text:
Town Square
Original post made by gordon, Midtown, on Sep 6, 2007
In addition to ubiquity, almost every reason to poke fun at McDonald's has been applied metaphorically to "McMansions". These criticisms include the deviation from traditional local or regional architectural style; a gaudy, sterile, mass-produced appearance; and perceived negative effects on nature and neighborhoods. . ."
That's the definition coalescing over on Wikipedia.
What's yours?
Comments (67)
a resident of Charleston Gardens
on Sep 6, 2007 at 12:45 pm
A McMansion in Palo Alto is any home that neighbors, historical preservation zealots, people still living in 1950 etc. do not like. It has become common in PA to denigrate any home that does not meet the criteria of the above mentioned groups---what the actual owner thinks/wants is irrelevant to the discussion---by using the term McMansion/Monster Home/taco bell home.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 6, 2007 at 12:52 pm
That's fine, but what happens when one of those homes actually does look just like a Taco Bell?
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 6, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Some of the so called McMasions look a whole lot better than the crummy, rundown, paint peeling, scruffy McMessy homes they're replacing. The re-builds have definitely upgraded many PA neighborhoods - let it continue!
Down with Historic preservation and up with Individual Property Rights - change is good!!
a resident of Charleston Gardens
on Sep 6, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Nothing is wrong if the home looks like a Taco Bell--don;t the owners have any say in what THEIR HOME looks like? Anyway, who gets to decide what a home actually looks like--the owner or the so-called arbitrators of "proper homes" in Palo Alto.
We have too much of that in Palo Alto where neighbors, preservationists, busy bodies and other assorted groups are constantly trying to control what does not belong to them.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 6, 2007 at 1:22 pm
McMansion is a term for a house that is as large as possible on an average sized lot. Taco Bell house is the style that some may consider mediterranean or mexican influenced, but still too large for the lot. The houses themselves are probably well designed, attractive and modern. The neighbors don't like them because they are too big on a too small lot.
Transport any one of these houses to a nice couple of acres lot, with long driveway, lots of shrubbery, etc. and it would be fabulous.
It is not the house, it is the positioning that's the problem.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Sep 6, 2007 at 1:22 pm
I think it is wonderful to put oversized homes next to modest ranch homes. It gives the little homes a goal, a dream, an aspiration. It lets them think big!
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 6, 2007 at 1:27 pm
In Vancouver, British Columbia, the term they used was "Monster Homes" in their newspaper. They long time residents of Vancouver expressed dismay at the demolition of their quaint neighborhood homes and the removal of established trees to make room for these huge residences, with little or no room for any vegetation.
I will try to search in their archives for the story.
It was a big story with many photos. I think this was back around 1998.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 6, 2007 at 1:33 pm
That's right. And once the modest little ranch homes realize their dreams & aspirations on their undersized little lots, they can look directly into each other's bedrooms rather than be looked down upon by their lofty neighbors.
a resident of Charleston Gardens
on Sep 6, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Aren't their rules/laws in PA with regard to how much of a lot can be taken up by the actual home ( I guess I am referring to setbacks)--as long as the owner is abiding by these rules, then the house cannot be considered "too big for the lot".So probably much of the use, in a derogatory manner, of the terms Mcmansions/Monster House/Taco Bell Home has more to do with the neighbors taste than the actual size of the home. Maybe it is time for people to stop trying to control what they do not own and be better neighbors.
a resident of Palo Verde
on Sep 6, 2007 at 1:46 pm
There is a real McMansion trend happening here in Palo Alto. There is nothing wrong with a new, large, home replacing an older home.
What astounds, amazes, and disappoints me as i travel through town is to see so much money wasted on what cannot be described as anything other than preposterous and disproportionate housing design.
This a great irony, because the residents who build these homes certainly have the means to hire a quality architect.
I guess the whole scene goes to show that there is no assumed correlation between wealth and taste.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Sep 6, 2007 at 1:50 pm
I have to laugh every time I walk by a home on a modest lot that have Roman Doric or other columns at the entrance portal. It's nothing, if not juvenile design. What are these people thinking?
a resident of Charleston Gardens
on Sep 6, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Minni/Alan--as long as these people have come by their money honestly and they keep with in the setbacks decreed for their lot, then the houses they build is their own business. If you do not like the house or that style do not live in it or build like that for yourself.
it amazes me how people here decide what is in "good taste", what is a "quality architect" and what design is "juvenile" or not.
i guess maybe Pa needs to set up a "taste commission" to make decisions on what kind of homes can be built in the city--to hell with what the owner wants--others know better
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 6, 2007 at 2:07 pm
The fact that Minni doesn't like Doric columns on houses on small lots isn't surprising or even objectionable. What's surprising is that Minni, and folks like her, think they have the moral (or aesthetic) high ground on that topic. Doesn't she realize that there will be plenty of other people who think her house/landscaping/interior design/car/clothes (you name it) look just as goofy to them?
My definition of a McMansion (posted elsewhere recently) is a house that's bigger and more expensive than what the neighbors are willing to build. It's just envy.
That same Wiki talked about the McMansion trend and how it keeps getting bigger. Guess what - a lot (A LOT) of people like bigger, fancier houses if they can get them. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Palo Alto Hills
on Sep 6, 2007 at 8:59 pm
House with an entry door/porch/hall the size of the owner's ego, totally out-of-proportion with the rest of the house and huge round tiles on the roof, way too big to look like an actual Mediterranean/Spanish roof.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Sep 6, 2007 at 9:21 pm
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 7, 2007 at 5:57 am
I'm amazed at how many people there are around who can afford to heat these McMansions!!!
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 7, 2007 at 7:37 am
Why judge someone based only on the size of their house?
a resident of Greenmeadow
on Sep 7, 2007 at 7:49 am
We'll all probably be dead and gone when it happens, but these are cutom homes; I doubt they'll increase in price/appreciate or be easy to sell.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 7, 2007 at 8:46 am
Let the market decide what's a McMansion and what lacks taste. As long as there are buyers for these houses, then they will be built. Just because it doesn't suit your taste doesn't mean it won't sell.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 7, 2007 at 9:25 am
It isn't the problem of the size of the house it is the size of the lot. When a large house is squeezed onto a small lot between two modest houses, the large one looks out of place even though it is obeying all the setback rules. Once the ones either side get replaced and then those neighbors get replaced, and the whole street is full of large McMansions, it will suddenly look as if the place was designed that way and nothing will look odd anymore.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 7, 2007 at 9:45 am
Mr. McTolerance,
The reason people began calling these monstrosities "McMansions" is exactly because people who build these things are trying to attract attention to themselves by building ostentatious homes amidst modest ones.
If they weren't trying to attract attention to themselves, they wouldn't bother to bulldoze the existing house and build these huge, inappropriate structures.
In other words, it's not just what the market will bear. These things don't just happen.
People go way out of their way to make them happen. And then the rest of the neighborhood has to live in the shadow of the thing.
a resident of Community Center
on Sep 7, 2007 at 10:03 am
homes wear out and have to be replaced - it makes sense to up the square footage when you have the opportunity. I read some years ago that the average American home has 2400 square feet. Some might call my home a McMansion because it is Mediterranean style, however it is under 2400 square feet. It isn't tiny, but I wouldn't call it oversized by any means. We could sure use more space.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 7, 2007 at 10:29 am
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
Maybe the people who build the new larger houses in town are building them because they would like more space, and the find the style of the houses pleasing to their sense of aesthetics. There's no reason to think they're trying to attract the attention of their neighbors. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 7, 2007 at 11:05 am
Gordon, I'm not sure where you live, but the idea somebody would pay $1-2 million to live in a post-war sub-division shack when they could spend another $500K-$1000K to have a really nice new house - that seems like good sense to me. Maybe you think it is ego (and maybe some of it is) - but a lot of people like larger, newer houses that they can take pride in.
If you are happy with your more unassuming abode, then you have what you need; why so upset about what the other guy has? Sorry if it ruins the neighborhood for you; but keep in mind, the other guy may think you are ruining the neighborhood for him ;-)
It brings to mind the guy on the redwoods thread who said he planted redwoods to shield the view of the McMansion next door. Of course, the guy next door probably appreciated it, since it shielded his view of his neighbor's unsightly shack (or is that McShack?)! One man's meat is another man's poison.
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 7, 2007 at 1:03 pm
The problem isn't that people need to flaunt their wealth by building garish, oversized homes, but that they want to do so in charming neighborhoods where the houses are more modestly proportioned. Why not take those stock options over to Atherton or Woodside where you can buy a few acres and monster away to your heart's delight? The neighbors won't be able to see your property behind your gates, and the people you want to impress will be ever more impressed by your success.
