text:
And I'm Ecstatic it Exists
This is a 2-part post/essay/rant. Part 1, which is here, is the first installment: Top Gun: Maverick is terrible.
Part 2, And I'm Ecstatic it Exists,
which I have written in my head but not with the keyboard, will follow. is now written. Link at the end.
Top Gun: Maverick was a terrible movie.
Straight. Up. Terrible.
"But SJ," you'll say, "It made 700 million dollars at the box office in the first couple of weeks alone! It can't be that bad!"
And you're exactly right! Maverick is great business. What it's terrible at is art, and storytelling, and all the little things that endear us to movies and books and poems and the stage and the microphone, encourage us to embed them in our memory, and want to have them in our lives for years to come. Maverick is a one-hit wonder. It's pandering to the nostalgia and good memories that its target audience (35-55 year-old males) is still carrying forty years after the first Top Gun infiltrated all our lives and left an permanent impression.
I have a lot of problems with Maverick, and you people are gonna hear about 'em! And then I'm going to offer some thoughts on why, despite the problems, I still think Maverick was totally fine to make. Why it was totally fine to earn $700,000,000 in the first couple of weeks. And why the overall results would be substantially the same, even if the producers had fixed all the "problems" I'm identifying.
So what's wrong with it? Let me count the ways. But before I do, let me start with what I liked:
There were only two scene that were very well done. The first was after Maverick's first crash, when he asked the stunned diner's patrons, "Where am I?" The little boy who replied, "Earth," said so much in just one simple word. Awesome. Would that more of the movie had been like this.
Second, we have Rooster and Maverick are on the ground behind enemy lines. Maverick: "What the hell were you thinking?" Rooster: "You told me not to think." Not only is it funny, it's a compelling throwback to earlier in the movie, when Maverick had, in fact, told Rooster and the other trainees not to think. That's the kind of tight dialogue that made Top Gun excellent. It's raw. It's real. It sounds like it's coming from people actually in the situation they're supposed to be in. And I loved it.
What else was there to like? Well, as you're about to see, almost nothing.
Right from the start, I'm not interested at all. Sure, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is still somewhat "stuck" in a test pilot role, and there's someone coming to shut down his training program, and he's supposed to eventually get to Mach 10, but I don't care about those issues one bit.
So what if he gets to Mach 10? So what if he gets shut down beforehand? I don't care because the story isn't compelling at all.
Good stories start with a character who has a problem. A Real Problem. Like, in Harry Potter, Harry's problem is that he's constantly being turded upon by the Dursleys, and then even as he succeeds in getting away from them he's now got an even greater evil to deal with in Voldemort. Who has put out a contract on his life. So he's got 99 problems, and that bitch Voldemort is all of them. That's a Problem in the purest sense of the word.
What kind of Problem does Maverick have? None. At all. Budget cuts are not A Problem. The Big Fancy Boss showing up two months early to cancel a program is not A Problem. And even when he's hauled before some super-secret agency and presented with an opportunity to fly a secret mission, he still doesn't have A Problem. A power plant coming on-line in some nebulous future isn't a problem for Maverick.
Who has the problem? The super-secret agency. They are threatened by this power plant, and they're the ones who want something done about it.
At least in Top Gun Maverick and Goose had significant problems in the form of an enemy they could see and who might, at the flick of a button, end their lives. They also had emotional problems of the needing to prove yourself as better than your old man variety, which drive the internal conflict of the whole first movie. What's the internal conflict in Maverick? As far as I can tell, the biggest problem is the desire to get back with an old flame who's doing just fine by herself, thank you very much. Not that compelling, frankly.
If you want a real problem for Maverick, Tom "Iceman" Kaczansky hit it dead on during his conversation with Maverick. He wrote, "It's time to let go." Honestly, that's the real problem and the story that would have been fantastic here. How does Maverick move out of the way for the next generation? How does he check his arrogance, reduce his identity being tied to his position of status, and develop new friendships along the way, while still allowing Rooster et. al. to take the reins and become the hero who saves the day? (While, incidentally, Maverick knows he is the true hero because he, like Mick in Rocky, is the one who actually got him there; even if nobody else realizes it.)
That story, at least, would have been honest with the character and his likely progression from young, arrogant flyboy to washed-out hack. Instead, what we got was a direct rehash of the original Top Gun plot: Maverick does something stupid, screws up, yet still gets rewarded for it and, in the end, saves the day.
Yawn. Wake me up when you've actually put some effort into it.
Plus, the whole time it was very on-the-nose. Goose's son is named "Rooster". Come on, you couldn't do any better than that? At least give the kid a reasonable backstory for how he got that call sign, like how Ice Man and Maverick got theirs, or give him a decent call sign that fits with his orphan status, like "Jump Shot". (Because orphans are bad at playing baseball [they can't find home], so he has to pick some other sport instead.)
As for the conflict between Maverick and Rooster, apparently Maverick interfered with Rooster's paperwork for the academy. And that's why Rooster hates him. Seriously? That's the best you got? Paperwork? We're talking about goddamn administrative delays as some kind of motivation for disrespect and disgust? At least give me "You killed my father, you son of a bitch!" That would be believable as a reason. And to completely gloss over that aspect of what should be an incredibly powerful part of their relationship is, frankly, rather disingenuous.
And, finally, um, plot hole: if the aircraft carrier has Tomahawk missiles that can hit an enemy airport, why can't those same missiles hit the "target" that's just a few more miles inland? Why can't the unmanned drones that these trainees have been piloting do this work? Why does this mission need manned aircraft in the first place? Never understood that point. Unless the movie was just a weak-ass excuse to get Tom Cruise back into an airplane and onto a motorbike and onto the beach so that he can proclaim how relevant he still is in Hollywood.
Oh, right, that's exactly what it was.
Maybe I missed it, but when did the action movie standard become 117 minutes of close-ups of character faces with a few scenes of dogfights splashed around haphazardly?
Honestly, this felt like a drama. Most of the conversations weren't between two people, they were between two talking heads floating in space. Real people have bodies and exist in some physical space and move. They pick up objects. They stalk through a room. They stand up and sit down. Because they're nervous, or happy, or frustrated. In Maverick, that's virtually nonexistent.
At one point I thought, "Does this director have a nostril fetish?"
Plus, there were several scenes that were either reshoots (opening scene of planes launching) or homages (the double football as a throwback to the volleyball game, even down to Maverick stalking out of the game and sliding into a t-shirt). There was waaaay too much of this. One or two scenes would have been enough. This feels like this movie is trying to directly rip off the first, in an attempt to remind viewers exactly why they liked the first movie when they first saw it. It's actually a very lazy, artistically weak choice.
I don't believe anyone's motivations. Penny, for instance. She and Maverick dated. He broke her heart when he left because he broke rules and was reassigned, I assume. Why in the world would she be so nice to him now? At least keep him at a distance, because he hasn't done anything to earn her respect and care again. He's done absolutely nothing to earn her feelings, except show up and be handsome. Or maybe, what, listen to her instructions while she's captaining a sailboat? Which, if that's all it takes, well, I'll be at your doorstep tomorrow.
This is another of those "unbelievable" components of the movie that, were they just one or two throughout, would be overlooked. I'll talk more about that later.
Another point: There are too many insignificant Top Gun trainees for the mission with too little time for backstory on all 12. Rooster, Phoenix, Payback, Bob, Fanboy, Hangman, Omaha, Fritz, Halo, Coyote, Harvard, Yale.
This dilutes the opportunity to understand why each one is there for the mission. Far better would have been to have something like 5 of them selected for this top-secret mission, and then we can get to know them and see them as they deal with the challenges of preparing for what is likely to be a suicide mission. As it is, we don't really know anything about them at all, so we don't care, so they just become filler. I guess that's what was intended, though, since the movie was called Top Gun: Maverick, not Top Gun: The New Recruits.
The problem is, having so many minor characters means that none of them actually become real at all. They don't start at one point and travel through their own development arcs to end up at another point by the end of the movie. They all remain in the background, supporting Maverick as he plays fast and loose with the rules and, somehow, manages to get away with it yet again.
And I get it, they want to have some kind of "competition" within the Top Gun academy, because that's what was done the first time. However, it doesn't make sense in this context at all.
The largest characterization problem exists, however, in the form (or, rather, un-form) of "the enemy". At least in Top Gun we were fighting the Russians and their MiGs. In any story about the American Revolution you have the dreaded British monarchy and the corresponding Loyalists threatening to subvert the cause from the inside. In Maverick we have a nameless, faceless "enemy" that is just sort of there. They're not a threat (see: power plant about to come on-line being the inciting incident).
Humans are a visual and auditory species. We believe what we hear and we see. When someone tells us "There's an enemy over the hill!" we don't really start running until we can actually see the enemy coming over the hill. We may hear something from another source, but we don't trust or believe until we can experience it for ourselves.
Because we only have this nebulous "enemy" who doesn't get a face and doesn't get a name, it's like they're not real. And if they're not real, they're not a threat. Consider another 1980s movie, Enemy Mine. Here, it's pretty clear who "the enemy" is – it's the alien right in front of your face who's trying to take your only source of sustenance and/or kill you. It's pretty clear what you have to do. But in Maverick, we don't get such tangibility. We don't get any kind of immediate threat from the enemy. It's three or four degrees away, filtered through the spy network / satellite photos, and then the mission commander, and then Maverick, to finally the trainees.
