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Romano is certainly correct that public debate in America often centers on philosophical ideas and sometimes even addresses philosophical arguments, but he completely ignores the question of whether these debates are informed by good philosophical reasoning. If two drunks in a bar argue about marriage equality (whether same sex marriage should be legal), they are engaged in a debate on a philosophical question, but they still may fail to be philosophical. If one argues that the Bible says marriage is between one man and one woman (who are the lucky pair, I always wonder), that person is not really philosophical or a philosopher. If the other actually asks what the grounds are for moral acceptability of entering into a contractual relationship, and considers the reasons for those grounds, then that person is being philosophical. So, I will start off skeptical of Romano's claim. Americans are to some degree philosophical (in that many do reason in this way even if they don't call it 'philosophy'), but, so far, polls on most issues that generally require critical, even philosophical, thought, do not lead to the conclusion that a majority of Americans are good at philosophical reasoning. (This situation may be changing on the marriage equality front at any rate assuming that critical thought strongly favors marriage equality, and opposition to same sex marriage strongly indicates lack of such thought. Further, this assumes that supporters of same sex marriage are basing their beliefs on such reasoning.) So, my guess is that the majority of Americans (and even American opinion columnists) are, depending on your definition, either not very good at philosophy or not really philosophical at all.
The article is interesting but contains weirdness. Romano writes, in the course of arguing that little of Americans' insatiable media appetite is directed towards philosophers,
Despite a seemingly bottomless appetite for guests, neither the nation's better TV talk shows nor its tabloid trash fests have ever hosted America's great philosophers, even in a pandering format (''Philosophers Who Sleep With Their Ideological Opponents!!!'').
I don't recall a lot of philosophers on talk shows, but Harry Frankfurt has been on the Daily Show twice, and just recently Stephen Colbert had Michael Sandel on to talk about his book about the limits of capitalism. I think a good part of the reason Frankfurt was on was for the publication of his book (actually a reprinted article from 1978) On Bullshit. Maybe this was just an excuse to have a guest use the word 'Bullshit' repeatedly on the show, but these cases appear to contradict Romano's thesis. The examples actually strengthen Romano's actual thesis a bit that America does provide some public space for philosophy and philosophers. Later in the article, the author does mention the Frankfurt book:
The combination of title and microsize accounted for the book's allure more than Frankfurt's reasoning, which, the retired Princeton University Spinoza scholar charmingly told one interviewer, he no longer considered cogent.
This sentence should be bronzed. The book is badly argued because the scholar no longer considers it cogent? By that standard, we should burn everything written by Bertrand Russell and Hilary Putnam. On Bullshit is a nice piece of ordinary language analysis, and I don't think Frankfurt's misgivings about his argument mean that it was not a worthwhile piece. Moreover, here's the thing, Romano admits that philosophers do appear on television but invents some ad hoc justification for taking that counterexample off the table. Frankfurt was on a television interview show; hence, philosophers are given time on American interview shows. That's a clear counterexample to his claim. But, no, their appearances only count if the work is a good one (minimally indicated by the author continuing to find his/her own work cogent after 30 years). If Romano knows about the interview, how can he say that America's great philosophers have never been interviewed? Is the Daily Show not one of the nation's "better TV talk shows"? If he thinks the Daily Show is not one of the better ones, what on earth qualifies as a better one? Or is Frankfurt not a great philosopher? After all, according to the author, he's just a 'retired Princeton University Spinoza scholar'. On the other hand, wouldn't it count more strongly for the idea that talk shows interview philosophers if even not-great philosophers can get them? (By the way, I really like Harry Frankfurt but I'm not taking a stand on whether he's great or not. Who knows what counts as a great philosopher? Romano doesn't tell us anyway.)
Now Romano turns to critics of American culture, to those who think Americans are, on the whole, pig ignorant and even have a culture that celebrates pig-ignorance. (Does this thesis need to be defended? Does Romano own a television set?)
In Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free, Charles Pierce argued that we live in the land of his title, "the America of the medicine wagon and the tent revival, the America of the juke joint and the gambling den," that we remain "the best country ever in which to peddle complete public lunacy."
Romano responds:
Pierce's prime evidence—conservative talk-show hosts and intelligent-design advocates—hardly made his case. . . Indeed, sound judgments about American culture always depend on how one sifts and looks at large swaths of evidence, not an example here or there.
I'm not following this at all. I haven't read Pierce's book, but if the quotation states his thesis adequately, it seems as though conservative talk show hosts and intelligent design advocates (aka creationists) provide a fairly compelling case that being professionally dumb or scientifically misinformed can be highly lucrative in America. I'm not sure that makes America the" best country ever" in which to be professionally stupid, but it appears Pierce is guilty only of hyperbole not poor statistical reasoning.
Romano continues arguing that Americans ain't so dumb after all:
Religious fundamentalism in the United States, for instance, is seen by some as the embodiment of irrationality. But it's also possible for even an atheist to argue that religious thought persists not because believers are dimwitted, but because concepts like God and faith possess logical peculiarities that stymie disproof of religious belief in the absence of prior agreement on how one defines terms.
Does he know what religious fundamentalists believe? Has he checked the polls (or, "look[ed] at large swaths of evidence, not an example here or there") on scientific (not philosophical) illiteracy? It's not just that people have a philosophical disagreement about the existence of God, it's that approximately 40% of Americans believe in the Genesis account of creation. That account is totally inconsistent with huge swaths of modern science. There is nothing about the concept of God or faith that can account for this level of scientific illiteracy. Scientific illiteracy does not imply philosophical illiteracy, but it's hard to do good philosophy when you have no grounding in the basic scientific facts. If you really think that the Genesis account of creation is accurate (and presumably coherent with the scientific evidence), then you are not going to be open to a sophisticated philosophical argument about belief in the absence of testability.
I'm really digging the weird asides in this article. He dubs Richard Rorty, "America's most important recent philosopher". Who does he think he's kidding? I suppose this all depends on what you mean by "most important" and "recent".
Romano does have a few well-chosen examples of philosophy in American popular culture. He notes the popularity of the Philosophy blog, the Stone, at the New York Times, of the philosophy and popular culture series (e.g. Philosophy and the Simpsons), and of some philosophy joke books. How does this compare in popularity to the typical Youtube video of a guy being hit in the nuts? Or a cat playing the piano? In an enormous and diverse country such as America, there are many pieces of anecdotal evidence (rather than "large swaths of evidence") supporting either side on this question. Some Americans in some circumstances definitely have some philosophical interest and inclinations, but there is not enough support here for a conclusion as broad as Romano's. (Maybe he includes the further evidence in his book America the Philosophical. However, I don't think I will be racing off to buy it.)
Romano concludes,
Americans have thus not so much "evaded" philosophy, in the provocative phrase of Cornel West, as they've sidestepped antiquated conceptions of it. In the post-positivist, post-cold-war, pan-Google era in which we live, America the Philosophical can be seen as a coruscating achievement in the pragmatist project that's been unfolding for centuries.
I'll agree that there's lively debate on philosophical issues in America, but it's not yet a "coruscating achievement" of philosophical argument. It's more like an occasional spark.

subset: commoncrawl


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[Once again, this post is raw and unedited, very much how I tend to live my life. I reserve the right to edit these remarks, especially after my morning café Cubano has worked its way through my endocrine system.]
An Open Letter to Ms. Pamela Druckerman
[and, by consequence, to her (non?-)Editors at the New York Times]:Oyeme, esta niña, ¿Tu comes mierda o te chupas las nalgas?
pretentiousness and vacuous, if non-existent analysis, was its trite, in-your-face classism, racism, and general stupidity.
Your piece, lacking in style, content, and modest sophistication would have barely earned a C- from the most humble community college journalism program.
Forgive me si estoy harto of the burden of proof always having to fall upon Cubans and Cuban Americans. Perhaps you can understand our individual and collective se-van-todos-para-el-carajo attitude. We did not grovel at the feet of White America and ask to be melted into the pot. We did not turn to White America and politely ask to be served our piece of the American pie. Instead, we worked very fucking hard, bought real property, started businesses including banks and health care institutions, we made our children get an education and learn the meaning and value of hard work. And, we did all of these things while taking care of each other and our families, including our elders. Perhaps there is no greater uppity minority in the US than Cubans and I'm pretty fucking proud of that, coño. And please don't forget that we fought in America's wars and serve(d) in America's government. The American Dream was ours and we seized it, and now we have to teach you what that means. We seized the American Dream and White America got pissed.
My father was the scion of a once-prominent political family, and my mother's family are abnormally accomplished university educators. My parents landed in New York and the day following their arrival began working in factories. <-- read that sentence again, please. My parents always worked extremely hard and thanks to them I never wanted for anything. Ever. I have three university degrees – one more than you – that I earned by busting my ass and receiving generous scholarships from my alma maters. No one helped me navigate the process of college admission and financial aide. I did it myself, and so did my entire generation of Cuban-Americans.
So, I'm not exactly sure to which "stuff" you're referring. Perhaps you mean houses, land, personal property, antiques, heirlooms, clothing, art, toys, automobiles, jewelry, and other fruits of hard work and labor. A similar thing happened to Jewish persons in Nazi Germany, didn't it?
In Miami, Cubans opened the door and laid the groundwork for other Latin Americans, and a subsequent sea of other immigrant populations, to seize the dream for themselves and garner opportunity. How is it that you're bitter about that? Was I supposed to aspire to be your gardener? Fuck you.
During the years I taught at FIU I was privileged, honored, and humbled to help form hundreds of immigrants and children of immigrants, some of whom were undocumented. These students fought tooth and nail for an education, often working difficult jobs while studying full time as well. I was often in my office late into the night giving these students as much help as I could with their studies and they were grateful for the assistance. Yup, these students were poor and hardworking. Your deriding their race and social class is repugnant. The thought of a smug, expat American white woman peering down her spoiled nose at these great, hardworking, students and their parents who are struggling to build a better life makes me vomit.
There is no such thing as an accreditation score card for how cities grow up and develop. Global urban culture has morphed beyond planned town squares and vaudeville theaters. While I agree with you that Miami's development is post-pubescent, it is re-defining, or un-defining, the meaning of urbanization. We are the new, post-modern city and your attempt to interpret Miami's bourgeoning social text inside of your myopic, bourgeois-aspirational, American expat hermeneutic is sooooo last century, irrelevant, and un-formed.
Miami is growing up within a context of aggressive globalization – a globalization that encompasses the political economy, but also popular culture and the high arts. No other American city is developing, or has developed, as plugged in to the new global society as Miami is. This location is why so many academics the world over refer to Miami as a Global Urban Center. Aprende algo, anda.


