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Monitor Audio Gold 300 Loudspeaker
by Julie Mullins
This Monitor Audio Gold 300 loudspeaker marks the third Monitor model I've reviewed for TAS, the first having been the previous incarnation of this speaker (which shares the same name—no Mark III, Plus, or other added designation) four years ago, and the second, the $30k flagship floorstander of Monitor's top-tier Platinum Series, the PL500 II, a towering (it certainly towered over me),three-way, seven-driver d'Appolito design capable of big-time sonic power, energy, and overall musicality. I gave it a Golden Ear Award in 2016.
Now in its fifth generation, the Gold 300 embodies many of the technological advances and materials that have "trickled down" from Monitor's latest flagship Platinum Series. It's no coincidence that Monitor Audio Chief Technical Engineer Michael Hedges was involved in both the Platinum II project (under Dean Hartley, who's since retired from the company) and this latest Gold Series model. In addition to the top-of-the-line Gold 300 under review here, the series consists of the smaller 200 floorstander, the 100 bookshelf speaker, and a W12 subwoofer (there's an FX surround and C250 center-channel for home theater, as well). Monitor also offers a Silver Series, now in its sixth iteration, from which Robert Harley glowingly reviewed the Silver 300 (which he bestowed a Golden Ear upon last year).
Before discussing my set-up and sonic experiences with the Gold 300s, it's worth running through some of the driver technologies and materials that play a part in Monitor speaker sound. Starting from the top, the tweeter is a new proprietary MPD (Micro-Pleated Diaphragm) low-mass transducer with a surface area eight times larger than that of a traditional dome. It works like a tiny but very fast accordion and is said to provide smooth response up to 100kHz. It is also purported to deliver more lifelike sound with greater accuracy, which I certainly heard; this marked a key sonic difference from other Monitors.
Next is the 2.5″ C-CAM (Ceramic-Coated Aluminum Magnesium) midrange, whose extremely light yet rigid material was originally developed for use in the aerospace industry in jet engine components. A die-cast aluminum chamber module houses both the MPD tweeter and C-CAM midrange driver below it, isolating them in a pressure vessel apart from the bass enclosure. The driver baffles are also made of die-cast aluminum for rigidity and damping. The pair of proprietary 8″ RDT II (Rigid Diaphragm Technology) bass drivers are of a three-layer sandwich construction with ultra-thin C-CAM skins bonded to a honeycomb Nomex material beneath (offering strength and exceptional heat insulation) with a woven carbon-fiber skin behind it—all housed within a cast-aluminum basket. This design is the lowest-distortion driver in Monitor Audio's history, with cited decreases of more than 8dB above 300Hz. Interestingly, Nomex is deployed in service for another kind of driver—race car drivers' flame-resistant suits.
This bass-reflex design uses dual rear ports in the 18mm-thick MDF cabinets to augment low-frequency response. Foam plugs are also included in case users prefer more damping. (Though I didn't use them, it's nice to have the option.)
Handsome and sturdy- looking yet not too tall, the Gold 300 exudes a stately rather than showy elegance. Its aesthetics say "quality" with a kind of understated sophistication that's less trendy, more timeless. My review samples came in an attractive piano gloss black; three additional finish options are available: satin white, dark walnut, piano ebony (the latter two are described in the product materials as "premium-quality mirror-matched wood veneers"). The tops have a nice leatherette trim—a soft touch of luxury. This brought to mind the leather top-panel inserts seen on some Sonus faber models, including the latest Olympica Nova models intro'd at RMAF. Generally speaking, I'm a non-grille gal, but the ones here attach discreetly with "invisible" magnets for an unobtrusive and streamlined appearance. They are said to be sonically inert, but without them it's also pretty cool to see the shiny silver drivers with subtle honeycomb patterns (you have to look closely). All told, it's apparent that Monitor Audio takes pride in maintaining high standards for its loudspeakers' fit and finish as well as their construction, materials, and sound. (See sidebar for more on the company and its manufacturing.)
Setting up the speakers was neither tedious nor taxing. The Gold 300s ship with a pair of X-shaped, cast-aluminum outrigger feet that attach to each speaker base; their spikes can be removed for hardwood floors (like mine). Handily, all the necessary Allen wrenches and bolts are included. After I perused the small diagram and instructions in the user manual, installation took mere minutes, though on my floor it took a little more time to level the speakers by tightening or loosening the attachment bolts to the feet ever so slightly. From a marque distributed worldwide one might expect a multi-lingual user manual, but this Gold Series booklet had no fewer than twelve languages inside—impressive.
Speaker placement proved fairly straightforward, as well. The manual recommends placing the Gold 300s at least 300mm, or nearly a foot, from the rear wall (which seems relatively close given that the ports are rear-firing); that could be helpful for systems in smaller rooms, though Monitor recommends the 300s for larger rooms. After some toe-in tweaking and minor shifts front-to-back I felt pretty satisfied with the center image, including its general scale and dimensionality (recording-dependent, of course).
Obviously much also depends on the source components and amplification ahead of the speakers. Recalling past experiences with other Monitors I figured these too would benefit from extra power, particularly to maximize bass. And, indeed, this was the case. The 380Wpc into 4 ohms (the Gold 300 is 4-ohm speaker) MBL N51 integrated provided a pleasing match; the amp also tends toward the slightly darker side of neutral, which seemed to suit the relatively more transparent Gold 300s. The user manual recommends required amplifier power of between 100 and 250W, which I'd take to be more of a minimum. Especially if you like some slam, feed them ample power, and extra headroom doesn't hurt, either. The majority of my critical listening—including the examples I'll soon describe—involved a setup with a MBL Noble line N51 integrated amplifier and N31 CD player/DAC, a MacBook Air and MacBook Pro running Qobuz and Tidal respectively, a Boulder 580 phonostage, and the MoFi Electronics UltraDeck+ and Clearaudio Performance DC Wood turntables.
In some ways I found myself surprised by what I heard from the latest Gold 300s—most of all by what registered as increased transparency to sources. In these pages, Jonathan Valin has long written about three kinds of audiophiles: those who seek "the absolute sound"—that is, the as-realistic-as-possible reproduction of the sound of acoustic instruments in a real space; "fidelity to source" listeners who want the truth of what's on the original mastertape or recording replicated as the engineers/artists intended; and "as you like it" listeners who care more about what sounds pleasing to their ears than meeting these other criteria…maybe they like a little bass boost or the warm, golden signature of a particular tube, for example.
I mention all this because based on my reviews of the other two Monitor Audio speakers (each from a different generation) I'd experienced an evolution of what might be called Monitor's "house sound" from a relatively "as you like it"—rich and substantial—presentation to a comparatively more "purist" one that seemingly strived for a more accurate reproduction of the source material. And that evolution toward accuracy is what I got with the Gold 300s.
Of course, such "fidelity to source" tendencies can reveal a recording's finesse or flaws, whether it's well-recorded or not especially so. This isn't to say that the Gold 300s ever sounded sterile or analytical, but rather that they generally got out of the way to show you what was there in the source—which can often be a good thing. Of course, this also means that if you've never heard your favorite songs without certain "forgiving" enhancements or additions or distortions you may be surprised by what details come through. In a way, this made listening with the Gold 300s a voyage of discovery. I became curious to dig deeper into my collection, to see which recordings stood out in quality and rose to the top as the cream of the crop.
As much as this might suggest the Gold 300s skew toward favoring audiophile fare, the vast majority of my non-audiophile (but at least decently recorded) selections still drew me in with noteworthy detail and resolution, inviting me to listen more closely into the mix for ambient cues, such as those on the DG recording of the Labèque sisters I'll describe below. Although I ran the Gold 300s in for well over a couple hundred hours before I began critical listening and placement refinements, it's worth noting that over time some sense of the speaker's initial impression of transparency tapered off a bit in favor of more substance, body, and musicality.
Switching between analog and digital sources offered further fun and payoffs. These speakers supported compelling investigations and explorations of the audible differences between their LP and (mostly hi-res) streaming incarnations. Obviously these aren't apples-to-apples comparisons, but they were still interesting to explore. Tracks from the Tidal MQA Master version of Court and Spark offered crystalline clarity, though stopping short of getting too metallic or bright. (Sometimes elevated treble can give the impression of greater detail.) Cymbals taps were brassy yet clean. The wah-wah pedal effects burst forth like a kind of laughter on "Raised on Robbery"—fun, funky, and livelier than ever. Details seemed heightened but not exaggerated. Vocals were natural in timbre: The inimitable Joni sounded like Joni. Cuts from the original LP pressing played back on the MoFi 'table had a bit more depth and warmth coupled with more convincing realism on Joni's idiosyncratic singing style and piano flair. The 300s capably conveyed the differences between the analog and digital versions, and each pleased in its own ways.
For some very different piano fare, I spun the Deutsche Grammophon LP of the Labèque sisters playing Bryce Dessner's new Concerto for Two Pianos with the Orchestre de Paris, recorded at the Philharmonie de Paris. Right at the start, the initial strikes of percussion (flat wooden sticks) and piano attacks hit hard—and were appropriately startling. (Incidentally I recently saw the Labèque sisters perform the work's U.S. premiere with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at Music Hall and jumped at those first notes.) Throughout, the razor-sharp focus on transients followed by long, satisfying sustains and decays enhanced the excitement of Katia and Marielle Labèque's virtuosity. The relative positions of the two grand pianos could readily be distinguished from the rest of the orchestra behind them, with reasonable depth of field for the other instrument sections—though soundstaging seemed slightly wider than deep. In my listening position approximately 9 or 10 feet from the speakers I got a pleasing sense of sitting mid-hall, along with ambient cues of the Philharmonie space, all of which made for compelling listening.
Changing gears radically I played Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy" from When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? via the MBL N31 CD player/DAC. Call it a guilty pleasure. The drop goes kinda low. And then "Xanny" after. Talk about some phat bass with impact! The Gold 300s, which are spec'd to dip down to 30 cycles, held their own.
As far as minor points to critique, at times on good recordings even though resolution was high, the Gold 300s might not be the last word in realism (à la "the absolute sound") or the oft-discussed speaker "disappearing act"—though for most listeners that won't matter much. Certain instrumental layers would jump or stand out from others. It's hard to put my finger on what the issue was, though it generally seemed to occur in the upper midrange. However, I only noticed this on certain recordings and the occasional projection of the upper mids did seem to diminish over time. Really this might only concern listeners who are seriously into realism…so it didn't really bother me.
Soundstages thrown tended to offer good width and adequate depth—assuming the source material captured these things—though more height could have been desirable on certain recordings. Dispersion and off-axis response seemed perfectly sufficient for listening company, and hey, with the 300s satisfying low end, substance, and style, they'd be good speakers for a small party.
As worthy a contender as the new Gold 300 is, there's still plenty of competition in this category and price range. Top of mind comes the KEF R11, the flagship of the English company's R lineup that I reviewed favorably in Issue 298. Although it retails for a couple grand less than the Gold 300, it too delivers a high degree of detail and a big, full sound. If I were pressed to offer some general impressions of the differences between the two, the Gold 300s might have had slightly more low-end heft while the R11s displayed more effortless coherence.
The R11s with their Uni-Q concentric driver arrays and D'Appolito configuration seemed to have a slight edge on overall dispersion and off-axis response. Although the Gold 300 might look like a more expensive speaker (and it is), the R11 is still very visually attractive with a more modern than classic aesthetic. The Monitors arguably might be more traditionally "audiophile" in their approach. Your tastes and preferences in amplification and source material would likely sway you toward one or the other. Both come from trusted longtime makers and offer quite a lot of high-end speaker for the money—and deserve a spot on your short list.
These Gold 300s really grew on me over time, thanks to their powerful presence and substantial sound output. There's a really pleasing solidity here—courtesy of the cabinet construction and other technologies—that won me over across more and more source material. Especially if you appreciate or collect well-recorded material, the Monitor Gold 300s can enable you to reap its rewards. If want a deeper dive into your music collection and you're in the market for a solid speaker in this price tier, go for the gold and give the new 300 an audition.
Type: Three-way, four-driver floorstanding loudspeaker; bass-reflex (two rear ports)
Driver complement: 1x MPD tweeter, 1x 2.5″ C-CAM midrange, 2x 8″ bass
Frequency response: 30Hz–50kHz
Impedance: 4 ohms (minimum 3.4 ohms @ 1kHz)
Recommended amplifier power: 100W–250W
Dimensions: 12½" x 43½" x 14-9/16″
Weight: 67 lbs. (30.56 kg)
MONITOR AUDIO LTD
24 Brook Road
Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 7XJ,
monitoraudio.com
KEVRO (North American Distributor)
902 McKay Road, Unit #4
Pickering, ON L1W 3X8
kevro.com
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Cambridge Audio CXN V2 Network Audio Streamer and CXA81 Integrated Amplifier
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In a partnership position between Groundwork and Michigan Environmental Council (MEC), Christian Koch will work directly with Groundwork's clean energy policy specialist, Dan Worth, as well as MEC's northern Michigan representative, Kate Madigan. Koch will assist Worth with outreach and community engagement projects that promote clean energy and local production around the Grand Traverse region, and also help manage the Clean Energy Conference in June, particularly securing speakers and panelists. Koch's work for MEC will focus on building the Michigan Climate Action Network's 100% Clean Energy Cities Program. After conducting research and working to facilitate multi-sector coalitions across the state, Koch will also develop a report that will focus on the best practices for communities to achieve a just transition to 100 percent renewable energy.
Prior to joining Groundwork, Koch worked in Lansing, interning at government relations firms, with the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, and as a legislative fellow at the Michigan House of Representatives, where he specialized in House Energy Policy agendas. Originally from Ann Arbor, Koch is a recent graduate of Michigan State University, where he studied Social Relations & Policy, and minored in Science, Technology, Environment, and Public Policy. With his background in state policy and environmental advocacy, Koch says he was naturally drawn to Groundwork's progressive and forward thinking clean energy mission that helps to assure that the state of Michigan be resilient during the Green Energy Revolution.
Food equity fellow Maya Grant (who identifies as non-binary, "they/them") will work with food and farming program director Meghan McDermott on food access work with pantries and schools, including supporting Groundwork's Building Healthy Communities contract. Grant grew up in Mesick and graduated with a class of 37 people from Grand Traverse Academy before studying sociology at Grand Valley State University. Their adventures included studying abroad in India and activism oriented around collective liberation through an organization called United Students Against Sweatshops. Grant worked in Traverse City through Americorps at the SEEDS Farm and the Sarah Hardy Downtown Farmers Market, which inspired their love for healthy, farm fresh foods. The Food Equity Fellowship at Groundwork represented an opportunity for them to connect and hear stories of those in the community and work to create the changes that members wish to see.
Continuing fellow and Harbor Springs native Abigail Hackman will work part-time on the clean energy program with Worth and Madigan to strengthen relationships with municipal governments, local utilities and businesses in Harbor Springs, Petoskey and Charlevoix to move them toward 100-percent clean energy resolutions. In addition, Hackman will work part-time as a new development support fellow in Groundwork's Petoskey office. She will work directly with development director Amy MacKay to build new donor relationships and create opportunities to meet new donors in the Northern Farms Foodshed.
Fellows work side-by-side with Groundwork staff on projects, build policy expertise, engage in networking opportunities, and gain valuable professional development skills. Fellows are provided an excellent opportunity to engage in policy advocacy while working for a well-established, community-based nonprofit organization. Learn more about our 5-month fellowships here.


