Have you ever made your own croutons? Yeah, me either. Until a few weeks ago when I had half a loaf of french bread sitting on my counter and needing to used up asap. Homemade croutons immediately popped into my head. Why not? How hard could they be?
I will be the first to say how easy these are to make, literally just 15 minutes total of my time, while I was preparing dinner even. I don't normally buy croutons in the store but I can guarantee these are so much better! They were the perfect topping for my salad, which was full of fresh veggies from our farm share.
So next time you've got some stale bread sitting around, you've got to promise you'll try these. Seriously they're so good! Even the girls were caught sneaking some from the pan just to munch on.
Mix together seasonings in a small bowl and set aside. Melt butter in the microwave and then combine with the olive oil. Place bread cubes in a large bowl and drizzle melted mixture over bread evenly. Using your hands, toss the bread cubes until everything is coated. Sprinkle in herbs and toss again using hands.
Spread bread cubes in a single layer onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Use a spatula to stir croutons a bit and then bake an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool just a bit and then serve with salad. Store any extras in an airtight container.
Love homemade croutons! They are the perfect addition to any salad!
I make garlic croutons when we have split pea soup. I melt 4 T. butter in a large frying pan, add garlic, and dump the bread cubes into with it, stirring until I get the butter distributed fairly evenly. Then I cook until crispy and brown, stirring to keep from burning . . .
I want to try your recipe! I'll bet the onion powder and oregano would be good! Less butter maybe. Baking them should free me up to get the rest of the meal together!
Even the kids loved pea soup when it was topped by a good pile of crispy croutons!


How long is the Blackwater & Nottoway?
Where is the best fishing in the rivers?
How can I find out about current river conditions?
I read in the RiverGuard Report that you use Silver Buddies a lot, why?
Game & Inland Fisheries Code Of Va.
Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia, Inc.


text:
Supernatural, Superman (Stull)
Christopher Reeve as a conflicted Clark Kent in "Superman: The Movie."
Andrew W. Griffin | September 8, 2017
OKLAHOMA CITY – While watching Superman: The Movie (1978) on the morning of Labor Day, along with members of my family, I was also on my smartphone, scrolling through Twitter, looking for comments being made about Twin Peaks: The Return, which had concluded with the series finale the night before.
Interestingly, the reason I thought to watch Superman was because I was in the middle of reading Alvin Schwartz's fascinating autobiography An Unlikely Prophet, where the one-time Superman and Batman cartoon writer (1940's-50's era) is tracked down by a Tibetan tulpa who tells him that he has unwittingly created a Superman tulpa of his own. (I should note that the notion of tulpas has entered the popular consciousness in a way I did not fully understand - at least until today.
And in the past 24 hours or so, a friend of mine suggested that President Donald Trump, with his uncle's links to the papers of Nikola Tesla, seized by FBI agents after Tesla's death in 1943, is a tulpa himself, having been created in that spooky, 1945-46 time period. That's one I'm gonna let just hang out there ... ).
We were at the point in the movie where Superman (Christopher Reeve) has a date with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) and he takes her flying over Metropolis, at night. Of course she has a scheduled date with Clark Kent as well, but this experience with Superman is just blowing Lois's mind.
Soon after Superman takes off, Clark knocks on Lois's apartment door and the dazed Daily Planet reporter answers it. Clark reminds her of their date and Lois goes to her room for a moment. It is that moment where Clark is standing in front of a mirror and the camera is focusing on that position, showing Lois's bedroom door, I looked at the TV screen and then down at my smartphone screen and realize I am looking at the very same image on BOTH screens.
I was shocked. The Tweet essentially said, with an accompanying GIF of this particular scene: "It's like that time Clark Kent debated on whether he was going to tell Lois Lane that he was really Superman." I was too stunned by the synchronistic nature of the event to pay much attention to the context of the Tweet. Still, it was eerie, particularly in light of how Superman writer Schwartz and his tale of tulpas is what led me to re-watch that Superman film once again.
Then there is the notion of "the double." The doppelganger. Esoteric ideas addressed in the Twin Peaks universe. Portals to other dimensions. The mirrors placed throughout Twin Peaks, as when we see in the final episode of Season 2, Dale Cooper smashing his forehead against the mirror, shattering it, but revealing the demonic face of BOB.
On June 5, 2017, here at Dust Devil Dreams, I wrote "bOWLing Green (Life-changing jackpots)" about the esoteric significance of August 14th, my birthday, which is also allegedly the "day of the mortal mirror." Those born of that day are said to be "observant, honest, funny, self-unaware, escapist and disturbing." Mmm, yep.
LAND OF AHHHH'S
While waiting on my companion outside a popular, local grocery store, I noticed a pick-up truck idling out front. But what got my attention was that it had a Kansas license plate on the front of the pick-up.
Being from Wichita, Kansas (and Sedgwick County - as the "SG" on the plate denotes), I know full-well that Kansas only issues license plates for the rear of a vehicle, not the front (except for some speciality plates). I walked over to the guy's driver's side window and got him to roll it down. He asked how he could help me and I said, "Are you from Kansas?" He said, "no." I inquired about the front plate KAZ 2Y5 and he sheepishly admitted (as his female companion chuckled) that he and a friend are fans of the CW show Supernatural, and the characters in the show are from Kansas.
Essentially, the man's plate was a copy of a prop plate used on Supernatural on the series' protagonists' 1967 Chevrolet Impala. Apparently the characters, Sam and Dean Winchester, drive around, a'la Route 66, and get involved in paranormal hunting - specifically, the hunting of evil, supernatural creatures. Supposedly, though, the Winchester brothers are from Lawrence, Kansas (home of the University of Kansas), which is in Douglas County, which is denoted on Kansas license plates as "DG."
I never watched Supernatural (assuming it was pretty-boy, teenybopper fluff), although I have since discovered it has been on the air since September 12, 2005 - premiering 12 years ago next week, making it one of the longest-running live action fantasy series in TV history. Interestingly, Superman's Clark Kent grows up in Smallville, Kansas. And in the 2001-11 series Smallville, Christopher Reeve appears in several episodes and the actor Jensen Ackles (a non-denominational Christian) appears in Smallville, although he left to commit to his role as Supernatural's Dean Winchester.
In any event, I guess I have a lot of catching up to do. Oh, and regarding my mention of the old Route 66 series (which was weird in its own right), I was last in Kansas on August 21st for the "Great American Solar Eclipse of 2017." While I spent most of my time in NE Oklahoma and SW Missouri, I did find myself briefly in Baxter Springs, Kansas on Route 66, not far from the "Rainbow Bridge" and grabbing lunch at Sonic.
The Kansas state line sign at Baxter Springs - in that "Tri-State" nexus of weirdness. (Andrew W. Griffin / Red Dirt Report)
This is a very weird area where I observed the eclipse. It is known for the Spook Light. And so I watched the eclipse on the so-called "Spook Light" road which is technically in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. No one knows what causes the Spook Light, although many have tried to debunk its existence.
Apparently, a big part of the Supernatural storyline involves a showdown between the Archangels Michael and Lucifer in the Stull, Kansas cemetery in Season 5. Stull, really? I knew that it was that weird little town near Lawrence that had some freaky cemetery that was said to be a "portal to hell." It was also the name of an Urge Overkill EP released back in 1992 that featured their cover of Neil Diamond's "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon," featured on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack ("The tyranny of evil men").
The Urge Overkill's Stull EP, from 1992. (Andrew W. Griffin / Red Dirt Report)
Oh, and apparently there is a demon named "Crowley" in Supernatural (the Season 13 premieres on October 12th, oddly enough) and he appeared in the Season 11 episode "The Devil in the Details" which involved scenes at the Stull cemetery, a location expected to reappear whenever the final showdown between good and evil takes place. In the meantime, I guess they haven't run out of ideas ...
Stull is a little west of the 94 degrees west longitude line, but is in its vicinity of Kansas City, Topeka and Lawrence, which were in the 1983 nuke-scare film The Day After (which Louis Fowler wrote about here) and not far from the town of Lecompton, where the man who owned the land where the creepy, haunted Stull church was located lived. Lecompton was one of the towns I visited in early 2008 while on my tour of eastern Kansas retracing the steps of abolitionist John Brown.
As I wrote at the time: "Also visited the former Kansas Territorial capital and pro-slavery stronghold of Lecompton, between Topeka and Lawrence. The museum there was chock full of items, although Brown visited only once to check on his incarcerated sons one night." Lots of history in this area. It was key in those years prior to, during and after the American Civil War.
Superman and Smallville and Stull and sync. Lots of "s" words for one afternoon.
Yolk's on you
Superior force
Pain - and fear - lies on the riverside
Hoop dreams
Alvin Schwartz and his tulpa: "An Unlikely Prophet" an unexpected and imaginative autobiography
A "corps of spirits" led Stilwell away from Galveston, prior to "Great Storm"
FOWLER'S FLIX 08.28.17: LIFE GOES ON
Solar eclipses and spook lights
bOWLing Green (life-changing jackpots)
Corazón de oro
"Superman, where are you now?"
The tyranny of evil men
Otisburg
Sunshine supermen

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Music. played or sung at a high pitch.
emotionally intense: a high-pitched argument.
(of a roof) having an almost vertical slope; steep.
Cadets mimicked his commands, which he issued in drawn-out syllables in his high-pitched, mountain-inflected voice.
She added in the high-pitched, over-enunciated voice, like she was alternating between sucking on helium and a bong.
Disappointed and frustrated, the men make angry, high-pitched appeals towards you, but they leave nonetheless.
For anyone younger watching her on this strange, high-pitched daily basis, The View should not be what she is remembered for.
Its grand proportions, its high-pitched roof and pendants, display the art of the woodcarver in great excellence.
To-day all through the tree-tops I heard the high-pitched tiny notes of that tiny bird, the golden-crowned kinglet.
Jonas' drawling, nasal, high-pitched sarcasm reached Mazarine's ears and stung him.
The hut had a high-pitched roof thatched with reeds or straw and low eaves reaching almost to the ground.
Hounds gave tongue again with high-pitched notes of excitement as of children playing.


