text:
Dear Rebbetzin Feige,
My wife and I have come to the conclusion that neither of us actually wants children. We simply have no desire to have them, and both of us seem to lack parental sentiments. We know we are supposed to procreate, and we are uncomfortable with rejecting teaching and tradition on this matter. We are concerned about what type of parents we would be if we were to have them. My wife grew up in a house with a singular lack of genuine parental affection (no doubt partly because her mother was too busy raising eight children on her own), and this background still causes her emotional problems. We wouldn't want to do that to children in turn.
What do you think?
Dear Reader:
Your concerns and hesitations to proceed with having a family are totally understandable given what you perceive as both your lack of parental sentiments and your wife's history of a less than emotionally satisfying and nurturing upbringing.
Unquestionably, a case can be made that children of "abusive" parents will perpetuate that behavior in the raising of their own offspring. However, as likely as that might be, it is far from a given or written in stone.
The hallmark of the human being is the ability to choose our responses regardless of past experiences.
The hallmark of the human being is free will, the ability to choose our responses regardless of past experiences. All of us have the power to break the patterns of our past. In fact, there are many instances where those who are personally familiar with pain resulting from the inadequate parenting skills of their own parents put forth greater effort to compensate for that deprivation by intense vigilance to the needs of their own children.
Awareness can give rise to deliberate and focused responses that have the potential to move us from pathology to a healthy place. Hence, "nurture" need not exclusively determine or dictate the terms of our existence. We are not rats in a Skinner Box, conditioned and programmed so that choice becomes meaningless.
Rita, a rising opera star, spent a Friday night enjoying Sabbath dinner at our home. Amidst all the exciting details of her forthcoming marriage, she shared that she had no intentions of having children. She explained that her mother had suffered a debilitating illness and had not been there for her during her formative years. Concerned about the possible genetic factor, she didn't want to place an emotionally compromised mother onto the next generation.
Looking at this bright, lovely and talented young woman I couldn't help but ask the obvious question: "In retrospect, given the deficient parenting of her mother, would she rather not have been born? Would she have preferred that her mother had made the choice not to have children?"
My brother-in-law, a prominent law professor, presented the following hypothesis in one of his ethics class: "An incarcerated prostitute suffering from venereal disease became pregnant. The father was an alcoholic whose prognosis for rehabilitation was non-existent. Would you advise an abortion?"
The class unanimously argued that an abortion was desirable. Professor Twerski then informed them that their verdict would have killed Beethoven.
Clearly, only the Master of the universe, in His inscrutable wisdom can fathom why events unfold as they do. Surely, if we were writing the script, there would be children born to the many couples who yearn so desperately and invest so much in that effort. Obviously, when that doesn't happen, painful as it is, the Almighty has determined that the gifts and talents of these people be expressed through other mediums and channels. Evidently, the Master of the universe has other designs of what their contribution to life needs to be.
You also refer to the lack of parental sentiments. There are many families who had no affinity or compelling desire for children, but the experience of actually having them changed the whole equation. Parental emotion and intuition that were heretofore unknown to them were sparked and kindled.
In a narcissistic society such as ours, it is important to evaluate, honestly and objectively, where the truth lies. Given the zeitgeist of our time, it would be easy to rationalize and interpret the inclination to be unencumbered, to be free to indulge and focus exclusively on ourselves as altruistic and idealistic concerns about competence and adequacy. Our culture is one of total preoccupation with self. Whatever encroaches on this pursuit is deemed an imposition to be avoided.
Clearly, parenting is a most challenging and demanding calling. It is consuming of time, energy and emotional input. With the advent of a family, life changes dramatically and requires many adjustments. Undoubtedly, there are unencumbered couples who are "enjoying" their status quo and don't want to rock their comfortable boat. Some will go the route of arguing the case for overpopulation and ecological concerns. In that instance, they might test the honesty of their position by considering the adoption option. There are many children out there who would benefit from a caring, nurturing home.
My dear reader correctly and sensitively intuits that for a Jew to deliberately choose to abstain from having children is not consistent with our tradition (barring physical, psychological or mental health issues that a reliable Torah authority would identify as counter indications). It is not much of a stretch to see in the natural order of God's world that the propagation of the species is mandated. Furthermore, logic and justice would dictate that it is only right that we pass on the privilege of life with which we were gifted and entrusted to the next generation.
To be cautiously apprehensive of the awesome role of parenting is legitimate. It is reminiscent of a story told of a community, who upon the passing of their elder Rabbi, sought the services of a young gifted scholar in their midst. The young man respectfully declined citing youth and inexperience. Moreover, the thought of leadership that would entail the possibility of misguiding the townspeople with ill-placed counsel threw him into a panic.
The townspeople, convinced of his sterling qualifications and moral stature, insisted that he was the worthy candidate. In view of his refusal, they decided to present the case for arbitration before the venerated Rabbi of a nearby community. The Rabbi heard the pleas of the community and then listened to the young candidate express his dread of not doing justice to so awesome a task.
The sage turned to the young man and poignantly asked, "Would you suggest that the job be given to someone who did not have the requisite awe and sense of responsibility that is required for this job?"
That reticence and hesitance that flows from an understanding of how massive a trust parenthood is, actually qualifies this couple in greater measure than those who entertain no such qualms. Concurrently, they need to know that all that is expected of any one of us is that we take life as it comes, do the best we can and pray abundantly for Heavenly assistance.
I wish them the best of everything, and shana tova!


text:
'The Walking Dead: 400 Days' will leave you hungry for more
Telltale Games' episodic "The Walking Dead" adventure series was the breakout hit of 2012.
Now, the developer is giving fans a chance to jump back into its grim, zombie-infested world with "The Walking Dead: 400 Days" ($5; Mac, PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360). Leaving behind the beloved story of Lee and Clementine, "400 Days" serves as a bridge between Telltale's previous masterpiece and its upcoming sequel.
As a teaser for Season 2, "400 Days" absolutely hits the mark. Occasional flashes of brilliance call to mind the artful writing and deep emotional impact the series has displayed in the past, and I left itching to get under way with the new adventure. As a standalone gaming experience, however, the result is a tad underwhelming.
Players experience "400 Days" through the eyes of five strangers, their stories spanning more than a year after the initial outbreak and loosely intertwined by the shared setting of a run-down diner. The segments can be played in any order, and the entire lot is tied together by an ending that will leave you craving more.
That being said, the roughly 20-minute chapters don't leave much time for character development.
There are moments of brutality that should be shocking, as well as moral dilemmas worthy of anguished hand-wringing. Without an established tie to these characters, however, much of the emotional weight is lifted.
The good news is that Lee's journey improved with each episode under similar conditions, and there's every reason to expect Season 2 to eventually convey the same heart-pounding impact of its predecessor. We simply haven't had enough time to grow with the new cast.
Instead, these chapters begin to feel a bit predictable, with a smattering of quiet pauses amid the chaos and a moment of truth shoehorned into each. With so much backstory to deliver in such a brief setting, action is almost entirely set aside in favor of lengthy stretches of dialogue and cutscenes. You'll bash the occasional walker and escape a close call or two, but for the most part interaction is limited to deciding how to approach each conversation.
Far more upsetting, some situations that initially appear to be open-ended seem to lead to the same inevitable conclusion, creating the illusion of choice. The jury remains out until we can see just how much of the upcoming story is altered by these decisions.
So, with character growth hindered by brevity and action slotted for a supporting role, where does "400 Days" find its redemption? Once again, it's Telltale's undeniably skillful writing that rides to the rescue. Once you catch a hint of one chapter linking with another -- a subtle mention here, a familiar landmark there -- and begin to piece together a jagged narrative from these five staccato stories, the developer has you hooked.
I can't say that I particularly enjoyed my time with "400 Days," but I haven't been able to shake the story since setting the controller down. The difficult decisions, the unsolved mysteries and exactly how this group -- still largely strangers to the player -- moves forward make for an irresistible appetizer.
You may want to hold off on purchasing "400 Days" until Season 2's estimated fall release draws a little closer. Right now, it serves only as a teaser for what lies in store. And you can be certain that Telltale's best is yet to come.
Final score: 7.5 out of 10
Follow Ross Edwards at twitter.com/rossredwards

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Clipse eclipsed: Blaze spins as Malice walks
Man Mountain Jr
at Orbit Billiards
Just Blaze/Clipse
at Fry's Spring Beach Club
Saturday, April 16
Saturday I was torn.
Man Mountain Jr. was playing at Orbit's on the Corner, an event I'd looked forward to attending for about three weeks. At the same time, another event was occurring not too far down the road at Fry's Spring Beach Club: Grammy nominated Virginia-based hip-hop group Clipse and multi-platinum super producer/DJ Just Blaze spinning a set on the turntables.
That event was also special for me because Clipse rank in my top five hip-hop duos of all time, with Just Blaze occupying a spot on my list of top five producers in hip-hop history. I swung by Fry's Spring first to pick up my VIP pass and survey the premises.
By the time I got to Orbit, MMjr had already played a set and were comfortably into their second. Sonically, the mix coming from the P.A. was about as crisp as it could get. All the four pieces (bass, guitar, drums, percussion) found a tonal synergy, moving through their songs like a unified wall of sound.
There was a maturity in their songwriting that I was witnessing fully for the first time. Guitarist Tucker Rogers took lead vocals on one tune that touched me somewhere deep– so much so that I wished I could have stayed longer than the 40 minutes I had allotted. But it was getting close to midnight, when Just Blaze was scheduled to go on.
Screech...jumped in the whip, shot back down JPA to the beach club where the crowd did not exceed 250– not nearly enough to cover the cost of having Clipse perform. VIP Malice (one half of the group) was giving shout-outs on camera to a D.C.-based television crew. Everyone crowded in to get close to him. I snatched up my ginger ale and went to the main stage where Just Blaze was spinning a neck-breaking set.
Just Blaze is an incredible DJ for two reasons. One, his mixing and cutting skills are impeccable. Secondly, he's such an accomplished producer that he can hold down an entire set playing nothing but his own music. Hit after hit he dropped off songs he produced for rap powerhouses Jay-Z, Freeway, Beenie Sigel, Joe Buddens– and the list goes on. Just Blaze's supercool demeanor wasn't hurt any by the 80 grand (give or take) in jewelry hanging from his neck and wrist. He's rich for a reason.
At the end of Just's set it was evident the Clipse were not going to perform because the show had not generated enough revenue in ticket sales to pay them. I rushed out the door to see if I could catch a little more of MMjr. Alas, they had finished. I sat outside Orbit for a short while and watched them pack their gear.
Although everything didn't go as planned, the evening turned out to be quite special. I got to see performances by some of my favorite people– professionally and personally. For that I was grateful.
Man Mountain Jr.


