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Bill Whittle's latest essay Trinity contains some wonderful remarks about optimism and its role in a creative capitalist society:
Now I can see a few honest souls who don't really see how cut-throat capitalism helps the poor. Well, that's fair, because capitalism is a study in contrasts. In fact, this would be as good a time as any to admit that I've spent much of my life worrying myself sick about making enough money to pay the bills. You'll just have to take my word for this. I know what it's like to have your phone and electricity cut off. I know what it's like to avoid the telephone and the mailbox – in fact, I know what it's like to avoid a stern knock on the door.
It sucks.
But even during the many times I've been out of work, flat broke, worried sick and living off the kindness of my life-saving friends – you guys know who you are – even then, when I was practically throwing up from fear, even then – I have never, ever considered myself a poor person. I have always thought of myself as a rich person experiencing severe cash flow problems.
That is a distinctly American attitude. Optimism. Hope. Ambition. You break these chains in your head first – everything else will follow.
All this applies directly to TCS. This may seem paradoxical at first. The rhythm of life that a TCS family aims for has the property that children experience a continual stream of what might be called getting-what-they-want. Their parents try to spare them from pain and frustration whenever that is humanly possible, in just the way that governments do not seek to spare citizens in a capitalist society. Right-wingers, especially, might well interpret Bill Whittle's story as a parable about the inevitability of suffering in the great scheme of things, and of the virtue of embracing it. If they made that mistake about entrepreneurs, they would certainly make it about children too.
But they would be fundamentally wrong about both. (And about the analogy between the two: Parents are not governments. They are there to help.) What is satisfying in the life of a rich person is not receiving money or spending money, it is the process of solving problems, including the problem of what to want. Their objectives and their means of achieving them co-evolve, and it is this process that satisfies them, not the outcome, for the outcome is invariably a new set of unsolved problems and unmet objectives. Likewise, the TCS aspiration is not that of children automatically and instantaneously achieving whatever objective occurs to them, but of their being part of a continuous process of changing and meeting objectives which is itself what-they-want. Not a life free of problems, but a life full of problems that get solved.
They get solved by thought – the child's and the parents' – and by time and attention and money and so on. The application of creativity and resources to solving problems, including the modification of one's own preferences as part of one's preferred solution, is not the price that one pays in return for the what-one-wants payoff. On the contrary, the exercise of creativity is the payoff, and material objects and other resources are simply the means of exercising it again in the face of the new and better problems (including new and better preferences) created by the solution of the previous problems.
None of the aspirations of TCS engenders more rage and hostility than that of children experiencing a life of getting-what-they-want. The same is true of the creative capitalist lifestyle portrayed by Bill Whittle in Trinity. In both cases, the idea – pessimism – that such a lifestyle is not possible is intimately related with the feeling that it is not desirable, that it is not right: that if we arrange for some people to have it, then this can only corrupt them and impoverish everyone else. In both cases the opposite is true. In both cases optimism, which is both the feeling that problems can be solved and the enjoyment of solving them, breaks the chains of the self-fulfilling prophesy of endless suffering.
Economic Concepts
Submitted by Economist on
When you say talk about "the modification of one's own preferences as part of one's preferred solution", you use the same term ("preferences" or "preferred") to mean two different things (choice and utility),
which makes the statement at best confusing, at worst non-sensical.
Consider the following way to clear the confusion. An individual has preferences. (Forget about whether they change or not with new information, as this is not relevant to clear the basic confusion.) An individual's preferences rank bundles of goods (or activities) in terms of the utility (or satisfaction) they bring him. There is a feasible set of bundles that I can get, given my budget constraint. (The budget constraint takes into consideration what I can sell my time for, what value I assign to leisure, and the fact that time is limited.) For example, I can get the bundle two-computers-and-three-filing-cabinets (Bundle 1),
I can also get the bundle one-computer-and-four-filing cabinets (Bundle 2),
etc.; but the bundle three-computers-and-two-filing-cabinets (Bundle 3) is among those outside my feasible set. Within my feasible set, I will choose the bundle that maximizes my utility, given my budget constraint – in my case, it is Bundle 2: two-computers-and-three-filing-cabinets. I would prefer Bundle 3 (it would give me more utility),
but I cannot afford it. Among the bundles I can afford, Bundle 2 is the one that brings me the most utility, the one I prefer given my constraints, and, therefore, the one I choose.
In other words, one chooses what one prefers (what gives one more utility) given one's constraints. There are three important concepts: preferences/utility, constraints, and choice. Using the same term for preferences/utility and choice assumes away the constraints, and muddles up everything.
Of course, you may define preferences in such a way that you can say that I have changed my preferences from Bundle 3 to Bundle 2 after I realized I could not afford the former, and chose the latter instead. But this implicit definition of "preferences" raises two immediate problems: (1) in this sense, one changes his preferences all the time and about everything, because one would always want more; and (2) you would still need a term to describe what your "preferences" would be if you had no constraint. By distinguishing preferences as ranking of utilities, and choice as maximizing utility under constraints, the economic way of looking at this avoids the confusion.
On this, you may consult any textbook of economic theory (Friedman's Price Theory is good). There is a 300-year analytical tradition in economics about preferences and choice that may be useful in your analyses.
Entrepreneurship is a different matter, but it does not change anything to what I have said above. The entrepreneur or the optimist may be able to change his constraints, but he still has to choose in order to maximize his utility given his (new) constraints.
Life is not Economics
Submitted by a TCS reader (not verified) on
Economics can be applied to resolve a certain class of problems, the class of problems where waht we want to achieve and the sorts of means we ought to emply to achieve it are non-controversial and the only disagreements are over matters of detail.
However, Economics is useless for making decisions as to what we ought to value and it cannot be used to predict the outcome of such controversies. For example, before the early nineteenth century, the British government supported the slave trade. Afterward, they decided that the slave trade must be destroyed and worked toward that end. Before the late nineteenth century, slave ships were under the protection of the British Navy, afterward they were hunted. There is no single set of values that can reconcile these two policies and that is because the British changed their minds about the morality of the slave trade.
Getting what we want
Submitted by Terra on
Why do people get anraged by other people getting what they want? This is a sick old world, that's for sure...
one pessimist's opinion
Submitted by Kletta on
Maybe people do get enraged by other people getting what they want in itself. But I think they can also be enraged by that and something else: like that they get what they want instead of helping others get what they want, such as staying alive. Or that they don't care to get enough information about how others live, and assume that everyone can get what they want as easily as they can...
I think that Alan Forrester's post doesn't contradict Economist's. Although it all depends on what you think you ought to value. If you think it is morally wrong to want what you know you cannot get, then (in Economist's words), your choice ought, morally, to be your preference. But this is an unusual view with very far-reaching implications, so if someone holds this view, I would like to ask them for more info. And if this view is a part of TCS, I think it could be useful to make it more explicit, so people can see it when they first start learning about TCS.
response to Kletta
Submitted by mammal_mama on
But if I want some thing or some lifestyle that's way beyond my current means -- and I want it badly enough -- I'll start rearranging my life and expending tremendous time and energy 'till I figure out a way to get it.
As a mom, though, I truly prefer a simpler lifestyle which frees me to be home with my children. I'm getting what I really want, 'cause I'd be miserable leaving them while I worked three jobs even if it meant I COULD have caviar every day.
And sharing my life with my dear husband, the father of my children, is immensely preferable to ditching him for someone earning ten times as much money.
We haven't given up on making some major financial breakthrough -- but staying together, and being present and available to raise our kids ourselves, are essential to our happiness, way more essential than daily caviar.
Oh, and my experience of attachment parenting has so far showed me that when we listen to our children's communications and care about their happiness, it's as natural as breathing for them to care about the happiness of others, and to work to alleviate suffering in the world. I'm starting to see TCS as the natural unfolding of attachment parenting.
Submitted by Kletta on
"But if I want some thing or some lifestyle that's way beyond my current means -- and I want it badly enough -- I'll start rearranging my life and expending tremendous time and energy 'till I figure out a way to get it."
I think it's not always possible to figure out a way to get it -- at least not for the tens of thousands of people who die of poverty-related causes each day, or the many more who don't have enough to eat.
"As a mom, though, I truly prefer a simpler lifestyle which frees me to be home with my children. I'm getting what I really want, 'cause I'd be miserable leaving them while I worked three jobs even if it meant I COULD have caviar every day."
Wouldn't you like it even better if you didn't have to work at all and could have caviar every day?
Do you define the word preference as "what you prefer given your constraints"? If so, what word, if any, do you use for "what you would choose if you had no constraints"?
Thanks in advance!
work and caviar and preferences
Submitted by canyonstar on
my understanding of happiness in life includes a need for meaningful work, so i don't think it would be even better to not work and have caviar every day. to have to work at something that is not meaningful, that is a problem worth solving, caviar or no; but to not work at anything sounds like a meaningless life to me and not something that a person should want... and if they got it, they would soon find out that they do want to do something meaningful.
i don't know of anyone who has no contraints; we are at the mercy of gravity and the things that other people do that affect us and the limitations of our own skin and form. thinking of these constraints- attitude- in a way that considers the possibility of using them as an advantage rather than a disadvantage might help; i'm thinking of the way a person can use an attacker's force coming at them to help defend their self, as learned in self-defense courses.
if people accepted perceived constraints as Truth, they would never press pass them and discover new and better knowledge. many constraints are there, like memes, because someone else said so, or because that is as far as anyone knows at the moment. doesn't mean that that is all there is, that one might not be able to push past or circumvent a constraint and burst into a whole new realm of possibility.
a pessimist ime&o will not try to push past such a barrier. they might be content to allow others to define thier constraints, and believe them, and stay cozy within them albiet disgruntled and dissatisfied.
an optimist will keep looking, keep trying, keep changing one little thing.
imo it is the optimist who will be the one to come up with a way to help the ones who don't have enough to eat, to help those in poverty to see one little thing they can change to help themselves out of poverty.
Submitted by mammal_mama on
I agree with Canyonstar that we always have some sort of constraint to deal with. And I agree that we all need meaningful work for wellbeing.
But, if I'm right, I think Kletta was asking if I wouldn't prefer to be able to have caviar every day and still be a stay-at-home-mom: meaning I'd still be working at what I want to do (mothering my children) -- but without the current tight budget we usually deal with as a one-income family.
My answer is: sure, that'd be great. But I don't want it enough to actually do very much about it. Sometimes dh or I find a way to bring in a little extra money, and it's nice -- but we're not willing to make the extra commitment of time that would enable us to RELIABLY bring in extra money.
I see your point, Kletta, about the overwhelming constraints of people living in dire poverty ... I also think of the people living under oppressive regimes. I seriously doubt that many people in those situations are able to browse the internet and even give a thought to parenting philosophies such as TCS.
I don't want to be unaware of, or insensitive to, the plights of others. I certainly don't assume everyone else's circumstances are the same as my own. For instance, one low-income mom may be able to feed her family much better than another with the same income, simply because of her greater knowledge of cooking, nutrition, and budgeting.
Also, if two have the same amount of money to spend on groceries -- but one has a car and the other doesn't (and has never even had the opportunity to learn to drive), the one who doesn't drive may have to resort to the nearest store.
If the nearest store's a convenience store with higher prices and a smaller range of available foods, that's going to make a difference in how well each can feed her family.
I think it's good to be sensitive to ways I can improve the lives of those around me -- but bad if I feel so guilty over the inequities in the world that I can't bear to do anything extravagant for my children.


