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Josue Robles Jr.
USAA CEO Joe Robles speaks April 16 at UTSA
By Wendy Frost
Director of Communications, College of Business
(April 14, 2009)--Josue Robles Jr., USAA president and chief executive officer, will present the keynote address as part of the UTSA College of Business Frost Distinguished Lecture Series at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 16 in the Business Building Richard S. Liu Auditorium (2.01.02) on the UTSA Main Campus. The event is free and open to the public.
Today's headlines
- La Prensa Foundation is newest member of UTSA Lone Star Society
- UTSA alumna Jordan Kaufmann wins $50K for new stent-graft start-up
- UTSA begins new way-finding sign installation this summer at Main Campus
- USA Today: UTSA long jumper Tyler Williamson rescues three-year-old boy
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Robles joined USAA, one of America's leading financial services companies, in July 1994 as special assistant to the chairman after retiring from the U.S. Army as a major general. He was named chief financial officer and controller in September 1994, and he added corporate treasurer to his responsibilities in 1995. He assumed the position of president and chief executive officer in December 2007.
Robles oversees a corporate organization that includes USAA's Property and Casualty Insurance Group, Federal Savings Bank, Life Insurance Company, Investment Management Company, Alliance Services Company and Financial Planning Services.
Born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, Robles spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and served in a variety of command and staff positions including active duty posts in Korea, Vietnam, Germany and Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm in the Middle East.
Robles serves on the boards of directors of DTE Energy, Christus Santa Rosa Hospital, Christus Santa Rosa Children's Hospital Foundation and the P16Plus Council of Greater Bexar County Foundation. He has a bachelor of business administration degree in accounting from Kent State University and a master's degree in business administration from Indiana State University.
The Frost Distinguished Lecture Series brings prominent business and community leaders to UTSA to share their knowledge and experiences with students and others in the university and business community. The series, which began in 1988, presents a forum for business leaders and academics to share their experiences in business so that students can broaden their understanding of the business world and the individuals who lead it.
Nationally ranked and recognized, the UTSA College of Business is accredited by AACSB International, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. It is one of the 40 largest business schools in the nation with 6,000 students and 37 graduate and undergraduate business programs. The college is dedicated to raising its academic profile to become one of the best business schools recognized for developing "Knowledge for a New World."
For more information, call (210) 458-4313.


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Home › Forums › General Forums › General Lightweight Backpacking Discussion › Knee injury – how to get back on the trail quickly?
Apr 19, 2013 at 9:02 am #1301926
Last summer I had to cut my West Coast Trail trip short because I injured my knee part way in ( damn ladders!).
I finally had my surgery last night (complex tear of medial meniscus) and all went well.
I received a sheet of instruction listing some exercises that I can do but my problem is that they appear to be designed for anybody up to the age of 90.
While icing, elevation and rest are obviously good advice, I'd like to do everything I can do to fast track my recovery and get back on the trail as soon as possible. The exercises they have given look like they are designed for couch potatoes. Past experience with injuries like this have proven that I tend to push too hard, too fast and inevitably cause myself to recover slowly because of re-injury so this time I'd really like to get moving but would like to do it sensibly.
The hand-outs I was given and internrt searches are very vague about timelines and rehab intensity. I see my PT on Monday but that's several days from now and I want to get on with it!
For background, I'm sixty, pretty fit and spend a lot of time walking/hiking/fishing and working out at the gym.
Any suggestion from those that have been through this would be appreciated.Apr 19, 2013 at 9:17 am #1978389
Bob GrossMember
@b-g-2-2Locale: Silicon Valley
Mike, it is difficult to find some "one size fits all" remedies for rehab after knee surgery. If you take multiple knee patients, all of the same age and stature, you will get different rehab rates, so you just have to take it as it comes. Almost thirty years ago I had a skiing injury to my right knee that was much more complex than a medial meniscus. Ten weeks after surgery, I was out of the hard cast, but the crazy surgeon did not recommend any PT at all (that was probably bad advice). Eight weeks later, and the knee flexibility was getting worse, not better. Finally I demanded PT and started into about five hours per day of it. There was little success for six weeks, and then all of a sudden things started to work again. I felt that and tried to push it farther than what the physical therapist recommended. I pushed too far, and within 30 minutes I received a setback of six weeks worth of progress. So, you have to let the physical therapist assess progress as you move along.
If the physical therapist understands how you are motivated, it is likely that they can make better recommendations. For example, you may be better off seeking long-term results rather than short-term results.
–B.G.–Apr 19, 2013 at 11:03 am #1978426
Mobile CalculatorSpectator
…Apr 19, 2013 at 11:19 am #1978435
Mike In SocalBPL Member
@rcmikeLocale: California
Sounds like you already know what to do. Rehab "slowly and sensibly". Be patient but stick with the proper strengthening exercises when your knee is ready.Apr 19, 2013 at 11:20 am #1978436
Jake DBPL Member
@jakedatcLocale: Bristol,RI
Go to your PT and do what they say. explain that you are a hiker and want to get back as soon as you are able.
however, Meniscus injuries are slow to heal due to poor blood supply. It also means you need to follow the surgeons protocol so that the repair is not messed up. The initial rehab is going to seem like it was made for someone 90 because you need to be careful to not screw up what they just fixed.
Everyone wants to get back but they are the medical professionals, not you. They aren't there to screw you over and keep you out longer than you need to be. they are there to help. Timelines are vague because everyone is different. you're a person not a Chevy, they didn't change your oil.
" Past experience with injuries like this have proven that I tend to push too hard, too fast and inevitably cause myself to recover slowly because of re-injury so this time I'd really like to get moving but would like to do it sensibly. "
sounds like you should listen to the doctors and PT's and do it by the book.Apr 19, 2013 at 11:24 am #1978440
just Justin WhitsonMember
No specific knee advice, but anytime there is any kind of injury or any kind of "dis-ease" in the body, it's important to keep the body as healthy as possible, so that it can heal as fast and efficiently as possible.
Diet is so critical in that, next to exercise and attitude too of course. More specifically, look up Alkaline-Acid theory for diet. Many people, especially in the western world eat an over acid reacting diet. Since virtually all of our metabolic and waste producing processes are already acid forming to begin with, eating a acid reacting diet along same can really stress the body.
I've been researching and practicing this for quite awhile now. As long as i eat a more alkaline, or at least more balanced diet, i don't even get a hint of the common cold let alone any other kind of sickness. I also tend to have much higher energy levels, better stamina and endurance, cuts heal faster, and it helps my mood as well among other benefits.
Generally speaking, it's primarily fruits and vegetables which are more alkaline reacting in nature (even if they are acidic in their natural state, like citruses–lemons are one of the most alkaline reacting foods there are, despite the high innate acidity). Generally speaking, most natural starches, grains, etc are mildly to moderately acid reacting. Generally speaking, most light proteins (like most legumes, regular yogurt, milk, etc) are mildly to moderately acid producing (there are exceptions like soy–very acid reacting).
Generally speaking, heavier i.e. more concentrated proteins (like meat, certain cheeses, etc) are in between moderately to very acid reacting.
Junk foods etc are always extremely acid forming in nature.
Then there is combinations. The least acid reacting and easiest to digest combos generally are non starchy vegetables with carbs/starches or proteins. Then easier to digest starches/carbs like brown rice with lighter proteins like lentils or yogurt are moderately acid reacting.
The most acid forming combos are things like heavy/concentrated proteins with amounts of starches/carbs, so the meat and bread is an extremely acid producing. Starches/carbs with amounts of sweets/sugars is very acid reacting, so a typical pastry is quite acid forming. Another bad, but common combo is coffee with amounts of sugar and/or milk, very hard to digest and very acid forming. Decaff black coffee is ok.
While fruits and vegetables are generally the most alkaline reacting and easier to digest foods, generally speaking combining them within the same meal is detrimental since they generally digest differently. There are exceptions of course, like in much of the above general outlines, like tomatoes with salads, or avocados with salads. However, most sweet and/or citrus type fruits don't combine well with most vegetables.
Anyways for myself, i just make sure i eat more fruits and vegetables, avoid certain combinations most of the time, avoid junk foods and caffeine most of the time, and avoid stress (stress is also acid forming for the body) most of the time and as long as i do same, i feel great, stay super healthy and vital, and allows my body to heal faster.
Btw, there are more studies starting to come out that point to positive visualization as having real merit and affect beyond chance in healing (something many top athletes in their fields have known and practiced for awhile for increasing performance). So taking a little time each day to calm your mind, and picture your knee healthy, strong, and working well might be a good idea–certainly couldn't hurt.Apr 19, 2013 at 3:29 pm #1978512
Thanks for the feedback/advice, much appreciated!
So basically, the consensus seems to be that I have to slow down and not rush it and listen to my PT when I see her next week (but I get BORED!!).
Anyway, sounds like good advice and so far everything seems pretty good. Very little swelling and a surprisingly good range of movement (however, it's not even been 24 hrs so once again, I have to be patient). I just wish I had gotten my surgery done in November… April is training time!Apr 19, 2013 at 8:37 pm #1978581
Jennifer MitolBPL Member
@jenmitolLocale: In my dreams....
Mike, did they repair the meniscus or just cut out the tear?
If they just cut it out and didn't do anything else, by all means go to town. If you PM me what it says on the script I can probably help out a bit more…
But generally, we go all out with the menisectomies (just cutting out the tear, filing it down to a stable margin) and most healthy, relatively fit folks are back to normal within a week or two.
If they actually repaired it, you're in for a long haul.
