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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Attorney General-designate Eric Holder said Thursday that the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be closed after President-elect Obama takes office, but not as soon as the administration would like.
Attorney General-designate Eric Holder said at his confirmation hearing that "waterboarding is torture."
Holder made the comments as he appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing.
The physical act of closing the Guantanamo Bay facility isn't a problem, noted Holder. The more pressing question, he said, is the fate of the roughly 250 inmates currently being held there.
Some of the inmates, Holder said, can be sent to other countries, while others can be prosecuted.
A third group of inmates, Holder indicated, can't be tried "for a variety of reasons" but also can't be released because they are too dangerous.
For that reason, the Obama administration won't be able to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility "as soon as we'd like." Watch Holder vow that the prison at Guantanamo Bay "will be closed" »
Holder also pledged that, if confirmed, he would support interrogation techniques that are "effective" but don't "serve as recruiting tools for the enemy" or violate America's treaty obligations.
He cited the claims of military officials who have said that certain so-called "enhanced (interrogation) techniques" don't always produce reliable intelligence.
He also stated that "waterboarding is torture" and a violation of the Geneva Conventions. Watch Holder categorize waterboarding as torture »
Justice Department officials have said in the past that the technique was used but is no longer in use.
In response to a question from Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, Holder said the U.S. Army Field Manual would be a "good place to start" for the purpose of establishing a uniform standard for torture techniques. He indicated that he did not believe that restricting interrogations to the rules of the Field Manual would impair the ability of the government to successfully combat terrorism.
During his opening statement before the committee, Holder pledged to "strengthen the activities of the federal government that protect the American people from terrorism," but to "do so within the letter and spirit of the Constitution."
"Adherence to the rule of law strengthens security by depriving terrorist organizations of their prime recruiting tools," Holder noted. "America must be a beacon to the world. We will lead by strength, we will lead by wisdom and we will lead by example."
He said that law enforcement tools such as the Patriot Act have to be enforced in a manner consistent with the country's values and "great tradition" of supporting civil liberties.
Asked whether the president has an "inherent authority" to engage in warrantless surveillance, Holder said the chief executive would be "well advised" to work "within the dictates" of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
Holder indicated that a president's power to conduct surveillance is "at its zenith" when the president acts in concert with the intent of Congress as laid out in FISA.
Much of Holder's testimony centered on a promise to "restore the credibility of a department badly shaken by allegations of improper political interference" and to "respect Congress" and the federal judiciary.
"We will carry out our constitutional duties ... with the humility to recognize that congressional oversight and judicial review are necessary, beneficial attributes of our system of government," Holder said.
He credited Attorney General Michael Mukasey for having "done much to stabilize the department and restore morale."
When asked whether he would support a criminal investigation of Bush administration officials for possible violations of national security and civil liberties laws, Holder responded that while "nobody is above the law," he also didn't "want to criminalize policy differences that may exist" between the outgoing and incoming administrations.
As for himself, however, Holder said he "wouldn't hesitate to resign" if he couldn't properly do his job as "the people's lawyer."
If confirmed, Holder would be the first African-American attorney general.
All About Eric Holder • U.S. Department of Justice


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In our recent CIKM paper An Eye-tracking Study of User Interactions with Query Auto Completion (QAC), we looked at how searchers examine and interact query completions, and what this tells us about measuring QAC ranking quality. Accurately interpreting user interactions would allow us to optimize search for each individual user. However, measuring performance is a real bottleneck, because searcher behaviour itself is affected by the searcher's previous experience, expectations, and the search engine.
Here's an example video that shows how searchers examine QAC:
For full details, take a look at the paper here.

subset: commoncrawl


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News April 18, 2013
Pope, Diocese respond to West tragedy
Bishop Farrell asks all in the Diocese of Dallas to please continue to pray for the community of West.
Learn how you can help those affected by this heartbreaking event.
Bishop Farrell asks all in the Diocese of Dallas to please continue to pray for the community of West. May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace and may God our Heavenly Father bring comfort and strength to all affected by the tragic explosion that occurred there Wednesday evening, April 17th.
How you can help
- Monetary donations should be given to Catholic Charities of Central Texas, www.ccctx.org/disaster or The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, www.ssvdp.org. Visit the Catholic Charities of Central Texas Disaster Relief page to learn how you can help."
- There is a need for blood for victims of the explosion. Donate blood wherever you can.
On Wednesday evening, April 17, there was a massive explosion at the West Fertilizer Plant in West, which is in the Catholic Diocese of Austin.
The facilities of St. Mary, Church of the Assumption Parish were not damaged. The parish hall is being used as a command center for EMS. The parish and school are about 1 mile away from the fertilizer plant.
Earlier this morning, Pope Francis, through Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, sent a message to Bishop Joe S. Vásquez:
Saddened by the news of the destruction caused by the explosion in West, the Holy Father asks you kindly to convey his heartfelt condolences to the civil authorities and the afflicted families. He prays for the eternal rest of the victims and implores God's blessings on consolation and peace upon those who mourn and all who generously aid in the continuing work of relief.
Also this morning through his Twitter handle @Pontifex, Pope Francis tweeted, "Please join me in praying for the victims of the explosion in Texas and their families."
Bishop Vásquez asks, too, that all people pray for the people of West. On Thursday, Bishop Vásquez sent a note of thanks to Pope Francis for his prayers and messages.
The parish in West was founded in 1892, making it 120 years old. The community of West is predominantly Czech; with most people tracing their ancestry to Moravian or German migrants in the 1870s. The community is mostly Catholic with a population of 2,900. The parish has 1,275 registered families. Father Ed Karasek has been pastor of the church since 1989. The parish is also home to a school, pre-K through eighth grade, with 136 students and 17 faculty members.
The Diocese of Austin, and its parishes and faith communities, is responding in a number of ways to this tragedy:
- The Diocese of Austin is communicating with the media and public through official news releases, e-mail, social media and the diocesan website, www.austindiocese.org.
- Priests of the Diocese of Austin came to area hospitals to administer sacraments and attend to the spiritual needs of the injured and their families, shortly after the explosion.
- Pope Francis and Bishop Vásquez ask everyone to pray for the people of West.
- The Thursday Masses at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin and the diocesan Pastoral Center were celebrated for the people of West.
- Bishop Vásquez will celebrate a Mass at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 21, at St. Mary, Church of the Assumption in West.
- Bishop Vásquez will visit West on Friday.
- Bishop Vásquez has approved the use of a special weekday Mass for the people of West.
- Bishop Vásquez has also sent a Universal Prayer for parishes to use this weekend at all Masses.
- The Diocese of Austin will respond to the needs to those affected by the explosion with long-term case management. The American Red Cross provides disaster relief during the first 30 days. Beginning from the 31st day, Catholic Charities of Central Texas and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul will take on cases referred by the American Red Cross, in addition to new cases. Long-term case management includes the distribution of furniture and household goods.
- There is a need for blood for victims of the explosion. Donate blood wherever you can.
- Monetary donations should be given to Catholic Charities of Central Texas, www.ccctx.org/disaster or The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, www.ssvdp.org.
- The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will accept donations of furniture and household goods, excluding clothes and mattresses, at two locations: 818 Yager Lane, Austin, Texas, 78753 and 1327 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704. Donations are only accepted from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- All Catholic parishes are asked to take up a special collection this weekend or on another date that will be distributed through Catholic Charities of Central Texas.
- The diocesan Office of Family Counseling and Family Life is visiting West today to evaluate needs for licensed counselors in the area. Once the evaluation is complete, the appropriate resources will be assigned.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin includes 127 parishes, or faith communities, in 25 counties in Central Texas. The diocese stretches over 21,000 square miles from West, Texas, (just north of Waco) in the north to San Marcos in the south to the to the Bryan/College Station area in the east to Mason in the west. Its largest metropolitan areas are Austin, Bryan/College Station, the Killeen/Temple/Belton area and Waco. More than 109,000 Catholic families live in the diocese, approximately 509,000 Catholics. There are 227 priests, 168 deacons, 46 brothers and 102 sisters serving in the diocese.


