text:
This is the lounge. You can discuss anything you want, but you will do it kindly. Isn't it weird how a baby anything, even an armadillo, is cute?
Status: Heavily Moderated; Previous thread
This is the lounge. You can discuss anything you want, but you will do it kindly. Isn't it weird how a baby anything, even an armadillo, is cute?
Status: Heavily Moderated; Previous thread
Giliell, Approved Straight Chorus says
Well, for quite a lot of things, there's always a reasonable explenation.
You know, people work late. That happens. But somehow it is hard to believe that all women managed to get away from work in time while almost all the men didn't. Except for one couple who came late with their kindergarten child and their teenage daughter.
No idea what was the reason behind that
Pirate Duckie is finally finished.
Richard Austin says
Does anyone know WHY they have minimum payments that they can accept? There HAS to be a reason why they turn away money.
I think it has something to do with the fact that, if they accepted a payment at all, it delays certain legal actions they can take against non-payment. Even if you only pay $1, it can count as a "payment" for legal purposes.
I'm reasonably sure as well that courts cast a kinder eye on people who are at least attempting to pay bills even if they can't meet them entirely; if the creditor reports that you have a history of even trying to pay, the judge may deny them further action.
Richard Austin says
Putting this here quickly, trying to find details.
Study shows women speak less when outnumbered by men.
Scientists from Brigham Young University, Portland State University and Princeton University examined whether women speak less than men when a group collaborates to solve a problem.
In most groups that they studied, the time that women spoke was significantly less than their proportional representation – amounting to less than 75 percent of the time that men spoke.
There is an exception to this rule of gender participation, however. The time inequality disappeared when researchers instructed participants to decide by a unanimous vote instead of majority rule.
The results show that the consensus-building approach was particularly empowering for women who were outnumbered by men in their group.
deborahbell says
@492 Stevarious I can think of a couple of reasons why they might not accept a "too small" payment. In some states, if you pay anything and they accept it, they can't proceed with collections/garnishment etc. I think in those states they usually have to accept any payment you make, too, but they can probably act like they won't. Another reason might be if the bill was not officially in collections with an actual collections agency, if you pay something toward it it might be harder for them to turn it over to collections, which most companies would prefer to handling a slow pay situation themselves. And with a school loan, I think they have special rules about default and such, and if you go into a deferrment where you aren't paying anything on it because you can't, the interest adds up more and you may pay more on the loan than you ever would otherwise – especially since you can't discharge school loans in bankruptcy. So if a small payment (not enough to keep it current) would stop it from going into that default/deferrment state, they might prefer you paid nothing until you could pay it all. And finally, with credit card companies, I know they have laws about making the minimum payment high enough that if you pay the minimum you will eventually pay it off. Possibly that comes into play also.
Richard Austin says
… Okay, I've got the details of the study (if anyone wants it, email me at dstarfire at that hotmail dot com thingie).
They compared two different agreement methods – unanimous decisions vs majority rules. 5 people per group, testing the average amount of time each individual of men or women spoke (so, if it's all 5 of one sex, the representation for that sex is automatically .200)
Men always spend more time speaking unless both 1) they were alone and 2) it was majority-rule. Women's participation increased when decisions had to be unanimous, but in majority-rule situations, even women in a 3:2 majority participated less than men.
They also go into "influence" values, but that's a fair bit more complex. Even just looking at the participation, though, there's a definite trend where men participate *more* (to the point of dominating a discussion) as the number of men in a group decreases with the sole exception of being the sole man with four women in a majority-rules setting, which is the only time male participation drops below the average of .200.
Now, these discussions are moderated, so I wonder what effect the moderator had on this (it's one of the caveats mentioned at the end of the report). But, still…
broboxley OT says
how does one defend against tanks, drones, aircraft and artillery?
Invite your syrian neighbors over to help
Also I would bet that the utah state police, national guard and byu pd has a lot of mormons in the ranks.
John Morales says
Two stories offered without comment:
Lowy hails multiculturalism in wake of protests
broboxley OT says
Comment on John's links in #8 excellent sentiments in both links
Ms. Daisy Cutter, Vile Human Being says
OMG That Artifact is a great source of visual candy. Five or six pages in, there are some gorgeous antique teapots, and then there are swords, a couple of them nearly a millennium old.
Improbable Joe says
Well… good news amid the gloom. My wife has been at this temp job in Parts Unknown for three days, and the company has offered her a permanent position at Parts To Be Determined Later. She gets her choice of a couple of states, relocation package plus sign-on bonus. Yay?
Crudely Wrott says
Drowning Jesus is just a memory now. Get ready for Hug Me Jesus!
I no longer live just up the road from the Solid Rock Church, which is kind of sad. I'd really like to take an in person gander at this new er, erection. Seriously, I have some grandchildren who, I think, could do equal or better sculpture. Some of you do, too, I'd wager. I guess it does give a bit of credence to the injunction to come to Jesus as a child. Still, dolls have always struck me as creepy, size not being a consideration.
At any rate, behold!
broboxley OT says
new romney poster http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/Aliens%20Guy/6c52c7d1.jpg
Crudely Wrott says
Hey, Joe.
Yes. Yay!
Hopefully, Huzzah!
Improbable Joe says
Crudely Wrott,
Yay! I will be able to afford a Marshall Amp refrigerator!
Nutmeg says
Joe: Yay for good news!
Everyone else: Have some cute.
Improbable Joe says
Nutmeg, thanks, and congrats on your date!
Improbable Joe says
I realized just now this minute what my friend chicken chunks need for extra awesome goodness… I am going to put flour and shortening into the food processor and chop it up dry and flaky, and use that for extra-crispy breading.
Is there something inherently wrong with this plan?
Crudely Wrott says
Joe, add to your blender mix a handful of sesame seeds and some chives. A splash of cider vinegar and a touch of maple syrup couldn't hurt if added cautiously.
Oh, new peas, the ones still in the pods.
No, I've never done so myself but if I had them on hand I'd damn sure wing it!
Improbable Joe says
Crudely Wrott,
I'm poor and I haven't done proper grocery shopping in a month, so the only thing I'm adding is stuff I have on hand and that ain't sesame seeds or chives.
JAL: Snark, Sarcasm & Bitterness says
We got Little One's books today! She was so excited and we've been reading since she got home from school. It's so heartwarming and adorable it makes me want to cry.
Improbable Joe says
trinioler says
Joe, I bet you have crackers somewhere in your pantry. Hopefully flavored ones. Add some of those to the food processor.
Trust me.
They break up like panko bread crumbs, add extra flavor and salt, etc.
Ms. Daisy Cutter, Vile Human Being says
Anybody need chewtoys? There are several in this thread, wringing their hands about
the poor menz accused of rape who can't get a fair trial in blog comments, plus the dropping of the dreaded
Improbable Joe says
No crackers… those went long ago. I often do saltines, half coarse crushed and half crushed fine. The things I don't have, you know? There's a can of corn, a can of lentil soup, a couple of cans of clams, and half a box of instant mashed potatoes that have been there for at least 5-6 months. Some ramen, a box of stove top stuffing, some pasta and rice. Also the Spice Cabinet of DOOOOOOOOM! At least I have that going for me. :)
cicely says
Pirate Duckie is awesome!!!
Joe: Huzzah!!!
JAL: Also huzzah!
Crudely Wrott says
Sorry, Joe. I forgot that you were in such a hard way. I'll just advise that you cook slowly and thoroughly and hope that it tastes really good.
A long time ago I wrote a little rhyme and it has just sat there all this time. Perhaps it will be of use to you and against such a possibility I hereby give it to you for what it's worth.
Death in the daytime
Rebirth at night
Eat your life slowly
Every bite
Good fortune to you, friend.
(And, ah, if you ever get to try the sesame seeds and chives and all, let me know if it's any good, will ya?)
Improbable Joe says
Crudely Wrott,
You mean you were just spitting out random ingredients?!?! Shit!
I've got a good southern-style breading recipe, I'm going to tweak the texture with the shortening just because I have some and I'm trying to use up everything I have on hand just in case we wind up moving before the end of the year. Well, except the Spice Cabinet of DOOOOOOOOOOOM! because that would be crazy expensive if I let it all run out and had to restock from scratch. I'm talking hundreds of dollars here.
Improbable Joe says
I was going to say something deep and meaningful here, but instead I have to note that I've got Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance playing in the background. I don't know anything about the film except it is terrible, and that it has Nicolas Cage AND Christopher Lambert in it. So it is terrible AND awesome all at once.
Dr. Audley Z. Darkheart: My name is Legion, for we are many says
Caine: Pirate ducky! ♥!
JAL: Yay!
So, in total, I received 5 packages today. Four were for DarkFetus– from Giliell, Patricia (a KYOOT hat that looks like an eggplant, a tiny green bolo sweater, and a pair of booties), and two friends– and one was a copy of Borderlands 2 that I ordered for myself and Mr Darkheart is currently playing.
It's like Christmas without all of the annoying family crap!
Improbable Joe says
Yay Audley! It is happy celebration time for everyone!
Dr. Audley Z. Darkheart: My name is Legion, for we are many says
Joe: Yay for you and especially BossNurse!
Confetti for everyone!
carlie says
Congrats, Nutmeg!
Congrats, Joe!
Yay Audley!
JAL: Snark, Sarcasm & Bitterness says
Oooohhhh, nice Audley! Borderlands 2 looks awesome. I love Borderlands and am hoping we can get it when it goes on sale for the holidays on Steam. Since Roomie had to pawn and lost his PS3 and all his games, it's been hard for him.
Dr. Audley Z. Darkheart: My name is Legion, for we are many says
JAL: So far, I'm impressed, even though I haven't had a chance to play it yet. :)
Crudely Wrott says
Joe @28:
You mean you were just spitting out random ingredients?!?! Shit!
Well, yeah, as far as the sesame seeds and chives are concerned. I have done the cider vinegar and maple syrup not only in chicken breading but in various marinades and salad dressings and sandwich spreads and have added same to pasta and rice dishes. Sort of a North American sweet and sour.
One of these days I'll get around to breading with sesame and chive; just haven't yet for whatever reasons. So many foods, so many combinations vs. so little time and poorly stocked larders. But it hasn't affected my apatite!
JAL: Snark, Sarcasm & Bitterness says
I know how that is, Audley. Roomie and I fought over his PS3 until we started doing co-op on a bunch of games. Then I got addicted to Skyrim and we started fighting all over again. XD
I can't wait to replace all those games and stuff.
susanlee says
Does anyone click on the "6 reasons god exists" ads?
