text:
Vol. 2 No. 1 - February/March 2002, Concrete Countertops
Top Secrets to Successful Concrete Countertops
Written by Susan M. Brimo-Cox on
More in Concrete Countertops:
Going Green With Your Concrete Countertops
How to Create a Shower Bench out of Concrete
Concrete Countertop Casting in the Summer Heat
Cast in place concrete countertop installation by Dave Pettigrew, Diamond D Company. Kitchen Design by Marty Fiorovich
Handcrafted and distinctly unique, concrete countertops are finding their way into more and more homes and commercial venues. The versatility of the medium, as well as its unpredictability, is part of the attraction. It's a growing trend and proving to be a boon to concrete artists. Here are some secrets to successful concrete countertops.
Jeffrey Girard, owner of FormWorks L.L.C. in Cary, North Carolina, says, "The number one feature of concrete countertops is that they are completely customizable — any shape, size, thickness, embedded items. If a client wants cobalt blue, I can give it to them. If they want something that looks like a beach with seashells and beach glass, I can do it."
"Concrete can give a real 'Old World' feel," observes Tom Ralston, owner of Tom Ralston Concrete in Santa Cruz, California. "It's one of the most unique surfaces in that no one else will have exactly the same thing." Ralston has embedded seashells, exposed the aggregate, hand troweled a finish, polished the surface, and sand- and glass-blasted the surface, all to achieve different effects.
Stuart Zumpfe, president of Concrete Effects Inc. in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, has impressed real ivy leaves, used traditional stamping skins, and embedded coins and custom tiles into countertop surfaces for distinct results. On one job, he reports, he sprinkled titanium dioxide on the surface before sealing to achieve a gold-flecked look.
Various contractors also use integral color, acid stains, color hardeners and micro-toppings. There is virtually no limit to what you can create.
Cast in place concrete countertop installation by Dave Pettigrew, Diamond D Company. Kitchen Design by Marty Fiorovich.
Want to know a secret?
Mix designs, construction techniques and surface treatments vary from one concrete countertop fabricator to another, and many closely guard their proprietary methods as trade secrets. But for those curious to learn more about crafting concrete countertops, there are some basics. For example, concrete countertops are either cast-in-place or pre-cast and installation takes place after curing. Advocates for each method cite various benefits.
Dave Pettigrew, owner of Diamond D Company in Watsonville, California, pours concrete countertops in place. "I like to pour-in-place because I can form the countertop to anyone's particular needs — radius edges, curved corners." Because he pours the countertops in-place, Pettigrew says he doesn't pour with joints. "We put plastic over the cabinets, we pour one-and-a-half inch thick, and we tell the customer we have to have control of it for 10 days." Having control for proper curing is important.
"Sometimes form-setting on finished cabinetry is challenging," reports Ralston, who also pours in-place. He also says "working within the framework of people's schedules — scheduling with the cabinet installer, plumber, electrician, and dry-wall installer — especially on a remodeling project, can be tricky."
This example of a precast concrete countertop by James Humber is simple in design. However, it shows off a dramatic granite look simply by adding the right stuff to your mix.
Zumpfe pours in-place and borrows a trick from pool installers for nice rounded edges, he uses coping profile form liners.
If you want control, however, pre-cast is probably the way to go. When you pre-cast "you can control everything about the structure — the environment, temperature, curing time and how it cures," explains Karen Smith, sales and marketing director for Countercast Designs Inc. outside of Vancouver, British Columbia. Another upside to pre-casting is that you can incorporate integral sinks into the countertop. "You can't do that when you pour-in-place," she says, "because [when you pre-cast] everything can be accessed from all sides."
Allow for manufacturing time
Manufacturing time for pre-cast countertops can run six to seven weeks, but is generally five weeks, according to Smith. Forming and templating time takes about a week. Curing takes four weeks. Seams in pre-cast countertops can become part of the design. Generally, they use a silicon or latex caulk.
Girard, who is also a professional civil engineer, says the quality of the final product depends on how well the concrete is mixed, poured and cured. He advises, "Most concrete is used for structural applications. Countertops are structural and need to be approached that way."
Another advantage to pre-cast is the ability to ship product to faraway locations, though shipping costs can be a limiting factor.
As Pettigrew points out, quantity may be the deciding factor for many contractors. "We do maybe three or four concrete countertops a month, so we pour-in-place. If I did 25 a month, I might pre-cast."
Concrete countertop manufacturers — pour-in-place and pre-cast alike — obtain their materials from standard sources, such as concrete suppliers, ready-mix producers and stucco suppliers. Most contractors, however, do not share exactly what goes into the individual mixes.
For most contractors there was a good deal of painstaking experimentation before the "ideal" concrete countertop mix design was achieved. With such an intense learning curve, one can easily forgive the hesitancy to share. "You don't get to practice much," says Pettigrew. "Once we got the basics down, then we began refining it." Pettigrew generally has a ready mix plant prepare his concrete according to his specifications, but, if the job is a small one, he'll mix the batch himself right on the site. His topping mud is also a secret. "It's my 'secret sauce,'" he says.
Color: Concrete countertops offer limited colors for clients. From bright hues to dark rich translucent tones concrete makes a statement.
Additives might include polymers and plasticizers. Ralston sticks with half-inch angular rock aggregate and pours as stiff a mix as he can
Typically, contractors use more than one material for reinforcement. Zumpfe says he uses fiberglass in his mix for strength and to reduce shrinkage. In the form he often uses vinyl-coated wire shelving, which he places upside-down, or welded wire. Ralston uses stealth fiber mesh (like little strings) and fibrillated fiber mesh (like netting). Sometimes, around sinks for drainage or next to stovetops as hot pot rests, contractors will partially embed metal bars — stainless steel, brass or bronze.
You could say every concrete countertop is made from custom-made concrete and you wouldn't be wrong. Smith observes, "Everyone uses different things and most [contractors/manufacturers] keep their method under wraps."
My lips are sealed
No less important than any other step is the sealer. "The sealer sustains the countertop, makes it still great looking in five to 10 years. That's what separates the men from the boys," admonishes Smith, who's firm uses a water-based, USDA-approved sealer that is absorbed into the pores of the concrete. "It doesn't leave a [visible] coating, so the surface looks and feels like stone," she explains.
Ralston says different sealers give you different looks. "Acrylic waxes have a matted appearance. Silicon-impregnated sealers look natural. Polyurethane epoxies have a high gloss." Which sealer he uses depends on what the client wants.
Shape: The knowledge of materials
In kitchen situations, a sealer that is compatible with food use is desirable. Tim Sherry, northeast regional sales manager for Increte Systems, says Increte's Counter Kote is an FDA-approved epoxy, designed to go on thick. He says Increte's Dura-gloss, also FDA-approved and originally designed for use on floors, is a thinner water-based epoxy that also works well on countertops. Bomanite's Florthane is an FDA-approved, highly chemical-resistant urethane sealer. Chris Stewart, Bomanite's director of technical services, says Florthane is available in water-borne and solvent-borne formulas. Seal Hard, by L&M Construction Chemicals in Omaha, Nebraska, is a USDA-approved hardener/densifier. Stu Wood, chemist at L&M, explains that Seal Hard penetrates the surface of the concrete and, through a chemical ion-exchange, bonds with the concrete, plugging up pores and crevices.
Texture and Finish: No two countertops are alike. It is the selected finish that will either enhance or disguise authentic details in the concrete.
Concrete countertops are popping up everywhere, in residences, restaurants and commercial businesses. While the materials are inexpensive, concrete countertops are cost-competitive with high-end solid surface products and some natural stone products, such as granite, because of all the skill and labor that goes into creating them — figure $65 to $125 per square foot.
"For someone who wanted to get into making them, experimentation is the first step, but you have to know what you're doing," cautions Girard. "It's too easy to make a concrete countertop — it's difficult to make a good one. Durability depends on who makes them. The more experienced the fabricator, the better."
The well-known durability of concrete notwithstanding, concrete countertops can crack and become damaged. Dropping a cast iron pot may cause chipping or break an edge. However, such an event is likely to damage other countertop materials, as well. Heat, abrasives, sharp knives, the strong colors and acid or base properties of foods are all a concern, but more for the sealer than the concrete.
As Smith observes, with repairs "you'll never completely match 101 percent, it may be slightly different, but you're not dealing with something that needs to be computer-matched." Variations in coloration and embedded objects help hide stains. Zumpfe points out if you use a high-build epoxy resin sealer, scratches and wear marks can be sanded and recoated. Or, as with other classic materials — good leather, wood or natural stone — imperfections add character.
"One of the most challenging things about working on a concrete countertop is that it's like working on a piece of furniture," Ralston reflects. "Everything is brought up to your focal point and it's constantly under scrutiny. You almost need an artisan to do this work." Indeed. That appears to be the biggest secret of all.
Give Your Home a Concrete Countertop Face Lift
High-Performance Mix Design — Understanding GFRC Mixes
Countertop Fabrication
Susan M. Brimo-Cox
Susan Brimo-Cox was a public relations professional, garden columnist, regular Concrete Decor contributor, freelance writer and editor, glass artist and all-around good person until she passed away too soon in 2012.


