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4.19 and Fanfiction (spoilers for both)
Before I say anything else, I want to say that there can be no unified field theory of the relationship between Supernatural, the TV show, and the fanfiction generated by it. There is so much of it, and people read and write fanfic for so many different reasons, that no single explanation could apply to the whole phenomenon. What I say below is both local and speculative.
If we didn't know already, we sure as heck know now that the show is pretty intensely aware of the fandom that surrounds it. At this point, even its protagonists know that slash is being written about them (although they will probably never speak of it again!). But, even aside from the infinitely regressing meta of TMATEOTB, the episode plots have intersected with well-known fanfiction plots a couple of times at least this season—ASS had some striking similarities to
big_pink
"Dazzleland," and IATL mined the conventions of a fanfic genre missyjack has dubbed "Temporary AUs" here--and then inspired a whole new subgenre of SPN fanfic—Smith/Wesson—in a beautifully kinky feedback loop.
Furthermore, even as the show has upped its investment in its mytharc, it has also devoted more scenes to fanservice this season than ever before (at least I think it has)—giving us a lot of visual evidence of the weirdness of Winchester domestic life, something that has been a wellspring of fanfic, but hasn't had much place on TV: the pool-hustling in IKWYDLS, the patching up scene in the same episode; SamnDean sleeping in the car, twice; and yes, the laundry scene in TMATHOTB—though that was probably part of the elaborate in-joke of the episode.
I'm not sure why this would be happening now. Certainly, the fic surrounding SPN has grown so vast that the TV writers are going to have a harder and harder time coming up with stories that haven't appeared in fic before. But the latter category, fanservice scenes, even if they are done half-jokingly, can't help but have an effect on the texture of the TV show. In that case, I'd be willing to believe that fanfic has had a pretty direct influence on TV.
One important thing that fanfic does is to offer deeper, more satisfying interpretations of characters who may be only sketchily portrayed on TV—sometimes putting those characters in AU situations so as to view aspects of their personalities in different, or sharper, light. And that brings me to JTS, and its "third-brother" narrative, which does just that (though it, too, turns out to be a "temporary AU" in the end). There are a fair number of pieces of AU SPN fic out there in which the Winchesters have brothers or sisters, but the best known of these (and IMO the best) is stele3's brilliant gen epic, "One Father's Sons" (here ) which goes AU after the S1 finale, and imagines Sam and Dean reconciling themselves to a third, younger, brother named Reese. There are enough differences between OFS and JTS to make it clear that the writers weren't just lifting stele3's ideas, but enough similarities between the two narratives to make the intersections intriguing.
Like JTS, "One Father's Sons" posits that John, on one of his solo hunting trips while the boys were young, got torn up by some creature, then had a liason with a nurse in the MN hospital where he was treated (yes, it happens in the same state). In both cases, John is unaware of the third son for a long time—in OFS, he only finds out when the YED kills the boy's mother in the fall of 2005/S1. John scoops up the boy, who's a high school senior, and who has only ever seen pictures of his father—and installs him in a church/sanctuary for his own protection, while he tracks the YED (ie, carries on with the canon events of S1), leaving word with Bobby that Sam and Dean should head to the church if anything happens to John.
And we all know how that ends. Except that in OFS, the events of IMTOD don't happen; instead, the YED possess John's body after the accident, and proceeds to track the remaining Winchesters (yes, in John's meatsuit, and yes, the fic gets maximum creepiness out of that scenario). Sam and Dean find Reese in the church, half-crazy from the isolation of having lived there alone all winter fighting off demons. The three brothers set off together, and the rest of the plot of the story has to do with them working together to defeat the YED. Most of the body of the fic, however, finds them holed up in Rocky Mountain campground, trying to adjust to their changed family relationships (and this goes on for a while, since fic, unlike TV, has no pressure wrap up in 22 episodes). Like JTS, one aspect of the story concerns Sam's struggle with the nature of his powers—though, since this is a post-S1 AU, the danger seems to be that those powers will turn him into a tool for demons, not, as it is in S4, that he will be deeply, morally, corrupted by them.
Aside from these plot points, the major, and most interesting point of intersection between fic and epi is in Sam and Dean's differing reactions to having another brother. As in JTS, OFS imagines that Sam, at least initially, is more open to the idea (remember, this is friendly, S1!Sam); Dean, in the absolute depths of his mourning for John, and still at the height of his protectiveness of Sam (yes, it's S1!Dean, too), doesn't trust Reese at all, and thinks he has no place in the family dynamic. Unlike JTS, though, it's Sam who thinks that Reese should remain innocent of hunting, and tries to convince him to return to a normal life, and Dean who thinks he should learn to protect himself, and teaches him how to shoot, etc. The jealousy inspired by knowing that John had a relationship with Adam, so much motivating factor in JTS, doesn't play a role in OFS, since John appears so briefly in Reese's life.
If you put the two narratives side-by-side, though, you really notice what fanfic can do that TV cannot. Reese is a fully developed character, and over the course of the story establishes detailed, plausible, distinct relationships with Sam and Dean. (JTS actually gets around this cleverly: it doesn't matter that Sam and Dean don't have real relationships to Adam, because he's not really Adam in the first place). You see Reese's similarities to his brothers, but also his differences from them (in a nice touch, he turns out to be a tougher, colder-minded hunter than Sam or Dean—more like John himself, maybe?). A related benefit is that Reese can serve as an outsider POV on the SamnDean relationship, which he finds alternately fascinating and just plain weird: "a dance," he calls it. (Interestingly enough, JTS is able to get a similar effect in the very brief rock-paper-scissors pantomime Sam and Dean do while Adam looks on, their abbreviated gestures signaling the well-worn intimacy of their wordless communication). In OFS, both Sam and Dean eventually come to accept, indeed, love, Reese, and they hunt as a threesome. He serves as a new middle term in their relationship, even looks like a cross between them, and, as Dean says, "no one thinks we're gay anymore." This most emphatically does not happen in JTS, and the brothers remain locked in their increasingly uncomfortable dyad.
The idea that Sam resembles John doesn't get much play in OFS—even though it does come up a couple of times in S1. So perhaps the most striking similarity between the two narratives is that in both OFS and JTS finding a second, younger brother forces Dean to cut through his adoration for John, and recognize that he is a different man than his father was, has made and will continue to make different choices than John, and would be a different kind of parent/mentor: most clearly in a beautiful passage about Dean teaching Reese how to drive a stick shift ( here.). Now, as many posters on JTS have noted, the show and its fans have known this about Dean since midway though S1: because we know, even if the Winchesters don't openly speak of it, that Dean already has been a different kind of parent to Sam than John was. But there is something significant, in both cases, about seeing Dean recognizing this for himself.
The repetition of this recognition makes perfect sense—signals a nice consistency in the canon characterization of Dean. What's interesting about it, though, is that in both cases, Dean's greater self-awareness, his increased sense of having an autonomous identity distinguished from the other members of his family, can only come about by being triangulated through a third term. In other words, Dean cannot straightforwardly differentiate himself from John or Sam; he can only do so through by noting that they have had (or would have had) different relationships with another person.
In this regard, it's perhaps worth thinking about the difference between OFS and JTS in terms of the difference between S1-S2 and S4. In the former, the displacement of the parental dynamic onto a third, younger brother (ie, Dean realizing that he will be a different caregiver/ teacher/ mentor/ role model to Reese than John would have been), allows Dean to re-think his relationship to his father; in the latter, a similar dynamic (Dean realizing just how different Sam's attitude is towards Adam than his own) forces him to rethink his relationship to Sam. Since S4 has been so strongly about the problem of Dean and Sam separating, differentiating, untangling themselves from each other and revising their expectations and presuppositions about each other, the moment at the end when this is vocalized is less heartwarming and more of a gut-punch than it is in OFS, in which the boys' epic love isn't really questioned.
That is, Dean saying "I am not like Dad" and "Sam is like Dad" is his way of saying "I am not like Sam" and "Sam is not like me." It is like the outburst from Metamorphosis we see in the previouslies ("If I didn't know you, I'd hunt you"), but here, in the context of fathers and sons, it has a different, possibly even more painful resonance: Dean is realizing, "Sam is not the person I wanted him to be/ that I raised him to be." And we remember that John's paternal skills are not the only model of parenting under the microscope in JTS.
We could say, then, that SPN is finding the generic conventions of fanfic ("temporary AU") helpful here, as it tries to push Sam and Dean's bond in new direction. The territory it is trying to explore, however—the possibility of the boys truly being antagonists—is one that much SPN fanfic has been (understandably enough) reluctant to entertain.
4.19, meta
isaacsapphire
Thanks for the background. I'm sure a lot of people are already very familiar with all this, but I've come a bit more recently to the fandom and it's good to see some perspective on the "fanfiction episodes".
Add-a-Winchester seems to have practically been a sub-genre since the beginning though, for all that it tended to be their sister Mary Sue Winchester.
I'm kind of new too, so am trying to sort things out for myself! I guess people think if two Winchesters are good, more would be even better--though, more seriously, it does put certain aspects of the family dynamic in a new light to add a bro.
(can't say I've read much Win!sister fic, though...do you know any good ones?)
Like I was saying about Mary Sue Winchester, most of the sister fics aren't very good and I avoid them, so I don't know of any good ones.
moodswingers
"Sam is not the person I wanted him to be/ that I raised him to be."
This plays quite nicely into the parent/child dynamic that is at the core of their conflict, IMO - Sam is outgrowing Dean, and Dean has trouble accepting it. (Or as that saying goes, every parent is disappointed in their children, and every child is ashamed of their parents.)
Very interesting meta, thanks for sharing.
the parent/child dynamic that is at the core of their conflict, IMO
I'm in complete agreement with you there! (and seem to come back to it every time I try to write meta, ie: http://ariadnes-string.livejournal.com/1736.html ) It seems to somehow make things worse that this element of their relationship is so tacit, so unspoken. Maybe because acknowledging his own role would mean Dean would have to confront more about what John was not... Not that I would expect, or even want, them to have a heart-to-heart about it--
Thanks--and thanks for reading!
erda_3
That was fascinating.
Sam is not the person I wanted him to be/ that I raised him to be
So heart breakingly true.
It is kind of breaking my heart! thanks for reading--
shorofsky
That is the most interesting thing I've read in a good long while. Awesome.
Thank you very much! thanks for reading--
yourlibrarian
though that was probably part of the elaborate in-joke of the episode
I wouldn't be surprised -- though I don't care ::hugs laundromat scene:: Actually I could think of a meta topic on just why we are so constantly writing laundry scenes and the like but that'll just have to go on the growing list.
And that brings me to JTS, and its "third-brother" narrative, which does just that (though it, too, turns out to be a "temporary AU" in the end)
Hmm, I like that argument.
And wow, I hadn't even remembered it had been the same state! Not impossible as their travels tend to stay largely in the midwest combined with the other stuff, huh.
JTS actually gets around this cleverly: it doesn't matter that Sam and Dean don't have real relationships to Adam, because he's not really Adam in the first place
True. Moreover I never get the sense in the episode that either actually sees him as a real person. They're too busy seeing themselves. Which makes you wonder, if they had been doing more observing and less projecting, would they have figured Adam out sooner?
Similarly the show only ever treats Adam as a plot device -- even his name is symbolic. On the other hand, we learn to accept and care about Reese just as Sam and Dean do.
But there is something significant, in both cases, about seeing Dean recognizing this for himself.
Yes, with Sam he can see it as part of "how things are" whereas with another person, he starts to see it as how he is.
the moment at the end when this is vocalized is less heartwarming and more of a gut-punch than it is in OFS, in which the boys' epic love isn't really questioned.
Yes, I do see this as significant mostly in terms of Sam and Dean's trajectories since S1. On the other hand, it is an interesting example of what TV shows can do that fanfic could but often doesn't. I have my problems' with SPN's writing, but I give them props here for doing the heavy lifting in terms of making unpleasant choices that fanfic more often "fixes" than breaks new ground on.
Dean is realizing, "Sam is not the person I wanted him to be/ that I raised him to be."
Makes me think that the real-life parallel here would be disovering your child had grown up to be just like your ex.
I really enjoyed this, thanks for writing it!
5/1/09 03:04 am (UTC)
with Sam he can see it as part of "how things are" whereas with another person, he starts to see it as how he is.
Really well-put!
it is an interesting example of what TV shows can do that fanfic could but often doesn't. I have my problems' with SPN's writing, but I give them props here for doing the heavy lifting in terms of making unpleasant choices that fanfic more often "fixes" than breaks new ground on.
I completely agree with you here. I love SPN fanfic--so much of it is well-written and inventive and emotionally compelling--but, yeah, there's a way in which the TV show, which is often sloppily written, is much more interested than fanfic in familial conflict, the unbridgeable fissures within families, etc.
It's interesting: I think SPN's really dark vision of family conflict (especially without the typical corresponding belief in autonomy--a person's ability to go it alone) is one of the unusual and compelling things about the show--and fans must like that about it, or they wouldn't like it so much. But, yeah, so much fanfic tries to fix things...
the real-life parallel here would be disovering your child had grown up to be just like your ex.
nice! and also ::ouch:: I've had a taste of that feeling, and it's not pretty...You're giving me some insight into my Dean-identification!
Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
It's interesting: I think SPN's really dark vision of family conflict (especially without the typical corresponding belief in autonomy--a person's ability to go it alone) is one of the unusual and compelling things about the show--and fans must like that about it, or they wouldn't like it so much.
It's definitely an area where they excel. They occasionally have other moments of truth on the show, but the family dynamics tend to be the most real.


