Why I Started a Rental Business in a Global Pandemic

Why I Started a Rental Business in a Global Pandemic

By Rachael Classi, Founder & CEO

Leaving the workforce

Like many working parents at the start of the pandemic, I became one of roughly 8 million female workers or “about one-third of all mothers in the workforce (to) have scaled back or left their jobs” - LA Times. With two young daughters at home (1 and 3 at the time), it became obvious that no amount of scheduling could accommodate the demands of two full-time jobs. Making the decision to stay with my daughters was a privilege, one I know many working parents couldn’t make, and for the option to decide I am grateful.

Transitioning from a fulfilling career to full-time caregiving was not always easy but a journey marked with lasting moments and memories of my daughters’ early childhood. During our spring and summer we spent most of our time hiking, exploring trails and green zones and finding ways to expand our ever shrinking world. Below is live footage of my youngest fully experiencing what the outdoors taste like (these were taken one year apart so I don’t think there is any hope that she stops licking nature anytime soon).

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There were moments of frustration (hello, I was with two toddlers 24 hours a day) and anxiety as I attempted to create nourishing and enriching opportunities. There are literally 94 million articles about “child brain development” and I’d go down this Google rabbit hole regularly. But we settled in and built a routine.

How the pandemic affected our home life

Over time, with the space to be more present in our home and with each other, I noticed a few important themes:

Despite all the outdoor adventures, we were spending so much more time in our home

I felt like I was constantly buying educational toys, books and crafts, most of which were plastic - heck 90% of toys are made of plastic

Our home became cluttered and chaotic from all the stuff we had accumulated and outgrown in early parenthood

The clutter and chaos stressed us all out—and I later learned “fewer toys lead to richer play experiences”

I do want to give myself some grace here. I truly wanted what was best for my daughters. I wanted them to have age-appropriate, safe products that were tailored to their developmental stage. But in the process we became over-consumers and it began to worry me deeply what type of impact this was having on the environment and on our own sanity. In fact, “There is a growing body of evidence that clutter can negatively impact mental well-being, particularly among women. Clutter can also induce a physiological response, including increased levels of cortisol, a stress hormone” - New York Times. And our habits were exacerbating climate concerns – as a recently published study in Nature states, “consumption of affluent households worldwide is by far the strongest determinant and the strongest accelerator of increases of global environmental and social impacts.”

How we created a neighborhood exchange

My partner and I thought a lot about what we could do about overconsumption in our home and all the clutter associated with toys. I’ve always been lucky in my community to have a tribe of parents with young children to lean on. And luckily one of my closest friends with young kids lived less than half a mile away. With a son and a daughter a bit older than mine we decided to start a book exchange. We’d swap 5 books every two weeks and it was like Christmas morning for my girls every time a new bundle would arrive. We’d read, explore the topics in the book deeper with art and then deliver them back to our friend’s porch. We loved it. A few weeks later we started a toy exchange with another family who had a daughter a few months younger than mine.

Why it became urgent to start Tiny Earth Toys

The idea for Tiny Earth Toys came slowly during those first 6 months of the pandemic. But what finally gave me the conviction that Tiny Earth had to exist (as if the clutter, chaos, waste and environmental impacts of our overconsumption wasn’t enough) was watching how closely my daughters watched me.

They watched me when Amazon delivered 3 new boxes to our front porch and they assumed there were more new things for them inside.

They watched me when they broke a plastic toy and I dumped it in the trash (because most plastic toys cannot be recycled!).

They watched me clean up their playroom that was FULL of stuff.

They watched me when I’d flippantly buy more and more and more.

What could I assume they were learning to do besides become tiny, stressed out, dissatisfied over-consumers? And this is backed by science. Research from the University of Washington shows infant imitation begins by 14 months. And their actions over the next few decades can significantly change the rate of rising temperatures and environmental disasters.

How families overwhelmed us with interest

My conviction was strong but my certainty about the impact of a systematic toy exchange became crystalized when we launched our waitlist in September of 2020. Within days nearly 350 families from across the country signed up to be the first to access our educator-curated toy rental (shoutout to our advisory team of early childhood experts!). It has become clear that families are ready to change.

They are ready to embrace simplicity in their home.

They are ready to help their children become environmental stewards through the power of toy reuse (without sacrificing their learning).

They are ready to make small changes that have the ability to have big impacts.

Because they are willing and ready to change the paradigm of ownership and consumption.

At the intersection of interest and readiness

One of our beloved early childhood education advisors, Olynda Smith, recently shared a concept about children’s learning with me. She said “children learn at the intersection of interest and readiness". I believe this is true for us as adults. We will truly learn to embrace our role in solving the climate crisis at the intersection of our interest and readiness. I am so proud to have launched Tiny Earth Toys to equip interested and ready parents with a tactical solution to overwhelming, plastic play spaces that they can share with their tiny citizens. I believe deeply these small changes will have big impacts on how our children view reuse, environmental stewardship and the future planet they will inherit.


When Smokey Bear says, “Only YOU can prevent forest fires,” he’s talking to humans. But humans aren’t the only ones who can help. Beavers, North America’s largest rodents, are succeeding at fighting fires and reducing wildfire destruction. It’s common sense. Water, soggy ground and well-hydrated vegetation reduce fire’s ability to spread. Beavers create deep ponds by building dams, then dig fingerlike canals to slowly spread that water throughout the flood plain. The stream’s reduced speed allows collected water to seep into the ground where it encourages deep plant roots and an abundance of wildlife to thrive.  …Of course, beavers don’t know they are also creating very effective firebreaks, or obstacles to the spreading of fire. But scientists are taking notice. …Scientists need data to convince others to consider workable solutions to problems such as rising average temperatures and drought.


Scissor Lift Course In Singapore – Learn How It Works

A scissor lift is a type of crane used to raise and lower heavy objects. In this article, we will discuss the different types of scissor lifts, their uses and the benefits of attending a scissor lift course in Singapore.

What Are The Different Types Of Scissor Lifts?

Scissor lifts, also known as hydraulic lifts, are a type of industrial lift that use hydraulic power to move loads. They come in three main types: the forklift, the scissor lift, and the monorail lift.

The forklift is the most common type of lift and typically uses forks to move heavy objects. A scissor lift like the ones at Tathong Academy uses a pair of movable arms that swing outwards from either side of the lift truck. This allows it to reach higher objects than the forklift and work in tighter spaces. The monorail lift is similar to the scissor lift but its arms are elevated on a track so they can move quickly across large areas. Each type of lift has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to choose one that will best suit your needs.

How Do Scissor Lifts Work?

A scissor lift is a type of industrial lift that uses two horizontal moving parts, typically a pair of large scissor-like arms, to move loads. The arms are mounted on an overhead track and pivot around a vertical axis. When the arms are in the down position, they rest on the load, and when the arms are in the up position, they extend above the load and hold it in place.

The basic principle behind scissor lifts is simple: as one arm extends above the other, it captures or holds onto the object being lifted; when both arms are in their up position, the load is lifted off of the ground. The catch can be either mechanical or manually operated; however, most modern lifts use an automatic catch that operates according to preset parameters.

There are many different types of scissor lifts available on the market today; each offers its own unique set of benefits and drawbacks. Some of the more common types include single arm scissor lifts (used for small loads), double arm scissor lifts (used for medium to high loads), and jib cranes (used for heavy loads).

Why Would You Need One?

A scissor lift is a great piece of equipment for both large and small businesses. It can be used for a variety of tasks, such as moving large objects or furniture, and can be a huge asset to any business. There are many reasons why a business might need a scissor lift, and here are just some of the most common:

– Moving large objects or furniture: A scissor lift is perfect for moving large objects or furniture. It can handle heavy loads quickly and easily, making it an ideal choice for businesses that have lots of heavy lifting to do.

– Accessibility: A scissor lift can be accessed from different areas in your business, which makes it perfect for businesses with multiple locations. This means that you can quickly and easily move objects or furniture where they’re needed without having to go through long corridors or stairs.

– Speed: A scissor lift is incredibly fast compared to other methods of moving objects. This means that you can get the job done faster than with other methods, which is great news if you have a lot of demanding customers who want their orders delivered as soon as possible.

