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Massage is a critical part of my training program, and I don't believe I could be successful without it. Massage can find Trigger Points, as they can be felt as hard knots and are painful to the touch. Massage can also treat the trigger points, by applying pressure to them until the muscle relaxes. The pressure can be continuous or repeated pulses. There are other treatments for trigger points, such as ultrasound, lasers, injections, etc., none of which I've tried.
1 Types of Massage
Massage can be provided by another person, or you can do self-massage. Self-massage can use your hands, or in limited situations, another body part, such as using a knee on the opposite calf. Using The Stick or Foam Roller is often more effective however.
2 Overview of Massage Techniques
These are my preferences on how to massage different parts of the body.
- Feet. I use a trigger wheel to massage the underside of my feet.
- Calves. The Stick works well on the calves, but requires a lot of force to get deep enough. Using your knee or elbow can get quite deep with good control, but can be awkward. The Thumper also works well on the calves.
- Hamstrings and hip adductors. The Stick works best here, but make sure the knee is bent and the foot supported so that the hamstring is relaxed. A foam ball or even a softball can also work.
- The quads. Use the Foam Roller, but take time to go deep enough to work the full muscle. The Stick can help, but it's hard to go deep enough. The elbow is great for going deep with lots of control. Be careful using only the Foam Roller, as this tends not to get to the VMO (see below for details).
- The Glutes. A softball is the best approach I've found for the glutes. I use a 16 inch circumference softball. (Thanks to Charles W for this tip!).
- Be careful near the Piriformis. The Piriformis lies over the sciatic nerve, so massage in this area can be quite painful. Problems in the Piriformis muscle can cause Piriformis Syndrome.
- ITB and Tensor Fascia Latae. This is a classic use of the Foam Roller, but remember to massage high enough to reach the TFL. I find The Stick works better on the TFL itself. See Iliotibial band syndrome for more details.
- Back. The Foam Roller can help stretch the back, and provides some level of massage.
- Hip Flexors. The hip flexors are always hard to massage as they are very deep. I have learned to lie on my back with my knees up and use my hands to massage my hip flexors. I have to relax the abdominal muscles and follow the hip flexor from the iliac (hip) crest down towards the spine. Raising my knee slightly will use the hip flexors so I can check that I am on the muscle. You really need someone with training to teach this technique to you, as you are getting to muscles near the spine from the front; there's lots of important bits you have to bypass to get there ;}
- Back. I have a Panasonic massage chair that does a good job on my back. Far from cheap, but it's proved its worth over the years I've had it. If I need more than the chair, I get my wife to use the Thumper or I use my Teeter Inversion Table. (I had Back Surgery so looking after my back is critical to me.)
3 Frequency of Massage
I am not aware of any studies around the optimal frequency or timing for massage. My personal approach is as follows:
- Once a day I will use the stick on all the muscles in my legs. This is primarily to check for any Trigger Points or other unexpected soreness, but it also functions as a minimal massage to keep things lose.
- I try to spend at least 1-2 hours a day doing preventative massage. I concentrate on using The Stick on my calves and the foam roller on my quads, but I also try to get to other muscle groups as well. This can be done while on the phone or watching TV, so it's not dedicated time, and I will often spend 3-4 hours in massage on a good day.
- If I have a specific problem, my approach is to massage little and often. I find that massaging a problem spot for 5-10 minutes several times a day seems to work better than one deeper session of massage. I'll back that up with Cryotherapy, often icing for 2-4 hour (this is instead of the massage above due to time limits).
This approach may not be optimal for you; I'm putting an unusual level of stress on my legs, and I find my quads need extensive massage to be effective.
4 Calf Massage
The Stick works remarkably well on the calves, and can detect muscular problems early. Roll the stick over the full length of the calf muscle, moving over the full width with successive strokes. Don't use the stick on the front of the lower leg with the foot in this position as the muscle (Tibialis Anterior) will be under tension.
5 Quad Massage
My primary quad massage is the foam roller. Here you can see me massage the front of the quads, with both feet off the ground to put extra pressure on the muscle. If this is too deep, put the other foot on the ground (see notes and picture on the softball further down). This massages the Rectus femoris, which occupies the middle of the quad group close to the surface.
The foam roller also works well on the side of the quads, working the Vastus lateralis and the ITB.
One flaw with the foam roller is that it does not reach the Vastus Medialis Obliquus or VMO. This muscle may help keep the kneecap aligned, which in turn may be useful in treating knee pain. The elbow can reach this area quite well.
6 Hip Massage
The hip can be tricky to self-massage due to its location. This is quite a small area, between the hip joint and the crest of the pelvis (iliac crest), massaging primarily the Tensor fasciae latae. Below the hip joint is covered in quad massage and the buttock area is covered under glute massage. Hip massage may help with Knee Pain and Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS).
7 Glute Massage
The glutes are the large muscles in the buttock area. Many people have heard of the gluteus maximus, but this area also includes the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. Massaging these muscles may help with Knee Pain. Care must be taken when massaging this areas as the Sciatic nerve is below these muscles. Putting pressure on the Sciatic nerve is painful and a bad idea.
8 Hamstring and Adductor Massage
The hamstrings are made up of multiple muscles behind the thigh, and the adductors are the muscles on the inside of the thighs that pull the legs together.
This is my preferred way of massaging the hamstrings, as it is easy to control the pressure. It's important to bend the knee and support the foot so that the hamstrings are relaxed. If you have trouble relaxing your hamstrings, then gently pushing down on the foot in this position should help to relax them as a response to the quad contracting. Use The Stick gently as too much force can cause damage. The stick can move from the hamstrings at the back of the thigh to the adductors on the inside of the thigh quite easily.
It is possible to use the softball on the hamstrings. Stand next to a table or desk with your hip next to the table. Support your weight with the opposite foot on the floor. Lift the upper leg onto the table and hang the lower leg off the other edge of the table. So, you're halfway sitting on the table with one leg hanging over the side and the opposite leg still straight down on the floor. Take a softball, baseball, or lacrosse ball and place it under the upper leg that's resting on the table. (Thanks to Charles for this tip.)
9 See Also
- Category:Beginners
- Category:Advanced
- Category:Training
- Category:Injury


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Question of the Day – Jan 26
Question of the Day from Marlins.com for January 26th:
Name: Juan Roman
Question for Chris Coghlan:
As a former corporal of the Marines Corps have you ever thought when you were younger of being in the Marines like your brother and how is the food over in Iraq? What do you feel when you visit our troops? And how do you think they are doing? If you weren't a baseball player would you consider on being in our troops?