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College Orientation Workshop
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WDBJ7 Feature: Virginia Military Institute hosts program to encourage minority men to attend college
By: WDBJ7, Roanoke, VA Published: Jul. 22, 2022
LEXINGTON, Va. (WDBJ) - 25 men will graduate Saturday from the cost-free College Orientation Workshop, known as COW, hosted at Virginia Military Institute. Eugene Williams founded the COW program in 1987 to encourage high school minority men to attend college
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» Obituaries » Verlyn Rentschler
Verlyn Rentschler
Published August 26, 2022, in Obituaries
Verlyn C. Rentschler, 86, of Egan, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, at his home under hospice care.
Funeral services were held Monday, Aug. 22, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Flandreau, with burial in Hillside Cemetery at Egan. Visitation was Sunday, Aug. 21, with a prayer service at Skroch Funeral Chapel in Flandreau.
Verlyn was born Feb. 4, 1936, to Charles and Ruby (Stevens) Rentschler in Flandreau. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran church. Verlyn graduated from Colton High School in 1954. He married Anna DeJong, on March 9, 1955; they were married 62 years. They raised six children. During that time, he enjoyed his farm life, which included raising and milking dairy cattle, pigs, chickens, goats, cats, and dogs. Before they settled in Egan, they rented farms in various locations and moved every four years until they bought the farm in Egan in 1971. It is the well-known Rentschler Clearview Farms.
Verlyn enjoyed being on the Egan volunteer fire department, competing in slow pitch and bowling, as well as singing and dancing whenever the urge came upon him. He had a well-known whistle. Verlyn actively supported his six kids in every sport and activity they participated in, as well as the grandkids and great-grandkids. In his over 30 years of driving bus, he drove for Flandreau, Egan and Colman-Egan. In those years, he drove three generations of his own family, either to and from school or activities. Verlyn ended his career working for Loiseau Construction.
Verlyn is survived by five children, Cynthia Menning of Flandreau, Charles (Sharon) of Colman, Clayton (Vicki) of Flandreau, Crystal (Kevin) Page of Artesian, and Cathy Jo Loehr of Egan; 17 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren; four siblings, Wayne (Orie) of Hartford, Terry (Anita) of Parker, Beverly (Mel) Maeschen of Farmington, N.M.; Ardys (Jim) Line of Clarkson, Ky.; sisters-in-law, LaVonne Rentschler, Joan DeJong, Gertrude DeJong; and brother-in-law, Dennis Schulz.
Verlyn was preceded in death by his wife, Anna; son, Craig; son-in-law, Tim Menning; parents; and three siblings, Barbara, Curtis and LaVonne.


