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Courtesy of Freshalloy.com
This country is going to hell in a handbasket. That is something that people of many different persuasions can agree on. What is a matter of contention is the cause of this decline. I will leave it to others more competent than I to argue about taxes, fiscal policies, welfare and medical coverage, domestic and international security, and the various and sundry issues of great importance on which I do have many opinions. I will only note, once again, that the last vestiges of any dream of reinvesting in the great land that lies literally at the foundation of this country has disappeared off the political table.
Gone are the dreams of high-speed trains, though they might continue to work on them in California. While China builds thousands of miles of track and Europe makes it possible to move from one city to another with great ease, we rely on crumbling interstates and airports that are overcrowded and so ill-equipped that airplanes bump into each other and controllers nod off. We can't even make a high-speed train between New York and Washington work well.
Gone is the notion that we were going to use the economic crisis to build a better America by investing in the things we all need, from better roads to better sewers and parks. The American Recovery Act is history. The value-engineered city is the future. It is called pure sprawl.
Gone are, I think it would be safe to say, better schools, jails, and other public facilities. The fights are about management and style, ownership and responsibility, not facilities. I realize that the bricks and mortar might be an afterthought, but for anybody stuck in the Sunbelt's windowless schools or jails, which often look remarkably similar, these dungeons define one's experience as much as the quality of supervisors.
Gone is the notion that we inherited this land with all that inhabits and grows in it from our forebears, and that we should be thoughtful custodians of this place. With everything from fracking to hunting wolfs, from removing environmental protections to failing to come up with thoughtful regional planning, we are destroying the space we inhabit.
Gone is a vision, most of all, of a better place. Even our Dreamer-in-Chief now only musters a thought of shared burdens and opportunities, not a vision of a better America that our children and grandchildren will inherit with pride and joy.
Gone is my suspension as I drive my gas guzzler though the potholed streets for lack of public transportation, gone are the schools that once stood so proudly in this community as beacons and engines of enlightenment, gone is Cincinnati's plan for a streetcar, gone is my belief that this will be a better place.
I, for one, do not care what it costs, how much I will have to pay in taxes, or who runs it.
The fault dear Betsky is not in our stars but in ourselves.
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Deputy Inspector General of Police A. Amalraj has asked the policemen of Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts to plant saplings in police stations and police quarters.
Inaugurating a green campaign aimed at increasing the green cover on police premises here on Friday, he said the need had been felt worldwide for increasing the green cover and promoting afforestation to fight climate change.
Although much was talked about the imminent need of each and every citizen to contribute to the nature and human cause, individual or society contribution was not up to the mark. It was high time saplings were planted by each and every individual.
It had been proposed to convert the premises of police stations in two districts as green premises by planting saplings. Each policeman in their respective stations should a plant sapling each.
They could be named after the policemen who had planted them. They should pay equal importance for the maintenance of respective trees. The police stations could be called as environment friendly premises within no time if proper attention was given to the saplings planted in police stations.
Keywords: Ramanathapuram, DIG, Police stations, Planting drive, Green initiative

subset: commoncrawl


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Capcom has released the first screenshots from Breath of Fire for the Game Boy Advance. Like the other Capcom GBA games, this version is a remake of the Super NES Breath of Fire. However, new environments have been added to the game and, according to Capcom, the gameplay system is more intuitive. Additionally, using the GBA link cable, players can exchange items with a friend.
Breath of Fire for the Game Boy Advance will be released this July in Japan. A North American release date has not been announced at this time.


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Search Result
Search Tags: CIA
Examining the FBI's role in the Petraeus investigation
The way the FBI responded to Jill Kelley's complaint about receiving harassing emails, which ultimately unraveled or scarred the careers of ex-CIA Director David Petraeus and Marine Gen. John Allen, is the exception, not the rule.
Tags: David Petraeus , Jill Kelley , Paula Broadwell , FBI , cybersecurity
An apologetic Petraeus expresses regret for affair
Tags: David Petraeus , Paula Broadwell , Jill Kelley , John Allen , DoD , Congress
Petraeus to testify in Congress on Libya Friday
Former CIA Director David Petraeus will testify before the House Intelligence committee Friday on events that led to the death of the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans in an attack on the U.S. Consulate at Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11.
Tags: David Petraeus , Libya , Congress
Scandal widens to probe of top US general's emails
Tags: Congress , David Patraeus , FBI
Timeline of events in Petraeus case
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General investigated for emails to Petraeus friend
The Pentagon said Tuesday that the top American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen (pictured), is under investigation for alleged "inappropriate communications" with a woman who is said to have received threatening emails from Paula Broadwell, the woman with whom Petraeus had an extramarital affair.
Tags: DoD , David Petraeus , John Allen , Leon Panetta , Senate Armed Services Committee , Congress , FBI
CIA Director Petraeus quits: extramarital affair
Tags: David Petraeus , Barack Obama , James Clapper ,
Ex-CIA man likely to plead guilty in leak case
A former CIA officer accused of leaking the names of covert operatives to journalists is expected to enter a guilty plea as part of a plea deal.
Tags: leaks , John Kiriakou , al-Qaida
Intelligence community cloud coming online in early 2013
Intelligence Community Information Technology Enterprise will reach initial operating capability next March on the way to full implementation in 2018. The NGA and DIA are building a common desktop for all of the intelligence community agencies.
Tags: intelligence , technology , ODNI , NGA , GEOINT , James Clapper , Letitia Long , Intelligence Community Information Technology Enterprise , Shared services , Cloud computing , common desktop , Jared Serbu , NSA , DIA
Former CIA operative Edwin Wilson dies at 84
Edwin Wilson's high-powered, jet-setting life in the 1970s and early 1980s followed a career in the CIA. But it came crashing down when he was branded a traitor and convicted in 1983 for shipping 20 tons of C-4 plastic explosives to Libya
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LAKSHMI SHARATH recounts the tale of how an idol meant for Belur landed in Kondajji
It had been a long day, and the Sun showed no signs of relenting. We were in Malenadu, or the hilly regions of Karnataka, looking at some of the monuments that are reminders of the Hoysala dynasty. The day began with some bastis and kalyanis, and ended with the ruins of some temples not on the tourist circuit.
We had planned to call it a day at Adagur, where another derelict Hoysala temple greeted us. The shrine was almost hidden by overgrown parthenium shrubs, while the entrance had become a temporary shelter for a coconut vendor.
As we were chatting with the vendors, one of the hitherto silent workers asked if I had been to Kondajji. "Don't miss it," he said, giving us directions to reach this place named after a grandmother. "Is there a temple there?" I asked, to which he just wanted us to go see the place.
The roads beckoned again, and we finally found a board that read Kondajji. We asked for the temple, and several hands pointed past a lake to a vast swathe of land. A single vimanam in granite faced us, and there was a narrow entrance to the sanctum.
It was pitch dark inside as we bent our heads and walked in. As the priest lit the lamp, and held out a kerosene lamp, a 15-foot-tall Chennakesava, called Alakanatha, made of black saligrama, smiled at us.
Holding a conch, a chakra, a mace and a lotus, the deity, also referred to as Varadarajaswamy, is believed to have come here from Tamil Nadu.
The priest told us that the original temple, built during the Hoysala period, had collapsed, and a makeshift vimanawas built to restore the shrine.
The idol was apparently meant for Belur, but it was too tall to fit there. "We believe it was brought from Srirangam," the priest said, and added: "an old lady kept it here; so, we call it Kondajji."
It is believed that the old lady's contribution to this village brought it immense prosperity.
"We have never been at a loss for food grains or had any calamities …we believe Alakanatha is taking care of us," the villagers said.
We sat there for a while chatting with the locals, who are convinced that Kondajji's gain is definitely Belur's loss.
Keywords: Hoysalas, Belur, Kondajji, Chennakesava, Alakanatha, Varadarajaswamy


