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Reminder to self
Jennifer Weiner on writing, feminism, and her daughters
Last month, I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to go see Jennifer Weiner at Joseph-Beth Booksellers. I needed a little pick-me-up, and there's something so inspiring about watching an author interact with her fans. Especially when the author is as smart, funny, and genuine as Jennifer.
- "I think it would probably be easier to get my books made into movies if they were about skinny women falling in love … but that's just not what speaks to me."
- She writes to explore topics and themes, not promote a specific viewpoint.
- That said, feminism definitely informs her characters. They live "realized feminist lives" — with choices — and those choices have consequences.
- "We live in a world where, if you're a woman who expresses a strong opinion, there are 3 possible responses:
(1) I agree.
(2) I disagree.
(3) You should be raped and murdered."
- Someone asked Jennifer when she felt that she had "made it." She said it wasn't when she got a book deal, or a starred review, or even when she hit the bestseller list. It was when she championed Sarah Pekkanen's debut and helped Sarah hit the bestseller list. Jennifer said she felt her own success most strongly when she helped others achieve their dreams.
- "To be a writer, you have to have thick skin, but you also have to be exquisitely sensitive."
- Last but not least…
For her daughters, @jenniferweiner doesn't wish for happiness, but for resilience, sense of humor & sense of self. — @JosephBethCincy event
— Kristan Hoffman (@kristanhoffman) June 25, 2014
Stuff worth reading
"A Letter to Aspiring-Writer-Me from Debut-Novelist-Me" by Natalia Sylvester
Looking back, the moments you're most proud of won't be your big successes; they'll be your biggest failures, and the fact that you kept going in spite of them.
Your book may be your whole world, but to the whole world it is a book.
"On Marriage :: A Year Later" by Lisa Congdon
I will do everything in my power to protect this person from pain, comfort this person in her grief, love this person with every bone of my body, honor this person in every way possible, and to be absolutely truthful to this person.
"For Love or Money (And If You Do It Right, BOTH): Choosing a Career in Art" by Greg Ruth
Value what you do, and fight for its value. If you don't do this then how can anyone else? Don't wait hidden in some ancient cave like a treasure to be discovered one day, get out there and make yourself present and get discovered. That said, you don't need to be a dumbass about it. There is a tangible difference between ego and self-worth. Fighting for a better page rate reasonably is different than refusing to do a book tour unless you get a limo. Being an artist is a natural declaration of hubris, and you will be reminded of this by friends and family more than you'd like. Don't take it too seriously, but don't undervalue it either. It matters because it matters to you — it doesn't need to matter to a million others to have value.
A wolf grows up
Confession: If I'm a bit quiet lately, it's due to wedding planning. Everyone warned me that this would be a stressful process, but I thought that by choosing something small, quiet, and suited to me, I could escape the drama. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The concept of a wedding is all tied up with tradition, family, and culture — beautiful, powerful things — and some people have very strong opinions about what a wedding should be. Disagreements quickly dissolve into emotional tailspins. They create canyons in what you thought was solid earth. They pose problems that don't always have easy solutions — or maybe no solutions at all.
As I try (and sometimes fail) to deal with all of that, I find myself thinking about the short story "St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves" by Karen Russell. In it, a group of human girls and boys are born to wolves. The wolves love their children, and take care of them for a while, but eventually they allow the kids to be taken away and raised by humans, because that's what they think would be best. Despite some initial fears and sorrow, most of the kids do adapt, and even become happy. Then, at the end of the story, one girl goes back to see her wolf parents, and only then does she understand the gulf between where she came from and who she is now.
My #UtopYA2014 experience
A few months ago, I received an unexpected honor. Publicist KP Simmon and writer Kallie Ross had nominated me to participate on a panel they would be moderating at the 3rd annual UtopYA Con. Though the convention is themed around supernatural Young Adult and New Adult literature, it's actually open to all kinds of readers and writers, and my panel was not genre-specific. Through my participation with We Heart YA and #NALitChat, I had been tapped to speak about trends in the YA and NA categories. My fellow panelists were Chelsea Cameron and Rysa Walker.
Nashville is only a 4-hour drive from where I live, so two Fridays ago, I headed down the interstate, singing along to the radio and watching the beautiful Kentucky farmlands and Tennessee forests pass me by. I actually thought I would be arriving too late to see one of the panels that I was most interested in, but it turns out I had forgotten about the time zone change. Lucky me, I made it just in time!
Nashville, I am in you! And ready for the #UtopYA2014 panel "Fictionalizing World Causes & Teen Issues." pic.twitter.com/Qd2n44TREJ
— Kristan Hoffman (@kristanhoffman) June 20, 2014
The first day took more out of me, emotionally, than I had anticipated. It was a combination of that high I always get around people who are passionate about stories, and the overwhelmingness of so many new faces. I usually enjoy traveling alone, but in this case, it felt like everyone already knew each other — from previous conventions, or at least from social media — and I was the awkward new kid trying to figure out how/when to jump in.
Fortunately, Magan Vernon recognized me from Twitter and said hello, and her warm, welcoming nature encouraged me to be more outgoing on the second day. For several hours, I set up shop between Tammy Blackwell and Keary Taylor, and the three of us had a nice time chatting while we sold our books. (Or in my case, gave away download keys for Twenty-Somewhere.)
My panel was one of the last of the convention, and I think it went really well. Kallie did a fabulous job moderating, and KP, Chelsea, and Rysa had so many smart things to say. The audience asked great questions, and one woman even came up to speak with me afterward.
Panel time! Yay + yikes. #UtopYA2014 pic.twitter.com/ZuwlfchnJm
— Kristan Hoffman (@kristanhoffman) June 21, 2014
I had been live-tweeting throughout the weekend, sharing the best tips and observations, but sadly I couldn't do that for my own panel. The next day, I noticed that a couple people had quoted me — yay! — so I've included those below as well.
My highlights from UtopYA Con 2014:
NY publishers are sometimes wary of "issue" books, but readers are clamoring for them. – @aammyyss #UtopYA2014
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 20, 2014
"The best thing is when people email me to say, 'I went through something like this, and your book helped me.'" – @MaganVernon #UtopYA2014
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 20, 2014
"I like characters who are gay, but they're not The Gay Character. There's more to them than that one trait." – audience member #UtopYA2014
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 20, 2014
"Stay true to the character, & stay true to the people who love that character." – @aammyyss on not hiding what a book is about #UtopYA2014
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 20, 2014
Sometimes books have a niche audience — but that makes for more passionate fans! Advice: Find your market. #UtopYA2014
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 20, 2014
All the panelists agree that publishing traditionally & indie are equally hard, just in different ways. #UtopYA2014 #hybridauthor
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 20, 2014
"I'm in love with my agent…It's kind of like having your own superhero." – @ChelseaFine, repped by @sztownsend81 #UtopYA2014 #hybridauthor
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 20, 2014
Great view of Nashville from the Crown Ballroom at #UtopYA2014. pic.twitter.com/TccP6V7NqM
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 21, 2014
Top drivers of traffic for #YAlit community: FB, Tumblr, Twitter. And each has their own language that you have to learn/speak. #UtopYA2014
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 21, 2014
From Gennifer Albin's keynote on Saturday morning:
Writing was about "finding a way back to me." – @GenniferAlbin #UtopYA2014
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 21, 2014
"I create worlds and people. I can choose to share that with whomever I want." – @GenniferAlbin on #writing #UtopYA2014
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 21, 2014
"Hope does ask a lot of you, and it's easier not to answer. But hope is always the smartest investment." – @GenniferAlbin #UtopYA2014
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 21, 2014
"Everyone will survive wrinkled laundry and dusty baseboards." – @GenniferAlbin on feeling guilty about taking time to write #UtopYA2014
— We Heart YA (@weheartya) June 21, 2014
From my panel:
New Adult upcoming trends at #UtopYA2014: diversity, genre mashups, foreign settings, friendships & present parents will be hot next.
— Avery Oslo (@AveryOslo) June 21, 2014
New Adult protags are future oriented, Young Adult chars live more in the present. #UtopYA2014
— Avery Oslo (@AveryOslo) June 21, 2014
Don't be afraid to write something that isn't trendy. #YANAtrends #UtopYA2014
— Maria Pease (@PaisleyReader) June 21, 2014
Overall, the convention was a really good experience for me, and I'm so glad that I was invited to participate. From what I saw, the organizers did a great job — it's no surprise UtopYA has been basically doubling in size from year to year.
I feel like I learned and grew quite a bit over the short weekend. And if nothing else, I got a big laugh out of what happens when 99% of your convention attendees are women:


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Casual reminder that in one of Leonardo da Vinci's many notebooks containing innumerable artistic and scientific sketches and notes of incomprehensible important, there is a sketch of two penises with legs and tails walking towards a crudely drawn anus.
The sketch was most likely done by Leonardo's apprentice Salai, who was not only very likely one of Leonardo's lovers, but who was also infamously mischievous. Better yet, the anus is literally labeled "Salai."
So either Salai drew these while Leonardo wasn't looking just to annoy his boyfriend, or Leonardo himself put actual time and energy into drawing these. Either way, the human race is truly blessed to have made such a discovery.
There are dick drawings like the ones you see on desks in school in Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks. Please cherish this information.
In the midst of exploring Renaissance Italy history for reasons, I have found a wonder.
"A few years ago, I got a call on my cell phone from a twelve year old child from my village. He was calling me from a bus stop. He'd taken a bus into the city alone, and he was calling me to ask if I could help him find a way to go to school. Both of his parents had died of AIDS, and he had no money for tuition. I told him to stay where he was, and left work immediately to pick him up. At first I was very mad at him. He should not have travelled alone. But then I looked at him and I saw myself. I'd also been desperate to go to school after my father was killed, but we had no money. So even though I was suffering myself, I told him I would try to help him. My salary was not enough, so I tried many things to get the money. After work, I went to the landfill to hunt for recyclables. But after I paid to have them cleaned, there was no money left. Now I'm trying to make bricks. I have a small operation in the village to make bricks, and I sell them in the city. It doesn't make much money, but it's enough to pay tuition for the boy and three of his siblings."
(Kampala, Uganda)
"I was seven years old when it happened. It was about 9 pm at night. We heard the neighbors screaming so we knew that the rebels were in the village. There were many people visiting in my house at the time, so all the men gathered in the main room. We had no guns, only knives. Soon the dog started barking, then we heard footsteps, and then we heard a knock on the door. They started calling for my father to come out. We didn't answer, so they started shooting into the house. Everyone pushed against the door to try to keep it closed, but they knocked it down. My father saw that he couldn't run, so he gave himself up. They took him away. Then they gathered all the men and boys, and marched us out of the back of the house. My brother tried to jump and climb up on the roof, but they saw him and shot him. I knew I had to try something different, so I waited until we were rounding a corner, and I jumped into a bush, and I kept crawling until I reached the other side, then I got up and ran. I ran all the way to the neighbor's house, but they turned me away and locked the door. So I hid all night in the graveyard. The next day I returned to my house. They'd taken everything. They dumped my sick mother onto the floor and took her mattress. I found my father's body in the barn. They'd cut off his arms and his legs."
(Kampala, Uganda)
bonus points if you can come up with some visualizations~
No conozco el serio como unidad de medida, así que no puedo responder a tu pregunta de la forma en la que me lo pides.
Lo siento.
"When we graduate, my friend and I want to start an organization to teach people in rural areas how to read. I was volunteering at a clinic last year, and I saw a child die of Cholera because the mother couldn't remember the prescription instructions."
(Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo)
"I'm embarrassed to say this, but I'll say it. I've had a really hard time finding work, so I've been living with my grandmother. And she's told me recently that she doesn't have the money to feed me. So I've been eating at my friend's house. I go over there, and I'm too embarrassed to ask for anything, but his dad always insists. He says: 'Why aren't you eating? Please, eat!' This has really caused my idea of 'family' to widen. I've learned that your family can be anyone."
(Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo)

subset: commoncrawl


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my deepest fear is that my kids will think that harry potter is a piece of crap
(Source: mydraco)
Page 1 of 911


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Football fans arrive in Bradford on charity challenge (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Football fans arrive in Bradford on charity challenge
9:00am Saturday 19th April 2014 in News
A group of football fans will arrive in Bradford on Sunday as part of a charity challenge to visit all 92 English Football League grounds in 92 hours.
Mike Harley, of Bristol, is leading a small team that is aiming to get to Bradford City's Valley Parade home by 9.47am – and they want as many people as possible to pop down and see them.
The challenge is in support of Invest In ME, which is an ME research charity.
Mr Harley said: "Our aim is to raise awareness for ME which we feel is an illness which doesn't get the funding and research many others do. My childhood friend Ian has suffered with the illness for more than seven years and new research could help him and up to 250,000 other sufferers get back to living normal lives."
The team's challenge started on Wednesday at Plymouth Argyle. They will visit Leeds United before Bradford, and Huddersfield Town afterwards. They aim to finish on Monday morning at Middlesbrough.
More than 40 clubs across all four divisions have offered matchday programme features, signed kit and a chance to meet players.
Find out more at www.92in92.blogspot.co.uk or facebook.com/92forME. Donate to the challenge at www.justgiving.com/teams/strobl


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Essex batsmen might get extra time at crease in friendly with Kent (From Echo)
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Essex batsmen might get extra time at crease in friendly with Kent
9:00am Thursday 3rd April 2014 in Sport By George Thorpe
EXTRA time might be given to batsmen in Essex's friendly against Kent which begins today.
Eagles' head coach Paul Grayson said the format of the two-day game may take a different style to their previous friendly with Surrey last week in order to give the top order more time in the middle.
He said: "We might play 90 overs in a day and give someone the chance to bat all day.
"When you only have 50 or 60 overs like we did with Surrey you might start building a good score but then retire.
"We want to see hundreds from our top order this season to help us put big scores on the board, so they might benefit from more time batting."
The only player unavailable through injury is young fast bowler Reece Topley who has a stress fracture in his back.
Grayson admitted the 20-year-old is also likely to miss out on the season's opener against Derbyshire on April 13.
"It would be foolish to rush him back," he said.
"Reece was a big player for us last year and he has a big workload in front of him this season."


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AFC Bournemouth: Fit-again Austin in QPR squad for Cherries clash (From Bournemouth Echo)
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AFC Bournemouth: Ex-Poole Town striker Charlie Austin fit to return to QPR squad for Cherries clash
6:50pm Friday 4th April 2014 in Sport By Ned Payne
FORMER Poole Town striker Charlie Austin will be part of the QPR squad that takes on Cherries at Dean Court tomorrow afternoon (3pm).
The 24-year-old, sidelined since late-January with a shoulder injury, scored 64 goals in 57 Dolphins appearances before spending time at Swindon and Burnley.
Loftus Road boss Harry Redknapp, who steered Cherries to their highest finish in the second tier, confirmed the hitman was available.
He said: "Charlie is a tough sort, he loves playing and it will be great to have him back."
Prior to his injury, Austin was in fine form, with 15 goals in 28 appearances making him top scorer for the Rs.
Less positive news for Redknapp is that midfielder Joey Barton and defensive duo Nedum Onuoha and Aaron Hughes are ruled out.
With a glut of ex-Premier League players on their books and plenty of financial resources, QPR still have an outside chance of automatic promotion, but Cherries midfielder Harry Arter feels the London club are not as well off as they might be.
Arter told the Daily Echo: "They were expected to go up automatically and were probably clear favourites for the league.
"You've only got to look at their manager, who is one of the best managers in England and has achieved so much in his career.
"With him in charge and the players they have got there, you would have expected them to be at the top.
"The Championship is a really difficult league and maybe their fans didn't understand that. Maybe the fans thought they would walk it, but things don't always go to plan."
Comments (4)
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7:28pm Fri 4 Apr 14
Cherryfan says...
8:45pm Fri 4 Apr 14
raybren says...
6:56am Sat 5 Apr 14
Nat1234 says...
9:27am Sat 5 Apr 14
CC C-siders says...
Tommy will take care of Charrlie.
Who will look after Lewis & Yann - and Pughy - and Ritchie - and Arter - and O'Kane - and......Bring it on!
Grabban to grab his 20th today.
QPR NEED to win. We can relax.
Comments are closed on this article.


