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This quarter, the eighteen freshman in Professor Nicholas Leither's Critical Thinking and Writing course at Santa Clara University worked together in a collaborative effort to study how the endless consumption of food, money, and technology have an effect on our culture and our happiness. As we begin our final quarter of the 2014 academic year, we are examining the advantages and disadvantages that result from consumerism, over-consumption, and excess.
We often buy things saying, "I need this!" or "I just have to have this!" but then our purchases end up in the back of our closets or on a shelf, untouched. Compared to Americans sixty years ago, we take up more than three times the amount of space per capita; yet our super-sized homes do not have enough space for all of our belongings, causing us to spend twenty-two billion dollars in the personal storage industry (Hill). Our lives become unnecessarily complicated with this excess, consuming us and distracting us from what is truly important. We get so caught up in our own decadence that we forget to ask the fundamental question: does this endless consumption bring us happiness?
The phrase "there is always room for improvement" has brought Americans a long way. These improvements have dramatically changed technology, the standard of living, and the average lifespan. All of this, of course, would not be possible without wealth. Despite being stereotyped as grossly excessive, excess has allowed technological and social growth. Expansion of medical technology within the medical sector has increased life expectancy in the past century. New drugs and vaccines have eliminated deaths from common diseases and infections that were once harmful. They have a huge impact on third world populations, one example being Malaria. Even prosthetic devices have allowed amputees to walk, swim, and run marathons, and hearing aids have enabled the deaf to hear clearly.
When it come to the advancement in prosthetic design and construction, namely the emergence of more sophisticated materials, we can see how our culture of excess can often allow us to pursue things other than individual wants and desires. Because we put a major emphasis in the expansion of technology, we develop new ways to integrate it in other fields.
Social media has exploded, news travels in seconds over the world wide web, and Facebook connects individuals scattered across the globe, having a total of 1.11 billion users as of March 2013. The drive for excessive wealth has brought us into an age of technological innovations that controls our day to day activities.
All these advancements in technology and in our standards of living might set Americans on a path to longer and more comfortable lives, but not necessarily happier ones. The root of America's culture of excess is the attitude of quantity over quality in regards to food, money, and technology. In fact, unhappiness results from the endless and overwhelming desire for more. Young adults and the working class have become so mesmerized by the idea of living in exces
s that they neglect the awareness needed to overcome this cultural plague and recognize the magnitude of their choices. More importantly, they ignore the little things in life that surrounds them and fail to appreciate what they have. Daily activities such as food choices, monetary status, and technology use have become habitual instead of conscious decisions and have clouded our judgements. This has slowly, but surely led Americans to disregard what really matters in the world such as individual health, our environment, and appreciation of our lives and each other's presence.
Status is defined as the relative social and professional standing of someone in America. It has become the measuring stick for one's happiness. Americans have become obsessed with constantly striving for a higher class, consequently consuming their life and career. Americans have based sophistication on the food they eat, the technology they use, and the money they posses has given people an illusion of their happiness. However, when one stops striving for a higher status, their happiness fades as they never lived their life in the present and enjoy life. Status-seeking imposes negative externalities that cause people to work too hard and consume too much when judged by the criterion of economic efficiency (Arne). Constantly striving for status does not lead to a happy life but instead a life filled in excess.
A new study by Cameron Anderson, a professor at UC Berkeley, found that respect from peers and being a valuable contributing member to society has a greater effect on happiness then appearances and monetary wealth. The study discovered that constantly chasing wealth to improve one's socioeconomic status does not necessarily bring contentment or have an effect on their peers' happiness. Herman Edward Daly, an ecological economist, explored the same idea that "people's concern for social status generates excess levels of economic activity and, by extension, natural resource depletion and environmental degradation" (Arne). However what actually matters to one's happiness is the idea that " the respect, admiration and feeling of powers from others within our face to face groups" (Kennelly). This idea of respect suggests that having the highest status is actually not that fulfilling, despite all the time one spends trying to achieve this status. Being a valuable, contributing member to your community and those who are an important part of your life, will give you a sense of contentment. Knowing that you make a positive impact to those around you is what allows to feel satisfied with your life and thus happy; something obsession or excessive status can not do.
This Is Water
Choose (verb)
1. Pick out or select (someone or something) as being the best or most appropriate of two or more alternative
2. Decide on a course of action, typically after rejecting alternatives
(New Oxford American Dictionary)
"Choosing" is the focus of David Foster Wallace's commencement speech to the Kenyon College Class of 2005, titled This Is Water. Wallace presents the idea that "learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think" (This Is Water).
Wallace introduces his ideas with a parable that includes an older fish passing two younger fish and greeting them, asking how the water is; later the young fish asks each other "what is water." Straight to the point, Wallace reveals that "the point of the fish story is merely that the most obvious, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about" (This Is Water). The audience is then warned about the monotonous routines and petty frustrations that cloud the lives of adults day after day. This is where choosing what to pay attention to becomes important. Rather than just focusing on how miserable we are when standing in a line or when stuck in a traffic jam, we can choose what we are going to think about and how we can get meaning from our experiences. We are advised to take advantage of these opportunities as a time to think rather than be annoyed with the situation as we normally do as our natural default setting.
Wallace's ideas portrayed in his speech exemplify the importance of our daily choices, more specifically the choice to be aware. Americans today lack the awareness that is necessary to recognize that living in excess should not be our main concern. Similar to This Is Water, this idea of excessive consumerism has been instilled in our daily lives and has led us to neglect our surroundings and what truly matters in life. Our "natural default setting" is to strive to get more in life and make as much money as possible. Instead of being aware of the technology, money, and food that revolves in our everyday lives, we are constantly striving for more. Rather, we should be taking time to examine the "water" that surrounds us.
Here at Santa Clara University, students have also fallen prey to constantly using an excessive amount of technology. When surveyed, all the students responded that they had at least a phone and a computer in their dorm room, in addition to some having a TV, Wii, Xbox, Playstation, or tablet. With all this technology, it is not surprising that 51% of students spend 3-5 hours a day on their phone or computer. Even more extreme, 45% of students spend six or more hours a day with their faces glued to the screen. These students are always wanting more time to check the newest information online or watch their favorite show. One student declares, "I spend so much time on my phone and computer. Time just escapes me when I am online. I want time to do more activities, but I also can't go a day without using technology". Only one student out of thirty-three surveyed spends less than 2 hours a day with technology. This student realizes the importance of enjoying life without the excess of technology and admits, "I went a week without my phone once and it was so much nicer being able to genuinely enjoy those around you without the distractions of unnecessary websites like Facebook." Despite the differences in what technology they have in their rooms or how many hours a day they spend with technology, all Santa Clara students surveyed agree that SCU students, as well as other college students, are obsessed with technology.
Along with excessive amounts of technology usage, students at Santa Clara University (SCU) can also easily access excessive amounts of food from the dining hall or the on campus grocery store, the Cellar. A survey done by SCU students showed that students aren't eating a well-balanced diet, but rather 75% of the students have been found to be eating unhealthy snacks and foods on a regular basis. On top of an unhealthy diet, 25% of SCU students have been found to be constantly snacking instead of eating three structured meals a day (Renschler). With the freedom to choose what and when they eat, college students find themselves eating constantly even when they aren't hungry. This constant eating is only accelerated by daily stress. One student even commented on how she "[does not] stop eating" (Lidia Diaz Fong). The constant excess of food and food choices causes over 75% of students to feel guilty, unhappy, and lethargic about not only eating food but also by their insatiable need for food. Students at SCU are not content with eating three balanced meals. They constantly want more. Coincidentally, eating more in turn adds to more unpleasant feelings. Like so many things, more just doesn't ever seem to be enough.
Students unable to control their eating habits in college during their first year tend to experience the phenomenon called the "Freshman 15". This combined with newly found independence on food choice and social habits causes women and men alike to gain weight during their first year of college. On average 51% to 72% of freshman gained weight over their freshman year (Smith). Gaining weight is not limited to first year college students only, but rather can be applied to all college students. All college students are at risk of gaining "an average of [6.6 pounds] of body weight per year" (Hoffman). Excess food at colleges leads to an increase in students' weight, which can harm their physical and emotional health and is often accompanied by unhappiness.
At Santa Clara, there are students who must take out loans because their parents are not able to cover all the costs, and, as a result, many of these students work during the year to pay off their loans. Then there are students whose families can afford the tuition, providing their child with the alleviation of stress of working to pay off loans. Based on a survey taken of a group of Santa Clara freshmen, about 47% needed financial aid to be able to attend, and 30% received the financial aid they needed. On top of that, 76% of the students did not have to take out student loans. This shows that despite the high price of this university, many families are wealthy enough to fully support their kids and let them focus on school instead of forcing them to also get a job during the school year. Also, 11% of these students needed on or off campus jobs, and about 50% of the kids are getting a monthly allowance. Despite Santa Clara's large endowment, the cost of school is still very high.
In the same survey, SCU students have revealed that tuition isn't the only expensive thing they face in their daily lives. Their favorite brands of clothing are among Polo Ralph Lauren, Lulu Lemon, Brandy Melville, J Crew, Urban Outfitters, Free People, and Nike. What we wear might not be necessary to some to display status, but to others like Christian Hellmers, a freshman student at SCU, "our status isn't necessarily directly correlated to what we wear, but there are trends that many kids follow which may give off the impression of what clothes are popular." Let's be honest. You might not want to spend 100 bucks on a pair of trendy jeans. Then again, there's that little voice in our heads that say, "But just think of who will look at you."
No matter which college campus you set foot on, you will be surrounded by technology: students using their ID cards to buy food, others texting their friends on their phones, and some doing work on their laptops. This is what is out in the open; behind the closed doors of the dorms, lies the various gaming systems and social networking sites on which countless hours are spent. We have become so reliant on technology, that it has become normal to let it control us. Our technology usage has become excessive with the fact that a "recent survey concluded that on average, an adult … checks his or her phone over 150 times a day" (Cleverley). Our obsession with technology is detrimental to communicating effectively with each other when face to face. With our reliance on communication through computers and cell phones, "social skills, speaking confidence, and non-verbal gestures will be replaced with abbreviated acronyms and emoticons"(Cleverley).
While the negative effects of striving for excess are certainly clear through today's experiences with food, technology, and money, the line between obsessing over what we want, and actually being content with what we already have, blurs when we consider the positive effects of goal setting resulting from personal ambition. The American culture's high standards of living is an example of how advancements that were made through striving for a better life have directly resulted in a plethora of advancements. We wouldn't have efficiently traveling cars without first having carriages, and convenient smartphone texting before starting out with old-fashioned handwritten letters. Striving for more has actually allowed humans to progress further than ever before. These technological advancements were only achievable through individuals' dedication to innovation and an understanding that people desired more than what they already had.
