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The Skills Guide for Facility Managers details 10 must-have traits for those new to the industry
This peer-to-peer networking session will cover best practices for working with young facility professionals
Few components in institutional and commercial facilities have to measure up to expectations that are as high as those for door hardware. First, many of these components have to withstand nearly constant use — and abuse, in some cases. Second, they must contribute to a facility's efforts to provide safety and security for occupants and visitors.
To ensure that door-hardware components — including locks, hinges, closers, and exit devices — meet these expectations, maintenance and engineering managers need to understand the performance characteristics of traditional and new-generation door hardware. They also need to provide training for technicians responsible for inspecting and maintaining them.
Mortise locks feature a rectangular housing with a latchbolt and deadbolt. For installation, they require a rectangular opening mortised into the door's edge. Technicians must install these locks from the edge of the door, and for repair or replacement, they can remove them only from that direction. These locks are secure and require little maintenance, so managers tend to specify them in exterior or entry doors.
Technicians can install bored locks through a hole in the door's face. A smaller hole in the door's edge accommodates the latchbolt. To simplify the process of locating a hole, technicians can use a template that comes with the assembly instructions.
Managers can specify the electromechanical versions of mortise and bored locks when they need to close or open all locks from a central point. A user can open this type of lock with a key or operate it electronically from a remote location, such as a security guard's station.
Door closers automatically return a door to a latched position after a user opens it manually. Closers are either two-speed hydraulic or pneumatic devices that use a rapid-closing action to slow the door about 6 inches from the closed position.
If technicians check a closer's action periodically, the component generally requires little maintenance. To ensure the door closes completely but does not strike the stop too hard, a technician should check the closing action at least twice a year and more often for high-traffic areas. The technician can adjust the action by turning a screw on the body of the closer to make the action slower or faster.
Exit devices are bar-type attachments that connect to the interior of the door and the latch that opens the door when a user applies pressure to the latch. This action allows for hands-free operation.
High Usage Level Places High Expectations on Door Hardware
Electronic Access-Control Technology Emerges for Door Hardware
New Door Hardware Creates Need for Additional Technician Training


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Alabama Men's Health Network
The goal of Alabama Men's Health Network is to improve the health and wellbeing of men and their families across the state.
Alabama Men's Health Facts:
- Women live over 6 years longer than men.
- In one year, 4850 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed
among men in Alabama.
- Women outnumber men beginning at ages 55-59.
- What does this mean for spouses and families? In Alabama, among women married to men the same age as themselves, over 16% will be widows as they enter retirement (ages 65-69).
The Alabama Men's Health Network is a chapter of the Men's Health Network of Washington, DC.
Each year, the Governor, working with Men's Health Network, proclaims Men's Health Week in Alabama, the week ending on Father's Day.
Men's Health Network's Goals:
- Save men's lives by reducing premature mortality of men and boys
- Foster health care education and services that encourage men of all ages to implement positive lifestyles for themselves and their families
- Increase the physical and mental health of men so that they can live fuller and happier lives
- Significantly reduce the cycles of violence and addiction that afflict so many men
- Energize government involvement in men's health activities so that existing government health networks can be utilized to increase the health and well-being of men and boys
- Encourage women to expand on their traditional role as the family's health care leader and activist for enhancement of health care services
To join Alabama Men's Health Network or to volunteer, please contact: email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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As many of you know, this past year the South Dakota Legislature passed a law banning almost all abortions in that state. A commendable and bold move. Well, this Tuesday in that same state there is a ballot initiative seeking voter ratification to strengthen the case for this needed law as it faces court challenges. The stories on this website are all worth watching. I warn you that you'll need tissues. You will weep for joy and sorrow, but weep away. It is important to be reminded that defending the defenseless is not partisan or ideological, it is right! Life is so very precious. There is no such thing as life not worthy of life.
Kayla's Story
Uploaded by voteyesforlife
As Blessed Teresa of Calcutta said during her speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1994 "Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching the people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion." As we approach the feast of All Souls, let us not forget the millions of aborted children. We must also pray for healing and forgiveness for women, like Kayla, who have made this tragic choice. God's grace, His mercy is more than sufficient to overcome even sins as serious as the taking of innocent life.
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To you do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To you do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb,
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.


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Fall mantel decor
There's nothing that feels more like fall than sitting in front of a burning fire snuggled under a thick, warm blanket and sipping hot cider or tea. If you and your household look forward to these nights all year, you can set the mood for your festive fall fireplace nights by curating an autumnal display on your mantel. Get creative and deck it out in fall decor to create the perfect atmosphere for relaxing.
There's a huge variety of fall-themed products to choose from when decorating your mantel. With a little knowledge and creativity, you can perfectly capture the spirit of the season on your mantel.
Tips for autumnal decoration
- The best way to decorate your mantel for any season is to pick a mix of tall and short design elements and stagger them. This means multiple candles in varying heights, garland, figurines, miniature plants and more. Put your tallest design elements toward the back and layer your smaller elements in front. For a classic look, be sure to mostly select elements for your mantel in fall hues like oranges, reds, earth tones and greens.
- If you aren't crazy about lots of colors, try selecting all-white decor items like white mini pumpkins for a modern twist on a classic fall mantel.
- Try adding a Southern rustic twist to your mantel by incorporating farmhouse elements into your fall mantel decor. Boho hanging beads and distressed vases are popular choices for pulling off this trendy aesthetic combination.
- To complete the perfect fall atmosphere on your mantel, try incorporating a metal wax warmer with some fall-themed wax melts or even spraying Fall Pumpkin Febreze.
Best fall mantel decor ideas in 2021
Classic decor
There's a reason the classics never go out of style. For a nostalgic and timeless fall mantel, stick to classic pieces and antique-inspired elements.
This LED lantern brings the cozy and warm feelings of a candlelit fall night without a flame, so you can enjoy it without worrying about a fire hazard. It can be used on a surface or hung on a hook and casts a warm glow around your living room.
Sold by Amazon
Artificial Pumpkins with Lifelike Maple Leaves
This autumn mantel piece features 12 miniature foam pumpkins in varying sizes. Leave them in the basket or stagger them about your mantel atop the included maple leaves. These also look great as a centerpiece on a dining or coffee table.
Sold by Amazon
Modern and simple
Not so into pumpkins and garland? Try these decidedly refined and minimalist fall decor items to get seasonal while keeping your modern aesthetic intact.
Flameless Flickering Battery Operated Candles
Flameless candles in varying sizes are perfect for staggering about your mantel. This energy-saving LED set comes with a remote control and lasts up to 150 hours. Their classic ivory flickering design casts the illusion of a flame on your mantel for a nostalgic autumn ambiance.
Sold by Amazon
This minimalist garland looks like a cute DIY project and adds a little bit of whimsy to your mantel. Use on its own for a sparse look or combine with holiday lights for a festive touch. Dainty and unique.
Sold on Etsy
Woodsy mantel
As it gets colder outside and there's less opportunity for getting fresh air, opting for nature-inspired decor can bring a bit of the outdoors inside your home.
This handmade fall garland looks like the abundant foliage of the harvest season and features autumn tones with various crops like wheat, sunflowers, corn and pine cones alongside golden linens, orange burlap and bronze prairie grass. A neutral pumpkin is centered alongside ferns and berries. Looks amazing as a focal point on a mantel or as a centerpiece at a holiday meal.
Sold on Etsy
Yellow Berry Modern Farmhouse Garland
Line your mantel with this artificial berry garland for a farmhouse decor effect. The bright yellow berries are festive and add color to your fireplace, but are also small enough to blend in with other decor items. You can also consider using this garland around your kitchen cabinets or on the banister of a staircase.
Sold on Etsy
Spooky Halloween mantel
There's no shame in breaking out your Halloween decorations early to curate a spooky and festive space ahead of time, especially if Halloween is your favorite holiday.
The quintessential Halloween decoration is great for indoor or outdoor use. Break off a section of this cobweb and line your mantel with it for a whimsical Halloween display. Looks especially nice on darker mantels for contrast. Pair it with other spider decorations for a fun yet creepy theme.
Sold by Amazon
Black Felt Coffin Gothic Message Board
A spooky twist on a trendy favorite. Take turns writing spooky messages with other members of your household. Looks great on a mantel with smaller design elements or on its own. Includes 500 white characters and a black wooden stand. Can also be hung.
Sold by Amazon
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September 22: TODAY in Irish History:
Curated by Conor Cunneen IrishmanSpeaks Chicago Motivational Humorous Business Speaker, Author and History buff.
September 22: TODAY in Irish History:
Galway born Confederate General Patrick Moore
1821: Confederate Brigadier-General Patrick T. Moore is born at Galway, Ireland.
In the spring of 1861 he was commissioned colonel of the First regiment, Virginia infantry, which was assigned to Longstreet's brigade of the army under Beauregard at Manassas. He participated in the affair at Blackburn's ford and the battle of Manassas, in the latter action receiving a severe wound in the head while leading his regiment.
He survived the war and died in 1883. A number of Irish attained high rank in the Confederate forces. The most lauded was Cork born "Stonewall of the West" Patrick Cleburne who perished at the Battle of Franklin.
READ: Biography of Patrick Moore
Rineen Ambush
1920: The Mid-Clare Brigade of the IRA ambush and kill six Royal Irish Constabulary officers in a well-planned attack. In reprisal, British forces murdered a number of local residents and burned houses.
In oral history, Andrew O'Donoghue, former commander of the 5th Batallion, Mid-Clare IRA Brigade said, "The enemy did carry out most frightful reprisals that night and there was no one to molest them. It was a splendid chance lost because the British forces – R.I.C., Black and Tans and military – all went berserk in their orgy of destruction, becoming frightfully drunk in the process and, throwing all precaution to the winds, became sitting ducks for properly placed ambushers."
READ: More on Andrew O'Donoghue's Memoirs
READ: FASCINATING Lengthy Witness Statement by Mid-Clare IRA Commander Andrew O'Donoghue
The Long Count – Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney
1927: Irish Americans Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney fight for the World Heavyweight Title in a rematch at Soldier Field Chicago. The bout became famous for "The Long Count." (This has nothing to do with Irish born Bram Stoker who wrote Count Dracula!)
The previous year, Tunney had beaten Dempsey over ten rounds to secure the World Title.
Dempsey's failure to move to a neutral corner after knocking Tunney down in this rematch, delayed the start of the count allowing Tunney to get off the canvas. The referee finally counted to nine. Whether Tunney would have been able to get up, if the referee had not delayed the count will never be known. There is little doubt that over the complete fight Tunney was the better boxer.
Gene Tunney was son of emigrants John Tunney and Mary Lydon, both from Co. Mayo.
Both of Dempsey's parents were of Irish extraction.
1943: Irish artist Robert Ballagh is born in Dublin
** . Want to learn more about Ireland? See these images and more in the acclaimed For the Love of Being Irish
BUY Quality Quality Guinness and Ireland Rugby Shirts
For the Love of Being Irish written by Chicago based Corkman Conor Cunneen and illustrated by Mark Anderson is an A-Z of all things Irish. This is a book that contains History, Horror, Humor, Passion, Pathos and Lyrical Limericks that will have you giving thanks (or wishing you were) For the Love of Being Irish Watch For the Love of Being Irish author Conor Cunneen – IrishmanSpeaks on his Youtube channel IrishmanSpeaks. Laugh and Learn. ___________________________________
This history is written by Irish author, business keynote speaker and award winning humoristIrishmanSpeaks – Conor Cunneen. If you spot any inaccuracies or wish to make a comment, please don't hesitate to contact us via the comment button. Visit Conor's YouTube channel IrishmanSpeaks to Laugh and Learn. Tags: Best Irish Gift, Creative Irish Gift, Unique Irish Gifts, Irish Books, Irish Authors, Today in Irish History TODAY IN IRISH HISTORY (published by IrishmanSpeaks)