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When Julia Became Julie, Content Lost Its Throne
Every now and then, rank-and-file writers, bloggers and radio hosts like myself (but by no means limited to myself) are accused of "self-promotion." This is not a charge usually leveled at very famous writers, bloggers and radio hosts, nor at television hosts (who are, almost by definition, famous) - it is specifically leveled at those who have not achieved notoriety. Regardless of whether the accused is promoting some sort of substantive message or promoting themselves for their own vanity, the charge of "self-promotion" aims to indict the accused for conceit and unbridled ambition - as if only those already famous are permitted in our culture to exhibit those qualities.*
I'll be the first to say that there's a problem when someone promotes themselves for their own sake and nothing more (think Paris Hilton or Sarah Palin). That's true "self-promotion" - promotion of the self for the self's sake - and there's a lot of that these days. However, some of the "self-promotion" criticism is also aimed at people who are pushing substance. And while there is some truth to the charges against the latter (I mean, in a sense, when someone promotes a cause they are inherently promoting themselves too), the motive for the latter's self-promotion comes from a different origin - one you can see most vividly in (of all places) the recent film Julie & Julia.
The film is, at one level, a typical Nora Ephron affair - vapid and formulaic to the point of predictable. If you've seen one Nora Ephron movie, you've seen them all - which isn't necessarily an artistic criticism of Nora Ephron. There is certainly room and need for movies that are pure mindless entertainment - and there is an art to making such formula-driven pieces repeatedly entertaining (which Julie & Julia most certainly is).
But Ephron's movies often include inadvertent - and typically disturbing - points about modern society. In My Blue Heaven, for instance, the mob is effectively absolved of all its crimes, because hey, the mafia is just benign and hilarious! In You've Got Mail, Ephron focuses on a superficial happy-ending love story, and seems positively unaware that the story not only glorifies/absolves the practice of rapacious corporate conglomerates crushing locally owned stores, but worse, reinforces anti-feminist stereotypes of women as pathetically weak. The heroine, who was fighting the good fight, ends the film not merely giving up her business, but seeking shelter in and romantically rewarding the guy who economically destroyed her.
But nowhere is Ephron's patented inadvertent social commentary more powerful than in Julie & Julia. Underneath the happy stories of Julia Child and Julie Powell's ascensions, is an extremely depressing parable about how the media has changed for the worse.
Julia Child's rise is a truly up-from-the-boostraps story of great creativity and talent finally being recognized after years of grinding work in total obscurity. It took her 8 years and multiple rejections by publishers to write and then publish her masterpiece cookbook. She was rewarded with fame not because she had some insider connections or because she already was famous (what's called, in publishing circles, having a "platform"), but because her work was just so damn good.
Her story is told in tandem with Powell's tale - a tale that Ephron leads us to believe is somehow synonymous with Child's. But (and here's what Ephron never seems to grasp) it's exactly the opposite. Powell published a blog documenting her year cooking Child's recipes - and when the New York Times ran an article about her stunt, we watch as Powell's answering machine immediately fills up with publishers begging her to write a book. We innately understand that the publishers are not calling Powell because her blog is so well written or the Internet equivalent of Child's genuine masterpiece (they weren't calling about her blog before the Times piece was written). And we understand those publishers are not calling because Powell's ideas are so innovative (they aren't, by definition - she's literally replicating Child's recipes). They are calling because the New York Times - by journalistic fiat - has said Julie Powell is now famous and now has a platform.
This is exactly how much of the media world now works - celebrity for celebrity's sake rewarded well before genuine talent and compelling content.** If a publisher has the choice of publishing a brilliant work by someone nobody knows or publishing the worst-written trash by a famous person, they'll choose the latter in a heartbeat. Indeed, you get the feeling that there is a genuine Julia Child out there writing a genuinely fantastic book that will never be published because publishers will be too busy publishing Julie Powell.
Perhaps there was always some of this dynamic at play. Just as billionaires have always had an easier time making larger returns than the average income earner (ie. it takes money to make money), celebrities have an easier time of making themselves even more famous than the average person making themselves slightly famous. But, as evidenced by Julie and Julia's two stories, this dynamic has become far more powerful today than ever.
And so we get back to the question of self-promotion. For writers, bloggers, radio hosts and so many other kinds of creative workers in the media, the promotion of one's work has become as important as the quality of the work itself. I note that with no sense of happiness - it's a damn shame, if you ask me. If I had my choice, I'd spend all of my time making trying to make my writing and radio program the best content I could possibly make it, instead of having to use some of that time simply to get my work out there.
But that is now the requirement in our celebrity culture. I wouldn't have a newspaper column to write if I didn't promote it and my other work, because newspapers probably would not have chosen to pick up the column and run it had I had no established platform at all. I wouldn't have been able to get the opportunity to write a book if I hadn't done the same, no matter how well-done my book proposals, because publishers are first and foremost looking for platform. That's the same reason I probably wouldn't have had the chance to do radio fill-in (which ultimately led to my new radio show) without promoting all my other work.
It's the same for everyone else in a similar position. When you aren't world famous, you have to take time away from the content you are producing to make sure the content gets out there. Put another way, whereas previously the content created the value ("content is king"), today the publicity creates the value, almost regardless of the content. And here's the key (and most depressing) point: That publicity is so central to the value of everything, the content has a hard time existing without it.
Sure, you can publish a blog in obscurity - but it's almost impossible to be a professional content creator (which is more commonly known as a "member of the media") and make a living from that work. You can say that's a luxury, but it's only a luxury in a society that doesn't care about the quality of content, because it takes time and resources to produce good content.
Then again, perhaps that's really the lesson. Perhaps we really don't care about the quality of content - and perhaps the conversion from Julia's content-is-king world to Julie's platform-is-king society reflects a deeper degradation in what we want and demand from our media. I'd like to think that's not true. I'd like to think content, if not king, is still a prince - that ultimately, great content is rewarded, even if it has to toil in obscurity for years. But it's getting harder and harder to believe that these days when you look at the New York Times bestseller list, flip on the television, or - yes - watch a film with a very powerful message about media values have no idea it is telling anything other than a happy bubble-gum fairy tale.
So here's the deal: The next time you get annoyed a content-creators' "self-promotion," unless it's really clear that the creator is really just trying to be a narcissistic spectacle with zero substance, give that content creator a break. Those writers, bloggers and/or radio hosts probably don't want to have to be pushing their work out as hard as they are. In fact, they probably just want to spend their time making the content as good as they can and hate the fact that they have to simultaneously work to get that content out there. But as Julie & Julia show, that's what the marketplace now demands.
* Not surprisingly, most people who become very famous are accused of "self-promotion" until they achieve fame - and then the attacks are typically replaced by sycophantic worship and pure ass-kissing.
** By the way, Julie Powell may be a talented writer - I don't mean to suggest she isn't. But she didn't achieve her notoriety - and therefore, her opportunity to be a professional writer - based as much on her talent as a writer as on her getting written up in the New York Times for cooking the recipes of Julia Child.
The media forces at work insist on a platform, which is another way of saying built-in recognition because, well, we all recognize recognition. A poll of British school children a few years ago found that a third of them, when asked what they wanted to be when they grew up, replied "Famous." We celebrate being known. Any author who doesn't (pardon me) recognize that reality is fighting an uphill battle. And any author that does and still complains about the self-promotion we all have to undertake to get seen or heard, let alone recognized, is living in an alternate reality. If we'd like to reward merit, then let's reward merit. If we'd like to attract eyes, then we'll do whatever that takes, I suppose. But what we should be doing is figuring out how to combine the two, so that quality is what attracts the eyes, the attention, the recognition.
But shows like "Project Runway" and "Top Chef" have contestants with real skills who are asked to perform complicated tasks under unnatural constraints. Unlike the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise where success depends on toned bodies and white teeth, the designers and chefs of the aforementioned shows must use their genuine talents and time management ability to produce aesthetically sophisticated products, all the while undergoing progressive exhaustion and winnowing through the series. These products are then judged harshly by legitimate experts.
Top Chefs and Project Runway-winning designers earn whatever fame they receive; the lucky Bachelors/Bachelorettes are bestowed with pointless notoriety.
Excellent piece. Rated.
I was a little bummed out that a movie hasn't been made just about Julia Child. Her life has enough material for more than one great film.
As for Julie Powell, I say good for her, and I wish her continued success. The state of publishing, pop culture and the media in general? The platform and name recognition is everything, even if no one can name a single thing you have accomplished to merit it.
Diana Rico
Whereas blogging was once a means to an end, it has become an end unto itself because there are many more talented writers than there are opportunities for them to earn a living with their skills.
I was fortunate enough to earn a living as a writer for many years, but now that I am trying to get back into the starting rotations, I'm finding that there are too many asses vying for each empty seat, a function of the increasing number of asses divided by the decreasing number of seats.
A new paradigm is required, a new mechanism for readers to find writers and writers to reach readers; the blog system merely scratches that itch without curing it.
Actually, I thought the movie made Julia Child seem like a bored genius - someone who could out cook very experienced chefs, no sweat, while Julie looked exasperated at times, like the inexperienced cook she was. How did Julia come up with the exact ingredients and cooking technique? I didn't see the effort in the movie.
Truer words were never blogged. I ran across a similar statement a while back, to the effect that if you were an unknown and at the beginning of your writing career, and wrote like a genius - you couldn't get arrested by a publisher. If you were a famous writer and at the peak of your career, any old drek you cared to scribble would be lauded.
Candidly, the way that traditional publishing is cratering - you might be better off going it on your own, and self-promoting relentlessly ... say, anyone want to read old-fashioned but impeccably researched historical novels set on the American frontier? Just thought I'd ask.
I guess I am hopeful that this is still shaking out and that ultimately, good content does drive interest. "If you build it, they will come..." so to speak. Obviously, "they" need to know about it, but as Internet/TV/journalistic platforms merge - content becomes even more key.
and, right on about the You've Got Mail movie. I never quite pegged what bugged me so much about that one.
It will be interesting to see how her second book sells and if Hollywood knocks on her door again. Julie may not be much of a draw with the connection to the venerable Ms. Child.
I'd much rather come up with recipes of my own creation than I would make myself famous using someone else's. That's just me though.
I think I counted 5-6 mentions/stories about Julie & Julia in the NYTimes right before the film opened. So everyone involved, including the NYTimes itself, became part of a ever-growing PR juggernaut, all feasting off the one person in the project who, as you noted, actually accomplished something on grit and talent alone, Julia Childs.
I say if people dont want to know shut it off, delete it,turn away...
Of course. They want a Best SELLER more than they want a literary award winner. Books/Authors that come with a pre-existing audience are more likely to sell than those with no audience. With the cost of media these days, the only way they can justify a marketing budget is to know there's buyers waiting.
PT Barnum said "without publicity, a terrible thing happens. Nothing!"
Everyone flocks to watch a circus... which you see abundantly online. Here, too. ;) rated...
Sigh. I guess I'm going with the flow, trying not to feel too depressed...
I thought that the original idea: to cook through Child's massive tome while blogging about it was brilliant. She had me right there.
You seem to be ranting about self-promotion, and well, I have no idea how the Times came to run a piece about Julie Powell. Did she call them? Did one of their writers just stumble on the blog and love it? In the absence of knowing, I'd guess somebody just stumbled on the blog.
And from there. . . it might well have been a question of talent. If her blog entries had been boring and poorly written-- the NYTimes might not have pursued it. And if people hadn't gone to her blog, then bought her book (remember the book--that came out in 2005, so was likely being shopped to publishers before the movie by Ephron was conceived). . . . I'm not sure if Ephron would have found her, no?
Your other point seems to be that Powell is not as brilliant as Child. Maybe. Heck if I know. But the truth is, I didn't want to learn French cooking, I wanted to read Powell. Hate me if you want, but I am not currently listening to opera either. Is success ever about talent alone? Nope, never has been.
So your point is that the New York Times are kingmakers, and that's not fair? Okeydokey.
I'm also confused: am I supposed to be indignant that Ephron made a movie you think is schlock, or am I supposed to be indignant that Powell got famous for being in the pages of the NYTimes? Both?
Writers just want to write, you say, and hate the business of marketing. I understand. But isn't this life? Van Gogh just wanted to paint. Luckily he had a brother. But absent luck like this, every artist has to schlep.
some people will continue to get paid,which one's i don't know. considering the relative attention tiger and global warming get, roland hedley should be your role model.
All things considered I am guessing too that if Julie had been blogging from Wichita not only would she have been unable to obtain many of the ingredients necessary to meet the goal (unless she had a lot of money), but I doubt she ever would have had the following she did. So, blogging in Brooklyn was a good thing for Ms. Powell.
I certainly think Julia Child had and has it all over Julie Powell. She is and always will be the better cook and the better writer. Julie and Julia was one of the few movies I saw this year though, and I did enjoy it. But Mastering is a far greater work with more gravitas than Julie and Julia will ever have.
OS could get some software, like Amazon has that allows readers to do a better job of sifting through the posts and finding stuff they like. But they don't do that.
Instead, they give us advice on self-promotion. Some people choose to blog-whore.
I have thought about ways to garner readership, but I'm here because I want to write, not because I want to market myself or my writing.
I hadn't reflected on the content of the movie until it was unfolding before my eyes. Yes, the flimsy premise was disconcerting. Comparing Childs with Powell was depressing. But I did think about Child's world back in the 50's. She became hugely famous because her excellent work got to the biggest audience in the world -- the American public. She could have done the same level of excellent work as a European citizen in one European country and wouldn't have become huge. Huge is an American phenomenon. Lots of foolishness comes with it. We've lost the hard work part and kept the foolishness.
Per your points about our ever-evolving media. Yeah, it's sad these days -- and getting sadder. But our American penchant for the recognizable "platform/celebrity" is not new. What's new is that media is in chaos and good writing is in the doldrums now that we are squarely in the "information age." There's just too much to consume. We are all overwhelmed. The "15-minutes of fame" thing came true primarily not because we are shallow (we are), but because we just don't have more time than that. In fact, it's gotten down to 15 seconds of fame. We all know this well.
And what suffers is the art. Last night I watched a great documentary on the making of the movie "Gone With The Wind." The book was a popular sensation for adult readers all over the world. The movie was a civic event. We will never have that kind of cultural convergence again, because we live in a time that no longer has time for it. Art forms -- both high and popular -- grow out of a culture. Ours can't grow anything important right now -- heck, it can't even report the news well anymore.
And so the 15 seconds are filled with wacky blogger ideas (I cannot believe that Powell held down a full-time job, cooked 500+ recipes in one year and blogged about it everyday--sorry!) and mediocre script writers like Ephron -- who BTW produced and directed the silly thing. I remember Streep and Ephron on Charlie Rose earlier this year. They seemed to be talking right passed each other. I saw how diplomatic Streep knew to be -- a big reason she's still in the game.
Another point: "Julie and Julia" is so August '08. Everything about it comes from the economic bubble that popped last year. This sort of inflated nonsense won't find promoters so easily these days.
Thanks for your post.
No, more important. Singularly important.
Out "there," it's platform, platform, platform.
Tremendous piece. Rated.
It was rather a shock and left an unsavory taste in our mouths (my wife and I) when I researched this Julie Powell. In the movie, I can't imagine her having the time and after seeing her in the DVD extras we were both struck by the strangely bizarre voyeuristic nature of the movie and the complete absence of mention of that 'little detail'. It was just kinda sick. The movie tries so hard to get us to like her and identify with her and in the end, rooting for her only to find out that the real 'her' was a narcissistic and shallow attention grabbing sideshow hawker looking for her minutes of fame. Delivered, as you say, by the New York Times...
Yes, the content surely suffered in this case.
True, true.. but..
There was a message to the Julie/Julia story that was profound.. I disagree with some of what you got out of it..
Julia Child was a taken care of woman.. who didn't have to work an 8 hour day before going home to cook and then blog it.
She took 8 years because she likely HAD 8 years at her disposal. As it was portrayed, she was in no hurry.. it began as a past-time.
On the other hand.. what I got from Julie's portrait was a woman emotionally hanging on the edge.. miserable.. turned bitchy from her stress and sad work.
That she got to make a movie from that concept is just the afterthought.. what she conveyed to others is straight from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's proven concepts of happiness in "Flow".. find your dream and pursue it.
I don't think that's about success as a blogger.
As for your comments on Nora Ephron.. I think the majority of intellectuals agree, she writes from a 1950's style illogical romance. Insulting, but most just look past it to enjoy the acting style of light and lovely.. which is in the minority in Hollywood since the 50's too.
And perhaps in your links you could add what radio station you're on and when.
Not only is it sad that fame often beats out talent and hard work, as an unemployed editor, it pains me to see books and articles published without the benefit of an editor's touch. That is so wrong. This is indeed a cold, cruel, screwed-up world, David Sirota. I enjoyed your thoughts; keep it up.
I didn't particularly enjoy Julie Powell's writing or her narcissistic self-absorption, and I thought that Amy Adams lent Nora Ephron's movie an otherwise undeserved weight with her understated but pointed performance of Powell as terminally self-absorbed.
But that said, it seems clear that Powell succeeded with her writing for the simple reason that she spoke to her times, with a voice that resonated with a broad readership.
Maybe it was because they, too, were terminally self-absorbed. Maybe it was because Powell's chosen material -- "Nine Eleven" intersected with the Manhattan foodie craze -- was cleverly arranged to achieve maximum emotional resonance.
Maybe it was something else. But whatever the reason, she clearly did have a recognizable talent, even if it is not easy to define -- otherwise her blog wouldn't have attracted the considerable audience that it did.
Perhaps David Sirota's real complaint is that writers are frequently faced with the dichotomy between originality of thought and comforting appeal to a broad audience eager for the reification of their existing values.
The difficulties: French cooking WITH sauces isn't simple, might even be considered advanced level (to do correctly) even if you're an experienced cook. There's a LOT of browning of the bones and making of the base soups and all kinds of basic preliminary that if you know cooking, know she had to undertake. Then there's this serious (and expensive) cooking after a stressful day at a full time job, which in itself is VERY hard because you're tired and from my vantage point most of the time when I worked stressful projects, I would rather pick up some takeout and flop on the couch and veg out. So doing both is mad crazy. And you have to admit, it's fun to read about, this idea of eating serious The Art Of French Cooking (BOTH editions) Julia food 7 days a week, 365 days a year - that's pretty amazing.
To my thinking Julie is a derivative of Julia and an idea whose time had arrived with a bang. We ALL love Julia Child. She teaches us patiently, with great good humor and relaxed bon vivant how to simplify the approach to creating good food. What cookbook reader/lover of good food HASN"T considered something like that, just cooking day in day out every recipe in a favorite cookbook? And to take on Julia, the Goddess herself? WOW. that's butterballs, baybee!
Julia Child deserves lots of books written about her (there aren't many) and a number of movies made about her (there is only this one and while she comes off adorably (as usual) it revealed very little we didn't know because it was about Julie.)
it occurs to me, this is nothing new under the sun. there have always been the famous, the "known" geniuses who even took credit for work produced under their name, in their studios. and then there are those who grunt work, do it, never get credit, never get known, go on into oblivion with nary a word ever said or written about them by anyone other than someone who loved them.
It's not fair, but it's the way of the world. We don't just want our genius, we want our genius to be appealing, to be memorable. Whether it's wearing a great plume in your hat or all white, as the ladies sang in "Gypsy":
Do something special
Anything special
And you'll get better because
Come on and just do mimic
When you gotta gimmick
Take a look how different we are!
If you wanna make it,
Twinkle while you shake it.
If you wanna grind it,
Wait till you refined it.
If you wanna stump it,
Bump it with a trumpet!
Get yourself a gimmick and you too,
Can be a star!