This idea that striving for more encourages negativity and dissatisfaction with one's life further blurs when we take our own lives and modern day philanthropists into consideration. In a survey done around Santa Clara University regarding feelings of contentment and the process of striving for more, the results proved that while many people are discontent with their lives and are choosing to strive for more, there are some who are also extremely content (Aspiras). Interviewees said setting goals and subsequently achieving them brought them contentment(Tenorio and Huber). What's interesting to note is that these goals were set on a day by day basis and followed a constant recurrent pattern. The goals that the interviewees set were relatively small daily achievements in comparison to larger end result goals. It seems that contentment is more about the small, daily challenges and achievements, and less about grandiose dreams.
Still, philanthropists often have big, grandiose dreams to change the world. They often aim to further social causes in order to positively impact their local or national community. This specific process of striving to fight social injustices, therefore, causes positive interaction within the world and is beneficial to individuals in a community. It might bring happiness simply because it's not personal. A big dream for your betterment may not be the same as a big dream for the betterment of others–at least when it comes to happiness. Through the actions of philanthropists like Oprah Winfrey and Bill and Melinda Gates, it is clear that being ambitious by setting goals produces an environment that is conducive to a positive attitude and an influential life. However, even though we can reflect on our own choices and understand that philanthropists are able to donate to worthy social causes for the improvement of human life, there are still some other factors to consider when arguing over the effects of striving for more.
Cars, cell phones, and medical miracle drugs are devices that have helped our lives become better, longer, and more productive. However, this newer and better technology comes with a curse. The best technology is reserved for those who can afford it, essentially capitalizing it into a rich reward system. And it recirculates; as children grow up in environments that are either luxurious or impoverished, they become polarized in their perspectives on the usage of technology. This not only provokes socioeconomic differences, but also perpetuates (and is perpetuated by) capitalism (Lynn 1). Indeed, top companies often target their 'innovations' for the middle class and above–that's where the money is, right? This has led to increased competition for companies that target the opposite demographic: frugal, minimal, and lower-class volume seeking companies like Nokia. However, some advancements in technology, like medicine, are held back from the lower class because of income and America's private health care system. Other developed countries with socialized health care can provide top notch care with the newest drugs and state-of-the-art medical devices. With so much funding into biotechnology and biomolecular engineering, shouldn't the mission be to allow everyone to afford it? And if you're poor and can't afford health care, you can understand why striving to be rich is a reasonable goal.
The constant search for knowledge and innovation has created a tunnel-vision where ethics, happiness, and simplicity are often a second priority. Humans, as 'Wisdom Kings' desperately try to reach a full potential, are eagerly seeking the future (Margaret 2). Yet, the more wires we attach to our lives, the more stressed we become with complexities of daily life. Isn't technology supposed to make our lives easier? How about safer? Guns and weapons of mass destruction are ethically cloudy in inherent purpose as well as actual use. Weapons, even when holstered in a belt or a silo, have historically created tensions with sanctions, power, greed, and dominance proportional to the length of the sticks. Not only have we developed a dependence on technology, but also as a side effect developed a dependence on the stimulation of discovery. More stimulation leads to needing more stimulation, keeping us on the fast track whether we like it or not.
Even the Internet can be dangerous. The fact that there are clinics that specialize in the psychological treatment of computer-based addictions, such as the Center for Online and Internet Addiction in Pennsylvania is testament that the things we use, we often use to excess (Griffiths).
Take cell phone. Sure, they are undoubtedly considered an essential tool in our lives. Without them, we would feel lost, disconnected, a step behind all of their peers. But when is it too much? According to the Morningside Recovery Rehabilitation Center, the average American spends 144 minutes a day using their phone (Borreli). Nearly two and a half hours, or 10.4% of the average American's time is spent staring at a screen, and for what? If we took just thirty minutes of this time to exercise instead of responding to a text right away, American society would be much healthier and happier. More directly damaging is the fact that cell phone usage while driving a vehicle accounts for 23% of car crashes in the United States (Borreli). This use of phones is directly hurting and killing Americans through excessive use of what we dub a basic essential of our lives. Moreover, those who have smartphones often have to enter binding contracts with service providers leading to more stress. There are fees and penalties for using excessive data which is the lifeblood of smartphones. Additionally, people who use smartphones are always thinking about the newest version of what they already have.
Everyone loves food. Wouldn't you love to go to your favorite place to eat every single day, and get whatever your heart desires, even if it is the most expensive thing on the menu? The real question here is, do you really need to? According to nbcnews.com, it is now evident that "Americans spend nearly half of their food budget eating out" (Young). Eating out too much is not necessarily a bad thing. However, when a large fraction of money goes to Taco Bell instead of a healthier place such as the grocery store, that's when one starts to worry. Furthermore, we as Americans have no limits with our food, constantly giving in to our desires for more to eat. For example, something that was as simple as a slice of pizza, has now evolved into an ideal creation that gets "more fanciful with newer and newer toppings" (Nandy). Nowadays, you can get pizzas such as a Hawaiian Pizza, one that has ham and pineapple on it, or one could go as far as getting over five toppings and ordering "the King Arthur's Supreme at Round Table Pizza" (roundtablepizza.com). Simplicity has disappeared, and Americans are faced with the dilemma of food getting more and more complex. As food continues to change, so do we, as we constantly strive for more and more, until we eventually want too much.
Nowadays, most Americans typically eat food that is already pre-prepared for them, or in other words food that is not healthy because it is not made with natural ingredients. Processed foods are on the rise, and Americans have "nearly doubled the amount of processed foods that they ate thirty years ago" (Lovelady). Processed foods are beneficial for people who are financially struggling in terms of today's economy, due to the low cost in price, and this has become evident in supermarkets, restaurants, and many other stores nationwide. Also, processed foods contain trans-fats, which are the "worst type of fats… they raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol" (mayoclinic.org). The main reason why Americans continuously consume so many trans-fats is because they are in so many processed foods, because they are known to "lengthen the shelf life of many foods" (Jones-Shoeman). The fact of the matter is that Americans are quite lazy, and if a little unhealthy substances can save a trip to the supermarket, most people are willing to take the chance of eating something unnecessary.
Obesity is a growing problem in America, and it is seriously impacting the way Americans are living their lives. Merriam-Webster defines obesity as a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body (Merriam-Webster). This condition, gained easily through excess food consumption, can become extremely detrimental to the quality of one's life. America is one of the most obese countries in the World with 69% of the adults being overweight and a whopping 36% of Americans being obese (Shah). This obesity doesn't usually come from nowhere; approximately 17% of children aged 2 to 19 years old are obese. (Shah) With a high percentage of obese children in our country, and if not careful, our generation is on its way to possibly pass the 36% of obese people that currently live in the US. Obese people have to deal with a lot of challenges in life, including not being able to perform daily activities such as walking, but the issue that haunts them the most is the health issues they encounter.
The health problems that obese individuals face are vast. These problems include: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea, strokes, cancer, kidney disease, fatty liver disease, pregnancy problems, etc. (Shah). Many of these are due to an excess consumption of food that can easily cause death. Many of these diseases can alter someone's life by putting him or her into a wheelchair, crutches, or even a motorized vehicle. But the health concerns are one thing. The daily physical and emotional challenges someone faces who is obese can be downright terrible. If you are lucky enough to be thin, just imagine how carrying around an extra fifty or even 100 pounds might change your life. We often fail to notice the things we've grown accustomed to. Eating Cheetos and cheeseburgers tastes great in the moment. But the effects slowly chip away at our bodies and our minds.
Not only does obesity hurt the health of US citizens, it also severely damages their wallets and more importantly the wallet of America. Obesity costs the US 21% of the National Health Care budget, which turns out to be about 190 billion dollars annually (Shah) and 14 billion dollars of that budget is spent solely on childhood obesity. These mind-boggling facts about obesity really make us students step back and look at obesity from a much more serious and concerned perspective both financially and physically. Obesity is not something that should be taken lightly, and food is, unfortunately, not the only thing that is (consumed) used in excess in America.
Although it can be hard to go through a breakup or traumatizing event, emotional eating is not the answer. "Emotional eating is eating for reasons other than hunger," says Jane Jakubczak, a registered dietitian at the University of Maryland (Feature). In college, I hear a lot of girls talking about emotional eating, but I never understood how much science was behind the term and how dangerous it can be. "Instead of the physical symptom of hunger initiating the eating, an emotion triggers the eating," Jakubczak claims (Feature). Due to this non-natural symptom of hunger, people excessively eat food that they think will change their moods. These foods are commonly known as comfort foods and they can be tremendously unhealthy for you. "Comfort foods are foods a person eats to obtain or maintain a feeling," says Brian Wansink, PhD, director of the Food and Brand Lab at the University of Illinois (Feature). Wansink also adds that "comfort foods are often associated with negative moods, and indeed, people often consume them when they're down or depressed." The main food associated with comfort food is chocolate (Feature). The most obvious side effect of eating too much chocolate is calories, but other side effects include dental problems related to the high sugar content, nervousness and irritability related to the high caffeine content, and gastrointestinal discomfort related to excessive consumption over short periods of time. These side effects can really hurt emotional eaters in the long run, making the short-term happiness of snacking really a huge negative in the long term. Emotional eating is only one of the small things in life that can make you happy in the short term, but doesn't seem to be beneficial later on in one's life.
Even though receiving that pay check at the end of the week feels great, it's not a true source of happiness. Most people think that money is essential to our survival and that the more you have the happier you will be; however, having excess cash doesn't necessarily make people feel any more content in the mornings. The effect of happiness resulting from more money caps at $75,000 (Luscombe). People who make below this amount have been observed as more depressed, but for those who make $75,000 or more a year, their scale of happiness seems to plateau. Also, people quickly adjust to a higher standard of living and eventually get bored and tired of it (Frank). They have so much already that buying more and more makes the effectiveness of the product's satisfaction output less. Whenever there's an environmental shock, such as a hurricane, the wealthy tend to work out their issues with minimal loss of happiness, but in daily life, there doesn't seem to be much of a difference.
It's no surprise that many people can't handle receiving large sums of money without blowing it. It has been seen time and time again with professional athletes and lottery winners. They make a tremendous amount of money in a short period of time and consequently waste it on useless items until they have a reduced amount of money they had than before their winnings were introduced. Antoine Walker burned through $110 million; Vin Baker spent $93 million; and Mark Brunell originally made $50 million but is now $25 million in debt (Davis). All of whom were professional athletes and are now struggling financially. Also, about 70 percent of Americans who quickly win a large sum of money, such as the lottery, will lose it within a few years according to the National Endowment for Financial Education (DeLuca). Not only do we struggle with controlling our urges when we are presented with large sums of money, but we also don't gain a substantial amount of satisfaction in our daily lives as a result of an increased income.