Your freedom to do what you like with your property extends only to the point that it impinges on your neighbors' enjoyment of their property. A lot of us don't want to get up in the morning and have to look out of our windows at the ghastly construction of a nouveau riche neighbor who fancies himself the next emperor.
It's quite possible to remodel and enlarge a home while staying true to the character of the neighborhood. (Er,why buy a home in a neighborhood if you don't like the prevailing architectural style?) Just about every home on my street has been extensively remodeled, and there isn't a single house that sticks out. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 7, 2007 at 1:15 pm
My neighborhood build-outs enabled some real nice kids to stick around instead of move away to larger houses elsewhere. Perhaps it even enriched the lives of those children to live around an old fuddy-duddy.
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 7, 2007 at 1:42 pm
My Little Acre
I lived in Palo Alto, in a "modestly proportioned" house in a "charming" neighborhood for 13 years before I decided to tear down my house and build a "garish monster" house.
I've now lived in Palo Alto for 27 years. I guess you want to throw me out and exile me to Woodside even though I like it where I am.
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.] Did it ever occur to you that some of us don't like looking at 50 year old (modest) million dollar tract homes anymore than you say you do looking at our larger houses?
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
The "character of a neighborhood" resides much more in the people who live there than it depends on the architectural conformity of the buildings there. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Charleston Gardens
on Sep 7, 2007 at 2:01 pm
My Little Acre--in one sentence ("Your freedom to do what you like with your property extends only to the point that it impinges on your neighbors' enjoyment of their property.") I think you summed up the problem here in PA--people have no respect for other's property rights or the right to build what they want on their property, as long as they follow the rules and setback guidelines.
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Onlne staff.]
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 7, 2007 at 2:27 pm
For all you AntiMcMansionists: put your own house on the historic list or file a restrictive development covenant on your own deed. Don't just fuss; be altruistic!
a resident of Green Acres
on Sep 8, 2007 at 12:44 am
When I think of how aesthetically satisfying a house is, width is more important than length.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Sep 8, 2007 at 3:45 am
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 8, 2007 at 5:13 am
Here is a link to an article in the Seattle Times from way back when they were using the term "Monster Home". As I re-read through the article, it noted that the long time local Canadians were upset with the massive structures and also the destruction of the trees on the properties, leaving neighborhoods looking barren.
It suggested that newcomers not cut down trees to help ease tensions. You would have to read through the article to find it. It was a very long story in the Sunday Seattle Times.
Web Link
This was during the Hong Kong/Taiwan rush, but many more newcomers from other countries have since immigrated, and built up more of these homes to house their large extended families.
We recently visited Vancouver and were quite shocked at the change in the lovely old neighborhoods.
The neighborhoods looked barren and concrete.
Vancouver and Victoria, B.C. were once famous for their old tree lined neighborhoods, gardens, and modest homes.
This was the first time I heard the term "Monster Home".
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 8, 2007 at 8:24 am
I built my house within the guidelines, zoning rules and other regulations in effect when I bought my house. I bought in a place where I, and every one of my neighbors, could improve our properties with these restrictions.
I think rather than destroying my neighborhood, I improved it. I think my neighbors agree - though they would never be so boorish to comment on it if they didn't.
If you want to live in a place where things never change, maybe you would be happier in a planned community where everything including paint color is dictated by community standards. Those kinds of neighborhoods remain just as they were when they were "established" - rather than being destroyed by monstrosities.
For the rest of us, why don't you let us, enjoy seeing our neighborhoods revitalized and changed over time rather than being frozen in time like some museum.
a resident of Charleston Gardens
on Sep 8, 2007 at 8:54 am
Janet does a good job in perpetuating the way many PA residents feel about this town--nothing must ever change--things must remain the way they were 50 years ago. If someone moved in to a neighborhood 50 years ago, they assumed (in their mind) that that was a guarantee that nothing would ever change.
If someone builds a new modern home, within the building guidelines of the city that they do not like then it can be classified as a"monstrosity, energy-wasting, privacy invading, habitat destroying McMansion". After all according to soem people once a neighborhood is "established", then it must stay that way in perpetuity.
OF course since we are going down the road of having the neighbors deciding what can be done with someone else's property the question now is which neighbor gets the final say--the one on the left or the right, the on in back or the one across the street? How much say does the neighbor 2 doors down get? The actual property owenr has no say--he should be thankful that the "living in the past" ganag has allowed to move into their "established" neighborhood/.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 8, 2007 at 10:53 pm
"The Not So Big House" by Sarah Susanka, an architect, is a great book.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 8, 2007 at 11:47 pm
You can't always get people to do what you want them to. You might save yourself a lot of aggravation by getting used to that fact. How about getting to know the neighbors inside those ugly houses. This McMansion issue really upsets me because its sad to see people attacking each other over matters of really inconsequential personal taste.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Sep 9, 2007 at 9:40 am
I'm all for property rights. Whether you want a 50's cookie cutter or a McMansion cookie cutter, it is your business.
What REALLY gets my goat is the quality issue. "Contractors" charge up the nose for something simple, hire people off the street, pay them the minimum, and get really cheap results.
I constantly drive by homes that have uneven stucco, mismatching trim, gaps, whatever. I know the homeowners, rich or not, nice or not, pay a lot of money for their homes. They are getting cheated by the GIANT MIDDLEMAN.
If I hire a contractor, I want to make sure their expertise is being put to use. I hate that FAT spread between what they charge and what they pay out to those who ACTUALLY do the work.
Maybe that is worthy of another thread topic.
McMansions, while they are generally ugly in my taste, are ultimately the property of the owners. Tasteful or not, that's the way it is. I abhor busybodies.
I get ill when I see a beautiful historic home being torn down for a cheap but expensive building. There aren't many homes I would consider saving here, but there are out there. Am I going to stand in front of the bulldozer? Maybe not.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 10, 2007 at 7:24 pm
Hey all, As a homeowner in PA I'm amazed at the diverse points of view expressed here. A couple of things I don't think have been pointed out; first of all there are a lot of regulations in place in this town and anyone who intends to build must jump through a lot of hoops and bribe the city at every step of the way, etc. to get anything built, perhaps that is what leads to this unfortunate style. Also, the more we cram our homes onto small lots the more acreage of beautiful wilderness might be spared further out. If every decent sized home had two or three acres there would be nothing left of the Sierras. Can't we make room for our community members and preserve what's left of unspoiled California? Also, not to be insulting but the older homes in PA are so often less architecturally compelling that older homes in, say, San Francisco, Chicago, Paris, etc. I don't understand the Taco Bell trend, but I don't see how it detracts from an area of homes without much style to begin with. Wouldn't it be great if all new homes in PA could have a style worthy of long term preservation?
a resident of Charleston Gardens
on Sep 10, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Squeezed--I think you are on to something--older homes in PA are so often less architecturally compelling that older homes in other cities--however since this is Palo Alto an older home must be considered "archtiectually compelling and/or historic"--otherwise the city becomes like any other city and is not "special". So how to help this idea along? Complain and deride all new homes as monster/mcmansions/taco bell homes or any other derogatory term that comes to mind to describe a home that you do not like. look at the worship of Eichler homes. remember the historic ordinance fiasco. It all makes sense now.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Sep 11, 2007 at 6:39 am
thank you for your comments. it would truly be great, "if all new homes in PA could have a style worthy of long term preservation." How to do it? Don't rely on the short term interests of: owner, architect, contractor or city.
There are neighborhoods in other parts of this country that have pretty rigid but sensible rules regarding new buildings. These rules are in place to ensure the ongoing upkeep and style a neighborhood chooses to keep.
They would, let's say, ban poor architecture that does not contribute to the existing or intended style.
Not so simple to do. It has to be done for and by those who have such a vision. Voluntarily.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 11, 2007 at 8:13 am
Wow, just stumbled on this thread. I really like Chris's comment..if you want unchanging control, live in a planned community and live by the rules.
Otherwise, can't you just celebrate the diversity of styles in different neighborhoods? I live on a street with everything from new "mansions" to a tiny 2 bedroom, one bath home meticulously maintained by the elderly couple there.
I LOVE IT! I love seeing the different expressions of humanity on just my street.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 11, 2007 at 8:13 am
The idea of tight architectural rules in PA really burns my grits. "Ban poor architecture" - yikes! There are planned communities, gated communities, community associations with restrictive rules, etc. - people who want that sort of thing should go live in one.
Creating something like that in PA would be, I think, the antithesis of what a world-class university town in the heart of the world's innovation capital is about - let a million flowers bloom! If these rules had been in place 50 years ago, for sure there would not have been Eichlers (essentially ticky tacky subdivision look-alikes in the eyes of detractors). Freedom is a little messy folks - I wouldn't have it any other way.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 11, 2007 at 8:45 am
There are some people here who would ban Christmas/Halloween lights/decorations because they spoil the look of the neighborhood. Is this what we really want?
