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Sunday, October 25, 2009 Thanks be to turkey. I'm a big fan of the eating holidays. And Thanksgiving, in my mind, is really the pinnacle of the eating holidays, because Jesus doesn't get in the way. (Sorry mom) My mom's stove. I know, right? Makes me want to be a fulltime domestic too. I really do believe that gravy is the thing that pulls it all together. I eat it by the spoonful. The spread, minus a few dishes. We're not a big family, so we don't over do it. Mushrooms and Spinnach Gluten-free stuffing Putting it all together. My number two favourite 'eating holiday' condiment - cranberry sauce. So key, and must be made from scratch 1-2 days in advance. There were mashed potatoes, but they had milk in them, and I wasn't in the mood to make my own. I'll see them at Christmas I'm sure. 1 comment: liza101 said... eff Jesus holidays, so much guilt not like thanksgiving at all!
custom blinds McKinney TX Lots of people ask us, “What’s the difference between buying custom blinds, and off the shelf blinds?” The problem is, most people think that custom blinds are going to cost them a lot more. Actually, our product is often the same price custom made as the products you can buy off the shelf. The difference is that the off-the-shelf product is not going to be made specifically to fit the size of your window. The Right Fit: Think of it as the difference between buying a suit off the shelf and getting it custom-tailored. If you have the ideal fit, a man wearing a 42 regular suit looks great. If you have a unique size, you’ll need a tailor to take out the waist, lengthen the pants, and make changes so that the suit actually looks good! Buying blinds off of the shelf may work for some windows but may need a “custom-fit” for others. Always check out the prices. If a custom price is the same as the off-the-shelf price, you should always go custom. Windows are not exact. When you buy off the shelf, it will say that it’s made to fit windows of a range of widths or lengths. This means that when you actually put it in your window you might have blinds that stack up at the bottom because they’re too long for your window. Or it may not be quite wide enough and you’ll have gaps in the sides that let light in. With a custom fit, even if windows are side by side we measure specifically for each window. You won’t have any stacking at the bottom or any gaps. Also, when you buy blinds off the shelf, that means you’re the installer! When you hire us for custom blinds, not only will they fit each window exactly, but we take care of all the installation for you. So if you have the opportunity to go with a custom fit vs. off the shelf, always go with the custom fit! If you tried to install blinds yourself and you’re not happy with the installation, we can help. Start by clicking here: Schedule a Free Estimate
Two dead after Afghanistan helicopter crash The cause of the crash is under investigation, but preliminary information indicates that no enemy activity was in the area at the time, ISAF said.
7/11/16 Chronicles Friends' blogs Latest Post - This Week Monday 7/4/16 I hope you all had a Happy 4th! I had a horrible horrible time sleeping last night because of allergies. I was pretty congested in the evening, so I took a Sudafed. Maybe that kept me awake? I don't know. I tried going to bed about 3am, but I just wasn't tired. My eyes were watering a lot, too. Then later, when I did go to bed about 5 am, I was itching a lot. I woke up around 7, coughing quite a bit, so I took one of my prescription coughing pills and drank a lot of water before going back to sleep. Then I woke up again around 9, coughing a bit more, and having a hard time sleeping, even though I was very tired. I read my email and social media for a little bit. Then I took some Robitussin and Claritin, and went to bed. UGH. (This happens all the time after I get a cold...it takes a while for this congestion to completely go away.) Then I was having weird dreams and nightmares. David woke me up after 1pm and I was still very tired. I really want a nap, but I'm going to try to stay up. We went to McDonald's for lunch and then got a few things at Wal-Mart. Not too exciting for a holiday...ah, well, hopefully next summer will be more interesting. Lately, my browsers have been freezing up. It's so annoying! Something is very frustrating to me right now. I bought these nightstands on Amazon, and it turns out that they're impossible to put together. I'm either going to have to send them back, or pay someone to put them together. Grrr! They did have some fireworks tonight...I can hear them outside. Most were Sunday night, though. We spent most of the day just watching the "Twilight Zone" marathon on Syfy. I got very sleepy around 11 and went to bed early for a change. Tuesday 7/5/16 I woke up coughing around 7 am and couldn't get back to sleep. Maybe I'll take a nap later. I emailed Amazon and they're willing to give me 30% of the cost of the nightstands back, so that'll help, I guess, since I probably have to pay someone to put them together. At least they didn't cost me too much, since I used my Amazon Visa card points. Update: Amazon said they'll give me 50% refunded!! Wow!! A few nights ago, I somehow managed to scratch my face in my sleep. One scratch was fairly deep and it's in a painful spot right next to my nose. UGH. I don't know how I do these things. I had put together a new Tablemate, which is a small cheap desk that you can use over your lap. I always buy one when we move (not worth mailing from the previous place) and it's super-easy to put together. It doesn't work well with this sectional, though. The legs don't fit underneath unless I put up the recliner, and then it's difficult. I guess I'll have to wait and use it if we get another chair. I like it because it keeps the weight and heat of the laptop off my legs. I was researching online, and you can buy furniture already put together, but of course it's much more expensive. If I'm too lazy to find something to watch, I get stuck watching the Food Network. I had no idea that Trisha Yearwood has a cooking show. It's deadly to watch...so much fat and calories! Like I need more of either... I went back to sleep and then slept way too late. UGH. I'll be up late again. Then I just wasted time web surfing and chatting with an online friend. I'll have to do some stuff after dinner because I feel too guilty otherwise, just sitting around, doing nothing. David's picking up McDonald's for dinner. I'm pretty sick of McDonald's. I really was already sick of it before we came here... I ate it way too often in Hawaii. They only have a few things I can eat. I would prefer Sonic, but he doesn't like Sonic because you sit and wait, rather than go through a drive-thru. Mostly he just hates waiting. I don't really like Burger King very much, either. The only other choices are all places where I can't eat the food, like fried chicken or Taco Bell. We could use an Arby's or Wendy's! The university has a Chik Fil-A, but it's not a drive-thru, either. They do have Flying Burger, but I'm kind of tired of that, too, although I should probably try their fish instead of the burgers, or their grilled chicken. I'm investigating now, and it looks like this local chain Chicken Express actually has gluten free fried fish filets! I'm going to have to try that. Also, we have a Dairy Queen and I love their foods. I haven't been there in a long time, and it looks to be mostly gluten free. Most of the food here is burgers, pizza, sandwiches, BBQ, fried catfish and fried chicken... so I have to be really careful what I eat. This restaurant Andy's Place looks good...I emailed them to see what I can eat. I'm trying to set up a new post office box. It's irritating because you can't really buy one online. You can apply, and pay for it, but you have to go to the post office and show 2 forms of ID, and fill out another form, before they'll give you one. Well, at least the one post office in town is open for two hours on Saturday. It was 99 degrees when I checked today, with 57% humidity. I'm sure glad to have a/c and don't miss our hot apartment in Honolulu! I do miss living in the big city and not having easy access to the post office, restaurants etc. But it's ok, I don't mind staying at home during the week, at least for now. I finally went through a large pile of papers I've had sitting here for a while, and through some DVD's, and I'm doing the laundry. Poor David...he has to be at work by 7 and can't leave until at least 5:30. It's going to be hard for him to get used to those hours again after having the last month off. He's probably not going to have time to run in the mornings, any more. I'm sure he won't miss the exercise because I know he hates it, but it's not going to be very healthy for him, either. He's a morning person, but no one wants to get up that early unless they have to. I'm beginning to think my browser problems are due to Firefox and Chrome not getting along....SIGH. It's very frustrating because I have 2 different Facebook accounts, and 3 Twitter accounts, and I can't use them in the same browser, so I have to run 2 or 3 different browsers. So here we've got three different companies' products, Firefox by Mozilla, Chrome by Google, Windows by Microsoft, plus the Norton Antivirus and whatever else I've got running....they should work better together. Surely I'm not the only one who uses all these different programs at once? And why is it, when I open the Task Manager, it lists Chrome 6 different times??? Normally, I hate how time flies, but I'll be very glad when August arrives, and September, too. Not because of the weather, but because I feel very unsettled right now. I can't wait to get the rest of our stuff, and buy furniture...I won't feel settled until I get the place set up the way I want it. I didn't feel that way until now because I had all of these other things to do, like unpacking our suitcases (plus being sick). I definitely don't want to buy any more furniture online. We need to buy it in a real furniture store, so they can deliver it and set it up for us. I hate putting stuff together. No more for me! I promised I wouldn't buy any more furniture until he gets paid, at least. We're doing fine for now with what little we have, although I could use a treadmill, so I don't have to go out in the heat to exercise. We have plenty of room now for one! Although our neighborhood is pretty quiet, the things in this house are not. The washing machine, fridge, oven and garage door are really really loud. Also, the stove and oven both take a really long time to heat up. Just little complaints...it's no big deal. Wednesday 7/6/16 I'm happy to report that Andy's Restaurant has a lot of food I can eat....I emailed them and a very nice guy investigated for me. I can eat most of their meats, including their fried fish, which they bread with corn meal and corn flour, not wheat flour; and their salad dressings and regular BBQ sauce are also ok. Yay! I had a lot of trouble sleeping. I went to bed very late, anyway, because I slept too much yesterday. But I kept waking up coughing. As usual, I still have a lot of congestion left over from the bronchitis, so I need to keep taking medication until it's gone. The pest control guy came by around 1 as scheduled. He was a really nice guy. Like everyone here! Hopefully I won't see any more roaches or spiders. David picked up take-out from Chicken Express. They also have fried fish that I can eat. It was not the best I ever had, but it wasn't bad, and I was just glad to have fried fish again. I had green beans as a side and they were very good. Now if only they could make fried chicken and hush puppies the same way! ;) It made a great sandwich later on, too. I sure wish McDonald's could make a gluten free filet of fish. I finally practiced my guitar for the first time in almost a month! Well, I mostly had a good excuse...moving and then being sick. It came back easily, thank goodness, and my fingers still have calluses, so it wasn't painful. I play pretty quietly right now, until I get my amp. I went to bed late again, around 5:30am. I took some Robitussin and slept peacefully through the night! Thursday 7/7/16 Someone from the Tuscaloosa area code called twice and woke me up, but I just shut the phone off. That's usually a wrong number. The people I know there don't call me, and the one person who might is in my contacts, so I doubt it was him. I got up around 12:30 to use the restroom and my new phone rang. I didn't get to it in time, and they didn't leave a message. Probably another wrong number! I checked my cell and the battery had died. Oops, guess it didn't charge. I went back to sleep until almost 3pm. Probably a bad idea. I called the local dry cleaners...seems like there are only two. I sent the info to David via email so he can decide what he wants to do. I also called this place we passed called Good Home Center, which said on the outside, something like "TV and Electronics," to ask them if they had someone who could put the TV's up on the wall for us. The guy replied that they would have to come by sometime after work. He got my address and phone number. I was kind of surprised by his answers, that someone would come out my way, when they could, so I forgot to ask if it was today or some other day. Hopefully they'll call first. We'll find out! He didn't want to estimate the cost over the phone, either. I hate when this happens....my soda cup sprung a leak, and I didn't notice it at first. I have a cup holder in the sectional, so the soda was going all over the place before I even noticed. What a mess. UGH! I had a nice long chat with a friend on Facebook :) I've been going through all my recent pics so I can put them on Facebook. It's taking forever. I just did April. UGH, too many pictures.... Seeing all the beautiful photos of Hawaii makes me sad. I enjoyed seeing the ones of my friends in San Diego. We had such a fun time there! Especially our big karaoke night. I need to take a break. I've been sitting here too long.... I get very stiff and sore if I sit too long. Gettin' old! I watched some TV, went through a bunch of papers, and then eventually went to bed too late again. Friday 7/8/16 David woke me up about noon. We went to the Chinese buffet for lunch. There wasn't too much I could eat...most of their food has soy sauce or breading. Ah, well. Too bad. We had a really big and good buffet in Columbus that had plenty of grilled meat and salad. I miss that place. Actually, even in Hawaii, there were not too many buffets of any kind, and I couldn't eat most of the Chinese food there, either. So I'm kind of used to that. I mostly ate green beans and fried rice, and I'm hoping they were safe. Update: I was sick all afternoon and evening from what I ate. I should have been more careful... ugh. I had an upset stomach all day, and worse. I was also very congested. Further update: I was pretty sick for 3 days. We went to the post office after that. I mailed a couple of packages, and I tried to open my post office box. I didn't read the instructions online carefully enough. It says you need 2 valid forms of ID, so I brought my driver's license and my passport. I should have read further because it says you need one non-photo ID that has your address on it, like a lease or vehicle registration. Darn it, now we'll have to go back again. They make it way too tough. I took a nap after that. Later, we went out to the grocery store, Brookshire Farms. Then we drove through Burger King. I thought I was buying a grilled chicken sandwich, but it' something called a chicken burger, which is not gluten free. Also, Burger King now puts wheat in their fries. Darn! I guess they're trying to be more like McDonald's because they have way better fries and put wheat in theirs, too. I miss Jack-in-the-Box... For some reason, the online weather sites keep saying it's 100+ degrees this week, yet the local radio says the highs are around 96. I wonder why it's so different? I tried to go to bed relatively early, but every time I lay down, my stomach felt worse. I think it was about 2 am by the time I finally went to bed for real. Saturday 7/9/16 I slept in and then woke up with a sore throat, but it was just from allergies and being a little dehydrated. We tried the place that we hadn't been to before, Andy's Restaurant. I had the salad bar and the BBQ pork. David had the fried fish and salad bar. The salad bar was ok. The BBQ was great! Then we picked up one of David's new suits that had been on order, and then we went to Wal-Mart for a few things. I tried to nap after that, but I was coughing again. Still suffering from yesterday's glutenizing. :( I've just been working on my site and not doing too much. I keep thinking it's Sunday because David was home for most of Friday. That's going to take some getting used to! I've been eating too much, and not eating healthy, and not exercising, so I plan to fix that this week. Also, I still need to practice guitar every day. I worked a lot on my site. I also finally tackled the big pile of cardboard boxes that needed to be broken down or dismantled and put in the trash. I did most of them. I only have a small knife, so the others are going to have to wait until I get a bigger or sharper knife. I was feeling really energetic, so I also swept the living room, hallway and kitchen floors. I also have one cheap little broom, but it did the trick. It was time to get rid of the dirt and debris that had accumulated. The problem with having wood floors and no rugs is that you see all the dust and dirt very easily. I was just sick of looking at it, and sick of stepping on things. Also, since he sprayed, there are quite a few dead insects lying around. I also did the few dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. I also caught up on some TV watching. I tried to go to bed somewhat early, but I was having bad allergy problems still. I think I got to bed around 4 am. Sunday 7/10/16 David woke me up for lunch. We went to the nearby Mexican restaurant. It's pretty good. There were a lot of people in there this time. We didn't really go anywhere else or do too much. We were both kind of tired. My allergies have been really bad still. I'm trying to take as much medicine now as I can, to try to get rid of all of this junk. Sweeping probably didn't help; I may have stirred up too much dust. We mostly just watched TV and worked on the computers. I feel like I got a lot done this weekend. I swept our bedroom and back bathroom, and I did the laundry and put it all way. I even washed our bedclothes. I'm very tired and will probably try to go to bed around 11. That's really early for me! Hopefully I can sleep through the night without coughing and get up early and keep that schedule. Maybe I can go out walking if it's not too hot. It poured rain about 8:30! That's only the second time it's rained at all since we got here. It's been pretty dry (which is nice). I put up the April photos I took; you can see them here in 3 different albums. Sorry this blog is now so boring...since I mostly stay home, it's not going to vary too much, except when we travel. Have a great week, and I hope it's not too hot for you! This page updated 3/24/17
Visual Studio 2017 for C++ developers – you will love it Here on the C++ product team at Microsoft, our mission is to make the lives of every C++ developer on the planet better. We try to do that via various avenues, including but not limited to, 1. by enthusiastically participating with the C++ Standards committee to help the language itself be better for every C++ developer in the world, 2. by providing the Microsoft Visual C++ (MSVC) Compiler, which we aim to be the best compiler choice on Windows for targeting Windows, 3. by continuing to enhance the C++ extension for Visual Studio Code, which is useful to all C++ developers regardless of the platform they do their development on, and finally, 4. by improving Visual Studio, which is the most fully-featured IDE on the planet. It is that last investment, Visual Studio, which I wanted to focus on in this blog post. Specifically, we’ll focus on the latest release, Visual Studio 2017, which we are confident you are going to love! We have blogged previously about the value in VS2017, so this post will just be a summary pointing to older posts we wrote that are now all updated for the final RTM release. First, we’ll summarize the new installation experience, then how it is pain-free to upgrade, then the new capability to open any folder of code (including CMake-based solutions), then how Visual Studio is for everyone, and finally what is new for productivity and performance. Faster installation and your hard disk will thank you When you install VS2017, you’ll encounter a new screen that organizes your installation options by what we call “Workloads”, so you can pick the one(s) that you care about while ignoring the others. The workloads most relevant to C++ developers are: Universal Windows Platform development, Desktop Development with C++, Game development with C++, Mobile development with C++, and Linux development with C++. This is exciting because it makes it easy for you to pick exactly what you want to have installed, without the bits that you don’t, e.g. no ASP.NET bits if you are not also a web developer. The obvious benefits are that you end up with less visual noise while you are using the product, less use of your disk space, and you can get everything installed faster! For example, if you only pick the Linux development with C++ workload, you can get it all installed in under 6 minutes on a typical developer machine. The Desktop Development with C++, which most Visual Studio C++ users use today, takes less than 12 minutes. It is worth mentioning that what you are seeing is not only a reorganization at the UI level, but a complete rewrite of our installer. Pain-free upgrade Before joining Microsoft, when I was a customer, I was always excited about a new Visual Studio version, but also apprehensive about “upgrading” my projects and dealing with a few new errors/warnings on my codebase that worked fine in the “older” Visual Studio. If you are currently using VS2013 or older, and you initially want everything to continue working as it was, there is good news for you: just use the older compiler and libraries toolset that is already on your disk with the latest Visual Studio. If you are already using VS2015, even on a clean machine (instead of side-by-side), you’ll notice in the new VS2017 acquisition experience described in the previous section that there is an option to install just the toolset that shipped with VS2015 (rather than the whole VS2015 IDE), so that you can continue using the older toolset while enjoying the benefits of the latest VS2017 IDE! Of course one of the many reasons you are moving to VS2017 is to use the latest toolset with build throughput improvements, faster generated code, and the standards conformance goodness of the latest compiler and libraries so you will upgrade to the latest toolset, which by the way is binary compatible with the one that ships with VS2015. You can further take advantage of the standard version compiler switches and the permissive- switch that help you ease into the conformance at your own pace. For any language conformance changes you encounter, you’ll find we put significant effort in making our documentation great for that eventuality. Finally, for any open source 3rd party libraries you depend on, our new package management solution vcpkg with its growing repository of libraries has your back. And if you have adopted that already for your VS2015 projects, you’ll find they automatically work when you move to VS2017. Just point Visual Studio to your code In the previous section, we touched on upgrading projects where the assumption was that you already have Visual Studio projects, or more accurately MSBuild-based projects. What about those of you who use other C++ build systems, such as makefiles or CMake? Until this VS release, you needed to create VS projects and add your code to that, or somehow generate a VS project from your current build system. Now, you can just “Open Folder” with any code directly in Visual Studio 2017! Depending on your build system you will automatically get some IntelliSense, navigation, building, and debugging capabilities… and you can improve those experiences by further configuring and adding information in JSON text files. For those of you who have chosen CMake, you will love the CMake-support in Visual Studio, just point VS to your CMakeLists.txt files and enjoy. Use Visual Studio for all your projects and target platforms When we talk to some of you, we know you keep an older version of Visual Studio side-by-side with the latest. As we already established earlier in this post, there should be no reason for you to use the old IDE, just use the older toolset in that project with the latest Visual Studio 2017 IDE. Some of you use VS for one project, but not for your other projects. In the past, there were many valid reasons for that, such as you didn’t want to convert your nmake-based (or other non-MSBuild-based) codebase to MSBuild; as established earlier, now you can just point Visual Studio 2017 to any folder of C++ code and work with it. Another reason we hear is that folks use Visual Studio to target Windows, and other IDEs to target other platforms. Again, there is no need for that now. As touched on earlier when talking about workloads, from Visual Studio you can target Android and iOS and Linux. Implicit in that statement is that you should also not be thinking about Visual Studio as the IDE that only pairs with the Microsoft compiler, instead you can use any C++ compiler you want with Visual Studio. Some of you may prefer using editors instead of IDEs, and that is fine, check out the Visual Studio Code editor. And when you need some heavy debugging, you can easily switch to Visual Studio for that purpose (by launching the EXE as a project or attaching to the running process) and then switch back to your editor of choice. In short, if you have chosen Windows as your development environment, regardless of what platform you target or what kind of project you are working on, Visual Studio 2017 is there to support you as a C++ developer. Be more productive than ever The blog post until now has been essentially about how fast and easy it is to install the product, and how many options you have for getting your codebase in Visual Studio and make sure it builds. You are now ready to do real development, and for many of you, productivity is the main reason you use Visual Studio. It saves you a lot of time during your everyday development in what we call the tight inner loop of editing, navigating and debugging code. If you are not on VS2015 yet, the amount of productivity features we added to that VS2015 release will have you drooling and VS2017 takes that even further. Visual Studio 2017 includes enhancements to existing features and new features such as: Find All References re-designed for larger searches, Introducing Go To the successor to Navigate To, C++ IntelliSense Improvements – Predictive IntelliSense & Filtering, Bing Developer Assistant with C++ support, C++ Edit and Continue improvements, enhancements to the Memory diag tool, enhancements to debug visualizers, the new Exception Helper, Run to Click, Attach to Process Filter and Reattach, .editorconfig, and new Git features. You can also learn about more VS productivity improvements beyond just for C++ code. Beyond that kind of productivity, the team focused on the fundamentals of performance in the IDE. When you build during the inner loop, where all you want is for the build to complete quickly after the edits you have just made, so that you can run/test/debug your code, the linker will save you time with 2x to 4x faster links with the on-by-default and improved fastlink option (and watch the ch9 video). Beyond build throughput, you’ll find that VS starts up faster, loads solutions faster (video), IntelliSense is faster and generally working in the IDE will truly feel faster. Smile and take credit And last but not least, you helped us build this release with your suggestions and bug reports – thank you! In the last year, we have completed 37 C++ UserVoice items, fixed 417 bugs reported through Connect, and fixed an additional 352 feedback items. Please keep the reports coming, you can report any issues you have with Visual Studio by going to Help > Send Feedback > Report A Problem, and we take your comments very seriously – thank you again. In Closing We hope you’ll love using this release as much as we liked producing it. As you can see there are so many new capabilities to take advantage of, and the goal of this summary blog post is to collect all the relevant links in one place for those of you that haven’t been following in the past year – the real content is behind the links, so scroll back up and get clicking folks.
Farris Ismati Farris Ismati - 1 year ago 58 AngularJS Question How to change an object's property in AngularJS I have a function that sets a property in an object to false if it's true and true if it's false. Yet every time the function runs the object doesn't get affected. $scope.menuButtons = [{header: "beaded", isActive: false}, {header: "laced", isActive: false} $scope.activeButton = function(isActive) { isActive == true ? isActive = false : isActive = true; Here's the HTML <div ng-repeat="b in menuButtons"> <div ng-click="activeButton(b.isActive)" class="shop-navbar-button">{{b.header}}</div> I'm using the isActive value to see if the button is active so I can use a different class. For some reason the isActive value in the $scope doesn't get affected. Answer Source Pass in b instead of b.isActive. The boolean is just being passed by value, so re-assigning the value will have no effect on b.isActive.
Friday, June 26, 2009 The beauty of nature! Every single day I am reminded of what a beautiful world we live in, all it takes is for you to step outside and enjoy it. I'm blessed that my in laws live in a country home surrounded by vast land, ponds and all sorts of amazing sights to see, so I thought I would take you on a virtual tour of what I'm surrounded by daily. I'm fascinated by the huge spiderwebs I'm finding all over the land, it's almost like a white blanket spread out over the banks of the pond. I am not fond of weeds but even I have to admit that this Creeping Thistle is beautiful. Wooded area behind the house....ok well it's not exactly a forest, but just a bunch of trees at the end of the yard. I love dragonflies and I've been enjoying my share of these beauties around here. I didn't even know there were so many different colors. Yet another spiderweb Right behind the house is this white rock, it seems that it used to be a river or some sort of creek or something. But we even found fossils in that rock, of course the kids were ecstatic. When we first arrived there were tons of tadpoles in the pond, the other afternoon we went for a walk and had to literally watch every step we took, these little ones had turned into the cutest frogs. I'm off to enjoy the sunset, hope you all like the photos :) 1. What a beautiful spot! I'm impressed with the spiderweb. I tried to get a picture of one recently and had a hard time. 2. What beautiful land! Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos throughout your trip! 3. These are really gorgeous photos, what a great eye. I love the one of the frog. The husband and I are looking forward to getting out and exploring the English country side this summer. It's good to get out of man-made surroundings on occasion to remember what real beauty is. 4. What a blessing that you get such a beautiful yard when you visit your in laws! Your pictures are as always so great! Have a great trip! 5. Beautiful place, Sandra! All those spiderwebs on the ground are amazing. I've never seen that before. My kids would be in frog heaven over there! :v) 6. Wonderful pictures! My favorite was the little frog. The scenery where you are is just gorgeous! 7. wow. so pretty sandra ! and the little froggies. they are so adorable. looks like you guys are having a good time !! i'm glad !! 8. Wonderful photos!!
Wisdom from Sabian What would you like to say on the blog? Trust in your divine self Trust that you have the choice to make other choices if you so wish Trust that all will be well and is perfect for you. Now for the fun stuff. BE like a cat. Have you noticed that they have complete trust in themselves? They hold the space of being in the present moment. They RELAX into it. Into the NOW. Practice being like a cat. BE your present. You are your moment of Now. Come home. Be at peace. Wisdom from Sabian We’re back! Thank you a for your patience while we were on hiatus from the blog. We’ve missed you and I hope you enjoy what Sabian has to say! MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERAAs I sat down to write opening my heart to Sabian, someone walked by with very different/dissonant energy. As I felt this, I watched my body began to tighten up and constrict. Let go of that belief that opening your heart means it opens you up to the energies surrounding you. An open heart, a truly open heart (open to the divine no matter what) protects you. It fills you with the love of the divine. A love for yourself and others. Where you have compassion for yourself and others for you see the Truth of what is. (Low vibe tv sounds began to be heard through the walls and my focus left Sabian and briefly went to the sound) Here is the Truth. Yes, the noise of the tv is distracting if you let it be. Ask for help to hold the connection, to stay focused thru the noise. You’ve done it many times before. What was different here? Take a look. Now, be in our space of the heart and let yourself be lifted above those dissonant energies. Imagine standing on a bridge and those things that feel harsh or dissonant are the river underneath flowing past. No need to engage. Let them move by and let yourself be in the heart. Having trouble just being there? (I was feeling a bit frustrated and didn’t immediately pop back into my heart) Be thankful. Say ‘Thank you’ to the energies for showing you where you start to contract and reminding you of a better way. Thank you that you are writing again. Thank you for your wonderful heart. Thank you’ for all that you are blessed with. Then say, Thank you for each one of those blessings as they come up. Your heart is once again blooming. (Over the last few days he’s been showing me pictures of cats with flowers. When I ask what’s up with that he just smiles.) Conversations with Sabian Listen to your body. What is it telling you? Check with each part of yourself, your feet, legs, etc. Check through your entire system. The body is more calm, but there is uncertainty moving throughout. Yes. Accept and allow it to continue to move…. Now focus your attention on your heart and again breathe deeply. Allow the heart to open more and more and allow the joy of who you are to spill forth. At the same time as your awareness is centered in your heart listen to the wind blowing through the leaves. What is the wind telling you? Be at peace within while great change is happening without. They are also singing the song of connectedness. Breathe from your heart once more and allow your heart song to sing with the wind and the trees. Wisdom from Sabian Breathe……. Again…… And once more… Big deep breath There… Listen to my voice… Focus your attention on my voice. Laughter, yes.. It will get to the point where you will not ‘hear’ me and just type. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Enjoy the kitty that is sleeping near you. He is there to help, to remind you. He wants to work with you now. Allow it to be. Connect heart to heart with him. You know how. The block you are encountering is shifting, be patient. Impatience will slow the process. Breathe again There are kitty signs for you out there. Have you noticed that Cat pictures are showing up all over the place? Remember….. Remember…. Remember This may not make sense. That is okay, put it up on the blog anyway. Converstations with Sabian Thank you for the feeling of your paws on the keyboard. It helps, yes? Oh yes, very much so. Don’t get caught up on the other energies, the people in the house that are watching tv. I know it’s difficult, you will find the quiet that you need. It is coming, and faster than you are aware. There is a sense of armies/legions of assistance on its way. Yes, this is true. Use this opportunity to practice presence. It is a challenge with the energy of the those you are temporarily sharing space with. You have not had to muscle up like this before. Use this time of challenge as an opportunity. You will find it is obvious the minute you loose center while having to swim in these new waters. A good opportunity to strengthen the practice of always being in your center, always present. There is a lot of low vibrational input from the area(s) around you right now. Yes? Yes, more than I had imagined. You’ve also watched as miracles have happened and seen how that (harsh energies) has ceased for a bit here and there. You mean like the news on the tv that had been constantly playing since I arrived ceasing because someone messed up the remote and didn’t figure it out for two days. Exactly. (Big knowing grin) Work on allowing Source to hold to your boundaries, a time to pull up your strength and surrender into who you truly are on a moment to moment basis. Each moment, allow time to stand still if you need. At this time you need to be vigilant about the energies, but not uptight about it. Don’t’ go into contraction. Focus on the many positive things with this recent change. You know, those things that you bring a smile to your face. Pay attention. Watch when you find yourself smiling. LOL, like now. (Another huge grin) Thank you Conversations with Sabian Sabian was in a comic mood when this came through. He was the one to start the conversation. I barely had my hands on the keyboard. I knew something was up when he started with the long echo hello like you hear from across a canyon. Relax tiyr nubd and ket tiyr fubgers type ....may want to get your fingers on the right keys first. ROFL now everyone will know that you type these with your eyes closed! (He thinks this is VERY funny.) Made you smile. That you did. (As a feel the corners of my mouth go up) There you go. You gotta lighten up! Allow yourself moments of laughter, of joy! When it cools down go outside and spend some time with the trees. Let me give you an insight. There is a part of you that desires to have doubts, to use as a distraction and a reason not to go forward. Drop that and Forge ahead! (Showing memories of lying in the sand at the beach. Sitting under a tree in the mountains in spring. Lying in the grass in the fall and walking in the snow in winter.) Why are you giving me memories of different outside experience from the different seasons? Why does each of those memories standout? Because they were moments I paused to take a breath and just allowed myself to be fully present in the joy of the moment and the joy of just Being. Give yourself more of these. Even though you are not outside you can give yourself one of them right now. Be fully present in this moment. In-joy of BE-ing the moment. As I did this I found the joy well up from within. You see, each moment can be special if you allow it to BE. Wisdom from Sabian Everything is incredibly challenging for everyone right now. As you sit there starting to work and wanting to go into tasks that call for creativity, inspiration from that place from within. You noticed that there was an egoic part that wants things a bit more comfortable, believes it needs justabitmore… to feel comfortable before diving in. The energy is borderline fussy. LOL.. Would have stepped completely over into fussy had you done any of the little things that had popped into your mind to do. You didn’t. (Sabian gives me a smile – no words, but sending the feeling of doing better at catching this) You allowed enough space for you to notice (these spaces are helpful in breaking long-held habits) what was happening giving you choice and in that choice, you were not aware you called me in. You paused going inward, asking for clarification, truth, what was wanting in the moment. This is not a fight with the ego or a time to ‘placate’ it with a little this or that. Treat it like you are heading off a child that wants one more glass of water before bed when you KNOW that child is fine with the first two cups. Gentle, kind but firm. Talk to the ego and body, remind them you are fine. Everything is well, all will be alright, you are taken care of. Read about Sabian’s beginning or why it took 35 cats to replace him! Wisdom from Sabian The temperature is really hot where I am right now, hitting triple digits during the day. As I sat down to write this the body was feeling the heat and wanting to sleep. sabian-windowYes, it is hot and it is hard when the body wants to shut down. You will learn to work around this, with the heat. You also need to work around alone time too. Watch your energy. Yes.. it just shifted. It went from centered to a swirl around the body. It was an unconscious thought that pulled you out of center. You’ve asked to be shown when you get pulled out of your center without realizing it. This is one of the ways to know. It takes practice to watch and be aware of your energy, what it is doing at every moment. Let go of any belief systems or fear that doing this is overwhelming or too much. Let source hold you. Pull your energy back to center, into your heart and breathe. Watch your breath. Let the fear in your body move, release. Use the breath to help release the constricted areas where you feel this being held. Not just ankles, but it’s held in the nervous system too. Give permission for the energy to completely release. Now focus on your dreams, what you want to create, what kind of world you’d like to live in. What you’d like manifest. (Thought of my recent new moon intentions) Yes, your new moon intentions. Not specifics for this exercise, but the energy of those intentions. How they make you feel if already manifested, the place of already being ‘there’. Hold that intent as you move into a more meditative state. Meditate and BE who you really are! Conversations with Sabain Apologies for being so long between blog posts. Unforeseen technical difficulties as in no internet for days! In writing words from Sabian the topic all of a sudden shifted to something personal and out there… I became uncomfortable and Sabian’s words disappeared. At the time I was confused and this is where that part of the conversation starts. Sabian? What miss-step did I take? The energy just evaporated… I know that means I was using energy in a direction it wasn’t meant to be used or shifted… what? Yes. You were doing well, even though you were not physically editing (changing words I was typing) you had a parallel conversation going on, judging the writing. Would this be for public consumption? And hitting that place of ‘oh no’ too far out there ‘I cannot print this!’. I stopped the transmission because you were beginning to let it (the parallel conversation) gather steam and I wanted to bring your attention to it. That you did. Also, watch out for abandonment. You started to go there when you couldn’t immediately re-connect with me. You know that it stopped because of the energy. Stay in your core, you hadn’t left it until you had that split second of feeling abandoned. So what! You felt abandoned, let it move through and hold onto the truth which you KNOW. You can only abandon yourself, which isn’t really true either. Part of you knows this but you won’t truly get it until the last of the abandonment is gone. Thank you. I love doing this. (Writing the blog) Of course you do! You are meant to do this. this is what you are to be doing. When you are in the flow, with the energy that runs through you, it feels amazing! Sabian is showing me the a rope with us at each end. Yes.. I’m pulling you through this… Like a lifeline, pulling you into your Self. I’m here to help you just have to pick up the rope and not let go! Conversations with Sabian sabian-windowSitting down to write this a strong feeling of the unknown and that EVERYTHING was different. Everything IS different. You know and feel this. Again, relax and breathe. It’s strange there is such a feeling of disconnect from everything and yet completely connected at the same time. The disconnect is all the old ways of connecting have ceased to exist during this Equinox window. There is a little unsureness, unease running in your body from this. When you try to connect with the old energetic pathways which are no longer present. The energy drops before it goes anywhere and it makes you feel like you are alone on an island. Even with other around and present. Your old ways of knowing who or what you are in the world by using those energy lines for connection are gone. Let them BE gone. Trust and Surrender into the divine. Even that connection is different. Yes, every way you have used for connecting has changed. Focus on your heart and the love you have for the divine. Trust and Surrender… Surrender and Trust Be open to what is wonderful and use your new mantra, ‘How good could this get?’ with joyful anticipation. Think of when you were a child and that excited anticipation you had over presents on Christmas morning or your birthday. You had no idea what was coming, but you knew there would be something wonderfully unexpected, something you could not have imaged, and the excitement that brought. It is that energy you hold. You hold that now, and when you cannot ‘feel’ it, know that it is there and intend for it. Knowing that some part of you does feel it, has it even if you cannot reach it in that moment intend from that place and trust. Open to receive the magic that your life truly IS. Thank you
Baseball Toaster The Griddle Frozen Toast Google Search The Griddle 02 01 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 12 10 07 06 05 04 03 Suggestions, comments, ring the catcher's interference alarm? Email me at The stuff I keep track of Random Game Callbacks Select a date: Personal favorites that I wrote Clemens in no hurry to do just about anything 2005-12-15 23:07 by Bob Timmermann Roger Clemens has limited the list of teams he will pitch for to Houston, Texas, Boston, and the Yankees. But he also could next pitch for Team USA in the WBC. And fortunately Team Italy (and Mike Piazza) isn't in the same pool as the US. Italy is in the Orlando pool, while the U.S. is in the Arizona pool. I really think these pools need better names than A, B, C, and D. I can't even figure out which one is the "Group of Death". 2005-12-16 00:32:53 1. Jose Habib I think Pool B (USA, Canada, Mexico, South Africa) is the Group of Death. Canada and Mexico should both be pretty good teams. In contrast, it seems like the other pools each have two good teams (Japan and Korea, Puerto Rico and Cuba, and DR and Venezuela) and two not-so-good teams (Taiwan and China, Panama and Netherlands, and Australia and Italy).
Public Wi-Fi Leave a comment My local police department issued this warning today: Today’s technology can be extremely useful in our everyday activities, but also dangerous if not done so with caution. Below are some things to remember before you allow you your smart phone, tablet, lap top, or any other device to connect to a publicly shared Wi-Fi network. 1. Never utilize your online bank or credit card accounts, or shop online when connected to public Wi-Fi. 2. Be aware that criminals may set up similar network names to a restaurant, café or coffee shop to get you to us their network. When this is done, they can gain access to your personal information. 3. Make sure your smart phone is not set up to automatically connect to surrounding Wi-Fi networks. You might ask the difference between public Wi-Fi and the one in your home. Well, the simple answer is encryption. Everything you send via a public Wi-Fi signal can be intercepted by someone else on that same network. Since the transmission is not encrypted that person can read everything you send. That includes passwords, bank numbers and private emails. Encryption acts similarly to the locks on the doors in your home. The locks keep people out unless they have the right key to translate the tumbler in the door. Similarly, encryption locks your message so that someone without the proper decryption codes cannot understand what you have sent. No locks mean that anyone can walk into your home; no encryption means that everyone can read your post. The better the locks, the less likely that undesirable people will come in your home; the better the encryption, the less undesirable people can read your email. Facebook’s Requirement of ‘Authentic’ Names Leave a comment Do you need help using the Internet? Leave a comment Leave a comment Yep, “phishing” is a real thing, and you pronounce it the same as “fishing”. Like fishing, phishing uses bait in an effort to hook something. Unlike fishing, phishing doesn’t look for fish, but rather for sensitive information. Phishing attempts to use an apparently trustworthy request to gain usernames and passwords to get access to more computers and/or credit card and other financial information to get money. The key to phishing is that the request appears to be legitimate. An email might be constructed to have the same look as those from your bank or other financial institution. Or, the email might appear to be a bill from a company with which you do business. Today phishing happens withing social networking tools, such as Facebook, too. These might be realized as: A game or lottery. In this kind of phishing, you may get an email or a Facebook post that claims you have won money. Unfortunately, to get to the money, you must send them money or access to your bank account. A request to confirm your account These emails or social networking program ask you to log into a system that appears to be the legitimate. Often these are sites that are appropriately branded and look as you expect them to be, but aren’t. Never click on a link in the email or social networking message; the site might not take you where it appears to be. The better approach is to log in manually. So, if the message appears to be from Facebook, don’t click on the link, but instead type in and proceed from there. A violated policy alert. You may note an email or Facebook post that claims you have broken some policy in your email system, Facebook or some other social networking system. These always ask you to log in and do something. Always navigate to the site manually. Don’t provide information unless you are sure you are on the correct site. Photos and Videos. It is quite common for people who have hacked one account to try to get more information by sending information to contacts that appear to be from the original owner of the account. These messages might claim to have videos or photos of you that are not appropriate. Or, the message might claim to have photographic proof of some gory or sensational event. These are almost always an attempt to get access to your account. You should ignore t hem. Before logging in to any site, always verify that you are indeed on the main site. Careless and unsuspecting users are often fooled by these tricks. Senate Bill 2105: Cybersecurity Act of 2012 Leave a comment On Valentine’s Day, four Senators introduced Senate Bill 2105, which is also known as the Cybersecurity Act of 2012. If you would like to read the bill as it was introduced, it is available in full as presented. If passed, this law would authorize the Federal government to regulate the security of privately owned critical infrastructure, much of which is controlled by Internet-connected systems and susceptible to being hacked. This includes electrical power grids, telecommunications networks, air traffic control systems, dams, and nuclear power plants. Said differently, this would allow the Federal government to have security standards, to assess a company’s compliance, and to levy fines if the security is not sufficiently high. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that a group of Senators have weakened the bipartisan legislation. They responded to business lobbyists who claimed that such regulations would “regulations would create a costly and cumbersome process.” Rather than requiring the companies to meet these regulations, they should be encouraged to do so. According to Senator John McCain, “Instead, we must leverage the ingenuity and innovation of the private sector in partnership with the most effective elements of the federal government to address this emerging threat.” I am perplexed as to why Senator McCain, who has a strong record on National Security, would take this stand …. unless he does not really understand the real and present threat of such an attack. Consider the number of companies in the last few months that have reported a security breach. Sometimes the breach provides thieves with passwords, which can be problematic enough, but sometimes instead it is social security numbers, bank accounts and more personal information. The people whose identities are stolen have a never ending hassle to fix the problem. Many companies do not take security as seriously as they should. Even when security is a priority, the companies have a significant task keeping a step ahead of the hackers. Now, take that up to a regional or national level. Suppose the U.S. had no access to electricity or telecommunications equipment. Suppose this is not for a couple of hours as you might get in a thunderstorm, but rather for an extended period of time. What would that do to the company’s productivity? What if it happened during peak holiday shopping and no one could buy gifts or food? What if it happened on election day and half the people were not able to vote? What if …. there are many horrible examples. We have already proven this can happen. Well, it is unclear whether “we” proved it or someone else proved it by the introduction of the Stuxnet virus into Iran’s nuclear reactor. Not only did it stop operations, but it did it in a way to damage the plant and roll back their development. Other similar viruses, aimed at the “Internet of Things” (such as a power plant) have also been identified. People release viruses all the time — sometimes without even knowing the impact of what they have done. Why do we believe it won’t happen here? Personally I think it is because people just do not understand technology and what security breaches can do. They understand bombs or people shooting guns and know how to respond. But electrons? It is easy to listen to those claiming to be experts and follow their advice. I hope we get the legislation. I hope that it is flexible enough to be able to adapt to the rapid changes in technology. I hope we can find a way to protect ourselves before it is too late. If you agree, please share your concern with your Senators and Representatives. A postnote: Even weakened, the bill failed. Too many people thought telling infrastructure companies that they need to be secure was a problem. Sigh. Be Careful When Posting your Location on Facebook Leave a comment We have all seen the posts of people who need to share their current location. They talk about the trip to Europe they will enjoy for the next two weeks, the concert they are attending, or the restaurant where they will eat tonight. They are sharing information with their friends. Of course, we have talked before about controlling your security levels so you really only share with friends. But, I suspect most people do not think of it a great deal. So, I want to share a story. There is a young woman in Chicago who works for Groupon, teaches rowing at one of the city’s finest Catholic high schools, and coaches a rowing team. A few years ago she started an organization called Recovery on Water (ROW) for survivors of breast cancer. Her mission is to provide them an opportunity to exercise because research suggests that regular exercise drops the likelihood of another tumor by half. It seems like a good cause with a regular membership that exercises together and supports one another in their challenge. This summer the founder decided she would row the perimeter of Lake Michigan to raise money for her cause in an effort she called Row4ROW. As I understand it, she planned to row the entire perimeter alone and sleep on her boat. Along the way she shared information about her cause and, of course, blogged about her experience, including her location. All went well until last week when she was sexually assaulted while she slept on her boat (you can read the Sun Times story). On July 12, her blog (written by a friend) read: Jenn was set to row to Beaver Island on Sunday morning but was attacked and sexually assaulted by a man in the early morning hours. The attack occurred in an area south of Gulliver along Lake Michigan in Mueller Township, Schoolcraft County, Mich. Investigators have reason to believe the assailant traveled a significant distance to commit the assault. The bold print on the last sentence is mine. It appears from reading her blog that they have not yet caught the assailant. However, it is interesting to note that they believe that he knew where to find this young woman simply by following her blog. It is anyone’s guess how he knew to find her blog — it might have been random, or he knew of the effort, or someone posted it on Facebook (frankly, that is how I learned about Row4ROW). But the point is that the young woman, traveling alone, sleeping on the water simply broadcast her location to the world. And, she has paid for that mistake. Many people suffer home burglaries or other crimes because someone knows they are not home because of broadcasts on social networking sites. Even if all you do is to post a photo from your phone, a technologically sophisticated person can check the photo for information about your location (and, depending on your phone, might know exactly where you were and when you were there). The young woman is now taking better precautions. For a couple of days she rode a bike (with others) until she could find safe locations for sleeping. She is now back on the water finishing her adventure and raising more money and more awareness of her cause. And, raising more awareness of the problems of social networking sites. I do not know this woman, and I do not know anyone participating in the program. However, I was moved enough by her determination to continue that I did contribute. If you are so motivated, you can make a donation online. Malware — DNS Change 1 Comment You may have heard the reports that something called DNSChanger is expected to hit on July 9, but not known what it was or what to do. First, what is a “DNS” and why do you care if it gets changed? First, DNS stands for Domain Name System and it is the directory system that allows computers to locate one another. Your computer has no understanding of a web address such as So, after you type that into your web browser, the computer goes to the DNS and asks for the URL to be translated into something it understands. That something is called an IP address. Like your home address, an IP address is made up on multiple parts. Your home address has a street number, a street, a city, state, country (perhaps) and some code, such as a zipcode. Similarly, the IP address has a series of components that identify a specific computer uniquely. These addresses are of the form, where the first number indicates your domain and the last number identifies a specific computer in the domain; the intermediary numbers are further demarcations of the location. Without a DNS server, we would all need to type in the specific IP address. Clearly that is not practical. So, if the malware has infected your computer, then on Monday you will no longer be able to type in a URL and have your computer understand how to direct the browser. How did that malware get put on people’s machines? Like most malware, it infected people’s machines when they clicked on some advertising link that downloaded software to computers without the user knowing about it. Since the software was not causing any problems, people do not know that it is on their machine — until July 9. (Of course, with regular malware checks, this would probably have been detected.) To avoid a problem, check your system now. Some services, such as Comcast, has notified the users whose machines seem to be infected. Similarly, Google and Facebook may be posting a warning if they detect your computer is infected. To check, go to and follow the directions for checking and repairing your machine if necessary. Do it today so you don’t have a problem on Monday! Older Entries
Jason Lauritsen - Crushing talent dogma to free human potential Speaker Booking Info Email Donna at the Platinum Speakers Agency I Believe in You Perhaps the most powerful four words in leadership are “I believe in you.” As I reflect on my journey in life, the people who stand out in my mind as those who transformed me weren’t necessarily the best teachers or communicators. Some of them weren’t even very good at managing despite being labeled Managers. But, either in words or actions, they communicated clearly to me that they believed in me and it made a huge impact on me (an incidentally, I am fiercely loyal to these people). My parents believed in me and therefore it never occurred to me that anything was beyond my reach. My first mentor believed that a 26 year old could build a successful business even though the concept represented a fairly radical new way of doing business. My boss believed that an entrepreneur could be a great corporate HR Director despite never having held a “corporate gig” in the past. My CEO believed that I could find a way to be a great corporate leader and pursue dreams of professional speaking and writing at the same time. My wife believed that I was capable of more so she encouraged me to leave a high paying corporate job to pursue my entrepreneurial passions despite the monumental risks. The people in my life have been very generous to me with their belief in me. Despite how much self-confidence we have, when someone else who we respect expresses a belief in us, it provides the motivation to live up to those beliefs and prove them write. When was the last time you told someone else that you believed in them? Don’t miss your opportunity as a leader to give this gift to others. There four simple words could change someone’s life–your employee, a friend, your child, a volunteer, your spouse. They might just reward you with loyalty. Give belief away freely. I believe in you. This was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 1. Jon Mertz This is so true! For me, this has really hit home this past week as someone who believed in me passed away. Senator Abdnor was that person, and it seemed to be a part of his life philosophy, believing in people. We need to lead with this behavior, as it creates a generation of people who will pay it forward. Jason Lauritsen
Tag Archive \| predators Another Abundant Penguin Species The chinstrap penguins are medium-sized penguins that live in the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic Islands in the south Atlantic Ocean.Theses birds avoid ice packs and prefers rocky, snow free slopes to breed. This species primary food is krill and like other penguin species leopard seals are the primary predator. Like the rockhopper penguins, this is also […] World’s Second Largest Penguin The king penguin takes this title with its 3-foot stature, second only to the large emperor penguin that is 4 feet tall. It lives in colonies numbering 10’s of thousands of pairs on various the sub-Antarctic islands. This penguin’s main diet is fish, but it also eats some krill. Leopard seals are a constant danger […] Third Largest Penguin in the World Standing 30 inches tall, the gentoo penguin lives in the southern circumpolar region on the perimeter of Antarctica and the outlying islands. This penguin prefers to stay close to shore where it dives into the icy water to eat krill, fish and squid. Its streamlined body and strong paddle feet enable the gentoo to swim […] The Nimblest Antelope! The impala is a medium-sized antelope living on the savanna of east and south Africa. These animals are meals for lions, cheetahs, leopards, crocodiles and hyenas, but they often escape the grasp of these predators with their speed and agility. Impala are capable of leaping over 10 feet high for 30 or more feet making […] Africa’s Most Common Gazelle Numbering over a half a million individuals, the Thompson’s gazelle is an abundant antelope of dry grasslands in east Africa. This spry small animal is hunted by lions, leopards and cheetahs. Its keen sense of hearing, sight and smell gives this gazelle an advantage in spotting danger. It often escapes predators with shorts sprints of […] World’s Largest Antelopes Two species of eland hold this record; the giant eland is the largest and the common eland is the second largest antelope. (An antelope is an even-toed hoofed animal of Africa and Eurasia where there are about 25 species.) Eland prefer open forest and savanna habitats where they eat foliage and grasses. This antelope is […]
Subscribe To Our YouTube Chanel. X (Close) 25 Most Dangerous Dog Breeds Dogs are made to serve their masters and all they want is to get pampered and be treated well by their masters but poor training and rough treatment can make them dangerous. And today’s article will take you through those most dangerous dog breeds of the world that are famously known for their damage potential. It is not exactly known that why certain breeds are so much dangerous but it is interesting to know about them as dogs are the most loved animals of mankind. Most Dangerous Dog Breeds: 1. Pitbull: Most dangerous dog breeds This breed includes American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier and they are mainly used to fight with bears and bulls. Though they are categorized as one of the most dangerous dog breeds but they are not inherently aggressive. If they are not cared for in a good way, they tend to get aggressive. 2. Rottweiler: Most dangerous dog breeds This is one of the oldest herding breeds and is mainly used to search and rescue dogs. This very strong breed can tend to get fearsome if they are not properly trained as they are more aggressive toward strangers than average. 3. Caucasian Ovcharka: Most dangerous dog breeds Mainly known as Russian Bear Dog or Bashan, this breed was meant to protect produce from the predators like wolves, bears, and jackals in the Caucasian mountain ranges. But if not in an experienced hand, this large, robust dog can end up being fearsome and aggressive. 4. Bull Terrier: Most dangerous dog breeds Being a member of the terrier family this dog is not suitable for an inexperienced dog owner as it is independent and stubborn. They are not actually that aggressive but due to their high prey drive; they are some problem for the smaller dog breeds. 5. Alaskan Malamutes: Most dangerous dog breeds Their ancestral history says that they lived with Mahlemuits Indian tribe in Alaska long back. They used to do heavy tasks like pulling sleds. The breed must be given proper attention, care, and a lot of exercises otherwise; they can develop bad behavioral issues. 6. Husky: Most dangerous dog breeds This very old breed is distantly related to Alaskan Malamutes. They have a strong predator instinct. That is why, if not handled well, they can tend to get aggressive, fearsome and dangerous toward the smaller animals. They need a lot of socializing, love and attention. 7. Boerboel: Most dangerous dog breeds Being a native to South Africa, this large dog breed is bred to guard the homestead. This is one of the most powerful dog breeds and intelligent and energetic too. It needs firm training and handling otherwise, it may end up being aggressive and dangerous toward other animals and strangers. 8. Basenji: Most dangerous dog breeds Now, this dog breed is hard to train and thus it has some big discipline problems. It has a strong prey drive and is listed as the second least trainable dogs in the book ‘The intelligence of Dogs’. One Response - Add Comment Leave a Reply to Naina Sharma Cancel reply
Marx was right! i chose this picture of Karl Marx because I feel like his ideas on class conflict and capitalism are very relevant today. So many of the problems that we face as a society can be seen as a consequence of capitalism and the culture it creates.