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Fox News Channel said Tuesday that Megyn Kelly will soon move into prime time, and the palace intrigue about who – if anyone – she will displace on cable news' most popular and stable lineup begins.
Kelly, a former lawyer, has been a rising star at Fox. She has hosted the two-hour news program 'America Live' at 1 p.m. Eastern since 2010 and co-anchored convention and election night coverage with Bret Baier during the last election season.
Fox Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes said Kelly will move into prime time when she returns from maternity leave. It's not clear when that will be: She announced in February that she is due to give birth to her third child this summer, but it's unknown how long she will be off.
'Megyn is an exceptional talent who has successfully filled and surpassed each role we have given her at the network,' Ailes said. 'Her ability to command the screen, delve into the facts and lead a debate is what makes her one of the most sought-after anchors in the business.'
Fox also said Tuesday that it has signed long-term deals with its biggest stars: Bret Baier, Shepard Smith, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Greta Van Susteren.
The prime-time lineup of O'Reilly at 8 p.m., Hannity at 9 p.m. and Van Susteren at 10 p.m. hasn't changed in more than a decade, except when Hannity's former liberal foil, Alan Colmes, left the show after the 2008 election. Baier hosts an hour-long newscast at 6, and Shepard Smith does his own news program at 7.
'Roger Ailes hired me nine years ago when I was new to this business and he had little other than instinct to suggest it might work out,' Kelly said. 'I was grateful to him then, remain so today, and am excited for this next opportunity.'
Fox said a new schedule will be announced later and gave no other details.
Fox's announcement came one day after news website Mediaite reported that Van Susteren had met with new CNN boss Jeff Zucker this spring about a return to the network where she had once worked. CNN would not comment on that report Tuesday, and Van Susteren's agent did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Ailes is known not to take kindly to perceived acts of disloyalty. When he learned in 2001 that one of his prime-time hosts, Paula Zahn, had received an offer from CNN, he immediately fired her. Ailes minimized Zahn's ratings success at Fox in a news article, saying a 'dead raccoon' could have done just as well.
Of Fox's prime-time hosts, Van Susteren's show is the only one where viewership has declined this year from 2012, down 4 percent to 1.57 million, according to the Nielsen company. All of the hosts have lost viewers among the 25- to 54-year-old demographic that is key to advertising sales, but Van Susteren's 23 percent decline was the steepest.
Still, Ailes made it a point to say that Van Susteren, one of the Fox's busiest presences in social media, has a new long-term deal with the network.


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A storm is coming. Or you're in a storm right now. We all know they're a part of life. We don't have to be told that. It's no surprise to us. What it does is catch us off guard sometimes. We have to be ready. We have to be on guard and have a battle plan working and ready when it comes.
A boss that just wont get off our backs.
A spouse that doesn't seem to be lined up with you at the moment.
A friend that isn't really a friend.
A family member that seems like a stranger to you.
A competing co-worker.
A past.
A present.
All these things and more can be a battle for us at any given time. We know this. We are warned about this in the Scriptures, so that isn't the problem. The problem is in our battle plan.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities and the powers of the unseen dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)
We forget that our battle isn't with people and get sucked into battling each other. We argue with each other, battle our spouses and divide our own households, families, and work places. In other words, we help the devil carry out his very schemes we want to battle!
You see, there is a battle always going on in the spiritual realm. That's where the fight is. That's the battlefield and that's where we need to fight. The enemy is our accuser. It's always happening and we need a battle plan.
God is strong and He wants you strong and prepared. You're up against more than you can handle on your own so take everything God has given you, well-made weapons of the best materials – God's Word and prayer – and put them to use so you will be able to standup to everything the devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the devil and all his angels.
God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray first, pray often and about everything. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up that that no one falls behind or drops out.
This is an excellent Battle Plan!
I was invited to a premiere event last week for the movie War Room by the Kendrick Brothers – creators of Courageous, Fireproof, and Facing the Giants. This movie is coming out tomorrow, Friday, August 28, 2015. Priscilla Shirer stars in it and Beth Moore has a role too. These ladies are two of my favorite Bible Teachers. This movie is so inspiring. If you are a Believer, go see it. If you are alive and breathing, go see it. You'll see the power of prayer played out on the big screen. You'll be moved to get active and speak out boldly and loudly against the enemy's schemes in your life. You'll come away with a battle plan. It's what inspired me to write this message today. It inspired me to get back to my war room battle plan. I know it will inspire you to do the same.
#WarRoom #KendrickBrothers #PriscilaShirer #BethMoore #Prayer #Bible


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Export 3 results:Autor [ Nadpis] Typ Rok
Filtry: Autor is Rakowitz, G. [Clear All Filters]
Two methods to improve the accuracy of target-strength estimates for horizontal beaming. Fisheries Research 93: 324–331.. 2008.
Functional role of environmental stimuli for the spawning migration in Danube nase Chondrostoma nasus (L.). Ecology of Freshwater Fish 17: 502–514.. 2008.
Avoidance reactions of fish in the trawl mouth opening in a shallow and turbid lake at night. Fisheries Research 147: 154-160.. 2013.


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Eggs and Bacon.
Look what I made for my hubby for Valentines day. Super cute 🙂
Look what I made for my hubby for Valentines day. Super cute 🙂
Focus on Yoga & Meditation for the whole family
Official crafty blog for my Quiet Water Craft Etsy shop
Free amigurumi patterns and more
For the love of food, parenting and crochet
Modern crochet design house, owned by Ruby McGrath and Kimberley Batty. Free patterns, patterns for sale, video tutorials, behind the scenes at Frank&Olive.
a nutty crochet blog for nutty people
So many patterns, so much yarn, so little time: story of my hooky life.
A crochet hook, some yarn and a little creativity. Dog hair optional.
Just another WordPress.com weblog
.....because crochet is what you live for.
DIY, Crafts and Handmade
Trial and error-the best way to learn
The craftful musings of an Irish girl.
A meeting place for a world of reflective writers.
A little bit of everything
All things Yarn Related: Crochet, DIY, and Crafts


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I've had a couple of people ask for my thoughts on the new FCPX release given my history with Apple and in particular my experience with how they dealt with another product that was focused (in our case almost exclusively) on professionals – the compositing software 'Shake'. So, even though I don't think they're totally analogous events, I figured I'd use it as an opportunity to make a couple of points about (my perception of) how Apple thinks.
For those that aren't familiar with the history, Shake was very entrenched in the top end of the visual effects industry. The overwhelming majority of our customers were doing big-budget feature film work and were, naturally, all about high-end functionality.
So after Apple acquired us there was a lot of concern that Cupertino wouldn't be willing to continue to cater to that market and, although it took a few years, that concern did indeed come to pass. The development team was gradually transitioned to working on other tools and Shake as a product was eventually end-of-life'd.
And back then the same questions were being asked as now – "Doesn't Apple care about the high-end professional market?"
In a word, no. Not really. Not enough to focus on it as a primary business.
Let's talk economics first. There's what, maybe 10,000 'high-end' editors in the world? That's probably being generous. But the number of people who would buy a powerful editing package that's more cost-effective and easier to learn/use than anything else that's out there? More. Lots more. So, a $1000 high-end product vs. a $300 product for a market that's at least an order of magnitude larger. Clearly makes sense, even though I'd claim that the dollars involved are really just a drop in the bucket either way for Apple.
So what else? I mean what's the real value of a package that's sold only to high-end guys? Prestige? Does Apple really need more of that? Again, look back at Shake. It was dominant in the visual effects world. You'd be hard-pressed to pick a major motion picture from the early years of this century that didn't make use of Shake in some fashion. And believe me, Lord of the Rings looks a lot cooler on a corporate demo reel than does Cold Mountain or The Social Network. Swords and Orcs and ShitBlowingUp, oh my. But really, so what?
Apple isn't about a few people in Hollywood having done something cool on a Mac (and then maybe allowing Apple to talk about it). No, Apple is about thousands and thousands of people having done something cool on their own Mac and then wanting to tell everyone about it themselves. It's become a buzzword but I'll use it anyway – viral marketing.
And really, from a company perspective high-end customers are a pain in the ass. Before Apple bought Shake, customer feedback drove about 90% of the features we'd put into the product. But that's not how Apple rolls – for them a high end customers are high-bandwidth in terms of the attention they require relative to the revenue they return. After the acquisition I remember sitting in a roomful of Hollywood VFX pros where Steve told everybody point-blank that we/Apple were going to focus on giving them powerful tools that were far more cost-effective than what they were accustomed to… but that the relationship between them and Apple wasn't going to be something where they'd be driving product direction anymore. Didn't go over particularly well, incidentally, but I don't think that concerned Steve overmuch… :-)
And the features that high end customers need are often very very unsexy. They don't look particularly good in a demo. See, here's the thing with how features happen at Apple to a great extent – product development is often driven by how well things can be demoed. Maybe not explicitly – nobody ever told me to only design features that demoed well – but the nature of the organization effectively makes it work out that way. Because a lot of decisions about product direction make their way very far up the management hierarchy (often to Steve himself). And so the first question that comes up is 'how are we going to show this feature within the company?' All the mid-level managers know that they're going to have a limited window of time to convey what makes a product or a feature special to their bosses. So they either 1) make a sexy demo or 2) spend a lot of time trying to explain why some customer feels that some obscure feature is worth implementing. Guess which strategy works best?
And by this I don't mean to imply at all that the products are style over substance, because they're definitely not. But it's very true that Apple would rather have products which do things that other products can't do (or can't do well), even if it means they leave out some more basic&boring features along the way. Apple isn't big on the quotidian. In the case of FCP, they'd rather introduce a new and easier and arguably better method for dealing with cuts, or with scrubbing, or whatever, even if it means that they need to leave out something standard for high-end editors like proper support for OMF. Or, to look all the way back to the iPod, they'd rather have a robust framework for buying and organizing music instead of supporting, say, an FM radio. And it's why Pages doesn't have nearly the depth of Word but is soooo much more pleasant to use on a daily basis.
So if you're really a professional you shouldn't want to be reliant on software from a company like Apple. Because your heart will be broken. Because they're not reliant on you. Use Apple's tools to take you as far as they can – they're an incredible bargain in terms of price-performance. But once you're ready to move up to the next level, find yourself a software provider whose life-blood flows only as long as they keep their professional customers happy. It only makes sense.
ADDENDUM. I suppose I should make it clear (since some people are misinterpreting a few things) that I'm not complaining about Apple's decisions with regards to either Shake or FCPX. (As a stockholder I've got very little to complain about with regards to Apple's decisions over the past several years :-))
And, in spite of the fact that MacRumors characterized this post as saying "Apple Doesn't Care about Pro Market" I don't believe at all that 'professionals' should immediately flee the platform. As with anything, you should look at the feature set, look at the likely evolution, and make your own decisions. My perception of the high-end professional category is informed by my history in feature-film production, which is a large, cooperative team environment with a whole lot of moving pieces. Yours may be different.
Ultimately my goal was to shed some light on the thought-processes that go into Apple's decisions, and the type of market they want to address. Bottom line is that I do think that FCPX will provide incredible value for a huge number of people and will undoubtedly continue to grow in terms of the features that are added (or re-added) to it. Just don't expect everything that was in FCP7 to return to FCPX because they're really different products addressing different markets. It's up to you to decide which market you work in.


