text:
The LDS-BSA Relationships office has organized a fundraising group whose purpose is to provide additional financial support for many of the Scouting-related activities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In recognition of the year of the original charter between the Church and the Boy Scouts of America, the organization is called the 1913 Society.
The one-time or annual gift of members benefits the following activities:
• The annual Priesthood Leadership Conference on Scouting at the Philmont Scout Reservation in New Mexico
• LDS Scouting representation at world and national Scout jamborees
• Training of LDS stake and ward leaders at Little Philmont training meetings
• The education of Scouting professionals and volunteers at annual and semi-annual general conferences.
As a member of the 1913 Society, you are not just donating financially; you are joining a group of Scouters who are dedicated to furthering the cause of Scouting throughout the Church.
A 1913 Society event occurs annually during general conference week in October. The event is held in Salt Lake City and all members of the 1913 Society are invited to attend.
Renowned artist Peter M. Fillerup of Wild West Designs, Inc. has graciously assisted the LDS-BSA Relationships office with artwork that will be presented to new members of the 1913 Society.
For more information about the 1913 Society, including how to donate and join, contact Mark Francis, director of LDS-BSA Relationships, at 801-530-0004 or by emailing email@example.com.


text:
Home › Forums › Eat › brekfast plate › Reply To: brekfast plate
January 16, 2017 at 1:03 pm #33939
BT Nutritionist
Hi Kathy,
For the two serves of protein recommended at breakfast time check the serving size for the protein food in the food guides (could be meat, legumes, dairy, eggs, nuts) and have two of these serves. The snack size for protein would be 50- 100g.
Kind Regards,
BT Nutritionist 🙂

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a posting on its Web site that it is investigating more than 467,000 2004-2005 and 2005 because of a possible loss in steering control.
NHTSA said it has received several reports of looseness in the steering shaft or separation because of loose or missing coupling bolts in the vehicles.
There have been no crashes or injuries linked to the issue, according to NHTSA. Such investigations may or may not lead to vehicle recalls.


text:
Why poetry?
Poetry is a form of writing that allows for succinct yet deep communication of an idea or emotion, a realization, a vision. It allows for sharp edges that cut to the quick in ways other forms of writing do not. Bonus: poetry is often short. It allows for completion of a piece in less space and, sometimes, less time. For those of us with a tendency to work on a lot of things at once, this is a great thing; I also work in creative nonfiction and flash fiction. Notice I stick with short forms.
Poetry: what you love and what you hate.
I love poetry that is clear, sharp, and twists the reader around by the end. I love free verse. I adore poetry that is firmly grounded in a place, such as Robert Bly's collection, Morning Poems, or Mary Oliver's work. I'm also quite fond of some of Lawrence Ferlinghetti's poetry. I like sharp commentary on war, poverty, and other injustices.
I hate sing-song rhyme and obscure references that leave the reader feeling stupid. Good poetry should pull the reader in and leave enough clues so that they can figure out what is going on. If a reader can't engage with the work, they leave.
Tell us a bit about these poems you've written.
My poems are often grounded in Minnesota, in trees and water (including the frozen state) and rich soil. It's taken me until the last few years to realize that my roots here are undeniable, that I have no intention of leaving this place that has nurtured me and my family, formed my politics and my appreciation for nature. When I was younger, I thought I would move to New York City or San Francisco or some other large city that seem appropriately exciting. I was wrong. Here I am, living not very far from where I grew up, and I appreciate this place more every day.
That said, my poem Leaving the Garden is really about roots. My husband Mick and I are very connected to our gardens, which has been a constant theme in our marriage. Mick's father died a couple of summers ago. Mick and his dad did some gardening work together when Mick was a kid. I tend to think of these things in the larger cosmic connections as well, so take from that what you will when you read the poem. This was clearly a poem that I could not have written well the summer my father-in-law passed, so it had a good long simmer.
The other two poems link an emotional state with the feel of the season. I love Minnesota's seasons, especially the turning inward that happens during the winter.
Some memories of editing at Every Day Poets:
I loved those poems that would arrive in the slush pile and everyone on the team would have their breath taken away. There were may talented writers who gave us visions from all over the world in such dazzling lines that touched our hearts again and again and again. Couple that with an amazing team of editors and readers, and there you have a recipe for the best kind of stew.
My favorite EDP memory is the first time I met Oonah in person, which happened to be as she emerged from the doors to the international terminal at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, suitcase rolling along behind her, ready to stay at my house for two weeks. We had been working online together for three years by that point, but I still had this moment of utter panic as I thought, what if she doesn't like the real-life me? But it all worked out and, bonus, our husbands also got along.
Two of a kind, Kath! Two of a kind.
And then I got to visit Oonah in her home just this year. What a glorious result, this friendship with someone across the ocean, whom I would not have met but for EDP.
I have another favorite memory of this funny-looking squishy large envelope that appeared in my mailbox at home last winter. Lo and behold, there was a pair of mittens in the most awesome turquoise shade made by my fellow editor Constance Brewer, who not only knits, but also spins her own yarn. We've never met in person. Since she's just a few states over from Minnesota, I am going to have to change that.
Yes and we also met Dave Morehouse because of EDP, Kath and I met Jody Costa, Catherine Edmunds and Colin Will too 🙂 and you met Pippa Little when you were here. Oh damn I am bound to have left someone out. Suffice to say we've made friends.
Your achievements/ambitions as a writer:
I've had good luck this past year publishing my short fiction at Postcard Poems and Prose, where the editor-in-chief Dave Morehouse is a former contributor to EDP, and Saturday Night Reader. We are taking submissions of flash fiction and small format art for the first issue of a new print quarterly called Fine Linen and, bonus, writers and artists whose work gets accepted will be paid. Please visit our website at www.fl-mag.com for more information.
I'm also working on plans for a quarterly online poetry journal with two former EDP editors, Constance Brewer and Jeff Jeppesen, (also on this Blog with three poems and Interview) but we are in our early stages of getting everything set up. Watch for more news on that at the beginning of 2015.
Just in case you're all thinking 'what about Oonah…' I was asked. But I am currently at The Linnet's Wings and hey — if you guys ever need a guest editor… I'll probably be still sitting here twiddling my thumbs 😉
I want to create stories, essays and poems that appeal on a broad level and I never want to forget my roots as a writer. My interest in elevating those details that make up our lives will continue to be a prominent theme in my work. And I'd like to continue editing fiction and poetry when there are opportunities for that. You never know where I'll pop up next.
Anything you want to promote?
Come visit my blog, One Minnesota Writer, for pieces of creative nonfiction, writing prompts, and occasional photos that I hope will inspire you. I also have an up-to-date list of my publications there. And I run a photo blog on Tumblr called One MN Writer in Pictures.
I have two poems in the Autumn 2014 issue of The Linnet's Wings.
Thank you, Oonah, for this opportunity to shamelessly self-promote.
Thanks Kath. And you can see a poem by Kath here for the next three weeks and they are wonderful!


text:
You know that feeling when you're all bright-eyed about some project you've been working on, but somebody's careless comment suddenly makes you feel not so confident? Well, maybe that's just me. But I was having a rough time navigating various rejections (and, let's be honest, perceived rejections) a few weeks back, and it got me thinking about self care for the minor day to day heartbreaks that sometimes come along with the creative life. It occurred to me that someone else out there may deal with this from time to time, so I wrote this piece, Ten Cures for a Creative Person's Vulnerability Hangover, which, to my delight and honor, was published in The Daily Positive, and I thought I would share it with you, too… just in case you ever have a need for such tips.
An Opening, A Turn
Humiliating experiences.
Continual verbal harassment.
Sustained discrimination.
Social exclusion.
Intentional cruelty.
Chronic, ongoing fear and anxiety.
Perception of being trapped.
Feeling powerless to stop an attack.
Repetition of the above.
These are some of the causes of trauma.
Trauma, in the emotional or psychological sense, refers to "experiences or situations that are emotionally painful and distressing, and that overwhelm people's ability to cope, leaving them powerless" (Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice). According to the nonprofit mental health resource HelpGuide.org,
Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless and vulnerable in a dangerous world. Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety, but any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and alone can be traumatic, even if it doesn't involve physical harm. It's not the objective facts that determine whether an event is traumatic, but your subjective emotional experience of the event. The more frightened and helpless you feel, the more likely you are to be traumatized.
The DSM, in its discussion of post traumatic stress syndrome, indicates that while this condition is typically thought of as resulting from one major event, an experience of violence or extreme horror, PTSD can also come about from an "accumulation of many small, individually non-life-threatening incidents." Bullying is one scenario that is noted as a potential cause of what's referred to as "complex PTSD" (Psychology Today).
What are some of the lasting effects of traumas of this nature – the subtle (or not subtle) forms of non-physical violence that, repeated over time, deeply wound the mind, the heart, the spirit?
Severe depression.
Guilt. Shame. Self blame.
Feelings of disconnection from other people.
Social withdrawal.
Shock. Denial. Disbelief.
Edginess. Agitation. Anger.
Avoidance of things, people, places, activities, etc., that remind one of the trauma.
Emotional numbness, coldness, frigidity.
Difficulty in forming close, lasting relationships.
Difficulty in accessing one's capacity for sexual pleasure.
Abuse of drugs or alcohol.
I mean.
I read all this stuff, and it is my story. Every word of it is me.
I read it and I feel relief. This is what happened to me. I didn't make it up.
And then I read it again and another voice inside of me says: Hush. This doesn't mean anything. This happens to everyone. Who are you kidding? You're not a trauma survivor. You're an ordinary person living a relatively privileged life. Trauma is rape, war, having your house burn down. Bullying isn't trauma. … Well, maybe for some people. But not in your case. You were just a kid in school and that's what being a kid in school is like. Sucky. Now close that door, shut your mouth and walk away.
I have a Ph.D. in American Studies. My specialization is minority literatures. I used to teach about privilege and oppression in college classrooms. I shared classic works by brilliant artists with students who were adult, educated, intelligent, and in some cases, quite worldly. And it was always this: When a writer described experiences of oppression related to their membership in a group targeted for discrimination due to their race, ethnicity, nationality, economic status, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, or anything at all, the students cried out, "They're so angry. All they can talk about is how they're a victim. The mean old world did this, that, and the other bad thing to me, my family, my great grandparents, my group. OK, well, bad things happen to everyone. Get over it. Nobody wants to hear that shit." The contempt, the revulsion, was congealed in and dripping from their voices, their faces, their written responses. Nobody wants to fucking hear it. OK. Point made.
It can be awfully hard for someone who experiences privilege in a certain area of life to understand that some of the things that helped put them in the position they enjoy, occurred at the expense of other people, people they've never met, people who may live somewhere else in the world or who may be dead now. That it's not simply a matter of the lucky-blessed-by-fate and the neutral. Privilege means you got yours BECAUSE something was taken away from someone else. Specifically. And in my experience, just about no one wants to have that kind of responsibility put on them. Especially folks who are privileged on one axis – but oppressed on another.
I'm a fat, lesbian recovering alcoholic whose family background is working class (and back before that, just plain poor). With plenty of serious mental health issues in all the branches of the family tree.
You think I want to say anything that's going to make someone call me a whiner, a victim, a blamer-of-society-for-my-problems? Fuck no.
And on social media. And among my friends. I don't want a reputation for focusing on the negative. I certainly don't want to come across as feeling wronged, limited, or damaged by what I see others as having supposedly done to me. People don't like people like that – at least people I know don't.
But yet.
There are these experiences. That shaped who I am. And the way that they shaped me was in the form of trauma.
Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk, a pioneer in the field of trauma treatment, said, "I think trauma really does confront you with the best and the worst. You see the horrendous things that people do to each other, but you also see resiliency, the power of love, the power of caring, the power of commitment, the power of commitment to oneself, the knowledge that there are things that are larger than our individual survival" (On Being interview).
I don't want to talk about my trauma as something bad that happened to me, some outside force that stunted my chances for a health and happiness. I want to talk about it as a gift my soul gave me, a core set of lessons in the curriculum of my life, something written into the plan for my earthly journey before I incarnated into this lifetime, one of the cards in the hand I dealt myself before birth – in consultation with the Divine, with my guardian angels, with the highest wisdom and guidance available to my spiritual self.
I want to talk about it as something that really happened.
I want to begin to integrate it. So that I can move on.
Dr. Van der Kolk says that trauma is different from other difficult experiences (even the very most difficult ones of all) in that trauma exceeds a person's ability to process what's happening, to cope with the emotions, to sustain a sense of safety and fundamental okayness. This effect is compounded when the social or family environment surrounding the traumatic incident(s) does not allow the person to feel what they feel, does not accept the reality that the person is trying to express, essentially, does not surround the person with love, comfort, compassion, care, and reassurance that they deserve to have healing.
In these situations, a person cannot then integrate the traumatic experience as just another story, even if a painful one, in their self-history. The person can't create such a story because there is no acceptance for it, neither internally nor externally. The person cannot, then, deal with the consequences of what happened, whatever those consequences may be.
The unintegrated experience remains in the body. In the tissues. In the cells. It is a felt memory, one that a person doesn't so much recall as relive. The words to describe the experience don't actually exist – even if the experience itself could theoretically be told about in the most mundane of terms. "He called me this name. Over and over. Everyone else joined in. Nobody would talk to me. It lasted for ten years."
A few years ago, everyone was talking about bullying all the time, especially in queer activist circles. A lot of attention was being given to kids, especially queer ones, who committed suicide after being bullied. The whole "It Gets Better" campaign was started by Dan Savage, and it became viral. People started to talk about bullying, to take it seriously.
I could not participate in those conversations.
I couldn't talk about my experiences of having been bullied. I couldn't talk about other people being bullied, because that might lead to my having to talk about me being bullied.
Being bullied. Being bullied. Being bullied. I am saying it a bunch of times right now because the phrase has such a charge for me, because it scares me so much. And for some reason all of a sudden today, I am ready to, I NEED to, face it.
I shut the door tight on that period of my life. I can talk about my struggles around self love, I can talk about almost killing myself with alcohol, I can talk about depression and economic exploitation and all this other stuff, I can go on and on, I have a lot of passion for sharing these experiences that I've had in the hopes that what I have learned through those challenges may be of some help to someone else somewhere. But I can't talk about being bullied because I am still so ashamed.
When someone else comes out about their experiences being bullied, I think they are brave – and that their sharing their stories helps make the world a better place.
When I imagine myself talking about being bullied, I feel exposed. I am too embarrassed to even go there. I imagine it must seem so terribly predictable, so cliché, so obvious. I tell myself that of course I was responsible for how people treated me; I was too shy, too weird, too unskillful in my social interactions, yes, too unattractive. I deserved it. Deep down, well, maybe not so deep down, I believe that I deserved it, I brought it on myself. In retrospect I think I could have done any number of things differently and my life in school would have been different. If I had known better. If I had tried harder. If I had forced myself to not be so … strange. So fucked up. Such an ass. So goody-goody. So difficult to like.
I don't get to talk about being bullied. Because I deserved to be bullied. That's how I felt when the conversation came up. How I still feel. That's why I couldn't say anything – why I wanted to run away when people started talking about this. All this shame would well up from the pit of my stomach and I would have to swallow it down and it just made me feel like puking.
Then today. At work. I read a blog post by someone who was coming out of the closet and asking her readers what it was that they were afraid to share about themselves. And I read this post on my friend's blog, talking about witnessing others being outcast at school. And then I was editing an essay by someone else about the culture of weight hate. And then I was re-reading this other article on our company website about trauma and weight gain. And all these texts were crossing my path talking about what the body does to try to meet our needs for emotional healing when our minds aren't actually able to deal with our traumas.
And somehow it all came together and I just wondered what energy would be freed up if I was able to actually look this trauma right in the eye and say:
I was severely bullied throughout elementary, middle and high school.
Whole classes called me names, loudly discussed my ugliness, threw things at me, excluded me from group projects so that I had to make up my own solo assignments in order to pass.
I hated my existence.
Going to school was a torment. Any time I achieved an honor – such as being selected for the senior show choir – my actual life got worse, as these groups were full of people who missed no opportunity to mock and degrade me.
As is so often the case, telling adults only made things worse, because they belittled my emotional responses and accused me of tattling.
I was a child. I did nothing to deserve the cruelty that surrounded me.
I was suicidally depressed.
Long after I graduated and went on to become a successful adult, I pictured myself jumping off of bridges.
I tried to eradicate myself by drinking.
Luckily, I failed at that.
And here I am. I grew up fine. I have a life that I love, a sweet job, a wonderful home in an awesome city with my beloved partner and my beloved roommate, creative passions, dreams, goals, purpose, service, positions of leadership, a spiritual path. Many friends. Abundant, nourishing community. I'm utterly surrounded by love and support today. There is just about zero bullying in my life, and what bullying does show up is not personal towards me, but simply the outflowing of someone else's fear.
And I have this trunk in the basement of my psyche that is tightly locked. I stand on the lid so that it stays down, so that I most of the time never even notice that it is there.
But it moves.
It shakes. It vibrates. It is full, full, burstingly full of energy.
I think the energy has actually grown over time.
I think that if I don't open it, if I don't look at the contents and see what is in there, I think it might, one day, explode.
So this is me – stepping down off the trunk, pulling out the key that I'd forgotten was there on a chain around my neck all along, putting it in the lock and
to face whatever comes out.
Baby New Year
Last year at work, my friend and I were trying to pick an image to go with our company's New Year message. We both liked this stock photo but weren't sure if it fit.
"It totally does," I said. "Look. It's the baby New Year being born from the lotus."
"Ooooh," she said, or something like that. The concept charmed us both — the sparkles of unformed possibility bursting, no, floating, no, rising lightly and cheerfully from the flower that had finally bloomed out of the mud and the tears of the past year.
Well, alas, our idea was vetoed by our bosses in favor of a more traditional narrative, but I held on to it in my mind. I love creating alternative mythologies, and once the story has been spoken aloud, it is in my opinion as valid as any legend. After all, every fairy tale was first made up by SOMEone before going the medieval equivalent of viral. So yes, I sometimes write my own myths and then live by their morals. I claim this as my creative prerogative.
We did use the stock image for other posts throughout the year, and every time I saw it I remembered the baby New Year. And I decided that come 2016 I would use it on my own blog. And so I made an account and bought the credits and and downloaded my very first stock photo, and now I own it.
Which brings me to my theme for 2016: Owning it.
What does that mean?
2015's theme, that is, the spiritual power I intended to claim by calling up and facing anything and everything in my inner world that stood between me and that power, was Self Love. Anyone who knows me knows I have been plagued (have plagued myself) with an ultra critical, downright mean and nasty inner voice of self judgment for as long as I can remember, certainly since wee childhood. This voice kept me living in a thick, heavy shell, kept me always tearing myself down, pushing myself to exhaustion, never able to fully receive love since I didn't believe I was worthy, never able to really share my light because I believed I was so insignificant, so annoying, so bad at things, such an eyesore.
I began last year finally wishing to change that, ready to let go of a way of thinking that I had come to understand was warped, dark, self defeating, unhelpful. I made the commitment to free myself from that sticky mental web in which my angry judging self held my heart captive and sucked its energy like a spider drains the life force from a bug.
The challenges came. It was a tough year for my heart. But every time life asked me to do something that I thought I could never find the strength to do, if my deeper guidance whispered that it was the path of self love, I tried my best to do it. I took many steps into the scary unknown, following that faint and mystical light. Sometimes my only criterion for success was that I do it differently than I had done it in the past. And in this way I set about breaking habits.
And as the year went on I noticed these habits, like broken chains, falling away. I began to feel lighter. More confident. Gradually, the balance shifted and the mean voice got quieter and the voice of my heart, my dreams, my inner knowing, got louder, until it was the first voice I heard instead of the last. I began to recognize my heart's desires as a source of guidance, longings placed there by Spirit to help me find my direction in life.
I've come to accept that this voice, this guidance, is true for me. But it's still a little scary for me to make it the practical compass of my life, to really live by it, especially when it seems to sometimes take me in the opposite direction from the current of the "main stream," or to go against what I perceive to be the preferences of the people around m
So that's where I am today. Working on owning it. Experimenting with living life according to my own quirky standards, with taking my marching orders from Spirit as I try to become a little better every day at decoding the instructions that bubble up from the depths of my soul. Just that. Living from my core, my essence. Not claiming to always fully understand the messages, knowing that at any moment I could be totally missing the mark, but trying, trying to hear, trying to hear better all the time.
Having released a large portion of my inner self judgment, it's time for me now to release my attachment to others' approval. It's time to face the degree to which I limit my choices out of the fear of not being liked.
Call me crazy, but this feels like the easier of the two.
When I understand that I have inherent value, I have less drive to find my sense of self worth in others' opinions. Instead of a survival need, it becomes simply a habit. It feels comfortable, but it's a false comfort — it's actually just an attempt at distracting myself from the underlying anxiety, the gnawing fear that I am not and never will be connected to other humans in a meaningful way.
Luckily, I have quit enough habits, enough methods of self distraction, to know that it's totally doable. And I also know with both my brain and my heart that what I fear is not true; I am beautifully and indissolubly connected with all of life, and with all human beings. And I also know that — to paraphrase Marianne Williamson's famous quote — it can be far more terrifying to embrace our connectedness, our interdependence, our strength, our beauty, our truth, our dreams, our magic, and to accept the responsibility that comes with our power, than it is to imagine ourselves small, helpless, and alone.
So my intention, my challenge, this year is to own it. To own all of the above. To believe in my worth, my lovability, my vision, and to act like I believe it in front of the world.
And here's a really odd thing. Since crystallizing this intention a week or so ago, I have noticed a subtle but perhaps significant change in myself. I am normally very, very, um, VERY introverted when it comes to actually talking to people. (As a Leo I don't have a problem being on stage performing, but as a Cancer cusp + moon I pretty much hate and fear social interaction, except with people I already know and feel safe around, and even then, it can be iffy.) Lately, though, I've been — striking up conversations. With strangers. And the exchanges have been — really nice.
It's like maybe, as I begin to let go of the fear of not being accepted, as I realize that I don't truly NEED others' approval when I have my own, I am less afraid of these other unknown humans walking around on earth with me, jostling egos with each other and with me, like we all always do. As I am less afraid, I am more curious. As I am more curious, I am more open. As I am more open, I am less defensive, and I allow more love into my heart.
How funny. By caring less about whether others love me, I actually begin to experience more love.
This understanding, like this new year, is still just a baby. I know I have many layers to work through before I really get this power of "owning it," before I really feel it as part of me. But those sparkles of possibility rising from the lotus are so hopeful.
I think it's going to be a really good year.
I have this super clear memory of sitting with my family in a pew near the front of the Catholic church in my grandma's town, attending Christmas Eve mass. The church was so tiny and narrow that my mom, dad, brother and I filled a row.
The memory is of looking down at my hands, with which I'd recently started to feel the flow of energy, and thinking, "No. That's crazy. You're being arrogant. You don't have anything to say about God or religion or the soul. And if you did, no one would want to hear it. So make like an organ and pipe down."
Ok, I was a little liberal with the recreation of the inner monologue here. But the key word rang out so clearly in my head that its echoes are still quietly reverberating today. "No."
The funny thing is, I DON'T remember what insight I'd thought I had, and had wanted to share, before that voice shut me down so tidily. What I remember is how the No had the weight of certainty on its side.
I also remember that it was dark outside the stained glass windows. And I remember how I used to feel, standing outside at night in the winter when it hadn't yet snowed, standing on a hillside in the heart of a Pennsylvania town that was so small, the glow from porch and street lamps stayed in pools on the ground and the sky remained untinted with light pollution – truly black.
I could feel the soles of my feet connecting with the earth, right through my socks and shoes. My scalp tingled and my skin sparkled and I could almost see energy arcing between my palms when I held them apart.
I interpreted this within the cosmology I was making up for myself, a sort of pagan-inspired universalism. I called the period between the fall equinox and the end of the year "the Gathering Together of Power." I imagined magic condensing out of the cooling air like fog appearing on a window. I pictured the earth drawing its energy back into itself, down from the grass stems and tree trunks it had animated through the last season. The nights felt crisp and full.
I felt solitary but connected.
Now it's that season again — it's the beginning of the time when static electricity zings through the air and composting leaves release their pungent mystic gases and the stars sharpen their points. And again I'm thinking of things I want to say, and again a malignant voice, a voice that is part of my own mind, whispers, Put it away. Close the drawer. You've got nothing to add here. Go do something else.
But this time there is another voice, one that's been slowly awakening over the course of this year of exploring self love. And she doesn't say no.
She says YES. Yes. Let it out. Say whatever you want. Nobody has to care. This spring arising needs to flow. This time say yes. Say yes. Say yes.
Day 30: 30th Day of Belly Pictures!
I can hardly believe it's the last day of this project! It's been, all in all, so fun to find different ways to look at, photograph, and write about my relationship with my belly. Through this process, I've become better friends with it. I've held it with a different sort of attention: more tenderness and more curiosity. I've come to know it like never before, and I've started to undo some deep old conditioning. I'm digging some more positive tracks into my neural networks (which had some ratty old ruts to get out of), and maybe making it a little easier for someone else to do the same.
I still have times when I catch myself thinking harsh thoughts toward my belly. But I notice them more and try to intervene in them more. I think of Masaru Emoto's work with water crystal photography, which dramatically showed how words, loving, angry, or otherwise, could affect the crystalline structure of frozen water.
The human body being about 60% water, I feel that this is relevant regardless of what effect thoughts, beliefs, messages, etc. may have on anything other than water!
So I took this picture as a way of both speaking the words, and reminding myself to speak the words, "I love you" to my belly. I am sure it has an effect. Speaking love has an impact. It changes things, often on levels I'll probably never be truly aware of. I hope I will continue to grow in this, long after the project is done, until maybe one day I give up the self-hate habit forever.
Thank you so very, very much for coming along with me on this journey, for your kind words, for letting me know how this has impacted you. If you feel inclined to share this blog with anyone who might be encouraged by it, please do!!! None of these writings are secret — I would love for them to reach more people, if it would be of benefit.
So in conclusion: I've had a great time and I've turned up some good soil. We'll see what grows.
Day 29: Belly Reflections
Today I'm writing from someplace from which I can't take pictures: Valley View Hot Springs. I'd already planned to use this day's post — the next to the last in the series — for reflection on this journey, and now it just so happens that I'm in one of the most wonderful places in the world for reflection, introspection, and transformation. I'm surrounded by magical water showing me glimpses of myself as seen by the fairies.
Perhaps the biggest gift of this project has been how it has encouraged me to look at myself, letting go more and more of the veils of illusion and self deception, coming much nearer to how I "really" look and am … if there is such a thing at all. This looking has brought me also much closer to acceptance of who I am. I feel more empowered ownership of the body that I've been given. I feel like I've dropped a layer of pretense in my interaction with the world. I'm not as much inclined to try to hide my belly (especially since it's not possible, anyway!).
I think that after this experience, I may be a little less apologetic for being myself.
I feel more ready to take this body, as it is, as my starting place, and to let it express its highest potential — rather than trying to make it be something it's not, or berating it for not being that.
There is a true beauty within me, a true joy, a precious heart, a powerful light. I'm starting to see that — and to live as though that's true of me. As it is of everyone.
In fact I find the more I look for the beauty in myself, the more I see it shining out from all the other human beings around me. As I celebrate it in me, I want to celebrate it in everyone! It's as though I've had a film of fear removed from my eyes, and where I used to see a warped and dark reality, now it seems like everything and everyone is glowing.
So that's this picture: the reflection in the water shows the true Goddess essence, the twinkles of magic that are always there, but sometimes hidden. At least in this moment, from this peaceful place, I want to live like my true self. That sacred essence created this exact vehicle to walk around Earth in, so let me now get out of its way — let me embrace it and live it like I was meant to do! By the magic of Valley View — let it be so!
Day 28: Mountain Belly
I love name-play. I've always been someone who's had a lot of different names. Right now there are about four names that I regularly go by. Some were formally given to me by parents or teachers; some were self chosen for a variety of purposes. More than once I've dreamed about receiving a name. One of those once bestowed on me in a dream was the name Mountain.
I do believe that every name I use does describe some part of me, and even when they're mainly meant for fun, I still think about why that name came to me, what it expresses about me or what it calls me to be.
I've thought about the name Mountain at various times in my life, considering what qualities it might point to that I can use. The word conveys solidity, stability, massiveness. It carries a strong earth energy, endurance, physical force. Treasures are buried within it.
Its temperature is cool for a long way down, but fiery at the core. That's kind of how I see the me that I would like to grow into.
Mountains, to me, are a refuge. I'd like to be that, too.
They offer a higher perspective, clarity; their peaks are close to the heavens.
At certain times of challenge I've tried to summon up my inner mountain capacities. Of course, my body shape helps rather than hinders this endeavor; I do not think that's coincidental.
I'll tell you this: the mountain certainly provides an ideal for me to aspire towards, and that is plenty gift. And if I acknowledge that the seeds of these qualities exist within me, it may not only ease my path but also better equip me to serve.
I couldn't ask for more!


text:
The Splash Drone is an amazing drone and the first waterproof UAV able to carry up to 1 kg payload. To keep flying your Splashdrone and avoid chances of crash, few steps should always be followed. This guide will not only help you with most common issues you may be having with splashdoren, it should be read and followed as best flying guide for splashdrone. This is a must-read guide if you have just purchased your Splash Drone as you will see some very useful details about correctly running your new machine.
Below are some vital points you should bear in mind when operating your drone. These instructions should be followed at all times to prevent procedure issues and boost your flying efficiency
Splashdrone Guide to Safe Flight
- Make yourself familiar with the most recent manual. It's always best to go to manufacturer's site to get the latest manual. The updated manuals and firmware can be downloaded from swell pro website (www.swellpro.com.au/downloads). Make sure you choose the right version suitable for the drone you purchased.
- It is necessary to note that the guidebook is developed for the China market and US markets, and the throttle is on the left. All Australian Splashdrone have right hand throttle, so please keep this in mind when watching the guidelines. It might be confusing to follow the instructions that shows opposite throttle but if you have read this guide, you should have no issue setting up the Splashdrone using any manual.
- The Propellers can go on one way only and remember that it should be wound to the opposite to the arrows on the arms of the drone. Please note that SILVER and BLACK propellers are opposites. So, don't get confused.
- Always calibrate your Splashdrone before flight because calibration re-zeros the compass and helps with accurate altitude reading. Please refer to manual to learn how to do this.
- After you finish the calibration process, disconnect the battery and reconnect to be able to save your new calibration in the computer.
- Check trim switches on your hand controller, they are the small silver buttons each side of your sticks. The indication of these is on the LCD screen. Ensure they are in the middle.
- If you experience any drift, do the horizontal calibration.
- Maintaining strong satellite signal is important. Avoid flying below 8 satellites. Don't even start your engines. Once the engines are armed, that is accepted as HOME Point. Never move your drone once you start it, and you should always take-off from the point you applied power.
- Remember to verify that the altitude is zero when you arm your motors. If it is not zero, re-calibrate both compass and horizontal. This will avoid drop outs of the air when returning home. This value will only appear once you arm your motors.
- Remember that 14.5Volts is your minimum voltage you want to be flying at, ensure you have finished your flight at this point. Don't consider another flight.
- Upon returning from flight, always disconnect your battery. Never fly after using the return home function without resetting the battery, this can create a loss of return home location parameters.
Splashdrone FAQ
My drone won't hold position and starts doing circles:
You should Re-calibrate the compass. If the drone ever goes into slight circles and gets bigger and bigger, it is an indication that it is looking for GPS/Compass coordinates. A calibration will fix this.
I did a calibration but my drone doesn't seem any different:
As instructed above, you must always turn off battery or disconnect it after the calibration process. So, make sure you have powered off the battery after you did the calibration and rebooted your drone to be able to save it.
My drone dropped from about 2M when returning home:
You shoul dnever move the drone after pwering on - simply take off from that point. You should calibrate from wherever you intend to fly or take off, do not change position. Also consider doing a horizontal calibration. On your transmitter, ensure that the drones altitude is 0.0M when you start your engines. Also read about GPS above
There are loud high pitch beeps constantly coming from the drone:
You must land immediately. The high pitch constant beeps means the receiver in the drone is overloading the voltage. Our most common reason for this is a faulty or overloaded release mechanism. Don't risk flying in this condition and land immediately and talk to your store.
My drone keeps wanting to come down, but the battery is not flat:
Ensure that your battery is above 15.5V when the motors are not going. If below this, it may be getting drained once the motors start, and may be at low level. Alternatively, a throttle calibration may be required. See the manual for this.
My drone is drifting from side to side, and not stable:
Ensure you have done a horizontal calibration as per the manual.
Is there a chance I can get water in my drone?
If you are floating in the ocean, there is always a chance, however, the Splashdrone is designed to be water-tight. Always check your lid is screwed down as tight as possible by hand, and that your wire port at the bottom is completely tightened.
I flipped my machine over while it was running and now it wobbles:
There is a chance that you may have bent your motor shaft. Take your props off and spool your motors up and down. Generally, you will see the bent shaft as the motor slows down. You can speak to your store about getting your drone repaired, or order parts and repair yourself. It is impossible to straighten the motors exactly how they should be.
If my drone starts flying away, what should I do?
GPS interference is possible and can cause your drone to appear like it is flying away. If you have severe GPS, immediately switch your drone into ATT mode. This mode eliminates all GPS assisted functions and will get you manual control back so you can fly it back towards you.


text:
Archive for July 2010
07-31-2010 Notes From the Porch
Another hot and steamy summer Saturday here in Murray. Nothing like a cup of joe on the porch with the Front Porch rolling in the background. This is the way many of you share Saturdays with mark and I. OR… like Barry Combs, you're on your tractor with your headphones on. Hey, whatever you do while listening, it's nice to share the morning.
We featured some Front Porch debuts in the first hour including Darrell Webb's new release Bloodline. Out on Rural Rhythm Records, this release from Webb features plenty of great traditional bluegrass spread across 12 tracks from the 5-piece band. Darrell Webb has been performing on the bluegrass circuit for over 20 years with the likes of the Lonesome River Band, J.D. Crowe, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, lead vocalist and front man for Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper. Webb has surrounded himself with a great band for his debut solo release including Jeremy Arrowood on bass, Asa Gravley on guitar, Jim Van Cleve plays fiddle, Chris Wade on banjo and Darrell Webb lends guitar and mandolin to the release. The band is out on the road with a bit of a different lineup sans Jim Van Cleve but adding Tyler Kirkpatrick on resophonic guitar. I offered up the second track from the release, "Poor Ramblin Boy". Read the rest of this entry »
The Front Page [07.30.10]
Airing today:
Clinton Phifer and trainer Neely Owens go the distance
Paris, TN ~ Seventeen-year-old national amateur boxing champion Clinton Phifer stands poised to take on the global arena at the Ringside World Championships in Kansas City next week. But days before the tournament, the Henry County Boxing Club was still a few thousand dollars shy of having the money to send the team. Jacque Day brings us the story of a young champion and a trainer who refuses to throw in the towel.
The Fancy Farm Picnic Endures
Fancy Farm, KY ~ The 130th annual Fancy Farm Picnic begins August 6. Folks from western Kentucky and beyond come out for barbeque and bingo. But the two-day church picnic's hallmark event is Saturday's round of political stump speeches. Big name orators have included everyone from former Kentucky Governor A. B. Happy Chandler to former Vice President Al Gore. Angela Hatton has some explanations for why the Fancy Farm Picnic has endured in western Kentucky.
Kentucky Small Businesses Qualify for Health Care Tax Credit
Murray, KY ~ Some of the initial impacts of the recently passed federal healthcare reform bill are trickling into effect. Now, one of the bill's provisions allows small businesses who provide health insurance to their employees to take advantage of tax credit savings this year. Chris Taylor goes to Boone's Cleaners in downtown Murray to hear how the business hopes to see some savings.
morning cram [booking edition]
"On one side are online travel companies claim that cities — because of their miserable budget situation — are attempting a money grab by demanding tax payments to which they're not entitled."
~NPR books a stopover on both sides of the issue.
KENTUCKY~ Some Paducah residents are resisting a local bank's plan to move into their neighborhood. Several area communities nab energy efficiency grant$. Christian County gets eclectic with its language offering at elementary schools. Next week's Fancy Farm political picnic could open some 'festering sores'. Legislators consider a new batch of ethics recommendations. Tea Partiers will face off with Beshear next year for governor.
TENNESSEE~ Clarksville's Mayor gets the city to annex his newly purchased property. Bredesen orders K-12 education expansion.
morning cram [tough drill edition]
"The easy oil is gone… we're going to have to dig deeper into the earth, farther offshore, farther north into the Arctic. We're relying on these extreme energy situations."
~NPR talks to author Michael Klare about the world oil picture.
KENTUCKY~ Murray's hospital is searching for a new CEO. The Commonwealth's share of a Johnson & Johnson drug marketing lawsuit is $75mil. Beshear's Republican competition in next year's governor race will embrace Tea Party values. UofL Coach Rick Pitino testifies against his former fling and (alleged) extorter. Unemployment checks are on the way.
TENNESSEE~ Convicted rapist Bruce 'Big Belly' Tuck sues the Shelby County Sheriff.
ILLINOIS~ Locked out Honeywell workers are approved for unemployment benefits. Promoting Southern Illinois tourism is now a thing of the past.
Fancy Farm School Looksie
The saga began in 2007. Now, after a legal battle, planning, and finally, construction, the Fancy Farm Elementary school has been completed. The new building will house classes for students this fall. Here's the freshest photo.
morning cram [crowdsourcing edition]
"A type of information gathering called crowdsourcing could have a big impact on Republicans' fall agenda."
~NPR logs on two websites seeking input.
KENTUCKY~ Paducah approves its Executive Inn demolition contract, buys $100k in software upgrades and proposes to buy more Greenway Trail property. A committee is still working on a plan to merge the Paducah/McCracken County governments. One of Fort Campbell's last major units prep to leave for Afghanistan. 2 Hopkinsville Community College professors are now Kellogg-certified specialists. The Commonwealth is (again) among Race to the Top finalists and ranks 40th in the nation for overall child well-being.
TENNESSEE~ A Clarksville Police detective is suspended over Facebook photos. Publix breaks ground at the former Gateway Medical Center in Clarksville.
ILLINOIS~ Honeywell/union worker talks derail. Officials think their Race to the Top chances are better this time around.
What should Kentucky do about diabetes?
The number of Kentucky adults diagnosed with diabetes is approaching 450,000, more than a tenth of the commonwealth's population. And diabetes in Kentucky is increasing much faster than the national average. As a result, Kentucky's Department for Public Health announced they're developing a plan to meet the needs of Kentuckians suffering from, or at risk for, diabetes. The DPH and partners have launched a survey to gather input from consumers. The purpose is to learn more about the support people who have diabetes, or those at risk for diabetes, have received or would like to receive from their doctors, employers and communities.
The Department for Public Health urges all Kentucky adults with, or at risk for, diabetes to answer a few questions through this online survey. The deadline is August 12.
Jacque Day spoke with Judith Watson, a certified diabetes educator with the Purchase District Health Department and regional coordinator for the Kentucky Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, about the statewide escalation of the disease.
Listen to the interview here.


text:
This Paleo Chicken & Dumplings recipe is a Paleo comfort food recipe with fluffy dumplings, carrots, celery, garlic, onions and homemade chicken stock. We like to make this recipe when we have leftover turkey or chicken…hint hint, Christmas or Thanksgiving … Continue reading
Tag Archives: arrowroot powder
Paleo Bread Pudding, A Dessert with Cinnamon & Raisins
This Paleo Bread Pudding tastes just like the real thing – moist and fluffy, without being smushy or gritty, made with raisins, vanilla extract, honey and almond flour. My suggestion is to make the recipe for the cake the day … Continue reading
Paleo Chewy Lemon Cookies, A Paleo Cookie
These Paleo Chewy Lemon Cookies are made with almond flour, coconut flower, palm shortening, honey, vanilla and lemon juice and are light, lemony, and soft. They can easily be made crunchy, just leave them in the oven longer (pictured here, a … Continue reading
Paleo Green Bean Casserole, A Paleo Holiday Side
Paleo Green Bean Casserole is made with fresh cut green beans, Paleo Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup, and Paleo Onion Rings and is a traditional midwestern Thanksgiving or Christmas side. We often get the question…Can I eat a Green Bean Casserole? If … Continue reading
Paleo French Onion Soup, A Slow Cook Soup
This recipe for Paleo French Onion Soup is cooked over a long period of time and is made with onions, stock, garlic, carrot and celery and seasoned with sage and bay leaf. It's getting colder in Jacksonville today and it … Continue reading
Paleo Onion Rings, A Paleo Appetizer
These Paleo Onion Rings are made with yellow onions, battered with coconut milk, arrowroot powder, and coconut flour, seasoned with sea salt and cayenne and fried to a golden brown. They're perfect aside or atop burgers or toppings if you … Continue reading
Paleo Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup, A Thanksgiving Soup
This recipe for Paleo Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup is made with garlic, shallots, bacon, coconut milk and sea salt and can be used as a base for all of your Thanksgiving casseroles! As usual when cooking with arrowroot powder, you'll … Continue reading
Paleo Beef Stroganoff with Zucchini Ribbons
This recipe for Paleo Beef Stroganoff is made with grass fed ground beef, onion, garlic, carrot, and leek and is seasoned with sage, bay leaf and thyme, served over zucchini ribbons. It is hearty, thick, warm and full of veggies … Continue reading
Fluffy Paleo White Bread, A Paleo Sandwich Bread
This recipe for Paleo White Bread is made with arrowroot powder, almond flour, eggs, and walnut oil and is a fluffy (actually fluffy!) sandwich bread…yes, fluffy Paleo bread! Everyone misses a sandwich every now and again and our Fluffy Paleo … Continue reading
Paleo Crispy Sweet Potato Fries, A Vegan Side
This Paleo Crispy Sweet Potato Fries recipe really makes oven-baked CRISPY Creole-seasoned Paleo Sweet Potato Fries made with coconut flour, arrowroot powder, sea salt, black pepper, and duck fat… Now, we've seen a lot of websites out there that boast … Continue reading
Paleo Berry Trifle, A Red White & Blue Dessert
This recipe for Paleo Berry Trifle is a beautiful dessert make with fluffy, moist Paleo Vanilla Pound Cake, Paleo Banana Pudding, fresh strawberries and blueberries and coconut milk! It's a really beautiful and delicate dessert that's perfect for a baby … Continue reading
Paleo Vanilla Cake, A Sweet Dessert
This recipe for Paleo Vanilla Cake is made from almond flour, coconut flour, arrowroot powder, baking soda, coarse sea salt, vanilla, lemon juice, coconut oil, honey, eggs, and applesauce and is fluffy, light, and sweet. I'm starting the holiday off … Continue reading


text:
Leader Female / Female Hoses are UV Stabilised for ling life. Made from abrasion resistant plastic.
We will gladly assist with returns and exchanges of this product in accordance with our returns and exchanges policy
Shop wherever you are, whenever you want.
Visit our Shop Online page to learn more.
Where you find a competitor's lower price on the same stocked item, we'll beat it by10%
Excludes trade quotes, stock liquidations, commercial quantities and MarketLink products. Same in-stock item available for same-day delivery or collection, including GST and delivery charges.


text:
It's been pouring with rain most of the day, and our four weanings have been stoically waiting it out. Then at last a break in the weather! And oh boy, the Rock N Roll Heaven filly just couldn't hold herself back. How could the Shadow Play colt not be in awe?
Archive for April, 2015
Rock N Rolling outside my window
Posted in Harness racing, Horses, My photo of the week, Standardbred breeding, tagged Rock N Roll Heaven, Shadow Play on April 27, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Sundon – farewell to a champion sire and a great racehorse
Posted in Harness racing, Standardbred breeding, tagged Sundon, Sungait Song on April 27, 2015| Leave a Comment »
At 29 years old, Sundon has finally succumbed to those familiar adversaries – age and ill health. What a horse! I'm a person who doesn't use the word champion much at all. But Sundon was and is a champion. Not only was he a superb racehorse, winning from 2 through to 7 years old – with stellar seasons as a 2yo, 3yo and 5yo – but his efforts as a sire have done more than just chalk up a long, long list of outstanding performers. He actually modernised our trotting breed by adding speed and athleticism, and stamping those American trotting qualities on such a large number of his progeny. His fertility usually hovered around the high 70s and often climbed into the mid 80s, and it is testament to his standing amongst breeders that even faced with availability of many top overseas sires in New Zealand over the past 10 years, he continued to be popular. This season he served 13 mares. Sundon was an American-bred colt by Arndon from the BF Coaltown mare Sungait Song who turned out to be a very good producer. One of Sundon's best half-sisters was Yankee Reb mare Sungait Reb who is leaving her own family for Roydon Lodge. Another is the Roydon Boy mare Sunsong who did nothing on the track, but whose first and only foal was the filly Solar Fire (also by Yankee Reb), a terrific young trotter who is now the dam of the equally talented Sheemon. And yet another half-sister by Yankee Reb was Sunning who has also left some good performers like Burano and Sunny Vacation, as well as current racers No Potato, Santorini Sunset and a talented Angus Hall 3yo filly called Agnes Brown who will be worth following. Sundon's wider family includes some branches that have not fired at all, as is the case with most families. But the overall class has come through. Sundon's progeny are still showing those qualities we are so familiar with – just yesterday he quinelled a race at Ashburton with favourite 3yo filly Sunny Ruby and one of the outsiders All Lit Up. Look at the arrogant manner of the win – and yes, a gallop along the way just to make it even more impressive. Sundon's have sometimes been regarded as a bit lacking in manners, a bit hot-headed. Sunny Ruby is trained by Fred Fletcher – good on you Fred – who of course was very close to Sundon through his career, training and driving him in many of his races. Summary of Sundon and his career Harnesslink tribute Otago Daily Times tribute and quotes from Phil Williamson
Monkey Bones put down
Posted in Harness racing, Standardbred breeding on April 22, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Most owners of horses who are getting old or who have chronic problems or who get very ill will identify with the ache that the Kennards have gone through nursing and finally releasing Monkey Bones, the grey trotting sire who stood at Wai Eyre.
As a sire, he has done a very solid job in a short time with a reasonable number of mares and good promotion. Let's not forget his breeding – a son of Andover Hall and a lovely maternal family – with multiple links back into the stunning Goddess Hanover family. He got 66 mares in his last season, which shows how his reputation was growing, so good hear there will be frozen semen available in future.
- HRNZ news release
- Harness link assessment of Monkey Bones from December 2013.
Driving The Dragon's sister pays big at Manawatu
Posted in Harness racing, Pedigree matching, Standardbred breeding on April 16, 2015| 1 Comment »
Wairarapa meeting tonight at Manawatu Raceway, Race 5 for 2yo and older C0 pacers, and it was good to see Hanover Alert, Driving The Dragon's full sister, take out third placing and pay $20 a place. Complete outsider of the field, Josh Dickie gave her a sweet trip smothered up 4 back on the inside, but the gaps came and she ran on strongly. I saw her as a weanling at Alabar and noted how much like Sam she was. I really hope she turns out to have similar ability.
|Hanover Alert
|2010 4 B m Sutter Hanover – Shark Alert
|W P Fleming
|W P Fleming, Mrs B K Fleming, K J More
|Alabar (NZ) Ltd
You can see the replay here
Their dam Shark Alert is currently on surrogate mare duties, I believe. I will follow Hanover Alert (4yo) with interest, and of course her older sister's progress in Canada.
Ironic footnote: was planning to place a bet but missed completely, because I was yakking on the phone to Aussie blog mate Richard. Hey Ritch, you will enjoy the irony in that!
First NZ race starter for Tintin is a winner
Posted in Harness racing, Pedigree matching, Standardbred breeding, tagged American Flybye, tintin in america on April 14, 2015| 3 Comments »
The latest winner for Tintin In America as a sire came at Manawatu racetrack today – American Flybye, a 2yo chestnut filly from the Caprock mare Cathy's Flybye, who won for trainers Steve Telfer and Chris Garlick and for owners/breeders I D Bublitz and Mrs J I Bublitz, with the usual lovely drive, well rated, from Scott Phelan.
Solid even quarters on the tightish Manawatu track, and she did it easily in the end, in spite of challenges in the last bit.
Her dam Cathy's Flybye ( 2 wins) has already produced a good filly by American Ideal – Ideal Flybye (5 wins, $34,209 to date) – but overall the wider family has not been offered much opportunity in terms of sires or made much of the better opportunities they have had. But more recent decisions by the Bublitz's seem to be kick-starting this branch with two sires that combine toughness and good speed – American Ideal and Tintin In America.
You know the back story – as the breeder of Tintin In America I have followed with close interest and support his efforts as a sire. To me, he offers great opportunities as a sire along the lines of Bettor's Delight and American Ideal (speed, strength, tough attitude and durability). Tintin won at Group 1 level from 2yo to 4yo).
The oldest of his three crops to date are just 2yos in New Zealand and Australia, and already we have got the top seller ($70,000 plus) at a 'ready to run' sale in Australia (but NZ bred), the winner of the South Australian Kindergarten Stakes (a filly), and now his first NZ starter in a tote race winning in a fine way. So it is quality rather than numbers that will do his talking, it seems.
While it is early days for Tintin as a sire, it is also the hardest days. All sires struggle in their 3 and 4 seasons at stud while breeders hang back and buyers hang back…it is the usual cautious waiting for the standout performers to arrive. For sires at the lower end of the market, it is particularly tough. This past season he got just a handful of mares – but I think that could and should change next season. When from very small opportunities you make a mark with quality, a sire is worth a second and third look.
Winning debut at Mohawk for Drivingthedragon N
Posted in Harness racing, Horses on April 12, 2015| 1 Comment »
Blog readers will be familiar with the story of "Sam", or Driving The Dragon, our lovely 5yo mare who progressed from a weanling bought from Alabar, to a 2yo qualifier, to a mature racing mare with just a handful of starts. Then she went on a winning rampage and chalked up 5 wins, all in defining bold style, before being sold to Carmen Auciello in North America with just 15 races under her belt. Her last race here was in early January and then she went through a brief but acute illness before recovering very well and being exported.
She obviously coped with the trip really well, as she qualified in Ontario recently with an eye-catching 4th behind a couple of open class mares.
So she went out favourite in her first start today at Mohawk in a Fillies and Mares $20,000, and although trainer Auciello could have started her in an easier class, he opted to enter her in this one for decent money, as he prefers to do. He obviously felt confident in her ability. She didn't let him down – as Drivingthedragon N she shot out from her 6 draw to a good lead, extended that to 4 or 5 lengths and eased up towards the finish line to win by 2 lengths and in 1.53-3.
Love you Sam!
A learner's pace at Cambridge workouts
Posted in Harness racing, Standardbred breeding on April 11, 2015| Leave a Comment »
So low key but always a great way to notice what's coming through, especially from less-than-high-profile trainers and sires.
Today in glorious sunshine I watched the learner's pace (where they first do a circuit of the course behind the mobile for practice before released) at the Cambridge workouts.
Racehorses are always a story in the making, so I like to sometimes cover these modest events and report on something of interest.
The small learners field included (in finishing order)
- Ranfurly Brogden – a 2yo filly by Christian Cullen x Swift Mirage (What's Next)
- Fire Chaser a 3yo colt by Flashing Red x Iola May (Live Or Die)
- Genociate – a 2yo filly by Rob Roy Mattgregor x Rocket Blaster (Pacific Rocket)
- Lana Royal – a 3yo filly by Shadow Play x Katcha Fire (Courage Under Fire)
- Norvic Thriller – a 3yo colt by Grinfromeartoear x Norvic Star (Courage Under Fire)
It was a non-eventful workout, dawdle and run home, good practice, and all of them finished pretty close up as you can see from the photo, except for Norvic Thriller who went rough a couple of times and tailed off.
There was just a nose between Fire Chaser, who had lead the last round, and Ranfurly Brogden, who finished on from back in the group down the home straight and pipped Fire Chaser on the line. The other two both finished it off well – the Shadow Play filly is not big but looks to have some get-up-and-go, and the Rob Roy Mattgregor 2yo is a striking type of filly who I could see developing into a really nice 3yo.
These are all horses from families that have shown potential but are not really kicking on as you might have expected for quite a while. So it is good to see something flying an early flame and worth watching how that grows with time and experience.
Check them out here:
Hats off to the Bowens for going back to the well and getting a nice Christian Cullen filly from Swift Mirage. Her best other foal by far was Swift Therapy, a gelding by Christian Cullen. Sugar Ray Brogden was a Grinfromeartoear yearling from the mare that I really liked at the sales, and he seemed to add some strength to Swift Mirage. Unfortunately a palate problem got in the way and he's now sold to China. But this Christian Cullen filly today looked strong and ran home particularly well after settling back in the field.
A nose back to Fire Chaser who must be a result of the free Flashing Red services that were on offer a few years ago – 67 live foals in the year Fire Chaser was born but a rapid decrease in services since. However let's not forget Flashing Red as a remarkable racehorse at the highest level. The oldest of his progeny here are 4yos. 8 starters to date (1 winner, Red Hot Toddy), and with the ability shown this morning I think Fire Chaser could well joins those ranks.
The main reason I was there this morning was to see Genociate – one of the few Rob Roy Mattgregors to get to the track in New Zealand so far. What a lovely strong looking filly she is. I have had a soft spot for the sire Rob Roy Mattgregor who stood here briefly before going to Australia, but has died since (and it appears there is no frozen semen.) He was a beautifully pedigreed horse with a good North American record, not a top liner but with real racing ability who had to retire from an injury. So it will be interesting to see if any others of his progeny here and in Australia show up. Breeder/owner/trainer Dave Iremonger liked the look of the sires pedigree, which has Leah Almahurst on the bottom line and Direct Scooter on the top line, and thought such a classy pedigree at an affordable price was a good prospect with his mare, Rocket Blaster (Pacific Rocket x Game Hostess). I think he got it right, because looking at the resulting filly today, particularly after the race when she was washed down and walking around, I thought she looked a very nice strong type of filly and will just get better with experience.
The 3yo filly Lana Royale came fourth in a good learning experience, as these workouts should be, and finished the race off well. She is the Shadow Play half sister to the Tintin In America filly yearling I have blogged about before. (Leanne Edwards took the Tintin yearling home from the yearling sales after she didn't make a tough reserve, and she's been pleased with that decision. The Tintin filly has been broken in by Richard Brosnan and given him plenty of "workouts", being quite headstrong but lovely gaited.) This Shadow Play older half-sister at the workouts today is not a big filly but she will learn to understand the racing game and did a good first up job today.


text:
Lofty expectations can be the kiss of death for video game sequels.
In early 2010, when Ubisoft Entertainment SA announced its was releasing a follow-up to their accolade-laden hit Assassin's Creed II just a year after its release, many people, including me, were skeptical.
However, the game, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, was a resounding success, and while many aspects of it merely repeated tropes from past games, it expanded the series in new and interesting ways. Expectations were exceeded.
So when Ubisoft announced it was doing the same thing again, and releasing another sequel just a year after Brotherhood, it was hard not to expect the same level of quality. And while the sequel Assassin's Creed: Revelations bests it's forerunners in many ways, it just isn't quite as special as its forerunners.
Those darn expectations again.
A little background on the game: the Assassin's Creed series is set in the near future of 2012 where a young man named Desmond Miles was captured by the modern incarnation of the knights Templar, Abstergo Industries, so they can tap into the genetic memories lodged in his head.
In the first game, Abstergo forced Desmond to relive the life of his ancestor Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, a twelfth-century assassin from the holy land, using a machine called the Animus. The game mostly had you play as Altaïr, with brief interludes as Desmond.
The sequel had Desmond escaping Abstergo and reliving the memories of another ancestor, Ezio Auditore, an assassin who lived at the turn of the sixteenth century in Italy. The past two games and Revelations mostly follow Desmond as he relives Ezio's adventures.
If it seems that I'm taking a long time talking about the story, that's intentional. The story is Revelations strongest suit, with a new and likeable cast of characters and a well-rounded new love interest for Ezio. The narrative also shows a maturity that's surprising considering the game is mostly about a renaissance version of what is essentially Batman.
Here we see Ezio heartily into middle-age. He's defeated most of his enemies back in Italy, gained revenge for the deaths of his father and brothers, and is doing pretty well as the Mentor of the region's Assassin's guild.
At 52, he's a calmer and more mature man than he was at 17 when we first saw him in Assassin's Creed II. As he heads to Constantinople to find hidden keys to Altaïr's library, he's at peace with his place in the the world, and his role as an Assassin, though he is perhaps growing slightly restless.
This is conveyed in more than just the slight hunch in his posture, but in the weary tone in his voice, the lines in his face and the salt dotting the pepper of his beard. Crowds no longer gasp at his youthful acrobatics, but marvel that a man his age can scurry about so.
You can see all of this weathered detail through the game's much-improved graphics engine. Paired with the conlusion of Altaïr's story, the game stubtly allows its heroes to age. Certain portions of the game where you control Altaïr as an old man reminded me of the indie game The Graveyard which imbued the feeling of age into the very movement of the characters.
Diving even further into the experimental deep-end were sequences staring modern-day hero Desmond Miles. Basically these scenes are an esoteric pairing of a Portal-like exploration puzzle game and a highly abstracted oral-history style speak-along narrative.
It actually reminded me most specifically of story-telling devices I've seen used in the New German Cinema of the 1970s, specifically in the movie Hitler: A film from Germany. So, you know, bold and weird for a multi-million dollar mainstream video game.
So after all that, how does the game play? Very similarly to past games in the series, in fact. The city of Constantinople is open for you to explore, and you speed through story missions through a mixture of stealth, acrobatics and swordplay.
Most of the innovations from Brotherhood are back: You can improve Constantinople in much the same way you could improve Rome. Buying shops will increase your income, and give you money to buy more shops. Eventually you can take over the city. You can fight to turn Tempar towers into Assassins' Dens, so you can recruit more assassins to your cause.
Much like Brotherhood, you can send these assassins away to missions across Europe to make them stronger. Really, the only way the game mechanics differ in this way is that the missions are a touch deeper, and if you alert the public of your presence a bit too much, the Templars will attack one of your Assassins' Dens, which will lead to a tedious and mostly unbalanced tower-defence mini-game.
The actual meat and potatoes gameplay of the main game is a touch disappointing. While the city of Constantanople is huge — I would say that it presents perhaps the most impressive vistas of the entire series — the city seems more compact and less varied than cities that starred in past games. Small things have been snipped out of the game, such as horseback riding — which wouldn't have worked in Constantanople's tight streets — and the mind-bending Subject 16 brain-teasers.
The missions, at their best, are more cinematic and thrilling than those that came before, but at their worst they involve frustrating ill-explained objectives and too many easy to stumble upon fail-states. There also seem to be slightly fewer missions than before, with many of the traditional side-missions excised or reduced in importance.
Of course, there's still lots more to do than the average player will likely have time for, so complaints about scope should be considered in that light.
Surprisingly, it's the fact that the game has slightly fewer side missions that really had it hit home just how devilishly complex the Assassin's Creed games are. The idea putting together all of the elements that go into the game, from designing the city to implementing the missions to telling an understated action adventure tale and having them come together in under a year is an amazing achievement, even if Ubisoft used hundreds of people to put the game together. More than anything, it's an triumph in team management and communications skills.
So, while I had a few issues with the game, mostly in how it compared to the last two, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Assassin's Creed: Revelations to players looking to return to the world established by the series. I wouldn't necessarily suggest it for new players — Assassin's Creed II is the best jumping on point — but for those who've been following along so far, it's more than worth your time.
Assassin's Creed: Revelations is available now for the Xbox 360 and PS3 and will be available soon for the PC


text:
Welcome to "New Friend Friday!" Every other Friday, I'll introduce you to someone new! It could be anyone from another blogger to a local business owner. I've gotten to meet some really great people lately, and I want to share them with you!
This week, I want to you to meet Brittney, from She's the Honest Mom. I love reading her blog because she's (obviously) honest, funny, and has a strong GIF game. You HAVE to read her post about her recent Pinterest Fail. The end product turned out cute, but her story was cracking me up!!
Without further adieu, let's meet The Honest Mom!
I am a working mom to a wild and crazy 10 month old named Olivia. I became a mom in April, and I would tell my friends all my mom stories and I LOVED telling these honest and real stories about my adventures in motherhood. Finally, in November I decided to start blogging about it and I fell in love with it. I love the humor of motherhood and I feel like a lot of mothers don't discuss the humor and realness that we live every day. It's not always rainbows and sunshine, sometimes it's poop explosions and throw up!
So cute!
1. First off, I need to recognize your skillful use of GIFs. I love GIFs and you always pick the best one to enhance what you're saying in your blog posts.
Anyway, how did you pick your blog name?
Thank you! haha I always try to imagine myself telling my story out loud and I try to pick gifs that would reflect the faces or things I would actually say while telling the story. I think it makes it a lot more personal, and shows readers my personality a little more. I picked my blog name because I wanted something that would immediately tell readers what my goal is, which is to bring a more honest light to motherhood. It just felt like a good fit.
(I knew I liked her!!)
8. And finally, in the spirit of my blog name, what do you "Just wanna finish?"


text: Mike Roux - March 05, 2012 Elite Eight: Illinois Trophy Buck Finding big bucks takes work. Luke and Lance Terstriep knew this particular piece of land might be good, but before they could they give their opinions, their father, Luke, did his research and bought it. This gem is located in west-central Illinois. Now the work of learning the farm and figuring out how the deer react to the habitat began.None of the Terstriep hunting trio are strangers to big bucks. The younger Luke has taken bucks that scored in the 140s, and Lance and Luke Senior have killed 150-class bucks. Together, they have almost a dozen huge racks on the wall.The Terstrieps have had the fortune to hunt several pieces of prime whitetail property in the "Golden Triangle" of deer hunting in Illinois, but it had always been Luke Senior's dream to own his own slice of whitetail heaven. Finally, that dream had come true. Based on the deer sign they had spotted on the new farm, as well as some dandy shed antlers they had picked up, all three hunters were excited to get their treestands hung and get started. The farm had an even distribution of row-crops and timber. There were a couple of good ditches and some timber fingers sticking out into the grain fields, and there were plenty of great ambush spots for their stands. Young Luke had the first sighting of a huge buck early in the 2009 archery deer season. He watched a big buck feed across a bean field at about 150 yards. After the hunt, he called his family and told them, "I just saw a 170-inch buck!" He had no way of knowing that his guess was right on the mark.In an effort to get more information about this monster, the Terstriep trio put up three Cuddeback trail cameras on the property. Not only did they want a better look at the buck, but they wanted to try to pattern him as well. Within two weeks, they had gotten three photos of the huge buck. Everyone agreed he was a record-book animal, which only fueled the fire already inside the hunters.The Terstriep trio saw the buck three times in October without spooking him. They got trail cam photos of him on October 28 and November 4 and 5. With all this information, they still could not get a solid handle on his daily habits. He seemed to be using the entire farm. One of the cameras was placed just outside an area of the property that was deemed "Off Limits" for hunting by the group. They did not hunt or even enter this protected bedding area. In mid-November, the temperature began to rise and the rains came. On November 15, it rained a full inch in west-central Illinois. Another inch fell the following day. Daytime temperatures were close to 50 degrees, and these conditions kept most hunters at home. But Luke Terstriep Jr. could no longer sit inside and wait for better conditions. On the afternoon of November 17, he decided to slip into a stand that had not yet been hunted. The stand was in a fencerow that funneled deer between a pine thicket and a soybean field. The wind was finally right for this spot. He donned his Mossy Oak camo and headed out through a steady drizzle.Luke knew the wet conditions would allow him to slip into his stand without making a sound, and he knew the drizzle and the rain dripping from branches would be in his favor. He also knew the dampness would mask some of his odor. These were all good things. He also assumed the bad weather had kept the neighbors out of the woods, which should have reduced the pressure on the deer. He made his way methodically to the stand.Luke settled into his stand and began what would turn out to be the most exciting hunt of his career. It was not long before a doe stepped into the bean field. He watched her closely and noticed her body language. She was nervous about her back-trail. She kept glancing back into the timber. She was about 20-yards out into the field when Luke saw more movement on the field's edge.He could tell the deer was a buck, but there was just not enough of it showing to tell how big. He slowly picked up his bow, just in case it was a shooter. The buck stood and studied the field for quite some time before stepping out. As soon as he did Luke knew he wanted a shot.The buck continued to scan the field. He was broadside at 40-yards. As Luke quickly processed the information before him, he noticed the doe was now about 20 yards directly in front of his stand. If his camouflage would do its job and keep him concealed from her, the buck should follow her path and present a higher percentage shot. Luke recalled the words of his father to "be patient" and "wait for your shot opportunity." Luke Senior's advice was right-on.With the wind and rain in his face, Luke waited on the big deer. In the meantime, four more does entered the field. Now the hunter began to worry about the number of eyes and ears that could pick him off. But by now he was standing with his bow up in shooting position.How will I mess this up? he asked himself. He was trying very hard not to look at the rack, but that was impossible. It's over 150, he thought. Stop that! he scolded himself. Concentrate on the shot.As the buck made the 90-degree turn to pass in from of him, Luke made his slow, methodical draw. He estimated the deer to be at 25 yards as he anchored his pin and calmed his breathing. The shot was near perfect and Luke Jr. watched the fletching disappear into the buck's chest. The huge deer spun and exited the field, taking the rest of the small herd with him. To the hunter's surprise, the female deer reappeared in just a couple of minutes.Luke was more excited than words could describe. Once he regained his composure, he called his father and Lance for advice on tracking in the adverse conditions. It was getting late and the chance of the rain washing out the blood trail was a real possibility.With deer still in the field in front of him, Luke waited as long as he could. Finally he just had to spook them and get on the blood trail. It was just getting dark when he found his deer. He covered it with brush and left to go get help. Terstriep felt very fortunate to have the scouting and planning pay off with this buck. With the first Illinois firearm season of 2009 just days away, they may have never seen this deer again.A hunting buddy came to help. They were both excited about the size of the animal and its antlers. It had not quite sunk in totally to Luke."I'm soaked and freezing," he said. "Let's get this buck home, and then we can celebrate." GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing. Sign Me Up


text:
email page print page
What is this thing called happiness indeed. Fred Feldman argues that it is not experiences of sensory pleasure, being aware of the satisfaction of our desires, or being satisfied with our lives as a whole. Rather, happiness is, according to Feldman, experiences of occurent intrinsic attitudinal pleasure. Feldman argues at length in favor of his account (and against the other main accounts of happiness), not only showing how it can provide us with an adequate account of happiness (where the others fail) but also how it can provide us with an adequate account of well-being. Further, he shows how such a developed account of happiness can be, and why it should be, incorporated by empirical researchers working on happiness (or "subjective well-being"). In this sense, Feldman does a great job. The book is easy to read, with Feldman's writing style clear and accessible for philosophers and non-philosophers alike. He manages to cover a huge amount of material in a relatively small amount of space without compromising in theoretical detail, and his engagement with the burgeoning study of subjective well-being is commendable.
The book is divided into three parts. In the first part, Feldman provides an overview of the leading accounts of happiness in both the philosophical and psychological literature, showing how each account fails to account adequately for how we think about the notion of happiness. In the second part, Feldman introduces his own "attitudinal hedonism" account, showing how it can make up for the failures of the other accounts, and further provides arguments in favor of what he calls "eudaimonism," namely that (his account, or a similarly adequate account, of) happiness constitutes well-being. Lastly, in the third part, Feldman critiques how empirical researchers working on happiness tend to operationalize (inadequate) conceptions of happiness, and shows how his attitudinal hedonism account can be successfully incorporated into the study of subjective well-being.
In this review I will focus on the first and third parts of the book. Feldman has written extensively on the material covered in part two (that is, his attitudinal hedonism account of happiness and well-being) in his previous book "Pleasure and the Good Life." What is new about this book is Feldman's sustained engagement with other theories of happiness in particular and the implications of empirical work on happiness.
Part one is divided into four chapters, each dealing with a major theory, or group of theories, of happiness, and showing them separately to be inadequate in some sense. These theories are sensory hedonism, Daniel Kahneman's theory of "objective happiness," subjective desire-satisfaction and life satisfaction accounts of happiness. Feldman's critiques of each theory are detailed yet succinct; I will briefly go through each in turn.
First, Feldman rejects sensory hedonism about happiness, whereby a person is happy to the extent that she enjoys a surplus of sensory pleasure over pain. The problem with sensory hedonism, according to Feldman, is that it is possible to be happy even though one is suffering a surplus of sensory pain over pleasure.
Second, Feldman rejects Kahneman's "objective happiness" account, whereby a person is happy to the extent that she wants his present experience to continue. The problem with this kind of "preferentist" approach, according to Feldman, is that some people thrive on change and diversity and would be unhappy to have even their (currently) enjoyable experiences persist.
Third, Feldman rejects another sort of preferentist approach – subjective desire-satisfaction theories – whereby a person is happy to the extent that she believes, or experiences, that she is getting what she wants. The problem with these kinds of preferentist approaches, according to Feldman, is that a person can be cheerful despite the fact that she is aware that her desires are consistently frustrated.
Fourth, Feldman rejects life satisfaction theories of happiness, whereby a person is happy to the extent that she is satisfied with her life as a whole. I found Feldman's examination of whole life satisfaction accounts particularly impressive, persuasively arguing against all possible life satisfaction accounts as well as potential variants of life satisfaction accounts, which include full information accounts of life satisfaction or considerations of a person's past life satisfaction. Feldman distinguishes between two different possible kinds of life satisfaction accounts – actual and hypothetical – and shows them both to be false. The problem with actual life satisfaction accounts is that a person can be happy despite never having any attitude towards his life as a whole. The problem with hypothetical life satisfaction accounts is that a person can be happy, but would fail to be so if she were to evaluate how satisfied she is with her life as a whole.
Despite the strength of Feldman's arguments, however, I found his general approach to be overly dismissive. Indeed, the theories of happiness that he rejects (except for whole life satisfaction theories) seem to have more in common with Feldman's attitudinal hedonism theory than he acknowledges, and it is surprising that Feldman does not consider the most plausible versions of these theories to be the versions that are closest to his own. I will briefly consider Kahneman's "objective happiness" theory, desire-satisfaction theories, and sensory hedonism about happiness.
Kahneman seems to be highlighting a general feature of pleasure, namely that pleasurable experiences consist in a certain immediate, perhaps non-voluntary, unreflective attitude of attraction, or acceptance; immediately liking something is, in part, to tend towards it, to seek it out, or to sustain it. Now, this could be cashed out in terms of beliefs and desires – the currency of Feldman's account of attitudinal pleasure – but Feldman does not consider this option. That is, it could be that pleasurable experiences consist in desiring the object of the experience, believing that one has presently attained (or has made progress in attaining) the object, and desiring that one will further attain the object or similar objects (either immediately or in the future). Kahneman's account, viewed in this light, seems to be plausible, or at least consistent with Feldman's account.
Similarly, Feldman distinguishes his account from subjective desire-satisfaction accounts claiming that it is possible to desire something and to believe that one has presently attained (or has made progress in attaining) that thing, without having a favorable emotional outlook on that thing. This, however, rests on a conception of desire that is far from uncontroversial, whereby it is possible to attain a desire without experiencing pleasure (on a hedonistic theory of desire, such a case would be considered a compulsion rather than a desire).
Finally, it is not obvious that the (albeit traditional) distinction between sensory and attitudinal pleasure that Feldman alludes to in his criticisms of sensory hedonism and the development of his own theory (attitudinal hedonism) is in fact a distinction of any use. We have a variety of different pleasurable states; we are satiated by consumption of food and drink, we are gratified by sexual interactions, and we are delighted by certain sounds, strokes, and sights. But notice that varieties of delight do not require a sensory component; thinking about a problem can be stimulating, and solving it can be satisfying. Sensory pleasure is more plausibly viewed as an amalgam of pleasure and a bodily sensation. Thus, the distinction between sensory pleasure and attitudinal pleasure can be viewed as a distinction between pleasure with an additional bodily sensation and pleasure without a bodily sensation respectively, which is of no particular interest to theories of happiness. I suspect that the original distinction is trying to get at whether pleasure is non-cognitive ("sensory pleasure") or cognitive ("attitudinal pleasure"). Feldman clearly sides with the latter view, namely that pleasure consists in a certain propositional attitude. Again, however, this rests on a conception of pleasure or emotion that is far from uncontroversial, whereby experiences of pleasure are under organismic control (on a non-cognitive theory of pleasure or emotion, such cognitive attitudes would be considered to be evaluative judgments rather than emotions).
In the remainder of this review I want to focus on the third part of the book, entitled "Implications for the empirical study of happiness." Here Feldman boldly goes where few moral philosophers dare to go, and considers how empirical researchers can better measure happiness. At times his critique of empirical work on happiness is devastating. For instance, Feldman demonstrates fairly simply how measuring happiness in terms of one's satisfaction in non-weighted, important life domains can provide a severely distorted measure of one's happiness. Indeed, I think that empirical researchers would gain a lot from operationalizing Feldman's account of happiness in the manner that he clearly and methodically sets out in the chapter entitled "Measuring happiness." Such a philosophically considered contribution to the study of subjective well-being is extremely valuable and timely.
Having said that, I'd like to end with my final, and what I consider to be most important, criticism of the book. For, at other times, Feldman's critique of empirical work on happiness is overly critical, discussing philosophical issues raised by the off-hand comments of empirical researchers (such as whether happiness does in fact exist), which may not even be relevant to the validity of empirical work on happiness. For instance, Feldman claims that neural correlates of pleasure are "uninteresting," arguing that we cannot determine a person's happiness beyond her self-reports. However, many other theorists believe (in my option, correctly) that discovering the neural correlates of pleasure and emotion could be revolutionary in terms of determining a person's happiness. In this sense, I think that Feldman shoots himself in the foot somewhat by too readily dismissing the potential for empirical work to significantly contribute to our understanding of happiness, in favor of defending the prominence of philosophical theorizing.
It is a shame that Feldman's theorizing ultimately comes across as being opposed to much of the empirical work on happiness. Indeed, not surprisingly, Feldman says that he has made attempts to reach across disciplinary boundaries and to interest non-philosophers in his research, yet he has for the most part been rebuffed. Hopefully, empirical researchers and laypersons alike can take what they can from this book, for Feldman offers much insight on the subject matter.
© 2010 Sam Wren-Lewis
Sam Wren-Lewis is studying a PhD in 'Measuring Well-Being' at the University of Leeds, department of Philosophy.
Welcome to Metapsychology.
Note that Metapsychology will be moving to a new server in January 2020. We will not put up new reviews during the transition. We thank you for your support and look forward to coming back with a revised format.
Metapsychology Online reviewers normally receive gratis review copies of the items they review.
Metapsychology Online receives a commission from Amazon.com for purchases through this site, which helps us send
review copies to reviewers. Please support us by making your Amazon.com purchases through our Amazon links. We thank
you for your support!
Join our Google Group!
Interested in becoming a book reviewer for Metapsychology?
To apply, write to our editor.
Metapsychology Online Reviews
About Us | About CenterSite | Terms & PrivacyCopyright © CenterSite, LLC, 1995-2020


text:
Autism Summer Festival
04/09/2017The Southern Health and Social Care Trust Autism Service has hosted a Summer Festival for young people with Autism and their families. The event was a huge success providing a positive and fun environment for young people and their families. The highlight of the event was a live performance by 'On the Spectrum' a band formed by young people within the service.
Denise Carroll ASD Coordinator said "this event really showcased the hard work of the children young people and their families and how collaboration between services and families can lead to a fun filled celebratory event.
We would like to thank the generous sponsors for the event, Acorns for Autism and Killeen Hardware Armagh for kindly donating the high visibility vests, the Lord Mayors office Armagh, and a special thank you to Patrick McGeown and McGeown Commercials for the staging which really contributed to the festival vibe.
We would also like to thank all the families and young people who came out to support this event especially our own young people who have volunteered all year round with a range of events within the service Lloyd Clarke, Emma McCrea, and Mark Lappin.
Finally, special recognition to one of our shining stars Caolan McConville who recently took home a silver and bronze medal from the Special Olympics in Austria."
For further information please contact Shane Fearon, Autism Intervention Therapist by emailing: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Category :Events / Author : MOEVA
The wait is over, the 2018 Oscars has finally arrived! Last night, the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles held the 90th annual Academy Awards Ceremony.
|Lupita Nyong'o in custom Atelier Versace, Versace bag, Niwaka jewelry and Alexandre Birman shoes
|Emily Blunt in Schiaparelli Haute Couture with Chopard jewelry
|Meryl Streep in Christian Dior Haute Couture, Christian Louboutin bag, Fred Leighton jewelry, and Stuart Weitzman shoes
|Nicole Kidman in Armani Privé, Harry Winston jewelry and Christian Louboutin shoes
|Sandra Bullock in Louis Vuitton and Zac Posen
|Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton
|Jennifer Lawrence in Dior
|Gal Gadot in Givenchy and Tiffany & Co. jewelry
|Saoirse Ronan in Calvin Klein by Appointment, Cartier jewelry and Christian Louboutin shoes
|Greta Gerwig in Rodarte and Tiffany & Co. jewelry
|Margot Robbie in Chanel Haute Couture and Roger Vivier shoes
|Jennifer Garner in Atelier Versace and Piaget jewelry
|Zendaya in Giambattista Valli Haute Couture, BVLGARI jewelry and Brian Atwood shoes
|Viola Davis in Michael Kors Collection and with a Roger Vivier bag
|Allison Williams in Armani Privé Couture and Brian Atwood shoes
|Salma Hayek in custom Gucci
|Helen Mirren in Reem Acra
|Gina Rodriguez in Zuhair Murad Couture
|Allison Janney in Reem Acra and with a Roger Vivier bag
|Jane Fonda in custom Balmain, Chopard jewelry, Perrin bag and Salvatore Ferragamo shoes
|Elisabeth Moss in Christian Dior, Roger Vivier bag and Brian Atwood shoes