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Originally posted at Capital Gains and Games.
I deliberately wrote the headline above to make some CG&G readers (and you know who you are) angry.
Here's the news: The U.S. Treasury reported last Friday that the deficit for fiscal 2012 was $1.09 trillion. This was $200 billion or so less than the $1.3 trillion deficit recorded in 2011 and more than $300 billion less than the $1.42 trillion deficit in 2009.
Yes, I could have easily said that the federal deficit exceeded $1 trillion for the fourth consecutive year because that would have been true.
And, yes, I could also have said that the $200 billion deficit reduction from 2011 to 2012 was the largest in U.S. history because that also would have been true.
Finally, I could have also written that the reduced deficit from 2011 to 2012 was the wrong fiscal policy given the fragile state of the economy and because the other primary drivers of GDP — corporate spending, consumer spending, trade, and state and local government spending — are all still well below what we need them to be to create growth.
So was the $1.09 trillion deficit in fiscal 2012 a good or bad thing?
Politically, of course, it's a nonstarter. A 15 percent reduction from one year to the next in the deficit used to be something a president bragged about. But these days the positive optics of the reduction are less important than the negative optics of the $1 trillion threshold, and almost everyone for whom the deficit is an issue won't be impressed because the red ink still seems so large.
As a result, no one in the Obama administration wanted to talk about the deficit any more than it had to and last Friday's late afternoon release — the traditional
graveyard for news stories you want to bury– was hardly surprising.
This situation isn't likely to change anytime soon because the existing split between the current politics and economics of the deficit will continue for at least the next decade. Even when the deficit gets to a point where economists say it shouldn't be an issue, it will still be a political problem that will generate significant controversy.
That means that the federal deficit for future fiscal years will likely continue to be released on Friday afternoons even if the final numbers show that it fell to $100 billion while GDP was growing by 5 percent and the debt as a percent of GDP was falling precipitously.
Here's a good story from Annie Lowrey of The New York Times with more details on the final 2012 numbers.

subset: commoncrawl


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Home > News & Events > Wayland Press Release Archives > 2004 News Releases > November 2004 > Plainview native takes Miss Wayland crown
Plainview native takes Miss Wayland crown
PLAINVIEW -- Alpha Jennings, a senior business administration major from Plainview, was named Miss Wayland 2005 after the annual pageant held Friday at Wayland Baptist University.
The daughter of Edward and Marilyn Jennings of Plainview, both graduates of Wayland, Alpha is studying accounting and hopes to one day open a chain of beauty colleges and salons. She is a licensed cosmetologist as well and enjoys watercolor painting.
At Wayland, Jennings serves as president of Zeta Zeta Zeta, a service sorority, and is a member of the Student Union Board. She presented a dramatic monologue for her talent.
Britany Lewis, a senior from Borger, was named first runner-up for the pageant. Lewis is a secondary education major, specializing in speech, and is the daughter of D. Jay and Cindy Lewis. She was represented by Student Foundation, of which she is a member, and is also involved in Student Ministries, Alpha Delta Kappa Christian service sorority and Kappa Delta Pi education honor society.
Ragan Spradling, a senior from Amarillo, was second runner-up in the pageant. Representing Students in Free Enterprise business organization, Spradling is a business major who hopes to attend law school and begin her own clothing line. The daughter of Kel and John Spradling, Ragan is president of the senior class and secretary for SIFE.
Rounding out the top five were Anna Romersberger, a junior from Fairbanks, Alaska, and Crystal Holloway, a junior from Carrizo Springs.
At a reception held following the pageant, several additional awards were presented. Romersberger received the award for Best Evening Gown, with Holloway named Best Talent. Jennifer Brigman, a senior from Eula, earned the award for Best Interview. Consuelo Salazar, a sophomore from Plainview, was named Miss Congeniality.
Miss Wayland serves as an ambassador for the university, making several appearances at service organizations, churches and university events throughout her year-long reign. She receives a scholarship and a prize package from local businesses. She is also responsible for helping to organize the next year's pageant.


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Damien wrote:I looked into the Demo, as I did enjoy the first two AoE games. And you know what? I'm really sick of developers making games that require a 3,000 dollar computer to play. I have a very nice computer, but it's not, as they say, 'optimized for gaming.' Which means I can only play games on low resolution, and some games I can't play at all. It's lame, especially considering two years ago this machine would have been "top of the line."
Sorry for the mini-rant, had to get that off my chest though. You spend 1,500 dollars on a computer.. you expect to be able to play games with it.. but nooooo.
Hopefully you bought a computer with some modicum of upgradablity. I just drop in a new CPU and/or graphics card - it isn't that expensive (even a new motherboard and CPU isn't that expensive). I just wait for good sales (kinda like LEGO).
Game companies that don't push the state of the art (and therefore the actual equipment) tend to get left behind. For better or worse, it's the consumers that have the latest and greatest that drive the game industry, and it's been that way for over a decade.


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All you need to know on the other deer species of the West
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Howard Schmertz
Inducted: 2012, contributor
Born: June 9, 1925 - New York, New York
There has never been a running of the iconic Millrose Games, which first started in 1908 and will be held for the 106th time in 2013, that either Fred or Howard Schmertz has not been involved with on some level. Fred was one of the founding members of the meet before taking over as meet director in 1934, serving through 1974. At that point, his son, Howard, a New York City lawyer, took over the position until 2003, when he was appointed meet director emeritus. During their run, the Millrose Games have come to be the most enduring indoor international track meet in the world. Both Howard and Fred are also members of the Millrose Games Hall of Fame and Howard a member of the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
Meet Director


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MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY OLSEN GIVE ELIZABETH AND JAMES A COOL, MASCULINE UPGRADECategories:Other Brands
Elizabeth and James has officially entered a new chapter.
In August, founders Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen announced they had reacquired the brand from licensee of eight years Jaya Apparel Group, with plans to bring design in-house to their New York City headquarters, where their luxury brand The Row is also based. And while the sisters told WWD in February that they were always heavily involved, their first two collections since the acquisition (pre-fall and fall) clearly mark a shift in the design direction. It's cooler, more masculine and of higher quality.
Whereas the Elizabeth and James of the past relied on form-fitting dresses and feminine separates — somewhat "basic" basics — the newest collections designed by the Olsens are full of wardrobe builders in their signature effortless, luxe aesthetic. There are wide-leg crepe trousers, pleated satin skirts and many sleek maxi-skirts. Fans of The Row will be excited to find a hefty range of knitwear, from ribbed, form-fitting dresses to oversized turtlenecks. In that WWD interview, Mary-Kate Olsen said that they wanted to expand sweaters while still maintaining the strong dress, shirting and blazer categories that have been core parts of the business since the beginning. Denim has also expanded: for fall, they've designed a high-waisted "tomboy" style, cropped flares as well as a new denim and leather biker-style jackets. Overall, the fits are boxier and the pieces lend themselves to layering both within the collection and with the elegant, comfortable pieces the Elizabeth and James shopper probably already has in her closet.
The Elizabeth and James lifestyle extends far beyond apparel with jewelry, fragrances, sunglasses and handbags, which have been designed in-house since the category launched in 2013. The designers told WWD that they've hired new sales and merchandising teams in addition to two designers and are planning to expand the fragrance line. The Olsens' upgraded vision for the brand will be on full display when they open a dedicated store in July at The Grove in Los Angeles — the first of several new brick-and-mortar locations.
See the pre-fall and fall 2016 Elizabeth and James collections in the gallery below.
Tags: A AND MARY-KATE ASHLEY OLSEN GIVE ELIZABETH JAMES COOL MASCULINE UPGRADE


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I began fishing Eastern Washington rivers in 1967 when just out of high school. I fished and hunted along the beautiful Grande Ronde and Klickitat rivers for some 16 years before taking anglers on float trips professionally. I began guiding professionally in 1983 doing overnight combo hunting/fishing trips on the Grande Ronde river. I started out fishing 5 different rivers here in Eastern Washington, including big water such as the Columbia River. The guide business picked up to the point where it made more sense to concentrate my efforts on fly /gear fishing on the Grande Ronde and Klickitat rivers only. After a few years, I narrowed my efforts into what was most popular for my clients; The Grande Ronde and Klickitat rivers via drift boat.
The Klickitat River is a glacier-fed river providing anglers with king salmon and steelhead in the late summer and fall. The Grande Ronde river is an excellent river that I fish from late October thru February.
After making the switch from another boat manufacturer to the Hyde drift boat six years ago, I've received a lot of customer compliments for comfort, fishability, and just plain good looks! I feel very fortunate to have been chosen for the Hyde Pro Team for the last five years . My thanks go out to Hyde for listening and implementing my suggestions on the improvments to the Hyde "combo" boat.. Its been a pleasurable experience, fishing the two greatest rivers in Eastern Washington for the last 25 years!
The Klickitat River is located in Central Washington, west of the city of Goldendale. Fishing trips may be scheduled for September.
The Grande Ronde River is located in the southeast corner of Washington State. It is noted for its scenic beauty and excellent fly fishing. Trips are made October through March.
Please be sure to book your trip early to ensure a great fishing trip.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about BJ's Guide Service, LLC! -


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Avs sign Semyon Varlamov to 5-year extension
DENVER (AP) The Colorado Avalanche have signed goaltender Semyon Varlamov to a five-year extension that goes through the 2018-19 season.
The 25-year-old Varlamov is thriving under first-year coach and Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy, posting a 26-9-5 record with a 2.43 goals-against average. He's second in the league in saves (1,199) this season and his 26 wins already match a career high.
Joe Sakic, the team's executive vice president of hockey operations, says that Varlamov is "entering the prime years of his career and he wants to be part of this franchise moving forward. We are very excited to have come to terms with him."
Varlamov was a first-round pick by Washington before being acquired by Colorado on July 1, 2011.
He will represent Russia at the Sochi Olympics next month.