If you are looking for a way to improve your career prospects and increase your earning potential, then consider taking a scissor lift course in Singapore. Check out Tathong Academy for their available courses.


Aristotle: Greek philosopher and scientist

– The ignorant affirms, the wise doubts and reflects –

  • Considered one of the greatest geniuses in history and the most influential thinker in Western culture.
  • School : Peripatetic School, Aristotelianism
  • Contributions : Syllogism, Theory of the soul, Ethics of Virtue, Aristotelian Philosophy…
  • Student of : Plato
  • Alma mater : Academy of Athens
  • Name : Greek pronunciation

  • Considered one of the most important thinkers in the history of Western philosophy. His ideas on natural sciences, biology, physics and metaphysics have influenced generations of thinkers. In 335 he founded his own school in Athens, the Lyceum. He devised the study of formal logic by creating a system known as syllogistics. His ethical and political theory continue to exert influence on philosophical debate.

Questions and answers

  • What is Aristotle’s theory? -The theory of spontaneous generation, the principle of non-contradiction and the notions of category, substance, act and power
  • What is Aristotle’s account of happiness? -Aristotle’s ethics, or character study, is based on the premise that people must propose a “virtuous character” as a precondition to achieve happiness or well-being (eudaimonia).
  • What are the most outstanding works of Aristotle? -Metaphysics; Politics; Poetics; Nicomachean ethics…

“I consider the one who conquers his desires to be braver than the one who conquers his enemies, since the hardest victory is the victory over oneself”

Aristotle was born in Stagira (modern Stavros), Macedonia, in the year I of the XCIX Olympiad, around the year 386/385 or 384 BC.

Son of Nicomachus , personal physician to the Macedonian king Amyntas III . On the death of his father and his mother, Festis , and after his only brother De he Arimnestus , he moved to the city of Atarnaeus. There he was tutored by Proxenus .

Period in the Academy

He traveled to Athens at the age of 17 with the intention of attending Plato ‘s Academy . Aristotle was his disciple and that of other thinkers such as Eudoxus during the twenty years he spent at the Academy, where he was nicknamed “the intelligent one”. He remained at the Academy from 367 or 366 BC. C. until 347 or 346 a. During this period he wrote several dialogues and the Protrepticus , a very popular exhortation to philosophy addressed to the general public.

women and children

When Plato died in 347 BC, he traveled to Assos , a city in Asia Minor ruled by his friend Hermias , whom he served as adviser, also marrying his niece and adoptive daughter, Pythias, with whom he had a daughter. He was also related to Hepylis , with whom he had another son whom he named Nicomachus and dedicated his Ethics by him to Nicomachus .

Tutor of Alexander the Great

After Hermias was executed by the Persians in 345 BC, Aristotle moved to Pella , the capital of Macedonia, where he tutored the youngest son of King Philip II , who would become known as Alexander III the Great. Filipo sent to call to him to be the philosopher of more fame and more extensive knowledge. His teachings were rewarded by rebuilding again the city of Stagira, his hometown, which Philip himself had devastated. For eight years the student received a comprehensive education in the Miéza area, near Pella. It seems that Alexander not only learned ethics and politics, but also became aware of other reserved teachings that the philosophers called “achromatic” and “epoptic”, and that they did not communicate to the “crowd”.

the lyceum

In the year 335 BC, when Alexander acceded to the throne, he returned to Athens and founded his own school: the Lyceum .

Aristotle opened the Lyceum around 334 BC in a space near the Diocares gate. The name comes from Apollo Licio , god to whom Aristotle consecrates the institution of him.

peripatetic school

In the Lyceum, as before in the Academy, there were two groups of disciples: those who participated in the most profound teachings and those who received simpler and more practical teachings. Since most of the debates took place while walking through the Lyceum, the center became known as the Peripatetic school .

Aristotle’s thought encompasses virtually all facets of intellectual inquiry. Recognized as the founding father of logic and biology, as a metaphysician, cosmologist, zoologist, mathematician, ethicist, epistemologist, writer, philosopher, astronomer and scientist, his ideas exerted a great influence on the intellectual history of the West.

He summarized all the knowledge of his time, but he especially shone in the descriptive natural sciences. He was the author of the first classification of animals , the father of comparative anatomy and the teacher of other scientists, such as the botanist Theophrastus , his successor at the Lyceum. He formulated the theory of spontaneous generation

, the principle of non-contradiction, as well as the notions of category, substance, act and power. He rejected the atomic theory of Democritus and argued that matter originates from the mixture of four fundamental properties: hot, cold, wet and dry, which combine together to give rise to the four elements or essences: earth, water, air and fire, to which he added a fifth (the quintessence or ether), which would form the heavenly bodies. He demonstrated by various methods the sphericity of the Earth and maintained that it is located in the center of the universe . He was the first to classify the sciences , which he divided into theoretical (mathematics, physics, and metaphysics), practical

(ethics, politics and economics) and poetics (poetics, rhetoric, etc.). Logic , discovered by him, is not included in this classification , since it is the instrument for the right course in all of them. He also invented the syllogism , a fundamental instrument of Western thought.

Aristotle wrote popular books, of which only fragments are preserved, and other notes, for the circle of his initiates, of which 47 remain. The edition of Andronicus of Rhodes (c. 70 BC) is the basis of the Corpus aristotelicum , as it has come down to us, which is made up of the following titles or collections: ” Organon ” (treatises on Logic), ” Physics ” ” Of Heaven “, ” Of Generation and Corruption “, ” Meteorology “, ” Metaphysics “, ” History of animals “, ” Of the movements of animals “, “Of the generation of animals “, “Politics , ” El alma “, ” Moral from Nicomacus “, ” Moral from Eudemus “, ” Retorica “, ” Poetics “y ” Little Natural “.

Aristotle died in Chalcis , Kingdom of Macedonia, in 322 BC. C. Probably from a stomach condition around the age of sixty-three.

Before he died he wrote a will by which he leaves his family (his daughter Pythias, his son Nicomachus and his second wife Herpilis) under the protection of Antipater (Alexander’s lieutenant), and Theophrastus the address of the Lyceum . Likewise, he gives his daughter from his first marriage to his godson Nicanor, son of his tutor Próxeno and Alejandro’s staff officer.

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Tryggvagata 21, Reykjavík 101, 512-1715

Opening Hours:
Mon - Sat: 10.00am - 6.00pm
Sun: 1.00pm - 5.00pm

Website: https://www.ntc.is/verslanir-ntc/eva/

EVA is located downtown Reykjavik on the main shopping street, Laugavegur EVA offers a variety of high fashion brands that specializes in quality womens wear, shoes, accessories and lifestyle products EVA is one of the oldest womenswear shops in Reykjavik, the store aims to provide a unique and luxurious customer experience


Air Purifiers for Respiratory Illnesses

Air Purifiers for Respiratory Illnesses

Human lungs are stunningly complex; they’re also highly efficient. In addition to delivering oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide, lungs produce lubricants to smooth the expansion and contraction process, as well as to protect from pathogens and pollutants. Lungs also have a considerable reserve capacity, meaning that it’s possible for someone to lose 50% of their lung function before feeling any symptoms.

Despite their capabilities, lungs are vulnerable to conditions in the surrounding air. Pollution, whether indoor or outdoor, can wreak havoc on the lungs’ ability to perform and even cause serious respiratory illness. As the dissemination of oxygen is arguably the body’s greatest base need, a compromised respiratory system has profound effects on the entire body.

Unfortunately, indoor spaces like the home and workplace can provide a steady stream of pollution to the lungs. However, breathing polluted air isn’t a foregone conclusion — there are many ways to improve indoor air quality, such as running a high-quality air purifier. Keep reading to learn about how indoor air quality affects respiratory health, as well as how air purifiers may be able to help.

At Air Oasis, we know you’re only as healthy as the air you breathe. That’s why we’re committed to manufacturing the highest quality air purifiers on the market. If you need help choosing the best air purifier for your home, give us a call at (806) 373-7788.