text:
The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday will vote on legislation to avert a pay cut for doctors who participate in the Medicare health care program for the elderly, House Speaker John Boehner said on Wednesday, adding that he expected the Senate would follow "pretty quickly."
Boehner, a Republican, told reporters the legislation sparing Medicare doctors from a pay cut for another year had been agreed between himself and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat. Boehner said the short-term fix does not preclude any work from being done on a longer-term solution to the recurring problem.
--By Reuters


text:
A range of hexagonal connecting nuts which can be used as spacers or to connect studding (threaded rod) etc.
From the trusted RS PRO brand, these hexagonal connecting nuts can be used as spacers or to connect threaded rods. Their hexagonal shape means they can be manipulated with appropriate wrenches to tighten and loosen as needed. These coupling nuts are stainless steel, allowing for a degree of protection against corrosion.
276-522 is an M6 x 18mm zinc plated steel coupling nut
276-538 is an M8 x 24mm zinc plated steel coupling nut
276-544 is an M10 x 30mm zinc plated steel coupling nut
825-269 is an M6 x 18mm stainless steel coupling nut
825-275 is an M8 x 24mm stainless steel coupling nut
825-297 is an M12 x 36mm stainless steel coupling nut
Hexagonal coupling nut
Stainless steel
Ideal for rod assembly and component spacing
Hex coupling nuts are a highly versatile fastener and feature a continuous thread that can accommodate screws or rods from either end. Whether used to connect flexible threaded rods in camping tents or trampolines or as a connector spacer in PCB applications to separate components from the board, coupling nuts can provide a robust point of contact in a variety of constructions.
RS PRO aims to be your go-to brand for reliability and value for money. We source great parts at great prices and test everything with our in-house experts to ensure the quality you need.
When it comes to tools and fasteners, we know that versatility and dependability are what you need. As such, we stock a variety of mainstay and specialist fasteners and couplers to suit any application. Whether you're a professional electrician, plumber, builder or DIY enthusiast, RS PRO is here to support you.
|Thread Size
|Stainless Steel
|Stainless Steel Type


text:
Ex-Anderson County councilman facing new federal charge
The former Anderson County councilman accused of running a multi-million dollar precious metals Ponzi scheme is facing more legal troubles.
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission last week charged Ronnie Wilson with fraud.
The allegations are similar to those from federal prosecutors, who in April said Wilson took millions of dollars from investors through his business, Atlantic Bullion & Coin, but never actually bought them the silver bullion he promised.
Authorities say more than 900 people invested about $90 million with Wilson. Prosecutors say he altered receipts to keep the scheme going.
Prosecutors say investors lost nearly $60 million. The commission's complaint focuses solely on the $11.5 million Wilson allegedly got from investors between Aug. 15 and February of this year.


text:
Where Are jobs available in Canada?
There are many ways to look for a job in the Canada, we have listed the most relevant below.
Finding a job
Internet: Over the last decade the online job market has exploded into the mainstream and in the Canada it is now the most popular way to apply for work, especially among younger people and graduates. Online recruitment websites allow you to search according to your criteria, such as sector, salary and region. You can also post your CV on websites so that companies looking for specific skills can find you.
Newspapers & Magazines: Broadsheets such as Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, Toronto Sun, etc all have job offers, mainly for executives and professionals, as well as sections dedicated to specific professions, i.e. teaching, computers, media. In Ontario, check out the Toronto Sun (mainly for business and secretarial positions), Metro and www.poss.ca for lower level jobs.
Recruitment agencies: Most agencies specialize in a particular field such as computers, nursing, secretarial work, accounting, catering, construction, and so on. There are also "Head hunting" agencies which are hired by big companies to recruit executives, managers or professionals. Others deal solely with temporary staff (temps), and can find you work in an office or as a babysitter, cook, gardener, security guard or any other type of job. To find an agency you can either look in the "employment agencies" section of the yellow pages or go to xxxx for a list of agencies and their specialist fields.
Career fairs: A good place to get started is to visit a career fair. Fairs usually have a range of employers and concentrate on a specific sector. Usually you apply by sending in your CV and employers decide who they want to meet in advance. As well as getting general information on employment perspectives in different companies, it is often possible to arrange interviews.
Speculative applications: If a specific company is of interest you can send a speculative application. Applications are retained and checked against positions as they become available in some companies.
Chambers of Commerce: Contact the local chamber of commerce of your home country in the Canada, as they are often asked for candidates and sometimes have a database of open job positions. Often a chamber of commerce will have a list of companies from your home country doing business in the Canada, which can make good targets for speculative applications.
Jobcentres: They can be found in every town and focus mainly in jobs for the non-professional. They usually have databases of local, national and European vacancies and know about local employers and their needs. Their advisers can help you with all aspects of finding work. They normally have newspapers, books, leaflets and Internet access to support you in your job search
Networking: Sometimes getting a job is about knowing the right people or being in the right place at the right time. You could join an expats club or attend social gatherings where you think you could meet people that are well connected. Just mingle as much as you can and make sure you let everybody know you are looking for employment.
For up-to-date tips on CVs, job applications and interviews, visit our link on foreign national employment, You may also find useful information on your Canada job search on our link for foreign national recruiters and international HR professionals profiles.


text: At HRS, we want to offer you the best possible service. Therefore, we store information about your visit in so-called cookies. By using this site, you allow the use of cookies. To obtain detailed information regarding the use of cookies on this site, click "More Information", where you can also disable cookies and adjust your browser settings accordingly. More Information


text:
Defensive miscues sink Mariners against Jays
Seattle commits four errors; Felix takes first loss since May 25
SEATTLE -- Felix Hernandez was handed his first loss in 10 weeks on Tuesday night as the Blue Jays topped the Mariners, 7-2, at Safeco Field.
Hernandez didn't get a lot of help from his defense, as three of his six runs were unearned thanks to three errors that also led to an increased pitch count. The Mariners' ace lasted just five innings, equaling his briefest start of the season.
Seattle's defense committed a season-high four errors on the night as the Mariners fell to 52-61 on the season.
"It happens," said Hernandez. "It's baseball. Errors are part of the game. We just happened to make a couple mistakes and fell behind a lot. They capitalized and scored some runs."
The King wasn't at his best either, giving up nine hits and three walks with three strikeouts before giving way after 101 pitches. Hernandez saw his record drop to 11-5 with his first loss since May 25 against the Rangers. His ERA stands at 2.39, still the best in the American League.
"He wasn't getting a whole lot off the corners," said Mariners acting manager Robby Thompson. "It seemed like it was a pretty tight strike zone. And then when he did miss, he was out and over the plate and he got hit. Even with the sloppy defense, we've seen a sharper Felix, obviously. But hey, we're all human and he still pitched a pretty good ballgame."
But this night swung Toronto's way from the beginning, as Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes greeted Hernandez with a leadoff home run, driving a first-pitch fastball over the wall in right center. It was just the second leadoff home run allowed by Hernandez in his career, the other by Ian Kinsler of the Rangers in 2011.
Hernandez has given up just 12 home runs in 24 starts, and he had allowed none in his previous five outings.
"He's one of the best pitchers in the game," said Reyes. "I went up looking for a fastball right in the middle the first pitch and I tried to put my best swing on the ball and that's what happened."
Not all the Blue Jays were as impressed.
"We battled him good. We put some good at-bats on him, worked into counts, and he didn't get some calls he probably normally gets," said center fielder Colby Rasmus, who had two singles and a walk against Hernandez. "To me, he's just another pitcher. Ain't nothing special to me. Up here, all the pitchers are good."
The Mariners' defense let Hernandez down in the fourth inning with errors by Kyle Seager and Brad Miller leading to a trio of unearned runs when Emilio Bonifacio delivered a two-out, two-run double and Reyes followed with a run-scoring single to make it 4-0.
Seager had two errors on the night and Miller also dropped a ball on a stolen-base attempt midway through the fourth-inning rally, a miscue that kept Hernandez from getting out of that mess.
The Blue Jays kept pounding away in the fifth, with three straight two-out singles tacking on two more runs and a six-run lead. Hernandez's 4.65 ERA against the Blue Jays in 12 career starts is his highest ERA against any AL opponent
Meanwhile, the Mariners made no progress against Toronto right-hander Josh Johnson, who came in at 1-8 with a 6.60 ERA and left after allowing just five hits in five scoreless innings.
Rasmus went above the center-field fence in the sixth to rob Kendrys Morales of a home run. On the flip side, Mariners left fielder Raul Ibanez fielded a double in the seventh inning and spiked his throw into the grass about 30 feet in front of him as Toronto added another run.
Even the Safeco crowd had a decidedly pro-Blue Jays feel for a second straight night, as a large percentage of the 28,198 in attendance were wearing Toronto colors and cheering for the visitors.
"Unbelievable, huh?" said Hernandez. "That's crazy. I don't know. Probably because we're close to Vancouver, that's why. But it's crazy."
Seattle finally crossed the plate with a two-run triple by Miller in the seventh off reliever Juan Perez. It was Miller's fourth triple in 34 games.
Miller helped overcome his sixth error of the season with a 2-for-4 night at the plate, but fellow rookie Nick Franklin was 0-for-3 with a walk as his hitless streak reached 27 at-bats.
"It's kind of youth showing a little bit right now," said Thompson. "But the experience he and Franklin are getting, offensively and defensively, they're only going to get better for it."
Carter Capps, recalled from Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the day, pitched two innings and allowed two hits and one unearned run.
The victory clinched the Blue Jays' first series win at Safeco Field since 2004, as they improved to 53-60 going into Wednesday afternoon's finale.


