text:
General: Definitions: Contracts
Under a contract
You may need to decide whether expenditure has been incurred under a contract. Treat expenditure as incurred under a contract if and only if:
- the contract is a legally binding contract, and
- the expenditure is expenditure to which the taxpayer was contractually committed by that contract.
In pursuance of a contract
Interpret the expression "in pursuance of a contract" like you interpret the expression "under a contract". In the case of CIR v Mobil North Sea Ltd (60TC310) the courts took the view that "in pursuance of a contract" had the same meaning as "under a contract" and that both expressions should be interpreted in the way set out above. Expenditure that a taxpayer incurs by exercising an option in a contract is not expenditure incurred under that contract. It is expenditure that is incurred under the new contract which the taxpayer enters into when the option is exercised.
Performance of a contract
Performance of a contract occurs when both parties have performed their obligations under that contract.
Example Barry enters into a contract to buy a guitar for £15,000. Under the contract he pays a deposit of £5,000, he pays £7,000 when he takes delivery of the guitar and he pays the balance of £3,000 two weeks after delivery. The supplier performs his obligations under the contract when he delivers the guitar to Barry. Barry does not perform his obligations under the contract until he has paid the full amount due. This means that Barry does not perform his obligations under the contract until he has paid the final amount of £3,000 and so performance of the contract is when Barry pays £3,000 to the supplier two weeks after delivery.
Use the concept of "condition" under contract law to decide when a contract becomes unconditional. The word condition may refer either to:
- an event, upon which the contract as a whole is conditional, or
- a term in a contract.
When condition refers to a term in a contract, it is described as a "promissory condition". There are a number of different kinds of promissory conditions of which the main ones are:
- Condition precedent promissory condition: this term of a contract exists when the performance by one party of his promise is a condition precedent to the liability of the other to perform. Suppose George contracts with Andy for Andy to repair his car. Under the contract, George promises to pay Andy once Andy has finished the repairs. George's legal obligation to pay Andy does not become unconditional until Andy has completed the work.
- Concurrent promissory condition: this term of a contract arises if both contracting parties agree that the performance of their respective promises shall be simultaneous. Such conditions typically arise in contracts for the sale of goods where payment is due on delivery. We argue that payment is conditional on delivery and visa versa and thus the obligation to pay becomes unconditional at the time of delivery.
- Independent promissory condition: such conditions arise when the parties agree that each party can enforce each other's promise although he, she or it has not performed their own. Suppose that Cass contracts with Oliver for Oliver to build a machine. Cass is required to make payment two months from the date the contract was entered into. Cass's payment is conditional only on the passage of time and is independent of any obligation imposed on Oliver.
No specific terms of payment
Where a sale is made without specifying payment terms, the transaction is governed by Section 28 Sale of Goods Act 1979 which states that "unless otherwise agreed, delivery of the goods and payment of the price are concurrent conditions, that is to say, the seller must be ready and willing to give possession of the goods, and the buyer must be ready and willing to pay the price in exchange of possession of the goods".
This means that the obligation to make payment arises when delivery is made unless there is an agreement specifying some other arrangement.
Romalpa contract
A Romalpa contract is a contract under which goods are sold subject to reservation of title. In a Romalpa type case the supplier fulfils his or her part of the contract at the time of delivery of the goods. The buyer only fulfils his or her part of the contract when he or she chooses to make payment. Title in the goods does not pass to the buyer until payment is made. Even though the buyer has taken delivery of the goods they belong to the seller until the buyer pays for them.
Hire purchase agreement
A hire purchase agreement is an agreement under which someone (the hirer) hires an asset and which satisfies one of the following conditions:
- under the agreement the asset shall eventually become the property of the hirer, or
- the agreement gives the hirer an option to purchase the asset.
Hire purchase agreements are sometimes called lease purchase agreements.


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The website we designed for Senzati illustrates this point well. Senzati provide VIP transportation for their clients in their luxuriously modified Mercedes vehicles with their flagship being that of the Jet Sprinter. To showcase this expansive (and expensive) vehicle, we made sure to utilise full screen imagery which went edge to edge for the screens of both desktop and mobile devices. This allowed every detail of the vehicles to be showcased such as the embossed leather seats, sound and screen systems and spacious tinted windows and sunroof. Straplines accompanied these images explaining for example that the vehicles can be further customised to suit specific client requests and journeys.
While visual aspects are important to convey luxury aesthetics, we were also sure not to neglect the functionality of the website. To facilitate this, we added a header of tabs above the image to act as the main navigational aid. The dewy gray font and hover fade blended nicely with the white background of the header to complement rather than distract from the imagery. The flat face font used also kept things simply understated and tied in nice with both the Senzati logo and Mercedes Benz fonts. These elements show how the functionality of a header can become luxurious and classy in appearance when designed using a bespoke methodology. While some may view these points as trivial, we understand that even the smallest of details is important to consider when it comes to the luxury market and corresponding luxury website design.
Staying with the aspect of details, we were sure to never force any aggressive sales details onto the website visitors. While contact details are important, they were confined to their own tab but also transcribed in the footer of each of the webpages. Linking to social media accounts was also handled with a similar manner with the respective FaceBook, Instagram and Twitter logos nestled inconspicuously in the footer also. As a final flourish of finesse, the website was made available in German, French, Dutch and Russian to reach clientele abroad. When it comes to a luxury website design, the team at Webheads know how to deliver and this instance, Senzati knew this too.