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HARDBALL 2015: STX Baseball & Softball Preview
A look at high school baseball and softball around the Coastal Bend
03.02.2015 HS Schedules
STX Report: A&M-Kingsville track teams 3rd at...
South Texas Report: TRK--A&M-K at LSC Indoors; BBC--A&M-K v W. Texas A&M, 1 p.m.; A&M-CC baseball vs. UTA, 10 a.m. (DH)
'Mr. White Sox' outfielder Minnie Minoso dies
Minnie Minoso, the White Sox's first black player, played 12 of his 17 years in the Major Leagues in Chicago.
Passing lanes coming to State Highway 361
Passing lanes are coming to a stretch of heavily trafficked, two-way highway between Padre Island to Port Aransas.
New lanes of Shoreline open
The long-awaited new lanes of Shoreline Boulevard are now open.
Throwback Thursday: Coles H.S. baseball, 1965
One of the more frustrating parts of my job is when I can't locate an original version of a photo.
Flour Bluff Coffee Waves hopes to defy history
David Bendett has a vision to combine the speed of Starbucks coffee with his Coffee Waves quality, and he's picked a Flour Bluff location to…
Apartment complexes moving along with plans
The larger set of plans being reviewed by city officials in the Development Services division is for the apartment complex being constructed…
Biz Journal: 03.01.15
Biz Journal: 03.01.15
Biz datebook: 03.01.15
Biz datebook: 03.01.15
Caller-Times advertising earns Big Wigs Awards
Caller-Times sales associates won several awards in the American Advertising Federation's Big Wigs Awards on Feb. 20.
Box Office Top 3
Taking the top the spot at the box office this weekend is "Focus," bringing in $19 million in its debut weekend.
Kelly Osbourne leaves 'Fashion Police'
Kelly Osbourne, veteran of E!'s "Fashion Police," has left the show. This comes after comments by Giuliana Rancic regarding dreadlocks.
'Power/Rangers' fan film back online
The copyright holder for the Power Rangers has reversed course on a fan film, allowing it to remain online.
Grey skies can't dampen colorful race
You could tell the people who had run the race before. They were the ones with trash bags over their car seats, as to not leave the inside of…
Twitter reactions to llamas on the loose
Here are some of Twitter's funny reactions to the capture of two escaped Llamas in Sun City, Arizona.
Politicians often like to live like rich people
Chris Christie and Aaron Schock are examples of something all-too-common: Politicians wanting to live, for however brief a time,…
Facebook revamps suicide prevention feature
This week, the Facebook safety team began rolling out a revamped version of the suicide prevention feature it launched more than three years ago.
Colleges vie for LeBron James' 10-year-old son
At just 10 years old, professional basketball player LeBron James' son, Bronny, is being recruited by colleges.
Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho is going to prom
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho surprised a young fan by showing up in person to accept her invitation to prom.


