text:
All around the cobbler's bench …
The monkey and weasel are disgusted.
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is denying it, but a senior law enforcement source has told Fox Newsthat she gave an order for police to stand down as riots broke out Monday night.
"The source, who is involved in the enforcement efforts, confirmed to Fox News there was a direct order from the mayor to her police chief Monday night, effectively tying the hands of officers as they were pelted with rocks and bottles.
Asked directly if the mayor was the one who gave that order, the source said: "You are G*d damn right it was.""
This claim follows Rawlings-Blake's comments on Sunday, when she said they were giving space to those who "wished to destroy." On Monday, she tried (unsuccessfully) to walk that comment back.
Happy, happy … just let 'em do a little looting and trashing and all will be well. Oh, and let's redefine a few things shall we?
The mayor, in an interview with Fox News' Bill Hemmer on Tuesday, denied any order was issued to hold back on Monday.
"You have to understand, it is not holding back. It is responding appropriately," she said, saying there was no stand-down directive.
Responding appropriately? I wonder how "appropriately" she'd have responded had it been, say, her house or business they were looting and trashing. Absolutely no respect for private property. None. And nonsense excuse making to boot.
Yes, the dirty little secret that no one wants to admit is that Baltimore, and so many other urban areas and inner city communities in America are a reflection of the abject failure of liberal progressive socialist policies as advanced by the Democrat party.
The preeminent question is whether or not those in Baltimore and other places will recognize who is truly responsible for their plight. Or will they continue to be manipulated and propagandized by the liberal progressive media and the poverty pimps like the one supposedly heading down from New York City.
Most of us can answer that question – "they continue to be manipulated and propagandized by the liberal progressive media and the poverty pimps like the one supposedly heading down from New York City." Oh, and the Republicans. Just watch 2016. The "plantation" has a huge hold.
Next question.
Apparently Ben Affleck is mortified by his ancestors:
This brings the total number of Affleck's known slaveholding ancestors to 14, and the number of slaves either owned or "held" as a trustee or on behalf of an estate by these ancestors to 242.
It seems that this was discovered while doing a PBS program and Affleck asked they be, uh, unmentioned. You see, he is ashamed of them.
Okay, I can understand that … however, why hide it? Why not say, hey they were wrong, what they did was wrong and I certainly don't support what they did. Seems to me that would be much more powerful than trying to hide the past. And, to quote Hillary Clinton – "what difference does it make"?!
Oh, liberal credentials of course. And white guilt. Dude has to hand in the credentials and burn with white guilt. Pity.
Anyone wonder what Ben would have done if he'd been born during that era to one of his slaveholding ancestors? Yeah, I think Ben wonders that as well. Heh.
If you need another example of "crony capitalism" (and I put that in quotes because this is no more capitalism than lead is gold), it is playing out with the FDA and a couple of Senators … oh, and their corporate cronies:
People who are trying to do good for their families and the planet by living a simple life based on traditional skills are facing yet another assault. Artisanal soap makers say new regulations, proposed by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), will put them out of business. Many soap makers are rural "kitchen table" operations that rely on the income to fund their simple living lifestyle. Some use milk from goats they raise and ingredients they harvest from the land.
The form includes a statement on behalf of handmade body care product makers that says, in part: "My products comply with FDA labeling requirements and the ingredients are commonly known (i.e, olive oil, oatmeal, sugar, coconut oil, etc). My best customers are in my community. I cannot afford the user fees proposed in S. 1014. Further, my business has no capacity to do the reporting requirements for each product batch (10-50 units) as it could be several hundred FDA filings per month." Those who sell online will also be affected.*
The view of Sen. Feinstein and her corporate backers (listed below) is that the Personal Care Products Safety Act (Senate Bill S.1014) will make the world a safer place by scrutinizing "everything from shampoo and hair dye to deodorant and lotion." She introduced the amendment to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, because of troubling negative health effects from chemicals used in personal care products. She says the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act should be more progressive like laws in Europe rather than antiquated US regulations in effect since the 1930s.
Yes, friends, having solved all the important problems of the world, our Senatorial nannies are going to back their corporate sponsors and attempt to regulate out of business this incredible threat to the American public. And who are their Corporate sponsors?
Companies and brands that support the bill:Johnson & Johnson, brands include Neutrogena, Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Lubriderm, Johnson's baby products.Procter & Gamble, including Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Clairol, Herbal Essences, Secret, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Ivory, CoverGirl, Olay, Sebastian Professional, Vidal Sassoon.Revlon, brands include Revlon, Almay, MitchumEsteee Lauder, brands include Esteee Lauder, Clinique, Origins, Tommy Hilfiger, MAC, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Donna Karan, Aveda, Michael Kors.Unilever, brands include Dove, Tresemme, Lever, St. Ives, Noxzema, Nexxus, Pond's, Suave, Sunsilk, Vaseline, Degree.L'Oreeal, brands include L'Oreeal Paris, Lancome, Giorgio Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, Kiehl's, Essie, Garnier, Maybelline-New York, Vichy, La Roche-Posay, The Body Shop, Redken.
Feinstein says her proposal is a "streamlined national system of oversight" and it won't cost the taxpayer anything because it's funded by industry user fees (until they pass the extra cost to the consumer, that is). Big multinational soap makers may be able to manage the increased fees and paperwork called for by Senate Bill S.1014 but the the Handmade Cosmetic Alliance says they will cripple their cottage industries. They tried to explain this to Feinstein without success.
Politicians feel businesses work for government and their only function is a source of tax revenue
I'm not sure how else you interpret this "inversion" nonsense.
Burger King Worldwide Inc. is in talks to buy Canadian coffee-and-doughnut chain Tim Hortons Inc., a deal that would be structured as a so-called tax inversion and move the hamburger seller's base to Canada.
The two sides are working on a deal that would create a new company, they said in a statement, confirming a report on the talks by The Wall Street Journal. The takeover would create the third-largest quick-service restaurant provider in the world, they said.
The point of this sort of a merger, beside the business aspect, is to move the headquarters of Burger King to a lower tax nation:
Inversion deals have been on the rise lately, and are facing stiff opposition in Washington given that they threaten to deplete U.S. government coffers. A move by Burger King to seal one is sure to intensify criticism of them, since it is such a well-known and distinctly American brand.
By moving to a lower-tax jurisdiction, inversion deals enable companies to save money on foreign earnings and cash stowed abroad, and in some cases lower their overall corporate rate. Even though many of the headline-grabbing inversion deals of late have involved European companies, Canada has also been the focal point for a number of them, given its proximity and similarity to the U.S. Canada's federal corporate tax rate was lowered to 15% in 2012.
And surprise – Canada's economy is picking up steam and corporations are eyeing it as a place to locate. Imagine that.
Canada's corporate tax rate in Ontario of 26.5% (the federal rate of 15% plus Ontario's provincial corporate tax rate of 11.5%) is considerably favorable to the American corporate tax rate of 35% thanks in large part to the conservative Canadian government led by Stephen Harper. The Harper government lowered the federal tax rate to 15% in 2012 down originally from 28% since it took office in 2006.
In fact, a recent KPMG Report, Focus on Tax, ranked Canada as the #1 country with the most business-friendly tax structure among developed countries when adding up a wide range of tax costs to businesses from statutory labor costs to harmonized sales tax. When comparing developed countries to what companies pay in the U.S.; Canada came in at 53.6%, the U.K. came in at 66.6%, and the Netherlands at 74.5% of the U.S. corporate tax burden.
Meanwhile, our politicians are trying to find a way to prevent that, because, well because they apparently think corporations work for them and exist to pay whatever tax rate they deem necessary. Of course, in a free country, this wouldn't even be an issue. Corporations, like people, have the right to move wherever they wish. It is their call, not the government's.
But, here that's not the case:
Burger King's possible merger to obtain the favorable Canadian corporate tax rate is a true reflection of the American corporate tax rate being the highest in the OECD. However, rather than taking the same stance on outright cutting the corporate tax rate as the Harper government did to keep the U.S. a competitive place to do business, President Obama calls tax inverting companies like Burger King "corporate deserters who renounce their citizenship to shield profits". At the urging of President Obama, Congress is considering a bill to make it harder for companies to change addresses abroad. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew called for a "new sense of economic patriotism," asking Congress to pass curbs to inversions. The Treasury Department currently is also preparing options to deter or prevent corporate tax inversions potentially on its own.
"Corporate deserters". "Economic patriotism". It's Orwellian Newspeak at its finest. Imagine anyone trying to "shield profits" from a grasping and out-of-control government. It is also another, in a long line of indicators, that this is no longer a free country in the sense we used to believe it was. It is now a country where every other entity is subservient to the needs or wants of intrusive, controlling government.
What good is a union if it can't deliver the goods?
That's kind of the $64,000 dollar question (yes, I'm showing my age … bite me) isn't it?
You've seen the news about the fast food walkouts and claims that food service people should be paid $15 an hour? That what the United Food and Commercial Workers union claims workers in that industry should have. But what do workers they actually represent in that industry actually get? Not much over minimum wage and union dues to pay out of that:
An examination of UFCW contracts shows that even senior union members are not receiving the wages that ROC and Jobs for Justice demand.
Consider a department manager at Kroger's union shop in Michigan. She earns a maximum rate of $13.80, even after over half a decade on the job. If this is the highest wage the UFCW can negotiate for skilled, experienced workers, how can the union provide entry-level, low-skilled workers with $15 an hour?
It is not possible for them to accomplish this. Yet, receiving media coverage for the protests they sponsor is an effective way to increase membership and dues collections. The wage they demand is more than twice what similarly skilled union members are paid, namely $7.40 an hour for an entry-level cashier.
Courtesy clerks are paid a starting rate of $7.40 an hour and can work their way to up a wage ceiling of $7.45, after 12 months on the job. Fuel clerks do not fare much better; they start at the same $7.40 and can earn $7.80 an hour after three years of experience, barely over half of the $15 an hour wage worker centers supported by the UFCW demand. Specialty clerks also start at $7.40 an hour, but can earn up to $9.35 after six years. This amount is still 25 percent below the $12.50 an hour "living wage" Jobs for Justice claims all entry level workers should be paid. Read the full union contract between Kroger and the UFCW here.
The take-home pay is even lower once dues—and federal and state taxes—are removed. Dues are mandatory and usually take between $19 and $60 a month from members' paychecks.
A non-union member could negotiate that without even trying hard. So, what good is the union really done for those those it represents? Other than pay it's union staff very well?
It is expensive to run a union. The average total compensation for those employed by the UFCW—rather than represented by the UFCW—is $88,224 a year. This income is almost six times what the union negotiated for cashiers at Kroger's. Joseph Hansen, the International President of UFCW, earns in excess of $350,000 a year—over twenty times the earnings of many of the workers he represents. The Executive Vice President and National President both earn over $300,000. Are entry-level union workers receiving benefits from paying dues out of their $7.40 an hour paychecks to fund these salaries?
But you know, it's "management" that's the problem, right? I mean how could a cashier negotiate a $7.40 an hour paycheck without the union – and then give the union its "dues" out of that same paycheck? Hey, the president of the union has to have his perks, right?
I know, I know, don't look at the paycheck, look at the other benefits … like a pension, right?
The UFCW has one of the worst records for funding of union pension plans. The Labor Department has informed the UFCW that nine of its pension plans have reached "critical status," meaning they are less than 65 percent funded. Many of these funds have been underfunded for six years. They have low chances of regaining sustainable financing unless they can convince more new members to join and pay dues without receiving similar benefits.
And, of course, there's the political side of things … it is important to help fund the union's political activities, no?
Some portion of dues goes towards political contributions. The UFCW contributed $11.6 million during the 2012 election cycle, of which nearly 100 percent went to Democrats.
Well of course it went to Democrats. Democrats have been in the union's pocket (and vice versa) since time began, apparently. Put $11.6 in the pension fund? What are you, a Republican?
Yes, it's a crying shame people aren't represented by this union … said no libertarian, ever.
Study: Government policy primarily the reason for sub-prime mortgage meltdown
Despite the attempt by government and particularly Democrats, to blame the financial meltdown we've endured on banks and unscrupulous investment companies, the buck stops with them according to a new study just released:
Democrats and the media insist the Community Reinvestment Act, the anti-redlining law beefed up by President Clinton, had nothing to do with the subprime mortgage crisis and recession.
But a new study by the respected National Bureau of Economic Research finds, "Yes, it did. We find that adherence to that act led to riskier lending by banks."
Added NBER: "There is a clear pattern of increased defaults for loans made by these banks in quarters around the (CRA) exam. Moreover, the effects are larger for loans made within CRA tracts," or predominantly low-income and minority areas.
As we've mentioned previously any number of times, government policies can set and enforce preverse incentives. And that has nothing to do with a free market. That's at best a mixed market. So no, the problem wasn't a "market failure", it was the usual result of government intruding and setting preverse incentives that are contrary to good business practices and would likely not survive or succeed in an actual free market.
Here'd the bottom line:
The strongest link between CRA lending and defaults took place in the runup to the crisis — 2004 to 2006 — when banks rapidly sold CRA mortgages for securitization by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and Wall Street.
CRA regulations are at the core of Fannie's and Freddie's so-called affordable housing mission. In the early 1990s, a Democrat Congress gave HUD the authority to set and enforce (through fines) CRA-grade loan quotas at Fannie and Freddie.