Many dream of earning enormous sums of money and strive towards this end without regard to other factors of their daily satisfaction. The American Dream is the possibility that if you work hard enough you will be happy. Though many people cling to this traditional imagery of the American Dream—that if you work to get what you want, you will be happy—others have realized working for nothing more than accumulating wealth rarely equates to happiness. In fact, the quest for unfathomable wealth not only fails to impress our peers, but also can lead an individual into having an unsatisfied outlook on life, resulting in more unhappiness. The 2012 documentary, The Queen of Versailles follows the Siegel family and depicts exactly the idea that the extremely wealthy who continue to strive for even more money are unhappy.
The Siegel family, owners of Westgate Resorts, is attempting to build the largest single family owned home in America, deemed the Versailles house. Jackie Siegel, 30 years younger to the 78-year-old CEO of Westgate Resorts, David Siegel, explains to the cameras, "[w]e are busting at the seams!" (The Queen of Versailles) They are determined to upgrade from their 26,000 square foot mansion into a home three times as large, modeled slightly after the Palace of Versailles (Scott). Jackie, a stereotypical trophy wife, is concerned solely on appearances of the Versailles home, hoping to express the family's wealth through the exterior aesthetics of the house and frets over what paintings and furniture will decorate the interior.
Meanwhile, the 2008 recession hit David's timeshare corporation enough to cause concern for the Siegel's and lay off hundreds of Westgate employees. While Jackie exclaims, "the kids might have to go to college!" David quietly wonders if they will be able to afford college when the time comes. Jackie ignorantly continues to ask for more money and shops until she drops. She hardly notices when David tells her that she should spend less because they really will be in serious trouble if the recession continues to affect his profits much longer.
Some millionaires focus on giving money back to the community and donating to worthy causes, but Jackie Siegel decides to expand their home into the largest building owned by a single family which includes ten kitchens, thirty bathrooms, tennis courts, and, of course, a bowling alley. Everyone remembers the days when we fantasized about making enough money to afford our dream house, but seeing the reality of the ridiculously wealthy lifestyle alarms us more than causes us envy. Reviews of the documentary show how a variety of Americans react to the intriguing, yet disturbing images relayed directly from the lives of the top 1%. Most reviewers are "largely entertained" by the hilarious ignorance and hubris displayed by various members of the Siegel clan (Rotten Tomatoes). This goes to show money in and of itself won't be buying respect anytime soon.
Cars are universally a symbol for American ingenuity and exponential improvement of technology. Every American has been in a car, and nearly every American family owns at least one car (Chase). They are an integral part of our lives that allow us to work and live in separate places, take vacations, get around quickly, and do things in the spur of the moment. While these are positive things, excessive use of cars is detrimental to us and the planet as a whole. While we have all heard of arguments against motor vehicles because of harmful emissions and excessive use of gasoline, it doesn't end there.
Americans spend excessive amounts of time in their cars which deprives them of valuable exercise and often takes away an opportunity to form human relationships. For example, the average American worker who commutes to work sits in traffic when they could be at home spending valuable time with their families. This excessive use of cars leads to unnecessarily congested city streets, highways, and automobile accidents which causes direct injuries. The nature of the obsolescence employed by car manufactures inherently creates dissatisfaction from the owners of cars. An American driver buys a car one year, only to see a newer, better version of their car come on the market just a handful of months later. This can create a cycle of wanting and striving. For the last century, motor vehicles have driven America into its position as an economic and social powerhouse, but at a great cost to many of those who buy them.
In 2008, the housing market in the United States crashed. Similar to other collapses that have challenged the American economy (The Great Depression, The Panic of 1893, etc), the world economy was in jeopardy. How could something so terrible have happened? In our modern times, it seems like there should have been warning signs that would have predicted the downfall. So what happened?
Credit default swaps were invented. Credit default swaps are essentially insurance against the collapsed company bonds (Davidson). CDS, as they are known, became a very dangerous tool. As Credit Default Swaps are insurance bonds, and companies rarely collapse, "…that's zero money down and a profit limited only by how many you can sell" (Davidson). So in essence, companies were selling insurance against something that was unlikely to happen and would in the short term gain a profit. Excess was so easy that some companies did not have a backup plan if and when things went wrong. Something did go wrong.
Enter a new character in our play: AIG. AIG was a CDS broker. While most companies would buy and sell CDS, AIG would only sell them. The last element in the equation comes in the form of the American homeowners. Picture a middle-class family. This family sees a very
nice house that is far out of their price range. Desire and sometimes even greed tells them they need it, and banks give them the money to buy it through tricky terms like CDO's and MBS's. But people skipped over the fact that they could not afford such houses. So people began to default on their debt and soon, "mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations became nearly worthless. Suddenly that seemingly low-risk event-an actual bond default-was happening daily. "The banks and hedge funds selling CDSs were no longer taking in free cash; they were having to pay out big money" (Davidson). AIG did not have enough money to cover the defaults and defaulted themselves. As a result, all the banks that had bought insurance from them were left up a creek and unable to keep money moving around the economy. This reverberated around the world and the global economy threatened to shut down.
Thus it became a reality that American consumerism and the desire for excess threatened not only the country, but the world at large. The greed of the consumer combined with the greed of the banks, which then combined with the greed of CDS brokers. This combined greed almost crashed not only the American economy, but the global economy. Our culture, which encouraged Americans to spend money they did not have, nearly demolished the economy which we had spent so much time and effort to make a global force. While there were many factors which led to the recession and it is certainly easy to blame the banks who were lending out faulty loans and taking advantage of the people's lack of foresight, it was the American people who wanted these loans in the first place and forced a lifestyle which was beyond their means. Of course, it wasn't all their fault. How can you blame someone for wanting a better a life, especially when there were all those "financial experts" out there telling them they deserve it and can afford it? Sure, there is nothing wrong with the pursuit of the American dream, yet when it is coupled with a sense of entitlement and a disregard for limits, it can lead to disaster. Therefore, it is time for our culture to grow more aware and become cognizant of the effect which each individual can have. We now live in a time of interconnectedness, and it is the responsibility of all of us to know the consequences of what some of our excessive wants have on those who are still in need.
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Hill, Graham. Graham Hill: Less stuff, more happiness. TED. N.p., Feb. 2011. Web. 5 Apr. 2014. <http://www.ted.com/talks/graham_hill_less_stuff_more_happiness#t-256482>.
Hoffman DJ, Policastro P, Quick V, Lee SK. Changes in body weight and fat mass of men and women in the first year of college: a study of the "Freshman 15." J Am Coll Health. 2006;55:41–45
New Oxford American Dictionary. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Oxford Dictionaries. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/choose?q=choose>.
The Queen of Versailles. Dir. Lauren Greenfield. Perf. David and Jackie Siegel. Magnolia Pictures and Evergreen Pictures, 2012. Netflix
Renscher, Ann. College and Eating Habits. Apr. 2014. Raw data. Santa Clara University, Santa Clara.
Rotten Tomatoes "The Queen of Versailles (2012)." The Queen of Versailles. Rotten Tomatoes, 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. <http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_queen_of_versailles/>.
Scott, A. O. "Let Them Eat Crow." The New York Times. The New York Times, 19 July 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/20/movies/review-the-queen-of-versailles-by-lauren-greenfield.html?_r=0&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1397153211-J7f6mTRmdYtMiV/6NZOZ7Q>.
Smith-Jackson, Terisue, and Justine J. Reel. "Freshmen Women and the "Freshman 15": Perspectives on Prevalence and Causes of College Weight Gain." Journal of American College Health 60.1 (2012): 14-20. Print.
Tenorio, Kristiana. Personal Interview. 20 April. 2014.
Huber, Jack. Personal Interview. 18 April. 2014.
This Is Water. Dir. Matthew Freidell. Prod. Allie Dunning and Jeremy Dunning. By David Foster
Wallace. Youtube. N.p., 30 Oct. 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKYJVV7HuZw>.
Shah, Anup. "Effects of Consumerism." Global Issues: Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All.
International Press Agency, 10 Aug. 2005. Web. 06 Apr. 2014.
DeAngelis, Tori. "Consumerism and Its Discontents." http://www.apa.org. American Psychological Association, June 2004. Web. 04 Apr. 2014.
Jacobs, Gregg D., Dr. "Consumerism, Happiness and Health." Consumerism, Happiness and Health. Truestar Health Inc., 2014. Web. 05 Apr. 2014.
Busch, Michael. "Adam Smith and Consumerism's Role in Happiness: Modern Society
Re-examined." Major Themes in Economics Spring (2008): 65-77. University of Northern Iowa College of Business Administration. University O Northern Iowa, Spring 2008. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
Carter, David M. "The Psychology of Consumerism." Get Rich Slowly: Personal Finance That Makes Cents. Getrichslowly.org, 8 June 2011. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
Lane, Robert E. "The Road Not Taken: Friendship, Consumerism, and Happiness." Taylor and Francis Online. Routledge: Taylorand Francis Group, 6 Mar. 2008. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.
Arne, Brekke K., Howarth B. Richard, and Nyborg Karine. "Status-seeking and Material Affluence: Evaluating the Hirsch Hypothesis." Ecological Economics. By Charles Perrings. Vol. 45 (1). Los Angeles: SAGE, 2008. 29-39. OneSearch. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
Banks, Ryan. "Happiness Is Not a Destination. It Is a Way of Life." Flickr. Yahoo!, 24 Apr. 2011. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/ryanbanks_photog/5650274352/>.
Kennelly, Stacey. "Greater Good." Happiness Is about Respect, Not Riches. N.p., 13 July 2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2014. <http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/happiness_is_about_respect_not_riches>.
"Obesity." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
Shah, Anup. "Obesity." Global Issues. N.p., 21 Nov. 2010. Web. 5 Apr. 2014.
Feature, Heather HatfieldWebMD. "Emotional Eating: Feeding Your Feelings." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2014.
"What's Your Fuel?." Photo. thebyrdfeeder.blogspot.com/. 27 Mar. 2014. 14 Apr. 2014.
Davis, Noah. "An Athlete and His Money Are Soon to Part." GQ. N.p., 2 Apr. 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://www.gq.com/sports/guides/201204/athletes-millionaires-bankrupt-spending>.
Frank, Robert H. "Luxury Fever: Why Money Fails To Satisfy in an Era of Excess." The Mises Review. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014. <https://mises.org/misesreview_detail.aspx?control=149>.
Luscombe, Belinda. "Do We Need $75,000 a Year to Be Happy?" Time. Time Inc., 06 Sept. 2010. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C2019628%2C00.html>.
DeLuca, Matthew. "What Could Happen to You: Tales of Big Lottery Winners." NBC News. N.p., 17 May 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/17/18323470-what-could-happen-to-you-tales-of-big-lottery-winners?lite>.
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"Diseases and Conditions." Trans fat: Avoid this cholesterol double whammy. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/trans-fat/art-20046114>.
Jones-Shoeman, Cindy. "Why People like Processed Foods." naturalnews.com. N.p., 25 Mar. 2011. Web. 14 Apr 2014. <http://www.naturalnews.com/031830_processed_foods_consumers.html>.
Lovelady, Sara. "The Rise of Processed Foods." juiceplus.com. N.p., 19 Jul 2013. Web. 14 Apr 2014. <http://www.juiceplus.com/content/JuicePlus/en/community/2013/07/the_rise_of_processe.html>
Nandy, Pritish. "Welcome to the age of excess." Facebook Developers. N.p., 15 Nov. 2009. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/extraordinaryissue/entry/welcome-to-the-age-of?cp=2>.
"Round Table Pizza | Menu." . N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <http://www.roundtablepizza.com/rtp/menu.asp?ftype=specialty>.
Young, Lisa R.. "By any other name, it's still a supersize." msnbc.com. N.p., 19 Oct. 2007. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://www.nbcnews.com/id/20825325/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/t/any-other-name-its-still-supersize/>.
"." . N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://static.planetminecraft.com/files/resource_media/screenshot/1216/36fa4761-1ded-494b-a56e-b8258ce5cae2weird-people-fat-guy-eating-huge-ha_2061822.jpg>.
Farell, Dennis. Oprah opening the Leadership Academy for Girls school in Africa. 2007.
Sauder, Michael, Freda Lynn, and Joel M. Podolny. "Status: Insights from Organizational Sociology." Annual Review of Sociology 38.1 (2012): 267-83. Print.
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Boyd, Krissy. N.p., n.d. Web.