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A mid-level (middle-aged) office worker's laid-back industrial revolution in another world - Chapter 51
A mid-level (middle-aged) office worker's laid-back industrial revolution in another world
Chapter 51 - Lady Alice's memories [First team]
*Batan………pofuu……….*
She entered the room and quickly dived into the bed.
This was Alice.
Alice Henry Elvis. 19 years old.
160cm. She was a slender woman but well developed and beautiful.
Her mother died of an illness and her father died 3 years ago when he fell off a cliff.
The 3 Elvis sisters were reputed to be beautiful.
The eldest was level headed whereas the middle one was rough. The three of them got along well as they lived their lives energetically.
The youngest sibling was their only brother. They lived together harmoniously.
Alice would often go to the town to play.
It was her daily routine to visit the bread store, or other stores and then do some window shopping.
While happily walking around, she was often called out to by several friendly people.
"Lady Alice, come here too."
She was loved by her family and the people of the town.
After the 2 eldest sisters got married, the eldest son, Smith, was considered the next head.
She raised him strictly and took care of him as a sister and a mother. She also taught him martial arts.
Her father was dead and the war with the demon kingdom was commonplace every 2 years.
Her grandfather, Fredrick, and Harold, all of them participated in the war which caused them to be absent from home.
It was one of those days.
A horde of goblins had appeared in the forest nearby.
There were 80 soldiers remaining in town.
There were 200 goblins.
They didn't expect an outright loss but they did forecast that about 10 or 20 soldiers would lose their lives or be injured.
The 17-year-old Alice strengthened her resolve.
This is the heart of the Elvis territory. This is our land and in order to protect our people, no one was to leave this place.
Even the young Smith was to remain here.
Alice conveyed her purpose to the soldier chief.
At the same time, she sent a message to her grandfather.
The soldiers were bewildered but Alice was determined.
"Lady Alice……….I'm sorry."
A female soldier dressed Alice in a fully plated armor with tears in her eyes.
Alice felt strange.
She had often worn armor for training but she had never found it so light.
Now that she thought about it, those armors must have been specially modulated.
She was impressed by the foolishness.
The goblins were already at the gates.
The gates to the city had been firmly shut.
Even if we were to be destroyed, we could still reduce the goblin population and help the city.
With just 81 soldiers, they couldn't really have any strategies.
The only thing that they could do was charge.
"Have……..we completed all preparations?"
"Lady, the soldiers have been deployed without an issue."
The soldier chief said.
"Thank you. I'm sorry that you have to accompany a young girl's first team."
"……..The soldiers came to a discussion earlier."
Alice was surprised. Was it because the soldiers wanted to reduce their stress? What kind of question do they want to ask?
Alice was also slightly relieved.
"The question they wanted as is, "What will we do after all of this is over?"
What a surprising question, Alice thought.
"I see. Were there suggestions for it?"
"All of them came up with an interesting idea.
'Let's all drink together with the Lady, of course, it will be the Lady's treat.' They said."
"Haha! So………these are the soldier's feelings.
Chief! Inform the soldiers! Alice Henry Elvis promises that after this war is over, we'll bring out quality alcohol from the Earl's storage and drink together."
"Yes! I'll inform them."
While they were talking, the goblins appeared in front of the forest.
If it was a flock of 10 or 20 it wouldn't be strange if they were all lined up but for 200 or them to stand in line is really too strange.
…….Alice thought………but even if it was strange, it was reality…….
They had to charge.
If they don't kill them then they'll be the ones killed.
They had to aim for victory.
Alice tried to encourage herself in a small voice.
"Alice, do your best."
"Tell the soldiers! We're going to charge ahead in order to protect our city and our people.
Aim to break through the center of the enemy! Attack the right-wing after the breakthrough! Annihilate them!
…….CHARGEEE!!!!"
The soldiers roared with Alice's voice.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
It was a clash of 81 soldiers and 200 goblins.
Alice lead the soldiers.
" I might die here……no I will live! I'll survive!"
At that time there was an ache in her right eye.
"Uhhh……ughh……"
No one noticed it.
No one had the time.
Run. Run.
A little more and the collision would begin.
The ache in her right eye turned into a strong pian.
"Uwahhhhhhh!!!"
……….Evil eye release…….
Alice was confused by the sudden change.
By the power of her body and the slowness of her surroundings.
The clash with the goblins-
The soldiers were slicing and throwing the goblins around and being sliced and thrown around in return.
Alice was trying to fill in the gaps.
Without thinking of anything, she swung her sword.
The goblins seemed to be sliced through as if they were a piece of paper when they came in contact with her sword.
There was no resistance.
She tried to slice 2 goblins in one go.
This was easy as well.
Then how about 5 at once? The result was the same.
Then, 10………..
When they charged in initially it was 81 against 200. Soon it became 80 against 180 and then 75 against 120. The number of goblins was reducing.
Once they reached 75 against 50, the soldiers began to take notice.
The changes in Lady Alice.
Blood was flowing down Lady Alice's right eyes as she resolutely swung her sword.
With each swing 7 to 8 goblins were instantly killed.
The goblins were trying to retreat.
But the soldiers surrounded them and captured them.
There were no goblins left around Alice.
Lowering the sword at the captured goblins, she yelled.
"The last ones remaining! Annihilate them!"
"AAHHHHHHH!!!"
The soldiers attacked the surrounded goblins all at once.
……….Once it ended, they realized that it was an overwhelming victory.
It took only about 1 bell to finish them.
It was now time for finishing up.
Searching around for fellow surviving soldiers who had fallen off.
Collecting the carcasses of goblins and stacking them up.
If we just leave them as is then their carcasses may attract wild dogs or other types of monsters so they must be incinerated at the earliest.
"I'll begin the report."
"The damage?"
"There is no damage to the city. 14 people have died and 30 are injured. There is no one missing."
"67 survivors………is it a lot? Or is it too little?
………….No, even if 1 soldier were to die the commander may be condemned."
Alice smiled sullenly with a pale face.
After finishing up, everyone gathered together.
The soldier chief went on one knee.
The rest of the soldiers followed him.
"Lady Alice, congratulations on your first team and first victory."
"Yes…..Everyone, please stand."
"What should we do now, Chief?"
"Yes! For now, let's wash all our clothes.
If we return to the city with bloodied clothing, we'll scare the people."
As he said that, Alice realized that her armor was dyed red with blood.
"Who do we start with?"
"Ha? Of course, we start with you, Lady Alice."
"……….Here………I undress?"
She asked the chief worriedly.
She was scared for a moment. Scared due to her misunderstanding.
The other soldiers prepared dozens of barrels of water.
"Shall we!"
The chief called out.
They poured about 3 barrels over Alice's head.
"#%^$&$^)@*$)@(#@!!!"
She felt her sad feelings also being washed away.
After the 67 soldiers had been washed.
[They were forcibly washed even if they were injured.]
The called forth the families of the deceased soldiers.
Husband, son, mother, wife, daughter, there were so many.
They thanked Alice.
"Thank you for saving the city."
They said.
"The soldiers' sacrifice wasn't in vain."
They did their best in order to protect all of you, to protect the city. Thank you."
She thanked them all with tears in her eyes."
Along with their families, they held a ceremonial cremation.
Comments for chapter "Chapter 51"
Master of Science and Technology
The Girl Who Spits Up Jewels
I Know Everything
The Grand Prince Has Run Away


