Not to take away from Steve Lein's excellent AFL summaries, but USAFChief and I (plus special guest ashburydavid) were in attendance at Surprise Stadium this afternoon, and we got to see several of our Twins prospects appear in the 6-2 loss to the Glendale Desert Dogs, so I thought I'd write something up, given all this Twins game action. Chief might chime in with his own perspectives, if he ever gets free of rush-hour traffic to his hotel.
Basically, nobody really impressed me, I'm sorry to say.
On the hitting side, only Lamont Wade appeared, playing the full game in RF.
... struck out (looking) in the fourth, walked in the sixth, and was hit by a pitch in the eighth. Good selectivity, I suppose, but not good enough contact. On defense, he made a couple of routine putouts, and couldn't quite get to a couple of foul balls that a faster player might have reached. Short-sample grade: Incomplete. I want to see more.
As for the pitchers, we saw each of the Twins contingent on this team, all in relief. First in was Ryan Eades, who came in with two outs in the third, and then pitched the fourth.
He gave up his first earned run of the AFL season, on a no-doubter home run to left field by leadoff hitter D.J. Peters of the Dodgers, who happened to lead off the fourth. A couple of other hard hit balls also were in play, one a gift double thanks to subpar ball-tracking by left-fielder Luis La O (sic), a Rangers prospect. Basically, Eades came across to me as just another pitcher, with a fastball in the low 90s.
In the sixth, Tyler Jay came on. Here he is during bullpen warmups. Side note: did you know that one of the jobs of the bullpen catcher is Physical Therapist and Trainer? Seriously, Jay's sidekick in the bullpen was working a kink out of the pitcher's shoulder when I watched him start to warm up.
Anyway, as for the game appearance, Jay likewise resided in the low 90s with his fastball; somehow I was hoping for more.
He didn't give up any hits and he struck out two, but he also walked two. He seemed aggressive against lefties but tentative versus right-handed batters. Dare I say, he nibbled.
He was followed in the seventh by Thomas Hackimer. (Somehow I wound up with no usable photos of him.) A side-arm righty of not very tall stature, his hit batsman resulted in a warning to both teams.* A wild pitch among the two walks and the HBP meant loaded bases, but he managed to get out of the inning without a run being scored, via a couple of earlier groundouts and a closing strikeout looking. Like Jay before him, Hackimer seemed to me overly cautious when facing batters of the opposite hand. The innings frankly dragged while our guys were messing around on the mound.
In the eighth inning lanky Andrew Vasquez completed the Twins farmhand effort for the day.
In fairness, he was not aided by a grounder that ate up third-baseman Kevin Padlo of Tampa for an error, but he also gave up a clean single to right. He did notch two strikeouts, but like his fellow Twins pitchers did not display a blazing fastball that I crave to see from our prospects.
Sad to say, it was probably the best performance among the group, earning maybe a C+.
All in all, no one stepped up this afternoon to make a case for being any kind of a darkhorse candidate for an early promotion to the big club as soon as mid-season 2018. IMO of course.
* The HBP warning seemed premature to both managers, and seemed to lapse later in the game when Wade was hit in the eighth with no resultant ejections. I really like the plate umpire's name though: J.J. January, a much better "baseball name" than Luis La O.
How was the ballpark experience?
It's very good at Surprise Stadium. You can walk around the entire park, a feature without which I can hardly give a ballpark full marks. There are nice little features all the way around, such as the bird's eye view over the bullpen, and the grassy area for viewing the game from the outfield. AFL games are typically not well attended, and especially at day games you can get a seat behind home plate (along with many scouts), or whatever other vantage point you prefer - or mix 'n' match seating from one inning to the next if you want.
The food was mediocre but that's typical at minor league venues - I drank their $5 PBR not because I'm a hipster but because I'm a cheapster (at least compared to the $8 Bud Lites). The $4.75 bratwurst was a southwesterner's idea of what a brat should taste like, but oh well.
I'm gonna to have to get down there one of these years. As someone who doesn't always really love the crowds and rarely sits in his assigned seat, this sounds great.
Also, my go-to beverage at Target Field is the 24 oz PBR can. Not my favorite beer, but it's the best bang for your buck at the stadium.
You should do yourself a favor and give the Cape Cod League a whirl sometime, too.
Thanks for the shout out! I try my best!
These notes are awesome. Thank you for sharing them.
Did you catch any scout guns on any of these guys, or was it the stadium gun? There's only one or two of the stadiums that track for MLB.com's gameday (Salt River for sure). Jay was 95+ in the Fall stars game on several pitches.
Surprise Stadium has a radar readout, Peoria's park (Friday night) does not. I didn't take notes, but I don't remember any of our guys hitting 95 the way other organizations' prospects seemed to. Maybe Jay hit 93 once on Thursday, more like 91 or 92 most of his fastballs. I was hoping for better.


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Rory Wallace to Give Senior Voice Recital at SUNY Plattsburgh
SUNY Plattsburgh music student Rory Wallace will present his Senior Voice Recital on Sunday, April 10, at 3 p.m. in Krinovitz Recital Hall, Hawkins Hall, located on the SUNY Plattsburgh campus.
Wallace is a voice student of Jo Ellen Miano, associate professor in music.
Accompanying Wallace will be music faculty member and pianist Dr. Karen Becker.
The first half of the program will begin with select vocal works by Bellini, Donaudy, and Fauré and conclude with the elaborate aria "Be Not Afeard" from Lee Hoiby's operatic version of "The Tempest." The second half of the program will include selections from Schumann's "Dichterliebe" and Vaughan Williams' "Songs of Travel."
Admission is free and open to the public.
Wallace attended the College of Science, Technology and the Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago where he was grounded in his technical musical training and began his journey toward professional musicianship. He then transferred to SUNY Plattsburgh in the spring of 2009 where he began vocal studies with Miano. During his time at SUNY Plattsburgh, Wallace has performed with the Cardinal Singers, College Chorale, Choral Union, Gospel Choir and the Mambo Combo.
In 2009, he was the tenor soloist in Schubert's "Mass in G" at SUNY Plattsburgh's ChoralFest. In 2010, he played the role of Mr. Twimble in the music and theater departments' Mainstage co-production of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." He sang the role of Aeneas in Purcell's Baroque opera, "Dido and Aeneas" and was the tenor soloist in Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Serenade to Music" in the Champlain Valley Voices/ SUNY Plattsburgh Choral Union program "Sounds of Sweet Harmony" in spring 2010. Wallace's upcoming performances include scenes from Franz Lehár's "The Merry Widow," Robert Kurka's "Good Soldier Schweik," and Harold Rome's "Fanny" with Lyric Scenes Workshop.
He has also been a recipient of a Louise H. Heisler Music Scholarship. Wallace will complete his Bachelor of Music degree in May 2011 and will continue to study voice at the graduate level.
Quebec Studies Presents Montreal Historian in Virtual Talk on 1913 School Strike
Campus Shines Light on Developmental Disabilities During Awareness Month and Beyond
Black Solidarity Day Officially Added to SUNY Plattsburgh's Academic Calendar
SUNY Plattsburgh Political Science Professor to Zoom a Discussion on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Distinguished Canadian Address to Broach Quebec Pandemic Management, Electoral Politics
St. Lawrence Professor to Speak on North Country Black and Indigenous History

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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DAB Nova submersible Pump range. Continuous duty Plastic single phase submersible pump. Duty: 4.5 max head. 1.2/s @ 2m head.


