, but a few have modest fees.
MyMoney.gov. U.S. government's website dedicated to teaching Americans the basics about money.
Mint.com. Site and mobile app that aggregates your financial accounts and allows you to set goals and budgets. Owned by Intuit, maker of Quicken software.
GetRichSlowly.org. Example of one of the popular blogs devoted to discussing money matters.
ConsumerJungle.org. Website aimed at educating youths about consumer issues, by the Take Charge America Institute at the University of Arizona.
ThreeJars.com, DigiBeanz.com, Countmybeanz.com and Tykoon.com are kids' allowance-type sites to help children learn about earning, spending, saving and giving.
Good post, DD. You'll keep me busy all weekend, researching those websites.
The sheriff department sends their thanks to you for keeping me off the streets!!
Holy crap, I scored 100 on that four question test! The fact that college students did so poorly on this pretty simple test is pretty embarrassing! What the hell are we teaching these kids? Get them to prof. ucanits classroom immediately! DDEATH, out of all the websites you posted, the one that caught my eye was "get rich slowly"! Slow and steady always wins the race! Ok, let me visit that one now!


text:
March 23, 2022 by Nick Usborne
Every two or three years I create a new course for digital copywriters and content writers.
Next up is a course for writers who want to take advantage of the huge growth in the area of Web 3.
Hang on, you ask… what the heck is Web 3?
And what happened to Web 1 and 2?
A brief history of the web…
Web 1 covers the early years of the web, from the late 90s into the new millennium. Think AOL, CompuServe and big media companies coming online.
That was also a time of message boards and early blogs, where people got a taste of being able to have their say online as individuals. Even the early Internet gave individuals a voice. But mostly Web 1 was about sites publishing information "at" us.
Web 2 rose up in tandem with the growth of social media. Let's say from 2006 or so onwards. Now the voices of individuals grew louder. Millions of people took to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other platforms to share their news, likes and dislikes.
For a while it felt like social media might truly democratize the web. And then it became clear that these huge platforms were simply monetizing our attention, selling our personal data, and ruling the web.
That brings us to Web 3, which is something entirely different… hopefully.
Web 3 is an iteration of the Internet that is being built on blockchains.
Public blockchains are decentralized. Unlike Facebook or Google, no company owns the Bitcoin or Ethereum blockchains. There is no central authority.
This kind of open infrastructure opens up new opportunities for developers, creators and users.
Blockchains enable DeFi… decentralized or disintermediated finance. With blockchains I can send you money in the form of a cryptocurrency, without the help or permission of an intermediary, like a bank or PayPal. From me to you directly.
According to a recent Morning Consult report, 20% of American adults, and 36 percent of millennials own cryptocurrency.
And many of them also own at least one NFT, or Non Fungible Token.
An NFT is simply a digital asset of some kind, where your ownership of that asset is immutably recorded on a blockchain.
An NFT could be a piece of digital art. Or a photograph. Or a song. Or a video clip of a sporting moment. Or membership of a group. Or a ticket to an event. Or an item or avatar in a video game. Or a pfp you can use as a profile picture for your social media accounts. Or a plot of land in the metaverse.
Just today I purchased a piece of digital art as an NFT. The art series was sponsored by Stella Artois as a fundraiser in support of Water.org. Within 2 hours they raised $277,515.86.
Why is there even a market for copywriters and content writers in the world of Web 3 and NFTs?
Because the NFT market in particular is huge, currently valued at about $40 billion.
And because over 1,000 new NFT projects are being launched each week… over 50,000 projects a year.
Each of them needs a website and a strong social media presence.
That's just the new NFT project launches, and doesn't include all the traditional companies that are looking to add NFTs to their offers.
For example, I have a client that sells a fitness app… and is now relaunching with crypto tokens and in-app NFTs.
You can keep up with which big brands are jumping on the NFT bandwagon through this page on AdAge, which they constantly update.
Some recent entries include…
Papa Johns today dropped its first collection of NFTs—a series of handbag designs inspired by the pizza delivery bag.
In honor of the automaker's new 2023 Integra, Acura is turning the car into an NFT. Acura will also open a digital showroom in the metaverse, called Acura of Decentraland,
Duke University announced it will drop a collection of NFTs inspired by its men's basketball team.
Jeans retailer Wrangler announced an upcoming NFT auction celebrating singer-songwriter and long-time Wrangler fan Leon Bridges.
Here's the opportunity for digital copywriters and content writers…
Like I said, all these new projects and ventures need either a whole new website, or the addition of pages to an existing website.
Plus social media, email marketing, press releases, blog posts and more.
In other words, this is a whole new industry, a whole new category.
As a writer, you can bring all your existing skills into this space.
But… not everyone is going to be able to do that.