It's no wonder they don't feel any sense of urgency to actually push the envelope of their own capabilities to complete their flight training as they need to. They don't care.
Consequently, neither do we.
I don't believe any of these people are in the Navy, or are even pilots. At least in Top Gun, I did believe that everyone, including Tom Cruise, was actually in the armed services. They walked like Navy men, stiff and straight. They talked like Navy men: short, clipped sentences and Yes sir!s that came straight off the assembly line. They smoked like Navy men. They swore like Navy men. And they peacocked like Navy men, always on the lookout for a way to one-up their competition.
The actors in Maverick, like John Hamm as Cyclone, may be great actors in dramatic roles. But this isn't supposed to be a drama. It's supposed to be action. Every single character looked like they were acting. Tom Cruise too. Look back at Cruise's earlier work, like Top Gun, Rain Man, and Risky Business. You couldn't tell it was the same person in all of those roles, because he was such a good actor that Cruise disappeared and the character took over.
Here, not only for Cruise'sMaverick, but for everyone else: Cyclone, Penny, Rooster, even the trainer Hondo, just looked like actors playing parts. I didn't believe for a second that Penny had once had a relationship with Maverick. I didn't believe for a second that Rooster knew how to fly a plane. I didn't believe for a second that Hondo knew jack squat about training anyone for anything, much less preparing pilots for high-speed aerial dogfighting.
Because they look like actors, and not characters, I don't believe in them and I don't care.
Don't get me started. This is more artificial than Simon Cowell's jawline. None of what came out of their mouths sound real. Honestly, if you're in the back of an airplane that's going to get shot out of the sky if you don't go faster, you won't take the time to say: "If we don't increase our speed, we're going to miss our connection with the target." It's too many words, too slow, too weak. Instead, someone scared for his life in that moment would be shouting "Speed the fuck up!" or "Hit the goddam gas, man!"
Remember in Top Gun, that scene where Maverick has just gotten chewed out in one of the classes, and Slider is giving him shit for it? He walks by, leans down, and whispers "Slider… [sniffs] … you stink."
Which is tight. Powerful. And exactly the kind of line an arrogant flyboy would say to put down another arrogant flyboy. Awesome consulting by whatever retired Top Gun pilots they'd recruited to help them with the authenticity.
Ultimately, the dialogue in Maverick sounds like it was carefully crafted by a team of scriptwriters who had a few times watched action movies, but never lived anything more challenging or threatening than a weekend camping trip. Which, in conjunction with the casting mentioned above, just makes this whole thing unappealing to watch.
30 minutes too long. We did not need about 1/3 of the scenes that were included. Sailing a boat? Not necessary. The "training" flights where the pilots failed? Could have been a montage. Two downed pilots behind enemy lines? Didn't need to happen. Virtually all of the conversations between Maverick and Cyclone… You guessed it, didn't need to happen. Remember in Top Gun where Viper actually had something to say? Because he actually had some information to give to Maverick about Mav's old man? There was a point to their antagonism, all the way through, even down to the period where after Maverick washes out and loses his confidence. Viper is there to not only encourage him, but to actually get him back up in the air. Because he needs Maverick, and he respects him. "Give me a call. I'd be proud to fly with you any time."
Yeah, in this one, none of what Cyclone says or does with and to Maverick is necessary. It is, once again, a contorted effort to put Tom Cruise on the screen for longer and longer times, distorting the story and dragging it out way past what would have been necessary.
There's an old adage that says, "The story should be as long as it needs to be, and no longer." I guess the producers of Maverick never learned that one.
The soundtrack was scored by Hans Zimmer. And it shows. The original Top Gun soundtrack was all hard rock – Danger Zone and Take My Breath Away and all that. But this was a dramatic score, with sweeping orchestral movements and fade ins, fade outs, and so on. This is not the way to set the scene for action and violent conflict.
Zimmer is a great composer. I love his stuff for movies like Interstellar, The Dark Knight, and Pirates of the Caribbean. The thing is, in those situations, he's writing for symphony, which is a different blend of sounds and emotions than rock and roll. How many Navy pilots get hyped up by a good violin solo? None. How many pump up with AC/DC, Kid Rock, or Marilyn Manson? Every one. So if we're making movies with these pilots in it, shouldn't we be matching the music to their emotional states? Which requires rock and roll – driving guitars, solid drums, consistent bass, and poignant vocals, not thirty-piece ensembles which lean only into "evocative" states.
Maverick would have been much better with a few rock and roll bands making the music. Hell, I bet there's ten thousand who would have jumped at the chance to get the exposure that Kenny Loggins did with Top Gun. Zimmer doesn't need more credits. This could have been a chance for the producers to reach back and give some up-and-coming artists a real shot at making something for themselves. As it was, they missed.
One of the major requests that artists make of their audience is that we must ask you to not disbelieve the major premise of what we're telling you. Honestly, we know that there's no such thing as magical powers, and we know that you know this, too. But we ask you to suspend that disbelief for a few minutes or a few pages or a few chapters, so that we can tell you the story that we want to tell.
An element of good storytelling is to make the story compelling enough that we're interested in finding out how everything resolves, but not so far out of the line of reason that we stop suspending that disbelief due to blatant incredulousity.
It starts with Maverick's first crash of the test plane, while traveling Mach 10.2. Do you know what Mach 10.2 means? Nope, you don't. Let's back up.
Mach 1 is the speed of sound, or about 767 miles per hour. About twelve miles per minute, or one mile every six seconds.
Imagine – you're inside your house, and a tornado is blowing on the walls at 767 miles per hour. Suppose that house disintegrates under the force of that wind. Don't you think that some of those pieces of wall are going to be making their way in your general direction? And, if you were to somehow dodge all that potential decapitation-on-a-stick, don't you think you're going to be damaged just a little bit by that wind slamming into you at 767 miles per hour? Your internal organs would quickly become your external organs, a la the bug on a windshield. You ain't surviving that, buddy.
Remember – that's at Mach 1. Maverick was supposedly flying at more than Mach 10. Which means he was zooming along at upwards of 7,700 miles per hour, or more than two miles per second. When that plane cracks up, it's disintegrating into a million little pieces, and so is Maverick.
To think that Maverick would survive intact is quite unbelievable. So we must suspend that disbelief in order to continue to participate in the show. And we do, for a while. One or two suspensions, we can get behind in order to stick with the story, especially if all the other parts (characters, dialogue, maybe a good sex scene) are worth sticking around for.
Unfortunately Maverick pushes the limits of our imaginations several times more than is feasible to expect. From the characters' motivations to the fact that the US is launching a preemptive strike against an undeclared enemy to Maverick being able to steal a plane from a government facility to Maverick and Rooster escaping unharmed from their respective shoot-downs and then finding one another when they were miles apart, each piece stretches the bonds of credulity more and more.
Eventually those bonds break. We can suspend our disbelief. We cannot survive its wholesale disintegration.
Ultimately, a story is what the movie, or the book, or the song, is about. It's what makes art art, beyond business or survival or reproduction. Top Gun had a story, a message: You must face your demons or they will destroy you. In doing so, they may still destroy you, or they will help you overcome whatever is threatening you.
Harry Potter had a story too: Despite your circumstances, you're not that bad, and you're not that good. You'll need your friends around you to help defeat your enemies.
These stories are not the plot (see above). They are the reason for shooting the movie, or writing the book, or exhibiting the canvas. They are what the artist wants to say to the world. Even if the artist doesn't know it. This is especially true if everyone who views the piece comes away with a different message. That's when you know you've got a good story – it's the reason for telling the story in the first place.
In one of my short stories, the message is even voiced blatantly by one of the characters: There is nothing proper about magic. But if you miss that one, you could still see that story as a conflict between old and new, between apprentice and master, or even between duty and freedom.
I don't care what it is that you see. But I do care that you can take away some message, some story from the piece, that is separate from the plot.
Maverick had no story. What was the point of making this movie? What are we supposed to learn from this? Sure, you can argue that you don't have to have a point. (My kids made this same argument after we watched Frozen.) Movies and music don't have to have a point. But they do. The good ones even have multiple messages, based on who's speaking and who's listening. They are an inherent part of our storytelling species' history, which means that we tend to seek out and value those experiences.
Since Maverick had no story at all other than a retelling of Top Gun (reckless, arrogant rule-breaker must break the rules to save the day), it missed. If you recall, under PLOT, I said that there was an opportunity for a good story. It would have centered around Maverick's interactions with Iceman. When Ice tells him, "It's time to let go," that would have been a dead-on balls accurate perfect story to tell at this point in time. And I would be applauding Maverick rather than panning it.
Now – with all of that said – you're probably going to think I'm about to say that Maverick shouldn't have been made. That it was a waste of time and money. That it isn't art. That it's ridiculous, and nobody should go see it.
Unfortunately, if you bet like that, I'm taking your money. Because, in fact, while it may be terrible art, it is still art. And in the next installment, I'm going to tell you why I'm ecstatic that Maverick exists.
Part 2 – "I'm Ecstatic that "Bad" Art Like Top Gun: Maverick Exists"