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Austria in 6 Cakes: The Sachertorte Saga
Austria in 6 Cakes: What a Mess!
Hotel News We Noted: May 18, 2013
by McLean Robbins on May 18, 2013
Courtesy of Hotel Pain Dei Palais
Are you ready for the weekend, "Hotel News We Noted" readers? We sure are – and we can't believe that it's almost the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day! This week is jam packed with your usual hotel news, plus a special addition in some of our favorite packages, promotions and last-minute deals for the long weekend.
If you're a new fan, "Hotel News We Noted" tracks the best, most interesting and downright weird news of the week in the hotel world. We welcome reader comments, so feel free to leave a comment below or shoot us an email.
STEALS N' DEALS: MEMORIAL DAY EDITION
Stay cool with these special offers and packages.
Starwood Caribbean Hotels & Resorts are offering great specials with their "Sunsational Savings" package (actually, it's available beyond the Caribbean too, but we find these deals particularly great). We love this time of year in the Caribbean, as it's not as expensive as the winter, but not yet hurricane season either. Starting at $149 per night (a savings of more than 30 percent!), travelers heading to the sunny destinations of Aruba, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will enjoy resort credits, free nights and more.
Kick off the summer with a Sazerac at the newly opened Courtyard New Orleans Downtown/Iberville. Rates start at just $109, a great deal for a new hotel in the heart of the French Quarter, and the offer is good for stays between now and September 30 if you book before the end of the month.
Dive in and chill out at The Liaison Capitol Hill, an Affinia Hotel in Washington, D.C. Walk-able to historic Capitol Hill and easily accessible to monuments, museums and more, one of our favorite parts about this hotel is its open-air rooftop pool and bar. Their special package includes two cocktails per adult daily, a morning yoga class and a "Sun Yourself" kit, with rates from $165.
The luxe "I'm on a Boat!" package at Kimpton's Hotel Allegro is a bargain, and the weather in Chicago during the summer months is definitely a draw. Enjoy overnight accommodations in three deluxe rooms (10 person maximum), a three-hour private chartered boat ride throughout Lake Michigan, a picnic basket filled with Italian cuisine prepared by Executive Chef Luca Corazzina of 312 Chicago, (a tasty spread of cheeses, charcuterie and wine) and round-trip transportation to the dock, starting at just $2,570. Book this one by calling 1.800.643.1500.
HAUTE HOTELS: CANNES SPOTLIGHT
Film and luxury lovers know that there is no better place to be this month than in Cannes, France. The small seaside town is overwhelmed by jetsetters visiting for the Cannes Film Festival. We got the inside (infographic) scoop on how one of the area's posh hotels – The Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez – preps for fest, here.
There are a number of hotels that we'd suggest keeping an eye on during the Cannes fest – Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc being perhaps the most famous. But one of the nearby area's we'd also name as a must visit is St. Tropez, about a 20-30 minute car ride away from the main hubub of the festival. Also known as a location for the glitterati during this time period, we'd love a trip to the Hotel Pain Dei Palais, a 12-room mansion-style hotel and member of Relais & Chateau. They just launched a brand new Cellcosmet Spa, a Swiss skincare brand known for having exceptional anti-aging treatments.
GREAT GATSBY BUZZ: HOTEL PACKAGES
We held off on talking about this buzz-worthy film for some time, mostly because everyone else was doing so. But now that we've seen the epic production, we can't help but have the urge to travel back to the Gilded Age. Here are a few hotel packages where doing so gets a whole lot easier:
Soak in some literary inspiration in F. Scott Fitzgerald's room, #441 at Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. Turning 100 this July, the historic resort has hosted many celebrated individuals, including the famed Gatsby writer. While at the Inn, the author even attempted suicide by swallowing a vial of morphine, but was revived by his physician and a nurse.
The Trump International Hotel & Tower is offering the Trump "Great Gatsby" Package. Guests are invited to spend three nights in a suite overlooking Central Park, enjoying some over-the-top perks. Men receive a custom-tailored suit and shirt from Bergdorf Goodman and Art Deco cufflinks, while women go home with Ivanka Trump Art Deco jewelry. The package also includes dinner at Jean Georges, a magnum of champagne and chauffeured car-service. The extravagant package set Gatsby fans back a cool $14,999.
Tags: featured, hotel news we noted, HotelNewsWeNoted, hotels, luxury travel, LuxuryTravel, memorial day, MemorialDay
How Does Music Affect Your Hotel Decisions?
How Certifying a Hotel's Wellness Bonafides Could Shake Up the Industry
Are Hotels Ready for Wellness Certification?
Hertz Launches Dream Car Rental Service For Those Who Just Can't Drive 55


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Home > Kazakhstan< > Indians and Kakzakhs to Cooperate in Defence Industiy
Indians and Kakzakhs to Cooperate in Defence Industiy
India, Kazakhstan to develop military-industrial cooperation
■ Nazar TAMASHEVSKA
Keywords: India
NEW DELHI (ANI) — India and Kazakhstan have agreed to further develop bilateral cooperation in the military-industrial sphere. In a press release, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in New Delhi announced this agreement was reached during the fifth Joint Inter-Governmental Kazakh-Indian Working Group meeting on military-technical cooperation, which was held in Astana earlier this month.
The Vice-Minister of Defence and Aerospace Industry Shaymergenov Timur led the Kazakh delegation at the talks, while the Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary (Planning and International Cooperation), Ministry of Defence, Shambhu Kumaran.
During the meeting both sides discussed prospects for cooperation between defence enterprises as well as further boosting interaction in the field of cyber security and peace making, the embassy release said.
Kazakhstan, a solid legacy in defence industry
Kazakh defence enterprises produce ships, unique combat vehicles, helicopters, optical instruments, communications and radar reconnaissance systems, salvo fire systems.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the independent Kazakhstan inherited 200,000-strong armed forces, a huge amount of weapons and military equipment and facilities. Therefore, the Kazakh army received also Soviet-made equipment. However, after the independence, economic ties collapsed and put domestic enterprises in a difficult situation: on the one hand, Kazakhstan no longer received parts from other republics; on the other hand, its own products were not in demand, as there was no market for them. As a result, the plants of the defence industry refused to produce new products and began to deal only with repairing and modernising the remaining Soviet equipment.
During the Soviet time, the military-industrial complex was a powerful system of enterprises producing military equipment, weapons and ammunition. In fact, one third of all material, financial, scientific, human and technical resources were spent for solving the country's security problems. In this period, about 50 enterprises of the defence industry complex were deployed in Kazakhstan. They mainly specialised in the production of weapons for the naval forces, weapons for tanks, small arms, missile systems and air defence systems' components.
The Almaty Machine Building Plant named after Kirov was in the forefront. It was the world's largest torpedo manufacturing enterprise.
The Petropavlovsk Heavy Machinery Plant, which specialised in the production of medium-range ballistic missiles, was one of the flagships of the Soviet defence industrial complex. The factories of Uralsk, which produced communication and navigation equipment for ships and submarines, missile systems of coastal defence are also worth noting.
To unite Kazakhstan's state owned defence industry companies, Kazakhstan Engineering (Казахстан инжиниринг) complex was established. The headquarters of this group is in Astana. Kazakhstan Engineering owns 27 subsidiaries, including 24 manufacturing enterprises, in different shares of stock. It has the responsibility of the development, manufacture, sale, repair and modernization of weapons, military and special equipment and ammunition, and participating in military-technical cooperation with foreign states.
Uranium Market amid COVID-19
ADB Assesses Economic Losses in Kazakhstan
Eurasian Rail Alliance Index
Urbanization in Kazakhstan
Vostochny Cosmodrome to Rescue OneWeb
EBRD Supports Kazakh Launch of New Financial Hub
IMF Findings for Kakzakhstan in 2018
Kazakhs More Prone to Suicide
Kazakh Tungsten
KazNU and its Supercomputer
KazMunayGas Affirmed at BB- by S&P
Turmoil Around "The Death of Stalin"
Interview with the Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan
Kazakh AMANAT Degraded by Fitch
EU Emphasises on CO2 Emission Targets
WB Report: Subnational Doing Business in Kazakhstan 2017
ADB Provides $200mln Loan for Kazakhstan to Finance MSMEs
Naval Forces of Kazakhstan and Korea to Cooperate
6th International Investment Forum Began in Astana
The New Railway Station of Astana
EBRD, TCO Launch New Program to Support SMEs
Kazakhstan and IAEA Establish Uranium Fuel Bank
Global Beryllium Market: Trends and Forecasts (2015-2020)
Asian Development Outlook 2015 Supplement
Kazakhstan Signs IAEA "fuel bank" Agreement
Dubaï Signs MoU with Kazakhstan in Developing a Financial Centre
Kazakhstan Allocates $45 mln for EBRD Programme Supporting Small Business
CGG and Air Control Announce Partnership for Airborne Geophysics in Kazakhstan
Fitch Affirms Kazakhstan at "BBB+"; Outlook Stable


These look great! I have my fabric picked out and am going to start tomorrow! Yea:)!
Chela, I am sorry to hear about your friend's house. It's good she has a supportive friend in you.
Thank you so much for the shout out! 😊 I am happy you are enjoying the QAL, your blocks look awesome! Your quilt is coming together perfectly. I am learning so much from everyones tips too.
Jennifer's Christmas Memories block made me remember special ornaments I get to rediscover every year.
I'm so sorry for your friend, thoughts going out to her.
I'm so sad that your friend's house has been destroyed. Such a tragedy.
It surely is sad. But she's such a positive person is doing well. Thank you.
Awe well bless her heart!


Missy Fischer—So, midterm week has begun and all the stress that comes with this time of year has hit as well. So far, I have had three tests, a paper to write, and I have another test this Friday. But wait… the stress doesn't end there… When I get back from mid-semester break I have a test the Wednesday and Thursday as well. It's really not as bad as I'm making it out to be, I swear. But it can definitely get a little overwhelming; especially because all I can think of is getting home and seeing my family and friends. Mid semester break is just so perfect because of it's timing. At least to me; it's halfway through the semester so it's a good time to go home, or even stay in the dorms and have a few days off to yourself.
As far as giving myself a grade so far for the semester I think I'd give myself a B+. The semester has really flown by so far and I've accomplished a lot but I obviously think there is room for improvement… like managing my time more wisely and what not. I'll keep you all updated with how that all goes. Hopefully by finals week I'll be able to grade myself with an A!!
1) Go to the SERC!
Because as Bob Marley would say: "Every little thing, is gonna be alright".


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Standard colour is Duralloy 'Pearl White'.
We offer a complete design, production and installation service for your graphic and signage requirements. From simple business name, logos to full vehicle graphics using the latest developments in vinyl wraps.
We also are able to liaise with your own signage company to ensure a smooth production process.
We offer FREE laser cutting of your business name into both sides of the side skirts of the lift-off service body. We also provide a reflective background (choice of colours) that provides added safety for your service body.