Overhaul baby capsule standards: coroner A coroner has called for an overhaul of child restraint safety standards after an eight-week-old baby died when she was ejected from her second-hand capsule during a high-speed crash. Isabella Rose Cardwell was flung from the car when the driver, her mother's 28-year-old boyfriend Gregory Sanderson, lost control while negotiating a bend near Kilcoy, north-west of Brisbane, in December last year. Mr Sanderson and Isabella's 19-year-old mother Elizabeth Cardwell, his girlfriend of two weeks, both also died in the crash. During an inquest on Monday the Brisbane Coroners Court heard Isabella had been restrained in a second-hand capsule which had not come with an instruction manual. She had also been wrapped in a blanket, which was contrary to the manufacturer's instructions as it made it easier for her to slip out during a crash. Coroner John Lock handed his findings down on Monday afternoon, finding Mr Sanderson had caused the crash by driving at more than 100 km/h around a bend with a 40km/h speed advisory. The court heard he had a five-page traffic history and had promised Elizabeth's mother he would never speed while someone else was in the car. Related Articles While Mr Lock found speed was behind the deaths, he also said a number of issues with child restraint safety standards should be addressed. He has called on Standards Australia to make it mandatory for capsules to be engineered in a way that ensures the instruction booklet remains permanently with it. Mr Lock also recommended the standards include a warning not to wrap babies in blankets before fastening the harness. © AAP 2018 Send your photos, videos and stories to 9News
KU tries to bridge disconnect between biotech talent, employers – Reporter, Kansas City Business Journal Company CEOs are constantly on the lookout for local talent — especially in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. But Michael Detamore, a professor in the department of chemical and petroleum engineering at the University of Kansas, said Kansas City-area biotechnology companies have a big problem on their hands: Students don't know they're here. "Students don't think there's a bioscience industry in the state of Kansas," he said. "So we have a lot of the top students who really want to go into the bioscience industry, but the bioscience industry, at least in the past, hasn't been recruiting here." He said he has one-on-one conversations with hundreds of students every year about finding internships and jobs. The "overwhelmingly common" misperception, he said, is that there aren't bioscience jobs in this area. TOPIC: Kansas City Biotech News javascript:; According to the most recent industry census from the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute, the region is home to 240 life sciences companies, including 74 companies focused specifically on biotechnology research and testing. "I think for them, for the bioscience industry, they know, well of course there's a bioscience industry in the state, and they go to meetings with other bioscience industry people, and they kind of in that way stay isolated from the talent pool," Detamore said. "There's a disconnect. Neither one is really aware of the other yet." That's why Detamore, in collaboration with KCALSI, BioKansas and others, are hosting a career fair at KU on April 9. He said he's hoping to bridge that disconnect between companies and students by inviting as many companies as possible. It can be a good opportunity for companies to network and scout out future talent, even if they're not currently hiring. He said he also likes to suggest that companies consider offering student internships. "If you ask a big company like Exxon Mobile, of course they offer internships," Detamore said. "They send people to specifically recruit for internships because that's their primary talent pool when they're hiring for permanent positions. But for a small company with ten people that's just getting started, that's not part of their history or their culture or their knowledge base." Companies can sign up to participate in the career fair until March 28. – Reporter, Kansas City Business Journal
Low Oxygen Hobbled Recovery from History's Worst Extinction Credit: MichaelTaylor3d \| Shutterstock.com SAN FRANCISCO — Wild temperature swings and low oxygen conditions may have caused life on Earth to recover in fits and starts from the planet's worst extinction, new research suggests. After the end-Permian extinction, in which most life on Earth perished, life rebounded only to be blasted again by hostile environmental conditions. "It was a series of rebounds and resets," said study co-author Carlie Pietsch, a doctoral candidate in earth sciences at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, who presented her findings here at the 47th annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union. [Wipe Out: History's Most Mysterious Extinctions] Mass die-off Most geologists say the culprit in Earth's biggest extinction was a series of cataclysmic eruptions, called the Siberian Traps, that occurred about 252 million years ago. The eruptions, which lasted about 1 million years, created a massive lave left behind by that flow now spans 720,000 cubic miles (3 million cubic kilometers). The eruptions spewed noxious sulfur and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, leading to extreme heating and rapid cooling. Sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere created rain so acidic it was comparable to "undiluted lemon juice," researchers told Live Science. A few tenacious creatures survived this hellscape, but not many. More than 96 percent of sea life and 70 percent of terrestrial animals were wiped out. Rebounds and resets Pietsch and her doctoral advisor, David Bottjer, an earth scientist at the University of Southern California, wanted to understand how life on Earth responded to this catastrophe. The researchers looked at fossils found in the Dolomite Mountains in Italy. In the period after the extinction, sediments there called the Werfen Formation formed part of the seafloor of the primeval Tethys Ocean. "In the first 500,000 years [after the die-off], the animals were not happy," Pietsch told Live Science. The fossil record is dominated by "disaster taxa," or opportunistic life forms that take over when everything else has died, Pietsch said. All the life forms, such as the extinct scalloplike creature Claraia, seemed to be clinging to the surface of the seafloor, not burrowing down as they would if there were enough oxygen in the seabed to support life, Pietsch said. About 1 million years after the extinction, life seems to have rebounded somewhat: There's a greater diversity of species, and the fossil traces show more-complicated branching and burrowing tunnels. These suggest animals could survive deeper into the seabed, the researchers said. After that, however, the recovery took two steps forward and one step back. Fossils from California, in what was once the Panthalassa Ocean, decreased in size, and burrowing traces disappeared, only to reappear later. Pietsch hypothesized that the low atmospheric oxygen of the time meant that swaths of low oxygen regions in the ocean, or dead zones, moved up the water column. Species then reacted to those rising dead zones by traveling up to shallower depths closer to shore, before moving deeper again when conditions improved. Past studies of traces of carbon and oxygen isotopes (elements with different numbers of neutrons) in the rocks tie these periods of limited biodiversity to periods of low oxygenation or low temperature. Still, by a few of million years after the mass die-off, the oceans hosted a fairly diverse, complex web of creatures, though major players such as sea urchins were still absent, Pietsch said. Modern implications The findings have modern-day implications, Pietsch said. Already, a huge dead zone sometimes upwells in the waters off California, Oregon and Washington, with piles of dead sea life washing ashore. And conditions are getting worse. "The amount of CO2 we're putting into the atmosphere and the rate at which the ocean is warming is more rapid than the rate at which the Earth warmed in this interval," Pietsch said. Understanding how life adapted to the end-Permian catastrophe could help conservationists plan their next moves, she said. "Are there places we should give up on? Are there places we should try to protect?" Pietsch said.
Skip Navigation Health Education Curriculum Health Education - 5th Grade Printable Version Printable Version (pdf) arrow icon Course Introduction Core Standards of the Course Healthy Self Standard 1 The students will learn ways to improve mental health and manage stress. Objective 1 Summarize how communicating with others can help improve overall health. 1. Compare the benefits of social interaction and time alone. 2. Communicate the need for social interaction and time alone. 3. Adopt behaviors to help maintain mental health; e.g., reading, exercise, lifelong learning, abstaining from substance abuse. Objective 2 Demonstrate coping behaviors related to grief and loss. Button to show lessons. 1. Recognize the tasks associated with the grief and loss process; i.e., acknowledge loss or death, feel the feelings, go on living and loving. 2. Recognize emotions associated with grief and loss. 3. Identify common ways individuals may cope with loss. 4. Identify ways to help others through the grieving process. Objective 3 Predict the influence body image may have on body acceptance. Button to show lessons. 1. Explain body image and body acceptance. 2. Recognize influences on body shape and size; e.g., diet, disabilities, exercise, heredity. 3. Recognize factors that may affect body image; e.g., media, peers, self-expectations. Objective 4 Demonstrate constructive ways of managing stress. PD Button to show lessons. 1. Explain how both positive and negative events can cause stress. 2. Identify physiological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to stress. 3. Predict how neglecting personal responsibilities may increase stress. 4. Develop and apply a personal stress management plan. Substance Abuse Prevention Standard 2 The students will adopt health-promoting and risk-reducing behaviors to prevent substance abuse. Objective 1 Explore how relationships can contribute to self-worth. PD 1. Recognize different ways people influence each other. 2. Differentiate between positive and negative influences. 3. Accept mistakes and learn from them. 4. Participate in discussion on the benefits of positive self-talk. 5. Practice positive reinforcement with others. Objective 2 Use decision-making skills to increase the likelihood of positive outcomes. PD 1. Describe how advertising may influence individual choices. 2. Predict the consequences of a variety of choices. Objective 3 Summarize the physiological effects of substance use. PD Button to show lessons. 1. Identify the effects of tobacco use, including smokeless tobacco, on the body. 2. Identify the effects of alcohol use on the body. 3. Identify the effects of drug use on the body. Human Development and Relationships Standard 3 The students will understand and respect self and others related to human development and relationships. Button to show lessons. Button to show links. Objective 1 Demonstrate qualities that help form healthy interpersonal relationships. Button to show lessons. 1. List ways of showing respect and care for others. 2. Practice effective communication skills. Respect personal boundaries. Objective 2 Summarize the basic functions of the digestive and glandular systems. Button to show lessons. Button to show links. 1. Review the major body systems and their basic functions. 2. Describe the digestive and glandular systems. 3. Explain how good hygiene can help offset the effects of the glandular system. Objective 3 Identify body changes that accompany puberty. MP 1. Summarize the role of the endocrine system and its impact; e. g., emotional fluctuations, body changes. 2. Describe basic structures of female and male reproductive systems and identify their respective functions. 3. Practice behaviors that maintain good hygiene. Disease Prevention and HIV/AIDS Education Standard 4 The students will understand concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention. Objective 1 Define viruses and how they are transmitted. Button to show lessons. 1. List several diseases caused by viruses. 2. List the primary modes of transmission of HIV. 3. Recognize how infected yet symptom-free people can infect others. Objective 2 Demonstrate decision-making and Refusal Skills for HIV prevention. 1. List situations that pose a risk for transmission of HIV. 2. Identify, avoid, manage, or escape situations involving exposure to body fluids. Safety and Injury/Violence Prevention Standard 5 The students will adopt behaviors to maintain personal health and safety and develop appropriate strategies to resolve conflict. Button to show links. Objective 1 Describe potential hazards, safety procedures, and first aid within a variety of circumstances. (SC) Button to show links. 1. Identify and avoid potential hazards in a variety of situations. 2. Describe precautions to take when around chemicals, electricity, or water. 3. Describe emergency procedures to follow in case of chemical, electrical, or water-related accidents. 4. Demonstrate how to use safety equipment; e. g., basic first aid kit, fire extinguisher, Emergency Medical System. Objective 2 Predict the effects of violence on society. 1. Identify the dangers of mimicking violent behavior. 2. Analyze the impact of violence portrayed in the media. Objective 3 Develop vocabulary that shows respect for self and others. Button to show lessons. 1. Identify comments that would show respect and caring for others. 2. List positive ways to speak to self. 3. Analyze the value in creating respectful, healthy relationships. Nutrition and Fitness Standard 6 Button to show lessons. Button to show links. Objective 1 Predict the impact of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans on health. NU Button to show links. 1. Know the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 2. Relate how following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans may impact the health of individuals as well as communities; e. g., obesity, heart disease, cancer, insurance rates, missed work days. Objective 2 Evaluate personal activity level and food intake with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and plan ways to improve health. (PE) *NU Button to show lessons. Button to show links. 1. Compare daily food intake and caloric output with Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 2. Determine how changes in personal activity level and/or food intake may benefit personal health. Objective 3 Recognize influences that may affect body types and sizes. Button to show lessons. 1. Summarize the role of nutrition and exercise in body development. 2. Determine how heredity and environment can influence body shape and size. 3. Recognize the impact that puberty has on body growth, shape, and size. Objective 4 Participate in a physical activity that is enjoyable and fosters confidence. (PE) Button to show lessons. 1. Identify a fun physical activity. 2. Participate in an activity that is challenging and rewarding. Consumer and Community Health Standard 7 The students will understand the value of service and effective consumer practices. Objective 1 Participate in service-learning that assists the preservation of natural resources. (SC) 1. Identify natural resource protection needs. 2. Examine situations where a person or group assists the protection of natural resources. 3. Plan, implement, and report on a natural resource service project. Objective 2 Determine the influence of media on individual purchasing. (LM) Button to show lessons. 1. Analyze the influence of media on needs and wants. 2. Describe how media strategies may contribute to impulsive buying. Objective 3 Explore a variety of health-related professions. 1. Research health-related professions. 2. Select and report on a health-related profession.
YOU ARE HERE: LAT HomeCollections As Dark as a Death Row Drama January 07, 1996\|Robert Hilburn and New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). *** 1/2 "Dead Man Walking" Add good musical taste to the list of attributes already demonstrated by actor-director-writer Tim Robbins. Seeking contributions for a musical companion piece to "Dead Man Walking," his striking new film about a nun's soul-searching role as spiritual advisor to a convicted killer, Robbins sent a rough cut of the movie to some pop-rock figures he admires. They responded with some frequently gripping and inspired music, most of it understandably dark and troubled. Anyone who has heard Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison" album or Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska" album knows that those artists can deliver songs befitting the mood of a story about a death row inmate. And both are in solid form--Springsteen with the solemn resolve of the title track and Cash with the brighter, gospel-edged "In Your Mind." The latter, produced by Ry Cooder, has so much guitar-driven character that it makes you long for a Cash-Cooder album project. Other members of the stellar album cast have also written in the past about hard times and troubled souls: Steve Earle, Michelle Shocked, Patti Smith, Tom Waits and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder (teaming nicely on two tracks with Pakistan's Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the master of Qawwali music). Of this group, Earle's biting "Ellis Unit One" and Vedder's desolate "The Long Road" (a different version from the recent Pearl Jam single) are the most evocative. The surprise is the effectiveness of Lyle Lovett and Suzanne Vega, artists not normally associated with such stark subject matter. There's little of the uptown sophistication associated with Vega's "Luka" period in "Woman on the Tier (I'll See You Through)," and Lovett's despairing "Promises" is not cushioned by the humor that frequently accompanies his sometimes bittersweet reflections. The artists' intensity sometimes outdistances their revelation, but mostly "Dead Man Walking" is a remarkable musical response to Robbins' challenge of finding musical ways to express the complexity and passion of his film. Los Angeles Times Articles
Saturday, December 12, 2009 12.12.09 On the 6th Day of Christmas my true love did for me. . . More baseboards! and caulking. Boy is honeybuns working a lot on his vacation. Guess who will be patching the nail holes and painting the baseboards? That's right! Me! Fair warning, it will not happen for a while because I have a baby to care for and I am studying for my pediatric NP boards recertification. Baby good :-) Boards suck. Baby Drews is the greatest husband ever. He may even be the male version of Martha Stewart or maybe a Mr. Clean. 1. Fashionista Daddy. Babycakes spit up the other day on her jammies. Andrew picked out a cute outfit for Ellie and then, get this, put on coordinating socks! 2. Chef Drewbie. I cannot cook. Everyone knows this. I mess up chicken. However I can bake. Andrew can BBQ. He can smoke a brisket and produce ribs that put Rudy's, Pok-E-Joes, and Mann's to shame. Yet I learned something new. Andrew can cook. He has made crepes for breakfast. He can flip those little puppies in the pan with just the flick of his wrist. Also, last night he labored for an hour to make sour-cream chicken enchiladas. I do not like Tex-Mex food but this was delightful and I wanted seconds. Uh-huh. That good. He used a rotisserie chicken and then made this amazing sour cream tomatillo sauce. 3. Laundry King. No he doesn't do the laundry most of the time. I do but . . .We had been giving little Bear some prune juice due to some GI issues. She spit it up on her little onsie and then prune juice worked its magic and there was a big blow out. Andrew looked at the onsie and said "oh we should throw that away". I balked and guess what, Andrew not only touched the garment but actually cleaned it and got all of the prune juice and poopy stains out! Mr. Clean Mr. Clean. Crazy cats. My dear sister-in-law Michele was very generous in lending us her bouncy chair. Ellie loves it and likes to "talk" to the green elephant that hangs off of the bar. She even tries to bat at it. The cats like the bouncy chair. I have caught both of them sleeping in it. Amelie has taken it one step further. She figured out how to turn it on vibrate and then gets in the chair to sleep. That little booger is running down the batteries. 1 comment:
As I began to think about what I wanted to write my paper about, I thought of all the topics in education that I would like to know more about. I finally choose ADD/ADHD and the use of Ritalin as my subject matter. Not being a parent or an experienced educator as of yet, I see America's propensity to over medicate reaching our youngest population. I think the statement by Dr. Breggin is quite profound, "When we drug millions of children to make them more compliant and easier to manage at home and in school, it says more about our society's distorted values than about our children" (Breggin 1998). I know from my experience in the health care profession, that Americans believe in medication to create a better life for themselves. That can be as simple as getting an antibiotic for the slightest cold or as complex as medicating ourselves to fight a chronic condition. We live in a society that wants everything done quickly. We drive through for our food, banking, prescription pick-ups, and car washes. We develop our pictures in an hour and pay for our gas at the pump. We watch 50 channels of television in a second. Television has learned that it has to be gripping in order to keep up with our wandering minds. We even have televisions that allow you to watch more than one channel at a time. We wonder why our children have trouble paying attention. When do we do anything that requires anything but the most miniscule amount of our attention? How do we expect children to practice the learned behaviors of watching and listening, if we never teach it to them? We spend the first few years of their lives showing them the frenzied world in which we live and then we send them to school and wonder why they can't sit still. Do we ever sit still? Besides our social ramifications behind ADD and ADHD, I have a great concern for placing children on drugs such as Ritalin. Not only are we teaching them they are not responsible for their actions, we are showing them they can use a substance to alter their behavior. Is that an appropriate lesson for children? I don't advocate taking every child off Ritalin, but I do think it is much too widely prescribed and not enough research has been done on the subject. I would think that every person should be concerned when they see a large number of children on a drug that is a methamphetamine and in the same drug class as cocaine. Do we want to put a chemical like that into the bodies of our children? How do we look at the big societal picture to help solve this problem? As I began my research, these were some of the questions I had. I knew the use of Ritalin was wide spread, but I had no idea the extent. Today in the United States approximately 2 million children are diagnosed with ADD and ADHD (Treva 1999). It is more common in boys than girls with boys having an occurrence 2 to 3 times more often than girls have. The production of Ritalin has increased seven-fold in the last 8 years and 90% of it is consumed in the United States (Gibbs 1998). Shouldn't that cause us to question the sheer number of children we have sedated in this country? We depend on medication as a country and are teaching our children to do so also. Many countries would see this as a problem. Nearly half a million prescriptions for medications like Ritalin written in 1995 were written for children between the ages of 3 and 6 (Gibbs 1998). Also the percentage of children with an ADHD diagnosis that are being placed on medication jumped from 55% in 1989 to 75% in 1996 (Gibbs 1998). Now that I have illustrated some of the statistics behind our country's ADD/ADHD children, perhaps I should talk a little more about what exactly an ADD/ADHD child is. ADHD does not have physical signs that can be recognized in the patient. Most diagnoses are made through observation and over a period of time. The most common behaviors fall into the three following categories: inattention, hyperactivity, and implusitvity. People who are inattentive have difficulty staying on task. They spend much of their time on things they are interested in and have trouble staying with things that don't interest them. Learning something new or completing a task can also be difficult for them. Their mind tends to go from one thing to another quickly. People with hyperactivity are always in motion. These people cannot sit still. They are the people always fidgeting, moving around or out of their seat. They are noisy and will frequently tap or touch everything. Sitting in one place for any period of time is a challenge for them. They also tend to bounce from one thing to the next while trying to do many things at once. Impulsive people have difficulty curbing their immediate reactions before they act. They are the students who will strike out an another student or object or blurt out inappropriate comments. They may have a hard time waiting for things or waiting their turn. These students will often holler out the answer before the question is even asked. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM, is a diagnostic reference book that contains a set of criteria for the ADD/ADHD patient. Several questions are considered when diagnosing a patient with this condition. First, how do these behaviors effect the person? Are they having an affect on their ability in the classroom or with friends? Is this a long-term problem? How long has the patient had this condition? Does the problem only occur in a specific setting or does it occur frequently? Another indicator is a sign of inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity. According to DSM some of the signs of inattention include: Becoming easily distracted by irrelevant sights and sounds Failing to pay attention to details and making careless mistakes Rarely following instructions carefully and completely Losing or forgetting things like toys, or pencils, books and tools needed for a task Some of the signs of hyperactivity and impulsivity include: Feeling restless, often fidgeting with hands or feet, or squirming Running, climbing, or leaving a seat in situations where sitting or quiet behavior is expected Blurting out answers before hearing the whole question Having difficulty waiting in line or for a turn As I read these I thought, that describes just about everyone I know in some way or another! There are criteria along with the demonstration of those behaviors that a child must exhibit before they can be labeled ADD/ADHD. The above behaviors must appear early in life, preferably before the age of 7 and occur for at least 6 months. These children also must exhibit these behaviors more frequently or more severely than their peers do. And lastly the behaviors must create a handicap for in the person's life (National Institute of Mental Health 1996). ADD/ADHD can be diagnosed by a number of professionals. Psychiatrists are probably the best option as they can not only diagnose the condition, but they can prescribe the medication if needed and provide the patient and their family with counseling. A Psychologist, which is common in today's schools, can diagnose the condition and provide necessary counseling, but they are unable to prescribe any medication. A number of different physicians such as Pediatricians, Family Practice Doctors or Neurologists, can diagnose and medicate the patient but frequently do not provide much needed support and counseling. If a patient is just given medication and not taught the coping skills needed, as soon as the medications wears off so do its benefits. Unfortunately it is easier for many physicians to prescribe a drug to try to deal with the problem. Many insurance companies today will cover the cost of a prescription but neglect to provide counseling to go with the medication. In a society that looks for the "quick fix" medication is seen as the solution. When a patient is diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, the first thing the mental health worker should do is look for other causes. It is important to rule out any possible reasons for a patient's behavior. This can include depression, petit mal seizures, hearing and vision concerns, allergies, diet and nutrition problems, anxiety and difficult situations in the patient's personal life. Once those possibilities have been eliminated, the specialist will review the patient's medical, and if school aged, school records. They try to understand what the patient's home and classroom lives are like and how the patient interacts with these situations. Often the mental health worker may come in and observe the patient in his or her own environment. The child should spend at least an hour with the mental health worker for assessment. Unfortunately many insurance companies will not pay for this service. Frequently teachers past and present are asked to rate observations of the patient and compare their behavior with their peers. While the teacher is not a medical professional, they are a good base of knowledge for that specialist to use. It is believed that teachers know many children and can be objective in their comparisons. Once all the information is gathered a treatment plan is chosen. The specialist may try the patient on a few different medications before finding the one and the dosage that are suitable for their patient. It is recommended that the patient be on the medication for at least one week before deciding to change medications. It is important once the patient is on the medications they receive positive reinforcement for their improved behavior. The only way to determine how much medication to give a patient in this case it by trial and error of dosages. Would you want to do that with your child and a medication that was going to sedate them? When the dosage is determined, we often talk about how wonderfully the medication is working rather than making the patient responsible for their actions. It is also important for the families to receive therapy to help them improve their reactions to the patient. For young children learning how to remove that child from a frustrating environment is important. In the classroom it is helpful for the teacher to make exceptions and allowances for their students. For example, the disorganized student may need to have instructions written out for them whether that be on the board or their desks, and then when they forget what it is they need or are to be doing, they can refer to this list. Also, for the constant daydreamer it may be beneficial to tape a checklist on each student's desk and then periodically ask, "who is with me?" When the student is off somewhere else in their heads, they make a check mark. This will help them see the number of times they are not with the rest of the class. While all of this information is very useful, I still want to know what causes ADD/ADHD and how do they know a patient has it before prescribing medication. While no one knows what causes ADD/ADHD most specialists agree that more research needs to be done. It is believed that the level of brain activity and the person's ability to pay attention are linked. The brain's main source of energy is glucose. People who are not able to pay attention brain uses less glucose therefore indicating they were less active. Brain scans were able to show the difference in a patient's brain activity. The National Institutes of Health concluded ADD/ADHD is not caused by: too much TV, food allergies, excess sugar, poor home life or poor schools. They did conclude however, that the mother's use of cigarettes, alcohol or other drugs during pregnancy distort the fetus's developing nerve cells. Another interesting note is that children who have ADHD usually have at least one close relative with the disease (National Institute of Health 1996). Also, fathers who had ADHD as a child were one third more likely to bear children with the disease. Now that I understand ADD/ADHD somewhat, what are the treatments beyond medicating our children? Important steps include: psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, social skills training, support groups, and parenting skills training. Psychotherapy works with patients to accept themselves and their disease. They are able to discuss patterns of their behavior and try to find alternative ways to handle their emotions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy provides assistance with immediate issues. Patients can learn hands on ways to deal with their disease. It is very easy to give a young, out of control child a pill knowing they will calm down shortly. If ADD/ADHD makes them strike out at people, this type of therapy can help them find alternative ways to express that emotion. They can help the disorganized person find a way and pattern to organize themselves and their lives. Social skills training also helps with learning new behaviors. The patient learns how to respond to others in a more appropriate fashion. They learn to understand facial expressions or tones of voice or gestures helpful in understanding other people. Support groups connect people who have a common issue. It is helpful for patients to understand they are not the only ones struggling with this disease. Parenting skills training helps parents to obtain the tools and techniques to help manage their child's behavior. They are also encouraged to look for a child's strengths and to point out what the child does well rather than focusing on the negatives. In addition to the above treatments there are a number of controversial treatments. The medical community tends to dismiss these treatments as not being scientifically proven, however there is so little scientific evidence on ADD/ADHD that I think that is a little hypocritical. These treatments include: biofeedback; restricted diets; medication for inner ear problems; megavitamin's; chiropractic adjustments and bone realignments; treatment for yeast infections; eye training; and special colored glasses. I would like to address a couple of those treatments. It is suggested by a number of people that an elimination diet will help to show what types of foods an ADD/ADHD child is "turned on" by. In 1994 researchers in Australia reported the affects of yellow dye in hyperactive children. It was a double blind placebo study in which 200 suspected hyperactive children participated. Artificial colors were eliminated from their diets for 6 weeks. Of the 200 children 150 noted behavioral improvements in their children. Then 23 children who were considered reactors were given yellow dye. Twenty-one of these children reacted when the dye was administered, but when given a placebo they did not react. Some of the behavioral changes included irritability, restlessness and sleep disturbances (ADD/ADHD Online 1999). Doctors suggest eliminating artificial coloring, refined sugar and caffeine from your child's diet. They also recommend trying fatty acid supplements or magnesium supplements. Some of the signs of deficiencies in fatty acids are excessive thirst and urination, dry brittle hair and nails and dandruff. All of these are interesting alternatives to consider even though the medical profession doesn't yet embrace them. Remember a time when chiropractors were considered "crazy" or when it was scandalous to go to an osteopathic doctor? The United States is very slow to embrace new theories and ideas. It would be beneficial to look to Europe and Asia and compare their treatment methods. When we consider 90% of all the Ritalin produced is used in the U. S. , we see that other countries must be using different methods to treat people with ADD/ADHD. Something else to consider is the number of children abusing Ritalin. As it is in the same drug class as cocaine, it can provide a high for people when snorted or injected. The National Institute of Health claims that while Ritalin can be addictive for teenagers and adults if misused, these medications are not addictive in children. I just find that terribly hard to believe. Are they assuming children will not misuse the drug or do they believe children's bodies respond to the medication differently? The growing availability of the drug allows more room for abuse. Some teenagers grind Ritalin up and snort it or dissolve it in water and "cook" it for intravenous injection. Ritalin is a Schedule II controlled substance like most narcotics. When purchased in a pharmacy with a prescription, a tablet costs about. 25 to. 50 cents each. When being sold on the illicit drug market, Ritalin goes for $3 to $15 per tablet (Indiana Prevention Resource Center, 1995). This is an extremely dangerous predicament. Ritalin is made for oral consumption and includes ingredients that the stomach can absorb; however when injected or inhaled, they can be extremely hazardous to the point of overdose and death. Ritalin is becoming the drug of choice on college campuses and students say that it is more popular than pot and readily accessible (Tennant 2000). Students are taking these drugs to prepare to compete at the college level and continue on throughout their college careers. Widespread stories of students "snorting" Ritalin ranges from The University of Wisconsin to Harvard. If we are overprescribing these types of medication, are we also making them readily accessible for abuse? Will this be the next phenomenon like sniffing chemicals to get high? If you think the side affects of misuse are frightening, consider the side affects of normal dosages used properly. They include: nervousness and insomnia; loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting; dizziness, palpitations, headaches; changes in heart rate and blood pressure; skin rashes and itching; abdominal pain, weight loss, and digestive problems; toxic psychosis, psychotic episodes, drug dependence syndrome; and severe depression upon withdrawal (Indiana Prevention Resource Center 1995). These side affects are to be watched for on even the lowest dose of the medications, however on the higher doses, there are even more additional side affects. Also, the drug package inserts warn that "a small number of patients, fewer than 1 percent, may experience side effects, including abnormal dreams, agitation, hostility, suicidal thoughts and delusions" (Locy 2000). With an estimated 1. 5 million youngsters receiving antidepressants in 1996 alone, that is about 15, 000 who could be effected with these side effects (Locy 2000). Think about the violence in schools today, do we need to add in another factor? I think that some patients do need the medication, however before giving my child a medication that can cause those types of side affects, I would explore every alternative option. I think both the educational and medical societies are using this medication as a "quick fix" solution. Not enough is known about what causes ADD and ADHD and there is no conclusive way to test for the disease. Many physicians are prescribing the medication at the parent's request without evaluating the child fully. They are also neglecting to provide therapy to work in conjunction with the medication. Many of the medications prescribed are not approved by the FDA for use in children. Antidepressants are not approved for children under the age of 6, but millions of these prescriptions are written every year by doctors who can still legally prescribe these medications to children. Doesn't that concern anyone? Children are not just small adults. The chemical process and metabolization process is very different in children than in adults. A child's brain is rapidly developing and we are feeding it chemicals that have been shown to slow or stop development in order to "control" our children. There are ethical questions regarding the testing of medication on children, therefore it becomes very difficult to know the effects of those drugs. One study was done by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which is terribly flawed. The study was not a placebo-controlled double blind clinical trial (Breggin 2000). This means that all the participants in the study were given the medication and that the researchers observing the effects of the medication knew the participants had been given the medication. This may cause the researchers to be "seeing" an effect they may not have seen if they were unsure of the participant's medication status. Other factors to flaw the study were: there was no control group of untreated children; 32% of the group was already on medication at the start of the study; the number of participants was quite small, and boys significantly outnumbered the girls; the children themselves did not feel they had improved; all the principle investigators were well-known drug advocates and the parents and teachers were exposed to pro-drug propaganda (Breggin 2000). It is interesting to note that in 1998 NIMH sponsored conference on ADHD and not one of the original experts had any history of voicing opposition or reservations to using drugs to treat this problem. However, once this was pointed out, the NIMH did invite protractors to its conference. The consensus the panel came back with is quite interesting. The panel raised fundamental questions about whether ADHD is a "valid" diagnosis (National Institute of Health 1998). It also found no cause and no data to indicate ADHD is due to a brain abnormality and that Ritalin did not have long-term positive effects on academic achievement or social skills (Ross-Breggin, 2000). Unfortunately it is our future that is getting shortchanged by this current situation. We need to look at the big picture and see ways to change our lives to help our children grow up medication and worry free. Parents and schools don't want to admit that they are responsible for a child's behavior. Much of the way a child behaves has to do with the environment around them. A large stressful event in a child's life can easily produce behaviors similar to those described. Sometimes a child is not being respected and because a child will learn through modeling, they may in turn not show respect. Parents who choose to take their child off medication are being reported to Social Services by the school for abusing their child (Karlin 2000). What kind of message are we sending when a parent can't decide not to give their child a mind-altering drug? The whole situation is getting beyond our control. Again, as I have stated numerous times in this paper, I don't advocate the elimination of Ritalin and I don't belittle the difficulties suffered by people with ADD/ADHD. I just think the rise in blanket diagnosis and medication usage are causes for concern. I think Time magazine hit the nail on the head when it said, "Americans are becoming more and more programmed to force their children into a mold. There is an emotional cost, and eventually there will be a physical cost of taking square and rectangular people and fitting them in round holes" (Gibbs 1998). The question in my mind is just what will be the price we pay? References: ADD/ADHD Online Newsletter (July 1999). "News For You" Vol. 3 No. 6. Online. Internet 29 June 2000. Available web > Breggin, Peter. "A Critical Analysis of the NIMH Multimodal Treatment Study for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (The MTA Study). Online. 11 July 2000. Available web > Breggin, Peter, Ginger Ross Breggin. "The Hazards of Treating 'Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder' with Mathlphenidate (Ritalin) The Journal of College Student Psychotherapy 10 (1995): 55-72. Online. Internet 11 July 2000. Available web > Gibbs, Nancy. "The Age Of Ritalin" Time Magazine November 30, 1998. Vol. 152 No. 22. Online. Internet 19 July 2000. Available http: cgi. pathfinder. com / time /magazine / dom /981130/cover 1. html Gorman, Christine. "How Does It Work?" Time Magazine November 30, 1998. Vol. 152 No. 22. Online. Internet 29 June 2000. Available http: cgi. pathfinder. com / time /magazine/... om/981130/cover story. theageof 5 a. html Indiana Prevention Resource Center (1995). "Fact line on Non-Medical Use of Ritalin (methylphenidate) Indiana University Publication. Online. Internet 29 July 2000. Available web > Karlin, Rick. "Ritalin Use Splits Parents, School" Times Union 7 May 2000. Online. Internet 11 July 2000. Available web > Kluge r, Jefferey. "Next Up: Prozac" Time Magazine November 30, 1998. Vol. 152 No. 22. Online. Internet 29 June 2000. Available http: cgi. pathfinder. com / time /magazine/... om/981130/cover story. theageof 4 a. html Locy, Toni, Douglas Pasternak, Nancy Shute. "The Perils of Pills" US News and Report 6 March 2000. Online. Internet 11 July 2000. Available web > National Institute of Health Consensus Development Conference Statement (1998). "Diagnosis and Treatment Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" National Institutes of Health Publication. Online Internet 11 July 2000. Available web > National Institute of Mental Health (1996). "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" NIH Publication No. 96-3572. Online. Internet 19 July 1999. Available web > Tennant, Christopher. "The Ritalin Racket" Student. com Inc. Online. Internet 11 July 2000. Available web > Treva, Skip. "Attention Deficit Disorder" Online Forum. Online. Internet 17, July 1999. Available web DEFICIT DISORDER Treva, Skip. "Medicating the ADD Child" Online Forum. Online. Internet 17 July 1999. Available web.
Sunday, March 7, 2010 What's in a Name? Amina Liana When we named Amina something happened that I did not anticipate. Even though I love her names and the meaning and story behind the names I kept feeling unworthy of naming her and so aware of the awesome responsibility of naming another person. How could I possibly assign a name to something so complex, so precious as a soul? A name follows someone for life and we couldn't even ask her if she liked the names we picked for her. It was a weighty responsibility and I felt it strongly in a way that I had not anticipated. But a name must be picked, and I stand by our choice. She will make of her name whatever she wishes. And we gave her two names that contain many possible nicknames within them, so she has options. :) Amina, we tried to pick a name as special as you are: Amina is a name from the Arabic world, the name of the mother of the prophet Muhammad. It is derived from the Arabic word aamina which means, in essence, to feel safe, peaceful, and secure, to always be protected. The name is also recognized as meaning honest, truthful, trustworthy, and faithful. You were named after a little eight-year-old girl named Amina who lived in a village called Makunduchi on the island of Zanzibar. Zanzibar Amina is all grown up now, probably married with children of her own. She has a very beautiful smile and there is a very special story about her. One evening, in the summer of 2001, your daddy was visiting and interviewing a family near Makunduchi a good distance away from his home. It got dark before he realized that his flashlight did not work. He has always had a very hard time seeing in the dark and knew that he could not find his way home without help. Not to worry, a group of children your daddy had befriended gathered around him, all of them willing to help. Little Amina stepped up, took him by the hand and guided him through the dark for about half a mile to the main road until he was able to find his way home. Liana is a name derived from the Hebrew Eliana, which means God has answered. It is also a French name that means to twine around or to bind together. In English, Liana is the name of the type of climbing, intertwining vines that connect the trees of the rainforest and provide a network for animals to walk and swing safely from tree to tree without ever having to touch the ground. So, in short, these names in combination mean very special things to us that we hope to remember when we say them. And we hope you like them, Amina! Here is a picture of the Amina who helped guide your daddy through the dark that night. Who knew that one day we would have our very own little Amina who can see so well in the dark. Now it is your turn to take your daddy by the hand and guide him when he can not see. 1. What beautiful meanings behind her name. She is so beautiful! 2. What a fun idea to tell Amina where her name came from. 3. That is such a beautiful post Laura! How are you all doing, by the way?
“There Are No Problems, Only Solutions…” Today’s Lesson: You get what you take. John Lennon may have just been sitting there doing time, “Watching the Wheels go ’round and ’round…” but he nailed it with the title of this post. Have you noticed that problems are like gifts? We give them to each other. Sometimes we receive good ones and we are excited to try them on but a lot of the time they are more like another bottle of cologne you already have four of, or the wrong size paisley-patterned sweater from otherwise well-meaning people. What we forget is that gifts must be accepted. If we do not accept them, they go away (and sometimes stop being offered altogether). In other words, we think problems happen to us but actually we pick our problems. That is why on Monday someone can cut you off in traffic and you feel enraged, blare your horn, and curse them (until they look directly at you–then, you pretend you are focused on the traffic light ahead). Yet, on Tuesday, someone can cut you off and you simply swerve out-of-the-way and move on, listening to your favorite song. No problem. On Monday, someone offered you the gift of a problem and you generously accepted it. On Tuesday, someone offered you the same problem, but you graciously declined it. People offer you problems all the time. We love to give our problems away. Sometimes we are even offered the same problem over and over (my cat kindly offers me the problem of barfing up hairballs at 4 in the morning every few nights). All of our problems are the same way. We only have the problems we accept. When you feel overwhelmed, frustrated, confused, lost, stressed, or depressed (or all of those at the same time), consider what problems you are generously accepting and what ones you should graciously decline. Maybe it is time to politely inform Grandma paisley is not your style and you actually wear a different size than when you were twelve (or that you have stopped celebrating holidays altogether). She may not like your attitude but… well, that’s her problem. Do It Now. Today’s Lesson: If something is wrong, fix it now. Why wait and let it fester? Do it. Do it now. This is a simple, powerful lesson I was reminded of by Noah Kagan (the #30 employee at FaceBook, #4 employee at Mint, and founder of SumoMe) in an interview he had with Tim Ferriss (4-Hour Workweek, 4-Hour Body, and more). If you want to hear the full interview, which is totally worth it, you can check it out here. I learned this lesson first from my Dad, who taught me how to clean house and live like a civilized, cultured man of reason, even when I was young, stupid bachelor striking out for the first time. He said, “When you see something wrong, just fix it. Do it now. When you a dirty a dish, wash it right away. It is easier to wash one dish than to look at a whole pile of dishes and feel defeated before you start. After you brush your teeth, grab a dishcloth and wipe the sink handle and bathroom mirror real quick. When you see some clutter on the counter, just move it to its place. Don’t wait for it to grow. When you are done doing your business on the toilet, just grab a piece of toilet paper and wipe the rim before you flush. Don’t wait until it looks like a toxic spill area to clean it.” Dad, and Noah, are right. My bathroom, kitchen, desk, car, and everything else I have stays clean and organized. When I see a problem, I do not wait to resolve it. Sure, everything can wait until later, but of course, it will stay on my mind until later, too. It will add stress that would not be there if I took care of the problem right away. Not only will a problem grow in my mind until I become angry or distressed about it, but almost certainly it will grow in real life too. One dirty dish becomes three which becomes ten which becomes thirty, etc. I wash dishes at the same time I make dinner so I do not have to face a pile of dishes after a satisfying meal. As usual, this applies to other areas of life. In every leadership position I have held, when I first built or took over a team, they were surprised by my responsiveness to their needs and requests. Of course I am responsive! I don’t want to deal with the same problem later and ten times larger! Try it. If you see the toilet paper roll is almost out, don’t wait for someone else to deal with it, even if it is “their” responsibility. If someone left the cap off the toothpaste, just put it back on instead of letting your anger at their irresponsibility fester and grow. If you dirty a dish, wash it. If you see trash on the floor, pick it up and toss it in the garbage can. If you see a speck on the mirror, wipe it. If your boss asks for something, get it done now. Don’t wait until it is due and try to cram it in the last second with slipshod results. Just handle it. Become known as a person who gets things done now. Right now. See where that takes you… Do it. Do it now. No Pressure Today’s Lesson: Stress is relative but my life is not relative to yours. Over the last few months Nicole and I have uprooted our lives, leaving everything behind in Grand Rapids, MI and moving to Tampa, FL. It has been an amazing adventure so far but not without obstacles and remarkable stress. In some ways, we are not even the same people who started the journey. We have a new home with new furniture and new surroundings, new jobs with new work commutes, new cities to navigate, new weather, new sleep patterns, even new clothes. Everything is different and presents new challenges. The funny thing is, when I feel the pressure mounting I am also reminded we are living with much less stress than many, if not most, other couples. Many of our stresses are temporary and will subside over time (we will grow used to the city, our new work teams, our clothes, etc.). Not to mention we basically live on Vacation (meaning we live where most people go to get away from it all), with sunny weather almost every day, palm trees, and beaches at hand. We don’t have kids, or a mortgage, or even car payments to worry about (yet… we will probably upgrade our cars this year). The point is, from the outside looking in, I suspect it looks like we moved to Paradise but we still find ways to stress out. There are people with much better social position under much greater stress. I have learned stress is part of life, every life, and it is relative to the life being led. The trick, I think, is to remember it is all temporary, including the life being led. Recognizing all things must pass, including both the moments on the beach and the moments wishing for the beach, means recognizing it is all part of the adventure and we should cherish the challenges as much as the beaches. Do You Know What Your Solar Plexus Just Said? Today’s Lesson: Your body speaks to you all the time. Listen to it often. My hair stylist began by rubbing my neck and shoulders with minty oil. What a great way to start a haircut! Every time she gingerly pressed her thumb or finger in the area between my rhomboids (the “wing muscles” on your back) and spine, I was surprised by how tender the area was. I have been holding a lot of stress there but I was not aware of it. I should have been. The sore muscles were crying for attention and I was so used to ignoring them that I didn’t even hear them. If there has been a “theme” to what I have learned in my physical realm so far this year, it has definitely been that I do not listen to my body enough. I ignore my feet when they tell me they are sore and I am abusing them. I ignore my stomach when it says it is full and I am pushing it too far. I ignore my “wings” when they say I am holding onto too much stress and need to stretch and meditate Our bodies are amazing machines and, like nearly any complex machine, they have lots of “pop-up” warnings, red lights, and system recovery tools. We have to listen and read the signs instead of just running to the next task and thinking we will deal with it later. Eventually, “later” becomes a catastrophic system failure that could have been avoided many times… and that’s bad. Take time at least once a day and listen to everything your body says. It’s Better Than You Think Where is the Off Switch? In a world as loud and crazy as ours, what can we do to have a moment of peace and live better? There used to be more “off” switches. Before credit cards, when people ran out of cash, we were simply done spending. The “over-spending” and “debt” switches had an Off switch. When my dad left work at 5:00, there was no email, instant messaging, or text messages to interrupt his evening and rip his attention away from family and hobbies. Work had an Off switch. Before social media, when your friends worked at night or were out for dinner or drinks, they could not disrupt your plans or your sleep with constant updates and notifications. Socializing had an “off” switch. The same applies to shopping, traveling, entertainment, education, and nearly everything else I can think of. Some of us are adapting to an “always-on” society while many struggle emotionally, spiritually, and physically in a world without Off switches. We have traded our On/Off switches for volume control dials. The best we can do with stress is to sometimes turn it down, but never Off anymore. I think it is more important now to practice using the volume knobs in our lives, especially with the stressful parts. Practicing skills like meditation, walking in nature, spending time away from display screens, enjoying a quiet healthy meal, and having ample rest is essential to living well. Note these are definitely skills now (not hobbies or art forms), to be practiced and repeated regularly. Today’s lesson: With no Off switches left in the world, mastering control of your life’s volume dials can be the difference between living the good life… or living a short one. Today’s Lesson: “Overwhelmed” is an Adjective, Not a Verb [140929] We all feel overwhelmed at times. Work, family, and personal stress can mount and sometimes many events cascade and need resolution at the same time. No matter how much you have planned for a day, no matter how much pressure you accept from others (and any pressure placed on you must be accepted by you), and no matter how stressed or powerful you feel… you can only accomplish in a single day whatever you accomplished that day. Obviously, you can’t go back and add another three tasks to yesterday. If you do not get something done today, then it simply was unable to fit in today. You chose other priorities. Never stress about what did not happen. You are always doing the thing that is most important to you in a given moment (or else you would be doing something else, right?). The word “overwhelmed” is a verb in the dictionary, but I think that is wrong. “Overwhelmed” is not an action or a state of being. Rather, it is a descriptive word like “green” or “clever”. The distinction is important. By removing “overwhelmed” from your list of verbs (action words) and transferring it to your list of adjectives (descriptive words), you essentially transform it from an inherent state of being to a choice of descriptors. “Overwhelmed” is a choice, not a fact. We demonstrate this all the time, too. If your boss tells you she needs the TPS report by 9 am, you might drop everything to do it, rearranging your priorities. You accept the pressure. If a stranger walks up to you and demands you wash her car, you might laugh at her. No pressure because you would never accept it as a priority in your life. So… the next time you feel overwhelmed, drop the façade. You accepted the pressure. Either embrace the challenge or choose other priorities (of course, that also means you accept the consequences of your choices but that is a different lesson…). Today’s Lesson: Life Balance [140915] I am a workaholic. I am often chastised for checking email on vacation, responding to messages at all hours, or taking calls during mealtimes. There are plenty of reasons for this… for example, the last time I took a vacation and tuned out work, I was promptly punished by having to work three times as hard to catch up over the next few weeks. My team’s performance suffered as well. I probably have an element of competition and an old school mentality of “the way to get ahead is to work harder than anyone else”, too. This, of course, was great advice when I entered the workforce (before the internet was born) but it is not a good policy now, in an always-connected economy. Trying to out-work your competition today means never not working and is a quick way to a heart attack, alienating family and friends, or worse. I try to find balance between reaching the goals I am paid to reach and reaching my personal goals (which are sometimes the same), as well as maintaining a social circle, relationship, family commitments, and trying to stay reasonably healthy. The way to moving forward is no longer “work hard, get good grades, and save every penny”–all three will lead you to stress and an early grave. Today, the person who achieves the most balance wins. You can not out-work anyone in a 24/7 economy. College has become prohibitively expensive for many people and the return on investment has declined since the dawn of the internet and cheap access to knowledge became prominent. Being frugal in a volatile economy and watching your hard-earned savings deplete and de-value is one of the most depressing things I have witnessed over the last two decades. Sage advice today might sound more like, “Live well, be nice, try new stuff, and spend money on experiences you will remember instead of on toys you will forget.” Yesterday, I wrote about the law of opposing forces and it is interesting, isn’t it, to observe how the world works to balance itself on the macro-scale, too? As the economy declines, stress rises, and the world environmentally shifts, equal and opposite forces also rise to meet the challenge and restore balance. We see more and more people embracing the art of “life-hacking” to enjoy more (money, freedom, time) with less (stress, tradition, obsolete rules). We see a rise in people choosing a vegan lifestyle and trading their chairs for a pair of five-toe running shoes. We see more and more farmers adopting organic, cruelty-free practices and people recycling and reducing emissions. People are abandoning college and lifetime careers in exchange for vagabonding, learning through experience, and leveraging free online learning with practical, hands-on knowledge. All of these things seemed crazy or on the fringe just 20 years ago. People looked at me like I had 3 eyes when I “came out” as vegan 15 years back. Now, I can eat nearly anywhere and almost everyone knows what the word means. I remember discarding everything in the same trash bin when I was a kid and throwing McDonald’s bags out of car windows when we were done eating because… well, why not? And who cared where food came from as long as it was delicious? That “global warming thing” seemed like a debatable idea only ten years ago and cars that run on electricity were still a crazy thing for rich people to most of us. Now all of these things are mainstream, or at least in the realm of “normal”. This is a mouthful of disposition to say the lesson I learned today is the world seeks balance. Whether on the scale of society (we react to global warming with environmental conscientiousness) or on an individual scale (I react to gaining weight by exercising), Isaac Newton’s third law of motion holds true. “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”–this is what I call the law of opposing forces. The key, of course, is to shift back toward balance before imbalance gains enough inertia to get out of control (exercise is good when you are overweight and out of balance, but if you are too overweight, then too much exercise at once could give you a heart attack). Incidentally, that is Newton’s first law of motion… “an object at rest tends to stay at rest; an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted on by an outside force.” Newton figured out the secrets of motion and probably had no intention or idea that his theories could apply philosophically to our lives, as well. However, I think the father of Philosophy… Aristotle… had it right long before Sir Isaac Newton. Aristotle gave this advice more than 2 thousand years ago and it is just as true today for a healthy, happy life. He said, simply: “All things in moderation.”
It's Going To Be One Of Those Weeks It was a cold, dark morning. I always wake up a little earlier than I need to, and I drink a cup of coffee, watch the news, and check my e-mail. My brain needs this so it can start functioning by the time I begin teaching. Today, the sun decided to hit the snooze button. I had to use the lights. Not a good start to the week. Things were about to change. I rushed to school and arrived just in time (an unfortunate trend that seems to happen on Monday mornings). I headed for the stairway so I could drop off my bag and head to my classroom. That's when I noticed. Everyone in front of me was wearing bright swim caps and colorful, floral-patterned dresses. Some had on rubber gloves that are usually reserved for cleaning or washing dishes. Boys were wearing makeup and lipstick. Girls had mustaches. Plus, everyone had a sign hanging around their neck. The signs were made of bright paper and had two names on them. Maybe the toxic sludge did seep into my water. Then I remembered. It's "Freshman Week". I'm sure there's a Hungarian name for it, but I don't know it yet. It's the week that the school-leavers (or seniors) initiate the incoming students. Each freshman is assigned to a senior who makes them do things. I've been told they have to wear funny clothes and do silly dances. They have to carry their books (and their senior's books) in a basket. Sometimes they buy lunch for their school-leaver. It seems they have to do any ridiculous tasks that the seniors come up with. Between classes today, all the excited students rushed out to the courtyard. I watched from the window above and felt like I was a teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The freshman, in their crazy clothes, hopped around, did dances, had pies (or something) thrown on their faces, and generally had a great time. I can't wait to see what happens next. Wait, why didn't I get a freshman? I don't want to carry my books.
Category: Manuscripts LOUISE Roman Musical en Quatre Actes et Cinq Tableaux. Stock code: 7073 First edition. Inscribed presentation copy. Piano and Vocal Score. Bound in three quarter purple leather over marbled boards. Gilt titles to the spine. Minor rubbing to the binding extremities otherwise a fine copy. Publisher's presentation copy (stamped as such). Inscribed by the composer in black ink to the reverse of the half title [translated] "To Mademoiselle Blanche Marot, My first Louise in concert, in grateful recognition, Gustave Charpentier." A superb association.
A partner at the firm I once worked for insisted that "writing is revising." It's true, but sometimes more true than other times. A few weeks ago, I turned in one of my larger Paizo freelance assignments: three of the tombs in the upcoming Tombs of Golarion book. I thought each of them was quite good, in its own way, with some flavorful maps. I received an email about a week ago asking for a rewrite of one of the tombs. The map wasn't large enough--and the new map necessitated several new rooms without an increase in word count--and they considered the villain just too silly (oh, Raspjaw, you will see the light of day somewhere, I promise you!). They asked me to redraft it, and asked in a very pleasant and professional way (they wanted to ensure that the work showed my voice, and not theirs, in the final product). The rewrite was much more onerous than I'd anticipated. Adding several new rooms necessitated going back and redrafting all of the other rooms in order to reduce their wordcount. The redrawing of the map meant going through it all again, in order to make sure all the cross-references and such were corrected. Finally, you can't just swap out one final villain for another; that carries changes through the motivation and placement of everyone else, and that required substantial redrafting as well. So in the end, I'd rewritten or re-edited all of it. It was an entirely different animal by the time I was done. A better product? Yes, certainly, although I'm worried that in tightening the screws of the word count, the tomb lost a bit of its charm. We'll see what people think about it when it's released early next year.
Programming Mass Damage Calculators he of many honks Update! I cleaned up the detailed damage result a lot, both on the manly calc and the copypastable results for the mass calcs. It now gives all the relevant info, and only the relevant info. For example: 252+ Atk Choice Band Sheer Force Darmanitan Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Politoed through Reflect in rain: 47-56 (12.23 - 14.58%) -- 9HKO at best :pirate: -1 252+ Atk Wacan Berry Technician Scizor Natural Gift (60 BP Electric) vs. 56 HP / 0 Def Gyarados: 352-416 (102.02 - 120.57%) -- guaranteed OHKO :toast: 252+ SpA Choice Specs Reshiram Blue Flare vs. 252 HP / 84+ SpD Parasect in sun on a critical hit: 4624-5448 (1427.16 - 1681.48%) -- guaranteed OHKO :naughty: Also, I finally deactivated the link. I'd been locked out of that account for months so that version was super outdated. If you're wondering why it's a 404 now, it's because you've been using the wrong version! The byethost link in my sig is the one you want. he of many honks Fixed an annoying 1-character bug in the All vs One calc that was causing most offensive abilities to be ignored there. (Any set that didn't have multiple power-related ability options or multiple power-related item options was dropping the ability completely). This only affected the All vs One calc. Keep moving forward Would it be possible to implement NFE Pokemon? This would help greatly for Other Metagames or even trying out an NFE in an official tier (for example, Gothorita or Scraggy in RU). Sure, you can manually implement the stats, but if you need to do repeated damage calculations it's annoying to input it every time. Couple of things in the VGC portion of the damage calculator. 1) Muddy Water shows the same amount of damage whether the doubles/triples box is checked or not; it should be at 75% strength in those situations, a la Blizzard. 2) Feint is not a selectable move (30 BP, Normal-type, Physical) 3) You can not run calculations with the Therians. They are legal in VGC now so it would be great to have them. If you could implement these changes it would be great! Doing just fine, here at the top of the world If you want feint, simply set a blank attack to 30 BP, Normal, Physical. Tornadus-T and Thundurus-T have sets, and Landorus-T has a placeholder, so I don't see the issue there... Just choose any Pokemon and edit the base stats and typing manually. Only pokemon with sets on-site will appear in the damage calculator which is why the Therians aren't there. he of many honks Added temporary VGC placeholders for the Therians, added Feint and Foul Play, fixed issues with Muddy Water and Stored Power and Punishment. Is it possible to view offensive coverage. What I mean is that instead of seeing what 1 pokemon can do to the entire metagame, if I upload/enter in data for 2 or more pokemon, can I see what their moves can do to the metagame? I've noticed that multi-hit moves are calculated with the damage output of of 3 hits, but would it be possible to just calculate it with one hit? There have been times where I've wondered, "How many times does Breloom need to hit Pokemon X with Bullet Seed to OHKO?" or something, and so I usually have to just plug in Seed Bomb and manually set its base power to 25. Otherwise this is an amazing calculator. Thanks for putting so much effort into this! +6 252+ Atk Metronome Pure Power Shuckle Helping Hand Rollout vs. -6 0 HP / 0- Def Shedinja on a critical hit: 37877428-44561688 (3787742800 - 4456168800%) -- guaranteed OHKO That's a Level 100 Power Trick'd Shuckle using Rollout (5th Hit) with a Metronome (10th Hit) after using Defense Curl earlier against a Level 1 Shedinja that somehow had its secondary typing changed from Ghost to Fire. Just saiyan. I love this calculator it is incredibly useful. I am really curious how you managed to pull the data off the Smogon website do you mind giving a small explanation honko?