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My Blog List
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Thursday, May 17, 2007
Alice Jane
7:09 AM | Posted by Gabby Faye | Edit Post
This is my mother's mother's mother...Great Grandmother Alice. I can only identify her because I know for certain that it is my Great Aunt with her and I can rule out any of her sisters as the second woman due to age. As far as I know, this is the only photo of her in my collection. None of my cousins seem to have any old photos so I guess this is it.
I create all scrapbooking pages on Photoshop Creative Suite 2.
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Since the concept phase of the LCS program, supporters and detractors alike have argued for or against the ship class. Recently, however, the debate has shifted away from pundits to official U.S. government assessors, with arguably damning conclusions about the ships. Navy leaders espousing the virtues of LCS-1 and -2 are increasingly in the minority amid a rapidly building case for the program's dramatic restructuring—or demise. Instead of muddling forward to an almost certainly marginal outcome, the Navy should cancel the LCS program and acquire a proven single-mission hull.
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Who is Ben Welsh?
Posts about The News
April 14
My Times
July 18
Why develop in the newsroom
Aug. 05
Google Voice fails the Obama test
March 04
OpenLayers Recipe: How to map proportional symbols
Feb. 15
Django recipe: Add an auto-count field to your model
Oct. 30
When mashups attack
Sept. 18
Five ways your data app can catch the big news hook
July 20
How we got here, or Which past are we prolouging again?
July 06
Permalinks, low-rent data viz and other stupid Caspio tricks
July 04
The blogosphere says goodbye, Sen. Jesse Helms
July 02
The New York Times hearts "Anal Massage For Lovers?"
July 01
Get the LA Times on your Kindle
June 23
Tickertube, Ben's first stab at Amazon Web Services
June 02
The Bo Diddley Beat (1955-???)
May 26
California's War Dead
May 19
LA red light cameras on your TomTom or Garmin
May 18
Bill O'Reilly Flips Out, The Ringtone
May 06
Gary, Indiana
April 28
Mixed media
April 26
Wright '01 vs. Wright '08
April 25
Uranus J. "Bob" Appel
April 23
More Many Eyes
April 19
One feed, straight steez
April 12
Which Barack Obama headline makes the best band name?
April 08
Let them eat Yellowcake: Iran's hottest YouTubes
April 08
Petraeus '07 vs. Petraeus '08
April 06
What the future holds for farmworkers, Hispanics...and U.S. senators?
March 24
Go snoop yourself
March 23
The Wright side of history
March 22
Una investigación del Times
March 19
All talk
Jan. 20
Is McDonalds financing the Black Disciples?
Jan. 19
God, shut your mouth
Jan. 12
The sweet spot between punditry and misanthropy
Sept. 07
What's the Standard Issue?
Aug. 29
Aug. 19
The Tony Wilson Corollary
July 17
Hello, Shaw
June 30
What will the Chinese Olympics look like?
May 26
Who is the Daily Muckiest?
March 17
The Arcade Fire Hypecloud
Feb. 12
Ben's News Cloud
Feb. 08
How much does George Bush read?
Jan. 21
Chicago 39, New Orleans 14
Jan. 21
The Reality-Based Community's One Note Tune
Dec. 03
Ben's News Bag
Nov. 08
The Difference: Claire McCaskill for U.S. Senate
Oct. 26
American Idols
Sept. 30
From the Fine Print: Stop Smiling, Start Squinting
Aug. 22
A partisan split on bipartisanship
July 08
The New War Correspondent: G.I. Joe
June 02
Taher Thabet, that's who
May 27
Who broke Haditha?
May 26
My Media Diet