text:
Want to buy a piece of City Place houses? Materials Unlimited selling salvaged items
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
Apparently at least pieces of them are.
Crews from Ypsilanti-based Materials Unlimited are on site today in Ann Arbor, beginning the process of gutting the seven houses piece by piece.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
A worker who spoke with AnnArbor.com said the pieces of the South Fifth Avenue houses might work well for someone looking to do historic renovations to another house.
Or they might make a good keepsake for anyone who wants to hold onto a piece of the houses, which have been at the center of a heated debate over the preservation of the Germantown neighborhood for the last few years.
Materials Unlimited maintains a 15,000-square-foot store at 2 W. Michigan Ave. in downtown Ypsilanti. It prides itself on selling "fine antiques and architectural elements."
The reclamation work is being done in advance of approval of demolition permits that developer Jeff Helminski hopes to receive from the city this week.
As of earlier today, crews on location at the City Place site also had ripped the siding off the house at 407 S. Fifth Ave. and had begun taking apart the porch.
Wendy Rampson, the city's planning manager, said the demolition permits for the houses at 407, 411, 415, 419, 427, 433 and 437 S. Fifth Ave. are under review for compliance with the city's demolition requirements.
She said the work currently under way at the City Place site includes abatement activities at 407 S. Fifth Ave. — specifically removal of "transite" siding — and salvage activities.
Investigation of salvage options is required as part of the demolition permit process. Rampson said salvage does not affect the structural integrity of the building and therefore does not require a permit in advance of a demolition permit.
Once all seven houses are demolished, the developer plans to construct a series of six-bedroom student apartments in two buildings separated by a 36-space parking lot.
Crews from Michigan Pipe & Valve are on location today continuing the installation of new underground water and sewer pipes along Fifth Avenue, just south of William Street.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at email@example.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.
wolfman jack
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 1:45 p.m.
The properties were clearly for sale at one time. Why no owner-occupied residential use ? That nicely preserves the site. Oh - the land could be used to actually make money. That ought to cause the communists real concern. Soon everything will be valued for its economic uses. Wait - everything is ! Oh ...the horror ! The horror ! Like it ? Want to preserve it ? Buy it.
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 1:35 p.m.
So is this what we will be left with? Is this the desired result? http://weeks101.com/post/92121188/little-boxes-on-the-hillside-little-boxes-made
Craig Lounsbury
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 2:01 p.m.
no and no are the answers. alternatives are endless. On the other hand the box houses you linked might be preferable to no house at all as many in the third world suffer from.
Dr. I. Emsayin
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 12:23 p.m.
You can all thank Calthorpe and the DDA's wiley ways.
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 4:04 a.m.
So once these houses were loved and adored. Children were bore here and parents died here. A man built a house for the woman he loved and wanted a place to call his own. Women would talk to each other and share recipes. Children would be tucked into bed here. Now? These houses are no more then trash to the board members. All they care about is money and being revered as those who tore down the last remaining fore fathers who founded Ann Arbor. They are being slowly torn down to make way for a place that the students will care less what or who walked in these grounds. All they will care about is getting to class on time and a place to live. I really hope ghosts start haunting these hallowed homes. Might as well tear down the Kemp House. Its not needed. But its space is. But I will note this, at least one house will always be on displayed in Greenfield Village. Similar to the Kemp House.
Craig Lounsbury
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 12:53 a.m.
Maybe we should demolish the whole city and harken back to the good old days before the white man showed up in the new world. Why is 1920 any more magical than 1320?
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 2:03 p.m.
Nicely put Craig!
Craig Lounsbury
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 11:46 a.m.
I know a fair amount about my family history, thanks entirely to one of my daughters taking an interest But I don't confuse it with a house. Your argument is unworkable. There is some "family history" in every structure ever built. It doesn't mean we can or should force the current owner to maintain my memories.
Marilyn Wilkie
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 2:31 a.m.
Craig, what can you tell me about your ancestors that came to America? Did they struggle to be able to come here? What were they leaving? Did they say goodbye to family members knowing that they probably would never see them again? Did they ride a wagon for days looking for that perfect piece of land? Did they lose children in the flu epidemic of 1917? Did they die in wars fighting for their country? Did they expect that you would know or care? You too have a history, as we all do.
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 1:48 a.m.
Back when there was little competiton for squirrel trying to get a nut, the good old days.
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 12:41 a.m.
The character of a neighborhood is of the residents that inhabit it, not the superficial facade of a building. The character changed a long time ago when it became very profitable to turn these single family homes into rentals with parking lots for back yards. Now the times have changed and so have the wants and needs of the renters. Let's hope the glut of "luxury" student housing will allow for the remaining houses in neighborhoods to lose their profitability as rentals and revert back to single family homes with swingsets in the backyards instead of parking lots.
Mary Paul Friend
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 12:04 a.m.
Alfred J Paul was my grandfather, also the brother of Amelia Reule who lived next door. His Great Grandfather, Henry Paul, settled in Ann Arbor in the early 1830's. Alfred was the Street Commissioner for the City of Ann Arbor for many years, also the co-owner of the Orient Saloon on Main Street. Not only for personal reasons but historical, this breaks my heart. A sad day when our history and heritage is allowed to be destroyed.
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 12:03 a.m.
A2.com...and everyone: I am relatively new to Ann Arbor, so can someone help me understand? I thought the Green Belt was established to help preserve A2 from development? Why would this property in question not be saved by the Green Belt? Why save the outer perimeter of the city, only to let the core be destroyed? It makes no sense...
Wed, Nov 9, 2011 : 6:15 a.m.
Because, as you note, the Green Belt is not for the interior of the City. In these times, it should really be up for repeal, but our Council will not do that.
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 4:08 a.m.
Glut and greed and the almighty dollar still wins out every time. Need to elect these officials out of office to let em know how we feel about what they have down to history.
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 12:36 a.m.
Very good point. The problem is that too many real estate people have been elected to council ....
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 11:06 p.m.
This makes me sad and sick. What a horrible way to ruin a neighborhood and put in a greedy housing project. How about a Walmart next door?
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 9:54 p.m.
This is not the first time that developers have built ugly stuff in AA. Look at U Towers. When I came to school here in the 60's it stood out like a sore thumb. Same with the big building on Maynard, the building that has Buffalo Wild Wings in it on State and on and on. I remember the whine about taking down the house on Maynard for a McDonalds. They built the ugly little cathedral which is gone. I have to say it was better looking than the Olga's at State and Washington,with its orange roof, (soon to be painted black because some vandals threw black paint balloons from the parking structure) onto its roof. Nothing has really changed.
Vivienne Armentrout
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 9:17 p.m.
This is very painful but I am glad that Materials Unlimited is salvaging artifacts. I hope that this sad chapter in Ann Arbor political history will be the beginning of a serious effort to save our near-downtown neighborhoods. The Council Party has been unsympathetic to preserving the character of these areas, in spite of existing master plans that call for their integrity. We should begin by insisting that the R4C/R2A committee results do not make these areas even friendlier to student housing construction.
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 4:09 a.m.
Might as well start in on the Kempf House since its property value nearly doubles what City Place will cost. Just a thought.
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 8:57 p.m.
treetowncartel--I have no idea if it will have one of those, but I think it is a fair bet to say that it will not have a bronze plaque celebrating the developer, Mr. Helminski and his pals, or the architect, Brad Moore, nor that of the Mayor!
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 1:17 a.m.
PersonX- Instead of a bronze plaque, They should move that thing from the City Hall to the City Place!!!
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 9:04 p.m.
However, if it were a city funded project it could have an artistic rendering of a bronze plaque.
Ryan J. Stanton
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 8:55 p.m.
Please note I added a paragraph from Wendy Rampson saying salvage does not affect the structural integrity of the building and therefore does not require a permit in advance of a demolition permit.
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 8:53 p.m.
One question though, is the new place going to have a dedicated beer pong court?
Neil Dorsey
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 8:42 p.m.
Let's look at it differently. The new student apartments will move the student population out of the neighborhoods. These old homes will surely be picked up as single family homes and be restored. Preserving homes in the campus area. Will also bring business downtown.
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 8:42 p.m.
This Developer ranks right up there with the City Council that approved architecture for the New City Hall Building.
Wed, Nov 9, 2011 : 6:12 a.m.
The new City buiding is ugly because taxpayers did not want to spend any money on it. They screamed to high heavens about it being built at all, despite high levels of radon an asbestos in the old City Hall - that was good enough for City workers . The City was left with no choice but to build a low cost, butt-ugly building. It was the best they could do.
Wolf's Bane
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 12:12 a.m.
Every time U of M builds something (with the exception of the renovated stadium) it is beautiful and fits right into the atmosphere of A2. Anytime a developer builds a city counsel approved building it is beyond ugly and doesn't fit at all into the community. Now, we have another piece going up and all I can say is... I'm voting against all incumbent.
Wolf's Bane
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 8:19 p.m.
I asked what Ypsilanti-based Materials Unlimited paid to have the rights to gut these beautiful old houses and you censored me? Woah!
Rob MI
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 8:17 p.m.
The only things worth saving in these buildings, long since changed from their original construction, are being saved. I will focus my celebration on that aspect of this entire process--the only thing to be celebrated given its handling from the onset.
Go Blue
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 8:14 p.m.
Well city council, I applaude you and your infinite wisdom. You have completely and utterly failed our community. You have allowed a blight to be erected in place of our history and it will be remembered forever that your lack of ability to get the job done, has given us this hideous monstrosity. Thanks for nothing.
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 8:11 p.m.
This project aside, i live in a 90 year old house and Materials Unlimited is a great place to shop for repairs and remodels, as well as just some plain old decorative stuff for a contemporary place.
Marilyn Wilkie
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 7:56 p.m.
I wonder what Material Unlimited's bid was on this? This is the message I sent to some of the people who allowed this to happen. Subject: Just so you know..... My great grandfather Henry Fischer owned a sawmill at the southwest corner of Packard and Hill Street in Ann Arbor in the 1800's. You are responsible for destroying our history. To us they are cherished reminders of those who came before. To you they are building lots. Just to remember who cherished these homes when they were fairly new. Polk's Ann Arbor City Directory, 1915 407 S. Fifth Ave. - Alfred W. Paul 411 - Andrew Reule 415 - Samuel W. Beakes, Robert L. Stancill (1916) 419 - no one noted 427 - Mrs. Josephine A. Hamilton 433 - Herbert M. Slauson 437- Mrs. Anna S. Taylor, Mrs. Keziah Campbell, nurse (1916) Article on Samuel W. Beakes - http://gtsystem.aadl.org/index.php?title=Samuel_W._Beakes&oldid=43941 --------------------- Andrew Reule - Owner, Ann Arbor Buggy Co. And.... http://www.aadl.org/node/115907 ---------------------- Alfred Paul - Owner, Ann Arbor Bowling Alleys ---------------------- Herbert M. Slauson - http://www.aadl.org/node/153448 .
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 11:39 p.m.
"I couldn't afford Ann Arbor's prices. Just like many people who grew up there." But you expect the tax payers of Ann Arbor to preserve YOUR family heritage!
Marilyn Wilkie
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 9:18 p.m.
Craig, I couldn't afford Ann Arbor's prices. Just like many people who grew up there.
Wolf's Bane
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 8:20 p.m.
I inquired and the answer was 'no'. This is another sad day for preservation and Ann Arbor's history. Scavengers!
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 8:15 p.m.
I would have bought one if they had been offered individually. But they were not. They were grouped as one lot in order to maximize return. Any way you paint it, it's not about you or me or the fabric and character of our city. . It's all about greed.
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 7:59 p.m.
you should have bought the houses and preserved them.
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 7:55 p.m.
I have a few things for sale too. Can you send a reporter out to my house?
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 7:54 p.m.
The barbarians have won ... remember them when you walk or drive by and see the cheap architectural garbage they are about to give us. Apparently some people have no professional pride, but are proud of their greed, as the developer wrote that he is "proud" to present City Place. Congratulations!
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 7:53 p.m.
Anyone want to take up a fund to buy some of those leaded glass windows and present them as gifts to the council members who voted against Heritage Row?
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 : 7:40 p.m.
That's too classy. How about a commode on a pedestal in the council chambers?
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 7:52 p.m.
"Want to buy a piece of City Place houses?" No but thanks for asking.
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 : 7:54 p.m.
Is this like one of those late night/Saturday afternoon infomercials? Looks like a story but is really an advertisement.