It passed a law requiring the government-backed agencies to "assist insured depository institutions to meet their obligations under the (CRA)." The goal was to help banks meet lending quotas by buying their CRA loans.
But they had to loosen underwriting standards to do it. And that's what they did.
Not only that, they guaranteed the bad loans with your money. Why do you think so much money has had to be pumped into those two institutions?
You see the market had determined that certain standards protected their investments. The government decided to ignore reality and push a social agenda using "race" as the basis for throwing out those standards and using their coercive power to implement the social agenda they preferred.
The result was predictable.
And the coverup as well.
Welcome to the law of unintended consequences
Or here's what happens when you play the green card and drive up the cost of energy to the point that it is unaffordable:
When the mercury falls, the theft of wood in the country's woodlands goes up as people turn to cheaper ways to heat their homes. With energy costs escalating, more Germans are turning to wood burning stoves for heat. That, though, has also led to a rise in tree theft in the country's forests. The problem has been compounded this winter by rising energy costs. The Germany's Renters Association estimates the heating costs will go up 22 percent this winter alone.
How much carbon is being emitted by wood burning stoves? How about the deforestation?
Gee, nukes don't sound so bad now, do they?
To give is to waste?
My friend George Scoville wrote a Black Friday-appropriate post on a problem with gift-giving, which touches on a broader point that libertarians should heed.
A microeconomics paper that's bounced around econ-blogs for several years says gift-giving causes a huge deadweight loss: when someone else picks a gift for you, it may not be what you would have bought for yourself when you would have bought it, which normally implies that goods and services are being distributed inefficiently.
If that's true, then Christmas is a tremendously wasteful institution, within an order of magnitude of the income tax, and we'd be better off giving each other cash gifts.
First, on a technical note, that paper was written in 1993, before Amazon wish lists and social media made it easier to detect people's interests and needs, so perhaps we're getting better at matching gifts with recipients.
More importantly, the paper fell short of meaningfully capturing deadweight loss, because it focused entirely on the value of the goods. Gift economies mostly operate on another kind of supply and demand: the desire for social cohesion, meaning closer relationships with family, friends, and other peers.
This is no trivial matter: relationships with people we can count on make us happier, healthier, and more successful. Anything that helps to build and cement those bonds is valuable, and while some academics and marketers try to quantify that value (it may be more than you'd think), the normal rule is that relationships of trust should not be fungible with cash. All societies have some social taboo against trading off the sacred and the mundane, which sometimes leads to absurdly stupid conclusions, but also allows people to build trust without worrying that anything intimate or of an extremely hard-to-price value (what's the rest of your life worth?) will be easily sold for any of the mundane things that can be bought with cash.
It's awkward when people give each other cash as gifts even if the amount is equal, and gift exchanges in which only one side puts any thought into it show unequal empathy. If you put a lot of thought into anticipating someone's wants, and that person gives you a very generic gift, it's like being put in the Friend Zone.
The point of gifts is to trip a hardwire in the brains of social mammals: cycles of giving and gratitude that go beyond simple reciprocity. When you're trading cash, everyone is acutely aware of the value of what's been exchanged, and there's no fudge factor in the brain for "the thought that counts."
That's something we disagreeable, rationalistic libertarians should keep in mind, because the gift economy is a powerful force in human relations that resists and resents the intrusion of market forces, even if markets efficiently bring us the gifts.
Government picks another loser
I don't know how many times we have to point these out or how many ways we have to illustrate that government has no business trying to pick winners and losers, because usually, as with most centralized planning organizations, they get it wrong. Why? Because they're absolutely blind to signals from the market. Government's picks are founded more in preference than reality:
Obama touted it in 2010 as evidence "manufacturing jobs are coming back to the United States," but two years later, a Michigan hybrid battery plant built with $150 million in taxpayer funds is putting workers on furlough before a single battery has been produced.
Workers at the Compact Power manufacturing facilities in Holland, Mich., run by LG Chem, have been placed on rotating furloughs, working only three weeks per month based on lack of demand for lithium-ion cells.
The facility, which was opened in July 2010 with a groundbreaking attended by Obama, has yet to produce a single battery for the Chevrolet Volt, the troubled electric car from General Motors. The plant's batteries also were intended to be used in Ford's electric Focus.
The 650,000-square-foot, $300 million facility was slated to produce 15,000 batteries per year, while creating hundreds of new jobs. But to date, only 200 workers are employed at the plant by by the South Korean company. Batteries for the Chevy Volts that have been produced have been made by an LG plant in South Korea.
Talk about outsourcing.
Workers are furloughed for one week every month. And guess who pays for that week?
Boileau pointed out the workers who are on furloughs one week a month are eligible to collect unemployment for that week, and he said the company covers the contributions to their individual benefits during the period.
Reality check commonly ignored when it comes to government:
"Had it been private investors rather than government bureaucrats making the decision, there either would have been a reality check about the industry, or only those who made individual decisions to invest would have lost their money, not taxpayers."
Instead, government has "socialized" the loss.
The market has moved on – natural gas is cheap and plentiful. It is the future, at least the near future. That's where everything is going.
Meanwhile, the government continues its near unbroken string of picking losers … not that anyone who knows a thing about economics and markets should be the least surprised. Unlike many other things, this is not "unexpected".
Markets vs. central planners … learning the lessons all over again
Here's how markets work. From Toyota:
It said today it will not release its proposed mass-market mini e-car, the eQ. The reason: there's no demand for it, not while battery technology is failing to provide comparable range to a tank of petrol. The natural gas boom in the US has seen prices of the fuel plummet, in turn reducing the cost of electricity generated by burning it. The Japanese car maker said today it will release 21 hybrid gas-electric models in its line-up by 2015.
"The current capabilities of electric vehicles do not meet society's needs, whether it may be the distance the cars can run, or the costs, or how it takes a long time to charge," said, Uchiyamada, who spearheaded Toyota's development of the Prius hybrid in the 1990s.
Here's the market not working because of government intrusion (and ownership):
Nearly two years after the introduction of the path-breaking plug-in hybrid, GM is still losing as much as $49,000 on each Volt it builds, according to estimates provided to Reuters by industry analysts and manufacturing experts.
Cheap Volt lease offers meant to drive more customers to Chevy showrooms this summer may have pushed that loss even higher. There are some Americans paying just $5,050 to drive around for two years in a vehicle that cost as much as $89,000 to produce.
It currently costs GM "at least" $75,000 to build the Volt, including development costs, Munro said. That's nearly twice the base price of the Volt before a $7,500 federal tax credit provided as part ofPresident Barack Obama's green energy policy.
A pity these things have to be continually pointed out. But, of course, it won't stop those who want government to decide what we should be driving instead of consumers and think subsidies will foster that desired behavior.
Two non-partisan government agencies — the Congressional Budget Office in Washington, D.C. and Parliament's Select Transport Committee — conclude that during the next decade at least, the giveaways will have little impact on sales of plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles, or on gasoline consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions. Their main beneficiaries: affluent purchasers who'd buy the vehicles anyway.
"… during the next decade at least …?" Love that caveat, don't you? They never work if it is something consumers don't want. See current example for proof. In the case of the market, it's moved on … and much faster than government can react. As usual, government has backed a loser.
The frenzy over shale gas deep under Ohio and other states has the makings of a different kind of rush on the nation's highways. Businesses, cities, metropolitan transit systems and even school districts across the nation are edging toward a switch from diesel and gasoline to natural gas. Converting cars and light trucks to use either gasoline or natural gas is expensive. And heavy trucks designed specifically for natural gas also cost more than conventional diesels. But at current prices, engines that can run on natural gas cut fuel bills in half or better.
And GM has the Volt. You have to laugh at the fact that the central planners invariably always get it wrong.
You'd have think we'd have learned that by now, wouldn't you?
Twitter: McQandO
Facebook: QandO
Quote of the Day: Pro-market edition
From Professor Luigi Zingales:
"There is not a well-understood distinction between being pro-business and being pro-market. Businessmen like free markets until they get into a market; once they are in it they want to block entry to others. Pro-marketeers want free markets at all times. The more conservative pro-marketeers are fearful of criticising business, because they assume they will be seen as criticising the free market. But we need to stand up and criticise business when business is not helping the cause of free markets."
We talk a lot about crony capitalism. Well what the good professor is talking about when he says that businessmen like free markets until they get in one and then they try to "block entry to others" is part of what we're talking about.
One aspect of cronyism is where businesses attempt to use the power of government, if they can so influence it, to give their company sweetheart regulations, raise artificial barriers to entry and to otherwise impede competitors to the point that they have an advantage. I'd like to say advantage in the "market", but the market, at that point, no longer exists as a free one. It is now a distorted market due to government cronyism.
That's something that badly needs to stop. Whether at this point that's even possible and if it is, how we'd actually go about it are some interesting questions to discuss.
However, the primary point is being pro-business does not necessarily being pro-market and it certainly doesn't mean you are necessarily for free markets.
We need to change the way we discuss this. We nee to talk about free markets and roundly condemn any business that attempts to use the coercive power of government to it's advantage in markets as well as condemning those in government who use its power for such things.
Twitter: @McQandO
Facebook: QandO
Democratic Senator Ron Wyden tries to delink himself from Ryan Medicare plan
To date it's been an attempt that mostly gets fussy about word usage, but my guess is it will get more pointed:
Gov. Romney is talking nonsense. Bipartisanship requires that you not make up the facts. I did not 'co-lead a piece of legislation.' I wrote a policy paper on options for Medicare. Several months after the paper came out I spoke and voted against the Medicare provisions in the Ryan budget. Governor Romney needs to learn you don't protect seniors by makings things up, and his comments today sure won't help promote real bipartisanship.
That's obviously in reaction to a statement by Romney in which he talked about legislation, not a policy paper.
So Wyden is right, the quote is incorrect.
But Wyden is being a bit disingenuous too. You don't vote for parts of a budget so claiming you voted "against the Medicare provisions" of a budget are a bit of nonsense as well. Democrats voted against the entire Ryan budget, the Medicare provisions being only a part of that.
Even Think Progress has some problems with the attempted delinking driven by the inconvenient politics of having a Democratic Senator's name on a plan that Democrats have chosen to mischaracterize and demonize:
The plan Sen. Wyden co-authored with Ryan does bear a striking resemblance to the proposed Medicare changes in Ryan's latest budget for the House GOP. Both keep traditional Medicare as a kind of public option, in an exchange where it would compete with private plans offering insurance to seniors. The government would give seniors support for purchasing these plans, and that support would be benchmarked to the cost of the second-least expensive plan. The plans would also be prohibited from discriminating based on pre-existing conditions.
Where they begin to differ is Paul supports more market based solutions while Wyden wants government based solutions.
But this sort of linkage is inconvenient when you're claiming the GOP ticket is "trying to end Medicare as we know it" (even though it is ObamaCare which is pulling $700+ billion out of Medicare). Avik Roy has the "bottom line" on that meme:
The bottom line: if Romney and Ryan leave you the option to remain in the 1965-vintage, fee-for-service, traditional Medicare program, and you claim that Medicare has "ended as we know it," what you've really ended is the English language as we know it.
Pretty much.
The point? Ron Wyden did indeed "co-author" a Medicare plan with Paul Ryan. There's no question about that. And it was indeed a bipartisan plan, by definition. In fact the paper is entitled "Bipartisan Options for the Future" and lists both Wyden and Ryan as the authors.
Finally, their plan contains this paragraph:
We are a Democrat and Republican; a Senator and a Representative; senior members of our respective Budget Committees; and members of the committees that have jurisdiction over Medicare and health care costs. As budgeteers, we understand the difficulty presented by demographic changes over the next several decades. As members with policy oversight, we recognize and encourage the potential for innovation to improve care and hold down costs. And most important, as representatives of hardworking Americans in Oregon and Southern Wisconsin, we realize our absolute responsibility to preserve the Medicare guarantee of affordable, accessible health care for every one of the nation's seniors for decades to come.
Sounds like a pretty bipartisan effort to me.
Here's the problem for the Democrats. They need badly to demonize Paul Ryan as an extremist who is out to push granny over the Medicare cliff and end Medicare as we know it. That's because "Medicscaring" seniors is a tried and true method of gaining votes, and Democrats know it. They've deployed it many times in the past.
And bipartisan cooperation? No way, no how, can't let that sort of thing become public knowledge when you have an active campaign beginning to label Ryan as an extremist ideologue.
But the facts don't support that sort of branding campaign. Not only has Ryan not attempted in any form or fashion to end Medicare, he's teamed up with a liberal Senator to put forward a plan to actually save it (even while the loudest critic is pulling that $700+ billion from the program via ObamaCare) and make it sustainable.
How inconvenient.
That is why Wyden is trying his best to delink from Ryan. And you can imagine from whence the pressure to do so is coming. But it's a hard sale to make when his name is clearly associated with Ryan's on a plan he claimed will "preserve the Medicare guarantee of affordable, accessible health care for every one of the nation's seniors for decades to come", isn't it?
Not that it will stop them from trying.
Twitter: @McQandO
Facebook: QandO