Inside: This fresh and easy mango salsa, with fresh mango, cucumber, and more, will hit all the spots this summer.
I am from Mexico, so that means that I love eating salsa! There are so many different types of salsas to try, but one that I love is this fresh and easy mango salsa. It is loaded with fresh and delicious ingredients, and is sure to please any crowd.
I've mentioned in previous posts that my grandparents had tons of mango trees on their ranch in Mexico. My siblings and I always used to gather them and bring them to my grandma (at least the ones that we didn't eat first). As a result of that experience, I still love eating mangoes whenever I can. I also like to include them in many different recipes.
What Ingredients do you need to make Mango Salsa?
Aside from mangoes, this mango salsa includes many other fresh ingredients as well, like red peppers, cucumbers, cilantro, and lemon juice. You can enjoy it with fish tacos, freshly cooked tortilla chips, these jerk chicken tacos, whole grain crackers, and more!
I love to enjoy this salsa on hot summer days along with a nice refreshing drink. For example, you can make this delicious fresh strawberry lemonade, hibiscus tea (agua de jamaica), or even horchata.
This mango salsa also has a delicious dressing that I add to it to add a little bit of spice and a little bit of sweet. Once we started eating it, we had a hard time stopping! I hope you enjoy it as well.
This fresh and easy mango and cucumber salsa goes well with so many meals or just with homemade tortilla chips.
Combined all of the fruit and vegetables in a large bowl and mix well.
Pour the dressing over the fruit and vegetables and mix well.


A green roof is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane.
Green roofs usually do not involve construction of complex drainage and irrigation systems. The use of "green" refers to the growing trend of environmentally friendly and does not refer to roofs which are merely colored green, as with green roof tiles or roof shingles.
There are different ways in which green roofs are constructed. Container gardens on roofs is one of the type of green roof, where plants are maintained in pots, are not generally considered to be true green roofs, although this is an area of debate. Rooftop ponds are another form of green roofs which are used to treat greywater.
It has various advantages and serves several purposes such as absorbing rainwater, providing insulation, creating a habitat for wildlife, and helping to lower urban air temperatures and combat the heat island effect.
Intensive roofs are thicker and support a wide variety of plants and are heavier requiring more maintenance.
Extensive roofs are covered in a light layer of vegetation and are lighter than an intensive green roof.
The term green roof may also be used to indicate roofs that use some form of "green" technology, such as a cool roof, a roof with solar thermal collectors or photovoltaic modules.
The hierarchy of plant life offers an extensive palette for a landscape designer to draw from. Many types of vegetation can be used in a very effective way to modify the micro-climate of the site. (Source: www.rooftopservices.com) Vegetation can be classified as grass, low shrubs, high shrubs, deciduous trees, evergreen trees etc.
The growing medium typically made up of a mineral based mixture of sand, gravel, crushed brick, peat, organic matter and some soil.
It varies in depth between 5-15cm (2'-6") with a weight increase of between 72.6-169.4 kg/m2 when fully saturated.
Lightweight roofs generally does not require reinforcement.
It is suitable for large areas.
It involves low maintenance costs and has long life.
There is no need of irrigation and any specialized drainage system.
Often suitable for retrofit projects.
It looks more natural and is relatively inexpensive.
Less energy efficiency and storm water retention benefits.
Roof insulation can be provided using a roof system of precast hollow terracotta curved panels with nominal GI reinforcements.
A nominal layer of concrete of only 2" thickness at the crown of panel was poured into place.
The hollow terracotta layer works as heat resisting layer.
Effective roof insulation can be provided using vermiculite concrete.
It reduces the roof construction by 60%.
Roof insulation can be provided by terracotta tiles flooring above the waterproofing material and lime concrete is laid.
This entry was posted by Benzu JK on May 13, 2010, 5:11 pm and is filed under Sustainable Design. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.
The use of "green" refers to the growing trend of environmentally friendly and does not refer to roofs which are merely colored green. That was a good idea. Thank you.
It was amazing roof. But that was a great idea to have a green environment. They can smile the fresh air. Thank you for the idea.
I like your your inclusive attitude towards the various forms of "green roof" and am v grateful for the additional resources. Anyone interested in signing a petition to encourage world leaders to adopt more green roofs can sign up. Thank you for the great idea.
That was a fantastic roof. I like your your inclusive attitude towards the various forms of "green roof" and am v grateful for the additional resources. Thank you.
That was fantastic. I like your your inclusive attitude towards the various forms of green roof and am v grateful for the additional resources. Thank you.
Wow, this is a new concept for roofing that I learned today. Certainly, the idea is good. In what countries are green roofs applied in? In what seasons will a green roof survive?
Green Roofing Technology is applicable in any country in any type of climate.
Really a great green technology! I've gone through your article and found it very informative.


Florence Welch, the centre of Florence and the Machine, has been in hiding for some time; all that was known was that she had gone into writing/recording-hiding with Paul Epworth (the same producer that she worked with for her popular debut 'Lungs') and little else. This week she debuted a taster to her forthcoming sophomore album in the form of the track 'What the Water Gave Me'.
Less is definitely more in this first glimpse into her still untitled second LP. Interspersed with 'aesthetic' shots of Florence with her ginger hair, dressed in a flowy robe, are moments in time with Florence and Paul holed up in the studio, which says to me that she wants this new effort to be perceived more in the real world than 'Lungs' was. What I mean is, if you got the chance to see Florence and the Machine on tour with the last album or even if your only knowledge of Welch is the strange visual that is the 'Dog Days are Over' video (the song now heard round the world thanks to a Julia Roberts film, god), you know that the 'old' Florence was a colourful yet purposely mysterious character.
Coming out in the light literally in this video, maybe she's decided to reign in the more flighty parts of her musical personality. I, for one, am all for this approach. But lyrically, 'What the Water Gave Me' is just not ringing my bells. It's interesting she's using backing (possibly gospel) singers, because it lends the song an almost hymnal effect and I can see this working very well in a cathedral. Hmmm. This sounds familiar. Laura Marling's 'Sophia', anyone? While I'm sure this is entirely coincidental, it's going to be an interesting autumn, without a doubt. Florence vs. Marina vs. Laura. Who will come out on top?


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Albert Ballin (1857 - 1918) foi um empresário e armador alemão. Sob sua administração a companhia navegadora transoceânica Hamburg-Amerika Linie foi transformada na mais importante empresa do setor.

Mortos em 1918
Empresários da Alemanha
Suicidas da Alemanha

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


If you are the person who loves the speed and thrill of riding a roller coaster, then have I got news for you. Adventureland in Altoona, Iowa is planning on building a new $6 million roller coaster that will reach speeds of 40 mph and over 50 feet in height.
According to the DesMoinesRegister, the spinning coaster is going to be called "The Phoenix" and will open in June. It will feature a four-seat car that spins 360 degrees as it goes up and down hills. Construction will start in late February.
And while you are at the park, grab yourself one of their newest sandwiches from last year, the monster burger which consists more than a pound of meat: two 3-ounce burger patties, a 7-ounce breaded pork tenderloin, a 5-ounce breaded chicken breast and 4 ounces of slab bacon. Along with four slices of American cheese, chili, cheese sauce, mac and cheese fritters, and jalapeno poppers all for $18. It actually takes a wooden skewer to hold.
The park is set to open in April of 2019.


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Kristen to attend Q&A for 'Clouds of Sils Maria' at LACMA on April 3rd
Free Members-Only Screening: Clouds of Sils Maria
7:30 pm | Includes a conversation with actor Kristen Stewart
Co-presented by The New York Times Film Club
At the peak of her international career, Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche) is asked to perform in a revival of the play that made her famous twenty years ago. But back then she played the role of Sigrid, an alluring young girl who disarms and eventually drives her boss Helena to suicide. Now she is being asked to step into the other role, that of the older Helena. She departs with her assistant (Kristen Stewart) to rehearse in Sils Maria, a remote region of the Alps. A young Hollywood starlet with a penchant for scandal (Chloë Grace Moretz) is to take on the role of Sigrid, and Maria finds herself on the other side of the mirror, face to face with an ambiguously charming woman who is, in essence, an unsettling reflection of herself. Kristen Stewart will be in attendance for a Q&A after the screening.
2014, 123 min, color, DCP | Written and directed by Olivier Assayas; with Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart & Chloë Grace Moretz
– Via – Source
Clouds of Sils Maria