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 11, 2007 at 10:43 am
Resident, I really hope you are exaggerating to make your point. There isn't really a sensible soul in PA who thinks home decorations should be banned/regulated? Is there??
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 11, 2007 at 10:53 am
These McMansions are often bought by families moving into the area for the schools. They could afford to move almost anywhere, instead they want PA schools. Consequently, they buy a run down home, raze it (while living elsewhere) then move into a large home for the sake of their kids. When the kids have graduated high school, they will move on, making space for more families to move in.
I know. I have neighbors who moved in during the last school year. They are now living outside PA while their home is being turned into a palace. Money? Doesn't seem to be a problem. Commuting their kids from a city far away, that doesn't seem to be a problem either.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Sep 11, 2007 at 2:18 pm
you misunderstood my post. i'm trying to say that there are planned communities. if some people want to live among buildings that are architecturally significant, then they have to move there.
i think it would be pretty hard to find a group of people willing to live by that thought voluntarily.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 12, 2007 at 11:58 am
Terry, I've seen a lot of gated communities with tight architectural rules and most have been full of homes that, although matching, are not very memorable in terms of their style. In San Francisco, there are many newer homes designed to fit in well alongside homes in the wonderful Victorian railroad flat style that is characteristic of some neighborhoods in that city. If Palo Alto had a style of its own in the way San Francisco does it would be much easier to build new homes in the same spirit. Unfortunately nothing like that happened. Palo Alto has developed in strange spurts of Eichlers, tract ranchers, and scatterings of random design. Since this hodge podge has never been resolved by any unity of vision we have the current system where any time someone wants to build or remodel the neighbors get to weigh in and the bickering begins. I agree that our best recourse is tolerance and celebration of what we have. But if I ever am fortunate enough to build a home here I will do my best to make it tasteful.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Sep 12, 2007 at 12:21 pm
I agree, these McMansions as you call them aren't very good looking and they do detract from the custom landscape of the old Palo Alto neghborhoods. They look like the tract homes built in every other city, with their fiberglass accents, beige paint jobs, rough stucco and Home Depot landscaping. But in their owner's defense - they're cheaper to build and when you have to pay $1.5 million just for your 6,500 sq. foot lot, there's not much left over to build a custom home, let alone a custom Craftsman home as is the 'norm' in Palo Alto.
And hey...they look a lot better than the Eichlers!
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 12, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Squeezed, thanks for the consideration. I will opt for tasteful too. But less as a favor for my neighbors - more just because that's what I like. And I hope they do they same.
I moved to Sili Valley to get a taste of the independent spirit - if that means concrete moderns next to craftsmen next to eichlers next to stucco next to shacks - well, so be it!
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 19, 2007 at 10:52 am
Andrew and Terry, I agree with both of you. Housing is such a huge issue for families all over the world. It's sad to see people with homes criticizing the homes of others. Who knows what anyone has been through or what the house means to them? I live in Palo Alto at great sacrifice to myself and my husband because my experiences in bad schools scarred me for life. I could not let my children go through that. They might be pressured and overworked in the PAUSD schools, but they are not groped in the hallways or forced to fight. And yes, I'd bet the taco bell house is cheaper to build than something more picturesque. I say live and let build.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Sep 19, 2007 at 1:03 pm
I disagree that McMansions look better than Eichlers. I realize Eichlers have their issues as far as actually living in them, heating them, renovating them, but they're quite elegant and streamlined. Also, architecturally consistent.
I have a couple of issues with McMansions--one is, yes, the size of the house for the lot. But more to the point is a lot of them are aesthetically bad.
What do I mean by that? Well, the features are often way out of scale. Doors that would look fine on a wider house, take over half the front of a tall, narrow house. I see jumbles of window styles--a rectangle here, a circle over there, a square over there. And too large and many for the facade.
And then there are the columns--squat, wide columns meant to ape the bungalow vernacular, but come off as squat and awkward. It comes off as busy, busy, busy. There's no flow and no aesthetic order.
Inside, the houses aren't as bad--more nondescript. Though, once again, you see the size problem--narrow rooms, awkward spots where there was an attempt to cram in all trendy features into a large house with a small footprint. The flow can be, though not always, poor.
There are some well-designed new houses in Palo Alto--I make a note of them just because they're the exception--and there are lots of forgettable ranch houses. I really don't miss the tiny ranchers that have been torn down on Colorado and only about half of the McMansions on the street make me roll my eyes. Some of them are fine.
There is one other factor with the tear-down mania though that I've not seen mentioned--and that's the environmental cost of new construction. That stuff has to go somewhere and it takes up a lot of space. Environmentally, it's better to renovate or do what's done in Japan, which is to really recycle just about everything.
You may own your 5,000-square-feet, but you're not self-sustaining. So I think it's not fully sensible to pretend what's outside those 5,000 is irrelevant. (And, no, I wouldn't hassle you about ugly design if you built your McMansion next door to me, but I would get upset if you shaded my vegetable garden.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 19, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Well OP, I guess you won't be buying a so-called McMansion. But I doubt the folks who own them think much of the aesthetics of your house either ;-)
The idea that Eichlers are more than just post-war subdivision ranches seems like a PA fantasy - but hey, that is just my opinion and obviously others think otherwise. To each their own!
The idea that big houses are somehow environmentally "wrong" - I totally don't get that. Are we all ready to move into 1000 sqft low ceiling shacks? Who decided what "too big" is?
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Sep 19, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Hi Terry,
Aesthetics is not entirely subjective as you suggest. The proportions that are considered attractive are consistent--having been codified by the Ancient Greeks, the Chinese, the Japanese, Palladio, etc.
Silicon Valley does not have a strong visual orientation. You see this in how people dress--it's very low-key, quite standardized--amazing when you think of the amount of money here and the sophistication and education of the population.
I think, also, that a lot of people *know* that their big houses, while comfortable and well-appointed, aren't really that beautiful. I think it's why they feel so defensive about them and why architectural details, like bungalow pillars and Tuscan villa arches, are planted on what are basically stucco boxes. People want their homes to look like buildings they find attractive and welcoming.
But when the scale's off or the detail doesn't fit with the rest of the building's vernacular, the effort fails and it just doesn't look right. Which becomes very apparent when the house sits on the market at the time of resale.
With all the new houses around here, you think there'd be some award-winning ones, but there aren't. And I think that's less about bad taste than ignorance--I mean how many new-home builders around here are well-versed in architecture?
My point about the environment wasn't directly a comment on size, but the habit of dusting houses and replacing them. That's a lot of garbage. A house worth's, in fact, aside from what's used to create the new house.
Larger houses are expensive to heat and power, though that can be compensated for--that's not my big concern about them in PA, where they're infill, replacing another building. Also, you can design a house of any size around here that requires little heating and no air-conditioning.
As for Eichler's, compare them to some other post-war housing--such as the rectangular boxes in Sterling Gardens (Greer/Loma Verde)--no atriums, no indoor/outdoor room flow, no construction of neighborhoods with community centers.
Eichlers are small--and I think much of the dislike of them is that people pay a ton for houses that were never meant to be expensive.
With an Eichler, you get the great room feel--open kitchen, living room and dining area, usually looking out on a back wall of windows. This makes the house seem larger and takes advantage of California's weather--it's indoor/outdoor living.
Little space is wasted inside Eichlers--unlike Sterling Garden homes, there are no long hallways taking up valuable space. Clerestory windows in the bedrooms facing the street provide light without sacrificing privacy and wall space--a particular nice thing since Eichler bedrooms are small.
Even the radiant heat was great when it worked--good idea not well executed. No point putting in something that can't be easily repaired.
So, really nice form following function and economical building at the time. I've notice Eichler owners don't tend to change their floorplans--they do additions, but the central lay-out flows really well.
As for McMansion owners and my house--one came over and praised it though, yes, it was small for his tastes (he'd left the Bay Area to buy 4,000-footer out-of-state. It's an older house with curbside appeal--in other words, it has some of those details that McMansion builders like to enlarge and put on houses to give 'em that homey look. (No credit due me, by the way, like most people around here, we bought the house because we could afford it and our bid was accepted. I was willing to live with any architectural style or nonstyle.)
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 19, 2007 at 5:03 pm
OhlonePar, I will make my request (again). Please consider running for City Council or The School Board.
If not this election, perhaps in the future. You have my vote.
Terry, you mentioned that you moved to "Sili" valley, but you seem to be unhappy and critical with everything here.
Perhaps this area is not right for you.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 19, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Parent, on the contrary I find it fine here. It seems like some others are complaining about the new houses going up - maybe they will move ;-)
I am ok with both the new and old, just wouldn't want to live in a suburban tract house personally (Eichler or otherwise). As the tune goes, "they're all made out of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same." Just not for me.