Regardless. DO NOT use heat on it. You have a fair amount of inflammation in there and adding heat will just make it swell more and hurt a lot more.
Basically use ice a lot, elevate your leg to help the swelling drain (elevate it ABOVE your heart, not just on a chair out in front of you). Keep moving it as much as you can (again, as long as they only cut out the tear and didn't repair it).
Good luck!!Apr 19, 2013 at 9:47 pm #1978592
Joe ClementBPL Member
@skinewmexicoLocale: Southwest
Had part of my meniscus removed, and something done for a chondral defect, back in January. Still trying to get back. The exercises are pretty simple, but when I did them religiously, I had less pain and felt better. I haven't had much pain, but I have tried to go very slowly. Waited about 3 weeks before I started going to spinning classes again, and went slow. Basically, if it hurt, I stopped what I was doing. If it hurt the next day, I knew I had overcooked it and took a few days off. It bothers me less on a bike than anything else, and I was able to do a 4 day, 200 mile road ride in Moab in early March. I seemed to do more things to hurt it just stumbling around, and ended up getting a brace to stop that. So……….like you already know, go slow, and listen to your body. It will be up and down. It can be depressing. Hang in there. I did 2 laps in a 12 hour mountain bike race last weekend, and it didn't bother me at all.Apr 19, 2013 at 11:38 pm #1978603
Jennifer –
I believe it was just cut out, no repair. I'll PM you with a few questions that you may be able to help me with… much appreciated!Apr 20, 2013 at 3:03 am #1978614
Arapiles .BPL Member
@arapilesLocale: Melbourne
There is no fast track – the body heals at its own rate. Try and go faster than that and you'll simply cripple yourself.
Put my knee through nearly 45 degrees – sideways – thirty years ago. Ripped the ACL in half and the meniscus. I had the bits of meniscus which were floating about inside the knee removed a couple of years later but I didn't have the ACL repaired until 10 years later. In the interim I walked everywhere – literally, as I didn't own a car. As a result, whenever I went to get the knee reviewed the surgeons would say "lock your knee", I'd tense my leg muscles and the big orthopaedic surgeons would literally try to budge it and couldn't (not sure about the US, but in Australia the orthopaedic surgeons are all really big guys, often ex rugby players). On that basis they said to leave it alone.
On the basis of my experience I'd say start walking – and do physio, ice, and elevate.Apr 29, 2013 at 3:16 pm #1981712
Bob ShaverBPL Member
@rshaverLocale: West
of course take it slowly, but cycling is good for knees. It provides movement, but no impact. You can build your hiking muscles up by cycling and spare your joints. Plus it gets you outdoors and mobile. Usually my only exercise in preparation for weeklong hikes is my daily commute by bike, which is only 3 miles but has a big hill on the way home.Apr 29, 2013 at 3:33 pm #1981719
Bob GrossMember
@b-g-2-2Locale: Silicon Valley
Yes, cycling is good for the knees. If that is inconvenient, then a stationary bicycle is almost as good. If you keep adjusting the seat height, you can control how much flexion is applied to the knees, so you start easy with it and then gradually adjust it. Once you get the flexibility back, you can start working on muscle strength more. Then after a while it all feels normal again.
The problem with cycling is that it is very balanced from right to left. Most of the time when you have one injured knee, you need to apply more or different exercise to that injured knee as compared to the normal knee. To do that, do indoor weight exercises, depending on what your PT recommends.
–B.G.–Apr 29, 2013 at 11:56 pm #1981842
Just thought I'd provide an update for those of you that have kindly provided advise (and told me not to rush it… that's been good advise!).
I took it easy for the first 5 or so days and elevated, iced and light exercise. I'm now a week and a half in and have almost a full range of movement when there is no load on the leg… a bit stiffer under load but still surprisingly good and stairs aren't much of a problem anymore.
I'm walking without a noticeable limp and my PT has advised no more than 30 minute walks on flat terrain, so I'm still trying to be good and haven't returned to walking to/from work yet (a few more days needed… the knees still a bit "clunky" feeling but no swelling or pain). I head back to the gym tomorrow night for some (light) stationary bike riding and some upper body weight training. I'm looking forward to getting back to my regular gym workouts but my PT has advised me to avoid weight training on the legs for a couple of more weeks.
I think that the real key to success is having a good surgeon and being a reasonably fit hiker/backpacker to start with. I think having well used leg muscles prior to surgery has helped me recover my range of movement surprisingly fast… so it seems that doing the right thing "before" surgery may be just as important as the re-hab you do after… just my impression.Apr 30, 2013 at 8:36 am #1981901
Bob ShaverBPL Member
@rshaverLocale: West
as you are building up your leg muscles and getting knee function back to normal for trail use, I am prescribing for you a recumbent trike, like a Catrike. You can totally get a leg workout, lots of knee movement and quad workout, but no impact. I do that, and do weights for other parts of my bod, but I rely on the bike for all leg conditioning. It totally transfers to hiking, and strengthens knees in a low impact manner. If I don't hit the bike hard enough, my knee can get weak and buckle on stairs. That tells me I have to not be such a slacker on the hill going home on the bike, and attach that hill more aggressively.May 6, 2013 at 7:05 pm #1983916
Matthew ReeseBPL Member
I've had several knee surgeries, and am currently rehabbing from some tendonitis in my foot, so I know a thing or two about rehab. If it has not already been said, make sure your PT understands that you are an athlete and not just some Joe off the street, and you want to be as aggressive as is prudent. Let him or her know you can tolerate some pain, as well. As has been said, cycling is a great way to go, as well. I started cycling again about a year and a half ago in part because I kept hurting myself in my other pursuits, and it is much easier on knees, ankles, etc. if done right on a bike that fits.May 8, 2013 at 3:44 pm #1984546
I'm coming up on 3 weeks since the surgery and I'm still working on the knee which is coming along very well. In the last couple of days I have managed 5 mile walks on moderate terrain and last night I rode the recumbent bike for half an hour at the gym as well as doing some light strength training with my legs (first night back on the weight machines with my legs).
I have to admit, the recumbent bike has been working really well (thanks for the suggestion Bob), but I have to say that Bob's bike looks like a lot more fun than the one I ride at the gym! My PT told me to try a bike and it seems to have really helped me regain a good range of movement.
I've planned a few days away camping/hiking/flyfishing in a week, so I'm hoping everything will be good by then. Hiking and wading on slimey boulders could be challenging but I can always sit back and watch the others fish if need be (beats sitting at home!).
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Create inspiration boards, share ideas with your friends and wedding vendors, get feedback from brides like you, and lots more!
By: Sarah Zlotnick
1. Have her walk you down the aisle!
Don't think you need to find a male replacement for that moment if Dad's no longer in your life. In one of our favorite features on our blog One Lovely Day, Silka was escorted by her mother, and we have never seen a woman look more proud. Another idea: give one arm to Dad, one arm to Mom, and have both parents walk you down the aisle. |
2. Give her a flower before the altar. Dad still doing the giving away? Take a moment before you step onto the altar to give your mother a flower from your bouquet. Purposefully singling her out right before you say your vows will show her (and everyone in attendance) how crucial her support has been in getting you there. The gesture will become even more special if you tuck one of her favorite blooms into your bouquet and present her with that. 3. Set aside a space dedicated to her memory. This beautiful idea comes from one of our Twitter followers (@MsMakeItRain29): If your mother has since passed, place a framed photo of her and her favorite flowers on the chair where she would have sat. 4. Include Mom in the getting ready fun. Book her a seat next to yours while you and your bridesmaids are getting your hair and makeup done. Involving her in this girls-only tradition will let her know know that you see her as a friend and confidant, which is the ultimate compliment. 5. Incorporate her wedding wear into your ceremony. In her New Jersey wedding, Marisa draped a dear late aunt's veil over her chuppah. We think this is an excellent compromise if you'd prefer to keep your bridal ensemble to yourself, but still want to show mom some respect for her marital history. 6. Recreate a moment from her wedding day. Sort through Mom's wedding pics and select a photo you find particularly striking (bonus points if it includes her parents). Suprise her by bringing the shot to your wedding and recreating the pose with your photographer—we guarantee she'll be touched by the gesture. Photo by Briana Marie Photography
1. A Pair of Mums
A cute pair of flowers is simply perfect for celebrating the pair of you! Oh, and mums the word on how cheap these invites are.
2. Pastel Patterns
A trend you can't resist — mixed patterns! This distinctly patterned invite will also reflect your savvy style for a price that fits your budget. Find them here.
3. Flair for Style
Show your flair for style and your knack for scoring a good deal with these flourish wedding invitations featuring a bold element of design.
4. Flowers and Flourishes
A colorful floral sketch accented by faint flourishes creates a touch of whimsical charm on these inexpensive wedding invites.
5. Love Springs
You won't have to spring much for these! An array of colorful flowers below two lovebirds becomes a trendy display of modern day romance. Find them here.
6. Sultry Blooms
Sultry blooms in rich colors bring an artistic quality of romance to these watercolor wedding invitations
7. Typography on White
Trendy typography looks amazing on this bright white wedding invitation- they'll never know you paid so little for something so stylish!
8. Simply Modern
A unique look and vibrant colors all for an affordable price.