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We've seen this experiment a few times before, but never with Hello Kitty "catonaut" in a Japanese rocket made by a 12-year-old. And perhaps not with such a glorious pop:
NASA doesn't have a lock on space exploration anymore. Just ask Lauren Rojas, a seventh grader in Antioch, Calif., who recently launched a balloon to 93,625 feet using a do-it-yourself balloon kit from High Altitude Science…
The project is a terrific illustration of just how accessible the near-space environment has become. High Altitude Science was founded two years ago by Joseph Maydell, a flight controller for the International Space Station at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, who wanted everyone to experience the beautiful views of the planet that he got to see in the course of his work.
Not only does Maydell sell a kit and a flight computer on his site, but he also includes tutorials to get started with.
Related listening with Vermont Public Radio's But Why? podcast for curious kids: Where does the sky end?
From the archives, more views of Earth's curvature.
via Scientific American.

subset: commoncrawl


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Thanks for taking the time for such a full response Nel - much appreciated.... I await my start with slightly less trepidation 🙂
Hi Nel - just wondering how it is going. I'm due to start chemo (6 cycles - FEC-T) in a couple of weeks - & I am someone who has had a lifelong struggle with my weight.. By doing lots of cycling (c 8-10,000 miles a year, including lots of racing miles) I have managed to keep to a healthy weight in recent years, but already in the 6 weeks since my first op, enforced lack of decent cardio exercise has left me tipping the scales higher than I'd like. I'm trying to eat less than before, but fear that once I start chemo I might just balloon and that, & knowing how hard I find it to lose weight, is more depressing than the hair loss/ nail loss stories I am reading on here...
Hi Nel. I am so pleased I could help Nel. I have just had surgery well 11 days ago now and just have to have radiotherapy. Just to give you an idea of how much chemo has done for me when I was diagnosed with stage 3 I was told I would need a mastectomy and node clearance. The chemo did its job though and I only required a WLE and node clearance. My pathology results showed that I am now clear of cancer but obviously they cannot say that it will not return. I feel very lucky and priviledged to have come through this ordeal so well.
I wish you well in your treatment Nel. Love Sheila
Hi Nel. I finished my chemo 7 weeks ago now and can honestly say that apart from feeling bloated at times I did not put on any weight. Infact I have lost weight and gone down a dress size which is probably due to not being able to eat so much because food doesn't taste so good. Even if for you the steroids do make you put on weight once you finish your chemo I am sure you will loose it. Just remember they are temporary side effects and concentrate on the positive good that the chemo is doing. I have had the best results from my chemo that I could ever have hoped for or was expected by my oncologist. I wish you good luck and hope it goes well for you.
Hi all start my chemo on Wednesday and scared. I am so worried about the side effects. I have also been told that steriods given make younpile on the pounds and make your face puffy.