← Saved by the slip!
Anyone can go to Strasburg Children www.strasburgchildren.com and buy gorgeous heirloom clothing. Their collection of smocked and heirloom sewn apparel for little ones is unrivaled. But even in Strasburg's oasis of classic beauty in the world wide desert of classic children's clothing , the selections for girls far outnumber those for boys. That's a realistic reflection of the market.
I could buy their lovely outfits for my two grandsons and they would look so classically handsome. But that would not satisfy my urge to create unique garments just for them. I want to do it myself. I want to bring life to my personal, unique vision of beautiful children's clothing for my unique and beautiful grandchildren. And I don't recall ever seeing train duds in the Strasburg catalogue.
So I sew. The satisfaction of sewing for the boys is even greater than sewing for granddaughter Laurel. The challenge to design classic attire for little guys is greater, given the constraints of practicality, comfort and local standards of acceptability.
For Easter, once again I am coordinating outfits for all three grandchildren- almost 7 year old Laurel, 5 1/2 year old Robert Charles, and just 2 year old Alastair. This year, the only unifying component is the color blue.
Laurel's dress and petticoat are standard heirloom, Swiss batiste, heirloom laces, embroidery. To look presentable, it requires starch, my beloved 1946 Betty Crocker football iron (would you like to hear about it?), a puff iron, a ham, and about 20 minutes on the ironing board.
The boys' easy care outfits will definitely fall into the category of "modern projects for old fashioned Nanas." Alastair's 2-piece suit consists of blue babycord shorts and an Imperial batiste shirt with a square collar. The shorts pattern is Jackson by Children's Corner, available from Farmhouse Fabrics The pants are almost tailored, without the fullness I have come to expect (and dislike) in so many elastic waist shorts. I chose to line the shorts for more body, though the pattern does not call for lining.
The button back shirt is from Martha Pullen's Heirloom Sewing for Jack and Jill. What a great resource this book is! Among the many, many patterns it includes several for shaped collars. Baby cord piping trims the square collar and the sleeve cuff.Alastair is currently enthralled by trains, so his collar reflects that interest. I decided to use shadow embroidery, rather than applique' or standard machine embroidery because I wanted to maintain the heirloom mood established by Laurel's dress. The design is from Suzanne Hinshaw's Teddies and Toys collection.
I've often wondered why it is that I have such a passion for heirloom sewing and classic children's clothing. It certainly did not come from my roots in the Midwest. I grew up 50 miles from Chicago, surrounded by cattle and cornfields–not cotton, not tobacco, not Spanish moss. My mother sewed most of my clothes and they were lovely, well constructed and stylish. And yet, from my earliest recollection, my taste has always been in tune with Southerners.
To this day, I remember seeing my cousin Elaine wearing a Sears Roebuck blouse with embroidery and "eyelet." I thought it was the prettiest thing I had ever seen and pestered my mother until she drove me to the store to see if they had another in my size. It was as close to "heirloom" as anything I had yet seen.
When my son was born here in sunny Florida, I was blessed with the friendship of a woman who had served on the faculty with me during my last pre-pregnancy year of teaching. Her Puerto Rican mother and Cuban father had given Nilda a heritage rich in needlework skill and appreciation. On one visit to her family in Miami, she brought Ryan a little white romper, embellished with Madeira applique'd red teddy bears parked in patches of grass and French knot flowers. I was smitten. I wanted to go to Little Havana.
I had never seen anything like that–not even at Sears Roebuck! And Strasburg Children was more than 15 years from opening their doors. I loved this little suit and spent untold hours searching department stores for clothing of that genre for my precious baby boy. Ryan wore it in 1976 and he looked precious.
Ryan's son Robert wore that classic suit to our Rebecca's wedding in 2006. He looked precious. Rebecca's son Alastair wore it in 2010 and, you guessed it, he looked precious.
For Ryan's 3rd birthday, Nilda gave him a blue linen blend button on suit with drawn thread work down the front. After he outgrew it, I packed this treasure away. It has been worn Robert Charles and another special little boy. Soon will fit Alastair. It was stunning and "in style" for each of them. What's not to love about classic children's clothing?
I wonder if I would have been such an enthusiastic fan of heirloom sewing if my taste for this classic clothing had not been fed by these little boy suits from Little Havana. I wonder if I would have achieved or sought creative satisfaction without those gifts.
Perhaps some of the garments I make for my grandchildren will become heirlooms. I certainly hope so, for their children and grandchildren. If not, at least I had the pleasure of stitching them and the joy of seeing them worn by my loved ones.
Do you love heirloom sewing? Why? Was it a family legacy or an inherent appreciation? I'd love to hear about other journeys into sewing classic clothing.
This entry was posted in boys, heirloom sewing, machine embroidery and tagged boy heirloom clothing, drawn thread, heirloom sewing, Madeira applique, sewing for boys, shadow embroidery by machine, shadow work by machine, ss, Suzanne Hinshaw shadow embroidery. Bookmark the permalink.
Hi again Janice! I feel so happy when I read someone who enjoys baby boy clothing. I know there are beautiful clothes for baby girls. But sometimes baby boys are left out of beautiful and well constructed clothing for them. A baby boy may deserves to look as nice as baby girl does! I just love this post! (Don't forget my fagoting patterns!). Hope you have a Happy Easter Day! The Lord is risen!
Hi Janice, I enjoyed reading about how you got started in heirloom sewing. I live in a part of the country where heirloom sewing is almost unknown. I had read about dimity, organdy, and chambray in books like Adopted Jane and Ballet Shoes when I was a girl. When I was 16 (and awaiting the birth of my first niece) I saw some patterns by Special Request in a craft store that had a little smocking area. I bought the "Homecoming" pattern and made my first FHS by machine daygown. Later I learned much more about it in Sew Beautiful and Creative Needle. I have sewed ever since and made many special garments for my 5 children. Happy Easter to You and Your Family!
What an unusual entry into the sewing world! Unless they were taught at their mother or grandmother's knee, most women are inspired to stitch for their own children. For you to be so motivated and to have no mentor is proof of your strong creative spirit. Sometimes, I wonder if those of us who grew up outside of this culture of fine sewing were not the proverbial "lonely little petunias in an onion patch." But we've found our flower bed now, haven't we! Do you have pictures of your first Special Request project? I'd love to see what a precocious 16 year old created.
Happy Easter to you and your family, Elisabeth.
I'm glad you enjoyed this post, Maria. Thank you for the happy Easter wishes. At our little church on Easter Sunday, the pastor greets the congregation with "He is risen!" We respond with, "He is risen, indeed!" because there is no news, no greeting that can express greater joy. I wish a joyous Easter to you and your family.
P.S. I haven't forgotten your patterns. As soon as Easter is over I'll get them sent out to you.
Lee Ann, I'm sorry but I don't have that pattern for sale. I remember it well–sooo sweet. I hope you have some luck finding it.