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text:
Caring for Health Winter 2018
Past newsletters (PDF)
Spring - English (699 KB) (opens in new window)
Winter - English (1.96 MB) (opens in new window)
Fall - English (205 KB) (opens in new window)
Winter - English (199 KB) (opens in new window)
Spring - English (1.29 MB) (opens in new window)
Summer - English (2 MB) (opens in new window)
Winter - English (2 MB) (opens in new window)
Summer - English (2.81 MB) (opens in new window)
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Humana is proud to be an affiliated member of the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC). The NAC is a non-profit coalition of national organizations focusing on advancing and supporting family caregiving. We hold a shared belief with the NAC that improving the lives of friend and family caregivers is a priority and wholly achievable through research, innovation and advocacy.


The Wichita Airport Authority and the Mid-America Minority Business Development Council (MAMBDC) are hosting the Airport Improvement Program Contractor Forum for firms interested in upcoming work at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport and Colonel James Jabara Airport. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow, April 22, at the Hilton Wichita Airport Executive Conference Center, 2098 S. Airport Road. Online registration is available at: www.mambdc.org. There is no cost to attend the forum.


text:
Гріндейл () — місто () в США, в окрузі Дірборн штату Індіана. Населення —  осіб (2010).

Географія
Гріндейл розташований за координатами  (39.147574, -84.829835).  За даними Бюро перепису населення США в 2010 році місто мало площу 14,99 км², з яких 14,80 км² — суходіл та 0,19 км² — водойми.

Демографія

Згідно з переписом 2010 року, у місті мешкало  осіб у  домогосподарствах у складі  родини. Густота населення становила 302 особи/км².  Було 1942 помешкання (130/км²).

Расовий склад населення:

До двох чи більше рас належало 1,8 %. Частка іспаномовних становила 1,6 % від усіх жителів.

За віковим діапазоном населення розподілялося таким чином: 24,4 % — особи молодші 18 років, 60,3 % — особи у віці 18—64 років, 15,3 % — особи у віці 65 років та старші. Медіана віку мешканця становила 40,1 року. На 100 осіб жіночої статі у місті припадало 91,6 чоловіків;  на 100 жінок у віці від 18 років та старших — 88,3 чоловіків також старших 18 років.

Середній дохід на одне домашнє господарство  становив  доларів США (медіана — ), а середній дохід на одну сім'ю —  доларів (медіана — ). Медіана доходів становила  доларів для чоловіків та  долари для жінок. За межею бідності перебувало 8,6 % осіб, у тому числі 10,0 % дітей у віці до 18 років та 6,3 % осіб у віці 65 років та старших.

Цивільне працевлаштоване населення становило  осіб. Основні галузі зайнятості: мистецтво, розваги та відпочинок — 22,9 %, освіта, охорона здоров'я та соціальна допомога — 20,4 %, виробництво — 16,7 %.

Примітки

Джерела

Міста Індіани
Населені пункти округу Дірборн (Індіана)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
UPDATE | Gunfire exchanged between vehicles in Huntington
Shots fired in Huntington
Gunfire exchange in Huntington
By Andrew Colegrove |
Updated: Wed 8:42 PM, Jun 12, 2019
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- UPDATE 6/7/19 @ 10 p.m.
A relaxing Friday afternoon took an unexpected turn in a neighborhood in Huntington.
Huntington Police Chief Hank Dial says witnesses reported people in two vehicles, a black truck and red SUV, shot at each other before driving off in different directions. It happened at 23rd Street and 10th Avenue.
"I heard like 9 shots," Makya Johnson said.
Around 2:30 p.m., neighbors along the 1000 block of 23rd Street heard shots.
"It really scared me a lot," Lyle Sloane said.
Witnesses told Huntington police people in a black vehicle and red SUV started shooting at each other and then took off in opposite directions.
"It's the first time I've ever seen anything like it," Sloane said. "Now that I've witnessed something like this, I'll probably be a little more skeptical coming out and just sitting outside on the porch alone."
Police say nobody in the neighborhood was hit by any stray bullets. Officers found shell casings in the area.
"This violence, whatever is going on, needs to stop," Johnson said.
Johnson and her five kids were home at the time of the shooting. She has a plea for those involved.
"Can you all please stop doing this?" Johnson said. "We've got babies out here. This is getting out of hand. Our babies are more important than you all fighting and beefing over little petty stuff. You all need to squash it, be a man, and come to a conclusion of doing something better than what you're doing, because this is ridiculous."
Huntington police are still looking for the suspect vehicles in question.
Huntington police on Friday responded to a call of an exchange of gunfire at 23rd Street and 10th Avenue.
Chief Hank Dial says witnesses reported people in two vehicles, a black truck and red SUV, shot at each other before driving off in different directions. It happened around 2:30 Friday afternoon.
The chief says there are no victims.
Police are looking for the vehicles in question.
Neighbors say they heard as many as eight shots.
One neighbor says it's a huge relief no stray bullets hit anyone, especially children who often play outside in the area around the time of the shooting.
Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest information.


Definition - What does The Shoulder Stand Position mean?
The shoulder stand position is a reasonably challenging position in which the penetrating partner holds the receiving partner up during penetration. To get into this position, the receiving partner lies on their back and the penetrating partner kneels in front. The receiving partner wraps their legs around the waist of the penetrating partner. The penetrating partner lifts the receiving partner up to enter them. The penetrating partner lifts the receiving partner up and supports them by placing an arm under the receiving partner's back. The receiving partner shifts their weight to be supported by their shoulders.
To enhance the position, the receiving partner can arch their back to make it more likely that the penetrating partner. The downside to this position is that the penetrating partner might get too fatigued to continue to hold the weight of the receiving partner for an extended period of time.


text:
Eric Garner's Killer Will Not Be Charged.
I'd call this deja vu, but it's probably more accurate to just call it "being black in America".
A Staten Island grand jury has voted not to bring criminal charges in the death of Eric Garner, a black man who died after being placed in a chokehold by a white police officer.
The decision was reached on Wednesday after months of testimony including from the officer who used the chokehold, Daniel Pantaleo. Mr. Garner died after the violent confrontation. The grand jury reached its decision less than two weeks after a grand jury in Ferguson, Mo., declined to bring charges against a white officer who fatally shot an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown.
For days, the New York Police Department has been readying for a new round of protests, which began in the city after the Ferguson decision and were expected to continue and possibly grow if the grand jury declined to bring charges against the officer.
Jonathan C. Moore, a lawyer for the Garner family, said they hoped that federal prosecutors would continue to examine the case, and he urged people upset by the decision to voice their dismay, but to do so peacefully.
The grand jury, impanelled by District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan Jr. in September, has weighed evidence – including a video recorded by bystanders of Mr. Garner's violent arrest – and heard testimony from the officers involved.
Grand juries determine whether enough evidence exists for a case to go forward to a criminal trial, either before a jury or a judge. By law, they operate in secret and hear only evidence presented by prosecutors, who also instruct the grand jurors on the law. Defense lawyers are barred from speaking. For a decision, 12 jurors who have heard all the evidence must agree.
An indictment was considered only against Officer Pantaleo, who testified last, on Nov. 21, his lawyer, Stuart London, said. The other officers received immunity, he said.
How many more brothers need to be killed by cops before something, anything, happens?
Tags Popped: That Sh*t Is Racist, The Evil That Men Do