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NBA Free Agents 2012: Orlando Magic Should Bring Tracy McGrady Back for 2012/13 Season, David Aldridge Says
By Evan Dunlap May 7, 2012, 11:36pm EDT
Share All sharing options for: NBA Free Agents 2012: Orlando Magic Should Bring Tracy McGrady Back for 2012/13 Season, David Aldridge Says
Andy Lyons - Getty Images Sport
The Orlando Magic should re-sign swingman Tracy McGrady once free agency begins in July, writes David Aldridge of NBA.com in his weekly Morning Tip column. The veteran NBA writer argues the Magic have been at their best during the Dwight Howard era when they also employed "a small forward [...] whose size and playmaking ability allowed the other three players on the floor to do what they were on the court to do -- catch and shoot." Hedo Turkoglu isn't that player anymore, says Aldridge, but McGrady is. Aldridge cites McGrady's stellar assist-to-turnover ratios from his last two seasons as evidence that the former Magic superstar still has plenty to offer at the NBA level.
McGrady, who turns 33 later in May, averaged 5.3 points, three rebounds, and 2.1 assists for the Atlanta Hawks in the 2011/12 campaign and appeared in 52 of a possible 66 games. The year prior, with the Detroit Pistons, the Auburndale native posted averages of eight points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 72 appearances.
"If the Magic insist on the same four-out, one-in style around Howard next season," says Aldridge, "they have to have someone who can make things easier for the other guys." That'd be McGrady, who's played each of his last two seasons at the league's minimum salary and would thus be in Orlando's price range, despite its dire salary-cap situation.
In a March interview with Fox Sports Florida, McGrady argued that Howard should stay with the Magic instead of signing elsewhere. "It's a great city," he said. "It's great weather [....] So you already have something good there. Why try to go somewhere that you just never know?"
Orlando's incumbent small forwards are Turkoglu and Quentin Richardson, with Jason Richardson able to shift over from shooting guard if needed.
McGrady stands as the Magic's all-time leader in points per game (28.1) and led the league in scoring twice in his four seasons with Orlando. He's also fifth in rebounds per game (seven) and fourth in assists per game (5.2).
We invite you to follow Orlando Pinstriped Post on Twitter and like Orlando Pinstriped Post on Facebook.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Whale Fire can provide fire risk assessments, fire training and the supply and installation of fire extinguishers in Swindon and the whole of the Wiltshire area. Additional services include emergency lighting and fire alarm installation and servicing contracts.
Fact: There is a multi-storey car-park in Swindon where it is reputed that there are no echo's after 7pm.