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After feverishly mining my minimal 10 blocks of obsidian I made me a portal to the Nether. I thought to myself, 'Sweet, something new. This should be fun.' I wanted to jump in immediately but to be safe, I emptied my inventory of everything other than a sword, armor and a pick ax.
I got there and noticed it brought me to a cave. I knew I'd need some torches so I turned around and re-entered the portal and... I have no clue where I am but it's not the portal I entered in?!?!
What happened and how can I get home? I don't have a map because, as I mentioned, I left all my goods at my home base before going to the Nether. Now I'm stranded. How does this happen and how can I easily find my home base? Should it be close by? I tried to enter the portal in the Nether from various directions but that didn't help. I keep popping up in the overworld somewhere other than near my home but I can tell it is at the same location each time I go back to the overworld.
I'm lost... and I'm starting to feel cold. Can somebody help?


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Support & Training
Course Detail
Interest Rate Swaps - An Introduction: VIRTUAL DELIVERY
This course covers all the fundamental aspects of interest rate swaps; from the key mechanics of the product to their most actively traded applications. Additionally, we will cover the intuitive pricing and valuation issues of the products; supported by an understanding of the counterparty risks involved in Over-The-Counter (OTC) execution.
- Case studies and illustrations are used to demonstrate the product applications
- A basic knowledge of fixed income
Course Objectives
- To provide an understanding of the mechanics of the interest rate products
- Understanding of the new LIBOR replacements and the Risk Free Rate benchmarks
- Understand the different applications of interest rate swaps and how they are used by market participants
- To provide an overview of the market and credit risk considerations of interest rate swaps and solutions for risk management
- To provide an intuitive explanation of the pricing and mark-to-market of interest rate swaps
- Overview of the documentation and techniques used to mitigate the counterparty risks
This virtual course is one of the ICE Education LIVE programs. We provide two phases to the course:
1. Live Virtual Sessions: Trainer led live video sessions (as per the outline below). These are short focused sessions with practical activity and interaction throughout.
2. Post-course: An optional live video clinic session is scheduled for one week post course for any learning points you'd like to revisit.
All course payments must be received one day prior to the start date
Course Information
|1 day
|Available Dates
Who Should Attend
This course is aimed at (currently) non-traders with little or no existing knowledge of this subject area.
Booking Information
Course Content
Session 1: Interest Rate Swaps (IRS)
- What is an Interest Rate Swap (IRS) - examining the structure of generic swaps
o Overview of the interest cash flows and how they are traded
-- What is being "swapped" - fixed rates for floating rates (LIBOR)
-- The interest payments and daycount conventions
o Introducing the LIBOR replacements - transformation into the new Risk-Free Rates - the ICE administrated benchmarks
o How is the swap rate priced? - The fixed rate as the average of the floating leg fixings
- How swaps are quoted and traded
o Outright rates vs. swaps spreads
o Quoting swap spreads vs. outright rates
Session 2: Intuitive Swaps Pricing
- How to value an IRS
o What is the basis point value of a swap and why is this useful?
o Marking to marketing (MtM) a swap trade
o Unwinding an interest rate swap - closing out a swaps trade
Session 3: Swap Applications
o Liability management - hedging new issues (bonds and loans)
o Asset management - immunising bond portfolio from interest rate risk using Asset Swaps (ASW)
Session 4: Documentation, Credit and Settlement
o How to manage the counterparty risk - the Credit Support Annex (CSA), collateral and netting
o Alternative credit mitigation techniques including central clearing


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The Orlando Massacre and the Galilean's Death
SpeakerDwight K. Nelson
Since 1983, Dwight Nelson has served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University. He preaches on the "New Perceptions" telecast, teaches at the theological seminary and has written some books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.
Saturday, June 18, 2016


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If you've been following my blog for any amount of time (also hey, welcome newcomers), you'll know that "I was raised on fantasy literature" is a pretty common theme to my posts. And you'll know that those fantasy books – the ones with Dumbledore's Army, and wizards banded together for Timeheart, and troupes made of Luster and Earthfolk alike, the ones with people (a term loosely used, here) who went out and saw the universe and did important things in it, for it – those are the books that shaped who I wanted to be. All my life, I've pretty much wanted my job description to be something along the lines of "saves the world."
It's why I pick up litter on the beach. It's why I'm a practicing emergency medical responder. It's why I tell people when I care about them. It's why I'm going to veterinary school.
And it's why when a 7.8 earthquake happened on April 16th in a country where I knew people, I messaged those friends to ask how they were doing, how their country was doing.
They were sad, and frustrated, but hanging in there, they said. But the country? Not well, was their answer. Whole towns were in ruins.
The bodies, they said, were piling up in the streets.
…When your friends tell you there are bodies piling up in their streets, you goddamn ask what you can do to help. And when they tell you what that is, you do it.
In this case, what I could do – what you could do – is get them tents.
There are bodies in the streets, but there are survivors too. Unfortunately, their city being a pile of rubble and devastation, there is nowhere for them to survive in.
So they're building themselves a temporary settlement, and it shall be made of tents.
A couple days later, and I'm now heading up the West coast efforts for the U.S. relief team working in conjunction with my friends' local organization, the "Surfers for a Roof" Brigade. As for the U.S. team's efforts, my East coast counterpart and I want to get 50 tents to Ecuador – Canoa, to be specific – by Monday to help make a dent in what the 200 surviving families will need for shelter.
There have been Facebook posts, and emails with city councils, and CARVE surfing magazine even did a piece on the effort, and so far, we've gotten 25 tents. I want so badly to keep the momentum going. I want to hit 50 before Monday arrives. I want the world to care, and to not just sit there caring, but get up or speak out or just do something about it.
Here in this world of dust and reality, we cannot fight the source of all evil for the fate of the world.
But we can fight devastation. We can fight disaster. We can join this effort, and throw relief in the face of the ruin. We cannot fight "ultimate evil," but we can fight this one.
To put it more pragmatically: the relief effort has an Amazon wish list going. People can donate tents directly, or, barring being able to contribute the full cost of a tent, can email Amazon gift cards of any amount to the relief effort's account, and we'll pool those funds to purchase more supplies. We've already gotten one tent on the way from people's compounded gift card donations. We're about halfway to another one, with current funds.
Physical donations will ship to a hangar in Miami from where a volunteer pilot – the relative of local leadership in Canoa – will fly supplies to ground zero. Tent city construction will begin May 7th.
The Amazon wish list and the email account associated with it have been created specifically for the relief effort, to allow for specificity and transparency. Anyone with questions about our financial or other records is totally welcome to ask, and we will send you literally our entire backlog of documentation. Honesty and integrity, in this effort, are paramount.
So, dear readers, I invite you to join me. Consider this your official enrollment call. I cannot off you a DA badge or a manual saying you have joined the ranks of wizards, but I can offer you the knowledge that your help here matters. That herein is a chance to know that you have helped fight to make things better for the world. Whether you donate or "just" spread the word (social media, word of mouth, sky writing, traveling bards – it's all good) – you will have been someone who, even if just for a moment, got up and looked out at what was happening to the universe and did something about it all.
And for me, at least, that is a little bit magic.
To donate to the Canoa tent relief project: http://amzn.com/w/XLL6FUTGKU91
To learn more about how the relief effort works: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MzRn9oHb73jV3rQ0QmvPmI1twKFiNfhf7Xbk1gFKdEU/edit?usp=sharing