text:
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text:
Google's Napoleonic Complex
Is the ghost of Napoleon walking the corridors of the Googleplex?
By Jeffrey S. Young for Technicon | March 22, 2006 -- 18:19 GMT (10:19 PST) | Topic: Google
What is wrong at the world's search darling? Is the ghost of Napoleon walking the corridors of the Googleplex?
A string of pedestrian products continues to belch out of the Googleplex. The latest unnecessary, ill-conceived, and poorly delivered service is the new Google Finance. I'm not going to bother even criticizing this one in its particulars—if you want to read a detailed dissection check out my former Forbes.com partner Dave Churbuck's commentary about it…or read the string of disappointed comments by many others that were collected at Memeorandum.
The details of this particular snooze job don't really matter. The big issue underlying this latest pedestrian effort is deeper: If Google is starting to create and deliver its own content, and will weight its own content to show up higher in search rankings, what does that do to the explicit promise of the company to deliver search results transparently? New but dull, derivative products appear from all sides. Sure there are always those sponsored links, and SEO's (Search Engine Optimizers) who've pored over the fine print have heretofore been able to improve their rankings with some judicious bending/understanding of the rules, but at root we all believed that the search results were scientific and mathematical, and pretty much impervious to "The Fix."
Now comes this slide down the slippery slope of venality. Many on the conservative side of the political spectrum already claimed Google search results were skewed to the left—and Amazon's admissions this week didn't help matters either. With this finance site Google releases a product that promises to deliver a poor simulacrum of financial news, in a way that adds little to what is already available, and will ensure that it ranks way up in the results when you ask for financial news. This is a search engine as publishing platform strategy and very different from the original "blind justice" promise of Google. John Battelle was the first to raise this issue. Is this kosher?
I would argue that it is not. And more importantly, I'd say that it is another example of how the Google Guys have lost their way. (Getting deep into the Hollyweird Scene is another sure sign that they've taken their eyes off the ball.) This is only the latest in a string of marginal products. Goggle's RSS Reader, GMail program, Froogle shopping site, Google News aggregator, and Google Video delivery site are all second rate, me-too products with little to recommend them. Its Picasa photo service, Blogger blogging tools, and Google Talk instant messenger environment are all markedly inferior to competitive products. OK. Google Earth is a pretty cool application, Book Search has possibilities, and Google Scholar actually moves the ball forward in the search world.
Not much of a batting average. The Google Guys figured out a pretty neat way to rank the web (by referenced links), and built the tools to not only deliver search results but also created an interactive ad engine that works very well. So far so good. It was always a little galling that the company turned the traditional publishing model on its ear by paying nothing for the content (displayed in its search results) that it used to get advertisers to pony up money, but that just showed how smart they were.
There's still plenty of headroom in this sector—advertising in its entirety is a $500 billion game and the Internet is getting by on well less than 10% of that spending so far. Investing lots of effort on improving search and advertising could still pay off big. In the tried and tested world of capitalism and commerce, Google should spend lots of its rising revenues extending its lead, all the while making customers more and more delighted with its products, and in the process cementing its market position—an excellent example is Toyota, where cars are still the heart of its business fifty years after it was founded.
But now comes the megalomania. Like Napoleon, who should have focused on shoring up his base in France, the Googlers think they can conquer every corner of the globe. New but dull, derivative products appear from all sides. These are good, but not great, greenlighted perhaps to satisfy the arrogance and egos of lots of suddenly rich, therefore smarter than the rest of us, people; perhaps because Eric Schmidt spent too much time at Sun Microsystems, another company afflicted with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and lots of very smart people that has never been able to figure out what business it is in. In the process search itself languishes, and the company has done little to address either vertical searching (in specific fields like Kosmix), or social networking in search (tagging like Del.icio.us or communities like MySpace and Fickr), or personal search options (finding personalized results then delivering them in innovative ways like Blinkx.)
Instead we get Google Finance, and in the wings, Google Calendar—yet another me too product. Supposedly Napoleon didn't care about talent in his generals, only if they were "lucky." A few more like this, and Google's luck could run out.
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text:
Rays will do their best to make Orioles feel at home in Florida
Written By Marc Lancaster
(Getty Images) https://images.performgroup.com/di/library/omnisport/61/79/tropicana-field_1u3xdrpneu4u7zb3mko2xuprm.jpg?t=256369237&w=500&quality=80
Days after staging a game in an empty ballpark for the first time, MLB will attempt another rarity this weekend: a "neutral" series.
The Orioles and Rays will face off at Tropicana Field beginning Friday night in what is guaranteed to be an unusual atmosphere even by the standards of one of baseball's least aesthetically pleasing environments.
Forced to move a scheduled home series out of Baltimore in the wake of riots and a citywide curfew, the Orioles will be the designated home team in St. Petersburg, wearing whites and batting last. But the Rays will keep their usual clubhouse and spot in the first base dugout.
MORE: Orioles-White Sox game played in empty stadium | Must-see images from that game
The Tropicana Field staff is expected to play Baltimore's signature seventh-inning stretch tune, John Denver's "Thank God I'm a Country Boy," after the usual "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." But players from both teams will have their walk-up music played when they come to bat or take the mound.
And, in perhaps the most conspicuous show of unity, the Oriole Bird mascot will be present along with host Raymond.
Try as it might, there's no way for MLB to make the Orioles feel completely at home at the Trop, but if nothing else Baltimore shouldn't be too bothered by a vociferous "home" crowd. The Rays have the second-lowest average attendance in the majors so far, bringing in just 17,544 per game through 12 dates.
It will be interesting to see if the teams manage to approach that number this weekend after the last-minute schedule change. All tickets will be general admission with only the lower seating bowl open. The Orioles will get all the gate revenue after they reimburse the Rays for the cost of bringing in the 700 game-day employees necessary to handle security, concessions, parking and the like.
In one last attempt to secure a home-leaning crowd, the Orioles sent their spring training season-ticket holders a coupon for $3 off the price of tickets for this weekend. The team trains just down the road in Sarasota.
"There will be certain things that we're not used to," Rays third baseman Evan Longoria said, via the Tampa Bay Times. "But they're going to have to make more changes, so it's going to be a little more difficult for them."


text:
\section{Introduction}
Antiferroelectric (AFE) structure was first predicted by Kittel in 1951. Almost at the same time, PbZrO$_3$ was confirmed to be a perovskite AFE at room temperature. Over the past decades, many antiferroelectric materials are successively found in experiments, such as PbHfO$_3$, AgNbO$_3$, NaNbO$_3$ and so on. AFEs could transform to ferroelectric (FE) state under the external electric field, giving rise to the special double hysteresis loop. Such behavior makes AFEs excellent dielectric energy-storage materials for high-density capacitors. Many works have shown that the energy storage performance of AFE materials is not only determined by the chemical composition but also significantly affected by the domain structures of the materials\cite{xu1995impurity,tan2011antiferroelectric,zhuo2018large,wang2019ultrahigh,qi2019ultrahigh,patel2014enhancing}. For example, it is demonstrated that the field-induced multiphase transition of (Pb$_{0.98}$La$_{0.02}$)(Zr$_{0.55}$Sn$_{0.45}$)$_{0.995}$O$_3$ ceramic can lead to an ultrahigh energy storage density\cite{wang2019ultrahigh}. Utilizing nanoscale domains and ferroelastic domain switching can further enhance the energy storage density of AFE ceramics\cite{qi2019ultrahigh,patel2014enhancing}. Therefore, understanding the structure effect and transformation behavior of AFE domains is of great importance to improve the material properties. Experimentally, X-ray diffraction study has been used to study the lattice structure\cite{jona1957x,shirane1953phase,blue1996situ}, and high resolution scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) has been used to investigate the modulation of AFE incommensurate phases\cite{he2005electric,asada2004induced,guo2015direct}. The atomically resolved STEM images have provided us the atomic cation displacement and polarization arrangement of AFE domain structure and boundaries\cite{fan2020tem,ma2019atomically,ma2019uncompensated,fu2020unveiling}.  Recent findings indicate that the polarization of AFE incommensurate phases varies in magnitude and is not fully compensated\cite{ma2019uncompensated,fu2020unveiling}. The polarization arranges in a quite different manner from the ferroelectrics at the AFE boundaries\cite{ma2019atomically}.

However, due to the complex subdomain microstructure and difficulties of experimental measurements, several fundamental puzzles still remain. For instance, in the case that AFE and FE domains coexist, the polarization arrangement of FE and AFE interfaces lack investigation. In particular, the polarization vectors rotate and switch in the AFE domain structures under the applied electric field is unclear. Moreover, it is known that the initial domain size and charge defects can greatly affect the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of FEs. How these aspects influence the switching mechanisms and the hysteresis loops of AFEs is still an open question. To address the questions, in this work, we have carried out phase field simulations to study the domain structure and polarization switching property, based on the developed Landau model of AFEs proposed in our previous work\cite{liu2020insight}. In Sec. II, a two-dimensional phase field model of AFEs based on the Landau theory is introduced in order to study the domain structures. In Sec. III, we first study the polarization switching behavior of the AFE domains and the size effect on the hysteresis loop without considering charge defects, and then predict the influence of charge defects on the domain structures and hysteresis loop. The conclusions are given in Sec. IV.

