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Every time when Moonsorrow releases a new record, it´s always a happening in itself. I mean, if we strictly talk about some of the existing, leading and most respected ´Viking/Folf/Pagan/whatever! Metal´ bands these days, I bet Moonsorrow´s name probably gets more space on most of these lists than any names of some other bands - and it´s fair to even say, there´s a reason for all of that why Moonsorrow is in that position these days where they are actually. On the top of the pile as far as this particular genre is concerned. With every album, the band has taken a couple of steps forward both music - as well as challenge-wise, building up their ideas and ambitious thoughts a bit further than on each of their previous albums. And this time didn´t make any exception either.
Moonsorrow´s 5th full-length album in order, titled V- HÄVITETTY (“Destroyed”), is the band´s most ambitiously made yet terrifyingly monumental epic album they have put together thus far. Only 2 songs: “Jäästä Syntynyt / Varjojen Virta (“Born of Ice / Stream of Shadows”)” - clocking in at 30-minute mark, and “Tuleen Ajettu Maa (“A Land Driven to Fire”)”, which, on the other hand, clocks in at 26-minute mark, provide such a pompous yet breath-taking and exhausting crusade through the ancient European shores concept-wise that once you battled it through, you wanna find a way back to the same, once-traveled warpath again. Seriously, V – HÄVITETTY, is undoubtedly the most challenging, the toughest and hardest-to-sink-into –Moonsorrow albums in the entire history of the band due to that fact there´s only two, but extremely lengthy songs on the record that demand a lot of concentrating and time from a listener to really understand what´s really going on within those two Moonsorrow´s massive, epic pieces of intriguing Viking/Folk Metal. It took at least a week from me to realize and understand that even if the songs are 30 - and 26-minutes in length, they don´t sound anything like they have been lengthened on purpose, like reaching more minutes for the sake of gaining the true epic value for both of them.
To get started analyzing the band´s 5th opus, V- HÄVITETTY, to be honest with all of you, actually there´s nothing ´that´ easy on their latest effort. In fact, for the first couple of spinnings with V – HÄVITETTY, my concentration seemed to fade away constantly, no matter how hard I tried to bring my ears ´back on track´. After some more in-depth listening sessions, I really started to follow how the songs proceeded, and overall built up from one part to another – leading into one hell of a bombastic and massive wholeness, full of breath-taking epicness and bigger than mountain-high things that have already become familiar in their previous albums. However, all this epicness of what Moonsorrow have become known for on their albums over the years, has, in my honest opinion, reached some sort of an ultimate peak on their latest output – I could say, almost an exaggerated peak in which they still seem to have everything tightly in control and a chance to go even further with their ideas musically (which probably won´t be happening – at least it should be very tough for them, I guess).
The two songs, “Jäästä Syntynyt / Varjojen Virta (“Born of Ice / Stream of Shadows”)” as well as “Tuleen Ajettu Maa (“A Land Driven to Fire”)”, are simply as epic and monumental as the songs of similar caliber can get, the true Moonsorrow -style. All the familiar elements of Moonsorrow can be spotted out from both of these two songs; somewhat hypnotic - repeating riffs (think something along the lines of Burzum albums), strong choirs that raise every hair up in your body, a large cavalcade of different instruments that simply ooze all that what these 5 Finnish pagans have become known for on their releases; awesome folk´ish parts, dark and inconsolable atmospheres that are meant to crush a listener by their sheer weight, beautiful acoustic guitar sections, intriguingly majestic melodies, heavy yet hammering bass sound which is something new in their sound, suddenly attacking aggression that you no way cannot be prepared for any way, etc. – and most importantly, 56-minutes tour de force the well-known Moonsorrow -style that really captivates listeners after the album has fully taken them over. Despite of some difficulties to follow the songs at first - having no straight access to them at all, and to really understand what´s truly happening in them and what´s to come next, a huge amount of concentration helps a listener. Once you are fully there, you´ll be rewarded by one hell of an album. So thanks Moonsorrow for this absolutely fantastic record, once again, could sincerely I add... | {
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From opening belter “Trippin On You” to the refined band of cuts like “Find A New Friend” and “Punching On My Chest”, Kessler’s non-conformist, genre-bending approach to dance music is showcased in full force, albeit with a new focus: never before has the producer’s own voice been so pivotal for driving the momentum and tweaking the elation.
Clearly Kessler the vocalist has been present before, but mostly used as a sound effect – now, we’re dealing with full-blown songs like cowbelll rocker “Ra-Orkons Crib”, catchy synth melodrama “A Better Life” or the introspective title cut, a rare example for a powerful electro ballad. Flush with surprising twists and turns, this album is a true maniac’s labour of love – and positions Bryan Kessler as a creative force of nature on the rise. | {
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And on the economics side the biggest reports expected in the week ahead will be the latest report on job openings due out Tuesday and the April report on the trade balance expected for release on Wednesday morning. Amid President Donald Trump’s continued moves on trade policy and insistence that the U.S. close the trade deficit with many major trading partners, expect Wednesday’s report to get a bit more attention that usual.
Top news
REUTERS/Ben Nelms
Trade tensions intensify with Trump and allies set for showdown: President Donald Trump is headed for a showdown with America’s allies at a Group of Seven summit this week in Quebec, with the European Union and Canada threatening retaliatory measures unless he reverses course on new steel and aluminum levies. China, meanwhile, is warning it will withdraw commitments it made on trade if the president carries out a separate threat to impose tariffs on the Asian country.[Bloomberg]
Microsoft agreed to acquire GitHub: Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) has agreed to acquire GitHub Inc., the code repository company popular with many software developers, and could announce the deal as soon as Monday, according to people familiar with the matter. Terms of the agreement weren’t known. GitHub was last valued at $2 billion in 2015. [Bloomberg]
GM’s rebuilt finance arm may be a profit driver: General Motors Co. (GM) is counting on a profit boost from an unlikely source: its in-house lending arm. The nation’s largest auto maker by sales used to run one of the nation’s largest banks, General Motors Acceptance Corp. GM was forced to give up control of GMAC over the past decade, as both car company and lender careened toward federal bailouts in 2008 and 2009. But now, the rebuilt vehicle-finance unit, called GM Financial, has emerged as a budding profit driver. [The Wall Street Journal]
Facebook defends report about it sharing user data: Facebook Inc. (FB) is disputing a New York Times report about how it shares data with device makers from Apple AAPL)and Amazon (AMZN) to Samsung. They’re privy to Facebook users’ information but it’s nothing like the access that led to the Cambridge Analytica controversy, the social network said. The New York Times reported Facebook had struck deals with device manufacturers that allowed them full access to information on users and their friends. [Bloomberg]
What to expect from Apple’s huge developers conference: Apple’s (AAPL)Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off June 4, and we’ll be covering all of the news live on the ground. Apple is notoriously secretive, but leaks are inevitable. So we’ve scoured the internet for the biggest rumors and speculation surrounding the developers conference to give you the clearest picture of what Apple is likely to show off. [Yahoo Finance]
A theropod, a carnivorous dinosaur skeleton is displayed during his installation on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower prior to be sold on auction by Aguttes. This skeleton, 8.7 meters long and 2.6 meters high, discovered in the state of Wyoming, in the western United States, by a team of British paleontologists will be sold on June 4 by the auction house Aguttes, it is estimated between 1.2 and 1.8 million euros. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images) | {
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CHILLICOTHE - As legislation to create a citywide curbside recycling program underwent the first of three planned readings before City Council Monday night, the prospect of additional grant funding to help support such a program may exist in the near future.
The legislation already incorporates language accepting a $250,000 grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and a $50,000 grant from the Ross Pickaway Highland Fayette Solid Waste District, and city officials who have been working on creation of the program much of this year have already learned another $50,000 has been built into the solid waste district's budget for the program in 2018. They also have been led to believe that another grant from the Ohio EPA in 2018 is also a likely outcome with a successful launch of the program.
"Late last Friday afternoon, the Ohio EPA reached out to me and there's a grant available, I think it's (from an organization) called The Recycling Partnership, and (it includes) companies here in Ohio — Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble are two of the big ones," Carman said. "There's three cities in the state that got this grant and they actually reached out to the EPA and said they would like to talk to us about offering us a grant for recycling."
Carman said the partnership will be looking to set up a meeting at a later date for further discussions about a grant.
Councilwoman Beth Neal added that creation of the program has also caught the attention of The Sugar Bush Foundation, a supporting organization of the Ohio University Foundation. Neal and Mayor Luke Feeney recently attended a meeting at Ohio University Chillicothe with staff members of the local college and representatives of the foundation to discuss how grant funding awarded to OUC could help the recycling program.
"The intent of them helping us is to get the OU student marketing classes to provide all of our marketing materials and to help us with education (about recycling and the program)," Neal said. "They have experience where they actually go to things like football games or basketball games, set up a little table and pass out literature and answer questions to try and help educate and change the behavior of people so they're more willing to participate in recycling."
OUC would apply for the grant, with grant awards announced in February and money likely distributed in July of next year. Utilizing that assistance would help defray some of the expected education and marketing costs officials said would be necessary to maximize participation in curbside recycling.
The legislation before council also includes an appropriation of $630,000 from the city's unappropriated general fund for the purchase of a truck and for recycling bins for each city home, authorizes the hiring of two recycling program positions and establishes a $1.95 monthly fee for residents for the service, with 25 cents of each fee going to capital expenditures for the program.
Mayor Luke Feeney, in an emailed response to a concern voiced by Eric Rinehart about the emergency language in the legislation that would make the ordinance active immediately upon passage, indicated he would speak with the law director and council about the possibility of removing that emergency language and letting the ordinance go into effect the normal 30 days following passage.
In other city and council news:
Carman announced that the start time for the city's trick-or-treating Oct. 31 will be bumped back to 6 p.m. and run through 7:30 p.m. The city had received some concerns from residents that the original 5 p.m. start time could cause problems because of when parents get off work and due to additional traffic on the roads as people return home from work that could cause safety issues for children crossing streets.
Council heard a pair of differing points of view on whether a portion of Second Street from Walnut Street to High Street should be repaved or left as a brick road. One resident of that stretch of road expressed concerns with dust, manholes sticking out of the ground from where milling of the street was done and a fear that the now-exposed bricks that are already damaged would deteriorate quickly. Another resident of the same stretch said she and others don't share those concerns and would like the road to remain a brick thoroughfare, saying it enhances the historic look of the downtown. Carman said a committee request will be headed to council to look at what would need to be done to either pave the road or keep it as brick so that a final decision can be made.
Carman told council members that the recently repaved Carlisle Hill may have to be closed temporarily for a day, possibly later this week, to find the source of water that has been seeping up through the new pavement in the center of the road.
Council approved the acceptance of a Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant to help pay for four firefighters for a three-year period. The federal share of the grant is up to $611,602, with the city's share a maximum of $380,186. | {
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Democrats Draft Contra Aid Plan
August 1, 1988|By Washington Post
WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats are drafting a proposal to release $18 million in frozen military aid to the Contras fighting the Sandinista government in Nicaragua if that government continues to thwart the regional peace plan.
When the Democratic plan is completed, Majority Leader Robert Byrd may approach Minority Leader Bob Dole, who has his own plan to funnel both military and humanitarian aid to the rebels. The Dole plan could come up for a vote this week.
Chairman David Boren, D-Okla., of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the proposal would also prohibit further votes on Contra aid this year. That would in large part remove the issue of Contra aid from the presidential campaign.
The Democratic ticket may face embarrassment on this issue. Presidential candidate Mike Dukakis has called Contra aid ''illegal and immoral,'' while his running mate, Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, has supported military aid for the Contras.
Boren, a longtime supporter of Contra aid, told reporters Sunday that he was acting as Bentsen's surrogate in the Democratic Contra-aid negotiations.
Aides to Dukakis and Dole declined to comment Sunday on the Senate Democrats' plan. Military aid for the Contras has stronger opposition in the House than in the Senate.
House leaders could not be reached Sunday for comment. Speaker Jim Wright, a strong supporter of the regional peace plan drafted last summer by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, has said military aid would stand little chance of winning House approval.
Boren said House Democratic leaders have told him sentiment is shifting toward Contra aid because the Sandinista government has clamped down on the political opposition.
Under the proposal being drafted by the Senate Democrats, $18 million in lethal aid already appropriated but frozen would be released if the Sandinista government made an unprovoked attack on the Contras. Boren said the lethal aid already exists in warehouses outside the United States. The president would determine when such an attack is made. | {
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University of Wisconsin Booklet Photoshopped to Add Black Student
The photograph used for a University of Wisconsin application booklet was altered to include the face of a black student.
616
Claim: The photograph used for a University of Wisconsin application booklet was altered to include the face of a black student.
TRUE
Example:[Collected via e-mail, August 2009]
Is this a true picture that shows a University of Wisconsin-Madison Undergraduate Application with black student that has been edited into picture, as compared to the original photograph?
Origins: An embarrassing attempt at promoting racial diversity came to light in September 2000, when it was revealed that a photograph used to adorn the front of a University of Wisconsin-Madison undergraduate application booklet for the 2001-02 school year had been altered to add the image of a black student among a sea of white faces. A sharp-eyed reporter with the school’s newspaper, the Daily Cardinal, studied the picture and noticed that the sun seemed to be shining brightly on the face of the one black student in the photo, but not on the faces of any of the students surrounding him. Her discovery led to university officials’ admission that yes, the image used for the undergraduate application booklet cover had been manipulated to better promote an appearance of racial diversity at the school:
Officials of the University of Wisconsin admitted that in an effort to show that the university is culturally diverse they inserted the face of a black student into a crowd of white football fans pictured on the cover of [the 2001-02] undergraduate application.
Paul Barrows, vice chancellor for student affairs, said that admissions officials took [black student Diallo] Shabazz’s image from a layout of 1994 Welcome Week activities and digitally inserted it into the admissions booklet cover in a misguided effort to illustrate the university’s diversity.
“This was an error in judgment that shouldn’t have happened,” Barrows said. He said admissions director Rob Seltzer, who approved altering the photo, and university publications director Al Friedman had publicly apologized to Shabazz and the community.
To make things worse for embarrassed university officials, Shabazz happens to be a prominent African American student activist who has never attended a UW football game and is deeply involved in efforts to promote campus diversity.
Barrows said that Seltzer gave him a draft copy of the admissions packet with student football fans pictured on the cover. He said that when he saw all of the fans were white, he told Seltzer: “You can do better than that, Rob. Find something more diverse.”
Seltzer said his office spent the summer searching for cover photos that would illustrate greater diversity at UW, where minorities are 10 percent of the 40,000 students enrolled. When he could not find one, he approved adding Shabazz’s photo to the crowd scene and Friedman’s office created the image for the cover.
School officials eventually decided to spend about $64,000 reprinting a new batch of 100,000 application booklets, with the updated version featuring a cover photo of the university’s Memorial Union Terrace at sunset.
The brouhaha over the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s manipulation of a photograph was satirized in a 6 December 2000 article (“Black Guy Photoshopped In”) by the humor publication The Onion:
In the spirit of celebrating diversity at Iowa State University, a black guy was digitally added to the cover of the school’s 2001 spring-semester course catalog, school officials announced.
“Here at Iowa State, we have a remarkably diverse student body, with literally dozens of non-whites,” Iowa State director of student affairs Andrea Driessen said. “We thought a picture with at least one non-white happily interacting with whites would be a great way to show off this fact. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any pictures of whites and non-whites actually interacting, so we had to make one up.”
Said chancellor Dr. Michael Arbus: “An unaltered, or ‘real,’ cover photo would not have adequately captured the glorious rainbow of multiculturalism that is ISU. We thought it best to take a more illusory, ‘less-actual’ approach in depicting this school’s racial demographic.” | {
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365 betting
365 betting
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Deadly Force Instructor Class
Use of Deadly Force Instructor
Taught personally by Massad Ayoob, this one week 40+ hour course of instruction is offered by the Massad Ayoob Group in conjunction with The Firearms Academy of Seattle, Inc. to teach and certify self-defense firearms instructors in the complicated and nuanced discipline of teaching the legalities of use of deadly force in self-defense. Teaching how to shoot is the easy part. Much tougher is teaching people when and when not to use force, including deadly force, in self defense. In addition to learning what to teach and how to present it, students will also learn how to take their expertise to court, to both serve as a material witness for their students, and perhaps an expert witness in other self-defense court cases.Course content includes:
Students will be expected to prepare for this class by researching their own state’s laws on use of deadly force, along with their own state’s case law, and bring this material to class. Additionally, students should be prepared for instruction to go into the early evening if necessary on some days, in order to cover the vast array of material which needs to be covered.
NOTE: Previous LFI-1, MAG-40 or MAG-20 Classroom students will receive a $200 discount, Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network members that are not LFI-1, MAG-40 or MAG-20 Classroom graduates will receive a $100.00 discount. Students are only able to receive one of these discounts.
Equipment list–
Note taking materials.You will need to take LOTS of notes. We’ll explain why when you get here. If you wish to use a laptop computer or a tablet, that is OK (you may also want to bring an extension cord/power strip). Audio or video recording of the class is not allowed
Please bring your own lunches, snacks, beverages etc. We have a “working lunch” in all classes. Many of our facilities do not have a place close enough to purchase meals and get back in a reasonable amount of time.
We teach in many locations and cannot guarantee the comfort of the chairs, if that might be an issue for you feel free to bring a cushion to sit on (We like this one). | {
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A quick glance at this months numbers and it looks like Subaru is inching closer and closer to matching Volkswagon brand for brand! They were only about 3 thousand units off the mark this month and only 5 thousand for the year :surprise:
Not saying they are going to knock VW down a notch tomorrow but for a company that sells about 3/4 of the lineup that VW sells, and one without a Full size ute like the Toureg, a minivan or a full size car like the CC as well as being 100% AWD and marketed to the snow belt, those month over increases are pretty amazing. :shades:
Subaru said they were going to four-year model cycles back in 2010 after their cars started selling like hotcakes, but they haven't stuck with that schedule either. Except for the Impreza, of course, but then that was certainly a good move on their part given the lackluster sales record of the last generation (which was that, #4 or #5?).
Well that's not just a diesel, it's a diesel hybrid, so I have exactly ZERO faith that it will appear in any production Subaru in North America in the next decade. But I do wish Subaru would stop teasing us with hints of diesel and just bring it over. The way people use their Subarus, diesel is the logical choice (better mileage for highway trips and better low-end torque in the dirt), even though I know Subaru's new part owners the Toyota people are pushing their hybrid powertrain on them.
Maybe if they bring over a diesel to up their fuel economy, they won't descend any further into CVT hell than they already are.
Not so sure about that. It takes a tremendous investment to get a new engine to conform to U.S. (and California) standards, and the diesel passenger car market is very small here in the States. And with diesel prices now punching through $4.50 a gallon here in California, I'm not seeing a pot of gold at the end of the diesel engine rainbow.
I have faith that it won't stray far from the concept... Sure the wheels will be toned down and the bulges may shrink a bit but I'm hoping Subie learned a lesson when they watered down the current Impreza. | {
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A very important phenomenon observed in the last decades is the development of the so-called “New Economy”, characterized by the diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). During this episode, very favourable economic conditions have characterized the US economy: high growth rates of output, strong growth in labour, low level of unemployment. As a consequence, a strong attention has been devoted to the study of what has been called the “ICT Revolution”, both from an empirical and from a theoretical point of view. This work proposes some theoretical models that are able to describe the most important characteristics of the new economy, explaining the associated growth performance. In particular, Chapter 1 develops a model that is able to reproduce some features of the ICT revolution that emerge from the data, underlining the importance of embodiment and the long-run implications of embodied technological change, and focusing on the role of R&D and of innovation in the growth process of the new economy. In Chapter 2 the model is extended considering also the presence of human capital, in line with the recent theoretical and empirical advancements in the endogenous growth literature according to which not only R&D activity, but also human capital accumulation, is a primary determinant of economic growth. Indeed, in the new economy human capital can be of great importance, since education is crucial in acquiring the knowledge necessary to use the new technologies, and at the same time an increase in ICT makes it easier to accumulate human capital, that in this model is the true engine of growth. In Chapter 3, finally, the issue considered is represented by the role of another form of capital, organizational capital, that has recently been advocated to explain the productivity slowdown and that can be linked with the analysis of the ICT boom. The model proposed allows to deal with the phenomenon, observed in the last decades with the diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies, represented by the adoption by many firms of new organizational practices, characterized by a tendency towards multi-tasking. Other aspects recently observed, and that the model is able to reproduce, are the increase in the share of skilled workers and in the proportion of workers employed in managerial occupations. This work therefore elaborates some models that underline the fundamental role of a number of factors (innovation, human capital and organization) that are at the origin of the growth performance of the recent ICT-based economy.
A very important phenomenon observed in the last decades is the development of the so-called “New Economy”, characterized by the diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). During this episode, very favourable economic conditions have characterized the US economy: high growth rates of output, strong growth in labour, low level of unemployment. As a consequence, a strong attention has been devoted to the study of what has been called the “ICT Revolution”, both from an empirical and from a theoretical point of view. This work proposes some theoretical models that are able to describe the most important characteristics of the new economy, explaining the associated growth performance. In particular, Chapter 1 develops a model that is able to reproduce some features of the ICT revolution that emerge from the data, underlining the importance of embodiment and the long-run implications of embodied technological change, and focusing on the role of R&D and of innovation in the growth process of the new economy. In Chapter 2 the model is extended considering also the presence of human capital, in line with the recent theoretical and empirical advancements in the endogenous growth literature according to which not only R&D activity, but also human capital accumulation, is a primary determinant of economic growth. Indeed, in the new economy human capital can be of great importance, since education is crucial in acquiring the knowledge necessary to use the new technologies, and at the same time an increase in ICT makes it easier to accumulate human capital, that in this model is the true engine of growth. In Chapter 3, finally, the issue considered is represented by the role of another form of capital, organizational capital, that has recently been advocated to explain the productivity slowdown and that can be linked with the analysis of the ICT boom. The model proposed allows to deal with the phenomenon, observed in the last decades with the diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies, represented by the adoption by many firms of new organizational practices, characterized by a tendency towards multi-tasking. Other aspects recently observed, and that the model is able to reproduce, are the increase in the share of skilled workers and in the proportion of workers employed in managerial occupations. This work therefore elaborates some models that underline the fundamental role of a number of factors (innovation, human capital and organization) that are at the origin of the growth performance of the recent ICT-based economy. | {
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Mexico's federal election tribunal has ruled Tijuana's former Mayor Jorge Hank Rhon can run for governor of Baja California. The decision overrules the state tribunal and ends two weeks of tense uncertainty. KPBS reporter Amy Isackson has this story from Tijuana.
This week on A Way with Words: If your pal from England tells you hes chuffed, is he happy or annoyed? And . . . only on the web: Sit on a pan, Otis! Martha been collecting palindromes and put them in a palindromic podcast. Hear them in a special podcast. | {
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Welcome to an Engaged Community
There's a better way to personalize your website experience. With myConnection, the profile you create allows you to set up a unique starting point for the tasks and transactions that you want to complete in your time on this website. Use myConnection to gather the information that you most care about from across this website into one central location, giving you greater control over how you connect with your community.
Definition
A personal protection order (PPO) is a court order that protects you from being harassed, assaulted, molested, wounded, or stalked. The PPO prohibits a named individual from doing these things and prohibits the named individual from entering your premises and removing your children, unless there is a court order.
How to File
To obtain a PPO, you must go to the Wayne County City-County building, in downtown Detroit, at Woodward and Jefferson. Hours are 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. For more information call (313) 224-6262.
You may pick up a copy of the do-it-yourself PPO packetfrom the Police Department. You must follow the instructions carefully when filling out the forms. It will need to be filed downtown Detroit at the Wayne County Clerk's Office. Information regarding the process is included in the packet. The process takes about 1/2 day to complete so plan accordingly. Information will then be forwarded to a judge for further consideration. | {
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An Inspector Calls
An Inspector Calls Summary and Analysis of Act One
The scene is set one evening in the spring of 1912 in the dining room of the Birlings’ house in Brumley, an “industrial city in the North Midlands” of England. Priestley specifies that the room has “good solid furniture” and is “heavily comfortable, but not cozy and homelike.” As the curtain rises, the four Birlings—Arthur, Sybil, Sheila and Eric—are seated at the table with Gerald Croft. Edna, the parlor maid, is clearing the table after dinner. The Birlings have just eaten dessert. They are “celebrating a special occasion” and are “pleased with themselves.”
Birling is pouring port, which, he remarks, is the same port that Gerald’s father buys. He is going to toast the engagement of Sheila and Gerald Croft. Mrs. Birling quietly ticks down Birling for complimenting the cook on the meal they have just eaten in front of Gerald, and Birling replies that he is treating Gerald “like one of the family.” Gerald, in turn, comments that he has been trying for long enough to be one of the family, which eventually provokes Sheila to remark that he didn’t try particularly hard “all last summer,” when he “never came near” her and she wondered what had happened. Gerald simply replies that he was very busy at the works.
Mrs. Birling tells Sheila that she will have to get used to men spending all of their time and energy on their work, just as she did. Sheila disagrees and, half playfully, tells Gerald to “be careful,” which provokes a sudden guffaw from Eric. Sheila tells Eric he is “squiffy,” and Sybil, conscious of Gerald’s presence, moves Arthur back onto his toast.
Arthur says this is one of the happiest nights of his life, though he is sorry that Sir George and Lady Croft (whose forename he appears to have forgotten) cannot join this “quiet little family party.” Birling tells Gerald that he is “just the kind of son-in-law I always wanted” and that Gerald and Sheila will make each other happy. He also makes clear, none too subtly, that he has ambitions for Crofts Limited and Birling and Company (the smaller of the two firms), though they are currently competitors, to work together at some point in the future, as a result of this marriage. Birling makes the toast, and Gerald and Sheila drink to each other, Gerald hoping that he makes her “as happy as you deserve to be.” He then produces a ring, which Sheila is hugely delighted to receive.
Mrs. Birling attempts to take Sheila out into the drawing room to leave the men to talk, but Birling has not yet finished his speech. He launches into a protracted speech, touching on current events and making some predictions. Despite the miners’ strike, Birling argues, there will be no labor trouble in the future, and he openly says “fiddlesticks!” to the suggestion that war with Germany is inevitable. The world, Birling says, is making too much progress for war, and he cites airplanes and automobiles, as well as a new ship, as examples of progress. The ship is “the Titanic—she sails next week—forty-six thousand eight hundred tons—forty-six thousand eight hundred tons—New York in five days—and every luxury—and unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.”
Birling’s speech is important, he argues, because the (left-leaning) intellectuals, “these Bernard Shaws and H.G. Wellses,” can’t be allowed to “do all the talking. We hard-headed practical business men must say something sometime.” As Birling finishes, Sybil and Sheila leave for the drawing room—and, presumably for a ticking down for his manners, she summons Eric, too.
Birling smokes a cigar and Gerald lights a cigarette, both men pouring themselves more port. Birling suggests that Gerald’s mother, Lady Croft, “feels you might have done better for yourself socially,” though Lady Croft does not object to Sheila otherwise. Gerald begins to disagree, but Birling has another target in sight, revealing that he might be knighted in the next Honors List. All should be well, Birling thinks, “so long as we behave ourselves, don’t get into the police court, or start a scandal—eh?”
Eric enters, commenting that the women are talking about clothes again. Birling advises in good humor that clothes to a woman are a “sign or token of their self-respect.” Eric starts to say something, but then checks himself and falls silent—even when prompted by Birling to continue. Birling sets out on another long sermon of sound advice, uttering ideas central to his philosophy:
“the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive—community and all that nonsense. But take my word for it ... that a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own—and—”
Birling’s sentence is never completed, for he is interrupted by the ring of the doorbell. Edna announces that a police inspector named Inspector Goole is at the door, asking for Birling. Birling tells her to show him, commenting to Gerald that he is “on the Bench,” and that this may be “something about a warrant.”
The Inspector enters and, in short clipped sentences, greets Birling and refuses to accept a drink. Birling comments that, though he has been alderman and Lord Mayor, he has never seen the Inspector before, though he knows the “Brumley police officers pretty well.” The Inspector remarks that he is new, and “only recently transferred,” before telling Birling why he has come. A young woman died two hours ago in the Infirmary. She committed suicide by swallowing strong disinfectant. The Inspector says he has been to the girl’s room and found a letter and a diary—her name was Eva Smith, but Birling claims not to recognize it.
The Inspector reminds Birling that Eva Smith was employed in his works at one point, and, when Birling does still not remember, the Inspector shows him a photograph of her that he says he found in her room. As Gerald and Eric try too to look at the photograph, the Inspector prevents them from seeing it. When the two men ask why they can’t see the photograph, the Inspector remarks that he likes to work this way, with “one person and one line of inquiry at a time.” At this point in the play, the Inspector speaks in short, clipped answers, which can sometimes be very enigmatic.
As the Inspector surmises, Birling has now remembered Eva Smith: she was discharged from her employment at his works at the end of September in 1910. Gerald attempts to leave, sensing the potential for embarrassment, but when Birling introduces him to the Inspector, the Inspector gravely says he would prefer that Gerald stay. Birling, “somewhat impatiently,” tells the Inspector that there is nothing “mysterious” or “scandalous” about this business, since it happened more than eighteen months ago, and therefore it can have nothing to do with this girl’s suicide.
The Inspector disagrees, saying that “what happened to her then may have determined what happened to her afterwards, and what happened to her afterwards may have driven her to suicide. A chain of events.” Birling concedes but adds that he cannot be expected to have responsibility for everyone he has ever met. He then tells the story of Eva Smith’s dismissal from his works.
Eva Smith, Birling narrates, was a lively, good-looking girl who was a good worker and about to be promoted. When the girls came back from vacation, however, they were restless and decided to ask for more money. Birling was already paying a rate that was just what “is paid generally in our industry,” and he refused to raise it.
The Inspector interrupts Birling to ask him why he refused to raise the rate, and Birling gets somewhat irritable, telling the Inspector, “I don’t like the tone.” Birling eventually explains that “if they didn’t like those rates, they could go and work somewhere else.” The girls, Birling continues, then went on strike, and after the strike failed, the company let all of the girls except the “four or five ringleaders” come back at the old rates. “She’d had a lot to say—far too much—so she had to go.” Gerald Croft concurs that Birling “couldn’t have done anything else.”
Birling is starting to become a little unsettled by the Inspector, and he asks Goole to spell his name, which he does. Birling then tries to threaten the Inspector by mentioning that he is an “old friend” of the Chief Constable, Colonel Roberts. The Inspector simply remarks, “I don’t see much of him.” Eric comments that, were it up to him, he would have let Eva Smith stay at the factory, which provokes an angry putdown from Birling, who then tries to close the case: “I don’t see we need to tell the Inspector anything more.”
Sheila enters from the drawing room to find out what is happening, and she is surprised to see the Inspector. As Birling attempts to shoo her out, the Inspector asks her to stay, much to Birling’s chagrin. He launches into an angry little speech, telling the Inspector he has “half a mind to report you.”
The Inspector ignores him and tells Sheila what happened to Eva Smith. He also tells her that Eva was very pretty and only twenty-four years old. In the course of the conversation that follows, the Inspector reveals that he thinks that Gerald, Eric, or Sheila might know something about this girl; he did not come simply to see Birling. The atmosphere in the room changes as everyone begins to feel that something ominous is coming.
Sheila continues to ask about Eva Smith, despite the fact that Birling is keen to get her to leave the room, though she comments that she has never heard the name before. The Inspector then reveals that Eva Smith used more than one name, and she changed her name after being sacked by Birling. Eva Smith, the Inspector continues, was an orphan and had no parents to return to, so she spent two months living in lodgings, making no money, “lonely, half-starved ... desperate.” Sheila is horrified, only to be told by the Inspector that
“There are a lot of young women living that sort of existence in every city and big town in this country, Miss Birling. If there weren’t, the factories and warehouses wouldn’t know where to look for cheap labor.”
“It would do us all a bit of good,” the Inspector adds, if “sometimes we tried to put ourselves in the place of these young women.” Eva Smith, the Inspector continues, then managed to find work at Milwards, a shop which Sheila immediately says she goes to. Eva worked at Milwards very happily until, after a couple of months, she was suddenly told that she had to go. There was nothing wrong with how she was doing her work, but, the Inspector adds, a customer had complained about her. The Inspector shows an agitated Sheila the photograph of the girl, and she runs out of the room, clearly having recognized the girl. Birling, angry with the Inspector’s behavior, follows after her.
Gerald asks to see the photograph, and the Inspector replies, “all in good time.” After a short discussion, Eric tries to go to bed, and the Inspector stops him in turn. Sheila returns and “looks as if she’s been crying.” Sheila realizes her responsibility, which prompts the Inspector to say that she is not entirely responsible, but “partly to blame. Just as your father is.”
Sheila then tells the story of her encounter with the dead girl. She had gone into Milwards to try something on, and she insisted on trying a dress which, in the end, didn’t suit her at all. The girl had brought the dress up from the workroom and had held it up against herself to illustrate something—and “it just suited her. She was the right type for it, just as I was the wrong type,” Sheila reports. When she had tried the dress, she had caught sight of the girl smiling, as if to say, “Doesn’t she look awful.” She complained to the manager and made a big fuss.
At the end of this narrative, Sheila almost breaks down. “How could I know what would happen afterwards?” she asks, adding that if the girl had not been so pretty, she would never have done it. “I couldn’t be sorry for her,” she concludes. Sheila wishes she could help the girl, but, as the Inspector cursorily points out, “Yes, but you can’t. It’s too late. She’s dead.”
Sheila plaintively wonders why this had to happen, and the Inspector announces that he is not going “until I know all that happened.” He then reveals that, after being sacked from the shop, the girl changed her name to Daisy Renton. Gerald starts at the name and asks to get himself a drink. The Inspector, taken by Eric, leaves the room, going to the drawing room to find Mr. Birling, who in turn has gone to update Mrs. Birling on what has happened. Sheila and Gerald, the engaged couple, are left alone onstage together.
Sheila has realized that Gerald knew Daisy Renton, and she also correctly guesses that he was seeing her last summer—during the time when Sheila herself hardly saw him. Gerald admits it but says that it “was all over and done with, last summer. I hadn’t set eyes on the girl for at least six months.” Gerald then asks Sheila to keep this information from the Inspector. She laughs at him, saying that the Inspector already knows—and knows more than any of them. “You’ll see,” she finishes, just as the door slowly opens to reveal the Inspector looking at them. “Well?” the Inspector asks, as the curtain comes down at the end of Act One.
Analysis
An Inspector Calls, as its curtain rises, does not seem particularly different from many other plays popular in the same period. A middle-class family sits around a table, having just enjoyed a satisfying dinner, and the maid clears the table. The scene sets the expectation that this is going to be a family drama, maybe even a comedy, and the focus will be on this happy family environment. Yet, Priestley’s play undergoes a subtle shift in mood and tone until it has become something much more unusual, which defies both its initial expectations and its seeming naturalism.
This first tableau, for example, can be seen as something other as a cozy emblem of this rich family’s life, for among them is a picture of one of the “millions and millions” of Eva Smiths, here working for what is likely a minimum wage, clearing the table and putting out port and cigars. It is no accident, surely, that “Eva” the girl and “Edna” the maid have such similar names. The presence of Edna onstage throughout the play symbolizes the presence of Eva and reinforces Priestley’s ultimate point about the abuse of power and the failure to take sufficient responsibility for one’s actions toward others.
Immediately, with the Inspector’s interrogations of Birling and Sheila, we see Priestley’s key salvo: the lower-class individuals are the responsibility of the middle and upper classes. This idea draws on traditional class morality. But as the society has become less hierarchical, the new way of expressing this morality is to say that society at large should care for people who are poor and need support. As Birling did not worry about firing the girls who led the strike for more wages, as Sheila did not think twice about causing the shop assistant to get in trouble, so too do the Birlings routinely ignore Edna during the play. Edna’s silence in the play, though she begins as a natural component of the comfortable family room as the curtain rises, gradually comes to seem more and more significant as the play goes on.
The early part of the act provides further indicators of what is to come. Sheila’s slightly acidic comment about Gerald’s supposed absence last summer plants the idea that there must be a better reason for the absence (we will learn it soon enough: Gerald has had a lover), and her comment illustrates the cracks which are present from the very beginning in the relationship between Sheila and Gerald. Eric’s unmotivated laugh in the middle of the conversation helps us to understand, later in the play, that he probably is “squiffy” as Sheila suggests, though it is not until much later that his alcohol problem will come to light. Priestley carefully structures the play so that the careful listener or reader will hear these ambiguous possibilities of trouble.
The centerpiece of this first part of the play, though, is the self-satisfied attitude of Arthur Birling. He is indeed, as he puts it, every inch the “hard-headed man of business.” Smug and sure of himself, he launches into a series of assertions which Priestley’s 1946 audience would have known only too well to be false. Birling asserts that there will not be another war, yet, two years after this utterance (the play is set in 1912) the First World War was to begin. Moreover, the 1946 audience would have only just managed to live through the Second World War of 1939 to 1945. Birling also asserts that the Titanic, which sets sail “next week,” is “unsinkable,” yet the audience knows that the ship sank only a little later in 1912. Priestley’s original audience probably would have found Birling’s reference to the Titanic more distressing than a modern audience because some of them may have known people who died in the disaster. Priestley’s dramatic irony, then, is poignant, not merely coy and comfortable, for the audience.
Birling’s politics of self-reliance and personal responsibility are staunchly and unashamedly capitalist, perhaps even right-wing. He believes in “low wages, high prices,” is absolutely dismissive of Eva’s strike, and, even at the close of the Inspector’s inquiry, can only limply claim that he would “give thousands” to make things better. Money, indeed, dominates the way he thinks, even to the extent that, Priestley subtly illustrates, he sees his daughter’s engagement to Gerald Croft as a financial move and potentially the first step towards a merger between the Birling and Croft businesses. Birling represents the political point of view opposite to Priestley’s own. Birling even makes himself out to be the antithesis of left-leaning writers and intellectuals generally, namely George Bernard Shaw and H. G. Wells, both very famously left-wing voices.
Birling, moreover, represents “Middle England.” This term is used generally to describe the right-leaning majority of the British public. Though it is a modern-day term, it could just as well apply to the middle-class, right-leaning majority of Priestley’s Britain.
Yet, although Birling and his wife are indeed middle-class, Priestley tells us in one of his stage directions (though it is never explicitly referred to in the play itself) that Sybil is “a rather cold woman and her husband’s social superior.” Birling is throughout the play ticked down by his wife: early in this act, for instance, for complimenting the servants on the meal in front of a guest. Sybil, presumably from a better social background than Birling, seems to be, in an imperious, passive way, the one in control of the marriage—and of her husband. Birling himself seems to have worked his way up to the middle classes (he is “provincial in his speech,” Priestley tells us in another stage direction, which might be another clue to his background) and, as he explains to Gerald, he is currently trying to see his way to a knighthood and therefore greatly improving his social position. In short, the Birlings have ambitions to move up the social scale.
Gerald’s parents, for their part, “Sir George and Lady Croft,” already have their knighthood, and their business is considerably older and more successful than Birling’s. They, we presume, are an upper-class family, and although we never meet them, Gerald’s mother (like Sybil) seems to have a real eye on social status, feeling that Gerald “might have done better for [himself] socially.” Is this, we might suggest, the reason for their not being at the Birlings’ little celebratory dinner—do they disapprove that much? The initial lack of interest of the Birlings and people like them towards the fate of Eva Smith, in turn, is part of the overall class structure in England at this time, and Priestley, even this early in the play, draws our attention to the way that Lady Croft looks down on Birling just as he looks down on Eva.
It is interesting to examine who is control in each part of the play, and interesting too that the visiting police inspector (a staple, in fact, of drama in plays like Dial M for Murder) begins not as an avenging angel, but as a rather unremarkable character. Birling dominates their first conversation, boasting about his status as a former Lord Mayor and a magistrate. Yet Priestley still leaves us interesting clues. From what we know about the Inspector’s later (seemingly supernatural) abilities, his statement “I’ve only recently transferred” carries tantalizingly ambiguous double meanings. How and from where (what town? what planet? what time?) has he “transferred?”
The Inspector’s power and insight into the situation is only really glimpsed, in this first act, by Sheila, who ominously predicts to Gerald as the curtain goes down that everyone will come to see that the Inspector knows far more than anyone realizes. Yet Priestley, in the first act, gives the Inspector no explicit moment of surprising the family by knowing more than they do. The level of tension in the play starts extremely low, builds gradually as the Inspector enters, and builds more as the characters come to understand the fate of Eva and their roles.
Indeed, at the end of Act One, structured by Priestley so as to end on a point of tension, we discover that it is not just Birling and Sheila, but also Gerald, who is involved in Eva Smith’s demise. The comfortable, warm atmosphere of the opening has been largely destroyed by the time the curtain comes down at the end of the act, with three people so far responsible for Eva’s fate, all responding differently. Significantly, we have little indication of where the play might go next, but the audience might predict that more family members will prove responsible for Eva’s fate as we learn what else happened to her.
I'm sorry, this is a short-answer forum designed for text specific questions. This question calls for your opinion, possibly something you've learned in class. People who are pleased with themselves generally stand tall, smile, and engage... | {
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The 21st century “new” green revolution!
As a new version of “The Society of Spectacle” by Guy Debord, the green revolution farce wind blows on an avant-garde era, on a model of consumerism in the world global consumption. Paradoxically it only includes the oligarchic and elitist 20% of the population who disposes of the highest gross national product and consequently develops as an exterior sign of wealth, a fetichism towards the color green.
The new hybrid-conscious consumer, product of a carefree manufacturing process, representing 10-12% of the green market is aware of the impact of his purchasing decisions on the environment, on his health and life.
Lectured by advertising, proactive by the guilt, the global warming specter as an alarm, the variable-faced consumerist swinging between conspicuous, anti, ethical, political uses and abuses rightly or wrongly of his almighty autocratic and dictatorial powers.
Contemptible during the industrial and the mass production waves, the vile populace and its wallet at stake, has its voice more audible than ever in the conclaves of the corporations. Whims or convictions, its blatant voice resonates to impose its values and tastes, and doesn’t hesitate to oppose its veto!
No more chemicals in my plate! No more genetically engineered food as in Europe! Less energy wasted in the horses of my four-wheeled medium of locomotion! Less pollution! More crop rotation, compact fluorescent lamps, photovoltaic solar panels…! In the name of saving our planet refrain, our society is STILL a consumerist society!
In this new model of society, the consumarchy, individualism and solidarity team up for our benefits(?)!
I trust the consumers’ judgement to “sniff” information and to value what is important in their life! Personally, the debate what is greener than green is as interesting as the quadrature of the circle! Green consumerism is now a failed approach to the environmental crisis. Based upon those facts and this point clarified, let’s step to the 21st century new green revolution!