Skip to content Scottish Conservative plans for a graduate contribution: maths and myths April 5, 2016 Note: I have had this piece sitting in draft for a few days. A Daily Record piece published yesterday appears to clarify a couple of points and those are noted below: but it also perpetrates one red herring (as predicted below). The Scottish Conservatives have set out their plans to introduce a graduate contribution/charge/back-door fee (circle according to your rhetorical preference). This notes works through the maths. Liability and proceeds The charge would be calculated as £1,500 per year. It would have the same exemptions as the old graduate endowment. So it would not affect part-time students, mature students (age 21 at start of course is the dividing line in most cases), single parents, disabled students, those on PGDE (post-grad teacher training) or – and this is very important – those on HN courses, mainly in FE colleges. Under the graduate endowment, around 45% of the full-time students receiving funding from SAAS were exempt. Let’s assume for simplicity that around half would be unaffected by the proposed charge/contribution/backdoor etc. Those liable would be most of the young students on a full-time degree course. The Conservatives estimate that this would raise around £100m a year. That looks about right in the long term. There are around 135,000 Scottish and EU SAAS-funded students: 50% of those would be 67,500, which multiplied by £1,500 a year gives roughly £100m. However, given the way debt has risen for poorer students in recent years as a result of bursary cuts, it would be hard to justify adding to the financial load of those students already affected by those. The Conservatives have previously said that one call on this funding will be to increase bursaries for poorer students. The percentage of young degree (specifically) students who have been affected by cuts to the Young Student Bursary is not directly calculable from official statistics. But on a rough guess, it might be up to around one-third. So it’s a reasonable assumption that the first third or so of that £100m would need to be recycled into compensating grant for low-income students, simply to avoid adding further to the larger financial burden they already face as a result of decisions by the out-going Scottish Government. That would still leave around £65m of net proceeds to make the world a better place. The Record quotes the Conservatives identifying their scheme as producing £60m for investment in FE, so it looks at first sight as though this may be the sort of underlying calculation. Income-related repayment The party has said a loan would be available to cover the immediate costs of the charge. When they talk about people only paying it once incomes reach £20,000, they appear to be referring to the income threshold at which that loan would be repaid. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, student loans currently start to be repayable once income reaches £17,335 income: it’s £21,000 in England or Wales. If the Conservatives plan on following the precedent set by fee loans to Scottish students going to other parts of the UK, the new loan would be added to students’ other borrowing for living costs (where they have any), implying a general increase in the threshold for all loans. An increase in the repayment threshold would be a sensible, progressive move. A higher loan repayment threshold benefits lower earners and is advocated by NUS (Scotland). On the timing of the income, on which the Record concentrates, there’s one substantial point and one superficially persuasive but disingenuous one, which was often quoted in relation to the graduate endowment. [Note: the Record clarifies the first, but perpetrates the second.] The substantial timing point is about when the charge is levied. If it’s payable each year as a student actually studies, it’s not a back-door charge but a straight-through-the-front-door one. That system means that the proceeds become available to spend earlier. I start my course, pay the charge in cash or take out a loan to pay (as with existing fees in rUK) and the face value of it converts into immediate income for whoever I pay it to, whether it’s the university or the Scottish Government. If, however, it’s levied only once students leave, as the graduate endowment was, then the income takes about 4 years to build up to its full level. Note: The Daily Record appears to have got the Conservatives to clarify that it will be this, with the amount becoming payable in the April after graduation, following exactly the model of the graduate endowment. As The Record notes, it will be around the time of the next election before those leaving will start to be liable. So, rather than 67,000ish people paying £1,500 a year, somewhere between one-third and one-quarter of that number will pay either £4,500 or £6,000 in one go, as the first liable groups start feeding through, depending on whether they have studied for three years or four. Only by that point will the total amount coming head towards £100m. If everyone is on a 4 year course, the sum is 67,000/4 x £6,000 = £100m and takes 4 years to pull in; if everyone is on three years, it’s 67,000/3 x £4,500 = £100m, and it arrives after 3 years; if it’s a bit of both, it still heads towards the same total, and phases in over 3 to 4 years. As there is nothing until the first cohort of graduates leave, any new spending contingent on this income has to be delayed, or funded for a while from elsewhere. The latter is in effect what happened with the graduate endowment, where bursary spending linked to it was introduced in 2001, but the first set of liable students only graduated several years later. The new bursaries were funded by a temporary increase in the relevant budget line. The argument not to be seduced by here is that because students only pay it back once they are earning, there’s no useful income until graduates hit the repayment threshold. The Record gets in a tangle over this, which completely ignores that the government will have scored the income in its accounts in full as soon as the face value of the initial loan was handed over by the graduate. Loans act as a buffer between government access to spendable cash and the delay in graduates earning a enough to start paying them back. That is their whole point. This is why the Westminster government has been able to largely replace its own direct grants for universities in England with fee loans, without those institutions going bankrupt. This useless-trickle-in argument was used against the graduate endowment, equally misleadingly. The speed at which individuals pay back their loans in practice will be irrelevant for the speed at which any new funds become available for public spending. Suggesting the money will dribble in at a useless rate (The Record quotes a £200,000 a year in 2021) suggests either a failure on the part of those providing the briefing to the press to understand how the finances work in this area, or a desire to make sure other people don’t. It’s just unhelpful and doesn’t aid the sort of thoughtful discussion about the significant issues of equity raised by Scotland’s no-fee/low-grant system of student funding we still desperately need. Footnote 1: The Record’s detailed calculations The Record bases its sums on there being 30,000 entrants to degree courses each year, of which only around half would be liable. It estimates one-quarter of those will be on three year courses and therefore the first income would come when those pay £4,500 in 2021. That suggests some 3,750 paying £4,500, giving just under £17m. The Record suggests the net income would be around £15m. Near enough. (As I assume one-third of the income would be needed to stop the poorest students getting into further excess debt, the usable net proceeds for FE in the first year will be a bit lower than The Record estimates, nearer £10m.) Because it is only interested in the effects within the next parliamentary term, The Record does not carry the calculation forward to the next year, when the scheme would be expected to take almost full effect. At that point, the remaining liable graduates on 4 year courses (30,000 x 50% = 15,000, less 3,750 = 11,250) would pay £6,000 each, giving £67m, plus a further cohort of three year students would pay a further £17m, giving an income of £84m. That’s still short of my £100m, probably for two reasons. First, payments from those who spent more than four years in the system (longer courses, repeat years) are still missing: they might take the number up to somewhere round £90m once the system is in a steady state. The rest of the gap will be due to The Record working from a figure of 30,000 entrants to degree courses, which gives a lower base for the calculation than the SAAS figures I’m using. I think the SAAS ones should be a slightly better base, but by the time we’re only £10m apart on rough estimates, it’s not really an argument worth having. Let’s assume £90-£100m is the working estimate of the full value of the scheme early in the life of the next parliament, or £60-65m for FE, after compensating the poorest HE students for extra debt. As explained above, the other part of the calculation which purports to show the real value is only going to £200,000 is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of student loans and public finances. Footnote 2 The article quotes John Swinney suggesting that there has been a one-third increase in graduates from poorer backgrounds. It’not clear what the source for that is, but the figures often quoted by the SG are the UCAS ones for 18 year olds entering HE in a university from the most disadvantaged 20% of backgrounds. In 2006, there were 425 such students. In 2015 there were 605. That’s in fact a 42% increase. It’s also only 180 people, or an average improvement of 18 per year over a decade, before we all get too excited. Mr Swinney suggests the Conservative plan puts this progress at risk. A quick look at the pattern in the rest of the UK does not show Scotland performing better than the rest of the UK on this measure. Data here: From → Uncategorized Comments are closed.
The great debate. I didn’t know wether to write about this topic because it tends to get people pretty worked up but it always rears its ugly head and I guess a blog is a place for me to write my opinions and not every one will always agree. Again and again the topic comes up autism vs vaccines. I don’t want to go in to the politics or medical side of all of it because frankly I’m not qualified to. I do know that I want to prevent my children from contracting deadly and incurable diseases which is why all three are immunised. You know what I noticed after each of my children was immunised NOTHING! There was no change or major regression, they had their needles, may have been a tad unsettled or grizzly but otherwise they were exactly as they were the day before. When the anti-vax movement use my children as pawns in their debate I find it personally insulting. What they’re saying is; “I would rather my child have Hep B, than to be like your child”. “I would rather my child have whooping cough, than to be like your child”. “I would rather my child have polio, than to be like your child”. “In fact I would rather sit by a hospital bed while my child is in pain, having to watch them die an awful death from a preventable disease because the alternative is they may have turned out autistic, just like your child, if I’d immunised”. So my children, in their eyes, are better of dead? It’s hard not to take it personally and be offended when that’s the message that comes through loud and clear. I can tell you right now that I would not change a thing about my children. They are amazing and I will always have their best interest in heart. Which is why I chose to immunise them. I have always believed that autism is something my children were born with. I would assume that all three having it, its most likely a combination of mine and my husbands genetics. I don’t get caught up in looking for the answer to ‘why?’ My focus is firmly forward, in their future, Jess 💙 Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Complex genetic architecture revealed by analysis of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in chromosome substitution strains and F2 crosses. Document Type Publication Date Chromosomes-Mammalian, Crosses-Genetic, Mice-Inbred-A, Mice-Inbred-C57BL, Species-Specificity JAX Source Genetics 2006 Oct; 174(2):999-1007. Intercrosses between inbred lines provide a traditional approach to analysis of polygenic inheritance in model organisms. Chromosome substitution strains (CSSs) have been developed as an alternative to accelerate the pace of gene identification in quantitative trait mapping. We compared a classical intercross and three CSS intercrosses to examine the genetic architecture underlying plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) levels in the C57BL/6J (B) and A/J (A) mouse strains. The B x A intercross revealed significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) for HDL on chromosomes 1, 4, 8, 15, 17, 18, and 19. A CSS survey revealed that many have significantly different HDL levels compared to the background strain B, including chromosomes with no significant QTL in the intercross and, in some cases (CSS-1, CSS-17), effects that are opposite to those observed in the B x A intercross population. Intercrosses between B and three CSSs (CSS-3, CSS-11, and CSS-8) revealed significant QTL but with some unexpected differences from the B x A intercross. Our inability to predict the results of CSS intercrosses suggests that additional complexity will be revealed by further crosses and that the CSS mapping strategy should be viewed as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, classical intercross mapping.
Which virtualization platform is right for me? As a developer working primarily with Microsoft technologies, I would love for Microsoft to provide a proper desktop virtualization solution, i.e. a virtualization platform that can be used directly on a desktop computer. I started with various versions of Virtual PC and Virtual Server, but they have all had significant shortcomings. Even the latest Virtual PC is still essentially useless for developers, as it still doesn’t support 64-bit guests, much less several other desirable features such as multiple CPUs per guest. Thus, I’ve been using VMWare Workstation for my primary virtualization solution for a while now. It supports 64-bit and multiple cpus per guest, and sports a reasonably slick interface. I don’t really have any complaints about it other than the two-CPU-max-per-guest limitation. However, a lot of my recent work has involved writing code that scales well to 4 or 8 threads. That’s hard to test properly in an environment that supports only 2 threads. Plus, I work around mostly Microsofties, so I would like some reason to get off a VMWare platform, or at least be able to explain why the Microsoft solutions were all inferior. So, now that Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 are RTM, it’s time to try using Hyper-V for my desktop virtualization platform. I’ve already run into (and solved) several problems; I’ll detail those and any future problems that pop up here. Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , . Comments Off on Which virtualization platform is right for me? %d bloggers like this:
• Announcements • Jatheish ARK Sales! 12/20/17 • Content count • Joined • Last visited • Feedback Community Reputation 39 Gathering Thatch About RasFW • Rank Personal Information • ARK Platforms Owned 1. Bookshelves and In game discovery Bookshelves already have more slots for blueprints than normal storage boxes. 2. turret limit Turret Limit - Meet us halfway They need to make some dinos excel at defense. Right now every dino falls into either raid dino or kibble. None are great defenders. The only true offline defense we have is turrets. It's boring to build and easy to break, regardless of how many turrets you have. Chalico and arthropleura come to mind. Both turret dinos. Chalico can wield regular rock for regular damage as it is now. Wield a catapult boulder for 2x damage. Wield a spear bolt for 1x armor penetrating damage. Or wield a chain bola to slow and stop large dinos advancing on your base. Arthropleura spit could reduce saddle effectiveness by 50%. An advancing 100 armor stego gets hit by Arthro spit and starts taking extra damage. Rework dino pathing and follow. Maps should have a pathing map for permanent terrain features like cliffs and slopes. Each dino should know where they can and cannot walk. Change attack carnivores to only hit one target. Give them the huge hitbox, but apply the damage to only one creature based on some priority. For example, a giga priority would be something like: Titan Bronto Giga Rex Paracer Etc Generally going from biggest to smallest. Give us more defensive tools. Tripwire traps are great. How about concealed explosive landmines? Maybe a pheromone trap that makes a dino kick it's rider off and go aggressive for 10 seconds? How about using tripwires on storage containers? Give boxes a slot kind of like a "saddle" slot to put a tripwire in. The box is opened or broken, triggers the trap. Open a large storage box, find an explosion. Or knock out gas. Give saddles a durability like the roll rat. When a saddle breaks, armor rating goes to 0, but you can still ride it. Yes, people will just bring more saddles or repair them, but the idea is to make it more expensive for attackers. 3. I'm unofficial so maybe it's different, but on our cluster I have several characters that have been arkes for weeks. They lose their items after 24 hours, so I reccomend not trying to hide blueprints that way. 4. Bullet soaking dinos Imagine being able to mix in some chalico defenders. I don't know their current rock throw damage, but let's say it's 500 for a 300% chalico. Someone comes up with a saddles stego and can mitigate idk 80% damage. Each rock does 100 damage. Equip it with a catapult boulder. It consumes it as ammo, but now each rock does a base of 1000 damage. 200 to the stego after mitigation. Give it a spear bolt. Now all 500 damage goes straight to the stego. Give two chalico spear bolts on long range and a third chalico chain bola on short range. Stego gets close, being pelted, gets held in position and killed. Mix in your short range Arthro to reduce saddle even further. Sure you could snipe those tames away with a fab sniper or fire arrows, but each of them has their own health pool and saddles. It could take you a long time. They could also have a daeodon boxes in underneath on passive healing. I really want to use dinos on defense. I really do. But they just don't work right now. 5. Bullet soaking dinos I want smarter dinos we can use as defense. Arthropleura spit reducing saddle armor. Patrol paths for "smarter" dinos like raptors. Dinos chasing to the edge of a cliff, but not jumping over it. Chalico able to wield spear bolts (armor piercing), boulders (extra damage), chain bola (stop targets in their tracks) On turret mode. 6. scatophilians discrimination He just wanted to trick you into eating your own poop. 7. Paracer use on Aberration? (PvE) I'm guessing he takes offline members and cuffs them to a chair. When players are offline, after a certain amount of time, they can hold infinite weight. That's my guess. I've never tried it myself. 8. Am I going mad in Aberration I've never heard a voice in abberation. I've pooped myself to death, but I've never heard voices. 9. Controllable Auto Turrets No. Mounted minigun turrets hab e a much higher damage per bullet and would still hold a much higher DPS than a controlled auto turret. Additionally, minigun provides some cover for the operator. Drawback for a minigun is it is not a mobile piece and requires foundation support. A mannable smaller auto turret will be a light duty portable minigun. Much lower DPS, but also placeable anywhere and a much lower profile. 10. Give players the ability to mount an auto turret. Mounting a turret increases it's rate of fire by 50%, making manned auto turrets more effective than unmanned. Electricity is not required for the player to fire. This will give your base defense manned auto turrets slightly better DPS but you'll be easily sniped off if the enemy sees you shooting from it. The most useful way I see these turrets being used is to set up on a flank against an enemy. Sneak around their back or side with an auto turret, put it down with a few hundred bullets and go HAM. 11. Araneo This will probably be moved to the TLC pass thread. I think spiders should spin and shoot webs that function like ziplines on abberation. Few functional changes tho, only spiders can climb them. If an enemy or wild land tame hits them, the are slowed and the web destroyed. If a flyer hits it, it acts like an aerial bear trap, locking they flyer in place. 12. Arthropleura We got a few horns today by fishing. Time to tame some danger noodles! 13. Forum Game: Bad Advice Plant it in a crop plot. Where's a good place to hide my first base? 14. I swear to you wildcard ... That was the joke. I think an overhaul mod for single player would be cool where you play out in the time period the explorers from the notes actually lived. Quests and stuff like skyrim. 15. I swear to you wildcard ... ARK: The Movie. Start out following beach Bob. He builds a house, befriends a pachy. He goes to sleep, camera fade to black. He wakes up, cuffed, in a cage, phallic objects drawn on his face. Around him are 12 people screaming obscenities about his mother and one is jumping around playing a terrible song on a boom box. This scene remains for 2 hours. Closing credits.
Wednesday Writing Tip: How Long Does it Take to Write A Novel? Posted: March 16, 2011 in Uncategorized Tags: , , , Many will answer this with lots of artsy-fartsy crap. Not me. Writing a novel is a job and needs to be approached that way. If you’re serious about it you need to write on a schedule when you feel like it and when you don’t feel like it…especially when you don’t. You want to write a 300 page mystery? This is how: Three pages or more a day for 100 days. Leave it alone for a month. Take another 60-120 days to edit, revise and polish. That’s it. Don’t meditate. Don’t wait for the muse. Don’t take a writing class. Ass on chair, fingers on keyboard. Go. Not glamorous. It’s work. 1. Amy says: No artsy fartsies here, Tom. You are correct. Ass in chair, fingers on keyboard is the only way to make it happen. It is hard work and sometimes the ass has to stay in the chair a really long time before the fingers start moving. Sometimes you go through miserable false starts where you realize what you’ve written sucks and you need to go back and trash several pages or whole chapters. Sometimes you have to shut yourself off from the rest of the world; shut off the modem to force yourself away from the distractions of email/social networking; have your family slide food under the door to you three times a day… Or at least I do. That said, reaching the finish line is a joyful experience. It’s addictive. It makes you want to put your ass in the chair and start all over again. It’s a beautiful, vicious cycle. 🙂 2. AGREED. Write, read, edit, wait. Write, edit,read, edit, rest the ms. Edit, read, write. Being a writer (or an author if you prefer) requires persistence, discipline, patience. A friend, a successful writer, once told me to set deadlines, not goals. She further said it’s ok to watch for your muse to show up, but you better be working at the keyboard when she enters the room! 3. I’m thinking of installing a wireless keyboard on my treadmill Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Where to transfer your last Chase Ultimate Reward points Given the massive adjustments to Chase’ Ultimate Reward earning cards, I decided to adjust my strategy and pursue other cards and reward programs. I still had an Ink Plus with a small points balance to liquidate prior to closing the card. Due to the overall negative program changes, the card was no longer worth the upcoming annual fee. The below documents my thought process. My initial transfer choices were the following: 1. Southwest Airlines: 1,000 points = 1,000 Rapid Rewards Points 2. United Airlines: 1,000 points = 1,000 MileagePlus Award Miles 3. British Airways: 1,000 points = 1,000 Avios points 4. Korean Air: 1,000 points = 1,000 Skypass miles 5. Hyatt: 1,000 points = 1,000 Gold Passport points 6. Marriott: 1,000 points = 1,000 Marriott Rewards points 7. Priority Club: 1,000 points = 1,000 Priority Club Rewards points 8. Ritz-Carlton: 1,000 points = 1,000 Ritz-Carlton Rewards Points 9. Virgin Atlantic: 1,000 points = 1,000 Flying Club Miles 10. Singapore Airlines: 1,000 points = 1,000 KrisFlyer points 11. IHG: 1,000 points = 1,000 IHG Rewards Points A. Filter out low redemptions. First I filtered out the normally bad redemption rates, and that took out half the chart. For example, Marriott points are normally worth less than 1 CPM, so it would not make sense given the higher opportunities with UA (where you regularly get 3+ CPM redemptions). I’m left with WN, UA, KE, SQ, and Hyatt. Step B (below) can come first, but the maximizer in me will regret a poor redemption, thus I filter out poor redemptions upfront to save myself the potential anguish later. After understanding the program limitations and filtering for good valuations, I considered my future travel plans. B. Understand how the miles can be used for your upcoming travel plans. My mother has ANA miles that are about to expire in a couple of months, so I plan to use those miles for an Asia trip in early 2017. However, I only have enough miles for one person (ANA forces r/t travel generally). By the way, ANA Miles are one of the few mileage programs where miles expire regardless of activity, so set calendar reminders to use them! They expire 3 years after you earn them and you can check how many of your miles are about to expire on their website. So how can I use WN, UA, KE, SQ, and Hyatt points? I know that UA and SQ are *A partners with ANA, so I can potentially book the same flights for the Mrs. Alternatively, I can us the ANA miles for myself, and then use UA/SQ to fly the Mrs. and her mother since there is a chance she can join us. That way she doesn’t fly alone. If I transfer to UA, I know I will use those miles this year (and not worry since they won’t expire with my level of activity anyway). I can also use KE for that flight but I am not an expert of SkyTeam, so I filtered (self-limited) that out. Less choices is better on the brain. I can always use WN miles since we travel on Southwest frequently (5-6 times annually). Furthermore, our Companion Pass doubles the CPM from ~1.6 to ~3.2 for the rest of this year. Given my pleasant experiences with Hyatt Diamond status, I want to stay at more Hyatts this year. This is a great example of elite status reinforcing loyalty and driving business decisions. However I don’t have any upcoming destinations where lodging is needed (We will be staying with friends/family for many of our trips). I can also transfer some points into each of those programs (to top off those accounts) if I calculate a particular redemption for upcoming travel. C. Understand how this actions fits into your larger strategy and points balance. If you had a surplus of points in any one of those transfer partners you may think twice before moving them over, especially if you don’t have immediate plans to redeem. All things being equal, a well diversified mileage currency strategy works better (just like with stock investments). You want to hedge against devaluations in any given currency. I also want to consider the transfer options for my other flexible currencies. For example, Citibank is also a transfer partner to SQ, so I keep that in mind when pooling resources. I might want to save UR points for UA instead of SQ. Chase is the sole transfer partner for United, so even if I had a lot of United miles, I would consider the transfer given the difficulty of earning or lack of other transfer partners. In another example, let’s say I have a lot of American Express Membership Rewards points to transfer. I would evaluate all of their transfer partners and discover that Delta Skymiles only allows transfers from MR or SPG Starpoints (Starpoints are very valuable and not easy to accrue). I may consider using MR points for Skymiles as a priority. D. Consolidate and synthesize your findings. Then pull the trigger. When you have multivariate decisions of this nature, where one thing is contingent on another, its good to think through the best and worst case scenario. Any transfer option between UA and WN would be good and immediately redeemable. Also, consider what decisions you can make now with your available knowledge, and what decisions require further analysis. Often it is best to pull the trigger now, since I found that the law of diminishing returns is quite consistent when it comes to too much due diligence. If I needed to pull the trigger right now as I’m writing this, I would transfer my remaining points to WN. I would be able to use all the points this year to visit family and maintain relationships. If I had another 30 minutes, I would evaluate between UA and SQ, comparing their award charts for the Asia flight, as well as run test bookings to evaluate actual availability. Other family members have UR points, so this decision isn’t critical, but I want to set myself up for success and make the decision easier when time comes for redemptions. For the sake of experimentation (and the hope that I can get higher than 3 cpm) I used 30 minutes to evaluated UA’s award chart and found that UA was more favorable for my upcoming trip. Thus, I transferred my points to UA. What has been your experience transferring credit card points to airline partners? Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Remember me Reset Password Save Customer ID Click Me Sportsbook Terms One who attempts to profit from the differences in odds, from book to book, by wagering both sides of the same game at different set prices. To win a great amount of money due to successful wagering. To withdraw, cancel or call off a wager. Second-Half Bet A wager placed on the second half of a football or basketball game. A wise guy. Short Odds A term that refers to people who make small wagers. The percentage of money bet on the point spread of the game, not on the actual outcome of the game. The names of the two teams playing the underdog and the favorite. Single Action To specify a win-only in an if-bet type wager. Smart Money Money wagered on sides by knowledgeable handicappers. Soft Line Splash Around To play more loosely than one should. Sport Player A player who might wait for an unusually strong wager. Spread (Lines) Short form for point spread on a game. Spread Wager An abbreviated term for point spread. Spread Limit A fixed betting structure in which a player may bet any amount, within a set range, on every betting round. A typical spread limit structure is $2-6, where a player may bet as little as $2 or as much as $6 on every betting round. An unsophisticated player. Stanley Cup Trophy awarded to the winners of the NHL championship series. To be playing badly and wildly, often while emotionally upset. Straight Bet (Wager) Straight Wager (Bet) A depressing condition experienced by players who feel behind, buried, losing or down for the week, sometimes as a result of losing a substantial amount of money. A player who has lots of cash, but lacks the basic skills to win. Also see, mark, live one, fish, and provider. Sucker Bet A wager that overwhelmingly favors the bookmaker or house. Sudden Death An overtime period of play where the first contestant to score is declared the winner of the event. Super Bowl NFL championship game. Take a Price A wager on the underdog in a money line event. Take the Odds To wager less money on a proposition than one hopes to win. Take the Points A wager on the underdog in a point spread event. A bet on two or more teams where the line on each team is adjusted in favor of the player. Like a parlay, all selections must be correct for the teaser wager to payoff. Ten-Cent Line The money line difference (10 cents) between what a player lays with the favorite or takes back with the underdog. Thirty-Cent Line The money line difference (30 cents) between what a player lays with the favorite, or takes back with the underdog. When a game officially ends with neither side winning. Toss Up A game where the line is close to pick 'em; a game where no team, or betting option, is a clear favorite. The total combined number of runs/points/goals scored by the two teams opposed in a sports event, including those scored in overtime. Tout Service A business that sells opinions of sporting events. Triple Sharp A very strong player who also happens to be a wiseguy. A book that derives its numbers by taking the middle point between the numbers calculated by all other books. Twenty Cent Line The money line difference (twenty cents) between what a player lays with the favorite, or takes back with the underdog. A measure of the extent to which winnings and losses fluctuate over a period of time. Variance is not necessarily a measure of how well someone may play. However, the greater the variance, the greater the fluctuations between winnings and losses. The team playing away from its home town; its name is usually listed above that of the home team. Invalid with no result. An acronym for World Boxing Association. An acronym for World Boxing Council. Wise Guy A well-informed, knowledgeable and successful sports handicapper or player. An abbreviation for Women's National Basketball Association. World Series A best-of-seven championship playoff series to determine the best team in Major League Baseball. ↑ Back to page content ↑ Back to top
Breaking News u.s. open MEN’S SEEDED WINNERS: Second Round: No. 2 Roger Federer, No. 3 Novak Djokovic, No. 5 Robin Soderling, No. 13 Jurgen Melzer, No. 19 Mardy Fish, No. 21 Albert Montanes and No. 22 Juan Carlos Ferrero. MEN’S SEEDED LOSERS: No. 6 Nikolay Davydenko, No. 11 Marin Cilic and No. 26 Thomaz Bellucci. WOMEN’S SEEDED WINNERS: Second Round: No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, No. 4 Jelena Jankovic, No. 7 Vera Zvonareva, No. 11 Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 14 Maria Sharapova, No. 15 Yanina Wickmayer, No. 23 Maria Kirilenko, No. 25 Alexandra Dulgheru and No. 31 Kaia Kanepi. WOMEN’S SEEDED LOSERS: No. 9 Agnieszka Radwanska, No. 18 Aravane Rezai and No. 22 Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez. TOP PLAYERS ON COURT today: Men, Second Round: No. 1 Rafael Nadal vs. Denis Istomin, No. 4 Andy Murray vs. Dustin Brown, No. 18 John Isner vs. Marco Chiudinelli. Women, Third Round: No. 2 Kim Clijsters vs. No. 27 Petra Kvitova, No. 3 Venus Williams vs. Mandy Minella, No. 5 Sam Stosur vs. Sara Errani, No. 12 Elena Dementieva vs. No. 24 Daniela Hantuchova. blog comments powered by Disqus More in News
A potentially sad end for a gentleman 11:00 a.m. EST, May 5, 2012\|Korrie Wenzel, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D. The New York Yankees are just plain offensive to some people around these parts. I suppose good folks like Pete Jones, Joe Kramer, Terry Heisinger, Dean Minder, LaMoine Torgerson and a score of other local Yankees die-hards will consider dropping their subscriptions over such a statement. I hope they don't, but it's true that the Yankees prompt strong feelings, one way or another. I guess it's hard to explain. To each his own. As for me, I can't stand the team. Yet when I heard that the great Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera shredded the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, it ruined my day. Have you seen the video of the mishap? It's being replayed ad infinitum on the TV sports networks and can be found in a moment on the Internet. Rivera, during Thursday batting practice in Kansas City, jogged after a fly ball but fell to the turf when his knee buckled. He was hauled from the field and sent to a hospital, where it was confirmed that he did indeed tear his ACL. What an unfortunate and unceremonious end to a great career this may be. Rivera is baseball's all-time leader in saved games, with 608. He saved at least 25 games in 15 consecutive seasons and 11 times had a season earned-run average of less than 2.00. Back when the Twins still played in the Metrodome, I was fortunate enough to have some pretty good seats next to the visitors' bullpen. Over the years, those seats gave us a good view of how major-league pitchers work, and also gave us an inside look at many pitchers' quirks and personality traits. One afternoon, well before game time, Rivera was on the field, working out nearby. Sensing that he would walk back to the bullpen to grab his jacket -- and realizing that my kids were elsewhere seeking batting-practice balls -- I quickly grabbed a ball and pen and waited for Rivera to come by. He's going to be in the Hall of Fame, for goodness sake, and those autographs don't come easily. Instantly, dozens -- maybe more than 100 -- of other people did the same thing I did. It literally was a stampede. Rivera wasn't daunted. He came back to the bullpen, gathered his things and began signing autographs for at least 20 minutes. When it was my turn, my dislike for the Yankees momentarily disappeared. So did my gray hair and beer gut. I was 10 years old again, half expecting to see my dad over my shoulder egging me on. Me: "Hello, Mr. Rivera. May I have your autograph?" Mariano: "Yes. May I use your pen?" Most major-leaguers scribble hurried, illegible lines and marks when they sign their John Hancock. Rivera's autograph looks like calligraphy. He is cordial and deliberate and takes his time when he signs. When he's finished, he looks at the recipient as if to say, "Anything else?" Rivera moved down the line, but came to someone who didn't have a pen. He stopped, returned to me, and asked, "May I use your pen again?" I've followed Rivera since, as if we're some sort of old acquaintances from college. Through reading about him, I've learned he's heavily involved in charities and the Christian community. He sure seems like a good guy. He's also 42 years old, about my age. That's not a bad age to be publisher of a newspaper, but it's really old for playing professional baseball. Rivera looked it Thursday, when his knee buckled as he simply jogged for that fly ball. Imagine how difficult it must be for a 42-year-old to maintain the body, mind, soul and spirit for a 162-game season in the bigs. Three years ago, it took spinal surgery to fix my deteriorating shoulder just so I could play catch with my kids. Last year, while hanging a planter on my deck, I wrenched my hip so hard I could hardly walk for two days. I once sneezed and threw out my back. (Funny as that sounds, I'm not kidding, and local chiropractor John Prunty can attest to that. I suspect he was suppressing a grin when he said something like, "Oh, it happens all the time.") Meanwhile, a guy like Rivera is still able to successfully pitch in 50, maybe 60 games a year at the highest possible level. I don't like the Yankees at all, but I make an exception for Mariano Rivera. If he never pitches again, it will be a sad end for this gentleman's great baseball career. Orlando Sentinel Articles
Wednesday, March 27, 2013 Great Marketing is NOT More Email I am amazed daily at the number of emails that find their way into my inbox - reminders for events I never said I would attend, mock-personalized messages telling me what products/services/education I need though the sender has no clue who I am, 4-5 pages of single-space copy with a call to action that is near impossible to find - and that is just before 9am. In the age of twitter and pinterest, of free video calls and meetings, marketing has to shift from full-frontal blast to dialogue. Focusing on three core-areas for most associations, here are a few ways we could really start to connect value in not only what we say to our customers, but in what they can share with one another - let's call them the three C's: 1. Conferences A call for sessions, a brief description in the program-at-a-glance, evaluations after each class - gargle, rinse, repeat. There is so much more we can do for our speakers, for our attendees, for the association: - Once we know what sessions a conference will have, ask each speaker to write a paragraph or two sharing an insight of what they will teach with a few open ended questions - Create a messaging calendar so that each week a different one of these messages appears on the association's blog/website/social media page. Utilize a format when professionals can respond to the questions, and then to one another. Ask the speaker to check this page periodically to respond to follow up questions that come from readers. - In the online session guide/program-at-a-glance, hyperlink each session to its individual conversation as an expansion of a description of what the attendee will learn. This approach gives the speaker a venue to hear what questions attendees have on their given topic, allows attendees to start forming a knowledge community that will be able to largely meet in person at your conference - and most importantly gives the association dynamic marketing that encourages those participating in the conversation to attend. The best part? Every part of this is professional-created - the association simply has to create the conversation structure and connections. 2. Certifications Most association approved certifications follow a format of covering a number of core competencies/domains that summarize the foundation of the industry. Most professionals who choose to become certified enter into the process with expertise in some domains, some familiarity with others, and perhaps only the most basic of understanding of the rest. Review courses, education, study groups - associations and their components often find ways to help those that want to become certified learn the information that they need. Many will pair certification-takers with study buddy's who will support each other through the test taking process until that happy day when the letter comes in the mail - you are certified! Here is your certificate! Here is your pin! You get a new ribbon at conference! And that is about it. Just to be clear - you have a professional that has spent time, often months, bringing their own expertise to the forefront, closely tied to your organization, and becoming a better student and teacher all at once. And once they pass - then what? How are we leveraging these new knowledge experts to have them share that fresh-experience with those who will follow? For their own journey, how do we ask them which were the areas where, in spite of passing, they could use more information and experience - and then connect them with those opportunities? In those we are certifying for our profession, we are not only creating better professionals - but also potential knowledge-based advocates on the importance of getting certified, the journey to get there, and how the association invests in their journey before, during and after certification. Empowering our members to be lifelong learners means reinforcing their achievements as a student, serving as a guide for their ongoing education, and most importantly providing opportunities for them to give back. You want marketing for your certification, the prep-courses and everything that goes with it? Get a professional to stand up to say, "I did this, I am better at what I do because of, and you should too. Let me show you how." 3. Component Leaders Geographic chapters, industry specific councils, professional local sections - call them what you will but for many of your members the smaller, sub-set group that they belong to within your association is often where they get top value. Our volunteer leaders in these communities can be our grass roots welcome wagon - a portal of entry for new professionals/members, a key connection point to the goals of the organization as a whole, and a scouting team for diamond-in-the-rough future leaders. The potential is there for all of it - but it takes proactive positioning to maximize the power of local leadership. - We want our component's strategy to be intertwined with that of the overall organization. How are we sharing the vision of the association with our local leaders? How are we facilitating the translation of that global vision to what part the local community contributes, and how that contribution is a win-win? The association's strategy is usually written in consultation with association professionals who bring a background and expertise in association visioning that is a unique skill set. Most of our components are solely volunteer led - meaning we expect professionals in the field of their unique industry to be able to create similar association-structured visions without having the skilled experts to assist. Whether it is training sessions, guides and worksheets, webinars or consultations - we have to do more. - Most members join your association with a single point of entry that defines their awareness - be it a conference, a chapter, the certification, etc. How do you orient them to the rest of your value proposition, and the opportunities that await if they would only take the next step? You local leader is a key answer to this question. If they are knowledge keepers on the association as a whole - on what you provide and the value it holds, then in every conversation, in every program they can personally recommend further involvement for any member. A passionate, association-aware volunteer is potentially our strongest marketing tool - but we have to invest in their understanding of what we do and what it can in turn do for their colleagues if we want them to tell the story. - Marketing is not only messaging for today - but also is creating the thoughts of tomorrow. There is no better way to do this than to nurture the skill and commitment of your future leaders as soon as possible. Those that have a passion or skill for volunteering will find a place to fulfill that need - there is no shortage of opportunities. How are you structuring your component connections so that they see the possible paths of volunteer leadership that exist for their visionaries? By getting these volunteers in early, they will become lifelong marketing superstars for your organization - literally living the narrative of how your association helps a professional to be better at what they do. Every time they tell that story, you will see membership rise, products sell, and new volunteers raise their hand. It is a long term investment - but a worthwhile one. Emails are not going anywhere - neither are expectations that because we put it on our webpage or in a newsletter everyone should know about it. That is where we were yesterday, and in some ways where we are today. Tomorrow? Marketing is about dialogue and relationship building. It is less about choosing the right font and more about investing in the right spokespeople. Our organizations are stronger because of those who vocally support and contribute to our mission and vision - if you have a professional screaming from the rooftops that your organization rocks - what better marketing could you desire?
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Friday, August 22, 2008 Olympics: Why am I not wearing Gold Medals? What can I take up at the ripe age of 27? I think rowing or picking up seashells. I like beaches, weather is never too hot for me, I like oceans, I have no problem leaning down and becoming upright again, sand between my toes is cool and I can totally walk with my head down for long periods of time if needed. Looks like I probably have to become an Olympic beachcomber. I've already mastered walking in Earth shoes with Kalso Negative Heel Technology, which mimics walking in stand and thusly encourages the body into a more natural and healthy posture. I figure I can wear my Earth shoes to cross train in the winter. I will wear the Earth shoes in the snow and increase the effect. Then walking in sand will be like floating. I can practice picking up seashells by picking up lost change on the street or sidewalk. This extra dough will finance my training program and help fund my beach combing uniform, unless the country pays for that. I'm not sure on all the logistics of being on an Olympic team just yet. Yes, I am aware that Beachcombing is a difficult sport to break into, especially with all those island nations out there. I will use that to my advantage, I spend most of my year buried in snow with is just as difficult to walk in and has that annoying squeaking crunching sound, so when I show up all pasty white on the Olympic beach the other Olympians will under-estimate me, but I will find all the seashells! Take that other nations! The USA Beachcombing team of 2012 is going take home the gold!
Return to Transcripts main page Dollars for Boehner's District; President and Pope Hit Touchy Subjects; Anger on the Streets of Iran; Bailed Out Firm Gives Bonuses Again; Homicide Not Ruled Out; President Obama Arrives in Ghana Aired July 10, 2009 - 17:00 ET Happening now, the president and the pope meeting for the first time in public -- all smiles for the camera, but what happened behind closed doors, as two men with vastly different world views hit on some sensitive subjects? Ominous developments in Iran right now -- dramatic new images of the unrest are surfacing, as an American-Iranian academic is arrested in Tehran -- his whereabouts now unknown. And the L.A. police chief now says he can't rule out murder -- murder in the death of Michael Jackson, while the singer's father says he suspects foul play. Are we on the verge of a Jackson bombshell? I'm Wolf Blitzer. BLITZER: It was all pleasantries and small talk as President Obama and the first lady met Pope Benedict XVI over at the Vatican today, before leaving for Africa. But behind-the-scenes, frank talk on subjects where the two leaders have little common ground, including abortion and embryonic stem cell research. Our senior White House correspondent, Ed Henry, is traveling with the president. He has new details of his meeting with the pontiff and more -- Ed? ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the president came to the Vatican, behind me, for his first meeting with Pope Benedict -- a meeting full of symbolism, but also substance. Topics on the agenda included areas of agreement, such as the hope they both share that Israeli-Palestinian peace could be achieved in the near future; also, the efforts at the G8 summit to fight global poverty and hunger. Disagreements, as well, like abortion -- White House aides saying that the president wanted to stress to the pope, as he did recently at that commencement address at the University of Notre Dame, that he's trying to bring people together on this very delicate, sensitive issue. Also interesting, the pope wanted to discuss another issue you wouldn't expect at a meeting like this, perhaps. In a rare move, he wanted to discuss the financial crisis -- the pope believing that powers like the U.S. need to put some more authority out there -- more regulation of the financial markets, believing that the financial crisis has unfairly affected the poor all around the world. The two men also exchanged gifts -- the president giving the pope a stole, essentially a vestment that had been placed on the remains of St. John Neumann, the first U.S. -- naturalized U.S. citizen to become a saint. The pope giving Mr. Obama a medal, as well as a mosaic representing St. Peter's Square. Now, after their one-on-one, the pope and the president were joined by First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as the first daughters, Sasha and Malia -- the first lady dressed all in black, as is the tradition. Now, after receiving one of the gifts from the pope, the president was heard saying: "We'll find a place of honor for that." The president also noting when he received the encyclical from the pope -- essentially the pontiff's views on various important issues -- that he thinks it will be great reading material for the flight to Ghana, the president's next stop -- the first time an African-American president will be going to a majority black country in Africa. Obviously, the world will be watching -- Wolf. BLITZER: Ed Henry reporting for us from the Vatican. President Obama and the first lady, Michelle Obama, are due to arrive in Ghana within this hour. We're going to have live coverage for you. This historic trip is significant. It's the first time an African-American president of the United States -- the only African- American president we've ever had -- is visiting a Sub-Saharan African country. He visited Egypt and North Africa earlier in the year. We're following this trip to Ghana. We're going to bring you the arrival live. That's coming up. Stay tuned for that. You'll see history unfold. Meanwhile, there are new signs unfolding right now that Iran is coming down very hard on those protesting the government. And there's word of the arrest of the first Iranian-American journalist since demonstrations began after those disputed elections. Let's go to CNN's Reza Sayah. He's following all this from the CNN Iran Desk. An American citizen has now been picked up, is that right -- Reza? REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf. This is significant because this is the first U.S. citizen to be detained by Iranian authorities during the post-election turmoil. His name is Dr. Kian Tajbakhsh. He's actually an Iranian-American scholar and a sociologist. According to sources very close to his family, he was picked up by members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, dragged out of his home on Thursday in front of his wife and a small child. It's not clear why he was detained. But we can tell you Dr. Tajbakhsh was picked up before, in 2007. He spent about four months without charge in Iran's notorious Evin Prison and released. We spoke with one observer today. He tells CNN this could be -- and we emphasize this could be an attempt by the Iranian government to drag Washington into the post-election fray -- Wolf. BLITZER: Let's hope he's out of there and out of there soon. We're also getting some more compelling images coming in to the Iran Desk where you are right now. What are we seeing? SAYAH: Video coming into the Iran Desk all day. We've picked out the best for you. This first one we're going to show you gives you a glimpse of what appears to be a change in strategy on the part of the Basij. The Basij, of course, the volunteer militia, who usually wear street clothes. They've come under criticism for wearing street clothes. So what eyewitnesses have told us is that now they're wearing brand new uniforms. And you can see these security forces with street clothes on top. They're wearing camouflage vests. And what you're going to see is these surprise attacks. All of a sudden, you see a Basij member rush to someone with a camera. And the next thing, you know, we see a black frame and the picture taking is over. Now, what happens when a member of these security forces catches up with you? We have what could be some disturbing video to some. So we forewarn you, what you're about to see is graphic. Now, this is a young man who we spoke to today. And he tells CNN that he went to the rescue of a number of women who were being beaten up by security forces and this was the aftermath. He says about six people ganged up on him with batons. You see the welts in his back and on his head. Not the numbers that we've seen in previous weeks. About 3,000 people came to the streets in downtown Tehran yesterday. There was an aggressive crackdown. Eyewitnesses say the next time there could be a protest is when President Ahmadinejad is sworn in, possibly later this month, maybe in August -- Wolf. BLITZER: Reza, we're going to stay on top of this story with your help. Thank you. Fresh outrage, meanwhile, over a new round of bonuses at the company that took billions of U.S. government bailout dollars. That would be AIG. We asked Brian Todd to take a closer look -- Brian, what's going on? BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, this scheduled bonus payment next week could get this issue boiling all over again, as if AIG needed it. But this time, the company is trying to preempt the political fallout. TODD (voice-over): More bonus payments to top AIG executives are due on Wednesday -- $2.4 million for 43 employees. But Congress' bailout watchdog had this warning. ELIZABETH WARREN, TARP OVERSEER FOR CONGRESS: Look at unemployment. Look what's happening to everyone's 401(k). Look how many people are losing their homes. And there are people who think they can still take taxpayer money and pay fabulous bonuses. I just -- it's a two universe problem here. There's going to be trouble over this. TODD: But an attorney who represents some of AIG's executives says denying them bonuses would break the law. JOHN SINGER, ATTORNEY FOR AIG EXECUTIVES: If these folks had contracts, then that's the prevailing law of the land. They're legally entitled to get the bonuses. And it really doesn't matter what she or people think. TODD: Taxpayers have already made available to AIG a $180 billion bailout. TODD: There was an outcry earlier this year when the company said it had to pay out $165 million in bonuses, even to executives of the disastrous AIG unit that caused the company's near collapse. And over $200 million in bonuses AIG says were agreed to before the bailout are still supposed to be paid out next year. A source close to the matter tells CNN, AIG is asking Kenneth Feinberg for guidance on that set of bonuses. Feinberg is the Obama administration's pay czar, who will vet bonuses at seven companies getting big taxpayer bailouts. AIG declined to comment, but published reports stay company has also asked Feinberg to weigh in on next week's $2 million payment, as well. Will there be a renewed outcry? A.B. STODDARD, COLUMNIST, "THE HILL": I think it's smart of AIG to ask the administration for approval, because it does provide them political cover if the administration blesses the bonuses. I think it's tricky for the administration to get -- to put some skin in this game. TODD: And the Treasury Department is not commenting, but did say that overall, when Kenneth Feinberg reviews bonus proposals, bailout companies will need to convince Mr. Feinberg that they have struck the right balance to discourage excessive risk taking and reward performance for their top executives -- Wolf. BLITZER: Now, technically, Mr. Feinberg is only reviewing future bonuses. There's some question whether these were from previous contracts. TODD: Much of these were from previous contracts. And Mr. Feinberg does not necessarily have to rule on them. And if he doesn't, AIG has to take the heat pretty much alone on this one. But you have to keep in mind the scale of these bonuses. This upcoming round next week is $2.5 million. They have another scheduled pay out next year of more than $200 million, again, from a previous contract. When that comes to bear, a lot more outrage is going to come out. BLITZER: Yes. A public relations nightmare for AIG. TODD: It is. BLITZER: No doubt about that. Brian, thanks very much. We're standing by. The president of the United States and the first lady -- they're are about to land in Accra, Ghana. We're going there live. You'll see Air Force One touch down right here in THE SITUATION ROOM. Stand by for that. Meanwhile, Michael Jackson's father now says he suspects foul play in his son's sudden death. And police say they can't rule out murder. We'll get the latest on the investigation from "INSIDE EDITION" chief correspondent Jim Moret. And one third of all American servicemen and women smoke. But now the U.S. military is being urged to ban smoking altogether. And dramatic video raising serious concerns about the way some schoolchildren are being treated in school. BLITZER: Now, there's Air Force One. It's now on the ground at Accra, Ghana. You see the red carpet. The president of the United States and the first lady, they'll be walking down those stairs soon. This is an historic visit -- the first African-American president of the United States visiting Sub-Saharan Africa right now. We're going to have extensive coverage. Stand by. Meanwhile, investigators looking into what -- or maybe even who killed Michael Jackson say they're not ruling anything out. The Los Angeles chief of police said this to CNN's Ted Rowlands. CHIEF WILLIAM BRATTON, LOS ANGELES POLICE: Well, the inquiry into the death of Mr. Jackson is continuing. We will still await corroboration from the coroner's office as to the cause of death. That is going to be very dependent on the toxicology reports that are due to come back. And based on those, we'll have an idea of what it is that we're dealing with -- are we dealing with homicide, are we dealing with an accidental overdose, what are we dealing with. So as we're standing here speaking, I can't tell you because I don't have that information. TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You would wait until the coroner is finished or do you -- that's -- you don't need to wait until their report's out, do you, to change the classification of the investigation? BRATTON: No. We have a very comprehensive and far-reaching investigation, which has been pretty widely reported in the media -- that we're looking at his prescription drug history, the doctors that he's dealt with over the years. We have the cooperation of the DEA and the state attorney general's office, who keep those records. So those are being looked at by our personnel. We, at the time of the death, with search warrants were able to seize a number of items from the residence in which the death occurred. And those will assist in the investigation as it moves forward. ROWLANDS: (INAUDIBLE) a sense of the classification of a death investigation to a homicide, what needs to take place? BRATTON: That would actually be the coroner's determination. He -- he makes the determination as to the nature of the death. ROWLANDS: Will you wait for a definitive cause of death to change the investigation? BRATTON: In terms of -- we move forward in a variety of ways with our investigation, which is, in many respects, a comprehensive set of inquiries, so that no matter which way the coroner's finding would go or the multiple findings he may make, we would be in a position to not have lost time, if you will, waiting for that report. So we're not marking time waiting for his report. We're gathering, based on our experience in these matters. And, unfortunately in Los Angeles, we have a lot of experience with death investigations that we've got very good investigators. So they'll be prepared to deal with whatever the coroner's findings may be. ROWLANDS: Are you getting cooperation from all the doctors? BRATTON: I won't speak to the intimacies of the investigation. That's not our policy. But as has been reported in the media, we're speaking to and will be seeking to a number of the physicians that attended Mr. Jackson over the years that he was being treated. ROWLANDS: And, finally, if -- you know, because people think, oh, a homicide investigation or doctors -- there's a clear difference, is there not, possibly, in intent and in possible charges? And just because the investigation is going one way, it doesn't mean some physician is going to be thrown in jail. BRATTON: I'm not even going to speak to that. I'll wait to see what the coroner comes back with. And once he comes back with his determination, we'll be able to speak to -- in a much clearer and a very open way -- what our course of action will be. But I'm not going to speculate at this time. We're going to wait until he gets back with his findings. He has his role and responsibility. We have our role and responsibility. But the next move really is his. BLITZER: All right. Bill Bratton, the Los Angeles police chief. I want to discuss what we just heard and more with Jim Moret. He's the "INSIDE EDITION" chief correspondent, a former CNN anchor. Before we get to that, I just want to point out to our viewers, Jim, that the president of the United States and the first lady -- they've now landed in Accra, Ghana. We have these live pictures coming in. They're going to be going down the stairs and to that red carpet fairly soon. The president of Ghana, among others -- they're waiting to receive the president of the United States. Our correspondent Nkepile Mabuse is there. We'll go to her. We'll talk about what's going on. But let's -- let's discuss what we just heard from Bill Bratton, the L.A. police chief. Pretty startling stuff, when he says he can't rule out homicide. JIM MORET, "INSIDE EDITION" CHIEF CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And if you listen to the chief's words, he said a corroboration as to the cause of death. That's what they're waiting for from the coroner -- corroboration. That implies that the LAPD has a strong suspicion as to the cause of death. So, Wolf, I think that's very telling, that choice of words. And when you talk about potential charges, you could have negligent homicide. You could have manslaughter charges. I don't think they're specifically talking murder charges. But they do want to look in to see whether this is an accidental overdose or if a doctor was there at the time, over prescribing and knowing or should have known that this could lead to death. BLITZER: And it's fair to say -- and you know the law out in California -- that they're not going to make any decision until the autopsy by the coroner's office is complete. And that's going to take, what, another two or three or four weeks? MORET: Right. They have, actually, brain or brain tissue that they still have to examine. That will give them additional information. And don't forget, Wolf, there's no real rush to file charges. If you look at the Anna Nicole Smith case, charges did not follow in that case for over a year after her death. So there's no need to really rush into filing charges, but there's simply the possibility that charges could eventually be filed. BLITZER: And that clearly would be explosive if, in fact, that happens. And we saw the police chief, Bill Bratton, carefully, carefully weigh every one of his words, knowing how explosive this situation is. Michael Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, gave an interview to ABC News. And among other things, he said this. JOE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S FATHER: I just couldn't believe what was happening to Michael, because -- I just couldn't believe it, you know. And I do believe there was foul play. I do believe that, yes. BLITZER: All right. He says foul play. Those are serious words. MORET: They are. And if you look into potential over prescribing, changing names, aliases, doctor shopping, enablers, all of that could -- could come under the umbrella of foul play. Remember, that -- that Joe Jackson... BLITZER: Hold on one second, Jim... MORET: Sure. BLITZER: ...because I want to show our viewers history unfolding right now. There's the president and the first lady and Sasha and Malia. They're walking down the stairs in Accra, Ghana. This is the first time, as president of the United States, he's been to Sub-Saharan Africa. This is an historic moment, as I say. And leaders of Ghana, a country that is moving toward democracy, has had some successful elections in recent years, is doing well -- the president is now there. This is obviously a very, very important moment in U.S.