\section{Modeling}

In the Landau model of AFEs, the free energy is expressed as a polynomial in terms of the polarization and the oxygen octahedron tilt angle\cite{liu2020insight}. As we mainly focus on the polarization distribution and switching of the structures, for simplicity, we assume the oxygen octahedron tilt angle as constant, thus, in the two dimensional phase field model the total free energy of the AFEs in terms of the polarization $\mathbf{P}(P_x,P_y)$  can be written as
\begin{equation}
F=\int (f_L+f_g+f_{ela}-\mathbf{E}_d\cdot\mathbf{P}-\mathbf{E}_{ext}\cdot\mathbf{P}){\rm d}V
\end{equation}
where $f_L$  denotes the classical Landau free energy density of ferroelectrics, and $f_{ela}$ is the elastic free energy density. The term $f_g$ is contributed by the spatial polarization changes that can determine the stability of FE and AFE phases. $E_d$ is the depolarization field and $E_{ext}$ is the external electric field. $f_L$ is given by
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
f_L=&\alpha_1(P_x^2+P_y^2)+\alpha_{11}(P_x^4+P_y^4)+\alpha_{111}(P_x^6+P_y^6)\\
&+\alpha_{12}P_x^2P_y^2+\alpha_{112}(P_x^2P_y^4+P_x^4P_y^2)
\end{split}
\end{equation}
where $\alpha_1,\alpha_{11},\alpha_{111}, \alpha_{12}$, and $\alpha_{112}$ are the Landau free energy coefficients. The term $f_g$ could be regarded as gradient energy which contains first order and second-order derivative of the polarization.
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
	f_g=\sum_i \left\{\lambda\left[(\frac{\partial P_i}{\partial x})^2+(\frac{\partial P_i}{\partial y})^2\right]+g\left[(\frac{\partial^2 P_i}{\partial x^2})^2+(\frac{\partial^2 P_i}{\partial y^2})^2\right]\right\}
\end{split}
\end{equation}
where $i=x,y$. The coefficients $\lambda$ and $g$ ($g>0$) are dependent on the oxygen tilt angle. For $\lambda<0$, the AFE phases are more stable. Otherwise, the FE state is favored. The ratio between $\lambda$ and $g$ could determine the modulation of the AFE phases. The elastic free energy density of the two dimensional system is expressed as
\begin{equation}
\begin{split}
f_{ela}=&\frac{1}{2}C_{11}\left[(\epsilon_{11}-\epsilon_{11}^0)^2+(\epsilon_{22}-\epsilon_{22}^0)^2 \right] \\
&+C_{12}(\epsilon_{11}-\epsilon_{11}^0)(\epsilon_{22}-\epsilon_{22}^0) \\
&+2C_{44}(\epsilon_{12}-\epsilon_{12}^0)^2
\end{split}
\end{equation}
where $\epsilon_{ij}$ represents the total elastic strain, and  $\epsilon_{ij}^0$ is the spontaneous strain which is related to the spontaneous polarization and oxygen tilt. $\epsilon_{ij}^0=Q_{ijkl}P_kP_l+q_{ijkl}\theta_k\theta_l$, in which $\theta_i$ represents the oxygen tilt angel. For simplicity, here we neglect the oxygen tilt contribution to the spontaneous strain by assuming $q_{ijkl}=0$. $\mathbf{E}_{ext}$ is the external electric field. $\mathbf{E}_d=-\nabla \phi$ is the build-in electric field evaluated from the electric potential $\phi$. The potential can be calculated from Gauss's law $\nabla\cdot\mathbf{D}=\rho(\mathbf{r})$, where $\mathbf{D}=\varepsilon_0\mathbf{E}_d+\mathbf{P}$ and $\rho(\mathbf{r})$ is the charge density. Gauss's law leads to the constraint $-\varepsilon_0\nabla^2\phi+\nabla\cdot\mathbf{P}=\rho(\mathbf{r})$. The electric potential solved in the Fourier space $\phi(\mathbf{k})$ is $\phi(\mathbf{k})=-{\rm i}\frac{k_xP_x(\mathbf{k})+k_yP_y(\mathbf{k})}{\varepsilon_0(k_x^2+k_y^2)}+\frac{\rho(\mathbf{k})}{\varepsilon_0 (k_x^2+k_y^2)}$, where $k_x$ and $k_y$ are the components of the wave vector. $P_x(\mathbf{k})$, $P_y(\mathbf{k})$ and $\rho(\mathbf{k})$ are the Fourier transformation of $P_x(\mathbf{r})$, $P_y(\mathbf{r})$, and $\rho(\mathbf{r})$, respectively.
The evolution of the AFE domain structures can be described by the time-dependent Landau Ginzburg equation
\begin{equation}
\frac{\partial\mathbf{P}}{\partial t}=-L\frac{\delta F}{\delta\mathbf{P}} \label{eq1}
\end{equation}
where $L$ is the kinetic constant and $t$ is the time. In this work, Eq.(\ref{eq1}) is discretized using the Euler scheme on a mesh with periodic boundary conditions. We rescale the evolution time as $t^*=tL\tau_0$ ($\tau_0=2.5\times10^7$). The space discretization step of each grid $\Delta=a_0$, where $a_0$ is the lattice constant of the primary unit cell. We use the Landau parameters as: $\alpha_1=-1.34\times10^7-\lambda/a_0^2$ VmC$^{-1}$, $\alpha_{11}=4.78\times10^8$  Vm$^5$C$^{-3}$,  $\alpha_{12}=-4.98\times10^8$  Vm$^5$C$^{-3}$,  $\alpha_{111}=5.57\times10^8$  Vm$^9$C$^{-5}$, and  $\alpha_{112}=1.10\times10^9$ Vm$^9$C$^{-5}$. The elastic constants are given as $C_{11}=15.6\times10^{10}$ Nm$^{-2}$, $C_{12}=9.6\times10^{10}$ Nm$^{-2}$, $C_{44}=12.7\times10^{10}$ Nm$^{-2}$. The electrostrictive $Q_{11}=0.048$ m$^4$C$^{-2}$, $Q_{12}=-0.014$ m$^4$C$^{-2}$, and $Q_{44}=0.065$ m$^4$C$^{-2}$. In the simulation, we use $\lambda=-0.8a_0^2\tau_0$ to study the AFE structure and choose $g=0.4\lambda a_0^2$.

\section{Results and Discussions}

\subsection{Domain switching and hysteresis loop versus external electric field}

\begin{figure}
	\centering
	\includegraphics[width=3.2in]{fig1.pdf}
	\caption{(a) AFE domain structure without external electric field. The white arrows represent the polarization vector, and the RGB color is used to label the orientation of the subdomains. (b) The distribution of the built-in electric field. }
	\label{fig1}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}
	\centering
	\includegraphics[width=3.2in]{fig2.pdf}
	\caption{AFE domain switching versus external electric field along [11] direction. With the increase of applied field, the polarization start switching at the antiferroelectric domain boundaries, as labeled in the dashed line region.}
	\label{fig2}
\end{figure}

Figure \ref{fig1}(a) shows the stable domain structure which is composed of AFE domains along [11] and  [$\bar{1}1$] directions. Subdomains with anti-parallel polarization can be seen within [11] and  [$\bar{1}1$] orientated AFE domains. Although no defects are considered in the system, local dislocations could emerge in some positions at the subdomain boundaries, as shown in the dashed line region of Figure \ref{fig1}(a). Similar pattern is also confirmed in PbZrO$_3$ in experiments through STEM imaging\cite{wei2014ferroelectric}. Figure \ref{fig1}(b) shows the distribution of the built-in electric field. One can see that the magnitude of the electric field presents a higher value at the perpendicular subdomain boundaries. And the dashed line regions of Figure \ref{fig1}(b) indicate a large build-in electric field near the dislocation points.

\begin{figure}
	\centering
	\includegraphics[width=3in]{fig3.pdf}
	\caption{AFE domain switching during the increase of the external electric field along [01] direction.}
	\label{fig3}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}
	\centering
	\includegraphics[width=3in]{fig4.pdf}
	\caption{Calculated hysteresis loops vs the electric field along two different directions.}
	\label{fig4}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}
	\centering
	\includegraphics[width=3in]{fig5.pdf}
	\caption{Size effect on the polarization switching by varying the coefficient $\lambda$. (a) $\lambda=-0.8a_0^2\tau_0$, (b) $\lambda=-1.2a_0^2\tau_0$, (c) $\lambda=-1.6a_0^2\tau_0$, (d)-(f) are the corresponding hysteresis loop of the domain structure. }
	\label{fig5}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure*}
	\centering
	\includegraphics[width=5.4in]{fig6.pdf}
	\caption{Influence of charge defects on AFE structures and hysteresis loops. (a) Initialized randomly distributed negative and positive charge defects in the simulation. (b) The hysteresis loops of AFE domain structures with different charge strength $\rho$. (c)-(e) Stable domain structures with different charge strengths, (c) $\rho=0.25$C/m$^2$, (d) $\rho=0.50$C/m$^2$, (e) $\rho=0.75$C/m$^2$}
	\label{fig6}
\end{figure*}

To study the polarization switching property, we have applied an external electric field along [11] and [01] direction, respectively. Figure \ref{fig2} shows the domain switching behavior under [11] electric field. At the electric field of 86kV/cm that is close to the switching  field, the polarization starts switching to the field direction at the interfaces between [11] and [$\bar{1}$1] oriented domains, and the domain structure transform from AFE to FE state, as shown in the dashed rectangular region of Figure \ref{fig2}(a). As the field keeps rising, the FE domains increase whereas the AFE domains are suppressed. In Figure \ref{fig2}(c), one can clearly see the mixture of AFE and FE phases, and the polarization arrangement on the boundary between the AFE and FE domain structures are displayed by the white arrows. Above 100kV/cm, the domain structure could be poled to a single FE domain along the field direction. Figure \ref{fig3} shows the domain switching under the electric field along [01] direction. Similarly, the polarization switching also starts at the boundaries of differently oriented domains. With the increase of the field, the AFE domains transform to FE states along [11] and [$\bar{1}$1] directions. At 100kV/cm, the AFE domains totally transform to FE phase. The average polarization versus the electric field  is calculated in Figure \ref{fig4}. It shows the saturation polarization under the [11] electric field is about 0.2C/m$^2$, which is a bit higher than 0.12C/m$^2$ of the [01] poled AFE structure. The switching electric field is about 100kV/cm in the [11] direction and 125kV/cm along the [01] direction. This result indicates that the polarization switching property is dependent on the field orientation.