text:
Living Room
Dining Room
Living Room
The options are endless when it comes to putting together a living room that satisfies your tastes—from sumptuous sofas and stately coffee tables to chic occasional chairs and perfectly petite side tables.
Central to any living space, our sofas are anything but ordinary. Peruse our variety of shapes and sizes to find that one that works best for you.
Central to any living space, our sofas are anything but ordinary. Peruse our variety of shapes and sizes to find that one that works best for you.
Designed to wow and excite, our side tables are the finishing touch to enhance any interior space. Discover the tables that strike the perfect chord in your room.
Coffee tables are known for providing both form and function within a room. And, our offerings are sure electrify an interior. Browse through them here.
They say it's all about making an entrance and our console tables certainly leave a lasting impression not soon forgotten. Find one here.
Whether you prefer open shelving or concealed compartments, we have solutions for all your media components
Tuck away your keepsakes into one of our functional storage solutions or chic armoires.
Dining Room
The dining room is proving to be the perfect area to make a bold statement; an interior space where the furnishings speak as loudly as the entertaining they host.
Shapely in every sense of the word, our Dining Tables range in size, form and finish. Discover them here.
Our variety of chairs span from sleek and sophisticated to cozy and inviting. Select the ones that fit best into your lifestyle.
Statement makers that double as hideaways for fine China and tabletop décor, make one of these stunning credenzas yours.
Mixing and mingling amongst the variety of these Bar Cabinets is sure to steer your next soirée into the right direction.
A quiet room for reflection. A place to retreat at the end of each day. The bedroom is arguably one of the most important spaces in the home and we, in turn, want to offer the best selections.
Materials are aplenty when it comes to our bed frame collection—choose from plush and upholstered to modern and wood based.
Often nightstands prove to be the jewelry in most bedroom settings and our offerings are just that.
These sophisticated vanities impart a bit of glamour to the everyday getting-ready routine.
From lacquer and Lucite to mahogany and brass, our dressers and chest check all of the necessary boxes and then some.
Designed with productivity in mind and comfort at the top of the list, our office offerings are anything but ordinary.
Getting work done from one of these cleverly designed desks will make any mundane task a bit more special.
The perfect display perches for your books and objets are just a click away. Discover our variety of bookcases and etageres.
Made To Order
Our trusted creatives, collaborators, incredible talents, and ambassadors. Meet the talent behind the frames.
Regarded as one of the pioneers of the sustainable furniture movement, Thomas Bina is recognized for his use of reclaimed timber, and his raw-yet-refined aesthetic.
Kelly Hoppen MBE's iconic style features clean lines and neutral tones blended with charming warmth and sumptuous tactile opulence.
Founder Martin Waller's notorious sense of adventure has formed the backbone of the Andrew Martin brand since its inception in 1978. For Waller, design has always been about reflecting different cultures and communicating a passion for the people who made it.
Taking cues from European and American mid-century classics, Maison 55 designs celebrate uncomplicated, pared-down forms and natural materials.
Helmed by Creative Director, Palmer Earley, Nellcote Studio designs epitomize the intersection of lighting and art, incorporating an aesthetic that verges on sculptural.
Renowned for its signature use of eclectic materials and attention to detail, Coup&Co. wall art is distinctly bold, elegant and original.
Simplicity reigns alongside the pure forms and calming hues of the Newman. A two-tone palette dominates, and the neutrality of these pieces offer a clean slate that can be personalized using accessories of glass and ceramic.
Featuring clean lines and intricate shadowbox frame details, the Chloe Collection strikes all the right chords for a harmonious interior space. Crafted from maple solids and figured sycamore veneer, finished in an elegant, satin mink pale grey stain, that allows the natural beauty of the wood grain to show through.
The Calvin Collection embraces luxurious simplicity tackling both texture and tone. Keeping details top of mind, the line reveals casual and modern notes adding instant intrigue to a space.
A soft, subtle palette of sweet hues reveals the classic Amanda Collection crafted from elegant, satin-brass finished iron frames and accented with sleek, cream lacquer and faux shagreen. It's no surprise it's one of our best-selling collections.
Classic lines and sleek materials compose the Ashton collection, which puts forth bold Mid-Century vibes courtesy strong architectural lines and warm, earthy color tones.
Showing off many of Kelly Hoppen's signature styles, the Monet Collection is a beautiful assembly of upholstered pieces fusing classic nods and Art Deco notes with touches of old world glamour.
Placing scale on a pedestal and allowing materiality to guide the way, the Bridge collection is both bold and balanced.
Made To Order
The perfect display perches for your books and objets are just a click away. Discover our variety of bookcases and etageres.
Peruse our vast array of artwork and complete your walls.
Think graphic prints and avant-garde scenes enhanced by ambient neon embellishments—the perfect conversation starter in a space.
Think graphic prints and avant-garde scenes enhanced by ambient neon embellishments—the perfect conversation starter in a space.
Geodes, agates, and crystals comprise this collection and add some natural glamour to your walls.
Discover our array of creative prints and intriguing photography offerings.
Setting the mood is often the most important element in any interior space, and our lighting options cast just the right glow for the ambiance you're looking for.
From cloud-like fixtures to moveable geometrics, there is a chandelier suitable for any space. Discover them here.
Pendants impart a sense of creativity to the landscape of your lighting, providing ample options. Browse through our wide variety of choices.
Whether inclined more toward casting a modern flare or a traditional glow, we have plenty of shapely options for your tabletop lighting.
Often the ambient jewelry to the walls, our sconces are sculptural and industrial and sure to stand out.
Discover SONDER LIVING Decor
Often the ambient jewelry to the walls, our sconces are sculptural and industrial and sure to stand out.
Often the ambient jewelry to the walls, our sconces are sculptural and industrial and sure to stand out.
The finishing touches to any space, our accessories are uniquely extraordinary and designed to bring your interiors to life.


text:
This premade Pro Page 2.0 Block Theme gives you everything you need to look and operate professionally.
Pro Pages are responsive across all mobile, tablet and desktop browsers and come with a fully integrated shopping cart.
The Layout comes with a high quality static Header Graphic Design showing a Purple Drank and Background Bubbles, including a matching Header for mobile Devices.
Two Background Graphics showing purple Bubbles, are used for your latest Youtube Video area and for the Sub-pages Header.
The Menu and Footer Logos are Image based as well. We also upload a Profile Picture used as a Favicon and default Picture for your Account.
We will set up the Layout Color Codes for you. Changing the Highlight Color and using your own Logo is optionally available at the Product Options above.
This Layout includes a Free Installation Service and an optional Express Delivery, which puts your Layout live in just a few Hours.
There are no reviews yet.
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.