How Indoor Air Quality Impacts Health

Many people assume that indoor air must be cleaner than outdoor air. Afterall, indoor air doesn’t have smog, wildfire smoke or plant allergens, right? Not exactly. The thing about most modern buildings is that they’re somewhat airtight, meaning that their design doesn’t allow for much leakage or natural ventilation. As a result, pollutants and allergens may enter a building when the door’s open and be unable to leave once inside.

Additionally, many air pollutants originate indoors. Modern amenities are not without their consequences, as evidenced by the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in building materials, personal care products and cleaners. Allergens like mold can also grow in humid, damp places and be continually recirculated by the HVAC system. Pest allergens, bacteria, asbestos, and radon are just a few of the many pollutants you could be breathing in your indoor air.

Over time, indoor air pollution has a deleterious effect on an occupant’s respiratory health. Poor indoor air quality can contribute to the development of infections, chronic lung conditions like asthma and even lung cancer. People who have preexisting lung conditions are at greater risk for developing more serious illness as a result of poor indoor air quality.

Indoor Air Pollutants

It’s not just that indoor air quality has the potential to be as bad as outdoor air quality — the real upset is that it has the potential to be much worse. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor levels of pollutants can be two to five times, and occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels of pollution.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Every time you cook with a gas stove, you’re releasing a host of harmful VOCs into the air, including carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Each time you spray an air freshener, disinfect a surface or install new carpet, you’re doing the same. The truth of the matter is that most indoor air is rife with VOCs because of the chemicals used to manufacture home products.

VOCs are ubiquitous and pose a serious health risk. Exposure to VOCs can irritate the lungs, damage the central nervous system and even cause cancer. They are especially dangerous for people with asthma or lung conditions. If you’re ready to address the VOCs in your home, you may want to consider a high-quality air purifier for VOCs.

Seasonal Allergies

Allergens, including dust, pollen, mold spores, pet dander and pests, can accumulate in indoor spaces that lack proper ventilation. In the home, allergen particles can hang suspended in the air until breathed in by the home’s occupants. Once breathed in, allergy sufferers can experience symptoms like nasal congestion, throat and lung irritation, itchy skin and more.

Although allergy sufferers are unlikely to experience many dangerous symptoms, they are at a higher risk for developing lung infections and illnesses. For people with allergies, the presence of an allergen triggers a hyperactive immune response, which puts stress on the entire body. Additionally, the lung irritation associated with allergies increases risk for asthma attacks and other lung conditions.

Viruses & Bacteria

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a lot of focus on virus transmission and prevention. It’s important for people to understand that just because you’re inside of your home doesn’t mean you aren’t susceptible to viruses brought in by family members and friends. Running an air purifier for viruses can be an effective way to mitigate the risk of some viral lung infections and illnesses.

Like VOCs and allergens, viruses and bacteria can linger in the air until breathed in by a home’s occupant. Viral infections can worsen asthma attacks, and other biological contaminants can trigger allergic reactions, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and asthma attacks.

Indoor Air Quality and Respiratory Illnesses

The very presence of indoor air pollutants like VOCs, allergens and biological contaminants won’t necessarily cause a respiratory illness. However, exposure to these pollutants does increase risk for developing some respiratory illnesses and infections, as well as increase the severity of symptoms in people who already have respiratory illnesses. Fortunately, research suggests that air purifiers can mitigate risk for respiratory illness by reducing or removing many airborne pollutants.

Air Purifiers for Asthma

About 25 million Americans have asthma, a condition that causes swelling of the airways. Evidence suggests that VOCs may be significantly associated with asthma inflammation, and there are strong correlations between allergen and virus exposure and asthma. Luckily, there is also evidence that air purifiers can improve the air asthmatics breathe in.

A recent meta-analysis indicates that air purification strategies can improve symptoms associated with mild to moderate asthma and may also provide benefits to people who suffer with severe asthma. Another recent study found that air purifiers, especially ones with HEPA filters, were able to significantly reduce levels of particulate matter associated with allergic airway disease.

Air Purifiers for Allergies

Allergies and asthma often occur together and have many of the same triggers; as a result, reducing indoor allergens is a good way to address both conditions. In a study of environmental remediation, researchers found that a multi-tiered approach that included the use of HEPA filters provided significant health benefits to both allergy and asthma sufferers.

Air Purifiers for COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of diseases that causes airflow blockage and breathing problems. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are types of COPD. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to air pollutants plays a key role in developing COPD.

Poor indoor air quality poses a distinct risk to people with COPD, as they are especially susceptible to lung irritants and infections. In a clinical trial of air purifiers to improve indoor air quality and COPD health, patients using air purifiers with HEPA filters reported improved COPD symptoms and reduced the rate of rescue medicine use. Researchers found that portable air purifiers provided significant health benefits to COPD sufferers, particularly ones who spent more time indoors.

Air Oasis Air Purifiers

Our lungs are incredibly effective air filtration systems all on their own. However, amid so many indoor air pollutants, they need a little help from time to time. The research shows that air purifiers can reduce or remove many of the contaminants known to exacerbate lung problems and respiratory illnesses. By running a high-quality air purifier, you can improve your indoor air quality while reaping significant health benefits.

Air Oasis is committed to creating the best air purifiers on the market. Whether you’re interested in an air purifier to improve asthma, allergies or COPD, we’ve got you covered. Our air purifiers utilize the top purification technologies, undergo rigorous lab testing and are used by reputable institutions around the world. Questions? Feel free to contact us online or give us a call at (806) 373-7788

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Chair Construction

My windsor chairs, benches and stools are build with traditional wedged through tenon joinery that will hold up to generations of use. Every joint in my Mission chairs is a mortise and tenon joint - the strongest possible joint for this type of chair.

continuous arm chair
Arm and seat detail

Wedged Through Tenons
Chair legs extend all the way through the 1 1/2" thick chair seat and are glued and wedged in place. The spindles also are through tenoned and wedged on the arms and back of the continuous arm and bowback chairs.

Closely Spaced Spindles
Notice that the spindles are closely spaced. This makes for a very comfortable back. Spindles that are close together feel like a continuous, smoooth curve while spindles that are far apart feel like individual spindles against your back.

Bottom of continuous arm chair
Underside of a continuous arm chair
More Through Tenons!
Every spindle is through tenoned, glued and wedged through the chair seats. The bowback of the bowback chair is attached to the seat in the same way. These joints are rediculously strong.
carving a chair seat
Carving a chair seat
Deeply Carved Seats
My chair seats are deeply carved to a depth of 3/4" so they are extremely comfortable.
Chair construction slide show
Chair construction process
Construction Process
A Windsor chair starts as a square seat blank and finishes with a beautiful chair. The slide show to the left shows the progress of carving a seat and assembling a continuous arm chair.


BrassArt…. Why we do it.

Welcome to the final installment of our tour of BrassArt. In the last edition we told you where we work and with whom. This edition is all about why we do the work we do.

The Executive Summary

This business has been known to our family for decades, across 3 generations. We believe in putting our heart and soul in to manufacturing and delivering luxury British Architectural Ironmongery. In our business there is passion, for quality and for luxury. It is for those reasons why we do the work we do and why you should choose BrassArt.

Why do we do the work we do?

As you know the company began in 1935, founded by the Collins brothers. For 50 years they put their heart and soul in to manufacturing luxury architectural ironmongery and then passed on the business to pastures new.

Our passion for quality luxury architectural ironmongery began generations ago when a grand-father of the current owners acquired the business in 1993 after working with BrassArt whilst under the name Newman Tonks. Design, engineering and manufacturing was and still is in the blood of Mr J Williams and since then 2 further generations have taken on the task of developing the world renowned luxury architectural ironmongery manufacturing name; BrassArt, to where is is today. Previously only known for period ironmongery, the business now boasts the ability to manufacture from period through to modern architectural ironmongery as well as bespoke items and electrical accessories. We believe luxury architectural ironmongery is jewellery for your doors, your wardrobes, your cabinets, your kitchens, your super yacht, your residence, your hotel, your palace. The finer detail once often forgotten is now seen in a new light, and with us you can even create anything you like…..within the remits of our brass manufacturing capabilities of course! It’s in our blood and we put that along with our sweat and tears into true British manufacturing.

The history, our background and our passion are why we do it and why you should choose BrassArt.