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1975 in Prophecy written by Herbert Armstrong in 1956 was the defining object of the religion of Herbert Armstrong: It contained prophecies of what was certain to happen in the next 20 years, based on British Israelism.
This was absolute nonsense, of course. The prophecies of Herbert Armstrong fell spectacularly flat, proving that he was a false prophet. He made numerous other prophecies at other times, all of which failed, but this was the most strident and at the central core of Armstrong's philosophy, eschatology and religion.
To read 1975 in Prophecy in all its glory, click on the image below and remember to click on the speaker symbol on the first page of the presentation for the theme:

subset: commoncrawl


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Ticks carrying the potentially deadly Lyme disease have been found in London's Richmond Park, experts warn.
People using the south west London park are being urged to check themselves and their pets and to stick to paths, and use insect repellents to cut down the risk of getting bitten.
Scientists have discovered that saliva from the tiny tick triggers an allergic reaction that can be fatal.
Depending on the species of tick, reactions to the bites can range from a simple itch to full blown anaphylactic shock.
The blood sucking tiny spider-like animals live in woods and on heaths.
Lyme disease risk is usually associated with Middle Eastern countries.
But ixodes ricinus ticks that have the potential to carry Lyme disease have been found at Richmond and Bushy parks - although only those in Richmond carried the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterial pathogen. This bacteria can then be passed on to humans through a bite.
Dr James Logan, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: "The overall risk of Lyme disease in London parks is very low, but precautions should be taken. Check yourself and your pets after frequenting parkland areas, and remove any ticks as quickly as possible using a tick removal tool. To minimise the risk stick to footpaths and wear an insect repellent."
Recently infected people can develop a distinctive circular "bulls-eye" rash at the site of the tick bite around three to 30 days after being bitten, although only one in three people develop this rash.
Some infected people also experience flu-like symptoms including tiredness, joint pain, muscle pain, headaches, fever, chills and neck stiffness.
In the long-term, the disease can progress to cause severe health problems affecting the heart, joints and nervous system.
As the ticks feed off deer, researchers believe this could be why Richmond Park had more ticks.
They argued that whilst deer live in Hampton Court, the lower soil moisture and relative humidity may be the reason why no ticks were found there.
The study published in Medical and Veterinary Entomology found the 1,109 ticks in Richmond Park and nine in Bushy Park.
Researchers selected 280 for tests and found no infected ticks in Bushy Park; six Richmond Park nymphs (immature ticks) were carrying the bacteria.
None were found in Hampton Court or Wimbledon Common.
This suggests there are 2.14% of nymphs in this park which are likely to be infected at a given time.
Humans usually contract the disease through nymphs.
Worryingly, five of the six infected Richmond Park nymphs were found in areas popular with the public, bordering woodland and open grassland.
Ticks facts
- Ticks are classed as spiders and have been around for at least 90m years
- Most bites are not harmful
- Symptoms usually develop days to weeks after the bite
- People who go through grassy areas and woods are at higher risk
- Ticks are more prevalent in the summer from April to September


text:
November/December 2015 Volume : 29 Issue Number : 6
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Rebecca J. Bartlett Ellis PhD, RN,Jennifer L. Embree DNP, RN, NE-BC, CCNS,Kurt G Ellis BS
Sara T. Breckenridge-Sproat PhD, RN,Meryia D. Throop PhD, DNP, FNP,Dheeraj Raju PhD, MS, MSIE,Deborah A. Murphy PhD,Lori A. Loan PhD, RN, FAAN,Patricia A. Patrician PhD, RN, FAAN
Kimberly Catania MSN, RN, CNS, AOCN,Jamie Ezekielian Tippett MS, RN, NEA-BC
Patricia Anne O'Malley PhD, RN, CNS
Anna Purcell Kirk MSN, RN,Andrea McGlinsey MSN, RN,Alanna Beckett BSN, RN,Patricia Rudd BSN, RN,Richard Arbour MSN, RN, FAAN
Marinha Sofia Macedo BSN(Hons), RN
Jenny Richardson DNP, RN, CNS-BC,Ann Busch MS, RN, ACNS-BC-PP, FAAN
Tracy Klein PhD, FNP, ARNP, FAANP, FRE, FAAN
Peggy Barksdale MSN, RN, CNS-BC, OCNS-C
Janet S. Fulton PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, ANEF, FAAN
Julie A. Meek PhD, RN, CNS
Tanna R. Thomason PhD, RN-BC, CNS,Ann M. Mayo DNSc, RN, CNS, FAAN
Jeanine Young-Mason EdD, RN, CS, FAAN
Mary Beth Flynn Makic PhD, RN, CNS, CCNS, FAAN, FNAP,Amy J. Barton PhD, RN, FAAN
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WO: Weekly Obsessions
My company holiday party is tonight and I'm moving to a new apartment soon, so I fully blame that for my disbelief: Christmas is a WEEK away. Here are four treats for you to get through the craziness:
- For Your Mistle-Toes!: I usually paint ornaments for co-workers, but I just didn't have the time to dedicate this year. Luckily, Pinterest is a treasure trove and I could whip up these cuties for my team. Tip for the guys: They don't need nail polish — try cozy socks, instead!
- A Charming Bracelet: My sweet, sweet friend Meghan was so thoughtful to surprise me with a beautiful bracelet to commemorate my dad. The tears still haven't stopped, but my heart is so very full.
- How to Fight a Baby: I don't know if there's anything funnier than having a battle with a baby … I actually cried from laughing so hard. If you find it, you are awarded one million points. Check out the video here.
- "In My Life" – The Beatles: Continuing in the theme of crying like a (beaten-up?) baby, this song will always bring me to waterworks. Brother danced with Magz to it at his wedding last year, and it still gets me every time.
Cheers to tears & seven days left till Jesus's birthday!!
Images courtesy of: Ivy in the Bay, Alex and Ani, AdWeek, Stereogum


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Browse 12 reviews for all Strathisla releases. The newest reviews are at the top.
Found a dram that tickles your fancy? If you want to know its story or buy it, just click on the bottle.
Can't decide? Browse through our Strathisla selection or get the Strathisla lover in your life a gift set that contains their expression.