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Lynn F. Shive Haas Obituary
Published on Pennlive.com and in The Patriot-News on Aug. 9, 2012
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: Lynn F. Shive Haas, 71, of Lower Swatara Twp., died Tuesday, August 7, 2012 in MS Hershey Medical Center ER. She was a retired employee...
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A new plant-parasitic nematode worm (Meloidoderita salina) was found in a tidal salt marsh at Mont Saint Michel Bay (MSMB) in France, where its abbey is a world-famous historical heritage. The species name 'salina' refers to salty soil and is derived from the Latin word 'sal' or 'salis' meaning 'salt'. The study was published in the peer-reviewed, open source scientific journal ZooKeys.
The female nematode worm of Meloidoderita salina deposits its eggs in two different structures. One of them is called egg mass which is an external gelatinous matrix, the other one is a cystoid, which is a swollen uterus containing some eggs. Cystoid are harder and stronger than gelatinous matrix. On the surface of the cystoids of Meloidoderita salina, nematologists observed a specific and unique hexagonal beaded pattern.
"This discovery is probably the first observation of a real hexagonal pattern in the group of nematode worms so far, and further research is needed to find out its unknown origin", said Prof. Dr. Gerrit Karssen, one of the senior members of the team.
A tidal salt marsh, a transition zone between land and water, is a highly divers ecosystem. In MSMB, where this new nematode species was found, a large part of its area are tidal salt marshes in which a high number of ecological studies were done, although nematode worms have been mostly neglected.
"Meloidoderita salina is the first plant-parasitic nematode worm described from Mont Saint Michel Bay", said leading author Samad Ashrafi. This new roundworm parasitizes Sea purslane which is a halophytic plant (is fo
|Contact: Gerrit Karssen
Pensoft Publishers