Dr. Audley Z. Darkheart: My name is Legion, for we are many says
:) Usually we're pretty good about sharing (our taste in games doesn't always overlap and we're rarely excited for the same things), but Borderlands seems to be the exception.
I think the next Resident Evil is going to be a problem, too– but I've got dibs because I've been waiting for over a decade for the developers at Capcom to figure out that backing up is pretty fucking necessary. Mr Darkheart just doesn't have the same history or misplaced commitment that I do.
Cicely & Audley, thank you. ♥ Working on the last one, Ninja Duckie, now.
Hekuni Cat, MQG says
For all the pea hate here, I never see the ratses pet vegetable hate – carrots. Every single one of them acts as though I plopped cyanide on plate when they see a carrot. Don't like them raw, don't like them cooked in any manner, don't like 'em.
My cat also thinks carrots are poisonous. She runs away, leaving in her wake the distinct impression she thinks you're trying to kill her, if your hands smell of carrots. Having an actual carrot anywhere near her is just beyond the pale.
Me: Gets tea, sets tea on desk. Leaves momentarily. Comes back. Finds three rats perched on tea mug helping themselves.
Also, Pirate Duckie is wonderful!
Portia, Now With Improved Loudness and Feminaziism – *hugs*
Nutmeg says
When the dog was still a doglet, carrots were one of her favourite toys. My mom couldn't chop carrots for dinner without the puppy running over and begging for one to chew. She's grown out of it now. Dinner prep is easier, but the cute quotient is lower.
Azkyroth, Former Growing Toaster Oven says
Question for troll-battling: is it correct that psychological profiling of criminals is more or less established as pseudoscience at this point?
A. R says
Azkyroth: For your examination: http://www.uk.sagepub.com/bartol3e/study/articles/Snook.pdf
Tony •King of the Hellmouth• says
I feel you my friend.
Hopefully things will turn around for you and your wife very soon.
Are you still riding high from your date?
I clicked on that stupid ad one time, but after I did it, I remembered that religious sites are notorious for viruses, so I ran away fast.
In any case, if there were even *one* good reason for the existence of whichever god they're talking about, I think we'd have heard it by now. After all, theists have been trying for a few thousand years and are still coming up empty.
Tony •King of the Hellmouth• says
For all that I love comics, and love seeing comic book movies, I haven't seen the Ghost Rider sequel. I've heard it's bad. I saw the previews, which looked bad. I saw the first one, which *was* bad. I have no illusions that GR:SoV is in the same country as good.
Is there a movie Nicholas Cage was actually *good* in?
Hekuni Cat, thank you. The encouragement is nice and needed. ♥
Tony •King of the Hellmouth• says
For those watching Warehouse 13 — hulu currently has episodes 1-5 of Season 4. I'm hoping to finish Ep 3 tonight and maybe squeeze in Ep 4 as well.
I can't wait to see what happens to the Warehouse after the end of Season 3.
No idea when Netflix will get any of this season's episodes.
I need my Claudia fix (she reminds me of Willow; redhead, great with computers, real name is Alison [or some variation]).
Ichthyic says
For those watching Warehouse 13
just yesterday caught up with the current season.
instead of Hulu or netflix, you might try project free tv.
up to episode 8 there.
say, does anyone with one of the larger LED monitors have an issue with high contrast text, like black on white. Always seems a bit smudgy to me, even at highest resolution. do you use anything to help clarify it?
Markita Lynda—damn climate change! says
Hi, everybody!
There's a Molly-worthy takedown of anti-FTB blather by LeftSidePositive on Ophelia Benson's "PhotoShopped again."
Nutmeg, I just watched a show (part of a series I gather) about testing wolves vs. dogs for various cognitive tasks. The wolves are living at the Lorenz Institute in Germany. One of their yards happened to have several apple trees in it, and for about two months while the apples were in fruit, the wolves got 70 – 80% of their calories from apples. They would even jump up to pluck fruit from a branch. This kind of opportunistic foraging was new to the researchers. Foxes will eat fruit (hence the fable of the sour grapes) but wolves have been considered more or less pure carnivores. Interesting!
I have web anti-virus browsing protection so I sometimes click on the religious ads just to cost them money. But then I want to start rebutting their nonsense assertions.
theophontes (坏蛋) says
@ blf
I suspect he is either a poopypuppet (sockhead? poopyet? poopypet?), or will slowly devour poopyhead's brainz.
Indeed! The spies of Minitrue ™ have posted their evidence at this linky.
Giliell, Approved Straight Chorus says
Good morning
Pirate duckie is gorgeous and finished at the exactly right day
Yay I guss it it. I know moving sucks, even more so with lots of furry critters.
Yay for books, too!
chigau (違わない) says
I'm at 53°N.
Chives are weeds.
They grow in sidewalk cracks.
Based on what I see in the grocery stores I have hundreds of dollars worth of herbs.
Tarragon anyone?
Try killing them.
theophontes (坏蛋) says
@ chigau
Dry and post (money can be made here!)
chigau (違わない) says
I have long considered that.
But shipping plant products internationally is fraught …
fraught, I tell you …
with fraughtness.
chigau (違わない) says
oh and
HSI had their 25th anniversary a couple of months ago.
and they didn't invite us.
theophontes (坏蛋) says
@ chigau
Have you tried marking the packages as: "For medicinal use only"? That should keep the customs inspectors at bay…
chigau (違わない) says
I think "For medicinal use only" would trigger SWAT-level response.
with dogs.
Pirate duckie is gorgeous and finished at the exactly right day
Thank you! ♥ It was a perk, finishing it today. I've spent about 17 hours stitching today and I'm ready to fall into bed for a good long while.
I am just crazy about that rattle you made. Cutest rattle ever, hands down.
Beatrice says
Is there a movie Nicholas Cage was actually *good* in?
Possibly. I used to love watching The Rock. For years, it was on TV for every New Year's Eve.
But I did always hold an unexplainable love for Nicholas Cage. He's not a good actor. At all. He's got two facial expressions. But there is something about him that I adored.
The last of him that I've seen was The Sorcerer's Apprentice . His terrible acting got too much even for me.
Setár, genderqueer Elf-Sheriff of Atheism+ says
Still dealing with that conservative from last night, and they've got a bit of a teal deer.
I can't make head or tail of that drivel. Apparently, if we don't have conservatism, it means we blow the entire system up or something? The only thing I feel is worth responding to is this:
he ways in which most western democracies are set up, there is little reason why in time equality in rights for all wont be accomplished.
…by saying "no, you are full of shit; the democracies were not 'set up' in their current form, the current form has emerged after decades and even centuries of back-and-forth struggle between people who wanted to make the system more egalitarian and people who were against that. There is no mystical, magical, unstoppable march towards equality — and I beseech you to justify the outright racist statements made by 'conservatives' like Barry Goldwater who opposed civil rights legislation."
It's like all they do is set up this magical fairytale unending march, and then scream about how if they're not treated as legitimate it will mean utter and total chaos.
Setár, genderqueer Elf-Sheriff of Atheism+ says
And that was really pretty much my response.
The only reason I hate conservatives more than libertarians is that libertarians try to reject the checkered history. Conservatives embrace it, then frantically stuff it in the basement while no one's looking.
rorschach says
Good evening.
I wish everyone here all the best for the future. Time to move on.
Setár, genderqueer Elf-Sheriff of Atheism+ says
Is there a movie Nicholas Cage was actually *good* in?
Lord of War. That's really the only one I know of.
McC2lhu saw what you did there. says
Apologies for being threadrupt and possibly re-posting a thing that's already been and gone, but Mano Singham has posted a Jesus and Mo comic with a link to a very hilarious, but pervy and NSFW comic at The Onion.
Ganesh looks like my kind of party animal.
McC2lhu saw what you did there. says
Is there a movie Nicholas Cage was actually *good* in?
I haven't seen it in a while, but I recall finding Raising Arizona entertaining. It's been so long that I don't remember if it had anything to do with a young Nicholas, though.
John Morales says
Be well, Rorschach. I'll check your blog now and then.
(I'm having serious doubts as to whether I belong here, too)
Ichthyic says
was that a… was that a flounce from Rorshach?
echidna says
It wasn't a very bouncy flounce. It was more like a "thought I'd drop in to say farewell".
echidna says
I'll miss you, Rorschach.
Setár, genderqueer Elf-Sheriff of Atheism+ says
Why am I having to state that the US government retains the Constitutional right to coin money, and that the Federal Reserve is authorized to do so by Congress?
For that matter, why am I (still) dealing with the hare-brained analogy that a government with the right to print money has the same financial considerations as private citizens that use said money?
Giliell, Approved Straight Chorus says
Hi there
Just picked up a certificate from a class I did back at the dawn of time shortly after the dinosaurs died out and would you believe that I actually got a very good grade? Let's see what I can swap it for when discussing those matters with the advisor tomorrow
I am just crazy about that rattle you made. Cutest rattle ever, hands down.
Thanx. I hope the DF shares your sentiment
Bye, rorschach
carlie says
I will miss seeing you here, rorschach. I'll try to be better about checking your blog regularly.
blf says
Maybe everyone's out watching the mildly demented penguin fight the 50 meter high rats for peas and cheese?
Fifty meter high rats? The mildly deranged penguin is not gonna be happy when she finds out — the forty-foot high killers are obnoxious enough.
Any penguin who fights for peas is completely — not mildly — demented. And is probably a horse in disguise.
The mildly deranged penguin is currently on spelunking expedition down the tunnel left by the possibly-sentient cider that dissolved the fermenting vats and escaped a few weeks ago. The tunnel apparently takes several sharp turns and falls, and goes under Africa, which might explain the Leprechauns but not their accompanying giraffe. I understand that after doing several loop-the-loops the tunnel is heading in the general direction of India. Exactly where the cider is — that is, where the tunnel-head is — isn't too clear. Maybe it surfaced in Australia, which (a) Explains the fire tornado; and (b) Suggests none of the cider is left (those pesky Ozlanders drink anything… (probably even peas)).
Nick Gotts (formerly KG) says
Bye rorschach,
We've had our differences, but you've done sterling work against the misogynists over the past year.
ImaginesABeach says
Minnesota Viking Chris Kluwe continues to be full of awesome in print. I have no idea if he's a good American football player. In fact, until recently, I didn't know he even existed. http://blogs.twincities.com/outofbounds/2012/09/19/out-of-bounds-blog-no-11-stand-up/
Ogvorbis: broken and cynical says
Good morning.
I have returned.
Seventeen hour shifts (1600 – 0900). Long flights. Long drives on scary roads. Lack of sleep. Lack of Wife. I am tired.