subset: commoncrawl


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Governor Cuomo Expands Successful "Freshconnect" Program to Benefit Farmers and Communities Statewide
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the expansion of his FreshConnect program, which brings fresh food from New York farms to underserved communities throughout New York. The expanded program will award competitive grants to support projects across the state that make New York farm products more accessible to low-income residents and areas in need.
"This is a win-win for both consumers and farmers that will create jobs and provide better, fresher food to New Yorkers that need it," Governor Cuomo said. "We must ensure that all of our citizens have access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food, and nothing better fits the bill than the items grown right here in our stated New Yorks farmers. Our Fresh Connect initiative has proven to be an excellent way to bridge the gap between farmers and underserved consumers while also creating local jobs. We are expanding the initiative this year by supporting innovative programs that will help us continue to meet the needs of all New Yorkers."
In 2011, Governor Cuomo launched the FreshConnect program to create new farmers' markets and support existing markets that provided fresh produce to high-need areas throughout the state. Through the program, eleven new farmers' markets were created and four existing markets received support. Combined, they provided a viable market location for over 100 farmers, helped create local jobs for youth in urban areas, and facilitated an increase in the sale of locally-grown food.
After the success of last year's program, the initiative is now expanding to include not just farmers' markets, but other projects that connect underserved communities with New York farm products. Potential projects include:
- programs to increase access to farm products at food pantries
- delivery programs that send farm goods to areas in need
- programs for low-income individuals to access food directly from a farm, including through Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs)
- new farmers' markets that are located in low-income neighborhoods
- satellite markets that purchase produce from an existing market and resell it in an area that cannot support its own market
Grants to support organizations that implement a FreshConnect project will be awarded through a competitive process. Regional market authorities, public benefit corporations, not-for-profit corporations, and local government entities are eligible to apply, including farmers' markets that participated in the FreshConnect program last year. A Request for Proposals is available at the Department of Agriculture's website: www.agriculture.ny.gov/RFPS.html. Applications will be due by April 2, 2012.
This year's FreshConnect program will also continue the "FreshConnect Checks" initiative, a rebate incentive that encourages Food Stamp recipients to use their benefits at farmers' markets. FreshConnect Checks will provide $2 rebate checks for every $5 in food stamps spent at participating markets. In addition to Food Stamps, FreshConnect-funded projects are encouraged to accept other nutrition incentives, such as Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Fruit & Vegetable Checks, Farmers' Market Nutrition Program coupons, and Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition coupons, to ensure that all citizens have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, regardless of income. In 2011, over $2 million in Food Stamp sales occurred at farmers' markets throughout the state.
The FreshConnect program has been designed to meet the needs of local communities throughout the state. In some places, the program serves rural or urban populations that do not have sufficient access to grocery stores; in others, it provides low-income, high-unemployment neighborhoods with healthy, New York-grown produce, as well as local jobs. The program's flagship 125th Street Fresh Connect Farmers Market, located at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. New York State Office Building in Harlem, attracted approximately 2,000 people each week it operated in 2011. A market manager to operate this market for the 2012 season is now being sought through the Department of Agriculture's website: www.agriculture.ny.gov/RFPS.html.
New York State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine said, "New York is a leading producer of a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, including apples, cherries, cabbage, sweet corn, green beans, onions, and more. I commend the Governor's vision and leadership in helping New Yorkers gain greater access to our farm fresh products through the FreshConnect program."
New York State Health Commissioner Nirav R. Shah said, "The health benefits associated with increased access to fresh food are clear. Through Governor Cuomo's leadership, we are expanding the FreshConnect program so that we can continue to provide underserved New Yorkers with affordable and healthy food, support our state's growing agricultural industry, and help create jobs in communities throughout New York."
Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Kenneth Adams said, Improving our state's business climate means also improving the quality of life and well-being of all New Yorkers. Under Governor Cuomos leadership, ESD is proud to work with our partners in state government and the private sector to help support our local farmers and ensure that healthy, fresh foods are available in every corner of the state.
Senator Patty Ritchie, Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said, "Governor Cuomo's FreshConnect program was a great success last year. It supported New York's farmers while performing a valuable service for underserved areas of our state. I am pleased that this year, the program will be even bigger and better. Through the FreshConnect program, we can continue to foster economic development around local farms while helping to provide all New Yorkers with access to the wonderful products grown in our state."
Assemblyman William Magee, Chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee, said, "Last year, Governor Cuomo's FreshConnect initiative helped to provide new venues for our state's farmers, allowing them to develop their businesses and broaden the availability of their top-quality products. This year, the competitive grants process of the expanded FreshConnect will support even more innovative programs to offer greater opportunities for New York farmers. I am proud to support this initiative, which is a win for farmers and a win for communities in need."
President of the New York Farm Bureau Dean Norton said, "Governor Cuomo's FreshConnect program represents an investment in New York's agriculture industry. Connecting consumers with New York farmers creates a stronger business climate on both a local and statewide level and helps to extend the reach of New York's excellent products to communities in need. I am excited that our farmers will continue to prosper thanks to the expansion of this innovative program."
Executive Director of the Farmers Market Federation of New York Diane Eggert said, "Farmers' markets continue to be one of the best ways for consumers to find locally-grown healthy fruits and vegetables. Our markets were given a tremendous boost last year with Governor Cuomo's FreshConnect program. Through this program, markets have been able to grow throughout our state, giving farmers the ability to connect with more New Yorkers, regardless of where they live or their income. Our wireless EBT program at the markets has also been very effective in helping more people obtain fresh produce. The Governor has a true commitment to supporting New York's farmers and we are pleased that he is once again offering this successful program."
Kathryn J. Boor, PhD, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, said, "New York's farmers and consumers alike have benefitted from Governor Cuomo's FreshConnect program. The expanded program will now help even more New Yorkers, as it will offer new methods to provide fresh and nutritious produce to communities in need."
FreshConnect is administered through a partnership between the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Empire State Development, and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
Almost 1.5 million New Yorkers live in areas with limited supermarket access. Expanding access to fresh food in underserved communities has been shown to both improve nutrition and lower costs related to obesity and diet-related disease, while also fostering community and economic development.


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Hey, im from spain and ill be in Minneapolis in a month. Id like to find out somebody to play tennis with. Ill be in robbinsdale and ill have a bike so... maybe if its close to there will be easier for me
Hope to one of you are interested in
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Replies to This Discussion
u wanna play still?
Hello, I'm Dan. I also live on the the west side of Minneapolis. And I even speak un poquito de Spanish. (solo un poquito).
But I'm a very amateur tennis player--you won't get much competition back from me. Let me know if you wanna play!
Thanks for writting me. Ill hit you up when ill up there and maybe we can hablar en español too
still wanna play?
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Major Section: PROGRAMMING
(Zp n) is logically equivalent to
(equal (nfix n) 0) and is
the preferred termination test for recursion down the natural
(Zp n) returns
t if
n is
0 or not a natural
number; it returns
nil otherwise. Thus, in the ACL2 logic
(ignoring the issue of guards):
n (zp n) 3 nil 0 t -1 t 5/2 t #c(1 3) t 'abc t
(Zp n) has a guard requiring
n to be a natural number.
For a discussion of the various idioms for testing against
see zero-test-idioms.
Zp is typically used as the termination test in recursions down
the natural numbers. It has the advantage of ``coercing'' its
argument to a natural and hence allows the definition to be admitted
without an explicit type check in the body. Guard verification
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Cisco ACNS is a powerful digital media delivery solution that enables Enterprises to deploy a highly scalable, reliable, and manageable network infrastructure for video business applications across a Wide Area Network (WAN). Because impact on the network is minimized, Cisco ACNS allows for the deployment of more effective and timely delivery of video for:
Cisco ACNS has a comprehensive set of streaming media features so high-quality and long-playing videos can be streamed live, multicast, or on-demand resulting in improved content access response time and end-user experience, minimized WAN usage and costs, and increased network scalability and capacity.
Cisco ACNS Software is available on a range of hardware platforms, from the Cisco Wide-Area Application Engine (WAE) appliances to Content Engine Network Modules (NM-CE) for the Cisco 2600, 2800, 3600, 3700, and 3800 Series Routers. The ACNS Content Distribution Manager provides a flexible management system for efficient operation, automation, and central policy management of the media and content delivery network.


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Exile and Restoration
When the Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar finished its work in destroying Jerusalem and carrying off the cream of its citizenry into exile in 586 BC, God's people faced their greatest crisis ever, both politically and spiritually. This was the land …Read More
The Everlasting Kingdom
Even though the 2004 U.S. presidential election was not even two years ago, the media is already looking ahead to the 2008 campaign cycle. This reporting can be exasperating, but it is not surprising. In biblical terms, the attention …Read More
Conquest and Settlement
Deuteronomy is the linchpin to the historical books. Deuteronomy is a covenant document that is the foundational constitutional document of the emerging Israelites. There is an astounding preview of Israel's history at the end of Deuteronomy (chap. 27–30), which even …Read More


