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You think you've heard everything. You think public education is as weak as it can be. Then, you go to another school board meeting, and it goes wrong in an entirely new way.
On Oct. 13, the teachers union and a few hundred teachers and staff members went to a Spokane Public Schools board meeting to protest administrative salary increases. I wasn't there; I was at home, teaching math to my daughter. I'm homeschooling her in math this year, as I did two years ago, because central-office administrators keep interfering with, micromanaging, and basically destroying Spokane's K-12 math instruction.
On Oct. 13, the teachers and staff filled up the central-office boardroom and spilled out into the hall. Accounts of their protest of the salary increases indicated that – despite the large crowd – they remained respectful and polite. After they finished speaking, they left. An SEA representative stayed behind.
At the Oct. 27 board meeting, that SEA representative recounted to the board some of the things she had heard on the evening of Oct. 13, after the teachers, staff and media had left. According to the representative, three board directors and the superintendent had a lot to say about the teachers and the union leadership. As I listened to the representative tell her story, my mouth dropped open. If the comments she cited had been said about me, I would classify them as untrue, unkind, inappropriate, unprofessional, and even childish.
After the SEA representative chastised the superintendent and three board directors for these comments, no one from the board or district issued any sort of explanation, contradiction or apology; they just moved on.
Having been an education advocate for four years, I feel her pain. From district emails I've gotten through FOIA requests, and also based on comments from people who work for the district, I know I've been criticized, mocked and undermined – not to my face, where I could challenge the statements and answer the charges – but behind my back. This type of behavior is unprofessional and cowardly. It speaks volumes about how much administrators value and respect the teachers and staff who care about the children, parents who try to be involved, and taxpayers who foot the bill.
Speaking of taxpayers, let's discuss those administrative raises.
I wasn't expecting administrators to get a raise this year. The salaries of most administrators are either more than $100,000 or hover in the near vicinity. One hundred and forty-six administrators (not including the superintendent) will make a combined total this year of $13,875,860 in base pay – an average of $95,040 each. More to the point, a number of them should be fired, especially in the execrable Department of Teaching & Learning.
Spokane has a 28.7% cohort dropout rate, a dropout problem in middle school, a drop of about 2,500 full-time equivalent students over the last eight years, and a 38.9% pass rate on the 10th grade math test (a test that required just 56.9% to pass). Four high schools have a 100% remediation rate in math at SCC. Most of the graduates who test into remedial math at SCC or SFCC test into elementary algebra or below – about half of those fail or withdraw early. Few students seem to know any grammar. In the 2008 district survey of families that left Spokane Public Schools, parents did NOT tend to complain about teachers; a full third said, however, that they left the school district because of the curriculum.
Teachers are not at fault, and they aren't why I pulled my daughter out of two math classes. I pulled her out because of the weak curriculum and because of the refusal of central-office administrators to allow the teachers to teach. Administrators micromanage the teachers, call their professionalism and quality into question, undermine and discredit their concerns, set them up for failure, and then blame them. Caught in the middle are the students, most of whom will graduate (or drop out) without the skills they need for postsecondary life. There are excellent teachers in this district who want to teach my daughter math and grammar. But there is a barrier between us, and that barrier is the district administration.
Meanwhile, the constant administrator refrain is that we have a "problem in Spokane with quality teaching." We also hear that there is no money for tutoring, no money for smaller classes, no money for libraries, Pratt Elementary School, office supplies, extracurricular activities, or custodial staff. No money, no money, no money. The superintendent said she supports the federal Race to the Top Initiative because she's "desperate" for money. This district has cut teaching and staff positions to save on costs. And yet, there is this money for administrative raises.
I've heard the "reasons" for these raises:
- Administrators have to earn more than their principals.
- Says who? (Oh, right. The administrators.)
- District administrators are the ones who negotiate the principals' salaries. And the principals' raises led to administrator raises. Can you say "conflict of interest"?
- The central office supposedly does more with fewer people.
- For the school year 2010-2011, the district has 3 more administrators and will spend nearly $700,000 more on administrator salaries than it did two years ago.
- This extra taxpayer money will encourage administrators to begin making data-driven decisions.
- Making data-driven decisions is already their job, albeit one they refuse to do.
- Why would anyone give rewards to people who refuse to do their job, in the hope that the reward will somehow convince them to start doing it?
- Rather than trying to convince administrators to do their job, how about if we start firing them when they don't?
Then, I sat in the Oct. 27 board meeting, listening to the head of the district's Department of Teaching & Learning make little sense as she attempted to explain how the district "knows" when our students do have sufficient math skills. That administrator received a bump in pay this summer of $6,337, bringing her annual base pay to $129,299.
Absolutely Un...Be...Lievable.
Please note: The information in this post is copyrighted. The proper citation is: Rogers, L. (October 2010). "Board directors, superintendent show disrespect to teachers, union." Retrieved (date) from the Betrayed Web site: http://betrayed-whyeducationisfailing.blogspot.com/
A version of this commentary was published in The Spokesman-Review on Nov. 6, 2010, under the heading "Schools' pay too high at the top." See this link: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/nov/06/schools-pay-too-high-at-top/
This commentary also was published on EducationNews.com on Oct. 31, 2010. See this link: http://www.educationnews.org/commentaries/102119.html


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The steadfast and cheerful dandelion, the bane of many a weed-hater, offers amazing nutrition and medicinal benefits. Yes, they can be bitter, but their sweet grassiness balances it out.
Harvest dandelion greens early in the spring, when they are their youngest and before they flower. They can be harvested again in late fall as they lose some of their bitterness after a frost. Look for young dandelions growing in rich, moist soil, making sure not to forage close to roads (they can accumulate pollution) and far from areas that have been treated with chemicals (or where pets have "roamed"). For a special treat, get out early in spring and look for the crown, which is the cluster of new buds that sits above the taproot. These are the sweetest parts of the plant.
Young dandelion greens are tender and delicious served raw in salads or sandwiches. If you use the greens that have been harvested after the plant has flowered, you can blanch them in water to remove the bitterness; dump the bitter water, and blanch them again. You will lose some vitamins this way, but there are still plenty of beneficial nutrients left. Use sauteed or steamed dandelion greens as you would any other greens.
There is a traditional soup in France, creme de pissenlits (cream of dandelions), which balances dandelions' spiciness and subtle bitterness with other savory flavors. It is delicious, combining a bit of cool French granny with down-home Southern cooking. The traditional French recipe uses Dijon mustard. It adds some spicy depth, but you may prefer it without.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
- 2 pounds (about 6 cups) dandelion greens, trimmed and washed
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 2 large leeks, white and light parts only, cleaned and sliced (save the dark ends for a later use)
- 1 carrot, cleaned and diced
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
- Dash salt and pepper to taste
- Handful dandelion buds and/or flower petals for garnish
Cooking directions
- If using more mature or very bitter tasting greens, blanch them in a pot of boiling salted water, then drain and squeeze out the excess water, chop and set aside.
- Heat butter or oil in a large pot over medium high heat, add greens, carrot and leeks and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes.
- Add stock and simmer for about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and whisk in milk, cook stirring frequently, until slightly thickened.
- Puree mix in a tightly covered blender until smooth, taking care with the hot liquid. Season with salt and pepper, and add Dijon if you like.
- Serve in bowls and garnish with flowers or buds.
This recipe originally appeared in "True Food: Eight Simple Steps for a Healthier You" (National Geographic, 2009) by Annie B. Bond, Melissa Breyer and Wendy Gordon. This story was originally written for Treehugger. Copyright 2012.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Fat Kid...Will Be Back
The morning after the night before and the Hitman gives his thoughts on his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr&IP=220.127.116.11
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Yes, all the phrases you mentioned are quite common in AmE.
Student or Learner
I'm learning American Slang expressions...Not having contact with natives I find some problems figuring out which ones are commonly used. Are these ones commonly used??
*Twenty-four seven : all the time
*Ace: To do something very well
*Flunk: to fail an exam or course of study
*Airhead: a stupid person; dumb
*All ears: Listening carefully
*An arm and a leg: A large amount of money
*Have Ants in your pants (hum): To be nervous or anxious or jumpy; to be unable to sit still.
*Average Joe: An ordinary person, especially a man.
*Bad egg:A troublemaker; someone who has a bad attitude and causes trouble
if anyone know any more expressions meaning the same as one of the above expressions and is more common than it that would be very helpeful.Thanks for all.
This is the 1st o many other posts to follow.
Yes, all the phrases you mentioned are quite common in AmE.
Ouisch is a good egg.
Okay, good eggs.
I'll send my next list then.
But note that "airhead" is usually applied to women and is widely regarded as sexist.
I agree all are common; some can occur in British English too, as in "ace", which is after all a tennis serve that is so good no one could touch it. In Canada, "airhead" has no particular gender association that I have noticed, by the way, Charlie. :)
I liked this topic so much, it's very useful & i can make benefit of it
A stuffy or foolishly
old-fashioned person.
If any term sounds old and English, it must be this one. However, as so often, intuition is found to be wanting, as fuddy-duddy appears to be of American origin, possibly via Scotland, nor is it especially old. The first record that I can find of it is from the Texas newspaper The Galveston Daily News, 1889:That usage - without any accompanying explanation - seems to suggest that the readership would have been expected to have been familiar with it. That is quite possible, there are several citations in American newspapers from the end of the 19th century that relate to a pair of fictional wags called Fuddy and Duddy. A string of their
"Look here; I'm Smith - Hamilton Smith. I'm a minister and I try to do about right ... I object to
being represented as an old fuddy-duddy."
rather weak gags was printed in the Boston Evening Transcript. Here's
an example from a November 1895 edition:Fuddy: So Miss DanderveckenWhether or not the expression
is going to marry an Englishman. A lord, I suppose?
Duddy: Well, no, not exactly: but I understand that he's often as drunk as one.
'fuddy-duddy' was already known and the names were taken from it, or whether it was the other way round, we can't now tell. The coincidence in the dates of the arrival of the two characters and the phrase does suggest that there was a connection of some kind.
Duddy was a Scottish term
meaning ragged - duds having been used to refer to rough tattered clothes since the 15th century. Fud, or fuddy, was a Scots dialect term for buttocks. In 1833, the Scots poet James Ballantyne wrote The Wee Raggit Laddie:Wee stuffy, stumpy, dumpieThe full-on Scots dialect in that sentimental, Burns influenced rhyme is difficult to translate precisely. The gist of the meaning is:
Thou urchin elfin, bare an' duddy,
Thy plumpit kite an' cheek
sae ruddy
Are fairly baggit,
Although the breekums on thy fuddy
e'en right raggit.Poor scruffy little lad, bareThere is a British term -
and ragged, your wet belly and red cheeks are swollen and the trousers on your
buttocks are torn.
'duddy fuddiel', which is also recorded from around the same date. William
Dickinson's A glossary of words and phrases pertaining to the dialect of
Cumberland, 1899, has:"Duddy fuddiel, a raggedThere may be a link between
'duddy fuddiel' and 'fuddy-duddy' but, as they don't mean exactly the same
thing, we can't be certain.
One thing we can be sure about; that the cartoon character Elmer Fudd inherited the name from the phrase. 'Fuddy-duddy' was in general circulation in the US well before the character was created in around 1940 and the expression accords with his old-fashioned and obsessive temperament.
In a rather sad sequel to the Boston Transcript's role in the coining of 'fuddy-duddy', Time magazine reported in 1939 that a survey commissioned by the paper found that, "the most frequent word used by advertisers to describe the paper was fuddy-duddy". The Transcript
ceased trading soon afterwards.