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Brig. Gen. James McLaughlin has been picked for promotion to director for space and cyber operations, and deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements at Air Force headquarters in Washington, D.C.
He previously served as deputy director for global operations at U.S. Strategic Command headquarters in Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. He was responsible to the commander on matters of situational awareness, command and control and integrated plans and operations across space, nuclear and cyber operations.
Posted by FCW Staff on Jan 17, 2012 at 9:26 PM0 comments
The new head of the Homeland Security Department's National Cybersecurity Division will come from the State Department.
Federal News Radio reports John Streufert, State's chief information security officer and deputy chief information officer, will replace Nicole Dean, who is leaving DHS later this month for a position in the private sector.
Streufert has served at State for over five years and is a leader in continuous monitoring. He won a 2010 Federal 100 award for leading the team that created the Risk Scoring Program, which gave administrators the ability to continuously monitor risks to State's information technology infrastructure.
Posted by FCW Staff on Jan 13, 2012 at 9:26 PM1 comments
The American Association for the Advancement of Science has elected a researcher from National Institute of Standards and Technology IT Laboratory to this year's class of AAAS Fellows.
Jeffrey Voas will be recognized for his contributions in the development of trustworthy software systems and advanced software fault injection-based testing techniques.
AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society and fellows are chosen by their peers. New fellows will be formally recognized on Feb. 18, 2012, during the 2012 AAAS Annual Meeting in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
Posted by FCW Staff on Jan 11, 2012 at 9:26 PM0 comments
Office of Management and Budget Director Jacob "Jack" Lew is expected to take over as White House Chief of Staff, following the anticipated resignation of William Daley from that position.
President Barack Obama announced the change on Jan. 9. The official shift is expected to take place at the end of the month, following the preparations for the State of the Union address and the preparation of the fiscal 2013 budget submission to Congress.
Daley, a former Secretary of Commerce in the Clinton administration, has been serving as chief of staff since January 2011, when he replaced Rahm Emanuel.
Lew was confirmed as OMB director in November 2010, after previously serving in that position from 1998 to 2001 under President Clinton.
He also previously served in the Clinton administration as deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, and as chief operating officer. From 1979 to 1987 he was a principal domestic policy advisor to House Speaker Thomas "Tip" O'Neill Jr.
Lew has held positions in the private sector including at Citi Global Wealth Management and at New York University.
Posted by Alice Lipowicz on Jan 09, 2012 at 9:26 PM0 comments
Former presidential adviser Richard A. Clarke begins the new year as a member of Identive Group's board of directors, according to an Identive press release.
Clarke most recently served as chairman of risk management firm Good Harbor Consulting, but he brings three decades of federal security experience to Identive, which specializes in identification, security and RFID products and services. Clarke served as a counterterrorism and security adviser to three presidents from 1992 to 2003. He also has experience from the Defense and State departments and the intelligence community. He authored several books, including 2010's "Cyber War: The Next Threat to National Security and What to Do About It."
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Hi there! I'm Caiti and I am a portrait photographer living in Disputanta, Virginia. I am a music loving, doughtnut eating, coffee drinking, mama of 2. This is the place where you can come to see my latest work with my beautiful clients and learn more about me, my husband, and our sweet babies. Take a look around and enjoy!
We have been counting down the days until this wedding since the night that Marc told us he had proposed to Laura and she said YES!! You can't be in the same room with Marc & Laura and NOT know that they are crazy about each other. They were so happy and full of joy on their wedding day – as they should be – that it made me tear up! I just loved seeing their excitement, as well as everyone else that was there to support them! I can't stress enough how much we love this couple. They are the definition of a CG Couple and I am SO very grateful! They are fun, joyful, easy going, trusting of ME (this is necessary), and so in love.
I remember meeting with Laura & Marc at Marc's home to discuss all the wedding details and timeline. I explained how the timeline would work WITH and WITHOUT a first look so they knew their options. They both immediately said they would go with the first look for a few different reasons: 1) They knew they would get double the portraits! 2) They would have less time between their ceremony & reception. 3) It would help them both RELAX and spend MORE time together on their wedding day! This day is all about THEM – the bride & groom. But think about how much time the bride & groom are actually together on their wedding day? With a first look, Marc & Laura got to react however they wanted! They could laugh, cry, hug each other, kiss, tell each other how gorgeous or handsome they looked! Then, they spent the next couple hours together before becoming husband and wife. This in NO WAY took away from that special moment when Marc saw his bride walking down the aisle. They were both in tears then, too (so was I..Anthony laughed because I was a mess!). They knew they had made the right decision to have a first look when Laura stepped outside to see her groom facing away from her. She looked at me and said that she needed this. She immediately felt calm when she saw him.
Not only is this couple just wonderful but their bridal party was so much fun!! The girls and the guys all made this day so enjoyable! Constantly laughing and joking, but supporting and helping in any way they could – I would say they were the perfect group of people to stand by Marc & Laura's sides on this day.
Something else that I LOVED about Marc & Laura's wedding day was that they thought about every detail. Laura didn't leave one thing out. Laura is naturally a very loving & nurturing person. She genuinely cares for others and is always doing for other people. In planning the wedding day, she didn't just think about what she & Marc wanted, but thought about what she could do for others. [ I would say that they were thinking of others when they chose to have donuts at their reception! ] Laura made special gifts for her bridesmaids, had multiple favors for wedding guests, and even had a sign made telling people that she wanted them to take flowers home with them after the wedding! She was giving to others until the moment she left for her honeymoon! I know this is a trait that drew Marc to her because he is the same way! My kids & my friends kids all call him Uncle Marc because he treats them like this own (and they think he is cool!). Both of them have hearts of gold and I am so lucky to call them my friends!
Marc & Laura – thank you for choosing us to capture you special day! We had so much fun & hope y'all are having the time of your lives in Hawaii! (I am still jealous!)
When your couple trusts you, they drive around UofR campus with you after their ceremony when we have no clue where we are going, so we can get extra portraits! haha! It was worth it, though!
How cute are there little sleeves to put your photo booth pictures in!? I loved it!
Country Style Donuts are everything!!!
Vendor List:
Reception Venue: Art Works
Donuts: Country Style Donuts
Flowers: DeeDee Anthony
Wedding Coordinator: DeeDee Anthony
Ceremony Venue: Third Church
Bride and Bridesmaids Dresses: Davids Bridal
Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Joseph A Banks
Catering: Q BBQ
DJ: Michael Cangelosi
Invitations: Target
Photo Booth: True Color
Other Desserts: Friends & Family
Thanks for stopping by!


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In one of the most anticipated rulings of the century, the Supreme Court has announced its decision on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.
The text of the opinion, in National Federation of Business vs. Sebelius, Case Number 11-393, is available here.
Initial readings of the 90-page opinion suggest that the court has ruled 5-4 that Congress has authority under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution to require individuals to own a minimum level of insurance but does have the authority to use its taxation authority to impose a coverage mandate.
The court has narrowed the scope of a provision dealing with state Medicaid program expansion requirements.
State attorney generals and others have been arguing that a provision in PPACA that calls for most individuals to own a minimum level of health insurance starting in 2014 or else pay a penalty is unconstitutional, and that Congress has no authority to make individuals buy a commercial insurance product.
Chief Justice John Roberts has written in an opinion for the majority that the Commerce Clause of the Constitution gives Congress no more authority to require the purchase of health insurance than to require the purchase of broccoli.
According to the Obama administration, a requirement that citizens buy health insurance is different from a requirement that they broccoli because "[h]ealth insurance is not purchased for its own sake like a car or broccoli; it is a means of financing health-care consumption and covering universal risks," Roberts writes.
The connection between mandated insurance purchases and future use of insured health care is too remote for the goverment to use the Commerce Clause to justify the PPACA mandate, Roberts says.
But, Roberts says, "cars and broccoli are no more purchased for their 'own sake' than health insurance. They are purchased to cover the need for transportation and food."
But the Constitution does give Congress the authority to "lay and collect Taxes," Roberts says.
The Obama administration and congressional PPACA supporters have avoided calling the penalty to be imposed on taxpayers who fail to meet individual health insurance ownership requirements a tax, but, under one Obama administration theory, "the mandate is not a legal command to buy insurance," Roberts says. "Rather, it makes going without insurance just another thing the Government taxes, like buying gasoline or earning income. And if the mandate is in effect just a tax hike on certain taxpayers who do not have health insurance, it may be within Congress's constitutional power to tax. The question is not whether that is the most natural interpretation of the mandate, but only whether it is a 'fairly possible' one."
Imposition of a tax "leaves an individual with a lawful choice to do or not do a certain act, so long as he is willing to pay a tax levied on that choice," Roberts says. "The Affordable Care Act's requirement that certain individuals pay a financial penalty for not obtaining health insurance may reasonably be characterized as a tax. Because the Constitution permits such a tax, it is not our role to forbid it, or to pass upon its wisdom or fairness."
Of the Medicaid expansion requirements in PPACA, Roberts writes that, "Permitting the Federal Government to force the States to implement a federal program would threaten the political accountability key to our federal system."
The PPACA Medicaid expansion requirements would change the nature of Medicaid, not merely expand it, turning it into a comprehensive national plan, not just a safety net for the neediest, Roberts says.
Congress could give states more Medicaid funding and require the states to use the money to expand the program, Roberts says.
But Congress cannot "penalize States that choose not to participate in that new program by taking away
their existing Medicaid funding," Roberts says.
Justices Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito and Anthony Kennedy opposed the ruling and joined to write a dissenting opinion.
President Obama signed PPACA, the main bill in the two-bill Affordable Care Act package, March 23, 2010. He signed the other bill, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, March 30, 2010.
Obama and Democrats started the process of crafting PPACA with strong Democratic majorities in both the House and the Senate and polls showing that Americans supported the idea of reforming the health care system. As time went on, their majority in the Senate weakened, and they lost their majority in the House.
Democrats unveiled drafts that were hundreds or thousands of pages long just hours before the committees with jurisdiction were supposed to review the drafts. Once the bill reached the Senate floor, Republicans maneuvered to force much of the debate and many of the procedural votes and other votes into the wee hours of the morning.
The Senate voted to pass PPACA, for example, at 7:16 a.m. Dec. 24, 2009 — on Christmas Eve.
Perhaps due in part to the rushed schedule and the complicated efforts to round up the votes needed for passage, the final version included especially controversial provisions, such as the individual mandate provision, and left out the kind of "saving clause" that can keep a multi-part law in force if courts throw out other sections.
In the case of PPACA, the Medicaid expansion funding is still available, just to more states, so the provision is not really invalid, Roberts says.
Even if the provision were invalid, "when a court confronts an unconstitutional statute, its endeavor must be to conserve, not destroy, the legislation," Roberts concludes.
Some had suggested that the federal Anti-Injunction Act, a law that keeps taxpayers from suing to block new taxes before the taxes are in place, could have given the Supreme Court an excuse to defer action on PPACA.
The PPACA label of the individual mandate penalty as a penalty, rather than a tax, does not control whether an exaction is within Fongress's power to tax, but it "is fatal to the application of the Anti-Injunction Act," the court says in a syllabus summarizing the ruling.
For exclusive, ongoing coverage of the PPACA verdict and its impact on the industry, visit www.lifehealthpro.com/PPACA.