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De Baureihe 182 van het type Siemens ES 64 U2 is een elektrische locomotief bestemd voor het personenvervoer en voor het goederenvervoer van de Deutsche Bahn (DB).

Geschiedenis
In de 1996 gaf een projectgroep van de Österreichische Bundesbahnen opdracht aan de industrie voor het uitbrengen van een offerte voor de ontwikkeling nieuwe locomotieven ter vervanging van oudere locomotieven van het type ÖBB 1110, ÖBB 1010 en ÖBB 1040.

In 1998 viel de keuze op de offerte van Siemens dat een prototype voorstelde op basis van de DB 152, gebouwd door Krauss-Maffei in München-Allach. Uit dit prototype ontstond een groot aantal varianten.

De techniek uit de locomotieven van de serie 1822 stond model voor deze locomotieven.

In februari 2010 werd bekend dat een deel van deze locomotieven werd overgeschreven van het bedrijfsonderdeel DB Schenker Rail naar het bedrijfsonderdeel DB Regio voor inzet in het personenvervoer.

Constructie en techniek
De locomotief heeft een stalen frame. De tractie-installatie is uitgerust met draaistroom en heeft driefasige asynchrone motoren in de draaistellen. Iedere motor drijft een as aan.

Nummers
De locomotieven zijn als volgt genummerd:

Treindiensten
De locomotieven worden door de Deutsche Bahn (DB) ingezet in het goederenvervoer in onder meer Duitsland.

De locomotieven worden door de DB Regio ingezet in het personenvervoer in Duitsland.

Per 13 juni 2010 werden drie locomotieven van DB Regio in Cottbus ingezet in een zevendaagse omloop met onder meer Berlijn, Hamburg, Frankfurt am Main en Karlsruhe.

Literatuur
 Spoorwegen; diverse jaargangen. Gerrit Nieuwenhuis, Richard Latten. Uitgeverij de Alk BV, Alkmaar.