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We owe a big thanks to guest blogger Greg Ablavsky, who joined us for the month of July. To highlight just a few of his contributions: he offered his own thoughts on topics that we care about, including the role of historians as legal advocates; he brought us to SHEAR, where some great new scholarship was on display; and in a post that is my personal favorite, he let us in on his Independence Day ritual.
Thank you, Greg! We look forward to hearing more from you.


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Programming for SAS Viya
This course is for users who need to modify existing Base SAS programs that will execute in SAS Viya. This course leverages the power of SAS Cloud Analytic Services (CAS) to access, manage, and manipulate in-memory tables. This course is not intended for beginning SAS software users.Learn how to
Who should attendSAS programmers transitioning to SAS Viya
Before attending this course, you should have nine months or more of SAS programming experience or have completed the SAS Programming 1: Essentials and SAS Programming 2: Data Manipulation Techniques courses. Specifically, you should be able to do the following:
This course addresses SAS Studio, SAS Viya software.
Self-Paced e-Learning


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Teamwork makes the dream work... and other irritating office phrases
'Move the goalposts' or 'teamwork, dreamwork' or 'can I borrow you for a sec?' - they're all workplace 'buzz lines' that we love to hate, according the research by jobs site reed.co.uk.
A survey of 2,000 workers came up with these jargon gems.
Phrases guaranteed to irritate your co-workers:
1. Can I borrow you for a sec?
2. How long is a piece of string?
3. Think outside the box
4. Teamwork, dreamwork
5. Keep me in the loop
6. Win-win
7. Pick your brains
8. I'm stacked
9. Blue sky thinking
10. Just playing devil's advocate
The most overused sayings in the workplace
1. Can I borrow you for a sec?
2. Pick your brains
3. Think outside the box
4. Me in the loop
5. Get the ball rolling
6. All hands on deck
7. How long is a piece of string?
8. Back to the drawing board
9. Can you shed some light on this
10. Move the goalposts
Online expressions people say in the workplace:
4. Epic fail
5. Cringe
6. Swag
8. On point / on fleek
9. For the win
10. That's cray


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Burma Lane has newly opened in the venue that once used to be Mahjong Black – on Little Collins street – and serving up traditional Southeast Asian flavours from Burma. This new venue comes from the people who brought us Red Spice Road – Adam Trengove and Shaun Moorhouse.
The interior hasn't changed too much from when it used to be Mahjong Black but there are accents of Burma all around the venue. The signature style of Red Spice Road with large paintings of women continues upstairs here at Burma Lane with four colourful portraits of women on the back wall. There are birdcage light fittings as well but the centrepiece is the iconic "Freedom to Lead" image of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi by Sherpard Fairey– which is on the right hand side wall as you walk into the venue and go up the stairs. There is seating downstairs as well upstairs in this split level venue which consists of wooden table and chairs, finished with terracotta coloured plates that sit on top of the menu. There are also tea-stained posters which have been pasted onto one of the columns where the stairs are, and there is also a wall of holiday pictures from Burma.
The menu consists of several small bites, noodle dishes (there are four to choose from), salad dishes (five to select from), and then has bigger bites and finishes with desserts. The bigger bites consist of mostly curry dishes, and come with a bowl of rice and cover most meats – fish, goat, beef, egg, prawns and pork – take your pick. The drinks list is impressive and there is even a section for mocktails which I thought was great. There are drinks like Land of Milk & honey, Swami Delight and Thai Dai. I ordered the Thai Dai which had Lychee Juice, Pomegranate Juice, Kaffir Syrup. This drink is quite refreshing and came topped with a passionfruit piece which a nice way to finish the drink off. I also got to sample the Swami Delight – Apple, Indian Yoghurt Cardamom Syrup, Agave. This drink was very tasty and was a different take on the original Lassi as usually you have Mango lassi, but this consisted of Apple, Cardamom and Agave – the result was a fantastic tasting combination. I would definitely recommend trying out these mock tails.
As we had more than 8 people we had to do the 4 course set menu which I thought was quite reasonably priced at $30. For these 4 courses we received – 2 small bite dishes, 1 noodle dish and 1 bigger bite dish. There is also a Chef's tasting menu called 'Taste the Best of Burma' which costs $65. These options are quite wise as you can get a bit overwhelmed with the menu selection as all the dishes and their combination of ingredients sounds so enticing. There are so many dishes that I want to come back and try especially the Potato Cake which is filled with Slow Roasted Lamb Belly, Cabbage and Minty Yoghurt – how amazing does that sound! And on another note what I also love about Burma Lane is that the meat is certified halal – so I can actually have a majority of the dishes!
The first dish that we were brought out was Kun Sar Thi – Betel leaf with chicken, shallot, green mango & Sichuan pepper. The dish came out beautifully presented – with the chicken, shallot, mango mix placed in a bowl in the centre with the betel leaves surrounding it. We were told by the waiter that we were to place the chicken on top of the betel leaf and eat them together. The result was a flavour hit in your mouth together with the crunch of the betel leaf. The flavour combinations were unique and delicious all at the same time.
Next up was the Chargrilled ginger, turmeric chicken chops with lime & chilli – these came out looking glossy and perfectly grilled in a terracotta bowl together with a piece of lime and topped with chilli. The chicken was pretty good but not fantastic. The outside flavouring and coating of the chicken was delicious however, the inside was quite bland to me. I should also mention before we were given our dishes, the waiter brought us out 3 different types of sauces and chutneys and explained what was in each of them as well as giving us the spiciness rating. I thought the idea of this was quite fantastic. What made this even better was as each dish was brought to our table and explained to us – he would tell us which one of the three sauces would match perfectly with each dish. Ingenious! Back to the chicken – it was a great snack dish and together with the desired sauce was overall a great dish.
Next we moved onto a dish from the noodle section and were given the Fat rice noodles with tofu puffs, spicy coconut broth, greens & bean sprouts. The first thing you notice about this dish when it comes out is that it is fresh looking and very colourful (especially against the black backdrop of the bow) and it draws you in immediately making every tastebud on your tongue water. And when you take that first mouth, it definitely doesn't disappoint. This dish is semi wet dish thanks to the spicy coconut broth and the combination of flavours is fantastic. I really enjoyed this dish and especially loved the combination of the tofu puffs.
The last dish that we had was the Rockling cooked in turmeric, lemongrass & tomato with noodles, mustard greens & egg AKA Funky Mohingha, our take on a Burmese classic. From having read up on people who had previously been to Burma Lane – this is their signature dish – so I was so happy to know that they featured it on this 4 course menu. Once again fantastically presented – with egg halves bopping in the tangy and tantalizing looking gravy along with the pieces of rockling – it was a dish I couldn't wait to try. You get the waft of the lemongrass and tumeric as it was placed on the table, and these flavours carry thru as you take your first bite. The rockling is soft and tender and is complimented with the flavours and literally melts in your mouth. This is definitely a dish to try and is a true testament to Burmese cooking.
Despite initially thinking that we wouldn't be full from the meal we were quite satisfied and didn't have any room for dessert. Desserts ranged from Sago and Coconut Pudding, Pandan and Coconut Jelly with Jasmine Rice Ice Cream, as well as Coconut Ice Cream on its own.
Burma Lane is a great new addition to the Melbourne CBD food scene and truly brings you flavoursome and authentic Burmese food – ranging from small offerings to their larger dishes of tantalizing and deliciously aromatic curries. Another thing to note about Burma lane is that they support a number of charities through Pomelo, which is an umbrella group that provides practical training and financial aid to disadvantaged communities in Burma. Great food and supporting charities back in Burma – what more could you ask for?
Rating : 4.5 Pandas
Price: $$$
Menu – Food Menu at http://burmalane.com.au/food-menu, Drink Menu at http://burmalane.com.au/wine and a little bit about Burmese food can be found here http://burmalane.com.au/about-the-food
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Classy, Elegant yet Relaxed and a great place for entertaining or even just catching up with people.
Standout Dish: Fat rice noodles with tofu puffs, spicy coconut broth, greens & bean sprouts OR Funky Mohingha
Service: Friendly, Helpful and very Knowledgeable. They are happy to help and really do the menu inside out.
Online Booking: Yes – you can book online at http://burmalane.com.au/
Restaurant Details and Location:
118 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Tel No: 9615 8500
Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Monday to Friday: 6:00 pm – 12:00 am
Saturday: 6:00 pm – 12:00 am


