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IN an effort to render quality services to its clients, the Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST) has set standards aimed at improving mineral exploration and mining in the country.
This government entity has recently implemented such a project through Sustainable Management of Mineral Resources Project (SMMRP), a scheme which is under the supervision of the Ministry of Minerals and Energy.
GST Chief Executive Professor Abdulkarim Mruma says that his office has used SMMRP fund to conduct high resolution airborne geophysical survey in Dodoma, Bahi, Kongwa, Mpwapwa, Kondoa, Chamwino, Manyoni, Ikungi, Singida, Simanjiro, Arumeru and Mbulu districts.
Other districts are Monduli, Moshi, Kilosa, Gairo, Bagamoyo, Chunya, Mbozi, Handeni, Kilindi, Korogwe, Chemba, Mvomero and Mbarali districts. There have also been magnetic, radiometric and gravity data surveyed by Sanders Geophysics limited using Cessna 208B Grand Caravans.
A total of 556,910 line km of magnetic and radiometric with line spacing of 250m and tie lines of 2.5km intervals were surveyed. A total of 57,980 km of gravity were surveyed with line spacing of three kilometre and tie line 20km interval. The ground clearance for aforementioned surveys was 60km.
Speaking at Saba Saba grounds in Dar es Salaam recently, Prof. Mruma said that Versatile Time Domain Electromagnetic Surveying (VTEM) was being implemented in Mpambaa, Sambaru, Londoni, Iramba-Sekenke and Handeni- Kilindi blocks.
"The importance of such a survey is that it allows fast and accurate delineation of mineralized targets (anomalies), and when augmented with geological and geochemical data sets are highly effective in attracting new exploration and improve effectiveness on exploration programmes," he says.
According to him, the survey helps other sectors of economy, such as ground water exploration, geotechnical exploration, hydro carbon exploration and it plays great role in environmental studies.
He insists that such data are available at the GST offices in Dodoma, and are open to all that want to conduct different studies aimed at improving their performance in the mining industry.
Professor Mruma invites all who want to use such data to improve performance at their place of duty to visit his office in Dodoma and get all possible assistance.
Concerning geological mapping, Prof. Mruma explains that GST has done extremely well because his institution earlier had the capacity to conduct only four Quarter Degree Sheets (QDS), but this time around, the institution covered a record 18 QDS.
Concerning the Data base, Prof. Mruma says the area has much more been improved because through the World Bank, the data base has better capacity to save more data related to minerals survey, mining areas, companies involved in the mining, and issuance of mining licences.
In the recent past, GST has tried its level best to improve its mineral laboratory service, says Professor Mruma. In implementing this project effectively, GST recently ordered modern equipment needed by different stakeholders in the industry.
The project is expected to make this laboratory the best in the country and generally in East Africa, says Chief Executive Professor A. Mruma. The GST laboratory is among the leading establishment in the East and Central Africa which undertakes chemical, mineralogical, petrological analyses of mineral, soil, rock and water samples.
It also provides services on environmental studies and mineral beneficiation tests. GST Laboratory has developed a Quality Assurance System (QAS), which complies with the ISO/IEC 17025-General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
Laboratory services offered by GST include sample preparation, fire assay and wet chemistry analysis. The chemical laboratory at GST performs a wide range of determinations, which include water analysis (both clean and waste) for various components, sulphates, conductivity, and salinity.
Pollutant elements (metals) such as mercury, lead, zinc, cadmium, arsenic and selenium tests can also be done at GST. According to Prof. Mruma, the mineralogy and petrology laboratory section is equipped with modern facilities for sample preparation, analyzing different minerals, rocks and identifying gemstones.
The GST laboratory offers services on preparation of thin and polished sections, micro petrographic studies and gemological studies. The laboratory offers services for rock cutting and polishing as per customer demand. The laboratory cuts and polishes specimens for dimension and decoration stones.
He says that the minerals processing laboratory incorporates facilities for technology testing in mineral separation using magnetic, electrostatic, gravitational, froth flotation and gold cyanidation techniques. Upgrading tests on industrial minerals are also conducted.
Teaching kits containing rocks and minerals are supplied to schools and other training institutions as teaching materials. According to the GST Chief Executive, petro-physical properties of rocks are essential for interpreting geophysical measurements and in assessing geochemical, mineralogy and geophysical constituents of rocks.
"GST also undertakes petrophysical measurements for determining petrophysical properties of rock and ore samples. The GST library is also the main library for geo-science information in the country," he says. It provides services to staff, geo-scientific organisations and universities as well as members of the public. Professor Mruma says that the GST library holds more than seven thousand (7,000) items.
The holdings include more than seven hundred (700) geologic maps and more than 2,800 geophysical maps. The Geological Archives render services to GST staff and external customers. External customers are normally charged minimal charges for search service.
The Archives database contains unpublished, classified, and open file reports, field notebooks, maps, old mine plans and slides. The time coverage of the reports is from 1885 to present. Copies of the material can be ordered (price list). Also increasing amount of reports is available in full-text and the material can be studied in the GST is the national custodian for drill cores.
GST houses thousands of meters of diamond drill cores obtained from drilling operations carried out by mineral exploration and mining companies and GST. The Rock Library contains varieties of rock and mineral samples from the mapped areas of the country.
These samples are well documented and are available to the investors and researchers. The museum has a variety of rocks, minerals and fossils collected from within the country and abroad. The Geological Museum has an exchange program with other Geological Museums in the world, whereby exchanges are made for geological samples and other materials including, meteorites and fossils for similar samples from other parts of the world.
Visitors from Tanzania and outside the country visit the Museum to see and learn from the rich geological collections of Tanzania and some of the products of GST. The organization wants to further improve geological mapping, mineral exploration, evaluation, processing, and research work.
It is in such a background that the World Bank has hailed GST for implementing a grand geophysical research project last year, which used airplane to survey different regions countrywide with great success.
Functions of GST include collection, processing, interpreting and achieving various geo-data and information{geological, geophysical, geochemical, mineral occurrence} essential in creating a better understanding of the mineral resources potential of the country and their prospecting criteria.
These data and information also contribute to better understanding of the geological environment of the country. "We prepare the geo-scientific map of the country(i.e. geological, geophysical, geochemica, mineral occurrence, geo-technical and environmental map) as well as disseminating the geo-data, information and maps to the stakeholders for various use", says Professor Mruma.
GST provides geo-scientific laboratory services to the stakeholders (particularly geochemical, petro graphic, petrophysical and geo-technical analysis of rocks, minerals, soils, water and plants samples), he says. Prof. Mruma adds that the institution monitor natural geo-hazards (particular earth quakes, volcano, landslides, radiation, leached materials from the bed-rock and fumaroles) and advice on their mitigation measures.
With massive endeavor GST conduct geo-tactical services and provide advice on suitable sites for placing civil structure as well as suitable earth materials for the construction, he says.
"GST monitor environmental impact of mining and the advice for mitigation measures and provide extension services to artisanal and small scale miners particularly on classification of minerals, identifying the characteristics of the ore (geometry, position, and metallurgy) and appropriate of processing the ore", says Prof. Mruma.
GST also provides technical service to large scale miners, construction industry, the government and the general public, he says. GST expects to acquire a modern geotechnical laboratory that shall be used to analyze soil and rocks. The facility has the capacity to examine the strength of soil/rock before a particular project on the same area takes off.
It can be applied during the construction of storey buildings, wells and roads. This laboratory will be of great importance at this time when some buildings and other construction works are being developed without taking into consideration the geotechnical and the environment of the particular area.