Beatrice says
Hello, Ogvorbis. Glad to see you're back safely. Enjoy your rest and time with your wife. I hope you'll have enough time off work to recuperate properly.
Rorschach, I will be visiting your blog. I hope I'll read you again here sometime.
Setár, genderqueer Elf-Sheriff of Atheism+ says
ImaginesABeach #76: he's a punter, so he's one of the top 32 at what he does. Football teams rarely retain more than one punter. Hell, some CFL teams still have the same person as both kicker and punter (though the practice appears to be dying out).
carlie says
Hooray, Ogvorbis! Have a good rest and some food and time with Wife and lots of fresh clean air.
McC2lhu saw what you did there. says
Sign number 15,789,645,791,625 that there is no god:
The GP who saved my wife's life (by discovering advanced and extensive endometriosis in her abdomen early enough to surgically remove/medically treat – it had advanced to with a few mm of her spine) was killed this weekend by a hit and run driver in Newport Beach, CA while she was cycling. She was a gifted and incredibly personable woman who was founder and administrator of her medical group as well as volunteer on a large number of medical panels and health charities.
For someone to whom I am so grateful to be lost this way, it's a deeply profound tragedy. I've seen her picture in a couple of news stories reporting the event…it was pointless to try to stop the tears from coming.
McC2lhu saw what you did there. says
Improbable Joe says
Since I fell asleep…
Thanks Audley, thanks Carlie, thanks Tony. Thanks everyone, drinks are on me… sometime in November? And Giliell, moving cats is a nightmare. The when we moved here, it was me in a small car with three crying cats for 12 straight hours. After awhile I started crying back at them.
Why doesn't anyone play the video games I like. I'm busy playing through DARKSIDERS 2 for the second time, and I've never seen anyone else mention it ever. It is all these other games that I've tried and never seen the point in playing. Borderlands I didn't get, didn't like, didn't understand. Why is that fun? And the new Resident Evil looks like it depends too heavily on cooperative play. I don't LIKE to cooperate!
No, Nicolas Cage has never been actually good in anything. Sometimes though there are movies where his natural twitchy bad acting fits the role, and then it is cool. Also, someone needs to explain Natalie Portman's career to me. She's a worse actor than Cage, because at least Cage brings some energy.
Setár, I don't know how you continue to engage with conservatives/libertarians without losing your shit completely. People who use lies to justify the strong exploiting and oppressing the weak, and then calling that "moral"? Fucking sickening.
Bye Rorschach. Hope you find whatever it is you're looking for wherever you land next.
Welcome back Ogvorbis… get some sleep!
McC2lhu, sorry to hear about your wife's doctor.
Beatrice says
Improbable Joe,
I can't understand success of Natalie Portman either.
I think she was good in Léon: The Professional, but maybe that was just the overwhelming awesomeness of the movie.
Nutmeg says
Are you still riding high from your date?
I'm pretty settled now. I'm probably going to email her today and ask if she'd like to go watch the geese come in to a local marsh at sunset sometime next week.
That's a bonus about dating girls. When I was dating guys, I would never have done something like that as a second date, because the safety concerns would be too large. Statistically, girls are safer.
Markita Lynda:
for about two months while the apples were in fruit, the wolves got 70 – 80% of their calories from apples
Neat! I have a friend who studies wolves, she might find that interesting.
Ogvorbis: Welcome back!
PatrickG says
Threadrupt: Sam Harris has a new piece on Islam, in which he bashes Romney's initial handling, but concedes that Romney totes got it right about Obama being a fearful President.
Our panic and moral confusion were at first sublimated in attacks upon the hapless Governor Romney. I am no fan of Romney's, and I would find the prospect of his presidency risible if it were not so depressing, but he did accurately detect the first bleats of fear in the Obama administration's reaction to this crisis. Romney got the timing of events wrong—confusing, as many did, a statement made by the U.S. Embassy in Cairo for an official government response to the murder of Americans in Libya. But the truth is that the White House struck the same note of apology, disavowing the offending speech while claiming to protect free speech in principle. It may seem a small detail, given the heat of the moment—but so is a quivering lip.
Bleats of fear… I guess he prefers "Bring it on".
Sorry if this was brought up already, I didn't see it.
Improbable Joe says
I'm with you on Léon, but if you look at the character Portman played- a very odd 12 year old- and compare it to the oddly flat acting she does today, and maybe she was just exceptionally well-cast in Léon rather than her doing much actual acting. People say she was really good in Black Swan(which I admit I have not seen) but my understanding is that the role is an oddly flat person who can't seem to express life or passion in her work. Sounds less like acting, more like extraordinary casting of a flat, lifeless actress playing a flat, lifeless dancer.
Next up, Lindsay Lohan will be cast as a troubled drink and drug addicted painter with shitty parents and terrible driving skills.
Improbable Joe says
Sam Harris is a bigot and a piss-poor thinker. Fuck him in the ear.
PatrickG says
Improbable Joe: That pretty well sums it up. He stops short of calling for responding to the unrest with steely-eyed bomb attacks, but… woof, what a piece.
Pteryxx says
random – via fwtbc in Ophelia's comments, another excellent article dissecting how *not* to run a welcoming convention, with emphasis on the importance of speaking out:
The latest excellent post of this nature I've seen was by Courtney Stanton (aka kirbybits) @ Super Opinionated
Some may remember her for writing a post about why she wasn't going to attend or speak at PAX, due to Penny Arcade's dismissive response to the Dickwolves criticism.
From the article:
The EveryConf organizer, who created an event full of juvenile sexual jokes to help people "connect", knowingly invited a rape survivor to said event, and then let someone tell three minutes of detailed, vulgar, descriptive jokes about being raped by a man without doing anything about it, sought me out and told me he was really glad I said something. "I felt so uncomfortable when he was doing that, it was not okay at all", said the man who invited everyone to EveryConf, was its emcee, and undoubtedly had the most authority of anyone in the room to define and enforce the boundaries of what was or was not acceptable behavior at his event.
This is when I knew I would never be coming back to EveryConf, and that I'd be privately warning away anyone I knew and liked from attending.
carlie says
Everyone, please go read tree lobsters today. I think you will greatly like it.
Beatrice says
Improbable Joe,
It's been a long time since I've last watched Léon, but I suspect you might be right. I had similar thoughts about Black Swan, although I wasn't nearly as impressed with it as most people.
Rev. BigDumbChimp says
Portman was IMNSHO horrible in the Star Wars movies but I loved her in the Professional and Black Swan wasn't awful.
birgerjohansson says
Mock the Movie: Hercules transcript http://freethoughtblogs.com/lousycanuck/2012/09/15/mock-the-movie-hercules-transcript/
— — — — — — — — —
NB: This could be important:
Misinformation: Report shows why it sticks and how to fix it http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-misinformation.html
New processes for cost-efficient solar cell production http://phys.org/news/2012-09-cost-efficient-solar-cell-production.html
— — — — — —
HuffPo has an article about the effect of cannabidiol on certain cancers, but I won't link to it until I can confirm it is a solid study.
blf says
Religious intolerance on the rise worldwide, says US report:
Pew Research Centre report says the US and UK are among countries showing a worrying rise in religious discrimination
Three-quarters of the world's 7 billion population live in countries with high levels of government restriction on religion or where there exist serious "social hostilities" involving faith issues, according to researchers, with the US and the UK among countries showing a worrying rise in religious discrimination.
A research project conducted by the US thinktank Pew Research Centre's Forum on Religion and Public Life, whose findings were published on Thursday under the title The Rising Tide of Restrictions on Religion, identified a sharp rise in religious restrictions worldwide. It reports a staggering 6% increase in restrictions in the four years until 2010.
"During the period from mid-2009 to mid-2010," the report's authors note, "a number of the sources used in the study reported an increase in the number of incidents at the [USA] state and local level in which members of some religious groups faced restrictions on their ability to practice their faith." These included "religious groups in the US [which had] faced difficulties in obtaining zoning permits to build or expand houses of worship, religious schools or other religious institutions.
A more marked increase was recorded in the social hostilities index, moving the US from the lower end of the moderate range of hostilities to the upper end of the moderate range. This was largely driven by an increase in religion-related terrorist attacks in the year to mid-2010. The report also noted legislation by some states to ban "sharia law" or prevent the construction of mosques.
Commenting on the rise in the current survey for the UK on the "social hostility" index, lead researcher Brian Grim said it had been driven by a number of issues. "That included Christians voicing concern about being able to talk about their religion, a spike in anti-semitic incidents and also anti-Muslim sentiment. It also included concern about issues within the Muslim community itself and honour killings." He added that in the period covered by the survey there had been an upsurge in sectarian tension in Northern Ireland which had since subsided.
blf says
Apple Maps service loses train stations, shrinks tower and creates new airport:
Within minutes of the [initial launch of] Apple Maps, users were reporting that Paddington station had vanished, London had been relocated to Ontario, the Sears Tower in Chicago had shrunk, and Helsinki railway station had been turned into a park.
Dublin, meanwhile, has been gifted a previously undiscovered airport. …
Airfield, a 35-acre greenfield site with working farm, formal gardens and cafe, has been designated as an airport by the Apple database, which has labelled it with the aeroplane icon it uses for genuine aircraft landing spots.
Those searching for the Sears Tower in Chicago are shown a satellite image of a neighbouring, much smaller tower. The area covered by tracks and platforms at Helsinki railway station has been mistakenly coloured green, to resemble a park.
Search for London, and the first location that appears is not London, England, but London in Ontario, Canada. One user who requested Paddington station was show Paddington street in London, with the mapping service unable to plant a pin on one of London's main railway stations. Tokyo Station, one of the world's largest train termini, has also disappeared.
In London, railway and tube stations are designated by identical icons, while public transport information for American cities that had been provided by Google's service is no longer available.
… Australian Business Traveller's John Walton [warned]. "The only way that [Apple] Maps is an improvement is if you're looking for an Apple Store.
These are more prominently displayed than just about anything else in the cities where they appear."
No reports on whether or not it shows the possibly-sentient cider's tunnel. The cider is made from apples. Well. mostly apples…
Muse says
JAL – Yay books. I have the picture printed out on my wall at work BTW.
Ing: I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream So I Comment Instead says
"That included Christians voicing concern about being able to talk about their religion, a spike in anti-semitic incidents and also anti-Muslim sentiment. It also included concern about issues within the Muslim community itself and honour killings."
We included both scraped knees and gang rape.
Ugh, Harris pisses me off so much he got me to get off my ass and actually blog. Pathetic of me I know
Improbable Joe says
Fuck Christians and their bullshit persecution complexes.
dianne says
Cheap amusement option for the day: Leah Libresco wrote a post about "science". Watching a bunch of theologians discuss science is…strange.