  • We manufacture high-grade solid brass luxury architectural hardware

So……Thanks for reading, we genuinely hope you have gained more of an insight in to who we are, what we do, where we work and why we do it. Keep coming back for more news and updates.

The team at BrassArt.


Marvelous Myths: Theological Perspectives on the Perils and Promise of Marvel Superheroes

Date(s) - 04/23/2022
9:30 am - 11:00 am

Saturday, April 23, 9:30 am to 11:00 am (Central Time; plus online content to be viewed prior to the sessions.)

Russell W. Dalton is Professor of Religious Education at Brite Divinity School. Before coming to Brite, he served as the G. Ernest Thomas Professor of Christianity and Communication at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, and Director of United’s Master of Arts in Religious Communication degree program. An ordained American Baptist minister, Dalton served several congregations prior to pursuing doctoral studies. Dr. Dalton has written numerous books and articles, including Marvelous Myths: Marvel Superheroes and Everyday Faith, for which he interviewed Stan Lee, Chris Claremont, and other well-known Marvel Comics creators. He has led a number of national and regional conferences and workshops exploring theological perspectives on superheroes and fantasy stories, including public lectures at several university campuses and at Comic-Con International in San Diego.

What makes someone a hero? What constitutes a heroic life? In the early 1960s, writer Stan Lee and artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko created a new kind of superhero. Their creations, including the Avengers, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Black Panther, and the X-Men, were not perfect heroes living in an uncomplicated world of good and evil, but fallible people with physical ailments and personal problems who faced difficult moral dilemmas. In recent years, the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have broken box office records and the stories of Marvel Comics have emerged as a sort of modern-day mythology. But how do these heroes’ stories function as myths in our culture, and how do they compare to the stories of our faith?  In what ways do these stories reflect and in what ways do they challenge the values of American culture? For example, in a genre in which good guys beat up bad guys, how have Marvel storytellers embraced or resisted the belief that violence can resolve our conflicts and save us? This seminar will explore these questions and more by exploring the Marvel superheroes phenomenon from the perspectives of our faith.


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The Stakes are High!

SunsDan just doesn't have the same ring as ClipperSteve, now does it?

At any rate, Dan from Bright Side of the Sun and I have a bet on tonight's game.  The losing team's blogger has to write words of praise for the winning team.  To make it interesting, the margin of victory will determine the length of the post.  A one point win requires a one sentence post.  A thirty point win requires thirty sentences.

Little does he know, the Suns are my second-favorite team.  It will be neither unpleasant nor difficult for me to write about that team, even if the game's a blowout - besides, verbosity has never been a problem for me.  At least not the lack of it.

But imagine, if you will, a scenario in which the Clippers win the game.  After a sentence extolling the virtues of Elton Brand, he'll be stuck.  Although highly unlikely, imagine the Clippers were to win by 25 as they did in game 2 of last year's playoffs - the poor kid.  Oh the humanity!

One last thing - I meant to mention in my preview that this game is on TNT, where, as it happens, the Clippers are 2-0 this season.  Both games were thrillers that came down to the final seconds - Cassell's free throws with 12 seconds left beat Denver by one way back in November, while Cat's three in the final seconds beat the Nets last month.  Let's hope for a similar outcome tonight.  That way, I can revel in a hard fought win, without the guilt of causing a blogger in Phoenix to have a nervous breakdown.


Electric Co-ops Praise Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, Urge Continued Focus on Rural America

ARLINGTON, Va. – National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) CEO Jim Matheson today applauded House passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill. The bill was approved by the Senate in August and now heads to President Biden to be signed into law.

“This bipartisan bill provides a significant down payment toward meeting critical needs of electric cooperatives and the communities we serve, including funding for priorities such as broadband deployment and electric vehicle charging,” Matheson said. “This bill recognizes the need to expand these two technologies in rural communities. As policymakers plan for a future that depends on electricity to drive the economy, more work will be needed to build on the groundwork laid by this legislation.

“Electric co-ops also urge Congress to provide financial flexibility to refinance existing government loans at today’s low interest rates and direct pay tax credits to boost electric co-op investments in innovative energy technologies. These two co-op priorities would provide much-needed tools for co-ops to leverage as they navigate the ongoing energy transition.”

The infrastructure legislation supports several electric co-op priorities, including:

Clean energy: Support for clean energy technologies, including carbon capture, utilization and storage, nuclear energy and hydropower.

Broadband: Substantial funding to boost broadband deployment, including $42.5 billion for a state-based grant program.

Grid modernization: Funding for grid modernization, including $3 billion for a Smart Grid Investment Matching Grant Program.

Cybersecurity: Provisions to increase physical and cybersecurity through public-private partnerships and other programs.

Grid Resiliency: Programs to promote grid resiliency, including $5 billion for resiliency grants to supplement existing grid hardening efforts, reduce the risk of power lines causing a wildfire and reduce the likelihood and consequences of resilience events.

Electric Vehicles: Language to advance EV adoption, including $7 billion for EV charging infrastructure.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national trade association representing nearly 900 local electric cooperatives. From growing suburbs to remote farming communities, electric co-ops serve as engines of economic development for 42 million Americans across 56 percent of the nation’s landscape. As local businesses built by the consumers they serve, electric cooperatives have meaningful ties to rural America and invest $12 billion annually in their communities.


Engineering leaders: security is your job, too

The rise of secure DevOps has left many security professionals vying for the attention and support of their engineering counterparts. What can engineering leaders do to bridge the gap? We have four ideas to help you build security into your DevOps culture, workflows, and goals.

The beauty of the DevOps model is that two teams who have responsibility for applications — development and operations — are brought together to make the application lifecycle more agile and efficient. Both sides, which have historically remained in separate silos, are recognized as equal stakeholders in the application creation and deployment process.

Engineering now also needs to integrate security into every aspect of the DevOps cycle, from user specification to design to development to operations, and back around again. While challenges often arise as teams shift to a DevSecOps mindset, the simple reality is this: The success of the product is tied to security as well.

Engineering teams need to prioritize security as a fundamental element of software design and implementation. They need to be partners with security teams and business stakeholders, not competing for executive attention. This shift isn’t just about pushing security left, towards development, but also about incorporating security into an overall outlook more aligned with the business.

Here are four ways to make that happen.

1. Champion and educate, don't mandate

Developers do not want to write insecure code. Instead, they end up introducing vulnerabilities into their code because they don't have the right tools, or they don't have the right knowledge about vulnerabilities and secure patterns, or because engineering leaders incentivize fast development of new features without prioritizing security.

Yes, security needs to be integrated into every step of the development and deployment process. It should be woven into the fabric of the DevOps cycle, and the place to start is with people. Have security engineers partner closely with development teams. Cultivate security champions among developers. And have burn-down sessions focused on specific classes of vulnerabilities.

2. Integrate security tools in development processes

One important way to achieve rapid innovation and release goals without compromising security is by integrating security testing and tools into every stage of the DevOps cycle. Linters should check for easy-to-spot mistakes. Static analysis security testing (SAST) tools should analyze code upon commit. Applications prepped for deployment should be staged and dynamically tested. And web application firewalls should protect and monitor applications once deployed.

Engineering should regularly check in with developers and security teams to turn new security checks into automation through tooling. The only way to ensure consistent security is to integrate tests and controls into the pipeline through automation.

3. Integrate security incentives into engineering goals

Security teams that require a month, or even a week, to do security audits will slow down development—and create inevitable conflict between DevOps and security goals. To move at the speed of DevOps, security has to be integrated more seamlessly into the software development pipeline, and that is a job for engineering.

Speed is the new normal, and companies are pushing their engineering teams hard to drive digital transformation and adapt to the pandemic. Over the past year, if security was seen as a barrier to digital and mobile expansion, engineering teams had to make hard choices. While it may be tempting to prioritize code delivery over security needs, failing to embed and test security can result in vulnerabilities down the line, eventually costing the company in lost productivity, failed customer experience or more.

To solve this, engineering teams need to build security incentives into their OKRs, and ensure all developers and engineers are incented to produce robust code and reduce vulnerabilities.