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Don't change your medicine before checking with your doctor to make sure it's safe.
Relax in a chair, shut your eyes, and try some deep breathing. This should help you focus on happy thoughts and keep thoughts about your pain at bay.
Try water activities if you suffer from arthritis.
Keep your joints in mind at all times. Little chores can be very painful if you have arthritis. You should slide the items across the counters and floors instead of lifting them. You can also ask for help. You can get a better range of motion in your joints and suffer from less pain, if you keep your joints from getting irritated.
Place it on your upper leg and then use your hand's heel to push it down. This helps you to not have to use your fingers.
When treating joint pain, alternate the temperatures for maximum effectiveness. It's easy to overuse your joints, and switching between these cold and hot packs can ease pain and decrease swelling. Remember that using these treatments more than you should can cause further problems. Aim for a maximum of two daily treatments.
It can be beneficial to stop your arthritis pain early. One way to prevent arthritis later in life is poor typing technique. Concentrate on keeping your hands at the same level to your keyboard and place a raised pad beneath your mouse.This way you can reduce the strain your hands and keep yourself from developing problems later in life.
Switch between a hot and cold remedies. Try no more than two times a maximum of twice per day.
Go to therapy. Arthritis takes a mental toll on a person. It limits their options in life, and therapy can help them realize that they are not alone and helpless. Depression can be an issue for arthritis sufferers, and individual or group therapy can help alleviate those concerns.
Make sure you form a good stretching regimen. A lack of flexibility is a common complaint with arthritis. Having a daily routine where you stretch your muscles can help slow down or prevent this loss of flexibility.
Relaxing music can alleviate some of the troublesome symptoms of arthritis. Calm music relaxes the body and helps soothe your aches and pains. As an additional benefit, this music can be used as a sleep aid when your arthritis is keeping you up at night.
You may have less energy reserves. Ignoring your body's signals will cause you to experience more severe symptoms. Concentrate your energy on those things that mean the most to you. It is not necessary that you be everything to everyone and everything.
Monitor your stress level. If stress is not kept under control, it may act as a trigger for issues such as inflammation and or swelling. Regardless of what's going on in your life, it is important to have some stress-relieving methods to use as required to keep your body and mind as healthy as possible.
Be particularly aware of how much food you are consuming. Keep a journal of the food that you are consuming, and make notes on your symptoms after each meal. You may be able to pinpoint what is worsening your pain.
Let others know! Talk to them about arthritis and how your arthritis is affecting you. Arthritis can change your personality due to stress and anxiety, and often this will affect your relationships with others. Talk to people close to you and let them know how you feel. You need to make these people aware of what is happening in your life, so that they can provide you with the support that you need.
Arthritis causes joint inflammation, and many treatments are available to treat this condition. Urtication is an ancient remedy that may be used to help treat arthritis. You might as well try since it's an all natural remedy and may possibly relieve many of your symptoms.
Get equipment that can help you with dealing with arthritis. The right helpful objects can help you perform jobs with arthritis. Things like shoe horns, zipper pulls, zipper pulls and kinves are all great products that can make your life easier.These basic tools can make a big difference in your life.
Eating the right foods can help you manage your arthritis. There have been studies that have found that arthritis suffers who eat more beans, vegetables, fruits and olive oil for 3 months will have improved physical functioning and vitality. Incorporate plenty of fruits and vegetables into your diet to improve your health.
You should always plan ahead.You never know how your arthritis will flare up, so it is always best to have a plan able to be set in motion to deter any problems. Break up your jobs into sections so that you can rest between them, and have a way to end a task if needed.
A nutritionist can help you to create a healthy, low-fat dietary plan which includes valuable Omega Fatty acids, including Omega 3 and Omega 6 acids. Eating these types of foods will also control your weight so it stays at a healthy number. Find out which foods can help you to fight the onset of arthritis.
Having well-developed abs can actually help alleviate your joints. Research has proven that strong abdominal muscles improve posture, and this in turn stops further joint harm. Be sure not to strain your muscles while working out.
See your doctor for even minor injuries because they could lead to arthritis later on. Any injuries you receive should be checked by your doctor and properly treated.
Get as much sleep as you can. Try to sleep in total darkness; no alarm clock light, such as cell phones and lights, just relaxation techniques.
Take hot baths to ease pain and stiffness caused by arthritis. The moist heat can help relieve your pain by loosening up tendons and muscles and allowing your to relax. A warm, moist heating pad can be used for a similar effect. You can pick these up at most drug stores. Don't worry, they can be turned when wet.
Snacking can get you your nutrients to stay active, despite arthritis trying to work against you. Healthy snacks are the best options, and include foods like fruits and nuts, or organic protein bars from your local grocery store. These foods can give you a boost to get going; this cannot bog you down.
This record might give you and your doctor determine a proper course of behaviors or actions are triggering arthritis flare-ups.
When you exercise for arthritis, listen to your own body to avoid pushing too hard. Take things slowly, and always treat your body with respect. See your doctor if you experience any new pain or develop other symptoms.
Keep your arthritis under control by exercising and fit.If you have a hard time with weights, think about joining water aerobics. The water will help support you and helps massage you as you exercise. You are sure to find participation in water therapy helps you to cope with arthritis pain.
Get an occupational therapist in on the action. A good occupational therapist can teach you how to live more independently and as well as targeting the areas associated to your lifestyle that negatively impacts your arthritis. By doing this, you occupational therapist can give you ways on how to eliminate and avoid these problems which will allow you to live better.
A nutritionist can help you to create a healthy, especially 3 and 6, to your diet through foods or supplements. This will also serve to keep you to better maintain your weight. Find out as much as possible about foods that are helpful in treating and alleviating the onset of arthritis.
To help reduce flare-ups, you should take breaks often. When you have a busy schedule, you might feel that your arthritis slows you down. You may need to take breaks in between enjoying your daily activities.
Yoga is always something to consider! Getting into yoga can be relaxing, good for your muscles and joints, and, if you sign up for a class, possibly a great way to meet other people who share your issues. While participating in yoga cannot cure your condition, it can certainly reduce the negative effects that accompany it.
Strength training for your muscles can provide an advantage when it comes to relieving the pain that is so common with arthritis. Moderate or even high-intensity strength training can improve your mobility and emotional condition. Strength training requires a long-term goal.
If the pain is not too bad, get a massage. This can be amazing for relaxing sore joints and muscles, as well as reducing stress. Find a massage therapist who has experience working with arthritic individuals. If you are too sore, a massage might be too painful. Try it the next day.
A good support network to assist you with chronic pain of arthritis. You need a doctor for regular checkups so he can monitor your ongoing condition. You need to explain to your family members and friends exactly what you are suffering with and get support from them.
Acupuncture can help relieve your pain. Acupuncture can appear to be a frightening technique if you haven't previously experienced it. Learn more about it and find a doctor who knows what he or she is doing. If it is used in specific areas, it releases pain and tension.
Use a diary to track your experience with pain.Your doctor can look at the notes to better understand what caused and will cause your diary to find the best treatment for you.
Modify your environment to make it easier to deal with your condition. Examine all the details of your surroundings, and update them accordingly. There are many tools available that will help you in your day to day life. You can make life more manageable by making certain adjustments to your home and workspace.
Don't push yourself too hard when you're dealing with arthritis; cut down on daily chores. Even your daily cleaning chores should be kept to only one large job or task each day.
Arthritis is far easier to manage when you have your weight under control. Any extra pounds that you carry will cause pressure and strain to affect the joints in your body, making arthritis symptoms that much worse. Additional, having proper weight brings many other benefits.
An occupational therapist is a great person to talk to about your everyday tasks less painful. An well-trained OT can show you how to live a more independently.
Make sure that you constantly move your sore joints. Although this might be painful, it's better than the stiffness and additional pain that will result if you do not move your joints. Even a little movement can help your health and joints. It is important to implement a good exercise routine to help fight your arthritis.
This helps reduce your stress and relax your muscles. See a professional masseur who has experience treating arthritis sufferers. If the pain is bad, a massage can be very painful, as getting a massage during a flare-up will be anything but relaxing.
Drop some weight if you want to slow down arthritis effects. Additional weight puts unnecessary pressure on your knees. If you're putting a lot of stress on those joints, you'll have more pain and deteriorate quicker. Lose some weight to stay away from arthritis pain from here on out.
Now it should be clear that there is much you change to alleviate of a lot of pain associated with arthritis. After you understand what it takes to manage your pain and symptoms, all you need is the dedication to put that new knowledge to work. Once you learn some effective coping strategies and health practices, you can begin living a great life, even if you have arthritis.


An amazing Brazilian dish: moqueca de peixe. Typical dish of Espirito Santo near Rio de Janeiro. Made with salted cod, coconut milk, rice and hot chilies. Perfect for a chilly day. Thank you Anna Chiara Brucoli!


text:
News Physics 29 June 2018
German science facility is very flash
An enormous laser in Hamburg is helping researchers see things on an atomic scale. Gabriella Bernardi reports.
The European XFEL accelerator tunnel, deep beneath Hamburg.
European XFEL / Heiner Müller-Elsner
One is linear and the other circular, one underground and the other outside, one opened just 12 months ago, the other has been operating for years – but together they comprise one of the world's largest science facilities. Their names are European XFEL and DESY, and they are located not far from the famous harbour of Hamburg in Germany.
The European XFEL is a collaboration between 11 countries. The acronym stands for X-Ray Free-Electron Laser. It is the world's largest and most powerful device able to generate ultrashort laser X-ray light flashes.
X-rays are electromagnetic waves, similar to radio waves, microwaves, or visible light, but with a much shorter wavelength.
Conventional optical microscopes cannot see objects smaller than the wavelength of visible light, but X-rays detectors exploit their shorter wavelengths to "see" matter down to an molecular level of detail.
Scientists classify X-rays in two sub-classes: "soft", which are less energetic and with wavelengths comparable to large molecules, and "hard", with even shorter wavelengths comparable to small molecules and even atoms.
What are Free-Electron Lasers, or 'FELs'? In conventional lasers light is emitted by the electrons of excited atoms. Since these electrons are bound to specific levels of atomic energy, this kind of device can produce light only at pre-determined wavelengths. In FELs, instead, light is emitted by electrons that are stripped from their atomic bounds.
The wavelengths at which they can emit are determined by their velocity, so in principle can produce light at any band in the electromagnetic spectrum.
To generate X-ray flashes, bunches of electrons are first accelerated to high energy and then directed through special arrangements of magnets called "undulators." The accelerated particles emit radiation that is increasingly amplified until an extremely short and intense X-ray flash is finally created. Undulators can be arranged in several ways to generate flashes with different characteristics.
The European XFEL generates its intense X-ray flashes – typically lasting between a few tens and a few hundreds of femtoseconds, or quadrillionths of second – through high-energy electrons from a super-conducting particle accelerator.
The device comprises a tunnel 3.4 kilometres long and was built over the past seven years by a consortium of 17 research institutions. The project was led by scientists at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), which is located at the other end of it.
The accelerator releases up to 27,000 flashes per second, each with a brilliance that is a billion times higher than that of the pulses made by DESY itself, which was considered the best source for X-ray radiation before the development of free-electron lasers.
This is important, because with its extraordinarily bright, highly energetic and extremely intense X-ray flashes, the European XFEL will yield new insights in a wide range of research fields.
For instance, it will enable scientists to take 3D images of nanoparticles, to produce images of viruses and biomolecules at atomic resolution, and investigate how materials behave under the extreme conditions that reign deep within giant gas planets or stars.
The high number of flashes per second will also make it possible to film chemical reactions in super-slow motion.
There are many fields of application, including photonics, biology, energy research, medicine, pharmacology, chemistry and physics, astrophysics, materials science, electronics, nanotechnology, and environmental research into artificial photosynthesis.
The "first lasing", or the first laser light, was produced at the beginning of May 2017, delivering one X-ray flash per second. The European XFEL started user operations in September the same year, attracting research teams from all over the world.
Explore #lasers #x-ray #Germany #XFEL
Gabriella Bernardi is a science journalist and author based in Turin, Italy. Her two most recent books are Giovanni Domenico Cassini: A Modern Astronomer in the 17th Century (Springer, 2017), and The Unforgotten Sisters: Female Astronomers and Scientists before Caroline Herschel (Springer, 2016).
https://www.xfel.eu/
http://www.desy.de/index_eng.html
'The success is very sweet': gravitational wave triumph in quotes
The story told by those in the know.
Jumping gene flash: horizontal transfer is a major evolution driver
Study of 759 species finds derided mechanism in fact exerts substantial influence.
How is gelatine made?
A detailed story on the ingredient found in many foods – and its origin – in reverse.
Flash photography is fine, but please don't touch
Not all guidelines for divers are based on science.