text:
Posted inMeghalaya, News, Startups & Entrepreneurs
Meghalaya: New orchidarium to boost eco-tourism, entrepreneurship
CM Conrad K Sangma lays foundation stone for the state-of-the-art project that will soon come up in Shillong
by EastMojo News Bureau December 5, 2018 Updated May 28, 2021
Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma lays the foundation stone for the orchidarium in presence of state minister Hamletson Dohling and IBSD director Prof Dinabandhu Sahoo Credit: EastMojo image
Shillong: A state-of-the-art orchidarium and orchid production unit will come up in Shillong soon, the foundation stone of which was laid on Wednesday.
The project will be constructed under the supervision of the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), a national institute of the department of biotechnology, in Shillong.
While laying the foundation stone for the orchidarium, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma lauded the unique initiative which will be an important milestone for the state. He said Holland is the largest producer of orchids followed by Thailand whereas Japan is the biggest importer or orchids. He also said that this initiative of IBSD is in line with the government's 'Make in Meghalaya' mission.
In his welcome address, Prof Dinabandhu Sahoo, director, IBSD, said that Northeast India has more than 850 species of orchids but there are not many high-tech state-of-the-art orchidariums and orchid production units. In view of this, the IBSD will set up orchid production units in different parts of states and will train a large number of unemployed youth, women and farmers to develop orchid-based bio-entrepreneurship not only in the state of Meghalaya but in the entire Northeast. He also requested the chief minister to provide the necessary assistance to several bioresource-based programmes and value addition activities of IBSD, so that the people of the state can be benefitted.
In his special address, Hamletson Dohling, urban affairs minister of Meghalaya and local MLA, congratulated the IBSD for this initiative and promised all support for the success of this project which will promote and also conserve the biodiversity of the state, besides boosting the green economy.
Mizoram gets its first orchidarium in Maubuang village
Shillong all set to host world's only autumn cherry blossom fest
Cheer up, cherry blossoms have started blooming in Meghalaya
Tagged: meghalaya

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Benefits include grab & go breakfast daily, evening cocktail hour with light snacks and lounge access.
Our Chandler, Arizona hotel rooms are designed with comfort and convenience in mind; providing a place to unwind or to catch up on work. Explore the various types of Phoenix lodging available, and choose the size and amenities that are right for you.
Guest rooms at the Hilton Phoenix Chandler are tastefully decorated with soft earth tones combined with granite counter tops, rich dark woods, brushed nickel hardware and feature the Hilton Serenity Collection™ with Suite Dreams® plush-top mattress, down duvet and pillows and luxurious bath amenities.
Our Executive Rooms include access to the exclusive Executive Lounge, grab & go breakfast served from Cafe 2929 and an evening cocktail hour. Upgrade to our top floor Executive Level for premium amenities like plush terry cloth bathrobes, mahogany furniture, and a full granite bathroom.
We also feature accessible guest rooms. Please let us know about any special needs and we will do our best to accommodate you. The corresponding photo may not reflect the specific accessible room type or room feature.


text:
download a free track
TAKE A TRIP down your inner Ganges - the mythic spiritual river of India. This album permeates your senses with rich images of the East. Masterfully played on sitar, Tabla, Bamboo Flute, Santoor and Saxophone, the music moves from meditative stillness to rhythmic celebration of the great river of life.
An inspiring collection of compositions played with high craftsmanship - melting the traditional musical boundaries of East and West.
8 tracks, total time  62:30 min.
Prem Joshua and Manish Vyas, both extraordinary multi-instrumentalists, composers and musical partners since their twenties, have been recording and giving concerts together all over the world.
More info: www.manishvyas.com/water-down-the-ganges
YouTube: https://youtu.be/HMJw4kCD2t0
I heard 'Water down the Ganges' on sirius radio today and went immediately to iTunes and purchased.  Totally awesome. I am sure I speak on behalf of all the yogis here in the Arizona desert that we would love to hear you play a concert here. Namaste.
-- Robert McIntosh , AR, USA
I listen to this CD virtually every day now. I particularly like Sawari and  Trust. I am looking forward to the next release. Thank you so much for the gift of your music. It is incredible.
-- Anita Bardalai, Danbury, CT, USA
I like vocals alaps in "Shivoham" and "Water down the Ganges". Prem Joshua & Manish Vyas' music is the best combination in the whole world.
-- Mayur Vyas, Jhambua, INDIA
Stretch The Mind Into Silence
Vyas and Joshua have played together since 1987 and have collaborated on ten recordings, but this is the first album that they have conceived and composed together. Though they are accustomed to working in large ensembles, on this record, available from the White Swan label, they play every instrument themselves.
This is notable because nine different instruments, including sitar, tabla, santoor, a traditional Indian instrument with 86 strings, and soprano saxophone are included to create a big sound that is alternately energetic and meditative, ancient and contemporary. The Indian classical music style is pervasive on the record, and the tracks seem to bleed from one song to the next.
Tempo and instrumentation vary from track to track, but the entirety sounds like one extended piece. Joshua plays soprano saxophone with the mystery of a snake charmer on Sawari, above Vyas' rapid fire percussion. On Trust, Joshua plays sitar and traverses the Eastern scale, while Vyas' tabla fills the space between the notes. Moon Song is the most meditative piece, with Vyas on harmonium and Joshua on flute.
Throughout, the duo creates a sound that is passionate and soulful, and its complexity stretches the mind into silence. - Adam Skolnick, LA Yoga Magazine
Water Down the Ganges
If this is a gift you can enter the message here ! (optional)
apple/itunes
youtube-music
facebook | @ManishVyasMusic
instagram | @manishvyasmusic
namaste@manishvyas.com
instrumentum.ch
Paypal: namaste@manishvyas.com
Manish Vyas Music 1991 - 2020* * * Use of the Music of Manish Vyas :
As original copyright-music, it is compulsory to ask permission and follow an approval procedure to use the music (song, compositions and own-lyrics) of Manish Vyas. It is illegal to use, or re-record his work in any publishing way, without getting approval. Expect getting permission to take anywhere from two weeks to a month. Permission should be obtained before you complete your work. It is sometimes more difficult and more expensive to obtain permission after a film, or recording is complete. If the copyright owner becomes aware that you have a vested interest in obtaining permission (for example, your work is already in production), the price may rise. Also, if you can't obtain permission, you'll have to redo the work, which is expensive and time-consuming. The best policy is to start seeking all required permissions as soon as possible. Please follow this link for more information or contact us.


Prepare the fish in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Cook in hot oil. Serve with sauce.
For the sauce: bring to the boil the first 7 ingredients. Thicken with cornflour which has been mixed with a little water. Serve over fish.