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Looking For Personal Finance Tips? Check These Out!
Isn't it time that you take control of your finances? Maintaining personal finance is a major factor in personal success. The tips in this article will allow you to gain control of your finances, decide on a personal financial goal, and use your money wisely.
Even if you aren't working at your dream job, try to remember that a low-paying job is far superior to no job at all. Quitting your job without having another lined up can hurt you financially.
Use store brands as opposed to national brands. A large part of the brand name price tag stems from the cost to advertise and market those products. You will find many quality products not advertised on TV if you shop around. Most of the time there really is no difference between the two, so you won't even notice.
Family Member
You may want to talk with a friend or family member that either currently works in, or did in the past, a financial position, so they can teach you how to manage your finances from their personal experiences. One could also try to seek out the advice of a family member who seems to know how to handle their money.
Opt for a spending account that is flexible. You won't be taxed for this money; therefore, you are saving more.
Even if you buy grocery items at deep discounts, it's pointless if they just spoil in your fridge. If you end up throwing out food because it has gone bad, you are essentially throwing out money and negating the bargains. Have a good idea of how much you use of items, so that when you do find it on sale, you can buy the optimal amount.
Think about purchasing store brand foods over name brand foods. Many times, the only difference between the store brand and the national brand is the price. In fact, many products contain the exact same ingredients. As well as food, many stores also offer brand medicines that contain the same ingredients as their name brand counterparts.
Someone can save money by eating at home more and eating out less. Making one's own meals at home is thrifty and adds to appreciation of making the meal.
When you are trying to save some money abroad, eat at local restaurants. Your hotel restaurant, and any other restaurants in tourist areas, are likely to be way overpriced, so do some research and find out where the locals eat. You can actually find food that is cheaper and tastes better.
Creditors like to see borrowers manage more than one credit account; it is important, however, to keep this number under four. One card will not sufficiently build up your credit. Over four cards can drag your score down and be difficult to manage. Consider starting with two credit cards, and slowly build your credit up with the addition of more cards.
If somebody is thinking about getting something that costs too much they may want to ask their family to help them out. If everyone is likely to benefit from a particular purchase, there is no harm in soliciting money from others.
Using tax planning options will improve your finances. Take advantage of all the investment opportunities that are offered by your job. Put some pre-tax money to the side to cover any medical expenses. Take advantage of all the 401K matching programs and workplace programs that your company offers you. It is good for your finances to use your earned money in a wise manner.
It may be a little hard but it's recommended to use ATMs that your bank owns so that you can save on fees. This can save you quite a bit in the long run. When you use an ATM that doesn't belong to your bank, you're often charged a significant transaction fee. Even if the fee is only a dollar or two, it can add up quickly.
Checking Account
To guarantee that you are not late on any payments have them withdrawn from your checking account automatically. You may not be able to pay off the whole balance each month, but automatic payments establish a good payment history. This looks good on your credit report. If you schedule an automatic debit of your checking account, you eliminate the need to worry about making a payment late.
As we have shown, taking control of your personal economic situation is essential. You can improve your financial situation by using the tips that you have read. You can better control your finances and achieve your goals to use your money more effectively.

subset: commoncrawl


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See All Contributors »
Fred vs Drew
Baylor's been on a roll, but this is ISU's year. Clones cut down the nets on Saturday Night.
Clones by 15. Baylor's legs wear out in the 2nd half and ISU is on a roll offensively.
Want to go!
iowa state 93-84 it is goin to be a good game
Baylor shut down Oklahoma by taking away their 3pt shooting, daring them to score inside.
Baylor shut down Texas by taking away the interior, daring them to take outside shots.
What's Baylor going to do when they have to shut down both our interior and 3pt shooting?
"That's what I do. I drink, and I know things." - Tyrion Lannister
"Success is just failure that hasn't happened yet." - life advice from Latrell Spreewell
Kansas Must Be Destroyed
Sic Semper Jayhawks
I know it will be their 4th game but a couple of their games haven't really been that "stressful" on Baylor. Wouldn't count of fatigue being a major issue with them. Hopefully I'm wrong on that though.
Whoever wins will do so by double digits, no drama.
[QUOTE=jdoggivjc;3929403]Baylor shut down Oklahoma by taking away their 3pt shooting, daring them to score inside.
Baylor shut down Texas by taking away the interior, daring them to take outside shots.
What's Baylor going to do when they have to shut down both our interior and 3pt shooting?[/QUOTE]
Die a slow, painful death
Are you a member?
Baylor is a tough matchup for us and they are playing as well as any team in the conference, but winning 4 games in 4 days is tough. And we are playing very well also. I think it is close early, but we wear them down late.
Baylor playing really well. Very tough matchup for us. Won't be easy.
Baylor's who I'd rather play.
Holmes is good and a hard cover for us and if Ridley was a big, bad player, we'd have problems.
Of course Ridley may have also been just a fat guy, you just never know.
Baylor will be more entertaining and , if things go well, we'll get a run on them and pull away.
Definitely would've liked Texas to at least put up a little more fight in this game. Pathetic showing by them. Guess they blew their wad last night.
Fred won't let their zone d get us, out coaches Drew, players out heart them, hardware in Ames.
89-72. Full hearts, clear eyes, cyclones win.
2016 Photoshopper of the Year
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Mar 9, 2012 8:10 AM
Understated and elegant, Mode de Paris G.Lalo Stationery ($38) is perfect for quick notes and casual correspondence. The set comes with thirty cards and envelopes, making it an economical and chic way to keep in touch. We think these would be awesome bases for handmade... [More]
Mar 8, 2012 8:15 AM
Some of us actually have neighbors that still randomly stop by with cookies. We have a few of them, bless 'em! We think this If You Give A Mouse A Cookie Card Set ($50) is perfect for returning the favor. Just drop off a note... [More]
Mar 7, 2012 8:55 AM
Our sweet husband winces at his diminishing manhood every time we hand him a brightly colored, floral print, girly thank-you card to write in. For his next birthday we're going to pick up some of these nauti-cool Convoy Note Cards ($20). The slick boat prints... [More]
Mar 6, 2012 9:05 AM
We're always on the lookout for cool cards and these Fancy Peeping Quail Cards ($13 for 6) are pretty fabulous. We love the fact that they use real feathers to embellish the sweet design. The card's inside is blank for you so that you can... [More]
Mar 5, 2012 11:20 AM
Dear Journal, Today we carried six loads of laundry down to the community laundry room. In. The. Rain. We know we should be grateful we have machines that do the heavy lifting, but all we could think about was why didn't we marry for money... [More]
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
Mar 5, 2012 8:20 AM
We love it when not every note that comes across our desk is of the "do this now" or "you did this wrong" variety. We're being kind to our coworkers by randomly sending out a Happy Note ($12 for set of 3) every once in... [More]
Mar 4, 2012 10:19 AM
We might be more prone to waking up on time if our LCD alarm clock would greet us with a special message rather than the ear-grating screech of the alarm. Send little love notes to your friends LCD style with this Personalized LCD Card Set... [More]
Mar 4, 2012 10:12 AM
Our favorite colors turned into pretty wrapping paper? Yes, please! Make sure bridal shower gifts and birthday presents are stylishly concealed in this Crochet Wrap ($8) from Smock Paper. Crafted from 100% post-consumer recycled material, this wrapping paper is a guilt-free way to dress up... [More]
Mar 2, 2012 9:35 AM
Would it be considered cheap if we just sprung for this Letterpress 3D DIY Station Wagon Card ($5) for our brother's birthday instead of a card aand a gift? Essentially we're buying a card and a model car since the card can be turned into... [More]
Mar 1, 2012 8:00 AM
Seriously, we want to buy these Robot Space Cadet 3D Invitations & Thank You Notes ($6 on sale!) for our kid's next birthday party. We're pretty sure any party that features space age robots and the power of 3D will be out of this world.... [More]
Feb 28, 2012 10:45 AM
Oh, how we love Amy Butler's cheerful fabrics, fun crafts, and chipper stationary. We're certain we need this Amy Butler Sunblooms Stationery Box ($15) for our birthday thank-you notes. We're digging the cool vintage-inspired floral print that reminds us of a tropical resort. Wish we... [More]
Feb 28, 2012 8:40 AM
We've been noticing a trend toward wrapping presents in old maps for a vintage appeal. We love that idea. And we love that Paper Presentation went a step further and created this cool New York Subways Decorative Wrap ($5). We think it might be a... [More]
Feb 28, 2012 8:15 AM
These Quips and Queries Cards ($28) come in five different sets, but our favorite is absolutely the 8-ball themed set, with each card sporting one of five different cryptic phrases that take us back to our youth. We're saving the ones that have "without a... [More]
Feb 24, 2012 9:15 AM
Yes, we love dresses and makeup and gaudy necklaces. But we also love hiking and kayaking and rock climbing. And when we are out in the wild soaking up all Mother Nature has to offer we feel inspired to record it all. But not with... [More]
Feb 22, 2012 8:43 AM
We love the simple idea behind the Hello Friend Stationery Set ($18, set of 5) from Sparrownestscript. Our days may be busy, but we need to slow down and remind the friends in our lives how much we appreciate them. We'll take a few minutes... [More]
Feb 17, 2012 9:25 AM
These Rifle Paper Co. Cowboy Party Invitations ($20) are so vintage cool we kinda want to send them for our own birthday party. We think we could arrange for some sexy cowboys to attend. And we have a cowboy hat and plaid shirt we've been... [More]
Feb 17, 2012 8:00 AM
Of the oceans of wrapping paper on the market, we think this Anchor Wrap ($8) is the most swell of all. Ooooh, we kill ourselves.... [More]
Feb 16, 2012 8:15 AM
Simple and stylish, this beach-chic Breakers Thank You Card Set ($12) is top on the list for our next set of thank-you notes. We think they would make an awesome set for after your luau-licious birthday bash.... [More]
Feb 14, 2012 11:05 AM
A card to say congrats is a sweet gesture after a girlfriend gets engaged, even if your heart blackens a little since you've been with your man for three times as long as those two... uhhh, we got a little off track. Let's try again:... [More]
Feb 14, 2012 10:07 AM
Who knew Galileo was such a romantic? Galileo Valentine ($6).... [More]
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Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us and check out:


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A McDonald's Worker Hawked a Loogie in Someone's Order
And the Po-Po came.
Disgruntled customers mumble it all the time — "He'll probably spit in my food." Well, careful what you wish for, rightfully-pissed-off people, because a McDonald's worker actually did spit in someone's food. Or rather, drink. In the McNastiest story ever, a mother and daughter found mucus in their Sweet Tea down in South Carolina. God save us all. [NYDN]


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"Mr. Laufeyson could you please attend to Mister Stark. He's injured himself." Jarvis said.
Loki nodded getting up to go help Tony fix whatever mess he'd made.
Tony was cleaning up the glass then went into the kitchen to wash the blood off. It wasn't too bad, but he had pieces of glass in his hand. He winced a bit, clenching his jaw.
"Don't laugh Jarvis."
"I would never laugh at you Sir. The hydrogen peroxide is in the top left cabinet Sir."
Tony reached for it then noticed Loki. "Jarvis." He sighed out upset.
"Sir, I simply asked him to help you."
"It's easier to remove glass when someone else can do it for you." he said.
"I'm fine." Tony said, not looking at the god. He yanked out a piece of glass and groaned. He was quiet for a moment then sighed in defeat and let Loki look at his hand.
Loki found tweezers under Jarvis' instructions and pulled the glass out of Stark's hand.
Tony winced slightly as Loki pulled the glass out of his hand, but didn't say anything otherwise. He glanced at the god when he'd finished and pulled his hand back.
"I can bandage it. Thanks."
"Sir, perhaps someone that has full use of both hands should bandage it?"
Loki finished cleaning the wound out and cleared up the blood away before wrapping a bandage around it.
Tony was quiet a moment then pulled his hand back and flexed it a bit when Loki finished.
"Thanks." He walked past the god, his brows furrowed in agitation. He wasn't even sure why it bothered him so much. There wasn't a country in the world that hadn't tried to buy the suits from him. But sometimes they'd overstep the boundary, and all Tony could hear was his father's disappointed voice in his mind.
"You know it doesn't matter what they think. For one reason or another they will always be disappointed in you so you might as well put it out of your mind." Loki said.
Tony didn't respond. He glanced back towards the god then went to the bar and grabbed a beer.
"I'm sorry you had to do that. I'll be in my lab if you need something." Tony opened the beer then went downstairs.
Though he didn't have a physical form, Jarvis was noticeably resigned. "As I said before, he does not handle emotions well."
Loki nodded. "That would be one thing we have in common Jarvis."
"You two have many traits in common, I have noticed, though many of those I wish you did not share. You are both oddly shut in and yet you pretend otherwise."
Tony sat in his lab, just looking around at all his machines. He'd finished his beer and was too drained to go back upstairs for another.
"Sir, you have done more than you can imagine. You owe your successes to no one but yourself." Jarvis said to Tony after a moment of silence.
Loki frowned. "I do not pretend; I am a shut in. I know for a fact I am a shut in. I don't like people that much Jarvis."
"I have noticed that of you Mr. Laufeyson. You are quite the introvert."
"Thanks Jarvis." Tony replied quietly.
"Please believe me Sir. You are not tied down to your father's success nor to Obadiah's corruption. You made your suit as a means of protection and that will be its only purpose."
"Might I suggest a stiffer drink? This time in a plastic cup?" Jarvis said.
Tony chuckled a bit, shaking his head. "That's not like you. Usually you're telling me not to drink because it's bad for me."
"It is bad for you Sir, but I've learned by now that speaking is not your strongest suit."
Jarvis waited for Tony to leave the lab so he could lock it back down.
Tony sat in his lab for a while before going upstairs to get another drink. He went to the bar and mixed himself a good, strong drink before sitting and sipping it slowly. He made a face as it burned his tongue; a bit stronger than he'd meant.
Loki finished eating the sushi he'd taken to his room. Jarvis told him to wait a bit before he went to try and eat ice cream.
He felt better now that he was buzzed. Tony chuckled a bit, remembering random things from his past.
"Jarvis, do you-do you remember when I first built you?"
"Unfortunately yes Sir."
Tony laughed a bit. "Remember I almost called you Alfred?"
"I am quite glad you changed your mind."
"I would prefer you keep my name to be Jarvis." He said.
Tony giggled and nodded, his head rested on the island. "Do you think I should just quit?"
"Quit what Sir?"
"The Avengers. I mean…maybe Rogers is right."
"Of course he isn't Sir. You're simply saying this because you are inebriated."
Tony shrugged and reached for his glass, frowning when he saw it was empty.
Jarvis called for Loki to help Tony.
"Stark you have to realize you'll let him win by drinking like that."
Tony frowned puzzled and lifted his head, brushing his hair out of his face. "Let who win what?" He stood, stumbling a bit. He giggled as he regained his balance and reached for one of the bottles.
"Your father." he said. Loki out the bottle out of reach. "Come on time for bed."
Tony's drunken smile faltered at the mention of his father. He turned and stumbled towards his room before leaning against the wall. He chuckled again, his eyes closed.
"He was never proud of me anyway."
Loki grabbed Tony and heaved the man over his shoulder. "To bed with you."
Tony yelped then laughed as he was picked up. "That's kinda hot." He slurred, huffing when Loki set him on the bed. He grabbed the god's wrist and looked at him with a little smile. "I bet I could make you smile if you let me." He said in a flirty voice then fell back against the pillows.
"No, go to sleep." he said, pulling his arm free and pushing Stark down.
Tony huffed and rolled his eyes. "I don't like sleeping alone." He mumbled as his eyes drooped shut. He turned over, pulling his pillow close.
"You had no problem sleeping alone two weeks ago." he said. "Off to bed."
Tony mumbled, trying to argue back was too tired to form words. He pulled the pillow close to his chest and sighed.
Loki watched him for a few moments before leaving him.
Tony grumbled quietly as he slept, furrowing his brows. He was having odd dreams, or bits and pieces of dreams. They didn't make any sense and he tossed and turned the entire night.
Loki sighed as he went to get the ice cream he so needed.
Tony woke up after a few hours. His head hurt, though after the drink he had he wasn't surprised. He stretched on the bed and groaned a bit, rubbing his head.
"You have been asleep for six hours Sir. How are you feeling?"
Loki was still fast asleep in his own bed though this time he left the door open for himself.
Tony went into the kitchen to get some water and an effervescent. As he waited for the thing to dissolve, he looked over at Loki's room. He walked to the door way and watched the god quietly.
Tony was quiet before he turned and went back into the kitchen.
"I think something's wrong with me."
"Are you feeling unwell Sir?"
"No, it's not that." He sipped his drink.
Jarvis waited a moment. "Sir I think you may find Mr. Laufeyson attractive." Jarvis said.
Tony's eyes widened and he swatted towards the ceiling. "Shh! He'll hear you!" Tony shook his head and sipped his drink, though he certainly did agree with the AI. Not for nothing, but Loki was very attractive. Tall, lean, not to mention how well kempt he was.
Loki shifted on the bed but didn't wake up.
"So you won't deny it Sir?" he asked.
Tony sighed heavily, looking at his drink. He chugged the rest of it, making a face. "Ugh, that's disgusting." He pursed his lips a bit, looking towards Loki's room again. "Is it bad if I do?"
"No, Sir. Perfectly alright but it's one sided." Jarvis said.
Tony nodded. "Yeah, I know." He ran his fingers through his hair. He didn't want to like Loki. He didn't want to get close to the god because he knew what would happen: nothing. The god would reject him and then, eventually, leave.
"Sir?" Jarvis called to him. Loki had woken up and ventured out of his room.
Tony had his back to Loki and didn't notice the god was awake. "I can't do this Jarvis. I can't start falling for Loki." He continued talking and rubbed his forehead.
Loki was still partly sleep so he didn't understand half of what came out of Stark's mouth.
Tony jumped a bit and whipped back. He sighed when he saw the god was still quite groggy from sleep. "Morning."
Prequel Chapter 41 by jack-o-lantern12Watch
©2014-2016 jack-o-lantern12
New chapter~
The feelings may be one sided right now but if the story is going where I think it is the those feelings won't be one sided for long I never use to like the idea of tony an Loki as a couple but your story has shown me a hole other side to Loki now I don't know what pairing I like better tony an pepper tony an Steve or tony an Loki darn you writers how he heck am i going to choose a fav when you guys make each pairing seam so perfect lol
o he is noticing feelings for Loki