text: Development Policy Review, 2001, 19 (4): 521-532 Local Democracy, Democratic Decentralisation and Rural Development: Theories, Challenges and Options for Policy Craig Johnson∗ Democratic decentralisation is often presented as the sine qua non of rural poverty reduction. But there is little evidence that either democracy or decentralisation is necessary for poverty reduction in rural or urban areas, and indeed some evidence that they are counter-productive. There are success stories to report, however. They are cases where three conditions have been met: an appropriate balance between autonomy and accountability; constructive support from external actors; and a commitment to democratic deepening. It is worth building on these conditions because democratic activity is not merely an instrumental good; it also has intrinsic benefits for the rural poor. Introduction Democracy and decentralisation are often presented as necessary conditions for effective rural development. Democratic decentralisation, it is argued, results in a state apparatus more exposed and therefore more responsive to local needs and aspirations (Crook and Sverrisson, 2001). This in turn produces systems of governance that are more effective (Blair, 2000; Crook and Manor, 1998; Manor, 1999; Rondinelli et al., 1989). However, the relationship between democratic decentralisation and poverty reduction is not entirely clear. The collection of studies that preceded the World Bank's 1 World Development Report 2000/1 concluded that there was no consistent connection between pro-poorness and democracy. While the very worst performers tend not to be democracies – democracy does provide some kind of safety net – there are non-democracies among the best performers. (Moore and Putzel, 1999: 8) Furthermore, The notion that there is a predictable or general link between decentralisation of government and the development of more 'pro-poor' policies or poverty- alleviating outcomes clearly lacks any convincing evidence. Those who ∗ Research Officer, Overseas Development Institute, London. 1. The key references here are Varshney (1999), Niles (1999), Moore et al. (1999). Overseas Development Institute, 2001. Published by Blackwell Publishers, Oxford OX4 1JF, UK and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA. 522 Craig Johnson advocate decentralisation on these grounds, at least, should be more cautious . . (Crook and Sverrisson, 2001:52) In short, the idea that democratic decentralisation will necessarily produce gains for the poor is not entirely consistent with the evidence. Reflecting upon these themes, this article aims to understand the disharmony that can exist between democratic decentralisation and rural poverty. In particular, it considers the challenge of encouraging decentralisation and democracy in rural areas, where political agency and access to information are frequently limited by traditional and modern-bureaucratic systems of hierarchy and control. The article proceeds as follows. First, we unpack the tension that appears to exist between democratic decentralisation and poverty reduction, and then dig deeper for encouragement in new initiatives. Evidence from Asia, Africa and Latin America highlights the role that civil society organisations and external actors, such as NGOs and central governments, can play in empowering and democratising local political bodies. First, however, we need to clarify what democratic decentralisation involves, and why it has been thought necessary for rural poverty reduction. A defining feature of any democratic system is that decision-makers are under the 'effective popular control' (Mayo, 1960: 60) of the people they are meant to govern. In the West, liberal democracy has tended towards four particular norms (Mayo, 1960: 61- 9): • popular control of policy-makers, both by regular elections and by the pressure of social interest groups; • the institutionalisation of all adult citizens in voting (i.e. one person, one vote); • political freedom in the eyes of the state; and • 2 policy decisions made on the basis of majority rule. Beyond these very basic principles, liberal democracies also entail a wide range of rules, norms and customs through which citizens can exercise effective control over public officials. Included here would be an independent judiciary, a free press, systems of transparency, and freedom of association and speech (Luckham et al., 2000; Putzel, 1997). Decentralisation involves both deconcentration, in which local bodies are asked (or, more appropriately, instructed) to assume responsibilities that have traditionally been carried out by central line agencies; and devolution, in which local bodies are granted the political and financial authority to undertake these duties (Blair, 2000; Crook and Manor, 1998: 6-7; Rondinelli et al., 1989). For democratisation to be democratic implies more than the downward delegation of authority. Crucially, it entails a system of governance in which citizens possess the right to hold local public officials to account through the use of elections, collective action and other democratic means (see below). Blair (2000: 21) captures the essence of this important idea: 2. These, of course, imply a system of indirect representation, whereby candidates engage in competitive elections for public office. Local Democracy, Democratic Decentralisation and Rural Development 523 [Democratic decentralisation] can be defined as meaningful authority devolved to local units of governance that are accessible and accountable to the local citizenry, who enjoy full political rights and liberty. It thus differs from the vast majority of earlier efforts at decentralization in developing areas, which go back to the 1950s, and which were largely initiatives in public administration without any serious democratic component. As he argues, periodic elections provide an important means of ensuring government responsiveness and accountability on broad social issues. At the same time, he observes, 'elections are crude instruments of popular control, since they occur at widely spaced intervals . . . and address only the broadest issues' (Blair, 2000: 27). Such findings highlight the difference between democratic institutions, such as regular elections and an independent judiciary, and what Luckham and his colleagues (2000) have called 'democratic politics', in which marginal groups are able to maintain a basic level of independence from the myriad social intrusions that underlie non- democratic regimes. A critical point they make is that democratic institutions frequently embody an elite bias, along lines of class, gender, religion and other social groupings, and it is the process of democratic politics – contestation, self-determination and struggle – that leads to the 'deepening of democracy'. For rural areas, arguments in favour of democratic decentralisation are often associated with improvements in public accountability, environmental sustainability and the empowerment of poor and vulnerable groups (e.g. Rondinelli et al., 1989; IFAD, 2001). Central to this is the notion that large and centrally administered bureaucracies represent an inefficient and potentially destructive means of allocating resources (and generating wealth) within society (Economist, 2001; Lal, 2000; World Bank, 2000). The solution, it is argued, is to make governments more accountable and more responsive to local people (IFAD, 2001; Drèze and Sen, 1996; World Bank, 2000). However, the evidence cited above raises doubts about whether and to what extent democratic decentralisation will necessarily lead to poverty reduction. This theme is now explored in more detail. Democratic decentralisation and (rural) poverty reduction: explaining the evidence Democracy and poverty One explanation for the apparent disharmony between democracy and poverty reduction is the possibility that strong economic performance and sound economic policy require a system of governance that favours planning and coherence over the demands of democratic representation. Whereas active state intervention appears to have contributed to the substantial rates of growth we find in countries like Taiwan and South Korea, for instance, the relationship between democracy and economic growth appears somewhat less clear. Indeed, Wade's conclusions about economic growth in Northeast Asia (Wade, 1990) appear to suggest that high growth rates and macroeconomic stability required a regime that was decidedly authoritarian in nature (cf. Moore and Putzel, 1999). 524 Craig Johnson Findings from Asia, as well as other parts of the developing world, highlight an underlying tension between the autonomy that governments require to plan and implement coherent policy and the participatory spirit of representative democracy. Luckham et al. (2000: 36) capture the essence of this idea: The dilemma for democracies of ever-more inclusive and participatory politics is that a multiplication of demands on the state can undermine the policy effectiveness, as is typically the case in populist regimes. Inequality and poverty can prompt a wave of demands for immediate benefits that endanger sound economic policy since high short-term gains for the poor are hard to finance properly. A second and related hypothesis is that democracies have an in-built bias that discriminates against 'pro-poor policies'. Here there is an assertion that office-holders in democracies have strong disincentives to introduce legislation that would contradict the interests of dominant groups in society (Luckham et al., 2000). Joan Nelson (cited in Luckham et al., 2000: 33-4) offers four explanations for why this would be the case: • re-distributive policies (such as land reform and progressive taxation) entail a zero sum character whereby gains for the poor often come at the expense of elite groups in society; • 'the poor' constitute a large group, whose interests and needs are difficult to address; • comprehensive poverty programmes may entail extensive institutional change; and • truly universal poverty programmes offer few opportunities for patronage (see below). In short, the correlation between democracy and poverty reduction is rather tenuous. What, then, of the relationship between democratic decentralisation and rural poverty reduction? Democratic decentralisation and rural poverty A recurring theme that emerges from a sizeable body of literature is the relatively weak correlation that exists between democratic decentralisation and poverty reduction (e.g. Blair, 2000; Crook and Manor, 1998; Crook and Sverrisson, 2001; Golooba-Mutebi, 2000; Manor, 1999; Moore and Putzel, 1999; Rahman, 2001). Despite great strides at devolving power to local, democratically elected bodies, decentralisation in Colombia, Brazil and West Bengal appears to have achieved little in the way of reducing poverty or improving regional disparities (Crook and Sverrisson, 2001: 37-9). Manor's conclusions (1999: 106-8) about experiences in Bolivia, India and Bangladesh are equally pessimistic. Such findings raise a number of concerns about the viability of encouraging rural poverty reduction through democratic decentralisation, four in particular. First, they suggest that even the most successful forms of democratic decentralisation have been unable to overcome economic and political disparities, both Local Democracy, Democratic Decentralisation and Rural Development 525 within and among regions. This, in turn, highlights the problem of raising public revenue in rural areas, where economic surplus (and therefore taxable revenue) is typically sparse. Here it is important to recognise that development programmes are often highly subject to regional bias. This can take numerous forms, including bias in favour of relatively affluent and well-developed areas, urban bias and political bias in favour of regions where local actors are exceptionally important and/or influential. Assuming that governments are serious about devolving power to local bodies, policies of this nature can also be deeply threatening to national elites (Moore and Putzel, 1999). Even when central governments allow the creation of autonomous local authorities, they can still exercise substantial control by stipulating performance targets, reporting mechanisms and the like (Manor, 1999: 60-1; Moore and Putzel, 1999: 20-1). Second, they imply an underlying tension between rural inequality and local democracy. An important concern here is that poverty will have a debilitating effect on the ability to engage in formal political processes. A direct illustration of this is the relationship between basic literacy and political action. As Drèze and Sen (1996) have forcefully argued, one's ability to obtain and understand information about laws, policies and the rights to which one is entitled is often highly dependent on the ability to read. This, in turn, highlights the means by which poor people are represented in democratic institutions (e.g. through political parties, bloc voting, lobbying, and so on) and the extent to which they have the 'political tools' (e.g. money, power, information, literacy) to influence the democratic process. When voters are ill informed about party platforms, government policies and the rights that these may provide, their ability to influence the democratic process can be limited. Likewise, when politicians and parties campaign on the basis of (relatively) short-term pay-offs, as opposed to programmatic policies, the relationship between compromises of this nature and democratic accountability can be very thin indeed (Moore and Putzel, 1999). Third, and related to this, is the dilemma of encouraging poor people to assume the costs of engaging in direct political action. As Moore and Putzel (1999: 10) have argued, agrarian institutions may be structured in a way that prevents poor people from participating in political rallies and the like. Moreover, the costs of political action (e.g. costs of travel, communication and/or potential backlash) may deter them from pursuing or sustaining coherent political movements. Multiple and potentially contradictory loyalties may undermine political solidarity around class-based identities, such as 'small farmers, landless, wage workers, tenants, recipients of food subsidies, squatters' and the like. Finally, there is the problem of local elite capture. As numerous studies (e.g. Blair, 2000; Crook and Manor, 1998; Crook and Sverrisson, 2001; Drèze and Sen, 1996; Manor, 1999; Moore and Putzel, 1999: 15) have pointed out, one of the dangers of decentralisation is that it may simply empower local elites and, worse, perpetuate existing poverty and inequality. Whether the introduction of democratic principles – on its own – would overcome the historical and cultural factors that perpetuate political inequality is somewhat doubtful (Luckham et al., 2000; Moore and Putzel, 1999). This, in turn, highlights the challenge of encouraging democracy in rural areas where large numbers of people are dependent upon small numbers of local, powerful elites. Where the spoils of government intervention are particularly good, one can predict with reasonable confidence that the costs of ensuring equitable distribution and of discouraging local corruption will be high. This is notoriously true of rural 526 Craig Johnson infrastructure projects, such as road building (Rao, 2000) or irrigation, in which markets for primary inputs, labour and public regulation (Wade, 1985) are strong. Here the corruption of local administrative bodies will depend on a number of factors: the ease of procuring spoils from the programme; the amount of available rent to be appropriated; the ability to avoid detection and/or sanction; and crucially, systems of accountability which would ideally expose and sanction behaviour of this kind. This last factor is worth highlighting, both because it can be affected by public policy and because it is the misallocation or 'corruption' of public resources that often justifies the strongest calls for democratic decentralisation (e.g. Drèze and Sen, 1996; World Bank, 2000). The next section explores this theme in more detail. Ways forward Studies of decentralisation have shown that devolution can enhance rural livelihoods in a number of ways. First, the establishment and empowerment of local resource user groups can improve the ways in which local people manage and use natural resources, thereby improving the resource base on which poor people are often disproportionately dependent (Baland and Platteau, 1996; IFAD, 2001; Ostrom, 1990). Implicit here is an assumption that local (and primarily rural) communities possess the knowledge, information and incentive to manage and conserve the resources on which they and their families depend (cf. Agrawal and Gibson, 1999: 633; Baland and Platteau, 1996: Chap. 10). Second, and related to this, collaboration between public agencies and local resource users can produce 'synergistic' outcomes (Evans, 1996a; 1996b; Ostrom, 1996), in which citizens and civil servants co-operate to provide goods that would be unobtainable were they acting alone. Classic examples of this would include joint forest management (IFAD, 2001), fisheries co-management (Pomeroy and Berkes, 1997) and participatory watershed management (Farrington et al., 2000). Third, and most central to this article, the democratisation and empowerment of local administrative bodies can enhance participation in decision-making fora, particularly among groups that have been traditionally marginalised by local political processes (Blair, 2000; Crook and Sverrisson, 2001; Crook and Manor, 1998). Studies from Africa, Asia and Latin America have shown that the introduction of elections, systems of transparency and rights of expression and association can empower poor people, enhancing their ability to participate in local decision-making and (crucially) encouraging them to hold public officials to account (Blair, 2000; Crook and Manor, 1998; Crook and Sverrisson, 2001; Drèze and Sen, 1996; Manor, 1999; Rondinelli et al., 1989). As Blair (2000: 25) points out, 'increased representation offers significant benefits in itself'. For one, he argues, participation in local, democratically elected bodies can lead to improvements in self-identity and worth, which can help to break down customs of inequality and discrimination. Second, membership in local administrative bodies can provide important skills (e.g. bookkeeping, leadership, etc.) that can be transferred to other walks of life. Regulations stipulating the inclusion of such groups (for instance the reservation system in India's panchayats) can help to ensure that poor and marginalised groups have a voice in local bodies (Crook and Manor, 1998). Among the most successful Local Democracy, Democratic Decentralisation and Rural Development 527 cases (e.g. West Bengal, Colombia, the Philippines), systems of local democratic governance have also been shown to improve the efficiency and responsiveness of public officials (Blair, 2000; Crook and Sverrisson, 2001; Crook and Manor, 1998; Manor, 1999). 3 Underlying these 'more successful' models are political systems in which central state agencies have been willing and able to relinquish and/or create new powers 4 governing legislation, administration and (more rarely) taxation (Crook and Manor, 1998; Manor, 1999; Tendler, 1997). Manor (1999), for instance, has shown that decentralisation can improve government effectiveness and accountability when: elected bodies at local levels have adequate funds; they enjoy substantive autonomy from higher-level bodies; and lines of accountability exist between elected representatives and citizens, and between non-elected bureaucrats and elected representatives. Are there some general themes that emerge from these experiences? Three are suggested. Balancing autonomy and accountability One theme that emerges from this review is the need to strike a balance between state autonomy, on the one hand, and a measure of what Granovetter (1992) has called 'social embeddedness', on the other. The challenge here is one of maintaining the autonomy to overcome powerful interests in society while, at the same time, engaging the views and preferences of non-state actors. Tendler's study in northeastern Brazil, for instance, illustrates the ways in which extended interaction between government health workers and client communities can improve primary healthcare in rural areas (Tendler, 1997; Tendler and Freedheim, 1994). This was due to a number of factors: government officials spent extended periods of time with beneficiaries; this, in turn, created a situation in which officials were affected by ('embedded in') the opinions and sanctions of community members; good performance carried high prestige, both within the community and within the civil service; and central government was instrumental in supporting these initiatives. Along similar lines, Crook and Manor (1998: 302-4) highlight the challenge of encouraging a 'culture of accountability' in local political processes. Reflecting on the relatively successful case of Karnataka (India), they argue that accountability required the existence of: competitive political parties (cf. Blair, 2000); a widely distributed free press (cf. Blair, 2000); and a 'professional civil service', in which officials were willing 3. Note that success here is defined principally in terms of participation and responsiveness of public officials. 4. In theory, local revenue-raising and the threat of the vote would further strengthen the autonomy and accountability of local administrative bodies. In practice, however, the decentralisation of taxation may be a difficult undertaking. As Manor (1999: 111) has argued, the central dilemma here is not necessarily the lack of taxable surplus (although this too is a problem), but the political and administrative costs of collecting public resources, the reluctance among many central governments to grant the authority that activities of this nature would require and the (somewhat ubiquitous) reluctance among residents to in fact pay their taxes. Lacking a means of ensuring transparent budget allocation, there is also little guarantee that the creation of financially autonomous bodies will not simply perpetuate further corruption of local resources or, worse, encourage local politicians to eliminate certain services entirely (Crook and Manor, 1998: 301). 528 Craig Johnson 'to develop a constructive but law-abiding relationship with elected politicians' (Crook and Manor, 1998: 303). Engaging external actors A second theme that emerges in the literature on democratic decentralisation (and on democracy in general) is the powerful way in which external actors can empower poor and marginal groups in society (Crook and Manor, 1998; Tendler, 1997). NGOs, for instance, have been shown to empower the poor in a number of ways (Bratton, 1990; Clark, 1991; White and Runge, 1995). First, they can connect poor and marginal people with a wider circle of allies, with whom they can mount a more effective political lobby. Second, and related to this, they can absorb some of the costs of engaging in political action (e.g. transportation, communication and so forth). Third, and somewhat less tangibly, they can encourage what Samuel Popkin (1979: 243) has described as 'new conceptions of identity and self-worth'. This they can do by encouraging poor people to engage in collective action (White and Runge, 1995) or by transmitting information about constitutional rights, potential allies and other political opportunities. Another vital source of external support can come from 'higher-level' echelons within government. This can work in a number of ways. First, central or higher-level agents within the state can provide an important 'counter elite' (Crook and Sverrisson, 2001: 52) to groups that would resist efforts to make local bodies more democratic (Crook and Sverrisson, 2001; Moore and Putzel, 1999; Tendler, 1997). Second, and crucially, they can structure incentives in a way that allows local participation and public accountability to take root. Such incentives would conceivably include career trajectories, 'earmarked funding' (Crook and Sverrisson, 2001: 51) for local bodies, and status within society (Crook and Manor, 1998; Tendler, 1997). Such findings raise important questions about the strategies that poor people – and social organisations that act on their behalf – can use to influence public policy. They also suggest that the central state may have a larger role to play in local development than more idealistic theories of democratic decentralisation would lead us to believe (cf. Manor, 1999; Moore and Putzel, 1999: 15; Tendler and Freedheim, 1994; Tendler, 1997). 'Democratic deepening' A third theme that emerges from this analysis is the need to move beyond the realm of 'procedural democracy', and to encourage what Luckham et al. (2000) have called substantive or 'deep' democracy. As the preceding arguments suggest, elections constitute an imperfect yet vital component of any democratic system. However, their ability to encourage effective responsive governance is highly dependent upon three important variables: the degree to which parties and politicians campaign on substantive policy issues, as opposed to populism or, worse, clientelism and vote buying; the quality of information voters have at their disposal; and the strength of civil society organisations. Manor (1999: 74-6) makes the case that political parties have an important role to play in local democratic systems (cf. Blair, 2000; Crook and Manor, 1998). Central to this is the idea that multi-party democracies help to organise 'opposing forces' (Manor, Local Democracy, Democratic Decentralisation and Rural Development 529 1999: 75) into clearly recognisable groups, stimulating public criticism and debate. That having been said, the ability to articulate interests and stimulate debate depends in no small way on the internal dynamics and debates that exist within political parties. The experience in West Bengal suggests that political parties (in this case the Communist Party) can address rural poverty when they develop and pursue a programme that is ideologically committed to the goal of social redistribution (Kohli, 1987; Crook and Sverrisson, 2001). However, the historical events that led to the communist movement in West Bengal have prompted some scholars (e.g. Crook and Sverrisson, 2001) to question the viability of replicating the experience in other political settings. Moreover, it is worth emphasising that the achievement of this political programme was not entirely democratic in character (Kohli, 1987), reiterating the tension that can exist between coherent policy and popular democracy. Just as elections do not a democracy make, the same can be said of party politics and democratisation. The development of a strong and vibrant civil society is also inextricably linked to the political opportunities the state makes available, and the ways in which poor and marginal groups in society exploit these opportunities (Luckham et al., 2000; Moore and Putzel, 1999). This, in turn, highlights the ways in which identities based on class, caste, religion, ethnicity, gender and other social markers affect social mobilisation and political voice (Luckham et al., 2000; Harriss, 2000; Moore and Putzel, 1999). It also poses the question of whether and to what extent political struggles among and between these and other social groupings will lead to stronger forms of civil society and, by extension, more equitable forms of governance (Luckham et al., 2000; Harriss, 2000). Conclusion We began on a pessimistic note, but end more optimistically. Democratic decentralisation is not a panacea and often contributes little to poverty reduction. However, it has been shown to strengthen the livelihoods of poor people in rural areas, and the conditions which distinguish such cases can be identified. In particular, it is necessary to find the right balance between autonomy and accountability, to engage the support of external actors, and to encourage democratic deepening. To make these general principles operational, it is necessary to take a more systematic look at the ways in which democratic decentralisation affects pro-poor policy and poverty reduction in rural areas. One important area of research would aim to understand the ways in which changing patterns of production, accumulation and exchange within rural economies affect local systems of democratic governance. If, for instance, rural livelihoods are indeed becoming increasingly multi-spatial (Start; Wiggins, this volume), one may need to question the viability of introducing electoral systems based on territorially defined citizenship. A second area of concern touches upon the tension between increasingly participatory systems of governance and the needs of effective and coherent policy. The findings presented in this article suggest that central states (and central planning, in particular) have an important role to play in ensuring the development and implementation of substantive pro-poor policies. This, however, may be at odds with the interests of democratic decentralisation. As Luckham et al. (2000: 38) have argued, 'a certain degree of "re-centralisation" may be needed to ensure that the needs of the 530 Craig Johnson poor are not neglected'. For scholars and practitioners of development, the related challenge here is to determine the policies and programmes that are most suitably managed and administered through local democratically elected bodies. Finally, it must be stressed that democracy embodies principles that lay the foundations for fair and equitable development (cf. Sen, 1999; World Bank, 2000). In its most undiluted form, democratic decentralisation is a process that aims to extend and improve the franchise of groups that are traditionally under-represented in market and state. By engaging, educating and empowering broader segments of society, the introduction of democratic principles can strengthen the capabilities of poor and vulnerable groups, irrespective of whether this leads to material reductions in poverty (Sen, 1999). References Agrawal, Arun and Gibson, Clark C. (1999) 'Enchantment and Disenchantment: The Role of Community in Natural Resource Conservation', World Development 27 (6): 629-49. Baland, Jean-Marie and Platteau, Jean-Philippe (1996) Halting Degradation of Natural Resources: Is there a Role for Rural Communities? Oxford: Clarendon Press for FAO. Blair, Harry (2000) 'Participation and Accountability at the Periphery: Democratic Local Governance in Six Countries', World Development 28 (1): 21-39. Bratton, Michael (1990) 'Non-governmental Organizations in Africa Can They Influence Policy?', Development and Change 21 (1): 87-118. Clark, John (1991) Democratizing Development: The Role of Voluntary Organizations. London: Earthscan. Crook, Richard C. and Manor, James (1998) Democracy and Decentralisation in South Asia and West Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Crook, Richard C. and Sverrisson, Alan Sturla (2001) Decentralisation and Poverty- Alleviation in Developing Countries: A Comparative Analysis or, Is West Bengal Unique? IDS Working Paper 130. Brighton: Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex. Drèze, Jean and Sen, Amartya (1996) India: Economic Development and Social Opportunity. Delhi: Oxford University Press. Economist (2001) 'Survey of India', 2 June. Evans, Peter (1996a) 'Introduction: Development Strategies across the Public-Private Divide', World Development 24 (6): 1033-7. Evans, Peter (1996b) 'Government Action, Social Capital and Development: Reviewing the Evidence on Synergy', World Development 24 (6): 1119-32. Farrington, John, Turton, Cathryn and James, A.J. (eds) (2000) Participatory Watershed Development: Challenges for the Twenty-First Century. Delhi: Oxford University Press. Golooba-Mutebi, F. (2000) 'Reassessing Participation in Uganda', Paper presented at the conference on New Institutional Economics, Institutional Reform and Poverty Reduction, Development Studies Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science, 7-8 September. Local Democracy, Democratic Decentralisation and Rural Development 531 Granovetter, Mark (1992) 'Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness', in M. Granovetter and R. Swedberg (eds), The Sociology of Economic Life. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Harriss, John (2000) How Much Difference Does Politics Make? Regime Differences Across Indian States and Rural Poverty Reduction. Destin Working Paper No. 00- 01. London: Development Studies Institute, London School of Economics. IFAD (2001) Rural Poverty Report 2001: The Challenge of Ending Rural Poverty. Oxford: Oxford University Press for IFAD. Kohli, Atul (1987) The State and Poverty in India: The Politics of Reform. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Lal, Deepak (2000) The Poverty of Development Economics. Delhi: Oxford University Press. Luckham, Robin, Goetz, Anne Marie and Kaldor, Mary (2000) Democratic Institutions and Politics in Contexts of Inequality, Poverty, and Conflict: A Conceptual Framework. IDS Working Paper 104. Brighton: Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex. Manor, James (1999) The Political Economy of Democratic Decentralisation. Directions in Development Series. Washington, DC: World Bank. Mayo, Henry B. (1960) An Introduction to Democratic Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Moore, Mick and Putzel, James (1999) 'Politics and Poverty: A Background Paper for the World Development Report 2000/1'. Brighton: Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex (mimeo). Moore, Mick, Leavy, J., Houtzager, P. and White, H. (1999) 'Polity Qualities: How Governance Affects Poverty'. Background paper prepared for World Development Report 2000/2001 (mimeo). Niles, Kimberly (1999) 'Economic Adjustment and Targeted Social Spending: The Role of Political Institutions (Indonesia, Mexico and Ghana)'. Background paper prepared for World Development Report 2000/2001 (mimeo). Ostrom, Elinor (1990) Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ostrom, Elinor (1996) 'Crossing the Great Divide: Co-production, Synergy and Development', World Development 24 (6): 1073-87. Pomeroy, Robert S. and Berkes, Fikret (1997) 'Two to Tango: The Role of Government in Fisheries Co-management', Marine Policy 21 (5): 465-80. Popkin, Samuel (1979) The Rational Peasant: The Political Economy of Rural Society in Vietnam. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Putzel, James (1997) 'Democratisation in Southeast Asia', in David Potter et al. (eds), Democratisation. London: Polity Press. Rahman, Hossain Zillur (2001) Re-thinking Local Governance Towards a Livelihoods Focus. PPRC Policy Paper. Dhaka: Power and Participation Research Centre. Rao, G. Bhaskara (2000) 'Strengthening of Panchayats: Beyond Contractor's Role'. Paper presented at the Workshop on the Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Natural Resource Management, New Delhi, 2 and 3 February. Rondinelli, Dennis, McCullough, J. S. and Johnson, R. W. (1989) 'Analyzing Decentralization Policies in Developing Countries: A Political Economy Framework', Development and Change 20 (1): 57-87. 532 Craig Johnson Sen, Amartya (1999) Development as Freedom. New York: Knopf Books. Tendler, Judith (1997) Good Government in the Tropics. Baltimore, MD and London: Johns Hopkins University Press. Tendler, Judith and Freedheim, Sara (1994) 'Trust in a Rent-Seeking World: Health and Government Transformed in Northeast Brazil', World Development 22 (12): 1771- 91. Varshney, A. (1999) 'Poverty and Democracy'. Background paper prepared for World Development Report 2000/2001 (mimeo). Wade, Robert (1985) 'The Market for Public Office: Why the Indian State Is Not Better at Development', World Development 13 (4): 467-97. Wade, Robert (1990) Governing the Market: Economic Theory and the Role of Government in East Asian Development. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. White, T. Anderson and Runge, C. Ford (1995) 'The Emergence and Evolution of Collective Action: Lessons from Watershed Management', World Development 23 (10): 1683-98. World Bank (2000) World Development Report 2000/1: Attacking Poverty. Oxford: Oxford University Press for World Bank.