text:
They Don't Make Them Like They Used To! Why Even the Best Post-war Economist Ended Up a Tragic Figure
Posted Jan 03, 2011	by Yanis Varoufakis
Economic Theory , Financialization , War Japan , Vietnam News
The Crash of 2008 and its ghastly aftermath was not just an economic crisis but also a crisis aided and abetted by economics.
Previously I have written about the Econobubble (the handmaiden of the "real" Bubble) and the toxic theories of economists who were very recently rewarded with the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics. Following those tirades, a number of colleagues (and students) put it to me that economics is not what it used to be. Once upon a time, they suggest, economists were giants whose intellect informed the public and who would have reined in the current crop of mindless hacks whose inane creed took over the great Economics Departments sometime in the 1970s.
There is an element of truth in their suggestion. In every realm of economic analysis, and within each school of economic thinking, standards have slipped. Compare and contrast a John Maynard Keynes with the economists who carried the torch of Keynesianism in the 1980s and 1990s; a Piero Sraffa with the Sraffians; a Paul Sweezy or a Maurice Dobb with their successors;1 even a Milton Friedman with Robert Lucas and his New Classical clones. Undoubtedly, the economics discipline doesn't make them like it used to.
Having conceded that the economists of yesteryear were intellectual titans compared to the sorry lot that followed after 1970 or so, I shall not concede the main argument: namely, that economists of the previous generation were wise and vigilant enough to put the brakes on the slide into the economic superstition that provided intellectual reinforcements to the "dark side" — e.g. to the post-1980 financialization drive. To make my highly controversial case, I shall focus on Paul Samuelson, an economist endowed with all the qualities that seem to be missing today: not only extraordinary analytical skills, but also a feel for what makes capitalism tick, a deep understanding of the human costs of recessions, a keen interest in shaping public policy, a zeal for educating the young on the intricacies of economic life, etc.
And what is my case? It is that economics has always been a source of obfuscation and an ally of the nasty side of politics, even when brilliant public intellectuals, like Paul Samuelson (whose heart was definitely not in the wrong place), were at the discipline's helm. If I am right, the problem is not that in recent decades the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics has gone to the wrong people. It is, rather, that a Nobel Memorial Prize has been established for the wrong discipline: the discipline of economics, which, by design, subverts even the best intention to serve humanity.
Paul Samuelson, like his contemporaries Paul Sweezy and John Kenneth Galbraith, was deeply marked by the Great Depression. In Chapter 1 of the first edition of his famous primer (Samuelson 1948, p. 3),2 he introduces his reader to the subject of "economics" with a warning which, in our post-2008 times, sounds exceedingly prophetic:
When, and if, the next great depression comes along, any one of us may be completely unemployed — without income or prospects. . . . There is no vaccination or advance immunity from this modern-day plague. It is no respecter of class or rank. . . . From a purely selfish point of view, then, it is desirable to gain understanding of the first problem of modern economics: the causes on the one hand of unemployment, overcapacity, and depression; and on the other of prosperity, full employment, and high standards of living. But no less important is the fact . . . that the political health of democracy is tied up in a crucial way with the successful maintenance of stable high employment and living opportunities. It is not too much to say that the widespread creation of dictatorships and the resulting World War II stemmed in no small measure from the world's failure to meet this basic economic problem adequately.
These are words that prepare the reader for a head-on assault on real-world problems; for an approach whose purpose is to delve into the workings of capitalism, rather than a journey into some obscure mathematical universe. Nor did Samuelson change his mind when the Crash of 2008 hit us. In November 2008, a month after Lehman Brothers collapsed, unleashing the greatest crisis since 1929, Samuelson had this to say: "Deregulated capitalism is a fragile flower bound to commit suicide."3
So, what caused the Crash of 2008? Here is Samuelson again:
The whole history of capitalism has had up-bubbles in real estate and down-bubbles after something different. This time the new fiendish Frankenstein monsters of financial engineering blinded the eyes and the minds of everybody. . . .
And what will it take to get us out of the mess that 2008 created? Samuelson sensibly replies that:
Rome was not built in one day, and Franklin Roosevelt did not get full employment. It took about seven years. Now I don't say it'll take seven years this time, but it won't be done with a balanced budget and it won't be done with "inflation targeting."
In comparison to most of the establishment commentariat, the above strikes one as a paragon of common sense and humanism. So, why am I refuting the view that the trouble with contemporary economics is the loss of public intellectuals like Samuelson? Because it was precisely public intellectuals like Samuelson who paved the way for the intellectual desert that followed. Like all tragic figures, Paul Samuelson, inadvertently of course, created the circumstances that led to the demise of some of the virtues he dearly valued.
Samuelson's method for analyzing each and every economic phenomenon involved three basic steps:
Identify all the endogenous variables connected to the phenomenon at hand.
Minimize the number of exogenous variables that explain the endogenous variables.
Model the determination of the endogenous variables in the context of some constrained optimization problem, which enables the analyst to perform comparative static analysis by means of the calculus of variations (in the manner of 1930s thermodynamics).
In 1982, Samuelson "confessed" that mathematization was ". . . one of the mortal sins for which I shall have to do some explaining when I arrive at the heaven's pearly gates." Personally, I will happily absolve him of this sin. Working toward a mathematical depiction of reality is a legitimate pursuit. Without it, our understanding of the natural world would have been stuck in the Middle Ages. The question is: What hidden sacrifices is one prepared to make in order to claim that one's mathematical modeling has yielded a useful tool for understanding capitalism and its haphazard ways? It is in this regard that Samuelson created a theoretical edifice which (in my estimation) humanity would have been better off without. But let me take things from the beginning.
Samuelson's research project can be traced all the way back to his doctoral dissertation (published in book form in 1947, a year before the aforementioned textbook's first edition4). It is entitled Foundations of Economic Analysis and is nothing less than a masterpiece combining dazzling mathematics and a demonstration of his command over all of economics, from Adam Smith onwards. He explained what his intellectual project was all about as follows:
We begin by writing down the equations and draw the geometry which define the macro economy. Then we prove, as theorems, a number of propositions regarding the importance of government intervention in maintaining a certain level of effective or aggregate demand.
At first sight, it seems that Samuelson was simply trying to give Keynes a stronger analytical backbone, turning the art of government intervention, at a time of crisis, into a mathematical science. What could be wrong with that? The answer is: Everything! Keynes' greatest contribution was to alert us to a disarmingly simple truth: in a complex, financialized capitalist economy, it is impossible (rather than just hard) to derive, by analytical reasoning, the well defined mathematical expectations which one needs to "close" a macroeconomic model. Drop this insight, and you have lost all that matters in Keynes' analysis of the Great Depression in particular and, more generally, of capitalism's tendency to stumble and fall on its face. By transcribing Keynes' view of the macro economy into a closed optimization problem, Samuelson effectively poured down the drain everything of importance in Keynes' General Theory: a striking example of honoring one's inspiration mostly in the breach rather that in the observance. . . .
A couple of years later, in 1950 to be precise, something unexpected happened to the house of economics. Following a presentation at the Cowles Commission in Chicago by John F. Nash, Jr., Gerard Debreu and Kenneth Arrow began a collaborative project (eventually turning into the so-called General Equilibrium literature) that altered the surface and substance of economic analysis for ever: economics turned toward pure formalism.
This new economic formalism involved three moves not at all inconsistent with Samuelson's approach:
Set aside the engineering approach according to which mathematics is used in order to model some actually occurring dynamic.
Focus instead on general theorems that prove the existence of states of rest (or equilibria) on the basis of given axioms.
Treat the proven theorems as the uniquely legitimate source of economic wisdom.
The pioneers of formalism (Nash, Debreu, and Arrow), however, had no great ambition to pass comment on real markets, let alone to offer a comprehensive theory of capitalism. They never dreamt of becoming President Kennedy's advisors. In sharp contrast, Samuelson had precisely that ambition. And, moreover, he managed to pull it off.
Put differently, formalism would not have made the move from the Cowles Commission and the RAND Corporation to the corridors of power in Washington if it had not been for Samuelson (and other economists of his ilk to a lesser degree). For he alone was capable of both engaging in the highest forms of formalism and teaching at the level of first-year undergraduates; of mesmerizing formalists like Gerard Debreu and bureaucrats like Dean Acheson with the same aplomb. Indeed, Samuelson carried formalism's commandments from the highest peaks to the plains inhabited by fresh(wo)men, converting a sterile method into small appetizing bite-sized chunks of analysis. He educated politicians to think in terms of some simple diagrams that demonstrated the powers and limits of fiscal and monetary policy. But, above all else, he gave both relevance and respectability to a new creed which:
echoed the new mantra of seeking truth in mathematics (as opposed to using mathematics as a mere tool);
exuded the confidence that economics is reducible to "closed" mathematical models which leave nothing (except preferences) for history, philosophy, or the rest of social sciences to explain; and
was sufficiently "liberal" to pass for a non-ideological, impartial manual successfully incorporating (something resembling) Keynes' thought within its mathematics.
In this sense, the greatest publically revered economist of the post-war era built his personal success on a triumphant blending of a distinct Keynesian New Deal disposition and an apocryphal mathematical formalism. Thus he became the man who brought Keynes to America by subsuming him under a formalist logic which effaced everything that Keynes had actually said.
That this blend did not work out, scientifically, was due to the simple truth that it never could have. Just as bad money chases out of the marketplace all good money, formalism chases out of economics all useful economic thinking. Tragically, and surely against his own intentions, Samuelson helped formalism establish a beachhead from which, soon after, the final assault on logical, humanist political economics would be launched with deadly precision. Let's see why Samuelson's intervention could have had no other outcome:
Any formalist makeover of Keynes' thinking required the conversion of his basic proposition into a provable theorem; an axiomatization of the hypothesis that, at a time of crisis, falling wages and interest rates do not lead to a recovery led by employment and investment upticks. However, such an axiomatic proof can only result through a Debreu-like General Equilibrium model. Ironically, the latter comes with a sine qua non hidden axiom: that both investment and employment will rise, ceteris paribus, if wages and interest rates fall. Which is precisely the opposite of what Keynes said. So, how does Samuelson reconcile the irreconcilable? By twisting Keynes beyond recognition, explaining unemployment (under-investment) as a consequence of downwardly sticky wages (interest rates). Whereas Keynes' point was that, in a recessionary environment, a fall in the wage (interest rate) will not boost employment (investment), Samuelson said that unemployment (under-investment) is due to wages (interest rates) which stubbornly refuse to fall.
This gross distortion of Keynes' simple point did not, in the slightest, harm Samuelson's campaign to pose as a "scientific Keynesian" (nb the fact that his readers almost never read Keynes from the original helped, too). In fact, this grand distortion helped massively in building up the image of Samuelson as a Keynesian macro engineer. Alas, as Christopher Marlowe taught us a long time ago, and Goethe confirmed later, in dramatically asymmetrical deals with Mephistopheles it is not the human who has the last word. In Samuelson's case, it was formalism who laughed last: the moment the post-war miracle hit a bump (caused by falling profitability and by the USA's slide into threatening twin deficits, courtesy of the Vietnam War and LBJ's Great Society), economic formalism shook off all remaining Keynesian relics and fashioned a new neoliberal guise that was more in keeping with the new politics.5
Once formalism found a brave new — and more lucrative — home in neoliberal political economics, the brilliant Samuelson, like a proverbial useful idiot, was cast by the wayside. The road to the Econobubble was thus paved with the remains of Samuelson's grand project. From that moment onwards, economics was dominated by the unbearable lightness of the euphemistically named "rational expectations" hypothesis, the risible "efficient market" hypothesis, and all their derivative drivel. What was remarkable, and exquisitely saddening, was how quickly Samuelson's former disciples discarded the great man's single most searing memory of his youth: that unfettered capitalism produces crises that economists must tame, rather than assume away.
In summary, without Samuelson, formalism would have found it hard to achieve authority during the 1950s and 1960s. And if formalism had not dominated then, neoliberalism would have had a harder time establishing its dominion in the 1970s and 1980s. While it is imprudent to put too much faith in the power of ideas, it is impossible not to wonder what 2008 would have been like had neoliberalism not found such a valuable accomplice in Samuelsonian economics.
However, the most fruitful way of looking at the talented Mr. Samuelson and his life's work is in terms of ancient Greek tragedy. His genuine intent was to formulate a theory that helps government avert, or at least deal with, crises of low effective demand. But the gods had another end in store for him: against his powerful will, his efforts played a central role in the triumphant return of the type of mindless economic creed which he had rejected as a student in 1935 and from which he thought he had helped the economics profession escape permanently.
Samuelson once said that economic science progresses from one funeral to the next. Regrettably there is no such guarantee. Economics, just like revolutions, has a bad habit of devouring its best and brightest. Analytical economics could not have wished for a better servant than Paul Samuelson. That it reserved this hideous fate for him simply proves how harsh, ungrateful, and dangerous economics can be. And how impossible it is to do good on the basis of any attempt, even in the most accomplished hands, to tease the truth about capitalism from its mathematical depictions.
1 And I would like to include myself in this lot!
2 See Paul Samuelson (1948), Economics: An Introductory Analysis, New York: McGraw-Hill.
3 This and the next quotation are from an interview Paul Samuelson gaveKiyoshi Okonogi in November 2008 at his MIT office, where he was working almost until the end of his life in December 2009. The interview was published in Japanese newspaper Asahi Simbun under the title "Financial Crisis: Work of 'Fiendish Monsters'."
4 See Paul Samuelson (1947), Foundations of Economic Analysis, New York: McGraw-Hill. The thesis was submitted in 1941 and in the same year it won Harvard's David A. Wells Prize for best publishable thesis. But publication came six years later.
5 Technically, this was as easy as pie: all that was necessary was to take the so-called Phillips curve, straighten it out, and place it vertically on some point of the GDP axis that corresponds to the economy's so-called "natural" rate of unemployment.
Yanis Varoufakis is Professor of Economic Theory and Director of the Department of Political Economy in the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Athens. Varoufakis' books include: The Global Minotaur: The True Origins of the Financial Crisis and the Future of the World Economy (forthcoming); (with S. Hargreaves-Heap) Game Theory: A Critical Text (Routledge, 2004); Foundations of Economics: A Beginner's Companion (Routledge, 1998); and Rational Conflict (Blackwell Publishers, 1991).
var idcomments_acct = 'c90a61ed51fd7b64001f1361a7a71191';
var idcomments_post_id;
var idcomments_post_url;
About Yanis Varoufakis
View all posts by Yanis Varoufakis →
Sago Mine Disaster
Attacking Public Employees: Will New York Lead?