Given that the world population is 6,6 billion, that it will reach 9 billion by the year 2050 with the highest concentration in Africa (1,7 billion) and Asia (5,2 billion), what are our chances to develop a new green revolution supported by ancestral methods of farming?
Malthus was right when he assessed his postulata “Food is necessary to the existence of men and passion between sex is necessary…” and when he added “I say; that the power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man population, when unchecked, increases in a geometrical ratio”.
Without going into details, he’s formulating that both aggregates population and agricultural production evolve progressively but with a different intensity and rapidity. As population will grow geometrically (multiplied), the production will arithmetically (additioned)! The revolution concept will repose in adapting the production to the worldwide population exponential pace. Is the 40’s, 60’s model privileging quantity over quality, ideal to the health-centered green consumer? Will we invest with plenipotentiary powers our manufacturers to spray at us new chemical fertilizers, insecticides; to inject us insidiously new hormones in the name of technology or/and productivism? Or will my favorite sense “the taste” be back? Will it be its resurgence? I invoke the gods of the taste buds! I want my tomatoes to be sweet and deformed, I want seeds in my watermelons and grapes, I want my cheese to “stink” in its individuality! No more formatted consumption! No more standardized caliber and size! No more taylored taste!
According to the giant of the agribusiness industry Monsanto, biotechnology, the breeding of new crop varieties and massive chemical fertilizers are incontrovertible! In 2003, the agrochemical market achieved $ 32 billion, 14 in herbicides, 8 in fungicides and insecticides! The Pandora box to human genetic mutation is wide open! Their motto is “spray and pray” with all the implications on the environment or on the living species that their carefree and lucrative behavior implies!
And against all odds, fighting against a handful of new “powerhouse” agrochemical companies, struggling against governmental collusive legislations or actions (subsidies…), organic farming (our future?) amounted a 20% annual rate of market growth! Consumers’ pressure! Who said that there’s no good dictatorship?
Is it a myth or a reality? Let me dream about the exclusion of the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, of plant regulators! Let me dream about the re-development of crop rotation (from the Middle-Ages) implementing biodiversity -2000 species of plants cultivated for food among which we consume 40%- crops residues, animal manures that will foster the soil productivity! Did you know that none of this is required in the United-States to earn the USDA organic seal? No information, no traceability! SCARY!
I had a dream…Or is it a reality? The organic farming represents 31 million hectares; 120,000 farms are located in Mexico, only 8,035 in the US. Why such contradictory discrepancy? Unless many of the mexican ones aliment or obey american USDA non-existent or laxist regulations!
Organic does exist! Studies attest that organic farming methods can produce higher yields! A worldwide conversion to organic would lead to increase food production levels while reversing the degradation of agricultural soils and augment logically soil fertility (natural presence of nutrients, carbon, nitrogen…). Rothansted and Rodale experiments proved that nitrogen is provided by manure and since livestock operations generate a billion tons of manure per year, here is the niche for natural fertilizers!
I had a dream…It’s a reality!
As consumers dictate how to think to companies, the cause-marketing is a perfect exemple, let’s increase the pressure by imposing products with the minimum effect on the environment and on human! If they resist, find another market that corresponds to your choices, for instance the european one! No genetically modified food! The competiton is open! Isn’t it the cornerstone of capitalism? | {
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Peter Greve was born in 1931 in The Hague (Netherlands). He received musical training in The Hague from Jean Antonietti and Léon Orthel (piano), Theo Laanen (trumpet), Dr Marcus van Crevel (theory), and later from Willem Frederik Bon (Amsterdam), Myers Foggin (UK) and Terence Lovett (UK) in orchestral conducting. Parallel, he studied at the State University of Leiden (Netherlands), where he obtained M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry.
After his studies, he worked as a scientific researcher in pharmaceutical industry and in state service, but remained active in music on a part-time basis.
From 1981 to 2002 he fulfilled consultancies for various national and international organisations such as the UN-Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the UN-World Health Organization (WHO), the UN-International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the European Union (EU) and the “Project Uitzending Managers” of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in, i.a., East-Asia, Eastern Europe, Central-America and Arab countries.
Since his retirement in 2002, he is, – fulfilling of a wish felt since his early years – , a full-time musician, working as a composer, arranger, conductor and pianist. He is a member of the Society of Dutch Composers (“Nieuw Geneco”) and BUMA/Stemra, the Dutch organisation in charge of collecting copyrights for its members.
Peter lives in ‘s-Graveland, a village ca 20 km south-east from Amsterdam. He publishes scores and parts of his works through the Foundation “Peter Greve, componist & arrangeur” (cf paragraph “Contact“). A summary of his works published sofar is given in this website.
I was, probably, 6 or 7 years old when I determined for myself that “later” I wanted to become a composer: in my parental home, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert were frequent, highly esteemed and almost physically present guests, and when Bach’s Matthäuspassion sounded from the radio, everybody in the house had to shut up. Inventing music, writing it down, get it performed and, on top of that, being praised for it was a concrete, tempting perspective for me. The fact that before arriving at that stage one had to work hard and intensely became clear to me only later, especially when those in charge of my education pointed out to me that music, – and especially composing – , were magnificent things, but that I had better leave that for my free time.
Thus, chemistry became a second, but, seen in retrospective, a most sensible choice in the insecure time after WWII. I never felt a regret over it: I had the opportunity to do interesting investigations, I visited interesting places and I met interesting people. A number of things, such as doing a good, professional job of work, keeping your self-criticism alert, giving clients their money worth, trying to be a good colleague, knowing what you are talking about etc. are essential for responsible acting, for a scientist and an artist alike, and that a laboratory looks different from a concert hall is, compared to that, of secondary importance.
Those who follow courses in composition at a Conservatory receive in the course of 5-6 years a concentrated education in basic musical knowledge and skills, and after that they can try to find their own way in the profession. The same skills and knowledge can be mastered in parttime: there are excellent courses and -teachers, literature is abundantly available, everybody can keep his ears open and “making miles” can be exercised at home as well, provided erasor and waste bin are near at hand. It only takes more time, in my case 50 years, before one dares to make oneself known as a composer. When this eventually came over me, it felt like “coming home”, and all what had happened before actually seemed “Preludes” to that final stage.
The photographs on this page illustrate this preparatory phase: from early childhood (top left), via “young doctor”, to investigator, consultant, decorated scientist and (bottom right) colleague chemist-composer Borodin. The chapter chemistry is herewith closed: the next pages are devoted solely to music. | {
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At ND he was 29-17. That's a horrible record. Here's my problem(I ask Catholics to set aside preconceived notions here) with Quinn: He failed at Notre Dame and they blamed the coaches instead of Quinn. He failed at Cleveland and they blamed the coach(Crennel) instead of Quinn. He failed at Denver and now too many people want to blame the coaches. He is a rotten QB and while he had a winning record at ND, not even close to a top 25 team. Now let the excuses start. I find it funny how the same guys trashing a very WINNING Matt Cassel are up in arms defending the LOSING Brady Quinn. Methinks I smell a Catholic bias.
Brady Quinn was very good in college. The reason the lost games was alot of the same we lost games in the early 2000s Defense there Was TERRIBLE. Brady earned a number of awards in his time of college. He was good there. People always want to blame the QBs for losses I get that. But the reason Notre Dame failed was not Because Brady Quinn was there QB.
He struggled early in Cleveland like many young QBs do in there first years. But who did he have to throw to there? He had Braylon Edwards and who eles? In Denver he didn't get a lot of chances.
Do I think Quinn is going to be a QB that comes in and suddenly becomes a "star qb" No I don't but do I think theres no way that Quinn can help no I don't. He might surprise us. He might just hold a clipboard But lets not judge until we see what he can do.
He failed at Cleveland and they blamed the coach(Crennel) instead of Quinn. (Who hasn't failed at Cleveland? I don't blame the coach for that. I blame the talent around him.)
He failed at Denver and now too many people want to blame the coaches. (He didn't fail at Denver. He never played. Orton failed and instead of playing Quinn, they put Tebow in hoping HE would fail so they could shut up their idiot fanbase, but the plan backfired.)
He is a rotten QB and while he had a winning record at ND, not even close to a top 25 team. (I don't really follow ND football, but the polls almost always have them overrated. Every year they start high in the polls and steadily drop as the season goes by. For years now they have had recruiting problems and again, Quinn can only be as good as the players around him allow him to be.)
Now let the excuses start.(I'm glad to get the ball rolling! )
I find it funny how the same guys trashing a very WINNING Matt Cassel are up in arms defending the LOSING Brady Quinn. (You have never seen me bashing Cassel. I think he is a fine QB, and I don't know if Quinn is good enough to beat him out or not. Quinn has never played in these circumstances before. But he will be a far better back up than Palko was and could be enough competition to push Cassel to play at a higher lever.)
Methinks I smell a Catholic bias.
You are not smelling me, then. I'm a Protestant and some of my favorite QBs were Mormons!
Last edited by TopekaRoy; 03-18-2012 at 02:46 PM.
***Official Chiefs Crowd Game Thread Starter***
This space is reserved for something that has nothing whatsoever to do with MatthewsChiefs. (Whoever THAT is!)
Really...hes had two seasons with 10+wins. Hes thrown more TDs and Less INTs in his first three seasons than Tom Brady did...I guess you are looking for more of an Orton type winner...one who settles for a backup role.
The only reason a beer sweats around Canada is because he's decided it will be the next beer he drinks.
a Winning matt cassel? He doesntn even have above .500 record as a starter in KC
But he does have a winning record as a starter...he was on a 2-14 team when he came here and turned it around pretty quick. How come you dont give "Herms team" credit when there are losses...its just Cassels fault, when they win its Herms team??
The only reason a beer sweats around Canada is because he's decided it will be the next beer he drinks.
Hey anytime a guy steps in with no practice time with no relation to a team and has a better rating nad YPG than the starting qb who has been there for 2.5 seasons, you know you might have something there
Yeah Orton lit up the field with all the FGs he got us. If you dont realize that we won those games with our defense and new HC, then you need to start paying attention when the games are on.
The only reason a beer sweats around Canada is because he's decided it will be the next beer he drinks.
I firmly believe when there is a change in the organization you inherit the previous regime's draft. Look at the time Dick Vermeil was coach, they were in the "Win it now" mentality and brought over a bunch of FA in quest for a SB. Look at our drafts from 2002-2005 it was definitely not good. Ryan Sims, Junior Siavi, Eddie freeman, from what I remember we traded out of the first and second round many times.
I am not syaing Herm was a great coach or was not given enough time, but he drafted well from the time he was here.To see these young guys mature and go off to pro bowls really makes you see how well he drafted. And now pioli has inherited his young talented players.
You act like Pioli hasn't drafted well
you name Charles,Bowe,Hali,DJ,Albert,Flowers And you're 100% correct they have been a big plus in this team. But it took them time to start to be that impact. And They also drafted guys that didn't work out Justin Medlock anyone
Pioli Berry,Houston (had a pretty good rookie year last year), Mccluster,Moaki (got hurt last year but was a huge redzone target in his rookie year) Tyson Jackson Yes I will name him He might not have lead the NFL in the stats that everyone looks at but he was amoung the tops in the league in other key spots. (they wouldn't keep stats on those things if they didn't matter) Allen Bailey started coming on at the end of last year I'm excited about what he can do this next year. Ryan Succop (with the LAST PICK OF THE DRAFT) Rodney Hudson Young o line player who did well. Give credit where Credit is due.
There is no way you can look at this team objectively and say it hasn't gotten better since Pioli took over.
I love a spirited debate, but, as far as Cassel goes, this discussion has been beaten to death! MMO is never going to convince Cassel supporters that he can't be a good QB with the right talent around him. These are new circumstances and we won't really know how good Matt will be until the season starts. And nobody is going to convince Cassel detractors that he is a good QB until he proves it on the field (again).
I guess there is no harm in arguing the same points over and over and over again. I just don't see this argument going anywhere. But carry on if you like ...
***Official Chiefs Crowd Game Thread Starter***
This space is reserved for something that has nothing whatsoever to do with MatthewsChiefs. (Whoever THAT is!)
I understand sometimes Herm had spots where he didnt draft well. But my whole argument is this, the players that herm drafted as of now have shined far more than pioli's players. Hali>Jackson Charles>Mccluster Bowe>Baldwin etc.. Pioli hasn't drafted that well. He waited 4 seasons to finally upgrade at tackle.
A huge reach on Jackson, trades second round pick for matt cassel, you know how i feel about him, 3rd round pick Magee is cut. I still do not understand the Mccluster pick, why would you draft him second? I believe it was to bring him in and use him as a slot WR which did not work out. Now he was stuck behind charles and jones, when charles got hurt he got to play. Then you have baldwin who is an absolute basket case and up until this offseason we have not done a good job in the FA market.
I dont want to argue about pioli's management because we have done so about 10 million times. I just think if pioli inherited the draft that Herm did he would be in big trouble. He is lucky herm drafted so well
Herm's players have had more time to adjust to the NFL game. It wasn't instant for them either. After they traded Jarad allen there were Many chiefs fans saying that Hali was nothing without Allen. Now Hali is one of the best in the NFL. Muccluster had over 800 yards between rushing and reciveing last year. THAT'S WHY HE WAS PICKED. You really need to get over "he was drafted to be a slot WR" WHO CARES He has been a plus to the offense. He was the 2nd best part of it behind Bowe. HE'S HELPING THIS TEAM that's what matters. Baldwin was A ROOKIE again Peyton manning HORRIBLE rookie season so there gm was wrong for drafting him? All draft picks are not instant that's just the fact of how the nfl works
Herm's players have had more time to adjust to the NFL game. It wasn't instant for them either. After they traded Jarad allen there were Many chiefs fans saying that Hali was nothing without Allen. Now Hali is one of the best in the NFL. Muccluster had over 800 yards between rushing and reciveing last year. THAT'S WHY HE WAS PICKED. You really need to get over "he was drafted to be a slot WR" WHO CARES He has been a plus to the offense. He was the 2nd best part of it behind Bowe. HE'S HELPING THIS TEAM that's what matters. Baldwin was A ROOKIE again Peyton manning HORRIBLE rookie season so there gm was wrong for drafting him? All draft picks are not instant that's just the fact of how the nfl works
So you're saying McBuster is a Reggie Bush/Darren Sproles light? He couldn't even hold their jock strap. McBuster finally got a chance to play and didn't really do much of anything, though his supporters will say he was super.
McBuster is kind of like Greg Hill. Hyped up speed, used a lot in rushing and receiving, did nothing in the end. | {
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"Lamma a wonderful and beautiful island, each week 1,000's of tourists come to see the beauty and scenery here.However after living here for awhile we tend to walk around without noticing the small things.Here is a test for you all.How well do you know Lamma???Who can name where these 12 wonderful "tourist attraction photos" were taken??STOP TAKE A LOOK AROUND!!WHAT DO YOU SEE IN YOUR OWN LAMMA COMMUNITY??WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOWhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/GreatLammaCleanUp/ — with Jo Wilson and Roz Keep."
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Global Warming
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Global Warming Effects and Causes
Global Warming is the generalised term used to describe the incremental rise in the average global temperatures above those temperatures predicted from the patterns of data collected over the past years. The affect of global warming has a significant impact on everything from unpredictable weather patterns and cycles, to the rapid melting of the polar ice caps and as such global warming is disturbing the natural ecosystem of the Earth.
Almost all scientists agree that the Earth’s greatest threat and major contributor to global warming is an increased concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other types of upper atmospheric pollutants as a direct result of burning fossil fuels. It is also agreed that the use of renewable energy sources (including solar, wind and biomass) as an energy resource, is not only cleaner and greener for the planet with regards to most fossil fuel pollutants, but its continuous use represents a closed-loop and balanced carbon cycle with regards to the reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Effects of Global Warming
Whether you believe in it or not, the main effects of global warming is that the Earth is getting warmer every day as the average temperature of the planet slowly increases. We have all seen on the TV and news channels the melting of the polar ice caps and regions as the temperature rises by about one degree Fahrenheit each year. This total or partial melting of the polar ice caps deposits enormous masses of liquid water directly into the sea increasing sea levels around the globe.
Normally, snow and ice reflect most of the incident sunlight from its surface. The polar ice caps being covered in snow and ice can therefore reflect a very high percentage of the incident solar radiation that falls on its surface.
However, the reduction in the size or even their disappearance will had to the increase in the planets average global absorptivity, thus accelerating the rate of climate change as a result of global warming which in future could reach to dangerous levels.
Another effect of global warming is climate change. The greenhouse effect threatens to change the entire global climate due to a rise in the average global and regional temperatures, with some regional increases more significant than others. This will of course have an unwelcoming effect on agricultural and economic activities around the world which depend on a constant climate, predictable summer and winter seasons and healthy amount of rainfall throughout the year.
Then any changes in regional climates along with rises in sea level, of any magnitude will inevitably disrupt if not destroy the entire economic life of the planet. So we can see that global warming could result in the permanent displacement of millions of peoples. While we recognise that global warming and climate change are real, in most parts by human activities, we also recognize that there is still a need to reduce the amount of harmful emission of greenhouse gases in order to prevent the worst impacts on our planet.
Global Warming Effects on the Planet
However, not all the effects of global warming and climate change are a result of man’s activities. It may seem obvious that burning fossil fuels is driving global warming, or at very least, making global warming more worse than it would otherwise be. But recent climatology studies have shown that the sun undergoes an 11-year sunspot cycle which can have a definitive effect upon the global climate.
Variations in solar flares and sunspot activity also has a significant affect the Earth’s average temperature. As we have seen throughout this Alternative Energy Tutorials website, the sun is the planets ultimate source of energy and heat. The energy of the sun, which is converted into electricity and heat by photovoltaics, solar panels and wind turbines, is the most significant factor controlling the Earth’s climate.
Global Warming as a Result of Greenhouse Gases
Global temperatures depend heavily on the balance between solar radiation absorbed and the infra-red radiation released by the Earth. The atmosphere around the Earth has the capacity to entrap any infra-red radiation coming directly from the Sun to the Earth keeping the global temperatures at the required level necessary for the survival of life here on the Earth.
But human development and activities has increased the amount of harmful gases within the atmosphere to disturbing levels that nowadays the so called “greenhouse effect” is disturbing the balance of our planet as the atmosphere is prevented from reflecting most of the sun’s radiation back into space, thereby raising the surface temperature of the Earth.
The concerns of global warming from greenhouse gas emissions have intensified further the issues from the environmental impact of fuel consumption. The combustion of fossil fuels generates large amounts of carbon dioxide or methane due in part to the oxidation reaction between hydrocarbons and carbonaceous materials and are added to the Earth’s atmosphere. Carbon dioxide, CO2 is the major greenhouse gas and therefore its emissions need to be significantly reduced.
Therefore, new developments in biofuels and bioenergy, as well as electric vehicles has reduced substantially the harmful exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, and particulate emissions from diesel engines. Renewable energy sources and bio-fuels are certainly very promising due to their long-term sustainability and unlike fossil-based fuels, alternative and renewables are cleaner for the environment.
The development of alternative energy technologies is set to play a major role in addressing the ever growing concerns over fossil fuel carbon emissions, climate change and global warming, and also the future availability and security of a sustainable energy supply. The main advantages of using alternative and renewable energy sources are:
1. Sustainability – Fossil fuels are not sustainable with the current global energy supply and demand.
Global Warming Summary
We have seen here that global warming and climate change create variations in the Earth’s atmosphere in which the average temperature of the Earth rises, melting ice caps, raising sea levels and has a negative effects of human activity. While the Earth’s weather may appear to be unpredictable and constantly changing, from a climatic point of view, the Earth’s weather patterns with regards to average temperature, days of sunlight, amount of rainfall, etc. are relatively stable and predictable throughout the year.
However, the constant burning of petroleum oil, natural gas, coal and other such non-renewable sources produces large amounts of toxic smoke which pollutes the atmosphere and air we breath resulting in the unwanted effects of global warming. One of these effects is the production of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gas is a gas, such as carbon dioxide or methane, that is added to the Earth’s atmosphere by human actions. These gases trap heat and contribute to global warming.
Renewable energies can be used instead of traditional fossil fuels to heat our homes, fuel our cars and produce electricity. Replacing fossil fuels with cleaner and greener alternative energy sources will reduce the quantity of pollutants within the atmosphere which can cause acid rain and contribute further to global warming.
The Kyoto Protocol, which is an agreement reached by many nations around the world, both developed and developing, for a reduction in the use and burning of fossil fuels intended to reduce the growth of CO2 global greenhouse gas emissions in order to slow or prevent global warming.
The Kyoto agreement includes a reduction of energy consumption per capita, substitution of coal with renewable energy sources, Reforestation to naturally remove some of the CO2 from the atmosphere, and an increased use of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydro and geothermal energy, and not just for the production of electricity.
The impacts of global warming and climate change are not just confined to the effects of the planet. climate change also has an effect on human health. Cities are not only the main driver of climate change, they also bear the effects of global warming. Temperature rises in cities whether owing to natural or man-made causes, results in an increase in human causalities owing to dehydration and heat stroke. People with heart problems become more vulnerable in hot weather as they are unable to maintain and regulate normal body temperature.
To understand better the effects of global warming, or to get a better understanding of the various renewable energy resources available for your home to help reduce the effects of global warming, or just to explore the theories behind global warming, then Click Here to get your book about climate change today.
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2 Comments » for Global Warming
If you could put an article explaining how anyone at home could generate electricity for simple needs using solar panels, it’d be very useful. I mean , the type of solar panel, inverters, batteries etc and procedure for setting them up. If you already have it, please email it to me. | {
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Just puts to shame some of the panzies that complains about the "hardship" of scouting through the years. If someone with disabilities aspires to be more involved, I don't see why able-bodied scouts should walk towards the other direction.
Disability no barrier for this brave scout
JITRA: After having been an active member of the scout movement at home and winning honours, Bukhori Ali, 18, has now set his sights on the World Scout Jamboree in London starting on July 27.
Bukhori, who was born with deformed hands and legs, is worried that he may not be able to make it as his father, who works as a farmer, cannot afford to finance his trip.
The Form Six student, who has been active in the scout movement since his primary school days, said he hoped to get a sponsor to enable him to join the jamboree as his father, Ali Salleh, 50, only earns about RM400 a month. | {
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our Cross
On my way to the office this morning, I was listening to a tape on fulfilling your destiny. Theoretically, we all want to do that. I say theoretically because sometimes the cost to fulfill our destiny is sometimes greater than we are willing to pay. The speaker went on to talk about the cross that we are called to carry. Jesus had a cross to carry! It was cut for Him and Him alone. No one else could have bore that cross for it to have the effect on humanity that it did if He carried it. The writer of Hebrews says it this way when he encourages us to run with endurance the race set before each of us Heb 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. NLT
Jesus was able to go through all that He went through because He could see beyond it. He carried the cross that was cut for Him because it was His to carry. Jesus tells us in Matt 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. NLT
We all have a cross to carry or another way to say it, a destiny to fulfill. Funny thing about crosses is that everyone else’s looks easier than mine. Or nicer than mine. Mine always looks more splintery, a little more rugged, or difficult. If I had the abilities the other person has, it would be a whole lot easier. Or so our thoughts go. But the truth is that the Lord has a cross, a destiny for each of us. And the pathway to get there is one that takes us down paths that sometimes we don’t want to go but are necessary to get us to our destination. This is only possible when His will becomes our will.
What is your cross? I don’t know. Jesus needs to tell you that. But I can encourage you to embrace it and when you do, you will fulfill your destiny. It will not be a theoretical decision as much as a practical one with application. | {
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We’re a sociable team. We are approachable perfectionists. Designers. Strategists. So we like to get out and about to see our clients – we’re more than happy to sit down and discuss a project over coffee or a bite to eat. If you’d like to meet up, talk through a project or find out more, feel free to get in touch below.
The best designs deserve the best design partners.
DENVER OFFICE
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Denver, CO 80204
(303)573-0059
BASALT OFFICE
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Unit 9
Basalt, CO 81621
(970)-927-5133
New business enquiries
When it comes to working collaboratively on projects and building new relationships, we find that being approachable is just as important as being creative. If you’re interested in talking to us about a new project or want to find out more about our firm and what we can do for your business, please contact Elise at 970.984.4494 or email [email protected].
JOIN THE TEAM
We’re always on the look out for talented designers to join the team or to collaborate with on projects. So whether you’re looking for full-time employment, freelance opportunities or even just an internship, please email your portfolio in PDF format with a short covering note to [email protected]. Please keep PDF attachments under 10MB. | {
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} |
Eagles — The Girl From Yesterday lyrics
It wasn't reall sad the way they said good-bye
Or maybe it just hurt so bad she couldn't cry
He packed his things, walked out the door and drove away
And she became the girl from yesterday
He took a plane across the sea
To some foreign land
She stayed at home and tried to understand
How someone who had been so close could be so far away
And she became the girl from yesterday
She doesn't know what's right
She doesn't know what's wrong
She only knows the pain that comes from waiting for so long
And she doesn't count the teardrops
That she's cried while he's away
Because she knows deep in her heart
That he'll be back someday
The light's on in the window; she's waiting by the phone
Talking to a memory that's never coming home
She dreams of his returning and the things that he might say
But she'll always be the girl from yesterday
Yeh, she'll always be the girl from yesterday[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsty.com/eagles-the-girl-from-yesterday-lyrics.html ] | {
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Meguiars Ultra Polish Kit with 5.5 Inch Pads
Item #:
MG-1500
Regular Price:
$99.99
Availability:
Usually ships the same business day
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Product Description
Meguiars Ultra Polish Kit with 5.5 Inch Pads
2 Cobra Microfiber Detailing Cloths, 16 x 16 inches
These versatile microfiber towels are great for any variety of detailing tasks, from general washing and scrubbing off road contaminants, to applying and buffing off wax and all-in-one protectants. All the Cobra Detailing Cloths boast an 80/20 polyester/polyamide blend in a special “feather” weave that increases their absorption properties, guaranteeing high performance and durability.
3 CCS Orange Light Cutting 5.5 inch Foam Pads
The orange pad is made of firm, high density foam for scratch and defect removal. Use this pad with polishes and swirl removers. It’s an all around pad that will work on most light to moderate imperfections. The orange 5.5 inch pads are recommended for a dual action polisher with a 5 inch backing plate.
2 CCS Gray Finishing 5.5 Inch Foam Pads
Composition is firm enough to withstand added pressure during final finishing to remove buffer swirls. It has no cut and will apply thin, even coats of waxes, sealants, and glazes.
Use Meguiars Mirror Glaze #105 Ultra-Cut Compound first. Work at a maximum speed of 5-6 with a dual action polisher with an included light cutting pad. Work until the compound starts to dry. Wipe off the residue with a clean Cobra Microfiber Detailing Cloth. Follow up with Meguiars Mirror Glaze #205. Using a dual action polisher and a gray finishing pad, work at a speed of 4 or 5. Work in a 2 x 2 sq. ft. area and wipe off polish immediately after polishing using a clean Cobra Microfiber Detailing Cloth.
The Meguiars Ultra Polish Kit with 5.5 Inch Pads works with any dual action polisher equipped with a 5 inch hook and loop backing plate.
Compact foam pads and Meguiar's micro abrasive polishes maximize the performance of your DA polisher to get smooth, swirl-free paint without the need for a rotary buffer. Meguiars Ultra Polish Kit with 5.5 Inch Pads gives you professional results. | {
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} |
Columbia family starts own two-wheeled fruit vending business
Combining the need for healthy snacks with their family's love of bicycles and the outdoors, the Bards of Columbia created the "fruit bicycle," a bike that transports fresh, organic fruit around Columbia's open spaces and pathways. (Photos by Nicole Munchel)
For years, the Bard family has biked everywhere from libraries and farmer's markets to friends' homes and downtown Columbia events.
Luda, Aaron and their children — Ammi, 3, Ari, 7, and Ellie, 9 — love traveling via bike, but the snacks available at most venues they bike to are limited, especially when two of their three children have food allergies, Luda Bard said. So they bring their own healthy food along for the ride.
"At the summer concerts at the [Columbia] lakefront, the only food there was the ice cream truck," she said. "Unless you bring your own food, there's nothing else to eat."
So last summer, when a fellow concert-goer jokingly asked if the Bards brought enough apples for everyone, Luda and Aaron thought, "Why not?"
Combining the need for healthy snacks with their family's love of bicycles and the outdoors, the Bards created the "Fruit Bicycle," a bike that transports fresh, organic fruit around Columbia's open spaces and pathways.
"It's really a project to get kids excited about being outside," Bard said. "And it represents a lot of ideas that Columbia Association has. Promotion of a healthy lifestyle and promotion of healthy food."
The Bards launched the Fruit Bicycle in March after receiving a state trader's license, a state sales and use tax license, a county peddler's license and a Columbia Association open space license agreement.
Daniel D'Amore, Columbia Association's division director of open space management, said the concept is a new one for Columbia.
"It was a surprise because I don't think we've had that kind of request before," he said.
Licenses to use open space typically range from families wanting to host birthday celebrations on Columbia Association property to vendors participating at events like the Fourth of July celebration near Lake Kittamaqundi, D'Amore said.
Aaron Bard, a mechanical engineer at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Harford County, designed and built the four-compartment box, which is mounted to the back of a steel, Xtracycle cargo bike. Before any Fruit Bicycle outing, the Bards stock the box with organic fruit from places like Breezy Willow Farm in West Friendship, Trader Joe's and MOM's Organic Market.
While their kids help when they can, it is usually Aaron and Luda Bard who pedal the bike — and peddle the goods.
"People at first are afraid," said Luda Bard, who is also an associate professor of biological sciences at Howard Community College. "I guess they're afraid of the unknown. But once they try the fruit, we have a lot of repeat customers."
Customers like Josh Harbaugh, 4, of Columbia, who approached the Fruit Bicycle during a hike last month with Columbia Families in Nature, a group that organizes family nature outings around Howard County.
"So Josh, what would you like?" Luda Bard asked. "Would you like another red apple today?"
"Yes," Josh replied, handing over two, $1 bills.
In less than two minutes, he ate the apple down to its core.
"I think it's a great thing, especially the way they're doing it as a family affair," said Sean Harbaugh, Josh's dad, who joined Josh and his 6-year-old daughter, Katy, on the outing.
Katy bought a pear, her favorite fruit. Without the Fruit Bicycle, she would have been hungry, she said.
"If people want a snack, they can ask the fruit bike," Katy said.
When Luda Bard and her husband came up with the concept, she said she envisioned children running up to the Fruit Bicycle, just as Josh and Katy did during the Columbia Families in Nature outing.
"It's all about community-building," she said. "And a bicycle is better than a fruit basket."
While it may be popular with the kids, the Fruit Bicycle has yet to make money off fruit sales.
"It will certainly take a long time to make enough on fruit to offset the cost of building the Fruit Bicycle, as well as the licensing feeds," Luda Bard said.
T-shirt sales and bike bell sales may eventually help, she said. Still, the Bards still hope their idea will be profitable – even if it takes a few years.
"It is only then that we can achieve our goal of others following suit," she said. "Our dream is to one day be out on the Fruit Bicycle and encounter other healthy food and green businesses."
This spring and summer, the Fruit Bicycle can be found around the downtown Columbia lakefront and along Columbia's pathways. For more information about its schedule, go to fruitbicycle.com. | {
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24/01/14 -- Soycomplex: Beans closed around 6-7 cents higher and meal posted an impressive $7 advance in the nears, although both still finished lower for the week. Recent Argentine rains are said to have produced highly variable totals, with some areas in northern Buenos Aires receiving up to 36.7 mm, while others missed out almost entirely. The Argentine Ministry left their estimate for plantings unchanged at 20.8 million hectares, only a fairly modest 4% rise on last year. They say that 92% of the crop was planted as of Jan 16. They haven't released a production forecast yet. Safras e Mercado estimated the Brazilian soybean crop at a record 91.8 MMT, up 12% on last year, an up from their Decemeber forecast of 90.9 MMT. Weekly US export sales for beans of 703,400 MT for 2013/14 were similar to the previous week. China (295,700 MT, including 60,000 MT switched from unknown) was the biggest buyer. New crop sales were particularly impressive coming in at 969,800 MT and were mostly for China (854,500 MT) and unknown destinations (120,000 MT). Weekly soybean shipments were nearly 1.6 MMT. Net soybean commitments are now 104% of the USDA forecast for the season, with 69% of that total already sailed. Meal sales of 241,400 MT were also strong, as were weekly shipments of 398,600 MT which were more than 50% up on the previous 4-week average. This robust demand for meal means that there's far too much oil about. Mar 14 soybean oil closed at a new lowest level for a front month since July 2010. Mar 14 Soybeans closed at $12.84 3/4, up 7 3/4 cents; May 14 Soybeans closed at $12.70, up 7 1/2 cents; Mar 14 Soybean Meal closed at $425.70, up $7.00; Mar 14 Soybean Oil closed at 37.54, down 32 points.
Corn: The corn market closed with marginal gains. The Argentine Ministry estimated the 2013/14 corn planted area at 5.7 million hectares, unchanged on previously but down 6.5% on last year. Of this area almost 1 million will go for feed, they said. They estimated that 34% of the crop was flowering and 13% at the grain filling stage as at Jan 16. Corn that was flowering in late December and early January will suffer yield losses due to the prevailing adverse weather conditions at the time, they added. In Argentina, the hot and dry spell earlier this month and last means that corn damage potential is far worse than for soybeans. Extreme heat has “punished” corn that was in the first grain filling stage, said Martell Crop Projections. The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange said that Argentine corn planting was 90% complete, up 4 points from a week previously. Weekly US export sale for corn came in at 693,000 MT for 2013/14 and included 75,900 MT to China. Weekly shipments of 799,100 MT didn't include sight of China. In addition, the USDA reported sales of 150,000 MT of US corn to Spain, 120,000 MT to Egypt and 100,000 MT to Japan under the daily reporting system - all for 20013/14. In addition, Israeli buyers were reported to have booked 90 TMT of optional origin corn for Apr/May shipment. Algeria are reported to have bought 20 TMT of corn from Ukraine. Russia was said by SovEcon to have exported 700 TMT of corn in December, including a first ever consignment to Japan. There's now talk that the dispute with China over the MIR 162 Syngenta corn variety is unlikely to be resolved until at least the end of March, and possibly may drag on longer than that. Mar 14 Corn closed at $4.29 1/2, up 1/2 cent; May 14 Corn closed at $4.36, up 3/4 cent. For the week as a whole Mar 14 corn added 5 1/2 cents.
Wheat: The wheat market closed around 4-5 cents lower across the three exchanges. Recent snowfalls in Russia and Ukraine may mean that the winter wheat crop there has "got out of jail" just in the nick of time. There's still talk of winterkill potential in the US next week though when the next deep freeze hits. Parts of Nebraska and Missouri and much of Kansas don't have snow cover. In addition, southern Illinois and Indiana also have areas that could be at risk. The trade will be hoping that US wheat gets a look in in the Saudi tender, the results of which should be announced early next week. Libya was reported to have bought Black Sea origin wheat. US weekly export sales for wheat came in at 421,400 MT for delivery during the 2013/14 marketing year, plus 8,000 MT for 2014/15. Brazil (112,500 MT, including 25,000 MT switched from unknown destinations) was the largest buyer. Shipments of 420,700 MT included Nigeria (78,600 MT), China (61,800 MT), Indonesia (57,800 MT), Japan (41,100 MT) and Mexico (37,900 MT). Those were pretty so-so results as US wheat continues to fight with Canadian, Australian, European, FSU and even Indian origin material for business. The latter are tendering again to sell 120 TMT of wheat and appear confident of a record 2014 wheat harvest which is now only a couple of months away. The US wheat harvest itself will begin in May and so the whole northern hemisphere wheat merry go round begins again. Wheat carry over stocks at the end of 2013/14 will be 5.4% higher heading into the new season, according to the USDA. The world will also be sitting on more than 20% more corn going into 2014/15 than it began this season with. Mar 14 CBOT Wheat closed at $5.65 1/4, down 4 3/4 cents; Mar 14 KCBT Wheat closed at $6.27 1/4, down 5 cents; Mar 14 MGEX Wheat closed at $6.13, down 4 1/4 cents.
For the week, Mar 14 London wheat was GBP2.15/tonne lower, with Nov 14 down GBP0.80/tonne. Mar 14 Paris wheat was EUR1.00/tonne higher on the week, with Mar 14 corn up EUR0.25/tonne and Feb 14 rapeseed EUR2.50/tonne weaker.
International demand for wheat is good, with low world prices attracting volume buying interest from the likes of Egypt, Iraq, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and China this past week. Competition for those orders is also strong however.
As well as the US, there's Canada and Australia for EU wheat to contend with. Meanwhile Russia and Ukraine seem to keep squeezing the odd extra cargo out every now and again.
On top of that of course there's also India, who are tendering to sell another 120 TMT of wheat again this week. They re-iterated their claim that they could harvest a record 100 MMT of wheat this year, which could keep them in the international export market throughout 2014/15.
Whilst EU exports remain strong in the face of all this competition, with Brussels granting 819 TMT of soft wheat export licences this week, don't forget that there's also lots of cheap foreign corn coming in through the out door, and in close to identical volumes.
The last four week's worth of EU soft wheat export licences have totalled 2.63 MMT versus 2.35 MMT of corn imports being authorised.
Including durum and wheat flour exports, the EU has so far granted export licences for a total volume of 17.5 MMT of "all wheat" this season, that's 67.4% of the USDA's forecast for 2013/14. At the same time import licences for 74.4% of the USDA's estimate for EU 2013/14 corn imports have also been issued.
In other news, SovEcon said that Russia had exported 2.4 MMT of grains in December, mainly 1.5 MMT of wheat and 700 TMT of corn - the latter included a first ever shipment of Russian corn to Japan. January exports will fall to around 1.0-1.3 MMT of grains, including 500-600 TMT of wheat, they estimate.
Excessive wetness remains an issue on parts of the UK, northern and south eastern France and Spain, and parts of Italy.
Things are looking up in Ukraine and Russia though after an unseasonably warm and dry December. "Strong waves of rain and snow showers have ended a long drought in Ukraine and southern Russia, thereby improving the outlook for winter wheat. At least one inch of moisture, but up to 2 inches, has developed in Odessa, a key wheat area in southern Ukraine. Krasnodar and Stravropol, top winter wheat districts in southern Russia, have received almost a month’s worth of precipitation from recurring showers the past 10-14 days," said Martell Crop Projections.
23/01/14 -- Soycomplex: Beans closed a little lower, pressured by the jungle drums beating louder with regards to Chinese cancellations/switching US soybean purchases to Brazil. The USDA may shed some light on these rumours with tomorrow's weekly export sales report. For soybeans, that is expected to reveal sales of around 400-600 TMT. Remember that existing commitments are already in excess of 100% of the USDA's forecast for the season, so net sales of any magnitude would only tighten old crop availability even further. Strong domestic demand for meal is also supporting beans, although another rumour doing the rounds today is that Argentine meal is being shipped to the southeast US. Reuters carried a report that Argentine farmers are still holding 8.4 MMT of 2012/13 soybeans versus around 1.6 MMT a year ago as hedge against inflation and the falling peso. MDA CropCast cut their forecast for the Argentine soybean crop by 1.66 MMT from last week to 55.12 MMT (the USDA are currently at 54.5 MMT). They left Brazil unchanged at 90.48 MMT versus the USDA's 89 MMT. Suddenly much wetter Argentine weather is finally seen as helping newly planted beans. Yet another rumour going around is of China rejecting Brazilian soybean oil for not meeting it’s standards. Mar 14 Soybeans closed at $12.77, down 2 1/2 cents; May 14 Soybeans closed at $12.62 1/2, down 2 1/2 cents; Mar 14 Soybean Meal closed at $418.70, down $0.70; Mar 14 Soybean Oil closed at 37.86, up 2 points.
Corn: The corn market closed around 2 to 3 cents higher. Taiwan cancelled a tender for 60 TMT of US corn for April shipment. MDA CropCast cut their Argentine corn production estimate 170 TMT from last week to 23.92 MMT (the USDA are at 25 MMT). They more than compensated for that by raising their Brazilian corn crop estimate by 1.47 MMT from last week to 73.27 MMT (the USDA say 70 MMT). That hike came from "continued favourable conditions in most areas" they said. The Energy Dept reported weekly US ethanol production of 905,000 barrels/day, up sharply from 868,000 bpd last week, although it would seem that those figures were skewed to the low side due to the hard freeze of that week restricting movement of corn. Despite an improved weather outlook for Argentina, some think that the damage may have already been done - particularly for corn. "Rainfall has increased this week in Argentina with scattered strong thunderstorms, but crop damage was incurred from heat and drought previously. Two heat waves, one in December and another this month, have stressed corn and soybeans. Late-planted crops with shallow roots were most damaged by temperatures above 95 F and reduced rainfall," said Martell Crop Projections. Trade estimates for tomorrow's weekly export sales report for corn are all over the place, anywhere from 250-900 TMT I have seen. I'll go for around 500 TMT. Mar 14 Corn closed at $4.29, up 2 3/4 cents; May 14 Corn closed at $4.35 1/4, up 2 1/4 cents.
Wheat: The wheat market put in some decent gains for once, on strong world demand. Saudi Arabia tendered for 660 TMT of a hard/soft wheat mixture for April/June shipment. Ethiopia seeks 70 TMT of optional origin milling wheat. Iraq bought 350 TMT of wheat, including a rare US cargo. Japan bought 99,052 US wheat for Feb/March shipment. China supposedly bought 150-200 TMT of Australian wheat and is said to be looking to the US for more. Taiwan bought 73,400 MT of US milling wheat. Talk is that another Arctic air blast for early next week could bring threatening cold weather to parts of southeastern Kansas and northwestern Missouri which do not have snow cover. Nebraska winter wheat could also be at risk. There are also growing drought concerns for wheat on the US central and southern plains. Movement of Canada's record 2013/14 wheat crop is being restricted by logistical problems, which aren't being helped by the freezing weather. They've got the wheat to sell, but they're struggling to physically get it to market. There's also talk of a sudden sharp drop in temperatures potentially putting unprotected crops at risk in Europe and the FSU. Trade estimates for tomorrow's weekly export sales report are around 300-600 TMT. Mar 14 CBOT Wheat closed at $5.70, up 8 3/4 cents; Mar 14 KCBT Wheat closed at $6.32 1/4, up 7 1/2 cents; Mar 14 MGEX Wheat closed at $6.17 1/4, up 1/2 cent.
Jan 14 London wheat went off the board with a whimper, unchanged and untraded at GBP150.50/tonne, whilst new crop Nov 14 was also flat at GBP143.75/tonne. Other months were up to GBP0.50/tonne higher. Mar 14 Paris wheat rose EUR0.75/tonne to EUR193.75/tonne, Mar 14 Paris corn was up EUR1.25/tonne at EUR173.75/tonne and Feb 14 Paris rapeseed was EUR1.50/tonne higher at EUR358.50/tonne.