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Tales from our travels

subset: commoncrawl


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Greg Boyer (born September 25, 1958) is an American trombonist known for performing with many successful R&B and funk bands.
...he quit school after his third semester and soon joined Parliament/Funkadelic in 1978. He played with them until his retirement from the group in 1996, along the way also playing with Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers between tours.
...he hit the road again with funky sax legend Maceo Parker
In 2002 after being spotted playing with Maceo, he got a call from Prince to join his NPG Band, with he is now trombonist/horn arranger. Along with the aforementioned, the list of artists/groups he has recorded and played with reads as follows: Sheila E, Bootsy Collins, Gap Band, Stanley Clarke, Hank Williams, Jr, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kid Rock, Buddy Guy, Steve Tyler, Mike Phillips, RAD. Richard Smallwood, Third World, Israel Vibrations, Patra, Crystal Waters, Dog Eat Dog and countless others.
Anche senza tradurre le frasi sopra riportate (da Wikipedia), ma solo leggendo i nomi altisonanti si ha la misura della grandezza del talento di Greg Boyer. Volendo rimanere nel tema 'Princiano' introdotto con la collaborazione di Matt Fink con NAIF, Boyer è stata la Tromba dei New Power Generation dal 2001 al 2005 dove ha incrociato la strada di Maceo Parker, Tommy Barbarella, Sonny T e Michael B ('vecchie conoscenze' della Nostra :)).
La collaborazione con NAIF di Greg Boyer (Trombone) potremo ascoltarla nel brano POCHE.


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Huawei Media Tablet
Find the best Huawei tablet prices in Pakistan. In addition to cheap tablet prices in Pakistan, Cellistan allows buyers to purchase Huawei media tablets with fast shipping and most of all, cheap prices.
Shop the best Huawei Tablet price in Pakistan.
Showing the single result
Showing the single result


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I was about to ask that!
Where do you plan on going, John?
Where do you plan on going, John?
John wrote:Aw that sucks! Highschool is pretty cool. Plenty of freedom.
Soon though, it's college for me. >.>
Hey Soul, what college do you go to again?
John wrote:Haha, sure would be cool to.
But my plans are more drifted towards the east coast.
Maybe someday though, it's all possible.
SoulRed12 wrote:So what're the plans for these new boards? Just curious because we got a great new board...but nobody's really posting in it to fill it up. Also when does everyone get out of school? I assume at that point we'll all have more time to hang around.
I'm already done with school XD Just got done with my last final this Wednesday. Three months until I have to go back to that place...!