OP, you may feel the ancient Greeks cracked the code with the Golden Mean. Others may just like big houses. Some may like Eichler's open floor plan - others may find it just dated. To each his/her own, I say.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Sep 19, 2007 at 7:33 pm
It's not just the golden mean. My point is that aesthetics aren't simply personal--there's a history to it and culture's are defined by it. There are rules--you may not agree with them, but they're there.
What I see here is a mish-mash--the desire for particular details clashes with overall design. It's not rule breaking as much as a combination of limitations (space, cost) bumping up against semi-defined notions of what looks good (Tuscan villa, Cape Cod). It just doesn't work.
The Eichler's open floor plan is one of the least dated things about it--the great room is something that is currently extremely trendy. You'll see it any McMansion worth its stucco. Eichler pretty much co-opted the architectural currents of the time and turned them into affordable housing. McMansions don't do this--they grab a bit here and there and, as I say, put it on a stucco box. There's not a lot of integrity to the overall design.
Size is one issue, but this is apart from that. I've seen beautiful large houses from a variety of time periods. The houses being built should be better looking.
I don't live in an Eichler, they're not, in fact, my personal favorite style. However, I do understand why they're admirable from an architectural point-of-view.
You tell me McMansions are big and people who want bigger houses should be able to have them. Okay. But can you tell me why the McMansion style is attractive? Can you defend the aesthetic with something more than people have their own tastes and they're better than Eichlers?
Parent, I never thought my comments on the flow of Eichlers would make me look good as a political candidate. <g>
a resident of Palo Verde
on Sep 19, 2007 at 7:43 pm
I live in an Eichler and pretty much chose it for its location and price rather than anything else. It is the most ugliest house I have ever lived in. I do agree that there is a flow in design which makes living here pleasant, it does have great views of the backyard, but that is about it.
From the curb it has no appeal whatsoever. I have had visitors coming all the way around the house as they can't find the front door. I feel claustrophibic in the bedrooms when I can't see out the windows and it is ridiculous to me that I can't see what is going on in the street outside my house without going out there.
These houses were designed with cheap heating and materials in mind. Just about everything that is in them which is original is below code. These houses are just cheap tract housing and were designed from the inside out to feel good emotions rather than for those who take a pride in the frontage of their homes.
I respect those who like them, but calling them architecturally appealing is ridiculous.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Sep 19, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Eichler dweller and Terry,
What comes across to me is a resentment of Eichlers because they're tract homes. That they're considered well-designed tract homes in architectural circles doesn't mean they're not tract homes.
And it's galling how much one has to spend to live in a tract home around here when the same money buys a mansion almost anywhere else.
Eichler dweller, would you hate your Eichler if you could afford to move to a house that's what you wanted or would you see it as a nice home to remember?
I just feel that there's a lot of frustration in Palo Alto because most of us spend so much for so little.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 19, 2007 at 8:03 pm
I have a different view, OP - I think aesthetics are personal and always changing. You like vanilla, I like chocolate - that's why they call it "taste." New styles come along in art and architecture, food and fashion, music and writing; some folks think they are horrible and denigrate them as tasteless, others love them, often along generational lines. The new gets old, then it's re-cycled and comes into vogue again.
Why are McMansions attractive? In my mind, that's the same as asking "why do some people like them," since there's no absolute standard. I don't prefer the style personally, but I suppose because they look big and new; they have lots of space inside, big atriums, cool lighting, high cielings, fancy appliances, usually imposing front doors. I actually like the Doric columns, too ;=)
The issue of architectural "uniformity" is itself interesting. I actually prefer living in a more eclectic place, where people's houses and yards express themselves (in one way or another). I came from a town with brick colonials and the occasional Victorian, long green lawns, and rhodies for foundation plantings. Looked "classic" but dang it got boring.
You think the mish-mash "doesn't work" - I actually like it is fine and chose a neighborhood that was a mish-mash over the more uniform ones. To each his or her own!
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 19, 2007 at 8:12 pm
I didn't say that I hated my house, just consider it ugly and has many downsides.
Yes, I would prefer to live somewhere else, but that isn't always practical.
There are lots of things I like about my home, but as with any home, it is just a house in which I live and it is my family, my memories and my attitude that makes it home. No, I do not picture myself living here until my dotage, but it is convenient for the way I live at present. I will remember it with fondness, not for the bricks and mortar (what bricks?) but for the part it has played in my life.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Sep 19, 2007 at 8:54 pm
So there's no qualitative difference between a da Vinci and a Leroy Nieman?
The mish-mash to which I was referring wasn't the overall look of the neighborhoods but in the architecture of individual houses.
Basically, you defended McMansions by bringing up attributes that could belong to any large house--though I've not seen any with atriums--nothing distinctive about them. Which sort of says it all.
I could see a house having everything you mention, but still being attractively and thoughtfully designed. I think though that can mean not having the utmost bang for the buck and allowable square footage. McMansions sometimes strike me like a woman in a minidress and stilettos and a slinky cut and a low neck and big hair and tons of jewelry. Take a couple of things a way and what's left looks a lot better. You don't need five different window shapes and maximum footage and columns and stained glass and . . .
Eichler Dweller,
I can understand why you'd like a house where you could see the street from a window. I wouldn't say Eichlers have no curbside appeal, but, yes, several (not all) groups of them were designed so as to be shut off from the street. On some streets that would be great--Middlefield and Embarcadero, say, but I could see where that would be onerous. One owner's privacy is another's obstruction.
But I'd still say they're a lot more attractive than the rectangles of Sterling Gardens. The main thing I can say for those is that they take add-ons fairly well--they're so simple that they're sort of a natural beginning point.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 19, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Well OP, we disagree. Your "thoughtful design" is somebody else's "boring." You describe a dressing style you don't like; there are plenty of people who do like it and would not think much of yours (whatever it might be).
The thing I don't get is why you think your taste is "better" than someone else's. It's just different. I'm glad you like your stuff. No need to dump on others.
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Sep 19, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Although perhaps not so pretty (in the traditional sense) on the outside, homes designed by Eichler are very nice and unique.
I grew up in one. It was built in 1954, and was nearly 2,000 sq. feet. The copper pipe radiant heat still works great, and it required maintenance only once. My mother replaced something on it only because she was told it was old and probably needed to be replaced.
We were never without heat!
The generous overhangs kept the house cool in the summer, and protected the thick glass windows from rain.
The original stainless steel stove, pizza ovens, and dishwasher all worked when we sold the home.
We have been friends with the new owners who are enjoying the home now. Our new (circa 1932) old home does not compare to the thoughtful design layout that Eichler put into this particular model that he built. Unfortunately, at the time, many people could not afford the high price of $37,000 or $42,000 that my parents paid, and Eichler was not able to sell many of these higher end homes. The beams were made of huge redwoods and the paneling was gorgeous redwood. My parents never painted the interior walls and enjoyed the beauty of the natural wood. The floors were cork in the entry and living room, and they still look beautiful to this day.
Our friends from the East Coast always admired our home because they had never seen anything like them back East.
Radiant heat spoiled me. Air conditioning and fans were not necessary.
Many of the older homes do not need air conditioning. We are thankful to the mature trees around our small home to provide cooling shade and privacy.
The owners of the newly built homes will need to use their air conditioners until their trees and landscape become mature(35-40 years or more should do it).
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Sep 19, 2007 at 10:52 pm
it nevers ceases to astound me how so many people assume air conditioning is necessary around here and an automatic given for the so-called mcmansions (or any new construction for that matter). this is one of the most ideal climates around - warm days, cool nights - not the hazy, hot, and humid climate that begs for a/c.
no need to be make snide comments about a/c or landscapes, for that matter. new homes are so well constructed now that the energy usage is often close to the same as the previous, inefficient home - unless the family suddenly doubles in size and all the kids are leaving the lights on or taking 1 hr. showers.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Sep 20, 2007 at 12:44 am
It's not my taste, per se. My taste isn't Eichlers. My point is that there are cultural ideas that go beyond personal "taste". I understand what aesthetic was being expressed by Eichler--the ideas.
That's why I brought up Da Vinci v. Leroy Nieman. It's not just a question of personal taste--one is the better artist by several measures.
I'm not inflicting my taste on people, but I am trying to explain why I think McMansions are poor architecture. Doesn't mean you can't build one--again, just as long as your McMansion doesn't wreck my vegetable garden or, in some neighborhoods, destroy a larger architectural whole. And if you manage to build an attractive large house--all the more power to you.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on Sep 20, 2007 at 1:02 am
I moved from a poorly insulated house to a well-insulated one. It's an incredible difference. Not only is no a/c needed, but neither is opening a window.
It's harder, I think, to design a two-story house that doesn't get overheated upstairs, but I'd like to see good passive ventilation systems become the standard around here. A well-designed house around here doesn't need ac.
