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Primary Ignition
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Tag Archives: Ultimate Warrior
Astonishing Art: Hulk Hogan/Ultimate Warrior by Matt Ryan Tobin
By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder
Ah, the blessed naivete of childhood. When we were all blissfully unaware of what racist comments and family scandals would do to Hulk Hogan's career. And while we may have had some idea that the Ultimate Warrior was raving lunatic, we couldn't know just how weird it would get, or how low he would stoop.
But for '80s kids the world over, Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior were, and to a large extent still are, childhood icons. So when they went head to head at Wrestlemania VI, it was like two superheroes facing off. And at some point, you had to make a choice. Which hero do you root for? Hogan or Warrior?
Everything great about the epic and flamboyant collision that was Hogan vs. Warrior is captured in the above piece by Matt Ryan Tobin. Is he the first artist to do the whole "Hulk's opponent as the tearing shirt" thing? If so, I'm amazed it's taken more than 30 years to make it happen. But even if he's not, he's clearly eclipsed any of his predecessors.
Everything about this just screams '80s cinematic glory. From the way the figures are drawn and lit, to the lightning, even down to some of the typography. It actually looks like the art for a VHS tape box. Except old school WWF fans never had it this good back in the day!
More of Matt Ryan Tobin's art, including a pair of epic TMNT movie posters, can be found on his official site. He can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Follow Primary Ignition on Twitter, or email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com!
This entry was posted in Astonishing Art, Wrestling and tagged Astonishing Art, fan art, Hulk Hogan, Matt Ryan Tobin, pro wrestling, professional wrestling, Rob Siebert, Ultimate Warrior, World Wrestling Federation, Wrestlemania, Wrestlemania VI, WWE, WWF on 09/23/2018 by primaryignition.
Woken Matt Hardy, Plus Ponderings From WWE Raw
Editor, Fanboy Wonder
News leaked last week that longtime WWE composer Jim Johnston had been released after more than three decades with the company. That's a hell of a downer.
Not surprising, mind you. If you look at Most the music WWE has produced in the last several years has been with CFO$, who have essentially become their in-house band. But Johnston was still working for WWE in some capacity. His most recent, and apparently final, theme song for the company was "I Bring the Darkness," which Baron Corbin uses.
Consider how vital music is to the overall WWE experience. We literally can't have matches without it, as wrestlers all have their own distinct entrance themes. This isn't just the case in 2017. What would the Ultimate Warrior have been without the adrenaline-pumping guitar riffs as he sprinted to the ring? What is the Undertaker without the awe-inspiring orchestra that backs his entrance? How much did "Voices" change the tone of Randy Orton's entire act?
The list goes on and on. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Dusty Rhodes, Degeneration X, Ted DiBiase, the Rock, the Big Bossman, Triple H, Goldust…
Johnston didn't do it all himself, obviously. But he was the backbone of all things music-related in WWE for so long. He helped shape not only the product itself, but the careers of generations of wrestlers.
Johnston produced much of the soundtrack our childhoods. So thank you, sir. For so many years, and so many great songs.
Ponderings From Raw:
Both Jason Jordan and Samoa Joe attempt to answer Roman Reigns' open challenge for the Intercontinental Championship. Jason Jordan gets the match, which Reigns wins. Joe attempts to attack Reigns after the match, but Jordan stops him with a suplex. Reigns repays him with a Superman Punch. Jason Jordan may have won me over in this segment. He was whiny and annoying as he clearly played the father/son card. But at the same time, they've tried to make this heel turn organic by giving a certain amount of legitimacy to his gripes. He's a legit bad ass who can hang. When Jordan's turn becomes official, they may actually have something with him.
Paige def. Sasha Banks. Absolution once again destroys Banks, Bayley, and Mickie James. The announcers have consistently remembered to bring up the fact that Sasha Banks has never successfully defended the Raw Women's Title. They're saving that little factoid for down the road. Hopefully it's the Sasha heel turn we've been waiting on for months.
As annoying as I've come to find Sasha, when it comes to big bumps she goes all in. That Sunset Flip she took off the top rope was nasty.
Both this one and the opener went pretty long. In the first hour and a half of Raw, we only got two matches. Commercials notwithstanding, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Nia Jax flirts with Enzo backstage. Alright, sure. This could be decent. Just don't let her wrestle him for the title…
Drew Gulak def. Cedric Alexander, Mustafa Ali, and Tony Nese. WWE announced this week that 205 Live is going to start running live events, starting with three on January 19, 20, and 21. This happens to be the weekend before the Royal Rumble. Supposedly, they're looking for smaller venues for future events.
Considering a lot of the crowds for Smackdown have been half-empty lately, this seems like a disaster waiting to happen. Mind you, this comes on the heels of WWE sending out a fan survey asking why people aren't watching the show. But I do like the idea of the cruiserweights performing in smaller venues. I'd be in favor of WWE moving 205 Live to a different night (Thursday?), so they could move it somewhere about the size of the facility NXT takes place in. Moving it out from the shadow of Smackdown could be a good thing. And smaller crowds could help recreate the intimate setting of the Cruiserweight Classic. Whether Enzo and that crew can sell tickets? That could be another story entirely.
Damn, I wish Cedric Alexander could talk. His big dive over the rope, the standing Spanish Fly with Ali, and of course the Lumbar Check. He's so damn good. But verbiage is the missing element for him.
The crowd was actually awake for this one. That's a nice change of pace.
Braun Strowman dominates Elias before Kane interrupts via the tron to announce a match with Strowman next week. So does Kane go away after next week? Or does he stick around a little longer? Finn Balor could certainly use some retribution.
Strowman has been part of some really good Raw main events this year. He and Kane have a high bar to rise to. I'm not exactly optimistic, but I'm not dreading it either.
Asuka def. Alicia Fox. Absolution has another staredown with Asuka before annihilating Fox. I said this last week: I'm not a fan of Asuka backing out of the ring Paige, Deville, and Rose surround her. They're having her smile, so you know she's not cowering away. But it's awkward, and doesn't make a lot of sense. She clearly wants a fight, and could very well kick the hell out of them. Whether it's ill-advised or not, why not just stand there and wait for them to make a move?
Finn Balor def. Bo Dallas. So Balor isn't getting a match with Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble, and he just can't seem to solve the Kane conundrum. But he can beat Bo Dallas! So that's something…right?
"Woken" Matt Hardy makes his WWE television debut via pre-taped promo intercut with one of Bray Wyatt's usual tron promos. Hardy sentences Wyatt to deletion. This little segment has been a long time coming. Some of us have been waiting on this since the Hardys came back at Wrestlemania. It's been almost a year. But Broken Matt is finally here, albeit under a different name.
I was fine with this character's first exposure to WWE audiences coming via pre-tape. As cool as it can be, it's undeniably goofy. This lets the fans in on the joke before we inevitably get the bells and whistles the die-hards want to see.
Sheamus and Cesaro def. Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose to retain the Raw Tag Team Titles. Samoa Joe interferes in the match, costing the Shield the titles. It's the feud that just won't die. I've seen these four wrestle so much I nearly snoozed right through this one. Considering how good all these guys are, that tells you something. Can this please be the end? Please?
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This entry was posted in Wrestling and tagged Absolution (WWE), Ali (WWE), Alicia Fox, Asuka, Bo Dallas, Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, Broken Matt Hardy, Cedric Alexander, Cesaro, CFO$, Drew Gulak, Elias (WWE), Enzo Amore, Finn Balor, Jason Jordan, Jim Johnston, Jim Johnston leaves WWE, Jon Moxley, Kane (WWE), Matt Hardy, Paige, pro wrestling, professional wrestling, Randy Orton, Rob Siebert, Roman Reigns, Samoa Joe, Sasha Banks, Seth Rollins, Sheamus, The Shield (WWE), The Undertaker, Tony Nese, Ultimate Warrior, Woken Matt Hardy, WWE, WWE 205 Live, WWE Cruiserweight Division, WWE Monday Night Raw, WWE Music, WWE news, WWE Raw, WWE Raw results, WWE rumors on 12/05/2017 by primaryignition.
Kevin Owens Attacks Vince, Ponderings From WWE Smackdown Live
We got a pretty cool moment this week on Raw when the Miz announced he and Maryse are having their first child. Obviously they met through WWE, so for them to have that moment in the ring together was really nice.
The only downside to this situation is that the Miz is probably going away for awhile. Maryse certainly will be. Not necessarily in the near future, but close enough down the road that it merits discussion. WWE is taking a lot of flack for running shows on Christmas and New Year's Day. But I doubt even Ebenezer McMahon would deny the Intercontinental Champion a little paternity leave. He's certainly earned it, given he's almost single-handedly made that IC belt mean something again.
So naturally, the question becomes about who you give the title to when he's gone. They've previously tried to maintain Miz's momentum by having him drop the title to guys like Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler. On paper, those were great choices. But in both cases, the magic was gone.
The most likely candidate to take the belt from Miz seems to be Jason Jordan. That's a bad idea. A really bad idea. Notwithstanding his recent strong outings with John Cena and Roman Reigns, Jordan is still far too "white meat" to get the belt. He's not established enough, either in terms of character or credibility. If he continues having quality singles matches, he'll get there in due time. But that time isn't now. They can't just throw Jordan a belt and expect him to be a made man. The fans will chew him up and spit him out.
So if not Jordan, then who? You've got more than a few good options. I'll give you five…
Jeff Hardy's name comes to mind right away. There was a good amount of buzz when he won that Battle Royal a few weeks ago, and got a shot at Miz. He didn't win, obviously. But there's plenty of interest in another Jeff Hardy singles run. The IC Title would be a fine way to start him down that path.
Another name to consider is Finn Balor. This program with Bray Wyatt isn't lighting the world on fire, but the fans are still into him. As he's already been established as a main event guy, an Intercontinental Title run would be believable.
You've also got Samoa Joe. He's currently out with a knee injury, but given the high profile losses he suffered at Great Balls of Fire and Summerslam, a little break will do him good. Joe needs to rack up a few big wins. One way to do that would be to make him a dominant IC Champ. Joe has yet to wear gold on the main roster, and the title would be a valuable addition to his resume.
Goldust didn't have a good night on Raw this week. But I'm tellin' ya, this guy can do great things if they just give him the ball again. They re-established him in a low profile feud with R-Truth, but have thus far failed to follow up in a meaningful way. Having Bray wipe his face paint off was a big step in the wrong direction. But all is not lost. If Goldust mounts a strong comeback, he can still be a contender. Plus, he and Miz could have a great feud.
Then there's Elias. I never expected to say this, but he's overachieved since coming to Raw. Despite being a heel, the fans seem to be into him. They certainly were in Anaheim this week. He's not quite ready for the IC Title yet. But character-wise, he's in a better spot than Jason Jordan is. Give him another few months, and he might just be singing about Intercontinental gold.
Ponderings From Smackdown:
Kevin Owens opens the show, talks about suing the McMahons and turning Smackdown into The Kevin Owens Show. Dolph Ziggler trolls the audience with Shane McMahon's music. Daniel Bryan comes out and says Mr. McMahon will be there later. I got a big kick out of Sami Zayn being the first person "fired" from the Kevin Owens show. A nice little touch there.
Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler are the tag team I never knew I wanted. I mean, why not? The whole impersonator gimmick is usually the kiss of death, so what exactly does Dolph have to lose?
AJ Styles def. Tye Dillinger to retain the WWE United States Championship. Baron Corbin attempts to interfere in the match. Corbin announces he'll face Styles for the title next week. An okay outing for Styles and Dillinger. I think most people knew going in that Dillinger wasn't going to take it. Especially since they haven't gotten much mileage out of Styles using the open challenge gimmick yet.
WWE Champion Jinder Mahal mocks Shinsuke Nakamura's facial expressions. This was pretty lame. But on the plus side, it was so annoying that I definitely want to see Nakamura kick Jinder's head off. I'm not sure that's heat, per se. But it's something.
The New Day def. The Usos to win the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Titles. Parts of this were nice and stiff. These guys took some nasty falls. When Big E. goes into that second gear, he's money. Now that we've gotten to know him over the years, they might have something with him If he can ever transition into a more serious role.
Natalya def. Naomi to retain the WWE Smackdown Women's Title. Carmella and James Ellsworth look on from ringside, get taken out by Naomi during the match. So Carmella literally has Ellsworth on a leash now? A little on the nose. But I guess that's one way to garner some sympathy for the guy.
Dolph Ziggler mocks Bayley and the Ultimate Warrior's entrances. Interestingly enough, both Bayley and Warrior's widow were in the building for the Mae Young Classic. Coincidence? Probably.
Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable def. The Hype Bros. Zack Ryder opts not to shake hands with Benjamin or Gable afterward. That Zack Ryder heel turn is finally coming. I've been ready for this for awhile now. Not because I think he'll be this amazing super-heel (Though I guess he could be…), but out of sheer curiosity.
Kevin Owens attacks Vince McMahon after a Hell in a Cell Match is made for KO and Shane McMahon. I'd still prefer the New Day and the Usos get the cell match. But Owens and Shane are a better choice than Nakamura and Mahal would have been. You win some, you lose some…
So KO headbutts Vince, opening him up immediately. Thanks a lot, man. Vince's creative choices are weird enough without tacking on additional head trauma…
SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave
This entry was posted in Wrestling and tagged #SDLive, AJ Styles, Baron Corbin, Bayley, Big E., Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, Elias (WWE), Finn Balor, Goldust, Jason Jordan, Jeff Hardy, Jinder Mahal, Jinder Mahal WWE Champion, Kevin Owens, Las Vegas, Maryse Oullet, Naomi (WWE), Natalya (WWE), pro wrestling, professional wrestling, Rob Siebert, Sami Zayn, Samoa Joe, Shane McMahon, Shelton Benjamin, Shinsuke Nakamura, Shorty G, The Hype Bros, The Miz, The New Day, The Usos, Thomas and Mack Center, Tye Dillinger, Ultimate Warrior, Vince McMahon, WWE, WWE Smackdown, WWE Smackdown Live, WWE Smackdown Results, Zack Ryder on 09/13/2017 by primaryignition.
Weekly Comic 100s: Iron Man 2020, Go Go Power Rangers, and More!
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Weekly Comic 100s: Marvels X, Batman #86, and More!
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: 10 Lingering Questions
Weekly Comic 100s: Star Wars #1, I Can Sell You A Body #1
WWE's 10 Most Fascinating People of 2019: Becky Lynch, CM Punk, and More!
Weekly Comic 100s: Dr. Strange, Spider-Ham, Shazam!
Weekly Comic 100s: Kylo Ren, Doomsday Clock, Batman Finale
Weekly Comic 100s: TMNT #100, Dark Knight Returns, Superman