4. DevOps requires engineering flexibility

While DevOps discussions often focus on continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD), DevOps teams should pay equal attention to secure development lifecycle (SDL) best practices — repeatedly collecting feedback, including reports from security products and testing, and incorporating recommendations into the next iteration of the application.

This cycle requires flexibility on the part of engineering teams: modifying processes and tools to incorporate feedback for improving application and security checks. Engineering leaders need to make sure that the DevOps infrastructure is flexible enough to handle rapid changes, creating a change approval process that focuses on reliable change and not bureaucratic approval. If the change process is too onerous, developers are not incentivized to work with engineering on security, leaving companies to run the risk that developers will work around the process.

Without a flexible and continuous testing and monitoring infrastructure, the security of code cannot be guaranteed. Developers need engineering processes that reinforce secure principles and don’t entice them to make an end run around testing and security. Because, without repeatable security checks, all the speed advantages of DevOps can be wiped out with security gaps and vulnerabilities.

Sean Leach
Chief Product Architect
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Sean Leach
Chief Product Architect

Sean is Chief Product Architect at Fastly, where he focuses on driving the product and technology strategy, security and network research, as well as evangelizing Fastly globally.


Aged beef sirloin with grilled chilli relish

First published in 2022
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Marinate the sirloin steak in the Thai seasoning sauce. Set aside at room temperature while you continue with the rest of the recipe

Light your grill and allow the charcoal to burn down to a medium heat with no flame. Grill the shallots and garlic in their skins until completely soft, then remove and discard the skins. Grill the galangal slices and lemongrass until dried and fragrant. Grill the tomatoes and long red chillies until charred and blistered, peel and discard the chilli skins and seeds

Chop the grilled galangal, lemongrass, chillies, shallots and garlic, then pound in a pestle and mortar with the salt to a smooth paste. Add the cherry tomatoes and use the pestle to break them into the paste. At this point a slightly rustic and chunky relish is the desired texture. Add the palm sugar, fish sauce, tamarind concentrate and dried chilli powder. It will taste rich, spicy and smokey with a background tartness from the tamarind

Stoke your grill with more charcoal to cook the sirloin steak. Grill the steak to your liking over a high temperature, then rest for 5 minutes. My preference is  a nicely caramelised exterior with a pink/medium interior. Once rested, slice the sirloin steak against the grain on the meat into bite size pieces. Serve immediately with the grilled chilli relish and a selection of herb sprigs to accompany

First published in 2022
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4 Common Toilet Problems

Wednesday, June 15th, 2022

If your toilet is not working properly, it can cause a major disruption in your home. But how serious are these malfunctions in your toilet? Do you need to call a plumber or can you fix this appliance on your own?

These tips from your plumber can help you diagnose the problem with your toilet and understand the significance it means for your plumbing system. Read on to learn about four issues that can impact a toilet and how you can resolve them.

toilet repair Annapolis Maryland

Clogged Toilet

Clogs can form if you have attempted to flush a larger amount of toilet paper or waste and it cannot pass properly through the piping in your toilet. It can also occur if you have tried to flush items down the toilet that do not belong there.

A blocked toilet will disrupt your home, but in many cases, you can unclog it by using a plunger. Major clogs might need a snake tool to move the blockage. If the clog remains after these efforts, you might need to remove the toilet to get better access to the blockage. If you have concerns, contact your plumber.

Reduced Water Level

If after you flush your toilet, you realize that the toilet bowl did not fill all the way with water, this could point to a few common issues with the toilet. You can lift the lid of the tank to observe the fill tube or valve for signs of damage.

In some instances, you just need to reconnect the fill tube to the appropriate overflow tube. If the tube or valve seems to require repair, you will likely need to replace these items to fix the toilet.

This problem may also happen if the toilet bowl has cracked, though you will likely also see water leaked onto the floor if this occurs. You will need to replace your toilet in that case.

Constant Refilling Toilet

If after your flush, the toilet refills and does not stop, you might be at a loss as to what is causing this problem. The issue could also run up your water bill, so you will want to find the cause promptly.

A toilet may do this for a few reasons. You can open the lid of the toilet tank and check the water level there. If it is too high, you can adjust the height of the float arm to reduce the level.

The problem may also develop due to a leak in the flapper of the toilet. In this case, water constantly travels from the tank to the toilet because the flapper is too damaged to seal the pathway properly. You will need to drain the tank of water before replacing the flapper.

Noisy Toilet Tank

A persistent hissing sound often accompanies the constant refilling of the toilet. But other sounds from your toilet tank could indicate different problems with the appliance.

A gurgling sound often points to air pressure within the drain line. This can stem from a clog, so you should employ a plunger to get rid of any blockages. A sound similar to a foghorn could mean you have a problem with the float in the tank. You may need to call a plumber to replace the float if this happens.


Tomlinson: Georgians seeking freedom watch for U.S. fecklessness on Ukraine amid economic turmoil

Photo of Chris Tomlinson

Independence and liberty mean a lot to a people whose capital has been pillaged 27 times in the last 1,564 years.

The Republic of Georgia learned the hard way how authoritarians with immense power can ruin lives, economies and societies. They rarely misuse the term invader to describe people simply seeking a better life.

Georgians live at the geographic intersection of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Their cities grew wealthy in the Middle Ages from trade along the Silk Road. Americans could learn a lot from their pride, diversity and understanding that a dictator anywhere is a threat to free people everywhere.

I recently returned from Tbilisi, where Ukrainian flags flew from residences and businesses throughout the city of 1 million. They know Ukraine’s resistance to Russian imperialism is a principal battleground in democracy’s fight against authoritarianism.

Older Georgians remember Soviet oppression. Younger Georgians remember when Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops in 2008. They still occupy 20 percent of Georgia.

Georgians’ resilience is inspiring. Tbilisi is full of construction cranes, Chinese companies are building new highways, and the nation’s 3.8 million people are developing a tourism industry around the Caucasus Mountains, the Black Sea Coast and the Kakheti vineyards, home to an 8,000-year-old winemaking tradition.

Georgians take pride in their unique language and orthodox Christianity but are anxious to join the European Union and engage the world. They are proud of Tbilisi’s cosmopolitanism from decades of trade with the Middle East and Asia.

Putin still threatens Georgia, though. He has allies in rightwing political parties and his troops are only an hour’s drive from Tbilisi. He continues to undermine the democratically elected government to pull Georgia back into Moscow’s sphere.

Georgians know well what Americans only recently realized: Putin is a malevolent force with a czar’s appetite for empire. He will move again on Georgia if he succeeds in Ukraine.

What happens around the Black Sea changes the world. Conservatives like to blame President Joe Biden for the current economic turmoil. But inflation is a global phenomenon with many triggers, and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is among the most influential.

Putin thought he had Europe by the shorthairs after making Germany and Italy reliant on Russian natural gas. He understood that NATO only fights defensive wars, and he knew his politically meddling has weakened the United States.

Putin did not expect U.S. and European leaders to remember his invasion of Georgia or to recognize his grand strategy to recreate Russia’ 19th century empire.

Biden and democratic leaders around the globe denounced and sanctioned Russia. We all must now deal with the financial consequences of isolating the world’s 11th largest economy and third largest oil producer.

The price of oil, grains and food oils have skyrocketed. Kenya, Somalia and other African nations that relied on inexpensive Ukrainian agricultural goods are scrambling to find alternative suppliers at much higher prices.

Half the grain distributed by the World Food Program to the needy came from Ukraine.

“Think of how further disruption in the natural gas supply to Europe could plunge many economies into recession and trigger a global energy crisis,” International Monetary Fund boss Kristalina Georgieva wrote in a blog post. “This is just one of the factors that could worsen an already difficult situation.”

S&P Global Market Intelligence revised its U.S. economic growth forecast for 2022 down from 2.5 percent to 1.4 percent last week.

Putin knows dictators have an advantage when it comes to endurance. He has no fear of losing an election while Americans throw out elected officials if the economy slows.

The people of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan—all of Transcaucasia really—worry that we are feckless. Will we stay the course through a grinding war or sacrifice Ukraine to stop the economic pain?

I am not suggesting that the United States should police the world. We’ve failed almost every time we’ve tried. But neither can we allow men like Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping or India’s Narendra Modi leverage our economic interdependence to oppress tens of millions of people in Transcaucasia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet or Kashmir.