-African relations. Our correspondent, Nkepile Mabuse, is on the ground for us in Accra -- all right, set the scene a little bit, Nkepile. Tell us how important this is for Africa. NKEPILE MABUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It truly, Wolf, is a momentous occasion, of course, for Ghana, because this is the first country that President Obama has chosen to visit in Sub-Saharan Africa as the president of the United States; but, of course, for Africa as a whole, because we do expect Mr. Obama to touch on his Africa policy when he addresses parliament tomorrow. So this is a huge occasion for Africa. And, of course, Mr. Obama is getting a truly African welcome, with drummers and dancers welcoming him there at the airport as he arrives and he touches down. Some have called it a homecoming, of course, because of President Obama's roots in Kenya -- Wolf. BLITZER: Well, as you say, those roots are in Kenya, not in Ghana. His father was from Kenya. Why Ghana and not Kenya? MABUSE: Well, you know, many Kenyans are feeling rather snubbed by President Obama, because they expected that Kenya would be the first country that he would visit on the continent. But, you know, Mr. Obama has made it very clear that he's trying to uplift good governance on the continent. And that is expected to be a huge focus of his address on Saturday. He says that President Atta Mills, the current president of Ghana, has shown that he wants to address corruption -- corruption which Mr. Obama himself has blamed for robbing Africans of progress and success. And he's also praised Ghana for its good governance and a similar transfer of power from a ruling party to opposition parties, such as has happened a couple times in Ghana. And they've had free and fair elections. And he sees them as a good example of what Africa can achieve. And he has made a link between the prosperity and good governance and added that there will be no investment without good governance. So we're expecting that to be the theme of -- of his trip when he's here for 48 hours on the African continent -- Wolf. BLITZER: He'll be -- he'll be in Ghana on Friday, today and tomorrow. I remember back in 1998, Nkepile, I was CNN's White House correspondent and traveled with then President Bill Clinton to Ghana. We were in Accra. And a lot of our viewers who remember that -- that visit will remember literally thousands of Ghanaians going past security lines, rushing the then president of the United States, Bill Clinton, not out of anger or anything, but because they loved him and they were just so excited that the American president was in Ghana then. I assume that there is that same kind of electrical moment -- if not even much more so -- right now for President Obama. MABUSE: Exactly, because President Obama is the first African- American president of the United States. And that, in itself -- I mean during his election campaign, many Africans feel -- felt very inspired and uplifted by President Obama. And I had an interview with the former president of Ghana, John Kufuor, who said, you know what Mr. Obama can do for Africa is to change the psychological mind set and liberate Africa psychologically, because President Obama has said time and again that Africans can stand up on their feet and do things for themselves. So while his predecessor, President Bush, pledged millions and millions and millions of dollars to fight diseases on the continent, for poverty alleviation and for health and infrastructure, you know, they -- President Kufuor was making the point that even if Mr. Obama does not give more money, at least he can psychologically liberate Africans, because they've been inspired by him. And through him, they believe anything is possible -- Wolf. BLITZER: Because not just millions of dollars, President Bush and Congress authorized, but billions and billions of dollars for Africa, for HIV/AIDS, for famine relief, among other areas. It was interesting at his news conference, Nkepile, earlier in the day in Italy, the president made a point of saying that his father, when he came to the United States from Kenya, at that time, Kenya's economy was even better than several of the developing economies in Asia, whether it's South Korea or others. But obviously, what has happened in India, certainly in China, Korea, elsewhere, has surpassed Africa. And he said it's time for Africa to get going. He says there are all of the opportunities there. Unfortunately, it's not happening. And the question for you, Nkepile, because you know this story well, why? What's going on? MABUSE: Well, I mean President Obama said it himself -- corruption is one of the main problems on this continent. Even the aid that has flooded into Africa has not trickled down to the ordinary man on the streets. And if you look at Ghana, even Ghana itself, the infrastructure is -- is so bad that even if there are trade opportunities, it's really difficult for most African countries to actually take advantage of some of those opportunities, because there just is not the know- how, there isn't the infrastructure, there hasn't been money spent on infrastructure and the kind of things that can make Africa compete with other continents and the countries in Africa to compete on the same level with other countries. So corruption is one of the main problems that I think Mr. Obama will talk about and that he has blamed for the state of Africa at the moment -- Wolf. BLITZER: Yes. Some tough love from the American president for Africa. That's probably going to be one of the themes of his address before the Ghanaian parliament tomorrow. Tomorrow morning he's speaking at the parliament. Talk a little bit about that moment. And I want to alert our viewers, we're going to stay on this picture until we see the president and the first lady and their daughters get inside that limousine and begin to drive -- drive away from the airport. But go ahead and talk about the parliament visit tomorrow. Also, he's going to be visiting a former slave port in Ghana, which has, obviously, very significant -- significant meaning for America. MABUSE: Yes. It's believed that Ghana is the first place that Europeans came to -- to trade, first in gold and then slaves. And Mr. Obama will be, as you rightly said, Wolf, going -- he will be going to Cape Coast to see one of those -- the places where slaves were kept before they were shipped away. And, of course, many of them died on these ships and were just tossed into the ocean. He's also going to be going to a local hospital. And he's going to be meeting, also, former presidents. We know that he's going to be meeting president -- former President Rawlings of Ghana and also President Kufuor. And I asked former President Kufuor whether he's going to be appealing for anything -- money or anything. And he said, no. He's just going to congratulate Mr. Obama for his achievement and he's not going to be asking for anything. But, of course, you know, two former U.S. presidents have been here -- have pledged money to this country. And there are expectations on the streets that Mr. Obama will also be pledging more money to the country -- Wolf. BLITZER: Yes, well, there's a limit to how much money the United States has, given the economic conditions here, Nkepile, as you know -- not as much as it used to have. There you see the limousine that will drive the president and the first lady and two daughters to the place where they're staying. By the way, where are they staying tonight -- Nkepile? -- Nkepile? MABUSE: Well, it's not clear at the moment. We've been told they may be staying at the U.S. embassy here in Accra. But it's very difficult to confirm such things here. But we've been led to believe that he will be staying at the embassy. And, of course, many Ghanaians are looking forward to seeing Mr. Obama, but they might not have the opportunity that you were speaking about when Bill Clinton was here, where people could actually see him and touch him. Mr. Obama is not going to have any kind of public event while he's here. So many people will have to just live with watching him on television, even in their own country -- Wolf. BLITZER: You see the president has gone away from the limousine right now. It looks like some dancers are -- are entertaining and welcoming the president of the United States. I don't know if we can hear any of that music. Let's listen in briefly and see if we can. BLITZER: All right. The president obviously enjoying that. Any -- tell us about the significance -- the symbolic significance of those dancers -- Nkepile. NKEPILE MABUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's an African welcome, really, Wolf. That's what it is. You have drummers there. You have singers. You have dancers basically to tell Mr. Obama that he's welcome here. If you drive around a car, you'll see on the posters that Mr. Obama's face is on, there's a word written, which means "welcome." You'll be hearing a lot of that while you're covering this event. This is just to signify how happy Ghanaians are to have the president and host him for the next 48 hours, Wolf. BLITZER: Given the number of people there, it looks like they've brought out basically the entire Ghanaian government and members of parliament to receive the president of the United States. Obviously, very happy, the dancers are entertaining the president and the first lady. We'll continue to monitor what's going on. We expect in the next minute or so the president to get into that limousine and drive off for the rest of the evening. It's already late into the night in Accra. Tomorrow, he addresses the parliament, goes to visit that clay fort among other things he's also going to be having, by the way, an interview with our own Anderson Cooper tomorrow, an interview that will air here on "ANDERSON COOPER 360" Monday night. We'll take a quick break. We'll continue our coverage of the president's visit to Africa right now, history unfolding. We'll go back to Jim Moret for more on the Michael Jackson investigation. A lot more coming up right here in THE SITUATION ROOM. BLITZER: All right. The motorcade is leaving the airport. The president is in his limo. You see the armed vehicles leaving the airport. The president and first lady and daughters are headed off to sleep somewhere, we're not exactly sure, maybe the U.S. embassy in Accra. Historic moment you saw live here on CNN. Let's go back to Jim Moret, who's been covering the investigation into Michael Jackson's death. And we were saying how the father, Joe Jackson, Jim, is now suggesting he believes foul play was, in fact, the reason that Michael Jackson, his son, is dead. And I cut you off when you were trying to answer that question. MORET: No problem at all. I just want to point out to viewers who may think it's unusual to go from President Obama in Ghana to the death of an entertainer. The investigation right now is focusing on the abuse of prescription drugs, which here in the United States affects millions and millions of people. So, the investigation here is really greater than just focusing on Michael Jackson. It really has broader ramifications, so I want to point that out. But when you talk about foul play, you're talking specifically about doctor shopping, the abuse of prescription drugs, and that includes not only doctors but pharmacies, enablers, people around Michael Jackson. I think that's really what Joe Jackson was focusing on. BLITZER: Because the coroner's spokesman, when he came out and made the initial results of the autopsy, said he didn't see any evidence of foul play then. Now, you remember those words were very precise. MORET: Yes, I do. But you have to look at what the investigation is looking at now. It's even broader than simply the cause of death. What the L.A. police chief said very specifically was they're looking at a long history of drug use. And so, they're looking at years and years. Now, clearly what happened five years ago didn't cause the death today. However, you're looking at potential criminal wrongdoing over a period of years. So, there are a lot of doctors who treated Michael Jackson who I suspect are consulting with lawyers right now. BLITZER: Set the scene for Monday when there is this custody hearing on the three kids and lots of speculation right now over Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of the two older Jackson kids, whether or not she will seek some sort of custody. What do we know? MORET: Well, Debbie Rowe stated to a local Los Angeles reporter that she wants to fight for her kids, and her kids are only the two oldest kids. Those are her natural children. She has no claim as to blanket, the youngest child. However, the attorney stated they want to wait and see so that implied perhaps that the two sides may be talking. Katherine Jackson and Debbie Rowe. And this is where Joe Jackson comes in again, because he also made statements to ABD that he and Katherine should both be involved in raising those three children. We did hear through Debbie Rowe in that interview in a Los Angeles station that she wants a restraining order against Joe Jackson, because don't forget, Michael Jackson for years has claimed physical and emotional abuse by Joe Jackson, and Joe Jackson said that he thinks that at least two of those kids might have a future in show business. So, inserting him into this equation could cause problems with regard to the custody hearing that's coming up on Monday. We don't know if there have been negotiations between Katherine Jackson and Debbie Rowe, although we suspect there have. But I think Monday could be an explosive hearing. BLITZER: Yeah. Well, we'll cover it, obviously, and you'll help us on Monday, as well. Jim Moret, thanks very much. MORET: Sure, Wolf. BLITZER: It's part of life in the war zone for many U.S. troops, but it could soon be banned. Details of who's urging the military to snuff out smoking. Plus, she was a mentor to Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Now she's speaking out about her qualifications and controversy. BLITZER: Hearings are starting Monday before the senate judiciary committee on the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to becoming United States Supreme Court justice. One of her mentors is now speaking out about her qualifications and her controversy. Let's go to CNN's Mary Snow. She's looking into this story for us. We're going to have live coverage starting at 10:00 a.m. Monday morning. All right. What are you hearing? MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, we had a rare opportunity to spend time in chambers with a senior judge on the U.S. district court who's also been a longtime mentor to fellow judge Sotomayor. SNOW: Judge Miriam Cedarbaum has remained tightlipped as her 23 years as a federal judge in New York, presiding over mostly white- collar cases that included Martha Stewart. But she agreed to talk about her protege, Sonia Sotomayor. Cedarbaum became her mentor when Sotomayor was appointed as a federal trial judge at just 38 years old. Tell us what Sonia Sotomayor is like. JUDGE MIRIAM CEDARBAUM, U.S. DISTRICT COURT: Everyone in this building is a friend of Judge Sotomayor's. That is when she has a party, which she loves to do, she invites the people who clean our chambers, the guards downstairs, people who work in the kitchen, everybody in the courthouse. SNOW: Cedarbaum says over the years they developed a personal friendship with a shared love of opera, ballet, art, and music. On the professional side, Sotomayor has referred to Cedarbaum in some of her speeches, including one that's gained widespread attention. CEDARBAUM: I didn't know that until recently, when it became of such interest to the press. SNOW: Cedarbaum had given a speech pointing out the differences between male and female judges and their approaches to cases. In several speeches, Sotomayor took up the issue and questioned whether those differences should be ignored, including in 2001, saying, "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life." While critics seized on that comment, Cedarbaum dismissed it and was reluctant to talk about it. CEDARBAUM: I think it's a tempest in a teapot, because I know judge Sotomayor, and I have no doubt that she is what I consider an upright judge, who is not influenced by her personal biases or her fondness of -- in deciding cases. SNOW: Of the cases society mare has ruled on, Cedarbaum sees nothing to stall her confirmation process. CEDARBAUM: She has absolutely nothing to hide and has no reason to be concerned at all about any of her decisions over the last 17 years. She has been an upright, honest, intelligent, and careful judge. SNOW: Those views are reflected by other judges CNN has spoken with, some liberal and some conservative. Wolf? BLITZER: All right, Mary. Thanks very much. Let's talk about what's going to happen next week in the U.S. senate. Joining us now, Democratic strategist, former DNC communications director, Karen Finney, and Republican consultant and CNN political contributor Alex Castellanos. Interesting, the CNN Opinion Research Corporation poll that came out today, should the senate confirm Sotomayor to be on the Supreme Court, 47 percent said yes, 40 percent said no, 13 percent are unsure. They don't know enough apparently about her. That's relatively close there. KAREN FINNEY, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, that's the purpose of having these hearings. People will have the opportunity to hear for themselves about her record and about her judicial thinking. So, and I think they're going to like what they hear, actually. I think they're going to be very impressed. She's done a number of meetings on the hill already. I hope what we'll hear are some thoughtful, hopefully tough questions, but hopefully thoughtful. BLITZER: Barring some bombshell, you have no doubt she'll be confirmed, do you? ALEX CASTELLANOS, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: It certainly looks that way but that's why we have the hearings. Those numbers were better at the beginning of the process when the people heard the great uplifting bootstrap story of come from nothing in the Bronx to the highest levels of the American judicial system. But then Americans began to hear questions about the wise Latina woman reaching better decisions and issues about affirmative action and gun control, and so I think that's part of it. And also that President Obama's moving so fast and making so many large reforms that now I think a lot of Americans are looking at whatever he does, is it a question mark, so it's not just about her. It's about the president, too. FINNEY: You know, I think she's going to do the president proud. And I hope what people see in her story is the sense of her character. Here's a woman who never let things that could have been barriers stand in her way. She set some goals and she achieved those by working hard. BLITZER: She does have a very compelling personal story. FINNEY: And it's unfortunate, I will tell you but I think the stakes are high for the Republicans for Monday. BLITZER: Alex is a wise Latino man, as you know. FINNEY: A wise Latino man. But because of the way the Republicans let the rhetoric get far ahead of themselves when she first came out, let's hope they are able to ask fair and unbiased questions. CASTELLANOS: But Wolf, Miguel Estrada had a great bootstrap story, too. He came to this country and couldn't even speak English as a child. He had tremendous legal experience, as well, 15 cases before the Supreme Court and won 10. So, just having a great story is often not enough. BLITZER: He's right. Great story alone is not enough. We'll see how she does. FINNEY: Has a good record. BLITZER: We'll have live coverage starting 10:00 a.m. Monday morning. Very quickly on Ghana, you reminded me, I was there in 1998 with then President Clinton. You were there, as well, working for the president. FINNEY: I was. BLITZER: You remember that surge when all those Ghanaians tried to storm and get close to the president. FINNEY: As you remember, it was a pretty massive field and about 500,000 people were there, and as the president and then President Jerry Rawlings started to work that rope line, there was that -- we call it the love surge. BLITZER: It was much more organized there when you saw the pictures of the president and the first lady and the children walking down the stairs. FINNEY: But it's very exciting that President Obama is there, and I hope all Americans can feel proud. You know, here he is touting democracy in Ghana. They've had a peaceful transfer of power and, you know, sort of reinforcing those messages on the continent. BLITZER: All right, guys. We'll leave it right there. Glad we showed live pictures of the president arriving in Ghana in THE SITUATION ROOM. Will U.S. troops be forced to kick the habit? New details of a brand-new report urging the pentagon to ban smoking all together. Is that possible? And more than 35,000 fugitives nabbed. We're going to go inside operation falcon. BLITZER: A new report is urging a ban, yes, a ban on tobacco use for members of the United States military. Wow! Let's go to our pentagon correspondent Chris Lawrence. So many soldiers, marines, they smoke. How is this possible? CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: It sounds almost incredible when you think about it, Wolf, but then you look at what the study found that the VA is spending billions of dollars in treating veterans' tobacco-related illnesses so the pentagon is at least considering stamping out smokes. LAWRENCE: A cigarette dangling from a soldier's mouth. Iconic? Yes, but maybe outdated. The V.A. and pentagon commissioned a new study that recommends a complete ban on tobacco. That means no more tobacco sales on base and no smoking for anyone in uniform. Retired General Russell Honore admits he tried to quit but says some combat troops need it. GEN. RUSSELL HONORE (RET.), U.S. ARMY: When you're tired and you've been going for days on end with minimum sleep, and you're not getting the proper meals all the time, that hit of tobacco can make a difference. LAWRENCE: With the army worried about its record-breaking suicide rate some wonder if now is the time for stamp out smoking. SGT. 1ST CLASS GARY JOHNSON, U.S. ARMY: Some feel smoking is their stress relief. What is the replacement? LAWRENCE: The pentagon says "the department supports the goal of a tobacco-free military. However, achieving that goal will depend on coincident reductions of tobacco use in the civilian population." The study found civilians don't smoke as much as soldiers. DR. KEN KISER, MILITARY SMOKING RESEARCHER: Among active duty people about one in three smoke, in the general population it's less than one in five. LAWRENCE: The pentagon bans smoking in buildings and on bases years ago. It has counselors on call to help service members quit, but while local governments have heavily taxed tobacco, the commissaries and PX often sell it at deeply discounted prices. KISER: The military sends very mixed signals and this is what's confusing to people. LAWRENCE: And the study found that profits from those tobacco sales can be $80 million, $90 million a year and that pays for recreation and family programs on base. The study also recommends that the ban be phased in over five to ten years, but right now the pentagon just thinking about it. Wolf? BLITZER: Going to cause quite an uproar. Thanks very much, Chris Lawrence for that. It's not just the troops. The commander in chief has been a smoker as well. He's been battling to kick the habit. How does that sit with the American public? Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider is taking a closer look. BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Wolf, on the topic of smoking, President Obama's position seems to be watch what I say, not what I do. SCHNEIDER: Recently President Obama signed an anti-smoking bill into law. DR. DAVID KESSLER, FORMER FDA COMMISSIONER: For the first time, it gives FDA the ability to regulate, it's the most dangerous product out there. SCHNEIDER: Mr. Obama has a personal interest in the subject. OBAMA: Almost 90 percent of all smokers began at or before their 18th birthday. I know. I was one of these teenagers. SCHNEIDER: When a reporter played gotcha with the president and asked him about his smoking habit, the president played gotcha right back. OBAMA: You just think it's neat to ask me about my smoking as opposed to it being relevant to my new law. SCHNEIDER: Does the fact that President Obama smokes occasionally affect people's opinion of him? Nope. Does it say something about his character? Nope. It just means he's human, with human weaknesses. OBAMA: As a former smoker, I constantly struggle with it. SCHNEIDER: Including maybe a little self-delusion. OBAMA: I would say that I am 95 percent cured. SCHNEIDER: Do people want the president to stop smoking? About a third do. About half say they don't care if he smokes every day. None of their business. Liberals are sometimes accused of getting into people's business. Do they care if President Obama smokes? Nope. About half say it's okay with them if he smokes every day. Republicans? Most Republicans say it's okay with them if the president smokes every day. Light up. SCHNEIDER: How tolerant those Republicans are. Wolf? BLITZER: Bill Schneider, thank you. Bill Schneider reporting. President Obama touches down in Africa. You saw it live here on CNN, just a few moments ago, after a summit that left him a bit weary and disappointed. We're going to give you details of what he gained and lost in Italy, before flying to Africa. The new GM emerging from bankruptcy. We'll tell you how much it's costing U.S. taxpayers and how many American jobs the streamlined automaker is planning to cut. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. BLITZER: Mary Snow is monitoring other important stories incoming to THE SITUATION ROOM. what is going on? MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: U.S. navy marines are suspending their search for the black boxes. Others will try to locate the plane flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder which stopped transmitting noises after 30 days. All 228 people aboard Air France Flight 447 were killed on June 1st. A new appeal from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the release of two American journalists being held in North Korea. Last month, North Korea's highest court convicted and sentenced Laura Ling and Euna Lee to 12 years of hard labor for illegally entering the country. Secretary of state Clinton today said the two women should be released on humanitarian grounds. HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: The journalists and their families have expressed great remorse for this incident, and I think everyone is very sorry that it happened. What we hope for now is that these two young women would be granted amnesty through the North Korean system, and be allowed to return home to their families as soon as possible. (END VIDEO CLIP) SNOW: Laura Ling and Euna Lee were detained in March. There's been another discovery at an Illinois burial ground where hundreds of graves were dug up. Authorities say they found Emmett Till's original casket at a garage at the burr oak cemetery. He was the 14-year-old victim of racially motivated 1995 killing in Mississippi. Four people are facing felony charges for digging up hundreds of graves and reselling the plots. Till's grave was not among those that were disturbed. Wolf? BLITZER: Mary, thank you. And to our viewers, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM. Happening now, President Obama is in Africa, after a summit that left him a bit weary and disappointed. This hour, what he gained and lost in Italy, and his private talks with the pope. Disturbing new evidence of Michael Jackson's prescription drug use, the confidential document that claims he once took up to 40 anti- anxiety pills a night. And the feds that nabbed thousands of America's most wanted. An impressive summer sweep to take violent criminals off the streets.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 Two answers about time • Do you know what time it is? right • Do you think what time it is? wrong • What time do you think it is? right • What time do you know it is? wrong Short answer: The first one is ungrammatical because 'what time it is" cannot be the complement of 'think'. The second is grammatical but violates usual pragmatic constraints. Long answer: The first step is to simplify the issue by getting rid of the distractions posed by the interrogative nature of the main clauses. The first pair, as declarative main clauses, becomes: • I know what time it is. • I think what time it is. And the second pair becomes: • I know it is this time. • I think it is this time. Now, what we're looking at is two verbs, think and know, that take content clauses (AKA "noun clauses") as complements. But content clauses come in different flavours, and verbs are picky about which flavour they accept. The two kinds we're interested in here are bare declarative content clauses and open interrogative content clause. Bare declarative content clauses look like normal main clauses. It is this time is a good example. (Expanded declarative content clauses are exactly the same, except that they are prefaced by subordinator that. So, the expanded form of our example is that it is time.) On the other hand, interrogative content clauses, like questions, begin with one of the interrogative words: who, where, how, etc (note: whether is not one of these). Unlike many questions, however, open interrogative content clauses do not undergo subject-auxiliary inversion. So, the questions is what time is it, while the open interrogative content clause is what time it is. Now back to our two verbs. Although, know allows both types of content clauses as compliment, think does not allow open interrogative content clauses. Rather, preceding an open interrogative, think requires about. This by itself deals with the first pair. It tells us that I think what time it is and *Do you think what time it is are ungrammatical because the verb is being matched with the wrong type of complement. They should be I think about what time it is or Do you think about what time it is? Now we return to the second pair. Despite the original claim that what time do you know it is is wrong, it is not ungrammatical (there's a difference). As we can see when we take it out of question form, the verb know clearly allows a bare declarative content clause as its complement. Still, it does seem odd. I think we have a problem here with pragmatics, not grammar. When we ask somebody a question, we're normally asking about facts rather than a person's knowledge, so we ask, "what time is it" (generally, not just in your head). If you believe that a person's personal idea about the time differs from the facts, then it doesn't qualify as knowledge, so you would ask about thought, opinion, belief, etc. This applies to anything, not just time. The question isn't a complete write off though. Imagine it's two o'clock by your watch, but your friend, says, "I know it is not 2:00." She claims to know that it is a different time while, unhelpfully, not telling you which time it is. In such a situation, you might be able to employ, "OK, smart ass, what time do you know it IS?" Vilges Suola said... I can imagine my mother saying in the past'do you think what time it is when you're up making all that noise?' I.e., 'do you ever stop to consider that other people are trying to sleep while you are up and wandering about the house in the small hours?' Brett said... Hi, Vilges There may be people who use it that way, but I had a good look around for examples before posting and didn't find any, so I feel pretty comfortable saying it's not grammatical, at least not in standard English. Stick an 'about' in there, and it makes a big difference.
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011 Being Used "I'm tired," I said, resting my head on Neal's shoulder. It was lunchtime on our third day in Nicaragua and we'd already done three church services, visited three schools, and been performed for twice. He put his arm around me in a side hug. There we stood in silence for a few minutes. I never said this but I was more than tired; I was discouraged. The previous night we had done a worship service at a youth-filled home church in the city. It was in the upper room of this little house where our team of 26 took up most of the incredibly uncomfortable seats. The youth from this church sat scattered among us, crouched on the floor in the back, or stood squished in the corner. They started out the worship service with some songs, prayer, a dance, and a short message. Then we did some of the same things: three songs, a skit (the only service we didn't do The Heart Skit), a prayer, a sign performance, a testimony, and a sermon. By the end of the service, most of our team was in tears, in awe of how alive the Spirit of the Lord was in that church. This is an excerpt from my journal that night: God, I'm a little jealous that everyone else had such wonderful experiences tonight. I know You are alive and here in Nicaragua but I didn't feel it the way everyone else did. I know that You speak to everyone in different ways but it seemed like You spoke to everyone in the same way tonight... except me. My eyes were dry. I felt nothing. I was annoyed with God for not allowing me to feel the same thing as everyone else. I was jealous, and I hadn't told anyone but God. My head still resting on his chest, Neal rubbed my arm with his hand. "God's using you, you know," he said. As silly as this sounds, I was surprised to hear that. I knew that God would use me but I did not know He is using me. Present tense. Not some abstract future occurrence but right now. Neal continued, "A lot of people said when you signed 'My Savior, My God' last night was when the Holy Spirit started to work on them." I had no idea. I figured God had started speaking when they danced, when we sang in two languages, when the father and son did a duet, when we prayed... sometime long before I took the stage. Apparently not. The Holy Spirit used me and I had no idea. While I still would have liked to enjoy the overwhelming experience like the rest of my teammates, I was stunned and amazed to learn that I had been used and I had no idea. I think I thanked Neal for telling me exactly what I needed to hear. The version of "My Savior, My God" I signed was written to be a trio. I signed it by myself. A Trio, a Holy Trio, perfromed it. Sometimes the Holy Spirit uses you and you know it. You feel it. But sometimes the Holy Spirit uses you and you have no idea. You don't feel it. Are you ok with both? I am. <>< Katie Monday, March 28, 2011 Pitiful or Beautiful? Our last morning in Nicaragua, we left at 4:30am. As we were driving towards Managua we watched the moon go down and the sun rise in the mountains hand-crafted by our God. The moon set was breath-taking. I handed my camera to Jessica for a photograph. It failed to capture the moment. "Pitiful," Marie said upon viewing the photo. Jessica handed the camera back to me. "Beautiful," she said. It was in that moment that I learned the difference between pitiful and beautiful: the person saying it. Friends, God tells us we are beautiful. Why do we keep referring to ourselves as pitiful? We are who we are. We are who He created. Why do we tell Him that His handiwork isn't good enough? <>< Katie Song of Solomon 4:7 Saturday, March 26, 2011 Anaconda Squeeze It's very overwhelming for Nicaraguan places to be invaded by 26 Americans. The first day, half of our team was going to the special needs school and the other half to an orphanage. We had planned VBS-like activities. My group was going to teach the story of Daniel and the lion's den with audience participation and a corresponding craft. Flaw in the plan: a miscommunication with the orphanage meant we wouldn't be able to work there. After some quick re-figuring, we found ourselves working with 5 and 6 year olds at a school. Flaw in the plan: this was a public school. That meant no talking about Jesus. There were two sets of 80 kids each and we had no plan. Yay for being flexible and thinking on our feet. We got the first group to sit under the shade of a tree while we introduced ourselves, did some silly skits, and told them why we were in Nicaragua. (We did slide Jesus in there briefly). After that we let them play. We tried to teach them Duck, Duck, Goose (Renamed Gato, Gato, Perro). It didn't fly. The soccer balls did. Eventually recess was over, so "Neo" collected the balls and became a human jungle gym. No matter how many times he said, "No," those two little boys wouldn't stop reaching for the balls. I had the perfect distraction: a camera. One kid became two, became four or five, became thirty... There are about 50 more photos that I want to post just to show you the cuteness of the crowd we drew. I ran out of funny face ideas before they lost interest. Instead, I started asking them questions in Spanish. Katie: Are you having a good day? Adorable Children: SI! Katie: Do you like recess? Adorable Children: SI! Katie: Is it better than math? Adorable Children: SI! They loved every minute of it! Every "Sí" was more energetic than the previous. Eventually my other team members came up and introduced themselves, talked about why we were there, and did some skits. I did all of our interpreting for that group which meant I had no idea what the next plan was and I didn't get thirty second water break during the switching of groups. When we told them to stand up, they did. I think it probably started with one child's desire to give me a hug. As had happened previously, one child turned into two, turned into three or four, turned into fifty. My very first Anaconda Squeeze! I deserved to be trampled because I was the one who riled them up... but I loved every minute of it! I relished that moment. I tried to touch every child around me and told them all that I love them. I wish I could have told them about Jesus and how much He loves them. I also wish I would not have forgotten how to conjugate. When there are fifty kids latched to your waist, it is almost impossible to stay upright. But I couldn't find the words, "I'm falling." I got "to fall," "I dropped it," and "he fell" but not "I'm falling." I finally realized I was going down and there was nothing I could do about it but try not to crush kids in the process. When I started to shrink, the rest of my team stopped taking pictures and realized I needed help. Eventually, we got the 50 kids off of me and divided into groups. Naturally, my group was the largest, and I still had no idea what we were doing. As per Erin's suggestion, we started the Hokey Pokey. In English. Meaning what? Katie's solo. Right arm. Left arm. Right leg. Left leg. The kids were starting to get it, so I asked for body parts from them. Right knee. Left knee. Three days of Hokey Pokey later and I was out of breath and thinking about what we were teaching these kids: the Hokey Pokey is what it's all about. We could tell these kids we were there because of Jesus but we couldn't tell them who Jesus is. We couldn't tell them Jesus loves them. We couldn't tell them about how great Jesus is. It broke my heart to imagine these kids going home and having this conversation. Mom: How was school today? Child: Great! We tackled some Americans at recess! Mom: Why were there Americans at you school? Child: I don't know. We couldn't tell them about Jesus's love, but I can only hope and pray that we were able to show them the love of Christ through our actions and play time. They definitely showed us what it mean to love like a child. It also made me think about how often we have the opportunity to tell people about Jesus and we don't. When we have the opportunity, we fail to seize it. When we don't have the opportunity, we desire it. What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it's all about? But what if it's not? And what if we're missing opportunities to speak the Truth? What if we were better about speaking love? <>< Katie Thursday, March 24, 2011 The Climb "It's not very, how do you say? Es-steep," said our host-pastor, Manolo. Famous last words. From my first step off the bus I knew the hike up the mountain would be challenging for my out-of-shape self. Manolo said it would take 45 minutes, but I didn't dare time it. I followed in line behind some mountain runners... I don't run on flat ground much less up a mountain. It was not long before, I was incredibly out of breath and I could feel my heart pound in about 87 different places. It was so bad someone asked me if I have asthma. Those in front of me kept going but I could not keep up no matter how hard I tried. I gave everything and it wasn't enough. Finally, I paused to rest. Neal: Hey, Katie. I didn't even have the breath to respond; I turned my head towards him. Neal: That's where we're going. He pointed above our heads to the rock. Neal: Does that encourage you or discourage you? Katie: I know it's supposed to encourage me, but, honestly, it's really discouraging. I had no idea how far I'd come but it seemed shorter than I had left to go. That was discouraging! As the runners disappeared from my view, I found the strength to continue. I'm not a quitter. I knew it would eventually be worth the pain. And I had been promised communion at the top of the mountain. A Nicaraguan youth with our group offered to carry my bag. I let him (that bilingual Word of the Lord is heavy!), and he disappeared up the mountain. Katie: There goes my water. Neal: I have some. Katey: We can share mine. I felt so cared for and loved. I was getting up that mountain, my friends were going to make sure of it! Neal would pop back down and again, but Katey and I walked together the rest of the way up the mountain. She accepted my pace, and we stopped frequently to enjoy the views (ok, and catch my breath). It was no longer a race to the top but about enjoying the journey. Slowly I began to enjoy my trek rather than only continuing for the communion at the end. Tortoise-style Katey and I continued towards the top... Slow and steady. Eventually we heard laughter and shouts from nearby. Even though we'd lost the rest of our group, they had to be nearby. We rounded the corner and there they were. We'd made it! We had reached our destination! The handiwork of our Creator was ours to enjoy! From the top, we could see for miles, kilometers, actually. It was breath-taking! When everyone made it to the top (believe me or not, Katey and I weren't last) we took a group photo. Best team photo ever! Then we took a seat and listened to Manolo teach while we watched the Master Painter paint us a beautiful sunset! Afterwards, we were given the assurance of the forgiveness of sins through the body and blood of Jesus Christ. We then sang "Revelation Song" a capella. Breath-taking! The wind was blowing and the sun going down, taking the temperature with it. Even with the goose bumps on my arms, I didn't care much. Now in the dark, we began our journey down the mountain, under the barbed wire, and around the rocks. Except we hadn't planned to be hiking in the dark, so we didn't have enough flashlights for everyone. New version of walk by faith and not by sight! We walked slowly, getting split up as we went. We prayed for safety. Cold rain began to fall. Hiking down a mountain in the dark, shivering, and it's raining. Sounds awful, right? "Well, it'll be a story to tell when we get back," I said. Honestly, I thought it was wonderful. Maybe I'm biased because I was one of the lucky ones with a flashlight. Sherry began a rendition of "The Wheels on the Bus." That turned into "The Hokey Pokey" which became "I'm in the Lord's Army" and "Father Abraham." (Those are Baptist songs... I don't really know them either). We were having so much fun singing and slipping. Eventually our group got separated, and I walked alone with my flashlight. Under my breath I continued to sing. I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice to worship You. Oh my soul, rejoice. Take joy, my King, in what You hear. May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear. Abba, I belong to You. I belong to You. Abba, Father. Abba, I belong to You. I belong to You. Abba, Father, God. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain Holy, Holy is He. Sing a new song to Him to sits on heaven's mercy seat. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. With all creation I sing praise to the King of Kings. You are my everything, and I will adore You. Just me and Jesus time. Somehow amidst the literally rocky ground, the cold breeze of night, the gentle rainfall, and the tiredness of my body, I found the strength to praise Him. The climb down was considerably better than the trek up because I had a goal. It wasn't the top of the mountain. It wasn't even the bus at the bottom. It was to spend time in the presence of the One who formed every mountain, placed every rock, and grew every leaf. The same One who put me there was worthy of all of my praise. When we made it to the bus, those who were already there cheered for the newcomers. I smiled. We did it. Not by our own strength or power. God's hand of protection guided us up and down. Take a minute to praise Him today. Amidst the barbed wire, the rocky ground, and the wind. As you share the heavy load and water with friends, thank Him for the friendship. As you see flowers, sunsets, and raindrops realized He formed you, too. Enjoy the hike up; it's not a race. Enjoy the stumble down; it's ok to fall. <>< Katie PS: No one was hurt in the making of this blog. (Except maybe a spider). Tuesday, March 22, 2011 Broken Hearted I had never before seen The Heart Skit when our campus minister Neal gave us the thirty second plotline. Three or four of us volunteered to be the protagonist, but Jessica chose me. I kept quiet while they discussed who would be the man to break my heart. They unanimously decided on Neal. After making sure no one else wanted the part, Neal agreed. Due to time constraints, the final cast was not able to practice together. That night, the magnitude of the skit hit me. 1. I was going to have my heart broken on stage in a silent skit. Can you say: FACIAL EXPRESSIONS? 2. I was going to have to flirt with my married campus minister. I prayed for emotional strength and thought about boundaries. During church the following morning, Neal and I took opposite sides of the stage. In my hands I held a paper heart. Neal's object was to romance me until I gave him my heart. We made eye contact and showed embarrassment. He waved; I giggled. He took a deep breath and stepped closer to me. I looked away and made the same move. He put his arm around me; I leaned into him. He reached out for my heart, and I pulled away. He hugged me, I hesitated before surrendering the heart. We both smiled from ear to ear. He took my hand and paraded me around. He pointed into the distance, I looked, and he planted a kiss on my cheek. I blushed. Was NOT expecting that. From the side of the stage came another girl. His attention shifted. I tried to pull him back but he pulled away. From behind, I wrapped both of my arms around his waist; he dragged me across the stage. Using his foot, he pushed me off. I stumbled backwards, regained my balance, and ran at him, jumping for my heart. He pointed to the heart, pointed to me, pointed back to the heart, and got a devious look. He took his hand off the other girl long enough to rip my heart to pieces and throw them on the ground. I fell to the ground with my broken heart. A friend walked by, picked up a piece of my heart, looked at it, dropped it, stomped on it, and walked away. Two friends came and tried to help me piece it together. When they let go, my heart fell apart again. I sat on my knees trying to put my heart back together like a puzzle. It didn't work. Brett knelt at my side. He put one hand on my back and a Bible in my lap. His eyes dripping compassion, he pointed up, crossed his arms over his chest, and pointed to me. I turned away. He tapped me and pointed to the Bible. I pushed him away. Alone I sat, cupping the pieces of my heart to my chest. It wasn't working. I sat them down and turned my interest to the Bible Brett gave me. I hesitated, closed the broken heart into the Bible, sat back, and prayed. I waited until the camera flashes stopped. I opened the Bible and tucked in the Psalms was a brand new heart! Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting...He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:1, 3 I love the image of being healed in Christ represented in this skit. But I think it's oversimplified. Heart breaks are very real; being healed is a long, slow, painful process. I've been there. Five times last week and my share of times in weeks and months previous. Our hearts are not the only ones that get broken. We are often cast in Neal's role doing the heart breaking every time something we find more attractive or interesting comes along. God's heart breaks every time we turn away from Him. Every time, ladies, we're infatuated with a guy rather than with Him. Every time we put our focus in something else. Every time we doubt, fail to trust, are too hard on ourselves. Every time we cry, God's tears outnumber ours. Take a moment right now and tell Him how much you love Him. Let Him love you back. Let Him heal your heart. With love, <>< Katie Sunday, March 20, 2011 I have crayon under my fingernails. My hair has dirt in it and is uncooperative. My legs are scratched up, bug-bitten, and hairy. I'll spare you the details about the revolt happening inside of my body. I'm physically drained but emotionally and spiritually on a mountain top! Sorry for the silence last week. I was on a mission trip to Nicaragua. We had one goal and one goal only: serve God. That meant going to five church services in one week but being the church all week. It meant entertaining 80 kids for an hour... twice. It meant building relationships and encouraging people in what they're already doing. It meant loving and serving with everything we have. It meant visiting the fire station, touring the local hospital, and climbing mountains. Let me tell you, the Holy Spirit is alive and well in Nicaragua! It was so encouraging to see! I'm trying to get all of my thoughts into the same language. As I do that, I'll share stories and photos... so don't go anywhere! But now... I must go to bed. Yesterday was a 22-hour travel day that included a six am pit stop because someone was bus-sick, two plane rides, and a 1am tire-change on a 12-passenger van. But we are all home safe and healthy! <>< Katie Friday, March 11, 2011 The Tennis Racket "I carry more to class every day than I pack when I fly across the country." It's true. But last week Thursday when our campus minister Neal asked me to bring my suitcase to his office to help prepare for our upcoming mission trip, I protested. I didn't want to walk fifteen minutes across campus with my suitcase. I don't usually fly with a suitcase, and I definitely wasn't walking to class with a suitcase. On Friday, when we were meeting as a mission team Neal said, "I heard some of you care too much about your pride to walk all the way to my office with a suitcase." He didn't have to say, "'Some of you' means 'Katie.'" I knew. He knew. In case Neal's subtle reminder to keep my pride in check wasn't enough, God took care of it. Monday my gym class made the mid-semester switch from badminton to tennis. For the rest of the semester, I get to carry around a tennis racket all day twice a week. Really, I'm ok with it because it means I get to play tennis twice a week, but after about... oh, fifteenth time answering the "Why do you have a tennis racket?" question, it gets a little old. Has your pride made unexpected appearances today? What is your "tennis racket" to carry around today to make sure the pride stays in check? <>< Katie Update: Neal weighed my backpack today... 25lbs. Wednesday, March 9, 2011 A Lenten Promise It started in November when it was still sporadically warm enough to wear shorts. We wanted to avoid No-Shave-November to keep our options open. Enter No-Soda-November. For the month of November, my suitemates and I gave up soda. There was a little bit of cheating forgetting but, as a whole, we did well. Not going to lie, on December first I had root beer mixed with milk. It sounds gross, but it's delicious. I don't think I've had any soda since. In December, Allyson and Jennifer gave up fried foods. A little bit more failure. Always justified in some bizarre way or another. In January, the two gave up eating after eight pm. By now the other four of us were beginning to realize this habit of giving something up was more about stubbornness than it was health. More about temporary sacrifice and self control than building better habits. We started to convince them that exceptions could be made. "This fresh out of the oven cookie is still part of dinner. Dessert just wasn't ready yet because we at dinner at 7:30." In February, the shortest month, Jennifer and Allyson started their hardest mission: no sweets. No chocolate, no desserts, no mochas, no Valentines candy... They began to consume potato chips at the speed of light. I kid you not, Jennifer ate an entire bag of cheddar Lays in one sitting. Around the middle of February, they went to Taco Bell and declared cinnamon twists chips rather than sweets. Allyson even poured the remaining cinnamon and sugar into her mouth. Needless to say, we declared them failures. For the rest of the month, they hid their sweet-eating from judgmental persons. They did not give up anything for the month of March. Ironically, the month in which Lent starts. Today, Ash Wednesday, a lot of the Christian community around the world is sacrificing something. However, unlike Jennifer and Allyson, our sacrifice is not out of stubbornness. Our sacrifice is to honor the One who sacrificed His life on the cross. Our sacrifice is about growing spiritually closer to our Savior. Figuring out what to give up for Lent is always a challenge for me. I try to avoid giving up anything food-related because we'll just be honest: I'm a skinny kid. Skinny kids and food sacrifices don't sit well with the rest of the world. Two years ago I gave up facebook... and learned refreshing the page actually helps me think. Last year I vowed to blog no more frequently than every other day... a habit I have kept. This year I'm thinking about: - giving up my car to save on gas... but I only drive the car pool one Sunday morning out of every three - giving up socks... that was Nikki's idea - giving up the color purple... I might get in trouble for public indecency. - giving up my thesis... ooh, I like that idea - getting more exercise... can you see this skinny kid on a treadmill? - drinking only milk and water... oh, wait, that's pretty much covers it. - giving up breathing... what's that? For Lent this year, I'm going to work on two things: 1 - spending more time in serious prayer, ideally in the form of 20 minutes or more a day in our campus prayer room. 2 - affirming or encouraging at least one person every day, perhaps through the mail or in other Project 7-like ways. What are you giving up or adding for Lent? <>< Katie PS: Guess what? Today's Ash Wednesday meaning... in 40 days I get to go home for Easter! (I haven't been home since Christmas). Monday, March 7, 2011 "Everyone Needs Compassion" "Daddy, what were your five compassionate things you did today?" I asked. Dad was getting ready for bed, and I was sprawled out on his bed with a book. I wasn't moving until I got an answer. Dad: Helping people get on the elevator. Katie: Did you really help people on the elevator today or are you making that up? Dad: Actually, I helped THREE people onto the elevator today, so that's three things. Katie: No, "Helping three people on the elevator" is one thing. What are the other four? Dad: Um... calling Grandma and Grandpa. Calling Laura. Um... Four... Kissing in public. He walked over to Mom, gave her a hug and a kiss, and smirked at me. Then he came over and gave me a kiss. Dad: Five! Now get off my bed. I called him lame, but I did move. He asked my five compassionate things for the day, and I gave an equally lame list. Compassion: a deep awareness for others' hurting and acting upon those sympathies. I'm pretty sure kissing doesn't count. Compassion is risking your arm in an elevator door to ensure someone in a wheel chair has ample time to get on board. Compassion is letting someone cut you in line because she has a screaming child who needs a nap. Compassion is smiling at the waiter even when he brought you the wrong kind of wine. Everyone needs compassion. Did you hear me? Everyone needs compassion. Not just those you think are deserving of it. Not just those who cross your path when you're in a good mood. Everyone. It's hard. Very hard. But let's work on it together. So, friends, I ask you the same thing, what were your five compassionate things for today? How did you show or receive compassion today? <>< Katie Friday, March 4, 2011 Secretly, I've always dreamed of going to China. In my dreams I've always envisioned my future husband and me going and bringing home a child. As always, God had a different vision. (But I haven't given up mine). An opportunity has been made available for Amber and me to go to China for three weeks this summer. We will be teaching English but--more importantly--we will be witnesses for Christ. "Being called" to do something was not part of my church lingo growing up, and I've really wrestled with what it means to "be called" to China. I haven't quite figured it out yet, but I am perusing this opportunity with the intention of doing God's will rather than not doing it because I'm unsure if it's His will or not. (My friend Ron gave me that advice years ago and it was pretty much the best advice ever). Even though there is still a lot of unknown, I officially submitted my application today. Now I need your help, friends. 1. Pray. Pray. Pray. Right now. Pray for me as I venture on this journey. Pray for Amber and all of the other volunteers we'll be working with. Pray for the people already in China. Pray for safety and health. Pray for us as we prepare to answer tough, blunt questions about our faith. Daily. Pray. Pray. Pray. Please. 2. I have no idea where on a college student's budget I'm going to come up with $3,000 to pay for the program. I firmly believe that God provides. Support letters, bake sales, begging on my hands and knees... If you have ideas or can support us financially, leave a comment or shoot me an email (katieaxelson [at] gmail [dot] com). Even just a dollar or two helps because God can use anything! 3. If you have any materials, teaching advice, donations, etc. We'd love to hear it. Haven't really thought that far ahead, but it's never too early to start planning. My calendar officially doesn't end until August now! I'm really excited to see what God does with this trip! This is my first trip to a foreign country where I don't speak the language. I'll let you know how well Chinese people speak Spanish and ASL... I don't promise to blog every other day while I'm in China, but I will try to update you all periodically. For His glory, <>< Katie Isaiah 6:8 Wednesday, March 2, 2011 Wacky Wednesday Katie: Sometimes broken things are worth keeping. Nikki: Like us. Sara: I'm going to lick Cinderella's castle. Heather: Or you could lick Mickey's butt. Or you could lick the trash can Goofy touched. Or you could lick the road where everyone walks. Or you could lick David's face. Do all of these sound ridiculous? So does licking Cinderella's castle! Katie: Go outside by the puke. Andy: You want us to buy you some puke? That's a waste of money. We could just produce it naturally for you. Katie: If I ever need any puke, you'll be the first person that I call. [Elizabeth and Andy kiss loudly] Katie: I have my own naturally-produced puke now. Thank you. Elizabeth: Jennifer! Do not chip clip your eyelashes! Nikki: Katie, I'm pretty sure you're one-fourth dog. I'm going to get a dog whistle just to annoy you because I'm sure you'll hear it. Katie: Dork. Jennifer: I'm not a dork. Katie: "Dork" is a term of endearment just like sassing is a love language. Jennifer: A dorking is a pigeon with five toes. Katie: I've also heard a dude is an infected hair on an elephant's butt, but I don't believe that either. Jennifer: [laughing hysterically] Allyson! Come here, dude! [She proceeded to call everyone a dude and laughed all night] Andy [making lunch for our student teachers]: Do you want ketchup or grape jelly? Amy: A mix of both. Andy: Don't tempt me. Amy: Andy, I like my sandwich cut in the same of animals. Elizabeth: I like mine cut like monuments. Andy: Amy, yours are cut like quadrilaterals. Jennifer: I wish I could buy an eraser just to erase things. Eva: She's high maintenance. Evan: That's my fiance she's talking about. Katie: Are you going to let her talk that way about your fiance? Evan [with pride]: I like maintaining her. Katie: I'm studying English, Spanish, and American Sign Language. This summer I'm going to China. Josh: You realize none of those languages are going to help you in China, right? Hannah: What's Katie's last name? Axelson or Axelton? Matthew: Have you seen Katie?! It's not AxelTON. Jennifer: I could be like a hamster and stick the candy in my cheeks, take it up to my tower, and eat it there! Grandma: Yeah, we had burnt carrots-- Grandpa: --We had burnt carrots, burnt broccoli, and burnt offerings... Jennifer: Katie, if I finished your sentences they'd start with words and end with numbers. Danielle: I don't know how to wrestle Katie. I'm afraid I'm going to break her in half! Katie: I told you, she could lift me with two fingers: it's not a fair fight. [Later I was wrapped around her body and she was standing and spinning] Jo: Oh! Don't hurt her head! Katie: But it's ok to hurt the rest of me? Nikki: Sometimes I just really don't think it's fair that I am so blessed with so many of you wonderful girls in my life when there are lonely people in this world. [beat] Maybe I should start pawning you off to lonely people. [beat] Katie, you're first! Katie: The sauce-dressing stuff on this salad is so thick and overpowering that I can't tell what's chicken and what's a crouton. Josh: I feel like that may be the point. Jennifer: BRRRR! Nikki: I'm sobrrrr! Katie: I'm not. Nikki: Andy, the word "sloughing" is in this book. And I used it today. Andy: In a periodical sense? [In the coffee shop, Amber's giving the attention wave to her computer. She was watching a video. Entire conversation in ASL] Katie: Are you talking to yourself? Amber: No, I'm in class, and I'm copying the teacher. Katie: Why? Amber: Because it's fun. Katie: So you are talking to yourself. Or you're four. Which? Amber: That one! [the four] Katie: Ladies, you crack me up! Jennifer: Oh, do you need some glue? Dr. D: I never sneeze in dark rooms. Jennifer and Allyson: Do you need anything from the store or the bank or the coffee shop? Katie: I mean, if the bank is giving out free samples, I'll take some. Lauren: Oh, man! This scratch paper she gave us is so big and antique-looking. It intimidated me. I had to get a piece of scratch paper for my scratch paper. Jennifer: I don't want to go to dinner. I forfeit dinner. [Andy was studying. I was reading with my head in Amy's lap; Amy was studying] Andy: Katie, you have a laceration on the occipital portion of your head. Katie: Amy, I'm sorry I'm bleeding to death in your lap. Amy [pulling away]: WHAT?! Jennifer [singing]: Holy, holy, holy! Katie [spoken]: Can I finish my story? Lord God Almighty. Dr. H [female]: This is my stun gun. POW! Matthew: Don't taze me, bro! Jonathan Martin: When the Spirit is working, there is a strange cocktail of supernatural boldness and awareness of my fragility. It's like His calling card.
Re: Sample Question Anyone who really doesn't care about this thread, hit delete now. I'll move it to CTS, but because that is a land where it is all too easy to get caught up in HTML IS HOLY debates, I thought it best to start here. W. Eliot Kimber wrote: > What about this alternative: > <P>Your IP address is <SERVER>write(request.ip)</SERVER> > <SERVER>write("<p>Last time your were " + client.oldname + ".")</SERVER> > An addition of 3 characters. The escaping could easily be provided by the > sort of 10-line Perl script XML was specifically designed to enable the > writing of, assuming that script understood the semantics of the Server > element. Good answer. That gets the dweeb in the back off the floor. > Because we understand that the lexical parse occurs before the semantic > parse. But not in HTML processing. I don't get it. Bad answer. No one will have a clue outside the few hackers in the room, and if they are HTML/Perl hackers, this all looks like more work. Anyway, I suspect if we go back to the original HTML archives, we'll some performance questions mixed in with some religious positions. They do it that way because tag scanning is faster and surer than parsing for syntax based on a DTD that you might not have. They do it to only connect once for a page and to move it without requiring a stateful protocol. They do it to keep the packets small. They do it because it works and is fast to build and design on a list community where the majority of contributors are not twenty-year hypermedia veterans. They could do it because our governments paid for it and gave away the software, something few in our industry could afford. Now they do it because they can't afford to undo it and many of our members do it right along with them because it is profitable. Me too. > The risk taken was investing in a delivery language designed too quickly by > people who's only apparent goal was the shortest path to the quickest > solution. What risk? They got fabulously wealthy and are getting moreso everyday while surrouding the customer's information in a very "tender" trap. > If the world was fair, I could say they deserve what they get, > which is a pile of hacked crap, but the world's not fair, so we do have to > be sensitive to these people. But that doesn't mean we have to accomodate > every half-baked hack that comes out of Mountain View or Redmond or > Cambridge or wherever. No we don't. We have to show that for equivalent functionality they get an easier system to manage and maintain. For superior functionality, they get only slightly higher cost. We have to show we learned our lesson, "we" the community that sells high-priced word processors and once upon a time $100,000 for parsers and $50,000 for hypertext that wasn't even in the same league as a free browser is today. Cheap/free software is what we are up against. We won't get rich doing > It means we have to carefully weigh the relative costs against XML's stated > design goals and target audience, with as much thought as possible to > future. XML, like SGML, has a responsibility to the long-term interests of > its users. Propogating bad hacks is usually not in those interests, even if > it costs short-term pain. Hard cases make bad law and entrenched hacks > make bad standards. > XML is lower-cost SGML. That doesn't mean it's necessarily pain-free SGML. > Doing the right thing often hurts ("Come to the Dark Side....it is > your...Destiny"). Uh huh. Tell them it is the right thing and that hall will empty faster than a bookshop in tel aviv during a riot. Tell them it's the smart thing and prove that in terms of their own problems, and you will make a sale. They don't know it's a hack. We can't tell them that. Do we have to? No, tell them the things about XML that work, tell them that mixing scripting into a markup file is maintenance-suicide. Tell that they should be able to separate the tasks of programming and as easily as they separate the tasks of drawing and writing. Sure, some can do both, and some can do both well, but it isn't a high percentage. They can't afford to pay programmers to write and writers to program, so that level of indirection David loves so is something advantageous to a business, not a moral position. Tell them that when the platform dies, one has to move the information to another platform. Remember that JavaScript is soon to be a standard, so don't tell them it is proprietary. Show them examples of XML applications (eg. P. Murray-Rust's CML). Take a Visual Basic 4 app and show them how they cannot now easily get information out (the text widget is rtf). Show them they can take the same VB4 objects and one extra widget for XML, and they CAN get the information out. Show what an EDI file is like right now and how much easier it would be if they could move these as XML and use the SAME TREE editor to modify it. Show them how a well-constructed set of tools can be used over and over again with each application getting better search and retrieval, data mining, and knowledge accretion by relationships that can form organically and be remembered by the system. We can't tell them that the browsers and heroes they have bought into have feet of clay. They think that is sore grapes from the losers, and as you told me in Seattle, "history is written by the winners". The media is NEVER wrong. We can't tell them they've been had. It is the same as telling them they are stupid when they know full well they have a running intranet hooked to a world wide Internet back at the shop for the first time after YEARS of unfulfilled promises from US. XML fulfills the promise of SGML. Tell them that, but it will be better to show them. "Rough Consensus and RUNNING code.." Learn from the guys who beat us. But the code must be better than theirs/ours.
Deity in Meenakshi Temple The presiding Lord of this sacred shrine was in the times of yore known as Chockanathar, and Chockalinga Perumal. The Goddess of this Temple is Meenakshi. In euphonic Tamil, she is also called Angayarkanni. She is also known as Pachchai Devi, Maragathavalli, Thadagai Pirattti, Abhitekavalli, Abhiramavalli, Kayarkan Kumari, Karpooravalli, Kumarithurayaval, Komagal, Sundaravalli, Pandipiratti, Madhurapuri Thalaivi, Manickavalli, Mummulaithiru, and Vazhudhimagal
Recipe of the Week Easy creamy garlic pasta: 1 lb box pasta/penne, cooked and drained 2 Tbs butter/margarine 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbs flour 3/4 c milk 3/4 c broth (hot water+pareve chicken soup mix) 2 t parsley flakes salt and pepper, to taste 1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese 1. melt butter in pan, saute garlic 2. add flour and stir constantly. 3. add broth and milk, boil until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. 4. add spices. remove from flame and stir in cheese until melted. 5. toss pasta with sauce and serve. We'd love to hear from you! If you have feedback about this recipe or your own recipe to submit please email us at Explore Jewish Life
Tuesday, May 13, 2014 They Were -- And Are -- Expendable CK said... Afghanistan, in more ways than one, was another Vietnam. A war that the US did not win back then. Subsequently, came the shabby treatement of their vets. Substandard hospitals for them, PTSD, many going homeless and such. My mother's friend's husband ended up killing himself when he was back in the good ol' US of A. I'm sure many other Vietnam vets did too. Now, fast forward to Afghanistan, a war, which I think most of us know, was not won. Not if we're to go by the desired goals that war sought to achieve, which, of course, we all know, did not. Not by a long shot. It's really simple to me, the message from Harper -- same as it was back in the days of the Vietnam war--we love and honour you, but only if you "win" the war. Anything less is dishonour to your country, and thus, should be punished, in those twisted minds. Owen Gray said... Harper is about empty pomp and circumstance, CK. And Canada's veterans know it. The Mound of Sound said... Not "pomp and circumstance" Owen, pomposity is more accurate. Owen Gray said... Agreed, Mound. As Twain said, the difference between the right word and the wrong word is the difference between the lightning and the lightning bug. Anonymous said... Harper is unfit to occupy the post of PM. We used to say that we should respect the office even if we do not respect the man. Harper has convinced us that the office is not worth our respect too. Same comments for the Governor General. If he had any respect, for himself or his own office, he would have resigned rather than have Harper co-opt his role. But, hey, this was the guy who was apparently rewarded for crippling the Mulroney-Schreiber public inquiry. So, no more respect for the office of the GG either. Unfortunately, we, the proletariat, are paying the salaries of both these guys. Anonymous said... Harper cares about Harper and that is all Harper cares about. I deeply honor our Veterans of yesteryear and of to-day, six members of my family served in WW2. However to me, Harper is not a Canadian. I detest Harper attending, any of our Canadian events. Harper as a dictator, has no right to be there. Owen Gray said... I don't object to his being there, Anon. What do I object to his his insistence that he be the centre of attention. Owen Gray said... Unfortunately, Anon, what Harper can't eliminate he corrupts. mogs moglio said... Harper there for the photo op show only like when he was in Jerusalem against the wailing wall a back drop for him as a photo op. I wonder how much it cost taxpayers to put on the air show over parliament? Instead of his fancy pretended behavior he could have really honored the vets by streamlining the process of getting benefits and increasing them to include the multi-faceted disruptions in the vets lives that they face trying to come home, they deserve better treatment. Stephen snatch the flag Harper, what a clown. Owen Gray said... You're right, Mogs. It's all for show -- and the show is all about him. Anonymous said... Harpy is in my mind, a loser. But he wants to be a winner, and so he embarks on these strange photo-ops that he hopes depict him as something he is not! He sees war and oil as some sort of passage to greatness. Giving credit where credit is due is beyond his ken. We know folks whose child went thru Journalism school with Laureen. I think old Harpy probably married her because he thought she could help him with his media image??? To me, he is a cold, calculating creep. Owen Gray said... Without a doubt Harper has worked very hard on his image, Anon. And people still suspect there is a large vacant space there. e.a.f. said... well its kind of like this, they were just canon fodder. They no longer serve herr harper's needs. The day of dishonour was simply one more "money shot" before the cameras are turned off of this arena. We can only hope, that come election time, the veterans get out there and remind this country of what Harper did to them, and continues to do. Owen Gray said... If what I read is true, e.a.f., that's exactly what veterans intend to do.