So a few days ago I saw a link to the HITs for the photo based product search in Amazon's new iPhone app. And decided it might be fun to do some. And amazon was paying 10¢ a pop, so I thought it might be worth seeing how easy it was. I quickly started seeing patterns on what people were using to app to find many of them were obviously taken at the office and at their desk because trends appeared quickly.
Below is a list of some of the things I saw come up often and some notes about them.
For the watches, I was only able to find an exact match once. And for the coffee cups, never. I found every book someone took a photo of though. Only two photos appeared to come from inside a store.
DVDs 1 It was the closeup of the back of one.
Mailbox 1 A blue Mailbox! It would be illegal for Amazon to sell one!
This entry was posted in Computers/Technology, Internet, Job and tagged Amazon, Apple, iPhone, IpodTouch, Mechanical Turk, Photos, Research on December 7, 2008 by Bryan Bortz.


The kitchen backsplash is always an area of concern when it comes to selecting materials and finalizing the kitchen design. Do you use a small stone backsplash with paint? Tile? Full stone backsplash? There are a lot of options out there, which makes it overwhelming. Our best advice is to start looking through magazines, idea books, and photos of our past projects for inspiration. Better Homes & Gardens released a great article featuring all different backsplash ideas. Click here to check it out! There are some great options – and unique ones too! And we are always here to help! Although we don't sell tile, we are still available for design consultations when going through the selection process!
Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry used in our Piney Point project.


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Q: Errores en paginación en PHP Tengo un problema con el siguiente código. Lo que debería hacer es mostrar una paginación en la que se muestren nueve productos por página. Eso lo hace. El problema está en las páginas que genera. Tal y como tengo el código y los productos ahora mismo (11 productos), me hace la paginación bien, pero en vez de mostrarme dos páginas, me muestra tres, y la tercera la muestra en blanco, pero es que si le cambio el número de elementos a mostrar por 6, me salen 5 páginas y sólo me muestra los productos en las dos primeras (que vuelvo a decir que salen bien, 6 y 5, respectivamente). ¿Cuál es el error que tengo para que me salgan tantas páginas?

    <form method="post">

Ordenar por:
            <select name="ordenar">
                <option value="1">Orden alfabético (A-Z)</option>
                <option value="2">Orden alfabético inverso (Z-A)</option>
                <option value="3">Precio más bajo a más alto</option>
                <option value="4">Precio más alto a más bajo</option>
                <option value="5">Orden predeterminado</option>
            </select>
            <button type="submit" class="btn btn-danger">Aplicar</button>

    </form>

    <?php
        //Muestra los productos y contiene las funcionalidades del filtro
        $conexion = mysqli_connect($servidor, $usuario_BD, $contrasena_BD, $basedatos);
        mysqli_set_charset($conexion, "utf8");

        //Paginación
        $elementos = 6;

        if (isset($_GET['pagina_numerada'])) {
            $pagina_numerada = $_GET['pagina_numerada'];
        }else{
            $pagina_numerada = 1;
        }

        $empieza = ($pagina_numerada-1) * $elementos;

        //Condiciones del filtro y de la paginación
        if(!isset($_POST['ordenar'])){
            $consulta = "SELECT * FROM producto WHERE categoria = 'cuerda' LIMIT $empieza, $elementos";
        }else{
            if ($_POST['ordenar'] == "1"){
                $consulta = "SELECT * FROM producto WHERE categoria='cuerda' order by nombre_producto asc ";
                echo "
Productos ordenados alfabéticamente (A-Z)
";
            }
            if ($_POST['ordenar'] == "2"){
                $consulta = "SELECT * FROM producto WHERE categoria='cuerda' order by nombre_producto desc";
                echo "
Productos ordenados alfabéticamente de forma inversa (Z-A)
";
            }
            if ($_POST['ordenar'] == "3"){
                $consulta = "SELECT * FROM producto WHERE categoria='cuerda' order by precio asc";
                echo "
Productos ordenados de precio más bajo a más alto
";
            }
            if ($_POST['ordenar'] == "4"){
                $consulta = "SELECT * FROM producto WHERE categoria='cuerda' order by precio desc";
                echo "
Productos ordenados de precio más alto a más bajo
";
            }
            if ($_POST['ordenar'] == "5"){
                $consulta = "SELECT * FROM producto WHERE categoria='cuerda'";
            }
        }

        $resultado = mysqli_query($conexion, $consulta);

        //Muestra productos
        while ($fila = mysqli_fetch_assoc($resultado)) {
            echo "
";
            $consulta2 = "SELECT * FROM producto WHERE id_producto = " .$fila["id_producto"] ."";
            $resultado2 = mysqli_query($conexion, $consulta2);

            echo "
" . $fila['nombre_producto'] . "
";
            echo "";
            echo "
" . $fila['descripcion_corta'] . "
";
            echo "
Precio: " . $fila['precio'] . " €
";
            echo "Ver más ";