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Family Resort in Ogunquit Maine
Welcome to Pink Blossoms Resort: Your ME Family Vacation Accommodations are Just a Phone Call Away!
If you are traveling to Ogunquit, Maine or are a resident looking for a weekend getaway, look no further than Pink Blossoms Resort for luxurious accommodations. We are a family friendly resort and the perfect alternative to traditional hotel lodging. Enjoy your next Ogunquit, ME vacation with Pink Blossoms Resort! Browse through the rest of our site for information on our rooms, rates, vacation packages, directions and much more.
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25 Market St Aberdeen, SD 57401
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Ornette Coleman and the Circle With a Hole in the Middle
"He lives in a world of clear, endlessly permutating images, of global musics, folk and classical and jazz, that interpenetrate."
THE image on the screen is a village street in Nigeria. Brightly dressed people are clustered in a circle playing drums, giant calabashes, double-reed horns, and a sort of violin with horsehair strings. Ornette Coleman is standing in the middle of the circle, switching from alto saxophone to trumpet and back, laying alternations of skittery runs and long, expressive blue notes into the simmering stew of cross-rhythms and gutty, jagged melodies. The picture focuses and refocuses cyclically on the face of a woman, sad or blank or unknowable like the whitewashed walls of the village. Her ululating rises sharply above the music like the barking of dogs.
Behind the television set a collage covers a brick wall. There is an empty space helmet, a tube oozing green paste, the convolutions of a naked brain, an ARVN officer with a pistol shooting a suspected terrorist through the head. The victim is falling in multiple exposure, changing color from flesh tones to a washed-out gray. A corner is hung with the spirit images of Z. K. Oloruntoba, a Nigerian who paints ghosts and gods into rich, stylized color canvases full of disembodied eyes and mysterious protoplasmic movement. Z.K. is hanging his first New York show downstairs, in the storefront where Ornette often rehearses. Ornette is in another corner, sighting down a pool cue. "Take aim, then hit it," he says, dropping one of his stripes into a side pocket. "If you wait, you lose your aim." The cries of children in the SoHo street float in through the open third-floor window.
Ornette's sparkling green tunic creases and his brow knits as he arches over the pool table. He lives in a world of clear, endlessly permutating images, of global musics, folk and classical and jazz, that interpenetrate. Not so long ago he was dissuaded from putting out an early mix of his Columbia album Science Fiction that had on it an inordinate amount of echo in the horns. He liked it, he explained, because the echo "made the sound visual, like a mirror." He calls his orchestral piece Skies of America "a kinetic kaleidoscope composition." On the television, the Nigerian video tape has been replaced by the Ornette Coleman quartet performing in Milan. Ornette's trumpet and Dewey Redman's musette are playing a loose unison, both their voices distinct, like the unisons in the Nigerian music. On a table in the center of the large loft are a score for ninety-piece orchestra, notes for Coleman's as yet unpublished book on his Harmolodic Theory, and a box of specially painted postcards announcing the opening of Z.K.'s show. "Aren't his things beautiful?" Ornette asks as he makes another cushion shot. "I met him when I was in Nigeria, bought his work. And just having it in my possession I learned that, you know . . . it's harmless and it's there. Eight ball in the corner pocket."
Whack! "You know, most artists think they're above show business, but an artist is not a different person; he just has a different title. The fact that you're an artist doesn't mean that you're not supposed to learn to read and write and count. It just happens that if you're an artist, you haven't had any time to be doing lots of other things. I know that when I was going to school I was learning geometry, history, and science, and also I had an art class. So education must include all those things as having something to do with the concept of value in relation to intelligence. I never thought of myself as being a person that just dealt with music and everything else was irrelevant. I like the involvement of bringing things into existence that better the life of people. I love that concept. And whatever it's called, to me that's art. Do you want to rack up the balls for another game?"
Ornette's conversation is often like his painting The Circle with a Hole in the Middle, which graces the cover of his Atlantic album The Art of the Improvisers. His music manifests the same thought pattern, circling around the theme, moving far afield, returning to the starting point when you least expect it, and moving away again, progressing by variations of feelings and ideas, balanced like Humpty Dumpty on the edge of the void, the hole in the middle of space and time.
The Ornette Coleman quartet that debuted in New York at the old Five Spot, in the fall of 1959, approached the void and, at times, tumbled into it. The listeners that first night included Leonard Bernstein, Gunther Schuller, Nesuhi and Ahmet Ertegun, John Hammond, and almost every musician in town. Some heard formlessness and chaos, others a sound that would radically alter the course of jazz and inform the work of a generation of musicians to come. "In the music we play," Ornette said, "no one player has the lead. Anyone can come out with it at any time." This new approach to group playing looked ahead with its polyrhythms, geared to exploration rather than to predetermined patterns, and its melodies that proceeded through a complex of unstated modulations rather than riding on a cushion of traditional chord progressions. But the music looked back through the jazz tradition with its collective improvisations and its personal, speechlike approach to intonation and phrasing, so much like the ensemble and solo styles of the early Southern and Southwestern blues and jazz musicians. In the fall of 1971, Ornette reassembled his original quartet to record Science Fiction. In twelve years the style had become classic, distilled into the kind of unique, breathtaking perfection that characterized the work of Lester Young, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and a handful of other black innovators.
By the beginning of 1972 twenty-one Ornette Coleman albums were listed in the Schwann catalogue. All but one were small group recordings, and all but two or three of the compositions were Coleman originals.
"I started writing before I started playing," he explains. "I didn't start playing until later, because nobody would hire me. But when I went to audition my tunes for Les Koenig [of Contemporary Records, Los Angeles] he liked me playing my own music, so I got the date. And yet it's been twelve years and they're still saying I haven't paid off the cost of the record." For a decade Ornette channeled his compositional ideas into providing frameworks for his combo to improvise on. Somehow he found time to write a string quartet and a piece for strings and woodwinds. Then he was awarded a Guggenheim, which allowed him to devote more time to writing, and last summer Skies of America, a full-length work for soloist and symphony orchestra, was given its premiere at the Newport-in-New York jazz festival.
In a sense, the composition is "about" the many things that have happened to Ornette Coleman since March 19, 1930, when he was born in Fort Worth, Texas, "under America's skies." More specifically, it is about being black, feeling exploited, working for recognition as an artist and a man in a society that has often been aloof, condescending, or hostile. He started on the alto saxophone at the age of fourteen, switched to tenor two years later, and played in numerous Texas rhythm-and-blues groups. He first left Fort Worth as a teen-ager, with a carnival band. He was dismissed from the tent show for playing bebop, stranded in New Orleans, threatened by racist sheriffs in Mississippi. In Baton Rouge a gang of roughnecks beat him up and threw his tenor off a hill, so he went back to the alto, which is still his principal horn.
He went to Los Angeles with Pee Wee Crayton's blues band and spent the better part of the fifties there, working at various odd jobs, studying music theory, practicing and composing whenever he could. He continued to develop his own expression, and gradually a few musicians began to understand, especially the trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummers Ed Blackwell and Billy Higgins. Ornette, Cherry, Haden, and Higgins worked with pianist Paul Bley at Los Angeles' Hillcrest club in 1958, and struck out on their own later that year.
During the sixties he was the subject of numerous articles, which either idealized or vilified him, and a series of "misunderstandings" with record executives and club owners made him more and more distrustful of the white middlemen who still control the presentation and dissemination of jazz and popular music in America.
"America is a very good country for a Caucasian human being," he says, "because regardless of what his native tongue is, if he changes his name and speaks English he could be of any Caucasian descent. And believe me, that is a very successful form of freedom. If you're black you can change your name, you can do anything you want to, but the color of your skin defeats you from having the same privileges as what I just spoke about. This is the tragedy of America.
"John Lennon says women are the niggers of the world. Well, I guess the Jewish, the Italian, and the Irish people were the niggers of the white world. But you can take any Irish or Jewish or Italian person, and when they return from their job and go home they are returning to an original concept of who they are as a person. When they're on the street, selling their merchandise or doing anything to relate to the country in a land of the free, home of the brave situation, they speak English, take an English name, and that's it. When they get home, whatever their name is or whatever they are knowing in their ancestral background, they can live that. And I think that is very beautiful for a human being to have, where he can go out in the world and make a living for himself and then come home and have his ancestral roots still intact. That is one thing that black people here have never yet had. I'll tell you, man, I'm so tired of feeling that being black in America has something to do with not being white in America that I find I can no longer be involved in social functions that have to do with intellectualism or art or racial questions. Knowing the things I've just said to you, I find myself being totally . . . paranoid about some person trying to get ahead in life when I'm one of the many persons he can use to get ahead without feeling that he's doing anything wrong.
"I would like to have the same support for Skies of America as any artist that the public has heard and enjoyed. And everybody in their heritage and natural state of being wants success; no one is basing their involvement in anything on a negative attitude. I'm speaking about success humanly, intellectually, racially, financially, and religiously. I mean success in those senses of knowing that they have something to do with having less enemies and more friends, or less debts and more objects, less evil and more love, or less hatred and more happiness. And I don't want someone to pat me on the back and not truly listen or try to understand the piece of music. I get lots of lip service that has to do with the value of my work having to always be dictated to me by people who have no interest in my welfare at all. I've written lots of music, but not because I wanted to have someone say oh, isn't he a wonderful writer. I wrote the music because I could write the music, and then secondly I wrote it because if I hadn't written it down I wouldn't have had any way of keeping it and explaining it to others.
"One day I finally realized that all the music I had heard, someone had made it possible for me to learn or hear it by simply writing it down or repeating it. So since I became aware that it had something to do with writing, I decided that was what I wanted to be. That's the concept of Skies of America: to give people an insight into things that I've done and to show them that they could also participate with me in doing it.
"Anywhere you go," he says, "you're going to have some problems with people not getting into your music. And you're going to get lip service."
The modern black American composer-improviser is particularly subject to this lip service syndrome, and to what Ornette calls "a very New York cliche thing: people satisfying you mentally but never giving you anything that you want." One reason is that the music of an Ornette Coleman, a Cecil Taylor, an Anthony Braxton, or a Sun Ra draws on a much wider spectrum of influences than many listeners have been exposed to. In addition to past and present jazz, there are the repertoire of modern concert music, the amplification and pulselike beat of rhythm-and-blues and rock, and the infinitely diverse musical traditions of the emerging nonwhite nations. The black composer may use in a single piece elements from any number of these primary sources. Living as he does in Western urban centers, wired into the output of cultures he would never have come into contact with a few decades ago, he hears, and uses, any music that comes naturally to his particular sensibility.
The more he hears, the more connections he makes. The vocalized scream in Ornette's sound, for example, is a tone split into its harmonics or overtones. This practice was characteristic of blues musicians and singers as far back as the beginnings of "race recordings," and it can be heard in pure African music. Ngbaka (central African) soloists on the musical bow are able to draw a multitude of harmonics from the single "ground" tone of the bow's string, just as a saxophone virtuoso like Ornette runs harmonics over a root that is sounded simultaneously. But modern European and American "classical" composers are also interested in harmonics. Iannis Xenakis, for instance, often indicates in his scores which particular partials of a given tone are to be sounded. The complex African polyrhythms currently in favor with many jazz groups were finding their way into modern concert music as early as Varese's 1931 Ionization. And many of today's major jazzmen were playing "jazz/rock" long before its current vogue, often because the only jobs they could get were with rhythm-and-blues bands.
This unusual number of reference points has left much of the new black music in a commercial vacuum. The music is often too intricate and demanding for the traditional smoke-filled nightclub, but it has yet to attract the widespread private and foundation support that would make regular concert hall performances possible. While some of Coleman's contemporaries, such as Cecil Taylor and Ken MacIntyre, have accepted positions in the black studies programs of Eastern universities, others--Pharaoh Sanders, Sun Ra--continue to function in the nightclub milieu. Ornette, who continues to write for his quartet as well as for orchestra, and whose recently completed theory book is potentially a major shaping influence on the younger generation of black composer-instrumentalists, hopes to utilize all these outlets, provided, of course, that they become available to him. Since Skies of America's premiere he is beginning to feel that maybe he's on an upswing.
DOWNSTAIRS, Z.K.'s show is opening. Champagne is being served to a mixed crowd of musicians and artists. The Nigerian video tape is playing and Ornette Coleman, dressed in a neat, conservative suit, walks from circle to circle, greeting friends and making conversation. The scene in the gallery and the image on the screen merge into a continuum of circles, with Ornette in the middle of each one.


