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Stung by "Mickey's" statement that my newsletters are unlikely to be of interest to people who do not know my family and friends, my brother has proposed that I draw up the cast of characters. It is not clear what difference this will make, since Mickey's point is not that readers cannot keep the massive cast of characters straight, but that people who do not know us intimately have no reason to read the stories in the first place. Even if other people did know my family and friends, Mickey says, they would have to know them in the same way that I know them, to want to read about any of them. He may have a point, but then again, it is not clear that knowing people better makes one want to read about them. It would be hard to come up with a list of, say, cement contractors about whom one yearns to know more.
Unpersuaded though I am of the utility of offering reluctant readers a list of characters, I nevertheless have agreed to produce such a list, mostly to keep my brother happy. He himself has provided a long, appreciative, albeit murky self-description, from which I quote selectively below. In the interests of brevity, I have not included Chuck's entire self-description. My cutting out of many, many sections of his self-description has nothing to do with any hope I might have of indefinitely suppressing the evidence against Chuck. It is merely a question of brevity and general helpfulness.
This is not an exhaustive list of characters but does include most of the regulars. Characters are listed in order of argumentativeness. Ivan is annoyed that he is not at the top of the list, but there is not room for everyone at the top.
"Mickey" is the pseudonym I have given to the friend who has advised me to discontinue my newsletters. His reasons for this may not be as innocent and dis- (not to say un-) interested as they appear. It may be that he has something to hide.
The Colonel
Grandpa was an Air Force Colonel who expected total obedience. When he told my cousin Jimmy and me this, we laughed and laughed, not realizing that it was not a joke. Although Grandpa laughed with us, he was astonished that we didn't accept his authority as unquestionable. After all, he was a colonel. When Mom was little, he asked her, "Why can't you call me 'Sir' like the men do?" "Because you're my daddy," she explained. Grandpa liked to be in charge, though not at the expense of a good conversation. He loved to argue, frequently starting arguments for their own sake. He would tell one son-in-law that his car was no good because it was cheap and had no air conditioning and then tell the other son-in-law that his car was ridiculously expensive because it had air conditioning. A mixer, a storyteller, and an eccentric, Grandpa provided the basic mold for Mom, Chuck, and Tom.
Grampa and Joe E. Brown
Grampa and Grandma
Marian Thompson
Mom is the mother of Barbara, Chuck, and Audrey. She grew up Mormon but seems to have little if any grasp of Mormon beliefs. When, after moving to Salt Lake City, I questioned her about this, she at first denied being anything other than a fount of theological information. Eventually, however, she admitted to not remembering many details, despite having been regular in her attendance at church. She was surprised to learn things she'd never heard of before. "Is it possible that you weren't listening when things were explained to you?" I asked. Upon reflection, she granted that this was possible. "I tend not to listen when things do not make sense," she said. Lest this sound like the slur against the LDS Church that it was intended to be — Mom left the Church a year or two ago, ticked off when she learned from U.S. News and World Report that her kind are consigned to "Outer Darkness" after death — I should add that she also knows nothing about her new religion, Presbyterianism. She loves the minister of her church but does not hold out high hopes for the religion as a whole, or indeed for any religion. "I have never found a religion that agrees with me," she announced recently. As there are also very few laws, policies, rules, or regulations that accord with her views, including health programs and medical guidelines, she has become adept at striking up acquaintances with those who can be manipulated into agreeing with her so that she can pretend to have taken their advice, such as doctors' receptionists. If she wants to avoid a visit to the doctor's office, she will tell the receptionist that she is a registered nurse and will be doing the necessary tests herself at home. Apparently, receptionists are invariably taken in by this ruse.
Audrey, Barbie, Marian and Chuck
Marian and Annika
Chuck Thompson
Chuck prides himself on his ability to act as if he were normal. No one knows who it is that he thinks he has fooled so far. Speaking in the third person surreal, my brother explains that "Chuck has been able to set down his own concept of order, against that of the chaos of reality around him. Its anonymity he impresses with his own finely balanced pathos and its run-of-the-mill workings with a solipsistic verve. His aim is not to escape reality, nor indeed to suffer by renouncing it, but instead to make it tangible in a comprehensive sense." Chuck does not speak Italian.
Chuck and Cousin Jimmy
Chuck and Audrey
Charles ("Tom") Thompson
Unlike much of my family, Dad strongly believes in the value of rules and regulations, provided that they do not require any sort of dieting. He does not take his dad status lightly and has offered fatherly advice to many people who are not his children. It is true that he has never gone as far as Frank's dad, George Margonis, did. Upon meeting my parents for the first time, George urged them strongly to move to Colorado, since he and Esther were about to do so. But while stopping short of trying to get people to move to wherever he happened to live, Dad has usually been quite ready to tell them how to live. Thus, Mom finds Dad peering over her shoulder while she is cooking (she has since given up cooking); strangers in airports are given advice about stock investments; churchgoers who fail to sing at the appropriate times are given musical ultimatums; and newly met boyfriends of daughters are given extensive instructions on life. Joe is the only person known to have obeyed any of these rules. When Dad met Joe, he told him that he wanted him up at 5:00 the next morning, chopping wood. Joe got up at 6:00 the next morning, feeling guilty for having slept in, and started chopping wood. Mom heard him outside and came out to see what on earth he was doing. She made him stop. If everyone did what Dad said, there would be no peace.
Audrey, Tom and Chuck
Tom and Audrey
|Tom and Tommy
Ivan Van Laningham
The first thing Ivan did was look at this list and argue with the order in which it was set out. I intended to threaten him that if he was going to argue he might find himself relocated at the top of the list, but it turned out that this was what he wanted all along. Among the things about which Ivan is knowledgeable are outdated calendars, Mayan glyphs, computers, Japanese movies, Lego, cooking, and Land Rovers. Among the things about which he is not knowledgeable are medical procedures, math, and Frank Sinatra. I told Barb that Ivan hated math in school, but that when he discovered that he needed to know math for computer programming and for calculating the ancient Mayan calender, he started teaching himself math. "And now he loves it?" said Barb. "No," I said. "You mean he still hates it?" she demanded. "Pretty much," I agreed. "I thought that this story was going to have a happy ending," she said. "No," I told her, "it doesn't. Not if a happy ending has to mean that he likes math." When Ivan read this paragraph, he denied that he hated math, and added broodingly that it was all Miss Sommerfield's fault that he does. I may have to move him up the list.
Naomi and Ivan
Ivan and Ketzela
Marty-Bob is the fictional alter-ego of Marty Shafer. While it is not true that he uses Bryan's grant money for buying pink mixers, Marty is by no means above suspicion. I suspect him of giving Bryan the best access to grant applications, the best gossip, and certainly all the best candy from the so-called communal Halloween candy bowl.
Olin Bernal Villalpando and Quanah Parker Warriner Brayboy
Olin is the non-Norwegian son of Octavio and Dolores; Quanah is Doris and Bryan's son. Although Quanah is also not Norwegian, it has usually not been necessary to point that out. Few people have mistaken "Quanah" for an old Viking name. While still in the process of making their preferences known, at present Olin and Quanah show strong favoritism towards girls and men, casting a suspicious eye upon women who are not their mothers and grandmothers. They appear to be particularly skeptical regarding women who are philosophers. I blame Bryan for that. I suspect him of telling them, "You may not be aware of this, but no philosopher has ever won the Spindler Award. Anthropologists are, by and large, your Spindler Award winners. Donna has won the Spindler Award. She is not a philosopher. I think you are safe with women who are anthropologists, but I know of no redeeming qualities among women who are philosophers." Quanah and Olin adore Bryan and have already given him their own private Spindler Award. This unfair favoritism has been duly noted.
Quanah and Olin
This picture Copyright © 2002 Doris Warriner
Olin using his power tools
on Rudolph's antlers
Kaarin Thompson
Kaarin lives in a very different world from the one that you and I live in, even if you happen to live in Portland. For one thing, she lives with Chuck. For another, she lives with Sneetchy. But even before she knew Chuck and Sneetchy, her world was not yours or mine. When Kaarin worked at an advertising agency in Chicago, she wore pyjamas to the office — very professional-looking ones, she assures me. She did her job well and the customers never minded her outfits, she says. The only annoying thing was that people on the bus would stare at her bathrobe and slippers, as if they had never seen bathrobes and slippers before; people can be so set in their ways. Not long ago, Kaarin offered me some fashion advice of my own. If I were to collect business cards from friends and strangers, she said, before long I would have enough cards to hinge together into a kind of cape that I could wear to conferences. I would have to turn all the business cards inside-out, she stressed, since it is vulgar to wear labels on the outside of one's clothing. Ivan has argued with this paragraph as well, pointing out that Japanese business cards are always two-sided — printed in Japanese on one side and English on the other. You really cannot blame Kaarin for not having taken this into account; Ivan is just being argumentative.
William Smith
William earned his Ph.D. at the well-known and highly regarded department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His wife, Paula, was a psychology student and amateur athlete as an undergraduate at Cornell, and later got her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Chicago. William denies the athlete part of this statement. There are no athletes at Cornell, he says. No one knows where he got his information but no one argues with him because he might make fun of our athleticism next. (I am a runner, myself. Even William admits this. He has seen me running through the halls and speed-walking across campus; he knows Big Ten speed when he sees it. I developed my walking rhythms during my first semester at UIUC, racing to an 8:00 a.m. math class from the far end of campus. Campuses on the east coast, since they lack cornfields as part of the campus layout, do not provide the same inherent cross-country training as do Big Ten campuses.) William complains when he appears in my photographs and then again when he does not appear in them.