text:
Today's Birthdays: December 09
December 09
John Milton
1608–1674, English Poet.
Born in London, one of the greatest poets of the English language.
Early Life and Works
The son of a wealthy scrivener, Milton was educated at St. Paul's School and Christ's College, Cambridge. While Milton was at Cambridge he wrote poetry in both Latin and English, including the ode "On the Morning of Christ's Nativity" (1629). Although the exact dates are unknown, "L'Allegro" and "Il Penseroso" were probably written not long after this. His dislike of the increasing ritualism in the Church of England was the reason he later gave for not fulfilling his plans to become a minister. Resolved to be a poet, Milton retired to his father's estate at Horton after leaving Cambridge and devoted himself to his studies. There he wrote the masque Comus (1634) and "Lycidas" (1638), one of his greatest poems, an elegy on the death of his friend Edward King.
Political and Moral Tracts
In 1638 Milton went to Italy, where he traveled, studied, and met many notable figures, including Galileo. Returning to England in 1639, he supported the Presbyterians in their attempt to reform the Church of England. His pamphlets, which attacked the episcopal form of church government, include Of Reformation in England (1641) and The Reason of Church Government Urged against Prelaty (1642).
In 1643 Milton married Mary Powell, a young woman half his age, who left him the same year. Disillusioned by the failure of his marriage, he started work on four controversial pamphlets (1643–45) upholding the morality of divorce for incompatibility. His Areopagitica (1644), one of the great arguments in favor of the freedom of the press, grew out of his dissatisfaction with the strict censorship of the press exercised by Parliament.
Milton gradually broke away from the Presbyterians, and in 1649 he wrote The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates, which supported the Independents who had imprisoned King Charles in the Puritan Revolution. In it he declared that subjects may depose and put to death an unworthy king. This pamphlet secured Milton a position in Oliver Cromwell's government as Latin secretary for foreign affairs, and he continued to defend Cromwell and the Commonwealth government in his Eikonoklastes [the image breaker] (1649)—an answer to Eikon Basilike—and in the Latin pamphlets First Defense of the English People (1651), Second Defense of the English People (1654), and Defense of Himself (1655).
Later Life
In the midst of his heavy official business and pamphleteering, Milton, whose sight had been weak from childhood, became totally blind. From then on, he had to carry on his work through secretaries, one of whom was Andrew Marvell. Mary Powell returned to Milton in 1645 but died in 1652 after she had borne him three daughters. He married Catharine Woodcock in 1656, and she died two years later. She is the subject of one of his most famous sonnets, beginning, "Methought I saw my late espoused saint." In 1663 he married Elizabeth Minshull, who survived him. Milton supported the Commonwealth to the very end. After the Restoration (1660) he was forced into hiding for a time, and some of his books were burned. He was included in the general amnesty, however, and lived quietly thereafter.
Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained
For many years Milton had planned to write an epic poem, and he probably started his work on Paradise Lost before the Restoration. The blank-verse poem in ten books appeared in 1667; a second edition, in which Milton reorganized the original ten books into twelve, appeared in 1674. It was greatly admired by Milton's contemporaries and has since then been considered the greatest epic poem in the English language. In telling the story of Satan's rebellion against God and the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Milton attempted to account for the evil in this world and, in his own words, to "justify the ways of God to man."
Paradise Regained, a second blank-verse poem in four books, describes how Christ, a greater individual than Adam, overcame the temptations of Satan. In both works, Milton's characterizations of Satan, Adam, Eve, and Christ are penetrating and moving. Indeed, his portrayal of Satan is so compelling that many 19th-century critics maintained that he rather than Adam was the hero of Paradise Lost. In these two great works Milton's language is dignified and ornate, replete with biblical and classical allusions, allegorical representations, metaphors, puns, and rhetorical flourishes. Samson Agonistes, a poetic drama modeled on classical Greek tragedy but with biblical subject matter, appeared together with Paradise Regained in 1671.
Other Works
Milton's theology, although in the Protestant tradition, is extremely unorthodox and individual on many points; it is set forth in the Latin pamphlet De doctrina Christiana [on Christian doctrine]. Unpublished during Milton's lifetime, this work was discovered and published in 1825. Milton also wrote 18 sonnets in English and 5 in Italian, which generally follow the Petrarchan style and are accepted as among the greatest ever written.
See his complete works (ed. by F. A. Patterson, 20 vol., 1931–40); 1-vol. collections by F. A. Patterson (rev. ed. 1933), D. Bush (1965), and J. T. Shawcross (1971); variorum commentary on the poems (M. Y. Hughes, general editor; Vol. I, 1970; Vol. II, in 3 parts, 1972); Yale edition of his prose works (Vol. I-VI, 1953–73); biographies by W. A. Raleigh (1900, repr. 1967), J. H. Hanford (1949), W. R. Parker (2 vol., 1968), and E. Wagenknecht (1971); studies by M. Nicolson (1963), D. Bush (1964), E. M. W. Tillyard (3 studies: 1938, repr. 1963; 1951, repr. 1960; and rev. ed. 1965), D. Daiches (1957, repr. 1966), J. M. Steadman (1967 and 1968), A. D. Ferry (1963 and 1969), J. T. Shawcross (1966, 1967, and 1970), F. Kermode (1960, repr. 1971), C. A. Patrides (1971), and J. D. Simmonds, ed. (1969 and 1971).
Who2. Copyright © 1998-2006 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved.
- Joel Chandler Harrishumorist (1848)
- Jean de Brunhoffauthor and illustrator (1899)
- Margaret Hamiltonactor (1902)
- Grace Hopperear admiral; computer scientist (1906)
- Thomas P O'Neillpolitical leader (1912)
- Kirk Douglasactor (1916)
- John Cassavetesactor and director (1929)
- Junior Wellsmusician (1934)
- Tom DaschleU.S. senator (1947)
- John Malkovichactor (1953)
- Felicity Huffmanactor (1962)
- Crown Princess Masakoroyalty (1963)


text:
Poema White Blend 2015
Winemaker Notes
A fantastic aperitif or delicious with fresh fruits, sorbet or salad.
Critical AcclaimAll Vintages
Poema Cava is sourced from 152 hectares of vineyards located between the high, central and low regions of the Penedes valley in the Catalan province of Barcelona with each region best suited for specific varieties.
Known for bold reds, crisp whites and distinctive sparkling and fortified wines, Spain has embraced international varieties and wine styles while continuing to place primary emphasis on its own native grapes. Though the country's climate is diverse, it is generally hot and dry. In the center of the country lies a vast, arid plateau known as the Meseta Central, characterized by extremely hot summers and frequent drought.
Rioja is Spain's best-known region, where earthy, age-worthy reds are made from Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache). Rioja also produces rich, nutty whites from the local Viura grape.
Ribera del Duero is gaining ground with its single varietal Tempranillo wines, recognized for their concentration of fruit and opulence. Priorat, a sub-region of Catalonia, specializes in bold, full-bodied red blends of Garnacha (Grenache), Cariñena (Carignan), and often Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Catalonia is also home to Cava, a sparkling wine made in the traditional method but from indigenous varieties. In the cool, damp northwest region of Galicia, refreshing white Albariño and Verdejo dominate.
Sherry, Spain's famous fortified wine, is produced in a wide range of styles from dry to lusciously sweet at the country's southern tip in Jerez.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.


text:
LARCOD was founded by people local to this area.
We see the needs of vulnerable children and women and hope for a brighter future for our community. Some of us were orphaned or vulnerable children ourselves. Some of us have been able to achieve education and good employment. We are inspired to help others do the same, but there are currently so many in need that it is very challenging.
In addition to being Chairman of LARCOD, he cares for and supports three orphans.
Having worked as a teacher since 1996, I have to nurture students from all walks of life however, the most captivating and challenging experience has always got to do with orphans. They are plenty in our community, and some end-up being totally homeless upon the death of their parents. It is this kind of scenario that drove us into forming LARCOD in order to open fresh windows of life's pursuit to such destitute children.
Aside from responsibility as the principal of a local secondary school, I am directly supporting three such orphans whom I have taken into my custody, besides driving the activities of LARCOD. At times, life comes to a kind of a stand still for the orphans, but that is why organizations like ours exist to lift the spirit of many such children.
Joshua grew up in a Kisumu slum. His father died when he was small and his mother died eight years later, which left him responsible for the care of his 5 siblings. The challenges he and his siblings faced to stay in school and find basic necessities opened his eyes. These experiences made him passionate about supporting other children in this situation and his work with LARCOD.Learn More...
Photo Gallery
Titus is a bright boy who's grandparents are raising him and several other children. LARCOD helps him stay in school.
Monica fosters Fidel in her home so that he has good care and a loving family environment. Hellen often visits them.
Kerina leads a women's group. They meet at members homes to share information and plan income generating activities.
Val's mother belongs to a Women's group which helps her generate income to feed her children.


text:
38 of 43
Ruby Sangría
A classic sangría of red wine, brandy, and fresh fruit that's easy to make ahead of time for a picnic or barbecue.
A simple sangría is the quintessential sipper for an outdoor summer gathering. This recipe comes together in minutes and then chills for several hours until the flavors meld, making it the perfect make-ahead party cocktail.... Read More
View Recipe


text:
New London school report on teacher issues falls short
New London - A report presented Thursday night to the Board of Education to address issues of teacher and leader quality, diversity among school faculty, and employee retention raised more questions than it answered, board members said, including just how many teachers have left the district this year.
Michael Fletcher, the district's talent recruitment specialist, said that since he arrived in the district on June 11, 23 teachers have left the district.
Board Chairwoman Margaret Mary Curtin and other board members, however, said they thought the number of teachers who left the district was closer to 40.
Fletcher said he called all 23 teachers, and 10 agreed to participate in the newly implemented exit interview process. He and Cherese Chery, the district's chief talent/human resources officer, presented to the board the results of those exit interviews.
"We had nine people out of the 10 who talked about relationships with their principal. ... Eight people talked about professional development, seven people talked about work environment, five people talked about adequate staffing, five people talked about (the) evaluation process," Chery said. "And surprisingly, three people talked about low salary. We thought we would hear more."
But members of the board voiced their dissatisfaction with the vague responses provided in the report.
"I don't really find any information from your report here," board member Jason Catala said. "Number one, I thought there were a lot more people who left the district, so I don't understand the low amount of exit interviews that came back."
Chery said that over the last three years, 63 teachers have left New London.
"Two years ago, we had 25 people leave the district. Then, last year, we had 20, this year we have 18 people leaving the district," she said. "So we reached out to anyone who left the district from June, who would have been from last year, and we interviewed those people who were available."
Chery said they did not reach out to teachers who left the district prior to Fletcher arriving on June 11.
"We have been requesting this information for a long time; there is really no excuse that we do not have a full report this evening," Catala said. "I am not proud of this exit interview process."
Fletcher did provide a sample of responses that he got from the exit interviews.
"People may feel insecure about their job, job placement, job security. They don't feel they ... have support for the student behavior management process, there is a lot of changing initiative, there is a lack of recognition amongst the staff, and there is a lack of communication," Fletcher said.
Curtin said she did not believe that none of the 10 respondents mentioned the superintendent or the central office as part of their reason for leaving the school system.
"When the first question you asked was, 'Why are you leaving the district?' I cannot believe that nothing was mentioned about central office or the superintendent," said Curtin, who is a vocal critic of Superintendent Nicholas A. Fischer. "I cannot believe that."
Curtin said that some of the 10 teachers interviewed have called her and told her how they responded to the exit interview questions.
"It seems to me that a lot of the details weren't in the report," Curtin said. "We don't have answers, we just have numbers."
Richard Baez, president of the New London Education Association, said that the number of teachers Chery and Fletcher said have left the district does not jibe with the numbers he has.
"I don't know where they got their numbers," he said after the meeting. "There was no information in that report that was useful."
Baez said he gave Chery a file of about 35 former teachers who he wanted the administration to conduct exit interviews with. During the meeting, Baez read from an email he received from a recently departed teacher who wanted to know why she hadn't been contacted to participate in an exit interview.
Curtin said that, though the board did not receive the information it was hoping for, the exit interview process can be improved so that more useful data emerge from future interviews.
"I see it improving as we go ahead, and I think we can tweak it so the board will know what it can do," she said.
Stories that may interest you
State-funded $20 million pedestrian bridge in New London gets green light
The city's Planning and Zoning Commission has granted conditional approval to plans for a pedestrian bridge over Water Street to the waterfront, a future connection to the estimated $100 million National Coast Guard Museum.
Todt in call from jail: 'I couldn't stop this because I wasn't there'
Despite confession to police, suspect in family's murder says he didn't do it.
What do Santas do when COVID-19 makes this a socially distanced season?
This year, people who have spent Decembers embodying the spirit of Ol' St. Nick are having to adjust the way they spread cheer to the realities of a COVID-19 world.
Santas on the water in Mystic
People dressed as Santas and elves participated in the Santa Paddle & Toy Drive on Saturday, paddling up the Mystic River.


