text:
Polycom Takes Bold Steps to Transform the Video Era
To view a PDF of this First Cut, click here.
Authors: Mike Anderson, Jim Lundy
Topic: Collaboration
Issue: Who are the collaboration providers and how will they evolve?
Summary: On Monday October 8th, 2012, Polycom announced a new Video Cloud Axis offering, along with updates to nearly all of its products.
Event: Polycom held its first analyst day in more than two years to announce its new vision for ubiquitous video, its transformation to a software company, and an overhaul of its product line.
Analysis: These announcements, combined with recent acquisitions, put Polycom on the path to reinventing itself as a software company and will prepare it for what Aragon Research is calling the Pervasive Video Era. Polycom also announced an open-standards approach to video collaboration, which is a step that the industry needs to enable more ubiquitous video collaboration.
Polycom, one of the largest and most influential video conferencing providers, has seen its success threatened by a slowdown of large enterprise video installations and an explosion of ad hoc video solutions that leverage the power of the Internet and video-capable devices.
Making video ubiquitous is Polycom's lofty aspiration, and solving the industry's problems of complexity, limitations in supported devices, poor interoperability, high cost and cumbersome user experiences are behind its strategy. Polycom is not the first to move toward open-standards video, but it is well positioned to leverage its installed base through software upgrades and new clients, along with channel partners who can exploit its architecture and openness.
Polycom's new RealPresence CloudAXIS Suite, which provides enterprise-class video conferencing to any HTML5 browser and directory integration with other video and unified communication systems, should prove to be popular with enterprises. Presence integration with Google Talk and Microsoft Lync is a good start. Because of their standards-based architecture, we wonder if Polycom will integrate its presence federation with Cisco Jabber and IBM Sametime.
Polycom also introduced support for an open implementation of the H.264 Scalable Video Coding (SVC) standard. Support for SVC will be provided as a software update to existing and new RealPresence systems. By licensing its open implementation of SVC to the video industry on a royalty-free basis, Polycom sets the stage for more rapid growth through greater interoperability.
Although other vendors, including Avaya, Cisco, Saba and Vidyo have implemented SVC, this is a solid move for Polycom, as they will now be one of the few vendors that offer forward and backward compatibility with AVC/SVC. SVC provides significant cost, performance and scalability benefits, but has until now seen limited success because other SVC protocols have been proprietary, creating "video islands" and increasing customer implementation costs.
For ubiquitous access to become reality, the usability of the video conferencing user experience must be improved. Polycom has done an overhaul of the user interface using extensive user input and feedback, creating a simpler and more streamlined experience. New SmartPairing software enables iPad users to be joined to a room system automatically merely by entering the room, and to take an active video session and move it to a group video conferencing system through a simple swipe on the tablet. In addition to solid quality and SVC support for video, Polycom has industry-leading audio capabilities that should not be underestimated.
Aragon Advisory
Enterprises should develop a robust collaboration architecture that includes video as part of the design.
Enterprises need to prepare for an explosion of video, and ensure that network bandwidth and client devices are ready.
Enterprises should evaluate Polycom and other providers of enterprise video solutions.
Bottom Line: Polycom is undertaking a bold transformation. The shift from being a hardware company to providing software in the cloud is a major undertaking. While risky, Polycom's steps have been positive. The pervasive video era is taking hold, and the tablet era is putting tremendous power and great usability into millions of user's hands, with ready access to networking. Enterprise strategy for video should be built on segmented needs for users and an expectation of multiple modes of interaction, from dedicated rooms to tablet-based video.
Get Ready for a new Era of Video Enabled Applications.
Video Content: The Secret Sauce for Social Learning.
Get Ready for the Video Era.
The Aragon Research Globe for Enterprise Social Software
ABOUT Jim Lundy


More Night Terrors, Footprints in the Snow.
My life is so different from before all this started… I mean, that should be obvious to anyone who has been following all this from the beginning, but sometimes something will happen that still really shocks me.
I didn't do my evening ritual again – well, I did half of it, but I didn't finish it, I don't even know why. I just get complacent sometimes, to be honest – I still can't believe this is all happening, it just doesn't make sense. So yes, I didn't complete the protection ritual last night, and the dreams came, darker and more disturbing than ever. I can't make any sense of what I see, these terrifying images I can't fully remember when I'm shaken to wakefulness, but I know there is a malevolence to them that reaches out beyond the veil of sleep.
For the past week and a half I have been performing a specific ritual before bedtime, as outlined by William Jameson, to try and counter the effects of the spell I performed that called upon the power of Azathoth. I've done it every night, as required, and the dreams have been tolerable, the escalations few and far between.
I guess I got complacent, or maybe I was just over tired and didn't want to have to deal with it, I'm not sure, but I did not do the ritual last night. I didn't do any part of the ritual, I just went to bed, and things got bad again – really bad. I'm not even sure where to begin.
The dreams got very vivid; almost as soon as I fell asleep I felt like I was pulled out of my body by invisible strings, racing across vistas of onyx black malevolence. I heard a high, discordant piping sound and saw figures and structures my mind couldn't really make sense of; they looked like they didn't belong together, I can't describe it at all but I still see it in my head, the images hiding just beyond my reach, threatening to break through into madness.
Things are still going OK – I haven't really even felt the need to update here. We haven't heard any weird noises, no ghostly figures, no doors opening on their own… we're doing normal stuff now, like Christmas shopping, and we even decorated the tree, like normal people. Wendy seems to be doing better than she has been in months, and the decreased stress level is noticeable for both of us. It nice, things almost feel like they're back to normal, even though I'm still not sleeping well.
So did it work? Did the protection hex I cast the other night actually work? Honestly, I'm not sure.
In some ways I can say yes, it definitely worked, and that's exciting. Since I cast the spell (I can't believe I'm saying that) we haven't experienced any unexplained opening doors, there haven't been any strange sounds in the house, no shadowy figures; no weird experiences at all, actually. Wendy has noticed too, and she confirmed that since Tuesday night she hasn't had a single experience that she would consider unusual or 'paranormal'. That's really good news, obviously. I told her what I did, too; I let her know yesterday and I showed her the video. She seemed nervous, not that I would blame her, but the results seem to speak for themselves and I think at this point she's more relieved than anything else.
It's been a rough few days, and Wendy and I have been spending as much time as possible out of the house. We spent a lot of time with relatives on Thursday, even going out to a late movie because we just didn't want to go home yet. Nighttime is just too stressful now, and even though we're locking the bedroom door, I think we both know that isn't really going to solve anything.
Friday was spent at various shopping outlets; we left early and didn't get home until pretty late. I normally don't like shopping, but even the madness of Back Friday was tame in comparison to my new reality. I'd take swarms of sleep-deprived bargain hunters over these twisted and horrifying nighttime visitations any day. On the plus side, we did get our holiday shopping done early. You have to appreciate the small things.
Last night around 2:30am we were both woken up by banging noises that didn't make sense. They were deep, hollow noises that seemed to come from the stairs – sounds that were far more terrifying because we both knew nothing in the house could make a noise like that. The banging lasted for a little less than 15 minutes – Wendy insists that it was 13 minutes exactly, but that might just be her reading into things. I think we're beyond "13 is an unlucky number' at this point.
I did NOT open the door and go out to investigate. No way.
Last night was bad – the worst we've experienced so far. I'm not sure how much more I can take of this, and last night it affected Wendy too, and she's still pretty shaken up. Honestly I'm still not sure of everything that happened or even how some of it happened – it was really weird, and not just the dreams. I don't even know where to start, so I guess I just try to start at the beginning.
I went to be the normal time, around 11pm, and I felt good, actually – things have been somewhat quiet lately, and I haven't seen anything really strange in almost a week. I don't know if something triggered it, or it was a full moon, or whatever, but it seems like almost as soon as I fell asleep I started dreaming – really vivid, terrible dreams that filled me with dread. I could feel the hot, sulfurous wind against my face again, could feel the rocks cutting into my feet. The soldier was there, and more chanting, seeming louder than before, maybe closer, I'm not sure. I could clearly hear those dread syllables, 'Yog Sothoth', repeated in the chant like the tolling of some blasphemous bell. There was a new figure out there too, I think – I'm not completely sure, things are still jumbled, unclear, but I have a sense that there was something else. Not the hooded figures, either – I'm certain it wasn't them.


Continuing our ongoing reportage of new 419 scams, we're pleased to announce that Nigerian advance fee fraudsters have moved into the foreign language and air disaster markets.
I am MR PUFFIN DANIEL the director in charge of auditing and account section UNION TOGOLAISE DE BANQUE,LOME-TOGO.With due respect and regard, I have decided to contact you on a business transaction that will be very beneficial to both of us at the end.
During our investigation and auditing in this bank, My department came across a very huge sum of money belonging to a deceased person, who died on EgyptAir Flight 990 plane crash of 31st october 1999. No body was recovered from the crash site.
Thanks to Reg 419 aficionados Rick Cooper and Pat Cunningham for these fun-sized portions of fraud.
Other 419 fans might like to get their hands on one of the last Ghostly 419 shirts at Cash'n'Carrion. Top kit, to be sure.