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PrimeBase XT (PBXT) is a transactional storage engine for MySQL which can be loaded dynamically by the pluggable storage engine API of MySQL 5.1. It has been designed for modern, web-based, high concurrency environments. Full MVCC (multi-version concurrency control) support and a unique "write-once" strategy make PBXT particularly effective under heavy update loads.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The EU's real problem: MySQL and Oracle do not compete!
To understand this you have to read between the lines of the EU decision:
"The regulators see a major conflict of interest in the world's largest commercial database company owning its largest open-source competitor"
This should actually read: "the world's largest commercial database company owning the largest open-source database"
The database market is divided into 2 parts: the back-office and the online world.
And now you know what I am going to say ... Oracle has an near monopoly in back-office and MySQL has a monopoly in online applications.
So let's do a little maths:
If we assume that back-office and online applications divide the database market into 2 equal parts, and that Oracle owns 60% of the back-office, and MySQL 90% of the online world.
This means that Oracle controls 30% (60% of 50%) of the entire database market today, but after the acquisition this number will be 75% (30% + 90% of 50%).
Something to think about.
8 comments:
- Tony Bain said...
Hi Paul, to me your argument seems to support Oracle rather than the EC.
It is not illegal for a company to be dominant in two different market segments. However, bodies like the EC exist to ensure competition isn't removed from a market through acquisition. By stating that Oracle & MySQL are in different markets, then the competitive landscape remains the same post acquisition. To me this would suggest there is no reason to block such a deal taking place.
The idea the Oracle could use this position to force people to purchase Oracle products by removing MySQL from the "online" market seems unsubstantiated. There still remains plenty of choice including a number of alternative open source offerings as well as the MySQL forks of course. It isn't clear how this could be achieved.
- Mark Callaghan said...
Thanks for describing the issue in an objective manner.
What fraction of deployments in the online market are also customers of MySQL? What do they have at risk? Many of them are able or willing, but not always able and willing, to use MySQL without becoming a customer. Do non-paying users deserve the same level of protection as paying users?
- BackInTheDay said...
The math is also weird. Even if MySQL did have 90% of the "online" market (by which I assume you mean web sites), websites do not represent 50% of overall database usage. I doubt if websites represent more than a single digit of database usage. So 50% of 5% does not improve Oracle's overall market share much at all.
- Paul McCullagh said...
Hi Marc,
Some interesting questions, and as you may suspect, I cannot really answer most of them.
Basically the point of this blog was to say the following:
I believe the EU is more concerned about Oracle building a monopoly in the database market than the lack of competition as a result of the acquisition.
If the job of the EU commission is to prevent monopolies, then I think they are correct with the objection. If the commission is just their to ensure adequate competition in the database market, then they are out of line.
Many say: "But it is open source, nobody can control it". I don't agree.
The evidence makes it clear that this is absolutely not the case:
1. What did Sun buy for $1 billion?
2. What is it that Oracle wants so badly, that they risk the Sun deal?
3. Why did Oracle buy InnoDB so many years ago?
Firstly, it is about ownership. And most important: ownership means control.
And MySQL can be owned, unlike other open source projects like Linux and PostgreSQL where the copyrights and trademarks are not all in one hand.
And control of the market is what Oracle is after.
They will fight the EU decision with everything they have because this control is worth one heck of a lot!
I support your opinion. Even though Oracle and MySQL are used in different segments of the database market, the border of the segments is highly likely to blur in near future. Because MySQL is used as a web back-end DB, while Enterprise application is getting built as a web app.
In addition, while they are used in different segments, but they are both DB products. Some functionalities are overlapped.
Oracle acquiring MySQL is similar to that the top desktop OS vendor acquires the top mobile OS vendor. Imagine the world where MS dominates both desktop and mobile OSs. No one can escape from or break such a monopoly.
- Paul McCullagh said...
Some very good points from Anonymous.
Could this be a Sun employee who is not actually permitted to comment ... ?
- Mark Callaghan said...
I hope the EC does something other than fight. If they do fight with Oracle there will be nothing left of Sun/MySQL at the end. I am not sure if that is a good outcome for customers.
If this about a market in which MySQL has a monopoly, then we are debating a market in which most of the users don't pay. Are they still consumers? Are businesses obligated to fund products that are not profitable? I suspect this is a new issue for them and all of the economists who are analyzing the issue.
Anyone claiming that MySQL must be freely available in the future must also claim that the user-base must pay enough to support the investment.
Oracle will own the copyright, trademark, docs and bug database when this is done. But I hope the EC's case is stronger than debating whether or not Oracle would control MySQL. Maybe that is good for the press, but the issue is much more technical. They need to define a market and show the size of the market.
The unanswered questions you list as evidence make your case stronger only when you speculate with bad intent on the part of Oracle. I won't engage on those and I hope the EC has something better than that.
The comparison to Postgres is interesting. The GPL version of MySQL is not much different than Postgres with one exception. Development would be done by a small community and somehow time and money would have to be found for the effort. The exception is that some businesses in the Postgres community use it because of BSD. But from my experience with Postgres those companies don't contribute much back in comparison to the community effort. I think the same is true for the non-GPL storage engine vendors with two exceptions -- Infobright and Calpont. So if you are all for community Postgres, I don't understand why you aren't all for community (GPL) MySQL.
In terms of delaying this deal I don't care about those who need a non-GPL license to MySQL. If we are to talk about markets, that is close to non-existent compared to other usage. And I suspect that doesn't count for much of the revenue at MySQL and the total revenue is also not much. So if we claim that MySQL has a huge market, and we must to delay the deal, then I don't get how this motivates delaying it.
I also don't care much for the concerns of those who require non-GPL MySQL because in doing so they want MySQL to be made available to them, but they don't want their source available to others. I think that is unreasonable.
- Paul McCullagh said...
As you mention, technically/economically the argument is hard to make.
But, I do think I am putting my finger on the core of the matter.
I am just trying to get into Larry's mind...
I agree with you on the insignificance of the non-GPL version. Although it burnt Oracle and other database developers to loose this business, the total market must be small in comparison the entire database market.
So why does Larry want it so badly if it is just copyright's and bug database, which are useless because everyone gets it for free anyway?
I am definitely not speculating with the bad intent of Oracle. I actually believe Oracle will do a good job, and that the community will spur them on and help. As we have seen this happen with InnoDB (you yourself have played a major role in this).
So what does Oracle want? They want you and everyone else in the world to do business with them, even if they don't earn a cent from the "business".
In other words, if it has to be free, then Oracle would rather be the provider than allow the competition a foot in the door.
As you know, Google, Skype and YouTube have shown the value of users that don't pay. So yes, I think that we need not distinguish between paying and non-paying users as far as market economics is concerned.
All users are points of contact that can lead to an introduction to other produces and services. So MySQL extends the reach of Oracle into the database market, and we can practically ignore the fact that the product is free.
And, this is a fact, whether I am for or against community (GPL) MySQL. Think of it this way, if ownership was irrelevant to influence, then Oracle could have forked and made its own version of MySQL a long time ago. The purchase of InnoDB would have been a good time for this.


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Author Notes: My favorite lazy Sunday morning breakfast is a quick hash made from sauteed chorizo, sweet potato, red onion, shiitake mushrooms, and rosemary, topped with a fried egg or two. I decided to incorporate those flavors into a stuffing fit for the Thanksgiving table. Not only is it a great side for the turkey but the leftovers still rock for breakfast the next morning topped with an egg. —melissav
Food52 Review: Melissav has bucked tradition with this recipe, and we're all for it. She starts with homemade garlic herb croutons and recommends nibbling on them as you cook. Then you saute chorizo until crisp, followed by sliced shiitakes, which take on a russet hue as they absorb the paprika-tinted fat from the sausage. Red onion and sweet potato are gently caramelized, and finally everything is tossed together with some stock and an egg and baked. At the last minute you broil the stuffing so that the crust becomes crunchy and golden while everything underneath stays soft and tender. The contrasting flavors of the salty chorizo (you can use hot or sweet) and rich sweet potato really complement each other, and we love the variety of textures in the finished stuffing. At melissav's recommendation, we tried some the next day with a fried egg on top; all of a sudden leftovers got a whole lot more exciting. - A&M —The Editors
Serves: 6-8
cups Ciabatta bread, cubed into 1 inch pieces
sage leaves, divided into 4 and 10, chopped
tablespoons rosemary
garlic cloves, pressed
tablespoons olive oil
medium red onion, diced
cups sweet potato, small dice (about 1 large potato)
cups shiitake mushrooms (or your favorite mix), sliced
cup dried chorizo, small dice
2 - 2.5
cups chicken or turkey stock (or broth)
tablespoons melted fat - butter, schmaltz, or turkey drippings
Salt & pepper
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Toss the bread cubes with 4 sages leaves, rosemary, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on baking sheet and bake until golden and toasty. Remove from oven and put in large bowl or container. [They are great for a little snack as you continue with the recipe.]
- In a large pan, saute the chorizo in a little olive oil until golden. The chorizo is already cooked but I like to render the fat and get it a little crispy. Remove chorizo with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the bread.
- Next, saute the mushrooms in the chorizo fat (adding a little olive oil if necessary) and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove to bowl with bread.
- Next, add some olive oil as the mushrooms most definitely sucked up all the fat. Saute the onion until soft and golden and add salt and pepper to taste. Add to the bowl with the bread.
- Lastly, saute the sweet potato (adding oil as necessary) and salt and pepper to taste. You don't need to cook the potato through as it will cook in the oven but I like to get a little color on it.
- Whisk 2 cups of stock or broth with the egg and salt and pepper. Pour into the bowl of bread, etc., add the remaining sage, 2 TB of the fat, and toss throughly until evenly moistened. You may need to add up to an additional 1/2 cup of stock but don't overdo it. You have been seasoning all along but you may want to taste for seasoning and adjust the salt and pepper.
- Pour into a baking dish -- a 9 x 13 or an oval gratin pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. This allows the bread to really absorb the stock and makes for a moist interior and crunchy top (or at least that is what I once read in Food & Wine and it seems to hold true).
- Bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove foil, brush top with remaining 2 TB fat, and bake for 15 more minutes. I like to broil the top for the last few minutes so the top gets nice and crispy but be sure to watch it carefully.
- Your Best Thanksgiving Stuffing Contest Winner!
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
More Great Recipes:
Stuffing/Dressing|Mushroom|Potato|Sage|Sweet Potato/Yam|Serves a Crowd|Christmas|Fall|Thanksgiving|Winter|Side


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HDD Pictures of Beautiful Giraffe Home Decor
Pictures of Affordable giraffe home decor with decorative plant is created to be the inspiration of for you. This image was published on April 16, 2018 and published by Cabral this is fall into the category Home Decor, the size of image is 1024 x 1024 and this post has 27 related images. If you have any questions please Contact Us. Hope it could inspire you, our beloved reader in villazbeats.com, back to article please click Beautiful Giraffe Home Decor.Here we have 27 great photos about Beautiful Giraffe Home Decor. We hope you enjoyed it and if you want to download the pictures in high quality, simply just click the image and you will be redirected to the download page of Beautiful Giraffe Home Decor.


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Back in September, we asked you to compile a simple form without any futher indication of what it was all about, we gave you the opportunity to start racing with your imagination and put the Moleskine items you like the most inside one of our bags or an empty box.
Each vote of yours helped us in creating four different Moleskine gift packs based on your preferences:
- Utility gift pack
- Backpack gift pack
- Tote gift pack
- Messenger gift pack
As you may noticed, each content comes with a dedicated pack which resembles the Moleskine legendary notebooks. The Moleskine gift pack are now available on Moleskine Store for: Austria, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Norway, Spain, United Kindgom, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Italy, Slovenia and Sweden.
And now it comes the fun part of it.
Do you ever went through an "unboxing experience" ?
It is the unpacking moment of new products, expecially gifts, and it consists in the surprise and astonishment effect. The whole process is usually captured on video and later uploaded to the Internet.
If you'll get one of the Moleskine gift packs as a present or have one for you family remember to shoot a video of the unwrapping moment and share it with us on Facebook, on Twitter with the hastag #MoleskineUnbox or share your video on our YouTube and Vimeo channels.
In the meanwhile…
You can start having fun with the M.Gift Box, the MSK template of the Moleskine box!
Download it for free from myMoleskine, print it, cut and paste and you can have fun building the small version of the box that will contain your presents.