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1269.0 - Standard Australian Classification of Countries (SACC), 2011
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/08/2011
|Page tools: Print Page Print All
The title of the SACC (the Standard Australian Classification of Countries) reflects its suitability for use in a wider range of applications than its precursor, the Australian Standard Classification of Countries for Social Statistics (ASCCSS).
The SACC is intended for use in the collection, storage and dissemination of all Australian statistical data classified by country.
In the field of population statistics, the classification is intended for use whenever demographic, labour and social statistics are classified by country.
The structure of the SACC can be directly adopted in some economic statistics, such as international merchandise trade. For other economic statistics the SACC can be supported by alternative country groupings.
In some cases, there is a need in economic statistics to use broader geographic groupings than provided in the SACC, to give a geographic perspective while protecting the confidentiality of reported information. To cater for such cases broader continental classification elements, such as 'Africa, nec', can be used to derive continental aggregates. These are generally in line with international statistical practice and facilitate international comparison.
Standard Coding Options
The groupings of countries are provided to allow for the continuation of time series and to enhance the usefulness of the SACC.
The full range of codes required to derive data for these groupings is listed in the Standard Australian Classification of Countries data cube from the Downloads tab.
In some cases, the collection and aggregation of data for economic statistics (such as international trade and international investment position statistics) require data to be coded to entities that do not equate directly to a single country, or to countries at all. Such entities have been assigned unique four digit codes beginning with '07'.
For example: 'Belgium and Luxembourg' is allocated code 0704, Reserve Bank Gold is allocated code 0741.
Although these supplementary codes are not part of the classification structure, they should be considered when aggregating and presenting data for both the structure and the alternative groupings.
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Nuggets make Robinson signing official
Denver, CO – The Denver Nuggets officially signed free-agent guard Nate Robinson to a multi-year contract on Friday.
Robinson joins the Nuggets after spending one season in Chicago, where he averaged 13.1 points and 4.4 assists while playing all 82 games. In the playoffs, he scored an average of 16.3 points per game.
"Nate provides a unique combination of speed, scoring, passion and explosiveness," Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly said. "He's proven that he can fit in any system and enjoy success at any tempo."
The 5-foot-9 Robinson has averaged 11.5 points, 3.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 530 career games with New York, Boston, Oklahoma City, Golden State and Chicago.


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It's easy to understand why many people will view Monday's solar eclipse as an act of God.
The total eclipse that will cross America — an event that last happened 99 years ago — will be an important moment for scientific observers and a massive nationwide spectator event. It will also, for many people of faith, be evidence of God's majesty — and even, to a few, a harbinger of the coming end of the world.
"I don't think it's an accident that God put us human beings here on Earth where we can actually see total solar eclipses. I think God wants us to make these discoveries," said Hugh Ross, who is both an astronomer and a minister. "I would argue that God on purpose made the universe beautiful, and one of the beauties is a solar eclipse."
Ross is leading a trip to watch the eclipse for about 80 people interested in finding spirituality in science. They're preparing Monday to travel down a dirt road into a field in Eastern Oregon, where they will wait for the sun to be blotted out. Across the country, other church groups are preparing to do the same.
A solar eclipse isn't all that rare. The moon is always revolving around the Earth, while the Earth revolves around the sun. Usually the moon appears slightly higher or lower than the sunlight hits the Earth. But twice a year, it's right smack in front of it, and the moon blocks out the sun during the daytime, and that's at least a partial solar eclipse.
When a total eclipse occurs, the shadow falls on just a tiny part of the Earth, about 60 to 100 miles wide, and then moves about a thousand miles over the course of a few hours. Because so much of the Earth is water, this almost always happens over an ocean.
The last total solar eclipse visible from the continental United States was in 1979, and it was only over a corner of the Pacific Northwest.
Something like this summer's event, where so many people on land can see a total solar eclipse, is exceptionally rare — although the United States actually will experience another one, crossing an opposite diagonal swath of the country, in 2024.
The "path of totality" for the 2017 eclipse cuts across the entire country, and every single spot in the continental United States will see an eclipse up to 60 percent.
That means that anyone in the country can step outside and see some darkness. But eclipse-watchers — including Jay M. Pasachoff, a Williams College astronomer who has traveled around the world to witness an astonishing 65 eclipses — say that one truly has to see totality to really grasp the awe-inspiring nature of an eclipse. Even 99 percent, Pasachoff said, is nowhere near as dramatic as the moment it totally goes dark, which will last for up to two minutes and 40 seconds.
"You have to be in totality to do it. Basically the universe gets a million times darker," Pasachoff said. "It is absolutely necessary to be in the path of totality. It's a poor second to be off to the side."
For Ross and other clergy planning to showcase the eclipse as both a scientific and a religious event, that stunning experience of seeing totality is an opportunity for discussing God's handiwork. When Ross was a researcher at the California Institute of Technology, he would take his fellow scientists on hiking trips in the Sierra Nevada, he said.
"When they would say, 'Yeah, it's gorgeous,' I would say, 'Why is it so beautiful?' It would always lead to a discussion about the Christian faith," he said. For that reason — the opportunity to use natural beauty as a tool for evangelism — this eclipse will be a popular Christian event. "A lot of leaders of churches are going to be encouraging people," he said, to go see the eclipse.
It's certainly not just church leaders who have that idea. Visitors from as far as Europe and Asia started booking hotel rooms months ago in sleepy little corners of Wyoming and Idaho where they will be able to see the eclipse.
The population living in that long path of totality, from Oregon to the Carolinas, is about 12 million people, by the count of Angela Speck, co-chair of the American Astronomical Society's task force on the 2017 eclipse. Speck says another 12 million or many more could easily visit for the eclipse date. Nearly everyone in the continental United States lives within one day's drive of the eclipse path — so if 4 percent of the country decided they wanted to drive to the right spot that day and see the sun go dark, 12 million would turn to 24 million overnight.
There's precedent: In 1991, Speck said, so many people tried to enter Mexico to see a total eclipse that the country closed parts of its borders.
In certain religious communities, the talk surrounding the eclipse has to do with a different sort of preparation. Gary Ray isn't worried about just travel plans and adequate eye protection. He's focused on the Rapture.
Ray, a writer for the evangelical Christian publication Unsealed, views this eclipse as one of several astronomical signs that the day when Christians will be whisked away from the Earth is fast approaching.
"The Bible says a number of times that there's going to be signs in the heavens before Jesus Christ returns to Earth. We see this as possibly one of those," Ray said about the eclipse.
He is even more interested in another astronomical event that will occur 33 days after the eclipse, on Sept. 23, 2017.
The Book of Revelation, which is full of extraordinary imagery, describes a woman "clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head" who gives birth to a boy who will "rule all the nations with an iron scepter" while she is threatened by a red, seven-headed dragon. The woman then grows the wings of an eagle and is swallowed up by the earth.
Ray says that image will be created in the sky on Sept. 23. The constellation Virgo — representing the woman — will be clothed in sunlight, in a position that is over the moon and under nine stars and three planets. The planet Jupiter, which will have been inside Virgo — in her womb, in Ray's interpretation — will move out of Virgo, as if she is giving birth.
Astronomers don't see this as a particularly unusual event. But to Ray and others, it could be the sign that the Rapture is ready to happen: "We think it's God signaling to us that he's about to make his next move."
And Ray thinks the two eclipses that are slated to travel across the United States in 2017 and 2024, together marking an X across the nation, could be the starting and ending signs bookmarking a seven-year period of awful tribulations that Revelations says waits in store for nonbelievers who are left behind on Earth when the Rapture occurs.
"That time frame is speculative, 2017 to 2024. But it makes a lot of sense. There are a lot of things that really point us to that," he said.
Therefore, the eclipse preparation that Ray recommends is a bit different from the scientists' association's advice.
"My number one encouragement to people would be to just trust God. More importantly, to trust the right God," he said, warning that those who do not believe when the day of the Rapture comes will be left behind to face the tribulations. "If people want to be ready, the one thing you can do is accept what He has offered, which is the gift of grace and forgiveness. That's all we have to do to be ready."
University of Redlands astronomer Tyler Nordgren, who is advising the National Park Service on handling this eclipse, looked at prior events. Just a partial eclipse, not a total one, set visitor records in 2012 when it crossed through National Park Service sites in the Southwest. For this summer, he told the Park Service, "Imagine the biggest event you've ever had, and double it."
So come Monday, even nonbelievers looking out at the crowds on the eclipse path may find themselves comparing it to an apocalyptic event. For one Eastern Oregon park, Nordgren predicts 25,000 to 50,000 sky-watchers. The park has one toilet.
This story was originally published in March and has been updated.
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text:
When Women Get Too Ripped.
by Sean Croxton
Where does fitness end and disease begin?
The line separating the two can be a fine one and, for most, a blur. In fact, crossing this line is often perceived as admirable, even worthy of envy.
From the outside an ultra-lean, sculptured female physique may be looked upon by her peers as a body to die for. However, from the inside it may be a body she is dying for.
Okay, maybe that's a bit of an overstatement.
Then again, maybe not.
Working as a personal trainer for eight years and then as a diet and lifestyle coach for three, I learned many lessons. The lesson I will share with you today is this:
Looks can be deceiving.
In every gym exists at least one woman rocking a bra top to show off all eight of her abs. The one who seems to be there no matter what time you go. The one who women gawk at more than the men.
My female training clients would often express envy over this woman, however unbeknownst to the damage taking place beneath the hard-bodied surface.
Looks can kill you.
Oh, there I go again…