Externe link
  DB Schenker Rail - Officiële website

182.1
Baureihe 182

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Scott Baio Claims Starbucks Barista Refused To Say 'Trump' Name On Order
Eighties heartthrob and outspoken Donald Trump supporter Scott Baio has a bone to pick with Starbucks
Actor Scott Baio has publicly endorsed Donald Trump.
Over the weekend, Baio went to the coffee chain to grab his wife a drink and told the cashier his name was Trump— hoping to prompt the barista to say the name out loud when his order was ready.
But when the coffee was ready, the actor alleges the Starbucks employee "refused" to speak the name of the presidential GOP front runner out loud.
He took to Twitter to vent about the incident, posting "Got wife a coffee(I've never had a cup)The barista refused to call out name. @realDonaldTrump." He ended the tweet with the hastag #MustBeABernieVoter.
On Sunday, Baio told Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo that he supports Trump because he thinks the businessman is a "straight shooter" who, unlike the other Republican candidates, has "has the will and the nerve to attack and to fight back."
"I like his proposals on reforming the tax code, building the wall, immigration, repealing Obamacare — dropping the corporate tax rate down, so bring some of that money back that's out of the country back into the country," Baio said on Sunday Morning Futures.
Now others have followed Baio's move, telling baristas to label their orders "Trump" --and gotten mixed results.
This article was originally published on April 4, 2016
Scott Baio Claims Starbucks Barista Refused To Say 'Trump' Name On Order - Recipes
This is so much fun to watch. Almost as good as the Sexual Harassment Exposes.
Starbucks is the most liberal company that ever walked the face of the earth, and their Liberal posturing came back and bit them in the ass - lol
And now they're bending over backwards to appease the angry mob/bully libs that they helped create.
I read a lot of articles and they mostly have the same theme - &quotStarbucks is Racist" - but here's one that resonates with me -
Here's Why You Shouldn't Necessarily Believe The Racism Claims Against Starbucks
Starbucks is in the process of being consumed by the liberal pitchfork mob it spent years placating. It's certainly tempting to sit back and enjoy the schadenfreude. But my disdain for pitchfork mobs is greater than my disdain for liberal corporations, so I will now do something I never thought I would do: defend Starbucks. Sort of.
Let's first take a look at the mess Starbucks has fallen into. The company is currently the subject of protests and boycotts and extremely bad press because of two &quotracist" incidents that occurred in two different locations over the span of a few days. It all started when a video surfaced of two black men being arrested at a store in Philadelphia. We were not given many details — and still we do not have many details — but the image of two black men being led out in cuffs was enough, in the minds of the mob, to prove bigotry. No other explanation has been entertained. No further evidence has been sought.
Then, on Monday, a video from a Starbucks in Los Angeles went viral. In this case, a black man was denied the code to the bathroom because he was not a paying customer. He then took out his phone and began filming. He discovered that a white man had been given access to the bathroom without buying anything, so he proceeded to berate the manager on duty (who was, by appearances, not white). Now that manager's face has been plastered everywhere online, and she has been labeled a bigot and a racist without anyone stopping to even consider what her side of the story might be.
Perhaps racism is really the culprit in both cases. Perhaps it is the culprit in one and not the other. But a rational and honest person would want to consider the entire context of these incidents before accusing anyone of something as serious as racism. It is just unfortunate that there aren't very many rational or honest people left in America. And there are none at all in a pitchfork mob.
The situation in Philadelphia obviously looks quite bad, but looks — especially the look of a viral video devoid of context — can be deceptive. Here is the missing context (or some of it, anyway): the two men were sitting in the store, taking up seats, without having actually purchased anything. That is, technically, loitering and trespassing. It just so happens that the Starbucks in Philadelphia has a policy against loitering. Loitering is apparently a significant problem at that location and the manager says that she has had some tense moments with loiterers in the past, including one incident where someone chased her around the store after refusing to leave.
The store employees tried to deal with the men peacefully. The men were informed that only customers can sit at the tables or use the restrooms — which is, again, a policy that this particular establishment has a history of enforcing — but the two refused to abide by the policy. When they were told that the police would have to be called, they responded, &quotGo ahead and call the police. We don't care."
The police arrived and negotiated with the men for several minutes. Still they would not leave. Finally the officers arrested them because there was literally no other option. A police officer cannot just allow someone to trespass on private property. If a trespasser will not clear off the premises, the police cannot say, &quotWell, okay, then. Never mind." They must uphold the law.
Of course it is claimed that white people loiter in Starbucks all the time without being asked to leave. This must prove that these men were singled out for their race. Perhaps it does. But if the men were arrested for &quotbeing black in Starbucks," you'd think there must be many similar stories from that same Starbucks location. Presumably, the Starbucks in Philadelphia has hundreds of black patrons come in and out every single week. If the manager is so uncontrollably racist that she actually called the cops on two black men simply because they are black, why didn't she do the same with any of the hundreds or thousands of other black customers she's seen in the store?
And here's another question: Has this manager ever done the same to white people? She says she has enforced the loitering rule plenty of times in the past. Were they always black people? If she has done exactly the same to people of her own race, wouldn't that disprove racism with absolute certainty? Are we sure that the loitering policy at the Starbucks in Philadelphia was enforced based on skin color? How are we sure? Does someone have proof?
The bathroom incident in Los Angeles is even murkier. It is standard policy in almost any urban restaurant or store of any kind to give bathroom privileges only to paying customers. Just last week I was refused the restroom at a cafe in D.C. because I hadn't purchased anything. So, I purchased something. It never occurred to me that my rights may have been infringed upon.
It is not necessarily significant that a white man had been able to use the restroom even as a black man was not. It could be evidence of racism, or it could simply be that the white man is a regular customer and the staff knew he would buy something. Regular customers often enjoy special privilege, regardless of their race. It could also be that he was given the restroom code by an employee who was more lax about the rules, and the black man was refused the code by an employee who was not so lax. Either of these explanations seem more plausible than the idea that a non-white woman working at a Starbucks in Los Angeles is racist against black people. Again, if that's the case, one must wonder how she has functioned at a store where an extremely high percentage of the customers are racial minorities. Was this her first day on the job? And her first day in Los Angeles?
Perhaps it was. Perhaps she's a filthy racist. Perhaps the manager in Philadelphia is a filthy racist. But I have seen no evidence to support those charges. And until someone can provide some, I won't be grabbing my pitchfork. And neither should you.
&quotIn the suburbs restrooms in most places (including Starbucks) are open for anyone to use. However in cities where there are more issues with homelessness and crime/vandalism businesses often don't make restrooms publicly available, or require a key or code to use them.
A store creates a space for its customers that is paid for by the customers' purchases. These include tables, chairs, rest rooms, air conditioning, and so forth, all paid for by the purchases of the customer. Being that the business own the property, they get to make the rules. If a business opens its restrooms up to the public, then they end up inviting all sorts of nonpaying people, including street people, who will have a negative effect upon its cash flow. If they allow non-paying &quotcustomers" to occupy tables, they they are denying their paying customers a place to sit. This is why restricting things like sitting at tables, using the restrooms , and such, are reserved only to paying customers. This is a very common practice everywhere.
Now think of Philadelphia and understand that there are a great many minorities living there such that a very large proportion of the Starbucks store there is made up of minorities/blacks. Does this induce rampant racism there? I think not. Now considered how these two black men refused to leave and/or follow the store rules that everyone is expected to follow. Think of how the police immediately asked for a supervisor when they arrived at the store and this all indicates that these two black men were not quietly sitting there minding their own business. Clearly they were agitating to push their own narrative of a fabricated racist event. Also think about how they are claiming racism for not being given special privileges that no other non-paying &quotcustomer" is given.
Being that Starbucks folded like a cheap chair and blamed and even fired one of its employees for daring to follow company policy clearly shows how Starbucks is poorly run and is rudderless due to their chaotic attempts to please the SWJ crowd. The result is having people with bull horns abusing their employees who have done zero wrong and yet this is OK in the eyes of Starbucks. Additionally, by acknowledging this fabricated event as real, they are now giving a voice to every person who wants to use their own personal agenda as a reason to blackmail any other Starbucks and possibly any other non-related business. This is not a victory for the oppressed any more than claiming organized crime extorting money from a business is a victory for the little guy. People should be worried and shamed by the overall behavior of everyone involved (other than the police who tried to do things by the book and the employees who were following company policy - a policy indelibly written in disappearing ink.)"
Quote Jennifer
The fact that Jennifer finds this to be fun speaks a few words about whats really in play here.
Get a life and have some good honest fun without the racist comments
read recorded cell calls read 911 call and comment stated a disturbance going on.
Don't be so fast to be Judge Jennie, you now haunt yourself!
READ THE FULL STORY, not yours!
Jennifer I think it now comes back to haunt yourself.
You are such a miserable racist.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2018 11:36PM by riverhousebill.
Problem 1 my dear Pre conceived notions.
i think Sara Quinlan makes some very good points.
Why We Shouldn't Trivialize the Starbucks Arrests
Posted at 6:30 pm on April 18, 2018 by Sarah Quinlan
The story of the two black men arrested in a Starbucks should be an opportunity to listen to others' experiences and to examine our preconceived notions.
The arrests of the two men quickly received nationwide attention. They had asked to use the Starbucks restroom but were denied because the restrooms were for customers only (which is a common restriction). They then stayed at the Starbucks without making a purchase they said they were meeting a third friend, who hadn't yet arrived.
A Starbucks store manager eventually called the police because they "refus[ed] to make a purchase or leave" they were subsequently arrested, which another customer filmed and posted on social media. Now the Starbucks CEO has apologized and announced all 8,000 Starbucks stores will be closed on May 29 so employees can participate in racial bias training, while the manager who called the police no longer works for Starbucks.
There is a lot to unpack here.
The anger at the CEO and the entire company is entirely misplaced, as are any proposed Starbucks boycotts. The one employee has already lost her job Starbucks is attempting to make amends for the mistake and the CEO seems genuinely upset, as evidenced by his Tuesday appearance on CNN with Don Lemon.
Nevertheless, frustration with the entire situation is understandable.
It does not appear the two men were disruptive, loud, or rowdy. It was an overreaction to call 9-1-1 (!) to report two men in broad daylight sitting in a Starbucks without making a purchase. Using an emergency hotline for such purposes is irresponsible, and this was not an appropriate use of our police force.
Moreover, the response by the police seems over the top. They certainly had discretion in how they could have resolved the situation. And within three minutes of the police's arrival at the Starbucks, they requested backup and a supervisor — all for two men, sitting at a table in a coffee shop.
And after being arrested, the men were detained for eight hours before they were released with no charges. How is this justice?
As a proponent of limited government, it enrages me that two men were arrested and held for eight hours all for waiting in a coffee shop without buying anything. It concerns me if people do not see a problem with the enforcement arm of our government behaving in this fashion.
It is possible more details will emerge, but based upon the currently known circumstances, including video in which other customers are heard saying "they didn't do anything," it appears none of this needed to happen.
Some may argue that being in a store without purchasing anything is trespassing, so it's their own fault they were thrown out, and that being arrested is a fair outcome for trespassing. But such a view lacks nuance, and neither the store nor the police behaved reasonably.
Starbucks had every right to ask them to leave. But how often does that happen at Starbucks, a brand that has intentionally encouraged the idea that it is more than a coffee shop and that it is somewhere to linger, work, or set up meetings?
How many of us have sat in a Starbucks waiting for a friend or date and have not been asked to purchase something or leave? How many of us have sat in a Starbucks for hours after finishing our drink or food, working on laptops or reading, without being asked to leave? How many of us were ever even asked to leave, let alone accused of loitering or had the cops called on us?
Perhaps most significantly, how many of us were even noticed?
According to the American Psychological Association, "people have a tendency to perceive black men as larger and more threatening than similarly sized white men."
So even though these two black men were simply engaging in similar behavior as countless others every single day, they were picked out and then deemed to be threatening.
The most heartbreaking part of the video was the look of resignation on the two men's faces. They didn't even try to resist their arrest.
Edited to add: Watch the video of the arrest below.
And what would have happened had they resisted — or even hesitated or expressed disbelief that they were being arrested for simply waiting in a coffee shop? Would the police have used force? How much? Would the police have shot them?
It might seem melodramatic to think about the police opening fire in a coffee shop simply for refusing to leave, but men have been shot at for holding cell phones, for admitting to a concealed carry permit, for answering the front door during a SWAT-ing, for being twelve years old with a toy gun, for having a broken taillight, and for crawling down a hotel hallway and hitching up their pants. They have been shot in a hotel hallway, in a park, at their front door, in cars, in their own yards, while being held down by multiple officers, from behind, and while running away.
So it's not outside the realm of possibility. And, if the police had opened fire, what would the reaction have been? Would some have argued that it was appropriate to shoot two men, perhaps fatally, for allegedly trespassing in a coffee shop?
And what would have happened if there was no video? Would people have assumed that the manager and the cops were acting appropriately? Would many have assumed the two men had done something to provoke either the manager or the police?
Yes, these are "what ifs." And we don't know for sure what the reaction would have been. But it's worth thinking about. It's worth reflecting upon. It's worth examining our own prejudices and behavior.
Starbucks' day of diversity training may ultimately be ineffective, but the company is at least attempting to address an issue that some conservatives either don't actually see or prefer not to see.
David Marcus at the Federalist criticized the negative reaction to Starbucks' response and observed, "conservatives have an important role to play in the conversation about race in America, and we are failing." I wholeheartedly agree, and I applaud Marcus for stating as much.
However, Marcus doesn't go far enough. He writes that "the color of a person's skin tells you nothing about him [or her] and should not be the basis of any judgment you make about him [or her]." This is truly a good-intentioned endeavor. Unfortunately, it's not enough.
Implicit bias and disparate treatment are real. Two similar individuals of different races can be treated differently for the same behavior by other individuals, by society, and by their government. It's not enough to preach color blindness — because it is necessary to see color in order to understand systemic racism and individual experiences.
It is difficult to understand what we cannot experience or have not experienced, whether it's due to our race or our gender. That is why it is so important to listen to the experiences of those around us, rather than decide in advance that their experience must be inaccurate or their perspective must be faulty. This isn't being "woke." It's simply understanding that many people may have a different experience than you do.
South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott, who has been pulled over seven times in one year as a black man driving a new car or in a certain neighborhood, has explained the importance of listening to others regarding their personal experiences:
Recognize that just because you do not feel the pain, the anguish of other, does not mean it does not exist. To ignore their struggles, our struggles, does not make them disappear, it simply leaves you blind and the American family very vulnerable…
Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio has discussed this in terms of Black Lives Matter before:
It is a fact that in the African-American community around this country there has been, for a number of years now, a growing resentment toward the way law enforcement and the criminal justice system interacts with the community…
I have one friend in particular who's been stopped in the last 18 months eight to nine different times. Never got a ticket for being stopped — just stopped. If that happened to me, after eight or nine times, I'd be wondering what's going on here. I'd be upset about it. So would anyone else.
Yes, slavery is over. Jim Crow laws were overturned. "Separate but equal" policies and segregation are no longer in place. The civil rights movement succeeded in demanding the rights of Americans of color be recognized and respected. And yes, our nation has come a far, far way, and there is much of which to be proud. But that does not mean racism cannot exist or the effects of racism do not still linger. And it does not help matters when we pretend otherwise. We must face the problem and work to provide conservative voices regarding 21st century issues.
Watch the video: Trump: Maybe we should boycott Starbucks? (January 2022).
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Jim Tressel, long-revered coach and field general of the Ohio State Buckeyes football program, resigned on Monday after a lengthy saga of unraveling details regarding NCAA violations. Time and truth go hand in hand, so the sporting world must wait, as it often must, for the full revelation.
I'm nauseated by those who turn every buzz of celebrity gossip into a full-fledged electrocution, destroying reputations long before the dust has settled, much less the facts. Tressel's fall from grace is nothing to celebrate or to employ as an attention-grabbing topic, so I want to steer clear of that here. Yet there's enough preliminary information to warrant preliminary comment.
Tressel's name, once synonymous with dignity, discipline, and integrity, has joined the ranks of cheap punch lines tossed around by sportswriters. If "a good name is to be chosen rather than great riches" and if "favor is better than silver or gold" (Proverbs 22:1), then Tressel has lost a fortune.
But when an apparently good man falls — especially a revered man who was revered for many of the right things — he's not the only one who loses.
We all lose. We lose a little bit more of our willingness to trust. We lose a little bit of respect for those who still appear as Tressel appeared before he came toppling down. We lose a little bit of the listening ear that we typically give to those whose reputations are sterling and proven and who (we think?) practice what they preach. And what do we gain? We take yet another small dose of that great necessary evil of suspicion. We start to think and talk in terms of "appearances," because it seems like all we have left. We wonder — is everyone fake? Who can know anymore?
Isn't this how it works? Doesn't every ballplayer's admission of performance-enhancing drugs increase your fear that the steady Jeter or the iconic Pujols could be next in line? Doesn't the moral implosion of Tiger Woods make you ask questions about all those gentlemanly golfers who seem so self-controlled as they stroll through Augusta National? Doesn't the Memorial Day gloom hanging over Buckeye Nation make you ask if your alma mater might be the next high-powered institution splashed across the headlines later this year?
Hypocrisy forces us to wonder — about everyone.
I have an old boss who attended a well-known conservative Christian college in Ohio. Earlier this year he was telling me about how Tressel would come and speak to the students there. The Senator received a hero's welcome everywhere he went. He was the picture of responsibility, a walking definition of integrity.
What do those students and alumni think now? And what do they now have to wonder about all the other visiting speakers that arrive preaching Scripture and teaching leadership and urging integrity? Shouldn't the students wonder? Wouldn't they be foolish not to?
And so the devil, that great accuser of the brethren and architect of suspicion, gains a foothold. Wondering becomes wisdom. Suspicion becomes sensible. But trust? Trust is now foolish, because integrity appears impossible.
Long ago Paul warned his protege Timothy about the secret sins of leaders and would-be leaders: "The sins of some men are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later" (1 Timothy 5:24).
Increasingly, I fear my sinful desires and dangerous habits and deceptive weaknesses not just because of what they are but what they might become. Though I can say before God that I have no hidden life of shame, plenty about my hidden life shames me. Thoughts, ambitions, patterns, ruts. I must fight to be pure, to be holy, to be whole.
Protected from the sword of the Word, hardened against the inquisition of the Spirit, hiding in the recesses of self-deception, sin blossoms and flourishes and then builds fortresses to protect its evil garden until the fruit is ripe. Woe to the man who fails to make war before the harvest.
Coach Tressel was a great guy. I loved him like a father and there is always going to be a bond between me and him that no man can break. I'm not sure that he was actually a Christian though as you claim. He used profanity openly in practice and games. What do you think about that?
Thoughtful and insightful Gunner. I am currently looking into whether a man who falls into immorality can be restored to a teaching/preaching ministry. This blog post may be your answer to that but do you have any other thoughts or know any good resources on that issue? Thanks. Keep going brother.