Parent, it sounds like you grew up in a great Eichler. I didn't realize there were 2,000 sf. ones around here. I know Greenmeadow has some 1700 foot ones, but that was the largest of which I'd heard.
But that goes to another architectural asset of Eichlers--they were designed for this climate. McMansions tend to look a lot alike no matter where you are, but the U.S. actually has a huge variety of climates and landscapes. There's a lack of integration into the environment.
It's funny, several posters are complaining about how ubiquitous Eichlers are, but there really aren't that many except around here. I don't think there are any north of Redwood City. You don't see them in Berkeley or the rest of the East Bay. It's colder and foggier in Berkeley and the Eichler design isn't a natural for their--much more craftsman and little bungalows. When I first moved here, it was actually really interesting to see houses that were so "modern" and streamlined in feel. The house I grew up in was from the same period, but a much more traditional ranch--shingled, which is something that's pretty common around Berkeley and Oakland and quite uncommon around here.
a resident of Midtown
on Sep 22, 2007 at 4:29 pm
OP, the idea that one artist is better than another - where's that come from? Who is the duly appointed authority? The "critics"? You? My guess is the velveteen dogs playing poker has sold more copies than the guys you mention ;-)
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, not the critics or heaven forbid some governmental authority on acceptable styles.
The idea of "wrecking a larger architectural whole" - again yikes! If the neighbors get together to pass a historic district - oh well, there it is. But otherwise, let 'em build their houses (within zoning constraints), and lets enjoy the diversity.
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A kind of walking or dancing that is like crumping in motion. This term was originally used in "Maniac Magee" but no one knew what it meant then. Its the most gangster you can get without being gangster. Just bend, cross your arms, maybe snap your fingers, and keep walking.
So i was sitting by the door at a St. Annes dance last Friday night, and these two girls from Station came dip-jiving into the room thinking they were all gangster.
by CRAZYmaddie January 23, 2011

subset: commoncrawl


text:
John Edwards's campaign seems to have hit a roadblock that could seriously hurt his chances of securing the Democratic nomination. And it has nothing to do with any of his perceived screw-ups that have gotten their share of media attention, including his $400 haircut, his new compound in North Carolina, and his hedge-fund experiences.
There's no doubt that Edwards made a mistake with the haircut, and that wealthy populist candidates are not easily forgiven for reminding people that they have money. But most candidates on the trail spend a lot on personal appearances — it's part of the game. As for the value of Edwards's house, it's probably comparable to that of the Clintons or a lot of other Democratic candidates, including former Democratic nominees Al Gore and John Kerry. And the hedge fund? Please show me a major candidate whose family hasn't raked in some cash from a few major investments or consulting. Most are pretty well-off.
No, Edwards's problem is different, and it's not even about his politics. It's about a piece of paper that hangs — or doesn't hang — on the wall of his office.
Edwards, you see, didn't go to Harvard or Yale.
In the Democratic landscape of 2007, that doesn't seem as if it should be a problem. But you'd have to go back to 1984 to find a Democratic nominee (Walter Mondale) who didn't attend one of those elite universities for either college or graduate school. Before that, a number of Democratic also-rans, including Gary Hart, Paul Tsongas, and Jerry Brown, were also graduates of either Harvard or Yale. And the pattern will continue in 2008 if either Hillary Clinton (Yale Law) or Barack Obama (Harvard Law) wins the nomination.
It's a trend that hearkens back to the old country, where it's assumed all leaders belonged to the same debating club at Oxford. Even other Ivy League schools — such as Columbia, Princeton, and Penn — don't seem to be good enough for the Democrats, much less the Atlantic Coast Conference schools of Clemson, North Carolina State, and the University of North Carolina, at which Edwards received his education.
How the Democrats arrived at this state of affairs tells you a lot about the present state of the party, and why Edwards — a candidate who has been widely praised in everything from The Economist to the Wall Street Journal for setting the substantive agenda for the whole Democratic field; whose campaign appearances have been sharp; who's been impressive in debates; and whose wife, Elizabeth, has been a formidable asset — is having more than his share of problems.
The Democrats used to be "the party of the people," and still aspire to that title. But fundraising (particularly now that all serious candidates spurn public funding) and primary politics have been taken over by the well-educated elites for whom Harvard and Yale are the Holy Grails.
These voters and donors all dream of having their kids attend the best Ivies, especially now that the upward path to mobility in America is no longer membership in a labor union — once the backbone of Democratic politics — but is admission to a selective college.
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radKIDS is the national leader in children's safety. radKIDS is brought to children and parents by the training and development of nationally certified instructors drawn from their own communities. By empowering a community with certified local instructors, the radKIDS Personal Empowerment Safety Education package is not just a program but also a true gift to the community.
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The radKIDS Personal Empowerment Safety Education Program is a 10-hour family centered safety education program that emphasizes essential decision-making skills as well as physical resistance options to escape violence. Children from 5-12 years of age participate in the program with their adult partners to create a true safety partnership. Click here to register your child for a radKIDS class. Class dates to be determined once there are 20 kids signed up for a class.
The radKIDS® Instructor Program is a three-day certification course, September 16 - 18, 2009, detailing our core curriculum. Candidates will receive information on teaching children about school safety, home safety, out-and-about safety, vehicle safety, strangers and tricks (including physical defense skills), and personal safety (including good, bad, and uncomfortable touch). More Program Information - link to Application Form - email contact: Sgt. Glenda Hall
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Submit News
Report: Obama Preps Sweeping Cyberdefense Executive Order for Wednesday
Jason Mick
February 12, 2013 2:15 PM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
Order has been anticipated for some time now
President Barack Obama (D) has been widely criticized by conservatives for his use of executive orders to push the federal actions he wants when Congress is unwilling to go along with him. The tactic isn't exactly new (FDR signed nearly 4,500 executive orders) and President Obama hasn't used it all that often (he's signed 144) [
]. But his critics contend his executive orders are more sweeping and loaded with action than past ones, so the small count is misleading.
I. Some Critics Say the Order Goes Too Far...
That criticism may be revived this week if President Obama drops his
long-awaited cyberwarfare executive order
spoke with government officials who had seen the order and said it is expected for a Wednesday drop. The order is expected to expand the role the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) plays in policing the homeland online from both internal and external threats.
President Obama wants to expand the federal gov't to "solve" the cybersecurity "crisis".
[Image Source: U.S. Aid]
The expansion of DHS authority alone is enough to make many a bit queasy. Under President Bush, the new intelligence agency was a key point of controversy from his Democratic and third party critics.
Some Republicans even opposed the DHS under both Bush and Obama, although they're a drastic minority in Congress. Perhaps most notable is
Rep. Ron Paul
(R-Texas) who has suggested that the Department of Homeland Security is poor in talent, offensive to civil liberties, and redundant, commenting [
Before 9/11, we were spending $40 billion a year, and the FBI was producing numerous information about people being trained on airplanes, to fly them but not land them. And they totally ignored them. So it's the inefficiency of the bureaucracy that is the problem. So, increasing this with the Department of Homeland Security and spending more money doesn't absolve us of the problem. Yes, we have every right in the world to know something about intelligence gathering. But we have to have intelligent people interpreting this information.
But like it or not, Ron Paul and his supporters on the left and right may be unable to stop President Obama from pushing through the plan.
II. ...Others Complain It's Too Weak
One thing that will make it difficult to rally Congressional opposition to the order is that the order itself is actually relatively similar to the bills put forth by bipartisan committees in both the House and Senate last year.
In reality,
most Congressional Democrats and Republicans agreed
that some sort of increase in cyberdefense spending and more codified framework for public-private sharing of information on threats was necessary. Both plans involved incorporating the DHS into those roles. So on the surface at least the pending executive order does not sound all that different from what either the House or Senate had agreed upon.
Ultimately, neither bill passed last year, thanks largely to partisan bickering. While
the House bill
Senate bill
were remarkably similar, the Republican controlled house insisted on its version being passed, while the Democratic controlled Senate demanded its bill be the final version. Ultimately that gridlock sunk both bills, when a series of small changes would likely have been enough to reconcile the differences between the two bills.
Despite drafting nearly identical bills last year, the House and Senate were not able to reach agreement, due largely to partisan bickering. [Image Source: U.S. Congress]
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) is among the cyberdefense agencies frustrated by that bureaucratic train wreck. But officials to acknowledge that it won't be easy convincing the private sector to trust federal security.
Comments FBI Executive Assistant Director Richard McFeely, head of the Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch, "Our biggest issue right now is getting the private sector to a comfort level so they can report anomalies, malware, incidents within their network [without them fearing media leaks]."
Reportedly the information sharing portions of the order will be voluntary for most businesses.
Indeed, despite the controversy over what the order
do, there's also some concern/criticism about how much it doesn't get done. Comments one source to
-- "We know the executive order isn't going to go as far as legislation could or will go, but it's a good start."