Building stalwart, democratic coalitions can defeat dictators who try to use our economic openness against us.

Globalists like myself were foolish to believe that capitalism alone could spread democracy and liberty. Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton believed that allowing China, Russia and other problematic regimes into the global economic system would change them.

We were wrong.

Today, we must be more circumspect. We need to remember that liberty and democracy have enemies and opposing them requires vigilance and sometimes sacrifice. Ignoring dictators only brings more sorrow later for everyone.

Tomlinson, named 2021 columnist of the year by the Texas Managing Editors, writes commentary about money, politics and life in Texas. Sign up for his new "Tomlinson’s Take” newsletter at , coming soon.

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Britcher Leone Blog

Cold Medicines and Birth Defects

On Behalf of | Aug 23, 2013 | Birth Defects |

Certain birth defects have been shown to have an 8 fold increased risk of occurring when oral and nasal decongestants are used during the first trimester of pregnancy, according to a new case-controlled study by the Harvard School of Public Health. The findings support previous suspected associations between first trimester use of phenylephrine (such as found in Neo-Synephrine, Sudafed, Sudogest), and endocardial cushion defects, between first trimester use of phenylpropanolamine (such as found in Rhinocaps, Sinapils, Saleto-D, Coricidin D, Sinulin, Conex, Contus, Dextrim, Gentab) and ear defects, and between first trimester use of phenylpropanolamine and pyloric stenosis. In fact, the risk of pyloric stenosis in newborns was greater with the use of any intranasal decongestant.

The study points out that, even with the 8-fold increase in risk, the absolute number of babies exposed to these drugs who are born with birth defects is still small. However small, the important point for pregnant women to remember is that they should ask their doctors about the medications they take so as to minimize the risk of congenital birth defects. The developing fetus is very sensitive to medications that, although tested and approved for adults usage, have not been tested during pregnancy. The relative low incidence of these birth defects makes it hard to demonstrate increased risk of harm unless large enough populations are studied.

While women should not avoid taking medications that are necessary to treat specific medical conditions during pregnancy, they must be careful to not assume that common medications that readily available for consumption are safe. Sometimes common adult medications can be dangerous drugs for a fetus.


Is There an Ideal Time of Day for Decision-Making?

When you have to make a big decision, does the time of day make a difference in your abilities? Are your wits sharpest first thing in the morning, or perhaps after you’ve had time to get in a few cups of coffee? Or, if you’re more of a night owl, maybe you do your best thinking in the middle of the night.

In order to investigate realistic decision-making in a large group of people throughout the day, a team of Argentinian psychological scientists turned to an intriguing source of data: online chess matches. Immense databases of time-stamped chess games allowed the researchers to investigate real world variations in decision-making across all hours of the day.

The research team, which included postdoctoral fellow María Juliana Leone (who won a Woman International Master chess title in 1999) and APS Fellow Mariano Sigman, found that decision-making abilities do appear to fluctuate across the day: In the morning decisions tend to be slower but more accurate, and late in the day decisions were made more abruptly with less accuracy.

According to the researchers, chess provides several research advantages compared to other decision-making domains. The quality of chess players is determined through a standardized rating system, and the online play allows each move and decision in a game to be analyzed based on standardized criteria.

When it comes to our behavior and time of day, individual differences in circadian rhythms, called chronotypes, play a role in when people prefer to go to sleep and when they wake up. Individuals who prefer to stay up late are called “owls” and those who prefer to get up early are called “larks.” Other individuals are somewhere in the middle.

Chronotypes have been shown to influence a wide range of behaviors, including whether people are prone to cheating. For example, a study published in Psychological Science suggests that morning people (e.g., “larks”) tended to be most ethical in the morning whereas evening people, (e.g., “owls,”) tended behave more ethically in the evening compared to the morning.

Leone and colleagues hypothesized “that players would exhibit circadian fluctuations in speed and accuracy of the decisions revealing diurnal variations which depend on specific chronotypes.” That is, larks would play best in the morning, while owls would play best in the evening.

Chess data came from the Free Internet Chess Server (FICS), a free server for playing Internet chess games, with more than 400,000 registered users. All registered users have a standardized skill rating which is updated after every game.

The researchers recruited samples of players who had played at least 2,000 games. Approximately 100 participants were asked to note their Time Zone, age, and to complete a Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), which indicates morning or evening preferences. The players also completed a short questionnaire about daily sleep routines, meal habits, and wake-up times.

As a control group, the researchers also included games from 14 computers that regularly play in FICS, since “computers are not expected to have diurnal fluctuations in the decision process.”

The researchers were able to calculate a “quality” score for each move of each participants’ game by including the analysis of each position using an open source chess engine called Stockfish.
The results showed that chess playing activity tended to follow along with a player’s chronotype: Larks played more games in the morning and owls played more often in the evening. However, chronotype did not appear to have a significant impact on play performance. Regardless of players’ chronotype, the researchers observed a consistent pattern in decision-making quality and time of day.

“We found that players changed their decision-making policy throughout the day: players decide faster and less accurately as the day progresses, reaching a plateau early in the afternoon,” the researchers write. “This effect was observed for all players regardless of their chronotype, indicating that changes in decision time are mainly determined by the time of the day.”

That is, there wasn’t a time of day when players were definitively efficient decision-makers. Instead, the data suggest that player employ slightly different decision-making strategies depending on the time of day.

“Indeed, during the morning players adopt a prevention policy, playing slower and more accurately (as if they were playing with higher level opponents) and, during the evening, they adopt a more risky (promotion) policy where decisions are faster but less accurate,” the researchers conclude.

Gunia, B. C., Barnes, C. M., & Sah, S. (2014). The Morality of Larks and Owls Unethical Behavior Depends on Chronotype as Well as Time of Day. Psychological Science, 25(12), 2272-2274. doi: 10.1177/0956797614541989

Leone, M.J., Slezak, D.F., Golombek, D., Sigman, M. (2017). Time to Decide: Diurnal Variations on the Speed and Quality of Human Decisions. Cognition. doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2016.10.007

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Image by Annie Spratt

How to Plant a Tree!

Bare-root Trees
Bareroot trees are trees that are lifted, transported, and transplanted during the dormant season of November to early April.
They should be planted within 7-10 days of receiving.

It is important that the bare roots are never allowed to dry out, so store and transport in a sealed container such as a plastic bag.

The trees are measured from soil level to the top of the plant. The taller they are the more expensive they become.

Bareroot trees are cost-effective and grow well, they are environmentally friendly as it takes fewer resources to produce them than a pot-grown tree. But they are seasonal and need to be treated gently.

Potted Trees

Potted trees are trees that been raised in containers, often potted or in small soil plugs. They provide year-round planting and are easier to store if planting is delayed for whatever reason, but they cost more to produce than bare-root trees.

The pots or containers must be kept moist and never allowed to fully dry out.

Careful preparation of the planting site is required to ensure that trees mature into healthy trees.

Do not plant trees in areas overshadowed by tall trees, buildings or near walls. If the tree will grow to 30m in height make sure that the planting site is at least that distance from buildings so that it gets enough light.

Trees up to one metre in height do not need a stake. Trees over one metre should be supported with a stake. If planting more trees, dig your next hole about one spade length away. Avoid planting in straight rows and vary the species you choose.

The best time to transplant trees is from October to April. Autumn is the optimal time for many species. If the tree has been grown in a container it may be planted at any time of the year.

Dig a hole big enough to take the root ball of the tree very comfortably.
With the tree in the hole, position where the stake should be bearing in mind it should on the prevailing wind side. Remove the tree and hammer the stake into place.

When roots are covered, top with the soil to bring it level with the ground which should be just above the root ball of the tree. Firm the soil with the back of your heel.

If the soil is dry, soak thoroughly after planting. If the tree is greater than 2m in height you could also sink a piece of pipe, perforated with holes, into the planting pit to ensure that the water gets down to the roots and does not evaporate in dry weather.

If it is a bare-rooted tree, dip its roots into water. Place the tree in the hole and spread the roots close to the stake. Top with compost or well-rotted manure and also add some compost or manure to the back-soil.