For ferroelectrics, it is known that the domain size has a great influence on the properties of the materials. Nanoscale domains are more easily to switch under the external electric field, which contributes to larger piezoelectric and dielectric properties\cite{kholkin2006nanoscale,bdikin2003nanoscale,paruch2006nanoscale}. For AFEs, how the domain size influences the polarization switching is not clear yet. In the phase field simulations, we fix the Landau parameters and vary the coefficient $\lambda$ to study the domain size effect. As shown in Figure \ref{fig5}(a)-(c), with the decrease of $\lambda$ from $-0.8a_0^2\tau$ to $-1.6a_0^2\tau$, the domain size of [11] and [$\bar{1}$1] oriented (yellow and blue regions) AFE domains significantly increases. As indicated in Figure \ref{fig2}, the polarization at AFE domain boundaries is more easily to switch. Therefore, AFE structures with smaller domains can be poled to the field direction in a relatively smaller switching field. The corresponding hysteresis loops of Figure (d)-(f) indicate that larger domain size of AFE structure has no obvious influence on the magnitude of the polarization, but can greatly enhance the switching electric field.

\subsection{Influence of charge defects}
Experimentally, it is possible that  charged defects and oxygen vacancies will stabilize in some ceramic grains or in local regions inside the crystals. For FE and AFE compositions via aliovalent doping, for instance, either a 2$^+$ or a $5^+$ ion to replace $4^+$ ion at the B-site of ABO$_3$ perovskite structure, there will be localized charge imbalance. Such charge imbalance can be compensated through A-site and oxygen vacancies, which creates many positive and negative charge defects in the material system. For the case of AFEs, charges can be also present to compensate the charged interfaces between the AFE and FE regions. The charge defects can induce a local electric field and pinning the polarization rotation. Thus it is expected to have a great impact on the polarization switching behavior of FE and AFE structures.

In order to study the influence of the charged defects on the AFE domain structure and switching property, we generate randomly distributed charge defects with a density of $\rho$ in the system, and the charge in total is electrically neutral. As shown in Figure \ref{fig6}(a), the yellow and blue points represent positive charges and negative charges, respectively. Figure \ref{fig6}(c)-(d) are the stable AFE domain structures with the increasing of charge strength $\rho$. For low charge strength with $\rho=0.25$C/m$^2$, the charge defects effect is slight that does not obviously affect the AFE domain structure. With $\rho$ increase to 0.5C/m$^2$, one can see that nanoscale FE domains start forming in the system, as shown in Figure \ref{fig6}(d). When $\rho=0.75$ C/m$^2$, many local FE domains emerge in the system due to the charged defects induced electric field. The influence of the charged defects on the hysteresis loop is calculated in Figure \ref{fig6}(b), it shows that with the increasing of charge density, the saturation polarization is slightly suppressed and the enclosed area of the hysteresis loop also decreases. The decrease of the saturation polarization is not preferred for higher energy storage density, however, the narrowed area of the hysteresis loop could give rise to  larger storage efficiency.

\section{Conclusions}

In conclusion, we have used phase field simulation to investigate the polarization switching behavior of AFE domain structures. It is demonstrated that the polarization switching to FE state starting at the boundaries of the AFE domains, and larger domain sizes could lead to a higher switching electric field. The charge defects in the materials could contribute to local FE domains in the AFE structures, and the results indicate that the appearance of charge defects in the system will suppress the saturation polarization and narrow the enclosed area of the hysteresis loop, which can enhance the energy storage efficiency while slightly reducing the storage density.

\begin{acknowledgements}
This work was supported by the LOEWE program of the State of Hesse, Germany, within the project FLAME (Fermi Level Engineering of Antiferroelectric Materials for Energy Storage and Insulation Systems).
\end{acknowledgements}

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


For those of you who have lots of activities, you must have started to get confused with the cool outfit you want to wear. It is time to take out your sweater collection. Combine inner sweaters and collared shirts. Pair with high boots or favorite shoes with socks above your knees. Skater skirts are always suitable when combined with sweaters. Choose plain sweater so you don not get confused in combining with a skirt. For casual style, choose sneakers or flat shoes.
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For some people, white clothes become difficult color to combine with. However, if it is combined well, white color can make your appearance more stylish. You can wear necklace or accessories like a scarf for a white shirt so that it doesn't look too plain. In addition, you also combine white shirts with shorts or skirts.
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If you want to make your mom jeans look modern, then you are come into the right page. Mom jeans is back into the clothing lines and that it's not something we are pointlessly raving over all things 90s fashion. The best thing about mom jeans is no matter what size you are, it can goes with every body type. Let's explore more fun and interesting outfit ideas to make your mom jeans look trendy again.


How does MasterFlow 410 work?
Machinery with high dynamic loads and vibration.
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What makes MasterFlow 410 a unique solution?
What are the features and benefits of MasterFlow 410?
Minimum shutdown – Low exotherm allows for thick single pours especially for a shutdown.
High bond strength – Tenacious adhesion to prepared surfaces and requires no priming.


text:
UAE's Mars Hope Probe set for launch on July 15
Hope Probe to be launched at exactly 12:51:27AM on July 15
Published: May 19, 2020 18:00 Angel Tesorero, Staff Reporter
Hope Probe reaches Japanese Island Image Credit: Supplied
In pictures: Soyuz lands in Kazakhstan, Emirati astronaut Hazzaa AlMansoori back on Earth from ISS
Pictures: Hazzaa AlMansoori back on earth from ISS
In pictures: UAE's first Emirati astronaut Hazzaa AlMansoori returns home
Pictures: Soyuz MS-12 undocks from the International Space Station
Dubai: The UAE's Mars Hope Probe (Al Amal in Arabic) is set to begin its journey to the Red Planet on July 15 at exactly 12:51:27AM (UAE time) from Japan's Tanegashima Space Centre (TNSC) in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) announced on Tuesday.
Mars Hope Probe will be carried aboard Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' (MHI) H-IIA rocket. The first interplanetary exploration undertaken by an Arab nation will take a 495 million kilometre journey to reach and orbit Mars.
The Hope Probe is anticipated to enter Mars' orbit in February next year, coinciding with the UAE's golden jubilee celebrations, marking the historic union of the emirates.
The countdown to the launch began last month after the probe's successful transfer from the UAE to Japan, in a journey that spanned more than 83 hours by land, air and sea.
According to EMM, the scheduled launch date represents the opening of the launch window, which extends until August 13, 2020. The time from mid-July to early August is the biennial window when Earth and Mars are closest to each other. If, for any reason, the launch cannot be attempted within this window, the mission would have to wait two years for another launch opportunity to arise.
Mission of Hope
"The Hope Probe is a national project that translates the vision of the UAE's leadership to build an Emirati space program that reflects the country's commitment to strengthening frameworks of international cooperation and finding solutions to global challenges for humanity's benefit," the EMM said in a statement sent to Gulf News.
"The mission carries a message of hope to revive a history rich in Arab achievements in science. Embodying the aspiration of the UAE, and its leadership to overcome the impossible, the Hope Probe is the nation's contribution to shaping and making a promising future for humanity," EMM added.
Final checkouts
The UAE orbiter has undergone final checkouts before its integration onto the two-stage medium-lift H-IIA launch vehicle, which first flew in 2001 and has enjoyed 40 successful launches to date. The UAE has previously collaborated with MHI to successfully launch the KhalifaSat.
According to EMM, the detailed processing operations for the launch to be completed over 50 working days would entail filling the fuel tank with about 700 kilograms of hydrogen fuel.
The process also required testing the communication and control devices, moving the probe to the launch pad, installing the probe on the rocket that will carry it to space, and ensuring the probe batteries are fully charged and taht there are no leaks.
Hope's main structure is cubical made out of aluminum with a composite face-sheet. It measures 2.37 metres wide, 2.9 metre long, and weighs approximately 1,500 kilograms when fully fueled.
It was built by a team of 150 Emirati engineers who collaborated with American engineers and scientists in the in the development of the spacecraft at three US universities, including University of Colorado, University of California, Berkeley and Arizona State University.
Overcoming COVID-19
According to EMM, the team had to advance the timetable due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Omran Sharaf, EMM Mission Lead, was quoted in a CNN report sayig: "When Covid-19 came into the equation, it definitely took the complexity to a different level. Hope was shipped to Japan three weeks earlier than planned, while a team was sent two weeks prior, allowing them time to quarantine."
The launch of the mission, however, has not been affected by the pandemic.
Sarah Bint Youssef Al-Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences and Emirates Mars Mission Deputy Project Manager, said: "The challenges overcome by the Hope Probe team amidst the global pandemic confirm the UAE mission's commitment to achieve the impossible."
"This mission embodies the nation's aspirations, sends a positive message to the world and demonstrates the importance of carrying on unabated despite barriers and challenges," she added.
Transport from Dubai to Japan
EMM said stringent health procedures were followed to safeguard the health and safety of the team that accompanied the probe on its journey to Japan that took three stages.
The first phase involved the preparation and transportation of the probe from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center to Dubai's Al Maktoum International Airport, which spanned 16 hours, followed by an 11-hour transfer from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai to Nagoya Airport in Japan that included loading into the giant 'Antonov 12' plane - the largest cargo plane in the world. The third stage was the probe's transfer from Nagoya Airport to the launch site on Tanegashima Island by ship.