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Harder Than You Think
I don't understand why "easy listening" music is named so horribly wrong. It's easy to hear it, since it's played in supermarkets and airports and elevators everywhere. But it's not easy to listen to, since five minutes of it makes my ears bleed.
I'm sure that there are people who willingly buy easy listening music, aside from employees of supermarkets and airports and elevator companies. But as far as I know, I have not met any. None of my friends have ever said, "I got this great new CD! All the songs are 12 minutes long, and they're played on piano and piccolo! There's this one where the refrain repeats seven times in a row. I can't wait to listen to it at the supermarket!"
There's also the great deal of easy listening played while I'm on hold for customer service. I'm guessing that's so by the time the phone is picked up, I've lost my will to live, let alone to argue.
If people weren't buying easy listening music, musicians wouldn't keep creating it, so perhaps it is our fault. But I will argue that a large portion of the CD sales are to people who mistakenly think that their customers will enjoy it.
Maybe I'm being short sighted. Perhaps I'm failing to see that someone from a generation older than mine enjoys a good piccolo. Maybe I'm some brash whippersnapper who needs to be told what for, because children should be seen and not heard. Or maybe, just maybe, we should consider the numbers on this. The average age in America is late 30s. And I argue that very few people under the age of 40 actually enjoy listening to anything with a piccolo.
Actually, that's not entirely true. Some great classical music contains said piccolo, but classical music is meant to be instrumental. Easy listening is often a former quality song that was instrumental-ized. Sure, John Tesh creates his own new music, but it's so terrible I don't need to address it any further. I'd rather listen to Mary Hart's voice than John Tesh's piano.
I recently heard an instrumental rendition of "Like a Rolling Stone." That's right – Bob Dylan without words. Even people younger than 40 know that Bob Dylan was best known as a poet, and to take out his words and just listen to his notes defeats the entire purpose. That's like listening to the dialogue on Baywatch without the picture. If you're going to play Dylan, play Dylan. Don't play John Tesh playing Dylan.
The main idea of easy listening in a public area seems to be giving customers a sound track that would bother the least amount of people. But I argue that easy listening music bothers many more people than would be bothered by something like classic rock. Maybe that's because I like classic rock. But so do many people ages 18-65. It can't be coincidence that John Fogerty gets that much more radio play than John Tesh.
And if you think classic rock is a poor suggestion, why not actual classical music? A lot of people love classical music. And even more are trying to force themselves to because it makes them feel cultured. I doubt that anyone is trying to like an instrumental cover of "Like a Rolling Stone." so they can fit into the upper crust of society.
I was first exposed to easy listening many years ago when my family and I would eat out at a particular fast food "restaurant" that was a big fan of the brass section of the orchestra. And nothing complimented fried chicken as well as the hum of a trumpet we couldn't quite make out. Actually, anything would be a better compliment. Especially curly fries.
The reason the music was difficult to hear is because one of the main tenants of easy listening music is that it's often very quiet. Most times, you can barely hear it at all. The idea is that easy listening music is usually meant to fade into the background, as if it's not there at all. Wouldn't that be nice? Perhaps a good replacement for easy listening, then, is silence. With silence, you can avoid hearing the music altogether.
I once sat in a coffee shop, very annoyed at the horns being forced upon me. I was trying to get some work done, and instead I was "treated" to music I'd have never chosen. Realizing I was the only customer in the store, I politely asked the clerk to turn the music down. She happily obliged.
"If it were up to me," she added, "I wouldn't play this awful music at all."
Employees of all supermarkets, airports, and elevator companies, please take note. Hopefully when you call the music store to pick up some new tracks, they won't put you on hold.


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Joining in with a few observations.The biggest pervert in that house currently is Dickhead....bar none.Am I the only one who thinks that Jen's package is bigger than Dustin's package when they wear that unitard?I used to like Kail...now I think she is just as whiny and annoying as Amber...just without the tears.Nick, Kail and Dani used to be my favorites....now I like Jen and Mike.Eric, America's Player, is getting more interesting...but I cant see how this does anything but hurt his chances at actually winning the whole thing.Dani is a spoiled brat and her ONLY defense is who she has for a father.IN MY HUMBLE OPINIONS!
Does anyone think that Amber is soooooooooo jealous that Eric is always flirty with Jess? And why does nobody think Dick is a perve when all he talks about is sex around the young girls (giving Jen advice) and calls Jess all the "pet" names? But then Zach is a perve?
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The John Murray Show Monday 1 April 2013
A lively mix of topical stories, human interest and lifestyle features with John Murray
You may remember a few weeks ago we spoke to Bowie's guitarist from New York, Gerry Leonard & we are delighted to have Gerry join us in studio this morning, with his favourite ipod selections.
John's next guest in studio is Philip Kampf, to talk about how Operation Transformation has gone into production in the Netherlands, called Let's Get Fit & joining us on the line also is the host of the programme, Dina Tersago.
We heard last week that an online petition demanding the return to the Irish Dance Floors of The Slow Set has been set up! Here on this morning's programme we bring you some happy memories of slow sets as John is joined in studio by actor, author & farmer Mary McEvoy, by writer & broadcaster Fiona Looney & of course our own resident DJ, Shay Byrne, presenter of RTE Radio 1's Risin Time.
Call: 01-2083257, 01-2083971, 01-2082339
Text: 51551
Presenter: Dave Fanning


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Lil Wayne Interview With Tim Westwood! (Speaks On Jay-Z Being #1 On MTV's Hottest Rapper List & More) "I Thought Drake Was Gonna Be #1"
Westwood catches up with Weezy on his tour bus backstage in London
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This year for my birthday I decided to have a great big birthday dinner at one of my favorite restaurants - RuThais!
My great friend Marla got me a big ol' ice cream cake - and it's PINK! It was delicious!
My great friend Marla got me a big ol' ice cream cake - and it's PINK! It was delicious!
Here's the group of us - too many great friends to name but it was so much fun having everyone together.
Scott had got the RuThai special - which means - RuThai or Tim make whatever they want! It's always amazing! This was a "surf & turf" and Scott really enjoyed it. Don't be afraid to ask for it - they're welcome to be creative and make something special for you!
I can never decide between the spicy fried fish and the sushi - for my birthday I chose the sushi...The UK roll (lower roll) is always my favorite!
The BF was new to Thai and got a chicken with peanut sauce. It was kinda dry - I tried to order for him - but he was a bit wary of what to get. See - even I can not love something from my favorite restaurant.
It's almost more of a pictorial than a review. I already know I love RuThais - I mean duh - I picked it for my birthday!
The spicy fried fish is my favorite...and their side salad. They have the best ever peanut salad dressing!


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When we get sick, the first thing that we do is ask for professional help, without even admitting that we might become victims of a Medicaid Provider Fraud. Medicaid providers, as a symbol of care and custody, usually inspire trust and confidence, making us expect that our provider will supply us nothing, but help.
Unfortunately, statistics say that Medicaid Provider Fraud is a well-spread phenomenon among scammers, which steal billions of dollars annually. Moreover, the Federal Government also counts on physicians to submit accurate and truthful claims information, by creating such programs as Medicare, Medicaid, and other health care policies. Let's have a deeper insight into the concept of this type of fraud and analyze the possible countermeasures.
First of all, every member of the health care community (individual, corporation, or other entity paid by Medicaid) can potentially become a scammer, including nurses, nurse aides, nursing homes, pharmacies, ambulance and transportation companies, chiropractors, podiatrists, licensed professional counselors, community care service providers, dentists, hospitals, medical equipment companies, speech therapists and others.