From January to Febraury, principal Damon Monteleone visited Tilden Middle School in Rockville, MD as part of the Montgomery County Principal Intern Program.
Q: So, why were you at Tilden Middle School the last month or so?
A: So, it was as part of the Montgomery County Principal Intern Program. So, when a school gets an intern, like we had Ms. Butler this year, Ms. Butler then takes over the building as principal for two months. When she does, the principal leaves the building while the intern takes over so as to give them complete freedom and autonomy around the school. To allow the intern to work in a liberated way, the basically play a "musical chairs" game with the principals. So, every school which has an intern then receives a visiting principal. So for example, while I was away, we had Mrs. Elise Burgess come—and she is the principal of Sally K. Ride Elementary School. So that's why I was Tilden. When a visiting principal goes to a new school, they assume the role of an assistant principal. So, I spent a lot of my time consulting with the intern, giving him a different perspective on decisions he should make or processes he should follow.
Q: So what was your first impression of the students and the staff at Tilden?
A: Small…and slow…and low stress. They have about 900 kids, and the building is very small. There is a much smaller staff, probably less than half the size of our staff. It's just slower because I'm working in a middle school in an affluent area where students don't have a lot of social, emotional, or financial needs. So we get a lot of students who are coming to school with kind of an academic mindset, and who don't have a lot of stressful things in their lives outside of school. I probably went from being one of the most overworked principals in the school system, sitting on top of an enormous and very complex building of RM, to being one of the most overpaid principals in the school system when I went to Tilden.
Q: It was like a breather?
A: It was ABSOLUTELY a breather. It was phenomenal. I needed it, I called it the "Tilden Country Club." I mean I was getting paid to breathe their air and to just kind of help people. An average day for me at RM is probably 7 a.m. till 6 p.m., probably 11 hours on average, and that does not count the night events, that does not count Mr. RM, or drama, or band, or sports, or whatever else. So, I went from 11 hour days at a minimum to getting to school at around 8 a.m. and leaving by 4 p.m.
Q: Were the middle school students more interactive and gregarious in middle school?
A: I think they were absolutely interactive, they were curious. They all come up to you, and I was the 6th grade administrator, so that was my grade. I dealt with 6th grade discipline, 6th grade parent meetings, and 6th grade lunch duty. So they're still 11 years old, right? They're still pretty young. The 8th graders, they treated me differently. They were like "oh, who's that new guy?" The 6th graders, they called me Iron Man and Mr. Stark, and we would joke about the next Iron Man suit I was going to build. They would pretend that they were the Black Panther. They're still little kids, so it was really fun.
Q: So were there any similarities you noticed between the behavior and overall demeanor between high school students at RM and kids at Tilden?
A: You can kind of see at that age, who they'll become. You definitely see the kids that will be all in the play, you definitely see the kids that will be in the band, you definitely see the kids that want to play sports, or on the debate team, or the robotics club… they're all there. You can just see who they may become or what their interests will be in high school. Some of the 8th graders seem like they could be 10th graders here… they're really tall, and they just look older. That's the thing about middle school too, you have kids that are 4 foot 3 and 60 pounds, and then you have some kids who are 6 foot 2 and 180 pounds. You have this huge range of social maturity, emotional maturity and size.
Q: How was the staff at Tilden?
A: They were very open about asking me for support. I would go in, I did a lot of informal observations, and gave informal feedback on their teaching. I helped them with certain "Special Ed" situations or providing accommodations, or they have an LFI program, which is "Learning for Independence," they have a special program for students with severe cognitive disabilities. Kids with Down Syndrome, for example, so that was a new experience for me, and I provided a lot of support in that area because there's a range of behaviors that are occurring in those classes.
Q: Do you believe that you had a lot of influence during your time at Tilden? Especially with the 6th graders?
A: I think that there were probably 10 or 12 of them that I got to know really well. And I hope that I made some sort of positive impact. There were a few that kind of clung to me, and there were a few that kept popping up on my radar for little silly ticky-tacky things, like throwing snowballs, knocking each other's hats off, flicking each other on the ears—they had all these games that they would play—knocking the notebooks out of their hands. Especially the boys, they were constantly doing these kinds of silly things, so I had to deal with a lot of that.
Q: What was your most memorable interaction or experience at Tilden?
A: I think it was probably working with one student in particular. In addition to their LFI program with kids with Down Syndrome and cognitive disabilities, they also have an autism program. There was a student named Akinawe who I worked with closely. He really took a liking to me, and he always wanted to engage in conversation and be social, and speak to me about things. He was very smart and had all kinds of information just this kind of esoteric information, and he had a non-sequitur way of looking at things. He kind of inspired me and gave me a grounding as to why we are in education, and it kind of refocused my purpose a little bit.
Q: Was there anything you missed about RM?
A: So I didn't miss the hours, I didn't miss the stress… but I'm not a middle school person, right? This is an amazing school with amazing staff and students, and I've always known I'm one of the luckiest principals in the country. But it's true, absence and distance makes the heart grow fonder. I think absence and distance crystallizes perspective and allows the clouds to part, so to speak, so you can see things as they are. You see things without stress or emotion or other things that may cloud perception. I missed all of it. All of it. I missed the kids, I missed being in the hallways.
Q: Would you like to repeat this experience once more in the future? Maybe in elementary school or another middle school?
A: I actually wanted to go to elementary school, they sent me to a middle school instead. But, I would love to go to an elementary school. I'm not sure I want to repeat the intern experience. I love Ms. Butler, but it's about me leaving the school. It was very hard to leave, that's all.
Q: Yeah, that's true. How would you say the experience helped you grow as a principal?
A: Well, I think I learned a lot. Who I need to be and who I should be if I'm going to be able to sustain my passion and energy for this job. I learned about limits, I learned about not internalizing everything, and not feeling the weight of the world or this school on my shoulders at all times, because when you step away from something for two months and somebody else is able to do it, everybody is replaceable. So, the world is not revolving around Richard Montgomery, the world will continue to spin, and I need to take a much more balanced approach to this job and my life.
Q: Is there anything that RM students can learn from middle school students or vice versa?
A: Be nice. Be nice to each other.


text:
package io.fabric8.jaas;

import org.apache.curator.framework.CuratorFramework;
import org.apache.felix.utils.properties.Properties;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.StringReader;
import java.io.StringWriter;

public class ZookeeperProperties extends Properties  {

    private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(ZookeeperProperties.class);

    private final String path;
    private final CuratorFramework curator;

    public ZookeeperProperties(CuratorFramework curator, String path) throws Exception {
        this.path = path;
        this.curator = curator;
    }

    @Override
    public void save() throws IOException {
        if (curator == null) {
            throw new IOException("Curator not bound");
        }
        StringWriter writer = new StringWriter();
        saveLayout(writer);
        try {
            curator.setData().forPath(path, writer.toString().getBytes());
        } catch (Exception e) {
            throw new IOException(e);
        }
    }

    protected void load() throws Exception {
        byte[] data = curator.getData().forPath(path);
        String value = new String(data);
        if (value != null) {
            clear();
            load(new StringReader(value));
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Gabriel Feld's initial encounter with printmaking was a case of love at first sight. In 2014, while serving as chief critic of RISD's European Honors Program, Feld gained access to a Bendini press. First came monotypes, later multi-plate color etchings, and more recently, lithographs, cyanotypes, and other less traditional printing and stamping techniques.
Adopting different techniques not only increases the range of the work but also has a multiplying effect. The transparencies of watercolor reappear and expand in more nuanced aquatints etched on the metal plate. More unexpected, however, is how much location—Italy, the United States, Mexico, and China, where the work actually happens—has on Feld's work, from the blues, reds and golds of Lorenzetti and Duccio in Siena, to the willows of Hangzhou at the beginning of the spring. In that sense, these prints manifest as a traveling diary.
This body of work can be seen as little poems without words. But more than conveying a message, it shares a material experience, an almost tactile sensibility. The prints are constructed with a variety of everyday materials such as paper, string, nets, fabric, ribbons, rubber bands, petals of fallen flowers, leaves, and twigs. In exploiting the unusual characteristics of these materials textures, patterns, translucencies, and opacities emerge. Printmaking is an extension of Feld's work as an architect—architecture by other means. There is a long tradition between architecture and printmaking, the fundamental aspect of that relationship is a physical connection of materials and ways to assemble them to make prints, as if the press bed were almost a construction site.
Gabriel Feld is an architect, teacher, and printmaker. He has been a professor at Rhode Island School of Design since 1990, serving as head of the architecture department (1997-2002) and chief critic of the European Honors Program in Rome (2014-16.) He has also taught at China Academy of Art, Dessau Institute of Architecture, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Boston Architectural Center, and Universidad de Buenos Aires. His teaching includes design studios and lecture courses dealing with urban culture, as well as other cultural and artistic concerns. His artwork—printmaking and installation—has been exhibited in China, Europe, the US, and Argentina. His architecture practice both in his native Argentina and in the US has involved residential and institutional projects, large-scale affordable housing, industrialized construction, urban design, and transportation. Feld received his Architecture Diploma from the Universidad de Buenos Aires in 1980 and his Master in Architecture from Harvard University in 1988.
View the full Spring 2019 Lectures and Events List.


text:
Q: Another formulation of existence theorem for smooth bump functions Let $M$ be a smooth manifold (at least Hausdorff). Most of the times, as an application of the existence of partitions of unity on $M$, the existence of smooth bump functions is shown (see for example Lee or Warner). It is stated like this:

For any closed subset $A \subseteq M$ and any open subset $U$ containing $A$, there exists a smooth bump function for $A$ supported in $U$, i.e. the bump function is identically equal to $1$ on $A$.

However, it is often usefull to have the following restatement (as far as I can tell from a few proofs):

For any $p \in M$ and any open set $U$ there exists a bump function supported in $U$ and identically equal to $1$ on a neighbourhood of $p$.