Very strong demand for wheat is coming to the fore with prices at, or near, multi-year lows.
Algeria bought around 500 TMT of wheat yesterday, Egypt has already been a big volume buyer this month, and Saudi Arabia today entered the fray, with it's first public wheat tender since early November.
They are in the market for 660 TMT, comprising 550 TMT of hard wheat and 110 TMT of soft wheat for April/June shipment.
Iraq bought 350 TMT of hard wheat from Australia, Canada and the US yesterday too. Meanwhile China are said to be actively shopping for around 200 TMT of Australian and/or US wheat.
Brussels announced that they'd issued 819 TMT of soft wheat export licences this past week - the second largest weekly total of the season so far. That takes the total volume granted for export so far in 2013/14 to an impressive 16.7 MMT. That's almost 6 MMT, or more than 50%, ahead of where we were a year ago at this time.
The USDA's current forecast for the season is for the EU-28 to export only 15% more wheat in 2013/14 than in 2012/13.
Persistent wetness remains an issue in some parts of the UK, France and Italy. There's also some talk of winterkill potential in Russia and Ukraine as well as the US.
Whilst it's probably unlikely that losses will be serious, there's maybe enough uncertainty to encourage a bit of short-covering.
22/01/14 -- Soycomplex: Beans closed narrowly mixed. Those hoping for a holiday delayed "Turnaround Tuesday" on a Wednesday were ultimatey disappointed, although the overnight market traded positive for much of the day. Good rains in Argentina, along with an outlook for somewhat cooler temperatures, and generally near ideal weather in Brazil - where the harvest is now under way - capped gains. "The window to really hurt the Brazilian soybean crop is beginning to close which sets the stage for a record amount of soybeans hitting the market," said one commentator. There's also a loud undercurrent of rumour of Chinese cancellations of US soybean purchases, although nothing has been confirmed yet. Monday's MLK Day holiday means that we won't get to see the USDA's regular weekly export sales data until Friday. Cancellations are needed, with US sales commitments already 102% of the USDA's target for the season. Mar 14 Soybeans closed at $12.79 1/2, down 1 cent; May 14 Soybeans closed at $12.65, up 1 cent; Mar 14 Soybean Meal closed at $419.40, up $2.90; Mar 14 Soybean Oil closed at 37.84, down 26 points.
Corn: The corn market managed modest gains, closing around the middle of a relatively narrow daily trading range. Improved South American weather limits upside. Various analysts see Brazil's corn crop 5-6 MT higher than the USDA's 70 MMT. The results of Israel's tender for 90,000 MT of corn for April/May shipment are expected tomorrow. Also out tomorrow will be the weekly ethanol grind from the US Energy Dept. Last week's production fell sharply to 868,000 barrels/day, although this may have been down to logistical difficulties in moving physical corn due to the Polar Vortex deep freeze that hit the US. The trade will be looking for this week's production to be closer to 900,000 bpd. Weekly export sales are delayed until Friday. Current commitments on corn are 80% of the USDA's target for the season versus last year’s figure of 73% and the 5-year average of 58%. South Korea bought 60,000 MT of US corn in a tender. There's been no progress made in resolving the MIR 162 corn dispute with China it would seem. Chinese markets are closed Jan 31st – Feb 3rd for the Lunar New Year holiday. Their markets re-open Feb 4th. Mar 14 Corn closed at $4.26 1/4, up 1 1/4 cents; May 14 Corn closed at $4.33, up 3/4 cent.
Wheat: The wheat market ended mixed, a cent lower to 3 cents higher. China are seen stepping up their wheat purchases with prices at 3 1/2 year lows. They are said to be actively seeking Australian and/or US wheat for April shipment. China imported almost 50% more wheat in 2013 than it did a year previously. "Another big Chinese/US export program starting into the spring and extending into harvest could favour the bull camp given the recent planting intentions report that showed a decline in acres from last year," said one market observer. China sold 239,834 MT of wheat (56.43% of the total offered) at today’s government auction. The Xinhua news agency said that China will continue their stockpiling policy in 2014 for wheat, rice, sugar, and rapeseed. Stockpiling of soybeans and cotton will cease and be replaced by direct susidies. The Canadian Stats Office said that they'd exported 1.428 MMT of wheat (excluding durum) in November 2013, up 53% versus the same month a year previously. That takes exports for Aug/Nov to 5.716 MMT, up 27% on a year previously. The top home was the US, taking 1.125 MMT, followed by Mexico (524 TMT), Indonesia (492 TMT), Japan (393 TMT), Brazil (289 TMT), Italy (275 TMT) and Morocco (256 TMT). Mar 14 CBOT Wheat closed at $5.61 1/4, down 1 cent; Mar 14 KCBT Wheat closed at $6.24 3/4, up 3 1/2 cents; Mar 14 MGEX Wheat closed at $6.16 3/4, up 3 cents.
Jan 14 London wheat goes off the board tomorrow, putting Mar 14 as the front month. The pound hit $1.6565 against the dollar today. That's close to it's best levels since August 2011, which didn't help London wheat's cause too much - particularly on new crop.
That won't improve 204/15 export prospects, whilst at the same time it will make corn imports even cheaper.
French wheat got support from strong export demand. Algeria bought around 500,000 MT of optional origin willing wheat for April/May shipment, priced circa $285-288 C&F, with France being the most likely origin.
Ukraine is expecting temperatures to dip to -10 to -15 C across the next few days, but recent snowfalls may help minimise damage to winter wheat.
Having only managed to buy 5,400 MT of grains at yesterday's intervention purchase - the lowest volume of the season so far - the Russian government fared little better today, picking up just 7,965 MT. That takes the total bought so far to only 557,415 MT which is way below their original intentions.
This would seem to indicate that domestic supplies are tightening. Russia exported 16.36 MMT of grains in the first half of 2013/14, this will fall to around 6 MMT in the second half of the season (Jan/Jun), said Rusagrotrans.
They said that Russia had exported 12.56 MMT of wheat, 1.93 MMT of barley and 1.68 MMT of corn in Jul/Dec. They project wheat exports for the remainder of the season at 3.4-3.9 MMT, with barley exports at 0.57 MMT and corn exports at 1.3-1.8 MMT. That would give full season totals of 16.0-16.5 MMT for wheat, 2.5 MMT for barley and 3.0-3.5 MMT for corn.
Russia will export 1.0-1.1 MMT of grains this month, down from 1.39 MMT in December, they added.
Hungary confirmed that they'd harvested 13.5 MMT of grains in 2013, a 30% increase on the previous year. That included 6.7 MMT of corn, up 41%, and 5 MMT of wheat, up 25%.
UkrAgroConsult estimated the Kazakh 2013 wheat crop at 14.5 MMT in clean weight, up from a previous forecast of 14.2 MMT and the 2012 harvest of 9.8 MMT.
They forecast Kazakh wheat exports at 7.2 MMT in 2013/14, versus 5.5 MMT a year ago. Ending stocks will rise to 4.2 MMT from 3.4 MMT, they added.
Euronext announced that they will launch rapeseed meal and oil futures contracts sometime later this year. They said that the volume traded in the Paris-based rapeseed contract last year was the equivalent of 93 MMT, which is roughly 150% of global production of the oilseed.
21/01/14 -- Soycomplex: Beans fell hard on weekend rains in Argentina, and the forecast for more to come, along with unconfirmed rumours that China had begun cancelling US soybean purchases and switching them to Brazil. The forecast for Argentina has 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches of rain for 70-80% of the country's growing areas, with temperatures cooling from 95-100 degrees into the mid-80's to low 90's range. AgRural estimated the Brazilian bean crop at 88.8 MMT versus a previous estimate of 89.4 MMT. They said that the Mato Grosso bean harvest is 4% complete versus 3% a year ago. Celeres said that, as of Jan 10, Brazilian growers had 41.7% of their 2013/14 soybean crop sold versus 55.9% a year ago due to less attractive prices. They estimated Brazil’s 2013/14 bean crop at a record 89.9 MMT. Oil World estimated US Sept – Feb bean exports at a record 34.8 MMT versus 31.15 MMT a year ago. They pegged full season US exports at 41.2 MMT. Chinese customs confirm Dec soybean imports at 7.4 MMT, up 25.7% versus Dec 2012. That takes the 2013 calendar year imports to 63.375 MMT, up 8.55% versus 2012. Of that volume 50% came from Brazil, 35% from the US, 10% from Argentina and 3.6% from Uruguay plus smaller volumes from Canada/Russia etc. In volume terms imports from the US were down 14.38% versus 2012, whilst those from Brazil were up 33.14% and those from Argentina were up 3.87%. China also imported 3.663 MMT of rapeseed in 2013 (up 25% versus 2012) with 2.79 MMT (76%) coming from Canada and 855 TMT (23%) from Australia. Funds were estimated to have dumped around 12,000 lots of their soybean length on the day. Weekly export inspections were a respectable 56.591 million bushels, although that's slightly below 59.382 million for the same week last year. Mar 14 Soybeans closed at $12.80 1/2, down 36 cents; May 14 Soybeans closed at $12.64, down 33 1/4 cents; Mar 14 Soybean Meal closed at $416.50, down $18.00; Mar 14 Soybean Oil closed at 38.10, up 36 points.
Corn: The corn market was flat to a cent higher, doing its best to ignore weakness in beans. Safras e Mercado estimated the Brazilian corn crop at 75.6 MMT, down 7.9% on last year. They see summer production at 28.2 MMT, with second crop corn at 47.4 MMT. The USDA currently estimate the Brazilian corn crop at only 70 MMT. Japanese corn usage in animal feed in November was 44.4%, up from 43.6% in October and 42.5% in November 2012. Chinese customs confirmed Dec corn imports at 821 TMT, up 209.2% versus Dec 2012. That takes the 2013 calendar year imports to only 3.265 MMT however, down 37.3% versus 2012. SovEcon estimated Russia's 2013/14 corn exports at 3.5 MMT. Jan exports are seen at around 500 TMT, down from the record 682 TMT shipped out in December. South American weather is seen improving. "Thunderstorms developed overnight in Argentina’s southern grain belt. Parts of western Buenos Aires, a key corn producing area, received heavy rain overnight. Generous rain is expected to spread northward through the grain belt. The GFS model sees the potential for 1.5-2 inch rains from strong thunderstorms. Rainfall is needed to quench drought. Extreme heat was reported again yesterday in the grain belt with highs of 96-100 F. Strong cooling would develop the balance of the week, behind a progressive cold front," said Martell Crop Projections. Weekly US export inspections of 29.811 million bushels were better than the 20-25 million expected. Iran was said to have bought "at least" 50 TMT of Brazilian corn for Jan-Feb shipment. Some say that the volume could be double that. Israeli buyers are tendering for 90 TMT of corn for Apr/May shipment. The Energy Dept's regular weekly ethanol production report is delayed until Thursday following the MLK Day holiday. Funds were estimate to have been light net buyers of around 3,000 corn contracts on the day. Mar 14 Corn closed at $4.25, up 1 cent; May 14 Corn closed at $4.32 1/4, up 1/2 cent.
Wheat: The wheat market attempted a feeble recovery from Friday's lows in the overnight session, trading modestly higher for most of the day. Ultimately though, the wheat market finished with losses of around 1-4 cents across the three exchanges by the close of play. Mar 14 CBOT wheat posted a fresh contract low close and the lowest finish for a front month in 3 1/2 years. Weekly export inspections were only 15.557 million bushels versus 25.596 million for the same week last year. The trade was expecting 17-22 million. Chinese customs confirmed Dec wheat imports at 389 TMT, up a whopping 6938% versus Dec 2012. That takes the 2013 calendar year imports to 5.5 MMT, up 49.3% versus 2012. Of that total 3.82 MMT (69%) came from the US, 867 TMT (16%) from Canada and 611 TMT (11%) from Australia. They are reported to be in the market seeking 200 TMT of Australian wheat at the moment. There's also talk of them seeking US wheat for April shipment. Algeria seeks 50 TMT of milling wheat of optional origin, but probably French, for April shipment. Iraq seeks 50 TMT of hard wheat, and will probably buy Australian origin. India is tendering to sell 60 TMT of wheat for Feb-March shipment. Bids for that are expected to be in the mid to low $270's FOB, which would still be well above the government's stated minimum price. Japan was said to have bought 50 TMT of Canadian feed wheat. There's talk of another Arctic blast hitting the US Midwest on Thursday, which could be a threat for winter wheat. Black Sea wheat also remains at risk of winterkill. Moscow will see single digit temperatures this week, with only limited snowfall. The Russian Ministry managed to pick up only 5,400 MT of wheat in it's first intervention purchase of 2014. That takes the total volume bought so far to less than 550 TMT compared to an original target of 5-6 MMT. Some think that only 2-3 MMT is a more realistic aim, but at this rate even that looks ambitious. Mar 14 CBOT Wheat closed at $5.62 1/4, down 1 1/4 cents; Mar 14 KCBT Wheat closed at $6.21 1/4, down 2 cents; Mar 14 MGEX Wheat closed at $6.13 3/4, down 4 cents.
With America just waking up from a long weekend fresh news remained very thin on the ground.
Russia only bought 5,400 MT of grain for the intervention fund in it's first purchase of 2014. That make the total bought so far in 2013/14 to less than 550 TMT compared to an original government target of 5-6 MMT.
It will be interesting to see if that is the start of a trend,
SovEcon said that Russia would export 22 MMT of grains in 2013/14, up 35% versus 16.3 MMT a year previously.
They estimated Russia's Jan corn exports at 500 TMT in January versus the December record of 682 TMT, but still a very healthy amount.
Russia's Jan wheat exports will total 500-600 TMT versus 194 TMT a year ago. Their barley exports will total 50-90 TMT versus 53 TMT in 2012, they added
Again there is talk of FSU winter wheat being susceptible to winterkill due to a sudden drop in temperatures even though the majority of crops in the region are currently rated 92-95% good/satisfactory.
Temperatures in Paris look to be in the mid-40′s all week with light showers expected. Germany will dip down into the mid-30′s to low-40′s with a chance of light snow.
China said that it had imported 5.5 MMT of wheat in the 2013 calendar year, an increase of almost 50% versus the same period in 2012.
With the US closed, fresh news was relatively thin on the ground and the EU was left to paddle it's own canoe. Which particular creek it decided to go down depends on whether you are a bull or a bear. Suffice to say that the markets appeared to be playing catch-up with Chicago wheat which fell to fresh 3 1/2 year lows on Friday night.
The wheat screens went red on wheat straight after the bell and pretty much stayed there for the rest of the day. Both old crop Mar 14 and new crop Nov 14 London wheat traded at new contract lows. Jan 14 meanwhile closed at the lowest level for a front month since late 2011. In addition to those sorry set of records, Nov 14 Paris wheat matched the existing contract low of EUR182.00/tonne set way back at harvest time.
Egypt said that they now have enough wheat bought to last them until the first week in May, although statements like that don't normally count for much. They bought 295 TMT of wheat for Feb 15-28 shipment late last week, and will probably be back for March this week or next week, especially if prices continue to fall. Their own harvest is due to begin in April.
Algeria announced a tender for milling wheat for April shipment today. The tender was for optional origin, although French wheat is the customary favourite. They are estimated to have already bought around 4 MMT of French wheat this season.
Cheap FSU corn continues to head to Europe from Russia and Ukraine to replace wheat. Meanwhile competition for sales on the wheat export market remains quite fierce, as highlighted by the last Egyptian tender where less than $1.50 separated French, Russian, Ukraine and US wheat.
Russia said that they'd exported a record near 682 TMT of corn in December, up 15.7% from November and almost three times the volume shipped out in December 2012. Turkey was the top buyer, with EU destination Spain in second place.
The local Ag Ministry in Stavropol, one of Russia's leading wheat production regions, said that 98.8% of winter grains had emerged. They estimated that 43.9% of the crop in good condition, and rated a further 50.6% as satisfactory, leaving only 5.4% as poor.
The Ukraine Ag Ministry said that the country had exported 20.5 MMT of grains to Jan 17, an increase of 34% on last season. That total includes 11.33 MMT of corn, 6.94 MMT of wheat and 2.07 MMT of barley.
In addition, they've also exported 2 MMT of rapeseed and 0.8 MMT of soybeans, they added.
Bangladesh picked up a best price of $305.60 C&F from a Thai trading house in their wheat re-tender. Iraq saw a best offer of $334.78 CIFFO in their hard wheat tender. Australia was the cheapest origin by far. The best Canadian offer was $347 and the cheapest US offer was a couple of dollars dearer than that.
Oil World said that the EU crushed 10.3 MMT of rapeseed in the 5-months Jul/Nov 2013, a 4% rise on the same period in 2012. The EU sunflower crush was up 7.4% to 2.9 MMT and the EU soybean crush down 1.9% to 5.1 MMT, they added.
Peter "Grandad" Keeble. Last run out was 24 years ago. Still carrying a lot of condition and could be outpaced here. 500/1
Alice. A bit like Adele she only seems to go by her first name. Unlike Adele she isn't a munter set to carry 6 stone overweight though. Strong claims. 7/2
Rachel "sweet cheeks" Churches. Took a keen hold going down, before refusing at the last last time out. Only ran twice, but could be a lively outsider. 12/1
Alice "the baps". Hang on a minute. This looks like the same Alice as the last Alice. There's suddenly been a flood of "smart" money on Alice who's apparently been "laid out" for this all season. 7/4 fav
Flo "the hat". I'm sure she scrubs up well. But so far unraced this season. 16/1
Henry "the duck" Aylesbury. Well, the dogs seem to like him. It's probably the smell. The housewives choice, so has to be respected. 7/1
Robyn "innocent" Hale. A front-running headstrong sort who unseated her rider last time out. Chances. 12/1
Ed "I'm the one on the right". Another one of three geldings in the race. 33/1
Burt "bat-her-ass". Only been out once, and that was to shop for sweets. First time over the bigger obstacles. Must improve. 22/1
Daniel "the birds" Hitchcock. Usually sweats up before hand. A steady plodder who won't trouble the judges. 25/1
Nogger's forecast: Alice might just have a little too much class for most of these, although Penny - who jumps for fun and finished very strongly last time out - will certainly give her a run for her money. I'll take Henry The Duck to fill the minor placings.
17/01/14 -- Soycomplex: Beans closed with modest gains, which was no mean feat considering the total lack of support from either corn or wheat. Informa forecast 2014 US soybean plantings at 81.264 million acres. That's a steep rise of over 6% versus last year's 76.533 million, when corn was the in vogue crop pushing plantings of that to a 75-year high, although it's actually a little lower than the 81.929 million estimated previously. With soybeans at over $13/bushel and corn again looking like it might test the $4/bushel level why would US farmers not plant beans? OK, the new crop price difference isn't quite that large, but it's still a ratio of 2.5:1 based on Nov beans versus Dec corn tonight. Very strong demand for US beans on the export front sees 26.6 MMT shipped already this season and a further 14.9 MMT sold and waiting to go. That's total commitments of 41.5 MMT versus the current USDA forecast for full season exports of 40.7 MMT. Instead of the market talking about Chinese cancellations being likely, it may be that "needed" would be a better word to use. Strong demand for meal keeps domestic US usage of soybeans robust also. Talking of which, Bunge this week announced that they were closing a soybean processing facility in southern Rio Grande do Sul state, saying Brazil's tax structure favours the export of raw soybeans instead. Yesterday's weekly export sales numbers revealed US meal sales well above market expectations at 234,700 MT. Sales of only 86,000 MT are needed per week to reach the USDA's forecast for the season. There's some much-needed rain in the forecast over the weekend and into early next week for Argentina. The Buenos Aires Grains Exchange said that soybean planting there is now 96.2% complete. Weather conditions in Brazil look generally favourable, with a record crop there surely on the way. Yet again though, a record crop might also equal record logistical problems and record shipping delays once the harvest and export program get into full swing. Mar 14 Soybeans closed at $13.16 1/2, up 1 1/2 cents; May 14 Soybeans closed at $12.97 1/4, up 1 cent; Mar 14 Soybean Meal closed at $434.50, up $2.50; Mar 14 Soybean Oil closed at 37.74, down 31 points. For the week that puts Mar 14 beans up 12 3/4 cents, with meal down 70 cents and oil falling 21 points.
Corn: The corn market closed around 3 to 4 cents lower. Informa suggested that US farmers will plant 93.319 million acres of corn this spring. That's a fall of "only" a little over 2% from last year's 75-year high of 95.365 million acres. That's quite a modest reduction given that US corn values fell by 40% last year. It is also significantly higher than the 91.846 million than Informa had previously estimated. This may be a function of less wheat getting planted in the US for the 2014 harvest - as forecast last week by the USDA and today agreed with by Informa. It may also signal that many US farmers just can't bring themselves not to plant corn. A "my Daddy always planted corn, and so did my Grand Daddy," sort of thing. On the export front, the USDA today announced 204,000 MT of US corn sold to Egypt for 2013/14 shipment under the daily reporting system. As of yesterday's weekly export sales report the US had shipped 12.6 MMT of corn so far this season, with a further 16.9 MMT of outstanding sales. That takes total net commitments to 29.5 MMT versus the USDA's forecast for the season of 37 MMT. That means that total shipments plus sales are currently around 80% of the USDA forecast for 2013/14 versus a 5-year average of around 60%. That's pretty good, but note that the shipped/unshipped proportion is a lot different to that of soybeans. Also note that it's US corn purchases that China are currently cancelling, not those of soybeans. The Buenos Aires Grains Exchange said that Argentine corn planting is 86% complete versus 82.8% a week ago and 93.4% a year ago. Argentine customs data shows that the country exported 20.2 MMT of corn in the first 11 months of 2013 - an 18% increase on the same period in 2012. The largest home was South Korea, traditionally a big buyer of US corn, taking in excess of 2.3 MMT. The weather forecast for Argentina looks a bit more promising. Talk that another polar vortex is expected to drop into the eastern Corn Belt by the end of the month may support the nearby cash market as it would again hinder movement of grains. Mar 14 Corn closed at $4.24, down 4 cents; May 14 Corn closed at $4.31 3/4, down 3 3/4 cents. For the week Mar 14 corn was down 8 3/4 cents with May 14 down 9 cents.
Wheat: The wheat market closed 5 to 9 cents lower on the day across the three exchanges. CBOT wheat set a fresh 3 1/2 year low for a front month on nearby Mar 14. Wheat's premium over corn is the main problem, but one that could ultimately also be it's salvation. Like the old adage "the cure for high prices is high prices" then maybe the cure for "nobody wants to buy wheat" is simply "so I won't plant it" then? Informa cut their forecast for US winter wheat plantings for the 2014 harvest from the 43.09 million acres planted last year to 41.892 million - very similar to last week's USDA number. Informa looks for all US wheat plantings to be just over 55.8 million acres, down from the USDA's 2013 area estimate of 56.2 million, with the spring wheat area falling by almost a million acres to 12.1 million. US winter wheat on the southern Plains, parts of Texas panhandle and western Kansas have seen less
than 50% of normal moisture since the middle of October, raising production concerns there. India continue to be a thorn in the side for wheat bulls though, tendering to sell 120,000 MT for Feb-March shipment. There could easily be a lot more to come waiting in the wings from them, with a record 100 MMT crop said to be on the way this year. The Buenos Aires Grains Exchange said that the wheat harvest there is complete, estimating this year's production at 10.1 MMT, up 1.3 MMT on last year after good yields from the later harvest boosted final output. After a very mild spell, Southern Russia and Ukraine are trending colder than normal over the next couple of weeks. There's been quite a bit of talk of the potential for damage to winter wheat here lately, due to inadequate snow cover. The latest forecasts however also show precipitation of 150-300% of normal for the region for the period through to early February. Tunisia bought 100,000 MT of soft milling wheat, 109,000 MT of durum wheat and 75,000 MT of feed barley in various tenders - all of optional origin and for Feb/Mar shipment. Europe is the most likely supplier as exports here continue at a brisk pace. Germany will likely ship 250,000 MT of wheat to Iran this month, say Reuters. Mar 14 CBOT Wheat closed at $5.63 1/2, down 9 1/4 cents; Mar 14 KCBT Wheat closed at $6.23 1/4, down 6 1/4 cents; Mar 14 MGEX Wheat closed at $6.18 1/2, down 5 1/2 cents. For the week Chicago wheat lost 5 1/2 cents, with Kansas gaining 2 3/4 cents and Minneapolis down by 2 cents.
About Me
Worked in agriculture for over 30 years as a shipper, merchant, trader & broker, but still hasn't got the faintest idea what he's talking about.
Likes beer apparently, so why not do the decent thing an hit the donate button you tight bastard?
He can also provide content for your website like market reports and commodity prices. And if you haven't got a website he can design one for you. In short, the man's a bloody genius.
Disclaimer
All comments on this website are the sole opinion of the author, and are not capable of nor intended to constitute professional advice. Neither can Nogger give any guarantee for the accuracy of any of the information or data contained within this site.
The guy is clearly deranged and you should almost certainly ignore everything that he says. | {
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Vinyl revival and high-resolution headphones: The best audio tech of IFA 2015
Sony phones, Samsung smartwatches and a glow-in-the-dark TV might have stole the show at IFA this year, but there was plenty for audiophiles to salivate over. Here’s our pick of the biggest audio announcements of IFA 2015.
Echobox Explore X1 is a hip-flask-shaped high-resolution music playerHere’s a high-resolution audio player with a difference. The Explore X1 is designed to look like a hip flask because as George Gill, Chief Development Officer at Echobox tells me, it represents the idea of getting drunk on music.
Available in a choice of maple, mahogany or black walnut wooden finishes, the flask cap acts as the volume control plus with a 3.5-inch touchscreen display breaking up the unique design.Related: Sony Xperia Z5 Premium hands-on at IFA
To handle the maximum 24-bit/192kHz uncompressed formats, there’s a TIPCM1792 DAC and a TI TPA6120A2 headphone amp. There’s also 64GB of internal storage and micro SD card support if you need a little more room for those high res files.
It runs on a version of Android 4.2 and I’m told you’ll have the option to opt for a stock Android version. It’ll be compatible with Android, iOS and Windows Phone and is optimized to work with Tidal and streaming music services like Spotify thanks to the built-in Wi-Fi.
The Echobox is going on sale in October and should be priced around £400-500.
Audio Technica AT-LP5 turntable comes in a throwback designVinyl sales are on the rise so much so that you’ll soon be able to pick up a record or two from your local Tesco in the not too distant future. Audio Technica is hoping to capitalize on its resurgence with the sleek AT-LP5.
Built with a cast aluminium platter and a 5mm thick damping mat house for improved low-frequency reproduction, the direct-drive turntable will handle 33 1/3rd and 45 RPM records. It’s also equipped with an original J-shaped tonearm to minimize tracking errors and a specially designed AT95Ex stereo cartridge to help produce a little extra warmth.
Additionally, there’s USB support to turn digitize your LPs via Audacity recording software and a switchable phono/lin preamplifier to hook up to a stereo system.
The LP5 is priced at an entry-level price of £330 and goes on sale later this month.
Onkyo W800BT is a pair of truly wireless in-ear headphonesUnlike the yet to be released fitness-focused Dash buds, Onkyo has officially announced its own in-ears minus the flailing cables and they’re coming out this year.
Connecting to each other and your smartphone or connected audio kit via Bluetooth, the W800BT promise passive noise isolation and100dB sensitivity courtesy of 8.6mm neodymium drivers packed into each earpiece.
There’s a microphone housed inside the right earpiece for hands-free calls and there’s also a set of touch panel controls. A USB-powered charging case can provide up to 15 hours talk time and 12 hours of music playback.
Expect to try them on from November priced at 300 Euros which works out to about £220.
JBL Pulse 2 is a lightshow packed into a portable speakerWe know it sounds gimmicky, but like the original Pulse, JBL’s second generation splash proof Bluetooth speaker promises more of the same impressive audio quality from its illuminating body.
Letting you wirelessly connect to up to three devices, the Pulse 2 packs dual external passive radiators to deliver the bass. Noise and echo cancelling technology is also present when you want to use it in speakerphone mode.
Using JBL’s Prism colour sensor lens, you can reflect any colour it’s pointed at and the lights can be further customized via the JBL Connect smartphone application.
You’ll get 10 hours of battery life and it goes on sale this month priced at 199 Euros (around £150).
Astell & Kern Ti8e are first in-ears with Tesla technologyTeaming up with German audio maestros Beyerdynamics, Astell & Kern has managed to squeeze the special driver design into a smaller body offering a higher level of sensitivity and a wide frequency range.
The technology, which first featured in the Astell & Kern T1 and AK T5P, uses a dynamic moving-coil transducer and does not require a separate transducer dedicated to bass, mid-range and treble tones.
The oval shaped moulds use cables that go over the ears so they don’t pull and comes with both silicone and Comply foam buds to make sure they sit snug in the ears.
Additionally, there’s a toughened kevlar 3.5mm cable and they come with a balanced cable with a 2.5mm jack to work specifically with AK players.
You can pick up a pair of Ti8e in-ears for the not so bargain price of £799 and should go on sale before the end of the year.
Beyerdynamic T1 2nd generation upgrades the home headphone greatThe T1’s are regarded as some of the finest on-ear headphones to sit back in your armchair and plug into your expensively assembled high-end audio system.
Now Beyerdynamics is giving them an upgrade hoping to provide cleaner sound, up the overall audio warmth and gently intensify the bass. They still utilize Tesla driver technology featuring a 600-ohm transducer to add a more harmonious frequency range.
They weigh just 360g and for added comfort, there’s soft, fleecy velour cushions and a leatherette head band to accommodate those long listening sessions.
The new T1’s are available to buy now and are priced at a staggering 990 Euros, which works out to about just under £730.
Technics turntable resurrectedAfter discontinuing many a DJ’s best friend five years ago, Panasonic has decided to revive the iconic turntable series and has been showing off a new prototype model.
In a year that the iconic brand celebrates its 50th anniversary, the direct-drive analog turntable, which was revealed at Panasonic’s IFA press conference is constructed from gorgeous aluminum.
It’ll feature a newly developed Direct Drive motor that aims to reduce the sound quality degradation caused by tiny vibrations of the motor and rotational speed fluctuations.
Turntable afficiandos will know that the SL-1200 series is considered one of the finest direct drive analog turntables ever produced and has been a popular choice for DJs for many years.
Panasonic hopes to launch the new Technics turntable in 2016 but as yet, there’s no talk of pricing. We imagine it won’t be cheap.
Pure Evoke F3 gives you that streaming feelingSwelling the ranks of its internet radio family, the Evoke F3 makes some welcome upgrades adding Bluetooth and Spotify Connect support so you can stream tracks and stations with ease.
The table top-friendly F3 is made from a real wood cabinet with a slick matte black finish and hosts a 2.4-inch full colour TFT display to view stations and track information. It’s also bundled with a remote but you can also use your smartphone or tablet to switch the music when you’re using Spotify.
Details on the speaker setup are a little scarce, but Pure claims it’s been hand-tuned by the engineering team to offer a well balanced sound for music and speech.
There’s digital and FM radio support giving you access to Pure’s internet radio service offering over 25,000 stations with 20 presets to make it easier to find something you actually want to listen to. With a Digital Radio tick approval, it’s future-proofed for the Digital Radio switchover as well.
The Evoke F3 is available now and is on sale for a very reasonable £129.99.
Sony h.ear headphones and high res WalkmansunleashedSony has been leading the high resolution revolution and has introduced a new h.ear range of headphones along with two new Walkmans that also play nice with lossless audio.
Up first is the h.ear On, which comes in a range of bold, bright colours with a minimal design that keeps branding to a bare minimum. The closed back on-ears feature 40mm drivers and titanium-coated domes to help minimize distortion. The h.ear On are priced at 180 Euros (around £130).
The in-ear h.ear NC are equipped with digital noise cancelling with an AI mode that can apparently adjust the noise cancelling based on the background noise. There’s 9mm high-sensitivity drivers to deliver the polished sound and like the on-ears, will support high res audio playback. Noise cancelling battery life is an impressive 16 hours and there’s also inline remote attached to the tangle-free cable.
Joining the new h.ear range is the NW-A20 and NW-ZX100HN high resolution audio Walkmans. The pint-sized A20 comes in 16GB (A25HN) and 64GB (A27HN) models. Both offer micro SD card support to accommodate the size of those high-res files. Features include 2.2-inch QVGA 320×240 resolution TFT display, Bluetooth streaming, digital noise cancellation and the ability to upscale audio files to near high resolution quality. Unfortunately, there’s no Wi-Fi support.
The ZX100HN is the biggest of the new Walkman additions and the natural successor to the ZX2. It packs a 3-inch 400×240 QVGA TFT screen, 128GB of internal storage and micro SD card support. Sony’s new LDAC technology aims to deliver high quality wireless audio via Bluetooth and there’s the same upscaling mode as the A20 players. Expect up to 45 hours of music playback.
All three high res Walkmans are expected to land over the next couple of months and UK pricing has yet to be confirmed.
Marshall London is a smartphone for music loversIf you care about cutting-edge specs, this is not the phone for you. If you want to walk around with a smartphone that looks like it’s been cut out of a Marshall amp, then the London could be for you.
But it’s not just the textured back and gold buttons and connections, this is a 4.7-inch handset that’s packed with music-centric features. There’s dual inputs that also double as outputs so you can record as well as share your music. A dedicated ‘M’ button offers a shortcut to your favourite music and a Wolfson DAC supports high resolution audio playback.
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Tell us what you think - send your emails to the Editor. | {
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COULD CANCER HIJACK YOUR CELLULAR POWERHOUSE??
COULD CANCER HIJACK YOUR CELLULAR POWERHOUSE??
It is a well known fact that one of the hallmarks of cancer is ‘defective cellular energy production‘ and evidence is mounting highlighting ‘Mitochondrial Dysfunction‘ is a precursor to chronic disease including cancer.
‘Metabolic studies in a variety of human cancers previously showed that loss of mitochondrial function preceded the appearance of malignancy and aerobic glycolysis.’
As the powerhouse of the cells, mitochondria are critical for every organism because of their role in producing energy while also controlling survival. The mitochondria of our cells are also involved in other cellular activities like signalling, cellular differentiation and control of cell cycle, including cell growth and apoptosis (programmed cell death). It therefore appears imperative to ensure our mitochondria remain switched on and functioning optimally.
Mitochondrial dysfunction in cancer cells: Numerous studies show that tumor mitochondria are structurally and functionally abnormal and incapable of generating normal levels of energy which is why one of the mechanisms in Chemotherapy drugs is to power up the mitochondria, with the aim of destroying cancer cells.
Important insight into cancer progression emerged last year when a group (Kashatus et al, 2015) demonstrated how cancer cells in fact hijack mitochondria to support enhanced anabolic respiration and promote tumor growth.
When cellular respiration falters and creates an inability for cells to properly utilize oxygen, the cells turn to fermenting glucose for their survival and become cancerous. Studies show that co-enzymes play a vital role in several of the mitochondrial processes within cells, it is vital for kick-starting mitochondria ATP production throughout the body and preventing chronic health conditions.
‘Evidence is reviewed supporting a general hypothesis that cancer is primarily a disease of energy metabolism. All of the major hallmarks of the disease can be linked to impaired mitochondrial function.‘ | {
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Snow will become steady and heavy, totaling 6-8"
Here we go! The first of a one-two punch is moving into western Mass this morning. Snow will grow steadier and heavier as we go deeper into the morning commute. The light, fluffy snow will pile up quickly with the heaviest falling between mid-morning into mid-afternoon. It will be cold too with temperatures in the teens and will only make it into the lower 20s by this afternoon.
The snow should be coming to an end for the evening commute but not before 6-8" of snow falls. We'll catch a break for tonight then round two moves in before dawn tomorrow.
Our second storm is taking shape right now across Texas where there are thunderstorms and heavy snow. All this energy has eyes for New England. This storm will bring some milder air aloft, high in the sky. This mild air may cause heavy snow tomorrow morning to mix with or change to sleet from time to time. Storm two will wind down as all snow tomorrow evening. This storm will dump another 12" from Northampton north where it will stay all snow. Closer to Springfield and in the lower valley even with a mix to sleet and ice another 8-12" will pile up.
The sun is back for Thursday and Friday before perhaps some additional storminess moves in for Saturday! Stay tuned!
Have a great morning!
Dan Brown
For more weather information log onto wggb.com. Your on-line home for both abc40 and FOX6 | {
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Native mass spectrometry (MS) enables direct mass measurement of intact protein assemblies providing critical information on the composition and stoichiometry of protein complexes for integrative structural biology studies. NCDIR scientist Dom Olinares from the Chait Lab used native MS to determine the assembly state of and the number of bound substrates in the PCAT1 complex. The resulting native MS information greatly helped in the structural analysis of the transporter using cryo-electron microscopy by the laboratory of Jue Chen at The Rockefeller University.
Native MS analysis revealed that up to two substrates can bind the homodimeric PCAT1. The high resolution, cryo-EM structure of PCAT1 in complex with its substrate showed that two substrates are bound to the transporter, yet only one is positioned for cleavage and translocation. Overall, the study yielded insights on how substrate cleavage, ATP hydrolysis, and substrate translocation are coordinated in a PCAT transport cycle.
A new publication by NCDIR scientist Dr. John LaCava (RU) in collaboration with Dr. Kathleen Burns (Johns Hopkins U) and Dr. David Fenyö (NYU) reveal the difficulty of identifying key players in human cancers.
Dr. John LaCava
Dr. Kathleen Burns
Dr. David Fenyö
Retrotransposons are ’selfish’ DNA sequences that have the ability to replicate themselves in host genomes via a ‘copy and paste’ mechanism. That is: the gene is transcribed and the RNA is later reverse transcribed (i.e. retro) into a new cDNA copy that is inserted pasted into a new location in the host genome (i.e. transposed). As a result of this continuous copy and paste proliferation, over evolutionary time LINE-1 retrotransposon DNA sequences have come to compose ~20% of the human genome (~1/2 million copies). Although the vast majority of these sequences are ancient and defunct, up to ~300 such loci may be capable of active proliferation, particularly during gametogenesis and oncogenesis. Each active LINE-1 can express two proteins: ORF1p and ORF2p that are both necessary but not sufficient for retrotransposition. ORF1p and ORF2p assemble together into ribonucleoprotein with the L1 RNA that encoded them (known as cis preference). Additional essential activities are provided by host proteins that L1 RNPs recruit and co-opt.
The proliferation of LINE-1 retrotransposons is apparent at the genetic level in cancers and cell lines – providing unequivocal genetic evidence for the expression of the enzymatic, replicative component of LINE-1: ORF2p. However, ORF2p continues to elude direct detection. In a just published study in Mobile DNA, three research teams (Fenyö, Burns, LaCava) – with further support from the NCDIR join forces and deep dive into data from the NCI’s Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium in search of ORF2p peptide signatures. Failing to find convincing evidence in the archived data, the researchers raised a collection of monoclonal antibodies against the protein in an effort to bolster capture and detection. Although the antibodies validated excellently against the target in ectopic expression, endogenous ORF2p remained elusive. Finally, the researchers took to affinity isolating endogenous LINE-1 RNPs, via ORF1p, directly from resected patient colorectal cancers – reporting the first endogenous LINE-1 cancer interactome. Although ORF2p was not identified among the co-isolated proteins, the researchers demonstrate the technical feasibility of studying disease-related protein complexes directly in patient tumors and identified overlaps between endogenous LINE-1 colorectal cancer protein interactions and those previously described from ectopically LINE-1 expressing HEK-293T cells. The researchers conclude that more sensitive methods will be needed to robustly detect ORF2p and propose targeted mass spectrometry and proximity ligation immuno-fluorescence as two future directions. The follow-up studies are currently under way.
Co-IP/Western blot. Three different segments of metastatic sigmoid colon cancer (from liver) were used as starting material for anti-ORF1p affinity isolations (α-ORF1p T1–3), including a mock-capture control using mouse IgG affinity medium with tumor extracts (mIgG T1), and matched normal tissue with anti-ORF1p affinity medium (α-ORF1p N). Co-IP of ORF1p/2p ectopically expressed from pMT302 in HEK-293TLD is provided as a comparative positive control. All co-IPs used 100 mg cells or tissues as input. 100% of the co-IP elutions done using patient tissues were analyzed; in contrast, fractions (labeled) of the co-IP from pMT302 in HEK-293TLD were analyzed. ORF1p yields from tumor were comparable to those obtained from 1/5th – 1/10th of a co-IP from pMT302/HEK-293TLD. However, while ORF2p signal is clearly detectable in 1/5th and closer to the baseline (but still eminently detectable) in 1/10th of a pMT302/HEK-293TLD co-IP, no ORF2p signal was observed in tumor co-IPs.
NCDIR researcher Dr. John LaCava has collaborated with lead researchers at the University of Washington to help shed some light on the complex mechanisms which leads to autoimmune diseases.
Their research focuses on a retrotransposon (“jumping gene”) called LINE-1. To function, LINE-1 requires two proteins, ORF1p (a.k.a. p40) and ORF2p. What Carter et al. showed in this paper, is that patients suffering from SLE (lupus) have generated special antibodies called auto-antibodies against p40 and the numbers of these antibodies generated increases with disease severity.
Click here to read the full article accepted in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Published in July 2019, this work has already garnered attention from key physicians and researchers in the field of Autoimmunity.
Dr. Mary K. Crow, Physician-in-Chief and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Hospital for Special Surgery, who is also Chief of the Division of Rheumatology at HSS and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, recently commented on the article saying:
“…The nature and specificity of the self-antigens targeted by autoantibodies characteristic of systemic autoimmune diseases can suggest clues to mechanisms initiating disease… the studies published by Carter et al. identifying reactivity of sera from SLE patients with the 40 kD protein product of the first open-reading frame (ORF) of the human LINE-1 (L1) retroelement are of great interest.” | {
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BLACKFRIARS PRIORY SCHOOL
Blackfriars Priory Schools is a Catholic boy's school, established in 1953 and located in Prospect. As BOSFC was founded by Blackfriars Old Scholars, the school provided integral assistance in the formation of the club. To this day the school continues to be a huge support, most importantly through the provision of a playing ground and club rooms and access to training grounds and gym facilities at the school.
One of the original ideas of the club was to provide a home for the alumni of Blackfriars Priory School, to give an opportunity to continue the relationships formed through their school years. While the club now boasts players from a number of different backgrounds, the commitment to the school and its Old Scholars is just as important now as it was then. We are proud to be able to maintain a club environment that continues to be welcoming of graduates of Blackfriars Priory School who wasn't to be known forever as a 'Blacks Boy'.
Our home at St. Dom's (Park 2) is a shared facility ultimately owned by the Adelaide City Council. Our relationship with the school has allowed us to begin transforming the club rooms to provide a 'Blackfriars Hounds' feel for all the players and fans. We are thankful that the schools maintenance staff play an integral role in maintaining a playing field which is of high quality.