Shop for more invitations under $100 here
Find out what's hot in wedding cakes this year; we've asked a few of our favorite cake designers to weigh in! Geometric Patterns Cake by Erica OBrien "Feminine geometrics, such as chevron, are still very popular," says Connecticut-based Erica OBrien. "I'm expecting to see a lot of arrows and hexagons this season." Photo by Brooke Allison Photography Metallics Cake by City Sweets & Confections The gilded look is a favorite for both Deborah Lauren of City Sweets & Confections and Erica OBrien this year. "Gold is back, and stronger then ever," says OBrien. Photo by CLY Creation Hand-Painted Cake by Sweet & Saucy Shop "Hand-painting is definitely a new trend right now," says Sweet & Saucy Shop's head pastry chef Melody Brandon. "It's a personal and a one-of-a-kind style that brides are falling in love with." Photo by Melody Brandon Staying True to Your Style Cake by Maggie Austin Cakes Virginia baker Maggie Austin recently created this lovely confection for a friend's casual backyard wedding, and she loves that it perfectly reflects the couple's "understated and sophisticated style." Matching a cake to the personalities and priorities of her clients will be a big focus this year. Photo by Maggie Austin Multiple Cakes Cake by Layered Bake Shop Brides booking cakes with Layered Bake Shop's Shannon Star have been moving away from the traditional single large wedding cake. Instead, they're opting for multiple smaller confections in a similar decor suite. "It allows for more creativity and personality," says Star. Photo by N. Barrett Photography Showpiece Cakes Cake by The Pastry Studio According to owner Sherri Meyers, cakes have become a core component of reception decor. They are increasingly created to be equal parts delicious dessert and visual show-stopper. Designs are getting bigger and grander, and sometimes even include a fake tier or two to accommodate for ceiling height! Photo by Sherri Meyers Going Natural Cake by Enjoy Cupcakes Honor a cake that's free of artificial dyes by allowing the natural state of its flavor to become the main decorative element. This year, Amber of Enjoy Cupcakes is all about making fluffy chocolate cakes look fluffy, drenching caramel desserts in drips of caramel, and providing texture to peanut butter cakes with chopped up peanuts. Photo by Alex Creswell Ombré Cake by Erica OBrien Almost every baker we asked agreed— ombré is still at the forefront for 2013. "The shading lends itself so naturally to romantic designs," says OBrien of the style. Photo by Devon Jarvis Embossed Cake by City Sweets & Confections City Sweets & Confections owner Deborah Lauren recently etched an intricate floral pattern on a wedding cake for a friend. "It was modern, and different from any cake I've ever done or seen." Photo by Turnquist Photography Classic White Elegance Cake by Mark Joseph Cakes A white wedding cake never goes out of style, says Mark of Mark Joseph cakes. Couples turn to him for a modern, sophisticated take on the timeless aesthetic. Photo by Mark Joseph Textured Icing Cake by Betty Bakery Cheryl Kleinman agrees with Mark Joseph—white will always be popular, especially for formal weddings. At her Betty Bakery, she and partner Ellen of Bijoux Deux Specialty Cakes keep the look from becoming boring by texturizing the outer layer of icing. Pleats (seen here) and confetti are two favorite styles.
DIY Project
In this project, Mary Swenson extended the life of a pre-packaged paper flower centerpiece kit by turning the blooms into favors and centerpieces as well. Love it!
View the Full Tutorial
Ready-Made Bouquet
Available at The Green Vase
10 DIY and ready-made ways to bring paper flowers in to your wedding.
Want your wedding bouquet to last longer than a season? Consider investing in a beautiful paper alternative from The Green Vase ($325). This multi-talented NY-based floral design shop also offers single paper blooms, cake toppers, and cake decorating kits.
Etsy Shop
Available at Frances & Francis
We love the idea of topping a reception table with a single romantic stem in a vintage glass bottle—and then repurposing the centerpiece as bookshelf decor in your new home! These romantic blooms from Frances & Francis ($14 to $60) are perfect for that.
West Elm
West Elm Paper Flower Shop
Several national chains are hopping on the paper flower trend. For example: Furniture store West Elm, which offers several pretty pre-made sets ($7.99 to $36).
Etsy Shop
Available at House That Lars Built
Handcrafted in Copenhagen, these gold-stemmed paper roses ($14 each) will look beautiful gathered in a vase or laid upon individual place settings. Designer Brittany Watson Jespen also creates jumbo-sized versions of these blooms, as well as paper flower hats—email her for custom projects!
DIY Project
Crepe Paper Flower Bouquet DIY
You won't believe how easy (and inexpensive!) it is to whip up these colorful crepe flowers—it takes just three simple steps.
DIY Kit
Available at Paper Source
Looking for a little guidance while you construct your paper blooms? Consider a pre-packaged kits from The Paper Source your new best friend ($10.95 - $19.95).
The Crafting Book
Paper to Petal, Available at Barnes & Noble
Husband and wife duo Rebecca Thuss and Patrick Farrell are very good at what they do (which includes photography, design, and, yes, plenty of paper crafts). Releasing late this August, their new book ($16.29) will show you how to make 75 paper blooms yourself. With a forward authored by Martha Stewart herself, it's clear the couple knows what they're doing.
The Perfect Prop
Large Paper Rose, Available at BHLDN
This extra-large paper rose ($68) is almost five feet tall! At that size, it's the perfect addition to any wedding photo booth. It's also, as the website suggests, a whimsical alternative to a basket of petals for the flower girl.
DIY Project
Paper Posy Escort Cards
Easy-to-make crepe flowers will add a joyful touch of color to any spring wedding! This tutorial offers step-by-step instructions for making these cheerful escort cards out of streamer ribbon. It's a great way to save money on a fun but lower priority item on your decor list.
More Inspiration
See the Full Wedding
If you're still on the fence about paper flower decor, you have to check out Liz and Josh's color-infused Minnesota wedding. They created some of the most unique centerpieces we've ever seen!
Idea By: Sarah Zlotnick
This inexpensive material is more versatile than you think.
By: Sarah Zlotnick
1. Ring Pillow
A simple, rustic way for the ring bearer to present the rings. View this rustic country wedding.
2. Centerpiece Cover
Save on renting vases and other flower vessels by using old tins and covering them in burlap instead. View this yellow garden wedding.
3. Silverware Holder
A simple burlap packet holds the silverware for Heather and David's charming Annapolis nuptials.
4. Bouquet Wrap
A strip of sturdy burlap will hold all your flowers in place—and look sweet while doing it! View this rustic whimsical California wedding.
5. Favor Bags
You could hide any kind of sweet treat in one of these adorable burlap sacks. View this fun fall wedding.
6. Bunting
We love this simple wedding sign. View this Texas ranch wedding.
7. Candle Accent
A mossy green candle collection gets a little texture from a simple burlap wrap. View this country chic wedding.
8. Table Number
Such a sweetly country table marker. Burlap wine bag table numbers, $150 for 10 at Lil Missi Etsy Shop.
9. Table Runner
Thinking about using a burlap table runner? Be sure to strech and distress the fabric a bit before you lay it down. This creates dimension by allowing some of your tablecloth color to peek through. It also gives the fabric a little more grip.
You Might Also Like: 9 Wine Wedding Decor Ideas
One of the trends we love about rustic weddings is the do-it-yourself projects even the least crafty brides create with wood. Here's what to display for every part of your big day:
Photo by JK Photography
Seating Arrangements
Photo by Stacey Kokes Photography
Photo by Twin Hearts Photography
Chair Decor
Photo by Athena Pelton Photography
Photo by Sandals
When you have guests flying in from coast to coast for your destination wedding weekend, it's important to keep them occupied during their stay. Get the most out of your location by gathering guests together for some of these fun -- but optimal -- activities:Zip lining Parasailing Snorkeling/scuba diving Boating Visiting a museum, historic site, botanical garden or local tourist attraction Golfing Spa treatments Safari ride Surfing Biking
Photo: Rachel Thurston Photography
Need inspiration for a fall wedding? A few of our editors share their favorites below:
Photo: Rachel Thurston Photography
From the Fashion Editor – Choose a bridesmaid dress color that complements the season's changing colors: red, orange, yellow, purple, or brown. (Just like Jessica and Michael, Cami and Erik, and Bonnie and Drew did.)
Photos (from left to right): Cluney Photo and Meg Ruth Photo
From the Flowers Editor – Bouquets of black-eyed susans, dahlias, chrysanthemums, calla lilies, roses, orchids and gerberas are a must-have. Maybe add some texture with feathers, fern curls, curly willows, scabiosa pods, or wheat too? Check out more fall bouquets here.
Photo: Meg Ruth Photo
From the Decor Editor – Spice up your decor with pumpkins, pine cones, leaves, figs, acorns, and more.
Photos (from left to right): Keepsake Memories Photography and jHenderson Studios
From the Favors & Cakes Editor – Place your three-tiered buttercream wedding cake on top of tree bark for an added rustic touch. Check out more fall wedding cakes here. Nothing tastes better than a caramel apple, pumpkin pie, and hot cocoa on a crisp evening. Let guests unwrap cozy blankets to keep warm.
Photo: Troy Grover Photographers
Of course, you want your wedding cake to not only taste delicious but also look delicious without breaking the bank. Am I right? Before you order, consider these myths to make your experience just as sweet:
1. Buttercream is less expensive than fondant. This statement may be true, but most cake bakers prefer to decorate with fondant instead of buttercream. Therefore, there might be an extra fee for that rich, buttery flavor.
2. Order fake tiers in order to serve sheet cakes. A fake tier would be a decorated piece of styrofoam or rice krispies treats. Sheet cakes would then supplement the fake tiers. In reality, the cake baker is actually doing the same (or more) amount of work it would take to make a real tier.
3. Decorate with fresh florals not sugar flowers. Fresh florals can make your guests sick. Why? Because, unless organically grown, florals are often times sprayed with pesticides and not properly sanitized.