This entry was posted on Segunda-feira, Outubro 14th, 2013 at 12:52 and is filed under .	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


rodeasdown.com.au – French freedom fighters ruined my first brush with Wagner.
When I was about five I was watching a war movie on the telly with my dad. It featured Nazi occupation forces driving a van topped with public address speakers through a French town, and it was playing Wagner's overture to Tannhauser very loudly. At the very best bit, where the violins overlay the horns and the shivers run up your spine, the French resistance blew it up. How insensitive is that? I innocently asked my dad, who single-handedly won the second world war, what that wonderful piece of music was. He was appalled.
In 1975 Herbert Von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic made a quadraphonic recording of Wagner overtures for EMI which was re-released in 2001 on 24-bit/48-kHz DVD Audio and I can't listen to it without those spinal shivers. It was the first disc I tried with Kef's new R3 bookshelf speakers.
These are pretty special things. They're three-way, meaning separate drivers for each of low, mid and high range, and yet you really only notice two of them. That's because the 2.5 cm aluminium dome tweeter is nestled dead centre within the 12.5cm aluminium midrange driver, a design Kef calls Uni-Q that it's been refining for three decades. The bass has a 16.5 cm hybrid aluminium and paper cone.
Three-ways necessitate more complex design, construction and crossover technology making them unusual in bookshelf size. It also means the R3s are pretty big lumps at 20 x 42 x 31 cm (WxHxD) and 13.5 kilograms each. They're not cheap either, you'll get $5 change from $3000. But if available space at your place dictates bookshelf speakers these will give you the sound and performance of larger floorstanders at competitive money.
The Wagner sounded great but then it sounds good through public address speakers atop Nazi vans. Where the Kefs really came together for me was with Jan Garbarek, Norway's most famous saxophonist. Soprano and tenor saxophones wander all over the audible range often underlaid by a bassline of tabla that bubbles like a mud pool in Rotorua. This is often dreamy music, but there's a lot nuance and subtlety going on and the Kefs do a lovely job of everything in it.
Head east from Norway and you'll eventually reach Mongolia and experience something completely different. I first heard Hanggai on Lucky Oceans' Daily Planet program on RN and one of its vocalists sounds like he's been smoking 100 a day since birth. It's not throat singing but it's close. There's a lot of roughshod gradation to his voice as well as scrape and jitter and serration, and the Kefs are on top of all of it. You feel the rasp and clear your throat in sympathy.
Icelandic composer and pianist Olafur Arnalds recorded 'Living Room Songs', yep, in his living room, one song a day for seven days, and the recording puts you right in there on a comfy sofa with him and his mates. You can hear that the right-hand pedal of the piano needs oil. Don't let this put you off, it makes the album personal, intimate and very real.
That's the thing about the R3s; they capture reality nicely. They're all about precision and definition and their sound is beautifully balanced. And they work across every musical style I tried, and I have been told I have rather eclectic tastes. So these are great all-rounders. Many speaker buyers who have not learned to trust their ears can be fairly easily led into a purchase by salespeople. If you're one, these are very safe buying; they do a good to great job with everything. If you do trust your ears you'll make them very happy by auditioning these.
My only complaint is aesthetic. The R3s are available in piano black, piano white or walnut and all of them look pretty good, my problem is with the light, thin grilles that are finished such that I wondered if I was putting them on back-to-front, but the magnets only work one way. It turns out the flock-finish side with the indented Kef logo at the top, the side that looks like pressed cardboard, is the one to be displayed. Brrr.


something like that would be good for me, because I'm saving my credits. I like the idea of having a clothing place for your furry friend that you can spend your bearbills on instead of having to waste your credits in BVO. I like all of Molly's other suggestions as well.


groomed for both classic and skating. Snowshoe trails are generally unpacked and meander into the wooded area below the golf course.
Snowshoeing is available at the Houghton Falls Nature Trail, The Washburn Walking Trail, in the woods at Mt. Valhalla ( not on ski trails or snowmobile trails ) , the Washburn School Forest, Lake Superior View Ski and Snowshoe, Lost Creek Falls Trail and the Bayfield County Kettles.


Limited tickets will be available at the door. Come early if you want one.
Our good friends from Forward Motion San Francisco have ordered 80,000 Mcdonald's style balls, we threw an amazing event at Monarch with them last year, now we have ordered another 20,000 balls so we can move the party to The Great Northern!!! Finally a ball pit that adults can enjoy!
This will be one of the most legendary dance party's of all time!!! Tickets will sell out fast!!!
Forward Motion is a non-profit organization that aims to help individuals live out their dreams and make them a reality. Creating unique experiences and knocking off one bucket list item at a time. Become part of the movement!


The Knitting & Stitching show is the largest craft and textiles event in the UK. Each year the show welcomes throngs of sewing, dressmaking, knitting, crochet and textile devotees. The show offers over 400 craft companies, hundreds of workshops and demonstrations, daily Fashion Shows, and more than 20 Galleries showcasing the work of leading textile artists and groups from all over the world.
The Knitting & Stitching show is the largest craft and textiles event in the UK. Each year the show welcomes throngs of sewing, dressmaking, knitting, crochet and textile devotees. The show offers over 400 craft companies, hundreds of workshops and demonstrations, daily Fashion Shows, and more than 20 Galleries showcasing the work of leading textile artists and groups from all over the world. There really is something for everyone.
To book tickets call 0844 581 1302 or click here buy on-line.
Please contact the ticket provider or outlet that you made your purchase through as they will need to send you a confirmation. Ally Pally doesn't sell tickets for this event therefore we can not check your purchase or find your records if you turn up. To gain entry to the event you need an e-confirmation or ticket.
The on-site picnic area for you to take a seat and enjoy your lunch. This is accessible through the Panorama room and palm court.
Get away from the crowds into the peace and tranquillity of the Tea Rooms, hosted in the Londesborough Room. Choose from Breakfast (£9.50*), Lunch (£22.50*), or Afternoon Tea (£17.50*).
Fresh sandwiches,baguettes, home-made hot soup, cakes, muffins, cookies, fresh salads, confectionery & ice creams from our Deli. Hot beverages, soft drinks, bottled beer and wine also available.


Pharmacoeconomics is an area of ever increasing importance. With the changing tide of Health Care Reform yielding heightened aspirations for affordable care and improved outcomes, there is greater burden on industry to establish proof for the value and efficacy of new products.
At CBI's Premier HEOR Congress, interact with industry thought leaders, internal stakeholders, external decision makers and policy experts. Leave with a greater understanding of stakeholders' needs, a refined focus on applying the models and methodologies for analysis and tools to maximize the impact of your HEOR team.
This conference would also be of interest to professionals leading business development and customer facing initiatives at CROs, medical communications firms, market access and commercialization consulting firms, data analysis organizations, regulatory consulting services and life science staffing agencies.
• Dennis M. Meletiche, Pharm.D., Vice President, Health Outcomes and Market Access, EMD Serono, Inc.
• David Purdie, Ph.D., Med.Sc, B.Sc., Director, Marketing Science, Genentech, Inc.
• Vanessa Reddy, Health Economist, Cardiometabolics, Virology, CNS, Biometrics, Health Outcomes and Payer Support, U.S. Medical Affairs, Genentech, Inc.
• Paul Skodny, Pharm.D., MBA, RMC, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Medical Affairs, Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Learn more about this CBI event here.