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2012 Grammy NominationsStory | Dec 5, 2012 | 10:45 PM1. Record Of The Year Lonely Boy The Black Keys The Black Keys & Danger Mouse, producers; Tom Elmhirst & Kennie Takahashi, engineers/mixers; Brian Lucey, mastering engineer Track from: El Camino [Nonesuch] Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) Kelly Clarkson...
No easy category to put Hershey Felder
2013 Grammy Award nomineesStory | Dec 6, 2012 | 5:03 PMIndie-rock trio Fun. and R&B/hip-hop star Frank Ocean scored big in Grammy Award nominations, scoring six nods apiece mostly in the top Grammy categories. The Recording Academy announced the nominations Wednesday during a show in Nashville. The 55th...
Classically Trained: 'Sundays at Soka' a real jamStory | Nov 21, 2012 | 8:08 PMALISO VIEJO — There was likely only one big traffic jam in this town Sunday, and it happened to be for a rush to hear the music. Cars were backed up along Wood Canyon Drive in the minutes before the Pacific Symphony's first-ever "Sundays at Soka"...
Marshall C. 'Marsh' Anders Jr., retired music teacher
Gustav "Gus" Baer, Nordstrom pianist
'Hello, Dolly,' hello, workload
SITI's Cafe Variations Comes to Fairfield Friday, March 1
Fairfield Fall Arts Preview: A Feast of Fall Arts
The Valley Line: Rhapsodizing with peacocks and the Pops
Toby's Dinner Theatre dazzles with 'The Color Purple'