text:
Each day we'll publish some clues – starting November 18th – and ending on November 23rd. Clues are things that you can find in the London Gigapixel. You have to find these clues, and be among the first few people to send in screenshots of these clues to an email address below. If you do, you will win an awesome bag from our favorite bag company, Crumpler. No, they didn't pay us to say that – their bags really are awesome.
If you are interested in this treasure hunt, you might want to look into the second treasure hunt we are doing for the London Gigapixel in which you have a chance to win 27″ Fujitsu LCD panel, or a story-telling competition, in which you can win over $3000 of awesome holidays.
Here are the first three clues:
1. Fat Boy Slim's Chair
2. Freddie Mercury
3. One of the three mechanical spiders (there are three at three different places and you need to find at least one)
Here's the second set of clues (released November 19th):
4. Topless olympic torch
5. One leg purple, one leg green
6. Spiderman's basement
The next set of clues (released November 22nd):
7. Washing up
8. Who you will call when you are trapped inside of a washing machine.
9. British passport.
The last clue (released November 23rd):
10. Victorian milk
Email address for submitting answers (valid only for the 1st treasure hunt, do not use it for the 2nd treasure hunt please):
Please don't forget to read the official rules before you submit your answers. Ask questions here via comments or on our blog, Facebook and Twitter.
Just to repeat the most important rules:
We will pick the FIRST person in our email inbox with the MOST correct answers. So if nobody in the world knows all the answers before the deadline (30 days 11:59pm GMT, December 23, 2010) then we'll choose the first person who sends us the highest number of correct answers.
If you send us multiple emails, you will be disqualified. Since we'll probably have thousands of submissions, we'd like to prevent tens of thousands of unnecessary emails coming in. If you find more answers after you submit your answers, the obvious way around this rule is to send a new set of answers from a different email address. If you can't attach 30 files in a single email, you should get a gmail account.
We will probably announce winners in January 2011. Our team will do their best to find the winner as soon as possible, but we can't guarantee that – so please give us some time to go through those thousands of emails. Thanks for your understanding.
Happy hunting!
If you are interested in this treasure hunt, you might want to look into the second treasure hunt we are doing for the London Gigapixel in which you have a chance to win 27″ Fujitsu LCD panel, or a story-telling competition, in which you can win over $3000 of awesome holidays.
First prize: Crumpler Muffin Top Full Photo Bag
Other prizes: Two winners will receive a Muffin Top 4000 Bag
Two winners will receive Jimmy Bo 400 Cross-Shoulder or Waist Bag
Five winners will receive The PP 70 Camera/Phone Bags
Read The Official rules
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to find the items by myself or can I work with other people?
We recommend that you DO work with other people. 360Cities assumes no responsibility for intra-team arrangements and only one person (dispatcher of the winning e-mail and PayPal account holder) will be considered the winner.
If you want people to work together to find the prize, then I can't win if I try to do it by myself?
You can win if you do it by yourself – but as they say "two heads are better than one"
How do I make a screenshot?
You can follow these instructions (both windows and mac) http://www.colorpilot.com/screen_howto.html
My email program won't let me send that many attachments!
You can try a different email provider – Gmail for example will work.
Where do I send the answers?
We will announce the email address where to send the answers with the last set of clues.
The items are hard to find? Will you publish any hints?
Yes! We will publish hints about how to find the items via our Facebook page and on Twitter. You won't get these hints anywhere else. So if you really want to win, we suggest you follow one of these.
You should watch our Facebook or Twitter page for updates.


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Kitta, I'm really laughing my ass off over here! Where the hell did you get a map of Aus without the Northern Territory?? Especially on the internet.. i know it's been aroun since longer than cyberspace!
You'd best be making me some funky bead stuff!!! AND… If you abdicate from Aus and move away… you'll just become New Zealand! HAHAHHAAH


text: On Fri, 16 Jul 2004, Mark Hahn wrote: > > The way Intel rolls out new chips is that ISVs, resellers, and the > > press get a few systems before they go on sale. Then volume production > > finally rolls around. I don't think we're quite there yet. > > can anyone offer hints of pci-express performance? for instance, > boards like: > > http://www.tyan.com/products/html/tomcati915.html > > have a x16 PCI-e slot, which afaikt, would be a perfect place to put > a low-latency cluster interconnect board. I haven't heard Quadrics > or Myri talking about their roadmap for PCI-e, but IB people seem to > think it'll give them the throne. hard to see why, since it'll > help their competitors as well. come to think of it, if IB people > claim PCI-e will shave over 1 us off their latency, what will PCI-e > do for Quadrics (already under 2 us!)? > > thanks, mark hahn. We've just brought up a test stand with both PCI-X and PCI-E Infiniband host channel adapters. Some very preliminary (and sketchy, sorry) test results which will be updated occassionally are available at: http://lqcd.fnal.gov/benchmarks/newib/ The PCI Express nodes are based on Abit AA8 motherboards, which have x16 slots. We used the OpenIB drivers, as supplied by Mellanox in their "HPC Gold" package, with Mellanox Infinihost III Ex HCA's. The PCI-X nodes are a bit dated, but still capable. They are based on SuperMicro P4DPE motherboards, which use the E7500 chipset. We used Topspin HCA's on these systems, with either the supplied drivers or the OpenIB drivers. I've posted NetPipe graphs (MPI, rdma, and IPoIB) and Pallas MPI benchmark results. MPI latencies for the PCI Express systems were about 4.5 microseconds; for the PCI-X systems, the figure was 7.3 microseconds. With Pallas, sendrecv() bandwidths peaked at approximately 1120 MB/sec on the PCI Express nodes, and about 620 MB/sec on the PCI-X nodes. I don't have benchmarks for our application posted yet but will do so once we add another pair of PCI-E nodes. Don Holmgren Fermilab


text:
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text:
The Empire stands triumphant.
For twenty years the Dread Empress has ruled over the lands that were once the Kingdom of Callow, but behind the scenes of this dawning golden age threats to the crown are rising. The nobles of the Wasteland, denied the power they crave, weave their plots behind pleasant smiles. In the north the Forever King eyes the ever-expanding borders of the Empire and ponders war. The greatest danger lies to the west, where the First Prince of Procer has finally claimed her throne: her people sundered, she wonders if a crusade might not be the way to secure her reign. Yet none of this matters, for in the heart of the conquered lands the most dangerous man alive sat across an orphan girl and offered her a knife.
Her name is Catherine Foundling, and she has a plan.
A Practical Guide to Evil is a YA fantasy novel about a young girl named Catherine Foundling making her way through the world – though, in a departure from the norm, not on the side of the heroes. Is there such a thing as doing bad things for good reasons, or is she just rationalizing her desire for control? Good and Evil are tricky concepts, and the more power you get the blurrier the lines between them become.
Updates every Tuesday and Friday as of the latest Patreon goal. First update of every month will be accompanied by an Extra Chapter.
The author can be contacted at email@example.com
Under no circumstances will Epub, PDF files, audiobooks or translation of the Guide be allowed.


text:
Hewlett-Packard will purchase Aruba Networks to boost its wireless networking business, the companies announced Monday.
HP will offer $24.67 per share, giving Aruba a $3 billion value. The deal is worth $2.7 billion taking into account Aruba's debt and cash.
By buying Aruba, HP will be able to help businesses beef up their wireless networks to meet the demands of an increasingly mobile workforce, the companies said.
This is HP's first major acquisition since CEO Meg Whitman announced last year that the company would split into two. One half will focus on enterprise products and the other well sell printers and PCs.
Whitman recently said that HP can make acquisitions despite the company's troubled finances. Last week HP lowered its financial outlook for fiscal 2015 after reporting that revenue and profit decreased in the first quarter. During that quarter, HP's networking sales fell 11 percent, compared to the year-ago period.
Aruba's sales, by contrast, are increasing. The company's 2014 revenue totaled $729 million and was on track to break $1 billion by 2017, according to analysts. Rumors of the deal emerged last week.
The networking gear vendor will join the HP Enterprise group, with Aruba CEO Dominic Orr and CTO Keerti Melkote staying on to lead the new organization.
The boards of both companies have approved the deal, which is expected to close in the second half of HP's fiscal year. U.S. government regulators and Aruba shareholders must also clear the acquisition.


text:
Export 5 results:Author [ Title] Type Year
Filters: Author is Kalcik, J. [Clear All Filters]
Biological and chemical properties of arable soils affected by long-term organic and inorganic fertilizer applications. Biology and Fertility of Soils 29: 300–308.. 1999.
Growth strategy of heterotrophic bacterial population along successional sequence on spoil of brown coal colliery substrate. Folia Microbiologica 50: 427-435.. 2005.
Immediate impact of the flood (Bohemia, August 2002) on selected soil characteristics. Water Air and Soil Pollution 173: 177-193.. 2006.
Profile Distribution of the Forms of Soil-phosphorus In Dependence On the Degree of Anthropogenic Effect. Rostlinna vyroba 40: 305-314.. 1994.