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Michael J. McDonald of "MADtv" fame has put his Hollywood Hills West home on the market at $3.495 million.
He remodeled the 3,250-square-foot villa, adding a new kitchen, a second master suite, a custom-built eight-person spa, an outdoor kitchen and a cabana. It has a solarium entry, a lower level kitchenette, three bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms.
The canyon-view property also features a swimming pool.
The actor-comedian-writer, 48, starred with Sandra Bullock this year in "The Heat" and appears on the TV show "Web Therapy." He was a cast member of "MADtv" for a decade and contributed as a director and writer.
McDonald bought the property in 2004 for $1.979 million, public records show.
Kenneth (KJ) Marmon of Hilton & Hyland/Christie's International Real Estate is the listing agent.
Emilio Estevez lists his Malibu compound at $7.8 million
Mark Wahlberg finally sells his Beverly Hills-area mansion
Wolfgang Puck buys Holmby Hills-area mansion for $14 million


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Though not as channel-centric as Cisco Partner Summit, Cisco Live is the networking king's largest event of the year, and it kicks off this week in the same place Partner Summit 2012 did two months earlier: San Diego. As a user-focused conference with thousands of customers -- and more than a few Cisco VARs -- in attendance, Cisco's usually got a few neat surprises -- this was, after all, the conference where it launched the ill-fated Cius tablet to such promising reviews in 2010, and in 2011, refreshed its most popular single Catalyst switch.
Cisco has some interesting stuff on tap for this year (hint: it's cloudy), but we thought it prudent to highlight some of the other Cisco ecosystem product releases and exhibitions happening this week from partner vendors. Have a look.


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Lead designers are the designers most people think of when they hear the words "fashion industry."
The main responsibility of lead fashion designers is creative; they work up designs for individual pieces or entire lines of clothing, footwear, and accessories. This typically involves several generations of sketches or computer-aided drafts; consideration of color, texture, material, and shape when worn; and supervision of final patterning and construction.
Some lead designers aim to set trends (and, with skill and luck, they often do); others do their best to follow and capitalize on trends that are already established. Others simply design very beautiful, comfortable, and/or useful garments.
Their markets vary from department stores to boutiques, and specialty retailers to individuals willing to pay large amounts of money for custom-designed originals.
While some lead designers are self-employed or head their own labels, many others work for apparel manufacturers, designing fashions to be sold to the discriminating few through high-end catalogs or to the millions who shop at discount super-centers.
See the full listing of schools offering fashion design degrees.


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Johnny Cooper Coming to the Lucky Mule Friday, January 11th [VIDEO]
He may not be very old, but Johnny Cooper has been showing off his skills for years. He's got six great albums to his credit, and continues to improve on his raw talent as a guitarist, singer and songwriter. Along with opening acts Zach Harmon and Falls County, Cooper will take the stage at the Lucky Mule Saloon in Abilene on Friday night, January 11th.
Cost: 21 and over $10.00 in advance, 18+ welcome with ID for an additional $3
Purchase Online: LuckyMuleAbilene.com
Date and Time
Friday, January 11th. Doors open at 7:00pm
The Lucky Mule Saloon
1850 South Clack Street
Abilene, TX 79605
Contact Info
Website: www.LuckyMuleAbilene.com
Phone: (325) 232-8564
Facebook: Facebook.com/LuckyMuleSaloon
More Information
Johnny Cooper
It seems to have been written in the proverbial stars that Johnny Cooper would dedicate his life to performing and entertaining crowds. Since birth, Cooper has been immersed in music of all kinds, and encouraged to pursue his dream. He started performing music in February 2004 at the age of 15 and turning 24 in September 2012, he will have chalked up almost 9 years of professional touring.
Johnny Cooper has accomplished more than many musicians twice his age. Having recorded two critically-acclaimed, full-length studio albums (and another in the works) and not one, but two live albums under his belt – the total album sales of which have eclipsed 50,000 – Johnny Cooper's career trajectory cannot be stopped. He recently had two songs included on the soundtrack for the independent movie, "Deep in the Heart," which also includes tracks from Charlie Daniels, Larry Gatlin, Wade Bowen, and others.
Gifted with a rich emotive voice that illuminates his lyrics, Cooper says that each album "is another chapter of my life, every song is a short snippet of all the things I have encountered over the years, good times... bad times... and everything in between. I believe the music has evolved because I have evolved... the older you get, the less and less you are scared to try new things, branch out and test your limits."
Check out the official video for Johnny Cooper's 'Crazy':


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bibleworks.oldinthenew.org is backTuesday, September 9th, 2008
I was able to get the old address to finally work for the BibleWorks Blog. The official address of the BibleWorks Blog is now http://bibleworks.oldinthenew.org. The URL www.oldinthenew.org/bibleworks is now a dead link. Apparently, given the way WordPress works, we cannot direct both addresses to the same page (which would make perfect sense to me). Given that most links to the BibleWorks Blog have been to bibleworks.oldinthenew.org, Michael Hanel and I have decided to keep this address. Thanks for your patience during the changeover.


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The Coast Guard reprots that an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana owned by the Houston-based firm Black Elk Energy caught fire this morning. It has confirmed that two people are dead and two are missing. While it's impossible not to think immediately of 2010's Deep Water Horizon disaster, it's too early to tell the extent of the damage so far.
We'll update as we learn more from the Coast Guard, Black Elk Energy, and other sources on the ground. The Coast Guard has activated a "command center" for the incident and says it will provide additional details later this morning.


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I would like to do 1 hour practise (baseline, net, serve) at Davie or Piedmont or Linda
4-7 PM weekdays or 8 AM weekends
Bill email@example.com
Views: 79
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Hi Bill
I am more of a 3.0 player but game...live on Lake Merritt and available on Sundays or late afternoon on Saturday.
© 2019 Created by Mark / The Mayor. Powered by


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Frank Bowen
Frank Clifford Bowen, 88, passed away Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, at his home in Peabody, Kan., where he lived with Shirley Strotkamp, his companion of more than 50 years.
He was born Nov. 2, 1924, in Morris, Okla. He was a World War II Army veteran under Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. He served his country from 1943 to 1945 as a guard-patrolman for the headquarters of the Ninth Army in England, France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. He received a Good Conduct medal.
He took great pride in retiring at the age of 57 after 42 years of service with Phillips Oil as a pipeliner. He was a 54-year member of the American Legion.
One of his greatest joys was being a lifelong New York Yankees fan.
Services were Saturday, Aug. 3, at Prairie Lawn Cemetery, Peabody.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Cleo Bowen; a brother, Ronnie Boston; and a sister, Peggy Baker.
Living relatives include his son, Terry Bowen; a brother, Carlos Girk; and two sisters, Geraldine Glenn and Erma Nellans.
He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Last modified Aug. 8, 2013


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Ardeche 2001
However not well-known, Robert Bressy's oeuvre is large, mainly for his work for the daily press. After studying fine arts in Marseille, Bressy turned to animation. From 1949, he was active as a comics artist for the daily press. He started out with 'Le Capitaine Fracasse' and 'Les Pardaillan' for the Paris-Graphic agency. While still working for this agency, he started a longtime cooperation with Opera Mundi in 1952.
Le Capitaine Fracasse
There, he produced numerous panels, such as 'Mique', 'Docteur Claudette', 'Fu-Manchu', 'L'Appel de la Forêt' and 'Noëlle aux Quatre Vents'. From 1959, Bressy was also active for the English market with some comics for Independant Associated Agency.
Les Millions de M. Joramie (L'Aurore 11-1-61)
From 1961, he made several comics adaptations of Disney movies for Le Journal de Mickey ('Les Robinsons des Mers du Sud', 'Le Professeur Volant' and 'Mary Poppins'). In the 1970s he made comic adaptations of the oeuvre of Joseph Henri Rosny-Aîné, which he mostly signed with Yves Sayol. Robert Bressy retired in the late 1970s. However, during the 1980s and 1990s, Bressy has worked for Éditions Chancerel ('Histoire de la Coupe du Monde'), done illustration work for the Bibliothèque Verte and made publicity and commission comics for Éditions Lambert-Laurent ('Ardèche 2001', 'Enquête en ile de France', '2018 les héros de l'Impossible').
La Dame de Malacca (novel by Francis de Croisset, L'Aurore 11-1-61)


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We had a discussion some time ago about the speed of malloc and whether you should malloc/free small objects as needed or reuse them with e.g. memory pools. There were strong opinions on either side which made me search the net for some hard numbers on malloc speed.
It turns out there weren't any. Search engines only threw up tons of discussions about what the speed of malloc would theoretically be.
So I wrote a test program that allocates chunks of different sizes, holds on to them for a while and frees them at random times in a random order. Then I made it multithreaded to add lock contention in the mix. I used 10 threads.
On quad core laptop with 4GB of memory glibc can do roughly 1.5 million malloc/free pairs per second.
On a crappy ARM board with a single core glibc can do 300 000 malloc/free pairs per second.
What does this mean in practice? If you are coding any kind of non-super-high-performance app, the only reasons you would care about reducing mallocs are:
- you do hundreds of malloc/free calls per second for long periods at a time (can lead to severe memory fragmentation)
- you have absolute latency requirements in the sub-millisecond range (very rare)
- your app is used actively for hours on end (e.g. Firefox)
- you know, through measurement, that the mallocs you are removing constitute a notable part of all memory allocations
But, as Knuth says, over 97% percent of the time malloc is so fast that you don't have to care.
No, really! You don't!
Update: The total memory pool size I had was relatively small to reflect the fact that the working set is usually small. I re-ran the test with 10x and 100x pool size. The first was almost identical to the original test, the latter about 10 times slower. That is still ~175 000 allocations per second, which should be plenty fast. I have also uploaded the code here for your enjoyment.


text: The V-Class showcases the striking visual language that distinguishes all the latest Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. The front section with its expressive headlights and large air intakes is a study in bold, dynamic design. Inside it's all about refinement and sophistication. There's a stylish dashboard with tablet-style display, leather seats, and sports pedals in brushed stainless steel with rubber studs.