Ing: I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream So I Comment Instead says
I really don't get why a woman who has decided to voluntarily cede her ethical decision making to an old white man feels the need to share her opinions.
Beatrice says
Heh, I'd never even heard of that woman before her conversion. Now, I occasionally go there to gape in horrified fascination.
dianne says
Ing, it is a little puzzling. Like the CWA founder who has a bicostal relationship with her husband while telling other women that they should stay home and serve their husbands. Yet she does and it has a trainwreck fascination for me. Already there's been a person describing any cell with human DNA as a person (apparently not realizing that cancer cells have human DNA-at least if they're human cancers) and a divorce=evil argument. Also a number of people claiming that contradictory evidence is proof that science doesn't work. Whatever "work" means in this context.
Improbable Joe says
I liked your blog post. I'm also sick and tired about this whole "bigot tokens" thing in the "community" at large. People think that you can say or do enough good things to earn tokens that can later be redeemed when you're called out for saying and doing really shitty things. No number of good magic tricks or interesting episodes of Bullshit can buy Penn Jillette the right to say even a single "cunt" towards anyone. You can't just say "but he's one of the Four Horsemen!" or point at books you like to excuse Sam Harris and his sloppy thinking to justify bigotry.
Giliell, Approved Straight Chorus says
How to be a shitty parent and an overall asshole: Do nothing when your precious boy beats up smaller kids, declare the end of the world when your big bully gets the short end of the stick once.
So, yeah, the kids are probably going to end up as some of those losers who only have women on the internet to bully because the world outside has only very few jobs for adult bullies and they're taken by the social class of Mitt Romney.
I well believe it.
Is it possible for the vet to give them some light sedation just to calm them down?
Re: Sam Harris
You gotta love those armchair warriors who are totally willing to put the lives of other people on the line.
Can somebody tell me what's wrong about saying that you condem the message but support the right to say it?
Stevarious says
So Ed has an article about some bigots whining about marriage equality.
The mental image that came into my mind with the conjunction of the concepts of 'gay marriage' and 'slap Jesus in the face' was two gay guys, who just got married, slapping Jesus in the face with their erect penises.
Beatrice says
I dare you to google that.
cicely says
Is there a movie Nicholas Cage was actually *good* in?
I quite enjoyed Raising Arizona.
Tarragon anyone?
Try killing them.
I would not anticipate any difficulty. I would water them and nurture them and hug them and call them George…and they would drop their leaves and run!!!
I wish everyone here all the best for the future. Time to move on.
If you feel that you must leave, then Fare Well.
Any penguin who fights for peas is completely — not mildly — demented. And is probably a horse in disguise.
Either that, or has one serious case of Stockholm Syndrome.
Ogvorbis, welcome home!
Sleep well.
The GP who saved my wife's life […] was killed this weekend by a hit and run driver in Newport Beach, CA while she was cycling.
:( :( :(
I'm so sorry. *hugs*
Kirsten Dunst and Kristen Stewart. Their eyes…so dead…
Tree Lobsters! is made of Awesome.
Beatrice says
Huh, I quite like Kirsten Dunst.
cicely says
I grant you that the rest of the package is attractive, but those dead eyes just put me right off her.
dianne says
Fifty meter high rats? The mildly deranged penguin is not gonna be happy when she finds out — the forty-foot high killers are obnoxious enough.
They've grown. Probably due to eating too many radioactive peas.
Beatrice says
I would sooner characterize her eyes as "secretly wicked" than dead, but that's just my impression. I do agree about Kristen Stewart.
Ing:Intellectual Terrorist "Starting Tonight, People will Whine" says
You can't just say "but he's one of the Four Horsemen!" or point at books you like to excuse Sam Harris and his sloppy thinking to justify bigotry.
You know I used to question if it was just theists who were irony blind…but we have people taking on the name the Four Horsemen and promoting War
Ing:Intellectual Terrorist "Starting Tonight, People will Whine" says
Tree Lobsters! is made of Awesome.
Doesn't it apply equally to Atheists? :-p
chigau (違わない) says
Welcome home, Ogvorbis.
Ing:Intellectual Terrorist "Starting Tonight, People will Whine" says
Is there a movie Nicholas Cage was actually *good* in?
Aaaaaaaaaaand today Ing and Ingdog learn about putting out household fires! YAY!
chigau (違わない) says
Ing and Ingdog succeeded, I hope.
Stevarious says
I dare you to google that.
I was expecting some amusing, NSFW results.
Alas, I just got extremely sad ones. It seems that the google search algorithm seems to be designed so that even if you search for gay men, you get pictures featuring violence against women.
Beatrice says
Oh. That's depressing.
skeptifem says
Is there a movie Nicholas Cage was actually *good* in?
I thought Adaptation was a decent performance from him.
Portia, Now With Improved Loudness and Feminaziism says
Hekuni Cat, MQG
Thanks for the hugs. I am bucking up and handling things.
Thanks for the idea about the roommate websites. I have used them before myself. I am relying partially on credit cards myself to get through this small patch, because I am also building my business. Thankfully two new opportunities came my way this week that will hopefully get me by and lead to more.
Now I'm gonna try to catch up on the Lounge a little. Hope everyone's well.
Ing:Intellectual Terrorist "Starting Tonight, People will Whine" says
Ingdog slept on a pillow while I hastened to blow out a burning candle and dispose of melted plastic.
He helped much.
cicely says
Aaaaaaaaaaand today Ing and Ingdog learn about putting out household fires! YAY!
chigau (違わない) says
Sounds like Ingdog may actually be a cat.
AJ Milne says
… a link to a very hilarious, but pervy and NSFW comic at The Onion…
Does it make me a bad person that I'm thinking of organizing a Googlebomb for this one?
I mean, just imagine it. Someone Googles this question:
'What is heaven like?'
… and finally, the internet, in its wisdom, can answer.
(/No, really, I mean well. After all, it is an awfully ecumenical vision.)
Improbable Joe says
Giliell, sedation is a good idea. We should get some to Sam Harris while we're at it.
You know, there's a not very funny story about war mongering, Islamophobia, and your friend Joe. Come around 9/11/2001, I was THIS CLOSE to being done with my inactive reserve time. They started talking about calling people back to active duty, especially people with the skills that were in short demand. I remembered that five-figure bonus they offered me to reenlist, and I started getting pretty nervous. I started getting pissed off when America started in on its cowardly "we've got to wipe out all the Muslims" hysteria, when for damned sure when they said "we" 99.99% of the country meant "anyone but me and mine, someone else should do it."
So somebody is really going to have to get Sam Harris to explain to me how he gets to define "bravery" as being stupid and careless with other people's lives in order to maintain the appearance of courage from a position of more or less complete safety. Someone in the Middle East criticizing Islam is brave and risking their own life. Sam Harris sitting in a Starbucks typing up his latest bigoted screed on his iDildo isn't exactly displaying bravery nor does he have any ethical authority on the subject when he applauds others making bold statements that cost other people their lives.
Improbable Joe says
Also, woohoo household fires! Trust me, for a dog sleeping on a pillow IS helping, compared to the other choice… the other choice being yipping/barking while jumping on you excitedly, which is what my dog does whenever something exciting happens.
Beatrice says
Someone in the Middle East criticizing Islam is brave and risking their own life. Sam Harris sitting in a Starbucks typing up his latest bigoted screed on his iDildo isn't exactly displaying bravery nor does he have any ethical authority on the subject when he applauds others making bold statements that cost other people their lives.
(Also, LOL at iDildo)
I'm tired of people who are not in any way threatened by Muslims saying how they are showing Muslims that "they are not afraid".
Tony •King of the Hellmouth• says
Rorschach: take care
Lumping Kirsten Dunst with Kristen Stewart should be a crime. The latter is every bit as bad as Nicholas Cage.
Can anyone recommend a good site that lists the reasons not to vote for Mitt Romney? I'd like to have somewhere to direct a friend of mine. As well, a good site about why one *should* vote for Obama instead (methinks this will be trickier).
Welcome back.
Chives are tasty. So is oregano. They cannot approach my herb of all herbs-rosemary. Such a splendid aroma and wonderful taste…
If Mitt thinks 47% of Americans want to suck at the test of the govt, who does he envision being in the 53%?
Ing:Intellectual Terrorist "Starting Tonight, People will Whine" says
The people who generate businesses via their huge white errections
Beatrice says
We planted chives next to basil and parsley, on the balcony. I'm not sure which one of the two killed it. I suspect basil.
Chives in the garden, on the other hand, grow like crazy. We've already frozen lots. Warm bread with chives and sausage in winter. Mmmmm…
Improbable Joe says
Kirsten Dunst I give a pass to, because I know she suffers from depression and I'm guessing when she looks "dead-eyed" she's either medicated or faking being OK to get through the day. I've been both places, and I can sympathize.
Improbable Joe says
I'm tired of people who are not in any way threatened by Muslims saying how they are showing Muslims that "they are not afraid".
Well, especially since they obviously ARE afraid. Afraid of some sort of straw-Muslim that has the almost supernatural ability to strike at them from anywhere, at any time, for no reason other than "they hate our freedoms!" and may be able to institute Sharia law in their home town by force of their magical Muslim powers!!!!! They are scared out of their fucking minds about mostly nonexistent threats, and the only answer they can come up with it to send other people to invade countries in the Middle East, strip the rights of Muslims where they live, and generally act like cowardly bullies. People who actually aren't afraid of Muslims can take a deep breath and make rational judgments about appropriate actions. Cowards and bigots just want to hurt people to calm their fears for a moment or two.
deborahbell says
@121 Portia Good luck with the business! Maybe you won't have to have a roommate!
Got an email today about my paystub being available online. Considering I quit my job as of 8/31 and already got paid for the last 2 weeks I worked on 9/5, I was surprised. Although the employee handbook says they don't pay accrued vacation time when you quit unless state law requires it, and my state doesn't, still I get paid tomorrow for 60 hours of vacation time. So yay for not having to dip into savings at all probably, since I start new job on Monday.
Hopefully, that is, haven't heard from them on details yet…
Improbable Joe says
I've got my fingers crossed for you, and YAY for unexpected money!
Improbable Joe says
Portia, good luck with your business, and I hope you don't have to get a roommate unless you really really want one. Bad roommates are 25% of all Judge Judy cases.
Setár, genderqueer Elf-Sheriff of Atheism+ says
Share Steven Novella's critique of the "GMO and Roundup cause cancer" study.