So I tried to proof the second statement assuming the first. The proof goes like this: $p$ lies in the domain of a chart, say $(V,\varphi)$. Then $\varphi(U \cap V)$ is open in $\mathbb{R}^n$ and thus contains an open ball $B$. Now we can find a closed ball $K \subseteq B$, centered at $\varphi(p)$, and another open ball $B' \subseteq K \subseteq B$ centered also at $\varphi(p)$. Now we find a smooth bump function supported in $U$ which is identically equal to $1$ in $\varphi^{-1}(K)$, so it is in $\varphi^{-1}(B')$. Is my proof right? Is there any simpler proof?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Life gets busy and sometimes, that means we need quick breakfast ideas we can take on-the go. Well, it doesn't get much quicker than our Breakfast in a Mug recipe. You can make this in the microwave in less than 5 minutes. Wanna know the best part? You can grab the mug and go! No more excuses to skip the most important meal of the day.
Coat a 12-ounce microwave-safe mug with cooking spray.
Add hash browns and microwave on high 1 minute. Add eggs, water, sausage, and 1 tablespoon cheddar cheese; stir until well combined.
Microwave on high 60 seconds; stir.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and continue to microwave 15 to 30 seconds longer or until eggs are set. Careful, this will be piping hot.
For even more quick breakfast ideas try our Bacon 'n' Egg Cups, Breakfast Burrito Panini, and our Coffee Cup Scramble!
If you're craving a hearty meal, check out Good Ol' Southern Breakfast Recipes!
For easy lunch ideas, try our Taco Chicken Wraps and The Ultimate Reuben!
Fast and easy to cook and delicious.
This sounds fantastic. I'm usually in such a hurry in the mornings, and this sounds like an awesome short cut.
I'd love to try making this on a weekday. How fun that this could be made so quickly!
Hope to make this real soon.
More recipes for one or two would be so great. I'm an older single person not use to cooking for myself!
Wonderful and versatile! Thank you!
I think some people missed the point of this recipe. It does not say it is for 'on the go' so of course you would not eat it while driving. I suppose you could microwave it in a bowl, if that's what you prefer. It is hailed as being quick to prepare with easy clean up.
You still would need to use a fork or spoon. Do you plan to eat it while driving to work?? I think the idea is ridiculous.
This looks great! Do you know how many calories it is??
Why would you want to eat it in a mug and not a bowl?
Because it is a breakfast on the go.


BIRMINGHAM ESTATE SALES is hosting an ITTY BITTY of a sale! Don't miss it!
Join us for a pop up sale! It's itty bitty but has some cool things. You'll see.
There will be NO SIGNAGE so you'll have to find us. Think Harry Potter at the train station. Exactly.
50% OFF! LAST DAY!!! BIRMINGHAM ESTATE SALES is on CLIFF RD! Join us!
*steep steps! Hopefully you don't have vertigo!
**House is also for sale! Great potential!
50% OFF! LAST DAY!!! BIRMINGHAM ESTATE SALES is at LAKE MARTIN!!!! Starts Wed!! Oct 31! 4 days!
Join us for one heck of a sale at Lake Martin!
**Please note for those Bama fans…. the game starts at 7pm against LSU so you have plenty of time to come shop with us!
4 days of Birmingham Estate sales!!!! Yippeee!
50% OFF!!! ALL MUST GO! BIRMINGHAM ESTATE SALES is in CROSSVILLE!!!! Road Trip!!!
Where in the heck is Crossville I asked…. I still have no clue BUT there are wonderful things that MOO MOO right next door to the sale! This is a road trip kind of adventure. Grab a Starbucks and those wondeful little egg bites and off you go! Wear a sweater now it's chilly! It's a 100 plus year old farmhouse!!! Who knows WHAT you'll come across!
Join us for a 2 day sale in quaint Crossville! There are barns and an attic…..super creepy basement alert!
Rhonda and Jeff are at it again!!!
Gravel road alert! Also cotton is blooming which is spectacular to see! And cows!!!! All over the place!
BIRMINGHAM ESTATE SALES is SCREAMING at the Sunday ONE DAY 75% off at the VESTAVIA SALE!!!! Wahhhh!
Remember the 4 day sale we just finished today ?? (Sat Oct 20th) — well… it's such a big sale — we're doing ONE MORE DAY at a 75% blow out or more!!!! I know…. RIGHT?!!!!! You'll just need to COME OUT and see what's LEFT!!!! Come see Rhonda and Jeff!!!
Then the screaming began. Of Happy Customers. Happiness. Just all over.
(none of that remotely worked for the Brady Bunch theme song but I had you going… didn't I? he he he Is the Brady Bunch theme song stuck in your head now? ).
So….. join us for ONE MORE DAY and then it's GONE!!!
75% off OR MORE!!!!! Holy SNAP!!!
*Just a note! – we also have a SUNDAY ONLY sale at 200 Vestavia Circle, also in Vestavia 10-4pm. All MUST GO! same day!
BIRMINGHAM ESTATE SALES is in VESTAVIA for a SUNDAY BLOW OUT KIND OF DAY!
**Make sure you follow us on our website so that we don't miss you at a sale!!! We're also on instagram, twitter and FB — Hows your day going so far? Ours is FABULOUS!!!!!
Join us for a one day BLOW OUT in VESTAVIA!!!
Sunday Oct 21 – 10-4pm – ALL MUST GO!!!


text:
Rachel/Randy Stair
true crime community :: Mass Murders :: Weis Supermarket
by Pledgeallegiance on Sun Jun 11, 2017 4:30 pm
Well, I am so happy she now has a subforum on here cause I'm really getting interested now.
I would appreciate it if you guys could please call her by her chosen pronouns and name. She expressed greatly about her dysphoria and gender identity in her journals and videos. So please refer to her as Rachel and use she/her pronouns, or if theres any uncertainty, please refer to her as R. Stair and use they/them.
Last edited by Pledgeallegiance on Thu Jun 15, 2017 5:16 am; edited 1 time in total
Re: Rachel/Randy Stair
by ofrabid on Sun Jun 11, 2017 4:36 pm
GOOD POST i hate that people are literally using "but she's a killer !!!!!!!" even though ............................. EVERYONE WE RESEARCH IS A KILLER AND EVERYONE SAYING THAT IS TRYNA SUCK SOME ERIC HARRIS DIDDLE
ofrabid
Location : California
by Moopster on Sun Jun 11, 2017 5:21 pm
ppl on tumblr be showin' more respect to a mass murderer who killed a bunch of black people bc he was a racist twat and then get upset when ppl ask them to use the correct pronouns for someone else lol
by rebldomakr on Sun Jun 11, 2017 5:31 pm
YES THIS X100!! PLEASE RESPECT HER.
by thedragonrampant on Mon Jun 12, 2017 2:32 am
At least one of the newspaper articles about this case refers to their gender identity issues and how they admitted to feeling like a girl trapped in a man's body, so I would definitely extend the courtesy of referring to this particular shooter as a girl. It's a small gesture that recognises a part of the conflict that existed in this person.
That said, I am absolutely taken aback by their huge online presence that should've caused some warning bells to go off in the people following and reading along with these accounts. It seems like these threats weren't taken seriously until it was too late -- par for the course, maybe, but how on earth did everyone miss this?
thedragonrampant
Location : the Netherlands
by Pledgeallegiance on Mon Jun 12, 2017 4:02 am
Moopster wrote: ppl on tumblr be showin' more respect to a mass murderer who killed a bunch of black people bc he was a racist twat and then get upset when ppl ask them to use the correct pronouns for someone else lol
I CANT BEGIN WHITH HOW MUCH TRUTH THIS IS
by randyrobertstair on Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:07 am
I don't even know why people are debating this. It's obvious that she identified as a female.
randyrobertstair
thedragonrampant wrote:
violence has become exceedingly commonplace in media and it isn't really too big of a surprise when it shows up. the accounts come off as 'rping' ones or just normal character accounts people use to promote their ocs. it's really hard, especially on the internet, to tell when someone is being serious or not.
in addition, when you're close to someone, i doubt you want to think that they'd be able to do something like this. not sure if she was in therapy or not, but she was an adult which meant that her parents couldn't force her to make appointments or seek help. if she chose to isolate herself then there was really nothing anyone can do.
also, it seems like from the recordings that her family was a big fan of guns, so nobody would really bat an eye when she purchased a shotgun (except her brother it seems, who asked why she needed it but she just lied to him about why)
also, just as a general question, but was rachel her favoured name? in the recordings i listened to she did mention she didn't like the name randy, but did say she preferred andrew and this is one of the reasons why she chose it. i thought rachel was just one of her ocs/personality facets
does she ever refer to herself as rachel in her journals/audio/social media? just curious
by Pledgeallegiance on Thu Jun 15, 2017 4:55 am
Moopster wrote: also, just as a general question, but was rachel her favoured name? in the recordings i listened to she did mention she didn't like the name randy, but did say she preferred andrew and this is one of the reasons why she chose it. i thought rachel was just one of her ocs/personality facets
She did refer to herself as Rachel in her goodbye video to her parents (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GJtAbUj-0KY). Also in some of her journals and other videos, but I will put some screenshots here where she mentions how she hated the name randy, transitioned to Andrew, but ultimately settled on Rachel.
» Punishing ninja around the Manor?
» Randy Sluganski

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
El serín culipardo (Crithagra tristriata) es una especie de ave paseriforme de la familia Fringillidae nativa de las tierras altas de Etiopía, Eritrea y Somalia. Está muy extendido por las ciudades, pueblos, jardines, plantaciones y brezales de las tierras altas.

Descripción

Alcanza una longitud de aproximadamente 13 cm de largo. Su plumaje es predominantemente de color pardo grisáceo uniforme, más claro en las partes inferiores, y con una lista superciliar blanca. Tiene una parte blancuzca debajo de la barbilla.

Referencias

Bibliografía

Sinclair, Ian y Ryan, Peter (2003) Birds of Africa south of the Sahara, Struik, Cape Town.