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Added a product review for Deity Fantom 31.8 Stem 5/30/2013 2:01 PM
The Good: looks great and works even better
The Bad: nothing if you like cool stems
Sick, been riding it for a while and it's super strong. I've taken a few crashes and the thing barely gets scratched. Anodized black is awesome.
This product has 2 reviews
Liked a bike check Morewood Kalula 1/19/2013 12:42 PM
Liked a bike check 'merica 1/1/2013 12:56 PM
Added a product review for Shimano SLX M666 Disc Brake 7/28/2012 1:21 PM
The Good: Well priced, great stopping power, low maintenance, easy to install, tool free reach adjustment, comes with those finned pads
The Bad: I can't think of any
These brakes are awesome. You really can't beat them for the price. I haven't had to do any maintenance on these since I got them. Shimano brakes in my opinion are also the easiest to bleed. They have tons of stopping power. I run these on my freeride bike and have used them at multiple bike parks and tons of downhill runs. I've never had to use more than one finger on these brakes. The reach adjustment also works great. My brother has ridden his avid codes the same amount as me or less and they are in need of a bleed and mine are not. The bottom line is if you want dependable, strong brakes and you're on a budget get these brakes!
This product has 9 reviews


text: Following discussion on the comments of the previous post, I thought about how it was possible to draw links going in several directions (i.e. there are no 'clear' differences between the levels, and species from level n can interact with species of level n, n+1, n-1, n±k, etc). This is now done, with a code


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Used Cheap Phones Deals from $14.95 to $204.95
Are you looking for used cheap phones? Cellular Country offers high quality old phones at a discount. You can save more money by purchasing used phones from Cellular Country. There are also various brands and models that you can choose from.
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If you're looking for a little 'east meets west' cuisine in the heart of the Napa Valley, then you're in luck. Solage Calistoga is running a special Asian-inspired menu at Solbar Lounge now through March 31st. The menu is the creation of Chef Brandon Sharp and Chef Bradley Borchardt and it combines Asian flavors and… Read More
What does Chef Cindy Pawlcyn keep stocked in her personal pantry?
Late last year we caught up with acclaimed chef Cindy Pawlcyn to talk about the dining scene here in the valley and her latest venture, CP's. In the second part of our interview we got a bit more personal in an attempt to better understand the woman behind the success. Q: What do you imagine… Read More
Cork Bits: ideas for your Napa Valley weekend
Spring has sprung here in the Napa Valley and that can only mean one thing! The weekends are about to get a whole lot busier--in fact, this weekend is shaping up to be a crazy one. If you'll be in town, here are some can't miss events to consider. Saturday, March 24th From 12pm -… Read More
Cork Bits: ideas for your Napa Valley weekend
March is off to a rainy start here in the Napa Valley, but that shouldn't stop you from getting out there and enjoying the weekend. There's plenty going on in these parts, here are a few upcoming events worth looking into. Saturday, March 3rd From 6pm - 10pm Charles Krug Winery will host a birthday… Read More
Leap Year Culinary Crawl in downtown Napa, French Blue to open in St. Helena
As February comes to a close the valley is beginning to show sings of new life--from glorious yellow mustard sprouting up between the vineyard rows to trees beginning to show beautiful white and pink blooms. There are also new culinary happenings and restaurant openings. French Blue to Open in St. Helena A stylish new restaurant… Read More


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How To Create Amazing Conference Content
Content Marketing World is the biggest content marketing event in the world. Therefore, it makes sense that presenters and attendees take advantage of the conference to create amazing content.
Don't assume that the only people worth talking to are those speaking at the front of the room! At an event like Content Marketing World the people who attend are as important as the presenters.
Here are 13 actionable conference content marketing tips to create amazing content.
- Plan your schedule. Do your homework before you leave home. While it's nice to have room in your schedule to grab a coffee or refreshing beverage, have a plan of action since the combination of travel and non-stop events can cause you to miss presentations or people you wanted to see.
- Take notes. This may sound like something your fifth grade teacher taught you but it serves two purposes. By writing down the key ideas, it helps you remember the information and assimilate it. Also, it can provide the basis for future content inspiration.
- Share useful tidbits via Twitter. This recommendation depends on being able to get connectivity at a conference; that doesn't always work very well, especially if you're in a location like the Javitis Center in New York City.
- Live-blog presentations. This means recording the session almost verbatim to provide input for your readers. Live blogging is an art form. Lee Odden is an expert at live blogging.
- Blog about the topics presented. Highlight the points made by a specific speaker and attribute the points to him/her. By contrast with live-blogging, this is more like reporting or presenting a summary of the talk. To make the article your own, add your own commentary on the topic.
- Interview speakers. If you've got an established audience that's attractive to a presenter, then try reaching out through their blog, website or social media before the event or on-site. Last year, Ireland-based Ian Cleary took a short video of me that he used for a RazorSocial blog post later.
- Make connections with influencers. Use this in real life experience to introduce yourself to important folks in your area.
- Connect with other attendees. You never know who is sitting next to you and what you can learn from that person, especially if you're at a show like Content Marketing World.
- Meet authors. Authors are always looking for ways to increase sales and visibility. If their books are on sale, get a copy and ask them to sign it. In addition to learning more about the topic, you can interview the author for a blog post and/or give away the book to one of your readers.
- Test the new products available in the exhibit hall. You can capture this information as an interview with company representatives, photographs, and/or reviews.
- Take photographs of behind the scenes activity. Share these images on the event sites as well as via your favorite social media entities.
- Curate the best conference tweets. Share the best of the tips you've learned or viewed on Twitter or in a post. Go beyond just re-posting the information. Enhance it with your own commentary and of course, don't forget to attribute it to the appropriate sources.
- Follow up with people you've met. Building relationships that support your content creation efforts takes time. You don't want to be seen as someone who just wants the quick hit. Skip the one-size-fits-all email. Let the recipient know why the connection was important to you. If you published something they inspired or have a photograph or video of them, send them a copy.
To create amazing content while attending a conference, take some time to plan your activities and bring the necessary tools to capture the content on-site.
What other tips would you add to this list of conference content creation and why?
BTW–if you're at Content Marketing World, please attend my Lunch & Learn on Wednesday, September 11th to get 21 Tips and Tricks to Increase Your Content Effectiveness. (Spoiler alert: There's a drawing for a special prize!)
Happy Marketing,
Heidi Cohen
Social Media Marketing World
Hi. I'm back from San Diego where I presented a workshop session on Blogging at Social Media Marketing World 2016.
If you couldn't attend this exciting conference, consider getting a Virtual Pass. You'll get all of the sessions and can watch them on your schedule!
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Customer Journey Maps and Buyer Personas:
The Modern Tool Kit for Marketing
Learn how the process of developing buyer personas and mapping the customer journey will go a long way toward designing an improved customer experience.
The complex nature of today's buyer journey, with more touch points across multiple channels, can make enhancing the experience challenging.
Discover how customer journey maps and buyer persona marketing can facilitate your contacts' purchase decisions and improve the customer experience.
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Related Articles
- 5 Tactics for Improved Tradeshow Marketing
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- Tweet my conference.
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Photo Credit: Joe Pulizzi at Content Marketing World 2012 taken by Lee Odden of Top Rank Blog