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Posts Tagged 'Informa'
Informa stands by Ipex 2014
In the face of yet another major exhibitor pulling out of Ipex2014 this month with Mimaki's withdrawal, the event's organiser Informa Exhibitions is standing by its quadrennial trade show, with a letter to the industry heralding its determination to continue with the UK event.
In a joint release, Ipex2014 director Trevor Crawford (pictured) and Informa Exhibitions managing director, Peter Hall, said:
"Ipex will take place in London in 2014. We stand firmly by our mission: to provide today's printer and their customers with the ideas, insights and solutions to effectively promote the power of print and its integration in the marketing mix," they said in a joint letter.
"We all understand that print is experiencing some change – economic, technological, social, and environmental. Events that represent print – such as Ipex – have to adapt and reflect those shifts. When an event takes place every four years, that degree of change can appear dramatic. In fact, it's simply that a cyclical event like this pulls together the incremental changes that happened over that time period and concentrates them into one experience.
"Industries that are in flux have to re-evaluate themselves. They need to be brave and find the clarity to focus on what is valuable and should be developed. This is exactly what our customers and their customers are doing. The same goes for us as an event brand."
Informa Exhibitions says it expect 80 per cent of Ipex 2014 visitors to be commercial printers, whether in print litho, digital, or from a mix of complementary processes, with the company remaining determined to keep commercial printers at the heart of the event – despite the move to broaden Ipex's scope to include new digital, print and marketing communications technology.
"As always, we're putting commercial printers right at the heart of Ipex," the letter said. "We surveyed more than 1600 printers worldwide to ask them how Ipex could continue to be relevant to their needs. We've taken that research on board to shape our planning. We're committed to delivering an event that will help printers from all over the world to adapt to these changes and build for the future. Ipex will be the only event in 2014 that brings together the whole international print supply chain to learn, network and do business.
"Printers are looking to Ipex for vital leadership and guidance. They need a neutral environment, not controlled by a single manufacturer, where they can find the time and space to assess and absorb the changes and opportunities around them. We will provide them with a wealth of world-class content through initiatives such as the World Print Summit.
"Ipex is a year away. We're working to deliver an event that gives printers what they need, while also attracting the people who buy print, and showing them what print is capable of, working hand in hand with other communications channels."
Informa Exhibitions has suffered a slew of withdrawals from Ipex2014, including HP, Heidelberg, Kodak, Agfa, Xerox, Komori and Canon, among others.


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RoboticDataScience - A systematic approach to data-driven decision making
What is RoboticDataScience?
Systematic approach to Data-driven Decision Making
RoboticDataScience (RDS) is a domain-aware approach of automating data science. It bridges the gap between traditional BI and modern AI. With RDS, enterprises can reduce the friction caused by the decelerators. This is achieved by automating the process of learning from the data to arrive at intelligent actions.
Using RDS, an enterprise creates core knowledge assets and understands itself better. It is able to react to changes faster while optimally deploying its human capital. Simultaneously, it is also able to provide governance around the use of exploitation of data.
Is your industry RDS ready?
Banking & Financial Services
Digital innovations are disrupting the way the banking and financial industry operates today. Modern
banking systems need to respond faster to transform their business to meet expectations of
customers. A good data strategy can assist in this.
Read More
It has become absolute necessary for manufacturing companies to derive a diligent
strategy around data so that the data generated at their machines , plants are processed and assessed
rightly and hence is useful in maintaining overall equipment effectiveness.
Read More
Telecommunications companies have managed to stay profitable by seeking revenue from
innovative ways beyond merely providing voice connectivity. Twin demands of building profitability and reducing churn can be addressed by analyzing vast customer data and devising a
sound data strategy.
Read More
The volume of data is growing exponentially in the retail space. The volume and velocity with which
the data grows is astounding. Hence, it becomes imperative for retailers to have a right data
management and analytical strategy to be a frontrunner in this competitive industry.
Read More
Oil , Gas & Energy
Large volumes of data are a fact of life in Oil, Gas and Energy industries. Data analytics has become a
hot area as oil and gas companies look to monitor drilling and production. It is very essential that
these companies use right data-driven solutions to use interpret data and achieve business success.
Read More
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Tharavu Technologies Private Limited (Operated as The Data Team)
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HAL 2nd A Stage, off 100 feet Road,
Indiranagar, Bangalore 560038
+91(44) 2254 1040


text: Walsall is a town in the West Midlands of England and lies 8 miles from Birmingham. The town has developed as an industrial centre and is also the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall. The name of the area translates to "Valley of the Welsh speakers." The town's central location in England as well as having the M6 run through the borough have contributed significantly to the development of the area.Visit Website


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Peaceful persistent pressure from the 99% gets results
On a cold and drizzly morning, hundreds of people gathered outside — and inside — Amazon's shareholder meeting today for a fair share protest calling on the giant retailer to stop dodging taxes, to treat all workers with respect, and to cut ties to the shadowy and extreme right-wing organization known as ALEC. In addition to the hundreds outside, the shareholder meeting itself drew 200 people today, more than twice as many people as have attended in past years.
As a thought bubble floated above the iconic Hammering Man saying "I wish Amazon paid its fair share", supporters of Working Washington, Washington CAN, Other 98, and Fuse Washington joined with hundreds of other concerned community members to seize the opportunity provided by the shareholder meeting to make sure that top executives from the giant retailer heard what the 99% had to say.
Showing once more the power of persistent, peaceful protest, Amazon's corporate leaders made substantial concessions at the shareholder meeting today: in response to repeated questions about Amazon's support of ALEC, corporate leaders announced they are not renewing their membership in ALEC. After months of pressure about working conditions — including an event that brought 2 workers from Amazon's Pennsylvania warehouse to speak out at their South Lake Union headquarters earlier this month — the company also announced they will invest $52 million to improve warehouse working conditions. We applaud these substantial moves towards social responsibility, and hope to see a similar change in their perspective on corporate tax loopholes in the months ahead.
"It was amazing to be there to hear these corporate executives respond to popular pressure by cutting ties to ALEC and investing in better conditions for warehouse workers. This really shows how public protest can take something they say is impossible and make it happen," said Rev. Angela Ying, a shareholder who attended the meeting and witnessed Amazon's concessions. Echoing the Hammering Man's thought bubble, Rev. Ying added: "But I still wish Amazon paid its fair share of taxes."
Amazon's major announcements come after months of growing public pressure over the giant retailer's record on workers and taxes, and their support of ALEC.
Working Washington is bringing people together to fight for a fair economy — and that means holding corporations like Amazon accountable to pay their fair share and make sure all the jobs they create are good jobs. We're taking creative, direct action to call on elected officials, big corporations, and the top 1% to do what it takes to stop the cuts to education, health care, and other services. It's time to build an economy that works for everyone, not just the top 1%. For more information, visit WorkingWa.org