text:
Brawl overblown? Teen disputes Fashion Square claims
Two of the bolder allegations in the recent brawl-at-the-mall that temporarily shut down Charlottesville Fashion Square were that brawlers arrived ready to rumble and traveled for that purpose via public transportation. However, a schoolmate of some of the alleged fighters claims the role played by public transportation–- as well as the intentions of the participants–- have been overstated.
"It was never a coordinated show of force," says Federico D. Venegas, a 16-year-old sophomore at Charlottesville High School, who says he found no evidence of any premeditation. Instead, Venegas contends that what happened around 7:30pm on March 5 was more like the fighting of yesteryear.
"A couple of kids got mad at another couple of kids," says Venegas. "Someone says, 'I have a beef with you,' and somebody says, 'Let's take it outside.' And everybody followed them out."
Indeed, the students did take it outside, but Venegas also finds the portrayals of 100 people fighting, such as that asserted by NBC29, overblown. Venegas contends that the whole altercation–- including spectators–- probably numbered 30 to 40, a range close to the 30 to 50 cited by Albemarle County Police Corporal Ken Richardson.
Within a day of the incident, Mall management released a statement claiming that students arrived via public transportation, and mall manager Karen Weiner claimed in a Daily Progress interview that the whole thing was pre-planned on unnamed social networking sites. Citing an ongoing police investigation, Weiner declined to respond to the debunking offered by Venegas.
Venegas, who was present for the incident, says he determined that the involved students hailed from CHS, Monticello High, and Albemarle High. And as for any in-mall commotion, Venegas says that was the result of revved-up students fleeing back inside when a swarm of police cars rolled up outside.
"I go to school with about five of these kids," says Venegas, who says he interviewed them to find out why they fought. The most disturbing thing Venegas says he learned was that a bystander, a man getting out of his car, was attacked; and Venegas asked a classmate why.
"I don't know," the pugilistic classmate allegedly replied, offering a cryptic, "There can't be no reasons no more."
As for the public transportation, Venegas believes that the fare-free cards that Charlottesville Transit Services offers CHS students probably helped about a third of the CHS students reach the mall–- with the rest carpooling there.
"It's not some great migration," says Venegas. "They just find a way to meet people."
So he finds the image of a busload of thugs piling into a CTS bus–- something that might have been inferred from the mall management allegations–- a little far-fetched. "Maybe five, maybe 10, or even 15 at once," says Venegas, "but nowhere near the capacity of the bus."
Police have not announced any arrests stemming from the incident; and Albemarle Sergeant Linda Jenkins, recently assigned to investigate, was not available by posting time.
41 comments
Annoyed Gas? Really? Racist hypocrisy coming from you doesn't even surprised me let alone "annoy" me. What would annoy me would be if you were still carrying a badge while advocating breaking the law.
Maybe the cops can follow the kids around with a DB meter to make sure they don't violate the new sound ordanince.
Now we agree, gman. While other media outlets report on crime offering up 25 different lame excuses from psychiatrists, cop shoppe chiefs and sheriffs as to why juveniles misbehave, The Hook went right to the horse's mouth and got the truth.
As reported by The Hook above, there hasn't got to be a reason any longer. The little juvenile wannabe thugs terrorize, assault and vandalize just for the sport of it.
Let a few of these wannabe thugs ââ?¬Å?slip and fall" on the bricks.
With all of these phone cameras and flip cameras about? Millions!
Because 30 dudes fightin' is soooooo much better than 100 dudes fightin'.
I agree. Even though I have always been quite outspoken about "street justice" being dished out by cops, this is one case where it's probably warranted. Let a few of these wannabe thugs "slip and fall" on the bricks. Mommy and/or daddy can pick the wannabe thugs up at the Emergency Room.
I always thought this incident was overblown by the media. In a way, it does reflect the new paranoia and fear, as Nancy notes. But it also reflects the old, insular way of thinking that a bunch of non-white kids are inscrutably different from a bunch of white kids. They aren't. They're kids that got into a fight.
People's reaction to this age-old story says more about the people than about the kids.
If some innocent man was attacked outside for no reason whatsoever, the incident has not been blown out of proportion.... doesn't matter if 30 punks were involved or 100 punks.
You see the "mall slug" mentality above, why was the man attacked? And the answer was, "There can't be no reasons no more."
Maybe the recent "discussions on race" need to be discussions on lack of parenting and taking control of kids AT HOME. It goes back years. No daddy, black OR white. Momma a druggie, black OR white. NO control at all. But there are also a lot of hard working folks in a bad economic or domestic situation, black OR white, that don't allow themselves or their children to run amok. We just don't see them on the news do we?
The mall back in the 80s was nothing BUT thugs after dark. A real ghost town. The sob sisters in the City tie the hands of their police force to REALLY deal with REAL problems in a manner that sadly a few only comprehend. Act the fool, get your butt busted. I realize that's a slippery slope and don't condone police MIS treatment but the fact remains that some folks need an attention getter. Roving gangs of thugs come under that umbrella I would say.
The mall slugs might be the same bunch who took over the downtown mall on Friday night. Every 15 minutes the cop shoppe was getting calls from the mall about a small group of wannabe thugs terrorizing the mall patrons, assaults, vandalisms in progress, etc...
10:51 p.m., as I type this, The Nook just called about a guy having a gun in his pants, which of course is not a crime as long if it isn't concealed. And legal concealed if he has a permit. But anyhow, the 911 call said there was a large group of the wannabe thugs hanging around with him or near him. The employees were afraid to leave the business and called the cop shoppe.
About 10:00 p.m. as I was crossing the mall in a vehicle, a little white punk asked for a ride. I said NO. He said he was going to break my car windows later. I stopped, put the car in park, and told him, "Why wait? Do it now, punk!" He kept on huffing and puffing under his breath to impress his friends & associates. But when I kept sitting there and went to open my car door, he took off running.
It's going to be a long hot summer downtown on the mall. The cop shoppes have totally lost control of this city and county to the teen punks.
Gasbag.....would be very interesting if the "innocent man" were to be legally carrying- regardless of Simons "rules".
City Council and the cop shoppe need to come up with a solution. Somebody going to get killed on the mall this summer if they don't nip it in the bud real quick.
Or, the simplest solution, about 25 adult males get together and start a COP (Citizens On Patrol) unit to patrol the mall themselves if the cop shoppe can't get things under control. These little punks will go elsewhere when and if they have to come face to face with a worthy opponent.
Gasbag Self Ordained Expert - I love the idea of citizens getting together and providing some security at the mall and your point about some parents picking their kids up from the police station and then making excuses for the kids and blaming the cops is sadly so true. Maybe a group of citizens can meet the parents and kids as they leave the police station and ask the parent why they're not holding themselves or their kids accountable for their actions. If my dad had to come and get me from the police station when I was a teen I would have begged the cops to keep me locked in a cell where my dad couldn't get me....many kids these days are wonderful, the majority are respectful, positive and friendly. The other sad part of culture is to report so much on the bad....let's look at way's to hold the parents of those children accountable. kids learn from their parents and will do what they can get away with.
hahaha, ok a sixteen year old reported for the hook, no wonder they won a journo prize, they are good they are good
" Venegas contends that what happened around 7:30pm on March 5 was more like the fighting of yesteryear." --even though teens may not have changed our nation has -we are now living with a post Columbine, post Va. Tech, post 9/11 mentality, and the memory of fisticuffs of yesteryear has been left behind, when responding to teen brawls, no matter where they take place.
Hello, Cup Cake. 1:51 a.m.? WTF? You having trouble sleeping?
How exactly is discussing little wannabe thugs considered racist? They come in all different shapes, sizes and colors. The only little wannabe thug I personally witnessed causing problems on the downtown mall Friday night was a skinny little white kid. He thought he was going to show off for all his little white friends. I don't know what color, shape or size the wannabe thugs were in the other incidents dispatched by 911.
I have advocated breaking what law? Street justice? OK, I am from the old school. Where parents disciplined their children with leather belts. And I thank my parents every day of my life. Because of them, I grew up drug and alcohol free with no law enforcement detention or criminal arrest whatsoever. Nowadays parents pick their juvenile brats up at the police station, kiss and hug them, and ask what that big old bad policeman did to them! So yes, maybe the cops need to discipline these brats since the parents won't. If that is advocating breaking a law, I am guilty. :)