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Hello to all kite and windsurfers!
My name is Pavel. I am from Russia. I've been for 5 years kitesurfing. In my free time I work as an instructor. Before kitesurfing, I've been windsurfer for several years.
I've been in Salt Lake City for 2 weeks now. I found your forum, but account activate only now. I traveled a few lakes from those listed on the forum (Utah Lake, Deer Creek, Sulpher Creek). I did not meet any of you anywhere. Last year I was in California, rent equipment and ride on Long Beach.
In Utah I found 3 sites: Derik Sayers (kiteukb.com), ukbinc.com both do not respond. Uintakiting.com offered only training at an expensive price. Tell me where most kiters ride? Maybe there is some sort of get-togethers, rent or you can just agree and ride together with me. I'll be in Salt Lake City a few more days. If it does not work out now, maybe next time.
P.S. Sorry for my bad English, I partially used google translator.


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Publishers' Note Winter 2015
Written onNovember 16 , 2014
They've already started to arrive in the mailbox: seed catalogs, with their glorious photos and wonderful illustrations, calling to us, announcing the promise of a future garden—and of spring. We're in!
But at this time of year, we also like to look back and reflect on the lessons our garden was kind enough to let us in on. Here are just a few.
It will never cease to astound us that in every seed, no matter the size—from tiny arugula to seemingly giant beans—there is an entire biological instruction manual to produce an adult plant. And that if we tend to the seed's needs, it will do its part—sometimes. This has taught us that there are so many things beyond our control, that our influence is limited. We've learned that the vegetables we pick to eat look very different than the ones we let grow and from which we harvest seeds. We have learned respect for the food we grow and that wasting even a bit is unthinkable. And we've learned that the promise of all those seed catalogs must be tempered with what is possible for our garden and for us. As Wendell Berry says, "We learn from our gardens to deal with the most urgent question of the time: How much is enough?" We're learning to plan our garden to meet our needs. Most of all, we've learned that we'll continue to keep learning, and that this powerful lure draws us back again and again.
Three stories in this issue also highlight the fact that, when we work land, and work with animals, we always continue to learn. In this article, Katie Spring notices—during a day of processing chickens—that she has come to use the words harvest and process in place of slaughter, and she wonders how wise that really is. And on a lighter note, Rose Paul learns firsthand about the delicacy that is fresh woodchuck, after she seeks to defend her backyard from this wiley garden predator. In this issue we also invite you to learn a bit about permaculture, about making jam, and about the state of bees in Vermont.
Another wonderful opportunity to learn and pick up skills comes at the Annual NOFA-VT Winter Conference that will be happening on February 14 and 15. At this two-day event there is something for everyone, from gardeners to seasoned farmers. We always look forward to seeing old friends, having good conversations, and sharing the time together.
Meg Lucas
Barbi Schreiber


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It's been clear for a while that the long Republican primary fight is damaging the GOP in ways that won't be easily repaired before the fall election. Michael Scherer has nicely laid out the potential effect on the Hispanic vote. Rick Santorum's derision of contraception and colleges must be reminding suburban women of what they dislike most about the GOP. And the constant crossfire of name-calling and attack ads has driven up the candidates' disapproval ratings to painful levels.
Tuesday's results in Michigan suggest there's another issue to add to this collateral-damage list: the auto bailout. Perhaps the most striking fact from the exit polls there was the fact that four in ten primary voters said they supported the Obama Administration's 2009 intervention to rescue the big automakers. I'm not aware of specific polling on that question in Ohio, the big prize in next week's Super Tuesday extravaganza, but the number is likely to be about the same; Ohio is second only to Michigan in its economic reliance on car makers.
(MORE: Will The Auto Bailout Factor in Michigan?)
Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum both opposed bailing out out Detroit. But the subject repeatedly came up in Michigan all the same, in part because Romney went so memorably out on a limb in his original bailout opposition, and in part because Santorum has labored to differentiate himself from Romney on the grounds he is a more principled bailout opponent.
While it's hard to see bailout politics making a meaningful difference in the Romney-Santorum fight, it's easy to see how Obama is benefiting from its central place in the national conversation. Both the Obama campaign and a super PAC supporting him ran ads in Michigan before the GOP primary, one reminding voters of Obama's role in assisting the auto giants, and another slamming Romney for opposing the bailout. And now a major labor union is doing the same to Romney in Ohio. Back in Washington, on Tuesday, President Obama bragged about the bailout's success in a speech to the United Auto Workers, which has nearly 100 chapters in Ohio.
(MORE: Obama Cashes in on Auto-Bailout Success, but Skepticism of Government Remains)
Before the auto giants began revving back up last year, Michigan was hurting so badly that it seemed capable of voting Republican for President for the first time since 1988. Not so much anymore. And Ohio? Obama is already holding his ground there against both Romney and Santorum (and has a solid lead if you discount one seemingly anomalous Fox News survey). The run-up to Super Tuesday will give the Obama team a few more days to, well, toot its own horn about the revival of American auto manufacturing–and to remind Rust Belt voters that Republicans opposed Obama's intervention. Which is just one more mess the eventual Republican nominee will have to clean up once this long and ugly contest is finally finished.


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Nazz Xenophon has not received any gifts yet
Welcome, Nazz! Glad you could join us. :D
Please consider joining a group to meet people and talk about anything that's on your mind, Hang With Friends.
Hi Nazz.
Welcome to this rational world of truth and peace---far from the god-worshipping superstitious masses.
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Views: 193
I mainly use Chrome because I prefer it and I have it all set up for ease of use, but on Ning it has become problematic recently. I usually don't think about it until I post something here and see that almost all of what I wrote is deleted by some glitch. Too late to do anything at that point other than unleash a barrage of profanity.
The part that was deleted mentioned that the newer laws passed, from what little I have read, get around the issue of stepping onto federal jurisdiction by simply using the federal laws rather than competing with them.
Hating and vilifying immigrants is nothing new in the United States. In fact, it has been a long tradition when any large influx of new peoples greets our shores. If conservatives wanted to get serious about immigration reform, they would do much better than to pass certain laws that only round up a few illegals on the streets for deportation. Unfortunately, conservative politicians have found a way to pander to their xenophobic voting base while keeping their big business buddies happy with cheap labor.
Yeah.. I feel ya, bro.
I feel ya.
Ok. Not to be too blunt, but you didn't provide me with one single piece of evidence.
You gave me some anecdotal strawmen, but no facts.
Unless you mistook those for facts?
I was talking about legislation and statistics, not generalities.
But I'll address them if you want.
Planes: How is that your freedom being restricted? You are agreeing to the rules of a private company so that you may use their services. These rules apply to you as well as me. That doesn't make them discriminatory, even if some people abuse those rules Which, I'm not saying isn't happening. Racial or national profiling happens in America, but there are still plenty of lawsuits being paid out when the harassed party can prove that they were discriminated against. If your freedoms were to have been cut in half, as you said, it wouldn't be a case of isolated incidents of harassment, it would be the total ban on flying, or special registration or some official standing that applies to Middle Easterners/Muslims. But it doesn't. The restrictions apply to everyone and officers in non-compliance face legal repercussions.
Your phones being monitored: I smoke weed. Mine is, too. Well, that's a lie. Probably not. I live in California. But my point is, the Patriot Act just made that a freedom we ALL lost. Again. Nothing about being Muslim or calling Iran. Hell, my cousin's is monitored because he's a journalist and always calling up Afgan warlords and shit. You know why? Because statistically speaking, talking to people from those countries is a far better indication of criminal activities than doing something like playing tennis. I don't agree it's right. Hell, I don't agree with the Patriot Act. But you can't really say you are being discriminated against when a gay-white-30 year old is under the exact same suspicion as someone with the last name Azimianaraki.
Mine and my husbands phone calls are monitored hey this is probably watched to
This is nonsense, the only ones monitoring your phone call would be the Islamic Republic thugs when you are in Iran including your internet connection which has all the filters one can imagine and need to use proxy's to axis any site the regime disproves. And blame the Islamic Republic of Terror for any inconvenience you might have when returning from Iran. If you are fortunate not too be detained by Islamic authorities for a matter of their choosing, you might be searched and see if you are carrying any fruits which can carry disease to the United States. Iranians are respected in America, and have great success and prosperity. And if your husband is Iranian, I am sure he is not complaining one bit as Iranians esp. in Southern California (I think you mentioned you live in the Los Angeles area) are one of the most prosperous Americans as a group in America and Southern California