BOSFC are grateful for the school's interest in the success of out club and thank all involved for their commitment, participation and help throughout the years. We hope that we can continue to make the school proud to be associated with our football club and maintain our strong association for years to come. | {
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A real-life D/s couple, together for more than ten years, discuss what it's like to live the "lifestyle" in real life, long term, from both points of view. Techniques, interactions, product reviews and events will be featured, as well as essays on life as we know it.
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Technique Tuesday: Bastinado
Bastinado, also known as falanga and falaka, is the art of whipping the bottoms of pretty, vulnerable, innocent little feets. Or at least that's what I call my feet when I'm trying to hide them, sole-to-sole, against a threatening cane. "Poor innocent feets!"
The truth is, I just love it.
I have this thing about not liking feet in general. I think they're kind of icky. I hate having people touch mine, especially strangers. I don't even like people looking at mine unless they are safely tucked away in socks. I just don't think of them as a pretty part, and the idea of a foot fetish in general makes me very confused. To me, it might as well be an elbow fetish; I just don't get it. Then again, everyone's kink is different.
Then I wound up with this guy who gives amazing foot massages. He explained to me the ways in which he'd learned to get women all worked up... through their feet. I didn't think it was possible. I mean feet? Feet? Sexy times with feet? No way.
It took a long time for me to be able to relax enough to let him touch them, let alone massage them. My feet are very sensitive and ticklish, and I hate being tickled (See here for reference!), so it took some real trust to let him have his way with them without protest, squealing, and struggling to get away. When I did? Oh it was a complete revelation. And while at times I'm still shy about my feet, and have a tendency to tuck them beneath myself, sit on them, hide them under pets or pillows or whatever else is handy when he reaches for them... I'm aware that there's much more to feet than meets the eye.
I've mentioned before how much I adore the videos from Hogtied, and that's where my curiosity about bastinado was piqued. If massaging my feet was awesome, and hit all these erogenous spots, what would happen with caning of the feet? I brought it up tentatively, shyly, uncertainly, and it gave the Masterly one kind of an evil glint in his eyes. He likes it, I think, when I am interested in trying something that also has me really freaked out. He enjoys vulnerability and fear on display.
I can't remember when we first tried it, but it was years ago and with our previous acrylic cane. We moved on to floggers, slappers, wooden spoons, and all kinds of punishment for those poor innocent feets. And what I learned is, those same erogenous zones that got so stimulated from his massaging hands were even more stimulated with the pain of a beating. It pushed all of my buttons, including, incidentally, my light interest in humiliation, because I find having my feet at his mercy both humbling and humiliating. I'm not sure why, it's likely because it's a part of me that I feel so driven to keep hidden, the way most people would feel about displaying a blemish that made them self-conscious. And my display of pleasure and arousal from it feeds that humiliation even more, of course.
If you've never tried bastinado, it's worth a try (especially for feet-o-phobes!). Find someone experienced with light cane work and start slowly. Experiment with what feels best to you and what you can't stand. The goal here isn't to raise huge welts - unless you don't have to do any walking for a while, in which case, go nuts -it's a great way to force immobilization/crawling on someone! Try light rhythmic strokes to start, and figure out where the nerves that push your buttons are (for me, it's right in the center of the arch of my foot, as well as the outer ball of the foot near the pinkie toe). Find out where it really bothers you (right on the center flat of my heel is a rough spot for me, right where the bone is -owowow), and figure out what makes it tick for you. It's worth experimenting with. If you don't have a cane, try a wooden spoon. And have fun with it! | {
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dotCommonweal
Richard Cohen is acting out again
My two-year-old has become very interested in what I call "We Don'ts." He likes to articulate all the rules of our household, even those he has so far honored only in the breach. "We don't climb the bookcase," he will intone solemnly. "We don't take off our diaper." "We don't throw food on the floor."
One way of looking at Richard Cohen's recent output, in his role as perhaps the least well-loved of Washington Post opinion columnists, is as an elaborate cry for help, a testing-of-boundaries familiar to parents of young children. Kids test their parents' resolve because, deep down, they need to know that there are secure limits in place. There are things we don't do, and it's not up to the kid to decide what they are. But poor Richard Cohen has been publishing his inane and shockingly out-of-touch commentary for decades, and there seems to be no one at the Post willing to lay down the law. "Now, Richard," someone surely ought to have said long before now, "we don't defend racism. We don't get all huffy when people point out that we're saying something racist. And we don't mistake our very narrow, totally incurious point of view for 'conventional wisdom.'"
We don't, but Cohen does, over and over. And today he managed to say something horrifying in an otherwise totally ignorable column about how, based on some Googling, he doesn't think Chris Christie would do well in the Iowa caucuses.
Today’s GOP is not racist, as Harry Belafonte alleged about the tea party, but it is deeply troubled — about the expansion of government, about immigration, about secularism, about the mainstreaming of what used to be the avant-garde. People with conventional views must repress a gag reflex when considering the mayor-elect of New York — a white man married to a black woman and with two biracial children. (Should I mention that Bill de Blasio’s wife, Chirlane McCray, used to be a lesbian?) This family represents the cultural changes that have enveloped parts — but not all — of America. To cultural conservatives, this doesn’t look like their country at all.
Actually, Richard Cohen, we don't gag when we think about biracial families. And if we do, then in fact we are racist. That's what racism is.
Cohen is not wrong that many cultural (and political) conservatives find Bill de Blasio alarming. He is wrong to think that "Ew, gross, a white man married to a black woman and their half-white, half-black kids, how disgusting" is in any way a "conventional" view. Someone (Fred Hiatt) really ought to fire Richard Cohen already. We don't benefit from his take on current events. We really don't.
Comments
MWR: Are you really shocked that Richard Cohen, and the ever increasingly corporate-dominated Washington Post by implication, mouths the latent racism just below the surface of our political discourse in the public commons? Where have you been?
I cut my "reading" teeth back in the days of being a newspaper boy delivering the WP every morning growing up in suburban Maryland - I know that really dates me. But the WP has always had room for hacks like Cohen. If you think his domestic political commentary is racist, you should read over the years all the nasty things he has said about Palestinians, Arabs and muslims in general. Cohen is a shill for the right-wing Israeli lobby - he never has uttered a bad word about Bibi Netanyahu and his lust for the destruction of Iran.
It is amazing how the media just doesn't know how to deal with the complicated relationships and configurations of most American families when presented with a Bill de Blasio and Chirlane McCray, and their extraordinary children.
Hey Cohen, you should travel out here to white-minority California. You need a real dose of the coming reality of America.
Mollie - just basing this on the context of the rest of his column: I think (I think), by "conventional views", he means, "the conventional views of someone who votes in the Iowa GOP caucuses". While we don't have any reason to suppose that his familiarity with the attitudes of actual Iowans runs any deeper than the newspaper column results of a Google search (presumably that is how they were taught to research a column when he was a young man), I don't think he meant the conventional views of the country as a whole.
FWIW, I think that de Blasio's raised public profile will help shape the conventional views of Americans as a whole, in a way that we would view as positive.
The whole column comes across as lazy/breezy. He spends most of it overestimating the importance of the Iowa GOP caucuses (whose only real function is to give unwarranted and temporary credibility to Christian conservative candidates who haven't a prayer of succeeding in a GOP primary, much less a general election), but then comes to a reasonable, or at least defensible, conclusion - it wouldn't hurt Christie to skip Iowa. (So maybe he's overrating Iowa's importance?) Now, as it happens, my expectation would be that, should Christie decide to run, he'd make a beeline for Iowa, because when it comes to retail politicking, he's the undisputed heavyweight champ. If Cohen can somehow be motivated to do just a bit more Googling, he might come around to my way of thinking.
I find Cohen to be almost unreadable (I'm reminded of the late George Fraizer's description of William Safire as" the New York Times' practicing illiterate") but I didn't read this quite as harshly as you did. When I read the full column I read the selection you posted as being attributed to Iowa GOP voters and the reference to conventional views meant conventional among those voters. Not well written I concede, though. For what it is worth, I think the entire basis of the modern conservative Republican movement is largely racist, so thinking that its members would gag at the thought of a Black woman and a white man having biracial children hardly seems a bridge too far.
Thanks for this terrific post. I don't think this point can be made too emphatically: "...we don't gag when we think about biracial families. And if we do, then in fact we are racist. That's what racism is."
Richard Cohen has made his living based on his ability to express opinions via the written word. And he's certainly entitled to make mistakes, just as much as anyone else.
But here's the thing: when confronted with the undeniable fact that he called racism not-racism, Cohen's response is not to apologize, but to attack his critics in (what seems to be) a perverse attempt to avoid having to reckon with what he actually wrote.
I've read the column 3 times, each time coming to the same conclusion--it's racist. Perhaps the reason so many people believe it racist was Cohen's use of the words conventional and gag. I also wonder if his paranthetically noting Chirlane McCray's homosexuality, added fuel to the fire.
@Ann Olivier (11/13, 1:16 am) Thanks for your question. I have no idea what's in Cohen's heart or his head, so I'm not saying (and I don't think Mollie, nor most critics of Cohen's column) that Cohen "is a racist".
But there is (in my view) no disputing the excellent point Mollie makes: "...we don't gag when we think about biracial families. And if we do, then in fact we are racist. That's what racism is." This is, I think, the heart of the matter.
Cohen wrote a column in which he called racism "not-racism". People are (appropriately) criticizing him for that. His reaction (so far) is to defend himself, rather than acknowledge his (egregious) mistake. For which he can (in my opinion) appropriately be criticized even more harshly.
"Actually, Richard Cohen, we don't gag when we think about biracial families. And if we do, then in fact we are racist."
I think you may have misunderstood the paragraph. Cohen was ascribing those reactions to Republicans, not to everyone with "conventional views."
Columnists (and bloggers) often exaggerate a little or a lot to make a point. Imho, the best way to avoid swallowing the bait is to avoid the columnist. There are several at the WP that I can't stand and don't read: Sally Quinn (for many reasons), Eugene Robinson (for joining the Obama campaign's calumny against Hillary Clinton in 2008), Kathleen Parker (yuck), et al.
Cohen got a lot of publicity from that column. He must be thrilled with all who joined the
"willful-seeming, mob-like misreading of a piece of writing in the service of self-satisfied smugness, . . ."
Yes, the words are racist, extremely so, but as I read them in context Cohen is saying "See -- this is the way those Republicans think: . . . " It's as if I had said, "Stephanie thinks that Cohen thinks that the moon is made of cream cheese". That oesn't mean *you* think the moon is made of cream cheese.
Slate reporter/columnist Dave Weigel's view: "...the problem with Cohen's column was that he made an assertion about an entire class of people being racist, and did no work to prove it."
And from The Atlantic's Ta-Nehisi Coates: "The problem here isn't that we think Richard Cohen gags at the sight of an interracial couple and their children. The problem is that Richard Cohen thinks being repulsed isn't actually racist, but "conventional" or "culturally conservative." Obstructing the right of black humans and white humans to form families is a central feature of American racism. If retching at the thought of that right being exercised isn't racism, then there is no racism."
There are a couple of overlapping problems with Cohen's column, and I am going to try to explain again what they are and what they are not. Cohen did not say "I find interracial families disgusting." He did, however, say that Republican voters with conventional views are disgusted by interracial families. Which is a big, surprising claim for a columnist to make, to put it mildly. If Cohen really believes that to be true, and if he is aware that it is 2013 and not, say, 1860, he should be writing a whole column exposing that appalling strain of racism in American society, not tossing it in as if it were a known fact that needs no establishing.
Cohen went further, though; he not only said something quite inaccurate about social conditions in contemporary America; he said that the people who think that way are "not racist." He said so explicitly. He even scoffed at Harry Belafonte -- there's a link in the original, to a squib about Belafonte using the term "white supremacist" while stumping for de Blasio. Whatever the facts may be about that incident, "white supremacist" happens to be the correct term for someone who objects to the mingling of the races. Not "cultural conservative." So, in addition to being totally wrong about popular opinion in America generally, Cohen also has trouble identifying racism, even as he seems to believe that textbook racism is far more commonplace than most of us would suggest. And this is not a one-time slip, as Coates pointed out. It's a theme that occurs again and again in Cohen's columns. He should be fired for being irredeemably clueless about many of the things an opinion columnist must be good at, especially an opinion columnist who wishes to write about race.
Sure, why not? "Columnist" isn't exactly a sacred vocation, and a whole slew of factors should go into assessing whether a writer is satisfactory on the job. Being a racist crank whose finger is too shaky to find a culture's pulse, and who can't be bothered to express himself coherently or adequately represent others should be enough to get someone canned.
Just saw this piece from Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo, which does a very good job explaining the things I tried to explain above. It's called "Is Richard Cohen a Racist?" but it notes, correctly, that that isn't really the right question to ask.
The issue isn't that Cohen is a racist. It's that he holds his position of vast influence while living in some older white man's cocoon, liberalish in a way but not much, in which he's either indifferent or unconcerned with the actual America around him and routinely jumps at the chance to normalize and legitimize retrograde views about race. The problem with the article isn't racism but inaccuracy, both descriptive and moral. And the complacent inaccuracy makes it worthy of criticism and contempt.
Another ageist blogger who lifts a sentence out of the paragraph in which it appeared, making it seem that Cohen was talking about all people who hold conventional views instead of the group he specified, "Today's GOP."
Cohen went further, though; he not only said something quite inaccurate about social conditions in contemporary America; he said that the people who think that way are "not racist." He said so explicitly. He even scoffed at Harry Belafonte -- there's a link in the original, to a squib about Belafonte using the term "white supremacist" while stumping for de Blasio. Whatever the facts may be about that incident, "white supremacist" happens to be the correct term for someone who objects to the mingling of the races. Not "cultural conservative."
This is very much in line with Ta-NeHisi Coates' take:
"The problem here isn't that we think Richard Cohen gags at the sight of an interracial couple and their children. The problem is that Richard Cohen thinks being repulsed isn't actually racist, but "conventional" or "culturally conservative." Obstructing the right of black humans and white humans to form families is a central feature of American racism.
While I would not go very far to defend Cohen, and as I noted above, there are other reasons to dismiss the column, I do think that both you and Coates are misreading him in this, or at least reading him in a light that is not the most charitable.
Here is the passage in question:
Today’s GOP is not racist, as Harry Belafonte alleged about the tea party, but it is deeply troubled — about the expansion of government, about immigration, about secularism, about the mainstreaming of what used to be the avant-garde. People with conventional views must repress a gag reflex when considering the mayor-elect of New York
This requires a fair bit of disentangling. There are three separate subjects/groups here, named in quick succession. Here they are, with the way that I think Cohen is categorizing them:
* The GOP - according to Cohen, not racist
* The tea party - according to Cohen, racist in Harry Belafonte's view, although from what I can tell, Belafonte actually seems to have said that about the Koch Brothers, not the tea party
* Folks who live in a culture in which it is conventional/normative to gag when considering the mayor-elect of New York - presumably racist in Cohen's view, although he doesn't explicitly say so
Now, it's conceivable that all three of Cohen's assertions, as I've broken them out here, are wrong. The third one, about cultural conventions, almost certainly is wrong. But what I don't see Cohen claiming in this passage is that people who gag at the thought of a white man marrying a black woman aren't racist.
Cohen's metier is writing. He is a writer, and his work load is pretty light -- a couple of columns per week. He also has editors who are paid to peruse his work and find and at least ask him about perceived "ambiguities." So I think the ordinary reader is more than justified in not cutting Cohen slack for "indelicate" phrasing.
Second, here is the logic string of Cohen's thinking: The tea infused Republican party ISN'T RACIST --- Cohen said that -- but is "troubled." (When I hear the word troubled as a defense to bad behavior my mind wanders to juveniles being tried as adults who would be only too happy to be granted the benefit of such doubts.) Only after stipulating "no racism" does Cohen then state how "conventional people" must "gag" and so on. How can such conventional people, even if they are the subset of Iowa tea party voters Cohen is talking about, not be racist if they are gagging at dark and light people marrying each other?
Third, he specifically identifies DeBlasio's family by name and circumstance -- a tactless and really gratuitous example in my view that probably tells us as much about Cohen as it does about Iowa tea partiers.
Cohen's best defense is that he was phoning it in and isn't really thinking too deeply when he writes this stuff, basically relying on editors to make his thoughts less offensive. Okay Richard, here's how I give people like you the benefit of the doubt: when the question calls for a choice between stupid and malicious, stupid is usally the correct answer. You're stupid because you say stupid things. So retire already.
Many have expressed outrage at an opinion column by an opinion columnist. But that's what op-ed writers (and bloggers) do. They write stuff to get a reaction, to get hits on the web site, to get comments, to keep their moribund periodicals alive.
Old man Cohen's editors must be delighted with the attention.
I didn't like his column because I don't like columns in which thoughts or words are ascribed to others. Let the columnist or blogger say what S/HE thinks or feels. Creating a puppet to say the ventriloquiest's words is cowardly. E.g., Ta-Nahisi Coates wrote new words for Cohen and put them in quotation marks.
“Right. I’m not racist. I just don’t recognize my country. Also, the sight of you, and your used-to-be-lesbian black wife, and your brown children make me sick to my stomach. It’s not like I want to lynch you or anything.”
Do those who disapprove of Cohen's lame column approve of Coates's piggybacking on it with her version of what he didn't say?
(Imho, the most amusing thing about the tempest is how many who are howling about racism have revealed their own AGEISM.)
Gerelyn - just speaking for myself, I thought Coates' piece was flawed - not to mention overly profane - and those flaws undercut its effectiveness.
Regarding ageism - maybe I'll say something here that will make you think I'm ageist, too. Most white people haven't walked in a black person's shoes, and unless our powers of empathy are above-average, we find it difficult to grasp what it must be to like to live on the other side of the racial/social/cultural divide, every single moment of every single day. I think this difficulty may be more pronounced for older white people (I'm no spring chicken myself), as we've seen tremendous changes in social attitudes over the course of our lives, which we don't have the advantage of viewing completely objectively, because we live in the midst of them ourselves.
Also, white people of a certain age are encumbered by the history we've lived through. I am not referring here to the great events of the civil rights movement write large, although they intersected our lives, and Cohen's life spans those times. I'm referring more to our personal histories, the reality of living through times of heightened racial tension. Cohen may have deplored race riots and the attitudes and customs that spawned them, but it's one thing to think about such things as they're described in a book that one reads in the comfort and safety of one's study years after the fact, and it's another to actually live and go about in a city where black people and white people cross paths all the time and fought one another very recently. I grew up in the 1960s in a white family of good will, in which the n-word was never spoken, but whenever we drove through a black neighborhood, my parents told us to roll up the windows and lock the car doors. How can something like that not make an impression on a kid in some way?
Every white American who lived through those days was affected by the reality of racial tension in some personal way. Reading some of Cohen's columns over the years that Coates linked to, the fear of black persons seems to jump off the screen. How many older white people share that fear? All of us?
For many of us, our journey toward more racial enlightenment has been one of recognizing that we carry this baggage, confronting it, figuring out how to cast it aside, and finding something better to carry about with us. Some of us do this better than others. I believe our society is filled with older white people of good will who want to live and do and think what's right. If we white people were more imaginative and empathetic and less stupid, maybe we'd be less prone to say and do stupid and hurtful things.
Richard Cohen has been criticized for writing a number of things on racial topics that miss the mark (see Coates' column for some examples; Cohen's Wikipedia page has others). I think Cohen is a white person of good will whose racial views aren't perfectly enlightened - they're not fully formed. Probably like a lot of white people of good will, it's not self-evident to him that a black person who goes into a jewelry store shouldn't be suspected of being a thief, or that Travyon Martin should have been entitled to the benefit of the doubt.
Coates is a he not a she. There is no question that Coates is putting in quotes what, from his perspective, he "heard" Cohen saying.
I don't buy that Cohen's age means anything. What I find offensive about this column is that he feels the need to state what he considers not to be racist -- for reasons that have no real bearing on the substance of what he is saying -- and also for using the image of "gagging." I don't even think that's accurate. I assume what he really meant -- and shame on him for being such a poor writer -- is that for some people interracial couples are sort of like turning on the lights in your house by remote control when you didn't even have electricity when you were growing up. Or maybe the football coach watching his grandchildren playing soccer with enthusiasm. It's a reminder of how much has changed, and for some people, ANY change is reflexively bad. Some people react to this like children throwing tantrums over their lack of control over their environment, however, good people can and do accept that some change has been for the better or at most just doesn't really matter to THEM.
Moreover, why is it that people who accept the arguably much greater changes wrought by technology on their lives -- after all, they are not adopting the Amish model for reacting to technology -- so unable to accept greater participation of "others" in society, participation that inevitably leads to things like marriage? This isn't just a here and now story -- my mother's generation was the first generation in her family that married people with non-German heritage. Everyone got over it, probably even before the wedding had occurred. This is about maintaining an order in which certain people are considered being worthy members of "our" tribe (or as Cohen said rather infelicitously "our country").
It's the continuing focus on THIS kind of change being particularly and maybe even uniquely unacceptable to certain cohorts of people that carries the charge of racism.
Also, white people of a certain age are encumbered by the history we've lived through.
Hi, Jim.
I don't regard the history I've been fortunate enough to live through as an encumbrance, but rather as a great gift. Being old, having seen a lot and had time to read and hear about a lot more, is great.
During the years I observed the changes in attitudes about race, women, gay people, etc., I also observed the change in the attitude toward the old. It has deteriorated to the point where it is today, as demonstrated so vividly in the vicious slurs about old white men, old uncles at Thanksgiving, etc., etc.
(I guess I've been most shocked by the hatred of old nuns expressed on various Catholic message boards and displayed so powerfully by the Vatican's investigation.)
(Just a suggestion to the young: instead of hating the old, talk to them. You might be amazed, as I was a few weeks ago when I called a 92-year-old cousin, at the family history they know, the details they recall about your parents and grandparents, etc. that will be forever lost when they are gone.)
Gerelyn, I'm sure you're right about the worsening attitude toward the old., and that it does even descend to viciousness on occasion. Apparently, Pope Francis agrees, as he named it one of the chief problems of our time.
There’s a very highly regarded 1953 Japanese movie, Tokyo Story, directed by Yasujiro Ozu, that’s about the indifference of a trio of adult children to their elderly parents. “Attention must be paid,” says Willy Loman’s wife to their children in Death of a Salesman, but here the children are too preoccupied with their own lives to make the time.
The larger themes are the transience of life, loneliness and selfishness. Its very poignant.
In the 60s? I hope you don't mean the 1960s. The stock character of the senex in Plautus and Terence did not often invite respect. Ditto for the ridiculous viejo in Spanish comedies of the age of Lope and Calderón. Then there's Shakespeare, who admittedly expressed quite varied attitudes to those of mature years, but to whom the "crabbed age and youth" verses were (questionably) attributed: "...Age, I do abhor thee; Youth, I do adore thee..."
As for the supposed slogan about not trusting those over 30, the real irony is the original context. Some opponents of the Free Speech Movement, who saw a Commie behind every countercultural statement, tried to dismiss the unsettling college students as dupes of sinister and older ideologues. Jack Weinberg, then only six years away from the fatal birthday, came up with the formula in exasperation during an interview with a reporter: http://www.bartleby.com/73/1828.html . | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
School gardener, who has died at 89, was awarded the MBE for his tireless work for the village and service to horticulture
Peter at Holbrook's war memorial. He looked after it for more than half a century Picture: FAMILY COLLECTION
Niece Alison started it. Her regular Christmas present to Uncle Peter was a big diary, and from 1958 until the mid-1990s he penned succinct daily entries about his life. He wrote as he enjoyed his elevenses (at 10am!) - tea from the flask he brought from home and a slice of his wife's cake. The lines tell us what he was planting in the garden where he worked; what he'd caught in the beloved rivers he knew like the back of his hand.
Doing justice to him really requires as many pages as he covered with his handwriting, year after year, before his breaks ended and it was time to return to the flowerbeds and vegetable patches.
Peter Page wasn't one of life's boisterous and flashy characters, but a character he most certainly was. And his life was vibrant and rewarding.
From the age of 14, he spent more than half a century tending the headmaster's garden at a high-profile Suffolk school. He was a harbourmaster for about six decades. And he was an untiring supporter of the Royal British Legion - caring for the local war memorial well into his 80s and acting as a door-to-door collector for the Poppy Appeal for 33 years.
Peter didn't seek praise or the limelight, but his efforts were recognised when he received the MBE from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. The decoration honoured his service to both horticulture and the community.
There's a catalogue of memories, but perhaps what means most are the sentiments in cards sent to his family. They invariably remember Peter Page as an incredibly helpful and lovely man. There can be no better tribute.
Nazi plane spells trouble
Peter was born on the Shotley peninsula in October, 1929 - on a farm at Beaumont Hall, Harkstead. His father and uncles were horsemen on the farm.
A young Peter Page Picture: FAMILY COLLECTION
When he was six weeks old, parents Phyllis and Albert moved the family to Alton Green Cottages in Lower Holbrook, where he grew up. Peter, who had three sisters and a brother, was out on the River Stour from the age of eight or nine.
Meanwhile, it was quite a walk to the village primary school (about one and a half miles) and later to what was then called the area school (high school). "I think they got up to high jinks as they got older, on the way home. Scrumping…" says Peter's son Simon.
One scrape that landed the schoolboy in a bit of bother came in October, 1940, after a Nazi bomber crashed into the mud off Erwarton Ness. The crew had bailed out long before, landing in faraway Salisbury.
The Luftwaffe's downed Dornier was a magnet to boys like 11-year-old Peter. He said in 2004: "Three of us lads went along to see it in the morning and we picked up some shell casings.
"I got in terrible trouble, though. The police found out and I had to take all that I had and hand them in. I can remember it well. I'd never seen a plane that close before and I haven't seen a military plane that close again since."
Son Simon remembers hearing that the pals had been messing about with their finds at a house in Holbrook. A worried local saw them and alerted the authorities. Hence the summons to the headmaster's room, where a policeman awaited.
The boys were warned not to pick up such objects again, as it was a risky practice. That was no exaggeration. At another time, some local lads were apparently killed when they put bullets in a vice and tried to get out the explosive element.
Even grew grapes
Doris and Peter married in April, 1955, at All Saints Church in Chevallier Street, Ipswich Picture: FAMILY COLLECTION
Peter left school at 14 and in January, 1944, started work as "the boy" in the headmaster's garden at the Royal Hospital School.
The school had opened in 1712 - not then in Suffolk but as part of Greenwich Hospital in London. Its aim was to allow boys from seafaring backgrounds to learn arithmetic and navigation.
As the number of pupils grew, more space was needed. In 1933 it moved to a purpose-built campus, complete with 200 acres of countryside, at Holbrook.
Peter had some experience of gardening. It was something he'd studied at senior school and his children still have his "Garden Diary" from 1942-43, with its neat entries and botanical drawings.
He started as an apprentice, essentially, to old Mr Marjoram - taking over as "the gardener" when the incumbent retired at the tail end of the 1950s.
The headmaster's house - part of the school grounds - had a walled garden, kitchen garden, an area at the front, and a rose garden. There was also a crinkle-crankle wall.
"Everything was dug by hand and weeded by hand; hedges were clipped by hand," says Simon. "The only power tool he used was a really old lawnmower, which probably dated from about 1936."
Apart from some help one day a week, it was all down to Peter.
"Each day, around half-past nine, quarter to 10, he would go to the back door, see the cook or the headmaster's wife, and find out what vegetables they wanted for the day.
A man of the river Picture: FAMILY COLLECTION
"He would then go and get them. He grew the lot: cabbage, cauliflower, broad beans, runner beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber…
"For one headmaster he even used to grow tobacco and dry it, and the headmaster sent it away to be turned into stuff for his pipe.
"There was a fruit cage with raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants. He grew strawberries. Everything was done properly. He'd get manure delivered. He created his own compost. And provided cut flowers for the chapel at the Royal Hospital School.
"One headmaster's wife wanted to grow grapes, and so he learned and perfected that skill. He always said that while he was the headmaster's gardener, his boss was really the headmaster's wife! He had good relationships with the wives."
Peter's daughter Hazel says: "His gardens were immaculate. Even the vegetable gardens. There was not a weed in sight. Straight rows."
No electricity supply
"He was one of the last of a generation," reckons Simon.
It's not so long ago, really, but sounds a world away - particularly when you hear that Peter's shed didn't have an electricity supply.
Peter working in the headmaster's garden at the Royal Hospital School, by the crinkle-crankle wall Picture: FAMILY COLLECTION
It was offered, but he was happy with his bench against the one window. When it got too dark on winter afternoons… well, it was time to call a halt.
"At the end of the day he always took his tools back to the standpipe, washed them clean and dried them - and each had its own place in the shed."
Had Peter always dreamed of being a professional gardener? Well, Simon has an inkling his dad had wanted to be a shipwright. Peter had grown up on the river and by the age of 14 was mending his own craft.
It seems he was set to be apprenticed to a boatbuilder at Pin Mill, but for some reason it didn't happen. When the vacancy arose at the Royal Hospital School, he went there. It was a major local employer and his father was the gamekeeper.
Hitler's plan for the school
At 18, Peter was called up for national service, which he did from 1948 to 1950. He was a driver in the Royal Corps of Signals. He impressed during training - so much so that the Army wanted him to stay and learn to be an instructor; but the teenager wanted to widen his horizons. He was posted to Germany and was based near Dusseldorf for 15 or 16 months.
Hazel remembers her father talking about that time; about how it was so soon after the war.
"They would meet and socialise with German people. He said it was a good thing; but all those deaths, and all that fighting… and then, just a couple of years later, people of his age - British and German - were just trying to get along and get on with their lives."
One of Peter's Boots diaries and his 'Garden Diary', written not long before he left the area school at Holbrook Picture: STEVEN RUSSELL
Simon says his dad told a story about one of his mates marrying a local girl in Germany. At the reception, he sat next to someone from the German air force and they chatted about where Peter lived.
"Ah, the Royal Hospital School. We were told not to bomb that," said the air force man. The reasons? First, it had been a striking visual landmark for Nazi bombers heading for London. Second, Hitler had earmarked the capacious school as accommodation for troops after a successful invasion of England…
"Somewhere, Dad had an aerial photograph of the school, provided by this German fellow. How true that is, we don't know. But he dined out on that story!"
Love blooms
It wasn't just peas and pansies that caught Peter's eye at the Royal Hospital School. The infirmary was next to the headmaster's garden and working there was a nurse. Their paths crossed.
Doris, who had trained in Colchester, hailed from Ipswich and was the daughter of a painter and decorator. She and Peter married in April, 1955, at All Saints Church in Chevallier Street, Ipswich.
There was some kerfuffle about Peter's suit. He'd ordered one from John Collier, but it didn't arrive very quickly and Simon thinks the groom had to go down on the morning of the wedding to pick it up.
Happily, everything went off all right. The couple made their home at Fir Tree Cottages, just outside the village, and then moved to The Lodge at the school once Peter became the main man tending the headmaster's garden.
Pages from Peter's 1958 diary and his area school 'Garden Diary' in the early 1940s, not long before he left Picture: STEVEN RUSSELL
For Simon and Hazel it was idyllic. They essentially had the run of the grounds during the holidays and learned to swim in the school pool.
Peter tended not to allow horticulture to dominate his free time. "He used to get nagged about the garden at home!" laughs Simon. "He'd have paved it over if he could, but Mum wanted roses. He did nice hanging baskets and troughs and things."
Tended land, loved water
"Gardening was his job, and he was blinking good at it, but his first love was being out on the river and catching fish, and just being down the creek," says Simon of his father.
"Kingfisher" was the boat he had the longest. It was his pride and joy - forever known as "Dad's boat". It used to be a wooden lifeboat for a ship. In the early 1960s, Peter converted the hull, put a cabin on it and fitted it out.
He'd trawl for Dover sole and other flatfish. He'd longline-fish for skate and bass, and used nets to catch mullet. And then there were eels.
Peter adapted a traditional Dutch design and made probably 100 eel traps. He'd go off on Friday and Saturday nights and set those in the River Stour or Orwell - sometimes in the Deben and Walton Backwaters. The following day he'd be up at 4.30am or 5am to haul them in.
The catches were sent, alive, to London. Peter had purpose-made wooden eel trunks, with drainage holes and ice. His children helped with preparations.
Peter, with an eye on his quarry Picture: FAMILY COLLECTION
A local chap would take the eels in his estate car or van to Ipswich railway station, where they'd be sent on to London's Billingsgate Market. A merchant would sell them, and Peter would get a cheque a few days later.
The eel incident
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When the children were young, the family didn't have a phone at home.
One evening, in the 1960s, a chap who ran a little village shop came down the road and said they needed to take another box to Ipswich station "because the box you had is split and all the eels are escaping".
So off they went, to find eels all over the platform. The children caught them and put them in a spare box - in time for the train to London.
"They were actually easier to catch, because the platform was dusty and the eels got drier and were less slippery," says Simon. "I must have been nine or 10 and you (Hazel) would have been five or six. Passengers on the platform watched this little girl running around, picking these eels up!"
Later, fish merchant Richard Haward, from West Mersea, would often take Peter's eels to Billingsgate. Eventually, Richard said the prices being fetched in London weren't now so good and that he could get better in Holland.
Peter Page - a skilled fisherman as well as a skilled gardener. In the background is the landmark spire of the Royal Hospital School, above the main classrooms Picture: FAMILY COLLECTION
"By then Dad had got a car and we used to meet Richard Haward's lorry at Horsley Cross on the A120 and load the eels onto his truck, which would then go on the ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland and up to the Dutch market," recalls Simon.
"Talk about taking coals to Newcastle… The Dutch were the masters at catching eels. Fyke nets were designed by the Dutch, but Dad adapted his own design."
Peter made a tidy sum from his fishing, which supplemented his wages as a gardener. He was often too busy working to go on holiday, though there were some family holidays, including to Belgium. Not that the children felt short-changed, for they spent what we'd nowadays call "quality time" with their father.
"When dad was on the river, we were on the river," explains Hazel.
Peter sailed mainly on the Stour (known in the family as "our river"). The Orwell was "the other river". Sometimes he'd go round to the Walton Backwaters and, if he had a week off, he might fish in the Deben.
"On winter evenings, Mum would be there knitting and Dad would be either making a trawl net from scratch or repairing nets. All his nets were made by hand," says Simon.
The Queen Mother and the spuds
The Queen Mother opened Holbrook's fire station in 1967 and went on to open buildings at the Royal Hospital School.
Peter Page in the summer of 2006, being presented with his replacement MBE medal by the Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Adrian Johns, at the Royal Hospital Schools speech day Picture: ARCHANT ARCHIVE
The RHS hosted a big lunch, in a marquee on the lawn outside the headmaster's house. Caterers brought everything for the occasion, apart from potatoes, says Simon. "The potatoes to be served with the salad lunch were from the headmaster's garden. Dad's potatoes.
"The caterers insisted the potatoes be of a certain size, so he had to dig up twice as many as he needed to be sure of getting the number the head chef had specified.
"That morning he got up early, dug them up; fine. Dad always maintained that he was told afterwards, by the caterers, 'Potatoes were lovely, Peter. We put two on each plate and the Queen Mother said "These potatoes are lovely; are there any more?"'
"Dad dined out on that story as well!" says Hazel.
Sir Harry, and Captain Blood
Peter made wreaths in winter. He'd take donations for them and give the money to the Royal British Legion. He was a staunch supporter.
"I've got a feeling he ended up as president of the branch in Holbrook," says Simon. "He certainly tended the war memorial in Holbrook. I think he started doing that when he got married, and did it until he was 83 or 84. So you could probably say that for 50-odd years he looked after the war memorial."
Peter in April, 2006, after his MBE was stolen by a burglar Picture: OWEN HINES
It wasn't the only time he was captured on camera. The East Anglian Film Archive has a piece on Holbrook village, made in 1986. Peter is shown at the Royal Hospital School, pushing a wheelbarrow containing a huge pumpkin. He's also filmed fishing in Holbrook Creek.
His children say their dad didn't seek the limelight, but was always ready to share his historical knowledge of the area and stories of the river.
For instance: The Stour was for several years dredged for sand and gravel that was taken to Calais to build the Channel Tunnel. Simon remembers going with his dad on an exciting 24-hour round trip to France on a dredger when he was nine or 10.
"He would help out with the village hall. He had his own set of skittles, which would come out for occasions such as the village fete, where they'd be the centrepiece of the British Legion stand. He did that right up to his 80s." Then there was "maybe eight years on the parish council".
And Captain Blood. This is a Holbrook tradition, which sees families gathering on the shore one afternoon a year and waiting for pirate Captain Blood to arrive by boat. He then sets about finding his buried treasure. There are also dinghy races and lots of fun.
Peter helped organise the event, providing the vessel for Captain Blood and arranging for a flotilla of dinghies to be strung together and towed behind the pirate's boat.
Honoured!
Peter received the MBE in the 1995 New Year's honours list. It recognised his long service to horticulture and the village of Holbrook.
Peter Page with his MBE, by the river he loved Picture: ARCHANT ARCHIVE
The letter about the accolade had come the previous November, and at Christmas Peter couldn't resist telling his family that "there might be an announcement", and swearing them to secrecy.
He later went to Buckingham Palace and was presented with the award by Prince Charles. "He was very proud," says Simon.
The following year, 1996, he retired from the garden. Peter had worked at the Royal Hospital School for 52 years and had served all the headmasters at Holbrook up until that date - six or seven of them.
It was, genuinely, the end of an era.
A callous act
Peter and Doris were able to stay on at The Lodge. They celebrated their golden wedding in 2005, but, sadly, Doris died the following January.
A few months later, Peter was the victim of some despicable behaviour when a burglar broke into his home one Sunday morning before Easter, while he was at the Methodist chapel.
The raider not only stole the MBE but Doris's engagement ring and a brooch presented to her for 35 years' service to the Poppy Appeal.
A sad and angry Peter said then: "If I was told someone was hard up and wanted a few pounds I would be the first one to give them some. These sorts of things are not valuable - they are only valuable to the person they belong to."
He added: "The medals can be replaced but my wife's jewellery cannot. She had all sorts in there, including a locket I gave her before we were married."
The haul included Peter's medal from the Royal Horticultural Society for 40 years' service and a First World War medal that belonged to his grandfather.
Although the original items have never been found, nor the culprit, there was something of a happy ending. Simon managed to get a replacement MBE medal. It was presented to his father at the Royal Hospital School speech day that summer - by vice-admiral Adrian Johns.
A delighted Peter said: "I knew it was going to be replaced but I didn't know when. When I lost the MBE, I had been saying to people that it wouldn't be the same one that Prince Charles pinned on me at Buckingham Palace. Now I've written to the headmaster, saying I shall appreciate this one equally as much because another senior naval officer presented it to me at the school I earned it at."
New friends
Peter lived at The Lodge until 2010. Being snowed in during a bad winter had made him think he ought to move into the heart of the village.
The family got him a bungalow behind The Compasses inn. Living in the same close was widow Hilda Cleeve. "They just clicked," says Simon, and became firm companions. "Both their fathers had been horsemen."
They enjoyed life, going on four or five Galloway Travel coach tours a year and relishing lunches and tea-and-chat gatherings across the Shotley peninsula.
Peter even joined the Mothers' Union. He used to take Hilda to meetings and wait in the car. That's daft, thought the group. Why don't you come and join us?
He also often ate at the high school, where older folk were regularly invited to have lunch with pupils. "The head said he loved Peter coming in. He entertained the children with stories about his life and Holbrook," says Simon.
A son of the Stour
We ought to finish with the river and the creek. As Simon says: "That was his 'home'. The garden was where he 'worked'."
There are some light-hearted stories, such as the time he helped train a group of women who wanted to become a rowing crew.
He'd been retired a fair old time, but helped their dream come true. The crew of the Gallister Maid (the name of the women's boat) went on to enjoy many great times on the water, including taking part four times in The Great River Race on the Thames, billed as "London's River Marathon".
There's a tale about a training row to Wrabness, with Peter coxing. It was such a hot day that the ladies decided spontaneously to have a cooling swim… in bras and knickers. Peter was said to have stayed resolutely at his post in the boat, in tweed jacket, and made no comment!
The water was a constant for Peter. He was reportedly harbourmaster at Holbrook Creek for 60-odd years, keeping a weather eye on the boats moored in the river and on the foreshore - maybe 40 at any one time.
He knew the creek, river and boat-owners - knew the Stour from boyhood. He'd post the tide-tables on the noticeboard and generally keep the operation shipshape, without making a song and dance. Peter even put out the withies/beacons to mark the channel along the river.
If it was windy, he'd bike down to check things were all right.
When he stopped being harbourmaster, he was given a key in perpetuity, so he could go down to the water's edge whenever he wanted. "He loved to look at the water and watch what was going on," says daughter-in-law Kate.
Hazel says: "It's amazing to look back on his life. But, also, as you say, much has changed in Dad's generation - from growing up in a house with no running water to FaceTiming his grandchildren. To be part of a village and community like Holbrook is real testament to what that life is like.
"Simon and I are just so grateful for being able to grow up here and be a part of a place like this."
Her brother adds: "Anybody who's had a boat in Holbrook Bay or Holbrook Creek over the last 50 years will know Peter Page. He was a man who helped people. He's been a key figure in Holbrook life."
This final comment from Simon perhaps sums up the deep impact of his father. "Even when I was the chairman of Holbrook Parish Council, I was still, to many people, 'Peter's boy'."
* Peter Page, who had developed Alzheimer's in his later years, died in Ipswich Hospital at the age of 89. He leaves Simon and Hazel; their spouses Kate and Greg; grandchildren Matthew, Emma and Steven; and companion Hilda. | {
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The researchers examined information from 769 older adults who participated in the Kurabuchi Study starting in 2005. The study was designed to look at how well adults 65-years-old and older could perform their daily functions. The researchers published their study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
The researchers examined information from older adults who could function well at the start of the study. Then the researchers noted any depressive symptoms among the participants. At the end of the 7.5-year-long study, the researchers learned that 30 percent of the participants had symptoms of depression. They also learned that participants with depression symptoms were more likely to have problems in the future performing their regular daily activities.
The association between symptoms of depression and having trouble performing daily activities in the future was not affected by living circumstances or marital status. However, the researchers noted that older adults with symptoms of depression who were married or living with family had an increased risk for being institutionalized.
One thought on “Symptoms of Depression Linked to Problems Performing Regular Daily Activities for Older Japanese Adults”
A study really wasn’t necessary. Just ask anyone over 78 (especially widows) how depression is disruptive to one’s daily mood. Yes, one should be involved in activities, volunteerism, peer groups, etc. but when the impetus to get out of bed in the morning and do anything at all is absent, life feels empty, flat and meaningless. | {
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Categories
Authority Organisation Sites
FDA - the Food and Drugs Administration, the official US departmental organisation that oversees consumer interest.
MHRA - the Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Authority, The UK's official body that overseas consumer protection.
