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Real Dreaming: Working in the Arts
In a climate of cuts, routes into the arts are varied. A writer, a creative game developer and an art researcher share their stories
'A career in the arts' is the sort of played-out phrase you lob about having completed your entirely useful BA in Philosophy with Modern Languages, though the reality often seems abstracted. Finding work in a creative field or working as an artist feels largely inaccessible if you haven't done your 100 hours practice, if you can't afford to take that requisite unpaid internship.
While funding for the arts continues to dwindle, and with less of a formalised foot-in-the-door, routes into the creative industries have become a little more flexible simply because they've had to. Independents and not-for-profits offer short courses, the sort of thing you can do on your night off; distance learning is increasingly more affordable and even postgraduate qualifications have caught on to a little of the old pragmatism – most people gotta make a living. So what are the ways to pursue your heart's true want while juggling the grind that pays the bills?
Manchester Digital Laboratory, or MadLab, is a self-funded enterprise located in a former shop in the city's Northern Quarter, offering everything from short courses on developing to mouse taxidermy. The courses are relatively low cost and provide sensible schooling to low number groups in the evenings and weekends, using interactive and workshop formats. Now a senior games developer at CBBC, Dan Hett took two of MadLab's weekend-long courses "mostly out of curiosity"; one in Arduino, a creative electronic application, and another in projection mapping, learning how to project artwork on to buildings. Hett worked in programming for an agency at the time, but while he had the technical nous, he was apprehensive about the creative aspect of the course; nervous to "make art as opposed to sitting in the corner coding." He found the intensive weekend format the ideal way to learn and the hands-on workshop approach a great way of figuring things out: "It was an entry point to teaching myself." Hett now oversees the development of games for the CBBC website, and works on projecting visuals and artwork in clubs on the side. Indeed, he has come full circle, and will be delivering a gaming workshop at MadLab in the coming months that will follow the accessible structure of which he was such a fan (and has a working title of the none-too-scary 'Games Development 101').
Kin2Kin in Liverpool is a 'creative community' that offers more informal, broad Continuing Professional Development, with a concentration on marketing yourself and getting to know the industry. Creative entrepreneur David Parish delivers many of the workshops, with a focus on the efficient – he trains creatives to apply their imaginations to business. Though the combination of art and business might make you bristle, product designer and course attendee Ilsa Parry believes otherwise, saying, "business is an opportunity to be grasped by creatives and not to be feared"; and there is certainly something to be said for the de-romanticising and re-professionalising of creative roles, particularly if you'd like to be, you know, paid.
Continuing Professional Development that errs more towards the collegial comprises a host of vocationally minded postgraduate qualifications, with an eye on the prize – the prize being an actual job. Having studied a BA in Linguistics, arts executive and development manager Clare O'Mahoney had ambitions to be an artist but felt pressured to go down the academic route. Volunteering at the Whitworth Art Gallery while studying a BTEC in Art and Design led to an MA in Art Gallery and Museum Studies, and she has since worked as director's assistant at the Whitworth and managed the Manchester International Festival's members' scheme. "The MA gave me an exceptional grounding in understanding the role of public funding for art galleries, of the importance of finding new and interesting ways to raise money," she says. "We can't just continue in the same way." Fellow alumnus Jenny Oakenfull noted the expectations of institutions in having studied at this level. "Most museums want you to have an MA before considering hiring you," she says. Oakenfull took a career development loan to support her studies, working around lectures, eventually securing a role with art researchers Morris Hargreaves McIntyre. "It took me a year and a half of applications, two jobs in two cafes, and one in a bar, but I got there. Eventually."
Much has recently been made of creative writing courses, whether it is Hanif Kureishi getting shirty over whether you can teach writing (while receiving a salary to do just that) or Junot Díaz noting the "unbearable whiteness" of the courses, which is probably fair. Freelance writer/copyeditor Greg Thorpe studied an MA in Novel Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University's Writing School. "I had a great idea for a second novel, having already written an unpublished one… I'm good with deadlines so I knew the MA would force me to finish something." The course blended critiquing contemporary fiction with writing workshops, though was angled towards being a publishing qualification also, which was particularly relevant to Thorpe, who worked full-time in academic publishing.
Despite lectures taking place outside of office hours, balancing work with studying was hard. "I received little support to compensate and eventually the stress and guilt were overwhelming," he says, advising those considering a CPD to be prepared to get into debt, to be organised, to explain to everyone around them the importance of the commitment, and to seriously work out some stress-management solutions. "In the end the indifference and lack of support from work sealed my determination to leave." Thorpe eventually quit his job and made good on dreams of going freelance, the MA supplying the requisite editing skills and confidence to make the leap. He now copyedits academic books, works on artists' installations, writes for a host of arts organisations and exhibition catalogues and is Islington Mill's writer-in-residence. "The main thing I want is to be admired as a writer," he says. "That's the most important thing in the world to me."


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Open Source Blockchain non-profit Implementation Creating a Sustainable BUZZ in Bee Farming and Cryptocurrency.
It is our MISSION to innovate in the Organic Bee Farming sector, creating a foundation for a global network powered by the latest blockchain technology. Our BC-HMD™ and the BC-QMM™ devices will power the BC-HMN™ (Hive Mind Network) to increase global awareness in the way bee hives are maintained and monitored.
INCLUDING ALL DETAILS ABOUT THE UPCOMING SWAPWhitepaper Version 2.5

subset: commoncrawl


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The greatest female vocalists of the 2000s from all over the globe duke it out to see who has the best voice. While every artist on the list has had a great deal of success and many of whom very popular, these international vocalists were chosen for their versatility, emotion, vocal range, power and mastery in pop, rock, r&b, and country music. This list includes the likes of Adele, Florence Welch, Pink, and Lady Gaga. There is also another special criteria--all of these women have less than 20 years of musical experience, which means this disqualifies artists like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, etc. Fans have the power to vote on who which female artist has the best voice in music of the new millennium.
Recommended For Your Reading Pleasure:
Top 10 Predictions for Next 50 Years by Futurists
Turkey's Favorite Cat Immortalized with Bronze Statue
8 Most Horny Creatures in Wild
8 Most Ingenious Killers in the Wild!
8 Most Isolated Tribes in World
Epic Fails #101
Top 10 Useless Inventions of All Time
View my Flipboard Magazine.


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Did you read today's front page stories & breaking news?
From the Blogosphere
In-Stream Processing | @CloudExpo @robinAKAroblimo #BigData #AI #BI #DX
We are still getting sales reports and other information we need to run our business long after the fact
By: Robin Miller
Sep. 12, 2017 08:00 PM
Most of us have moved our web and e-commerce operations to the cloud, but we are still getting sales reports and other information we need to run our business long after the fact. We sell a hamburger on Tuesday, you might say, but don't know if we made money selling it until Friday. That's because we still rely on Batch processing, where we generate orders, reports, and other management-useful pieces of data when it's most convenient for the IT department to process them, rather than in real time. That was fine when horse-drawn wagons made our deliveries, but it is far too slow for today's world, where stock prices and other bits of information circle the world (literally) at the speed of light. It's time to move to In-Stream Processing. You can't - and shouldn't - keep putting it off.
[Figure 1, courtesy of the Grid Dynamics Blog]
This diagram may look complicated at first, but if you trace the lines it will soon become clear. The only thing that might throw some managers for a loop is the "Data Science" box at the bottom. This term may seem intimidating, but in real life it's just a method of deciding what data is most important to extract from the data stream as it flows by, and how it should best be displayed to the business people who are its end users. Some say, "Data science is just a sexed-up term for statistics." Perhaps. But title aside, displaying the dynamic information needed to run a business - and only that information - in real-time is what In-Stream Processing is all about.
Data Nuggets in the Stream
And buried in those 100,000 credit card transactions, there is one that is an attempt to use a stolen card. Obviously, that transaction will be declined. But then what? In the era of batch processing, an automated alert might get sent to management or loss control hours or days after the miscreant was gone. Perhaps the cashier called security, perhaps he didn't. After all, he had other customers in line, and when he told the person with the hot credit card that it was declined, the criminal probably bolted, and the cashier didn't give chase because it was probably against store policy - and he had other things to worry about, anyway.
Now let's fast-forward to tomorrow, when we have In-Stream Processing up and running. The second - literally the second - the hot credit card transaction takes place, both the store's loss control people and management at HQ learn about it. Store security can head for the appropriate POS before the bogus customer is informed that "his" credit card is no good. Indeed, notifying the cashier, and therefore the bogus customer, that the card has been declined can be automatically delayed until store security personnel acknowledge receipt of the alert, which gives them a far greater chance to detain the criminal than they had in the bad old days before they had In-Stream Processing as an anti-theft weapon.
Predicting production failures with In-Stream Processing
With In-Stream Processing, we can see temperature sensor output changes instantly, and even have alerts set to go off if they move more than X degrees outside their normal operating range. We can do the same thing with strain gauges and many other measurement devices. We can even check the number of boxes getting packed on each line, with alerts set for changes beyond our expectations so that a manager can check that line to make sure everything is okay both with the workers and with their equipment.
The sooner a potential problem is detected, the better our chance of solving it before it becomes a major, costly problem. This applies to almost every aspect of our business, including a sudden spate of customer calls about problems with a particular product.
Keeping irritated customers from becoming angry customers
The idea is that as soon as the system detects unhappiness beyond a preset level in a customer's voice, the call is automatically diverted to a supervisor or 2nd-level support person. In theory, a first-tier support person should be able to detect that unhappiness and call for help, but as you know from your own experience calling businesses for help, people in the first support tier may not be capable of recognizing unhappiness even if - it often seems - you bluntly say, "I'm unhappy. Please get your supervisor."
Think what a pleasant surprise it would be if a fresh voice came on the line and said, "This is Ron, in support management. It sounds like you're upset. I don't blame you. Let's see what we can do to solve your problem!" We're not using a chatbot in this scenario - yet. It may not be long until we have good enough AI (or at least pseudo-AI), and good enough voice recognition to replace human customer service workers, but right now nothing beats a knowledgeable employee with the authority to actually make things right for a customer who has gotten a defective product or poor service of some sort.
But In-Stream Processing, running Emotion Analysis, can certainly help us hook our unhappy customer up with the person who can make her problems go away - and do it right now, not a week from Sunday.
New uses for In-Stream Processing are cropping up all the time
With a little thought, you can almost certainly think of at least a few ways In-Stream Processing can benefit your business. If not, throw the idea out to your fellow executives. The chances are 100%, more or less, that within a week they'll think of at least a few ways In-Stream Processing can increase your profits.
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text: Originating as a sportswear brand, Anne Klein is known for using non-traditional fabrics and championing capsule collections of mix and match separates that could be worn and styled interchangeably. Revolutionary at the time of its launch in 1968, Anne Klein has continued to challenge fashion norms by creating investment sportswear that isn't just for exercise. From golfing styles to sleek wide-legs, Anne Klein pants are sophisticated and stylish. Perfect for the office, style with a luxe knit or white blouse for a classic look.


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Dr. Li is a genetic epidemiologist and serves as the program director for the electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) Network. She has a longstanding interest in genetic/genomic research on complex diseases and phenotypes, and gene-gene, gene-environment and gene-drug interactions.
Before Dr. Li came to the United States in 1991, she was working at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (Beijing) and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine (Beijing). She completed her post-doctoral training at Glaxo and her residency at Glaxo-Wellcome. She worked at Rho, a biostatistics consulting firm/contract research organization (Chapel Hill, N.C.).
Dr. Li was on the faculty of Morehouse School of Medicine (Atlanta) and was a tenured professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center within the Department of Preventive Medicine, and Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics (Memphis, Tenn.) before joining the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) in 2009.
Dr. Li taught genetic epidemiology and was a mentor to graduate students, junior faculty members and clinicians. Dr. Li has published over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and abstracts. She is also an associate editor of the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Last Updated: December 7, 2017


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Very easy to edit! Replace the logo and render!
Compatible with After Effects CS5.5 or Higher
Works with any logo or text!
You can change color as well.
No Plug-ins needed
Full HD 1920×1080 px
29.97 fps
Video Tutorial Included
If you have any questions send me an e-mail or contact me through my profile page.
Music Not Included: https://audiojungle.net/item/logo-reveal/20332957
Please support me by rate this project. Thank you


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If you work at Goldman Sachs, you are now absolved of the need to work on a Sunday – but only if you work at Goldman Sachs in Germany.
German news site Faz.net says Goldman's German CEO Alexander Dibelius has banned Sunday working at the bank in an effort to make it a more appealing place to work.
"We are not machines," pointed out Dibelius, perspicaciously. We are waiting to find out whether a similar policy realisation has been reached in London.
This no-Sundays policy at Goldman in Germany follows last week's news that a mysterious former back office employee of Goldman Sachs in Japan has formed a union and is demanding that he be treated, 'as human.'
It also emerged at the weekend that the release of Greg Smith's now notorious letter coincided with 'Resilience Week' at Goldman Sachs.
We wrote about Resilience Week at Goldman last year, although a spokeswoman for Goldman in the US steadfastly denied there was any such thing.
The Sunday Times reported yesterday that Resilience Week is real and has crossed the Atlantic. On the week of Greg's missive, Goldman's London staff were apparently treated to sessions from a company called Headspace which promotes calm, mindful, less stressy living through meditation and to an exposition from happiness expert Richard Layard.
Last year, Layard gave a talk at the School of Life, which was trailed with the claim: "Increasing wealth hasn't made us happier, and more individualistic,competitive societies make many of us positively unhappy. There is too much avoidable suffering in our society and too little contentment. We need to find a better way to live. The key idea of the Happiness Movement is that for a society to be happy, individuals must get their happiness from helping others. "
If Goldman Sachs staff are no longer working on Sundays, they may be doing good deeds instead.


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VANCOUVER, BC - Before the game had a chance to start, it was decided in favor of the Americans. In the final game of the Women's World Cup in Vancouver, America and Japan faced off for the right to be named the top women's team in the world.
Behind New Jersey's Carli Lloyd and her hat-trick for the history books, America came out with a 5-2 win over the Japanese. Lloyd scored three goals by the 17th minute, with a bomb from the mid-field line catching the Japanese goalie just far enough off the line to score.
Once again, New Jersey resident and Rutgers graduate Lloyd, was the woman of the hour and was more than ready for the challenges presented by the World Cup. Her penalty kick against Germany was the game-deciding goal and the hat-trick on Sunday was the needed boost to put the US over the top of Japan and come home with the hardware.
She capped off the month with a four-game scoring streak and won the Golden Ball as the most outstanding player over the course of the tournament. Lloyd is one of only two Americans to have ever been awarded the honor, with the only other being Carin Jennings against Germany in 1991.
Any questions about the American offense coming into the game were quickly forgotten once they had scored four times within the first 17 minutes including the fastest-ever hat-trick in Women's World Cup history, as well as the only one ever in a final.
In addition, the final total of five goals was the most ever scored by a single team in a World Cup final, with no other team ever having scored more than two. All the goals scored on the day also put America a top of the all-time goal list with 112, just above Germany.
The American defense was relentless, as always, and kept Japan to just a single goal in the first half and only four shots on goal for the full game. Hope Solo was spectacular in goal as well—winning the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper in the World Cup for the second consecutive time at the conclusion of the tournament.
Coming out of the half, there was a scare to the US side, after a free kick by Japan took a bad bounce off Julie Johnston's head and into the back of the net where the lead was down to two. Tobin Heath took care of that problem by scoring just two minutes later and the momentum was crushed leaving America up by three goals through to the final whistle.
With the win, America became the first nation to have three Women's World Cups, and prevented a repeat of four years ago where Japan beat the US on penalty kicks in the final. The game was a demonstration of just how dominant the American team is on the women's side of the sport and proved the ability of head coach Jill Ellis.
Coming into the tournament, and even during some early games—there were many questions about Ellis' ability to coach the team to the Cup, and whether she was using her players in the best possible way. Now, with this victory, there are no questions remaining—there is simply pride in all that the American Team has accomplished on its way to a third World Cup.


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Yesterday, I only worked a half day (moonlighting in Urgent Care). The Girl worked the second half of our shared shift. It was very busy, although no really sick people. There were some pretty thought-provoking people, including a drug-seeker whose two-week prescription of narcotics ran out on Memorial Day. Honestly, he probably should have had exactly enough pills to last until the next day but I don't think he was being dishonest per se. He basically called his doctor (with whom he has a very strict agreement about his pills) and realized that he wasn't in on Memorial day.
So what was I supposed to do? Call him a fool for miscalculating one pill? Let him withdraw for 12 hours until he could get in touch with his normal doctor? I gave him a script for two pills to tide him over but didn't feel right about it. If the regular Urgent Care/ER docs had heard about it, they would have felt I was encouraging drug-seeking behavior.
I'm actually getting some good training runs in these days. Yesterday, after getting relieved by the Girl in Urgent Care, I biked with the Lorax to the track. I warmed up and did one mile in 5:42 before the Lorax started crying. At that point, there were some high school kids gathering for what would probably be practice a while later. I got the Lorax to shut up for a little while and did a few more intervals (400,800,800 dictated by the Lorax's crying). By then, the high school coach was there and I felt like I had to leave.
Biked back to our apartment, where there is a nice park. I ran 4x1000(-ish) around the perimeter of the park. Now, the Lorax was sleeping peacefully in the middle of the park (in clear sight from every point on the loop).
Today, I started my anesthesia rotation. It's a little weird rotating in something I know so little about. I feel like a medical student, completely out of my element in the OR. It was fun, though, and the best part was that I got done at 11am. Walked home, where the Girl was eating oatmeal (as always). Suddenly we had the afternoon off together (she works tonight) and decided to run on the bike trails, which we did for 2.5 hours. I ended up running 15 miles.
I'm still uncertain as to what I am training for. The legs have come back nicely from a hard spring full of races. As it is, I am going for the 50K on July 5th during our honeymoon (Angel Island). If I feel as good as I do now, I will go for broke in that race and see if, after all, I have some ultra ilk in me.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
1 comment:
- SteveQ said...
A couple of years ago, I presented to the emergency room with what I'm sure the staff thought was drug seeking. I had idiopathic esophageal spasms, which were excruciating. They waited me out to see whether I was faking. After four hours, I got morphine, which barely dulled the pain.
So, if you didn't have a nurse listen to screams for four hours, I'd say you made a good call.
- May 28, 2008 at 8:37 AM
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text: When Steve and Lois Chess moved to San Francisco's Duboce Triangle from the Marina District, it was a strategic play. The couple was downsizing, opting for a centrally located, landlocked two-story flat in lieu of their large waterfront house. The couple had worked with Vernon Applegate, principal at Applegate Tran Interiors, on other projects and loved his use of color. "I knew these clients, and I knew them to be fearless. I could push the envelope a bit," he says. Stretching the design boundaries transformed a house originally inspired by a Martha Stewart aesthetic into a home where some rooms take their cues from, in Applegate's words, "a sexy nightclub from the 1970s."


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I am thrilled. When I originally enrolled my book on KDP for Kindle I opted not to go into the borrowers pool. However with my sales on the other devices being dismal and my sales on kindle being not much better I thought what do I have to lose. Since my book is actually the first of a trilogy why not? I put a year into my book. It spent almost a thousand dollars on my print version and cover design that was why. But then again what did I have to lose?
I pulled my title off Smashwords (who distributes to all the other devices) and went KDP exclusive. Holy cow its only been like a week and I have had close to 4000 downloads and around fifty ebook sales. I don't really know what that will equate to in dollars because some of that was under "Free e-book promotion days" where I will earn squat for those downloads. But I don't even care. What's amazing is that there are 4000+ people across the globe who have now heard of K.C. Michaels. Many of whom love The Jaxon Effect. I have amazingly enough gained like sixty twitter followers and at least twenty new fans on my Facebook page in the past couple of days. I have gotten several messages through Facebook, twitter and my website from people who have read my book and are chomping at the bit to read the second installment. I am over the moon.
I now have 19 ratings on Goodreads and five on Amazon and counting. The Jaxon Effect has also been added to over 150 times as a to be read on Goodreads as well. I am still of course hoping to find agent representation so the distribution of my print books can be handled by someone else. For now I will box, ship and drop off copies to retail outlets as necessary. A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.
I would also like to say I love every positive message I receive. I read them all and they inspire me to keep moving forward. I must get back to my writing now so until next time I will say goodnight!
PS: Dates to Remember
Sept 22nd Word on the Street Festival booth 197
October 6th Chapters John and Richmond in Toronto (Book launch and Signing)
October 20th Chapters St. Catharines, (Book signing)
I have a shipment that I sent to Coles at 800 Grand Lake Road in Sydney, Nova Scotia. They should arrive the end of this week or beginning of next week.
follow me for updates regarding book 2 @jaxoneffect or @KC_michaels on twitter
Or find my fan page on facebook The Jaxon Effect


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Print / Digital Subscription »
Shedding weight wherever possible is pretty much numero uno
on our to do list. But finding parts that cut weight and improve a sled's
ability to go through deep snow is always a bonus.
Since the Arctic Cat M-Series has been out (2005), the
chassis has had wide runningboards that run the full length of the tunnel. As
the years went by, engineers figured out that running boards act like a shelf
when the track is trying to dig down to firmer snow as it claws through deep
powder. So for 2009, Arctic Cat modified the tunnel on the M-sleds, hacking off
the rear most portion of the runningboards and tapering the tunnel up at a
steeper slope. The difference is astounding.
But if you've got an '05-'08 M-series sled, you're SOL,
right? Not quite.
Black Diamond Xtreme has designed a kit (offered well before
Cat released the 2009 models, by the way) that makes the same modifications to
the tunnel of your M-series, giving you the deep snow mobility that comes from
not having those wings hanging up in deep trenches.
We installed a BDX Pro Lite Series rear bumper kit on a 2008
Arctic Cat M8.
Now place the bumper on the sled making sure that the tunnel
edge sits down into the groove in the bumper and that the front edges of the
bumper sit flush against the footrests. Begin fastening the bumper in place by
drilling through the back side, going through the tunnel edge first and then into
the hallow cavity of the bumper. Rivet from the front back, keeping the bumper
pulled tight up against the tunnel as you work your way back.
The new rear bumper design allows the narrow tunnel to slide
into the track's trench, which lets the track dig deeper for better snow. You
may think that all it will do is get you stuck in a deeper hole, but trust us,
it works.
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Join our newsletter today!
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Columbus Blue Jackets 1, Colorado Avalanche 5 FINALNHL.com @NHLdotcom
DENVER (AP) -- With David Aebischer playing so well, Philippe Sauve hasn't had much of a chance to build any momentum.
He might have some now.
Sauve stopped 35 shots, Joe Sakic had a goal and three assists, and the Colorado Avalanche stayed unbeaten against the Columbus Blue Jackets with a 5-1 victory Saturday night.
"Sometimes you are not going to see him for a while," Avalanche coach Tony Granato said. "When David is going well the way he has been, you might not see Phil but once every three weeks. That is tough to do. Obviously, he adjusted to that role and he played extremely well."
Sauve has played just twice since his first NHL win on Nov. 6. Part of the reason was that Aebischer was playing great -- 8-1-2 in his past 11 games -- but also because Sauve wasn't so great.
He allowed three goals in each of his last two starts and entered Saturday's game with a 2.60 goals-against average and an .892 save percentage.
Sauve had plenty of reason -- and time -- to get down on himself, but he didn't let it happen.
shots in the final two periods.
In the second period, Sauve stopped one shot and dived back to get his stick out just in time to block Derrick Walser from just outside the crease.
Sauve was just as good in the third, when he made a sprawling save on Walser's one-timer from just in front of the goal and gloved a hard shot by Rick Nash late.
"I don't see a lot of ice time and whenever I do, I get real excited to play," Sauve said. "I want to help the team out as much as I can."
His teammates returned the favor.
Sakic scored his ninth goal and has 11 points in six games. Derek Morris added a goal and two assists. Milan Hejduk scored his 15th goal, and Teemu Selanne and Andrei Nikolishin also scored to push Colorado's unbeaten streak to five games (3-0-2).
But as good as the Avalanche have been lately, they've been even better against Columbus.
Colorado is 12-0-1 all-time against the Blue Jackets, including 7-0 at home, and has scored five or more goals seven times against them.
Columbus coach Doug MacLean turned sarcastic when asked about the streak that started with the Blue Jackets' first season in 2000.
"I don't know," MacLean said. "Sakic, Forsberg, Kariya, Selanne, Foote. You need any more names? How many more do you need? Is that enough for you?"
Nash scored in his fifth straight game -- and his 10th goal in nine games -- but Columbus was miserable on special teams to remain the league's only winless team on the road.
Columbus, 1-4-1 its last six games, allowed three power-play goals and was 0-for-6 with the man advantage to set a team record for longest road losing streak (0-9-1-1).
"Obviously, there's a lot of urgency in our speeches and in our talk right now about getting that first win under our belt and getting going here," MacLean said. "That's not the way it's going to happen."
The Avalanche didn't waste any time adding to Columbus' troubles, scoring five minutes in on a give-and-go between Selanne and Sakic.
Selanne easily scored his eighth of the season after Sakic's quick one-touch pass pulled Columbus goalie Marc Denis almost all the way out of the crease.
And the Avalanche didn't let up.
Sakic, playing NHL game No. 1,100, made it 2-0 on a power play with 5:31 left in the first, beating Denis stick side with a wrister while the Blue Jackets were still setting up.
Hejduk added to it 49 seconds later, punching it in from the edge of the crease after Morris' shot jumped Denis' stick.
"That's what we talked about before, trying to get off to a good start," Sakic said. "And we did."
Morris scored at 12:50 of the third, one-timing a pass from Alex Tanguay with a two-man advantage. Nikolishin made it 5-1 just 35 seconds later on a power play, beating Denis between the pads from a tough angle.
Nash, playing his 100th NHL game, extended his points streak to eight games with a slick goal at 9:52 of the second period.
Nash took a pass from Andrew Cassels from behind the goal, dragged the puck behind him to draw Sauve out, then quickly switched to the backhand for his 18th of the season. He only scored 17 in 74 games during his rookie season of 2002-03.


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The 2015 Spring Stakes field has been released and popular galloper Happy Trails is set to return to racing in the Group 3 event that will be held at Morphettville on Saturday.
Happy Trails has started his Cox Plate campaign in the Spring Stakes for the past three years – winning in 2012 before finishing fifth in both 2013 and 2014 – and trainer Paul Beshara sees no reason to change the regular path that he follows with his star performer.
The eight-year-old has not been seen at the races since he finished a credible seventh behind Criterion in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 11 and he will be chasing his first race win since he took out the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day last year.
Happy Trails will be sent to Melbourne after he runs in the Spring Stakes to contest the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 29 and he is likely to run in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 26 and the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 4 on his path to the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 24.
The other Group 1 winner that has been included in the 2015 Spring Stakes is talented mare Go Indy Go, who has not been seen at the races since she failed to fire in the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) at Flemington last year.
A great deal was expected of Go Indy Go heading into the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival after she took out the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) as a two-year-old, but she was unable to replicate that sort of form.
The Bernardini mare started her campaign with a very poor performance in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on September 13 and she produced an improved effort in the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 28 before she produced a flat effort in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at the same venue a fortnight later.
Go Indy Go stamped herself as a Crown Oaks contender when she finished third in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) on Cox Plate Day, but she suffered an injury in the race and was sent to the spelling paddock.
Co-trainer Leon Macdonald is confident that Go Indy Go has taken plenty of benefit from her lengthy stint away from breaking and she was included in the 2015 Caulfield Cup nominations that were released by Racing Victoria yesterday.
Go Indy Go will be joined in the 2015 Spring Stakes by stablemate Daytona Grey while Riziz (barrier 12), Richie's Vibe (barrier three), Whitlam (barrier nine), Dylanson (barrier two), Alcohol (barrier ten), Justify That (barrier five), Stiumulatte (barrier eight), Red Eclipse (barrier one) and Pinky Tuscadero (barrier 11) round out the 2015 Spring Stakes field.