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Timothy Virts arrested; Girl found safe after Amber Alert
Maryland Amber Alert expands into nationwide search
The father and daughter subject of an Amber Alert in Maryland were found late Friday night in South Carolina, according to Baltimore County police.
County police said late Friday night that Timothy Virts and his 11-year-old daughter were found at the Colonial Inn in Florence, S.C.
Timothy Virts was taken into police custody and the girl appears to be unharmed. Timothy Virts' return is pending an extradition process, and the girl will be returned home as soon as possible. Baltimore County social services officials are in contact with their counterparts in South Carolina.
County police said investigators believe that the two being located is a direct result of the expanded Amber Alert. Baltimore County Police Chief Jim Johnson said Saturday morning that the motel clerk, using social media, found out about the Amber Alert, checked their logs and alerted authorities. The chief cited the media and social media -- "citizen keyboard crime fighters" -- with the safe resolution of this search.
"Virts was arrested without incident and will be extradited to Maryland for prosecution," Johnson said.
Detectives are traveling to South Carolina to continue the investigation.
The search had expanded nationwide Friday as the U.S. Marshal's Office and the FBI got involved. The FBI issued a warrant Friday for Timothy Virts' arrest for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, which gives federal authorities anywhere in the United States the ability to arrest Virts. Johnson said he believes the outcome would not have been the same without the FBI's early involvement.
"I have never seen greater degree of cooperation in my 36 years," Johnson said of the collaboration with the FBI.
In Maryland, the investigation led Baltimore County police to issue a first-degree murder warrant for Timothy Virts in the death of the girl's mother, Bobbie Jo Cortez.
"This was a very violent, brutal murder," Johnson said Saturday morning.
"The probable cause for this warrant is based on interviews with the other people who were in the house at the time as well as physical evidence at the scene," police spokeswoman Elise Armacost said.
Johnson said there was no motive determined for the homicide of Bobbie Jo Cortez, but they believe Timothy Virts is the suspect. Police believe they have the murder weapon.
Children's mother found dead in bedroom
It was Thursday morning when police responded to Cortez's Dundalk home in the 3100 block of Ardee Way. Investigators discovered Cortez dead in her bedroom with multiple cut wounds to her upper body.
Police believe after Cortez was killed, Virts kidnapped his 11-year-old daughter, who was staying in the home with her twin sister, a male child of Cortez's and two other adults. Maryland State Police issued an Amber Alert at 10:46 a.m. Thursday.
Cortez's death is being investigated as a homicide. Police said Friday that Cortez died as a result of sharp force injury and that she had multiple cut wounds to her upper body. Police said they believe the children and the two other adults were in the house when Cortez was killed, Armacost said Friday.
Police said Cortez had allowed Virts to stay with them in their home for the past several weeks.
Police said they believe Virts and his daughter were in a 1999 black Dodge Durango with Maryland license plates 5AJ4458. New information indicated that there is a Washington Redskins sticker in the upper right back window and a Baltimore Ravens sticker on the left back window. There is also a stick-figure zombie family on the bottom window and a bumper sticker that reads "Protected by witchcraft."
The truck is registered to Cortez's husband, Daniel Cortez, who is in jail on sex abuse of a minor charges; however, police said his crimes had nothing to do with the motive in this case right now.
"Our detectives do not believe, at this time, that there is any connection between Daniel Cortez and his criminal history and this homicide case," Armacost said.
If you have any information that can help investigators, you're asked to call 911 or Baltimore County police at 410-307-2020.
Police had received thousands of tips from the public, but none panned out. Tips were coming in every hour and all are being followed up.
Sources had indicated that Virts has a connection to two counties in West Virginia, but police said there is no evidence Virts ever traveled to or is in West Virginia.
Family reacts to discovery
"I was so happy when I heard, I was so happy and I want to thank everybody so much," said Anna Goodwin, the girl's grandmother. "I want to hug her!"
Goodwin told 11 News late Friday night that she was waiting by the phone as she had been for more than 24 hours.
"It has been hard. The tension and waiting and wondering, it has been hard, but now I'm happy that they found her and she's fine," Goodwin said.
Goodwin expressed thanks for the Amber Alert, the numerous tips into investigators and for everyone who helped out with the search.
"That's all that was running in my head, just please God, please God, don't let nothing to happen to her, just please bring her back, please, and yes, he heard me," Goodwin said.
"I am very happy that she's safe," said the girl's grandfather and Timothy Virts' father, Peter Virts.
He said that he's relieved and grateful. He was worried that the outcome would be much different.
"When the officer told me that they were both safe, like I told them, I'm not worried about my son, he's a grown man, I'm worried about her. Now we're going to have to wait for the process," Peter Virts said.
Grandmother: 'It's a shock'
Virts has been in and out of the court system, facing various assault and drug charges. He has had custody issues with Bobbie Jo Cortez, who was then Bobbie Jo Wallace, 11 News learned.
Friday morning, WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team lead investigative reporter Jayne Miller spoke with Anna Trainor Goodwin, the grandmother of the girl and mother of Bobbie Jo Cortez.
Goodwin's account is the result, she said, of what the 11-year-old sister of Caitlin Virts shared with her after discovering her mother's body on Thursday.
"It's a shock, it's a shock," Goodwin said. "She was going downstairs, went downstairs and she opened up the door to wake her up and that's when she seen the tape on her mouth and her tied up."
Bobbie Jo Cortez was last seen alive Wednesday when, Goodwin said, Caitlin's sister got home from school.
"Wednesday morning, they seen her. When they came home Wednesday afternoon, she wasn't there. She wasn't nowhere upstairs. (The girl's sister) wanted to go downstairs after school to tell mommy how her day was and he wouldn't let her go, Mr. Virts wouldn't let her go down. This was Wednesday afternoon," Goodwin said.
Goodwin's account suggests Virts may have allegedly killed Bobbie Jo Cortez on Wednesday and then taken off with his daughter, well before the Amber Alert was ever issued late Thursday morning.
Virts and Bobbie Jo Cortez were involved in a custody matter. She had sole physical custody and Virts had visitation rights, but Goodwin said Bobbie Jo Cortez was trying to change that arrangement this week.
"The way I'm hearing it, she told him Wednesday morning that Wednesday was the last time he was going to see his kids and I don't know what happened after that," Goodwin said.
Virts and Bobbie Jo Cortez were scheduled to be in court Thursday, according to the family, but the matter at hand is not on the public docket, that suggests a confidential proceeding dealing with the well-being of the children.


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Prosecutors are declining to file charges against three high school football players from Westlake Village who were arrested in Hawaii after allegedly sexually assaulting freshmen students on a road trip, authorities said.
On Wednesday night at the Hyatt Place Waikiki, about 25 Westlake High School seniors reportedly broke into a room occupied by five freshman and assaulted the younger kids.
Conejo Valley Unified School District Superintendent Jeff Baarstad said that nobody was injured or sought medical treatment in the alleged attack. He said there was some shouting, shoving and a couple of punches thrown but other players and coaches intervened.
U.S. & World
He said a parent called Honolulu police, who arrested some players, including a 17-year-old on suspicion of sexual assault.
Baarstad said he wasn't sure what, exactly, that player was accused of doing.
A lieutenant from the Honolulu Police Department told NBC4 that prosecutors have declined to file charges against the football players.
Westlake High flew about 160 players to Oahu to play against Waipahu High School, and its freshmen squad was to play Kamehameha Academy.
Honolulu police have not released any details about the allegations, citing the juvenile status of those involved.
Westlake High School is a public school on the LA-Ventura County line, about 35 miles west of Los Angeles. The games were Friday and the students were scheduled to return to LAX on Saturday, KITV reported.
"We were disappointed to learn of the incident," school administrator Jeff Davis said in a prepared statement released Sunday. "We are working with the WHS administration and football coaching staff to determine just what occurred and to develop the appropriate actions in response."
City News Service contributed to this story.


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|Artist: Dawn
|Date Added: August 26, 2012
|Steps: 6
|Favorited: 44 (view)
|Views: 0 in last hour, 4 in last day, 36 in last week, 44924 total
|Comments: 0
|Tags: how to draw harry potter characters
Description: Hey guys, Dawn here with another lesson that I think you will all enjoy. Today I have for you a lesson on a Harry Potter figure that will most definitely be enjoyed in chibi form. I have received so many requests to make a tutorial on "how to draw chibi Voldemort", step by step, so after a long wait that some of you had to endure, here is my version of how Voldemort looks if he where a chibi. I got to say, he was way more interesting to make a chibi out of because of his looks, and facial expressions that he gives. Voldemort was and always will be one of the more popular characters from the Harry Potter series. I have a feeling that this chibi will make the grade. Well, that's it, have fun drawing chibi Voldemort and I will get busy with preparing more tuts. Adios people and enjoy!


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What's inside the May 2012 issue of Velo Magazine
The May issue of Velo magazine sees the return of our comprehensive VeloLab bike testing, throwing into focus the latest generation of aero road bikes with independent wind tunnel and torsional stiffness testing. We also dive inside the early spring races: Simon Gerrans' surprise win at Milan-San Remo, Chris Horner's incredible comeback at Tirreno-Adriatico, and Bradley Wiggins' GC chest-beating at Paris-Nice.
In a lead VeloNote you won't want to miss, Velo Editor-in-chief Neal Rogers and tech writer Caley Fretz team up with contributor Jason Sumner for a thoughtful look at the public's erratic treatment of convicted dopers.
European correspondent Andrew Hood digs into the rumored breakaway cycling league and dissects the WorldTour's current sponsor list (hint: wealthy benefactors rule the roost). He also lays out Vincenzo Nibali's big win and Horner's comeback at Tirreno, and tells the tale of brains beating brawn at Milan-San Remo.
Bradley Wiggins put his foot down at Paris-Nice, showing fine early-season form in a year he hopes to cap off with an even more prestigious yellow jersey. What does the early win mean for his chances in July? And where has Wiggins' newfound confidence come from? Velo has the answers.
Jason Sumner sits down with Francisco Mancebo, the biggest fish in the domestic racing pond, and pulls out why a man who once wore the best young rider's jersey at the Tour de France is now content to swing around the NRC circuit.
The Velo tech crew puts four aero road bikes through the ringer, providing expert opinions garnered from over 150 hours of ride time and adding in objective, third-party aero testing at the A2 Wind Tunnel and torsional stiffness testing at MicroBac Laboratories. The battle is between a Cervélo S5, Specialized Venge, Lightspeed C1 and Scott Foil, and the winner may come as a surprise.
Keeping with the aero theme, Colin Izzard and Chris Carmichael explain how to develop and sustain your perfect aero position in our monthly training column.
Pick up your copy of the May 2012 issue of Velo from you local bike shop or bookseller now.