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This article was originally published in issue #44
To read the article in its entirety, view the digital magazine
Electro-Harmonix is one of the oldest brands on the FX market and I was fascinated to see what the company had come up with as its version of this currently popular effect. I can tell you that I certainly wasn't disappointed by this incredibly versatile and feature packed pedal. In fact, I'd confidently say that this one of the most formidable loop pedals on the market at the moment. It's important though to point out that this pedal is a creative workstation. Once you master it I imagine the possibilities go as far as the user's imagination but you will need to get to grips with it as the pedal is so capable that there is a distinctly steep learning curve involved in mastering its full range of capabilities.
The 22500 features stereo inputs and outputs, XLR in with phantom power and even comes with an additional foot controller to flick between banks of saved loops. The pedal comes with an SDHC slot which accepts memory cards from 4 to 32GB and EHX has been kind enough to ship these with an 8GB card offering up to 12 hours of recording time! Excellent! The pedal can even be connected via USB, which is useful for moving saved loops on and off the pedal. The pedal also features a rhythm section of drum patterns which you can add to.
As for the loops, there are two with independent or locked loop lengths, you can adjust the volume of each and even change the pitch or reverse the loops separately. The LED displays will tell you if you are recording, overdubbing or saving to memory. You can undo-redo your last overdub, and even quantize your loops for perfect looping. There are even several additional modes of looping which I didn't discover whilst demoing this pedal and only came across later. Sequential looping mode gives you the option of verse/chorus style switching between loops and parallel looping mode allows simultaneous playback of two separate loops.
The pedal has so much to offer and seems to have just about everything going for it, including a good sturdy build quality. The only problem I encountered was really my own fault, because initially, instead of using the power supply that came with it, I used a regular (though good quality) unit which we frequently use when powering pedals on review. Big mistake! The EHX 22500 doesn't like some off-brand power supplies and you need to know this, otherwise you might be fooled into thinking the pedal was faulty when, in fact, it's just pining for the right kind of juice!
Other features on this most comprehensive pedal include the rhythm section, as mentioned earlier, which can be controlled via the tap tempo switch on the bottom right. Having a rhythm section on a loop pedal is a great idea, especially for first time loop pedal users. It helps keep timing and can add a whole new dimension to your loops. There is also a trigger mode where the pedal won't start looping until you start playing, this can be super useful for starting of a looping session!
I can see this pedal being very popular with loop enthusiasts, solo artists, artists recording on the go or maybe even as a pedal to create some strange sounds in a live band context…though I admit I'm not sure how, though I'm sure somebody will!
If you are new to looping however this could be a slightly daunting place to start. The pedal comes with a very dense instructional manual which is informative but isn't what you might describe as beach reading. This isn't a bad thing, of course, as it's far better to have too much information than not enough, but it's a measure of how much there is in this small footprint box. Experienced loopers will find this EHX pedal an adventure and a great creative tool. The inexperienced are in for a degree course in looping!
This article was originally published in issue #44
To read the article in its entirety, view the digital magazine


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Keep in mind that these remarks are not meant to be exhaustive, but should merely serve as thought-starters for your own further research. One way to think more deeply about these questions is to ask yourself: "How might I answer?"
The method for casting out demons – evils, errors – is the same as in healing sickness, because sickness is a component of demonic belief. The terms "devil" and "devils" (King James Bible), "demon" and "demons" (New International Bible) have many definitions and uses in the Bible. The Glossary of Bible terms of Mary Baker Eddy's Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures brings together many of them:
"Devil. Evil; a lie; error; neither corporeality nor mind; the opposite of Truth; a belief in sin, sickness, and death; animal magnetism or hypnotism; the lust of the flesh, which saith: 'I am life and intelligence in matter. There is more than one mind, for I am mind, — a wicked mind, self-made or created by a tribal god and put into the opposite of mind, termed matter, thence to reproduce a mortal universe, including man, not after the image and likeness of Spirit, but after its own image.'" (584)
Christ Jesus said, "These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons." (Mark 16:17 NIV). The King James Version uses the word "devils" for "demons" here. To heal in Christ's name involves understanding and expressing the true Christ-nature as the reflection or manifestation of God, or Good. As one is roused through revelation, research, reason, prayer, and demonstration - from material beliefs about God, man, life and body, to understand Spirit and Spirit's perfect, real and present creation, - errors in thought and practice are quite naturally cast out.
Mary Baker Eddy wrote, "He who has named the name of Christ, who has virtually accepted the divine claims of Truth and Love in divine Science, is daily departing from evil; and all the wicked endeavors of suppositional demons can never change the current of that life from steadfastly flowing on to God, its divine source." (Miscellaneous Writings, 19)
I like these kinds of questions because they indicate a desire to reason deeply. True, Science and Health explains that matter exists only in a supposititious mortal consciousness. "Supposititious" is an interesting word because it means "designed to deceive." Mortal consciousness – that is limited thinking – tends to fold in on itself, to implode, when spiritual reasoning pushes beyond the confines of deceptive mortal beliefs.
How is the questioner seeing the star? Is it considered as a discovery of some previously existent matter form? Then, yes, he will one day have to admit that the material concept is self-created in a human, mortal consciousness, and therefore is limited and destructible. Science and Health explains, "Mortal mind sees what it believes as certainly as it believes what it sees. It feels, hears, and sees its own thoughts." (86)
Scientific discovery in material heavenly bodies is no more accurate, real, nor true than scientific discovery in material human bodies. Detailed examinations of matter in both cases mislead the scientist who doesn't understand that matter exists only in a supposititious mortal consciousness. Hence he is self-deceived.
But does that mean we should flush all discovery within the vast and beautiful cosmos as if it means nothing? No. Spiritually considered, the cosmos and every element in it reflect the creativity and order of the divine universe, but not as chaotic, random matter. Even more, Spirit, the creator and source of all that is real, permanent and indestructible, maintains and reveals the identities of all Spirit's ideas,"from a blade of grass to a star, as distinct and eternal." (See Science and Health, 70)
Mrs. Eddy makes precise, "To take all earth's beauty into one gulp of vacuity and label beauty nothing, is ignorantly to caricature God's creation, which is unjust to human sense and to the divine realism. In our immature sense of spiritual things, let us say of the beauties of the sensuous universe: "I love your promise; and shall know, some time, the spiritual reality and substance of form, light, and color, of what I now through you discern dimly; and knowing this, I shall be satisfied. Matter is a frail conception of mortal mind; and mortal mind is a poorer representative of the beauty, grandeur, and glory of the immortal Mind." (Miscellaneous Writings, Eddy, 87)
Stay tuned for more QAs on the blog.


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Lovely Clothes. Beautiful Wardrobes. Smart Budgets. Life Adventures. Daily Domesticity & More.
"Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds." ~Theodore Roosevelt
"We give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way." ~Author Unknown
"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." ~Thornton Wilder
"Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action." ~W.J. Cameron
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." ~Melody Beattie
I wish you all an absolutely beautiful and blessed Thanksgiving Day! :)


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Publication Date
January 2005
"The explosive growth of call centers in India has gained widespread attention because of its potential impact on employment in the United States and other advanced economies. Media accounts report that Indian operations are more likely to use college-educated workers while paying one-tenth of U.S. wages. Some argue that these advantages may allow Indian centers to outcompete U.S. centers on both cost and quality. Nonetheless, complaints about poor quality and security, as well as consumer backlash, have led some firms to pull out of India, while leaders in the offshoring business such as General Electric have sold their Indian operations altogether. High turnover rates have become a particularly serious problem in recent years as an expanding number of employers compete for a small pool of educated employees, a trend that both increases costs and undermines service quality."
Suggested Citation
Batt, R., Doellgast, V., & Kwon, H. (2005). Service management and employment systems in U.S. and Indian call centers. In S. Collins & L. Brainard (Eds.), Brookings trade forum 2005: Offshoring white-collar work – the issues and implications (pp. 335-372). Washington, D.C.: The Brookings Institution.
Required Publisher Statement
Copyright by The Brookings Institution.