Response from an Occupier: "Oh, Steven Novella is part of the 1%…"
Seriously, fuck discussing GMOs with Occupy. It's like a little religion for them.
dianne says
My little 9/11/01 story: In the academic year 2001-02, I was a fellow at New York University. Therefore, on 9/11/01, I went to Bellevue hospital to help with injuries. There were all sorts of interesting rumors flying around at that time, including one that the hospital would be attacked. I was less than thrilled at the idea, but thought it pretty low probability (as, indeed, it was.) At one point, I thought I might end up playing first responder when the real first responders (EMTs, firefighters, etc) got too exhausted to go on and might have-if the towers had collapsed 48 hours after the attacks instead of one hour, I might have been in one of them. I was also worried about a couple of friends who might be in the towers (they weren't, mostly due to being late to work…I've been impossible to convince of the virtue of promptness since then.)
But the only thing I was really scared of that day was the response. I was afraid Bush would find someone to nuke. I was afraid that there'd be lynchings. I was afraid we'd have even more anti-freedom laws passed than actually occurred. I was never seriously frightened by Islam or Muslims.
Oh, and having seen the towers collapse, treated people injured in the attacks, and breathed the smoke for months afterwards…I'm unimpressed by bombs as a way to get things accomplished. I did not admire the terrorists and I don't admire it when my own government does the same thing in Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere else in the world.
deborahbell says
Joe Thanks!
cicely says
Kirsten Dunst I give a pass to, because I know she suffers from depression and I'm guessing when she looks "dead-eyed" she's either medicated or faking being OK to get through the day.
I did not know that. A good extenuating circumstance…but I still find it off-putting.
Huzzah for Surprise Cash!
Beatrice says
I quit my job as of 8/31 and already got paid for the last 2 weeks I worked on 9/5
My contract ended on 7/15. I still haven't gotten payed. Woman from accounting said yesterday that she hopes it will go through next week.
Good luck with the new job, deborahbell!
Improbable Joe says
I'm SO with you on 9/11. I was in Nashville when it happened, and the next day I went to work in MOTHERFUCKING MAYBERRY, it was payday, and the mall and comic book shop were closed because of "terrorism." From 9/12 I could tell that America had decided to be completely stupid over terrorism.
dianne says
Why does a mall in Nashville…never mind, I probably don't want to know the reasoning.
The events of 9/11/1973 were worse and more worthy of never being forgotten anyway.
deborahbell says
@141 Beatrice That sucks!! Here's hoping it does go through quickly. Mine was a regular job and we got paid the Friday of the week after each pay period ended, so it wasn't anything extra special. I'm still a bit surprised about the vacation payout, though, since they specifically stated they wouldn't pay it in states that don't require it.
@142 Joe I've always felt a little odd about my reaction to 9/11. I was a supervisor at a mass merchandiser, at work that day, and I remember cashiers and other employees demanding radios to listen to the news all morning, acting like asking them to do their job on such a day was a real surprise. I wasn't so emotionally upset by the situation, not so surprised that such a thing could happen. I also remember the long lines at the gas stations, everyone afraid after that one last fillup we wouldn't get any more gas for a long time.
Sili says
… Australian Business Traveller's John Walton [warned]. "The only way that [Apple] Maps is an improvement is if you're looking for an Apple Store.
But why would you want to look for Paddington Station?
/standard Apple response
Improbable Joe says
Dianne, I wasn't clear. 9/11 I was in Nashville travelling to Mayberry. At least Nashville has lots of people. Mayberry? Not so much.
deborahbell, you were "odd" only in that you were the only person making sense that day, especially if you weren't within 100 miles of any of the attacks. More people die in tsunamis, and nobody 1000 miles away expects a day off.
Stevarious says
The events of 9/11/1973 were worse and more worthy of never being forgotten anyway.
Oh, didn't you know? Uhmurkin lives are worth the lives of ten furriners. 100 if they have brown skin. Do the math!
Thanks to my American education, I never learned about that in school. In fact, I only learned about it when I saw an article about it in, hmmm, 2009, right around 9/11 that year. I find it very unlikely that anything resembling a significant percentage of Americans have ever HEARD of Pinochet.
dianne says
Improbable Joe: For some reason, my brain jumped to the assumption that Mayberry was a neighborhood in Nashville. Not sure where I got that one.
Portia, Now With Improved Loudness and Feminaziism says
Improbable Joe
plus sign-on bonus
Yay! I hope it goes well.
Bad roommates are 25% of all Judge Judy cases.
Ha! Ain't that the truth. Thanks for the well wishes. I'm hoping I can just do well enough that the knot in my stomach isn't quite so perpetual. (I know you can relate).
Pirate ducky looks amazing!
Glad you've made it back safely.
So sorry for the loss.
That's awesome! Unexpected pay is always nice. Good luck with your new job. And thanks for the encouragement : )
Tomorrow I'm receiving my professional license for the neighboring state (which I can literally see from my back porch–hold your Palin jokes please) so that should drastically increase my potential client base and hopefully expand my business even more. I am forcing myself to be optimistic.
Anyone know anything about washing machine repair? Specifically, what would cause one to leak?
Re: Kristen Stewart; I think she gets a bad rap in part because she doesn't smile on command for photographers like women are expected to do. Not that I think her acting is stellar, but I do think she gets more grief than she rightfully deserves.
Beatrice says
Re: Kristen Stewart; I think she gets a bad rap in part because she doesn't smile on command for photographers like women are expected to do.
Your argument has merit.
Portia, Now With Improved Loudness and Feminaziism says
I've read back far enough to see you were also fundagelically homeschooled! I bookmarked your comment to save everyone's recommendations for future reference when I have the time to make up for my own gaps in sciencey knowledge brought on by the Gawdiness of my biology classes in high school.
cm's changeable moniker says
Beatrice says
Improbable Joe says
Um… NO.
Beatrice says
There are freaking pictures. The guy is holding a stick.
Some children seem to have partially wet clothes so I wonder what else was part of this "initiation".
Improbable Joe says
Seriously, NO.
Beatrice says
I'll just go over to cuteoverload for awhile. Need something nice to be the last thing I see before going to bed, instead of… that.
I should have gone with "Seriously, NO" the moment I saw the title.
Improbable Joe says
Beatrice, good call.
Speaking of going to bed, I had a "nightmare" last night. Something something and then my wife said "They said something to me at work this morning" and the anticipation of the possible horror was so bad that it woke me up and kept me up for a couple of hours.
Beatrice says
Oh, it's terrible when you're so stressed about something that it creeps even into your dreams.
Beatrice says
And now that I've watched a video of a cute labrador puppy dreaming of running I can go to sleep myself.
Good night, Joe. It seems you're on your own here now.
Portia, Now With Improved Loudness and Feminaziism says
Night Beatrice. I'm home sick just one time zone behind Joe so I'm still here.
Ichthyic says
Ugh, Harris pisses me off so much he got me to get off my ass and actually blog. Pathetic of me I know
a good place to start my be attacking Coyne's support of Harris' latest anti-Islam diatribe.
I was sorry to see Jerry making such faulty conclusions from Sam's argument, as faulty as THAT was.
Improbable Joe says
Sleep good, I'm sure other folks will be around shortly.
maureenbrian says
I know I'm late but Pirate Duckie is magnificent!
Portia and Maureen, thank you!
Maureen, I got your email, I'm sorry I'm late replying, I'm behind in everything! I'll get back to you tonight or tomorrow morning.
Improbable Joe says
Did I mention "heavy drinking"?
Portia, Now With Improved Loudness and Feminaziism says
Just got a free washer from a facebook friend! *happy dance*
what's yer poison, Joe?
Improbable Joe says
Tonight I'm drinking Red Hook variety pack. I've choked down the Pilsner, finished off the IPA, working on the ESB, and saving the Copper Hook for last. After that, if I'm conscious, I'm going to drink the leftovers from the Sam Adams variety pack I bought last week.
I'm a fan of variety packs. I've probably tried 100 new beers in the last year because of variety packs.
Portia, Now With Improved Loudness and Feminaziism says
Great strategy. I'm a fan of variety packs myself. Except for the part where I have to actually "choke down" things like IPA. But Copper Hook sounds delicious…amber ale is my favorite beer.
Rev. BigDumbChimp says
Currently baking bourbon macerated sour cherry dark chocolate brownies.
So there.
Dhorvath, OM says
Mmm, bourbon. Wait a minute. Those other things sound tasty too.
Improbable Joe says
Portia, it was the pilsner I choked down. It isn't "bad" by any standard except in comparison to the normal stuff I drink. I've drank enough PBR and Stroh's, not to mention Bud and Miller, that I know bad from really bad. I also tend to be really picky when an expensive beer isn't better than a cheap beer. Stroh's in the bottle is pretty cheap, and is better than a Budweiser. Pabst Blue Ribbon on tab isn't any worse than Coors or Miller and comes a whole lot cheaper.
But then there's a whole lot of smaller brewery stuff that is crap. There's Starr Hill in Virginia, which makes one good beer(called Lucy, like one of my cats!) and a whole lot of swill that makes me miss Coors Extra Gold, which I could get on Camp Lejeune back in the 1990s for $10 per 30-pack. On the other hand, if you ever see a Saranac variety pack on the shelf, snatch that up fast-like. Almost everything they make is smooth and tasty, and can be had for pretty cheap.
Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says
Dang, had the Lilac Berets interested in "liberating" the Rev. BDC brownies until they remembered his Huskies. Then nothing doing. Well, I'll just have to send him some grog. *Loads trebuchet*
Sigh. The older kid is fitting in so well and doing so much better dealing with conflict in his second year of middle school; the levels of overtly sexist peer programming surrounding the younger kid seem to be dropping off now that she's in third grade. I thought the school situation seemed too good to be true. Now she is describing incidents that sound a lot like being targeted for her lack of belief in god(s), and after his piss poor showing when the older kid was picked on a few years back I can't imagine the principal is going to be very responsive to it.
Fucking Christians and their fucking brainwashed sprogs.
Stevarious says
All this chatter about beer made me wish I liked the stuff.
Improbable Joe says
Tony •King of the Hellmouth• says
It sounds like you would love World of Beer. We just had a location open earlier this year. They have upwards of 500 beers. Many of which are of high alcohol content.
And those pics are disturbing. Just…no. I don't care if no laws were violated. Given the RCCs involvement in child rape and molestation, something like _licking whipped cream off the knee of a pastor_ should raise serious red flags.
Tony •King of the Hellmouth• says
I understand completely. I dislike beer with the passion of a million collapsing stars.
Improbable Joe says
Tony… you know I JUST left Florida, right? Of course, in Florida the local gas station had 60-70 types of beer.