Stewart Baker, former National Security Agency (NSA) general counsel and a past assistant secretary for policy at the DHS comments, "I think this can fairly be described as a down payment on legislation. [It should do something positive], but whether it will provide practical protection from cyber attacks is still in doubt."
"Nowadays, security guys break the Mac every single day. Every single day, they come out with a total exploit, your machine can be taken over totally. I dare anybody to do that once a month on the Windows machine." -- Bill Gates
Related Articles
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February 8, 2013, 2:55 PM
Following Defeat, Obama to Reportedly Push Cybersecurity Bill With Executive Orders
August 7, 2012, 7:26 PM
President Obama Scolds Businesses, Urges Passage of Cybersecurity Act
July 20, 2012, 5:16 PM
Ron Paul, President Obama in Opposition of Cybersecurity Bill
April 26, 2012, 2:44 PM
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I'm in Northern CA and new to beekeeping. I installed a NUC in May. In the fall, I had a very strong hive. I noticed their stores were getting low, so I started feeding them sugar syrup again. (I stopped during summer because they quit taking it with all the blackberries in bloom) Then I began reading here that you should not feed syrup when it gets cold, and switch to either candy or pollen patties. (and brood patties in Jan/Feb) While I ordered the brood patties, I also bought some winter patties from Dadant - since it only changed the shipping by $5.
I opened up the hive on a warm afternoon to give them the winter patty and I was shocked at how few bees there are in the hive. We are in the low 40's at night/60's in the daytime and January/February are our coldest months. I saw the queen, but I'm worried they are not going to make it once it gets really cold. I have no idea what I did wrong. Is there anything I can do now?


text:
Apologies if I did.
The line is either moving in my favor or against me. I don't think about it any further than that.
you guys kiss and make up and tell me you love my teaser
I guess I'm not necessarily convinced that sharps are actually that sharp. So it isn't something I consider.
I just was not confident in WKU tonight. I know a lot of people were on them in this thread (though sometimes that is bad), and was gonna join them. Then I saw the line movement. Didn't like it, so I didn't lock in the bet. Simple as that.
Normally, I'm with you. There were a few games earlier this season where I had some late steams against my line, but I was confident and it hit. Others didn't.
Bottom line, I'm nowhere near a great handicapper, and if I see some late sharp money coming in against a team I liked, I'm probably gonna lay off unless I'm super confident
i havent teased all year either. im trying to decide the 3rd leg. maybe UNDER in LSU game, WV ( not great number tho), baylor, ND, or Wisconsin
CMU down to -1.5 across the board.
Thoughts on a teaser with aTm -2 and under 86? I think La Tech is overrated and is just a trendy upset pick. I think aTm's defense is better than people are giving them credit for, and Tech might not get to 30.
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Rivals camp series, Houston events
Made a big impression at Core 6 event
Nkemdiche answers question post-announcement
Gorney talks recruiting with Hughes
Cage fights? Trumpets? See it all here.
The 4-Star talks about his official visits
The Alabama commit is visiting another SEC school
Top DL talks recruiting with Kynon Codrington
Top DL talks recruiting with Andrew Bone
The 4-Star LB will be deciding between two at game


text:
Hi ladies,
Roxanne, so good to see you..I was thinking about your quilt just the other day..hope you can get back to it soon. I remember how beautiful your center was with the dyed lace and all.
I have all my borders done and attached...need to post a photo..I was waiting to get home to my huge ruler so I can trim and square the miters I did on the borders..may need to redo one or two of them..but I think all in all should be just a couple of hours worth of work to finish the top and then quilting begins lol. I am finishing up a couple of smaller projects this week but hoping to be able to finish my AOTH next week.
Keep going y'all!


text:
Sen Thai Massage & Spa - Five Dock
148 Great North Road, FIVE DOCK 2046
Spoil yourself with a traditional Thai massage or alternative massage treatment at Sen Thai Massage Spa, Five Dock. Your professional masseuse is a highly qualified Thai native, ensuring you receive…Book Appointment
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How should we explain the origins of novel behaviors?
Edward A. Wasserman, Mark S. Blumberg
The basic argument of intelligent design was famously set forth in the watchmaker analogy of William Paley in 1802: The complexity and functionality of a watch imply a watchmaker; analogously, the complexity and functionality of living things also imply a designer, albeit one vastly more potent than a mere watchmaker. This argument rests on a simple analogy between the design of human artifacts and the design of natural forms. For the analogy to work, we must first accept that we design our inventions with purpose and foresight. On this point, most evolutionists and creationists agree. What distinguishes these two camps is that, when accounting for the origin of living things, proponents of intelligent design summon a divine creator, whereas evolutionists credit natural selection. Thus, evolutionists share with creationists the same understanding of design; they differ only in how they invoke it.
Discussions of design are prominent in the writings of evolutionists from Darwin to Dawkins. Pondering the implications of his theory of natural selection for Paley's "old argument of design in nature," Charles Darwin wrote in his autobiography that we can no longer argue that "the beautiful hinge of a bivalve shell must have been made by an intelligent being, like the hinge of a door by man. There seems to be no more design in the variability of organic beings and in the action of natural selection, than in the course which the wind blows. Everything in nature is the result of fixed laws." A century later, Richard Dawkins pursued the issue of design and divided the world "into things that look designed (such as birds and airliners) and things that don't (rocks and mountains)." He further divided those things that look designed into "those that really are designed (submarines and tin openers) and those that aren't (sharks and hedgehogs)."
What did Dawkins mean when he wrote of things that "really are designed"? In The Blind Watchmaker, he provided a clear answer: "All appearances to the contrary, the only watchmaker in nature is the blind forces of physics….A true watchmaker has foresight: He designs his cogs and springs, and plans their interconnections, with a future purpose in his mind's eye" [emphasis added].
Such uncritical acceptance of purpose and foresight in human design may well be unwise. After all, do we really know how door hinges and can openers were created? In fact, we may know less about the origins of these everyday contrivances than we know about the origins of bivalve shells, sharks and hedgehogs. By attributing the origins of animals and artifacts to different kinds of designers—one blind, the other intelligent—both Darwin and Dawkins lapse into the same kind of "designer thinking" that ensnared creationists like Paley. Such thinking rests on the familiarity and deceptive simplicity of mentalistic explanations of behavior, as when Dawkins uncritically appeals to the foresight and purpose of the watchmaker rather than entertaining possibly deeper questions about the origins of the watch. He may be giving human designers too much credit.
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With this release, the kid who's been proving his pop songwriting bonafides since he was 16 is finally all in. The promise that Ford's Goodnight Process showed was infused with irony and subterfuge — that's not pop. It's playing with pop. And the '60s vamp from last time around was poppy, but it was throwback, nostalgic pop. There were, like, instruments being played.
I love that "Come on Say" song, but it was like Paul McCartney doing a Jamiroquai cover.
Ctrl is the stuff you see priced on iTunes for $1.29 for no good reason at all, with beats like Timbaland pumps out and no real hint of those lame old analog instruments anywhere. It's right now, with maybe a little bit of tomorrow thrown in.
That sounds terrible to many of you, the ones who bemoan the cult of Ke$ha and can't tell whether that Katy Gaga tribute act is serious or not. But what exactly are people supposed to listen to in the clubs when they're all fired up on Red Bulls and vodka? Sure, those beats are nice, but circles of chicks (there are probably some guys, too) like to sing along at the tops of their voices when they're getting sweaty, I can assure you.
Ford is now ready to supply their anthems. It's not that the themes have changed much — it's still guy-girl, mating ritual stuff — just the delivery. Not only has Ford found a pocket of easy confidence (helped maybe by his voice dropping a bit more), but he's paired that with utterly contemporary production, full of driving beats, chirping synthesizers, and crisp finishes that just beg for a dramatic hand raised in the air on the stage of American Idol.
Speaking of: I've heard comparisons to Adam Lambert for the new Ford incarnation, but to me he's way more Blake Lewis, without any of Lambert's faux tough-guy routine, and much more of that Simon LeBon androgynous sex appeal.
Seriously, "It's the Feeling" wouldn't sound totally out of place on Rio, except instead of dancing on the sand, "if love is what you're looking for/Drink up and lose it on the floor/Let's dance, like we don't give a fuck." (Actually, he phases that last word into about seven syllables, so it might even pass FCC muster. Hard to say.) Regardless, it's so commercial it makes my teeth hurt. If the Q doesn't eat this up I'll eat my hat. Ford's one-note falsetto in the chorus is delicious.
"Follow My Lead" is built around the big bounce, thrilling the way pop is supposed to be, something you can completely lose yourself in. Where lots of pretenders fail here is in thinking the whole song needs to be huge. Ford, a songwriting student, understands the need for dynamic changes in volume and energy, the value of a great bridge, knowing when too much repetition is too much.