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Saturday, January 7, 2012
A New Year and a New Perspective
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The path unknown
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
You don't have to go, you're my Poetry Man
It's funny how life leads us back to the past when we least expect it. I've been missing me, and wanting to get back to me for a long time now, and now that I am back I am not so sure this is where I want to be. Am I lost? I am not so sure. Some days I feel as if I am exactly where I should be and others, I am so far away from the person and the place I want to be it breaks my heart.
I picked up my guitar this afternoon to pour my heart out, and it came-it came with abandon. I am willingly holding my wrist out for it to be cut and I am happy about it, such is bliss. There must be something in me that is flawed and scared or maybe I am completely coherent and cognitive, craving experience, quickening my life. Conflicted? To say the least. It's my own personal dualism. That is what makes it all so tricky. One moment I want it all-decadence, debauchery, lust, risk, the ultimate edge- and the next moment, only purity. Who am I? Who I've always been…society just snuck in a little bit.
I am ready to walk freely into my decision, but I am not sure it will be that willingly, without judgment or guilt. I am not sure it will be without challenge, tears and drama. But, I want nothing else, and nothing more at the moment.
So for now, I revisit the bohemian artist dwelling within my soul. She always wants to come out to play when I am conflicted. I wish, with everything in my soul, that I have the strength to live within her or banish her once and for all. The latter will never occur. It's impossible to let oneself disappear even if it is something that may be the absolute best thing for living and surviving in this harsh, real, financially driven, materialistic world. That world has no place for her-the sensualist, the lover, the beautiful dreamer. And so she suffers. But she willingly and almost joyfully suffers the cut that only cuts the heart.
The Poetry Man:
You make me laugh
Cause your eyes they light the night
They look right through me
You bashful boy
You're hiding something sweet
Please give it to me yeah, to me
Talk to me some more
You don't have to go
You're the Poetry Man
You make things all rhyme
You are a genie
All I ask for is your smile
Each time I rub the lamp
When I am with you
I have a giggling teen-age crush
Then I'm a sultry vamp
Talk to me some more
You don't have to go
You're the Poetry Man
You make things all right
So once again
It's time to say so long
And so recall the cull of life
You're going home now
Home's that place somewhere you go each day
To see your wife
Talk to me some more
You don't have to go
You're the Poetry Man
You make things all rhyme
**Phoebe Snow, 1975


text:
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In their stylishly renovated office on S Alamo Street they are a stone's throw from the Riverwalk and are proud to service Downtown San Antonio and Southtown San Antonio with high quality and affordable dentistry.
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Come to Southtown Dental, where you smile is in good hands!
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A Dentist in San Antonio Downtown Providing:
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text:
6"x6" unframed :: oil on panel
Check out all my paintings on Daily PaintWorks!
I love this color combination too, and I especially like how you incorporated both colors in the smoky background. Wonderful painting!!!
This painting is not just speaking ...its singing! Well done Cathleen!
Another gorgeous painting, love the blue and orange together and of course your painterly style. Nice!
I love the colors you used and the way you incorporated a touch of the bright orange into the parameters of the blue glass. Love your confident brush strokes.
Just beautiful!!
yes, my favorite color combination too, especially the way you paint them...
Your persimmons are the best and those strokes are to die for. Beautiful as always Cathleen :)


text:
Your website, brochure or annual report will probably need photos. I can help you with that too!
I provide all of the photography for Chateau DePere Hotel, The Clarke Hotel, The County Clare Irish Inn & Pub, St. Brendan's Inn & Pub, and Ashling on the Lough Irish Pub & Restaurant which includes interiors, exteriors, events and food photography.


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Friend's Email:
Subject: I have found a DVD that I think you would enjoy
|Evan Almighty
Widescreen Edition
Actors: Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham, Johnny Simmons, Graham Phillips
Director: Tom Shadyac
Genres: Comedy, Science Fiction & Fantasy
PG 2007 1hr 36min
Evan Almighty is a comedy for all ages that "you don't want to miss" (Kim Griffis, NBC-TV)! — Everyone's favorite funnyman Steve Carell is at his hilarious best as junior congressman Evan Baxter, whose wish to "change the w... more »
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Member Movie Reviews
Bill B. (retinkorea) from APO, AP
Reviewed on 12/21/2012...
It's a fun movie!
Kristina C. (KCSunshineBand) from CHESTER SPRGS, PA
Reviewed on 1/24/2010...
My kids just watched this movie (7,5,4 and 3) and LOVED it! We are not an overly-religious family, but they were familiar with the story of Noah and his ark. They loved watching Steve Carell "turn into" Noah with his white hair and robes, and they found it hysterical that he couldn't shave off his beard. The animals were an added bonus for them (they each tried to be the first to identify the pairs of animals correctly).
For me, it was nice to watch a family-friendly movie that all of my kids enjoyed. As a added bonus, they really seemed to understand the theme of the movie (which was repeated a few times): you can change the world with one small random act of kindness. My four year old told me before we tirned out his light tonight that he was going to be "more kind tomorrow".
Great message and funny/fun movie!
3 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
Evan Almighty is Mighty Entertaining
Marc Axelrod | Potter, Wi USA | 06/23/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The review I read in the USA Today suggested that this movie was a stinker. But I think the critics dropped the ball. This was a fun movie, and a great choice for the whole family. Evan Baxter is the former Buffalo news anchor who has just been elected to Congress with the lofty campaign slogan "Change the World."
This inspires God (played by Morgan Freeman) to speak to Evan about building an ark. God is angry that the beautiful Appalachian mountain vistas he has created are being destroyed by those desiring to create huge residential areas. He is upset with those who want to destroy the natural beauty of the world.
Animals start following Baxter around two by two, and (like in the Tim Allen flick "The Santa Clause") he begins to look like his predecesor (Noah).
Evan becomes alienated from his congressional colleagues and from his family, but by this point in the film, he is convinced that he is doing the work of the Lord.
As the plot unfolded, I started wondering, "Were the animals really necessary to the storyline, since the judgment of God was only falling on one region of the world rather than the entire planet?" But my wife told me that having the animals come to Evan from around the world demonstrated to the people that Evan wasn't crazy, and that this truly was a move of God.
Secondly, having the animals come to Evan ties this in neatly with the Noah story from Genesis 6.
The movie is not what I would call laugh out loud funny, but there are plenty of cute and heartwarming moments. The message of the film seems to be that we can change the world with one random act of kindness at a time. Both the message and the movie are winners in my book. Recommended.
Entertaining Enough, but Disappointing Overall
C. Crockett | Indiana, USA | 10/10/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Bruce Almighty (Widescreen Edition) took great pains to revamp the typical comedy film into a new and exciting story. Who knew a movie could take the delicate and often touchy subjects God and religion, and find the humor in it? Unfortunately, Evan Almighty doesn't accomplish nearly as much as it's far better predecessor.
Evan Almighty picks up the story of Evan Baxter (yes, the same news anchor who was a bane to the existence Bruce in the first film) as he and his family move to a new town after Evan becomes a newly elected Congressman. Evan is the perfect picture of consumerism, vanity, and a man desperate for the attention and approval of his peers (while mostly disregarding the opinions of his family). Unfortunately for Evan, God has other plans for him. After instructing Evan to build an Ark and save his family plus two of every kind of animal from the imminent flood, Evan begins to struggle with his desire to continue in his own life plan, or trust in the wisdom of God.
At a PG rating, this movie is fairly appropriate for kids and families. Some of the aspects of the story will tug a little at the heartstrings, but overall it was a little tired and boring. The best thing this movie had going for it was the spot-on entertaining portrayal of God by Morgan Freeman. Steve Carrell has gained a lot of comic success with his hit show The Office - Season Three and his hilarious turn in The 40-Year-Old Virgin (Unrated Widescreen Edition), but I'm sad to say that while he was great as a supporting character in the previous Almighty film, he didn't do so well as the primary character.
Bottom line, while God's warmth and sense of humor is a veritable breath of fresh air in this movie, everything else is a bit contrived and predictable to a fault. It probably would have been nice if the movie had left a little to the imagination, such as keeping the audience in suspense of whether or not the flood was really coming -- but for anyone who has seen any of the previews for the movie, that question is already answered. Bummer."
Wonderful family fun !
Very happy mom | USA | 09/24/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As parents of five children, we rarely take our children to see a movie before we've screened it. However, we felt that with the ads, the PG rating, and from seeing the messege from Bruce Almighty, we did. WE LOVED IT!!! We all laughed throughout the whole movie and even our 10 year old son (our oldest) got choked up in certain parts. It was very clean and the writing was sweet. We have always loved Steve Carell and we were not disappointed. It's not perfect, but we feel that so many missed out on the real point of this movie."


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F.H.A. Rule Changes for Mortgage Borrowers
Archive for November, 2010
Join Me Tonite at 9pm
"How To Get 0% Unsecured Loans
with Your New Business Lines of Credit"
NEVER Buy Real Estate Using A Quit Claim Deed.
ALWAYS Buy Real Estate via a Real Professional Closing At A Real Estate Attorney's Office or Title Company. This article explains the many pitfalls of using a "Quit Claim Deed" (not Quick Claim)
– Mike Butler
Fixer Jay shares tips for today's investor
Do a little something extra today to make a veteran feel great. Tell them a simple "Thank You" goes a long way and makes them feel great.
Our veterans allow me and you to live like we do in good old USA!
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Let's Hear Your Comments Below!
Consumer advocates, the press, investors and homeowners have already compiled a compelling list of transgressions: conflicts of interest that have banks pushing foreclosures, without a good-faith effort to modify troubled loans. Dubious fees that inflate mortgage balances. The hundreds of thousands of flawed foreclosure affidavits that violated homeowners' legal protections. The misplaced documents. And it goes on.