If the young tree was grown in a container, make sure that the root ball is firmly placed and surrounded with soil.

Always use a suitable tree tie. Long life tree ties are adjustable and do not damage the tree. Hammer the tie onto the stake which will ensure the tree tie stays where it should.

If the tree is exposed to grazing animals e.g. rabbits and deer then a plastic tree protector or metal mesh surround may be necessary.

Maintenance is as crucial to tree survival as correct planting. Maintenance should be undertaken for at least the first two growing seasons, and should involve the following:

Oriental Lotus

Keep and eye out for the signs of distress such as drought, wind exposure, disease, or grazing by animals that may compromise your newly planted tree.

Oriental Lotus

Cut back broken branches to a strong shoot or to the main trunk. Paint the wound with a sealing compound.

Oriental Lotus

Watering should be carried out regularly during the first two growing seasons. There is often a dry period during May and June, and many newly planted trees die during this time due to drought.

Oriental Lotus

Replace dead or vandalised trees at the end of the growing season.

Oriental Lotus

Check the stakes and tie regularly - adjust or remove ties as tree grows.

Oriental Lotus

Maintain a one metre weed-free zone around the base of the tree. A mulch of organic material such as compost or well-rotted manure, placed around the base of the tree will help conserve water and control weeds, thereby encouraging rapid establishment.

Enjoy the tree as it grows strong.
Sit in its shade on a summer's day or marvel at its changing colours as the seasons change...


Somogyszobi Óvoda

There have been numerous says of the supernatural, none of which enjoys ever before become demonstrated to be true

“Lack of knowledge with greater regularity begets rely on than just really does training: it’s those who know-little, not individuals who learn much, exactly who therefore absolutely demand that this otherwise you to disease cannot feel solved because of the science.” – Charles Darwin

Experience X features a low-physical part.

Furthermore, this type of states are usually mutually inconsistent, and those who trust you to definitely particular supernatural or paranormal pastime will maybe not believe in anybody else because of intellectual bias and you may wishful thinking.

Suggesting a non-physical cause getting an understood otherwise thought/fabricated phenomena isn’t an effective testable theory that’s ergo unworthy out-of big idea. They precludes one better understanding or wisdom while offering zero setting out of difference away from another you are able to supernatural claim.

There are many as yet unexplained phenomena and anomalies in the wild. The brand new medical method of these should be to state “I am not sure yet ,” and sustain with the lookin, to not ever presume an answer which makes us comfy.

Note: It claim will signifies a-deep problems having uncertainty otherwise ambiguity, showing insufficient critical thinking or terrible understanding of good thing. It always coincides having credulity, which is the tendency to rely on propositions unsupported by evidence. Look for along with: gullibility.

“I don’t be scared because of the not knowing some thing, In my opinion it’s more fascinating this way … We have approximate solutions, and you will you’ll viewpoints, and different levels of confidence throughout the something different, but I am not saying sure off something. I would personally consider it a tiny, but if I am unable to pick it up, i quickly go to something different. It generally does not frighten me.” – Richard Feynman

Materialism/Evidentialism/Science do not recognise supernatural phenomena.

Deformation away from reality. Not enough Critical thought. New Dragon in my Garage of the Carl Sagan. What is actually real? Exactly what comprises training? Are typical supernatural states implicitly genuine? Why/Why not?

Somebody who disbelieves to own terrible explanations is not any better off than just an individual who believes having terrible grounds. Disbelieving within the astrology as good priest instructs you to isn’t any a lot better than thinking for the a jesus because the same priest informs you to take action.

Science notices the latest physical universe, produces different types of how it works and then refines the individuals models as a consequence of then observation. Whenever something interacts on the real universe, such as for instance as a consequence of light, action, sound, heat, mass otherwise gravity, it gets an organic phenomena which means offered to scientific inquiry. When it cannot relate solely to the fresh new bodily universe then it can not be considered can be found in any meaningful or perceivable ways. Furthermore, when supernatural says getting sufficiently nebulous it’s possible to query in the event that here try any substantive difference between her or him getting true and nothing established after all.

Proposing the clear presence of an entity or phenomena that never ever become investigated Match vs Chemistry reddit through empirical, fresh otherwise reproducible form movements it on world of reality and you may on the field of unfalsifiable conjecture. The shortcoming off technology to investigate or disprove eg a theory isn’t the just like showing they real and you will neither really does it automatically give credence to virtually any metaphysical or theological argument. If the eg reasoning was in fact in fact permissible then one could allege something possible to be true or correct if perhaps as it you will definitely not be confirmed false.

Depending on supernatural causes is actually a cop-away or a-dead-end so you can deepening our very own knowledge of truth. In the event that a natural reason for some thing is not identified, the latest scientific means is to try to say “I’m not sure yet ,” and keep maintaining to your appearing, never to assume an answer making us comfortable.

“Technology adjusts it’s insights considering what exactly is seen. Trust is the assertion away from observance with the intention that faith might be preserved.” – Tim Minchin


Adverbs Modifying Verbs

May 22, 2021

You know that words that modify nouns (or pronouns) are adjectives. Words that modify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs are adverbs.Definition: An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

Adverbs answer the questions when, where, how, and to what extent (how much or how long).

  • when: Yesterday we went to school.
  • where: We saw the bird there.
  • how: The car drove fast.
  • how much: We mostly agree with you.

They also confirm that something was or was not done.

  • positive: He certainly does feel that way.
  • negative: You should not be late.

Hint:When adverbs modify adjectives or other adverbs, they are usually answering the question to what extent?

Position of Adverbs

Generally, adverbs make sense directly after the verbs they modify, but they can also be moved around the sentence. It can go at the beginning of the sentence, before the verb, or between a helping verb and the main verb.

I walk my dog daily.
Daily I walk my dog.
daily walk my dog.
I have daily walked my dog.

Hint: Do not put an adverb between parts of an infinitive verb. Be careful not to move it to a place where it could be confused with a different meaning.

I like to often read good books. (incorrect – You like it only when you can do it often.)
I like to read often good books. (incorrect – The books aren’t often good but sometimes not good.)
I like to read good books often. (correct)


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Language and Gender ENGB1

Language and Gender ENGB1
Introduction This guide is written for students who are following GCE Advanced level (AS and A2) syllabuses in English Language. This resource may also be of general interest to language students on university degree courses, trainee teachers and anyone with a general interest in language science. On this page I use red type for emphasis. Back to top Language and gender - what is it all about? When you start to study language and gender, you may find it hard to discover what this subject, as a distinct area in the study of language, is about. To get you started, here is an outline of part of one exam board's Advanced level module on Language and Social Contexts - there are three subjects, one of which is Language and Gender. This is unobjectionable but not very helpful - essentially it tells you that you have to study spoken and written data. How language reveals, embodies and sustains attitudes to gender. Is it easy or hard? Studying language and gender is easy and hard at the same time.

Feminism "damages" our mother tongue (Gelernter) How can I teach my students to write decently when the English language has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Academic-Industrial Complex? Our language used to belong to all its speakers and readers and writers. But in the 1970s and '80s, arrogant ideologues began recasting English into heavy artillery to defend the borders of the New Feminist state. We have allowed ideologues to pocket a priceless property and walk away with it. Our ability to write and read good, clear English connects us to one another and to our common past. But our problem goes deeper than a few silly words and many tedious sentences. "He or she" is the proud marshal of this pathetic parade. When the style-smashers first announced, decades ago, that the neutral "he" meant "male" and excluded "female," they were lying and knew it. E.B. The use of he as a pronoun for nouns embracing both genders is a simple, practical convention rooted in the beginnings of the English language.