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Online growth is expected to continue its monumental rise. Currently, the U.S.A. (31 percent), UK (31 percent) and Germany (30 percent) lead the pack in online-only shopping.
What do holiday shoppers want? Great deals, of course. But a recent global survey of more than 3,000 consumers, conducted by SDL, also found that they want a consistent shopping experience, regardless of what channel or device they are using to interact with retailers. Nearly 90 percent of respondents reported this expectation, a 17 percent increase over what consumers reported just last year.
Given that about half of holiday shoppers do research online, many via mobile devices, before purchasing items in-store, or that 60 percent of shoppers report doing at least some showrooming – checking out products in-store before purchasing online – it's imperative that brands present a consistent experience across all channels. Unfortunately, 47 percent of holiday shoppers report having been frustrated that in-store and online experiences and information didn't match up.
"Consumers today engage with organizations through multiple touchpoints," said Mark Lancaster, CEO and founder, SDL. "This holiday season, more than ever, brands need to be prepared to cater to shoppers wherever they are as they research and purchase products – in-store, online or on their mobile devices. A consistent, superior experience across all interaction channels has become something that customers not only expect, but they demand it; and the brands that can best meet this demand will build customer relationships that continue long after the holiday season."
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Thank You, Everyone
This is my last posting. I'm retiring from blogging. I need to. It's time to move on. I'm now more involved in the community where I live and I want to become more active in the church.
I'll let commenting continue for a few days and then shut down comments for good by years' end. I'll keep the blog up for future research and reading.
Thank you, everyone!
If you want to take over in some way, write to me and we'll try to figure out something.
I started this experiment seven years ago with the hope of beginning an ongoing conversation about any and all topics related to the shroud. The slow pace of papers and the length of time between conferences, very much the time-tested way, was too slow for my temperament. There was the Shroud Science Group conducting discussions in private by email. I enjoyed that. But its membership was restricted. It reminded me of the proverbial boyhood tree house with the sign that read, "No Girls Allowed."
Maybe that's unfair: You had to be nominated. You had to be invited. No one was ever turned away although a couple of people were eventually kicked out of the group for email misbehaving. If there had been a sign and someplace to hang it, it would have read, "No Skeptics Allowed." At least, it felt that way.
Skepticism is the healthiest of attitudes with all things having to do with religion. I believed that. For instance, a Christian should never fear new discoveries in science and history. There can be no better test of the strength and truth of one's faith than to face the questions posed by new views of reality.
We needed to be tempted, not by going into the desert but into the jostling crowd. It took a long time. Thank, God, for Colin Berry and all the others.
At first I didn't do blogging correctly and this blog didn't catch on. Eventually, I learned to say less and encouraged others to become the center of the discussion, something I'm not good at. In doing so I created an opportunity to learn a lot from skeptics and non-skeptics alike. I hope this has been true for others because this blog was never intended for my benefit alone.
This blog has exceeded all my expectations. Lately, I have been posting almost every day, sometimes two or three times a day. Comments pour in. They are good comments, not those meaningless short comments you see in so many blogs. There has been a lot of constructive discussion.
In looking back over seven years, I realize that my overall views on the shroud have not changed significantly. You'll note that in the right hand column of every page, I say, "The Shroud of Turin may be the real burial cloth of Jesus." I used to say it probably is instead of may be. I still gut-think it is probably authentic but in all honesty I can't defend the word probably with real-world science and objective history.
Belief is a less cautious word than knowing. I can say with more honesty that from all the evidence discussed here, with everyone's input considered, I believe the shroud is indeed authentic. But I can't say I know it.
As I leave blogging about the shroud, I want to leave a few thoughts behind. This is today's list. I may awake to a new list tomorrow but I won't go back and change it. I'm really out of here.
On Overwhelming Evidence: From time to time, people have tried to convince me that the evidence in favor of authenticity is overwhelming. Similarly, others have tried to convince me that the evidence against authenticity – particularly the carbon dating – is overwhelming. No, it is not. It is underwhelming. That is why this blog has over 4000 postings with a total of more than 46,000 comments. That is why this blog has accumulated 3.3 million page views. That is why 790 people subscribe to receive email copies of every posting.
Redo the Carbon Dating: Of course.
On Seeing Things on the Shroud: I don't think there are any images of ancient coins, plants, teeth or written messages in Greek, Latin or Hebrew; all these are wishful misperceptions or pareidolia. See: I Don't See Flowers and Coins and Teeth on the Shroud of Turin
On 3D Encoding: I think the ability to plot a 3D representation of the body from the image of a man on the shroud with tools like the VP8 Image Analyzer or ImageJ is a valid image characteristic. However, I don't think that the data – essentially greyscale values of the image – necessarily represents cloth to body distance. To think so requires the assumption that the shroud covered the body. It probably did if the cloth is authentic, but we are not there yet. Nonetheless, I've listened to others preposterously trying to prove the authenticity of the cloth from the facts and measurements derived from this assumption.
Moreover, it is often said that it is impossible to plot 3D information from paintings and ordinary photographs. Bill Meacham wrote:
Unlike ordinary photographs or paintings, the Shroud image converted into an undistorted three-dimensional figure, a phenomenon which suggested that the image-forming process acted uniformly through space over the body, front and back, and did not depend on contact of cloth with body at every point.
Unfortunately, that doesn't hold up. See: It is really, really time to rethink what we think about 3D
Exaggerations: NASA did not analyze the shroud. Ray Rogers was not a general In the Air Force, America's greatest scientists did not study the shroud, and so-and-so was not a Nobel prize-winning physicist. Drop the exaggerations. They only weaken the truth.
Dematerialization: The suggestion that the image was formed by a cloth falling through a dematerializing body is unfortunate. Permit me to quote Hugh Farey here:
… The trouble with the fall-through hypothesis is that, being imaginary, its parameters can be adjusted so that it fits whatever observations we want. If a critic were to say that the instantaneous disappearance of 70kg of mass would create a sudden large vacuum which would suck the shroud into a screwed up ball in the middle, then we simply have to invent a physics in which that doesn't happen. If he says that the energy emitted by such a disappearance would exceed that produced by several megatons of nuclear bomb, vaporising the Shroud and most of Jerusalem with it, we simply invent a physics in which that doesn't happen either. All we need is for a "body wrapped in the Shroud to become volumetrically radiant […] and simultaneously mechanically transparent, thus offering time-decreasing resistance to the cloth as it collapsed through the body space." Simples. Made-up physics can explain anything.
See: The Process of Resurrection and Dematerialization 101
Sindonology: To quote Colin Berry, because in this I think he is right:
. . . There is no such thing as an expert in the field of sindonology (or shroudology as I prefer to call it. We are all beginners. Some begin better than others. The TS is a test of our ability to separate the wishful thinking that comes with appealing imagery from that of cold hard reality. Sadly there is no part of the human mind that is devoted to detecting CHR. The human mind is programmed to respond on a more immediate like/dislike response to what it sees. It's part and parcel of the human condition to instantly add layers of fancy to what cunningly or otherwise seduces, or attempts to seduce the eye.
Some of my other favorite postings:
Maybe the devil made them post this
It Was A Single Procedural Screw-Up. No Other Area Was Sampled. Is That Enough?
Why do we think the Resurrection was a process? What if it was not?
The Best Shroud of Turin Pareidolia?
Paper Chase: Why There Are Probably No Images of Coins, Lettering, Flowers and Whatnots on the Shroud of Turin
Why the images and bloodstains were not painted on
So which hypothesis, of all those ever proposed, do I prefer?
A Masterly Demolition of the Hungarian Pray Manuscript?
A Pointless Discussion of the Hungarian Pray Manuscript?
The Curious 'a' in the Hungarian Pray Manuscript
Discussion about the Pray Codex and its relation to the Shroud is over?
Get Thee Upset! Or Not: Thomas de Wesselow's New Book on the Shroud
Hymn of the Pearl: Description of the Shroud of Turin?
A final note:
When I first started this blog someone told me. "The Shroud of Turin is a Catholic relic. As an Episcopalian you have no right to comment on it."
I wrote a reply and never posted it. This is my last chance:
It's true; I'm an Episcopalian. Episcopalians are part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Maybe I should explain what sort of Episcopalian I am. I'm High Church – all smells and bells, some say. Every Sunday it's Solemn High Mass with a priest, deacon and sub-deacon, plenty of incense, holy water, chimes, chanting and recitation of The Angeles ("Hail Mary, full of grace…"). To some, should they visit a service, it might seem a lot like the Roman Catholic Tridentine Mass of old. There are differences, however. There is little or no Latin. Look closely and you will see wedding rings on most of our priests and bishops. That is because most of them are married. Many of our priests and even a few bishops are women; so girls are allowed. Generally speaking, we Episcopalians think most Christian denominations or traditions are part of one universal church, one body of Christ. One expression of this is our practice of open communion. We welcome all baptized Christians to participate in the Eucharist. (Personally, I would do away with the requirement of baptism. I would welcome anyone to the "Lord's Table" regardless of belief or anything else – let God sort these things out, not men and women).