I'm lucky to have French friends, some of who also originally hail from Paris.
More than one of these is a fellow Foodie and they were happy to list their favourite cafés and restaurants in their native city.
It goes without saying that when my American Foodie friend and her husband asked for advice on where to head to for lunch, the recommendation that I had been given went down really well.
Usually it's essential to reserve to get a seat here but luckily we arrive outside the main lunchtime rush hour and there is space for the three of us.
"Au Vieux Comptoir" is fairly well known and has a regular clientèle and many excellent reviews.
For me personally the food was good but I wouldn't got so far as to say it's the best I've ever eaten, but maybe I've been been totally spoiled by having experienced some amazing home cooking from some of our French friends with their home grown produce and seven course meals.
I opt for a fillet of salmon and my friends for a smoked salmon and salad and sardine dish respectively. The food is good and the service is friendly and we were pleased we came here for lunch.
There are numberous cafés and restaurants around the "old town"of central Delft.
There are a constant stream of tourists who visit the town and congregate in the central square after visiting some of the many local attractions, or locals out shopping who often love to stop for a morning or afternoon cup of good coffee and apple tart, or something traditional like a pannenkoeken (pancakes) for lunch.
Coffee is a Dutch institution: compared to many countries with anglox-saxen heritages, here in The Netherlands they like their coffee strong and establishments that serve bad coffee rarely procure repeat customers.
Appeltaart (apple cake) may be the most popular Dutch treat to accompany this coffee, but it's by no means the only cake on offer.
My visiting Singaporean friend "Velvetine" and I have been walking around and taking photographs, it's slow going for me on crutches but we are not in a rush, but that said there comes a moment when I get desperate to sit down and take a break from standing up. This moment comes just after we have been spying out the delights of the local central market food stalls and since our stomachs are rumbling we indulge in some cake of our own. Mine is a decadent chocolate number, Velvetines is a strawberry mousse sort of confection. Nether of us are coffee drinkers, and anyway it's a warm day so cold drinks all round.
The café / restaurant we are at is called "the ABC Café Restaurant", service is good, the cake is delicious and judging by the number of Dutch locals I hear chatting all around us, the coffee apparently is too.
This page of my travel diary finds Family Kiwidutch and our Singaporean friend "Velveteen" (her Internet nickname to protect her privacy) in Bruges, Belgium. Velveteen and I have just left the canal tourist boat trip, and gone to meet up with Himself and the children for dinner.
We arrive at the Church Of Our Lady meeting point at ten minutes to six in the evening and since it's still raining hard, decide not to mess about looking for a restaurant too far away, which is how we ended up at the Maria van Bourgondie Restaurant just around the corner.
We are handed menu's at five minutes to six and after greeting the older lady who comes to serve us I happen to mention in Dutch that I'm delighted to see Belgium Waffles on the menu and how very much we will be looking forward to dessert later on.
Imagine our shock when she replies with a stony face in Vlaams "No, there are no waffles after six o'clock".
We look at her in amazement, and I ask her if it's ok then if we please order both our main menu and our dessert right now, before six p.m. …we will have ordered before six, so surely that would be acceptable? My request is met with a flat "No' and a look that tells me she is rather surprised that despite her spelling it out, that we are obviously rather slow to realise that no waffles after six, emphatically means no waffles after six.
Himself and I explain the difficulty to a disappointed Velveteen, who by now is seriously starting to wonder if her waffle wish is cursed after three failed attempts.
Suddenly as the waitress lady turns to leave I have a brainwave and call her back with a question… "Since it's still a few minutes before six is it still possible to have a waffle right now please?" She looks surprised, but says, "Yes". I instantly order five waffles and tell the kids they are ten seconds to order a topping or they will be too late making the order.
They are so delighted at the prospect of eating dessert before the main course that they uncharacteristically manage to make a selection in a nano second (I think they were probably more afraid of me changing my mind than running out of time).
So this is how Family Kiwidutch and friend Velveteen manage to eat an evening meal in reverse: dessert followed by the main course. Kiwi Daughter and Little Mr. of course can not believe their luck and can't wipe the smiles off their faces.
Once Velveteen gets over the incredulously unyielding manner of the "rules" surrounding obtaining a waffle in Belgium, she is delighted that we found a way to still enjoy one. So what we act like crazy tourists and eat our meal back to front?
We eat our waffles with an extra large dose of satisfaction that we managed to "beat the system" albeit in an unconventional way… Now we can waffle on about the Belgium Waffle Saga with a grin on our faces and the taste of success in our stomachs.
Himself and I… Just the Two of Us and …Catootje!
About a month ago, Himself picked me up after my physiotherapy session and said that since he'd just completed a large work project for a client and no new work had arrived in yet, how about we go somewhere for an early lunch?
We drove around and had a look at several places we knew', but walked into one to discover it was only open for a private function (and no, we didn't belong to the Company they were expecting) and two were not open yet for lunchtime so we made a detour into a different neighbourhood.
In the Reinkenstraat we spied a little café called Catootje and Himself went inside to find out if they had a lunch menu just after 11.00 a.m. and they did.
It may look from my photo's here that there are few customers but that's not a true picture at all.
A lot of people were still dropping in for coffee and a chat with friends and many of these had young children with them.
Where possible I try and avoid putting photos of other people's kids on the internet, since I value the privacy of my own children and try and extend that to other children as well.
Therefore I tried to take photos of table areas as soon as they emptied and before they filled up again, which they did very swiftly.
At this stage of the day it's a constant stream of customers and once we are served we realise why this place is so popular. The food is excellent and the service is friendly too.
I forgot the names of what we had for our lunch main course, but Himself had the pasta and salad in the first two food photo and I had the chicken salad sandwich in the third one. For dessert I convinced Himself to have a slice of the Bailey's Cheesecake because I wanted to try it but fancied the Chocolate Brownie too. Himself had coffee and I enjoyed a tea.
Our lunch date was relaxed and the food was delicious, so our summary of our visit was that we would be happy to recommend this place to friends and even happier to return here whenever an opportunity arises.
These are the photos that a Foodie cannot resist taking… not only is much of it new to me, but the colours the tastes and smells… heaven!
An instant clue that I'm a long way from Kansas The Hague is that where I hoped to find knives and forks there are instead chopsticks and spoons.
Actually that's not a problem because I'm quite proficient with chopsticks but Kiwi Daughter has a small look of panic on her face. She needn't have feared, we found knives and forks on the tables and Little Mr would have been totally happy to use this fingers so was actually rather disappointed by this discovery.
Velvetine is delighted to find what she called "porridge" but it's certainly not "porridge" as I know it, no rolled oats in this, instead it's a rice porridge and whilst she's keen that I try it, to be honest it doesn't look enticing enough when were are on a time limit and there are other goodies I'd like to try.
There were some things I couldn't identify, and most things I didn't know the name of but what I picked out turned out to be tasty.
The kids stuck to plain fare in the savoury section and did well considering how picky they usually are. That said, a large part of their consumption turned out to be in the dessert section where the discovery of a selection of ice creams suddenly made all that sitting still in the coach completely worthwhile.
Himself isn't totally sure of his stomach today so settled for a lunch that consisted of a cup of tea instead.
This hotel is touted as the local five-star establishment so Velvetine and I set about seeing how it compares to the Rasa in Singapore.
The verdict is quick and clear… full marks for effort but from what we've seen in the entrance area so far (and the Ladies, where there was a very small but hazardous step outside the disabled toilet) and the fact that if you looked in corners or at the periphery of the rooms the decor looks a little tired so we both have the impression that this was a place trying hard to make a grand impression on a less than grand budget and that it certainly doesn't even come close to the Rasa. That said however, this is a place that's making an effort and whilst they are not there yet, we are sure they will get there in the end.
Now I get to tempt you with the delicacies on offer… it may not be quite five star but I'm sure you will manage to drool anyway.
First, this is "porridge"… (with additional condiments added) What do you think?
You are leafing through the pages of my travel diary of earlier this year. We are in Singapore and had grand plans for today, but as Robert Burns well knew, the best laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft agley (often go awry)**.
We should have been going off to Indonesia later today on an extended side trip, and to this end our Singaporean friend "Velvetine" had been busy finding out about all the best possible places to see, what to do, where to stay etc.
All was well until she was confronted with the problem of visas. Indonesia is a ex-Dutch colony and it's made fairly easy for most nationalities to visit, but apparently not if you are Dutch.
They are perfectly free to enter the country of course but first they are made to jump through hoops, their visa process is longer, costlier and more complicated.
There's no problem for me or the kids because our dual nationality means we can park our Dutch passports in our pockets and switch to our New Zealand Passports to enter Indonesia and Velvetine has of course a Singaporean passport, but Himself has the Dutch nationality only and getting him into Indonesia today looks neigh on impossible.
Of course this is supposed to be totally unrelated to the fact that Indonesia is an ex-Dutch colony and of course there is no bias "officially". We try to make some phone calls and see what's possible, and everything is possible, just not very easily in the time frame we need.
We are fully prepared though to do a little running around when Kiwi Daughter comes back from a walk outside complaining of a stomach ache.
This is a common complaint for her and usually means she's overtired and hasn't been drinking enough water.
My foot swelled up rather dramatically on the flight (simply because I couldn't elevate whilst we were in transit) and the swelling hasn't reduced much yet so I'm laying on the bed with the phone, trying to sort things with my foot in the air via almost every pillow available.
We take stock of the situation and decide that trying to rush around getting Himself's visa in order is only going to get stressful and we can't ignore the physical signs that we probably haven't done enough to shake off the jet-lag.
We are on the phone to Velvetine and jointly decide that a change of plan is needed. No far flung adventures today. Instead, more rest is required and we can look for something different for tomorrow. Indonesia is better planned for another time when Himself can come fully prepared for the visa drama and when I'm back walking normally again.
Instead, Kiwi Daughter drinks a lot of water and then curls up next to me and we both sleep soundly for a few hours whilst the boys go swim in the pool and play sandcastles further down the beach. Kiwi Daughter wakes up later feeling totally refreshed and the swelling in my foot is even a bit less.
We spend the day lazing around and the whole family feels better for it.
We voted earlier in the day to return to our favourite restaurant "Trapizza"just down the beach and Velvetine will join us after she finishes work.
The kids start a small argument about who gets to sit on my knee if we get to take the beach wheelchair again… they both plead exhaustion and say they really can't walk there. The beach wheelchair was brilliant within the grounds of the hotel, but the car park at the bottom of the hill has some tall curbs which are difficult to negotiate so I have a better idea.
There's a large golf-cart like vehicle parked outside the hotel, I ask at reception if it's possible to be given a lift to the restaurant and back, no problem at all… our carriage awaits. After our meal all we need to do is to give an indication when we need transport back and they will send someone down again to collect us.
I order Pizza to share with the kids, Velvetine orders the Ravioli al Salsa di Noci (mushroom ravioli and sage tossed with walnut butter sauce) and Himself goes for the Spaghetti (I think it was "Aglio Olio", a spaghetti with garlic, basil, olive oil, chilli and parmesan cheese).
For both the verdict was the same, very tasty but miniscule portions. Even in this heat Himself wants more than the tiny amount of pasts that barely cover the bottom of the plate. Oh well… it's a definite "yes" for dessert then.
After dinner our "taxi" comes to retrieve us and once the kids are in bed and sleeping, with the assistance of some helpful staff at Reception and some telephone calls we plot revised adventures for tomorrow.
** From Robert Burns' poem To a Mouse, 1786. It tells of how he, while ploughing a field, upturned a mouse's nest. The resulting poem is an apology to the mouse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_a_Mouse. The saying has now come to mean that even the most carefully prepared plans can go wrong.