text:
Saturday, 21 March 2009
Book on the armies of 1672-79
If you are wondering how you're going to find out more about the armies of the period of Mark Copplestone's new range of figures don't worry - help is at hand. Dan Schorr who we all know from his excellent Northern Wars site is preparing a book on the uniforms and colours of the armies of the 1672-79 period. I'm really looking forward to it.
2 comments:
- Corporal_Trim said...
Excellent. And Dan's GNW site is one of the best period resources on the web.
- 21 March 2009 at 07:40
I don't want to get anyone's hopes up that anything will be available in the near future. I have been working on the Brandenburgers 1672-79, and I'm in the process of doing illustrations for them. Other armies are more difficult, as information on colours and standards, as well as uniforms is difficult to come by. I would appreciate hearing from anyone that runs across something for this period. Ralph's constant search for contemporary illustrations is wonderful as one can see the cut of the uniform.
- 21 March 2009 at 13:32
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text:
AikiWeb Aikido Forums
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Taylor Franklin
I wrote this and somebody said it held some ideals of Aikido within it(toward the end). So I figured you guys might find somethign in it. Either way I'd like some opinions please! Thank you. Also if you feel the need to use it or copy it, ask first, pretty please.
Our drifter played all night and day,
and lived to vice in all ways.
He was everything from crime to lust,
And daily drugs were a must,
A viceroy and a sinner all the same,
that's how Tommy made his name.
He worked the tables into his favor
And could win without waver.
After his pockets were full, and a few too many
Tommy concurred that it was plenty.
As the night drew to a close
He took his winnings set home
When home drew near
The gambling man first felt fear
As he approached closer to his shelter,
His mind was sent helter-skelter.
He wasn't too far from his abode
The door was ajar: swinging to and fro
He entered the room with utmost caution
Only to find an open coffin
Fear turned Tom blue and pale
and everything came up, even the ale.
All went dark as he stumbled down
collapsing backward upon the cold ground
He woke under the haze of a drunken stupor
erecting himself, he purged the remaining liquor
In the guise of darkness he fumbled around
only to plummet once more down
No soft womb of the floor to catch him here;
He further fell into pitch black air
Sleep overtook him, till the thud
Whence Tom awoke, like he should
He felt his head splitting with great ache
and as to his location, impossible to place.
And echo flittered to his ears
The sweet sound of life was also here.
He spouted for help, with all of his might
full of hope, but it only caused plight.
A vile lich revealed itself to Tom's eyes,
Who gazed into death's surmise.
Rasp with death, he explained
the name of this vile game.
"It's simple you see, just stay alive,
but only the best are able to thrive!"
Taken aback Tom wept with tears
He could not face this phantom's fears
"I refuse, I say,
I refuse to play!"
"Even so, I'll have you know,
You cannot deny what I bestow!"
A slight of the hand, and he was cold to the core
once more strewn across the floor
Fading to darkness the lich stepped out,
leaving Tommy enveloped doubt
"Where do I go?! WHAT SHOULD I DO?!"
Then a pretty one said "I'll show you..."
"Where are you from? What do you mean?!
How can we leave this hellish dream?!!"
"Right this way, sir Knight,
You are here for the fight."
She slipped away without warning
Before Tom it appeared like a waking morning.
From the shadows a building manifested
Arose a giant Coliseum, of Roman vestige.
Tom, compelled to enter,
Hiked inside and to the center.
The lichling host came forth
Then laid down the rules for this course.
"Here you must fight, fight your vice!
Will you let it end your life?
No! I see,
Don't Answer Me!"
This ghoulish being began to move,
Unsheathing a frame for Tom to choose.
"Choose a weapon from this rack,
BUT be prepared to swing it back!"
Nervously Tom caroused the stands
Trying to find equipment for his hands.
"Choices; choices; everywhere!"
He picked up the flail and prepared.
"Enter combatants. COME! DESTROY!
Tear and rend this poor boy!"
Now this one wasn't fattened or softened by captivation,
Rather to the contrary, its cultivation.
In the wilds of the jungle, weaned on starvation.
Still; keep heart Tom. It's nothing more
than life's daily danger when you open the door.
The enemy appeared primed and ready.
With his weapon, Tom stood steady
"This came from one of your Zoos,
and its hungry, just for you!"
He tore off laughing into fits
The lichling was waiting for this
From the abyss
A tiger charged forth; a gaped jaw
The assault began, hand and paw
Blow for blow it all slowed still
The tiger dead, of Tom's will
He was ghaspsing and heaving,
And aware of the bleeding.
Tom brush it off, he didn't care,
All he wanted was out of there.
If playing this game really meant that,
Then how couldn't bring himself to fight back?
"Tom, that's all good and well,
but can you handle this tale?"
"Made by your own, just like your games
the bout will be the same.
Gamble, Gamble, my good man
This is the chance to play your hand..."
With another hand in slight,
A second creature rose to sight
A tale he claimed, but Tom was ready,
It was a monster much like a Yeti.
Ape of frost developed from the abyss,
Much like a monstrous man with hulking fists.
As Tom's morning star rounded
his heart slammed and pounded.
A claw over here and a mace over there,
assumed a fray of blood and hair.
Tom's skin now burned like flame,
but was belittled from the monster's pain.
Berserked, he thrust and clawed,
met one last time by the ball.
The Angel of Woe sang her melody,
A monster died, with her harmony
"Bravo! My man, you've done quite well.
But you'll have to try harder to leave this hell!"
Gasping for breath, writhing in pain
he felt as though he couldn't stand.
Deep within, he felt it smart
His body was rending a part.
He keeled down, and opened a gape.
His being rending in to two sakes.
Soon Tom came to be,
now who was his adversary?
He felt free of guilt and sin
righteous enough to rise again.
With this holy resurrection, he faced his greatest foe yet;
He must fight himself to the death!
The master lichling had orchestrated this event,
sputtering forth these words without laments,
"My dear boy, can you really do it this time?
Is there no doubt in your puny, human mind?
Can you destroy your other side?
And then after that who will you confide?"
Face to face the game was set,
light and dark have finally met.
The fight is as history to you and I.
The holy relics began to fly.
Darkness with spear in flight,
The morning star met right.
Lance and mace; to and fro
Neither overcame his foe.
Finally the pace broke down,
At last the darkness spoke profound.
The dark Tom spoke with pure sin,
He spoke from deep within.
"Do you really hate me so,
Can you destroy what makes you go?
Pure! You're supposed to be
Can you really hate me?
Inside of me are earthly desires,
Are you really full of that much ire?
I am you,
You are me
And only together can we be!"
The angel and demon resume their bout
No end in sight, and no escape.
Hand and hand, fight is matched
Neither brawler is able to become detached.
Righteous swings up, wretchedness swings down
Both are met with the sound...
Woe sings her song into flight
And whispers to end of the fight
Days pass by, till Tom is awoke
He was clueless to what had invoked.
It was all a abstract, but the memories remained
His head ached with pulsating pain.
"Forget this life, it has reached an end!
No more poison, no more sin!"
He was safe to suffice,
That he would never let his vice,
Become the end of his life.
In the back of his head the faintness of voice could be heard,
of the lichling warning him to the sincerity words.
Taylor B.
Mark Uttech
It sounds like a drinking song.
In gassho
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text:
City of SoldiersA Year of Life, Death, and Survival in AfghanistanKate Fearon
5 1/2" x 8 1/2" • 305 pagesISBN 9781566569026 • paperback • $17.95 •
"With this book, Fearon seeks to answer the question of what daily life is like for those who live in Afghanistan, both in and outside of military bases. The narrative follows one year of the author's life as a civilian in Afghanistan, beginning with her initial flight into the country. Chapters include discussions of toilet paper, gender, language, poppies, food, Marines, election day, education, music, recreation, and other subjects. Some b&w photographs are included, and a general map is provided before the preface, which offers a brief outline of the political history of Afghanistan, as does the afterword."Book NewsMore Reviews »
A deeply affecting memoir and a unique contribution to our understanding of Afghanistan
Behind the headlines, the strategies, the surges, what is life really like in Afghanistan? What is it like to live and work there as a civilian on state-building with its people, fighting the Taliban with flip-charts and pens, not guns? In her account of sixteen months in the capital of Helmand province, Lashkar Gah, working for the Provincial Reconstruction Team, Kate Fearon records everyday life on the frontline. Amid the violence she unearths extraordinary stories of how ordinary Afghans live and what they think, both inside and outside the walls of military bases.
From the thrills and risks of getting there to exploring Helmand and its history, this book follows the author's daily life as she gets to know the people behind the war. She learns Pashto, visits the Districts, meets the US Marines, observes elections and evades suspected suicide bombers. She describes working with the tribal Elders on informal justice and policing issues, and building local democracy with them. She also listens to the musings of young men on marriage (and nightclubs), discovers what Afghan women really think of their burqas, and discusses poppy growing, pornography, forbidden love-notes, drinking and dancing.
Tragic and touching but also wryly observed, City of Soldiers tells of the camaraderie and courage of those working under extreme conditions, foreigners and locals, civilians and military alike. It evokes the despair—and the guilt—that comes with targeted political murders in response to the process of democratization. Kate Fearon explains how the key driver for Afghans is pragmatism, their overriding goal survival, and reveals how women—and men—assert themselves in a seemingly impossibly restrictive culture with humor and hope.
Kate Fearon was the Governance Advisor on rule of law issues to the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team in 2009 and 2010. She is currently Head of the Mitrovica Office for the International Civilian Representative in Kosovo.
Interlink Books
Media Reviews
"Having worked in peace and reconstruction efforts in Ireland and Kosovo, Fearon (Women's Work: The Story of the Northern Ireland Coalition) looks back at the 16 months she spent with the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Lashkar Gah, capital of the Helmand province in Afghanistan. Lashkar Gah became known as 'Little America,' but the Persian name means 'City of Soldiers.' Describing daily life inside and outside of military bases, she covers travel dangers, body armor, and the omnipresence of death. But she also depicts Afghan culture, dancing, drinking, and food. Warned against eating local dishes, viewed as unhygienic, she describes her cautious sharing of a meal (she steered clear of fish from a polluted river) in a local police station. Getting to know the people and the province, she discovered that, despite political fragmentation, they articulated a shared vision 'to live free from fear; to have real choices in their education, public and private lives.' Her memoir etches a portrait of invasion and occupation with humor and compassion, concluding, 'The moral question arises..., [what happens] if, having raised risks and expectations, we then withdraw support before the fledgling institutions are ready to fly by themselves.'"Publishers Weekly
Submit a Review »
Dancing In the No-Fly Zone
American Veterans on War
Ending the US War in Afghanistan


text:
Hermaphrodite insects fertilise daughters with parasitic sperm
The life of the cottony cushion scale insect reads like something from the most ridiculous of tabloid newspapers. Dad leaves parasitic body parts in his own daughter, which produce sperm that fertilise her eggs. He is both father and grandfather to his own grandchildren.
On top of that, these insects are mostly hermaphrodites. With the exception of the odd pure male, almost every individual is both male and female. They reproduce by having sex with themselves, fertilising their own eggs with their own sperm. And this means that scale insects can be father, mother, grandfather and grandmother to all of their grandchildren. Good luck drawing that family tree.
Scale insects are small animals that suck on plant sap for a living. Encased in bizarre waxy shells, most people wouldn't even recognise them as insects – the cottony cushion scale, for example, looks like a dollop of shaving foam. It and two of its close relatives are the only known hermaphrodites out of several millions of insect species.
In most hermaphroditic animals, an individual grows up and develops the organs that make both sperm and eggs. But that's not the case for the cottony cushion scale. When it mates with itself, it fertilises its own egg with its own sperm. Then, after the point of conception, yet more sperm invades the embryo. This "infectious tissue" creates sperm-producing organs inside the daughter* and the resulting sperm eventually fertilises the daughter's eggs. (A note on terminology: obviously, each insect is hermaphrodite but they're referred to as "daughters" because they have the body of a female. The rare pure males look very different.)
How did this bizarre sexual system evolve? In 2009, Benjamin Normark suggested that it's the result of a battle of the sexes. He envisioned a time when males and females were separate entities. When males gained the ability to infect their daughters with "parasitic" sperm, they could fertilise the eggs of multiple generations. This trait spread until the parasitic tissue became the norm, and true males all but disappeared.
Normark assumed that the infectious sperm would be parasitic, that it would always benefit the male lineage at the expense of the daughters' health or reproductive ability. That's a reasonable assumption, given the sexual conflicts that rage in other insects – many species produce sperm that do harm females or even shorten their lives.
But Andy Gardner and Laura Ross from the University of Oxford think that there's more to the evolution of the scale insect's sex life than males versus females. They developed a mathematical model to simulate these sexual conflicts among ancestral scale insects where the sexes were still separate. The model accounts for the fact that daughters aren't infected with any old parasitic tissue – it comes from their "father", and carries many of the same genes that they have. As such, there's potential for them to cooperate, rather than compete.
Their model predicts that when this odd tactic first evolved, the infectious tissue would probably have harmed the females in some way, who would have adapted to suppress it. In fact, if the harms were high enough, the infectious tissue would probably have evolved to suppress itself – its genes would have had a higher chance of reaching the next generation if it let the daughter get on with things herself and mate with a true male.
Over time, this conflict would have weakened. The infectious tissue would have become more common, and inflicted less harm upon the females. Eventually, daughters would actually benefit from being fertilised by dad's sperm.
At some time, there would have been a tipping point when conflict gave way to collaboration. Females would pass on more of their own genes to the next generation if they mate with their own parasitic fathers rather than with other males. Normal males started to disappear and the hermaphrodites took over. Rather than existing as a distinct sex, males turned into a lineage of parasitic tissue, passed down from one daughter to the next.
There is a final twist to this tale: Gardner and Ross think that the scale insects carry a passenger that could have quickened the demise of the males – a bacterium. Many insects carry helpful bacteria that provide them with important nutrients, and the cottony cushion scale is no different. These bacteria can often be found in tight clusters around the infectious tissue, and if they are killed with antibiotics, females are more likely to produce sons.
To Gardner and Ross, this suggests that the bacteria could help to protect the infectious tissue from being destroyed. Why? Because the bacteria are passed down from mother to daughter. Males are a dead-end to them. In this regard, their "interests" are the same as those of the infectious tissue. Sons are a dead-end; daughters provide vessels that sail into the next generation.
Reference: Gardner & Ross. 2011. The evolution of hermaphroditism by an infectious male-derived cell lineage: an inclusive-fitness analysis. American Naturalist citation tbc
Photo by P. Hollinger
More bizarre animal sex:
- All-male clams escape from genetic canyons by stealing eggs
- The sexual battles of flatworms: barbed sperm, mating rings, traumatic insemination, and going down on yourself
- Crayfish females lure males with urine, but then play hard to get
- Sperm war – the sperm of ants and bees do battle inside the queens
- Ballistic penises and corkscrew vaginas – the sexual battles of ducks
- Study reveals sexual tactics of male flies by shaving their genitals with a laser
- Male water striders summon predators to blackmail females into having sex
Comments (11)
V cool bugs (and great post) but is this method of reproduction not harmful to them in terms of genetic diversity? If all of a scale insect's genes come from a single parent and then all of its offspring contain exactly the same genes doesn't that reduce the population's fitness to adapt to its environment? Or is the odd pure male enough to counteract this?
Oooh I shall check that link out. Thank you 😀
Both of you are probably right. Yes when the scale insects reproduce by self fertilizing only, over time their genome becomes homozygous for more and more loci, which might lead to inbreeding depression. We think though that occasional matings with the real males might indeed shuffle the genetic material from time to time and are currently developing molecular markers to test this in the lab. Ed: thanks so much for your amazing coverage of our article!
Thanks for replying Laura!
Wow, thank you for covering this. It is something quite unique!
We think though that occasional matings with the real males might indeed shuffle the genetic material from time to time and are currently developing molecular markers to test this in the lab.
It is interesting to wonder whether or not current and future selection pressures will retain the small minority of pure males, or ultimately eliminate them. If the latter, then these insects will essentially have become an asexually reproducing species, (unless the hermaphrodites also engage in occasional sex with each other).
Mother nature strikes again. My zoology professor always drilled it into us that hermaphrodites produce both sperm and egg but never at the same time and they wouldn't self-fertilize. To think that there's an insect that dispells both of those statements. Thanks for this very intersting article and study!
Great thoughts! I really enjoy your work.