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by | March 23, 2018 · 2:33 pm
Hyper-vigilance in the Gender Machine
A Day in Gender
Did that customer just "sir" me?
When he said "Thanks man" would he have said that to a cis female or was that just for me?
Did that person just say "dude" to me in a gender neutral way or not?
Is my co-worker going to use the right pronoun for me at the end of this sentence? Is there any hesitation in their usage of "she" pronouns for me or is it natural, automatic?
Did that customer just include me in their reference to "ladies?" *internal leap of joy*
Pronouns are the primary fuel of the gender machine. The gender machine is the whole apparatus of gender, the constant way in which life on Earth is filtered through the lens of whether you are a man, a woman, or something else. The gender machine is omnipresent, though if you aren't paying attention it can seem like it doesn't exist at all. The gender machine is brutal and impersonal: you are subject to it regardless of whether you want to be or not. The gender machine is deeply metaphorical: it provides the foundation for our entire understanding of culture, pop culture, songs, movies, etc.
Before I transitioned, I only had a passing familiarity with the gender machine. I knew it existed, of course, and was obviously a product of it and regulated by it, but I didn't really know it. I never paid much attention with occasional exceptions: being read as a male with long hair and ear piercings was sometimes interesting. Getting punished by my parents as a young child for wearing women's clothes certainly made me aware of the gender machine and the rules of what boys are "supposed" to be like. My relationships with women exposed me to the gender machine a little bit. Being a husband made me self-conscious of my role within the gender system. I had read a bit of gender theory here and there but didn't really understand the gender machine on a super personal level. I was like the proverbial fish who lives and breathes water but doesn't has a concept of water because it surrounds them 24/7.
But nothing prepared me for what it's like to be a wrinkle in the gender machine, a nail that sticks out, an anomaly, a person who was first assigned male, raised male, and regulated as male but who eventually pushed back and bucked the system, who self-consciously rejected their position in the gender machine and chose another path, the path towards womanhood.
But violations of gendered social norms are highly regulated by misgendering, transphobia, and enforcement of gender conformity. If you don't look and sound "like a woman" then the mahine will refuse to play along and you will get hurt. You will get "sirred". You will get nasty stares as you walk out of the bathroom. You will be harassed, threatened, or maybe even violently assaulted or killed. The gender machine will attempt to chew you up and spit you out. You will be called "freak" and seen as less than human. You will be called slurs. You will be slandered as a pervert. Your sanity will be called into question. The gender machine has it especially out for nonpassing trans women and non-binary trans femmes due to the way masculinity and femininity is strongly regulated for those who are assigned male at birth. Any hint of a assigned-male person dabbling in femininity is brutally regulated so much so that trans women repress their desires for decades, or even repress them forever.
Does my adam's apple stick out too much at this angle? I worry about this as I stand at the counter and adjust how I'm standing so the customer won't see it right away. I maximally "prime" them with my available feminine cues, minimize the cues I want to hide, and slightly adjust the way I'm standing and holding my head to hide my adam's apple. But I know they'll eventually see it. They always do. That or my voice will reveal my history of being exposed to testosterone. What will they think of me? Not how will they treat me. Most people are nice. But how will they internally think of me? "Oh, there's one of those ugly trannies. Freak." Or worse. My paranoia about this runs deep. It affects my relationships with people I don't know extremely well. Many TERFs these days are hardcore TERFs but keep their opinions to themselves. That's almost worse. The fake smile. The deference with the pronouns, but secretly thinking "You're a man."
"Hi, what can I get started for you today?", I speak over the intercom in a strained voice, desperately doing all I can to avoid the inevitable "Sir". Often I don't get it. But sometimes I do. I wonder if I would get misgendered more if we lived in a time when the gender machine regulated gendered communication and encouraged "sirs" and "ma'ams" at all times. Nowadays, thank God, people more lax on the honorifics. I personally try to never use them unless absolutely necessary. What's the point? They do practically no good and often cause much harm to trans and GNC people. My voice is the Ur-factor in how I am perceived within the gender machine. It determines everything. Unfortunately, I know my voice is not perfect and still gets read as male to those unsuspecting strangers who might expect something else out of my mouth based on my appearance or dress.
I wake up super early for work to placate the gender machine with makeup. I know many cis women across the world are pressured by social norms to wear makeup to work in order to be seen as "professioanal", "hygienic", or even "competent", but I am pressured into waking up extra early to shower, shave, and put on makeup in order to maximize my available gender cues, minimize the negative ones, and ultimately reduce my chance of getting misgendered, avoiding dysphoria as much as possible. With my voice and my adam's apple and my masculine features, makeup is a defense mechanism for me, a way to reinforce the gender cues I give off. But what I'd give to have the option to just wear a bare face but still be so effortlessly feminine that no one in their right mind would question my status in the gender machine.
Whether I eventually get misgendered or not depends on many factors, mainly to what extent these people are self-conscious regulators in the gender machine aka transphobic assholes. But it's also ignorance. And not paying attention. But still. Regardless, the most common thing that happens is that people don't gender me at all. I get greeted as female all the time but rarely depart as an acknowledged female. When others around me get pronouns, I often get none. Which isn't too bad I guess. Could be worse.
My coworkers, or "partners" as we call them at Starbucks, are my literal life blood. Their acceptance of me as a woman and their automatic usage of "she" pronouns are my primary coping mechanism for dysphoria and misgendering at work. The small little genderings that happen through the day literally sustain me. It means so little to them, yet so much to me.
Life as a non-passing trans woman for me means constant vigilance. Professional pronoun detector should be written on my business card. Constant awareness of all things gender defines my worldview. When I am hanging out with cis males, I can't help but notice their masculinity and define myself as apart from them, down to tiny little mannerisms like the small inflection they put on the end of a word, or how much space they are taking up. When I am around cis females, I can't help but compare myself to them and get self-conscious about every little feminine detail that comes so naturally to them. Even hanging out with butch lesbians does little to make me feel better because even they are so dripping with womanhood that I can't help but feel "less". Such is life as a non-passing, late transitioning trans woman.
The gender machine is fueled by pronouns, and regulated by conformity. It is all around us. Even in today's post-modern liberal society of increasing LGBTQIA diversity awareness, the gender machine is working harder than ever to regulate gender. It might seem like we are now living in a laissez faire world when it comes to gender, but don't let surface trends fool you: The growing acceptance of trans and GNC people in society has done absolutely nothing to placate the gender machine. It is still hungry – it still needs to feed. It simply finds a new tactic, a new way of regulatation, new rules, regulations, associations, connotations, expectations, etc.
Gender is still all pervasive, as any trans or observant person will tell you. Some gender theorists like to talk about a future, hypothetical society where the gender machine is no more. But that's a thought experiment only. A fantasy. A utopia that will never come to be. All we can do is force the gender machine to evolve in small, hopefully progressive directions. But despite the gender machine's dominance and finality being out of our control, we can as individuals take self-conscious steps towards understanding our place within the gender machine and working to make sure everyone feels safe as they can be within the machine. Respecting pronouns and reducing the usage of honerifics is a huge part of this and definitely something cis allies can do. Good luck.
Filed under Trans life, Trans studies
Tagged as feminism, gender, passing, phenomenology, trans, trans girl, Trans life, trans woman, transgender, transition
Trans porn, trans women, and the fetishization of "tgurls"
Content warning: this post contains mentions of trans porn, trans slurs, and descriptions of transphobic violence.
Porn featuring pre-op/non-op trans women (aka "tranny porn")* has always been popular among straight men and continues to be widely popular. I specifically mention the terms "pre-op/non-op" because that's the only kind of trans woman that seems to be popular with straight men. Everyone knows, if you wanna be a trans porn star, you better keep your dick.
*"tranny" is our word. Just because I say it does not give a cis person the right to use it as well.
The fetishization of women with penises is at the very heart of why trans porn is so popular. But why? Why are straight men (and there are female trans chasers too) so obsessed with trans women who have penises? How could it be that many straight men would not date, love, or marry a trans woman but he will jerk off to her on the internet? If you want to see the fetishization of trans women happen in real time it's easy, just go to craiglist's "m4t" section and read and weep. Straight men will fuck us, but not love us. All they care about is that we are "passable", not that we are strong, determined, beautiful women.
They don't really see us as females, they see us as a third sex. We are never simply women, or even trans women, but rather trannies, tgirls, gurls, tgirls, transsexuals, TS, TS gurls, shemales, ladyboys, chicks with dicks,etc. TERFs third-sex us as well, calling us male-to-trans, MtTs.
What's the one glaring difference between cis porn and trans porn? The genitals are different. That's all it is. But why do straight men consume so much porn featuring women with not-commonly-seen genitals? I hesitate to wager a speculative hypothesis: novelty and taboo are dominant factors. For straight men used to having sex with cis women and watching porn of cis women, trans women represent something they see as "exotic". Trans women make up roughly 1% of the population. Many Americans don't personally know any trans people. Perhaps they have heard of Caitlyn Jenner. But you bet they're watching trans porn. Our rarity makes us anomalies to the cis world, strange creatures who are Othered so strongly that we become a separate metaphysical category: the tgirl.
When you combine the novelty factor with the social stigma against trans bodies it creates a taboo whereby trans porn becomes "dirty", "naughty", or otherwise scandalous. This why straight male celebrities who get "caught" dating tran women often end up in media scandals and their masculinity is challenged. It's why so many straight men might hook up with trans women but not bring them to thanksgiving dinner. The taboo nature of trans people, and especially trans women, fuels the fetishization against trans women. When straight men consume too much cis porn they become bored and the taboo nature of trans porn leads to it's long-time, overwhelming popularity among straight cis men.