Since we are basically talking about kids who have no respect for the law whatsoever, let me tell you what really annoys me. You might recall my speaking of handing a nice free easy arrest to a cop a few weeks ago. Revoked driver's license, no insurance, stolen license plates. I told one of seven cops present at the time that the kid will be out in 15 to 20 minutes, get in that vehicle (pointing it out for him), and drive off. The cop did not hang around out of sight, the cop did nothing. So fast forward to this past Saturday afternoon. The same kid drove a motorcycle headon into another car at 90 mph. He is in the hospital right now on life support, portions of his skull removed so the brain can swell, and he has had his right arm removed. His 2 young children have no idea what has happened or what is going on. If the cops had dealt with this a few weeks back when I asked them to, like they should have, he might not be where he's right now. I wanted so badly to get this kid off the public highways, but the cops would not do their job.
Federico D ,keep the good work.
In addition to the Office of the Commonwealth Attorney in both the city and county, I think it's fair to say that NBC29 is a loyal lap dog to any and all departments in city or county government. They don't bite the hands that feed them informaton day after day. I have watched them take press releases full of lies from the city cop shoppe and the county cop shoppe and publish every false word contained in them.
Then, if a media outlet like The Hook explores the other side of the story, all The Hook is able to report is "so and so would not return our call by press time". The public receives only what the city or county government wants them to hear.
Why should we believe that the mall is to blame for this getting out of hand? I don't think it's unreasonable to start by blaming the "kids", their corrupt culture, and the parents who "raised" them.
Steve, a group of "them" came after me and my family a few months ago. Not the first time here, either (and more such experiences growing up back in my original hometown - I do believe I'm starting to see a pattern). Seriously, (dishonest/misguided bleeding hearts aside) what can be done? Is there sufficient will to see it be done?
Thanks, Steve. I'm not naiive, far from it, and I agree that the city is on borrowed time with this issue.
However, I disagree that things are different than they ever were. I have personally witnessed this business going back to the mid 60's. The fear and apprehension that is rising in me is mixed with resentment, especially now that I am a parent and my own children are at risk. Being a parent adds another level of indignation when you watch the fruit of others' loins creating a world of horrors to play in.
I was at Festival of the Book today. They were not there. I was at the Saturday enrichment program at UVa last winter - I elected to enroll my child in a course of his choosing - they weren't there either. imo, They are not falling behind in school, they are falling behind at home. Who are these parents? We have a right to know.
I've had some crackers in my family. I didn't know that they blog.
Ohh, thanks! That sure throws a monkey wrench in the plans, doesn't it? :)
So Steve reveals his true "colors." Yeah, these " wannabe thugs" are different and the law doesn't apply. Neither do often repeated suggestions to arm yourself with a gun it seems. What a freaking hypocrite.
Kids will be kids --what's changed , more guns, and as I said at the beginning, thanks to the constant barrage of violent images that Americans digest on a daily basis --the national consciousness has changed. We have become a country fraught with fear and apprehension, looking for a mountain lion behind every stop sign.
Yes indeed kids are begging for limits to be set for them. Time for adults to set them. I assure you being one of these youth not long ago a few smack downs will quiet some of this. But also this is not new Charlottesville has always had this scene, there are just more yuppies moved in not used to dealing with it. But yes when a kid gets killed by some person legally carrying a gun it will be too late.
indignation and alarm
Ohh my! I annoyed CC again! My Bad!
But yes, when you have a band of little teenage wannabe thugs who feel the law doesn't apply to them as they terrorize people in the malls (downtown and Fashion Square), vandalize property (downtown), being disorderly and scaring customers out of a restaurant (McDonalds), and assaulting innocent citizens stepping out of their cars for no good reason whatsoever (Fasion Square)... what's good for the goose ya know.
Not sure how you read anything I said as anti-gun. I said a small group of wannabe thugs were near or with the armed man on the mall. The report to the cop shoppe, as dispatched, didn't make it real clear what was going on with the man with the gun on the downtown mall. Were the little wannabe thugs with him? Were the little wannabe thugs surrounding him or engaging in a confrontation with him?
Trust me, Cup Cake, you won't ever catch me advocating any type of gun control unless a person can't legally purchase or possess a firearm.
Harry, I'm not sure what the firearms policy is in the Fashion Square Mall. Have they banned firearms? Another interesting point, if a dozen little wannabe thugs attack an armed cop in Fashion Square, it will be ruled as "justified" if the cop has to shoot one of them. If this shopper, a/k/a innocent citizen does the same, he WILL be charged by the commonwealth attorney and face a $75,000 to $100,000 bill in defense fees at trial.
GSOE hit it right on the head. What happens if an armed citizen is attacked while getting out of their car? Denise Lunford charges them with a hate crime, no doubt. I don't see the prosecutors office making any effort to uncover the truth, and NBC29, her loyal lap dog, reports few facts. I am not surprised that a 16 year old student did a superior job of investigative reporting than the staff at NBC29. His uncovering of the quote,"there can't be no reasons no more", is remarkable in its power to explain the real problem, total hopeless ignorance. If they understand nothing else, make them understand that a teenager charged, convicted, and incarcerated as an adult is a real possibility. Get rid of Denise Lunford and her band of politically correct closet cases, hire someone to rebuild that office with people who understand the dangers these thugs really represent, and know how to investigate gang activity. Otherwise, like so many other cities and their suburbs, C-ville will became a wasteland of what could have been, meanwhile, I'll be shopping in Short Pump.
Ahh, the wonderful benefits of diversity and illegal immigration.
PC forever and kumbaya!
So, a dustup between a couple of teens gets reported by police and news media as a 100 student riot.
Went by the mall the other day--didn't LOOK like a riot had occured.
BTW, It's still dinky.
We're really reporting what some 16 year old kid "researched and interviewed"? so much for journalistic standards
Wow. NBC29 blew a story out of proportion? Shocking.
But really, my wife was in the mall at about 7 p.m. on the night this occurred and she said she had to walk past 25-30 young guys standing in groups of 4 or 5, screaming at each other across the mall. Obviously, 100 people weren't fighting. I didn't buy that for a minute. But to say it was just a dust-up between a couple of kids and was a "boys will be boys" situation isn't accurate either.
Did I mention McDonalds Ridge/McIntire, manager had to call the cop shop when two dozen punks entered raising cain and was scaring off other customers?
This is cville save the whales save the trees and save the poor black kids and the mall please what a dump everyone goes to short pump to shop
re:"We're really reporting what some 16 year old kid ââ?¬Å?researched and interviewed"? so much for journalistic standards"
Why not? Prior to this, the media was simply parroting what some "mall official" stated.
Somebody has to do some research and interviews of those involved to get the whole story, wouldn't you think? If the local media is afraid to approach these teenagers for whatever reason, why not hire a stringer? Sounds like the kid that was the source for this info has a good head on his shoulders.
It sounds more and more like people just don't want to accept the fact that these kids are not so different than the average reader of the hook were at that age.
They got into a little fisticuffs, the cops came so they ran inside. If mall security were able to handle the situation properly, most likely the kids would have just left. Instead, because the mall security overreacted and called the police, the kids went inside and caused some damage and scared some shoppers.
Now we'll hear how "procedures were followed correctly" at the mall and that there was no way the situation could have been handled better by mall personnel.
Maybe it says more about the culprits after all?
Let's see.GBSOE on the side of the police when the little so and sos annoy HIM then he will constantly lambast the very same departments time and again. VERY interesting. In the meantime City "leaders" let your cops be f***in COPS. Even in European cities that are otherwise very liberal such as Amsterdam, the police WILL take care of civil disorder and QUICKLY. Been there and seen that.
Funny thing about the cops that are supposed to be patrolling the mall. For starters, they're peddling around on bicycles. How effective are cops on bicycles? Doesn't seem very threatening or effective to me. No wonder thugs run around terrorizing retailers and their customers. And second, these mall cops on bicycles don't always seem to be doing their job. Somebody I know once reported to me that they witnessed a mall bike cop hanginging out at Cafe Cubano for well over two hours, in uniform, not patrolling. One Friday night last fall my boyfriend and I were on the mall when some crazy religious zealots were in Central Place standing on the benches, screaming their lungs out at everybody for being sinners and such. Passersby were screaming back, and you could hear this ruckus up and down the entire mall. **Where were the little peddling bicycle cops?** Nowhere to be found.
I'm not asking for a police state, or problem-reaction-solution. But I do wonder why thugs and crazies are allowed to run rampant like that.
*hanging, not hanginging
This is why there larger malls have policies that prohibit kids under 18 unless accompanied by their parents during certain restricted hours. Who wants to shop with unruly kids who are simply causing problems and not even spending money. I would rather buy online than shop with them.