Because it takes a lot of time and effort to become fluent in the language and culture of Web 3, crypto, and NFTs.
I've been deep down this rabbit hole for over 18 months now. I work with clients in this space. I have a collection of NFTs. In other words, I have skin in the game.
But still… I have to work hard to keep abreast of what's new today and coming next.
Blockchains, cryptocurrencies, tokens, DeFi, NFTs, pfps, minting, wallets, Metamask, secondary marketplaces, the metaverse, rug pulls… and so on.
The copywriters and writers who want to profit from this area… and there are billions of dollars in play… are those who choose to invest time in becoming absolutely fluent in the culture, processes, language and terminology of this space.
That's why I'm already mapping out a new course for writers who want to enter the Web 3 industry.
The curriculum for the course will include a deep dive into the culture and language of this space. And it will show you how to write about crypto for different media … up to and including media in the metaverse itself.
I don't know when or where the course will be published. To be determined. But I'm already working on it.
If you're interested, and you're not already subscribed to my newsletter, sign up now and I'll keep you up to date with my progress.
Categories Copywriting, Web Content, Writing for the Web Tags Copywriting, crypto, NFTs, web 3, Web Content Post navigation
6 thoughts on "Why I'm creating a new course on writing for Web 3."
Tom Ellerbe
Nick, this is a very interesting topic. I bought into the Crypto / blockchain world in 2018/19 and have some general knowledge about this market. You are correct about the future of this digital process. Keep me posted as I would be very interested in your new course.
Thanks, Tom Ellerbe
Thats where you've been! Tumbling down the ole rabbit hole with Alice. Well, welcome back, mate.
I do like a good rabbit hole. : )
Cecelia Pineda
This is really interesting Nick! It's such a strange, almost fantasy-like world this crypto-world. I'm definitely interested to see where you go with this.
Success in your course build!
The World is slowly moving towards Blockchains, AI and digital currencies… Elon Musk says the robots that make Tesla cars are a much bigger industry than electric cars… There are over 500 companies trying to get into market place..
Guerro Lee
Was wondering where you've been. Nothing more fascinating than a great rabbit hole! Looking forward to hearing more about your course as it develops and learning more about Web 3.


text:
Enjoyable, by a woman, modern literary classic: "critical walkback" says you can only pick two
I don't read much modern fiction (too much ancient stuff to unearth) and haven't read Jennifer Weiner, so I don't have a dog in this hunt, so to speak. But I did read The Goldfinch, which was really good for getting me through a bunch of delayed and canceled flights a couple of years ago, and what Weiner says in the article sounds right.
In "If you enjoyed a good book and you're a woman, the critics think you're wrong," , Weiner describes a "critical walkback" that happens--surprise, surprise!--if a new book by a woman, at first critically acclaimed, becomes too popular:
Call it "Goldfinching", after Vanity Fair's 2014 yes-but-is-it-art interrogation as to whether Donna Tartt's Pulitzer prize-winning, mega-bestselling book The Goldfinch is or is not literature. It's the process by which a popular and previously well-regarded novel and, more importantly, its readers, are taken to the woodshed, usually by a critic who won't hesitate to congratulate himself on his courage, as if dismissing popular things that women like requires some special kind of bravery – as if it doesn't happen all day, every day.
Weiner says that the same critical smackdown happened with Gone, Girl, The Lovely Bones, and some other books I haven't read. It's not just James Wood at the New Yorker, either: Mary Gaitskill took on Gone, Girl.
Now, women aren't obliged to like books just because they're written by women. They're not obliged to like any books, and if you read Dorothy Parker, who hated about 80% of what she reviewed, and Mary McCarthy, who slapped down just about all of it, you'll see that the critical smackdown isn't the province of men.
But I'm intrigued by the idea that these works are considered bad only after they become popular. Why is that? Why is someone like Jonathan Franzen allowed to be popular and critically acclaimed?--which was the subject of another Weiner-Franzen controversy a few years back.
With some critics, you get a feeling for their prejudices and can take their recommendations with the appropriate grain of salt. Emily Nussbaum apparently only likes gross-out or transgressive horror, for example, and ranks television shows accordingly. The New Yorker puts (or used to put) David Denby on movies if they're to be favorably reviewed and Anthony Lane* (always entertaining) if they want them to be ripped up, unless they're foreign films, which are always favorably reviewed. You get the picture.
Yet are critics doing this critical walkback because they genuinely have second thoughts or because to be dismissive, even retroactively, gives you more critical standing as a Judge of High Art?
*edited because Adam Gopnik doesn't write the film reviews, although he is always entertaining, too.
Posted by undine at 8:06 AM
It's their game, but you don't have to play
Enjoyable, by a woman, modern literary classic: "c...
*poofed*
Universal truths
I can't add anything to what's been said
Random bullets of November