            //Formulario oculto que reoge los datos del producto para guardarlos en el carrito.
            echo "<form action='carrito.php' method='post' name='compra' style='display:inline;'>";
            echo "<input name='id_producto' type='hidden' value='".$fila["id_producto"]."'/>";
            echo "<input name='nombre_producto' type='hidden' value='".$fila["nombre_producto"]."'/>";
            echo "<input name='precio' type='hidden' value='".$fila["precio"]."'/>";

            echo "<button type='submit' class='btn btn-danger' name='comprar' value='comprar'>Comprar</button> ";
            echo "<input style='width:35px' name='cantidad' type='number' value='1'/>";

            echo "</form>
";
        }

        $consulta3 = "SELECT * FROM producto";
        $resultado3 = mysqli_query($conexion, $consulta3);
        $total_registros = mysqli_num_rows($resultado3);

        $total_paginas = ceil($total_registros / $elementos);
        echo "". 'Primera '."";

        for ($i=1; $i <= $total_paginas; $i++) {
            echo "".$i."";
        }

        //Link a última página
        echo "".' Última'."";
        mysqli_close($conexion);
    ?>

A: El problema esta en la forma de calcular la variable $total_paginas.  Para calcular ese valor usas la siguiente query:
$consulta3 = "SELECT * FROM producto";

Pero para dibujar los datos utilizas queries similares a esta:
$consulta = "SELECT * FROM producto WHERE categoria = 'cuerda' LIMIT $empieza, $elementos";

La clausala WHERE va a regresar menos elementos que los que usas para calcular el total de paginas.  Alternativamente, podrias usar una tabla y un plugin como datatables.net para que maneje la paginacion por ti.

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Capital Punishment in the United States
by George Gorczynski | Jul 20, 2014 | Tableau
This is my entry to the Tableau Storytelling Viz Contest. I wanted to draw attention to the issue of the capital punishment in the United States. US, along with Japan, are the only G8 countries where the death penalty is still legal and vigorously exercised. And with the number of executions conducted each year, US is ranked among countries like Iran, Iraq, China, North Korea or Saudi Arabia. Considering these countries' human rights violation track record, US does not want to belong to that club.
I started with some fast facts about the death penalty, followed by a chart showing the number of executions in the US, starting with the first one in America (in 1608) , all the way to 2014. This is a very revealing chart, showing how the number of death penalties and their methods changed throughout history. Don't forget to click on the info buttons to learn about the major historical milestone events related to capital punishment.
The story follows with details of the more recent capital punishment statistics and comparison between US and other countries. Later I concentrate on Texas, which is an undisputed leader in the number of death penalties carried out in the US. I wanted to humanize the numbers by showing who the inmates were, their age, education and how much time they spent on death row. The most poignant are hundreds of last statements of executed offenders, in which they usually turn to religion, family, ask for forgiveness or claim their innocence.
If you believe that the death penalty has no place in the modern world, please check the Amnesty International's website linked at the end of my story, check their work and see if you want to get involved.
Sergio Rosales	on August 5, 2014 at 7:44 am
The last words are just incredible… "Luis Ramirez" sustained his inocense up to the last moment, was he inocent? that's why there's many against Capital punishment, 'cause not guilty people may be murdered with no reason…
Great Viz
Greg Hanowski	on August 5, 2014 at 1:11 pm
Nice graphics and a lot of work putting it together I'm sure. What would be better to convince people would be a story of how those countries that don't use the death penalty have lower crime rates than those that do, if that is true. I hope it is because I believe "thou shalt not kill" applies to the good guys too and if history proves anything, it's that violence begets more violence.
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La Rivoluzione Giottesca raccontata attraverso un secolo di Storia
Gli affreschi della Cappella degli Scrovegni rappresentano un momento di sviluppo unico nell'arte mondiale
Gli elementi che Giotto sperimenta a Padova rinnoveranno la tradizione dell'affresco
Essi verranno rielaborati in maniera originale e autonoma per tutto il Trecento dagli artisti attivi in città
Giotto a Padova compie una vera e propria rivoluzione artistica che segnerà una svolta fondamentale nella storia dell'arte
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Componente 1
Cappella degli Scrovegni
Chiesa dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo agli Eremitani
Cappella della Reggia Carrarese
Battistero della Cattedrale
Basilica e Convento del Santo
Oratorio di San Giorgio
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Proposta di dichiarazione O.U.V.
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Component Part 1
Scrovegni Chapel
Church of Eremitani
Chapel of the Carraresi Palace
Cathedral Baptistery
Basilica and Monastery of St. Anthony of Padua
Oratory of St. George
Oratory of St. Michael
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DESCRIPTION OF THE FRESCOES CYCLE
The entire space within the baptistery is given over to rich frescoes inspired by the History of Human Salvation. This cycle is the masterpiece of Giusto de' Menabuoi, and within the works covered by the nomination it shows further developments in the use of perspective to create the illusion of three- dimensional space: the division between architecture, painting and sculpture is undercut, so that the space occupied by the viewer is the same as that within which the narrative unfolds. Every single inch of the wall surface is decorated and, when necessary, the scene depicted does not come to an end at the edge of the wall itself but carries on over a portion of pilaster or overflows onto the wall which is at right angles to it. Thus, the frescoes cover architectural spaces that are not usually occupied by such decoration – for example, the intrados of arches – and by unfolding over different walls they heighten the illusion that pictorial and real space are one.
Painted cornices of faux marble partially subdivide the episodes of biblical history, which themselves are depicted in deeply complex spaces. As far as the scenes from the Old Testament are concerned, one might draw some parallels with the mosaics in St. Mark's in Venice, various illuminated codices and, obviously, the Scrovegni Chapel cycle (component part 1). Moving to the New Testament, it is clear that the Baptism of Christ draws upon the depiction of that scene in the Scrovegni Chapel, but with a new sense of temporal continuity: the episode is linked with the following scene of St. John the Baptist Preaching. Giusto de' Menabuoi explores the problems posed by rendering space, volume, form and light. Continuing the work initiated by Giotto, he uses perspectiva naturalis in constructing his scenes, distributing – rather than bunching together – the solidly-modelled figures. The artist also demonstrates an interest in cartography, topography and, above all, mathematics and geometry.
There is constant attention to the relation between the pictorial space and the actual architectural features of the interior. Look, for example, at the cornices: where the artist wishes to emphasize the space that opens up within a wall, he makes refined use of colour and perspective to achieve such an effect. The trompe-l'oeil effects clearly echo those achieved in the small choir balconies in the Scrovegni Chapel (component part 1); this can be seen, for example, in the spaces containing the Evangelists, who are depicted from below in foreshortening that highlights the depth of the space they are supposed to occupy.
The artist's handling of light is particularly interesting, with slight shadings of colour being used masterfully to render the passage from shadow to areas that are directly illuminated. The overall attention to such 'scientific' aspects of painting is rather unusual for the day and is probably due to the fact that Menabuoi maintained the contacts between artists and university figures that had begun with Giotto and then also played a part in the work on the Cortellieri Chapel; his depiction of the human body is only one of the features which reveals Giusto de' Menabuoi's scientific interests, with the artist using essential, almost geometric, forms that serve to simplify his figures. Overall, the most striking feature of his work is its effective synthesis of form and colour. To see the quality of what his painting achieves here, one only needs look at the elegance with which he depicts the gowns and headgear of his female figures.
The cycle was commissioned by a woman – Fina Buzzaccarini, wife of Francesco 'Il Vecchio' da Carrara – who is also the most highly-ranking patron of any of the frescoes cycles covered by the nomination. This courtly female patronage is perhaps reflected in the careful rendition of feelings and expressive gestures in images which nevertheless maintain their celebratory tone. These scenes of sacred history are again given a contemporary setting, with Menabuoi even depicting figures belonging to the Carraresi court. One of these latter is the poet Francesco Petrarch, but particular attention is focused on the portraits of the women of that court: Sister Anna Buzzaccarini, Fina's sister, is depicted in The Naming of John the Baptist, whilst Fina and her three daughters are present at the scene of The Birth of John the Baptist. She also figures in John the Baptist Commending Fina Buzzaccarini to the Mother of God, a scene painted within the Gothic arch that once surmounted the tomb of the aristocratic couple.
The entire iconographic programme of this cycle must have been drawn up for the artist by an expert theologian close to the patron. It comprises a Paradise (in the cupola), Scenes from the Book of Genesis, complete with seventeen biblical quotations in Latin (around the drum of the cupola); Scenes from the Lives of John the Baptist, the Virgin and Christ (around the walls) and Scenes from the Apocalypse, numbered from 1 to 43 (in the small presbytery).
FROM NOMINATION FORMAT
Realizzato da PassaParola per Padova Urbs Picta - Comune di Padova


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Judge Rejects NRA's Bid To Throw Out Or Transfer Lawsuit That Could Shut It Down
By Reese Oxner
The logo of the National Rifle Association is seen at an outdoor sports trade show in 2017.
Updated at 6:23 p.m. ET on Friday
A New York judge has rejected a National Rifle Association bid to dismiss, pause or transfer to another court a lawsuit by the state of New York that could shut down the organization.
The lawsuit, filed by the New York attorney general in August, seeks to dissolve the nonprofit and alleges that executives diverted millions of dollars of NRA funds to luxury vacations, private jets and more. The lawsuit, backed by a 18-month investigation, alleges the organization is "fraught with fraud and abuse."
The ruling by Justice Joel Cohen of Manhattan Supreme Court comes six days after the gun-rights group said in its filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy that it wants to relocate to Texas.
Typically bankruptcy filings halt existing litigation. But New York Attorney General Letitia James pushed for an exemption, saying she was enforcing her "police and regulatory power."
"The NRA argued that the most appropriate venue for this case, along with its lawsuit against the NYAG, is Albany," William A. Brewer III, counsel to the NRA, said in an email sent to NPR on Friday. "Although the Association disagrees with Justice Cohen's construction of the venue statute, it remains confident that the NYAG's unconstitutional claims lack merit."
The NRA had announced it wants out of New York due to its "corrupt political and regulatory environment." The organization said it would reincorporate in Texas and hoped the lawsuit would either be thrown out or handled in another court.
James had vowed she would not allow the NRA to "use this or any other tactic to evade accountability and my office's oversight."
"It would be inappropriate to find that the attorney general couldn't pursue her claims in state court just because one of the defendants wants to proceed in federal court," Cohen said at a video hearing Thursday, according to Reuters.
The NRA, in a previous statement, called the lawsuit a "baseless premeditated attack on our organization and the Second Amendment freedoms it fights to defend."
The organization said it was abandoning New York — its home for 150 years — to escape a "toxic political environment." The NRA's various legal battles have cost it over $100 million, NPR's Tim Mak reported.
Reese Oxner
See stories by Reese Oxner