Enlaces externos

tristriata
Aves de África
Taxones descritos por Eduard Rüppell
Animales descritos en 1840

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The aim of this course is to equip participants with the basic food safety knowledge to enable them to work with food in a safe and hygienic manner.
List the responsibilities of a food worker.
Identify various food poisoning bacteria and the conditions necessary for bacterial growth.
Understand the importance of cleaning and cleaning schedules.
Understand the requirements of personal hygiene.
Indentify a pest infestation and how to deal with it.
List the legal responsibilities of a food worker.
All persons working in the areas of food preparation, storage or management. Under current food safety legislation these people must be appropriately trained in basic food safety & hygiene.
To receive certification for this course, all learners must successfully complete both the theory & practical components of the course.
Certificate of Attendance will be issued to all learners who successfully complete this course. Certification is valid for 3 years.


All our rooms are en suite with Tea/Coffee facilities, free Wi-Fi and complimentary toiletries.
Cosy double room on second floor, located within the eves of the house, hence small window. Complimentary toiletries and refreshment tray, hairdryer, en suite shower room, Freeview TV.


Six hundred people are expected for the seventh annual Fight for Air Climb Miami on Saturday.
Joined by family and friends, West Palm Beach resident Richard Green will be traveling south to climb more than 50 flights of stairs.
But it won't be for an exercise session. Instead Green, who has been diagnosed with lung cancer, will join more than 600 people for the seventh annual Fight For Air Climb Miami to benefit the American Lung Association at Southeast Financial Center, 200 S. Biscayne Blvd. on Saturday. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. with the climb beginning at 8:30 a.m.
For Green, it is a way to show his appreciation towards those who have helped him battle his disease.
Because of his illness, Green plans on climbing about five flights of stairs as his remaining team members will help finish off the race for him. So far, he has a little more than six teammates, but hopes to recruit more.
"The climb serves as a reminder and often an awakening, as to how important it is to have healthy lungs," Dana Filetti, Area Development Coordinator American Lung Association in Florida, wrote in an e-mail.
Registration is $25 until the week of the event, when the registration fee is raised to $35. Registered participants all receive event t-shirts, towels, and participation medals. All participants are also required to raise a minimum of $100 and are rewarded with numerous options of incentive prizes that they can order after the event based on the amount of money they raise. The event is open for individual and team climbing. All teams must have a minimum of three participants.
Climbers will compete against other participants in their age and gender categories for the best time. Participants will climb in 30 second intervals to avoid congestion in the stairwell. They will climb 54 of the building's 55 stories, skipping the top floor due to construction.
The money raised by the American Lung Association in Florida stays local, and helps us fund lung health programs like our Better Breather's Clubs as well as Asthma Education and Smoking Cessation programs in local schools, according to the group.
Last year, the event raised $98,000. This year's goal is $101,000 said Filetti.
The American Lung Association was founded in 1916. According to the organization, lung cancer is the leading cancer killer among men and women in the country. It is estimated that there will be more than 215,000 new cases of lung cancer this year.
There will be a post-party after the climbing at the building's newly renovated courtyard featuring food and drinks along with live music and giveaways.
The mission of the organization is to help save lives and sends a message said Filetti.
"It is important to keep lung health, and clean-air laws a priority with local legislation in order to reduce for example lung cancer caused by second-hand smoke!" Filetti wrote.


Do it now: Declare your love!
Valentine's day is here and no other card describes this day better than the Lovers tarot card. The Lovers tarot card speaks of love that makes us whole and complete. The whole universe comes out of the union of bliss and love, and therefore it is important that we have love in our lives as well. Even the cosmos is in love, from atoms to galaxies. When you connect with your Twin flame, your inner and outer being will be filled, and you take your perfect place in the Universe.
Make this Valentine's day count — Tell the person you love how you feel! Shower your spouse with love and affection, spoil your partner on this special day, and if you are secretly in love with someone, this is the day when you should let them know how you truly feel.
If you are harbouring love for someone, and they don't know about it, be more than a secret admirer — shout it out! Let them know how you feel because you never know, they might feel the same way about you!
Put the Lovers card in a bouquet of flowers or in a box of chocolates. Write them a poem. Sing them a song! Rap them a rap! Follow your heart this Valentine's day!
Below are some links to the best romance tarot spreads.
Feeling lonely this Valentine's day? Not to worry. Manifest your Highest and Best, Most Compatible Soulmate online webinar is now out! Check it out here.