4. Make your own wedding cake. They're expensive to buy and make. Consider all the ingredients, tools, equipment, and time! It's too labor-extensive.
5. Choose a flavor that your guests will like. Choose a flavor that YOU want for one tier (like lemon) and then choose a mainstream flavor (like vanilla, chocolate, or red velvet) for the remaining two tiers.
6. Save the top of your wedding cake for your first anniversary. Tradition is out, so you think. You can still save the cake, but often times cake bakers also give a free mini cake.
Photo: This Modern Romance
Photo booths are all the hype at weddings, and why not? They keep your guests entertained! Here's our step-by-step guide to make your own.
Materials Needed:Digital point-and-shoot camera Camera tripod Remote shutter release Backdrop Props
The Camera - Place a digital point-and-shoot camera on top of an extended tripod at eye level, turn on the flash and connect a remote shutter release so guests can take their own photos.
Photos (from left to right): This Modern Romance and Anjuli
The Backdrop - Pick a piece of fabric that you can hang. If you're having an indoor wedding, pin it to a wall, or if you're having an outdoor wedding hang from curtain rods, secure with rope, and nail into the ground.
Photos (from left to right): Shelly Kroeger Photography and Birds of a Feather
The Props - Go on a scavenger hunt! Use props from your own home (like scarves, hats, glasses, frames). Or make your own from paper (lips, mustaches, ties). Even provide chalkboards or dry erase boards for guests to write messages on.
Photo: This Modern Romance
The Location - Choose an area that doesn't get crowded in the reception, but is still easily accessible.
Photo: This Modern Romance
The Extras - After the wedding is all said and done, you're back from your honeymoon, and all the gifts are unwrapped and put away, go through the camera's SD card and save the ones you'd like to put into an album. Those memories will last a lifetime!


text:
A house in my neighborhood just exploded!!
A house in my neighborhood just exploded!!
Mike Forbes
Red Dirt Apiaries
From the news link in post #1
Residents said there was a heavy smell of gas in the air and OG&E was called out. Sometime after that the home exploded.
Hmmm, If you smell gas, leave the structure immediately! Better to be a little cold and/or inconvenienced than be inside a house that is involved in a gas fire/explosion!
USDA Zone 7A Elevation 1400 ft
Wow; ouch. Ur ok?
Dang! Glad you are OK.
Several around here over the years, one caused by the gas company and the other (Indianapolis) by a really stupid insurance scam -- take the line off a gas fireplace log and set the microwave to start an hour or so later. Blew that house into kindling, killed the people in the house next door, and damaged at least 10 more beyond repair.
Fuel/air explosions are nothing to play around with.
Better check the neighborhood. A whole block went up in the Bay Area here several years ago because of a faulty PGE gas line. Glad you're ok!
Last edited by Charlie B; 01-04-2013 at 01:23 PM. Reason: incorrect information
USDA Zone 7A Elevation 1400 ft
I knew there must be some advantage to being all electric.
...We don't see things as they are, we see things as WE are...


text:
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Requisition Number17-0020 Post Date3/31/2017 TitleDatabase Developer/ Architect Job TypeFull Time CityLa Jolla StateCA Description At Synthetic Genomics, Inc., we are dedicated to developing and commercializing genomic-driven solutions to address global challenges. We are4/26/2017 La Jolla, CA Save This Job
Calabasas, CA Full Time Experienced The Opportunity We are embarking on an exciting new project to leverage the power of Big Data to build a new multi-faceted connected graph about people very similar to the work of LinkedIn, Facebook and Google. We are a successful,4/28/2017 Calabasas, CA Save This Job
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Location:Irvine, CA Department:Research and Development Job Description Looking for an eager iOS developer, you will be part of a small team developing a suite of iOS apps that are an important component in the next generation of mobile communication products. You will interact4/5/2017 Irvine, CA Save This Job
Location:Los Angeles, CA Job Code:438 # of openings:1 Description MyLife.com, Inc. (?MyLife?) is the leading service helping people protect their identity, privacy, and public image online. We help people monitor and control personal information that?s exposed everywhere, with4/26/2017 Los Angeles, CA Save This Job
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LegalZoom.com, Inc. is an online legal technology company. LegalZoom provides legal solutions in various common categories including copyrights, DBAs, divorce, business formation, trusts, wills, name changes, patents, power of attorney, pre-nuptial agreements, real estate leases,5/11/2017 Glendale, CA Save This Job
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at Qubit (View all jobs) Los Angeles The Role Based in our fastest growing region Los Angeles, you are responsible for growing new logos within your territory as well as expanding existing business. This strategic role requires you to have an in-depth understanding of Qubit's5/22/2017 Los Angeles, CA Save This Job
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text:
Studio Apartment near Gare Du Nord
Vendégek száma3
Hálószobák száma1
Méret18 m²
Floor No.0
- Konyha
- Családi / Gyerek barát
- Internet/WiFi
- Alkalmas rendezvényekre
- Törölköző
Accommodation summary
|Rue Saint-Vincent de Paul, 75010 Paris, Franciaország
|Ingatlan típusa
|Ingatlan azonosító
|Acceptance rate
|Response time
|A few hours
|Calendar updated
|More than half a year ago
The studio apartment consists of an open-plan living/dining room with a double sofa bed and a raised double bed with ladder access. The charming, fully equipped kitchenette includes a coffee maker and cooking utensils. Bed linen and towels are provided.
The Sacré-Coeur Basilica and the Canal Saint-Martin can be reached within 20 minutes walk from the apartment. Poissonnière Metro Station is 5 minutes' walk away and Magenta RER Train Station is less than 10-minutes walk away.
The surrounding area offers a Vélib bike hire station and bike paths, restaurants and boutiques.
HázirendNo pets.
No smoking.
|Weekly rate for up to 2 guests
|410 €
|Monthly rate for up to 2 guests
|916 €
|Ár >2 vendégre
|11 € /fő/éj extra
|Érkezés legkorábbi időpontja
|Check-in before
|Távozás legkésőbbi időpontja
|Lemondási feltétel
Az ingatlan értékelései
After asking for the apartment, i got a quick answer from Juan Manuel and Katell. It was my decision when to meet for the keys and the check out was also very easy, and i decided when i wanted to leave it.
The apartment was small but clean and had everything we needed. Would stay there again.
A good place to visit Paris, because is it near Gare du Nord and also near 3 metro stations.
And walking half an hour and you are in the center of Paris.
The place is small but has everything you need.
Only the sitting furniture could be better.
We had a good time !
We stayed in this apartment 11nights. It is small but very clever with everything you need--fine for a couple if you plan to be out most of the day. We prepared breakfasts and a couple of lunches in the kitchen. We spend weekends on our sailboat and it reminded us of a well-designed and efficient boat.
Things we love:
--The neighbourhood and location are GREAT particularly the cafe next door "On a Tous un Grain," the pub around the corner "la Pointe du Grouin," and the proximity to Gare du Nord.
--Katell is very helpful and responsive, she spent an hour when we arrived showing us the highlights of the neighbourhood. She told us to contact her about anything and when we did she addressed of our issue.
--First floor. We wanted to avoid many stairs after long days of walking around Paris.
What could be better:
--The ladder from the bed when you are sleepy during the night can be challenging.
--We are middle-aged with aches and pains and not fond of hard futons. Katell purchased a mattress pillow topper while we were there which helped.
--There is a slight dampness upon entering the building and things do not dry quickly in the apartment. The heater may have helped but the temperature outside was mild so we didn't use the heat much during the day.
We feel very connected to this part of Paris after "living" in this flat for over a week. We highly recommend.
Small, but really nice apartment. Near the train station Gare du Nord.
Clean and silent. Perfect for a weekend in Paris.
Really friendly and symphatic host. He showed us everthing useful and needed within the flat and it´s surrounding. The flat was small but nice and cosy; typical Paris style. We´d love to come back!
A really nice place, perhaps not much spacious but ideal for a single traveller or a couple. Next to "Gare du Nord" and to the Tube (metro station: poissonnière) gives access to anywhere you want to go. Restaurants nearby as well. Worth paying a visit to the Church of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, literally a few metres away! Juan Manuel always keen to help with your accomodation (thank you, Sir!). There is room for improvement with the air-conditioning though. If revisiting Paris, I would choose "Adorable Studio" once again!
This was een small but nice apartment. The environment was nice!
The hoste was so kind to show us around.
Very recommended!!!
We are a young couple and the apartment was fine for the two of us. It is smaller than we thought but we weren't too fussed. We stayed for a week and didn't need to get the metro once! We walked everywhere to visit the landmarks as the apartment is within a perfectly fine walking distance for all of Paris. Juan met us on time and was friendly and informative. We enjoyed our time!
P.s the shower works great!!
Juan met us at the appartment and gave us all the instruction and information we needed to know. The studio was very close to the Gare d'Nord, so just a few steps for us to the Metro. We had a good time, the place was just right for us, everything worked good and it was clean.
We also liked, that it was quiet, since the windows are into the courtyard.
We ejoyed Paris and would stay at Juan's place again, thank you very much!
Thank you, Juan and Katell, for your welcome.
The apartment was tidy and clean. We were shown how to use all the appliances. The tour of the local area was very useful!
The apartment is so conveniently placed near Gare du Nord (just 5 minutes walk). We were able to easily access all parts of Paris from here. Though the apartment is smaller than it looks from the pictures, it was just right for the three of us.
Merci Beaucoup!