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Last year I had quite the love affair with making mini berry tarts with all the berries I could get my hands on. Seriously, I couldn't get enough and neither could anyone I served it to. So this year, I decided it would be a great idea to actually write down the mini berry tarts recipe and get it out to you. I also had the genius idea to make one of the coconut creams chocolate flavoured, because chocolate makes everything better, am I right?! By using coconut milk, I kept these dairy free and I don't think you will miss the traditional cream one bit. Vegan berry tarts that are gluten free and refined sugar free, so you can have your cake and eat it too!
If you haven't already checked out my free ebook called "Get the Glow" you gotta check that out! In it, you will find a whole list of the best foods for healthy skin plus you'll get six delicious, easy and plant-based recipes too.
I really love to be honest here and I feel that I can write whatever I want because this is a safe place so here it goes. I am currently about halfway finished reading Brene Brown's book, Daring Greatly and I have to say it has made quite the impact on me. Having been someone who always tries to be perfect, have everything together (or look like it) is exhausting. More than being exhausting, it holds you back from doing things you really want to do, such as writing a blog, putting all your thoughts out there into the world and not fearing the outcome. For so long, I was afraid to even start an Instagram account, putting my pictures out there next to huge accounts with the most perfect pictures was terrifying to me. I feared what people would think, but mostly I feared that no one would care. There are soooooo many amazing food blogs and picture perfect Instagram accounts out there, what was the point in adding mine? Slowly, I am starting to realize that although there may be thousands of recipes out there for the same thing (chocolate avocado pudding anyone), there is only one me. And what I say and what I do matters. What doesn't matter is the amount of likes, comments or follows. The fact that I have put my true self out there is so much more important. I may never have 10,000 followers and that is ok, but the satisfaction of knowing that I went after what I wanted is worth it.
I know that I can do more though, there are still nagging thoughts in the back of my mind all the time telling me that what I am creating isn't good enough, or creative enough and I am working on it. Because these thoughts don't do anything except make me more self conscious and more apprehensive about putting the real me out there. They hold you back both creatively and spiritually and whats the point in living like that? Life is far too short to be afraid to live life on your own terms and then spend your days wondering what could have been. Living a life full of regrets is far worse than the occasional misstep or criticism.
You have one great life, what are you going to do with it?
If you find yourself having these same thoughts just know that you are not alone. But try and move past them, acknowledge what you are feeling is vulnerability and that in order to live a full life, you have got to put yourself out there. Whether this is in regards to your job, career or relationships, only you are holding yourself back. Being vulnerable does not make you weak, it makes you strong.
If you want to listen to Brene Brown speak, have a listen here at her Ted Talk, it's a great one.
Ok, back to these insanely delicious mini berry tarts now! The coconut cream is so good and you are going to have extra, but that's no big deal, because you can use that on everything. Seriously, on top of overnight oats, in your smoothie, as a decadent fruit topping…the possibilities are endless. When you store the leftover in the fridge, it will thicken and harden, but you just re-whip it or just mix it really good with a spoon (that's what I do, because I am lazy haha).
I made these mini berry tarts in two different flavours, vanilla and chocolate and if you only want to make one, I HIGHLY suggest making the chocolate, it really is the only way to go. As for the sweetener in the coconut cream, I used raw honey, however if you don't want to use raw honey, you can add a bit of coconut palm sugar or maple syrup, but it may turn the colour an off-white, which is no big deal if you are making the chocolate flavour. I wanted to keep the white colour bright and white, so that is why I used raw honey, plus raw honey is just delicious and has some wonderful nutritional properties as well. For the coconut milk, I always find using the Thai Kitchen brand results in a good coconut whip, ensure it is full fat and not lite.
This recipe makes 4 mini berry tarts and I used these mini tart pans from Williams Sonoma. You will have a little bit of the crust leftover, like maybe 1 tbsp or so, so no big deal. You could make this into one large tart, but you may need to add a little bit more flour to it as it may not be enough. Or you could just do the bottom and not the sides with it. No matter what you do, just make these and then enjoy every bite because they are awesome. Berry season doesn't last forever here in Ontario, so I am taking full advantage now!
Berries are one of my favourite beauty foods. If you want to check out all of my fave beauty foods, just download my free ebook called "Get the Glow" now!
Grease your tarts with coconut oil.
Make the crust by placing the 1/2 cup of rolled oats into your food processor and blending until a fine flour is formed.
Then add in your almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon and sea salt and process until the mixture comes together.
Add in your 1/4 cup rolled oats and pulse 5-6 times to combine them with the paste.
Using your hands, pat down the flour paste into your tarts and flattening it and evening it out, working from the centre out to the sides.
Poke a few holes with a fork on the bottom of the tarts.
Take out your cold coconut milk from the fridge and open them, carefully scooping only the hardened part from the top of the can and place it into a chilled bowl.
Discard the water/liquid but don't throw it out, this can be used in smoothies if you want!
Take your chilled bowl and add in the 1 1/2 tsp raw honey, vanilla or chocolate and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until combined and fluffy.
Carefully remove your tarts from the pans (after they have cooled for about 15-20 minutes) and place them on a plate.
Fill them with the coconut cream and top with your washed and dried berries and other toppings.
It is best to place your mixing bowl and the whisk attachment in your freezer ahead of time, you can leave it in there for about a half hour or more.
If you forget to chill your coconut milk, put it in your freezer for about a half hour or so and this may help, I have done this in the past and it has worked.
Ensure that your berries are washed and then dried, because if they are wet, they will bleed onto your coconut cream filling and just wont look as pretty.
Let me know if you try these mini berry tarts and tag me in a picture on Instagram if you make them, I love seeing your creations!
« Berry Smoothie Bowl With Beets + Giveaway!


text:
Robert Charles Asch (born 1968) is an English Catholic writer, literary critic, and scholar.