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After a Terrible Q3 Earnings Season, Big
Companies Have to Deal with This
Friday, November 16th, 2012
By Michael Lombardi, MBA for Profit Confidential
If we had any hopes about the corporate earnings of big-cap companies improving, those hopes are close to being thrown out the window now. The most basic calculation of profit includes two factors: sales and costs. If costs increase, then corporate earnings suffer. If sales decrease, corporate earnings suffer again.
At this point, we know that third-quarter corporate earnings at big-cap companies were hit by softened revenues due to slowing demand from their customers and the uncertainty of the global economy.
Now big companies face another issue that could take their corporate earnings even lower.
Import prices in the U.S. economy have been increasing for three consecutive months. In October, there was an increase of 0.5%. September and August witnessed an increase of 1.1% and 1.2%, respectively. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, November 9, 2012.) The average import-price increase per month since 1990 has been 0.2%. August, September and October 2012 all showed that import prices increased by much more than the average.
These price increases mean that corporate earnings of big-cap companies that rely on imports are going to suffer. Third-quarter profits were blamed on slowing demand, but I believe fourth-quarter corporate earnings will also be pressured due to rising prices.
The main culprit for all these increases is the falling U.S. dollar, as it significantly affects commodities prices. But I'm not going to discuss that much. All I have to say is: look at the chart below of the U.S. Dollar Index. The Index has sunk more than three percent from the beginning of August to now. In the same period, import prices have increased 2.8%.
- Michael's face turned red when I said these eight words:
Economic Trigger Guarantees Dow Jones Goes to 30,000?
I went into Michael Lombardi's office and told him I expect the Dow Jones Industrials to double from here.
He immediately showed me the door.
While my boss has good reasons to believe the market is headed lower, I have proof the market will double first before it tanks.
This is a presentation you don't want to miss...
Click here to see it now!
Chart courtesy of www.StockCharts.com
Big-cap companies go around the world to shop for their supplies to make goods…to bring down their costs and increase their corporate earnings. With the falling U.S. dollar, their buying power is lower.
Previously, big-cap companies were able to force these price increases onto their costumers, but that will also cause the prices of goods to rise. To defend their pockets, big-cap companies will buy less or move toward substitutes, as slowing sales and increasing costs will put pressure on corporate earnings.
Keeping all this in mind, the falling corporate earnings of big-cap companies will cause the stock markets to go lower. It's that simple. I don't see any real recovery in the economy anytime soon, and the prevailing economic condition could last for a long time. Instead of economic growth, inflation caused by rising prices is more likely.
I was recently talking to a friend of mine who considers himself a gold bear, somewhat of a rarity amongst my contemporaries. He believes gold prices are in a bubble and they will come crashing down, causing a lot of people to lose their wealth. He also added: "It's just a metal, and no one can really use it."
You know my take on gold; I think exactly the opposite. Gold has a history of being money—it has been a store of value and a unit of transfer for longer than the fiat currency created by central banks. Sadly, my friend listens to the mainstream gurus who only speak one side of the story.
Since the financial collapse in 2008, gold has become the only savior. Sure, the stock market has increased since 2009, but ask those people who bought in before the market collapsed and never sold about the stock market. I am sure they will disagree with the claim. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and other key indices are still trading below where they were before the financial collapse started.
Yes, gold is gaining a lot of attention, but it is nowhere close to being considered as being in bubble status. A commodity, stock, or anything is usually in a bubble when the vast majority of people you speak to are in the game. Think about the tech bubble of the late 1990s or the real estate bubble of 2005–2006. Right now, few people are talking about gold as an investment; and if they are, I hear more people talking about being against gold than about buying it.
To me, gold still provides safety against uncertainty. For example, gold prices jumped in price when the Pentagon announced that Iran tried to shoot down a U.S. unarmed and unnamed surveillance drone on November 1.
Similarly, there is growing demand for the yellow metal. According to Thomson Reuters GFMS, China's demand for gold will exceed the demand for gold by India for the first time. The Chinese demand for gold will reach 869 tonnes in 2012, and it will be in both jewelry and investment. (Source: Reuters, November 8, 2012.)
In addition to all that, central banks are continuously printing their respective currencies. From 2008 to 2011 alone, the Federal Reserve has printed $2.3 trillion. Other central banks are doing the same. The Bank of Japan increased its asset purchase program. The European Central Bank (ECB) has decided it will continue to buy an unlimited amount of debt from suffering nations, and the Chinese central bank has been continuously taking measures to turn its slowing economy around. (Source: Bloomberg, November 9, 2012.)
So, my friend may continue to believe gold is in a bubble. And we'll see who is eventually right, as markets always reward the person who is on the right side. For me, gold meets all the criteria to soar even higher. Uncertainty is still present, demand is increasing, and central banks are expected to continue printing fiat money.
Gold will shine, because there is only a limited amount of it. And, as I have been saying for some time now, dear reader, central banks cannot print more of it.
Where the Market Stands; Where It's Headed:
I'm expecting 2013 to be a terrible year for the stock market. We saw stock prices rise in 2009, 2010, 2011, and, so far, marginally in 2012. I'm predicting that 2013 will be the turnaround year for the stock market, the year the bear market rally that started in 2009 fades into a fond memory.
What He Said:
"If the U.S. housing market continues to fall apart, like I predict it will, the stock prices of major American banks that lend money to consumers to buy homes will come under pressure—these are the bank stocks I wouldn't own." Michael Lombardi in Profit Confidential, May 2, 2007. From May 2007 to November 2008, the Dow Jones U.S. Bank Index of the world's largest bank stocks was down 65%.
Companies Have to Deal with This,
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The Great Crash of 2014
A stock market crash bigger than what happened in 2008 and early 2009 is headed our way.
In fact, we are predicting this crash will be even more devastating than the 1929 crash…
…the ramifications of which will hit the economy and Americans deeper than anything we've ever seen.
Our 27-year-old research firm feels so strongly about this, we've just produced a video to warn investors called, "The Great Crash of 2014."
In case you are not familiar with our research work on the stock market:
In late 2001, in the aftermath of 9/11, we told our clients to buy small-cap stocks. They rose about 100% after we made that call.
We were one of the first major advisors to turn bullish on gold.
Throughout 2002, we urged our readers to buy gold stocks; many of which doubled and even tripled in price.
In November of 2007, we started begging our customers to get out of the stock market. Shortly afterwards, it was widely recognized that October 2007 was the top for stocks.
We correctly predicted the crash in the stock market of 2008 and early 2009.
And in March of 2009, we started telling our readers to jump into small caps. The Russell 2000 gained about 175% from when we made that call in 2009 to today.
Many investors will find our next prediction hard to believe until they see all the proof we have to back it up.
Even if you don't own stocks, what's about to happen will affect you!
I urge you to be among the first to get our next major