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Hypothetical: If you could cure Cancer or HIV/AIDS, which would you cure?
View Single Post
Dec 5th, 2012, 10:41 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 21,278
Re: Hypothetical: If you could cure Cancer or HIV/AIDS, which would you cure?
It's like comparing 200 diseases with 1... I'd chose cancer. While developing countries don't have access to meds for HIV they also don't have them for any type of cancer or basically any "big" disease at all. Some forms of cancer are very much treatable but some of them are just too destructive (pancreatic, lungs...).
While I understand that babies in developing countries can't chose whether they'll have HIV or not most cases of HIV could be prevented. Nobody choses to have cancer. It's also not preventable in the same way as HIV.
By the way, I was reading the other day about a portuguese guy who found a protein, a single protein that when changed could kill cancer cells in about
9 hours
here's the video:
Really interesting
Psycho Killer
Qu'est-ce que c'est
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa far better
Run run run run run run run away
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text: Guy Dalziel schrieb: > Don't worry, you're not alone. I'm just about to finish building what > will, hopefully, be the 6.5 LFS release. I used Gawk 3.1.7 and all the > testsuites performed within expected parameters. 3 tests in 3.1.7 failed > during the temp build but they all passed during the permanent toolchain. > All in all this is starting to look like a very good build. > same here. the 3 tests should not worry, as in the log is stated "Starting tests that can vary based on character set or locale support". the test that fail here in the temp-build are lc_num1, mbfw1 and mbprintf1.


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Going into the City
By ROBERT CHRISTGAUThe "Dean of American Rock Critics" earns high marks for his frank look at the challenges and joys of self-assessment.
The "Dean of American Rock Critics" earns high marks for his frank look at the challenges and joys of self-assessment.
A critic's month that was: D'Angelo, Dylan, Saul Goodman, and L.A.'s storied soundtrack.
When a psychoanalyst opens up his case files, optimistic insights on mortality and love spring forth.
"I fear that it — along with these gluten-free bacon-glazed doughnuts — is eating me alive."
The life of an unusual child is also the story of secret forces at work, in Reif Larsen's Pynchonesque fable.
An Irish priest confronts a colleague's crimes — and his own responsibilities.
New story collections from two modern masters suggest that we're living in a Golden Age of short "fantastika".
How the items found in books have lives of their own, and stoke literature's enduring flame.
A novel-in-stories of a young Long Island misanthrope hits like a punch, with biting wit at an antic pace. Review by Justin Taylor.
This week in history: the Postal Act is passed, and American history starts coming with a stamp.
An anthropologist's obsessive report brings him to the brink of a conspiracy – or is it just his paranoid mind at work?
A writer's sojourn on Earth's most mysterious continent produces a collection of urgent, dreamlike poems about our swiftly tilting planet.
Was America's first president a mystery of subtle self-presentation? Or just a shrewd politician?


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Uses of GBIF in scientific research
Extracted from the Mendeley GBIF Public Library.
List of publications
Ahmadzadeh, F., Flecks, M., Carretero, M., Wolfgang, B., Ilgaz, C., Engler, J., Harris, D.
Rapid lizard radiation lacking niche conservatism: ecological diversification within a complex landscape
Journal of Biogeography.
Keywords: anatolia, ancestral niche reconstruction, eastern mediterranean, lacerta, lacerta pamphylica, lacerta trilineata, lacertid lizards, media, niche divergence, niche overlap, species distribution model
Gür, H.
The effects of the Late Quaternary glacial-interglacial cycles on Anatolian ground squirrels: range expansion during the glacial periods?
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 109(1) 19-32.
The present study aimed to understand how Anatolian ground squirrels, Spermophilus xanthoprymnus (Bennett, 1835), have responded to global climate changes through the Late Quaternary glacial–interglacial cycles. Accord- ingly, ecological niche modelling was used, together with molecular phylogeography. Using species occurrence data compiled from field observations and relevant sources and the maximum entropy machine learning algorithm in MAXENT, an ecological niche model was developed to predict the potential geographical distribution of S. xanthoprymnus under reconstructed past (the Last Interglacial, approximately 130 000–116 000 years ago and the Last Glacial Maximum, 21 000 years ago) and present (1950–2000) bioclimatic conditions. In addition, using cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA sequences deposited in GenBank and the Bayesian skyline plot in BEAST, demographic events (population fluctuations) were further assessed over the history of Anatolian ground squirrels. Combined ecological niche modelling and molecular phylogeography revealed that S. xanthoprymnus, itself also a temperate (mid-latitude) species, has responded to global climate changes through the Late Quaternary glacial– interglacial cycles in a fashion converse to that of most temperate (mid-latitude) species: its range expanded rather than contracted during the glacial periods and contracted rather than expanded during the interglacial periods. In other words, Anatolian ground squirrels have been in refugia during the interglacial periods, suggesting that the classical paradigm of glacial range contraction and interglacial range expansion for temperate species may not be as general as previously assumed.
Keywords: anatolia, ancestral niche reconstruction, eastern mediterranean, lacerta, lacerta pamphylica, lacerta trilineata, lacertid lizards, media, niche divergence, niche overlap, species distribution model
Tufan-Çetin, �., Sümbül, H.
Lichens of the Köprülü Canyon National Park in Turkey
(Journal name unavailable from Mendeley API. To be updated soon...)
This is the first comprehensive survey on lichens of the Köprülü Canyon National Park. Totally 1266 lichen samples were collected during the field studies between June 2006 and August 2008 in Köprülü Canyon National Park. 217 lichen taxa which belong to 8 orders, 28 families and 76 genera were determined from the research area. Of the determined lichens 203 taxa were recorded for the first time in the national park. In addition 67 taxa are new records for Antalya and 7 taxa for Turkey.
Keywords: lichen biodiversity, lichenized fungi, new records