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Pro & Local Detailing Inc.
May 10, 2018 by dupontregistry Leave a Comment
Phone Number: 413.883.0881 Location: Western MA & Northern CT Website: www.proandlocal.com Email: [email protected] Facebook: Facebook.com/prolocaldetailing Instagram: @proandlocal Services: Full service detailing, interior reconditioning, ceramic coatings, Ceramic Pro, Opti-Coat Pro, Gtechniq certified. paint protection film, window tint, vinyl wrap, wheel repair, pointless dent repair, bumper repair, rock chip repair, paint touch up, car audio & fabrication, automotive security & remote starter, custom detailing, concourse & exotic car detailing, new car prep, pre-sale cleaning. Pro & Local detailing is an award-winning detailing company based out of Western MA & Northern CT. Our knowledgeable team will be available to service your vehicle while providing a unique experience, unlike any other detail company. Pro & Local offers fully mobile service at your home, workplace or even the … [Read more...] about Pro & Local Detailing Inc.
Filed Under: Auto, Car pro mobile detailing, detailing pro, detailed play pro, mobile pro detailing, pro mobile auto detail, pro mobile car detailing, locally grown food pros and cons, Detailers
Forget the Super Bowl, Monsters Inc. fans are celebrating 2319 day
February 3, 2019 by cnet Leave a Comment
Monsters Inc. fans have more than just the Super Bowl to enjoy on Sunday.Since it's Feb. 3, 2019, fans of the Pixar film were quick to realize that the date correlates to the code 2319 -- a number that leads to a hilarious scene from the 2001 film.As pointed out by ComicBook.com, the scene in question involves the monster George (Sam Black), who gets an unexpected haircut as a result of getting a child's sock stuck on his gloriously orange fur. At this point of the film, monsters think children are toxic, making the sock a big issue codenamed 2319. Fans who remember the scene have taken to Twitter to celebrate the date, with all sorts of orange-ful posts in memory of George's hair.One even thinks 2319 could be a Super Bowl strategy (don't do this).And here's a human reenactment of the scene.And a costumed one, too.Have you posted your own 2319 salute on social media? Drop us a link into the comments and we can update it into this roundup. Happy 2319 day, watch out for those socks! … [Read more...] about Forget the Super Bowl, Monsters Inc. fans are celebrating 2319 day
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Ultimate Guide to 'Monsters, Inc.'
November 10, 2006 by howstuffworks Leave a Comment
Creating the 'Monsters, Inc.' Characters Copyright Disney Inc. Mike and Sulley are two quirky stars of "Monsters, Inc." Multiple elements went into creating the characters in "Monsters, Inc." In this section, we'll examine this painstaking process. Clay sculptures of the faces were created and digitized for the main characters, while nearly 50 other miscellaneous monsters were formed in the computer from a kit of virtual parts. Learning from their experience on previous Pixar projects, the two "Toy Story" films and "A Bug's Life," the modelers used a proprietary program called "Geppetto" to add more controls, allowing the animators more subtle movements. Animator John Kahrs spearheaded the production of Sulley, the massive monster who finds himself in a world of trouble. "John Goodman's vocal performance was really rich and had a lot of range," says Kahrs. "It had a wonderful rhythm and a lot of texture. There is a resonant warble to his voice, almost bear-like, and it fits … [Read more...] about Ultimate Guide to 'Monsters, Inc.'
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Top 5 Myths About Google, Inc.
July 24, 2009 by howstuffworks Leave a Comment
Start the Countdown The reception area at Google, Inc. See more pictures of the Googleplex. Brendan Hoffmann/Getty Images When it comes to the Internet, it just doesn't get much bigger than Google. In the United States, Google consistently gobbles up 70 to 75 percent of the search engine market [source: Garner]. In places like the United Kingdom, Switzerland and South America, that number soars to more than 90 percent of the market share [source: Google Operating System]. Google has conquered the search engine world so completely that its very name is synonymous with Internet search. How many companies (besides Xerox, of course) are recognized by Merriam-Webster's dictionary as a verb? Success on this scale is bound to attract some attention, and Google's success has garnered a lot of it. In fact, an enthusiastic press corps and caffeine-fueled blogosphere scrutinize Google's every move. Is Google buying Twitter? Is it going to launch its own cell phone network? Is it … [Read more...] about Top 5 Myths About Google, Inc.
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Spike in U.S. Cases of Acute Flaccid Myelitis: What's the Deal?
October 23, 2018 by howstuffworks Leave a Comment
Cases of acute flaccid mylelitis have spiked in the United States since 2014 and the Centers for Disease Control isn't sure why. Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images There's nothing scarier for a parent than seeing their child struck with mysterious medical symptoms. Since 2014, hundreds of U.S. parents have experienced this frightening scenario play out as a result of one rare condition that's on the rise: acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) The condition affects the spinal cord, and causes sudden weakness in the arms and legs. Though the condition remains exceptionally rare (less than one in a 1 million people in the United States get it annually), health officials have seen a spike in cases. From August 2014 through September 2018, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) received information on 386 confirmed cases across the country, and most of these occurred in children. There are a variety of possible causes for AFM, including certain viruses like poliovirus and West Nile virus. Because … [Read more...] about Spike in U.S. Cases of Acute Flaccid Myelitis: What's the Deal?
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Our Best-Dressed Man of the Year is Ethan Newton, founder of Bryceland's Co - the store in Tokyo and now in Hong Kong.
Ethan received many nominations from readers, as did Andreas Weinas (of Manolo.se and other publications), several of Japan's finest buyers and creators, and then a long list with two or three mentions each.
The judges, however, (myself, Michael Drake and Jamie Ferguson) were particularly interested in highlighting the originality of Ethan's dress, and his ability to combine classic style with casual, workwear clothing.
These themes of mixing tailoring with workwear, and dressing a slightly larger body, dominated the discussion I had with Ethan this week about the award.
Permanent Style: You seem genuinely surprised to win this award. Is it really surprising, given the following you've always had, even going back to the Armoury days?
On Instagram - and Tumblr back in the day - my market was always larger guys who wanted to wear tailoring but couldn't imagine looking like Alan or Andreas or anyone like that.
That really surprises me, but I guess the things I always find inspiring are the ways people combine colours and texture, and the combinations of different styles - which aren't related to physique.
I think I focused more on those things because of my size. I couldn't rely on just being a good figure for tailoring - wearing the simple things and looking good. I needed to express myself more.
What particular aspects of tailoring are harder for larger men?
Trousers are certainly harder. It's not too difficult for a larger man to find a jacket that has enough drape to look good. But trousers have to be cut completely differently if you're big in the seat and thighs.
This was the foundation of my relationship with Salvatore [Ambrosi, Neapolitan trousermaker]. I kept on pushing him to make me something that was a little fuller, with some drape and two forward pleats.
This is also a question of style though. I've always believed that men can't look stylish if they're not elegant, and they can't be elegant if they're not comfortable. You need a little bit of room and drape to move properly.
What is the main challenge with trousers? Is it the position of the waist, whether it goes above, below or on the stomach?
That's important, but the bigger issue is often in the thigh. Few tailors, particularly in Japan, can fathom how much extra room a man like me needs in my stride - my walking thigh. Twenty-nine inch thighs probably get up to 33 inches when I lift my leg.
Then you need a back rise that's high enough, because you lose inches of it when you lift your leg. That's the only way to avoid what we call in Australia a 'tradesman's cleavage'.
How would you advise someone on wearing tailoring and workwear? It feels like there isn't much guidance in this area, perhaps because brands tend to stick in one space or another.
That's something that has come directly out of my experience with bespoke in Japan and Korea, where guys tend to be very siloed in how they dress.
You'll have a customer where bespoke is so much a part of his identity that he goes to the beach in bespoke trousers and a sports coat, or hiking in bespoke clothes and handmade shoes.
For me, the sense of occasion is crucial. You have to be able to dress beautifully for any occasion or you can't say you're well dressed. Otherwise it's Cosplaying.
My interest in vintage is driven by a belief that there are pieces of clothing that are so perfectly designed for certain uses that they don't need improving on. And we want to offer them for those uses.
A guy that has a perfect three-piece suit for a weekday should also have a pair of 501s and a great white T-shirt for the weekend. Or chinos and a leather jacket.
How about mixing those two together? I think that's the area that readers often find hardest - but potentially most interesting. In the image above, for instance, why does that hat work with tailoring where another wouldn't?
A lot of it comes from references. The hat in the picture, for instance, is a stratoliner from Stetson. It's an original from the 1960s.
The stratoliner was a western hat, but it wasn't an open-road hat - what we would think of as a cowboy hat. If you look at old films with Jimmy Stewart, he would wear something like this with a suit in the same way.
Is there a principle we can establish from that? For example, for a hat to work with a suit it has be similar proportions to a classic hat like a fedora, but the material or colour can vary?
Yes, although the material's not that different, it's just a lighter colour - what was called 'silver belly'. It would have been a fairly standard hat on the west coast of the US.
How about this second picture, in the shorter jacket and grey trousers?
That's a Lee Westerner from the 1960s, with grey fresco trousers from Ambrosi and split-toe shoes from Saint Crispin's.
What kind of jacket do you think works with that combination - with more formal trousers and shoes?
Well the first thing is always the proportions. I want to look tall and strong, so the trousers are high-waisted and reasonably loose (though not as loose as they should be - blame my expanding waistline!) They're on the waist rather than the hips, which makes me look slimmer, being a smaller circumference. And the jacket is short and neat.
And in terms of material and colour, do you see the Westerner as slightly smarter than a brown leather jacket, say, or a blue-denim jacket?
Yes. You need to keep the materials and textures in balance.
I'm wearing a necktie and a broadcloth shirt here, and I probably wouldn't wear that with a denim jacket. There would be too much of a contrast. The Westerner is in a pique cotton that isn't smart, is a little more polished. It balances out well.
And with a more casual jacket you'd remove the necktie, perhaps wear a more casual shirt and shoes?
Yes, with more casual pieces - like in the image below. Here I'm wearing a beanie and a knit rather than a shirt, with cotton trousers rather than wool. So it's much more consistent.
But again, you'd be happy to wear that same leather jacket with flannels and an oxford shirt?
Absolutely. A button-down oxford with reppe tie or a knit tie. A proper hat rather than a beanie. But not a silk tie and elegant dress trousers. That would be too far.
How much do you think your customers can actually wear unusual pieces like you do, such as western hats or jewellery?
I certainly don't expect my customers to wear everything I do. It has to be appropriate to their lifestyle and situation.
One of the great things Karl Sussman, a tailor in Australia, used to say to me was, 'As a retailer, we have to go to 100%; only then can we expect customers to hit 80%'.
He meant that if we consistently play it safe, and never go beyond 70% of what we think might be interesting, a customer's never going to go that far, never going to try new things.
It's my job as a retailer to suggest things, and then for the customer to take it as far as they're comfortable with. They might wear the hat, but with more casual clothing. Or they might wear the three-piece suit in the office, but without the watch chain.
I think some men feel they have to wear everything together, just as the man in the shop is wearing it, or the model in the advert, otherwise they're not sure it will all work. They don't have the confidence to deconstruct it all.
Absolutely, it's hard to advise completely except in person - which is one reason we re primarily a retail store, not an online store.
Who would you have voted for in this award?
Among the men that were nominated I think George [Wang, of Brio in Beijing] would have been a good choice. He both wears clothing well and expresses himself - he's not afraid to play with it a little.
I always prefer that to guys that just copy one, narrow look; it often feels derivative.
You can follow the discussion on Best-dressed man 2018: Ethan Newton (or, how to dress the larger man) by entering your email address in the box below. You will then receive an email every time a new comment is added. These will also contain a link to a page where you can stop the alerts, and remove all of your related data from the site.
Thank god it wasn't someone with all the right proportions !
While women's fashion goes on about the 'plus' size model we've voted him as the Best Dressed Man.
But then we're about style not fashion.
Yes, trousers get wasted faster than jeans, but nothing is perfect in this world. As for the T-Shirt and leather jacket – I am waiting for Simon's article on his experience with Chapal MTM. I like the quality of Chapal, but I am still not sure that the fit and style are my thing and I want to see how the jacket will fit Simon.
Frank Spencer has let himself go in the last picture.
Definitely a good choice. A sartorial sensei who is not a poser and who looks like he eats now and then.
He makes some great points but you have to have it in your blood to get this good.
"For me, the sense of occasion is crucial. You have to be able to dress beautifully for any occasion or you can't say you're well dressed. Otherwise it's Cosplaying." – Good man, and well-deserved winner in this category! Good job by the jury as well.
Ethan Newton didn't come to my mind but he is very deserving of this award.
He is elegant and very thoughtful in how he approaches clothing. He shows how a large man can dress well and not look sloppy. Although my own physique is the polar opposite of Ethan's I can learn a lot about dressing well from him.
Certainly a well dressed individual with a clear and deep knowledge of style but the element of colour seems very limited in his wardrobe.. which thus makes it rather drab (though maybe the overcast backdrop did not help). You cover the subject of hats well but they can date an outfit by making it a bit fuddy duddy. Alternately he should not feel abashed as a large man being judged in a positive way as he carries his weight well and looks authentic in every shot. Indeed it could be a career path as he transitions from tailored to work wear with ease. As a footnote I noted that many in the nomination group were industry based either in retail outlets or writers. Surely there are some outside this group worthy of nomination next year?
Thanks. There was a long tail of non-industry people, but I guess they tend to be less broadly known, and get fewer nominations overall.
Still, if we had seen anyone in that list that we thought deserved to be in the top 5, we would have elevated them.
Simon, why wasn't Luigi Solito on the list? He is a sartorial genius always well turned out and my sartorial hero.
I like the way Luigi dresses. He only received one nomination, however, and with the top five we shortlisted here, we felt they were more individual in their style and combined different things well.
Hi Simon, I don't disagree with this choice, Mr Newton is indeed a man of style. However, I think it may be useful to point out the difference between a 'selling' dresser and a well dressed man (I admit that they are not mutually exclusive). Men like Mr Newton, MH from Drakes, AS from The Armoury and Brunello Cucinelli all 'represent' their various brands when they dress, whilst men like you, Bruce Boyer and the Prince of Wales dress for yourselves. This may be a subtle distinction but it should be noted that some men are 'selling' as well as dressing.
On trousers for larger men: The question of trouser height wasn't really answered on the article. As for me, I have a bit of a belly but relatively small seat and thighs. With casual trousers this leads to a problem that pants really quickly slide down to the hips even if the rise is a bit higher. (It does not look good and makes my long back look even longer. And I have to constantly pull up my pants.) Is there any remedy for this? With suit trousers I can use suspenders or even get a rise that reaches above the widest point (around the belly button), but these options are rarely suitable for casual trousers.
There is only one solution to the problem you outline, and that is to wear braces.
Providing your waistband sits as the right spot, they will stop your trousers from moving. Only really applicable to formal trousers as you can't wear them with chinos, jeans etc.
It's definitely worth taking a look at this from the pen of this year's winner.
really great interview. Great view and insight on the subtleties of combining casual/workwear and formal garments. And I agree, it's easy to look good being tall and slim but it can be a challenge if not… E.N. is the best example that it works out well – with confidence and style. A well deserved winner!
does any one here know who was the first smartie to popularise "distressed jeans" as "cool", and then sell it to old folk as fashionable? My mother would have said: You've got a hole in your trousers dear, do you want me to darn it?
Marithe and Francois Girbaud, 2 french designers. They didnt popularise it, they invented it (among hundred other things), with the stone washing technique.
First, since I haven't got enough time to even participate in the entire initiative, I would start by making few belated observations.
The whole endeavour is definitely a great idea! As to Drake's, for me it's one of the haberdasheries, which are – aesthetically and culturally – the closest to PS's readers. It's a mainstay within our environment. Therefore its being nominated isn't a great surprise to me!
As to Ethan as the best-dressed man 2017 isn't a surprise either. Peter K's comment is what I would assume in this case. But why would someone like us see Ethan as a source of inspiration in the first place? For I think I've read or seen quite all what he has posted as comments or pics since the time he started running Old Rugged Salt down to Bryceland Co Instagram. I think the answer is authencity. Ethan is authentic in his style. And he seems to be attracted to what he deems authentic in others too. One very good example I have found while browsing through his blog is a Japanese man who often appears wearing just a pair of chino, a T-shirt and a hat. Very simple as an outfit, and yet profoundly authentic!
However, in one instance Ethan succeeded in making me set my sight on one specific item: a St Crispin's brogue. Actually, it was just a comment of his, explaining why St Crispin's shoes are the ones that meet his requirements due to how he is built. Frankly, I've rarely read such a powerful advertisement that actually wasn't the purpose of a statement.
I sorry very much Permanent Style readers did choose Ethan Newton and not to Bruce Boyer… to me founder of Bryceland's Co is not too bad dressed men but is not the best. 🙂 George is singular.
Joke by the side. Bernhard Roetzel is a great writer, but this does not make him a style icon. He wrote The Gentleman as an assignment and he did an excellent job. And as this book was so successful, he later specialized on the topic and this became a part of his identity. Partly in order to monetize on the momentum that people who read the first book and liked it, would most likely buy a second book by him on a similar topic like a book on shoes. This is a common economic sense.
But this does not make him per se a style icon. He just dresses in his interpretation of an elegant British countryside outfit, but nothing particularly inspiring.
Thank you you so much dear Hristo for your reply.
I think the elegance is an inside valour…. other interpretation is secondary to me.
Simon is a great (good) writer but that does not make him a style icon either.
I have the feeling that most people who comment forget that the idea is of an anual award.
So if somebody has not won this year, one could win next year. There are a lot of people deserving Oscar for lifetime achievement, but the Academy does not award them all at once in a single year.
Aparf from that if this is an award for 2017, then it is perfectly understandable that BB and PoW are not getting the award regardless of their merits. They were not particularly visible in 2017. This is also why they did not get so many nominations. One has to be visible in the online and offline media for getting such an award. I am sure that there are thousands of no name no Instagram people, who dress better then BB, PoW or EN, but we have never heard of them and never seen them so they are not on the list. Being visible in 2017 is part of the game.
Bravo! I am a long time reader (first timer in the comment section surprisingly) that always appreciates your content. This article is particularly relevant to me personally . As a short, stocky fellow it is enormously hard to find clothing that is flattering or just fits in general! Highlighting Ethan as a menswear arbiter is refreshing for those of us that struggle with clothing that is seemingly always made for taller, slimmer men. Although bespoke is invariably out of my price range, it is always a guilty pleasure to read and observe the clothing on PermanentStyle. Thank you again from the other side of the pond and keep up the great work!
Of all the nominees, Noboru Kakuta is to me the most interesting choice amongst the finalists. I would have thought that he would be too simplistic in his style to be included. However, his approach to proportion is unmatched!
Great read ! Will you also profile the runners up at some point ? BTW, Alexander Kraft seems to be missing from the runners up list, he received quite a number of nominations… ?
No, I think we'll leave that for other years, when I'm sure others will win.
Alexander was in the top 10 for nominations, but didn't quite get the judges' vote for the top 5.
Hello Simon, great article on Ethan, he has a beautiful and consistent aesthetic.
Could you inquire about his leather jacket, is that something that he sells?
As far as I know, it is a replica A-1 flight jacket made by Eastman Leather, not an original vintage one. He does sometimes wear the replicated leather jackets, especially for ones like A-1 jackets that are just too rare to find.
Stylewise, the Leather jacket he is wearing is a classic.
They'll be happy to make the jacket to your specifications regarding leather, lining, and measurements.
PS: I am in now way associated with Aero Leather Clothing, just a happy customer that wanted to give a heads up.
Great style. I was so relieved that the ' Armani Man ' motif was nowhere to be seen!
Good choice for the best dressed man. As a number of others have mentioned, it's a rare joy to see someone of the slightly more well built fraternity take such an accolade for once. I am very new to your site and have been wanting to ask two questions, and feel that this award is the right setting. Being of a bigger build myself, I have long found that going into most decent men's shops quite a trial. I have had a couple of experiences with bespoke, a suit which was a disaster and some trousers which were not bad. My first question relates to whether you have suggestions for which tailor in London (or possibly in Italy as I travel there a lot) would be the one to to make trousers that fit Ethan's description. I think his suits look incredible and the way the trousers sit is perfect. It seems that being large there is always the sense that trousers should be wide at the bottom and have a huge break, both of which I have never liked. So what kind of things should I be asking for when making a jacket and trousers. My second issue is a very different one. I work in a world that not only dresses casually, but rather reacts to the idea of dressing up. I often try to find reasons to justify the use of a tie, which invariably raises comments. Something I find tiresome and childish. I have now accepted this and am comfortable enough dressing up. However, I am sure that suits would raise a whole other level of remarks. I just wonder if others have this issue and how they deal with it. Anyway, I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
Most tailors will be able to make for you, and won't vary that much. I'd suggest Dalcuore perhaps, as they have a fairly roomy cut, but the difference is small. The biggest thing will be deciding your happy with braced trousers, for instance, which can work much better on a larger man.
That won't help you much with your second point, however, on standing out. It's the biggest reason I don't wear braces. In general on this point, I'd say that you need to ignore most comments, but also be aware that you can't stray too far from the norm, without just being unsuited to the environment, which is a big part of being elegant.
Thanks Simon really appreciate it. In fact I should say that braces are an extravagance that I have long succumbed to. I recently bought a beautiful pair at Shibumi, thanks to a link I found on your site. I take your point about straying too far from the norm though. As for the recommendation on tailor I appreciate that and will look into it. Thanks again and congratulations on an excellent site.
I love ties, and can relate to your wanting to find ways to wear a tie more often. I also feel self-conscious about the unbuttoned shirt and the hair the peaks through, so I prefer a fully-buttoned shirt.
I think the key is to dress down the whole outfit to be closer to the level of everyone else. So start with a more casual tie (knit or heavily textured, strong pattern) and then combine with with a more casual ensemble (chinos or jeans, denim shirt or coloured oxford button-down, half-zip or full-zip knitwear, casual jacket with a zip). With all that, the tie looks like a style flourish but the outfit suits the moment.
I've been hoping to experiment a little with a subtly coloured but patterned ascot as a way to maybe vary this a little.
I'm a bigger guy living in the US (52L suit, 18 neck, 40 waist 32 Length). Aside from made-to-order are you aware of any brands that might carry these sizes? I find most haberdasheries cater to the little guys, lol. Occasionally, I find a nice 2X or 3X shirt, but it will fit like a halter top. Too short. I wish more of the nicer brands offered options for larger men. Seems like there's an untapped market.