text:
Q: Changing text attributes (font, size, etc) at the cursor level in a google doc using Google apps script I would like know if and how it is possible to change text attributes such as font, size, etc. in Google Apps script at the cursor's level. The script is bound to a Google doc file. For example, after running the script, the text font will change for anything written after that point while leaving the text written before unchanged. This is to mimic the way built-in styles or font menus behave in Google docs.
Here is what I came up with so far. It seems to change the text font globally in the document instead of applying the changes only to the text written after running the code. Any suggestions?
var cursor = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument().getCursor();

if(cursor){
var element4 = cursor.getElement()
var body = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument().getBody()
if (element4.editAsText) {
   body.editAsText().setFontFamily(DocumentApp.FontFamily.CALIBRI);
}
}

A: The code below changes the FontFamily for the paragraph in which you select a text... it keeps the same style for all what is coming after and preserves everything before.
If you want to go deeper in precision you'll have to play with offsets and work at text level inside the paragraph but I thought this version could be sufficient.
function setStyle() {
var selection = DocumentApp.getActiveDocument().getSelection();
  if (!selection) {
    DocumentApp.getUi().alert('Cannot find a selection in the document.');
    return;
  }
  var selectedElements = selection.getSelectedElements();
  var element = selectedElements[0].getElement().getParent();
  element.setFontFamily(DocumentApp.FontFamily.CONSOLAS);
}

A: The DocumentApp.FontFamily enumeration is now deprecated. You should use string names, like "Consolas" (case sensitive!), instead.

A: You can visit the setAttributes section of the DocumentApp Reference found here

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


How Is an Employee Concierge Service Different Than a Hotel Concierge?
Typically, people associate the word "concierge" with luxury. They think of high-end hotels in exotic locations and American Express Platinum cardholders.
Now, take these pre-conceived notions about what a concierge service is and apply it to your workplace. If your first thought is, "This is something for the top executives" you're in good company. Most people assume that the "luxury" of a concierge is reserved for the exclusive few.
At Best Upon Request, we challenge this notion. Our employee concierge program serves as the great equalizer. In other words, we've taken the exclusivity paradigm and flipped it on its head by designing a concierge service that's inclusive in two ways: it serves everybody and it provides support without the expensive fees.
In our experience, a strong company culture is based on inclusivity. That's why our employee concierge program serves everyone from the CEO to your newest entry-level associate.
A strong concierge program is all-inclusive. BEST's concierges are trained to do everything from gas tank fill-ups and grocery shopping to planning your department's next celebration.
In today's highly competitive labor market, businesses are adding employee concierge services to their benefits packages to recruit and retain top talent, build morale and increase productivity.
More employers are coming to see what we've known all along – that a concierge service isn't a luxury. It's a must-have for cutting-edge organizations with cultures that foster work-life integration for their employees.
We want to hear from you! In the comments section below tell us what your biggest opportunities are for creating an inclusive company culture.


Sterling silver is not same as that of the silver. Sterling silver is in fact not at all a pure metal like silver. Silver in its finest pure form is actually the lustrous and non-reactive kind of 100 percent silver metal. The purity would be somewhere higher than the order of about 99.9 percentages. The percentage of purity to the second and third decimals after 99.9 determines the different grades of silver metal. It all solely depends upon the type of ore from which the particular metal is obtained. Certain parts of Argentina have such high quality ores of silver the argentite. The ore itself is sold out for high prices to different parts of the world.
The ore will be separated from its impurities through the process of high temperature melting in a crucible furnace. The quality of ore that is obtained from different regions of the earths crust will determine the purity of the silver that is obtained after the smelting process. In addition, there are different ways to extract the metal out of the ore. It is the process of extraction that will determine the purity levels of the higher order.
The purest forms of gold or silver metals are not malleable or ductile enough. It is not softer to design them into desired shapes. Under such circumstances, making commercial utilities out of these special kinds of metals becomes an impossible aspect. It is for these reasons, mild concentration of the impurities are added on to the silver metal. When you add on certain kind of impurities such as the copper, steel, iron, zinc, magnesium, boron, silicon and so on, the impurities proportion will actually determine the physical as well as chemical properties of the particular kind of silver.
Experts in the trade and chemical engineers do make up the right proportions that are meant to be suitable for a particular kind of application. Aircraft industry, aerospace shuttle manufacturing, shipbuilding, automobile industry, and even the dental sciences field employ the silver. The particular grades of silver that is suitable for different applications of such a kind will be accordingly made with suitable proportion of impurities. Sterling silver necklaces, sterling silver bracelets are commercially cheaper and available in different range of prices according to the grades of silver employed in the specific sterling silver jewelry. Even sterling silver earrings and studs are available in the market that is quite affordable enough and still last longer in their glitter and shine.