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Woof! Woof!
By PacificNetwork.tv
Woof! Woof!
Woof! Woof!
The French have been letting us into restaurants for centuries and they seem pretty ok if you ask me.
Animal Lovers Only
There are classic photos circulating the worldwide web and for animal lovers we can never get too many great photos of... dogs, puppies, kittens, ducks, birds, you name it, even when they're not our own pets we love great photos of animals. My favorite is mixed species. So Pacific Network welcomes your submission to "My Favorite Pet Pics" that include shots off a cell phone or on a more professional camera, and photos that seem to be floating around cyberspace returning to public view every few months. Credit to the shooter is encouraged but we understand that some great pics are "just out there". Here's a sampling of some of my favorites. If we can identify the photographer, great. If not, we'll pay tribute to whoever posted the shot on the web for the enjoyment of the greater public. No profit is to be made, just good old fashioned fun. Submit to us as a jpeg or screen shot for posting on www.PacificNetwork.tv. For more info contact us at email@example.com! Life is Good.
Ala Moana Bowls
Ala Moana Bowls is one of those surf spots that locals know well. Easy to get to, 5 minutes from downtown Honolulu. plenty of parking, and out of bustling Waikiki. Every year we re-visit local spots to see what's changed. Summer is around the corner and Alex Paiaina and Ali Bayless will be going out again to film their day in the surf. This time they'll be shooting environmental tips, doing some beach clean up, and showing us how easy it is to keep Hawaii green. For an authentic local look at the islands and island lifestyle check us out on www.pacificNetwork.tv. Life is Good


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The Red Bull Music Academy hosted a first live performance in their London studio with Raphael Saadiq, whose album Stone Rollin' is close enough to taste (release date, May 10th). His videos for "Good Man," "Radio" and "Stone Rollin" have been released, but in these Red Bull sessions we get to preview a few more songs from his new album, including "Movin Down the Line" and "Day Dreams."
In early May, leading up to the official release date, Giant Step presents Raphael Saadiq Listening Sessions. First up, the next installment of our SVEDKA Vodka Listening Sessions series takes place in Miami at The Florida Room at Delano on May 6th. The next night, Giant Step and SOM. bring the listening event to San Francisco.


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2 Reviews
A women-specific boot with a natural shape for all-day hiking excursions.
Lace up the Asolo Women's Yuma Waterproof Hiking Boot and do one final daypack check. Thanks to the Yuma's waterproof membrane and water-resistant suede upper, you know you're in good hands even if Mother Nature drops a little rain during your day-long hike. Plus, its anatomically-shaped women-specific last and natural boot design ensure a solid, comfortable, and supportive boot you can rely on while you hike up steep, techy terrain or cross dried-up waterways.
- Water-resistant suede upper and a waterproof membrane shed moisture from light rain, muddy pathways, and snow-covered trails
- Boot design's natural shape mirrors the foot so the lower part of the last cradles and supports the foot while the heel shape improves comfort
- Anatomically shaped women-specific last pays special attention to a woman's forefoot, instep, heel shape, and heel height for a perfectly sculpted fit that's natural and comfortable
- Quick-lace hooks and lace system offer a comfortable, custom fit
- Breathable, moisture-wicking synthetic lining ensures your foot isn't a clammy mess after an all-day hike in the woods
- Molded EVA midsole and Asoflex natural flex technology provide cushioning, support, and all-day hiking comfort
- Vibram rubber outsole offer solid traction on rocky, sketchy, or hardpack terrain
- Item #ASO2930
Tech Specs
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- Reviews
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A for Awesome
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
- Fit: True to size
- Size Bought: 6.5
Great fit, support, flexible outer sole and lightweight. Comfy right out of the box--no break in time. Nice wide toe box.
Awesome gear for this price.
Highly recommend!
Great boot
- Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
- Fit: True to size
The first day I wore these boots I had them on for about eight hours straight and they were comfortable the whole time. I went hiking, fishing, and wore them in the car. I haven't tested them in water yet, but I'm sure they'll perform great. They are a great height for walking through brush, didn't chaff at all, and seem to have adequate ankle and foot support. I really like how flexible the sole is compared to other more heavy duty boots (main reason I bought them). I wore them with these FITS socks (http://fitssock.com/products/cat-hiking/fitstrail.html) and loved both products. I normally wear a 6, ordered a 6, and am pleased with how they fit. They seemed a little big at first, but with socks on they were okay and gave my toes enough room to move around without feeling too big. My heel didn't slip at all, so I think the size was okay. Probably could go down a half size if needed.


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Cooke and Passalaqua Score For Wildcats
Juniors Keegan Cooke and Amber Passalaqua both earned All-Pac-12 honors in the combined events at the Pac-12 Championships.
Cooke Sits in Tie For Sixth After Five Events
The men's and No. 5 women's track and field teams finished the first day of competition at the Pac-12 Championships combined events.
Pac-12 Championships Multis Up Next For T&F
On May 4-5, the heptathlon and decathlon portion of the Pac-12 Championships will take place in Los Angeles, Calif.
Scarvelis Earns A Ninth-Place Finish In Decathlon
Junior Steven Scarvelis finished in ninth place in the decathlon at the Jim Click Shootout.
Cooke Sits In Fifth Place After Day One
After the first day of competition in the men's decathlon, junior Keegan Cooke sits in fifth place overall.
HIGH SCHOOL: A graduate of Dos Pueblos High School, Scarvelis was named the team captain for the 2009 season ... Also in 2009, his senior year, Scarvelis earned all-conference honors ... He holds the school record for the 300-meter hurdles ... He is also a member of the school-record setting 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams.
BEFORE ARIZONA: Scarvelis attended UC Davis from the fall of 2009 to the spring of 2011 ... He was a member of the track and field team there as well.
PERSONAL: He is the son of George and Alexandra Scarvelis and was born in Santa Barbara, Calif. ... He has a brother, Nicholas and a sister, Stamatia ... He is majoring in history and minoring in geosciences.


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See what they see. Go where they go.
Experience life as an astronaut, see what moves a musician, or gain insight from the Dalai Lama. Twitter offers direct access to the most interesting people.
Being aware of a single shortcoming within yourself is far more useful than being aware of a thousand in someone else.
Aretha Franklin just sang 'Happy Birthday' to me and it will take me decades to recover. #goals
Got a few minutes for a little Q&A with the best fans in the world! Send in your questions #12s!
Been home a week. Bottoms of feet a little sore but otherwise the body has adapted incredibly quick. Gravity seems stronger than I remember.
The total number "What-are-the-odds?" moments that can happen is so large, we should instead think of rare events as common.
If ur with me and u take ur phone out to text, I'm like u sure u wanna go at me with that? I can be on my phone FOR A BILLION CENTURIES, PAL
Just burned myself on a cookie sheet. This happens quite often and is the reason I have burn cream in my spice drawer. Carry on.
Rocket launch good, satellite in geo transfer orbit. Still so damn intense. Looking fwd to it feeling normal one day.
Does anyone else think "don't be a weirdo, don't be a weirdo" over and over when entering social gatherings? Cause I don't.
To many of Mexican heritage, happy Cinco de Mayo! To nerds, after May the Fourth, it's the Revenge of the Fifth.
You could give me another 100 rounds today at The Australian and I wouldn't sniff 63.... Well done @JordanSpieth very impressive!
It truly is the honor of a lifetime to represent my country. To be able to do it 100 times? It's a blessing. Thanks for the words of support