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China Boosts Exports but Imports Food from the US
February 15, 2012
A US default on its debt would result in an implosion of the world's economies. At some point the US will not be able to pay interest on its debt and be forced to default and the dollar will collapse. That day may come sooner than predicted. John Williams of ShadowStats.com says the outside date for that event is 2014…
Predictions that economic bubbles would pop in an ever-growing Chinese economy have been frequent over the past 10 years. But prognosticators failed to realize that Chinese bankers are more conservative than the colleagues in the US and require 30-60% down payment on home loans. Furthermore, as China captured trillions of dollars in US money, it set much of it aside to guard against run-away inflation and to pour into the economy as the meltdown in the US economy beginning in 2008 resulted in a decline in exports from China to the US.
Certainly China over-responded to this crisis and went so far as to build whole cities that remain unoccupied. However, incomes there are simply not sufficient for people to move into these modernized communities.
China is cunning. It holds over $1 trillion in US treasury bills that may never be repaid in full value. It has begun to seek tangible wealth rather than hold US T-bills and has conducted a worldwide search to buy minerals, oil, unprecedented amounts of gold in the form of US bullion coins, or to obtain long-term contracts for the same, and to barter without using the US dollar as the medium of exchange. Marc Faber, financial commentator based in Asia, says China puts its money into building infrastructure whereas the US puts its newly printed money into consumption. American consumption also boosts China's exports.
What all the analysts missed, while they predicted the huge expansion of credit in China to result in uncontrolled inflation, was that much of China's money was covertly leaving the country, serving as a counterbalance in its economy.
Gordon Chang, a writer and commentator on Chinese affairs, wrote a largely overlooked article (just 3 posted comments on it) that was published online at Forbes.com in June of 2011. Chang's report, entitled "Chinese Entrepreneurs Are Leaving China," said wealthy Chinese are leaving the country in droves and taking their money with them. How much money? (Are you sitting down?) An estimated $2.18 trillion exited China in hidden cash transfers between 2000 and 2008. Whoa!
We know the Greeks are funneling their money into overseas banks, but that amounts to a vacuum of just $16 billion. But what is going on in China is a game changer for the whole world, especially if covert methods to move Chinese money offshore is put to a halt, as it is predicted will occur sometime soon with a leadership change and accompanying financial reforms in China.
The US has benefited immensely from the entry of Chinese money into its economy. According to Chang, in the last five years there has been a 73% increase in Chinese investment to the United States. Chinese people are seen on bus tours in California, visiting real estate properties and paying the full purchase price in cash money. But just exactly how do the Chinese funnel their money out of the country?
A US real estate executive gives us a hint at the answer to this question when he said in a 2009 interview published in China Daily that he didn't think most Chinese individuals would qualify to purchase property in the US "unless the money is already here."
The Chinese have had centuries of practice to side-step government confiscation of their money. One method is to export goods from China to the US in a shipping container where, in this example, the bill of lading cites 1000 cases of widgets being shipped. But there are actually 1400 cases of widgets inside the container. The profits from the sale of 1000 cases of widgets is returned to China, but the extra 400 cases are sold and Chinese goods are converted into US money where a Chinese counterparty here in the US houses it, sometimes in Chinese banks located here in the US. This is how Chinese home buyers get their cash to buy properties at full price. Chinese families send their children to be schooled in America, and the money for their education is already in the US. None of it has been taxed by China or the US.
Chang quotes economic analyst Zhong Dajun to say: "We have been working hard to develop the economy in the past 30 years, but now these elite members of society are fleeing with the majority of the wealth." "The loss may be even higher than all the foreign investment we have attracted."
Xi Jinping is expected to become the next Party general secretary at the end of 2012 and it is rumored that the hemorrhage of money from China will be put to a halt with economic reforms. That will be a game-changing event.
China averted a flood of money hitting their economy and causing run-away inflation in part because Chinese entrepreneurs were siphoning money away overseas. Will a closure of this exit door then result in predicted inflation? My bet is the Chinese will be smart enough to dampen this threat.
China has a bigger default to face — that of the US' inability to pay back over $1 trillion China loaned to America in purchasing US Treasury bills. The Chinese know, if inflation drives up the cost of food that it must avert unrest in the streets. China could be forced to accept pennies on the dollar for these T-bills and receive its deflated money in the form of containers of grain and other foodstuffs from the US, who already supplies China with record sales of foodstuffs now.
China knows it is holding a diminishing asset in US T-bills. So does the rest of the world. The US economy keeps getting propped by its lenders. A US default on its debt would result in an implosion of the world's economies. At some point the US will not be able to pay interest on its debt and be forced to default and the dollar will collapse. That day may come sooner than predicted. John Williams of ShadowStats.com says the outside date for that event is 2014 (ShadowStats report #414). Then what?


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Won't you take me to — Uglytown?
For kids of all ages it is where you can go to ugly town and buy a nice UGLYDOLL for your kids or for yourself. Soft, fuzzy, and all so Ugly. Shop online, or go out to a retailer and find your own new friend (or Fiend).
And they would be great to have around even after Halloween! Your kids probably have other dolls, but I'd sure like to see more of these in the hands of kids today!
King Corey


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This Ham And Cheese is so easy and so tasty! ://
Rotini Pasta With Tuna
Zucchini Pizza Crust with Lemony Pea ://
Oven-roasted Hasselback Potatoes au Gratin is a rustic yet elegant dish. >> ://
If you like this post, support our efforts by letting us know in comments which recipes you are interested in, or have already tried.
For more recipe ideas, be sure to subscribe to our blog, and read more recipes here
If you would like to have your recipe featured in our daily post, send us a request to email@example.com for consideration (pending approval, fees apply).
This post may contain affiliate links.


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Fault and Educational Neglect
"Kevin Swanson is advocating for educational neglect, and then turning a blind eye to the people who say, 'no, my parents did do what you said and that's the problem.'"Read more
"Kevin Swanson is advocating for educational neglect, and then turning a blind eye to the people who say, 'no, my parents did do what you said and that's the problem.'"Read more
HSLDA attorney Mike Donnelly has withdrawn from speaking at Kevin Swanson's upcoming Gen2 Conference.Read more
In which CHEC's Kevin Swanson and Steve Vaughan teach WORLD Magazine what a "concordance" is and call homeschool alumni "Benedict Arnolds."Read more
CHEC's Kevin Swanson and Steve Vaughan on "Homeschool Educational Neglect," or how WORLD Magazine "Rages Against Homeschooling."Read more
"In WORLD's most recent print edition, their '2014 Books Issue,' the magazine features two full page ads for the biggest names in Christian Patriarchy."Read more
"I had never heard of Kevin Swason until after I got done homeschooling. That's how out of touch with the Christian homeschool movement I was during my homeschooling period. When he did a show on March 18th titled, How to Recover from Sexual Abuse, I had to listen."Read more
Ever since I can remember, my mom really really really wanted to be pregnant at the same time as me.Read more
"Kevin Swanson and Dave Bruehner have now publicly joined with Phil Robertson (in particular) and Matthew Chapman (in general) in defense of child marriage. In their latest Generations with Vision broadcast, 'Sexting and Christian Modesty,' Swanson and Bruehner mount a defense of Phil Robertson."Read more
"It seems Homeschoolers Anonymous has made an increasingly large splash in the homeschooling world. Prominent Christian homeschool leader Kevin Swanson himself felt the need to address the group in a recent broadcast on his Generations with Vision radio show. He gave it the title 'Apostate Homeschoolers.'"Read more
"If Swanson doesn't want to agree with Homeschoolers Anonymous, he should say what he disagrees with and address our arguments. I'm not all oh-he's-gotta-agree kinda gal. Just, yeah, tell me the what, why, and how you disagree. Oh yeah, that's against the fundamental code book."Read more


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Home Care in Whippany New Jersey
Whippany , N.J. is an eight-square-mile village which makes up ⅔ of the Township of Hanover (the remainder being Cedar Knolls). With it's low taxes and easy access to major highways it is a quickly growing community. If you are looking for in-home care in Whippany NJ, Assisting Hands is the best choice for premium service. Although the search for excellent in-home care can be daunting, Assisting Hands is here to help you make the right choice. To help you in your search, we have created a list of resources for seniors in Whippany NJ. Included are referrals for medical assistance, services, and some activities that are just for fun.
Are there legal requirements for home care providers in Whippany NJ?
Yes, New Jersey State Law requires that a home care provider must be licensed, bonded, and insured to operate legally. Assisting Hands follows all procedural rules such as 30 and 60 day visits conducted by a registered nurse to perform evaluations and subsequent follow ups.
Assisting Hands Home Care
513 West Mt. Pleasant Avenue
Suite 111, Livingston, NJ 07039
Phone: 973-970-2723
Businesses Serving Seniors in Whippany NJ
CVS Pharmacy
410 Nj-10
(973) 884-4960
12 Algonquin Pkwy
(973) 884-3269
Target Pharmacy
(973) 887-2162
Municipal Programs and Senior Services in Whippany NJ
Township of Hanover Senior Services
There are a number of services currently offered by the Township of Hanover including Senior Fitness, a blood pressure clinic and a Senior Club.
Events & Activities
The Senior Center in The Township of Hanover meets at noon on the first and third Wednesday of each month at the Hanover Township Community Center located at 15 N. Jefferson Road, Whippany.
Dial A Ride services are offered to Seniors and non-ambulatory disabled persons Door to door service is available. Reservations are required two weeks in advance by calling the Dial A Ride office at 973-428-2498. Vehicle is handicapped accessible.
Health & Wellness
SportsCare Institute, Inc.
SportsCare of Whippany is a state-of-the-art facility with highly skilled physical therapists. Therapists specialize in treating sport, geriatric, motor vehicle, and work-related injuries. SportsCare of Whippany is committed to providing excellent service to patients regardless of age or ailment. The staff is dedicated to assisting each patient in reaching a level of performance equal to or exceeding that prior to injury.
SportsCare of Whippany
70 Route 10 West
Whippany, NJ 07981
Phone: 973-463-1775
Fax: 973-463-1779
Blood Pressure Clinic
The Health Department offers a monthly Blood Pressure Screening Clinic the 1st Wednesday of every month from 11am – 12pm in the Lounge of the Township of Hanover Community Center 15 North Jefferson Road, Whippany. Residents over the age of 18 years are welcome to attend, no appointment necessary.
Morris County Division on Aging, Disabilities & Veterans
Morris County Housing Authority
Morris County Nutrition Project
Social Security Online
Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD)
Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program
Friendship at Heart Programs:
The Friendship at Heart Programs are co-sponsored by the County of Morris, Department of Human Services, Division on Aging, Disabilities and Veterans Services. These programs include the Telephone Reassurance Program, Friendly Visitor Program and Phone Buddies Program. These programs are free for all participants. Visit www.vmcnj.org or call the Volunteer Management Centers, Inc. at 973-538-7200 for more information.
Public Library
The Whippanong Library is located at 1000 Route 10 West. Whippany, NJ and the phone
number is (973) 428-2460. The Library offers a variety of programs including an Adults Chess Club and a Book Club.
Parks and Rec
Malapardis Park is one large park made up of two smaller ones – the lower park is off of Malapardis Road and the upper park is located off of Mountain Ave. They are connected by an eight foot bicycle and walking path and all together the park contains tennis courts, a baseball diamond, soccer field, playground, picnic benches and restrooms. Hanover Township Day is held every September on the first Saturday after Labor Day and is held at Malapardis Park.
Central Park is located at Eden Lane and S. Jefferson Rd. and sits on 40 acres of park land with approximately 13 acres dedicated to recreational activities.
Activities for Seniors in and around Whippany NJ
Whippany Railway Museum
1 Railroad Plaza, Whippany
(973) 887-8177
The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms
2352 Route 10 West, Morris Plains
(973) 540-0311
The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms is an early 20th century country estate. Sitting on 30 acres it is a unique National Historic Landmark and a wonderful opportunity to step back in time to 1911 and learn about the Arts and Crafts movement.
Religious Institutions
Christian Faith
Abundant Life Worship Center
43 S. Jefferson Rd, Hanover
(973) 463-9455
Our Lady of Mercy Church
9 Parsippany Road, Whippany
(973) 887-0050
Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church
60 North Jefferson Road, Whippany
(973) 887-3616
First Presbyterian Church
494 NJ-10, Whippany
(973) 887-2197
Church of Living Grace of New Jersey
800 Jefferson Rd, Parsippany
(973) 887-2970
Church of Christ
270 Whippany Rd. #2, Whippany
(973) 887-4186
Jewish Faith
Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest NJ
901 NJ-10, Whippany
(973) 929-3000
Temple Beth AM
879 S. Beverwyck Rd., Parsippany
(973) 887-0046
Temple Beth Shalom
193 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave, Livingston
(973) 992-3600