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BMI. Dean of Admissions and Records
The Dean of Admissions and Records is responsible for developing, implementing and managing a strategic admissions program encompassing all areas of admissions including but not limited to traditional, nontraditional and international students.
The Dean plans and coordinates the admissions and records policies and procedures and ensures the security of such records, for all campuses and serves as the Chief Admissions Officer for the Institution.
1. Plans, coordinates, and supervises the admissions, records, and registration procedures of credit programs and courses in accordance with State, Federal, and institutional regulations.
2. Maintains admissions and records of noncredit programs and courses in accordance with State, Federal, and institutional regulations.
3. Coordinates, develops, and implements registration and enrollment policies and procedures in consultation with the Admissions Committee, which consists of the Registrar and divisional deans and directors.
4. Prepares all information required for the completion of credit and noncredit State, Federal, and local reports.
5. Responsible for providing accurate course and student data for submission of State and Federal reports.
6. Utilizes technology and information systems to effectively administer admissions and policies procedures.
7. Create and maintain the various institutional forms utilized by the Admissions and Records office.
8. Supports collaborative initiatives for recruitment and retention. Serves on Recruitment, Retention and Orientation Committees.
9. Plans and coordinates the class schedules and portions of the college catalog.
10. Plans, coordinates and implements TSI tracking procedures in accordance with state regulations.
11. Plans, coordinates and implements the testing and evaluation of electronic transcripts.
12. Works closely with divisional deans to confirm student degree completion.
13. Plans, organizes, and manages the yearly commencement ceremony.
14. Verifies and notifies students of admissions and academic eligibility.
15. Coordinates the evaluation of transcripts for transfer student.
16. Directs the admission processes and reviews exceptional admission cases.
17. Develops a budget for the Admissions and Records department and administers the budget as approved.
18. Serves as the institution's Residency Officer concerning student residency questions.
19. Serves as appointed on the Administrative and Academic Council.
20. Serves on various administrative committees including but not limited to Academic and Student Services Committees and Chair the Admissions Committee. Represents the college on external committees.
21. Revises and refines all job description for the department.


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The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) makes competitively awarded grants to qualified small businesses to support advanced research related to scientific problems and opportunities in agriculture that could lead to significant public benefit. The SBIR Program for Small and Mid-Size Farms provides grant funding for research to develop new technologies and information that will help improve the viability and profitability of small and mid-size farms and ranches. Emphasis is placed on developing new agricultural enterprises that are focused on specialty farm products, including both plants and animals, and how to market these products; developing new management tools to enhance the efficiency and profitability of small farms; developing farming methods appropriately scaled to small farms that are directed at more efficient use of natural resources; and developing new educational tools to ensure that small farmers have the information they need to operate their farms on a sustainable and profitable basis.
Eligibility: All for-profit small U.S. businesses interested in agricultural research and development.
Learn More: http://nifa.usda.gov/program/small-business-innovation-research-program
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Starting Position: Hold a barbell with your palms facing your feet and thumbs wrapped around the bar. Lie on your back on a flat bench with your feet firmly on the floor. Slowly press the barbell off your chest. Straighten your elbows until the barbell is directly above your face with your palms still facing your feet. Keep the wrists in line with your forearms (neutral). Do not allow the wrists to bend throughout the exercise.
Downward Phase: Inhale. Bend the elbows, lowering the bar toward your forehead or slightly behind your head in a slow and controlled manner. Keep your upper arms vertical to the floor Lower the bar until it is just above your forehead or until you notice the upper arms begin to drift backwards.
Upward Phase: Exhale. Straighten your elbows and slowly return to starting position.
Attempt to keep your upper arms vertical to the floor throughout the exercise and keep your elbows shoulder-width apart.


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Oregon lawmakers pass 'grand bargain,' head home
Votes on pension, taxe charges cap 3-day special session
SALEM, Ore. - SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Legislature approved a series of bills on pensions and taxes Wednesday, then adjourned its special session after three days of work.
The approval of five bills caps a year-long effort by Gov. John Kitzhaber to stem the growing costs of public-employee pensions.
Lawmakers voted to lower the annual inflation increases to pension checks for retired government workers.
They also voted to raise taxes on some individuals and businesses while lowering them for others, to increase tobacco taxes and to prohibit cities and counties from banning genetically modified crops.
Proponents say the changes will free up money for schools to reduce class sizes or lengthen school years. Critics say there were better ways the Legislature to achieve that goal.
Rep. Jason Conger, R-Bend, voted no on the revenue package but for the other four bills, on PERS, funds for seniors and schools and the GMO bill, an aide said.
Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend voted for the three other bills but against both the tax package and the PERS cost-of-living cuts, telling NewsChannel 21 they "were poor policy and not near enough" to solve the issues facing the state pension system.
Governor Kitzhaber's Statement Upon Sine Die of the Special Session
(Salem, OR) - Governor Kitzhaber released the following statement upon sine die of the special session of the Oregon State Legislature:
"I applaud my legislative colleagues on both sides of the aisle for once again coming together for the benefit of Oregonians. This week, Senators and Representatives acted to boost education funding, restore lost school days, and turn the corner on teacher lay-offs while providing badly needed tuition relief to make post-secondary education more accessible for Oregon students. For Oregon's long-term prosperity, legislators found room to compromise on cost savings and new revenue for critical mental health and senior services and targeted tax relief for small business owners and working families.
This is what working government and leadership look like, with people from across the state finding balanced solutions to real problems. These actions will make a difference across Oregon this year and well into the future. I am proud of my colleagues in the Oregon State Legislature for delivering for Oregon's children's, economy, and future."
News release from Rep. Mike McLane:
SALEM, OR - The Oregon House of Representatives voted today to implement additional measures to control the growing cost of the Public Employees Retirement System. The bill, SB 861, changes the cost of living adjustment to benefits. It also includes temporary supplemental payments for low income PERS retirees through 2019.
"With an unfunded liability of around $13.2 billion, the Public Employees Retirement System is a program on tenuous financial ground. We must act to fix PERS," said Rep. Mike McLane (R - Powell Butte) the House Republican Leader. "While this measure does not solve the problem, it does provide an additional reduction of about $1.9 billion to the unfunded liability, which is a step in the right direction."
In a separate bill, SB 862, the Oregon House passed three new provisions to provide additional accountability to the system. First, the bill removes the conflict of interest related to PERS for future legislators by placing them in a 401(k) plan instead of PERS. Second, it makes sure a PERS member's final salary is not "spiked" by additional benefits like health insurance payments. Finally, it permits criminal restitution judgments to attach PERS benefits to compensate victims of felonies.
Oregon legislative leaders' news release:
SALEM - Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek (D-Portland) and House Republican Leader Mike McLane (R-Powell Butte) this afternoon issued the following statement applauding the passage of bipartisan legislation to increase school funding, generating savings in the Public Employee Retirement System, and support small business growth:
"Oregonians can be proud that the Oregon legislature is not gridlocked. We responded to the Governor's call for a special session by working together even when it was difficult. We brought additional reforms to the Public Employee Retirement System, helped seniors afford medical care, made a dedicated investment in mental health, supported Oregon small businesses and put more money into education this biennium.
"This compromise package for education and small business included something that was difficult for every member of the legislature. Every legislator had to wrestle with these decisions and determine the best path forward. We are grateful for all the hard work done by our colleagues."
News Release from: Ore. School Boards Assn.
Posted: October 2nd, 2013 5:00 PM
The Legislature's passage of a package of bills on revenue and reform of the Public Employees Retirement System will benefit Oregon's children and public school system for years, said Betsy Miller-Jones, executive director of the Oregon School Boards Association.
Miller-Jones said the package allows districts an important opportunity to rehire teachers and restore lost school days.
"This is a huge win for our children and our schools," she said. "Oregon's public schools have been steadily losing ground, in the form of larger class sizes and shorter school calendars, over the last decade.
"Our members have sent us a clear message that PERS reform is a main priority in lowering their costs and putting our state's schools back on course."
Miller-Jones praised Gov. Kitzhaber and legislative leaders of both parties for finding a solution in the special session.
"This compromise took courage and patience on all sides," she said. "This was an Oregon solution that remains fair to public employees but restores a balance that we can sustain as a state."
Miller-Jones said OSBA's legal advisors believe the package will survive an expected legal challenge from employee unions.
OSBA is a member services agency for more than 200 locally elected boards serving school districts, education service districts and community colleges. It also provides services to charter schools and their boards.