Richard Lofton and William Smith
Bryan Brayboy
When students in Bryan's American Indian Studies course inform him that they were Zuni princesses in a former life, he enthusiastically schedules them to give a lecture on Zuni history. Not being Zuni himself, Bryan explains, and, furthermore, having a hard time remembering what happened to him yesterday, let alone three hundred years ago, he will rely on their firsthand insights. That is all very well, but you notice that the whole point is that it gets him out of doing work. If Bryan is going to shove off his lecturing duties on people who, through no fault of their own, happen to have been princesses in a former life, it is not surprising that they drop his courses. Incidentally, Bryan earned his Ph.D. somewhere on the east coast. Although it was not a school where there are any Big Ten athletes, I am sure that, in its own way, it is a very good school. Bryan is the husband of Doris and the father of Quanah. He has known them for less than ten years.
Bryan and Quanah, Troy Richardson and Giancarlo
Bryan with Spindler Award winner
Bryan telling secrets to Olin
Bryan pretending to work (notice the full calendar)
Trillin is nineteen and has known Ivan and me for almost the whole of this life. We are not sure which life she is on. Trillin used to sleep on top of Ivan's head, till he got allergic. She is extremely chatty and has a special chair for chatting from. When we first got her chair, Don Hanrahan said, "I know what this is for. This is a chair for someone to sit on and chat from while you guys cook." Ketzela took it over and refused to chat from it, but when Trillin inherited it (it always belongs to the oldest cat: cat house rules), she used it almost exclusively for chatting. Sometimes it is also used for yelling from.
Frank Margonis
Frank is a skeptic. When he saw me wearing a new winter jacket recently, he asked me, "Where did you get that?" and when I said, "I bought it," he asked, "With or without help?" Evidently he thinks that such shopping is well beyond my reach, although all I did was order from a catalogue. This does not seem to me the kind of thing that one needs proof of having done all by oneself. It is strange that Frank regards with such a jaundiced eye the Thompsonian preoccupation with being or at least seeming normal, a state of being he says that we would not recognize in a million years. Frank is not notably normal himself. Still, this does not seem to bother him. He admits it freely. Accordingly, it is very difficult to unsettle him. He is a philosopher and feels that this entitles him to disregard the hard facts of life in which some of the rest of us specialize. Frank is married to Donna and has 20% responsibility for Ponty.
Larry Parker and Frank Margonis
Donna Deyhle
In the past, when I have catsat Ponty while Donna and Frank were out of town, I have sometimes acted as Ponty's amanuensis and recorded his personal diaries. Donna feels that these diaries should be published. Whereas she recognizes that newsletters about my family and friends, including those about her and Frank, appeal to only a very limited audience, she is certain that Ponty's published diaries would top the bestseller list. When queried as to the possibility of maternal bias in this regard, Donna has reluctantly acknowledged some degree of prejudice, but contends that her intuition of bestsellerdom is basically objective. Ponty, who does not read, refuses to comment. He doubts that words would do justice to his beauty. Tellingly, however, his own diaries comment on it, noting that "I think that this new servant wants to be near my body."
Joe Gilray
Winner of the coveted "It's/Its Award for Excellence in the Use of Apostrophes," Joe is the husband of co-winner Barb and father of (sad to say, non-winners) Tom and Annika. Joe is a good person to sit next to in a movie theater, if the other people with you happen to be Barb and Ivan and the movie is soppy. Ivan and Barb are very sentimental. Even if they realize that a movie is terrible, if it is a love story they will weep copiously. The Competition is a terrible movie, and they wept throughout it. It was all about thoroughly dislikable people playing music and falling in love. At one point in the movie two of the dislikable people ran towards one another across a park in slow motion (or something like that; I have almost succeeded in blocking this movie from my memory); Joe leaned over and whispered, "Where's the orchestra when you need it?" It is good to have a cynic around at times like that. The fact that Joe has no power tools is not his father-in-law's fault.
Joe with Tommy
Tom Gilray
When his mother told Tom, "you are a stubborn person," a light went off for him. "It's true," he said thoughtfully. "I am a stubborn person." Barbara thought that that might make him less stubborn, but it didn't. He took it not in the spirit of corrective complaint but more in the nature of helpful clarification of underlying realities. When Barbara complained that Tom's motto for school work seemed to be "good enough," as in, "No need to knock myself out," he was equally pleased. For years, he drew upon this explanation to illuminate his personal philosophy. After he entered middle school, though, he moved away from this self-description. He had decided to become a physicist and few physicists get their Ph.D.s on the "good enough" program. While now working hard at academics, Tom is still willing to maintain his good-enough identity when it comes to keyboard practice. Last time I was in Corvallis, I heard four hundred missed-note renderings of the first four bars of "Chopsticks." A boy genius cannot always be expected to keep his mind on lower things. If you ask him to take out the garbage, he may agree to do so, but it pays to check whether he has actually done it. He is inclined to think that if he said he would do it, then he must have done it. In fact, he will insist. When you point out the brimming garbage can, he will do an amazed double take, saying, "What the . . . ?!" like Tintin with a "?!" balloon over his head. This is not the first time that we have had cartoon characters in our very own family.
Annika Gilray
A faultless photographer of faintly criminal subjects and, by her own not entirely reliable account, an almost flawless speller, Annika is very good at crafts, cleaning up, and keeping a stiff upper lip in the face of political corruption. If she got these qualities from one of her aunts, I am not that aunt. What she did get from me, or maybe from Ivan, is a need to own lots and lots of books. Where she differs from Ivan is in the ability to spell "fault" and "Nahuatl" correctly. Ivan has a sterling record on both scores; Annika's record is sadly marred. Admittedly, it may be that she does not find as many occasions to write "Nahuatl" as Ivan does, but she could make more occasions. Ivan plans for Annika to be an engineer. He has not bothered to consult her on this question because it is obvious to him that this is her destiny. She is a girl genius. Personally, I can't see why she can't be a genius plumber. What we could really use around here is a live-in plumber. I have not actually checked with her whether she would want to live in, but, assuming that she does, it would be handy to have a really first-rate plumber ready to hand. I suppose that handiness is not everything, however. No one considers it especially or even at all handy to have a philosopher right there in the next room, and yet there I am. Needless to say, we do not bother to consult Tom or Annika or their parents regarding our career plans for them. We dislike the idea that they might disagree with us.
Barbara Thompson
When my sister was three, she ran away from home. She managed to get about four blocks from home before Mom intercepted her at the bus stop. Since that time, Barbara has gone on many, many ship cruises. This is not a non sequitur. I am trying to make a point here. Ships are the single most effective way to sink while traveling, and I blame Mom for Barbara's infatuation with dangerous travel. If Barb had been allowed to take that one bus trip, I think she would have found it a perfectly satisfactory way to travel. Instead, she has found more reckless ways to travel that will worry her poor family even more. Of course, she always takes her immediate family with her, so now we have to worry about Joe, Tom, and Annika drowning, too. Whereas it is very rare that Ivan or I cause anyone a moment's anxiety, worrying about Barbara is practically a non-stop way of life. Barbara is a many-time winner of the "It's/Its Award for Excellence in the Use of Apostrophes" (admittedly, the competition is slim); this is all very well, but it is not something to cling to when the ship is going down. If one were not on a ship in the first place, however, one would be that much further ahead in life.
Reasons to run away
Joe and Barb risk drowning on the high seas
Barb and Annika
Barb and Tommy
Rick Silverman
Rick is a Thompson out-law, meaning that he is married to Phyllis. He thus gains notoriety at one or two removes. We are not really counting the number of removes, however. Anyone who wants to be affiliated with the Thompsons and who is a living, breathing human being (as opposed to a stuffed animal, naming no names) is more than welcome; he is not required to be legally or illegally related to us. Still, being an out-law is a distinctive position and I do not mean to suggest otherwise. It is a very, very important position and Rick is to be congratulated.
Phyllis Thompson
As a former in-law of the Thompson family, and its most stable current member, Phyllis is the only person we know who is able to pull off seeming normal while being in some ways rather eccentric. When she explains the things that she plans to do or has done, they appear quite reasonable-sounding. For example, if Phyl were to explain why she keeps a baby doll's head in the sink, you would come away saying, "Yes, I see. Now it all makes sense." Although normal people never seem to find themselves needing to give reasonable-sounding explanations for this sort of thing, Phyl is really very much like you or me in other respects. She keeps all of the clothes and papers that she no longer has any use for but can't bear to part with in boxes in the garage, which is damp because it is in Oregon. "What is the point of keeping stuff you don't want in the garage?" asks Rick. "Are we just supposed to wait till everything turns moldy and then throw it out?" It is surprising that he has to ask. Naturally that is Phyl's plan. It is just the same as other people keeping their past-date lettuce and grapefruit in the fridge till they get really slimy and only then throwing them out. That is almost the definition of normalcy. Phyllis travels widely and can fit more news on a postcard from Paris than some people can fit into a ten-page newsletter.