Stevarious says
Not for lack of trying. I tried to like beer for years, because all my friends drank beer and my brother is like a connoisseur of rare beers and is always buying weird beers for me to try. ("This beer is magical, it's like drinking pure magical delicious ambrosia!" "This beer has honey in it, it's like the easiest beer in the world to like!" "This beer has fucking chocolate in it, you better like this or else!" "This beer has your fucking name on it, I don't even care if you like it you have to take it and drink it." – this one is still in my fridge, though after two years it's probably undrinkable and it was pretty fucking horrible when it was fresh.)
It's all very frustrating because I know that so many people would just die to have so much free excellent beer thrust their way but I have just never drunk a beer that was better than "I guess if I HAD to drink it I would, like if it was the only thing to drink."
The Laughing Coyote (Canis Sativa) says
Hell Stevarious, maybe I should start pretending I don't like beer.
Beer? Can't stand the stuff. It's so carbonated. And yeasty… and hoppy… and… and…
*Homer Drool*
Improbable Joe says
The Laughing Coyote,
That's my new scam! "Hey, I don't know if I like beer, why don't you buy me one of each until I find one I like?"
Stevarious says
Oh, that's good. I wonder if it would work with rum?
The Laughing Coyote (Canis Sativa) says
only one way to find out, stevarious.
Stevarious says
To the bar!
Improbable Joe says
Might want to do a couple of shots of other things, and then rum second from last. You do 3 shots, a shot of rum, and then one more shot. Then you say "the one right before the last one, what was that? I think I liked that?" Then you get another of that rum, and you say something like "I like that, but is there one that is similar but has a little more/less flavor?" and pretty soon you've gotten 7-8 free shots!
Ogvorbis: broken and cynical says
Aaaaaaaaaaand today Ing and Ingdog learn about putting out household fires! YAY!
Easy. If the fire is in the kitchen, you go and set fire to the couch.
What? Backfires work great for wildland fires.
Glad you've made it back safely.
All, thanks for the welcome back.
Weird town.
I'll add some details later.
This one, though, I felt very proud of.
During one of our security meetings (daily), one of the local residents was mentioned (basically, is this person giving every fire vehicle the finger and screaming at them a danger?). This individual is, by plumbing, male, but identifies as female and dresses as a female. A couple of the SEc1s and SEC2s referred to the individual, a man dressed as a woman, as either 'a he/she' or, even worse, 'it.' I objected to the use of both epithets, saying that they both dehumanized the person and objectified her, both of which can be used to justify violence, intimidation, or discrimination. I stated, "If that person identifies as female, the proper pronoun to use is 'she.' Anything else is an insult."
Dead silence. For a good five count, no one said a word. One of the LEOs (Law Enforcement Officer (an SEc1)), a really conservative guy from the mid south, said, "Damn. Never thought of it that way. Sorry. I'll try to keep that in mind."
A few days later, an SEC2 (ex-LEO who went into fire management and was waiting for some paperwork before becoming an SEC1 again) thanked me. She said that it was irking her but she had no idea why is was disturbing her, or what to do about it.
Made me feel good. Not why I said it, but I felt good that at least two people in that group may start to think about gender identity.
Anyone know anything about washing machine repair? Specifically, what would cause one to leak?
A hole in the water retention system.
Schoolchildren 'Licked Cream Off Polish Catholic Priest Father Marcin Kozyra's Legs' In Initiation Ceremony
What the fuck is wrong with people?
Tonight I'm drinking Red Hook variety pack. I've choked down the Pilsner, finished off the IPA, working on the ESB, and saving the Copper Hook for last.
Drinking an Ommegag Dubbel right now.
Improbable Joe says
Improbable Joe says
Oh, sorry… "spoilers!"
Tony •King of the Hellmouth• says
That is so awesome. I hope the seed you planted in those people takes root and blossoms. It's wonderful to hear stories of how people started to change their minds, or consider the feelings of others.
Ogvorbis: broken and cynical says
They paid him?
trinioler says
Health advice: Does… anyone know anything about… not sure what the hell it is, and I don't want to make assumptions.
Okay, earlier, I started feeling weak, the kind I know is associated with low-blood sugar for me. Happens sometimes.
This time it was accompanied by a prolonged period of quivering or tremors. Not sure how to describe it.
I'm… still having them, but not as bad as they were earlier at work. Its definitely not low blood-sugar anymore.
I felt like my arms and body were jelly and being shaken.
It felt… like I was relieving pressure if I let my arms or body flail.
Right now, it seems to be confined to my hands and arms, and sometimes my shoulder. I feel what seem to be shivers…
Mostly its just a kind of fizzing low-level pain in the joints of my hand right now.
What the fuck is happening to me?
Improbable Joe says
If you can afford it, I would suggest a doctor. It could be a low blood sugar thing, or it could be low blood sugar as a symptom of a bigger problem, or it could be something completely unrelated and waiting to see a doctor could mean the difference between life and death.
Ogvorbis: broken and cynical says
I agree with Joe. Get thee to a practitioner.
trinioler says
Yeah going to the hospital. Will keep peeps updated on FB.
PZ Myers says


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What is a Drip Campaign?
Whether you're running for US senate or city council, campaigns require a exorbitant amount of planning and attention to detail. While you could certainly hire another staff member to be in charge of coordinating SMS messages and responses in real time, there are other options to save you some wasted time and wasted money. One of those options is an SMS drip campaign.
A drip campaign is one of many tools in the text-message marketing tool belt. When establishing a highly coveted long-term relationship with your voters via SMS, a drip campaign is usually the way to go. Traditionally carried out through email, drip campaigns consist of pre-written messages sent out automatically based on your campaign's personalized schedule and/or queues.
What is text message marketing?
Messages "drip" periodically into your contacts' inboxes, ensuring that your campaign is in constant contact with voters during the commotion of a political campaign. You can also set up a drip campaign to be more interactive. You can send more personalized and relevant drip messages to users based on responses that your drip campaign incites. Below, you'll find three crucial steps to setting up your drip campaign.
1. Identify Your Objective in Launching a Drip Campaign
Since drip campaigns can be executed in a number of ways, your campaign will benefit from starting a drip campaign with a clear goal in mind. Would you simply like to send out updates and reminders as election day draws nearer? Are you trying to connect with volunteers? Do you need to collect data? Maybe you'd like to do all of the above.
Since all responses are pre-written with automated send out, you'll be able to quickly and easily set up multiple drip campaigns for each objective that your campaign may have. Some drip campaigns can be more involved, employing different interactions with users based on their responses. Others can simply act as a system for periodic announcements from your campaign.
2. Pick Times That You'd Like to Send Out Your Initial Drip Message
Next, you'll want to identify the times in which you'd like to send out your drip messages. During this part of your planning, be sure to remember that your contacts have all opted in to your SMS messaging campaign; this means that voters have given you their trust! They want to hear from your campaign. That will change if you text in a quantity that will make them opt out of receiving messages.
When scheduling times to send out messages, be sure to do so purposefully. Don't schedule messages on a sporadic timeline without any rhyme or reason. Try to pick days that are relevant to your campaign on a timeline that will benefit you and the voter. When you're scheduling messages that respond to a user's engagement, you'll want to make sure your responses are immediate.
Additionally, give your campaign enough time to synthesize the data that your drip campaign is capable of collecting. For example, if your drip campaign is set up to gather volunteers, don't launch it two weeks before the election.
3. Strategize How You'd Like to Interact with Users
If one of your objectives for a drip campaign is to interact with voters, you must then decide how you'd like for that to happen. Much like a bracket chart, you'll have the ability to send specific messages to users based on their responses.
For example, your drip campaign can send an initial message asking if the user would like to hear more about volunteer opportunities. You can give the user two choices for two different responses. If the user responds "YES," your drip campaign will automatically follow up with more volunteer information. If they respond "NO," your drip campaign will automatically follow up with another question, other information about your campaign, or just cease the interaction altogether.
When setting up your drip campaign, you'll want to make sure that you're using the proper diction and interaction tactics. You can have an excellent platform, but if your pre-written messages seem formulaic or impersonal, you'll find yourself constantly in square one during your drip campaign.
While drip campaigns are powered by automated text messages, the beauty of it lays in that your campaign has the opportunity to write the messages. This will ensure that your interactions are honest and close to home. You'll be able to save money and save time all without sacrificing the connection with your voter base.

subset: commoncrawl


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There are now a lot of laptops on the market, that is why it's not that easy to find a laptop for girls. Women usually look for a laptop which is generally best looking and stylish. However, it should still be able to meet, certain requirements like portability, durability and above all performance. They do not want to use a laptop that does not perform up to their expectations. Today girls are not anymore quite interested in colored or pink laptops, they could now appreciate minimalists devices ask long as it looks elegant enough and works when it's needed.
Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon
Price: Approximately $1,300
Colors: Black or Silver
It is the thinnest and smallest ultrabook that Lenovo had produced. This makes the laptop very much portable and excellent for students and businesses most especially for girls. If there is one thing that girls would want on their laptop, that is the ability to bring it whenever they want.
Battery life is a whopping 15.5 hours according to Lenovo official site, but other sites say its only around 12 hours. Plus, another great thing about this laptop is its rapid charging feature which can charge up your battery to around 80% in about an hour. So even if you only charge it for about 30 mins, your good to go for around 10-12 hours of laptop work.
Colors are available in either black or silver. Girls usually choose silver over black, but still there are women who also prefer the black color. Aside from this, Lenovo X1 carbon is designed to have a classic look making it more elegant. Both men and women would definitely appreciate its look.
It is reassuring to know that you got one of the best laptop products in the market since Lenovo Thinkpads are award-winning which is one of the reasons why its always loved by many. So for girls who tend to be clumsy, you do not have to worry that much when you have this laptop around since it built to withstand the tests of time.
This is best for girls who are looking for a laptop that has all the fundamentals right without thinking much about the glossy and classy look. Simply speaking, performance over
Thinkpad X1 Carbon Features:
- weight: 2.49 lbs or 1.39 kg
- thickness: 16 mm thin
- display: 14″" Quad-HD
- connectivity: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ X7 LTE-A
- connections: USB-C, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt
- Processor: Core i5 or i7 models
- Graphics: Intel® HD Graphics 620
- Camera: HD 720p
- Memory: 8 or 16GB
- Storage: 128GB and 1TB
- Audio: Dolby® Audio™ Premium
- Bluetooth: – Bluetooth® 4.1
Official Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon Product Page
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus
Price: Approximately $1,300
Color: Black
The main reason why Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus made to this list is that of its sophisticated and sleek design which most girls would certainly appreciate. In simple words, it's made to look beautiful. Most women would definitely be proud wherever they bring this laptop with a smart and sharp display. Plus, it boasts of its superior performance where Samsung brand is always known of. So when using this device, expect it to be fast especially when you are only doing the usual computer usage.