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Fair Trade
Author and Page information
- This page: https://www.globalissues.org/issue/61/fair-trade.
- To print all information (e.g. expanded side notes, shows alternative links), use the print version:
Globalization, trade and the free markets are the talks of today. Many envision or talk about a future where people of different nationalities and cultures will be able to share and trade resources across boundaries in a manner that will benefit all of humanity.
But, how fair is trade when a nation's own global trading policies together with international corporations' desire to increase their profits result in manipulated international trade pacts and agreements, so that they are most favorable for themselves? How free is the free market? Why do the poor get poorer and the rich get richer?
A lot of overbearing regulations can give too much power to a few, and potentially corrupt ruling regime and prevent innovative ideas from flourishing. It can perhaps be an obstacle for a foreign nation to invest in a country due to those conditions and regulations which increase costs. (The fact that some of these regulations are usually for the benefit for the people of that nation poses another problem, altogether, mentioned in the MAI and Free Trade sections.)
However, too much deregulation can lead to corporations being able to undermine basic social and human rights as well as lead to environmental damage, often without accountability. IMF-imposed structural adjustment and their pushes for deregulation has also led to further poverty in some countries.
The correct balance is difficult to reach due to the inherent power conflicts between the various bodies involved. This leads to a lot of unfairness in trade and basic human rights for which the majority of people end up paying the price. For example, some believe that one of the main problems causing the 1998/99 financial crisis around the world is a lack of global regulations to help protect developing nations as they enter a global market. Even the World Bank has cautioned that globalization and localization (the increasing demand for local autonomy) can pose problems as well as offer benefits, if not handled properly.
There is already a growing fair trade movement around the world, where local producers are able to fairly trade their products. However, it isn't always easy to maintain that when globalization, in its current form, does not seem to favor those who want trade to be fair.
5 articles on "Fair Trade":
Child Labor
Last updated Monday, January 01, 2001.
Read "Child Labor" to learn more.
The Banana Trade War
Last updated Sunday, January 03, 2010.
Bananas are widely consumed. Yet, they represent a wide variety of inter-related issues, from environmental, economic, social, and political. Nations and regions, such as the US and EU have in the past battled in a trade war over how bananas are exported and imported, affected the poorest in the producing countries the most.
Read "The Banana Trade War" to learn more.
Posted Friday, September 07, 2001.
The banana industry in Latin America and the Caribbean also touches many other issues. Rainforest destruction is one effect of the banana industry.
Dependent economies is another, where bananas are grown not to feed local people and meet their demands, but to create exports for Europe and America. The recent trade disputes between those two regions have received the most attention. However, the focus of the debate is limited. It continues to leave both dependent Latin American nations, and the Caribbean nations in poverty and hunger, while Latin American nations, large multinational American banana corporations and the American government seek to destroy the Caribbean banana economy, via the World Trade Organization, in order to gain dominant access to the European markets.
So many resources are poured into the banana industry, and like the sugar and beef examples, there is a lot of unnecessary use of resources that could otherwise be freed up to help local people in a way that is also less degrading to the surrounding environment.
Read "Bananas" to learn more.
Posted Sunday, October 03, 2010.
Pineapples are nutritious and popular. But the cheap fruit comes at a high cost. Health and environmental degradation has affected both workers and local communities. Price cuts in European supermarkets has led to wage cuts for workers already earning very little.
Read "Pineapples" to learn more.
Trade, Economic Links For More Information
Last updated Wednesday, July 25, 2001.
Read "Trade, Economic Links For More Information" to learn more.
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Anup Shah, Fair Trade, Global Issues, Updated: August 06, 2000

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Anup Shah, Fair Trade, Global Issues, Updated: August 06, 2000
Alternatively, copy/paste the following MLA citation format for this page:
Shah, Anup. "Fair Trade." Global Issues. 06 Aug. 2000. Web. 28 May. 2020. <https://www.globalissues.org/issue/61/fair-trade>.
Author and Page Information
- Created: Monday, July 20, 1998
- Last Updated: Sunday, August 06, 2000
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This March, a new Zone of the Enders figure will be released, and perhaps will find a spot on your desk. Z.O.E., of course, is the sci-fi mecha series from Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima.
The figure is of Z.O.E. mecha Ardjet, which is piloted by Ken Marinaris from Z.O.E.: The 2nd Runner.
It's priced at ¥4,480 (US$50), and it's pink. You like pink, don't cha?
Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.


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I Don't Care, the Dress is Totally Worth the Hatemail
February 01, 2006
So you know what sucks about being a working parent?
Like, I am not allowed to just show up and collect paychecks while spending my day telling people about How Awesome Noah Is, I Mean Really Ridiculously Awesome, Look At These Pictures, Wait, Where Are You Going?
I am expected to WORK. BASTARDS.
The Wednesday Advice Smackdown has been demoted to the Friday Advice Smackdown, because today and tomorrow are going to suck, work-wise, and if the vending machine guy doesn't get here soon and restock the Cokes, I may have to kill someone. Hard.
Tonight we are going out for a nice dinner to mark the eight-year anniversary of our first date, mashed together with first anniversary of when we found out I was pregnant (January 23rd, by the way; would it kill you to send a card?) and also Valentine's Day.
We are combining celebrations to save our babysitter's sanity, because just wait until she sees the poops this solid-food-eating baby is producing these days. HA HA!
Also to save money.
Except for the part where I got so excited about our nice dinner out that I bought a new dress that cost as much as a week of daycare.
Oh yes. I did.
Between this and BlogHer, my savings account is very, very mad at me. "Why? Why do you abuse me?" my saving account cries. "I wanted to see you through retirement! I wanted to buy you a house with a yard! You went back to work so you could leave me to grow and compound in peace! These credit card statements, they burn! They buuuurn!"
And I spit on my savings account, because sometimes, you just need to be stupid and buy a dress that will make your husband ogle your boobs.
There. That is my advice for today: Impending financial ruin is no match for a flouncy out-of-season dress, so long as you also buy a sensible sweater wrap to cover your shoulders.
My boobs cannot handle all this ogling.
OH MY GOD, I am freaking out about this dress. This dress that Jason FORCED me to buy for myself as a you-survived-a-whole-month-at-work present, and it was honestly the cheapest dress in the store, so I had no sense of CONTEXT, and the numbers on the price tag did not really turn into actual dollar numbers until I was at the register handing over my credit card. And I looked at Jason with big, frightened eyes and whispered that the Internet is going to KILL ME, and he said fuck the Internet, you don't have to tell them about it, and yet here I am, telling the fucking Internet, because perhaps I subconsciously believe that I deserve to be punished.
I am totally returning the dress after work. And I'm going to ask for my refund in PENNIES, and I shall put all the pennies in my bathtub, and I shall sit on top of my bathtub of pennies with a shotgun and stare suspiciously at the bathtowels and rant about the government trying to steal my precious, precious pennies.


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A view of Krotite. (Credit: university of Hawaii/American Mineralogist).
Faster than you can say carbonaceous chondrite, another new meteorite-bound mineral was recently announced from the University of Hawaii. Readers of this space will remember the recent discovery of Wassonite last month. Now, enter Krotite, a low-pressure refractory inclusion with a chemical composition of CaAl2O4. [Read more...]


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Carrie Moore
Director for Congressional Relations
Carrie Moore is the Director for Congressional Relations at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).
In this role, Ms. Moore oversees the development of OCC legislative initiatives, communicates OCC priorities, and represents the agency in discussions with members of Congress and their staff regarding OCC activities, policies, and programs as well as the potential impact of legislative proposals. She was appointed Director in June 2012, after serving as Deputy Director since joining the OCC in 2008.
Prior to joining the OCC, Ms. Moore held a variety of positions involved in the implementation of public policy in the executive branch and supporting the creation of public policy on Capitol Hill. Most recently, Ms. Moore served as the Director of the Office of External Affairs overseeing all legislative and communications activities for the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, at the Department of the Interior. Prior to that, she spent eight years working on Capitol Hill on behalf of two House of Representatives Investigative Committees and the Natural Resources Committee.
Ms. Moore holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles.


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Alyssia Brewer had 20 points and 12 rebounds Friday night and No. 17 UCLA defeated Washington 65-61 for its fifth win in a row.
Atonye Nyingifa added 15 points and Thea Lemberger had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Bruins (18-4, 9-2), now alone in third place in the Pac-12 behind No. 4 Stanford and No. 6 California.
Lemberger made four free throws in the final 32 seconds to help seal the win. Jasmine Dixon scored 11 points and Markel Walker contributed 10 rebounds and seven assists.
UCLA had a 54-33 edge in rebounding in a game neither team led by more than six points.
Talia Walton led the Huskies (16-6, 8-3) with 18 points. Jazmine Davis scored 17, Kristi Kingma had 11 points and Aminah Williams had 13 rebounds for Washington, which saw a six-game winning streak end. The Huskies' last loss was at UCLA on Jan. 13.