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Brown Sugar Meringue
9 Oct 2010
|Egg whites
|2 (Left Over From Cake)
|Packed brown sugar
|1 Cup (16 tbs)
|Lemon juice
|1 Tablespoon
|Chopped nuts
|1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
|1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
|1 Tablespoon
|1⁄2 Teaspoon
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Beat egg whites until frothy.
Gradually beat in brown sugar and lemon juice.
Continue beating until stiff and glossy.
Spread on hot cake.
Mark meringue into thirds across the cake.
Sprinkle 1/3 with nuts, 1/3 with coconut and 1/3 with a mixture of 1 tbsp.sugar and cinnamon.
Return cake to oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes until meringue is browned.
Rate It
0 Comments
Brown Sugar Meringue Recipe


text:
There are currently 270 users online. 112 members and 158 guests
Most users ever online was 947, 12-07-2013 at 00:35.
On the spreadsheet. Where it says "type your name here" Are those needed for the main dish? or is it a mistake on the spreadsheet?MoonBear Today, 06:57
yep I just read the last 20 or so post. I need to go eat something now.
Happy 4th everyone. My grandfather turns 95 today!
that's interesting, I received mine a couple days ago and they're the newer, curved version.novasquid Today, 06:53
That's an excellent idea, doesn't get much easier than that, thanks for sharing.Redoleary Today, 06:50
Apologies to the OP, I feel like we're hijacking this thread.
Agreed, Germany has some beautiful places. My wife and I have backpacked
Man that looks like fun pal. Except'n for the leeches! Ha! Hey, great camera transition on the canoe flip to the shoulders. Most excellent pal.Hawk-eye Today, 06:47
Thanks for the Kind words. I had the tiniest of blisters - about 1/8 inch in diameter. I drained it Saturday nIght and it didn't give me any more issues.jnunniv Today, 06:47
Cholla. Lots of good info in our DIY stickies. Here's a link for snake skins with a pattern. https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...y-Line-StorageHunter55 Today, 06:45


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39 year old man | Castle Hills, TX, USA | Seeking women 25-40 within 50 miles
Lets see whats out there...
I am starting over fresh. I am no longer going to go out of my way to find that person that may or may not exist. Finding love is like trying to find lost keys, you will never find it until you stop looking and it finds you. Anyway, I am wanting to meet new people to just hang out with being myself. Im not really looking for anything serious right now but I am not going to pass up a good thing if it comes my way. I truly believe that the key to the self preservation of ones heart is forgiveness and that is the reason that I am starting over. I am looking to have a good time with life and spreading my wings out again. No, that doesn't mean I am player because I am not. It means that I am letting go of the past and moving forward. At the moment, I have a lot of free time right now due to the fact that I work in insurance. My business takes up a lot of my time but I will make time if its warranted. I am very much down to earth and I call it like I see it. I regard myself as a class clown type but I have been told that I am like a big teddy bear. Again I am not looking for anything serious right now but I will give you an idea as to what I look for in a possible relationship. She has to have a good head on her shoulders. She is a great communicator who is not afraid to tell me what bothers her. It is a MUST that she has a warm heart of gold and down to earth. Although looks may not be factor, I much rather take a lady who is pretty and has a great personality then to have a lady who is drop dead gorgeous that is cold and empty. Kiss!!!
Alumni connections , Book club , Camping , Coffee and conversation , Business networking , Cooking , Dining out , Fishing/Hunting , Hobbies and crafts , Movies/Videos , Museums and art , Music and concerts , Exploring new areas , Nightclubs/Dancing , Performing arts , Playing cards , Playing sports , Political interests , Religion/Spiritual , Shopping/Antiques , Travel/Sightseeing , Video games , Volunteering , Wine tasting
Billiards / Pool, Bowling, Dancing, Other types of exercise, Swimming, VolleyBall, Walking / Hiking, Weights / Machines
I exercise 3-4 times per week.
I like Birds, Cats, Dogs, Horses
Traveling is my forte` so were ever the roads take me...
I have a few hobbies and they are Models, guitar playing, online gaming, historical quests, driving around wasting gas
I am easly amused so im willing to try anything.
IRS tax codes
Z{{Cta}} {{#if HasMoreInfo}} ?{{CtaSecondary}} {{/if}}
|What he is looking for
|6'3" (190cms)
|5'0" (152cms) to 6'3" (190cms)
|Body type:
|Slender, About average, Curvy, Athletic and toned, A few extra pounds
|No preference
|Dark brown
|No preference
|No Way
|No preference
|Social Drinker
|No preference
|Financial / Accounting / Real Estate
|No preference
Insurance Adjuster
|I'll tell you later
|No preference
|No preference
|Have kids:
|Yes, and they live away from home (1)
|No preference
|Wants kids:
|Not sure
|No preference
|Latino / Hispanic, White / Caucasian
|Asian, Latino / Hispanic, Native American, White / Caucasian
I am 100% mutt.
|Spiritual but not religious
|No preference
|English, German, Spanish
|Some college
|Some college
I have a Railroad certificate of completion and I was working on my small business one before I was given the opertunty I have now. + i was tired of the BS that went with college so it was not hard to leave.


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44 year old woman | Irvine, CA, USA | Seeking men 36-46 within 100 miles
What you see is not what you get. I won't bore you if you don't bore me. Promise ;-)
Hey there... looking to start out rather slow and see what happens. The last thing I want to do is rush into a whirlwind romance or see each other 24/7 right away. Nothing wrong with seeing someone once a week (or thereabouts) and looking forward to the next time you see the person you "click" with. I am looking to meet relationship minded people though. I'm on here to meet someone special that could eventually turn into something lasting... not to waste time with people unwilling to ever choose what they want because there's just too many options. Aah, the beauty of OC sometimes, huh? :-) And I know, I know... women are just as guilty of the " bigger-better-deal" syndrome as men are, but I'm not here to date women, so I'm referring to men that do it. LOL The first thing that comes to mind to tell you about me is that I'm an idealist. I truly want to make the world a better place. I am passionate about environmental causes and climate change and would like to find someone whose at least open-minded to these subjects. I'm not saying that you have to go chain yourself to anything or march in rallies with me on the weekends (smirk... I don't march in rallies), but someone who has a ton of apathy toward our planet and what is happening with the environment may not be well suited for me. And please, no email telling me climate change is a farse please. I totally get that you feel that way... but I'm past pulling pigtails and kicking me in the shins to get attention. haha. If you are strongly on the right, we are probably not a match. I've probably just ruled out 70% of Orange County men. :-) I'm very much into Green Living but you don't have to be. I don't shove my opinions down anyone's throat (although I used too, ha ha). I am extremely honest and open about everything. The most important thing to me is being able to communicate well with someone. To understand and be understood. I have a serious side and a free-spirited playful side. I have a dry quick wit and I love a guy with a great sense of humor. Especially in those moments when I'm taking myself a bit too seriously... someone who can throw me back into the shallow end of the pool once in awhile, is an asset. I would describe my personality as being a bit of a homebody. When I'm out in public, I'm very outgoing and social, but I prefer one on one moments or very small groups of people to a crowd scene any day. I want someone who is passionate about life. I don't care if your passionate about your underwater basketweaving class, as long as your passionate about something, and you make me feel it too. It seems like I come across a lot of people who have lost their passion. Have we really lost the ability to "feel" things deeply? My idealistic side sure hopes not. I think passionate people are far and few between in this world. We could use a few more. Also, I hate to say this but I have to. Please don't send me messages about your huge house on the beach and your lucrative businesses that you own. It is NOT my thing (and yes, I have to say this because I get those types of transparent messages). I'll take a poor guy with a heart of gold over a rich one who is jaded ANY day. I try not to judge... but keeping up with the Joneses and the materialistic mentality that is so prevalant in this county holds ZERO interest for me. If you find that money and "things" have become extremely important to you, maybe there are other girls out there better suited for you than me. I want to meet someone who is GENUINE, enjoys the simple things in life and has a good heart, so if you've managed to hold onto these things on your way up the ladder, then great, maybe we'll get along. If not well... I wish you luck in your search :
Camping , Coffee and conversation , Cooking , Dining out , Movies/Videos , Exploring new areas , Political interests , Travel/Sightseeing , Volunteering , Wine tasting
Bowling, Walking / Hiking, Weights / Machines, Yoga
I exercise 5 or more times per week.
I have Dogs, Other
I like Birds, Cats, Exotic Pets, Fish, Horses
I have a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel that I got as a rescue that I LOVE, but I will spare you the 12 pictures of my pet on my profile if you spare me the 12 pictures of your motorcycle... ;)
No bar or club scene for me. Cozy, cute little eclectic places like Lola Gaspar, Gypsy Den and Sol Grill are great. Places that aren't too crowded, well lit or noisy so I can actually hear what you are saying :). I'd love to see Colorado one day...
Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI
Favorite movies: As Good As It Gets, Groundhog Day, Legally Blonde (oops, wasn't supposed to admit that one :) and every Christmas I have to watch It's A Wonderful Life. Oh, and I just watched Crazy, Stupid Love. Any hopeless romantic would love that
Let's see.... Fun. You can always find me in a bookstore. I'm somewhat addicted to them. I like hoakie little Western themed towns. I look at every corny display they have to offer. I like hiking and being in nature. I love good movies and wine.
Currently reading "The Alchemist" (okay fine, I read this last year, but it makes me sound smart and worldly and you guys seem to be impressed that I read it, so I put it in here.... What?... LOL)
Z{{Cta}} {{#if HasMoreInfo}} ?{{CtaSecondary}} {{/if}}
|What she is looking for
|5'4" (162cms)
|5'8" (172cms) to 6'6" (198cms)
|Body type:
|Athletic and toned
|Slender, About average, Athletic and toned
|No preference
|Black, Light brown, Dark brown, Blonde, Salt and pepper, Dark blonde
|No Way
|No Way
|Social Drinker
|Social Drinker, Moderately
|Self-Employed / Entrepreneur
|No preference
Personal Trainer & Environmental Activist.
|I'll tell you later
|No preference
|No preference
|Have kids:
|Yes, and they sometimes live at home (1)
|No preference
|Wants kids:
|Probably not
|No preference
|White / Caucasian
|Latino / Hispanic, White / Caucasian, Other
|Christian / Other
|No preference
|No preference
|Associates degree
|High school, Some college, Associates degree, Bachelors degree, Graduate degree, PhD / Post Doctoral