- Minőségbiztosított szállás
- Minden házigazda hitelesítésre került telefonon keresztül
- Biztonságos fizetés SSL titkosításon keresztül


text:
Intro - Soon to register
I will be registering within the next few days and just wanted to introduce myself.
I have been engineering networks since 1995. I have dabbled in php, java, python, vb. I have a very strong unix background having built BSD, and Linux firewalls and hobby machines. I am excited to get started and have enjoyed reading the very informative and supportive posts in this forum. I am also looking forward to supporting in this forum as well, as soon as I get my feet wet.
Congratz to all of you who have made the journey, and good luck to all of you are walking the path.


text:
forum: Food & Drink
Pages: 1 | Home » Food & Drink » Chicken maryland recipe (jamies dinners)
#1 Mon 22 Jan 07 6:18pm
- Member
- Member since Mon 22 Jan 07
Chicken maryland recipe (jamies dinners)
Hey there, i was just wondering if anyone has any advice for me. Im a student and not too good at the cooking (but improving...i hope!).
Whenever i cook im cooking for about 5 people.
So when i was looking through Jamies Dinners, i saw the recipe for the 'tray baked chicken maryland' and thought it would make a great dinner, except for one thing. That is, i really dont like bananas. Most things i dont like i will still eat, but bananas is one of the few i wont. I was thinking maybe there is an alternative to using the bananas (it says to put the bananas in the chicken breasts before cooking) but im not sure if anything else will work? Im fairly inexperienced with cooking so hopefully someone else can help me as i dont have a clue what i could use as a substitute! Thanks :)
#2 Tue 23 Jan 07 1:39am
- Forum champ
- From Scotland
- Member since Thu 15 Jul 04
Re: Chicken maryland recipe (jamies dinners)
Hello ska, welcome.
Banana is traditionally served with Chicken Maryland, but how about trying Mango. It is soft and squidgy like banana, and although the flavour will be different, I think it would work.
Just a thought!!!
#3 Tue 23 Jan 07 3:41am
- Forum champ Occupation Registered Nurse
- From Adelaide, OZ
- Member since Tue 03 Aug 04
Re: Chicken maryland recipe (jamies dinners)
This is an amazing recipe and there is not much substitute for bananas.
The banana flavour is not all that strong in this and just compliments and enhances the flavours of everything else.
My advice is to try it, just give it a go and you may be pleasantly surprised. Even if you don't like bananas, please try it.
I hate broadbeans (too many grey overcooked humungus ones as a child), I never buy them. OG brought home some that a workmate grew organically and because I would consider it to be rude not to eat them, I dug up a recipe for double peeled broad beans and home made pasta and it was delicious.
I wouldn't go out of my way even now to eat broad beans, but it is a recipe I would make again if given some or I saw some nice fresh ones at the market.
#4 Tue 23 Jan 07 11:24am
The White Rabbit
- Forum super champ
- From Sydney, Australia
- Member since Tue 22 Jun 04
Re: Chicken maryland recipe (jamies dinners)
i found it a very rich recipe, but very good. I think the banana gave it some of therichness that it would been odd without.
#5 Tue 30 Jan 07 1:37am
- Member Occupation Student
- From Newcastle, Australia
- Member since Thu 02 Dec 04
Re: Chicken maryland recipe (jamies dinners)
I've made this too, and the banana flavour wasn't overpowering at all. Maybe give it a try, however if you are still keen not to use banana, I think the above post which suggests Mango would also be quite nice. Mango goes really well with chicken :-)
Let us know how you go....
#6 Tue 30 Jan 07 11:26am
- Member Occupation Personal Chef cooking for Familys and Occassions....
- From Florida
- Member since Tue 30 Jan 07
Re: Chicken maryland recipe (jamies dinners)
Also comes to Mind is tinned and drained Pineapple or Apricots in Natural juices for the stuffing instead jan xxx If you hate Bannanas there are no set rules to say you must use them ....Until you try another fruit out you wont know go for it and let us know how it turns out jan x
#7 Fri 09 Feb 07 4:02am
- Member Occupation CSIRO - Marine Electronics
- From Brisbane, Australia
- Member since Tue 11 Apr 06
Re: Chicken maryland recipe (jamies dinners)
I agree with the Mango suggestion or maybe even paw-paw if you really can't handle the banana. I'll be making this recipe again now that Banana's are cheap again.
(For those not in Australia, we had all our banana crops wiped out by a cyclone last year so banana's went up to around $14 a kilo)
Pages: 1 | Home » Food & Drink » Chicken maryland recipe (jamies dinners)


text:
Just thought someone might like to know this. Y'all come.
Printable View
Just thought someone might like to know this. Y'all come.
If you don't venture outside of your confort zone you will never know. Join us and take a look.
There is no one smoking in TG. Poles and dancers? Hmmm, bring your own I guess.
Mark, maybe you could start a new forum here, "Tailgater Today" could be a "PG" rated summary of the most active topics.
I remember there being a lot of postings with correct grammar and spelling in Tailgater... that was really offensive. :)
Mark got correct as well, so he has backed off! LOL
Where is "Tailgater"? -js
lol, that's funny.
Oh, you were being serious? Well, if itt were featured like all the other Posts you would see it mentioned daily under Today's Posts. But don't get me started on how unfair that is.
I just thought since we can't talk about certain things in some Forums the same aught to apply to all Threads equally. and also, that others mioght not know about something which may be of interst to them simply because it is hidden from them.
http://www.beesource.com/forums/imag...rum_old-48.png Enter At Your Own Risk!
The doorway to Tailgater.
Just remember before you enter Tailgater... "You can't unsee something"
People are so afraid of the things they don't know. Tailgater is a discussion forum concerning topics folks don't like to talk about in other forums, such as Religion, Politics, and other things. This has to be hidden and segregated to protect the innocent?
Think of it like the Playboy Club and you need a key to get in.
It's a place where the most fractious of subjects are discussed with little fractiousness.
And that's a fract.
I guess Sol didn't like this thread in his forum! I just wanted to warn anyone who is thinking about venturing into Tailgater. The procedure is for every new member that receives the key to TG must announce their political and religious leanings and the rest of us spend some time roasting them. :D
Heck, you know what I mean, this is even worse. First a Thread about Treatment Free Queens in Tailgater and now a Thread about a Discussion in Treatment Free about the Thread in Tailgater gets moved to Coffee Klatch? What a mess.
I know, just go with it for a bit. It will end up in the trash eventually.
I always figured that it's one of those places I was taught to stay away from but forbidden allure is starting to tempt me.


text:
Hi from Ohio!
Welcome to the Quilting Board!
Hi from Ohio!
Hello Jen and welcome to the board from the friendly State of Alabama
Welcome from Louisiana
In my quilt lab!
Hi Jen! Welcome from Minnesota! Glad you've joined us!!!
Welcome to the board from Southern California!
My newest Grandson, Caleb Austin, was born May 29th. I am now Grandma to 4 precious babies. I am so blessed!!!!
Welcome from Spring, TX


text:
selling most anything is like selling your car. If you have the time to waste selling the item, you should do so in the classified section of any major forum, this forum in particular is a great place to start.
If you don't want to deal with the headache, give it to a pawn shop or dealer, but keep in mind, they're never going to give you what it's worth - they are in the business of making money, like everyone else.
It's purely a decision based on how much time/energy you have for the sale, and whether or not your time/energy is worth the money you'll save by selling it privately.
I don't know much about these guns in particular, but I'd expect at least a difference of 50-150 between the private party sale and what a shop may offer you, for what it's worth (purely speculation).


text:
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Time for an Apology
I want an apology from Stephen Harper.
And I want an apology from the deniers in the U.S. government, from the think tank economists like the Fraser Institute, the conservative religious right, the oil companies and their lobbies, and all the rest of them.
I want an apology from all those people who - purely to serve their own narrow self interests - denied global warming.
Even as recently as, well, April, people are still engaged in this destructive deception. "Observational evidence does not support today's computer climate models," they wrote, lying through their teeth, "so there is little reason to trust model predictions of the future."
Ah yes, all the criminally conservative newspapers were ready to jump on that one.
The observational data is today what it was in April: "increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, melting of snow and ice, and rising sea level..."
I want an apology and a change of policy from Stephen Harper, who as recently as last November was cutting funds to climate change programs and firing climate change experts, telling them they had to explain to the public why they were no longer needed.
"The Canadian government was helping Canadians reduce their energy bills by one-third, and they were doing it on a daily basis, and (Harper) cancelled the program,'' Bennett said at a news conference."
I want an apology from Stockwell Day, who as recently as last month was ridiculing the science that pointed to the fact of global warming. Yes, Stockwell, you can delete the rhetoric from your website, but you can't deny the fact that, for the last decade, you've been the problem. Fess up! And take some responsibility.
I want an apology from former environment minister Rona Ambrose, who spent her term in office mostly backpedaling on Canada's commitments to the world community, including her shameful display at the climate change conference in Nairobi where she said canada would not honour Kyoto.
I want an apology from government officials who not only refused to listen to thousands of climate scientists on the issue, they actually censored the scientists' warning to the public. These officials should be sent to jail for such a blatant disregard of the public interest!
And I want Stephen Harper to apologize for waging war against the Liberals over Kyoto, for saying the accord was based on "tentative and contradictory scientific evidence" and (in a stunning display of stone-age science) complaining that "it focuses on carbon dioxide, which is essential to life, rather than upon pollutants."
But we're not going to get an apology.
Because Stephen Harper isn't really changing. Climate change scepticism was never about what people believe. It was about what people were willing to say in order to prevent the government from taking action.