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No 3G on the iPhone, but why? A Battery Life Analysisby Anand Lal Shimpi on July 13, 2007 3:53 AM EST
- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Mobile
Most of the initial reviews of Apple's iPhone shared one complaint in common: AT&T's EDGE network was slow, and it's the fastest cellular network the iPhone supported. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Steve Jobs explained Apple's rationale for not including 3G support in the initial iPhone:
"When we looked at 3G, the chipsets are not quite mature, in the sense that they're not low-enough power for what we were looking for. They were not integrated enough, so they took up too much physical space. We cared a lot about battery life and we cared a lot about physical size. Down the road, I'm sure some of those tradeoffs will become more favorable towards 3G but as of now we think we made a pretty good doggone decision."
The primary benefit of 3G support is obvious: faster data rates. Using dslreports.com's mobile speed test, we were able to pull an average of 100kbps off of AT&T's EDGE network as compared to 1Mbps on its 3G UMTS/WCDMA network.
Apple's stance is that the iPhone gives you a slower than 3G solution with EDGE, that doesn't consume a lot of power, and a faster than 3G solution with Wi-Fi when you're in range of a network. Our tests showed that on Wi-Fi, the iPhone was able to pull between 1 and 2Mbps, which is faster than what we got over UMTS but not tremendously faster. While we appreciate the iPhone's Wi-Fi support, the lightning quick iPhone interface makes those times that you're on EDGE feel even slower than on other phones. Admittedly it doesn't take too long to get used to, but we wanted to dig a little deeper and see what really kept 3G out of the iPhone.
Pointing at size and power consumption, Steve gave us two targets to investigate. The space argument is an easy one to confirm, we cracked open the Samsung Blackjack and looked at its 3G UMTS implementation, powered by Qualcomm:
Mr. Jobs indicated that integration was a limitation to bringing UMTS to the iPhone, so we attempted to identify all of the chips Apple used for its GSM/EDGE implementation (shown in purple) vs. what Samsung had to use for its Blackjack (shown in red):
Motherboard Battle: iPhone (left) vs. Blackjack (right), only one layer of the iPhone's motherboard is present
The largest chip on both motherboards contains the multimedia engine which houses the modem itself, GSM/EDGE in the case of the iPhone's motherboard (left) and GSM/EDGE/UMTS in the case of the Blackjack's motherboard (right). The two smaller chips on the iPhone appear to be the GSM transmitter/receiver and the GSM signal amplifier. On the Blackjack, the chip in the lower left is a Qualcomm power management chip that works in conjunction with the larger multimedia engine we mentioned above. The two medium sized ICs in the middle appear to be the UMTS/EDGE transmitter/receivers, while the remaining chips are power amplifiers.
The iPhone would have to be a bit thicker, wider or longer to accommodate the same 3G UMTS interface that Samsung used in its Blackjack. Instead, Apple went with Wi-Fi alongside GSM - the square in green shows the Marvell 802.11b/g WLAN controller needed to enable Wi-Fi.
So the integration argument checks out, but what about the impact on battery life? In order to answer that question we looked at two smartphones - the Samsung Blackjack and Apple's iPhone. The Blackjack would be our 3G vs. EDGE testbed, while we'd look at the impact of Wi-Fi on power consumption using the iPhone.
36 Comments
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Tegeril - Friday, July 13, 2007 - linkNo, because EDGE is disabled for data during voice calls and Wifi remains on. Reply
mino - Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - linkWell, explain that to me how was I talking with a friend and browsing DT at the same time with my nokia now ?
Even the good old GPRS allows for simultanious data/voice scenario, that is actually one of the points of the packet-based technologies.
If you have standard 4+2 GPRS/EDGE timeslots available you just have the bandwith during call reduced to 3+1 scenario as voice requires 1+1 slots for its operation.
The other thing is if you have phone bad enough that manufacturer disabled/did not implement this functionality...
Even my P800 form 2003 coud do that FYI.. Reply
DavenJ - Friday, July 13, 2007 - linkNo he's right it should say EDGE. Phone calls can only come over the EDGE network and not through Wifi. This is a measure of talk time which would mean a phone call. It would be nice, however, do have VoIP through Wifi for those cases where your either roaming or in a dead spot. Reply
michael2k - Saturday, July 14, 2007 - linkIt's not a typo, you misunderstand the test.
It's talk time with a broadband connection turned on. You can, theoretically, turn wifi off during talk to extend the iPhone life, but for a comparison between 3G and WiFi battery life they were talking with, respectively, 3G and WiFi on. Reply
VooDooAddict - Friday, July 13, 2007 - linkWiFi for voice would be very nice. They could even charge me the same minute fees/bucket. There are plenty of homes with very good wifi coverage but crappy wireless cell coverage... works almost like a signal booster.
Ataraxia - Friday, July 13, 2007 - linkI'm pretty sure you guys are all wrong.
The iPHone has just enough features so people will go out and buy it in rabid frenzy, while the next iteration (in probably 6 months) containing 3G, Thinner/Lighter, etc will push people like ME to buy it (The educated consumer, who really does know how backwards the innards of an iPhone actually is), plus everyone who bought the first generation will dump theirs for the much faster data transfers and buy a second gen iPhone.
It's all about business and the $$ Reply
BigLan - Friday, July 13, 2007 - linkI wonder if the iphone youtube results are so good because the device buffers the video. It could be that you only download the file once, then play it back from cache. Could you maybe repeat the test with different clips every time to see if this is the case?
Also, are you saying that youtube clips on iphone/wifi look better than on a desktop? Reply
DaveLessnau - Friday, July 13, 2007 - linkIf Apple simply went with a user-replaceable battery, most of this problem (not the space issue) would go away. I'm not in the market for a cell phone, but that one point (the battery) drops the iPhone out of the competition for me. Reply
Shintai - Friday, July 13, 2007 - linkWhy would anyone, atleast outside the US mobile network, get an iPhone? Its 3-4 years behind atleast.
Take a cheaper nokia n95. You get gps, video calls (DVD quality, 30fps), TV, msn, 5Mpixel cam, MMS, 3Mbit internet, longer battery life and so on. On a 3.5G network for less than an iPhone.
The iPhone is like buying a 800Mhz P3 in a fancy design today. Inferiour products for extreme prices. The last sucker aint born yet. Reply
sxr7171 - Monday, July 16, 2007 - linkN95 is not cheaper buddy. I dropped $750 on mine. Reply


text:
Fiacre Goulash
Recipe adapted from Austrian Specialties*
Roughly 1 Kilo / 2 pounds beef for roasting
4 medium onions
2 T olive or canola oil
2 T hot paprika
1 T vinegar
750 ml / 3 cups (approximately) beef stock
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp cumin
1 more cloves garlic, crushed
2 T tomato paste
salt, pepper
- Cut beef into large chunks. Peel the onions and chop them -- not too large.
- Heat oil in a large pot and saute onions slowly till they're golden. Sprinkle with paprika, add vinegar and several tablespoons of beef stock.
- Add cubed meat and seasonings. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, adding stock as necessary to keep it moist and covered with stock.
- When the meat is tender, add the remaining stock, tomato paste and the last garlic clove. Simmer 10 more minutes and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serves 4 if they like it and 10 if they don't.
- If you're going to be busy, you can add all the stock at once, but you still have to stir it and the problem is that when the beef is perfectly done you may have too much liquid in there so you have to continue to cook it...
- This is one of those dishes that improves with time. Be sure to make enough to have leftovers!
* This is a small recipe book published for tourists. It has no date of publication on it, but I bought it in 2002.


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In 2000 I published the book Digital Audio With Java, wherein I presented an architecture for processing sound with code written entirely in Java. In the framework I provided, you had to combine user-written code for sound processing and user interface with modules I provided for reading and playing samples. Once all of the code in the signal processing chain was available, audio samples were pulled through the sound processing functions and the results could be heard in real time.
That was then. Today there is SynthMaker from Outsim Ltd. SynthMaker provides the same type of functionality but does so in a completely graphical environment. With SynthMaker, you can prototype audio effects or build complete software synthesizers by graphically connecting various types of modules provided with the program and/or by writing modules one self. And SynthMaker is not limited to the digital signal processing side of the equation. SynthMaker allows elaborate user interfaces to be created with all of the switches, knobs and readouts your creations require for real time operation.
Once you have your audio application built, it can be tested and debugged directly in the SynthMaker environment by connecting up any inputs required and listening to the result on a direct sound or midi output. Various readouts and analyzers are provided that allow you to inspect signals along the signal path which is a real help in debugging. Once your application functions correctly it can be:
- Converted into a module and saved in the module library for use in building other modules.
- It can be exported as a stand alone application (EXE program) for use in the Windows environment.
- It can be made into a Virtual Studio Technology (VST) plug-in for use with most sound processing applications. (See "Resources" for information on VST modules and instruments.)
For programmer/musicians like myself, the third bullet is probably the most important aspect of SynthMaker. Without a tool like SynthMaker, creating custom VST plug-ins is a time consuming, tedious and error-prone process that takes the focus away from what you are trying to achieve -- the recording of music. In addition, you must have software development tools like Visual C++ to implement the plug-in and understand the Steinburg VST spec from top to bottom to build a plug-in that works.
Building your VST plug-ins with SynthMaker can save a lot of time and effort. For example, the other day I recorded a guitar part and wanted to use vibrato on it to give it an edge. I looked around at the plug-ins I had available and didn't find a suitable one. Later that night I started to think about the vibrato algorithm and the next day I created a VST plug-in that suited my purpose.
Other plug-ins I have created with SynthMaker include:
- Tremelo. Amplitude modulator with adjustable low frequency modulation and depth.
- Panner. Similar to a balance control on a stereo, a panner is used to position a sound source in a stereo sound field.
- Auto Panner. Using the panner module created for the effect above I created an auto panner which pans a sound source back and forth in the stereo field in a controlled manner. Here a low frequency oscillator (LFO) is used to control panning. A sin, triangle or square wave can be selected as the wave shape of the LFO. A depth control determines how far back and forth in the stereo field the sound source is panned.
- Stereo Width Enhancer. This effect affects the apparent width of a stereo sound source. A stereo signal can be reduced to mono with this effect or can be made larger than life.
All of these effect modules are available from Dr. Dobb's in this source code archive. The rest of this article is an overview of the SynthMaker concept and how it is applied.