For instance Jeanne Crain BELOW just loves making home movies and is quite often seen with her quite sophisticated film camera – this one looks to have three turret lenses and is probably a 16 mm type but it looks good. Jeanne gives her own film nights at her home where her friends have great fun watching them. I would imagine she took this film camera along on location – wish we could get hold of those films if she did as there would be a really interesting look 'behind the scenes' of the films from those days.
A quiet cup of tea with his wife for James Stewart.
I remember her from the film I Remember Mama made in about 1948 – although for me it was seeing it on Television quite a few years later. She did not have a prolific career in films -and in truth didn't make that many and when she did she was never top billed.


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Private Equity Breakfast Speaker Series
Please join us for the Private Equity Breakfast Speaker Series, a premier middle market virtual series where senior members of leading private equity firms are invited to present their perspectives on the private equity arena. This event is geared towards senior-level equity investors, investment bankers, lenders, attorneys and other financial services professionals.
Jan 12, 2021 10:00 AM in Central Time (US and Canada)
Webinar is over, you cannot register now. If you have any questions, please contact Webinar host: Dara Smith.
Hi there, You are invited to a Zoom webinar. When: Jan 12, 2021 10:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada) Topic: Private Equity Breakfast Speaker Series Register in advance for this webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rEIjm5IAQo2X1p3oQ1Tu9A After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. ---------- Webinar Speakers Atif Gilani (Founding Partner @Renovus Capital Partners) Atif Gilani is a Founding Partner of Renovus Capital where he is a member of the Investment Committee and a General Partner. He is currently responsible for and serves on the boards of these Renovus Capital portfolio companies: The Ariel Group, EDIC College, Futura Mobility, Great Lakes Institute of Technology, Insight Technology Solutions, KSM Consulting, Lockstep Technology Group, Panum, Rasmussen University and Tempus Nova. Previously, Atif was a Managing Director at Leeds Equity Partners, a Knowledge Industries focused private equity firm. Atif began his career with Merrill Lynch in its Mergers & Acquisition Department. Atif is a graduate of the Jerome Fisher Management & Technology Program at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Economics (Wharton) and Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Science (School of Engineering). Jesse Serventi (Founding Partner @Renovus Capital Partners) Jesse Serventi is a Founding Partner of Renovus Capital. He currently serves on the boards of these Renovus Capital portfolio companies: CEA/PCE, ClinicalMind, Cooperative Strategies, Hoonuit, Inflow Communications, Linkage, Pragmatic Institute and TNG. Previously, Jesse was an investment professional at Leeds Equity Partners, an education focused private equity firm. Jesse began his career at Citigroup, first in its investment banking division and then its principal investment division, Citi Private Equity. Jesse received a B.A., summa cum laude, in Economics from Bucknell University.