text:
1) Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pan; cover and keep warm.
2) In medium bowl, stir together cumin, chili powder and 2 teaspoons oil. Add pork; stir to coat.
3) Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add pork. Cook 5 to 7 minutes until browned and cooked through, turning occasionally. (Reduce heat if pork is browning too quickly.) Remove from skillet; set aside.
4) Add onion and 2 tablespoons broth to skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat (stirring up any browned bits) about 3 minutes, until onions are crisp-tender. Stir in salsa, remaining broth, and beans, if using. Bring to boil.
5) Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6) Return pork to skillet. Heat through. Portion pasta into individual serving dishes.
7) Top with stew and serve with lime wedges.
8) Garnish with avocado, sour cream and cilantro, if desired.


text:
Hotels/lodging near The Domain are provided in the list below sorted in the order of their distance (closest at the top). Browse our hotels to find accommodations near The Domain in Northwest Austin TX for your leisure or groups trips.
The Domain is located at 11410 Century Oaks Terrace.
We list the best lodging close to The Domain so you can review the discounted Northwest Austin TX hotels & motels below and securely book your ideal hotel.
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text:
"Thank you so much for all your help with the funeral planning and the actual funeral. Everything was beautiful and could not have been more special or gone any smoother. It was comforting for our family to know that everything was going to be taken care of and that we would do my father-in-law justice with a very beautiful funeral. Thank you so much for that peace-of-mind. We could not have been more pleased with how everything turned out. You all are truly wonderful at what you do. I would never go anywhere else! (Although I'm hoping not to have to use your services for a very long time!) Thank you so much for everything."
Planning Memorable Funeral Services in the Naperville & Plainfield Communities
An end-of-life service can be a relatively quiet and simple affair, a deeply religious ceremony, a dignified formal tribute to a more public figure, or a boisterous celebration of a wonderful life—the choices are endless and as personal as your memory of a special life.
Where to begin? Determining the type of funeral services is the first step: burial, cremation, visitation, or memorial service. Often these choices are determined by religious tradition or familial customs. From that point, decisions are based on personal preference and the desire to memorialize the loved one, to truly reflect the life and character of the deceased.
Throughout the planning process, the professionals of Friedrich-Jones and Overman-Jones Funeral Homes encourage you to celebrate the life of your loved one by personalizing the services to reflect that person's interests, skills, and significance in your family. When you choose to plan ahead for your own end-of-life services, we offer endless options and guidance—learn more about pre-planning funeral services.
Personalizing Your Service
Whether you are planning your own service in advance or planning for a loved one, making it personal requires some thought. Many items, such as photos or mementos, may be brought from home to display at the service, while other items may be selected at the funeral home. You may even wish to include a cherished family pet at your visitation or memorial service.
There are many ways to customize a tribute to a family member or friend. There are far too many to list, but the family and staff of Friedrich-Jones and Overman-Jones Funeral Homes will guide you through the many different options that are available to create a unique personalized commemoration of your loved one.
Personalization themes may be based on the interests of the deceased, such as hobbies, music, favorite sports or teams, or a branch of the military. A skill at knitting, a competitive golfer, a love of horses, or a loyal Cubs fan may all be reflected in the services. This theme may even be mirrored in your memorial brochures or programs with logos, icons, or photos.
The following list offers potential options for personalizing your services:
- Photo collages, albums, and framed photography—A photo display is a very simple but lovely way to offer a memorial of your loved one and a focal point for guests and family members.
- Video tribute—A wonderful way to honor a special life, this engaging tribute may be run on a continuous loop throughout the visitation or memorial service; families may create their own or leave it to our skilled audiovisual professional to prepare a lasting memorial that can be copied and distributed to endless family members.
- Personal interest items (golf bag, military awards, quilts, etc.)—An exhibit of the person's skills or hobbies is often central to a visitation or memorial service.
- Decorative casket panels and casket engraving—These ornamental items are a popular way to embellish the casket with a personal touch.
- Decorative urn—Whether a temporary or permanent vessel, the urn can be a beautiful reflection of the life of the deceased.
- Floral pieces—Flowers are often the centerpiece to a funeral service, accompanying the remains from the visitation, to the place of worship, to the final resting place; we offer assistance in locating area floral shops.
- Music—Personal and touching, music sets the tone for the entire memorial event.
- Readings, biblical passages, and eulogies—Those spoken pieces are often thought provoking and leave a powerful memory for guests and family members at a service.
- Pallbearers—An honor to those left behind, the choice of the final escort is a personal and touching tribute.
- Post-service gathering—The support of loved ones is significant, demonstrated by sharing refreshments and stories that assist the family in their journey to recovering from grief and loss; we offer a guide to local amenities and catering for assistance in choosing an appropriate setting for this gathering.
Planning an end-of-life event is always easier when done in advance. But even if you are faced with a sudden loss, the Jones family of funeral professionals is here to guide you.
Face death with grace, dignity, and an appreciation for a life well lived—plan your end-of-life services with our family at Friedrich-Jones and Overman-Jones Funeral Homes.


text:
|VOTO develops mobile technology to enhance grassroots participation in governance - GhanaWeb
May 29th 2012, 05:28
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text:
An End and New Motivation
I felt this was a pretty good but not great final issue, but in the wake of AvX and MarvelNow! it a fairly good send off for Cyclops' Extension team. There are some good moments here an some resolutions to some plot lines as well. Also there is just a hint of more to come in the future.
Perhaps my favorite part of this issue was Illiana finally beating the idea into Peters head that she is not the little weak and innocent little snowflake that he remembers from his childhood and that she is capable of manipulating him and making him do horrible things just to teach him a lesson. The Danger and Unit scens was a but underwhelming but was Ok. The scene with Cyclops and Katie Kildare his PR agent was interesting to say the least for and could new source of motivation for Cyclops going forward.
The issue does a pretty good job af wraping up several plot issues but at the same time lays the groundwork for for new storylines going forward. Kierion Gillen does a fine job here wraping up what he could though I do think he thought he would have more time to spin his web more but was derailed bu the AvX event. Carlos Pacheco's art is good and I really liked his depiction of Magik as a powerful manipulator. As I said this is a good concluding issue picking what scraps were left over from the AvX conclusion.
Overall I would rate this issue a 3.5 out of 5.


text:
(716): View more from New York
Eventually the creepy theater major quirks will come out. Probably in bed. Like role playing as the Phantom of the Opera
Tap Here to view the Mobile Optimized TFLN
Eventually the creepy theater major quirks will come out. Probably in bed. Like role playing as the Phantom of the Opera
You can't have your penis and eat it, too.
i was about to rearrange the room but realized that this is the only efficient setup where we can have sex while the other one's asleep without them accidentally seeing.
So the answer to your question is yes, I was masturbating on the roof of my building.
i jus dunped the rest of my drink down the sink and tool my bra off. pretty sure this is the best decision for everybody.
I'm covered in pickle juice. Why do you people leave me alone?
Last night he tried to put me in their garbage can and then sprayed me with a fire extinguisher in their kitchen...that house is always interesting
It doesn't count as drinking alone if you're making rum cake with it.
I've spent the last three hours watching 30 rock and eating marshmallows and ham. I'm considering taking up weed to justify my lifestyle.
Housekeeping called in a homicide detective. Just spent an hour explaining that we had vigorous hotel vacation sex five times, even though I was having a heavy flow day. It'll definitely be what you call a memorable honeymoon.
found out the liquor store price matches. thus begins senior year of college
i dont understand why you dont get why i love him. i opened the bathroom door and he had his penis in his right hand and a mcdouble in his left.
The story about him having a girlfriend changed real fast when he found out that I was a gymnast
I don't care if the man pisses on teenage girls, he's enchanting.
He walked in, tore open the drawer, pulled out a condom, and slammed it shut. He was that ready.


text: The ties between new Bills Head Coach Doug Marrone, and former Bills GM Bill Polian go way back. All the way to Mt. St. Michael's Academy in the Bronx, the alma mater for both Marrone and Polian. Polian mentioned those ties Thursday night, in an appearance on The John Murphy Show podcast. "I know a lot about Doug, we went to the same high school, Mt. St. Michael Academy in the Bronx," Polian said. "He was a far better football player than I was. The bottom line is, I recommended him very strongly for the Syracuse job, a lot of people did that. We've been friends a long time. I followed his career for a long time because he's a Mount guy, and the he was friendly with people on our staff."


