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Nervous Golden Globe show bosses insist on 'seven second delay' to rein in tricky Ricky Gervais
Some of the most senior TV executives in America are feeling more than a little nervous about Ricky Gervais's third turn as host of the prestigious Golden Globe Awards in Hollywood on Sunday night.
I'm told executives at the major broadcaster NBC, which will screen the awards live for five hours in primetime, have insisted on a 'seven-second delay'.
Controversial: Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais usually makes digs at A-list stars
The delay lets Dick Clark, the award show's legendary 83-year-old producer, cut comments about celebs in attendance that are deemed too close-to-the-bone to broadcast.
Cheers! Ricky presenting the 67th Golden Globe's with a half of lager, but this year he is to be reined in
It comes after Gervais (right), controversial star of The Office, upped ratings on the ceremony last year by making digs at A-list stars like Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp.
He has spent the last ten days writing more cutting quips for this weekend's show, which will screen live here on digital channel E!
Most interest in the UK will focus on the hit ITV drama Downton Abbey, nominated for four awards.
My Hollywood insider explains: 'NBC loves Ricky because he increased the ratings, but they know he wants to create headlines again and they can't take the risk of broadcasting something inappropriate.'
Meanwhile Gervais has tweeted about his Globes game plan in the days leading up to the show: 'I keep having to write new jokes as I pick my victims, I mean targets, I mean presenters to introduce. Some great people have confirmed.'
He even assured Twitter followers that he'll be drinking lager, ad-libbing and speaking his mind: 'No one knows what I'm going to say until I say it. That was my only stipulation to host again.'
Living the dream? But will it be a nightmare come Sunday? Ricky Gervais with girlfriend Jane Fallon in Beverly Hills
Last year he was criticised for offending big-name celebrities and members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association which runs the awards show.
Even so when offered the gig again, Gervais apparently wouldn't - consider toning down his act.
It's considered to be bad form to insult the audience at awards shows, but Ricky apparently believes he'll never be asked to host something as conservative as the Oscars, so feels there's no reason to hold back.
And Gervais confirmed his no holds barred approach on his blog in December: 'I would say that there's nothing too offensive in there, but I honestly thought that last year. So I'm not sure of the rules anymore.'
Insiders are predicting many of the jokes will most likely be at the expense of director Brett Ratner, who stepped down as Oscar producer after making an anti-gay slur, and Eddie Murphy, who made the decision not to host after the controversy.
Witt's she on about?
Communication problem? Katarina Witt's delivery is causing concern
She is the controversial and vivacious Olympic ice-skating champion whose shock hiring resulted in a Spice Girl being put on ice.
I'm told there's a sense of panic among senior staff on the hit ITV series Dancing On Ice after Katarina Witt's debut performance.
They're concerned the 46-year-old East German, who replaced Emma Bunton as the show's glamorous judge, struggled with her delivery on live TV because English is her second language.
Her comments to the celebrity contestants could, at times, not be understood by some viewers. But ITV insists there's no problem.
Axe sharpened for Royal Bodyguard
Just weeks after Ricky Gervais's new series Life's Too Short bombed on BBC2, there has been another bitter blow for BBC comedy.
I'm told corporation chiefs have privately decided to axe the David Jason disaster The Royal Bodyguard after just one series, even though only three episodes have so far been broadcast.
Ratings on the half-hour show - the much-loved Jason's first comedy series since Only Fools And Horses - have slumped to just under three million viewers, down from seven million on its Boxing Day debut.
A spokeswoman for the programme said: 'No decision has been made yet and no discussions will take place until after the series has finished.'
Chat-fest: Loose Women is back, with Carol Vorderman pushing up ratings
Carol Vorderman is being credited for a steep ratings rise at ITV1's long-running lunchtime chat-fest, Loose Women.
The former Countdown presenter was brought in by producers as part of a major shake-up of the weekday show after ratings fell to 700,000 last year.
Carol, 51, replaced unlucky Kate Thornton, once fired by Simon Cowell as the original host of The X Factor.
With ratings regularly hitting 1.3 million now, an ITV source says: 'She has completely refreshed the show. The other new panellists have gone down well, too, but it's Carol viewers like.'
Fans of talk show host Jeremy Kyle can expect to see much more of him on our screens. The American version of his confrontational morning show is getting a second series and ITV bosses want to buy it to give viewers here a second daily dose of Mr Kyle.
Nostalgia vote: The Munsters could be back on our TV screens
A wave of so-called 'nostalgia TV' will be coming to screens over the next year.
Major U.S. broadcasters are working on modern versions of classic series The Munsters, Bewitched, The Flinstones and Frankenstein.
'There's a major trend towards shows people already love,' my source reports.
Most watched News videos
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- Put the kettle down! Welsh Tesco cordons off 'non-essential' items
- Man enters Welsh Tesco in underwear as clothes are 'non-essential'


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Natalie Irish, a Houston-based artist takes a unique approach to painting and still manages to create beautiful portraits. She uses bright red lipstick and paints by puckering her lips. Her process seems very organic and it is always great when artists showcase their artistic talents through unique means.
The truly amazing thing is the quality of the portrait and the likeness of the image she is recreating. Her portrait of Marilyn Monroe is striking and it is honestly hard to comprehend how she could have used just her painted lips to create it. These intricate art pieces would be an amazing art venture to try out if you are every in the mood and need a project to suck up some spare time. Natalie Irish has inspired me to whip out some lipstick and try my hand at this creative art form.
Natalie Irish Puckers Up for These Painted Beauties
Deborah Kim — July 7, 2011 — Art & Design
References: youtube & odditycentral

subset: commoncrawl


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It is this film's misfortune to appear at around the same time as The Social Network and Catfish, two hugely sophisticated and insightful films about the internet and the digital age. In comparison, this silly drama from Japanese director Hideo Nakata, scripted by Enda Walsh, looks naive, prurient and condescending about the web and young web users. Five London teens meet in a chatroom, only to discover one of them is a sinister, destructive figure. The production design dramatising the imagined physical spaces of the online chatrooms at the beginning is, I admit, interesting – and deserved more of a response than when I first saw this at Cannes. But the film finally fizzles into feeble melodrama, with all the power of an old episode of Grange Hill.
Chatroom – review2 / 5 stars 2 out of 5 stars.
Japanese director Hideo Nakata comes a cropper with a film about the web that pales in comparison to The Social Network and Catfish. By Peter Bradshaw


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Let's begin with a big, fat Happy New Year to all 44Teefers, before moving on swiftly to more pressing matters; like binning the dustbin on our Suzuki GSX-R1000R longtermer. Remember this fine steed? It's played second fiddle to work commitments in recent months (like Budget Bike Battles) but the first job of 2019 was to remove its standard can and… Read more →
Tag Archive for Suzuki
Video: The Hottest Bikes of 2019 at EICMA
Riding Buildbase Suzuki's British Superbike
When you get an invite to ride any sort of pukka racing machine, you don't say no. So after months of planning and receiving call from Mr Suzuki, asking if we'd like a spin on a factory-backed British Superbike, I didn't say no. I am, of course, referring to the Buildbase Suzuki of Richard Cooper: the diminutive BSB regular who… Read more →
Video: Dream Garage
The 990cc era brought big, belligerent beasts and plenty of noise to MotoGP in the Noughties. Manufacturers were still experimenting with engine configurations, chassis set-ups and aero, and rules were far less restrictive than the current directory, which meant a veritable feast of intriguing variations – there was a genuine prototype element compared to today's sanitised state. While these four-bangers… Read more →
Video: EICMA Highlights
44T was live on the frontline at EICMA in Milan – the world's biggest dedicated motorcycle exhibition – and spent a few days capturing 2017's finest machinery and a feast of juicy, dubplate gossip for you guys to dribble over. We could have devoted an entire channel to what was displayed but here are some of our highlights. I think… Read more →
Isle of Man TT: A Newcomer's Perspective
How does one rationally portray the absurdity of racing at the Isle of Man TT? Even the greatest wordsmiths would have difficulty in articulately describing first-hand experiences, so I'm really going to struggle here. It's virtually impossible to explain my fortnight of fresh, previously unprovoked emotions and on-track sensations without reeling off a list of expletives – my first lap… Read more →
44T Isle of Man TT updates
Shit. There are only 80-something days until the 2016 Isle of Man TT. I've never been so hyped about an event yet so brimmed with understandable trepidation. Anyway, it's all good: my homework should meet the required grades (studying onboards mixed with a few trips to the island), further preparation is going smoothly and the team has been working their… Read more →
When knowledge isn't power…
Myself and BvG were present at Silverstone last week for the Suzuki all-star trackday. We got to sample the GSX-R range (more on that later) and Baron nearly fell in love with the GSX-S1000F (more on that later, too), sharing the track with a host of super-fast racers and a few token idiots. Most trackday regulars will be familiar with… Read more →
MOTOBUM, CLUBNEXT or Y's distraction Dog House?
That is the question. It's that time of year again when us Westerners trawl though the Suzuka 8hr entry list, pick out our favourite team names and try not to induce a hernia. Team Hooters, TEAM FRONTIER, Honda Blue Helmets and OTOBUM with Ishigaki Island Tuna Racing join the headliners in entertaining squad names. 84 teams are lapping for qualifying… Read more →
Modifying: Suzuki GSX-R1000
On the back of 44Teeth's 'Top-5 Fireblade mods', we've been pleasantly and humbly bombarded with enquiries about priming other sexy steeds for transforming, headed by recent GSX-R1000s. Ah, the good old, massively popular GSX-R. It's like your favourite pair of slippers: comfy, dependable, perfectly able to get chucked about with minimum effort and can be used for the occasional spanking,… Read more →


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We can accomodate any budget.
Here are our rates for multi-session recordings:
- We can accommodate one-time use all the way up to weekly, or even daily podcasting.
- Non-contract bookings are at a rate of $110 for the first hour and $99 per hour afterward.
Here are our rates for multi-session recordings:
- Contact us 48 hours before your planned first booking.
- One hour sessions may be used to record multiple episodes of your podcast.
- Use your bookings whenever we can schedule the time, more than monthly or weekly.
- All bookings are considered "on demand" and overage charges will apply on a per 1/2 hour basis once a recording goes 5 minutes past the hour, studio availability permitting.
- Podcasters on contract get scheduling priority, but all you need is 48 hours advance booking to guarantee your studio time.


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Are you interested in knowing more about Trauma and how Yoga can help?
Teaching Trauma Sensitive Yoga – A Practical Guide provides many of the answers you are looking for.
Brendon Abram combines his first-hand experience with PTSD in the field and years of teaching to offer this practical guide to bringing trauma-sensitive yoga to both clinical and studio settings. Drawing on his work with military veterans, first responders, and survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, he emphasizes the importance of respecting the uniqueness of every individual and demonstrates how to use the foundational principles of yoga to create a safe experience. Brendon explains that the basic principles of yoga bring power to the practice and that breath, mindful movement, focused awareness, and acceptance of present-moment experience form the foundation of any yoga offering.
You can purchase your copy direct from the publisher: northatlanticbooks.com
Click here to learn more from others who like it
Integral Magazine
"Many people seem to find it interesting that a military man ended up teaching Yoga. At workshops and retreats, I am often asked how this came to be." Read more…
Foreword Review:
"Accessible, well guided, pragmatic, and impactful: to describe Brendon Abram's Teaching Trauma Sensitive Yoga is to describe an ideal manifestation of its subject matter. Drawing on a deep well of experience as a trauma-sensitive yoga instructor as well as on his experiences as a veteran, Abram outlines his teaching framework with a conscientiousness that is rare in today's yoga world. This is a welcome handbook for anyone looking to grow in their yoga teaching practice." Read More….
Foreword Interview with Brendon:
"This week we're blessed to hear from Brendon Abram, a veteran who discovered yoga during his military years and hasn't looked back. The author of the recently released Teaching Trauma Sensitive Yoga: A Practical Guide (North Atlantic Books), and a yoga purist with a soldier's mindset, Abram recognizes that "when it comes to offering yoga, 'practical' means to keep it simple, which can be accomplished by sticking to the basics. … By keeping something from becoming too complex, we reduce the opportunity for misunderstanding and misdirection. My intention in the book was to remind readers that it is these basic principles that are the most important." Read More…
Trauma Sensitive Yoga Training for Yoga Teachers and Clinical Professionals
Trauma Sensitive Yoga Training for Yoga Teachers and Clinical Professionals - Click to Learn More
Get Yoga is proud to partner with Aware Yoga to provide trauma sensitive yoga and mindfulness training. If you are a yoga teacher or clinician who is interested in learning how you can use yoga and mindfulness to help the clients you work with, you may be interested in attending one of our workshops.
If you are a yoga school you may wish to incorporate a Trauma Sensitive Module into your two or three hundred hour offering.
To learn more about our workshops please visit: traumasensitiveyoga.ca
Get Yoga is a Trauma Sensitive Yoga studio.
Yoga's main purpose is to help people find peace of mind; however, most styles of mainstream yoga focus on fitness and body image and happen in less than peaceful environments. For people with a trauma or stress related condition, the thought of going to a class under these circumstances can be intimidating.
All of our yoga instructors have trauma sensitive teacher training and bring this knowledge and awareness into public yoga classes.
For more information on Trauma Sensitive Yoga please contact Brendon at 613-438-9642.
If you would like to watch a video of an interview with Brendon about Trauma Sensitive Yoga, you can find it here: Watch video


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Is Your Canadian Small Business Compliant with CASL Yet?
It's that year - the Canadian Anti Spam Legislation comes fully info effect on July 1, 2017. Wait, before you roll your eyes and click away, read the next paragraph.
The average small business in Canada has nowhere near the list size to trigger an investigation under CASL. And the reality is most small businesses aren't yet CASL-compliant... and that probably includes yours (and even mine). There's no need to get alarmed.
Here are the 4 most obvious ways businesses aren't yet fully compliant.
#1. Subscription process is missing a description of what content the subscriber can expect to receive and how often
The regulations say that a physical address must be used, not just in the footer of your emails but also accessible when people subscribe. If your mailing address isn't on your website, you might consider adding it to your landing page or autoresponder that people see after signing up.
#3. Asking for express consent then continuing to email when it's not received
Until you specifically ask for consent to email someone, consent may be implied. Once you have asked them, and they haven't given you consent, it's no longer implied. Continuing to email this person is very much against the regulations. You are better not to ask at all.
#4. No unsubscribe functionality in *regular* email
This is a tough one to implement. There are apps for that but no free and simple solution. I'm not compliant with this one yet. This also brings up the significant challenge with managing permissions across multiple platforms (let's not go there).
Whether or not your business is fully compliant with CASL, consider whether it's important for you to be perceived as compliant. (Find more CASL information here.)
Do you think CASL is working? Please click here to let me know your opinion.
photo by psd / Flickr
Click to Tweet this Article


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Don't you dare call this humongous new aircraft fat; it's just big-boned! Behold the awesome girth of the Airlander 10 from the ambitious British manufacturer Hybrid Air Vehicles. Now officially recorded as the largest aircraft in the world, this really big bird measures in at 302 feet long and cost an estimated $35.6 million to build. Constructed in the UK's massive aircraft hanger at Cardington in Bedfordshire, it's expected to take to the skies on its inaugural test flight sometime this summer. The Airlander 10 is categorized as a hybrid, with elements of a helicopter, dirigible and traditional fixed-wing aircraft and stands at the forefront of future air transportation needs with its clean, silent propulsion system.
"We will not compete with a 747 flying across the Atlantic, but we can offer the ultimate flight experience for tourism and leisure purposes," said Chris Daniels, Head of Partnerships at HAV. "It's perfect for sightseeing because we can have floor to ceiling clear panels, and we can open the windows because we are not flying as high or as fast as traditional planes, but we will not be offering a service to get from A to B as quickly as possible."
Journalists, engineers and technicians were given a first peek at this prodigous craft on Monday, which when fully inflated, holds a total volume of 1,340,000 cubic feet of helium and is able to remain aloft for up to three hours. Hybrid Air Vehicles plans on building a dozen Airlanders each year starting in 2018, including some passenger craft equipped with luxury suites that can carry up to 48 people at a time.
Would you fly on one of these voluptuous vehicles or do you still have dreams of the Hindenburg dancing in your head?
(Via Gizmodo)


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|Contact Partners Schedule Apparel Photo/Video News SPEEDtv Biography Home
Welcome to the home of James Hunt Racing!
Championships in automotive racing are only won with a complete package. One of the important aspects of any championship winning effort is the driver. To become successful in automotive racing a driver needs to posess and constantly evolve numerous attributes. James is talented, competitive, smooth, has an exciting ability to pass and bases his actions on knowledge. On a personal level, James is affable, polite, well spoken and clean cut. These attributes enable him to continue perfecting the art of racing both on and off the track.
More about James Hunt
Road America partners with James Hunt Racing, LLC. Hunt will serve as the Ambassador and off-site personality for the track as he participates in multiple, national race events. Presenting to people nationwide the Road America experience and historical legacy of the famous circuit. For more info please visit www.roadamerica.com
08/18/2009 Hunt Grand Am Racing at Barber
6/27/2009 James Hunt is back in Action
5/1/09 Road America Partners with James Hunt Racing
4/28/09 HUNT: On The Road to Road America
More James Hunt in the News...
May,2009 Radio Interview- Sheboygan's Country B93.7


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Our last days at summer camp – we shall leave on Wednesday with 48 hours to get ourselves ready to return to Europe. Amazing where the time has gone this summer – and yet the schools in Europe are still in session and about to break for the summer whereas US kids have to go back early August.
A strange time for all of us, really – Jaymee and Leo will join us in Portugal (via UK grandparents!) for two weeks and then fly back to the States to resume their school and training lives with their moms – but not their dads. We shall be running our gyms and managing entertainment for the new complex which is about to receive its first visitors – slightly bad timing relative to the summer season because their building program overran a bit – but worked out perfectly for Dave and I.
So, gym pictures for the remainder of this post (and what a perfect young man this next one is!):
Leo and his best mate Chris, here with us at camp, have made six new friends from NC who it turns out are as fanatical about fitness as they are – they've been joining our 'family' dawn workouts including trying acro as well as weights and swimming – and getting hooked on submission wrestling too (to the extent that I overheard one call out to Leo – "You gotta be naked so I can try for a ball grab!") – Ahem! I resist the temptation to post a picture of that… though they may be flying around on certain Instagram accounts!
That image (above) is entitled 'well-equipped' and applies equally to the guy and to the gym! Pull-ups (or indeed pull-downs) behind the neck are superb for developing the upper back, especially the rhomboids.
Here's a gym which is obviously just free weights – no machines in sight and not even a bench… but the star lifter seems to be doing OK:
That is what this summer camp session has all been about – encouraging more youngsters to think about fitness while trying to make it 'fun' with acrobatic experiments… and a bit of showing off from us and especially from the kids. Thankfully our two (and their friends) never try the 'look what I can do – I'm better than you' attitude – it is all about encouraging others to train harder and achieve the same things. Just hope that they keep up that attitude in their later lives. And not just the boys, of course – although the boys are certainly our focus here…
Find out more about me – and my partner Dave, our voyage of gay discovery and our interest in acrobatics and fitness. Two other books follow this one covering circus tours, creating a family, and some adventures and misadventures:
The Power of Love: ISBN 978-1-907732-41-6
Against All Odds: ISBN 978-1-908645-35-7
And now: back to the boys and their weights successes – and their selfies!
Others get their mates to take the pictures so you can, as it were, see the whole picture!
And, finally for today, what the 'weights mates' are meant to be doing! Notwithstanding that here must be a third guy behind the camera.
Incidentally, if anyone fancies 'rating' these pictures, the second one gets our vote, hands down!


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About: SoCalZoner
|Full Name
|SoCal Zoner
Posts by SoCalZoner:
If you can't stop smile as you go under
Sometimes people who drive horribly encourage road rage. Road rage is like roid rage, only without the steroids or homeruns or dead family members (we'll miss you Benoit). Though I'm not usually the kind to have road rage, I am not immune to it or it's effects. Now though, I have parking lot rage. Read More »
World's slowest new car not that smart
I have owned a fair share of cars (so far) in my lifetime, including a few Chevy Camaros, Lincoln Towncar & Continental, Dodge Magnum, and more. Since I have liked every car that I have owned, including the one that caught fire, I'm too smart to ever be caught driving a Smart. Read More »
Paper Is The Newest Fashion
Having seen fashion from all over the world, it has never occurred to me that paper would be so popular. You can write on it, make it fly, use it for origami, and now wear it on your face. Is this an Asian thing? What's with Asians? Read More »
Birthrate Declining Everywhere But Where I Look
The lowest birth rate in years, decades and whatever else. I'm not sure where the numbers were gathered from but I can tell you that when I'm driving through Los Angeles, I question if every-other Mexican isn't pregnant. Seems that either the Mexicans are getting fat or pregnant, except of course the bangers shooting each other. Read More »
Thank Fred for Hummers. I mean, without Hummers I know a lot of wives that wouldn't have nice jewelry, "working girls" that would have to become waitresses, waitresses that would lose tips, Champagne rooms that would become sparkling cider rooms, and your mom would have to get a real job. Let's not even talk about your sister's business. Read More »
Post Car Crash Syndrome
Nothing touches Post Tramatic Stress Syndrome (PTSS) except for PMS, and now in close third is PCCS. PCCS effects everyone that has gotten in a car crash and left evidence… that's when I arrive with my sometimes matching socks and neon colored helmet. Read More »
Car Turnover
Oops. That's got to be the thought when someone flips their car over, especially when it occurs to them through careful questioning by authorities that it was just an accident. Read More »
Nice Car Crash
Nothing proves that you are retarded more than not being able to drive a car. Even if someone else hits you, you are still retarded. If Jesus bombs your car, you are still retarded because as explained earlier (WWJB and WWJB).
Honor Student Dog
Maybe it's just me. Maybe it's just the retard with this sticker. I can understand when people are bothered or annoyed by the "My Child Is An Honor Student" stickers. In my day honor roll wasn't given out just because you spell your name correctly (though I got close to spelling it right so many times. Read More »
SUV vs Compact
Do you like a nice traffic causing car crashes as much as I do? If you don't, stay the hell off the following freeways: 101, 405, 5, 91, 1, 133, 26, 23, 118, 134 … oh hell, just move to someplace that only has farm equipment. Read More »


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$1,495.00 USDSize Chart
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Only available for the US market. All international clients please contact the Naeem Khan showroom at (212) 575-1173 or via email at email@example.com.


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After about 24 hours of travel from Maguire Air Force Base in New Jersey to Wheelus Air Force Base in Tripoli, Libya, my family and I spent our first night in Tripoli in the Hotel Del Mahari, which faced Tripoli Harbor. The long journey by airplane where the only rest was in an airplane seat on a noisy prop plane required some serious rejuvenation. Sunshine and new places to explore revived my spirits. We ate breakfast in the hotel dining room, a sizeable oval room that jutted out into Tripoli harbor and offered a view of ships and sailboats with the ocean in the near distance. Best of all, there was a tunnel under the street leading to the restaurant. My sister and I skipped through the tunnel, admiring the paintings and an aquarium filled with vividly colored fish, all of it relieving the white monotony of the tunnel's well-lit walls. As I was approaching my thirteenth birthday, I was soon to admire the restaurant more for its attractive young Italian waiters than the view or the charm of the tunnel.
In an expansive mood that first morning, my father announced plans to take his family on a "gharry" (an Indian word for buggy) ride to explore our new home. Gharries in Tripoli were horse-drawn open vehicles with large wheels, like carriages of old. I never questioned how an Indian word was being used in an Arab country once run by Italians.
The Libyan driver, shod in sandals and eager for business, stood on the hotel driveway in front of his gharry. He was dressed simply in baggy white pants and shirt, a black vest, and a burgundy-colored close-fitting cotton hat with a tab in the middle, which reminded me of a beanie. The small, well-used black gharry was hitched to a lean brown horse. Though the driver had a limited knowledge of English, he understood my father's wish that we be driven around both the new and the old city.
As we seated ourselves on bench seats facing each other, the gharry pulled out onto the lightly traveled harbor boulevard with the musical Italian name Lungomare, which means along the sea. A bright sun sparkled off the harbor's blue water, and a gentle sea breeze blew the fronds of the palm trees that lined the curving street on both sides. We passed along the edge of the new city headed for the old Barbary Pirate fort at the west end of the harbor, a distance of only ten long blocks. The new city gleamed: white, modern-looking and flat-roofed, enchanting us with its Arabian touches of mosque, minaret and arabesque decoration.
Within a few blocks we passed the Italian Cathedral, a grand edifice of granite with its own cross-embellished high dome and adjacent tower. It might have been lifted straight out of Italy. The Italians, who had first settled in Libya in 1911, had been an important part of the country's recent history. They ruled the country until World War II changed everything, and the United Nations granted Libya independence after the war.
The horse led the gharry past the Fountain of the Gazelle, a small traffic circle surrounded by tall palms in the middle of the boulevard. The circular fountain contained the statue of a seated nude woman, her right hand caressing the neck of a gazelle, which resembles a small horned deer, as she gazes into its eyes.
A short distance further, we were all impressed with an immense, three-storied white edifice surrounded by the ubiquitous palm. Resembling a princely palace, it had squared towers at all four corners. A taller squared tower, with finials on each of its corners, greeted guests from the center front of the gracious building. All its many windows were arched. Checking his guidebook, my father announced that it was the Grand Hotel, too fancy for his budget. But not too fancy for Vice President Richard Nixon, who in the mid-fifties was on a worldwide public relations tour for President Eisenhower, or for Sophia Loren and John Wayne, who stayed there while making a desert film, "Legend of the Lost," a couple of years later.
We were soon approaching the old city boundary, the Barbary Pirate fort. Also known as the Castle, it contained a hodgepodge of rooms displaying an assortment of old relics from pirate days as well as artifacts from Libyan history. The highest walls of the oddly shaped, but mostly rectangular stone structure projected toward the harbor. Its upper story had several large arched openings; on the harbor side cannons projected through these arches, the same ones that had fired at U.S. Marines in 1801. The Barbary Pirates managed to sink several Navy ships. The five Marine casualties were buried in a local cemetery and celebrated by Americans every July 4th (until all American service personnel left in 1970). Tripoli is the famous city in the Marine Corps song with its words – "from the halls of Monteczuma to the shores of Tripoli."
The horse and driver led us through an archway of the fort as we passed into the old city. The difference between old and new was apparent right away; here the streets and crumbling buildings were narrow and old. Tiny homes and shops, no longer whitewashed and neat as in the new city, were crowded together. It was alive with people: Arab men and women going about their business. Many of the men were dressed like the gharry driver, but others were in more traditional garb. Besides a shirt, very baggy trousers and sandals, they wore a light cloth wound around the head and over it a roughly textured brown or white covering, called a barracan, which draped around head and shoulders and ended below the knees. I later heard an unverified rumor that their loose trousers, with the crotch hanging almost to the knees, were designed that way to catch the prophet Mohammed, who, when he was reborn, would be born to a man. Women were carefully enclosed in a similar flowing white garment, but it covered them from head to toe, only the right eye and bare feet in sandals peeped out at the world.
Still traveling along the harbor, we could see working fishermen seated along the sand at the water's edge repairing fishing nets; others were bundling their nets into small fishing boats. The pungent smell of dead fish was pervasive. Some of these same fisherman turned their attention to flying creatures a year or so later when Tripoli was host to an invasion of locusts. They were considered a delicacy, and Libyan men would eagerly gather the winged bugs that had landed along the sea wall, putting them into bags to take home to eat, perhaps after roasting them over a fire.
The Libyan woman painting is courtesy of a fellow student at Wheelus High School, perhaps Chad Langdon. Pardon my lack of proper acknowledgment.


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Closed churchyard
Closure of this churchyard is lost in the mists of time, but responsibility devolved to Bath & North East Somerset Council in 1995 on the dissolution of Wandyke District Council.
Maintenance of grounds
The maintenance regime in place at present is to cut all churchyards fortnightly (weather permitting). All pruning, hedge cutting, etc., is carried out as winter works after the grass cutting season has ended. However if you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact the main office.
The council's arboricultural office keeps the trees under a 3 yearly review and agrees minor works with the volunteers. All major tree works are carried out by the council's tree specialists
Bereavement Services carries out a 5 year rolling programme of memorial testing to ensure that memorials are preserved as well as possible. The council does not have the right to restore memorials, but it does have the responsibility to make the cemetery a reasonably safe place to visit which enables it to lay down any memorials in danger of falling. Safety in cemeteries and churchyards has improved so much since such programmes were introduced, that now the main benefit from testing is to ensure that memorials are not left to rot until they fall smashing themselves, or neighbouring memorials, or both, in the process.
Six chest tombs in the south-east corner of the churchyard were included in a list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest compiled by the Secretary of State for the Environment under section 54 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971; five in October 1983 and another in July 1986. One of these is shaped like a cenotaph and is believed to be the last work of Edward Lutyens - Celia Brunel Noble one of the names on this memorial was the granddaughter of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Other graves of particular note include:
- The donor of Alice Park to the City of Bath - Herbert Montgomerie MacVicar and his wife Frances Alice Harriet MacVicar.
- Two relatives of the novelist Fanny Burney (whose remains are buried at Haycombe Cemetery).
- A local man who lived to 101 - not so unusual nowadays.


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It's time to polish my original Czech site www.ppc-consulting.cz, which I created in Google Sites sometime in 2009. Progress cannot be stopped and thus I'm launching this new redesigned website today.
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If you would like to cooperate with me, please fill out this form and I will get back to you.
Thank You, Lukas Moravek


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The Miami Heat signed veteran forward Shawne Williams on Friday.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
A six-year veteran, Williams spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers and their NBA D-League affiliate, Los Angeles Defenders. Williams averaged 5.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 17.1 minutes in 36 games with the Lakers, making 13 starts.
With the D-Fenders, he appeared in 23 games (21 starts) and averaged 20.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.09 blocks.
Originally selected in the first round (17th overall) by the Indiana Pacers in the 2006 NBA Draft, Williams has appeared in 251 career regular-season games, averaging 5.7 points and 3.1 rebounds.
The Heat now have 13 players under contract for the 2014-15 season.


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Rethinking Retention
The dilemma is one that many thousands of the nation's teachers grapple with each year. And the issue is becoming even thornier now that new research suggests the downside of retention may be even worse than people once thought.
Most teachers and administrators have traditionally supported holding students back a year for a number of reasons. They assumed that by forcing slow learners to repeat a grade, the students would mature, master deficient skills, and be less likely to fail when they reached the next grade. In this way, retention supporters argued, the dropout rate would actually be lowered. In addition, many educators have seen retention as a way to ensure the competence of high school graduates and bring standards and accountability to the educational system.
Support for retention became even stronger in the early 1980s. The first wave of educational reformers, driven by horror stories of illiterate high school graduates, took a get-tough stance, setting rigid guidelines that required low-achieving pupils to repeat a grade. Policies that tie promotion to test scores have been particularly common in reform-minded Southern states, such as Arkansas, Georgia, and North Carolina.
A growing body of research, however, challenges the assumption that retention helps students. In fact, research suggests the practice may actually cause them to drop out. As a result, a number of educators and policymakers have begun to reassess retention policies.
In a report released in April, the Massachusetts commissioner of education urged school districts to cease holding back low-achieving students; he cited research showing that the practice does not work. And a report by the Massachusetts Advocacy Council recommended that the Boston school system stop linking promotions to students' standardized test scores.
In May the chancellor of the New York City school system announced that he would end a mandatory, citywide policy that automatically holds students back in grades 4 and 7 if they score poorly on standardized tests.
The Chicago school system is reevaluating its promotion policy as part of a systemwide reform effort mandated by the state legislature.
And in June, Florida lawmakers became among the nation's first to adopt a measure encouraging districts to abolish retention in the early grades.
There are no reliable national data on the number of public school students retained each year. But Lorrie Shepard, the co-editor of a 1989 book on retention, estimates that as many as 2.4 million-- or 6 percent of K-12 pupils--are held back annually. By the 9th grade, says Shepard, a professor of education at the University of Colorado Boulder, approximately 50 percent of all U.S. students have failed at least one grade or are no longer in school. She estimates that districts collectively spend nearly $10 billion annually to pay for the extra year of school necessitated by holding so many back.
Retention rates vary widely. A study of 29 urban school systems found that nonpromotion rates for 1st graders ranged from a low of 1 percent to a high of 23 percent. For 9th graders the rate ranged from 1 percent to 63 percent. The study, conducted by the Council of the Great City Schools, also found that the poorest districts were twice as likely as their wealthier counterparts to fail students.
Recent research raises serious questions about the benefits of this practice. A 1989 analysis of 63 controlled studies--in which retained students were followed and compared with children of similar achievement who went directly on to the next grade-- found that youngsters who were held back actually performed worse than those who were not. Their behavior, school attitudes, and attendance were also poorer.
The research indicates that most children perceive "staying back'' as punishment, which makes them feel sad, bad, upset, or embarrassed-- emotions that may be manifested in later behavioral difficulties.
"The other children called me 'burro,' slang for dumb,'' recalls a school administrator in Arizona who was held back as a child. Watching them go to the next grade without him was painful, he told The Arizona Republic, asking that he not be identified. "There's always this gnawing feeling that something is wrong with you. It's something that still lingers. It never really leaves you.''
For many children, the problems associated with retention culminate in the students' quitting school, critics of the practice assert. A 1986 New York City study found that 40 percent of the city's children who were retained dropped out before the end of high school, compared with 25 percent of students with comparable reading levels who had not been held back. Similar findings have emerged from research in Chicago, Boston, and Dade County, Fla.
But among educators there is still no general consensus on whether retention is good or bad. Teacher Sharon Lee, like many others, is torn over the issue. "If we don't have standards and just pass kids along, are we perpetuating [a situation in which] students graduate from school illiterate?'' she asks. At the same time, she worries: Will just "following guidelines and retaining children'' cause them to drop out down the road?
Teacher Beatrice Mitchell doesn't have such doubts. She believes that retaining children--especially young children--benefits them, and she holds back one or two pupils a year. "At first the kids who are retained feel bad,'' says Mitchell, a 1st grade teacher at Hearst Elementary School in Washington, D.C. But she says she works hard at boosting their selfesteem and finds that "maturity--just being one year older--makes them do better.''
At least one survey has found that a majority of teachers agree with Mitchell. Researchers Deborah Byrnes of Utah State University and Kaoru Yamamoto of Arizona State University polled 145 Arizona elementary teachers, 65 percent of whom said they believe students who do not meet the requirements of the grade should usually or always be retained.
From personal interviews with 25 of the teachers, Byrnes and Yamamoto also discovered that many teachers feel pressure to retain students from their colleagues in the next grade. Writing in The Journal of Research and Development in Education, the researchers reported that the teachers "felt that the next grade teachers would not be able to accommodate the child's level of skills or emotional development and the child would experience even more failure. They also feared being ridiculed by the teachers of the following grade for creating more work for them by sending such ill-prepared students.''
Shepard and other critics of traditional retention practices argue that the alternative to retaining students is not simply to promote them, but to promote them while providing additional support, such as tutoring and mentoring. "Instead of 'social promotion,' which is sort of 'promote them and don't pay any attention to their lack of skills,'' she says, "we talk about normal grade-promotion plus.''
The growing skepticism about the value of retaining students is prompting some schools to change their policies, especially in the early grades. In recent years states such as Georgia have backed away from the controversial practice of making children repeat kindergarten because of low test scores. And wideranging school reform legislation in Kentucky has replaced grades K-3 with an ungraded primary program in which children will progress at their own pace. Mississippi is also experimenting with ungraded classrooms in grades 1-3.
Despite such stirrings, many educators note that changing the public's belief in the efficacy of retention may prove difficult. According to a 1986 Gallup poll, 72 percent of citizens surveyed favored stricter promotion standards.
Another problem, according to Shepard, is that most alternatives to retention cost money, which must be requested in a district's budget on a line-item basis. In contrast, the cost of retention is hidden in a district's education budget and billed to the state in the form of per-pupil costs.
Regardless of the arguments for and against current retention policies, another observer suggests, the prevalence of the practice points to the deficiencies in the education afforded many students.
"Anyway you look at it,'' notes Lynn Cornett, vice president of the Southern Regional Education Board, "the retention rates do tell us that there are large numbers of students who are not prepared to move on to the next grade, and that seems to be what is important about it.''
Lynn Olson, Education Week
Editorial Assistant M. Dominique Long also contributed to this report.
Vol. 01, Issue 10, Page 1-24
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All comments are public.


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"You know, you're not that fat. Chubby? Yes. But not that fat."
This was the priceless appraisal I received from a gay man after an hour and a half on our first (and likely last) date. Earlier, he had told me that he was not afraid "to tell it like it is to people's faces," so I really shouldn't have been that surprised. And to be honest I really wasn't. Not to mention he may have been simply trying to prove his New Yorkiness to me, a recent transplant to Brooklyn from the genteel, passive aggressive oasis that is the Pacific Northwest where people talk shit to others like they were taught to: behind their backs. But coastal-cultural differences aside, this is what I needed to tell him: shut the fuck up, bitch.
My body is my body, and the fact that physicality is, for better or worse, a very public and visible part of one's character, does not mean you have free rein to discuss and judge my appearance after getting to know me over the course of drinking a single grande iced coffee. Would he comment (a.k.a. ridicule) someone's socioeconomic status, their religious affiliation, their level of education, etc after a similar length of time? I would really hope not. But for some reason people think it's alright to politely snide—might I suggest drop a microaggression—on the less-than-supermodel beautiful class of people because, hey, I've been looking at you for this long, why can't I give you my unsolicited advice on your physical failings?
You see, if you're one of the lucky few who has been blessed with a body that the majority of society deems "beautiful," you may not realize how ingrained body image issues are to the rest of us. Calling someone "chubby," (or "big boned," "husky," "bigger") will inevitably translate in our minds to "lazy," "irresponsible," "lacking will power," and "not good enough" because those are the associations that we have grown up with and have been taught to believe throughout our lives. In no way could anyone, ever, say, "I'm just telling you like it is," and mean it in good faith. If anyone suggested that to me, as this person did, there are only two options: They have no idea how raw and deep-rooted body image issues run in someone's persona or they are a sociopath who would also condone, "Let me degrade my fellow humans for sport without regard for their emotional well being... because I just tell it like it is."
This isn't to say that individuals have no opportunity to talk about another person's fat; it's just that the right time to have such a delicate conversation is really fucking rare. Are you a doctor concerned with someone's obesity-related health risks? Great, you might be entitled to bring up your concerns over their weight, granted you keep the discussion strictly on health concerns. Are you a person in a long-term relationship who's seeing his/her partner put on the pounds in an unflattering way? You—maybe, MAYBE—have grounds to bring up weight-related concerns granted you make it abundantly clear you love them regardless, you use the absolute utmost care when bringing up the topic, and you convey without ambiguity that their loss of weight could be beneficial for everyone, including the relationship itself, involved. (Let me say that the level of care necessary to bring up this topic without conflict is practically insurmountable, but I do think couples should have the space to discuss it.) Both the doctor/long-term partner scenarios share two very important characteristics: the person bringing up the weight-related concern has the other party's best interest at heart, and, perhaps more importantly, the trust between the two parties is absolutely unquestioned.
So what should my date have said instead? Nada. Zilch. Zero. He doesn't know me. I don't know him. I don't care about what he was looking for in his romantic partner. I don't know what degree of self-servingness his off-the-cuff comments on my heavier than ideal body contain. Maybe it was true that he was "just telling it like it is" and that his comments contained no ill will. I don't fucking care. Why? Because the vocalization of his judgment over me at that point in our (nonexistent) relationship was as acceptable as if he had turned around in the cafe queue and vocalized his views of the waistline owned by the person behind him. You don't do that shit. That is gauche. YOU ARE A BAD PERSON FOR SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT. There is a special circle in hell reserved for your kind!
If you are on a date and you don't like what you see, you have every right to publicly or privately end the relationship's potential right there. Physical beauty is a completely acceptable characteristic that you're allowed to check off on your list of "must-haves." But you are not—never, never-ever-ever—allowed to demean another human who does not meet that level of beauty. Even if you feel compelled to just "tell it like it is."
Please incorporate this new piece of information into your dating lives going forward.
Thank you.
Image labeled for reuse by Kyarako
Kevin Zimmerman is a freelance writer currently residing in Brooklyn. He goes by Clio while on Kinja, is shopping a YA novel, and can be contacted via Facebook here and on Twitter here.


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Whether it's a small, straightforward bathroom remodel or a complete home makeover … we bring the same attention to detail to every project. All remodeling projects have a degree of 'unknown' involved until the walls and ceilings are opened up. An experienced contractor can anticipate many of the particular challenges, but never all of them … always expect some surprises when remodeling.
Breathing new life into an antique home can be a very rewarding experience, as much for the contractor as the owner. A thorough understanding of historical building methods as well as materials and finishes unique to the particular period of the home is essential. Also expect to become very friendly with the local historical society.
New Construction
Starting with a clean slate affords an owner the opportunity to design and build a home, or addition, that is truly unique to them. Having a reputable contractor involved from the very beginning of the design phase will ensure that what looks good on paper is realistic for the given budget.


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Stachris Travel with Baby Prize Bundle Giveaway! Total RV $236 ~ Ends 12/31
Stachris Travel with Baby Prize Bundle Giveaway!
Welcome to the Stachris Travel with Baby Prize Bundle Giveaway! 2 lucky winners will each receive baby gear that's great for traveling.
This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking my links, at no extra cost to you.
Sponsored By: Stachris
Hosted By: Love, Mrs. Mommy
Co-Hosted By:
2 Winners Will Receive:
A Designer Baby Diaper Bag &
Car Seat Cover w/ Four Bandana Bibs & Pacifier Clips!
$118 in prizes for each winner!! A $236 TRV Giveaway!
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Open to US entries and must be 18+ to enter!
Giveaway Dates ~ 12/16 9:00 AM EST through 12/31 11:59PM EST
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Disclosure: Love, Mrs. Mommy and all participating bloggers are not held responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. Love, Mrs. Mommy received Stachris products at no cost to facilitate the above-mentioned review. This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook or any other social media site. The winner will be randomly drawn by Giveaway Tools and will be notified by email. Winner has 48 hours to reply before a replacement winner will be drawn. If you would like to participate in an event like this please contact LoveMrsMommy (at) gmail (dot) com.


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Hunting RSS
How a Hunting GPS Can Increase Your Survival Rate
Feeling safe is one of the best feeling you can have especially when you are stranded in the wilderness. A GPS is one amazing tool which can give you that feeling of ease when you most needed it. No doubt that having a GPS can help you to hunt effectively as well, where a GPS can aid you by searching direct routes to reach your favorite hunting spot.


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|Main Page
|George Buzzes the Dock
Robert Cardona
Jeff Rosen
|Air date
July 27th, 1993
|Previous episode
|Next episode
George Buzzes the Dock is the seventeenth episode of the first season.
Children aren't coming to the Sandy Beach anymore and no one knows why until they notice the growing piles of garbage along the shore. The observation leads to an argument between Emily and George about who is causing the most pollution. The Dispatcher interrupts, warning the pair that he'll give their oceangoing assignments to Theodore if they don't stop fighting. That comment catches Theodore's attention. He is working hard to become a v-tug. If he keeps quiet, he can get his chance. But he knows that if he speaks up he will end the fight. The young tug opts to help his friends by pointing out that all the tugs make pollution and so do lots of other people in the Harbour. When George comes home and buzzes Donald Dock, he leaves a cloud of smoke. Foduck's radio disturbs the quiet places in the Harbour. Emily leaves her engine on even when she isn't working. Theodore leaks oil and Hank had tossed his old bumpers in the cove. The first part of this two-part story ends with the tugs agreeing to clean up their act by having a Big Harbour Clean-up Contest.
- Theodore
- Emily
- George
- Hank
- Foduck
- The Dispatcher
- Barrington (does not speak)
- Benjamin Bridge (does not speak)
- Donald Dock (does not speak)
- Chimey (does not speak)
- Pearl (cameo)
- Lilly (cameo)
- Bedford (cameo)
- Phillip and Filmore (cameo)
- Rodney (mentioned)
- The Children (mentioned)
- This episode forms the first and only two part episode.
- A deleted scene from True Blue Friends is used.
- When The Dispatcher explains that there are other tugs who can go out on the ocean, a person is seen moving in the top right corner.
- When Hank says "Uh oh" as George approaches the dock, he has his bumpers back even though he had gotten rid of them earlier in the episode.
- When Hank is out of control, Theodore is seen smiling in some shots.
- In one scene with the group of tugs Emily is seen wearing one of George's face masks


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The art of conversation takes practice, but it's not as hard as you might think. Whether it's at a dinner party, your school, or over the phone, a great conversation starts when two or more people are on the same page and feel comfortable talking with each other. By following the steps in this article, you can learn to relax and have a great conversation with just about anybody.
Find out a few things about the person you'll be talking to (if you can) before you actually start a conversation. Websites as well as Facebook and Twitter profiles can be good sources of information, as long as you're careful not to come across as a stalker. Kick off the conversation with some interesting information that's not too personal.
Ask questions so that the other person can talk about himself or herself. "What do you like to do?" "What sort of things have you done in your life?" "What is happening to you now?" "What did you do today or last weekend?" Identify things about them that you might be interested in hearing about, and politely ask questions. People love having a chance to discuss their passions or their subjects of expertise.
Inject invitation and inspiration.
Comment on a general interest topic. Some people briefly read the current events section of the news so that if the conversation runs dry, they can comment on something of general interest.[2] "Did you hear about the new underground park being built in uptown?" is both interesting and informative.
Listen actively. A conversation will go nowhere if you are too busy thinking of other things, including what you plan to say next. If you listen well, you'll identify questions to ask based on the other person's statements.
Forget yourself. Dale Carnegie once said, "It's much easier to become interested in others than it is to convince them to be interested in you."[3] If you are too busy thinking about yourself, what you look like or what the other person might be thinking, then you will never be able to relax. Your discomfort will make the other person uncomfortable.
Voice disagreement with respect. When stating a difference of opinion, remember these points:
Accept occasional silences. Take a drink or a bite of your dinner while you think of the next thing that you want to say. Did something that was said generate a new thought or topic in your mind? Use the pause to transition smoothly into further conversation.
Occasionally, ask the question that is looming over the conversation. Humans are social creatures, and society has etiquette that's based on rules. There's so much etiquette it would be painful to list, but it's worth noting that sometimes people enjoy stepping beyond etiquette and talking about the things they thought they weren't allowed to talk about. It can be really refreshing, and pave the way for great conversation.
Tell stories, preferably funny ones. Stories are the spice of life. Joan Didion famously said "We tell ourselves stories in order to live,"[4] and many people happen to believe her. There's something about an expertly told story that takes us to a different place, allowing us to escape our tiny lives and live a grander existence. Don't be afraid to go to that place in your conversation. A couple things to remember in your storytelling:
In a pinch, comment on the awkwardness of it all. If you're really at a loss for words and the conversation is shrinking faster than cellophane under a bit of heat, comment on how awkward the conversation has become; be humorous about it:
Know when the conversation has ended. Even the best conversations will eventually run out of steam or be ended by an interruption. Smile, state that you enjoyed the conversation and say goodbye. Ending on a positive note will make the other person want to talk to you again.
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India ink was first invented in China as early as 2500 BC, during Neolithic China. The term India ink however, was coined by the English due to the later trade with India.
Ink drawings have a very long artistic tradition. It lends drawings expression and durability and can also be combined with many other drawing techniques. This includes being painted over with transparent colors without smudging as India ink is waterproof when dry.
Other characteristics include high light resistance, odor-free, acid-free and pH neutral.


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The Gender Problem
One of the problems with Esperanto is gender. This issue causes a lot of arguing and strife from either side, and, to some extent, it can deter people from wanting to continue learning the language, because of the adversity faced when trying to account for this gender problem with the -iĉ suffix.
So, quick overview. The words: Viro, Patro, Frato, Filo, Edzo, are male by default. These are Man, Father, Brother, Son, and Husband, respectively. To get Woman, Mother, Sister, Daughter, and Wife, you must add the -in suffix: Virino, Patrino, Fratino, Filino, Edzino.
It has been suggested, but is not an official part of the language, to use the -iĉ prefix to denote maleness (Viriĉo, Patriĉo, Fratiĉo, Filiĉo, Edziĉo), while using the original roots (Viro, Patro, etc.) as gender-neutral forms.
I will additionally state that for the words I've listed, there is no "Gender neutral" version. You can say "Gepatroj", which means multiple parents of both genders, but "Gepatro" would mean a parent who is two genders at once – at least literally. It confuses the hearer.
There is no equivalent of "Kid" and "Child", as in English; a child must be male or female (heaven forbid they want to identify as something else!)
If you look at a discussion about it online, those who are against the -iĉ suffix seem to have certain arguments:
- This is a non-issue, having a female suffix and male default isn't sexist, and how dare you bring this up.
- Esperanto has had these rules for 125 years! We can't change this sort of thing! Tradition!
- If we have to change one thing in Esperanto, then the changes will never end! We will reform ourselves into oblivion!
- I'm a woman, and I don't agree with your point of view on using the -iĉ suffix, and therefore your argument is completely moot. Because I'm a woman.
- We do use "Patro" as a general word for parent, and to specify a father, you add the prefix vir-: virpatro.
- Because there's a suffix for women (-in) but not for men, this means that the female suffix is an honorary term, and therefore sexist toward men instead.
- If we use the -iĉ suffix, then our word for Grandson, Nepo, becomes Nepiĉo, where piĉo is a certain very-bad word. We don't want to call our grandsons bad words! (though, "Ne" also means "Not", so then it would be… not that bad word?)
And here's another discussion, also on Lernu.net.
My Problems with Gender in Esperanto
So, I have taken some time to figure out what exactly bothers me about the current way Esperanto is, and the response people have when one uses -iĉ or debates for using -iĉ. Here are some main points:
1. The Male Default
Why is male the default? Why should a neutral point-of-view be the default? By having women be derived from man, and having man be the default, it implies that the male point-of-view is default, primary, and more important.
And, even if you don't agree with this yourself, that doesn't mean my point-of-view (and other peoples' points-of-views on this topic) is moot. It just means you don't understand where I'm coming from.
2. How do you speak about a child, generically?
In English, we're used to having many gender-neutral words. We don't have gendered words for our inanimate objects. We do have some adopted words, like Waiter and Waitress, but that's an exception.
I can speak of a Parent, or a Mother, or a Father. And, maybe people from another language may not be able to see my point of view here, either, but I honestly cannot see why anyone would not understand: Why it must be possible to talk about a demographic generically, without assigning a gender.
3. Why do some people correct me when I call myself a "Programisto"?
A Programisto is the term for a Programmer. But, of course, traditionally it's a male default. I've been told to call myself a "Programistino" – a woman programmer.
This bugs me quite a bit: Why does my gender matter in my profession? Why can I not just say that I am simply a "Programmer", but a gender has to be assigned to myself? At least with men, when "Programisto" is mentioned, it can be assumed to be either male or neutral, since many people these days consider the standard noun to be neutral, even though this is not how Esperanto traditionally was.
4. If we use the base term as the neutral, how do I specify a male?
Say I have a spouse. If we assume Edzo to mean spouse, and Edzino to mean wife, how do I specify husband?
5. The vir- prefix
It has been suggested that, when wanting to specifically state something is male, we use the prefix vir-. Remember that viro is man and virino is woman. BUT! This causes a problem: If now "Edzo" is gender neutral, and "Patro" simply means parent, neutrally, then what is a "Viro"? Is that a gender-neutral-person, or a man? What about Virino? Is that a man-woman?
Secondly, what does the placement here mean? What can it imply, and what can be inferred?
Men get a prefix: Vir-
Women get a suffix: -in
Again, many people who argue that this causes no problems doesn't understand the implications. Yes, by having these not symmetric (both suffixes or both prefixes), it sure can imply that men are, again, primary, and women are secondary. It at least separates men from women as being of the same class, in that men are of a form that requires a prefix and women are something different, requiring a suffix. That perhaps we're not of the same status.
6. Derivation
Esperanto was built to be a very regular language; very standard rules with no exceptions. One of these rules was cutting down the amount of words by having a male word, and a female suffix. If we adapt it today and say that the base word is gender-neutral, such as "Edzo" (spouse), there are still problems with some of the words:
Patro. Frato. These are derived from masculine words in Latin. Patro is always going to sound like Father, even if we have Virpatro or Patriĉo.
And again, a third point about women coming after men, or women being derived from men.
The language Ido (essentially Esperanto++, but not as popular as C++ 🙂 solves this problem by having separate words. Matro and Patro. Of course, this undoes this one aspect of Esperanto meant to make things easier, but I prefer this to having "Patro" be generic. Or, I would go for having a new base-word for "Parent".
Let's always start from a neutral base, and add symmetric affixes for different genders: -in, -iĉ, and I know there have been suggestions for other, but I cannot find the thread anymore.
Arguments against "iĉistoj":
So those are my main points. Now, for the arguments against -iĉ…
1. This is a non-issue / Sexism doesn't exist
A. I think that this whole "Esperanto is sexist!" criticism is ridiculous, and it annoys me to no end that it is constantly brought up.
If it is "constantly" being brought up, doesn't that denote that some amount of the population is having trouble with it? Just because you may not be personally affected, doesn't mean that everybody shares your experience.
And that, without talk about THE BIG INSULTING LIE about sexism in esperanto. I haven`t seen yet how that change ovoids the sexism; a sexist person could be totally comfortable using that suffix because it makes an even more very remarkable difference between genres.
Now if for you the fact that patrino comes from patro is a discrimination, to me it seems exactly the same thing: an obsession, a paranoia.
What is really alienating about the Esperanto community (and not just to me, but others as well) is this assumption that one's point-of-view is always completely unbias. How can the dominant demographic unabashedly tell others that their complaints are invalid? That it's a lie?
2. Tradition / Reform is bad!
Now, this is a stupid and ridiculous idea. Whom does it bother that you can differenciate between the genders? That's how almost all languages work! Why do these people think that Esperanto should not be allowed to have features that other languages have? They try to water down Esperanto until it is a completely Spartan and ambiguous language!
One thing that is not mentioned is that Esperanto is far less sexist than many European languages.
Because something is "less-sexist" or "less-racist" doesn't mean it should remain as it is, and not get better…
Personally, I don't think of Esperanto as being some kind of linguistic buffet, where we can take some of this, some of that, mmmm that looks yummy, ew no that's no good…
Esperanto is what it is. Riism is an overt attempt to change Esperanto, which makes the result… like it or not, not Esperanto. If we did that with English, the grabja espno wouldn't breeve. You vad?
English has made a point to rebrand terms; rather than just "Policeman", "Police Officer" is a better term. Languages change all the time!
The reason is easy to understand: It creates confusion with the esperanto system. It's not compatible with the esperanto system, because there are already 125 years of writings and recordings that use the esperanto system and it would make mandatory to learn two ways of doing something that now works fine with only one way, it would make mandatory almost every time to guess what system someone is using, because with the "aĉa" system it is very unusual to use the "aĉa" suffix. So, if we still depends on context to understand something, what the hell is solving that suffix?
This is the only argument against that seem legitimate to me. There are historical writings, and messing with the language too much would render those writings perhaps incomprehensible. However, I do not think that adding a -iĉ suffix, while continuing to use Esperanto as-is, will really throw many people off.
3. I'm a woman and I disagree, therefore you're wrong
This is never a valid argument, ever, and I see this so much online with any sort of debate. Just because you disagree does not mean the person with a different opinion is wrong, or invalid, or doesn't deserve to argue their points.
4. -in is sexist towards men
A. It is males, not females, who may feel discriminated against by the -in suffix.
For example, if the Constitution of a Land (say, Esperantio), says that the head of the Executive Power is "la prezidanto", women can still get into that office. On the other hand, if it says "la prezidantino", men must lose all hope.
As you can see, women have a special suffix which, when used, excludes inequivocally the male gender, while men must get around with the neutral, thus always leaving room to women.
You have to be kidding me. This is like arguing that the "Society of Black Engineers" on campus is racist towards white people, or "Black Girls Code" is sexist AND racist against white boys.
Historical context cannot be forgotten when it comes to issues like these. And I know, the word "privilege" gets passed around a lot as a means for insulting the other party, but this is exactly what this is about.
Finally, I like these comments:
I voted No, and I am male, but that's not entirely true, because it doesn't bother me, personally, but the fact that it bothers some people and therefore may hinder Esperanto, bothers me. Know what I mean?
Esperanto doesn't have a way to refer to a third person without specifying the gender. That's a big shortcoming because sometimes one doesn't know the gender or doesn't want to communicate it.
In some cases it may be an aesthetic issue, in some other cases it may hinder communication. I've seen many times of the later when translating from English to Spanish because in Spanish we must apply gender to all nouns and adjectives, so in that regard Spanish is inferior to English. And Esperanto can be better, with just a simple addition: ri.
The other issue is asymmetry. I find asymmetry displeasing and un-aesthetic. That asymmetry is that some nouns are masculine by default. We have to change them to make them feminine. This asymmetry has the potential of causing the same expression problem caused by the lack of a third person singular neutral pronoun. We have ge-, but ge- according to the dictionaries I checked doesn't mean neutral, they mean both-sexes. So the correctness of calling gepatroj to the parents of a child where both parents are male could be challenged. They should be called patroj, and that might be revealing too much. Maybe you have to be in such a situation to understand it.
Of course solving that might be very hard, because it requires a change. Adding the suffix -iĉ-, and using it to indicate male, after some time may generate a void of the root noun which eventually can be used to turn those nouns into neutral. Not "both-genders" but "any-gender".
And I know many would say: "But Esperanto already works quite well the well it is.". For those I can't but remind you that "But English already works quite well the well it is." is the reason why not only 5% of the world, but almost the whole world choose not to learn Esperanto. I know Esperanto works and I know it is the best option out there and that's why I defend it and advocate it as much as I can. But I will not stop raising the issues I see that could make Esperanto work better.
And of course, an argument like this is met with a response of "Pupeno, I am still waiting for you to sign up for my campaign to improve Spanish and English." – Sarcasm, rather than respecting another's opinion and debating without spite.
people speak English an Spanish because it's what's around them, not by choice. It is not conceivable that they will fix them because something else that would be done by choice and they are not choosing anything.
If you're considering learning Esperanto, but this issue bothers you…
When I first began learning Esperanto, I found that everybody was very friendly and nice. Though, as time goes on, you realize that the relatively small Esperanto community is just a community of people – people you agree with, people who anger you, people who curse and coarse, and people who are creative and constructive. It's a community of people.
And I get disheartened, and I stop learning for a bit, and then I come back. It's understandable if you see a problem with something, and it seems like even trying to bring up the topic will just cause anger and toxic words.
But here's my perspective: Speak however you want to speak. Some people do use -iĉ and deal with it when people immediately point it out and start complaining. If enough people use it, it will catch on. If enough people use it, maybe we can gain more respect, rather than abrasiveness, from fellow Esperantistoj.
I would perhaps ask those who are anti-iĉ to view it like religion: I'm atheist, and you might hate atheists and completely disagree with me, but if someone found that out about me while out in the world, I wouldn't expect to be shamed or continually challenged for my beliefs. It's frustrating when I try to express myself through art, using a language that I've chosen to adopt, and the only thing people can see is the "-iĉ". If you don't like it – ignore it.
And no, it won't taint a beginner's ability to learn the language. They'll find out what -iĉ means, and its implications, and decide for themselves what to do. Then they will understand when someone says viriĉo, whether or not they would say viro or viriĉo, themselves.
See Also
- Gender reform in Esperanto (Wikipedia) – Discusses gender, Riism, k.t.p.
- Comparison between Espearnto and Ido (Wikipedia)
My Work in Esperanto
- My Esperanto vLog / Smaller projects
- My main YouTube channel – Usually about game development, but any large animated projects will go here.
- Esperanimeo – A blog I've created and invited authors to, which has entertainment in Esperanto, as well as links to music, books, videos, software, video games, etc. that I've found online.
Maybe I'll translate this article once I'm fluent enough. >_>


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Test and Measurement
Providing Performance, Reliability, and Security for Smart Benchmarking Solutions
Optimized, real-time performance. System integration with various sensors, meters, probes, etc. Optimized Human-to-Machine Interface (HMI). Secure, remote access and responsive UI. IoT. These are just some of the benefits and use cases Timesys addresses with its test and measurement customers with products and systems used to benchmark others' performance.
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Export 2 results:Author Title Type [ Year]
Filters: First Letter Of Title is Q and Author is Oleksiy Koval [Clear All Filters]
"Quantization-Based Methods: Additive Attacks Performance Analysis", Transactions on Data Hiding and Multimedia Security III, vol. 4920, pp. 70-90, 2008.,
"Quantization-based watermarking performance improvement using host statistics: additive noise attack", in ACM Workshop on Multimedia and Security (MMSEC), Magdeburg, Germany, 2004.,


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Reverse Osmosis Filter's; Do They Work?
posted in: Commercial Fish Tanks, Residential Fish Tanks | 0
Anyone worth his salt(pun intended), will tell you that with saltwater fish, corals and marine life you need a Reverse Osmosis Filter (RODI) for water production. Does it really work? Below is a short experience we had with our Reverse … Continued


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Living with Guns: Changing the Social Image of Gun Owners
James Swan 04.12.13
Recently I drove to a bank in Santa Fe. I parked next to an old, modified Cadillac. There was someone sitting in the driver's seat but I couldn't see them as the windows were up and tinted. I got out, walked into the bank, went inside and came out. As I was getting into my car, I got a look at the guy in the Cadillac as his window was down. He was a twentyish-year-old male, lots of tattoos, piercings, and dressed like a gang banger. Then I saw that he was handling a pistol–at least a .38. He holstered it as I started my car–with the muzzle pointing in my direction. My first thought was, "Is this guy casing out a bank? Regardless, he is recklessly brandishing the firearm in the public place. What should I do?"
I took a deep breath and I thought. I remembered that New Mexico is an open carry state. I also recalled what a friend of mine who is a concealed carry instructor had said about such a situation: "the answer is three words: proceed with caution. Why provoke a reaction based on what you think may happen?"
I quickly and quietly backed away. As I drove off I saw a girl about the same age as the guy coming out of the bank and heading for his car, so I guess it was his girlfriend and he was just waiting for her. No reports of armed robbery of a bank in Santa Fe paper the next morning, so…
I began working with law enforcement in the late 1960s after the Detroit Riots of 1967, and have since consulted on a variety of police work from crime prevention to improving police-community relations and assessing prisoners at the federal, state, and local level. For the last 10 years or so I've been working with California game wardens, including doing a lot of ride-alongs on land, sea, and in the air (like in the TV show Castle). In a couple cases I've been a warden's back-up when we came upon a dicey situation and no other law enforcement was even remotely close. My work with law enforcement has made me think a little like them. I know they would have approached the guy in the Cadillac, hand on their pistol, and used a calm voice to address him. As a public citizen, I believe that I did the right thing, but the incident got me thinking about living with guns and how social standards get set.
Guns and gun culture across America
Recent public mass shootings and sensationalist media have thrust firearms in the spotlight, for better or for worse. Imagine what could have happened if instead of me, the person who saw the gun in the hands of what appeared to be a gang banger casing out a bank, was neutral about guns, or was violently opposed to guns. That one incident could have triggered the right person into anti-gun action that would further polarized people and maybe even resulted in removal of some gun rights. Or, suppose that I confronted the guy, resulting in a nasty incident.
Anyone who ever has been to a large sporting event or a rock concert knows how emotions can be contagious. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You want to preserve guns rights? Lobbying is important, but let's all get behind working on improving the image of firearms in society. The point that I am coming to here is that we have to do a better job about integrating guns into the psychology of mainstream culture by educating people about them and setting the standards about how they are viewed.
I grew up on Grosse Ile, a Michigan island situated at the mouth of the Detroit River as it empties into Lake Erie. Hunting was prohibited in Grosse Ile township, but if you placed one foot in the water, duck hunting became legal, and a significant percentage of the people owned guns and hunted. In fact, when you went to someone's house for dinner, it was considered appropriate to ask three questions: "Have you been out fishing for perch and walleyes?" "Did you get a buck last fall?" and "Do you have any new guns?" Firearms were commonly displayed on racks or in cases and it was proper etiquette for a guest to ask to inspect them. In short, guns were an accepted part of culture and people all participated in keeping guns safe and sane as a cultural standard.
When I moved to Oregon and Washington, gun racks seemed to be standard equipment for trucks once you got outside of major towns like Portland or Seattle. My point here is that attitudes towards firearms are cultural–some places they are normal parts of everyday life, other places they are seen as weapons of violence and terror. At best, guns should make the world feel safer.
Then I lived in California for 28 years, where the best-selling firearms book in the state is How To Own a Gun and Stay Out of Jail in California by attorney John Machtinger, which has sold over 100,000 copies.
I well remember the time when I was living in California and I won a Glock pistol at a National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) shooting competition. It was shipped to me via a local sporting goods store in San Rafael. I passed the background check, but then as I was about to leave the store with the pistol, the dealer said, "Ah, you really need a locked case of some kind for that. You could legally walk outside with it in your hand, but if a police officer saw you, he would definitely stop you. If you drive away with it on the seat, then it's legal, but again, don't get caught for speeding. And if you put it in the glove compartment, it's concealed carry, and you got to get a permit for that." (In 2012 California passed a law that prohibits open carry in incorporated areas.)
New Mexico, where I now live, is an open carry state. If I had seen a police officer sitting in a parked patrol vehicle a block or two away from the guy with the pistol in the bank parking lot, I would have stopped and told the cop, not because the guy had a gun, but because he was brandishing it. I don't care who he was–gang member, veteran, or undercover officer–that was not appropriate behavior in public.
Changing the perception of firearms
Some people have reacted negatively to the National Rifle Association's (NRA) position on having armed guards and/or armed teachers and administrators in schools. It's nothing new. When I worked on community mental research in Detroit right after the 1967 riots, there were armed guards, uniformed and plain clothes, in Detroit public schools. They were called "community agents," and generally people did not like them much. Teachers, students, and staff all felt uneasy about them as there was no program to educate about them. I applaud the NRA National School Shield Program to train teacher and staff in schools that want to use armed guards. If people are going to be around guns, they need to feel comfortable with them and training an entire school is the way to do it. It replaces fear with respect.
In an earlier article I described the Swiss experience, where shooting is the national sport. The Swiss have many more shooting ranges than golf courses. The Swiss carry their guns around openly on trains, in restaurants, supermarkets, and so on. No one bothers about the guns and the Swiss firearms crime rate is far below that of the U.S.
The FBI estimates that there are at least 300 million guns in the U.S. and at least 100 million gun owners. In the area where I live, police and game wardens estimate about 80% of the homes own at least one gun. I have no problem with that so long as the folks who own the guns use them correctly, lawfully, and respectfully. One good way to teach that ethic is through sports.
Learning to live with firearms involves not just learning to shoot one, but learning the difference between fear and respect for guns. The late, great, actor Robert Stack used to say that "You meet the nicest people on a shooting range." Bob had a one-line joke for every clay pigeon he hit or missed, and he missed precious few. He hit the bull's-eye with his remark about sport shooters.
There are at least 26 million people who participate in shooting sports in the U.S. There ought to be more. Shooting sports teach respect and skill development, as well as the proper form and rules for handling firearms. Rifle, pistol, shotgun, and archery are all Olympic sports. If you want a real challenge, try the biathlon, which is inboth the Winter and Summer Olympics. To describe the physical ability required, imagine hitting 1.8-inch and 4.5-inch bull's-eyes at 50 meters after climbing five flights of stairs as fast as you can. And if you miss, you get a penalty of additional skiing or running.
I'd like to see more gun clubs, public shooting ranges and shooting competitions in schools in the U.S. The Archery in The Schools program, the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Trailblazer Program, and the Scholastic Clay Target Program are examples of a breath of fresh air on public education about firearms.
A U.S. Justice Department study tracking a cohort of boys through four years of high school in Rochester, New York found that boys who owned legal guns had lower rates of drug abuse, delinquency, and crime than boys who owned no guns did. One of the authors of the study, criminologist Alan Lizotte, says that this finding is consistent with several other studies he has conducted that show that boys who own illegal guns are socialized by illegal gun-owning peers, and they commit significantly more crime than those who not own guns, or those who own legal guns. Sport gun owner kids tend to be socialized by parents, and in general they are involved in less criminal activity than either illegal gun owners or non-owners. I hope schools, teachers, and community leaders across the U.S. have looked at this research.
Mainstream films and TV are the primary storytellers of our times and on the screen the good guys shoot people. When was the last time you saw a film or TV show–mainstream–that featured sport shooters as good guys?
A good, responsible gun owner is a cultural hero. By word and action they demonstrate that firearms can encourage maturity and their behavior and attitude help set social standards. Remember that every time you take up your gun, you are setting an example. In these times when media seem to dwell on sensationalist inflammatory topics and guns seldom get much positive coverage, we could all benefit from hearing more about and seeing the people Bob Stack talked about.