CyberArk offers privileged access security to protect data, infrastructure and assets.
CyberArk pricing is not public.
Concerned about costs of CyberArk subscription?
Cleanshelf can automatically track costs of your CyberArk subscription.
Cleanshelf can measure how much CyberArk is actually used at your company.
Disclaimer. This is an entry on CyberArk that Cleanshelf keeps as part of its service to track, optimize, and benchmark cloud software subscriptions of its customers. Cleanshelf is an independent service vendor that maintains no partnership or agreement with CyberArk. Contact us for more information.


text:
Marketing IntelligenceNews
Circus Social hitches its wagon to a brand new "Radarr"
By MartechAsia Editors | Friday, August 20, 2021, 12:25 PM Asia/Singapore
Social media intelligence company rebrands itself to cater to an ever-increasing demand for predictive digital insights in Asia.
Circus Social has rebranded itself as Radarr as it evolves to cater to an ever-increasing demand for predictive digital insights in Asia, the social mediaintelligence company announced on Aug 2.
The company, which launched in 2012, will roll out its new name, visual identity, products, and website this month, it said in a media release.
According to the company, the rebrand reflects the company's recent innovations and technological transformations using AI, predictive intelligence, and linguistic-based predictive algorithms that scan the digital universe of billions of conversations.
"With 2,300 languages, 4.5 billion people, 48 countries, and billions of social conversations happening each day, Asia is the new epicenter of social media, however, no specialised tool has been created to master and track this region until now," the company said in its statement. "Next-gen intelligence systems are needed to stay up to speed with the constantly shifting landscape and anticipate what is coming down the track".
"We are moving beyond real-time analytics," said Prerna Pant, Co-Founder & COO of Radarr. "Clients are much more sophisticated and want partners with tech stacks to match. Our clients no longer only want to know about what is currently happening in the digital space in real-time, they also want a Radarr to see what is about to happen so that they can anticipate the opportunities and challenges that could make or break their businesses.''
"At the core of Radarr's new offer is an intelligence platform that delves deep into the billions of conversations happening online to deliver digital monitoring and predictive analytics." said Ram Bhamidi, Co-Founder & CEO of Radarr. "Bespoke dashboards provide targeted intelligence on select areas such as crisis monitoring or influencer management, whilst industry-centric dashboards on topics like Crypto and Gaming provide a bird's-eye view of trends emerging across specific sectors. This intelligence informs actionable, data-driven recommendations for brands, enabling them to anticipate the future effectively and act rapidly."
Most recently, the Singapore and Bengaluru-based company had announced its Pre-Series A funding led by Inflection Point Ventures and several high-profile investors from the US, Singapore, and India.
PreviousThe big unanswered question is about identity solutions – The evolution of Programmatic in JAPAC
NextCan media outreach be made affordable and borderless?
AI will play a key role in helping marketers better understand their customers and achieve business goals
Fighting disruption with cutting-edge Martech solutions
WGSN reveals the Top Trends for 2022
Ad techs and vendors lack incentive to fight fraud in Asia


There's nothing more frustrating than returning to your vehicle after a couple of hours at the shopping centre to find that it won't start. It is often assumed that if your vehicle won't start it is due to a dead battery and that a replacement will resolve the issue and have you back on the road.However, in some cases with Mercedes Benz vehicles, the battery may not be the issue that leaves you stranded at the shopping centre.
Unfortunately, there is a known fault connected to the steering lock actuator of some Mercedes Benz vehicles. It is most common with Mercedes w204 C Class and E Class 207 vehicles and is therefore likely to occur with these models.
What is a steering lock actuator?
The steering lock actuator is part of your vehicle's Smart Key System. It functions as a lock preventing the possibility of using the steering wheel. Therefore when it is activated, if someone attempts to break into your vehicle, if they start the car they won't be able to steer it.
One of the ways to tell that your ignition fail is not a battery-related issue is to examine your dashboard's instrument cluster. If you can't turn the ignition on and there's no details being indicated on your dashboard, it's more likely to be the fault of the steering lock actuator.
Shlomi and the team at K&G Automotive believe in genuine customer care. That is why when your Mercedes comes into our workshop we will correctly diagnose the fault using the highly comprehensive Auto logic diagnostic tool, which specialises in Mercedes and some other European vehicles. We believe in complete customer assurance. This is why, only after we have spoken to the customer about the fault and they have approved our recommended repair, will we proceed with the work on their vehicle.
We also believe, where possible, in repairing rather than replacing vehicle parts in order to keep the costs down for our customers. If you take your vehicle to a Mercedes Benz Dealership they will replace your steering lock actuator rather than repair it.
Shlomi and the team at K&G Automotive are known as fast, reliable and responsive European Car experts with unique automotive engineering capabilities. This is why, increasingly, Mercedes Benz owners choose to service or repair their vehicles at K&G Automotive: the award-winning independent European car service centre of choice for Mercedes, BMW, Audi, VW and Mini servicing and repairs in South Brisbane.
mechanics to apprentices) to ensure they are up to date with the latest advances in Mercedes Specialist technology and Shlomi supervises all of the work in the workshop.
Servicing all types of Mercedes vehicles - The team at K&G Automotive can reassuringly service all types of Mercedes vehicles. Award-winning owner Shlomi (Best Technician in Europe, 2002) worked as an automotive engineer for many years for Mercedes Benz dealerships in both Israel and Brisbane. In addition, K&G Automotive uses the highly comprehensive Auto logic diagnostic tool, which specialises in Mercedes and some other European vehicles. K&G Automotive is also registered with Autodata, the country's leading supplier of technical information, which means they have access to all technical information required to repair your Mercedes or any other vehicle manufacturer.
Talk directly to Shlomi, the owner of K&G Automotive - Shlomi's philosophy has always been that the customer should be in complete control. This is why, at K&G Automotive, you can talk directly to Shlomi or a mechanic about your Mercedes Specialist service or repair for complete peace-of-mind.
Call to get an honest, upfront price - Shlomi and his team at K&G Automotive will give you an honest price upfront to prevent any bill shock. When you call, they will talk you through your Mercedes Specialist service or repair before you decide to commit to any work. If additional work is required, one of the team will call you back first to discuss this.
Exceptional customer service - Shlomi and the team at K&G Automotive pride themselves on delivering exceptional service to their customers. They will book your Mercedes service or repair in promptly and undertake the work timely so you can get back to your day. They will maintain direct contact with you and clean your car after every service too.
Modern courtesy vehicles - K&G Automotive provides free modern courtesy vehicles to ensure you won't feel inconvenienced without a vehicle for the duration of your service or repair.
Award-winning European Car Service Centre - Due to their high-level automotive craftsmanship and international engineering experience, K&G Automotive were recognised as an outstanding industry leader by being awarded the acclaimed 2018 Business of the Year Award and the Car Sales and Service Award at the 2018 Logan Business Distinction Awards.
Call Shlomi or his team at K & G Automotive on 07 3341 2008 or email them here to book in your Mercedes Specialist service or repair today.


Magnolia Gardens is close to downtown Crawfordville. One of the oldest and largest subdivisions in the county with over 3,000 lots that were platted in the early 60's. The roads are unpaved, city water, and septic tanks. This is one of the most affordable subdivisions in the area and most homes have been built in the last few years. Prices average from as low as 75K to 105K. 20 minutes to downtown Tallahassee.
Corner lot on paved road with access to city water and new sewer system priced it to sell Close into town for shopping and schools.


ase5 is a smart, connected, multi-vendor and multi-purpose security hub offering the best value with many exclusive features.
BVK's anti-shimmer solution is the world's first smart and connected technology defending against deep-insert skimmers and card shimmers.
Defend against all types of ATM fascia intrusions with BVK's ATM Fascia Tamper kit.