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DCF Technologies has released SafePeak 1.3 for SQL Server. SafePeak's plug-and-play solution accelerates data access and retrieval providing immediate results, with no need to change existing databases or applications.
SafePeak acts as a proxy cache between application servers and database servers. Auto-learning caching algorithms store SQL statement results in SafePeak memory, greatly reducing database server load, eliminating traffic bottlenecks, and increasing scalability and transaction throughput. Using SafePeak, SQL Server users can improve database performance and achieve microsecond response time, handling workloads of more than 5000 database transactions per second on commodity servers. SafePeak provides predictable SLA even during peak usage enabling increased scalability to support growing numbers of users and masses of data.
A web-based GUI management dashboard for configuration, management and operation of SafePeak enables the following:
- Configuration and addition of cache policy rules
- Management of rules such as query pattern definition, default timeout, eviction scheduling, and object dependencies for eviction
- Performance, throughput, and data usage statistics and classification reporting
- Configuration and addition of multiple SQL Server instances
SafePeak is particularly suited for SQL Server customers with large stores of information accessed by concurrent users and based on repeatable queries. Systems such as media and information portals, ecommerce sites, and companies running internal OLTP, ERP and CRM systems like Microsoft Dynamics and Microsoft SharePoint will benefit most from SafePeak.


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Ryan pick adds social media muscle
Mitt Romney didn't just get a running mate in Rep. Paul Ryan — he inherited a robust, engaged social media apparatus that will be critical to volunteerism and conservative voter turnout.
Ryan (R-Wis.) is an anomaly in the House. He's a star politician who had more Twitter followers before Saturday's announcement than Republican House Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), and almost any other congressional figure save current House Speaker John Boehner and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Story Continued Below
( PHOTOS: Scenes from Romney's VP announcement)
The tea party groups who are crucial to the GOP's chances may be some of the most active, savvy online denizens in American politics. Romney's social media profile is broad but not deep, meaning he has a lot of followers — almost 4 million on Facebook and more than 800,000 on Twitter — but the enthusiasm and engagement expected from such a large audience was muted.
"With Romney, conservatives on social media were like, 'OK, we have to tweet about him once in a while, Facebook about him once in a while.' But with Ryan, it's going to explode," said Houston-based tea party activist David Jennings of the blog BigJollyPolitics.com. "It kicks up excitement from the social media point of view. If it was [Ohio Sen. Rob] Portman, say, you wouldn't have the reaction you're having this morning. It wouldn't be there."
( Also on POLITICO: Full Republican National Convention coverage)
That influence is only bound to grow in the coming weeks. During his 16-minute rollout speech in Norfolk, Va., on Saturday, Ryan's Facebook page — which already boasted more than 100,000 fans, added 6,000 more.
By contrast, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has just 31,000 fans.
Ryan's official Facebook page was growing so fast that it was on track to surpass Cantor's Facebook following of 144,000 by early Saturday afternoon.
"The tea party in its many forms has been rather successful in using social media to raise awareness and mobilize followers," said Anthony Rotolo, digital communications professor at Syracuse University's iSchool. "Ryan's connection to this audience may be an asset to the Romney campaign, particularly among conservatives that have been critical of his candidacy thus far."
( See also: 10 facts about Paul Ryan)
One reason Ryan has such solid social media standings is that he uses the technology effectively, said Amy Brown, a digital media strategist with Harris Media LLC, the firm that managed U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz's upset victory in the Texas Republican primary earlier this month. Engagement is critical to having a following that can be swayed to act on your behalf, Brown said.
"He has utilized YouTube to push his Path to Prosperity budget, he posts personal pictures on Facebook of his turkey hunting, he uses hashtags like #FullRepeal and uses the twitter handles of Speaker Boehner and Harry Reid to debate the issues," Brown said. "His youth and continued straight talk on social media will be very successful."


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Thrillville: Off the Rails lives up to its name with 20 death-defying rides so outrageous, they inspire the same word from every park visitor who sees them: "WHOA!" Players build these incredible "WHOA Coasters" to leap from one track to another, launch through the air like cannonballs, blast through burning rings of fire and more. A new lighthearted story ties together more than 100 missions, complete with 34 playable multiplayer theme-park games and improved social interaction with park guests. The in-depth conversations both advance the plot and suggest better ways to manage the park. But is every guest to be trusted? One never knows when a rival from the nefarious Globo-Joy might attempt to sabotage Thrillville parks with deceptive information...
LucasArts puts you in charge of another theme park. Prepare to ride the rollercoaster of love. Read More »
Hurry, hurry! Step right up! LucasArts is gearing up for another trip to the fun park. Read More »
This new Thrillville tosses physics out the window and includes more insane rollercoasters, more minigame, and an original storyline, Read More »
Also known as: Thrillville 2: Off the Rails
Release Region: United States
Release Date: October 16, 2007
Publisher: LucasArts
Release Region: United Kingdom
Release Date: October 19, 2007
Publisher: LucasArts
Release Region: Australia
Release Date: October 17, 2007
Publisher: LucasArts
Also available on: Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PC, Nintendo DS
Thrillville: Off the R... at IGN
Thrillville: Off the R... at GameSpy
Thrillville: Off the R... at TeamXbox
Thrillville: Off the R... at GameStats


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Welcome to the CRG Discussion Forum!Forum registration problems: Make sure you enter your email correctly and you check your spam box first. *Then* email KurtS2@gmail for help.Classified ads are not allowed on the forum.
Do a little searching on the site, there are some good threads on proper finish ( % gloss) and were to mask off to get it correct. Seems like it was a hot topic a few months ago. Assuming RS package ?
Cook may have already answered your question with his 69 pic.


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Researchers, wind energy companies seek more bird-friendly turbines
They're touted as the future of energy production - clean, efficient and renewable. But there's a dark side to wind turbines for local wildlife - towers and spinning blades kill thousands of birds and bats on the Altamont Pass east of Livermore each year.
While the hazards there aren't unique, recent studies suggest up to twice as many birds are killed every year at the Altamont Wind Resource Area than previously indicated by official estimates. Independent researcher Shawn Smallwood, head of ongoing mortality surveys in the Sand Hill area and other parts of the Altamont, estimates 10,000 birds are killed each year. It's particularly dangerous for golden eagles; about 60 die annually, he said, making it among the most lethal zones for the species in the country, based on available records.
"The old (turbine) technology is terrible," Smallwood said. "It kills a lot of birds and bats. It's like a person running across a very busy street. You make it some of the time, but once in a while, you don't."
Nationwide, investors put $25 billion into wind energy in 2012, with U.S. wind farms reaching 60 gigawatts of capacity, according to the American Wind Energy Association. California is second only to Texas in total wind capacity, with $11 billion in capital investment.
Altamont Pass - one of the largest concentrations of wind farms in the country - is in the middle of decommissioning 4,000 old turbines that use 1970s and '80s technology; nearly all will have to be removed or replaced by 2018. The world's most heavily studied area for wildlife impacts could also be the proving ground for a new type of turbine that county officials and ecologists hope will be less deadly.
Since 2012, Smallwood and his team have been studying flight behavior and counting dead birds every four days for wind energy company Ogin Inc. The company is seeking Alameda County's approval to install 40 of its "shrouded" turbines in the Sand Hill area to test its theory that the turbine's unique design will help prevent golden eagles, red-tailed hawks and other species from colliding with the blades, hopefully reducing deaths.
The key is the shroud - two concentric covers around the blades - which the company says not only make them more efficient than older turbines, but also less accessible to approaching birds and bats. At less than 200 feet, they're shorter and smaller than most "next-gen" turbines, which can reach almost 500 feet.
"It's a visual and physical obstacle that, in theory, will prevent birds from flying into the rotor zone," explained John Howe, Ogin's vice president of public and environmental affairs.
The three-year avian impact study could influence how conventional turbines are phased out from the Altamont and elsewhere. According to Alameda County Assistant Planning Director Sandra Rivera, its objectives fall in line with a 2007 settlement reached with wind energy companies, the Golden Gate Audubon Society and Californians for Renewable Energy, in which the companies agreed to reduce deaths among four raptor species - the golden eagle, burrowing owl, American kestrel and red-tailed hawk - by 50 percent from 2005 figures.
"Hopefully there is an improvement with regards to mortality rates," Rivera said. "If it's positive, we can presume the technology will be used not just at Altamont, but at other locations as well."
A report produced for the Altamont Scientific Review Committee - a five-member research group that makes recommendations to the Alameda County Planning Director - shows an average of 5,000 birds died annually in the Altamont area from 2005 through 2011. County officials said there's no way to tell how many fatalities were directly related to turbine collisions, but evidence shows bird strikes have been the single biggest contributing factor.
Smallwood says the official figures underestimate the true impact on mortality rates. He calls the Sand Hill study the "first controlled experiment in any wind farm," saying it will produce more accurate data than ever before.
While Altamont remains dangerous for birds, Smallwood said, conditions are improving, thanks to technological advances and better positioning of turbines - out of common flight paths and into areas where birds are less likely to hover.
With county approval, Ogin could begin its initial 4-megawatt repower by early summer. Smallwood's team would study the shrouded turbines for a year, making before-and-after comparisons of fatalities, concluding in 2015.
The Golden Gate Audubon Society in Berkeley, Calif., is supportive of the study.
"We're always cautious about any new turbines or structures that are going to be installed in the landscape, but we're optimistic," said Executive Director Mike Lynes. "Our goal is to create a balance between renewable energy and maintaining local wildlife populations."
A decision on the project's environmental report is tentatively scheduled for March. A second phase calls for 300 more shrouded turbines at a future date, contingent on the study's results. While the design is promising, Howe cautioned the company isn't making any claims.
"We want to do our homework on this technology," Howe said. "We're approaching this with an open mind."
©2014 Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.)
Distributed by MCT Information Services