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Results 1 to 5 of 5
- 04-22-2010, 10:25 PM #1Member
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Error in dated program, "No QTJava"
(Apologies if this is long or rambling; I wanted to include as much information as possible.)
I'm trying to use a program that was released a few years ago. (It's called JWatcher Video, if anyone cares to check it out). It's mainly for observing animal behavior, but this version is also supposed to have an integrated video player.
However, when I try to run it, I immediately get the following error:
"Invocation of this Java Application has caused an InvocationTargetException. This application will now exit. (LAX)"
When I click 'Details', I get:
java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: no QTJava in java.library.path
at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Runtime.loadLibrary0(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.System.loadLibrary(Unknown Source)
at quicktime.jdirect.JDirectLinker$1.run(JDirectLinke r.java:266)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at quicktime.jdirect.JDirectLinker$1PrivelegedAction. establish(JDirectLinker.java:264)
at quicktime.jdirect.JDirectLinker.<clinit>(JDirectLi nker.java:272)
at quicktime.jdirect.QTNative.loadQT(QTNative.java:33 )
at quicktime.jdirect.QuickTimeLib.<clinit>(QuickTimeL ib.java:17)
at quicktime.QTSession.<clinit>(QTSession.java:83)
at mq.psy.jwatch.ui.TabletFrame.display(TabletFrame.j ava:168)
at mq.psy.jwatch.admin.JWatchApp.main(JWatchApp.java: 108)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Nativ e Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknow n Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Un known Source)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
at com.zerog.lax.LAX.launch(DashoA8113)
at com.zerog.lax.LAX.main(DashoA8113)
I've looked around online and can't find anything that makes sense to me regarding a fix. Mainly what I found was forum posts from around '04 that referred to finding a .dll file, but it seems like Java added the capability to load from .zip files. At least, that's my impression.
I've located the QTJava.zip file and edited the Path variables but I haven't had any luck. I'm somewhat computer-savvy but I know very little about Java. I figured maybe I could fix it by editing the program a bit. I read something about including a new line of code somewhere but I don't know what to add or where to add it. It seems to me that fixing the first error would solve the rest of the problems, as if the rest of the list was a result of the first problem, but I may be wrong.
In the process of trying to fix it myself, I downloaded a decompiler so I can access the individual .class files.
Does anyone know what I should do or have any information that might help?
Oh, and I'm running Windows XP, SP3.
- 04-25-2010, 03:08 AM #2Member
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Any help would be greatly appreciated, even if it's just a redirection to somewhere I could find the answer.
Since this is a programming forum for helping programmers create Java programs, I'm assuming that you've created a program using code from a library. If so, you may want to provide details on how you are using the library, how you try to include it in the classpath, etc...
If you are not a programmer but rather are having a problem using a program created years ago using the Java language, your odds of finding anyone who can help you here may be low. Your best bet is to contact the creators or distributors of this app.
Best of luck.
- 04-27-2010, 01:47 AM #4Member
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Eureka! I finally downloaded QTJava.dll and placed it in the jre/bin folder of the program folder (C:\...\JWatcher - Video V1.0\jre\bin). The program runs fine now.
Problem solved (explanation is in case anyone else has this issue).
Thanks for letting all know your solution.
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Aaron Carter is still carrying a torch for former flame Hilary Duff.
The singer took to Twitter to share his feelings for his ex, whom he dated during the early 2000s before an alleged love triangle with Lindsay Lohan broke them up.
Celebrity couples: Can you believe they dated?
"Don't be that stupid d----- that loses the love of your life forever. Like me..." Carter tweeted Wednesday. "I'll spend the rest of my life trying to better myself to get back to her. I don't care what ANY of you think."
Carter admitted the woman he was referencing was Duff when asked directly by a fan. The admission comes less than two months ater news broke that Duff had split from husband Mike Comrie, with whom she has a 23-month-old son, Luca.


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Our shows are full of life, energetic and inspiring! All our Dancers are professionally trained, with great natural talent.
Contact Us for Bookings


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RaisingVoicesUSA, a Rockville Centre-based advocacy group, held a virtual meeting Sept. 15 to address voting in the November 2020 election.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, many questions have been circling about how to cast a ballot this presidential election year. Therefore, the group brought on an expert to the Zoom call, Michael Pernick, a voting rights attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, to ease some concerns.
"One of the things we've learned on our RaisingVoices journey is that we do not know an awful lot of things," said Emma Travers, co-director of RaisingVoices, "but we do know how to ask the right people to tell us what we should be doing."
Co-director Cindy Vaupel said the group started four years ago "to provide people with opportunities to engage in their communities and to activate informed civic engagement."
The virtual event took place on the same day of local elections across the state, including a trustee race in the Village of Rockville Centre, which were delayed from earlier this year because of Covid-19.
"Voting today was pretty easy and straight-forward," Vaupel said. "Voting for the November election is a little more complicated, and I'm sure you've all heard and asked yourselves questions about the upcoming election, the safest way to vote and how to make sure your vote counts."
She then introduced Pernick, who guided the virtual crowd of about 70 participants in this year's voting procedures.
Mail-In Voting (Absentee Ballots)
Mail-in voting and absentee voting are one and the same, Pernick explained. This method of voting is used widely in several states without major issues. In New York, voters normally need a special reason for casting an absentee ballot; however, New York is allowing all voters to cast an absentee ballot in the upcoming election with coronavirus concerns as the reason.
To request an absentee ballot, voters can visit absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov.
"We are anticipating an unprecedented number of requests in New York and across the country," Pernick said, "so I would urge you to get in your request as early as possible. If you are planning to vote by mail, don't delay."
Pernick said that mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, and received by the county Board of Elections on Nov. 10, otherwise they will be disqualified. To avoid this, he urged voters to request and send ballots as soon as possible.
Voters must also follow all instructions and sign the front of the ballot envelope. If they fail to do so, the ballot may also be invalid. However, Pernick noted, New York passed a law this year that requires the Board of Elections to call a voter within one day of receiving an invalid ballot in order to try and fix the situation.
Pernick also noted that absentee ballots do not get counted until after Election Day. Therefore, "folks should expect not to get final results until some time after the election," he said, "because there's so much paper that needs to be counted."
If a voter is worried about an absentee ballot going through the mail, they can also drop off their absentee ballot to the county Board of Elections office before polls close on the evening of Nov. 3.
Early Voting
This is the second year that Nassau County will offer early voting, which will take place between Oct. 24 and Nov. 1 at various times and locations across the county. There are 15 different sites, and county residents can vote at any one of those sites. To see schedules and sites, visit nassaucountyny.gov/566/Board-of-Elections.
Election Day
On Election Day, polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Voters can cast their ballots in person at their designated polling place. Even if a voter already requested, or even submitted, an absentee ballot, they can still vote in person, and the absentee ballot will not be counted. Therefore, Pernick said, any rumors about potential voter fraud due to mail-in voting are "totally unfounded."
Voters can see their voter registration information and Election Day polling place by visiting voterlookup.elections.ny.gov.
Pernick added that voting in person will be a safe activity, as there are strict protective protocols in place to help prevent spreading the virus. "A lot of folks are worried about safety," he said. "Experts said that voting is one of the safest Covid activities. The rules and regulations are extremely robust."
He also added that there is a shortage of poll workers nationwide, so if residents are interested in working at the polls on Election Day, they can visit powerthepolls.org. Also, people can volunteer to be a poll observer to ensure rules are followed by visiting 866ourvote.org/volunteer.
In addition to Pernick's presentation, several local candidates spoke about their own campaigns, including Assemblywoman Judy Griffin, a Democrat in the 21st Assembly District seeking re-election, and State Sen. Kevin Thomas, a Democrat in the sixth State Senate District, also seeking re-election, as well as Michael Scalere, a Rockville Centre resident who later that evening lost his race for village trustee to incumbent Trustee Nancy Howard.
"These are challenging times, to say the least," Thomas said, emphasizing the need for people to vote.
Lauren Corcoran Doolin, a Long Island advocate who also spoke on the call, agreed, and said, "it's the most important election in our lifetime."