Singletons are a hotly debated design pattern, so I am interested in what the Stack Overflow community thought about them.
Please provide reasons for your opinions, not just "Singletons are for lazy programmers!"
Here is a fairly good article on the issue, although it is against the use of Singletons: scientificninja.com: performant-singletons.
Does anyone have any other good articles on them? Maybe in support of Singletons?
They are not as bad as globals because globals have no standard-enforced initialization order, and you could easily see nondeterministic bugs due to naive or unexpected dependency orders. Singletons (assuming they're allocated on the heap) are created after all globals, and in a very predictable place in the code.
They're very useful for resource-lazy / -caching systems such as an interface to a slow I/O device. If you intelligently build a singleton interface to a slow device, and no one ever calls it, you won't waste any time. If another piece of code calls it from multiple places, your singleton can optimize caching for both simultaneously, and avoid any double look-ups. You can also easily avoid any deadlock condition on the singleton-controlled resource.
In C++, there's no nice way to auto-clean-up after singletons. There are work-arounds, and slightly hacky ways to do it, but there's just no simple, universal way to make sure your singleton's destructor is always called. This isn't so terrible memory-wise -- just think of it as more global variables, for this purpose. But it can be bad if your singleton allocates other resources (e.g. locks some files) and doesn't release them.
I use singletons, but avoid them if there's a reasonable alternative. This has worked well for me so far, and I have found them to be testable, although slightly more work to test.
For a more explicit explanation see 'Why Singletons Are Controversial' from Google.
A singleton is just a bunch of global variables in a fancy dress.
Global variables have their uses, as do singletons, but if you think you're doing something cool and useful with a singleton instead of using a yucky global variable (everyone knows globals are bad mmkay), you're unfortunately misled.
The purpose of a Singleton is to ensure a class has only one instance, and provide a global point of access to it. Most of the time the focus is on the single instance point. Imagine if it were called a Globalton. It would sound less appealing as this emphasizes the (usually) negative connotations of a global variable.
Most of the good arguments against singletons have to do with the difficulty they present in testing as creating test doubles for them is not easy.
There's three pretty good blog posts about Singletons by Miško Hevery in the Google Testing blog.
Singleton is not a horrible pattern, although it is misused a lot. I think this misuse is because it is one of the easier patterns and most new to the singleton are attracted to the global side effect.
Erich Gamma had said the singleton is a pattern he wishes wasn't included in the GOF book and it's a bad design. I tend to disagree.
If the pattern is used in order to create a single instance of an object at any given time then the pattern is being used correctly. If the singleton is used in order to give a global effect, it is being used incorrectly.
One instance of a class is represented at any given point in time.
The singleton pattern makes you invincible.
Singleton rhymes with "win" (or "fun" depending on your accent).
I think there is a great misunderstanding about the use of the Singleton pattern. Most of the comments here refer to it as a place to access global data. We need to be careful here - Singleton as a pattern is not for accessing globals.
Singleton should be used to have only one instance of the given class. Pattern Repository has great information on Singleton.
One of the colleagues I have worked with was very Singleton-minded. Whenever there was something that was kind of a manager or boss like object he would make that into a singleton, because he figured that there should be only one boss. And each time the system took up some new requirements, it turned out there were perfectly valid reasons to allow multiple instances.
I would say that singleton should be used if the domain model dictates (not 'suggests') that there is one. All other cases are just accendentally single instances of a class.
I've been trying to think of a way to come to the poor singelton's rescue here, but I must admit it's hard. I've seen very few legitimate uses of them and with the current drive to do dependency injection andd unit testing they are just hard to use. They definetly are the "cargo cult" manifestation of programming with design patterns I have worked with many programmers that have never cracked the "GoF" book but they know 'Singelton' and thus they know 'Patterns'.
I do have to disagree with Orion though, most of the time I've seen singeltons oversused it's not global variables in a dress, but more like global services(methods) in a dress. It's interesting to note that if you try to use Singeltons in the SQL Server 2005 in safe mode through the CLR interface the system will flag the code. The problem is that you have persistent data beyond any given transaction that may run, of course if you make the instance variable read only you can get around the issue.
That issue lead to a lot of rework for me one year.
Holy wars! Ok let me see.. Last time I checked the design police said..
Singletons are bad because they hinder auto testing - instances cannot be created afresh for each test case. Instead the logic should be in a class (A) that can be easily instantiated and tested. Another class (B) should be responsible for constraining creation. Single Responsibility Principle to the fore! It should be team-knowledge that you're supposed to go via B to access A - sort of a team convention.
Many applications require that there is only one instance of some class, so the pattern of having only one instance of a class is useful. But there are variations to how the pattern is implemented.
There is the static singleton, in which the class forces that there can only be one instance of the class per process (in Java actually one per ClassLoader). Another option is to create only one instance.
Static singletons are evil - one sort of global variables. They make testing harder, because it's not possible to execute the tests in full isolation. You need complicated setup and tear down code for cleaning the system between every test, and it's very easy to forget to clean some global state properly, which in turn may result in unspecified behaviour in tests.
Creating only one instance is good. You just create one instance when the programs starts, and then pass the pointer to that instance to all other objects which need it. Dependency injection frameworks make this easy - you just configure the scope of the object, and the DI framework will take care of creating the instance and passing it to all who need it. For example in Guice you would annotate the class with @Singleton, and the DI framework will create only one instance of the class (per application - you can have multiple applications running in the same JVM). This makes testing easy, because you can create a new instance of the class for each test, and let the garbage collector destroy the instance when it is no more used. No global state will leak from one test to another.
For more information: The Clean Code Talks - "Global State and Singletons"
Singleton as an implementation detail is fine. Singleton as an interface or as an access mechanism is a giant PITA.
A static method that takes no parameters returning an instance of an object is only slightly different from just using a global variable. If instead an object has a reference to the singleton object passed in, either via constructor or other method, then it doesn't matter how the singleton is actually created and the whole pattern turns out not to matter.
It was not just a bunch of variables in a fancy dress because this was had dozens of responsibilities, like communicating with persistence layer to save/retrieve data about the company, deal with employees and prices collections, etc.
I must say you're not really describing somthing that should be a single object and it's debatable that any of them, other than Data Serialization should have been a singelton.
I think the point is that in most cases you don't need a singelton and often your just making your life harder.
The biggest problem with singletons is that they make unit testing hard, particularly when you want to run your tests in parallel but independently.
The second is that people often believe that lazy initialisation with double-checked locking is a good way to implement them.
Finally, unless your singletons are immutable, then they can easily become a performance problem when you try and scale your application up to run in multiple threads on multiple processors. Contended synchronization is expensive in most environments.
Singletons have their uses, but one must be careful in using and exposing them, because they are way too easy to abuse, difficult to truly unit test, and it is easy to create circular dependencies based on two singletons that accesses each other.
It is helpful however, for when you want to be sure that all your data is synchronized across multiple instances, e.g., configurations for a distributed application, for instance, may rely on singletons to make sure that all connections use the same up-to-date set of data.
I find you have to be very careful about why you're deciding to use a singleton. As others have mentioned, it's essentially the same issue as using global variables. You must be very cautious and consider what you could be doing by using one.
I've used singletons a bunch of times in conjunction with Spring and didn't consider it a crutch or lazy.
What this pattern allowed me to do was create a single class for a bunch of configuration-type values and then share the single (non-mutable) instance of that specific configuration instance between several users of my web application.
I feel it would've been wasteful to create (then garbage collect) new instances of these "constant" objects for each user of the app.
Confusion between the classic implementation of Singleton and the real requirement: TO HAVE JUST ONE INSTANCE OF a CLASS!
It's generally bad implemented. If you want a unique instance, don't use the (anti)pattern of using a static GetInstance() method returning a static object. This makes a class to be responsible for instantiating a single instance of itself and also perform logic. This breaks the Single Responsibility Principle. Instead, this should be implemented by a factory class with the responsibility of ensuring that only one instance exists.
It's used in constructors, because it's easy to use and must not be passed as a parameter. This should be resolved using dependency injection, that is a great pattern to achieve a good and testable object model.
Not TDD. If you do TDD, dependencies are extracted from the implementation because you want your tests to be easy to write. This makes your object model to be better. If you use TDD, you won't write a static GetInstance =). BTW, if you think in objects with clear responsibilities instead classes, you'll get the same effect =).
I really disagree on the bunch of global variables in a fancy dress idea. Singletons are really useful when used to solve the right problem. Let me give you a real example.
I once developed a small piece of software to a place I worked, and some forms had to use some info about the company, its employees, services and prices. At its first version, the system kept loading that data from the database every time a form was opened. Of course, I soon realized this approach was not the best one.
Then I created a singleton class, named company, which encapsulated everything about the place, and it was completely filled with data by the time the system was opened.
Plus, it was a fixed, system-wide, easily accessible point to have the company data.
Singletons are very useful, and using them is not in and of itself an anti-pattern. However, they've gotten a bad reputation largely because they force any consuming code to acknowledge that they are a singleton in order to interact with them. That means if you ever need to "un-Singletonize" them, the impact on your codebase can be very significant.
Instead, I'd suggest either hiding the Singleton behind a factory. That way, if you need to alter the service's instantiation behavior in the future, you can just change the factory rather than all types that consume the Singleton.
Even better, use an inversion of control container! Most of them allow you to separate instantiation behavior from the implementation of your classes.
One scary thing on singletons in for instance Java is that you can end up with multiple instances of the same singleton in some cases. The JVM uniquely identifies based on two elements: A class' fully qualified name, and the classloader responsible for loading it.
That means the same class can be loaded by two classloaders unaware of each other, and different parts of your application would have different instances of this singleton that they interact with.
Write normal, testable, injectable objects and let Guice/Spring/whatever handle the instantiation. Seriously.
This applies even in the case of caches or whatever the natural use cases for singletons are. There's no need to repeat the horror of writing code to try to enforce one instance. Let your dependency injection framework handle it. (I recommend Guice for a lightweight DI container if you're not already using one).
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged language-agnostic design-patterns singleton or ask your own question.
Are there any viable alternatives to the GOF Singleton Pattern?
Yeah.. I know.. I'm a simpleton.. So what's a Singleton?
What are some specific legitimate uses for singletons?
Is there a simple, elegant way to define singletons?
On design patterns: When should I use the singleton?