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A corporate chieftain and an energy researcher have canvassed for the deployment of innovative power infrastructure for solutions.
Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran, Managing Director of UAC Property Development Company, stated that the power sector in general, and alternative power generation and distributed energy system, in particular, are vital in helping Nigeria move from recession to economic stability.
Ogunniran stated this at the Seventh Edition of the Alternative Power Exhibition in Lagos,
said, that the only way out required in the power sector was to leapfrog into creative alternative energy sources and make it available to Nigerians to tap into for sustainable power.


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Dan the Musicman 480-235-0113 or email@example.com
Summer is here in all its glory and heat. My body has a natural cooling system and it works quite well...so I sweat a lot!
Looks like Ukulele Ray and Kokonutz could take off and provide more work for the fall. I'm still getting to know the guys...so its one day at a time. I'm excited about getting a group together that can play tropical music, I've always loved playing calypso, reggae style, and beleive there is a large market for the music, so I've got my fingers crossed.
The Open Mic is doing well...very unpredictable, but I like the variety..."life is like a bowl of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get." I have maybe 2 or 3 regulars, but there are always different people coming in. I love meeting and chatting with everyone.
Categories: None
Oops, you forgot something.
The words you entered did not match the given text. Please try again.


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If you need to change a policy's insurer, product or plan name, then starting from the Main Menu…
Insurer Or Product Does Not Appear In Drop-down
When using the drop-downs, as shown above, if you cannot find the insurer or plan that you require you should click the "Setup…" button between the "Insurer name" and the "Plan name" fields. This will take you to the Product Set-up screen (see "Set-up, Products"). After you've created the product you require, when you exit you'll automatically return to the scrolling Policies screen, with your newly created product pre-selected.
Whereas you can change a policy's insurer, product and plan, you cannot change the fundamental type. This is because a pension, for example, is fundamentally different from a mortgage or motor policy.


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At Affordable Care Veterinary Clinic, we strive to offer the best care possible for your beloved pets. We offer routine care, dentistry, dermatology, spaying, neutering and advanced surgery. Our doctors and staff will care for your pet as if they were their very own. So we invite you to visit us at 3520 Marion Avenue in Finleyville to see for yourself the professional care and attention that we offer each patient.
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The British Drilling Association (BDA) is the UK's trade association for the ground drilling industry.
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The 50 Highest-Grossing Film Franchises of All Time (No.12 - 10)
Posted 2017/09/07 2163 0
If you have plenty of time, why not check out these most popular franchises? In this article, we will take a look at the Shrek, Despicable Me and Jurassic Park franchises.
12. Shrek
Films: 5 / Total: $3,547,384,012
Shrek (2001) - $491,812,794
Once upon a time, in a far away swamp, there lived an ogre named Shrek (Mike Myers) whose precious solitude is suddenly shattered by an invasion of annoying fairy tale characters. They were all banished from their kingdom by the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). Determined to save their home, not to mention his, Shrek cuts a deal with Farquaad and sets out to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) to be Farquaad's bride. Rescuing the Princess may be small compared to her deep, dark secret.
Shrek 2 (2004) - $937,008,132
After returning from their honeymoon and showing home movies to their friends, Shrek and Fiona learn that her parents have heard that she has married her true love and wish to invite him to their kingdom, called Far Far Away. The catch is: Fiona's parents are unaware of the curse that struck their daughter and have assumed she married Prince Charming, not a 700-pound ogre with horrible hygiene and a talking donkey pal.
Shrek the Third (2007) - $807,330,936
When King Harold suddenly croaks, Shrek (Mike Myers) learns he will have to rule the land of Far, Far Away, unless he can find a suitable heir to the throne. The most-promising candidate is Princess Fiona's (Cameron Diaz) cousin Artie (Justin Timberlake), a teenage slacker in a medieval high-school. Shrek and his trusted companions, Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas), set out to bring Artie back but find their mission is a bigger challenge than they expected.
Shrek Forever After (2010) - $756,244,673
Long-settled into married life and fully domesticated, Shrek (Mike Myers) begins to long for the days when he felt like a real ogre. Duped into signing a contract with devious Rumpelstiltskin, he finds himself in an alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin rules, and he and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) have never met. Shrek must find a way out of the contract to restore his world and reclaim his true love.
Puss in Boots (2011) - $554,987,477
Long before meeting Shrek, Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas), just named a hero for saving a woman from a charging bull, is run out of town on suspicion of bank robbery, even though the real villain is Puss' friend, Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis). Though there is still animosity between them, Puss and Humpty reunite to steal a goose that lays golden eggs. Joining them for the adventure of nine lifetimes is notorious cat burglar, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek).
11. Despicable Me
Films: 4 / Total: $3,632,072,662
Despicable Me (2010) - $543,495,033
A man who delights in all things wicked, supervillain Gru (Steve Carell) hatches a plan to steal the moon. Surrounded by an army of little yellow minions and his impenetrable arsenal of weapons and war machines, Gru makes ready to vanquish all who stand in his way. But nothing in his calculations and groundwork has prepared him for his greatest challenge: three adorable orphan girls (Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Elsie Fisher) who want to make him their dad.
Despicable Me 2 (2013) - $975,216,835
Now that Gru (Steve Carell) has forsaken a life of crime to raise Margo, Agnes and Edith, he's trying to figure out how to provide for his new family. As he struggles with his responsibilities as a father, the Anti-Villain League, an organization dedicated to fighting evil, comes calling. The AVL sends Gru on a mission to capture the perpetrator of a spectacular heist, for who would be better than the world's greatest ex-villain to capture the individual who seeks to usurp his power.
Minions (2015) - $1,167,245,366
Evolving from single-celled yellow organisms at the dawn of time, Minions live to serve, but find themselves working for a continual series of unsuccessful masters, from T. Rex to Napoleon. Without a master to grovel for, the Minions fall into a deep depression. But one minion, Kevin, has a plan; accompanied by his pals Stuart and Bob, Kevin sets forth to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow. Their search leads them to Scarlet Overkill, the world's first-ever super-villainess.
Despicable Me 3 (2017) - $946,115,428
The mischievous Minions hope that Gru will return to a life of crime after the new boss of the Anti-Villain League fires him. Instead, Gru decides to remain retired and travel to Freedonia to meet his long-lost twin brother for the first time. The reunited siblings soon find themselves in an uneasy alliance to take down the elusive Balthazar Bratt, a former 1980s child star who seeks revenge against the world.
10. Jurassic Park
Films: 4 / Total: $3,694,992,176
Jurassic Park (1993) - $1,038,812,584
In Steven Spielberg's massive blockbuster, paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) are among a select group chosen to tour an island theme park populated by dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA. While the park's mastermind, billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), assures everyone that the facility is safe, they find out otherwise when various ferocious predators break free and go on the hunt.
The Lost World (1997) - $618,638,999
John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) summons chaos theorist Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) to his home with some startling information, while nearly everything at his Jurassic Park had been destroyed, his engineers happened to have a second site, where other dinosaurs were kept in hiding. It seems the dinosaurs on the second island are alive and well and even breeding; and Hammond wants Malcolm to observe and document the reptiles before Hammond's financiers can get to them.
Jurassic Park III (2001) - $365,900,000
After being persuaded by a wealthy businessman to conduct an aerial tour of Isla Sorna, InGen's second site for a failed Jurassic Park experiment, Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) discovers the true reason for his invitation. A tragic accident maroons the party of seven, and they must attempt to escape with their lives.
Jurassic World (2015) - $1,671,640,593
Located off the coast of Costa Rica, the Jurassic World luxury resort provides a habitat for an array of genetically engineered dinosaurs, including the vicious and intelligent Indominus rex. When the massive creature escapes, it sets off a chain reaction that causes the other dinos to run amok. Now, it's up to a former military man and animal expert (Chris Pratt) to use his special skills to save two young brothers and the rest of the tourists from an all-out, prehistoric assault.