This first post was written in August 2001, soon after my arrival back to the United States after my trip to the Cordillera Blanca of Peru in July-August of that same year. I spent the first week with my wife, Leslie, acclimitizing along the Inca Trail, and then the remainder of the trip on an expedition with Roger Wall, Marco Perez, Jaoquim our cook, and lots of burros and chickens (the chickens unfortunately did not survive the trip).
A few days of trekking through the Sacred Valley in the Department of Cusco, Peru brought us back five centuries into the heart and soul of the Incan Empire. My travel partner (who is now my wife– we weren't married at the time), Leslie, and I could only leave to our imaginations what the ruins at Sachsayhuamán, Tambomachay, Pisac, Ollataytambo, Winay Wayna, and of course, the most mystery-shrouded of all, Machu Picchu, were like before the Spanish conquistadors transformed them. Workers chiseling out the next stones to be placed perfectly into the city structures, gilt Incan walls, quinoa terraces tended by local farmers, guinea pigs (still a local delicacy) nesting in the stone houses of the locals—all probably were very typical at the apex of Incan society. These idyllic scenes have vanished, replaced by tourists swarming over what was once a sacred temple, Quechuan natives dressed in traditional clothing clutching puppies, begging tourists to take their picture in exchange for a sole (the Peruvian currency), and the Machu Picchu Sactuary Lodge, catering to those who pay $200+ a night to watch the sun rise over Machu Picchu without the inconvenience of the morning hike on the Inca Trail. The government has even approved the building of a ski gondola from Aguas Caliente to the top of Machu Picchu so more money can be creamed from the curious but coddled visitors to the world famous archeological site. While the concept of a gondola is in blatant contradiction to the true spirit of Machu Picchu, the demand for such a structure and the government's desire to profit from it can only be attributed to tourists, like us.
Year after year, thousands hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu on what is arguably one of the most spectacular hikes in the world. We chose not to hike the Inca Trail for this very reason. The frat party atmosphere at Winay Wayna, where all trekkers —Inca Trail bound or not—must pass to access Machu Picchu (unless bussing it up from Aguas Caliente or hiking in from another remote route from Vilcabamba to the west) proved our decision to steer clear to be the correct one for us.
Despite the taint or overcrowding and overcommercialism, the Cusco region of Peru is absolutely one of the most beautiful places I have ever traveled. The environment varies from the tropical jungle ecosystem of the Manu Preserve in the Amazon Basin to the high alpine rock and ice of massive peaks that climb above 6,000 meters (approximately 19,700 feet), such as Nevada Veronicá. Unfortunately, most tourists who come to Cusco do not venture outside of the Sacred Valley or beyond the Inca Trail. The reason for this is the accessibility of these sites, and the shroud of mystery that still covers most of department beyond Machu Picchu. The jungles beyond Machu Picchu are a remote area, with the forgotten city of Vilcabamba (also known as Espiritú Pampa), just recently having been uncovered for visitors. Few venture to travel that far, however.
For us, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley represented not the culmination, but the point of embarkment of our journey. Leslie and I parted ways in Cusco as she prepared to meet a group to trek in the Cordillera Blanca and I readied myself for a climb in the same range. My decision to climb instead of trek was one I had made before traveling to Peru. While it meant parting ways with Leslie, it would only be for a short time and would allow me to pursue an activity I am passionate about—challenging myself on climbs at altitude—and one I cannot pursue where I live in a Boston suburb.
I flew from the former Incan capital city Qusqu (now the modern Peruvian city of Cusco) to the Peruvian capital, Lima. In the seasonal gray gloom of that city, I met up with Roger, my good friend and climbing partner from New York City. Roger and I had climbed Mount Baker in Washington State together and have ice climbed in the White Mountains of New Hampshire as well as rock climbed in the Gunks of New York together, so we comfortable with one another's strengths and limitations. Choosing compatible partners is crucial to any expedition, but does not mitigate the other factors that can derail an expedition — as we would learn.
After an unexpectedly pleasant, but tiring eight-hour bus ride to Huaraz, the climbing mecca of the Andes, we were at last in the Cordillera Blanca. I stepped out of the bus feeling strong and invigorated as I inhaled the cool mountain air and absorbed the views of surrounding peaks. After picking out one of the many taxi drivers who cruised the area for business, we were shuttled through the wild streets of Huaraz to our Swiss-style hotel, the Hotel Club Andino, where we met Marco Perez, who would be leading us on our climbs over the next 21 days.
With 13 years of experience climbing throughout the Andes, Marco is one of the most knowledgeable and reliable Peruvian guides around. We were lucky to have him, particularly since we only found him at the last minute. Roger and I had debated the use of a guide and decided that since we did not know these mountains and were uncertain of how best to arrange the logistics and support for our expedition, somebody like Marco would make our trip much more enjoyable. Our expectations were exceeded.
The Cordillera Blanca, a range of twenty 6,000-meter peaks, represents the finest climbing in the western hemisphere—a climber's playground. It is ideally suited for the serious climber — whether looking for the challenge of a famous rock face, La Esfinge (The Sphinx, otherwise known as Torre de Paron), or the second-highest mountain in the Andes, Huascaran Sur (6,768m), or just seeking a scenic spot to practice mountaineering techniques on glacial moraines. Most climbers looking to check off big-name peaks come to attempt Huascaran or Alpamayo (5,947m), both formidable climbs. We opted for lesser-traveled peaks.
After stocking up on food, obtaining the services of a cook and porter, Joaquin, and making final gear checks, we were off for the Llanganuco Valley, one of the many beautiful valleys in Huascaran National Park. We climbed to 4,665 meters in about 3 hours, gaining spectacular views of the Huascaran Massif, Yanapaqcha (5,700m) and the Huandoy Massif (6,395m) along the way to our destination at Pisco Base Camp. Pisco Oeste (5,752m) was our planned first summit attempt and we were to spend three more nights in this valley, slowly advancing until our summit bid.
Already at base camp, I noticed the altitude in a way I had never experienced before in my other high-altitude excursions in Nepal and Ecuador. Most people experience some form of altitude illness when they arrive at high elevations, whether it be loss of appetite or a headache, but these symptoms usually fade with proper acclimatization. However, my extreme shortness of breath and elevated heart rate were atypical. On the way to moraine camp, while climbing over large boulders and scree fields, I felt fatigue and began to cough. My condition was worrisome enough to Marco that he ordered me to descend to base camp to rest. I did not object, knowing full well the consequences of staying at moraine camp. My condition could worsen, perhaps to a state of pulmonary edema, a life threatening condition that causes excessive fluid buildup in the lungs. Altitude can kill. The only cure for severe altitude sickness is immediate descent, and the evacuation of a sick climber over the Pisco moraine in the middle of the night would have been nearly impossible. So I descended.
Back at Pisco base camp, disappointment overwhelmed me. This was supposed to only be our acclimatization peak and I was already falling apart! After months of preparation it came to this. I was in the best physical shape of my life, training every day (with active recovery included), aerobically for 1-2 hours, lifting weights 4-5 days a week. Now, all that effort had been crushed by a simple lack of oxygen. It hadn't just been physical preparations that now seemed for naught: Roger and I had had difficulties pulling together the logistics of our trip , both of us having made sacrifices to get to this very point. Two other climbing partners had pulled out of the expedition when one ripped up his knee climbing in California and the other refroze once frostbitten toes when caught in a storm at the top of Grand Teton. Yet we two had still managed to make it here — and for what?
Roger and Marco had camped at Pisco moraine camp and continued on the next day for an early morning ascent of Pisco Oeste. After their ascent, they met me at Pisco base camp. I was happy for Roger and Marco when I heard that they had summited Pisco Oeste. I wanted them to push on with our original plan without me to Chopicalqui (6,345m), but, not wanting to fracture our team, Roger and Marco, decided that we should all descend back down to Huaraz, rest, and then head out for our next summit attempt. If we descended at this point and followed that plan, our chances of summiting a 6,000-meter peak would be slim. I had a hard time accepting this, especially since this was my second attempt at climbing a 6,000-meter peak (the first was a trip to Chimborazo, Ecuador that was thwarted by bad weather). Nevertheless, I reluctantly accepted, but silently vowed that one of us would push on to summit a 6,000-meter peak if the circumstances did not prohibit a safe attempt.
We decided the Santa Cruz Valley offered us the greatest range of options. This valley is home to some of the classic mountaineering climbs: Alpamayo, Quitaraju (6,040m), Artesonraju (6,025m), and what has been described as one of the hardest climbs in the world, the spired, avalanche-riddled Taulliraju (5,830m). I held out hope that perhaps we could at least get on Artesonraju or Quitaraju, which had been part of our original aspirations, but I knew that would be a long shot. After a first bout with sickness at altitude, it is hard to shake off. My lungs still festered with a lingering cough as we trekked past one gorgeous alpine route up towering peaks after another. After much discussion as a team and soul-searching for myself, we decided we would climb, but not to 6,000 meters this time. We would stay together and maximize our enjoyment of the mountains, the real reason we were in Peru.
Focusing on Millishraju (5,510m), a glorious snow-covered peak sandwiched between Taulliraju and Nevada Paron (5,600m), we moved forward with high spirits. We camped in an isolated valley at the base of a moraine that leads to Millishraju, our best campsite of the expedition. The next morning, after sucking down hot tea, bread and fried eggs—the classic breakfast of Andean expeditions— we got an early start for the summit. The moraine challenged us, as we pushed ourselves onto the glacier. The route brought us over a long snow climb, peeking out over huge sections of hanging glaciers and past large crevasses. After pushing ourselves hard for several hours, the summit loomed in the passing clouds ahead. I felt very strong. When we reached the summit, I was intoxicated with joy. There I stood—surveying the second-highest mountain range in the world, ist glaciers, rock, ice, and the blue skies that set them off like celestial palaces.
I looked forward to edging down the valley, to the point of departure for our next summit attempt. I felt once again like a king, picking among his castles, as I looked upon the unbelievable variety of mountains. We needed to plan carefully, however, since I could suffer a relapse of altitude sickness higher up and because Roger had experienced a relentless, altitude-related headache on the climb up to Millishraju. So we set our sights on Curuicashajana (5,510m), an imposing granite peak bristling with slabs of glacial ice. Curuicashajana would be enough of a challenge for climbers in our condition.
With the assistance of two burros, and reliable Joaquin, we moved camp to the base of Curuicashajana. Stuffing ourselves with freshly butchered chicken carried from Huaraz, we sat around camp the night before the attempt on Curuicashajana, admiring at the burst of stars that filled the clear Andean sky. The weather was perfect for our pre-dawn start.
As we set out, it was bitterly cold. Temperatures had fallen overnight. Since none of us had been up this peak before, we needed to negotiate an uncharted, steep moraine before reaching the glacier. The moraine proved to be a challenge in itself, with large clumps of grass obstructing our pathway as we scrambled over rock slabs. After three hours of climbing 610 vertical meters (2000 vertical feet), I stopped for a photo break as Marco and Roger plowed ahead. The sun was just beginning to send its intense equatorial rays over the Santa Cruz Valley, casting perfect light over the monstrous slopes of Piramide de Garcilaso (5,885m) and Artesonraju. I took several photos of this magnificent sight before turning to Quitaraju. Its massive western face dropped away precipitously, with its sharp ice flutes capturing the sun's rays along the way. I thought about the climbers who were probably summiting at that very moment on the other side of Quitaraju. It was probably the first 6,000 meter peak for some of them, and they were fortunate to have such glorious weather.
Moving forward in the cold air, the strength I enjoyed just the day before quickly began to leave my body as we rose above 5200 meters (17,000+ feet). I plodded on, frustrated. After another half hour of battling with my lungs, I stopped and waved Roger and Marco onward, shouting to them that I would be going down. I could not jeopardize the safety of my partners nor my own. Obviously, the mountains would not permit me to go any farther.
I made my way back to base camp. After a near glissade down the moraine on the slick clumpy grass, I was relieved to be in this safe spot. I spent the day recounting the adventure we were on, step by step, contemplating the decisions I had made along the way. Were they the right ones? What if I had just toughed it out? I had no answers, but that did not stop me from torturing myself for my choices. This is the most difficult struggle in the mountains—the one with the mind. The mind says, "go for it", while the body says "no more". I reminded myself that the losers of the struggle die. I had chosen what was best for me.
When Roger and Marco returned to camp, they said they had diverted from the summit of Curuicashajana, opting instead for a traverse over the rock-glacier line right below the summits of Curuicashajana and the majestic Rinríjirca (5,810m), in the direction of Taulliraju. It took them a solid 12 hours to complete. Both were utterly exhausted. As they told their epic, part of me wished I had been with them, but the other part was very happy that I had not.
We packed up camp and made our way over the high pass of Punta Union (4,760m), to other side of valley. It took us two days to hike out, going from contorted icefalls at the head of Punta Union, to bog-strewn pampas leading to Vaqueria, our departure point. The bumpy ride in our colectivo (mini-van) over another high pass at 4,700 meters was an adventure in itself. A flat tire, wet snow, blaring Peruvian pop songs, and a driver with the terrifying habit of letting go of the wheel, kept us occupied during the three-hour ride back to Huaraz.
In Huaraz, we said goodbye to Marco and Joaquin. Both had been excellent resources for us. We promised to keep in touch, for I was already planning my return to the Cordillera Blanca for next year's climbing season. There is simply too much to do in this mountain range, and I had only begun. Next year I would return wiser and more seasoned. We would ascend more slowly, give our bodies more time to acclimatize, and plan for high camps above the moraines if we decided to attempt any peaks that do not have frequently climbed routes. This experience had taught me two such important lessons. I would put them into practice next time. We had, with varying degrees of acceptability, successfully addressed the other issues ahead of time to maximize our chances for success this time around.
No matter how much planning for success you may do, it's never enough. Many things have to come together for a successful summit attempt: logistical planning, physical conditioning, weather, nutrition and hydration, health at altitude, technical climbing experience, teamwork, meshing of personalities and styles with partners, and a good dose of luck. The mountain decides whether you make it or not. I kept this in mind throughout the expedition. It would have been very easy for the mountains to become an all-consuming passion, seducing me into "summit fever," which casts caution aside. I avoided taking uncalculated risks and as a result, lived to plan my next adventure.