Okay, so I'm an Episcopalian. So what? Would it be any different if I was Methodist or Presbyterian or Greek Orthodox? You say it is a Catholic relic. Is it? Why is that? If the history of the shroud is right, was it not a possession of the Church in Constantinople before 1204? Early on, perhaps it was a relic of the Nestorians or the Syriac Church or even the Church in India. We don't know is the point. Today, to my way of thinking it is an item (an icon or a relic) for all Christians. The Pope is its current legal custodian and the leader of perhaps its most interested Christian tradition. Beyond that, let God sort it out, not men and women.
Thank you, everyone!
Watertight Evidence
Just this morning Charles Freeman was writing in a comment:
… I shall not be the first nor the last to say that this was originally a painted linen. MacCrone, of course, and then we have the late and lamented expert on painted linens, Caroline Villers, who talks of the Shroud as 'one of the best-known surviving medieval images on a textile support'….
And just this morning the Duluth News Tribune ran this letter from one of its readers, Kenneth L. Johnson, a retired chemist who was trained in microscopic analysis by Dr. Walter McCrone at the McCrone Research Institute in Chicago.
On Nov. 1, the News Tribune published an article headlined, "Shroud of Turin mystery deepens."
The mystery to me is how this subject continues to get press coverage. In the 1970s, Dr. Walter McCrone examined a portion of the shroud that was purported to contain dried blood. He found no blood, but he did find red ochre and vermillion paint particles. Dr. McCrone, who literally wrote the book on the analysis of microscopic particles ("The Particle Atlas," published in six volumes from 1973 through 1979), was eminently qualified to conclude that the shroud was a 14th century painting. The "scientists" who refuted his work had no qualifications to perform the analyses on which they claimed to rely.
In fairness to Charles, he writes:
I have had several responses that say that my views are plausible or that i seem to be on the right lines so I can only sow seeds . One day I hope some expert will come up with the watertight evidence!
I, too, would like watertight evidence. But I doubt it will be what Charles hopes for. Colin Berry has certainly demonstrated how weak Charles' argument is. I also doubt, even with watertight evidence, that the belief it is a painting will ever fade – no pun intended, Charles.
A Guest Post by O.K.
It is well known that after the transfer to Constantinople in 944, all Byzantine descriptions of Mandylion and the Shroud (Constantine Porphyrogenitus, Gregory Referendarius, Nicholas Mesarites) are deliberately vague. The true nature of the Mandylion/Shroud had to remain secret, for the reasons I will discuss next time. We can only guess properties of the Mandylion/Shroud from several allusions. Several of those allusions (pointing to the identity between Shroud and Mandylion and great confusion of the academic community) were discussed in my old posting on Dan's blog. Today I want to present another allusion, which (what is very strange to me) was ommited by all historians' elaborations regarding the Mandylion known to me.
In Mark Guscin's english translation of the 944 sermon of Gregory Referendarius, in chapter 13 we can find a very interesting remark, no historian, as far as I know, paid a proper attention to:
Who is like you, God, doing everything in wisdom from times of old? […] You wiped clean the sweat of the nature you had taken on and what was wiped clean was transformed into an image of your unchanging form, just like Adam's form was drawn out of the ground, like the eyes of nature in the folds of the kneaded earth. (my emphasis).
Here we have a comparison between creation of Adam, the First Man (and naked, just like the Man of the Shroud -cf. Genesis, chapter 2) and creation of the form of Jesus on the Mandylion. What is the significance of that? I think it is great.
The main "argument" (or should I say pseudo-argument because it has been undermined long ago) is the conviction that the Mandylion contained nothing else, but only image of the face of Jesus. There are of course documents telling otherwise (like Codex Vossianus Latinus Q69), ignored usually by narrow-minded majority of academic scholars, but with regards to the Adam reference in Gregory Referendarius other question arises:
If Mandylion contained only the face, do those wise guys think that Adam's form drawn out of the ground consisted only of the face?
IMHO, this is ridiculous. The reference to Adam makes sense only if it is an allusion to the fact, that the Mandylion contained the image of the whole body.
Just like the (again deliberately ambiguous!) reference to the side wound (chapter 22 of the Gregory Referendarius' sermon).
So, based on the contemporary accounts (Constantine Porphyrogenitus, Symeon Magister, Gregory Referendarius, see Daniel Scavone's paper Acheiropoietos: Jesus Images in Constantinople: the Documentary Evidence ) we can make a list of several allusions (except for #2 not clearly stated facts, which, I should stress once again, is deliberate) to the properties of the Mandylion:
1. It contained bloodstains
2. The image on the Mandylion was very faint, "sweat-like".
3. The reference to the Adam makes sense only if it was an allusion to the fact that the Mandylion contained the whole body (which was mentioned in later, Latin versions of the Abgar story, like Codex Vossianus Latinus Q69)
4. The allusion to the side wound -suggest presence of the whole body image and the side wound.
There is only one known object in the world that fits those "allusions" -the Shroud of Turin.
Important New Paper on the Carbon Dating Samples
Pam Moon has just published a significant paper, The presence of dye in the 1988 radiocarbon date samples of the Shroud of Turin. Pam nicely footnotes the title with:
This paper came out of an online conversation with Joe Marino and Paul Maloney, with additional input from Bill Meacham, Professor Emanuela Marinelli and Barrie Schwortz. I am deeply indebted to them for sharing their knowledge, wisdom and advice.
That says a lot. So go read this paper carefully.
Great pictures and careful analysis:
There is very little data about the samples tested by Oxford, Zurich and Arizona: no chemical analysis has been published and most of the photographic evidence is not sufficiently detailed. However, further evidence of encrustation is visible in the Oxford photographs.14 Below is a comparison of the 3 samples tested at higher magnification (the Shroud, Thebes and Nubia). There is a density of encrustation coating Shroud sample p2574_9 which is not present on the other two samples. The "frosty" 6 contaminant is also not present on the Mark Evans image of the Shroud.15 As 'the "frosty" coating is almost certainly a plant gum in the Raes sample' 6 it is likely to be a plant gum in the Oxford sample.
Jesus, the XX Male
The feature article in the December 2015 issue of the New Oxford Review is an article by Maria Hsia Chang, The Virgin Birth: Where Science Meets Scripture
If that occurs — if replicability is achieved for the DNA data from the Shroud and Sudarium — it means Jesus indeed was an XX male. We are then faced with two rival hypotheses:
1. Jesus was one of those rare four out of every 100,000 all-too-human males who have two X chromosomes but no Y chromosome. But that doesn't mean He was born of a virgin or that He had no biological father. The only problem is: How could the writer of the Gospel According to Luke, centuries before the discovery of DNA, possibly know that Jesus was an XX male and so tried to account for Jesus' abnormal DNA with a made-up virgin-birth story?
2. Jesus was an XX male with no Y chromosome because Luke 1:26-35 tells the truth: Jesus was born of a virgin and has no human biological father.
In the end, as in the identification of the man who left His image on the Shroud of Turin, it is science that enables us to decipher DNA testimony from the Shroud and the Oviedo Cloth. There was a time when science caused an erosion of faith. But the Shroud and the Sudarium demonstrate that science and faith need not be at loggerheads. Instead of showing the Shroud and the Oviedo Cloth to be fakes, it may well be that science can confirm the miraculous character of both.
The article began by pointing out that 68% of American adults believe that Jesus is God or the Son of God but only 57% believe in the virgin birth.
Disbelief in Jesus being born of a virgin, which is a fundamental tenet of Christianity, in turn implies a belief that the author of the Gospel According to Luke lied when he wrote:
The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph…. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus…." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God." (1:26-35; emphasis added)
This is a philosophical minefield. It imposes assumptions about miraculous conception onto science in order to try and prove the assumption. You may not want to believe it, but Luke could have been writing myth to make a point. That is a third hypothesis. To an Atheist, what Luke (and indeed Matthew) wrote about the virgin birth is part of the fabric of what must be a much bigger fictional account.
Does the XX male argument rest on the authenticity of the shroud or is it another argument for authenticity?
David Rolfe's Website
I just visited [David Rolfe's] Shroud Enigma website. It has been a long time since I looked at it and I see that it has been revised to emphasize his wonderful Shroud of Turin films. Maybe you could direct your readers to it.
Indeed. The site is The Enigma of the Shroud of Turin. And indeed the films are wonderful. However, I must say more. The Silent Witness, available on Vimeo, is truly a seminal work for the ages.
I had not visited in awhile as well. Thanks for guiding me back to David's site.
SSG Member Wants to Know
A member of the Shroud Science Group (unnamed at this time) asks:
I wish to know if there are reliable sources (especially of historical type) documenting answers to the following questions.
- Of which material was composed the Chambéry's reliquary?
- Which was the composition of the silver alloy that probably composed the reliquary?
- Did the reliquary contained lead perhaps in the silver alloy?
I think the emphasis is on reliable sources.