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By Chris Kral
If you didn't know by now, Texas Rangers' Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre are pretty tight. From their back-and-forth banter to fooling each other on the field, there's no pair more fun to watch.
Need proof?
Here's 6 times Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre proved they were best friends:
1. That one time Elvis and Adrian drew the line (for their friendship).
Work/friend balance at stake.
2. That one time Elvis and Adrian couldn't hold a grudge.
3. That one time Elvis tried to fool Adrian.
There's no fooling Adrian, Elvis. He knows you too well.
4. That one time Elvis really messed with Adrian.
Don't touch Adrian Beltre's head.
5. That one time Adrian tried to distract Elvis, but faked out everyone else instead.
Wait, isn't this a real game?
6. That one time Elvis cemented their friendship by helping out Adrian.
Because only best friends blow dirt out of each others' eyes.
BONUS: The Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus mash-up you've been waiting for.
You May Also Be Interested In These Stories


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I would like to see a map based on Avatar (The Last Airbender and the new Legend of Korra)
here's an example
I feel like its a nice idea. problem is, I don't know how to make any maps (especially not for RISK). if anyone is looking for a map to make or wants to teach me how to make a map for RISK, this idea could be put into work.


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The International Affairs Review is currently accepting article submissions. Submissions for the website are accepted on a weekly basis with a deadline of 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time each Thursday. Submissions for the print journal are accepted continuously, with article selection occurring at the beginning of each semester.
Opinions expressed in International Affairs Review are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of International Affairs Review, The Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University, or any other person or organization formally associated with International Affairs Review.
Please feel free to contact our team with any questions or concerns.
Website: email@example.com
Print Journal: firstname.lastname@example.com
The Elliott School of International Affairs
George Washington University
1957 E Street, NW
Room 303-K
Washington, DC 20052


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its true that their applicants might be less in number, but I dont think so in qualifications, since we all made our decisions about where to apply based on last years data, which has not been changed by the hurricane. Since tulane will most likely be slashing their acceptances by at least 1/4 or maybe even 1/3 (the dean was quoted at saying that Tulane UG will accept HALF as many applicants this year), I think that their ranking will be unchanged in terms of selectivity, maybe even boosted.
I don't think it's been said, but from reading up on it thus far it seems like Franklin Pierce is pretty underrated. Granted, it's tough to place in Boston with all the competition from schools in that area, but their IP program is stellar (2006 USNews #6, higher ranked than Columbia, NYU, BU, Harvard, etc.). Sadly, it's another victim of poor rep.
I dunno if it's been mentioned but I think San Diego is underrated. It seems to me that everything I've read has been great about it. I think it could be a tier 1. Just my humble opinion though.


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Media Advisory 14-012
Leading researchers in cyber-physical systems to showcase innovations at SmartAmerica Expo
June 11 event at Washington Convention Center features keynotes and live demonstration of the Internet of Things' in action
June 9, 2014
This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.
Just as the Internet transformed the way people interact with information, cyber-physical systems (CPS) are transforming the way people interact with engineered systems. Cyber-physical systems integrate sensing, computation, control and networking into physical objects and infrastructure. Already, CPS innovations are driving development in sectors such as agriculture, energy, transportation, building design and automation, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. New advances in CPS will enable capability, adaptability, scalability, resiliency, safety, security and usability that will far exceed the simple embedded systems of today.
In December 2013, the SmartAmerica Challenge was launched as a way to bring together leaders from industry, academia and the government in order to show how cyber-physical systems (also known as 'the Internet of Things') can create jobs, new business opportunities and greater capabilities for citizens. Since then, 24 teams from more than 100 participating organizations have joined forces to tackle some of the biggest societal challenges of our time--from emergency response systems to next-generation transportation systems to smart healthcare.
On June 11, 2014, the teams will come together at the Washington D.C. Convention Center to showcase their vision for a smarter America driven by advances in CPS.
See the demonstrations and hear from speakers from the White House, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Commerce and other government agencies, companies and universities from across the United States.
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. there will be ongoing demonstrations and speakers covering healthcare, smart energy, transportation and disaster response. These demonstrations will include robotics, autonomous vehicles, UAVs, search dogs, 3-D printing, security technology, healthcare systems and advanced vehicle communications.
Todd Park, U.S. Chief Technology Officer and Assistant to the President
Dan Tangherlini, Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration
Farnam Jahanian, Assistant Director for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, National Science Foundation
Chris Greer, Senior Executive for Cyber-Physical Systems, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce
Richard McKinney, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Department of Transportation
Bryan Sivak, Chief Technology Officer, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
SmartAmerica Expo: A Showcase of CPS innovations from teams representing government, academia and industry.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Media and the public are welcome throughout the Expo.
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
To hear how advances in cyber-physical systems are impacting sectors such as smart manufacturing, healthcare, smart energy, intelligent transportation and disaster response, and how these advances deliver socio-economic benefits to America.
To learn more, visit the SmartAmerica website.
To talk with exhibitors or speakers about their work, journalists are encouraged to contact NSF's Aaron Dubrow who can help arrange onsite interviews: firstname.lastname@example.com, (703) 292-4489.
Throughout the event, we will tweet news and images from @NSF and @NSF_CISE. For additional up-to-the-minute information, follow the official event hashtag: #SmartAmerica.
Media Contacts
Aaron Dubrow, NSF, 703-292-4489, email: email@example.com
Related Websites
Smart America: http://smartamerica.org/
NSF Cyber-Physical Systems: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14542/nsf14542.htm
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2019, its budget is $8.1 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 50,000 competitive proposals for funding and makes about 12,000 new funding awards.
Useful NSF Web Sites:
NSF Home Page: https://www.nsf.gov
NSF News: https://www.nsf.gov/news/
For the News Media: https://www.nsf.gov/news/newsroom.jsp
Science and Engineering Statistics: https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/
Awards Searches: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/