text:
Lady Antebellum, Sam Hunt and Hunter Hayes Concert Party Bus!
- Film, Media & Entertainment
- 335 6th Ave, San Diego, CA, 92101
Movie Screening: Girl Rising!
Department of Learning and Teaching
Wednesday, April 24, 2013 from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM (PDT)
"Girl Rising!" Meet 9 girls from 9 countries - striving beyond circumstance, pushing past limits. Their dreams, their voices, their remarkable lives -captured in an unforgettable feature film about the strength of the human spirit and the power of education to change the world. With stories written by renowned writers from each girl's country and narrated by esteemed actors Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Liam Neeson, Kerry Washington, Cate Blanchett, Priyanka Chopra, Salma Hayek, Chloë Grace Moretz, Selena Gomez, Freida Pinto and Alicia Keys.
University of San Diego, School of Leadership and Education Sciences
Mother Rosalie Hill Hall – Warren Auditorium
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110
The Department of Learning and Teaching prepares candidates to work with elementary, secondary, and adult learners. We offer teaching credentials, master's degrees, and an undergraduate minor.
Join millions of people on Eventbrite.
In order to purchase these tickets in installments, you'll need an Eventbrite account. Log in or sign up for a free account to continue.


text:
"The majority of hands on building will occur at the new Picuris Earthship shown in the picture below. This Global design is the highest performing Earthship and utilizes the newest components and techniques. The tires are currently finished and the bond beam is formed. It is ready to be roofed by our students.
The Eve project is set to continue and we are excited to seal up the 30 foot tall greenhouse. This house will provide future student housing and is pushing the limits of what can be done. The EVE project is part of our designated two acres of experimental architecture. The state of New Mexico has allowed us the freedom to try new techniques without the limits of standard construction. READ MORE »


text:
Main Street Minute: Half-price cheeseburgers at Sonic
KTAR's Main Street Minute focuses on local businesses that are hiring, businesses that are opening and events across the community. Each weekday these stories air on KTAR at 7:27 a.m. More information can be found below.
� State Farm is hiring for locations across the Valley. The insurers are looking for data specialists, software engineers and customer service workers. You can apply online on the State Farm website or at the office closest to you.
� The Volvo dealership in Phoenix is hiring. Openings are for Internet sales, customer service representatives, assistant sales managers and call center representatives. You can apply in person at the dealership at 2205 W. Bell Road in Phoenix.
� Sonic is celebrating back to school by offering half-priced cheeseburgers all Thursday. Just ask for the deal at any of the drive-ins.


text:
There are a number of plans for matchbox pinhole cameras out there. Here is one. Link
If you want fall off you just need to have a big enough piece of material behind the pinhole to get as much of the image circle as possible. Also a cylinder will give you less fall off as you are keeping the film plane distance from the pinhole more constant. You don't actually get in and out of focus areas with pinhole, that is a characteristic of lenses. Have fun!


text:
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Julio Memba, RJX X-TREME 600EP-FBL
Overall Length: 1260mm
Belt Version.
Overall Height: 390mm
Overall Width: 210mm
Weight: 3400gr
Battery: 6S
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Behind any veneer or acts of cruelty, we care for our partners and playmates very deeply and wish them no harm.
You write about war between 8-year-old girls, and their cruelty.
Its power resonates down the decades, a truly remarkable, groundbreaking fantasy, full of cruelty and wonder.
early 13c., from Old French crualté (12c., Modern French cruauté), from Latin crudelitatem (nominative crudelitas) "cruelty," from crudelis (see cruel).


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Roger Norman buys SCORE
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Baja Dad
Beastly Adventurer
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Norco California
Oddometer: 2,040
Originally Posted by
I'm not trying to get in a pissing match at all. You keep saying PRO PRO PRO. and you were beat by a lot of sportsman. Those sportsman that beat you are there to race and have fun and are on a budget. No egos and no need to say PRO PRO PRO PRO to anyone and everyone to show how fast they are.
I didnt go there to just ride. I went to race. Like your team I had problems. It happens. I spent 300 miles puking and shitting during the race. I know its nowhere near the hardcore drive to your sons event but it sucked and slowed me down.
BTW I'm not sure what getting off the bike and driving north has to do with anything other then you are trying to pin your poor results on your team. Nest time ride the entire race that way you can be in control of your own results.
I feel for you !! I have had that same thig happen to me at the 1000 back in 1988
Yes 10 Sportsman biks did pass us
Not trying to Pin anything on any one.
I had a flawless ride when I was on the Bike ! It was a blast!
and we will be back this year racing with our sons!! Maybe calss 20 or 21
I have ridden the entire course many times
Why would I want to SOLO this entire Race??
There is NO class for SOLO riders????
I think they should have a Ironman/Solo class
But at this time and since the very first Baja 1000
These are TEAM races
mabe if you come down to Baja this spring or summer we can do a ride
Hope to meet you !
Good Luck and Ride safe!
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text: http://stackoverflow.com – how to make that text was written vertically? how to rotate text 90 degrees? Write each letter individually is stupid, but now ,i don't know another way. Paint paint = new Paint(); public DrawView(Context context, double arr[]) { super(context); paint.setColor(Color.BLACK); } @Override public void onDraw(Canvas canvas) { canvas.drawText("Test",50, 50, paint); } (HowTos)


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Hutsonville, Illinois
|Hutsonville, Illinois
Downtown Hutsonville
|United States
|39°6′33″N 87°39′33″W / 39.10917°N 87.65917°WCoordinates: 39°6′33″N 87°39′33″W / 39.10917°N 87.65917°W
|0.62 sq mi (2 km2)
|- land
|0.62 sq mi (2 km2)
|- water
|0.00 sq mi (0 km2)
|554 (2010)
|893.5 / sq mi (345 / km2)
|- summer (DST)
|Postal code
|Area code
|Wikimedia Commons: Hutsonville, Illinois
Hutsonville is a village in Crawford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 554 at the 2010 census.[1]
Hutsonville is located in northeastern Crawford County at 39°6′33″N 87°39′33″W / 39.10917°N 87.65917°W (39.109142, -87.659262), along the Wabash River.[2] Its eastern border is formed by the river, which is also the Indiana state line. The main east-west street through the village is Clover Street, which crosses the river to become Indiana State Road 154, which leads east 15 miles (24 km) to Sullivan, Indiana. Clover Street leads west 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to Illinois Route 1, which runs north 20 miles (32 km) to Marshall and south 26 miles (42 km) to Lawrenceville. Hutsonville's Main Street leads south as County Route 5, 8 miles (13 km) to Palestine.
According to the 2010 census, the village has a total area of 0.62 square miles (1.6 km2), all land.[3]
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 568 people, 239 households, and 164 families residing in the village. The population density was 819.7 people per square mile (317.8/km²). There were 269 housing units at an average density of 388.2 per square mile (150.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.94% White, 0.18% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.70% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.
There were 239 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the village the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $33,500, and the median income for a family was $36,364. Males had a median income of $29,167 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the village was $15,774. About 11.6% of families and 15.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
- ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Hutsonville village, Illinois". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ "2010 Census U.S. Gazetteer Files for Places – Illinois". United States Census. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links[edit]
Media related to Hutsonville, Illinois at Wikimedia Commons


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Grammy Award winner Jennifer Holliday brings a gift of soul-stirring music. Walt Whitman's Soul Children of Chicago also perform at the Holliday for the Holidays show.
Why go: And we are telling you, you won't want to go anywhere else to hear Holliday sing Broadway, R&B, soul and gospel.
Reconsider: If you are confusing Jennifer Holliday with the new-generation "Dreamgirl" Jennifer Hudson.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Millennium Park, 205 E. Randolph Drive; $35-$55; 312-334-7777, harristheaterchicago.org
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CTnow.com, 285 Broad St., Hartford, CT 06115
A Hartford Courant website


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Insurance is probably the biggest yearly bill that you will pay for your car. That's why it's important to shop around for the best quote for you. Price is not the only consideration when obtaining a quote; the amount of cover you will receive includes drivers legal protection which cover court bills in the case of anything going to court, Coutesy cars, road side assistance, online quotations, named drivers, etc are all things which can affect a premium but it's up to you to decide what you really need. You do not need road side assistance if you are already in a motoring organisation like the AA. You might not need Legal Protection if you could qualify for legal aid.
There are three main types of car insurance that you can choose from
Third Party Only
Covers you for claims made by other people for bodily injury or damage to their property.
Third Party, Fire and Theft
As above, plus your car is covered if stolen or damaged by fire.
This gives you both of the above and also covers accidental damage to your car.
Which you choose is up to you. Fully comprehensive insurance is the
best policy to have for peace of mind but will be more expensive.
Third Party insurance could leave you out of pocket if a crash is
your fault but the difference in Premiums over several years could
be more than the cost of a repair and could therefore be cheaper in
the long run.