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Movie review: 'Novitiate' pulses with energy, guile
What writer-director Margaret Betts pulls off with "Novitiate" is just short of amazing. Think about it: A movie about a novice nun negotiating her way through an unyielding religious order at the dawn of Vatican II. Doesn't really get the blood boiling, does it? But in Betts' highly capable hands the staid becomes excitingly alive with a story that pulses with energy and guile. Oh, and did I mention the sex? Yes, this could become a habit.
Lighting the candle is a scorching performance by newcomer Margaret Qualley as the nun-in-training. Her Cathleen is young, beautiful and passionately in love with God. But this is no ordinary teenage crush. It's something that's been building since the first time Cathleen's non-believing mother, Nora (Julianne Nicholson), took her to church when she was 7-years-old. That was in 1954, a time when the Vatican preferred only the strong, silent types as Jesus' "brides." But by the time Cathleen was old enough to become a postulant in 1964, the Church was about to undergo its first makeover in a century at the behest of Pope John XXIII.
Betts, a novice (filmmaker) herself, cleverly melds the upheaval surrounding Vatican II with the turmoil inside Cathleen's head, as the pressures mount on her path from postulant to novitiate to full-fledged member of the order. It's a two-year process, and Betts immerses us in the beauty, the pageantry and the awe-inspiring sacrifice the journey entails. But she also just as fervently exposes the dark side, the almost prison-like conditions that confine and repress the trainees who are often exposed to cruel psychological tactics and acts of repentance that can only be described as degrading. In many ways, it reminds of a fraternity hazing.
As a child, Cathleen is told by a nun that Catholicism is about two things: Love and sacrifice. But by the time her training is through, it starts to dawn on her that she's done a lot of the latter and received very little of the former. Some might take that as a cheap shot aimed at the Church, but it's more of a testament to the rigorousness of a process that strives to weed out the many that enter with skewed motivations. And doing most of the weeding is Melissa Leo's Reverend Mother, the Church's equivalent of a Marine drill sergeant.
No surprise that Leo is magnificent in the role, even when Betts' script turns needlessly melodramatic. She makes palpable the fear she instills in her charges, but it's a sternness born not of meanness, but of a desire to single out the few capable of genuinely devoting their lives to God. To be sure, Leo gets her share of showy soliloquies, but her best work comes when we watch her silently stew over the bound Vatican II directives she receives almost daily from on high. Orders she considers to be a betrayal of her 40 years of sacrifice to the Church. And just wait until she lays into the archbishop (Denis O'Hare) about how the Church's largest and most devout faction — the nuns — were denied a place at the table when the Second Vatican Council met to devise the reforms.
It's Oscar-caliber work throughout. And while Qualley isn't quite at that level yet, her portrayal of Cathleen is as stunningly moving as it is efficient, taking us deep inside the psyche of a young woman whose sexual awakening couldn't come at a worse time. It not only challenges her faith, but also her commitment to a life — that despite its many rewards — could end up shot down by the same betrayals currently felt by the Reverend Mother.
If there's a weakness in Betts' wise-beyond-her-years script, it's the one-dimensionality of Nicholson's Nora, a mother hen who squawks repeatedly about losing her daughter to God. Yet we never see Mom getting the chance to reach an understanding as to why Cathleen — at least in her eyes — has forsaken her. It's a vagary that undermines the story because you never really get a reason as to why a teenager who's never even kissed a boy would be so certain of giving her life to Jesus. The suggestion is that it's her parents' angry, bitter marriage. But is that really enough of a motivation?
No matter. What counts is the fascinating behind-the-scenes look at what becoming a nun entails, the broken dreams, the crushed pride that exists along with the incredible joy of being a part of the most blessed marriages of all. But what I think I'll remember most about "Novitiate" is how little appreciation the Church has for its hardest and most put-upon workers. Well, that and the ridiculous belief that celibacy is viable when sex and the need for physical affection is God's greatest gift. To give love is to receive love. And denying that pleasure is what Betts sees as the catalyst for a failing institution racked by sex scandals and a general disconnect from the everyday lives of it followers. It's a bold statement made by an equally bold movie. Consider me a believer.
Cast includes Margaret Qualley, Melissa Leo, Julianne Nicholson and Rebecca Dayan. Written and directed by Margaret Betts.
Grade: B+