text:
Los Angeles must establish a right to housing:…
Los Angeles must establish a right to housing: Mark Ridley-Thomas
A homeless encampment on Skid Row. (Photo by David Crane/Daily News-SCNG)
By Mark Ridley Thomas |
PUBLISHED: February 11, 2021 at 8:23 a.m. | UPDATED: February 11, 2021 at 8:23 a.m.
Look around and ask anyone — your friend, your family member, your neighbor, or even the owner of the local coffee shop where you grab your morning coffee and they'll likely say the same thing: homelessness in our city has become more than a problem, it's now the defining moral crisis of our time.
They're not wrong and your eyes aren't deceiving you.
Whether you are in South LA, the San Fernando Valley, or Skid Row, walking down the street forces all of us to not just ask the question of how things could have possibly gone so wrong and gotten so bad, but what are we doing differently to address this.
Despite housing more than 22,000 people in 2019 (most recent year data is available), despite moving nearly 5,000 Angelenos from the streets into hotel rooms through Project Roomkey amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and despite the city creating housing stability for close to 50,000 low-income households through rent subsidies during the COVID-19 pandemic, results have not reached far enough. The images on the streets tell a far different story and it's unacceptable.
Last week, United States District Court Judge David O. Carter asked both the city of Los Angeles and county to consider the power of the court to act when a local government's response to an emergency such as homelessness has been inadequate.
The answer to this question remains to be determined, but what we do know is that the opportunity lies with Judge Carter's gavel to raise the standard by which we are compelled as Los Angeles public officials to take on homelessness with the scale and significance that is warranted.
What the data tells us is that the system we have works, if we have the resources to meet the moment.
For instance, in 2015, the various agencies across the county were responsible for helping 11,000 people transition out of homelessness.
Four years later, after Measure H was passed, and an additional $350 million was infused into our safety net, we more than doubled the number of people that could be helped.
But now, every day in Los Angeles, 207 people leave the streets, but 227 more fall in. This demonstrates that we know how to help people, but the problem has substantially outgrown our working capacity.
How do we meet this growing need?
If local leaders truly want to be in charge of addressing this crisis, there are structural issues that we will need to confront. The uncomfortable truth is that we won't do it until there is a legal mandate to do it.
Until there is a right to housing.
Once established, a right to housing framework provides guiding principles on how to allocate resources and institute protections, especially when a government is faced with difficult decisions in the midst of a financial crisis. Only under this legal obligation will adequate resources from our budgets be re-prioritized to treat this for what it is, an unprecedented crisis—second only to covid-19.
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When the pandemic is behind us, homelessness in all of its tragedy and travesty will staring us on our faces.
I've put forth a motion before the City of Los Angeles' Homeless and Poverty Committee, to move in the direction of a right to housing. We must create accountability coupled with the resources and legal obligation necessary to scale up our response with the urgency it requires.
Establishing a right to housing is the right path forward.
Judge Carter, you can help us get there.
Mark Ridley-Thomas is a Los Angeles Council Member and serves Chair of the LA City Council Homelessness and Poverty Committee, Co-Chair of CA Governor Gavin Newsom's Council of Regional Homeless Advisors, and principal author of LA County's Measure H.
1 killed after motorcycle rear-ends car on 405 Freeway in Hawthorne
Mark Ridley Thomas
Mark Ridley-Thomas is a former high school teacher and currently serves as a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.


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text:
Q: How to get current date & time in MySQL? Is there a value or command like DATETIME that I can use in a manual query to insert the current date and time?
INSERT INTO servers (
  server_name, online_status, exchange, disk_space, network_shares
) VALUES(
  'm1', 'ONLINE', 'ONLINE', '100GB', 'ONLINE' 'DATETIME'
)

The quoted DATETIME value at the end is where I want to add the current date and time.

A: Yes, you can use the CURRENT_TIMESTAMP() command.
See here: Date and Time Functions

A: The correct answer is SYSDATE().
INSERT INTO servers (
    server_name, online_status, exchange, disk_space,
    network_shares, date_time
)
VALUES (
    'm1', 'ONLINE', 'ONLINE', '100GB', 'ONLINE', SYSDATE()
);

We can change this behavior and make NOW() behave in the same way as SYSDATE() by setting sysdate_is_now command line argument to True.
Note that NOW() (which has CURRENT_TIMESTAMP() as an alias), differs from SYSDATE() in a subtle way:

SYSDATE() returns the time at which it executes. This differs from the
behavior for NOW(), which returns a constant time that indicates the
time at which the statement began to execute. (Within a stored
function or trigger, NOW() returns the time at which the function or
triggering statement began to execute.)

As indicated by Erandi, it is best to create your table with the DEFAULT clause so that the column gets populated automatically with the timestamp when you insert a new row:
date_time datetime NOT NULL DEFAULT SYSDATE()

If you want the current date in epoch format, then you can use UNIX_TIMESTAMP(). For example:
select now(3), sysdate(3), unix_timestamp();

would yield
+-------------------------+-------------------------+------------------+
| now(3)                  | sysdate(3)              | unix_timestamp() |
+-------------------------+-------------------------+------------------+
| 2018-11-27 01:40:08.160 | 2018-11-27 01:40:08.160 |       1543282808 |
+-------------------------+-------------------------+------------------+

Related:

*

*Difference between NOW(), SYSDATE() & CURRENT_DATE() in MySQL

A: Use  CURRENT_TIMESTAMP() or  now()
Like
INSERT INTO servers (server_name, online_status, exchange, disk_space,
network_shares,date_time) VALUES('m1','ONLINE','ONLINE','100GB','ONLINE',now() )

or
INSERT INTO servers (server_name, online_status, exchange, disk_space,
network_shares,date_time) VALUES('m1', 'ONLINE', 'ONLINE', '100GB', 'ONLINE'
,CURRENT_TIMESTAMP() )

Replace date_time with the column name you want to use to insert the time.

A: You can use NOW():
INSERT INTO servers (server_name, online_status, exchange, disk_space, network_shares, c_time)
VALUES('m1', 'ONLINE', 'exchange', 'disk_space', 'network_shares', NOW())

A: Even though there are many accepted answers, I think this way is also possible:
Create your 'servers' table as following :
CREATE TABLE `servers`
(
      id int(11) NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY auto_increment,
      server_name varchar(45) NOT NULL,
      online_status varchar(45) NOT NULL,
      _exchange varchar(45) NOT NULL,
      disk_space varchar(45) NOT NULL,
      network_shares varchar(45) NOT NULL,
      date_time datetime NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

And your INSERT statement should be :
INSERT INTO servers (server_name, online_status, _exchange, disk_space, network_shares)
VALUES('m1', 'ONLINE', 'ONLINE', '100GB', 'ONLINE');

My Environment:
Core i3 Windows Laptop with 4GB RAM, and I did the above example on MySQL Workbench 6.2 (Version 6.2.5.0 Build 397 64 Bits)

A: INSERT INTO servers (server_name, online_status, exchange, disk_space, network_shares)
VALUES('m1','ONLINE','exchange','disk_space','network_shares', NOW())

A: In database design, iIhighly recommend using Unixtime for consistency and indexing / search / comparison performance.
UNIX_TIMESTAMP()

One can always convert to human readable formats afterwards, internationalizing as is individually most convenient.
FROM_ UNIXTIME (unix_timestamp, [format ])

A: İf you make change default value to CURRENT_TIMESTAMP it is more effiency,
ALTER TABLE servers MODIFY COLUMN network_shares datetime NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP;

A: You can use not only now(), also current_timestamp() and localtimestamp().
The main reason of incorrect display timestamp is inserting NOW() with single quotes! It didn't work for me in MySQL Workbench because of this IDE add single quotes for mysql functions and i didn't recognize it at once )
Don't use functions with single quotes like in MySQL Workbench. It doesn't work.