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My Thought On Time
Time can be given and taken away.
It seems like these days one must work 10 hours…
just for one hour of play.
Everyone has time but usually none to spare…
because they are busy with things for which they care.
The amazing thing that I see…
is that many people are willing to spend their time
watching stars living life on things like TV…
but they won't devote a single minute to being who they would really like to be.
Everyone has only so much time …but wasting it?
… well it's certainly their's to do
but it becomes such a tragedy …only when life is through.
A few will do amazing things …
and spend their time harvesting what life brings.
While most will watch what others do and donate their time to watching the few.
And the craziest thing of all …
is the fact that the many call this waste entertainment.
I call this waste self unfulfilling debrainment.
I look around and see the way people dress and know that they waste time too.
They dress like others in crazy trends,jersey's,and what ever is new…
Because they are willing to follow what others do.
Time is donated to listening without a clue
that their time is slipping right through…
their hands.
It never comes back and it's always running out
Just as it has reading this.
May your time be spent as you wish…peace be with you.
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Plastic Fantastic At Susanne Bartsch's "Valley Of The Dolls" Halloween Party At MoMA PS1
Susanne Bartsch's Valley of the Dolls Halloween party at MoMA PS1 delivered the full plastic fantasy once again with a menagerie of nightlife's most extravagant muses, set to various dioramic displays arranged almost like rooms in a dollhouse.
Every year Barstch throws a Halloween party at MoMA PS1, which, as one of the largest and most premier national institutions dedicated to contemporary art, serves as the perfect setting for Bartschland's menagerie of some of New York's best visual artists, socialites, and nightlife muses: people who dress up almost every week, not just on Halloween.
For me, attending the party with backstage access and having a rapport with so many of the artists I have respected for so long was a moment of ascendancy and a reminder of how far I've come. The long list of hosts and attendees included – just to name a few – icons such as Ryan Burke, Linux, Pissy Pussy, Muffy, Brandon Olson, J Rosa, Angel Rivers, Jessica Relinda, Princess of Chinatown, Jeffrey Scott, Bob Bottle, Vile Sanchez, Cami Montoya, CT Hedden, Kyle Farmery, Lola Von Rox, and Blaire Jirousek.
With such a heavily attended event full of people in looks for the Halloween festivities, I couldn't possibly list everyone that made the party so memorable. It's like when you know what people are capable of in their visual artistry, and then they all simultaneously show you exactly what they can do. As a photographer, it was optical overload. I was racing from place to place just trying to capture everyone I could before the end of the night, while finding time to enjoy myself and drink enough alcohol to really get the creative juices flowing.
I dressed as Andy Warhol, who more or less originated the propagation of the idea that anyone can win fifteen minutes of fame in a media landscape that thrives on promotability. He called his muses "superstars," and in a way that's exactly how I see so many of the people on the New York scene. Regardless of online following or social clout, Bartsch has a way of assembling parties full of people who know how to make life feel more exciting through their artistry and who create a sense of fantasy in everything they do.
Between the party at MoMA PS1 and the afterparty at Elsewhere in Brooklyn, the night's festivities went on for a solid eight hours or more. It was a night of clowns eating goldfish on top of postal trucks, dolls in their boxes drinking beer, and a celebration of ourselves as works of art at the highest social level.
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Keeler Show Notes for Wednesday, April 6th, 2016
Wednesday, April 6th, 2016
6 AM Hour
The University of Connecticut Huskies beat the Syraucse Orange. breanna Stewart was amazing and...what was going on with the sword?
Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders had big primary wins in Wisconsin. New York's primaries now have a greater importance.
We recap yesterday's story about the e-mail threat and social media threats in Little Falls and Herkimer.
Dave tries his hand at our Free Money Question of the Day. He gets dinner at Carmella's Cafe.
Fox News' Jeff Monosso recaps the Wisconsin Presidential primaries with us.
The Gabby Cabby, Peter Franklin, talks about the April 19th New York primaries, and gives us his list of interesting tales of New York.
7 AM Hour
More NCAA Tournament talk, this time about one of the commercials that has aired repeatedly during the tournament.
The President of Kazakhstan went to great lengths to make certain that his food was not tainted at a posh restaurant in New York City.
A father who named his son "Adolf Hitler" is complaining about being treated unfairly.
Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney joins us to talk about her race the the 22nd Congressional District seat being vacated by Congressman Richard Hanna. Things get heated between Tenney and Keeler.
There were no birthdays today!
8 AM Hour
Utica Common Councilman Joe Marino is in studio with James Norrie, the Dean of Students at Utica College's School of Business. They discuss the developing Master Plan for Utica and the spirit of optimism - and pessimism - that is prevalent in the area.
Ben from Utica calls in to talk about the discussion with Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney. "Antonio," who later says that Antonio is not his real name, calls in to take issue with Keeler's interview of Tenney.
Superintendent of the Little Falls School District, Keith Levantino, gave us an update about the situation in Little Falls.
Enjoy your day!


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Day 40 Arrival in Puerto Natales
Caramor - sailing around the world
Franco Ferrero / Kath Mcnulty
Mon 1 Aug 2016 02:35
Caramor was hairy with hoarfrost this morning as freezing fog had reduced our world to oblivion once again. We went back to bed in disgust.
hoarfrost hairy
Just before noon, the grey above our heads turned to blue and soon after the shore became clear. We weighed anchor in sunshine but it didn't last long and by the time we arrived off the Puerto Natales fishing harbour, we were back in thick fog.
We asked if we could come in but were turned down. The weather is stable and there is no wind at all, so we anchored south of the fishing port pier with a metre under the keel.
No room at the inn
Caramor can add 'mountaineering' to her list of exploits which so far include 'ocean cruising' and 'antarctic exploring', since she has now crossed the Andes. Not many boats sail across mountains. Somewhere in the fog we missed the transition.
The flat landscape east of the Andes
Puerto Natales is a small sprawling town and a lively tourism gateway to the Torres del Paine National Park. We will spend a busy few days here as we will need to cross the border into Argentina to renew our visas and restock on fresh food, fuel and gas.


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Jun 30, 2017
Ryan and Ruban are starting a NEW podcast. It is called 'The Worst of the Best" Podcast.
You can find our live video recording on Youtube here
Subscribe to our Channel here !
You can Follow us on Twitter here
You can like us on Facebook here
We need your support ! Enjoy !


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Ryan Hartman will not face supplemental discipline for hit on Craig Smith in Game 2
No fine or suspension for the Blackhawks winger.
Chicago Blackhawks forward Ryan Hartman will not face supplemental discipline from the NHL for his hit on Predators forward Craig Smith in Game 2 on Saturday night, reports Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune.
Hartman executed a brutal cross-check to Smith's face during the Blackhawks' 5-0 loss, which drew a two-minute roughing penalty and 10-minute game misconduct penalty. Here's the play:
Ryan Hartman cross-checks Craig Smith in the face. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/y3AJjuX0f9— Cristiano Simonetta (@CMS_74_) April 16, 2017
The absence of additional punishment from the NHL isn't surprising. Once the Department of Player Safety only suspended Blue Jackets forward Matt Calvert one game for essentially attacking an opponent with a pair of hits near the end of a game, it became clear this postseason wouldn't involve aggressive enforcement of illegal hits with supplemental discipline.
So Hartman will be available for Game 3, and if he suits up, hopefully he'll be able to show more discipline. Penalties were a question mark for the rookie entering this season, but he showed signs of progress with just two penalty minutes in his first 24 games. He had a team-high 68 penalty minutes over the final 52 games of the season, though, and now has 14 penalty minutes in two playoff games.
Rule No. 1, Ryan: No touching of the hair or face.


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I am known to have the most horrible phone etiquettes. That is what prompted a friend to use such morbid analogies. I know it's very confusing. Let me begin by explaining... So, I have this habit. Where I just ignore my gadgets. I don't care to read my messages. Of such a crime, I have high percentages. The most memorable messages of my life. I've read after a year when from slumber I did arise. That's just the average time. Of this, my repetitive crime. There have been birthday messages on Facebook. That I responded to in nine months, it took. Important messages and invitations. I've missed attending some real celebrations. True, I was never really into social media. Unlike most people, that ain't my Wikipedia. I just recently created my Insta and Twitter accounts. Until then, an inactive Facebook account is all I had, that too renounced. It's the same with text messages and WhatsApp. I don't even care to look until a six month gap. That includes important messages concerning application for a passport. Until the cops had to personally call me to submit my character report. Especially if it's a forward, I really don't care. My precious time to waste and spare. Personal messages, I tend to prioritize. Even with my closest friends, this activity I minimize. Because otherwise all your life will go away messaging. And that my friend, is extremely irritating. So, just once in a month or two, I sit to scan. And reply to the ones I should and have at hand. It does not imply that I don't care. It just means at a screen I don't wish to stare. A good friend pointed out this quality. About my aversion to using technology. And then he said the funniest thing. That had me in splits laughing. He asked me, "Is this what goes on in your brain when you see my texts? Is there nobody in this guy's life that's left? Are all the people dead in your life? Don't you have friends, family, a job or wife?" These words just cracked me up. And I promised him then itself I'd do a write up. He's a very good friend and I've known him since school days. When we were learning the Alphabet and how to write essays. So because you understand, this one's for you. You get my idiosyncrasies that only a few. Are all the people in your life dead? Is that the question that pops in your head? RM, you are a hoot and so damn witty. Almost everything you say makes me laugh so quickly!
-RUELHA www.ruelha.com © Copyright Protected. All Rights Reserved.