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Since I briefly mentioned her… This is the family of my 2nd Great Aunt, Pearl Elizabeth Packer Jones, my Great-Grandmother Cora's older sister. Pictured are Pearl, her first husband Raymond E. Jones and their daughters Alexia, Doris (on Raymond's lap) and Edith. The photo is likely taken in Grand Rapids, MI around 1915 (based on Doris's age). Raymond died in 1937 and for a time Cora and her children moved in with them. Eventually, Pearl married Archie McComb and the couple removed to Quebec. Pearl returned to Grand Rapids late in life and died there in 1980.
June 27, 2012
Not Quite Wordless WednesdayPosted by JessLibrarian under Photographs | Tags: Jones, McComb, Packer |
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I am taking part in my first ever Art Exhibition!!!
Studio De Vliet is holding its annual exhibition of the works of some very talented local artists. You will also get to meet the artist of various forms as all of them have consented to be present for the opening and most of the exhibition days!
These are some of my ceramic pieces!! I am so excited I havent been able to sleep for the past 2 weeks. I just hope it all goes very well and that I do sell a couple of pieces.
The exhibition features Oil paintings, Ceramics and other handwork by the artists; Karen Kieviet, Janaline Smalman, Reinet Stander, Pera Schillings, Maryna de Wit, Chrismi Kirsten, Chimene Tison and Elsabe Nortje.
Exhibition is at Aan De Vliet, Blaauwklippen Road, Stellenbosch.
The opening is on Wednesday 9 November.
Exhibition hours: 10 – 12 November 2016, 10:00 – 18:00
We hope to see you all there!!


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Jonathots Daily Blog
It takes two different desires to write a book. Well, at least it should:
- First, a vision of something to say.
- And second, an arrogance that you actually have a right to say it.
I decided I wanted to write a novel. It went swimmingly until I splashed down in self-doubt.
What you may not know about the writing process is that you pen many, many pages which will never be used or are simply edited down in your completed manuscript.
Mine was a simple telling of the "greatest story ever told." I wrote a first-person account of the life of Jesus–him telling his own story–including possible scenarios of what may have happened during "the missing years"–between the ages of twelve and thirty.
In 1993, I reached a juncture in the story where I was about to enter the last days of his life. I stalled. I didn't want to write something predictable. I didn't want to share the story of the final moments in the life of Jesus of Nazareth in a traditional way. So I did what all writers do when they're poised at a fork in the road.
I stopped.
My two oldest sons, who had just moved to Nashville and started working, were greatly concerned. They loved the book and wanted to see me finish it. So unbeknownst to me, they found an empty apartment in our complex which was fully furnished and was rented out to visiting parties for $25 a night. They rented one day's lodging for me.
This was quite an achievement. It cost twenty-five dollars–hard-earned money they really didn't have. (We jokingly referred to dollars as "smackabonies.")
They came to me, handed me the key, and said, "Dad, get away. Go write."
I was moved by their generosity, but was also fighting a severe bout with a urinary infection at the time. I had a sting in places on my body which were never meant to be stung. But rather than disappoint them, I took my old manual Royal typewriter with an "a" key which failed to finish its bottom, and headed off for the seclusion.
I have honestly never had such a transforming experience. Sick, with a mild fever, in great pain, I sat behind that typewriter and hammered out seventy-five pages of my book, taking me through the betrayal, the trial, the crucifixion and the resurrection of my dear friend.
It was amazing.
The pain I felt only helped to feed the passion of the moment. Page after page flowed from me, almost like automatic writing, if there is such a thing.
I don't know what my sons expected, but when I walked out the next morning with nearly ninety fresh pages of my book, they were in tears. They spent the next several hours reading the fruit of my labors and the grapes of their generosity.
It was just 25 smackabonies, after all.
But to them it was a gold mine. And to me it was a treasure chest.
I have never forgotten it. And it makes me realize that the greatest accomplishment in life is discovering that God, your friends and your family not only love you … but are prepared to invest in you.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
Please contact Jonathan's agent, Jackie Barnett, at (615) 481-1474, for information about scheduling SpiriTed in 2014.


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NHL All-Star Game's 3-on-3 format a winner
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- When it comes to the NHL All-Star Game, less is definitely more.
While the NFL's Pro Bowl spent years struggling with ballooning scores, little defense, a lack of effort and concerns over its long-term viability, the NHL seemingly remedied many of those same issues by changing to a 3-on-3 format last year. The four-team divisional tournament ended Sunday with victory for the Metropolitan team and excitement about the show from players and fans alike.
"I love 3-on-3," Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau said. "I love the open space, creativity and making plays. It's a lot of fun. It gets a little bit competitive, too."
That last part was too often missing during the 1990s and early 2000s as double-digit scores became the norm, prompting the league to experiment with a North America vs. the World format, along with two editions in which captains drafted their teams.
But after a 17-12 final in 2015, the adoption of a 3-on-3 mini-tournament succeeded in producing both entertainment and high drama.
In the inaugural edition last year in Nashville, the two semifinal games included 22 goals, but the final between the Pacific and Atlantic ended 1-0.
On Sunday at Staples Center, the winning teams in both semifinals scored 10 goals apiece, but the final score was a mere 4-3. Nobody scored in the final 4:58 as both teams focused on defense for the victory and the combined $1 million in prize money for the winning team.
"It felt more like a real game toward the end, blocking shots and things like that," Metropolitan captain Sidney Crosby said. "(To) see that transpire and see how it elevated as it went on, that was fun. Hopefully the fans enjoyed it, because as players we started to get into it, especially in the second half of that game."
The format allows the NHL to highlight the strengths of its on-ice product, from the skill of defenders such as Drew Doughty of the host Los Angeles Kings to an emerging crop of speedy superstars led by Edmonton's Connor McDavid.
Brent Burns, the tattooed and toothless turbine that powered the San Jose Sharks to the Stanley Cup Final last season, has two 3-on-3 overtime goals this season, the same number as league standard-bearers Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have combined. The two-way games of Burns or Doughty can be featured in 3-on-3, where endurance, puck handling and strong skating become even more valuable from defensemen.
And for the blazing McDavid, who won the fastest skater event during Saturday night's All-Star Skills Competition, the open space and constant back-and-forth breaks gave him a chance to seize the spotlight in his first career appearance. McDavid scored one of the prettiest goals of Sunday's game for the Pacific team, getting a breakaway and beating Sergei Bobrovsky with a nimble stop and a shot while falling down.
"I really, really like the format," McDavid said.
McDavid also was responsible for a Pacific goal getting taken off the scoreboard when he was caught barely offside in the final.
Gaudreau played with McDavid and Matthews as part of Team North America during last year's World Cup of Hockey, and he appreciates the new All-Star format's ability to feature what the future faces of the sport do best.
"Game's getting faster. Got to be fast, skilled. The game is definitely changing I think. It's great to see younger guys here," Gaudreau said.
Even the goaltenders trying to contend with that firepower appreciate the difference 3-on-3 makes in an All-Star setting.
"It's much more interesting for the fans to watch," said Bobrovsky, the Columbus Blue Jackets goalie. "It's more intense. It's much more fun."