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Have a Ryzen 1500x and bought DDR4 32GB 3600. I didn't expect to get them running at full speed but can't get them stable beyond 3333Mhz. The mobo does not support BLCK overclock. How can I improve memory stability to get it for least 3400? I've tried a few timings, often rounding up to even numbers but alas it *doesn't take. The Ryzen 1500x is undervolted running at 3625Mhz (multiplier.)
It's Hynix memory, dual ranked, and 16x16GB sticks.
G.SKILL Sniper X Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 3600 (PC4 28800) Desktop Memory Model F4-3600C19D-32GSXKB
*Can get into windows and do most things but for gaming it's hit or miss. I think it's -almost- stable but not there.


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Trendy Tot Thursday is back, where you can showcase your trendy tots's outfits. Pick an outfit from in the week, snap some pictures and post!
I totally missed last weeks, I wasn't feeling too great and just didn't manage to fit it in. This week is a bit of a special post. This Saturday is my son's 1st Holy Communion, which is a special day for him. I'm not religious at all, it's not that I don't believe in God or things it's just its all still quite new to me. It's nice to learn and be on this journey with my son and for us to share it. I'm so proud of him and it's going to be such a great day for him.
He didn't want to wear a full suit so we have gone for plain back trousers from Asda, which was £4. They are just basic school trousers with a zip, button and elastic waist.
Also a plain simple shirt from Asda which was £3.80. Again just basic school shirt from there. We are quite lucky as he currently wears polo shirts for school, so it's slightly different than wearing his uniform.


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Dive bar 'Art Pop Up' brings out Bay Area artists
Veronica Hall,
Layout Designer
March 15, 2017
The glow of red still hung from the ceiling lights and the mirror walls that framed the walkway of The Ruby Room were covered in local art. The entrance tables of the Oakland dive bar became display areas for ceramics and the back lounge stands were full of beaded and wire jewelry for sale. Even the...
South Hayward's dive bar set to reopen on B Street
Wendy Medina,
Copy Editor
February 15, 2017
If you've driven down Mission Boulevard in Hayward, the Dirty Bird Lounge's flickering neon sign may have caught your eye, but its rustic outer appearance could have quickly diverted your interest. Drive down Mission now and there's still that rustic charm, with the addition of boarded up windows...


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Ubisoft Osiris motion capture video discovered but Prince of Persia goes on hold
A 5 month old video showcasing Ubisoft's rumored Prince of Persia reboot, a project named Osiris, has just been discovered on Vimeo today. The video, said to have been commissioned by Ubisoft Montreal, doesn't show any gameplay. Instead, it consists of footage from motion capture sessions; draft scenes of (presumably the main) character getting in fights with mobs, dragging a victim away and plenty of 'slow-motion' movement. There's also flashes of artwork depicting an ancient Egypt setting.


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Product Description
Features: -Stainless steel jets.-Insulated lockable hard cover.-Frictional heating system.-Comes with hard cover.-Future X polymer shell in glacier white.-Interchangeable jet system.-Molded cup holders.-Polar insulation.-Seating: Bucket and lounger.-So…MORE INFORMATION
In a nice bubble bath, you can simply play classical tunes or relaxing love songs to complete your luxurious bath as you light up a couple of scented candles and immerse yourself.
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I have heard it said and I have actually to express that they fully foam to ensure that by covering all the pipes they keep the noise down - have you ever heard of such a idiotic statement - what noise - it has to be a very poorly designed and badly designed spa if they have to do that - the simple truth is that they start out with the cheapest way to make a spa as they don't use a quality acrylic like the best Spa makers that I find it very amusing.
Top Jet Plug Play Spa
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No real matter what your ability in gaming you can pick up Wii recreations and anybody can play.
QCA Spas
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Ensure you choose a spa that is medical extensive experience doing your desired treatment.
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These tubs that are hot also frequently plug and perform models that plug directly into a regular 110 volt dedicated outlet.
The benefit of these vinyl spas is the fact that they are more portable than their more counterparts that are robust.
Plug and play hot tubs are portable tubs that can plug into a wall outlet that is standard. Poor water chemistry (high calcium and pH levels) in your swimming pool and spa water will subscribe to calcium build up. Regular assessment is crucial and it's important to monitor these known levels to be able to keep cleaner and better functioning filters. Every tub that is hot spa comes with a booklet explaining important instructions and directions regarding its upkeep. You just plug in Nintendo Wii game system, get Wii recreations and grab the remote and get going.
I have actually heard it said and I have to express that they fully foam to ensure that by covering all the pipes they keep the noise down - have you ever heard of such a idiotic statement - what noise - it has to be a very poorly designed and badly designed spa if they have to do that - the simple truth is that they start out with the cheapest way to make a spa as they don't use a quality acrylic like the best Spa makers that I find it very amusing. At the time that is same most salons have included spa therapy solutions which include services particularly body therapeutic massage and waxing.
They are a hybrid between your ultra-cheap solutions while the more sturdy spas meant for a installation that is semi-permanent. The bathrooms have Bliss Spa sinks along with spa-ready showers with full size bath that is soaking that have decided for your relaxation. Then this hot tub won't be for you if you're not savvy with electronics you'll need an electrician to hook this up to a 220 volts outlet so if you're looking for a true plug in play style solution. The very first tub that is hot spa we will review may be the Dream Maker EZ Spa which is a lot more of a budget kind of hot bathtub. The drawbacks to these cheaper plastic spas is they rely on the friction generated by the pump to warm the water that they usually do not have their own heater, so.
4-Person 14-Jet Plug
The benefit of these vinyl spas is they are more portable than their more counterparts that are robust.
Relaxing in a salon and reaping the ongoing health benefits it offers is something lots of us aspire to. With increasingly more affordable Spa options thanks that are available advancements in technology and the lower costs of production, it's becoming viable for numerous of us to now own one and live the dream. Exclusive to Lifesmart, ECO SMART technology is an electricity administration system which uses a foam that is full system and a thick power saving spa address hence lowering down the operating costs of operating the spa, helping you save money as well as being beneficial for the environment. There are lots of registered nurses and nursing assistant professionals who're highly qualified to do spa that is medical. Setting the equipment to relax and play for a certain number of time may be an way that is excellent assist your infant develop a healthy rest pattern they will carry into adulthood.
Perhaps one of the most attractive areas of the Lifesmart Jewel is its Plug & Enjoy operation so no installation that is costly is needed.


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A large part of the chapter we are reading today consists of an extended quotation from Jeremiah 31 which speaks of a new covenant. God promises that this new covenant will not be like the one he made with the Children of Israel "when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt" (Hebrews 8:9 / Jeremiah 31:32). What a wonderful picture of the way in which God saved his people from the bondage of Egypt; he took them by the hand and led them out, like a father tenderly leading his children. What could be better than that? How could you improve on such a salvation?
The problem lay not with God's saving work but with the rebellious nature of those he had saved; "they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord" (8:9). Jeremiah's words of prophecy are spoken against the background of the fall of Jerusalem and the people of Judah being dragged off into captivity in Babylon. Their faithlessness had resulted in God turning his back upon them.
The new covenant is different and better than that made at Sinai in two vital respects. Firstly, as we saw yesterday, "Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant" (Hebrews 7:22). This new covenant does not depend on the faithfulness of those whom God now takes to be his own; it depends only upon the faithfulness of Jesus. He is the guarantor of this new covenant. He came and took the place of faithless Israel; he bore the consequence of its rebellion and suffered its judgment when God turned his face away from his own Son. Jesus' cry of dereliction rings through the darkness of exile that precedes the dawn of resurrection. Now he is risen; exile is at an end. He has become the guarantor of a better covenant. A covenant that cannot be shattered by the faithlessness of God's people because it is underwritten by a faithful Saviour who has stood in our place and endured the judgment that our faithlessness deserves. That is why he promises, "I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (8:12).
But there is more to this new covenant. God knows that, left to ourselves, we would soon become as faithless as faithless Israel. Therefore he promises, "I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people" (8:10). Jesus, our faithful Saviour, raised from death to the right hand of the Father, has poured out his Spirit upon his people. God has given us the Spirit of his Son to teach us how to be faithful children. He has enrolled us in the school of Christ.
The covenant by which God has made us his children is a better covenant because of Jesus. The covenant is unbreakable because it rests solely upon the faithfulness of our Saviour. Nevertheless it is designed to produce a faithful people, a people conformed to the image of God's Son by the power of his Spirit at work within us.
In Jesus, God has taken us by the hand and is leading us out of slavery and into freedom.
Heavenly Father, thank you that you have made us children of the new covenant sealed with the blood of Christ. Thank you that we have a faithful Saviour; faithful unto death, faithful in his resurrection life, faithful as our advocate in the heavens. Thank you that you have poured out your Spirit into our hearts to assure us of your love for us. Stir up our love for you and direct us in the path of obedience. We do love you Lord, and we long to please you. Help us to grow in knowledge of Christ, to walk in obedience to your commandments and to speak to others of your great faithfulness and love.
Peter Misselbrook