A: $rs = $db->Insert('register',"'$fn','$ln','$email','$pass','$city','$mo','$fil'","'f_name','l_name=','email','password','city','contact','image'");


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I need to catch data/vars that will be sent to view from controller. For example: controller do something, but before render view I need to decide what to do, to render as usual or to use this data in other way. Is it possible? I'm tried to attach listeners to view and dispatch events, but probably I can't find where can I get required data.
Thanks for the reply, but this only works for setVars (as expected).
There are no method in static Tag class such as getParams or something. I'm tried to find it in DI tag service too.


TWEET SHARE Arizona's economy is growing and the unemployment rate is low, but employers are reporting one of the most severe labor shortages in decades. While wages are inching up, they fall far behind other important economic indicators. See how local employers, workers, an economist and educators are responding to the shortage.


text:
Atlanta Thrashers Hockey: Oh, What Could Have Been…
By Andrew Hirsh November 20th, 2012
By Andrew Hirsh
On April 12, 2007, the Atlanta Thrashers skated in their first ever postseason contest. The building was sold out, as over 18,000 Georgia residents packed the stands of Philips Arena, most sporting light blue attire. While that event took place more than five and a half years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday.
Unfortunately, the Thrashers lost that night: falling 4-3 to the New York Rangers in one of the most excruciating games in team history. Hell, every game from that series was excruciating in one way or another.
The Thrashers proceeded to lose the next three in a row, and just like that their season was over. Seven rays after the playoffs began, they exited without a single victory—scoring only six goals and surrendering 15. To this day, I have yet to watch any highlights from that week. I probably never will.
Being a native of the Peach State and a passionate Thrashers fan, it was difficult to see my team get knocked out in such embarrassing fashion. After all, I had waited since 1999 to watch them get that far, yet they couldn't get just one win against the Blueshirts.
But despite the disappointment, I wasn't upset. Not with so much to look forward to.
Having won the Southeast Division that season, the Thrashers were finally on the path to success. It wouldn't be long, it seemed, before they established themselves as one of the most talented teams in the Eastern Conference; and maybe, just maybe, they could win the Stanley Cup one day—a feat I had imagined in my head on so many occasions.
Kari Lehtonen (Credit: Tim Shahan/Flickr)
At the time, there were many reasons to believe a championship was possible in the coming years. Kari Lehtonen looked like a franchise goaltender in the making. Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa brought the star power, and guys like Slava Kozlov, Niclas Havelid, Garnet Exelby, and Bobby Holik provided the depth necessary to build a winner. Bob Hartley, who had won a Cup coaching the the Colorado Avalanche, appeared to be the right man to lead the way from behind the bench.
Perhaps most importantly, fan support was on the rise. Atlanta's average attendance was 16,240 that season—better than Boston, Chicago, Washington and New Jersey, among others. Had the Thrashers continued their winning ways, they would have surely been able to sell enough tickets, merchandise, etc. to stay afloat.
But as we all know, that was not the case.
The 2007 playoffs turned out to be the beginning of the end for NHL hockey in Atlanta. Lehtonen couldn't stay healthy and was eventually traded; Kovalchuk and Hossa were also dealt, both leaving in exchange for underwhelming returns. Payroll shrunk year after year, and attendance followed suit. Four straight losing seasons later, and the team was sold to Canadian businessmen and moved to Winnipeg.
Having followed the Thrashers since their inception, losing them was one of the more painful experiences in my life. In fact, this is the first time I've been able to bring myself to write about them since they left. But what made this relocation truly heartbreaking, at least for me, was knowing how easily avoidable it was.
Many of you may not agree, but the Thrashers could have really thrived in Atlanta if they were given a fair shot. Yes, Winnipeg is a more profitable city for the league to have a team in, but that's not my point. I have no problem with them having a team; I just wish it didn't have to be mine.
My point is that there are only a couple of markets that could have remained profitable through failures as significant as Atlanta's. The Thrashers made the playoffs just once in 12 years, and that lone appearance was the only time they won more than half their games in a season. Unless you hail from Montreal, Toronto or New York, your team's city would be a heap of trouble under those circumstances.
Philips Arena — Atlanta, Georgia
The Thrashers' worst attendance came in their final year, when they averaged 13,469 fans per game. To give you some perspective, both Chicago and Pittsburgh have produced worse figures than that since the turn of the century.
While there have been franchises to go survive worse financial stretches than the Thrashers did, they were able to do so thanks to committed ownership, support from the league, or both. Atlanta had neither.
The Atlanta Spirit, LLC, the group that owned the Thrashers from 2005-2011, bought the team because it was part of a packaged deal with the Atlanta Hawks (NBA) and the rights to Philips Arena. The men in charge of this limited liability company—namely Bruce Levenson and Michael Gearon Jr.—were mostly basketball people, and their priorities were transparent.
From 2007 onwards, the Spirit have spent enough on the Hawks to get them to five consecutive playoff berths and counting. Meanwhile, from 2007-2011, they spent right around the salary cap floor on the Thrashers—giving the hockey team a payroll too low to realistically compete.
When the monetary losses became too much for the Spirit to handle, they put their hockey team up for sale. Even though Gary Bettman had stated multiple times that the Thrashers wouldn't move anywhere—once right to my face—he did very little to help save the team from relocation.
After spending years fighting tooth and nail to keep the Coyotes in Arizona, the commissioner didn't make a single appearance in Georgia during the sale process.
Almost four years after being knocked out of the 2007 playoffs, the Thrashers played their final game in Georgia. Of course, they were handily beaten that night: losing to Pittsburgh by the score of 5-2. Roughly half the 16,085 in attendance left early—completely unaware that they would never see their team again.
Regardless of the poor result, I went to sleep that night very optimistic about the Thrashers moving forward—just as I did after their last game in 2007. They had built up a strong core, this time comprised of guys like Dustin Byfuglien, Tobias Enstrom, Andrew Ladd, Evander Kane, and Alex Burmistrov. With a productive summer, Atlanta could've put together a good enough roster to get into the playoffs the following year.
Once again, there was a lot to look forward to. Or so I thought.
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Franz Anton von Sporck (in Czech, František Antonín von Sporck) was a true Renaissance man who was noted for his intellectual and cultural activities in the 17th century. He was born to a German family in Bohemia, and though he was largely uninterested in Czech culture, his works had a definite impact on life in this country.
Sporck's father was from Westphalia, to a less than affluent family. As a member of the military, however, he distinguished himself for his service during the Thirty Years' War. As a reward, he was given large estates that the Habsburg monarchy had seized from Czech Protestant nobles who had refused to convert to Catholicism following their crushing defeat at the Battle of Bílá Hora in 1620. Sporck, the oldest of four children, was born in Heřmanův Městec or in Lysá nad Labem on March 9, 1662. His father had received a baronetage in 1647; two years after Franz was born, he would become an imperial count.
In 1675, the teenaged Sporck attended the German school of Charles University, where he studied law and philosophy. At the age of 16, he graduated from the university. The following year, his father (Johann von Sporck) died in Heřmanův Městec at the age of 74. Johann left a rich legacy to his family; an annual income of 50,000 thalers, and estates worth 3 million thalers.
In 1680, the younger Sporck set out on extensive travels around Europe, seeing England, Brussels, Rome, Paris and the south of France, The Hague, Spain, and Turin. His time in France instilled in him a love of French literature that was to last a lifetime.
Sporck returned to Bohemia in 1681, making a brief visit to Paris the following year. In 1684, he was able to take control of his late father's estates. They were extensive, including Malešov, Lysá nad Labem, Choustníkovo Hradiště, and Konojedy. Sporck himself built a residence, Kuks, at Choustníkovo Hradiště. He spent a great deal of time overseeing his estates, expanding them, and improving them. In 1686, he married Franziska Apollonia von Swéerts zu Reist, with whom he had two daughters and a son. Since their only son died the year he was born, Sporck kept the estates in the family by adopting his daughter Anna Katherina's husband in 1718. In 1694, a doctor from Prague stated that the Choustníkovo Hradiště estate contained a spring with waters that held healing properties. Sporck then built the Kuks spa (which still exists), along with a hospital. Sporck retained the services of an Italian architect and an Italian mason, along with a sculptor, to create the elegant buildings and grounds.
Sporck is acknowledged to have introduced the French horn to Bohemia, upon his return from his travels in 1681. He often held theatrical performances at his Prague palace and his Kuks estate; in 1724, he allowed an Italian opera company to perform at the palace. This led to the establishment of a theatre in Prague, under the direction of Antonio Maria Peruzzi, who was soon replaced by Antonio Denzo. The theatre became so famous that even Antonio Vivaldi came to visit it, in the 1730s.
Sporck, having created such a vivid cultural scene, fell under the suspicion of the Habsburg authorities in 1729. He was suspected of having anti-Catholic leanings, and his entire (extensive) library was confiscated that year. He himself was arrested, and a great deal of time and money were spent before he was finally cleared of any and all wrongdoing in 1734. The ordeal had been so harrowing that he went into retirement. He died on March 30, 1738, at Lysá nad Labem.