text:
Diamond Dirt: Mrs. Maris needs to know, Roger is a hero
As I sit here typing up this column, a formal letter is saved to the hard drive of my MacBook awaiting completion.
But this isn't an ordinary letter. This is a letter to Pat Maris, the widow of baseball legend Roger Maris, to let her know that even to this day her husband is a true hero.
Perhaps it might sound odd to just randomly write a letter to the wife of a great ballplayer who has passed on, but I feel that she needs to know that his stamina, his character and his will to push forward past a nation full of doubters is nothing short of motivational for anyone, especially to a young man who encountered a few bullies and doubters himself as he tried to make the high school baseball team and eventually earn a college degree in journalism.
Baseball has always been a real love in my life - and anyone who is or has been in love knows you just can't explain why you feel that way, you just do I guess that makes baseball all the more wonderful and beautiful, and of course like anyone who's wrapped into the suspense and amazement of this glorious game, I dreamed of one day being a professional baseball player and yes, I still dream that periodically to this day. Growing up I read books on just about everybody, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and thanks to my dad, I heard stories of how he experienced the great St. Louis Cardinal teams of the late '60s, Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Tim McCarver, Curt Flood and Roger Maris. I was always intrigued by these great players, the way they played baseball, the great things they did, and so to the local library I went. I can't remember the amount of hours I spent there or the many books I checked out, but there was pretty much a guarantee that I was coming home with a book about baseball and as I got older and continued to read and watch documentaries, it was Maris' story that really began to catch my eye as I entered high school.
I could really relate to Roger's story. The way he was treated during that historic 1961 season, the stress and pain he went through. People didn't want him to break Babe Ruth's single-season home run record and they let him know. From the boos in the crowd to hate mail to the unorthodox operations of the press at that time, Maris endured a lot just so he could play baseball, but he went against all odds and proved many people wrong. He hit those 61 home runs, overcame the pressure and made baseball nation stand corrected. And because of that I found heroism in Roger.
I worked really hard my junior year of high school just to make the baseball team. I ran the hallways everyday after school, learned to hit every possible speed at the batting cages (made it up to the 90 mph cage) and tore up several balls on the school steps just to train myself in the many directions the ball could go as it leaves the bat. Roger was already a big motivator because of his work ethic, but he also inspired me to be strong as many of the kids made fun of me, laughed and called me several names in my efforts just to make varsity. I'll never forget one kid in particular who referred to me as the varsity female dog (keep in mind that's the edited version) as I worked out or when we crossed paths in the hallway. But I didn't let him or anyone get to me.
Thanks to Roger's courageous story I kept going and I made that baseball team. The coach only found me useful during batting practice or if we were up or down by an insane number of runs, but none of that mattered. I was on that team and I was good enough to wear that uniform. I only hope that my wearing of Roger's No. 9 was enough of a salute to a true baseball hero, I unfortunately didn't get so see play.
Down the road of life, I learned that one day playing under the lights of a Major League Baseball stadium will probably just have to remain a dream. So to the realm of journalism I entered. I began to win a few awards in college and gain a ton of experience on many levels of mass media, and just like my efforts to make the high school baseball team I unfortunately found some hurdles to climb. Many of the kids I went to college with always had something negative to say to me. There were insults about my journalism approach, pranks here and there and a lot of resentment because I had encountered a lot of success and hadn't even graduated yet. The stresses of class didn't help either. But again, thanks to Roger, I kept going. There were no words or actions that were going to stop me from getting a college degree and when I walked across that stage, all classes finished, I made doubters stand corrected once again.
Most of those ignorant folks that tried to get me down didn't even pursue a journalism career. I don't know where some of those kids are today, but I know I came out of the rough trenches of doubters, just like Roger, and am able to stand tall every day.
This is why I'm writing a letter to Mrs. Maris, to let her know that even in death, Roger is still a great man and a true hero to all who wish to succeed. I'd like to one day travel to Fargo, N.D., and pay my formal respects to Mr. Maris. Hopefully it'll be the same year he gets a plaque in Cooperstown, an honor he so greatly deserves. But that's another column for another time.
Dominic Genetti writes for the Hannibal (Mo.) Courier-Post


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A Long Conversation With Bonnie Raitt
Last Wednesday I had the enormous privilege of sitting down with the masterful Bonnie Raitt for the keynote conversation at the annual Americana Music Conference and Festival in Nashville. Actually, I stood while blues fusion matriarch sat — I'd aggravated an old back injury moments before we took the stage, and my mentioning this to the crowd set Bonnie up for her first zinger of the chat: "What was his name?" she teased.
Humor added intimacy to Raitt's thoughtful reassessment of a long and unceasingly impressive career. Our conversation touched upon everything from her early days, when she learned to play an open C chord by watching the fingers of Mississippi Fred McDowell, to her current resurgence, aided by the support of young artists like Justin Vernon and Adele and the release of her excellent 2012 album, Slipstream. She discussed the creativity involved in being an interpretive singer; remembered the time Eric Clapton stood back and urged her to take one of his solos during the Crossroads Guitar Festival; and vowed to keep touring until she drops, which we all hope won't be for a very, very long time. Check out the entire Americana Music Association Awards ceremony, presented by Folk Alley, and enjoy my conversation with Bonnie, right here. I know I did.
Copyright 2020 Folk Alley. To see more, visit Folk Alley.


text:
Surely this is one of the more questionable things Mark Bradley has ever written:
… Say what you will about Meyer, but the man can coach. His work against Ohio State in Glendale, Ariz., in January 2007 was the greatest coaching performance the BCS title game has ever seen, and his work against Georgia on Saturday was no less inspired. In Jacksonville he took the demonstrably lesser team — anybody see an A.J. Green or a Justin Houston or even an Aaron Murray or an Orson Charles among Gators? — and wrung 450 yards and 34 points from it.
Did he miss Chris Rainey? How about Jeff Demps?
If we're really supposed to believe that the Gators were the "demonstrably lesser team" yesterday, what does that say about Meyer's inability to develop what many observers would say have been the most talented recruiting classes in college football over the past four seasons? Isn't that part of coaching, too?
The stupidity/dishonesty on display there is too bad, because Bradley has a valid point about Richt not having his team ready to play.


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Chiffchaff, fall of migrating warblers, leaf warblers, migrant birds, min-y-don, Phylloscopus collybita, phylloscopus trochilus, river Colwyn, willow warbler
Friday was a beautiful day and during my lunch hour I thought I'd take some photographs of dandelions, daisies and primroses which I wanted for the next blog I intended to write. There is a lovely grassy bank alongside the road I take back to work, which is currently smothered with gold and white wildflowers and just what I wanted, so I stopped alongside and got out of the car. But, as I opened the car door, I heard a chiffchaff calling from somewhere high up in a tree, a sound I have been waiting to hear this spring, so flowers were quickly forgotten and instead I walked down the hill towards the river and the trees of Min-y-Don listening and trying to work out where he was.
(This spot is just a stone's throw away from the sea and the point at which the little River Colwyn runs into it and the area known as Min-y-Don is a remnant of the old woodland that used once to cover the whole area, so an oasis for resident and birds on migration with water and potential food.)
As I approached the footbridge over the river I spotted two small birds on the water's edge that were perching briefly on overhanging plant stems then darting out and flitting over the water, clearly chasing after small flying insects. I have watched Chiffchaffs do this many times in Spain, both over water and from the tall palms in our garden there when they were fruiting and attracting insects there. The tiny birds are amazingly agile in the air and watching numbers of them performing their aerobatics was always magical and enormously entertaining. I know they were doing it to feed themselves, but I could never help feeling they were enjoying the chases and taking the opportunity to show off their skills to their companions; surely the amount of energy they put into the pursuits must have burnt off any calorific value they gained from the flies they actually managed to catch?
I digress, I know, but still being able to hear one as well, you can see why Chiffchaffs came to the front of my mind as soon as I saw them.
I attempted a few photographs of the birds in the very brief intervals they paused from their pursuits, one or two of which came out OK, but the more I looked at them through the long lens, the more I began to question my identification and to think they might actually be Willow Warblers. I think the problem arose from the fact that although I am very familiar with chiffchaffs, I am not so au fait with willow warblers, something I clearly need to sort out.
I enjoyed watching these two birds for several minutes before they were joined there by the footbridge by another, then another, then another two. I realised then that I must have happened upon a little flock of migrants that were taking the opportunity to 'fuel up' before continuing their journeys to their breeding places. I was already more than happy with this encounter with the birds, so when I walked further along the footpath to where it bends around to follow the river's edge and saw even more, I was delighted. It's at times like this when you wish you had someone with you to share the experience, so you could stand or walk along in a public place clutching a camera with a long lens and smiling without feeling self-conscious. And so you have someone to confirm or offer alternative suggestions to your identification of tricky warblers. I guess that is why we blog- I would definitely appreciate opinions on this one, especially the first photograph.
This stretch of the river was lit by the sunshine and benefits from having trees closer to its edge as well as plenty of other perching points for the fly-catching warblers. I'm not sure if it was the better light here or just something about the general appearance of the birds, but I was more or less certain straight away that these were not chiffchaffs, so willow warblers then. These two species can be easily confused when based on appearance only, in fact the one diagnostic I remember is to look at the legs, the willow warbler's are usually, but not always flesh-coloured, while the chiffchaff's are darker.If only one of them had stopped to sing it would have made things easier, but no. I know mixed flocks of birds do migrate together, but do these two species join up and travel together?
Points of difference:
Chiffchaff – Phylloscopus collybita
Less tinged green and yellow than willow warbler; legs & feet always dark. Bill is also dark. The supercillium is drab and there is a distinct crescent under eye. Wings are also shorter than willow warbler's.
Willow Warbler – Phylloscopus trochilus
The commonest warbler over much of northern Europe. Underparts are tinged yellow, especially in juveniles. Legs may be dark brown to flesh-coloured. Supercillium is fairly prominent and longer and there is a bright lower eye crescent. Wing feathers are longer than those of chiffchaff.
I posted a blog about Chiffchaffs around this time last year, which contains a lot more information, see it at https://theresagreen.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/bird-study-a-chiffchaffs-year/ or just click on April 2012 in the 'older posts' to find it from here.