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Asian Jokes: Jokes about Asians and Jokes on Asians
laughing about each other is great, but when does making fun of Asians cross the line?
© Zak Keith, 2009
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Try this on arrogant Swedes
If you want to have some fun with the average Swede's inability to distinguish sounds or pronounce English words properly, just make them read this:
Charismatic Charles shared his chair with shy Shane, who was ashamed of his chocolate stain on his yellow jacket and jumper. He made a joke about the spilled yoke and yucky juice on the gentle Yentl''s jumbo tie, and asked local yokel Will de Ville if there was any more wine from the vine for this very wonderful winter vacation.
Some people have the crazy notion that East Asians have a built-in genetic inability to pronounce R sounds. Yet others authoritatively and fallaciously declare that there are no L sounds in Japanese—take for example the Facebook application for the "japanezation" of one's name, which phoneticizes "Lucy" to become "Rucy."
For the record, both R and L sounds exist in pretty much all Asian languages, but they are often interchangeable, and East-Asians tend to mix them up in just the same way that Swedes cannot differentiate between Jello and Yellow, Chair and Share, Sip and Zip, and Wine and Vine.
Myths and misconceptions are part of human nature, a fact of life. But what had me piqued lately, was seeing how people I personally knew could find it in themselves to make fun of those with poor English skills. They would get their rocks off listening to mp3 snippets of prank calls made by comedians like Howard Stern, who baited an Asian woman to talk about "clocks" when they knew she would say "cocks" due to her poor English. (download/listen to "Howard Stern: Sal calls an Asian lady clock shop owner)In another instance, an Accenture colleague played back a prank-call recording for me, expecting me to join in with her laughter as we listened to a prankster who had put on an atrocious generic Asian accent while pretending to order some Thai food by phone. The prankster had taken a piss at several East-Asian stereotypes and thrown in for good measure, a paraphrase of the infamous line by the Vietnamese hooker in Full Metal Jacket: "Me so 'hongry!' Me so hooooongry!" (original: "Me so horny!") (download/listen to Thai restaurant prank call)
Asian difficulties with English pronunciation
All non-English speakers bring their own weak areas with them when acquiring English, and there will always be good "excuses" for why they might speak English poorly, in the particular way that they do. They are simply relating English to their own phonetic rules, grammar, etc. Here are some brief explanations reasons for the Asian R/L mix up:
When it comes to Thai-style English however, there are far more complex reasons:
For years, chain-mail forwards about Asians making "fools" of themselves while writing or speaking "Eng-rish" have made their rounds on the Internet. They are indeed funny—from an Anglocentric viewpoint. I'll be perfectly honest that even I—a skin-deep Asian who has borne the brunt of such ill-witted and misappropriated humor—do have a good laugh checking out the Engrish.com site from time to time. Then again, I'm the non-discriminatory equal-opportunity type who finds it hilarious that some Swedish words can have entirely different implications in English. Take the word slut (pronounced "sloot," meaning "end") for example—did you know that every train in Sweden goes to a "slut station?" (terminal) Or take another favorite of mine, infart (meaning on-ramp, "way in" or entrance). Get the idea?
Some of my favorite comedians like Maz Jobrani and Jeff Dunham have entire sketches created around racial stereotypes, including the Chinese. And I love Rusell Peters' impression of a Hong Kong shopkeeper. So, I had to ask myself, if it's okay to laugh about Swedes, Iranians, Arabs, Chinese and what-have-you, what was it exactly that was so upsetting to me about the Asian joke clips?
Well it certainly wasn't because of any Asian self-image of mine, or offense towards any non-existent Asian sensibilities. I just happen to look like I do due to genetic factors, but was born in England, English is my mother tongue and for all intents and purposes, I do not identify with being Asian. While I understand that others see me as Asian, I don't see myself as "Asian." Call it dissonance if you want, but I'm color-blind enough to myself that I don't get a shock at seeing a Chinaman staring back at me when looking in the mirror. So for me it's really not a question of having an "Asian perspective." And even if the Asian shoe did fit—which it doesn't—I know we all have different perspectives and I'm all for laughing at each other, especially at ourselves.
So what, then, was my problem?
Although I'd never grown up thinking of myself as "Asian," if there was any Asian perspective to be had, it was certainly imposed on me. I've become increasingly aware of the caricatured way in which I am perceived, and the license in the general population to freely affront Asians without even a second thought.
Laughter is good for the soul, but...
Trust me to pick apart humor, but I had to have a closer look at my gut reactions, at what laughter is exactly, and get to the bottom of what was really bothering me about people laughing at Asians. The answers came easily enough:
What concerns me, because of what I have faced in my life due to how people see me, is the subtle-yet-real social marginalization, the various misunderstandings that can result from ignorance and racial stereotyping—all of which are reinforced by the callous application of racial "humor." Jokes along these lines perpetuate myths which in turn perpetuate ignorance, and boldfaced ignorance crosses over to become the foundation of xenophobia, intolerance and racism. I've seen it firsthand.
It's not technically racial jokes themselves. What really bothers me is the shameless application of such racial jokes—the context of their unabashed usage. It's the social license to freely affront Asians and treat them as inherently foreign and inassimilable aliens with lesser rights which bothers me.
There are probably a few good questions "we" Westerners could afford to ask ourselves in regard to the jokes we crack so freely about Asians in general:
Being on the butt end of racial jokes, I'd submit any day that the answers to questions 2, 3 and 4 are: yes, yes and double-YES!
The unwritten social contract
In my experience, there is most definitely some kind of unwritten social contract at play—why else would people think it's okay to make fun of Asians and openly denigrate them in ways they would never dare try on Blacks or Hispanics? Case in point: Miley Cyrus and her pals. (see Miley Cyrus' slant-eye pose slammed by Asian group and OCA's criticism of Miley Cyrus' slant-eye pose)
Fools like Miley and gang can make all the excuses in the world for their squinty-eye faces being "goofy" and not racist, but looking at the context of the joke, it's clearly racially-motivated humor. And it's not funny when you're on the receiving end of such taunts.
I once very nearly bashed someone's head in, literally, with the heavy guitar amplifier in my hand, for spontaneously making slant eyes and laughing out loud at me upon seeing me. My reaction had been instant and instinctive, and thankfully someone standing close knew what was about to happen and pulled me away just in time. The unabashed mocker was a total stranger I'd never before met, who'd assumed like so many others, that I would be okay with such blatant disrespect. He was genuinely surprised at my reaction—not ooops-surprised, but what-is-your-f**king-problem-surpised. He was shocked at my audacity to even be upset at all.
Time and again, I've had total strangers cry "Heeeyah! Bruce Lee!" on seeing me. I've had the most patronizing remarks thrown my way. And even when I calmly tell the perpetrators why I find it offensive, they tend to get upset that I had the audacity to be offended at all. One thing has become really clear to me from numerous confrontations: ignorant as they are, these social buffoons genuinely expected me to be docile and longsuffering about it all, because of some idea that Asians are all subservient and disempowered, and obliged to accept taunting. While it is no longer politically correct to call an African-American "Boy!" it is still acceptable in the minds of many to treat Asians with colonial-era arrogance. Asians are openly "othered"—highlighted as being outsiders, just like with the Miley Cyrus joke.
A rational look at jokes
One could easily come up with dime-a-dozen arguments why laughing at any ethnicity is tasteless and unacceptable, but I'll be the first to admit that humor is subjective: there is no deciding what is funny—what gets one person rolling on the floor laughing will offend another. We can't really have Joke Police going around deciding who may laugh at whom or what. Jokes and stereotypes go hand-in-hand, and jokes cannot always be politically correct. If the joke happens to be about someone, anyone, that fictitious "someone" is usually a stereotype that is being laughed at. Thus blonde jokes abound. As do drummer jokes, Irish jokes, three-men-in-a-bar jokes, a-Catholic-Protestant-and-a-Jew jokes, French surrender/coward jokes, Greek anal jokes, etc. and alas, Chinese squint-eye jokes and stupid-Asian-who-can't-even-speak-English jokes.
Our society has Holocaust jokes, Princess Diana jokes and Jesus jokes, and yet, when it came to Muhammad jokes, there was an uproar among Muslims worldwide, and calls for fatwah. It's not that Muslims have no sense of humor or that they have some culturally-dictated inability to laugh at themselves. There were very good reasons for their indignation—if only people cared to look. While I don't believe their rabid calls for death were justified, it was only natural they would be upset. (see Muhammad cartoons controversy)Some have actually occasioned the argument that there is something very wrong with Islam in general, if you can get killed for something you say against religion. I guess they haven't heard about Northern Ireland, or India, or Myanmar (Burma), or about the historical persecution of non-Christians by Christians, etc. If we are honest with ourselves, every single collection of people in the world has its own anathemas. What we understand to be civilized humanity is fragile as can be, and just about anyone will break down and de-civilize/de-humanize when pressed ever so slightly. (see The Milgram Experiment)
Since we can't regulate humor and aren't supposed to even try, some have argued that there is little point in caring about which jokes are offensive to whom. We certainly cannot please everybody all of the time, and all jokes are guaranteed to offend at least somebody somewhere. Still, one would have to be very socially-ungifted not to realize there is such a thing as an inappropriate joke. The socially-astute thing would be to care, at least some of the time, about what is appropriate and when. As any good comedian will tell you, it's not the joke itself, but it's delivery—it's all about timing and audience. A joke is only funny in the right context—right audience, right time and right place. Even good comedians know there are limits to how far to carry a joke, when the proverbial line is crossed, and when the joke just turns into something of bad taste.
If all comedians and audiences are different and there's a million ways to tell the same joke, it renders impossible, the establishment of benchmarks for determining which jokes are "good" or "bad." We are all too often left to the sole discretion and mercy of the jokesters themselves to decide what is "correct," when, where and for whom. Benchmarks aside however, there are ways to shed light on what is appropriate, or not, why, and for whom, by looking at our own sense of humor, the mechanics of laughter—what humor is exactly, what makes us tick and what we're really laughing at when we laugh.
If you're up for a psycho-analysis of laughter and humor, click to expand the box below! If not, the gist of it is: for humor to work, there has to be a play on a palpable absurdity, there has to be relief at the passing of danger.
What is "funny" and why we laugh
There are several accepted theories about why we laugh,[2-3] but all laughter in general, can be boiled down to a single cognate: relief at the passing of danger.[1] Our sense of humor is developed from infanthood and refined alongside the development of our intellect and culture.[4] At the heart of it, what we find "funny," is the relief that is felt when the threat of harm is proven false, when danger is rendered obscure. For there to be humor, there has to be detachment which enables a comparison between the present reality and a palpable absurdity. The more emotional attachment we feel to the object of humor, the less likely we will laugh at it. And we can only perceive something to be absurd if we have a concept of what is normal. This is roughly how our funny bone works:
We laugh to grease the social wheel. We laugh at the laughter of others. Studies show that we laugh 30 times more in the presence of others than when alone.[5] We also laugh more in the presence of important people to gain their approval, whereas dominant personalities laugh less to show they do not need approval. We laugh to lessen tension. We laugh to process collective grief. When it comes down to it, socially and psychologically speaking, we laugh to strengthen social bonds and celebrate the safety we feel in belonging to a group. So in a sense, social-based laughter is a phenomenon related to relief at the passing of danger—the danger of being outside the group.
Even when we appear to be laughing out of "genuine joy" at the cuteness of a baby, or at a playing kitten, it is because their behavior appeals to our lost sense of innocence. Their manner is so refreshing and disarming, that we find ourselves laughing out loud. While we are able to appreciate cuteness from an early age, we do not normally laugh at cuteness unless we are adults marveling at the innocence we no longer feel. This is still a form of relief from the not-so-pleasant realities of life and related to relief at the passing of danger.
Laughing at Asians vs. laughing with them
At the end of the day, when we're done being rational and playing the Devil's Advocate, there remains an important distinction to be made: there is caustic humor and compassionate humor:
Thus, there are jokes about Asians and jokes against Asians—the latter being: making fun of Asians because they are Asians, who can't help being anyone else than Asians who are ethnically and culturally different; and therefore the joke's on them.
The first scenario uses stereotypes, as all jokes do, and takes a piss at the Chinese, playing on a palpable absurdity—the audience understands that while the Chinese may like rice, they certainly do not try to put it directly onto grills. Most Asians would probably appreciate this joke.
In the second scenario, the palpable absurdity is the fact that the victim of the joke is in a minority assumed to have markedly different linguistic abilities and looks than the default, the majority. The victim may be an American-born Asian, but the absurdity that is being played at is that anyone could be so different at all. The joke is on the victim, for being in the minority; more than likely, she is expected to just take it and not dare to be upset. Plus, she is being harassed sexually, because socially in the perpetrator's eyes, she is as "worthless" as a prostitute. What is really going on in the mind of the joker is: Haha, Asian girls remind me of the Vietnamese whore in Full Metal Jacket! Haha, you people all talk so strange and funny, and you sound so stupid because you're Asian; Haha, you people can't really speak English properly and English cannot be your "own" language; Haha, you look so confused you have no clue that you're the butt of the joke! (Something close to this second scenario actually happened to someone I know.)
If you think the above interpretation of what is really going on is overplayed or far-fetched, then think again. Download & listen to Howard Stern & Co. disrupts Asian Woman's Craft Show and let the white folks spell it out for you in their own words. About 4:40 min. into the mp3 clip, Howard Stern & Co. come right out and say that the Asian Woman hosting the craft show was like a "fish out of water" and had no right to host a show in America due to her poor English: "How dare she come here and do a show?" And for her crossing the line and daring to do so, her entire live broadcast show was disrupted; she was rewarded with non-stop calls with taunts about "bukkake," doing laundry, giving "happy endings," "sucky sucky long time" and how "all Chinese/Korean/Japanese women give good hand jobs." Listen to the whole clip and the underlying message is clear: Asian women are only good for being subservient cheap laborers and whores.
Looking at the pranks in this context, most people would have no problem categorizing them as caustic jokes, if anything; probably less as jokes and more as anti-Asian taunts. But taunts just like these were recorded, broadcast on the radio, and then circulated on the Internet in the form of an mp3 clips; and people found them so amusing they sent it to all their friends. So what does that say about them? In the end, the humor we endorse (by passing along on the Internet and sharing with others), what we find funny and what stimuli trigger our laughter response, tells us a lot more about ourselves than the victims of the joke.
Howard Stern (Sal) turned the Asian women's bad English (and the resultant implied meanings of their mispronounced words) into the palpable absurdity, the central engine of the joke. But there was no possibility of the women disengaging from the absurdity—the absurdity was their "permanent" state, it was simply how they always talk due to being linguistically and culturally different. Who they were was the joke.
In contrast, here is an example of a prank, where the victim is tricked, but not trapped forever in being the palpable absurdity: see youtube: Al Kyder and Terra Wrist. Or this one, where the victims were tricked into saying words which sounded like something else, but the joke wasn't about them being trapped in the some permanently-laughable state they could not disengage from: Airport Announcements.
If the chief cognate of all humor is relief at the passing of danger, then a good question would be: what is the danger or threat exactly, that is being played at when it comes to anti-Asian jokes. If, for humor to work, there has to be emotional detachment and comparison of palpable absurdity with acceptable reality, then it would also be good to have a look at how those parameters are utilized in anti-Asian jokes.
You may likely form your own conclusions about it, but in accordance with the above social and neuropsychological analysis of laughter, this is how I see it, why anti-Asian jokes work for those who find them funny:
Some of the fun in listening to prank calls may be derived from the idea that the prankster was ballsy enough to make such a nasty call—something the listeners would never dare try. The palpable absurdity would then be the the prankster's derring-do. But I'd venture to say that mostly it is not the prankster whom they are laughing at. They are are laughing with the prankster at the hapless Asians, who are absurd in comparison to their sense of self, the acceptable reality.
Hollywood and media portrayal of Asians
The perceived danger and threat of Asians may stem from the way they are depicted in the media. In the West, much of our perception of Asians is derived from our Hollywood education. And Hollywood has only been carrying on the centuries-old literary and media tradition of playing up on the "yellow peril" and the menacing, unstoppable tide of the "yellow hordes."[6 - 8]
Up close, Asian individuals are depicted in reductionist themes: as caricatures of buck-toothed, squint-eyed, creatures scampering about in small steps, subservient to the white man; inscrutable and easily sinister. They are ideally longsuffering and stoic model citizens, but should they break this code to become the antagonist, they are impotent in their rage against white protagonists. They serve as assistants, comic relief, sidekicks and/or cannon fodder, and are never cast as the primary character unless it is one inseparable from their foreign or immigrant status.[9]
Asian females are depicted either as Dragon Lady Vixens or as submissive China Dolls, always sexually available to Caucasians or African-Americans. Asian males are cast as viscous triad types or as sages possessing ancient wisdom; yet always "cinematically castrated," effeminate according to western notions of sexuality, and never allowed to consummate a relationship with a Westerner.[10] It is also interesting to note that whereas the $100-billion-a-year Internet pornography industry has spawned entire fetish categories around Asian females, Asian males do not exist in pornography—not unless it is produced in Asia.[11]
We can always debate whether art imitates life or life imitates art. Hollywood and the media at large may responsible for creating perceptions about the desirability of Asians, or they may just be playing it safe and offering the mainstream majority the familiar—reflecting what we're comfortable with. The statistics for 2006 show that even in the U.S.—considered the biggest melting pot in the world—Asian males are far less desirable than Asian females; in fact Asian males are the least preferred partner for Caucasian women and practically all other races/ethnicities in the U.S. (see table below).[12]
The phenomenon is not isolable to cultural dissimilation. Even Asian male adoptees who were brought up in Caucasian households with completely Anglo-saxon environments still find a lack of acceptance by Caucasian females. Trapped in their Asian skin, Asian males are left with little choice but to partner with Asian women—the demographic more likely to accept them.[13]
Married couples in the United States, 2006
* No marginalization of any ethnicity is intended—the statistics presented in this table are for measuring the acceptance of Asian males vs. Asian females (representing 4.4% of the population) by the white & white-hispanic (80%) and black majorities (13.4%) in the U.S.
But now I digress... Here's more on the subject of Hollywood and Asian stereotypes and their real life consequences.
References and sources:
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Talon de Gato Farm
Naturally grown vegetables from the Embudo Valley of New Mexico picked fresh and available Saturday mornings at the
Also available at the Dixon Cooperative Market & Dixon Farmers' Market.
Talon de Gato Farm hosts interns & volunteers
through WWOOF & ATTRA - click here
We have filled our internship positions for the 2014 season.
TdG Farm featured in the August 2011 newsletter of the Dixon Coop Market, article written by TdG Farm intern Emily Bregel!