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Gerald L. (Jerry) Pankratz went to be with his Lord and Savior on July 18, 2012. He passed away very peacefully, after a very short but fierce battle with cancer, with his family surrounding him at the Hospice House of San Joaquin County. Jerry was born October 16, 1937 in Herrington, Kansas to Walter G. and Lena M. Pankratz. He moved to Turlock, California as a sophomore in high school and graduated from Turlock High School in 1955. He attended Modesto Junior college after which he transferred to Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas. He returned to Turlock after college and ...
Virgil Pereira, 91, of Turlock, California passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at his residence. He was born and raised in Turlock. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Virgil enjoyed reading, history, trains, clocks, and tractors.
Catherine "Cathy" Sue Tanner Atkinson suddenly passed away Tues., July 10, 2012. Cathy was born April 16, 1958 to James and Betty Tanner in Turlock, CA.
William "Bill" Nazar was a loving son, brother, father and friend who will be missed by all who knew and loved him. His friends and family will always remember Bill as a dependable, hard-working, and loyal man who took care of everyone around him. Bill was born in Sacramento, CA to Paul and Helen Nazar who in 1968 lived in Sutter Creek, CA and was the youngest of two sons. The Nazar family moved to Turlock July 4, 1970 to take over the family farm and Bill attended local schools. After high school, Bill joined the Army National Guard and ...
John Delgado, 53, of Delhi, died tragically in a motorcycle accident near his home in Delhi. John was born in McAllen, TX, one of twelve children born to Lazaro and Aniceta (Garcia) Delgado. The family moved to Turlock, CA when John was 6. He graduated in 1977 from Turlock High School and married his high school sweetheart Laurie Silva shortly afterward. John was a rugged outdoorsman. He enjoyed the mountains, four-wheeling, archery, motorcycling, and muscle cars. But, he truly loved his beautiful wife and family and his church.
Marjorie Ann Jones of Turlock passed away on July 17. She is survived by her son, Stan Jones, Jr. of Turlock; grandsons, Jonathan and Gavin Jones of Texas; and granddaughter, Hannah White of Denair.
Funeral Mass will be held today, 10 a.m., at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church with burial to follow at Turlock Memorial Park, 575 N. Soderquist Rd.
Jose was born in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico to Pilar and Julia Perez in 1936. He settled in Modesto in 1984, where he worked hard as a truck driver before becoming disabled. Jose was a kind person who cared for others and will be remembered fondly by those who knew him.
Evelyn N. Rocha, 86, of Hilmar, passed away Saturday peacefully with her family by her side.
Daisy Aleman Van Assen, 86, born February 26, 1926 in Managua, Nicaragua and passed away July 10, 2012 in McKinney, Texas.
Sharon Mohr, 65, of Turlock passed away after suffering unexpected complications during routine medical procedures. Sharon's family stood vigilant by her side through the weeks and days of illness and pain, until taking the grace of God's hand and the journey home to heaven.
Mark Rice, 51, of Turlock, lost a long battle with illness at his home early Monday morning.
Harley was born and raised in Turlock, California. He enjoyed reading, and making people laugh. He had a great sense of humor. He also enjoyed music, his favorite was Stevie Nicks. Harley had a heart of gold, a smile that lit up the room and was like a father to his nieces and nephews. In the end he gave the gift of life. He donated organs and saved 3 lives.
The lord has called Martha home. She was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, grandmother and friend. She is survived by her husband Donald Ruether, daughters Diana Cuevas, Monica Maxey, and Lindsey Ruether, granddaughter Makenzie Mason, parents Javier and Maria Elena Fuentes of Turlock, siblings; Maria Rubio of Paso Robles, Marisela Carranza of Denair, Robert Fuentes of Winton, Rosa Echeverria of Atwater, and Javier Fuentes Jr. of Livingston.
Terry Lee Antonides was born in Michigan. He was in the Air Force stationed in Atwater califiornia. He lived in California for over 40 years. He also lived in Arizona for two years. Terry retired from Leprino Cheese Company in Tracy, Ca.
Gladys Sylvia Rodrick, 82 of Patterson passed away Sunday, June 28th at Memorial Medical Center in Modesto.
Billy was born in Little Rock, Arkansas to the late Harvey and Lillian Mills and passed away after a sudden illness at the age of 86. He was the second of three children. His family settled in Hughson and Billy graduated from Hughson High School and excelled in basketball and baseball. He also attended MJC and then went on to proudly serve in the Army during the Korean War from 1951-1953. Billy was a Medical Technician with the 121st Evac Hospital. He was awarded with a Korean Service Medal with three bronze service stars, a United Nations Service Medal and ...
John Walter Guy, Jr., 90, was born in Turlock to Mabel and John Guy, Sr. John's father was mayor of Turlock from 1930-35 and owner of Guy Funeral Home.
Leonard Mendonca, 80, of Turlock passed away suddenly at home on June 24, 2015. Leonard was born to Caetano and Adeline Mendonca in Modesto, Ca. He attended Roselawn School and graduated from Turlock High School in 1951. He served his country in the U.S. Navy as an electronics technician and was the DJ on board the destroyer U.S.S. McKean. He loved music, HAM Radio, dancing, and sports. He was an outstanding fast-pitch softball pitcher, an avid Oakland A's, Oakland Raiders, and Golden State Warriors fan. He was very proud to have a son and grandson both ...
Helen C. Smith, age 97, of Hughson, California passed away Tuesday, June 30, 2015 at Samaritan Village. She was born November 8, 1917 in Jamestown, Rhode Island to Daniel and Margaret Murray. She graduated High School from Newport High School in Rhode Island before receiving her Bachelors Degree. She married Irving E. Smith November 9, 1942 in New York City. She was a Pediatric Nurse for 35 years. They lived in New York City, Long Island, and San Diego before settling in Hughson twelve years ago. Helen enjoyed golfing, ballroom dancing, and bridge.
Elyn Jean Gregg, our beautiful mom, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, June 21, 2015 at the amazing age of 99. Mom was born in September of 1915 in Oakland, Nebraska, the 3rd of 5 children born to John and Ebba Nelson. The Nelson family moved to California in 1923 and after living in Denair and Delhi, they moved to the family farm in Hughson.
Heaven gained a beautiful angel when Judy, a Porterville resident for many years, joined their celestial choir on June 6, 2015 after a short illness. She was 74.
Desirae Crittenden,19, passed away in Northridge, CA on June 21, 2015. She was born on 08/08/95 in Turlock, CA. She grew up in Merced,CA and graduated from Merced High in 2013. She attended CSU Northridge and was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority. Desirae was loved by many and left an impact on many people's lives. Her love for EDM, country and Tupac music was out of this world. She loved dancing and going to raves. She also loved the SF Giants. She enjoyed spending time with her friends and family. She is survied ...
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Contents of this site are © Copyright 2014 The Turlock Journal, CA. All rights reserved.