Early life
Robert Asch was born in London in 1968, into a family of mixed Canadian- and Austrian Jewish descent. His parents were both opera singers. He was educated at St Paul's School and the University of Toronto.

Career
Along with Joseph Pearce, Asch has been co-editor of the St. Austin Review, a Catholic cultural and literary magazine, since September 2001. He is also the Editor of Saint Austin Press.

Asch was Senior Master and teacher of English and History at Chavagnes International College, France, from its inception in 2002 till 2012. He was recently awarded a Wilbur Research Fellowship at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal for his work towards a new study of the English poet Lionel Johnson.

In July 2022, Asch appeared as a speaker at the 41st Annual Conference of the American Chesterton Society in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ash's lecture was titled "Chesterton and the Jews".

Personal life
Asch is married to the poet Ruth Tyldesley Asch. After several years of living in the post-Velvet Revolution Czech Republic, Asch converted from Reform Judaism to Roman Catholicism, which he has called, "a completion" instead of a rejection of the Jewish religion, in 1996. Asch currently resides with his wife and children at Preston, Lancashire.

Works

Asch, Robert, ed. Lionel Johnson: Poetry and Prose. Saint Austin Press, 2021. ISBN  978-1919673004.

References

External links
Asch discusses his conversion and influences
Saint Austin Review
Saint Austin Press
Chavagnes International College

Converts to Roman Catholicism from Judaism
English Roman Catholics
English Roman Catholic writers
English expatriates in the Czech Republic
English expatriates in France
English Jews
Living people
Roman Catholic writers
Literary critics of English
University of Toronto alumni
People educated at St Paul's School, London
1968 births


text:
ACCEPTED

#### According to
Index Fungorum

#### Published in
Enum. pl. (Kjbenhavn) 2: 186 (1803)

#### Original name
Sclerotium peziziforme Schumach.

### Remarks
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
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Who Needs the Stock Market?
By Matt Bell
In celebration of SMI's 30th anniversary, we're highlighting core beliefs and principles that guide our work. The essential service we offer includes stock market investing strategies, so it may seem obvious that we believe in the stock market. However, especially when the market gets bumpy, as it has this year, it's worth reiterating why we believe so much in the value of the stock market.
On February 19 this year, the S&P 500 closed at an all-time high, only to plummet 1,149 points over the next 16 trading days in a stunning -34% decline. Never before had the market fallen so far so fast. Three days later, it had regained nearly 400 points. By early June, it had zigged and zagged its way back to within 154 points of its February high. But its path was — and still is — highly volatile, with many days of triple-digit point gains and losses.
While the stock market isn't usually this exciting, it isn't for the faint of heart. In fact, to invest in the stock market, it's best to check your heart at the door. But not your brain. If you look at it logically, investing in the stock market makes complete sense.
Nothing grows like stocks
If the stock market were a plant, it wouldn't be a sunflower, reaching ever upward. The market is more like a zucchini plant, growing up, then sideways, with sudden downward swoons thrown in for good measure. Zucchini plants never win beauty contests, but they are productive. Similarly, while the stock market can get ugly, history has shown it to be a long-term builder of wealth.
In fact, the stock market offers most investors their best hope of generating returns that will outpace inflation and taxes. That's the main reason to stick with the stock market through all of its thrilling ups, painful downs, and frustrating sideways moves.
Lessons from history
According to Vanguard, a bond-only portfolio would have generated an average annual return of +5.3% from 1926 to 2018, versus +10.1% for a stock-only portfolio. But these average returns look better than they are. That's because inflation and taxes relentlessly reduce the value of investment dollars. Inflation has averaged roughly 3% per year over many decades. While taxes are variable based on income and other factors, they reduce annual investment returns even further.
If you earn +5.3% from a bond portfolio, but surrender 3% to inflation and another percent or two to taxes, you haven't made nearly as much progress as it first appears. The fact is those bond returns are largely just protecting your buying power, not adding to it.
Only stocks have a long-term track record of significantly outpacing inflation and taxes. Most people need that extra "oomph" to meet their retirement savings needs — very few are able to save so much that merely protecting their buying power is sufficient.
Of course, it's important to recognize that long-term averages are made up of many highs and lows. Since 1945, the stock market has averaged one correction (a decline of 10%-19% from its most recent high) or bear market (a decline of 20% or more) roughly every other year. That makes stock market investing a "two steps forward, one step back" type of dance. And, as the recent past has illustrated, at times the market forces us to take two steps back before letting us take any steps forward.
Managing the risk
Because no one knows how the stock market will perform, it's wise to mitigate that risk by making sure your portfolio is built around your risk tolerance and investing time frame. SMI's two main investing strategies take different approaches to this.
Fund Upgrading is a strategic asset allocation strategy. In essence, that means you will usually maintain some exposure to the stock market and that your biggest strategic decision is how much of your portfolio to allocate to stocks and how much to bonds. (Since 2018, Fund Upgrading has incorporated protocols that can move us out of stocks when the market is trending significantly lower.) That stock/bond choice is guided partly by the results of a risk tolerance questionnaire but mostly by your investing time frame. The younger you are (i.e., the longer your time frame), the more risk you can afford to take. While a stock-heavy portfolio will be more volatile, its long-term rate of return would be expected to be higher than that of a bond-heavy portfolio.
While many investors might prefer to avoid the volatility of stocks, most can't afford to choose all bond-type investments. If they did, they'd miss out on the gains necessary to outpace inflation and taxes.
Our May 2019 cover article, The Crucial Role of Diversification in Reducing Risk, demonstrated how asset allocation affects returns and volatility. It compared seven mutual fund portfolios, starting with a portfolio that invested only in the stocks of small-growth companies. Over a 30-year time period, that portfolio generated impressive +10.2% average annual returns. However, those returns came at a high cost: the volatility of this portfolio was 38% higher than the stock market as a whole.
Each subsequent portfolio was increasingly more diversified, with the final one spreading its investments across funds in five stock-based asset classes while also including bonds and some inflation hedges such as gold and real estate. This portfolio generated still-impressive average annual returns of +8.7%, but with volatility 18% lower than the stock market.
SMI's other main investment strategy, Dynamic Asset Allocation (DAA), is a tactical asset allocation strategy. Instead of maintaining a stock/bond allocation as Fund Upgrading does, DAA monitors the momentum of six asset classes (U.S. stocks, foreign stocks, real estate, bonds, gold, and cash), keeping you invested in the three showing the highest momentum. It is a more defensive strategy than Fund Upgrading, with the ability to more quickly move out of harm's way in a downturn. In a rising market, it would be expected to underperform Fund Upgrading, as it never is invested more than two-thirds in stocks.
However, depending on how the overall market performs, DAA's defensive capabilities can help it generate impressive gains — even outpacing Fund Upgrading at times. From 2000 to 2019, the U.S. stock market generated an average annual return of +6.4%, while DAA would have generated an average annual return of +10.1%. That's largely because there were two big bear markets over those 20 years. When the market was generating double-digit losses, DAA was generating small gains.
Because of the unpredictability of the market and the very different designs of Fund Upgrading and Dynamic Asset Allocation, SMI believes most investors would benefit by taking a blended strategy approach, such as what we simply refer to as "50/40/10." This portfolio consists of 50% DAA, 40% Fund Upgrading, and 10% Sector Rotation (our highest risk/highest potential reward strategy). Our research indicates that 50/40/10 offers an unusually attractive combination of superior returns and relatively low volatility.
Sticking with the stock market
So, who needs the stock market? Most investors. Typically only the oldest and most conservative investors should consider a 100% bond portfolio. If your financial situation allows you to eliminate the volatility of stocks and invest only in bonds, great! There's no point in taking more risk than necessary. But for everyone else, including most retirees, SMI recommends at least some exposure to the stock market.
Assuming you've implemented an investment strategy based on a careful consideration of your risk tolerance and investing time frame, and assuming you're willing to stick with your strategy even when the market gets ugly, maintaining some exposure to the stock market remains your best hope of generating the investment returns you'll need to achieve your financial goals.
Matt Bell
Matt Bell is Sound Mind Investing's Managing Editor. He is the author of five biblical money management books and the teacher or co-teacher on three video-based small group resources. His latest book, Trusted: Preparing Your Kids for a Lifetime of God-Honoring Money Management, will be published by Focus on the Family and its publishing partner, Tyndale House, in April 2023. Matt has spoken at churches, universities, and conferences throughout the country and has been quoted in USA TODAY, U.S. News & World Report, and many other media outlets.
Higher Returns With Less Risk, Re-Examined
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As we discussed in previous example JSF can resolve view based on what managed bean method returns but what if two or more managed bean methods returns the same view. To resolve such view requests JSF provides the from action navigation facility. We have to put the entries of view pages into faces-config.xml file with from action attributes.
In this example we have two links Test and Welcome. When clicked both links returns the same string "success". JSF framework resolve this situation with the help of the from-action rule. The from-action matches the bean and method first and then look at the from-outcome. The to-view-id from matching case is the return navigation string. Let we click the Test link. The displayTestPage() action returns the "success" string. JSF framework looks at the navigation rules and return test.xhtml value.