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DAVIE, Fla. (AP) - Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake is questionable for Sunday's game against Baltimore with a left knee injury that has already forced him to miss one game.
Cornerback Dimitri Patterson (groin) was ruled out and will miss his fourth game in a row since making two interceptions in the season opener.
Wake was limited in practice Friday, along with defensive tackle Paul Soliai (knee) and linebacker Koa Misi (shoulder). Both were listed as questionable.
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
DAVIE, Fla. -- Jake Rogers needed a team and the Miami Dolphins needed yet another kicker.
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The Burlington Public Library has a bunch of upcoming events and accounts of past events residents can check out. The following is a press release listing what has happened, is currently happening and what is coming soon.
eBook Download Workshop Monday, Jan. 30, from 2 – 4 p.m.
Did you recently receive ereader? Are you thinking about purchasing one? Are you interested in downloading free eBooks? Then this workshop is for you!
Burlington Public Library provides access through our Overdrive subscription to free eBook titles for download to your ereaders! To assist our patrons, Burlington Public Library will hold an eBook Download Workshop to demonstrate this process. Librarians will present downloading eBooks from the Burlington Public Library web site to ereaders such as the Barnes and Noble Nook, the Amazon Kindle, the Apple iPad, and others.
Workshop participants are invited to bring their devices to this session and to ask questions after the presentation. Light refreshments will be served. Come join the fun!
Public Copiers:
The Friends of the Burlington Public Library have contracted to provide new copiers for the public! With the new copiers, comes a small increase in copying charges ($.15) in order to maintain these new machines.
Thank you to the Friends for one more way that they enhance the library and help us to better serve you, our patrons!
Are you looking for ideas to add to your reading list? Do you have a favorite author and hope to find someone who writes similarly? You might check out the Novelist database available through the library. This is a powerful online readers' advisory resource that is searchable by author, title, genre, and series. It can be accessed in the library from our public internet computers. It can also be accessed remotely from your home or anywhere that you have internet access. Just visit www.burlingtonpubliclibrary.org and choose "databases" then click on "Novelist". Note that you will need your library card number if accessing remotely.
Another beneficial feature of this database is that there are book discussion guides for over 700 titles. You'll find author information, summaries of the title, questions, and further reading lists for each title. This is great tool for book groups!
Novelist is great for children and teens as well. There are reviews of titles by age group. You'll find lists of award winners broken down by age groups as well.
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text:
Bowden, Davis seeking elusive ACC title
Updated: March 17, 2008, 4:57 PM ETBy Mark Schlabach | ESPN.com
CLEMSON, S.C. -- Clemson coach Tommy Bowden remembers when frustration first hounded his father, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, college football's all-time winningest coach.
The Seminoles were college football's dominant team for much of the 1980s and 1990s. In a 14-year span from 1987-2000, FSU won 10 games or more and finished ranked in the top five in each season. But a national title eluded the Noles during the early part of that run. After several near-misses, the Seminoles ...
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text: Our products are extremely unique and compelling. They provide immediate results and virtually sell themselves. Check out our website to see our full line of Eco friendly products that have been proven to make a healthier life style for consumers across the US. If you are interested in learning how to promote these products to friends and family with the NASA Space Certified Technology and Have the assurance of the world's best Science and Technology in Your home give me a call and i would be happy to show you how these products sell themselves.