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At this time of year most people are worried about finishing Christmas shopping before Christmas and making sure they get gifts for everyone they need to. This year due to the Coronavirus, the Holidays continue to be different including shopping for gifts and also families having money to afford food and rent in addition to Holiday gifts.
Furthermore, as I stated above, many people are out of work, they also are worried about having enough money for the Holidays. Besides buying gifts, people still need to pay the rent and buy food for the family. Therefore, some people will need to cut back on how much they spend on gifts and some people may not be able to afford to give gifts at all this year.
A common situation many parents worry about during the Holidays is what to do when your child receives a gift they don't like or want. They are worried about their child saying something in front of their grandparents or their great aunt that they don't like the gift and tossing it to the side. The parents feel embarrassed and are concerned that their child hurt their grandparents or great aunt's feelings especially since many people are having difficulties affording gifts. This definitely applies to grandparents who are living on limited incomes.
All of these worries regarding gifts can ruin Christmas for people. We should be more concerned about the spirit of the Holidays. The Holidays are about spending time with the people who are important to us not gifts. Granted due to the Coronavirus, we may have to do this by Zoom instead of in person, but it's acknowledging those people in our lives that are important to us which is the most important part of the Holidays.
If you child says something inappropriate about a gift, remember you cannot control what children will say all the time. Also the adults should understand that children do not think the same way as adults and will try not to take it personally.
All you can do is talk to you children about what to do if they receive a gift they don't like so they will not hurt someone's feelings. Additionally, you hope that Great Aunt Sally is mature enough to understand how children act. However, once again the focus should be on celebrating life and love not gifts.
As a helpful resource and gift I have included a link to a guide to your questions about giving & receiving Christmas gifts & how to handle gift situations http://www.designsponge.com/20… via designsponge
Dr Michael Rubino is a psychotherapist who has over 24 years experience working with children and adolescents. In addition to working with trauma victims and first responders. For more information about his work and


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I came back to Cali to work on my relationship with the father of my son. God made it happen. We both did things we should have not done but we learned from our mistakes. Nobody's perfect, we're two imperfect people trying to build and have something we never had in our own families. Both of our parents didn't end up together, people in our family do not follow God the right way and last, nobody is married. But I realized as long as we try and never give up, God will make a way. Thank you Lord I did not understand then why everything happened the way it did but I do now. Things had to fall apart so they can come back together but better and in your will. When we try to do things in our will and without the Lord it will not prosper.
Our mistake was getting too comfortable to the point where we did not keep God front and center of everything. We were focused on the wrong things, for example like social media, the people, the world, etc… everything but God and our relationship. We started doing stuff through our strength instead of Christ's strength. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13) Anything that failed was not in God's will because when you walk with the Lord everything will prosper. The crazy part is that it all went down so bad to the point that you know the only way we could have ever gotten back together was because of God. I give all the glory to my Jesus because I couldn't have done this alone.
We had to lose each other to learn how to appreciate each other. Deep down in my heart I wasn't worried because I know what's meant to be will always be no matter what happens. You can not prevent what God has in store for you. You can only slow down the process. God will always give us the way but the devil will also give us a way. It is up to us to choose the right way because we make our own decisions at the end of the day. We shouldn't blame Jesus or God because only good comes from them. Everything starts with self healing. Heal from your past traumas so you do not project it on others. Always remember to love God first and always, love yourself, and love others how you want to be loved.
Lord, I pray for my family, friends, and everyone around the world. May you be merciful and graceful to your people and hear us when we call upon your name. Please heal the land Jesus, heal everyone in pain spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. Renew in me a clean heart and make all things new in your will. In Jesus name, Amen.


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5 Ways to relax
It's getting harder and harder to get rid of your job: on vacation we check your mail, go to social networks and make calls to important partners. However, research shows that this way of spending the holidays only increases stress and can lead to burnout.
A group of researchers from City University in London worked to solve the problem and interviewed 90 teachers across the country. The study lasted eight weeks as psychologists sought out the teachers' feelings before, during and after the New Year holidays. The results showed that teachers, whose work by definition is highly stressful and emotional, are in critical need of a complete cessation of work in order to avoid burnout. Those of them who continued to worry about working on vacation have recovered worse than those who took a qualitative break. Based on the research, British psychologists made a number of recommendations, and the main of them is not only to know about the quality of rest, but also to apply this knowledge in life.
Even a few days can help
Stress tends to accumulate. Interruptions in work are critical to reloading the body's physiological response to stress, and they can also have a long-term impact on health and well-being. This is also the case with Dutch scientists, who have found that even a short vacation (4-5 days) has the same positive effect as a longer vacation (from 9 days). The aftertaste of a tropical beach holiday will not last long, so it is recommended to take a few short vacations during the year. And, of course, it is very important not to work during these short vacations.
Turn off your mail and turn on your games
It can be useful to do things that you think are frivolous in your "normal" life or put off for later. For example, computer games and TV shows, eating cakes and playing snowball with children. It is important to turn off the notifications in your phone, and instead of reading books from a list compiled six months ago.
Distracted by charging
This is an obvious thing, but let's say again – exercise is very important, as it helps to relax, just like a massage or a good joke. The hardest part of relaxation is to distract your mind from your work. A good way to do this is through visualisation: imagine yourself in a place that is not associated with work, such as a carnival or a desert island by a fire.
Also, we often ignore the role of breathing in relieving stress, which we consider an automatic function of the body. However, at moments of stress, breathing is most often thoracic, and in a relaxed state, we breathe the diaphragm. A simple exercise can help control breathing: put your hand on your stomach and breathe, imagining that you have a balloon in your stomach that rises and falls.
Find time for yourself in the middle of fun
The hardest part of rest is the feeling that you should rest. This can become a bitter responsibility as another task to perform. Remember, relaxation does not mean doing nothing, because lying on the couch, usually in your mind you scroll through the list of things to do in January.
A way to get away from the gloomy dumas will be an honest pastime alone with yourself, although it is difficult to achieve. New Year's Eve is a time when you make other people happy, though endlessly close to you. If you have children, make an arrangement with your partner (or yourself) that after they go to bed, you watch a movie or go for a walk. This is not selfishness or asocial behaviour, but a vital time for reflection.
The mainfulness technique, the practice of fixing consciousness on "here and now", will help to distract you from your work. Even if you don't physically work, you can think about unfinished projects, and it kills the very idea of relaxation. So learn to practice mental presence in this moment of relaxation.
And last but not least, it's very important. Try not to talk about your work, even at a party with colleagues, changing the subject matter is a good move.


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You are here
Overleaf Commons
Quick Links: Key Benefits I Getting Started I More How-to I More Resources
Overleaf is an online LaTeX and Rich Text collaborative writing and publishing tool that makes the process of writing, editing and publishing scientific documents much quicker and easier. The University of Pittsburgh has recently subscribed to Overleaf Commons—a subscription service for institutions to provide Overleaf Professional accounts to students, faculty, and staff.
Key Benefits of Overleaf Professional Accounts
- Allows students, faculty and staff to create professional accounts to use the online, collaborative scientific writing and publishing platform with real-time preview and secure project access control.
- Provides an easy-to-use platform to share and collaborate on assignments, research, and documents.
- See LaTeX errors quickly as they occur, helping the learning process.
- Ensure student authors follow the correct format and guidelines by using the University's LaTeX thesis and dissertation templates.
- Use link sharing to invite and collaborate with as many colleagues as you need.
- View the entire project history, how it has changed, and revert to any point on its historical timeline.
- Track your changes in real time
- Search your projects using advanced reference criteria that make locating information easier
- Receive priority support from Overleaf
Getting Started with Overleaf
University of Pittsburgh students, faculty, and staff are entitled to professional accounts at no charge. Professional accounts can be created using your University Computing Account username and password.
If you already have an account in Overleaf, you will need to link it to or change it to your University Computing Account.
Follow the instructions below for the scenario that applies to you.
You do not already have an account in Overleaf and want to create a new professional account:
- Login to my.pitt.edu or askcathy.pitt.edu and authenticate to Pitt Passport using your University Computing Account username and password.
- Close and restart your browser, then visit https://overleaf.com/edu/pitt.
- Click Log in through your institution.
Note: Your University Computing Account is new to Overleaf so a new account needs to be created.
- Click Create New Account.
- You can now create your first project using your new professional account in Overleaf.
- Remember to select Login through your institution when logging in to Overleaf at the Pitt Commons Page or at Overleaf.
You have a pre-existing account in Overleaf that uses a University Computing Account (UCA) username and password:
- Login to Overleaf using your pre-existing account username and password.
- In your project dashboard, locate the blue box with text instructing you to link your account, then click Link Account.
- If prompted, authenticate to Pitt Passport using your University Computing Account username and password.
- Your pre-existing account is now linked to the institutional account. You can view link information under the Account Settings menu.
- Remember to select Login through your institution when logging in to Overleaf at the Pitt Commons Page or at Overleaf.
Note: The username and password from your pre-existing account will still work.
You have a pre-existing account in Overleaf that uses an email alias as the primary email on the account or a non-Pitt email such as gmail:
An example of an email alias is firstname.lastname@example.com. Jane's University Computing Account (UCA) username and password is firstname.lastname@example.com, but she has chosen to use an email alias as the username for the Overleaf account. This also includes emails with sub-domains such as email@example.com. To get the professional account features, you must link your pre-existing Overleaf account to the new institutional setup .
- Make sure that you are logged out of your pre-existing account in Overleaf.
- Close and restart your browser, then visit https://overleaf.com/edu/pitt.
- Click Log in through your institution.
- Authenticate to Pitt Passport using your University Computing Account username and password.
Note:Do not use your email alias. Overleaf recognizes that your University Computing Account email is new to Overleaf.
- At the Account Linking screen, click Login and link.
- At the Log in to Overleaf screen, enter the email and password for your pre-existing Overleaf account.
Note: This is your old account that uses an email alias.
- Click Log in and link accounts.
- The pre-existing account has been linked to the institutional setup. To come back to Overleaf after closing your project dashboard, use https://overleaf.com/edu/pitt and your University Computing Account username and password when prompted to log in through your institution.
Note: Your pre-existing account username and password will still work only if it remains designated as the primary email in Account>Account Settings>Emails and Affiliations. To Select which email is primary, click the green Make Primary button.
Additional Resources
I am new to LaTeX – where can I get help?
A good place to get started learning LaTeX is at Overleaf's learning portal.
Getting support for Overleaf
If you're having problems or need help email Overleaf at firstname.lastname@example.com or go to the webform.
Learn more about Overleaf at overleaf.com.
More Ways to Get the Most from Overleaf
Resource Links
- University of Pittsburgh ETD Template (2019)
- Basic Academic Journal Article Template
- Quick Guide to LaTex
- Book Design (Inspired by Edward Tufte)
- Standard Document
- Metropolis Beamer Theme
Learn More
- Overleaf tutorials and instructional videos
- Introduction to LaTex (part 1) (part 2) (part 3)
- Learning LaTex
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get started with Overleaf?
The Pitt Overleaf page provides you with pointers for how to get started with your first Overleaf project along with information on key features of the Overleaf platform.
I am new to LaTeX - where can I get help?
A good place to get started learning LaTeX is Overleaf's learning portal. You will also find some helpful links on the Pitt Overleaf page.
If you run into technical problems, or LaTeX errors that you can't figure out, please get in touch with Overleaf support at email@example.com or https://www.overleaf.com/contact.
How can I direct questions that I have about Overleaf?
Please contact Overleaf support at email@example.com or https://www.overleaf.com/contact. If this is a question about a particular project, please send along the project URL (no need to turn on link-sharing, just provide the url from the address-bar of your browser).
I already have an Overleaf account, how do I get the benefit of Pitt's Overleaf Commons subscription?
You will need to link your pre-existing account to the institutional setup using your University Computing Account username. Follow the directions provided above for your particular use case (Getting Started with Overleaf section) to link your account. Once linked, your account will have the premium features available to professional accounts. You may continue to use your old username and password or use your University Computing Account and Pitt Passport to login to Overleaf.
I already pay for an Overleaf subscription. Can I get a Professional Account through the University's subscription and get a refund?
You may be eligible for a refund. For these inquiries, contact Overleaf directly at firstname.lastname@example.com or https://www.overleaf.com/contact. Please note that Pitt IT doesn't guarantee a refund, nor is it responsible for negotiating one on your behalf.
I am not currently an Overleaf user, but would like to start using it.
You can create an Overleaf Professional account using your University Computing Account. To get started, go to https://overleaf.com/edu/pitt.