text:
17 pounds of meth seized by border agents.
POSTED: Friday, February 12, 2010 - 8:40am
UPDATED: Thursday, February 25, 2010 - 11:35am
Customs and Border Protection officers also seized more than 17 pounds of methamphetamines from a car's gas tank.
It happened last Saturday at the Hidalgo/Reynosa International bridge when officers found eight packages of meth worth more than $250,000 dollars.
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Diamond Head Crater Small Group Adventure
- Details
- Reviews
- Photos
- Hotel Pick-Up
At the summit, incredible 360-degree views of Waikiki and the turquoise blue Pacific Ocean await you. On this Diamond Head Volcano adventure you will learn about the crater's fascinating geology, history, archaeology, flora and fauna. Knowledgeable and expert guides are very friendly and informative, and can identify the numerous bird and plant species found in the crater.
You'll enjoy a personalized experience on this exclusive small group tour - maximum tour number is 14 - and all hiking equipment is provided. There's no need to pack any extra gear, as you'll enjoy free use of a backpack and walking staff.
Fitness Level: Intermediate
Trail Condition: Sometimes wet and slippery
Distance Walked: 1.4 miles, 2 hours walking time
Recent Photos of this Tour
Schedule details
Select a month to view a calendar of availability and departure details.
Tour departs from Waikiki hotels.
(Exact pickup point to be determined after reconfirmation)
- 6:00am
- 9:30am
Tour returns to original departure point
Pricing information
Click the link below to check pricing & availability on your preferred travel date. Our pricing is constantly updated to ensure you always receive the lowest price possible.
6:00am Departure Code: AM0600 |
Departs at 6:00am |
9:30am Departure Code: AM0930 |
Departs at 9:30am |
Pricing information
Sunrise Hike
- Small group tour
- Professional guide
- Use of backpack
- Personalized "I Climbed Diamond Head" certificate with a photo of the crater (suitable for framing)
- Entrance fee
- Local taxes
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Gratuities (optional)
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless you are booking within 72 hours of tour date. In this case, confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- Hikes are suitable for children 6 years and older.
- Adult pricing applies to all travelers
Traveler Reviews
Reviewed by: Lorraine D, February 2015
Karen our guide was fantastic, she was very knowledgeable and made sure we hiked at a safe pace to accommodate everyone in the group. That was greatly appreciated. The hike was long and the sun was hot but it is worth the sweat when you reached the top and feel the cool breeze and great view.
Reviewed by: juan m, January 2015
Great tour. Breathtaking views and David was a great knowledgeable tour guide from the tour company!!


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Is Miley starting a new hair trend already? The songstress was seen sporting two mini buns on the top of her head as she stepped out in Brooklyn, New York on August 22! Do you like her quirky look? Vote!
Miley Cyrus is always keeping us on our toes with her cutting edge beauty and style! After recently announcing her plans to grow out her bold pixie cut, Miley tied her hair up in two tiny pigtail buns while heading into a Brooklyn, New York studio on August 22. The 20-year-old singer is certainly getting creative as she works her way through this difficult hair transition!
Miley Cyrus' Pigtails: Sassy Or Scary?
Growing out a pixie cut is never easy, but is anyone can do it in style, it's Miley! The "We Can't Stop" singer's look reminded us a little of Scary Spice's double buns from back in the day — with much less hair of course. This new twist on the double 'do is a look only Miley could pull off — she looks fun and edgy and we love it!
Miley's spunky buns are the cherries on top of her sweet outfit, which consists of her signature short denim shorts and a white "Ain't nothing but a G thang" tank top. She polished off the ensemble with chunky jewelry, including a gold bracelet, and black combat boots.
Although it was a rainy day, Miley still managed to stand out in this funky look. A little rain can't hurt those baby buns!
Of course Miley's hairstyle is catching on already — on August 22, Kylie Jenner, 16, stepped out wearing double buns as well! Will you be next?
What do you think of Miley's pigtail buns, HollywoodLifers? Do you love the look? Would YOU try it?
WATCH: Miley Cyrus Ditched At Teen Choice Awards 2013 By Liam Hemsworth
– Tierney McAfee
More Miley Cyrus Beauty News:
- Miley Cyrus Reveals The Truth About Her Long Hair: 'None Of It Was Real'
- Miley Cyrus: My Short Haircut 'Changed My Life'
- Miley Cyrus Debuts New Hair Created By Jennifer Aniston's Hairstylist
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Posted at 1:37 AM on February 12, 2014
Posted at 9:08 AM on August 24, 2013
Oh, my good friend Davey Jones
Smee: My good friend, Davey Jones. Good morning, shipmates
Pirate 1: And what's good about it, Demi?
Pirate 2: Here we are collecting barnacles on this miserable island
Pirate 3: While his nibs plays ring-around-the rosy with Jose Pan.
Smee: Hey watch it pinhead! It might go off!
Pirate 4: We ought to be tending to the business of looting ships.
Pirate 5: Why, I've almost forgotten how to slit a throat.
Pirate 6: Better drop it, and tell Selena She wants to put to sea, see?
The schoolyard gang made my early school days misery and fear. It was by-chance that I left a lesson midway to go to the wash room. Upon entering; there stood drying his hands, the head bully. Initially I froze with fear, and then composed myself realizing that it was him and me alone. With what confidence I could stump up from my timid self I shouted at him -Why are you bullying me?- Expecting to be hit or laughed at, the stand alone bully shrunk, voiced denial, and hurried to the exit. I was never bullied again by him or his clique.
Posted at 9:02 AM on August 24, 2013
A bun (also known as a bobtail) is a type of hairstyle, typically worn by women, where the hair is pulled back from the face, twisted or plaited, and wrapped in a circular coil around itself, typically on the back of the head or neck.
They're not buns, yet you insist on using the term over and over again.
I realize this site panders to certain celebrities, Miley Cyrus more than others, and the articles are written with a
twelve-year-old-girl mentality, but is it too difficult to check the dictionary once in a while? Or maybe your bun is
a little too tight and it's affecting your thinking…is that it?
Posted at 4:13 PM on August 24, 2013
Posted at 12:02 AM on August 24, 2013
Posted at 4:58 PM on August 24, 2013
Posted at 9:58 PM on August 23, 2013
Posted at 7:39 PM on August 23, 2013
Posted at 7:03 PM on August 23, 2013
Posted at 4:18 PM on August 23, 2013
Posted at 4:11 PM on August 23, 2013


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After an exhaustive two day search, it seems that no one has yet asked for help on my particular bed bolt d-ring mod issue. Here are the facts:
When reinserting the bed bolts with d-rings, I tried to force the bolt so hard (thinking that it was rust not cross-threading) that now neither of the factory bolts can be tightened, and instead can be pushed into and pulled out of the factory holes by hand with ease.
This morning I took it to a local dealership and their diagnosis consisted of "yeah it's ****ed", so I spent the afternoon looking for grade 8 7/16 (because 1/2 won't fit) 6" bolts to replace the stock ones. I found them, but the 6" bolts only have threading from the tip to about an inch up, which would leave too much of a gap with a nut. I also picked up some 7/16 3.5'' bolts, but these would leave barely enough room to fit a nut on the underside. Access to the frame (without dismantling it) is via a hole that I can barely fit a nut into, a washer will not fit. So here are my options:
1) Figure out how to access the inside of the frame from underneath the truck and, using the 6" bolts fasten the D-Rings to the bed.
2) Use the 3.5" bolts to fasten the D-rings and hope that the minimal length on the underside and the lack of a washer can withstand the weight of whatever I tie down.
3) Find the best adhesive I can and, along with some solder, try and permanently attach the factory bolts back into their housing.
4) Abandon the D-Rings-connected-to-the-frame idea, use 3" bolts to reattach the bed to the frame in the front, and find another place to put the d-rings (I will be hauling around a 500 lb motorcycle regularly).
5) Attempt to rethread the holes to fit 1/2 bolt and hope nothing else goes awry.
Thoughts? By the way this is my first post but I've been around for about a month. I can take pictures, but I don't think they'd help explain any more.


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Nemacolin Woodlands Resort founder Joe Hardy to pay $200,000 in suit
April 30, 2014 11:02 PMThe founder of 84 Lumber has agreed to pay $200,000 to settle some claims in a lawsuit filed by the parents of a teenager who died in a drunken driving crash after a party at his posh southwestern Pennsylvania resort.
Claims against the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort will continue even if a judge approves the settlement offer by Joe Hardy and his daughter, Paige. The partial settlement is detailed in a document filed in Fayette County Common Pleas Court by attorney Thomas Crenney, who represents the dead boy's parents, Daniel and Tricia Nelson.
The Nelsons, of Chalk Hill, sued the Hardys, the resort and the teen driver who crashed on a resort road after drinking with their son and others at the party in September 2011. The crash killed 17-year-old Zack Nelson and injured several other teens, including Paige Hardy.
Police said the blood-alcohol level for 17-year-old driver Steven DiCenzo was nearly 0.14 percent, nearly seven times the legal limit for teen drivers.
Steven DiCenzo was sentenced in juvenile court to 45 days in a rehabilitation facility and was ordered to undergo counseling and be confined to his home for 180 days.
The Hardys aren't admitting wrongdoing in the settlement, which must be approved by a judge. Their attorney, M. Scott Gemberling, declined to comment Wednesday, saying the settlement is confidential.