text:
gnuyen.org
Paul McCartney on Tour
I must go to this. I'm going to try to buy as many tickets as I possibly can (8) and go to this thing.
Anyone else want to go? If I can't get tickets to the LA or Anaheim showing, I'll go to Vegas or San Jose. There have got to be a few Beatles fans amongst my friends. One of the Vegas shows is on my birthday. I'm down to go to multiple ones.
Update: Got tickets for Vegas on my birthday. Anyone who wants to come is welcome, you just probably won't be sitting with us during the actual concert.
Requiem for a Camera
My trusty point and click Konica Minolta Dimage x20 has died. The screen did some funky stuff, and now it has problems turning on and the screen doesn't show anything ever. A great number of pictures in the photo album were taken with this camera; it will be missed. I have replaced it with the Konica Minolta Dimage x50. I didn't comparison shop like I did when I bought the first one. I just bought the newest version of my old camera because I was happy with it. The internally mounted lens is a must have for me on a point and shoot camera.
I have another digital camera with manual focus and the like, which because it's huge and bulky, never manages to go anywhere with me. I would probably be happier if the x50 had some sort of option for adjusting the focus though.
Old Camera:
New Camera:
Requiem for a Phone
On Saturday night I went to go watch Sin City again. Bob and Kit wanted to go see it, so I drove to The Block on my scooter. When I got home I noticed I didn't have my cell phone. I think I either left it in the theatre or dropped it on the way home. So my Sony Ericsson z200, which was purchased in the Philippines, accompanied me through Japan, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, was lost in the 2 miles from The Block to my apartment. So I got a new gsm card, which cost 25 bucks, from cingular to replace my old one. In Asia, you can buy a prepaid gsm card for like 3 bucks, so I'm pretty sure they're making tons of money on this little service of theirs.
As a result, I've probably lost your phone number, so please email or IM me it. I've also had to switch phones to my backup phone, which is a crappy Sony Ericsson t237.
Old Phone:
New Temp Phone:
I'm in the market for a new one, so any suggestions will be appreciated.
Gnuyen.org Upgrades
In order to avoid doing more important work, I've been doing a lot of work on gnuyen.org. I decided to put my work integrating Gallery 2 into wordpress with a wordpress plugin because development on G2 is going by way too fast. I'll have to wait for it to stablize. Changelog:
Mix, Burn
Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails has released his new single "The Hand That Feeds" in GarageBand format so people can remix and play with the song in a format similar to that which he composed the song in. He did the "Rip" part for everyone, as he converted by hand from Pro Tools to Garageband. Now it's up to us to Mix and Burn.
RMS Right Again
Those of you familar with the Linux Bitkeeper saga know that RMS was very against the move to use bitkeeper to maintain the linux kernel because it forced software developers to use non free software when developing the linux kernel.
Linus Torvalds, who works at OSDL, justified it's use by claiming it would result in more open source software, not less, and as such it would be a net gain for the open source community.
RMS pointed out this was exactly the difference between free software and open source software, and that Linus was a bad philosophical leader. A lot of other people had concerns with locking up the revision data inside a proprietary database with no way to get it out in case McVoy and the Bitkeeper gang changed the license around last minute or something. Lo and behold, McVoy killed the free version, and the people using Bitkeeper were kind of screwed.
The reason McVoy killed the free version was because Andrew Tridgell, who also works at OSDL, was reverse engineering the protocol so people have an open source client that could access data they had a right to that was locked into a proprietary database. Linus, amazingly, was against this.
FCC v. Brand X
There have been two court cases recently heard by the supreme court that are very important to the future of the internet. I've been wanting to write an entry on them since oral arguments were made but never got around to it. The first was the FCC v. Brand X, the second the all famous MGM v. Grokster case. Due to my laziness the great Lawrence Lessig beat me to the punch in noting how relevant these cases are to the stewards of end to end internet. Now that the oral argument transcripts have been posted, I have no excuse not to comment. The law is however, a very interlinked and complicated thing, so bear with me.
RIP Carroll Lynn Parkison
Toki's breeder, Carroll Parkison passed away recently. Carroll was a great person that was full of spunk. For as long as I had known Carroll her health had always been an issue, but she survived so long I thought she would last forever on sheer willpower. The breed will be less without her, as she was a balancing force in the breeds dynamic. She will be surely missed.
You are currently browsing the gnuyen.org weblog archives for April, 2005.
"You assist an evil system most effectively by obeying its orders and decrees. An evil system never deserves such allegiance. Allegiance to it means partaking of the evil. A good person will resist an evil system with his or her whole soul."
-Mahatma Gandhi
gnuyen.org is proudly powered by WordPress and Gallery


Today, Anthony Garvey, a Dublin born, Kerry based award-winning speaker, presenter and children's author came to visit our school.
He divided his session into two halves, the first half was all about public speaking, and he gave his "Come to the Edge" speech and all the children were enthralled. He talked to them about positivity, determination, confidence, body language, humour, eye contact, vocal variety and structure in regard to public speaking. He also gave funny examples of how not to give a speech.
During the second session, Anthony reading some extracts from his children's book, The Dark Green Book of Dreams "My Teacher's a Witch". We were so lucky that he had just received his new novel shipped to him and we were the first school to see it.
This is his second children's book, but it is the first in a series of 6, about children who can talk to the dead …….
Anthony was very entertaining and funny. He was very compassionate with our pupils of all ages listening to their own stories and answering all their questions. Thank you for coming, it was a very educational day.


text:
Trump Teases an Executive Order on Drug Prices
CARLOS BARRIA/Reuters
By Yuval Rosenberg
President Trump said Friday that he is preparing to issue an executive order to reduce prescription drug prices by requiring that the United States government does not pay more than the lowest price paid by another country.
"We're going to be announcing something very shortly, a favored-nations clause," Trump told reporters. "As you know for years and years, other nations paid less for drugs than we do, sometimes by 60, 70%. We're going to be, and we're working on it right now, we're working on a favored-nations clause, where we pay whatever the lowest nation's price is."
Health care experts weren't immediately clear on what Trump was referring to, but two people familiar with White House planning told The Wall Street Journal they thought the president was talking about a proposal issued by the White House last fall to tie certain Medicare Part B drug costs to an international price index.
"The price index idea, which the pharmaceutical industry and many medical providers have vigorously opposed, is still under review from the Office of Management and Budget and may begin as a five-year pilot program next year," The New York Times's Margot Sanger-Katz explained. "But it would apply to only a small subset of the drug market, and would not affect the prices paid for more typical prescription drugs that are sold at retail pharmacies. An executive order on drug prices would most likely have no force of law on its own, but could direct the Department of Health and Human Services to pursue or expand this approach."
TOP READS FROM THE FISCAL TIMES
Will Trump Blow Up a Hard-Fought Budget Deal?
They're getting closer. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC Thursday morning that the two sides working on a...
Tariff Revenues Aren't Covering the Cost of Trump's Trade War
According to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the tariffs President Trump has imposed on Chinese imports...
Pelosi Pushes for Spending Parity in Deal to Raise Debt Ceiling
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said over the weekend that she wants to see equal increases in defense and nondefense...
Yuval Rosenberg
As editor in chief, Yuval Rosenberg oversees all aspects of The Fiscal Times' website and email newsletter. His writing has appeared in publications including BusinessWeek, CNBC.com, CNNMoney.com, Fast Company, Fortune, Newsweek, Money and Time.
▶ Join the Discussion