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Kejriwal stealing credit from Modi government: Manoj Tiwari
PTI | 10 Sep 2019 8:31 PM GMT
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Tuesday accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of spreading "white lies" and trying to "steal" credit for bringing down air pollution levels in the city which goes to the Modi government.
New Delhi : Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Tuesday accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of spreading "white lies" and trying to "steal" credit for bringing down air pollution levels in the city which goes to the Modi government.
In a press conference held here, Tiwari alleged that the AAP government in Delhi did not do anything to combat air pollution and also did not follow directions of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) regarding the steps to check air pollution in the city.
Taking a dig at the Delhi BJP chief, AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said he should take all the credit for reduced pollution in the national capital and hold Kejriwal responsible for high pollution levels in Ghaziabad and Gurgaon.
"We agree with Manoj Tiwari, let the BJP take all the credit for reducing pollution in Delhi. Let Arvind Kejriwal be responsible for rising pollution levels in Noida and Gurugram because Kejriwal is not letting Yogi ji and Khattar ji work in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana," Bhardwaj said. Tiwari claimed that there were facts to "expose" Kejriwal on the issue.
"There are facts to expose how Kejriwal has been taking credit for considerable reduction in air pollution in Delhi through white lies. He should stop stealing credit for it which goes to various efforts undertaken by the Modi government since 2014," he said.
His remarks came after the Delhi chief minister on Friday said that in the last three years, there has been 25 per cent reduction in the overall pollution level because of a slew of measures taken by the AAP government and others, including Supreme Court, Union government, Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) and civic bodies.
"It is true that pollution level has gone down in the national capital in the past three years. Arvind Kejriwal who has been taking credit for it should answer why the Green Tax fund to battle pollution remains unutilised," Tiwari said.
The Delhi BJP chief said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be thanked for taking pollution as a challenge and taking various steps towards bringing down the pollution levels.
Manoj Tiwari
Modi government.


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US Supreme Court Decisions On-Line> Volume 280 > WILBUR V. KRUSHNIC, 280 U. S. 306 (1930)
WILBUR V. KRUSHNIC, 280 U. S. 306 (1930)
Wilbur v. Krushnic, 280 U.S. 306 (1930)
Wilbur v. Krushnic
Argued December 6, 9, 1929
Decided January 6, 1930
CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE
1. Under the General Mining Law, a perfected location of a mining claim has the effect of a grant by the United States of the right of present and exclusive possession, and so long as the owner complies with that law, this right, for all practical purposes of ownership, is as good as though secured by a patent. P. 280 U. S. 316.
2. Failure to perform the annual labor (Rev.Stats. § 2324; U.S.C. Title 30, § 28) renders the claim subject to loss through relocation by another claimant, but it does not ipso facto forfeit the claim, and no relocation can be made if work be resumed by the owner after default and before such relocation. P. 280 U. S. 317 chanrobles.com-red
3. So far as the government is concerned, failure to perform labor in any year is without effect, and whenever $500 worth of labor in the aggregate has been performed, and the other requirements, including the payment of the purchase price, have been complied with, the owner is entitled to a patent, even though, in some years, annual assessment labor has been omitted. P. 280 U. S. 317.
4. Under the Mineral Leasing Act of February 25, 1920, which, in respect of lands containing oil shale and other deposits therein specified, substituted a policy of leasing for that of location and acquisition of title, but which, by § 37, saves valid claims existent at the date of the Act and "thereafter maintained in compliance with the laws under which instituted," and declares that they may be perfected under such laws, the owner of an oil shale placer claim which was valid at the date of the Act but upon which no labor was performed for the assessment year in which the Act was passed, "maintains" the claim by resuming work thereon in a subsequent year, unless at least some form of challenge on behalf of the United States to the valid existence of the claim has intervened. P. 280 U. S. 317.
5. Where the Secretary of the Interior, in declining to issue a patent for a mining claim, interprets and applies a statute in a way contrary to its explicit terms, he departs from a plain official duty, and the error may be corrected by mandamus in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. P. 280 U. S. 318.
6. The writ of mandamus in this case should direct a disposal of the application for patent on its merits, unaffected by the temporary default in performance of assessment labor for the year 1920, and that further proceedings be in conformity with the views expressed in this opinion as to the proper interpretation and application of the excepting clause in the Leasing Act, and of Rev.Stats. § 2324. P. 280 U. S. 319.
30 F.2d 742 affirmed with modification.
Certiorari, 279 U.S. 831, to review a judgment of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia which reversed a judgment of the Supreme Court of the District dismissing a petition for mandamus. chanrobles.com-red
MR. JUSTICE SUTHERLAND delivered the opinion of the Court.
The disposition of this case depends upon the construction and application of § 2324 R.S. (U.S.C. Title 30, § 28), and the effect upon its provisions of § 37 of the Mineral Leasing Act of February 25, 1920, c. 85, 41 Stat. 437, 451 (U.S.C. Title 30, § 193). Section 2324 R.S., which has its origin in § 5 of the Mining Act of 1872 (c. 152, 17 Stat. 91, 92), provides:
"On each claim located after the 10th day of May, 1872, and until a patent has been issued therefor, not less than $100 worth of labor shall be performed or improvements made during each year. . . , and upon a failure to comply with these conditions, the claim or mine upon which such failure occurred shall be open to relocation in the same manner as if no location of the same had ever been made, provided that the original locators, their heirs, assigns, or legal representatives, have not resumed work upon the claim after failure and before such location."
By § 2325, R.S. (U.S.C. Title 30, § 29), provision is made for issuing patents for claims located under the mining laws. One of the prerequisites, and the only one in respect of labor, is that the claimant must show "that $500 worth of labor has been expended or improvements made upon the claim by himself or grantors."
The Leasing Act of 1920 (41 Stat. 437) effected a complete change of policy in respect of the disposition of lands containing deposits of coal, phosphate, sodium, oil, oil shale, and gas. Such lands were no longer to be open to location and acquisition of title, but only to lease. But § 37 (U.S.C. Title 30, § 193) contains a saving clause protecting "valid claims existent at date of the passage of this Act and chanrobles.com-red
thereafter maintained in compliance with the laws under which initiated," and declaring that they "may be perfected under such laws, including discovery."
On October 1, 1919, respondent and seven associates, all qualified under the law, located a tract of land in Garfield county, Colorado, under the name of Spad No. 3 placer claim. The land contained valuable deposits of oil shale, and was open to appropriation under the mining laws of the United States. Spad No. 3 placer claim formed one of a group of six oil placer claims, numbered Spad No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, respectively, all located and owned by the same persons, and lying adjacent to each other. The assessment year 1920, by act of Congress, was extended until July 1, 1921. Prior to that date, annual labor amounting in value, it was asserted, to more than $600 was performed on claims numbered 4, 5, and 6, with the intention that said labor should apply to the entire group.
Subsequently, respondent acquired the interest of his colocators in the Spad No. 3, and, during and for the assessment year 1921, performed thereon assessment labor of an admitted value of more than $100, and continued to perform labor and make improvements on the claim until the aggregate value exceeded $500. On September 25, 1922, he applied for a patent, and, having complied with the statutory requirements and paid the purchase price, obtained final receiver's receipt on December 16, 1922. No relocation of the claim was ever attempted, nor was the valid existence or maintenance of the claim ever challenged in any wise by the United States or by anyone prior to the issue of the receiver's receipt. Thereafter, a proceeding against the entry was instituted by the Commissioner of the General Land Office, and that officer, after consideration, held the claim null and void upon the sole ground of insufficient assessment labor for the year 1920. This holding was affirmed by the Secretary of the Interior. chanrobles.com-red
In all the proceedings before the land officers and the Secretary, it was conceded, as it is here conceded, that the claim was valid and existent when the Leasing Act was passed, and that no reason existed, or now exists, for withholding a patent save the alleged failure of assessment labor for the assessment year 1920. The Secretary held that, by such failure, all rights to the claim became extinguished, and could not be saved or revived by a resumption of work.
Thereupon, respondent applied by petition to the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia for a writ of mandamus to compel the Secretary to issue a patent to the claim. After a hearing on rule to show cause, that court discharged the rule and dismissed the petition. Upon appeal, this judgment was reversed by the Court of Appeals for the District. 30 F.2d 742.
Two questions are presented for determination: (1) Did the Leasing Act of 1920 have the effect of extinguishing the right of the locator, under § 2324, to save his claim under the original location by resuming work after failure to perform annual assessment labor? (2) Is the case a proper one for the writ of mandamus?
1. The rule is established by innumerable decisions of this Court, and of state and lower federal courts, that, when the location of a mining claim is perfected under the law, it has the effect of a grant by the United States of the right of present and exclusive possession. The claim is property in the fullest sense of that term, and may be sold, transferred, mortgaged, and inherited without infringing any right or title of the United States. The right of the owner is taxable by the state, and is "real property," subject to the lien of a judgment recovered against the owner in a state or territorial court. Belk v. Meagher, 104 U. S. 279, 104 U. S. 283; Manuel v. Wulff, 152 U. S. 505, 152 U. S. 510-511; Elder v. Wood, 208 U. S. 226, chanrobles.com-red
208 U. S. 232; Bradford v. Morrison, 212 U. S. 389. The owner is not required to purchase the claim or secure patent from the United States; but, so long as he complies with the provisions of the mining laws, his possessory right, for all practical purposes of ownership, is as good as though secured by patent. While he is required to perform labor of the value of $100 annually, a failure to do so does not ipso facto forfeit the claim, but only renders it subject to loss by relocation. And the law is clear that no relocation can be made if work be resumed after default and before such relocation.
Prior to the passage of the Leasing Act, annual performance of labor was not necessary to preserve the possessory right, with all the incidents of ownership above stated, as against the United States, but only as against subsequent relocators. So far as the government was concerned, failure to do assessment work for any year was without effect. Whenever $500 worth of labor in the aggregate had been performed, other requirements aside, the owner became entitled to a patent, even though. in some years. annual assessment labor had been omitted. P. Wolenberg et al., 29 L.D. 302, 304; Nielson v. Champagne Mining and Milling Co., 29 L.D. 491, 493.
It being conceded that the Spad No. 3 "was a valid claim existent on February 25, 1920," the only question is whether, within the terms of the excepting clause of § 37, the claim was "thereafter maintained in compliance with the laws under which initiated." These words are plain and explicit, and we have only to expound them according to their obvious and natural sense.
It is not doubted that a claim initiated under § 2324, R.S., could be maintained by the performance of annual assessment work of the value of $100, and we think it is no less clear that, after failure to do assessment work, the owner equally maintains his claim, within the meaning chanrobles.com-red
of the Leasing Act, by a resumption of work, unless at least some form of challenge on behalf of the United States to the valid existence of the claim has intervened; for, as this Court said in Belk v. Meagher, supra at 104 U. S. 283:
"His rights after resumption were precisely what they would have been if no default [that is, no default in the doing of assessment labor] and occurred."
Resumption of work by the owner, unlike a relocation by him, is an act not in derogation, but in affirmance, of the original location, and thereby the claim is "maintained" no less than it is by performance of the annual assessment labor. Such resumption does not restore a lost estate (see Knutson v. Fredlund, 56 Wash. 634, 639, 106 P. 200); it preserves an existing estate. We are of opinion that the Secretary's decision to the contrary violates the plain words of the excepting clause of the Leasing Act.
2. While the decisions of this Court exhibit a reluctance to direct a writ of mandamus against an executive officer, they recognize the duty to do so by settled principles of law in some cases. Lane v. Hoglund, 244 U. S. 174, 244 U. S. 181, and cases cited. In Roberts v. United States, 176 U. S. 221, 176 U. S. 231, referred to and quoted in the Hoglund case, this Court said:
"Every statute to some extent requires construction by the public officer whose duties may be defined therein. Such officer must read of law, and he must therefore, in a certain sense, construe it, in order to form a judgment from its language what duty he is directed by the statute to perform. But that does not necessarily and in all cases make the duty of the officer anything other than a purely ministerial one. If the law direct him to perform an act in regard to which no discretion is committed to him, and which, upon the facts existing, he is bound to perform, then that act is ministerial, although depending upon a statute which requires, in some degree,
a construction of its language by the officer. Unless this be so, the value of this writ is very greatly impaired. Every executive officer whose duty is plainly devolved upon him by statute might refuse to perform it, and, when his refusal is brought before the court, he might successfully plead that the performance of the duty involved the construction of a statute by him, and therefore it was not ministerial, and the court would on that account be powerless to give relief. Such a limitation of the powers of the court, we think, would be most unfortunate, as it would relieve from judicial supervision all executive officers in the performance of their duties, whenever they should plead that the duty required of them arose upon the construction of a statute, no matter how plain its language, nor how plainly they violated their duty in refusing to perform the act required."
See also Ballinger v. United States ex rel. Frost, 216 U. S. 240, 216 U. S. 250.
In this case, the Secretary interpreted and applied a statute in a way contrary to its explicit terms, and in so doing departed from a plain official duty. A writ of mandamus should issue directing a disposal of the application for patent on its merits, unaffected by the temporary default in the performance of assessment labor for the assessment year 1920, and that further proceedings be in conformity with the views expressed in this opinion as to the proper interpretation and application of the excepting clause of the Leasing Act of February 25, 1920 and of § 2324, Revised Statutes of the United States. A writ in that form follows the precedent established by this Court in respect of the writ of injunction in Payne v. Central P. Ry. Co., 255 U. S. 228, 255 U. S. 238, and Payne v. New Mexico, 255 U. S. 367, 255 U. S. 373, as being better suited to the occasion than that indicated by the district court of appeals. As so modified, the judgment of that court is