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Thursday, December 30, 2010 33 things to do while home alone 1) dance in your underwear 2) sing along to the newest Katy Perry or Justing Beiber song... oh i know its a guilty pleasure of yours 3)take a bath and fill it with lots of bubbles 4) watch the TV show or movie that is your favorite but can't watch because it drives everyone crazy and its always on 5)tan outside without a bathing suit on- you won't have tan lines hehe just make sure your neighbors aren't creepin 6) sing along to an opera and pretend that you are really good 7) do those funny exercise videos in front of the TV the ones about how to do chair dances and sexy yoga are hilarious by the way 8) make your own youtube video- parodies are hilarious. so pick a song and make fun of it or something!! 9) go mattress surfing down your stairs 10) sit in front of your computer and take 100 pictures of yourself until you think you look pretty in one 11) read a magazine that you love but would be too embarrassed to read around anyone else 12) clean out your closet! 13)have a TV marathon and lay in bed all day 14) cook something out of a cook book instead of microwaving. make some fancy dish and enjoy it afterwards 15)make a scrapbook- bet you can't remember all the things that happened in the pictures. try and remember so you have it when you are old 16) read blogs they are a complete waste of time and can be funny 17) impersonate people from the movies you are watching 18) skip around the house singing show tunes and dancing with your dog or something have fun with it! 19)walk around naked.. hey if you're into that kinda thing now is your time because you can't normally do that... i think 20)make cookies then proceed to eat them all. yum yum yum 21)take a quiz and see who you truly are- GOOD way to waste time 22)hey... here's one! READ A BOOK!!! 23) make a playlist of music that makes you happy 24) give yourself a mental health day and get all pretty- do your nails, do your hair, relaxxxx 25) clean something. its a good way to waste time and you are being productive 26) exercise and blast music 27) facebook creep on people and refresh your news feed every 2 seconds 28) prank phone call someone 29) lay out on a raft in the pool, sleep, read a magazine, relax, listen to some music 30) have an art project make something pretttyyyyyy 31) play farmville or something 32) play barbies or legos dont you miss being a kid? 33) see how big of a bubble you can blow with your bubble gum No comments: Post a Comment
Narrowing of the Neck Arteries (Carotid Stenosis) Carotid stenosis is described as narrowing or blockage of carotid artery in the neck. Carotid artery is the main vessel that supplies blood to the brain. The cause of this blockage is fats that form a plaque by accumulating on each other. This fatty substance accumulates in the inner wall of the vessel and causes vessel contraction as well as formation of blood clots that break and cause blockages in the veins of the brain. Cutting blood flow to the brain means cutting off nutrients and oxygen to the brain, and the stroke occurs. If blood flow is not re-established, brain cells die soon and a permanent brain damage occurs. Causes There are many risk factors related to carotid stenosis. Age, hypertension, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity are among the major risk factors. It often does not produce symptoms. In rare cases, transient ischemic attacks, loss of vision, weakness affecting one side of the body, numbness, and speech disorders may occur. Anticoagulant drugs and blood thinners are prescribed in order to prevent clots from reaching a brain with a less than 50% narrowing in its carotid artery. If narrowing is above 70%, the most effective treatment method is surgical treatment. During surgical treatment, fat plaque formed in the vein is removed.
The Flat Earth Slur Tired of being called a Flat Earther because you disagee with climate change proponents? Flat Earth: that is the typical charge made to anyone, particularly Christians, who dares question the status of anyone who disagrees with the scientific trends upheld by the current scientific "consensus" -- whatever that actually means. When the charge is made against Christians, the charge gets a two-for-one by belittling Christianity and throwing an age-old charge against the faithful. The current heat wave in the US has brought out the usual claims about the undisputed truth of global warming/climate change/whatever term is in fashion. Imagine -- a heat wave in July. And, of course, if you disagree with this conclusion, you must be a Flat Earther. The Flat Earth charge has been debunked from several angles before, and rather well. I won't elaborate about the Biblical passages that suggest a round planet, or the ones that talk about half the Earth being in...(Read Full Article)
Basic Instructions For Writing An Essay On The Spanish Civil War Writing an essay may not be the most challenging assignment that you will complete in your career but it definitely is a monotonous one. Unless you have an interest in what happened during the Spanish Civil War or it impacts you in a certain way, you will never be able to pull off a winning paper. Before you start attempting your paper, it is important to realize its significance for you and your grade. You will have enough motivation to complete a strong paper if you are concerned about scoring a good grade and maintaining your class performance If you are to write an essay on Spanish Civil War, then you should keep these instructions in your mind. They would help you build a strong paper from scratch without much trouble 1. Decide the title of your paper 2. The first thing you need in order to start your paper is a title. This also represents the niche you will be addressing and why is your paper special. You need to pick an engaging title that can hook your audience to read the rest of your assignment. 3. Develop your major arguments 4. Use the title of your paper to decide the scope of your work. You should divide the title or thesis into parallel parts to create the major arguments for your assignment. Each argument will account for one body paragraph in your paper and eventually help you decide the content of your assignment. Make sure that these arguments are strong, clear, concise and convincing 5. Find supporting evidence 6. Gather data to support the arguments you have developed. You should have two or more supporting points for each argument in your paper. You need to make sure that you use authenticated and reliable sources for your assignment so that the readers can trust your work 7. Create an outline 8. Draw and outline by organizing data in relevant places for each section. Use bullets and sub headings to create a proper structure in your assignment 9. Write your paper 10. Expand the outline to write the paper 11. Keep a smooth transition 12. Make sure the transition between these paragraphs is smooth and it is clear for the reader when you end one idea and start another 13. Stay precise 14. Stay relevant and precise in your writing and avoid repeating yourself or adding unnecessary details © All rights reserved.
The Best and Worst Games of 2017 (So Far) One of the best console launch titles ever, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild helped carry the Switch to unexpected heights, providing Nintendo's Wii U successor with a game that delivered well over 100 hours of entertainment. Moving the classic series to an open-world environment for the first time ever, Breath of the Wild combined innovative survival elements with a sprawling Hyrule to explore along with imaginative puzzle Shrines to form the best game of 2017 so far. A great game with a terrible name, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds defied all expectations by being an actually, genuinely good Battle Royale-inspired game on Steam. Coming from out of nowhere, this third-person survival shooter remains one of the most popular games on Twitch, with its proving so popular that its upcoming release on Xbox One was one of the biggest announcements of Microsoft's E3 2017 presentation. It felt like we had waited an eternity to play Persona 5, but when it finally arrived it was certainly worth the copious delays. Atlus once again blended high school drama with a supernatural turn-based RPG, delivering the best story of the series thus far filled with mystery, romance and a host of memorable characters and dastardly villains. Injustice 2 improved upon its predecessor in every way, offering a story that built upon the original's scattershot narrative with a more streamlined plot, a wide roster of characters from across the DC Universe, and exhilarating combat that made it stand among the greatest fighting games released this generation. The new RPG-esque loot system was also a great addition, along with its Multiverse mode that gave an already fantastic game heaps of replayability. There were doubts that Yakuza 0 would find an audience in the West, though after footage of protagonist Kazuma Kiryu assigning a chicken as his manager went viral, a lot of people jumped on board with Sega's prequel. There is so much to do in Yakuza 0, from singing karaoke through to playing baseball and setting Japanese dance floors alight with your slick dance moves, all topped off with a compelling story filled with twists and turns. Little Nightmares has the best art direction of any game this year, with this short but captivating stealth platformer's darkly unique visuals causing it to stay in the memory long after its credits roll. Its vague but compelling plot (which we explained here) also help to make it one of the best games of 2017 so far. Prey may not have sold as much as Bethesda and Arkane Studios would have liked, but it left a lasting impression upon those who did play it. A reimagining of the 2006 FPS of the same name, Prey's unsettling shape-shifting enemies and striking Talos I space station setting made it an underappreciated game from the first half of this year. "Soulslike" is now more-or-less an official term to describe games that borrow From Software's gruelingly tough ARPG gameplay, but it's typically used for games that are wholly derivative of their source of inspiration. Nioh transcended that descriptor by way of imbuing its Dark Souls-esque difficulty with more complex combat, along with a unique story and setting that separated it from the Souls series' multiple Gothic imitators. Unfortunately blighted by problems post-launch that helped prevent it from being a truly successful new multiplayer IP, For Honor was still a great concept for a fighting game even if it didn't have the legs to run the full course. Employing an analog-based fighting system that actually worked, For Honor rewarded methodical movements and positioning more than anything else, making it one of the more satisfying and cerebral brawlers around. The Sexy Brutale is a murder mystery puzzle game that takes place throughout the course of a single day, with the player's time-bending abilities allowing them to rewind the clock and pick up clues that will help them prevent said murders. Like Groundhog Day but with more jazz, The Sexy Brutale is one of 2017's standout indie games. Sony's biggest new IP of 2017, Horizon Zero Dawn fortunately lived up to the hype with its beautiful setting and varied combat. With players having to stay on their toes in order to take down the mechanized beasts that wander its dangerous wilds, Horizon surpassed many of its open-world peers by virtue of offering In a year which has also included Persona 5's tale of high schoolers being guided through a supernatural parallel dimension by a talking cat, Nier: Automata could still well be the most off-the-wall game of 2017 so far. Seamlessly blending the hack 'n' slash, ARPG and shooter genres into one varied package, Nier: Automata's frenetic combat through gorgeous locales and memorable action sequences make it a blast from start to finish. After two poor mainline Resident Evil games successfully dragged the series' lineage through the gutter, Capcom returned with Resident Evil 7 and successfully managed to pull it back from the brink. Resident Evil 7's switch to a first-person perspective may have seemed like a step towards modern horror games, but the puzzle-solving and creepy, deceptively large bayou setting were classic Resi. Its exhausting third act may have taken some wind out of its sails, but it was otherwise a great return to form for a series that had lost its way. A mini-game collection that should have been bundled with the Nintendo Switch at launch, 1-2 Switch offered a paltry smattering of underwhelming games that attempted to showcase the JoyCons' capabilities, but failed to entertain in the process. Compared to Wii Sports and the underrated Nintendo Land, 1-2 Switch was a complete dud. After years of waiting for a new Mass Effect games, fans of the sci-fi series were left disappointed when BioWare returned with Mass Effect: Andromeda, a half-baked release that appeared to have been rushed to store shelves. With its wonky facial animations attracting so much negative attention that they essentially became a meme, Andromeda's great combat couldn't gloss over its flaws, with its derivative plot, repetitive missions and empty planets making it one of the biggest disappointments of the year so far. When you think you want a veteran series to return to its old roots, it's worth remembering just how far we've come since the '80s and '90s. Arc System Works failed to do so with Double Dragon IV, a game that looked and played as though it had been made over three decades ago. This repetitive and dull retro throwback served as another reminder why we left previous console generations behind. Ghost Recon: Wildlands showed a lot of promise at E3 2016, but the end result was decidedly middle-of-the-road. Poor mission variety and a sprawling but lifeless open world combined to create a tedious co-op shooter, filled with boring slogs to objective markers that wear increasingly thin when you realize that many of its objectives are almost exactly the same. Super Bomberman R wasn't necessarily a bad game, but as one of few launch titles for the Nintendo Switch and seemingly an ideal fit for the handheld/home console hybrid, it was a major disappointment. Bomberman has been overlooked as a series for a while now, and Super Bomberman R's lack of maps, modes and stuff to do is unlikely to see that change.
“New Empire” is a new submission to ÉCU 2013. Soviet iconography, the cyclicity of history and extreme free-market capitalism tell the story of a civilization that rises amidst melting snow in the ruins of a magnificent fallen empire. A sci-fi documentary on Modern day Russia and the failure of the communistic Utopian dream, told through imagery from today’s world but set in the unnamed past or future in a parallel, but tragically similar to ours, world. Go top UA-100342494-1
Labour Leadership Grassroots Campaign 15/06/2015 10:57 BST \| Updated 12/06/2016 10:59 BST Prior to the launch of the general election campaign, I acted upon some what later became some very useful advice and re-joined the Labour Party, I'll explain this later. I previously joined Labour at 18, mindful of social justice from an early age, mostly from an upbringing by parents who championed fairness, whilst not particularly vociferous on political issues they harboured a natural sense of Socialist values. Those seeds, already sown by my forebears were later propagated by a left leaning, wholly influential Sociology teacher. I subsequently resigned my membership sometime during the Blair era. As the general election unfolded I complained bitterly that Labour no longer projected itself as the viable alternative keen on upholding their Socialist ideals, or the 'worker's party', further distancing itself from the trade unions. The main recipient of my continual bellyaching was my friend, a fellow trade unionist and lifelong Labour supporter. He explained that griping from the side-lines was futile, you can only make change from within the ranks. "You have to be in it to win it, now join up Becks!" He was right, our own trade union is testimony of this. I re-joined Labour. Three weeks on from that disastrous general election night, still licking my wounds, I sought solace with like-minded individuals online. Solace was meagre but frustration plentiful, I was unhappy with the stagnant discussions and blame game being replayed, so I set up a Labour forum focussed on progression and solutions. We quickly discovered where the party's direction should be heading and discussed attaining this. Of course what we 'discovered' was no real "discovery" at all. Labour should appeal to voters as an alternative to the current status quo. Labour hadn't learnt from past mistakes and still offered a quasi-neoliberal "Tory-lite" agenda. This was apparent in Labour's "We're not as bad as them" election campaign. Now, post-election, our anxieties fed upon the uninspiring crop of prospective leaders that emerged, no candidate offered any real alternative, just more 'New Labour' faces, Tories in a watered down form. The general consensus reached was none of the candidates stood for what we as ordinary members uphold as true Labour values, we needed to act fast. A friend I met online drew my attention to an open letter from ten fledgling Labour MPs seeking an anti-austerity candidate, suggesting we do something similar. Their letter called for typically socialist ideologies, seeking an agenda that "fights the cuts by challenging the austerity notion" a leadership "That would take on powerful vested interests" and "in tune with the collective aspiration of ordinary people". Also sought were "strong public services in public hands and the restoration of "Sure Start". I wrote our open letter to the Labour Party Chairman endorsing the new MPs' demands from party members at grassroots level. We launched an online campaign collecting signatories with help from "Red Labour", who campaign on left issues. Less than a week later we were nearing our 5000 signatures target. On Twitter we had backing from campaigner Mark McGowan AKA 'The Artist Taxi Driver' and momentous support from the Labour movement including MPs like Jeremy Corbyn. We reached our goal and submitted our letter to the party chairman and with extraordinarily coincidental timing came the official announcement that Jeremy Corbyn had thrown his hat into the leadership ring. A press release stated that Jeremy had made "his decision to stand in response to an overwhelming call by Labour Party members who want to see a broader range of candidates and a thorough debate about the future of the party. I am standing to give Labour party members a voice in this debate" We were elated with this news, our campaign had paid off. Now that Jeremy has entered the leadership campaign we have a voice from the left and can expect some constructive debate. We need a leader who opposes not appeases The Tories. What's the point in a pro austerity Labour party? We need to encourage spending to promote economic growth. If you believe the old austerity rhetoric why opt for half measures? If you welcome cuts, cuts and more cuts then just vote Tory. Labour are in opposition, therefore should oppose, Jeremy can be trusted to do this, he's ant-austerity. It's vital he gains his 35 MP nominations, I'm confident he'll achieve this. We've had war-mongering Blair, pro banker Brown and fair but bland Miliband, Labour members deserve better. We need a party to be proud of. Jeremy is popular and will gain votes. As leader he'd re-claim our roots and rekindle Socialist values; values that are as important today, with inequality endemic, as they ever have been. He offers the alternative that party members desire and voters require. As for citing the latest populist buzzword 'aspire' can we now 'aspire' to be Labour?
Mozilla's Global Usage Share Continues to Rise Monday September 30th, 2002 Thanks to Martin for the news. #37 Reasons to suspect inaccuracy by SubtleRebel <> Thursday October 3rd, 2002 11:38 AM You are replying to this message "Is there a reason to believe they are not?" Yes there are many reasons to believe they are not accurate. One reason is that there are millions of IE biased sites and it would be rather odd if none of them used, but there are very few Mozilla biased sites and to my knowledge none of them use to keep track of stats. Then there is the fact that not too long ago, the website itself is IE biased; Mozilla based browsers were not even able to navigate the site properly. Another reason is that these numbers do not reflect what I see in web log files for general purpose websites; for example, I help maintain a tourism website that gets several thousand visitors every day and it shows close to 7% of its visitors are using Mozilla based browsers and less than 2% using Netscape 4.x; off the top of my head I do not know the figures for the various versions of IE. "Tracking usage and growth as one metric (feedback is another) to see user satisfaction and perceived quality and value, to help determine what needs to be done in the project. For example, if feedback is all positive but there's no growth in usage, it could be that PR is the biggest problem." If the stats are inaccurate then they are useless as any kind of metric. If the stats are biased then they will never properly reflect growth. However, the biased stats can be used to convince some web developers that it is not necessary to write for W3C standards; likewise if the stats were skewed the other way then it would be more beneficial for helping to convince web developers to code for everyone. I suppose Martin posted the info to encourage the Mozilla faithful about the increasing marketshare, but 1% marketshare is not going to impress anyone else and thus the current report has very little real value to the Mozilla community.
Theosophical thought, Experience and Teaching Oct 13, 2010 09:29 AM by M. Sufilight Dear friends My views are: A part of the theosophical teaching is repetition. Here I will repeat an article, which I posted some months back on this website. With all the talk about Esoterical School in the last few days the following might be interesting to some readers. To others not. Theosophical thought, Experience and Teaching The following could be called an interpretation of theosophy and theosophical writings and it intends to show, where some of the problems with Theosophy and its related branches are today at the beginning of the 21th century. Thousands of books and monographs have been written on theosophy and the theosophists, almost all of them from the point of view of other ways of thinking. The result has been chaos in the litterature, and confusion in the reader. Over the centuries, some of the world's most eminent scholars have fallen into the trap of trying to examine assess or consider the theosophy phenomenon through a set of culture-bound preconceptions. All this may not be as foolish as it looks to us today: after all, it is only relatively recently that students, including academics and people of the spirit, have begun to realise that their attitudes have traditionally been heavily influenced by subjectivity and unexanined assumptions. Although the pendulum is slowly swinging back, there is still no lack of people - specialists and others - who continue to look at anything, including theosophy and The Wisdom Tradition, in anything but an objective way. The main problem is that the most commentators are accustomed to thinking of spiritual schools as 'systems', which are more or less alike, and which depend upon dogma and ritual: and especially upon repetition and the application of continual and standardised pressures upon their followers. The theosophical path, except in degenerate forms which are not to be classified as theosophical, is entirely different from this. Following closely after the primary misconception is the general impression that all spiritual entities must strongly depend upon emotion. Indeed, there is a marked confusion, even in the most lucid writers, between spirituality and emotionalism. Such confusion does not exist in authentic theosophical teaching or study. The misconsecptions of which the above two are typical produce in the students a frame of mind through which he or she will try to approach the understanding or study of theosophy, with predictably useless results. For this reason high quality theosophical literature shows a marked rejection of ultra-formalism, of mental fetishes, the over-simplifications, which hamper understanding. The theosophists refer to the action of the mixture of primitive emotionality and irrelevant associations, which bedevil outside would-be observers as that of the Lower Self. It is only since the nineteen-fifties, with the discovery of the far-reaching effects of conditioning, brain-washing and attitude- engineering, that the subjective nature of virtually all approaches to knowledge has been perceived to the degree to which the theosophists, for centuries has tried to establish. The theosophists have always taught: 'Examine your assumptions; avoid mechanicality; distinguish faith from fixation'. The theosophical Teacher, in the first place, has to be someone who has experienced all the stages of the Path along which he will conduct his disciples. Outward observers are not capeable of commenting upon theosophy or The Wisdom Tradition. They lack both the experience and the capacity to discriminate between real and degenerate forms. 'Who tastes, knows' is a theosophical saying. Equally, whoever does not taste, does not know. The validity of this concept is, naturally enough, strenously opposed by outward observers. But if, in any field, an unqualified person, lacking essential experience, decides to 'become an expert', it is inevitable that the specialist, the person with the experience, will - indeed must - assert the primacy of proper knowledge. It has to be remembered here that the externalists (whether people of the spirit or of the pen and tounge) are themselves not particularly to blame. Reared on the concept that anyone can, at will, examine anything, they are victims of their own culture's assumptions. After all, this approach is adequate for a large number of disciplines. They have merely apllied a principle which holds good in one area to a subject where it does not. The theosophist unlike the externalist, cannot, and does not, work mechanically. The projection of the message and the help which is given to the learner, must always vary in conformity with the needs of the time, the culture involved and the nature and potential of the student. But as soon as we say this, we can see that the real theosophical organisation teaching and learning differ fundamentally from all other 'systems'. The theosophist, in short, is aiming for a development, not to produce conditioned reflexes. He or she is teaching, not training. He or she intervenes, to provide the right stimulus at the right time for the right person. Such an activity is seen as chaotic by those who cannot perceive its purposefulness; just as the way of life in some open societies feels unbearably disorderly to those who have escaped from regimented ones: something which frequently happens today. The tendency to seek reassurance and regularity is common to all human beings. This is reflected in their cleaving to oversimplified systems. It explains why many people are drawn to organisations which offer authority and certainty. There is nothing wrong with order and discipline: indeed, these are essentials to all human groupings. But the misuse of this proclivity in areas where it does not apply attentuates or delays progress. It results in the uncomfortable feeling, even amongst the most regimented, that 'there is something else.' And yet exposure to strong discipline does not itself produce as a reaction a necessarily wholesome affinity for truth. It is noticeable that coercive, regimented or rigorously intellectualist societies throw up weird cults and abborations, providing both the supply of and the demand for certain emotions. There is a vast accumulation of theosophical teachings, much of it in writings, which would-be students plough through, looking for theosophy (Wisdom of the Gods), and wondering why it seems, so often, self-contradictory. The simple answer is that this material is largely time-and-culture-based. Most of it was prescribed for specific audiences at certain times and under particular conditions. Choosing the relevant materials for any time is a specialised task. To try to make sense of all of it would be like taking a bundle of medical prescriptions, issued over the years to a variety of people, and working out one's own therapy from such largely irrelevant papers - and without a certain specialised knowledge. Theosophical Teaching is PRESCRIBED. Such parts of the theosophical Classics, stories, and letters and lectures and so on which apply to the individual and the group today - have to be selected and applied consciously and appropriately, by someone who is attuned to certain realities. This concept is especially irksome to the academic worker, who always has a bias towards utillising every scrap of information he can find, not towards assessing contemporary applicability. He is, in fact, in a different field from the theosophist. His attitude influences even general readers. If the scholar is unwilling to accept this concept, the conventional spiritual thinker is equally hampered. He, or she, does not wish to face the fact that theosophical activity is often carried out in a way which does not, for the conventionalist, resemble spiritual matters at all. The fact that the theosophist has to script and project his teaching in a manner which will work - not in a manner which will remind others of spirituality - arouses, if ever perceived, feelings of great discomfort in the conditional 'devout' man or woman. Yet the theosophist insists that the adherence to traditional forms is not a spiritual activity at all. It is only in recent years that he has been able to call upon the insights and experiments of the sociologists and psychologists to establish in current terminology, and hence in acceptable form, the fact that very many 'people of the spirit' are only religious in the sense that they have been conditioned to feel certain emotional responses. And that such people are, anthrologically speaking, little else than members of a tribe. These facts, written down and asserted centuries ago by theosophists, are now thought by modern thinkers to be a great new discovery. The supposedly devout are, in theosophical terms (as well as in the new understanding of contemporary workers in the social sciences) cultists but hardly people of the spirit in the theosophical sense. The use of authorithy figures, canonical litterature, liturgy, exercises, special clothes, and similarly standardised elements, are now plainly seen as ingredients in trainning systems which differ, one from the other, only in the ideas and symbols used. Yet, these factors linger and confuse, producing blinkered minds. The deluded 'Theosophists', down the centuries, are those who have taken temporary situations, parables and the like and strecthed them to apply as perennial 'truths', 'exercises' and the like. This kind of development, or hyperthrophy, has taken place in other projections than that known as theosophy. Indeed, it is this which is responsible for the existence of a large number of cults and religious bodies which are generally believed to be authentic and authoritathive. In, reality, the fossilization which is represented by such groups is the antithesis of a spiritual school. Instead of developing people, it imprisons them, as genuine theosophists have never tired of pointing out. So far has this process gone that, in most cultures, the imitation has all but driven out the original. The result is that, examining certain existing religious cults (some of them involving multiple millions of people and possesing great influence) nobody could be blamed for believeing this degenration to be religion itself. An fictious example: Recently, explaining this attitude to a famous spiritual leader, I received the answer; 'But it MUST be true: otherwise so many people would not believe it.' He had, clearly, not heard of Gresham's Law: 'Bad money drives good out.' I said, 'There are twice as many adherents of such-and-such a religion as there are of your own. By your logic THAT one must be true. Its success proves it. Why don't you join that one instead of your own?' It was at that point that he started shouting at me. Quality is more important than Quantity when we talk about theosophical members. It is important in this connection to note, that some theosophical groups have a high number of followers because they use a concept, which is attracting the emotional Seekers after Truth. One of their main ideas is to use a Messiah craze concept cheating the wellmeaning Seeker into merely believing, (and not at all knowing), that the reappearence of the Christ is only a few years away. This H. P. Blavatsky the co-founder of The Theosophical Society clearly spoke out against in her article "MODERN APOSTLES AND PSEUDO-MESSIAHS". To use common sense would be much better in an age where the number of publicly pronounced Messiah'ses are climbing just as rapidly as the number of Napoleon's and similar does in the local psychiatric hospitals closed sections. Among theosophists, the development of Theosophical Organisations gives us a conspicuous example of the process which I have been describing. Of many of the major 'Paths' among the supposed theosophists of today (generally speaking), not a single one or only very very few is traceable in its foundation to its founders teachings. Each of the 'artificial ones' came into being only after the founders death, formulated from some of his specific teachings employed for local purposes, and soon turned into a cult. The truth is, that 'Theosophical Organisations' are temporary and time-limited and always will be. None was started by its putative founder. When the teacher died, his disciples, heroically but misguidedly, tried to preserve his teachings. The result we know. All the distortions - and more - which have persisted in theosophy - and other - teachings are due to the presence and activity of the Lower Self. There is no intention of destroying or undermining the Lower Self. But the Theosophical activity and The Wisdom Tradition insists upon asking: does is command you, - or do you command it? (Rewritten from an article given by a friend) M. Sufilight [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Back to Top] Theosophy World: Dedicated to the Theosophical Philosophy and its Practical Application
Oh, la vache! Oh, la vache! oh, lah VAHSH! Click below to hear this. Fiddlesticks. Darn it. Heck. Damn it! Disgusted, frustrated, annoyed, irked, fed up. That’s how you feel when this expression comes to your lips. You are not a happy camper. On the other hand, you are not furious. This is not a swear word, and there are plenty of stronger epithets in French. I don’t plan to list them here, because you can never beat a native speaker at his/her own game. Non-native speakers, including myself, lack a clear sense of the strength of a given “bad word”. It’s better to stick to the mild exclamations, where you can’t offend anyone by using a word that is too strong for the situation, or that insults someone. On a par with Oh, la vache! you can also say fichtre! or zut! among others. Yes, you can say all of these in front of your mother. Interestingly, French speakers shy away from single-syllable expressions. So if you are going to say Zut! you should either add alors after it (the famous zut alors!), or draw the one syllable out like this: zuuuuut, which must be spoken in a whiny voice. Oh, you still want to know exactly what Oh, la vache! means? It means Oh, the cow! I won’t even attempt to guess how that came about. Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry. 2 responses to “Oh, la vache! 1. Oh la vache ! comes from French slang ” il ou elle est vache “, meaning somebody hard, stern, mean, even violent . From there came the expression ” c’est vache ! ” to speak about something bad happening to somebody . But the key point is I have no idea why a cow first became an image of somebody mean . Perhaps because of unexpected horn strokes ? • Thank you, that makes sense! Yes, cows have acquired a bad rep… Up close, those horns look pretty threatening, and a cow is a big animal. If you’re not used to them, cows can appear mean and ugly! :-) Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
It used to be presumed that if you weren't at your desk working, you weren't working, But we said, 'Why can't we make a workplace where casual meetings are as important as working at your desk?' Sometimes that's where your better creative work happens. David Chipperfield Quotes to Explore
mongorestore fails with "out of memory" October 6, 2015 4.3k views MongoDB Deployment I need to import my db from the old hosting. Iv'e already exported it from the old hosting using mongodump and now trying the following: mongorestore -h -d bassfunk_moscow dump/bassfunk_moscow/ it stops with the fatal error: runtime: out of memory Here is all the log: http://pastebin.com/7YHaxwp3 What should be my next steps? I'm lost here. The DB dump is not that big - about 50mb. uname -a Linux bassfunk 3.13.0-57-generic #95-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jun 19 09:28:15 UTC 2015 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux 1 Answer This message would indicate that the mongo process itself attempted to allocate more memory but there was none (or not enough) left for the operating system to allocate it. If you are on a 512MB or 1GB droplet I would recommend creating a swap file on your droplet. With a swap file, if your droplet runs out of physical memory it will use the file to swap out memory data to the disk, preventing this type of issue. While this will prevent the process from crashing (or at least ensure it takes a lot more to get to that point), having a lot of memory swapped out to disk will slow things down as it is much slower for the OS to query the data in a swap file than to do so from RAM. For this reason, I would also recommend running free -m once you have completed your import and your services are running normally in order to ensure that you have enough memory available for normal operation. by Justin Ellingwood • Thank you, it helps! How can I stop the swap once i've done? Just deleting the folder in the root? • The last step in that tutorial has you add the swap file to /etc/fstab. If you only plan to use it on a temporary basis, skip this step. Once you are done you can run: swapoff /swapfile and then delete /swapfile • Very helpful, thanks! Have another answer? Share your knowledge.
DVD Talk Release List Coupons Shop Reviews SUBSCRIBE Forum Video Games Price Search Advertise DVD Talk All Reviews discussion forum Video Games Collector Series DVDs Easter Egg Database Feature Articles DVD Price Search Store Ratings Customer Service #'s RCE Info Search Toolbar About DVD Talk Newsletter Subscribe Join DVD Talk Forum RSS Feed Kevin Smith - Jersey Girl and Clerks X Any time you sit down with Kevin Smith, no matter what the topic, you know he'll have something interesting to say. At the core, Kevin Smith's films are talkies. Whether it's two clerks engaged in a behind-the-counter debate on which Star Wars movie is better, or two stoner superheroes ranting about Internet Forums and Magnolia fans, it's the conversations that make a Kevin Smith film something really special. I had the opportunity to talk to Kevin Smith about both the upcoming tenth anniversary DVD release for Clerks, the film which started off Kevin Smith's career, and the DVD release of Jersey Girl, a film which marks a distinct change in his career. Smith seemed very reflective about his career so far and had some interesting thoughts about what lies ahead. So for Clerks 10th anniversary, 3 disc special edition, what exactly is the difference between the Theatrical Cut, the Unrated Cut and the Sundance Cut? One looks terrible, and that's saying a lot, because the one that everyone saw looked terrible. There's a lot more stuff in the Sundance Cut, completely different soundtrack. What were doing on the DVD, which I think is kind of cool, is presenting exactly as it was seen. At one point we were thinking about doing a digitally remastered version of the movie, with the deleted scenes put back in, reconstructing the old one. Instead we were like, let's just take the Super VHS copy of the movie that we have, the one that Miramax saw, the one which all the fucking min-distribs saw, the one that started the ball rolling for us and our group and put that out there... So people can see like, 'Jesus, it's this!?! Somebody saw promise in this!' My favorite feature on the fucking DVD is The Snowball Effect - the documentary. It's just fucking phenomenal. You watch featurettes on DVDs and shit, and it always seems like it was footage shot for the EPK or something. Phil Benson, the guy who directed the doc and who works with us all the time, gathered up a fantastic array of people, anyone who had anything to do with that movie from conception to its purchase at Sundance, and interviewed them - brand new. It's really a great collection of interviews and what not - entertainingly told stories. Because it is kind of a cool underdog story. Unfortunately, if you've bought this DVD you know how the story turns out, but it's so well told that there are moments, when I was watching it I was like 'I hope these kids get a break', and I knew they got a break. Revisting the experience of making Clerks, was there anything that you were reminded of that had an impact on you? Yeah, there was, interestingly enough. When we were putting the doc together I realized that I really want to shoot a movie on High-Def Video. I like the look of it so much, it just looks like film, but when you blow it up, it's a little grainy and it reminded me of working in 16mm. It's kind of the 16mm of today. So, right away when I saw the first interview footage, I was like 'Oh God, I want to make a movie in this!' It's cheap, light weight, and I know people at Panasonic pretty well. We could get a bunch of cameras to shoot, we could get five cameras rolling and shit. So right away, I was like 'I want to make a $250K movie.' Watching the footage from the doc come together, that's what it did for me, on a practical 'what I want to do next' level. On a personal level it was just weird going back ten years. I know it's a cliche, but it doesn't fucking feel like ten years, it feels like last year, maybe. It's weird sitting there with Scott and we'd be interviewed on camera together, and the shit I would remember that he totally fucking forgot. I was like 'how can you forget that!?!' The shit he would remember that I totally spaced on. Hearing other people's perspectives on the same story was very Rashamon-like. It was really cool, and kind of wonderful. For a while I was dreading the 10-year anniversary, that just makes me feel old and doesn't make me feel celebratory. When the whole process was done, all the interviews for the documentary and all the added value for the DVD, it felt really cool. I felt like we did really accomplish something with Clerks. You get so caught up in the volition of the moment, I never really had a chance to kick back and appreciate how fucking lucky we were. I KNOW I'm fucking blessed, and I don't take shit for granted, but I really got to sit back and acknowledge that. The odds of this happening were fucking astronomically low, and how everything worked out for us on that movie, is mind bending. So it was kind of cool to be able to do that, relax for a few months and relish that, so I dig it. So what's the latest with Big Helium Dog? Will we ever see it on DVD? We were actually speaking to Best Buy, who has a distribution label called Redline, about putting it out, but the deal kind of fell apart. So, hopefully Miramax and Buena Vista Home Video will eventually pick it up. They recently picked up a movie that I really didn't have much to do with, except I was in it for a very brief role - Jeff Anderson's movie Now You Know. I brought that into them and said, 'Check it out', and they dug it and picked it up. So, hopefully we'll do the same thing with Big Helium Dog. With everything on your plate, are you still going to have time to help out these indie films? No, for me these were always payback pictures, where I wanted to give the opportunities to my friends that I had with the first movie. It wasn't like 'I want to cultivate a bunch of up and coming filmmakers'. For me, it was just for people I know. Kind of like Eminem and D-12? Pretty much. My friends Bryan Johnson, Vinnie Pereira, Malcolm Ingram and Brian Lynch. The idea was never, 'Hey, I'm going to help strangers' - fuck that. Charity begins at home, my mother used to say. How much shit do you give Ben Affleck for the 'Bennifer Effect' on Jersey Girl? Believe me I'm still sorting that out in my head. There was a period for about two months after the movie came out, where I was, I'd hesitate to say the word 'depressed', but I was in a fucking funk. Because we should have done better, that movie easily should have done double what it did. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful we didn't do Gigli business. The fact that we were able to do 25 million bucks after Gigli is pretty fucking great. However, that movie should easily have been able to make $50 Million, it should have done Uptown Girls business or Raising Helen business. The fact that we did $25 Million, definitely Gigli had an effect. In that period when I was in a funk, I wanted to find someone to blame, because I know I did my job... Even if you read the reviews it wasn't like everyone was saying 'Oh this movie blows, because fucking Bennifer is in it.' A lot of people were just like 'this movie blows and this dude has no business making this movie.' All those critics who smashed this film were really hardcore supporters of my first five movies, and then interestingly enough all the people who hated the first five movies I did loved this movie. It's such a different audience. It's not the fart and dick joke crowd. And all those cats didn't show up. Some of them did, but I'm sure they'll be the ones who totally show up on DVD. I know the movie will totally make its money back and make Miramax a profit once the DVD hits. But still, it underperformed and you want to point a finger and you can't. What was Ben going to do, not fall in love with someone? It's not like someone put a gun to our head and said, 'You better hire Jennifer Lopez'. We wanted Jennifer Lopez in the movie, because she was in the movie it lead us to casting Rachell Castro, and Rachell is fantastic in the movie. If we hadn't cast Jen in her role, we might have cast someone else and possible never looked at Rachell in the first place. We looked at Rachell because she had a very striking resemblance to Jen. You can't blame Miramax, because they did a really bang up job of marketing it. We can't blame it on not getting any press, we got more press than you can shake a fucking stick at, good and bad. Any time Gigli got mentioned, we got mentioned. Three weeks in advance of the release of the movie, we were getting press hits all the time and in every major outlet. There's nobody you can really blame, it just happened, it was what it was. So you can do the cogitative reframing thing where you're just like, 'well, theatrical doesn't mean shit'... which is kind of true...'and it's all about the life of the film after the theatrical window', which is always very brief. If a movie is really popular, really successful it's in theaters what, two to three months max. A killer weekend. But on DVD it lives forever. I know from experience that Mallrats died in the box office, and it became one of our biggest, if not our biggest fucking movie because of DVD. It's the gateway movie, the one people see before Chasing Amy or Clerks. It's how a lot of people found the stuff that we do - because of Mallrats, of all movies. So knowing that happened with Mallrats, I don't expect an exact repeat with Jersey Girl, but I feel that once it hits video, it'll find its audience and people will dig it in a way that nobody dug it theatrically. Maybe it's one of those films that people will need to just discover on DVD... Totally, like The Shawshank Redemption or something like that. That would be good! What are you working on next? Next up, I've still got to finish the script for the Green Hornet movie. I don't think I'm going to direct, I'm just writing it. Then I'm going to do that $250,000 movie I was talking about. Ten years in, the thing I start thinking about is: what I do doesn't require a lot of money, like the kind of movies I like to make. It's this (gestures to the interview), just put a camera onto this shit and let it roll. I just like fucking talking movies. Talk is cheap and shooting talk is cheap. I don't know, for me, I'd just like to make movies that are cheaper than what we got used to. Like Jersey Girl, I love that film to death, man, but there's no reason that movie should have cost thirty five million bucks. You can't even go, 'Well Ben got paid $10 million, and Jen got $21 million', because you're still at a $21 million dollar movie. There's no way that movie needed to cost twenty one fucking million dollars. So I'm trying to reign my shit in, be more in control of it. Not listen to people go, 'Well, this should be your budget'. Because it's not necessary. - Geoffrey Kleinman Coming Soon DVD Release List Special Offers Home Release List Coupons Shop Reviews Forum Video Games Price Search Advertise
Turkey photo gallery - pictures, facts and information on Turkey Turkey Categories Turkey on the Map GPS N39.164141°,E34.848633° Turkey (The Republic of Turkey) is the country located on two continents – Europe and Asia. Its culture is therefore the blend of Eastern and Western traditions and there are strong cultural and economic influences from all directions (European Union, Central Asia, Russia and Middle East). It is classified as a developed country. Turkey borders eight countries: Bulgaria (northwest), Greece (west), Georgia (northeast), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran (east) and Iraq and Syria (southeast). There is the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Black Sea to the north and Aegan Sea to the west. Between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea there is the Sea of Marmara and two Turkish Straits (the Bosporus and the Dardanelles). The area of Turkey is 783,562 square kilometers what makes Turkey the 37th largest country in the world. Turkey has a Mediterranean temperate climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet and cold winters. The interior of the country has a continental climate, because the mountains near the coast of Mediterranean prevent the sea from influencing the land. The capital city of Turkey is Ankara. However, it is not the biggest city. The biggest one is Istanbul. Turkey is divided into 81 provinces which are further divided into districts. Moreover, the provinces are organized into 7 regions (Marmara, Aegean, Black Sea, Central Anatolia, Eastern Anatolia, Southeastern Anatolia and the Mediterranean). They have geographical background. The official language is Turkish and Turkey is Parliamentary republic. The population of Turkey is over 70.5 million. The general density is 93 inhabitants per square kilometer but it changes between 11 and 2,420 in the country's provinces. Over 70% lives in the cities. The majority of the Turkish population is of Turkish ethnicity. Other major ethnic groups include the Kurds, Circassians, Roma, Arabs and the three officially-recognized minorities of Greeks, Armenians and Jews. 99.8% of the Turkish population is Muslim Most of the country lies on the Anatolian peninsula (also called Asia Minor), which is one of the oldest continually inhabited regions in the world due to its location at the intersection of Asia and Europe. The Ottoman Empire, one of the world’s most powerful political entities in the 16th and 17th centuries, was created in the area. Following the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, Turkey started the War of Independence on 19 May, 1919. The parliament was formed on 23 April 1920 and the Republic was declared on 29 October 1923. The founder and the first president of the Turkey Republic became Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Turkey is a founding member of the OECD and the G20 industrial nations. It is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The agricultural sector accounts for 11.9% of GDP, whereas industrial sector 23.7% and service sectors 64.5%. The tourism sector has experienced rapid growth in the last twenty years, and constitutes an important part of the economy. The currency is New Turkish Lira that replaced old Turkish Lira by dropping off six zeroes. The international abbreviation for Turkey is TR, the internet domain is .tr and the international phone code is +90. Search earthinpictures.com site
In the landscape of political turmoil and personal accountability, music has become the conduit for change, more than ever before. "It's a new day, and a better day's coming. Well, now who you gonna trust?" implores the opening line of Skull Snaps' 1973 track, lifted from their one and only studio album. The funk song is a declaration of freedom in the aftermath of the civil rights movement and amidst continued racism and segregation in America. Flyjack, a groove outfit out of Austin, are now refocusing the lens, given the detrimental actions of the current President Elect. "'It's a New Day' is special. When we started Flyjack, our mission was to perform obscure funk – what DJs sometimes refer to as 'deep funk.' As a genre, it refers to music created by small regional funk bands in the 60's and 70's--groups that people might know through hip-hop music because so many of their records have been sampled," shares guitarist and singer Buck McKinney about the song--Flyjack's revamped version gets a grainy, filtered visual, soaked with civil rights footage from yesteryear and today. "You can't get much better than 'It's a New Day.' As far as we know, nobody has ever released a proper cover of the song, which is a shame because it is so much more than a drum break," he continues, citing the many samples of the song's iconic, well-versed drum break. "It's about the dangers of apathy and the importance of political activism, and the lyrics are powerful." Flyjack is also comprised of Brad Bradburn (bass/vocals), Nigel Finley (keys/vocals), Andy Rumelt (keys/harmonica/guitar), Jeremy Portwood (drums/vocals), Mike Shields (trumpet), Ari Dvorin (sax), William Wright (trombone) and Wyatt Corder (trumpet). The band were originally expected to drop their own version of "It's a New Day" late last year. "As scary as things were, I got the sense that people were waking-up and trying to be more involved. From the Women's March to social media, they seemed to be responding in a way that suggested had we only done this sooner, maybe we wouldn't be in the spot we're in now," McKinney expounds. "We got together with local director Ray Schlogel to talk about the video and told him that we wanted to try to connect those events with what was happening when the Skull Snaps originally released [the song]. Ray was all over it and dug through archival footage to intersperse it into a live performance video of the band, along with footage from the 2016 presidential campaign and beyond." It's a pivotal moment in time, when the activists on the right side of history will be remembered forever for their hard work in bringing awareness and change to the things that truly do matter. "Seeing the video, you could argue that things really haven't changed all that much, and I think that's why the song is so important. Our shared tradition of protest--of standing up for what we believe is right--is a vital part of the human experience, regardless of the challenges we face. Together, we really can make a 'new day.' We just have to give a damn: vote, speak out, get involved," McKinney concludes. "It's a New Day" is lifted from Flyjack's third studio album, the just-released New Day LP. Watch the clip below: Premiere: Strange Familia straddle genres with their self-titled debut album Review: Betty Who is some kind of wonderful at Webster Hall Cherryade do what they gotta do to "Get By"
Login Password Download WebcamMax WebCamMax - advanced utility to work with a webcam. The program, which adds amazing video effects to all webcams, even without a real camera. The program can be used by default in applications such as ICQ, AIM, MSN, Camfrog, Skype, Paltalk, Yahoo, ANYwebcam, Stickam. You can configure WebcamMax Full so that she would begin to operate and maintain broadcast from the camera only when the lens will lock the movement. For all webcam programs, ICQ, AIM, MSN, CamFrog, Skype, Paltalk, Yahoo Messenger etc. More than 1,000 effects at www.webcammax.com, including Mosaic, TV wall, Movie scene, Water, Smog, Emboss, Emotions and etc Floating text over video. Switching dynamically between multiple live and stored sources (videos, movies, pictures, or real time desktop). Effects DIY. Sharing single webcam by multiple programs at the same time. Becoming fashionable, sexy, cute, romantic or bewitched, or even horrible. Taking photos with whatever background you like and whenever you want. Features RePack: Type: Installation; Languages: multi, English; Treatment: held; Cut: Ask.com-toolbar.
(Vere, Stein Atle. ©2011. “Midrash”. brakha.blogspot.com.) The Tora תורה is the five books that begin the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). But Tora can also mean the ongoing tradition of interpreting the Tora. Thus Tora is a synonym for Yahadut (Judaism). Interpreting the Tora is called Midrash מדרש . Midrash means something like the “demand” for answers. Or more politely, “inquiry”. It refers to the Rabani (Rabbinic) methods for interpreting the Tora (thus is equivalent to hermeneutics). It can also refer to the resulting interpretations (thus is equivalent to exegesis). Unlike, other the methods of interpretation, Midrash can explore some surprising qualities of the Hebrew language (such as fluidity of spelling) and can enjoy a context where the Tora is the infinite speech of God. Thus any plausible context can be possible, and all plausible meanings can coexist as valid simultaneously. Indeed, the “Jewish interpretation” of Tora, namely Midrash, is more like a method of holy divination, a kind of kosher bibliomancy, to discern appropriate information from the Infinite. Its multivalent meanings welcome a pluralism of diverging schools of thought. There are two kinds of Midrash. • Halakha הלכה the way of “going” (Jewish legal tradition) continues to clarify the mutual obligations among the sacred aboriginal kinship system of Yisrael. To form the society of Yisrael, interrelating with each other and with God. • Agada אגדה the “tale” (Jewish narrative) continues to draw inspiration from the ongoing story of Yisrael. To form the identity of Yisrael. The various medieval books, such as Midrash Raba, categorize as Agada. Prophecies about future events are also part of the story of Yisrael and seem to categorize as Agada as well. I also categorize archeology as a modern exploration of Agada, that seeks to clarify the Pshat פשט the “simple” (plain, literal, everyday, normal) level of meaning of the Tora. Agada elucidates the story of Yisrael. I feel it useful to add Kabala as a third “kind” of Midrash. • Kabala קבלה the “receiving” of secrets (Jewish spirituality) continues to discover via the subtle wording of the Tora how the world works. How an Infinite God interfaces with the activity of a finite world. How an infinite consciousness interrelates with human consciousnesses. One can even call Kabala “Jewish science”, except it is keenly interested in the “lifeforce”, Nefesh נפש . Today science lacks the technology to address the Nefesh − the “carrier of consciousness” − usefully. Current scientific speculation includes suggestions from quantum mechanics, implying consciousness involves “light” (electro-magnetic fields), thus consciousness involves the fabric of space-time itself. Probably a scientific description of the carrier of consciousness requires paradigms of physics that still await discovery. Compare the difference between Kabala and science to the difference between folk medicine and scientific medicine. The ancient traditions of folk medicine may not be as precise and surgical as scientific medicine, but they often evolve as part of a survival strategy that is more holistic and robust, and in this way more healthy. Similarly, one day, science will understand how consciousness works. Probably it will prove to somehow interface the infinity beyond space-time, whence our freewill, beyond the limitations of predetermination or randomness. On that day, science and spirituality will be the same thing. In the meantime, we humans are conscious beings. We can expect to subjectively intuit information about what it means to be conscious. With regard to the spiritual part of Midrash, Kabala transmits insights that remain relevant and compelling even to our modern sensibilities. Here, the three kinds of Midrash are Halakha, Agada, and Kabala. These organize the way that the Children of Yisrael engage the Tora from the Bronze Age to the Modern Age today. Perhaps our next age will be that of the Mashiakh.
Saturday, July 09, 2005 Filibuster that! Wouldn't that be a lot of fun? Judge Judy on the Supreme Court: "I am very flattered even to be mentioned in the same sentence as the Supreme Court," Judge Judy told me through a spokesman... When asked point-blank if she'd like to be considered for the job, Judge Judy dodged the question. "I prefer not to rule by committee," she said. Yeah, and I bet she'd also prefer not to give up her $30 million annual salary, but that's not the same as saying she wouldn't do it if the President called. It would be worthwhile just to hear her tell a party to one of those precedent-making constitutional cases, "You, sir, are a moron." Or any of these: On your BEST day you're not as smart as I am on my worst day. I'm here because I'm smart, not because I'm young and gorgeous... although I am! This is my courtroom I can say what I want. When you become a Judge, we will talk. Although I bet that's what most judges are thinking anyway. This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?
Wednesday, February 29, 2012 I've Come To The Sobering Realization... That the grey may not be premature. Monday, February 27, 2012 First Floor We had a regionally famous hardware store in our town when I was a lad. Jack Bros. was famous not for its large and spacious display areas but for the fact that it was a long and narrow store that held, well, everything a hardware store should hold. Their advertising slogan could have been 'Jack Bros., if we don't have it, you don't need it.' The ceilings were high, and shelving and merchandise went to the top on both sides. Display cases lined the trail down through the middle of the store and they served both the need for display and as a base for more goods. Leroy Jack ran the store and knew where everything was. Most home town folks knew better than to look for something. You likely couldn't find it on your own. You were better off to just visit with those around you and wait your turn for Leroy to smile and ask if he could help you. He had a way of focusing on just the one customer he was assisting at the time. You might ask for a battery powered electric fencer and then you'd follow him thru the store until he took a left turn and then a right and reached into the shelf under a cabinet. "What else can I help you with" as he handed you the fencer. If you needed the battery that went with it you might follow him somewhere else. He had a rope operated elevator in the middle of the store. He might have to go upstairs to retrieve the items you had asked for and you would watch as he ascended into the ceiling to return in a bit with your request. I'm not sure how the rope worked. It looped down from above and he pulled one side of the loop to go up and the other side to come back down. It was a one handed operation using long strides with that one hand while the other hand held the merchandise. I thought it was magic at the time. I don't remember if he ran charge accounts for customers. Whether he did or didn't makes no difference. You didn't need to charge because he had counter checks. This would be a concept hard to explain to the current day financier. Most businesses had pads of blank checks sitting on the counter from area banks. I recall Leroy having checks proudly displayed from each of the banks in the region, even the counties surrounding Burt County. If he knew you well enough he would automatically grab the pad from your bank, scribble in the amount, and all you had to do was fill in your account number and sign your name. I can still recall all of those blank checks on display, several rows of them, all from different banks. If a customer said he needed to write a check Leroy would respond with, "What flavor?" meaning which bank shall we use. He told me once that he had asked a stranger from a neighboring town which bank he used and the man became indignant. "Young man, it doesn't matter which bank you choose, I have money in all of them." I even remember being at the feeder auction at the Omaha Stockyards and having the clerk at the commission company pull out a pad of checks from our bank back home for my father to use to buy two semi loads of calves. The problem with all of this was obvious and the county courts eventually began to fill with folks who had written 'No Account' checks to local businesses. It was customary to write the checks for a few dollars more than the purchase and thereby use the local merchants as banks. Customers would go next door and eat hot beef sandwiches at the City Cafe using Leroy's cash. The difficulty with that was if the person wrote a bad check and you gave him the merchandise and the extra cash, it was like paying someone to rob your store and go out to dinner. Eventually the counter checks faded to under the counter for a few years and then the banks began to refuse them all together. Checks, after all, are and were no more than one man's word that he would or will be good for the money. I'm sure that if you were a businessman or a banker during that time, the changeover to personalized checks didn't come soon enough. Today's methods are fairly secure with credit and ATM cards. They won't let you spend what you don't have. They also sometimes won't let you spend what you do have. I needed to say to my ATM card company recently, "Uh, my ATM card was just refused. Why?" My next answer, "I know I bought pressure washer parts in Omaha last week." Me again, "I know I've never done that before but my pressure washer has never had a problem before. Yeah, it was me who used the card and, by the way, thanks for turning the card back on." Dealing with Leroy was easier and besides, he had that neat elevator. Saturday, February 25, 2012 Enough Already The words, "It's time for ALL Americans to begin paying their fair share" said in the most condescending tone imaginable, is meant to stir the Presidents political base. It's to inspire those who don't pay any taxes, to keep voting for someone else to pay their fair share. Recent numbers indicate that we are now up to over 49% of us who pay no federal income tax. I would prefer that the president would just say it like it is. "I'll make sure that just a few folks will continue paying for everything and the rest of you can sit back, receive, and vote for me." Then he could say, "I know that tax receipts aren't actually the problem but that spending IS the problem, but cutting entitlements would lose us votes so lets not go there." One more thing, cutting the Payroll tax was the most ignorant move possible and points out the stupidity of everyone who voted for it. Yes it gave the employee 2% more to add to his paycheck but it took away nearly 14% of the available funding to Social Security, a fund that was already in trouble. Again this was done to buy votes. Until Americans become educated enough to see through the fog and realize it's the spending, there is little hope. Timmy 'Turbo Tax' Gietner said "Without more income, we'll be required to make uncomfortable cuts in spending." That proves they know what's right, they just don't have the guts to do anything about it. I can't wait for the change. In November. I hope we still have country by then. Sunday, February 19, 2012 We've had Skype for some time. I use it once in a while with Ralph but not often. As a matter of fact about two months ago while I was experiencing computer trouble I had disabled it and anything else that wasn't necessary to the primary uses of my computer. An example would be bookeeping for our businesses and my writing and of course blogging. Two evenings ago our son Dan called and said he had a new laptop with a built in camera and had set up Skype and kids wanted to talk to Grandma and Grandpa. I reactivated Skype as we talked and then he hung up and within seconds we had a call from him. We were filled with a sort of deep satisfaction that even though we are 90 miles away from these 4 little girls and their parents we could, at a moments notice connect with them with both audio and visual. Our giddyiness was short lived however as Dan and two of the girls sat in front of the screen and the kindergartner (the one on the right above) quietly asked her Dad after a good 2 minutes of converstation with us, "Dad, can we call someone else?" Sunday, February 12, 2012 In Sunday School this morning we were studying in the book of Daniel and our teacher wanted someone to define the difference between the words 'To Know' and "To Understand." A moment passed and I raised my hand and said, "I think most men 'know' their wives..." I didn't get the chance to finish but I think I know why she avoids calling on me. I'm the little Billy in the back row. Saturday, February 04, 2012 It's Snowing Here & Two Views From The Porch Everyone in these here parts have been readying themselves for a major snow storm. We won't be inundated as Ralph has been for the past few days but it will be bad enough. It does take me back to the stories I've read about the historic blizzards in our nations past and I'm always impressed by the pioneering spirit that storms brings out in the individual and me for that matter. This storm is no different. You prepare as best you can and then wait to see what problems come your way. I have my new generator ready to power up and hook to the household current should necessity require, the 24" snowblower is by the sidewalk and ready and my big tractor has the 9' blower mounted, plugged in and ready. Turns out I hadn't planned on everything that could go wrong but I was able to persevere. The Directv Satellite dish became covered with so much snow it quit working but I sent Marilyn out with a broom to clear it. If you keep a clear head there's no major problem a guy can't think his way through in times like these.