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I've found the most intimate refreshing place to pray at my home. I love sitting in my chair on my front porch and enjoying quality time with God in prayer. When I'm out there, it's like it's just Him and me. Yes I pray everywhere. But, that place is special.
And yes, I said sitting.
You see, it's good to get on your knees in submission to God, but contrary to what many may have been taught it's not mandatory. That is not the exclusively acceptable prayer posture.
Your proper prayer posture isn't the position of your body, but of your heart and spirit…
To a humble spirit… it's about humility.
Psalm 51:17 (NKJV)
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise
1- On Your Knees
Ephesians 3:14 (NKJV)
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,[a]
2 – In Your Bed
Psalm 4:4 (NKJV)
Be angry, and do not sin.
Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.
3 – Out Loud
Psalm 34:6 (NKJV)
This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
4 – Silently
1 Samuel 1:13 (NKJV)
13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
5 – Hands Lifted
1 Timothy 2:8 (NKJV)
I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
6 – Eyes Open
John 17:1 (NKJV)
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,
7 – Head Bowed
Genesis 24:26 (NKJV)
26 Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord.
8 – Prostrate
Matthew 26:39 (NKJV)
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."
9 – Standing
Mark 11:25 (NKJV)
"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
God just wants you to be humble. Many have even misunderstood "come boldly" in the book of Hebrews…
Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
It's not about 'telling God what to do', but direct access to Him. We don't have to go through a priest, or a preacher to talk to Him…just submit to Him humbly in prayer through our Lord and Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ.
So, bow your head, lie in your bed, fall on your knees, lift up your hands, as long as you're sincere…God will hear.


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Things that make the Emerald Coast special
A few extra things young professionals of the Emerald Coast had to say about their area.
See a photo gallery of some of them. >>
Read a story about youn professionals in our area. >>
Jenni Brunson
Marketing director, Twin Cities Hospital, Niceville
"Over the years I've visited NYC and Atlanta, as well as various small towns throughout the south, but the communities in Northwest Florida are extraordinary. ... I wasn't willing to give up that feeling by moving to a big city ... I'm a small town girl at heart."
Tomasz Bielenin
Realtor with Re/Max Agency One Inc., Crestview
"We feel very blessed to be in this area and have no plans of leaving. I would love to grow my business and eventually become a broker of my own realty office."
Laura Lucy
Marketing and public relations coordinator, Shelter House
"I'm definitely proof that you can live in our 'small town' and be happy and fulfilled professionally. I have never enjoyed a job more and am so grateful to be able to give back to this wonderful, supportive community."
Greg Fisher
Co-Owner of TripShock.com
"What keeps me in the area is the potential for growth. The Destin area may have had some setbacks in the past, but the citizens and tourists are resilient and continue to make this town a preferred tourist destination. "
Megan Fontaine
Marketing assistant, Northwest Florida Ballet, Fort Walton Beach
"I can hear the high school marching band practicing at night when I stand on my back porch. … Even the collective kvetching about the toll on the Mid-Bay Bridge adds to that comforting familiarity that everyone around here seems to have."
Chad and Jen Knaeple
Owners of commercial real estate agency
"We love our friends, family, community, the school system. We also love being on the water, sailing, fishing, just hanging out, as well as enjoying the beach and Southern hospitality."
Crissy Thibodeau
Owner of Thi Bod Fitness, Santa Rosa Beach
"We fell in love with Santa Rosa Beach and live off 30A. Each year that goes by we fall more in love with this area, the people we have met here and couldn't imagine raising our children anywhere else."
Trey Goodwin
Attorney and Fort Walton Beach City Councilman
"My heart had always been to come back. My family has been in Okaloosa County since the early 1930s."
Ana Garcia, accountant at Carr, Riggs & Ingram in Miramar Beach, and fiancé Ryan Goodman, owner of Badcock Furniture in Fort Walton Beach
"We love it here and we wouldn't dream of raising a family anywhere else."
Morgan Shelley
Military coordinator, A&A Transfer & Storage, Fort Walton Beach
"My whole family lives in the area, and I love that they are all so close to me. I also love the beaches. ... Life always feels like a vacation when you can go to the beach any time you want."
Whitney Holland
Digital marketing strategist at ELeadOne
"My husband and I are due with our first child in January 2014, and feel this is the ideal place to raise our beach baby. Perfect weather, lots of outdoor activities, we love our friends and church here, and we are close enough to our family in Gulf Breeze."
Bobby Griggs
Real estate developer and Fort Walton Beach City Councilman
"I have lived here all my life and I have not moved away from this area because I like the small-town feel and the quality of life. … In this area you can drive an hour and go hunting, go to a shooting range or spend the night in a cabin in the woods. You can also go to fine restaurants, go deep sea fishing or visit world-class restaurants."
Nicole Calloway
Photographer and owner of Sandprints Photography
"I've passed up opportunities to move to Atlanta and Nashville in order to stay here to raise my family and build a career, using our most precious and valuable resources — the beach, the Gulf and the weather. ... I still drive over the Destin Bridge and have my breath taken away by the scene."
Jonathan Browning and Greg Arriola
Owners of BeachWalk Vacation Properties, Miramar Beach
"It was not until we were able to experience the world after college that we realized how special and truly unique the Emerald Coast area was. Though the area is small ... there is a large amount of wealth flowing in and out of the community."
Charlene Alvarez
Banker in Fort Walton Beach
"I moved back last fall to be close to my family, who have lived here for generations. I missed fresh seafood at my fingertips. I missed the temperate weather. ... But what I missed the most was just being able to sit next to a harbor, gulf, bay, creek or sound and listen to the water."
Richard Cumby
Owner of MyRepSports.com in Mary Esther
"It's really exciting to see where our community is at today. ... With new businesses and buildings coming up every day, it's really wonderful to see how far our Emerald Coast has come. I look forward to what the future has in store."
Brittany Tate
Education Coordinator, Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance
"I've always called the Emerald Coast home and always will. ... I keep working and living in this area because of the impact I'm able to have on the waters that have meant so much to me my entire life.
Benjamin Treadway
Owner of RentAssist, Seagrove Beach
"The No. 1 reason that I do not plan to leave anytime soon is my business. ... I love to be a part of helping other families just like mine enjoy the Florida Panhandle, just the way my family did 15-plus years ago."


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With J.J. Abrams set to direct the new Star Wars film it is as yet unknown whether he will return for the inevitable conclusion to his finely crafted trilogy that has successfully reinstated Star Trek as one of the most important science fiction franchises in the world. Has he left behind a good legacy with Into Darkness?
Star Trek Into Darkness picks up with Captain James Kirk (Chris Pine) and his new crew, at least new in this franchise, already on a mission on the pre-civilisation planet of Nibiru; it is clear right from the off that the crew of the USS Enterprise are not going to be without danger as Spock's life is immediately put on the line. Luckily, he survives and manages to carry on with the rest of the film. Where eventually they run into John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), who just so happens to be Star Trek's arguably most famous villain, Kahn. Kahn is carrying out terrorist acts that turn this film into an emotional chess game between Kirk and Kahn as the two battle it out in a test of will, strength and heroics as they battle to save their respective crews: only one side can win.
The first thing you notice about Into Darkness (and one of the most significant things) is that it does not feel like a sequel: the film immediately places you at the heart of the action with little knowledge of the previous film (or even Star Trek in general) required to enjoy the film. The whole of the Enterprise crew is back including Kirk, Spock (Zachary Quinto), Sulu (John Cho), Scotty (Simon Pegg) and Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood) and none of the characters come off badly with each one, even Chekov (Anton Yelchin) having their moment in the spotlight; it would have been nice to have seen Uhura (Zoe Saldana) do more, however as her character does feel less like an equal crew member and more like a pawn to try and evoke some emotion in Spock, something she doesn't really do that well.
The old faces are joined by new additions such as the incredible Benedict Cumberbatch and the almost pointless Alice Eve. Cumberbatch's portrayal of Kahn is really spectacular; this is the greatest villain that will hit the screens this summer and is the most memorable in modern blockbusters, as far as my memory serves me anyhow. He poses a serious threat to Kirk and his crew on a mental and physical scale. Right from the off he gives you the creeps and it is clear his plan is very well thought out.
The action takes place at a quick pace, occasionally slowing down to give the audience some breathing space and for the characters, mainly Kirk and Spock, to talk their problems through which does sometimes border on the line of good or bad writing; but that can be forgiven as you can guarantee whenever something feels stale Into Darkness shakes things up (quite literally), the amount of times they get attacked off guard id pretty suspicious for a craft of such high technology. But the action scenes are spectacular, right off the bat from Nibiru, to the home of the Klingons on Kronos, right up to the final fight scene between Spock and Kahn.
With such a lot hanging in the balance for Kirk, Spock etc. it seems imperative that there is humour injected into the story and that comes in the, predictable, forms of Bones (Karl Urban) and Scotty. This story centres on Kirk and Kahn but the majority of my attention was on Bones, coming out with quality one liners and throwing around metaphors like they were going out of fashion: he's a treat every time he comes on screen.
Into Darkness closes with the USS Enterprise about to embark on a five year mission. Is this five years a hint at how long it will be until we see the third chapter of this Star Trek revival? If so, maybe Abrams will be back on board. Part of me doesn't want to wait so long but part of me longs for the return of Abrams to finish what he started!
In my Iron Man 3 review I claimed that Iron Man 3 could be the best blockbuster of the summer. Well all that's changed now: Star Trek Into Darkness will not be topped.
My Rating: 9/10.