IDAHO FALLS — After nearly a century, it's time for the Idaho Falls water tower to retire.
Built in 1937, the iconic red, white and blue water tower overlooking the city has supplied water for 82 years. Nearly 100 years has taken its toll on the steel structure. During Monday's City Council work session, the council discussed plans to tear it down and replace it with a tower better suited for the growing city's needs.
Plans to tear down the tower have been in the works since 2015 when the city approved their Water Facility Plan. The plan lays out renovations and improvements for the city's entire water system. The city is now at a point in the project to begin work on a new water tower.
"It's going to help us with maintenance costs. It's going to provide us with additional security for emergencies, so we don't lose water pressure, which is a huge deal for the city. It will double the capacity we currently have. I think its a very good thing for the city," city of Idaho Falls spokesman Bud Cranor said.
The current tower won't be torn down right away. Fredericksen said it needs to stay in use until the new tower is complete as it provides water pressure to the entire city. So the red and white tower will remain up until the spring of 2024.
Right now, the city needs to decide on one of the three city-owned properties that have been singled as possible sites for the new tower, and public input is wanted in making that decision.
"(The current tower) has been a part of Idaho fall for a long, long time and we want to make sure the public has the ability to weigh in," Fredericksen said.
The new location needs to be near the current tower as the existing tower sits directly over the well that supplies the city with water.
The proposed locations are South Capital Park south of Idaho Falls Power, a parking lot next to the State of Idaho Building and the parking lot behind the Idaho Falls Library. Each property is city-owned.
The public will get a chance to voice their opinions on where the site should be on May 7, during the city's annual budget watch meeting.
The project to replace the tower is estimated to cost $6.5 million. That money is coming from revenue produced through water rates and water fees. There will be no need for any bond or tax raise to pay for it.
During the City Council work session, Idaho Falls Water Superintendent Dave Richards explained the proposed design for the new tower. Instead of an all steel frame, the new tower would have a concrete base with a steel container on top.
The city has established a web page dedicated to the water tower replacement including the presentation the city council saw during the work session.
"We're just excited to have a new tower built to current standards. To make sure (the new tower) stays up there as long as we need it in service," Fredericksen said.


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Home > Statewide > Two Calif. Women Are Now Leading Efforts to Support State's 3.9 Million Small Businesses
Two Calif. Women Are Now Leading Efforts to Support State's 3.9 Million Small Businesses
By: Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he had appointed Tara Lynn Gray, 57, of Fresno, as Director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA).
In that role, Gray, who is African American, replaces Isabella Casillas Guzman, who President Biden appointed the 27thAdministrator of the Small Business Administration in January. Last week in Washington, with an 81-17 vote, the United States Senate confirmed Guzman's nomination. She is Latina.
In California, Gray is expected to begin working immediately since the Director of the Office of the Small Business Advocate position does not require State Senate confirmation.
Now, working with similar mandates — one in a federal Cabinet position and the other at the top-level of state government — Guzman and Gray have become the de facto leading advocates for the almost four million small businesses in California, which, in aggregate, hire more than 7 million people and account for more than 99 % of all Golden State businesses. Together, the women will be responsible for directing tens of billions of dollars in emergency and ongoing budgetary funding to California small businesses.
CalOSBA is part of the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), which serves as the states' main apparatus leading economic development programs designed to boost job growth and business assistance efforts.
Ashley Swearengin, CEO of the Central Valley Community Foundation and former Republican mayor of Fresno, praised Gray's appointment.
"Tara is a tireless and effective leader in California's small business community and the right choice at this pivotal time," she said. "As the State of California continues its recovery, Tara will turn advocacy into action, get results for small businesses, and ensure our diverse small business owners and entrepreneurs are at the table driving towards an equitable and inclusive economic recovery."
GO-Biz offers a range of growth and support services to California business owners, including permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, international trade development assistance, and more, according to the governor's office. The governor has also charged the office to manage more than $2 billion in COVID-19 relief funding targeted to small businesses, non-profits and cultural institutions across California.
Guzman earned her bachelor's at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business. As SBA Administrator, she will lead the federal agency with 9,000 employees and represent the interests of the country's estimated 30 million small businesses. In addition, she will oversee key parts of the Biden-Harris administration's $1.9 trillion stimulus American Rescue Plan, including relief funding for small businesses like the Paycheck Protection Program and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program.
"Throughout my public and private sector career, I have been dedicated to helping small businesses grow and succeed," Guzman said during her Senate confirmation hearing. "Now more than ever, our impacted small businesses need our support, and the SBA stands ready to help them reopen and thrive."
Before Gov. Newsom appointed Guzman to serve as CalOSBA director in 2019, she served as the SBA's Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor during the Obama-Biden Administration.
"I have every confidence that under Ms. Guzman's leadership, the SBA will help small business owners hold on to their dreams until the economy comes roaring back," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said before voting to confirm the Burbank native's nomination.
Before Gray accepted the top role at CalOSBA last week, she had been serving as the Chief Executive Officer of YADARI Enterprises for the last 17 years. YADARI is a management consulting firm with headquarters in Vallejo.
Currently, Gray is also president and Chief Executive Officer of Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce (FMBCC), a position she has held since 2017. FMBCC is a community-based organization that advances the interests of African American entrepreneurs in the Central Valley with programs that focus on advocacy and economic development.
Before that, Gray supported small businesses as a counselor at two Northern California small business development centers, taught a small business feasibility and planning class in Stockton, and led a youth entrepreneurship program for nine years with California Black Chamber and Chamber Foundation.
Gray holds a master's degree in Christian Studies from Grand Canyon University in Arizona and a Bachelor's in Business Management from Saint Mary's College in Contra Costa County.
"(Gray's) announcement is yet another proof point of Gov. Newsom's ongoing commitment to equity and inclusivity as we recover together," said Mark Herbert, managing director at the California office of the Small Business Majority, an organization that works with entrepreneurs and policymakers.
In addition to her many professional accomplishments, Gray is actively involved in the social, civic and religious life of Fresno as well as the broader African American community across California. She is member of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), Abundant Life Worship Center, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, the California Black Chamber of Commerce and Chamber Foundation, and the California Small Business Employer Advisory Council.
Gray, a Democrat, will earn an annual salary of $175,644.
Betty Jo Toccoli, president of the California Small Business Association, said
Gray is qualified for the job she looks forward to working with her.
"Small business has always been integral to the success of California's economy, which is why today is a very special day for small business owners and entrepreneurs across the state," said Toccoli. "Tara will bring a longstanding history of understanding the nuances of small business and advocacy for small businesses to this new role. She is extremely well-qualified for this position and we couldn't be more ecstatic to collaborate with her to ensure an equitable recovery and sustained growth for California's small business community."
As for Guzman, working with the SBA's hardworking employees to create an "ecosystem" that ensures small businesses across the United States are strong is a motivating factor.
"I am excited to return to the SBA and serve as the voice of small business in the Biden-Harris Administration. I am committed to championing the agency's mission and helping equitably build back the economy," she said.
The Lookout: Several Bills Aim to Level the Playing Field for Disadvantaged Californians
Gender Pay Gap Costs $78 Billion: For Black Moms, an Even More Disturbing Picture


