text:
Illinois Librarians Plan Internet Shutdown
Denise Varenhorst, President Family Friendly Libraries writes "
Illinois State Senators have been contacted by Family Friendly Libraries to alert them about the planned public library Internet Shutdown.
Librarians across Illinois are planning to SHUT DOWN INTERNET ACCESS AT LOCAL LIBRARIES and distribute political fliers to library patrons on May 14th, 2007. attempt to build opposition to the Internet Filtering Bill 1727
Senators have been informed taht local libraries are posting their specific protest plan and their own contact information on the Internet, and they can see what their local library is planning at www.illinoislibraryday.info Click on "Message Board"; for complete list of protest plans.
Family Friendly Libraries believes that local librarians have NO RIGHT TO DENY LIBRARY USERS SERVICES they have paid for simply because of the librarians' political views."
Re:Wot a bunch of utter gimboids
First, let me point out that censorship starts at the publisher's door -- not the distributor.
That is an egregious misinterpretation, at best, or an outright misrepresentation, at worst. It shows that you know little, if anything, about issues of censorship and free speech.
Secondly, we are talking about taxpayer funded speech -- and taxpayers have every right to define the speech they want to pay for, or stop for that matter.
Anti-censorship advocates pay their taxes too, and don't see why their tax dollars should be funnelled into a religious totalitarianist movement by the U.S. government in violation of the First Amendment proscription against a theopolitical establishment.
Secondly, your statement is repudiated by that portion of the First Amendment that says the government is forbidden to abridge freedom of speech. Public funds, as held in trust and disbursed by any level of government, cannot be legally used to stop speech. The U.S. Supreme Court has been defining the word "congress", as used in the First Amendment, since at least 1933 or 1928, increasingly to mean any person, whether elected, appointed, or employed, at any level of government. That means
everybody from the dogcatcher to the President, and includes librarians.
Perverts can find their smut elsewhere.
Oh yeah? What places are the censormorons are going to leave them to find their smut? You are focusing solely on censorship in the library. Censorship movements are ubiquitous. The ultra-right wing nut reactionaries don't want anything, anywhere, that offends their hypersensitivities and petty prejudices. You know? . . . the people who demanded internet filtering in the first place and wouldn't allow anybody to look at the lists of what sites were being blocked or to know by what criteria they
were blocked under? Sites having to do with science? Political officials? Etc, ad nauseum?
Censorship is like a blood-lust. Neither one can ever be slaked.
While liberals could care less about protecting the lives and safety of children, . . .
This is an outright lie. It is not that liberals couldn't care less about protecting the physical safety and wellbeing of children, it just that we know their civil liberties can be protected at the same time without endangering their health or safety. You don't. You can't. The right-wing is pathologically incapable of dealing with such a concept.
. . . government has a compelling interest in doing so.
This is an unwarranted assumption at best. There is no reputable evidence to uphold the contention, and it continues to reverberate throughout the right-wing echo chamber simply because it is a necessary falsehood for the promotion of censorship.
Attacks on children in libraries by men who have been stimulated by Internet porn are well documented.
Excuse me? Those attacks were motivated solely by internet porn? The fact that those assailants were latent child-molesters had nothing to do with it? They could not possibly have been motivated by
Adults fondling themselves in plain view of others, including children have also been documented.
How many adult males enter into public libraries on a daily basis? How many of those view triple X of five X rated material? How many of those fondle themselves in public? Or molest children? What kind of a fractional percentage are we talking about here and how, exactly, does that create a compelling interest in censorship?
You do understand, don't you, that this is Orwellian thinking? The idea that all males who perform Y are double-plus, ungood crimethinkers or want to be? You do understand, do you not, that you are violating the civil right of unguessable numbers of law abiding males to be presumed innocent until proven guilty? You do know, don't you, that what you are proposing is to punish the overwhelming majority for the actions of the underwhelming minority?
No. Of of course you don't.
By the way, should I accuse conservatives of not caring about children for ignoring the fact that the majority of molestation victims are victimized by their own fathers in their own homes?
. . . the ACLU recognizes that filtering software is a great solution to this problem . . .
This is another misrepresentation if not another outright lie. The ACLU only recognized that filtering is the lesser of two current evils. They told the court involved that filtering would be less burdensome than the alternative that was being touted by the censorial.
Lastly, why can't liberals engage in honest debate without the hate mongering name calling. Really, "censormorons" is unnecessary.
Censormorons is exactly the right word for them. Take it up with D.H. Lawrence if you don't like it, or stop identifying yourself as one by proclaiming so loudly that the shoe fits. Tell me something, Dave. Why can't the right-wing engage in honest debate? Why does its members have to rely on one outright lie after another. In some cases, lies that have been thoroughly debunked and which they have been told are lies? Why is it the right-wing can't refrain from smear tactics when talking to or
about anyone who will not pander to their invincible ignorance? You're squalling about a lack of civility is just another right-wing trick to try chill speech that is critical of the right-wing.
And this after you accused all liberals of acting in collusion with child molesters and abusers.
Oh, yes, and one last thing. You have failed to define pornography. Which is something which the right-wing would not allow even if it were possible. It would really put a cramp in a person's censorship efforts if there were objective criteria by which something could be proved to be exempt from those efforts.
Re:Red Herring Alert!
The Internet at the public library is not a public forum. There is no right to Internet access at the library.
Your argument is baseless as the Constitutional and First Amendment questions have been answered and the answer is no, there is no right to Internet access.
That said, if the library does supply Internet access as a service (filtered or unfiltered) it has an obligation not to withhold that access to make a political point. Would they do that with books, periodicals? No, so why is withholding access to the Internet acceptable?
Re:You Can't Have It Both Ways
Access to the Internet at the public library is not a right.
You are confusing two issues. Filters emplaced by the library administration in response to the needs and desires of the community do not violate the tenets of the librarians professional code.
The librarians work for the people, and if the people - and in our democratic society we must accept the will of the majority - decide they want filters then they shall have filters.
While some Chicken Little types inculcate the public, they are wise enough to make decisions about what they want available in the library. Collection development - and yes filters are a collection development decision- must be based on the needs of the patrons served, not some seemingly noble, but misguided notion that all information should be available to everyone that wishes it.
Librarians who continue to beat that drum simply make themselves, and unfortunately the rest of us look like idiots.
Denying patrons access to services and materials to which they are entitled is simply wrong, professional, ethically, and morally.
They have an obligation -ethically, legally and professionally- to provide the service that the users pay for. They pay taxes, they get to use all of the library's services not just those the librarians(those who are paid from that same tax money) want them to use one particular day.
They have a right to stand outside the library on their off hours and hand out fliers. They have a right to write their editor, they have a right to call their legislators, they have a right to email people about it when not working, they have a right to make their voices heard.
However their right does not extend to the abrogation of the public's right, the taxpayer's right, the patron's right to use the services to which they are entitled. For a group that says they hold the patron's right to access information sacrosanct they are certainly violating their own professional code.
won't somebody
Thank GOD someone here has the fortitude to THINK OF THE CHILDREN.
Think of the children @ your library.
Be a hilarious, hysterical, Puritanical humbug @ your library.
Be a message board trolling Jesus Freak @ your library.
Waste a lot of time, money and political capital because some 14 year old once saw some breasts @ your library.
Re:You Can't Have It Both Ways
1) COPA (Children's Online Protection Act) isn't CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act.)
In the COPA lawsuit, the government argued that filters didn't work to block sexually explicit material on the Internet in order to justify and uphold direct regulation of sexually explicit material on the Internet. Those opposing the direct regulation of Internet content argued that filters are a jim-dandy censor's tool and work just fine for parents wanting to censor their children's Internet access, thereby eliminating the need for direct regulation by the government.
In the CIPA lawsuit, the government argued that filters worked well enough because of the importance of protecting children and besides, adults could ask for the filter to be disabled, supposedly eliminating any First Amendment problems. Justice Kennedy warned, though, that if the library didn't make disabling quick and easy, the library faced potential legal liability through an as-applied lawsuit. That lawsuit is now a reality in Washington State. (Also note that all the justices emphasized that CIPA did not obligate libraries to filter - it was a condition placed on funding.)
Certain comments made above argued that the COPA decision's endorsement of filters as a private tool for parents justifies the use of filters to censor the Internet in the public library. That conclusion is factually and legally wrong.
2) I thought librarians had all the discretion in the world when it came to making collection development decisions about Internet access - or don't they? If they don't, and Internet access is a right that can't be denied to library users, then all the arguments advanced in favor of filtering are so much bunk. And as far as I can see, it's not wrong for a library board to demonstrate to the taxpayers the consequences of decisions made by the state legislature, so that taxpayers can communicate their preferences to their legislators.
3) Multiply $50 by hundreds of stations in large systems, and you suddenly are spending $10,000 to get $6000 in CIPA funds -- not to mention the cost of staff time to maintain the system and implement unblocking policies, and not to mention the cost of fending off potential litigation and filing the paperwork for compliance, and not to mention the potential liability of librarians and library boards who are being asked to certify that the filter "works."
Think of the materials that could be bought for $10,000 from the book purchasing budget that's already been pared to the bone, versus spending those funds on censorship. If I were a taxpaying patron, I'd rather spend money on actual materials - DVDs, books, serials - than on a piece of software that's only designed to impose a software developer's decisions about what's "appropriate" on me and my children.
That sounds as if it is a mission statement, not a description of services provided.
In any event, in what way is protected speech not the best reading? Are the disfranchised living on the wrong side side of the digital divide not among the largest number? (Trick question, there Greg; in point of fact they constitute the largest number.) Does not requiring the unnecessary added expense of internet filtering fly in the face of the idea of "least cost"?
If not, to any of these questions: How not?
Re:You Can't Have It Both Ways
The CIPA decision does justify filters in libraries, just not for adults (something I'm fine with).
To drop Internet access permanently is a collection development decision, to do it for a day is political hijinks.
As for the gutting of book budgets: NetNanny $50 a station, one time only. That's a lot more reasonable then all the book budgets being stretched to include hot new DVDs, video games, and Dance Revolution programs.
In fact, to deny patrons access to vast swaths of the Internet to further the political aims of special interest groups or because of the moral disapproval of special interest groups is abhorrent.
Librarians who censor materials based on the disapproval of one person or a special interest grop discredit the profession.
Re:Red Herring Alert!
It doesn't matter whether one is for or against internet filters. A government agency has an obligation to fulfill the duties committed to it as those duties as prescribed at any given time. Government agencies can not pick and choose which rules they are going to follow.
But you're saying that the government agency can pick and choose whether or not to conform to the Constitution and the First Amendment?
One might say that the librarians are refusing to violate the First Amendment, fulfilling their duties under the Constitution.
And the very argument of those promoting filters is that Internet access isn't a vital mission of the public library, so that it can be freely censored.
have it one way?
Libraries aren't a right either. Maybe we should all become ministers.
Re:have it one way?
No one was arguing that libraries are a right. Try to stay on topic.
Re:You Can't Have It Both Ways
1. Bottom line, you can filter by age. Again, fine by me.
2. There is no 'demonstration', there is simply an extreme response meant to make political hay.
3. That $6000 is every year, so in 10 years that's 60,000. At most you'd have to update the software once for a total of $20,000.
I'm not completely unsympathetic to all the arguments made but the fact is if ALA had made an attempt to negotiate and focus the filtering on children's computers only *none of this* would be an issue.
Re:won't somebody
I didn't. That's why it's funny.
Re:won't somebody
Chuck! It's that ol' straw man again!
Misrepresent your opponent's position @ your library.
Re:Red Herring Alert!
Nothing has ever made the internet at the library a public forum. Once the library opens its doors the First Amendment comes into play, but beating a dead horse will not make public internet access a public forum.
I know we had discussed this before and you are still making assumptions not based on the law.
I'll spring for the LSAT if you want to take it if you promise to learn the current interpretation of this.
Re:You Can't Have It Both Ways
Good for them, I hope they got detention for doing it. That some can is not an excuse to open the doors completely for everyone.
Re:You Can't Have It Both Ways
You are clearly not the parent of a savvy ten year old. I've had fourth and fifth graders demonstrate how they use proxies and other hacks to get around the filters on their school computers.
This isn't the community deciding that it wants filters - it's the state government imposing a costly censorship scheme on libraries no matter what the views of the local voters, solely on the basis of a minority's moral disapproval. This is the opposite of democracy. That's the point the local libraries are trying to make.
Librarianship is about making information available according to the needs of the users - not according to the moral views of the filtering company, the librarian or another user. And filters, if they are "collection development" are lousy collection development, delegated to a private entity that doesn't operate according to professional standards and without regard to the rights of the minority as well as the majority. Filters don't serve users: they only serve to comfort the moral police. p.
Denying patrons access to services and materials to which they are entitled is simply wrong, professional, ethically, and morally.
So true. So what justifies denying patrons access to information via a filter that has no regard for the patrons' information needs?
Re:Red Herring Alert!
We went this round before. ACLU v. Reno extended full First Amendment protection to the Internet. Even as they sputtered about with 1930's library texts to justify their creaky reasoning, the four justices voting to uphold CIPA in US v. ALA made sure to endorse the Solicitor General's promise that adults had the right to ask for unfiltered access without explaning why they wanted it, as a means of addressing First Amendment "concerns." Once the libary opens Internet access, the First Amendment comes into play, and I doubt very much that the current court would endorse your absolutist view.
And you can't have it both ways. If internet access isn't a right, as you say, then the library can turn it on and off at will. That's what it means to have no right to Internet access. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DEMAND ANYTHING. It's all up to the library administration discretion in your world view, right? They can decide that they don't want to incur the liability imposed upon them by the state, or that they don't want to spend scarce money on filters, or that they just don't want to turn it on and waste electricity, or even to demonstrate to their patrons what it actually means not to have a "right" to access the Internet.
Re:You Can't Have It Both Ways
No... a 5 year old couldn't. Neither could a 10 or 11 year old. And, as always, the fact that its there is part of the deterrent.
Re:You Can't Have It Both Ways
But then again, you're talking about Net Nanny - the biggest piece of internet filtering junk out there. Anyone who's spent five minutes with this worthless software knows exactly what I'm talking about. Believe me - a 5 year-old could break the security.
In any event, in what way is protected speech not the best reading?
Free speech is not valued speech.
Does not requiring the unnecessary added expense of internet filtering fly in the face of the idea of "least cost"?
Definitly not because the equipment that hosts it is expensive to buy and maintain and limited in quanity. How it is used will define how cost effective it is.
Re:Wot a bunch of utter gimboids
"Books pertaining to sexuality along with the sex-ed school programs have basically convinced former teenagers--- like Fang --that humans are no more than simple animals, unable to control their lust."
Oh goodness, you're going to have to back that up with a source. Really. Come on.
You Can't Have It Both Ways
IF internet access in the public library is a right
AND the public library is a government agency that operates under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights
AND as per the Supreme Court, there is a right to receive information without prior restraint by the government
THEN, in providing access to materials NOT PUBLISHED BY THE GOVERNMENT the public library cannot censor those materials on the basis of content unless the materials are "illegal" speech - speech that has been declared obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors by a court of law.
The recent COPA decision does not justify the use of filters in public libraries. In the COPA lawsuit, the court was trying to decide if the government's proposed regulation of sexually explicit materials on the Internet was justified because there were no other tools available to parents with children - PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS - who wished to protect their children from seeing such material. Because filters will block most - not all, but most - sexually explicit material (along with a wide swath of perfectly innocent stuff and politically sensitive stuff like pages about gay rights and sexual health) the court decided that there were tools available to parents who wish to self-censor on behalf of their families. As a result, the government restrictions imposed by COPA were not justified and had to be struck down under the stringent requirements of the First Amendment.
That's a far different question than the one at hand here: whether a government funded institution whose mission is providing access to information can directly censor content by proxy through the use of filtering software developed by private corporations.
HOWEVER... IF Internet access is not a right, but a privilege subject to any and all censorship at the whim of a taxpayer or two
THEN the decision not to provide Internet access is nothing more than a collection development decision that is a perfectly permissible solution to the so-called problem of "porn in the library" that doesn't mean gutting the book budget to pay a private corporation to censor the Internet.
It's called a protest. It's supposed to be disruptive. They have the right to do as their conscience demands them.
professional judgement? Re:c'mon now
Unless you're suddenly arguing to improve filtering instead of getting rid of it altogether then there is no professional judgement only abdication.
c'mon now
There is no one here who believes that porn is a necessary service. No one has said it either. The anti-filtering objection is that filters capriciously and secretly block legal and important information, a situation which is anathama to our professional obligations.
From www.eff.org, the Electronic Frontier Foundation:
For every web page blocked as advertised, blocking software blocks one or more web pages inappropriately, either because the web pages are miscategorized or because the web pages, while correctly categorized, do not merit blocking.
Schools that implement Internet blocking software even with the least restrictive settings will block at a minimum tens of thousands of web pages inappropriately, either because the web pages are miscategorized or because the web pages, while correctly categorized, do not merit blocking.
Blocking software products miscategorized many of the web pages they block—
assigning the wrong block codes to between a third and a half of the web pages related to state-mandated curriculums blocked depending on the blocking software.
Of all pages related to state-mandated curriculums blocked by blocking products, the products blocked only 1-3% of those web pages to CIPA's criteria for blocking visual depictions of illegally obscenity, child pornography, or harmful to minors content. That means that of the web pages related to state-mandated curriculums, blocking software products blocked 97-99% of the web pages blocked using non-standard, discretionary, and potentially illegal criteria beyond what is required by CIPA.
And the other side of it
For any web page that contained three or more of the target words, the researchers examined the web page against the legal standard provided by CIPA and found 11 total occurrences of nine web pages for which CIPA would likely would require blocking, three missed by N2H2 Bess and eight missed by SurfControl. The researchers also found a total of 34 web pages that would require blocking if non-visual depictions were included, 17 for N2H2 Bess and 17 for SurfControl.
However, the researchers did not even attempt to search for "visual depictions†of pornography and, as mentioned by the court declaring CIPA unconstitutional for libraries: "This is of critical importance, because CIPA, by its own terms, covers only 'visual depictions.' 20 U.S.C. §9134(f)(1)(A)(i); 47 U.S.C. §254(h)(5)(B)(i).â€
There is no substitute for our professional judgment and we should never abdicate that responsibility to anyone or anything.
Re:Wot a bunch of utter gimboids
What a compelling and articulate response Fang-Face!
Can anyone please tell me how providing Internet pornography for adults or children in public libraries is somehow beneficial for the communities they serve?
No resident wants a family member rubbing shoulders in their local library with another person who has recently viewed sexually stimulating images on the Internet. It is interesting to note that while the ALA and the ILA oppose Internet filtering, parents and law enforcement officials strongly support it.
And don't tell me that filtering technology doesn't work -- tell that to your friends at the ACLU, who had an expert argue before a Federal District Court (in ACLU v. Gonzalesuscourts.gov>, March 2007) that filters are about 95 percent effective in blocking unwanted sites, while providing full access to legitimate websites. The Judge agreed!
Internet filtering technology would help clean up communities and protect children and families from being exposed to harmful images in their neighborhood public library. Government, at every level, has a compelling interest here, especially as it pertains to children.
If you can make the case that online porn is a library service I'll agree with you.
Tired? Normally you go for the librarians defending pornography angle. Maybe you will feel better after some sleep.
To deny patrons access to the internet to further their political aims is abhorent.
To regulate the internet surfing of others to further their political aims is abhorent. These religious fanatics discredit all of humanity. I am ashamed that they are members of the human race.
To deny patrons access to the internet to further their political aims is abhorent. These librarians discredit the profession. I am ashamed to be associated with them through our common profession.
Wot a bunch of utter gimboids
This hypocrisy was so funny that I laughed out loud.
It's kind of hard to decide what to make of useless shits that bitch and piss and whine and moan about unmonitored internet access for adults, and who then scream hysterically when faced with no internet access for anybody.
Here's a clue you pack of festering morons: cutting off the 'net completely is not unconstitutional in that it does not discriminate among users. 'Course, there's still access to information issues involved, but that's a separate issue and one you can't win on either.
Re:Teens will be annoyed at their library
I am sick and tired of hearing "it's about the children".
Teens will be annoyed at their library
A substantial segment of teens use the library internet connection to play games. They will be annoyed at the Illinois librarys' political statement by denying internet access.
If you can make a case that nut ball organizations like Safe Libraries and Familly Friendly Libraries should be making choices for me then I might agree with you. This is just the normal cheap way to make headlines without doing anything substantial. Any legislator that signs on looks like he is protecting the children. God save the children from pornography.
Re:Wot a bunch of utter gimboids
Oh here we go simplify the argument. Thats how this works reduce it to the simplest terms like pornography and then paint it as a black and white concept. Why can't you drones handle logic that's a little more involved than a Venn Diagram?
Re:Wot a bunch of utter gimboids
Are you going to offer an argument, or just going to make a self-righteous platitude?
Re:Wot a bunch of utter gimboids
"And don't tell me that filtering technology doesn't work -- tell that to your friends at the ACLU, who had an expert argue before a Federal District Court (in ACLU v. Gonzales [uscourts.gov], March 2007) that filters are about 95 percent effective in blocking unwanted sites, while providing full access to legitimate websites. The Judge agreed!"
False. Read the file you've linked to. It says that filters can be 95 percent effective in blocking sexually explicit sites (worth pointing out that this is not necessarily coextensive with "unwanted sites") -- but nowhere does it say that the filters do so while "providing full access to legitimate websites." Quite the contrary: it says that the filters blocked as much as 36% of websites that were not sexually explicit. (At one point the judge complains that a study exaggerates one filter's overblocking rate. He reasons that the study was concerned only with sexually explicit sites while the filter was configured to block more than just sexually explicit sites. True, the filter could not be configured any other way, but never mind that.)
Then again, I suppose your claim depends entirely on the meaning you assign to "legitimate": after all, one person's breast cancer support page is another person's smut. You might say, "Well it provides full access to legitimate websites, because if the websites were legitimate they wouldn't be blocked." In this case you really ought to be happy. Because The Indiana librarians are for one day implementing a filter that will block 100% of all "unwanted sites," while providing full access to "legitimate" library resources. You just have to assign the proper meaning to "legitimate": it's them books there on them shelves. Problem solved.
Re:c'mon now
There is no one here who believes that porn is a necessary service. No one has said it either.
Fang Face, LIS's most "communicative" (handle with gloves!) librarian does.
Re:Wot a bunch of utter gimboids
I have been out of the loop for a while and unable at this time, to read all the post. So I will begin with nice job Dave. I danced with Fang Face for awhile, but the conclusion that we must come to is this: The training and indoctrination of children, in public school systems and public libraries-- that have taken place over the years is proven successful by the Fang Faces of the world. Unfortunately there are many!
I have been out of the loop for a while and unable at this time, to read all the post. So I will begin with nice job Dave. I danced with Fang Face for awhile, but the conclusion that we must come to is this: The training and indoctrination of children, in public school systems and public libraries-- that have taken place over the years is proven successful by the Fang Faces of the world. Unfortunately there are many!
Books pertaining to sexuality along with the sex-ed school programs have basically convinced former teenagers--- like Fang --that humans are no more than simple animals, unable to control their lust. So their mentality is of such a nature that they become indignant when a moral people-- who was taught that we must control every thought and action--reminds them that freedoms are realized within boundaries or restrictions.
That reminds me of how many prisoners receive Christ and becomes set free within their incarceration. Said all that to say this…laws are made for a moral people. NOTHING MORAL about PORN…yet the Fangs of the world think we owe it to them!
Many poor neighborhoods are dangerous. Many african americans live in these neighborhoods. Postal carriers don't like going into dangerous areas. No mail service to blacks on Juneteenth to protest having to do their jobs.
Or passport office not serving Asians on Tuesdays because they don't like names that are hard to spell. DMV closing in October because they don't like speed limit laws.
Court clerks not accepting marriage license applications next Monday becuase lesbians can't get married in Texas.
Librarians don't like proposed law so they punish patrons by denying them access to computers.
See all of those are bullshite.
Red Herring Alert!
Red Herring Alert: forget the filters and see the real issue, folks.
It doesn't matter whether one is for or against internet filters. A government agency has an obligation to fulfill the duties committed to it as those duties as prescribed at any given time. Government agencies can not pick and choose which rules they are going to follow. Appropriate leaders can attempt change rules and policies, they can assign and reassign taxpayer money through appropriate channels, but they can not, should not subject taxpayers and taxpayer money to political whims.
If a particular library is prescribed by their own board-created budget and strategic plan to provide internet access, they must do so or they are in default of said budget and plan. The use of taxpayer money can not only not be used to further a political agenda, it can not be withheld to further an agenda.
Library directors and librarians who wish to exercise free speech should do so appropriately. Citizens who wish to incorporate their beliefs should have the right to voice their opinions and attempt to change their environment.
But imagine the chaos if members of the Social Security Administration, unsatisfied with a proposed policy, decided not to send checks one month in political protest. Who would starve among all those who would be fine? Imagine if Border Patrols decided to let everyone through one day, no questions asked, out of political protest. Who might get in among all those who won't harm us? Imagine National Parks Services making arbitrary changes to historical accounts to cater to political views (not such a far cry from reality - there are still many who claim the Holocaust didn't happen, for instance). How might they change history and the lessons we learn from it? Imagine if all those soldiers who disagree with Iraq chose not to fight. Perhaps it would end the war (some might say), but with what kind of military stability does it leave us? What would be the reprecussions of any similar event?
We do often live on a slippery slope and it is feasible one issue can shake our foundation.
This internet shut-down is nothing more than a Boston Tea Party. Honorable intentions or not, it is a slap in the face of the rules and system of government under which we live. After the Tea Party others followed their example. If librarians get away with this, who will follow their example and what might it impact next?
Since when are librarians above the system? Can they not use their information skills to determine and follow a more appropriate course of action to achieve their goals? In trying to avoid a brave new world, they are simply creating their own version.
I suggest politicians IMMEDIATELY make it abundantly clear there will be grim consequences for any library choosing this course of action.
Imagine if we all acted above the rules each time we disagreed with them. Revolution, anyone?
Re:Wot a bunch of utter gimboids
First, let me point out that censorship starts at the publisher's door -- not the distributor.
Secondly, we are talking about taxpayer funded speech -- and taxpayers have every right to define the speech they want to pay for, or stop for that matter. Perverts can find their smut elsewhere.
While liberals could care less about protecting the lives and safety of children, government has a compelling interest in doing so. Attacks on children in libraries by men who have been stimulated by Internet porn are well documented. Adults fondling themselves in plain view of others, including children have also been documented. See for yourself.safelibraries.org>
It is 2007 Fang-Face -- the ACLU recognizes that filtering software is a great solution to this problem -- why do you want to refer back antiquated technology?
Lastly, why can't liberals engage in honest debate without the hate mongering name calling. Really, "censormorons" is unnecessary.
Dave Smith
"providing access to protected speech is a library service"
No... it isn't. "The best reading, for the largest number, at the least cost."
Re:Wot a bunch of utter gimboids
Can anyone please tell me how providing Internet pornography for adults or children in public libraries is somehow beneficial for the communities they serve?
Well, Dave, the issue at heart here is not pornography so much as censormorons using the "We Must Protect The Children" mantra as an excuse to control what you are allowed to look at. Keep in mind that public libraries are punished with a loss of federal funding if they do not put filters on computers that are reserved for use by adults only.
Secondly, there is the fact that the ultra-right wing cannot -- and would not if even if they could -- define pornography. Even the Miller test for proscribable osbcenity is subjective at bottom. As I mentioned elsewhere in this thread, the ultra-right simple calls everything they don't like pornography, and they do it so as to spread the widest possible censorial net over information they don't want disseminated. Factual human sexuality information is good example. Factual information about homosexuality is another.
Oh . . . and some of the web sites that were blocked by early versions of censorware were not about sexuality at all; some of them were the web sites of political officials who support personal liberty and freedom instead of a religious police state.
. . . make the case that online porn is a library service . . .
Simple pornography is protected speech, and providing access to protected speech is a library service. I believe the term you are looking for is proscribable obscenity. The way in which you are using the term "porn" is in the manner of the ultra-self-righteous and easily offended, who use it to mean anything that sets off their hypersensitivities. Again: Where's Waldo and Michaelangelo's David.
Re:professional judgement? Re:c'mon now


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Photos of the next generation 2015 Nissan Murano have been released. They reveal a stunning crossover which has been completely redesigned using Nissans new design language. The V-Motion front end contains boomerang-style headlights we first saw on the 370Z sports car.
In the interior, Nissan sought to simplify things by lowering the instrument cluster and ditching some of the clutter. The new infotainment center contains an eight-inch touch screen and only 10 buttons (down from 25).
The motor is a 3.5-litre V6 and produces 260 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy is 20 percent better than the model it replaces. The Xtronic transmission sends power to the front wheels as standard or all-four wheels if the vehicle is equipped with the all-wheel drive system.
For those stressful trips to the grocery store, the Muranos four onboard cameras and three radar sensors along with Around the View Monitor & Moving Object Detection technology should make parking an easy task.
The 2015 Murano will hit dealership showrooms this fall.

subset: commoncrawl


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Difference between revisions of "User:David Newman"
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==Contact Information==
==Contact Information==
Revision as of 08:55, 8 June 2008
General Information
Contributor since: 2008-06-07
Number of scores on CPDL: 6
Contact Information
- Please use this contact form
American baritone David Newman enjoys an active and varied concert career throughout North America. Hailed as "electrifying" by the Washington Post and noted by the Sacramento Bee for his "rather perfect oratorio voice," he is in particular demand as a Baroque specialist. He has performed Messiah with Tafelmusik, Portland Baroque Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, and with Masterwork Chorus in Carnegie Hall; St. John Passion with the American Bach Soloists, Carmel Bach Festival, Chorale Delaware, and the Bach Chamber Orchestra of Honolulu; and St. Matthew Passion with the Bach Society of St. Louis, Baroque Choral Guild, San Francisco Bach Choir, and a national tour with the combined forces of Santa Fe Pro Musica and the Smithsonian Chamber Players.
In his debut with the Washington Bach Consort, Mr. Newman was noted by the Baltimore Sun for his "exquisitely phrased, velvet-toned Mache dich, mein Herz." Other notable appearances include Bach's B Minor Mass and Christmas Oratorio with The Bethlehem Bach Choir, Coffee Cantata, Easter Oratorio, and Christmas Oratorio with the Santa Fe Bach Festival, and Haydn's Creation with The Honolulu Symphony. He was also a featured soloist in the Sorbonne's 2003 Festival Berlioz in Paris with the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra.
He has appeared regularly as a guest artist with the Four Nations Ensemble, including performances in Lincoln Center and Merkin Hall, and has also performed with the Spoleto Festival, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Metropolitan Opera Guild, Opera Birmingham, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Russian National Orchestra. His recording of Alexander's Feast with The Bach Sinfonia was recently released on the Dorian label. Mr. Newman teaches voice at James Madison University.


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The Texas Department of Transportation is proud to team with 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Larson in an effort to remind Texas drivers that if they are going to drink, to find a sober ride.
"I may drive faster speeds than most, but it doesn't take a professional to know that you must stay sober to drive safely," Larson said. "Getting thrown in jail or landing in the hospital will not only wreck your holidays, but also will wreck your life. From one driver to another, I ask everyone to find a sober ride and don't drink and drive."
Larson's message is complementing the extra hours law enforcement officers across Texas have been putting in to crack down on drunk driving. About every 20 minutes in Texas, someone is hurt or killed in a crash involving alcohol. In an effort to curb this dangerous trend, TxDOT is encouraging people to plan for a sober ride home by visiting soberrides.org.
"Drinking and driving is a serious issue in Texas and it's just unacceptable that we lose so many lives each year to something that's completely preventable," said Phil Wilson, TxDOT executive director. "We are grateful to NTT DATA for connecting us with Kyle Larson who can help us communicate this critical life-saving message."
NTT DATA is a leading global IT services provider that partners with TxDOT to improve IT and other customer services for Texans.
"We are honored to stand beside TxDOT and leverage our relationship with Kyle Larson to promote this incredibly important campaign," said John McCain, President and CEO, NTT DATA, Inc.
TxDOT also is partnering with the Texas Hospitality Association, which is distributing sober ride messages statewide in restaurants, bars and stores where alcohol is sold. In Austin, TxDOT and Capital Metro are encouraging people to plan for their safe trip by going to soberrides.org to find a bus, cab or train as their sober ride home.
Video PSAs
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Texas Department of Transportation
All Rights Reserved
Privacy & Security Policy
125 East 11th Street • Austin, Texas 78701


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I had heard of Lush lettuce salad but Lush Love lettuce Mask is no where near to the salad ;)Â it is a mask which exfoliates skin and suits normal to oily skin beautifully.
What Lush Product claims :-
An effective, exfoliating face mask which gives normal to oily skin a softened, smoothed and radiant glow. Polishing almond shell is balanced by the skin softening qualities of almond oil and seaweed gel. With soothing lavender essential oil and the cleansing, tightening action of Fullers Earth, you'll feel fresh in no time. Apply to clean skin, avoiding the eye area. Leave for five to ten minutes, then rinse with warm water massaging gently. Keep chilled.
Price Rs 520(aorund $11) for 100gm & Rs 1040 for 200gm
- Ingredients :-Agar Agar Decoction, Kaolin, Honey, Fuller earth, Glycerine, Almond oil, ground almond shells, Lavender oil
My experience with Lush Love Lettuce Mask
Lush Lettuce has big visible ground almond shell which are harsh and therefore this mask can not be used more than twice a week.I personally like to use Lush products every day like Lush herbalism😉 but it is kind of impossible to use this one which little disheartened me.
Mask has a shelf life of one month and one can use 8-9 mask from one pot.Mask is very mosturizing and doesn't takes off the natural oil or makes my feel stretchy after exfoliation.Infact it makes my skin smooth , soft and clean.As the mask stays in the fridge all the time it makes my skin feel fresh and that cooling sensation makes me use it more.
It has fuller earth and lavender fragrance which I don't find strong as I have used much stronger product in Lush than this one 😛
How I use the mask :-
I take out ball size of amount of the product and slather on my face .let the mask stay for 10 -15 minutes and gently massage the mask in circular motion.Wash it off with light strokes.
What I like about Lush Love Lettuce Mask
- It helps in removing dull skin and removes tan
- Makes skin smooth and refreshing
- Gently exfoliate skin.
- It keeps my skin oil free for whole day
What I do not like in Lush Love Lettuce Mask
- Shelf life of the mask is quite less as compared to the price
- Sensitive skin might find it little harsh
- I wish it could be milder so that it can be used more often as the effectiveness of the mask remains for one or two days only.
Will I recommend it to others – Yes, If you have oily skin then do try it out.It will exfoliate skin nicely, keep it fresh and make it smooth whenever you use it .It is like giving yourself a mini facial mask.
You might like reading these also:-
- Lush Aqua Marina Reviews
- Lush Mask of Magnaminty Review
- Lush Soak and Float Solid Shampoo Bar Review
- Lush Tiny Hands Review (Hands Serum)
- Best Of Lush Products


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Rush Limbaugh: GOP 'so irrelevant'
Rush Limbaugh on Wednesday blasted the Republican Party as "irrelevant" and responsible for "creating one of the greatest political disasters" he's ever seen.
"I was trying to think earlier today, if ever in my life I could remember any major political party being so irrelevant," the conservative radio host said on his show, according to a transcript. "I have never seen it. I have never seen a major political party simply occupy placeholders, as the Republican Party is doing."
Limbaugh slammed the Republican Party for consistently failing to offer any "serious opposition" to the Democratic Party or President Barack Obama. And now the party has made an "inexplicable political cave-in" with the agreement to reopen the government and lift the debt ceiling, he said.
( WATCH: Timeline of Ted Cruz's Obamacare crusade)
"There hasn't been any opposition, not any serious opposition," Limbaugh said. "There may have been votes against this or that, votes against Obamacare. There may have been votes against the stimulus, but in terms of a package of policies, a package of principled beliefs, of opposition expressed daily by party leaders against what's happening in this country, there hasn't been."
The only real pushback, Limbaugh said, has come from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah). "This is not the time to abandon Ted Cruz or Mike Lee, folks," he told his listeners.
"You know that what they attempted to do here was, I think, valiant," he said. "It's been an illustration of just how terribly wrong things are. There are plenty of opportunities for lessons to be learned here. Now, look, I'm not living in a false reality here. I was thinking about this last night, too, while I was pondering if I can ever remember a greater political disaster in my lifetime, if I could ever remember a time when a political party just made a decision not to exist for all intents and purposes."
( Also on POLITICO: Ted Cruz stands down)
And by buying into the "political trick" of Democrats and the media to convince Republicans that attacking a Democratic president would "anger the independents" and "criticizing the first black president, that makes you racist," the party has tried to "make everybody like them." And that's exactly what has led to the Republican Party embracing irrelevance, Limbaugh said.
"And what they've ended up doing is creating one of the greatest political disasters I've ever seen in my lifetime, simply because they failed to show up," Limbaugh said. "Then when they finally did make a play of showing up, they didn't have the guts to stick with it."


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Pre-workshop Exercise – Who is your audience?
Questions to answer:
1. "Why do you care about the person you are going to meet?"
2. "How can you actually help them?"
3. "Why would they care?"
Second task
1. Write out a 140 to 250 character intro of who you are and what the company you are representing is about. Please focus on a concrete mission (big idea).
An example of a concrete big idea coupled with a straight to the point description of what the company does.
"SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets."
"With the likes of Oculus Rift and Samsung outbidding each other to create the the best VR viewing platforms, there is a critical part of the puzzle still missing – how do you create stunning VR content in the first place?"
Sphericam is the world's only VR-ready professional 360º video camera that records in 4K. 35 words cut to 14 #pitch https://t.co/FnMXW8E79J
— Gleb Maltsev (@GlebMaltsev) January 8, 2016
2. Write out a two-minute story about your product or company. Keep it personal.
See the official checklist before going to the event.


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Game 84: Toronto at New York pregame
One look at the American League home run leaders, and it'd seem to make sense that MLB might ask Blue Jays second baseman Aaron Hill if he'd be interested in taking part in the Home Run Derby.
Hill ranks third in the league with 20 bombs, which are the most for any second baseman in the game right now. On top of that, his total already is a team record in a season for a second sacker.
"Yeah, but those are in games," Hill said with a laugh on Monday morning. "Have you seen me in batting practice? Maybe if they do something about the fences I'd consider it."
So, don't count on Hill swinging for the fences in Busch Stadium. Besides, I doubt he'd want to risk ruining the good swing he's got going for him right now. "It's bad luck, isn't it?" said Hill, when asked about the Derby. It sure didn't do much for Alex Rios, who took part in the event in 2007 in San Francisco.
Prior to Monday's game, Hill came out into the dugout to do a TV interview and a kid — maybe nine or 10 years old — wearing a red Yankees cap, was leaning over the railing with a baseball and a pen, asking "Mr. Hill" for an autograph. When Hill obliged, the kid said "congrats" since the second baseman just made his first All-Star team. Savvy kids here in New York.
Blue Jays closer Scott Downs is scheduled to throw off a mound in a bullpen session on Tuesday. Downs is still fighting a sprained toe on his left foot, an injury that's kept him on the DL for nearly three weeks. With only six games remaining before All-Star break, Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said there's a chance Downs might not return until the second half. That's still "up ion the air" though.
Chatted some with B.J. Ryan today. Check bluejays.com a bit later for more.
Today's lineups:
Fourth place AL East, 8.0 GB
1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. Aaron Hill, DH
3. Vernon Wells, CF
4. Scott Rolen, 3B
5. Alex Rios, RF
6. Kevin Millar, 1B
7. Jose Bautista, LF
8. Rod Barajas, C
9. John McDonald, 2B
Starter: LHP Ricky Romero (6-3, 2.85)
Second place AL East, 1.0 GB
1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Nick Swisher, 1B
3. Mark Teixeira, DH
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Jorge Posada, C
6. Robinson Cano, 2B
7. Melky Cabrera, LF
8. Eric Hinske, RF
9. Brett Gardner, CF
Starter: LHP Any Pettitte (8-3, 4.25)
Don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter: @MLBastian
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3 Comments
The HR derby didn't do much for Bobby Abreu, either. I just hope nobody gets hurt in this dog and pony show. I quite often take a break from baseball for 4 days and get back to it when real baseball resumes. At least we are done with the interleague foolishness now and get back to games that matter in the second half.
Wouldn't it be something if Halladay is traded for a boat load of prospects and then returns in FA after 2010 for under market value. That would be the biggest show of loyalty in the history of sports! It's not going to happen but wouldn't it be cool.
Halladay almost has to be traded, do his looming FA in 2010 and he has stated numerous times he wants to win. The Jays are not going anywhere with Wells and Rios as their core offensive players and need young new positional talent that is ready in 1 to 2 years when the Jays homegrown pitching is ready. Doc at 32yo would be wasted during those couple years.
Aaron Hill isn't a home run hitter and would thereby ruin the home run derby. The derby is for home run hitters. Even if the actual home run hitters don't have as many bombs as Hill, they should still be in.


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Difference between revisions of "Grand old hotels"
Revision as of 05:36, 15 April 2019
This article is a travel topic
In many cities, there is an interesting old hotel, something to remind you of the days when travel meant long journeys by rail or sea, a place where the rich and the famous of its day would stay. Nearly all of these were built before the Second World War, and many date back to Queen Victoria's reign. Many of these hotels have hosted world celebrities of the 19th and 20th centuries, and some are mentioned in classical works of fiction.
Staying in such places is usually not cheap, though more modern high-end hotels might be even costlier. Nor are they necessarily the most luxurious option; the modern high-end places may be even better. However, the grand old hotels are usually very central and they do have an appeal all their own; the old fashioned fittings, the lack of the latest amenities and a certain graceful agedness are often part of their character.
Of course, you need not stay in such hotels to enjoy some of their services. For example, a visitor to Singapore might just go to Raffles for a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar where Rudyard Kipling and Noel Coward once drank, and check out the Billiard Room where Singapore's last tiger was shot.
A traveler with piles of money might consider a round the world flight staying in many of these hotels.
As many Grand old hotels were built in the late 19th century to complement the railroads or the steamer docks, they might be close to, but not inside, an Old Town.
South Africa
East Asia
Middle East
North East Asia
South Asia
Southeast Asia
Many of Southeast Asia's grand old hotels can be credited to a single family, the remarkable Sarkies brothers from Armenia, who founded all of the following icons:
Of course, there are some other very classy options as well:
Northern Europe
Many Swedish towns have a town hotel, stadshotell, colloquially Statt, usually built with the advent of rail traffic in the late 19th century. This hotel is usually the most prominent historical building, second to the church or the city hall, and the city's nightlife hotspot. The rating is usually proportional to the town's size, at three stars in small towns, reaching five stars only in major cities.
West Europe
Central Europe
South Europe
Eastern Europe
North America
United States
There is a program called [Historic Hotels of America] with 200-odd hotels involved.
The grand old hotels in Canada have a unique place in Canadian history. Most of them were built during first quarter of the 20th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Canadian National Railway, or Grand Trunk Railway in order to provide elegant accommodation while viewing the natural beauty along the rail line. Later, the railway sold them to international chains, mainly Fairmont.
These hotels are popular with tourists and locals alike and though overnight stays are expensive, they represent a fine piece of Canadiana worth visiting even if you only have time for a walk through the lobby. Two - Banff and Lake Louise - are major tourist resorts in their own right, located amid stunning Rocky Mountain scenery.
Costa Rica
South America


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Of course ,honeycombs cookies is available in Malaysia restaurant in NYC but it's extremely expensive!! You don't want to know how much it's.If I tell you the price,you must said "only 10 pieces "!! or with that price I can get a big and tall tin/can of honeycombs cookies in Malaysia!! Or eat until you get sick!!"
250 gm rice flour
200 gm corn flour
7 large eggs
500 gm sugar
1 can of coconut milk (400 gm)
1 cup sesame seeds
2 liter or more oil for frying
1.Combine eggs and sugar in a mixer.Sift corn flour and rice flour,set aside in a bowl .Whisk sugar and eggs at medium high speed until dissolves and fluffy light.Add in coconut milk.
2. Slowly pour in flour mixture into the eggs mixture by reduce the speed.Whisk all ingredients until well combined or to obtain a consistent batter. If there is some lump,use sieve. Pour batter into 2 different bowl or container.One small for constant dipping the hot mould into the flour mixture.Another one for sesame seeds.
3. Heat oil in a wok or deep fryer at 350 F.(Do not use non stick pot) Preheat moulds in the hot oil for 5-10 minutes. When the oil is hot enough, dip mould into batter,do not cover batter to the top. Make sure batter coats only the bottom and sides of mould.
4. Hold coated mould in hot oil. (Do not let go the mould to sit on the bottom of fryer while the batter is still attached on the mould)Keep shaking the mould to release honeycomb cookies from moulds. If needed, use chopsticks to help . Fry the cookies until lightly golden brown on both side.
5. Place the empty mould back into the hot oil.Use the next mould that been sitting in the hot oil to dip into the batter.(Do not use the just release mould to dip into the batter again.The batter won't stick onto the mould bcos it's not hot enough)
6:Each time before dipping the mould into the batter or pour the batter into the small bowl use a spatula to stir the batter first to get a consist or well balance batter.Use a long sieve to remove the excess crumb from oil if it's dark or overcrowded the fryer.It's also prevent the floating crumbs to stick to the cookies. For sesame seeds,pour sesame seeds into the second half batter.Keep stirring the batter before dip the mould in the batter.
7:Prepare clean paper towel on 2 large tray.Place cookies on it to absorb the excess oil.Leave cookies to cool completely before store in air-tight container.
all prepared ingredients
eggs and sugar in mixer
heating up the mould in the hot oil
the batter is really to use.
freshly fried honeycomb cookies on a tray
I'm submitting this entry to Aspiring Bakers #3: My Favorite CNY Cookies host by j3sskitch3n ..Happy Baking and Happy Chinese New Year!!


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Converting PDF files to text -- this utility may be your key
When you need to extract text from acquired PDF files, it can be a tedious and frustrating operation. If there are columns, you've got a reall challenge. If they've saved the PDF without editing capabilities, and optimized for web delivery it can be impossible. Now there's help for most situations. November 25, 2015


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Last summer, I hung out with my brother on his college campus. He and his roommate live very much like typical college students — a fridge full of free food from my brother's catering job, a hodgepodge of hand-me-down furniture, etc. Nothing terribly out of the ordinary with their lifestyle. They're broke, but happy, twenty-somethings.
What I did find interesting was their view of money. They had a surprisingly frugal mind-set and complained about the price hikes of everything from tuition to gas. They weren't spending money on drinks every night; they were staying home and having fun for free or working so they could pay their meager rent but outlandish tuition. In short, my brother and his roommate definitely didn't seem like the spendthrift, entitled and spoiled Millennials that I've been reading about recently.
(Side note: My brother says the word Millennial is annoying. But for the sake of succinctness, I'm going to keep using it in this piece. Sorry, bro.)
2013 was a popular year for the topic of Millennials and money. But up until very recently, all the stuff I was reading was negative. I'm guilty too. In a Get Rich Slowly post, I linked to an article about employment, and it ripped Millennials a new one. While I may have agreed with the sentiment of the article, I do think Gen. Y has unfairly been given a bad rap this year — they inherited a whole mess of money problems, and then they're criticized for not having it together financially.
Here's why I think Millennials might be better with money than others may be ready to admit.
A majority of them saved for college
Earlier this year, I was surprised to come across a Fidelity study that researched the money behavior of recent graduates and found that 85 percent of them contributed at least some of their own personal savings to their college tuition. And what's even more surprising is that, of that percentage, 27 percent contributed more than $10,000. That beats what I saved for college: $0.
Millennials are paying their debts
A study from the Pew Research Center compared the debt of young adults with that of adults over the age of 35. In three years, (2007 to 2010), the median debt among the 35+ crowd dropped by eight percent. The debt drop among Millennials? Twenty-nine percent. Six years ago, young people had nearly as much debt as older generations. More recently, they have about half as much.
But, sure, maybe trends and regulations in the past few years have made it harder on adults over 35, who own homes, for example. Maybe it's gotten harder for older adults to pay off debt. Maybe it's not fair to compare. But here's an interesting stat that's specific to Generation Y. According to PewSocialTrends.org:
"…the share of younger households holding debt of any kind fell to 78%, the lowest level since the government began collecting such data in 1983."
Experts say the drop has to do with Millennials continuing to postpone debt-inducing milestones, namely home and car ownership. But Pew found that there's also been a significant decline in credit card debt among this generation.
"Younger households have pared their credit card balances. In 2010 only 39% of them carried a balance, down from 48% in 2007 and 50% in 2001. The median outstanding amount owed among younger households with balances has fallen over the decade from $2,500 in 2001 to $2,100 in 2007 and diminishing further to $1,700 in 2010."
They're sucking it up
We've discussed pursuing our passions a lot here. That's something that graduates seem to struggle with: After college, do you keep looking for the job you went to school for, or do you take whatever job you can get? But despite the stereotype that Millennials are simply lazy and don't want to work, the Pew Research Center found that half of them have taken jobs they don't want so they can pay the bills. Maybe that's low compared with past generations — I couldn't find any comparable data. But I do know that college is a lot more common and accessible these days, and we're encouraged to pick a major so we can find a satisfying occupation. But then, when graduates actually try to hold out for that job, they're lazy. And when this generation decides to postpone things like owning a car, opting to take public transportation instead, their decision is not viewed as a sacrifice; it's considered not growing up.
Further, you've probably come across the statistic that 30 percent of young adults between the ages of 25 and 34 moved back in with their parents to either pay the bills or pay off debt. Generation Y gets ripped for that too, despite the fact that no one between the ages of 25 and 34 wants to live with their parents. And, in fact, about half of the young people that moved back in with their parents say they helped their parents out with rent.
It seems like Millennials are sucking it up more than we think. They're doing things their way, sure. They want better jobs, sure. They might even want to change the traditional boring office structure. But they're still adapting to their financial reality.
Millennials want to be frugal
Millennials like to go out and have fun and spend, but they want to find ways to do it for less. Their desire to be frugal may not be intense, but they're definitely interested in saving money.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal's MarketWatch, Wendy Liebmann, CEO at WSL Strategic Retail revealed a finding on the consumer behavior of Generation Y:
"8 out of 10 of these shoppers say it's important to get the lowest price on most things they buy, which is higher than any other age group."
Their interest in frugality has also increased in recent years more than any other age group, Liebmann said. The study she cites isn't the only to reveal that this age group shops frugally.
Then there's the argument that Millennials are spoiled because they're into brand-name Stuff. But most frugal people will tell you: It's better to invest in quality items that will last than to purchase cheap, replaceable items regularly. Most of the time "quality" equals "brand-name Stuff." I'm not saying that Millennials are into brand names solely because they're applying that frugal adage. But if they were, it'd probably be obscured by the stereotype that they're spoiled.
Young people struggle with the urge to spend, go out and drink and buy nice things. People of all ages have that same struggle. But Millennials seem to be aware of their financial situation and the general dark cloud that looms over the economy. They seem to be adapting by finding cheaper ways to give in to their cravings.
Duh: Millennials are young
Recently, I came across a study that criticized the Millennial generation for the many ways that their spending habits are influenced by keeping up with their friends. That was really shocking, to learn that young people are susceptible to peer pressure.
Sarcasm aside, I don't think it's just young people who bow to peer pressure. We all have our Joneses, after all.
I feel like the things we criticize Millennials for have less to do with their generation specifically and more to do with, simply, the mindset of youth. They've been called "entitled" and "unrealistic" and "spoiled." Those are the same scathing words I've heard people in other cultures use when describing Americans. That's the stigma we carry. It's not surprising that young people who live in a culture that honors consumerism and the American Dream want to consume and have dream careers. Generation Y didn't invent entitlement and consumerism. If we're all so much better than this generation, debt wouldn't be such a problem. I'm not saying we're totally to blame and we're terrible people for having a mortgage and other debts to pay. Certainly, when it comes to a country's economic trends, there are larger factors at play. I just find it ironic that we're so quick to belittle an entire generation that, really, is just a younger version of our society as a whole.
We've all been there. The only difference between twenty-somethings of the past and twenty-somethings now is that this group went through the Great Recession. But in many ways, I think that's given them a healthier financial outlook.
Optimism of Youth
One more Pew study. Kim Parker, the associate director at the Pew Research Center, said this about one of their Millennial studies:
"In spite of hardships, they do have a real sense of optimism. They feel they have so much time ahead of them and that things will work out," she says.
It's idealistic, but that's a pretty good attitude for a group of people that grew up in a recession and won't have Social Security. But again, that's how young people are. They're optimistic. That optimism, mixed with a greater awareness about money issues is, I think, a good recipe for financial savviness. The idealism may wear off. That dark cloud may start looming a little closer to home. But we all grow up and adapt to our experiences and surroundings. I think recent trends show Generation Y is doing just that.
Author: Kristin Wong
Kristin Wong is a freelance blogger who frequently writes about relationships for MSN's The Heart Beat blog. After paying off her student loan debt, Kristin decided it was time to pursue her dream and also put her English degree to use. She scrimped, saved and in 2010, left her hometown of Houston, Texas to pursue a writing career in Los Angeles. Since then, she has written for television, web, and occasionally, sketch comedy. When she's not attached to her laptop, Kristin enjoys baking, amateur gardening, listening to 60s rock and exploring her city.


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As one of our local Porsche tuners in Southern California, we often find ourselves kicking the tires down at BBi Autosport in Huntington Beach. It's a relatively small shop with a relatively new name in the business, but Betim Berisha and Joey Seely are making big waves in more than just this beach community. A commitment to performance, detail and customer satisfaction is winning a loyal following and they're attracting major attention.
So while this isn't the first BBi story we've run in the mag, it's an opportunity to look at the company's own widebody kit. They've been working on this carbon fiber creation for almost a year now and, true to form, its over-engineered and perfectly proportioned for the 997.
We'll admit to pushing the tuner to finish a car with this new kit because, unlike most widebody conversions, it shows remarkable restraint. Where many designers simply overwhelm the 911's original lines, upsetting the delicate balance of the iconic sports car. BBi has loosely based its kit around a motorsport conversion and prioritized function over form.
Thumbing through a series of three-dimensional engineering drawings, Betim was keen to illustrate the three-month evolution from concept to production-ready pieces. During this time, the fender width and depth has been altered, the skirts slimmed and the splitter shrunk.
"When we started, the front fenders were 30mm wide and the rears were 50mm. But because the rear is already wider we settled on 40mm at each end," Betim explained.
"We were working with our customer who owns this car to ensure he liked it, but it's something we're going to offer to other 997 owners," he continued.
Before the car arrived it had previously visited Vorsteiner for its carbon fiber bumpers, hood, mirror caps and rear inlets. It subsequently traveled to nearby BBi Autosport for a power upgrade and suspension mods. This involved a set of in-house headers and Barcode exhaust, Protomotive software, IPD intake plenum and thermal header blanket plus a GT3 RS throttle body. All told, this gave a conservative 645hp from the stock turbos on 92-octane for the owner's native Hawaii.
When the Vorsteiner-equipped, BBi-tuned 911 was returned to owner Chad Kobayashi, he was predictably blown away. The increase in performance was ample for Hawaii's roads and there was another satisfied customer on the books, but there's also an inevitability with which he eventually decided more was needed...
It was during a conversation with Betim that the two of them realized they both wanted the same thing. Chad was looking for something more muscular and Betim wanted to create something inspired by ALMS racecars. It was a match made in heaven.
So while the widebody kit was manufactured to fit with the front and rear Vorsteiner bumpers, Betim assured us there were other versions that would work with the stock Porsche bumpers on any derivative of the 997.
Betim was driven by the desire to fit wider front tires on the 997. The first renderings were drawn before he'd ever spoken to Chad, but he needed an incentive to see it through and this was it. Project Grip was born.
Once the design was agreed upon, foam blocks were CNC-machined "In order to test-fit and visualize the pieces. It's been a long process but we really like the results," he confided.
The results were four ultra-lightweight carbon fiber fender flares. These are bonded over the factory metalwork to cover the wider rubber. The side skirts and front splitter that form the remaining parts of the BBi kit are carbon fiber with a kevlar honeycomb core, making them incredibly light and strong.
That will inevitably drive up the price but we've already established no corners were cut here. Prices have yet to be set but the minimal nature of the parts should keep it relatively affordable.
Inevitably, the carbon pieces are only a part of the equation. Equally significant were the custom wheels. "We wanted a one-piece forged wheel, so made a few calls to look at manufacturing our own, but minimum order quantities made that impractical. So while talking to Tanner Foust [who's rallycross car is prepared across the street] he recommended Motegi Racing wheels. They were on his racecar and he testified to their strength and low weight," Betim explained.
Fortunately, Motegi Racing was happy to participate and provided a version of the wheels provided to the ALMS Ferrari 458 GT3 customer teams, among others.
The Motegi Racing Techno Mesh wheels are machined in the US and finished in Italy, with the forgings designed to withstand very high loads. They're available in a natural shot-peened silver finish or darker gunmetal as seen here.
The 911 used 19x10" fronts and 19x13" rears that weigh 23.5 and 25.9 lb respectively. However, Motegi found that after a season of motorsport they can remove more metal without sacrificing strength, helping to reduce weight in the future.
Once the car was converted to the factory centerlocks, Chad bought sets of both the silver and gunmetal finishes, using one set on the road, fitted with 285/30 front and 345/30 rear Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, and the other for Southern California track days, fitted with 295/30 and 345/30 Hoosier R6 tires.
The penalty of this enormous rubber up front was surprisingly little. All they had to do was reposition the side radiator 1" forward to allow a better turning circle.
With its widebody conversion, motorsport wheels and flashes of BBi green paint, the owner's 911 GT3 R Hybrid rear wing now sits more easily on the car. Its center section and all the Vorsteiner pieces were finished in a matte lacquer to match the dry carbon of the BBi parts. The kit was then fitted and the car painted by Bell's Autosport once the ride height had been established.
The latter was achieved with a combination of Ölins TTX coilovers, ERP upper control arms and toe links, RSR lower control arms and Tarett sway bars at either end. Betim described it as a dedicated track set up but was happy to discover the Ölins dampers ride so well it can comfortably be used on the street. "The bump absorption is better than stock," he opined.
Brakes for the project included six-piston front and four-piston rear Brembo GT calipers with 380mm grooved rotors all round. These represent a good track system and will be sufficient for the next engine build.
"We have 1300hp motors available but this car is still on its stock turbos because we wanted to get the set-up right first. Adding huge power at this point would only be a distraction from focusing on the handling and ensuring the car transitions properly," Betim explained.
That's not to say more isn't to come. Chad and BBi plan to step up to 750hp with larger turbos, intercoolers and a Y-pipe. After that, they're talking about a solid 800hp with BBi's 4.0-liter conversion that uses an 80.4mm billet crank (76.4mm stock), 103mm Mahle pistons (100mm stock), stock length Carrillo rods and CNC-ported heads.
"With the level of grip and power this car will have, it will be an incredible track machine by the time we've finished," Betim reflected. "We still have some more work to do but it's rewarding to see it finally coming together and getting such an overwhelming response from everybody."
Although pricing has yet to be announced, BBi will sell a full pacakge comprising the body kit, wheels, suspension and centerlocks. However, you'll also be ble to buy individual pieces to suit your needs. They plan to build a number of complete cars in the future, enabling you to drive away in something similar to Project Grip if you wish.
2008 Porsche 911 Turbo
Engine 3.8L boxer six-cylinder with BBi Autosport stainless steel headers, 304 stainless steel Barcode exhaust with black ceramic coating, Protomotive/BBi software, IPD intake plenum and thermal header blanket, GT3 RS throttle body
Drivetrain six-speed manual with lightweight flywheel and stage 2 BBi clutch
Suspension Öhlins TTX coilovers, ERP upper control arms and toe links, RSR lower control arms, Tarett front and rear sway bars
Brakes six-piston f, four-piston r Brembo GT calipers, 380mm grooved rotors f & r
Wheels & Tires 19x10" f, 19x13" r Motego Racing Techno Mesh wheels in gunmetal with 285/30 R19 f, 354/30 r Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, or 295/30 f, 345/30 r Hoosier R6 tires
Exterior BBi Autosport carbon fiber fender flares, carbon side skirts and front splitter with kevlar honeycomb kevlar core, Vorsteiner carbon front and rear bumpers, hood, mirror caps and rear inlet ducts, 911 GT3 R Hybrid rear wing and decklid
Interior Recaro Profi seats
Thanks BBi Autosport (bbiautosport.com), Vorsteiner (vorsteiner.com), Bell's Autosport (bells-auto.com)


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The Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes sustained and distinguished contributions in teaching at the post-secondary undergraduate level at a Canadian institution. The first award was presented in 2004.
The Excellence in Teaching Award consists of a gold etched blue glass award, a complimentary two year membership with the CMS, and the opportunity to present a prize lecture at a CMS meeting.
The CMS Excellence in Teaching Award focuses on the recipient's proven excellence as a teacher at the undergraduate level as exemplified by unusual effectiveness in the classroom and/or commitment and dedication to teaching and to students. The nomination dossier should provide evidence of the effectiveness and impact of the nominee's teaching. Selection criteria will include (but not be limited to):


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In Afghanistan, soldiers still pull the trigger. Civilian contractors do almost everything else. While the U.S. and its allies may be preparing for a troop draw-down there next year, for the contractors flying an assortment of 50 helicopters in country, things have never been busier or better.
This eclectic fleet, everything from well worn Russian Mi-8s to almost brand-new Sikorsky S-92s, hauls troops, support personnel, supplies, ammunition and the mail from seven main bases to the forward operating bases and areas in some of the most difficult conditions imaginable. Pilots fly nine to ten hours a day, six days a week, in mostly un-air-conditioned, older helicopters such as the 50-year-old Sikorsky S-61, in an environment where the ubiquitous fine dust clogs engines and other moving parts, in mountainous terrain with highly changeable weather and extreme temperatures–from below freezing with horizontal snow to 120 degrees F. Occasionally, they get shot at. Once in a while they crash. Rarely, they die.
The helicopters are generally kept out in the open and that is where the maintenance is done no matter the weather. The helicopters fly hard, from 100 to 270 hours a month. The avionics–for the most part are VFR basic: upgraded radios and GPS. The pilots, crew and staff live on the same bases as the troops and eat the same food, housed in everything from furnished barracks to bare-bones tents and no indoor plumbing. They rotate in for 28- to 60-day shifts, then 28 to 30 days' leave. Some have flown there before–in uniform, often with multiple tours of duty, but for significantly less pay.
The individual pay and contractor company revenues are lucrative, substantially above the civil rate in the U.S., reflecting operational costs and risks. Last year six civil helicopter companies–AAR Airlift, Canadian Helicopters, Columbia Helicopters, Construction Helicopters, Evergreen Helicopters and Vertical De Aviacion–received $417.9 million for their work in Afghanistan. This year that amount is expected to grow to $783.2 million, according to the Pentagon. A combination of new construction projects and the draw-down are keeping the rotors spinning. The new facilities are being custom built for forces anticipated to remain after next year, and they are likely to require civilian airlift support for years, if not decades, to come.
Lucrative–Though Complicated–Undertaking
For a select group of helicopter operators, Afghanistan is the big casino.
"There is still going to be some residual force and it is still going to need the sort of logistics support we provide," said Randy Martinez, CEO of AAR Airlift, the dominant service provider in country, with 24 helicopters (two Sikorsky S-92s, 20 S-61s and two Bell 214s). The other companies provide the balance of civil helicopters in country with one Boeing 234 Chinook, four Boeing Vertol BV-107s, seven Bell 212s, two Bell 214s, 10 Mi-8/17s and two S-61s. They arrive in country in the belly of chartered Antonovs.
Erickson Air Crane pointed to Evergreen's work in Afghanistan as part of the rationale for its $250 million purchase of that company on May 2, even though Evergreen was widely seen as a financial and operational mess: late last year, the credit agency Standard & Poor's put Evergreen on its "CreditWatch" list and less than half of its fleet of 22 owned and 42 leased aircraft were flying before the acquisition. No matter, Erickson CEO Udo Rieder said the combined companies would produce an estimated $430 million in annual revenue; 43 percent of that is projected to come from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and a big share of that from operations in Afghanistan. Rieder's case sold well on Wall Street, where Erickson's $400 million note offering to finance the deal and other things received an enthusiastic response.
AAR is due to collect $305 million for its helicopter work in Afghanistan this year. The company also operates 15 turboprops in country: Dash-8s, Casa C-212s and Metroliners. AAR Airlift has doubled in size over the last three years, largely because of its work in Afghanistan.
Columbia Helicopters began operating in Afghanistan in 2011 and currently flies from three bases with a fleet of five tandem-rotor aircraft–one Boeing 234 Chinook and four BV-107 Vertols, flying an average of 200 hours per month. One of its helicopters logged 270 hours in April. This year the Pentagon projects the company will receive $97 million for its work in Afghanistan.
Qualifying to fly DoD missions is not easy, according to AAR's Martinez. "To fly DoD passengers you must be CARB [civilian aircraft review board] certified, and that is a fairly rigorous process and a high barrier to entry." FAA Part 121 or 135 certification is required for initial consideration, and then the DoD applies additional standards and requirements. "It takes quite a bit of time to get their blessing," said Martinez, a retired U.S. Air Force veteran and former Part 121 airline executive. After the blessing, the U.S. Transportation Command monitors contractor performance daily through an in-country staff at Bagram Air Force Base and nine field officers.
Nor is the job for the average pilot. Minimum rotary-wing experience is 3,000 hours; most pilots AAR hires have around 8,000, Martinez said. While many are veterans with in-theater experience, some are not. Columbia's pilots come mainly from the civilian world and largely have been working for the company for many years before their deployment to Afghanistan, said Steve Bandy, the company's vice president for operations.
However, all pilot hires must be able to hold a Secret security clearance. Every morning pilots and their crews get an intelligence briefing from "the customer," meaning the Army or the Marines. The brief covers where you will be flying and what surprises could be waiting for you there.
A spokesman for the U.S Transportation Command told AIN that contractors "are allowed to fly only into specific areas where there has been no recent enemy threat to aircraft."
Armed with the briefing information, AAR pilots then fill out a company "threat assessment" that covers the route of flight, the weather, the load and everything else. That assessment is then scored on a scale; beyond a certain score, AAR headquarters must approve the mission. Additionally, any crewmember can opt out. "Anyone who is flying that day, pilots or mechanics, can say they are not comfortable with flying and we will not question that," Martinez said. "It is a war environment."
The danger for contractors in Afghanistan is real and large. Since 2001 through last year, 3,302 contractors were killed and 91,121 were injured there; that compares to 3,305 U.S. and coalition forces deaths and 18,188 U.S. troops wounded or injured over the same period, according to the Defense Department. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the infamous folk-art road bombs, continue to be the main culprits, but the occasional crazy firing his AK-47 into the air can also create problems.
The helicopters are equipped with ballistic armor and do occasionally get hit, mainly with small-arms fire, Martinez said. Flights are day VFR only per AAR's contract with the DoD. All helicopters are equipped with Blue Sky satellite trackers that are monitored in real time at AAR's 24/7 operations center in Melbourne, Fla., and by the operations coordinators in country. If anything goes awry, a site-specific, joint-service emergency response plan is activated within a minute or two. "It is very quick," said Jayson Wilson, AAR Airlift's vice president of operations. AAR lost a Bell 214 and its crew in Afghanistan last year.
The operations center in Melbourne also tracks all maintenance, logistics, operational readiness, statistics and scheduling in real time on a series of five large video displays and is typically manned by a staff of 28. Back in Afghanistan, AAR's total headcount runs around 300, including 200 pilots.
Making It Work in a Challenging Environment
The weather, the mountains and the dust present the biggest problems, according to Scott Tripp, AAR's flight standards manager, who has been flying for the company in Afghanistan since 2010, mainly in the S-92. Before that he was a U.S. Army aviator in country. He viewed joining AAR as a way to continue serving his country. "The weather patterns come on you quickly. In the southern part of the country it heats up fast. In August and September you can see temperatures of 110 degrees F or 115 degrees F by the middle of the day. If you are in the Eastern portion of the country in the summer, every day you will have thunderstorms from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. On the Western side, you are going to have clouds that stagnate in the mountains and close that area off. Flying in the mountains in summer, you have to deal with the loss of aircraft performance. We're operating with heavily loaded aircraft all the time and you really need to be on your toes."
This is when experience counts. "Ninety percent of the veterans who have flown in Afghanistan have done so for more than one tour," said AAR's Wilson. Seventy-five percent of all AAR's helicopter pilots in Afghanistan were there before in uniform. "They understand the geography and the weather patterns," he said.
Hustle also matters, according to Columbia's Bandy. "The reason our guys operate at such a high tempo is because they care about the effort and the customer that they are serving." Columbia's crews, mechanics and support personnel, generally numbering 50 people in country at any given time, work 14-hour duty days on a 28-days-on, 28-days-off schedule.
AAR's S-92s have a full weather package; on the S-61s, some have weather radar, some do not. All of the company's helicopters receive regular weather updates from their operations controllers. The S-61s are equipped with Carson Helicopter composite blades for extra performance. Many of AAR's S-61s were formerly owned by Carson before it exited the Part 135 charter business.
Inside the cockpits, it's hot. Tripp says a three-man flight crew–two pilots and the mechanic–can easily drain three 12-packs of 32-ounce bottled water in the course of a shift. Bathroom breaks? Not a problem. You sweat it out before it reaches the kidneys.
And then there's the dust. Not sand. It's much finer and a much bigger problem. "It gets into everything, particularly in the summer," said Tripp. Engines have to be pulled off and shipped out for maintenance generally 70 percent below the standard TBO interval. "It clogs the cooling holes, the turbine blades and the wheels. We're not having issues with mechanical reliability; it is just that the performance numbers get to the point where we have to pull the engine off the aircraft and send it back to the manufacturer for a professional cleaning," Tripp said. All of AAR's helicopter engines in Afghanistan are on an engine maintenance program.
The company has had limited success with regular engine washing, but that adds only about 200 to 300 hours of engine life.
Columbia dedicates 30 minutes of maintenance per flight hour, but hits helicopters with multi-man crews during night maintenance to speed things along. Most all maintenance work is done outdoors, but the company does have one maintenance hangar available at a forward operating base where two Vertols are based. Columbia maintains a healthy parts inventory in Afghanistan, holds the type certificates for all of the helicopters it flies there and is supported by the company's maintenance shops back in the U.S. "That allows us to fly those hours," said Bandy.
AAR's two S-92s are the ride of choice, said Tripp, not just because they have cockpit air conditioning and advanced avionics, but because they are so versatile. AAR uses them for all-cargo, all-passenger, combi and sling-load missions, often on the same day. "We've gone through our own schedule of growing pains to get that helicopter up, operating and reliable in that environment. But now it's the Ferrari of our fleet. We have had really good success with sling loads at altitudes up to 7,000 feet plus. That is bang for the buck. That helicopter really does a lot."
CEO Martinez is particularly proud of AAR's maintenance staff in country. AAR's contract requires 80 percent operational readiness, but the company says it routinely posts 91 to 92 percent. "This is one of the harshest environments in the world and we don't have hangars to operate out of. A couple of locations we operate out of are above 6,000 feet; one is above 7,000, but our people [perform] minor miracles every day to keep, in many cases, pretty old aircraft operational. You can imagine the challenges of the supply chain and the logistics base; [we are] almost 8,000 miles from the U.S., seven locations in a Third World country that has almost no infrastructure or transportation. It is a logistics nightmare, but we seem to figure it out."
Between tours, pilots train at FlightSafety simulators and soon at the CAE S-61 simulator in Stavanger, Norway, where they will "get a little tune up," including instrument recurrency, on their way back in country, according to AAR's Wilson. All AAR pilots are required to hold an instrument rating.
Wilson also notes that the pilot attrition rate is falling, a helpful metric considering the high cost of training, transportation and compensation. "Our goal is to get our pilots to the three-year point. I have three customers: the pilots, the FAA and the [DoD] commercial [aircraft] review board. If we are doing what is right with those groups, we will retain the first and get the approvals of the others. The pilot training costs in these aircraft are staggering, and you want to retain that investment. The best way to do that is to improve the employee's quality of life. If you get a guy going from his second year into his third, you've done a really good job. A lot of our managers in country are four- to five-year employees. Granted, our attrition is higher than the industry standard. They're in Afghanistan."
Michelle Crum (not verified)
June 5, 2013 - 12:44pm
As a daughter of one of AAR's contractors, I am so proud of each and every one of these individuals who put themselves in harm's way, in treacherous conditions, to serve our country.
For those of us here in the U.S., we cannot fathom the conditions or the workload that is endured every day, but please know your sacrifices are truly appreciated by those you are helping to protect.
The families that are holding down the fort here at home miss each of you terribly, but understand you are doing what you love and we will continue to support you as you put yourselves in harm's way each day.
For all you do, we thank you!
RW Prater (not verified)
June 6, 2013 - 6:55am
I am very proud of my son's dedication and responsible attitude towards his profession and his duty to our Country. His sacrifices are many and time away from his young family is hard, there support and my son's dedication has kept his carreer going in a very [positive direction.....
RW Prater (not verified)
June 6, 2013 - 6:55am
I am very proud of my son's dedication and responsible attitude towards his profession and his duty to our Country. His sacrifices are many and time away from his young family is hard, there support and my son's dedication has kept his carreer going in a very [positive direction.....


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'I just write me'
Mark Evans Bryan, an associate professor of theatre at Denison and member of the Class of '96, has a new play that has been getting attention on three continents.
It seems fitting, since creating this particular piece was a bit foreign to this veteran playwright. When Sue Ott Rowlands, actress and dean of Virginia Tech's College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, initially approached Bryan about writing her a one-woman show, she told him she wanted it to be breezy. For Bryan — an experienced playwright with Mercury Seven with Signs Following to his credit — the prospect of writing breezy was more daunting than writing in a woman's perspective.
"Everything I write is bleak," he explained. "I like finding beauty in representations of sadness."
The final product, fig. 1, is somewhere between Bryan's writing style and Ott Rowlands' request. Based on Anton Chekhov's short story "The Kiss," the play depicts a single woman in her 50s who is a dean of a college along the mid-Atlantic coast.
Bryan, 36, found it even more difficult to write in a voice older than his own. "It's really hard to imagine experience," he said, "especially experience that makes you learn through loss or sadness…I know what having a little bit of wisdom is [from being in my mid-30s], but I don't know what having wisdom is."
When Bryan had finished writing in 2009, he gave the script to Ott Rowlands and director Bruce Hermann. Although he was initially around for consultations on the text in the first week of rehearsals, Bryan did not see the complete work until months later, in performances on the other side of the pond.
Fig. 1 was staged at the Prague Fringe Festival in June, and received excellent reviews in both Czech and English-language Prague newspapers, the Pravo and the Prague Post. Fringe festivals consistently showcase artistic experimentation and new work, and provide an event for creative people to gather.
"You end up meeting other artists and people from around the world," said Bryan. Because of such contacts, fig. 1 will not only be performed in Toledo this fall, but in Chile in November, and throughout the United Kingdom beginning in March.
Having spent months writing this play and seeing it praised in Europe, Bryan is nevertheless modest about his skill with narrative monologue.
"I just write me and say it's a woman," he said simply. "That's my recipe."


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Mary Ann Piette is a Senior Scientist, Director of the Building Technology and Urban Systems Division and Senior Science Advisor to the Associate Lab Director of Energy Technologies Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. She oversees LBNL's building energy research activities with the US Department of Energy and over 25 other R&D sponsors. She is also the Director of the Demand Response Research Center. Mary Ann's work involves developing and evaluating new technology and building components, controls, operations, simulation, whole building and electric load shape analysis and behavior. She is also lead researcher at LBNL on the automated demand response technology. Mary Ann has authored over 90 peer reviewed publications related to energy efficiency and demand response and has worked at LBNL since 1983. She has a MS in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley and a Licentiate in Building Services Engineering from the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.
Mary Ann Piette
Scientific Division Director
(510) 486-6286
"Field Experience with and Potential for Multi-time Scale Grid Transactions from Responsive Commercial Buildings." ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. Asilomar Convention Center, Pacific Grove, CA, 2014. LBNL-185827. .
Automated Measurement and Signaling Systems for the Transactional Network. Berkeley: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2013. LBNL-6611E. .
"Field Demonstration of Automated Demand Response for Both Winter and Summer Events in Large Buildings in the Pacific Northwest." Energy Efficiency Special Issue on Smart G (2012). LBNL-6216E. .
"LEED Demand Response Credit: A Plan for Research towards Implementation." 2012 Greenbuild Conference & Expo. San Francisco, CA, 2012. LBNL-6014E. .
"Responsive and Intelligent Building Information and Control for Low-Energy and Optimized Grid Integration." ACEEE 2012 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, August 12-17, 2012. Pacific Grove, CA, 2012. LBNL-5662E. .
"Intelligent Building Energy Information and Control Systems for Low-Energy Operations and Optimal Demand Response." IEEE Design and Test of Computers 29.4 (2012) 8-16. LBNL-5894E. .
Demand Response Opportunities and Enabling Technologies for Data Centers: Findings From Field Studies. PG&E/SDG&E/CEC/LBNL, 2012. LBNL-5763E. .
Fast Automated Demand Response to Enable the Integration of Renewable Resources. CEC/LBNL, 2012. LBNL-5555E. .