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Nordan Anderston Phase 3a
Multi award winning project for CCG at Anderston phase 3
CCG (Scotland) ltd has completed the latest phase of the Anderston Regeneration master plan in the city centre of Glasgow for Sanctuary Housing Association with high performance timber windows from NorDan. Designed by Collective Architecture.
The new development is a modern interpretation of a tenement block, which follows the historical Victorian street line. The development is constructed from two stories of traditional blockwork, upon which are erected 3 or 4 storey flats of CCG's bespoke closed panel timber kits produced in the zero-waste CCF OSM (Off-Site Manufacturing) facility.
The flats are arranged around three typical Scottish "closes" – maintaining a sense of community was crucial. The project is built from a simple and robust palette of brick and zinc, with full height aluminium clad windows set in deep reveals animating the main street facades. All the flats are dual aspect, the majority have south facing elevations, and the residents to the upper floors benefit from considerable views to the South.
On-site, the use of Modern Methods of Construction and application of CCG's IQ Closed Panel Timber System ensured a sustainable, low-carbon construction delivery. The Timber Systems, inclusive of insulation, windows and doors, are developed under factory controlled conditions in CCG's OSM facility. This ensures precision engineering and guarantees consistent quality, with greater tolerances determined by fewer panels and thermal bridges, therefore improving thermal efficiency, and crucially less waste. NorDans precision made windows and doors are ideal for this process of insertion in the factory.
CCG maintains a strong stance in the recruitment of apprentices and encouraging work placements. Anderston phrase 3a had a total of 10 apprentices from the Glasgow area, including an apprentice from the local area of Anderston, work on the project. There has also been a number of work placements for school leavers.


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Q: Passing ArrayList Activity to Activity I always get nullPointerException while starting karsilastir activity in my code
here sending activity code:
  karsilastir.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            public void onClick(View v) {

                Intent intent_notify=new Intent();
                intent_notify.setClass(Evraka1Activity.this,karsilastir.class);

             Bundle bundle=new Bundle();

                 bundle.putStringArrayList("urunler", urunler);

                 intent_notify.putExtra("urunler",bundle);

                 //startService(intent_notify);
                 startActivity(intent_notify);
}

here receive activity code:
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.karsilastirmasonuclari);
        Intent intent = getIntent();

        Bundle b = intent.getExtras();
       gelenurunler = b.getStringArrayList("urunler");
}

A: It depends on the type of arraylist(copied from here)

*

*putIntegerArrayListExtra(String name, ArrayList value)

*putParcelableArrayListExtra(String name, ArrayList value)

*putStringArrayListExtra(String name, ArrayList value)

*putCharSequenceArrayListExtra(String name, ArrayList value)

Then you can read from you next activity by replacing put with get with key string as argument,eg
myIntent.getStringArrayListExtra("arrayPeople");

Updated::
Intent i = new Intent(this,name.class);
Bundle b = new Bundle();
b.putIntegerArrayListExtra(String name, ArrayList<Integer> value);
i.putExtra(String name,b);
startActivity(i);

And get data into another activity like
Bundle b = getIntent().getExtra().putParcelableArrayListExtra(String name);

A: Create a member field local variable the the top of your class. The m denotes a member field and is part of the Android coding style standards. Check the Android Notepad tutorial for reference.
http://developer.android.com/resources/tutorials/notepad/notepad-ex2.html
public class karsilastir extends ListActivity {

/* Create an instance variable just below the class constructor. */
ArrayList mUrunler;

....

karsilastir.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        public void onClick(View v) {

            Intent intent_notify=new Intent();
            intent_notify.setClass(Evraka1Activity.this,karsilastir.class);

         Bundle bundle=new Bundle();

             bundle.putStringArrayList("urunler", mUrunler);

             intent_notify.putExtra("urunler",bundle);

             //startService(intent_notify);
             startActivity(intent_notify);
        }
    }


How do you quell the anger of disaffected loyalists? You don't evidently. Just ask socialist guru and former presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders . Ever since betraying his base by first declaring — correctly, it turns out — that the Democratic Party was rigged against him, then doing a 180 and pledging his support for Hillary Clinton, Sanders has been working desperately to put the genie back in the bottle.
One strategy he tried at the Democratic National Convention last week was to implore his erstwhile backers to imagine a President Trump. Many took his advice. And how Donald Trump is their man.
Bernie supporters, emboldened by the recent DNC email leak, took to the streets in Philadelphia to voice their displeasure with Hillary and the Democrat party as a whole.
With chants of "Hell no DNC, we won't vote for Hillary" and "Lock her up," the protesters made it clear they would not be casting their votes for Hillary Clinton. But who would they be voting for instead?
Campus Reform author Cabot Phillips conducted a man-on-the-street interview. The video follows.


CLARKSVILLE, Ind. — Taking back roads through Hoosier country yields the kind of real treasures and quirky curiosities you'll only find off the beaten path.
At the very spot where Meriwether Lewis and William Clark first met with a handshake signaling the start of a historic expedition sits a Clarksville, Ind., natural wonder: 400-million-year-old fossils at the Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center.
Go underground southeast of French Lick to see another Hoosier curiosity: Marengo Cave. Guides make sure you don't get lost in the cavernous 5-mile-long cave first discovered September 6, 1883.
Steer southward to reach the North Pole at Santa Claus, IN, where it feels like Christmas 365 days a year. There's Santa with his bag of toys, at the post office and even at the lodge. A visit to Santa Claus is always a thrill for the little ones who flock to Santa's own amusement parks Holiday World and Splashin' Safari.
See the tallest residential entry door in the country at Madison's Shrewsbury Windle House, a national historic landmark. It's one of many unlikely discoveries you'll make on our quirky adventure.
But brace yourself for a surprise in Henryville, the birthplace of Colonel Harland Sanders. Turns out the father of Kentucky Fried chicken was actually a native Hoosier.
In Rising Sun, Ind., wildlife biologist Paul Strasser speaks the language of wolves and other canines. When he calls - they answer. Strasser will drive you across his nearly 500-acre Red Wolf Sanctuary, a nonprofit refuge for animals who often arrive in distress.
"We have Bobcats here. We have a blind bobcat back there sprayed by a skunk," Strasser said.
The highlight of your visit — by appointment only — is when you meet the Gray wolves. It's an unforgettable encounter that'll give you goose bumps.
It's also the 200th anniversary of the famous Mary Shelley horror story Frankenstein. See a rare first edition free of charge at Indiana University's Lilly Library. There you can learn the story of how Shelley wrote her ground-breaking novel at the age of 18.
See the library's mechanical puzzles, said to be the largest collection in the world. And try your hand at these devilish contraptions that'll push you to the breaking point.
Moving on, find heavenly consolation springing from the southwest Indiana prairie. Visitors are often drawn to a Romanesque dome crowning the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception in the town of Ferdinand. The friendly sisters of St. Benedict welcome you to their serene gardens and shrines, offering comfortable accommodations for overnight stays and group events.
And you're a short drive from the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, where the future president grew from youth to manhood.
Since 1900, it's been the sweetest of Columbus traditions: Zaharakos, Ice Cream, Candy & Soda. For decades it was operated by a Greek immigrant family. The original experience is delighting visitors to this day. See an astonishing museum of rare items from the 1800's, like marble soda fountains and vintage Mechanical Music Players. The throwback atmosphere gives you the ultimate sugar rush.
"We don't know of anything else in the country that would be this authentic as far as a 1900 soda fountain," said Debra Slone, Zaharakos.
In Peru, visit a national historic landmark at the old circus winter quarters.There, the greatest circus personalities of all time are enshrined at the International Circus Hall of Fame. From legendary clowns to rare, 100-year-old circus wagons, experience the magic of the big top on your quirky Hoosier adventure.


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Reserve to honour Irwin
July 23, 2007 — 1.12am
Terri Irwin has worked tirelessly to turn her late husband's dream of a wildlife reserve in Far North Queensland into reality, Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull says.
Mr Turnbull visited the Irwin family's Australia Zoo on Queensland's Sunshine Coast today to announce a $6 million purchase of 135,000 hectares of land to honour the conservation legacy of the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin.
The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve, north-east of Weipa on Cape York Peninsula, will be run by the Irwin family who will manage the environmentally-sensitive land and care for endangered species.
Mr Turnbull said the reserve, bordered by the Wenlock River, contained the endangered northern quoll and speartooth shark as well as important gallery dry vine forests.
"Steve Irwin had a long-held dream for this region to become a wildlife sanctuary and Terri and the family has worked tirelessly to turn this dream into reality," he said.
Terri Irwin, accompanied by children Bindi and Robert, and Steve's father Bob Irwin, today said the family would be proud to manage the region.
"Steve was in awe of the prolific wildlife of the Wenlock and Ducie rivers bordering the reserve and he would have been proud to see the property protected as a wildlife reserve," she said.
She said controlling feral animals and protecting wetlands and forest would be an integral part of their work.
A scientific research centre in collaboration with the University of Queensland and other research organisations would also be established on the land, she said.
The project was funded under the National Reserve System Program which has helped protect more than 88 million hectares of Australia's most fragile landscapes.