NOSE DIVE is a casual gastropub. It's Greenville's "food forward" destination where creativity and modern culinary techniques take center stage to create urban comfort food that is approachable by all.
Our chefs create and feature dishes that are both interesting and comforting. The culinary team is dedicated to focusing on inventive fare and attention to detail.
You'll enjoy high quality food, craft cocktails, a selection of handcrafted beers and hand-selected wines—along with superior customer service and a warm neighborhood feel in the heart of Downtown Greenville.
NOSE DIVE has a variety of private and semi-private dining areas, including the Private Dining Room and our Main Dining Room, which can perfect for any type of entertaining need.
For any of our events, guests may order from the current restaurant lunch or dinner menus, or our team will work with you to customize menus for each event. Beverages are charged based on consumption.
To get started planning your special event, please contact Rachel Maurer at 864.373.7300 or fill out our form below. We can't wait to hear from you!
A great space for the larger occasion, NOSE DIVE can be rented in its entirety. The Main Dining Room can seat up to 100 guests for a plated meal and up to 150 guests for a standing reception utilizing both our Main Dining Room and Crafted cocktail lounge. Ask your sales rep for food and beverage minimums.
Our Private Dining Room (PDR) is located behind the restaurant. The PDR can comfortably seat 22 guests for plated meals and can accommodate up to 30 for standing cocktail receptions. The room is available for reservation during lunch, brunch, and dinner hours. The room offers an A/V package rental options as well.
CRAFTED, our upstairs lounge, can accommodate up to 30 guests for a plated meal and up to 60 for a standing reception. Crafted is available during lunch and brunch hours for private events.
Crafted has a beautiful relaxed and rustic aesthetic with a trendy chic touch throughout! The area has an open feel with an indoor balcony overlooking Main Street.