OSBA has joined with business and parent/student groups to support PERS reform. The coalition's website can be found at www.fixpersnow.org
News release from Ssenate Majority Office:
Senate approves extraordinary funding package to secure stability for schools
Bipartisan votes on bills will also infuse senior programs, mental health services with millions in new funding
SALEM—In what amounts to a sea change in Oregon's long-term investment in our schools, the Oregon Senate today gave final approval to a series of bills aimed at providing more direct resources and funding for education, senior programs, and other critical state services. The votes on the Senate floor today brought the 2013 Special Legislative Session to a close and delivered a huge victory to communities across Oregon.
"This is a momentous day for all of Oregon. Today we directed another $100 million to K-12 schools, which will add more days to the academic year and shrink classroom sizes," said Senator Rod Monroe (D-Portland). "Given that we added an additional $1 billion to the school fund in the past session, the infusion of new funding in this special session is just extraordinary."
School districts across Oregon say they expect to use the additional revenue to add more teachers and provide more instruction days during the school year. Additionally, the package will boost funding for universities and community colleges that will use these new resources to keep students' tuition increases to a minimum.
The Senate approved five bills on Wednesday:
- Senate Bill 861, which makes further cuts to the cost-of-living adjustments received by PERS retirees;
- Senate Bill 862, which reforms certain policies related to PERS;
- Senate Bill 863, which forbids counties from adopting local ordinances relating to agriculture;
- House Bill 3601, which increases the corporate tax rate, modifies the personal exemption credit, reforms the senior medical deduction, and increases the cigarette tax while introducing lower tax rates for small and family-owned businesses;
- House Bill 5101, which appropriates about $200 million to critical state services in the current budget cycle.
Each of the five bills passed with bipartisan support in the Senate. In September, legislative leaders and Governor John A. Kitzhaber agreed to move this package of bills through the three-day special session.
"Today's special session will make a lasting, positive change to our state's revenue system by making the senior medical deduction more accessible to lower-income Oregonians," said Senator Ginny Burdick (D-Portland). "We are also asking corporations and wealthier Oregonians to pay a little more to boost critical funding for schools and state services."
In the current budget cycle, the revenue generated by the package will direct $100 million to K-12 schools, $40 million to universities and community colleges, $41 million to senior programs, and $20 million for mental health services. The bill also expands the state's Earned Income Tax Credit from 6% to 8%, which provides meaningful assistance to working families trying to make ends meet.
The bipartisan votes in the Oregon Senate and House to boost funding today marked a stark contrast with the federal government, which entered its second day of shutdown because of partisan gamesmanship in Congress.
"I'm proud that both sides have given some ground in order to make this package into a reality for everyday Oregonians," said Senator Lee Beyer (D-Springfield). "It will truly make a real difference for Oregon's students and our most vulnerable."
The bills now move to the desk of Governor John A. Kitzhaber, who has pledged to sign each of them.
News release from Rep. Mike McLane:
SALEM, OR – The Oregon House of Representatives voted today to increase funding for Oregon's K-12 schools, community colleges, and universities. In addition, they increased funding for mental health programs across the state.
"This one-time additional money will help add teachers back into our classrooms, instruction days to the calendar and address the rising cost of tuition for our college students," said Rep. Mike McLane (R – Powell Butte) the House Republican Leader. "It also provides dedicated funding for mental health programs in Oregon."
Specifically, for the 2013-15 biennium HB 5101, the Stability for Schools and Seniors Act, adds $100 million to the State School Fund for K-12 education; $25 million to the Oregon University system; $15 million to the Community College Support Fund; and $20 million to the Oregon Health Authority for mental health services. The measure also provided a budget note for the higher education funding indicating that the money should be used to freeze or limit the increases in tuition and fees for the second year of the biennium. For the Oregon University System, it targets those tuition limits to resident undergraduate students.
The measure appropriates the money raised by the passage of HB 3601. Both bills were part of the package of legislation being considered by the Oregon Legislature during the special session called by Governor John Kitzhaber.
News release from Rep. Mike McLane:
SALEM, OR – The Oregon House of Representatives passed SB 863 today, the Certainty for Family Farmers of Oregon Act, in an effort to provide Oregon's farm economy greater certainty regarding seed and crop regulations. The bill requires an Oregon policy related to seeds and crops be implemented statewide and prohibits such regulation at the county or city level.
"A patchwork of regulations across the state is bad for our agriculture economy. Oregon's farmers need certainty," said Rep. Mike McLane (R – Powell Butte) the House Republican Leader.
The measure exempts counties that have already qualified a ballot measure on the issue, specifically Jackson County. If the Jackson County measure fails, however, the county would no longer be exempt.
McLane's closing statement in the House as the special session drew to a close is online at:


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Chemical Agents in Sudan
Chemicals1.com is the international website for the worldwide Chemical Industry. This website is one of the 150 Portals published by Business1.com B.V. Chemicals1.com is an active business-to-business website for all Chemical suppliers and their products. We bring Chemical companies worldwide together and give them opportunities to increase their international business. The Chemical suppliers are divided in Chemical manufacturers, Chemical exporters, Chemical importers and Chemical distributors. You can select companies who want to contact directly to explore business opportunities. For example you are looking for a Chemical distributor in a Germany or you want to distribute Chemical in your country and want to find a good Chemical supplier.
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[quote user="rainierjef"]any video with music is a waste of time. i know what he can do show me where he needs work.
It's hard to pickup tone in online messages, but jeez man can you be any more dour, condescending, and a general killjoy?
I just posted a vid I found on Wilson that had a cool soundtrack to it. Simply just for fun since I am excited about our #1 pick.
Does every video have to be about analysis or a reel of "lowlights" and "weaknesses"?
Oh wait, I guess I am just any other fanboy.


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Hello all,
I'm new here. I was just wondering what is the proper way to warm up and how long to warm up to do the Simple Fit workout routine? Also should I do some stretching or just the warm ups?
I think from what I have read that the warm ups are is just the Simple Fit workut plan but at a slower pace is that right? I hope someone here can help me with these questions. Thanks.


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For the first time in the world, researchers at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, along with collaborators at the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and Michigan State University have uncovered two genetically informative molecules from a single fossil bone. In addition to the recovery of mitochondrial DNA, the complete sequencing of a bone protein, osteocalcin, makes this a major scientific breakthrough. Extending this work to additional fossils could change perceptions of evolutionary theory. Results of the study are published in the December issue of GEOLOGY, published by the Geological Society of America.
Christina Nielsen-Marsh of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, along with colleagues at the University of Oxford, Harvard University, and Michigan State University, examined the molecular structure of two fossilized Bison priscus bones, one from Siberia and the other from Alaska. The bones are more than 55,000 years old, although their age is somewhat imprecise because they are beyond the limits of radiocarbon dating. The Siberian fossil ultimately revealed both mitochondrial DNA and a complete sequence of osteocalcin, a protein found in all bones that is involved in bone formation.
The researchers demonstrate, using immunological data, that osteocalcin remains in bones heated to high temperatures (165oC) for several hours and is measurable in bones that are around 120,000 years old, emphasising the survivability of the protein. According to Nielsen-Marsh, "The research has the potential to be applied to much older fossils and extend our knowledge about the genetic make-up of ancient species further back into geological time." The team is hoping that in the future their approach may be able to find the answers to long-standing evolutionary puzzles.
Protein sequencing was carried out at Michigan State University, using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). Important steps in the development of this technique are credited to this year's Nobel Prize (Chemistry) winning scientist Koichi Tanaka. Using a variety of approaches, the osteocalcin from the ancient bison bone was fragmented and the information used to construct the amino acid sequence.
Remarkably, the primary sequence of the protein was recovered intact, including the relatively unstable carboxylated glutamic acid (gamma-carboxy glutamic acid) residues. As a consequence of this study, the team has a new optimism regarding the potential for protein sequencing and extending molecular records farther back in time.
Protein sequences can be directly related to the genetic code of DNA. The sequence of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) record genetic information transferred from DNA. According to Nielsen-Marsh this is important because mutations in DNA over long periods of time result in changes in proteins that contribute to the evolution of life. Calculations suggest, however, that DNA may only survive for up to 100,000 years, whereas proteins may survive for up to10 million.
The traditional way of comparing ancient and modern species to determine how they have changed over time is morphology, where bones are compared for shape and size. This may involve a large margin of error, however, as it can be subjective and bones such as skulls are malleable and prone to changing shape.
According to Nielsen-Marsh, "By extracting biochemical information from fossils, scientists utilize tools that avoid these difficulties and offer more objective comparisons between ancient and modern species." This approach could possibly unearth new knowledge about evolutionary relationships.
"This research is groundbreaking," continues Nielsen-Marsh, "because it finally puts to rest the question of whether indigenous proteins can exist in fossil bones beyond radiocarbon dating age. Moreover, intriguing data from our laboratories suggest that extending protein sequencing well beyond 55,000 years is a realistic possibility."
Funding for the study was provided by the Wellcome Trust and the National Science Foundation.
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