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Tag Archive: Evolution
Jul 11 2014
Cultural Marxist War on Darwinism
Apr 20 2014
To The Salon – Darwin did not make an Error
There are some calling this Click-Bait. Low effort posts with precious little content or highly controvertial content solely to drive up blog hits. Well this may be one of them. Normally a force for productive discourse, the Salon's run two articles, the first is about Darwin's "so called" error.
Mar 11 2014
Jewish Chronicle – I do not think we should teach creationism in schools
This one's by Abraham Hilsenrath on the Jewish Chronicle. It is rather puzzling to hear non-Christian and Islamic creationists, we often forget that Jews share the same creation mythos and while they may pay lip service to the story they don't "actively" believe in it. But there are conservative Jews who do if we think …
Jan 31 2014
Rejection of Some Creationism Still Doesn't Make Your View Right
It's getting closer to the Bill Nye vs. Ken Ham debate and creationists are girding their loins for what they think is yet another assault on religion/attempt to do science. But there is a schism between the Intelligent Designers and the Young Earthers with what's right and what's wrong. Which is like arguing over which …
Jan 15 2014
Do I get a special Atheist Prize for being Quote Mined by Ken Ham?
Well do I? I mean isn't that the gold standard of having made it as a "professional atheist"? Is that not what separates rank amateur from Richard Dawkins? When Ken Ham badly quotes you? And not just that! He's also drumming up support using me to get his supporters into the pews. But Ken is …
Dec 01 2013
Daily Fail – Genetics Failure
The Daily Mail has a problem. It's a big problem. It boils down to this. The Daily Mail will print anything and I mean anything to do with science if it is sufficiently stupid. The stupider the better. If I made a claim that Wayne Rooney is secretly a goblin sent to our world by …
Oct 26 2013
Evilution II – Caveman Boogaloo
Bryan Fischer joins the three pronged attack on Evilution where he has four points that disprove evolution and thus prove Governor Rick Perry as awesome and on the ball, not a backward hick with no knowledge of science. Bryan Fischer is normally a hate filled sorry excuse for a human being whose crusade to deny homosexuals …
Oct 25 2013
Evilution I – The Dawkinator
All Power to the Hypno-Dawkins Part one of today's posts consists of wailing on the Washington Post's very own Jordan Sekulow, Lawyer and someone who Just Does Not Get Atheism. Which is perfectly fine, not everyone gets it. It's a choice to not get it, just like it is a choice to correct his misconceptions …
Oct 20 2013
I Get Mail – 15 Answers for Creationists
In the past few days there has been a new drive by Creation Ministries International in conjunction with Traditional Values Coalition called "Question Evolution" with the focus of restarting the whole Creationist vs. Evolution debate. 15 Questions for Evolutionists
Aug 10 2013
Comfort Food
This one isn't from the Master of Banana that is Ray Comfort but from the Abandoned to Christ blog by Sunny Shell. For those who are unaware, Professor PZ Myers did an interview with Ray Comfort that turned out to be a little bit crooked. And Professor Myers said so about it. But this has …


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Yamaha CS1x
The CS1x is Yamaha's first Analog Emulation performance keyboard for electronic and dance musicians (the CS line is back!). It's a digital synthesizer that emulates analog style, sounds and controls. All controls and parameters are real-time and MIDI controllable. As well as a superb set of quality synth bass, pads, voices, leads and arpeggiated sequences there are plenty of amazing drum sounds also with analog sound and control.
Some of the coolest features of the CS1x aimed at dance musicians will provide you with instant sonic gratification and hands-on real-time tweakability. There are 6 knobs for envelope attack, release, filter cutoff, resonance and 2 are assignable knobs. Two scene memories will remember the current state of the envelope and filters as set by the control knobs so they can instantly be recalled and you can even use the Mod-wheel to morph from one scene into the other, very cool! Scene Memory data is also stored with your synth patches. Built-in digital effects are great but the Arpeggiator steals the show with 30 inspirational patterns suited for techno, house, basslines and basic arpeg. patterns.
Plenty of memory (128 preset, 128 user) and MIDI control make the CS1x perfect for both live and studio use. Control the synth, arpeggiator and editing through MIDI control. The CS1x only has limited multitimbrality in which, when hooked up to a sequencer, MIDI channels 5-16 offer plain old Yamaha XG synth sounds but MIDI channel 1 holds the CS1x's main sounds and effects. It's already being used by Underworld, Bushflange, Jamiraquai, Skylab2000, Somatic Responses, and David Bowie.
Lookup Yamaha CS1x Prices
The link above will take you to an eBay search for this synth to see active listings with more images, specs and information. If you don't find it there, try looking in our forum marketplace. Our marketplace gets thousands of visits every week so make sure to check back often if you want to buy or sell a synth.
Related forum topics
Are you looking to buy or sell a Yamaha CS1x? Post an ad in Gear For Sale or a request in Gear Wanted. For spare parts and repair services check out Gear Services & Other Goods. Our forums also has a Buyer's Guide section where you can ask for advice on buying synthesizers.
The sounds are on the thin side, which isn't necesserily bad, they can fill the mix pretty nicely without overwhelming. Not great for basses, good from mid to high range, good pads, this thing has one of the best synth string sounds I ever used, subtle and great in the mix.
The filter zips and the arpeggiator falls out of time. If I found one for about 150e I'd buy it again.
I don't believe it will ever be a"classic", but it will always be there, hard working and useful.
- Check Price
- The link above will take you to an eBay search for this synth to see active listings. If you don't find it there, try looking in our forum marketplace or post a wanted classified.
- Demos & Media
Audio Clip 1 - Hear a demo of some synth pads and drum and perc tones. From the Future Music; Issue 47 September 1996 CD.
Patch Files - Get your hands on these easy to load CS1x Midi SysEx patch files. Lots of new sounds for your CS1x in a Macintosh or Windows/PC friendly format.
Manual - Download the original owner's manual here.
- Specifications
- Polyphony - 32 notes
- Oscillators - XG Format - 480 Normal Voices and 11 Drum Kits
- #Instruments - 16 Part multi-timbral
- Filter - YES (w/ real-time control)
- Arpeggiator - Yes, including Hold and Split
- Keyboard - 61 keys (velocity sensitive)
- Memory - Preset: 128; Programmable; 128
- Control - MIDI & computer interface
- Date Produced - 1996
- Websites of Interest
- Shop for Keyboards, MIDI & Gear
Guitar Center: Synths and MIDI
Sweetwater: Hot items in Keyboars section
The Musician's Friend: Keyboard gear
AMS: Brand synths and accessories
The Woodwind & Brasswind Store
music123.com: Synth Blow Out Deal Section
zZounds: Keyboards and MIDI equipment
- Resources & Credits
Images from Synthesizer Picture Gallery (site gone).
Errors or Corrections? Send them here.

subset: commoncrawl


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[From the fanposts. Nice job by NigerianNightmare. -Matt]
With the first pick of the 2013 NFL Draft, they Chiefs selected offensive tackle Eric Fisher from small school Central Michigan over the polished, SEC battle-tested Luke Joeckel.
This selection made it quite clear to the fanbase that Dorsey and Reid saw big things from this team. They were willing to take a risk on this kid struggling early on because they thought this team's talent would be able to support him and we could still be successful. They envisioned a dynasty, a dynasty built on fire and brimstone.
When they selected the athletic, nasty, notoriously tenacious Eric Fisher over the polished and ready Luke Joeckel, they wanted a team built around physicality and being able to out-muscle the opposition, especially come clutch time.
It's been a bit of an ugly start for Fisher. His obvious (although MASSIVELY exaggerated) struggles in his first few games of his young NFL career were confusing for some people with little foresight, or just an inability to remember every scouting report they had heard about him after the draft.
Doyyyy, the dude was gonna have to take his lumps. He came out of an MAC school where he played left tackle. He comes to the NFL and they 1) tell him to switch sides, which is pretty goddamn hard as I can tell you from experience and 2) he came from Central Michigan where the speed of the game was just not on par with the NFL.
Lots of other things contributed, too. Perhaps the footwork makes his mind preoccupied, and he struggles with his leverage as its kinda out of his head. Maybe those injuries from preseason are still nagging him. Hell, it could just be a case of rookie jitters. But it's not a talent problem. He's 6'7, 310 pounds of lean muscle that moves like a tight end. He's a ferocious block finisher and he doesn't quit to the whistle. He's got naturally good feet and fast, heavy hands. It's only a matter of time before some technique issues get sorted out and he adapts to his new spot. Perhaps, against Houston we saw a glimpse into his future.
For you see, Fisher played against this bro...
via blog.chron.com
That's JJ Watt, AKA The NFL's best defender by a wide margin AKA the Destroyer of Worlds. In my limited years of watching and playing football (keep in mind, I soak up a LOT of football), I have never seen someone dominate his opposition in such a consistent way. Every snap, this 290 pound guy just explodes off the ball like a spring and he has such long arms that you can barely get a hand on him before he bench presses you and uses that sub 5 second speed to grab your QB or RB. He makes Pro Bowl tackles and guards look like garbage.
Naturally, fans got worried. "Holy cow, this guy is going to kill Alex." It didn't seem too unlikely either.
But Fisher stepped up in a way I don't think other rookies would have. He approached the adversity with poise and attitude and hit it in it's loud mouth. Fisher's toughest match-up against Watt and company turns out to become perhaps his best outing of the year. That's what great players do, and that's why he's wearing red instead of Joeckel or Johnson.
This is how it went down.
Start of the 1st quarter
Play 1: Chop blocks #58 and Alex throws a pass incomplete.
Play 2: Run off LG doesn't really affect Fisher, but he walls off his guy nicely.
Play 3: False start on Fisher. Dude is pretty mad.
Play 4: Watt knocks down his hands inside, but his feet are quick enough that he recovers to give Alex just enough time get the pass off.
Play 5: Fisher gets hands inside quickly on the OLB, and yanks him off to the side. Seals the edge..
Play 6: Looks for the OLB to rush and when he doesn't helps inside against Smith.
Play 7: Fasano helps Fisher against Watt, he chips inside. Fisher drives his feet and finishes the block into the turf as Watt gets knocked off balance.
Play 8: Sells the end-around well and seals off Watt for Dex.
Play 9: Screen to Dex. Swims around Watt and heads to the third level. Absolutely destroys the safety. This play needs to be highlighted more as a strength. Fisher's athleticism and instincts in the open field are very good, he gets to the safety quickly and doesn't lunge at him, breaking down just enough to get hands inside and drive him to the sidelines but not lunging to miss his block completely. That's a big plus.
Play 10: Great double with Asamoah on Watt, drives him about 5 yards downfield. Hustles to the ball to pick up a block downfield on a long Jamaal run.
Play 11: Holds off the outside rush by Brooks Reed with a wide base and quick feet.
Play 12: Dives at Watt's feet and keeps him off of Jamaal to get the first down off RG.
Play 13: Great 1-on-1 backside block on Antonio Smith. Gets his head playside and has his hands up under Smith's pads and takes him to the first down marker. On film I have a feeling McCluster kicks himself for not cutting that run back.
Play 14: Locks out Whitney Mercilus. Long arms and inside hand position make any possible move impossible. Fasano catches it down to the 1.
Play 15: Jamaal Charles touchdown run. Pulls out parallel to the line and absolutely erases Emil (or, the end man). Dude sees Fisher coming and just braces for the hit as Fisher hits him perpindicular-like and slams him to the ground. Great block by Asamoah and perfect chop by ShermanTank.
Play 16: Great blitz pickup by the line keeps Alex completely unphased. Fisher and Asamoah double Watt where he gets no push.
Play 17: Takes advantage of Smith getting off balance and wrestles him to the ground. H/T to my boy Jeff Allen with an absolutely beautiful pull and kick out.
Play 18: Runs his guy up field, but a spin move inside reveals too much lean on the balls of Fisher's feet. He slips trying to recover.
Play 19: Fisher gets stood up and initially pushed back, but recovers and holds it down with an athletic hop-step.
Play 20: Fisher is prepared for the bull rush this time and meets his defender first, giving him a nice facemask-to-facemask greeting. Not necessarily a great thing, because I would rather he show that he has gotten passed leading with his head.
Play 21: Starts the drive from the 1. Watt learns from last time and anticipates the chop, staving it off immediately. Surprisingly (?), Sherman delivers a very good blow and turns him away from the run.
Play 22: Lunges with that helmet again, inside spin move has success, but he moves his feet over so that his body is still blocking Reed despite Fisher's upper body being around the ground.
Play 23: Typical Watt-ism. Basically before anyone is even out of there stance Watt is up and over Fisher. Great play by Alex, getting the ball off quick to Bowe for the first. Something to notice is that Fisher jumps for the initial head-fake by Watt which is something he has shown to be susceptible to.
Play 24: Runs his dude up the field for the screen. Takes him out of the play, then actually has a great block as he hustles downfield which I didn't notice first watch over. Without this block, Jamaal doesn't get the first down.
Play 25: Slams inside on Watt and doubles with Jon to the OLB, then works off and seals him out.
Play 26: Quickness off the ball is my initial reaction. Absolutely caves down the right side as the explosive run blocking we saw from college comes into play. Fasano curls up inside and really rocks Cushing, and blocks to the whistle. Shows what we've been missing from the big guy.
Play 27: Sells the play fake then uses the momentum of the sudden start-stop of Watt to hip toss him down. A bit of extra-curricular activity on the ground shows that mean streak and a bit of a willingness to play up to his competition.
Play 28: You can see Watt's wound reopen. Picks up the stunt well (a real strength of his in college) and rides Watt to back behind Alex. What a stiff arm by Avery!
Play 29: Two first guys out of their stances are Fisher and Watt, and you can see Fisher learning from his first mistake by not biting on the head fake. Forearm check and the quick hitter opens up to Jamaal in that gap for a 6 yard gain.
Play 30: Great outside step to pin Mercilus inside on the roll out. Fasano holding down on the other side gives Alex all the time in the world for the first down strike.
Play 31: GREAT block. They walk Cushing up inside and Fisher gets RIGHT up under him. Could take him anywhere he wanted to, so he decides the ground is a good place for him. McGrath misses his block so Jamaal ends up falling over Cushing's body as he looks for space.
Play 32: Runs his guy upfield on the screen.
Play 33: Albert gets beat by Watt, So Alex runs out right to Fisher's man. Thankfully he completes the jump pass to Bowe.
Play 34: Great stonewall on Watt as he steps inside. No movement at all.
Play 35: Smith's botched TD run. Fisher runs his guy upfield as Alex jeffs the entire defense. H/T to Albert and Allen (especially Allen). They cave the left side down completely and Allen's block is absolutely perfect. Typical pancake.
Play 36: Great double to take Watt 5 yards downfield.
Play 37: An INCREDIBLE block is completely underplayed because Jamaal fumbles. Takes the linebacker way back. Almost gets the fumble recovery.
Before I go any further, I think I know why Cyrus Gray is still on the roster. Seriously insane block on special teams on Demps' 60 yard return.
Play 38: Beautifully blocks by everyone as Fisher kicks his guy inside, Alex trips and misses the handoff and still drunkenly stumbles for a gain of 4 through that hole.
Play 39: Great double inside on Watt with Asamoah. No ground given, no fucks given.
Play 40: Runs his guy upfield, and Smith takes off through a huge opening. GIGANTIC props to Smith and a weird but quite effective maneuver he's perfected over the last few weeks, the Rugby-style Dummy Pass. He executed it perfectly against Oakland in Week 6 for an 18 yard gain on the speed option and the dummy pass to McCluster freezes the DB just enough for Alex to take off for a 20+ yard gain.
Play 41: WILDHOG, BOYS! WILDHOG FORMATION! Holy crap, never in my life did I think I would see my boring-ass Chiefs run my Madden offense, that being 4 running backs in the backfield and triple option. Gray takes the hand off, initial read is Knile Davis up the gut with Sherman leading up, then he rolls to his right and can either pitch it to Jamaal or take it up the gut. Fisher takes Watt on 1-on-1 and does a beautiful job flipping him inside and sealing him off.
via www.factzoo.com
Please... for the love of God (or Jesus, or Muhammad, or Lord Vishnu, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster or whatever) PLEASE do not let this be the last time I get to witness this. I nearly shed a tear.
On a Fisher-related note, he kills it when we run read option to his side. It's weird considering that isn't exactly a Central Michigan staple, but he almost always has a great block when we option the DE on his side.
Play 42: Good feet and nice, powerful succession of punches makes Watt's inside move spin ineffective.
Play 43: Draw play gets sniffed out by Watt. Fisher runs his man upfield. Good-guy Eric Fisher comes in and breaks up the scuffle between Jamaal and Kareem Jackson, but gets bitched at by Watt which kinda makes him appear pretty PO'd.
Play 44: Swings around inside and helps pick up Watt after Allen struggles.
Play 45: Inititally stonewalls Watt, Watt tries to cut around to Asamoah who staves him off and Fisher tallies up a body shot on him. Alex has forever to throw and is coverage sacked by Hudson's guy.
Play 46: Great block at the second level, and I have to highlight the velocity and authority at which he arrives. Takes Ed Reed and drives him off to the sideline.
Play 47: Dex screen. Fisher sprints downfield, and goes after the guy who Dex stiff arms to the ground. Ironically, if he gets there a half second later and if he hadn't of sprinted downfield so fast, chances are he is able to kick out Brooks Reed and Dex runs in for the score. Still, that's the kind of stuff coaches LOVE.
Play 48: Run off LG, Fisher kinda walls his guy off. Props to Allen for locking horns with Watt and driving him downfield.
Play 49: 1-on-1 block on Crick and drives him down the line. Incredible drive block by Allen BLASTS open a huge hole for Jamaal to run for 17. Perfectly blocked by everyone, all 5 guys and Fasano execute to the extent that they could possibly do.
Play 50: OTZ off LT doesn't work too well as Albert doesn't get out there fast enough. Fisher cuts his guy down backside. Knile runs for 3 or so along the sideline.
Play 51: Gets inside hands, so even though he gets beaten inside it doesn't really matter. Fasano catches the touchdown!
Oh, wait. He doesn't? That's bullshit!
Play 52: Fisher cuts his guy down backside. Ed Reed sells out for the run and gets in for the TFL.
Play 53: Great pin block on the rollout. Alex... you dun goof'd.
Play 54: Great pass block on Mercilus. No pressure at all from there. Watt swims by Allen. Well, it was gonna happen sometime.
Play 55: Pretty good pass block, but the ball gets out in like 2 seconds.
Play 56: Kicks out looking for the OLB to rush but he doesn't.
Play 57: Punch on Watt, screen to Dex as Dex uses them moves to roll for a first.
Play 58: Fisher gets jorts'd by Watt here. Watching it live I thought Fisher just whiffed hard, but it looks upon further review that maybe he was trying to go to second level and Watt just tossed him down.
Play 59: Good 1-on-1 with Reed, pins him inside despite attempting an outside rush. Jamaal makes sure Watt doesn't go for a swat again as he drills him in the stomach. Love the hilarious little shove Allen gives him after the whistle as Watt is doubled over.
Play 60: Great blitz pickup. Doubling with Asamoah on the rollout right, but as the linebacker runs through the gap Fisher peels off and gives him a stick and drives him to the sidelines seamlessly. Alex throws an ugly pick as Dex gets freakin' played.
Play 61: Fisher takes on Mercilus and walls him off on the run off LT.
Play 62: Rides Crick downfield on a draw play.
Play 63: Fisher kicks inside on Watt and rides him past Alex. Awesome block by Jamaal lifts Ed Reed off his feet.
Play 64: Down block on Antonio Smith, seals him off well enough.
Play 65: Watt's swim move sends Fisher to his knees, but he somehow manages to completely stonewall him from this position.
Play 66: Good block on Mercilus as he runs him upfield.
Play 67: Kneel down.
The Good
-Tenacious and fiery run blocking that goes to the whistle.
-A clear and determined desire to finish blocks.
-Ability to fly around in open space and deliver blocks on smaller, more athletic defenders.
-A resiliency to bounce back from bad plays and learn from them.
-Athletic ability to recover from missed blocks and still end up contributing to the play with quick reactions and moderate deterrents.
-Fast hands and rapid feet off the ball, as well as an explosive initial step.
The Bad
-Still is susceptible to head fakes and will bite on hip shakes initially, although he gets better at that over time.
-Tends to "lunge" out of his blocks. When he connects it's a great block and no one sees it. When he misses it's really, REALLY noticeable.
-Gets too tall and will get driven back sometimes if he seems to be worried about other assignments. Comes with the muscle memory of the new position.
-Too narrow of a base also can contribute to him ending up on the ground and getting pushed back.
Final word...
Definitely I would say this is his best game of the year. It was a downright good game against a great front seven, and I hope that he watches film and sees his mistakes, corrects them, and that this game becomes known as the week he got his head screwed on right. I think I speak for everyone when I say I hope this game is a sign for better, great things to come.
As always, go Chiefs.


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Painted Poppies
Dinnerware Set, 48 Piece, Service for 12
Crafted of stoneware, featuring a reactive glaze. Due to the nature of reactive glaze, each piece of this handcrafted collection will exhibit unique variations in color and pattern. 48 piece dinnerware set, service for twelve, includes (12) each: 11 inch dinner plate, 8-1/2 inch salad plate, 24 ounce soup bowl and 13 ounce mug. Microwave and dishwasher safe.


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Summary | Excerpt | Reading Guide | Reviews | Readalikes | Genres & Themes | Author Bio
Brilliant and impassioned, The Glass Palace is a masterly novel by Amitav Ghosh, the gifted novelist Peter Matthiessen has called "an exceptional writer". This superb story of love and war begins with the shattering of the kingdom of Burma and the igniting of a great and passionate love, and it goes on to tell the story of a people, a fortune, and a family and its fate.
The Glass Palace tells of Rajkumar, a poor boy lifted on the tides of political and social chaos, who creates an empire in the Burmese teak forest. During the British invasion of 1885, when soldiers force the royal family out of the Glass Palace and into exile, Rajkumar befriends Dolly, the woman whose love will shape his life. He cannot forget her, and years later, as a rich man, he goes in search of her.
Chapter One
There was only one person in the food-stall who knew exactly what that sound was that was rolling in across the plain, along the silver curve of the Irrawaddy, to the western wall of Mandalay's fort. His name was Rajkumar and he was an Indian, a boy of eleven not an authority to be relied upon.
The noise was unfamiliar and unsettling, a distant booming followed by low, stuttering growls. At times it was like the snapping of dry twigs, sudden and unexpected. And then, abruptly, it would change to a deep rumble, shaking the food-stall and rattling its steaming pot of soup. The stall had only two benches, and they were both packed with people, sitting pressed up against each other. It was cold, the start of central Burma's brief but chilly winter, and the sun had not risen high enough yet to burn off the damp mist that had drifted in at dawn from the river. When the first booms reached the stall there was a silence, followed by a flurry of ...
If you liked The Glass Palace, try these:
Beginning on August 9, 1945, in Nagasaki, and ending in a prison cell in the US in 2002, as a man is waiting to be sent to Guantanamo Bay, Burnt Shadows is an epic narrative of love and betrayal.
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By Scott Morrison
The Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON, Ind. — A heightened buzz descended on the soap box derby track on Saturday when more than 100 children, parents, and spectators gathered for the 76th soap box derby races in Anderson.
Derby Director Rick Isom called it the best turnout at the track he had seen since he joined the board of directors for Anderson Soap Box Derby four years ago.
Isom's 11-year-old son Eli won the Super Stock Division for the second straight year, becoming one of few fortunate racers to book a trip to the All-American Soap Box Derby race in Akron, Ohio.
"It's awesome to get another chance in Akron," Eli Isom said. "I really want to thank Gracie (who placed second.) She did an exceptionally good job."
Kristina Kelty claimed victory in the Stock Division for the first time, having to race her way back from the loser's bracket.
"I am really excited," Kelty said. "I came in third last year, and I made an improvement this year."
Kristina is the latest in a long line of Kelty soap box derby racers. Her brother Kevin won the Stock Division in 2010 and fueled her desire to race soap box derby. Kevin's inspiration came from his grandfather, whose brother raced soap box derby cars in Indianapolis.
The Keltys are far from the only derby family in Anderson. Many of Saturday's racers were racing in cars they put together with family derby veterans or other community members who wanted to give back.
"Soap box derby is an opportunity to open a different world for some people," derby enthusiast Alonzo Anthony said. "People gave time to me when I was young, and I try to do that for kids now. Soap box derby is a hobby for me and keeping it alive is important."
Anthony helped field several cars in this year's field, including vehicles for young racers Conye Sutton, Quinn Eldridge, and Arnez Dixon.
"It's fun getting to spend time with your friends, getting to meet other people, and getting to see some new vehicles," Eldridge said. All three hope to race in next year's derby.
Despite the racers' youth, they understand the importance of soap box derby for themselves and the community as a whole.
"The race is awesome," Eli Isom said. "The community gets together and has a great time."
Race enthusiasts hope to capture the momentum and build the Anderson soap box derby group back to some semblance of what it used to be.
"I want to see it get bigger and bigger every year," Kevin Kelty said. "There are a lot more kids racing this year than last year."
Rick Isom hopes that Saturday's turnout, combined with some recent track repairs, will lead to a rally race in Anderson in the fall. He said he had approximately 10 families approach him at the race about buying cars and racing next year.


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Fundraising event for Friends of the Forest Preserves
Join Friends of the Forest Preserves for a nighttime fall festival with fun for all ages. A wonderful event to be held at the Spring Creek Forest Preserve, on Bateman Rd just 1/8 mile north of the intersection of Bateman and Rt. 62 (Algonquin Rd), in Barrington Hills on Saturday September 29th from 5-10 pm. Guests will enjoy cookout dinner from 5-8pm, beer and wine, a HUGE bonfire, narrated horse drawn wagon rides, native wildlife, stargazing, an amazing raffle with over 25 items, flashlight tours for kids, live music and dancing. Tickets are $45 with advance purchase by September 21st ($60 at the door), $25 for ages 13-20 and $5 for children under 12. For a detailed map and to purchase event and raffle tickets online visit www.fotfp.org or call (312) 356-9990. All tickets will be held at the gate. Ignite the Night will take place rain or shine! Come out and support Friends of the Forest Preserves mission to preserve, protect and restore the forest preserves of Cook County for the benefit of people and nature.
Generous supporters of this event include Barrington Countryside Park District, Riding Club of Barrington Hills and Forest Preserve District of Cook County. All proceeds will be used to support Friends of the Forest Preserves conservation work.
About Friends of the Forest Preserves:
Friends of the Forest Preserve is an independent non-profit organization founded in 1998 advocating for responsible management of the forest preserves of Cook County. Through advocacy, internships, and ecological restoration we promote responsible management of the more than 68,000 acres of forest preserve land.
For more detailed information on our organization and programs please visit www.fotfp.org


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Students carry Olympic torch
Three Queen's students have the honour of carrying the Olympic torch as it makes its way from Athens to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games.
Third-year medical student Daniel Abramowitz, Electrical and Computer Engineering grad student Siavash Khallaghi, and Queen's Student Alumni Association President Colin McLeod (ArtSci '10) are all participating as torch bearers in the Eastern Ontario portion of the Olympic relay on December 15.
"I entered a carry-the-torch contest through Coke and wrote an essay on how I motivate others to live active," says Mr. Abramowitz who will carry the torch in Napanee. "As someone who is really passionate about sports in my own life, it is very exciting to be taking part in an Olympic event."
Mr. Khallaghi is equally excited to take his turn with the torch. He won the honour after entering a contest through RBC last fall, just months after moving to Canada from Iran. "Two years ago, I never could have dreamed of being here, participating in something like this," he says.
Mr. Khallaghi will carry the torch as it goes through Trenton, cheered on by his fellow students, who have organized carpools to see him run.
Mr. McLeod is also expecting a contingent of Queen's supporters to be watching as he completes his leg of the relay through Deseronto. "There's a group from the (Office of Advancement) Student and Branches Unit coming out and lots of friends and family too," he says.
For Mr. McLeod, who also entered the carry-the-torch contest through RBC, the chance to run with the Olympic torch is a great honour.
"I've been a huge fan of the Olympics ever since watching the Lillehammer Games in 1994," he says. "It's a tremendous honour to carry the torch and take part in the Olympic celebration – it's kind of like being an ambassador for Queen's and Canada."
- 2014-07-31: The Agnes: Free Thursday Tour
- 2014-07-29: Faith date: Islam: Id al-Fitr
- 2014-07-26: Functional Anatomy Boot-Camp
- 2014-07-25: Staff and Faculty $5 BBQ
- 2014-07-24: The Agnes: Free Thursday Tour
- 2014-07-23: Roughriders add Webster
- 2014-07-22: Paul Stothart Memorial Golf Tournament set for September 9th
- 2014-07-16: City council approves amended temporary noise exemption.
- 2014-07-16: City council approves amended temporary noise exemption
- 2014-07-15: OUA Men's Volleyball back on the court October 17th, Gaels open up October 24th


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Free shipping for all NEW ZEALAND ORDERS - Australia flat rate shipping $15
Welcome to Scarecrow Farm, the home of quality products for your baby and preschooler. Our baby carriers are comfortable and ergonomically correct and include quality brands such as Manduca, Moby Wrap, Moby Go, ERGObaby (ERGO), Patapum, Babyhawk, Ellaroo Woven Wraps and Ring Slings and many others.
We also stock Diono carseats which allow extended rear facing up to 20 kg, plus we have a lovely range of teething products and cloth nappies which include Itti Bitti, Bubblebubs, Real Nappies and BumBums. While you're at it, don't forget to check out the gorgeous kids raincoats, gumboots, umbrellas, hooded towels and more. These make lovely gifts for the special child in your life.
We only sell brands we believe in and that we love. We hope you will love them too.
Take the time to look around. We're sure you won't be disappointed and if you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to e-mail us on email@example.com.. Viewing is available by appointment only.
We are the NZ Distributor for Moby Wrap in New Zealand. Please e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com if you would like to wholesale our products in your store.


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It was earlier announced that Namco Bandai are adapting the Bakemonogatari light novel into a visual novel game for the PSP console. Namco Bandai has now uploaded the game's trailer onto youtube.
The game is currently scheduled for release on 23 Aug 2012 and will be retailing for 6,280 yen (normal edition) and 9,980 yen (limited edition). The limited edition bundle will include a multi-use pouch, a special contents DVD, a special voice CD, a special custom theme, and a special booklet.


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Empowering forest-dependent communities in unique biodiversity hotspots
Megadiversity in the tropics
Colombia is home to over 10% of the world's plant and animal species despite covering just 0.7% of the planet's surface, and has more registered species of birds and amphibians than any other country in the world. Even by Colombian standards, the lowland rainforests of Colombia's Pacific coast are outstanding. This region, known as the Chocó, is a vast expanse of seasonally flooded forests, rainforests, and mangroves characterized by some of the highest levels of rainfall on the planet.


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The university's first Visiting Distinguished Scholar William L. Fox will speak on Antarctica; photo courtesy of William L. Fox
Dominguez Hills' First Visiting Distinguished Scholar to Speak on Antarctica on Nov. 13
A poet, author, explorer, cultural geographer and scholar, William L. Fox is a true Renaissance man who integrates literary and scientific interests into his works. Much of his poetry and nonfiction writing stem from his travels to far-off places, the result being an examination of humankind's relationship with nature, particularly vast desert spaces, and the need to understand and define it.
Fox says that unless humans are raised in a wide open space, their reaction to suddenly finding themselves in such surroundings is disorienting.
"If you grew up as a kid in somewhere like Mongolia, then you grow up with the skills that enable you to navigate in that kind of space, so you're not really uncomfortable," he notes. "But most of us don't do very well in them. We're used to growing up as a species in environments of broken woodland or grassland with trees, so that we can measure ourselves in a landscape and establish scale. Driving from here to Las Vegas, you can find places where it's very easy to get disoriented because there are no trees or buildings around. If you walk a mile away from your car, you have trouble telling if it's your car or a tin can.
"I think it's basically the way we're hardwired from several million years of evolution in specific environments," Fox continues. "Our evolved neurophysiology is just not suited well to desert environments, for example. We can get used to them, we even come to love them. But that's something you come to acquire, it's not something you're born with."
On Tuesday, Nov. 13, Fox will present a lecture on his 2005 book, Terra Antarctica, in which he traces human's visual history of the southernmost point on Earth and recounts his own experiences there to explore the notion of cognitive landscape. His lecture includes not only a discussion of his experiences and observations, but also a slideshow. The event will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the Loker Student Union.
Fox underscores the impact of the least populated and explored continent upon the rest of the planet.
"[Antarctica] is a very important continent to us," he says. "We should understand it better. It helps determine our weather, among other things, and has a lot to do with regulating the temperature of the planet and the flow of fresh and salt water. Eighty to 90 percent of all the fresh water in the world is locked up in the Antarctic. As some of it melts, it determines what happens to salinity levels, which drives temperatures around the world."
In conducting his research for Terra Antarctica, Fox came to intimately know the link between global warming and its impact on what seems to be an impenetrably frozen region of the planet.
"When I was there, a piece of ice the size of Rhode Island broke off and floated away," he recalls. "It was 100 miles long and I couldn't see from one end to the other. So, it's very dramatic what is happening there. You can really tell the temperature is changing and you can see it all over the continent. Glaciers where no one has ever seen a drop of water melt off before had rivers flowing off the tops of them."
Fox, who as a young boy grew up looking at the ocean views of La Jolla, Calif., emphasizes the fact that despite the seeming abundance of water on earth, the real dilemma is accessibility to safe and clean resources.
"There's enough fresh water on the planet to keep us going for a long time with a much higher population, but that's not the point," he states. "The point is you can't get to it. You can't just tow an iceberg from the Antarctic to the United States and drink it.
Most of the water on the planet is spoken for and it's going to cause some problems. People will understand it's a problem when they go to war over it and say, 'We're actually in conflict over this resource that we've taken for granted as free for not just our entire lives, but the lives of our civilizations.'"
Fox is on the campus of Cal State Dominguez Hills this semester as the university's first visiting distinguished scholar. Jerry Moore, professor of anthropology, met Fox in 2002 when both were scholars at the Getty Research Institute. Impressed by Fox's scholarship and his rapport with students, Moore thought Fox would be a perfect candidate for the new Visiting Distinguished Scholars Program.
"Bill accompanied my students and me on a study trip to Baja California where we looked at prehistoric rock art and discussed landscape and culture," recalls Moore. "His interaction with CSUDH undergraduates was simply tremendous, and it was one of the most exciting intellectual exchanges I had ever been involved in."
According to Moore, Fox is working on a variety of writing projects during his semester-long residence at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Among them is an upcoming book, Climbing Mt. Limbo, a collection of essays that includes a piece on the trip to Baja California with Moore and his students. He is also working on a book about viewing the Los Angeles Basin from the air.
For more information, contact Jerry Moore at (310) 243-3845.
-Amy Bentley-Smith and Joanie Harmon


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Jenna Kelby Bethany of Oklahoma City and Dickson James Howell of Edmond, have selected Sept. 7, 2012, as the day they will exchange wedding vows. The ceremony will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Oklahoma City Public Farmers Market.
Bride-elect is the daughter of Jim and Janis Bethany of Duncan. Her grandparents are Earleen Dibrell of Duncan.
Prospective groom is the son of Dick and Libby Howell of Edmond.
The ceremony will be officiated by Ryan Young, youth minister of Elk City First Baptist Church and former youth minister of Duncan First Baptist Church. Joshua Bethany, brother of the bride, will also be officiating.
Jenna is a 2006 graduate of Duncan High School. She received her bachelor's degree in advertising from Oklahoma State University in December 2010. She was active in Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She is employed in media and design at Life Church in Edmond.
Dickson is a 2007 graduate of Edmond North High School and a May 2012 graduate of Oklahoma State University with a degree in management information systems.
Bethany — Howell
Jenna Kelby Bethany of Oklahoma City and Dickson James Howell of Edmond, have selected Sept. 7, 2012, as the day they will exchange wedding vows. The ceremony will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Oklahoma City Public Farmers Market.
- Engagements
Lowance — Rider
Kelsey Ann Lowrance and Travis Lee Rider, both of Seminole, will exchange wedding vows April 12, 2014, at Crossing Hearts Ranch in Tecumseh with Lance Allen of Lindsay officiating.
Bride-elect is the daughter of Gary and Betty (McDaniel) Lowrance of Shawnee. Her grandparents are Odell and Delilah McDaniel and the late Mary Kathryn (Jones) McDaniel, all of Duncan, and the late Herbert Dee and Opal Laverne Lowrance of Eldorado, Kan.
Dressler — Ballard
Abigail Delores Dressler of Duncan and Tarence Daniel Ballard of Rush Springs will exchange wedding vows Feb. 1, 2014, at Gospel Beams Church in Duncan, officiated by Dr. Joe Ligon.
Bride-elect is the daughter of Randy Dressler of Duncan, and Robin and Joe Marcano of Marlow. Her grandparents are Gerald and Barbara Wheeler, and Florence Dressler, all of Duncan.
Garza — Chavez
Denise Auld and Mike Garza announce the engagement of their daughter Nichole Marie Garza of Duncan to Douglas Francisco Chavez, son of Olga and Vidal Chavez of San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
Bride-elect is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science degree. She is employed as an accountant at DCP Midstream in Houston, Texas.
Madison Lynn Pewitt and Jacob Charles Dunlap, both of Duncan, will exchange vows Jan. 11, 2014, at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Mike McCord officiating.
Bride-elect is the daughter of Tony and Dana Pewitt of Duncan. Her grandparents are Gerald and Celeste Leach, Wanda Pewitt and the late Bill Pewitt, all of Duncan.
Paige Alexis Rutledge of Wilson and Colten Shane Ledbetter of Duncan will exchange vows Nov. 9, 2013, in Wilson.
Brie Anne Chapman of Paris, Texas and James Alan Grimes of Duncan will exchange vows Dec. 28, 2013, at Southside Baptist Church in Paris, Texas with Rev. Steven Gillispie of Parkview Baptist Church in Duncan officiating.
Ford — Bilbrey Engagement
Kaci Dawn Bilbrey and Trevor James Ford, both of Duncan, will exchange vows Nov. 9, 2013, at the Simmons Center with Jackie Vernon Qualls officiating.
Bride-elect is the daughter of Mike and Tammy Bilbrey of Duncan. Her grandparents are Clyde and Weanona Bilbrey, and the late Kenneth and Bernadean Burch, all of Duncan.
Harrel — McMurtrey
Jessica Diann Harrel and Matthew Alexander Nash McMurtrey will exchange wedding vows May 18, 2013, at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Hartshorne.
Akers — Grabman
Krystal Lyn Akers of Duncan and Stephen Philip Grabman of Fort Worth, Texas will exchange wedding vows June 8, 2013, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Duncan with Rev. David Heitner officiating.
Smith — Jones
Jamie Katherine Smith of Norman and Patrick Damon Jones of Oklahoma City will exchange vows Oct. 12, 2013, at Williams Memorial Church in Bethany.
- More Engagements Headlines
- Lowance — Rider


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Sen. R.C. Soles pleaded guilty Thursday to shooting someone, paid a $1,000 fine, went back to being a senator and left another smudge on the voters' already soiled picture of North Carolina's political leaders.
Soles, 75, a top-ranking Democrat in the N.C. Senate and the state's long est-serving legislator, copped to a misdemeanor charge of assault and joined other public figures in a parade of recent career-ending scandals.
His plea spared him a felony conviction for the August shooting of a would-be intruder, a young man who was a former law client, at Soles' home in Tabor City. The senator long claimed that he shot in self-defense.
Soles will continue to practice law and will finish out his Senate term, his lawyer said. He announced in December that he wouldn't run for re-election this year but said Thursday that he was tempted.
"My gut feeling says go to the Board of Elections and sign up," Soles told The Associated Press, "but I don't think I'll do that."
Soles' exit from politics comes after an embarrassing string of events that ended Thursday with what some called a light penalty.
He was North Carolina's latest politician to fall.
An aide to former Gov. Mike Easley was indicted last month on federal corruption charges, and a federal grand jury is looking into Easley's actions. Former Speaker of the House Jim Black is in prison on a corruption conviction, as are two former legislators and a former lottery commissioner. A former congressman just got out. All but one are Democrats.
"All of that gives a lot of people a lot of heartburn," said Sen. David Hoyle, a Gaston County Democrat who is not running for re-election. "The citizens are very disgusted with all politicians from both parties."
Soles' plea will provide Republicans ammunition for campaign attacks.
"The rules for regular folks and for powerful Democrats are apparently different in Columbus County and maybe in the state," said Senate Republican leader Phil Berger of Eden. "I don't know too many folks who could plead guilty to shooting someone and the penalty is a $1,000 fine."
The episode also further inflames voters, bruised and scraped by a brutal economy, some said.
Harm to one and all
"It hurts everybody in politics," said Gary Pearce, a veteran Democratic consultant. "There's an anti-politician, anti-incumbent, anti-government mood sweeping across the populace."
Polls historically show voters often don't know which party controls the state legislature, where Democrats now hold a majority in both the House and Senate.
In August, Soles shot Thomas Kyle Blackburn, 22, after Blackburn and another man tried to kick in Soles' door. Blackburn was not seriously injured and later asked that charges not be filed.
Soles' lawyer, Joseph B. Cheshire V of Raleigh, said Soles' mistake was not calling the police when the incident began. Instead, he stepped outside with the gun, according to authorities.
Cheshire said Soles' constituents want him to finish his term. "He shot people who were trying to break into his home," Cheshire said. "I don't think most people in North Carolina would think that would prevent somebody from being a good legislator."
'Bad judgments'
After the court appearance, Soles said he was sorry.
"I thought I was in the right," he told the AP. "Sometimes you make bad judgments."
The incident put a spotlight on Soles' years of involvement in the lives of young men who were former clients. Records show police were called to Soles' house and law office at least 40 times in the past four years, ranging from routine burglar alarm activations to reported assaults and complaints that young people on mopeds were circling Soles' house.
Soles maintained he gave generously to the young men to help them shift to a productive life.
The office of Attorney General Roy Cooper handled the prosecution after Rex Gore, the Columbus County district attorney, stepped aside because of long-standing political ties to Soles.
Seeking accountability
"We felt, under the circumstances, we could not allow him to take the law into his own hands and he had to be accountable," James J. Coman, a senior deputy attorney general, told the judge, AP reported.
Even if he had been convicted of a felony, it's not clear whether Soles would have been forced out of office. A member of the legislature has to be a qualified voter, a non-felon, when elected. Once in office it's up to the other senators or representatives to decide whether a legislator is qualified to serve. In 2008, the House expelled Rep. Thomas Wright, a Democrat, before he was convicted of fraud and obstruction charges.
Joe Sinsheimer, a Democratic consultant who has played watchdog on his own party, said the case sends a signal that the state often has a difficult time policing itself.
"Federal prosecutors seem to have a better rate of success," he said, pointing to the multi-year federal sentences against Black and others.
firstname.lastname@example.com or 919-829-4774


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Students participate in a town hall meeting to establish the university's strategic plan as a "model urban university"; photo by GK
CSU Dominguez Hills Takes Next Steps in Strategic Planning Process
California State University, Dominguez Hills is taking the next steps to shape the vision and strategic plan that will support the university's commitment to become a "model urban university." Students, staff, faculty, and community members recently shared their insights and perspectives at a series of Town Halls that took place in the Loker Student Union this past month. Participants participated in discussions and exercises that helped to answer what it would mean for CSU Dominguez Hills to become a model urban university. In addition, the campus community, alumni and community members also participated in an online survey.
"I would like to thank everyone for participating in the strategic planning process by sharing with us your experiences, your stories, and your challenges," said President Mildred García in a message to campus. "Your contribution to the Town Hall meetings and completion of the online survey has been crucial to the strategic planning process."
With the feedback sessions completed, a committee comprising faculty and staff members, called "synthesizers," met this week, from March 23 to 26, to process the information collected. The group analyzed the many ideas and aspirations that were shared by the campus community. They are working on completing a first draft of the strategic framework, which will be circulated to various campus constituencies for further feedback and refinement, a process will take place in late March. A rollout of the final version of the strategic plan is expected by the end of May.
For more information see the strategic planning website at www.csudh.edu/strategicplanning.
- Brenda Knepper


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For a Gloomy Boomer: The One Thing that Makes All the Difference
Find out what can make all the difference!
BY: Carol Orsborn, Ph.D., Fierce with Age
"You know me as a powerful person, always ready to do my utmost?" she asked. "How can I do that when it's hopeless." I listened deeply, poked around enough to know that she had done everything in her power to address the situation, like downsizing, bringing on expert financial advice, seeking out friends like me for perspective. But I had no answers, no solutions, no roadmap. I listened, I hugged her goodbye, but I couldn't stop thinking about her and what more I could have done.
This morning, I woke up with it—the missing piece. What I realized is this: that no matter how much evidence is piled up against us that we have blown our opportunity for greatness, how much fear we have that we are paying for old mistakes, wasted precious time, burned out trying to get the world to do what we want in order to make life less painful, we always have a choice. There may be absolutely nothing about our external circumstances that we can do anything about. But we can always choose to take the leap from victimhood to forgiveness—of ourselves, others and the world. We can be patient with the present moment and we can always choose to light at least one candle of hope that the future will find some surprising, unexpected way to defy our dimmest expectations.
I remembered a wonderful quote from Olive Schreiner who wrote for many of us in Dreams of the Hunter. Olive provides us with a role model of how someone who is truly defeated by life's circumstances, can yet find meaning in life.
"I have sought; for long years, I have labored….Now my strength is gone. Where I lie down worn out, other men will stand, young and fresh. By the stairs that I have built, they will mount. They will never know the name of the man who made them. At the clumsy work they will laugh; when the stones roll they will curse me. But they will mount, and on my work; they will climb, and by my stair."
Related Features


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Located in Charlestown's old Crosby Steam Gauge & Valve Co. building on Roland Street, which dates back to 1888, the new home furnishings store Pura Vida is itself a reclaiming of something old, made new again.
Shop owner Daren Lechner, of West Roxbury, has created an interesting showroom on the building's third floor—a series of vignettes designed to draw in the eye, appeal to the senses and give the shopper a truly original experience.
The shop name, "Pura Vida," is a Costa Rican phrase that means "pure life," and Lechner tries to carry that natural feel throughout his business.
Lechner talked with Patch about how he chooses what to sell in his shop, where he gets it, and the unique experience of shopping at Pura Vida.
Why did you decide to open a business in Charlestown? I've always wanted to open my own store. I've been in retail all my life, worked every gambit of retail—management, being a buyer, setting up showrooms throughout the country for wholesalers—and this opportunity came up. I always said if I open my own business I want it to be in this kind of industrial setting. I want a big open space where I can build these vignettes and walls and create little shops in here.
How do you choose what to sell at Pura Vida? My whole goal of this was to try to do repurposed, reclaimed, recycled products and local artisans and entrepreneurs. So you'll see a lot of photography—those are done by friends of mine. I have another guy who does reclaimed wood tables using pieces of old buildings.
Another thing I try to do is American made, as much as I can. This guy in Georgia buys all the wine barrels from California and ships them over to Georgia and repurposes them into tables and stools. They all have different stamps from the vineyards on the barrel tops.
Everything in here is handpicked by me, so this is all my style.
Where do you find items you want to sell here? When I know somebody who does photography, I'll ask if they know anybody who does sculptures. It's kind of a networking thing. Other items, I'll find through vendors, from going to market. I'm always trying to look for something new and different that isn't made in China. If you get a local person, it isn't going to be a mass-produced item. A friend of mine [for example], takes vintage bottles that are dug up at Niagara Falls and he takes crystals from old chandeliers or sea life and he solders them together to make these unique pieces of table art.
Do you sell items online, or just in the shop? I want people to come shopping again. I believe people still like to go shopping. And it needs to be rejuvenating. On my website, I came up with the new tagline: 'See. Hear. Smell. Touch. With taste.' Being a destination store, I knew it had to be unique; you've got to make it special. Nobody's going to drive over here if it's just a bunch of junk you can see anywhere.
Do you have a favorite piece in the store? One of my favorites is [a piece of wall sculpture] called "Climbing Man." I wanted some really cool pieces, whether they sell or not. People walk in and say, 'Every time I turn a corner, I see something different.' I want to look for the exciting, the cool, the different. I don't want to be an everyday, run-of-the-mill home décor store. I want to provide affordable design for everybody, but not the stuff that's on every shelf of every store.
Pura Vida
- Features: Unique home furnishings with a focus on reclaimed and recycled materials, local artisans and American-made
- Located: 24 Roland St., Charlestown (look for the Raybern Specialty Hardware signs; Pura Vida is on the third floor)
- Parking: Free, on-site
- Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Sunday.
- Website: puravidahomedecor.com


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Brent Beshore, Contributor
I provide a Midwest view on entrepreneurship, VC, and private equity.
"A million dollars isn't cool. You know what's cool? A billion dollars."
-Fake Sean Parker
Over the past several months, I've noticed an interesting commonality when chatting with startup founders. It's the word "cool." I've heard about a "cool idea," a "cool pivot," a "cool feature," a "cool trend," and even a "cool compensation model."
Newsflash: your "cool" startup sucks. Cool doesn't address a market need. Cool doesn't solve a problem. Cool doesn't generate revenue. Cool doesn't allow you to see your deficiencies. Cool isn't valuable. Cool is just, well, cool.
I know cool sucks because I speak from experience. At last count, I've been involved in about ten cool startups that have gone nowhere. We didn't want feedback on the idea. We didn't care if we solved a real problem. We didn't know how we'd get revenue. We just wanted to show everyone our "coolness." Surely "cool" equated to successful right?
When we stopped trying to pursue cool, good things started to happen. We got involved in real businesses, with real revenue, and real futures.
If you've got a "cool" idea or have progressed far enough to call it a startup, ask yourself what you want. Goals do matter. What you aim to create will largely dictate the path you take. Do you want to create a shiny toy that people think is "cool?" Or, do you want to create something of substance? Do you want to create profits? Do you have a clear revenue strategy? Do you have access to talent?
If you aim to move beyond cool, focus on what matters. Find a niche that is ripe for disruption. Seek transparent feedback from potential customers, not friends or family. Determine the key elements that must be accomplished to drive revenue and repeat customers. Focus on testing your hypothesis and tweaking your approach. Do those things and forget trying to be cool.
P.S. If you'd like to see the downfall of "coolness," check out Bravo's new show "Start-Ups: Silicon Valley." It's packed with cool.
Brent Beshore is the founder and CEO of adventur.es (#28 on 2011 Inc. 500), which identifies problems to tackle and looks for those who share their passion to create change. He is also a venture partner at Gen Y Capital, a regular contributor to Forbes, Huffington Post, and Washington Post, and a runner-up in the 2011 VH1 Do Something Awards (lost to Lady Gaga) for his work in helping his hometown of Joplin, MO recover from the devastating tornado. Connect with Brent on Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+.
I wish more people would say this and more press would cover startups that are "uncool". Of course, I'm just fine with our uncool startup (http://www.kickofflabs.com) not getting press as long as we keep growing revenues like we have in the last year. :)
This observation generalizes to lots of other areas, too. I've told some of my fellow academics, "That argument/observation/presentation/paper is the most clever thing I've ever seen. It's still stupid, though." It happens when your intelligence and creativity decide to run away from your real goals.
I´m finding this post weird. If you have a start-up that adresses a real problem it´s cool. If you have a start-up that adds real value to people that´s also cool.


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A 52-year-old man has denied allegations that he videotaped female co-workers in various stages of dress in a northeast Nebraska company locker room.
Former Solbar employee Larry Wolf, of Dakota City, pleaded not guilty on Monday to two counts of unlawful intrusion.
Court documents say Wolf was arrested in July after a technician who was working on Wolf's personal computer found a file that contained about 60 video clips of the women's locker room at Solbar, a soy protein production company in South Sioux City.
A police affidavit says images on the computer showed Wolf's tattoos as he placed the camera in the locker room.


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Singing Nun Gets Down on 'The Voice'
Check out this heavenly singers performance.
Posted by Brian Slupski ,
The nun in this video shocked the judges on Italy's version of "The Voice" when she began singing the Alicia Keys hit "No One," and the video has gone viral.
Sister Cristina Scuccia appeared on stage in a traditional habit, wearing a large silver cross and getting her groove on as three of her fellow nuns danced, clapped and otherwise seemed amazed by a heavenly performance.
And if the good sister's singing and dancing isn't fun enough, just take a look at the expressions on the face of the judges when they swivel around to see the owner of that voice.
Trending on Patch is a category showcasing popular stories from across Patch's network of 900 local news sites.
Comments + Leave a Comment
JJ Mclure March 23, 2014 at 11:54 AM
she should use the voice to deport illegals
Carmen B. March 23, 2014 at 11:52 PM
while i can see the novelty of a nun shocking judges performing an r&b tune, the singing really is not wonderful in any aspect. yes, she has potential to develop her voice, but it takes much more than a pleasing timbre to be a great singer.
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Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) is saving 903.5 acres in Pescadero that include critical row-crop and grazing land as part of its expanding farmland protection program. POST purchased the land, known as Butano Farms, for $9.966 million on Dec. 12 from members of the Dias family, who inherited the property from their uncle, the late Pescadero farmer Noel Dias.
"We feel privileged that the Dias family, which has owned this land since the late 1800s, chose to work with POST to make sure the property remains in agriculture and is protected from subdivision and development forever," said POST president Walter T. Moore. "We're saving not only at-risk farmland but also vital wildlife habitat, watershed land, world-class recreation potential, and the rural agricultural character of historic Pescadero. It's a huge win for regional land conservation."
Born in Pescadero in 1913, farmer Noel Dias spent his entire life at Butano Farms. His father, John Dias, Sr., was a native of the Azores Islands who moved to the United States in 1885 at the age of nine. John, Sr. grew flax, hay, peas, fava beans and pumpkins on the land. In 1945, he established the John Dias & Sons Straw Flower Company, which became one of the largest straw flower producers in the world. The company remained in business for the next 45 years, employing many Pescadero residents to pick, dry and sort decorative straw flower arrangements for shipping worldwide.
Noel and his brother, John, Jr., inherited Butano Farms in 1979. Seven years later, when John, Jr. died, Noel became sole owner, actively farming the land until 2005. The following year, he was named San Mateo County Farmer of the Year. He died in 2010 at the age of 96. With no children of his own, he left the property to his nephew and nieces, who made the ultimate decision to sell the land to POST for permanent protection.
Highly visible from downtown Pescadero, Butano Farms frames the southern end of town. It connects thousands of acres of already protected lands and is adjacent to California State Parks Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve and POST's Cloverdale Coastal Ranches. Its convenient and scenic location close to town and the coast made it an especially attractive property for private luxury estate development. Without POST protection, it could have been subdivided with up to eight or 10 luxury estate homes built on the land.
"Because of its large expanse of hillsides for cattle grazing, its well-cared-for farm fields, and its location in the heart of Pescadero, Butano Farms is an essential property to protect through POST's farmland protection program," said Moore. "Preserving Butano Farms has been a long-desired outcome for more than 20 years at POST. This property is critical to maintaining local food production. Now this and other conservation goals can finally be realized here, as POST continues its decades-long protection of local agriculture in our region."
Butano Farms includes 53 acres of agricultural soils evenly split between two fields: one in the southeast corner of the property off Cloverdale Road, and one along Pescadero Creek Road once used by the Dias family to grow flowers and now planted with a cover crop. Another 500 acres of northern uplands and rolling hills near Bean Hollow Road are leased for cattle grazing. There are no residential structures.
According to POST vice president for Land Stewardship Paul Ringgold, under POST ownership Butano Farms will be integrated into the nonprofit land trust's adjacent Cloverdale Coastal Ranches property. This will expand Cloverdale from its current acreage of about 5,800 acres to approximately 6,700 acres. POST will continue to lease the Pescadero Creek Road field to the current tenant and plans to start leasing the Cloverdale Road field in January 2013.
Through its farmland protection efforts, POST is working to preserve the area's agricultural legacy and access to locally grown food.
"Farmland along the San Mateo Coast continues to face development threats and suffers from disappearing agricultural infrastructure and lack of affordable land for farmers," explained Ringgold. "Long term, POST intends to hold onto Butano Farms until a permanent conservation solution can be identified. This might include transfer to a public agency or sale to a private conservation buyer such as a farmer. POST would hold back an easement to ensure that farm fields and natural resources on the land are protected forever."
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August 2, 2014
MOUNT HOPE, Wis. - Sheriff's deputies say a toddler was killed in a farm accident in Grant County.
Authorities say two-year-old Solomon Fisher was riding in a cart while his family harvested silage at their farm in Mount Hope Monday evening. The boy lost his grip on the handrails, fell off the moving cart and was fatally injured when it or a wagon ran over him.
The farm accident remains under investigation.
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It beggars belief that I scratched and dented my car while parking ONE (1) DAY after getting my car out of the workshop. To add insult to injury, my tire burst (not puncture, it literally FUBAR on me) six hours later. I was running on my damn RIMS for at least 1 km before I reached the nearest gas station to replace it.
34 Responses to "Locomotive malfunction"
Aiyoh…why do you always have car problems?? Man, bad shape…
Damn that is one nasty blowout.
So bila you changing car?
what the?
hey HB. take it easy. im sorry for the series of unfortunate incidents
take care
damn, +2 experience.
wah, peng you…u seems kinda soi le….just kena bump from the back..now this happens…
Oh my!! Eh, must be your car plate! I know you're not superstitious but its been a series of unfortunate with your vios! ahhhhhhh, hope all's well now for you.
really pity your car, suffering damages one after another. but when ones luck is not that good, a series of unfortunate events do happen. do take care of yourself ya, as well as your bank account.
A sequence of unfortunate events, bro – keep your head up, things'll get better soon. All that misfortune has to be balanced out by a string of good luck – it's right around the corner.
Must be a female car …
wow… bare rim spin!!! so is a new tyre replacement d!!
and is a real bummer u have there… back knock, parking knock.. and now rim and tyre!!! u one lucky guy.. and amazingly after all this awesome even ur car still look so shinny!!
wah so hardcore wtf.. time to go to the temple. :S
lucky yours is a toyota. iamagine if it's a proton?!!
wow… bare rim spin!!! so is a new tyre replacement d!!
and is a real bummer u have there… back knock, parking knock.. and now rim and tyre!!! u one lucky guy.. and amazingly after all this awesome even ur car still look so shinny!!
Everytime I see your license plate it reminds me of Quagmire (The QAG)
omg the things u go through are out of this world =.=
Why did you need to go to the gas station to change your tyre? Running on your rims is really a bad idea.
I think between you and Tim you should have covered everyones car problems for the rest of the year :D
oh mai!
i think your car hates u… :P
woah dude, you're going on a streak of bad luck! but its ok! good luck will soon come!
Locomotive malfunction,Locomotive malfunction?!!! shit hb, i have done stuff like that my self. Shreded the tires. It was a total F–k up. Persons give a damn about you. I aint perfect, HB, far from it. But please, HB. quite giving us all a heart attack,every time you wreck a car, ok. You Git. Try to take care of you self, at least a little. Jeez. Cousre , I know this will fall on deaf ears. Just like mine. Please be careful, HB. You Git. love you. just like me, but better. Tom
I am sorry, Hb. I got too much of my own Dad and Mom in me I guess. I only called you a git in the most family and nice way. ( it means "You bastard", or "son of bitch") or like saying howlie, nigger, cracker, or whore. If you are amongst friends, it is ok, otherwise not a good idea. ( if I thought some one meant it, it would be cause for a big fight, and someone would be missing a tooth or two- most probably me) Now get out there and do something good, you git friend. And quit wrecking those cars. Tom
complete ass wipe, HB. Me, not you. I apoligize. Every day brings a new thing. Do the best you can, for all you love. I learn alot from you, and try to pass it on to my family. You mofo Git.;) tom
Recommend you to watch 'Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events'
Can't find the cure though.
I suspect its the gremlins. Do what I do when I get unexplained mechanical issues. Hold a ceremony to placate the car gods, (or mechanical failure gods) Don't forget the required offerings, ritual holy water, cheap alcohol etc. I swear it works!
i think you need to do something to appease the machine spirits. give your friendly local adeptus mechanicus a call to set up some maintenance rituals, prayers of function and also an libation.
you seem to have gone through your half yearly supply of 'bad shit'. so worry not for it will be uphill (in a good way) from here onwards =)
I promise I'll reply all the comments tomorrow! Been REALLY busy lately. :)
You didn't get your spare tire fixed?
Kevin Chong: I don't know, I guess I damn soi. :S
Naoko: Hmm…not anytime soon. Why, you buying one for me? I'll like a beemer. ;)
cynthia: No worries, am taking it in stride. :)
shaoweii: It's +666 experience dy. :S
Cweelee: Yalor! Damn soi nowadays, I don't know why also. Lucky in other things though. ;)
chefmel: I better change it to 4444 to see if it's my car plate. Or 666. :)
cindy khor: Yeah, I've been having a serious string of bad luck recently. :S
Jhnhth: Cheers mate! I'm alright, I don't let things like this get me down. :)
Jeff: LOL! :)
ahloon: It's coz I always fix it after I get into accidents. :)
KY: I'm planning to go on Saturday. ;)
eiling: I think I won't have a car if that's the case. ;)
Trey: QAG is a Kuching plate. Come to think of it, both my cars have Kuching plates despite being a Sibu guy. :)
christock: I know! :S
Damn unlucky.
ShaolinTiger: The breakdown lane was too narrow for me to change tyres…I would have to be partially in the slow lane in order to do that…not worth risking. ;)
Yeah, we seem to have a series of vehicular bad luck this year. :)
annant: I don't blame her, with the way I treat her. ;)
xes: Cheers buddy! I do have good luck, in other departments, so I guess it all balances out. ;)
tom r: No worries my friend! Thanks for sharing! I'll be more careful next time. :)
crappy booze: Heh! I did, watched and read all the books. I love it! :)
CT: Hey, good to hear from you again mate!
Actually, this incident (the tyre, not the dent – I wasn't drinking when the dent happened) was caused by me running into a curb at high speed…after ethanol impaired my judgement. ;)
seth.frostheart: Heh! Thanks! :)
I'm having a lot of good luck in other departments though so I'm not complaining! :)
Simon Seow: I did! I just can't change it coz the breakdown lane is toooo close to the highway. I'll be run over.
Honestly, I pity ur car.. Maybe the QC for the car not done yet. ;p
Shirley Snow: Haha! It's not the car's problem. I had an accident the VERY FIRST DAY I go the car. Rear ended this idiot who e-braked on an orange light. He apparently does not believe in the mantra "Orange means GO FASTER". ;)
change to 666! hahahhaha
glad you made it safe …
chefmel: I want to! Triple repeats are very expensive though. :(
headsteadi: Thanks mate! :)
http://monblogpoker.com/casinogratuitsanstelechargement/2010/12/01/je-dois-limpliquent-supermarche-carrefour-commercial-concernant/ Thanks for that awesome posting. It saved MUCH time :-)
This blog seems to recieve a good ammount of visitors. How do you promote it? It gives a nice unique twist on things. I guess having something authentic or substantial to post about is the most important factor.


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Persian rugs are one of a kind and increase in value over time. The same could be said of Fresno's longtime Persian rug sellers.
The Persian Rug Collections store is celebrating 35 years in business. The father and son behind it — Mike and Michael Karbassi — recently moved the shop to a new location. It's now at 1731 W. Bullard Ave., near the Manhattan Steakhouse and across the street from the previous location.
Karbassi, 71, and his son, 30, brought with them lots of history, customers who have become friends and a deep love of the product they sell.
Walking into the shop is like walking into an overstuffed art gallery. Rugs of all colors and sizes are stacked in piles. They hang from the walls, and are bundled up and pushed into corners. The patterns reflect the region and the countries they come from.
The rugs in the store are all handmade from silk or wool — each tiny knot done by hand — and can take more than a year to complete.
"The smaller the finger, the finer the carpet," the elder Karbassi says, which is why the average amount spent on Persian rugs at the store is $1,800.
"They're like women," he jokes. "The older they get, the prettier they get."
Despite his love of the rugs, Karbassi never intended to be in the rug business. He was born in Iran and educated in the U.S. After graduating with a degree in accounting and a master of business administration from what is now the University of Central Oklahoma, Karbassi became a U.S. citizen.
He was working as an accountant for an American oil company in Iran in the late 1970s. Amid the chaos leading up to the Iranian Revolution, the company shut down and Karbassi couldn't cash out his personal bank account to take his earnings out of the country. Rather than lose the money, he bought 200 Persian rugs, with plans to sell them in the U.S. He figured he'd go back into accounting and the rug selling would be a one-time thing.
He was wrong.
Karbassi liked the business so much, he decided to stick with it.
"I love it," he said. "This is a different business. I know all of my customers."
He loves to chat with them and is quick to laugh. But mostly, he just wants to talk about the rugs. They last hundreds of years and appreciate in value like art, he says.
A rare Persian rug recently sold for $33.7 million at an auction in New York City.
At the Karbassis' store, there's a 200-year-old rug rolled up in a bundle. The velvety wool 121/2-foot-by 221/2-foot rug is in perfect shape — and has a price tag of $84,000. Karbassi got it from a family in Bakersfield who ate a meal once a year in the room carpeted by the rug.
As valuable as the rugs are, they haven't found a "magic" one that flies yet, jokes the younger Karbassi. He's just as animated when talking about the rugs. Michael Karbassi — his first name is actually Kia, but he started going by his middle name when the car maker Kia got popular — has grown up in the business.
He sold his first rug accidentally when he was 8. He had his own rug, a little 2-foot-by-3-foot one he'd sit on in the shop after school. He was telling a customer all about it one day and the customer declared he wanted to buy it, to Michael's surprise.
The elder Karbassi recalls that his son said, "Daddy, I sold a carpet, I want my commission."
"I gave him $10 and he said, 'That's not enough. I want $50.' "
That was the start of his first savings account.
Some customers have watched the younger Karbassi grow up and have become family friends. The Karbassis helped customer Irene Peloian replace the rugs she lost in a house fire. And Peloian ended up taking the young Kia out a few times, including a trip to the park with her godson of the same age.
"They're just so friendly and nice and we laugh a lot," she says.
Years later Michael got a management degree at Fresno State with an emphasis on entrepreneurship. He's now 30 and runs the store side-by-side with his dad, helping bring the business up to date with a website and customer databases.
Persian rugs are a topic many people don't know a lot about and the pair are quick to share details. True Persian rugs come from Iran. Though there are sanctions that prevent rugs from being exported from the country, there's an oversupply of them in the U.S., so it's not affecting the industry. The country that makes the No. 2 quality handmade rugs of Persian design? China, surprisingly.
The Karbassis want people to know how to care for them (don't vacuum the rug with rotating bristles — use an attachment — and flip them around once a year so you don't wear a path on one side).
Because people don't know a lot about the rugs, they can fall prey to scams, Mike Karbassi says. He says he's built a living by being honest, which keeps customers coming back.
That includes Coke Hallowell, a longtime customer and chairwoman of the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust.
"He could give a seminar on how to … relate to customers," she says. "He's so kind and so trustworthy. I just would do anything he said."
That trust goes both ways.
Karbassi insists that customers take rugs home with them and test them out in their rooms before buying. Hallowell had three of them rolled up in the corner of her home in recent weeks.
"I didn't have to sign a paper or anything like that," she says. "I said, 'What if I die in an accident on the way home?' He said 'No no, that won't happen to you.' "
It's paid off. Karbassi says he hasn't had a single rug returned.
You might think that at age 71, he'd be getting close to retirement. But he's not planning on it anytime soon.
"We always talk about retirement and we always think, 'Well, what's he going to do?' " Michael says about his dad. "He really likes what he does. He likes people. If he wasn't working, I don't think he'd be as happy."
The reporter can be reached at (559) 441-6431, email@example.com or @BethanyClough on Twitter.


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Two drivers involved in the fatal car crash that claimed the life of 20-year-old Alexander Martinez of Meriden were both intoxicated, according to Middletown Police. Their arrest warrants provide sobering details about what happened early in the morning of July 24.
The warrants state that 36-year-old Stephen M. Tyrseck of Durham had been drinking to excess at a Middletown bar and Jedidiah Roesler, 22, of Meriden had consumed beers and whiskey at a friend's house before colliding at South Main Street and Highland Avenue in Middletown at 2:25 a.m.
Both were charged with manslaughter and DUI, among other charges, in the collision that also injured three passengers in Roesler's 2002 Honda Civic.
"Mr. Roesler's blood alcohol content of .182 and Mr. Tyrseck's blood alcohol content of .269 caused the death of Mr. Alexander Martinez," the warrant states.
Roesler turned himself in Monday at 8 p.m. at Middletown Police headquarters. He's facing second-degree manslaughter, misconduct with a motor vehicle, negligent homicide, reckless driving, operation under the influence of alcohol, failure to grant right of way and traveling at an unreasonable speed.
Tyrseck was arrested by Middletown Police after he turned himself in late last week. He was charged with second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, misconduct with a motor vehicle, negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, reckless driving, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and speeding.
Tyrseck, a Middletown South Fire District firefighter, was recognized at the accident early in the morning of July 24 by responding officer Brian Hubbs, Tyrseck's friend.
The warrant says Tyrseck was seated on a curb and had trouble remaining seated upright and his speech was slurred. Tyrseck and Roesler, the warrant states, appeared highly intoxicated and smelled of alcohol at the crash scene.
In the report, Hubbs said he asked Tyrseck if he was OK and realized when Tyrseck looked at him that he was so intoxicated Tyrseck did not recognize him.
According to the report, Tyrseck claimed to have drank "five or six Bud Light beers" several hours before and had red, watery eyes and was swaying back and forth.
Roesler told police he was celebrating a friend's entrance into the Navy at a party in which he drank "four or five beers and one shot of whiskey" and left at 1:30 a.m. Roesler drove the Civic with three passengers, including Martinez. After he hit the 2008 Ford F350 pickup truck, "I just made sure that I was OK and everyone else was OK, but Alex wasn't in the car," Roesler said, according to the warrant.
Martinez was later found 38 feet from the collision.
Tyrseck said he was driving his pickup home from Cromwell and couldn't remember anything past midnight that evening.
A witness said he saw the Ford cross the double yellow line twice on South Main Street. Another witness, according to the warrant, said he never saw the pickup's brake lights go on. Another witness told police Tyrseck was "intoxicated beyond belief," and seemed "delusional and out of it."
A bartender at Middletown's Hair of the Dog Saloon told police Tyrseck came into the bar between 10 and 11 p.m. and left between 1 and 1:30 a.m. He told police, according to the warrant, that Tyrseck was not "outwardly intoxicated."
However, when police obtained video footage from the bar, it showed, according to the warrant, Tyrseck drank six 12-ounce beers and was "swaying, holding onto furniture and stumble … He was very demonstrative and flailing his arms when he spoke to other patrons."
Tyrseck left the bar at 2:09 a.m. and a witness said she saw him try the door of La Boca Restaurant at 2:15 a.m., found it was locked, then "fall into the building by the entrance to the Hair of the Dog saloon."
She called police when she saw him get into the pickup because he appeared drunk and should not be driving, the warrant states.
Police determined the Ford was traveling 73 miles per hour just before the crash and the Civic was going at least 40 miles per hour — in a 35-40 mph zone.
Police said there were no pre- or post-collision skidmarks on the roadway.
Both men will be arraigned in Middletown Superior Court Dec. 28.


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Reporting from Tacoma, Wash. — Hours after the man suspected of killing four Seattle-area police officers was shot to death Tuesday, prosecutors said they had evidence of an extensive network of friends and relatives who helped him evade a massive manhunt.
Two friends of Maurice Clemmons, who was killed in the predawn hours after a Seattle officer recognized him, were arraigned in Pierce County Superior Court on charges of rendering criminal assistance. Authorities said at least three other people, including a driver who allegedly helped Clemmons flee the suburban coffee shop where the ambush occurred, soon could be charged.


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Worry involves thinking about possible future problems, concerns, or outcomes. It often takes the form of "what if..." thinking and generally accompanies anxiety. Everyone worries from time to time; however, some people may experience severe worry and struggle to feel better. In particular, people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at risk for severe worry, meaning that it occurs constantly throughout the day and feels uncontrollable.
Feeling this way can have a major negative impact on a person's life, interfering with work, relationships, and leisure activities. Fortunately, there are healthy coping strategies that can be used to better manage worry. Let's take a look at a few.
More often than not, worry coincides with anxiety. Therefore, by finding ways to better manage your anxiety, you may notice that your worry also reduces. There are two basic relaxation exercises that can be particularly useful for reducing anxiety -- deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation (or PMR).
Though breathing is second nature, this is not the case for deep breathing -- most people do it correctly. Natural breathing occurs with your diaphragm (a large muscle in your abdomen). When you breathe in, your belly should expand and when you breathe out, your belly should fall. Overtime, many people "forget" how to breathe this way and instead lift their shoulders when breathing. This provides less room for the lungs to expand, resulting in short and shallow breaths which can increase susceptibility to anxiety.
As the name implies, deep breathing is focused on deepening and lengthening your breath by breathing from your abdomen instead of your shoulders. Breathing in this way will naturally counteract anxiety, bringing about a state of calm and relaxation.
Progressive muscle relaxation, meanwhile, focuses attention on your muscles. Many people carry their anxiety and stress as tension in their muscles. PMR is a relaxation exercise where a person alternates between tensing and relaxing difficult muscle groups throughout the body. The idea behind this relaxation exercise is that more complete relaxation of your muscles can be obtained by first tensing a muscle and then relaxing it (kind of like a pendulum). PMR can also be done in combination with deep breathing, bringing on even more relaxation.
Expressive Writing
When people worry, they can feel as though the mind is filled with too many thoughts. As a result, it can be difficult to work through all these thoughts, as well as the feelings that may be underlying these thoughts.
Expressive writing can be a good way of organizing your thoughts, as well as connecting certain emotions to your thoughts. In expressive writing, a person puts aside a certain period of time and just writes freely about what they are thinking and feeling. Overtime, it has been found that expressive writing can reduce symptoms of tension and anxiety, as well as increase awareness of thoughts and feelings.
Putting Aside Time to Worry
Worry can take up a tremendous amount of time, and it can greatly interfere with concentration and other activities that you may be engaged in. Therefore, some have suggested that it may be useful to put aside a set period of time during your day to worry.
To do this, first identify any worries that you may be experiencing (especially those that frequently re-occur) and write them down. Then, identify a free time during your day when you can sit down and revisit those worries. Make sure to find a time when you aren't feeling particularly stressed out (for example, setting aside a time to worry at work probably wouldn't be the best idea).
This exercise shows that worries don't have to control your life. It also shows that worries can be delayed. We don't have to give in to them as soon as they pop into our heads. This exercise can help reduce the extent with which worries interfere with activities during your day.
Last, but definitely not least, mindfulness can be an excellent way of managing worry. Mindfulness has been around for ages; however, mental health professionals are beginning to recognize that mindfulness can have many benefits for people suffering from anxiety.
Mindfulness is a particular type of awareness. It is about being completely in touch with the present moment and being open to experiences as they come in a non-judgmental and non-evaluative way. There are a number of mindfulness exercises; however, the most useful for someone who experiences worry may be mindfulness of thoughts. Approaching your worries (as well as other feelings) in this way can reduce the extent with which you connect and latch on to your worries.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Worry is a part of being human. Therefore, there really is no way to completely remove worry from your life. However, there are things you can do to limit the impact worry has on your life.
If you struggle with worry, try out the exercises listed above and see which is most helpful for you. It may be that only one works or it could be that they all work. Practice each one and give it some time. Coping strategies such as the ones described above are going to be most useful when you have taken some time to practice them and make them into a habit. Make sure that you aside some time each day to practice these strategies.
Borkovec, T.D., Alcaine, O.M., & Behar, E. (2004). Avoidance theory of worry and generalized anxiety disorder. In R.G. Heimberg, C.L., Turk, & D.S. Mennin (Eds.), Generalized anxiety disorders: Advances in research and practice (pp. 77-108). New York: Guilford Press.
Leahy, R.L. (2009). Anxiety free: Unravel your fears before they unravel you. Australia: Hay House, Inc.
Orsillo, S.M., & Roemer, L. (2011). The mindful way through anxiety: Break free from chronic worry and reclaim your life. New York: Guilford Press.
Pennebaker, J.W. (1990). Opening up: The healing power of confiding in others. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc.
Tull, M.T., Hahn, K.S., Evans, S.D., Salters-Pedneault, K., & Gratz, K.L. (2011). Examining the role of emotional avoidance in the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity and worry. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 40, 5-14.


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Download Free Countdown Timer and Stopwatch Timer files
SourceForge.net hosts over 100,000 Open Source projects. You may find what you're looking for by searching our site or using our Software Map.
You may also want to consider these similarly-categorized projects:
This is the Free Countdown Timer and Stopwatch Timer project ("countdowntimer")
This project was registered on SourceForge.net on Apr 17, 2010, and is described by the project team as follows:
A high resolution Countdown Timer and Stop Watch written in C# .NET that pop up a message box with user defined message and play user specified sound when time is up. It use a QueueTimer (via PInvoke) for high resolution timing and System.Timers.Timer for normal resolution. It also allow users to save, load and remove current state to/from a XML file.
SourceForge.net is the world's largest provider of hosting for Open Source software development projects. SourceForge.net provides a variety of services to projects, including a download mirror network, collaborative development tools (like CVS and Subversion), and tools to support discussion and support. These services are provided to projects and their end-users free-of-charge.
Of benefit to users, Open Source software is licensed so you can download and use the software free-of-charge. The source code for this software is made available free-of-charge, you (or a programmer you hire) can make changes to this software to better meet your needs, and you can release your changed code back to the community passing the benefit on to other users.
The exact license terms used by this project on their project summary page and in the licensing documents included in their downloads.
To join this project, please contact the project administrators of this project, as shown on the project summary page.
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