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We finished reading Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, which my son absolutely loved, and we kind of struggled for a few days to find a book that piqued his interest. Finally, I asked my husband for suggestions and he said how he really liked The Indian In The Cupboard. So we gave it a shot, and from the first night of reading, my son was hooked. The story revolves around a young boy, Omri, discovering the powers of a magical cupboard that turns toys into real living beings, specifically a toy Iroquois Indian plastic figure. We are about 3/4 of the book through and I have a feeling a little someone is going to want a sequel when we are done. What I liked were the character growth, the tension and test of friendship, and forgiveness. What my son liked was the humor.
Have you ever read The Indian In The Cupboard? What would you recommend next for our bedtime books? Let me know!


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Europe and U.S. futures have dropped, partly on an unconfirmed Reuters report that European Central Bank Executive Board Member Juergen Stark will step down because of a conflict over the central bank's bond-buying program.
Stark, a German, apparently does not agree with the bond buying program.
The main story Friday morning is in Europe, not in the U.S. or with President Obama's speech. The ECB is again buying Italian and spanish bonds, though the purchases appear to be modest.
The euro is down again, near six month lows, with copper down 2.2 percent, gold and silver also down 1 to 2 percent.
Attention is now focused on the Group of Seven nations finance meeting. The host country—France—has already called for coordinated action (read: rate cuts). International Monetary Fund Chief Christine Lagarde has been urging policy makers to use all available tools to boost growth.?
The trading community seems to have some vague hope that the assembled finance ministers will emerge hand-in-hand singing "La Marseillaise," immediately march toward Strasbourg and join up with other European finance ministers to proclaim they are now the United States of Europe .
Where do they get these notions? Not only will this not happen, but there is not even a plan to issue a joint communiqué after the talks.
1. While President Obama did deliver a headline surprise with his $447 billion "American Jobs Act," he did not outline how he would pay for it, other than a vague promise of a long-term deficit reduction plan over 10 years that he says he will detail in the coming days. Nomura is already out with estimates that it could raise gross domestic product growth in first-quarter 2012 by as much as 1 percentage point.
Most of the plan's impact seems designed to show up in calendar 2012. Here's how the $447 billion breaks down, in billions:
Employee payroll tax holiday: $175
Employer payroll tax holiday: $65
Aid for state/local governments: $85
Infrastructure spending: $50
Infrastructure bank: $10
Extending unemployment insurance: $49
Tax credits for the unemployed: $8
Tax break for investment: $5
One surprise: Less discussion on helping housing than was expected...a mortgage-refinancing proposal was briefly mentioned, but no details were given.
2. Inflation in China, at 6.2 percent year-over-year in August, was in line with expectations. This is likely low enough to prompt the Chinese to hold off on any further rate hikes. Economic growth has slowed somewhat but is still strong: A 13.5 percent increase in industrial production with a 17 percent increase in retail sales.
3. Texas Instruments falls 1.5 percent after providing a weak mid-quarter update. The chipmaker narrows its third-quarter earnings forecast to 56 cents a share to 60 cents a share, mostly below 60 cents a share consensus, and expects much weaker revenues than its previous forecast ($3.23 billion to $3.37 billion, well below consensus of $3.53 billion). The company cited "broadly lower demand across a wide range of products, markets and customers" for the weak outlook. As a result, it's relying on various cost cuts to help prevent earnings from falling as much as its sales.
4. McDonald's falls 2 percent after reporting a disappointing 3.5 percent rise in August global same-store sales. The fast food chains same-store sales outside the U.S. were much weaker-than-expected with Europe same-store sales up just 2.7 percent and Asia same-store sales falling 0.3 percent. U.S. same-store sales held up though, rising 3.9 percent in the month on the strength of its McCafé, breakfast, and premium chicken sandwich offerings.
5. Dollar General falls 2 percent after the discounter priced 25 million shares in a secondary offering. It priced the shares at $34.75, slightly short of yesterday's $35 close.
6. United Continental reported a 2.7 percent drop in August traffic. Hurricane Irene hit revenue by about $40 million.
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My Mom recently gave me a book she had saved called Drawing a Cat by Clare Turlay Newberry. It was published in 1940 and has that worn old book feel.
What's in this book is golden. There are lovely drawings of cats and an elegant description of the artist's work. I did a google search on the author and found a few website resources that I will list below. One quote that I found from a Time Magazine review said that she was" the best cat artist since the Egyptians". Here are quotes from the book about the drawing process as well as some of the samples of the work. I hope that you enjoy these drawings. I found them inspiring.
" Cats do not pose for the artist, except when asleep seldom stay in one position for more than a few moments. In order to learn to draw them you must make hundreds of quick sketches from life. What appears on your sketch pad in the early stages of studying a cat does not matter. What does matter is the intense, concentrated observation that accompanies the act of drawing. "
" This method of working is very different from that used in a "life" class , where one draws in a leisurely fashion for perhaps twenty minutes, and then rests for five or ten. I don't allow myself rest periods while sketching, but work steadily for an hour or two at at time, starting a new sketch each time the cat moves. This is an exhausting process and I usually want to quit before I have been at it long. If however, I can force myself to continue past the fatigue point, I find my second wind and forget about being tired. Gradually my speed and accuracy increase, along with the intensity of my concentration, until I am drawing with the most furious rapidity. This stage lasts only a few minutes – half- an hour at most – but it is then that I do my best drawing. "
From Drawing a Cat by Clare Turlay Newberry


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Jordan Rapp was a professional triathlete for over 10 years. He is the 2011 ITU Long Distance World Champion and a 6x Ironman® champion. A mechanical engineer from Princeton University ('02), where he was a lightweight rower, Jordan brings technical precision to all aspects of the sport. He works as the Chief Technology Officer for Slowtwitch.com, the leading triathlon website in the world, and wrote a featured column for LAVA magazine from its inception in 2010 until its final issue in 2017.
He burst onto the scene in 2009 with victories at both Ironman® Canada and Ironman® Arizona. In 2010, he was the victim of a near fatal accident while riding his bike when he was hit by a car and left for dead.
Storming back in 2011, he won the inaugural Leadman Epic 250 in Las Vegas, Ironman® Canada, and the ITU Long Distance World Championships in Las Vegas and was the recipient of the 2011 USA Triathlon Inspirational Comeback award & the USOC Athlete of the Month for November 2011. In 2012, he won Ironman® Texas and the US Ironman® Championships in New York City and was named USA Triathlon's "Non-Drafting/Non-Olympic Male Athlete of the Year." Most recently, he won the 2015 Ironman® Mont-Tremblant.
He now works full-time as a Game Designer at Zwift and can be found racing his bike on the track, on gravel, and in Zwift.
Notable Race Results
1st – 2011 ITU Long Distance World Championship (Las Vegas/Henderson, NV)
1st – 2015 Ironman® Mont-Tremblant (Mont-Tremblant, QC, CAN)
1st – 2012 Ironman® New York City / US Championships (New York, NY)
1st – 2012 Ironman® Texas (The Woodlands, TX)
1st – 2011 Ironman® Canada (Penticton, BC, CAN)
1st – 2009 Ironman® Arizona (Tempe, AZ)
1st – 2009 Ironman® Canada (Penticton, BC)
1st – 2012 Leadman Epic 250 Bend (Bend, OR)
1st – 2011 Leadman Epic 250 Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV)