ATIV Book 9 Plus has a touch screen panel, so whenever you need to use it this way, you can do so whenever you want. This is very much useful when you simply need to share something with others like images or videos. Speaking of videos, one of the thing that would immediately come to your mind is its battery life. According to its official page, it is capable of lasting for 11 hours. It's definitely intended to help users be more productive all throughout the day without sacrificing mobility.
It is also important to note that has a lightning fast boot-up which is just around 6 seconds. This only means that you get instant access to whatever you need on your device without wasting valuable time.
ATIV Book 9 Plus Features:
- Weight: 1.39 kg
- Processor: Intel Core i5
- Hard Drive Storage: 125 GB SSD
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0, Intel Wireless-N 7260AN, USB 3.0, micro HDMI
- Graphics: Intel HD 4400 Graphics
Official Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus Product Page
Apple MacBook Air 13.3-Inch Laptop
Price: US$1,300 – US$1,600
Color: While or Black or Gold
Who doesn't know about the Apple's Macbook. If you have the budget, then most probably you should go for this laptop – Apple MacBook Air 13.3. Most girls would certainly fall in love with this laptop. The attraction is not only because of the brand but mainly because of 3 words. This laptop is light, thin, and above all powerful. All of which is what most laptop users are looking for. You do not have to ask about elegance when we talk about apple design as we already know that Apple products don't fall behind anyone when it comes to design.
Whatever task you are planning to do with the MacBook Air, rest assured that it can be done quickly. It can handle high-performance tasks like editing photos and it does it fast.
But, in order to enjoy using this laptop, you have to be familiar with the MacOS. This is the operating system that makes everything possible when using the laptop. For first time users, it might take some time of getting used to but nothing you can't be familiar off with constant use.
Girls looking to buy a laptop this year should consider this especially when the budget is not an important factor in choosing. It has already been used by thousands if not millions of users worldwide from students, business people, and professionals.
Apple MacBook Air Features
- Processor: Intel Core i5 / Corei7
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 6000
- Weight: 1.35 kilos
- Wifi: 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
- Sound: – Stereo speakers
Official Apple MacBook Air Product Page
LG gram 15.6" Touchscreen Laptop
Price: US$1,300 – US$1,700
Color: Dark silver
Most if not all of the laptops featured here are all slim and lightweight mainly because its what most girls are looking for so they could bring their laptop wherever they go. Adding to this great list is LG Gram 15.6′. If you are the kind of girl who does a lot on her laptop may it be for work or just having fun online, you'll love the 17 hours battery life of this device. Amidst its big screen, its weight is not compromised.
This LG Gram is the best option if you are looking for a device with a large screen but still lightweight. Because its only around 1.13 kg, you can take this laptop anywhere you go. If what you do is related to presentations and graphics, you'll enjoy the Full HD IPS display on this laptop. Everything on the screen is clear at any angle you look at it. And darkrooms will not stop you from using the laptop with ease for it comes with a Backlit keyboard where you can easily adjust its brightness.
When talking about performance, this won't disappoint you girls with its 7th generation Intel core i7 processor. It will not slow down whether you watch videos, play a game or use any applications you need.
Another important thing to note is the look or design of LG Gram, its made to look sleek, think and classy.
LG Gram Feature:
- Weight: 1.13 kg
- Processor: Intel Core i7
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Ports: USB Type C, USB 3.0
Official LG gram 15.6" Touchscreen Product Page
HP EliteBook Folio G1 Notebook PC
Price: US$1,000
Hp EliteBook Folio G1 is a notebook that boasts of innovation, quality material, fast performance and cutting-edge design. It has a sophisticated look which is a criterion that girls are looking for when they choose a laptop. It is considered to be the lightest and thinnest notebook offered by Hp in the market. A lot of people are saying that its the right choice when you don't want to go for those laptops that has large displays.
Aside from looking good, more importantly it is also built to be durable. The overall design gives this notebook a premium feel and look. Its durability is due to its metal chassis gives it the ability to withstand desk height drops. Definitely a good option for women who are sometimes clumsy and have already broken their previous laptop.
For better convenience in using the device, go for one that has touchscreen feature. As mentioned earlier, there are just times that having a touch-screen device is a better option. Even though it is small, rest assured that you will not have a problem with typing as the keys in the keyboard are well separated.
So if you are looking for a small, light-weight, elegant and durable laptop, the Hp Folio G1 is what you are looking for.
EliteBook Folio G1 Feature:
- Processor: Intel Core m5
- Memory: 8GB
- Storage: 256 GB SED
- Display: Full HD 12.5″
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 515
- weight: less than 1 kg
Official HP EliteBook Folio G1 Product Page


text:
Watch Airmen and the Headhunters – Preview on PBS. See more from Secrets of the Dead.
Investigate the extraordinary survival story of a crew of airmen shot down over the jungles of Japanese-occupied Borneo during World War II. This film recounts the rescue of a U.S. bomber crew by Dayak tribesmen, known for taking the heads of their enemies. The Dayaks fed and protected the airmen before leading them to the base of the maverick British special ops officer, Major Tom Harrisson, who was fighting a guerrilla war against the Japanese with a band of Australian commandoes. The program features an exclusive interview with the sole surviving member of the U.S. crew, as well as interviews with a number of the Dayak tribespeople and Japanese and Australian veterans.
- TV: Wednesday, 5/22 at 9:00 p.m.


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The Many Generations of Lookboonmee
Fightland Blog
The name Lookboonmee literally translates as "Children of Boonmee." Boonmee, known simply as Mee, is the owner, founder, and head trainer of the gym. Here, his students do not call him Arjan, or Kru but instead, Dad. It's one big family bounded together by Muay Thai. It was the late nights, long drives, huge disappointments, and even bigger victories that forged these bonds over more than a decade of fighting together.
Three local boys, and Mee's two young daughters were all it took to start the gym. Like most gyms in Isaan, they trained in the dirt without a roof and hung a homemade bag from a tree. Over time they eventually built a modest gym, and despite what some may call a sub-par facilities, it was Mee's grit and dedication to his fighters that mandated their success. The gym was always a group effort. Living on his in-law's land, Mee had their full support. His wife worked locally at a small sewing factory and together with her income, and money earned through farming, Mee was able to support and care for his fighters. Food was sourced locally, including everything from frog, rat, and even crickets. Fish soup was a staple, and rice was harvested by the family.
Together with his fighters they travelled all throughout Isaan, fighting multiple times in a week when scheduling permitted. He built contacts and picked up new fighters. His gym never seemed to slow, always growing organically. With the exception of the local fighters, everyone from out of town slept in the old house. Instead of bedrooms and beds, mats were put out and everyone would sleep on the floor in one big open space. For many years it continued this way. Mee, laughs at all the money he invested feeding the fighters and taking them to fights. To call it a labor of love was an understatement. Muay Thai is Mee's life. Now nearly fifteen years in, the investment of his own personal time and resources are beginning to pay off.
His daughter Loma, who was famous for fighting (and beating) young boys in Isaan for large side bets, was recruited to the Thai National Team. While her international, and domestic fight purses are still very low for a fighter of her caliber, she was awarded 800,000 Baht for her silver medal finish at this years IFMAs. Petch-Mai, who is now newly retired and working as a trainer in China, once demanded a regular purse of 80,000 Baht in Bangkok. And his current rising star Sidluck will be fighting for 1 million Baht later this year. He is a finalist in the prestigious Channel 7 Boon Sua Tournament.
But it took more than talent and hard work for Mee's fighters to make it in the Bangkok stadia. Support from at least a few prominent gamblers and promoters is essential. Police officer, promoter at Lumpini Stadium, and active gambler, Suthap Poompanmoung has taken an interest in Lookboonmee gym. He regularly features their fighters on his promotion, and offers them large tip outs to win. In exchange for his support a few of the fighters fight under his name. Sidluck, who fights under the name Dagulf Poompanmoung, received 100,000 Baht from Suthap for winning his most recent fight at Channel 7 and secured himself a shot at first place in the Boon Sua Tournament. Because of this, the name Lookboonmee isn't as well known as it should be.
Their impressive stable of active fighters, and commitment to continue to build and develop young talent caught the eye of newly branded company King Pro Boxing (formerly known as King). They helped Lookboonmee build a standardized ring and completely outfitted their gym with brand new equipment. Looking to invest long term, they are helping the gym create a stronger presence on social media and scout fighters for their promotions in Europe. Mee is one hundred percent on board. Their interest and support of his gym has enlisted a sense of pride amongst Mee and his fighters. Located in what some might describe as the middle of nowhere, it's considered a major accomplishment for this gym reach an international level of attention.
With winnings divided equally between the fighters and the camp Mee was able to build a second house to host his ever growing fight team. Earlier this year their old gym was completely demolished to build a brand new one. All fighters are taught to help out and be self-sufficient. They must cook and clean up after themselves, and are all expected to hold pads and teach the new fighters. Manners are very important at Lookboonmee, and Mee requires all his fighters to speak and treat others with the utmost respect. It's somewhat rare for a grassroots gym to be able to survive this long, many are only able to produce one or two generations of fighters but Mee seems to have the system perfected. On any given day the gym is filled with both active stadium fighters and young kids training for their first fight.
Check out these related stories:
Across the Mekong: The Life and Times of Master Song
Against the Odds: Bpaet Becomes a Muay Thai Fighter
The Mixed Martial Arts of Victorian London
Before BJJ, there was Bartitsu.
Jonathan Maicelo: The Last Inca
Peru's up-and-coming boxing star.
Kron Gracie on Jiu-Jitsu, Skateboarding, Older Brothers, and Famous Fathers
The ties that bind are strong.
Joel Tudor on the Art of Surfing, Fighting, and Style
A surf icon helps MMA keep its sense of tradition.
Japan's Karate Kid: Kyoji Horiguchi
Japan's brightest MMA prospect.


text:
Intel has set up an entire business unit to make sure that it doesn't miss out on the the whole "internet of things" movement.
The chipmaker wants to make sure that it's not behind the curve on efforts to create a vast army of network-connected gadgets and sensors – ideally everything from remote-controllable toasters to your nose-hair trimmers. Thus, Chipzilla is building an entire division devoted to making money from the trend.
"[Chief exec Brian] Krzanich is saying, 'I want a higher level of focus on this to help us grow it and put the level of attention on it that it deserves'," the new internet-of-things solutions group boss Doug Davis told Reuters.