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"The euro can be saved, but it will take more than fine speeches asserting a commitment to Europe. If Germany and others are not willing to do what it takes – if there is not enough solidarity to make politics work – then the euro may have to be abandoned for the sake of salvaging the European project," argues Joseph Stiglitz.
Joseph Stiglitz is an American economist and a professor at Columbia University. A recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, he is also a former senior vice-president and chief economist of the World Bank."
As we survey the damage from the years of crisis and recession in Europe that finally seems to be ebbing, there is a sigh of relief that the Eurozone has not fallen apart. But the return to growth is a far cry from a return to prosperity. At the current pace of "recovery," no return to normalcy can be expected until well into the next decade. Even Germany, which is often touted as the most successful country, has grown by a miserly .63 percent over the past 5 years — a rate that in other circumstances would be called an utter failure. The euro is not an end in itself. It was supposed to be the means to a more prosperous Europe, with higher living standards. For the Eurozone as a whole, incomes today are some 20% below what they would have been, had the growth trend that prevailed in the years before the euro continued. Europeans have been asked to make continuing further sacrifices — lower wages, lower benefits, weakened systems of social protection — all in the name of saving the euro.
Promoting an ambitious agenda
A much more ambitious, and different, agenda is needed: it is clear that, in its current form, the euro is failing the continent. And yet allowing the currency to dissolve would also be extremely costly. What is needed, above all, is fundamental reform in the structure and policies of the Eurozone. By now, there is a fairly clear understanding of what is required:
A real banking union, with common supervision, common deposit insurance, and common resolution; without this, money will continue to flow from the weakest countries to the strongest.
Some form of debt mutualization, such as Eurobonds: with Europe's debt/GDP ratio lower than that of the US, the Eurozone could borrow at negative real interest rates, as the US does.
Industrial policies to enable the laggard countries to catch up. Current strictures bar such policies as unacceptable interventions in free markets.
A central bank that focuses not only on inflation, but also on growth, employment, and financial stability.
Replacing anti-growth austerity policies with pro-growth policies focusing on investments in people, technology, and infrastructure.
A solidarity fund for stabilization—just as there has been a solidarity fund to help new entrants into the EU.
Much of the euro's design reflects the neoliberal economic doctrines that prevailed when the single currency was conceived. It was thought that keeping inflation low was necessary and almost sufficient for growth and stability; that making central banks independent was the only way to ensure confidence in the monetary system; that low debt and deficits would ensure economic convergence among member countries; and that the free flow of money and people would ensure efficiency and stability.
Erroneous doctrines
Each of these doctrines has proved to be wrong. For example, partly because of their misguided focus on inflation instead of financial fragility, partly because of ideological presuppositions that markets, on their own, are always efficient and that therefore, regulation should be kept to a minimum, the independent U.S. and European central banks performed much more poorly in the run-up to the crisis than less independent banks in some leading emerging market.
Spain and Ireland had fiscal surpluses and low debt/GDP ratios before the crisis. The crisis caused the deficits and high debt, not the other way around.
The free flow of people, like the free flow of money, seemed to make sense. But as money left the banks in the afflicted countries, lending contracted, a private sector austerity that exacerbated that of the public sector. Similarly, migration from crisis-hit countries has been hollowing out the weaker economies, and left an increasing tax burden on those left behind.
Internal devaluation – lowering domestic wages and prices – is no substitute for exchange-rate flexibility. Indeed, there is increasing worry about deflation, which increases leverage and the burden of debt levels that are already too high.
The extreme austerity that many European countries have adopted in the wake of the crisis has almost been a knockout blow. A double-dip recession and soaring unemployment are terrible costs to pay for slightly improved current account balances – which are better in most cases more because imports have decreased than because exports have increased.
Germany and some of the other northern European countries have balked at helping their struggling neighbors emerge from the crisis. But if they continue to insist on pursuing current policies, they, together with their southern neighbors, will wind up paying a far higher price than if the Eurozone adopts the program outlined above.
The euro can be saved, but it will take more than fine speeches asserting a commitment to Europe. If Germany and others are not willing to do what it takes – if there is not enough solidarity to make politics work – then the euro may have to be abandoned for the sake of salvaging the European project.
This article is co-edited with Queries, the European Progressive Magazine published by FEPS the think tank of the social-democrats at European level.
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2019 Toyota RAV4 Is All About Risk and Reward
And those rewards are likely to be ample
Ronald AhrensWriter
CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, California — A niche vehicle at its inception 25 years ago but now practically an entire industry unto itself, the Toyota RAV4's 2019 redesign sees it take a dramatic turn for the rugged. But rather than being a wanton risk, the change enhances the RAV4's stature as Toyota's bestseller and the truck/utility market's top non-pickup.
The 2019 lineup incorporates nine trim levels—five with the gas-only powertrain and four with the gas-electric hybrid one—and all now share a platform with the Camry and Avalon rather than the Corolla, as in the past. The new RAV4 is a bit wider and offers up to 8.6 inches of ground clearance, but the roofline is slightly lower. The chassis is claimed to be 57 percent more rigid yet lighter than before, and it accommodates wheels up to 19 inches in diameter on the top-of-the-line Limited. The RAV4 has a new 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline engine and eight-speed automatic transmission, and the all-wheel-drive setup now has available torque-vectoring and rear driveline disconnect.
The thoroughly revised hybrid uses a version of the four-cylinder but routes its power instead through a continuously variable transmission and a unique, electric-assist all-wheel-drive system. Body designers received a green light and, evidently, a set of sushi knives, so the outgoing model's squinty and somewhat dorky face has been supplanted by a craggy and puckered countenance that suggests that, after years of pursuit, Prospector Pete finally got a smooch from Madame Kitty. LED forward lighting is standard across the board to illuminate the way from your favorite trail back to civilization after a day's paddle-bike-climb. The scalloped and sculpted sides challenge one's eye; overall, we see a strong resemblance to other Toyota trucks, especially the Tacoma and 4Runner, and the design holds together pretty well.
Compared with the outgoing model, the new interior offers better outward visibility, a wider center console with side-by-side cupholders, and more backseat legroom. Options such as a panoramic sunroof, digital rearview mirror, eight-inch info screen, and wireless phone charging highlight the features list. The crystal-clear radiance of the optional 11-speaker JBL audio is a shock in a vehicle that costs from $26,545 to $36,745—it's better than the system we have at home. When the RAV4 is equipped with Remote Connect, you can use a smartwatch app or Amazon Alexa's Toyota skill to warm up the engine or find out how much fuel is in the tank.
Safety is a primary consideration for RAV4 buyers—and there were about 408,000 of them in 2017, or basically the population of Tulsa—and thus active safety features have increased. Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 is standard even in the entry-level LE and includes pre-collision sensors that, among other things, can detect bicyclists in the daytime (no word as to whether unicyclists will also be spared). The adaptive cruise control is good from a stop all the way to 110 mph, the lane-departure alert with steering assist now can read roads' crumbly edges, and the RAV4 will also peruse road signs for you and send alerts if necessary. Passive safety includes eight airbags and a trial subscription to Safety Connect for emergencies. Trailer sway control helps, well, control trailer sway, with the Adventure model able to tow up to 3,500 pounds. (The other gas models are capped at 1,500 pounds, the hybrid at 1,750.)
Under the hood, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder meets the battle call readily but is a tad reedy under acceleration. The engine and other components are arranged to look respectable and smart, like a good review of municipal officials. Is this powerplant sophisticated? The 16 variable-action inlet and outlet valves are schooled to jump back and forth between beats as varied as disco, AC/DC, and techno. The high compression ratio of 13.0:1 (14.0: 1 in the hybrid) is like living on Bolivia's Altiplano and never having a headache while running a marathon. This paragon of a four-banger eschews turbocharging but, in nonhybrid versions, still makes 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque while running on 87-octane fuel. The hybrid's version of the four is rated for 176 horses and 163 pound-feet, but electric assist pushes total horsepower to 219 and allows the gas-electric XSE to dash from 0 to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds, according to Toyota. The automaker says 8.3 seconds is the best a gas-only RAV4 can do. The hybrid's electric-drive components are more fit and efficient than ever, and its nickel-metal-hydride battery slots neatly under the backseat. The AWD-only 2019 hybrid can achieve an estimated 39 combined mpg—up 7 mpg from the 2018 model.
As mentioned, gas models get an eight-speed automatic transmission, a big upgrade with a wider ratio spread than the previous six-speed. In our driving, it operated invisibly. The hybrid's continuously variable transmission is responsible for the same old counterintuitive engine mooing under acceleration. Indeed, our enthusiasm lags when a CVT is involved, even as Toyota is attempting to sell the XSE hybrid on its performance—it also has a sport-tuned suspension, they say. "Our goal is to broaden the appeal of the hybrids," said Lisa Materazzo, Toyota Motor North America vice president, who expects the take rate to jump from 10 to 25 percent.
Our favorite of the bunch was the Adventure, the only gas model not available with front-wheel drive. We sampled a one of those in the alluring Lunar Rock gray with Ice Edge white roof, and the experience and color combo brought to mind a fun time we had years ago with an FJ Cruiser. Today's two-toner has a skid plate and black slotted wheels with discreet machine finishing—quite easy to touch up after rubbing against rocks—and the Adventure also features the latest AWD driveline with torque-vectoring that funnels power to the wheel or wheels that have traction. We careened around a course at Carmel Valley Ranch, where Toyota hosted this preview, and found ourselves marveling at its tenacity and ability. And it could do even better, we suspect, with rubber more aggressive than the Yokohama Avids fitted to the vehicle we drove.
On the road, every iteration of the new RAV4 impressed with high levels of composure, substantiality, and refinement. The interior is quite serene, although some trim in the Adventure rattled over Carmel Valley Road's indifferent pavement. The seating position and comfort are tremendous, as is the control layout. USB points abound, and the trim is imaginative and vibrant. We didn't see our test cars after the wine was poured at dinner, so we can only transmit rumors of excellent nighttime ambience and the digital mirror's backlighting.
The RAV4 was introduced in Europe and Japan in 1994 and came to North America in 1995. How well we remember our Four Seasons test of that first RAV4. I personally drove it thousands of miles in 1996 and 1997, including a sortie from Automobile's former home of Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Tacoma, Washington, and back, to interview Richard Griot, founder of the Griot's Garage catalog. Montana had no posted speed limits back then, and the RAV proved its cheek and contributed to my hearing loss by achieving 90 mph. (The cassette of Nirvana's Nevermind didn't help). Everybody at the magazine loved it; none had an idea it would lead a gargantuan category in the United States, selling roughly 14,000 fewer units in 2017 than Audi, Volvo, and Jaguar Land Rover combined.
Now turning 25 years old, this pioneer of compact crossovers has completed its MBA and hasn't lived with its parents in years. For my own college frat brother who asks what to do when trading in his Honda CR-V next year, the answer is, "Yes, turn your pointy head toward the RAV4." Moms, dads, doctors, retirees, adventurers, humanities majors, human-resources managers, acolytes, activists, zealots, and zombies will like this vehicle. Sales are going to grow, maybe because the category is expanding but also because the 2019 RAV4 is so appealing, especially compared to baby Jeeps and dowdy Subarus. Toyota's risky redesign is rousing, and the rewards will be large.
2019 Toyota RAV4/Hybrid Specifications
ON SALE December 2018/March 2019
PRICE $26,545/$36,745 (base/as tested)
ENGINE 2.5L DOHC 16-valve I-4, 203 hp @ 6,600 rpm, 184 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm/2.5L DOHC 16-valve I-4, 176 hp @ 5,700 rpm, 163 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm + front/rear electric motors, 118/54 hp, 149/89 lb-ft; total system output 219 hp
TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic/continuously variable
LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, FWD or AWD SUV
EPA MILEAGE 24/26 city-32/34 mpg (city/hwy); 41/37 mpg (city/hwy) (hybrid)
L x W x H 180.9-181.5 x 73.0-73.4 x 67.0-68.6 in
WEIGHT 3,370-3,620 lb/3,710-3,800 lb
0-60 MPH N/A
TOP SPEED N/A
2019 Toyota RAV4 with Bold New Grille Teased
Kelly Pleskot| Mar 27, 2018
All-New 2019 Toyota RAV4 Coming to New York
WATCH: Eight Reasons Why the Toyota RAV4 Will Stay Number One
Automobile Staff| May 21, 2018