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Starry Night
A Christmas NoveleBook - 2013
Related Resources
From the critics
Community Activity
CommentAdd a Comment
I love a good romance, but I rolled my eyes so much that I think I pulled an eye muscle.
Read this book when it was -15 out and around Christmas. Perfect cheesy romance novel to keep you warm and cozy through the long winter.
Even though it's a bit predictable, I loved Finn's character and that it was partially set in Alaska. Not too Christmasy, just enough to make me feel some love and holiday cheer.
This was a charming romance with a Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday setting. Finn and Carrie are both well developed characters, and you cheer for the their relationship. Starry Night is a fun light book for the holidays and fans of Hallmark Christmas movies.
When Carrie threatens to resign her job at the newspaper, her boss makes a deal with her. If Carrie can find Finn, the popular but elusive writer of outdoor adventure books, her boss will allow her to move from society page editor to become a serious reporter. And Finn never dreamed his first novel would captivate readers. He wants to remain secluded in the wild, away from reporters looking for an interview. Highly motivated, Carrie heads to the back country of Alaska in search of Finn. Carrie must decide if happiness is in the job she's dreamed of, or something else entirely. I especially liked the descriptions of the Alaskan wild, the vast endless snow, and the starry, midnight blue sky.
Debbie did a great job in her character and plot development. The Alaskan, Chicago, and Washington St. settings add a touch of travel and variety to the story. There was one scene that contained two words I thought could have been avoided and replaced with more comical substitutions. However, like her other stories, Debbie does a great job in encouraging and uplifting her audience. (Personally, I would rate her angelic intervention stories a little higher because of the comical twists and the more inspirational tone involved in those particular books.) "Starry Night" would probably not be considered a very fast paced novel, but it is very enjoyable. Overall, this is a great Christmas read!
A good, heart warming story that I found myself smiling while I read. Ended too fast for my liking, however now I can move onto another one of Debbie Macomber's books.
Wonderful romantic story. loved it. Love stories make me cry so dont read them a lot but glad I picked this one up.
I don't typically read love stories, but as this one got such good reviews I decided to read it & it was really good.
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Prenatal development
Prenatal development, also called antenatal development, in humans, the process encompassing the period from the formation of an embryo, through the development of a fetus, to birth (or parturition).
The human body, like that of most animals, develops from a single cell produced by the union of a male and a female gamete (or sex cell). This union marks the beginning of the prenatal period, which in humans encompasses three distinct stages: (1) the pre-embryonic stage, the first two weeks of development, which is a period of cell division and initial differentiation (cell maturation), (2) the embryonic period, or period of organogenesis, which lasts from the third to the eighth week of development, and (3) the fetal period, which is characterized by the maturation of tissues and organs and rapid growth of the body. The prenatal period ends with parturition and is followed by a long postnatal period. Only at about age 25 years are the last progressive changes completed.
Pre-embryonic and embryonic development
Much of the embryonic developmental machinery (the cellular apparatus) used in human development is similar to that used by other vertebrates as well as some invertebrates. The machinery is essential for four processes: cell proliferation, cell specialization, cell interaction, and cell movement. During these processes, the approximately 20,000–25,000 genes in the human genome give rise to as many as 100,000 different proteins, which give the conceptus form and substance.
The development and liberation of the male and female gametes are steps preparatory to their union through the process of fertilization. Active movements first bring some spermatozoa into contact with follicle cells adhering to the secondary oocyte (immature egg), which still lies high in the uterine tube. The sperm then propel themselves past the follicle cells and attach to the surface of the gelatinous zona pellucida enclosing the oocyte. Some sperm heads successfully penetrate this capsule by means of an enzyme they secrete, hyaluronidase, but only one sperm makes contact with the cell membrane and cytoplasm of the oocyte and proceeds farther. This is because the invading sperm head releases a substance that initiates surface changes in the oocyte that render its membrane impermeable to other spermatozoa.
The successful sperm is engulfed by a conical protrusion of the oocyte cytoplasm and is drawn inward. Once within the periphery of the oocyte, the sperm advances toward the centre of the cytoplasm; the head swells and converts into a typical nucleus, now called the male pronucleus, and the tail detaches. It is during the progress of these events that the oocyte initiates its final maturation division. Following the separation of the second polar body (one or two polar bodies are produced during division), the oocyte nucleus typically reconstitutes and is then called the female pronucleus of the ripe egg. It is now ready to unite with its male counterpart and thereby consummate the total events of fertilization.
The two pronuclei next approach, meet midway in the egg cytoplasm, and lose their nuclear membranes. Each resolves its diffuse chromatin material into a complete single set of 23 chromosomes. Each chromosome is composed of two chromatids held together by a centromere. During mitosis (ordinary cell proliferation by division), the centromeres attach to a bundle of microtubules known as the mitotic spindle, which is formed by centrioles (cylindrical cell structures). This climax in the events of fertilization creates a joint product known as the zygote, which contains all the factors essential for the development of a new individual.
The fundamental results of fertilization are the following: (1) reassociation of a male and female set of chromosomes, thus restoring the full number and providing the basis for biparental inheritance and for variation), (2) establishment of the mechanism of sex determination for the new individual (this depending on whether the male set of chromosomes included the X or the Y chromosome), and (3) activation of the zygote, initiating further development.
Cleavage and blastulation
Through the process of mitosis, the relatively enormous zygote directly subdivides into many smaller cells of conventional size, suitable as early building units for the future organism. This process is called cleavage and the resulting cells are blastomeres. The tendency for the progressive increase in cell numbers to follow a doubling sequence is soon disturbed and then lost. Each blastomere receives the full complement of paternal and maternal chromosomes.
Subdivision of the zygote into blastomeres begins while it is still high in the uterine tube. The cohering blastomeres are transported downward chiefly, at least, by muscular contractions of the tubal wall. Such transport is relatively rapid until the lower end of the tube is reached, and here cleavage continues for about two days before the multicellular cluster is expelled into the uterus. The full reason for this delay is not clear, but it serves to retain the cleaving blastomeres until the uterine lining is suitably prepared to receive its prospective guest.
Since the human egg contains little inert yolk material and since this is distributed rather evenly throughout the cytoplasm, the daughter cells of each mitosis are practically equal in size and composition. This type of cleavage is known as total, equal cleavage. The sticky blastomeres adhere, and the cluster is still retained for a time within the gelatinous capsule—the zona pellucida—that had enclosed the growing and ovulated oocyte. There is no growth in the rapidly dividing blastomeres, so that the total mass of living substance does not increase during the cleavage period.
By the fourth day after fertilization, a cluster of about 12 blastomeres passes from the uterine tube into the uterus. At this stage the cluster is called a morula. By the time some 30 blastomeres have been produced, pools of clear fluid accumulate between some of the internal cells, and these spaces soon coalesce into a common subcentral cavity. The resulting hollow cellular ball is a blastula of a particular type that occurs in mammals and is called a blastocyst; its cavity is the blastocoel.
An internal cellular cluster, eccentric in position and now named the inner cell mass, will develop into the embryo. The external capsule of smaller cells, enveloping the segregated internal cluster, constitutes the trophoblast. It will contribute to the formation of a placenta and fetal membranes. During its stay within the uterine cavity, the blastocyst loses its gelatinous capsule, imbibes fluid, and expands to a diameter of 0.2 mm (0.008 inch); this is nearly twice the diameter of the zygote at the start of cleavage. Probably several hundred blastomeres have formed before the blastocyst attaches to the uterine lining.
Implantation and placentation
Six to 10 days after fertilization, the naked, sticky blastocyst comes into contact with the uterine lining and adheres to it. The site of attachment is variable and not predetermined. The uterine lining has already been preparing, under the influence of ovarian hormones, for the reception of the blastocyst. Among these preparations has been the elaboration and expulsion, by the uterine glands, of a secretion that serves as nourishment for the blastocyst, both when it is free and during its implantation. Directly after blastocyst attachment come its establishment within the thickened uterine lining and the participation of its trophoblastic capsule in the differentiation of a placenta, a structure that enables the developing embryo to enter into a direct physiological dependence on the mother.
The trophoblast of the blastocyst exerts an enzymic, destructive influence on the swollen uterine lining, leading to erosion of both the superficial epithelium of the uterine lining and also its deeper connective tissue. This early stage of invasion ends in a few days. The blastocyst is then completely buried within a more superficial and compact layer of the total uterine lining. While the blastocyst is completing this phase of implantation, its original shell of cellular trophoblast steadily proliferates a multitude of cells that lose their outermost membranes and merge. The result is a thick peripheral layer consisting of a common mass of cytoplasm in which many nuclei are embedded. This external investment is called syncytial trophoblast.
The implanted blastocyst next proceeds to establish itself as dependent upon the uterus. The syncytial trophoblast becomes a spongy shell containing irregular cavities. This expanding mass destroys connective tissue and glands encountered in its path. Both the cellular and derivative syncytial trophoblast have the capacity of destroying such tissue.
The erosive process also taps uterine capillaries connected to spiral arteries; blood liberated from the capillaries is taken up into the trophoblastic lacunae. The spiral arteries are then invaded by the trophoblast and increase in diameter; they are now known as uteroplacental arteries and are no longer under maternal vasomotor control. This conversion process ensures that an adequate volume of blood reaches the implanted embryo. (Altered uteroplacental blood flow is a core predictor of abnormal pregnancy and intrauterine growth restriction.) Erosive activities decline in intensity by the end of the third week of development, and at this time the sac is completing the first phase of its specialization.
Occasionally a fertilized egg fails to reach the uterus, implanting and beginning to develop elsewhere. This outcome is called an ectopic, or extrauterine, pregnancy. The most common ectopic site is the uterine tube—this type of pregnancy, if not treated, can be fatal for the mother—but the peritoneum lining the abdominal cavity and even the interior of the ovary are also involved, though rarely. The unsuitability of all these sites for continued development usually leads to early death and resorption of the embryo.
The irregular strands of invasive syncytial trophoblast constitute a first stage in the formation of true villi, which form part of the placenta and are briefly described below. Primitive connective tissue soon lines the interior of the blastocyst wall, and this complex of trophoblast and connective tissue is then named the chorion. Connective tissue promptly grows into the trophoblastic strands, and blood vessels develop in the tissue. The result is the production of many chorionic villi, each resembling a tiny, branching bush.
In the fourth week of development, the essential arrangements have been established that make possible those physiological exchanges between mother and fetus that characterize the remainder of pregnancy. The deepest embedded portion of the chorionic wall becomes the so-called chorionic plate of the developing placenta. From the plate extend the main stems of chorionic villi, which give off progressively subdividing branches. In general, the side branches are free, whereas apical ones tend to attach to the maternal tissue and serve as anchors. The villous trees occupy a labyrinthine space between the villi that was created by erosion of the uterine lining. Trophoblast not only covers the chorionic plate and its villi but also spreads like a carpet over the eroded surface of the maternal tissue.
Tapped uterine arteries open into the trophoblast-lined intervillous space, their blood bathing the branches and twigs of the villous trees. This blood drains from the intervillous space through similarly tapped veins. Arterial blood of the embryo, and later fetus, passes through vessels of the umbilical cord to the chorionic plate. Thence it is distributed to the villous stems, branches, and twigs through vessels in their connective-tissue cores. Return of this blood to the fetus is by a reverse route.
The circulation of maternal blood through the intervillous space is wholly separate from fetal blood coursing through the chorion and its villi. Communication between the two is solely by diffusive interchange. The barrier between the two circulations consists of the trophoblastic covering of villi, the connective tissue of the villous cores, and the thin lining of the capillaries that are contained in the villous cores. The placenta serves the fetus in several ways, most of which involve interchanges of materials carried in the bloodstreams of the mother and fetus. These functions are of the following kinds: (1) nutrition, (2) respiration, (3) excretion, (4) barrier action (e.g., prevention of intrusions by bacteria), and (5) synthesis of hormones and enzymes.
Extra-embryonic membranes
The way in which the encapsulating membrane of the blastocyst becomes the chorion, and the most deeply embedded part of it becomes the fetal placenta, has already been described. There are still other important membranes that develop from those portions of the inner cell mass of the blastocyst that are not directly involved in becoming an embryo.
Yolk sac
Cells split off from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst and fashion themselves into a primitive yolk sac. The roof of the sac then folds into a tubular gut, whereas the remainder becomes a vascularized bag that attains the size of a small pea. In other vertebrates, such as amphibians and birds, the yolk sac is large and contains a store of nutritive yolk, but in humans and other true mammals there is practically none. A slender neck, the yolk stalk, soon connects the rapidly elongating gut with the fast-growing yolk sac proper. The stalk detaches from the embryo intestine early in the second month, but the shrunken sac commonly persists and can be found in the expelled afterbirth.
A cleft separates the outermost cells of the inner cell mass of the blastocyst from the remainder, which then becomes the embryonic disk. The split-off, thin upper layer is the amnion, which remains attached to the periphery of the embryonic disk. As the disk folds into a cylindrical embryo, the amniotic margin follows the underfolding, and its line of union becomes limited to the ventral (frontward) body wall, where the umbilical cord attaches. The amnion becomes a tough, transparent, nonvascular membrane that gradually fills the chorionic sac and then fuses with it. At the end of the third month of pregnancy, the nonplacental extent of this nearly exposed double membrane comes into contact with the lining of the uterus elsewhere. Fusion then obliterates the uterine cavity, which has been undergoing progressive reduction in size. For the remainder of pregnancy, the only cavity within the uterus is that of the fluid-filled amniotic sac.
Clear watery fluid fills the amniotic sac. The embryo is suspended in this fluid and thus can maintain its shape and mold its body form without hindrance. Throughout pregnancy the amniotic sac serves as a water cushion, absorbing jolts, equalizing pressures, and permitting the fetus to change posture. At childbirth it acts as a fluid wedge that helps dilate the neck of the uterus. When the sac ruptures, about a quart of fluid escapes as the "waters." If the sac does not rupture or if it covers the head at birth, it is known as a caul.
The allantois, a tube of endoderm (the innermost germ layer), grows out of the early yolk sac in a region that soon becomes the hindgut. The tube extends into a bridge of mesoderm (the middle germ layer) that connects embryo with chorion and will become incorporated into the umbilical cord. The human allantoic tube is tiny and never becomes a large sac with important functions, as it does in many other mammals and in reptiles and birds. In the second month it ceases to grow, and it soon is obliterated. Blood vessels, however, develop early in its mesodermal sheath, and these spread into the chorion and vascularize it. Throughout pregnancy they will keep the embryo in close relationship with the mother's uterine circulation.
Umbilical cord
As the ventral body wall closes in, the yolk stalk and allantois are brought together, along with their mesodermal sheaths and blood vessels. Enclosing everything is a wrapping of amnion. In this manner a cylindrical structure, the umbilical cord, comes to connect the embryo with the placenta. It will serve the embryo and fetus as a physiological lifeline throughout the pregnancy. The mature cord is about 1.3 cm (0.5 inch) in diameter, and it attains an average length of nearly 50 cm (1.6 feet).
Formation of the three primary germ layers
The inner cell mass, attached to the deep pole of the implanted blastocyst, is sometimes called the embryoblast, since it contains the cells that will form an embryo. The cellular mass enters into the process of gastrulation, through which the three primary germ layers segregate. Then the gastrula stage, the next advance after the blastula, begins to take form. First, cells facing the cavity of the blastocyst arrange into a layer known as the hypoblast. The thick residual layer, temporarily designated as epiblast, is the source of a definitive uppermost sheet, the ectoderm, and an intermediate layer, the mesoderm. In this second phase of gastrulation, some cells of the epiblast migrate to the midline position, then turn downward and emerge beneath as mesoderm. Such cells continue to spread laterally, right and left, between the endoderm and the residue of epiblast, which is now definitive ectoderm.
The site where the migratory mesodermal cells leave the epiblast is an elongated, crowded seam known as the primitive streak. Similar migrating cells produce a thick knob at one end of the primitive streak. Their continued forward movement from this so-called primitive knot produces a dense band that becomes the rodlike notochord.
The germ layers are not segregated sheets whose cells have predetermined, limited capacities and inflexibly fixed fates in carrying out organ-building activities. Rather, the layers represent advantageously located assembly grounds out of which the component parts of the embryo emerge normally, according to a master constructional plan that assigns different parts to definite spatial positions and local sites. Thus, although the germ layers have developmental potencies in excess of their normal developmental fates, their ordinary participation in organ forming does not deviate from a definite, standard program. Only the principal functional tissue is designated in the name of each primary germ layer. In a few instances, such as the suprarenal (adrenal) glands and the teeth, a compound organ has important parts of different origin.
The derivatives of the primary germ layers are presented in the table.
|cutaneous derivatives
|epithelium of:
|mouth; oral glands
|nasal passages
|sense passages
|central nervous system
|peripheral nervous system
|hypophysis; suprarenal medulla
|epithelium of:
|circulatory system
|spleen; lymph nodes
|urogenital system
|body cavities
|connective tissues; blood; bone marrow
|muscular tissues
|skeletal tissues
|suprarenal cortex
|epithelium of:
|thyroid; thymus
|digestive tube; liver; pancreas
|larynx; trachea; lungs
|urinary bladder; urethra
|vestibule; vagina
Growth and differentiation
Growth is an increase in size, or bulk. Cell multiplication is fundamental to an increase in bulk but does not, by itself, result in growth. It merely produces more units to participate in subsequent growing. Growth is accomplished in several ways. Most important is synthesis, by which new living matter, cytoplasm, is created from available foodstuffs. Another method utilizes water uptake; a human embryo of the early weeks is nearly 98 percent water, while an adult is 70 percent fluid. A third method of growth is by intercellular deposition in which cells manufacture and extrude nonliving substances, such as jelly, fibres, and the ground substance of cartilage and bone. Because of these activities, a newborn baby is several thousand million times heavier than the zygote from which it developed.
Uniform growth throughout the substance of a developing organism would merely produce a steadily enlarging spherical cellular mass. Local diversities in form and proportions result from differential rates of growth that operate in different regions and at different times. The particular program of starting times and growth rates, both externally and internally in the human embryo, constitutes its characteristic growth pattern. Abnormal growth occurs occasionally, and growth may be excessive or deficient. Also, such departures may be general or local, symmetrical or asymmetrical. General gigantism usually starts before birth, and the oversized baby continues to grow at an accelerated rate. (In some instances, the existing hereditary predisposition for gigantism may not manifest until sometime during childhood.) In a reverse manner, general dwarfism may exist before birth, with the individual continuing to grow only a small amount after birth and with growth then stopping at the usual time. In another departure from the usual growth pattern, the individual may be average in size at birth and grow normally for a while, with growth then coming to a premature arrest.
In a developing organism, differentiation implies increasing structural and functional complexity. One kind of differentiation concerns changes in gross shape and organization. Such activities, related to molding the body and its integral parts into form and pattern, comprise the processes called morphogenesis. The processes of morphogenesis are relatively simple mechanical acts: (1) cell migration, (2) cell aggregation, forming masses, cords, and sheets, (3) localized growth or retardation, resulting in enlargements or constrictions, (4) fusion, (5) splitting, including separation of single sheets into separate layers, formation of cavities in cell masses, and forking of cords, (6) folding, including circumscribed folds that produce inpocketings and outpocketings, (7) bending, which, like folding, results from unequal growth.
A second kind of differentiation refers to progressive changes occurring in the substance and structure of cells, whereby different kinds of tissues are created. These changes, and the synthetic processes underlying them, constitute histogenesis. The zygote contains all the essential factors for development, but they exist solely as an encoded set of instructions localized in the genes of chromosomes and bearing no direct physical relationship to the future characteristics of the developing embryo. During histogenesis these instructional blueprints are decoded and transformed, through cytoplasmic syntheses, into the several types and subtypes of tissues that are the structural and functional units of organs. At first the cells of each germ layer lack an identifiable shape and are similar in biochemical composition, but selective gene expression processes soon enter. After the elaboration of specific enzyme patterns and syntheses, certain groups of cells progressively assume distinctive characters that permit their fates to be recognized. Such early stages in definite lines of differentiation of cells are often designated by the suffix -blast, as in myoblast and neuroblast.
The emerging cell types are discrete entities, without intermediates; for example, a transitional form between a muscle cell and a nerve cell is never seen. Neither can different, local parts of a cell carry out different types of tissue specialization, such as nerve at one end and muscle at the other end. Nor can a cell, once fully committed to a particular type of specialization, abandon it and adopt a new course.
Under certain conditions, differentiated cells may, however, return to a simpler state. Thus, under a changed environment, cartilage may lose its matrix, and its cells may come to resemble the more primitive tissue from which it arose. Nevertheless, despite such reversal and apparent simplification ("dedifferentiation"), these cells retain their former histological specificity. Under suitable environmental conditions they can differentiate again but can only regain their previous definitive characteristics as cartilage cells.
The final result of histogenesis is the production of groups of cells similar in structure and function. Each specialized group constitutes a fundamental tissue. There are several main types of such tissues: each of the three germ layers gives rise to sheetlike epithelia, which cover surfaces, line cavities, and are frequently glandular; ectoderm also forms the nervous tissues; and mesoderm also produces the muscular tissues and it differentiates into blood and the fibrous connective tissues (including two further specialized types, cartilage and bone).
Embryonic acquisition of external form
Development between the second and fourth weeks
At the end of the second week, the embryonic region is a nearly circular plate within its well-embedded, differentiating chorionic sac. This embryonic disk consists of two layers—epiblast and hypoblast. A hollow, dome-shaped amnion sac attaches to the margin of the upper layer of the disk, and a hollow yolk sac is similarly continuous with the lower layer. A broad cellular bridge attaches the complex to the chorion. The most important event during the third week is the gastrulation process.
Early in the third week, the embryonic disk has enlarged and become pear-shaped in outline, and a well-formed primitive streak occupies the midline of its caudal (hind) half, which is narrower. Cells from the epiblast are passing through the streak and spreading laterally in both directions beneath the uppermost layer, now ectoderm. In this way the embryonic disk acquires three distinct layers, and the gastrula stage of development comes to an end. At the middle of the week, a thickening, known as the head process, is extending forward from a knoblike primitive knot located at the head end of the primitive streak. These linear thickenings define the median plane of the future embryo and thus divide the embryonic disk into precise right and left halves.
Toward the end of the week, the disk elongates and becomes slipper-shaped in outline; a slight constriction demarcates it from the attached yolk sac. Growth has lengthened the region ahead of the now receding primitive streak. Here, in the midline, the ectoderm bears a definite gutterlike formation called the neural groove, which is the first indication of the future central nervous system. Beneath the groove, the mesodermal head process presently rounds into an axial rod, the notochord, that serves as a temporary "backbone." By the end of the third week, a head fold, paired lateral body folds, and a tail fold become prominent, demarcating a somewhat cylindrical embryo from the still broadly attached yolk sac. Through the process of neurulation, the neural folds, flanking the neural groove, converge and begin to meet midway of their lengths, thereby producing a neural tube at that level. Cells called neural crest cells will dissociate from the neural tube and undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (mesenchyme is a loose mass of cells that gives rise to various forms of connective tissue). Mesoderm, alongside the notochord, begins to subdivide into paired blocks called somites, and the outlines of the somites show externally. From them, muscles and vertebrae will differentiate later. This stage, when the embryo is fashioning a neural tube, is often designated as a neurula.
In the fourth week the embryo goes beyond the external characteristics of vertebrates in general and becomes recognizable as a mammal. The week is marked by profound changes during which the embryo acquires its general body plan. There is an increase in total length from about 2 to 5 mm (about 0.08 to 0.2 inch), but size is quite variable among smaller specimens. Better correlated with the degree of development is the number of mesodermal somites, which attain their full number of about 42 during the fourth week. Some of the head of an early embryo arises from the embryonic disk in front of the primitive knot. But as the primitive streak shortens and its caudal retreat continues, such structures as the neural tube and notochord are added progressively in the wake of that retreat, and additional somite pairs also appear in steady succession.
The most important maneuver in the establishment of general body form is the transformation of the flat embryonic disk into a roughly cylindrical early embryo, which is attached to the yolk sac by a slender yolk stalk. Three factors cooperate in producing this change: (1) There is more rapid expansion of both the embryonic area and the yolk sac than in the region joining the two. The enlarging embryonic area at first buckles upward and then overlaps the more slowly growing margin. Since growth is particularly rapid at the future head end and tail end, the embryo becomes elongate. (2) In conjunction with this overgrowth there is important underfolding, again most pronounced at the front and hind ends. Underfolding is produced by differential elongation in the regions of the brain and tail bud. Conspicuous is the change in the future cardiac (heart) and foregut region, which swings beneath the brain as on a hinge. (3) A certain amount of true constriction, through growth, gathers all of these parts at the site of the future umbilicus.
Throughout the entire period when the body and its parts are being laid down, developmental advances tend to appear first at the head end and then progress tailward. For this reason, many structures that extend along the body for a distance show a gradation in development. The size advantage gained initially by the head end of the embryo is relinquished very slowly. Even in an infant the relatively large head and long arms are striking. A further tendency toward progressively graded development occurs from the middorsal line in a lateral (sideward) and then ventral (frontward) direction. All such relations are the visible expressions of stages in growth and differentiation.
Early in the fourth week the cylindrical shape of the embryo is plain, even though the folding-off process is far from complete. The neural tube is still open near both ends, and at the head end the broader neural folds indicate the future brain and even its three primary divisions. A pronounced bulge beneath the brain region denotes where the heart is forming precociously in order to institute a necessary, prompt circulation through the placenta.
During the middle and late days of the fourth week there are marked advances. Accelerated growth along the dorsal region bends the total body length progressively until the embryo assumes a striking C-shape, with the tips of the head and tail not far apart. Continued growth and underfolding close in much of the ventral side of the embryo, so that a free head and upper trunk, and a lower trunk and a prominent tail, are easily recognizable. Forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain can be identified, largely because of a sharp bend in the midbrain. Local outgrowths from each side of the forebrain produce stalked eye cups, and a pair of inpocketings of the ectoderm alongside the hindbrain sink beneath the surface as otic vesicles, forerunners of the inner ears. Bulges indicative of the heart and liver are prominent. Formations called branchial arches, reminiscent of the gill arches of fishes and aquatic amphibians, become conspicuous in the future jaw-neck region. Paired swellings ("buds") off the trunk foretell the locations of the upper and lower limbs.
Developmental changes in the fifth to eighth weeks
A five-week embryo is about 8 mm (0.32 inch) long, whereas at six weeks the length is about 13 mm (0.52 inch). New external features are olfactory pits at the tip of the bent head. An umbilical cord becomes a definite entity, its proximal end occupying a low position on the abdominal wall. The sharply bent head joins the rest of the body at an acute angle. The first pair of branchial arches branch Y-fashion into maxillary and mandibular processes (primitive upper and lower jaws). The external ears are forming around the paired grooves located between each half of the mandible and each second branchial arch. The heart, which was previously the chief ventral prominence, now shares this distinction with the rapidly growing liver. Limb buds have elongated markedly and become flattened at their outer ends. A constriction on each bud separates a paddlelike hand plate or foot plate from a cylindrical segment attached to the body wall. Predictably, the upper limbs are somewhat further advanced than the lower pair.
In the latter weeks of the second month, developmental changes advance from those that distinguish primates to a state that is recognizably human. At the end of the second month (when it is about 30 mm [1.2 inches] in length) the embryo stage ends; henceforth, until birth, the term fetus is used to describe the developing conceptus.