text:
by Clark Groome
The 2013-2014 Philadelphia Theater season opened last week. Two very different shows made up my first week of fall theater-going.
"In the Heights"
The adjectives most appropriate for composer and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda and author Quiara Alegria Hudes' musical "In the Heights" are exuberant, energetic and exhilarating. At least they are the ones most used in the show's publicity and some of the reviews it received when it opened on Broadway in 2008.
The winner of four Tony Awards, "In the Heights" kicks off the new Walnut Street Theatre season in what can only be called a crowd-pleasing way. The audience on opening night was ecstatic. I don't share their enthusiasm. (The show opened Sept. 3 and will run through Oct. 20.)
The show, set in the Washington Heights section of New York in the shadow of the George Washington Bridge, tells about a Hispanic neighborhood that struggles to survive. The residents are all decent and human. The struggles individual face are overcome by their commitment to family and culture. It's basically a feel-good show with a Hispanic beat.
Several things worked in its favor: the terrific cast that director Bruce Lumpkin has assembled, the magnificent Anna Louizos set (which includes the GW Bridge); Colleen Grady's costumes and Michelle Gaudette's athletic choreography.
It also has several things working against it. The often tuneful and almost always upbeat music tends to be monotonous. The various styles — rap, Hispanic, and more traditional rock — all meld together in what is ultimately a rather bland score, if bland with a pulsing beat.
Another shortcoming is the sound system that, because of its high volume, obliterates many of the lyrics. The show is hard to understand at times, and that makes its characters somewhat less sympathetic than Philadelphia native Hudes' book likely intended.
"In the Heights" simply left me cold, bored even. It all seemed so mechanical and paint-by-the-numbers that it just never engaged me. As noted, that likely makes this is a minority report.
For tickets call 215-574-3550 or 800-982-2787 or visit walnutstreettheatre.org.
(Ed. Note: The supersonic amplification of musicals has become an unavoidable and repugnant fact of life at center city theaters. I recommend purchasing earplugs at any chain drugstore. I use them for every musical that we attend, and they cut the decibel explosion by 30 percent, which makes the volume bearable.)
"Didn't Your Father Have This Talk with You?"
Tony Braithwaite's one-man autobiographical show "Didn't Your Father Have This Talk with You?" is about his time as a religion and sex-ed teacher at his alma mater, St. Joe's Prep. Or at least that's what it is on the surface.
It's more than that, however. Braithwaite, one of the area's most accomplished and popular actors, began his professional life with 12 years teaching at the Prep. From the evidence on Ambler's Act II stage, where "Didn't Your Father?" will run through Oct. 11, he loved it. My guess is he was also good at it.
The message of the play — which explores his own sex-ed experiences, the nature and uniqueness of a Jesuit institution and the joys and difficulties of teaching freshmen high school boys — is summed up by his comment, made several times, that kids may not remember what they learned in a teacher's class, but they will always remember how the teacher made them feel.
The 70-minute class that Braithwaite holds at Act II is a mixture of the funny — kids of that age are funny — and moving. Some stories, built around his experiences teaching sex-ed, are a bit off-color in that kids can take anything just a tad suggestive and turn it into a moment of hysteria. There is also a sensitivity, particularly when dealing with students who came to him for advice and support, that is quite moving.
The stories of three students — one worried he's gotten his girlfriend pregnant, one who was abused by an older family member and one who's gay — bring the real job of the teacher, which is not just to teach the course material but also to care for kids non-judgmentally when they are having difficulty, into sharp focus.
That's the best part of the evening. Directed by Mary Carpenter on Joe Binck's and Ryan George's fine classroom set, "Didn't Your Father?" uses Braithwaite's own father (on tape) to help him tell the story. It's a nice addition initially, but it wore out its welcome after a while. Braithwaite is such a talented actor and convincing and admirable teacher that the show didn't need the interruptions his father's comments often created.
Teaching is clearly a passion for Braithwaite — he still directs the drama shows at St. Joe's — and that comes across in a way that is both amusing and profound.
For tickets call 215-654-0200 or visit act2.org.


text:
What's in your bag, Imany?
The dance version of her song "Don't Be So Shy" was the summer hit of 2016. Her latest album, The Wrong Kind Of War, combines sizzling pop-soul with powerful lyrics. The 37-year-old French-Comoran singer is in Germany this November for three shows. Lufthansa Magazin peeked inside her bag at Tegel Airport in Berlin
Imany's new single
Listen and watch for yourself to Silver Lining (Clap your hands)!


text:
Inspired by Top Gear and edge-worn Zonda posters, Britain's spoiled kids demand track time in Italy's finest cars. Enter the "TeenTrackAttack" experience, the greatest thing to happen to teens since sexting.
Because the folks running this aren't insane, the cars are fitted with a passenger e-brake, the teens are on a course setup with cones, and they go out supervised. Assuming you're at least 4'10" you can hop in the seat for 15 minutes at a cost of $140. A bit steep, but how often does a kid get time behind the wheel of an Aston Martin DB9?
Also, if the British ever get a LeMons series they'll have some great starter cars.
6TH GEAR LAUNCHES 'TEENTRACKATTACK' – SUPERCAR DRIVING FOR THE UNDER 17s*
For youngsters aspiring to become the next Jenson Button or Lewis Hamilton, and for whom Sunday evening means being glued to TV's Top Gear, the opportunity to stop dreaming and get driving has arrived.
6thGear Experience offers any young person – boy or girl - the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a legendary supercar. Providing they are at least 4ft 10ins tall and can reach the pedals, they can choose between a real Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Ferrari and Audi R8!
No more sitting in front of the box and turning green with envy as Jeremy Clarkson and company 'smoke the tyres' and screech with excitement while driving the latest/fastest motoring exotica - now it can be your turn, too.
Ideal as a holiday treat, Christmas or birthday present, or even as an exam pass or other incentive, a TeenTrackAttack supercar drive is exactly that – a thrill-a-minute driving experience.
All cars feature an automatic gearbox and are very straightforward to drive, so no previous driving experience is necessary, although more confident drivers can opt to change gears using the 'paddle shift'. Cars are also fitted with dual controls, and an experienced instructor sits alongside in the passenger seat to ensure each driver gets the maximum enjoyment in complete safety.
The cars you actually drive
Aston Martin DB9 – Aston Martin, James Bond's car of choice.
5.9 litre, V12. 0 - 60mph in 4.6 seconds, top speed 190mph. It'll set you back an eye-watering £111,500 to buy, but your driving experience costs just £89.
Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder – the uber cool Italian supercar – just listen to that engine!
5.2 litre V10 with a blistering 0 - 60mph acceleration of 3.7 seconds, and a top speed of 191mph. £140,000 worth of head turning automotive brilliance and 500bhp's worth of power!
Ferrari F360 Spider – a truly legendary Ferrari created by Italian design specialist Pininfarina, in collaboration with Ferrari's own Head of Design.
3.6 litre 400bhp at 8,000 rpm and 275 lb ft at 4,750 rpm. Top speed over 180mph, and 0 - 60mph in 4.4 seconds. And guess what? It's red!
Audi R8 – Audi also owns Lamborghini and the R8 uses the same chassis as the Gallardo, but is built in Germany.
4.2 litre FSI Quattro gives a 0 – 60mph performance of 4.6 seconds, and a top speed of 187mph from 414bhp. £80,000 'fresh-out-of-the-box, and a classic already in the making.
Safety first
Every drive is supervised by a fully trained and experienced instructor, who is not only skilled at driving and controlling high performance cars, but has also been CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checked for working with youngsters. The instructor ensures that vehicle speed is controlled to match the driver's capability; most young drivers reach an average speed of around 35mph, although with practice and confidence they can go faster. Safety helmets are provided.
Family friendly
Suitable for all the family, a TeenTrackAttack experience is fun to come and watch, too. There's plenty of action, and as well as the driving experience, 'Hot Laps' are available for a high-speed passenger trip in a Lamborghini with a qualified driver/instructor. Every participant is given a certificate to mark their special drive, and action photographs are also available to maximise the 'show your mates', take home value!
6th Gear Experience currently operates from two principal tracks, at Prodrive, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, and Elvington Airfield, York. Two new locations, near London and Manchester will be added shortly.
OMG Audi!
LOL Ferrari!
WTF Ferrari!
OMGLOL Audi!
WTFLOL Audi!
Audi O'RLY?
I Can Haz Lambo!?!


text:
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text:
The Secessionist Campaign for the Republic of Vermont
From Time via DumpDC, with this Editor's Note:
Editor's Note: When the topic of Secession is found in the pages of Time Magazine…truly one of the pillars of the Main Stream Media…it means that secession is being taken seriously.
Read it all, please.
Fave line:
"It's an abusive relationship we have with the central government," says Peter Garritano, a square-jawed 54-year-old Subaru sales manager who is running for lieutenant governor. "We know it's scary to leave the abusive nest. It's a comfort zone in its own way. But we think we'll do better leaving."
Who else might have said something like that back in '08?
And to those who will (correctly) point out the socialist leanings of this endeavor, please read their statement of beliefs in considering the merits of their work.
For others who simply dismiss talk of secession as impractical, I ask:
What is your plan to deal with Leviathan and its resources, and will that plan actually work for those who oppose government tyranny and all other assaults upon the individual?
I'll bet all of those plans have a core of secessionist thinking, with variations mainly on scale and the de facto/de jure continuum.
Audentes fortuna iuvat.