Action on climate change would have cost his corporate buddies money, and they were (and still are) willing to pay what it takes to make sure nothing is done.
Harper can pretend to be green all he wants. But he has never had a change of heart on the issue. How could he? That would be going against 'his base'.
That's why we won't hear an apology from Stephen Harper. Because he's not sorry. And he'd do it again.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Oh The Humanity
Of course, the banks have their useful idiots to defend them. One such is the Sun's Tom Brodbeck (one wonders how long you have to bow and scrape on what Sun pays its reporters before you get to cash in on the Tory big bucks and land a cushy job at a fake research agency).
Brodbeck writes, "I don't know what kind of glue this guy is sniffing. Consumers have all kinds of choice on where to bank and how to withdraw money. And just like 20 years ago, you can still do it for free."
This is simply not true. If Brodbeck is banking for free, then he's either paying a monthly service charge, or he's keeping some significant minimum balance in his (non-interest paying) account. Of course, on a Sun salary, Brodbeck shouldn't know anything about high income banking.
The bank charges are a recent invention. I remember when there was no charge at all for withdrawing from the teller (and I think it was something like 14 cents to write a cheque). Along came bank machines, and they were at first free to use as well. Great stuff; none of us liked waiting in line for the teller. But then not so long ago - it's really only five years or so ago - banks started charging fees. First to other banks' customers. Then their own customers.
The strategy is of course to blame the customer for running up their banking costs. This is, of course, a con game. When customers doing what they have always been doing suddenly start getting much increased charges, it's not the customers' fault. No, it's the $14 billion industry that's gouging them. Again. And making up bank fairy tales isn't going to change that fact.
Brodbeck says, "Everybody likes a little bank bashing." There's a reason for that. Banks, almost uniquely, deserve to be bashed.
How I Would Organize A Conference
|From Internet Time, 2010
The conference area itself would consist of a largish central area with various side areas with more or less privacy (the presumption is that while people will want to go to the side to chat, etc., they won't want to cut themselves off completely from the main event).
The main area would itself have various types of things, including:
- presentation booths - these are not lined up in rows, but are rather islands, round, surrounded by the attendees - exhibitors don't get a booth for the whole conference, rather, just for certain time slots (lots of rotation in the booths) - at any given time there will be many of these booths in operation - some of these (especially those in strategic areas) are no more than soapboxes, whereon a person stands and makes his/her pitch
- bearpits - where from time to time famous people are surrounded by an audience, where - instead of presenting a lecture - they answer questions tossed in by the audience
- demo labs - again, like the booths, nobody owns these, they are used for a certain amount of time - they consist of a large screen and about a dozen workstations - need lots of these, in various configurations - in the open, so people can stand around and watch
- a great big wall where people can put up any sort of notice or advertisement they please (people who spam the board will have their messages removed)
- electronic games and activities (could even make it possible to win 'tokens' by playing and use the tokens to auction things - check your local laws) -- there would absoluetly have to be a Wii area - but also, there are many video-cam games (eg. the video cam boxing game), have those set up as well, whatever games people want to play
- Big screens everywhere - some of them are showing the games (especially the hockey games, especially the finals from the conference-long tournament), others are showing the conference 'backchannel' where participants (you need a conference login) post their thoughts
- The announcers, of course, on the speaker system, letting people know when an event is about to take place - a '10 minute keynote', a 'Flash video demo', the 'George Siemens bearpit', the 'EA Hockey semi-finals', 'the Wii-learn SIG in the alcove...
- Entertainment, including mainstage shows at noon and in the evening, side stage workshops (esp. with electronic music tools), wandering minstrals, jugglers
- The Vendor's Parade
- plenty of tables and chairs throughout, where people can sit and work or chat
- wireless and numerous ethernet ports with the bandwidth to back them up
There would be numerous side areas, including (pay for meals and coffee, etc., with conference vouchers)
- coffee shops (how much would Starbucks pay to have a coffee shop there?) and cafes (meals tend to be 'ad hoc', not huge 'everybody eats at once' factory-style conference dinners)
- computer stores (Future shop? Apple)
- bookstores - a proper bookstore, not just a few titles on a table
- various types of pubs, some open and lively, others more like lounges, others with quiet out-of-the-way nooks
- very quiet areas, with couches for sleeping
- Art galleries / events (local artists are given a space and told to 'create')
You get the idea...
Now then, what we want participants to do is to add to this, in any way they can - we would want lots of ways participants can contribute...
- code jams - where coders create a new applications
- the participants' art gallery - any art, any way
- the conference radio station / podcast (which plays on speakers in various locations, including some of the cafes, as well as online (of course))
- 99-second presentations
Again - from the participant's point of view, none of this is scheduled ahead of time - what they are intended to do is to arrive and follow what interests them
What about papers? After all, that's how many people get funding to travel to conferences...
- the conference book and DVD - participants will be asked to come and, at some point during the event (probably have to sign up for a slot) go to a studio and record a presentation of their work - they can also bring in audio or video clips to add - these will be facilitated by program directors and hosts - the idea here is to make the presentations less formal, not just a person reading, but rather a person showing, being interviewed, interacting with the audience, etc -- a lot of this would also be the material used for the conference radio and shown on some of the video screens throughout - after the show, you can but the book/dvd from Lulu
- Typically conferences take place in converntion halls and the like -- and there's nothing wrong with that -- but it's worth nothing that a conference as described here can fit into pretty much any (large) location - school, college building, small town, whatever...
Monday, January 22, 2007
Simplicity and Standards
This example shows how elusive the concept of simplicity is.
As one commentator has already pointed out, the measure of '1 cubic mile' is needlessly complicated for a a world based on SI.
Moreover, '1 cubic mile' is meaningless as a measure. Nobody knows how much oil '1 cubic mile' represents. It is a unit outside our comprehension. Consider: off the top of your head, how many barrels is it? How many homes does it heat?
Third, the concept of 'oil' is not static. Oil comes in different types, some of which create more energy than others. Is the '1 cubic mile' West Texas Crude? Or what?
Fourth, one wonders how using a measure of volume clarifies a measure of energy. In an energy-conscious world, it may make more sense to educate people about joules than it does to make them imagine cubic miles of oil.
Keep in mind that one joule is the work done to produce power of one watt continuously for one second; or one watt second. And people *do* understand the concept of the kilowatt-hour - it shows up on their electric bill every month.
The main argument for the proposed system (ie., that we use a CMO as a measure) is that it is too difficult to use other measures. Of course, when they are stated as poorly as the authors state them, one cannot help but wonder why.
Consider, for example, "The Three Gorges Dam is rated at its full design capacity of 18 gigawatts." per yer? Let's suppose so - the authors don't say.
Then in the diagram we see that 1 CMO is equivalent to '4 Three gorges dams every year for 50 years'. Huh? How many Three Gorges Dams is that for one year? 200. Why not say one CMO (which is burned in one year) is equivalent to 200 dams (which produce 18 gigawatts per year).
Or, in other words, 36,000 gigawatts per year (gigawatt-years). One year is about 1 year = 8766 hours. That's 315 576 000 gigawatt-hours. That's 315 petawatt-hours, or 0.3 exawatt-hours (I'll leave the conversion to joules to you).
People can handle mega and giga (they do it when they use computers every day). The way things are going, it won't be long before they handle tera and peta. And - nicely - their system for counting units of energy will be the *same* as the one they use to count units of memory. And units of other things.
And what's so complex about 315 petawatt-hours? Nothing.
Looking at this article, I am face with two questions:
1. Why did the authors use oil as a standard?
2. Why did the authors use the mile as a standard?
It seems to me that such a nomenclature makes people think of energy in terms of imperial units and in terms of petroleum products.
And it makes everything else look like a *lot* - compared to the oil. It only takes *one* oil to make up 32,000 or so wind turbines (for 50 years).
How we talk about something says a lot about how we think about something, which is why there are such disputes about standards and nomenclature.
From one point of view, the use of CMO is 'simple'. From another point of view, the use of CMO is politically loaded and culturally specific.
That's why standards are so hard, and especially why discussions of them shouldn't be limited to engineers and should be presented as a "wonderfully short and simple article" in IEEE Spectrum.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
The Mark of Wisdom
As Clark Quinn mentioned in his paper, I have listed the practices that I think lead to wisdom in a column on my blog. It should be noted on reading that each of the ten items describes a skill. It describes 'how' to do something. This is deliberate. The outcome of the application of any such skill must be left to the learner. For otherwise, acquisition of the outcome, rather than practice of the skill, becomes definitive of wisdom, and therefore the tendency will be to focus on the outcome at the expense of the skill, at the cost of never learning the skill.
For example, one of the skills I describe is 'How to predict consequences'. The statement of this principle could be questioned - Jonathon Richter quite rightly argues that the skill needs to apply not only to simple Newtonian systems with determinate outcomes but also to complex and chaotic environments in which the prediction is of only a probability or a range of outcomes. But it would be a mistake to say that the acquisition of this skill entails believing, say, that good intentions lead to good actions, or believing, say, that continued inaction on global warming will lead to catastrophe.
To make the test of the skill the test of a believe is to measure, not the having of the skill, but rather, the adherence to orthodoxy. Not everybody predicts the same effect from the same causes: that this can be the case, and that each of the two predictions can be substantiated is evidence, not of predictive failure, but rather, of the chaotic world Richter alludes to.
In a similar manner, some of the writers to this list have characterized 'humility' as one of the attributes of wisdom. Jan Visser characterizes humility as "the awareness of who we are, of our place in the universe, of what lies beyond our own ephemeral existence." Thus characterized, however, humility is characterized not as a practice or a skill but rather as an awareness that certain things are the case. But this test, then, is of what someone believes rather than how they came to believe it, and hence, is not a test of wisdom but of orthodoxy.