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Selecting a Six Sigma or a Lean Six Sigma Certification ProgramAdd bookmark
Considering a certification in Six Sigma or Lean Six Sigma, but not quite sure where to begin? Contributor Michelle Gabriel helps to make sense of the wide variety of certification programs out there.
This article will hope to inform certification seekers on the general landscape of Six Sigma Certification and provide information on some programs commonly recommended by members of pertinent LinkedIn groups. Certification methods are classified as first-party, second-party, and third-party. First party is simple self-declaration, second -party is when an organization that provides training sets up their own criteria for certification. Third-party certification verifies that a product, process or service meets defined, industry-independent criteria or standards as reviewed by an impartial party. The bulk of Six Sigma certification is currently second-party, such as company provided training and certification.
What are the belts?
The generally accepted Six Sigma Belts are Green, Black and Master Black(although some organizations also have white or yellow belts). Unless required by an internal policy, a Green Belt is not required in order to get a Black Belt. There is a wide variation in job duties of the various belts. In general, Green Belts work on Six Sigma projects as a part of their job. Black Belts are the project managers and may only work on Six Sigma projects. The Master Black Belt is the highest level of Six Sigma - they mentor and train others, consult on projects, and can be involved in strategic level work. Black Belts and Master Black Belts can move to different industries and do more soft skill and change management type work in addition to using deeper technical skills.
Coursework for the Six Sigma Belts may be offered with an emphasis in a particular industry. Some popular ones are manufacturing, production, services and healthcare. The examples and cases used in the course come from the particular industry while the curriculum is industry independent and thus widely applicable. The test and the certification are not industry specific. For example, there is no separate test for Six Sigma Healthcare.
Lean Six Sigma (LSS) covers the basics of Six Sigma and is augmented by a set of industry proven philosophies, methodologies and tools for driving a cultural transformation focused on reducing and eliminating waste. Outside third-party experts – "Lean Senseis" - can provide companies with unbiased advice and coaching on Lean. Industry specific courses are offered for LSS certifications.
Some programs provide just Six Sigma, others just LSS, and others provide certification for both. The ASQ provides coursework for LSS but does not have any exam or certification for Lean. ASQ points you to Lean certification that is provided separately by SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers) which grants bronze, silver and gold levels. The International Association of Six Sigma Certification ((IASSC) provides only LSS Certification. As just one example, Villanova University provides certification for both Six Sigma and Lean Sensei.
Belt Requirements
As there is no standard for the BOK there is also not a standard for the requirements to receive these belts. Depending on the organization, certification can be received with training and a project, or just an exam, or training, or training and an exam and a project. When projects are required, it is often at least one project for a green belt and two projects for a black belt. Some certifiers require the black belt projects to be of a significant monetary value or have a significant effect on an organization. Requirements for green belt projects are generally more lenient ranging from a work project to something done for an organization as a volunteer to an on-line guided project. ASQ's certification requires a three years of work experience- full time and paid - in one or more areas of the Green Belt BOK and an application to be filled out prior to being allowed to take their exam.
To give a specific example of the range of requirements from organizations, the Department of the Navy (DoN) requires more for a green belt than many organizations require for a black belt! The DoN requires a LSS Green Belt candidate to complete a 40 hour academic course with a certified LSS instructor; be a team member in at least one real-world project; lead at least two real-world /projects; create a project portfolio and sometimes present in-person to a Board for certification. Given these stringent requirements it's easy to see that not all LSS belts are created equal. Savvy employers will know this so it is important to choose a program where your certification is meaningful.
Belt Providers
There are four main providers of Six Sigma Belt certification: employers, professional associations, colleges and universities, and certification service provider institutes.
Many companies provide the training to their employees and grant the second-party certification based on standards that the company determines. The company is paying for your education and it is targeted to your success in your job. The downside is that the program may not be as thorough as a more independent program. Other than inside the company, no one will know what you have been trained on. The coursework may have too narrow a focus for your skills to be completely transferable. For these reasons some people may complete their company training but still apply for a certification from ASQ because of its reputation and depth of coverage of the material.
The ASQ is a professional association third party certifier that requires a candidate to submit an application package that shows your qualifications just to take the exam. You do not need to take their coursework in order to take the exam-you can self study.While ASQ does provide training, they do not guarantee that it will cover the material to pass the exam. ASQ also has work history and project requirements.
The IASSC is a third party certifier for LSS that requires passing their exam and no project. Their website is very explicit about their philosophy and reasoning on their requirements. The IASSC certifies not just individuals but also the training programs of other entities to the IASSC BOK.
Some universities and colleges offer Six Sigma training often as part of their extended education or certificate programs. There are no entrance requirements or degrees granted by the school. The advantage is that you are face to face with the instructor and students and you have excellent networking opportunities to connect with your classmates who will be from a variety of industries and perspectives. The length of time and costs vary quite a bit and can sometimes be a drawback. Some universities also offer on-line, self-paced courses.
The final route to certification is via certification service providers which are often companies owned and run by Six Sigma gurus or high level consultants. These companies provide training to groups and also have offerings for individuals. Some companies give classes that rotate in various cities and give an intensive training over a period of days or a few weeks. Others provide training that is self-paced on- line program, usually limited to 365 days to complete the course. They provide a "package" of coursework, exam, project guidance and sometimes software and textbooks. Some of these programs tout their IASSC certification but it should be noted that the IASSC BOK is Lean Six Sigma, not Six Sigma. It is important to carefully compare the curriculums before choosing a program. Smarter Solutions provides an excellent video: A Mini Kaizen Event - Selecting a Provider: Not All Black Belt Training is Created Equal.
On request, they will send you excel spreadsheets with information from the video. They bring out excellent points on what to look for in content, materials and teaching style. Also, they are the first to admit that finding this information is difficult – it is not readily available on the provider websites.
|Did you know PEX Network offers Lean Six Sigma Training?
Our Certificates are taught online and offer a flexible way to become adept in Lean Six Sigma Tools like DMAIC, Eight Wastes, Value Stream Mapping, Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA), and ROI Maximization.
Both the Green and Black Belt courses are taught through blended learning which consists of a combination of self-paced online modules, guides and instructor-led virtual sessions all focused on execution. You can find out more and review the class agenda's from the PEX Institute learning portal.
Final Analysis
The following table provides comparison information of some of the programs:
It compares a variety of attributes, including the cost, of representative second and third party certifiers for on-line or self study SS Green Belt and LSS Green Belt. The comparison of the BOKs and detailed course offerings of these certifiers is not covered in this paper. Although providing some measure of reputation would be very useful, this was not studied and is not included. Also no information was researched, or was found to be available, as to the "success" of recipients of the certification. Analysis of which program to choose is left to the reader as their backgrounds, finances, circumstances, abilities and motivations are as variable as the paths to choose from.
The following is important to point out from the masses of data reviewed:
If you wish to self study(i.e. not pay for a course), pass an exam, and use work experience or a project outside of work to qualify for certification, your options are severely limited. For a Six Sigma Green Belt, ASQ is the only route. There is no project completion requirement but you must have three years of experience in one or more of the areas of the SS Green Belt BOK. While some companies will allow a project outside of a work situation, their requirement before taking the exam is to first take, and pay for, their coursework. For Six Sigma Black Belt, there is no option that fits these criteria. For the Lean Six Sigma Green and Black Belt, the IASSC provides such a route since you do not need to submit a project and as part of their charter they do not offer or require coursework.
This blog is intended to serve as an initial guide to gain a more complete perspective on the routes to Six Sigma and LSS certification. It is my hope that Six Sigma and LSS practitioners, as well as those delivering the certification programs and those looking for them, will add objective and subjective information to this post to help everyone who is looking for Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma Certification. What are your thoughts?
Author's note: I would like to thank Senior Chief Robert Reid of the Department of the Navy for his input and encouragement.
Download a PDF comparison of some of the different programs:
Click here to download the easy to digest course by course analysis.