Audrey, Barbara and Phyllis
Marian, Phyl and Tom
Octavio Villalpando
When Octavio heard that Frank had called all academics except Ed neurotic, he did not take offense. He did not say, "What does Frank mean by calling me neurotic?" What he said was, "What makes Ed any different from the rest of us?" Octavio owns one power tool that his father-in-law gave him, but he has never used it. "What kind of tool is it?" Ivan asked him. "I don't know," said Octavio. "What color is it?" asked Ivan. "I'm not sure. I've never taken it out of the box," said Octavio. The next day, I was talking with Ed, who asked me, "Why don't Ivan and Bryan shop together, since they both love to shop?" "Because Bryan is shopping for French cuff shirts and cuff links and Ivan is shopping for motherboards and power tools," I said. "Oh, power tools," said Ed. "I love those! They are so colorful and they glisten!" This may or may not help to explain what makes Ed different from Octavio, but it definitely explains something about something.
Octavio and Donna with Izel
Dolores, Izel and Octavio
Dolores Delgado Bernal
Dolores has told me some extremely interesting stories about how Octavio tricked her into dating him. These are complicated, involved stories, but I sense that they are completely true. Ivan also tricked me into dating him. You find yourself dating this smart, nice, good-looking, interesting guy who is fun to be with and has the right politics and you have no idea how you got there, because the last thing you knew, you had said no, you couldn't go to the movies/Mexico/Mervyns with him, and yet there you are. Tricked into it. I know just how that goes. But to get to the main thing I wanted to say: Dolores has lovely Sugilite earrings and a beautiful Sugilite ring, but no Sugilite pendant or necklace to go with them. If you are thinking that this looks like a product placement ad, or rather the "presence of an absent product" ad, you are right. Dolores paid me to mention the Sugilite necklace, to give Octavio ideas. But it was not the money that motivated me. It was the fact that her claim about not having a Sugilite necklace represented actual data. These newsletters are nothing if not data-driven.
Sandra, Savina and Dolores
Sofia Villenas with Izel and Dolores
Doris Warriner
When Doris married Bryan, he took over her chocolate chip cookie recipe and started making the cookies himself. Now he claims to do half the cooking in the house. This is one of the dangers in setting up household together. It is why William refuses to give Paula his two prized recipes. "She would take them and ruin them," he says. "I have to do practically all the cooking." William cooks on Wednesday nights, so you can see how exhausting that is. My father used to claim that, if he made the gravy, it was the same as cooking the whole meal. Now he has stolen all of Mom's recipes. On the other hand, now he also does all of the cooking. When Ivan and I got married, Ivan stole my cream cheese and black olive spread recipe and then claimed to have invented it from scratch. "Ivan, that is not your recipe, that is my recipe," I said, although actually I got it from my Aunt Carol. "You'll say anything!" I complained. "You'll say anything," said Ivan. This is the kind of witty repartee you can find at any time of the day or night in our house. It is too bad that you don't live with us so that you could hear it for yourself. Doris does not live with us, possibly because she and Bryan have their own witty repartee. Doris refuses to let Bryan have any power tools. Normally I never take sides, but I am taking Doris's side on this one. It is dangerous for Bryan to use the blender, let alone a sawzall.
Teddy is a convert to Buddhism, though only as far as other cats and birds are concerned. He makes an exception for mice. It is kind of like how some vegetarians eat seafood even though it is perfectly obvious that fish is not a vegetable. Teddy is very live-and-let-live unless you are a mouse.
Harley is afraid of grass, doorbells, dogs, vacuums, ironing boards, phones, and water. She loves newspapers, Trillin, empty boxes, cat brushes, and Teddy's food. When she forgets where her food bowl is, she wails pitifully. She never forgets where Teddy's bowl is.
Audrey Thompson
Audrey is an innocent bystander. She is merely a recorder of events; it is not her fault if — well, if anything. It is just not her fault, that's all.
Audrey with Tim Clancy
Ed, Sandra, and those cute Buendía girls, Savina and Briana
Some years ago, when Savina and Briana Buendía were little, I sat down between them at lunch. "Well!" said Savina in congratulatory tones, "you get to sit next to those cute Buendía girls!" They are still those cute Buendía girls, outranking even Bryan in the sights of Olin and Quanah. Olin, who is a little over two, and Quanah, who is just past one, look upon them as goddesses. Only Atzin has the same mesmerizing power over them. Sandra and Ed are very cute, too, but they are not girls, so Quanah and Olin are not nearly as interested in them as in their daughters. Lucky for them that they are not philosophers is all I can say.
|Briana Savina
Briana and Olin
Savina and Izel
Izel Bernal Villalpando
Izel is Olin's little brother. He is very open-minded, allowing both philosophers and anthropologists to hold him without prejudice. Whereas the Viking pronunciation of "Izel" is "EYE-zul," the Nahuatl pronunciation is "ee-SEL."
Izel and anthropologist
Izel and philosopher
Woody Dyke
Woody is the angelic golden retriever who lives next door with Kanyon, Rayn, Raegan, and Glenn. He is a very good friend of mine, in spots. It depends on whether his front door is open so that he can go inside and also on whether I have one of the Buendías' used tennis balls to give him. Sometimes Ivan, who is not allowed to buy toys for the cats because they pointedly ignore them, buys Woody tennis balls at Petsmart. The tennis balls are always gone by the next day, so then Ivan has to buy new ones. This does not bother Ivan, who has no objections to buying multiple items of the same description. Reading one of my stories, the Dykes were surprised and pleased to learn that I considered them normal. Raegan commented on it later. "We had no idea," she said. "Yes, you are just like me in that way," I observed. There was a pause. "I see," said Raegan.
Ivan and Woody
Rayn, Raegan,
Kanyon and Glenn
with Woody
The less said about Sneetchy, the better. Sneetchy is a sock monkey. Kaarin and Chuck view him as an intimate and integral member of the family, but relations with the rest of the family are formal and strained.
This photo copyright © 2002 Charles E. Thompson III
Main web site: http://www.pauahtun.org/audrey.html


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Unsweetened Fruit Juice Jello is made with unsweetened fruit juice and Pomona's Pectin. Pomona's Pectin contains no sugar or preservatives and jells reliably with low amounts of any sweetener or no sweetener at all. See below for where to buy.
Yield: 4 cups
Before You Begin: Prepare calcium water. To do this, combine ½ teaspoon calcium powder (in the small packet in your box of Pomona's pectin) with ½ cup water in a small, clear jar with a lid. Shake well. Extra calcium water should be stored in the refrigerator for future use.
Unsweetened Fruit Juice Jello Ingredients
4 cups unsweetened fruit juice
4 teaspoons calcium water
¼ cup lemon juice if required (See Note in Step 2 below.)
4 teaspoons Pomona's Pectin powder
Unsweetened Fruit Juice Jello Directions
1. Measure juice into sauce pan.
2. Add calcium water and lemon juice (if using) and mix well.
Note: Apple juice & white grape juice require lemon juice.
3. Bring juice to a boil. Turn off heat.
4. Put 1 cup boiling juice in cup for immersion blender, or in food processor, or in blender. Add pectin. It is very important to vent the lid (if there is one) to let steam out. Don't use an enclosed blender that can't be vented. Blend for 10 seconds, then stop and scrape down the sides so all pectin clumps are in or on the liquid. Then blend for a full minute until all powder is totally dissolved.
5. Turn heat on and bring juice in pan back to a boil. Add pectin-juice to pan of hot juice. Stir well while mixture returns to full boil. Remove from heat.
6. Pour hot jello into serving bowl or individual dishes. Let cool down.
7. Refrigerate until well jelled.
Option: We also have a recipe for Low-Sweetener Fruit Juice Jello.
For more inspiring recipe ideas, see Preserving with Pomona's Pectin: The Revolutionary Low-Sugar, High-Flavor Method for Crafting and Canning Jams, Jellies, Conserves, and More by Allison Carroll Duffy and the Pomona's Partners, published by Fair Winds Press, June 2013, and available in paper or ebook everywhere books are sold.
Pomona's Pectin is available at your local natural food store, food co-op, and many farm stands. Find it also at Sur La Table and a growing number of more conventional grocery stores with natural food sections (Wegmans, Hy-Vee, Rosauers, Nugget Markets, Coborns, Fairway, and others). If you can't find a store near you on our store locator, you can order from our website or many other online sellers.
6 thoughts on "Unsweetened Fruit Juice Jello"
Could you use honey as a sweetener if using tart cherry juice?
Can Vegetable Glycerine or Herbal Glycerites be used as the sweetener?
This was so easy! Thank you!


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23 Jun 2016
Amateur photographer Suherman Buntoro photographed this frog hitching a cheeky ride on a tortoise in his back garden in Tangerang, Indonesia
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Open Floor Plan Kitchen Fresh Open Floor Plan Kitchen Dining Living Room
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What do you have to do to lose your job in this country? A lot, it transpires. And even then, the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) has your back.
Last month it awarded €8,000 to a Dunnes Stores employee who was caught on camera repeatedly scoffing the produce of the deli counter she manned.
Another Dunnes Stores employee who was selling contraband cigarettes to fellow staff members, on company time, was also awarded a generous payout, while an employee who was covertly adding customer clubcard points to her own card was awarded €26,000 for unfair dismissal.