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Louise Hay Affirmation Meditations App
Essential Affirmations for Health, Love, Success & Self-Esteem
Mobile Apps
HayHouse.com: 0 USD FREE
Availability: Immediate Delivery
Publisher: Hay House Inc
Publication Date: 8/18/14
Traditional affirmations, while powerful, can only take you so far… Unconscious conditioning and limiting beliefs that accumulate throughout our lives can make it nearly impossible for positive thoughts to "stick," allowing negative thought patterns to keep popping up again and again. Until Now.....
This Affirmation Meditations app features 16 OF LOUISE'S MOST EFFECTIVE "POWER THOUGHTS," delivered using A BREAKTHROUGH "WHOLE BODY" LEARNING PROCESS that combines:
- DEEP RELAXATION - Stunningly beautiful, animated Meditation Exercises slow your breathing in order to calm your body's stress chemistry and open your mind to new input.
- ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY - Cutting-edge audio brainwave technology helps you enter into a receptive state that allows you to absorb what you're learning on a more profound level.
- MULTI-SENSORY LEARNING - Seeing, hearing, speaking and typing each affirmation multiple times, and then repeating it while seeing yourself in the beautiful in-app "mirror," ingrains the positive thought deep in your subconscious mind, where it does the most good.
- MULTI-MODAL INPUT - Louise's soothing, resonant voice moves around inside your head, speaking the affirmation in both the first and second person, COMPLETELY BYPASSING YOUR "INNER CRITIC" (so the negative voice of doubt that might usually "argue" with the affirmation can't even make itself heard).
The end result is a powerful, life-changing meditative journey, unlike anything you've ever experienced!
Once you download the app, you'll have instant FREE access to the first powerful Affirmation Meditation. You can then unlock more affirmations from within the app to tune up specific areas of your life. Use the power of Louise Hay's world-famous affirmations to:
- LOVE YOURSELF (FREE!) - Understand deep in your soul that you are lovable and worth loving, for the simple reason that you exist.
- LOVE YOUR BODY - Learn to accept your body exactly as it is and make positive, lasting changes from a place of love, joy and excitement.
- FEEL HEALTHY & ALIVE - Condition your mind to create vibrant health as Louise Hay guides you to create thought patterns that support vitality and wellness.
- EXPERIENCE INFINITE PEACE & JOY - Find the source of peace within yourself so you can experience deep peace and joy whenever you wish.
- ACCEPT WEALTH & PROSPERITY - Rather than working to "make" money, use this powerful meditation to open yourself to the flow of prosperity in your life and attract the success you desire.
- ACCEPT LOVE - Harness the power of the love you already have in your heart and turn it into a magnet for even more love.
- EXERCISE WITH JOY - Overcome negative attitude toward exercise and affirm the power and wonder of your body.
- CREATE YOUR FUTURE - Create the life of your dreams and strengthen your "inner creator" to make you master of your own destiny.
- AND MUCH MORE! This unique app distills more than 30 years of Louise Hay's life-changing work into one easy-to-use transformational tool, for a tiny fraction of the cost of her popular books, lectures and workshops.
Download the app for FREE to get started and put these life-changing messages to work for you now!
Check back soon for new and improved Hay House apps.
In the meantime, here are some other apps you might like:
Hay House Vision Board App
You May Also Like
Love Yourself, Heal Your Life Workbook
HayHouse.com: 15.29 USD $15.29
List Price: $16.99 (Save 10%)
Customer ReviewsBased on 2 customer reviews Write a Review
By Callie on Oct 04, 2016
This app is amazing! It is simple but effective. There are 16 meditation topics such as "healing" and "prosperity" with each one using brainwave entrainment music and multi-voice layering. Each meditation begins with soothing music and Louise Hay's voice instructing us to slowly breathe in and out for a few minutes to relax and center ourselves. Then she recites three positive phrases related to the healing or prosperity topic repeatedly for several minutes, such as "healing energy flows through my body." This repetition can be meditative if you allow your mind to just listen and not make judgments about the multiple voices. Just listen to it as if listening to a pleasant chorus of voices (Louise Hay speaking in both first person and second person in order for the listener's subconscious to accept the affirmations more readily). After a couple of minutes listening to the multiple phrases, you have the option to type in the phrases using your phone's keypad. I highly recommend doing this - don't skip this part. By typing in the positive phrases 3 times, you are reinforcing the phrase into both your conscious and subconscious mind. Writing in addition to verbalizing affirmations helps the brain to actualize these positive thoughts (bring this thought experience into reality). Writing is a physical act which signals to the brain a transfer between thought to the material world. The "intangible" becomes tangible. While typing these phrases 3 times, the meditation music continues to play in the background so you can focus on your written words for a few minutes. This visualization of the words in the first person will help you to more easily adopt this belief. You claim ownership of this belief. After this writing exercise, the meditation ends with a mirror exercise. The screen turns on a self-video - you are able to see yourself as you would on a webcam or Skype phone call. From here you can speak the affirmations as many times as you like. Seeing yourself speaking the affirmations further reinforces these phrases into your mind. Have fun with it! Share this app with your family and friends. I let the app run from my phone while I jotted down notes while sitting at my desk. The background music and Louise Hay's voice is very soothing and meditative. I also discovered that my cat really enjoyed listening to the music and Louise's voice! His body was visibly responding to the meditations by shaking out tension and stretching his legs. Amazing healing app for pets and children too! Overall a very pleasing meditation experience!
By kalpana on Sep 07, 2016
louise hay affirmation app is highly effective physically mentally and emotionally for well being.unlike other audios this has profound effects directly on mind and body bypassing all conscious and unconscious thought patterns occurring inside and outside the body and mind. it is directly a simple but effective way of marvellous dynamic soul healing for life times. it provides rebirth and also awareness .the change is spontaneous and is easy not challenging. you are in perfect balance and rhythm with your own heart beat.there is so much of happiness which emerges from inside.....thank you love you louise ..in gratitude love and light
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For those of you in search of a large family car, the Volkswagen Passat seems increasingly to be coming the obvious choice.
Despite intense competition from some excellent rivals, including Ford's Mondeo, the Renault Laguna, Nissan's new Primera and the forthcoming new Vauxhall Vectra, the Passat is generally acknowledged to be the cream of the crop.
Among its many attributes are its superior build quality and reliability, giving it an enviable retained value over three years of up to 47 per cent of its original purchase price.
Compare this with cars that lose their values quickly, such as the equivalent Mitsubishis, and the cost of Passat ownership becomes an increasingly attractive proposition.
Best of the bunch is the relatively new Passat 1.8T S. It is a mid-range performance version, with the same turbocharged 1.8-litre engine as the Golf GTi, giving it a 0-60mph acceleration time of about nine seconds and a top speed of just under 140mph.
It costs £16,115 in manual saloon form, and £17,865 with automatic Tiptronic transmission.
The estate versions cost £17,065 and £18,815.
Not only is the 1.8T S version cheaper than was expected, but it also gets a CD player, metallic paint, better front seat adjustment with lumbar support, velour upholstery, lowered suspension and alloy wheels.
This is in addition to the already-impressive equipment list of the basic model, which includes four air bags, climate control, remote central locking, electric and heated door mirrors, four electric windows and anti-lock brakes.
This is something of a bonus for anyone in the market for a family model, because the Passat is one of the most impressive packages around anyway.
It is as roomy as the Ford Mondeo, and costs about the same, with outstanding performance, model for model.
For example, despite its rather respectable image, the acceleration and top speed of the 1.8T version rival that of many sports models.
Even more impressive in its own way is the remarkable turbodiesel version, which accelerates to 60mph in just 10½ seconds, boasts a top speed of 125mph, yet manages economy in the region of 50mpg.
Cosmetic enhancements mean that it looks less anonymous than before, and more sporty too, with a nicely sloping rear end.
The interior should be an inspiration to its rivals, with high-quality grained plastics and liberal use of brushed aluminium creating a light, yet upmarket, feel.
It is easier to get in and out of, with enough room for three adults to sit in reasonable comfort in the back, and the luggage area is increased by about 10 per cent to 17.5 cubic feet.
The rear seats are split-folding on both the saloon and estate models, and every model in the range comes with height adjustment and lumbar support for the driver's seat, together with steering wheel adjustment. This means that those who use the car as a workhorse and cover high mileages are likely to find the ideal driving position in this car.
The seats are superbly supportive, the controls and instrumentation are well laid out and easy to read, and equipment levels are high.
Just a few years ago, items such as air conditioning, remote central locking and electric windows were to be found on the options list of only the most upmarket of models. Now, they are included in the standard package, together with an impressive non-removable sound system that is an integral part of the fascia.
Ultimately, Ford's Mondeo is a better driver's car, but only purists will recognise that. For those who want an incredibly well-built, roomy, reliable family saloon or estate model with rock-steady residuals, the Passat is hard to beat. A second-hand one may cost more than rivals, but it will hold its value.