It is possible to be wise without humility. To be honest, I do not know my own place in the universe (and routinely disregard the admonishment "that's not your place"). I do not know what lies outside my own existence, if anything. I consider the following two statements to be equally likely: "I am in the universe" and "the universe is in me". From which it follows that there is a great deal I do not know about myself. Being wise may lie in accepting any of these dilemmas, or in opting, on the basis of faith or intuition, one statement or the other.
Clark Quinn's own argument takes the perspective that wisdom results from practice. "Wisdom is making decisions on a systemic basis..." he writes. And that "it's very much a journey, not a destination." But in so much of what he writes the outcome, rather than the process, does the heavy lifting. The sentence quoted above reads, in full, "wisdom is making decisions on a systemic basis that are in line with our [interests] in the long-term as well as the immediate moment, and in line with our values for not only ourselves but others and society and the world as a whole." I have had to insert the word 'interests' as it is missing in the original, though it could read 'needs' or even 'fashions' at still make the same point.
And the point is: wisdom is characterized by having a certain type of perspective, of using a certain metric. But it seems to me that this should be an outcome of wisdom, and not definitive of it. Is being wise tantamount to enlightened self-interest? This is what the sentence seems to imply. But being wise may equally entail disregard for one's own self-interest, in rising above one's own self-interest. Certainly some Buddhists are wise, but central to the philosophy of Buddhism is what one might characterize as "the cessation of craving" or the cessation of clinging - taking one's own interest and seeing it as the cause of pain, of Dukkha.
As with humility and self-interest, the matter of values is also one of content over process. Quinn writes that the wise person makes decisions, as noted above, "in line with our values for not only ourselves but others and society and the world as a whole." One could hardly find a more compelling example of a call for orthodoxy! He adds, "We'd need to discuss values and deliberately choose a value system to embody. Whichever one we choose (and this is difficult subject all on it's own), we'll want to make it explicit."
Certainly there may be arguments for and against a values-based education, just as (say) there may be arguments for or against values-based government, or values-based religion, or values-based economic systems. But to make basing one's reasoning in values definitive of wisdom seems very much to be over-shooting the mark.
Why would I say this? For after all, people familiar with my own work will be well aware of a set of values that permeates it through and through. Yet deeper study will show that I well regard my own work as deeply situated within a certain society, a certain context, and that the values I espouse recognize this, and hence, do not presume to pass judgment on how the other person elects to live his or her own life. And it is a part of this belief to recognize that another person may not live his or her life according to values at all, and yet may nonetheless be wise.
Consider what it is to live one's life or to make decisions according to values. Quinn helpfully quotes Gladwell: "One of humankind's biggest problems in decision-making is assigning the wrong weights to the variables…. If I have an ethical system, I have a way of assigning those weights" - Malcolm Gladwell. Having values is depicted as - and indeed, arguably is - nothing more than a system of assigning weights to variables, to possibilities, to options. The simplest of value systems is to assign to all things a binary value: right or wrong, good or bad. More sophisticated approaches assign weightings of good and bad, and allow for an interplay between the entities so judged.
How completely the mercantile philosophy has permeated our way of life, that we cannot even imagine the concept of wisdom without also imagining some way of applying weights and measures to its application! Are the philosophies of epicurianism, of hedonism, wrong not because they are bad values but because they deal in quality of experience, quality of life, rather than with the calculation and measurement of what is right and wrong? Lao Tzu says that the attachments of values to things are nothing more than labels, nothing more than signs, and that wisdom consists in recognizing that there is always another way of representing the same reality. Friedrich Nietzsche describes, in Beyond Good and Evil, the transvaluation of value. J.L. Mackie is explicit, in Ethics Without God, that we are "inventing right and wrong".
The appeal of values, as are the appeal of natural laws and the idea of essences, is the appeal of the universal, the idea that there is some means though which me may abbreviate the complexities of our lives and our universe through appeal to some sort of underlying principle, whether that principle represents the Nature of the world, or whether it represents nothing more than an abbreviation of our experience and beliefs. But this is only one way of representing the world or of determining out course of action. Numerous alternatives exist.
Consider, for example, what you would do were you confronted by a strange creature, one that you had never seen before, consisting of an animal with brightly coloured fur, with sharp teeth and savage claws, and a roar that sent chills down your spine. Would wisdom at this point consist in the application of some set of values? Is there some principle of measurement to which you would appeal in this case? Almost certainly not. We most certainly have not formulated any rules describing what to do in such a case - certainly we do know what to do (run!) but any drafting of a rule would happen after the fact. Our actions would be determined by recognition and similarity. It looks like a tiger, best treat it as though it were a tiger.
If we consider our own actions, even for a moment, it becomes clear how many of them are not determined by any sort of value at all (and which are, nonetheless, wise). We breathe, our hearts beat, our blood circulates, not because we will it to be the case, not because it is good or right that it be the case, but merely because we are the sort of creatures that live and breathe. And surely part of being wise lies in being what you are, rather than what you are not? This is why we thought the characters of 'Flatliners' were unwise.
Others of our decisions are governed by what I would call 'network phenomena'. One of the principles of a successful network is 'diversity' - diverse networks are more reliable than those that are not. Fostering diversity, however, means fostering instances of actions and entities that precisely do not adhere to orthodox values. We've all heard the expression, "The exception proves the rule." We recognize that 'generosity is good' (say) by observing (or telling tales) of Scrooge-like people who are not generous, and observing their fate. There may not have been a King Midas turned to gold, but we are all aware from observation the poverty of greed.
What is important here is not that the value was discovered, nor the specific content of the value, but rather, that a process was followed that would allow this learning to take place. That is, we have the capacity to, should we so desire, learn what values there are, and how to apply them, should this be the sort of life we desire. Other people, equally wise, may choose to live their lives value-free, and will report a very different set of experiences. And it has yet to be shown, without prior appeal to values, that their experiences are in some way 'bad' or 'wrong'. As Nietzsche would say, the Superman makes his own rules - and who are we to say he is wrong?
To the extent that there is wisdom in society, it is the result of certain practices, that make people wise, rather than adherence to certain outcomes, that people (today) say are the mark of the wise. Learning this distinction, perhaps, is the first sign of wisdom.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
On Thinking Without Language
I have long written on the topic of subsymbolic communication and reasoning. So I think you strike a note here. But it could be more sharply hit:
You write, "What is important is that they are effective, workable, successful. Not necessarily the best decisions, but good decisions. These decisions are the result of intellectual, emotional, sensory/somatic (body) and intuitive knowledge (to use the Jungian model) and integrate the conscious and unconscious."
I think that decisions based on subsymbolic reasoning are the best, and not decisions that are merely good enough.
There is a mechanism that describes subsymbolic reasoning. You suggest that the mechanism is "the result of intellectual, emotional, sensory/somatic (body) and intuitive knowledge (to use the Jungian model)." I think you're flailing here.
Subsymbolic decisions (and subsymbolic reasoning generally) is the result of the experience of perceptual processes (which is where we get emotionl, sensory and somatic influences).
In a nutshell, it is the association of these experiences with previous experiences. Any experience, any perception, is the activation of millions of neural cells. These activations may, depending on the experience, include characteristic patterns of activation. It is the matching of these patterns that constitutes the basis for reasoning.
These patterns may reflect any sort of perception - sights and sounds, music, animals, forms and faces. We may associate characteristic sounds with them - these characteristic sounds - words - are also patterns. But for many of our habitual experiences, there are no words. They are ineffable.
Patterns are created from perception through a process of abstraction - we filter our perception, taking in some aspects, discarding the rest. Formal reasoning is this process taken to a great degree - it is abstraction of abstraction of abstraction. Eventually we arrive at 'pure' concepts - things like conjunction, entailment, existence, being - which form the basis for formal reasoning.
These concepts are extremely powerful, but their power is gained at the price if the abstraction. They express broad sweeping truths, but very little about the here and now.
The reasoning of the master is a subtle dance between these two extremes, between the concrete and the universal, a waltz through the layers of abstraction, drawing subtly on each as it applies to the situation at hand.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Another Update
- Ben Werdmuller said... I've had nothing but good experiences with ev1servers.net for colocation.
Stuff began coming back online today. All data requests (for pages, posts, etc - anything from page.cgi) are responding, albeit without pretty CSS formatting. All redirects (edurss02.cgi) are functioning again. All archive pages (that's about 8,000 pages, mostly OLDaily and Edu_RSS archives).
Oh, and hey - the server isn't crashing. There are no runaway perl scripts, even though I'm using exactly the same code. The site is responding nicely, so far (knock on wood, etc) despite being hit pretty hard by the search engines (I found that Yahoo has a nice robots.txt command to slow down its slurping; nothing from Google though).
What's next? I need to get the contents of the /files directory uploaded - that's my biggest gap at the moment. Some of the smaller directories as well. I won't be replacing the massive /photos directory, but I will write some redirects to Flickr (I get about three hits a month on those, so I'm not worried). Then I need to get the newsletters back up and running.
It just goes to show - sometimes you can plan something for a month, have it crash and burn, and start over from scratch working on the fly and do the same thing in three days. That's life on the internet.
The people at ev1servers.net have been, I might add, very responsive and helpful.