When we hear the term fat metabolizer, we immediately think of an agent which will accelerate the burning of fat deposited in the body and lead to rapid weight loss.
In many ways the Fat Metaboliser Tablets manufactured by Nutritional Headquarters promises to do just that.
But their functions are not limited to just that. The rise in demand and popularity of these tablets has pointed to their targeting the fat deposits as well as enhancing the pace of calorie burning in the body.
Distributed by Holland & Barrett, UK’s leading retailers of health and diet supplements, which include minerals, vitamins and even herbal products, Fat Metaboliser Tablets have been catapulted to the top as one of the most effective diet pills of our time.
It is also one of the most affordable of all supplements in the market (costing about £6.00) making them easy choice for first timers as well as veteran dieters. Unfortunately, along with fame also comes censure and mixed customer reviews have clouded the users’ view of how this pill works and the side-effects it may cause.
At A Glance
Claims:To be able to mobilise fat if used with a heating plan
Positives: Cheap. On paper contains some good ingredients
Negatives: Lacks potency. Weak when compared to some of the newly introduced products
Fat Metaboliser Review – What It Claims to Do
A fat metabolizer pill is basically a combination of old fashioned fat burner and a calorie burner. It works by boosting up the speed or pace of the metabolic rate in the body.
Once the body’s metabolic rate is accelerated two things happen – the calories that you ingest will be worked upon immediately and burned instead of allowing them to settle in as fat deposits. Next, the fat that has been stored in the body over the years is slowly chipped away and burned off as fuel so that the body is energized at the same time it loses all the unwanted weight.
The Fat Metaboliser Tablets come with a 14 day diet plan. This easy and low fat diet combined with regular light exercises works with the pills to aid in weight loss. One of the key advantages of this program is that it is an easy to adapt and maintain lifestyle that enables users to carry on with for a long duration.
Backed by the formidable reputation of Nutritional Headquarters along with Holland & Barrett, Fat Metaboliser Tablets are designed to support and aid in weight management and maintenance with permanent results.
Despite such glowing recommendation however, the pills have shown very tepid results which points to the fact that the promise of the ingredients may not have been properly harnessed by its manufacturers.
Ingredients
Vitamin B6 – Essential for amino acid reactions and aids in glucose release. But is adequately available in a balanced diet.
Chromium – Known to aid in increasing metabolic rate and boost energy levels. But has no scientific evidence to support this theory.
Green Tea – A potent antioxidant which also contains Epigallocatechin 3-Gallate or EGCG which actively aids in weight loss. Unfortunately it needs large doses to be effective.
Cayenne Pepper – Some theories point to chill peppers increasing body heat, boosting metabolism and burning fat. There is no solid scientific evidence to back this or to point whether cayenne is that unique pepper.
Uva Ursi – this anti-inflammatory agent is said to balance the other ingredients but since there are no clinical trials one has no way to knowing whether they really work
L -Carnitine – This is used in many weight loss supplements and is known to improve muscle metabolism. But here too one needs to ingest large doses to be effective and the amount present in the Fat Metaboliser Tablets is hardly close to that.
Kola Nut – known for its caffeine flavoring and content, it is said to curb hunger pangs and lead to weight loss
Side Effects
Headaches
Increase in heart rate
Nausea and dizziness
Sleeplessness
Difficulty in breathing
Restlessness
Customer Success or Complaints
As mentioned earlier, there have been mixed customer reviews. While some have mentioned that the pills worked, most have complained either of no reaction or of terrible reaction in the guise of painful side effects.
The Last Word
Cheap but not very cheerful
Where To Buy In The UK
Holland and Barrett is the best option.
Other Fat Burners To Consider
PhenQ is arguably the most popular commercial fat burner in the UK. It is pharmacy strength but available to buy direct from the official website.
PhenQ is created and distributed from within the UK. There are not many commercial diet pills that can state this claim. The British advertising laws are possibly the strictest in the world and so when a product claims to do what PhenQ claim – take note.
About Antony Ireland
Antony Ireland is a researcher and writer specialising in the health sector. A strong background in computing, network analysis and web design enabled Antony to communicate his message and to realise his passion of expressing his opinions on subject matters that he feels strongly about.
Antony currently heads the editorial team of several premium website specialising in content based on natural health targeting several languages in a multitude of countries.
You can contact Antony here: Antony Ireland
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Antony Ireland on Best Diet Pills 2016 To BuyJust to reiterate - none of the products listed on this page or indeed this website are ours. We do not supply any products, we simply review various weight loss products and diet pills and rate accordingly. In answer to your question Kath, yes most if not all products ship[...]
sandra blake on XLS Carb Blocker Review, Does It WorkHi was just wondering if you did try and did it work? seriously out of desperation thinking of giving it ago...I have put 5 stone on in 7 yrs after having my gallbladder removed and carn't shift any of it...sick of doctors telling me i'm obese and need to loose[...]
This website displays content that should be used for advice only and should not be used to form any basis for a medical diagnosis or as a replacement for advice or information given by a doctor. All material on this website is subject to copyright and cannot be reproduced or published online or in print either in whole or in part without prior consent from the website owner or content author. | {
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Twitter. The world is abuzz with it right now. Scientists are baffled by this global phenomena.Lay folk say "what the heck", and pundits go "Sheesh, what a resource, if only..."
Along with this 'in the cloud' technology that passes messages way faster than the speed of two men, a length of string and a couple of Coke cans, it is not a question of "what next?" More of "Oh my God, and all this TOO!"
You've gotta believe that all those billions of dollars the world has been pouring into the coffers of successful online entities has to have given them access to some of the best programmers, developers, code-cutters and theorists the planet has ever seen.
As well as the sounds of the multiverse every time you open your eyes and gaze upon your digital domains, there are applications emerging that, only a few short months ago even, were being touted as the latest and greatest in affordable stand-alone applications.
Suddenly online video editing, sound editing, digital signal processing and what used to be 'heavy compute' are being handled, manipulated and managed 'out the back', in the cloud.
The information you painstaking gather, assembly, sort and select that you hope will become your next wave of successful market exposure, or your video log away from home, someplace else on the planet, to show the folks what we have been up to today....is all too real, achievable, and most importantly, usually FREE!
It is not must the applications that reside in the clouds. On board applications and software 'smarts' play a big part in cementing this new platform of 'never own the app' all together.Java, a tool that manages presentation, along with Adobe, think the PDF, and a host of other third party applications, all happily co-exist within the OS shells.
While Microsoft's Windows, and its Internet Explorer browser, in whatever modern guise, has proven more than adept at making sure all the pieces work, Mozilla's FireFox browser is not far behind. In fact FireFox is visibly more aware of the constantly hanging landscape and offers clearer developer interfaces that let the interested 'fine-tune' and 'tweak' their online world till it precisely meets their needs. Add Apple's Safari and Google's Chrome and you've got a surefire recipe for success, at some level.
It is all about interoperability, and the ways and means that all the code ever written can be run on any machine ever made, provided it was capable of running an operating system that was recognized. See the above. | {
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Reported revenue was $266 million, decreasing 5 percent from a year ago on a reported basis, and 4 percent on a constant currency basis.
Net income from continuing operations was $14 million or $0.37 per diluted share, compared to $13 million or $0.34 per diluted share in the same period a year ago. Adjusted earnings were $22 million or $0.58 per diluted share, compared to $18 million or $0.48 per diluted share a year ago.
Cash flow from operating activities was $96 million, compared to a use of cash of $11 million in the same period a year ago. Working capital as a percentage of sales decreased by 300 basis points compared to the first quarter of 2016.
The company continues to make progress collecting its insurance receivable, and received $81 million during the quarter from one of its insurance carriers. At the end of the quarter, the insurance receivable balance was $59 million, down from $230 million at the end of the first quarter of 2016.
Comments from Management
"Our first quarter performance reflects the leverage we are gaining from our streamlined cost structure and continued focus on improving profitability," said William M. Lambert, MSA Chairman, President and CEO. "Despite a difficult revenue comparison in self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) resulting from several large orders shipped in the first quarter of 2016, we realized adjusted earnings growth of 24 percent," he continued.
"After seeing solid order improvement late last year in short-cycle industrial products, like hard hats and portable gas detectors, we continued to gain traction in these areas in the first quarter," Mr. Lambert commented. He noted that quarterly revenue from portable gas detection and industrial head protection increased by 13 percent and 16 percent, respectively. Mr. Lambert added that the company continues to drive higher product margins across substantially all of its core product groups, the most significant of which occurred in its SCBA line, driven by a combination of new product offerings and reductions in product costs associated with value engineering.
"While we've made solid progress in expanding product margins and lowering operating costs through enhanced productivity, we remain keenly focused on investing in programs that drive profitable growth. Through these investments we will continue to deliver innovative solutions for our customers, gain market share in our core product areas, and increase value for all of our stakeholders," Mr. Lambert concluded.
MSA Safety Incorporated
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income (Unaudited)
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
Three Months Ended March 31,
2017
2016
Net sales
$
265,765
$
279,268
Cost of products sold
146,043
158,563
Gross profit
119,722
120,705
Selling, general and administrative
75,983
79,195
Research and development
10,998
10,363
Restructuring charges
12,739
470
Currency exchange losses, net
580
1,950
Operating income
19,422
28,727
Interest expense
3,591
3,902
Other income, net
(655)
(888)
Total other expense, net
2,936
3,014
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
16,486
25,713
Provision for income taxes
1,796
12,511
Income from continuing operations
14,690
13,202
Loss from discontinued operations
—
(1,129)
Net income
14,690
12,073
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
(277)
(322)
Net income attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated
14,413
11,751
Amounts attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated common shareholders:
Income from continuing operations
14,413
12,683
Loss from discontinued operations
—
(932)
Net income
14,413
11,751
Earnings per share attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated common shareholders:
Basic
Income from continuing operations
$
0.38
$
0.34
Loss from discontinued operations
$
—
$
(0.03)
Net income
$
0.38
$
0.31
Diluted
Income from continuing operations
$
0.37
$
0.34
Loss from discontinued operations
$
—
$
(0.03)
Net income
$
0.37
$
0.31
Basic shares outstanding
37,766
37,330
Diluted shares outstanding
38,593
37,759
MSA Safety Incorporated
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet (Unaudited)
(In thousands)
March 31, 2017
December 31, 2016
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$
104,427
$
113,759
Trade receivables, net
208,392
209,514
Inventories
117,621
103,066
Notes receivable, insurance companies
19,723
4,180
Other current assets
44,638
42,287
Total current assets
494,801
472,806
Property, net
144,445
148,678
Prepaid pension cost
54,016
62,916
Goodwill
335,297
333,276
Notes receivable, insurance companies, noncurrent
63,416
63,147
Insurance receivable, noncurrent
56,502
157,929
Other noncurrent assets
109,677
115,168
Total assets
$
1,258,154
$
1,353,920
Liabilities and shareholders' equity
Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt, net
$
26,848
$
26,666
Accounts payable
65,682
62,734
Other current liabilities
109,485
132,010
Total current liabilities
202,015
221,410
Long-term debt, net
268,568
363,836
Pensions and other employee benefits
158,908
157,927
Deferred tax liabilities
34,867
34,044
Other noncurrent liabilities
15,518
15,491
Total shareholders' equity
578,278
561,212
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity
$
1,258,154
$
1,353,920
MSA Safety Incorporated
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
(In thousands)
Three Months Ended March 31,
2017
2016
Net income
$
14,690
$
12,073
Depreciation and amortization
8,752
9,156
Change in working capital and other operating
72,948
(32,235)
Cash flow from (used in) operating activities
96,390
(11,006)
Capital expenditures
(1,442)
(5,819)
Property disposals and other investing
165
15,708
Cash flow (used in) from investing activities
(1,277)
9,889
Change in debt
(96,437)
13,633
Cash dividends paid
(12,455)
(11,936)
Other financing
2,846
1,556
Cash flow (used in) from financing activities
(106,046)
3,253
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
1,601
3,840
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
(9,332)
5,976
MSA Safety Incorporated
Segment Information (Unaudited)
(In thousands)
Americas
International
Corporate
Consolidated
Three Months Ended March 31, 2017
Sales to external customers
$
166,568
$
99,197
—
$
265,765
Operating income
19,422
Operating margin %
7.3
%
Restructuring charges
12,739
Currency exchange losses, net
580
Adjusted operating income (loss)
38,106
6,644
(12,009)
$
32,741
Adjusted operating margin %
22.9
%
6.7
%
12.3
%
Americas
International
Corporate
Consolidated
Three Months Ended March 31, 2016
Sales to external customers
$
167,342
$
111,926
—
$
279,268
Operating income
28,727
Operating margin %
10.3
%
Restructuring charges
470
Currency exchange losses, net
1,950
Adjusted operating income (loss)
31,345
8,408
(8,606)
$
31,147
Adjusted operating margin %
18.7
%
7.5
%
11.2
%
The Americas and International segments were established on January 1, 2016. The Americas segment is comprised of our operations in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. The International segment is comprised of our operations in all other parts of the world including Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India, China, South East Asia and Australia. Certain global expenses are allocated to each segment in a manner consistent with where the benefits from the expenses are derived.
Adjusted operating income (loss) and adjusted operating margin are the measures used by the chief operating decision maker to evaluate segment performance and allocate resources. As such, management believes that adjusted operating income (loss) and adjusted operating margin are useful metrics for investors. Adjusted operating income (loss) is defined as operating income excluding restructuring and currency exchange gains / losses. Adjusted operating margin is defined as adjusted operating income (loss) divided by net sales. Adjusted operating income (loss) and adjusted operating margin are not recognized terms under GAAP, and the Company's definition of adjusted operating income (loss) and adjusted operating margin may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to consider operating income determined on a GAAP basis in addition to these non-GAAP measures.
MSA Safety Incorporated
Reconciliation of As Reported Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Constant currency revenue growth (Unaudited)
Consolidated
Three Months Ended March 31, 2017
Breathing Apparatus
Fire and Rescue Helmets
Industrial Head Protection
Portable Gas Detection
Fixed Gas and Flame Detection
Fall Protection
Core Sales
Non-Core Sales
Net Sales
GAAP reportedsales change
(12)%
3
%
18
%
13
%
(9)%
(12)%
(4)%
(10)%
(5)%
Plus: Currencytranslation effects
—
%
2
%
(2)%
—
%
1
%
5
%
1
%
(1)%
1
%
Constant currencysales change
(12)%
5
%
16
%
13
%
(8)%
(7)%
(3)%
(11)%
(4)%
Management believes that constant currency revenue growth is a useful metric for investors, as foreign currency translation can have a material impact on revenue growth trends. Constant currency revenue growth highlights ongoing business performance excluding the impact of fluctuating foreign currencies, which is outside of management's control.
There can be no assurances that MSA's definition of constant currency revenue growth is consistent with that of other companies. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to consider revenue growth determined on a GAAP basis in addition to this non-GAAP financial measure.
MSA Safety Incorporated
Reconciliation of As Reported Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Constant currency revenue growth (Unaudited)
Americas Segment
Three Months Ended March 31, 2017
Breathing Apparatus
Fire and Rescue Helmets
Industrial Head Protection
Portable Gas Detection
Fixed Gas and Flame Detection
Fall Protection
Core Sales
Non-Core Sales
Net Sales
GAAP reportedsales change
(9)%
(5)%
17
%
18
%
(11)%
12
%
—
%
(3)%
—
%
Plus: Currencytranslation effects
—
%
—
%
(3)%
—
%
1
%
1
%
—
%
(2)%
(1)%
Constantcurrency saleschange
(9)%
(5)%
14
%
18
%
(10)%
13
%
—
%
(5)%
(1)%
Management believes that constant currency revenue growth is a useful metric for investors, as foreign currency translation can have a material impact on revenue growth trends. Constant currency revenue growth highlights ongoing business performance excluding the impact of fluctuating foreign currencies, which is outside of management's control.
There can be no assurances that MSA's definition of constant currency revenue growth is consistent with that of other companies. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to consider revenue growth determined on a GAAP basis in addition to this non-GAAP financial measure.
MSA Safety Incorporated
Reconciliation of As Reported Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Constant currency revenue growth (Unaudited)
International Segment
Three Months Ended March 31, 2017
Breathing Apparatus
Fire and Rescue Helmets
Industrial Head Protection
Portable Gas Detection
Fixed Gas and Flame Detection
Fall Protection
Core Sales
Non-Core Sales
Net Sales
GAAP reportedsales change
(19)%
10
%
24
%
3
%
(7)%
(28)%
(10)%
(18)%
(11)%
Plus: Currencytranslation effects
1
%
3
%
2
%
—
%
2
%
7
%
3
%
1
%
2
%
Constantcurrency saleschange
(18)%
13
%
26
%
3
%
(5)%
(21)%
(7)%
(17)%
(9)%
Management believes that constant currency revenue growth is a useful metric for investors, as foreign currency translation can have a material impact on revenue growth trends. Constant currency revenue growth highlights ongoing business performance excluding the impact of fluctuating foreign currencies, which is outside of management's control.
There can be no assurances that MSA's definition of constant currency revenue growth is consistent with that of other companies. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to consider revenue growth determined on a GAAP basis in addition to this non-GAAP financial measure.
MSA Safety Incorporated
Supplemental Segment Information (Unaudited)
Summary of constant currency revenue growth by segment and product group
Three Months Ended March 31, 2017
Consolidated
Americas
International
Industrial Head Protection
16
%
14
%
26
%
Portable Gas Detection
13
%
18
%
3
%
Fire and Rescue Helmets
5
%
(5)%
13
%
Fall Protection
(7)%
13
%
(21)%
Fixed Gas and Flame Detection
(8)%
(10)%
(5)%
Breathing Apparatus
(12)%
(9)%
(18)%
Total Core Products
(3)%
—
%
(7)%
Non-Core Products
(11)%
(5)%
(17)%
Net Sales
(4)%
(1)%
(9)%
MSA Safety Incorporated
Reconciliation of As Reported Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Adjusted earnings (Unaudited)
Adjusted earnings per diluted share (Unaudited)
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
Three Months Ended March 31,
2017
2016
%Change
Income from continuing operations attributable to MSA Safety Incorporated
$
14,413
$
12,683
14%
Tax (benefit) associated with ASU 2016-09: Improvements to
employee share-based payment accounting
(2,782)
Tax charges associated with European reorganization
3,600
Subtotal
11,631
16,283
(29)%
Restructuring charges
12,739
470
Strategic transaction costs
1,337
511
Currency exchange losses, net
580
1,950
Asset related losses (gains), net
32
(343)
Self-insured legal settlements and defense costs
32
20
Income tax expense on adjustments
(4,088)
(905)
Adjusted earnings
22,263
17,986
24%
Adjusted earnings per diluted share
$
0.58
$
0.48
21%
Management believes that adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per diluted share are useful measures for investors, as management uses these measures to internally assess the company's performance and ongoing operating trends. There can be no assurances that additional special items will not occur in future periods, nor that MSA's definition of adjusted earnings is consistent with that of other companies. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to consider both net income determined on a GAAP basis as well as adjusted earnings.
About MSA: Established in 1914, MSA Safety Incorporated is the global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures. Many MSA products integrate a combination of electronics, mechanical systems and advanced materials to protect users against hazardous or life-threatening situations. The company's comprehensive product line is used by workers around the world in a broad range of markets, including the oil, gas and petrochemical industry, the fire service, the construction industry, mining and the military. MSA's core products include self-contained breathing apparatus, fixed gas and flame detection systems, portable gas detection instruments, industrial head protection products, fire and rescue helmets, and fall protection devices. With 2016 revenues of $1.15 billion, MSA employs approximately 4,300 people worldwide. The company is headquartered north of Pittsburgh in Cranberry Township, Pa., and has manufacturing operations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. With more than 40 international locations, MSA realizes approximately half of its revenue from outside North America. For more information visit MSA's web site at www.MSAsafety.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:Except for historical information, certain matters discussed in this press release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include but are not limited to all projections and anticipated levels of future performance. Forward looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those discussed herein. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from projections or forward looking statements, including without limitation global economic conditions, spending patterns of government agencies, competitive pressures, the impact of acquisitions and related integration activities, product liability claims, the success of new product introductions, currency exchange rate fluctuations and the risks of doing business in foreign countries. A full listing of these risks, uncertainties and other factors are detailed from time-to-time in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including our most recent Form 10-K filed on February 28, 2017. You are strongly urged to review all such filings for a more detailed discussion of such risks and uncertainties. MSA's SEC filings are readily obtainable at no charge at www.sec.gov, as well as on its own investor relations website at http://investors.MSAsafety.com. MSA undertakes no duty to publicly update any forward looking statements contained herein, except as required by law.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures:This earnings release includes certain non-GAAP financial measures. These financial measures include constant currency revenue growth, adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per diluted share. The presentation of these financial measures does not comply with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). For an explanation of these measures, together with a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, see the Reconciliation of As Reported Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures in the financial tables section above. | {
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Mark O'Mara blasts media for 'running over' Zimmerman
George Zimmerman's defense attorney, Mark O'Mara, said that the media was the reason that he was painted as a monster and that they took the story and 'ran him over' with it.
http://www.wtsp.com/video/2543989100001/1531945080001/Mark-OMara-blasts-media-for-running-over-Zimmermanhttp://bc_gvpc.edgesuite.net/img/963482463001/201307/575/963482463001_2543992470001_th-51e21af5e4b049df9975b24e-1206954748001.jpg?pubId=963482463001Mark O'Mara blasts media for 'running over' ZimmermanGeorge Zimmerman's defense attorney, Mark O'Mara, said that the media was the reason that he was painted as a monster and that they took the story and 'ran him over' with it.trayvon martingeorge zimmermanCourtswtsplocalNews01:11 | {
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DS FadeToTunnel is a Development software developed by Dario Sciacca. After our trial and test, the software is proved to be official, secure and free. Here is the official description for DS FadeToTunnel: | {
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Archives
make-up
I love an excuse to play dress up. I recently attended the Face the World gala in Vancouver, which raises money for several different local charities. (Over $1 Million raised this year!) This is an event I look forward to every year not only because it’s a good cause, but because it’s a great party with amazing food and entertainment. And with many years of parties under my belt, I know the rookie mistakes that lead to a sore head and sore feet. I have learned a thing or two about how to look and feel your best for an important event, whether you’re heading to the Oscars, a wedding or a night on the town.
If I were stranded on a deserted island, I wouldn’t need anything but sunscreen. But if I was there with, say, Ryan Gosling or Robert Downey Jr. (or both!!), I could not live without my five key make-up must haves. They may not be enough to walk the red carpet, but I wouldn’t want my matinee idols (or most people) to see me without them.
Fed up with the less-than-sexy colours and bland packaging of organic make-up, Sasha Plavsic decided to launch her own product line. Her goal: organic products that don’t scream “green”. Her triumph: ILIA Beauty, featuring gorgeous shades, praise from top fashion experts, and yes, even up to 85% organic! I recently had a chance to chat with Sasha Plavsic to talk business, and beauty!
I’m at the age when product claims like “look up to 10 years younger in 40 seconds” make me stop in my tracks. 10 years? 40 seconds? Now that’s an efficient use of time. All for only 20 bucks? I’m in. After doing a little research, I found loads of reviews on Nanoblur (which launched last year) online, and many of them are favourable. But something about the marketing of this product seems odd to me…
We admit it. Like most women, we’ve got a stash of old cosmetics hiding in the back of a cupboard that we just can’t bear to throw out. But even though most make-up doesn’t have an expiry date, experts agree it definitely has a shelf life. And it may not last as long as you think! | {
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Men's Crew Captures 500-Meter Dash and Open Eights at Head of the Ohio
Oct 11, 2002
Oct. 11, 2002
Pittsburgh, PA -
TThe Brown's varsity men's crew team won the men's 500-meter dash and the men's open eights event at the Head of the Ohio Regatta in Pittsburgh on Sunday Oct. 6, winning the open event by 23 seconds over the second-place
finisher Marietta.
The Brown men's crew team will send its varsity crew to the Stonehurst Regatta in Rochester, NY on Sunday Oct. 13, while coach Matt Carlson's freshmen eight races in the Head of the Connecticut event in Middletown, CT.
Both the men's and women's crews will race at the Head of the
Charles regatta in Boston on Oct. 20. | {
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Clean the mushrooms with a soft cloth. To enhance the flavor slightly,
dehydrate the mushrooms for an hour or two. This is optional. To enjoy
the fresher tasting version, just skip the dehydrating step.
In a blender, puree the red pepper until liquefied, adding water as
needed for blending. Stir together with the ground flax seeds and let
the flax seeds soak in this for 15 minutes or so, until the flax seeds
have become gooey. This is what will hold the burgers together.
In a food processor fitted with an "S" blade, pulse the mushrooms,
walnuts, jalapeno, onion, and celery until chopped finely. Stir in the
red pepper and flax mixture and two tablespoons olive oil.
Form burgers and place on a teflex or plastic sheet. Spread just a bit
of olive oil on your sheets so the burgers will flip easily, if needed.
Dehydrate for about 2 hours then flip onto a regular dehydrator screen
and let finish dehydrating, which takes about another 2 hours.
The avocado mayo is simple. Just blend the avocado, agave, vinegar and
spices until creamy. A blender will make this nice and creamy, but
mashing with a fork would probably suffice.
Serve the burgers on a bed of lettuce leaves, with a dollop of avocado mayo, some chopped red onion, and chopped jalapenos.
In a food processor with the "S" blade, puree the avocado, bananas,
agave, vanilla, and salt until very smooth. This will take a few
minutes. Process in an ice cream maker until the consistency of soft
serve ice cream. Fold in the pistachios and freeze until firm.
If you don't have an ice cream maker, just freeze the puree and stir
every half hour or so until it's firm, adding the pistachios just before
firm. | {
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Shamanism refers to a range of traditional beliefs and practices concerned with communication with the spirit world. There are many variations of shamanism throughout the world, though there are some beliefs that are shared by all forms of shamanism:
The spirits can play important roles in human lives. The shaman can control and/or cooperate with the spirits for the community's benefit. The spirits can be either good or bad. Shamans engage various processes and techniques to incite trance; such as: singing, dancing, taking entheogens, meditating and drumming. Animals play an important role, acting as omens and message-bearers, as well as representations of animal spirit guides. The shaman's spirit leaves the body and enters into the supernatural world during certain tasks. The shamans can treat illnesses or sickness. Shamans are healers, gurus and magicians. Shamans have the ability to diagnose and cure human suffering and, in some societies, the ability to cause suffering. This is believed to be accomplished by traversing the axis mundi and forming a special relationship with, or gaining control over, spirits. Shamans have been credited with the ability to control the weather, divination, the interpretation of dreams, astral projection, and traveling to upper and lower worlds. Shamanistic traditions have existed throughout the world since prehistoric times.
Some anthropologists and religious scholars define a shaman as an intermediary between the natural and spiritual world, who travels between worlds in a state of trance. Once in the spirit world, the shaman would commune with the spirits for assistance in healing, hunting or weather management. Ripinsky-Naxon describes shamans as, “People who have a strong interest in their surrounding environment and the society of which they are a part.”
Other anthropologists critique the term "shamanism", arguing that it is a culturally specific word and institution and that by expanding it to fit any healer from any traditional society it produces a false unity between these cultures and creates a false idea of an initial human religion predating all others. However, some others say that these anthropologists simply fail to recognize the commonalities between otherwise diverse traditional societies.
Shamanism is based on the premise that the visible world is pervaded by invisible forces or spirits that affect the lives of the living. In contrast to animism and animatism, which any and usually all members of a society practice, shamanism requires specialized knowledge or abilities. It could be said that shamans are the experts employed by animists and animist communities. Shamans are often organized into full-time ritual or spiritual associations, like priests.Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamanism | {
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The Times Record reports that the attorney for Billy Rowe Jr., 31, entered the plea Wednesday morning prior to his scheduled arraignment and that Rowe is free on $25,000 bond.
KHBS-TV reports that Rowe, of Bonanza, was not present for the hearing.
“These charges stem from a criminal investigation which was initiated after an anonymous telephone call was made to the police department on Tuesday, September 10th,” according to a news release from police, which said that Rowe was placed on paid administrative leave on Sept. 11 and resigned shortly before he was arrested Tuesday.
The newspaper reported that an affidavit for Rowe’s arrest said he met the girl while serving as a church camp counselor and that he had sex with her on five occasions.
The church was not immediately identified.
In one count, Rowe is accused of engaging in sexual activity with the girl in July while on duty as a police officer.
“He arranged for the victim to accompany him during his patrol shift in the department’s ride along program. During that shift, Rowe performed oral sex on the victim while on duty,” according to the court document.
Fort Smith police and the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office investigated the allegations.
“We recognize that our personal conduct, both on and off duty, is inseparable from the professional reputation of both our officers and the department,” police said in the news release. “These complaints will be investigated as expediently and as thoroughly as possible to ensure fairness to all parties involved.”
Rowe is charged under a section of the sexual assault law that prohibits sex with a minor who is not married to the other person and the other person is in a position of trust or authority over the victim and used that position of trust or authority to have sex with that person. | {
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The satellites have infrared sensors, meaning they can see heat. Rudolphs nose
gives off an infrared signature similar to a missile launch. Thus, the
satellites can detect Rudolphs bright red nose with practically no problem.
The tradition of tracking Santa began in 1955, when a local Sears, Roebuck and
Co. store ran a newspaper ad urging children to make a phone call on Christmas
Eve and talk to Santa Claus. As fate would have it, the phone number was
misprinted and, instead of reaching Santa, youngsters found themselves talking
with Air Force Col. Harry Shoup of the Continental Air Defense Command at
Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado.
Rather than hanging up, Shoup and his troops answered every childs call that
night with a report of Santas location. CONAD personnel kept up the practice
until 1958, when NORAD was formed and took over Santatracking duties.
We think of it as a geography lesson, because the different places that Santa
visits or sightings that we have, a lot of people havent heard of, said Air
Force Master Sgt. John Tomassi, codirector of Santatracking operations. If we
can get some children to go and look at a map to find out where Timbuktu is, or
where India is, or Pakistan, or wherever, then we feel all the better for that. | {
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Conquering the Urge to Smoke
During the first hours and days, the urge to smoke can be enormous. We asked former smokers what tricks they used to overcome those cravings. Their responses were varied and ingenious. Read through them to find the ones that you think might help you.
"When the desire to smoke hit, I would put the cigarette under my nose..."
"I carried one cigarette around with me. When the desire to smoke hit, I would take that one cigarette and put it under my nose and inhale the smell. This went on until the cigarette fell apart. I do not remember how long that lasted and I really don't want to know. All I know is that I am free!" — Donna C.
"I kept an unsharpened pencil handy for the times when I needed something to do with my hands."
"I kept an unsharpened pencil handy for the times when I needed something to do with my hands, like after meals and first thing in the mornings when my smoking was heaviest. I would sort of twirl the pencil through my fingers much like a baton and sometimes just wiggle it back and forth, anything to have something in my hand and doing something to break that habit." — Joetta C.
"When I got a craving, I told myself it was my body telling me it was thirsty, and I drank a glass of water."
"I did two things to help me through a craving... When I got a craving for a cigarette, I told myself that it wasn't a craving, it was my body telling me it was thirsty, and I drank a glass of water. This does a couple really good things for you. It gets you drinking water, which your body needs and it is not fattening, so you won't gain weight. The second thing I did was I got some peppermint sticks, or candy canes, and sucked on those throughout the day, and you can get low sugar or sugar free ones if you like and again, you won't gain weight from this new 'habit.' — M.M.
"...chewing on anise seeds or other herbs." "Some of the tricks included lots of fresh water with lemon in it, holding a pencil or straw in fingers, chewing on anise seeds or other herbs (licorice root is a good one because you can hold it like a cigarette), and getting up and going for a short walk whilst others lit up was very healthy." — D.A.M.
"I bought a pack of herbal cigarettes, which are made without tobacco."
"I bought a pack of herbal cigarettes, which are made without tobacco. This satisfied the urge to 'smoke' but were so nasty that it was actually a relief to get to the end of the pack. It took about 2 packs of these to really make me glad I had quit. I was a 2-pack a day smoker (for 46 years) but each pack of the herbal cigarettes lasted about 10 days to 2 weeks." — Freda W.
"Part of smoking is breathing, so just pretend you are smoking."
"One thing I remember doing while early in my nonsmoking was I seemed to run around the house here with a Bic ballpoint pen in my mouth. I know it sounds odd, but hey, it worked! I didn't chew on it, just sucked on the cap mostly. Also doing deep breathing exercises helped me. Part of smoking is breathing, so just pretend you are smoking. The over 20 years of smoking created a habit of inhaling and when I quit that I was sort of lost. It seemed like there was something I was supposed to be doing, but I couldn't put my finger on it. The deep breathing help me a lot." — Mona B. | {
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It seems each Game of Thrones preview just has to alternate between making me go “oh, this might be really good” and “ugh, just ugh”. But oh well, as long as its alternating I suppose I’ll mostly enjoy the season. Brienne’s going to be great, though unfortunately the early scenes with her in Renly’s camp will be spoiled by the horribly miscast Margaery. I suspect she will be every bit as changed, and not for the better, as Cersei.
It really it starting to seem as if they feel more of a need to change up the female characters, just look at Shae for example. And not to mention “Jeyne”, of course, though that change seems largely motivated by wanting Robb around more. Hopefully, if the series goes on beyond the Red Wedding, they don’t feel a need to keep using Jeyne because she’ll just be taking up space at that time. Its true enough that George occasionally brings a very minor character to the forefront in a surprising way, but given the amount of characters he is juggling in the later books I suspect we won’t see much of Jeyne in the real story.
Of course, that likely won’t stop the show from cutting later introductions in favour of already established characters. Just look at the lack of Tullys this season. Will we get more Greyjoys when the time comes to that? Maybe not. Not to mention the Dornish. But maybe that’s just as well, I am dreading what the casting folks will get up to with them as I feel particularly proprietary about my favourite part of Westeros. | {
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REDWOOD CITY, CA – February 8, 2018 – Lastline Inc., the leader in advanced network-based malware protection, today announced a partnership with GTMaritime, the leading provider of specialized technologies to ensure vessel compliance and business operability, as well as keeping crew in touch with friends and family while at sea. GTMaritime’s GTMailPlus, a secure, reliable, cloud-based service that optimizes essential business and personal communications, now includes Lastline’s industry-leading advanced malware detection technology to ensure ships’ communications, navigation, and other systems are secure from malware.
More than 51,000 commercial ships carrying 90% of the world’s trade goods provide a very large and vulnerable target for cybercriminals. A majority of malware is distributed via email, so securing email is essential for protecting onboard systems from advanced malware that easily evades detection by anti-virus (AV), anti-spam, and other anti-malware technologies.
Cybercriminals target ships at sea for a number of reasons, including ransomware (demanding payment to return control of a ship’s navigation system, for example), identity theft (targeting ship email systems in order to infect unsuspecting crew members), and politically-driven motives, such as decreasing a navy’s ability to intercept ballistic missiles. Regardless of the initial motive, the collateral impact of crippling a ship’s communications systems includes isolating the crew from friends and family.
“The added security that Lastline will now deliver provides immense value to our customers,” noted Robert Kenworthy, CEO of GTMaritime. “It greatly diminishes the risk of malware infecting critical systems that could lead to devastating results. When the risks are this high, only the best technology will suffice.”
Lastline has been repeatedly identified as the most effective at detecting advanced malware by independent third parties. For the second year in a row, Lastline achieved 100 percent security effectiveness in the 2017 NSS Labs Breach Detection Systems Group Test. Prior to Lastline achieving 100 percent detection in the 2016 Breach Detection test, no other product had achieved this result in any NSS test. In addition, the 2016 Forrester Wave™: Automated Malware Analysis Q2 Report identifies Lastline as the strongest offering on the market.
“We’re honored that GTMaritime selected Lastline for their malware detection,” said Brian Laing, Lastline CRO. “We have a long history of partnering with market-leading companies that, after extensive vetting, identified Lastline as superior to alternatives. In such a unique market, we’re pleased that we can do our part to ensure the safety of ships at sea, as well as their cargo and crews.”
GTMaritime deployed the Lastline sensor in-line in full Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) mode to isolate, independently analyze, and block malicious attachments and URLs before they are routed to recipients. The Lastline analysis provides evidence-based reporting so that GTMaritime’s incident response engineers have complete transparency. Lastline malware detection, fully integrated with GTMaritime’s GTMailPlus, is available immediately.
About Lastline
Lastline provides breach protection products that are innovating the way companies defend against advanced malware with fewer resources and at lower cost. We deliver the visibility, context, analysis, and integrations enterprise security teams need to quickly and completely eradicate malware-based threats before damaging and costly data breaches occur. Headquartered in Redwood City, California with offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia, Lastline’s technology is used by Global 5000 enterprises, is offered directly and through resellers and security service providers, and is integrated into leading third-party security technologies worldwide. www.lastline.com | {
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This Letter shows that interleaved sequences of short pulses in the manner of 'Delays Alternating with Nutation for Tailored Excitation' (DANTE) with N = 1,2,3 . . . equidistant pulses per rotor period extending over K rotor periods can be used to excite, invert or refocus a large number of spinning sidebands of spin-1/2 nuclei in paramagnetic samples where hyperfine couplings lead to very broad spectra that extend over more than 1 MHz. The breadth of the response is maintained for rf-field amplitudes as low as 30 kHz since it results from cumulative effects of individual pulses with very short durations. | {
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Body of Poet Pablo Neruda to be Exhumed
SANTIAGO, CHILE - The body of Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda will be exhumed on April 8. The move stems from claims by his former driver that the poet was poisoned under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.
Neruda is presumed to have died of prostate cancer in 1973. But his former chauffeur and others believe someone injected poison into his stomach during a stay at a clinic in Santiago.
"I maintain Neruda did not die from illness as they said," the poet's former driver, Manuel Araya, said. "Neruda was not sick enough to die. His cancer was under control and he could have lived for eight, 10 more years. His illness was not that serious. When he left here on (September 19, 1973), he walked out, sad because of the death of Allende. But it's not true that Neruda couldn't walk and was, as they say, full of tubes. He never had a tube in his body, never."
According to Eduardo Contreras, a lawyer who worked to have the case reopened, "Neruda went into the Santa Maria clinic on September 19 and the doctor who gave the order for his injection, curiously, started on September 20. The day after Neruda showed up as a patient this doctor comes into the Santa Maria clinic as an employee."
Neruda was a supporter of socialist president Salvador Allende who was toppled in a military coup supported by the CIA nearly two weeks before Neruda's death. Neruda is known for his passionate love poems and staunch communist views.
His nephew, Rodolfo Reyes, told NBC News, "There seems to be participation by third parties. That would have to be corroborated by Neruda's body when they exhume him and do the biopsy to see whether he died from cancer, as the official story goes, or whether there was a drug or some other strange element that may have caused his death. The process up until now has been going very well led by the minister (Mario) Carroza. We hope that it arrives to a good conclusion. Neruda deserves it, and the world deserves to know the truth." | {
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Orphanage Update: A Substitute Mother
By Aileen Nguyen
I have a friend who lives in Da Nang, my hometown. We met three years ago through an acquaintance of mine while I visited Da Nang for distributions to the orphanages there. Hong-Phan is very tall for a Vietnamese woman. She often gets mistaken for a movie star or a model when she walks on the streets of Da Nang because she is very tall, very pretty and well-dressed. However, that is not the reason that I want to write about her in this article. I want to talk about her dedication to the cause that ATG has been relentlessly pursuing in support of the orphans, whether they come from the streets, live in orphanages, live by themselves, or live with relatives in remote locations. Like ATG, Hong-Phan wants to give these children the hope that there are people who care for them, who would come often to comfort and look after them. Then, these children will be encouraged to try harder to study, so that they can escape the vicious cycle that has life has bestowed upon them.
Even with having a family of her own and also a job that requires a lot of her time and effort, Hong Phan has been instrumental to ATG’s aid activities in Vietnam during the last three years. With her presence on the ground, ATG has been able to extend its support from the orphanages in the cities to those in remote locations. We also were able to extend our support to orphans who lost both parents or one parent, but still live with extended families and have exemplary school achievement and good behaviors.
Hong-Phan normally comes to visit the orphanages with a SUV loaded with food and supplies purchased with the funds from ATG. However, since Phan doesn’t own a car, she normally has to borrow the vehicle from friends or relatives so that ATG doesn’t have to incur transportation costs.
The children from the orphanages have been seeing Hong-Phan often enough that they always break out in a loud cheers when they see her. They call out “Co Phan den, Co Phan den!” (Auntie Phan is here. Auntie Phan is here!) and rush to the car to help unload the goodies.
Here you see the children from the House 3 and 4 of SPC Danang (this center takes street children and raise and trains them until they turn 18) unloading the food and supplies during Hong Phan ‘s visit this past week.
Hong-Phan doesn’t come to visit the children with just food and supplies. She often thinks of the children’s needs and talks to me about their mental and psychological needs. She often talks to these children to comfort them and encourages them to do well in school, to care for each other and to continue to keep up their good behavior. When she visits the orphanages, she goes directly into their kitchen to observe what they eat and would buy things that they didn’t often have, like meat or milk and fill up their refrigerator with those items.
She has also organized to feed the children their favorite hot meals, such as Mi Quang (a specialty noodle dish in the Danag area) and make sure that everyone has received a satisfying portion of these delicious meals. On her recent visit this month, each of the children had at least two bowls of Mi Quang, to the point that they forgot to leave a bowl for their Guardian Director (they normally remember to do that as a courtesy).
Beside Uu Dam, SPC Danang, Thanh Tam Center for Disable Children, Redcross Danag, Hoa Khanh Center, Quan Chau orphanage. Hong-Phan also helps us to work with the local school districts and local PTAs in the areas with extreme poverty to identify orphans/children in need and provide them with support from ATG. Together, we have donated 100 bicycles to those children in Da Nang who are without one or both living parents and in extreme poverty, but have achieved good grades and has demonstrated good behavior. We also provided scholarships to the orphan students of NTH Highschool. We are in the process of distributing 20 more bicycles and 100 of warm jackets to the orphans/children in the Huong Thuy District (in the outskirt of the city of Hue.) Hong Phan works with the local RedCross, local PTA and School Board of the districts to select qualified children to receive the aids. I, as a member of ATG, also review the list to ensure fairness and appropriation of the selection process. Together, we want to bring the children the care, love, hope and support that normally would come from their own mothers, now made possible by ATG via Hong –Phan. She really cares for these children. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
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So, I finally managed to upgrade to Mojave from 10.14 to 10.14.3 which took some time. I had to update to 10.14.2 first. That didn't work at first. I had to change language to english, then reboot twice from the update partition with NVDISABLE=1. The first time it always crashed durin the progress dialog. When updating to 10.14.3 it was the same: change language to english, reboot from update partition (twice) and then it worked.
The funny thing is: with 10.14. my GPU worked with disabled metal, now it doesn't any longer. Is Apple holding back Nvidia from relesing the drivers for Mojave???