Katherine Guire D: 2018-01-19 View Details Guire, Katherine Dr. Joseph A. Davies, III D: 2018-01-17 View Details Davies, III, Dr. Joseph A. Lorraine Bitter D: 2018-01-16 View Details Bitter, Lorraine Victor L. Acerra D: 2018-01-13 View Details Acerra, Victor L. Vivian G. De Stefano D: 2018-01-10 View Details De Stefano, Vivian G. Francis J. "Frank" Carini D: 2018-01-10 View Details Carini, Francis J. "Frank" William H. "Bill" Scoles D: 2018-01-10 View Details Scoles, William H. "Bill" Doris Jean Maida D: 2018-01-10 View Details Maida, Doris Jean Wesley Sanderson, Jr. D: 2017-12-31 View Details Sanderson, Jr., Wesley Pauline D. Raevis D: 2017-12-28 View Details Raevis, Pauline D. Anthony Paul Sgro D: 2017-12-25 View Details Sgro, Anthony Paul Mary E. Maloney D: 2017-12-25 View Details Maloney, Mary E. Rosalie B. Marsico D: 2017-12-22 View Details Marsico, Rosalie B. Timothy Rushing D: 2017-12-20 View Details Rushing, Timothy Albert Carmen Colaguori D: 2017-12-19 View Details Colaguori, Albert Carmen Mary Perri D: 2017-12-18 View Details Perri, Mary Elaine T. Cardinale D: 2017-12-15 View Details Cardinale, Elaine T. Richard E. Bolton D: 2017-12-11 View Details Bolton, Richard E. Richard F. Atencio D: 2017-12-11 View Details Atencio, Richard F. Wallace S. Colmorgan D: 2017-12-09 View Details Colmorgan, Wallace S. Michael Joseph Napolitan D: 2017-12-08 View Details Napolitan, Michael Joseph Click here to view all obituaries Search Obituaries 191 Franklin Ave. P.O. Box 567 Long Branch, NJ 07740 Phone: 732-222-2312 Fax: 732-222-0238 The Memorial Candle Program has been designed to help offset the costs associated with the hosting this Tribute Website in perpetuity. Through the lighting of a memorial candle, your thoughtful gesture will be recorded in the Book of Memories and the proceeds will go directly towards helping ensure that the family and friends of Keith Andrew Granit can continue to memorialize, re-visit, interact with each other and enhance this tribute for future generations. Thank you. Select Candle Memorial Candle FAQ Q: Are the candles real or simply virtual (online) images of support and tribute? A: The Memorial Candles are online representations of love and tribute only. No physical candle will be lit in memory of a loved one. Q: How do I correct my spelling error after purchasing a candle? A: Please contact the funeral home to make the correction for you. Q: Why can't I see several words in my memorial candle message? A: This is most likely due to your screen resolution. The minimum system requirement is 1024 x 768 pixels. Q: Who can I contact to discuss my Memorial Candle purchase? A: If there is an error with your Memorial Candle message, please contact the funeral home to make changes. If there is a technical error, email Q: How can I resolve an issue with a candle purchase? I was charged four times even though I received three rejection notices. My credit card company says all went through. A: InternetSecure, the credit card processing company that manages the online credit card transactions, declined your transactions. Even though your credit card company may have approved, the transaction must still be approved by both companies. Your credit card will show the transactions, however the additional ones will be refunded and shown on your statement within 72 hours. Please Note: FrontRunner Professional DOES NOT process any credit card transactions. NO funds are deposited to our accounts unless approved by both the credit card company and InternetSecure. Q: Why won't my candle purchase go through when my credit card company says that my card is fine? A: Please make sure that all information you enter is exactly the same information associated with your credit card account. The name, address and phone number must be the same as what's on record with your credit card company. If your credit card is a VISA and you have entered the information correctly, your card may be refused because it is not set up as being Verified by VISA. Please discuss this security feature directly with VISA rather than your bank. Q: What should I do if I don't have an email address but would like to purchase a Memorial Candle? A: You can purchase a Memorial Candle without a valid email address, however your receipt will be emailed to the address entered. You could enter an email address of a friend or family member who would be willing to print off a hard copy of the receipt for you. Please Note: All information entered to purchase a Memorial Candle is NOT distributed or used to send mass online solicitations. At FrontRunner Professional, we have the highest level of online security in place to keep your information safe. Q: How can I change my candle purchase from one duration/fee to another? A: In order to modify your Memorial Candle, please email and include the following information: Funeral Home Name: Deceased Name: Date of Purchase: Receipt Number: Your Name: Your Email Address: Once the information is received, your order will be changed and confirmed within 2 business days. Your refund may take up to 72 hours to show on your credit card statement. Q: When will my candle message be visible? I ordered one but I'm not certain if it was processed. A: The message will appear as soon as the transaction is processed / once your payment receipt is issued. If you do not receive a receipt, the transaction was not processed. Q: Why is my message not appearing on the candle? A: You may need to clear your internet history / cache in your web browser. Press F5 key on your keyboard but if that doesn't work, you will need to delete your history. Since the settings are different for each browser, review your browser's settings and help documentation to determine how to delete the history. Q: What do I do if my candle is not showing up even though I have received a payment receipt? A: Please email the following information: - The name of the funeral home - The name of the deceased - The payment receipt number - The EXACT name on the credit card that was used to purchase the candle Q: I ordered the wrong candle and I would really like to change my order. Is there any way to do so? A: In order to modify your Memorial Candle, we will need you to email the following information to - Funeral Home Name - Deceased Name - Date of Purchase - Receipt Number - Your Name - Your Email Address After we have received this information, your Memorial Candle will be changed and confirmed within 2 business days. Your refund may take up to 72 hours to show on your credit card statement. Q: Will my credit card information be given/sold to any third party companies for promotional purposes such as advertisements, contact lists, etc? A: FrontRunner Professional does not gather or store any credit card information. The online page where you enter your personal information is located on a secure site managed by Internet Secure, a Verisign registered company. It has the highest standards of security and privacy on the internet. All of the information gathered is highly encrypted and is not stored, sold or divulged in any way other than to approve the transaction with your credit card company. Q: Why does my credit card continue to be declined? A: There are many reasons why a credit card transaction may not be approved. The most common reasons are: incorrect card number; incorrect password; incorrect expiry date, the address does not match credit card statements; the card is blocked for e-commerce use: and the cardholder has exceeded or is close to the credit card limit. Please contact your credit card company for more information. Q: How do I go back to add a condolence message? A: If you have not cleared your computer's cache or disabled the cookies, you should be able to open up the condolences page to make any changes. If you do not see this option, please contact the funeral home to help make the change. Q: Am I only able to make one purchase per day with my credit card? A: You are able to make five transactions on the same card in a 24-hour period. Q: Is the family notified about all purchased memorials? A: The funeral home determines with the family the preferred method (if any) of notifications. Families are able to login to the Book of Memories where they can see all updates. There is also an option to be notified via email. Q: Are there hidden fees? I received an email that confirmed the price of a memorial candle was $29.95 but my credit card statement showed the cost was $30.19. A: No, there are no hidden fees. FrontRunner Professional only receives $29.95 for the candle purchase. Any additional fees are generated by credit card companies or financial institutions. Q: Why was my credit card charged multiple times but the payment receipt shows declined transactions? A: Internet Secure is attempting to approve your purchase but your credit card company is declining the transaction. This is usually caused by incorrect information submitted during the purchasing process. Please ensure that your address information is exactly the same as what appears on your statement. Your credit card account will display a credit of any failed transactions within a couple of business days. 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from March 2014 1. This is a chapter in a book about "Notification in Everyday Life." What is notification? • I first wrote about it in a 2006 Sociological Theory article called "Getting the Word Out." In a more recent piece, co-authored with Gillian Hadfield, the ideas in GTWO were applied to the use of discovery in civil litigation. • Other chapters: • Meta-notification • Drama, Humor, and Notification • Notification in Organizations • Notification and the Public Sphere • Technology and Notification • The Networked Self 2. What is "notification"? My standard elevator example is this: imagine you are at work one day and your boss tells you at 2 pm that you are being fired. You spend the rest of the afternoon dealing with loose ends and then you head home where you spend a quiet evening with your spouse. After dinner and some television, you are in the middle of brushing your teeth and you say "oh, honey, by the way, I got fired today." You spouse becomes quite agitated and angry but you protest: "I just wanted to spend a pleasant evening with you. It's not like you could do anything about it if you had known earlier." And you are right: the information had zero instrumental value to your spouse. Neither protest nor sympathy would get you your job back and you did not want to spend the evening talking about it. But your spouse is right too. You apparently have no idea of what it means to be married. • It's the informational expectations and obligations that go with our social relationships, indeed which partially define those relationships, that I call "notification norms." Thus, the term "notification" is used here to mean "information behaviors associated with social roles/relationships." • My theoretical style here is ultimately Simmelian, thinking about this phenomenon across contexts and levels. In the book I look at notification in the interpersonal context just described, in organizations, in the relationship between individual and community, in families, as the stuff of humor and drama, and in the neuro-cognitive realm of the self. • Surrounding the idea of notification is something I call "the information order." By information order I mean the entire pattern of who knows what, who knows who knows what, who is finding out what, etc. Alternatively, I mean the distribution of information among a set of actors along with the first and second derivatives of that distribution - the flow of information and the changes in the flow of information among actors. 3. Outline of Chapter/Talk 1. Networks, nodes, edges; centrality, between-ness, distance, reachability; multiple networks; dynamic networks. 2. Road networks. Plumbing. Diffusion/disease. Modeling vulnerability
Skip to main content The complicated measure of being Hispanic in America • Story Highlights • There are more than 44 million people of Hispanic origin in the U.S. • The community includes diverse national origins, generations, languages • Some observers say enough similarities exist to project a communal identity • Next Article in U.S. » By Taylor Gandossy Decrease font Decrease font Enlarge font Enlarge font (CNN) -- Hispanics are described as the largest minority group in the United States, as a burgeoning force in the electorate and as an untapped frontier of the business market. Yet these descriptions belie the complexity of the 44 million people to whom they refer. Susana Clar, with daughters Vanessa (left) and Virna (center), says the labels "Hispanic" and "Latino" are limiting. Even the terms used to name them -- Hispanics, Hispanic-Americans, Latinos, Latino-Americans, the Spanish-surnamed -- too tightly package the people categorized by those definitions, some observers say. "We are mixed and we are many things," said Phillip Rodriguez, a documentary filmmaker. Many of his films, such as "Los Angeles Now" and "Brown is the New Green: George Lopez and the American Dream," explore the experience and identity of Latinos in the United States. Latinos "very often don't share language, don't share class circumstances, don't share education; it's very difficult to speak about them as one thing," he said. From a census standpoint, being of Hispanic or Latino origin means a person identifies himself in one of four listed categories: Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban or "other Spanish, Hispanic or Latino" origin. In the latter more open-ended category, respondents can write in specific origins, such as Salvadoran, Argentinean or Dominican. According to a Pew Hispanic Center/Kaiser Family Foundation survey in 2002, that is how most Latinos choose to identify themselves. When asked which terms they would use first to describe themselves, 54 percent said they primarily identify themselves in terms of their or their parents' country of origin. About one quarter choose "Latino" or "Hispanic," and 21 percent chose "American." But the broader terms -- Latino, Hispanic -- are the ones tossed about when the media want to discuss a "trend among Latinos," or when a politician appeals to the "Hispanic vote." The U.S. government came up with the term "Hispanic" in the 1970s to generally refer to people who could trace their origin to Spanish-speaking countries. The term "Latino" refers to origins from Latin America, which includes non-Spanish speaking countries like Brazil. The terms are often used interchangeably, which is a point of some contention in the wider community. But do the terms carry meaning among the people to whom they refer, or are they merely governmental designations? "That's the way you call our people," Susana Clar, 52, said of the terms. She and her family emigrated from Uruguay nearly two decades ago, and she works as a vice president in her daughter, Vanessa Di Palma's, Salt Lake City, Utah-based communications firm. "Either you are Latino [or] Hispanic. I'm fine with that, but I think that we are so much more than that," Clar said. Manuel Baez, 49, a native of the Dominican Republic who owns an insurance agency in Tampa, Florida, laughingly answered the question of how he identifies himself. "Manuel or Manny," he said, adding, "We're being put together in this package and that's too hard," he said, stressing that he didn't like labels. He continued, "Dominican-American really represents who I am, instead of Dominican or Latino." He never uses Hispanic to identify himself because "I am mixed," Baez said. "Hispanic doesn't go with me because I don't believe that Spain was the best thing for Latin America." "For me...there is no such thing as a Latino identity," said Suzanne Oboler, professor of Puerto Rican and Latino studies at John Jay College at the City University of New York. "There's certainly a cultural understanding... [And] a political identity," she said, noting that the many different groups will join on particular issues such as immigration and wages. But she stressed that it was not a homogenous group. "Not all Latinos speak Spanish, for example. Not all Latinos are going to vote Democratic... All Latinos are not immigrants." Others, such as Carl J. Kravetz, a longtime veteran of Hispanic marketing, said similarities among the different subsets of Latinos do show a Latino identity, one partly fused through the group's experience in the United States. Kravetz heads a Los Angeles-based Hispanic advertising agency called cruz/kravetz: IDEAS. The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies embarked on a Latino cultural identity project last year -- when Kravetz was the organization's chairman -- to better understand a group of consumers they felt could not be adequately reached through the traditional Spanish-language market. There is "very definitely a Latino identity," Kravetz said. It is drawn along parallels in values and ways of thinking and regardless of country of origin, the group tends to "cluster" in a few areas, he said. Those areas include interpersonal relationships (Latinos tend to emphasize family; individuality is not as important), perceptions of time and space (they have longer time horizons and have a relaxed sense of privacy), and spirituality (religion and spirituality have a strong influence on Latino life and perception of the world). David Chitel, the founder of New Generation Latino Consortium, a group of advertising and media companies, also said there are definite cultural ties among Latinos, particularly between those born in the United States. So much so, he said, that he and others coined the term "new generation Latinos" to refer to them. "We're talking about people that have grown up here in the U.S. in Latino households, most likely with their parents speaking Spanish at home, eating certain foods at home, certain values and traditions that are instilled in them, from music to religious beliefs to the importance of family, these sorts of things," Chitel said. "And it creates very much an identity that is Latino." Chitel said this group of U.S.-born Latinos should be reached with culturally nuanced media, in the same way the African-American market functions. Still, some chafe at the labels. "Every time it comes up it just kind of annoys me and makes me mad," Anna Rivas, of Boulder, Colorado, said of her background. Her parents emigrated from Mexico before she was born, but she said she's never identified with the Mexican culture. "On a regular basis I get asked where I'm from," she said. "And I'll usually reply, 'My parents are from Mexico.' And I don't say, 'I'm Hispanic or Latino, or I'm from Mexico,' because I'm not." E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend All About Hispanic and Latino IssuesU.S. Census Bureau • E-mail • Save • Print
Emily Dickinson "Hope" is the Thing With Feathers- In "Hope" is the Thing With Feathers, she uses many of her techniques to make the poem more lively and fun to read. In this poem, Emily Dickinson uses an irregular rhyming scheme of "a bcb." This means that in each of the three stanzas, the second and the fourth line rhymes with each other. Along with her irregular rhymes, she uses irregular punctuation to direct her readers into certain flow of the poem. In this poem, she uses many hyphens to emphasize the expenditures. This gives the poem the effect of soft, slow, feather floating in the air. She also capitalizes key words in the middle of sentences that are main symbols or have a big effect on the poem. This also points the reader's eyes to these words so that they will pay closer attention to them. Emily Dickinson compares the "Hope" to "the thing with feathers" or simply birds. This implies that hope has the ability to take someone up, or to heaven. The birds have feathers and therefore, are able to fly upward. This shows you that with hope, someone could get closer to heaven, or happiness. Hope is something that can lift someone's soul or spirit up. She is also saying that hope or faith is the only thing that can get someone up to heaven because without hope, you have no feathers and therefore you will fall down to hell. It is like someone said, "There is no future without any hope." Hope is what keeps us going and what makes our life worth living. If there was no hope, you will be better if you died and be stuck in hell because there is no point in living. Hope is everywhere and is always there for you even though you do not realize what it is or feel its presence. It is just like "the tune without the words." You may not realize exactly what the song is but you understand vaguely and what kind of song it is. You ma not know the words, but the tune stays in your mind and you hum the tune over and over again. Hope is just like that. You may not know what it is but it is always in your mind and never stops "humming" its presence to you. According to Dickinson's poem, hope is described as being omnipresent and being able gives one the ability to get through whatever problems, turmoil, or trials we go through in life. In line 5 and 6, it states "And sweetest - in the Gale -is heard-... And sore must be the storm-." Gale is defined as a strong gust of wind, thus this "storm" is the image given by Dickinson to describe the turmoil and struggles we go through in life. As it states in line 6, "That could abash the little Bird", these struggles and problems we have in life overshadow the hope that is always with us. Dickinson is trying to tell us that when troubling times come our way, hope is suppressed by these struggles we go through thus although hope is always there, it may not be seen by the individual. It is when we are able to see this hope, can it gives strength to overcome those times of need. Line 8, "That kept so many warm", is stating the fact that when we have this hope instilled within us and we are able to "see" this hope, we feel a sense of comfort and security. When we lose sight of this hope, the individual would become scared and be filled sorrow but if we try to seek this hope it can always be obtained because hope is always felt the greatest during those times we really need it. Once we feel this sense of hope that gives us security that we seek in our lives, we will continue to seek this hope looking for this comfort, this warmth, that we sometimes lack during our times of need. Hope exists everywhere: "in the chillest land" and "on the strangest Sea." However, hope never asks you for help or asks you if it may give you hope. Instead, it is there no matter what you say or what you think. You cannot say, "I want some hope" or "I wish I had hope," because hope is always there for you no matter what condition you are in. It is realizing this fact that will get you to hope itself. Hope is something that gives assurance, health, and strength. It does not take something away from you. It simply gives. Hope does not ask you if it can come inside you but it is a natural part that is within us, doing it's duty equally among all. Visual - Bird, Clouds, Background The bird signifies hope as it is stated within this poem. The bird is the central part of this poster because it is the most important symbol found in this poem. The bird's characteristics of being light and being able to fly up... toward heaven, is used to describe hope. Hope can be defined as looking toward heaven for something better, such as a better life. In the Visual the bird has just bursts through the Grey clouds, which we have associated with the "storm" or "gale." This "storm" symbolizes the struggles and strife we go through in life. These struggles try to suppress hope but hope (bird) continues to fly, and never ends as it is stated in this quote, "And never stops - at all - ." It has passed these struggles and brings the individual that much closer to what it hopes to achieve. The Family and the Cross found in the background are two of many things the people look towards for this hope that we all hope to achieve. Visual- Cross, family, success Different people turn or look to different things for hope. Religion, family, and success are just a few of these many things. The cross on our poster signifies and symbolizes religion. People turn to religion for the hope of being rescued from their turmoil and difficulties. The cross is above the storm in our poster because religion helps us to overcome and get past our problems Family is another symbol of hope because people turn to their families for comfort and safety. Family can also give hope when people are feeling discouraged. People also turn to success for hope as is symbolized by the money. Success gives some people satisfaction because they need not to worry about being in poverty. People are also filled with hope by having success because they have the means to sustain themselves.
Sunday, April 11, 2010 Vat of the Land Click Cartoon for Larger Size In order to present Obamacare as "deficit neutral," the Democrats had to find fictitious sources of money to pay for it. So they proposed taking a half-trillion dollars out of Medicare, and cut other funds which were intended to pay doctors and hospitals who treat seniors. According to the president's own advisors, these cuts would drive 1-in-5 Medicare providers into bankruptcy. To keep that from happening, the Democrats have planned all along to add a whole new form of taxes to help pay for their vast, unfunded social programs. The "Value Added Tax" is essentially a national sales tax on everything...making every dollar you've scrimped, saved, and paid taxes on worth less in the marketplace. As an added bonus, the VAT tax will also slow the economy, discourage job growth, and give bureaucrats in Washington additional power as they trade favors to determine exactly who and what will be taxed. A VAT makes it easy for politicians to raise taxes a little at a time...rather like slowly raising the flames under a pot of water with a frog in it. Only in this case, it's not a frog who's going to get cooked. Anonymous said... I think I'm most alarmed by the politics that will decide what gets taxed. Europe taxes dog food differently depending on the breed of dog. Government control of everything here we come. And what a sad note to wake up this morning and read of the tragic loss of Poland's president and his wife and other top officials in a plane crash. I'm so sad for the citizens of that freedom-loving country. Suzy said... I agree...what a tragedy for Poland. I can't imagine how difficult its going to be to put their country back together. Meanwhile our country is getting more and more difficult to KEEP together.... Proof said... The problem may be all the vatheads we've sent to Congress (Say it quickly!) and the current White House! Pete(Detroit) said... a 'reasonable' VAT INSTEAD of income tax kind of makes sense. But a VAT in ADDITION to 'regular' income tax is a guaranteed killer. Slowing recovery, impeding job growth, and in the end NOT raising the revenue projected. NEED to get some tax cutting / spend cutting folks in office ASAP, and the more the merrier.. Stilton Jarlsberg said... Pete(Detroit)- Replacing the current tax laws with a straightforward VAT would probably be an improvement. But as you say, that's not being proposed. Instead, the Dems want to keep the horrible existing tax system...and throw a new one on top. Make no mistake, the Dems voted in Obamacare knowing that their bookkeeping made no sense, and that it would spiral the debt so high that people would become open to the idea of new and higher taxes. Which was their main goal all along. Obamacare does nothing to reduce medical costs but, as Senator Max Baucus said, it accomplishes an "income shift" which addresses the "maldistribution of wealth" in our country. Philip said... And four-fifths of typical, normal, average people believe government seizes too much of their income. But three-quarters of the political class thinks current tax levels are just fine, thank you very much for their salaries, grants, and other forms of liberal welfare. 66% of Americans Say They Are Overtaxed in New Poll If Americans really believe they are overtaxed, they have an obvious remedy come November. If they don't exercise their power to vote the bums out of office, they have no one to blame but themselves. Philip said... Kenyan official: Obama born here Philip said... Stilt - Check this out : The Standard website, Nairobi- March 23, 2006 Kenyan-born US senator "exploring ways"of helping home province Pete(Detroit) said... Personally, not so much happy w/ a 'cashless' society. No one, and I mean NO ONE needs to know how much I spend on guns, ammo, booze, pr0n, fiber, cat food, hair die, Viagra, what EVER. The advantage of a VAT (as opposed to FLAT - and trust me, I prefer FLAT, mostly) is that it does 'catch' the 'cashers' when they buy stuff. Drug dealers, pimps, etc still buy food, gas, clothes, pay rent, etc - and the VAT will tap them as well - in theory... Anonymous said... Pete, without a 10% flat tax and the abolishment of the IRS and all it's BS tax laws mostly to suppress the middle class and cover th rich peoples butts we will never have a society where everyone including the 20,000,000 illegals we have on our soil will pay their fare share in taxes. A flat 10% with a cashless society would capture the tax dollar at the time of making the wages and that's it. There would be no sales tax but then again no one would get paid for anything without an electronic transaction.My bet is this. With a 10% flat tax and a cashless society we'd have planty of taxes to pay for all the peoples needs and if we don't them the government CANNOT establish any thing they can not pay cash for. Pete(Detroit) said... Anon - depends a LOT on the definition of 'people's needs'... ((-'pb Still, for a lot of reasons, we're not going to see a totally cashless society any time soon. Just sayin'
Monday, December 11, 2006 I saw a scene tonight, which I never thought would happen in a calm and peaceful Indian restaurant, with meditative music, with polite and soft spoken waiters, and food served on trays, delicately, tenderly. There were three young men sitting on a table across from me, they were drinking and having a good time, and conversing with lots of f-words and little else that could disturb my moment of peace at the end of the day. And then the drunkenness escalated, the laughter became louder, and before we knew it, food was being smashed on their faces, and plates of curry piling on top of their heads. I was advised to not look, to not make eye contact, to not provoke. The waiters were just watching, first with a welcoming smile of any dignified host, then with a bit of irritated smile, and at last with a little bit of agitated frown. But they were calm. The men started to be rude to the waiters, started to make fun of the food, and as I was trying to not watch, while the people on the table across from me (not the vandals) were just not watching effortlessly, and as the food was being thrown around, and the f-word shouted about, and the placid waiters watching, I kept wondering "so where is the police?" As disturbing a scene as it was (perhaps because it was novel to me, perhaps because one of the men's head was shaven, perhaps because they were three large British men and every other one of us--with the exception of the other table--were little Asians with a color tone different than white) what really threw me off was not the drunken behavior of these hooligans. Rather, it was the response of the other table's gentleman: "Well they seem to have had a good time, and at least they spend good money in your restaurant." I don't know what to make of this! It is either that the British people are used to violence in the restaurants and they think it is an acceptable form of having a good time; or it is about the Indian restaurant staff being the servants to their white master's whims and that they ought to be grateful that they have made money out of such desolate group of individuals. As we were leaving, one of the waiters was kneeling and trying to get the rice and the sauce off of the carpet and velvet seats; and the other one walked ahead of us to open the door and wish us good night, with a vast smile. And as I walked out, I felt a tremendous respect for the ability of these men, to not get or act angry. homeyra said... Javab-e ablahan khamooshist? :) This reminds me of stories about the world cup, was it in Lyon? remind me to tell you when we see each other. René w/o web said... I as well have a big respect for people able to smile under these circumstances as I am afraid I would not be able to do so (or better: hope I would not let do so unconfronted). Because there is something else at stake as well I feel. I do not think it right to only educate morons to be so as a help to other's people training to adapt to every possible situation. I always have the feeling that if I do not react in any way to my not being OK with the situation I am somehow collaborating with this kind of vandals. Just like I really do not think that an indian restaurant can be paid enough in money to justify this disrespect of some of my white brothers in this world. I am sad, that I cannot offer a realistic alternative either that is possible for everyone to achieve. The picture of 20 suffering (because that is what will happen, i am afraid) for 4 to have a good time, somehow seems leading to horror and not to nirvana. But of course, I am an exaggerated idealist in mind and spirit. In the physical world I am often very corrupt, I have to admit. Ahhh, so confusing all this. May peace settle in me and mine and extend itself through me to the poor spirits in this world.
Santhal Folklore: The Invention of the Plough The Invention of the Plough Theodore Kisku Rapaj (Originally published in Natun Ganatantrer Janya, Year 1, Vol 11, November 2000, Kolkata) Abridged Translation by Kumar Rana That the invention of plough and slash and burn cultivation is a contribution of the women is clear from the old folk tales, songs and poems of the Santals. The invention of the plough added to the enhancement of crop production manifold, which resulted in surplus of food grain and consequent evolvement of the conception of wealth. The meat gathered by men through hunting could not be stored for long and never, therefore, considered as wealth. The Santals tales tell us how the male dominated society deceived the women, by invoking so called celestial injunction, from their right to the plough. The story reads as follows: When the human beings (hor) needed an implement for cultrivation they went to the haram (the old man – here the father of all humjan beings or all hor) with the rerquest of making for them such an implement. It caused great trouble for the Haram for he had no idea as to how to devise such an implement. So he pondered all day and all night over about the matter, but to no avail. Seeing the Haram entangled in the mess Thakran (equivalent of 'her ladyship', or the mother of all hor) asked him, “what makes you worry? Why do you look so hassled?” Haram explained the impasse. Thakran was not worried, “You have created so many things. Then what is a big deal in devising an implement for tilling the lands?” Then one morning Haram told Thakran, “ I am going to the forest to explore a good piece of wood with which I might be able to make an implement.” Thakran said, “It should not take much time for a man like you. So come back quickly.” Time passed, but Haram did not return. This made Thakran worried. Then she told the mosquitoes, “Go, and find out Haram. And agitate him so much that he comes back home immediately.” The mosquitoes complied. They found Haram and bothered him with bites and horrible buzzing noises around him. Haram was engroseed in his work. He was enraged with the disturbances created through the noise and the biting. So he created huge smoke that scared the mosquitoes, who went back to Thakran to report to her, “Where did you send us Thakran? Haram created a thing that drove us out from the place.” Thakran smiled, “ How does it matter? Just be away from that scary thing.” Then Thakran devoted some time to think and decided to send a strong animal to bring Haram back to her. So she sent the tiger with the proper instruction. The tiger reached the place Haram was working at and growled terribly, and made horrifying gestures. But Haram was unperturbed; rather he angrily said, “I will make life hell for you and won’t allow you to stay in the forest.” And he tossed a pieced of wood which created a pack of wild dogs. Terribly scared by the dogs, the tiger fled and took refuge under the cot Thakran was sitting on and said, “What did you do to me Thakran? It made my living in the forest impossible.” Then Thakran said, “Well I will do something right now. Just see, I will change the behaviour of the wild dogs in a manner so that they won’t be able to live in peace in a single place henceforth and would roam around from forest to forest. All what you need to do to live without fear is to change your abode according to their shifting of homes.” So she commanded the dogs towards another forest. They went away. The tiger came out of his hiding, and murmured, “I was almost gone. These two old man and woman are quarrelling with each other, and it almost took my life”, and left. Much after Haram came back with a plough on his shoulder. Thakran asked , “why are you so late?” Haram replied, “Is making a plough a matter of joke?” Then Thakran took up the plough and threw it on the air. It fell down to earth soon but only to be split to a number of small parts. Haram made it by joining several small pieces of wood. Then Thakran said, “its not under your power to make the plough.” Having said this she went inside to make a plough and came back after a while. She made the plough with a single piece of wood and hence it did not split even after being thrown heavily on the air. Haram was so pleased that he said, “ I am blessing you , and all the women community. Today onward you are freed from the hard labour of ploughing the land. Even touching the plough will be taboo for you.” In the disguise of a divine blessing women were prohibited from using the plough, which kept them from the implement of wealth accumulation that they themselves had invented. Since food grain was the first source of wealth accumulation men forcibly acquired the key to the production of the crop. Post Script: An old Santali song suggests that the slash and burn cultivation was also invented by the women. The wood has caught a fire The small plants And the bamboo groves And the grasses All burnt down to ashes O Chhita* , do go to the forest And see if there is any Stream of water nearby (*Chhita and Kapura are very common Santali names. Chhita, it is told, is Sita, wife of Rama. The male names also resemble the four brothers – Ram, Lakhan, Bharat, Chatur). The song indicates that the women were in search of water to irrigate the soil available for cultivation after the vegetations are burnt to ashes, which would, in addition, enhance the fertility of the soil. A channel drawn of the plough is called in Santhali “Sita nala”. Also the drain through which water flows down is also called “Sita nala.” Irrigation was carried out by drawing channels through the plough. As a Santhali legend tells us, there is a river underground which is also called “Sita nala”. There is a stream at the Ayodhya hills near Puruliya which is also called “Sita nala”. This Ayodhya hill has been a silent onlooker or a symbol of the ancient history of the Santhals. Who knows whether the real history would be unearthed some day? Chhita was the third daughter of Pilchu Haram and Pilchu Burhi. The Santal tales indicate towards the vast knowledge on agriculture that the Santhal women possessed which has later been reflected in peoples’ memory to be iconizede as Sita. A shloka in Kautilya’s Arthsastra reads, “Sitame riddhate devi vijesu cha dhaneshu cha”, which means the goddess Sita makes the seed and wealth fruitful.
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Tuesday, December 8, 2009 Our class story Our class wrote this story together. We gave Mrs H the ideas and she wrote them down as we spoke. We did a chapter a day and then drew pictures for it. When we finished the book we took it home to read to our families. The Three Little Rabbits Chapter 1 Once upon a time there were 3 little rabbits. They liked playing in the back yard. They played in it every afternoon after school. They were called Flopsie, Smokey and Nibbles. One day they saw a good place they wanted to play in, so they asked their mother and their mother said, “Yes, you can.” So they went into their neighbour’s garden and asked them if they could build a little house under the roots of the big tree. The neighbours came out to water the garden and let the little bunnies build their house. While they were building their house they found a secret door. The door was colourful like a rainbow, and had rainbow stars around it. It had a red handle with green buttons that had letters on them. They didn’t know which buttons to press, so they looked around and found a carrot notebook. Nibbles looked in the book and found the word “carrots” so they tried pressing the letters on the buttons. The door creaked open and they saw a huge shiny rainbow on the other side. Chapter 2 The bunnies bounced onto the rainbow and slid quickly down the shiny, colourful stripes. They landed with a bump on the back of a huge animal. “What on earth is this?” squeaked Flopsie. “I think it’s a T-Rex,” Nibbles replied. “We must have landed in dinosaur land!” “No, it isn’t,” squeaked Smokey, “It has a long neck and doesn’t have great big, sharp teeth. I think it is a brontosaurus, because it has such a long neck. The brontosaurus turned around and said to the bunnies, “How on earth did you get on my back? Where did you come from?” “We slid down a rainbow,” said the bunnies. “It must have been magic.” Suddenly they heard a loud thundering sound coming from behind the trees. The brontosaurus started to shake. “Hold on tight, little bunnies,” shivered the brontosaurus. We have to get away from here because the T-Rex is coming.” Chapter 3 The brontosaurus galloped on his huge legs towards a big volcano. The T-Rex chased after them roaring loudly as he ran. Then the brontosaurus came to a small cave in the hillside. “Quick, jump off and hide inside the cave. The T-Rex can’t get you in there,” roared the brontosaurus. So the bunnies bounced off his back and quickly hid in the little cave. The brontosaurus guarded the entrance. Then the T-Rex came closer and closer, growling and roaring. He started to fight the brontosaurus. The brontosaurus whipped his huge tail backwards and forwards hitting the T-Rex very hard. The T-Rex fell down the volcano landing in a puddle of burning hot bubbling lava. That was the end of the T-Rex. Chapter 4 Meanwhile, back in the cave the bunnies got bored of waiting, so they began to explore the cave. While they were exploring, Smokey spotted some tiny footprints leading down a long passage. “Let’s follow the footprints,” whispered Nibbles. “I’m scared of the dark,” shivered Flopsie in a very small voice. “Don’t worry. I’ve got a flashlight,” said Smokey. Chapter 5 They followed the footprints along a long dark passage until they came to some dark steps that disappeared upwards. “I wonder what is up those steps,” said Flopsie. “Shall we climb up to see?” “Yes, lets,” said Nibbles. The bunnies climbed up the long steep steps until they reached a small square, wooden door. They pushed it open and found they were in a new land. They saw a little elf in front of them. Nibbles shyly said, “Hello, who are you.” “My name is Freddy the Elf,” the Elf replied. “Who are you, and where did you come from?” “We are bunnies, and our names are, Flopsie, Nibbles and Smokey. We came from dinosaur land,” said the bunnies altogether. Freddy the Elf was wearing a bright green T-shirt with a large “F” on it. “I really love your shirt,” said Smokey. “I wish I could have a red one with an “S” on it.” “My mum makes these shirts,” said Freddy. “Would you like one?” “Yes, please,” replied the bunnies together. Freddy led the bunnies to his house inside a pretty little cave surrounded by vines and pretty white roses. Freddie’s Mum came to the entrance and said, “Who are your new friends?” “These are my friends, Flopsie, Smokey and Nibbles. They would like a shirt like mine,” said Freddy. Freddie’s Mum gave Smokey a red shirt with an “S” on it. She gave Flopsie a blue shirt with an “F” on it and Nibbles an orange shirt with an “N” on it. The bunnies all said thank-you and put them on. Chapter 6 All of a sudden there was a trumpeting sound outside the cave. They all looked outside to see a big parade of soldiers. “What’s going on?” said Flopsie. “It’s the Queen’s birthday parade,” replied Freddie. Then a big coach came past with the beautiful Queen sitting on a colourful throne. They all went outside and waved to the Queen. Just after she went by, a great big, green, scaly dragon swooped down and snatched up the Queen in his long sharp claws and flew up to the cave high up in the hillside. “OH!!!!!!! What’s happened to the Queen? How are we going to save her?” cried all of the people. Chapter 7 “Come on, let’s go and see if we can save the Queen,” yelled Freddie and the bunnies. They set off towards the mountain. On the way they met a guy selling sharp swords. They bought a sword each and kept going towards the dragon’s cave. At last they reached the mouth of the cave. They waited outside for the dragon to come out, hiding behind some rocks. They waited and waited and waited until the dragon fell asleep. Then they tiptoed into the dark cave so that they didn’t wake the dragon up. Smokey carefully turned on his flashlight. They could see the queen tied up and locked in a cage. Flopsie spotted a small, shiny key hanging on a hook near where the dragon was sleeping. She crept carefully past the sleeping dragon and took the key off the hook. Then they went and opened the cage. Nibbles used his sword to cut through the ropes that held the queen. They all tiptoed past the dragon and out of the cave. Chapter 8 When they got out of the cave the Queen said them all, “Thank you for rescuing me. Will you come with me back to my castle with me, because I want to reward you?” “Yes, we will come with you,” replied the bunnies and Freddie. It took a long time to get back to the castle. While they were walking the bunnies told the Queen their names and where they had come from. They also said that they wanted to go back home. “I know a wizard who can help you,” said the Queen. She led them up a long dark passage and up some creepy, winding stairs. At the top they came to glowing door which had Wizard written on a metal rectangular sign. The Queen knocked on the door and a kind voice said, “Come in.” They all went into the room and saw an old man with a white beard wearing a long blue cloak, with moons on it. “How can I help you?” he said. “These three bunnies would like you to help them get back home,” said the Queen. Chapter 9 The wizard thought for a moment and then said, “I think I can help you. You must go through this special door. It is a teleporter which will take you back home. I will have to say some special words when you are all inside.” The bunnies did what he told them and went through the door. They found themselves in a big room with the walls covered in sparkly diamonds and stars. There were some blue seats and the bunnies sat down on them. All of a sudden there was a whirring, whining sound and everything started twirling and spinning faster and faster. Then it all stopped and everything was quiet. Smokey and Nibbles said, “I hope we are in the right place and not in some other strange land.” They went to the door and opened it very slowly and carefully. Outside they saw their little house and the door they had gone through to have their adventures. There Mum was there and gave them all a big hug. “I am glad you are back, because it is Christmas tomorrow and I have lots of presents under the tree for you. The end. 1. How very exciting!!! seeing your very own story published. I can see that you have all worked very hard coming up with such awesome ideas. I hope you will all enjoy reading your story to your family and friends over the holidays. 2. i love doing the three litte rabbits .It was so much from APM 3. that was cool
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Choice Versus Rights Animal Rights Articles Moo-ving people toward compassionate living Visit the Home Page. Write us with your comments: <[email protected]> Choice Versus Rights By Vasu Murti July 2005 I like to put it in terms of people having a choice, but that choice should be based on basic religious values... I'm a bit uncomfortable with this approach. Recognizing the rights of another class of beings limits our freedoms and our choices, and requires a change in our personal lifestyle--the abolition of (human) slavery is a good example of this. Why write books like "The Dreaded Comparison: Human and Animal Slavery," or "Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust," if killing animals for food, sport, clothing, etc. is merely a "choice"? Perhaps it's because of the uncomfortable similarity with the abortion issue, that animal rights activists don't want to appear to be saying, "Animals have the right to life. Killing (and eating) them is not a matter of choice." But animal activists have shown themselves to be "anti-choice," depending upon the issue. A letter in The Animals' Voice Magazine, for example, states: "Exit polls in Apsen, Colorado, after the failed 1989 fur ban was voted on, found that most people were against fur but wanted people to have a choice to wear it. Instead of giving in, we should take the offensive and state in no uncertain terms that to abuse and kill animals is wrong, period! There is no choice because another being had to suffer to produce that eventual ban on fur would be impossible if we tell people that they have some sort of 'choice' to kill...remember, no one has the right to choose death over life for another being." Similarly, a letter in Veg-News reads: "I did have some concerns about (the) Veg Psych column which asserted that we must respect a non-vegan's 'right to choose' her/his food. While I would never advocate intolerance (quite the opposite actually), arguing that we have a 'right to choose' when it comes to eating meat, eggs, and dairy is akin to saying we have a 'right to choose' to beat dogs, harass wildlife, and torture cats. Each is a clear example of animal cruelty, whether we're the perpetrators ourselves, or the ones who pay others to commit the violence on our behalf. Clearly, we have the ability to choose to cause animal abuse, but that doesn't translate into a right to make that choice." Shouldn't vegetarianism or veganism be compulsory, or is it a matter of choice? I think the answer to this question lies in how we view ourselves. Are we or aren't we abolitionists first and foremost? Again, why write books like "The Dreaded Comparison" or "Eternal Treblinka," if killing animals for food, clothing, sport, etc. is merely a "choice"? "Choice" implies it makes no difference either way, which option one chooses. Again, perhaps it's because of the uncomfortable similarity with the abortion issue that some animal activists are unwilling to insist that vegetarianism or veganism should be compulsory. In an interview with Dennis Prager, Ingrid Newkirk admitted that the animal rights movement is divided over the abortion issue; this will change IF pro-lifers get involved in the struggle for animal rights. Return to Animal Rights Articles The calf photo on these pages is from Farm Sanctuary with our thanks. We welcome your comments: All Creatures Animal Rights Article: justice, peace, love, compassion, ethics, organizations, Bible, God, Lord, Jesus, Christ, Holy Spirit, grass roots, animals, cruelty free, lifestyle, hunting, fishing, traping, farm, farming, factory, fur, meat, slaughter, cattle, beef, pork, chicken, poultry, hens, battery, debeaking. Thee is also a similarity to the human aspects of prolife, pro life, pro-life, abortion, capital punishment, and war. Thank you for visiting Since date.gif (1367 bytes)
Eugenics and contemporary disability studies Thursday, July 14, 2011 Natalie Ball, University of Calgary This entry is part of a collaborative series on disabilities between the Federation’s Equity Issues Portfolio and the Canadian Disability Studies Association/ Association Canadienne des Études sur l’Incapacité. People with disabilities often were targeted by the state for eugenic intervention. Such policies and practices continue to impact the lives of people with disabilities. The word ‘eugenics’ often invokes thoughts of forced sexual sterilization mandated by a governing body. It recalls to mind 19th and 20th century ideas about a ‘master’ race, the Holocaust and ‘forgotten crimes’. Yet, eugenics often is seen as a dark era of the past, a regrettable fragment of history, beliefs, ideas and practices from which modern society progressively has distanced itself. But is eugenics truly limited to the past? Eugenics is not just an historical experience. It is, arguably, a contemporary and future topic of concern for people with disabilities and for disability study scholars. To understand why we need only look at how the concept and practice were understood by Sir Francis Galton, the person who coined the term, and the way in which eugenics practices have changed over time. In his 1883 book Inquiries into Human Faculty and its Development, Galton introduced the term as follows: “the investigation of human eugenics – that is, of the conditions under which men of a high type are produced.” Galton defined the term in “Eugenics: Its Definition, Scope and Aims,” which appeared in a 1904 issue of the American Journal of Sociology: “Eugenics is the science which deals with all influences that improve the inborn qualities of a race; also with those that develop them to the utmost advantage. The improvement of the inborn qualities, or stock, of someone human population alone will be discussed here.” In the same article, he goes on to explain the purpose of eugenics as follows: “The aim of eugenics is to bring as many influences as can be reasonably employed, to cause the useful classes in the community to contribute more than their proportion to the next generation.” The aims of eugenics were several-fold: “Its first object is to check the birth-rate of the Unfit, instead of allowing them to come into being, though doomed in large numbers to perish prematurely. The second object is the improvement of the race by furthering the productivity of the Fit by early marriages and healthful rearing of their children.” He goes on to argue that, “Natural Selection rests upon excessive production and wholesale destruction; Eugenics on bringing no more individuals into the world than can be properly cared for, and those only of the best stock.” Galton gave a broad explanation of how eugenics should be taken up and promoted as an area of knowledge production and dissemination, that is, the role of the academy: “1. Dissemination of a knowledge of the laws of heredity, so far as they are surely known, and promotion of their further study.” “2. Historical inquiry into the rates with which the various classes of society (classified according to civic usefulness) have contributed to the population at various times, in ancient and modern nations.” “3. Systematic collection of facts showing the circumstances under which large and thriving families have most frequently originated; in other words, the conditions of eugenics.” “4. [Investigation of the] influences affecting marriage.” “5. Persistence in setting forth the national importance of eugenics.” Given Galton’s views on eugenics two avenues are available to achieve eugenic goals: first, negative eugenics, that is, reducing the number of so-called undesirable genes within the population or, second, positive eugenics, that is, increasing the number of so-called ‘desirable’ genes within the population. Positive and negative eugenics are far from being an action of the past. What has changed and likely will continue to change is the ‘how’ or the process by which eugenic goals are achieved. There are various ways in which negative eugenics could be achieved. The possibilities include the prevention of marriage and the prevention of procreation of the so called ‘unfit’. During the eugenics movement in the first half of the twentieth century, tens of thousands of people were sexually sterilized or segregated to prevent reproduction of the ‘unfit’ in the United States alone. In recent times negative eugenic goals could also be achieved through the prevention of the birth of fetuses defined as ‘unfit’ through prenatal genetic testing. More recently the deselection of ‘unfit’ embryos became possible through a combination of preimplantation genetic diagnostics and possible non-selection of an embryo for in vitro fertilization. Positive eugenic interventions also have a long history as well as contemporary manifestations. In many cultures throughout history, marriages were arranged whereby family history of diseases was often one criterion taken into account. Contemporary manifestations of positive eugenic interventions include germline gene therapies (heritable changes to the genome). In the future, positive eugenic goals might be achieved through the ability to synthesize genomes from scratch, constructing a genetic code base pair by base pair (known as synthetic biology) and growing a human being with that genome using the artificial womb. And they might include genetic enhancement beyond what we see today as ‘normal’. The above mentioned contemporary practices employable for reaching positive and negative eugenic goals aren’t usually thought of in Western countries in the same way that earlier eugenic practices are, and there are a number of reasons for this. First, and perhaps most importantly, contemporary eugenic practices often are presented as voluntary rather than forced. Unlike the forced sterilization witnessed during the early- to mid-1900s, genetic counseling, genetic testing and gene therapy are, at least in many Western countries, advanced under the narrative of choice and autonomy. The government does not control who has to undergo these procedures or the decisions that individuals make based on the results. (Of course, one could question whether completely free choice truly exists, given societal realities). A second reason is that these technologies operate on an individual basis, without explicitly stating any intention of ‘furthering the evolution of the species’ or ‘improving the human race.’ However, we should recognize that the eugenic idea – trying to create the best human possible in the given circumstances – is still present, at least implicitly. It is possible to continue to redefine eugenics (e.g. one can claim that government coercion is an essential aspect of eugenics) so that we can claim that contemporary practices of genetic manipulation and deselection based on genetic information are not eugenic. However, that only muddies the waters. If we define eugenics as only being government-controlled mandates for breeding, for example, then we ignore the underlying goal of improving humans that Galton described. Redefining or over-specifying eugenics may prevent a much needed contemporary debate around where the eugenic goal of bettering humans is going and, given this goal, what contemporary and future issues we will face. There are practices that are going on around us that are eugenic, and we need to consider the consequences. We see, for example, a move towards beyond species-typical abilities beyond the ‘normal’ abilities (e.g. germline genetic enhancement, somatic genetic enhancements, and non-genetic enhancements). This poses an array of new questions. When new enhancements are created, should they be available to everyone, or only to those who are considered to be below the ‘species-typical norm’, or only those who can afford them? Who will be able to afford the ‘enhancement’ treatments? If technologies that can be used as enhancements are intended for the people labeled as sub species-typical and impaired, will they be able to access them? Enhancements may be unaffordable for some groups, and if only the wealthy can purchase them, then enhancements could add another measurement of inequity and marginalization – between the enhanced versus the unenhanced. Additionally, when enhancements are made available, what counts as ‘too enhanced’? Where do we draw the line? How we choose to answer any of these questions has implications for equity. Even if they are less visible than they once were, eugenic practices are still present today. With the rapid pace of scientific advances, the number of technologies that can be used for such purposes likely will increase. The questions I have posed here have no straightforward or easy answers. However, we need to begin discussion on these topics; and the need for discussion does not go away by redefining eugenics. What this analysis suggests is that we need to focus some of our research efforts on better understanding the continuity of eugenics in contemporary society – in particular, how contemporary eugenics can or will impact persons with disabilities, how eugenics may change our conceptualization of disability, and what the implications are for understanding ability difference in all groups of people. Natalie Ball is a student in the Bachelor of Health Science program, Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Calgary. Her research supervised by Gregor Wolbring was partly supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Community-University Research Alliances grant. Equity Matters Ableism and disability
Heritage Foundation Fellow Trots Out Radical Nullification Argument Against Marriage Equality The anti-marriage-equality movement seems to have anointed Ryan T. Anderson as its next intellectual leader. Anderson, who is now a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, follows in the footsteps of his mentor Robert P. George and National Organization for Marriage founder Maggie Gallagher in being able to talk about the marriage issue without spewing fire and brimstone or talking about how gay people make them want to vomit . This kinder, gentler approach has endeared Anderson and his predecessors to a movement that’s trying to snatch its image away from the likes of Bryan Fischer and Pat Robertson. But it also can obscure the fact that Anderson’s supposedly intellectual arguments against marriage equality can still be far out of the mainstream. On Friday, Heritage promoted on its website a video clip of Anderson speaking at a Stanford University event, where he was asked by an attendee why he, as a gay man, should not be able to file a joint tax return if he gets legally married in California. Anderson responded that legally married same-sex couples should not have access to all the trappings of legal marriage, because while in some states they can “be issued a marriage license,” they “can’t actually get married” because marriage is inherently a union of a man and a woman. This is basically a nullificationist argument against benefits for legally married same-sex couples. Like those who argue that gun laws or health care reform aren’t actually law because they violate their impression of what the Constitution says, Anderson is saying that even legal, state-sanctioned marriages don’t count because they violate his view of what marriage is, and therefore should not earn legal, state-sanctioned benefits. Far from trying to brush over this nullificationist argument against marriage equality, Heritage is actively promoting the video to its followers. The full clip is four minutes long, but the fun really starts at about the 2:10 mark. Anderson: The reason that you should not have the option of filing a joint tax return is that you can’t get married, given what marriage is. Questioner: But I could in California, I can get married. Anderson: You can be issued a marriage license in the state of California, but you can’t actually get married. And I’m sorry to say it that way, but given what marriage is, a union of sexually complementary… Questioner: How is that not discrimination? Anderson: And it’s not discrimination, because everyone is equally eligible for entering into the marital relationship, where you understand marriage as a union of sexually complementary spouses, a permanent, exclusive union of man and a woman, husband and wife, mother and father. If you’re not interested in entering into that sort of a union, you’re not being discriminated against. What you’re asking us to do is to redefine marriage to include the adult relationship of your choice. And the adult relationship of your choice happens to be a same-sex couple. There are other adults who want to have marriage redefined to include the relationship of their choice, which may be the same-sex throuple or the opposite-sex quartet. So what I’m asking you in response is, what principle are you appealing to when you say this is discrimination to vindicate your rights but not their rights? Because it seems to me that your position ultimately leaves to simply the dissolvement of the marital union. It’s not that you don’t have a right to get married, it’s that you aren’t seeking out marriage. Marriage is by nature a union of sexually complementary spouses, a union of man and woman, husband and wife, mother and father. And based on just what you’ve said about yourself, it doesn’t sound like you’re interested in forming that sort of a union. It sounds like you’re interested in forming a union with another man, and that’s not a marriage. So that’s why I don’t think the law should treat the relationship that you want to form as a marriage.
I Feel Like Everyone Is Judging Me Dear Jess, I've been struggling with my weight my whole life and it's really starting to get to me. I feel uncomfortable at school because it seems like everyone is looking at me and judging me. I've tried lots of different workout programs, but every time they don't seem to work, which makes me get depressed and binge eat. Now, I have no motivation to work out or try to be healthy because it seems like nothing will ever change. Can you help me? Dear Ari, When I read your note, three things immediately came to mind that I think can help you: 1. Stop worrying if someone is judging you. You are spending precious time away from enjoying and learning more about your own life by focusing on whether or not someone else is approving of your body. Only you can control this part of your fear. People will think what they want, but we can control of our own thoughts. Try to start replacing these negative thoughts by exploring how awesome you and your life are as it already is! 2. Give yourself a break. Seriously restrictive workout plans set people up for failure. The goal should be to live a healthier lifestyle, not to lose a significant amount of weight super fast. Slow and steady definitely win the race on this one. Start small and give yourself a break if you stray. You're human, not an exercise robot! Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 3. Find different motivation. Sometimes, forcing an idea about what's healthy into our lives can feel so uninspiring! Find some new areas of motivation by giving yourself a small and manageable goal, like walking up the stairs without breathing hard or waking up in the morning with more energy. Measure your success not only by how much time you spend working out or the number of pounds you lose, but by how you feel. As a bonus piece of advice, please don't punishing yourself when you don't live up to your own expectations. You'll only end up hurting yourself on a much deeper level and no good can come from it. Be gentle, be bold and love yourself. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below More From Health
Don't panic! Here's the good news: all, or most of the time, the data stored on your hard drive is still there, you just can't access it. Hard disk drives are the most unreliable component of your PC and there are generally two different ways they can break: physical failure and logical failure. Depending on which failure you're dealing with, you can use PC system utilities software, household tricks, software or professional services to begin hard drive recovery. When your hard drive is experiencing failure, you'll see signs of trouble like a slower than usual computer, corrupted files, an inaccessible drive or what's known as the click of death. Even a speck of dust can wreak havoc with your drive. Depending on its symptoms, your drive will fall into one of the two following types of failure: Physical or Logical. Physical Therapy: If you hear a clicking noise coming from your hard drive, you're most likely experiencing physical failure. Your hard disk drive has what is called a platter and a head. The head reads and writes data on the platter but they never touch. The most common hard disk drive malfunction occurs when the head breaks, or bumps, and scratches the platter. You can damage your platter and head by dropping the hard drive (or your laptop), or it can break on its own due to normal wear and tear. Dos: No matter what method you use for retrieving your data, the faster you do so the better. The longer your drive is on and clicking, the more data you could be losing. One option is data recovery software, which might be a viable solution depending on the amount of damage done to your drive. Also, putting your drive in the freezer is a common, but unconventional fix. This method works best with external hard drives (so you don t end up putting your whole laptop in the freezer). The cold will help fix scratches for just long enough to read and retrieve data. Tapping and rotating the disk in circular motions can also help if the damage is minor as well. Don ts: Don't let the drive continue to run at the first sound of clicking, turn your hard drive and computer off. You can lose more data the longer your drive runs while broken. Although, cloning the drive is a possible solution, it is extremely risky as the stress of cloning could sabotage the whole drive. Don't remove the hard drive and transplant it into a system unless you know what you're doing. This is the solution a professional data retrieval service will take, so if you don t have the technical know-how, take it to the pros. Unfortunately, retrieval services are expensive but provide a much higher probability you'll get your files back. Logical Therapy: Logical failure occurs when there is no physical damage, just a miscommunication between your system and your hard drive. Signs of logical failure include a malfunctioning operating system and an inaccessible drive, both of which can be caused by a virus, malware or software errors. There won't be the telltale sounds of clicking with a logical failure hard drive. The good news is that with a logical failure, you're much more likely to get your files back than with a physical failure. Dos:With a logical failure, the chances are high that you can fix the problem yourself. Data recovery software is your best bet for salvaging your family pictures or important office spreadsheets. Running one of these programs can take days, so patience is required. Your files will be renamed and completely out of order when the software is finished, but at least you'll have everything back! Don'ts: Do not clone your drive. Cloning your drive will just clone the errors too and you'll have two broken hard drives. Don't turn your system on and off multiple times, instead use the F8 function key to enter your computer's safe mode so you can successfully retrieve files. With these tips and tricks, you'll be better prepared to cope with a broken hard drive. Also, keep in mind that after you successfully retrieve your documents, your drive is dead and you should purchase a new one. To prevent another catastrophe, try backing up your documents every once in a while to a cloud drive, backup hard drive or other file-saving device. More Top Stories
Visual Synonyms Synonyms and Antonyms of samuel f. b. morse Save this image. samuel f. b. morse synonym (synonym of samuel f. b. morse) instance hypernym (samuel f. b. morse IS A KIND OF .... relation (represent specific [usually real-world] instances of something)) • United States portrait painter who patented the telegraph and developed the Morse code (1791-1872) (noun.person) someone who is the first to think of or make something (noun.person) • (noun.person) an artist who paints (noun.person) synonym instance hypernym morse samuel finley breese morse samuel morse artificer discoverer inventor painter Link to this page Latest Searches samuel f. b. morse, manhattan clam chowder, seriphidium, vigorish, unchained, diadem, gadget, samuel de champlain, william averell harriman, destabilize, overbite, cult, eminence grise, bandwidth, emery wheel, emery, acridity, bicephalous, charles robert darwin, thigh pad,
Tag Archives: Zuma Zuma, it’s not okay Police brutality has been front and centre in the South African media lately. The latest instance, the death of a Mozambican taxi driver, has the honour of being the “just another” example. And now South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has come out and said that there’s no need to investigate the police force. “It’s fine. It only happens sometimes, and what are a few extra unnecessary deaths in this messed up country of ours anyway?” (my version of his words) Well, Zuma, I think police accountability is extremely, vitally important. Being able to trust those in authority in one’s homeland is crucial to a country’s development. I agree with your statement that not everyone in the police force is a problem. Unfortunately, they all wear the same uniform, and if I hear that even 1% of the police are untrustworthy, I don’t trust any of them. This realisation was crazy for me. Growing up in Canada, I grew up being taught that the police and fireman and all of those guys are awesome. I get this warm, fuzzy feeling when I see cops coming into Tim Horton’s to get their free coffee. I admire what they do, and am grateful to live in such a well-protected part of the world. It’s only on TV shows like Numb3rs and NCIS that you see cops doing sketchy things, and I usually don’t associate those stories with reality. But yesterday, I came to the shocking conclusion that South Africans don’t get to feel the same way. Here’s the sequence of events that led me to this conclusion: I was chatting to my homeless friend the other day, and he shared some horrific stories about being picked up by police, beaten up, and thrown back onto the street. From his perspective, it sounds like certain officers find pleasure in asserting their power. That is the last person I want to see ‘enforcing the law’ on the streets. Then yesterday, I was at McDonald’s and saw a few police officers there eating breakfast together. As the familiar warm, fuzzy feelings began to appear, an ounce of doubt appeared in my mind. Are these the good ones? What if one of these guys participated in beating up my friend? That’s sickening. It breaks my heart that the symbols of safety and honour that I grew up with aren’t actually honourable a lot of the time in most countries. And I don’t want this to sound like I’m showing off how great my country is. I sincerely wish that everyone in the world could trust their police, their government, and their streets. Zuma, this needs to be a priority. Corrupt police officers can’t be police officers anymore. They just can’t. If the ones in charge don’t know the difference between right and wrong, how is everyone else supposed to?