text:
by Martin Jefkins
Kent Exiles 58-0 Maidstone Pumas
The Kent Exiles dominated the Maidstone Pumas for the second time in 2013, this time in their home fixture at a sweltering Beaverwood Club, coming away easy winners 58-0.
The scoring came thick and fast, despite the Pumas showing obvious improvement from earlier in the season. The first quarter saw Ben McCarthy start the scoring on a 9 yard catch from Zac Ritchie, and then Ryan Wilson snagged an interception and returned it 71 yards for the second score. The return was the longest in Exiles history, beating the previous best of 67 yards set in 2005 by Michael Turner.
Ben McCarthy catches the first TD of the game. Image courtesy of Kieron Hyams.


text:
"While you don't need as many fixed income choices as you probably want with the equity side, you need to have enough," Matt Sommer, vice president and director of defined contribution and wealth advisor services with Janus Capital, told ThinkAdvisor on Wednesday.
"There's so much focus on the equity side and not enough focus given to whether there's ample choice and availability on the fixed income side so different participants at different stages of their lives can build a portfolio accordingly."
There are three fixed income "staples" for 401(k) lineups to cover the risk-return spectrum, Sommer said: "U.S. intermediate-term, some sort of international diversified option and if you like high-yield, in addition to your money market or stable value option."
Sommer said that U.S. intermediate-term bonds are so common that even plans that only have a few fixed income options have them. "It's sort of like large-cap U.S. equity on the stock side," he said.
Sommer said Janus has observed that plans adopt a "passive approach to fixed income, in all likelihood they're using the U.S. Barclay's Agg as the passive vehicle or the index option." In those cases, advisors need to make sure plan sponsors understand that the duration for the U.S. Aggregate is 5.6, not three as it was before the crisis in 2008.
That's important because the longer the duration, the more sensitive investments are to interest rates, he pointed out.
"We're of the opinion that when interest rates do ultimately begin to creep back up, it's not going to be a linear trend," Sommer said. In fact, he added, "over the last several decades, we've been in a bull market for bonds when interest rates kept declining, but there were 22 periods since 1970 where interest rates actually picked up substantially."
That's what makes an active manager so valuable, Sommer said. "What an active manager is able to do is adjust the way the portfolio is managed relative to duration, to pick spots on the yield curve that offer the best risk-reward ratios, and also to evaluate sector and issue selection. It's going to be a difficult environment, obviously, if the long trend in rates is upward, but there's certainly opportunity especially for active managers who know how to exploit that."
Advisors also need to consider how well the plan sponsor or investment committee actually understands the makeup of the bond funds in the plan and what the risk-return parameters are, Sommer said. "It's been my experience that when you talk to most plan sponsors and most investment committees about their 401(k)'s U.S. intermediate-term bond fund and what their expectations are, it's hardly ever yield. It's not 'I want the best return.' It's more often, 'I'm really concerned about protecting principal.'"
One of the biggest challenges for advisors is finding the right balance of equities and bonds for clients. "Given people's life expectancies and the impact of inflation," Sommer said, and "the fact that people must live on after-tax cash flow, not pretax balances because of long-term capital gains […] it's really important for advisors to have a balanced approach with those clients who aren't in retirement. The right portion of equity is going to vary depending on the client and their risk tolerance, obviously, but equities are still a very big piece of the puzzle."
"Some of the tenets that we believe in relative to the 401(k) world apply to the retail investor as well. Everyone is so hungry for yield," Sommer said. However, say you have an 8% yield on an investment. "That sounds really good, but if the investment depreciates by let's say 10%, your net return is negative 2%. We think that one of the best things that advisors can do for their clients, especially in the yield-starved environment that we're in, is keep their focus on a total return approach."
Check out PIMCO Brings Back McCulley on ThinkAdvisor.


text:
Calendar will automatically show any accounts that you're signed in to with your Apple ID. You can also add calendars or calendar subscriptions from your email account, social media, and more, and they'll stay up to date across your devices. iCloud can help you manage your events and appointments so you're where you need to be, when you need to be there.
Get started
- Update your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch to the latest version of iOS, and your Mac to the latest version of macOS.
- Make sure you're signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on all of your devices.
Set your default calendar
When you create a new event, iCloud adds it to your default calendar. To make setting appointments easier, the calendar you use the most—probably for work or home—should be your default calendar. You can change your default calendar from your device or on iCloud.com.
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
- Go to Settings > Calendar.
- Tap Default Calendar.
- Choose the calendar that you want to use as your default.
On your Mac:
- Open Calendar (or iCal).
- Click Calendar in the menu bar and choose Preferences.
- In the General tab, choose the calendar that you want to use from the Default Calendar menu.
On iCloud.com:
- Go to Calendar > > Preferences.
- Choose the calendar that you want to use from the Defaults menu.
- Click Save.
Manage your events
Whether you're managing your schedule from your Mac or setting appointments on the go, using your Calendar is simple. And any changes you make immediately appear on all of your Apple devices.
Add an event
- Open Calendar.
- Select the event date.
- Tap and enter the details of your appointment.
Change an event
- Open Calendar.
- Select the event you want to change.
- Tap Edit.
Delete an event
- Open Calendar.
- Select the event you want to delete.
- Tap Delete Event.
You can only delete events that you created. If you have an event on your Calendar that someone else invited you to, you can tap Decline and remove the event. If you want to remove an event on a subscribed calendar, you might need to go to the subscription source—for example, decline an event on Facebook—for it to delete from your iCloud Calendar.
Share calendars with your family
iCloud makes it easy to keep track of everyone's active schedule. When you set up Family Sharing, it creates a family calendar where everyone can see and add appointments, and they can also get an alert when something changes. After your family members join your group, the family calendar instantly shows up on everyone's devices.
If you don't want to share the family calendar, you can unsubscribe from it directly on your device, or on iCloud.com, and remain in the Family Sharing group.
Change your time zone
Your device automatically updates your Calendar and appointments to reflect the time zone you're currently in. So if you travel from San Francisco to New York, your 1:00 p.m. alert will now go off at 4:00 p.m. If you don't want the time zone to update automatically, you can change the Calendar settings on your device.
On your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch:
- Go to Settings > Calendar.
- Tap Time Zone Override.
- Slide to turn on Time Zone Override.
- Tap Time Zone and search for the time zone you want to use.
On your Mac:
- Open the Calendar app.
- Click Calendar in the menu bar and choose Preferences.
- Go to the Advanced tab.
- Check Turn on time zone support.
Learn more
- Get help using iCloud Calendar.
- Follow these steps if you see duplicate calendars or events on your iCloud Calendar.
- You can also get help using Outlook with iCloud for Windows.


text:
While 2009 has been a big year for celebrity break-ups, it hasn't been all heartbreak and restraining orders. In fact, there has been some cute coupling going on in the last 12 months. As part of OK!'s Year in Review, here's our look at the pairings that tugged at our heartstrings in 2009.
10. Marilyn Manson and Evan Rachel Wood
•How They Hooked Up: After having split up last year, Marilyn seems to think he won Evan back by finally being his true self. The formerly shocking rocker announced he was back together with Evan in a December. "I think that that really paid off because I'm back with Evan," he explained. Apparently, Marilyn had to love himself before he could love another!
•Why They Intriqued Us: If Marilyn and Evan being one of the oddest looking couples isn't enough to keep us intrigued, Marilyn's affair with Evan, a much younger woman, certainly is! The Wrestler actress was reported to be a huge factor in the split between Marilyn and ex-wife, Dita Von Teese.
•Chances of Survival Through 2010: Doesn't look good — Once a cheater always cheater! However, since Marilyn claims to have had some type of epiphany there could be hope that he'll stick with Evan and not move on to someone even younger!
9. Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo
•How They Hooked Up: Nick said he met Vanessa while judging a beauty pageant in 2006, the same year his divorce to Jessica Simpson became finalized. It might have been a rebound, but the time this couple spent apart over the summer seems to have made their relationship even stronger now. Nick explained, "I was single for a minute there, and then we've kind of patched things up there."
•Why They Intrigued Us: Nick and Vanessa broke up in June, but then reunited shortly after and we all love happy endings. But really, this couple keeps us intrigued because mainly because we don't want Nick and Jessica to not be able to love again! We'll settle for Nick if he's the one to remarry first, but it looks like Jessica may beat Nick to the alter with Billy Corgan! A source told OK!, "He's very caught up in Jessica's mystique and believes this is a relationship worth pursuing."
•Chances of Survival Through 2010: All signs point towards an engagement, but 2010 may be too soon for this couple. A source told OK!, "They'll definitely get married." Although, they don't sound like they're in a hurry! The source added, "They're just enjoying the rekindled romance romance right now."
8. Freida Pinto and Dev Patel
•How They Hooked Up: The Slumdog Millionaire co-stars tried to keep their relationship a secret, but Dev's mother, Anita, confirmed their relationship in April! "Freida is really beautiful and I am really happy for them,"Anita said. "Yes, we knew he was flying to Israel to see her." So cute!
•Why They Intrigued Us: Other than the fact that they're a gorgeous looking couple, we loved that they found love working on a film like Slumdog Millionaire. We lost our Notebook stars Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling — let us at least keep Jamal and Latika together!
•Chances of Survival Through 2010: They're a match made in Bollywood heaven! We hope this happy ending ever comes to an end!
7. Reggie Bush and Kim Kardashian
•How They Hooked Up: Kim's relationship with the NFL player was a slow progression, but when the couple split in July they acted fast to have things patched up by the fall!
•Why They Intrigued Us: Love was certainly in the air for Kim's sisters Khloé Kardashian Odom and Kourtney Kardashian in 2009 and we just couldn't stomach the though that poor little Kim would be left out!
•Chances of Survival Through 2010: The driving force behind this relationship seems to be that all the other Kardashians are doing it. Kourtney had the baby, Khloé had the wedding, so what's left for Kim to do with Reggie in 2010? They'll survive, but they'll make a spectacle of it along the way!
6. George Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis
•How They Hooked Up: George and Elisabetta met in Italy where the model hoped on the back of his bike and she's been following him ever since!
•Why They Intrigued Us: We don't like to see George with anything because that way everyone can pretend they're with him! George has managed to keep his relationship last with Elisabetta since August and we can't help but wonder where it is going!
•Chances of Survival Through 2010: It doesn't look good. Okay, maybe that's just wishful thinking, but the world is not ready for a George to marry!
5. Katy Perry and Russell Brand
•How They Hooked Up: Shortly after Russell hosted the VMA's which Katy performed at, the two took their relationship public in October when they were spotted together in London.
•Why They Intrigued Us: It's weird to see admitted sex addict Russell, who has never been shy when it comes to talking about his promiscuous past, finally in a committed relationship. It's just so crazy it might actually work!
•Chances of Survival Through 2010: Wouldn't be surprised if we soon find out that this couple is headed to the alter! We can hear the bells now!
4. Jude Law and Sienna Miller
•How They Hooked Up: Jude and Sienna reunited when they both happened to be performing on Broadway at the same time. Jude was perhaps all they needed to forgive and forget and rekindle their romance.
•Why They Intrigued Us: Well, we're shocked that Sienna would even consider get back with a man she dated for two years, was engaged to and then ended in 2006 after he had an affair with his children's nanny! Not to mention he just had another child with a former girlfriend!
•Chances of Survival Through 2010: Since the couple were spotted playing with Jude's children on the beach in the Caribbean over the holidays we're thinking they'll survive a good part of 2010. But the real question is, has Sienna forgiven or just forgotten? Sources told OK! that Jude's been doing romantic things for Sienna. "It was sweet, the type of thing he never did the first time around," the source said.
3. Britney Spears and Jason Trawick
•How They Hooked Up: Sometimes good friends make excellent boyfriends. And beginning in June, Britney was rumored to be dating her longtime agent and friend and then the adorable photos came!
•Why They Intrigued Us: We want to see Britney back on top and stay on top! No more scary shaved head Britney! Britney and her boys seem like one big happy family with Jason and that's just what she needs.
•Chances of Survival Through 2010: If the wedding doesn't happen by the end of 2010 the proposal sure will. A source told OK!, "Britney said she does not have a doubt in her mind that she wants to spend the rest of her life with Jason."
2. Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift
•How They Hooked Up: Working together on films seems like a good way to meet a significant other. The Taylors met on set of the film Valentine's Day and an insider told OK!, "They've fallen head over heals for each other." The two dated for a little over three months supporting each other throughout their many successes in such a short before they called it quits just before the new year.
•Why They Intrigued Us: And so the country singer fell in love with the werewolf. This could was just so darn cute how could you not be intrigued! They both had the biggest years of their young careers and then teamed up as the ultimate power couple!
•Chances of Survival Through 2010: Well, they already didn't make it and we doubt they'll be reuniting. As much as loved T-Squared we can understand how even slight age gap like they had could make things tough. We're said to see them separate, but we're looking forward to see who they hook up with in the new year!
1. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson
•How They Hooked Up: Ever since Kristen chose Robert to play her Edward the chemistry between these two has been too much for even them to handle! Once Kristen was a single lady, Rob didn't waste time claiming her as his own once they became reunited in Vancouver to begin filming in April.
•Why They Intrigued Us: 2009 really was the year of Rob and Kristen! Why were we so intrigued? Because Edward and Bella became real-life! Need we say more!
•Chances of Survival Through 2010: We wouldn't be surprised if Rob and Kristen's relationships slows down during their break from filming, but will definitely fire back up once they're working together again! We can probably see this private couple together in public again soon as a source told OK!, "They'll reunite to help promote the DVD release of New Moon."
For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube!