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Shawn Achor – Before Happiness: The 5 Hidden Keys to Achieving Success, Spreading Happiness, and Sustaining Positive Change (2013)
In The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor detailed all the way that hapiness makes us more successful. In Before Happiness, he takes a step back to show us how to get happy in the first place. We have to learn to see a positive version of reality, figure out what's meaningful to us and use that as a compass for behavior, use tactics to make our goals seem closer and more achievable, reduce negative noise, and spread our positivity to others. If we do all that, we'll become a "positive genius."
Shawn Achor – The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work (2010)
Contrary to popular belief, it's happiness that leads to success (and not the other way around). Happy workers are more productive, sell more, perform better as leaders, and have higher performance ratings; they get paid more and have more job security; and they're less likely to take sick days, quit, or get burned out. To cultivate "The Happiness Advantage," Achor teaches us to change our beliefs about our potential and purpose, scan the world for positives, and transform challenges into opportunities. With our actions, we learn to cultivate a sense of control by starting small, reduce the effort involved for good habits and increase it for bad habits, and invest in social relationships.
Caroline Adams Miller – Creating Your Best Life: The Ultimate Life List Guide (2011)
Creating Your Best Life combines the science of happiness and the science of goal-setting into one practical book to help us create a list of our life goals. It covers essential topics like what makes a good goal, how to identify the right goals for us, how to increase willpower and grit, how to take advantage of social support and environmental cues, and how to overcome obstacles in our path. The book also includes a host of worksheets and exercises to help us apply these learnings to our life.
Tal Ben-Shahar – Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment (2007)
Tal Ben-Shahar, who taught one of the most popular courses at Harvard on happiness, sets out a framework for happiness that includes pleasure and meaning. To be considered happy, we need to reconcile present and future happiness rather than being a hedonist or "rat racer." Happiness is the ultimate currency in life, although society has come to value wealth more. To be happier, Ben-Shahar encourages us to set goals, be benevolent, cultivate our sense of worthiness, and simplify our lives. The book also looks at happiness applied to education, work, and relationships.
Brené Brown – Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution. (2015)
Rising Strong is all about the hard moments in life. When we feel some kind of negative emotion – shame, fear, or gut-stirring anger – how can we respond in a way that doesn't hurt ourselves and others? Brown teaches us that our emotions come from the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and why things happen. It's our task to uncover those stories by doing the hard work of reflection and introspection as we "rumble" with difficult thoughts and feelings. It's not an easy process, but it's one that could transform the way we connect with others.
Brené Brown – Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead (2012)
Daring Greatly extends Brené Brown's work on shame and teaches us how to embrace vulnerability, the uncertainty, risk, and emotionality that is part of life. We do that by learning to reduce the feeling of scarcity – of "never enough" and combatting shame. In so doing, we become "Wholehearted," feeling worthy of love and connection. Daring Greatly also applies this theory to culture, education, work, and parenting.
Brené Brown – The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are (2010)
For Brené Brown, when we focus on being who we're supposed to be, we feel shame. Our lives are dominated by what people think, perfectionism, numbing and powerlessness, scarcity, need for certainty, comparisons, exhaustion and fear-driven productivity, anxiety, "supposed to," and the need to be cool and in control. To embrace who we are, we need to use the tools of courage, compassion, and connection – the "gifts of imperfection." Then, we'll be able to cultivate authenticity, self-compassion, resilience, gratitude and joy, intuition and faith, creativity, play and rest, calm and stillness, meaningful work, and laughter, song, and dance. We become "Wholehearted," and we feel worthy of love and belonging.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi – Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (1990)
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi articulates his theory of "flow," a state of optimal functioning where we feel completely immersed and engaged in what we're doing. Achieving flow requires a match between our skills and the challenges in front of us, clear goals, immediate feedback, and a sense of control. Often, in flow experiences, our sense of self disappears and time speeds up. Csikszentmihalyi shows us how to cultivate flow in activities of the body and mind, work, solitude, social situations, and challenges. And he also explains how understanding your purpose in life can enhance flow across the board.
Robert Emmons – Gratitude Works: A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity (2013)
Robert Emmons's second book on gratitude, Gratitude Works compiles all the new findings about gratitude and paints a more nuanced picture of how to cultivate it. In addition to the traditional gratitude journal and gratitude visit, he explores how spiritual discipline can help us become more grateful. He also goes into depth about why gratitude can be so challenging and how it serves us in our times of greatest need. The book closes with a 21-day gratitude challenge, Emmons's recommendation for an introduction to gratitude.
Robert Emmons – Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier (2007)
Gratitude has long been hailed as a virtue, but Robert Emmons was one of the first people to study it from a scientific perspective. This book is an introduction to the science of gratitude, starting with the basics about what gratitude actually is and what benefits it brings. Emmons also explains the benefits of gratitude journaling, gratitude visits, and being a grateful person, and how to deal with the many obstacles to gratitude we face in our lives. Throughout the book, he emphasizes that gratitude is more complex and more powerful than we might expect.
Carlin Flora – Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are (2013)
In this book, Flora argues that friends play a "powerful and often unappreciated role" in our lives. The right friendships can help our careers, benefit our health – mental and physical – and positively shape our sense of identity. Friendfluence offers an overview of the science of friendship, spanning why we evolved to form friendships, how friendship changes over the lifespan, and how friendship can go wrong. Today, we have more opportunities than ever to form friends – online and off – and Flora believes that friendship should be recognized as one of life's key relationships.
Elaine Fox – Rainy Brain, Sunny Brain: How to Retrain Your Brain to Overcome Pessimism and Achieve a More Positive Outlook (2012)
Elaine Fox explains the interplay of our reward-driven sunny brain and our fear-driven rainy brain in this book, which represent optimism and pessimism. The sunny brain centers on the nucleus accumbens and runs on dopamine and opiods, while the rainy brain is run by the amygdala. Our preference for one or the other constantly affects what we pay attention to and remember, and attuning to the positive things in life can improve our well-being, resilience, and performance. Luckily, thanks to the brain's plasticity, we can learn optimism through practices like mindfulness, emotion regulation, and therapy.
Daniel Gilbert – Stumbling on Happiness (2006)
We are constantly making decisions about what will make us happy in the future, but we're actually terrible at it. When imagining the future, we focus on certain details and don't think about others; we're clouded by our present feelings, thoughts, and comparisons, not realizing that we might feel, think, and compare differently then. Even when we do base our predictions on how we enjoyed similar experiences in the past, our memory is flawed. And we don't take into account our psychological immune system, the way we positively reinterpret traumatic events. In sum, our imagination is so bad that we would have more success simply asking people who are currently having an experience about their happiness, rather than trying to predict our own.
David R. Hamilton – Why Kindness Is Good for You (2010)
Hamilton takes us on a tour of the science of prosocial behavior, including kindness, empathy and compassion, and social connection. Along the way, we learn why we humans evolved to be kind, how love affects babies' early development, and how connection impacts our health across the lifespan. He devotes several chapters to oxytocin, mapping its effects on the brain, the heart, and the digestive system while offering tips on how to boost our levels of this soothing hormone. In the end, we're encouraged to become more social by practicing gratitude, forgiveness, and mindfulness; offering ourselves more self-compassion; and of course giving more hugs.
Jon Kabat-Zinn – Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment – and Your Life (2012)
In this profound and sometimes-whimsical guide, Kabat-Zinn explains the urgency and importance of cultivating mindfulness and truly experiencing life. Along with some practical tips for meditation, he describes the seven atttitudes of mindfulness: non-judging, patience, beginner's mind, trust, non-striving, acceptance, and letting go. Mindfulness can help us reduce stress, become more resilient, and improve our health, but it's not easy; Kabat-Zinn is skilled at pointing out all the ways people tend to do it wrong (and the paradoxes we'll encounter along the way), including the tendency to focus too much on the self.
Stefan Klein – Survival of the Nicest: How Altruism Made Us Human and Why It Pays to Get Along (2014)
In this book, Klein explains how humans evolved to be altruistic. He describes the constellation of traits surrounding altruism – trust, empathy, generosity, fairness, and cooperation – and explains how together they created a species who cares for the poor and writes software for free. A key part of his argument is that competition between groups of humans fostered intra-group altruism, which raises a dilemma for humans today: Is it possible for selflessness to rule, even across group boundaries? If we take the time to understand the benefits of altruism to both individuals and societies, the answer might be yes, Klein concludes.
Ellen Langer – Mindfulness (1989)
Langer wrote her treatise on mindfulness before its most recent rise in popularity, and as such her perspective is different. She focuses much less on meditation and much more on the mental attitudes of mindfulness: noticing new things, adopting different perspectives, and questioning assumptions, expectations, and categories. The mindlessness it opposes is a way of thinking that is rigid, automatic, and ultimately boring. She explains how mindfulness can reduce prejudice, make us more creative and successful, and improve health and well-being.
Francois Lelord – Hector and the Search for Happiness: A Novel (2010)
A dissatisfied psychiatrist goes on a trip around the world, looking to gain insights into happiness. Along the way, he falls in love, gets kidnapped, and learns enough about happiness to impress an old Chinese monk.
Matthew D. Lieberman – Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect (2013)
In Social, Lieberman looks to the brain to demonstrate that humans are hardwired for social life. The pains and pleasures of social life, for example, register in our brains much the same way physical pain and pleasure do. Our minds have specific resources devoted to understand what's going on in other people's heads. And our very sense of self is tied up with what others think of us and the beliefs and values of our social group. Social connection is the route to happiness, business success, and successful education, Lieberman argues, yet we often fail to recognize just how social we are.
Sonja Lyubomirsky – The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want (2007)
The How of Happiness starts with the premise that 40% of our happiness is determined by intentional activity, with 50% determined by genetics and 10% by circumstances. We can manipulate that 40% by performing various happiness-enhancing strategies that have been tested by research, ranging from gratitude and savoring to kindness and spirituality. In order for them to work, we have to choose strategies that we find natural, enjoyable, and valuable, and vary the timing and variety until they become serious habits.
Terry Paulson – The Optimism Advantage: 50 Simple Truths to Transform Your Attitudes and Actions into Results (2010)
In The Optimism Advantage, Terry Paulson explains how optimists think and act. They are realistic, resilient, grateful, purposeful, and unafraid of failure. They don't rage against life's unfairness or consume lots of negative entertainment. They dispute negative thoughts, reframe and learn from negative events, constantly learn, respect their bodies, take action, focus on their strengths, find pleasure in everyday situations, surround themselves with other optimistic people, and put in the effort. Read more…
Jonathan Robinson – Find Happiness Now: 50 Shortcuts for Bringing More Love, Balance, and Joy Into Your Life (2014)
Find Happiness Now is a practical book that uses positive psychology to illustrate the values, ideas, attitudes, and behaviors of happy people. It offers concrete tips for cultivating the five elements of well-being: positive emotion, relationships, flow, achievement, and meaning. Many of them take only a few minutes and can be turned into daily habits.
Martin Seligman – Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being (2011)
Flourish extends the work of Authentic Happiness and adds two more elements to well-being: not just positive emotion, engagement, and meaning, but also relationships and accomplishment. In this framework, the character strengths underpin all five areas, not just engagement. Seligman details practical exercises that have been shown to improve well-being and reviews how positive psychology is being applied to therapy, education, the military, biology, and politics.
Martin Seligman – Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment (2002)
Authentic Happiness sets out Martin Seligman's three-part framework for well-being, composed of positive emotion, engagement, and meaning. We cultivate positive emotion by learning to be happier about the past, present, and future. We cultivate engagement by understanding and using our signature strengths, the top five of 24 traits identified by Seligman and Christopher Peterson. Meaning is a harder nut to crack, although Seligman suggests we find meaning in helping humanity become more knowledgeable, powerful, or good. The book explains how to apply these ideas to work, love, and parenting.
Martin Seligman – Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life (1991)
Learned Optimism traces the history of Seligman's work, showing how the study of learned helpessness in dogs led to an understanding of depression and optimism. Optimism, under his definition, is a way of explaining reality that sees problems as temporary, restricted to this situation, and not our fault – and successes as the opposite. Seligman demonstrates how optimism predicts outcomes at work, school, and the doctor's office, and in sports and politics. It concludes with methods for cultivating optimism in yourself, your children, and your organization by disputing pessimistic thoughts.
Emma Seppälä – The Happiness Track (2016)
The beliefs we have about success are wrong, argues Emma Seppälä in The Happiness Track – and they are driving us to a culture of burnout, disconnection, and unhappiness. She finds solutions to these pervasive problems in the science of mindfulness, resilience, and kindness. In her view, the path to true success, productivity, and happiness comes from slowing down, tapping into our innate abilities, and using them to do more meaningful work.
Shauna Shapiro and Linda Carlson – The Art and Science of Mindfulness: Integrating Mindfulness into Psychology and the Helping Professions (2009)
Shapiro and Carlson combine their backgrounds in the scientific study and the therapeutic teaching of mindfulness to offer a uniquely rich perspective on what mindfulness means and how it can benefit therapists and care workers. To them, mindfulness involves particular intentions, attention, and attitudes in everyday life, which allow us to regulate our emotions and behavior, confront difficult situations, and focus on what's really important. They detail various mindfulness-based psychotherapies, including MBSR, and explain how mindfulness can benefit our health and well-being, improve our relationships, and reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
Tali Sharot – The Optimism Bias: A Tour of the Irrationally Positive Brain (2011)
Though we don't realize it, most of us are optimists. And the optimism bias has its benefits: we perceive the world in positive ways and are more likely to take actions toward our rosy future. But we need to be wary of the extreme optimism and the network effects of group optimism. Sharot explains the science behind our brain's rosy filter. Read more…
Susan L. Smalley and Diana Winston – Fully Present: The Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness (2010)
True to its subtitle, Fully Present incorporates offers something for everyone in each chapter, which includes sections on science, art, and practice. The science sections teach us the benefits of deliberate breathing, mindful movement, and mindfulness in general, particularly for people suffering from pain or mental disorders, and explain how mindfulness is linked to productivity and happiness. In the art sections, we learned the practicalities of how to sit and where to meditate, and the authors try to put into words what it feels like to truly be mindful. That's not an easy task, so readers are encouraged to try out different meditations in the Practice sections. The book ends with some guidance on the obstacles to mindfulness and how to bring it into our everyday lives.