A few years ago, The Marist Poll asked Americans what super power they would most like to have. More than a quarter would like to have the ability to read people's minds, while the same number of folks wanted to be able to do time travel. Other top picks were the ability to fly or be invisible. Apparently more men wanted to time travel while women were the ones who most wanted to read minds.
I can't say as I particularly want any of those superpowers. I certainly don't want to read minds, because – yikes – I am weary enough listening to my own thoughts all day. Time travel I suppose could be cool, I have occassionally thought going back in time could be fascinating as long as I knew I could get safely back to the current again. But being able to fly or be invisible? Nah.
My superpower wish dates back to when I was a young girl, and in some ways is more simple. One of my favorite TV Shows was I Dream of Jeannie. I rather desperately wanted to be able to blink and make things happen. So much so, that I would roam around the house practicing this craft – sadly to no avail. Even at a young age, I could see the convenience of this power, and to this day, it is on the top of my list of Cool Things I Wish I Could Do.
Like all super powers, it would be important to not abuse the priviledge. I promise, I wouldn't. Well, after of course blinking enough money into my bank account to pay off all debts and never have to worry about paying bills again, and after blinking all my loved ones to good health, and lastly blinking about 10 pounds off my body, well, THEN I'd only use this power for simple good things, and I wouldn't ask for too much. I know better than to try to solve all the world's problems. Even Jeannie couldn't do that in her day.
Instead, I would use my mystical nods for those times when I just need a helping hand – err, blink. When I'm running late in the morning, one eye squint could get me dressed and out the door. Too weary to tackle a sink full of dishes? Boing, done. Paying the bills and balancing the checkbook? Piece of cake without even thinking about it. Cooking dinner when I get home late and am tired, putting away laundry, popping over to visit a friend… all worthy moments for the power blink. Just think how handy this could be. In a hurry to get ready to go out? No more dealing with impatient men waiting for us, because we'd be fasther than them. Bad hair day? Blink. Gorgeous. Broken heel on your favorite shoes as you are headed out the door? Bing, fixed. Lunch stain on your blouse? Ta da, gone. Every time-consuming chore we hate could be accomplished quickly and effortlessly.
I thought of Jeannie again this evening. I had planned to go to the gym for a workout, but ended up deciding to skip it. Why? Well, it was snowing. But my decision was not based on road conditions (which weren't too bad yet), distance (the gym is literally across the road from my work), nor even because I was low on energy. It was because I had to brush my car off. Go ahead, call me a spoiled brat, but that is one of the winter chores I hate the most… leaving work when it is cold, dark, and windy out, and having to wield the snow brush. After taking several minutes to get my car cleared, I knew that if I spent an hour or so in the gym, I would have to brush the car off all over again. And I just didn't have it in me. Instead, I headed home and opted for a home-basement workout, which is substantially more boring, uninspiring and devoid of all motivation. So just think if I had my favorite super power. My car would have been cleared off in a second, both times, and I would have been much more enthusiastic about hitting the gym. In other words, having the FOTB (Force Of The Blink) would actually be healthy for me.
I'm willing to bet that in most cases, when given the opportunity, the majority of Real Women would give up the chance to run faster than the speed of light, or be able to lift a volkswagen, or be undetectable – all in favor of a way to make life just a bit easier. To be able to cut corners and save energy. To take just a few things off our plates.
Sure, SuperMan could leap over a building in a single bound. But Samantha Stevens could clean her house with a twitch of her nose. Which would you rather be able to do?
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