text:
- Insurance Claim
- Best Deals On The Market
- Professionally Trained Team
- Top-notch Services!
Learn what should be expected
You should be informed when it comes to Bathroom Mirrors in Palm Springs, CA. You don't want to go in without understanding it, and you need to know what you should expect. We will take the surprises out of the equation through providing adequate and complete info. Step one will be to call at 800-367-9920 to set up your task. We'll address your questions and concerns and schedule your first appointment. Our company can show up at the scheduled time with the necessary resources, and can work closely with you throughout the process.
Bathroom Mirror Guys will be there for your Bathroom Mirrors in Palm Springs, Wyoming requirements
Many good reasons can be found to choose Bathroom Mirror Guys for Bathroom Mirrors in Palm Springs, CA. Our company has the top customer service ratings, the very best quality products, and the most practical and productive money saving practices. We appreciate your requirements and intentions, and we are there to serve you using our practical experience. When you require Bathroom Mirrors in Palm Springs, get in touch with Bathroom Mirror Guys by dialing 800-367-9920, and we are going to be more than pleased to help you.


text:
From January 2000 American Psychologist, Vol 55. No. 1. 5 14 DOI: 10.1037//0003-066X.55.1.5 Please see full article on
A science of positive subjective experience, positive individual traits, and positive institutions promises to improve quality of life and prevent the pathologies that arise when life is barren and meaningless. The exclusive focus on pathology that has dominated so much of our discipline results in a model of the human being lacking the positive features that make life worth living. Hope, wisdom, creativity, future mindedness, courage, spirituality, responsi- bility, and perseverance are ignored or explained as transformations of more authentic negative impulses. The 15 articles in this millennial issue of the American Psychologist discuss such issues as what enables happiness, the effects of autonomy and self-regulation, how optimism and hope affect health, what constitutes wisdom, and how talent and creativity come to fruition. The authors outline a framework .For a science of positive psychology, point to gaps in our knowledge, and predict that the next century will see a science and profession that will come to under- stand and build the factors that allow individuals, communities, and societies to flourish.
The field of positive psychology at the subjective level is about valued subjective experiences: well-being, con- tentment, and satisfaction (in the past); hope and optimism (for the future); and flow and happiness (in the present). At the individual level, it is about positive individual traits: the capacity for love and vocation, courage, interpersonal skill, aesthetic sensibility, perseverance, forgiveness, originality, future mindedness, spirituality, high talent, and wisdom. At the group level, it is about the civic virtues and the insti- tutions that move individuals toward better citizenship: responsibility, nurturance, altruism, civility, moderation, tolerance, and work ethic.
Enjoyment Versus Pleasure
In a similar vein, it is useful to distinguish positive expe- riences that are pleasurable from those that are enjoyable. Pleasure is the good feeling that comes from satisfying homeostatic needs such as hunger, sex, and bodily comfort. Enjoyment, on the other hand, refers to the good feelings people experience when they break through the limits of homeostasis–when they do something that stretches them beyond what they were–in an athletic event, an artistic performance, a good deed, a stimulating conversation. En- joyment, rather than pleasure, is what leads to personal growth and long-term happiness, but why is that when given a chance, most people opt for pleasure over enjoy- ment? Why do people choose to watch television over reading a challenging book, even when they know that their usual hedonic state during television is mild dysphoria, whereas the book can produce flow?
Collective Well-Being
This question leads directly to the issue of the balance between individual and collective well-being. Some hedo- nic rewards tend to be zero-sum when viewed from a systemic perspective. If running a speedboat for an hour provides the same amount of well-being to Person A as reading from a book of poems provides to Person B, but the speedboat consumes 10 gallons of gasoline and irritates 200 bathers, should the two experiences be weighed equally? Will a social science of positive community and positive institutions arise?
It has been a common but unspoken assumption in the social sciences that negative traits are authentic and posi- tive traits are derivative, compensatory, or even inauthen- tic, but there are two other possibilities: that negative traits are derivative from positive traits and that the positive and negative systems are separate systems. However, if the two systems are separate, how do they interact? Is it necessary to be resilient, to overcome hardship and suffering to experience positive emotion and to develop positive traits? Does too much positive experience create a fragile and brittle personality?
As positive psychology finds its way into prevention and therapy, techniques that build positive traits will become commonplace. Psychologists have good reason to believe that techniques that build positive traits and positive sub- jective experiences work, both in therapy and perhaps more importantly in prevention. Building optimism, for example, prevents depression (Seligman, Schulman, DeRubeis, & Hollon, 1999). The question is, how? By what mechanisms does courage or interpersonal skill or hope or future mind- edness buffer against depression or schizophrenia or sub- stance abuse?
Descriptive or Prescriptive
Is a science of positive psychology descriptive or prescrip- tive? The study of the relations among enabling conditions, individual strengths, institutions, and outcomes such as well-being or income might merely result in an empirical matrix. Such a matrix would describe, for example, what talents under what enabling conditions lead to what kinds of outcomes. This matrix would inform individuals' choices along the course of their lives, but would take no stand on the desirability of different life courses. Alterna- tively, positive psychology might become a prescriptive discipline like clinical psychology, in which the paths out of depression, for example, are not only described, but also held to be desirable.
[…] We predict that positive psychology in this new cen- tury will allow psychologists to understand and build those factors that allow individuals, communities, and societies to flourish. Such a science will not need to start afresh. It requires for the most part just a redirecting of scientific energy. In the 50 years since psychology and psychiatry became healing disciplines, they have developed a highly transferable science of mental illness. They developed a usable taxonomy, as well as reliable and valid ways of measuring such fuzzy concepts as schizophrenia, anger, and depression. They developed sophisticated methods– both experimental and longitudinal–for understanding the causal pathways that lead to such undesirable outcomes. Most important, they developed pharmacological and psy- chological interventions that have allowed many untreat- able mental disorders to become highly treatable and, in a couple of cases, even curable. These same methods and in many cases the same laboratories and the next generation of scientists, with a slight shift of emphasis and funding, will be used to measure, understand, and build those char- acteristics that make life most worth living. As a side effect of studying positive human traits, science will learn how to buffer against and better prevent mental, as well as some physical, illnesses. As a main effect, psychologists will learn how to build the qualities that help individuals and communities, not just to endure and survive, but also to flourish.


text:
Justin Timberlake is apologizing for a "silly, unsavory video" that shows homeless people offering congratulatory wishes to the pop star and his new bride, Jessica Biel.
Timberlake posted an open letter on his website Friday saying he didn't know about the video or contribute to it.
He says the video "was made as a joke on me" and wasn't shown at his wedding in Italy last week.
Timberlake calls the video "distasteful" and says he's deeply sorry to anyone offended by it. But he acknowledges that it was made by well-meaning friends.
The 19-second video is titled, "Greetings from your Hollywood friends who just couldn't make it." It shows three people who obviously don't know the famous couple greeting them with wedding wishes.