Mardy Gilyard to the Montreal Alouettes There’s not a thing I don’t appreciate about Mardy Gilyard. In college, he lived out of his car while he was getting back on his feet. He helped take the Bearcats to their first BCS Bowl game with his electric kick returns. Now, he is trying to make the Montreal Alouettes. Like you, I’m really pulling for him. He’s made a living off of overcoming adversity and finding his way. More from the local Canadian press here, eh.
Skip to content BMC Microbiology Open Access Supplemental invasion of Salmonella from the perspective of Salmonella enterica serovars Kentucky and Typhimurium BMC MicrobiologyBMC series – open, inclusive and trusted201717:88 Received: 12 August 2016 Accepted: 23 March 2017 Published: 5 April 2017 Critical to the development of Salmonellosis in humans is the interaction of the bacterium with the epithelial lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Traditional scientific reasoning held type III secretion system (T3SS) as the virulence factor responsible for bacterial invasion. In this study, field-isolated Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky and a known human pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium were mutated and evaluated for the invasion of human colorectal adenocarcinoma epithelial cells. S. enterica serovar Kentucky was shown to actively invade a eukaryotic monolayer, though at a rate that was significantly lower than Typhimurium. Additionally, strains mutated for T3SS formation were less invasive than the wild-type strains, but the decrease in invasion was not significant in Kentucky. Strains mutated for T3SS formation were able to initiate invasion of the eukaryotic monolayer to varying degrees based on strain, In the case of Kentucky, the mutated strain initiated invasion at a level that was not significantly different from the wild-type strain. A different result was observed for Typhimurium as the mutation significantly lowered the rate of invasion in comparison to the wild-type strain. Salmonella KentuckyTyphimuriumType III Secretion SystemInvasionInternalizationHost Tropism The interaction between Salmonella and host cells has been shaped by intimate coexistence, leading to a rather balanced interaction that allows bacterial replication while preventing excessive harm unless the host is compromised. The various serotypes of Salmonella enterica cause different diseases, ranging from self-limiting gastroenteritis to systemic illness such as typhoid fever. Central to the pathogenesis of Salmonella is the invasion of the gastrointestinal epithelium tissue. To accomplish this task, the bacteria have evolved virulence traits to adapt to their host that enables the organisms to induce their own internalization by nonphagocytic cells to successfully survive and replicate intracellularly [1]. The most extensively studied mechanism of invasion involves a multiprotein complex termed the type III secretion system (T3SS). Until recently, it was accepted that Salmonella invasion of eukaryotic cells required only T3SS encoded in the Salmonella Pathogenicity Island-1 (SPI1). However, recent studies have shown that Salmonella can cause infection in a manner independent of T3SS [2, 3]. This data sheds light on a new paradigm that slightly contrasts with our traditional understanding, and lends itself to the possibility of unknown entry routes that may be specific to the serotype, the host, and the cell type considered, potentially affecting the outcome of different Salmonella-induced diseases. Salmonella entry into host cells depends on the function of the actin cytoskeleton as the addition of drugs that interfere with actin dynamics effectively block bacterial internalization [4]. An emerging perspective on Salmonella speculates infection of gastrointestinal epithelium may occur through multiple pathways, which contrasts with the traditional essential role of T3SS in bacterial invasion of host cells. Although numerous studies demonstrate a role of T3SS in host infection, recent studies using bovine, chicken, murine, and human models to determine the function of SPI1 suggest Salmonella can cause infection in a manner independent of T3SS [2, 3, 5, 6]. Radtke et al. demonstrated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium was capable of active invasion of a 3-D model of human colonic epithelium cells without the expression of T3SS genes [6]. Desin et al. observed a Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis strain mutated for SPI1 expression displayed invasion of polarized human intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2) and chicken intestinal tissue explants in a reduced capacity in comparison to the wild-type strain [5]. The same study orally challenged 1-week-old chicks with the wild-type or the SPI1 mutant strain, and no difference in cecal colonization was observed thus suggesting infection mechanisms correspond with chicken maturity and infection in this situation may not be exclusive to T3SS [5]. Similar findings were observed by Morgan et al., in which disruption of T3SS caused only minor reduction in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium colonization of chicks [7]. The type of interaction between Salmonella and its host leading to infection is sophisticated and dynamic, dependent on the serovar, cell-type considered, and host. Evidence in the literature suggests additional mechanisms may act in a complementary role to T3SS to facilitate and modify the initiation of eukaryotic cell entry. Spanning the last several decades, there have been significant shifts in Salmonella populations associated with poultry and human infections. Among the leading serotypes associated with human infections over the last quarter century, the widespread prevalence of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis among poultry developed into a significant problem in the commercial poultry industry [8, 9] until the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) began targeting Enteritidis for eradication in eggs in 1989 and meats in 1994 [10]. The ecological niche in poultry created by the reduction of Enteritidis may have been filled by Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg and Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky due to differences in surface antigens [11]. Initially isolated from a chick in the U.S. in 1937 [12], S. Kentucky has a close association with poultry and poultry products and recently has been the most frequently isolated serotype [1316]. The practice of antibiotic use in agriculture, especially in the United States, not only to treat and prevent disease but also to promote growth [17] may have contributed to the ascension and dissemination of S. Kentucky. Of interest, multidrug resistant variants of S. Kentucky have been identified at a high frequency from chickens in the United States [18] and Ireland [19]. In light of recent scientific findings indicating Salmonella enterica infection apart from the T3SS-mediated pathway, it appears that a gap in the knowledge exists to characterize the components that are able to continue to facilitate infection. Additionally, the factors that specify host range for S. Kentucky are not completely understood, and it remains unclear why S. Kentucky is not highly virulent to the human population. In this study, field-isolated Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium were mutated to disrupt T3SS expression. The wild-type and mutation strains were evaluated for the invasion of human colorectal adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line modeled after a gentamicin protection assay. Bacterial strains and plasmids Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (hereafter referred to as Kentucky and Typhimurium, respectively) were isolated from field studies as part of previous work to isolate and catalog Salmonella specimens from the poultry processing continuum [20]. Plasmids pKD46, pKD3, and pCP20 were purchased from Coli Genetic Stock Center at Yale University (New Haven, CT). Construction of SPI deletion mutations Three deletion mutants targeting structural genes (invG, invAEG, and spaSRQPO-invJICBAEG) were created within SPI1 in Kentucky and Typhimurium following a method developed by Datsenko and Wanner [21]. Briefly, phage λ Red recombinase encoded on plasmid pKD46 replaced a chromosomal sequence with a PCR fragment that has homologous regions adjacent to the chromosomal sequence. The 40-nt homologous regions were designed from Salmonella enterica Kentucky genome shotgun sequence (GenBank accession no. ABAK02000001.1) and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium str. SL1344 (NCBI Reference Sequence: NC_016810.1). The 1.1-kbp PCR fragment was generated using the 40-nt homologous extensions as primers (Table 1) from template pKD3 (Fig. 1). Table 1 Primer Sequences The CVM29188.01F, CVM29188.02F, and CVM29188.03F primers harbor 40 nucleotides that bind upstream of the invG gene, invA gene, and spaS gene, respectively, and 20 nucleotides (in lowercase) that correspond to P1. CVM29188.01R harbors 40 nucleotides that bind downstream of invG gene and 20 nucleotides (in lowercase) that correspond to P2 Fig. 1 Orientation of mutations in SPI1. The 3′ region of Salmonella Pathogenicity Island I. Three deletion mutation events were designed to target structural genes between Ha, b, c and H2 and are designated as gray arrows. The 40-nt homology extensions are designated Ha, Hb, Hc, and H2 The amplified PCR fragment from plasmid pKD3 encodes a selectable antibiotic resistance gene, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat). Plasmid pKD46 transformants containing the PCR fragment after electroporation were selected for successful recombination events within the chromosome using chloramphenicol (Cm) antibiotic pressure (10 μg/mL). Following selection, the resistance gene was eliminated using helper plasmid pCP20, which targets specific FRT (FLP recognition target) sites flanking the resistance gene for recombination [22]. Several attempts to construct complemented Kentucky and Typhimurium ΔinvG strains were not successful. Growth kinetics Due to limited resources, experiments to determine effects of T3SS mutation on phenotype were conducted using one representative mutant (invG). Growth analysis was conducted for wild-type Kentucky and Typhimurium, and their corresponding mutation strains ΔinvG to determine if bacteria replication was affected by the mutation. Separate cultures were prepared by inoculating fresh LB media with one colony of each serotype and strain and incubated for approximately 16 h at 37 °C with agitation at 200 rpm. Following incubation, OD600 values for each culture were adjusted to 1.00 in fresh LB media. Triple technical replicates were prepared for each sample by diluting the culture 1/1000 in fresh LB media and incubated at 37 °C with agitation at 200 rpm. At scheduled time points, starting at 0 h and occurring every hour to 14 h, OD600 was measured for each sample. The average OD600 values from triple technical replicates for each serotype and strain were plotted against time (m) to create a growth curve depicting bacteria replication as a function of time. Further growth analysis was conducted to establish viable bacteria number estimates in relation to OD600 values. Separate cultures were prepared by inoculating fresh LB media with one colony of each serotype and strain and incubated for approximately 16 h at 37 °C with agitation at 200 rpm. Following incubation, OD600 values for each culture were adjusted to 1.00 in fresh LB media. Quadruple technical replicates were prepared for each sample by diluting the culture 1/1000 in fresh LB media and incubated at 37 °C with agitation at 200 rpm. At time point 0 h, an aliquot from each culture was obtained and diluted 10−3 in 0.01 M phosphate buffered saline (PBS) (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO), and 25 μL aliquots were spread on LB agar to enumerate colony forming units (CFU). Following 6 h period, an aliquot of each sample was removed and diluted 10−5 and 10−6 in 0.01 M PBS, and 25 μL aliquots were spread on LB agar to enumerate CFU. The previous step was repeated for a successive 6 h period and data collected as previously outlined. Data from the quadruple technical replicates at each time point was gathered to generate an XY scatter plot for each serotype and strain to predict bacteria number in relation to OD600. The data was statistically analyzed using linear regression model (PROC REG) SAS for Windows v9.3. All statistical comparisons were two-sided using P ≤ 0.05 as the significance level. Cell culture The aim of this study was to investigate the potential risk of foodborne illness in people from S. enterica serovars Typhimurium and Kentucky. Thus, human colorectal adenocarcinoma epithelial Caco-2 cells (ATCC HTB-37; ATCC, Manassas, VA) were used. The cells were grown in Eagle’s Minimum Essential Medium (EMEM) (ATCC, Manassas, VA), supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS) (Access, Vista, CA) and 2 mM L-glutamine (EMEM-FBS), and maintained at 37 °C in 5% CO2 and 95% air, in 75 cm2 flasks, unless stated otherwise. Trypsin-treated cells were seeded into 12-well tissue culture plates (Becton and Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ) at approximately 1 × 104 cells per well and grown at 37 °C and 5% CO2. Cells on average required 2–5 d to reach 95–100% confluent monolayers (approximately 5 × 105 cells/well). Cell media was exchanged every 2–3 d. Cell number was determined by hemocytometer counts. Bacterial infection of Caco-2 cell monolayers To determine the rate of invasion of Caco-2 cells by Kentucky, Typhimurium, and their corresponding mutant strains, a gentamicin protection assay was performed as described previously [23, 24], with modifications. Briefly, fresh LB media was inoculated with one colony (Kentucky, Kentucky [ΔinvG], Typhimurium, Typhimurium [ΔinvG]) and incubated for approximately 16 h at 37 °C with agitation at 200 rpm. Cultures were adjusted to OD600 = 0.8 and then diluted 1/1000 in pre-warmed complete cell media to achieve a predetermined bacteria number and transferred to Caco-2 cell monolayers at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) 1:1. Tissue culture plates were briefly centrifuged at 400 rpm for approximately 1 m to bring bacteria into close proximity with the cell monolayer before incubation for 1 h at 37 °C. Removal of cell media with bacteria preceded 2 washes with 0.01 M PBS. Pre-warmed cell media supplemented with gentamicin (200 μg/mL; Gibco) was added to eliminate extracellular bacteria during incubation for 1 h at 37 °C. Cell media solution was removed and kept to be spread (100 μL) on nonselective agar to confirm the antibiotic action. Monolayers were washed twice with 0.01 M PBS, then 500 μL cold Triton X-100 (0.1% v/v 0.01 M PBS) was added to lyse cells. The cell suspension was collected, diluted 10−1 or 10−2, and spread onto nonselective agar in 100 μL aliquots. Viable bacteria were enumerated and adjusted to estimate CFU/mL. Each strain consisted of eight replicates for each trial, and the assay was repeated for three separate trials. The data was statistically analyzed using mixed linear model (PROC MIXED) SAS for Windows v9.3. Strains was the fixed effect, and random effects were trial and trial (strain). The least square means were used to determine statistically significant differences between strains with respect to the mean CFU/mL. All statistical comparisons were two-sided using P ≤ 0.05 as the significance level. Construction of SPI deletion mutations Three sites within SPI1 were targeted for deletion to disrupt T3SS function in Kentucky and Typhimurium. PCR products were generated from pairs of 60-nt primers that included 40-nt homology extensions and 20-nt priming sequences complementary to plasmid pKD3 as a template (Table 2). The PCR products were purified and then transformed into bacteria carrying the λ Red helper plasmid as described previously to create three separate deletion events within the structural genes for T3SS. The mutations were precisely targeted for invG, invAEG, and spaSRQPO-invJICBAEG (Fig. 1). Table 2 Gene disruptions using λ red recombinase Homology Extensions Priming Sites 40 nt; Ha: 2,345,733; H2: 2,347,418 P1; P2 40 nt; Hb: 2,342,536; H2: 2,347,418 P1; P2 40 nt; Hc: 2,335,669; H2: 2,347,418 P1; P2 All genetic disruptions were made in pKD46 transformants of BW25113. Extension lengths are given first. Numerals identify the 3′ nucleotide of the extension in the Kentucky genome shotgun sequence (GenBank accession no. ABAK02000001.1). One primer had the Hx extension and the 3′ sequence for priming site 1 (P1). The other primer had the H2 extension and the 3′ sequence for the complement of priming site 2 (P2). Priming sites P1 and P2 associated with plasmid pKD3 [21] Mutations of this nature interrupt the proper formation of the basal structure that anchors the needle to the bacterial membranes and disrupts proper T3SS function. The outer membrane ring of the basal structure is formed by the integral membrane protein invG [2527]. The export apparatus complex serves as a platform for the assembly of the basal structure and is composed of highly conserved integral membrane proteins: spaS, spaR, spaQ, spaP, and invA [28]. Protein spaS has an additional function to regulate secretion specificity of the virulence effectors through the base [29]. Cm resistance (10 μg/mL) phenotype indicated successful mutations. Antibiotic resistance gene was eliminated by FLP recombinase, expressed from helper plasmid pCP20, which targets the repeated FRT (FLP recognition target) sites flanking the resistance gene. Elimination of the antibiotic resistance gene leaves an 85-nt scar in place of the deleted gene(s) that has stop codons in all six reading frames [21], thereby creating nonpolar gene deletions. Downstream gene expression can continue due to a ribosome binding site and start codon that is encoded in the scar sequence [21]. All gene deletion mutations were verified by PCR tests using locus-specific primers and cat-specific primers revealing that all strains had new junction and locus-specific fragments of the predicted sizes. Following the elimination of the resistance gene, PCR test with locus-specific primers indicated the deletion mutants produced the expected junction fragments and verified mutations occurred in the designed location. Growth kinetics Growth analysis was conducted for Kentucky, Typhimurium, and the corresponding mutation strains to determine if bacteria replication was affected by the deletion mutation. Bacteria cultures were adjusted to equal concentration, diluted 1/1000 in media and OD600 values were determined from 0 h to 14 h at every hour of incubation at 37 °C at 200 rpm. The OD600 values were averaged from quadruple technical replicates and plotted as a function of time (m) for each serotype and strain. Deletion mutations created within SPI1 were not identified as affecting bacterial replication by Kentucky or Typhimurium in relation to their corresponding wild-type strains. Further growth analysis was conducted to confirm viable bacteria number relative to OD600 values for each serotype and strain. At time point 0 h, an aliquot of each culture was diluted 10−3 in 0.01 M PBS, and at time points 6 h and 12 h, cultures were diluted 10−5 and 10−6 in 0.01 M PBS, and 25 μL were spread on LB agar. Colony forming units were counted and adjusted to CFU/mL from four technical replicates for each serotype and strain at 0 h, 6 h, and 12 h. For all serotypes and strains, the model used for linear regression analysis indicated a significant portion of the variation in CFU/mL was due to OD600. The statistical analysis, including regression equation, R-squared value, P-value, for each serotype and strain follows (Fig. 2). Fig. 2 Fit plot for colony forming units (CFU)/mL. At each time point, cultures were diluted either 10−3 or 10−5 and 10−6 in 0.01 M PBS, and 25 μL of bacteria suspension were spread on LB agar. Colony forming units (CFU) from each dilution were enumerated and adjusted to CFU/mL. CFU/mL along the y-axis was plotted as a function of OD600 on the x-axis in XY scatter plot to predict CFU relative to OD600. The regression equations, R-squared value, and P-value were determined for each serotype and strain Invasion rates of wild-type and mutant S. Kentucky and S. Typhimurium As wild-type Typhimurium has adapted to humans as a host, a relatively high rate of invasion, approximately 185,625 CFU/mL, in comparison to Kentucky was expected. The invasion rate for wild-type Kentucky was significantly less in comparison to wild-type Typhimurium, approximately 3921 CFU/mL. Though Kentucky is currently the most frequently isolated serotype in commercial poultry, Kentucky is less commonly associated with human disease. Kentucky was not among the 20 most frequently reported serotypes listed for the United States in 2011 [30]. Based on a review of the recent scientific literature, to our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate in vitro invasion of a human cell line by Kentucky. The deletion mutation (ΔinvG) of the structural genes associated with T3SS decreased the rate of invasion for both serotypes in comparison to their wild-type strain. Human cells are typically not the specified host for Kentucky, and so the invasion rate for the wild-type strain is limited (3921 CFU/mL). The loss of T3SS function reduced invasion 38.1% from the wild-type to 2425 CFU/mL (Fig. 3), which was not significant (P ≤ 0.05). Invasion by Typhimurium was significantly affected by the disruption of T3SS function, decreasing invasion 85.1% from the wild-type to 12,445 CFU/mL. This reduction of invasion rate resulted from the inactivation of T3SS function, which signifies the prominent role this multi-protein complex system contributes to facilitating invasion, a finding that corresponds with previous scientific data concerning the role of T3SS [1, 5, 31, 32]. Active invasion of epithelial cells by the mutation strains represents possible alternative mechanisms of invasion that may act independently and/or in a supplemental role to T3SS. Fig. 3 Comparison of rate of invasion of Caco-2 cell monolayer. Strains are denoted along the x-axis. Bacteria number are expressed along the y-axis and estimated per mL for 1 h invasion period. Strains with the same letter are not significantly different at P ≤ 0.05 The frequent isolation of Kentucky serotypes in commercial poultry, especially MDR strains, is significant from a public health standpoint. Angulo et al. suggest that resistance reservoirs in food animals can possibly promote the spread of resistance determinants among bacteria and lead to antimicrobial-resistant infections in humans [33]. Within the last decade, a MDR isolate of Kentucky displaying high-level resistance to ciprofloxacin was disseminated internationally with poultry suspected as the major vehicle for infection [34]. The strain identified as ST198-X1 as CIPR infected nearly 500 patients in France, England and Wales, Denmark, and the United States during 2002–2008. Kentucky isolates have been reported in Europe from travelers returning from northern Africa [35, 36] and more recently, Kentucky isolates with similar macrorestriction patterns to the isolates observed in Europe and Africa have been reported in Canada [37]. A majority of the S. Kentucky strains identified were ciprofloxacin-resistant [3537], and many of the strains contained Salmonella genomic island 1 variants [37], resulting in treatment failure with traditional antimicrobials against nontyphoidal Salmonella infections due to high level of resistance. Certain genetic factors have been hypothesized to be responsible for the emergence of S. Kentucky in poultry. In a comprehensive study of Salmonella enterica serotypes, S. Kentucky was shown to have a slight growth advantage over other serotypes in mildly acid environments (pH = 5.5), which may be beneficial in the mildly acidic environment of the cecum [38]. However, studies examining the colonization factors contributing to the emergence of Kentucky in poultry remain few. This serotype shares virulence genes with other Salmonella serotypes which are implicated in the colonization and infection of the gastrointestinal tract, nevertheless, mechanisms differ between serotypes, and even within an individual serotype, underscoring how gene expression can significantly affect these functions. The discrepancy of Caco-2 cell invasion rate between Typhimurium and Kentucky is possibly due to discrimination in target host by serotype-related to genetic factors impacting host specificity including those linked with recognition and adhesion to intestinal surfaces and mechanisms of invasion of epithelial cells. Our results correspond with previous findings that suggest infection by Salmonella can occur in a manner independent of T3SS [57, 39]. The Salmonella species appearing in the studies above were serotypes with broad host ranges. To our knowledge, this is the first study to replicate invasion, suggestive of T3SS-independent mechanisms, by a Salmonella serotype in a host not traditionally within its range. Due to the nature of invasion by Kentucky in the case of human colorectal epithelial cells, this possible alternative mechanism may exist as a minor invasive function with an ‘indiscriminative’ host range. Salmonella is capable of infecting diverse hosts and cells types, and an ‘indiscriminative’ mechanism may be evolutionarily beneficial to target a broad range of hosts. The internalization into nonphagocytic cells of the intestinal epithelium is central to the pathogenesis of Salmonella, especially in relation to the maturation of infection. Most certainly it is viable to expect multiple mechanisms that perform overlapping functions to preserve the invasion process. Numerous invasion factors, such as Rck [40] and PagN [41, 42], have been studied that show manipulation of host signaling pathways to activate host actin nucleation to mediate the uptake of Salmonella into host cells [43, 44]. However, recently Salmonella Typhimurium was shown to manipulate additional signaling pathways leading to actomyosin-mediated contractility, suggesting a flexibility to target different cell types and/or subcellular regions [45, 46]. Concurrent with the growth of the poultry industry and rising consumption of commercial poultry and related products, it is reasonable to be concerned with increased risk from poultry-associated foodborne related illnesses in the human population. Salmonella maintains a stable existence in commercial poultry due to its adapted, intimate relationship with its host [4749]. This relationship, as research progresses, reveals a precise, dynamic communication that continues to evolve with variation of host and serotype, farm management practices, and flock vaccination [50, 51]. In this research, Kentucky was shown to actively invade a eukaryotic monolayer, though at a rate that was significantly lower than Typhimurium, a known human pathogen. Traditionally, Kentucky is not a zoonotic pathogen, and this result supports recent cases of the isolation of Kentucky from humans. Additionally, strains mutated for T3SS formation were able to initiate invasion of the eukaryotic monolayer to varying degrees based on strain, In the case of Kentucky, the mutated strain initiated invasion at a level that was not significantly different from the wild-type strain. A different result was observed for Typhimurium as the mutation significantly lowered the rate of invasion in comparison to the wild-type strain. Results from this study may provide the basis for additional research to identify factors delineating host specificity for strains of Salmonella as well as identify supplemental mechanisms for host invasion. Factors associated with invasion and host specificity will be critical to predicting how possible consequences of a shift in Salmonella population will impact the commercial food industry and public health. Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase Eagle’s Minimum Essential Medium FLP recognition target multiplicity of infection National Poultry Improvement Plan Salmonella Pathogenicity Island-1 Type III secretion system Not applicable. This project was funded by USDA-ARS Agreement #58–6402-2729, which is operated under USDA CRIS project MIS501170, “Mississippi Center for Food Safety and Post-Harvest Technology.” The sponsor was not involved in the design of the study, collection, analysis or interpretation of data, and writing or submission of the manuscript. Availability of data and materials The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author RHB upon reasonable request. Authors’ contributions Conceived and designed the experiments: KH, SS, RHB, JPB, RW, MLL, AK. Performed the experiments: KH, SS. Analyzed the data: KH, RW. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: RHB, JB, RW, MLL, AK. Wrote the paper: KH, SS, RHB, JPB, RW, MLL, AK. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Consent for publication Not applicable. Ethics approval and consent to participate Not applicable. 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Last week the acclaimed actress, Emma Stone made headlines with her revelation that certain male co-stars had taken significant pay cuts in order to achieve parity with her own salary. It’s a nice story. And one that readily feeds into the red-hot narrative regarding “fearless” women “leaning in” and breaking barriers into male-dominated fields. While the feminist aspect is important, the idea of taking a pay cut for the greater good is also a trending topic. Witness what NBA Finals MVP, Kevin Durant did in order for his championship Warriors to stay intact. Specifically, a thread on Linkedin caught my eye. Above a link to the Emma Stone story a female advertising executive commented, “I wonder how many of my male peers would do the same?” The implication was not many. My guess is few women would either. But guess what? I did, willingly and without hesitation. hell, it was my idea! And that’s what I thought about when I’d first read the Stone story. Without getting into names and places, a few years back I took approximately 25% off my compensation in order to significantly bump the salaries of two of my top lieutenants. I had reason to believe one was being courted by another agency. Moreover, I also felt strongly that both individuals deserved bigger raises than the company was budgeted to give. For me, reducing my bottom line to increase theirs felt like a no-brainer. In a weird way I was almost happy to do it. It felt like right sizing. Though he later came around, I recall the CEO first balking at my suggestion. “Nice gesture, Steffan but business just doesn’t work that way.” Why is that, I wonder? Seems to me such redistribution and/or diminution would help remedy the need for layoffs during hard times as well as mitigate the blade being used on older more expensive workers. My guess is that self-induced pay cuts somehow feel communistic and is antithetical to capitalism. This is bullshit of course. But then why is retrenchment so rare? I’ll work for numbers that work for you:
What’s Wrong with TEAPSPA? by Chad Nelson At first glance, H.R. 1759 – the “Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act (TEAPSPA)” – seems like a big victory for animals. TEAPSPA actually seeks to abolish an entire cross-section of animal exploitation. One that is as old as mankind – circus animals. Most of the rest of the world is already aware that circus animals endure great suffering through their captivity, confinement, never-ending transport, and forced labor. Passage of TEAPSPA would bring the United States into the modern world with regard to the circus. Not your typical piece of welfare legislation pushing larger cages and gentler torture, right? Could ending this age old institution across the entire United States possibly be bad? The short answer is no. TEAPSPA, if passed, would be a win for some animals. But passage is a big if. And the bill itself, though a potential win for circus animals, is on the whole confused, riddled with loopholes, and perpetuates the animal-use paradigm instead of transforming it. In this sense, TEAPSPA is a muddled mess and little better than Meatless Monday. Abolitionist Legislation? Traditional animal welfare legislation is detrimental to the very animals it purports to help. The welfarist doctrine accepts institutionalized animal use and exploitation so long as it is regulated. It is commonly held that welfarism’s crowning jewel, the Animal Welfare Act, protects animals so we don’t have to. In reality, the AWA, like all welfare legislation, is an operating manual on exploiting one’s animals. Welfarist measures unquestionably condemn animals to more exploitation, not less. Abolitionist legislation on the other hand, does not accept institutionalized animal exploitation. It finds it immoral and seeks to demolish it. Thus, in order to be abolitionist, legislation must unreservedly end animal exploitation. It must be clear that animals are not ours to use for food, clothing, entertainment or for any other purpose, and can leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that that is its ultimate goal. Abolitionism, simply put, says that animals are not chattel property. Abolitionist legislation makes known that all animal use is wrong, and that the particular form of exploitation the legislation focuses on is but one brick in the wall. A first step, so to speak. But this raises the question, Can legislation ever be abolitionist? For a variety of reasons, I don’t think it can. Treatment vs. Use. Let’s look at TEAPSPA, which again, on its face, appears to accomplish the threshold requirement of ending, not merely regulating, a specific animal exploitation industry: circus animal use. TEAPSPA even notes in its findings that exotic animals have “intrinsic value.” That is, animal’s lives matter to them regardless of the economic value humans assign them – an absolutely essential abolitionist tenet. Sadly, most of the rest of TEAPSPA’s findings focus on animal treatment. There is little to no mention of animal use as an institution. TEAPSPA’s bold statement about “intrinsic value” is buried beneath almost exclusive focus on the conditions of circus animal confinement (as well as tons of other details that are irrelevant to the animals themselves, like regulatory cost and public safety). While it’s no doubt important to understand the incredible misery endured by animals at the hands of their human exploiters, the larger focus of any abolitionist effort must be on the simple fact that animals have inherent worth, or intrinsic value, as the bill says. If we believe that animals have intrinsic value, that animals matter morally, we are obligated to stop using them. Because animals are sentient and desire to continue living (in other words because their lives matter to them), we must end our enslavement of them. Sentience is the only factor required to lead us to our conclusion that animal lives have intrinsic value. It’s that basic. Animal treatment matters, but animal use is what’s fundamentally at issue. Enslaving well-treated animals still leaves in place an evil institution, not to mention it sounds patently absurd. Can any reader imagine a 19th century abolitionist focusing his objection on the mistreatment of human slaves, instead of slavery itself as an institution? We should consider it no more ridiculous to do so in the animal exploitation context, provided of course we agree with the basic premise that it is morally wrong to use and exploit animals for unnecessary purposes. TEAPSPA never reaches this conclusion. I wonder whether the circus industry (provided animal use is still even economically beneficial for them) can’t respond to TEAPSPA simply by promising to refine the terms of circus animal use. Since virtually the whole of TEAPSPA (the parts that concern animals at least), is concerned with poor animal treatment – small cage size, a grueling travel schedule, unnatural conditions – the coming response from circuses seems logical. Would not Congress and the American people be pacified by a regulatory scheme which improves these conditions? Shorter distances traveled, more natural conditions during animals’ layovers, limits on the number of shows, more frequent veterinary care. If the problem is mistreatment, as TEAPSPA firmly indicates, why isn’t improved treatment the solution? Average Americans will view the commonsense solution to circus animal abuse as a welfarist middle ground where their entertainment is left intact. And they will wonder why TEAPSPA seeks to throw the baby out with the bathwater. In this regard, TEAPSPA (and the legislative approach generally), is much like the noxious “humane meat” movement. Almost all of the welfarist organizations focused on animal agriculture claim to have an end-goal of abolition; yet they’re willing to promote “happy meat” as a step towards that goal. All in the face of rising global meat and animal byproduct consumption. At no point during these welfarist campaigns does the audience come to understand that all animal use, without exceptions, is what’s problematic. Because welfarist campaigns tell them it isn’t. The TEAPSPA Coalition. In order for TEAPSPA to have any realistic chance of passage, the very politicians who must vote in favor of it, and the constituents they represent, have be made to feel comfortable with its message. Think of how broad-based that coalition has to be. It must encompass people across the political spectrum and people with widely varying beliefs about animals and our relationship with them. As far as I know, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker is the only vegan member of Congress. That means virtually all Congressional support for TEAPSPA must come from people who exploit animals every time they eat or get dressed. Animals who suffer every bit as much, if not more, than the circus animals who stand to be saved by TEAPSPA. What kind of message does that send to the general public about animal use and exploitation? Certainly not an abolitionist one. I’ll tell you the message it sends, because it’s plainly stated in the text of TEAPSPA. It tells the public that exotic animals forced to perform in traveling circuses are mistreated and that it should stop because regulation is too difficult; but that exotic and wild animals used by zoos or for other “educational” purposes, lab animals, animals used for sport, circus animals who don’t get shuffled around too much, and all other domesticated animals (including the ones we kill, wear, and eat), are doing just fine. There is no other way to interpret the carveouts in TEAPSPA. Before you object that TEAPSPA is just trying to tackle one problem at a time, consider that the bill could do so while simultaneously declaring in one simple sentence in its findings that all animal use is objectionable, including the uses for which TEAPSPA makes exceptions. TEAPSPA would not do that though, because it must derive support from people who each and every day of their lives demand more animal exploitation by engaging in those activities. To declare such a bold abolitionist finding, TEAPSPA would have to take its entire support base to the mat. Supply vs. Demand. Realizing that TEAPSPA requires support from people who demand the torture and death of animals on a daily basis isn’t about ideological purity. It’s about recognizing that legislative efforts to curb animal mistreatment necessarily have to be watered down in both their message and objective in order to achieve broad appeal. They can never address the immorality of animal exploitation as an institution because they’d never get off the ground. Attacking the supply side of animal exploitation is an exercise in futility. Addressing our demand for animal exploitation must be the focus. Most animal advocates remark that grassroots education and outreach aimed at demand are too small-scale to achieve a meaningful difference for animals. I find this hard to believe. With food consumption being the overwhelming driver behind human exploitation of animals, it’s an odd claim that the worldwide growth in veganism, and its resulting offset in the demand for animal death, is fruitless. Consider also that large-scale organization and funding for vegan advocacy and education pales in comparison to that of welfarist non-profits, most of whom believe the path to abolitionism lies in reforming the suppliers. There is little doubt in my mind that if all of the funding and energy behind these non-profits magically shifted to community-based vegan advocacy and outreach overnight, animal exploitation would be dealt a crippling blow. Vegan EducationFrom a practical standpoint, TEAPSPA will have been a colossal failure if it does not ultimately become law. Like all large animal welfare organizations, Animal Defenders International (ADI) has invested vast amounts of its supporters’ limited resources on its project. Those finite resources, if TEAPSPA goes no further than becoming a proposal, will have been squandered. But waste is not its only problem. Like all legislation, TEAPSPA suffers from being a top-down tactic, rather than horizontal and decentralized. In other words, legislation is a dictate from above that you shall not do X. There has been no transformation in the population as a whole; no learning experience comes from the legislative process. Thus, in the case of animals used in circuses, what is clearly an issue of demand and not supply, as noted above, has not shifted one bit. There are still large portions of the American population who would like to see animals perform in circuses, and who are no more enlightened about animals’ status as chattel property after TEAPSPA than before. Legislation offers no teachable moment, only resentment in many consumers and a false sense of having done enough for animals in others. Creative vegan education, on the other hand, is transformative. Because it is decentralized and can be done by anyone, anywhere, it reaches hearts and minds in ways legislation never can. It forces people to think. Imagine if ADI had used the massive amount of time, effort, and money spent on TEAPSPA to implement a 50-state educational program about the reality of animal use by circuses. A truly grassroots campaign to show both children and adults that animals used in circuses have families and relationships, desires and feelings, and lives they want to continue living. And that the circus destroys all of those things so that humans can have one fun night on the town. None of that is learned through legislation. It is ultimately the battle for human hearts and minds that will free animals from the grips of human domination. Governments, as everyone knows, lag behind the will of the people. They only follow, however late, what is absolutely and unabashedly demanded of them. Legislation won’t save animals from their long nightmare, and it’s not something animal advocates should continue sinking their energy into any longer. I maintain that, while TEAPSPA might have a more significant short-term impact for animals than your run of the mill welfarist measure, its long-term impact on institutionalozed animal use and exploitation will be little different than “cage-free” egg campaigns. Post TEAPSPA, humans will still be using and killing more animals than at any other point in human history. Few if any minds will have changed with respect to the human-animal relationship. Humans will continue to demand more animal bloodshed.
Thirty Yemen soldiers killed in Qaeda clashes Fawaz al-Haidari 1 / 2 File picture of Yemeni soldiers at a checkpoint in Abyan province File picture of Yemeni soldiers at a checkpoint in Abyan province. Al-Qaeda militants on Sunday tried to overrun an army post in the Kud district of Yemen's restive Abyan province, sparking a fierce firefight in which five soldiers were killed, a military official said Fierce clashes between the Yemeni army and Al-Qaeda in the country's restive south killed at least 30 soldiers and 12 militants on Sunday, medics and officials said. "So far 30 soldiers have been killed and the toll is expected to rise as some bodies have not been transferred to hospital yet," a military official said on condition of anonymity. He said that "many more soldiers were wounded" in the clashes south of Zinjibar, Abyan's provincial capital where the army has been battling Islamists since May. A medic at a military hospital in the southern port city of Aden confirmed the death toll. Military officials said Sunday's clashes erupted after Al-Qaeda linked militants tried to overrun an army post in Kud, sparking a firefight. A local official in Jaar, a nearby extremist stronghold, said 12 Al-Qaeda militants died in the firefight. Thirty soldiers, 10 of them wounded, were captured, he added. An official in Kud, meanwhile, told AFP that Al-Qaeda gunmen had taken away the bodies of three of the soldiers killed. The militants also seized heavy weapons before pulling back to Zinjibar, an army source said, accusing some army leaders who had served under former president Ali Abdullah Saleh of "collaborating" with Al-Qaeda. It was the latest in a spate of attacks against security forces since President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi took over from Saleh and was sworn in on February 25 under a Gulf-brokered transition accord. On Friday, Hadi, who must restructure the army during his two-year interim period in power, named General Salem Ali Qatan to head the 31st Armoured Brigade in southern Yemen. The post had been held for decades by General Mahdi Maqola, known for his close ties to Saleh and accused of corruption. Zinjibar has fallen mostly under the control of Al-Qaeda militants since May at a time that protests were raging across the country against Saleh's 33-year rule. On the day Hadi was sworn in, vowing to carry on Saleh's fight against the network, an Al-Qaeda suicide bomber blew up his vehicle outside a presidential palace in the southeastern province of Hadramawt killing 26 soldiers. Late on Saturday, hours after a similar suicide attack killed a Republican Guard soldier in southwest Yemen, suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen shot dead a police officer Colonel Shaef al-Nahmi, also in Hadramawt, a security official told AFP. Separately on Sunday, Abdullah Idris, the head of Saleh's General People's Congress party branch in Rada, a town southeast of Sanaa, was "seriously" wounded when his car exploded, a military official said. His two companions were also wounded in the blast in Rada, which Al-Qaeda briefly captured in mid-January, the same source said. Saleh had declared himself a US ally in its "war on terror" but some of his opponents accused him of exaggerating the Al-Qaeda threat in a bid to win Western support to cling to power. Critics charge he may even have deliberately surrendered cities such as Zinjibar.
Hollywood's favorite environmental crusader, Leonardo DiCaprio, backs Beyond Meat Jonathan Shieber One of the leading environmentalists among Hollywood's leading men, Leonardo DiCaprio, has added his name to the list of backers for the beef-less, veggie burger maker, Beyond Meat. “I am thrilled to officially welcome Leonardo DiCaprio to the Beyond Meat family,” said Ethan Brown, the chief executive of Beyond Meat, in a statement. “His investment and role as an advocate reflects a shared vision that meat made directly from plants, like our Beyond Burger, has enormous benefits for human health, the climate, natural resources, and animal welfare." Turns out that ole Leo was helping out the company in its earliest days... providing feedback on the burgers as Beyond Meat prepared its vegetable proteins for their big debut. "I look forward to continuing to collaborate as we bring delicious, satiating products to a rapidly increasing consumer base," said Brown. For his part, ole Leo waxed poetic and profound about his decision to join the meatless meat-substitute's investor team. “Livestock production is a major contributor to carbon emissions," DiCaprio said in a statement. "Shifting from animal meat to the plant-based meats developed by Beyond Meat is one of the most powerful measures someone can take to reduce their impact on our climate.” Beyond Burger is now sold in over 2,000 stores including stores owned by Kroger and Albertsons Companies. "The company's ability to create appealing, healthy meat directly from plants will go a long way in helping every day consumers take action on climate change,” DiCaprio said. Beyond Burger is also sold at fast food chains across the country including BurgerFi, Epic Burger and Veggie Grill. While Beyond Meat's new investor has star wattage, the company's competitors have bigger pocketed investors. They include Impossible Foods, the Bill Gates-backed company that's raised $75 million, and protein-based entrants like Memphis Meats and --seemingly -- Hampton Creek. In a market where other companies look to have raised mega-dollars, it's going to take more than DiCaprio's star wattage to make a dent in the market.
Gang of armed burglars who used 'extreme violence' and tied up victims jailed for total of 63 years The Metropolitan Police said officers came across a "a horrific scene" Four men from Ealing have been jailed for their part in a violent burglary where a victim was bound up and stabbed twice. The Metropolitan Police said the gang used "extreme violence" and that the victims of the crimes "awoke to a nightmare scenario of intruders inside their home". Police officers came across a "horrific scene" after being called by one of the victims, who were tied up by the armed defendants. The four Ealing men had pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent and two counts of false imprisonment in relation to the burglary in Walthamstow in December 2016. Snaresbrook Crown Court sentenced Mohammed Ramjhun, 32, of Seaford Road to eight years in prison, while 29-year-old Usman Deen of Seacole Close was given eight years. Hoopang Wong, 30, of Byron Way was jailed for 12 years and 33-year-old Andy Chu of Southdown Avenue was jailed for eight years on Monday (September 11). A fifth man, 36-year-old Kazm Kareem, of no fixed abode, was tried at the court and given 12 years in prison on the same charges, while the ringleader, 32-year-old Aso Mohammed Ghadr was given a 15 year prison sentence for conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary. It is believed Ghadr, of Kedleston Walk, Bethnal Green, organised the violent robbery after a previous dispute over money with one of the victims, the police said. Phone records showed communication between Ghadr and the other men, suggesting some degree of pre-planning. Usman Deen of Seacole Close, Acton was jailed for eight years(Image: Metropolitan Police) Police said a number of men broke into a house in Warner Road in Walthamstow at around 4.55am on December 29, 2016 where they tied up two of three victims, stabbing one of them twice. One victim managed to call police and alert them to a burglary on the road but did not give a door number. Police came across the house with an open door and spoke with an unidentified man who was leaving the house. Hoopand Wong from Northolt was sentenced to 12 years in jail(Image: Metropolitan Police) They found one victim lying on his stomach with his arms and legs bound, who said that one of the the suspects was armed with a gun. A police officer spotted three of the burglars as well as a second victim, who had blood on him. He drew his taser and ordered the men on the ground, with Wong, Ramjhun and Deen complying. Chu and Kareem attempted to run but a second officer stood in the doorway with his taser drawn, and detained the men. Andy Chu, from Hanwell attempted to flee when confronted by police(Image: Metropolitan Police) The suspect's gun was later found to be an imitation and a number of knives were also recovered from the burglars. The victim, who had been stabbed, was taken to an east London hospital suffering wounds to his back, neck and right arm and continues to have restricted movement of his right hand. The initial five suspects were arrested on December 30 on suspicion of aggravated burglary, grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent and two counts of false imprisonment, while Ghadr was arrested three months later and charged on April 12. Mohammed Ramjhun from Ealing was sentenced to eight years for his role in the burglary(Image: Metropolitan Police) Detective Constable Lee Warrington of the Met's Flying Squad said: "This was a terrifying burglary in which these defendants used extreme violence. "Their victims awoke to a nightmare scenario of intruders inside their home and they are still traumatised by the events of that night. "The officers were at the scene very quickly and were faced with a horrific scene, but they acted extremely quickly and decisively to bring the situation under control and used proportionate force to detain the suspects, despite being heavily outnumbered. "I would like to pay tribute to the victims for their bravery, courage and support throughout our investigation. "These offenders have shown no remorse and I hope that the fact that they will collectively have 63 years to reflect on their actions brings a measure of comfort to their victims." View full mobile page
Top addiction therapists in 16624: Chest Springs, PA. Real help for hurts and habits in 16624, 16624: Chest Springs, PA. Internet, substance abuse, gambling, co-dependency, sex and pornography addictions. Addiction Counselor Lisa Reed, MA, NCC, LPC, CAADC Licensed Professional Counselor 900 6th Street; 342 South Richards Street; 304 Frankstown Road, Saxton, Bedford, Altoona, Pennsylvania People can have many addictions, from drugs and alcohol, to gambling, caffeine, sex and nicotene, etc. We can have addictive and controling personalities as well. I help people identify these traits in themselves through personality inventories, then identifying areas to make changes. Being empathetic, understanding, caring and patient, I believe I can help people overcome these addictions and live happy and normal lives. It requires the client to want to change, seek strength from others and maybe a higher power, and strong desire to make changes in their lives. I use mostly cognitive behavioral therapy, person centered, solution and realty therapies, give weekly assignments, etc. Try Online Therapy Find an Online Therapist Location: Chest Springs, Pennsylvania Chest Springs, Pennsylvania 16624 is a zip code located in Cambria County and part of Chest Springs, Pennsylvania. It has a land area of 1.174 square miles. The population of 16624 is 204 people.