Today we hear that a convicted drug dealer was awarded €11,500 after he was sacked by Tesco for, well, being a convicted drug dealer.
And a Tesco store security guard, dismissed after assaulting a customer with a shopping bag, bagged €20,000.
Every little helps!


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7pm on Thursday 19th November 2015 in Hamilton Old Parish Church
There are still eats available on the bus which will leave Kirkton Church at 6.00pm prompt. For the information of those who wish to drive the following has come from the Session Clerk at Hamilton Old.
Parking Arrangements
As you are aware parking in and around Hamilton Old Parish Church is extremely limited. Consequently on the night of the Ordination and Induction the following arrangements will apply.
The small church car park off Strathmore Road will be reserved for the exclusive use of Rev Blackman, officiating clergy, the church organist and members of Hamilton Presbytery. Parking will not be permitted within the church grounds or around the church. South Lanarkshire Council have very kindly agreed to provide their car park at the rear of the Q&A offices at the corner of Brandon Street and Leechlee Road free of charge on the night and entry can gained via the traffic lights opposite the bus station on Brandon Street.
The usual on street parking is available, to a very limited extent, on both Strathmore Road and Cadzow Street, however with the exception of the Town Hall side of Cadzow Street, from Leechlee Road to Lower Auchingramont Road, parking charges will apply until around 7.30pm. Parking is also available at the town's car parks in Duke Street, (top floor only), Hamilton Bus Station, Church Street and Auchingramont Road and again charges will apply until around 7.30pm.
Please note no parking will be allowed on Leechlee Road where the usual restrictions will be in place until 9pm.
News >


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Animation for Lessons Alive
Explore Enfield by bike
'Start Here' animation
"People need better quality video now,
ideas are our currency"
"We are the makers of music, and we are the dreamers of a dream"
Short edit of recent work
Well it was about time I focused more on what I do best – creating quality content
Applying the K.I.S.S rule and hopefully making it easier and quicker to see exactly what's been happening at Sounds & Pictures, hope you like!
Stephen James held a launch party at The Winchmore Pub to celebrate the arrival of the new Mini Clubman.
The event was organised by Love Your Doorstep and attracted many local businesses and potential buyers.


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In this article, Freelance Designer Kent Mundle examines the basics of good design: hierarchy, shapes, sizes, and colors. The foundational rules of visual perception are critical for any graphic design, as they instruct how information with embedded meaning is conveyed as quickly as possible.
However, these rules were founded in print and have yet to be redefined for digital media. There has yet to be a sort of digital Bauhaus school to set these new principles. The rules of hierarchy and composition are not just dated, they break down in web interfaces.Continue reading →


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I am a freelance writer and blogger with a passion to create original content. I develop web content and write for online and offline magazines. I'm a seasoned blogger in writing impressive blog posts, comments, and use of social media.
I am the owner of the family, life, and self-improvement blog, Aha!NOW. There I love to exchange thoughts and views with my readers on issues related to life's problems and jubilation, small or big. It is my endeavour to help, inspire, and motivate people to pay attention to life's important and neglected issues and improve the quality of life.
With a experience in creating quality content for websites as well as individual projects, I can provide impeccable content. The areas of my expertise being creative article writing, keyword enriched articles, blogs, rewriting articles, web content writing, press releases, and email blasts.
I can create impressive and effective, well-researched articles and content, be it for online web or offline media like brochures, magazines, newsletters and emails.


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Fear Factory Prepares The Industrialist
Second verse...yeah, similar enough. Look, just because I'm sticking to writing about what I want doesn't mean I'm going to be stupid about possibly maximizing revenue potential, ah-ight?
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
The Industrialist: An Interview with Dino Cazares of Fear Factory - Blogcritics Music
The Industrialist: An Interview with Dino Cazares of Fear Factory - Blogcritics Music
First interview back in action. 'S okay. I could tell I was a little rusty at this sort of thing and it was really short because I guess Dino got a little ruffled at having to talk about the relationship between him and Burton yet again. But, dude, what do you expect?
I have a couple others I'm working on. I'm making it a habit not to announce any of those until after they're actually done. Had too much fall through and the ones I have done (and one tentatively confirmed), I don't want to jinx those in any way, shape, or form. And those should be a little better. A little longer, at least.
First interview back in action. 'S okay. I could tell I was a little rusty at this sort of thing and it was really short because I guess Dino got a little ruffled at having to talk about the relationship between him and Burton yet again. But, dude, what do you expect?
I have a couple others I'm working on. I'm making it a habit not to announce any of those until after they're actually done. Had too much fall through and the ones I have done (and one tentatively confirmed), I don't want to jinx those in any way, shape, or form. And those should be a little better. A little longer, at least.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Don't Call It A Comeback
That's right. I wanted to use one of the most cliched, trite, stale references I could think of in the title to explain that yes, I do plan on coming back. With more trite, stale references? Not if I can help it. Although even I've admitted that what I did was bordering on boring. And that's kind of why I was away for a while.At least, that's what it boils down to. Initially, I had thought it was because I got the impression that people could care less about what I do here, despite the fact that I've done it for so long. I had mistakenly thought I had some sort of "name" out in the intrawebz and maybe thought that would get me over so long as I kept providing decent content. As time went on, I saw pieces I was writing for people to try and help them out and some of the other stuff I was writing that was important to me was all going largely unnoticed.It got me to thinking - what the hell am I doing this for? To paraphrase Vince Russo (yeah, that's right) on July 9, 2000, I have a wife and six kids at home and I didn't need this crap. Not when I have my actual working career to focus on and with no reaction to what I was doing at all. The final straw came when I threw out on social media that I was thinking about walking away. Not so someone could beg me to stay around or to try and feed my own ego, but because I honestly felt I had nothing left in the tank and wanted to see if someone else thought different. To maybe gauge opinions.The trouble is, there were none to gauge. No reaction whatsoever. No one said one way or the other that I should stay or go away. That utter lack of reaction pretty much became the answer to, "what am I doing this for?" If the answer was truly "nothing," then it was time I stopped doing it. So I did.And I'm not gonna lie, it's been peaceful. I've enjoyed not having to chase scoops or be the first to post a damn thing. I've said it before, there are people out there (like Randy at Geek World Order and Z at Hipster Please) that are able to put in the time and dedication to that sort of thing and who are, quite frankly, a hell of a lot better at it than I am. It's been nice just watching things unfold and witnessing the cycle of internet meltdowns from some fanbases without having to get involved. I was perfectly content with that.But then, I missed the game. And I started to wonder what I actually had left in the proverbial tank. I recently heard an episode of the Extreme Odd Couple podcast with Rob Dimension and Steve Corino (WARNING: If you are easily offended, you're better off not following that link). In particular, Episiode 27, where they discuss being older and past your prime in your profession and seeing if there's anything left to offer. It inspired me somewhat when I was kind of thinking about possibly returning, anyway. It wasn't the final straw, but it was certainly a push, especially when it help me realize my own boredom.Ironically enough, I've spent just about the entirety of my writing career championing the idea of freedom of expression (no matter how hated the idea) and that people shouldn't follow the other sheep and think for themselves, especially in a culture that ANYTHING could be taken as "offensive" and could result in someone being painted with the brush of being insensitive at best to evil at worst if they stepped out of line. It was already bad when I was in my teens, but now? We may as well be living in 1984 with how sanitized everything has become because of that fear.And it was because of that fear that me, the guy who championed the idea of freedom of expression (no matter how hated the idea) and that people shouldn't follow the other sheep and think for themselves? Remember that bit? (I hope so, it was only last paragraph.) That was me. I fell right into that trap and my writing style suffered because of it. I became sterile and boring just like millions of others who have a "Blog". Hell, no wonder no one gave a damn if I walked away! I was boring as watching paint dry. I was sanitized just like everyone else because I was scared to unload about how I truly felt. In order to do this right, I have to overcome that. I have to just let it fly, raw and uncut, without caring about about repercussions or having a automatic sanitization filter.Now, this doesn't mean I'm gonna just unload racial slurs, homphobic epithets, or other blatantly offensive language. For one, I don't believe in any of that, and secondly, I don't have to. At the risk of sounding like a braggart, my record shows I have enough of a grasp of the English language to make my point, however popular or un-, without resorting to cheap tactics and hateful speech. My wife can attest to my ability to verbally dress someone down and utterly destroy someone without uttering a single foul word. But, this isn't going to be about hate or griping or moaning. If I have some of that to do, though, I absolutely will. Despite the fact that I may be looking for the public attention to recognize what I do on occasion, this is my site. My corner of cyberspace. And I have no qualms about treating it as such. Nor do I have any qualms about putting my opinion out for public consumption, for good or ill.One thing I won't do is be a news hound. I did my time in the trenches, thank you. Done with that. Another thing I won't do - and this is the most important - is slip back into that complacency nor be scared to publicly express what I feel anymore. I'll apologize now if something I say or feel may rub you the wrong way, but that's the danger of freedom of expression. Our Constitution guaranteed us, in the verbal and printed sense, a loaded gun. Don't get all butt-hurt if it goes off once in a while. Nothing personal and it might not even be deliberate, but I'm warning you now it may happen.One thing I will do is apologize for being that scared, sterile, boring guy that polluted the airwaves with nothing of note to say. That will no longer happen. What will happen is that I will post whenever it strikes me. No regular schedule, no format, no weekly anything. Links to my other stuff (yeah, that's gonna happe--woops, too late) will be posted here because I like the idea that my site is inverted from most of the others out there (as Marc with a C suggested during my first appearance on The Real Congregation), but other than that, I'm now playing this game my way.So, take any of the following statements as they happen to be applicable to you. Thank you. I'm sorry. You were warned. Deal with it. I'm back. And that's a shoot.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Revenge Of The Nerds