Is there an alternative GPU you would recommend? I don't need it for gaming. Just producing Music and Sounddesign with occasional video editing (cutting and putting audio into it).
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So, I finally managed to upgrade to Mojave from 10.14 to 10.14.3 which took some time. I had to update to 10.14.2 first. That didn't work at first. I had to change language to english, then reboot twice from the update partition with NVDISABLE=1. The first time it always crashed durin the progress dialog. When updating to 10.14.3 it was the same: change language to english, reboot from update partition (twice) and then it worked.
The funny thing is: with 10.14. my GPU worked with disabled metal, now it doesn't any longer. Is Apple holding back Nvidia from relesing the drivers for Mojave???
Is there an alternative GPU you would recommend? I don't need it for gaming. Just producing Music and Sounddesign with occasional video editing (cutting and putting audio into it).
There are plenty of articles and rumors regarding the issues and lack of support for nVidia GPUs from Apple and most likely there won't be any update in that regard any time soon so your best bet is to go either with the nVidia GPUs that have native support in macOS which support metal or go for AMD GPUs which are fully compatible with mcOS like R9 Series or RX Series, the chipset version of the RX series is the RX 560 with 2 or 4 GB but if you need to edit videos in 4K resolution I suggest the 4GB RX 560 or better yet the RX 570.
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I am thinking about switching to a Thunderbolt Interface by Universal Audio. Maybe an Apollo Twin. But I am a bit confused about whether or not the port on the back panel actually is Thunderbolt or not. In the manual it says:
Quote
• Chipset+Intel Thunderbolt 3 Controller:
- 1 x USB Type-CTM port on the back panel, with USB 3.1 support
- 1 x USB 3.1 port on the back panel
Does this mean that this is Thunderbolt now, or not?
There's also a connector for an add-in card on the board, but I would prefer using the connector on the back panel if it is compatible.
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https://olarila.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=6771
Install MacOS with Olarila Image, Step by Step, Install and Post Install
Now have a Olarila app, just download app and clover folder for your Chipset!
https://olarila.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=6771
Install MacOS with Olarila Image, Step by Step, Install and Post Install
-FakeSMC
http://www.hwsensors.com/releases
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https://github.com/vit9696/AppleALC
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https://bitbucket.org/RehabMan/os-x-usb-inject-all/downloads
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https://github.com/Mieze/IntelMausiEthernet
Credits and thanks to the old and new people in the community who developed patches, kexts and bootloaders!
Now have a Olarila app, just download app and clover folder for your Chipset!
https://olarila.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=6771
Install MacOS with Olarila Image, Step by Step, Install and Post Install
SSDT
Generate your SSDT for PM, use ssdtPRGen by Piker-Alpha
https://github.com/Piker-Alpha
ssdtPRGen.command.zip
or just use "plugin-type"=0x01 in DSDT, SSDT or Clover config.plist
for check Power, Frequency, Temperature and Utilization, use it
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Lenovo T460 macOS with Clover Guide
Latest Release on GitHub
Updated to Clover r4861
Updated Kexts
Shift to use WhatEvergreen.kext
SSDT updates for T460
Added Frank's T470p DSDT files
Added T470 DSDT
Remove kextunload/kextload in /etc/rc.sleep and /etc/rc.wake to avoid KP on sleep
Various Tweaks over Last months
The zip file is a complete Clover ESP (/EFI) bundle and kext pack for the Lenovo T460. The current file bundle is tested on Sierra.
Note: I never got the GFX fully working on El Capitan.
Full Clover file set - config.plist etc.
Includes all custom kexts
Includes custom DSDT/SSDT scripts and patches
Utility scripts
The zip bundles are posted to GitHub: https://github.com/tluck/Lenovo-T460-Clover/releases
Caveat: The T460 systems used here was configured with: i5-6300U, Intel HD Graphics 520, 1920x1080 touch screen. If you have a different system model, then extract the ACPI files and use the included scripts to create a set of files consistent with your system type and BIOS version. See below for details.
Credits: RehabMan, Shmilee, vusun123, TimeWalker, Mieze from which, much of their work and help is/was was used to get the T460 to this point.
Devices and aspects working:
Ethernet - Intel I219LM is enabled via IntelMausiEthernext.kext
WiFi/BT - substitute the Intel WiFi/BT with a compatible Broadcom or Atheros chip
Audio - ALC293 codec implemented via AppleALC.kext (old AppleHDA_ALC293 and CodecCommander kexts are not needed)
PS2 - ClickPad + TrackPoint + all 3 buttons - using a modified VoodooPS2Controller to support new layouts - and added some custom Fn key maps based on 440/450 dsdt
USB - implemented via custom SSDT + USBInjectAll kext. All USB3/USB2 ports are intel-based and work - 3 external USB and internal Camera, BT, etc
Sleep/Wake - the sleepwatcher package and custom sleep/wake scripts are used to help with sleep/wake for BT and PS2 devices.
Note: have not tried to implement the SD card reader - no driver found.
ACPI Files
New Installation - Steps and Details
Part 1 - OS Installation
Part 2- Post OS Installation and Setup
Notes on Custom Kexts | {
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Eco Room - No AC
One Double Bed
This room opens to a balcony. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected. Microwaves and refrigerators can be requested. The private bathroom has a shower/tub combination, as well as complimentary toiletries. A sofa bed, a ceiling fan, and a safe are among the conveniences offered.
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Eden Room with AC
One King Bedor
One Sleeper Sofa Bed
Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable channels are offered for your entertainment. Microwaves and refrigerators can be requested. The private bathroom has a shower/tub combination, as well as complimentary toiletries. A sofa bed, a ceiling fan, and a safe are among the conveniences offered.
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Carib Room - No AC
One King Bedor
One Sleeper Sofa Bed
Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable channels are offered for your entertainment. Microwaves and refrigerators can be requested. The private bathroom has a shower/tub combination, as well as complimentary toiletries. A sofa bed, a ceiling fan, and a safe are among the conveniences offered.
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Carib Room with AC
Two King Bedsor
One Sleeper Sofa Bed
This room features views of the ocean from the comfort of a balcony. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable channels are offered for your entertainment. Microwaves and refrigerators can be requested. The private bathroom has a shower/tub combination, as well as complimentary toiletries. A sofa bed, a ceiling fan, and a safe are among the conveniences offered.
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Diamond Suites St.Lucia
Palmiste Road,
Soufriere,
St Lucia
>
RoomsMake yourself at home in one of the 18 guestrooms. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available to keep you connected. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include safes and sofa beds, and housekeeping is provided daily.
DiningSatisfy your appetite at the hotel's restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or stay in and take advantage of room service (during limited hours). While enjoying a refreshing dip in the hotel pool, you can order your favorite drink at the poolside bar.
Business, Other AmenitiesThe front desk is staffed during limited hours.
Know Before You Go
Connecting/adjoining rooms may be available, subject to availability. Guests can request connecting/adjoining rooms by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
AMENITIES:
Barbecue Grills
Fireplace in Lobby
Free Breakfast
Jacuzzi/Hot Tub
Poolside Bar
Room Service
Security Guard
Spa Services
Wedding Services
(+) = Additional fees may apply for the use of these amenities.
(*) = Free, some restrictions may apply
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KUMHO Solus Ha31 tyre dimensions
Select the KUMHO Solus Ha31 tyre dimensions corresponding to your vehicle. You can then specify your speed and load ratings to see the list of KUMHO Solus Ha31 tyre prices. Buy your tyres at the best price thanks to TyreComp.ie. All KUMHO Solus Ha31 tyres are ordered by width: | {
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Gifts Worth Giving
Give the gift of beauty & relaxation with a gift certificate to Harbour Salon & Spa! All of our gift certificates are valid for up to one year from the purchase date and can be used on any salon or spa service, as well as any retail product. Purchase below or buy in store. | {
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The Undefeated: The Oklahoma Sooners and the Greatest Winning Streak in College Football
For three perfect seasons (1954-1956), the Oklahoma Sooners won every football game they played - home or away - and over the course of five years they won 47 straight games. This awesome record was the product of a genius and masterful coach named Bud Wilkinson and the spirited young men he led. The Undefeated will detail all the thrilling action on the field during this record winning streak, but it will also reveal all the behind-the-scenes tumult and pressure swirling around it. Dent presents an absorbing character study of the brilliant, complex coach who engineered it all - Bud Wilkinson, the on-field genius whoses starched-shirt public persona hid a man of many secrets and an in-depth look at a state and its people still suffering from a Depression hangover and an identity crisis, who took up the Sooners football banner almost as a religious cause. Through it all, the young men who accomplished this amazing feat shine in vivid life.
Specifications of The Undefeated: The Oklahoma Sooners and the Greatest Winning Streak in College Football | {
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Crew Member Jumps Off Carnival Cruise Ship, Is Rescued
(5:45 p.m. EST) -- A crewmember who jumped overboard Saturday evening from Carnival Magic was quickly rescued by fast-acting ship personnel, according to the line.
In a statement, Carnival said the crew member “was witnessed jumping overboard” at 10:53 p.m. Saturday, some 100 miles southeast of Galveston as Carnival Magic was on its way back to the port.
The Galveston Daily News quotes a Coast Guard official as saying that the crewmember was rescued after a lifeboat was lowered from the ship and was found quickly because he was wearing a life vest with a strobe light attached. The Coast Guard was alerted about the incident, but the rescue happened quickly enough that the Coast Guard never needed to launch a rescue helicopter.
Carnival's statement also said the "crew member was located and was brought back on board where he was evaluated by the ship's medical staff. The ship continued its course and arrived at Galveston this morning as scheduled."
No reason was given for why the man jumped or why he was wearing a life vest; there's no word whether he required further medical care when the ship reached port.
Rescues are somewhat rare in overboard situations. We last reported on a rescue in October, when a P&O Ventura passenger who went overboard was recovered and returned safely to the ship. The vessel was en route from Madeira, Portugal, to the Caribbean. | {
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Tesla Unveils High Power Charging Network From Lands End to
John o'Groats
LONDON, May 19, 2011 --
- Tesla Roadster to be
the First Electric car to Traverse Great Britain
on Historic Drive
Electric carmaker Tesla
Motors announced today that it has
partnered with UK hotels and tourist destinations to install a high power
charging network, comprised of ten charge stations throughout Great
Britain.
Each charge station is
privately owned and available for public use,
either provided free or for a nominal fee. The network is the result of a
grass-roots effort by Roadster drivers and forward-thinking hotels and
resorts (see list below). Now Roadster owners can enjoy their cars'
breathtaking accelleration and 211 mile range as they tour Great Britain,
and
conveniently recharge while having a meal, using leisure facilities, or
indulging in an overnight stay. Tesla's High Power Connector (HPC) delivers
a
whopping 70 amps of electricity, fully charging an empty battery in three
hours, and "topping off" a partially-charged battery in a fraction of that
time. Complimenting the HPC network, Zero Carbon World, a charity dedicated
to creating a clean energy future, has installed medium power connectors
(MPCs), delivering 32 amps, at several sites throughout Britain. Tesla's
forthcoming Model S luxury saloon also can charge on the entire
network.
An historic drive, from
John o'Groats on Scotland's northeast tip, to
Land's End on the southwest English coast, will combine the Roadster's long
range with the network's high power charging. On Saturday, May 21, Kevin
Sharpe, founder of Zero Carbon World, will set off from John o'Groats in
his
electric blue Tesla Roadster along with EV expert David Peilow, both taking
turns at the wheel. They expect to reach Lands End on Sunday, with stops to
charge up using Tesla HPCs along the way.
"The long range of Tesla
vehicles and fast charging at popular
destinations via Tesla's HPC make convenient, emissions-free driving
throughout Britain a reality," said Gian Avignone, Tesla's Country Manager
for UK and Ireland.
"After crossing the
country on a single charge in a Tesla Roadster, I
realised that national coverage would require surprisingly few charge
stations," said David Peilow. "I worked out the minimum number of sites for
all of Britain to be reached, and found locations where drivers would be
keen
to stop and recharge. Once the benefits of hosting an EV charger were
explained, most sites jumped at the chance to have one."
"The new network embodies
Zero Carbon World's vision of a carbon-free
society, and shows that eliminating fossil fuel emissions is well within
our
grasp," said Kevin Sharpe. "The network empowers people to make choices
that
are pleasurable and consistent with their values of environmental
stewardship. I'm thrilled to be the first EV owner to make the drive from
John o'Groats to Lands End."
Sharpe's Roadster will
make the following stops on Saturday and Sunday.
Stay apprised at www.teslamotors.com/endtoend, which provides a real time
map, links to the drivers' twitter feeds, along with other information.
Additional HPCs can be
found at Westmorland Tebay Services and the
Heathrow/Windsor Marriott Hotel; two more will be available soon at The
Moat
House Hotel at Acton Trussell and the Ashford International Hotel - Kent. A
resort in South Wales also will host an HPC. Further, Zero Carbon World has
installed MPCs at the Whitesands Lands End Hotel and Ackergill Tower. These
additional stations give Tesla drivers even greater flexibility to explore
Britain.
About Tesla Motors
Tesla's goal is to
produce a full range of electric cars, from sports
cars to mass-market vehicles - relentlessly driving down the cost of
electric
vehicles. It is currently the only U.S. automaker that builds and sells
highway-capable EVs in serial production. Palo Alto, California-based Tesla
designs and manufactures EVs and EV powertrain components. Tesla has
delivered more than 1,600 Roadsters to customers in North America, Europe
and
the Asia Pacific Region. Model S, the first premium sedan to be built from
the ground up as an electric vehicle, goes on the market in mid-2012.
Tesla launched the
Roadster 2.5, the fourth iteration of the vehicle,
last year, demonstrating the company's continuous innovation and close
feedback loop between engineers and customers. The Roadster continues to
break new barriers, already having set records for distance traveled on a
single charge by an EV. From Vancouver, Canada to Melbourne, Australia, the
Roadster proves that drivers need not compromise on performance, style or
even range to go electric. Tesla is actively building on what it has
learned
from the Roadster to make its next vehicles, including the Model S, just as
groundbreaking. | {
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} |
Elina Furman of A-List Mom shares her thoughts about the Orbit stroller: "There were so many things I loved about this stroller marvel. Orbit’s futuristic design, stylish elements and safety record were just the tip of the iceberg."
Hollie Schultz of Baby Gizmo does an in-depth video review of the Stroller G2: "It has unique features that no other stroller has. We absolutely love the full covered sun canopy, the large roomy seat, and the fact that it rotates and reclines."
Snack Tray with Lid
Make your Stroller Seat G2 pop by customizing it with one of our nine Color Packs
State-of-the-Art Ventilation System
Built-in air conditioning in the stroller seat design keeps your baby cool in the summer and warm in the winter
By unzipping the flap in the back of the Stroller Seat G2, you allow air to flow in through the fabric mesh, the perforated seat shell, the perforated foam lining, and out through the airflow channels in the front of the Stroller Seat. This breakthrough ventilation system also uses a breathable wicking fabric to keep your baby cool.
In the event a product is listed at an incorrect price or with incorrect information due to typographical error or error in pricing or product information received from our suppliers, we shall have the right to refuse or cancel any orders placed for product listed at the incorrect price. We shall have the right to refuse or cancel any such orders whether or not the order has been confirmed and your credit card charged. If your credit card has already been charged for the purchase and your order is canceled, we shall immediately issue a credit to your credit card account in the amount of the charge. | {
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} |
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
The National Institutes of Health plans to end most use of chimpanzees in government medical research, saying humans' closest relatives "deserve special respect."
The NIH announced Wednesday that it will retire about 310 government-owned chimpanzees from research over the next few years, and keep only 50 others essentially on retainer — available if needed for crucial medical studies that could be performed no other way.
"These amazing animals have taught us a great deal already," said NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins. He said the decision helps usher in "a compassionate era."
Wednesday, June 05, 2013
The near-complete fossil of a tiny creature unearthed in China in 2002 has bolstered the idea that the anthropoid group of primates — whose modern-day members include monkeys, apes and humans — had appeared by at least 55 million years ago. The fossil primate does not belong to that lineage, however: it is thought to be the earliest-discovered ancestor of small tree-dwelling primates called tarsiers, showing that even at this early time, the tarsier and anthropoid groups had split apart.
The slender-limbed, long-tailed primate, described today in Nature1, was about the size of today’s pygmy mouse lemur and would have weighed between 20 and 30 grams, the researchers estimate. The mammal sports an odd blend of features, with its skull, teeth and limb bones having proportions resembling those of tarsiers, but its heel and foot bones more like anthropoids. “This mosaic of features hasn’t been seen before in any living or fossil primate,” says study author Christopher Beard, a palaeontologist at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. | {
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} |
The day finally arrived that Ted Jackson, his wife Betty and his two children, Bobby and Susan have been waiting for years. Ted's Uncle Jack just passed away and Ted was the only living relative in the Will to receive Uncle Jack's farm. Ted and his family's new home would only unleash the portal to hell that should have never been opened. But curious minds don't work that way, they just have to see if there is good or evil hidden inside.
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Grotesque music, million dollar sad.
Got no tactics, got no time on hand.
Left shoe shuffle, right shoe muffle,
Sinking in the sand.
Fade out freedom, steaming heat on,
Watch that hat in black.
Finger twitching, got no time on hand.
Lyrics taken from http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/r/rolling_stones/casino_boogie.html
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Gov. Signs Criminal Bill into Law
Gov. Nathan Deal signs Senate Bill 365 on Sunday during a special morning service at Antioch Baptist Church in Gainesville. The bill aims to help nonviolent offenders get back to work.
One in three Georgia inmates will return to prison within three years of being placed on parole, but a new state law aims to reduce those numbers and help nonviolent offenders get back to work.
“It is that third leg of the criminal justice reform program that we’ve put in place,” Gov. Nathan Deal said. “The first were the adult accountability courts. Second was the juvenile diversion centers, and this third will be the transition, support and re-entry (program) for those who are in our system who will be getting out.”
Deal signed Senate Bill 365 into law Sunday at Antioch Baptist Church in Gainesville. The changes, part of the governor’s three-pronged approach to criminal justice reform, focuses on helping inmates make the transition from incarceration back into society.
“That is dealing with our population in our prison systems,” Deal said. “Those almost 60,000 individuals. At some point in time, almost all of them will be paroled and will be back in our society. If we do not do what we can to make it possible for them to re-enter and be law-abiding citizens when they re-enter, then we have, in fact, increased the danger to all of us as Georgians.”
According to Deal, one in three inmates on parole end up going back into prison within three years of their release.
“This speaks to a number of issues that Georgia has lagged behind,” said Sen. Butch Miller, R-Gainesville. Miller was a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 365. “I think the governor has shown great leadership in having this criminal justice reform (be a part of) his administration.”
The bill Deal signed Sunday addresses education levels and job opportunities for former inmates; more will now have access to GED and post-secondary training programs.
“Almost 70 percent of the inmates in our state prison system do not have a high school diploma or a GED,” Deal said. “Now, you know how difficult it is for someone who does not have that kind of basic educational skill to get a job. Tack on top of that, a felony record that you bring with you.”
To help increase education levels among inmates, Deal has hired outgoing Forsyth County Superintendent Buster Evans to join the Department of Corrections in July as the assistant commissioner of education.
“We’re going to turn many of these individuals around,” Deal said. “We’re going to give them the chance to do what they did not take advantage of … when they were younger. And that was to get a high school diploma.”
Deal also said the state will set an example for private sector employers by not automatically dismissing job applicants with a criminal history.
“We decided Georgia can set the right example,” Deal said. “With the exception of certain jobs that would require a little higher scrutiny of background, all of the other jobs — which is a vast majority of jobs in state government —somebody will not be automatically rejected because they had to check that box.
“If somebody has taken advantage of the opportunity to change their life and to change who they are, they deserve the chance to tell somebody that’s considering them for a job what those changes have been.”
A certification program will be created to help adult inmates better transition out of prison and back into their community. After course completion and their release, they’ll be able to show that certificate to potential employers.
“I support the governor in his efforts to provide additional opportunities for offenders to transition successfully back into society,” Warden Walt Davis of the Hall County Correctional Institute said. “That’s really the gist of it. He’s setting up things, he’s putting things into motion, he’s looking at some changes … to help eliminate some of those things, and to allow a more successful transition. I commend him for that.”
The law encompasses other areas well, including giving judges more discretion when suspending the driver’s license of someone with a minor drug offense.
It also revises some aspects of foster care, including making sure a child’s long-term housing plan is periodically reviewed to ensure it’s still the best plan for that child.
“When does a kid go into foster care? Why does he go into foster care?” Miller said. “If he has a delinquent act, how do you handle it? That’s important, because children should have an environment of support and encouragement and stability. This speaks to that, and this speaks to foster care children being provided a better venue and a more stable home environment.”
Deal hopes the changes, once implemented, will decrease how many offenders return to prison, instead remaining at home and able to contribute to their families and communities.
“How fast will we see the changes? I can’t tell you that,” the governor said. “Sometimes, you have to plant the seedling and wait a few years to be able to sit under the shade of it.
“But if you never plant the seedling, you’ll never have the tree to sit under. So today, we’re planting the seedling.” | {
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Forty-two unit apartment complex approved
Where there once was a lack in Mandan seems to be turning into an abundance.
Another apartment complex has been approved in the city, which will be located on Sunset Drive and 27th Street N.W. It will be a 42-unit apartment, and construction is set to begin sometime this month. It is expected to be completed by March 2014.
The Mandan City Commission approved a two-year property tax break for the developers of the apartment complex, HM4, LLC. It will receive $84,828 each year during the two-year exemption. | {
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The cost of silence is too great, too often
“To you who are Mothers, who are Fathers and who are Friends - watch, see, notice, talk and listen.
Do not avoid the tough conversation. Do not yield to the barriers that are put up. Seek help, seek guidance.
Use the help lines, and educate yourselves. If you are wondering IF to call, the answer is already YES.
If you are wondering what to do, the answer is; call for guidance. There is only “Never Again””
These are the sage words parents Angela and Grahame Williams want to share with public following the death by suicide of their son last week.
We commend their courage in the face of such personal tragedy to somehow turn something so terrible into a positive step toward helping others.
Angela and Grahame are sharing their story so no other family has to go through the pain of losing a child this way.
Like John Shanahan earlier this year, who lost his son in a similar tragedy through PTSD, these sad stories of loss must serve a higher purpose to make us all aware of the warning signs, the avenues for help and the need for more dialogue, more resources.
In the case of the Williams, there is the added poignancy of someone so young whose life is cut short, where death is an opaque curtain that cuts out a whole world of potentiality, a life largely unlived. It also highlights just how susceptible young people can be in these age groups. In 2015, suicide accounted for one-third of deaths among people aged from 15 to 24 years of age. Data is not broken down to give us a clear indicator of how these national stats are reflected at a Ballarat level but we know we have a problem
While these figures are shaped by the fact that there are fewer deaths in a young and relatively healthy age group there can be little doubt the cost of depression and other mental health issues comes at a massive toll to greater society.
We also know the demand for support services has hit record highs, with Lifeline alone taking a million calls a year.
This is the challenge for Governments and health services to somehow tackle the great health crisis of the mind.
But as we have said before just talking about it may be the critical starting point and we can all play a part in that.
Take the Williams advice and seek help, the cost of silence is too great. | {
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Ripple’s managing director for South Asia talks about “high street banks” being interested in Ripple
The recent announcement by Ripple noted that they had partnered with over 200 banks and Financial Institutions [FIs] around the world and that 100 of these customers were signed within 2018. Navin Gupta mentioned how signing the first 100 partners took over two years as banks and FIs were hesitant about DLT and cryptocurrencies.In addition, Gupta mentioned how 2019 would be a much favorable year as compared to the previous years and also said that there were clear “regulatory signals” in ASEAN such as Thailand, Philippines and Singapore moving ahead on digital assets.The National Bank of Abu Dhabi [NBAD] was the first bank in the Middle East to sign on to RippleNet in February 2018 and FIs like Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait and BFC Bahrain are also part of RippleNet. | {
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RCW 46.61.410
Increases by secretary of transportation—Maximum speed limit for trucks—Auto stages—Signs and notices.
(1)(a) Subject to subsection (2) of this section the secretary may increase the maximum speed limit on any highway or portion thereof to not more than seventy-five miles per hour in accordance with the design speed thereof (taking into account all safety elements included therein), or whenever the secretary determines upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that such greater speed is reasonable and safe under the circumstances existing on such part of the highway.
(b) The greater maximum limit established under (a) of this subsection shall be effective when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected, or if a maximum limit is established for auto stages which is lower than the limit for automobiles, the auto stage speed limit shall become effective thirty days after written notice thereof is mailed in the manner provided in subsection (4) of this section.
(c) Such maximum speed limit may be declared to be effective at all times or at such times as are indicated upon said signs or in the case of auto stages, as indicated in said written notice; and differing limits may be established for different times of day, different types of vehicles, varying weather conditions, and other factors bearing on safe speeds, which shall be effective when posted upon appropriate fixed or variable signs or if a maximum limit is established for auto stages which is lower than the limit for automobiles, the auto stage speed limit shall become effective thirty days after written notice thereof is mailed in the manner provided in subsection (4) of this section.
(2) The maximum speed limit for vehicles over ten thousand pounds gross weight and vehicles in combination except auto stages shall not exceed sixty miles per hour and may be established at a lower limit by the secretary as provided in RCW 46.61.405.
(3) The word "trucks" used by the department on signs giving notice of maximum speed limits means vehicles over ten thousand pounds gross weight and all vehicles in combination except auto stages.
(4) Whenever the secretary establishes maximum speed limits for auto stages lower than the maximum limits for automobiles, the secretary shall cause to be mailed notice thereof to each auto transportation company holding a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued by the Washington utilities and transportation commission. The notice shall be mailed to the chief place of business within the state of Washington of each auto transportation company or if none then its chief place of business without the state of Washington.
Intent—1987 c 397: "It is the intent of the legislature to increase the speed limit to sixty-five miles per hour on those portions of the rural interstate highway system where the increase would be safe and reasonable and is allowed by federal law. It is also the intent of the legislature that the sixty-five miles per hour speed limit be strictly enforced." [ 1987 c 397 § 1.] | {
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Maphepha camp challenge Bosso board
Barred Highlanders aspiring chairman Ernest “Maphepha” Sibanda’s camp strongly believes the club’s constitution was trampled on by some ill-advised board members out to settle personal scores against him.
Ernest Maphepha Sibanda
Maphepha was barred by the Bosso board of directors from contesting in the February 4 elective annual meeting because the board were not happy he had offered his services to another football club.
He was employed as Bantu Rovers’ chief of protocol when they were still in Division One in 2015 and the team was in direct competition with Highlanders’ development side Bosso 90.
However, Victoria Falls-based Samuel Sibanda, who will contest the committee member’s position against incumbent Wisdom Mabhena, Peacot Hadebe and Charles Moyo, also offered his services to another club virtually during the same period.
Samuel was chairman of Amagagasi in the ZIFA Southern Region Division One league until last year and the club also directly competed against Bosso 90.
He, however, seems to have escaped the same scrutiny. Maphepha’s camp feels the board literally usurped powers of the club’s Nomination Court, which is solely empowered to disqualify a candidate from running for office in terms of Article 10.5 to 10.8.
Article 10.5 reads: “For purposes of any executive committee election, there is hereby established a Nomination Court, which shall be in charge of the entire election process”.
Article 10.7 adds: “The Nomination Court is empowered to receive nominations of candidates, to vet them, approve or disqualify a candidate and in doing so it shall be guided by the provisions of Article Nine of this Constitution.” The Herald | {
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Financing
We understand that most people don’t have the extra cash lying around for a motorcycle, so Timpanogos H-D® has financing available, which allows you to pay for your motorcycle over time. In fact, about 70 percent of motorcyclists finance their Harleys.
At the Timpanogos Harley-Davidson® Finance and Insurance Department, the process is simple: If you provide a minimum down payment and your credit is approved, you can take advantage of our Harley-Davidson® Credit financing and ride off the lot the same day!
Timpanogos H-D® has finance and insurance experts who can personalize your financing, according to your particular needs. We offer flexible payment options and individualized financing for all types of credit, and we can arrange Harley-Davidson® Credit financing for you right there on the spot, during your visit.
And even if you’re planning to add motorcycle insurance, our Harley-Davidson® Extended Service Plan, some MotorClothes® apparel, and other parts and accessories, you can get everything you need and still only make one payment monthly.
With Harley-Davidson® Credit, you can finance a new or pre-owned motorcycle, as well as the items listed below:
Extended Service Protection
Harley-Davidson® Cycle Insurance
Payment protection plan
Finance protection plan
MotorClothes® apparel
Parts and accessories
When you finance these items within your loan, you insulate yourself from having the expense of additional purchases in the future.
A Word About Ownership
Your name is listed on the title when you finance the purchase of your motorcycle. When the loan is repaid, you become the outright owner. And you may sell or trade your motorcycle any time.
WARRANTY
Each new Harley-Davidson® motorcycle that’s previously untitled has a free, two-year, manufacturer’s limited warranty. The warranty period begins on the date of purchase, and it safeguards you from the cost of any service issues caused by parts found under normal use that were defective in factory materials or from workmanship. Regular maintenance items are excluded. Harley-Davidson® parts that are installed at the time of purchase are also covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON® EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN
The Harley-Davidson® Extended Service Plan covers nearly all California-approved Harley-Davidson® systems and major parts (numbering about 1,100). The H-D® Extended Service Plan also covers reimbursements for rental vehicles, towing expenses and even lodging and meals, if you’re stuck somewhere far from home. It is essential that you get the H-D® Extended Service Plan prior to your factory warranty expiring, because once it expires, there’s no way to obtain this coverage any longer at any price. The H-D® Extended Service Plan must be acquired the same day that you purchase pre-owned motorcycles.
If you decide to sell your motorcycle before the coverage ends, you can easily transfer any remaining coverage to the new owner at no extra cost (a selling feature that can help you get a higher resale value). For any covered repair, all you need to pay is a $50 deductible per claim. This coverage is a wise investment because the cost of a repair could easily be greater than purchasing the H-D® Extended Service Plan.
Any coverage for pre-owned motorcycles begins the same day you buy the motorcycle and service contracts. But for new motorcycles, the Expense Reimbursement Package and the optional Tire and Wheel Coverage start the same day your factory warranty begins. And the day after your factory warranty expires is when your Mechanical Breakdown coverage begins.
GUARANTEED ASSET PROTECTION (GAP)
If your motorcycle is stolen or totaled in an accident, your insurance company may only reimburse you for its cash value, and this amount could be significantly less than the remaining balance on your loan. This difference between what your insurance company will pay and the outstanding amount of your loan is referred to as the “gap,” and that gap is money that will have to come out of your pocket, unless you have the H-D® Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) Plan. This plan could save you up to $25,000 and can even cover your insurance company’s deductible up to $1,000. The H-D® GAP Plan can even give you the option of receiving $1,000 credit toward your next purchase of a new motorcycle.
DEBT PROTECTION PLAN
If you lost your job or could no longer work, you could face financial hardship which is why we have the Harley-Davidson® Debt Protection Plan, which is comprised of three crucial benefits:
Involuntary Unemployment – This benefit provides protection from a period of unemployment.
Total Disability Protection – This benefit provides protection if an illness or injury prevents you from working.
Accidental Loss of Life – This benefit aids your family if the unthinkable should occur.
The cost of this service is determined by your total loan amount. Please ask our finance and insurance experts for more information.
Apply Now!
Our team here at Timpanogos Harley-Davidson® is here to answer your questions and help you with financing your motorcycle with H-D® Credit. You can download a credit application here. Bring it to us, mail it or use fax: | {
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News
Professor C. Tim Shaw joined the SAIMM as a Student Member on the 14th October 1960. During his over 56 years of membership with the SAIMM Professor Shaw transferred from Student to Associate in 1966, Associate to Member in 1970 and has been a valued Fellow of the Institute since 1976.
Professor Tim Shaw, who died on Friday 21st April at the age of 82, was Emeritus Professor of Mining Engineering at Imperial College London, having retired in 2001 after being appointed to the Chair in Mining Engineering at the Royal School of Mines in 1980. Prior to that he held an academic appointment at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He entered the academic environment after a successful career in the South African mining industry where he reached the level of Chief Consulting Engineer with the Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company.
Professor Shaw had extensive experience as a technical consultant and company director and held honorary doctorates from two Central European Universities.
Tim was born into a mining family and spent part of his school days at the Consolidated Murchison gold-antimony mine in South Africa, where his father was general manager. Tim was educated at Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town before going on to study mining engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand where he met his future wife Tuulike through their shared love of music. He then joined Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Co. Ltd. He was given study leave by JCI to complete an MSc in mineral exploration at McGill in Montreal, Canada.
The traditional training in JCI’s underground Witwatersrand gold mines gave Tim a detailed understanding of the practical aspects of mining. This also left him not only with a wonderful ability to communicate with all levels in the hierarchical structure of the South African mining industry, but also a legacy of collateral damage to his hearing. Regardless of the proximity of rock drills and blasting operations ear protection was not considered necessary.
Tim’s rapid rise within JCI gave him eventual overall technical responsibility for their large gold, platinum, coal and antimony operations (including Cons Murch) as Chief Consulting Engineer. It was from this elevated appointment and poised to reach the top position in JCI that he and Tuulike decided that their young family would have a brighter future outside South Africa. Tuulike’s family was originally from Estonia and the consequences of political uncertainty on their lives was perhaps a driver. This is how Tim found himself as a Professor at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute in the mid-1970s and essentially having to start a completely new career.
After the death of Robert Pryor in 1979 the Chair of Mining Engineering at the Royal School of Mines fell vacant and Imperial College were able to offer the appointment to Tim so he and his family made their next big, but last, move. Tim brought over his comfortable US sedan and was furious to find challenges in getting it licensed for the road in the UK because it was not compliant with local safety standards – it exceeded them. The fenders on the vehicle were designed for US standards which meant it would have demolished a local car in a collision and the authorities objected. Tim applied his engineering knowledge to demonstrate the absurdity of this view and won.
Tim went on to act as a bastion of traditional mining engineering training at Imperial College.
He also served a period as Dean of the Royal School of Mines which gave him the confidence to continue to use the crest on business cards notwithstanding later official disapproval. The guidance was that only the approved Imperial College London font be used under the rebranding and re-organization that was implemented after his retirement in 2001. He was delighted when the use of the RSM crest was reinstated and the building again became an institution not just an address.
The slow demise of the undergraduate mining engineering degree at the RSM was due to society’s ambivalence towards mining, not Tim’s commitment. He launched the European Mining degree with several institutions on the Continent including in Delft and Aachen. This legacy continues as the Joint Master European Mining, Minerals and Environmental Program.
He contributed to the teaching to MSc in Metals and Energy Finance students together with College’s related continuing professional development programme. He demonstrated time and again that the theoretical relationship between mining finance and technical risk I taught was simply re-visiting real scenarios that he had been involved in when with JCI. When it came to the transition from technical and financial to business leadership roles at a board level, his extensive experience as a company director brought in the importance of sound decision making in value creation. Tim could also take a complex case history and break it down into its basic elements and then illustrate the points from a vast store of apposite anecdotes.
Right up to last month we were delivering team teaching to postgraduate students and he was scheduled to deliver a continuing professional development course with me in July. He provided direct support for three MSc dissertations last summer. The only concession made to his age was that at the start of a teaching session we would advise students or delegates of his loss of hearing (notwithstanding the use of the latest electronic aids). I explained that if a question appeared to go unanswered, a wave of the hand would catch his eye. At my suggestion, Tim would then repeat the question to make sure that deafness was not being confused with a decline in cognitive abilities. Often, he would then go on to re-phrase the question as a simple premise and in doing so would provide the answer.
Tim understood the need not to rest on his laurels and always kept himself academically and professionally up to date. He attended MINExpo 2016 in Las Vegas as part of the meeting of the Society of Mining Professors of which he was a founding member. The visit to America included the usual mine visits. He was constantly updating his teaching slides and incorporating current technical developments from personal observation.
Tim’s knowledge of information technology and the application of computer and operations research in the minerals industry spanned the period from his time as a young engineer with JCI (when he set up their first mainframe) through to the modern age of the internet. He was always harvesting the very latest in audio-visual material for his teaching, putting considerable strain on the processing resources of anything but a top of the range laptop. Yet he also became fascinated with the archaeology of ancient mining through working with academics at Tel Aviv University.
He secured numerous research grants in the field of dimension stone and non-explosive techniques in mining. His academic achievements were recognized by the award of two honorary doctorates.
Tuulike’s death in 2009 hit Tim hard and his screen saver was a picture of her which was projected at the start of every lecture he gave. He was never maudlin about her passing though –she was simply part of his life past and present and his annual presence at Glyndebourne was a tradition he continued to observe on her behalf.
It was invaluable working with him on the many shared professional assignments we took on as he was never happier than when undertaking a site visit – the more remote and challenging the better. He was quite miffed that his family holiday in Botswana last month clashed with my request that he carry out a site visit for me – in Peru. In offering some comfort to him that the mine was at 5,000 metres and perhaps it would not be prudent for him to go up to that altitude I got a dusty response. He pointed out that he was brought up on the Highveld and if Grasberg at 4,000 metres left him unaffected then Peruvian mines would not be a problem. It was in Botswana that he suffered a stroke and died in Johannesburg on Friday 21st April at the age of 82. A transient ischemic attack he had had three years ago might have been a warning but if so he did not pay it much heed.
That reflected the essence of the man – a thirst and an enthusiasm for life. While I consciously attempted to capture Tim’s fund of knowledge and experience in a new e-Learning course we have only just launched on EduMine, there will be no substitute for having him present in the lecture room. He will be sorely missed but his legacy will continue through the many students he taught.
Obituary written by Dennis Buchanan Emeritus Professor of Mining Geology, Senior Research Fellow and Director of the MSc in Metals and Energy Finance, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London on the 1st May 2017. | {
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Misc stuff that I clipped to share
Menu
One of my former students who’s been looking for a job told me employers wouldn’t consider her because of her arrest record.
“What arrest record?” I asked.
“I was arrested three years ago, during the Occupy demonstrations,” she said.
“Because you demonstrated?”
“Yes. They charged me with inciting a riot. All I was doing was sitting on the campus, holding a sign. But they put me and a dozen others in jail because we wouldn’t move,” she said. “And now I can’t get a job.”
I’m going to help her try to expunge her arrest record. But her story made me think about the chilling effect such arrests have had on millions of students who are facing or about to face a difficult job market. Since then, many have been afraid to demonstrate — to exercise their First Amendment rights — for fear of not getting a job. [link] | {
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Can't get the tech press/bloggers to focus on the core issue in AddressBookGate, so let's do it ourselves.
Which of the apps on my iPhone is transmitting everything I think is private and to whom are they transmitting it?
I'm not an iOS developer so I can't answer this question myself.
But lots of iOS developers read this site, so could you help quantify the extent of the problem?
Paul Robichaux just posted this. "The iOS address book is one of the few data stores that apps can easily access, along with the music library and the camera roll. Other data types, like the store of SMS messages, aren't accessible. The full list is available in the iOS developer documentation. "
Very helpful. So it's reasonable to assume that our music and photos are out there, in addition to our contact info. | {
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Former state Sen. Joan Menard retiring from post at BCC
Monday
Jun 2, 2014 at 5:48 PM
Michael Gagne Herald News Staff Reporter @HNMikeGagne
FALL RIVER — Longtime state Sen. Joan Menard is retiring from her most recent post of acting vice president for Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning at Bristol Community College, the college announced on Monday.
Menard’s final day on the job was Friday. But she said, when reached Monday afternoon, that she has agreed to provide consulting services on a limited basis as needed.
“It’s time to move on, spend some free time with family,” said Menard, 78,
BCC’s Workforce Education Institute, previously known as the Center for Workforce Development, occupies the second floor of the Commonwealth Landing Building at 1082 Davol St.
Menard said she’s proud of her accomplishments in the three and a half years she led the center.
“We have just expanded,” Menard said. “That whole second floor — we’re just expanding and expanding and expanding. Working with them was a pleasure.”
But at this point in her life, Menard said, “I want a little bit more freedom.”
“We are eternally grateful for the nearly four years of service Sen. Menard has had here at BCC,” said BCC President John Sbrega in a statement.
Sbrega called Menard “an incredible asset” and said that, under her “guidance and tremendous leadership, the Center for Workforce Development at the college has grown leaps and bounds.”
He added that she was instrumental in creating “a one-stop workforce development operation for the community.”
Menard, a Fall River native who previously taught in the Somerset school system, was first elected to the Massachusetts House in 1978. She also served in the state Senate for 10 years before announcing she would retire in 2010.
An announcement that Menard would join the administration at BCC came in early 2011.
In her four years at BCC, Menard earned an annual salary of $120,000. She currently serves on the school committee for Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School as one of Fall River’s three representatives.
BCC spokesman Patrick Stone said via email that BCC would make an announcement regarding the search process for Menard’s replacement. | {
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Month: May 2016
Just like there’s an “app” for everything, there’s a natural remedy for just about any health issue you can think of. Activated charcoal is one of those remedies. It’s a great substance for removing toxins from the body, and its uses are countless.
Got a big pimple on your forehead the day before your wedding? Activated charcoal.
Teeth yellow? Activated charcoal.
It sounds like a strange way to detox, but it works. I’ve seen it take a child sick with norovirus from throwing up every 15 minutes to sleeping for 6 hours straight and feeling completely normal again the next day. I recommend it to any of my patients who are looking for a natural detox solution. You can buy this stuff at any health food store or online, in capsule or powder form. And it can be used for a variety of ailments.
How does activated charcoal detox your body?
Activated charcoal has a porous surface with a negative electric charge. Most unwanted toxins and gas are positively charged, so if you’re familiar with the phrase, “opposites attract,” then you already know how this works. Very simply, the charcoal binds to unwanted toxins and gas to rid them from your body. Taking it regularly can help you detox your body from the toxins we take in every day from our air, food, water, and personal care products.
Here are a few unique uses for activated charcoal as a natural detoxifier:
Digestive problems. Whether you have indigestion from something you ate, or you caught a contagious stomach bug, this amazing substance can relieve the symptoms you’re experiencing within minutes.
Acne. Mix the powder form of activated charcoal with just enough water to make a paste and spread it on your face like a mask. Do this face mask treatment once or twice a week for 30 minutes each time, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how infrequent your breakouts will become.
Odor eliminator and teeth whitener. Brush your teeth with activated charcoal to relieve bad breath and whiten the enamel. I know it seems weird that you can use a black substance to whiten your teeth, but it’s true!
General detoxification. Even if you don’t have an ailment, you can still use activated charcoal to detox from eating processed foods or to prevent illness when you come in contact with someone who’s been sick. Because it binds to toxins that we take in every day, and which often lead to sickness, fatigue, and a host of other problems, you’re sure to notice a difference when you use it. Be sure to take it between meals and a few hours after taking vitamins and other supplements, as it may interfere with their absorption by your body.