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Looking for a Coach?
Are you interested in improving your running but not sure how? Maybe you have a specific target in mind? Ealing Eagles has numerous runners who are also LiRF and CiRF qualified who are willing to help you reach your goals. Some you will already be aware of as they lead many of the sessions that happen each week and many also coach people on a one-to-one basis.
If you are interested in getting yourself a coach then please email email@example.com and one of the coaching team will get back to you.
I Want to Coach!
If you are keen to get more involved in the club and develop your skills then coaching is a brilliant way to get involved.
Your first stop is to try your hand at volunteering. If you are looking to further your coaching experience with a formal qualification, then check out the coaching courses page.


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Sangakkara leads Sri Lanka to victory
Sri Lanka 309 for 7 (Sangakkara 109, Jayawardene 51, Lokuarachchi 69) beat Bangladesh 231 for 9 (Ashraful 64) by 78 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
The celebratory mood of Bogra gave way to an introspective calm at Chittagong as Bangladesh, just coming off their first-ever one-day win against Sri Lanka, were brought hurtling down to earth. A superbly-paced century from Kumar Sangakkara inspired a rampaging Sri Lankan performance, helping them post a tall score and coast to a 78-run win.
Sangakkara, who executed the sheet-anchor role, helped Sri Lanka overcome a sluggish start, strengthened their position in the middle overs and stepped it up gradually. Counterattacking bursts from Mahela Jayawardene and Kaushal Lokuarachchi beefed up the total as Sri Lanka, who had staggered to 212 in the previous game, rattled up an imposing 309 for 7. Mohammad Ashraful's dashing half-century was nothing more than a consolation as Bangladesh limped to a big defeat, ending the series with a whimper.
Bangladesh will look back at the early stages of the game, which they bossed, and wonder where it all went wrong. Sangakkara walked in with the packed house abuzz with anticipation. Mashrafe Mortaza, who had got a wicket in the first over of the match, was in the midst of a lively opening spell and, along with Syed Rasel's left-arm military medium, had the Sri Lankan batsmen in a nagging rut at 17 for 2.
A few trademark Sangakkara punches eased the pressure but he quickly moved over to the back seat once Jayawardene began to change the tempo. He was dropped on 16, when Khaled Mashud grassed a chance behind the stumps, and it proved to be a costly miss for Bangladesh, as their initiative was wrenched away. Jayawardene backed himself against the predictable medium-pace, with Tapash Baisya unable to vary his deliveries, and was one of the main reasons for sorry figures of none for 43 in five overs.
Jayawardene fell soon after reaching fifty, popping a return catch to Mohammad Rafique, but his replacement, Lokuarachchi, was equally, of not more, effective. A one-day average of 11.37 in 12 games may suggest a bunny with the bat, but Lokuarachchi profited from his dashing instincts, succeeding in disturbing the spinners' length and maintaining the momentum. He regularly scampered between the wickets, after walking right across the stumps and nudging to the on side, and sprinted to his first ODI fifty in just 43 balls.
Sangakkara was the less conspicuous partner in both these partnerships but his value at the other end shouldn't be under-estimated. Whether it was strike rotation, regularly converting singles into twos, or advising the inexperienced Lokuarachchi, constantly talking to him during the breaks, he played a vital role in anchoring the innings. Once the slog overs approached he flung his bat at everything, got lucky on a few occasions with thick inside edges flying away to the fine-leg fence, and completed his fifth one-day hundred, a crucial knock considering the situation.
Chasing 310 was never on the cards and Bangladesh's openers began as if they had given up hope. The plan was to probably see off the new ball and get after the inexperienced bowlers but it backfired almost instantly. Dhammika Prasad, the debutant medium-pacer, struck in his very first over in international cricket, the 10th of the innings, and extinguished any such hopes. The thick-set Prasad bustled in with a mixed action, getting slightly side-on during the time of delivery, and cranked up some disconcerting pace. He struck with his third ball, digging it in short and getting Shahriar Nafees to top edge, before nailing Aftab Ahmed, inducing an edge that flew towards second slip. Mahela Jayawardene celebrated immediately after completing the catch but replays showed that the ball might have actually bounced before he clasped his fingers around it.
Ashraful was the only batsman to show the initiative to get after the bowling, with reverse-sweeps against the spinners and lofted drives off the faster men. His 11 sweetly-struck fours gave Bangladesh the faintest of chances but, with wickets falling at the other end, this was always going to turn futile. Habibul Bashar and Alok Kapali fell to sloppy shot selection - one pulled a long hop straight to short midwicket, the other swept a full ball and missed - and the Sri Lankan spinners, who snared four wickets between them, ensured that the screws were gradually tightened. Mortaza's mighty sixes were like raging flames in a burning wreckage and, sadly for Bangladesh, his fine opening spell this morning was all but forgotten.
How they were out
Upul Tharanga c Nafees b Mortaza 0 (0 for 1)
Pushed at a short-of-a-good-length ball; good low catch at second slip
Jayasuriya c Baisya b Mortaza 4 (17 for 2)
Pulled straight to fine leg
Jayawardene c and b Rafique 51 (92 for 3)
Hesitantly patted one back to the bowler
Kaushal Lokuarachchi b Rafique 69 (196 for 4)
Missed a faster one trying to slog to midwicket
Tillakaratne Dilshan c Ashraful b Rasel 22 (258 for 5)
Tried to paddle-sweep but only lobbed a catch to short fine leg
Kumar Sangakkara b Rafique 109 (263 for 6)
Missed while trying to sweep
Chamara Kapugedera c Bashar b Rasel 16 (282 for 7)
Tried to loft over long-off; chipped to cover
Shahriar Nafees c Dilshan b Prasad 13 (29 for 1)
Attempted to pull a short one; top-edged to the covers
Aftab Ahmed c Jayawardene b Prasad 0 (29 for 2)
Flashed at one outside off; controversy over the legality of the catch
Javed Omar c Sangakkara b Perera 24 (44 for 3)
Drove at a wide ball; superb athletic catch behind the stumps
Habibul Bashar c Jayawardene b Jayasuriya 30 (130 for 4)
Pulled a long hop straight to short midwicket
Mohammad Ashraful c Bandara b Dilshan 64 (144 for 5)
Holed out to midwicket
Alok Kapali lbw b Dilshan 5 (146 for 5)
Trapped in front while missing a sweep
Mohammad Rafique c Tharanga b Lokuarachchi 22 (185 for 7)
Mis-timed a pull to midwicket
Manjural Islam Rana lbw b Lokuarachchi 23 (195 for 8)
Trapped in front by a legbreak
Mashrafe Mortaza c Mubarak (sub) b Bandara 19 (219 for 9)
Leading edge taken at short third man
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan is staff writer of Cricinfo


text: Does SETI, Folding, etc. make your processor life shorter? All that time at ~100% usage can't be good for it...or for the machine for that matter... This is just a general question. My G4 is cooled w/ a Delta fan, Swiftech Heatsink, and Arctic Silver thermal paste. As for the internal, it's like constantly ripping a CD. I'm afraid of breaking my processor keeping it on all the time, it's just a couple months old. Thanks for your feedback.


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To some folks, the notion may seem a little bit "half-baked." That spending time in the kitchen could conceivably help to enhance the creative process. But it has for me, and it can for you too.
As a writer and a proud "foodie," I find that expressing myself in the kitchen is just an extension of my overall creativity.
Much like writing, cooking appeals to the senses. It's visually stimulating. It feeds the soul and the spirit. It calls for following directions and steps. And successful execution requires just the "write" balance and blend.
Accordingly, here are a few things I've learned from my culinary experiences to date.
See if you agree with the correlations here.
|Jen's Homemade Brownies
You can't please everybody all the time. Here's a case in point. Years ago, I made a pasta salad that met with "rave reviews" when I unveiled it at a backyard barbeque at my place. I was tickled pink. Weeks later, I excitedly decided to share it with my honey. After sampling it, he made one simple suggestion. His recommendation? That I remove it from his future menu options. He hated it. Oh well. Who woulda' knew?!
Writing can be that way too. You receive a bad book review on something you've published. A Blog reader lashes out at you through comments. An editor is critical of your ability. Don't let it define or diminish you. Keep cookin', baby!
2. Mastery requires practice.
Week after week. Month after month. Year after year. Becoming a "hot" writer, much like being a good cook, takes time, patience, experimentation, a willingness to improve, and an adventurous spirit. Keep at it. Try new things. Laugh at your mistakes. Modify as you learn. Season to taste.
|Jen's Fruit Tray
3. Passion produces "sizzling" results.
Without "passion," your writing is missing a key ingredient. And it shows. If you don't enjoy what you do, quite often your blog will come across as bland, unoriginal, and perfunctory in nature.
Which is why it's crucial that bloggers choose a topic that they feel connected to and inspired by.
To maintain the momentum, and provide quality posts, some background knowledge in the subject matter helps as well. I have loved writing for as long as I can remember. I also dig helping people.
This has definitely fueled my efforts here at Pen & Prosper.
4. Left-overs can be "re-purposed" for those seeking to "work smarter, not harder."
For me, Friday night's baked chicken often becomes Saturday's Macaroni Salad, or chicken sandwiches. The same principle applies to creative projects.
Revisit and revise pieces that are tucked away in your old files. Give them some new flava'.
Take a "retired" poem, add a little historical information, and submit it for National Poetry Month, for April. Reslant an old article for a new market. The possibilities are endless.
5. Organization leads to greater efficiency.
Too much clutter can cloud thinking and waste time. Have you ever eagerly sat at your desk to create an article, interview, or book chapter and been frustrated because you couldn't locate important notes? Or find a needed phone number? Most of us have. Whether it's in the kitchen or in your office, being orderly and having good systems in place enhances your efforts. Since Spring cleaning is on the horizon, don't forget to tidy up your office area and files, along with your kitchen.
|Jen's Peanut Butter Cookies
...Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date with a breakfast platter.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Your turn.
Thoughts? Agree or disagree? What would you add?