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TC TO MARGARET A. CARLYLE; 14 December 1850; DOI: 10.1215/lt-18501214-TC-MAC-01; CL 25: 306-307
Chelsea, 14 decr 1850—
My dear Mother,
John wrote to us not long ago of your being well and all being well; for which, as for his constant attention in that matter, we are much indebted to him: I want now to get another Note from him, as well as to tell you how we ourselves are; so I write today before going out. Our weather here is very gentle in temperature, accompanied with a liberal share of mists and mud,—which I suppose will mean, for you in Annandale, great quantities of rain. We imagine these don't suit you quite so ill as harsh frost; and will hope therefore that you are still moving about in something like your usual way. You do not venture out, I suppose, except on a rare day when the weather is favourable; but you keep stirring, I doubt not, within doors, and never fall lazy,—which was always a merit of my good Mother's since the very first discovery of her! Jenny too is with you, or was lately; which would keep the house livelier. With all your rains, too, you have the satisfaction of seeing the sky now and then; which we here, in this season, are often deprived of for a course of days, nothing but a dark blanket of smoky fog being spread over all Nature for us.— We hold up in health very handsomely; Jane has taken no cold yet, goes out in some omnibus whenever the day is not quite wretched; I hear nothing lately of her hurt, and believe it is getting well, tho' she does not seem to like any speech about it. I myself am decidedly better than when I wrote last: I come and go as very slight accidents direct;—have in fact nothing wrong about me, except an incurably squeamish liver and stomach, which disease however is capable of standing instead of many! I generally go out for an hour's walking before bedtime again; the little snaffle of a messin called "Nero" commonly goes with me, runs snuffling into every hole, or pirrs about by my side like a little glarry rat (delighted by a mere nothing); and returns home the joyfullest and dirtiest little dog one need wish to see. He was given away to A. Sterling some weeks ago,—somewhat to my satisfaction;—but made moyen [the means], on his first call afterwards, to be taken back, and reinstated in all his rights,—the wretched messin that he is;—and so eats bones as formerly.
We are very quiet at this season for most part; and I often think of trying some Book again, which is the only amends I can get of this bad world and its ill-usage of me at all. I suppose we must come to that by and by: but "Gude guide us to, Sawny; I think he's stiff to the rise, man!"1 Dreadfully stiff indeed, poor old spavined garron!
I got lately a Crookshank's Histy of the Church of Scotland for you;2 but it is not come home yet: indeed it was but a poor copy, and I begin to fear the print of it will be too dim for you. "No Popery" is still loud enough in these parts; and it is confidently expected these Pasteboard "Cardinals," and their rotten garments, will be packed out of this Island, in some way. "Ultimus CREPITUS Diaboli [The Devil's Last FART]," as Beza said of the Jesuits!3 (Jack will explain that energetic expression to those that can stand it!)— — Jean lately wrote about an eligible House, some 4 miles from Dumfries; "Cullivat" I think she called it. Such things tempt me much; and yet, and yet!— I will write soon again, dear Mother; to Jamie or some of you;—the Doctor to write! Ever your affectionate / T. Carlyle