Do you have a positive experience with activated charcoal as a natural detoxifier? Share it with us in the comments below!
In a previous post, we outlined the process for achieving a bikini body in just 6 minutes a day! If you haven’t yet, make sure you read that post before doing the exercises outlined below, as it provides the timing and spacing for each exercise.
What’s great about this workout is you can do it anywhere! No need to buy expensive equipment or spend money on a gym membership (unless you really want to.) This can be done in the comfort of your own home. All you need is a timer to keep track of how long you’re doing each exercise. And when you go on your summer vacation, you don’t have to haul any weights, bars, or bands to your destination. All of these exercises can be done without additional equipment.
Exercise 1: Burpees
Begin standing straight up with your feet hips-width apart and your hands down by your side. Squat down and plant your hands on the floor on either side of your feet. Jump your feet back to land in a pushup position, jump forward again to return to the squat, and jump straight up into the air to land in the original position with your feet planted.
Exercise 2: Lunges
Stand straight up with your feet together, planted flat on the floor, and your hands down by your side. Lunge forward with one leg until your thigh and calf form a 90-degree angle in front of you. Return to the original position and repeat with your other leg.
Exercise 3: Mountain Climbers
Begin in a pushup position, supporting your weight with your hands and toes. Flexing the hip and bending the knee, bring one leg forward until the knee is under the hip. Explosively reverse the position of your legs so that the bent knee is now straight behind you and the first leg is now bent. Repeat.
Exercise 4: Calf Jumps
Begin standing straight up with your feet planted hips-width apart and your hands down by your sides. Flexing your calves, come up on to the balls of your feet, and jump straight up into the air. Keeping your knees straight, land on the balls of your feet and repeat this motion.
Exercise 5: Crunches
Begin lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet parallel to the floor. Place your hands behind your head for support. Engage your core muscles to lift your head, neck, and shoulders up off the floor, keeping your elbows wide and taking care not to pull on your head with your hands as you come up.
Exercise 6: Knee Tucks
Begin standing with your knees slightly bent and your feet flat on the floor. Hold your hands in front of you so your arms are parallel to the floor, about chest height. Engaging your core muscles, jump straight up and bring your knees into your chest. Land with your knees slightly bent to absorb the impact, and repeat.
Together, these exercises make up a complete whole-body workout that can be completed in as little as 15 minutes a day (with only 6 minutes of actual hard exercise). The interval training format helps you burn fat in less time, so you’ll be well on your way to the bikini body you’ve always wanted!
For a daily, total-body, fat-burning regimen with more variety, check out the MaxT3 DVD, available in our online store!
If you’ve been buying Kombucha from the grocery store, you’re probably aware that it can be pretty expensive. All the more reason to make your own!
You can find recipes all over the Internet. The trick is to get creative and put your own twist on it. There are many benefits to drinking Kombucha. Dr. Axe lists 7 reasons to drink it every day, and all of those are good. But one of the primary reasons I drink it, and the reason why I’ve chosen to post this now, is because it significantly aids in digestion and gut health, and gut health is a major theme for QCHC this month.
Here’s a recipe that you can use to make your own kombucha. Drink it every day to combat any digestive problems you may be dealing with!
What you’ll need to make your own kombucha at home:
Starter culture. This is essentially a gelatinous membrane formed from a symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria. It is also known as a SCOBY. Though it’s not completely essential for brewing your first batch (it’s a natural product of the brewing process already), some people claim it makes your kombucha brew faster. You could just begin with starter fluid, but I recommend buying a starter culture online, as its pretty inexpensive.
Brewing vessel. Avoid metal, as it reacts with acidic liquids (i.e. kombucha) and will negatively affect the taste. This recipe assumes you’re using a 2.5-gallon glass jar with a plastic spigot. To avoid mold, make sure it’s filled to at least 75% capacity when brewing.
Breathable cover and rubber band. You can use a cheese cloth, paper towel or a coffee filter. Anything that keeps undesirables out of your brewing vessel. You’ll use the rubber band to secure it.
One large pot. Again, avoid reactive metals like aluminum or copper. Stainless steel, glass, plastic, enamel and clay are all good choices.
2 gallons of filtered or spring water. Avoid water with a high mineral content as it may harm the SCOBY. Also avoid alkalized, structured, or pH-adjusted water.
Twelve 16-oz. glass bottles. Choose bottles with a plastic cap that you can reapply, as these will be used for bottling your finished product!
Organic black or green tea. Make sure they are not flavored. The extracts and herbs in flavored teas can harm your SCOBY. I’ve included a list of good tea options at the bottom of this post.
Organic cane sugar. Very important: don’t use any substitutions here. Honey, agave, and stevia yield inconsistent results and can shorten your SCOBY’s life.
Fresh fruit juice and/or herbs (optional). This is for the second round of fermentation, to add flavor and effervescence. Any combination of fruit and herbs will work. I love ginger because it also supports digestion (one of the many benefits of drinking kombucha.)
Kombucha Brewing Instructions:
Step 1: Find a home for your vessel. A kitchen countertop away from the stove or a dining room table are both great places to store your kombucha during the fermenting process. The best temperature is 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooler temperatures are okay, but it will take longer to brew.
Step 2: Boil 2 gallons of filtered or spring water.
Step 3: Turn off the stove and add your tea bags. 7-8 bags per gallon of water is pretty standard, but follow the instructions for your tea.
Step 5: Once cooled, add the sweet tea and starter culture to your vessel. If using a SCOBY, pour the tea in first and place it on top. It may sink to the bottom, but don’t worry—that just means it was cooler than the liquid, and it will eventually rise to the top again. Cover the vessel with a cheese cloth, paper towel, or coffee filter, and secure it with a rubber band.
Step 6: Let the vessel sit undisturbed for 7-14 days. Taste it each day after the first week until the flavor is just right for your preferences. If it’s too sweet, it needs to ferment longer. If it’s too tart is has fermented too long and you can draw out some liquid, add fruit juice and hope the flavor improves.
Step 7: Fill each of your bottles with the kombucha, leaving a few ounces of free space for fruit juice, if desired. Leave at least 10-20% of the kombucha in your vessel and keep it as the starter fluid for your next batch.
Step 8: Add a few ounces of the fruit juice and/or herbs you desire, and enjoy!
Step 9: Make some more! Repeat this process with the starter fluid left over in your vessel.
Every once in a while, you’ll want to remove part of your SCOBY from your vessel so it doesn’t get too big. It should be no more than a few inches thick for best results each time you brew. To cut it apart, make sure your hands are squeaky clean, remove it from your vessel and place it into a clean bowl. Strip away the excess and return the rest to the vessel. You can give the excess to a friend to help them get started brewing their own kombucha!
Best Teas for Brewing Kombucha:
Black teas, such as Ceylon, English Breakfast, Darjeeling, etc., make for a bold, fruity taste. They are fully oxidized and provide all of the nutrients for the SCOBY.
Oolong teas are partly oxidized for a milder, earthy flavor that is somewhat fruity as well. These are great if you reactivate a dehydrated SCOBY for recurring batches.
Green teas, like jasmine or gunpowder green, consist of withered and steamed leaves that are minimally oxidized, producing a lighter, softer flavor. You can combine with black tea or use it on it’s own, but it’s best to avoid green teas with added flavorings or oils.
White teas consist of baked and dried leaves, which are also minimally oxidized. This produces a delicate flavor with flowery notes. We don’t recommend white tea for your first few batches as it does not work as well to activate a SCOBY. You can, however, combine it with black, oolong, or green tea for a more unique taste.
Red (Rooibos) tea usually refers to an herbal tea from South Africa. It has a fresh, somewhat nutty flavor and should be combined with at least 25% black tea when used to brew kombucha. Like white tea, we don’t recommend using it to activate a SCOBY or to make your first four batches.
Yerba mate and other herbal teas should also be combined with at least 25% black tea when used to brew kombucha. These are also not recommended when brewing your first four batches or activating a SCOBY. Again, avoid teas with added flavorings or oils.
Concerned about caffeine? Don’t be. It was previously thought that most of the caffeine in tea is released within the first few minutes of steeping, but that idea has since been proven false. However, if you’re concerned, you can use decaf!
It may seem like a long, complicated process to brew your own kombucha, but it’s really pretty simple. And when you consider that a single bottle of the stuff can cost around $3 at the grocery store, the money-saving benefits are well worth it!
If you’ve ever felt sad or depressed after a day of swimsuit shopping, this post is for you.
A lot of people claim they don’t have time to exercise. “I don’t have time,” is a very common limiting belief and a widely used excuse to justify a lack of movement and activity. But I’m here to squash that belief by giving you a daily six-minute workout regimen that is guaranteed to get you in shape if implemented consistently.
Stop looking at photoshopped pictures of celebrities in magazines and wishing you could look that good. You can! And I promise it only takes six minutes of exercise a day to get you there. If you don’t believe me, then I challenge you to try it for 30 days and see what a difference it makes—not just in how you look, but also in how you feel.
How is this possible?
You might be asking yourself how it’s possible to get a rock-solid bikini body by only exercising for six minutes a day. I’ve actually had people tell me I was crazy for believing this. It does seem a little too good to be true, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not, and I know, because I practice what I preach. The secret behind this workout regimen is the natural hormone release it produces.
If you’ve been spending 45 minutes to an hour on a treadmill every day, you have my permission to QUIT! Running at a speed that accelerates your heart rate for more than 30 minutes will trigger the release of cortisol, a stress hormone that basically tells your body to hold on to fat. So contrary to popular belief, spending more time in the gym can actually do more harm than good.
For this reason, I like to embrace a “less is more” philosophy when it comes to working out. My six-minute workout regimen increases your heart rate at fixed intervals for only 20 seconds at a time. This technique, commonly known as “interval training” triggers the natural release of HGH (Human Growth Hormone), which aids in weight loss.
How to get in shape in just 6 minutes a day:
Now that you know the secret behind this incredible phenomenon, you’re probably wondering, “well, how do I do it?” Here’s a simple how-to to get you started:
Choose an exercise. It can be any exercise you like. Squats, jumping jacks, burpees, lunges . . . pick your favorite one and go with it.
Do that exercise as fast and as hard as you can for 20 seconds.
Rest for 20 seconds.
Repeat steps 2 and 3.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 again.
Repeat steps 1-5, five more times, choosing a different exercise each time.
That’s it! It’s actually a 12-minute workout from start to finish—15 if you add a warm-up to the routine—but you’re only really exercising for six of those minutes because of the resting intervals.
Who doesn’t have 12 minutes a day to get moving?
Check out our follow-up post, where I give you the six exact exercises I use to get a total-body fat-burning workout every time!
Queen City Health Center is a Charlotte Chiropractic and total wellness center for individuals and families. With locations across Charlotte, NC and Matthews, NC, we specialize in helping individuals and families find true health and ways to maximize their lives through nutrition, lifestyle classes, detoxification and spinal correction. | {
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by Matt Slovin, USA TODAY Sports
by Matt Slovin, USA TODAY Sports
USA TODAY Sports explores who's trending up and down after another week of Major League Baseball:
5 up
Minor upsets: Many had penciled Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Yasiel Puig into the National League All-Star roster before the Final Vote competition. But Atlanta rallied around Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, and he led wire-to-wire. In the American League, Toronto Blue Jays reliever Steve Delabar earned the final spot.
Jarred Cosart: Facing an American League East team and a reigning Cy Young Award winner should've made for a daunting debut for Cosart, the Houston Astros rookie. Rather, Cosart took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and earned the win over David Price and the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Big Apple: Tuesday's All-Star Game will be the ninth one held in New York City. This year's edition will have the fewest-ever ties to New York teams among mid-summer classics in Big Apple ballparks. But, as you can see, it's hard to live up to some of the past participation.
Never giving up: Plenty of big-league third basemen would have surrendered on this Manny Machado web gem around the time he knocked the ball well into foul territory. But the Baltimore Orioles standout's throw from somewhere near the dugout beat the runner. It's probably the leader in the clubhouse for best defensive play of the season.
Massive signing bonuses: The Chicago Cubs signed No. 2 overall draft pick Kris Bryant, a third baseman out of the University of San Diego, this week. Bryant will receive a signing bonus of $6.7 million, a record since new spending restraints started last year.
5 down
Derek Jeter: The New York Yankees shortstop had some more bad luck, this time in his season debut Thursday. In the lineup as the designated hitter, Jeter strained his right quadriceps, causing him to sit out until at least the All-Star break. But general manager Brian Cashman said, "I don't want to think this is Father Time knocking on the door."
Waiting for the next shoe to drop: According to reports, we're likely days away from Major League Baseball announcing Biogenesis-related suspensions. Some of the more prominent players named, like the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez, are still meeting with investigators.
Staying healthy: Jeter and the Yankees aren't the only ones in need of a clean bill of health. The Braves, too, have been hit hard by the injury bug this season. Atlanta still has a six-game lead over the Washington Nationals in the NL East.
The one that got away: Unlike the Cubs who spent a fortune to sign Bryant, the Blue Jays' top choice will likely attend college after failing to sign. Right-handed pitcher Phil Bickford became the lone first-round draftee not to sign a deal.
Batting orders: This might have been excusable had this been, say, a Little League team instead of the defending World Series winners. The San Francisco Giants batted out of order last Saturday when Buster Posey took Pablo Sandoval's spot. The Giants blamed the mistake on a new electronic lineup card. Call us old-fashioned, but what's wrong with a Bruce Bochy handwritten lineup? | {
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Tag Archives: movie review
From the first scenes, where the new Soviet Typhoon class submarine leaves the Polijarny Inlet, the sense of menace is profound. You just know this is going to be tense all the way through.
Sean Connery is perfectly cast as commander Marco Ramius, “The Vilnius Schoolteacher” of Russian attack Commanders. A bear of a man in charge of a monster of a boat with an arsenal of annihilation at his disposal …… and then there are the “doors”.
Meanwhile, the Americans become aware of the emergence of the new sub. Tom Clancy’s perennial character CIA analyst Jack Ryan puts his highly sensitised and suspicious nature to the test.
Concurrently, USS Dallas, an LA class attack submarine is patrolling near the Russian Sub base at Murmansk. It picks up the Red October, tracking the new beast of the sea carefully, until, the Russian inexplicably disappears.
Unaware of the proximity of a US sub, Ramius confronts a weasel like Soviet political officer who precociously awaits the commander in his private cabin. This does not bode well. Together they must open their mission orders from the Commander’s safe. They use their two independent, missile arming keys. A “dreadful accident” ensues and the scene is set.
It never lets up from here. The build of Red October is intense and anxiety provoking. As the Soviet fleet scrambles and the US NSA fears a fist strike, against the odds one person prosecutes a rational interpretation of events.
This is a deep sea game of cat and mouse that threatens the security of the world in a way that any one of us can relate to, fearfully, in fiction or in truth.
As relevant and potent today as when released in 1990, be afraid, be very afraid. | {
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Labour MSP backs devolution max
The SNP today urged those Labour members who want to see the party back more powers for the Scottish Parliament to openly support Malcolm Chisholm MSP’s call for Labour to develop a position in favour of devolution max.
The SNP today urged those Labour members who want to see the party back more powers for the Scottish Parliament to openly support Malcolm Chisholm MSP’s call for Labour to develop a position in favour of devolution max.
Writing on Labour Hame (http://www.labourhame.com/archives/2218#more-2218) the former minister says that some senior Labour figures now favour independence to the Calman proposals and calls for the party to drop the “corrosive negativity” that has characterised Labour’s opposition since 2007, to put forward real priorities and to back devolution max.
In the article he states:
“I believe that Devo Max in some form is the right position for the good governance of Scotland and the best way of ensuring that Scottish priorities are to the fore in all domestic policy areas. Those who are not convinced of that should perhaps reflect that nailing our colours to Calman and the Scotland Bill will boost the independence vote in the forthcoming referendum, as evidenced a few weeks ago when two well-known Labour figures told me they would vote for independence if the alternative was Calman. We need a three question referendum and Labour has to define what Devo Max means as a matter of urgency”
Mr Chisholm is the first serving Labour MSP to openly reject the Calman proposals and support devolution max.
SNP MSP and Scotland Bill Committee member Stewart Maxwell MSP said:
“Malcolm Chisholm’s comments will cut to the core of many Labour MSPs who know that the only way forward for their party is to support the ambitions of the Scottish people for more powers for the parliament.
“Malcolm Chisholm is spot on that the Calman powers are a poor deal that does not deliver the real improvements Scotland needs. It is no surprise some Labour members would rather see independence than be caught in the Tories tax trap.
“An overwhelming majority of Scots want to see Holyrood have more fiscal responsibility. The Social Attitudes Survey shows that three-quarters of Scots believe that the Scottish Parliament rather than Westminster should have key powers, at the same time as the polls show independence moving ahead both north and south of the Border.
“The ambitions of the people of Scotland go far beyond those of the current Labour, Lib Dem or Tory parties, and it should be welcomed that leading figures in Labour agree with the SNP that the Scotland Bill simply doesn’t go far enough.
“Malcolm Chisholm now joins Henry McLeish, Eric Joyce and even Lord Foulkes in demanding a new deal with devolution max for the Scottish Parliament.
“The question that Margaret Curran, the new Shadow Scottish Secretary, has to answer is where Labour actually stands.
“In the referendum, will Labour stand with the Tories in rejecting any new powers for Scotland – or will they join with the vast majority of people in Scotland in calling for financial and economic clout for Scotland’s Parliament and Government?” | {
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Master Data Manager
I am recruiting a Master Data Manager to complete a 6-12-month project for a manufacturing company based in Winsford. This is an exciting opportunity to join a market leading business where you will champion and establish best practice in the collection, set-up and maintenance of core business data on SAP. | {
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Redskins
A United Nations human rights expert says the name of the Washington Redskins football team is a “hurtful reminder” of the mistreatment of Native Americans, but stopped short of joining in calls for the team’s owner to change the name.
The NFL is considering a heavy tax on it, citing the fact that the gridiron is a workplace, and thus they can control the language and lexicon of its players. It’s probably the most delicate and toxic topic we’ll ever discuss in sports.
The controversy over ethnic mascots is hardly new. Many experts say using any human being as a mascot is demeaning regardless of the depiction, though communities at times have been reluctant to cede old traditions.
A man on trial in the slaying of Washington Redskins star safety Sean Taylor admitted to breaking into the NFL player’s home, kicking down the bedroom door and shooting Taylor, and drew a detailed diagram of the house, labeling himself as the shooter, according to a videotaped confession played for the jury Thursday. | {
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Legends Blog
The fabric of America is not a spiraling city metropolis, rather it’s small towns. Some of sports biggest icons are natives of small towns. Michael Jordan, Jim Thorpe, Pele, Jerry Rice, Bo Jackson, and Wayne Gretzky all grew up in places with fewer than 60,000 residents. About 25 percent of the United States population resides in cities with under 50,000 people, but nearly half of the players in the NFL are from areas that size. The trend is less significant but continues into the NHL (39 percent), MLB (38 percent), NBA (28 percent) and PGA tour (50%). How are small towns able to produce an abundance of talent? It could be the cultural importance placed on sports in the community. It could be a chance to get away from their rural environments. It all got us to wondering, what small towns produce the best pro sports talent? We take a look at our 12 favorite.
The Muck, Florida Pahokeee, a small town in southeastern Florida is home to 5,600 residents. The closest town, Belle Glade has a population of 17,000 residents. Together these two communities are known as “The Muck”. They hold a unique tradition that is something out of a comic book. Located on the eastern southern coast of Florida. The cities have a rough reputation and both cities are well below the poverty line. While it may lack state funding and a solid infrastructure, it does posses a legendary football legacy. Two school’s Glades Central and Pahokeee, have sent at least 48 players to NFL over the last four decades. Pahokeee has won five state championships in last 6 years, Glades central has won six since 1971. Each year the Muck Bowl is decided between Glades Central and Pahokeee high. While the game is for bragging rights, it symbolizes much more. Many wonder why Pahokeee & Glades could produce the ridiculous number of NFL players it does. Sugar Cane fields spread right up to the levees of Lake Okeechobee, known as the Muck for its dark rich soil and three feet of coffee grounds. Pahokeee holds a unique football tradition each year, they burn the sugar cane harvest, the burn drives the rabbits out of the fields. During the burning, players from the city will come out and try to catch the rabbits. If they catch a certain number of rabbits (45 in one day) they are fast enough to be a position player for the football team. Many think the tradition provides a quick separation of the players and non-players. Anquan Bolding, Janoris Jenkins, Perneell McPhee, Antone Smith, Bill Bently, Rickey Jackson and Andre Water have all chased the rabbits. Adidas made an ad campaign based around the cities rabbit chasing tradition (which can be seen here). The Muck has a reputation for producing tough no-nonsense players. NFL hall of fame linebacker Ricky Jackson may have been the first star of “The Muck”. The 4x All-Pro selection attended Pahokee high school before going on to Pittsburgh. As a member of the New Orleans Saints he was a member of the famed “Dome Patrol”. Four time pro bowl running back Fred Taylor was born in Pahokee and attended Glades Central. Taylor initially played linebacker, but switched to running back in his junior season. As a senior, he ran for 1,700 yards and 22 touchdowns. Taylor played at the University of Florida before being drafted in the 1st round with the 9th overall pick. In an area known for producing receivers, Anquan Boldin may have been the best. The future Hall of Fame wide receiver stared at Pahokee high from 1993 to 1995. Boldin caught for over 14,000 yards in his NFL career and has stared in 2 Superbowl's. Superbowl champion Santonio Holmes also attended Glades Central high school. He was a Letterman in football, basketball, and track. In football, he helped lead his team to two state titles and a 12-1 record as a senior. Santonio graduated from Glades Central High School in 2002 before winning a National Championship at Ohio State. During his pro career he produced over 6,000 receiving yards and 36 touchdowns in 9 seasons. Recently star cornerback, Janoris Jenkins stared for The Muck. He caught the rabbit in 2006 before being drafted by the Rams in 2012. Kelvin Benjamin was originally a basketball player, before he took up football his junior season. Everyone was impressed with Benjamin, at a camp Randy Moss told him he reminded him of himself at the same age. Benjamin played 3 seasons at Florida State before being drafted in the first round. Other elite football players that come out of “The Muck” include Alphonso Smith drafted in 2009, Kevin Bouie in 1995, Eric Moore in 2005, Pernell McPhee in 2011, Dwight Bentley in 2012.
Bessemer, Alabama
A town of only 27,000 residents, located 8 miles west of the Hoover river. The town is still stained of the mining and steel making decline of the early 1900’s. Without Bessemer, the history of college football would change dramatically. The town has the distinction of being home to 2 different Heisman winners, Bo Jackson and Jameis Winston.
Winston grew up in Bessemer and played his high school football at nearby Hueytown High School. As a high school senior, Winston threw for 2,424 yards and 28 touchdowns. And ran for another 1,065 yards and 15 TDs as a senior. As a redshirt freshman, Winston won the 2013 Heisman Trophy with Florida State. The next season he led his team to the 2014 BCS National Title and a 14-0 record. He went 26-1 as the starting quarterback at Florida State. True to his roots, Winston held a draft night party in Bessemer, rather than attend the NFL Draft in Chicago. Before he was the most famous athlete on earth, Bo Jackson called the city home. He attended school in McAadory, where he rushed for 1175 yards as a running back as a high school senior. Jackson hit twenty home runs in 25 games for McAdory's baseball team during his senior season. Bo was also a two-time state champion in the decathlon, in which he built up such a commanding lead that he never had to compete in the 1500 meter race of event. In 1982, Jackson set state school records for indoor high jump (6'9") and triple jump (48’8"). Beside the two Heisman winners, Bessemer has produced a ton of football talent. DeMeco Ryans attended Jess Lanier High. In his senior season, he had 135 tackles, 11 sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions. Ryans eventually played college football for the University of Alabama, and received unanimous All-American honors. He was chosen by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. In Houston, he was named the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006, he was also selected to two Pro Bowls. Jerome Rhodes was a starting quarterback and honor student at Jess Lanier High in Bessemer. During his senior season, Rhodes threw for more than 1,600 yards and ran for another 850. He was also selected first team All-state in basketball, after he led his team to the 6A title game. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Rhodes was named to All-Pro teams by three publications after the 2006 NFL season. If that’s not enough, rap legend Gucci Man hails from Bessemer.
Middleton, Ohio A town of 48,000 people, halfway between Dayton and Cincinnati. Bleak and gloomy weather burden the city, that was once famous for it’s steel production. During the 1950’s and 60’s it was one of the best basketball cities in America. Their outdoor court “Sunset Park” was home to some of the most legendary street games of all time, featuring future pros like Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas. Hundreds of fans lined the court to watch the area’s greatest high school and college players. Middletown high school had already won five state championships from 1945–55. Residents have taken pride in its plethora of amazing athletes that have been born and raised in the city. By the time he was 15, Sunset Park was one of the best summer basketball scenes in the midwest. By then, Jerry Lucas had grown to 6'7" and had the opportunity to scrimmage against college players, improving his game significantly. He led the 1956 Middletown team to an undefeated season and co-national high school champion. The 1956–57 team also went undefeated and won the Ohio state title. By then, Lucas had set several all-time Ohio records for scoring and shooting accuracy. Lucas entered his senior year as the top-rated high school player in the country. When Middletown lost to an undefeated Columbus North team, 63-62, in the 1958 state playoffs, his high school career ended with a 76-1 record. Lucas went on to a standout career, playing 14 NBA seasons before being selected for the Hall of Fame. The most notable family of Middleton was the Carters, the eldest brother Butch stared for Middleton High School from 1973-1976. As a senior Butch was Mr. Basketball of Ohio. He went on to play for Indiana University and was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. He played in the NBA for 6 seasons before going on to coach professionally. The youngest of the Carter brothers, was Chris. The two-sport star attended Middleton high from 1980-83. Many thought of him as a superb basketball talent that was destined to follow his brother’s path to the NBA. The little brother was heavily recruited in both football and basketball. He chose to attended Ohio St, where he planned to play both sports. After his freshman season he decided to focus entirely on football. As a junior he was an All-American before declaring for the draft. He played 15 seasons in the NFL and left as one of the greatest wide receivers of all time. Carter was known for his ridiculous hands, racking up over 13,000 receiving yards and 130 touchdowns. Todd Bell was a standout football player for Middletown, recruited by Ohio State as a defensive back. In 1981 Todd Bell was drafted by the Chicago Bears, playing for them from 1981 to 1987. He signed a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played an additional two years before breaking his leg against the Bears in 1989. Jalin Marshall attended Middletown high school, where he played wide receiver and quarterback. During his career, he rushed for 4,759 yards and had 54 total touchdowns. Marshall was rated by Scout.com as a five-star recruit and committed to Ohio State University to play college football. Baseball standout Kyle Schwarber attended Middletown High School in Middletown, Ohio. During his four years, he hit .408 with 18 home runs and 103 RBIs. Gary Brewer, a professional golfer on the PGA Tour from 1961 to 1972, was the winner of the 1967 Masters Tournament. Brewer retired from the PGA Tour with 11 tournament wins. Produced a various other division 1 college basketball players like Purdue's current star Vincent Edwards. Most recently Luke Kennard came out of the city, he set the Ohio high school basketball scoring record before staring at Duke University for 2 seasons. He’s currently in his rookie season with the Detroit Pistons.
Kinston, North Carolina Just off the coast of the Atlantic, Kinston only has 21,000 residents. At one point they were the tobacco capital of America. Another time they had a bomb threaten the entire existence of their city. Since then gangs, drugs and violence have overwhelmed the community. A town of about 20,000 people produces more high-level basketball talent than major cities. The odds of making it to the NBA are pretty minuscule, only three out of every 10,000 high school players make it to the highest level of basketball. But Kinston’s numbers resonate way differently. Since 1972, 1 out of 53 varsity players play in the NBA. Making it the top producer of talent per capita of any city in the United States. Holloway rec. center was a proving ground for the top Kinston players. The center was opened and is still owned by Brandon Ingram’s Father. The skill level was separated by two courts. One court for the adults and one for the kids. Everyones aim was always to play on the adult court, that's how you proved you belong. As a youngster Jerry Stackhouse had intense battles with Mr. Ingram, trying to prove his rank at the center. Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell started off the tradition for Kinston. He was only good enough to make the varsity team as a senior, before earning a division 1 scholarship. Cornbread was drafted in the first round by San Diego in the 1977 draft. He went on to play with Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics winning an NBA championship in 1981. Maxwell has served as a mentor to many in the community. Jerry Stackhouse may have claim to the greatest athlete out of Kinston. The 18 year NBA veteran set all scoring records at Kinston before heading off to Oak Hill Academy as a senior. Heres a bonus video of Stack dominating at Kinston in the early 90's. Stackhouse scored over 24,000 points in his NBA career. He has claimed Kinston as his home throughout his career. Stackhouse has also been an adviser for several athletes from Kinston after him. Recently Brandon Ingram has continued the tradition after scoring over 2,500 points in high school. He headed off to Duke where he was the ACC freshman of the year, before being drafted 2nd overall in the NBA draft. Reggie Bullock also grew upon Kinston. He said there were a number of people who looked out for him as a young ball player growing up in a place he has described as “gangland.” Bullock said gang members helped dissuade him from a life of crime and went as far as to shelter him from danger. Tony Dawson is a retired NBA small forward who attended Kinston High School. He’s played with the Sacramento Kings and the Boston Celtics before playing some basketball overseas. While the city produces mostly basketball talent they have produced other notable athletes. NFL hall of famer, tight end Dwight Clark was born in Kinston. Kinston was home to NBA veterans Herbert Hill, Charles Shackleford, Mitchell Wiggins and NFL veteran Dwight Coples. UNC Coach Roy Williams commented, “You know it is incredible the size of the town but yet you think about those players that have been there and what they’ve accomplished. It’s phenomenal.” Williams also added that “I’m more likely to travel to Kinston to see a player than I would be in New York City”.
Donora, Pennsylvania Donora is a decaying town, another in a long line of once-flourishing Rust Belt boroughs along the river in West Pennsylvania. Agriculture, coal-mining, steel-making, wire-making, and other industries were conducted in Donora's early history. Home to the 1948 smog that killed 20 people and sickened another 7,000. Donora has a collection of hall-of-famer's that would even put the bigger cities to shame. Stan Musial, Ken Griffey Junior and Joe Montana. The population as of 2010 was a mere 4,781.The steel mills closed long ago. A broken-down bridge that was Donora’s last business life line was imploded last year. “It’s really depressing, and basically, everybody moves out of this town,” said Dennis Lomax, 64, who grew up in Donora. Stan “The Man” Musial was the first superstar to hail from Donora. While growing Musial lived next to a former minor league catcher who taught Musial valuable lessons in baseball. He played one season on the Donora High School baseball team, where one of his teammates was Buddy Griffey, father of MLB player Ken Griffey Sr. and grandfather to Ken Griffey Jr.. One of the greatest hitters in the history of baseball had a lifetime average of .331 over his 22 big league seasons. Musial faced hometown tragedy when the Donora Smog attack killed a brother and a cousin. Although it was a tremendous loss for Musial he continued to support his home town. “The Man” helped put Donora on the map and has never forgotten when he came from, giving the residents of the city a great source of pride. Both Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey Sr. hail from Donora. Senior went to high school right there in Donora before staring for the Reds and Mariners. His contemporaries in Donora did not think he would become a baseball star; they considered his best sport football, where he was a star wide receiver. At times, he would even compete in track meets during baseball games, rushing up the hill between Donora High School's baseball field and track between at-bats when it came time for his track events. Junior didn't play his high school ball in town but went to Archbishop Moeller of Cincinnati. Still Senior thought it was best if his family lived in the same town he grew up in. Both still call Donora home to this day, the town recently gave the town an official Ken Griffey day. Joe Montana “Joe Montana was from New Eagle, but he played his high school football for Ringgold at Legion Field here in Donora,” he said. Maybe think the magic of Donora may have rubbed off on Montana. While the city hasn't produced a great athlete in a number of years, the community is still heavily rooted in sports. Donora is a decaying town, yet another Western Pennsylvania borough hit by hard times. But it’s also the birthplace of the Griffey's and Stan Musial, and that’s something that keeps its residents going.
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania Located only 29 miles outside Pittsburgh, this tiny town of 10,000 was able to give starts to 4 future NFL hall-of-famers. In the early 1980's when the steel mills started moving away, people found multiple generations of their families out of work. With no other jobs, most people moved away from the area. This caused the city’s population to drop drastically. Those who stayed found themselves struggling just to feed their families. It has one of the highest violent crimes rates in the nation, regardless of city size. The towns original sports hero might be Pete Maravich’s father, Press Maravich. From his early time as a player, Press was a basketball hero in his hometown. After his brief professional career he returned to coach the high school boys team. Before the sweater vest and cigar, future hall-of-famer Mike Ditka was a 3 sport star at Aliquippa High School. Under head coach Press Maravich, Ditka started at forward on the basketball team. Ditka went on to be a hall of fame NFL tight end and a Superbowl winning coach with the 1986 Chicago Bears. Eight years after Ditka departed, Press Maravich’s son was ready to star for the city. It was Aliquippa, where Pete first honed his basketball wizardry, even throwing an under the legs pass as a 12 year old on the high school’s varsity. Maravich and Press eventually formed the greatest father-son college tandem of all time. Maravich scored a record 44 points a game for his dad at LSU, before staring for 10 seasons in the NBA. Running back Tony Dorsett attended Hopewell High School and set the school rushing record with 2,272 yards. While attending Pittsburgh University, he was the Heisman winner in the 1976 season. Dorsett was an all-world running back in the NFL where he accumulated 4 Pro Bowl selections and a first team All-Pro nod in 1981. The early 90’s saw Ty Law emerge on the scene for Aliquippa high. Law was MVP of the school’s basketball and football teams. He was a top 50 recruit nationally and chose to attend Michigan before his hall of fame NFL career. As a senior Sean Gilbert was a Parade Magazine All-America and the USA Today Prep Defensive Player of the Year and the Associated Press named him to its First-team All-state after leading the "Quips" to a 14–1 record and a Western Pennsylvania AAA championship. The greatest football player to come out of Aliquippa may be Darrelle Revis. In the State Championship game, he led Aliquippa to a come-from-behind 32–27 win by scoring 5 touchdowns. In his junior and senior years of high school he led Aliquippa to WPIAL basketball championships, leading the team in scoring both years, culminating with a 25.2 PPG average his senior season. He stared at Pittsburgh before his 5x All-Pro career in the NFL. Other NFL players that came out of the city include, Carmine DePascal, Anthony Dorsett Jr., Charles Fisher, John Tzel, Josh Lay, Curt Singer, Paul Posluszny, Richard Mann, Bob Liggett, and Willie Walker. These kids don’t have a lot, most have nothing to look forward to but football, so they put all of their pride into that game.
Compton, California Depending on who you ask, Compton is both clouded in gang violence and filled with family ties. Ask those outside LA and they instantly think of gang activity. Natives tell a tale of close-knit community. Similar to other cities, Compton has seen a serious change over the last 50 years. While the namesake provides plenty of cache, the city itself has produced a countless amount of pro stars. A rich history of sport has always ran parallel with the city. The city’s biggest stars may be sisters, Serena Williams world No. 1 ranked female tennis player with 23 Grand Slam singles titles and 14 Grand Slam doubles titles. And her sister, Venus Williams – former world No. 1 tennis player with seven Grand Slam titles and four Olympic golds. The sister honed their game in Compton learning the game at an early age from their father. Heres some footage on Venus and Serena on their upbringing in Compton. Dennis Johnson was one of the first truly dominant basketball players from Compton. The glamour of NBA stardom was a long way from Johnson's childhood in Compton, Calif. He was the eighth of 16 children, the son of a bricklayer and a social worker. As a 5-9 guard at Dominguez High School, Johnson played only a minute or two each game. After graduation he grew 6 inches and eventually found his way to Pepperdine University, before going on to a hall of fame career with Seattle and Boston. In 2000 a kid named Aaron Afflao started attending Centennial High in Compton. Afflao went on to be a two time All-State selection and a top 20 player nationally. After leading UCLA to the Final 4 in his junior season, he declared for the draft. Later prompting Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar to include tails of Afflao, in his hit album Good Kid Mad City. Demar Derozan blew up as a 13 year old playing with Master P’s All-Star team, that featured the likes of Brandon Jennings. Jennings who started his freshman year at Compton’s Dominiguez, then transferred to Oak Hill Academy his sophomore season amid cash allegations. Meanwhile Derozan stayed home attending nearby Compton High School for 4 seasons before attending USC. As teenage stars the duo knew just about everyone in Compton, including fellow basketball star James Harden. The Beard attended Artesia High School a far drive away from the inner city of Compton. Although he didn’t attend a Compton basketball factory he did lead his team to two state championships. The cities other NBA players include Cedric Ceballaos, Dwayne Polee, Tyshaun Prince, Patrick Christopher, Josh Childress, Titto Maddox and Jeff Trepagnier. All-Pro NFL corner Richard Sherman played for Dominguez high from 2003-2006. As a senior in 2005, he accounted for 1,030 all-purpose yards, including 870 yards on 28 catches and three punt returns for touchdowns. Sherman was even named an All-American track and Field player as a high school senior. Sherman played at Stanford before being drafted in the 5th round by the Seattle Seahawks. Compton’s only Heisman winner was USC running back Mike Garrett. Garrett was a star running back during his reign with the Trojans. He went on to star in the NFL for 10 seasons. Notable ESPN personality and NFL pro bowler Marcellus Wiley also hails from Compton. Wiley played for the Bills and Chargers for 11 NFL seasons. James Lofton was a standout linebacker with the Washington Redskins. Lofton helped them to 3 Super Bowl titles after growing up in Compton. Eddie Murray was a big time slugger in the major leagues, tacking up over 500 home runs. Murray started his baseball career at Compton High before moving on to college. As a senior the outfielder was one of the most sought after prospects in the country. Murray is far from the only great baseball player Compton has produced. Duke Snider Started the tradition, the MLB hall of famed had a great career with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Snider stared at Compton high in the late 1930’s. The city has also produced various other coaches and people close to sports. Ex NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle is a native of Compton.
Pensacola, Florida The western most city in the Florida Panhandle has a population around 55,000. Known for their dangerous exposure to hurricanes and their title of "The Cradle of Naval Aviation”. Home to a large United States Naval Air Station, the first in the United States. The football king of talent could also be Pensacola. Home to all time greats Emmit Smith and Derrick Brooks, the city gets little credit for its football dominance. A respectable number of basketball and baseball stars also called the city home. The youth program was thought to have some of the best coaches in america. The NFL’s all time leading rusher Emmitt Smith, attended Escambia High School where he played high school football and ran track. During Smith's career he rushed for 106 touchdowns and 8,804 yards, which was the second most yardage in the history of American high school football at the time. Emmitt rushed for over 100 yards in 45 of the 49 games he started for Escambia. In track & field, Smith competed as a sprinter and was a member of the 4 × 100 m (42.16 s) relay squad. For his efforts, Smith was the USA Today and Parade magazine high school player of the year for 1986. Following Smiths stellar high school career, the city birthed another Football legend in Derrick Brooks. Brooks attended Washington High School in Pensacola where he was a USA Today All-American. During his senior season in 1991, Brooks carried Pensacola to the state playoff semifinals, where they lost to the eventual champion Manatee. Brooks would eventually star in the NFL where he was All-Pro 11 times, he was elected to the hall of fame in 2014. Doug Baldwin hails from the city, where he stared at two sports in high school. The wide receiver had a big senior season with 682 yards and 6 touchdowns. Once at the pro level, Baldwin broke out racking up over 5,900 receiving yards and 80 touchdowns in just 7 seasons. Recently running back’s Trent Richardson and Alfred Morris stared for high schools in Pensacola. Both running backs made it big in the NFL, even though Richardson flamed out rather quickly. Richardson was an All-American during his high school career. While Morris was an unheralded recruited, he excelled at the pro level. Not known for corner backs, Cortland Finegan also attend Pensacola high. An underrated recruited Finegan proved himself at the highest keel once he got the chance. Several other outstanding football players call the city home including Ladius Green, Josh Sitton, Ahtyba Rubin, Adron Chambers, Fred Robbins. Baseball is another speciality of Pensacola, which produced the likes of Addison Russell, Josh Donaldson, Jay Bell, Travis Fryman, Buck Showwalter, Josh Sitton and Don Sutton. The town has even produced a few NBA players, Bob Williams, Tom Sweell, Rich Peek, Clifford Lett and most recently Reggie Evans. Infamous boxer Roy Jones Jr. hails from Pensacola. Before he went on to 6 different weight titles, he trained right there in downtown Pensacola.
Norcross, Georgia A fast growing city in northern Georgia, in only 5 years Norcross went from 9,000 residents to over 16,000. The recent explosion in population has helped an already robust basketball city take the next step. Norcross has recently started to produce high quality players. Before 2003, no NBA player ever came out of Norcross. Since then Jodie Meeks, Trey Thompkins, Gani Lawal, Jeremy Lamb, Al-Farouq Aminu and Malcolm Brogdon have all made it to the league via Norcross. Putting out NBA players is nearly impossible and Norcross is making it look routine. Outside of prep schools, there are not many talent-rich public high school basketball factories. Norcross High is a public school that continually produces college & NBA level basketball players. Racking up multiple state championships while sending countless players to the college and NBA level. Head Coach Jesse McMillan, has sent over 45 players to division one college since 2002. Jodie Meeks started the recent trend of successful players when he started at Norcross High in 2002. His senior season culminated in Meeks averaging 25 points and leading Norcross to it’s first state championship. As a top 50 recruit nationally, he drew numerous college scholarships before choosing Kentucky. As a junior he earned All-American honors and was a first round draft pick in the NBA. Al-Fariuq Aminu was a bona fide star as a high school star at Norcorss high. A top 10 recruit nationally, Aminu averaged 23.1 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game as a senior. Aminu is currently in his 8th NBA season with career averages of 9 points and 5 rebounds. Norcross went 30-3 during Aminu’s senior season where he paired with future NBA player Gani Lawal. Lawal teamed with Aminu to make one of the best front lines in the history of Georgia high school basketball. Lawal was named a McDonalds All-American as a senior before staring at Georgia Tech. Before he won the 2009 NCAA championship with the UCONN Huskies Jeremy Lamb was leading Norcross to a regional championship. After his two years at UCONN, Lamb was an NBA lottery pick in 2012. Recent NBA sensation Malcolm Brogdon graduated in 2009 before staring at the University of Virginia. As a high school senior he averaged 25.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals per game. Brogdon was Rookie of the Year in 2016 after being drafted in the 2nd round by Milwaukee. Various college basketball stars also came out of the city. Trey Thompkins had a cup of tea in the NBA after staring at Georgia. Jordan DeMercy paired with Aminu and Lawal before playing at Florida State for 4 seasons. Chris Allen was a college star at Michigan State. Rayshaun Hammond's like countless other players played at Georgia. Jordan Goldwire is a sophomore at Duke University. Most recently Norcross high’s Lance Thomas committed to Louisville. True to its state tradition, the city has produced some great football talent. Before tearing up the NFL, running back Alvin Kamara called Norcross home. The pro bowl running back and Crimson Tide alumni, attended school at Norcross high. Wide recover Brice Butler, Denver Broncos center Max Garcia and Detroit Lions Tackle Jeff Backus all stared at Norcross high in the past 20 years. Recently Georgia's Lorenzo Carter attended Norcross high.