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The Thumbtip is the most useful item in magic On this DVD you will learn:
Basic Handling Techniques, Basic Scarf Vanish, One Handed Scarf Production, Eddy Ray Scarf Color Change, Scarf Prod. From Dollar Bill, Signed Bill To Pocket, Torn & Restored Tissue Effect, Salt Vanish, Broken & Restored Toothpick, Four Quarters In A Dollar, Eddy Ray Fortune Telling Message, Purse Frame Production, Floating Cup, Ultimate Bill Switch, Sugar To Sugar Cubes, Balancing A Playing Card, Coin Change, Money From Purseframe, Spongeball Production, American Flag Blendo, Tips For DitchingThumbtips, and MORE.
Do you own this product? Write a review.


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Retconjuration is a theoretical branch of magic.
No ordinary caster can practice it; there are no Retconjurers in Erfworld.
It is reserved for the Titans. They don't like it much and use it as seldom as possible.[1]
Proposed Canon
Retconjuration is a theoretical school of magic and one of the three disciplines of the Magic class Naughtymancy; it is aligned with the axis of Numbers and composed of the two elements of Motion and Matter. Erf-b1-p038a
This school of magic allows past events to be changed to mesh with current needs. It is theorized that only the Titans have access to the powers of Retconjuration as it is too powerful for a mere mortal to comprehend even its smallest of ramifications. Being a very volatile subject, it is usually avoided in most public forums and viewpoints on the subject differ greatly.
Mortal users of Retconjuration would be in position to engage each other in a war of existential reconstruction, up to the point that only a timeline where they were all erased would be stable. Of course, as there have been no mortal Retconjurers, then either this is impossible or it has already happened.
(Alternatively, it may be possible that there is one Retconjurer far in the future, who managed to remove all the others except him or herself.)
Things that have been Retconned
The school of Retconjuration is notable for being an example of itself; the Numbers axis of Naughtymancy was an entirely different school called "Deletionism" the-ultimate-naughtymancy until the Titans realized that Retconjuration would be necessary for them to properly maintain Erfworld. As a removed school of magic, this also kind of makes Deletionism an example of itself.
Twolls used to have the special ability "regeneration". That has been retconned to "fabrication" the-ultimate-naughtymancy
When Parson first spoke with Wanda via Thinkamancy at the beginning of Book 2, he was not wearing his mathamancy bracer. This was then quickly Retconned so that he was wearing it.
Compared to the webcomic, Erfworld's Volume 1 book has a number of changes (which may be considered a sort of Retconjuration), as listed on the wiki page Book 1 Print Discrepancies.
Rob Retconjured all black/brown to dwagons to purple for the book printing. Story below:
- When it came time for Rob and company to design the Real World dwagon plushies, the total number of colors initially came to seven. Pink, red, blue, purple, green, yellow, and black. Rob didn't really want to make seven different colors of plushie, because it's an odd number and it just felt like way too many for a set. This led Rob to see if he could get away with dropping one color of dwagon. After looking, Rob found that black (dark brown?) dwagons had only appeared once or twice, and never in combat. Furthermore, he thought black material would look bad with the embroidered eyes. A little while later, in the webcomic The Order of the Stick[2], a dramatic story moment occurred: many, many black dragons (not called dwagons in OOTS) from all over the planet were instantly wiped out by a spell. Rob considers OOTS to be sort of Erfworld's godfather comic; this led him to the conclusion that the same spell must have killed off Erfworld's black dwagons. This prompted Rob to Retconjure all black/brown dwagons to purple for the book printing.[3] (Note that nothing was said about Retconning them in the webcomics, and some readers have reported still finding brown/black dwagons in the book.)
Also of note is that immediately above (following the word 'printing'), there is a link where Rob and Xin both recount and illustrate the above story. Currently, it is only correctly visible by those who pledged to the 2012 "Erfworld Year of the Dwagon" Kickstarter.[4]
Known Retconjurers
The Titans.the-ultimate-naughtymancy
Rob.the-ultimate-naughtymancy and [5] (<-- See the "Things that have been Retconned" section if this link is strangely uninformative, and you're curious.)
One line of fan speculation postulates that there could be a Retconjuration war going on between the Titans, with one faction backing Stanley the Tool's bid to overthrow royalty and unite the Arkentools, and the other opposing it. So far, the side opposing Stanley has left an extra gem in a Marbit mine, leading to Stanley's defeat at the Battle of Warchalking, and the other has caused Lookamancers and Findamancers to research the "Summon Perfect Warlord" spell, or possibly provided Parson's glasses, bracer and sword, leading to the defeat of the Royal Crown Coalition.
See Also
Real World References
The name refers to "retcon", short for "retroactive continuity", in which the history of a fictional setting is changed after publishing to mesh better with the current desires of the author. Ironically, Retconjuration is itself the product of a retcon; the Naughtymancy class previously aligned with Numbers was known as "Deletionism" before it was replaced with Retconjuration.


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Image reference:http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbcradio4/4795944365/sizes/s/in/photostream/
If you are interested in the state of criminal offences and punishments in the late 18th century, the book by Patrick Colquhoun entitled, A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis, written in 1796, makes an interesting read. The book explains various crimes and misdemeanours, and suggests remedies for them that are contemporary to the convict era.
A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis was written in response to the ever-growing fears held among London society towards the influx of population that had occurred because of growth in the commercial and manufacturing industries; consequently resulting in heavy increases in crime and criminality. The necessities of having an effective police force to administer justice are outlined in the early chapters with crimes such as counterfeiting and 'coining' given a most severe judgement.
Transportation is cited to have officially commenced in 1718, under an act of King George I, although 'exile' as a punishment had been in existence since Elizabeth I. It was initially given to those who had been sentenced to death, but had pleaded 'Benefit of Clergy' to obtain a lesser sentence; which they could do if they were a peer, or a woman, and literate.[1] Up until 1776 all British transportation was to the Americas, where convicts were sold as indentured slaves for life, or a period of seven or fourteen years. Transportation ceased briefly after the American war of Independence, but was recommenced with the First Fleet to New South Wales in 1788.
In 1796 there were 160 capital crimes that could be commuted to transportation, and many lesser crimes received this sentence as well.[2] A Full list of these crimes is available in the book, and includes capital crimes such as: 'Cutting hop binds', 'Sending threatening letters', 'Breaking down the head of a fish-pond' and 'Cutting down trees in an avenue or garden'. Crimes against property make up a large proportion of capital offences.
A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis can be used as a great reference if you are looking to understand the nature of 18th century crime, and why your ancestor received the sentence they did.
[1] Patrick Colquhoun, A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis, p. 435.
[2] Patrick Colquhoun, A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis, pp. 438-444.
Full Copy of 'A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis' is available on Google E-books for free download.
Also, this link is to the Old Bailey site, which has documents of trial proceedings as well as some good articles about crime and punishment in the 18th and 19th centuries:


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When you think of a setting for a perfect country wedding, Solomon's Castle is a must see. There are many spots to host a wedding at the Castle, but I wanted to showcase a true country wedding under the oaks. These photos show what happens when 200 guests participate in the Wedding under the Oaks and Reception in the Chocolate House. When Alane Solomon was planning this wedding for Julie Poucher and Clay Taylor, she agreed to build a special cupcake tree just for them. Like famous Artist father Howard Solomon, Alane Solomon has the skills and talent to pull off the impossible. Many little girls have fantasies of getting married at a Castle and Solomon's Castle is the place for getting married in front of various setting at the Castle or in the woods under the oaks. Also on the property is a "light house" that is a perfect location for the Rehearsal Dinner. The beautiful Bride, in the Brides Room, in the Chocolate House can see out into this enchanting setting. The perfect wedding day being a Queen for the day.
Tags: Alane Solomon, Cake Tree, County Weddings, Florida Bed and Breakfasts, Florida Inns, Florida Weddings, Howard Solomon, Ona Florida, Solomon's Castle


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UCL Institute of Jewish Studies (IJS) is a research centre dedicated to the
promotion of all aspects of Jewish scholarship and civilisation at the
highest level of academic excellence.
Through its lecture programmes and conferences it reaches every section of the Jewish community and the interested non-Jewish public. It collaborates with all academic institutions within the University of London, and throughout the UK and internationally.
The centre is funded not by UCL, but by charities, trusts and private donations. We are always happy to accept
donations (large or small) to support the future of our work in giving a public platform to the latest research and discourse in Jewish Studies.
Visit Support IJS to find out more - every donation is most welcome and really appreciated.
The founding principle of the IJS is that there should be no barriers to learning. This still applies today.
All our events (including our conferences) are free to attend and open to everyone. Pre-booking through the Eventbrite link is preferable, but you are welcome just to turn up.
To join our MAILING LIST for events updates direct to your inbox, please send an email with 'Mailing List' in the subject to: email@example.com
You can now follow us on Twitter at @InstJewishStudy.


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CLEVELAND (AP) -- Police say a woman shot herself in the head inside a Cleveland hospital and is believed to be the wife of a man found dead hours later in a vehicle at a hospital parking garage.
Police say the 58-year-old woman was put on life support after she wounded herself Thursday evening at MetroHealth Medical Center. Officers identified the woman as an outpatient at the hospital but didn't immediately release her name or hometown.
Hours after the shooting, hospital security found a 61-year-old man dead in the passenger seat of a car at the parking garage. Police say he had been shot.
The county medical examiner and a police homicide unit are investigating what happened.


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Estimated Monthly Payment will depend on vehicle make and model and will be determined upon actual vehicle inspection. All payments are estimates. Tax, title and any other fees are extra.
In-house and preferred lender financing available. Trade-ins welcome. We're located 2 minutes north of Yakima just across the river bridges. 2017 Kia Optima LX.