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A request being reviewed by the Town of Cedar Point could make way for another hotel in the town.
CEDAR POINT � A request being reviewed by the Town of Cedar Point could make way for another hotel in the town.
The town has received an application for an amendment to the zoning ordinance to allow hotels/motels in the B-3 Planned Business District, according to Town Administrator Chris Seaberg.
The zoning text change application was submitted by Sherrell Futral on behalf of PSF & WW Investments LLC, which owns property in the district.
There is a Best Western hotel on N.C. 24 near the western end of town; but hotels are not currently one of the permitted uses in the B-3 Planned Business District, which is located near the intersection of N.C. 24 and N.C. 58.
According to the town�s zoning ordinance, the B-3 Planned Business District was established to create a district exclusively for retail shopping center complexes.
Carteret GIS maps show the PSF & WW Investments property is approximately five acres along N.C. 24 and across from the property where a Walmart SuperCenter was proposed but has never been developed.
Seaberg said there�s a request made to allow for hotels in the district, but he is careful about speculating about future plans.
�I�m always cautious until there�s a site-specific plan,� he said.
Seaberg noted that a zoning text amendment would apply to the entire district and not to a specific property.
The application before the town also includes other requested changes, including modifications involving building height.
Seaberg said that the maximum building height is 40 feet in all zoning districts in town except for the Industrial-Wholesale (IW) district. The request is for a text amendment for a maximum height of 55 feet in the B-3 Planned Business District.
Action on the application was tabled by the planning board at its Jan. 8 meeting.
Seaberg said the application is still at the beginning stages of the process.
The planning board will make a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners, which will have to call for a public hearing on any proposed changes.
Seaberg said the planning board could discuss the issue again at its Feb. 12 meeting and make a recommendation to go to commissioners at their meeting later that month.
Should text amendments be approved, any proposed project would still have to go through its own approval process, with a site plan first being presented to the planning board.
Contact Daily News reporter Jannette Pippin at 910-382-2557 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Visit JDNews.com to comment.