Friday, January 05, 2007
OLDaily - January 5, 2006
Stephen Downes, Website Down, Stephen's Web January 5, 2007
Mitchell Weisburgh, What I Learned Buying a Rug in Turkey, PILOTed January 5, 2007
Kathy Sierra, The Dumbness of Crowds, Creating Passionate Users January 5, 2007
Passion, People and Principles
the motivation spiral. The elements of this spiral are as follows: high motivation leads to high productivity and quality, which leads to marketplace success. In turn, this results in economic success for the firm, allowing the firm to be generous with its rewards, including high compensation, good promotion opportunities and challenging work. This atmosphere of ample reward breeds good morale, which results in high motivation:Hm. This doesn't sound like motivation to me.
What we have is a cycle. OK. But for any cycle there needs to be a driver, something that makes it go. Otherwise you don't go around the cycle, you just sit there. What is the driver here?
It is this: "high compensation, good promotion opportunities and challenging work". But what if you don't find these particularly rewarding? What if they are not particularly motivating?
Every person needs a reason to perform. But this reason needs to be something over and above things that help you perform, otherwise they don't drive the cycle. But compensation, promotion and even challenging work are just things that help you do other things. But what other things?
It's as though you had a car, and everything you did with the car gave you rewards that had to do with the car - more gas, more chrome, a bigger engine. But eventually you realize, it's just a car, and for it to be of any real value, you might want to actually do somewhere and do something for some other purpose.
Eventually, if you are a high performer, you reach this point in the cycle, the point where you realize that simply working to get ahead isn't enough any more, that what you want is not merely to go faster but to actually go somewhere. And that's what this letter sounds like. And your response sounds like, "Buck it up, soldier." You're asking him to have faith in the spiral. But that's not good advice; it's not even kind advice.
As people become increasingly self-sufficient, this is becoming increasingly true: people do not work for the pay, they work for the work. That is, they do what they do because they believe doing what they do is inherently valuable. The wage is nice, and if they get good pay, that's a bonus.
This is completely absent from many companies today, especially Fortune 500 companies. These entities exist solely for the purpose of earning money for their shareholders. Now there's something to get you going in the morning! "Let's go! I have to go out and earn those shareholders another penny a share today!" Where's the value in that?
And if that's all you have (and if that's what you've been working 24/7 to do) then you're in pretty bad shape once you've realized what's going on.
First of all, you have to find something you actually do value (and making profits for shareholders ain't gonna cut it, not never). This could be something close to home like supporting your family, something more social like promoting literacy or housing or peace, or something spiritual like religion or enlightenment.
This is a hard call. You have to accept some sort of world view to find anything to be of value, and even then, it may be necessary to take what Kierkegaard called a "leap of faith" - you have start valuing something in the belief that this act will eventually lead to your actually valuing something.
Sometimes people have to go off on spiritual quests or into the wilderness or just on vacation to find this. Your writer should take a month off and go to Africa.
Whether or not you have some Big Thing to believe in or whether you have some simple everyday values, you can now look at your work in a new light.
Either your work supports the value or it doesn't. If it supports the value, there's your motivation (and you'll find that if you work with other people who support the value you'll even have a cheering section).
If it doesn't support the value, then it may at the very least be viewed as a resource pump. Your job gives you the money (and network, etc) you need to support your value in your own time. In this case, you need only be motivated enough to keep the pump going; save your real passion for your off-hours work (this is a pretty common approach for people who find their values in their family or their church - most companies care about neither, and never will, so people place their passion outside their work).
You may not like this advice - but I am honestly not going to tell someone to get all passionate about increasing shareholder value.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
In Case You Are Wondering...
The CSoft server crashed within a couple hours of going live with downes.ca and has now crashed three times in less than 24 hours (it is currently crashed). And I wasn't even harvesting or sending email!
I have removed all the scripts and replaced them with simply print commands saying that the script is not currently active. The server still crashed. There is no reason for this; I think that it simply is unable to handle the traffic.
It is as usual very difficult to get more than a terse two or three word reply from the CSoft administrators (I really don't understand their reluctance to communicate with me).
So right now, I am again waiting for a response from CSoft. I am also scouting around for a new web host - I am beginning to think that I need a colocation service, that is, a dedicated web server.
Any advice would be welcome...
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
One Laptop Per Child
An interesting article by one of the GNU Classpath Developer Roma KennkeThen another said this:
He thinks what our children really need are:
* Parents.
* Time to learn.
* Childhood.
and they don't need:
* Floods of information and media.
* Plastic toys
* And certainly, kids don't need a computer
When your world is dominated by where your next meal is coming from and IF your next meal is coming, you probably aren't too concerned about things like PC's, the Internet, etc. This is one project that should die an early and fast death.This is my reply:
It is true that people in developing nations are most worried about where their next meal is coming from. Computers aren't high on the list.
But that's the problem. These children have no way to earn a living, and when they are parents, they will have no way to care for their children.
It should be abundantly and blatantly obvious that aid to impoverished children should consist NOT ONLY of the basics of survival. At some point, aid needs to focus on how they will grow so they need no further aid. 'Teach a man to fish...' and all that.
The suggestion that they need parents and time to learn and all that is cutesy and all motherhood (quite literally) in a family values kind of way, but is utterly useless. They're not going to to get that (you can't just manufacture parents), and even if they got that, it would not improve their situation at all.
That's why development aid often consists of things other than the basics of survival. You might say that a starving child has no use for a road, and directly you'd be right, but the road is what allows people and goods to travel, and thus enables products to flow out of the community and the food those products pay for to flow into the community.
You might say that a starving child has no use for a power plant, or a furniture factory, or an aqueduct, or even things like a postal service, and you'd be right. But all of these things make it easier, make it more possible, that the child in question will get food.
The question is, WHAT BEST will improve the poor child's chances of being able to make a future for him or her self.
And honestly, it's hard to come up with something better than a laptop and free (or very low cost) internet connection.
The laptop teaches the child. Perhaps not as effectively as a parent or a teacher - but remember, these kids are not going to get parents or teachers. There isn't enough money in the world - have you any understanding of what a teacher costs? For many children, if the laptop does not teach them then nothing will. And a laptop is a whole lot better than nothing.
Moreover, once the child has learned a few things, then the child can use that very same tool to actually earn money. Unlike almost anything else, a computer allows you to make something from nothing. You can create software, you can create designs, you can perform services like translation or transcription, you can answer questions, you can write and make music and so much more.
The cost of this is $130 or so per child, plus whatever the connection costs are over time. That's less than it costs to feed them - a lot less.
And if we're doing comparative costing, well then let's keep in mind that the cost of one cruise missile would pay for every child in a developing nation to have a computer. The cost of the Iraq war could have provided every child in the world a computer (and probably fed and housed them too). The money developing nations spend on arms (usually purchased from the U.S. or France or Britain) would feed and educate their children. So I don't buy this whole 'misplaced priorities' argument. If a country can afford to fight a war, it can afford to provide computers for children.
I'm ready to entertain the argument that a computer might not be the best way to educate a child and to then provide a means of employment. But believe me, family values ain't it. Nor anything else I've seen.


text: Well in new to this side of the forums. I'm looking at purchasing a 19984 door Chevy 3500 dully super clean truck. My intent is to use the truck to pull a trailer withmy mud truck or one of my race cars on it. I have been looking for bolt onparts but have hade no luck. What all is out there injectors pumps is there abolt on exhaust and can I intercool the turbo and get some more power?


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Mustangs Rise, Hamm Signs, Lady Chaps Drop 2 & Rider Wins One
Midwestern State moved up three spots to No. 19 in the latest National Fast-pitch Coaches' Association Division II Poll released Wednesday afternoon.
MSU at No. 2 in this season's first edition of the South Central Region rankings released Wednesday afternoon by the NCAA Division II Softball Committee.
The Mustangs (35-12) extended their current winning streak to seven games with a 6-5 win over Cameron on Tuesday, have won 11 of their last 12 and are 15-3 since suffering a season-long five-game skid from March 16-23.
The Mustangs are a part of a strong contingent from the Lone Star Conference occupying five of the 10 spots in the regional rankings.
The Mustangs also signed a local standout on Wednesday. Graham's Krisha Hamm will play for the Mustangs next season. This season she has won ten games as a pitcher and she's batting .325.
Vernon College dropped a doubleheader to North Central Texas College 17-0 and 6-2. Tanya Whaley threw a no-hitter for the Lady Lions in game one of the twin-bill.
Rider's Abby Donnell threw a one-hitter as the Lady Raiders beat Denton 13-1.
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2000 and Counting
01 Jan 2000 - 26 Mar 2000
To celebrate the new millennium, the National Gallery of Canada presents 2000 and Counting, a thematic exhibition of contemporary works drawn from the Gallery's permanent collection. While the first part of the exhibition, presented from December 1999 to March 2000, explored the weight of time at the end of the millennium and the idea of the "unimaginably big", the second part concentrates on the work of artists who use mathematical formulas, repetitive forms, units of measures and numerical classification systems to structure their ideas. 2000 and Counting: The Thousand Longest Rivers in the World; 144 Copper Square; Joseph Beuys, 100 Profile Views; and on ad infinitum... is on view in the Contemporary Galleries from 18 August to 5 November 2000. There are 32 works in the exhibition featuring Canadian artists N.E.Thing Co., Gathie Falk, Arnaud Maggs, Kazuo Nakamura, Brian Groombridge and Jana Sterbak; American artists Jasper Johns, Joseph Kosuth, Carl Andre, Brice Marden, Eleanor Antin, and Lawrence Weiner; British artist Hamish Fulton; Italian artists Alighiero e Boetti and Mario Merz; French artist Roman Opalka; and German artist Rosemarie Trockel.