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A miffed lady with a big hairdo stomped inside and asked as patiently as she could if they could get something, anything, to snack on while they waited. Donald, looking fully underwater, could tell her only that their meals would be out soon. In an act of defiance, she grabbed a jar of peanuts from the bar top and brought a big handful outside.
By the time we settled into a square, white bowl of iguana soup ($5.95), we were ravenous. "How is it?" a harried Beverly stopped by to ask on her way to another table. The thick pieces were reminiscent of swordfish, but the flavors were monotone, like stringy white meat. Pieces of the reptile (skin and all) soaked up a spicy but gummy stew anchored by some oblong dumplings. I much preferred the golden crab, two clusters of meaty legs simmered in a Jamaican-style spicy brown sauce ($16.95). The curry had seeped into the shell, creating a fragrant, heady aroma; wonderful stuff, even if extracting the flesh was messy work. Across the table, my friend's dish of braised rabbit ($12.95) came rubbed in sweet and peppery Chinese spices — the tender flesh ceded from the bone with ease. He had requested a little bit of hog to go with his rabbit, so his plate came with a bit of both. "I'm not even sure which animal this is, but it's delicious," he said as he passed me a piece of the exceptionally tangy meat.
By the end of our meal, though, the scene had deteriorated: While a reggae band playing outside kept the mood a little light, most of the tables had empty drinks, no food, and a cloud of steam building overhead. Two or three parties sat among a mess of finished plates scattered like shrapnel across the tables. After an untold wait for his check, one older man with gray hair turned to his wife and said, "I feel like I'm being kept prisoner." In an effort to make things right, the kitchen started handing out plates of rum cake for free. But after an hour of sitting at our table after dinner, my friends just wanted to pay and leave.
149 NE Fourth Ave.
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Category: Restaurant > Caribbean
Region: Delray Beach
What Beverly and Donald have in Bamboo Fire is a boutique restaurant that operates best when the couple can devote attention to each table. "We wanted to be like one of those secret restaurants that would take place in fields or basements a few years back," Beverly told me recently over the phone. It's a great concept, but I'm afraid it's no longer a secret: As more people learn about the stellar, home-cooked food and the low prices, the place is bound to grow. The question is whether Beverly can continue walking her kitchen/dining-room tightrope for bigger crowds.
Even as a first-time restaurateur, Beverly knows she needs an answer to that question. "I realize now I need to be out in the front of the house," she says. "We have to maintain the quality of the food, but we also need a semblance of decent service. I don't want to be known as one of those Caribbean places that are too laid-back."
With time, hopefully Bamboo Fire will find that right balance. Too laid-back? No. But just laid-back enough.


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The curriculum of the College of Medicine is designed as a program of instruction and training to produce the physician-scientist. Courses offered in the College of Medicine are available only to students in the health professions or graduate biomedical degree programs. Students in other programs who wish to enroll in medical courses must first meet all prerequisites for these courses.
To apply for course admission, a written request must be made to the Dean of the College of Medicine, with endorsement by the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled. Written approval must be granted by the College of Medicine and will be based on available space in the course, as well as whether the course is essential for the specific student's program of study. Such written approval is required prior to authorization by the Office of Enrollment Management to admit a student to a course.
Need help finding a physician? Let us help.
Call 202-865-7677 to schedule a doctor's appointment.
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The Internet's Best Responses To The Blue/Black White/Gold Dress Debate
I see dead dresses
Check Out Shawn Mendes' New Music Video For 'Never Be Alone' Now!
Watch now!
8 Under The Radar Juno Award Nominees You Should Check Out ASAP
Add to your playlist!
Watch Ed Sheeran Get Dirrty On This Christina Aguilera Cover
The king of covers
February 8th, 2013
Eletronic dance music fans have a new group to watch. Chicago-based trio Krewella, made up of sisters Jasmine and Yasmine Yousaf and their producer Rain Man, have been working on breaking the EDM genre since forming in 2007 and are set to take the dance world by storm this year. Their single Alive peaked at #1 on dance Airplay in December last year and with a brand new video for the track, the trio is set to go viral.
Shot in an abandoned house in the middle of the desert, Alive acts as an introduction to the trio for those who have yet to hear about Krewella. Featuring all three group members, the video is gritty and grimy, while still encompassing the positive energy of the track.
Off their EP Play Hard, which hit the Top 5 on iTunes Dance, check out Krewella in Alive.
Tags: Krewella, Music Video
Posted on Friday, February 8th, 2013 at 12:13 pm by Allison and is filed under Blog, Music.


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Toast is a special, finely pored, white bread with thin crust. It is roasted before consumption. Who doesn't get this fact can get some private coaching by the little toast man on the Cleptomanicx Toast Hoodie. Nice side effect: you get a beautiful hoodie in cool black made of high-class material. In addition, you'll get a two-ply hood with drawstring, elastic cuffs on the sleeves and the hem, a huge front pocket and a little toast patch on the left sleeve. Enjoy your toast!
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"Very micro-managing! Other than that it is a great company!! "
- Comp & Benefits
- Work/Life Balance
- Senior Management
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
I worked at Cadre full-time (more than a year)
The people there are fantastic, for the most part. It is a great environment overall, working with great Clients and people.
Extremely micro-managing and I have heard from friends still there it is only getting worse!! They promise you pay raises that you won't see and they try to monitor everything you do!
If you say you are going to do something, do it. If you trust your own management techniques and the people you hire you shouldn't have to micro manage. Have trust in your Staff and pay them for what they are worth! My sources tell me you have a lot of unhappy people there if only for those two reasons! Pay the staff you have what they deserve before opening a new branch...oh, sorry, too late for that. And I heard there are favorites, that is why some get special hours and others don't. And now they get to help the management micro-manage what they don't have time to do them selves. That is just sad!
1 person found this helpful
"Poor Feedback - Not Honest w/ Employees "
- Comp & Benefits
- Work/Life Balance
- Senior Management
- Career Opportunities
I have been working at Cadre
ProsFlexible job to work on a contract - by - contract basis.
ConsStaffing Managers are only concerned about making their placement quotas and making their comission on placing an employee in a contract job. The contract employee makes only a small portion of the hourly rate paid to staffing service. Staffing managers are not honest. No personal intrigrity or business ethics!
Advice to ManagementAdviceTeach your staffing managers the MEANING of honesty and REQUIRE honesty in the behavior of each staffing manager.
Doesn't Recommend -