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If you try to Google cushion foundations, chances are, you'll be bombarded with dozens of options from virtually every beauty brand you can think of. Since the first cushion foundation was introduced to the market about seven years ago in Korea, the cushion foundation trend has spread far and wide, inspiring virtually all beauty brands from all over the world to get on the cushion bandwagon as women continue to buy into the genius version of liquid foundation that can be easily applied on the go.
The Best New BB Cushions You Need To Try
These Are The Best Foundations And BB Cushions Suitable For Your Skin Type
The Best BB Cushions With Soft Matte Finish Suitable For Oily Skin
From hydrating, brightening, pore-minimising to even anti-ageing, there is literally a cushion foundation for every skin type and skincare concern you can think of. Here, the most luxurious cushion foundations that combine high-performance makeup properties, skincare benefits and unparalleled sensory pleasure:


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The Model A STP is a larger STP and measures 5.5 in (14cm) from the top lip to the tip of the head. The Model A STP has a sturdy receptacle cup that is easy to use and requires no flow control.
Made of a Soft Powder Finish Platinum Silicone to help reduce chafing and the tacky feeling of silicone, the Model A STP has a clean, soft to the touch 'skin' texture.
Now available in cut (circumcised) and uncut (uncircumcised).
We recommend the SlingShot Harness with this option!


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Friday, June 22, 2012
Posted by scraphappy at 11:20 PM
Labels: goose puddle
5 comments:
- Quilter Kathy said...
OH how fun! I love quilting these and they look so great on a finished quilt!
- Friday, June 22, 2012
- Teresa in Music City said...
Those fans are going to be perfect! You have done a great job on them :*)
- Saturday, June 23, 2012
- Ellen said...
Baptist fans are one of my favourite quilting motifs. Yours are looking good - your quilt will be fantastic.
- Saturday, June 23, 2012
- Deb A said...
Love ho they are coming out. I really need to try some new quilting patterns.
- Saturday, June 23, 2012
- Andee said...
You are so talented. Very nice!
- Sunday, June 24, 2012
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Lizzie Florece is a Sydney based designer & illustrator that crafts memorable brand stories and experiences.
What I do
Commissioned illustrations can add a personal touch to custom packaging, editorial stories, brand assets, textiles, or experiences such as event or wedding maps.
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Meet Lizzie
I'm a creative with an objective to use design as tool to solve problems and inspire change. I love working with first time entrepreneurs from start to finish to carve out their unique narrative and create brands that resonate with their audience.
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It's haaaaaaaaaaaaard to be Black
I pray it will be better
Yesterday (many years ago)
My ancestors, in this land
Were shackled, chained, fettered
Today, in this land
I can open doors
In many lofty rooms
Also, today, in this land
Sundown roadside stops
Too often spell Black doom
We fought a fight
And thought equality was won
We watch stark videos
That prove the job's not done
Ancestors cried
For life, liberty, and happiness
We are charged to continue the fight
So we can finish
This mess
Come dressed
In righteousness
No lies
No duress
Say less
Love more
I ask:
Why is it that I write best when in pain?
Then, when I come back to those words, I relive the guilt that I am here
While others no longer remain.
It's as though I write in efforts to regain and retain
Precious lives that have slipped into eternal gain.
Shame answers:
Selfish, Foolish Pen. They are safe. Heaven was theirs to win.
Write most for those and yourself that you all might enter in…
Not Untouched
So evidently, we are not untouched. Injustices live here. My students told me, they who are young and full of promise, and now I have seen for myself… I am teacher, mother, aunt, friend, and I am angry.
How much sense does a charge of resisting arrest make when there has been no other charge for arrest? How can you manufacture a situation which allows you to see what is clearly not there and still expect to be…
No, indeed.
No indeed.
…than yourself
Reflect on that which is…
Noble than yourself
Richer than yourself
Cleaner than yourself
Deeper than yourself
Fuller than yourself
Stronger than yourself
Rooted than yourself
Truer than yourself
Intuitive than yourself
Nurturing than yourself
Invested than yourself
Loving than yourself
Accepting than yourself
Accepting of yourself
Divine than yourself…
…while there is yet time.
Do this for yourself.
Edify. Study. Learn. Grow.
Become more like that which is
Part of a healing, feeling
Remedy of Light
La Profesora's Pen


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McDonald's runs out of hash browns in some Taiwan stores
Taipei (AFP) – McDonald's Taiwan said Friday some of its stores were running out of hash browns imported from the United States and would have to suspend sales due to "unstable global shipping supply".
Issued on: Modified:
The company put up signs in some storefronts announcing the suspensions while the item is listed as "temporarily unavailable" on its menus.
"There is a shortage of hash browns in McDonald's restaurants and sales will be temporarily suspended after they are sold out," a statement posted on the company's website said.
"We thank customers for their support and we are sorry for the inconvenience," it added.
McDonald's Taiwan said it aims to resume selling hash browns in the second half of this month after restocking, and added that sales of French fries are "normal".
Supply chain shortages have rippled across the globe during the coronavirus pandemic affecting everything from building materials, wood and food to books, microchips and electronics.
Also on Friday, McDonald's Japan said it would ration French fry orders to small size only from January 9 for around a month -- the second time it has been forced to impose such a restriction on its customers.
For a week in late December, only small size fries were available at Japanese McDonald's stores as the pandemic combined with floods in Canada squeezed potato imports.
"In addition to the ongoing import delays, a combination of unforeseen circumstances, including cargo hold-ups in Vancouver, disruptions caused by snow and bad weather on the route, is causing further delays in the arrival of shipments," the company said in a statement on Friday.


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Financial advisors could add value for clients with exchange traded fund model portfolio strategies in a time when life expectancy is increasing while retirement goals and the need for income are drastically changing.
In the recent webcast, Why Model Portfolios Work in Today's Dynamic Market, Professor Jeremy Siegel, Senior Investment Strategy Advisor, WisdomTree Asset Management; and Jeremy Schwartz, Executive Vice President, Global Head of Research, WisdomTree Asset Management, helped outline the current state that investors have found themselves in, highlighting the unprecedented stimulus measures that will lead to strong spending and higher inflation next year. The Fed may even let inflation rise much higher than its 2% target and may not tighten unless it reaches 4% to 5% or above. Meanwhile, investors should turn to stocks since equities tend to do well in a moderate inflation environment, especially those that are leveraged.
Looking at the equity market, the S&P 500 Index is trading around a 22 price-to-earnings ratio, compared to its historic 17.1 P/E going back to 1954. The higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying more for each unit of net income, so a stock is more expensive compared to one with a lower P/E ratio. Siegel pointed out that over the past 150 years, the P/E ratio averaged about 15, which corresponds to 1/15, or 6.7% Earnings Yield, or E/P, which may be used as an indicator for long-term real returns. With the S&P 500 Index at about 3368 as of August 14, stocks are selling for about 20 times 2021 S&P Operating Earnings estimate of $163, so a P/E ratio of 20 projects a real return of 5.0% for stocks.
When comparing the expected stock returns ahead to fixed-income markets, the 5% return is almost six percentage points over Treasury bonds, whose real return is now negative when accounting for inflation, which is also expected to rise ahead. This margin between stocks and bonds is called the "equity risk premium," and the current premium is almost double the historical average of 3% to 3½%.
"Since interest rates may remain low for quite some time, the traditional '60/40′ portfolio may not get it done from the client's perspective," Siegal said.
"Consider increasing stock and reducing bond allocation to achieve income goals and reduce the likelihood of running out of funds. Rising long rates will likely give negative bond returns," he added.
The stock market has been a consistent and reliable source of returns for long-term investors seeking to grow their wealth.
"Not only have stocks outperformed bonds over time, they have done so with more stable, consistent, and less volatile returns at 20-and 30-year time horizons," Schwartz said.
As part of WisdomTree's core investment beliefs, the strategists argued that market-cap weighting is flawed, fundamentals matter, pricing error, and return premia exist, and ETFs can provide distinct benefits over mutual funds. These core beliefs are incorporated in the WisdomTree Modern Alpha model portfolios, which combine the outperformance potential of active strategies with the benefits of passive indexing to offer investors investment options that are built to perform. Specifically, this so-called Modern Alpha model portfolios provides low cost, transparent investment processes, objective systematic and quantitative methodologies, repeatable and consistent processes, rules-based rebalancing, scalable strategies, and outperformance potential.
In today's market environment, we may find common goals that both pre- and post-retirement investors share, including maintaining or improving their lifestyle, avoiding running out of money as life expectancy increases, ensuring their family legacy or philanthropic goals are met, boosting efficiency and managing taxes. However, we also face some challenges, such as a stubborn lower-for-longer interest rate environment, with expectations for both yields and returns on bonds now lower than they have been historically. Additionally, there is lower forecasted U.S. equity returns after the recent record rally in stocks.
Alternatively, the strategists pointed to the Siegel-WisdomTree Model Portfolios to resolve these concerns, which aim to generate income to maintain lifestyles, constructing globally diversified portfolios designed for more extended time horizons and longer investor life expectations, and create more tax-efficiency through the ETF structure. The Siegel-WisdomTree Model Portfolios are designed to outperform in a risk-conscious way by overweight equities versus fixed-income to mitigate the longevity risk and by tilting toward historical drivers of return like higher dividend yield and low P/E ratios.
Professor Siegel's research has shown that focusing on dividend paying stocks led to higher returns over time, provided downside risk mitigation during market bubbles, and produced higher income potential than the market.
Specifically, financial advisors can look to the Siegel-WisdomTree Longevity Model Portfolio and the Siegel-WisdomTree Global Equity Model Portfolio.
The Siegel-WisdomTree Longevity Model Portfolio provides for investors with mid-to long-range time horizons who are trying to balance current income needs with longevity risk. The model portfolio was designed to outperform the traditional 60/40 portfolio in a risk-conscious manner by structurally allocating more toward equities over fixed income and tilting toward factors such as dividend yield and low P/E ratios to seek higher income generation and outperformance potential.
The Siegel-WisdomTree Global Equity Model Portfolio also provides for investors with mid-to long-range time horizons who are trying to balance current income needs with longevity risk. The model portfolio includes diversified exposure to U.S. and international stocks, and it tilts toward factors such as dividend yield and low P/E ratios as well.
Financial Advisors who are interested in learning more about model portfolio strategies can watch the webcast here on demand.


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26831 Avenue Of The Oaks #D Newhall, CA 91321-
- Status: Active
- Type:Condominium
- Bedrooms2
- Bathrooms 1
- Square feet: 806
- Lot size: 353,030
- Year built: 1964
- Dishwasher
- Disposal
- Gas Range
- Dishwasher
- Disposal
- Gas Range
- Central Air Cooling
- Fireplace None
- Central Heat
- Central Heat
- Detached Carport
- Association Pool
- Heated Pool
- In Ground Pool
- Public Sewer Sewer
- Public Water
- Double Pane Windows
- Source:CRISNET IDX
- LA:Mari-Elana Case
- Co-LA:
- Listing Updated:4/27/2023 5:48:52 PM
- LO:Century 21 Doug Anderson,FF7000095
- Co-LO:
- Database Updated:2023/05/01 18:58:33
- Co-SA:
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16 players will compete in a league format with a prize fund of $100,000 with a guaranteed pay out for last place of $2,500 and the winner taking home $20,000. It will be a non-ranking event broadcast worldwide across two tables.
The format will see the top 12 players on the Matchroom Nineball World Rankings plus four wild cards invited.
The first Premier League Pool will take place at Stadium MK, Milton Keynes in England from Monday February 14 to Monday February 21.