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A stunning modern venue, Hove's Havana Spoon restaurant and bar has the kind of edgy, cool styling more often seen in neighbouring Brighton. With an oversized neon sign announcing its presence, Havana Spoon proudly occupies a former building society spot on the corner of Church Street, attracting passers by with the promise of a slice of Cuban cool on the British coast. While the interior is seriously funky in its own right, it's the lawned terrace space that really sells the Havana Spoon experience – it's a lovely spot for al fresco networking with the most in the know folk of Hove, sipping a cocktail with friends or denying reality and wishing yourself away to a sandier shore. Somewhat surprisingly, Havana Spoon's menu is a European brasserie style affair, providing excellent pasta, risotto and salad dishes, sharing platters and internationally flavoured mains featuring Japanese, Italian, French and African influences.
This review has been provided by a Square Meal partner. It is not necessarily the view of Square Meal. Please feel free to add your own comment or review here.
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text:
Liberal groups often denounce Walmart and other retailers for being recipients of indirect taxpayer-funded "corporate welfare." But they do so inconsistently.
Good Jobs First, a pro-union group, declares, "Many Walmart workers are ineligible for health coverage from their employer or choose not to purchase what is available, because it is too expensive or too limited in scope. These workers often turn to taxpayer-funded health programs such as Medicaid."
So even when Walmart offers workers insurance, its critics lambaste the company because some people choose to decline coverage in order to get welfare benefits. This "corporate welfare" attack was always a stretch. Without Walmart, many low-income workers wouldn't be workers at all. Any job is a good job for the unemployed.
Yet Good Jobs First and similar groups are largely silent about the corporate impact of food stamps. Walmart gets about 18 percent of total U.S. outlays on food stamps. Walmart and similar companies have spent millions lobbying Congress to support the food stamp program in recent years. The end of a temporary federal stimulus program that increased food stamp benefits could potentially reduce revenue for some grocers; Walmart has lowered its sales forecast.
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Find records of Eloise Anderson
Find birth, death, marriage, military, and other records of Eloise R Anderson at Ancestry.com.Search for records
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Eloise R Anderson (1915 - 1989) was born on September 7, 1915. She was born into the Anderson family.
Eloise had no spouses. Eloise died on April 24, 1989 at age 73.
Eloise R Anderson's last known residence is at San Leandro, Alameda County, California.
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The Vancouver Whitecaps look to continue their unbeaten season against the Colorado Rapids this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The Caps have looked exceptionally strong this season, especially at there home fortress that is BC Place. The Rapids started the season with a bye week, followed by a road win against the Red Bulls and a very impressive home win against the Portland Timbers, thanks to a penalties from Vicente Sánchez and Deshorn Brown.
Speaking of penalties, Colorado amazingly hasn't scored a goal from open play this year (as long as you include Deshorn Brown's PK attempt). Although this stat may highlight the Rapids offensive troubles, don't underestimate the front three of Gabriel Torres, Vicente Sánchez and Deshorn Brown. Whitecaps fans will remember Brown and Torres for singlehandedly crushing our playoff dreams last season. As for Sánchez, he is the Rapids leading scorer at this point in time and is deadly with his pace, dribbling and skills. It should be noted all four of his goals have been penalties.
Most recently, the Colorado Rapids were defeated at home to Sporting Kansas City, after a 90th minute smash from striker Dom Dwyer. Vicente Sánchez converted two penalties, and Grahm Zusi and Benny Feilharbor scored for SKC.
Carl Robinson and Co will look to take revenge for last season's loss, expect Robbo now gets to be at the helm of the coaching staff. Now, my Predicted Starting Lineup:
Ousted, Harvey, O'Brien, Demerit, Beitashor, Laba, Teibert, Reo-C, Morales, Miller, Mattocks
Prediced Score: 2-0 for the Whitecaps
Mattocks (72), Mattocks (77)
A brace for the Jamaican keeps the Caps on form. His first, a tidy finsih from a briliant Morales long ball. His second, a neat piece of skill gives him space to fire home a blast from outside the box into the short-side top corner.
Good Luck Caps!


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Sales Automotive Jobs in Hertfordshire
Your search returned 96 jobs
Car Sales Executive - Niche Brand Yesterday
Essex, Hertfordshire, Chelmsford, Stevenage
Salary band: £30k - £40k
Experienced Sales Executive required for a well respected privately owned Group. Opportunity to join a successful Dealership with career opportunities representing a rapidly expanding niche brand...
Used Car Sales Manager Yesterday
North London, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, North West London
Salary band: £70k - £80k
Our client, a manufacturer owned Group representing a prestige brand, are looking to appoint an enthusiastic, energetic Used Car Sales Manager to run their successful used car department at their ...
Telephone Sales Team Manager Yesterday
Hertfordshire, Watford
Our client a major training company for the motor industry in Hertfordshire requires a Telephone Sales TeamManager.To manage ongoing day-to-day activities within the recruitment team to meet perfo...Save this jobSave job
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Sales Executive Prestige Yesterday
Salary band: £50k - £60k
Our client a prestige franchised dealership in Hatfield Hertfordshire have the requirement for an experienced Sales Executive to join their team.As a Prestige Sales Executive you will be responsib...
Local Business Specialist Yesterday
Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Hemel Hempstead
Our client is looking for a talented individual to join their busy site in Hemel Hempstead as a B2B/Local Business Specialist. The dealership has an established customer base and the successful ca...
Sales Executive Yesterday
London, Letchworth, Hertfordshire
Salary band: £30k - £40k
IGNITE A NEW CAREER WITH THE PEUGEOT CITROEN RETAIL GROUP As part of PSA Peugeot Citroen's own retail operation, the Peugeot Citroen Retail Group has 45 dealerships across the UK and Ireland. With ...Save this jobSave job
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Product Genius Yesterday
Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Luton
Job description: We are currently looking for someone with unlimited enthusiasm and a real talent for customer service to join the BMW Dealer Network in Specialist Cars Tring. This is for a bran...
Fleet / B2B Sales Executive - Prestige Brand 2 days ago
North London, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, North West London
Salary band: £40k - £50k
Our client is looking for a Fleet Sales Executive at their prestige brand Dealership in London. Previous experience in this field would be a distinct advantage however they are also interested to r...
Sales Executive, Watford, Motor Trade Job 2 days ago
Hertfordshire, UK, Watford
Salary band: £10k - £15k
Automotive, Motor Trade Job: Sales Executive required in Watford. Salary: Up to £12,000 Basic, £35,000 OTE Per Annum Term: Full Time, Permanent Automotive Motor Trade Job: Experienced Sales Execu...
Sales Executive, Hertfordshire, Motor Trade Job 2 days ago
Hertfordshire, UK
Automotive, Motor Trade Job: Car Sales Executive Required in Hertfordshire Salary: Up to £13,000 Basic, OTE £35,000 Per Annum Term: Full Time, Permanent Motor Trade Jobs / Automotive Vacancies: E...