text:
[kaltura-playlist-widget entryid=0_d9jbu6pe size=regular /]
[nggallery id=23]
Click here to see the race results
Friday, July 09, 2010 1:07:55 PM by Kevin Hetmanski
We are currently in Enfield, CT for the Short Course Nationals and it's a perfect day here. The temperature isn't that high and there's a nice breeze blowing. Today is practice day and there are only a handful of drivers here so far and everyone has been out on the track for some laps. Factory drivers such as Jammin's Chad Bradley and Team Associate's Richard Saxton are on hand with their factory rides and they are already putting down some fast laps. Chad Bradley is running the Jammin SCRT-10 and it's hooked up. Check out the photos, it's a sweet ride. We even have Rock Star Energy Drink/Team Associated driver Kyle LeDuc here racing with us. He has the weekend off from racing in his Lucas Oil off-road truck and decided to come out to CT to hang with the RC crowd. The track is very dusty and the layout isn't too complicated so everyone should have a good chance at bringing home some hardware. There will be four rounds of qualifying tomorrow and the mains will be on Sunday. There is a threat of rain tomorrow so there might be a chance that we'll see some qualifying happening on Sunday. The parking lot is filling up as I write this and I'm going to dust off some cobwebs and get some laps in with my AE SC8. We'll be posting photos and videos all weekend and updating you on the progress of the race. Stay tuned!
Friday, July 09, 2010 5:05:42 PM by Anonymous
What tires are working, Kev?
Friday, July 09, 2010 8:30:17 PM by Kevin Hetmanski
I took a few laps today with my modified SC8 and it felt pretty good. I ran the stock tires just to see how they worked and they would be ok if that was all I had to run. My truck didn't slide around on the slick track as much as I thought it would. I ordered up some SC8 wheels and AKA Enduros for the truck and the wheels didn't show up so I mounted a pair on the one spare set of wheels that I had and put them in the rear when I got home tonight. I should be set traction wise tomorrow. I also made some minor adjustments to my truck's suspension while I was at it. The track is a lot of fun. It's not overly complicated but does have a few tricky jumps. I'm really looking forward to running with everyone tomorrow. I noticed that my class is filled with sponsored drivers so that should be a good time. I wonder how many times they'll pass me. Before I left for the day Traxxas' Steve Slayden rolled in and he was wrenching on his rigs. I'm sure he'll make the main in his classes he knows the RC Madness dirt well. Hopefully we'll have something to report for you tomorrow. I just checked the weather and we are looking at the possibility of rain all day. I'm sure we'll get some rounds in but who knows how many.
I'm not sure what tires are working the best. The track was pretty dry today and everyone seemed to have their fav tire and they all seemed to be different. I'm sure everyone will zero in on a tread or two tomorrow.
Saturday, July 10, 2010 10:35:16 AM by Kevin Hetmanski
I rolled in early this morning and was greeted by a parking lot full of cars and tents. It looks like a lot of guys waited till today to show up and get some laps in before the race started. I'm hearing rumors that there are about 200 entries at the track today. Round one of racing has started and we are about half way through. Racing was halted for the time being because of the insane amount of rain that is coming down right now. Stock short course and the Spec Slash classes have run and it looks like they are running similar lap times. The 1/8-scale electric guys also got their runs in and they look sick out there. Rock Start Energy/Team Associated driver Kyle LeDuc was throwing his truck around the track like he does with his full-size ride. It was pretty cool to see the difference between some of our RC pro guys and Lucas Oil Off-road driver Kyle LeDuc. I ran my Spec Slash and had a great time. I pulled it out of the box this morning, put batteries in and hit the track. I finished 2nd in my first qualifier and can't wait to get out for my next one. The rain is coming down in buckets as I write this so I think we're going to be taking a little break to wait for the rain to stop and for the track to dry out. Good thing I ducked inside the hobby shop! Hope my snacks aren't getting wet outside.
Saturday, July 10, 2010 2:07:39 PM by Kevin Hetmanski
The guys here at RC Madness started to work on the track the second the rain stopped and we are back to the action. Round 1 is almost finished and it looks like we might be able to get one more round of qualifying in today. We are looking at more rain possibly later in the day so it might end up being a half round instead.
Saturday, July 10, 2010 3:28:28 PM by Kevin Hetmanski
Round 1 is in the books and the guys took a 10 min break to do a resort and set up round 2. It was really cool to see the nitro guys running after a day of electric trucks. A lot of the guys in the class are 1/8-scale nitro regulars so they were in their element. Round 2 has just started and we might get one more in before we call it a day. Matt Higgins and I are having a great time at the nats. We're running in a few different classes and are glad we made that decision.
Sunday, July 11, 2010 6:26:01 AM by Kevin Hetmanski
After finishing the second round of qualifying late in the day the guys at RC Madness decided to run the third and final round into the night. This made things very challenging for everyone once darkness took over the track. RC Madness has two bright lights on top of the driver's stand and they had a hard time getting proper light to the back side of the track and that make it hard to see your truck. The other issue with the lights was that it made it hard to see the jumps. I ran my third round of Slash Spec and ended up pulling off the track before the race was over. I couldn't tell what was going on and ended up crashing a lot. I'd be very surprised if anyone was able to advance their qualifying position last night. So far today the sun is shining and we shouldn't have any issues with rain. All of the mains will be running and the Madness crew has a ton of prizes to give away. It should be a great day!
Sunday, July 11, 2010 9:48:22 AM by Kevin Hetmanski
The weather is perfect here at the track and it looks like we are going to have a great day of racing. We had a slight issue with a power outage this morning but the power is back on and we are setting up the mains. A best paint competition is about to start and all the magazine guys are going to judge the trucks. Prizes are also being gathered and will be given away soon.
Monday, July 12, 2010 8:53:39 AM by Kevin Hetmanski
We had a great day for weather and racing on Sunday. We started the day with the lower mains and some were lucky enough to make the cut and bump up into the next main. About half way through the day we took a quick break and prizes were given away and a few guys put on a really cool helicopter demo. The flying was impressive and we were able to see a few crashes too. Once the A-mains were up, a lot of people gathered to watch the pro drivers that flew out for the event. The racing was close and fun to watch. As everyone was packing up, more prizes were given out then it was time for the hardware. Overall the weekend went pretty well. There were a few minor problems but that didn't slow things down much. We would like to thank Chris Marcy and the crew at RC Madness for the great time and we look forward to going to the race next year. Congratulations to all the winners! We'll be posting the results as soon as we get them from RC Madness.
Monday, July 12, 2010 2:52:52 PM by Dean
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for coming out and covering the 2010 Short Course Nationals. You and Matt are great guys and we appreciate all you do for the hobby. I promise not to give you such a hard time in the future too!
Monday, July 12, 2010 5:57:41 PM by Anonymous
I heard it was crazy up there. Something like 200+ entries. Some guy on RCTech said that his qual was over at 10pm and that there were 5 more to go. Pure insnaity. It was bigger than last year, and I'm sure next year will be even bigger.
Monday, July 12, 2010 6:27:40 PM by Anonymous
If you guys want results, you can find them here:
Tuesday, July 13, 2010 9:19:15 AM by Trevor "Chilly" Duncan
We have the results online at RCCA now and you can view them with this link:


text:
When you spend time on the road, you often have time to reflect, reminisce and recall the past. One of the things which brings emotional satisfaction is to drive into the countryside accompanied by the signal of a country music station.
As you move about this time of the year, there are farms and fields being readied for spring planting, bringing pause and reminding you that the renewal of life each year is something for which to be grateful.
Remembering the days of the past is a good tonic for the emotions.
Ever think about what your grandchildren will recall about the times of computers, cellphones and iPads? What will they relish about their good old days?
I recently was going though an old file and found a letter from a lady named Clara Rousey, who lived out her life in a small community in Elbert County named Bowman. She was moved to write a letter after reading something in the newspaper about octagon soap.
It was a very sentimental letter, penned by an aging woman who had lived a hard life and had grown up when you only survived if you were self sufficient.
"We lived in the country and never had any other kind (of soap)," she wrote. "We washed clothes, dishes and shampooed our hair. I made a lot of lye soap a lot of times to wash clothes with. I sure do know what a washboard is and a battling stick, too."
Every time I have a conversation with someone who is well connected in business, I find myself asking about the economy. The replies seem to carry a common thread. Most businessmen see the economy as beginning to improve slightly, but there is always a disclaimer.
"Don't think it will ever be like it was (before the last downturn,)" they might say.
When you hear such assessment, you worry about the futures of children and grandchildren. The cost of education is increasing every year and government seems to be taking away more and more dollars for education. It makes you become a worried man singing a worried song, which is why you try to find that country music signal where you can take your mind off any negative thoughts.
After reading Mrs. Rousey's handwritten note a second time, I thought of how previous generations made do and can't help but question how future generations will manage challenges of import. Making do is perhaps harder today than in the past, when much of America farmed.
"We sent eight kids though 12 grades," Mrs. Rousey wrote. "Not one morning did they go to school with a canned biscuit or a piece of toast. I made biscuits for 33 years for them. They are all married with families of their own, but I doubt that their kids have a hot buttered biscuit in the morning. I could write a book on the hard times I have seen."
She and her husband were sharecroppers and when her husband couldn't work in 1946, she planted 25 acres of cotton. She followed a mule pulling a guano distributor to get the cotton into the ground.
She had to be a special woman. She managed all the household requirements - cooking, sewing and raising eight children, who all went to school on a full stomach and wore clean clothes washed by their mother with homemade soap.
There is a note of sadness to Mrs. Roush's story. I never got around to driving to Bowman to meet her. Her letter, however, will become a keepsake, a reminder that the work ethic she honored in her life could still solve a lot of problems in today's world.
• Loran Smith is a contributing columnist for the Athens Banner-Herald. Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com