Although it's a whopping great big company with fingers in a lot of pies, like many other tech firms, Intel was a bit slow to pick up on the consumer switch to mobile and kept trying to push laptop tech such as its Ultrabooks. Since Krzanich came in as chief in May, the company has made building chips for portable devices a higher priority and it has started work on power-sipping microchips suitable for use in wearable devices including smartwatches. ®


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How to Remove Outlook Contacts
Microsoft Outlook is best known as a desktop email client, but the software also includes a powerful address book tool. With the Outlook address book, you can create contact records for your workers, clients, prospects and vendors. Each contact record can contain a wide range of information including email addresses, phone numbers, mailing addresses and URLs. If you want to remove one or more contacts from Outlook, you can easily delete address book records.
Launch Microsoft Outlook and click on the "Contacts" tab in the lower left corner of the application window.
Click on the "View" tab in the top toolbar.
Click the "Change View" button, and then click the "List" option.
Hold down the "Ctrl" key on your keyboard and click on the contact records you want to remove.
Click on the "Home" tab in the top toolbar.
Click the "Delete" button. Outlook will remove the selected contacts from your address book and move them to your Deleted Items folder.
Photo Credits
- Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images


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PLCEurope Ltd. is a leading supplier of obsolete and latest technology Factory Automation and Process Control spare parts, combining customer service excellence approaches with products' quality to passionately create world class services and products that cater customer needs across diverse industries. Our headquarters is located in England and we cater the needs of the manufacturing industries in Europe, North and Latin America, MENA, Asia, Australia and Africa.
We stock and supply a wide range of legacy 'obsolete' and latest technology Automation and Control products like PLCs, Servos, Motors, Inverter Drives, Power Supplies, Industrial PCs & HMIs, Network & Data Communication, I/O Modules and CNCs systems spare parts. We specialize in brands like Siemens 'Texas Instruments', Rockwell Automation 'Allen Bradley, Guardmaster and Reliance Electric', Schneider Electric 'Telemecanique, Modicon, Square D, Zelio and Elau', ABB 'Baldor', Bosch-Rexroth 'Indramat', Emerson 'Control techniques & Leroy Somer', Dr. Johannes Heidenhain, Mitsubishi, Omron Yaskawa, Lenze, Sew Eurodrive, KUKA, Danfoss, GE Fanuc, Vickers, Sick, Pilz and Invensys Eurotherm.
We serve the Pharmaceuticals, Automotive, Fabricated Metals, Building & Factory Automation, Packaging, Chemical, Food & Beverage, Oil & Gas, Power Generation & Distribution, Pulp & Paper, Water & Wastewater and Aerospace industries. Our services range from supplying spare parts 'new, pre-owned and reconditioned' to repairs and service exchanges. We strive to provide the manufacturing sector with unsurpassed service from which we create value that enhances the success of our client's businesses. Our focus is to assist our clients to retain the healthy condition of their machine in a very short time and to minimize the breakdown losses. Breakdowns are one of the most common causes of efficiency loss in manufacturing, and a lack of availability of machine spare parts eventually leads to production losses. We support our clients in their total productive maintenance approach with additional value added products and services. No matter what electro-mechanical process or manufacturing systems you are running, we are committed to provide customized solutions.


text: Ramya Venkataraman is Founder & CEO of Centre for Teacher Accreditation (CENTA), www.centa.org, which aims to empower teachers and catalyze teacher professional development, through a high quality certification that can connect outstanding teachers to great opportunities and also serve as a pointer for schools and teacher trainers in their recruiting and professional development efforts. Through the catalytic effect of this, CENTA hopes to play a central role in improving the quality of school education and making teaching a preferred and celebrated profession. CENTA's first initiative, the CENTA Teaching Professionals' Olympiad TPO 2015in India (www.tpo-india.org), held on Dec 5th across 7 cities and 20 centres, in 9 subject-grade tracks,received tremendous response from the country's teaching and broader education community withover 5000registrations from 300+ cities/towns across 32 states/UTs, significant media coverage, encouragement from several foundations, associations and governments,and requests to add centres in other cities of India and internationally. Ramya is also an Advisor to McKinsey & Company's Education Practice (which she earlier built and led) andmember of a few significant education committees at the central and state level in India. She authors a few publications from time to time and informally guides young organizations. Prior to this, Ramya was with McKinsey & Company for 16 years, including as Leader of the Education & Skills Practice for the last 6 years, and in multiple other industry sectors and geographies in the first 10 years (a broader professional experience that she continues to bring to bear in her education work). Ramya is known for driving several pioneering on-the-ground reform efforts in both school education and skills in India – large scale school system reform (e.g. in Mumbai), helping set up significant national level institutions (e.g. NSDC), supporting the development of several leading foundations and private organizations, and contributing to significant policies including the public-private partnership policy in education in Mumbai, the skills policy at the national level, and others. Beyond hands-on experience in India, Ramya has played advisory roles in education and skills efforts in Bhutan, South East Asia, middle east and North Africa. Among other recognitions, Ramya has received a 'global entrepreneurship award' in McKinsey for her contributions to education in India, has been profiled by a Professor from the Institute of Education, UK, in the US Yearbook, as an example of someone who has had system level impact through her efforts, and has been recognized as a distinguished alum by her high school. Ramya holds a B.Tech from IIT Delhi and an MBA from IIM Calcutta, and has received prestigious awards for leadership at both institutes.@RamyaVRaman


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Russet potatoes still dominate markets, but specialties are gaining.Frank Muir, president and chief executive officer of the Eagle-based Idaho Potato Commission, said Idaho is increasing its market share on specialty potatoes."We have just enough growers doing specialties that we are now a one-stop-shop state," Muir said. "We don't want to saturate the market with specialties because that would crash prices."Muir said shippers that don't grow their own specialty potatoes are often working with growers who do to provide a full range of potato varieties from Idaho. In Colorado and California, Mountainside, N.J.-based Specialty Potato Alliance is appealing to that specialty trend with its proprietary varieties. The company is working on a new combination bag for what it calls its Culinary Harvest fingerlings, which it will call Melange.In the specialty category, the company has been marketing more heavily its larger fingerlings-golden, a yellow fingerling and la rouge, a red fingerling-which are more than four inches long, said Richard Leibowitz, managing director,"We have traditionally done golden and la rouge in retail, and are now looking to put them into foodservice, as well," Leibowitz said.Leibowitz said specialty potatoes are huge in retail and serve as a way for retailers to upgrade their potato sales. One of the challenges, though, is that consumers like to see colorful potatoes like the purples and blues in mixes, but the darker colors cook at a different rate than yellow and red potatoes. When they're packaged together and cooked together, consumers may end up with an inconsistently cooked meal."On the foodservice side, people are interested but are incorporating them a little slower," Leibowitz said. "We have done a lot with traditional varieties like the russian banana, which is a leader in the fingerling category, but we're working to introduce more specialty varieties into foodservice."The company's goal is to get its foodservice customers asking for proprietary varieties by name, including the company's Rocky Rose and Red Rebel varieties."For chefs, they want to do something a little different, to add a little color to the plate," said Mike Gorczyca, procurement manager for Pro*Act, Monterey, Calif. "That's definitely a growing area."Gorczyca said red and gold potatoes are particularly popular in the foodservice segment.Specialty potatoes are gaining ground in retail and foodservice, but are seeing particular growth in foodservice, said Jamey Higham, vice president of foodservice for Idaho Falls, Idaho-based Potandon Produce LLC. "A lot of work has been done to expand chefs' thought patterns with varieties that are available today," said Mike Carter, chief executive officer of Bushmans' Inc., Rosholt, Wis. "Many of those varieties may not have been around 10 years ago."As chefs have picked up on specialty potatoes, retailers have followed suit, Carter said.
"We expect that to continue," Carter said."I think it's catching on, and the reason is consumers are exposed to more than just what chefs are doing in restaurants, but also the Food Channel and cooking shows, which have enlightened consumers."The Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota is known for its red potatoes, but also produces a good supply of yellow potatoes for the marketplace.Paul Dolan, general manager of Associated Potato Growers, Grand Forks, N.D., said red potatoes have become so mainstream he doesn't necessarily consider them specialty anymore.\However, yellow potatoes are still treated as a specialty item.Among the chefs the Washington State Potato Commission works with for its promotional materials, fingerlings and colored potatoes are growing in popularity, said Karen Bonaudi, director of marketing and industry for the Moses Lake-based Washington State Potato Commission.
"Yukon golds are always really popular because you get a unique flavor and texture," Bonaudi said. Bonaudi said the state's red potatoes sell out to the East Coast and California, where they are in especially high demand.Mac Johnson, chief executive officer of Denver-based Category Partners, said consumers' growing interest in smaller B- and C-size potatoes likely is due to shorter preparation times required for cooking with them. Category Partners is owned by Monte Vista, Colo.-based Farm Fresh Direct and Idaho Falls, Idaho-based Wada Farms, and is a retail marketing and category development firm.SOURCE: Ashley Bentley, The Packer


text: Read More Author: Sophie Beaudoin • Date: October 7, 2014 Jason Mraz - "Back to the Earth" If you ever need a little pick-me-up, this song is it. Or, you could take Jason Mraz's advice, turn off your phone, get down low and put your hands in the dirt! ... Appears in: Community, News


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I heard a great quote the other day while listening to a podcast of the Vineyard Church of Columbus, OH; "A text without a context is a pretext." As I was reading in the January issue of "Christianity Today" a stark example of pretext leapt from the 'Quotation Marks' column, "The injunction of Jesus to love others as ourselves is an endorsement of self-interest." The quote is credited to Brian Griffiths, member of the British House of Lords, and advisor to Goldman Sachs International. For the context of the text Mr. Griffiths references, see Matthew chapter 22. In all fairness, the entire text of Mr. Griffith's speech does not appear in the column, though his advisor-ship to a world-wide retailer does lend the notion that he endorses self interest in a light not intended in the Gospel.
Excerpting and skewing Bible texts to serve even noble self interest certainly is not new, and it certainly continues to be most dangerous to the self, and to others. I have heard "Blessed are the poor" (Matt. 5:3) used to promote social justice issues. I have no opposition to social justice, as this is a strong and pervasive teaching of God throughout the Bible, but the above quote is a partial reading completely removed from its context, which is immediately the entire 'Beatitudes passage, and more fully, the entire 'Sermon on the Mount', which is Matthew chapters 5-7. When we read the Word of God, whether in a personal devotion or larger group context, we must always practice at least two disciplines; pray for God's Holy Spirit to lead and teach us, and keep all texts in context!