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US inflation to get even worse, Fed banker predicts
© REUTERS/Mike Blake
A Federal Reserve official has warned that inflation is only bound to get worse for Americans, at least for the next few months, before it "likely" begins to "taper off."
"The math suggests we're probably going to see somewhat higher readings over the next few months before they likely start to taper off," Minneapolis Federal Reserve Chairman Neel Kashkari told 'Face the Nation' on Sunday.
According to Kashkari, current inflation and supply chain issues are a result of a "surge in demand for goods," as well as the Covid-19 pandemic, both problems the Federal Reserve official refers to as "temporary." The increase in demand, Kashkari claimed, is partly because "Congress has given a lot of money to families and businesses to get through the pandemic."
Food banks struggle to feed hungry Americans
Inflation rates are currently at a 30-year high, according to data from the US Labor Department.
While Kashkari admits the "pain" US consumers are feeling is real, the government shouldn't "set long term monetary policy and- and adjust too much based on temporary factors, even if those temporary factors take a little bit longer than we expect."
Over the next six to nine months, he added, "we're going to get a lot more data on both the demand side and the supply side to get a better reading of where the economy is headed."
President Joe Biden and his administration have faced heavy scrutiny over inflation, with Americans seeing the price of gas and food rise dramatically, while also dealing with massive supply chain issues that have slowed the movement of goods.
Biden directly addressed the issues on Sunday in a tweet where he claimed that Americans may be facing prices that are "too high," but they are also apparently in the middle of "a historic economic recovery" and cited his controversial and expensive Build Back Better plan as the solution to Americans' economic woes.
COVID-19 has disrupted supply chains around the world. Now, even in the midst of a historic economic recovery, Americans are facing prices that are just too high. We must pass the Build Back Better Act to lower costs for working families and help get people back to work.
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Will the tanks be back? You bet.
As the Breslin in the Ace Hotel lumbers toward its long-delayed opening, word comes from Ken Friedman (who is opening the restaurant along with his Spotted Pig compatriot April Bloomfield) that the team is going to resurrect the John Dory. And the problem with the venture was not that it was too expensive (though the next incarnation will be more casual) -- it was too small.
Not only will the shuttered west-side British seafooder be back, says Friedman (though he failed to say where), but it will be in a space four times as large -- "like the Spotted Pig with fish."
Friedman, it seems, was in an F-you sort of mood. When he made his Dory boast, he had been telling the Observer of his fight with the mosque across the street from Breslin, who have complained bitterly about being close to a bar and have even made a veiled threat to throw a brick through the Breslin's window (though he failed to say where). And though he agreed to cover the window to the bar with a curtain so his Muslim neighbors would not have to see that there was alcohol being served, Friedman's attitude is something less than contrite.


Oak @ Hou – It's all over but the music for the Raiders, as a great season looks to come to a disastrous end. They lost Carr in Week 16, McGloin in Week 17, and will start rookie Cook at QB for the first week of the playoffs. Oh, and they'll be on the road vs one of the leagues most physical defenses. There's basically no way they walk away from this game alive, let alone with a win, but "any given Sunday" I guess, so maybe it's too early to give up on Oakland quite yet. They are 6-2 on the road this season, they are capable of scoring points in bunches, I just don't see that happening without Carr under center. And we haven't even talked about the Texans yet, who might actually have improved after their QB change, but who also might have to change back. Osweiler benched for Savage, Savage now with a concussion, Osweiler perhaps to start Saturday; we'll see how it shakes out. Either way, Houston is 7-1 at home, an advantage that can't be ignored. Their offense doesn't score a ton, which would be a concern against the Raiders in a normal game, but unfortunately for Oakland, this isn't a normal situation.
Det @ Sea – The Lions lost their final game of the season vs the Packers, the only game of the week in the NFL that really mattered, and boy did it. Instead of hosting a game, they're heading out on the road, and not just anywhere, but to dreaded Seattle, where few escape alive. If Detroit wanted to go far this postseason, last week's matchup was the game to win, and they failed to do that. I think that spells the end of their chances, but perhaps Matt Stafford will have something to say about that. He's been pulling games out in the 4th quarter all season, putting his team squarely on his shoulders, and the Seahawks aren't invulnerable. A 7-1 record at home is pretty impressive though, and I can't see them losing this game. Detroit might have the offense, but Seattle has the defense, and they've proven that they know exactly how to play in January. I expect them to dominate, to force Stafford to win the game all on his own, and while he can do that, Russell Wilson will also be a factor and can score as well. I just hope this game is close, as I think it has the potential to be a blow out in the Seahawk's favor.
Mia @ Pit – Oh god, talk about a blowout. Miami is another team who lost their starting quarterback, and they'll probably not get Tannehill back this week, it will most likely be Matt Moore in charge of the offense. The Dolphins were on a nice little win streak, snuck into the playoffs, but may get an early exit. It's all up to Moore, who needs to keep this offense scoring, since this defense can't stop anyone. I really don't think the Dolphins have much of a chance at all; I can't remember when the early rounds of the postseason were this chaotic, had so many QB changes, or were this easy to pick. The Steelers are the no-brainer choice for this game, and I don't think it'll even be close. Pitt is red hot, has won seven in a row, and gets a home game where they are 6-2 on the season. Ben, Brown, & Bell are synced perfectly right now, and I know I wouldn't want to face them if I was any other NFL team, at least not in Pittsburgh. Also, they've been here, done that, so January is their time to shine. Miami can't say the same, will be playing in the cold, and will almost definitely lose this game.
NYG @ GB – And here's the first tough game to predict, the only game that should be back & forth. I didn't predict much right at the beginning of the year, but here are a couple teams I can take credit for, although they weren't exactly hard to imagine winning. I really thought that the Giants would have a hell of a season, and they really have; if not for Dallas and their improbable year, we'd be talking about New York as one of the best teams in the league. Eli, Odell, this defense; they can do it all. And I thought the Packers would be a Super Bowl team; they along with the Patriots were my preseason picks. Again, not a bold choice, but here they are, and for Green Bay, they couldn't be hotter at a better time. Rodgers and the Pack won six games in a row to get here, to win the division, to host a playoff game in Lambeau. Don't think that they'll waste that opportunity, not even against a solid team like NYG. I hate to pick against Eli after I've been rooting for him all season, but the G-Men are only 4-4 on the road this season, while the Packers are 6-2 at home and are playing with much more momentum.


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Asthma Inhalers may Stunt Children's Growth
New study suggests that inhalers commonly used to treat asthma can stunt the growth of children.
By Roshni Mahesh
In a study published in The Cochrane Library, children who inhaled corticosteroid drugs for managing their asthma grew half a centimetre shorter compared to children not taking the drugs.Phyllis Buchanan/Flickr
Certain medications commonly used to treat asthma can stunt the growth in children, latest research shows.
In a study published in The Cochrane Library, children who inhaled corticosteroid drugs for managing their asthma shrunk half a centimetre shorter compared to children who did take the drugs. Though these effects appeared within one year of starting the treatment, a second study reported in the same journal found that they can be minimized by using lower doses.
The first study looked at the effect of inhaled corticosteroids, except triamcinolone on 8,471 paediatric asthma patients from 25 trials. Researchers received growth rates of 5,717 children as a part of 14 trials. While the normal children grew 6-9 cm per year, the asthma group experienced a 0.5 cm reduction in growth.
"The evidence we reviewed suggests that children treated daily with inhaled corticosteroids may grow approximately half a centimetre less during the first year of treatment," lead author of the review, Linjie Zhang, who is based at the Faculty of Medicine at the Federal University of Rio Grande in Brazil, said in a news release. "But this effect less pronounced in subsequent years, is not cumulative, and seems minor compared to the known benefits of the drugs for controlling asthma and ensuring full lung growth."
In the second study, the same researchers analyzed variations in growth rate involved with low or medium dose of inhaled corticosteroid in childhood. Two drugs called triamcinolone and flunisolide were not tested in these studies. Researchers closely monitored the growth of 728 children for a period of one year. They were part of three studies that included details about effects of three different doses. Children who used low dose - one puff daily - achieved a quarter of a centimetre more growth per year.
The studies reflect findings of an analysis presented at the European Respiratory Society meeting in Vienna, Austria in September 2012. Robert C. Strunk and colleagues from the Washington University School of Medicine measured height and weight of about 943 participants, who were receiving asthma treatment for more than four years. They found that children who took budesonide shrunk 1.2 centimetres (one-half inch) shorter than children who took an inhaled non-steroid medication nedocromil.
Additionally, according to health experts at the NHS Choices UK, long-term use of inhaled corticosteroids can increase the risk of a fungal infection called oral thrush, while getting the drug through an injection can cause nausea, insomnia, tachycardia, mood changes and indigestion. Similarly, oral corticosteroids can cause many side effects, including acne, increased appetite, mood swings, weight gain, high blood pressure, muscle weakness, bone weakness, diabetes, glaucoma, Cushing's syndrome and cataracts.


When it comes to custody and parenting time, our judges are tasked with the responsibility to act in the best interest of the minor children whose well-being is often dependent on the outcome of their parents' custody disputes. There has been a movement in our courts toward the presumption that, if a couple is getting divorced, they should share time with their children, equally. Beginning a divorce action with an award of equal time to each parent gives little to no consideration for what is truly best for the child.
What adds to the problem is the fact that, after a divorce action is filed, the judge is not required to immediately perform a lengthy legal analysis about what is best for the children, based on their unique situation, before granting the parties a 50/50 parenting time schedule, pending a trial. Trial will usually occur many months down the road, so, in the interim, the judge can make temporary parenting plans, based solely on arguments made by each parent's attorney, without considering the legitimacy of the claims presented.
Is this system truly in our children's best interest? I think not. Before a judge renders an interim parenting plan, courts should be mandated to follow criteria designed to determine what is best for a child. There is no room for a "one size fits all" solution, here, if we truly want to do what's best for our children. We need to approach this serious issue from a child-centric perspective. Taking a child-centric perspective means putting our child's needs above our own. This is not to say that a 50/50 parenting schedule is always contradictory to a child-centric approach, if the factors at hand show that equal parenting time for the children is in their best interest.
We need to remember that divorce is traumatic for children. Children are the powerless bystanders to the demise of their parents' relationship. Divorce is devastating for children and we need to acknowledge this fact and let our children express their feelings and grieve. Children want to spend quality time with both of their parents. The amount of time depends on the age of the child. Older children, for instance, might be more concerned with friends than with family, but I can promise you that children of all ages do not want to be passed between 2 households like ping pong balls. Children feel most comfortable with one home base.
I can't tell you how many cases I come across where a workaholic parent, who spends little time with their children during the marriage, vows to magically change his or her schedule to be available for their children, half of the time, now that a divorce action is filed. This type of parent is not taking a child-centric approach to parenting, at all. This parent feels the need to win and will even hire a nanny or a personal assistant just to spite their more available, soon-to-be-ex, spouse. So, who loses here? Obviously the children. But courts are increasingly turning toward this easy fix of splitting time equally, despite the parenting arrangement that existed before the case was filed.
Drastic changes to the children's current parenting arrangement should be avoided whenever possible.