First of all, a formal announcement will be made on this site, its future, and mine. But you'll have to wait until tomorrow for that. In the meantime, consider this a shot across the bow.So I discovered that Substream Press changed their web layout shortly after they changed managing editors (which I knew about already). The result is that the piece below wound up homeless.Hell with that. Not on my watch. There's no way I could let this fade away and die. Not after I spent five months working on this damn thing.So, here it is. Originally posted in January of 2011, it's back as we now look toward Nerdapalooza 2012. Grab some popcorn and enjoy. And thanks again."Revenge of the Nerds"By: Michael Melchor "Maybe Luigi wants to fuck the Princess!" A crowd of several hundred shouted a chorus detailing the possible lonely desires of Mario's oft-neglected (both in storylines and in fandom) brother back at British rapper B-Type. The audience shares quite a bit in common with the forgotten Mario brother. Always an underdog and somewhat cast aside, no one thinks about Luigi's desires. Hell, not many bother to pay attention to him, period. He can't even be referred to without mentioning his more popular brother! Those fans screaming for a Luigi victory could be heard from the nearby busy Orlando, FL highway where A Comic Shop stood. Many times, they could even be heard over the heavy traffic, letting their enthusiasm carry them away. Some of them drove from right down the road, some of them flew in from across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to be at an event that could be on the cusp of being one of the biggest events on the music calendar. All of them were at the Eisner-nominated nerd haven on a steamy July, 2010 evening to be among their own for Nerd Music's biggest event of the year. Nerd Music is a movement that has been around for quite some time, but has gained heavy momentum within the past five years. While its lineage could arguably be traced as far back as Rush and even The Who, it is heavily agreed upon that "Weird" Al Yankovic is the father of the modern movement of Nerd Music. This was aided and abetted by his appearance in the documentary Nerdcore Rising, a film about the technologically-savvy, grammatically-refined Godfather of Nerdcore rap, MC Frontalot. "Weird" Al has been acting, playing, and singing like a nerd for a few decades. In doing so, he has inadvertently led what might become a revolution. Nerd music defines itself with its subject matter, but expresses itself with genre-breaking acts, a passion for both music and the state of being outcast from general society, and a passion for unabashedly showing their true selves. From the Mega Man-inspired epic arena rock of both the Protomen and The Megas to the quirky references of Nerdcore's answer to the Wu-Tang Clan, Emergency Pizza Party to the catchy, punky comic-infused folk of Kirby Krackle, are all considered a part of the movement. Many different styles from all over the musical landscape are used in expressing the prides and passions of those who find joy in their fandom and alienation. More acts, like the Harry Potter-espousing electronica of Ministry of Magic to the 8-bit harmonies of Shael Riley to the dirty, funky, Guy Fawkes mask-clad Kabuto the Python, to even bigger acts, such as Barenaked Ladies and Weezer, are all considered part of the scene as well. Calling Nerd Music a genre would actually be somewhat inaccurate because there are realy no bounds as far as style. Many influences from rock to rap to techno and even 8-bit old-school Nintendo-sounding Chiptunes are used to create the music, while the lyrics range in style from being about proud of being a dork to the finer points of The Legend of Zelda. All of this - and much more - falls under the umbrella of Nerd Music because it's not as much about style as it is about subject matter. It's a state of simply being more than it is any style of playing or singing. The one common thread among all the artists carrying the banner of Nerd Music is simply being an outcast from normal society since childhood and finding others that are like you that finally belong somewhere. In that vein, Nerd Music is a fascinating scene that works, in many ways, the opposite way most trends and fads in music do. Most movements have artists that go out of their way to perpetuate and corporate labels go out of their way to force as the new cool of the moment to bring people in. Nerd Music, much like those that propagate that scene, know what they like and support those that sound like they feel. In most cases, fans follow a particular scene so they can be a part of it, but in the case of Nerd Music, most times the scene reaches out to the artists themselves and welcomes them in. Such was the example of Schaffer The Darklord. Once a stand-up comedian (albeit simply to improve his performance skills) and metal drummer, Schaffer found his real calling with "The Rappist". With straight-razor delivery and tongue planted firmly in cheek, Schaffer found his song - about he's not a "rapper" in the truest sense, but since he parlays that talent, he could be considered a "rappist" - welcomed by what was thought an unlikely crowd. Since then, Schaffer has taken his place alongside giants like MC Frontalot and Random as one of Nerdcore rap's biggest acts. His delivery and presence have helped him in his success, but so has being an explosive performer. Schaffer (also a Burlesque emcee) explains how, at first, he was almost taken aback by the invitation. "Oh, no, man - they reached out to me," he laughs. "I had no idea this scene was even out there, but apparently they found about me. They were really cool, too - like they invited me in, made me a drink and asked me to play some Mario Kart. They've been the greatest; once they like you and take you in, they're so loyal to what you do." Schaffer earned their loyalty and his keep with his breakout performance at Nerdapalooza 2008. It is that event that B-Type had the unenviable task of kicking off this past July during the Pre-Party at A Comic Shop. It is also become the event on the Nerd Music calendar – a massive party amongst the socially unkempt. Baseball has the World Series, WWE has WrestleMania...Nerd Music has Nerdapalooza. The festival holds a few dozen acts each year over a July weekend each year in Orlando, FL, and has become the showcase of not just the best talent in Nerdcore rap, but all of Nerd Music. Aside from Schaffer the Darklord and perennial headliner MC Frontalot, many others in Nerd Music have seized their moment at that very show. 8-bit pop punk outfit I Fight Dragons were signed in February 2010 to Atlantic Records after a blistering set at Nerdapalooza 2009. This past year, Nerdcore luminaries ZeaLouS1 and Dr. Awkward joined forces along with a full backing band and blew the crowd to smithereens with the rap-metal fusion of attitude and video games known as the Bossfights. Aside from being a music festival for a very specific crowd, the other difference between Nerdapalooza and a Bonnarroo or a Coachella is that here you can talk to, meet, and party right alongside the performers as they also take in the show and go out of their way to meet those that made a home for their craft. Each year, the performers go out of their way to give their best to those that have made them feel welcome and supported their careers by not only doing their damndest to decimate a stage, but to take the time to talk to, hang out with, and thank each of the fans that come to the event each year from far and wide. Random, a Hip-Hop artist based out of Arizona, was also taken in by the Nerd Music fans right around the time of the very first (official) Nerdapalooza in 2007. It helps that his alter-ego is MegaRan, a character named after and based the Mega Man video game franchise. With unparalleled ability and a penchant for good, clean, video game fun, Random is another Nerdcore titan. Random started out in Gospel very early on, but then moved in to Hip-Hop in 2006 with the release of The Call. However, it was after that he then found a different calling altogether. He explains, "Musically, I just wanted to take a new direction. I had no real intention or any sense of direction after that. I felt like I had said everything I wanted to say as a musician, I talked about everything that was bothering me and everything that was good with the world, and I felt like there was really nothing else to say. I didn't know what I wanted to do for a follow-up album and one thing I didn't want to do was create the same album. I just sat music down for a while - didn't make or play anything - and eventually I got back in to video games. I was playing a lot of retro stuff, especially the Mega Man series that I loved so much, and that made me want to do something with that. I wanted to do a Mega Man rap album. I searched around to see if anyone had done anything like that before, and no one had, so I said, 'I'm gonna do it." Soon after, another door was opened – this time by the company that created his alter ego and means of becoming one of Nerd Music's stalwarts. "The press release got out and it got out to a couple major gaming sites, and then I got a message on MySpace from Capcom. I was afraid of getting my MySpace shut down, but this wasn't a cease-and-desist letter. They wanted to work with me. The head of the Capcom Community Division contacted me and wanted me to be a site moderator and invite me out to events and work with them. They invited me out to [the San Diego] ComiCon and I had a great time. I think a lot of game developers have a lot to learn with stuff like that. Capcom is way ahead of the curve there. They could have easily shut me down, but they realized it's not hurting anybody and, really, all I'm doing is promoting their character. It's been unbeliebveable since then; I can't say it's a dream come true, because I never even imagined something like this would happen." Random would seem, by the act of using such a noted game character as an avatar, to court the Nerd Music audience, but at that point they were almost too few to count. By the time they had grown, they found other musicians that had much in common with their way of thinking and invited them in to the fold. Such was also the case when the movement was brought to Orlando, FL's Marc with a C. Marc, now a 12-year music veteran, started out with songs about an unhealthy love for That 70's Show's Laura Prepon and "Chicken Pox and Star Wars Guys" before growing both his subject matter and craft in to a loyal following, both regionally and worldwide thanks to a savvy use of the internet. The invitation was extended to Marc in 2008 to be a part of Nerdapalooza - a move that both surprised and comforted him. "I was shocked at how a music scene I didn't know was thriving was so open to embracing," he explains. "I had played