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London Regional Age Group Championships
19 May 2018 (01:00 AM) - 20 May 2018 (01:00 AM)
April, 4 2018
Venue: Crystal Palace
Time: Warm up 11am for 12noon Start
- A swimmer's age shall be determined as at midnight on December 31st 2018.
- The closing deadline for all entries and full payment is 10pm on 4th April 2018.
- Qualifying entry times must have been achieved on or subsequent to April 12th 2017 (i.e. in the 12 months immediately preceding the closing date for the Championships).
- Masters times, registered with the SwimEngland Rankings database, which meet/exceed the published qualifying times and conditions, will be accepted. Competitors seeking to enter using these times should do so using the manual Individual Entry Form.
- All ParaSwimming Competitors seeking to enter using times which meet/exceed the published consideration times and conditions, must do so using the manual Individual Entry Form.
- Swimmers who have entered using a Consideration Time will only be added to an event (in order of fastest entry first) should the program not already have been filled by Swimmers who have entered using Qualifying Times. The London Swimming Events Team reserves the right to restrict the number of entries for any given event - regardless of qualification status - for safety and scheduling purposes.
- During these Championships, "Reverse" long-distance events will be available i.e. 800m FREE Male & 1500m FREE Female to permit competitors to obtain qualifying times for these events in the British Summer Championships 2018. Male competitors wishing to enter the 800m FREE must do so with qualifying ranked 400m FREE times. Female competitors wishing to enter the 1500m FREE must do so with qualifying ranked 800m FREE times. Regardless of the number of qualifying entries, a maximum of two heats of each event (in each competition, Youth & Age Group) will be run and entries will be accepted on a fastest first basis.
Click HERE for Internal Entry Form
Click HERE for LIVE RESULTS
- Schedule of Events
- Para-Swimming Conditions
- REVISED Qualifying Standard 150318
- Multi-Classification QTimes
- Acceptance list
- Rejection list
- Estimated timings
- Warm up Sheet
- Progrmme Weekend 3
- Week 1 & week 2 results
- Full ESC Results


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Sometimes, I get inspiration for the shapes or colors for my freeform scarves from things around the house. Lately, that inspiration has come from, of all places, my bathroom. Every time I sit, you can probably guess on what, in the bathroom, I admire the colors and flowing lines of the floor tiles. They mimic stone of some kind and have nice complementary yet contrasting shades of brown, cream, and tan. I wondered if I could create those swirls in freeform and how I might go about it.
I've used tile as an inspiration for crocheting before but not for freeform. Tile patterns can make good motifs for, say, afghans. In fact, I think it was Carol Alexander, executive editor of Crochet! magazine, who told me that she once designed an afghan after being inspired by tile in a restroom.
So, I dug into my yarn bins and went back and forth to the bathroom with balls of yarn, laying them on the floor and standing back until I got a nice collection of yarns to match the colors. I couldn't match them exactly but tried to capture the flavor of the tiles.
|Brown Flower scarf, bathroom tile,
and River Rock scarf
I made the River Rock scarf first by making a chain and then crocheted along both sides of it. The flowing lines were created using a technique that I think was in a book by Sylvia Cosh. You create a wave effect by crocheting a number of single crochet stitches, then half double crochet, then double crochet, then half double crochet, then back to single crochet. I did this until the scarf was the width I wanted and then added surface stitches using the same wavy lines. While crocheting around the outside edge of the scarf, I sometimes worked a single crochet several rows down, gathering the scarf a little at that spot.
I made the Brown Flower scarf next, using the same yarns, because I really like making flowers and I find it interesting to try making a totally different scarf using the same collection of yarn. I made each flower individually and sewed it to the next in a line. I then crocheted around the entire scarf with a nubby yarn that I'd gotten out to use with the yarns for the River Rock scarf but felt it was too fuzzy for the look I wanted. It worked perfectly, however, with the flowers.
|Pink Granite scarf and Pink Granite Flowers scarf
with bathroom vanite countertop
Those two scarves were so much fun that I decided to play with capturing the look of the pink granite countertop of the bathroom vanity. With the first scarf, I again took a more literal approach and tried to mimic the look of the granite. I crocheted rows of single crochet with each row being a different color of yarn. I randomly worked some single crochet stitches into rows below, folded over the corner, skipped stitches or made lines of surface single crochet stitches.Again, I used flowers for the second scarf. This time, the flowers were smaller and I attached them into two rows. I now have my eye on the inside of the bathroom door where a black and burgundy mirror hangs against tan wood. I like the color combination and want to play with it next. And then there's the area rug in the living room....


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- Page 1 Olympus mju 780
- Page 2 Olympus mju 780
- Page 3 Olympus mju 780
- Page 4 Features table
- Page 5 Test shots – ISO performance
- Page 6 Test Shots – Full Res Crops
- Page 7 Test Shots – Exposure Evaluation
"Over the next few pages we show a range of test shots. On this page the full size image at the minimum ISO setting has been reduced to let you see the full image, and below that a series of full resolution crops have taken from original images at a range of ISO settings to show the overall image quality."
At ISO 80 the shot is a lot darker than usual, and there is visible noise in the mid-tone areas.
Not much different at ISO 100.
A little more noisy at ISO 200, but still not too bad.
At ISO 400 the noise is now getting to be a problem, with reduced fine detail and colour saturation.
Noise is significantly worse at ISO 800, with some nasty colour distortion.
Image quality is very poor at the maximum ISO 1600, with all shadow detail blurred out and lousy colour reproduction.
This is the full frame at ISO 1600.


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U.K. Phone Hacking Report Cites Shortcomings of Murdochs, News Corp.
The media conglomerate's stock opened slightly higher though as observers predicted none of the comments would cause new investor concerns.
LONDON - The stock of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. rose slightly early on Thursday after the executive summary of the Leveson Inquiry report on U.K. press standards and regulation failed to harshly criticize the conglomerate and its top executives.
But the full report argued the company's News International U.K. newspaper unit, which has been engulfed by the phone hacking scandal that triggered the Leveson probe, failed in terms of corporate governance.
Leveson also expressed concern about chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch's and son James Murdoch's comments that they didn't know the full story, because subordinates kept them in the dark on the phone hacking allegations. He argued that both failed to show enough focus on fully uncovering the phone hacking issue early on.
The full version of the Leveson report didn't attack News Corp.'s broader operations beyond citing failures in the U.K. It said that there was a lack of respect for "privacy and dignity" at the News of the World tabloid, which News Corp. shuttered last year in the wake of the phone hacking scandal. "Most responsible corporate entities would be appalled that employees were or could be involved in the commission of crime in order to further their business - not so at the News of the World."
Wall Street and industry observers said in first reactions that the Leveson comments likely wouldn't cause new concerns that would hurt News Corp.'s stock. As of 10:25am ET, the stock was up 1.1 percent at $24.63, near its 52-week high of $25.50.
Highlighting the explanation from James and Rupert Murdoch that management at News of the World, which the younger Murdoch used to oversee, was the victim of a cover-up, Leveson wrote: "I must make it clear that if James Murdoch was unaware of the allegations, his lack of knowledge is, at least in part, only a result of chance."
He added: "If James Murdoch had been the victim of a cover-up, or an attempt to minimize the gravity of the position, then the accountability and governance systems at News International would have to be considered to have broken down in an extremely serious respect. If James Murdoch was not the victim of an internal cover-up, then the same criticism can be made of him as of [others] in respect of the failure to take appropriate action."
Addressing James Murdoch's argument again later in the report, Leveson said: "There are aspects of the account of Mr. Murdoch that cause me some concern."
For example, he argued that there was no logical reason for Murdoch's subordinates to hide details of the hacking allegations from him.
Either way though, Leveson faulted the overall organization for failing to follow up. "In truth, at no stage, did anybody drill down into the facts to answer the myriad of questions that could have been asked," his report said.
About Rupert Murdoch, the report said: "Although there is no evidence from which I could safely infer that Rupert Murdoch was aware of a wider problem, it does not appear that he followed up (or arranged for his son to follow up)" on a brief that he argued was given to one of his lieutenants.
"If News Corporation management, and in particular Rupert Murdoch, were aware of the allegations, it is obvious that action should have been taken to investigate them," Leveson concluded. "If News Corporation were not aware of the allegations which, as Rupert Murdoch has said, have cost the corporation many hundreds of millions of pounds,then there would appear to have been a significant failure in corporate governance and in particular in the effective identification and management of risks affecting News International and, thus, the corporation."
Email: email@example.com
Twitter: @georgszalai


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Preliminary statistics on people's incomes by state in the third quarter of 2014 will be released Friday, Dec. 19 by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).
These state personal income statistics will provide BEA's first look at state economies for the July-September quarter of 2014 and serve as a basis for government and business decision making. For example:
- Federal government agencies use state personal income statistics to allocate funds and determine matching grants to states. The statistics are also used in forecasting models to project energy and water use.
- State governments use the statistics to project tax revenues and demand for public services.
- Academic regional economists use the statistics for applied research.
- Businesses, trade associations, and labor organization use the statistics for market research.
As part of this report, BEA will release revised statistics for the first two quarters of 2014.


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Sean Penn will direct his friend and method acting idol Robert De Niro in "The Comedian."
Kristin Wiig, hot off her "Bridesmaids" success, will co-star.
Despite the title, the movie is a drama centering on a once loved TV comic (De Niro) who is past his prime.
Also read: Where in the World Is Sean Penn? Protesting in Egypt
After being sentenced to community service for hitting an audience member in the head with his microphone, the comic meets a defiant redhead (Wiig) who turns his life upside down.
De Niro demonstrated in Martin Scorsese's "The King of Comedy" (1983) that he's well equipped to play a jokester who is missing a few marbles along with the punchlines, and Penn, whose scuffles with the paparazzi are legendary, knows a thing or two about court-ordered community service.
FilmNation Entertainment will handle international sales for the movie and CAA will represent domestic rights to "The Comedian."
Production is slated to start in Spring 2012.
Art Linson ("American Hot Wax") and Jeffrey Ross wrote the movie. Linson will produce along with John Linson, Jon Kilik and De Niro.


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| "Love sees like a child sees." Love Ignites.
Lighting Love Lanterns on a January evening, -17°F.
Lately, there has been something about the return drive home from Little Lad's school which makes me prone to strange moments of clarity, sometimes even epiphany. (Maybe because it is one of my few windows of quiet anymore.) This past week I had one such moment. Readying myself for a turn onto Spenard, I was flustered because the borderline muzak station I play in the mornings (muzak is magick: it quells chaos magnificently) was missing from the dial. Up & down the known call zone I searched. I never found it. Instead, I was stopped by a very familiar range of uncommon notes, then a voice for which there is no comparison. It was Joni Mitchell.
In my younger years, that enigmatic voice filled our home. As a child, I always knew that Mitchell sang about important, mysterious, grown-up things -- things that adults understood, but children didn't. (Some of this may have been because one of the more popular albums at the time was Heijra, an album about solitude & spiritual journey.) When I was in college, I was reintroduced to Mitchell's music in the form of her Night Ride Home album, which shocked, awed & moved me in both uplifting & uncomfortable ways. It was then that I could see why I didn't understand Mitchell's songs as a child. As a young woman, coming into my own, Mitchell's music suddenly made perfect sense.
"As a child I spoke as a child
I thought and I understood as a childBut when I became a womanI put away childish thingsAnd began to see through a glass darkly" -- Joni Mitchell
As I was driving, the words to a song I had never heard before, couched in such a familiar voice, rang in my head like an epiphany. I marveled at how, in this world ruled by commercial radio, this song even came to be aired on the radio & I made sure to recall the lines so that I might find it again later. I knew it was important, I knew it might even be gospel.
An Animist's Gospel According to Mitchell. If you subscribe to the idea that animism stems from the childlike love for the living world (& it's all living), then this song speaks miles & mountains. It is also -- as can be expected from this songstress -- quite beautiful & thick with her characteristic melancholy hope. But for me, the most salient point was that it sounded like animism & it drew me to a sharp focus, a most salient point: ultimately, animism is not so much about reverence, honour or respect as it is about Love. If there is Love, all the rest follows.
"Children are closer to the Source" -- my husband's words -- they Love without qualification. This is why they so naturally "get it," while we rational adults flounder about trying to get out of our heads so that we might be with, reclaim & love Love again.
"Where as a child I saw it face to face
Now I only know it in part..." -- Joni Mitchell
I could dismantle the verse, analyze it, line by line, explaining all the layers upon layers of meaning it offers to us. Or, I can do as a child would do: enjoy it, share it, love it & trust that it will make perfect sense to the people who choose to hear it.
|Love on the rise.
Love, by Joni Mitchell
Although I speak in tongues
Of men and angels
I'm just sounding brass
And tinkling cymbals without love
Love suffers long
Love is kind!
Enduring all things
Love has no evil in mind
If I had the gift of prophecy
And all the knowledge
And the faith to move the mountains
Even if I understood all of the mysteries
If I didn't have love
I'd be nothing
Love never looks for love
Love's not puffed up
Or envious
Or touchy
Because it rejoices in the truth
Not in iniquity
Love sees like a child sees
As a child I spoke as a child
I thought and I understood as a child
But when I became a woman
I put away childish things
And began to see through a glass darkly
Where as a child I saw it face to face
Now I only know it in part
Fractions in me
Of faith and hope and love
And of these great three
Love's the greatest beauty


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Interpretation and application of accounting principles and standards involving current assets and liabilities, the accounting cycle along with internal and external reporting of operations in these areas.
Prereq: Consent of instructor.
Interpretation and application of accounting principles involving other financial accounts not dealt with in ACCOUNT-541 as well as leases, pensions, income taxes, and price-level adjusted statements.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-541.
A study of federal income tax laws with emphasis on the individual taxpayer. The study includes a review of current proposals, discussion of practical problems in tax planning, and practice in the preparation of tax returns.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-701 or consent of instructor.
An in-depth study of product costing including cost allocations, process costing, job order costing, activity-basted costing, standard costing, and variance analysis.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-725 and department consent.
This course examines the international dimension of accounting and financial reporting. It provides an in-depth look at multinational enterprises (MNE), including a detailed comparison of financial reporting issues in different countries. Topics include (a) international standard-setting process, (b) attempts towards harmonization, (c) foreign currency translations and accounting for changing prices, (d) international financial statement analysis, (e) managerial planning and control, and (f) international taxation and transfer pricing.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-461 or ACCOUNT-752 or department consent.
This course involves an in-depth coverage of financial accounting topics similar to Accounting Concepts at the undergraduate level. The content includes a study of the accounting cycle, financial statement preparation and interpretation, assets, liabilities, and owner's equity.
An in-depth look at the concepts and techniques of creating a firm's financial plan. Emphasis is on analysis of costs so as to predict future patterns, forecasting of sales, production costing, cash, and other components, while stressing the need for profitability analysis and evaluation of management performance.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-701 or consent of instructor.
This primary objective of this course is to investigate the role and value of accounting information for users as they make business decisions. It includes a review of the generally accepted accounting principles and assumptions underlying the basic accounting model that generates the financial statements. The course focuses on the interpreting and analyzing financial statements to assess (a) historical trends and patterns, (b) short-term liquidity and long-term solvency, (c) profitability and operating performance, and (d) capital structure and asset utilization. Additional topics include the effects of alternative accounting methods, specialized industry analysis (e.g., banks, insurance, and utilities) and earnings quality and earnings management. Finally, this course stresses the ability to communicate by requiring oral presentations and written reports of the results and conclusions reached during the financial statement analysis.
Prereq: ACCOUNT 343/543, or FNBSLW 718, or consent of department.
This course focuses on the impact that information technology infrastructure has on accounting information systems and business processes. Topics discussed include assessing control risk, identifying and assessing the adequacy of general and application controls including systems development and documentation controls, and the planning an audit of a computerized AIS. The use of XBRL for reporting financial information via the Internet will also be explored.
Prereq: ACCOUNT 454, ACCOUNT 761, or consent of department.
Advanced study of the theory and accounting for accrual, modified accrual and cash based accounting. Application of accounting principles and procedures to cash flow presentation. A study of the principles of governmental accounting, accounting for nonprofit entities, and recent FASB Statements not covered in ACCOUNT-541, ACCOUNT-543 and ACCOUNT-752.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-541
An in-depth study of (1) partnership accounting, (2) accounting for business combinations and segments of the business, and (3) international aspects of accounting. A review of current issues relating to business combinations and consolidated statements and a discussion of international accounting standards.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-543.
An in-depth study of (1) corporate taxation, (2) partnership and subchapter S taxation, and (3) estate and gift taxation. Compliance and tax planning are both emphasized. Fundamentals of tax research are explored.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-651.
A critical in-depth examination of accounting theory in some of the more complex and contentious areas that have evolved into current accounting practice. Major areas include: 1) comprehensive examination of EPS, 2) study of partial operations and SEC reporting requirements, and 3) overview of revenue recognition and how theory is applied in cases as diverse as consignments, installment sales, and franchises. Also recent pronouncements not covered in ACCOUNT-541, ACCOUNT- 543 and ACCOUNT-752.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-543
A study of the theory and principles underlying the design and installation of accounting and management information systems; consideration of the integration and impact of the computer on the total information system.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-543 or consent of department.
An extensive study of audit programs, standards, responsibilities and controls. A review of AICPA releases and publications. Consideration of the impact of the computer and the uses of statistical sampling techniques on auditing procedures and practice.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-761 and ACCOUNT-543.
This course, with a combined lecture and case approach, will provide in-depth coverage of internal control, EDP auditing, fraud detection and reporting, and the auditor's code of ethics. A component of this course will follow a readings approach covering such topics as auditing estimates, auditor independence, audit failures, and ongoing concern qualifications.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-765 or consent of instructor.
A study of accounting theory at the advanced level. An in-depth study of accounting principles and standards with particular reference to established theory.
Prereq: ACCOUNT-543 or consent of department.
Study of selected contemporary areas in accounting through readings in current research and literature.
Prereq: Consent of department.


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A Lady's Temptations: A Winter's Regency Ménage Now available!
February 1814
Her mind should have been on the wondrous winter masquerade she and her cousins were headed to, but it wasn't.
Sarina Hunt could not seem to quash the sadness she carried with her from London to this beautiful little village. A sadness that felt like a heavy trunk brimming with rocks and one of her own doing that should have been resolved long ago.
Usually, when she thought of Mr. Liam Trevelyan and Mr. Prescott Sinclair, those thoughts were accompanied by very unladylike fantasies. Fantasies that heated her skin even in this cold carriage and ones she only just managed to keep hidden when around them.
Sarina had acknowledged her feelings to herself some months ago, but if she'd been truly honest, she knew even long before that. The problem was, she should've warmed to one over the other by now. She should've chosen which man she'd have been better suited for.
Or which man was better suited to her.
However, she could not seem to. Sarina had never truly been a butterfly of a girl—flittering from man to man to assess her most advantageous prospect. She didn't like that, pitting one suitor against another. It was not the game she played; she didn't like games of this sort at all.
Through sheer force of will alone, she managed to push those thoughts to one side, not deep enough to ignore, never that, though her skin still felt flushed and her blood hot in her veins. Swallowing hard, she affected as casual an air as possible as she adjusted her deep blue cloak, the fur trim brushing sensuously along her cheek.
She gazed out the carriage window as Kingsnorth came into view, and red bunting draped over everything. It wound around the evergreen branches heavy with frost and snow, and up the unlit streetlamps.


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These shelves were purpose built to hold these cardboard box units, originally designed to hold trading cards. We call them 'faux' apothecary cabinets. My wife uses hers to hold craft supplies, my son to hold small Lego parts.
The red knobs are actually recycled lids from drink containers, bolted through the front of each drawer. This was my wife's idea and they work perfectly.
I used whatever scraps of plywood I could find that were big enough, and some that weren't. It turns out that 4' is the perfect height to make the 4 compartment unit, but that was the longest piece that I had. To make one that was 6 high I had to join the sides to shorter pieces with some smaller scraps.
This created a space in between the second and third shelf that I decided to fill with a drawer. Every bit of storage helps in our house. The drawer is another pretty crude concoction, made from 4 pieces of pine screwed together and then glued and nailed to a plywood bottom. That assembly was then screwed to the drawer face from the inside.
Right now it's kind of a 'secret' drawer, but I think it would look just fine with a couple of those fancy red pulls on it too.
As per instructions I attached casters to the bottoms so the units could be rolled to wherever they are needed.
Although they are not very pretty, they are at least solid enough to do the job. The sides are 5/8" plywood and the shelves are 3/4" thick and are glued and brad nailed into dadoes in the sides. The backs are 3/16' plywood set into rabbets and again glued and brad nailed. The face frame was sliced from an old 2 x 4 and attached, of course, by glue and brad nails. I must have watched too much New Yankee Workshop.
When my wife requested/demanded that I build these, she said "They don't have to be pretty, they just have to work." I like to think I delivered on both counts.


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CT&T Multi Amphibious Vehicle – Click above for high-res image gallery
CT&T is a Korean company that makes tiny electric cars. You may have read about them before. And if you did read about about CT&T's current products, you will know that we don't think very much of them. The truth, or a close approximation of it? They strike us as all-weather golf carts.
However, three new CT&T cars just got themselves debuted here at the Detroit Auto Show and we gotta be honest, we're mostly smitten with what we're seeing. First up is the C Squared – though the name might actually be "C Square" – we'll let you know. Anywho, the C Squared is a "creative electric sport [sic] car" that comes with a folding hard top as well as the ability to hit 95 mph. Sure, the nose is rather tragic looking but the back end's pretty good. Our biggest gripe? The $50,000 asking price.
Next up is the E-Zone Plus... and, uh, yeah. It has three-doors, will eventually have five-doors, and as the press release says, "headlights." No, really. That's what it says. Moving on.
Multi Amphibious Vehicle FTW! Now you're talking our language. Seriously, can you think of anything wrong with a six-wheeled, four-passenger electric amphibious car that goes 40 mph on land and 95 mph on the water? Neither can we! Now, some of you party-pooper types might be shaking your heads and saying "95 mph on the water? No frackin' way!" But rather than face reality we'll just stick to what we get accused of – regurgitating press releases. Says 95 mph in black and white. Also, check out how excellent this is, "...letting you enjoy all-around activities in resorts, fields, etc."


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State Of Emergency Declaration Prompts Fireworks Ban In Evansville
Well its seems that the heat is putting the brakes on Independence Day celebrations in Evansville. City officials declared a State of Emergency in the city and put a ban on fireworks for 7 days.
Two days of record breaking heat not only caused pavement to buckle on Highway 41, but prompted city officials to ban fireworks in the city. This came a day after the fire chief said he wasn't going to place a ban on them.
It doesn't take a genius to see that almost everything in the city is kindling, ready to ignite. Coupled with winds, it could lead to a deadly situation if a fire were to start. Stores will be allowed to sell fireworks, but residents are told not to light them.
Evansville will join a list of counties and cities around the tri-state that are banning fireworks.
Officials say that the downtown fireworks show is still on, but that depends on wind conditions. Other cities around the area, and Holiday World, have already put their July 4th displays on hold.
So here is a video of some fireworks so hopefully you can cure that pyromaniac part of you.


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I had the pleasure of growing up in a simpler time. As a child in the late 60s, I loved board games like Mystery Date and I owned an Easy Bake Oven (which I stood in front of mimicking my mom while baking little cakes with a light bulb).
I had the pleasure of growing up in a simpler time. As a child in the late 60s, I loved board games like Mystery Date and I owned an Easy Bake Oven (which I stood in front of mimicking my mom while baking little cakes with a light bulb).
The Easy Bake Oven was introduced to America by Kenner Products (now a division of Hasbro) in 1963, as the first working toy oven. It was turquoise and had a carrying handle and fake stovetop. It cost $15.95, and 500,000 sold the first year. By its fifth birthday, the Easy Bake Oven was a household name.
My oven was the 1969 "Premier Avocado Green" model that had more dials, a fake clock and an oven hood. It still used the incandescent light bulbs. It baked a cake in 12 minutes. Today's kids probably could not stand still for 12 minutes, and would rather text a take-out cake order to a bakery, but in 1969, we cooked with light bulbs, what did we know?
Today's generation lives in a virtual world. Even small children have iPhones attached to their ears and wii devices stuck to their hands, so they can bowl, dance and surf the worldwide web from the comfort of their homes.
Imagine my surprise when I visited my 2-year-old niece in California this year. Santa had delivered a beautiful toddler-sized pink wooden kitchen to her. Even Julia Child would have been jealous. It has EVERYTHING a budding chef would need to start cooking wooden food.
It came with mini "All Clad" pots and pans and even a mini-fry pan with a wooden fried egg. It did my heart good to know that technology hasn't swallowed the simple childhood pleasures of a "pretend tea party," or a homemade basket of pretend fruit.
It is never too late to return to the days of little ceramic tea cups and wooden kitchens. A virtual recipe may look great on our new iPhone, but doesn't taste as good as a wooden fried egg.
Here are two recipes that the kids will love and are so easy to make. Nothing beats putting down the video game and learning to cook at the apron strings of a parent.
This recipe fills two little Easy Bake Oven cake pans.
8 tbsp. flour, 4 tsp. cocoa powder, 2 tbsp. sugar, ½ tsp. baking powder, dash of salt, ¼ tsp. vanilla, 4 tsp. vegetable oil
Preheat the Easy Bake for 15 minutes. Add all ingredients together in a bowl. Stir well to combine. Pour the batter into two greased and floured pans. Slide pans into the Easy Bake Oven and cook for 13 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Ice with Easy Vanilla frosting: 4 Tbsp softened butter, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, ¼ t. vanilla, 2 t. milk.
In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Spread 2 t. of the frosting on the top of 1st layer. Place 2nd layer on top and continue icing.
1 ½ cup flour, ½ tsp. salt, 2 tsp. baking powder, ½ cup softened butter, 1 Cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, ¾ cup milk
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one 8-in round or square cake pan. Sift the dry ingredients together. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Mix well. Add vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Stir until just blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 50 minutes. Remove from pan and cool. Ice with easy chocolate frosting.
Easy 1-2-3 Chocolate Frosting: 1 ½ cup powdered sugar, 3 1/3 tbsp melted butter, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 2 tbsp milk.
Add all ingredients in a bowl, and stir with a wooden spoon. Beat until smooth and well blended. Spread on cake.


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1:23pm PT by Mia Galuppo
A Yule Log Alternative: Gather 'Round Darth Vader's Funeral Pyre
During winter, nothing beats a warm, cozy fire on a cold, dark night. This year, instead of burning a Yule log, Star Wars fans have the option of gathering around Darth Vader's corpse.
Just in time for the holiday season (and the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens), a festive Youtuber just uploaded a five-hour loop of the Darth Vader funeral-pyre scene from Return of the Jedi.
The video comes complete with crackling-fire sound effects and the omnipresent visage of the Star Wars villain. It can be used as a replacement for the fireplace videos that run in the corner of every 20-something's holiday party.
Check out your new holiday tradition below.
Mia firstname.lastname@example.com @miagaluppo


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Drake: 'Enough Said' Featuring Aaliyah - Listen Now!
Check out Drake's brand new track "Enough Said" featuring the late Aaliyah!
The track was produced by Noah "40″ Shebib and is rumored to be featured on the upcoming posthumous Aaliyah album. The song features her unreleased vocals along with new verses from Drake.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Drake
Pictured inside: Drake hitting the stage during his OVO Fest at the Molson Amphitheatre on Sunday (August 5) in Toronto, Canada.
The annual festival featured performances from The Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, and 2 Chainz.
Drake: 'Enough Said' Feat. Aaliyah
10+ pictures inside of Drake at the OVO Fest in Toronto…


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Chris Kirkland is a model professional, a true gentleman and will be missed by Sheffield Wednesday.
In his three-year spell at Hillsborough, the former England international provided a calm, reassuring presence in between the sticks.
Off the pitch, Kirkland was a friendly, charming individual. Nobody had a bad word to say about him.
But after several weeks of weighing up his options, Kirkland has decided his future lies away from South Yorkshire, turning down a one-year contract extension.
Kirkland said: "This has been a really tough decision and one that I have mulled over through the summer but I have decided to move on. I want a new challenge at this stage of my career. Everyone loves to play first team football and I am no different."
Following Wednesday's promotion to the Championship three years ago, Kirkland was snapped up on a free transfer from Wigan Athletic. His stellar performances saw him named player of the season in 2013 as the Owls preserved their second-tier status. Injuries and loss of form affected Kirkland the following year and the 34-year-old struggled to force his way into Stuart Gray's plans last year.
Kirkland made 91 appearances in Wednesday colours, but only started eight times during the 2014/15 season due to Keiren Westwood's outstanding form.
The Leicester-born ace has paid tribute to Owls' coaching staff and fans.
"I would like to thank all the staff who have been so supportive in my three years with Wednesday and wish the new head coach and the new chairman nothing but the very best," he said.
"And, of course, I would like to thank the fans, who have been different class and I hope to see them at the other end of the field soon."
Kirkland's departure leaves new Owls head coach Carlos Carvalhal with a big decision to make. Does he dip into the transfer market to find a replacement or will he place his faith in youth?
Joe Wildsmith has come through the ranks, represented England at Under-20 level and made his senior debut while on loan at Barnsley earlier this year. If Wildsmith or Cameron Dawson are not promoted, it arguably does not send out a positive message to the rest of the Owls' academy players.
One thing is for certain, Kirkland will be an excellent signing for someone this summer.
For more news from Hillsborough click here
For our Owls news and opinion on twitter follow here


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Uplifting – Funny – Adaptable – Wise – Intuitive – Relaxed
MOST INTERESTING ACHIEVEMENT: Nominated as best female lead actress in my first amateur stage play where I learned to play guitar in three months and sang two variations of the same song including the finale with great reviews.
LOCATION: Gold Coast Australia
WEBSITE: elizabethrichardson.info
AVAILABILITY: These days I enjoy a life of total luxury but still play making regular spiritually uplifting videos, work as a web designer, photographer and writer. My passion for living, loving and laughing, remains at the forefront of my focus.
-27.942180 153.409614


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Koi Circle embroidered rectangular cushion
Ivory silk, black embroidery, rectangular
$ 950.00
Reference: 11602210
- Ivory silk, black embroidery, rectangular
- Finitions available in black, silver or gold embroidery
- Dimensions: H 15.74" x W 22.04" (H 40 cm x L 56 cm)
- Lalique Maison | Designed by Lady Tina Green & Pietro Mingarelli
By choosing the ground option, you will receive your order within three (3) to seven (7) business days.
We offer free ground shipping on any order over $250.
Gift wrapping
Your item will be carefully wrapped in a unique black box with a white LALIQUE ribbon. If you choose to send this piece as a gift, you have the option to include a note with a personal message.
Lalique has implemented security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access and use.


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Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Legislative Assembly has decided to allow its members to use i-pads and laptops in the House during proceedings.
Speaker G Karthikeyan, through a ruling on Monday, allowed MLAs to use i-pads and laptops to assist them in their speeches.
The Speaker asked the MLAs not to misuse the facility and utilise it for improving their performance in the House.
"We are living in a hi-tech era and so, the chair did not think it is proper to turn back new technology. But the misuse of such instrument in the House should be avoided," he said.
Karhtikeyan gave the ruling against a point of order by T N Prathapan of Congress asking whether it was proper to use laptops in the House.
He was referring to the use of laptop by CPI-M member and former Finance Minister Thomas Issac during a speech last week.


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Byzantium, Late Roman, Eastern Mediterranean, (probably Sirium or Nicomedia), Byzantine period
Gold, Overall: 9.7 x 9.4 x 1.7 cm (3 13/16 x 3 11/16 x 11/16 in.). Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1994.98.1
Mounted at the center of this octagonal pendant is a rare coin issued by Constantine the Great, the Roman Empire's first Christian emperor. Constantine's portrait appears on the coin's front, those of two of his sons on the back. Constantine's image is surrounded by male and female busts, some of which are mythological figures. The pendant once formed the centerpiece of a sumptuous gold necklace, likely a gift for a high-ranking court official or member of the imperial family.
Bavarian Nationalmuseum, Munich (5/10/2007 - 9/16/2007), the J. Paul Getty Musuem, Los Angeles (10/30/2007 - 1/20/2008) and Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, TN (2/13/2009 - 6/7/2009): "Sacred Gifts and Worldly Treasures: Medieval Masterworks from the Cleveland Museum of Art"
To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.


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Fr Ambrose celebrates his 100th birthday!
See Thursday's Donegal Democrat for an in-depth interview with Fr Ambrose Gorman of Kilmacrennan, Ballyshannon and Belleek.
Fr Ambrose will turn 100 on Saturday and there will be a special Mass at 3pm in St Patrick's Church, Ballyshannon followed by a reception with tea and refreshments in Dorrian's Hotel.
In his own words, Fr Ambrose has led "a long and happy life but not without its challenges". He survived bombing raids in WWII, a plane crash and travelled to Croke Park in his 90s to see Donegal lift the Sam Maguire.
It's a fascinating story, all in tomorrow's Donegal Democrat.


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It's an issue that a number of craft brewers have grappled with over the past year, and one that is often misunderstood: trademark ownership and infringement.
According to Craig Rashkis, an attorney with Farwell Rashkis, LLP, trademarks can be "a word, phrase, design, logo, or any combination thereof that distinguishes the source of a product or goods" from another source. In the beer industry, common trademarks include the name of the brewing company, the name of a beer and label artwork.


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An 18-year-old man was taken to hospital with life threatening injuries after a fight with another man on Saturday.
According to a release from the Regina Police Service, at about 4:56 a.m., police responded to a report of an assault of a man with an edged weapon on the 3100 block of Candy Cane Drive and an accident on the Ring Road at Wascana Parkway.
Investigation found that after the argument between the two men, a vehicle with the 18-year-old was forced off the road. He was taken to hospital where he is in stable but critical condition.
At 7:45 p.m., members of the Regina Police Service and the RCMP took 19-year-old Harley Kerr into custody without incident after performing a search warrant on a farm in the area of Qu'appelle.
Kerr is charged with attempted murder, dangerous driving, hit and run, and two counts of assault with a weapon. He will make his first court appearance on Monday at 9:30 a.m.


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Wissahickon Dance Academy announces open auditions for International Ballet Exchange's (IBE) annual production of "The Nutcracker" with The Donetsk Ballet Of Ukraine. IBE, which is the non-profit arm of Wissahickon Dance Academy (WDA), offers this unique opportunity to area ballet students. The Donetsk Ballet is an internationally renowned ballet company that has toured the world including France, Moscow, Finland, Norway, China, Japan, Spain as well as the USA and Canada.
Their principal dancers have won several international ballet competitions and they continue to entertain audiences with their dazzling pyrotechnics and artistry. Through IBE, area dancers have the opportunity to perform with this exciting company of eighteen professionals, no matter which dance studio they attend.
The audition will take place on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 4:30 p.m. for children ages 5 to 9 and 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for students ages 10 and up. The audition will be held at Wissahickon Dance Academy, 38 E. School House Lane, Philadelphia, Pa. 19144. Children should be dressed in ballet attire and must arrive promptly. The audition fee is $15. Students must be actively enrolled in ballet classes in order to be considered for the production.
Rehearsals will take place on Sunday evenings beginning Sept. 29. The performances will be held December 18 – 21, 2013 at Plymouth/Whitemarsh High School. There will a school show for the Philadelphia School District and two community performances.
Register now for the new fall season at Wissahickon Dance Academy. The studio offers classes in pre-ballet, ballet, pointe, classical variations, partnering, jazz, tap, hip hop, modern and yoga. The ages span from 3 years through pre-professional and adult level classes.
For further information about the audition and fall classes, contact Nancy Malmed at WDA at 215-849-7950 or visit internationalballet.org or wissahickondance.com.


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Showing all 26 results
A Different Night Compact Edition
- family haggadah
- compact edition
- good for school seder
- Hebrew
- English
$10.95 Add to cart
A Family Haggadah I
- family haggadah
- great for young families
- Hebrew
- English
- Transliteration
$4.99 Add to cart
A Passover Haggadah – Paperback
Traditional haggadah by the Reform Movement of Judaism. It is written in both Hebrew and English with commentary throughout the haggadah. Beautiful watercolor illustrations by Leonard Baskin can be enjoyed throughout your Passover Seder while using this haggadah.
$16.95 Add to cart
Benjamin And The Silver Goblet
- Story through the eyes of Benjamin
- Joseph
- Egypt
- Great for Young and Old Readers alike
$8.95 Add to cart
Joseph The Dreamer
- story of Joseph in graphic novel format
- colorful
- great for all ages
$7.99 Add to cart
Joyous Haggadah
- Family Haggadah
- Children's Haggadah
- concise
- Hebrew
- English
$11.95 Add to cart
THE (unofficial) HOGWARTS HAGGADAH
- inspired by Harry Potter
- Haggadah
- Passover
- great for all ages
- great for Harry Potter fans
$18.00 Add to cart
The Ayeka Haggadah Hearing Your Own Voice
- New twist on tradition
- self reflection and sharing
- great for families
- modern
- Hebrew
- English
$12.95 Add to cart
The Complete Passover Cookbook
- cookbook
- Passover
- recipes
- Seder
- traditional
- modern
$25.00 Add to cart
Kosher Delicious Cookbook – Hardcover
Delicious! Delicious! Delicious! There's no better way to describe the 300 dishes in this scrumptious cookbook lovingly assembled by the parent-teacher body of Maimonides Academy in Los Angeles. From the Grilled Chicken Salad with Apricots to the Asian Fish Steaks, from the Challah Souffle to the Hazelnut Brot Cookies, each carefully-tested recipe reflects the long history of Jewish cooking that extends from Europe to Brooklyn to Los Angeles. Chock full of holiday menu ideas and cooking tips, and enhanced by stunning full-color photos, Kosher Delicious reinforces the philosophy that we nurture our spirituality every time we sit down to a meal, indeed, that eating kosher is a diet for the soul. Printed on coated stock, with a durable spiral binding for easy opening.
$29.95 Add to cart
Kosher by Design Entertains: Fabulous Recipes for Parties and Everyday – Hardcover
Be inspired...let your imagination soar! Susie Fishbein reveals the secrets of successful hostesses. It's more than food -- more than decor -- more than centerpieces! From an outdoor picnic to a formal anniversary dinner, Susie knows how to make your guests feel at home. And she shares her special touch with you --with all the warmth, style and expertise you've come to expect. Kosher By Design Entertains will give you the confidence to create a party your guests will never forget.
Kosher by Design: Kids in the Kitchen – Hardcover
Kids love to cook, and even the pickiest eaters will savor foods they prepare themselves. The recipes in this book are for real food, not silly novelties, your child can learn to prepare with ease. They're simple enough to give a child confidence in his or her ability to turn out great tasting, appetizing meals, and interesting enough to engage the parental chief chef. (You'll want to borrow these terrific ideas when you're not in the mood to prepare the sophisticated fare in Susie's other books!) Kid-friendly in every way, easy-to-follow instructions and helpful tips teach your child to use the techniques known by every good cook. Each recipe comes with an equipment list and an ingredient list, so everything can be assembled ahead of time. And a photo of every scrumptious dish inspires your youngster to scale the heights of kid cookery!
$24.99 Add to cart
Kosher by Design Cooking Coach – Hardcover
Have you ever wished Susie Fishbein could be with you in the kitchen? Now she can! In Kosher by Design Cooking Coach the celebrated cookbook author and international kosher food expert shares her homegrown secrets for creating magical results - as if she were right there with you! Whether you are a well-seasoned gourmet or cooking novice, Cooking Coach is brimming with great ideas to help everyone be a more creative, confident, and independent cook.
$36.99 Add to cart
Kosher by Design Short on Time – Hardcover
From Susie Fishbein, author of the most popular kosher cookbook series ever, comes a tantalizing new volume tailored for the time constrained cook in all of us! Featuring the high quality approach associated with the first three volumes, Susie serves up uncompromisingly delicious recipes that are short on prep and long on taste and eye appeal. Says Fishbein, "This is the book all my friends - and their friends - have been waiting for!" 140 fabulous brand-new recipes — all at the high quality that you have come to expect from the Kosher by Design series — with the busy person in mind
Kosher by Design Lightens Up – Hardcover
This sixth volume in Susie Fishbein's celebrated Kosher by Design cookbook series was crafted with your good health in mind! Kosher by Design Lightens Up is a gorgeous culinary guide, bursting with easy-to-do ideas for eating and feeling better. This cookbook teaches healthy cooking and food combining techniques, with special commentary by certified nutritional expert Bonnie Taub-Dix, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Assn. Susie says, "These nutritious recipes are easy to integrate into your everyday menus. Anyone looking to migrate into a better way of eating and living will find delicious options here."
$35.99 Add to cart
Kosher by Design – Hardcover
Never before has a kosher cookbook become an international bestseller in less than two weeks! Now it's in its third large printing, and the excited buzz surrounding Kosher By Design continues to build. Thousands of people have tried the recipes, marveled at the stunning table decor and have told their friends — "You must buy this one!" This cookbook has everything: spectacular photographs, tantalizing recipes, cutting-edge wine lists, floral arrangements and holiday décor. Susie Fishbein's cooking tips and down-to-earth instructions make every cook feel like the author is standing in the kitchen, guiding the way to delectable cuisine and elegant entertaining.
Passover Around the World – Passover Books
Introduces children to the many different ways of celebrating Passover around the world, including customs that can be adopted for use in the child's own family seder.
Sammy Spider's First Passover – Paperback
Sammy Spider watches longingly as the Shapiro family celebrates Passover. He wants to help Josh find the afikomen (hidden matzah), but his mother reminds him, "Spiders don't celebrate Passover. Spiders spin webs." And his first attempt at spinning a new web yields some surprising results.
Why We Celebrate Passover – Passover Books
Full of bright and colorful illustrations, this book explains how the holiday of Passover came about in simple terms. Great for children as afikomen gifts or as reading material during the seder.
$8.95 Add to cart
The Mouse in the Matzah Factory – Passover Books
Follow a curious little mouse as he travels on a journey from a simple wheat field in the country to a big city factory where he gets to watch how harvested wheat is baked into matzah.
$6.95 Add to cart
Lotsa Matzah – Passover Book
Lotsa Matzah by Tilda Balsley is a rhyming introduction to Passover's traditional food, which children eating and enjoying a lot of matzah many different ways throughout the Passover holiday.
$5.95 Add to cart
Let My People Go – Passover Books
Let My People Go tells the tale of the ten plagues and how it affected everyone who lived in Egypt at the time. This book's use of vivid illustrations and rhymes is enjoyed by all families who read the story together!
All About Passover – Passover Book
All About Passover contains any information you need to help explain the Passover holiday. This book explains the history and customs of the holiday, including the story of Exodus, all about matzah and why we do not eat chametz, the tradition of tzedakah during this holiday, as well as favorite recipes.
$9.95 Add to cart
Grover and Big Bird's Passover Celebration – Passover Books
Grover and Big Bird are in a hurry to get to the Passover seder, but—uh, oh!—there are many delays. Moishe Oofnik comes to the rescue in his tumbledown truck, but will they arrive in time to ask the Four Questions? This wonderful Sesame Street story covers the Passover holiday through the help of special characters, bright and colorful pictures, and a fun storyline!
$16.99 Add to cart
Showing all 26 results


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From the Western Clarion, Dec. 1917
One of the most amazing paradoxes to be found in modern civilization is the workers belief that they are free. Every experience points to the fact that they are quite the reverse. Their whole life, from childhood to the grave, is composed of actions most of which are either unpleasant, irksome, or revolting.
As soon as he leaves school (that institution for turning the growing crop of wage slaves' children into serviceable material for industry) the actions of the young worker are determined , not by desire, but by stern necessity. The larder of his parents too often needs immediate replenishing - the clothes of his younger brothers and sisters - aye, and of his parents too, require replacing. He must go to work. He has arrived at a stage of development when his energy is of sufficient strength to be of use in industry. He owns a commodity now - labor-power. He must sell it. From that moment the labor-market has his destiny within its grasp.
If industry is brisk perhaps a little latitude will be his, as to what kind of work he is able to get. The wages may be a little better than "last year," and the boss may not be quite so tyrannical, but work he must. He sets the alarm at 7:00, not because he particularly relishes the biting air of a winters' morning, but because circumstances over which he has no control have ordered that the hum of industry shall begin at 8:30 am. At first the youthful vendor of human energy may look upon the search for work as a kind of adventure. The factories, or other places of industry he visits in quest of a buyer are so big - do busy - so bewildering. But as the days roll by and he still finds himself jobless, the glamor of his new experience begins to wane. Egged on by his parents, who need what little support his meagre wages will afford, he continues on his daily round, together with other lads like himself on a similar mission. At last the memorable day arrives. He gets a job! 'Tis true the wages are insignificant and the hours long, compared with the drudgery of school, but he thinks, he will soon "rise." Alas! for youthful hopes! Once a wage-slave, and industry embraces him, not with the fond embrace of a mother but with the embrace of an angry bear which which crushes life itself from out its victim - he has become the appendage of a machine. His speed must be its speed. Other boys have done it - other boys, capable, willing, and anxious to do it, are outside - he must - and does. But at what cost? His youthful frame is strained to its utmost. His mind, dulled by the daily toil amidst the noise and dust of his surroundings becomes the mind of a wage-slave, capable of thinking only of work or of the crudest recreations. Freedom? Sure. Free to quit his job - and starve. He must keep on - and toil, till the machine, through its owner, casts him off, and this it does at frequent intervals.
The products of the facory in which he works belong to the owner of that factory, as a matter of course. Has that owner not put out his good money in raw materials, machinery and wages? And, as capitalist must he not be recompensed for his investment? To profit by the ownership of his factory he must sell the product of his workers' toil and he does - provided there are buyers for it. This capitalist, too, considers himself free, but economic forces prove otherwise, for, will what he may there comes a time when the market will not absorb his goods - the orders dwindle - competition with his fellow capitalists brings prices tumbling - he faces actual loss - he closes his works and thereby separates the workers from the means of production - and incidentally from their meal tickets. This dearth of buyers upon which follows stagnation of business, unemployment and misery, spring from causes that lie at the roots of capitalist society itself, and is clearly undesired by both capitalist and worker. The former suffering at least a loss of profit , perhaps ruin; the latter poverty, perhaps starvation.
Under capitalism all products, and labor-power as well, take the form of commodities. They only change hands through the medium of an exchange - through buying and selling. But in order to buy there must first have been a sale of something at least as valuable as the commodity to be bought. The purchasing power of the vast majority of the people is limited strictly to their wages, which are reduced by competition to a level determined by the bare necessities of life, whilst the development of machinery has so increased labor's productivity that only a small portion of industry's is necessary to feed, clothe, and shelter the working class. The balance cannot be consumed by the owners of the means of production - capitalists cannot personally consume millions of tons of flour, steel rails and tobacco, neither can they wear millions of pairs of boots nor ride in countless autos. They can consume unlimited values in the form of luxuries, and they do, but in order to buy these, the commoner commodities, the production of which supplies them with their income, must first be sold. The wages of the working class only buys a part, consequently a surplus gluts the market and causes stagnation, relieved only by re-investment in undeveloped countries, a dangerous though necessary expedient, since the development of "new" countries creates competitors hitherto non-existent for a shrinking market.
As the young wage-worker grows it becomes more and more apparent that the commodities he is able to withdraw from the market as a result of spending his wages merely suffice to enable him to re-appear on the morrow as a worker; that the raw material upon which he works functions only as an absorbant of his energy, and that the whole process constantly reproduces him as a worker and his boss a capitalist.
The years roll by. With manhood comes manhood's necessities. He gets a "home." His job becomes from that time on, all the more precious. The freedom to wander, in search of work, has lost its old significance and charm. An anchor is upon his life. The spectre of dismissal constantly haunts him and raises thoughts not only of poverty and starvation for himself, but also the maddening site of a hungry wife and children. Toil he must! Work becomes his one obsession - overtime, or rather the few extra nickels it brings in - almost a necessity. Free? Of course he is! Free to work - when his masters need him. There can be no doubt, however, that he is free from many things. No wrinkles sear his brow as a result of the heavy responsibilities which the burden of industrial stewardship entail. No sleepless nights result from his activities "in society." No legal problems dig his death. Freedom, from comfort, from leisure, from art and, above all, from property, is his inalienable right as a wage slave.
The workers' belief in their so-called freedom, is however, not so strange after all, if the money factors which go to form his ideas are taken into consideration. Thoroughly imbued at school with a method of thought which seeks to explain human events by attributing them to genius and which endows mankind with a free will upon the nature of which depends the individual's success or failure, the worker started life ill-equipped to withstand the hollow plattitudes of press and pulpit, patriot and politician. He starts, in fact, a mental slave. In the commercial struggle he sees capitalists crushed and reduced to the ranks of the proletariat, whilst some of the members of his class may be seen to rise. The intervention of the contrast , as between equals, obscures the true relation between himself and his boss. Past history, what little he knows of it seems to repeat "The poor ye have always with ye." It is pleasant for him to consider himself free and the condition of his brain, made sluggish by long hours, toil, adulterated and ill-cooked food, and lack of proper recreation, make apathy inevitable.
Change, however, is the one certain law of nature. The quickly succeeding events, which characterize this age of machinery as the age of "progress," are having an effect. "Freedom" has been played up too much. "Democracy" has been stuffed down the workers' throats til its stink forces them to take notice and think about it. The time has come for a change in thought.
The sooner the better.