Women's Language Explanations > Gender > Women's Language These are ten elements of the language that women use, as identified by Robin Lakoff in 1975. Of course, not all women use all of this language all of the time, and some may question the whole. It would be interesting to do a duplicate study now and see how much of this has changed since the 1970s. 1. Hedging provides a way out, should disagreement occur, qualifying statements with non-absolute language, such as 'sort of', 'I guess', etc. Well, I sort of looked at him, and then he kind of looked back. 2. Politeness is taken to more extreme forms, either putting the speaker in an inferior position or seeking to be thoughtful and non-threatening towards the other person. Do excuse me, but I really appreciate it if if you could take a little time to help me. 3. Tag questions added to the end of a statement do not change the statement, although they do seek agreement. You would do that, wouldn't you? 4. You are so very kind. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Feminism defined International Women's Day rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh, organized by the National Women Workers Trade Union Centre on 8 March 2005. Feminism is a collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, cultural, and social rights for women.[1][2] This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment. A feminist advocates or supports the rights and equality of women.[3] Feminist theory, which emerged from feminist movements, aims to understand the nature of gender inequality by examining women's social roles and lived experience; it has developed theories in a variety of disciplines in order to respond to issues such as the social construction of sex and gender.[4][5] Some of the earlier forms of feminism have been criticized for taking into account only white, middle-class, educated perspectives. History Feminist Suffrage Parade in New York City, 6 May 1912. Mid-twentieth century

Gender Styles in Computer Meditated Communication Deborah Tannen:Men and Women in Conversation is Cross-Cultural Communication An excerpt from "Men and Women in Conversation: An Analysis of Gender Styles in Language" by SUSAN GITHENS Lafayette College May 1991 In You Just Don't Understand: Men and Women in Conversation, Deborah Tannen -- a professor of linguistics at Georgetown University -- addresses linguistic differences as they relate to intimate male/female relations. As a student of Robin Lakoff she had been introduced to Lakoff's research on gender and language. Tannen had already written a book on conversational styles, in which she devoted only one chapter to gender differences. Tannen claims that there are gender differences in ways of speaking, and we need to identify and understand them in order to avoid needlessly blaming "others or ourselves -- or the relationship -- for the otherwise mystifying and damaging effects of our contrasting conversational styles" (Tannen, p. 17).

Gender neutrality in English Gender-neutral language is a form of linguistic prescriptivism that aims to minimize assumptions about the gender or biological sex of people referred to in speech or writing. This article discusses aspects of gender neutrality as they relate to the English language. Rationale[edit] Proponents of gender-neutral language argue that the use of gender-specific language often implies male superiority or reflects an unequal state of society.[1][2] According to The Handbook of English Linguistics, generic masculine pronouns and gender-specific job titles are instances "where English linguistic convention has historically treated men as prototypical of the human species."[3] Words that refer to women often devolve in meaning, frequently taking on sexual overtones.[4] These differences in usage are criticized on two grounds: one, that they reflect a biased state of society,[5] and two, that they help to uphold that state. Areas[edit] Job titles[edit] Generic words for humans[edit] Pronouns[edit]

Level Up: English Language - Language and gender Language and Gender There are two different types of Language and Gender questions you could be asked about: representations of gender and gender in action. For instance, magazine articles, adverts and books all include representations of gender (usually stereotypes) and not what males and females are really like. Transcripts, however, will show you how gender differences affect language (unless they are faked, be careful!) A distinction you must understand: The big question in linguistics: does being female affect a person's language, or is it merely the attitude towards feminine that make us think there is a difference? Gender Researchers Many leading linguists have a thing or two to say about language and gender. Difference Theory As the title indicates, the difference theory is the idea that males and females really do converse differently. A big advocate of this approach is Deborah Tannen. She also said of males and females: Well... she's the researcher, I suppose, but..." Christine Howe

Feminist response to Gelernter by Jess McCabe // 26 February 2008, 20:06 One of the unexpected pleasures of reading right-wing tracts is the excuse to indulge in a heady few minutes of utopian fantasy. According to folk like David Gelernter of the American Enterprise Institute, the feminist revolution is a done deal. In this case, Gelernter sets out how feminists have ruined modern English for sexists such as himself, with our 'he or she' and our 'chairperson'. "College students and full-fledged young English teachers emerge from [a] feminist incubator in which they have spent their whole lives," Gelernter asserts. But his main concern, we are meant to believe, is not to return to a mythical time when men were men and women were women (and mended his socks), but the impact of feminism on written English. How can I (how can any teacher) get students to take the prime rule seriously when virtually the whole educational establishment teaches the opposite? The column is riddled with telling phrases, such as this: Permalink

Feminist Philosophy of Language (Stanford Encyclopedia) First published Fri Sep 3, 2004; substantive revision Tue Jun 15, 2010 Much of feminist philosophy of language so far can be described as critical—critical either of language itself or of philosophy of language, and calling for change on the basis of these criticisms. Those making these criticisms suggest that the changes are needed for the sake of feminist goals — either to better allow for feminist work to be done or, more frequently, to bring an end to certain key ways that women are disadvantaged. In this entry, I examine these criticisms. 1. False gender-neutrality There has been a great deal of feminist concern over the supposedly gender-neutral use of terms like ‘he’ and ‘man’. He drank the wine.A man went into a bar.When a student comes into the room, he should pick up a handout.Man is a primate. Feminists, however, have pointed out that even the supposed gender-neutral meanings of these terms are not really gender-neutral. 1.2 Invisibility of women 1.3 Maleness as norm 1.8 Metaphor

Academic response to Gelernter Lying feminist ideologues wreck English, says Yale prof The danger when encountering a misogynist prescriptive grammar rant as extreme as the one just published by David Gelernter in the Weekly Standard (vol. 13 no. 24, 03/03/2008) is that one might get as angry and fired up and beyond reason as he is. That would be a pity. His claims are apocalyptic. What, then, is the terrible thing that the style-smashers have done? Some writers now use either he or she, or singular they, or purportedly sex-neutral she, instead of purportedly sex-neutral he, to refer back to generic or quantified human antecedents that are not specifically marked as masculine. That's it; we're done. Gelernter insists on the beauty and clarity of "Shakespeare's most perfect phrases", calling them "miraculously simple and terse"; and of course he raves about E. Is it your brother or your sister who can hold his breath for four minutes? Why would it sound so weird if forms of the pronoun he could be sex-neutral?

Introduction to gender and simple tasks One aspect of English that is certainly easier than in some other languages is gender. In German, for example, nouns can be masculine, feminine or neuter, and the learner has to know which in order to choose the right article, pronoun and adjective ending. For example, and for no apparent reason, a spoon in German is a he (der Loeffel), a fork is a she (die Gabel) and a knife is an it (das Messer)! In English it is easy; males are a he, females and ships are a she, and everything else (including most animals) is an it. a. him b. her c. him or her d. her or him e. them If you know anyone who can help me, please ask .. to come to my room. Before deciding which pronoun is best, it is necessary to concern ourselves with a little social history, in particular with the influences of feminism on the English language. So which is the best pronoun to use in these kinds of sentences? Him or her is quite commonly used in such sentences, although more often in written than spoken language. Quiz

Politics of lang hurts women in business A (female) friend of mine recently sent me an article that made my blood proverbially boil. Its title: Do letters of recommendation actually hurt women when it comes to getting hired or promoted? Interesting question, and definitely one that strikes a chord with me. Ever since I finished high school, I have trodden mostly male-dominated educational and career paths — I have been among the female minority as an undergraduate math and finance major, as a New York investment banker, as a tech entrepreneur, and currently as an MBA student. According to this article, which cites ongoing research at Rice University, language might be the problem. “Funded by the National Science Foundation, Rice University professors Michelle Hebl and Randi Martin and graduate student Juan Madera, now an assistant professor at the University of Houston, reviewed 624 letters of recommendation for 194 applicants for eight junior faculty positions at a U.S. university. Source: 1. 2. 3. Like this:

Gender role Gender roles may be a means through which one may express their gender identity, but they may also be employed as a means of exerting social control, and individuals may experience negative social consequences for violating them.[2] Various groups have led efforts to change aspects of prevailing gender roles that they believe are oppressive or inaccurate, most notably the feminist movement. The term was first coined by John Money in 1955 during the course of his study of intersex individuals to describe the manners in which these individuals express their status as a male or female, in a situation where no clear biological assignment exists.[3] Background[edit] Some systems of classification, unlike the WHO, are non-binary or gender queer, listing multiple possible genders including transgender and intersex as distinct categories.[10][11] Gender roles are culturally specific, and while most cultures distinguish only two (boy and girl or man and woman), others recognize more. Dr. Islam Dr.

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