Monday, December 11, 2006 ASPMENU Source Code is now available ! The underivable AspMenu class that shipped with WSS 3.0 is now unsealed ! The class source code has been released lately to allow developers to extend its functionality. Download the MOSSMenu source code here and you can treat the class as your base class for your own custom menu. Check Customizing the WSS 3.0/MOSS 2007 Menu Control -- MossMenu source code released for more information. Inflexibility of WSS 3.0 Customization Recently I came across the page customization in WSS 3.0 (Creating new custom page that using application.master under _layouts folder), and I found out that the master page is likely not edited for the company branding purpose because the master page is used and shared by all sites in the WSS v3. Any changes upon the application.master would eventually applied to the rest of the sites too. This would be a PAIN for developers where easier customization feature is not ready for them. The very easy and straightforward solutions to the matter that I can think of are: 1. Clone the application.master and rename it to your own name. Change and apply the custom master page separately. 2. Develop a custom web control that check current SPSite or SPWeb to change master page accordingly. Perhaps, there are more elegant solutions that can resolve this problem. Tuesday, December 05, 2006 Installing Custom Group and Actions in WSS/MOSS Features Another customization in WSS/MOSS! You can install your own custom feature other than out-of-box features that offered WSS/MOSS. You can add new actions or menus in any location in WSS/MOSS like Site Settings, Site Actions, Item Context Menu, and etc in Standard Menu. By default, there have 5 groups - Look and Feel, Users and Permissions, Gallaries, Site Administration, Site Collection Administration. To install new custom feature, create a new folder in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES. I name the folder as MyCustomGroupAndAction. Then we need to create an XML called feature.xml and another xml file that contains the feature definition. (featuredef.xml) Feature.xml has several elements - <Feature>, <ActivationDependencies>, <ElementManifests> and <Properties> but the important ones are : 1. <Feature> (the root element) - Defines feature ID, scope (site, collection, etc), description and title. 2. <ElementManifests> - defines the feature definition, which links to the xml file that contains the definition. In feature.xml <Feature Id="F863C1CF-897D-49c6-8600-7E6F3FC9D653" Title="My New Feature" Description="This is my new feature" <ElementManifest Location="featuredef.xml" /> The ID of the feature is unique GUID. You need to generate new GUID for each new feature being created. To generate the GUID, you can go to Visual Studio -> Tools Menu -> Create GUID or launch the tool at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\Tools\guidgen.exe. The location attribute of <ElementManifests> specifies the location of feature definiton XML file. In featuredef.xml <Elements xmlns=""> Title="My Custom Group" /> <CustomAction Id="MyCustomFeature" Title="New Custom Feature" <UrlAction Url="_layouts/layoutdesign.aspx"/> The <CustomActionGroup> specifies the definition of new group to be created. Location attribute specifies where the custom group will reside. In this example, "Microsoft.SharePoint.SiteSettings" indicates that the new group will be in the Site Settings menu of WSS sites. Check Location and Group ID in MSDN for more information. Text in the Title attribute is the name of the group. <CustomAction> is where the custom feature definition set. The location attribute MUST BE same as the location being specified in the group that the custom feature points to (in GroupID attribute). <UrlAction> element merely specifies URL of the custom application page. It is about to install the feature ! Go to the command prompt, type C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\BIN>stsadm -o installfeature -name MyCustomGroupAndActions The feature has just been installed. However, you need to activate the feature before using it. To activate it, you can type stsadm -o activatefeature -filename MyFeature/feature.xml -url <server url> go to http://<server name>/_layouts/manageFeatures.aspx, and you will see this Click "Activate" button to activate the feature. Go to "Site Settings" and you will see this You have completed installation of new custom group and feature !! Monday, December 04, 2006 Converting String GUID to System.Guid Simple matter. I was trying to convert the GUID in string to type of System.Guid and the code below apparently did not work for me. System.Guid guid = (System.Guid)strGUIDInString; I was given invalid specified cast error message and I noticed that direct casting wasn't the way. I ended up with System.Guid guid = new System.Guid(strGUIDInString); This was the final solution I could think of, so far ! Monday, November 27, 2006 MOSS 2007 and WSS3 Functional Architecture Diagram Here is the colourful and comprehennsive diagram illustrating the functional architecture of the most latest of Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server 2007 and Windows Sharepoint Services 3.0. Saturday, November 25, 2006 Release of WSS RTW and MOSS Standard and Enterprise Edition YOu can download the Release-To-Web version of WSS (Windows SharePoint Services) and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Evaluation version at 1. Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 x86 English Evaluation 2. Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 CD Keys available for standard and enterprise edition are For more resources about installation, upgrade, versioning, check this link, from Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies Team Blog Thursday, November 23, 2006 Efficient String Concatenation in JS In .NET, we use StringBuilder if we need to concatenate strings for better string manipulation performance. For instance, StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder(); string str = builder.ToString(); In JS, we can also do the same thing for better memory allocation in string concatenation too. var builder = new Array(); var str = builder.join(""); This method will perform faster if the number of string concatenation is huge. THe normal += operator will win, otherwise. Check Efficient JavaScript for more information on optimizing JS code Tuesday, November 21, 2006 Invoking Executeable File from ASP.NET Web Services Below is the code snippet on how to invoke the executable file (exe) from the cmd.exew being executed. // Execute the Command Prompt ProcessStartInfo psi = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe"); // Indicating the input read from the process's standard input psi.RedirectStandardInput = true; psi.UseShellExecute = false; // Do not show the GUI of the running app psi.CreateNoWindow = true; Process process = null; // Execute the cmd.exe process = Process.Start(psi); StreamWriter writer = process.StandardInput; // Write the command to the command prompt catch (Exception ex) // do something here if (process != null) The code will simply run the notepad from the cmd.exe. You can just call "notepad" from at line the of ProcessStartInfo psi = new ProcessStartInfo("notepad");, but I am showing how are you going to write the command to the cmd using the StandardInput of Process object. Similarly, you can call batch file from the cmd to execute command in the batch file too, or store those static command in the resource files (resx) inside the app_GlobalResources folder and get from the key by Resources.<Resource file name>.<key name> MSDN Magazine - HTML Help Downloads If you want to read MSDN Magazine contents wherever you are, you can download the dozens of MSDN Magazine in portable chm format at Use of ResolveClientUrl() method in getting browser-acceptable relative URL In .NET, we always use tilde (~) to refer to root virtual directory of the web application. For instance, <asp:Image runat="server" ImageUrl="~/images/mypic.gif" /> However, in order to generate a URL that can be used by client-side browser, the URL is actually resolved in the AddAttributesToRender() of the Image server control. writer.AddAttribute(HtmlTextWriterAttribute.Src, ResolveUrl(ImageUrl)); That is the reason why you can use "~" in the ImageUrl property. But I afraid this might be the case if you do the same thing upon the normal HTML elements or HtmlGenericControl, such as : <img src="~/images/mypic.gif" alt="" /> because the browser does not recognise what the "~" symbol stands for. In order to workaround with that, this is where the ResolveClientUrl() method comes into place. <img src='<%= ResolveClientUrl("~/images/mypic.gif") %>' /> Apart from using it in HTML, it can also be used in code-behind that involves in getting the relative path for the URL. For instance, ResolveClientUrl() method is handy when we are trying to register the javascript reference in code-behind, this.Page.ClientScript.RegisterClientScriptInclude(this.GetType(),"MyScript", this.ResolveClientUrl("~/images/myscript.js")); Not only that, you will always need this method in your custom server control development. Thursday, November 02, 2006 Debugging JS in VS 2005 using Script Explorer Breakpoint is one of the useful features available in Visual Studio 2003/2005 to allow developers to trace the current value of variable at the location where the debugger is currently running at. Nevertheless, you can set any breakpoint in the code-behind of the aspx page, but not in declaractive page. No particular client-side javascript function codes can simply be set as breakpoint in Visual Studio. I rarely debug the client-side JS codes, or I can say NEVER! I have tried to debug it using Script Explorer today and it impressed me. To debug the client-side JavaScript functions, you can use the only-visible-in-debugging-environment Script Explorer in Visual Studio 2003/2005. There are few steps need to be followed: 1. Enable Client-side Script Debugging IE -> Tools Menu -> Options Menu -> Advanced Tab -> Untick " Disable script debugging check box" in Browsing category. 2. In VS environment, write a simple JS function in external functions.js function MyLoad(name) var message = "Welcome, " + name; Then, invoke the function in body's load() event in ASPX page. window.onload = MyLoad("Alvin"); 3. Press F5 to debug the page. In debug mode, go to Debug Menu->Windows-> Script Explorer (this option only appears in debug mode). The window of Script Explorer will be shown. 4. Once you debugging the page, you will see list of JS files/resources shown in Script Explorer in tree view. Double click the "functions.js" and set the breakpoint at particular line. The debugger will stop at that line when it passing through it. If your javascript functions are in the aspx page, you can add breakpoint by Debug Menu -> "Add Breakpoint" -> "Break At Function" -> type your method name there and choose right language. Read more in MSDN 1. How to: Debug a Client-Side Script from Microsoft Internet Explorer 2. How to: Enable Client-Side Script Debugging 3. How to: Set a Function Breakpoint I need a break.... Tuesday, October 31, 2006 Accessing GridView's DataControlFieldCell Programmatically How would you access the auto-generated control in the HyperLinkField (HyperLink control) and ButtonField (LinkButton or Button control) in RowDataBound event ? You will find out that FindControl() method would no longer be working since there is no concrete ID is assigned to the control, and you are not intelligent enough to know what ID will be assigned automatically by the compiler. There are two workarounds, in which the second one is new in ASP.NET 2.0. Assuming that the HyperLinkField is at 4th column. First Workaround protected void GridView1_RowDataBound(object sender, GridViewRowEventArgs e) if (e.Row.RowType == DataControlRowType.DataRow) HyperLink hl = e.Row.Cells[3].Controls[0] as HyperLink; hl.Text = "Changing Text here"; This workaround is pretty straightward. Cells[3] refers to 4th column (index starting from 0) ; Controls[0] means the first control in that column, which is HyperLink control. The first workaround is apparently classic way that we used in DataGrid control. But here is the another workaround, which works in different way ! Second Workaround protected void GridView1_RowDataBound(object sender, GridViewRowEventArgs e) if (e.Row.RowType == DataControlRowType.DataRow) DataControlFieldCell dField = e.Row.Cells[3] as HyperLinkField hlf = dField.ContainingField as HyperLinkField; hlf.Text = "Changing Text here"; hlf.DataNavigateUrlFormatString = "nextpage.aspx?id={0}"; As you can see, I am accessing the HyperLinkField itself, and I am able to assign the DataNavigateUrlFormatString property in the RowDataBound event too. Of course, if you would like to access the control in that field, it can be done by HyperLink hl = dField.Controls[0] as HyperLink; Hope this helps... SQL Server Connection Timeout ! Frustrated ! I was given an error message of "Timeout expired. The timeout period elapsed prior to completion of the operation or the server is not responding." when I was trying to connect to SQL Server 2000 with VS 2005. The connection string was correct and I tried several connection strings : 1. Server=ALVIN;Initial Catalog=pubs;UID=sa; 2. Server=ALVIN;uid=sa; database=pubs"; 3. packet size=4096;user id=sa;data source=ALVIN;persist security info=False;database=pubs (I used sa account for simplication, don't use it in your production site) But none of them worked for me. I tried it in VS 2003 and unbelievably it worked! (Don't say there is any discrimination) What the heck.. Without any patience left, I saught the answer from Google and I got this link at It explains several causes of the problem, but one of them seemingly is the cause of my problem, which is : "Database Engine is not listening on port 1433 because it has been changed, or because it is not the default instance, and the SQL Server Browser service is not running." I tried to go to Client Network Utility and Server Network Utility to change my port number of TCP/IP to 1433 AND reorder it to be the first before the "Named Pipes". After restarting the SQL Server, it eventually went fine for me. :) Monday, October 30, 2006 New Features of my Blog I have implemented my blogger with new Blogger Beta, and it is pretty amazing. The template in HTML is different from the classic template style. There are some new features added in this blog, such as post count in the right-hand-side sidebar, new widgets, new navigation bar. Other features such as blogs searching will be added soon. Although it is not completely nice, it nears to perfection. For those users who use this blogger, you can visit for the version switching, or visit these sites for helps. Still figuring out its features and specialities.... Saturday, October 28, 2006 Changes on my ValidTextBox Server Control I have made some changes to my ValidTextBox server control. The changes are: 1. Supports to display error image instead of text error message when the control is invalid. 2. Supports Tooltips for error image. 3. Fixed bug of email address expression, which allows symbols. Please check for more details... Sample Programming Interview Questions I have found there are a set of interview books, relating to Programming - ".NET Interview Questions", "Java Interview Questions", "SQL Server Interview Questions" and so on. These questions are commonly asked by companies during their interview/recruitment process. You may take a look on sample questions at , which has a lot of sample questions to be downloaded in zip format. Some questions are tough! [ASP.NET] Building Tag Cloud in ASP.NET What is Tag Cloud. A tag cloud is a way to display a weighted list such that the weight of each item is reflected by the size of the item's text. Tag clouds provide a quick way for one to eyeball a list and ascertain what items are more prevalent. Scott Mitchell has just written an article of Creating a Tag Cloud in ASP.NET. That is very cool especially you are dealing with blogging or tagging-related sites. I have tested it, and that's nothing but COOL ! Wednesday, October 25, 2006 [ASP.NET] Basic of Custom Server Control Development Part II - ParseChildren(), PersistChildren() and PersistenceMode() Let us boils down to the three attributes that important in implementing simple properties and subproperties in the custom control development - ParseChildrenAttribute, PersistChildrenAttribute and PersistenceModeAttribute. Default and Inner Property Persistence Default persistence is in constrast to Inner persistence, but they are identically same for its functionality. In our control development, we may have complex properties (class). To persist them, we can use hyphenated syntax (Default Property Persistence) or nesting them within your control tags (Inner Property Persistence). Example of Inner Property Persistence, <HeaderStyle BorderWidth="12" /> In the example given, the BorderWidth is the subproperties of the HeaderStyle property of GridView. To enable this inner property persistence, you need to set the ParseChildren(true) and PersistChildren(false) in your control class. public class MyWebControl : WebControl 1. ParseChildrenAttribute This attribute tells the parser to parse the parse the contents within the control tag as properties but not child controls. To enable the inner default property persistence, you have to specify the inner default property to the second parameter of ParseChildrenAttribute. [ParseChildren(true, "<DefaultPropertyName>")] public class MyControl : WebControl 2. PersistChildrenAttribute On the other hand, this attribute tells the designer whether the child controls of the server control should be persisted as inner child controls. Setting to false indicates inner content corresponds to properties but not to child controls. * Therefore, the ParseChildrenAttribute and the PersistChildrenAttribute attributes use opposing conventions for the semantics of their argument. Check more difference of these two attributes at Justin Lovell's Blog - The ParseChildren and PersistChildren Attributes 3. PersistenceModeAttribute This attribute specifies how the property of server control is persisted declaractively in ASP.NET pages. It has 3 enumerations : EncodedInnerDefaultProperty - Specifies that the property persists as the only inner text of the ASP.NET server control. The property value is HTML encoded. Only a string can be given this designation. InnerDefaultProperty - Specifies that the property persists in the ASP.NET server control as inner text. Also indicates that this property is defined as the element's default property. Only one property can be designated the default property. InnerProperty - Specifies that the property persists in the ASP.NET server control as a nested tag. This is commonly used for complex objects, those that have persistable properties of their own. Picked from public virtual TableItemStyle HeaderStyle { ... } This indicates that the designer to persist the property as inner property. By default, it is persisted by using hyphenated syntax in control tag. To persist inner default property, you need to have [ParseChildren(true, "<DefaultPropertyName>")] public class MyControl : WebControl public virtual ListItemCollection Items { ... } These three attributes are confusing, but are not undifferentiable. Monday, October 23, 2006 My ValidTextBox is OUT ! After spending 3 days of custom control development, I have successfully developed the beta-period ValidTextBox server control. It basically integrates validator controls (RegularExpressionValidator and RequiredFieldValidator) and normal textbox control to reduce the developers' time and efforts. Here are some screenshots of the ValidTextBox server control. Check more about the ValidTextBox server control at MIND Forum here Thursday, October 19, 2006 [ASP.NET 2.0] Post-Cache Substitution Post-Cache Substitution, a new feature that is not so eye-catching compared to the other new features introduced in ASP.NET 2.0 like Master Pages, Personalization, DataSource Control and etc. Basically, Post-Cache Substitution allows developers dynamically update the contents of output-cached portions (eg. header, footer). When a header user control (header.ascx) is given the following directive <%@ OutputCache Duration=3600 VaryByParam=none %> It tells the page to be partially cached for an hour (3600 seconds). If there is current date and time showing in the header section, it is unlikely that the time will be updated for every second since it is cached for an hour long. There are common 2 ways of implementation of Post-Cache Substitution solves this problem for you - Use of Substitution Control and Substitution API. 1. Substitution Control This control tells the page not to cache the section for its dynamic contents. Every contents in the control would not be cached. 1. To use this control, drag the Substitution Control from VS 2005's ToolBox and drop it onto your WebForm. 2. The control has a MethodName property, which is assigned to a static method. In the code-behind, define a static method that accepting a page context as parameter. public static string GetCurrentDateTime(HttpContext context) return DateTime.Now.ToLongTimeString (); 3. Back to Design View. In the control's property window, assign GetCurrentDateTime to MethodName property. This ascertains that subsequent requests to the page call the method again to generate dynamic content. 2. Substitution API This implementation uses the in-lline code, by calling the Response.WriteSubstitution() method that accepting name of method as parameter. Thus, in your ASPX HTML view, add this <% Response.WriteSubstitution(new HttpResponseSubstitutionCallback(GetCurrentTime)); %> It would change client-side cacheability to server cacheability, which the dynamic contents are not cached on clients. Wednesday, October 18, 2006 [ASP.NET] Specifying DefaultButton in MasterPage In normal ASP.NET 2.0, we can easily assign the DefaultButton property in the <form runat="server" DefaultButton="btnSearch"> But what if we would like to make two different buttons from two pages that inheriting the MasterPage to be DefaultButton? It might not be working using the way above because MasterPage because it is publicly shared by its content pages. You, however, have to programmatically assign the DefaultButton in each of the content page. In content Page, this.Form.DefaultButton = "MyDefaultButton"; This is not the way of assigning the ID of button to DefaultButton property. Use this way, this.Form.DefaultButton = MyDefaultButton.UniqueID [ASP.NET] Redirecting Page after Emiting JS in Code-behind To emit the JavaScript in code-behind in ASP.NET, we use RegisterStartupScript() or RegisterClientScriptBlock() method. But when we would like to redirect user to a specified page after the JS pop-up, we probably would use this (written in VS.NET 2003, use ClientManager for VS 2005) string strScriptName = "AlertScript"; string strMessage = "There is an error"; string strScript += strMessage + "')<" strScript += "/" strScript += "script>" objPage.RegisterStartupScript(strScriptName, strScript) If you run the code, you will notice that you will be redirected to the error.aspx WITHOUT being prompted the error message dialog box of "This is an error" because Response.Redirect() forces the browser not to render the HTML (sending a header to client to cause client to redirect to specified URL). To overcome this problem, replace the Response.Redirect("error.aspx"); with Instead of redirecting the page, the browser would simply refresh the page within 0 second and "redirecting" to the error.aspx, as specified in the Url parameter. Tuesday, October 17, 2006 [ASP.NET] Basic of Custom Server Control Development Part I Developing custom server control in ASP.NET is fun! You are flexible to develop it either inheriting the existing ASP.NET server controls like Button, HyperLink, BoundField or create you own control by inheriting Control/WebControl classes from System.Web.UI namespace. There are dozens of cool and fabulous custom server controls developed by third-parties like Metabuilder or ExcentricWorld. I like to develop the custom server control because the tailored controls can specifically accomplish some jobs that normal shipped-in ASP.NET server controls can't. It serves the purpose on your needs. There are basic concepts/rules in custom server control development in ASP.NET like : 1. Derive your control class from System.Web.UI.Control if your control is dealing with non-visual elements or merely render as HTML output. For instance, META tag. Otherwise, your class should inherit from System.Web.UI.WebControls class if your control is built to have visual appearance to the client. 2. Do not override the Render() method of in your control if it is inheriting from System.Web.UI.WebControls class because the method is responsible in rendering the outer tag and control styling to the output stream. Override its RenderContent() method instead! protected override void RenderContent(HtmlTextWriter writer) 3. When your control inherting the System.Web.UI.WebControls, its outer tag is <span> by default. You can get rid of this and render any outer tags you want by overriding its HtmlTextWriterTag.TagKey or TagName (non-standard HTML tags). protected override HtmlTextWriterTag TagKey get { return HtmlTextWriterTag.Input; } public Button() : base(HtmlTextWriterTag.Input) { } 4. Check whether the control is in the <form runat="server"> by if (Page != null) in either AddAttributesToRender() or Render()/RenderContent() method. 5. By default, the tag prefix of your custom server control would be auto-generated. For instance, when you drag and drop your control, the tag would be something like <cc1:CustomMeta ID="CustomMetaTag1" runat="server" /> As you see, the "cc1" gives no meaning. You can add your own tag prefix by adding TagPrefixAttribute in the assemblyinfo.cs file. using System.Web.UI; [assembly:TagPrefix("SimpleControl", "Alvin")] Now, it would become like <Alvin:CustomMeta ID="CustomMetaTag1" runat="server" /> 6. Take note of rendering methods of System.Web.UI.Control class public void RenderControl(HtmlTextWriter writer) { if (Visible) { protected virtual void Render(HtmlTextWriter writer) { protected virtual void RenderChildren(HtmlTextWriter writer) { foreach (Control c in Controls) { It is wise to call the base class's methods if you intend to override the method like RenderChildren method to ensure its child controls are recursively rendered. protected override void RenderChildren(HtmlTextWriter writer) // do your stuff 7. To restrict the control to have NO CHILD CONTROLS, you need to return EmptyControlCollection(this) to the overidden CreateControlCollection() method. protected override ControlCollection CreateControlCollection() { return new EmptyControlCollection(this); By doing that, no child controls/tags are allowed. // Allow // Not allow ! <Alvin:CustomMeta ID="CustomMetaTag1" runat="server"></Alvin:CustomMeta> Saturday, October 14, 2006 Go for Google or Microsoft? Cliff, who has been offered by Google and Microsoft is in trouble! He is in hestitation whether to work for Google or Microsoft, He posted a dicussion topic of Microsoft or Google? to ask Slashdot-ers about both companies' working environments and their thought about the companies. It is interesting to see the commenters posted their opinions about Google and Microsoft's working environment, working hours, management styles, pressure, corporate culture, benefits and so on, respectively. Google or Microsoft? Hard to choose even to me. Tips and Tricks on cloning data-bound controls Here are some tips and tricks on cloning the Data-Bound controls. Cloning DataGrid/GridView It is common mistake when you would like to copy the assigned DataGrid's DataSource to another DataGrid's datasource like DataGrid2.DataSource = (DataSet)DataGrid1.DataSource; You would simply get the NullReference exception. It seems work but it doesn't. A better way is store the needed DataSet to Cache or Session and reuse it for subsequent data binding. Object objDS = Cache["MyDS"]; if(objDS != null) DataSet ds = (DataSet)objDS; DataGrid1.DataSource = ds; DataGrid2.DataSource = ds; DataSet ds = new DataSet(); // open conn, fill the DS; DataGrid1.DataSource = ds; DataGrid2.DataSource = ds; Cache["MyDS"] = ds; THERE is another way cloning the content of Grid by rendering its HTML contents to HtmlTextWriter. Try to put this code in the Button's Click event. StringBuilder strBuilder = new StringBuilder(); StringWriter writer = new StringWriter(); HtmlTextWriter textWriter = new HtmlTextWriter(writer); strBuilder = writer.GetStringBuilder(); string strContent = strBuilder.ToString(); Once you click the button, the cloned Grid appears. This code is particularly useful especially you would like to send the content of Grid over email. objMail.Body = strContent objMail.BodyFormat = MailFormat.Html Cloning DropDownList/CheckBoxes/RadioButtonList How do you make two DropDownLists, which bound to a datasource to have identical items? The very basic method is use of DataSet like DropDownList1.DataSource = ds; DropDownList1.DataTextField = "MyText"; DropDownList1.DataValueField = "MyValue"; DropDownList2.DataSource = ds; DropDownList2.DataTextField = "MyText"; DropDownList2.DataValueField = "MyValue"; It works fine. No complain. What if you use forward-only IDataReader for performance wise? You may need to have two IDataReaders for each DDL's data-binding. Here is another trick where only one DataReader is needed. reader = cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.CloseConnection); DropDownList1.DataSource = reader; DropDownList1.DataTextField = "MyText"; DropDownList1.DataValueField = "MyValue"; // I am cloning the ListItemCollections of DDL1 to DDL2 DropDownList2.DataSource = DropDownList1.Items; DropDownList2.DataTextField = "Text"; DropDownList2.DataValueField = "Value"; Much simpler, much faster, much neat ! Friday, October 13, 2006 Browser DOM Supports and Compatibility Issues 1. Web browser HTML support 2. Web browser DOM support 3. DOM Support in Mozilla 4. Comparison of layout engines (DOM) 5. Common Differences Among IE and Mozilla [ASP.NET] Serializing/Deserializing Passing Objects Across Pages with LosFormatter On our ordinary basis, we pass the values or object values across two pages using Session, Form Posting, PreviousPage reference in ASP.NET. But however, we could not able to append the object to the query string (unless you use the Session state instead). There is another alternative way - passing the serialized the object values into string presentation in query string. How ?? First of all, are you familiar with this ? < input type="hidden" name="__VIEWSTATE" value="dDwxMzIwMTI1MjYwO3Q8O2w8aTwxPjs+O2w8dDw7bDx 5B1K2D7xw==" / > If you do, that's good. It is ViewState, the hidden field that stores control state, which the state values (eg. object values, primitive type values) are serialized and deserialized into base-64 string using LosFormatter. Similarly, this approach can be used to serialize the object and pass it to the next page in query string. The following example shows you how to pass the serialized ArrayList to the next page using LosFormatter. private void Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) ArrayList ary = new ArrayList(); System.Web.UI.LosFormatter formatter = new System.Web.UI.LosFormatter(); StringWriter writer = new StringWriter(); HyperLink1.NavigateUrl = "secondpage.aspx?value=" + writer.ToString(); Check the URL in the HyperLink control in Firstpage.aspx, it would be something like The ArrayList object has just been serialized ! How to deserialize the object back? private void Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) System.Web.UI.LosFormatter formatter = new System.Web.UI.LosFormatter(); ArrayList aryL = (ArrayList)formatter.Deserialize(Request.QueryString["value"]); * Be noted, you need to explicitly specify the System.Web.UI.LosFormatter in the object instantiation. You will get the undefined Serialize()/Deserialize() method, otherwise. Watch out the number of characters supported in the URL. Not all objects are suitable to be serialized, only relatively small-size objects are appropriate to do so. The LosFormatter class is extremely useful especially you override the SaveViewState() or LoadViewState() of the Page class/ Control, you need this class to do the serialization or deserialization of control states. Thursday, October 12, 2006 [.NET 2.0] Foreach-ing Arrays with Iterator & Generics Prior to the .NET 2.0, we have to use for statement to loop each of the element in the array. C# 2.0 offers you another one - Iterator, a familar word that in the Design Pattern, a method that can be used to enumerate through collection of values such as array and return each of the element in turn. For instance, string[] aryNames = {"Alvin","Westley","Howard"}; foreach(string str in IterateMe(aryNames)) Response.Write(str + " "); private IEnumerable IterateMe(string[] str) int iLength = str.Length; for(int index=0;index < iLength;index++) yield return str[index]; Output : Alvin Westley Howard Your Iterator method has to return either IEnumerable or IEnumerator type to the caller function, which in turn contains the element value of current iteration. Make it more usable with generic, int[] iValues = {1,2,15,4,6,9}; foreach(string str in IterateMe< string >(aryNames,true)) Response.Write(str + " "); foreach(int value in IterateMe< int >(iValues,true)) Response.Write(value + " "); private IEnumerable IterateMe< T >(T[] str, bool sorting) if(sorting && !typeof(T).Name.Equals("Object")) int iLength = str.Length; yield return str[index]; Alvin Howard Westley 1 2 3 6 9 15 Wednesday, October 11, 2006 My Revamped Blog ! I have just revamped my blog by changing the page template to my favourite color and font family + size combinations. Response.Write("Welcome to my newly-revamped blog!"); Tuesday, October 10, 2006 [AJAX] IE 7 getting Native XMLHTTPRequest object Programming AJAX Web application would be in trouble when users turning off the ActiveX support in IE. The sentence of var xmlHttp = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP"); would not be working. But luckily, there is native XMLHTTPRequest object like what non-IE browsers do. var xmlHttp = new XMLHttpRequest(); No ActiveX object is needed, so far. Here is the code needs to be added to check the support of native XMLHTTPRequest object if (window.XMLHttpRequest) var xmlHttp = new XMLHttpRequest(); if (window.ActiveXObject){ // use the ActiveX control for IE5.x and IE6 var xmlHttp = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP"); [ASP.NET] ASP.NET's FREE Components List Jason'd compiled a long but yet comprehensive list of free components of ASP.NET, ranging from data-bound controls, graphing controls, navigation controls to templating and reporting controls.. Check Free Components for ASP.NET for more detailed info. (Check user comments for some other useful controls too) Hunting for more ! Monday, October 09, 2006 [My Project] LVUtilities Lib v1.109 Updates : XmlHelper class I have just done the following changes in this LVUtilities Lib v1.109 New XMLHelper class 1. ReadValuesByXPath() 2. ReadElementValues() 3. ReadElementList() 4. ReadSingleElementValue() 5. ReadAttributeValue() 6. UpdateValuesByXPath() 7. UpdateSingleValueByXPath() 8. InsertAttributeByXPath() 9. InsertElementByXPath() 1. Overloaded Generic IsDBNullValue<>() method 2. Improve the string manipulation performance in string replacement Download the library + examples here Saturday, October 07, 2006 Updates : SecurityHelper and ValidationHelper classes I have enhanced the SecurityHelper and the ValidationHelper classes to support : 1. ValidationHelper class The IsValidStateNames(), IsValidPhoneNO() , IsValidHPNO(), IsValidICNO(), IsValidPostalCode() are no longer limited to Malaysia context. For instance, to validate the phone number of US, // true or false in which the "(999)999-9999" is the input mask pattern that used to validate the US phone number format. 2. SecurityHelper class The CompareValueToHash() method can now accept both string parameters of user input and hashed string. For instance, string strPassword = SecurityHelper.GenerateHashInString("abc"); // true or false Download Examples and Library here Friday, October 06, 2006 [.NET] Debugger, dont STEP INTO my method ! Had you experienced whenever you debug your application using the step-into feature (F11), the debugger will go through the implementation of the methods being called, which you might not want it to. How do you "tell" the debugger to skip the method and move on to next statement? Here is the answer. using System.Diagnosis; public void MyMethod() Be noted, the [DebuggerStepThrough] attribute can be used in the get/set of property, too. public string MyProperty get { } MyMethod : "Thanks for skipping over me, Debugger !" Thursday, October 05, 2006 [AJAX] AJAX Tutorials ! Planning to develop the AJAX app on the fly? Here are AJAX tutorials links that you can't afford to lose.... 1. 130+ AJAX Tutorials [AjaxMatters] 2. Top 126 AJAX Tutorials 3. 60 Tutorials of AJAX [Max Kiesler] [My Project] My Helper library is OUT ! I have been working on creating a simple library which consists of 5 major helper classes in this version as following: 1. ValidationHelper class a. IsValidFileName() b. IsValidNumeric() c. IsDBNullValue() d. IsValidDateFormat() e. IsAlpahbet() f. IsAlphaNumeric() g. IsValidUserName() h. IsValidName() i. IsValidStateName() // Malaysia Context only j. IsValidPhoneNo() // Malaysia Context only k. IsValidHPNo() // Malaysia Context only l. IsValidICNo() // Malaysia Context only m. IsValidPostalCode() // Malaysia Context only n. IsValidEmail() 2. SecurityHelper Class a. GenerateHash() // MD5, SHA1, SHA256, SHA384, SHA512 b. GenerateHashInString() c. CompareValueToHash() d. TDESEncrypt() and TDESDecrypt() // Triple DES 3. MailHelper Class a. SendMessage() 4. HttpPostHelper Class a. SendRequest() 5. ClientScriptHelper Class (ASP.NET only) a. ShowMessage() * I am working on the XmlHelper and FileHelper classes in coming release. Download Library DLL and Examples : Wednesday, October 04, 2006 [ADO.NET] 3 ways closing DataReader & Connection.. These are the 3 common ways I use to close the XDataReader and DB Connection... 1. Use CommandBehavior.CloseConnection SqlDataReader reader = null; reader = cmd.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.CloseConnection); // do stuff catch(Exception ex) // logging error // conn will be closed when reader is closed 2. Explicitly Close DataReader and Connection SqlDataReader reader = null; reader = cmd.ExecuteReader(); // do stuff catch(Exception ex) // logging error // conn will be closed when reader is closed 3. Use Using Statement using(SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection(<connection string>)) using(SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand(<query>,conn)) using(SqlDataReader reader = cmd.ExecuteReader()) // do stuff The first one is my preference, what about you? [.NET 2.0] New Methods / Operator in .NET 2.0 I summarize some of the useful new methods and operator introduced in .NET 2.0 here... 1. String.Contains() Old way in .NET v1.X string str = "Today is monday"; if(str.IndexOf("is")!= -1) // do stuff New way in .NET 2.0 string str = "Today is monday"; // do stuff 2. String.StartsWith() Old way string str = "Alvin Chooi"; // do stuff New way string str = "Alvin Chooi"; // do stuff 3. String.EndsWith() Old way string str = "Alvin Chooi"; if(str.IndexOf("Al")== str.Length-2) // do stuff New way string str = "Alvin Chooi"; // do stuff 4. String.IsNullOrEmpty() Old way string str = "Alvin Chooi"; if((str!=null) && (str.Length > 0)) // do stuff New way string str = "Alvin Chooi"; // do stuff 5. TryParse() Old way int iValue; iValue = Int32.Parse("2x"); return true; catch(Exception ex) return false; New way int iValue bool isValid = Int32.TryParse("2x",out iValue); 6. Non-null operator (??) Old Way string str = null; Response.Write("It is null"); New way Response.Write(str?? "It is null"); 7. Eval() & Bind() in ASP.NET 2.0 Old way <%# DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem,"MyField") %> New way <%# Eval("MyField") %> // one-way binding <%# Bind("MyField") %> // two-way binding Codes become lesser and lesser... (But why our work will never be lessen?, ha) Tuesday, October 03, 2006 [ASP.NET] RequiredFieldValidator + OnClientClick issue OnClientClick property was introduced in ASP.NET 2.0 to eliminate the need of developers to add the client-side "onclick" to a control programmatically. For instance, JS script function ConfirmMe() return confirm("Do you want to proceed?"); <asp:TextBox id="txtName" runat="server"/> <asp:Button id="btnSubmit" OnClientClick="return ConfirmMe()" Text="Submit" runat="server"/> Well, that is pretty straightforward. BUT, it goes weird when you have a validator control (eg. RequiredFieldValidator) that is used to validate the "txtName" textbox server control. For instance, <asp:RequiredFieldValidator id="rq1" ControlToValidate="txtName" ErrorMessage="Name cannot be blank" Display="Dynamic" runat="server"/> Whenever you press the button with no textbox value, the client-side confirmation dialog will be invoked first before the validator message is able to show up. This isn't what we expected it to behave. I tried several ways to overcome this problem, including using CLIENT CALLBACK, disabling the CauseValidation, but it failed. Finally, I was able to find a solution by adding JUST ONE line in the JS script. function ConfirmMe() return confirm('Do you want to proceed?'); return false; Another discovery today ! Validator for CheckBox/CheckBoxList By default, there is no validator server control available to validate the validity of checkbox in ASP.NET. On the basis practice, I have to use CustomValidator control or using pure client-side JS or the postback checking on server-side. But to ease the job, you can try Custom Checkbox Validator, created by Microsoft MVP, Scott Mitchell. IsValid? True ! About SqlDataSource control I've been running a problem of losing the selected items in a listbox, which is bound to the SqlDataSource control on every postback. The code is : <asp:ListBox ID="lstBox" runat="server" CssClass="listbox-flat" DataSourceID="objSQL" DataTextField="userFullName" DataValueField="RID" SelectionMode="Multiple" Width="335px" Enabled="False"></asp:ListBox> <asp:SqlDataSource ID="objSQL" runat="server" ConnectionString="<%$ ConnectionStrings:dbConnectionString %>" SelectCommand="SELECT * FROM Table1"> </asp:SqlDataSource> As far as I remember, the selections of ListBox SHOULD be retained on the postback since the ViewState of the control will be saved in the SaveViewState event after the binding, but the thing goes weird unexpectedly :(. Since the automatic databinding performed by the SqlDataSource takes place in the Page_PreRender event (You can check it by using Page Tracing). Here is the screenshot: * The ListBox is bound to the DataSource control. Eventually, I used another way round by programmatically binding the ListBox in that PreRender event with IsPostBack checking. (No choice, this is the best way I could think of, I will find out the cause of the problem later) 1. Set the DataSourceID property of ListBox to empty (So that it would not be bound to the SqlDataSource until runtime) 2. Obtain the SqlDataSource's IEnumerable collection by calling the DataSource's Select() method with no argument. 3. Call the ListBox's DataBind() method protected void Page_PreRender(Object sender, EventArgs e) lstBox.DataSourceID = String.Empty; lstBox.DataSource = objSQL.Select(DataSourceSelectArgument.Empty); Good Practice For ordinary data binding operations like binding DataGrid, ListBox, DropDownList, etc, we normally perform in Page_Load() event. Actually, we can do the binding in the Page_PreRender event (bind the data-bound controls as late as possible) before the controls are about to be rendered. Do always check IsPostBack before performing any data binding to reduce the roundtirp to server. Digging into detailed observations... Friday, September 29, 2006 Patterns & Practices Guidance Explorer ScottGu recommended a very useful tool,namely Patterns & Practices Guidance Explorer, which contains hundreds lists of security & performance best practices and patterns. The usage scenarios are "1. Improve the security and performance of your application with guidelines and checklists that match your application exactly. 2. You can build custom sets of guidance and share with your team as recommended practice. 3. You can add new guidance to the library to share with your team, your company or the larger development community. " Hope this helps... Thursday, September 21, 2006 Free PDF Converter in .NET I have been struggling looking for non-commercial PDF library to convert my ASP.NET pages to PDF for reporting purpose. Finally, I decided to choose iTextSharp v3.1.5 library among other free libraries. I have found out that the library is extremely handy with few cool features such as document watermarking and encryption, user permission on copying, printing the document and the list goes on. Anyway, there is an annoying problem - the library has iTextSharp.text.Image class, which conflicts with the System.Drawing.Image class. Hence, the class will be ambiguous if both namespaces are imported in your project. Anyway, this matter is bearable for me. :) Library Project Homepage : Library Download : Tutorial (C#) Download : Tutorial (VB) Download : Cool ! Tuesday, September 19, 2006 No more DbCommandWrapper class I'm testing the Enterprise Library January CTP 2006, and I have been searching for the DbCommandWrapper class and the GetXCommandWrapper() methods of Database class but they do not exist. Eventually, I found out that they are actually removed from the DAAB in this new version. Example of code for old versions of DAAB prior to January 2006 release Database db = DatabaseFactory.CreateDatabase(); DBCommandWrapper dbCommand = db.GetStoredProcCommandWrapper("SelectAuthors"); dbCommand.AddInParameter("AuthorID", DbType.String, strAuthorID); DataSet dsAuthors = db.ExecuteDataSet(dbCommand); Example of code for DAAB January CTP 2006 using System.Data.Common; Database db = DatabaseFactory.CreateDatabase(); DbCommand dbCommand = db.GetStoredProcCommand("SelectAuthors"); db.AddInParameter(dbCommand,"AuthorID", DbType.String, strAuthorID); DataSet dsAuthors = db.ExecuteDataSet(dbCommand); Be informed that some online examples are using DbCommandWrapper class. thus, make some modification like above. Visit Intro to DAAB January 2006 for more version migration issues. Monday, September 18, 2006 EBook on Threading in .NET Thinking of learning Threading in .NET? I've found out a very handy ebook that explains fundamentals about .NET Threading. Worth to read ! Web : Book (PDF) : Corrections of ClientCallBack Example I have tested the example of ASP.NET 2.0 new feature - ClientCallBack at ASP.NET 2.0's Client Callback Feature, but found not working due to: 1. There is no this.GetCallbackEventReference() 2. RaiseCallbackEvent() does not return string data type, from ICallbackEventHandler 3. Missing of GetCallbackResult(), that defined in ICallbackEventHandler Finally I get it done by making some corrections: 1. Use this.ClientScript.GetCallbackEventReference() 2. Define the RaiseCallbackEvent() that returns no data type 3. Define GetCallbackResult() to return the result to the client-side Corrected code: protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) sCallBackInvocation = this.ClientScript.GetCallbackEventReference(this, "message", "ShowServerTime", "context", "OnError",true); public void RaiseCallbackEvent(string eventArgument) sCallBackInvocation = DateTime.Now.ToString(); public string GetCallbackResult() return sCallBackInvocation; 1. Check whether the browser does support callback feature in Page_Load() event if (!Request.Browser.SupportsCallback) // error message Page Redirect After Login in Forms Authentication Normally, we will be redirected to the originally requesting page, with ReturnUrl query string appended in the URL after successful user login in Form Authentication using FormsAuthentication.RedirectFromLoginPage() method. Otherwise, the we will be redirected to default.aspx, by default. The question is, what method do we need to use if we want to redirect the users to different page other than default.aspx? Here I demonstrate how it can be accomplished. bool isAuthenticated = true; if(isAuthenticated) // after user is authenticated if(Request.Params["ReturnUrl"] != null) FormsAuthentication.RedirectFromLoginPage(txtUsername.Text, false); FormsAuthentication.SetAuthcookie(txtUsername.Text, false); Get rid of default ones.... ! Sunday, September 17, 2006 VIEWing your controls STATE ViewState is one of the state managements in the ASP.NET and it is paramount especially in custom server control development. Proper understanding and use of ViewState could definitely save your life, notably in postback model in ASP.NET. Here I recommend some articles of ViewState for your readings : 1. Understanding ASP.NET ViewState [MSDN] 2. TRULY Understanding ViewState [InfiniteLoop's Blog] 3. Understanding View State in ASP.NET [aspAlliance] 4. ViewState: All You Wanted to Know 5. The ASP.NET ViewState [MSDN Magazine] You already mastered another ASP.NET 's state management ;) ASP.NET 2.0 Full Page Life Cycle Diagram Here is the big yet comprehensive diagram illustrating the page life cycle in ASP.NET 2.0 To recall the Page Life Cycle in ASP.NET v1.x ASP.NET 2.0 ones much complex ! Checking Existence of Available SQL Server Of late, I had read an article about determining list of SQL Servers that are available to your application. .NET 1.1 There is no way but you need to use COM-based SQLDMO to have an interop call. using SQLDMO; NameList objSQLList; ApplicationClass objSQLApp = new SQLDMO.ApplicationClass(); objSQLList = objSQLApp.ListAvailableSQLServers(); foreach(string name in objSQLList) Response.Write(name + " catch(Exception ex) * You have to reference the SQLDMO.dll, which located at :\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\\Tools\Binn by default. .NET 2.0 It is much easier. You can retrieve the list of servers available using System.Data.Sql namespace, by enumerating each of the server instance. SqlDataSourceEnumerator enumerator = SqlDataSourceEnumerator.Instance; DataTable datatable1 = enumerator.GetDataSources(); foreach (DataRow row in datatable1.Rows) Response.Write("Server Name:" + row["ServerName"] + " Response.Write("Instance Name:" + row["InstanceName"] + " Sometimes, these methods are better trying to connect the DB Server to see whether it is succesfully connected, but the output not always accurate due to : 1. Invalid Login / User credentials 2. Timeout due to network congestions Neat ! Tuesday, September 12, 2006 Storing Static JavaScript in Resource File [ASP.NET 2.0] In ASP.NET , we normally embedded the script string in the code-behind and invoke the RegisterStartupScript() to emit the JavaScript. The normal way we do like ClientScriptManager csManager = Page.ClientScript; StringBuilder strScript = new StringBuilder(); strScript.AppendLine(@"var response = confirm('{0}, do you want to continue ?');","Alvin Chooi"); strScript.AppendLine(" alert('OK')"); if (!csManager.IsStartupScriptRegistered("ScriptTest")) csManager.RegisterStartupScript(this.GetType(), "ScriptTest", strScript.ToString()); The script is less readable and messy. What the worst is that would be a slightly string manipulation overhead. In ASP.NET 2.0, you can store this static script in the resource file resx, which is stored in the App_GlobalResources folder. You could able to reference the script string from the resource file without hard-coding the script in the code-behind by ClientScriptManager csManager = Page.ClientScript; if (!csManager.IsStartupScriptRegistered("ScriptTest")) csManager.RegisterStartupScript(this.GetType(), "ScriptTest", String.Format(Resources.script.AlertMeScript,"Alvin Chooi")); Neat and manageable ! Microsoft Interview Questions Recently, I'd read the post of Jason Looney about questions asked Microsoft Interview. Amazing and extraordinary ! Worth to read 1. Microsoft Interview Questions Guide 2. ASP.NET Interview Questions (The only one I could answer well ;p) 3. .NET Interview Questions 4. The Guerrilla Guide to Interviewing Hunting for more.... Friday, September 08, 2006 Fastest Ever Browser ? Recently, I had read an article of What is the world's fastest browser, and it claimed that optimized firefox (swiftfox) is the fastest browser among others in 64-bit environment. Whereas, Konqueror is crowned best-performance browser in Linux. Thursday, September 07, 2006 Accessing Text in DataGrid's TemplateField If you try to access the content of TemplateField <%# DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem,"au_fname") %> <%# DataBinder.Eval(Container.DataItem,"au_lname") %> using DataGrid1.Items[0].Cells[0].Text (I assume it is first column), you would probably get nothing. It is because the text would be placed in a special literal control called DataBoundLiteralControl, which is auto-generated by the compiler IF you place the data-bound expression in the ItemTemplate. Therefore, to access its content. You can use this, You get it !!! Capitalizing Every First Letter of Words How would you do that in your first thought? Would you create your own user-defined function for that purpose in .NET? Please do not reinvent the wheel because there is built-in method available. using System.Globalization; string str = "cool strINg"; string str1 = "COOL STRING"; TextInfo objTextInfo = new CultureInfo("en-US",false).TextInfo(); str = objTextInfo.ToTitleCase(str); // Cool String CORRECT str1 = objTextInfo.ToTitleCase(str1); // COOL STRING WRONG str1 = objTextInfo.ToTitleCase(str1.toLower()); // Cool String CORRECT For FULL CAPITALIZED words, you need to convert them to lower case before passing it to the ToTitleCase() method. Dynamically Adding Columns to GridView I was asked in ASP.NET Forum why the dynamically inserted BoundField would be lost from the GridView's column collection on postback (eg. Button click in GridView)? Many people would dynamically create controls in the Page_Load event. But I afraid it isn't a right place for the dynamic creation because the data in the control may not be pertained. (ViewState lost on postback). If possible, do the dynamic control creation in Initialization event (eg. Page_Init). One of the differences between Page_Init and Page_Load is Page_Init event is only fired once and it is not fired on each postback, whereas the Page_Load event is always fired on every postback. Back to the topic, hence, to avoid the dynamic GridView's fields gone from its GridView's collection on postback, you SHOULD always create it in GridView's Init event. For instance, Protected Sub GridView_Init(sender as Object, e as EventArgs) Handles myGridView.Init Dim field As New BoundField() field.DataField = "data" myGridView.Columns.Insert(0, field) 'To be first column in GridView End Sub The related discussion can be found here Good luck ! Recovering DB with LDF only Of late, I witnessed the loss of mdf (due to corrupted or accidentally removed/overwritten) is painful. It is easy to recover the data from the .bak (database backup) or mdf(database file), but how would it be done the same thing just using ldf (log file) ? Here are the 10 steps that needs to be followed in order you have data restored. 1. Find out your previous database .bak file (backup file). 2. Backup your updated .MDF file and the latest LDF file 3. Delete your current database - If you cant access to SQL Queries Analyzer no worries just open with master - type : p/s - Make sure your infected MDF and LDF fully deleted from C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Data 4. Create a new database with FULL Mode - Open SQL Analyzer type following codes: - type : USE master FILENAME='C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Data\myDB..mdf') FILENAME='C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Data\myDB_Log') EXEC sp_dboption 'myDB', 'autoclose', true 5. Delete existing data and log files - type : EXEC master..xp_cmdshell 'del C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Data\myDB.mdf - Make sure no more .MDF and .LDF in your C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Data 6. Stop your whole database 7. Copy your previous infected .MDF and .LDF to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Data 8. Backup the log with NO_TRUNCATE - Note that backup will error due to inaccessible data file, but log will still be backed up. - type : TO DISK='C:\Backups\myDB.bak' - Make sure backup success, check the .bak file if the file size too small if compare with your .LDF file size then might be error, maybe your infected .LDF file stored wrongly, but normally no problem. - This is very important file, no error here then fine already. 9. Restore your database - Restore your previous backup database. Doesn't matter if your data not up to date. - type : USE Master FROM DISK = 'c:\Backups\old_myDB.BAK - p/s Remember use WITH NORECOVERY 10. Restore your backup log - type: FROM DISK = 'C:\Backups\myDB.bak' - p/s Remember use WITH RECOVERY - Check your data again. - Done !!! JSON Reader Today is a boring day, I decided to create a lightweight JSON reader for JSON manipulation using JavaScript (After I have not been touching JSON and JavaScript prototype since my FYP). My intention of creating this JSONReader is simply to manipulate/read the JSON value with string path supplied. To start off, I use a very simple JSON in my example. var myJSON = {"Image": { "Title":"View from 15th Floor", "Height": 125, "Width": "100" Now, we "instantiate" the object of JSONReader with the JSON format passed as parameter to its constructor. var reader = new JSONReader(myJSON); Then at the frontend, we allow the users to key in the string path in the TextBox. <input type="text" id="txtPath" name="textfield"> <input type="button" onclick="GetValue()" name="Submit" value="Get the Value"> <span id="lblMessage"/> The string path provided by user will be passed to the FindValueByKeyPath() method of JSONReader in the GetValue() function to obtain the value in JSON. The $F() is the method in the prototype.js that used to retrieve the value of specified HTML element. var path = $F("txtPath"); lblMessage.innerHTML = reader.findValueByKeyPath(path); Test Results User Input : Image\Thumbnail User Input : Image\Thumbnail\Url Output : Additional Libraries Needed $F(), class.Create() parseJSON(), toJSONString() The complete example can be downloaded here Still boring ~~ :\| Saturday, September 02, 2006 ASP.NET Best Practices I have been collecting ASP.NET BEST PRACTICES articles for quite some time. Here are some articles/guidelines that may be handy to you. ASP.NET Performance Best Practices 1. Improving ASP.NET Performance [MSDN] 2. Developing High-Performance ASP.NET Application [MSDN2] 3. Performance Tips and Tricks for .NET Applications [MSDN] 4. 10 Tips for Writing High-Performance Web Applications [MSDN Magazine] 5. Improving String Handling Performance in .NET Framework Applications [MSDN] 6. Performance Strategies for Enterprise Web Site Development [Code Project] 7. Improving SQL Server Performance [MSDN] 8. Developing High-Performance ASP.NET Applications [aspalliance] ASP.NET Security Best Practices 1. Building Secure ASP.NET Applications: Authentication, Authorization, and Secure Communication [MSDN] 2. Improving Web Application Security: Threats and Countermeasures [MSDN] 3. ASP.NET Security: 8 Ways to Avoid Attack [devx] 4. SQL Injection Attacks - Are You Safe? [] 5. Security Practices: ASP.NET 2.0 Security Practices at a Glance [MSDN] 6. An Introductory Guide to Building and Deploying More Secure Sites with ASP.NET and IIS [MSDN Magazine] ADO.NET Best Practices 1. Best Practices for Using ADO.NET [MSDN] 2. ADO.NET Best Practices [devx] 3. ADO.NET Best Practices, Part II [devx] 4. ADO.NET Best Practices [code-magazine] 5. Using Data with ASP.Net - 10 of my 'Best Practices' 6. Optimized ADO.NET [] 7. ADO.NET and SQL Server Performance Tips [sql-server-performance] Error Logging / Exceptions Best Practices 1. Best Practices for Handling Exceptions [MSDN] 2. Exception Handling Best Practices in .NET [codeproject] 3. Exception Handling in Enterprise Applications [devcity] 4. Exception Handling Best Practices in .NET Naming/Standards Guidelines 1. Naming Guidelines [MSDN] 2. C# Coding Standards and Best Programming Practices [dotnetspider] 3. SSW's Naming Conventions [SSW] I'll post more useful ASP.NET links in the future. Hope this helps... :)
Horrible, Horrible Mood. Then… [NOTE: This is an accurate record of how fear and anxiety dominated my life during those years. Extreme panic. Running from nothing in particular. Believing “work” was somehow the answer.] As usual, I am overworked. Too much freelance shit to do. I am not exaggerating at all. My freelance work has DOUBLED in the past month. It’s killing me. I have not had a real day off in weeks. It is a struggle to devote any time at all to my personal development or ideas. Today it really got to me and I blew a fuse. I had no outlet. I really felt like I was going to lose it, whatever that might mean. I got on my bike, went to the library. (I got the idea to do that from the blog of Will Akers, one of my favorite screenwriting teachers.) I was extremely angry that my entire day was consumed by working for other people. This is starting to feel like a confining day job that I cannot escape. It pays way too much money. And ALL of it goes to debt right now. Which is really, really, really crazy! I am making more money right now than I ever have in my life, and I am completely broke. I grabbed a cup of iced tea at the coffee shop on the way. Felt guilty for spending $1, but I was in such a bad mood and about to collapse that I needed something to pick me up. At the library, I discovered SILENCE. I got out my laptop and out came the following. Forgive how stream-of-consciousness it is. I can’t pretend to be perfect, especially if I hope to someday learn something from this journal. (Or maybe someone else will.) The purpose of my life is not enjoyment and happiness. The purpose of life is to make progress. Art and science are the most noble purposes. If you are not making progress, then you are going in circles in your tiny life. You are stagnating, consuming, not adding a little bit of energy like you should. Life is a ship that is powered by ideas and discovery. What if sci-fi is a delusion? What if it’s not the future at all? What if we just stop discovering things? Isn’t that what most people are amounting to? If you have a day job and never do a single thing that is creative in your entire life, isn’t that the boring future you are voting for, through non-action? Every day that you do not contribute creativity to the world, you are nothing but a consumer, voting for nothing. What percentage of people voluntarily devote themselves to the advancement of the arts and sciences? How many commit their lives to that? Not many. Without that, the ship has no fuel. I am here to be one of those people. That’s my calling. The guy who makes the stuff that powers spaceships. The guy who powers the spaceship with stuff that pops out of his own mind. Not everyone is meant for that. And that’s OK. And my anxiety and disgust are internal alarms that keep me doing my job. It’s what I want more than anything. What is the net result of my struggle in life? What is the yield? The two most important things I can be doing with my time: 1.) Generating ideas (writing, music, art, philosophy) 2.) Connecting with others who value those ideas (fans, peers) Sometimes the net result of my day is staying alive — eating and paying bills. I say there is no reason to be alive other than to create. It might be a skewed and unpopular way to view the world. Maybe it sounds crazy, but that’s how I see it. Most might value being with their loved ones, sitting in their happy little boat. That is not for me. If I have not created, I have wasted a day. I have approximately 11,000 more days left until I retire or reach 65 years old. How many ideas can I contribute to the world in 11,000 days or 30 years? Many, I hope. You might argue that progress is made even by accident. You might meet someone at random on the street who places you in an important and influential job, or stumble upon a great invention in one single moment of abstract thought. And you can either wait around for those moments, or you can live a life of intentional creativity. The special bonus is that those random moments of insight will happen, in addition to what you have created through hard work. It’s true, life is strange and unpredictable. Even if you’re passive, things will happen. But adventurers don’t wait around. Adventurers are the makers of adventure. That’s what counts. Then I wrote 5 PAGES of screenplay, which brings me to a total of 43. The scenes I wrote were explosive, violent. It was so loud in my head, that hours went by before realizing that I was sitting in silence, with thoughts so loud I feared I must have been yelling them the entire time. After that, I wandered around the library a little bit and felt much, much, much better. The anger was gone. It’s crazy to me that I am still battling with my creativity in such a way. The times of my life when I am the most frustrated and conflicted tend to bring out the most interesting results and important change. 2 thoughts on “Horrible, Horrible Mood. Then… Leave a Reply
Tuesday, 13 November 2007 Fantasy Football Today I became the proud part-owner and manager of a football club. A real football club. - Ebbsfleet United of the Blue Square Premier division. Naturally I'm over the moon with my new purchase. I'm gonna give 110% and hope that the boys can show the same levels of energy and commitment out on the pitch. Obviously, all they can do is take it one game at a time but as long as they can concentrate for 90 minutes, week-in week-out, then I won't be feeling as sick as a parrot. Etc etc etc etc........................ It's all true though, and it all happened through this website. 20000 of us have paid £35 each to have not just a share of the club but also a say in playing personnel and transfers. Quite how this will work, or even if it will work at all, I have no idea. It will be fun though. There are plenty of sceptics in the media and particularly among those who spend their days posting on football message boards. They think I'm being conned or that it will end in disaster and I understand this but I think they're missing the point which is that we don't know how these things will unravel until someone takes the plunge and finds out. It's only going to cost me £35 a year anyway which is comfortably less than it costs to buy a football shirt that's been produced for a fraction of the price. Who's the mug? My motives for doing this stem from a dissatisfaction with the club I support, Fulham. I wasn't born a Fulham fan (but dad tried to get me to support Spurs or Brentford. It just didn't take. I don't know why), instead I chose them. I realised that supporting Liverpool whilst residing in London was wrong and, besides, Kenny Dalglish, the entire reason I started supporting Liverpool, retired in about 1985. So I needed a new team and my mate Steve's enthusiasm led me to Fulham. Who knows, if my dad had shown the same enthusiasm I could be a miserable Spurs fan like him. I first realised I was a Fulham fan at some point in the mid 90s when I found myself showing enthusiasm for attending a home match against Cardiff City in the middle of winter when we hadn't won in about 14 matches and were second from bottom of the entire football league. We were shit. I mean really shit. But, for some reason, I found myself drawn to this hopeless band of cloggers. It rained hard that night on me and about 2000 other fans but Fulham won handsomely and that was it, I was hooked. There was something about the team's crapness that I found alluring. I think it may have been to do with the (wildly mistaken) belief that I could probably do as well as those on the pitch. They were like you and me. They made mistakes. Frequently. I liked the crapness and I liked the picturesque stadium by the Thames and I liked the fact that I could stand where I wanted and knew all the faces on my terrace. Things have changed since then. We have a sugar-daddy who has paid for our route to the Premiership and one result of this is that I longer go to matches. It doesn't feel like the same club I started supporting. I love the fact that we're on TV all the time but that is also why I'm less interested. It used to feel like my little team and now I have to share it with millions of armchair fans, and newspaper and TV pundits. There are other factors, such as the vastly increased prices and having to sit where I would once stand but it all boils down to one thing: I no longer feel any great connection with the club. It's not as much fun any more. I was thrilled, then, when this morning when I received an email saying that mine and everyone else's £35 had been invested in Ebbsfleet United. I'd never even heard of the club but spent a while on its website learning about the players and history and I'm now looking forward to attending matches. I haven't really looked forward to attending a match in years. There'll be loads of other people like me there, new supporters excited about doing something new and interesting which I hope will engender a real community spirit and that's what it comes down to for me. It will be fun again. No comments:
Saturday, November 12, 2011 The Sandusky Case I need to make a confession, I become obsessed with news stories that deal with crimes against children. Case in point: Jon Benet Ramsey. I went to an investigation seminar for my job during the fallout of this case where we used the "ransom" note left after her disappearance to study handwriting analysis. This opened a door of a self admittedly embarrassing obsession with all things Jon Benet Ramsey. I read everything I could get my hands on and save taking a flight to Colorado, I knew in my heart with a little of my investigative prowess, I could break this case wide open. I guess my second confession should be that I suffer from an inordinate amount of self-confidence. Over the past several days I have become a bit obsessed with the Jerry Sandusky accusations and grand jury report. I find myself reading every article I can get from every news outlet writing the story. My obsession is not to "crack the case," but instead to try to understand why grown men of power made the decisions they made. The repeated ignoring of damage to children in the case of Jerry Sandusky's actions is a 15 year reenactment of the two year old who was run over in China and no one helped. (Don't know what I am talking about, google it and be prepared to be even more disappointed in humanity.) I come into this story with a peaked interest for two reasons. I am currently involved in the lives of foster children. Secondly, I have a 12 year old son. As a foster mother for the past two years I have grown a very special interest in the lives of children who are in the system. I have seen first hand the effects of unimaginable abuse on children at the hands of trusted adults. The abuse of these children, in my experience, is rarely hidden from other adults. It takes a community to allow these kids to be repeatedly abused. A prevalent drug culture is usually the first environmental red flag to sexual abuse, the second is the history of the abuser. Studies and experience show sexually abused children have a propensity to sexually deviant behavior as they mature. How do you counter this sexual deviance? First, you acknowledge it. I think the thing that is of concern to me in the case of the alleged victims of Jerry Sandusky's victims and the cover-up that followed is that these boys likely were not given therapeutic care to deal with the trauma and subsequent mental health issues that will follow such a trauma. For the age of Sandusky's victims,I would hope these sexual experiences were likely the first they had experienced. Their sexuality, their view of sex, and their self concept all were compromised with each incident. Adding the element of same-sex abuse and the stigma of homosexuality to the mix, these boys likely felt limited in their outreach. I can only imagine the boys who knew someone saw their abuse and did not stop it, felt further limitations in the acceptance of their stories. I have struggled to walk a mile in the shoes of the men who knew what was happening, but chose not to speak up or step in. Why would you not step up? I think the easy answer is that they were all protecting their own reputations and the reputation of their football program. Yet, I am not convinced that this was the sole reason. I have batted around the idea that we as humans click over to denial when faced with atrocities. A pillar in our community surely could not have done this thing? Last year a conservative fundamentalist preacher in our area attempted to fake his own death in order to run away with his 13 year old lover. A mother kills her children in order to allow for herself the freedom to party. A philanthropist football icon could not be a sexual predator. Our brains can categorize these into unbelievable things. Further, I believe there is an inability for us to talk about sexual activity, positive or negative, without turning to embarrassed whispers or jokes. How many times have you found yourself talking about sex and felt compelled to whisper? I wonder if in sharing the information to one another each in the chain of information in the Sandusky case found their need to make the story believable in their own brain and their own discomfort in speaking of deviant sex acts, indeed downplayed the incident to the point that those further from the witness did not fully understand the extent of the incident. Please understand I am appalled and disgusted that there was not action. But, the truth is each of these men were not in and of themselves the monster Sandusky appears to be. I imagine before all of this came in the open, they would have been described as upstanding, truth loving, community protecting citizens. So would it have been different in my circle of friends, your circle of friends, or another University? Is it possible that humanity allows this to happen? Or is it just protecting the program at all cost? Maybe that is just so atrocious to me I am trying to make it believable? I believe if we don't figure out the root cause of why there was no action, we as a society will have failed ourselves in preventing it from happening in another place at another time. As a mother of a pre-teen son, I am so torn up by these stories I have felt physically sick. I think of my child and where he is in his development. Who he is and how each event in his life molds his thinking and direction. I think of the adults in his life whom I trust and rely on to form him and wonder what if I were to learn they were not only not protecting him from the monsters of this world, but were the monsters themselves. It is a nightmare to me that we live in a society where you, if only for a moment, have to take a mental inventory of the people in your children's lives and wonder, even if only for a moment, if they are protecting your child or harming them. The Sandusky's of the world strip us all of our peace and confidence in our fellow man. At the end of all these thoughts lie the reality that this world is a fallen world. It is my belief that stories like these will become more and more prevalent as days go by. We live in a world where we don't protect the weak, we kill our unborn, we protect our own hearts, rather than take in the fatherless, and we strip family of any importance. We demean masculinity, confuse femininity with sexuality, and we cheapen sex to the point we package it and sell it. We live in a society where we fear financial suffering so we watch a two year old lie in her own blood in the street and we value our own job to the virtue and well-being of an abused child. We riot the firing of a coach, but are apathetic to the raped child he failed to protect. We live in a society that says anything goes. In a society where anything goes, anything will go. Are we prepared for what that means?

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