at so many smoky bars and sweaty clubs over the years and didn't fit in with the Indie Rock scene, the bar bands, or the hipster set for that matter. It was comforting to see a weekend full of people from all over the United States that went, 'you're home. We like what you do and you're now a part of this thing you didn't even know was happening.' As soon as I get on stage, there's a kinship there that, I don't have to explain what makes me nerdy. You can see it right off the bat. They get it. You can do a couple songs to establish some common ground, but they they're just on your wavelength and excited to hear something a little different but with subject matter they can relate to." Another act seemingly born for Nerd Music is the Classic-Rock-and-Science-Fiction raised Sci-Fried. In-between their last album Geeks Unite and their newest effort set for release later this year, Future Tense, the fun-loving guys in Sci-Fried saw their star rise greatly thanks in large part to having their parodies of Indiana Jones and Battlestar Galactica out there. Soon, fans discovered that Sci-Fried was about more than just parodies. Geeks Unite featured all original songs all over the geek map from "Saturday Night on SyFy" to "Don't Phase Me, Bro". The humor was there, but as well was the inclination that Sci-Fried was as serious about their music as it was the love of geeks everywhere. In-between albums, Sci-Fried made their first Nerdapalooza appearance last year and spent much of the weekend leading up to their set being stared at. In a world of social outcasts, Sci-Fried, looking like the Island of Misfit Musicians with their bar-band sound, were skeptically regarded among the established Nerd Music guard. However, three songs in to their set, Sci-Fried were being cheered as the crowd partied along. By the time they were done, they became only the second act of the festival at that point to earn a call for an encore - the first being the explosive Schaffer himself, who went on early while Sci-Fried did battle with technical difficulties and sound issues. Geeks Unite, for the band, is as much a creed as it is an album title. The question Uma Thurman posed to John Travolta in Pulp Fiction about whether he was an Elvis person or a Beatles person - how one could like both but no one liked one more than the other and which one a person liked more - could just as easily fit the world of geekdom. Many fans like Star Wars and Star Trek, but there's always a preference of one over the other, and which is preferred could reveal a lot about a fan. Sci-Fried realizes this, and uses it not to divide fans, but to unite them. Despite whether you like Star Wars, Star Trek, or even Stargate, all nerds are in the same boat, according to Sci-Fried, and should all get along equally and realize they have the power to change the world. It is that philosophy that leads Sci-Fried's lead singer Dr. Vern to believe that the nerds are well on their way to taking over the world - and that Nerd Music will soon be as well-known and well-loved as any other genre. "Every other form of entertainment is inundated with material aimed at the same fanbase," he says. "Movies, comics, games - they're all aimed at the same group of fans. It would stand to reason that, the more fans that are exposed to this music, the more fans could be generated from it. When you're talking about a mainstream, break-through audience, I believe that could be the case. A lot of people don't know because the music industry doesn't know what to do with geeks. There are a lot of things that people nerd out over, and there are more people writing songs about it now. The music industry's not promoting it, because they think it's bad and not a lot of people are buying it. And I don't believe that." Marc with a C concurs with Dr. Vern's statement, albeit on a wider scale. "It's an interesting time to be in Nerd Music. With Nerd Music, you have to remember that it's not all just comic books and video games. It extends to Wizard Rock, it extends to basically anything you can get more than three songs out of," Marc laughs, "someone else is going to be really in to it as well. "Everybody is geeky about one subject. See George Hrab, who I just saw [at Nerdapalooza 2010] for the first time. All of his songs are based on science and also being a general skeptic about the way religion and history are recorded. He went over like gangbusters! Then there are the commercial successes - things like Transformers, X-Men, all these Batman films. They always do gangbusters at the box office, and they're not just #1 for a week. It won't be long before those interests spill over in to popular music. If the fans are this enthusiastic and hardcore, right now, about all the things we are all nerdy about and shows no signs of slowing down, how can it become anything but the next big thing in music?" Indeed, the genre is growing. Nerdapalooza tops its attendance record each year, and more and more artists have been connected with the festival as far as rumored performers. The Fat Boys campaigned on Twitter to be a part of the 2010 iteration and missed it by a literal matter of mere days (although they are apparently intent on being there this year. Another, Del the Funkee Homosapien, is surely open to the idea of performing at Nerdapalooza while in the midst of recording a long-awaited sequel to his side-project with Dan the Automator, Deltron 3030. When citing some of his influences, Del explains that, "I'm kinda dig some sci-fi. I'm not an incredible fan; I'm not a Trekkie or anything like that, but I like those kinds of themes that are out there. I'm much more in to Anime and Manga than anything else. I like that stuff but I'm not way in to it. I was when I was younger. I've actually been wanting to get back in to comics for a bit because you can read them on the computer now, and I'm on the computer all the time. I wouldn't mind playing Nerdapalooza." Others, like the Aquabats and even Weezer themselves, remain just rumors. For now. It's a very good possibility that artists like these - and many more - could be a part of Nerdapalooza in the coming years. Many of them, whether they realize it or not, are already considered Nerd Music by its faithful fans and would love for them to come on in, kick up their feet, play some Mario Kart, and be a part of the community, too. With the success of films such as Iron Man and Transformers - not to mention that two of the highest grossing box-office films in history feature elements of science fiction (Avatar) and comic books (The Dark Knight) - the nerd culture has slowly taken over the entertainment landscape. How long will it be before that seeps in to music as well? Nerd Music is making an impact in music in ways that have been subtle but are about to become much bigger. The underdogs outcast in school could go on to become the dominant entity in all of music. And maybe Luigi will get his shot with the princess after all. Photo of Schaffer The Darklord courtesy of Wikipedia user Salty Boatr.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Trilogy Of The Nerds
I know I'm hardly writing anymore. Hell, I can't claim to be active in most senses of the word. But even I can't ignore three significant releases all in the span of a week. (Okay, one's a pre-release to those that went in on
Mega Ran Random's Kickstarter, but still...) Firstly, the Nerdapalooza 2011 Live Recordings are here! It's a great bit of timing because Nerdapalooza 2012 was recently announced for August 3-5...right here, in downtown Orlando! (TM Mick Foley) It's about that time to get hyped for this year's installment, so this works out pretty damn well.Now, if you've ever been here before, you're familiar with Nerdapalooza. I don't have to explain what that is right? Excellent. So, know then that the Recordings are single songs taken from each set at last year's festival. There's a pretty good mix of well-known songs and some that are just good to have recorded that may not have been expected. Seeing Brentafloss's "Tetris With Lyrics" and the patented Illbotz set opener "Illbotz Rock The Spot and Go Crazy" feel like a given, but they're cool to have right on hand to relive. Bonus points for including a couple personal favorites in Soup Or Villainz's "Game to Play" (which turned me into a fan of these guys) and Marc with a C's "Motherfuckers Be Bullshittin'" which was given a whole new life due to the backing of Sci-Fried, captured here in great detail. On top of that, tracks I almost forgot about and fell in love with all over again, such as My Parents Favorite Music "Coffee" are here as well, and all of it sounds excellent. Hats off to the audio crew that busted their asses at the show, especially to turn out a crystal clear result like this.All in all, it's 36 tracks of live goodness with some great acts for only $7 on Bandcamp. For that price, you may as well be stealing it, so piracy's not even a concern. Not to be outdone, Adam WarRock turns his Nerdcore sights dead on a classic. Neo-Tokyo is a 7-song collection about Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira - a movie that makes my short list of favorites. (If I still did the C3C1 5, it would probably make the cut, but that faded out quick. Kinda like the rest of the site. But I digress.)I will well, fully, and freely admit that the first time I heard this, I didn't like it. That bothered me, because WarRock normally slaps it out of the park every time - or at the very least bounces it from the outfield over the wall for a ground-rule double. A baseball reference? Seriously? I mean, he was in fine form as the verses were straight dominant, but the production almost threatened to drown him out. Not in a "Rock the Bells" kind of way, but that the mood didn't fit his style.Then it hit me - maybe that's kind of the point. The production creates a mood all its own that fits the bleak devastation of the Neo-Tokyo setting. WarRock kind of tones down his usual bluster in favor of relaying the hope-in-a-hopeless-place (no Rihanna references, please) story of kaneda, Tetsuo, and the inhabitants of the titular city. Admittedly it may take a few listens to fully embrace, but once the deliberate departure is realized, it's worth every bit of its $5 purchase price and then some. And finally, the aforementioned Random's newest effort, Language Arts: Vol 01, which I remember he and I talking about when I interviewed him for "Revenge of the Nerds" for Substream Pres--Wait. Whaddya mean, "it's no longer there"?? The piece I spent five friggin' months working on is gone?! You know what, that's fine. Hunky Dory. Nerdapalooza's coming up...I need to do my part to hype it...and that article seriously needs a home. I'll have it reprinted here with in the week. And with all the formatting in the right place, too!Okay, that bit of business out of the way. Sorry for the distraction. Language Arts. The album - and video game, and comic - are set for release on May 22 but can be pre-ordered now. Upon pre-order, you can download three tracks before the official release. Or, if you want a free single, "Wake Up (feat. MC Frontalot)" is available for free.However, I've already heard the whole thing. And it's pretty damn cool. There's a little of the video game-vibe here, but this more harkens back to The Call rather than having much in common with the Mega Ran and Black Materia (Hah! That one's still there!). Language Arts: Vol 01 is a nice hybrid of the more serious, introspective work Mega Ran excels at along with some of the digital rush of the gamer material.The best news? This is Vol 01 of three! Next chapter is due in August, and the final part of the trilogy in November. Plenty of time to enjoy what should be one of the best runs of Mega Ran music in a long time.