Why does this matter? Why am I talking about this? Because let me give you a scenario, a scenario that is drawn from real life. A straight cis male is horny, watching trans porn. He gets so horny that he wants to find a trans sex worker to fulfill his fantasy. He goes on craigslist and finds someone. He has sex with her, cums, and then has a sudden feeling of disgust (stemming from the taboo), feels his heterosexuality and manhood are threatened because he just slept with a non-cis woman and possibly got off on her having a dick. He gets enraged and defensive, "panics", and then brutally murders the trans woman for having the audacity to be herself. I am not making up this scenario at all. It is straight up pulled from real life, often involving trans women of color. Sadly, this so-called "panic defense" is admissible in court as an excuse for murder in most states.
This is why the fetishization of trans women is so dangerous. It fuels violence against trans women by men who have been so poisoned by the stigma in society against trans people, especially trans women, that they want to fuck us or be fucked by us yet are so disgusted by us that they will kill us afterwards. Or maybe they will skip the sex and just kill us for being who we are. Or beat the shit out of us until we are an inch from death. It happens. all the time. all across the world.
So next time you internally Other a trans woman, remember, your attitude of fetishization and objectification of her body is indirectly fueling the exploitation of trans bodies and the brutal violence against those bodies. Your fetish is dripping with blood.
But don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with being attracted to trans bodies. I get it, trust me: trans people are beautiful and our bodies are special and wonderful as well. The problem is not finding trans women attractive. It's the automatic mental operation of putting us into the metaphysical category of an Other, an automatic third sex option ticked off, why it's so common for straight men to only call us gurls because they want to highlight how we are so different from cis girls, a whole other creature: a tranny. mtf. tgurl.
There is nothing wrong with third sex/gender, or thinking that you are third sex/gender. I actually prefer to think of myself as third gender. It's what I feel most comfortable with. But I would never say that all other trans people are third gender, because many feel they are firmly within the gender binary and I respect that. It's the way in which we are thrown into the third sex/gender category without our explicit consent. It's the way our bodies are seen as exotic and other worldly, like a living breathing sex doll with "unique features". This widespread attitude is dangerous and fuels much of the transphobic violence against trans women.
If we are going to put an end to transphobic violence and the dangerous fetishization of trans bodies, we need to, as a society, become more accepting of trans people, especially trans women, as normal members of society, not deviants or perverts. We need to end the Jerry Springer-esque "freak show" phenomenon that fuels the stigma against us. We need to end medical gatekeeping. We need to stop the myth that trans women who like women are autogynephilic predators and the falsehood that trans women who like men are just hyper-gay. We need for more people to get to know us on a personal level, to see that we are people like everyone else, with hopes, fears, and a desire to be safe, loved, and respected. But most of all, we need cis people, especially cis straight males, to do their own work of educating themselves about the dangers of cis normativity, cis sexism, and toxic masculinity.
Filed under Trans life, transgender
Tagged as feminism, fetishization, shemale, tgirl, tranny, trans, trans girl, trans girls, trans porn, trans women, transgender
Ableism, Madness, and the Politics of Perfect Language
Ableism
Ableism is akin to racism and sexism but instead of skin color and sex it's about people with disabilities.
Ableism devalues people with physical and mental disabilities. A common example is when someone says "That's r*tarded.", meaning "That's dumb." (which, of course, is another ableist term). This is widely considered to be problematic language.
But the language I want to discuss for this post involves things like "That's crazy!" or "That's insane!", meaning "That's ridiculous!" The standard argument is that these terms, like the r-slur, serve to devalue and further stigmatize people with mental conditions like schizophrenia.
I haven't really talked about this publicly a whole lot but I have been diagnosed with various sub-types of schizophrenia over the years. I think the most recent diagnosis was something like "brief episodic psychosis". It's a long story I need to write up sometime, but needless to say: I am a certified "crazy person" and have a very real and personal connection to the concept of "insanity".
With that said, I personally have no problems with phrases like "That's crazy."
Mental Metaphors and Ableism
There is good reason to think metaphor is at the heart of human cognition. Mental metaphors are especially important to everyday human life and the conversations we have with each other. We talk about ideas as objects and the mind as a container. Ideas can go "over" our heads, we can "hold" an idea "in" our mind, we can "turn" a memory over, etc., etc. The physical world of concrete action serves as a metaphorical landscape out of which we sculpt our thoughts about the world and how we communicate our inner life. George Lakoff and Mark Johnson are famous for elucidating how this works in books like Philosophy in the Flesh: the Embodied Mind & its Challenge to Western Thought.
On the flipside, the mental life itself can serve as a powerful foundation for generating metaphors of its own. More specifically, I tend to think that metaphors surrounding normal/abnormal cognition function are integral to how we tend to think about the world. Phrases like "That's crazy" work so well to mean things like "ridiculous" because the possibility of our mind losing connection with reality is a well-known phenomenon and makes possible a sense of things being so fantastic as to be unreal, a ridiculous break from our expectations. "That touchdown was crazy!" "The ending to Inception was so insane."
When is "crazy"-language problematic?
One of the ways ableism shows itself is when we use "crazy" to stereotype groups of people e.g. "bitches be crazy", which is not only misogynistic but also ableist insofar as it's using "crazy" with a negative connotation as "irrationally emotional".
But how is this all that different from watching some crazy stunt on youtube and saying "woah – that flip was crazy!"? I think the latter is less problematic insofar as it as basically saying "this stunt made me question my sense of reality" rather than the former, which is saying "women are irrational" which is not only false but actively harmful to a whole group of people who have historically been harmfully stereotyped as being too emotional to partake in the life of a citizen.
Another way "crazy"-language goes wrong is when we use popularized conceptions of, e.g., schizophrenia, to explain violent behavior like when someone says "I don't know why he shot all those people – he was just crazy!" In this example, they're not just saying "The situation was ridiculous" or "The situation violated my expectations of reality". Instead, it's saying the behavior can be explained by appealing to a condition like schizophrenia, a false explanation which is definitely harmful (people with schizophrenia are, in fact, more likely to be victims of violence).
Is it even possible to split the difference between "good" and "bad" usages of "crazy" language? Maybe we should just take the safe side and eradicate all usages of the term because if we're not sure of the possible harm we should just not use the language at all.
But I think the quest for perfect language is difficult to achieve. To eradicate all ableism is difficult because so much of our language depends on unconscious body and action schemas involving "normal" human function.
(Photo by Ewan Robertson on Unsplash)
Consider the schemas involving visual metaphors in the English language:
"I see what you mean."
"She is a visionary leader."
"Could you shed some light on that for me?"
The examples are endless. But all of these are arguably based on blindness metaphors in the same way that "crazy"-language is based on metaphors involving disabilities involving psychic breaks with reality.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to educate people about ableism and remove problematic terms and phrases from our public vocabulary. The problem, however, is always going to be two-fold: defining the boundaries of acceptable use and running up against practical limits on removing "primary" metaphors from language.
Primary metaphors are the so-called "building blocks" of our cognitive life and are formed through our basic embodied interaction with the concrete world.
As it happens, being able to see is the statistically normal embodied interaction with the world and we can see this in our language and thought (no pun intended). That, of course, says nothing about the moral value of blind persons and their unique way of being-in-the-world. But in my opinion trying to eradicate the "seeing = understanding" metaphor from our language completely is a Sisyphean task.
I think the same holds true of some aspects of "crazy"-language, especially the connection between "ridiculous" and "crazy". That also seems Sisyphean. What seems more tractionable is things like saying "that person is such a schizo."
But when someone says "I am crazy about her" to mean "The amount I love her is ridiculous", I personally am not bothered by it partly because I believe it would be nearly futile to try to remove that powerful set of metaphors from our normal conception of reality. It doesn't mean we should not try to excise our ableism – it just means we have to pick our battles wisely.
Ableism and the Politics of Perfect Language
But here's the rub: maybe other people who have also been diagnosed with a "crazy" disease like schizophrenia do care? I never want to invalidate how other people feel about language use: just like I am not bothered by some aspects of "crazy"-language maybe some people are and that's just that.
So this post is not about giving able-bodied people license to just start using ableist language willy-nilly. I am not here to generalize a prescription for all language use. I don't believe I have that kind of moral authority. But what I am doing is trying to give an explanation of why I personally have not exercised "crazy" from my vocabulary as a synonym for "ridiculous" in everyday language.
In the end, I believe the quest to make our language and thought more in line with our values should be about the ways we consciously speak and think about ability and disability. Often our unconscious minds are just jerks and usually brimming with implicit bias. Eradicating that is difficult – it's literally out of our conscious control.What we do have control of our own conscious thoughts (that's why they're conscious!). And I believe it is these thoughts that serve best as grounds for assigning moral responsibility, especially insofar as our conscious beliefs inform the actions we take that may or may not actively harm others.
And of course I am against ableism just like I am against any other form of discrimination. But the quest to remove some metaphors from our language and thought faces steep hurdles. Which is of course not an argument against trying it anymore than the difficulty of eradicating racism is a reason to stop trying eradicating racism. But I think that the amount of mental effort allies take sniping at each other about removing metaphors from language could maybe be used more productively engaging in educational efforts about the actual nature of what it's like living with mental illness.
I dunno. Like I said, I am not generally in the business of making sweeping normative claims of any kind. So I could totally be wrong about the utilitarian calculus involved in removing certain metaphors from our language. But I at least wanted to open a dialogue on ableism and "crazy"-language.. I am open to hearing the opinions of other "crazies" like myself.
Filed under feminism
Tagged as ableism, ableist, crazy, feminism, intersectional feminism, mental health, metaphor, philosophy, philosophy of language
by | March 22, 2018 · 12:24 pm
The Ultimate Transgender FAQ for Allies
What does "transgender" mean?
The term "transgender" has no universally agreed upon definition but most academics define it to mean "anyone who has a gender different from the gender they were assigned at birth". For example, a trans girl might have been thought to be a "boy" at birth but her gender is actually that of a girl.