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Prince George pics @ 8 months old
Yes, it's true...the royalist baby of them all, Prince George, has new pics. It's only the 3rd official photo release of him (pictured here with his Dad, Prince William...Mother Catherine Duchess of Cambridge and their pet black cocker spaniel Lupo at the window of their Kensington Palace home). And, the young Prince will be embarking on his first official visit! The family will be visiting New Zealand & Australia April 7th-25th.
It's kind of hard to tell from this photo, but who do you think he looks like most? His Mom, his dad, his late grandmother Diana, or (yikes) his grandfather Charles??? :)
To read more about the family, visit cnn.com - click here: http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/29/world/europe/prince-george-photo/


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Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Five Year Blogiversary
10 comments:
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our blogs are the same age again! XD I'm so glad we both started blogging, it's been the best adventure! <3ReplyDelete
Congrats James! That's quite an accomplishment -- happy to be a part of it :-)ReplyDelete
Congratulations James! :) Happy many more years of blogging!ReplyDelete
Congratulations! I can't imagine going for 5 years! I hit 2 years about a month or two ago and have slowed down significantly! Keep it up!ReplyDelete
Congrats on 5 years James! Keep up the good work! :DReplyDelete
Well done, mate! A great achievement and some fine reviews that I've enjoyed reading. Here's to the next 5!ReplyDelete
Congratulations on your 5 Year Anniversary! It's a milestone worth recognizing. We haven't always agreed on things, but I find your viewpoint endlessly fascinating. All the best to you health-wise, and here's to many more years.ReplyDelete
Congrats, 5 years blogging is like a hundred years livingReplyDelete
Congrats, 5 years blogging is like a hundred years livingReplyDelete
Thanks everyone for the support and comments!!!!!ReplyDelete
One rule: No strong profanity. If you want to link to one of your posts, please do; I am always interested in other reviews and such.


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Olga Kurylenko is a Warrior Woman
Olga Kurylenko is spotted on the set in Hampshire, England for her latest film Centurion on Monday (March 23).
The 29-year-old Bond girl plays Etain, a vengeful Pict warrior woman, who had her tongue cut out by Roman soldiers. The movie is set during the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 117. It follows the story of Quintus Dias who is the sole survivor of a Pictish raid on a Roman frontier port who is ordered to destroy the Picts entirely for revenge.
Talking about her Pict warrior character, the Ukranian model remarked that she is "quite furious… she is an animal."
The epic blockbuster is expected to be released later this year.


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ace and friends was recently featured as part of an eBook sponsored by Chef Boyardee.
Little Chef's eBook has been created with the hard work of other mom bloggers just like me. I was honored to have been asked to be a part of this collaborative project. You can view my portion of the book which is part of Chapter 3 - *Everyday Fun* which begins on page 17.
Join us for a Twitter Party on December 6th!
What: Join us for a Twitter Party to celebrate special holiday moments with family in the kitchen, inspired by The Little Chefs Project, the first-ever crowd sourced e-book on cooking with little chefs! In partnership with Chef Boyardee, The Motherhood and 40 fantastic mom bloggers (including me, yay!) have written a virtual book that will truly make you feel like a kid again. From creating family time in the kitchen to bonding over everyday and holiday fun, we have tips and recipes for creating kitchen magic with your family.
When: Thursday, December 6, 2-3 p.m. ET
Where: We'll be on Twitter – follow the #LittleChefs hashtag to track the conversation. You can see the details and RSVP via this Twtvite: http://twtvite.com/littlechefs
Hashtag: #LittleChefs
When: Thursday, December 6, 2-3 p.m. ET
Where: We'll be on Twitter – follow the #LittleChefs hashtag to track the conversation. You can see the details and RSVP via this Twtvite: http://twtvite.com/littlechefs
Hashtag: #LittleChefs
Prizes: Chef Boyardee will give away five total prizes, each consisting of a Chef Boyardee Pizza Kit, coupons, a Chef hat, apron and cookie cutters. Winners will be chosen randomly from among participants who respond correctly to trivia questions.
Hosts: @theMotherhood, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann
Creating Your Own Personalized Chef Boyardee e-card
You can click here to get to the Facebook app that will take you through the creation of a fun animated e-card - your chance to get in the kitchen with Chef Hector Boiardi himself! http://on.fb.me/R02YjV
Just follow the instructions to create the card and watch what unfolds in the kitchen. After you see the animation, you'll have the option to share it via Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Check out ace and friends' personalized Chef Boyardee e-card....
Most importantly, HAVE FUN and
looking forward to tweeting with you on December 6th!!!
[Product review & giveaway disclosure: This post was part of a compensated Chef Boyardee program through The Motherhood. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." See ace and friends Disclosure Policy HERE.]
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text: Please play Penguins Attack 4 on Game1001.co for free. Those Pesky Penguins have returned yet again in a vein attempt to take over the world. Help restore peace to the land with an array of awesome weapons.All copyrights and trademarks of this game are held by owners and their use is allowed under the fair use clause of the Copyright Law. If you believe we violating your copyrights, please advise us at email@example.com in order that we can solve the problems.


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An interesting contemporary abstract painting on canvas, 25 1/4" by 25 1/4" as framed, signed illegibly at lower right corner, featuring blackish and reddish rectangles arranged in a manner suggesting the works of famed twentieth century American artist Mark Rothko. This stylish work will easily complement your modern or mid century interior. Condition is excellent. Probably dates to the 1980's or 1990's. Nice texturing and skilled blending techniques (edge blurring) is evident. The white, crimson and blackish-gray colors are quite modern and striking.
9 other shoppers are interested in this item
Fine paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, Old Master to Contemporary--and other fine collectables
Please look through my offerings for an unusual and rewarding online fine art shopping experience.


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The temazcal is an ancient steam lodge method where we receive the vital force thru the blessing of the four elements: earth, water, air and fire.
It is said that the ceremony is the first and oldest steam lodge method that exists and has been conserved by the Mesoamerican Indians up to our times.
The ceremony takes place in an atmosphere of respect and humility with an specific purpose. It is a space our of space, a time out of time, an interior here and now, an encounter in the darkness, where the light is born. The purpose is to leave all that no longer serves us, what no longer belongs to us and which damages us. We come to regain forces, open up our heart, our consciousness and to remember our original purpose, "enjoy the life and to do well to others".
In order to light up the sacred fire, volcanic rocks are heated up and placed them in to the center of the temazcal along with aromatic healing herbs. Ones we are inside and in the darkness we pour water into the heated volcanic rocks and create steam, the original temazcal ceremony utilizes prayers to guide chants and plays drums and instruments to accomplish our purpose.
The ceremony of the temazcal is a beautiful moment full of power in your life, an opportunity to reconcile with ourselves, with our relationships, life, health, force and with our spiritual.
For more information contact your online spa concierge www.solmarspacollection.com


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Size: 50 pack
Suitable for feeding garden birds all year round.
This product is no longer available.
Packed with seeds, these nutritious Energy Balls are a popular treat for all species of birds.
It's critical for wild birds to have high levels of energy for flight and Peckish wild bird seed (garden bird food) delivers exactly that.
In addition to increased energy levels, Calvita helps wild garden birds in several other key areas. Here are just three examples:
To Supplement Wild Food
Birds are incredibly active, spending up to 98% of daylight hours foraging and searching for food. If natural food sources are low, wild birds can suffer from protein deficiency making them very weak. Peckish's range of wild bird food, together with Calvita supplements, help to keep wild birds bones strong and energy levels high.
Calcium for Eggs and Bones
It's important that wild birds receive the right amount of calcium in order for them to stay strong and have healthy bones, but also in order to produce healthy eggs. A bird's egg shells are made entirely from calcium and should the calcium levels be insufficient it can have a direct result on their population. Wild bird seed, together with Calvita supplements, makes sure they receive the necessary calcium.
Essential VitaminsCalvita helps make sure that birds receive the nutrients and vitamins essential for feather development, beak, bones and the nervous system.
Not quite what you're looking for - take a look at these similar items.
You may also need these related products.
Copyright © 2011 - 2019 Shawbury Garden Centre. All Rights Reserved.