text:
Arrested For Taking a Photo in A Courthouse; Denied Legal Counsel
April 11, 2015 April 11, 2015 Chuck U Farley 1334 Views cop block, copblock, copblock.org, film the police, Filming police, Harassment, police accountability, Police State, Recording in court, Toledo OH
Submitted through the CopBlock.org submission tab by Joshua Edward Williams.
Lucas County Sheriff's Office, Address: 1622 Spielbusch Ave, Toledo, OH 43604 Phone:(419) 243-5111
On October 31, 2014, I attended a traffic court date with a friend, Randall McKinney. Before the judge showed up, I noticed an 8 to 10 year old child standing where the clerk of court sits. The child was opening up legal files and reading and writing in them. I thought this was odd and told my friend about it. He didn't believe me, so I said I'm gonna take a photo and show my law professor.
I thought, from a recent Supreme Court ruling, that I was not in violation of the law. The ruling stated that any where a person has the right to be in public, they had the right to take a photo of anything they can view from that spot. After I took the photo, I was approached by a deputy from inside the court room. He came out and said, "You can't stand in front of the doors."
I moved away, but 5 minutes later two sheriffs came out from the court room and approached me. The first one pointed at me and said "That's him!" The second officer asked if I took a photo. I responded, "I'm not gonna answer that, but if I did, would you like me to delete it". He replied, "No, I want you to show me so I can charge you with a felony!" I replied "Well I'm not gonna show you my phone then".
He then had a supervisor come over and he demanded to see my phone. I refused and was asked to go tell the judge why I wouldn't show my phone. I replied "I don't have to tell him anything". He then said, "Well if you won't show me your phone, you have to leave."
I said okay and proceed to leave. When we reached the elevator things changed and they said, "No, you are gonna see the judge and explain to him why you are taking photos". They proceeded to pick me up and force me to go into the court room where one of the officers asked the judge to find me in contempt. The judge told him, "What do you want me to do? He wasn't in the court room. He didn't do anything wrong. You are the deputy, handle it how you see fit".
When they approached and said "Lets go!" I asked where we were going, and they responded for me not to worry about it. I asked if I could leave, and he said no I'm remanding you into custody.
During this whole encounter I was recording on my phone and I locked my phone preventing them from getting into it, which they tried. After I was arrested the officers can be heard trying to find a charge to charge me with. Once they found my license to carry a concealed weapon, one of the deputies stated, "Well if we charge him with a felony he can kiss his conceal license GOOD BYE."
Soon after another officer walked in who knew me from the youth football league. He does security for when he is off-duty. He tells them he recognizes me and that I shouldn't be around kids if I want to act like an asshole. The officer who spoke earlier then stated, "Well if we charge him with a felony he can kiss coaching GOOD BYE."
He then proceeded to tell the other deputy, "Look up the contempt of court charge. I think it's a felony."
I remember reading it over at the booking desk. A supervisor tells him, it's not. He then says "I thought it was. Well we can still try to get him with felony obstructing an officer." The supervisor says again, "No you can't it's not a felony!" He then tries again and says, "How about felony disorderly?" The supervisor gets stern and says, "NO!" The younger officer then says, "Well I meant just regular disorderly, we can charge him with that until we figure out what else to charge him with." The older officer concedes and says "Yea, that will at least get him held then you can figure out what else to charge him with."
Later on, you can hear a different officer, who was in the hallway for the whole encounter outside the court room say, "He didn't do anything wrong but he was helping his buddy with his ticket,. That's like practicing without a license we can't have that."Later on while, walking over, an officer who had not been involved, but was helping walk me over asked, "Well, if you didn't do anything wrong, why did you refuse to ID?" I responded by saying, "I asked him if he suspected me of a crime and he said no, so I don't have to ID." He then said, "He doesn't have to suspect you of a crime to demand ID." I said,"You're wrong!" and I stated the statute to him from memory. On the recording, I stated,
"The statute says anyone in a public place, who a law enforcement officer suspects of, committing a crime, going to commit a crime, or being a witness to a crime, must provide name, age, and address."
He then says, "See? Your trying to find a loophole! Your just like my kids! You try to find loopholes! I acted like that as a child. Then I grew up an learned to respect those with authority. Maybe this will teach you a lesson!" I asked, "So I was arrested to teach me a lesson?" The young officer from earlier who was walking me over said "Yep!" I said, "Well this is a good lesson. Do what officers say even if it's illegal". "That's enough talking shut up!" Was his answer.
I believe this arrest showed that I was arrested to get access to my phone which is a violation of my Fourth Amendment rights. I believe a lot of my rights were violated in the arrest, and subsequent arraignment. At my arraignment, I was read the charges and asked how I plead? I asked to see the charges. The judge proceeded to ask if I was an attorney. No was my reply. He then asked, "Why do you need to see the charges?" I replied, "Because I have a right to see them before pleading and I never got to know what I was being charged with even after they released me."
He asked if I had an attorney. Again, I replied no. He asked if I planned to hire one. "No I am disabled." was my answer. He then asked some more question and determined that I am entitled to a public defender. He asked the bailiff to hand the list of charges to a gentleman that was seated next to him. The judge said he will talk to you out side was what I was told. The gentleman took me out into a side room where he asked, "How did you bail out if you need a public defender?" "A friend bailed me out." I replied.
He then proceeded to tell me he could get the charges reduced to one charge with probation. I refused and told him I am innocent and want to go to trial. He replied "I don't do that, If you want to go to trial you need to hire an attorney." I then asked "Well can you at least ask the judge if he will ask the prosecutor if he plans to use my phone as evidence? I would like it back. Under rule 12 we can ask the prosecutor if he plans to use it as evidence."
He also asked, "Are you an attorney?" "No." I replied and he stated, "Then don't try to be one!" He then stated,"I'm only gonna ask the judge one thing and that is to relieve me. I would advise you to remain quiet." He then proceeded to enter a plea of not guilty and ask the judge to relieve him from this case because he could tell "we would not see eye to eye." I tried to speak and was told to remain silent by the judge, he then proceeded to remove him without my input.
The judge then asked if I planned to hire an attorney. As I told him earlier I am disabled I can't afford an attorney. He said, "So you are going pro se? You are gonna defend yourself?" I said, "No, I want a public defender." He replied "Well you can't have one. I just relieved him, so you are either gonna have to hire an attorney or represent yourself."
I tried to argue, but he said he had made his ruling next case! I then tried to ask about rule 12, and was again asked if I was a lawyer. I was also told that I should not try to pretend to be one and he was not gonna rule on anything I had to say.
I cannot believe that in today's society this is occurring and this is not an isolated incident. The friend I spoke about earlier is a witness to this happening to me. This exact same thing happened to him on the day of my arrest. He was offered a deal by the public defender. He refused and asked to go to trial. He was told I don't do that and she had herself removed, leaving him with no attorney. At his next hearing in front of Judge Christensen he again asked for a public defender in which he was told you already had one and she was removed.
When he asked the judge "How can that be done I didn't fire her?" Judge Christensen replied "You didn't hire her you can't fire her, I removed her." He was then told, just like I was, that now he had a choice. He could hire an attorney or represent himself. Even though he was determined to be indigent and eligible for a public defender. Usually, I thought that if the public defender's office was relieved from the case the judge would then appoint a private practice attorney to defend the defendant. Is that not true?
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Joshua Edward Williams
← "So Would You Like To Be A Part Of My Monthly Quota Tonight?" (VIDEO)
Troy, NY Police Attempt to Illegally Enter A House On Easter (Video) →
Chuck U Farley
currently lives in Parma, OH where he started CopBlocking in 2012 after his arrest at police checkpoint. He's the founder of GreaterCleveland CopBlock, admin of OhioCopBlock, CopBlock.org Store manager and contributor. ____________________________________________________________________________ If you'd like to support DEO's work consider joining the CopBlock Network and/or the CopBlock.org Store. ____________________________________________________________________________ You can also keep up with DEO on Facebook and YouTube


It was awarded to James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo for their immunotherapy work in the fight against cancer.
NSFW STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN — The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo for their work in harnessing the body's immune system to fight against cancer.
Allison and Honjo established a link between immunotherapy and cancer treatment by identifying how the different cells interact with each other.
According to the Conversation, Allison and Honjo were able to identify certain pathways, called "immune checkpoints," that actively stop immune cells from attacking cancerous tumors.
These pathways inhibit the body's T-cells—white blood cells that destroy infected cells and tumor cells—and prevent them from locating and attacking tumors.
Allison and Honjo identified two separate proteins located on the surface of T-cells, CTLA-4 and PD-1, that interact with tumor cell proteins causing T-cells to not attack the tumor.
Allison and Honjo's research led to the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies that block the regulatory pathways controlled by CTLA-4 and PD-1.
These drugs attach to the CTLA-4 and PD-1 proteins and prevent them from turning off the T-cells.
With some cancers, these new drugs have led to significant tumor regressions. The FDA has approved their use for several advanced cancers such as: metastatic melanoma, lung cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer head and neck cancers and other tumors.
However, there can be significant risks as well. Immune checkpoint inhibitors can cause damaging inflammation in the skin, gut, heart, lungs and other vital organs. In addition, the long-term effects of the new drugs are also currently unknown.


Mixed Storage Weight. Closely related to the number of dumbbells you need that to hold is the weight the fact that rack needs to hold. If you have a lot of heavier hand weights then you will need a very good rack. Before buying any dope rack, ensure you find out the support capacity to check that anyone with overloading it. It is very easy to underestimate how much all of your hand weights weigh- ten pairs starting from 20 kg to forty kg might weigh around 600 kg, so make certain you find a rack that is good deal of strong enough for your needs. Overloading a rack is dangerous, mainly because it could potentially collapse which could contain very nasty consequences taking into consideration how heavy a loaded rack is.
Victoriajacksonshow - Gravel paths and drives olive garden design and landscaping. Here you will find a number of our projects that feature a gravel path or drive, browse through the portfolio or use the sort buttons to filter your search show: all 10mm golden gravel 10mm river gravel gravel areas gravel drives gravel paths marine cobbles scottish cobbles terram membrane ground cover. Gravel and hoggin self binding gravel olive garden. Gravel and hoggin self binding gravel home � gravel and hoggin self binding gravel here you will find a number of our projects that feature gravel and hoggin which is a slef binding gravel, browse through the portfolio or use the sort buttons to filter your search. Low maintenance landscaping ideas for front e. Low maintenance landscaping ideas for front e dzine garden ideas design a low maintenance garden luxury landscaping georgia how does your garden mow amenajarea curtii din fata casei idei care ti vor home design ideas gravel paths and drives olive garden design and landscaping. Decorative gravel & aggregates for gardens and driveways. Instantly transform your garden, drive, path or pond with gravel or aggregate gravel and aggregates are low maintenance, affordable and easy to lay here at decorative aggregates, we stock the most extensive range of quality aggregates in the uk and our wide range of colourful gravel and aggregates can be used to complement any existing planting or landscaping areas. Herb garden contained by pretty gravel and brick border. Front garden landscaping ideas uk front path amp victorian town house garden olive garden design and gravel paths and garden beds framed with reclaimed brick plants between path and garden herringbone brick path from driveway to backyard side yard: gravel to garden herringbone brick pavers for walkways diy yard brick projects, side. Pathways lined with cypress trees, olives and typically. Gravel garden dry garden garden trees garden paths mediterranean garden design seasonal flowers casa patio continue reading italian cypress trees more information saved by "8 most amazing mediterranean garden design ideas for your backyard" pathways lined with cypress trees, olives and typically mediterranean herbs and shrubs. Shingle for gardens best image of garden. Todo alt text gravel path in garden epic shingle for garden 37 about remodel brilliant home decor ideas with how to lay a gravel path real homesgravel walks drives old house new gardenepic shingle for [ ]. Gravel patios better homes & gardens. Grayish gravel provides an unrefined complement for weathered furniture finishes, concrete and marble garden ornaments, leafy foliage, and vibrant flowers opt for tan or gray gravel when you want to create organic, neutral character; use gold, brown, white, and rust gravels to create high impact patio floors. Landscaping ideas with stone sunset magazine. 49 landscaping ideas with stone new zealand flax, and olive trees 8 of 50 photo by bill ross transform a driveway transform an unused back half of a driveway into a curving path of concrete pavers, making room for a lush garden bed to the side the desert rose color of the fine gravel makes this southwest garden's path stand out from. Vegetable garden fence design asla 2012 professional. Gravel paths and drives olive garden design and landscaping ve railroad tie pathway barn board and pallet creations s media cache design alan titchmarsh small narrow town city garden with istic gardening & landscaping : cold frame plan for your garden.