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You don't realize that you are weighed down all the time by yourself, and your organs, and your head. ~ Mary Roach, author of Stiff
"How was your float?" Valerie McCarthy, Owner of Neptune Healing & Float Spa asked as I exited the private suite that held the pod (or tank) and shower area where I had spent an hour engaging in the closest thing I have come to nirvana.
"Wonderful! I guess it is the first time I have truly experienced total weightlessness." Think about it, even when we are trying to float in salt water of the ocean, we are fighting against the tides and body beating waves. The high concentration of epsom salt in the float pod was beyond any other buoyancy I had yet to experience. I am a lightweight, and don't have much body mass to move around, but still taking all weight off my structure (and brain!) was something I have never known -a complete yielding for one blissful hour. I believe I may have fallen asleep for a few minutes. However, Valerie said I may have reached the theta state (that gray area when you are not sure if you are awake or asleep).
The relaxed, "putty-like" feeling continued throughout the day and that night I slept like a baby (although admittedly, I often do). Every tension of 2015 was removed while I "practiced the pause" and drifted unsinkable in the pod.
Floating is said to be one of the top ten wellness trends to watch in 2016 and it is even being used in athletic science. Top athletes are jumping in the pod to relieve muscle aches and pains and reduce stress to improve performance. Floating is also said to increase creativity. Rehab facilities are including float pods for their athletes. According to an ESPN article Stephen Curry is among those elite athletes who is taking advantage of this wellness modality.
I am feeling rejuvenated and have a sense of well-being about the New Year. Bring it on 2016, bring it on! I am ready!
I would highly recommend this experience. I can see how floating could be even more beneficial to mind/body and spirit on a regular basis.
This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard. EVVY award-winning of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.


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Product Description
- Between The Gray And The Purple
- Void Memory One
- Infinite Shore
- Cloud Of Unknowing
- Void Memory Two
- Void Memory Three
- The Magnificent Void
- Altus
Steve Roach's restless vision has taken him across some mighty sonic expanses. Alone and with an international band of collaborators he has attempted to find the place where sound comes from, blending synthesizers and early instruments to create a highly original organic brand of modern electronic music. He has looked toward the ancient as a signpost for reading the modern world and vice versa with mystifying accuracy.
On The Magnificent Void, Roach tracks the terrain that lies outside the discussion of space, time, and even music. Without the aid of insistent rhythms, Roach takes his electroacoustic investigations into the dark heart of the sonic ooze to find the country that lies within and interpret its languages. The sounds that emanate from his journey are older than form,order or civilization. He interprets them from the experiential realm as a medium.
For nearly two decades Steve Roach has been at the forefront of new directions in electronic and acoustic music. His work has consistently confounded classification and genrefication. A true pioneer in his field, he has worked with musicians, filmmakers, artists and photographers across the globe to further the discussion of artistic expression. Younger innovators in the techno and ambient worlds revere Roach's contributions and are amazed at his ability to stay years ahead of the curve. With The Magnificent Void, Roach ups the ante once again.
"The Void," wrote metaphysician Stanislav Grof, "exists beyond form of any kind. While being a source of everything it cannot be itself derived from anything else. It is beyond space and time." The Void then, is not something we do, it is something we experience. It is nothingness, emptiness, silence. It is not a state so much as a place of interior geography that nonetheless connects all beings in the phenomenal and archetypal worlds.
On The Magnificent Void, his first solo recording for Fathom, electroacoustic music pioneer Steve Roach, inhabits that very place in order to speak from it; the music here comes not from the relating of that experience, but from the encounter made manifest within it. Through this vast interior landscape, one that prefers stillness and stasis over rhythmic movement, Roach is not looking to describe his surroundings so much as to be fully inside them. Indeed, on these eight interlocking tracks, Roach seems to be asking, "If the Void could speak, what would it say?"
Since he began recording in 1979, Steve Roach has restlessly and relentlessly pursued a singular course for himself in the electroacoustic field. He has traveled, beginning with his landmark Structures From Silence recording in 1984, through his many solo and collaborative projects (over 30) to this present effort, into the distilled heart of sonic essence itself, and its mirrored double, nothingness, to find the seam where they converge: Silence, from where all sounds emanate and eventually return.
The Magnificent Void, then, is for Roach, not a summation, but an entirely new path of musical exploration; it is a benchmark for an already prodigious and celebrated career.
The opening track on this disc, the nearly eight-minute "Between the Gray and the Purple," is, in all of its washes and drones, a locator of distance and environment. Because of its distinct lack of percussion, it is startling. It's pure drift, full of cascading images and comforting phrases that lull and mystify. For all its wandering and nebulousness, it's full of emotions that fall on top of one another, gradually becoming a weave of feeling and unknowing; it prepares us for what comes next.
On "Void Memory One" (which is at different points in the journey followed by Two and Three), images begin to articulate themselves in fleeting fashion, through the ears to the brain and even into the unconscious, which then begins to speak aloud. The fact that this track is a segue from the previous, and that all the others follow suit, is an accurate reflection of how stillness and silence take their place among us and allow us the freedom to move away from an overabiding concern with the physical world.
By the time we slip into "Infinite Shore," and its segue into "Cloud of Unknowing," Roach has moved himself into the background, allowing the sound to speak for itself in the heart of the listener. Here, mood, color, modality, nuance, and texture, are all interspersed with space and atmosphere. The stillness, no matter how dark the emotion expressed, is pervasive.
After moving across more amorphous bridges, through paths of memory and ghostly presences, where archetypes and sketchy spirits float through the dark drift unbound, we come to, at last, the gateway of "The Magnificent Void." In Roach's unobtrusive hands, it comes into view as having always been there, ever present, ever silent, informing the journey at every step, yet never being the thing itself. Like Arvo Pärt's simple, tinntinnabuli investigations into the mystery of three bells ringing — in order that his music might cross the threshold of heaven — Roach has overcome his accumulated knowledge and placed it under the guidance of the Void's utterance of the eternal.
Innovation is a strange thing, it moves us forward and holds us back; only the true artist can discern the difference between the two, and know when the balance has been tipped. Steve Roach is that artist, unafraid of what the future might hold and embracing that which will grow him out further. Yet he keeps one eye cocked to the lessons of the past as a way of grounding his work; he rejects musical trends and technological fashions as inept fixes to age old problems in the word of organic sonic inquiry. Here, Roach goes to sleep in the questions in order to wake up in the answers.
That there could be a record like The Magnificent Void at the end of the 20th century, which refuses complexity and obfuscation for the sake of allowing the primordial to speak freely is remarkable. That Steve Roach, after such a long and celebrated career, can still, without artifice or falsity, articulate this vast yet simple vision, is astonishing. This is the gate, step inside.


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Ambient music. Rhythmic landscape – texture background. ambient, background, rhythmic, serene, peaceful, calm, gentle, soothing, airy, smooth, looped, relaxing, chill, lounge, flash, web, stylish, new age, electronic, nature, sky, positive, laid back, meditation, hill out, piano, ambient, soothing, heavenly, thoughtful,relaxing,relaxation,relax,relaxed,chillout, filter,subtle, calm, dreamy, deep, acoustic, strings,moody, emotional, hope, soulful, serene, peaceful, meditation, meditative, beautiful, laid back,contemplative,easy listening,Mystique,corporate,business,Mysterious, mellow,soft,calm, modern, electronica, pack,website,background,new age,lounge, movies, cinema, adventure, action, cinematic, dramatic, history, tension, enigma, enia.
Motivational instrumental composition, express positiveness, self confidence.


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Hey if it worked for her it should work for me right? And to be honest I just can't help it, after all we are too much alike.
But you know what? Being an Elizabeth Bennet isn't so bad. After all:
So you see, being Elizabeth is the perfect way to go. 🙂
For more on Pride and Prejudice, go to Mr. Darcy is a Charmer
For more tips on how to catch a man, go to How to Catch Mr. Darcy
For more on Elizabeth Bennet, go to The Real Revolutionary


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Jim Hillibish: New book features 180 ways to eat quinoa
A bag of quinoa sat lonely in our pantry for five years. I'd never gotten around to doing anything with it, mostly as I had no clue.
Then came Susan Irby's "Quinoa Cookbook," 322 pages, 180 interesting recipes and written by none other than the Bikini Chef of Los Angeles. (Rush to Google, search for "Bikini Chef," and there she is — but in a house dress.)
Irby is a health and fitness trainer on TV and radio in LA. This is her seventh cooking book. It comes under the "Complete Idiot's Guide" series, for readers who don't mind being profiled.
Quinoa is one of the world's oldest and oddest foodstuffs. It's popular elsewhere, but it never got out of the gate in the U.S., possibly because a bunch of health addicts promote it. Anything that healthy must taste like tofu, right?
Wrong. It can be an excellent addition to your diet, nutrient- and taste-wise.
The history on this one is hysterical. No one can figure out what it is — a grain, a cereal, a pasta? There's evidence the Incas ground it into a flour. It's not a grass, hence not a grain. Scientists have settled on calling it a seed. Testing indicates it is a direct relative to — surprise — the tumbling tumbleweed.
Adding 3.5 ounces to a recipe hikes the complete proteins by 18 percent. It's big in dietary fiber, iron, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus. NASA is considering growing it in space for long-duration human flights. They'll need this book.
"Quinoa Cookbook" is loaded with Irby's ways to add the miracle food to your everyday meals, including your breadcrumbs. Many recipes start with what she calls "Quick and Easy Quinoa" (2 cups simmered 15 minutes in a cup of water or until absorbed). The texture should be "light and pillowy" with a slight crunch.
I tried Irby's Quinoa Cannellini Bean Dip and immediately noted the improvement. This one's going on our next party tray.
The book is crammed with hundreds of uses. I liked the pasta. A half cup of Quick and Easy in two servings of vermicelli takes the flavor and texture of that common ingredient into new pastures.
You'll notice something else: Quinoa is filling. A salad is all I needed for lunch. I'd suspect the seeds expand inside us, and that makes them a good dieter's weapon.
Quinoa is quite the versatile food. Anything it touches becomes more healthy. The same is true for Irby's book, and you needn't be a complete idiot to appreciate that.
1 clove garlic
1 15-ounce can cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup Quick and Easy Quinoa (see above)
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add reserved bean water in 1 tablespoon increments to thin, if needed.
Serve with fresh vegetable dippers or crackers.
-- "The Complete Idiot's Guide Quinoa Cookbook" by Susan Irby