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"Array BioPharma (Nasdaq: ARRY) today announced top-line results from Part 2 of the Phase 3 COLUMBUS study evaluating binimetinib, a MEK inhibitor, and encorafenib, a BRAF inhibitor, in patients with BRAF-mutant advanced, unresectable or metastatic melanoma. The primary analysis of Part 2 compared progression free survival (PFS) in patients treated with binimetinib 45mg twice daily plus encorafenib 300mg daily (COMBO300) to patients treated with encorafenib 300mg daily as a single agent. The median PFS for patients treated with COMBO300 was 12.9 months compared to 9.2 months for patients treated with single agent encorafenib, with HR of 0.77 [95% CI 0.61-0.97, p=0.029]. COMBO300 was generally well-tolerated and reported dose intensity and adverse events were consistent with COMBO450 results in COLUMBUS Part 1. Part 2 was designed specifically to assess the contribution of binimetinib to the combination of binimetinib and encorafenib by reducing the dose of encorafenib to 300mg in the combination arm to allow for a comparison of equal doses across arms. Further results from Part 2 will be presented at a medical meeting during the second half of 2017."
If you're wondering whether this story applies to your own cancer case or a loved one's, we invite you to use our ASK Cancer Commons service.


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The Mission section contains a free online catalogue illustrating the use of organizational mission statements in practice by organizations from around the world. Registered users can explore, bookmark and comment on hundreds of referenced online resources that contain examples of mission statements, used as management tools in actual business context.
Sustainability / Green Energy
Green energy includes the provision of energy such that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable energy sources are most often regarded as including all renewable sources, such as biofuels, solar power, wind power, wave power, geothermal power and tidal power. KPIs focus on the use of new ways to generate energy and the increase in efficiency.
Mission statement reports
Select your Mission statement from the reports listed below:
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The statement:
"Dissemination of Information - Pertinent information will be disseminated to appropriate stakeholders in a timely and efficient manner."


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Modern Luxury Living Room Interior 3dmax Model - Free Download
Free Download Modern Luxury Living Room Interior 3dmax Model in .Zip archive file – No6289. Thousands free 3dmax models Living Room in high quality 3d models for download.
File information
Category:3D Interior Scenes
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M&S Farming for the Future Award
True Taste Awards
Now in their 11th year, Wales the True Taste Food & Drink Awards have established themselves as an exacting benchmark of quality and taste. One tie that loops all competitors together is the passion and commitment for producing their products for consumers to enjoy and come back for more.
Gold Award – Export Success
Silver Award – Capestone Organic Whole Chicken
Silver Award – Capestone's Paradise Loin of Lamb with 5 Fruit Stuffing.
Bronze Award – Spatchcock Poussin Marinated in Four Pepper & Anglesey Sea Salt
2012 comments:
Countryside Alliance Awards
As one of our proudest accolades so far, this prestigious award reflects the overall ambition, dedication and generations of life-long commitment from the Scale Family and wonderful team.
Regional Champion – Wales
Pig and Poultry Awards
Winning such a prestigious award as this has been one of the many highlights of Capestone so far.
Poultry Producer of the Year – Winner
Processor of the Year – Commended


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Joining Barry M's popular range of Flawless foundations, create the perfect makeup base with Barry M's new smoothing and pore minimising Flawless Primers. The silky, oil-free serums are infused with Vitamin E to keep makeup looking fresher for longer. In Original (with soothing Willow exact), Brightening (with Hibiscus for an even skin tone) & Colour-Correcting (with calming cucumber) formulations, there's a Barry M Flawless Primer for everyone!
Our Payment Service Provider is Sage Pay (formerly Protx) – the largest independent payment service provider (PSP) in the UK and Ireland.
Sage Pay provides a secure payment gateway (Level 1 PCI DSS), processing payments for thousands of online businesses, including ours. It is Sage Pay's utmost priority to ensure that transaction data is handled in a safe and secure way. Sage Pay uses a range secure methods such as fraud screening, I.P address blocking and 3D secure. Once on the Sage Pay systems, all sensitive data is secured using the same internationally recognised 256-bit encryption standards.
We also accept PayPal as a payment method which is a highly recognised and reputable payment gateway.
So when buying through our site, you can be sure that you are completely protected.
Online Returns
We are happy to refund products returned to us in original condition within 14 days of purchase, items returned after this will not be accepted.
Unfortunately we do not accept exchanges.
For hygiene reasons unfortunately we cannot accept returns on make up or pro blo hair products.
We do not cover return postage costs for unwanted items, it is therefore your responsibility to pay for a suitable return postage, ensuring this will arrive within the 14 days. We advise using a tracked and signed service and keeping your proof of postage/tracking until you have received your refund.
All items MUST be returned within 14 days for a refund.
They MUST be in brand new condition as received, unworn with all tags still attached.
In order to return an item(s) please complete the returns section of the invoice included in your parcel.
We aim to process all refunds within 48hrs of receiving your item.
A full inspection will be carried out upon receipt of all returns.
Dollywoodboutique.co.uk reserves the right to reject items returned after the return period or which are not in original condition and do not meet our conditions.
WHEN TRYING ON ITEMS: When you are trying an item you may need to return, please ensure you are not wearing make up, fake tan or anything else which may mark or stain the item. Please handle with care ensuring the item is not damaged in any way. After reading our policy, please ensure your item meets our requirements before returning.
We accept returns on hair extensions which may be unsuitable or the wrong colour within 14 days.
To qualify for a refund on hair extensions:
If you need to check your hair extensions match your own hair, you can remove them from the plastic slip, lift the hair net leaving the hair attached to the cardboard slip and hold against your own hair gently blending.
We offer a free colour matching service to avoid ordering an unsuitable colour - please send a clear photo of your hair in natural daylight to firstname.lastname@example.com or to our Facebook page 'Dollywood Boutique'.
Please return your item(s) with the invoice included to the following address:
Dollywood Boutique, 52A Stokesley Road, Marton, Middlesbrough, TS7 8DX
Cancellation Form
Dollywood Boutique,
52a Stokesley road
I hereby give notice that I [ ] cancel my/our contract of sale of the following goods:
Ordered on ...................... / received on ......................
Name of consumer .............................................................
Address of consumer .............................................................
Signatre of consumer(s) (only if this form is notified on paper),
Date .....................


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I-Network is an ICT for development (ICT4D) organization that is mainly supported by the International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD).
30th August 2012 World Records Day or International Records Day was celebrated internationally in the different parts on 30th August 2012. Starting with this year, World Records Day shall be celebrated on 30th August of every Year.The theme for this year 2012 is Records for the Future: Repositioning to Match Technological Developments
During the month of August, Records and Information managers, associations, organizations and countries are expected to carry out various community outreaches based on the theme to mark the celebrations.The purpose of this special day is to create awareness amongst the various stakeholders such as Governments, Private Sector, NGOs, Policy Makers, Records Managers, Records Users and the General Public about the contributions, innovations, solutions, developments, challenges, threats and opportunities in the Records Management profession.Activities planned for the celebration of the day include Community Outreach such as charity, training, donation, sensitization and career guidance. Professionals are encouraged to carryout research and the findings presented during the World Records Day celebrations. Different companies and individuals, associations and groups are invited to showcase their products, services, innovations etc. Various presentations in form of Poster, Digital story, Audiovisual, Audio and PowerPoint can also be made.Performances in form of Music Dance and Drama can be made based on the theme and various aspects of Records Management. Build up events can include, talk shows and webinars.In Uganda, this year's commemorations involved community outreaches, a peaceful professional march and exhibitions. A debate, drama, and presentations, were made at the National Theatre in Kampala.Francis Ekwaro, the Coordinator of Electronic Records Management Project in Uganda, in a press statement said that many people and organisations. "Are generating and using electronic records in the day-to-day running of their business transactions, However, these electronic records are not well managed, characterised by much attention on the hardware and physical existence of Information and Communication Technologies. This has made most organisations ignore the management of electronic records,"Each year, there will be a chosen theme for this international event based on proposals by various Records and Information managers, associations, organizations, countries and a panel of experts. The theme shall be proposed during the month of November each year.The New Vision article "Uganda observes records' day" http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/634625-Uganda-observes-records--day.html carries more information about the event in Uganda.
To participate in ICT for development discussions, subscribe to our mailing list by sending an email with your full name, country of residence, job title and address to email@example.com
You could also fill out the form on Dgroup: I-Network Uganda.
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