There is debate within the trans community about how broad the trans umbrella is. Some want to include gender-nonconforming people, crossdressers, drag queens/kings and basically anyone who does not ascribe to stereotypical gender stereotypes in their expression. Other trans people want to restrict the term "transgender" specifically to those who have dysphoria about their body and seek out medical/surgical treatment. I write more about whether dysphoria is necessary for being trans here.
But despite there not being consensus on how broad the umbrella is, the academic definition of "different gender than gender assigned at birth" works for almost all instances. Notice how this definition does not imply, e.g., a trans man was "born a girl". It was a false assignment based on a preliminary examination of superficial morphological features. With that said, I have written about whether gender identity is solidified during a "critical window" at ~5 years old like many theorists speculate or whether gender identity can change over a lifespan.
What is the difference between sex and gender?
"Sex" usually refers to biological/physiological characteristics of the body ("male" vs "female" vs "intersex", etc.) whereas gender typically refers to a broader social-cultural phenomena involving expectations about social role, behavior, expression, power dynamics, processes of identification, public spaces (e.g. the "women's bathroom"), signs, markers, and other normative significations of gendered difference.But "sex" is also ambiguous between multiple different sex concepts.
Harry Benjamin, critical to the history of trans healthcare, famously wrote:
"Here are some of the kinds of sex I have in mind: chromosomal, genetic, anatomical, legal, gonadal, germinal, endocrine (hormonal), psychological and also the social sex, usually based on the sex of rearing." (1966, The Transsexual Phenomenon)
All these different sex concepts can vary independently in any given individual.
Some gender theorists, however, have argued that the sex/gender distinction breaks down and they are too intermingled to be conceptually disentangled. I have written about the problems with the sex/gender distinction before.
What is the difference between "transgender" and "transsexual"?
When the term "transgender" was first coined it was defined in contrast to "transsexual". "Transsexual" was a more limited term, specifically referring only to those trans people who seek out medical assistance via hormones, surgery, etc.
"Transsexualism" was coined in the late 1940s and early 1950s by doctors David O. Cauldwell (a psychiatrist) and Harry Benjamin (endocrinologist). In the 1960s, "most roads let to Benjamin" (How Sex Changed, Joanne Meyerowitz, p. 133). He treated thousands of trans patients and defined the norms through which trans people spoke to their therapists and doctors, essentially creating the script of the modern gatekeeping system.
"Transgender" was originally meant to be more encompassing, including transvestites (aka "crossdressers"), gender benders, and anyone else who doesn't fit neatly into the gender binary.
Many people feel that "transsexual" is offensive and reductionist, and perhaps it is outdated sociologically, but a good number of trans people strongly identify with the term and so I would caution anyone against making universal statements about whether the term should or shouldn't be used.
But nowaways, "transgender" is the preferred term of choice for most trans people, often shorted to "trans".
What does "cisgender" mean?
The term "cisgender" comes from the Latin prefix "cis", meaning "on this side of", which is the opposite of "trans", meaning "across from" or "on the other side of".
Basically, if you are cisgender you are not trans i.e. you identify as the gender you were assigned at birth. For example, a cis man is a man that was identified as a boy at birth, raised as a boy, and feels totally comfortable with his manhood to the point where he might not have even questioned it nor formed an explicit identity as a man, his identity would be akin to a fish not noticing the water surrounding it: it's just an omnipresent facet of his reality.
But many cis men do think about their manhood and masculinity and make conscious efforts to solidify that identity through culturally sanctioned rituals. Moreover, many cultures have explicit rites of passage that mark the entrance into the "adult" gender of manhood.
Furthermore, the question can be complicated because the line is fuzzy: "comfort" with your assigned gender comes in degrees and some cis people might be uncomfortable with a lot of aspects of their gender role but maybe still like their body or maybe have questioned their gender a bit but still feel mostly comfortable with their assigned gender. It can get complicated. Needless to say the cis vs. trans distinction is not super sharp because gender stuff is a complex and messy.
How is sexual orientation different from gender identity?
Sexual orientation refers to who you are attracted to. Gender identity refers to your identification/comfort with a gender such as "man" or "woman". These two things can vary independently.
For example, a trans woman might identify as a woman but be attracted to other women (lesbian). Or a trans man might identify as a man but be attracted to more than one gender (bisexual/pansexual).
Many people falsely assume that, e.g., trans women are just "really gay" men and thus all "true trans women" are attracted to men. But about a third of trans women are only interested in other women. The rest is split between those attracted to men and those attracted to more than one gender.
Furthermore, many trans people are on the asexual/aromantic spectrum. Asexual typically means having a persistent lack of sexual attraction towards any gender. And this is different from to question of romance e.g. someone might be interested in sex with men but only wants romantic relationships with women. Aromantic would be someone who doesn't experience any romantic attraction.
And there are many more sub-categories and distinctions to be made here. For resources on asexuality, see:
Fantastic resource on asexuality
Names and Pronouns: how do I use them?
Some general guidelines are:
Always use the name and pronouns that are explicitly requested. If you know someone uses she/her pronouns, then use them. If you know someone uses, they/them pronouns, use them, even if you know you'll mess up frequently or if it feels "weird".
When referring to the past, still use currently preferred pronouns. For example, if talking about a trans woman named Samantha, you might say "Before Samanatha transitioned, back in high school, she used to be on the men's track team."
If you're not sure of someone's pronouns, find a way to gently ask e.g. "Hey, do you mind if I ask, what are your pronouns? Oh, awesome, thank you! I didn't want to assume." If you can't ask, then use gender neutral pronouns when possible.
Often we just assume people's pronouns based on stereotypes i.e. if someone "looks" like a man they must be a man. But challenge yourself on this because it's not always true. Avoid honorics like "sir" or "ma'am" unless absolutely necessary.
If you mess up on someone's pronouns, don't make a big deal about it. Correct yourself without fanfare and move on. Don't pause and comment or say "sorry". Just correctly yourself and proceed with what you were going to say.
What is the difference between gender identity and gender expression?
Gender identity refers to how you identify ("man", "woman", or something else) and gender expression refers to how you express your gender through clothes, hairstyle, accessories, mannerisms, makeup, etc.
Although the terms "femme" and "masc" have their origins in the lesbian community, some people now use them to describe positions within the space of the feminine/masculine spectrum of gender expression:
What is "genderqueer" and "nonbinary"?
Nonbinary means anyone who identifies outside the traditional man/woman binary. For example, someone might:
Identify as neither man nor woman
Identify as both a man and a woman
Identify outside the spectrum entirely
Identify as different genders at different times (genderfluid)
Identify as lacking all gendered identification characteristics ("agender")
Identify their gender through the perspective of their race identity ("My gender is black")
Identify as having a queer/nonnormative gender that escapes normal categories ("genderqueer")
All these definitions are framed in terms of identity-language, but many trans people prefer to talk about just their genders e.g. a trans woman doesn't "identify" as a woman she is a woman. So, with nonbinary, instead of "identify as neither man nor woman" we could say "their gender is neither that of a man or a woman".
But personally, I think that if trans people have a gender identity than on the same grounds so do cis people-the difference is that cis people identify with the gender that was given to them at birth. But both cis people and trans people have the same basic cognitive architecture involved in processing information related to sex and gender; they just arrive at much different conclusions.
And here, "identify" doesn't necessarily have to mean a conscious process (although I think some aspects of identity are formed at the conscious level) – it can refer to unconscious processing about both our sexed bodies and the norms/rules/systems of gender that forms the basis upon which we come to understand ourselves in gendered terms.
Many nonbinary people think of themselves as being a "sub-category" of trans, but some don't: they see their nonbinary identity as not being reducible to typical categories of transness.
For more information on nonbinary identities, see:
Further resources about nonbinary people
What is gender dysphoria?
Gender dysphoria is the feeling of deep discomfort with aspects of your assigned gender. Often this focuses on body parts: for example, a trans woman might hate her penis and wish for a vagina, a trans man might hate his breasts and wish for a flat chest. This can apply to almost any body part that is sexually dimorphic: height, size, muscularity, facial hair, hair, handsize, adam's apple, voice, feet size, ribcage, shoulders, vascularity, facial shape, browbridge, jawline, etc., etc.
But gender dysphoria can also apply to social phenomena: feeling discomfort with how you are perceived by society, your social role, which pronouns people use for you, how you are included in different gendered spaces, and the normative enforcement of gendered expression, etc.
For example, someone can feel dysphoria for not being able to express themselves and then later come to feel dysphoria about their body. Or someone's dysphoria might focus exclusively on their body and not on gender expression. Or someone could be focused more on the dysphoria surrounding restrictions in gender expression and very little if any bodily dysphoria (though there is debate about this).
Is being transgender a mental disorder?
This is a complicated question. We can distinguish between gender dysphoria as a debilitating (but treatable) condition vs the mere fact of identifying as a different gender than your assigned gender (being trans). Arguably, being trans in and of itself is not pathological but if your dysphoria is bad enough it can lead to anxiety, depression, dysfunction, suicidal thoughts, etc., etc. For more on this, see this post I wrote on the so-called "truscum" debate.
Do all transgender people want surgery?
Simply put: no. Many do. But not all. Some only want some of the surgeries but not others. Some are happy with just hormones. Some actually don't want any hormones or surgery. Some cannot have surgery or take HRT because of medical conditions but of course they're still trans. Some cannot afford it. Some would get it if they could press a magic button but don't want to go through the ordeal of major, risky surgery.
What is the difference between "transgender" and "intersex?"
This is a complicated question. Typically intersex refers to a condition where one has sexual characteristics that don't fit typical definitions of male and female. For example, an otherwise female-appearing person who has a vagina but also male gonad inside of her.
It's complicated because some trans people have argued that being trans is a kind of neurological intersex condition where there is a mismatch between the sex of their brain and their body. But other theorists argue that the concept of brain sex is sketchy.
Traditionally, intersex was distinguished from being trans in terms of it being a condition of the soma (body) whereas being trans was a psychiatric (mental) condition. But this assumes a mind/body dualism that is problematic.
How is being gender non-conforming different from being transgender?