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Doris Ann was a cherished wife, treasured mother, much loved grandmother, and friend of many. She was born to Adam and Ada Miller on August 18, 1933 in Chelan, Washington. She graduated from Chelan High School in 1951. Being the youngest of 4 children, she was playfully teased by brothers Royce & Dan, 12 & 10 yrs. her senior, who nicknamed her "Shorty". Sister Ruth Lindert, tho 8 yrs older, was also her lifelong friend & confidant.
In 1942, when Doris was 9 years old, she made her choice to serve God. She was baptized during the summer of 1945. She never regretted her choice to live according to Jesus' teachings and was faithful to her choice the remainder of her life, thankfully being guided thru life by her Heavenly Father.
During her growing up years, Doris enjoyed spending weekends at the family cabin at the head of Lake Chelan with family, friends, and Ministers when they could visit. Her young years were filled with concern while her brothers both served in the military during WWII. She worked in the family orchard picking apples and helping her mother can fruit. Her cousins Sarah Lou and Marilyn were her best friends growing up as they were the same age and lived close by.
After graduation, Doris moved to Wenatchee and attended a business college for a short period, then worked as a long-distance telephone operator. Following a brief illness, she moved to Edmonds, WA to live with her brother Dan and wife Lucille to help take care of her sweet nieces. She then moved on to live on Queen Ann in Seattle, working as a secretary. A move to Phoenix, AZ resulted in making more life-long friends & the health benefits of hot & dry weather. She next ended up moving to Chula Vista, CA and there met her love, which started the next many chapters of her life.
Bob and "Ann", as he has called her, met in June of 1958 at a gathering of young folks. After a brief courtship, they realized they were meant for each other. After only 6 ½ weeks of dating and the decision made to marry, her parents suggested a planned family reunion as also the perfect time for a wedding! They exchanged marriage vows at the water-side family home at Lake Chelan on August 8, 1958.
The Craig's started their married life in Whittier, CA and later moved to Huntington Beach, CA. Children were always a great desire for Doris and Bob and they were thankful to add two daughters to their family. Doris loved being a mother to Gail and Karen, and found rich reward in being a gracious homemaker.
While in CA, Doris and Bob enjoyed hosting many military service boys, giving them a home- away- from- home during the Vietnam War. The family home was always bustling with people and lots of laughter. They made their way to Washington State, living in Lynwood from 1968-1976, then moved to beautiful Whidbey Island where they have continued to reside for the most part. During the economic downturn in the early 80's they briefly moved to Fairbanks, AK where more dear friends were made. Just recently Doris & Bob downsized, moving to an apartment adjacent to Karen and Greg's home.
Doris loved to travel and the family often spent early WA years camping on weekends & exploring the Pacific NW and Western Canada, frequently sharing the experience with friends. Since those years, travels further afield were thoroughly enjoyed, especially when re-connecting with family & friends met previously. Hawaii was an especially highly-valued place to visit, last experienced just 3 months ago.
When young, Doris was interested in police work, however female involvement wasn't encouraged back then. When the opportunity occurred in the 1990's, she helped start the volunteer Citizens on Patrol group for Oak Harbor and advanced to Captain. She volunteered for 18 years helping out her community.
Family time was very important to Doris & she cherished her time spent with her daughters, granddaughters and loved having a son & grandsons added to the family. Every place the Craig's have lived and vacationed, they felt privileged to share in and be a part of a fellowship and spiritual family that transcends natural time and human understanding. They loved having an open home for all to enjoy.
Doris was diagnosed with Carcinoid tumors in 2004, which was well managed, and just recently with congestive heart failure. Despite these medical concerns & chronic skin problems her entire life, she never let medical frustrations keep her from enjoying her love for others and her faith. She passed away after contracting a sudden infection, which became systemic & caused multiple organ failure. She passed away January 11, 2017 after only a few hours spent under tender & dedicated care at the hospital in Coupeville, WA.
Doris Ann is survived by Bob, her husband of 58 years; daughter Gail Craig of Lacey, WA; daughter Karen (Greg) Hamming of Oak Harbor; granddaughters Amber (Chris) Rankin & Shelbey (Josh) Fikse with a great-grandchild expected in early July. Also cousin Sarah Lou Wisdom.
Funeral services for Doris will be celebrated at 1:30pm Saturday, January 28, 2017 at North Whidbey Middle School gym with a reception to follow. Please visit Doris's page in the Book of Memories at www.wallinfuneralhome.com to share memories and condolences. Arrangements are entrusted to Wallin Funeral Home & Cremation, LLC.


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Abstract and Applied Analysis
Volume 2012, Article ID 120358, 20 pages
Double Discretization Difference Schemes for Partial Integrodifferential Option Pricing Jump Diffusion Models
Instituto de Matemática Multidisciplinar, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n,
46022 Valencia, Spain
Received 10 September 2012; Revised 7 November 2012; Accepted 7 November 2012
Academic Editor: Carlos Vazquez
Copyright © 2012 M.-C. Casabán et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
A new discretization strategy is introduced for the numerical solution of partial integrodifferential equations appearing in option pricing jump diffusion models. In order to consider the unknown behaviour of the solution in the unbounded part of the spatial domain, a double discretization is proposed. Stability, consistency, and positivity of the resulting explicit scheme are analyzed. Advantages of the method are illustrated with several examples.


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YUMA, Ariz. – The American Legion Post 19 is hosting their annual Yuma Veterans Day parade. The purpose is to celebrate and honor our veterans, the legion says this event brings the Yuma community together.
The American Legion says this year there are 127 groups signed up to walk the parade, compared to 112 last year. They are expecting thousands of spectators this year, last year over 5,000 people showed up. Several organizations, local businesses, schools, boy scouts and other groups will be taking part.
The parade starts at 9 a.m. Wednesday and will be until about 10:45 a.m. the route of the parade starts at 17th place and will head south on 4th avenue to Virginia Drive and end at the American Legion Post 19.
The American Legion will also have a BBQ right after the parade to continue to celebrate all veterans.


text: First and foremost, we are all motorcycle enthusiasts at S&N Motorsports. This isn't just a job for us, it's our passion and our lifestyle. I started this company out of my love for riding. I hand pick each and every bike that we sell. You can be sure that you are getting a quality motorcycle when you purchase from us.


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Natural Gentle Emitting Diode (OLED) technologies may be the actual celebrity in the consumer electronics industry events this season. Only at that year's Gadgets Display within Las vegas, the largest item intro had been produced by Sony, by having an OLED show. The brand new 11″ Sony TELEVISION is known as the actual "XEL-1". The actual Sony HIGH DEFINITION TV is very slim (less compared to 1/10″) as well as light-weight. In the FPD Worldwide Display within Asian countries within The fall of, Samsung launched the 31″ OLED HIGH DEFINITION TV along with 1080P quality as well as 1, 000, 000: 1 comparison percentage.
Businesses such as LG, Toshiba, Matsushita (Panasonic) tend to be trading vast sums associated with bucks, building this particular guaranteeing technologies. Toshiba programs to market the 30″ OLED show within 2009. Samsung states that they'll market big display OLED models within 2010.
Eastman-Kodak retains the a number of patents within OLED technologies. Producers will likely be necessary to spend the licensing charge in order to Kodak for each OLED TELEVISION offered. Eastman-Kodak simply launched the actual OLED Materials EK-GD403, that makes use of eco-friendly dopant technologies. The actual technologies progress is really a stampede.
There's lots of money to become created. Based on DisplaySearch, within 2007, the marketplace with regard to LCD Televisions had been believed from $27.4 million, as the marketplace with regard to plasma Televisions had been believed from $7.5 million. A good OLED TELEVISION which was price aggressive may likely obtain a substantial reveal of the marketplace. DisplaySearch estimations how the OLED marketplace may develop in order to a lot more than $17 million yearly through 2015. Based on iSuppli, the present marketplace with regard to OLED products is actually a bit more than the usual half-billion bucks each year. Samsung presently includes a 70% marketplace reveal. However price as well as technologies difficulties possess avoided OLED through getting used within bigger gear for example HDTVs or even pc screens.
Simple Wall-Mountable HIGH DEFINITION TV
The majority of customers state they need the walls mountable HIGH DEFINITION TV. Nevertheless, based on the NPD Team, the customer as well as list researching the market info organization (NPD. com), just 13 % associated with present TELEVISION proprietors as well as 25 % associated with plasma TELEVISION proprietors state their own arranged is actually installed on the actual walls.
"Consumers tend to be interested in flat-panel systems for his or her wall-mounting abilities, however the trouble associated with this set up frequently prospects these phones discover options for example appears or even store installs. inch stated Ross Rubin, overseer associated with business evaluation, The actual NPD Team. However along with OLED, the task associated with installation the actual equipment will be easier, a lot more like dangling the piece of art about the walls. The actual equipment weighs in at the small fraction associated with LCD or even plasma.