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Owners of Mercedes cars have long wanted to add remote car starters to their vehicles and we are pleased to announce that we know have a Mercedes-Benz Remote Starter module available for installation by our factory trained technicians! We have Mercedes-Benz owners visit us from all over the Lower Mainland including: Surrey, Vancouver, Richmond, Langley & Chilliwack.
Mercedes-Benz Remote Starter by XpressStart
The new module allows our technicians to interface with the Mercedes-Benz data bus system to add remote car start, without cutting any wires or affecting your MB vehicle warranty in any way. The XpressStart for Mercedes-Benz works with the MB security keys and ensures that the protection offered by them remains intact. The remote start for Mercedes-Benz is then controlled using your factory key fob (remote control), so no extra remotes or fobs are needed.
XpressStart Mercedes-Benz Remote Starter with SmartStart
The new XpressStart system for Mercedes-Benz is also compatible with Viper SmartStart system for iPhone and Android devices. This add on gives you virtually unlimited range to start, lock and unlock your vehicle. It also gives you the option to GPS track your vehicle and give you the option to receive alerts when your vehicle enters or leaves a specified area (perfect for getting alerts if your car is stolen). The SmartStart system can also remind you where you parked, how much time you have left on a parking meter and more.
We can also add Passive Proximity Lock and Unlock to your Mercedes Benz while adding your vehicle remote starter. This feature automatically locks and unlocks your vehicle as you approach it – for the ultimate convenience when your hands or full or the weather is bad. Passive Keyless Entry is a great feature every one of our clients truly loves!
Mercedes-Benz Remote Starter Compatible Vehicles – XpressStart
There are a wide range of MB models compatible with the XpressStart system, with more being added all the time, so if you don't see your MB model listed, please call us to see if it has been added.
Compatible models:
- Mercedes-Benz C – 2008-2013 – Chassis Type W204
- Mercedes-Benz CL – 2007-2013 – Chassis Type W216
- Mercedes-Benz CLS – 2012-2013 – Chassis Type W218
- Mercedes-Benz E-Coupe – 2010-2013 – Chassis Type W207
- Mercedes-Benz E-Sedan – 2010-2013 – Chassis Typ W212
- Mercedes-Benz G – 2013 – Chassis Type W463
- Mercedes-Benz GLK – 2010-2013 – Chassis Type X204
- Mercedes-Benz ML – 2006-2011 – Chassis Type W164
- Mercedes-Benz ML – 2012-2013 – Chassis Type W166
- Mercedes-Benz GL – 2006-2012 – Chassis Type X164
- Mercedes-Benz R – 2006-2012 – Chassis Type W251
- Mercedes-Benz S – 2007-2013 – Chassis Type W221
- Mercedes-Benz SLK – 2012-2013 – Chassis Type W172
With our XpressStart for Mercedes-Benz Remote Starter solutions getting your MB warmed up with winter is as simple as calling us at 604-746-3110 or visiting Driven Audio in Abbotsford.


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Captures our innocence with this baby pink Nighty. A full length Nighty with ruffle work and appliqued imported lace.
Made of High Quality Polyester / Satin
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Free Size! Fits Small, Medium, Large and X Large.
Add a touch of luxury to your night with Soft & Silky Full Length Gown in matching color & design.
Easy EMI options available for orders above Rs 3000


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Write for Us
Share your Knowledge and Experience :
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We greatly appreciate your interest in writing for us. We at DHost.com believe that guest blogging is essential to make this a community blog. A platform where amateurs and experts can share their views and experiences and thereby, help the community as a whole. We also believe that guest blogging is a win-win for both the guest and the host.
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text: It's almost Valentine's Day and Charlie and Thomas are ready! Did you know on February 14, 1920 the League of Women Voters was formed? The background of the card is made from a do it yourself newspaper site. I simply entered the date and looked up the news! Very fun! Charlie and Thomas are new this month to QKD. I adore this image Charlie and Thomas by Beverly Cowan. Aren't they magical and chic! Check out the Queen Kat Design store for fabulous vintage images! I used a variety of techniques to color the images including gel pens and metallic pencils. Love these two!


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On a quiet patch of Californian coast sits El Capitán State Beach, home to soft yellow sand, unpredictable tidepools, and dense sycamore and oak forests. It's heralded as a paragon of surfing, camping, and fishing. But it's less appreciated for how photogenic it is—and how much it can spring to mind a real-world Garden of Eden:
The photographer is Marc Adamus, who strives for sharp colors and wide, natural landscapes. Aside from expert composition and shallow compression, what really brings out the beauty in this image is the way the sun highlights the foreground flowers, giving them a unique texture that only "magic hour" lighting can provide.
[via PictureCorrect Photography Tips]


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[Aliens]kronenbourg wrote:I am doing. I have packed it back up, and will ring them at 9am, or when I can get out of the lab.
I want my deposit back, they can take it back, and I'm building it myself, using what I WANT.
If it goes wrong, at least I know it will be my fault, and I can open it up to look. Can't with this, as its under a years warranty.
Good god, its not even a day old
Back on my old pc for a while, and gonna kill, kill, kill
[Aliens]solifer wrote:Need help with parts or anything i can help if you want
[Aliens]Falconer wrote:[Aliens]solifer wrote:Need help with parts or anything i can help if you want
Watch out, Kro!!!!
That means he has some worn out stuff he desperately needs to get rid of....
[Aliens]kronenbourg wrote:Cool, only the best left for me then, thanks Soli
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Early release denied for Cape soldier Adam Winfield
SEATTLE (AP) - The Army has denied early release for a soldier who tried to blow the whistle on a plot to kill Afghan civilians in 2010, only to later be convicted in the plot himself.
The clemency bid by former Spc. Adam Winfield of Cape Coral, Fla., was denied early this month despite the recommendation of a prosecutor who said Winfield deserved credit for trying to stop the killings.
Winfield was one of four Washington state-based soldiers convicted in the deaths of three Afghans. When Winfield learned of the first killing, he sent Facebook messages home to his father, who reported the matter to Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
The Army took no action until months later, after two more civilians had been killed. Winfield said he was pressured to participate in the third killing. He was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to three years.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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ComEd and The National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project are working together to provide energy education resources, teacher training, and home energy conservation programming to teachers, students, and families in ComEd's service area in Illinois. We are excited to announce the Illinois Energy Workshops held at multiple locations throughout the ComEd service area. Classroom teachers (K-12) have a unique opportunity to learn about energy in a fun and exciting way!
ComEd Spring Illinois Energy Workshops during 2012-2013 school year updates coming soon.
View the Illinois Energy Workshop presentation that is given at each workshop.
Thanks to ComEd sponsorship, there is no cost to attend the workshops. Breakfast and lunch are provided! Substitute costs will be reimbursed to school districts and substitute reimbursement forms will be provided at the workshop.
The NEED Project's mission is to promote an energy conscious and educated society. NEED is the nation's leading provider of energy education programs and materials to schools. All NEED learning activities are correlated to Illinois science objectives. The program will make teaching energy exciting and fun.
Participation in this workshop provides educators with a free NEED Science of Energy Kit that teaches the concepts of force, motion, light, sound, heat, electricity, magnetism and energy transformations through hands-on activities.
Teachers attending the ComEd sponsored workshops receive a comprehensive energy education curriculum package including:
Energy Infobooks: Primary, Elementary, Intermediate, and Secondary
Energy Games and Icebreakers (Video of Energy Chants)
Monitoring and Mentoring Teacher Guide and Student Guide
Learning and Conserving Teacher Guide and Student Guide
The Science of Energy or Secondary Science of Energy
For more information about the ComEd program, contact NEED at 1-800-875-5029.


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Publisher: Bloomsbury
Series: Throne of Glass #3
Pages: 562
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: Consumed by guilt and rage, Celaena can't bring herself to spill blood for the King of Adarlan. She must fight back...
The Immortal Queen will help her destroy the king - for a price. But as Celaena battles with her darkest memories and her heart breaks for a love that could never last, can she fulfil the bargain and head the almighty court of Terrasen? And who will stand with her?
Review: This book literally killed me. Invites will be sent out for my funeral. Cake will be served.
Heir of Fire is written so well I just want to dissolve into a puddle of tears. The atmosphere is darker and the stakes have been raised to frightening heights. The overall tone of the book becomes simultaneously more desperate and more sophisticated.
The plot, however, progresses at a turtle's pace. A lot happens, true, but not all of it feels necessary to the plot. It could have been sharper, a littler more streamlined. Throughout the entire series so far, we have seen a lot of little plot threads, but still only have a vague idea of where they may end up.
The world building is taken to new heights. So much more of the world and what it contains is shown, not just the confines of Adarlan. It expanded from one little city to an entire continent that is full of creatures beyond belief, some savage, some not.
Finally, finally, we get a real experience with magic. Celaena struggles with her powers and is learning to tame them while staying in a place where faeries and demons run rampant. It is revealed what happened to the magic a decade ago that made it poof and disappear. It's not just that-- you are taken through the mechanics of magic as Celaena starts to fully understand just what it is she, and others, have the ability to do.
A lot of new information pops up throughout the story, not just about the magical world, but about the past. What happened to the wryd keys all those years ago? What happened to Celaena the night her parents were murdered? What was it like growing up as a fae princess, before it all went to hell? Celaena's motivations and memories are explored as she learns to finally accept who she really is.
As for Celaena's character development, it really blew me away. She struggles with her identity and all she has done to get her where she is. She is more broken, more beaten down and left for dead than ever before. But it is at your lowest point when you are open to the greatest change (thanks, Legend of Korra).


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East Coast Dyes Hero Mesh 15mm Semi-Hard Lacrosse Mesh Stringing Piece
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Weatherproof - Our new LTH Fibers are fully weatherproof. They will not expand or contract in blistering heat, freezing cold, rain, or snow.
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Lightweight - LTH Fibers are extremely lightweight and durable. This translates to increased feel and faster shots, without compromising strength.
Responsive - HeroMesh is engineered with a semi-hard feel, which provides an accurate smooth release, while allowing your pocket to move with the ball.
HeroMesh is made with pride in the United States. Powered by Jimalax.