Gender non-conforming (GNC) means that you have a gender expression that differs from the norms of society e.g. a man who wears makeup, or a woman who shaves her head. Drag queens are good examples of GNC men (although some drag queens do identify as trans or nonbinary).
Arguably, there must be a distinction between being trans and being GNC because otherwise we wouldn't be able to make sense of a GNC cis woman. So therefore, GNC people cannot be part of the trans umbrella otherwise we wouldn't be able to have a category of a butch cis woman.
What does medical transition involve?
Medical transition can involve a lot of things.
For trans-masculine folks medical transition can involve:
Top surgery to remove breasts
Bottom surgery can often be broken into two broad categories:
Metoidioplasty: creates a penis from the enlarged clitoral growth of T-therapy
Phalloplasty: creates a penis from skin tissue.
For trans-feminine folks medical transition can involve:
Blocking testosterone
Estrogen therapy
Bottom surgery can involve:
Orchiectomy: removal of testes
Vaginoplasty: inverting the penis to create a vagina
Facial feminization surgery
Vocal feminization surgery
Vocal therapy
What are the causes of being trans?
This is still a fairly new field of empirical research. Being trans cannot as of yet be diagnosed like some medical pathologies such as cancer or the flu using empirical tools of measurements. There is some preliminary evidence of correlating biological factors but causation is incredibly hard to conclusively establish in humans for complex traits like being trans. So, in a nutshell, no one really knows the true cause(s) of being trans. Furthermore, trans people are a highly varied population and there might be multiple, overlapping, causes that interact strongly with the environmental context making the extrapolation of causality to single biological factors very complicated.
For a summary of some of the research on the biology of trans identities, see:
Harvard team summarizes evidence on biological foundations of gender
For a literature review of the biological foundations of trans identity, see:
Saraswat, A., Weinand, J., & Safer, J. (2015). Evidence supporting the biologic nature of gender identity. Endocrine Practice, 21(2), 199-204.
Is being transgender a modern fad?
No. Trans people have always been a part of human history.
Sex/gender expression was much more varied in some ancient cultures and traditions.
Arguably the notion of a gender binary where there are only two genders/sexes and two corresponding gender roles is a historical construct. Other societies have historically recognized a polymorphous number of gender/gender roles not limited to two dimorphic biological categories (male vs. female).
A white man, describing the Crow Nation of North America, observed:
"Strange country this, where males assume the dress and perform the duties of females, while women turn men and mate with their own sex!" (quoted in Trans Warriors, Leslie Feinberg, p. 22)
Writing in 1724, French missionary Joseph Francois Lafitau observed of Two-Spirit people that they were revered:
"They believe they are honored…they participate in all religious ceremonies, and this profession of an extraordinary life causes them to be regarded as people of a higher order" (Trans Warrior, p. 23)
Hijra in India are India's social category for trans feminine individuals who have long played an important social function in their society, presiding over many different important social events and making their living this way. Young hijra are brought into the fold by elders in the community and taught how to perform the social rituals.
American journalists reported on "sex changes" as early as the 1930s.
In the 1800s the concept of "inversion" was used to lump together all kinds of gender and sex variance. If you were male but "inverted" to show the traits of a female then you were considered mentally deviant. The problem with "inversion" theories from a modern perspective is they conflated sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
In summary, it's clear that gender diverse people have always existed.
Do transgender people face discrimination?
Yes. Trans people face discrimination in many areas of life including:
bullying at schools
discrimination at work (not being hired, being fired after transition, harassment)
housing discrimination, denied access to shelter, resources
discrimination stemming from not having proper governmental ID matching sex & gender
discrimination in healthcare getting access to medical care, both for transition purposes and just general healthcare
targeted by law enforcement (especially for being black and trans and femme)
harassment on the street, from strangers, friends, or family
stares, laughter, ridicule, hatred and trolling on the internet, death threats
Wikipedia page on Transgender Equality
As an ally, how can I be supportive of transgender people?
Work on your own transphobia. Do you have a hard time seeing non-passing trans women as women? Ask yourself why. Critically interrogate your own assumptions about gender inherited from a cis-sexist society.
Respect pronouns. Always.
Call out transphobia. Raises trans voices. Support us. Invite us into spaces.
Listen to us e.g. if the community is telling you Ru Paul is transphobic, then please believe Ru Paul is transphobic.
Be affirming. But treat us like normal people. You don't have to be excessively effusive in your allyship to be a good ally – often we don't want the pity and fanfare – we don't think of ourselves as inspiring, brave people. We are human like everyone else, with the same basic needs just trying to find meaning in an absurd world.
More tips for being a good ally to trans people.
Filed under FAQ, transgender
Tagged as FAQ, feminism, gender, identity, nonbinary, trans FAQ, trans*, transgender, transgender FAQ
Ru Paul's Drag Race Controversy: Two Trans Women Share Their Feelings
My gf Jacqueline and I share our feelings about the recent Ru Paul controversy and how it relates to the broader phenomenon of trans people, drag, and LGBTQ+ history.
Filed under feminism, Gender studies, Trans life
Tagged as drag, drag race, gender, lgbt, LGBT history, ru paul, ru paul's drag race, trans women, trans*, transgender
An Explanation of Why It's a Ghost Town Around Here
Working on the book. I really want to share with you guys the new essays I've been working on….but I am going to save them for my book! I've also been expanding/revising the older essays and they are so different polished up a little! My biggest goal is to make the collection intellectual stimulating – a smorgasbord of tiny, interesting ideas.
In other news, I've just been really busy with work. I'm working like 55 hours a week or something crazy like that. Making good money though. But it's exhausting – and not giving me much time to work on my writing. I dream of supporting myself through publishing one day. But in the meantime, just working the grind.
Life with Jacqueline is good 🙂 We have a lot of dreams and hopes and plans, some more concrete than others, but we are both wanting to get out of Missouri and get to the West coast – sooner rather than later. So making that a reality is a big priority right now. I'm also trying to save up an emergency fund. But otherwise things are looking pretty good financially. We are starting to think of ourselves more as a dual-income household and that's pretty exciting and ties into a lot of the hopes and dreams we are discussing.
For some reason I feel like it's really taboo to talk about finances out in the open. About "doing well" or whatever – or discussing exactly in numbers how much you're making. There's a stigma around personal finance and makes it so that only a certain class of people talk about money, and then, only with other people in the class of people who talk about money i.e. bankers, finance people, old rich white dudes, etc., etc. But we should all be talking about personal finance, budgeting, saving, retirement, credit, debt, etc., because all these things play a HUGE role in how well our lives goes.
Filed under My life, Uncategorized
Tagged as blog, book, finance, indie author, journal, My life, Personal finance, transphilosopher
by Rachel Williams | February 27, 2018 · 8:15 pm
https://www.patreon.com/transphilosopher
Hey everybody! I am really excited to announce that I am working on a book:
It's going to be a collection of the best essays from this website, heavily revised, along with whole new essays keeping in the same blog-style format. Topics include gender, queer studies, intersectional feminism, trans phenomenology, gender critical feminism, the psychology of gender, and much more!
In order to afford the publishing and marketing costs, please consider supporting me on Patreon with $5/month. Not only will this help me get my book to a wider audience, it will support me in writing more content for this site! If you appreciate what I do here on Transphilosopher, becoming a Patron is the best way to support me as a writer.
Thank you so much to all my readers for supporting trans philosophy!
Filed under My life
Tagged as blogging, book, feminism, gender, indie author, patreon, transphilosophy
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I'm excited to announce that I am joining Techstars Chicago as Managing Director.
I'd like to offer deep gratitude and thanks to Troy Henikoff and Brian Luerssen, from whom I'll be taking the reins. So many great people have been involved in making Techstars Chicago an institution and pillar of the community, dating back to the founding of Excelerate Labs in 2010 (shout out to Sam Yagan, Adam Koopersmith, Steve Farsht, and Nick Rosa!). I'm humbled to have an opportunity to try to fill their giant shoes – and excited to have their support moving forward.
Why join Techstars? Well, because I aspire to be the Erlich Bachman of Chicago. We all have dreams.
In truth, an important part of being successful is self-reflection. Knowing what you're good at, what you aren't, and putting yourself in a position to do what you do best — as much as possible. I'm a better starter than a manager. More Founder than Executive.
I'm passionate about starting technology companies, and I get energy from working with founders and teams. I love getting my hands dirty solving problems. I still believe that I have at least one more "founder" business card to print in my future – but, not right now.
I've been an early startup employee at big successful companies (Redbox) and companies that failed (PayByTouch). I've been the founder/CEO of Belly, and a mentor to many startups going back to the first Excelerate Labs class of 2010. But, my bio does not tell you what I'll bring to Techstars.
Be insanely founder focused. The Jim Harbaugh of founder focused. (At Techstars we call it Founder First and it's a credo we use to make all decisions.) We're looking for the opportunity to add value to the best founders and teams, and will be honest, frank, and fully invested in your success – above all else.
Never lose sight of the simple fact that writing checks is easy, but building great companies is hard. Founders will have our utmost respect, admiration, and focus.
Seek tech/product focused teams/companies solving a big problem in a market that is bigger than outsiders perceive it.
Be inclusive, actively seeking diversity of teams and ideas.
Offer a place for the future of Chicago tech to gather, engage, mentor, and support founders currently in the grind.
Accept and embrace that failure is a part of the journey. No fear of failure. You'll hear us tell stories about founders, companies, missions. Or, when necessary, speaking openly and plainly about why we failed, and what we learned from it.
Chicago is obviously a huge market. It's a community that has invested heavily over the past 10 years in becoming a better hub for technology companies to start and scale. Chicago offers limitless possibilities. The foundation, the capital, the desire, and the people are all here.
Our goal with each class will be to swing for grand slams. We'll never bunt. No swinging singles. We will be focused on finding companies that have an opportunity to dramatically advance their market or create an entirely new one. The best contribution we can make to the community is to support the growth and investment in building big companies – those that create jobs, value, exits, and give back to the Chicago ecosystem.
Tech is a people business. And Techstars Chicago is open for business – accepting applications now through April 9. We hope to have an opportunity to be part of your journey.


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