OLED Overall performance
OLED shows have utilized for a while within digital camera models, mobile phones along with other products along with fairly little sections, since they're really power effective, that is essential within transportable products.
A substantial advantage of OLED shows more than conventional fluid very shows (LCDs) is actually which OLEDs don't need a backlight to work. Due to this, these people pull a smaller amount energy. As well as simply because there isn't any backlight, a good OLED show is a lot slimmer compared to a good LCD show.
As well as simply because there isn't any backlight, a good OLED program includes a bigger watching position compared to a good BROUGHT program, as well as a good OLED show could be a lot slimmer compared to a good LCD show.
The actual reaction period with regard to OLED is actually quicker compared to regular LCD displays. Typically 8 in order to 12 milliseconds within reaction period is actually regular for any LCD when compared with 0. 01 milliseconds within reaction period to have an OLED. Which means that OLED is going to be much less susceptible to "blur". Blur happens if you find quick movement within the encoding, for example sports activities. Once the image modifications rapidly, the actual pixels may lag within reaction.
Among the issues that offers restricted OLED make use of had been how the azure OLED technologies experienced a brief life time, however a brand new kind of azure BROUGHT, the actual "PHOLED", includes a 20, 000-hour life time (20-25 many years associated with regular TELEVISION use). It was a significant discovery within the work in order to commercialize this particular technologies for that HIGH DEFINITION TV marketplace.
Theoretically, OLED shows could be more proficiently produced compared to LCD or even plasma shows, and therefore these people shouldn't be because costly. The actual Sony XEL-1 offers with regard to $2500, however, you ought to keep in mind that the very first big LCD as well as Plasma shows had been a lot more costly once they had been very first launched. In the event that manufacturing expenses could be reduce, the actual OLED HIGH DEFINITION TV arranged ought to ultimately end up being more affordable which equivalent LCD models.
OLED Overall performance Advantages:
Energy Efficienct
Really Slim as well as Light-Weight, 1/4″ or even much less
Much better Lighting compared to LCD
Broad Watching Position (~ one hundred sixty level watching angle)
Superb Comparison (> 1, 000, 000: 1)
As soon as created the actual Production Procedure ought to be Affordable (the procedure is comparable to ink-jet printing)
Large Shows tend to be Feasible (> 100 inch)
Reaction is preferable to LCD (good with regard to fast paced pictures such as Sports)
When the OLED doesn't meet it's guarantee, it won't function as the very first HIGH DEFINITION TV show to do this. Keep in mind the actual surface-conduction electron-emitter show (SED TV)? Toshiba as well as Cannon had been all set in to manufacturing, however obvious conflicts having a organization known as Nano-Proprietary wiped out the actual technologies. Which probably will not this time around. The primary hurdle would be the production procedure. In the event that models could be produced cost-competitively along with LCD as well as Plasma, it will obtain really fascinating.


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I'm on a garland kick. Last week it was shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day, this week it's bunnies for Easter!
Supplies for Bunny Garland
- Bunny template (you can freehand draw a template instead)
- Cardstock in your choice of colors
- White pom-poms (or cotton balls)
- Jute twine or string
- Scissors
- Hole punch
- Hot glue
How to Make Bunny Garland
1. Trace template onto cardstock and cut out as many bunnies as you want for the garland.
2. Hot glue on the pom-pom tail.
3. Punch a hole in each ear and string the bunnies onto the twine!
How cute are those big fluffy tails? Are you making any special crafts for Easter?


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Keep your teens busy with these school holiday programs perfect for teenagers. Please refer to the program website for more information about age groups. Spaces are often limited so make sure you book your teens place as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Ninja Training Russell Square Perth
In order to become renowned as Perth's best Ninja, one must first prove themselves on the grueling obstacle course before conquering the four metre warped wall.
16, 17 and 30 September | 1, 14 and 15 October | 10am to 4pm | FREE, 16+
Shoot Photography Workshops Perth
Your children will discover what it means to make meaningful and creative photographs in our indoor studio as well as outdoors. Bring along props, wigs and costumes for portraits, and experiment with aperture and shutter speed to develop a series of photographs such as motion, macro, portrait and landscape. 8-16yrs. September 27th, 10am-12.30pm. Bookings www.shootworkshops.com.au
Grow Your Strong Tweens and Teens Girls Retreat Claremont
Grow Your Strong is an engaging and empowering day designed to give your 11-14 year old daughter an opportunity to identify her character strengths and develop a tool kit of techniques to navigate tricky teen situations.
The retreat is set in a relaxed, warm environment where she will discover and acknowledge her strengths through creative journalling, mindfulness techniques, confidence-building games, yoga and meditation. Saturday 16th September 9am - 4pm and Sunday 17th September 9am - 12noon. Bookings www.myplayworks.com
WA Children's Theatre Claremont
his OCTOBER HOLIDAYS WA Children's Theatre presents "Finding Happy" - a story about King Joffa who is on a quest to find the happiest man in the kingdom! This is a 4 day theatre camp that ends with a fun presentation for parents & grandparents.
When: 3-6th October
Time: 8.30am-3pm (for 7-14year olds) 8.30am - 12noon (for 5-6yrs)
Location: Methodist Ladies College Claremont
Bookings: http://wachildrenstheatre.com.au/shop/
Big Wave Surfing School Secret Harbour
A perfect way to get started if you are limited on time, You get a huge amount of knowledge condensed into a short time frame so its great value for money. We will teach you much more than just standing up on your surfboard! Our coaching enables you to avoid the frustration of learning to surf on your own and we saves you heaps of time. Suitable for kids age 8 to 17yrs and Adults 18+. Find out more and book your place at www.surfingschool.com.au
Back To Teens Around Perth Blog
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Get the latest from TODAY
Contain yourself: We have finally figured out the purpose behind the extra raised "ring" in the lid of your Glad To Go bowls.
As one Facebook user recently revealed:
Sarah Rose noted in her caption, "HOW AM I JUST NOW finding out that the circle on these lids are actually lids for the tiny containers?! Someone please tell me I'm not the only one who didn't know this."
Yep, that's right: It's meant to clip your little dressing container safely to the top of the container!
It's an ingenious invention that Glad clearly explains to us in its packaging, but which many of us have simply allowed to go unnoticed or unused.
Glad To Go Lunch containers come with the little bowl even attached to that lid, but realizing that it was meant to be reused that way once you got home may have been easily overlooked.
Hey, we're all busy people who can't notice everything. That's why we're taking our lunches to work!
Built-in dressing containers for salad (and other food items) are not new in products, but often they're part of less-disposable items and are separate mini-containers entirely. With Glad To Go, it literally all goes with you and if you need to you can recycle the whole thing when you're done.
Aren't you glad you know this now?
Follow Randee Dawn on Twitter.


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A friend just sent this to me in an email. I'm still laughing so hard I can hardly stand myself.
Dear God, My prayer for 2011 is for a fat bank account and a thin body. Please don't mix these up like you did last year. AMEN!!
I am so relating to this, as 2010 was my year of little activity, lots of steroids and packing on some pounds. With the marvelous new anti-nausea medications, I only had two days of eating issues – and I think one of them was non-cancer related, just a stomach virus. So eating throughout cancer was never a problem for me.
While cancer treatment requires a huge commitment of body and mind, being a survivor also means making lifestyle adjustments as well.
With more than 12 million cancer survivors living in the United States, much attention is being given to increasing the survivor's quality of life and reducing the chance of recurrence. Historically, those who survived cancer were told to go home, rest and avoid activity - be gentle to yourself. Not true today. Clinicians have discovered that survivors should embark on an appropriate exercise program following treatment, akin to cardiac rehab for heart patients.
So in 2009, the National Cancer Institute convened a panel of 13 research experts from the American College of Sports Medicine to develop exercise guidelines for cancer survivors. The report was released this past July, and it's really quite fascinating. In the end, the panel says that some of the psychological and physiological challenges faced by cancer survivors can be prevented, treated and rehabilated through exercise.
For me, that means that 2011 is going to be my year of getting my body back into some kind of shape.
So today I'm joining Little Rock's Jim Dailey Fitness & Aquatic Center. I toured the facility recently and it's going to work well for me due to the proximity to my home (War Memorial Park), the extended hours of operation and the indoor pool. The pool was an especially big factor for me, allowing me to ease into exercises that will strengthen my right arm.
My physical workout goals are this:
- Increase my body strength, especially in my legs;
- Reduce the threat of lymphedema with regular exercise of my arms, especially my right upper arm, which is still very numb;
- Improve my energy level by reducing my fatigue; and
- Hopefully just feeling stronger and fit all over.
I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Unfortunately, I've never been a real workout buff so this will be a new adventure for me. As they say, "no pain, no gain."
I always thought this was a phrase attributed to Jane Fonda in those horrific exercise videos she produced in the 19080s. Not true. In his well-known essay "The Way to Wealth" published in 1734, Benjamin Franklin wrote about the axiom "God helps those who help themselves." In this work found in Poor Richard's Almanack, Franklin said, "There are no gains without pains."
For me, 2011 will hopefully be living life the Benjamin Franklin way.