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Alexander Wang to Design His Second Adidas Originals Collection
Alexander Wang's second Adidas Originals collection has been confirmed by Alexander Wang himself! Adidas will always be a cool brand that is just a part of reality that is impossible to deny. Alexander Wang has an interesting aesthetic that is all his own and in his second collaboration with Adidas, he promises more colorful designs than the black and ones 84 pieces he launched for the spring season in his first ever Adidas Originals collaboration.
According to an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Wang said: "I really wanted to do something that felt DIY,' the statement later being clarified by Nic Galway who expressed that that not only did they use traditional materials rather than creating a new textile, they also played around with the iconic Adidas logo " flipping it upside down.
Nic Galway is the Vice President of Design for Adidas Originals, who co-created a new sneaker for the collection with Wang. "We turned the famous Adidas trefoil upside down," he said, noting that the reasoning behind it is that "it's symbolic. Starting over and tearing things up are always the most inspiring moments for me." It is apparent that he's very into the process and that could be one of the major reasons why his looks are so innovative.
For some brand lovers it can be hard to hear how different their favorite fashion staples may appear with the inclusion of a new opinion, but let's be real " we'll be good. It is hard to go wrong with Adidas; this is a home run either way. Thankfully Alexander Wang's last foray into an Adidas collaboration was quite successful.
He has collaborated with several different collections before, each interesting and unique, so we can expect more innovative and aesthetically intriguing designs from the second Alexander Wang collaboration with Adidas. The interesting 'Äö√Ñ√∂'àö√ë'àö'â§pop up shops' that made some of his designs immediately available thanks to the unmarked vans with the first collaboration will likely be repeated in the second.
More interestingly perhaps is the promise of the inclusion of a few Adidas archived colors that are hopefully not limited to "the firebird blue, the Stan Smith green, and the soccer-jersey orange" and apparently with a set of reasonable price tags. Prices are set to start at $80, which most of us are used to paying for the sneakers we want anyway, and going to top off at $450 a pair.
We will see how these new additions and inspirations could translate to the Adidas fashion line as well. The overall options are exciting and many people are already plotting out space in their closets for their new additions in more than just the classic black and white.
Photo courtesy of @alexanderwangny


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Syrym now on iTunes, CD available soon
For all you iTunes fiends out there, the new Syrym album is now available on iTunes. You can open up the iTunes store and search for Syrym, or just click this link to launch the Syrym album page on iTunes. If you like what you hear, write a review on iTunes, and feel free to comment here as well.
You can also get the album on Amazon.com, Rhapsody, Napster, and other online music retailers.
And for those of you who want to wait for the CD, it will be available soon on CDBaby.com. We'll get the word out as soon as the discs hit the store.
Also, look for big updates to the Syrym website shortly, including links to all the places you can pick up the album, brand new band photos, reviews, lyrics, the stories behind the songs, new Syrym clothing and merchandise, and more.
If you love the music, we wanna hear from you!


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'God Bless America' TIFF Review: Bobcat Goldthwait Goes Off On a Hilarious Cinematic Rant with This Pitch Black Comedy
Heathers. Falling Down. Badlands. Network. These are a few of my favorite movies, and they all came to mind while watching Bobcat Goldthwait's new hyper-cynical film about a sad-sack who goes on a killing spree after losing his job and learning he's got an inoperable brain tumor that will soon end his life. In some ways darker and in some ways more of a live-action cartoon than his previous black comedy, World's Greatest Dad, this new work of Goldthwait's is sure to be a vicarious favorite for anyone against the world we currently live in and especially where it's headed. I see a lot of doom and gloom documentaries for this job, but God Bless America may be the one film this year that has me most worried for my future, unborn children.
The movie, which I have to point out was so perfect to view in Canada on the eve of the tenth anniversary of September 11th (not only because there are "never forget" jokes), will be criticized for being anti-American, but it's only anti-many-Americans and the terribly narcissistic, impolite and thoughtless behavior these people exhibit regularly in the age of reality TV and culture influencers like Glenn Beck and Diablo Cody. Fortunately, anyone who might be offended or will dislike God Bless America will likely walk out during the opening, in which a baby is bloodily blown away by a shotgun during a fantasy sequence.
Joel Murray, who previously costarred with Goldthwait in One Crazy Summer and the comedian-turned-filmmaker's directorial debut, Shakes the Clown, leads here as the disgruntled and disgusted divorced dad Frank, who begins his rampage after flipping channels and becoming overwhelmed by the falling-civilization omens he sees on TV, a montage that includes parodies of Fox News, The Jersey Shore, energy drink commercials, Jackass, American Idol and whatever reality show is about a spoiled rich teen (I guess there are probably many). Frank suddenly becomes inspired to drive down from Syracuse to Virginia to murder that vain young girl, Chloe -- star of "Cloe" -- and then her horrible parents.
While there, he's joined up by Roxy (Tara Lynn Barr), an impressed, outcast classmate of Chloe's from a broken home who wants to emulate Bonnie Parker and Patty Hearst and kill everyone from the jocks to NASCAR fans to gay-hating fundamentalists to strippers-turned-screenwriters to people who high-five. Frank and Roxy have many conversations throughout the movie regarding who they want dead, exchanges that make God Bless America feel like a lengthy spin-off of Ed Norton's "f*ck you" monologue in The 25th Hour. Ironically, at one point Frank rants against pedophile culture with attacks against Woody Allen and Vladimir Nabokov. The platonic duo may not become lovers, but it can't be an accident that Barr very much resembles Adrian Lyne's Lolita star, Dominique Swain.
Of course the spree is misrepresented in the media with some of the murdered becoming martyred, their deaths speculatively credited to Al Qaeda. It's kind of reminiscent of the "Heather Chandler is more popular than ever" line from Heathers. And after a movie theater massacre (which, isolated, seems like a "no talking" PSA produced for the Alamo Drafthouse), the blame is obviously put on the film showing in the cinema, a war documentary. Somehow, though, there is no underground celebration of these elusive natural born killers, whether by morbid fans of mass murderers or a cult of grateful admirers conscious of the pattern.
At times God Bless America veers awfully close to the corny shenanigans of John Waters' Cecil B. Demented, a pretentiously contemptuous anti-Hollywood satire that comes off too pleased with itself and similarly, disappointingly has only one predictable direction to go in after exhausting whatever wit-filled tirades the filmmaker wishes to have his characters spout in his honor. Frank gets a bit too explicitly preachy in the end during a climax that feels like a comedy sketch, from its too slight set construction to its drawn out premise. And this premise seems like it might have been the first idea Goldthwait conceived, and then he worked backwards to tell a story that gets there.
Still, the route of this literal road movie is a vicious, hilarious blast. And I love that Murray, who appears mostly on TV these days (Mad Men; Shameless), gets to rule in a film role like this, which initially seems like a vehicle for his older, more famous brother, Bill. Barr, a Disney Channel and Nickelodeon vet but relative newcomer, may at times be a tad ill fit as the overly bubbly Alice Cooper-obsessed runaway, but it's also nice that she's not the typical brooding goth kid you'd expect. Her excitement almost makes her the manic pixie dream girl to Frank's sad-sack loser, but she's not intended as a love interest so much as a complimentary sparkplug, and thank god her precociousness is curbed just enough to work.
If you have any complaints about current American culture, this is a comedy for you. That probably means it's a comedy for everyone. Much like the excellent Toronto-premiering documentary Last Call at the Oasis, which tackles the doom and gloom of the global water crisis, God Bless America would seem to be accessible and necessary to all human beings. We're as much inundated with atrocious media as we're dependent on water. This movie, however, is likely not agreeable to more conservative audiences, unless they have a very good sense of humor, about themselves and the rest of the world. .
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
Copyright © 2019 FANDANGO MOVIES.


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I've lost a few followers due to my lack of food goodness lately :( That's okay I don't blame you. I wouldn't wanna follow someone who doesn't continually update either. But just know that I have not abandoned this blog. That would be impossible haha. I have so many stories and pictures of the most amazing filipino food that I know any culinary junkie will enjoy. I want to really study the flavors here, so that I can start playing with food when I'm back in the states. So excited for that.
Till then, I probably won't be posting for a few weeks. I don't know when I'll be able to get on the web next.
Sorry no picture either!! I will post many soon :)


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Polly want a cracker? No matter how many biscuits we offer this bird, he won't eat them. He's just wasting away in his cage... look at him. All bones! We've heard that sometimes pet owners end up resembling their pets, and in the case of this Skeleton scene, it shows. There's no doubt this skeleton raised this skeleton bird. We just wish they'd eat one of these crackers! But alas... all the plates of food we've offered have gone uneaten. So, if you think your living room needs a little more "life" well, we're not sure these two are the answer, but they will definitely make your Halloween a little more spooky, and a lot more fun.
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Resale Best Price! Single Row 4 bedroom villa in excellent location close to the gate in West Yas.
West Yas benefits from its exceptional position with a waterfront location over looking the natural mangroves that surround Yas Island. West Yas is available exclusively for UAE Nationals. West Yas will allow its residents to enjoy the proximity to Yas Mall and the multiple leisure facilities on Yas Island including, Yas Waterworld, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Marina, Yas Links, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, du Arena and the F&B of the numerous hotels on the island.
West Yas Key Features:
Expected handover Q1, 2018
Excellent payment plans
No Service charge
High Standard Quality and finishes
Large living room and dining area
Huge Bedrooms with built-in wardrobes
Large private garden
West Yas Community Facilities:
Two Retail centers
Community center
Landscaped gardens
Waterfront Marina
Health Clinic
Service station ADNOC
Call Zain Middle East Properties LLC on Appelez-nous / Appelez-nous or visit www.zainme.net for further details