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Lotus is an unique company. From its outset, the business has embodied engineering at its core. Apart from its intrinsic input to every award-winning Lotus sportscar, from the first trials machine and Mark One, to the latest Elise, Exige and Evora models, its deft, agile, performance-orientated and impurity-free touch has been felt by many production facilities around the world...not only from the automotive scene.
Three distinct pillars of competence underpin this vital arm of the Lotus Group plc. They are:
1. Lightweight structures 2. Efficient Performance 3. Driving Dynamics.
Thanks to a rich history, the company started by Colin Chapman, with his oft-quoted statements such as: "If youíre not winning, youíre not trying", continues to enjoy successes in many four-wheeled disciplines. Although he died in 1982, his remit remains every bit as vital to the global automotive industry, as at any time in the existence of Lotus. It forms every aspect of our approach.
As you can read on this website, our latest models incorporate that same engineering integrity. Lotus produces sportscars that lift the spirits, that thrill the soul, that enhance capabilities and that create wonder. They are notably and highly praised for their dynamic advantages, their intrinsic structural rigidity, their high performance in all circumstances and their outstanding levels of efficiency. Yet, they all embody the spirit of lightness, in both engaging wit and a sense of fun, as well as structure, allied to intelligence, with the primary aim of enhancing driving purity.
Lotus engineers can take an existing product and raise the bar significantly to make it pleasingly unrecognisable by previous critical appraisal. The company is unceasing in its research and development ethos and will not rest until only the most finite solutions have been reached and applied. Just as it does so with its own products, it also flies a flag of excellence for its clients' products.
The range of competencies covers all requirements from single component to complex structures, taking in conceptual values, through to final completion, all with perfection in mind. In fact, Lotus has been the one-stop-shop behind the breakthrough products in many markets, products that continue to lead in their respective sectors.
Another quotation attributed to our founder is: "Just add lightness". Colin Chapman knew that lightweight is the right weight.
Many production companies, in their attempts to meet waste reduction and excess consumption targets set by various governments, seek means by which to enhance their processes. Lotus is steeped in a policy of lightweight structural composition and integration.
As a technology and process independent, its applications of science impart many benefits to its clients. Its knowledge and expertise in the fields of both composites and finite lightweight metallic structures that satisfy both small requirements and major volume demands, are world-leading. Lotus is committed to greater efficiency in all areas of production and manufacturing expertise.
However, it is worth noting that Lotus remains sensitive to both brand and character, yet it innovates with practised calm in the fields of automotive glues and bonding. It has spearheaded many automotive developments, not the least of which was the template for the modern Formula One racing car, as well as multi-valve engine technology and active suspension, all completed in-house, without a need for outside contractors.
Lotus Engineering approaches mechanical efficiency with as much zeal as its unit production, platform engineering, design elegance, aerodynamics and driving purity. When working with the motive forces, its aim is to reduce the environmental footprint but not at the cost of high performance.
Naturally, the companyís efficacy in this area is linked to the raw product provided but, even so, its engineers will always seek the most effective routes to incorporate its founding principles. The fuel source is almost immaterial, as Lotus has worked extensively to create petrol, diesel, gas and electricity performance levels that meet cost-effective and non-sacrificial goals.
As the world market is seeking a more secure platform for power, without decreasing fossil fuel resources, Lotus is in the mix, enshrining hybrid and electric vehicle technologies in its range of capabilities. They often raise packaging issues, control systems, software developments and wider ranging manufacturing needs. Lotus has the answers, whether dealing with propulsion, comfort features, infotainment, or formulating efficient human-machine interfaces (HMI).
Lotus operates its own test cells; its own Computer Aided Design and Engineering systems; 3D elemental construction; noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) engineering in its own anechoic chamber. The company's skill sets are exceedingly broad and forge a hallmark of unrelenting expertise. The key has always been to provide the most innovative solutions and concise engineering benefits.
Lotus has even developed range extender (below) and alternative research engines by engaging with the enthusiasm and support of its skilled engineering workforce.
The dynamics of driving, or of engineering, are closely linked. Drive a Lotus sportscar and you will be impressed with the positive feedback, the delights of directional stability, the delicacy of perfectly weighted steering, the absorption qualities of finely rated suspension.
Whether experiencing the appropriate signals from minor and major controls, or that totally engaging quality of ëzero liftí, yet allied to enough downforce to ensure that the chassis and its components are being worked to perfection, it is only Lotus that can provide the ultimate gift of pure driving pleasure.
It is only Lotus that can blend successfully the art and science necessary to its unique approach. Every element is optimised and the focus is clear. The Lotus reputation is based on passion and a proven track record that spans more than sixty years, which encompasses incredible design flair, innovation and proof positive that it can meet and invariably exceed expectations, regardless of perspective.
Lotus provides a world class expertise in everything it does. Yet, Lotus never ignores its customers. Lotus is a company that knows its place in a fast-changing environment. Lotus is a driven company.


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FORT WALTON BEACH - Lawmen arrested a man on drug charges after they smelled marijuana coming from his car and found cocaine on his person.
On Dec. 9 an Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputy pulled into a Circle K convenience store on Miracle Strip Parkway in Fort Walton Beach and encountered 39-year-old Tony Streeter of Fort Walton Beach, who was just getting out of his car. A deputy noted Streeter's car smelled like marijuana.
The deputy tried to detain Streeter and he pulled away, requiring two deputies to secure him in handcuffs.
Deputies noticed a bulge in the front of Streeter's pants, the deputy wrote in the arrest report, and found three plastic bags and a metal vial. Inside the first plastic bag was nine bags of suspected marijuana, each containing about a gram. The second was about 11 grams of suspected crack cocaine. In the third bag was three individual bags of about half a gram of cocaine HCL. The vial contained about 4 grams of suspected cocaine HCL.
Streeter's vehicle yielded about half a gram of crack lying on the driver's side door in plain view, the deputy noted.
Streeter told deputies, "I don't sell drugs to get rich, just to survive."
He was charged with obstruction without violence, hallucinogen possession with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver Schedule II, cocaine possession with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver Schedule II, possession of a controlled substance, and drug equipment possession.
His court date is Feb. 12, 2013.


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Baar, Switzerland – Jan. 2, 2013
News Facts:
- Veeam Software, innovative provider of backup, replication and virtualization management solutions for VMware vSphere and Windows Server Hyper-V, begins 2013 with recognition from the virtualization community. Veeam Backup & Replication was selected as the Preferred Product in the Business Continuity category and Veeam ONE was awarded Editor's Choice of the Virtual Management & Optimization category in the 2013 Reader's Choice Awards from Virtualization Review.
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Ratmir Timashev, President and CEO, Veeam Software "It is great to begin 2013 with honors from the virtualization community and a top industry IT publication. We plan to have another great year that will provide innovation and solutions built for virtualization that will help organizations with their modern data protection needs."
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About Veeam Software Veeam® Software develops innovative solutions for VMware backup, Hyper-V backup, and virtualization management. Veeam Backup & Replication™ is the #1 VM Backup solution. Veeam ONE™ is a single solution for real-time monitoring, resource optimization and management reporting for VMware and Hyper-V. The Veeam Management Pack™ (MP) and Smart Plug-in™ (SPI) extend enterprise monitoring to VMware through Microsoft System Center and HP Operations Manager. Veeam also provides free virtualization tools. Learn more by visiting http://www.veeam.com/.
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Platinum Frag 80.4 ClearView Lid
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Harvard Art Museums Receive Gift of Outsider Art from Didi and David Barrett
Howard Finster, If A House Be Divided against Itself That House Cannot Stand, c. 1978. Enamel on Masonite. Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Collection of Didi and David Barrett '71, 2011.48. Photo: Harvard Art Museums, © 2011 President and Fellows of Harvard College.
Felipe Jesus Consalvos, Grins and Chuckles, c. 1920–50s. Collage. Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Collection of Didi and David Barrett '71, 2011.43. Photo: Harvard Art Museums, © 2011 President and Fellows of Harvard College.
The Harvard Art Museums announce a gift of 38 drawings, paintings, and sculpture from Didi and David Barrett's 20th-century American Collection of Self-Taught, Folk, and Outsider Art. The gift comprises works by 24 American "outsider" artists, mostly from the 1930s through the 1990s. Among the notable figures represented in the collection are Bill Traylor, Joseph Yoakum, and Nellie Mae Rowe, whose work first came to public attention in the important Corcoran Gallery of Art exhibition Black Folk Art in America, 1930–1980. In addition, the Barretts' gift includes three rare "ledger book drawings" made by members of the Plains Indian tribes in the late 19th century.
"We are grateful to Didi and David Barrett for their generous gift," said Thomas W. Lentz, Elizabeth and John Moors Cabot Director of the Harvard Art Museums. "These 'outsider' works take our holdings of American contemporary art in an exciting new direction, providing a unique opportunity for study and appreciation by students, scholars, and visitors."
Didi and David Barrett (Harvard '71) have been involved with self-taught art for nearly three decades. Didi, a writer and consultant in the not-for-profit sector, is a trustee emerita of the American Folk Art Museum and has written on self-taught art. David Barrett is a lawyer with the firm of Boies Schiller & Flexner in New York. Their son, Alec Barrett, graduated from Harvard in 2011.
"Didi and I are especially pleased to be making this gift to the Harvard Art Museums and glad that the museums are recognizing these profoundly creative artists and their powerful expressions of the American spirit," said David Barrett. "The university is an ideal venue for exploring this interdisciplinary material, not only in art-historical terms, but also in terms of history, cultural anthropology, sociology, and even psychology."
"Working with David and Didi Barrett has been both a great pleasure and a wonderful learning experience," said Theodore E. Stebbins Jr., Consultative Curator of American Art at the Harvard Art Museums. "The objects in the Barrett collection are inspirational and come at a pivotal time when our faculty and students have been asking for works of this genre."
The Barretts' gift includes Bill Traylor's Mule and Plow (c. 1939–42), drawn with poster paint and ink on cardboard. Thornton Dial Sr.'s Talk Show (1990s) and Life Begins with Crawling (1992) are two of the largest paintings in the collection. Talk Show (1990s), an image of Oprah Winfrey, makes use of wire screen, lids from paint cans, and industrial sealing compound to fashion a rich, three-dimensional painterly surface that recalls abstract expressionist works.
The Barretts are also giving three paintings by Howard Finster, including If A House Be Divided against Itself That House Cannot Stand (c. 1978). Finster was a Baptist minister from Summerville, Georgia, who took up art after he had a vision that inspired him. Three works by Felipe Jesus Consalvos, a Cuban-born artist, are part of the gift. Grins and Chuckles (c. 1920–50) portrays George Washington with a zeppelin under his arm, surrounded by an array of cut-out figures from American history.
The three Native American ledger book drawings depict various subjects, including a battle, buffalo hunting, and a group of Kiowa warriors in their formal dress. Ledger art evolved from the Plains Indians' tradition of painting and decorating the buffalo hides they wore. Between 1865 and 1900, when Native Americans were placed in confinement by the United States government, Plains artists began painting and drawing on paper and cloth. Often the paper they drew on was discarded from lined account books, or ledgers.