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MSTCN is a registered charity providing services, information and support to all those affected by a long term neurological condition.
Music Mirrors: toolkits of sound and music for memory.


The grounds surrounding the historic Hexenagger Castle, situated in the village of Hexenagger in Bavaria Germany, bustle with life during the romantic Christmas Markets an annual event which attracts crowds by the hundreds.
The Hexenagger Castle was first mentioned in the history books in the year 982 as a knights (or hunters) castle. The royal family Weidenbach who've occupied the castle since 1834, hold several events during the year.
For four weeks before christmas, the Hexenagger Castle hosts the annual Romantic Christmas Markets each weekend beginning on the Friday and finishing up on the Sunday evening. The idea is based along the Advents calender or the 12 days of Christmas.
Photo of the beautiful lights at the Hexenagger Castle during the romantic christmas markets, Bavaria, Germany.
Night christmas lights at the Christmas Markets at the Hexenagger Castle, Hexenagger, Bavaria, Germany, Europe.
I photographed this photo with the digital SLR camera model Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II, aperture of f/8.0, exposure time of 13/1 sec. on ISO 50, as always I used a original Canon Lens, the focus lenght for this picture was 24mm.


The 34th America's Cup officially kicks off in San Francisco, California, this week with the opening ceremony taking place July 4.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will open the new America's Cup Park at Piers 27/29 on San Francisco Bay to the public. The site includes a pavilion with 9,000-seat stadium, which will host the opening ceremony featuring the four remaining America's Cup teams - Defender Oracle Team USA and Challengers Artemis Racing, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Challenge - and cultural performances from each of the countries, the USA, Sweden, New Zealand and Italy. The evening will culminate with a Fourth of July fireworks display.
On July 5, a fleet parade will take off from Pier 14 and head to the America's Cup Park, after which the AC72 yachts will participate in time trials on the America's Cup course. All of this is a preamble to the start of Louis Vuitton Cup, America's Cup Challenger Series, which begins on July 7 and is scheduled through September 1. The 30th Louis Vuitton Cup will determine which Challenger team will race the Defender in the America's Cup Finals. The Louis Vuitton Cup can be quite telling - in the last 30 years, the winner has gone on to claim the America's Cup seven times.
Brand new to the America's Cup this year and primed to make its own history is the America's Cup Superyacht Regatta, organised by Boat International Media in collaboration with the America's Cup organisers. The AC Superyacht Regatta will comprise three days of superyacht racing action taking place on and around San Francisco Bay during the lay days of the America's Cup on September 9, 11 and 13. Sailing superyachts that book a berth to attend and watch the America's Cup can enter the Superyacht Regatta at no additional charge - other yachts may participate as well for a fee. Among the entries for the Superyacht Regatta are the 55m Vitters-built ketch Adele and the Pendennis-built 55.5m schooner Adela, which should make for some interesting competition.
Motor superyachts are not left out of the fun - they will be able to watch both the America's Cup and the AC Superyacht Regatta racing action from course-side moorings. And all superyacht owners and their guests will enjoy a first-class social progamme including a welcome party held at an exclusive private residence in San Francisco, a Michelin-starred dinner for yacht owners in Napa Valley hosted by the Far Niente winery and a end of regatta party at the St Francis Yacht Club.


text:
15-year-old London bus attacker was ordered to attend training on diversity
The teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was handed a youth referral order at Highbury Corner Youth Court. The boy admitted verbal...
One of the London bus attackers avoids prison
A 16-year-old boy who admitted to targeting a same-sex couple in the homophobic London bus attack got a referral order. Three of the teenagers,...
One of London's most iconic gay bars could return
Black Cap was a center of LGBT nightlife in North London before the owners decided to close its doors 4 years ago, putting luxury...
Same-sex couple attacked on London bus reveal terrible details testifying in...
Punched in the face, coins chucked at them and subjected to sexual gestures – the two victims of the homophobic hate crime committed by...
Three teenage boys plead guilty to attacking lesbians in the London...
Three teenage boys have pleaded guilty to threatening a same-sex couple on a bus after they refused to kiss in front of them. Melania...
Drag queen was mugged by a gang in London Gay Village
After grabbing a snack at a mini-mart in London's gay district, a drag queen was attacked by a group of 3, who also allegedly...
Straight man says gay bar in Soho turned it into a...
The Admiral Duncan, one of the oldest and best-known LGBT+ pubs in Soho, shared a complaint they have recently received from a man who...
Pride in London announced major changes
Pride in London is consulting on whether to ban LGBT+ groups from arms manufacturers and fossil fuel companies from the parade, whether to ban...
Cher performed in London for the first time in 15 years
The gay icon hit the stage of the London O2 arena wearing a blue wig and a shiny toga of the same color. She...
The creators of the first lesbian festival in London urge not...
This celebration of lesbian culture – curated by the powerhouses behind two queer collectives, BBZ and Pxssy Palace – includes a night of erotic...
Shawn Mendes congratulated his songwriter with transition
Pride flag mural is defaced in New York school
Man charged with sex assault because of hiding his HIV status
High school basketball team tackles hate with T-shirts
Scotland is to pardon gays
Chechen gay prison changed location
Man finds his brother thrown away from home for being gay
Uber driver kicked out a gay couple for kissing


text:
package views.html.game

import play.api.i18n.Lang

import lila.api.Context
import lila.app.templating.Environment._
import lila.app.ui.ScalatagsTemplate._
import lila.game.{ Game, Pov }
import lila.rating.PerfType.Correspondence

import controllers.routes

object bits {

  def gameIcon(game: Game): Char =
    game.perfType match {
      case _ if game.fromPosition         => ''
      case _ if game.imported             => ''
      case Some(p) if game.variant.exotic => p.iconChar
      case _ if game.hasAi                => ''
      case Some(p)                        => p.iconChar
      case _                              => ''
    }

  def sides(
      pov: Pov,
      initialFen: Option[chess.format.FEN],
      tour: Option[lila.tournament.TourAndTeamVs],
      cross: Option[lila.game.Crosstable.WithMatchup],
      simul: Option[lila.simul.Simul],
      userTv: Option[lila.user.User] = None,
      bookmarked: Boolean
  )(implicit ctx: Context) =
    div(
      side.meta(pov, initialFen, tour, simul, userTv, bookmarked = bookmarked),
      cross.map { c =>
        div(cls := "crosstable")(crosstable(ctx.userId.fold(c)(c.fromPov), pov.gameId.some))
      }
    )

  def variantLink(
      variant: chess.variant.Variant,
      perfType: Option[lila.rating.PerfType] = None,
      initialFen: Option[chess.format.FEN] = None,
      shortName: Boolean = false
  )(implicit lang: Lang): Frag = {
    def link(
        href: String,
        title: String,
        name: String
    ) = a(
      cls := "variant-link",
      st.href := href,
      targetBlank,
      st.title := title
    )(name)

    if (variant.exotic)
      link(
        href = (variant match {
          case chess.variant.FromPosition =>
            s"""${routes.Editor.index}?fen=${initialFen.??(_.value.replace(' ', '_'))}"""
          case v => routes.Page.variant(v.key).url
        }),
        title = variant.title,
        name = (if (shortName && variant == chess.variant.KingOfTheHill) variant.shortName
                else variant.name).toUpperCase
      )
    else
      perfType match {
        case Some(Correspondence) =>
          link(
            href = s"${routes.Main.faq}#correspondence",
            title = Correspondence.desc,
            name = Correspondence.trans
          )
        case Some(pt) => span(title := pt.desc)(pt.trans)
        case _        => variant.name.toUpperCase
      }
  }
}


Sexyhanna92 . ZoeFaith. EdanJamal. PostOpIngrid.
AmandasanzBabyLooveAmmelieloveeEllieKhan .LUNANDMIKEXSexualSeductionsweets4uxxBIGHOTX .HadesZuluagaHotOnBigLoadChristineBellaexcitinnngcouple .StacyFeelSaraLinnXa0LovableTwinkYummyMermaid .MarsBoyTastyAss4YOUMarsBoyJustBetweenUs .AmiRoseNatalieHartTheLittleGe00SexyBBW .AlexaJohnssonn69SexyMonnieWildsexgabriel08EdanJamal .jessie00SwitchySlut4UCollegeStarBBDanielaChellers .HotDevil22EmilianoCubMarsBoyNatalieHart .69SexyMonnietim202NatalieHartCollegeStarBB .LilyofthewaterOnBigLoadPostOpIngrid2doublesquirt .
HotDevil22SaarahPaullMadoneDjeinXMagicalJasmine .ChristineBellaEvelynRojasCraveSatisfiedEmmaSquirtXX .WILDasianSEXTRIPNIKOLPinkWildsexgabriel08TastyAss4YOU .NicolleBellAriaGraycumliker18adrienferrer .HelloSweetSwitchySlut4UEmilianoCubjessie00 .YummyMermaidXXKANDYHOTSexxySarrahXXKANDYHOT .NatalieHartextremeboy4ujessie00EvelynRojas .littANDbigtooltarathad1PrettyValeryRaymond4you .CUMMINGSOONbigLUNANDMIKERondersWAYNERCOCK .CUMMINGSOONbigAzianBabeSaraLinnXa0LovableTwink .XSexualSeductiontim20200SexyBBWRonders .