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Back to the Press Release page
Launch Date: 2012-01-26
Press release:
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded £46,700 to the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales to acquire a unique collection of over 600 original drawings and watercolours by Falcon Hildred, the Wales-based artist. The Royal Commission, based in Aberystwyth, is working in partnership with the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust (IGMT) to save this outstanding visual record of industrial buildings and townscapes for future generations.
With the help of volunteers, the collection has been catalogued, and high-quality scanning will ensure that superb digital images will be available online through Coflein (the Royal Commission's online database), and both the Ironbridge and People's Collection Wales websites. In addition, exhibitions, public talks and an authoritative publication are planned for 2012 to further publicise the collection.
Falcon Hildred is a highly accomplished artist who has dedicated his working life to recording the buildings and landscapes of nineteenth-and twentieth-century industry, producing works of high aesthetic, historic and social value. He has recorded in detail technological and engineering change and a rapidly disappearing way of life. The drawings record Blaenau Ffestiniog (the artist's home since 1969 and a place he has recorded extensively), and a number of industrial towns in Wales and England. These include Cardiff, Newport and Swansea, as well as Grimsby, Coventry, London and Birmingham.
A major exhibition of selected originals will run from late September 2012 to April 2013 in the Coalbrookdale Gallery at Ironbridge with further touring exhibitions being planned from 2013 onwards. Digital versions of the exhibition will be shown at the Royal Welsh Show and the National Eisteddfod in 2013. A book highlighting the significance of the collection and the artist will be published in September 2012. This publication and the research for it will be the basis for a series of new educational and outreach sessions at Ironbridge led by the Museum's education staff and their volunteers. Educational material will also be generated for the People's Collection Wales website.
Commenting on the award, Peter Wakelin, Secretary of the Royal Commission, said "The acquisition of this collection represents a lifetime's recording work being safeguarded for the future. Falcon Hildred gives us inspiring new ways of looking at historic buildings and landscapes that readily engage everyone from small children to architects and heritage experts. It is great news that this fantastic resource will be now available to all in perpetuity."
Explaining the importance of the HLF support, Steve Miller, CEO of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust said "We are immensely grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for their support in acquiring this amazing collection. We are looking forward to working with the Royal Commission to ensure that as many people as possible can enjoy the work of a brilliant and unique artist whose documenting of the industrial age is truly breath-taking".
Notes to Editors:
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales is the investigation body and national archive for the historic environment of Wales. It has the lead role in ensuring that Wales's archaeological, built and maritime heritage is authoritatively recorded, and seeks to promote the understanding and appreciation of this heritage nationally and internationally.
Website: www.rcahmw.gov.uk
Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust (IGMT) is one of the largest independent museums in the world and cares for 10 museums within the Ironbridge Gorge, one of the United Kingdom's first World Heritage Sites. Ironbridge has an international reputation for its care and interpretation of the industrial buildings and monuments in what is known as the Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.
About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported over 30.000 projects, allocating £4.6billion across the uk.
Website: www.hlf.org.uk
For further information, images and interviews, please contact
Nicola Roberts, The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales email@example.com Telephone:- 01970 621248
Photo captions:
Pant-yr-Ynn Mill, Bethania
© Crown copyright: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales: Falcon Hildred Collection
Oakeley slate mine and quarry, Blaenau Ffestiniog
© Crown copyright: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales: Falcon Hildred Collection
Falcon Hildred at his drawing board.
© Crown copyright: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales: Falcon Hildred Collection
Associated images: