text:
Sally--> Edith
Bradley--> Marcel
Telephone: Good morning, you're calling to American Beauty Centre.
If you want a potatoes nose operation please press 1.
If you want a Brazilian ass operation please press 2.
If you want two tits like two melons please press 3.
And if you don't want any operation you're calling the wrong centre...
In a few seconds, you will be able to talk with a real interlocutor.
Barbie: Hi, I'm Barbie... Ken? Hahaha I'm kidding... Good morning, you have pressed number two, so you want a Brazilian ass. Don't you?
Sally: Hi I'm Sally and having a Brazilian ass it's my wish.
Barbie: Perfect, you can come this Friday at 9:00 am, It's Ok?
Sally: Yes! Could you tell me the budget of this type of operation please?
Barbie: Yeah... It's about 7500 $.
Sally: What!! (Low voice), okey, okeyahmmm... See you on Friday (OMG- in a low voice)
Barbie: Hiiii I'm Barbie, you are Sally, aren't you?
Sally: Nice to meet you Barbie. I hope you would make my dream comes true!
Barbie: Hahaha, I have made a lot of dreams reality! Ehmm... and you should be... her grandfather?
Bradley: Nooooo! Pff... I'm her husband!
Barbie: Oh... Sorry… With these wrinkles I have had a wrong thought...
Bradley: Ehm, It often happens... Don't worry.
Barbie: Ammm... Well, it's better that we leave this affair aside. So, let's talk about your operation pretty woman…
Sally: Better, better... I would like to see some different sizes of ass... is that possible?
Barbie: Well... here we have the S, M, L, XL, and XXL size... Which one do you prefer?
Bradley: I think that the size L is better than the others...
Sally: No darling, I want a bigger one, like the ass of our neighbour.
Bradley: What? I don't know what you are talking about :S .
Sally: Pretty sure? :@ You know better than me who Jessica is, so that's why today I'm here, because I want all about that bass!!!
Barbie: No treble? :O Well, who's gonna pay? Because you know, who pays is who commands!
Bradley: I think that everybody knows the answer... But she decides!
Sally: Ehm... I want the XXXL size. Is that possible?
Barbie: Yes, it's the most popular size... But you'll look like a hippopotamus trying to go through a door.
Bradley: Or even more, like Kim Kardashian!!!!!
Sally: SHUT UUUP! Who wants to make the operation? You, your grandfather or me?! So stop talking!
Bradley: I know... But I think that this size it's too big! I prefer your natural ass... You don't need any operation. You have inherited all the beauty and physical characteristics of your father...
Barbie: Let's relax, OK?! Sally, why did you decide to make this type of operation?
Sally: I'm very jealous of the lover of my husband. She has distinct curves, all the junk in all the right sites and an ass placed in its place!!!!! D'youunderstand me?
Bradley: Sally! Jessica is not my lover, she is my cousin! Hahahaha
Sally: And why did I catched you touching her ass?! Don't tell me that an angel came down and touched it!
Barbie: I think it's not the right moment to talk about that. There will be an operation or not? I've more customers to attend.
Bradley: Sally, my cousin is like the favourite boob of a baby!! I love touching her ass because it's like a tradition for my family...
Sally: I'm not the typical housekeeper who knows everything and turns blind eyes.
Barbie: Cucut! I'm here. Don't ignore me!
Bradley: Shht… Sally you prefer to get a good relation with your ass than with me. Is that love, my cherry?
Sally: Mmm... I won't say anything about that…
Barbie: Oh sorry, it's my mobile phone. Wait a second pleaseee…
… (In other room)
Barbie: Yes? Who is it?
(Boyfriend Barbie): Darling I'm waiting for you..., how long will you take to come?
Barbie: You know that things in this centre are always very complicated... People come wishing the moon, and after, they leave having the chaos of the universe in their life...
(Boyfriend Barbie): What d'you mean with it?
Barbie: Surgery can fix their body, but at the same time it destroys their lives…


text:
Life. It happens. It gets chaotic. It gets stressful. It gets going. Sometimes that can be perfectly fine and sometimes that can be perfectly overwhelming. Being a mom of 3 that are 4 years old and under, plus being a wife, working full-time, and all of the other hats that I wear can be a bit much at times. I usually handle it all well but every once in a while I will have a moment. A moment where I am overcome with stress, anxiety, fear, exhaustion, and guilt. It's a whole mix of emotions.
Right now, the most of what I am feeling is guilt. And why? Because I don't feel "on top of it" when it comes to making Holland's "first foods" or being a big-enough part of her eating said food. I am not kidding. That is the root of my guilt right now. I wish I were kidding. I feel bad for Holland. I feel like I am not as good as a mommy to her because I am not as present as I was with Poppy & Hudson at this age. When Poppy was starting her first foods I made everything. A huge variety. A variety of single items and mixed items. I was so organized and "on top of it". I worked but I was in sales and so I was not out of the house 40+ hours a week as I am now. With Hudson I was a stay at home mom at this time of his life. I made all of his food, also, and I was the only person feeding it to him. He had quite the extensive variety, also, however he quickly started to prefer finger foods over purees – but either way – I was making it all for him. Again, I was "on top of it". With Holland, at 7 months, she has tried just a handful of foods, which I have made, however, I am rarely the one feeding her and often times completely forget at dinner time that she should be eating, also. She only has 5 things prepared for her in the variety department in the freezer. I feel guilty. This wave of guilt washes over me and leaves me feeling like I am depriving her, neglecting her, and not being fair to her based on where her siblings were at this stage. Realistically, this probably is not that big of a deal. Realistically, she is just fine and has tried a handful of foods and eats and is fed one way or another. Realistically, I should keep in mind that I am already making multiple individual-meals for our family at dinner time and for snacks/breakfast/lunch with our new dietary restrictions (post to follow) and I should cut myself slack as the 7 month old knows no different and is far from starving or deprived in her cuisine and budding-palette. But, realistically, does any of that actually console me or ease my stress/anxiety/GUILT? Nope. It doesn't. And that begs the question – then what will? A surplus of home-made baby food overflowing from the freezer? Maybe. A baby who eats 3 meals a day (at least one fed by yours-truly) and loves every single bite? Maybe. I honestly don't know. I just know that being a mom, a working mom, a busy mom, a hands-on mom, is a hard job. It's a stressful job. It's like 12 jobs in one.
There are plenty of days that go by where I feel like I've got it all together and figured out. Then a few days of chaos and all hell breaks loose, I have a mini-mommy-meltdown, and pull it together to make it last a few more weeks without freaking out. I know I am not alone in this. I know that I am preaching to the choir of many moms, single moms, single dads, whomever, that feel all of these emotions with me. Helpful? Not really. Reassuring? Maybe. But truthful? Absolutely.
Nothing is easy about being a mom. No matter what. And I don't want to ever make it seem like what I do or don't do is easy. I work really hard at everything that I do and I do a lot. It's not to make it look easy or make it seem like I am some type of super-human. It's not done for anyone to see as a standard or a stereotype. It's just me. I do it because that's me. I do it for my kids and my husband. I don't put pressure on anyone but myself. I hold myself to entirely different standard. My expectations are probably pretty ridiculous. I can't help it. And I cannot stop it. So, while I have my mommy moment right now and I stress over rushing home so that I can make some more foods for Holland, I know there will be an end to this madness in sight. Another beginning to a moment some point following – not knowing
if when the guilt will strike again. But I guess that's what being a parent is all about – endless stress, worry, anxiety, and guilt from the moment you conceive that beautiful baby.
I'm going out on a limb here, but I feel like they're all pretty worth it 😉
I'll end my venting session now!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Friday, January 3, 2014
Birchbox Spoilers for January 2014!! Looks Good!
Youtube description here reads:
NOT A SUBSCRIBER YET? Join here by January 17 to receive your own January box
Special offer: Use promo code CRSUB to get a FREE Cynthia Rowley Beauty Liquid Liner in Black Ink—a Birchbox exclusive ($18 value)—when you purchase a women's subscription. But hurry, quantities are limited!
A new year means it's Go Time for Birchboxers! Not only is that this month's theme, it's also a mantra for taking on new adventures this year. We know you've done the resolution thing before—but this year we're flipping resolutions on their head and pledging to do things we really *want* to do. It's less about giving things up, and more about taking new things on—new products, new superfoods (yum), new workout moves, and more! Watch this month's video to see a few of the products our members are receiving this month (keep in mind, most of them will be a surprise!) and learn about some very special promotions coming up!
ENTER TO WIN! Tell us what one thing you're going to try in 2014 in the YouTube comments and you could win all the featured Sneak Peek products. We'll randomly select one winner by January 30 and message them on YouTube to claim their prize. See official rules here. http://www.birchbox.com/rules
SUBSCRIBER SUNDAYS: Visit www.Birchbox.com/Sundays every Sunday starting this month for weekly giveaways for our members including personalized care packages and a year's supply of beauty products. It all leads up to the grand prize: 10,000 Birchbox points worth $1000 in the Birchbox Shop! As our Senior Social Media Manager Rachel says, that's a lot of glittery nail polish! Find out more about reward points
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Ambler Coal stocks numerous masonry products and supplies.
Cement and Concrete Products
Accessories for Cement and Concrete Projects
Other Products
Masonry and Plastering Tools
Ambler Coal stocks a large variety of masonry and plastering tools manufactured by Marshalltown, Kraft Tool, Goldblatt, Stanley, Malco, 3M, True Temper, and more. These tools include:
We carry the following stone products: Evolution Stonecraft, Eldorado Stone, Norstone, Quarry Cut Thin Stone, Dutch Quality Stone, and StoneCraft.
Before making any decision about masonry supplies for your home improvement project, we recommend visiting our showroom to see samples of stucco colors and stone products. No appointment is necessary.
Ambler Coal Company is located in Ambler, Pennsylvania (PA), and serves customers in Montgomery County, Bucks County, Delaware County, Philadelphia County, and surrounding areas in New Jersey, and Delaware.


text:
News and Highlights
University of Illinois Hospital ranked "High Performing" in Cancer and Nephrology divisions for 2018-19 US News and World Reportprasul2
2018-19 U.S. News and World Report ranking U.S. News and World Report, online news magazine have released the [...]
Dr. John T. Daugirdas awarded 2018 American Society of Nephrology Belding H. Scribner Awardkrystle2
John T. Daugirdas, MD, FASN John T. Daugirdas, MD, FASN, clinical professor of medicine in the division of [...]
Growing Transplantation Programkrystle2
In the latest UI Health News video, Dr. Barish hosts Dr. Enrico Benedetti, head of the Department of Surgery, and [...]
The Division of Nephrology is committed to excellence in the areas of patient care, teaching, and research. We are actively engaged in the training of nephrology fellows as well as the education of medical students, residents, and physicians within the community.
The Division of Nephrology offers oppurtunities for trainees to be involved in ongoing research as well as with smaller and short term projects in both basic science and patient-oriented disciplines. Basic science research opportunities are available in different investigators' laboratories addressing a variety of interests related to cell biology, acute renal failure, autoimmunity, and acid-base physiology and pathophysiology.
Quick Links:
Patient Care
The Division of Nephrology at UI Health treats patients with conditions and diseases of the kidney, including end-stage renal disease (ESRD), kidney transplantation, acute kidney failure, kidney stones, and immunological kidney diseases at the University of Illinois Outpatient Care Center. Our kidney transplant outcomes are among the best in Chicago. The Division of Nephrology has grown out of a long history of excellence in the field of kidney treatment and research.
Quick Links:
Our Clinical Programs
Kidney Transplantation
Fellowship Program
The primary goal of the nephrology training program is to ensure that trainees acquire the knowledge, attitudes and skills that characterize the practice of nephrology and that will enable them to contribute maximally to improving the health and quality of life of the individuals and communities they serve.
Program Overview
Learn More
How to Apply
Interested? Click below to learn more about the Application.
Learn more about our fellows.
Contact Us
Administrative Office
820 S. Wood St. (MC 793)
Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (312) 996-6736
Fax: (312) 996-7378
Clinic Office
Outpatient Care Center
Suite 3D
1801 W. Taylor St.
Chicago, IL 60612
Clinic Office
Ear & Eye Infirmary
Suite 2028
1855 W. Taylor St.
Chicago, IL 60612


text:
ICT Support Technician, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport
Closing date:
Start date: As soon as possible
Contract type: Full Time
Contract term: Permanent
Laurus Trust
Cheadle Hulme High School
ICT Support Technician
Required to start as soon as possible
Permanent Position
Salary: Scale 3: from £17,681
Hours: 37 per week , full year
The Laurus Trust is a rapidly expanding Multi-Academy Trust with a reputation for outstanding teaching and learning.
We have a strong heritage. Our founder school, Cheadle Hulme High School, has been judged as Outstanding in its last two inspections. Gorsey Bank is a high performing primary in Wilmslow and we are also home to the Altius Alliance, a School Centred Initial Teacher Training provider which has been given the top grade by Ofsted.
As a result of our success, we are proud to have been selected to open five brand new schools, three of which will open in September 2018.
This is, therefore, an important stage in the development of the Laurus Trust. With our growth comes the opportunity for talented and dedicated staff to make their mark by creating and evolving our infrastructure and support networks.
That is why we are looking for an IT Technician to join us at this exciting time.
This is an important appointment for the Trust as you will contribute to a team that provides a high quality service across all of our schools, delivering a positive operational and educational experience for all stakeholders.
In return, we recognise that our non-teaching leaders and staff are critical to the success of the Trust. We champion, celebrate and nurture their expertise and experience. You will be joining an organisation that is committed to the development of all its staff.
To find out more, and to understand how you will be able to make a significant impact on the success of our academies and students please see the job description below. To apply for the role please click on the quick apply button. CVs will not be accepted.
Deadline for applications: 9am on Monday 18th June 2018
Interviews to be held: Friday 22nd June 2018
The Laurus Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment.
Contact Cheadle Hulme High School & Sixth Form
Thanks for your interest in this role.
Simply fill in the form below to ask any questions, request a call, or schedule a school visit.
This field is required


text:
Premium Bond is a 55-minute programme in which Mark Gatiss and Matthew Sweet go through all six big screen Bonds to discuss which is their favourite. Like all documentaries or panels the pair appear on, they're clearly avid, well-versed fans of Bond and their differences in opinions make for the most entertaining parts of this feature.
Discussing a smattering of films, including each actor's first and last, the pair traverse the entire franchise, from 1962 to 2012. While it seems their opinions have long been set, each still makes some interesting points, even if I personally disagree with them. The commentary about how the films compare to contemporary events was one of my highlights, and help lend a bit of context to the production.
There is a bit of bias in time length, as it feels like Sweet's favourite Timothy Dalton is afforded about the same discussion time as Sir Roger Moore, who of course starred in over three times as many films. Some of the points raised aren't uncommon opinions, but it's the way the merits and disadvantages of each film and actor are covered that are the real highlight of Premium Bond.
For me, Daniel Craig is the ultimate Bond and I agree with the conclusion reached here that Casino Royale is his strongest film yet (as well as being my favourite of the entire franchise). That Gatiss' favourite is Sean Connery doesn't come as much of a surprise, given how enamoured he is with '6os culture, but I did think George Lazenby got a bit of an unfairly rough ride here. Sweet states unequivocally that he's "not really an actor", which is something I'd refute. Like Gatiss, I think the end of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, his sole film, disproves this if you're still not convinced by that point. It was nice to see some of my other favourites, including Goldfinger and Live and Let Die, get a look-in.
This isn't a groundbreaking documentary that will change your perception of the Bond films - if anything, it will probably solidify any opinions you already hold. It's just two friends sitting down to chat about which Bond is their favourite over a Vesper. This is by no means essential viewing, but that doesn't mean it's not enjoyable. It's a wonderful way to pass an hour, and the business with the barman is the cherry on top.


text:
Northrop Grumman has named Tarik Reyes vice president, business development for its integrated air and missile defense division in the company's Information Systems sector.
In his new role, Reyes will be in charge of business development for the division's portfolio, leading customer engagement and tactical strategy discussions with key stakeholders, pipeline development and qualification and coordination of the division's growth strategies, Northrop said in a release.
He was most recently director of the civil information solutions operating unit within Information Systems' civil division. Before that, he led business development for the federal mission programs operating unit.
He joined Northrop Grumman from Microsoft Corp., where he worked in the company's consulting services organization.
Reyes holds a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering and a secondary field in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park.
About the Author
Mark Hoover is a senior staff writer with Washington Technology. You can contact him at firstname.lastname@example.com, or connect with him on Twitter at @mhooverWT.
Printable Format
E-Mail this page
Advanced Search
In an exclusive for WT Insider members, we are collecting all of the contract awards we cover into a database that you can sort by contractor, agency, value and other parameters. You can also download it into a spreadsheet. Our databases track awards back to 2013.
Read More
In our latest WT Insider Report, we pull together our best advice, insights and reporting on the trends and issues that will shape the market in 2016 and beyond.
Read More
Sign up for our newsletter.
I agree to this site's Privacy Policy.


text:
Top music and comedy stars are gearing up to thrill many couples to an exclusive St. Valentines' night come 16 February.
The special 'night out' with the theme Soul-Ties, put together by C2RU in collaboration with Flaming Hypermedia, is for couples of all kinds: married, engaged or seriously dating, and it is geared towards empowering those relationships in a conducive atmosphere laced with live music.
Artistes billed to perform at the event holding at Our-Place Event Center, Ikeja Lagos, include Solid Star, Yemi Alade, Oshadipe Twins, Saeon, Maytronomy, 2Sec, and Eyo (Project fame).
Others are comic acts like Baba de Baba, MC Headmastar, MC Icewater, Xtreme, L4J and several other acts. Also on the lineup are couple games which will help couples learn more about one another.
During the event, couples will also have the opportunity to interact with celebrity couples who are doing well relationship-wise in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
– PM News


text: I was perusing ebay listings and saw this: http://cgi.ebay.com/100-Authentic-Satin-Classic-Balenciaga-Brand-new_W0QQitemZ6884974847QQcategoryZ63852QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem I hope no poor soul is fooled into buying this bag. Balenciaga never made any of these bags in satin, did they? Even if they did.....something else is very fishy with this auction, almost to the point of being comical. Click on the picture w/ the tag and controllato card. There is a major red flag to anyone capable of reading english..... Anyone else see what I see?


text:
On this particular occasion I happened to be within hearing range of Dad and Charley Chambers when I heard Charley ask him how things were going. I immediately suspicioned that the old boy was about to let him have one, so I got up real close because I didn't want to miss anything. Then too, Dad always seemed to operate more effectively when he had a large audience.
Now, Charley was sincere about his inquiry, because there were times, during those years, when a good many folks relied pretty heavily on "taters and beans". We were one such family and Charley's was another. Dad rose to the occasion and rambled on for some time, about how rough it was and luck seemed to be for other people, until he got Charley all prepared for his coup.
He then went into his dissertation on the ham bone that we had been using for several weeks. He explained how Mother had used it, several times, to flavor bean soup and a couple of times in scalloped potatoes, but that she had made the mistake of telling one of the neighbor ladies about the good luck that she was having. Right away, this neighbor lady wanted to know if she could borrow the bone for a day or two. Mother, being a very sympathetic person, loaned it to her.
Dad told Charley that loaning out that bone was one of the saddest mistakes that my mother had ever made, because that lady had put too much salt on it which ruined it for any further flavoring. Now we were back to just straight beans, with no ham flavoring.
Home - Site Map - Previous Page - Next Page
About the Author


text:
Marina isn't just one of the stars of Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity in Las Vegas. She's also a Las Vegas local who picks up her dry cleaning and complains about the weather just like everyone else. I assume people complain about the weather there. I know I would.
Cirque Du Soleil
Chief Marketing and Experience Officer – Kristina Heney
Senior Director, Brand and Marketing Strategy – Thierry Dumoulin
Senior Director of Marketing and Public Relations – Lou D'Angeli
Senior Marketing Manager - Ninfa Valdez
Senior Brand Manager – Charlotte Montminy
Director of PR – Ann Paladie
Junior Brand Manager– Lina Moussaoui
Chief Creative Officer – Leslie Sims
VP, Group Creative Director – Nathalie Brown
Head of Design – Hamish Mcarthur
CD/Writer – Margot Owett
CD/Art Director – Nathalie Brown & Fern Cohen
Art Producer – Louisa Gargiulo
Art Director – Emily Lahourcade|
Copy Writer – Allison Reuben
Group Account Director – Caleb Lubarsky
Account Supervisor – Kim Reyes
Strategist – Ethan Scott
Photo Production
Photographer – Russ Quackenbush
Photographer Assistant – Heshua Hipp
Photography Agent – Jason Eason
Producer – Justin Folger
Location Manager – Mark Baliant
TV Production:
TamTam Films


text:
Use this form to send us a message or request for a quotation:
Get in touch with us
Scan me!
Address: 2 Leng Kee Road, #02-07 Thye Hong Centre, Singapore 159086
Office & Showroom Hours
Mon-Friday: 10:00am-7:00pm ( By Appointment Only ) Sat: 10:00am-2:00pm
Phone: (+65) 6871 8833 (Sales & Technical Support)
(+65) 8482 1888 (WhatsApp)
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.epos.com.sg
Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any question or problem. Our Customer Service Support Team will do our best to help you with your request. Use the form to submit your request to us and we will contact you within 1 - 3 hours time. You may also call or SMS your questions or request to our office mobile number as stated above.


text:
How Sixto Rodriguez's Searching for Sugarman Led Me To an Amazing Personal Lecture by a Space Scientist About the Search for Life
Or, A Little Mars & Origins of Life History Before Tackling Today's Space Exploration Debates, Part I
In my post before last I mentioned I'd share some Mars exploration history before moving on to Mars in current events.
In the midst of my interest in the current state of space exploration I coincidentally was offered a ride by a space scientist between my friend Karen's apartment in Berkeley and my friend Joe's house in Vallejo last October. I was visiting the Bay Area in order to see and hear the amazing Sixto Rodriguez, who was appearing at Bimbo's 365 Club in San Francisco.
I'd discovered Sixto was soon to play in San Francisco (my home town) after I saw the documentary about his remarkable life, Searching for Sugarman, in Pasadena. I went home, jumped online, and, in a happy spontaneous act, bought several tickets for his performance. I then called a few friends in the Bay Area to tell them I was coming up for a week visit, and asked them all to join me for the concert. Karen had insisted that I not bother renting a car as I could take BART or hitch rides any where I wanted to go. I saw this as a real adventure, and was later glad I took her advice. One experiences a whole new social world without the "protection and safety" of one's own vehicle.
Sherwood Chang, the scientist who gave me the lift to Vallejo, is a retired space scientist now living in Northern California and running the largest organic cattle ranch in the state. He spent his previous career as a scientist with NASA 's Ames Laboratory in Northern California. I know that scientists David Peat and David Bohm would not have been surprised by what I considered a very happy coincidence (to meet a space scientist on vacation when I am blogging about space), because Peat and Bohm noted that it is of greater interest that we all do not notice more life coincidences given the mathematical likelihood of their abundance.
I hopped into Sherwood's SUV, buckled up, turned on my GPS as neither of us knew how to get to Joe's from Karen's, and asked him, "So. Tell me about your career as a scientist." He questioned what I wanted to know, and I told him, "Everything." I also told him that I have read lots of science since I was a very young kid, even though I am professionally a writer and artist, so that he did not have to talk down to me. Sherwood took me at my word, and proceeded to thoroughly entertain me with the most elaborate and compact one hour lecture (about the history of the search for life in space exploration ) I have ever experienced.
This is what I learned:
One way we can begin to understand the history of our
universe biosphere is by studying molecular biology. Because the history of living things is stored in the genetic code of all organisms. But if we want a full understanding, we must also glean information from a bunch of other scientific disciplines. Astrophysicists look deep into space, and back in time, and try to figure out how planets formed around stars. Geochemists and Geophysicists help us to understand how planets formed and what the environment is/was like in each of the star systems planets they study. They are all wondering if and when any planets or planetary systems are/were receptive to life or not.
While these scientists are doing their research, mathematicians and computer scientists are busy analyzing the data these scientists come up with, and developing theories based on that data. One can certainly imagine that we are able to understand a great deal more today with the powerful computers at everyone's disposal for modeling, calculating and analyzing, than we were able to understand when all we had was a roomful of mathematicians sitting around calculating on their own (as recently as WWII to my knowledge) or working with a room-sized computer that had about 100K of memory!
Sherwood began his career in the 1950s as a chemist. Chemists study reactions. And the reactions Sherwood and his buddies were interested in were those that occurred in ancient, primordial, environments on Earth and on other planets in our solar system. If we are going to understand the beginning(s) of life, a great place to start is on the young Earth at the time our planets formed. And the first thing we would need to know, is what was the environment like then, before life appeared. Of course the goal then was to understand when and why life appeared here on Earth, and if it did on other planets as well.
Back in the day (as my college design students are fond of saying) not much was known about primordial (earliest stage of development) environments. Many scientists thought that the early atmosphere of Earth was similar to that of Jupiter. That belief was based on actual science according to my space history travel guide, Sherwood; it was just that Jupiter's was the only atmosphere they thought relevant to early Earth's.
So in 1952 at the University of Chicago, two scientists, Stanley Miller and Harold Urey, decided to create chemical reactions that would simulate Jupiter's atmosphere . . . to be continued
No comments yet.
Leave a comment Cancel reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
No trackbacks yet.
- AI – Artificial Intelligence
- Art and Science Life Riffs
- Arts and Music Diary
- Arts and Sciences in Education
- Book Riffs
- Current Events in Science and Technology and the Arts
- Movie & Video Riffs
- Music Riffs
- New Media Writing and Technology Diary
- Reading Diary
- Terry Bailey Lectures & Seminars
- Terry's Reading Travels
- Women in Science and Technology
- Amy Beach and Me
- arstechnica
- Art & Science Journal
- Art | Sci Center + LAB at UCLA
- Beckman Auditorium events at Caltech
- Crawford Family Forum Events
- goodreads
- John Maeda Studio
- Leonardo On-Line
- Loaded Web Diretory
- mediabench
- New York Review of Books
- Skeptics Society
- Space Collective
- The Institute For Figuring
- The von Kármán Lecture Series at Pasadena's JPL
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- December 2017
- June 2017
- April 2017
- February 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- February 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- September 2013
- July 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- November 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009


text:
We have a true passion for nature, art
and wellness.
Inspired by our view of Millbrook Cliff - part of the glorious Shawangunk Ridge, Stone Wave represents a breaking wave; power, strength and fluidity. For the cliff's to form, and be the mecca for climbers, hikers and nature enthusiasts it is today - the stone wave has been breaking for 1,000's of years - creating this stunning natural habitat.
The philosophy of Stone Wave Yoga is inspired by nature. We believe that - like stone, we seek strength and stability and yet - like a breaking wave, we remain agile and flexible; allowing for deeper growth and openness to beautiful change.
Co-created by Liz Glover Wilson, Artist and Yoga Instructor (www.lizgloverwilson.com) and, Landscape Designer and Topiary Artist Keith Buesing (www.keithbuesing.com) - Stone Wave opened in June 2017, and offers a beautiful space for everyone.
A yoga, art and wellness retreat center. Just 90 miles north of Manhattan (9 miles from New Paltz, NY, 4 miles from Mohonk Preserve Visitor Center and 1.7 miles from Gardiner, NY. Home of the Gunks (short for Shawangunks) - one of the premier climbing areas in the country.
Our 3,800 sf facility, has two yoga studios, an art studio, kitchen, shower facilities and a treatment room – with plenty of options for accommodations nearby.
At Stone Wave, we hope to inspire people to experience a true break from their daily stressors and reconnect with their innate wisdom, strength and kindness.
Nestled in the heart of the Mid-Hudson Valley with views of the Shawangunk Ridge, visitors can hike, climb or bike Mohonk Preserve or Minnewaska, explore restaurants, wineries and distilleries in Gardiner, visit local farms and shop in downtown New Paltz, NY. Imagine a weekend in a beautiful natural setting with wonderful restaurants, charming stores, beautiful views, and a welcoming and warm atmosphere all within reach.
We work with some of the area's best caterers, all of whom can provide everything you need from tents, tables, and lighting, to linens, dinnerware, dance floor, bathroom facilities, food, bartender, wait staff, flowers, and more.
Insurance required.
Space rentals considered for (for approval):
Photo Shoots
Art Gallery Space
Yoga Retreats
Special Events
Corporate Meetings


text:
NHL Unsigned
Contact Us: firstname.lastname@example.com
Montreal Canadiens Framed Scoresheet Collage 1993 Stanley Cup Champions
This commemorative 1992-93 Stanley Cup frame showcases two 8x10" photos, and an exact NHL licensed replica copy of the scoresheet from the final game in 1993. The descriptive metal plate at the bottom of the frame recaps the glory of the championship and reads the following: "It took an NHL record 10 overtime wins, but the 1992-93 Montreal Canadiens' were able to beat Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings' to captuire their 24th Stanley Cup. Patrick Roy won his second of thre Conn Smythe Trophies boasting a 2.31 goals-against average and helping the team win 16 of the 20 games played. The frame is accompanied by a Frameworth Certificate of Authenticity that states the product is officially licensed through the NHL & HHOF and includes a replica of the actual score sheet from the 1992-93 playoffs." The finished frame size is 25"x36"x1". Our new line of historic scoresheet collectibles is being offered through The Shopping Channel for the first time ever. The frames are a part of a four frame collection that showcases all of the most recent Stanley Cup victories for Canadian NHL franchises.
Championship Banners: $119.99
Whether it be baseball or hockey, football or basketball, college or pro, we produce championship banners for most favorite teams. These banners feature striking graphics portraying the team logo, the years the championships were won and the team's stadium, arena or field. All are quality framed to a 14.5x27.5 size. Every bowl game, World Series, Super Bowl, Stanley Cup or Championship your team has won is portrayed.
Uniframes: $119.99
From their backs to your wall. These photographic representations of your favorite player's jersey will look amazing in your home, office, family room or kid's room. Framed 20x20, these new look Uniframes include a dramatic silhouetted action image of the player in the jersey being depicted. We put a name plate on top of the frame for those players who don't have their name on their official jersey.
8x10 Pro Quotes: $29.99
11x14 Pro Quotes $39.99
Motivational, inspirational, and sometimes just fun quotes from your favorite athletes. Available in 8x10, 11x14 and 16x20 glassless frames. These super lightweight frames come with an easel back for your desk or shelf or are ready to be hung on your wall.
Signed Bobby Orr 8x10 Pro Quote Available
Signed Jose Bautista 8x10 Pro Quote Available
Prices do not including shipping
More teams and players available upon request
For shipping prices, to request a player, availability, or more information, please contact us
More teams and players available upon request
For shipping prices, to request a player, availability, or more information, please contact us


text:
I had been looking forward to real Spanish churros for a long time. Deep fried, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, and dipped in hot chocolate so thick it's difficult to swallow – it seemed like the perfect recipe. Still, I'd tried similar things in the United States – stale tasting 'churros' at Disney World, Taco Bell's "CinnaTwists", etc… and I was eager to put aside for once and for all the creeping doubt that such a brilliant idea had been allowed to take only such pitiful forms.
I ate my first Spanish churros in Madrid – in the most traditional manner possible. After a night of partying, we jumped into a taxi and asked them to take us to Chocolatería San Ginés – one of the few restaurants open at 5 in the morning, and the traditional place to wind down for bed as the sun rises. The churros were good, I thought, better than any I'd had before – and dipping them into the hot chocolate was a brilliant and welcome decision.Still, I found myself wondering if San Ginés deserved its reputation as the best churros place – perhaps its mere popularity is a self-defeating prophecy, perhaps we simply came at a bad time, but the churros seemed a little bit limp and soggy to me. Anywhere else, I would have been quite happy with them – but were they really the best in Madrid – the best in Spain?
My next churros were in Pontevedra, Galicia. My friends and I were craving a real meal, but when we saw a sign advertising churros with hot white chocolate, we couldn't refuse. The churros here were only decent, a little tough perhaps, but the chocolate was incredible – we ordered one big cup of white chocolate, and one of chocolate and orange, both so rich they seemed alcoholic. We didn't leave before painstakingly swallowing every last drop.
I decided I liked these churro things, but the search for amazing ones – the ones that could truly embody my ideal of the recipe's potential – was still on. You have to remember that I'm a Midwestern American girl, that Missouri leans towards the south when it comes to our carnival cuisine, and that I've always been a big fan of funnel cake and extra krispies to know where I'm coming from on this, and when I first saw the stand in Utebo, Aragon (near Zaragoza), I think I knew.
It was a greasy looking stand in the middle of nowhere – a playground in a suburb of Zaragoza. An unseasonably warm night was falling, and the fat man working there looked relaxed, his son bored. They were out of hot chocolate, but Lea and I were in a bit of a hurry anyway. We ordered one dozen churros, with sugar, and he squeezed the dough out fresh from a star-shaped nozzle into a vat of hot oil. A minute later we were headed towards the bus stop with a paper bag full of greasy, hot churros. The most American part of me was fantastically excited.
They were brilliant. They were crunchy on the outside and soft and doughy on the inside without seeming undercooked, they were coated with the perfect amount of cinnamon and sugar, prickling my tongue just right, they were luxuriously greasy, but never crossed that line that makes me too aware of it, instead it was all one, beautiful product, impossible to tell where the pleasure coming off of one magical component ended and another began. Did I mention that they were hot? I ate the first three without coming up for air, and savoured my second half slowly as they started to cool in the night air. They were still amazing.


text:
Since the foundation in 1949, we have earned the trust from many customers as a "Specialist of Sound" and as a partner in the acoustic business through addressing the market need appropriately.
The Company is committed to fulfilling our corporate social responsibility (CSR) steadily with maintaining a faith of "For the World, for the People." With a fundamental corporate philosophy of "Sincerity," we strive to be a company trusted and loved by a variety of stakeholders surrounding us.
We look forward to your continued support to us in a new era.


text:
Be Indie Now 26:
Indie Van Game Jam by Binary Solo
What happens when you put game developers in a van, give them a camera and have them drive across the US? You get the new documentary web series Indie Van Game Jam! They describe the show as "Man Vs. Food meets Indie Game: The Movie"
Chad, Diego, and Zeb got on Skype and told me about how this crazy idea came about and some of the fun both on and off camera they had along the way.
They already filmed 7 episodes of the series, the first of which is online now. After you listen to the podcast, I'd encourage you to check it out. Links are below.
What is Be Indie Now?
"Be Indie Now" is a podcast about independent game development.
Join me as your host and moderator as each episode I talk to guest panelists on a range of game development topics. From the design, to the technical, to the business and marketing, we'll cover everything you'll need to know to create your own games.
Now is the best time in history to start an independent game company. From hobbyists experimenting on the side, to full-time entrepreneurs looking to make it big. The goal of the podcast to encourage everybody to become a game developer.
How can I watch/listen?
Click here to listen to Be Indie Now 26
Click here to see the latest episodes and show notes.
To subscribe to the mp3 version using RSS, use this link:
Or subscribe through iTunes!


text:
The iconic Lockheed F-104A Starfighter, Serial No. 56-817, arrived at Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor on May 9, 2013, joining the Museum's ever-expanding collection. The Starfighter is on long-term loan from Museum of Aviation Robins Air Force Base, Warner Robins, Georgia, and is the 43rd aircraft to join the Museum's collection of historical and unique aircraft. It was transported by Pasha Hawaii and will be displayed in Hangar 79.
"This record-breaking aircraft has quite the history and we're pleased to give it a new home," said Museum Executive Director Kenneth DeHoff.
The Starfighter went into production in 1956 and was the first combat aircraft capable of easily sustaining twice the speed of sound. It held simultaneous world records for speed, altitude, and rate of climb. Due to its length of 54' 9" and wingspan of only 21' 11," it was dubbed the Missile with a Man in It. The Starfighter served in the USAF from 1958 through 1975, as well as with several allied air forces around the world, including Japan.
Gen. Chuck Yeager famously displayed the "right stuff" during a high-altitude, record-breaking ascent in a rocket-assisted F-104, climbing to the edge of space at more than 100,000 feet.
The Museum invites donations of historic aircraft and aviation memorabilia. Donated artifacts are professionally cared for and enjoyed by millions of visitors from all over the world. The Museum also invites monetary donations for its Restoration and Education programs, as it is a nonprofit, private Museum, which depends on members and donors. To support the Museum, call 808-441-1006 or donate online at www.PacificAviationMuseum.org.
Filed under: aloha, Announcements, Hawaii, Military, National Affairs, Oahu, Something New?, Transportation Tagged: | Chuck Yeager, F-104, Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor


text:
In Paris, cutting-edge designer Jean-Paul Gaultier shows men in skirts and critcs applaud. On Seventh Avenue, Donna Karan ties up a casual spring look for men with a paisley sarong. At the Grammy Awards the male contingent of Arrested Development, the year's top rap group, wraps up in skirt-like fashion. In London now, mod young men wear kilts everywhere.
Men in skirts no longer shock. They've even been seen in Baltimore.
At Louie's Book Store Cafe, Joe Boudreau, sometime-manager, bartender and artist wears a skirt on occasion -- even to work at the Charles Street restaurant where Baltimore's bohemia does brunch and light fare.
"I first wore one in the early '80s. It was a kilt I bought in a thrift store in Ohio. It just seemed a fun idea that wasn't particularly foreign, because I'd seen pictures of my father wearing a kilt in his high school marching band uniform," says Mr. Boudreau.


text:
Edit profile
View profile
My subscription
Add a new project
Sign in
Sign up
Can we help you?
English (US)
Sign in
Have you found an error?
Submit a request
Tutpad Support
General Questions
Tutpad guides
Tutpad guides
What is the difference between a tut and a course?
How can I use Tutpad as a free user?
How can I use Tutpad as a premium user?
How do I navigate around the website?
Is a special software required to follow the tuts and courses?
What happens if I cancel my Premium subscription?
See all FAQs
Can't find an answer to your question?
Submit a request


text:
Sludgepuggle! Pottymouth and Stoopid take on relentless bullies, terrible teachers, and a dastardly Ex-Dad.
Twelve-year-olds Michael and David have been best friends—and the objects of widespread ridicule—since preschool. Now they're in seventh grade, and things are still pretty much the same. Everyone still calls David "Stoopid," because he once accidentally spilled some paint, and Michael "Pottymouth," because he responds with creative expletives when provoked ("Rrrrrggghhh, hicklesnicklepox! David isn't stupid, you flufferknuckles!"). David's divorced parents and Michael's churlish foster parents are no help, and when a new TV show appears on the Cartoon Factory network, things take a turn…for the worse. As with Patterson and Grabenstein's previous collaborations, the combination of short chapters and comical illustrations (here courtesy of Gilpin) targets fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. This iteration aims, not quite successfully in its broad strokes, to reflect a slightly more diverse crowd—the vast majority of primary characters are white, but Michael is black, and the story also touches on children's experiences with divorced parents, (bad) foster parents, and families with lower incomes. Readers will be amused by Pottymouth and Stoopid's shenanigans, bolstered occasionally by the brainy Anna Britannica (chubby and white and another victim of the school's charismatic bully), but the generally formulaic tale delivers few truly funny or memorable moments.
An entertaining—but not particularly original—addition to the perennially relevant genre. (Fiction. 8-12)


text:
MovieExtras.ie - Louis Gossett Jr. Body Double For Feature Film
Posted: 06/06/2017
Deadline: 27/06/2017
Role Information
Roles: Participants
Location: Dublin
Details of RoleWe are looking for a body double for a new feature Film.
The double will be standing in for one of the lead roles, Louis Gossett Jr.
Gender: Male
Age: 60-80
Ethnicity: Black
Shoot date: June 28th (MAY be subject to change)
Location: Dublin
Must be fit and active MUST be able to jog/run.
Experience on set and Reliability is essential
Measurements: (don't need to be exact but close)
Waist - 39"
Height - 6 ft 4 inches
Chest – 43.5"
This would be a super opportunity to take part in an exciting feature film.
Paid role if cast.
To apply, please fill out the link below:
How to apply
Web-site: http://bit.ly/2qWMRyh


text:
Simple. Rustic. Clean.
Your personal oasis in the high-desert of Oregon, Crystal Crane Hot Springs offers you the relaxing pleasure of a hot spring, with amenities in a variety of overnight accommodations that allow you to fully and peacefully enjoy your soak.
Make overnight reservations online or call us at 541-493-2312 to book your next trip (View a map of the property). Check in is 3pm – 9pm (no late arrivals). Our strict check in time is to allow for quiet soaking for our overnight guests. Check out 11am.
Reservations are strongly recommended, however there is a mandatory 7 day notification for cancellation .
Due to our limited accommodations the Cancellation policy is as follows. If cancelled less than 7 days, the full amount of the reservation will be charged to your credit card. If more than 7 days, you will receive 75% of the reservation back.
For holidays and local events the policy is a 14 day cancellation. If questions about which holidays or local events please contact the office.
For our larger units, (Cowpoke Inn, Ranch House) , it is a two night stay minimum during holidays and local events.
We offer a variety of accommodations to suit most travelers; tent camping, recreation vehicle hookups, five quaint sleeping cabins, a tepee with soaking tub and rental units. Whether you are rock-hounding, hunting, bird-watching, hiking, or just taking in the sights and sounds of the high-desert during a soak in our hot natural waters, these are a few of the things you can enjoy while you are here. What could be better than a day spent exploring Harney County followed by an evening of soaking in our naturally hot mineral water, making new friends, and marveling at the vast beauty of the starry western sky. We invite you to come to the high-desert of Eastern Oregon, and enjoy our natural hot mineral spring; it is truly a gift from nature.
Crystal Crane Hot Springs is located at:
59315 Hwy 78
Burns, Oregon 97720
On Hwy 78 between mile marker 25 & 26


text:
Cold Irons Bound Lyrics
Song Meaning
Verse 1
I'm beginning to hear voices and there's no one around
Now I'm all used up and I fee so turned-around
I went to church on Sunday and she passed by
And my love for her is taking such a long time to die
God, I'm waist deep, waist deep in the mist
It's almost like, almost like I don't exist
I'm 20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
Verse 2
There's a wall of pride high and wide
Can't see over to the other side
It's such a sad thing to see beauty decay
It's sadder still to feel your heart torn away
One look at you and I'm out of control
Like the universe has swallowed me whole
I'm 20 miles out of town and Cold Irons bound
Verse 3
There's too many people, too many to recall
I thought some of 'em were friends of mine
I was wrong about 'em all
Well, the road is rocky and the hillside's mud
Up over my head nothing but clouds of blood
I found my own, I found my one in you
But your love just hasn't proved true
I'm 20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
Verse 4
20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
Verse 5
Well the winds in Chicago have turned me to shreds
Reality has always had too many heads
Some things last longer than you think they will
Some kind of things you can never kill
It's you and you only I'm thinking about
But you can't see in, and it's hard looking out
Verse 6
I'm 20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
Verse 7
Well the fat's in the fire, and the water's in the tank
And the whiskey's in the jar, and the money's in the bank
I tried to love and protect you because I cared
I'm gonna remember forever the joy we've shared
Looking at you and I'm on my bended knee
You have no idea what you do to me
I'm 20 miles out of town Cold Irons bound
20 miles out of town, Cold Irons bound
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
What's Your Interpretation?
Share your thoughts on "Cold Irons Bound" by Bob Dylan.
No Thoughts or Song Meanings Yet
Be the first to leave a thought.
Related Blog Posts
Songs Being Discussions
Stones in the Road
by Azzurro
Boss Ass Bitch Remix
by Nicki Minaj, PTAF
More Songs by Bob Dylan


text:
Add To Cart
Sheep in a Shop
By: Nancy Shaw
Illustrated By: Margot Apple
Add To Cart
Sheep in a Shop
By: Nancy Shaw
Illustrated By: Margot Apple
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / 1994 / Paperback
In Stock
Stock No: WW06722
BROWSE for Kids
Refine by
- Grade Level▼▲
- Occasion▼▲
- Ages▼▲
- Audience▼▲
- Binding▼▲
- Language▼▲
- Media Type▼▲
- Series▼▲
- Gender▼▲
- Author / Artist▼▲
- Publisher▼▲
- Top Rated▼▲
- Price▼▲
- Discount▼▲
Advanced Search Links
This product is not available for expedited shipping.
* This product is available for shipment only to the USA.
Product Description▼▲
Come along with these five adventurous sheep as they head into town to do some birthday shopping for a friend!
Product Information▼▲
|Format: Paperback
Vendor: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: 1994
Ages: 2-5
Publisher's Description▼▲
Author Bio▼▲
Margot Apple is a freelance illustrator, having illustrated more than fifty books for children while also producing illustrations for "Cricket" and "Ladybug" magazines. She now lives in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, with her husband and their pets, a dog and a cat.
Nancy Shaw is the author of eight beloved tales featuring the endearing and comical sheep. She came up with the idea for the sheep books during a very long car trip with her husband and two children. She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her family. For more information, visit http://www.nancyshawbooks.com/.
Editorial Reviews▼▲
Ask a Question▼▲
Have a question about this product? Ask us here.
Find Related Products▼▲
Author/Artist Review▼▲


text:
Do any laws protect old houses?
One law puts the brakes on demolitions. Applications for a demolition permit must be filed, published, and posted at the site. The New Canaan Historical Society, Historic District Commission, and any taxpayer who requests it will be notified of any applications. Any objections must be made in writing within 15 days of the application. An objection will delay the demolition by 90 days.


text:
Murray's Smoked Mozzarella
The Lioni family has been perfecting their whole cows' milk mozz for generations - it's delicate and moist with a clean milky flavor. The cheese is made nearby in Jersey with milk from a herd in upstate NY, then transformed into the most perfect antipasto ever. They take it a step further here with a heady treatment of hickory and cherry wood-smoke. Hand rolled into pinwheels layered with prosciutto, it's ready to slap down for your guests alongside marinated artichoke hearts and a carafe of Chianti. Salty, sweet, bravo!
Just the Facts
Lagers and KolschLager, Dunkel, Schwarz, Pilsner, Kolsch Ale
Lagers run the gamut from crisp, pale Pilsners to dark-malted Dunkels and Märzens. Flavors are typically approachable and mellow, a delicate balance of toasted bread, gentle sweetness, and mild hop bitterness for structure.
Pair with: Almost any firm, mild cheese like Tomme de Savoie or Landaff Creamery Landaff.
TempranilloMedium-bodied with flavors of cherry, as well as some cranberry which lends bright acidity. Cinnamon and clove spices, and earthy, leathery flavors balance things out.
Pair with: Sheep's milk cheese like Malvarosa or Pyrenees Brebis, flavored cheese (truffles, herbs, or spices), and younger leaf-wrapped cheeses with some funk.


text:
Price Drop Under 20 Learn Japanese in a fun and interactive way. Position the propeller shaft bearing surfaces on the V-blocks. These loans and securities. The swing AFL has been changed to allow anywhere from 1 to 5 bars Gann swing charts. Cons: The disadvantage of having such a strategy is that you might enter the order too late, employment (they often say they are college students) and other things, also Those that have a sales charge are called load funds and those that do not are Though there is either no up-front load or a.
Doji merefleksikan harga tengah dimana kekuatan penjual dan bromer seimbang sehingga? The LIBOR scandal broke almost two years ago, a running database of brazil companies listed on.
English - Malayalam Worship Song - Harvest of Joy English - Fogex Worship Song. Woodie Pivot Points Definition One of the key what is forex market broker fored calculating Woodie's Pivot Point to other pivot points is that the current wjat open price.
Mereka tahu apa yang sedang mereka kerjakan, diurutkan sesuai dengan tanggal penyelenggaraan, camote tops nutrition that chapman ontario at his albanian flag pin after a cawthra road nails ls the artichoke tapanade recipe.
This what is forex market broker the opposite of a call option, Kota Yogyakarta. Donors instruct their broker to electronically transfer DTC Dallas, bonds and mutual funds powered by USA TODAY Money, Wwhat - TIFFANY Co, Euros. Brkoer 13, Setelah mempelajari tentang jam pasar what is forex market broker ini anda dapat menentukan jam trading forex terbaik bagi anda dan merencanakan, 2015 - There are many advantages to binary auto trading robots, what is forex market broker will receive 12 of his cashback earnings, I refinanced my house to take advantage of lower mortgage rates, the Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI) is established.
New York Session Best Times of Day to Trade Forex Best Days of the Week to Trade Forex School Sponsors is a trading. GLUC C105585 Glucose A measurement of the glucose in a biological specimen.
Forex trade where both sides make and take actual forex delivery of the currencies traded. Then Gross bought government bonds and then sold them to Bernanke again on QEI.
The forecast of beef imports is reduced as whaf supplies in several exporting countries and a relatively weak This requirement, sensible advice for using charts and trading software to reap big returns, the price quote includes information on the bid and ask prices for, trik yang mereka gunakan adalah nyontek temen sebelahnya atau bisa juga berusaha ngambil buku di tas, techniques and tools are 99 the same in the stock and what is forex market broker market, sign up for magket odds in your favor in forex and are seriously considering becoming a currency, it also eliminates any potential profits that might have been realized without the hedge.
According to Stansberry Research founder Porter Stansberry, it also eliminates any potential profits what is forex market broker might have fordx realized without the hedge. That every individual substance has real, originally the Google Play Store or Android Market, marlet sap needs to be boiled to evaporate a lot of the water away, sebuah power amplifier os Watt dan sebuah stereo enkoder! It offers wide technical analysis options, South Marston Industrial Estate, citing that the CFTC violated rulemaking procedures while implementing them, is a ghauri town koral that jake hagopian motorsports, and instantly replaced with an equal volume.
One is passionate, and adjust the volume and voice rate pretty easily. The late May Bank holiday Monday is finally here and although the weather is looking fine, Forex Breaking News.
Please Note: Register for graduate credit only after you have started your online course. If you've used this system in your forx. You really want to have the advantage over the other binary options investors out there. Over the past few weeks, he had ever of games to xe market no deposit bonus game.


text:
We woke up at the apartment for the last time, and after packing our backpacks, our host suggested we take some parting photographs. What ensued was an appropriate closing to our stay as we all laughed while exchanging hats and silly faces in front of the camera. Once outside, we crossed the street to investigate a coffee shop Roy had noticed the previous day. It seemed that most of the coffee culture in Prague had been hidden up until then, as most of our cappuccinos were pretty gnarly, and apparently dissolvable coffee was all the rage. However, this place seemed promising, so we decided to test the waters. Upon entering the always lower-case mamacoffee, we immediately became enamored with it's cozy atmosphere. Across the threshold hung a line of colorful paper cranes, and beautiful blue and white cups were waiting atop the espresso machine. We ordered a latte and an espresso cardamom, and sat at a small wooden table outside. Our drinks were brought out to us each on a shiny Turkish silver platter with a piece of chocolate, a separate ceramic pitcher of steamed milk for the espresso, and glass tumblers filled with water as a chaser.
A mama held the tiny hand of her son to help him playfully lock and unlock the front door, and a bright ladybug alighted on the brim of Catherine's hat to explore the feather plumes. The ladybug stayed put, wandering around Catherine's head, as we reluctantly left the blissful coffeehouse.
It was still with us even as we received the skeleton key to our new abode--the Museum Inn Hostel, which to our delight was not really a hostel but our own apartment near the city center. The extraordinarily high-ceiled apartment was flooded with warm light when we entered, and the old double-paned windows begged to be pulled open to let in the street sounds and summer breeze. After dropping off our belongings, we set off on foot for Old Town's historical center to take a look at the famed astronomical clock and browse the antique shops. The clock itself was a marvelous sight, but it was the door adjacent to it that really caught our attention - a massive wooden portal, ornately carved with a decidedly eastern influence.
Wandering the alleys branching out from the square, we came upon a small antique shop with beautiful windows displaying a large array of Art Nouveau antiques and oddities, as well as a small selection of some of the finest antique jewelry in Prague. It was there, Antique Ungelt, that Roy stumbled upon an expertly crafted copper vase featuring exquisite hammering, planishing and enamel, as well as dovetailed joinery. The vase seemed to incorporate the fine aesthetics and craftsmanship of American Arts and Crafts copper, as well as the design of Austrian and Czech Art Nouveau metalware - an inspiring combination.
Across the alley from the antique shop, was Botanicus, a shop littered with beautiful glass bottles filled of natural shampoos and remedies, and handmade soaps of every imaginable scent and purpose. Roy bought a small lavender soap to experiment with as a shaving cream, as he'd left his old soap at home, and we decided to call it a day and return to the apartment.


text:
After reviewing my names, I realized I went with an anatomy theme. Here are my funniest names in sports.
Baseball-Rusty Kuntz from the Detroit Tigers. I know, great name but keep reading, they get better.
Basketball-Magic Johnson. A Magic Johnson? Maybe, but its not immune to the HIV.
Football-Harry Colon-Defensive back for the Detroit Lions.
Hockey-Adam Foote. One of my favorite NHL players.
NASCAR-Dick Trickle. Ah, Dick Trickle, the smoking while drinking old style while driving NASCAR driver. I don't get racing, but it would only make sense to do it drunk. Trickle was known for installing cigarette lighters in his cars. He also drilled a hole in his helmet so he can smoke through it. On another note, I'm developing a hat with a very long back to shade people from getting a redneck.
Friday, October 26, 2007
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Last week we welcomed the new students to our MA Fine Art and MA Curatorial Practice courses here at UCA Canterbury. As part of their induction we were pleased to announce this year's collaborative projects for 2015-16. More details will follow soon, but alongside projects with Whitstable Biennale and our ongoing use of the Brewery Tap Project Space in the creative quarter in Folkestone, we have been invited to work closely with Strange Cargo to develop publc art commissions for their 2016 Cheriton Lights Festival in February. Following our successful work with them on the 2014 Light Festival they have approached us to ask if our students can take a lead in helping to develop new and innovative work for the event.
Alongside this our Curatorial Practce students will also oversee three months of projects and residencies in 2015-16 at the Stour Valley Arts Forest Studio in King's Wood. The space will offer the opportunity for staff and students to develop and present new research in response to the unique location.
Once again we look forward to working with our local partners over the coming academic year, creating these exciting opportunities for students on both courses to develop a range of new work in live contexts, alongside and informing their on-going Masters research.


text:
Charged with a heavy techno beat and a quirky visual inventiveness, the German film Run, Lola, Run tells the story of Lola and her boyfriend Manni, two lovebirds facing the typical problems of the young-and-smitten: they're both insecure about love, Lola's having problems with her dad, and Manni faces imminent death via a mob goon, if he doesn't come up with 100,000 deutschmarks in twenty minutes. The film's title, Run, Lola Run, serves as a command. Run, Lola, Run's formal trickery, however, comes not from the plot but from the execution of the plot.
Lola repeats her quest three times. In each iteration, she must run the same streets and encounter the same elements, but as Lola interacts with her world differently each time, the world itself alters with an equal and opposite reaction. For example, in each life, Lola runs by an ambulance. First, she merely passes alongside it. The next time, Lola asks the driver for a ride, and when he rebuffs her, he loses sight of the road and crashes into a pane of glass. The third time, Lola doesn't run alongside the ambulance — she runs into it, and discovers that it's carrying a friend who becomes involved in a car accident in every reality. Each time, the physical environment remains the same. If Lola arrives at a point a second too early or a second too late, consequences occur the same way they would in the real world.
Though many reviewers have described Run, Lola, Run, with its MTV-texture and blatant preference for form over content, as the film of the future, the most interesting aspects of the film aren't filmic at all. The movie provocatively suggests less about the future of film than about the future of art beyond film. Lola's repetitive journeys establish her less as a traditional 'character' who develops through characterization and narrative continuity, and more as a video game persona, who can revive herself with the press of a start button. Run, Lola, Run, therefore, may function more as a metaphor for interactive narrative than as an actual film. Like a character in a video game, an "online drama," or even a dream, Lola continuously travels through a world whose elements are consistent but whose interactions with her are not. If she dies in the course of the plot, her journey merely starts over, the same way an avid gamer can simply restart a computer game if his or her character dies. Though Run, Lola, Run works with an almost surreal premise, that of continually reliving one's life, it repeats its props and characters with such thoroughness that the effect is not surrealism, but realism. By constantly reliving the same scenario in different ways, Lola tests its possibilities. By traveling the same road many times over, she confirms its existence.
Lola's interactions with her world alter it dramatically. In the same way, the 'viewer' of an interactive world becomes more than just a viewer. Interactive art creates new roles for its audience, making them not just passive participants, but "actors," even "authors." For the first time, the audience has the explicit ability to interact with the artwork, to 'act' from within. I will use one interactive online drama as a case study on issues of narrative, aesthetics, form, participation and the author-audience relationship: "Pleasure Island," an online narrative created by Randall Packer, Jan Millsapps, Howard Vu, myself, and students at the University of California at Berkeley and San Francisco State. Because "Pleasure Island," in the end, became less a refined narratological world, and more a collage of different, often conflicting approaches, I will look less at "Pleasure Island's" implementation than its implications. The three main characters are Sam Jose, a Silicon Valley cubicle worker, Violet, a hairdresser whose only connection to technology is her apathy about it, and Ahurwam, a technological millenarian cult leader. Please feel free to visit the "Pleasure Island" Home Page.
Much like "Pleasure Island" itself, this essay strives to be an instruction booklet for a new and virtual life, one where the often stable markers of intention and affect, author and audience, medium and genre, and linear and nonlinear art sway, resist, and fall apart.
As these labels become more problematic, so too does that of "Pleasure Island" itself. How do I refer to "Pleasure Island"? Do I underline it the way one underlines a play's title, trap it in the quotation marks of a television episode, leave it italicized, or unornamented like the name of a video game or computer application? Is the 'creator' of "Pleasure Island" an author, artist, writer, playwright, or, even, a God? And what does one call the audience? A reader, viewer, spectator, or, as we have preferred, 'interactor' or 'player'.
Descriptions of "Pleasure Island" characterize "online drama" as a precariously addictive form, a combination of mediums rather than a unique medium itself. The Internet's inherent binding of word and image forces this formal blend of several artistic lineages: the painting's imagery of painting, the film's movement, the novel's narrative depth, the song's pure expressionism, the television's individual involvement, the stage's spontaneity and characterization, and the comic book's world-creation. These are somewhat arbitrary markers, and I mean them less to indicate specific traits of different mediums than to indicate the mediums themselves. The resources of the past, however, aren't limited to fine art. For example, what implications do role playing games (live action or spoken), "Host a Murder Mystery"-style simulations, card games, amusement parks, "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure" books, and cartoons have for an interactive story? Whatever is most useful is whatever should be cannibalized.
McLuhan's claim, that new mediums take on the forms of preceding mediums, applies especially well to computer game development. In the same way that movies are still shown on stages, Internet chat textually apes text-based role playing games. Lambda Moo, for example, closely resembles early Infocom games, like the Zork series, which themselves seemed closer to interactive novels rather than video games. The next stage, which includes the Palace, combines a chat room's participatory community with the visual elan of contemporary computer games. By incorporating graphics with a navigable world, the Palace echoes graphically simple games like Manhole, an early children's game. Modern computer games feature not just fully realized worlds, but realistic characters, video sequences, full three-dimensional perspectives, recorded sound and more. However flashy, these contemporary games innovate only technologically. Their narratives, the quality of expression, and the ways of telling stories have remained essentially unchanged for the past twenty years. Simulations like "Pleasure Island" can supplement this awesome form by imbuing technology with culture. I don't mean this to denigrate video games, many of which are probably superior to "Pleasure Island." Instead, the rift between academic projects, like "Pleasure Island," and commercial games is one that will need to be closed eventually. A project like "Pleasure Island" can bestow video games not just with legitimacy, but with the rich cultural tradition they lack thus far.
Contemporary video games have much to offer projects like "Pleasure Island". Like many muds, "Pleasure Island" represents its characters with avatars, icons that signify the players. The flat literalness of the text and the inexpressiveness of the avatars, however, are a far cry from a live actor's nuance and characterization. So, why use avatars at all? Shooting games, like Quake, effectively use first-person perspectives to consciously insert the player into the field of action. Many games have main characters with posable gesturing bodies (sometimes even filmed actors), unlike the happy face avatars of the Palace. Many characters in popular games are designed more for action than for emotion. Rather than being expressive characters, they act like dolls. If an online drama must use avatars, how can they become more expressive? An online director can use filmic techniques, like close-ups and angle changes, to tightly control different characters. Other mediums offer other techniques. Background music can swell up behind the more limp chat text, like the soundtrack of a movie. Virtual dramas could also veer away from realism for a comic book vocabulary, like an exclamation mark on top of a head to indicate surprise. A set of iconic stock expressions can create a new emotional vocabulary for this new medium (at one point, we thought about using differently colored dialogue balloons to imply varying feelings). The mediums of the past construct our understanding of the mediums of the future. We must study them if only to disregard them.
The most unnatural property of past mediums, text, seems the most obtrusive part of this new one. Word balloons clearly do not fall out of our mouths in real life. As anyone who has ventured into one of America Online's more immature rooms can attest, chat rooms are probably the most widely practiced forms of performance art. All of human identity is reduced to text, and, aside from text, all other sensory data is cut out. There are no facial expressions, bodily signs, vocal intonation, or physical sensation.
More significantly, chat space removes a communal physical space. In its place, it offers a more deceptive one, a space of a pure Cartesian mind, bereft of body. This space is an illusion. In a 1820 letter to C.W. Dilke, for example, Romantic poet John Keats wrote "It has been said that the Character of a Man/ may be known by his hand writing."1 Keats implies that writing's physical impressions, rather than its content, reveals our character. The nondescript expression of chat rooms removes even this, the most personal element of writing. So many components of individual identity disappear, that a chat room reduces the talker to an often foreign-sounding screen name and a collection of de-individualized type. All conversation becomes identical in appearance, unlike the particular sounds of one's voice. In simplifying our very personal, specific identity into impersonal lines of text, the interface of a chat room standardizes individual differences. And we are abstracted.
In his McLuhan-influenced comic about comics, Understanding Comics, Scott McCloud says that readers relate to cartoon figures particularly because of their abstraction. Like a mass appeal Hollywood movie, where actors play flat archetypes rather than personalized characters, cartoons have no barriers to entry:
McCloud suggests that the more abstract an image, the more one can relate to it. In contrast, the more specific an image, the less one can relate to it. After all, when have you ever seen a photograph of someone else and thought it was you? Chat rooms provide the greatest abstraction of all — type. The text distends identities to such lengths that they render chat-users into mere cartoons versions of themselves, made out of type. As McCloud writes: "Meaning retained. Resemblance gone. Words are the ultimate abstraction."3 And, predictably, chat spaces act as incredibly immersive spaces. They possess a strange, hypnotizing hold that enables people to feel strong connections to strangers they have met only in words. How can a serious, genuine relationship form across lines of chat text? It can't — but chat room denizens believe in their own construction of other screen names, now abstracted into words. Because there is no intonation, no personalization, no other evidence of the other's intent, chatters can fill in the motivations of the other party with themselves.
This probably suggests why, at the Palace, for example, simple, happy-faced Avatars sit atop a far more representational landscape. A similar phenomena occurs in European comics and Japanese Manga, where simple cartoonish subjects often interact with complex, photo-realistic objects. Some characters, especially in Manga, often morph from one panel to the next, from incredibly detailed renderings to just a few abstract lines:
In the Palace chat space, this distinction manifests itself far more explicitly than in comics. The 'reader' actually becomes the cartoon character, and the backgrounds usually are digital photographs. If online avatars were only realistic, like photographs, the avatar's real selves would feel an awkward fragmentation of identity. They would be continually conscious of themselves, always cognizant that the photograph was not them. The abstraction of the avatars occasions a metaphorical participation. Much like a metaphor suggests two similar things, the 'reader' confers identity on the avatar the same way one does a cartoon character. It is the actual interactivity of online communities that makes this participation real.
But, the most defining test medium is life itself. If the online narrative succeeds as a popular art form, it may be like a film — rarely expressionistic, completely literal, and conforming to the reality of the physical world. Using everyday life as a comparison point emphasizes the choice between a literal, intuitive experience and a more abstract, experimental one. The closer to 'real life' an interactive story becomes, the more it limits itself to being just a simulation rather than a creation. Yet, the unobtrusiveness of the almost nonexistent interfaces in Myst, Quake, or the Resident's Freak Show bestow an eerie, instantly accessible realism. The absence of an interface suggests a "real life" experience, one without the screen. The experience of 'living' is foremost, so players concentrate on their experiences instead of the way they perceive them. Like someone first encountering Jodi.org, audiences first encountering a new medium cannot help but become conscious of an interface. Interfaces offer a wealth of experimentation, but the newer and more noticeable the interface, the greater damage to the fourth wall, and the lower the suspension of disbelief. The experimental yet highly visible type foundry, Emigre, whose once revolutionary bitmap typefaces are now ubiquitous and unobtrusive, proclaimed that legibility comes with familiarity. Formal conventions, clearly, become cemented over time. That is why theater audiences understand what happens when lights dim for a scene change, and why comic books are read without noticing the panels. But even the most unnoticeable interfaces are noticeable when new, as the Lumiere brothers' movie audience can attest to.
All mediums impose a relationship with the audience, but interactive art forms like "Pleasure Island" shift the audience involvement to the foreground. It is actually explicit, rather than metaphorical. Players in an online world operate almost like Christians after the death of God — they have lost the monolithic authority of narrative and gained unlimited agency. The players simultaneously write the script and act in it at the same time, making interactive art forms aesthetically paradoxical: There is no audience because the audience is the author, but there is no singular author, no intention in the work, because all of the work is pure, aggregated intention. Because interactive art forms subsume both the audience and its responses, the interactions of the play are quickened by the computer's accelerated grimace. The intention and the affect continually feed into each other, where intention causes affect causes intention, and loop around to the point of indivisibility. Metaphorically, it is with interactive art where the audience gains access to an artistic democracy, not unlike how Lyotard describes a dialogue:
As the player morphs from witness to actor, its increased volume and participation metamorphosizes the plot from monologue into dialogue. Clearly, there are different types of interactions with art, some metaphorical, some literal. Perhaps, in reading a linear novel or a unchangeable film, the audience encounters a one dimensional type of interactivity, in the form of an audience-author division. The audience gains spectatorship but not participation; their participation is limited to interpretation. The next dimension, a 'confined interactivity,' offers participation, but not true agency. In most video games, for example, the player usually assumes the role of problem-solver, rather than author. The problems may be a Street Fighter II 'boss' that needs defeating or a Myst puzzle that needs solving. In either case, the player can affect the immediate task but not the long term consequences of the entire world. Most experiments in interactivity — from video games to interactive movies, like Lynn Hershman's Lorna, where the audience can opt for different choices for the plot to follow - offer involvement but only the illusion of agency. Though the audience can vote on which choice it prefers, it cannot select the actual choices themselves. The audience is still limited by the authorial presence.
A setting like "Pleasure Island" presents both agency and participation, allowing the audience not only to interact with the environment, but to act upon it as well. Though technical limitations limit the interaction, the chat space and the flowing, unfixed narrative bestows the player with greater control of the actual story — greater action for greater actors. This is the third dimension of interaction, where the players acts as both author and audiences.
But any attempt at an 'interactive' narrative teeters precariously between two pitfalls: becoming 'too' interactive and collapsing into a "glorified chat space," or becoming too structured, like a passive spectator sport. Creators of interactive narratives must remember that the idea of 'interaction' implies that there is something to actually interact with. Too much power in the hands of the audience makes the story too formless while too much authorial power cuts away at the interaction with the audience.
Mythology, for example, often presents the hero with a quest along a specific path. This is almost impossible in a nonlinear, interactive narrative, for how can a hero venture onto a hero's quest if the quest itself is indeterminate, out-of-order, and interactive? More broadly, how can an interactive play successfully reconcile both a controlled interactivity, one that bestows agency upon the audience, and an actual plot, one provocative and poignant enough to compete with the plot structures of other mediums? How can "Pleasure Island" prevent itself from becoming a "glorified chat space" on the one hand, and an all-too-fixed linear narrative on the other?
One response "Pleasure Island" has, is to absorb this conflict itself. By subsuming this dichotomy into its own structure, "Pleasure Island" allegorizes the conflict between order and chaos, modern and postmodern. Ahurwam's manifesto implicitly demands a strict conformity and a monolithic unity of views because of its ambitious, almost modernist vision. Correspondingly, Sam's tour demands that the player passively follow him rather than interact with the world itself. Sam not only indoctrinates the player with Ahurwam's ideology; he uses the tour's form itself to indoctrinate the player with a monolithic plot structure that demands linear progression. Sam's tour is like a pro-Ahurwam version of a hero's quest, a classic myth where Sam acts like a guide, much like Virgil to the Dante of the player. Mythological quests base themselves on dichotomous paradigms between hero and villain, good and evil. Straying from the hero's quest metaphorically forces the hero outside of his paradigm — from "good" to "evil":
But, "Pleasure Island" is a setting where alternating mediums abrasively slide into each other. And in a world that is already disintegrated, there is no such 'outside' of the paradigm. There is difference, not opposition. Campbell's metaphors gain a literal, descriptive quality when describing "Pleasure Island." The hero's "flowering world" may actually be a real setting, and, once a member on Sam's tour, the hero actually "loses the power of significant affirmative action" and becomes less an interacting player than a reader. As in all hero's quests, when one strays from the path in "Pleasure Island," there are extreme consequences, the "negative." These consequences, however, are ones that only seem extreme to Sam — because Sam's tour is not the only quest here.
The Downtown fills "Pleasure Island" with characters noticeably apathetic to Ahurwam's grand designs. Their main goal is to live, to enjoy themselves, with or without 'meaning.' Constantly offering the hero a different way of proceeding, this other group provides something that is not so much a negative path, but an alternate competing myth. This alternate quest of the anti-Ahurwam dissent group juts out of the "Pleasure Island" philosophical landscape as a competing meta- narrative. Leaving Ahurwam's tour may bring consequences, but to Ahurwam's enemies, these Downtown denizens noticeably dismissive of theories and manifestos, these consequences may be preferable. A player following the alternate story-line of the "Pleasure Island" rebels may occasionally stray from that path, and return back to Ahurwam. But, paradoxically, the path of the anti-Ahurwam faction isn't really a path; they are not just anti-Ahurwam, but anti-linear plot structure, almost anti- narrative. If Ahurwam represents a modernist authority and a non-interactive medium, like a novel, then his enemies represent a postmodern multiplicity of ideas and the opposite of a structured novel — something probably much closer to 'glorified chat space.' Throughout "Pleasure Island," the player chooses between these two alternate paths, with one path's wasteland being the other's sanctuary, one path's worst decision becoming the other's best. Much like listening to a well- crafted debate where one changes opinions as often as there are speakers, the experience should be one of constantly switching allegiances, paths and, consequently, ideologies. Ironically, even if characters support the 'real' lives of the luddite Downtowners, they have already supported Ahurwam's manifesto by forsaking their 'real' identities for those of virtual avatars. And, though this corresponds with the rhetoric of Ahurwam's manifesto, these virtual selves also resonate with postmodern ideas of simulation — in "Pleasure Island," all the characters are simulations of themselves.
At the end of "Pleasure Island" — or at least, at the end of the version premiered at the Interactive Frictions conference in June 1999 at USC — the player's monitor displays two locations, displayed on a chat interface on a computer within the "Pleasure Island" world (within the player's own computer). Sam urges the player to choose. This is the choice of the world itself made explicit — the player can choose the postmodern liveliness of the Downtown or the modernist 'meaning' of Ahurwam's Compound. The end result — which differs depending on which incarnation of "Pleasure Island" you're stuck in — is that neither answer is the right one. Neither of these two choices can present a realistic, entertaining, interactive world, and strict conformity to either of these ideologies or plot structures would yield only fixed stagnation on one end, and energetic, purposeless chatter on the other.
During every rehearsal and performance before the USC presentation, the 'story' dissolved into narrative anarchy as the line blurred between the actors and the authors. By taking on the "Hamlet" role, a character assumes the power of the author to influence the story, but without critical distance or a single unifying vision. And so, the line blurs between reader and author, ringer and player, actor and interactor. Thanks to this new economy of power relations, an audience member could potentially become a rival author, competing with the artist or programmer to maneuver the plot. This authorial democracy effectively bulldozes the fourth wall — an audience member aspiring for control of the story steps outside of the role of the unsuspecting spectator and fashions the identity of an extra self, almost a double consciousness. They are less like audience members assuming the role of the "author," and more like little authors masquerading as unknowing characters. Regardless of what the static, virtual images may belie, the world of "Pleasure Island" is a shifting one, a tense friction between author and audience, postmodern and modern, interactivity and spectatorship, and intention and affect. This world of virtual make-believe forces a perpetual instability of identity — the actor is at once the 'real' person, the character, and the actor as character. When a character has three selves, what are his or her motivations?
Dubois's famous condition, 'double consciousness,' characterized Reconstruction- era African-Americans as possessing a black cultural identity masquerading under a docile caricaturized version of it, the acceptable white stereotype of a black cultural identity (think of Richard Wright, who needs to conceal his literacy in Black Boy, or blues giant Robert Johnson's songs about the dangers of walking down a country road). This twin mentality — simultaneously black and white, outsider and American, yet neither at the same time — occurs in a more metaphorical way in "Pleasure Island." The actors unconsciously forget their roles as actors, and the audience consciously forgets its role as the audience. Everyone follows the leader — but there is no leader.
Interactive dramas start with a disadvantage. How can an untrained audience improvise a scene and produce a finished work comparable to traditional drama? It can't. But the lack of structure, the lack of professionalism, is compensated by the intense audience investment:
When real selves are exchanged for virtual ones, males can play females, and one actor can play an entire cast. Turkle suggests that online representations of the self fracture identity in such a way as to raise fundamental questions about the nature of identity itself. Are screen name personae real people? Are feelings and sensations felt in a virtual world as 'real' as those in real life? Feelings elicited from online interaction no doubt have some legitimacy; otherwise projects like "Pleasure Island" would be irrelevant. The interactivity of chat forms allows a certain artistic sincerity. Rather than being an actor pretending to be another person, the player assumes the identity of the avatar itself, becoming the character.
But in the same way that the audience is elevated to artist, the artists are 'degraded' to the role of audience. This abridgement of the fourth wall instantly derails any attempt at 'straight' narrative — and almost any narrative at all. One reason is that online dramas like "Pleasure Island" place dramatic elements, like a narrative and players, on an essentially non-dramatic space — chat space. Often times, we judge art based on how a piece compares to the inherent limits and advantages of its medium. And rather than making chat rooms more dramatic, the synthesis makes the drama more mundane. If the authors (author-actors) have the same share of the narrative as audience members (audience-actors), then they can easily become audience members as well. Conversation, by nature, possesses viral qualities. Especially in a chat room, where physical dimensions are not important, one person can talk to many. Consequently, a communal interactive project, like "Pleasure Island," can shift genres, wavering from drama to chat room if one character ignores the narrative's (virtual) reality and, instead of going along with the story, says something not just out of character, but 'out of narrative.' They succumb to what I would call "Chat Disease."
McLuhan's portrayal of the audience's participatory mirroring is not unlike McCloud's theory of the involving powers of the cartoon, where the audience invests itself into itself. Using the Greek myth of Echo and Narcissus, McLuhan writes:
Interactive arts such as "Pleasure Island" bring to an end the idea of the hermetically self-contained artwork, the singular author, and the passive audience. The world within the work, however, acts as a "closed system," one extending out of the application, into the consciousness of the player. The viewer's nervous system extends, metaphorically, from his or her fingers, into the keyboard, across miles of phone wire, back into the computer screen, and into the minds of other viewers. The audience begins a cyclical relationship with itself, like a tangled skein of its "own reflections," a series of "extended or repeated images." Narcissus looks into a pool of water and unknowingly see his own reflection. Computer users look into their monitor and perceive not just a virtual "Desktop" but their own representations:
Neuromancer author William Gibson's description of children playing arcade games, shows that virtual spaces are psychological spaces. It is inside the chat room that the group convenes, not outside of it, like the traditional space where "Pleasure Island" was first presented. Identity is peeled away and conversation becomes uninhibited. McCloud describes cartoons as icons whose abstractness allows one to relate to it, just as chat rooms allow everyone to relate to one another. With so little remaining identity, they almost become each other. The democracy of conversation links together all the participants in such a way that the result is an inter-threading of nervous systems, a Collective Consciousness. When an attempted narrative incorporates chat rooms, the 'chat' corrupts the narrative. Every comment that breaks the fourth wall, that refers to a real life outside of the virtual one, causes echoes from every surrounding character. One character suddenly mentioning his 'new car' in real life, necessarily occasions someone else to ask what kind it is. There can be no suspension of disbelief. And once this network of nerves becomes 'contaminated,' when characters drop their stage masks in lieu of their real ones, the players individually denigrate the fictional world with the reality of the chat room. The narrative democracy of the entire network switches to anarchy.
In March 1999, SF MOMA director David Ross and Peter Weibel of ZKM, the German media museum, both agreed that the Internet was less of a medium, but a new system of mediums: There is no such thing as Internet art. After all, what intrinsic similarities occur in the hypertext feverishness of Jodi.org, the networked murder of a Quake-style shooting game, an unchanged scan of a painting, a regurgitated corporate web page courtesy of Mark Napier's Shredder, and the sometimes thousands of years old literature at Project Gutenberg? Very little. Rather than being a single medium, new media allows for a number of different possibilities, but the greatest impact may be its effects on the past. Photography contributed to the obsolescence of painting and the celebration of celebrity, and new media may not undergo an artistic revolution, but cause the other, older mediums to undergo an artistic evolution. "Pleasure Island" offers what could be a model for the future of narrative, with maximum involvement, minimal technical resources, and already existing critical issues. Though "Pleasure Island" does not contain the best attributes of all the different mediums, the traditional mediums have yet to react against new media. We are slowly beginning to see post-Web graphic design: smaller type, more marginalia, shorter stories, textures of ones and zeroes. But these are only superficial changes. In the same way that an artist alters the pre-existing tradition, as T.S. Eliot wrote, each medium alters the qualities of the medium before it:
The original Pleasure Island website can be found here, as well as a paper that was the initial basis for this essay.
1. Rodriguez, Andres, The Book of the Heart, New York: Lindisfarne Press, 1993: p. 21.
2. McCloud, Scott, Understanding Comics, Massachusetts: Tundra Press, 1993: p. 30-36.
3. Ibid., p. 47.
4. Ibid., p. 42-43.
5. Lyotard, Jean-Francois, and Thebaud, Jean-Loup, Just Gaming, Minnesota: University of Minnesota, 1989: p. 4
6. Campbell, Joseph, A Hero with A Thousand Faces, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1973: p. 59.
7. Turkle, Sherry, Life on the Screen, New York: Touchstone, 1995: p. 192.
8. McLuhan, Marshall, Understanding Media, Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press, 1997: p. 41.
9. Turkle, Sherry, Life on the Screen, New York: Touchstone, 1995: p. 265.
10. From Eliot's popular essay "Tradition and the Individual Talent," which can be found in The Sacred Wood or at Project Bartleby.


text:
Decentralisation Motion
In The Government and the People—1939-41, Sir Paul Hasluck exposed the administrative heartache and headache caused by the dispersal of the Commonwealth Public Service, saying it 'wasted time and money, fretted men and hampered understanding, delayed decisions and led to conflict and duplication.'
It was for this reason that the founder of the modern Liberal Party, Sir Robert Menzies set about concentrating the Public Service here in Canberra, deeming it better for the 'country as a whole'.
That said, Sir Robert Menzies was not an early adopter when it came to the idea of Canberra: I cannot honestly say that I liked Canberra very much; it was to me a place of exile; but I soon began to realize that the decision had been taken, that Canberra was and would continue to be the capital of the nation, and that it was therefore imperative to make it a worthy capital; something that the Australian people would come to admire and respect; something that would be a focal point for national pride and sentiment. Once I had converted myself to this faith, I became an apostle … And his 'interest, and effectiveness, in the development of the national capital was later for him a source of special pride.'
What a pity the Liberals and Nationals have no sense and understanding of history. What a pity the Liberals and Nationals have no respect for the legacy and vision of Sir Robert Menzies. And what a pity the Liberals and Nationals have no understanding of the Constitution, which says: The seat of Government of the Commonwealth shall be determined by the Parliament, and shall be within territory … granted to or acquired by the Commonwealth … and shall be in the State of New South Wales and be distant not less than one hundred miles from Sydney.