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Last night watched a great documentary (acquired from Netflix) about the War of 1812. It's interesting that this is known as the "forgotten war" when indeed it was significant in so many ways. To the British, the War of 1812 was only a side show to the Napoleonic Wars raging in Europe. But for America, it was the first (and so far only) war fought against foreign invaders on American soil. It resulted in the burning of the White House and destruction of Washington D.C. And it was the bombing of Ft. McHenry which inspired the Star Spangled Banner. Wow.
Now I'm wondering what this historic war might have to do with my having trouble locating Gillespie's and Greer's in NY around this time. The War of 1812 was actually fought over 3 years: 1812-1815. The war was fought along 3 fronts: the Atlantic coast, the frontier along the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, and in the south along the Gulf coast.
America declared war on June 18, 1812. If our Gillespie/Greer's were not already arrived in America by then, they probably did NOT come during these years. However, at least one couple might have been in America: James and Jane Greer. It appears their daughter Mary Greer was born in NY in 1812, although we don't have definitive documentation for that. The next 2 children, James and Joseph were also born in NY in 1815 and 1817 respectively.
And here's another tidbit. Ancestry has a source called War of 1812 Papers, 1789-1815. And in it are passenger lists of enemy aliens being returned to Britain. There is even a record for a Thomas Gillespie, age 37 (about the right age of our Thomas), in U.S. for 4 years, returned with wife and 2 children, resident of NY (city, I believe), laborer. I don't think this is our Thomas Gillespie, although who knows. What's interesting to think about are families newly arrived in America from the British Isles being sent back as enemy aliens.
Regarding the question of when the Gillespie's and/or Greer's came to America, I still find myself believing that they came AFTER the Revolution, let's say after 1785 or even 1790 when the Revolutionary War was officially over and America was an independent country. If this is true, I find myself believing that these families were NOT loyal to Britain in any way, and in fact wanted to leave Ireland to get away from British rule. So if they were in America when the War of 1812 started, I don't think they would have been sent back, but if this premise is true, I might expect to find an oath of allegiance or some kind of naturalization record for them stating that they were indeed American. And there is also the question of whether any of them actually fought in the War of 1812. That's a subject probably worth exploring a little more.
Well, irregardless of where they were, America, Canada or Ireland, it was a tumultuous time.


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My darling Matilda Mae
9 months ago you were born to us our beautiful miracle baby.
I was not supposed to fall pregnant naturally but I did.
People did not expect me to carry you to term but I did.
I gave birth to you and I fell in love with you the moment that first we met.
I wore you close to my heart most days of your life. You were never a fan of a buggy.
I slept wrapped around you almost every night. You never were a fan of a cot.
The bigger and cheekier and cleverer you grew
The more we fell in love
I had such plans for you Matilda Mae
In my diary I had written down what day you would start pre school, your first day at school.
I was planning our adventures til then.
I planned out your bedroom for when you were moved. Pink horses and teepees, white bed.
You never made it into your own bedroom.
You never slept more than a metre from me for more than just a few hours.
Your cot remained in our room, right by the side of our bed.
Though mostly it lay empty as you attached to my breast through each night.
You woke me each morning with you nuzzling.
Gazing at me with your deep chocolate eyes.
My dearest darling Matilda Mae.
On the 2nd February 2013 you were exactly 9 months old.
You had been out in the world just as long as you were growing inside me.
You learned to crawl that very day.
You had been trying so hard all week but that day you gained power and speed.
The world was yours for the taking.
But instead I fear that you crawled to your death.
You crawled to the angels to take your place there.
Far far far too soon.
The last time I saw you with spirit and soul
I lay you down to sleep
I fed you as I always do then lay you in your cot
You were so beautiful, so peaceful, asleep
Later you cried and your Daddy came to soothe you, to wind you
Later still I came to feed you, just as I always do
I could not hear you breathing as I entered the darkened room
I placed my hand where your chest should be
To feel the movement of your breath
You were not there Matilda Mae
I could not find you where you were supposed to be
I turned on the light so quickly
And a horror met my eyes
You had turned and crawled under your blankets
I pulled you out but I knew
Before I saw you I knew
My beautiful darling daughter lay dead in my arms
She had gone from us while falling asleep
My precious daughter Matilda Mae
I screamed your Daddy's name at the top of my voice
I shrieked I wailed I cried
Daddy tried so hard to save you
He did all he could til the ambulance came
They tried everything possible they could
But you were gone from us
Our beautiful baby was gone
A mother does not lose a baby
You were physically wrenched from my heart
I cannot imagine my life without you
I don't know where to start
I love you with all that I am
I can't bear that I could have saved you
I listened for you, you made no sound I heard
I should have checked you
I should have come to bed earlier
I should have known
I am your mummy
I should have saved you
I cannot believe that you are no longer here
I miss you with all that I am
You are my baby
No words can describe the searing pain in my heart
The mixture of love and loss and confusion and grief and desperation for what I am supposed to do without you
What are we supposed to do without you?
Dear Matilda Mae
You are with the stars now
You will be shining down on us as we remember you and live our lives in your honour
I am going to make you so proud and I am going to make your life matter
Just as soon as I can stop myself thinking that this is all just a bad dream and some time soon you will wake up and cry and I will lift you from your cot and you will wrap your arms round my neck and cuddle me as you have always done.
You are part of me.
You are dead and a part of me has died too.
I am not sure how to find the dawn after the night we found you sleeping.


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After hearing about a recent incident where a woman was allegedly pulled over by a police officer for wearing a short skirt, a group of women (and some men!) participated in a "lighthearted" protest in the form of a "skirt bike ride."
Fortunately for us, Shannen Norman was there to snap some photos of these awesome women riding their bicycles while wearing whatever the hell they felt like wearing.
Riding bikes while wearing skirts [Cup Of Jo]


text: TV / VideoHistory Springs Into ActionIn the niche-driven world of cable, the guy-friendly network strives for growth and consistencyBy Sam Thielman|February 4, 2013 ShareBy Sam Thielman|February 4, 2013 Share History will not be repeating itself this year. The cable network, which has increased market share while hanging on to a majority-male viewership, is taking big swings in 2013, as huge ratings surges in 2010 and 2011 have made similar gains much more difficult to attain. A larger percentage of women last year joined roughly the same number of men 25-54; in the fourth quarter, gents in the demo were slightly off. That's not exactly garment-rending news—top dog USA Network in 2012 was off by double digits across the board—but History is taking steps to maintain not just overall ratings, but its demographic composition. At the moment, History's audience is about 67 percent male to 33 percent female, and the population of women is growing. In order to keep its advertisers happy, History must find new ways to attract guys. As such, it's moving flagship programming to March, well beyond the shadow of the National Football League. The network also faces pressure to refresh its programming a good deal faster than most—you can't throw a rock on basic cable without hitting a History imitator (truTV has made a cottage industry out of borrowing formats)—so the network is going all-in on scripted projects. (The 10-part miniseries The Bible and the nine-episode series Vikings are both set to drop on March 3.) And History isn't the only cabler looking to gain a greater cohort of males. Starz will be rolling out the historical fantasy Da Vinci's Demons on April 12, immediately following the series finale of Spartacus, while Syfy will bow the hybrid drama series/video game Defiance on the 15th. Whether any of these players will be able to make a splash with the notoriously elusive demo remains to be seen. "Young men are avid consumers of entertainment," said Francois Lee, svp at MediaVest Worldwide. "However, they tend to be more screen-neutral than your average audience. In addition to traditional TV, they are streaming entertainment across a variety of platforms, such as online, mobile or through their Xboxes." Lee said his take on the demo is "a little more optimistic" than the conventional wisdom that suggests young men are a lost cause. "There are shows that do very well," he said, before allowing that "it's always challenging to retain your audience on traditional TV." History declined comment, but its upcoming roster speaks volumes. There's a heavier investment in scripted content, fewer imitable reality shows and more contenders designed to succeed Pawn Stars as the flagship. The latter will be no mean feat. Pawn Stars generally doubles the network's average delivery of the under-50 set. Cable networks are like sharks inasmuch as they risk death by drowning if their forward motion is arrested. One big hit can get things rolling, but sustainable growth comes with multiple hits. If History can find an able successor to Pawn Stars and in a different genre, it will leave its competition choking on its wake. But man, that's a tall order. Sharehttp://adweek.it/2kkCkGp copy Adweek Adweek


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Hello Everyone. This is my new Background Flag of The Central African Republic.
Hope you find it useful!
- 2 images JPEG and PNG format
- Resolution – 5000×3075 pixels
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If you have any questions or problems you can send me an e-mail.