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Two friends went fishing. One was an experienced fisherman, the other wasn't. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back.
The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing this man waste good fish. "Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?" he asked. The inexperienced fisherman replied, "I only have a small frying pan."
Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throw back the big plans, the big dreams, the big jobs and the big opportunities that God gives us. In life the biggest opportunity is to spread the message of God and sometimes we don't accept the opportunity because we do not have faith on ourself and God and just waste the chance.
Our faith is too small. We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan; yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?
Whether it's a problem or a possibility, God will never give you anything bigger than you can handle. That means we can confidently walk into anything God brings our way.
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In Misreading Scripture With Individualist Eyes E. Randolph Richards and Richard James help us see the meaning of the Scriptures through the categories of the collectivist cultures to which the Scriptures were written. Those categories are kinship, patronage, brokerage, honor, shame, and boundaries.
Instead of merely explaining these categories I will show how each of them (except brokerage) helps us understand different portions of the book of 1 Corinthians.
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud of and that they all passed through the sea.1 Corinthians 10:1
Kinship refers to the deep bond, or solidarity, that exists between members of the same family. Of course, individualists share this bond, but collectivist cultures expand that bond to a wider group of people across more generations.
In individualist cultures, "family" most often refers to the smaller family unit of father, mother, and kids, but can include "extended family" as well: grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. Collectivist cultures, especially those to which the Bible was written, start with the multi-generational "father's household" as the smallest family unit. These cultures then expand out kinship into the categories of clan, tribe, and nation.
A shared family history solidifies kinship at these higher levels. This history bonds the people together and sets the example of how the current generation should act. These stories define how members of the family should or shouldn't act as kin across time.
This brings us to 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Paul is addressing a deeply divided church, many of whom are gentile believers. Note that he refers to Israel as "our ancestors" and then recounts a shared history: "our ancestors were all under the cloud and… passed through the sea." Paul wants these divided gentiles to see themselves as part of a new family, a new kinship, that includes Israel as their ancestors. This new ancestry gives them a new family history that includes the exodus and wilderness wanderings.
Furthermore, "by making the exodus the story of their ancestors, Paul is using collective pressures on them" (47). As an individualist, I can see how Paul might use Israel as an example of what not to do (10:6, 11), but collectivists see more than just a distant story upon which to draw a moral abstract principle. They see a shared family history that ought to define their present values, in this case, through the negative example of idolatry, adultery, and divisive grumbling.
The passage is not without hope for, even though this new family has a history of failure, it also has a history of seeing God's faithfulness: "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, he will also provide a way so that you can endure it" (10:13).
God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.1 Corinthians 1:9
There are two parties involved in patronage, the patron and the client. The client needs help and the patron gives it. A wealthy patron may have many clients but clients are expected to be faithful to a single patron. The patron gives freely – he is under no obligation to give – but his gifts have strings attached. As individualists, we see this as a negative (and it can be), but the intent of the patronage system was merely transactional, but to establish a lasting relationship between the patron and the client.
In a moment we'll see a positive example of patronage in 1 Corinthians, but first, let's look at how Paul tries to avoid its abuse. The authors point out that the church was divided into factions. Each faction likely had its own patron and its own favorite apostle (1:12). Paul, who accepted patronage from others (likely Lydia), nevertheless refused financial support from the Corinthians. He insists on it: "I have not used any of these rights" (9:13).
Richards posits that he refuses patronage from the Corinthians precisely because it is split into warring factions/patrons. To accept aid from one faction would attach him to that faction and further divide the church. He refuses support to demonstrate that his sole allegiance is to Christ.
More significantly, though, Richards shows us how Paul uses the language of patronage: grace (charis) and faith (pistis), to describe the mystery of salvation.
The Greeks "used charis to refer to the way patrons gave benefits to their clients. They also used charis to refer to the gifts themselves" (103). When we read, then, that God gives us grace, we're invited to see God as the good patron who gives freely to those who come to him for help.
The Greeks also used pistis (faith/faithfulness) to describe patronage. "Pistis described the way a patron was faithful or loyal in acting to benefit their clients. Pistis referred to the way clients trusted that the patron would indeed care for them and provide them with benefits" (104).
In 1 Corinthians 1:9, we read, "God is faithful (pistis), who called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." Again in 10:13, we read, "And God is faithful (pistis); he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." Here Paul is describing God as a faithful patron, demonstrating that he will continue to provide for what his clients need.
His gift is freely given, but it is intended to establish a relationship with his people. The gift comes with "strings attached", though not in the sense that the gift can be paid back. Instead, His people reciprocate with pistis: trust, allegiance, and loyalty.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.2 Corinthians 12:9
I'm going to cheat on this one and focus on 2 Corinthians instead of 1 Corinthians to illustrate honor more clearly. We'll begin with a few notes about honor.
First, while honor was and is very important to collectivist cultures, "honor is not a value but a means of enforcing and reinforcing a value" (129). Honor, along with shame, are tools used by collectivist cultures to pass along cultural values that define a group as a group. So, while all collectivists use honor, they will use it to uphold different values. In the movie Mulan, for instance, honor and shame are used to uphold the values: loyal, brave, and true.
Second, there are two kinds of honors that someone might possess: ascribed honor and achieved honor. Ascribed honor is unearned honor, like being the firstborn or being anointed by God through a prophet. Achieved honor is won and the achievements which win honor will differ from culture to culture depending on that culture's values.
Third, boasting is not altogether frowned on in relation to honor so long as it is used to reinforce the correct communal values. That's because honor in collectivist cultures is communal. The honor given to one is not intended to raise that person over the community, but to elevate the entire community (again, think Mulan, "you have brought honor to us all"). So, "for individualists, boasting is a way to put yourself ahead of your peers. For collectivists, boasting is a way to put you and all your peers (group) ahead" (150-151).
With this in mind, we can now turn to 2 Corinthians. Note that while Paul often condemns boasting (Ephesians 2:9), he himself boasts. He boasts in his and his companions' integrity (2 Cor 1:12), in the Corinthians themselves (1:14, 7:14, 9:2), in his service to God (10:13), in his sufferings and apostleship (ch 11), and in his weakness and dependence on Christ (12:8-10).
Paul's talk of boasting in relation to honor shows that his values have changed. As we said earlier, values are tied to the community, so Paul changed what he honored when he changed communities:
As a Pharisee, he valued his ascribed honors: the tribe of Benjamin, son of a Pharisee. He valued his achieved honors: advanced in training beyond his years, zealous for traditions, and a persecutor of the church… After he encountered Jesus and came to belong to the followers of Jesus, Paul valued this new community's ascribed values: being a slave to Christ (Rom 1:1), of humility and weakness and of his reliance on Christ (2 Cor 12:9), and being called an apostle to the Gentiles (Rom 11:13)… He also changed his achieved honors: suffering for Christ (2 Cor 11:30-33).Misreading the Bible Through Individualist Eyes, 156
Honor still mattered to Paul, but in the community of Jesus, what was honored – and therefore worth boasting about – radically changed.
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.1 Corinthians 1:27
We have a hard time talking about shame, or understanding the Bible's use of shame, in a Western individualist culture. Part of this is linguistic. We only have one word to talk about shame and we always use it in a negative sense. You should never shame someone. You should always try to rid yourself of the feeling of shame.
Collectivist cultures have a more nuanced perspective. First, like honor, shame is a tool used to reinforce communal values. Second, collectivists perceive different kinds of shame.
On the one hand, there is the shame you feel, or the community imposes after you violate some communal norms. This is the negative side of shame. This is the feeling of condemnation. Abused, this sort of shame leads to exclusion.
On the other hand, there is a sort of shame that one feels before violating the norms of the community. The authors describe this shame as a sort of "alarm bell" or warning sign. It forecasts how you would feel if you, say, lied to your father. This sense of shame is unpleasant, but a person in a communal culture would never want to lose it. Such a person would be "shameless."
To me – and the authors – this second sort of shame feels a lot like a conscience, but collectivists see a distinction. I think that distinction is bound up in the distinction between guilt (individual) and shame (communal). That is, a guilty conscience flares when an individualist is about to break one of their own boundaries. A collectivist experiences this internal shame before breaking a communal boundary, the conscience of the community.
Third, whereas we think of shame as something that always excludes someone from a community, the goal of shame (even the public sort) was to restore someone to the community.
Let's consider how this plays out in 1 Corinthians. In 1 Cor 1:27, we see that God is not above using shame: "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
You may say, well, sometimes it's Ok for God to do something that we cannot, but even Paul, an apostle, used shame. In 1 Cor 6:4-5, Paul says "Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? I say this to shame you." Paul is showing that the Corinthians have not only violated the community value of unity but that they are broadcasting to the watching world that they can't even get along with each other. He "shames" them to guide them back on course.
Again, we see in 1 Cor 15:34 "Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame." In this context, he is referring to false teaching about Christ's resurrection. The Corinthians, who supposedly have the knowledge of God through the Spirit, nevertheless are still ignorant of God. Paul uses shame to restore them to right knowledge. He wants them to sense that false teaching about the resurrection breaks a boundary.
Finally, we see shame at work in 1 Cor 5:1-5. In this case, a member of the church is engaged in open incest, and the community is proud! Where they should feel shame, they feel honor. In this case, Paul does call the church to expel the brother (5:13) for the sake of the community (5:6). The sin, and the community's reaction, is searing their collective conscience so Paul appeals to shame and (right) communal values to restore the community. Even for the man engaged in incest Paul's purpose is ultimate restoration (5:5).
Shame can be and often is misused to damaging effects. Communities misuse it when communal values are the wrong ones or are when minor values are held too highly. Or, shame can be misused to exclude or ostracize without giving an offending person a path to restoration. Still, it's an important concept to understand to see Scripture more clearly and, importantly, it's an aspect of collectivist culture that the gospel transforms, but does not fully condemn.
If, as individualists, we sneer at "shame", we despise boundaries. But let's take a step back and understand why they were important to collectivist cultures. Individualists find their identity in their individual self. Collectivists find it in their group. Maintaining a strong group identity is important.
Boundaries define the group. Boundaries turn a crowd into a community. Not every cultural difference is a boundary. "What makes something a boundary is that a collective group sees it has a significant part of establishing who they are" (208).
Like honor and shame, boundaries are tied to values. How can a group maintain its shared values? By maintaining boundaries. By keeping boundaries a group keeps its values and, thus, its group identity. Without boundaries, a community dissolves into a disconnected crowd.
This is the challenge Paul finds in the Corinthians church, which he addresses in 1 Corinthians 10:1-25. The church was made up of Jewish and Gentile believers. For Jews, food was a significant cultural boundary that set them apart, not only as a unique community but as the Torah observant people of God. It connected their group identity to their religious identity.
As an individualist, I tend to read this section about personal preference, but for the original readers more was a stake. "Suddenly, a boundary problem has arisen. It's not really about meat. It's about values. Living by different values means living by different identities, which threatens the church's having one single identity" (219).
To heal this division, Paul reminds them of their shared kinship (10:1-13) and urges believers not to do things which would "cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews or Greeks or the church of God" (10:32).
Collectivism and the Lord's Supper
We will now turn to the problems the Corinthians church faced with the Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-34). Richards and James explain that the church was bringing in the cultural values and boundaries of Greek "dinner parties."
These dinner parties (conviva) were marked by drunkenness, gossip, and social stratification. The wealthy patrons ate first while the slaves went hungry. "Good hosts" were even expected to provide their slaves as escorts to their guests. These parties reinforced pagan values (a warped form of hospitality) and boundaries (in social stratification). The problem is that these values directly conflicted with the values of the new Christian community.
Note Paul's admonishment of the Corinthian church:
17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. 20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!1 Corinthians 11:17-22
The old values of the pagan world were pulling the Corinthians away from the new values embodied in the church. What they were failing to realize was that they were part of a new family (kinship), with a new patron (God), and therefore had new values (established in Christ). Maintaining those values gave new meaning to shame, honor, and boundaries that both drew on the structures of their collectivist cultures and strongly critiqued both Jewish and Gentiles forms of those collectivist cultures.
The Bible does not commend or condemn collectivism, but it was written to a collectivist culture. Understanding collectivist values and tools can help us see its meaning more clearly.