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The Office mood scene
In September, we had the opportunity to participate in the Real-Time Movie Challenge organized by McInnes Studio. The challenge invited participants to take a provided scene and use Unreal Engine to add assets, sound, and virtual camera work to create a moody, horror-themed scene. We decided to take on the challenge and see if we could create a scene that would capture the mood and impress the judges.
To create our scene, we carefully planned and executed a series of changes to the lighting, camera angles, and sound effects. We used the virtual camera to capture different perspectives and angles and added sound effects to enhance the mood of the scene. By carefully crafting each element of the scene, we were able to create a moody, atmospheric experience that evoked the feeling of horror.
In the end, our hard work paid off, and we were selected as one of the winners of the Real Time Movie Challenge. We were thrilled to be recognized for our efforts and to have had the opportunity to showcase our skills and creativity in Unreal Engine.
To create our horror scene, our team of Unreal Engine specialists began by brainstorming ideas and developing a script that included a riddle, an interlude to build tension, a murder scene, and a conclusion. We also drew storyboards to visualize the key scenes and elements of the script.
Once we had the script and storyboards in place, we began researching references to help us create a moody, atmospheric scene that evoked the feeling of horror. We were inspired by the style of filmmaker David Fincher, and paid close attention to the details in the office setting, from the furniture and layout to the small items on the desk. All of these elements helped us create an immersive and engaging experience for the viewer.
Some of the references we used are listed below:
We used Fincher's film's colors and lenses to capture the same look and feel. To do this, we chose a color palette that would be evocative of his work. We also used his signature lenses, which have a very distinct look. The Director in most of his film uses a 75 mm lenses for close-ups and 27 mm for everything else.
David Fincher is a filmmaker known for his distinctive visual style and moody, atmospheric storytelling. His films often feature complex, multi-layered narratives, complex characters, and a focus on the darker, more sinister aspects of human nature. Some of his most well-known films include "Se7en," "Fight Club," and "The Social Network."
Fincher's films are known for their precise, carefully crafted visuals, which typically feature complex camera movements, precise lighting, and a muted color palette. He also often employs non-linear storytelling and other unconventional narrative techniques to keep the viewer engaged and to create a sense of unease or suspense. In addition to his work as a director, Fincher is also known for his attention to detail and his willingness to experiment with new technology and techniques in order to push the boundaries of what is possible in filmmaking.
By emulating these elements of Fincher's style, we were able to create a scene that felt like it could have been taken straight from one of his films.
Still shots from the scene
After completing the storyboard and researching references, we began working on the 3D assets for our horror scene. The challenge was to create assets that would fit the mood and style of the office setting, while also being realistic and immersive. To achieve this, we decided to use 3D models for the furniture and other objects in the room, drawn from our existing database of assets.
One of the key elements of the scene was the ceiling lamp, which we developed specifically for the project. The lamp included flickering methods at different speeds, light strengths, and combinations, to create a moody, horror-themed atmosphere. We carefully animated the lamp and other elements of the scene and added audio to enhance the overall experience.
By carefully crafting each element of the scene, we were able to create a realistic and immersive horror experience for the viewer.
The challenge requirements were quite simple:
Large, open plan. Off-white.
Slender floor-to-ceiling windows. A vacant corporate cage.
A trial of bloody and mud on the carpet.
A single desk. On it, a circa 2000 desktop PC.
Message on the screen: 'PRESS F TO PAY RESPECTS'
We successfully achieved all the specified objectives and managed to capture an appropriate tone throughout.
The Press F to pay respects message was an interesting add-on to the scene, connected with the founder of MacInnes Studio - creators of this challenge - Jon MacInnes, who was the screenwriter of Call of Duty Advanced Warfare game. In 2014 "press F to pay respects" message from this game became an iconic internet meme and continues to be remembered fondly by gamers across the globe.
As an additional touch, we decided to add an Easter egg to our scene. If you look closely at the printer, you will notice a picture of a cat with the text "Kicia (Kitty in Polish) is back." This picture was generated using AI, and was added as a fun and unexpected element to the scene. We hope you enjoy finding and discovering this Easter egg!
AI generated picture
Brainstorming is a popular technique for generating new ideas, and it can be especially helpful when writing fiction. The goal is to come up with as many ideas as possible, without judgment or criticism, and that's what we used to create the story.
In the main story, a creature (Kitty) enters a busy office and stays after committing a massacre. The hero was the only survivor of this, and now the creature is trying to play with him. The creature is playful and curious, but also dangerous and deadly. The hero must use all of his skills and knowledge to survive the creature's attacks and escape the office alive.
The final step of our work was to add the post-processing. To do this, we used a combination of Unreal Engine's built-in tools and custom shaders. Overall, we're very pleased with how the post-processing has helped to improve the look and feel of our scene.
Bringing artists' work to the public is important to us. Feel free to take a look at the scene, and if you like it, share it on social media.
Thank you, and we hope you enjoy it!
By Magda D.
Tagged: Unreal Engine


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Academic life might not be as idyllic as it once was, but it still has its rewards. Wyn Grant offers advice to young scholars
Why should anyone want to become an academic? It is certainly not an option that would maximise the lifetime income of a well-qualified and intelligent person. At one time, the role might have offered a considerable measure of professional autonomy and a relatively relaxed lifestyle for at least some individuals. However, as in other professions, a growing culture of regulation has reduced autonomy and added to the administrative burdens of academic work. Academic life is not exempt from the UK's long-hours culture, and evidence suggests that most academics have to work well over the European Union's maximum 48-hour week to fulfil their roles of being researchers, teachers and managers.
For all these drawbacks, many people still want to become academics. For most, there is a sense of vocation about the job, even if it is being eroded. Academics may value a job that is intellectually challenging. They may consider that an academic post offers an opportunity to change the world for the better by influencing the clash of ideas or feeding into debates about public policy. Whatever aspects of the job academics particularly enjoy, they may be people particularly inclined to a holistic view of life, which places more emphasis on non-material rewards and psychological satisfactions (which isn't to say that they wouldn't like better pay). Real satisfaction can be derived from a sense of purpose and belonging that an academic community can still provide, even if universities look increasingly like educational service businesses run as impersonal bureaucracies.
It is helpful to have some idea of why you are in academic life, even if you drifted into it through a series of chances, and what you want to achieve in terms of personal satisfaction. It is a common human ambition, particularly for the well educated, to want to make a difference in one's life. Making a positive contribution to the lives of others can be an important source of personal satisfaction. However, life also presents us with increasingly more complex choices and challenges, not least because of technological change.
We live in a world in which electronic technology facilitates 24/7 working, and for academics the boundaries between work and the rest of life are particularly blurred. There is always a risk of their work taking over their life to the exclusion of a proper work-life balance, a situation that makes them obsessive individuals who lose a sense of balance and proportion, and that is destructive to family and personal relationships.
UK academics at the beginning of the 21st century face an increasingly pressurised environment. In broad terms, this is the generation of people who joined universities at the time when the research assessment exercise started to make a major impact.
Entrants to most academic departments today face an environment in which they are expected to generate an acceptable level and quality of research output quickly, as well as taking the first steps towards obtaining their own research funding. These research goals have to be pursued in a climate in which greater attention is paid to excellence in teaching and its measurement through external quality assessment exercises of various kinds.
New entrants to academia are also facing a situation in which students (and their parents) will be paying considerably more for their education than in the past. Parents are taking an increasingly active interest in the higher education their children receive and asking whether it offers value for money. All this contributes to a more demanding environment for staff.
There is survey evidence that suggests that "staff in new universities are more likely to suffer from stress and to become ill as a result than their counterparts in old institutions" ( The Times Higher , March 18, 2005). This may reflect research pressures on top of a heavy teaching load and poor staff-to-student ratios, along with poor workload management. Young academics need to learn to say "no" to additional duties, and universities need to create structures and systems of support that enable them to say "no". Appropriately qualified support staff who can undertake routine academically-related tasks are a necessity rather than a luxury, and information technology services, too often treated as an add-on in universities rather than a core integral function, need to be designed to allow staff to undertake tasks more efficiently and expeditiously.
Nevertheless, when academics work long hours, it is because they are enthused about what they are doing. There are few careers that are intellectually stimulating and offer you the opportunity to develop the potential of others and to contribute, through the power of ideas, to bringing about social change and a better society.
The aspirations and goals of academics, and what constitutes a satisfactory and fulfilling career, can vary considerably. Serendipity can play an important role. Anyone can float upwards on a rising tide, but you need to be aware of obstacles and risks that may impede or halt your progress.
Above all, be true to yourself and your own values.
As Shakespeare wrote in Measure for Measure :
"Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win By fearing to attempt."
Edited extract from Managing your Academic Career by Wyn Grant with Philippa Sherrington (Palgrave Macmillan).
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Designer Inspired Toys: The Designer Inspired Toys are the toys got inspired from the shape of everyday things or products. Just like shoe, Champagne, Bag, Money etc. Made up of the material which will not harm your dog.
Food Inspired Plush Toys: The Food Inspired Plush Toys are the toys inspired from both food we and eat. They look like cookies, lollipop, pizza, egg, bones, fruits etc.
Fun Plush Toys: For your knowledge we want to let you know that Plush Toys are the toys made up of synthetic fibers such as polyester. These toys also come in various shapes, sizes and color.
Interactive Toys: According to researches, the interactive dog toys play a vital role in keeping your dog brisk and happy. These interactive dog toys will keep your dog busy all time playing with them instead of looking for the best places to sleep. The chew toys are one of the best interactive dog toys available in the market. The main specialty of these dog toys is the fact that they are high durable. The advancements in technology have given birth to the indestructible dog toys which cannot be destroyed by even the most aggressive chewers.
Loopies Toys: Loopies Toys are the dog toys made in the shape of a loop, from where they got the name Loopies. These dog toys are reinforced stitching, extra squeakers and made with the highest standards of quality in mind.
Organic Toys: As per the name the Organic Toys are USDA Certified Organic toys. They too come in various shapes, sizes and color. Like other type of products.
Is Your Dog Ready For Some Football?