Editorial published in the Detroit Free Press by Michael Shpunt, Research Director at Michigan Citizen Action.
Every year, thousands of sports and music fans in Michigan engage in a practice that many likely don't know is illegal: buying and selling tickets above face value.
It's a law that is largely ignored and does little to protect consumers, which is why lawmakers need to pass House Bill 5108. This bill would bring Michigan in line with the majority of the country by repealing the state's ban on selling a ticket for higher than face value, ultimately allowing consumers to buy and sell event tickets on a fair and open market at any price they choose.
Talk about kicking someone when she's down: A woman who lost her job when the AJ Wright distribution center in South Bend shut down was told her unemployment benefits will be trimmed by more than 10 percent, thanks to the mindless federal budget cut known as the "sequester." Meanwhile, major corporations continue to get huge tax subsidies from Washington to ship jobs overseas.
This indiscriminate, across-the-board reduction in federal spending has also denied cancer treatment to seniors, stopped Meals on Wheels deliveries, imperiled education for our youths, and is projected to have cost our country 1.6 million jobs by this time next year, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
It seems like we are in an endless cycle of fiscal emergencies in the United States.
To be clear, much of this fiscal nightmare is the fault of a Congress where the right-wing thinks the sequester and cutting government blindly is a good idea, and are unwilling to find any new money, even by asking the wealthy and large corporations to pay their fair share.
We could eliminate much of our fiscal mess by simply eliminating tax loopholes that allow corporations like GE and Apple to avoid paying taxes.
One of the casualties of the presidential campaign could be the potential for a constructive look at Medicare.
Both candidates are busily assailing the other's ideas for controlling Medicare costs, essentially as a way to scare up votes from seniors.
The Romney-Ryan ticket says President Barack Obama's health reform changes to Medicare will cut $700 billion from the program. Obama says Rep. Paul Ryan's budget turns Medicare into a voucher system that will leave seniors short when it comes to covering medical costs.
For the record, Obama's criticisms are closer to the mark, and Romney and Ryan are talking absurdities. The president's health reforms extract savings from Medicare mostly by cutting reimbursements to hospitals and from the Medicare Advantage program.
Michigan Citizen Action (MCA) is a membership based organization that strongly believes that "liberty and justice for all" is a uniquely compelling, American ideal. In order for this ideal to have broad credibility, all Michigan citizens must participate in the formation of public policy at the local, state, and national levels.


How to write for Slate.
Enter the third Slate pitch slam.
Our editors, awaiting your pitches.
Slate Plus members! It's that time of year when we invite you to pitch stories you'd like to write for Slate.
• Check out this guide to pitching Slate.
• Foreground the argument you want to make, not just the topic you want to tackle.
• Use your pitch to demonstrate that you can write something we'll enjoy reading.
• Google your idea to make sure that other publications (or writers for Slate) haven't done it already.
• Look through the ideas and advice offered in our first and second pitch slams.
• Learn from previous winners Diana Martinez, Haley Swenson, and Steve Kraus.
Wait, what if I'm not a Slate Plus member?
Everyone is welcome to pitch Slate. Send pitches by email to pitchslate@slate.com, or refer to this guide for editors' names, email addresses, and subject areas.
The pitch slam is an opportunity for members to interact with Slate's editors, to refine their pitches, and to vote for their favorite ideas—and a way for us to learn about Slate Plus members.
Good luck, and thanks for helping us make Slate.
Join Slate Plus to join the pitch slam!
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And that's only the beginning. Membership is just $35 for your first year and helps support Slate's journalism. Join today!
Jeopardy!'s Latest Champion Isn't Just Winning the Game. He's Changing It.


text:
MD Menu
MD Home
Barley426
Application cycles: 07/31/2012
Demographics: Male, 34, Caucasian
Home state: Florida
Last Active: 04/26/2013
Brief Profile: Current biomedical sciences graduate student, first time applying to medical school
// Applications //
Application Cycle One: 07/31/2012
Undergraduate college: University of South Florida
Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences
Institution: University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Area of Study: Biological/Life Sciences
Total MCAT SCORE: 520
MCAT Section Scores: B/B 130, C/P 129, CARS 130
Detailed Breakdown
Overall GPA: 3.43
Science GPA: 3.21
Application Complete
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
Secondary Completed: 09/18/2012
Interview Invite: No
Interview Attended: No
Waitlisted: No
Accepted: No
Rejected: No
View School >
Application Complete, Rejected
Rejected: 01/06/2013
Summary of Experience: Surprised at the outright rejection, but I had no real ambition of going here. Merely entered it in as a safety school, knowing I was probably wasting my money. I meant to withdraw after getting my in-state acceptances but hadn't gotten around to it, I suppose my late submission and haphazard secondary must have shown my view of the school.
Summary of Experience: I kept my application to see what they would say but I had no intentions of going here after I got an in state acceptance. They finally wrote me an email saying they weren't going to interview me, I thanked them for at least updating students about these things.
Application Complete, Withdrew
Attended Interview, Waitlisted
Combined PhD/MSTP: Yes
Interview Invite: 10/16/2012
Interview Attended: 12/06/2012
Waitlisted: 01/16/2013
Summary of Experience: MD/PhD program
Accepted: 11/27/2012
Summary of Experience: FIU's interview went very well, they seem to really care about their student's well being. The overall campus was very impressive, I had no idea it was that big with so many amenities.
They accepted me via email, and called later to make sure I got the email. It was my first acceptance, and I was surprised it came via email.
Update: This is the school I will matriculate to as they offered me a full tuition scholarship.
Interview Attended: Yes
Summary of Experience: I graduated with my bachelors from USF, so I was happy to get the interview invite so soon after completion.
I was very happy with my interview day, and feel that my two interviews went extremely well. Facilities are great and all the students and staff were impressively happy.
I was accepted via phone early morning 11/30. I was happy to hear back from them, although it was a little later then they had originally said they would be in contact, this was apparently because of an AAMC conference and then thanksgiving.
I ended up withdrawing my acceptance here after deciding to take the full scholarship offer at FIU among other personal reasons.
Summary of Experience: UCF's interview was amazing, they really know how to put together an interview day. It started really early but it was because they wanted to show us a lot. The interviews were first after a quick orientation, and then they proceeded to take us to celebration hospital where we got to watch a robotic surgery in person and then each of us got to practice on the da vinci trainers. The tour of the medical campus was impressive, they have amazing amenities for their students and overall it was very impressive.
I ended up withdrawing my acceptance here after deciding to take the full scholarship offer at FIU among other personal reasons. REL contacted me and tried to convince me to stay at UCF which I thought was a real nice gesture, although I did withdraw afterall.
× Wait!
Are you sure you want to delete this application cycle? This will remove all application data and cannot be undone.
Yes Delete Application Cycle
Are you sure you want to delete this school? This will remove all application data and cannot be undone.
Yes Delete School
Barley426 took the old MCAT and scored a 37 which is in the 98th percentile of all old scores. We converted this to a 520 on the updated scale which is in the 98th percentile of the updated MCAT. We also converted Barley426's section scores as follows:
Barley426 scored a 13 on the Biological Science section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 130 on the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems.
Barley426 scored a 12 on the Physical Science section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 129 on the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems.
Barley426 scored a 12 on the Verbal Reasoning section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 130 on the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills.


text:
import RegistryAuthenticationToken from "azure-pipelines-tasks-docker-common-v2/registryauthenticationprovider/registryauthenticationtoken";
import ContainerConnection from "azure-pipelines-tasks-docker-common-v2/containerconnection";
import { getDockerRegistryEndpointAuthenticationToken } from "azure-pipelines-tasks-docker-common-v2/registryauthenticationprovider/registryauthenticationtoken";
import * as dockerCommandUtils from "azure-pipelines-tasks-docker-common-v2/dockercommandutils";

export class ContainerRegistry {
    constructor(registryConnection: string) {
        let registryAuthenticationToken: RegistryAuthenticationToken = getDockerRegistryEndpointAuthenticationToken(registryConnection);
        this.connection = new ContainerConnection();
        this.connection.open(null, registryAuthenticationToken, true, false);
    }

    public getQualifiedImageName(repository: string, tag: string){
        return `${this.connection.getQualifiedImageName(repository, true)}:${tag}`
    }

    public async pull(repository: string, tag: string): Promise<any> {
        return new Promise<any>((resolve, reject) => {
            try {
                const imageName = this.getQualifiedImageName(repository, tag);
                dockerCommandUtils.command(this.connection, "pull", imageName, (output: any) => {
                    resolve(output);
                })
            } catch (error) {
                reject(error);
            }
        });
    }

    private connection: ContainerConnection;
}