text:
Across the nation, Americans are commemorating Veterans Day with parades, wreath-laying ceremonies, monument dedications and other events.
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7 results for "week 6 picks"
Revisiting Browns, A.J. Green debateJames Walker
I've been at odds with this question all offseason: Should the Cleveland Browns consider a top wide receiver or defensive lineman with the No. 6 overall draft pick? After weeks of debating with myself, I've finally decided the defensive line prosp...Blog | March 17, 2011
AFC North High Energy Player of the WeekJames Walker
A look at a player who gave his team a significant boost in Week 6. On a team stocked with defensive stars, one Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker is emerging before our eyes in 2010. Lawrence Timmons, a former first-round pick, is developing the c...Blog | October 19, 2010
Walker's AFC North picksJames Walker
After posting a 6-1 mark the past two weeks and picking two exact scores, the AFC North blog aims to stay hot for the home stretch. Here are the picks for Week 17: Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7) at Miami Dolphins (7-8), Sunday at 1 p.m. Analysis:...Blog | January 01, 2010
Take your pick: Ravens vs. SteelersJames Walker
The most important game in the division this week involves one of the NFL's best rivalries. So take your pick in Sunday's game between the Baltimore Ravens (8-6) and Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7). Baltimore has the inside track for a wild card in t...Blog | December 23, 2009
Walker's AFC North picksJames Walker
With a Thursday night game in the division, we have to do picks a little early this week. Here are the AFC North blog's picks for Week 14: Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) at Cleveland Browns (1-11), Thursday at 8:20 p.m. Analysis: The Browns might...Blog | December 10, 2009
Take your pick: Ravens vs. PackersJames Walker
We have an interesting out-of-conference matchup this week on ESPN's "Monday Night Football." So for our AFC North community, take your pick between the Baltimore Ravens (6-5) and Green Bay Packers (7-4). The Ravens are fighting for their playo...Blog | December 03, 2009
Take your pick: Ravens vs. BroncosJames Walker
Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker The Baltimore Ravens (3-3) are coming off a bye and desperately need a victory. The Denver Broncos (6-0) are undefeated and also coming off two weeks rest. So in this week's version of "Take your pick," who ...Blog | October 28, 2009


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Real Estate Agent - Extensive Training Provided
Are you looking to take your real estate career to the next level? Keller Williams wants to help make this become a reality. If you are looking to thrive in any market condition, then you have to join our team. KW is growing faster than any other real estate brokerage in the ...
Aug 27 -
Administrative Assistant
Full time salaried position
Present a professional attitude, image and communication at all times.
Excellent interpersonal and organizations skills.
Assist the Office Administrator in the daily routine so that all service and infrastructure operations run smoothly and ...
Aug 22 -
North Wales
Telemarketer/Phone Animal
Inside Sales Agent Job Requisition
Responsible for: Developing business opportunity within specific geographies served by The John Meulstee Home Selling team. Achieving productivity, appointment setting and revenue targets while responding efficiently to ...
Aug 18 -
Real Estate Agent
What: Career Seminar
When: September 2nd at 6pm
Where: Call or visit the link to find out!
Find out what it takes to start a new career in Real Estate and learn about the benefits of being your own boss. This Seminar aims to inform those who are interested in the process ...
Aug 12 -
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Which Linux distribution is the easiest to install and use with as little tweaking as possible? On the KDE front, two of the key choices are Kubuntu and Simply Mepis. Yes, I realize that some users consider SuSE to be a player, and that's great, it has some great features. However, it's simply not an "out of the box" friendly option as the previously mentioned distributions. After receiving enough SuSE 10.1 update errors, you will likely find yourself agreeing with me.
Linux Mint 14 MATE and Cinnamon preview
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text: 4.5 Bargain! Gazbo123 | 30/12/2011 | See all Gazbo123's reviews (12) Someone recently bought us 2 copies of this as a gift, purely because they wanted to get us 2 Wii Motion+ remotes, but was actually cheaper to buy this bundle than he could find the remotes independently! Fun little game, well worth buying this bundle if you need a new Wii Motion + remote, although play do sell the Wii Motion+ remote in white for 30 pounds, but for an extra fiver you could have it in red and have a fun new game!


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Lychee Red Tea: Lychee is a popular fruit enjoyed extensively in Vietnam, China and Thailand. It is gaining in popularity in the US in food and we love it in this blend because of its intriguing exotic fruity sweet note. It has a subtle nuance of dew fruit and a unique finish that makes your mouth pucker and water at the same time. Mixed with Red Tea (also known as Rooibos), this blend finishes with the white florals of geranium and lily.
Please note: This fragrance will be discontinued due to slow sales once our supply runs out.
Flashpoint: 200ºF +
Photo Attribution: © Can Stock Photo
"Thank you for your prompt response. Bramble Berry has the best customer service of any company I know of. Pass the word!" -Rene
There are too few male soap artists, but maybe the work of today's soapy spotlight interview will change that. James Troia began soaping in 2013 after purchasing a $9 bar […]
The post Sudsing up with London Suds appeared first on Soap Queen.


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The Class A Advanced San Jose Giants, a San Francisco affiliate, announced Friday night their intention to host "Lennay Kekua Night" at their April 12 game this coming season.
The promotion came the same day that the Class A Lake County Captains, a Cleveland Indians affiliate, said it would "honor" cyclist Lance Armstrong at its June 29 game.
Kekua, of course, was the fictitious girlfriend of Notre Dame football player Manti Te'o. Deadspin.com broke the odd story involving Te'o on Wednesday.
According to the release by San Jose, fans with a ticket to the April 12 game can bring their imaginary or real significant other free of charge.
"Despite the fun and wacky nature of this night, the San Jose Giants recognize the serious nature of a person being diagnosed with a deadly disease such as leukemia or lymphoma," the release notes, referencing the false tale of Kekua's death. "As a result, the organization will host an auction on April 12 and make a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society®."
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What groups are coordinating these 2A protests/rallies? Any unification with the left?Submitted by tony m on Thu, 01/24/2013 - 18:47
When the facebook event page went up for the Buffalo protest, there were two people that stated they won't attend because the tea party is running it.
This new 2A situation is a great unifier. But I do not believe it is going to happen if republican based groups run the events.
If the GOA and, yes, the NRA (because it probably has a lot of non republican members), and respective state firearm organizations, sponsored these rallies; there could be a chance for some unifying numbers. If they do, they will probably want to control the topic matter of the speakers.
Even though I don't see eye to eye with this areas local Paladino tea party, I put the effort in on their facebook page to try and discuss of limited growth if these events become exclusively republican based. I actually agreed with another person, whom I don't know, who actually brought it up.
But a person involved as one of the coordinators commented back, not really in favor. The whole facebook thread ended up getting deleted.
So. I believe that if these rallies do not get advertised where it can be concluded that the coordinators are neutral based, there is a good chance that this will slowly fizzle out over the course of the year. Mainly, because that is a tea party pattern.
Anybody know what groups are running the rallies in other cities? This is such a good opportunity to get some crossover unification and it would be unfortunate if this does not occur.
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Sign People Up.
I don't know who is behind them, but when you go, have your activist friends bring clipboards and sign up sheets. Or even better, tablets with webbrowser set to amailling list signup webpage.
Bring voter reg forms too.
Take advantage of these opportunities to build your networks. We need to turn these people at district/county conventions and primary elections.
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text:
The moment
When you realise you are damaged for love.
When you realise you are damaged for love.
Anyone love kissing?
Late night drawing while collecting my thoughts.
The Copper Horse by Mandartania
Inspired by K.A. Merikan's book The Copper Horse
Sometimes Stav strashko reminds me of Rapunzel… by Mandartania
Drawing in the morning, great start for today by Mandartania
In the land of gods and monsters I was an angel by Mandartania


text:
Sequential Methods in Model Construction
AbstractNo abstract is available for this item.
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Bibliographic InfoArticle provided by MIT Press in its journal Review of Economics & Statistics.
Volume (Year): 54 (1972)
Issue (Month): 2 (May)
Pages: 172-78
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Web: http://mitpress.mit.edu/journal-home.tcl?issn=00346535
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- Debertin, David L. & Freund, R.J., 1975. "The Deletion Of Variables From Regression Models Based On Tests Of Significance: A Statistical And Moral Issue," Southern Journal of Agricultural Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 7(01), July.
- Bodo E. Steiner, 2004. "Australian wines in the British wine market: A hedonic price analysis," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(3), pages 287-307.
- James B. Kau & Thomas M. Springer, 1993. "An Analysis of Financial and Nonfinancial Prepayment of GNMA Securities with a Varying Coefficient Model," Journal of Real Estate Research, American Real Estate Society, vol. 8(1), pages 69-86.
- Steiner, Bodo E., 2002. "The Valuation Of Labelling Attributes In A Wine Market," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19718, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
- Danilov, D.L., 2003. "The Effects of Pretesting in Econometrics with Applications in Finance," Open Access publications from Tilburg University urn:nbn:nl:ui:12-91885, Tilburg University.
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text:
About Air
Smoking Vehicles
Smoking vehicles produce emissions or smoke from the exhaust pipe, causing a very noticeable problem for air quality. Vehicle engine aging and deterioration are usually the cause of such emissions.
Section 316.2935, Florida Statutes, addresses this problem by prohibiting any person from operating on Florida's streets and highways a gasoline or diesel-powered vehicle that produces smoke from the exhaust pipe for a specified period of time under certain conditions.
Violation of this law could result in the driver being charged with a non-criminal traffic infraction by any law enforcement officer who observes the violation.
Last updated: August 04, 2014
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Used on sailing vessels for centuries, teak is naturally resistant to both moisture and bacteria growth. This attractive Proteak cutting board is crafted from organically grown teak from 16,000 acres of reclaimed ranch land. According to the company, their plantations in Mexico and Costa Rica capture the CO2 of 20,000 cars each day. Each richly-grained board is aesthetically unique and easily maintained with a little soap and water.
Price: $80 on amazon.com
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From Alice Waters to Julia Child to James Beard, the classic cookbooks on GAYOT's list have shaped our culinary landscape.
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