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I wrote recently about Honoring A Sensei.
I am a Sensei. You may be a Sensei too, or you may assist your Sensei. One day we will all pass away. How would you like to be remembered?
This is a serious question. It is one thing to honor a Sensei when he or she passes away. That is a good thing. But at that point, it would be good to ask yourself, how would you like people to remember and honor you? And if you would like people to remember that you did certain things, then you will have to do them!
What I am saying is that we have the power to create our own legacies. We can work at it. Our legacies don't have to happen by accident. From this moment, and in every moment of our lives, we can do something meaningful... something worth remembering.
Of course, good deeds are noble and worthwhile whether people remember them or not. I don't mean to say that we should try to pile up accomplishments just so that we will get credit. The reward for a good deed is the action itself.
Not too long ago I went to the funeral for my second son's girlfriend's grandfather. Jamie is the eldest of 10 grandchildren. At the funeral, a video was shown. Each of the 10 grandchildren said something, shared a memory, of their grandfather. They each had something good to say. It was obvious that they deeply loved their grandfather.
I thought to myself, "That's the kind of grandfather I want to be!" (This was before my granddaughter was born.)
The grandchildrens' memories were not earth shattering. For the most part, they were of special moments with their grandfather... going on trips, driving somewhere, just talking at the house. The special moments weren't special because they were spectacular, they were special because they represented quality time with their grandfather.
We have the opportunity to create special moments, to be part of quality time with our loved ones, friends, and students.
Or we can just let life pass us by.
Charles C. Goodin
How Would You Like to be Remembered?
I wrote recently about Honoring A Sensei.
Posted by Charles C. Goodin on Friday, October 16, 2009