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The kilt is a symbol of male emancipation
Clothing is a deeply political statement. Here at Skilt we wholeheartedly support all our sisters in their right to wear trousers (or whatever else they choose – including nothing).
Wearing a kilt out in public is not always the easiest thing for a man to do. It takes balls. But really it is nothing like what women in some other countries still face. Show your solidarity with them by wearing your kilt with pride.
BBC News – Sweden male train drivers wear skirts after shorts row
A dozen male train drivers in Sweden have circumvented a ban on shorts by wearing skirts to work in hot weather.
The workers, who operate the Roslagsbanan line north of the capital Stockholm, have been wearing skirts to work for the past two weeks.
Employer Arriva banned the drivers from wearing shorts after taking over the running of the line in January.
But the company has given the men its blessing to wear skirts, according to local newspaper Mitti."
Our thinking is that one should look decent and proper when representing Arriva and the present uniforms do that. If the man only wants [to wear] a skirt then that is OK," Arriva communications manager Tomas Hedenius told the paper.
"To tell them to do something else would be discrimination."
Driver Martin Akersten told the BBC he and his colleagues came up with the idea to wear skirts after they were informed of the new company dress code in the winter.
"We have always said that when summer comes, we will get some skirts and wear them. Its very warm weather here so we would like to wear shorts but if we cant then we have skirts for comfort".
via BBC News – Sweden male train drivers wear skirts after shorts row.
Skirts set to be 'manliest' accessory | FJORDE MAGAZINE
A man skirt can only be pulled off if teamed with chunky shoes, a dark top, and for those less adventurous, pants. The key is to keep it masculine and strong and not have the skirt as the outfit's centerpiece.
It's about time men threw off their fashion social shackles, took off their pants and put on a skirt! It's much more liberating, and isn't this precisely what we women fought for when we wanted to wear pants? Ironically, Paris revoked a 200-year-old law only three days ago, which stipulated women can't wear pants in public unless given permission by authorities. This absurd law obviously wasn't followed or enforced, but the symbolism of women's rights not being supported in Parisian law was enough for the people to force a change.
In the same way, men wearing skirts isn't about men adding to their wardrobe or being edgy, it's about receiving the same freedoms as women enjoy in fashion. It's certainly not about being constrained to socially approved, preconceived notions of what a man should look and dress like. Bottom line is if you want to wear a skirt in public, there shouldn't be a single thing stopping you.
via Skirts set to be 'manliest' accessory | FJORDE MAGAZINE.
The clothes that make the man | smh.com.au
From Braveheart's era to the present day, the kilt has been synonymous with masculinity. But isn't it just a skirt?
From Braveheart to the hard-drinking, ginger-haired Scots who cause a boozy ruckus at weddings, the kilt has long been synonymous with a rough-and-tumble sense of masculinity.
But change the fabric from tartan to a block colour and iron out the pleats and you have yourself a fetching knee-length skirt – an article of clothing the aforementioned filmic and social warriors wouldn't be caught dead in.
While fashion designer Marc Jacobs has pioneered the idea of the male skirt by wearing them publicly on different occasions, it's largely considered the by-product of eccentric creativity as opposed to a valid style choice, whereas the kilt, though carrying a different historical weight, is perfectly acceptable.
But what's the big difference? Dr Mary Tomsic, lecturer in history and popular culture at The University of Melbourne, chalks it up to a gendered society.
"Clothing is practical, but also highly symbolic, so it is a key avenue through which gender is learned and encoded. One needs only to walk into a children's clothing shop to clearly see how different girls and boys should be dressed … I see this as being restrictive for both boys and girls," she said.
"There are a range of factors at play in determining the gender of clothing and these change over time in response to a range of factors: political movements like feminism and women's liberation, cultural movements like glam rock, social and political needs like women wearing pants and work clothes during WWII, and commercial interests like companies identifying men as consumers, as per the metrosexual movement."
Indeed, there have been moments in history when we've seen a blurring of gender lines. As Tomsic suggests, glam rock pioneers such as David Bowie and his spandex and makeup wearing cohorts showed men of the '70s that sexual and gender ambiguity wasn't to be feared but celebrated. But while the lavish stage costumes went on to influence such bands as Kiss, Culture Club and Mötley Crüe, it didn't result in a broader knock-on effect because everyday consumers were still reluctant to buy clothes they saw as feminine.
"I think escaping the gender order is very difficult and strict gender codes can be restrictive for people in terms of expressing their sense of self … It shouldn't matter at all – but it does – which tells us something about how society reads, understands and values women and men," Tomsic said.
"I would like there to be less interest in coding clothes as belonging exclusively to either women or men. I can't really see any benefits of coding clothes and fashion within a strict gendered regime."
Though there is evidence that the tide is turning. Once considered a fringe item, male pantyhose – or mantyhose – have infiltrated the broader public sphere and now make up a small, yet noticeable, percentage of stocking sales. Executives from upscale Italian hosiery company Emilio Cavallini told The New York Times that since introducing a unisex line in 2009 they have seen sales steadily increase to a point where male customers are now an appreciable portion of their overall business.
It's a trend that's only going to gain steam as it becomes more accepted by the mainstream, says Chan Kraemer of mantyhose marketing website e-Mancipate.
"Fashion is always about exploring, about pushing the limits. That's the natural way and critics are welcome," he said.
"We are close to reaching the critical mass. And why not? Mantyhose are functional, they are basically unisex, simple to wear … they can replace socks, give different levels of warmth. I like that I can use the same trousers from fall to spring, only changing the thickness of the hosiery worn under. I mean it can greatly simplify the dressing process, which is very practical – and men do like practical things."
Pantyhose weren't always considered the sole domain of women. From the Middle Ages up until the 17th century, male hosiery was not only accepted but a common part of a man's wardrobe. Even today, some segments of the male population continue to wear them, including athletes and those prone to poor circulation or varicose veins.
Though tights are more popular in Europe where they are generally thicker and feature designs considered more masculine such as skulls and checks, it's difficult to imagine them taking off in Australia on account of our temperate climate and blokey culture. But that could all change according to Dr Tomsic, who says that shifts can occur with the right pioneers.
"Footballers have been wearing running tights for a while now … As we start seeing men, and in the case of AFL footballers, men who are understood as the bastions of masculinity wearing them, they become acceptable, and hence can possibly shift to other realms," she said.
"When high-profile manly men wear such items they can have a significant influence with other men … For instance David Beckham in his sarong and nail polish had significant impact on trends, and what is then acceptable for more mainstream men to wear."
While it remains to be seen if stockings will one day be viewed as completely genderless, there are signs that boundaries are slowly breaking down and marketers are starting to respond. Chan also likes to remind critics of one proudly masculine proponent of items traditionally associated with women.
"Hey guys, even Superman wears mantyhose," he said.
Azeem Ibrahim: Why We Need an Islamic Tartan
As a Scottish Muslim, I am deeply involved in the dynamics of community and the exploration of values of national and ethnic pride. Current discussion of independence and the future referendum is bringing a new focus to what it means to be a Scot, and Muslim communities in Scotland are particularly sensitive to the complexities of culture, race and religion that are perceived as an integral part of Scottishness. Generations who have known no other home than Scotland now have a primary allegiance to this country rather than the nations where their parents or grandparents may have been born.
Therefore the idea of a Scottish Islamic Tartan seemed to me to be the perfect symbol of the future generation in particular, for the younger, educated Muslims caught between two cultures — East and West, traditional and modern. Instead of conflict, the tartan represents a tightly woven blend of tradition and heritage. By bringing together the strands of two cultures, a symbol is created of something more meaningful than assimilation or accommodation. The tartan represents the new fabric of society, where Muslim Scots with a sense of history and a commitment to the future of Scotland have become an integral part of the New Scotland.
With the design and introduction of a Muslim tartan, I hope to interest, challenge and provoke discussion among people who have Scotland's interests at heart. The exclusion of Muslim communities has never been in the country's interest and Scotland's future, whether devolved or independent, depends on every Scot playing a part in creating a peaceful and successful homeland. What more fitting symbol of this aspiration than an Islamic Tartan?
Q: Why Do We Wear Pants / trousers? A: Horses – Alexis Madrigal – The Atlantic
Q: Why Do We Wear Pants? A: Horses
The surprisingly deep history of trouser technology.
Whence came pants? I'm wearing pants right now. There's a better than 50 percent chance that you, too, are wearing pants. And neither of us have probably asked ourselves a simple question: Why?
It turns out the answer is inexplicably bound up with the Roman Empire, the unification of China, gender studies, and the rather uncomfortable positioning of man atop horse, at least according to University of Connecticut evolutionary biologist Peter Turchin.
"Historically there is a very strong correlation between horse-riding and pants," Turchin wrote in a blog post this week. "In Japan, for example, the traditional dress is kimono, but the warrior class (samurai) wore baggy pants (sometimes characterized as a divided skirt), hakama. Before the introduction of horses by Europeans (actually, re-introduction – horses were native to North America, but were hunted to extinction when humans first arrived there), civilized Amerindians wore kilts."
The reasons why pants are advantageous when mounted atop a horse should be obvious, nonetheless, many cultures struggled to adapt, even when their very existences were threatened by superior, trouser-clad horseback riders.
Turchin details how the Romans eventually adopted braccae (known to you now as breeches) and documents the troubles a 3rd-century BC Chinese statesman, King Wuling, had getting his warriors to switch to pants from the traditional robes. "It is not that I have any doubt concerning the dress of the Hu," Wuling told an advisor. "I am afraid that everybody will laugh at me." Eventually, a different state, the Qin, conquered and unified China. They just so happened to be closest to the mounted barbarians and thus were early to the whole cavalry-and-pants thing.
Turchin speculates that because mounted warriors were generally men of relatively high status, the culture of pants could spread easily throughout male society.
I'd add one more example from history: the rise of the rational dress movement in conjunction with the widespread availability of the bicycle. Here's a University of Virginia gloss:
The advent and the ensuing popularity of the safety bicycle, with its appeal to both sexes mandated that women cast off their corsets and figure out some way around their long, billowy skirts. The answer to the skirt question was to be found in the form of bloomers, which were little more than very baggy trousers, cinched at the knee. Bloomers provoked wrath in conservatives and delight in women cyclists, and the garment was to become the centerpiece of the "rational dress" movement that sprung up at the end of the 19th century.
What all these examples suggest is that technological systems — cavalry, bicycling — sometimes require massive alterations in a society's culture before they can truly become functional. And once it's locked in, the cultural solution (pants) to an era's big problem can be more durable than the activity (horse-mounted combat) that prompted it.
via Q: Why Do We Wear Pants? A: Horses – Alexis Madrigal – The Atlantic.
The kilt is to the emancipation of men as trousers were to the emancipation of women
We believe that, in addition to looking and feeling great, the kilt is a symbol of the mature masculine. A mature man is a man who has faced his emotions, stood up, and freed himself from the social expectations of the old fashioned macho man.
Kate Luck explores the relationship between trousers and feminism in the book 'The Gendered Object':
'In 1851, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Amelia Bloomer, two leading American feminist writers and activists, appeared in the streets of Seneca Falls in a costume which consisted of a sack coat, a loose-waisted dress which fell only to the knees and a pair of draped trousers, gathered at the ankle. Almost immediately they became the focus of a fierce debate about dress and gender which was carried on in the press, and in private homes, all across America. Stanton and Bloomer had challenged the presumption that only man should wear trousers and that woman's proper garment was the skirt, a presumption so deep-seated that it had acquired the status of 'natural' law.'
I believe that, for many men, venturing out in a kilt involves the same level of courage and makes a similarly important challenge to the natural law of men's proper garment being trousers. When we wear our kilts people are confronted with their preconceptions and nudged into considering what it is to be a real man.


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Penn State Prospect Breakdown
Penn State's 2014 roster does not feature a draft-eligible prospect who carries extremely high billing as an NFL prospect. There is no Allen Robinson…no DaQuan Jones…no LB coming from "Linebacker U" like recent draftees Mike Mauti, and Gerald Hodges, or Pro Bowlers like Sean Lee, Navorro Bowman, and Tamba Hali.
That being said, there will be numerous future NFLers the field for the 2014 Nittany Lions. As opposed to our standard "Get to Know the Prospect" piece, this GIF feature is about getting to know a team.
And with that, here are your potential draft picks coming out of Happy Valley.