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A sexually promiscuous woman who prefers the missionary position. Originally used in detective novels of the 1930s and 1940s as "flatbacker".
"My sister was the neighborhood flatback."
by tman March 13, 2004
Having a skinny, bony, or non-portruding ass. Often referring to non-Black women's natural inability to grow curvacious behinds (particularly White women).
You ever date a white girl? Nah, I can't do a flat back.
by Bcolding June 25, 2008
Flatback is an African American slang euphemism for, white girl. The etymology of the word is derived from another slang word, back, which in turn is a euphemism for female buttocks. Callipygous rondure is highly selected for with respect to the African American feminine beauty ideal. Thus, European women are seen as typically having flat butts or backs.
Damn, Jessica Biel isn't half bad, for a flatback.
by Hoopermazing August 21, 2009
Someone who has a flatback as a result of laying on their back too much. Who are of a promiscious nature. Or simply, a female who is a sloppy, loose, trollup.
"man, that Deanna, she is such a flat back, I have seen her with 3 different guys this week!"
"Wow, why is he dating that flatback whore?"
"Wow, why is he dating that flatback whore?"
by Elphaba. W. Witch July 12, 2008
Trending RN - June 25, 2019
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- 29. June 25th
- 30. blower


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iLAB offers the opportunity for powerful transformations and progress in your enterprise, and even yourself. ilabforentrepreneurs.com
In addition to VIP access to Roger and industry leading mentors, you'll form legendary connections with other participants, as well as join our wider network (500,000+ and growing!), which will significantly increase your ability and capacity to fully realise your business vision and the greater purpose you believe in.
Get invited to spend 15 remarkable days with us from 9th -23rd Sept,2018 in magical Bali, immersed with 15+ other purpose-driven entrepreneurs and innovative changemakers.


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Find us on:
This page provides answers to the most commonly asked questions the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) receives about chiropractic, including what conditions chiropractors treat, how to select a doctor of chiropractic, and more.
Review Date: Wednesday, October 31, 2012
American Chiropractic Association
The American Chiropractic Association offers this search tool to help you find a doctor of chiropractor in your area.
Review Date: Monday, January 05, 2015
Low-back pain is a common condition that can be difficult to treat. This document discusses spinal manipulation among the treatment options used by people with low-back pain in an effort to relieve pain and improve functioning.
Review Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2015
NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health - NCCIH
Chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the body's main structures – the skeleton, the muscles and the nerves – and the patient's health. Most patients seek chiropractic care for back pain, neck pain and joint problems.
Association of Chiropractic Colleges
Note: Documents in PDF format require the Adobe Acrobat Reader®. If you experience problems with PDF documents, please download the latest version of the Reader®.
Language Assistance Available


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July 15, 2018 - 2:00 pm
Join us for a 90-minute class where you'll learn the art of tasting wine and put your skills to use!
You will learn about tannins, bouquet, and how chocolate and cheese pair with various wines. This class is a lot of fun and a great learning experience. $30 per person.
Register below, or call us at 262-784-9463.


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Wi-Fi comes to school buses
Tickets SSIDs please!
A bus ride to school has suddenly become a much more hi-tech affair for some lucky Birmingham pupils. A local bus firm's just rolled out double-decker Wi-Fi, and has also launched an RFID ticket trial.
The Big Green Bus Company, which runs school bus services, now offers free Wi-Fi access on all its 23 routes in Birmingham, following a smaller launch that started last year.
Young'uns equipped with iPhones, PSPs and netbooks with 3G dongles will get download speeds in excess of 2Mb/s, the company claimed.
'The bus broke down' won't be a good enough excuse for being late to first period maths, either. Because the buses are also equipped with GPS transmission equipment, allowing teachers to check up on a bus' progress in real time through Google Maps.
Dave Palmer, Senior VP of Worldwide Sales at Icomera, the company behind the bus firm's Wi-Fi and GPS rollout, said the technology "sets a new standard for other school bus service providers to follow".
Over the next academic year, The Big Green Bus Company will also trial RFID bus passes. It hopes the trial will improve safety and security of its bus services. ®


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No graham flour? I thought
No graham flour? I thought that was what MADE a graham cracker a graham cracker.
When you wake up every morning to sun in your eyes, birds chirping, and the nearby rivers aboil as they rollick their snowmelt-swollen selves towards the ocean, you know that it's finally time to kick off the camping season. And while there's nothing like drinking a cold one and frolicking among the trees or soaking in a river or setting up camp after a long upward haul into the mountains, let's be honest, here: What is camping really all about? S'mores.
And far too many of them. So many that you can simply sit in a happy stupor with friends and family as you listen to the roaring river and let the dancing fire entertain you. Until the pain subsides enough to start roasting another marshmallow, of course.
My first camping trip of the year took me to the mountains outside of Seattle. As it had been nearly 7 months since my last s'more, I was beyond excited and wanted something special. Homemade treats are always more delicious, so I decided to try my hand at making my own graham crackers. While they are certainly a bit time-consuming, this recipe makes a whole heap of graham crackers, and it's fun to be able to make them as sweet or as crispy as you like. Plus, I dare you to find someone who's not impressed when you tell them you made your own graham crackers. You'll be a camping legend.
I paired the homemade graham crackers with Ghiradelli caramel-filled chocolate squares, a roasted banana* (see picture 5 for instructions), and, of course, a gooey, golden-brown, toasted marshmallow. Because when it's the first s'more of the season, you really want it to be perfect. And this one was. Who am I kidding? These ones (plural) were.
Brown sugar, crucial to any good graham cracker. Crucial to any good anything, really.
Cut, given their "'graham cracker" spots, and ready to become crisp and golden brown.
Graham crackers!
Can you find the roasting banana? Instructions for roasting banana: Simply wrap the banana, still in its peel, in some tin foil and toss it among the coals. It cooks in about 5 minutes, and the result is a warm, gooey, caramelized mess that's perfect for spreading on s'mores and maybe even making you feel like you're eating something with some nutritional value.
The finished product! I would have taken more and better pictures, but I was otherwise engaged in the act of scarfing these s'mores.
Homemade Graham Crackers
Makes 10 4x4.5-inch graham crackers or 48 2-inch squares
2-½ cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
⅓ cup mild-flavored honey, such as clover
5 tablespoons milk (whole is best)
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Topping (optional)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams) ground cinnamon
Make the dough: Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off, on and off, or mix on low until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.
(Alternately, if you don't have a food processor or electric mixer, you can cut the ingredients together with a pastry blender. Just make sure that they're very well incorporated.)
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times or mix on low until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and dust it lightly with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap it, then chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the topping, if using, by combining the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and setting aside.
Roll out the crackers: Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about ⅛-inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary. Trim the edges of the rectangle to 4 inches wide. Working with the shorter side of the rectangle parallel to the work surface, cut the strip every 4-½ inches to make four crackers.
Place the crackers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the topping. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer. Repeat with the second batch of dough. Finally, gather any scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and reroll.
Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Decorate the crackers: Mark a vertical line down the middle of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough (again, this is for the traditional cracker shape). Using a toothpick or skewer (I like to use the blunt end of a wooden skewer for more dramatic dots), prick the dough to form two dotted rows about ½-inch from each side of the dividing line.
Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch (The baking time range is long because "better safe than sorry." Nobody likes a burnt cracker!]
Here are a few more fun ideas to spice up s'mores around the campfire:
S'more Turtles
Graham crackers, caramel, milk chocolate, marshmallow, and whole pecan halves
Chocolate Peanut Butter
Chocolate graham crackers, marshmallow, and peanut butter (preferably crunchy)
Nutty Banana
Graham crackers, Reese's peanut butter cup, marshmallow, and banana
Strawberry Chocolate
Graham crackers, dark chocolate, marshmallows, and fresh strawberries
Chocolate Caramel
Graham crackers, caramel-filled chocolate, and marshmallow
Nutella and Banana
Peanut butter cookies, Nutella, marshmallow, and banana
Graham crackers, marshmallow, and Andes mints
Graham crackers, marshmallows, caramel, and shaved coconut
Graham crackers, marshmallows, milk chocolate, cinnamon, and nutmeg
Here at the Almanac, we love to cook, bake, grill, roast, and eat! We'll show you how to make some delicious recipes.
No graham flour? I thought that was what MADE a graham cracker a graham cracker.
Holy deliciousness! I can't wait to try this for myself. S'mores are most definitely the best part of camping and I am really looking forward to my first sticky-sweet sampling this Memorial Day weekend.
These look awesome! I tried making these once and the dough was like peanut butter, even the next day. Glad to see it must have been my error somewhere along the way because yours look great. I will have to try them again!