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Popcorn Plaque? Alzheimer Disease Is Slow, Yet Plaque Growth Is Fast
Quick Links
Thanks to a new imaging technology that enables an investigator to peer again and again into the same brain area of a live mouse without disturbing it, researchers discovered that amyloid plaques, one pathologic hallmark of Alzheimer disease, can literally show up overnight and grow to their full size in just a few days. The study addresses long-standing questions about the sequence of pathogenic changes in the brain, and it affords scientists a more immediate look at those changes than was possible before. In the February 7 Nature, Melanie Meyer-Luehmann, Tara Spires-Jones, and others in Brad Hyman's group at Massachusetts General Hospital in Charlestown collaborated with David Holtzman's group at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, to generate vivid three-color images of new plaques popping up between daily imaging sessions. Soon after a plaque precipitated, the scientists saw microglia moving in and kinks appearing in nearby neurites.
Two amyloid-β plaques (blue), neurites expressing yellow fluorescent protein (green), and blood vessels (red), taken in B6C3 mouse. Image credit: Melanie Meyer-Luehmann.
The speed at which plaques arise surprised the scientists, because the established knowledge that Alzheimer disease pathology takes years to accumulate in a person's brain had led to a general assumption that individual plaques grow slowly. In contrast, the new work shows that once the predominant constituent of a plaque, Aβ protein, has accumulated to sufficient amounts, the deposition of a plaque happens quickly. By implication, the overall growth of the brain's plaque load would be a long process made up of many local cycles of rapid deposition of a new plaque followed by rapid change in the microenvironment around the new plaque. The present study does not address the role of oligomeric Aβ species, as those cannot yet be imaged in live brain. Neither did it probe whether the newly appearing plaques affect neural activity.
The study directly addresses the question of how plaques form and whether certain other changes in the vicinity of plaques occur before or after a plaque has formed. In this sense, the study aims to test the amyloid hypothesis in its classic form, which claims that amyloid deposition precedes and causes neuronal abnormalities that then lead to dementia.
The Hyman lab has been at the forefront of developing in-vivo multiphoton microscopy techniques for the study of AD. Here the scientist permanently places a glass cover over a small hole in a mouse's skull, and through this window images the same area of cortex repeatedly over the course of weeks. In this study, Meyer-Luehmann and colleagues used three different mouse models of AD amyloidosis to watch plaques grow. They used APP-transgenic mouse strains that also express YFP in neurons to visualize neurites, dendrites, and axons in the neuropil, injected the amyloid dye methoxy-XO4 to render fibrillar plaques blue, and the dye Texas red dextran to label blood vessels. Existing plaques and blood vessels served as guideposts to orient the scientists, and helped them re-image the same area they had seen the day or week before. Overall, the scientists found existing plaques to be stable over the 1,285 imaging sessions they conducted on 238 brain sites in 14 mice. On 26 occasions, however, they captured the growth of a new plaque in those repeat sessions. Some imaging series were weekly, others daily; the latter revealed five new plaques, each appearing in a 24-hour time span, the researchers report.
New plaques grew little after their "birthday." They were similar in size to plaques measured in postmortem tissue, most of them being between 5 and 20 micrometers wide. The scientists also looked at where new plaques cropped up in relation to blood vessels. They report that the 26 new plaques tended to form near but not directly on or around blood vessels. In prior studies of older APP- or presenilin-transgenic mice, blood vessels have been seen to be tightly associated with plaques or course right through them, raising the possibility that the brain's microvasculature has a direct role in plaque formation (Kumar-Singh et al., 2005; ARF related news story; see also Kumar-Singh comment below).
Next, the scientists analyzed the new plaques with regard to two parameters in their local environment, namely microglia and neurites. Within a day of a plaque's appearance, the scientists noted that microglia moved in next to it, suggesting that perhaps some factors released from the plaque had recruited these cells. However, Meyer-Luehmann et al. never observed neighboring microglia nibble into an adjacent plaque. The role of microglia in AD pathogenesis is uncertain, and phagocytosis of plaques is one of the roles that prior research has proposed. The present data imply that microglia may need to be activated further, such as by an immunotherapy, to actually ingest and remove amyloid plaques (Bacskai et al., 2001). The level of microglial activation seen in the current study might explain why the plaques barely grow after their initial appearance, the scientists speculate. Other studies have suggested that activated microglia limit plaque growth (Simard et al., 2006).
Like microglia, neurites in the neighborhood of a newly formed plaque also responded within the same time frame of between a day and a week after a plaque had appeared. Where these neurites were previously straight or bending smoothly, they became more curved and twisted. Recent work from Larry Goldstein's group at the University of California, San Diego, had suggested that defects in axonal transport—recognizable morphologically as misshapen, or dystrophic neurites—precede amyloid pathology and can accelerate the formation of plaques (Stokin et al., 2005). The present study was unable to see plaques forming in areas that had prominent neuritic dystrophy; instead, it suggests that neurites become distorted after a plaque has formed. However, the authors do not rule out the importance of axonal transport changes in AD pathogenesis (see also Goldstein comment below).
Overall, the study provides a glimpse into the dynamic changes in the brain of AD mouse models. The technique allows scientists to watch from deposition onward what happens near a plaque. Meyer-Luehmann and colleagues see plaques as the source of soluble Aβ and possibly other bioactive molecules—indeed, many AD scientists talk about plaques as "leaching toxic waste dumps." The important question of whether a newly formed plaque changes neural activity in its immediate environment remains to be tackled.
In AD mouse models, numerous studies have documented learning and memory deficits prior to plaque formation, whereas in humans, amyloid imaging suggests that pathology appears to be nearly complete before people are diagnosed with AD. This discrepancy leaves still unsolved the larger "chicken-and-egg" dilemma about the sequence of events around Aβ accumulation and dementia, even as it establishes that plaque formation precedes microglial activation and derangement of neurites in these models. New live imaging tools (see Bar Harbor report) are needed to assess the role of amyloid on function and to probe what role Aβ oligomers, and other factors, may play prior to plaque deposition.—Gabrielle Strobel
Q&A with Brad Hyman. Questions by Gabrielle Strobel.
Q: My jaw fairly dropped at how quickly the plaques appear. You report it in three different mouse models. Still, can you be sure that it is not an artifact of some experimental manipulation?
A: While we cannot be certain, the three models we used have greatly differing tempos (onset varying from 6 months to 14 months), so we think that the rapid plaque formation occurs independently of the tempo of the model.
Q: Some readers may interpret your findings as, "So it's the plaques, after all." Does your new finding promote a hypothesis of plaque toxicity at the expense of oligomer toxicity?
A: The "halo" effect suggests that there is a bioactive, diffusible substance that is high near plaques. While we have not identified this species with certainty, oligomeric Aβ is a great candidate. We think this is more an issue of "both" rather than "either."
Q: Most scientists at this point agree that both plaques and oligomers/protofibrils are bad. Is the relationship between toxicity attributable to specific aggregation forms of Aβ still an important question?
A: Of course!
Q: Do you intend to address it in this system?
A: We are testing reagents that might give a handle on oligomeric forms, but do not have data yet.
Q: Are there any tools on the horizon to image oligomers in vivo?
A: (Maybe!)
Q: You propose that plaques are a source of toxic oligomers, which might damage neurites. But presumably, oligomers were present in the brain parenchyma before the day the plaque precipitated, and present at high concentration if one assumes they accumulate to a certain point and then "crash" out of solution into a plaque. Why would oligomers not have caused the curved neurites, activated microglia, and done other bad things before the plaque showed up? Why in the 5 days after the plaque?
A: These are great questions.
Q: Trying to find out which aspects of microglial activation are detrimental and which might indeed be compensatory is a complicated issue in the field. What's the upshot of your paper on that question?
A: I think you have put your finger on one of the issues that we need to focus on—it is a complicated but fascinating set of questions.
Q: Where does evidence for axonal transport deficits still fit into your observations? Do you see it as secondary to amyloid pathology?
A: We are launching a series of experiments explicitly testing the idea that axon transport is altered near plaques.
Q: Do your findings have implications for current anti-amyloid drug development approaches?
A: Our data suggest that a viable target would be the nucleation phenomenon, and also that plaques per se are an important target.
Q: How about anti-inflammatory approaches?
A: The apparent role of microglia in stopping further growth of plaques would seem to indicate that some aspects of microglial activation might be beneficial.
Q: What's next in your line of research?
A: Understanding the functional consequences of plaque formation.
Comments on News and Primary Papers
Meyer-Luehmann and colleagues provide new insights into the temporal sequence of events surrounding amyloid plaque formation and the brain's cellular responses to this formation. It is exciting to see that the rapid formation of plaques that had been predicted by previously published reports using in vitro techniques (Vitek et al., 1994; Jarrett et al., 1993) actually occurs in vivo. The concept of seeding by submicroscopic Aβ particles clearly remains an important mechanism for plaque formation and deposition.
Useful insights are also provided by visualization of the microglial response to the newly formed amyloid plaques. Microglia accumulate at the plaques, indicating the presence of activating/migration signals, most likely from Aβ. This, plus the microglial morphological changes, suggest that a pre-programmed response pattern, which is typical of macrophages involved in the innate immune response, has been initiated. However, it is clear from the visual data that the term "microglia activation" needs to be reconsidered and redefined. Although functional changes in the microglia were not measured, it is highly likely that a "proinflammatory" or classical activation sequence that is typically associated with severe tissue damage is limited either in time or amount. Other than the dystrophic neurites that could also be observed in non-plaque areas, there is no overt evidence of dying neurons in or around the plaques. While this lack of morphological evidence does not formally exclude the possibility that dying neurons are associated with plaques, the microglial response observed is consistent with what appears to be a "walling-off" response typical of an alternatively activated microglia.
Alternative activation is a response pattern of macrophages that is associated with fibrosis and tissue repair. Genes that typically participate in matrix remodeling and repair, such as arginase I, which governs proline/hydroxyproline production, and chitinase 3 like-2, are induced in this stage of microglial function. Inducible NOS (iNOS) activity is concomitantly lowered. We have shown that alternative activation genes are expressed in both mouse models of AD and in human brains with AD (Colton et al., 2006), confirming that microglia in chronic neurodegenerative diseases are likely to demonstrate significant functional heterogeneity that includes an alternative state.
The observed lack of amyloid plaque removal by microglia may be attributed to this altered functional state, where both protease production and phagocytic responses are likely to be different. It is clear that an additional stimulus is required to initiate microglial removal of amyloid. A series of studies on antibody therapy showed that anti-Aβ antibody administration, both intracranially and systemically, results in microglial activation and concomitant removal of compact amyloid plaques (Wilcock et al., 2003; 2004). Indeed, when microglial activation was inhibited by anti-inflammatory compounds or using F(ab')2 fragment (thus avoiding Fc-receptor activation), no clearance of compact amyloid was seen (Wilcock et al., 2004). Application of intracranial injection of LPS, a well-known inducer of classical activation, was shown to reduce diffuse amyloid significantly but only temporarily, and this is consistent with the acute nature of LPS-mediated microglial stimulation (Dicarlo et al., 2001; Herber et al., 2004).
Together, these data suggest that microglia are ineffective in the removal of amyloid until a stimulus is available that alters their activation status from one of tissue remodeling to one of tissue defense.
Vitek MP, Bhattacharya K, Glendening JM, Stopa E, Vlassara H, Bucala R, Manogue K, Cerami A. Advanced glycation end products contribute to amyloidosis in Alzheimer disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1994 May 24;91(11):4766-70. PubMed.
Jarrett JT, Berger EP, Lansbury PT. The carboxy terminus of the beta amyloid protein is critical for the seeding of amyloid formation: implications for the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Biochemistry. 1993 May 11;32(18):4693-7. PubMed.
Colton CA, Mott RT, Sharpe H, Xu Q, Van Nostrand WE, Vitek MP. Expression profiles for macrophage alternative activation genes in AD and in mouse models of AD. J Neuroinflammation. 2006;3:27. PubMed.
Wilcock DM, DiCarlo G, Henderson D, Jackson J, Clarke K, Ugen KE, Gordon MN, Morgan D. Intracranially administered anti-Abeta antibodies reduce beta-amyloid deposition by mechanisms both independent of and associated with microglial activation. J Neurosci. 2003 May 1;23(9):3745-51. PubMed.
Wilcock DM, Rojiani A, Rosenthal A, Levkowitz G, Subbarao S, Alamed J, Wilson D, Wilson N, Freeman MJ, Gordon MN, Morgan D. Passive amyloid immunotherapy clears amyloid and transiently activates microglia in a transgenic mouse model of amyloid deposition. J Neurosci. 2004 Jul 7;24(27):6144-51. PubMed.
Wilcock DM, Munireddy SK, Rosenthal A, Ugen KE, Gordon MN, Morgan D. Microglial activation facilitates Abeta plaque removal following intracranial anti-Abeta antibody administration. Neurobiol Dis. 2004 Feb;15(1):11-20. PubMed.
DiCarlo G, Wilcock D, Henderson D, Gordon M, Morgan D. Intrahippocampal LPS injections reduce Abeta load in APP+PS1 transgenic mice. Neurobiol Aging. 2001 Nov-Dec;22(6):1007-12. PubMed.
Herber DL, Roth LM, Wilson D, Wilson N, Mason JE, Morgan D, Gordon MN. Time-dependent reduction in Abeta levels after intracranial LPS administration in APP transgenic mice. Exp Neurol. 2004 Nov;190(1):245-53. PubMed.
This is another state-of-the-art paper by the group active on in vivo two-photon imaging on mouse models of amyloidogenesis, and it gives important clues for Alzheimer disease pathogenesis. The paper shows, for the first time, that dense plaques in mouse models reach their maximum size in about a day and thereafter maintain a status quo. This does not follow the simple, size-dependent law of mass action, as even small plaques do not grow any further. This is a most amazing finding and abrogates all prior preconceived notions that plaques grow slowly over life and that given time, all plaques would reach a maximum size. Importantly, the quick growth of dense plaques suggests that dense plaques grow not only with Aβ monomer addition, but perhaps also by capturing oligomeric intermediates at the fiber ends, as shown earlier for prion proteins (Serio et al., 2000; Collins et al., 2004).
Why dense plaques stop growing suddenly is just as intriguing. Quick recruitment of macrophages at sites of dense plaque formation, as shown here, could be one mechanism, but the provided images do not show a complete walling off. This suggests that other, less simple mechanisms are at play, including local Aβ production and trafficking.
A recent, interesting study in a mouse model of amyloidogenesis showed that FAD APP mutations cause axonal trafficking defects and that that, in turn, stimulates the proteolytic processing of APP and generation of Aβ (Stokin et al., 2005). This fit well with development of dystrophic neurites (DNs) in these mice, preceding plaques by more than a year (Stokin et al., 2005). Meyer-Luehmann and colleagues, studying the temporal relation between rapidly growing plaques and DNs, showed that although DNs were observed in plaque-free areas, DNs were more pronounced near plaques. Conversely, DNs in the plaque-free areas did not seem to cause dense plaques, and mice did not deposit diffuse plaques at this age. It would be worth studying this in more detail over a shorter time window, as DNs were also observed to change morphologies and even resolve, leaving open the possibility that diffuse or pre-diffuse plaques are formed but are quickly turned over. Moreover, the current resolution of this technique does not permit visualization of small, dense plaques, and at times it leaves the reader guessing whether some of the punctate blue staining might potentially be "sub-microscopic" dense plaques (for instance, boxed areas in Figure 1). Also, sometimes the capillary network is strangely absent, for instance, some panels of Figure 1 representing APPswe/PS1d9xYFP mice, where the plaque-vessel relationship has been alluded to on a small sample size.
Clearly, more work is needed before we can have all the answers. Meanwhile, despite some of its limitations, in vivo multiphoton imaging remains a valuable technique. We hope to see more results coming out from this technology, especially with higher objectives, use of confocal settings, and perhaps a shorter time lapse, even though that would make it even more labor-intensive. Parallel detailed histological analysis including ultrastructural microscopy should make it even more interesting.
Collins SR, Douglass A, Vale RD, Weissman JS. Mechanism of prion propagation: amyloid growth occurs by monomer addition. PLoS Biol. 2004 Oct;2(10):e321. PubMed.
Meyer-Luehmann M, Spires-Jones TL, Prada C, Garcia-Alloza M, de Calignon A, Rozkalne A, Koenigsknecht-Talboo J, Holtzman DM, Bacskai BJ, Hyman BT. Rapid appearance and local toxicity of amyloid-beta plaques in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Nature. 2008 Feb 7;451(7179):720-4. PubMed.
Serio TR, Cashikar AG, Kowal AS, Sawicki GJ, Moslehi JJ, Serpell L, Arnsdorf MF, Lindquist SL. Nucleated conformational conversion and the replication of conformational information by a prion determinant. Science. 2000 Aug 25;289(5483):1317-21. PubMed.
Spires TL, Meyer-Luehmann M, Stern EA, McLean PJ, Skoch J, Nguyen PT, Bacskai BJ, Hyman BT. Dendritic spine abnormalities in amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice demonstrated by gene transfer and intravital multiphoton microscopy. J Neurosci. 2005 Aug 3;25(31):7278-87. PubMed.
Stokin GB, Lillo C, Falzone TL, Brusch RG, Rockenstein E, Mount SL, Raman R, Davies P, Masliah E, Williams DS, Goldstein LS. Axonopathy and transport deficits early in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Science. 2005 Feb 25;307(5713):1282-8. PubMed.
View all comments by Samir Kumar-Singh -
Rapid Plaque Growth and Positive Cooperative Assembly
Amyloid-β peptides constitute an intriguing class of molecules that self-assemble into stable, ordered structures, and their formation is reminiscent of the natural phenomenon of positive cooperative assembly. In general, this cooperativity is regulated by an allosteric effect, so that interactive assemblies, once formed, support exponential rates of subsequent growth. In biology, this phenomenon is widely observed all the way from the atomic to the molecular level—from the cooperative binding of calcium ions regulating the intercellular adhesive actions of transmembrane cadherins (1) to the allosteric cooperativity of protein kinase A generated by nucleotide and substrate positioning (2).Interestingly, allosteric cooperativity of ligand binding may be disrupted by single amino acid mutations, for example, the (Y204A) site change in protein kinase A, suggesting that relatively subtle changes in ligand topography abruptly attenuate the cooperativity mechanism. The addition to Meyer-Luehmann and colleagues' innovative system of specific mutation-containing amyloid peptides or other interruptive molecules that do not support cooperative assembly may be an attractive pharmacological strategy to alter the kinetics of rapid plaque growth and the onset of Alzheimer neuropathology.
Courjean O, Chevreux G, Perret E, Morel A, Sanglier S, Potier N, Engel J, Van Dorsselaer A, Feracci H. Modulation of E-cadherin monomer folding by cooperative binding of calcium ions. Biochemistry. 2008 Feb 26;47(8):2339-49. PubMed.
Masterson LR, Mascioni A, Traaseth NJ, Taylor SS, Veglia G. Allosteric cooperativity in protein kinase A. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Jan 15;105(2):506-11. PubMed.