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Category Archives: Dilbert
Dilbert – Type in All Caps
OK. So this post really doesn't have much to do with lean. I just found this Dilbert cartoon hysterical.
We could talk about the lack of respect Wally shows his boss by leading him into a potentially awkward situation with another person at work. I prefer to find the humor in people that TYPE IN ALL CAPS NO MATTER WHAT THEY ARE SENDING.
What? I couldn't read all of that. Some of it was in lower case letters.
Have a great day!
Dilbert – Google Kills Spirit of Inventing
Has anyone ever had this happen?
I have. I had an idea and was researching the materials when I found several links to a very similar product out there. In fact, I have been able to find something on any thing I have thought up.
What does this do to people trying to create new inventions? Does it kill the spirit?
What are your though
Dilbert's Pointy-Haired Boss Wants Innovation
This is a great Dilbert cartoon from Scott Adams earlier in January.
I have heard a lot of people or company's say they need to act like a start up to get innovation. I find this to be alarming. At one time, the company had to be innovative or it probably wouldn't be in business today.
Somewhere along the way, the company hit on a big innovative idea and migrated from innovation and trying new things to care and feeding of the big idea that put them on the map. It is an easy trap to fall into. It isn't about acting like a start-up, it's about never losing your roots as a start-up company. Innovation and care and feeding must happening at the same time. It isn't one or the other. It should be both. The ones who do both well…win.
Counting Down the Top 10 Viewed Posts of 2012 – 10 Thru 6
2013 is now in full swing. Before 2012 is too far in the rear view mirror, I thought I would recap the Top 10 most viewed posts on Beyond Lean for 2012.
New followers of the blog can use this as an opportunity to read posts they might have not seen in the past. While, long time followers can use this as an opportunity to re-read some of the top viewed posts.
This post will count down the 10th thru 6th most viewed posts of 2012. Enjoy!
10. Guest Post: Selling Lean to People That Don't Want It (July 2011) – This is a post from Joe Wilson before he became a full-time author at Beyond Lean. Joe talks about ways to sell lean to people who are not bought into the benefits of lean.
9. Making Leader Standard Work Visual (June 2011) – Previous Year Ranked #8 – An example of a visual board from a group I worked with. The board makes the tasks and if they were completed by the managers visual.
8. Dilbert Leading Transformation (July 2010) – Previous Year Ranked #10 – The Pointy-Haired Boss wants clear responsibilities and employee engagement.
7. True Mentoring (May 2012) – This is my take on true mentoring versus fake mentoring that goes on in business today.
6. Comparing Lean Principles to the 14 Toyota Principles (July 2010) – Previous Year Ranked #5 – The first part of a three part series where I compared the lean principles I learned from the Lean Learning Center to the Toyota Principles. This post covers the first five Toyota Principles.
My next post will count down the Top 5 viewed posts of 2012.
Dilbert Takes on Transformational Change
Scott Adams does a great job of nailing how typically organizations take on transformational change.
(click on image to enlarge)
Two concepts I see Scott Adams touch on here. The first one is the idea of just speaking about transformational change will cause transformational change. It isn't enough to just talk about it or say it. It is very hard work to create transformational change.
Which leads into the second concept shown. Transformational change does not have to be bad or painful on people..causing us to want to hurl. It can be good and as management we need to convey a clear message and show actions that back that message up. We have to consider how people process change differently and create change plans with that in mind.
If all else fails….just show them this cartoon.
Dilbert The Practical Jokester
We are coming to the end of summer and school either has started or is getting ready to start for elementary, high school and college students. As we wind down summer, I thought a little fun would be in order.
The Dilbert cartoon is always funny and there are a lot of lessons that can be seen from a lean and leadership point of view…of what not to do. This cartoon on the other hand I just find plain funny. I have been laughing at it all summer, so I thought I would share it. Enjoy and I hope you had a great summer.
Dilbert Deals with Budgeting Issues
Have you ever seen your company play with budget numbers? Cut in one area but pay out of another area and name it something different?
Well the Pointy-Haired Boss is playing the game to perfection in this Dilbert Cartoon by Scott Adams.
My favorite part of the cartoon is the Pointy-Haired Boss saying, "If we reduce the training budget this year, we'll get less next year."
If I had a dollar for every time I have run up against that statement I would have enough to fund the Pointy-Haired Boss' Contract Employee budget!
People shouldn't be given less money just because they used less one year. That may have been good for that year but it may not be even close to what is needed for the next year based on the current circumstances.
In the end, it all comes out of the same pocket. Companies still don't realize they are spending a lot of time managing minute details of their finances. Sometimes it is just best to take a step back and take a look at a bigger picture.
I try to imagine my own finances. There isn't a detailed budget for every line item money could be spent on. Groceries, gas, cable, electric, etc… It is cut into bigger slices like Food/Entertainment. That could be eating out, groceries, going to the movies, etc… Each item is budgeted in detail. It is known this is the amount and how it is spent among the line items can vary from month-to-month.
Why can't companies say this is how much will be spent on Research and Development. R&D can decide if that is on salaries, contractors, equipment, etc… But what the money they have is all the money they have so use it wisely.
Be smart with the money and always manage costs appropriately. In the end, what is best for the company needs to be done before anything else. In Dilbert's case, it is paying the contract employee.
Counting Down the Top 10 Viewed Posts of 2011 – 10 Thru 6
2012 is now in full swing. Before 2011 is too far in the rear view mirror, I thought I would recap the Top 10 most viewed posts on Beyond Lean for 2011.
New followers of the blog can use this as an opportunity to read posts they might have not seen in the past. While, long time followers can use this as an opportunity to re-read some of the top viewed posts.
This post will count down the 10th thru 6th most viewed posts of 2011. Enjoy!
10. Dilbert Leading Transformation (July 2010) – Previous Year Ranked #3 – The Pointy-Haired Boss wants clear responsibilities and employee engagement.
9. Adding Inventory…A Good Thing? (March 2011) – Sometimes adding inventory might be the right thing to do based on your business. Take time to understand your business and its needs before deciding.
8. Making Leader Standard Work Visual (June 2011) – An example of a visual board from a group I worked with. The board makes the tasks and if they were completed by the managers visual.
7. Beyond Lean Joins Twitter (February 2011) – Beyond Lean announces the venture out onto Twitter.
6. Redbox Produced in the U.S. Using Lean (October 2010) – Previous Year Ranked #5 – News article about Redbox manufacturing using Lean to produce the Redbox dispensers close to it's customers in the U.S.
My next post will count down the Top 5 viewed posts of 2011.
Dilbert Animated Cartoons
I hope everyone had a great Christmas yesterday. A little Dilbert treat for the holidays.
The Pointy-Haired Boss makes it so hard to get clear objectives and Dilbert is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Does any of this sound familiar? Clear objectives and misaligned values can cause a lot of confusion in an organization. The confusion can lead to nobody taking action. No action means no improvement. I hope your objectives for 2012 are clear.
Dilbert – Exceed Performance….Don't!!!!!
I read Dilbert everyday. In fact, I downloaded an app for my Blackberry so I can read it anywhere. This one caught my eye a few weeks ago and thought I would share it.
Does this sound familiar? Every year we sit in a chair with a blank stare as a boss tells us in order to get an Exceeds rating we need to go above and beyond. Only to have your boss see you go above and beyond and ask themselves, "Do they have too much time on their hands?" So then more work comes your way. The boss considers the extra work normal.
The next review comes. You go through the same process. Eventually, the employee becomes disengaged and dissatisfied with their job.
Another reason that performance reviews are waste in the system. Can you imagine the amount of time for continuous improvement that would be gained if your company eliminated performance reviews? Would it help or hurt employee engagement and satisfaction?


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As a housekeeper at a country place near Pine Cone (a fictional Southern Pines), red-haired Janice Gale becomes involved in the search for stolen Russian jewels. Trap doors, strange guests, and several murder attempts figure in the plot of this mystery.
Check this title's availability and access an online copy through the UNC-Chapel Hill Library catalog.