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btw, that sensor is very intriguing, It's now on my shortlist. Thanks for sharing!510rob wrote:this is a crude sketch of what I was thinking about, but realizing it never went anywhere because other things in life have been higher priority
gray = a lump of threaded steel, perhaps with some kind of favorable tip geometry (a flathead screwdriver blade kind of idea, to focus the magnetic field.
black = melexis sensor
blue = some kind of small neo magnet, glued to the back of the sensor. the datasheet suggests using cyanoacrylite (super duper glue).
The top end could be encased in epoxy for long-term protection. blah blah blah... It always seemed like it could work quite well, but it also seemed like it could turn into a mini science project.
Cam sensor on L-Series
Engine, Transmission and related drivetrain.
Post Reply
- VelvetHammer
- Supporter
- Posts: 204
- Joined: 31 Oct 2008 20:34
- Location: Marina del Rey, CA
Re: Cam sensor on L-Series
Re: Cam sensor on L-Series
It's been on my shortlist for a while but I haven't had any pressing reason to get one. I want to try one in a dummy setup to detect a cam lobe, just to see how capable it is at detecting oblong shapes and magically producing a signal-conditioned and beautifully sanitized and normalized output signal. It all sounds too good to be true, hence the curiosity.VelvetHammer wrote:btw, that sensor is very intriguing, It's now on my shortlist. Thanks for sharing!
If it does what it claims to do, it would be a magic bullet for a cam sensor on an L-series.
Post Reply


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30 Guns, Jewelry Missing From Fortuna Home Torched This Morning
A fire at a Fortuna residence this morning appears to have been an attempt to cover up a burglary in the Ross Hill Road area of Fortuna, said Chief William Dobberstein. "We had a report of a fire at 6:07 a.m. When we got there, the fire department put the fire out fairly quickly but they discovered the house had been burglarized… The fireman discovered a safe in the back room open."
The residents were out of town, Dobberstein said, but they came back and helped identify what was missing. At this point 30 guns, jewelry, and other items have been identified as missing.
"The house is pretty much destroyed," Dobberstein said. "It is pretty bad…It looks like a burglar broke in,…stole items…and then attempted to set it on fire."
An arson investigation team, is on the scene and investigating. Currently, there is no suspect.
Two other burglaries occurred early this morning at constructions sites. Although most of the stolen tools were found about 40 yards away from one of the burglaries, there are still missing items, Dobberstein explained. It is unknown whether these burglaries are related.


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7/7 Testosterone
Get sunlight! Sunlight provides Vitamin D, and Vitamin D is a steroid hormone, that is essential for the healthy development of the nucleus of the sperm cell, and helps maintain semen quality and sperm count. Vitamin D also increases levels of testosterone, which may boost libido. Now this does not mean go and over due it, because anything in excess can lead to long term issues.
* Note. We are not a medical source and recommend you consult a doctor for further review.


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Hi Donna, thank you for your message, I have to say that I love the personal approach rather than automated emails like every other shopping site i''ve ever bought from - so thank you. We are really happy with the Santa coat - such great quality too. All the best Anna and Archie
I have found Canine & Co to be helpful and caring. If you have a question or query Donna will do everything she can to help you. She knows about her stock, the sizing and the quality of the items she sells.
She is also a dog lover and you can''t get any better than that!
I wouldn''t hesitate to recommend Canine & Co for their products and efficiency, and neither would my Basset hound Cassie." Kind regards Genny xx
Thank you so much for your assistance and consideration, it is not often you receive such excellent and personal customer service anymore and you have been most helpful. I would definitely recommend your website.Thank you again :-) Steph


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Cupboard Challenge
Quirky Crafts Challenge is being sponsored by Crackerbox this time and she gave us this cute cupboard image to play with along with accessories. I printed out the image onto wood printed paper and fussy cut it out. The tea and plant were printed onto white paper. All were accented with my markers, then adhered to a Spellbinders Labels 25 panel cut out of Die Cuts With a View red Shimmer paper. This then onto printed paper from my stash and then a 5x6.5" kraft card base. Everything was edge in black once cut to finish it off.


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Magic Strollers
The reason I bring this up now is – earlier this week – the California
Film Commission revealed that it would be awarding tax credits to 25 upcoming
productions (which will all be shot in California). And among the films &
TV projects to receive a tax credit was "Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2" (which –
according to the Los Angeles Times – is now a direct-to-video production).
So when The Walt Disney Company registers a domain name
(especially when it comes to film-related projects), it's usually a pretty strong
indicator that the Mouse has plans for that particular title. Which is why I
know that all you Pixar fans out there will be delighted to hear that – just yesterday
– Disney registered the following domain name:
Copyright Disney / Pixar. All Rights Reserved
Which is yet another sign that a sequel to Pixar's 2001
release, "Monsters, Inc." is actually in the works.
Mind you, the Mouse did register a couple of other
interesting domain names yesterday. Among them:
Which -- most likely -- have ties to that series of graphic novels that Jerry Bruckheimer just acquired the feature rights to.
And then there's that somewhat bizarre domain that Disney just grabbed. Which seems to have less to do with the studio's development track than it has to do with someone's urinary tract:
And then back on July 25th, Mickey registered two
domain names that suggest – come the Fall – Disney on Broadway will begin offering
discounted tickets to its New York production of "Mary Poppins" :
Copyright Disney Theatrical, Inc. All Rights Reserved
And if you're balking at paying top dollar for the new Blu-ray version of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," you might want to keep an
eye on these four domain names:
Which suggest that Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is
readying an extensive rebate program for this new DVD release.
And then you have to wonder – given that "The Lion King" is
the highest grossing hand-drawn animated feature of all time – if Walt Disney
Animation Studios is now toying with producing a pseudo-sort-of a sequel. Given
that – back on July 9th – they actually registered this domain name:
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved
There. That should give JHM readers some food for thought as we head into
the last Friday of July 2009. Have a great weekend, okay?
PingBack from http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/07/30/disney-buys-domain-names-for-monsters-inc-2-the-tiger-king-and-world-war-robot/
On Wednesday, Disney bought the domain names Monsters2.com, TheTigerKing.com, and... OhSayCanYouPee.com.
Your story was featured in DisMarks! Here is the link to vote it up and promote it: http://dismarks.com/Media/Jim_Hill_Is_Disney_Pixar_finally_getting_serious_about_Monsters_Inc_2_And_The_Tiger_King
Wow ... "The Tiger King" and "BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA TWO" ... will the creativity never stop pouring out of that place ?
Shouldn't it be "The Kung Fu Tiger King" ? (or not to miss out on the best of both it could be the "Kung Fu LIGER King" ? ) "T-Force" . Hey, this is so easy, maybe I could be a creative executive , too.
Maybe the Tiger King name has something to do with the new Pooh film. "Winnie the Pooh and the Tiger King" does have a nice ring to it. After all, Tigger is probably the most popular character in the Pooh universe...so okay I'm reaching here, but it's a better idea than Disney ripping themselves off with a Lion King clone...
ang ganda ng lion king


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How are the best arc polls going, Zu?
No problem, man
Ah okay all you need to do is that. Thanks.
How do you mention people here? Just posting @ and then username don't seem to work.
Probably tonight
When are you continuing on with the best arc tournament? Just wondering.
Home now, it was a decent day without anything noteworthy.
Have a good day!
Yeah hopefully we get it since the manga is pretty far ahead from the anime. (They are at 168)
Don't have time to talk more now since i got school but see ya later.
That would be nice.


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KEUTERVILLE — Feb. 8 is the date set for the St. Mary's/Holy Cross annual parish dinner and prize drawing which will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Keuterville Hall.
Roast beef, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy top the menu with green beans, fruit, tossed salad, and homemade rolls and desserts rounding out the meal. All this comes at a price of $9 for adults, $4 for first through sixth grades and those in kindergarten and younger eat for free.
Bingo games will be played all day on the stage, and the raffle drawing for 25 prizes will begin at 4 p.m.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Information from the Free-Press and our advertisers (Want to add your business to this to this feed?)


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The Buffalo Bills season begins with uncertainty about the team's future. When owner Ralph Wilson dies, it's expected the team will be sold. Erie County hopes to negotiate a lease that will likely cost taxpayers $200 million and has a major financial penalty if a new owner were to move the team.
The worst-case scenario is a new owner pays the penalty and heads for a city where he can increase the team's value. I think we can all agree losing the Bills would be psychologically devastating. Would the team's departure have an impact beyond heartbreak?
It's worth revisiting a Buffalo News article from earlier this year about the economic impact of the Bills on Western New York. It's not really measurable – and it may not be very large:
Experts forecast Western New York wouldn't endure much economic pain. Not even the Orchard Park or Hamburg real-estate markets would miss a few dozen millionaires. Annual alcohol sales would be affected maybe only a percentage point or two without Bills-related parties and tailgates, Try-It Distributing chairman Gene Vukelic guessed.
Some national studies, in fact, suggest the local economy would improve without the Bills, though not all analysts concur.
But everyone agrees that Western New York's biggest struggle would be emotional. And a prolonged, defeatist funk could infiltrate the region's business dealings.
Based on 2010 U.S. Department of Commerce statistics, the gross domestic product of the Buffalo-Niagara market was $45.15 billion. Remove the Bills from that total, and "it doesn't leave a ripple," said Bruce Fisher, former Erie County deputy executive and founding director of the Center for Economic and Policy Studies at Buffalo State.
Overall, Fisher doesn't see a substantial economic benefit from the Bills. He noted the county gives the Bills about $8 million a year in subsidies that could be spent elsewhere for a greater economic return.
"You buy this kind of thing for the community for the psychological benefit," Fisher said. "But don't delude yourself. It's a cost, not a benefit in economic terms. It's an expense."
Without the Bills, locals would spend a healthy chunk of that money on other diversions like shopping, dining or nightlife. Fisher said when dollars are spent at local businesses, the economic benefit is exponential. For example, money spent on pizza and wings at La Nova has twice as much impact on the local economy as buying dinner at Olive Garden, with its corporate office in Orlando.
"When you spend money on mercenaries, the money leaves with them," Fisher said.
"Not one Realtor would be impacted by the Bills not being here," said Maureen Flavin, an agent who specializes in high-end properties and has represented several Buffalo Sabres and Bills clients over the past 20 years.
"So many of them rent, and the places they rent are highly desirable. I could rent those places out in my sleep. There are way more people who want to rent than places to rent."
While one could argue most dollars once earmarked for the Bills still would get circulated through Western New York, charitable organizations inevitably would get dented.
It costs communities money to have a professional football team. For many people, the quality of life and exposure for Buffalo is worth every dime. But if the Bills went away, there could be focus and money spent on arguably more important things like growing business and jobs. Money spent on football could be spent on local entertainment. It's something to think about as you settle into the couch or head to the tailgating parties for another season.
Links of the Day:
– NFL players are causing a stir by supporting gay marriage.
– Buffalo has its own version of "The Blind Side."
– Rochester's Fringe Festival looks very cool. It starts September 19.
– Two tornadoes touched down in New York City. There's video.


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When shooting kids' birthday parties, Sophie and I use the same fun and candid approach as we do with our portrait photography. We don't think a baby's first birthday should be photographed the same way as your uncle's retirement party. So we use funky angles, fisheye lens, and finger puppets for instant tickle action. Here…
These are so much fun! Love all the memories you captured!
These are so fun and colorful! Love the angles and whimsical style for these. Great job!


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Mini Reviews (August 2013)
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, The Thing, Jobs, Lee Daniels' The Butler
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (August 10/13)
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone casts Steve Carell as the title character, a pompous magician who experiences a fall from grace after his partner (Steve Buscemi's Anton Marvelton) leaves him - with Burt's subsequent efforts at reinventing himself as a solo act complicated by the arrival of a hot new performer (Jim Carrey's Steve Gray) on the scene. It's an appealing premise that is, in the movie's early stages, employed to breezy and thoroughly entertaining effect by director Don Scardino, with the film's briskly-paced atmosphere heightened by charismatic performances and a smattering of laugh-out-loud funny instances of comedy. It's just as clear, however, that The Incredible Burt Wonderstone slowly-but-surely loses its luster as it progresses, as the narrative is, to an increasingly troublesome degree, infused with hackneyed, conventional elements that effectively wreak havoc on the movie's momentum - with the unconvincing, shoehorned-in romance between Burt and his much younger assistant (Olivia Wilde's Jane) certainly the most apt example of this. The script, which seems to have emerged directly from a well-worn template, forces Burt to learn a series of lessons before the end credits roll, and it subsequently becomes more and more difficult to work up any interest in or enthusiasm for the character's predictable antics. By the time the unreasonably outlandish finale rolls around, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone has definitively established itself as a serious disappointment that squanders its setup and talented cast - which is too bad, really, given the potential of the movie's decidedly unique storyline.
out of
A misguided and generally worthless prequel, The Thing details the chaos that ensues at an Antarctica-based research site after an alien craft (and alien creature) are found frozen beneath the surface. There's little doubt that The Thing, before it devolves into an unwatchable mess, starts out with a fair amount of promise, as filmmaker Matthijs van Heijningen Jr does a decent job of separating the proceedings from its (vastly superior) 1982 predecessor - with, especially, scripter Eric Heisserer's decision to immediately introduce the extra-terrestrial entity striking all the right notes (ie the movie isn't, at the outset, merely a carbon-copy of John Carpenter's superb original). It's just as clear, though, that even in its early stages The Thing doesn't entirely work, as the movie has been suffused with a bland, cookie-cutter feel that grows more and more problematic as time progresses - with the most troublesome example of this the utterly one-dimensional nature of the various characters (ie none of these people, ultimately, are even remotely as intriguing or compelling as any of the first film's protagonists). The viewer's inability to form a rooting interest in the characters makes it awfully difficult to care once they come under attack, and it goes without saying that the survivors' paranoia-fueled exploits in the movie's second half are especially interminable and uninvolving. Far more disastrous are the laughable, low-rent computer-generated effects, as such elements have been integrated into the narrative with an artlessness that's nothing short of astonishing - which, in turn, ensures that the film's fright-based sequences are devoid of both energy and suspense. It's finally impossible to label The Thing as anything more than a hopelessly misbegotten piece of work, with the movie's abject failure all-the-more apparent when one compares it to its masterful and downright iconic predecessor.
Jobs details the life and times of Apple Computer founder Steve Jobs (Ashton Kutcher), with the movie exploring the dynamic visionary's early days as a struggling student and eventually progressing through to his creation (and subsequent loss of) Apple. Despite its seemingly foolproof subject matter, Jobs, for much of its disastrously overlong running time, comes off as a generic and hopelessly stale biopic that seems to have emerged directly from a template for such movies - with Matt Whiteley's paint-by-numbers screenplay containing most of the attributes that one associates with the genre (ie the film even transpires entirely in flashback after opening with an older Jobs presenting the first iPod). The underwhelming atmosphere is perpetuated by an erratic narrative that grows more and more repetitive as time goes by, with Whiteley's decision to hop from one milestone in Jobs' career to the next resulting in a midsection that couldn't possibly be less interesting. Far more problematic is director Joshua Michael Stern's refusal (or inability) to transform the title character into a sympathetic (or even compelling) figure, as Stern, working from Whiteley's surface-level script, generally avoids delving too deeply into Jobs' personal life and instead focuses on his work persona - which ensures that Jobs, for the most part, comes off as an arrogant, self-centered taskmaster with few redeeming qualities. (Kutcher's competent yet standoffish performance only exacerbates this feeling.) And while the film admittedly does contain a few effective sequences - eg the nascent Apple team's encounter with their first investor (Dermot Mulroney's Mike Markkula) - Jobs' hackneyed sensibilities prevent it from connecting with the viewer in any real sense and it's ultimately difficult to understate the movie's colossal failure as both a biopic and a piece of entertainment.
Lee Daniels' The Butler follows the title character, Forest Whitaker's Cecil Gaines, as he serves under eight American Presidents over a period of several decades, with the setup employed primarily as a springboard for an exploration of the Civil Rights Movement of the '60s and '70s. Filmmaker Lee Daniels has infused Lee Daniels' The Butler with an unabashedly old-fashioned sensibility that's reflected in most of its attributes, which does ensure that, for a little while, the inherently compelling subject matter is exploited to maximum effect - with Whitaker's solid turn matched by an eclectic group of periphery performers (including Oprah Winfrey, Cuba Gooding Jr, and Terrence Howard). (And this is to say nothing of the various folks playing the Commander in Chief, with Robin Williams' Dwight D. Eisenhower and Alan Rickman's Ronald Reagan standing out as highlights.) The film's compulsively watchable vibe proves to be short lived, however, as scripter Danny Strong begins to emphasize the comparatively less-than-engrossing exploits of Cecil's rebellious son, Louis (David Oyelowo). Whitaker's character is increasingly relegated to the sidelines, as Daniels and Strong devote much of the film's midsection to the battle for equality among African Americans - with the narrative's one-track-mindedness growing more and more tedious as time progresses. (It doesn't help, either, that Strong pads out the proceedings with a number of palpably useless subplots, including the possible infidelity of Cecil's wife and other similarly pointless asides.) The ensuing lack of momentum paves the way for a second half that wavers between mildly engaging to flat-out interminable, with the heartfelt final stretch, as a result, unable to pack the emotional punch that Daniels is obviously striving for - which ultimately cements Lee Daniels' The Butler's place as a terminally underwhelming curiosity.


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"What if he's dead?" Rachel asked.
"Where did you get such a morbid thought from?" Eos asked, although looking out from the mouth of the cave at the charcoal sky and continual fall of rain told her the probable source of Rachel's dark feelings.
"They disappeared, didn't they, into the undone," Rachel said. "Then we turned around and the gnome had gone, then the rain started. Why would the gnome have disappeared if nothing bad had happened?"
"From what I understand from talking with the little gentleman," Eos said. "The gnome has to remain equidistant from the two people involved in the wish he granted. If James had died then the gnome would be bound to you, he wouldn't have been able to leave. So he must be somewhere inbetween you and James, who must, logically, be alive. Don't you think?"
Rachel did not look convinced. She cast her gaze over the glossy black tree trunks down at the swollen muddy earth and up to the bruised skies.
"So what if he's hurt, or in danger?" she asked.
Eos sighed. She really wished that Lester had made more of an effort to remember James when they had run from the undone. Eos had decided that she didn't dislike Lester as intensely as she had when he had been trying to sell her rainbow grease from a market stall, that still didn't mean that she liked him, at all.
He gave every appearance of being some kind of guileless, naive and clumsy idiot. Not that she really thought that was a front. Some of the things Lester did no one would do as part of an act, in her opinion anyway. The problem was... intuitive.
Eos believed that there was this whole other layer to Lester that no one else could see. The trouble was that she didn't even think that Lester could see it. That sounded a bit mean and more than a bit crazy, so she was probably wrong. Feelings, Eos realised, could be wrong and no one could do anything about them. You couldn't just change a feeling because it didn't fit. So she was stuck with it.
Happily, she didn't have to deal with that at the moment because she was sheltering from a heavy storm in the mouth of a cave with a scared, tired and upset little girl who had lost her closest companion. Not only that Rachel had lost Tabarnas, her second closest companion a couple of days ago, after spending a long period (hours? days?) hiding in a completely different cave whilst Eos had been bewitched by the evil Lady Crimzona.
The immediate problem, therefore, became how to distract Rachel's thoughts away from the dark mental images of what she imagined might be hapening to James at this very instant. Eos looked at the skies, if the storm would just clear then walking would provide adequate distraction, but they would be drenched if they stepped outside now, besides they would likely sink up to their waists in mud before too long and that would be no good for anyone.
The only problem was if the storm continued on until after dark. Then there would be the issues of cold and hunger.
"We need a fire," Eos said firmly, and she meant it.
"How are we going to make one?" Rachel asked and Eos was pleased to note this was the first thing Rachel had said that didn't centre on James and the possible calamity that might have befallen him in the last half hour.
"We'll have to scout the cave, while there's still enough light," Eos said.
"Okay," Rachel said. "I was beginning to get a bit chilly anyway."
"Don't go too far," Eos said, she removed the corded belt that looped several times around her waist forming a belt to her dress. Unwound the cord made a single string about ten feet in length. "Here," Eos said. Take one end of this. We should never be further apart than the ends."
"Okay," Rachel said, taking the end of the cord.
The two of them went back into the angular shade of the cave. Searching for dried wood or some other kind of kindling. After a few moments Rachel cried out:
"Ow! My leg!"
"Rachel!" Eos called, alarmed, "what's the matter?"
"There's something back here," Rachel said. "It's big and solid, it's not a rock."
"What is it?" Eos asked following the cord back to Rachel.
"I don't know," Rachel said, "it's too dark to make out."
It was very dark in the corner Rachel had found. Carefully Eos felt about and her hands made contact with something smooth but textured. It had the warmth of wood but it had been carved and varnished. Eos believed that Rachel had found some sort of box. Eos felt the edges of the box and pulled it out into the light for inspection.
What was revealed was more than a simple container. It was an ornate chest decorated with scrollwork in the shape of leaves. Engraved into the top of the chest was something surprising:
Rachel and Eos swapped a surprised look upon reading this. Eos looked back down at the chest a note of nervous energy fluttering near her throat.
"Well," Rachel said. "Should we open it?"
"I suppose we should," Eos said. "Owls of wisdom are not known for this kind of thing."
Eos reached out and undid the chest's latch. She eased open the lid. Inside was a folded parchment on a velvet cushion, sealed shut with red wax. Eos picked up the parchment. She could feel that it was wrapped about something contained within. Closer examination revealed the end of a red ribbon poking out of the seal she imagined the other end of the ribbon was bound around the item inside the parchment.
Using her finger Eos broke the seal and unfolded the document. The red ribbon, freed from its folds, slid to one side and pulled tight as the object tied to the end dangled off the edge of the parchment. Eos picked up the object in her hand to look at it more closely. It was a shard of mirror, the edges appeared sharp.
"What do you suppose it means?" Rachel asked. Eos was pleased to note that Rachel was now entirely consumed with the notion of the mysterious parchment and the shard and not so worried about the health and well being of her tiny companion.
"Well, the edges mean that you definitely shouldn't touch it," Eos said. She transferred her attention to the parchment. The document was a map. Across the top was written: 'Return the shard. Make a wish.' To the right of this directive there was a simple compass rose indicating which direction was North (although compasses were a lot more complicated in Faerie than in the mortal world due to the somewhat lazy approach Faerie had to reality and geography).
The main part of the map showed an area of the forest, the cave, a road way that Eos had not spotted before the storm and, at the side of the road, not too far away if the map's scale was to be believed, an old house marked: Casa Perdita. A dotted line connected the cave and the house.
"Is that where we are supposed to go?" Rachel asked, although the dotted line made it quite plain what was expected.
"I can't say I don't have questions," Eos said. "However, I must admit that I don't have a better idea."
"Okay," Rachel said. "What about the rain?"
"I was scared that we'd get stuck in a swamp," Eos said. "If this road is as nearby as the map suggests I don't think that will be a problem. We might get a bit wet though, not that I particularly mind that."
Eos left Rachel in the cave for a couple of minutes to see if she could find any sign of the road from the map. Sure enough not even fifty paces from the cave mouth Eos found a crook in the cobbled road that was clearly marked on the map. The cobbled throughfare was clearly old, possibly even ancient, but it existed and it looked to be in good shape.
Soon, holding coats over their heads and trying to move as quickly as possible through the belting rain, Eos and Rachel were making good progress along the road. A good job, too, because, by the time they reached the Casa Perdita, the first shades of evening were beginning to draw in.
The house was not in the best shape, it needed more work than the old road that ran in front of it, but the roof was mostly in one piece. The door to the porch in the front of the house was locked but they found a side door, next to a wood pile, that lead into a long kitchen with a stove at the back end. Eos quickly located kindling for a fire and before long she and Rachel were enjoying the first warmth they'd experienced since the sun on top of the Eyrie.
After a brief period in which Rachel and Eos sat and stared into the yellow tongues of fire licking at the walls of the stove Rachel stretched and yawned.
"So, we should find the place to put that bit of mirror," Rachel said.
"I imagine that we should," Eos replied. "After all, we don't really have another plan. I don't know about you but I'm starting to get hungry. We were lucky with the wood but I don't imagine there's much food about here."
"No, I don't think anyone's used this kitchen in a long while," Rachel agreed. "Maybe we could wish for some, when we find the mirror."
"I'm not sure," Eos said. "Wishcraft has a nasty habit of appearing simple but winding up complicated. Also the map said 'make a wish', not 'make as many wishes as you would like'. If we only get one wish each it should be for something a bit more than a sandwich."
"Oh, well," Rachel said. "Mine's easy. I shall wish for all my friends to find their way, safe and sound, back to the Patchwork Market."
"I guess, if I had a wish, I'd wish away the curse that stops me enjoying my tail on demand. This ring still feels like a bit of a risky necessity."
"Well, we won't get to wish for anything if we don't find the mirror," Rachel said. "So I suppose we'd better get on with it."
With the matter decided upon Rachel and Eos left the kitchen by a door that led into the hall. To their right a set of steps lead upwards to the top floor of the house, the front door was to their left, two more doors were on the opposite side. One door lead through to a room at the front, the other, adjacent to the stairwell, lead to a room at the back of the house.
"Upstairs?" Rachel asked, her tone of voice told Eos that Rachel regarded the shaded gloom at the top of the stairs with the same suspicion as Eos.
"Maybe we should try the parlour," Eos suggested, indicating the door directly opposite.
"Okay," Rachel appeared happier with that decision.
Eos and Rachel stepped through the door into what remained of the house's front parlour. A door to their left in the back wall lead through to the back of the house. In the room there was a single wooden chair near the remains of a fireplace. Parts of a couple of other wooden chairs littered the bare floorboards. The walls still had peeling paint that was a murky colour like pale olives, in places the colour was a lighter green in squares, indicating the places where pictures had once hung.
"This is like the house that got undone," Rachel said, Eos could detect a note of panicked melancholy in Rachel's voice. Clearly this was not a time to slow down.
"Well there's no mirror in here," Eos said, so let's take a look out the back."
Eos crossed the parlour quickly and threw open the door. The disorienting sense of confusion was instant but the rationalisation of it was slightly slower to come along.
At first Eos believed she had got turned around and had wandered back into the kitchen, or mistaken the layout of the house. She turned and looked behind her, verifying that Rachel was still there and the front room was still there. Both were true.
Then Eos's head began to go to war with her in a more serious fashion. She had seen the hall, crossed the hall and entered the front room. The kitchen only had two doors, the one to the hall and the one to the outside lean-to containing the woodpile. She was stood in the door that should go to the hall.
It appeared as if someone had built an exact replica of the kitchen in two places within the house. Then Eos realised that the stove was lit and radiating warmth into the room. If this room were a replica it couldn't possibly have a lit stove, unless there was someone else in the house.
"I don't understand," Eos said under her breath.
"What?" Rachel asked. "Why is the kitchen there?"
"I don't know," Eos sighed. "I am as confused as you. Let's backtrack."
Eos left the door open and crossed the parlour headed back to the hall. She opened the door. Still a hall. Not the same hall.
Now the top of a set of stairs was visible set directly to the left of the open doorway, a short landing went ahead of her with a second door immediately to her right, another one adjacent to it at the far end of the landing and one set directly opposite her. Eos looked back into the front room and over to the kitchen, still visible through the door way on her left inside the room.
"Um," Eos said.
"What's happening?" Rachel asked.
"Something's very wrong, is what's happening," Eos said.
"The house is jumbled up, isn't it?" Rachel said, cutting through the shroud of impossibility covering Eos's mind.
Rachel, taking matters into her own hands, once more distracted from upsetting thoughts, opened the door adjacent to the one Eos had just opened.
"Yes," Rachel's voice said, with a curious ringing tone that appeared to be, simultaneously right in front of Eos and a little way off over to her left. "Very jumbled indeed."
Eos looked back towards the kitchen but now the kitchen wasn't there. Instead there was Rachel, standing in the doorway to the left. Eos turned her head, her senses reeling, and saw Rachel standing in front of her just at the door of the room she was standing in. Eos wondered, for a moment, if she could catch sight of herself leaving the front room if she were to hurry past Rachel fast enough.
"Rachel," Eos said, battling nausea that appeared to settle into her stomach after it had fallen from the brain she believed was actually starting to ache now. "Please, close that door."
Rachel complied and Eos heard the door to the left latch shut in perfect time with the door Eos's eyes told her were right in front of her.
"So..." Eos said, turning to the left and walking back to the door that had, moments ago, shown the kitchen. "Where now?"
She opened the door to find herself looking at the bottom of the stairs. This time viewed as she might have expected from the other door out of the front room. The front door of the house was immediately to her right.
"I hope that this magic stops at the exterior doors," Eos said and turned the handle on the front door. The door was locked on the inside as well as the outside and there was no key in the lock. Panic growing Eos opened the door to the kitchen and found herself looking down the upstairs landing at Rachel stood almost ten feet away at the top of the stairs the bottom of which were now immediately to her left.
"Oh, Eos," Rachel said. The little girl moved to the staircase and started down the stairs. Eos turned her head to look up the staircase and see her companion now descending from above, looking just as miserable as Eos felt. "I think we've walked into a trap," Rachel said.
Eos was hard pressed to disagree on that point.
"We shouldn't panic," Eos said, she was looking at Rachel but the comment was largely intended for her own sense of sanity. "I don't think that this is entirely random, it's not just a trap, I think it's also a puzzle, a test."
"What, to see if we're clever enough or something?" Rachel asked.
"Absolutely to see that, yes," Eos said. "So there must be some logic to this somewhere."
"So how do we work out what that is?" Rachel asked.
Eos thought about this for a moment. Eos had never really had much concern about whether she was clever or not. She had always appeared clever enough, at least in her own reckoning. However, this had meant that she had been taken from her family, cursed and, for a brief while displayed for tourists and otherwise exploited. These indignities had always appeared to be moral, maybe, if she had been clever enough, she might have escaped them.
This left the problem that now she had to face up to the real possibility that she was not clever enough to solve the current riddle. As much as she didn't know if she was clever enough she also did not know for certain that she wasn't. So now was the only and also the ideal opportunity to find out.
"Let's see if the rooms cycle, or join up in any particular fashion," Eos said. She crossed the hall and opened the door to the parlour. She found herself looking into a gloomy bedroom, there was a light rectangular area on the floor where the bed had once stood and the left half of a wardrobe lying on the floor to her side, the missing half having been removed forcibly leaving the sad remains of one door and a jagged edge of the back of the wardrobe flush to the wall.
"Right," Eos said, Rachel had come to stand beside Eos and had grabbed hold of her right hand. Eos looked down at the little girl and gave her what she hoped would be interpreted as a reassuring smile. "Let's see what happens now."
She closed the door, then opened it again, same room. She closed the door and opened it again, upper hallway, closed, open, a long, empty room, some cutlery was scattered on the floor, from the shape of it, and the position of the doors and windows it looked like this room was the final room that was intended to be on the ground level. Closed. Open. Upstairs Hall. Closed. Open. Bedroom. Closed. Open. Kitchen. Closed. Open. Upstairs Hall. Closed. Open. Parlour. Closed. Open. Bedroom. Closed. Open. Kitchen.
They continued to close and open the door for the next couple of minutes, no pattern was discernable. Eventually, one time that they opened the door and found the kitchen Eos went over to the side entrance to ascertain whether they could, at least, escape.
Thankfully the house appeared quite content to allow them to leave. The side door consistently continued to open up to the outside and the lean-to. So there was no progress to be made inside but always an invitation to leave.
"Maybe we should just give up," Rachel suggested unhappily.
Although there was, in truth, a good deal of sense to this suggestion Eos found it to be an irksome one. She did not want to walk away from the house feeling that it had, in some sense, beaten her. She had always found brain-teasers and puzzles tiresome and frustrating, the less she had the answers the more she burned to possess them. Maybe that was why she had always avoided them.
Unfortunately this left her with no strategies to cope with the puzzle at hand.
"Maybe we should," Eos said. "Let's have a rest and, if that doesn't help, we can think about leaving. I'll put some wood on the stove."
"Okay," Rachel said and sat back in her chair by the fire.
Eos went out to the lean to and began picking up wood. The lean-to was really just a tall fence with a frame built off the top of it and a canvas roof applied across the top of the frame like the skin of a drum. It looked like the kind of thing the homeowner had done by themselves rather than hire a carpenter or builder to do it for them.
Even so it was a pretty good effort. The person who had put the structure together had even included hooks screwed into the beams from which hung gardening implements, lengths of rope and, in the back corner a small bin had been defined in which was stacked a rolled up bundle of fencing made out of wire and wooden stakes.
Eos turned to take her bundle of firewood back inside but, at the threshold of the door she hesitated, thinking about the items she had just seen in the lean-to. She looked back across the roof hooks, specifically at the coils of cord hung on the inside corner.
Eos began to think that she might be clever enough to solve this after all.
"I think I've worked this out," Eos said as she put the firewood into the stove.
"I knew you would," Rachel beamed. "You're clever."
Am I? Eos thought, she imagined that she might, in fact, just be lucky but she didn't say anything because she didn't know for certain that Rachel was mistaken.
Instead of worrying about the relative state of her cleverness she went outside and took down the loops of cord. There were three hung up, all reasonably lengthy. She tied all three together and then tied one end of the super long cord she had made tightly to the hook.
She then took the rest of the looped cord and walked in through the kitchen door. She crossed the kitchen to the door and opened it until she opened it onto one of the hallways. Fortunately this happened to be the lower one.
She crossed the lower hall and opened the door opposite until she opened it onto the parlour, as was intended in the normal layout of the house. She walked through the door continuing to pay out rope behind her and opened the opposite door she opened and closed that until she found what she considered to be the "right" room, the one with the cutlery on the floor. Once she had that room correct she opened the other door into the back of the downstairs hall until that came up correctly.
During this process she noticed that the number of rooms the next door could open onto never included any of the ones the rope ran through. The rope was creating a single line, preventing the doors from randomly closing when you couldn't see them, preventing the enchantment from including those areas in the jumble of rooms that could be behind the next door.
When she opened the door to see her cord crossing the area at the bottom of the stairs and going in through the parlour along the parlour to end up in her hands in the remains of the dining room Eos went to the foot of the stairs. She wound the rope around the bannister in one complete loop and then went up the stairs to the landing above where she turned and immediately opened the door to her right at the top of the stairs.
After a few more doors and a little more cord strung out there was only one door left in the whole house. The door at the front of the house in the upstairs. As Eos reached this door she realised, in all the random rooms she had seen everywhere else in the house she had never seen the room behind this door come up, not once.
Only now that she had, in a very real sense, strung the other rooms together, could she see that this was the room that was the end of the path. The only way to reach it was to make it impossible for there to be any other room behind the door than the one that was actually, geographically, structurally, intended to be there.
Feeling a small thrill of excitement Eos reached out and opened the door to the last room in the house.
"Make it quick!" said a little voice as the door swung open. A little woman, no more than six inches high kneeled down at the edge of a bedside table stood next to the remains of a sturdy wooden bed. "I'm sorry I hid, but... I just didn't want to die."
Eos stopped at the threshold and looked over to the little woman. She was dressed in the mode of the common house wife, thick skirts, pinafore tied to the waist, heavy high neck blouse and a frilly dust cap. She reminded Eos of the housekeeper from Caer Shaleshore. Being only six inches high Eos guessed she must, in fact, be a sprite.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I thnk you must have me confused with someone else. I'm not here to kill you."
"You're not?" the little woman said, opening one eye and looking Eos up and down suspiciously. "You've been tramping through the house, opening the doors, wailing and carrying on. If you weren't trying to find me then what were you doing?"
Eos reached into her belt and carefully pulled out the shard of mirror.
"There is a broken mirror somwhere here," Eos said. "I was told to come here and repair it with this."
"Oh," the little woman said, the surprise completely overriding her fear. "That will be the mirror in the porch. You'll need the key."
The little woman turned around and opened a small box on the bedside table. She reached in and pulled out the key. Eos crossed the room and took it from the tiny woman. The sprite had found the key to be something of a burden, the key was half the little woman's height. Eos took the key between her thumb and forefinger.
"Thank you," Eos said.
"Oh, anything I can do to help," the little woman said. "It's my job, not that I've been able to do it for a long time."
"I'm sorry to ask," Eos said. "But why did you think I would want to kill you?"
"Well, I'm a house daemon," the woman said. "I look after the owners, but this place hasn't had owners in an awfully long time. This used to be a stop on the way to the coast, before the Vanishing. When the coastline disappeared all the trade routes dried up and people had to move on. The last owners of this house left me behind. It was only a matter of time before one of the agents of the undone came to scrub me away.
"As the mistress of this house I was able to rearrange the insides, made it very difficult to get to this room. It's the only one I feel comfortable in, they left behind this furniture, the old owner's wife said that the room was old-fashioned, so they just abandoned it."
"Well," Eos said. "You'd better not stay long, the undone itself is nearby, less than a day's journey from here. It might get slowed down swallowing the mountains but it won't take forever to reach here."
"Oh, dear," the little woman said. "But I do love this house. If the house is going to go then I suppose I had better find somewhere else to be."
"Me and my friend, we're going to the Patchwork Market," Eos told the sprite. "If you came too maybe then you could find somewhere else to settle."
"Well, yes, I suppose if I must, I must," the little woman said. "Never let it be said that Ivy Cosynook outstayed her welcome. If I have a fault then I guess it could be said I get a little attached. I'm only a bit houseproud, where's the harm in that, particularly for a house daemon."
"I must confess," Eos said. "I don't really see it as a problem, but then I've never met a house daemon before."
"We're not much for fuss," Ivy said. "I don't think the owners of this place ever knew I was here, that's just the way we like it. Shy, see?"
"I see," Eos said, instantly wondering if she'd ever unwittingly stayed in a house with a daemon of its own before.
"Anyway, didn't you say you needed to fix the mirror, hadn't we better be about it?"
"Oh, yes, I suppose we should," Eos said.
With the key Ivy had given her Eos opened the porch, Rachel and Eos got their wishes and they took Ivy with them to the Patchwork Market, what happened when they got there is surely a story for another day.


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To letRoom To Let in HMO property in Middleton. Communal living spaces include a lounge, kitchen and bathrooms.This room would ideally suit students or professional people with the added benefit of excellent transport links to Oldham, Manchester & Rochdale & a short distance to the motorway network.
You also have convenient access to good local shops & leisure facilities.
Hall, Walk in storage cupboard, spindle staircase, radiator, smoke alarm.
Lounge, 18'10" x 18'05" Front facing UPVC double glazed bay window, laminate floor, radiator, walk in storage cupboard.
Cellar, 1/ 18'02" x 18'05" Gym/recreation area, storage cupboard.
2/ 14'11" x 5'05" Combi boiler.
3/ 7'04" x 5'06" Large walk in storage cupboard.
Kitchen/diner, 18'05" x 15'09" Front facing UPVC double glazed bay window, rear facing UPVC double window, fitted base & wall units, electric oven, gas hob with extractor hood, stainless steel sink, plumbed for washing machine, gas meter cupboard, radiator.
Bathroom, Rear facing UPVC double glazed window, panelled bath, low flush w.c, pedestal wash basin, chrome radiator, extractor fan.
W.C, White low flush w.c, wash basin, radiator.
Shower/wet room, Chrome radiator, extractor fan.
Upper landing, Walk in cupboard radiator.
Landing, Cupboards, radiator, loft access point.
Bedroom 6, 11'00" x 8'00" Front facing UPVC double glazed window, TV point, radiator.
Externally, Rear yard.
If Energy Efficiency and Environmental Impact charts are shown then a HIP is available on request.These particulars, whilst believed to be accurate are set out as a general outline only for guidance and do not constitute any part of an offer or contract. Intending purchasers should not rely on them as statements of representation of fact, but must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to their accuracy. No person in this firms employment has the authority to make or give any representation or warranty in respect of the property.


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Some of the most important tips and tricks for playing chess include understanding the opponent's moves, controlling the center of the board and protecting the king from opposition attack. Chess is a very strategic game that relies on understanding how to use multiple pieces together. Although preparation is extremely important, no two games of chess are the same, meaning that backup plans are almost always necessary.
During the opening stages of a chess game, the primary goal is to move pawns out so that the more important pieces can move toward the center of the board. Also, before planning to attack the opponent's pieces, it is a good idea to protect the king. This can be done best by castling, which moves the king away from the center and while also developing a rook.
Another important tip for the game of chess is to plan at least two or three moves ahead. Always be aware of where the pieces are on the board and what they could do in a short space of time. Also, more often than not, the player who controls the center of the board wins the game, so it is a useful idea to secure this area early on. Finally, stay alert, and check strategies before each move is made because one small mistake can cost a player the game.


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Bravo, Edie, on a well-written story about the Pueblo Arts Scene.
We have a second home in Pueblo and especially enjoy the First Friday events and activities at the Shoe Factory and Kadoya Gallery. Gregory Howell is a hoot and his work on the "Artery" is particularly impressive--glad you gave it more exposure.
It would be great to get your article re-printed by our Pueblo Chieftain so that more community members become aware of how a little creativity can make communities like Pueblo be so GREAT!
Being named a State Designated Creative District (under the leadership of Susan Fries and the Pueblo Arts Alliance) is huge for Pueblo. The Creative Industries are the fifth fastest growing industry in Colorado, and it is refreshing to see a grassroots effort to build a new industry (and brand) in Pueblo without depending on PEDCO or the Chamber to do it. Here's hoping that we'll see more participation/presence and vocal support for our arts scene by our Pueblo leadership.
Julie Ann Woods
Snowmass Village


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Cartoon Big Data by Thierry Gregorius, Flickr Creative Commons
I remember (back in 2000) being asked about the world's biggest databases. My mentor told me the story of Walmart: how from early in its creation, it began to collect customer data. By the year 2000, it had the largest database in the world. That store is still vast (several hundred terabytes), though no longer the biggest, and requires a space over one hectare in Missouri, the so-called "Area 71".
Walmart's database provides a powerful marketing resource.
Companies could pay Walmart to look at customer data in order to pitch advertising. By looking at what products a particular individual bought, it was possible to get an idea of household income.
From there, a car company for example could decide what model of car might be best suited for a particular person and direct promotions that way.
Big data is perhaps a somewhat vague term for the sheer scale of data that now exists, which may in be measured in petabytes or exabytes – Paul Bradshaw recently reminded me that around 2-3 exabytes of data are created every day.
Big data describes large and complex collections of data, which cannot be processed by traditional data processing tools. Challenges arise from its collection to interpretation.
In February 2001, an analyst named Doug Laney at the META Group described the three 'V's of big data: volume, velocity and variety.
Volume simply refers to the increasing amount of data, the cause of which is multi-factorial. This includes "unstructured data" from social media to quantitative data collected by machine sensors.
Velocity is the speed of data coming in and going out. Dealing with the rapid influx of data quickly enough is a challenge for many organisations.
Variety refers to the full range of data types and sources. Formats may be structured or unstructured, both of which place demands on the analysts.
Big data sets are often beyond the capability of normal software tools to manage within an acceptable, or tolerable, timeframe. Add to this the difficulties of variability and complexity and it is easy to lose control.
Sense of Statistics
Making sense of big data requires the use of complex statistical techniques. Large data sets can be untidy, and are potentially full of biases (especially when just looking for correlations). Using big data – to figure out exactly what is going on and how to effect worthwhile change in a system – requires advanced statistics.
Big data causes a problem because there are many more possible combinations of ("linked") data points that can be compared – and so there is a high chance of finding an association.
This is the "multiple-comparisons problem": if you're looking for many, or even just any patterns in a large data set, it's likely that you'll find one. Test enough different correlations and you're bound to get some fluke results.
Yet again, we must seek to find out whether the pattern is "statistically significant" (a true finding), or whether it occurred by chance.
The aforementioned difficulties of managing big data with standard desktop software (for statistics and visualisation) means more advanced database systems are required. Terms such as inductive statistics and nonlinear system identification are essential jargon. These concepts essentially allow the user to identify true relationships within the data as well as predict outcomes.
David Spiegelhalter, statistics professor at Cambridge University, who has also talked at City University, gives a useful lecture on the trickiness of numbers, number hygiene and statistical significance. The new statistical techniques for big data will work by building on old methods.
With respect to big data he says, "There are a lot of small data problems that occur in big data. They don't disappear because you've got lots of the stuff. They get worse."
Big Data by Walt Stoneburner, Flickr Creative Commons
Big data enthusiasts make four claims, which Spiegelhalter warns could be "complete bollocks". Certainly, they are over-simplistic and are listed below – together with their flaws.
- Analysis of big data can yield accurate results.
– ignoring biases, statistical methods and causation means that we can overrate accuracy.
- Recording (almost) every individual data point renders former statistical sampling techniques obsolete.
– see Spiegelhalter's comments above. The newer statistical methods are derived from former ones.
- Correlation gives us the necessary picture – causation is an outdated secondary issue.
– again, bias matters. To downgrade the importance of causation is only permissible in a stable environment. Making predictions without knowing about bias and causation does not work in a changing world.
- Statistical models are unnecessary because with big data "the numbers speak for themselves".
– the numbers cannot reliably speak for themselves: random patterns / correlations exist in big data and these outnumber true (statistically significant) findings.
To conclude, companies are interested in big data sets because they are relatively cheap to collect for their size and they can be readily updated. A multitude of individual data points can also be used for many different purposes. All this helps in the marketplace.
Big data made a big splash. But to fulfil its potential it must be married with statistical insight. Only then will we fully appreciate the full impact of big data.


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VENTURA, Calif. --Police say a man broke into a pizzeria in Ventura just to make himself a meal.
The incident happened Monday night at Pizza Chief on the 1600 block of East Main Street. Employees spotted Lance Conley shortly after 10 p.m. and called 911.
They detained the 37-year-old outside the restaurant until police arrived. Investigators say Conley entered the restaurant through an unsecured window.
He was arrested for commercial burglary and booked into the Ventura County Jail.


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The Last Afternoon
Let's forget that we're dying,
that it's fall,
that I smelled snow last night.
Let's just pick out these onions at the market,
the ones the farmer steals an extra dollar for,
and talk about tonight's supper.
There is sunshine on the back of your bare hand now
where you are holding it over an acorn squash,
and this is the last afternoon.
We gave all our days away, I think,
hiding my dirty fingernails under my scarf.
Even here, though, the long light is beautiful.