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The CCI 209 Muzzleloader Primer was specifically designed to be used with muzzleloading rifles
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Heated Debate Over Domestic Partner Benefits
POSTED: Wednesday, August 5, 2009 - 6:25am
UPDATED: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 - 2:24pm
A serious issue before the council clearly hit a nerve.
More than 40 people protested the council's decision to offer benefits to same sex and unmarried couples employed by the city.
The move could cost taxpayers up to 300 thousand dollars.
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Why Aeropostale (ARO) Is Tanking on Friday
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Aeropostale (ARO - Get Report) is tanking on Friday after reporting a far wider net loss in its fourth quarter than analysts had expected.
By midmorning, shares had taken off 14.9% to $6.21.
Trading volume of 13 million was more than four times its three-month daily average.
On an unadjusted basis, the teen apparel retailer recorded a net loss of 90 cents a share, nearly triple what analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had forecast.
Excluding one-time legal and tax charges, Aeropostale reported a net loss of 35 cents a share, 4 cents wider than consensus. Sales dropped 16% compared to the year-ago quarter to $670 million, while comparable-store sales tumbled 15%. Must Read: Warren Buffett's 10 Favorite Stocks STOCKS TO BUY: TheStreet Quant Ratings has identified a handful of stocks that can potentially TRIPLE in the next 12 months. Learn more. TheStreet Ratings team rates AEROPOSTALE INC as a Sell with a ratings score of D. The team has this to say about their recommendation: "We rate AEROPOSTALE INC (ARO) a SELL. This is driven by a few notable weaknesses, which we believe should have a greater impact than any strengths, and could make it more difficult for investors to achieve positive results compared to most of the stocks we cover. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its feeble growth in its earnings per share, deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity, poor profit margins and weak operating cash flow."- You can view the full analysis from the report here: ARO Ratings Report
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Credit: Photo courtesy Takeshi Miyakawa
Visible/Invisible is a series of furniture pieces that appear to hover between emergence and disappearance. Created by Brooklyn-based designer Takeshi Miyakawa, the furniture is made from solid mirror-clad acrylic panels that are expertly joined together without visible joints or connections. Depending on the angle of incident light, the furniture appears to recede into its surrounding context—while highlighted planes leave subtle traces of its physical presence.
Visible/Invisible includes both "pure" and "distorted" pieces: in the latter versions, Miyakawa heat-melted the acrylic, creating warped planes with cracked veins in the mirrored surface. These experiments allow the viewer to appreciate the physical limits of the materials in spite of their near-invisibility. Shown by the gallery Salon 94 during New York Design Week, Visible/Invisible augments Miyakawa's collection of provocative pieces—including the Infinity Chair, Holey Chair, and Axonometric Table.
Blaine Brownell, AIA, is a regularly featured columnist whose stories appear on this website each week. His views and conclusions are not necessarily those of ARCHITECT magazine nor of the American Institute of Architects.
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Check out these stories, which take a close look at innovative projects that are using wood in creative ways. Proudly sponsored by reThink Wood.


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The Belger Arts Center often displays works from its own extensive collection, sometimes adding pieces borrowed from other collectors. A current exhibition, a tribute to ceramic artist Don Reitz, includes nearly 100 works, many from the artist's own collection.
Decades Of Work, 1960s To Present
On the ground floor at the Belger Arts Center, tall ceramic totems with colorful drawings carved into the surface are illuminated like Japanese lanterns.