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Thursday Links, Just for You
* 8 Characters I Created To Teach My Kid About Dental Hygiene That Have Unfortunately Come To Life.
* There's organized crime, and then there's organized crime.
Now, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol has a device that also allows them to seize money in your bank account or on prepaid cards.
It's called an ERAD, or Electronic Recovery and Access to Data machine, and state police began using 16 of them last month.
Here's how it works. If a trooper suspects you may have money tied to some type of crime, the highway patrol can scan any cards you have and seize the money.
This is literally highway robbery.
* In Rochester, a paid informant went undercover and drove a man suspected of being an Islamic extremist, Emanuel Lutchman, to a Walmart in December to buy a machete, ski masks, zip ties and other supplies for a would-be terrorist attack on New Year's Eve. Because Mr. Lutchman, a mentally ill panhandler, had no money, the informant covered the $40 cost.
* Even The National Review thinks Cuomo's anti-BDS executive order is trouble.
* Having a child is like rereading your own childhood.
* On Eve of Graduation, University of Chicago Student President Faces Expulsion.
* Inside the growing movement against campus militarization.
* Five eye-opening figures from the U.S. Education Department's latest civil rights data dump.
1. In the 2013-2014 school year, 6.5 million children were chronically absent from school, missing 15 or more days of school.
2. 850,000 high school students didn't have access to a school counselor.
3. 1.6 million students went to a school that employed a sworn law-enforcement officer, but no counselor.
4. Nearly 800,000 students were enrolled in schools where more than 20 percent of teachers hadn't met state licensure requirements.
5. Racial disparities in suspensions reach all the way down into preschool: Black children represent 19 percent of all preschoolers, and 47 percent of all those who were suspended.
* Everyone has celebrated how Beyoncé's celebrity power has elevated Warsan Shire's work to global attention. But African literature should not only attain universal value when endorsed by the west, argues Ainehi Edoro.
* Dry Taps and Lagoons of Sewage: What America's Water Crisis Looks Like.
* OrderOfBooks.com: Complete List of All Book Series in Order.
* Talk grows of replacing Trump at GOP convention. Talk of a convention coup rattles Republican politics. Walker Agonistes. Advisors Fear Trump Will Suddenly Announce VP Pick on Twitter. Google GOP Dot Com Truth. Trump is really bad at this. Calm Down, Trump Won't Be President. Trump and Weimar America. "For what it's worth, however, I would suggest that the least bad option is for all career lawyers in the Justice Department—and career officials in other agencies—to stay put and serve in a Trump administration."
* The Anointed One, or the Comeback Kid? It's time to admit Hillary Clinton is an extraordinarily talented politician. Here Comes Hillary the Hawk.
* The 11 states that will determine the 2016 election.
* The general problem is that the modern liberal nation-state and its characteristic institutions are simply no longer capable of delivering on their baseline promises and possibilities to any national population anywhere. Even in nations that appear by most measures to be successful, the state withers due its lack of vision. Liberalism cannot handle the extension of its rights to all who are entitled, and its major alleged champions increasingly endorse depraved forms of military and economic illiberalism in the name of its defense. The brief moment of reform in which capital seemed to be harnessed to social democracy is very nearly over, and the difference between illicit and licit economies now seems paper-thin at best. Very little policy gets made because it's the right thing to do; most policy is about transfer-seeking. Every dollar is spoken for. Every play is a scrum in the middle that moves the ball inches, never yards. Political elites around the world either speak in laughably dishonest ways about hope and aspiration or stick to grey, cramped horizons of plausibly incremental managerialism. Young people all around the world recognize that there is little hope of living in a better or more comfortable or more just world than their parents did, and their grandparents must often live every day with the possibility of losing whatever they've gained, that they are one lost job or sickness away from falling without a safety net. In the United States, what this all means in a more immediate sense is that Donald J. Trump is only the beginning.
* Welcome to the Party, America! 11 Muslim women who have been PM or President.
* Here are the proposed names for the 4 newest elements on the periodic table.
There are some constraints to naming, however. The IUPAC rules stipulate new elements must be named after either
* "A mythological concept or character (including an astronomical object)"
* "A mineral, or similar substance"
* "A place or geographical region"
* "A property of the element"
* "A scientist"
* Scientists Avoid Studying Women's Bodies Because They Get Periods.
* What everyone earns working on a $200m blockbuster.
* A new study produced by Cambridge University statistician David Spiegelhalter suggests the cause of declining sex trends over the past 30 years is Netflix.
* What Happened to 'The Most Liberated Woman in America'?
* Being Dinosaur Comics's Ryan North.
* Snow Crash and Infinite Jest Both Predicted Our Cyberpunk Present.
* Fighting salary compression at the University of Washington. This is such a tough problem everywhere; the situation sounds much worse on every level at Marquette, for instance, than even what the article describes at Washington.
* For more than 20 years, actors and crew members stayed silent about mistreatment they suffered at the acclaimed Profiles Theatre. Now they're speaking up, hoping to protect workers in non-Equity theaters across the country.
* Do Deaf Babies Need to be 'Fixed'? I've found this debate utterly fascinating for years. I have no idea how to solve it.
* From Cleveland: Testing of backlogged rape kits yields new insights into rapists and major implications for how sexual assaults should be investigated.
* Behind Peter Thiel's Plan to Destroy Gawker.
* Of course you had me at "Biologists Have Learned Something Horrifying About Prairie Dogs."
* And this could be the biggest case of treason involving cheese — ever.


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"Story is what makes us human, not just metaphorically, but literally." ~ Lisa Cron, Author of Wired for Story
Stories make the world go round. We build relationships because of the stories coming from the people around us. Then we create new stories together — like the ones that exist among business partners or team members.
Life is a story and so is business. In fact, everything in your company adds to your story. Marketing is no different. Investors read the story that your profit and loss statements share. Employees read the story that your management team delivers. Your potential customers read the story that your marketing distributes. For the best storytelling experience – you need the right side of the brain.
The Right Brain On Top
From a business perspective, the right brain, seen as home to the artistic parts of our mind, has come into vogue. According to Daniel Pink, author of a Whole New Mind:
"The future belongs to artists, creative thinkers and dreamers….Gone are the days when lawyers and doctors and computer programers excel without incorporating design, story, sympathy, empathy and meaning in their work."
Story and connection matters. But what exactly does that look like for the small business owner who is trying to market their goods and services?
Dr. Gabrielle Lusser Rico, author of Writing The Natural Way, says the right brain:
". . .expresses word images, rhythm, recurring pattern, and metaphor, all of which charge a passage emotionally."
It's the emotion that establishes a connection and helps you tell your story and sell your product.
To Make The Most of StoryTelling
Your people need to feel one thing. Your audience wants to know that you understand what they're going through. You have to start with the pain that they are in or the pleasure they're hoping to find.
When you look at effective commercials for any well-marketed, resort hotel — it's less about the actual hotel. What gets our attention is the personal meaning. It's about the escape from a hectic work schedule and feeling catered to for a change. It's about adventure, disconnecting and being refreshed. That's what the hotel is selling, not a room (feature), but an experience (benefit).
Every effective product or service carries a benefit. And it's your job to design and expose it to your audience.
So What's The Benefit of Your Product?
What's the experience from using it? How does it change your client's life? That's the story your people want to hear.
Instead of leading with logic and a long list of features (left brain), lead with the story (right brain) by listing the benefits — highlighting the experience. Consider the latest 13 in MacBook Air. Apple refers to it as:
"The ultimate everyday notebook. Powerful enough to carry you through the day. With so little to actually carry."
That's the benefit. To be effective, benefits are delivered in the kind of language that lets you feel what you gain from your purchase. But that same computer is also:
"Designed entirely around flash storage…available in up to 512 GB" encased in an "aluminum unibody design" weighing less than 2.5 pounds."
That's the feature, the stuff you want to know after you get excited about the experience — not before.
Talk To Your Clients
Listen to their stories with your product or service. Don't worry about taking notes. Record it so that you can engage with them and have fun with the conversation.
When you play back your recording, you'll hear their language and it will give you the phrases to use in your marketing. For more on this, consider Roadmap to Revenue: How to Sell The Way Your Customers Want To Buy by Kristin Zhivago.
Paint A Picture
In addition to that, your marketing message, you need an image that enhances your story. Dr. Rico says the right brain:
"Makes designs of whatever it encounters."
It takes the data and details and constructs a bigger picture. When it comes to selling a product or service most of your people want to understand that big picture. They want to hear it in words and see it in photographs or even videos.
The image has to be relevant. So before you put together your beautiful, breathe-taking marketing pieces, get clear about the core message and benefits. Then gather pictures that fit your core message. They have to enhance the story you're telling or they don't need to be there.
A Quick Reminder
If you're unclear about what you really want to say and what your people really need to hear from you, then you'll end up with a bunch of meaningless photos, meaningless phrases and wasted effort.
Take the time to listen to your people and craft a story that matters to them. Lead with the benefits. Yes, you need the lists, the details, the features, at some point, but let that left brain activity come after your story.
Emotional Customer Photo via Shutterstock


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The 8th annual Cure Breast Cancer Foundation's Golf Classic is set to take place on Monday, June 22nd at the Mountain Ridge Country Club, site of the USGA 2012 Men's Senior Amateur Championship, the 2014 MGA Mid-Amateur Championship and one of Golf Week's "Top 100 Classic Courses in America."
The daylong event – which is one of the most successful fundraising efforts sponsored by CBCF throughout the year– will tee off with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. at the West Caldwell golf course. Registration and breakfast will begin at 10 a.m. A $1 Million Hole-In-One Shootout and raffle drawing for a 2015 Ford Mustang convertible will also take place.
The festivities will conclude with a dinner reception where Dr. Larry Norton, the Foundation's Scientific Advisor, will address guests. CBCF's fundraising efforts support breast cancer research efforts under the direction of Dr. Norton, who is the Deputy Physician-in-Chief for Breast Cancer Programs and the Medical Director of the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, at Sloan-Kettering and other national and international research facilities.
"The Golf Classic is our most popular event and has been the centerpiece of our fundraising campaign," says Andrew Abramson, Treasurer and Co-Founder of CBCF, which is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization. "Every year the total raised grows and allows us to advance the important work of Dr. Norton and his colleagues. We are incredibly grateful to all the participants and sponsors who show their support for our efforts during a fun-filled day at one of New Jersey's premier golf facilities."
Those interested in participating in the 8th Annual Golf Classic can call (973) 471-CBCF (2223) or email email@example.com.
CBCF has raised in excess of $5 million to assist the dedicated team of physicians and scientists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and New Jersey and their national and international collaborators. Fully 100% of the net fundraising proceeds received by the foundation are donated towards research projects coordinated by Dr. Norton who is leading the fight against breast cancer with groundbreaking work and have discovered that cancer cell mobility and the interactions between the cancer cell and its microscopic environment are the key pathways to understanding and eventually eradicating breast cancer.
CBCF hosts a number of fundraising events and informative seminars throughout the New York metropolitan area and is aggressively expanding its outreach throughout the United States and beyond.
For more information on the CBCF and a full schedule of events, please call (973) 471-CBCF (2223) or visit www.curebreastcancerfoundation.org.
Cure Breast Cancer Foundation
The Cure Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) is a Clifton, N.J. – based not-for-profit 501(c) 3 charity devoted to fund research on the growth and spreading of breast cancer cells, also known as the Self-Seeding Theory, at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan and other national and international cancer research facilities under the direction of Dr. Larry Norton, who serves as the Foundation's Scientific Advisor. The founder and president is Carly Abramson. Her father, Andrew Abramson, is Treasurer. For more information, call (973) 471-CBCF (2223), e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com or visit www.curebreastcancerfoundation.org.


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Just a small note to let my readers know that I will soon be returning to this Blog and my other Blogs after a short break. I took a couple of days off and went on a short trip, then returned home to scenes of a major storm and more damage around the place, with no electricity for a short period. Also when I went away I forgot to pack the power lead for my lap top.
I had originally not planned any breaks from Blogging, so a series of events has led to my breaking from posting.


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Along with 16 million other people on the 23rd June 2016 I voted to remain in the European Union (EU). I believe the benefits of EU membership exceed the costs. Free trade and free movement have been beneficial to me personally, many of those around me, as well as the wider UK economy [1]. I even married an EU migrant too, so I love Europe in more ways that one. Life outside the EU is very difficult to imagine, professionally, financially, culturally and personally.
So when I woke up to Brexit EuroDoom last Friday, to find I was in a minority outnumbered by 17 million leavers who disagreed, I felt sick. After a gloomy week of miserable soul searching, I realised I didn't have the foggiest notion who my Member of European Parliament (MEP) was or how they got elected. Although not a student of (or expert in) politics or economics, I don't believe I am apathetic or unaware. I follow the news, vote in general elections and write letters to my MP. I try to understand what is going on in politics and bend my head around the dismal science of economics. But until this week, I had little or no idea how the European Parliament (EP), let alone the European Commission (EC) or lots of other acronyms starting with E, actually work in practice.
Now if you are also a participant in the failing (?) European project, do YOU know who your MEP is? Any idea what they actually do? The chances are you don't because Euroignorance is widespread [2]. Fortunately, Professor Google can help us. In Manchester, the MEPs for the North West Region of the UK comprising Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cheshire are:
- Theresa Griffin (Labour)
- Paul Nuttall (UKIP)
- Jacqueline Foster (Conservative)
- Afzal Khan (Labour)
- Louise Bours (UKIP)
- Julie Ward (Labour)
- Sajjad Karim (Conservative)
- Steven Woolfe (UKIP)
Unfortunately, I'd only heard of two of those MEPs beforehand, and neither of them because of their activity during the EU referendum. Nuttall I'd heard of because the comedian Stewart Lee performed a brilliant satirical piece mocking Nuttall's views on immigration [3]. Woolfe I'd heard of because his campaign leaflet came through my letterbox during the 2015 general election. How did they get elected as MEPs because I can't remember seeing their names on a ballot paper?
MEPs are elected using the D'Hondt method [4], a form of proportional representation (PR) used in the European elections in 2014 and elsewhere. As of 2016, the three largest UK parties in the European Parliament are: UKIP (24 MEPs), Labour (20 MEPs) and The Conservatives (19 MEPs). Isn't it remarkable that so many of these MEPS were neither seen or heard during the almost entirely fact-free® debate [1] preceding the UK EU referendum?
So what is the nature of an MEPs power? Back in 1998, a politician by the name of Tony Benn proposed five democratic questions to understand the powerful:
"If one meets a powerful person–Rupert Murdoch, perhaps, or Joe Stalin or Hitler–one can ask five questions:
- what power do you have?
- where did you get it?
- in whose interests do you exercise it?
- to whom are you accountable?
- how can we get rid of you?"
According to Benn, anyone who cannot answer the last of those questions does not live in a democratic system. [5] Personally, I'd like to get rid of UKIP from the European parliament. How can I do this? While I can't vote for individuals, I can vote for political parties. However, turnout in european elections is often embarrassingly low, in the UK a pathetic 35.6% showed up in 2014. Which means two thirds of UK voters were unaware or didn't care who their MEP was, including me. My bad. You could call this democratic deficit, not one where people can't vote but one where people are unaware or don't bother.
Right now, it is really hard to see how any good can come of what is unfolding in Great Britain and Europe. Brexit leaves the sector I work in, and many others, facing huge uncertainty [6,7,8]. Let's hope one thing will happen, a reformed EU where those in power are more engaged and accountable to the people they claim to represent. Personally, I am not in a position to judge if the European Union has a democratic deficit or not [9,10]. Neither can I judge if the European Union is as anti-democratic as some eurosceptics have suggested [11, 12,13]. But I do know something has gone badly wrong with the EU if many europeans have no idea of who their parliamentary representatives are and how they can exercise their democratic rights to get rid of them using the ballot box.
If you are staying in the European Union you have a duty to find out who your MEP is and ask them the five democratic questions above. You better do it quickly before risking a Frexit, Czechout, Swexit, Departugal, Grexit, Bygium, Italeave or bidding Austria La Vista.
- Zanny Minton Beddoes (2016) The Brexit Briefs: The 17 things you need to know before Britain's #EUref—in one handy guide, The Economist
- Oana Lungescu (2001) EU Poll reveals huge ignorance, BBC News
- Stewart Lee (2014) Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle, Series 2: England
- Jeremy Vine (2009) D'Hondt Explainer, BBC News
- Anon (1998) House of Commons Debates, Hansard, parliament.uk
- Anon (2016) Brexit vote sparks huge uncertainty for UK universities, Times Higher Education
- Alison Abbott, Daniel Cressey, Richard Van Noorden (2016) UK scientists in limbo after Brexit shock: Researchers organize to lobby for science as country prepares for life outside the EU Nature, Vol. 534, No. 7609., pp. 597-598, DOI:10.1038/534597a
- Anon (2016) Brexit vote highlights lack of leaving plan: Scientists — just like everybody else — have little idea what will happen now that the United Kingdom has voted to exit the European Union. Nature, Vol. 534, No. 7609., pp. 589-589, DOI:10.1038/534589a
- Andrew Moravcsik (2008) The Myth of Europe's "Democratic Deficit" Intereconomics, Volume 43, Issue 6, pp 316–340 DOI:10.1007/s10272-008-0266-7
- Michael Dougan (2016) The UK's position following vote to leave the EU, University of Liverpool, School of Law and Social Justice
- Tony Benn (2013) Tony Benn speaks at the Oxford Union on Euroscepticism, The Oxford Union.
- Martin Durkin (2016) Brexit: The Movie (warning: contains Nigel Farage and dubious opinions europhiles will find offensive, factual content is highly questionable in places)
- Tony Benn (1975) Letter from Tony Benn to his constituents about the UK European referendum of 1975, The Spectator, Coffee House
* Disclaimer, like I've already said, my grasp of politics and economics is pretty basic. I have made every reasonable effort to get the facts right but correct any mistakes I might have made below. These are personal views, which do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.