Pine Bluff, Arkansas With a population of about 50,000 people, Pine Bluff has been a hidden gem in the world of sports. With roots in the civil war, early industry help build the cities infrastructure. Once those industries left and jobs were gone, the community took a serious hit. Now the town has major problems with its economy and dying infrastructure. At one time, it was one of the major producers of athletic talent in the country. Early football star Don Hutson help put Pine Bluff on the map. As a senior at Pine Bluff High School he was an All-State basketball player, he was famously quoted as saying "I'm like most, I'd rather see football, but I'd rather play basketball.” Hutson only played one year of football at Pine Bluff before he went on to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He then signed a contract with the Green Bay Packers where he stayed for 10 seasons. He was an 8 time first team All-Pro at the wide receiver position and won three championship. Hutson was named league MVP twice, leading the league in receiving yards 7 times. Joe Berry Caroll was perhaps Pine Bluff’s biggest basketball star. The 7’0 Center stared at North Carolina State in college before becoming at NBA lottery pick. A naturally gifted player, Caroll struggled with substance abuse issues and was never able to fulfill his true potential. One of the NBA’s first big point guards was Lafayette Lever, better known as “FAT”. The 6-3 Lever had a long and skinny frame that allowed him to shoot and see over the top of smaller defenders. His best year came in 1987 when he averaged 19 points to go along with 8 assist for the Denver Nuggets. The best part of Lever’s game might have been his rebounding, as he averaged 8 or more rebounds 4 different times in his career. The cities most well-known star was Torii Hunter, the former MLB center fielder stared at Pine Bluff High school where he played baseball, football, basketball and track. During his high school career he was named to the US track team. Eventually he was selected out of high school in the 1993 MLB draft by the Minnesota Twins. Willie Roaf was a longtime NFL lineman that also grew up in Pine Bluff. Roaf was a star tackle in high school and had numerous division 1 college choices. Roaf might even receive some consideration for the Hall of Fame. The mid size city has also produced a countless amount of division 1 football and basketball players. Recently those in the area think that the talent pool has dropped off quite a bit. Mostly due to families moving away from the area. Locals question when that problem will be solved.
East Chicago, Indiana Located against the south end of Lake Michigan, East Chicago is cold, tough town in the northern most part of Indiana. Home to 30,000 people, the frigid town has produced great athletes. East Chicago was once powered by a booming steel industry. Near by, Gary is another basketball hot bed that has produced numerous talents. East Chicago's has a rich high school basketball history which includes four basketball state championships, 7 NBA players and more than 100 Division I players. Before Kenny Loften was big time in the major leagues, he called East Chicago home. Loften was a huge two sport star in baseball and basketball. The future MLB All-Star broke several school records. He started at point guard for the schools basketball team, while playing center field for the baseball team. Greg Popovich grew up in East Chicago before playing in the NBA and coaching 5 championship teams. He spent his summer nights at Glen Park on 39th and Broadway in south Gary, going against the top players in the area. As a junior he started on the varsity team, where he improved each day. Eventually he caught a scholarship and made his way to the NBA. Recently Popovich had his No.21 jersey retired by his high school, prompting him to say, "I don't know why they want to do it now. My scoring average hasn't changed in 40 years." Here is some bonus footage of Popovich talking about growing up in East Chicago. NBA player Junior Bridgeman was the 7th overall pick in the 1982 draft. Bridgeman was a star recruit for East Chicago high. NBA journeyman Etwann Moore continued the basketball tradition in East Chicago. The 6-3 scoring guard was a top 50 recruit nationally before attending Purdue University. Recently Carolina Panthers Star Kawann Short attended East Chicago high from 2004 to 2007. Short was under recruited but was a two time all Big-Ten selection at Purdue. Besides Short, the town has produced long time NFL veterans Jim Bradley and Ron Smith. They even produced MLB players Larry Fritz and Bob Anderson.
Lamar, South Carolina Lamar with a tiny population of 989, has produced four NFL football players in the past 25 year. All of them attended the one and only high school in town. Linebacker Levon Kirkland (Class of 1986), defensive end John Abraham (1996), safety Mike Hamlin (2004), linebacker Marshall McFadden (2005) and B.J. Goodson (2011) all came up in Lamar. Known as a town where two school busses were toppled over in a desegregation protest in 1970, Lamar remade its image with football. The odds of a town that size producing 5 NFL players in 25 years is off the charts. Jeffrey Forrester, an associated professor of math at Dickenson College in Pennsylvania put the chances at 0.000000000797. Being dealt a royal flush is 20,000 times more likely to happen. Dominic Yeo, an Oxford math student, set the probability at “1 in ten million billion.” John Abraham was a star in the NFL, making 5 pro bowl teams as a defensive end. The future first team All-Pro selection played only one season of high school football where he was good enough to earn a scholarship to the University of South Carolina. Most recently Lamar native B.J. Goodson made his way to the NFL. The Clemson linebacker was drafted in the 4th round by the New York Giants in 2016. In his 2 seasons with the Giants, he has recorded 62 tackles. Levon Kirkland, a former Pittsburgh Steeler and second-round draft pick, is now an assistant coach with the Arizona Cardinals. Before his coaching days he was a 2x All-Pro selection at linebacker. He believes the no-frills life in Lamar has a real effect on the success of the players in the city “there were no movie theaters or fast food restaurants and that led to a blue-collar work ethic. The guys from Lamar are workers.” | {
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PERSON OF INTEREST stars Jim Caviezel, Emmy Award winner Michael Emerson and Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson in a crime thriller about a presumed dead former-CIA agent, Reese, who teams up with a mysterious billionaire, Finch, to prevent violent crimes by using their own brand of vigilante justice. Reese\'s special training in covert operations appeals to Finch, a software genius who invented a program that uses pattern recognition to identify people about to be involved in violent crimes. Using state-of-the-art surveillance technology, the two work outside of the law, using Reese\'s adept skills and Finch\'s unlimited wealth to unravel the mystery of the \"person of interest\" and stop the crime before it happens. Reese\'s actions draw the attention of the NYPD, including homicide detective Carter, and Fusco, a cop whom Reese uses to his advantage. With infinite crimes to investigate, Reese and Finch find that the right person, with the right information, at the right time, can change everything.
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You’re watching Person of Interest on XfinityTV.com
Person Of Interest: Season 2
0:56 min
PERSON OF INTEREST stars Jim Caviezel, Emmy Award winner Michael Emerson and Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson in a crime thriller about a presumed dead former-CIA agent, Reese, who teams up with a mysterious billionaire, Finch, to prevent violent crimes by using their own brand of vigilante justice. Reese's special training in covert operations appeals to Finch, a software genius who invented a program that uses pattern recognition to identify people about to be involved in violent crimes. Using state-of-the-art surveillance technology, the two work outside of the law, using Reese's adept skills and Finch's unlimited wealth to unravel the mystery of the "person of interest" and stop the crime before it happens. Reese's actions draw the attention of the NYPD, including homicide detective Carter, and Fusco, a cop whom Reese uses to his advantage. With infinite crimes to investigate, Reese and Finch find that the right person, with the right information, at the right time, can change everything. | {
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Ethereum Foundation Considers Get Out of Jail Free Cards For Lost Funds
A proposal, called “EIP 867: Standardized Ethereum Recovery Proposals,” is making many members of the Ethereum community concerned. The idea behind the proposal is to create a framework that would clarify and normalize the process of recovering lost funds on the network. The problem is, doing this could destabilize Ethereum, negate immutability by making transactions possibly reversible, and even cause legal ramifications for developers.
Millions of Dollars Lost
Regarding the Parity wallet bug, over $400 million worth of Ether has been effectively lost. Since then, the company has been trying desperately to
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Fifteenth Sunday of the Year. Fr Giles Hibbert preaches on the parable of the sower: some seeds fell by the wayside, some on rocky ground, some amongst thorns, and some fell on good soil and brought forth grain -- some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.Read more | {
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The Colossal Rise of the Online Gambling Industry
It’s estimated that since 2005, the financial growth of the online gaming industry has more than trebled in value, with the size of the market hitting over $40 billion dollars. Taking into account that it was worth roughly $13.8 billion in 2005, this shows a colossal rate of increase throughout the industry, and shows which direction it’s headed in. Thanks to the relaxation of gambling laws almost ten years ago, the number of people playing casino games, especially in the UK has never been higher. Although film and television might be make the allure of casinos in places like Monte Carlo and Vegas seem irresistible, truth be told most people prefer the hassle free approach of being able to log in from their home computer or mobile phone and place bets without having to physically make additional effort to travel.
This makes for both good news for the online industry and bad news for the casinos, as Nevada’s casino industry lost $662 million last year, and has been in the red consistently for six years. Things hit their lowest in 2009 when the industry posted a staggering loss of $6.8 billion, as it’s thought that although more people are coming to the Nevada strip overall, their money is being spent on things such as food, drink and entertainment, leaving the online gambling industry to speed past at a record rate.
So what is causing the huge rise in success?
The major driving forces behind the rapid uptake of mobile casinos has been convenience and mobility. A big part of this has been the rise of the ever successful “free-to-play” model where in-game transactions are pushing the market value to new heights. It is estimated that around 164 million people globally will be using mobile devices to access online gambling by 2018, with the freemium model games and popularity of the online casino world set to help sales stay high for some time to come.
In the year 1994, the Antiguan government passed what was known as “The Free Trade and Processing Zone Act”, which gave the Caribbean territories the first mover advantage in the online gambling industry. Many casinos and sports books continue to be run with a licenses issued by the islands. As a result of this, the company Microgaming, one of the biggest software developers in the industry is born, and the industry has continued to grow exponentially every year. In May 2016, Microgaming moved even further into the future as they launched Virtual Reality headset games using Oculus Rift technology with a focus on VR Roulette.
It’s clear to see, as accessibility and technology improves, the industry will continue to bloom and increase in both value, and popularity with years to come.
Billy Goodwin A.K.A Skaidon (my gamertag). As you can probably tell I love gaming. You will more often than not catch me with my headset on yelling online. I also love blogging, especially about the tech industry, hence the birth of the blog ' Skaidon'. Feel free to get in touch with me anytime or if you fancy a challenge add me online using 'Skaidon'. | {
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Zeller's rights were later traded to Cleveland for a package that included No. 24 pick Jared Cunningham of Oregon State.
Otherwise, it was the Wildcats' night, starting with a hug between Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist after the first selection.
"My arm was shaking and my hands were sweaty. Got up and hugged Michael, my best friend, wanted to hug him for a minute," Davis said. "When my name got called, wanted to make sure he stayed close."
He did — following Davis as the next player to climb onto the stage and shake Commissioner David Stern's hand.
Kentucky got its fourth first-round pick at No. 29 with Marquis Teague, another freshman, who is headed to Chicago as a possible replacement for the injured Derrick Rose. Doron Lamb went 42nd to Milwaukee and Darius Miller was 46th to New Orleans.
Only UNLV in 1977 had six players drafted — but none in the first round.
John Calipari has been criticized for recruiting "one-and-done" players, they stay the required one year and leave, but he looked thrilled hugging his two stars at the start of the night.
It's been a long time since a school made such an impact at the top of the draft.
UCLA had the Nos. 1 and 3 picks in 1969, when Milwaukee took Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — then Lew Alcindor — and Lucius Allen went third to the Seattle SuperSonics.
Davis will begin his pro career in the same city where he ended it with a national title. College basketball's player of the year as a freshman was the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four despite shooting just 1 for 10 from the field in the championship game, grabbing 16 rebounds and blocking six shots in the victory over Kansas.
Davis slipped on a blue and purple Hornets hat above a conservative gray suit that took no attention away from basketball's most famous eyebrow. Davis even attempted to capitalize on the attention his unibrow gets, trademarking "Fear The Brow" and "Raise The Brow" earlier this month.
On the floor, Davis has the agility of a guard — and he was one only a few years ago.
The 6-foot-10 Davis averaged 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.7 blocks, becoming a dominant defender after growing 7 inches from the start of his junior year of high school.
A season after the Hornets traded longtime star Chris Paul, Davis is ready to be their centerpiece, since playing for the Wildcats means he's already accustomed to plenty of attention.
"Like I said, at Kentucky we had it all the time, especially the six who played, we had the spotlight all the time," Davis said. "I think it really prepared me."
Charlotte, coming off a 7-59 season and the worst winning percentage in NBA history, had been open to moving the No. 2 pick if it found the right deal. Instead, Michael Jordan's team went with Kidd-Gilchrist, whose selection by the Bobcats was loudly cheered, a sharp contrast from the boos Stern received when coming out to announce the picks.
The new Charlotte swingman played in high school at nearby St. Patrick's in Elizabeth, N.J., and fans chanted "MKG! MKG!" as he walked off the stage. Though he and Davis talked before the draft, they didn't discuss the history the Wildcats were about to make.
"No. I was shocked at first," Kidd-Gilchrist said. "I was shocked. But no, we didn't. We didn't at all."
Florida's Bradley Beal went third to Washington, making it three SEC freshman in the first three picks. Cleveland followed with the surprisingly early pick of Syracuse sixth man Dion Waiters at No. 4.
Thomas Robinson of Kansas, who hoped to go second, fell to Sacramento at No. 5. Portland took Weber State's Damian Lillard at No. 6 with its first of two lottery picks, and Barnes was taken seventh by Golden State.
After Washington's Terrence Ross went to Toronto and Connecticut's Andre Drummond to Detroit, the Hornets rounded out the top 10 by taking Duke guard Austin Rivers with a pick they acquired in the Paul trade. Rivers hugged his father, Boston coach Doc Rivers, who came to be with his family instead of with the Celtics, who owned two later first-round picks.
Davis was the only clear-cut pick entering the draft, and there were some early surprises. Players such as Waiters and Ross went higher than expected, while Robinson dropped to the Kings.
"I really didn't know where I was going to end up at, but it is a bit of a surprise," he said, tearing up when talking about his difficult journey that included the deaths of multiple family members in college. "I didn't work out for Sacramento at all, I probably talked to them about once. But I'm here, so I'm meant to be here."
Houston took Jeremy Lamb of Connecticut at No. 12 with its first of three top-20 picks. But the Rockets, who also had the Nos. 16 and 18 picks, were hoping not to use all of them, instead packaging them for an established player after their pursuit of the Lakers' Pau Gasol fell through last year.
Jared Sullinger, once considered a top-10 pick, ended up in a draft free-fall over concerns with his back but was finally taken at No. 21 by Boston. The Celtics followed with Fab Melo of Syracuse, giving them two potential replacements if Kevin Garnett doesn't return.
The NBA champion Miami Heat took forward Arnett Moultrie of Mississippi State at No. 27 with their first-round pick, but traded his rights to Philadelphia for the rights to LSU center Justin Hamilton and a future first-round pick.
Copyright 2012 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. | {
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Thinking about flushing your live goldfish? Don't do it
Abigail Rosenthal, GateHouse Media
Wednesday
Jun 26, 2019 at 11:12 AM
Remember that picture book called "A Fish Out of Water" by Helen Palmer, where Otto the goldfish outgrows every vessel he's put in until he's bigger than the local swimming pool? Yeah, turns out it might not be that far from the truth.
New York-based water restoration and protection agency Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper took to Facebook to warn those who might be trying to shirk the responsibility of caring for a goldfish that flushing the fish down the toilet is not the best method.
This presumably former tiny goldfish grew to a whopping 14 inches.
Because goldfish don't stay their 1-inch length when spit out into the wild and can survive year-round, they can be very harmful to the local environment. The estimated tens of millions of goldfish in the Great Lakes deplete resources native fish need to survive.
If you've got an unwanted fish on your hands, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper says to place a call to the pet store instead of heading to the bathroom to keep waterways clear of the the invasive species.
Plus, you can pledge to leave goldfish in the fish bowl and not the toilet bowl by joining the agency's "Responsible Flushing Society" and get a sticker, complete with a giant goldfish.
Keep the giant goldfish to the children's books. That's where they belong. | {
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} |
Customize the VS debugger display of your data
As a software developer, I spend much of my time looking at code, learning how it works, and figuring out how to modify or fix it. A very good tool to help examine code is the Visual Studio debugger.
(Even if you’re not a hard core programmer, the following tutorial shows some of the power of the Visual Studio components, such as the project system, build system, debugger, working together.)
At a breakpoint I can examine local variables in the Watch, Auto or Locals window to see their values and types. If it’s a class or structure, the debugger will show a “+” that indicates it can be expanded and the first couple members of that structure. Structures submembers or inherited values can be examined. These structures can get very deep. Sometimes I need to inspect a value that’s dozens of levels down in a hierarchy. That’s a lot of complicated tree navigation in the debugger. Other times I need to take a local variable name (or a member of that variable if it’s a structure/class), drag and drop it to a new line in the Watch Window, then type cast it to a value that’s more meaningful. As I step through code, the variable might go out of scope, or it might have a different name in a subroutine, so I’d have to repeat the typecasting steps in the watch window with the different variable name.
For example, suppose one of the variables is called VBLine and is an internal representation of a line of VB.NET code. It’s much more meaningful to see “Dim MyVar As String”, then a bunch of hex numbers in the debugger. I drag/drop it to the watch window, typecast it to a “DIM” statement, and expand/navigate the results to find “MyVar”. Then, I step into the next called function, with VBLine passed as an argument. The receiving function names the parameter VBStatement, so my watch window drilldown needs to be modified to use the different variable name.
This gets very cumbersome. Let’s improve it!
Here’s a simple demonstration of how you can control what the debugger displays.
Start Visual Studio (2003 or 2005. (It also works in VS7, although the steps might be slightly different.)
Choose File->New->Projects
Choose Visual C++->Win32 Console Application, call it Test
Click Finish on the wizard.
Now paste in some sample code to debug:
#include “windows.h”
int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
OSVERSIONINFOEX osinfo;// Declare a structure
ZeroMemory(&osinfo, sizeof(osinfo));// init it to 0
osinfo.dwOSVersionInfoSize = sizeof(OSVERSIONINFOEX);// set the size
GetVersionEx((LPOSVERSIONINFO) &osinfo);// call WinAPI to fill it in
WIN32_FIND_DATAFAR ffd;// Declare a structure
FindFirstFile(“c:\\windows\\system32\\k*.exe”,&ffd);// Find the first file starting with “k”
return 0;//set bpt here
}
This sample code just calls the Windows API functions GetVersionEx and FindFirstFile, which fill structures that we can examine in the debugger.
To make things simple, let’s use ANSI rather than Unicode chars (VS2005 defaults to Unicode). Choose Project->Properties->Configuration Properties->General->Character Set and change it to “Use Multi-Byte Character set” rather than “Use Unicode Character Set”
This is a big improvement: we’ve told the debugger which members of the structure to show and how to format them! We can still click on the “+” to drill down the member hierarchy.
When starting a debug session, the debugger reads the AutoExpand file and if the left of the equals matches the type in the Type column of the Locals/Watch/Auto window, then the right side will direct how to format the displayed string. The comments at the beginning of AutoExp.dat give more details, including more formatting options.
This is great, but it’s nothing compared to what we’ll do next!
You can write code that executes in the debugger process that can read the memory of the debugee! AutoExp.dat controls this feature too.
The $ADDIN(DllName,FunctionName) syntax means that the DLL named will be loaded, the FunctionName export in the DLL will be called. (Ignore the gobbledygook: it’s just C++ name decorating indicating the calling convention, the parameters, etc.) If any error occurs, like the DLL can’t be found, the export can’t be found, or the DLL caused an exception, the displayed string will be “{???}”
Now let’s create the project that will build MyDbg.DLL and add it to the current solution.
Choose File->New->Project->Visual C++ Win32 Project, call it MyDbgEE and choose to Add to solution (rather than to Create New Solution).
In the Win32 App Wizard that appears, change the Application Type to a DLL.
Change the project properties as above to non-Unicode and no 64 bit issues.
Now we need to tell VS where to put the built DLL so the debugger can find it. We can use the build events in the project.
For the DLL project, choose Project->Properties->Configuration Properties->Build Events->Post Build Event->Command Line. Put incopy $(TargetPath) “$(DevEnvDir)” Make sure you have the quotes and parentheses right. If you put in a description string, then that string will be echoed to the Output Window when building. Now when you rebuild, the debug dll will be copied to the same dir as Devenv.exe.
Now hit F5 and see the values in the debug window! Bring up Task Manager and notice that the Process ID shown is the same as that of the Devenv.exe debugger process.
To make things more interesting, let’s see how our debug code can read the debugger memory. We’ll add some code to obscure a desired value, but we’ll dig for it in the debug dll. Add this code after the “#include windows.h”line in the main Test code
struct MyClass {// normally this will go in #include file
int mymem1;// make the 1st few members irrelevant, so debugger won’t show interesting info
int mymem2;
int mymem3;
int mymem4;
int mymem5;
short *str;// make this not a string, so debugger won’t show it as a string
MyClass * m_pNextClass;// self referential, perhaps like a linklist
};
Now add this code to just before the “return” statement:
MyClass * pMyClass = new MyClass();// declare a new instance of MyClass
Now hit the F5 button and Bingo! You can still drill down into the class manually as before, so you haven’t lost any functionality.
The debug DLL can be rebuilt even while debugging: it’s loaded/unloaded as needed by the debugger. That means persisting values might be cumbersome. I’ve used custom registry keys for persisting values, like global variables.
I’ve been using this debug expression evaluator architecture for years for huge projects, including Visual Foxpro and Visual Basic.Net, and I find it indispensable and a huge time saver.
Finally!! I’ve been trying for a day to find the magic incantations to make eeaddin work under VS 8. I stumbled across your example and it all worked beautifully the first time.
Thanks so much for that.
Now I need to go to a new level – Unicode. When I convert your sample code and MyDbg to Unicode, it all seems to work except that a string in pResult that might say "Test" gets displayed in the debugger as "T". Obviously, someone is interpreting the second byte of the Unicode "T" as a null terminator, but I can’t figure out where I can control that.
VS7 had a switch in the debugger settings that told the debugger that strings should be displayed as Unicode, but this does not seem to be around or even necessary in VS8.
Do you have any suggestions for improving the performance of this as with real world code, there is a noteable delay when stepping through code?
In a typical session where the type I am interested in debugging is used a lot, sysinternal’s File Monitor showed several tens of thousand accesses to the addin dll when the ‘Locals’ window is open in Visual Studio 2005. This translated into a 3 second delay stepping through the code. What is noticeable is that Visual Studio loads and unloads the dll hundreds of times. This seems rather inefficient to me and perhaps there is a way to force it to stay in memory during a debugging session?
I hard coded the path to the addin dll in autoexp.bat to remove searching for the dll in the path, but it didn’t speed up access. I also cut the code down to a bare minimum in the addin function and this made it no faster. Conclusion: the repetitive loading and unloading of the dll slows the debugging down.
I use this debugging architecture daily on the entire VB, Fox and C# source code (I think these are real-world applications) with no performance problems. I single step through code with many DLL debug expression evaluations (and I have dozens of them: my autoexp.dat is huge!) with no noticeable delay.
How many locals invoke your DLL? Can you get to a point where there is 1 and see how many times the DLL is loaded/unloaded? (Just toggling Hexadecimal display is enough to refresh the display which reloads the DLL)
If you hide the Locals Window, then the DLL won’t be invoked for any expressions in that window.
Are you sure you’re reading the output of FileMon correctly? It can display multiple events per file, such as Open, Cleanup, Close
Try this: put a bpt on some code where there are NO types that would invoke the DLL. Then add a single item in the watch window like this: "(YourCustomType *)0" where YourCustomType would invoke your DLL. How many times is your DLL loaded then? If you add that same item once again, then how many times is it loaded? (I only see one load/close per item)
Try stepping in a function that references the DLL only with one local.
Try making your DLL do nothing but return a simple string.
Did you build it with optimizations? Did you minimize dependencies (like CRT)?
Loading/unloading a DLL is not necessarily slow, with OS caching this is probably not a disk hit.
Try writing some sample standalone C code that just Loads/unloads your DLL in a loop to get a feel for how long it takes to load/unload the DLL "hundreds of times". Does this time approach the 3 seconds delay you’re seeing?
The final two are looking for the .Manifest and .Config file, but the above is basically a sequence of opening the dll to read information about the dll then read the contents (the 5 READ sequences towards the end).
I’m not sure the tool is 100% as the last action is never a close, say when shutting Visual Studio down. In my real life debugging session, there are over 2000 OPENs when the Locals window gets updated. As there are 7 OPENs per variable, there should be 2000/7 = 300 approx of ‘MyType’.
If I hide the Locals window nothing appears in File Monitor – correct.
The other thing I did was rename the addin dll so that visual studio cannot find it. The 3 second delay practically disappeared then, but I had no useful debugging info :(. Simply renaming it back to the correct name gets debugging working again for ‘MyType’.
The timings can also be confirmed as I’ve also loaded and unloaded the dll in a C program and it does takes 3 seconds to load and unload it 300 times (using LoadLibrary() and FreeLibrary() ). So it takes about 0.01ms to load and unload the dll for each instance of ‘MyType’.
I also put the dll on a local drive to make sure there are no network delays. There was no speedup, but as you point out it will be loaded from memory after the first time.
I think the dll is being called many times due to usage of std::vector. If I have a std::vector<MyType> mt and type in mt into the Watch window, the sequence is run once for each element within the vector (up to max of 12 elements). The same is true for std::list, but not for C arrays where just 1 element is shown.
Basically for all your suggestions, the set of sequences is repeated for each instance of ‘MyType’ showing in the debugger. The conclusion is as before… the dll is loaded and read for each variable instance. You’d think it would make more sense to load it once per Watch/Locals window, then the delay would be 0.01ms rather than 3s.
Any other workarounds/suggestions for speeding this up or is this something that the visual studio team can fix?
maybe I’m being very stupid, but I can’t make this work. I’ve put eeaddin.dll in C:Program FilesMicrosoft Visual Studio 8Common7PackagesDebugger and modified autoexp.dat. I don’t see anything but {???} in the local/auto/watch windows. I can interrogate the dll using LoadLibrary and GetProcAddress to find the functions programmatically and using depends and they are exported from the eeaddin.dll.
OK, ReadDebuggeeMemory always seems to return null and doesn’t seem to read the correct number of bytes. Unfortunately since this is entirely undocumented I have no way of know what ReadDebuggeeMemory is meant to return. I guess its kind of telling that Calvin doesn’t do any error checking in his code…
Great article. Trying to use addin to display custom array elements which are stored in heap memory. As soon as I set my array object's pointer to the elements heap address, the ReadDebuggeeMemoryEx call fails to return my array object that contains the heap pointer. Prior to setting the pointer it read it fine. Thanks for any suggestions. | {
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Simple question. The arguments have all been pretty well played out over which goalie is better, but they're all based on which is more likely to win the Cup for the Wings (or not lose it). Think of this as more of a popularity contest. If you could somehow know in advance that the Wings would definitely win the Cup, which goalie - Legace or Osgood - would you rather see in net for the entire playoff run?
I think that's the fairest way to ask which do you like better without any preference toward actual netminding ability coming into play.
Manny all the way. Ozzie is an ok goalie, though. I don't think he'd make it as a starter on any team but as a backup goalie, he's ok i guess. I think he's inconsistent though. And if all the Manny haters are right about Manny not making it in the playoffs I think we're screwed if we have to rely on Osgood. But I don't think Manny will have any problems in playoffs. GO MANNY!!!!
Manny, though Osgood has more experience in Playoffs, Manny is better, IMO.
so in other words you totally missed the point.
can I get a mod to delete this and start over or something? both of you completely ignored me when I said this isn't about which is more likely to win the Cup.....the point is, we've already won the Cup, which goalie do you want to see get the credit?
I'm sorry I mentioned the Cup in my post. I honestly didn't realize it. When I talk about Manny or Osgood it's who is going to win the Cup. I guess I just got overly excited when talking about Manny, like I always do. I am really sorry though. I didn't overlook your comments, I just forgot them. But I still pick Manny. He's been a backup goalie for far too long in his career and he deserves to have a starting position in the playoffs. He's the man. Not only a good goalie, but I respect the hell out of him. I read an article once when he said that he remembers when he was a kid and went to open practices and asked some guys for their autograph and they ignored him. Manny takes the time, it seems whenever he can, to sign autographs. On the Olympic break, he signed at the Van Andel before a Griffins game. Manny is an amazing goalie and an amazing person who deserves the best out of life that he can get. I'm sorry again
Manny got us here this season does anyone remember that? He's earned a cup ON THE ICE. He has been the backup even though he knows he was starter potential, no one can argue with that kind of commitment to hockeytown.
Manny got us here this season does anyone remember that? He's earned a cup ON THE ICE. He has been the backup even though he knows he was starter potential, no one can argue with that kind of commitment to hockeytown.
Manny hasn't earned a Cup.That has to be done between now and June.
I picked Ozzie. In part because I prefer him and in part because it would put to rest any goalie controversy heading into next year without killing the cap.
"I've never seen a warlock do that without his magic.""I once devoured a monk's soul. It tasted like chocolate." | {
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New grand jury to hear evidence in Lewinsky case
Posted: Friday, August 18, 2000
By Pete YostAssociated Press
WASHINGTON -- Independent Counsel Robert Ray has empaneled a new grand jury to hear evidence against President Clinton in the Monica Lewinsky scandal as he tries to determine if criminal charges are warranted, legal sources said Thursday.
The news angered Democrats on the night Vice President Al Gore was to accept the party's presidential nomination at its convention in Los Angeles. ''It's probably just another Republican dirty trick,'' Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., said.
The move follows through on Ray's promise to consider whether the president should be indicted after he steps down from office in January. Legal experts cautioned the decision doesn't mean charges will ever be filed.
The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that the grand jury was empaneled on July 11. Prosecutors identified the Lewinsky case as the sole purpose of investigation, said the sources, who are outside Ray's office.
The move comes a year and a half after Clinton was impeached by the House and then acquitted by the Senate, allowing him to serve out the remainder of his term.
The White House reacted angrily. ''The timing of this leak reeks to high heaven,'' White House spokesman Jake Siewert said. ''Given the record of the Office of the Independent Counsel, the timing is hardly surprising.''
Gore's staff said the vice president wouldn't be deterred on the night he was to deliver his nomination acceptance speech.
''People are sick and tired of seeing the judicial system manipulated for political purposes,'' Gore spokesman Doug Hattaway said. ''It seems clearly calculated to have a political impact.''
House Democratic Whip David Bonior of Michigan added: ''It's the ugliest kind of politics. It's something that will be rejected by the American people.''
Karen Hughes, spokeswoman for Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the GOP nominee, said: ''It's not appropriate for this type of announcement to be made on a day that the vice president is going to accept the Democratic nomination.''
At issue is whether Clinton committed perjury or obstructed justice when he denied an affair in sworn testimony in the Paula Jones case.
The judge in the Jones case has already ruled the president gave false testimony and fined him for civil contempt of court. The disciplinary committee of the Arkansas Supreme Court has also moved to revoke Clinton's law license.
The issue for Ray is whether Clinton's conduct amounted to criminal conduct.
Ray also got the go-ahead to continue his investigation Wednesday from the three-judge panel that appointed him as Ken Starr's replacement last year.
The judges ruled that termination of the office ''is not currently appropriate'' under the independent counsel law, which expired last year but still applies to Ray's office under a grandfather clause.
Keith Ausbrook, senior counsel to Ray, declined comment about any grand jury activity, which is kept secret by law.
But in response to the judges' order, Ausbrook noted that ''we've made public that the Lewinsky investigation remains open and that the e-mail investigation remains open.''
Ray's office recently closed the books on two other Clinton-era controversies -- the White House gathering of secret FBI files on Republicans and the firings of White House travel office employees. The prosecutor declined to bring criminal charges in either case.
An expert cautioned that empaneling a new grand jury is no guarantee that Ray will seek an indictment.
''It's merely a step in an investigation, not an indication an indictment would ever be approved by a grand jury or even presented to the grand jury,'' said John Douglass, a former prosecutor in the Iran-Contra scandal.
''At this stage in this particular investigation it would be highly unlikely for a new grand jury to receive any new information that had not already been considered at length by Ken Starr, the United States Congress and the prior grand jury,'' said Douglass, an expert in criminal law and criminal procedure at the University of Richmond.
Ray, however, has made no secret he intends to weigh whether Clinton should be indicted.
''There is -- as the public is well aware -- a matter involving the president of the United States in connection with the Lewinsky investigation,'' Ray said in a television interview with ABC in March.
''The country went through the matter of impeachment. The judgment was made by the country that it was not appropriate to remove the president from office,'' Ray said.
''It is now my task as a prosecutor, with a very limited and narrow focus, to determine again whether crimes have been committed and whether ... it is appropriate to bring charges.''
Getting a separate grand jury for Clinton-Lewinsky is ''a way for Ray to be prepared to act quickly and to deal with this question efficiently when he turns to it,'' said John Barrett of the St. John's University School of Law and a former Iran-Contra prosecutor.
The panel of federal appeals judges that renewed Ray's office is required by law to consider the investigation's status once a year.
Last year, one of the three judges, Richard Cudahy, said the ''endless investigation'' should be shut down with the departure of Starr. The two other judges, Peter Fay and David Sentelle, ruled the office should continue. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
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Samuel Colt...and sewing machines? - part 1
By NMAH, June 6, 2012
Take four technologies from the museum’s collections—a revolver, a sewing machine, a bicycle, and an early-model electric automobile. A quiz: What do these four very different technologies have in common?
Answer: all of them were made in the city of Hartford, Connecticut, around 1860 to 1905. But what really unites these very different products is the method by which they were manufactured. As the Industrial Revolution unfolded during the late 19th century, these four items were among the very first mass-produced products to appear in the United States. The precision fabrication techniques introduced and developed in Hartford drew manufacturers of all kinds of products—from guns to cars—and made the city a hotbed of innovation in the latter half of the 19th century.
Colt army revolver, 1860, catalog no. AF*209337, National Museum of American History.
In traditional artisanal practice, a single, highly skilled craftsman would make and assemble every part of a finished product; for example, a gunsmith would make every part of a musket, “lock, stock, and barrel.” Each of the metal assemblies—the lock, the trigger, the barrel—had to be hand-filed so that they fit together properly. Thus, each musket was unique and made to order, so production volume was low and the unit cost of each gun was high. This had certain military disadvantages. First, the slow pace of production made it difficult for the United States to maintain a steady supply of arms following the Revolutionary War and during the War of 1812. Plus, if an artisan-produced musket or revolver failed on the battlefield, the army would need a field blacksmith to repair it, since each gun was unique. Theoretically, if identical copies of a master gun design could be produced with identical, interchangeable parts, a broken lock or trigger could be repaired quickly by simply changing out the part. Thus, in the first decades of the 19th century, the Army Ordnance Board began experimenting with new manufacturing techniques at the federal armories in Springfield, Massachusetts, and Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in an attempt to achieve interchangeability. They also wrote interchangeability into the requirements for all new gun orders when they contracted with suppliers.
Enter Hartford native Samuel Colt. Colt’s patented revolver was an important invention, but his truly groundbreaking innovation was the perfection of a manufacturing process that enabled production of 10,000 identical copies of that revolver. Colt and his workers developed precise molds for forging the basic metal pieces, and specialized lathes, drill presses, and milling machines to grind those metal blanks into the finished components. They also used jigs and bearing points to secure the blank pieces on the cutting machines, and precise inspection gauges and calipers to ensure that the finished pieces conformed to exact specifications. These specialized machine tools—machines to make other machines—eliminated the variability introduced by hand forging and filing. Thus, by employing the division of labor, specialized machine tools, and precise quality-control standards, Colt and his engineers were among the first manufacturers to achieve interchangeable parts on a mass scale.
Stay tuned for Part 2 to find out how Colt’s revolver connects to sewing machings, bicycles, and early-model electric automobile. | {
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10 Questions With... Chad Oppenheim
Influential and enthusiastic on many fronts, Chad Oppenheim and his team at
OPPENHEIM Architecture + Design
specialize in mixed-use hotels and resorts, retail spaces, commercial offices, residential work, and master planning. Oppenheim, a Cornell grad, has steered his firm through the consummation of projects in more than 25 countries since opening in 1999.
Voted
AIA Miami
Firm of the Year in 2013 and the recipient of more than 60 career distinctions (45 AIA recognitions, included), the firm is recognized for its forward-thinking approach to Miami living, thoughtful impact on global skylines, championing of ecological principles, and placid, and inspiring private homes.
He and his beautiful wife, Ilona, maintain the website,
Housewild.com
, which highlights harmonious ways of living with nature—through food, design, and life. Here, Oppenheim shares why it’s crucial to keep an open mind, how he holds nature in the highest regard, and the ways he’s left a subtle yet significant impact on the world’s great skylines.
Interior Design: Your firm was declared the 2013 AIA Miami Firm of the Year. What’s your take on such awards, having been recognized as an industry leader many times, and how has this impacted your practice?
Chad Oppenheim: I hope it comes across well to clients and provides credibility to our ideas. I don’t think people actually hire based on awards, and we’re not religious about submitting for them, but it’s nice to hear that people like what we’re doing. The biggest reward is hearing that people love a building we’ve built.
ID: What are the shared traits of the people on your team?
CO: They’re people who have passion for what they do. They love architecture, dream about it, talk about it all the time, and are always researching. Beyond that, they tend to have a great attitude. We’re about 27 in Miami, two in Los Angeles, and10 in Basel, Switzerland. It’s great to have a presence in Basel—what I consider to be the best, most competitive architecture city in Europe.
ID: So often your work is literally impacting skylines. What guides you and your team on a creative level, when the projects have such far-reaching impact?
CO: Everything we do revolves around a site. The site informs our decisions. We’re dealing with this in a project in New York right now—determining what will be eternal and timeless on the skyline, while optimizing urban, street-level decisions. While we’re often designing from the inside-out, we want our buildings to have a delicate expression on the skyline. These decisions are always derived s a creative solution to creative question or proposition—often to provide amazing views and amenity spaces, or providing buildings with solar orientation. The facades have to be designed from a functional standpoint.
ID: Where do you feel practical needs meet forward-thinking design?
CO: When I started the business and my first projects in Miami Beach, I noticed a bit of a lack of architectural ambition. There wasn’t an incredible desire to out-design the competition. I did several Miami towers—including the 50-story building, 10 Museum Park, which many other architects have called their favorite building in Miami. Which is nice. These days, developers are exploring the furthest reaches of architecture and living. In my practice, I stress the fact that we have to identify that balance between reality and dreams. My team is very good at doing that.
Many of our projects bring neighborhoods to a new level; that’s where so much potential lies. I love to go into neighborhoods, previously unproven, and create buildings that are affordable to build and desirous to buy. Architects, when dialed in, can entice people in a way that no one else can.
ID: And what are you currently working on that is spurring your team forward?
CO: We’ve got luxury building projects in Australia, Manhattan, and Brooklyn—in South Williamsburg, by the Williamsburg Bridge, next to the Williamsburgh
Savings Bank. We won the Brooklyn competition by resisting the temptation to make a complex form. Rather, we created a symbolist form that maximized the zoning envelope. That building expresses itself in a very dreamlike proportion, even though there’s a little bit of trickery involved.
We’ve currently working on this project for Silverstein—the gateway project to Hudson Yards. There are two towers connected at the base and the top, which we feel is a reaction to that neighborhood. It’s an amenity-rich building, and the top has created the optimal amenity deck in the sky—an incredible, soaring glass space, 700 feet up.
ID: You’ve created some incredible mixed-use concepts throughout the world. How do you feel our collective interest in mixed-use properties will morph as cities become denser and larger?
CO: The best way of combatting sprawl, which is bad on the environment, is urban densification. Mixing work, play, and living within these mixed-use buildings is the future. Everyone is looking for this sense of community—we’re social animals—so more and more great facilities in the future will accommodate that mix.
ID: Walt Disney, Starwood, Mandarin Oriental, Morgans Hotel Group… These are some of the most coveted hospitality clients in the world. Why do they turn to you, and since they do: What are today’s most discerning hospitality clients asking for, expecting, demanding?
CO: We’ve done a lot of hospitality work, and love creating projects that create pleasure for those who experience them. The key is to look at it as designing an experience, and thinking how to enhance one’s life at work and at play. These critical considerations respond well in the hospitality place. We’re very passionate about functionality dialing in functionality—I don’t want to create something cool that doesn’t work.
The key with hotels is to first design spaces that work, while bringing a unique perspective that’s sensitive to the settings. We won the competition to do the Delano + Mondrian in Las Vegas by concentrating on hyper-functionality. We remain hyper-functional, and it evolves into something with a unique expression.
ID: Are there conventions you like to throw out the window?
CO: Nothing gets thrown out, but we always ask how to reconsider the ordinary. We do a lot of research when we do a project. We don’t start a project by overthrowing convention, though we always strive to identify what makes a project special and unique. Nothing is ever off the table.
ID: Part of your brand ethos is to “enhance life,” and this obviously has ties to your firm’s socially conscious and sustainable practices. Can you explain some of the ways in which you push your staff to be at the forefront of environmentally sound creativity?
CO: I’m always putting myself in the occupant’s position, asking, “What would I want if I lived here, and would make the best life?” That’s true whether it’s an urban environment or someplace in Costa Rica. The fun is in finding that hidden potential. The firm’s sustainable practices derive from my great love and appreciation for, and fascination with, nature. Nature always becomes the star in our work—be it celebrating the sky in an urban condition or connecting to a place in a more remote environment. As we savor the environment, we rely less on technology. That’s big for us—looking to our past and identifying solutions that require less innovation. We look backwards for new ways forward. My wife and family and I actually have a book coming out, originating from our blog
Housewild.com
, chronicling our adventures in food and design. We do a lot of foraging, go to farms, prepare food from scratch, and explore how to live healthier. It’s been such a fun experience. We throw a number of fundraisers and events, as well.
We like to celebrate how design can merge with the environment in architecturally sensitive ways. We’re actually quite focused on the idea that a home can blend in and disappear in a natural environment. It’s about living with the land, versus on the land. For example, we posed the challenge to ourselves: Can we design an ecosystem around a project that can generate and regenerate more nature? In Abu Dhabi [for the South Hudaynat Islands] we created a city for 150,000, and designed the ecosystem first.
ID: Your work inspires so many people across the globe. What inspires you today, and how does this differ from your early-career or pre-career inspiration?
CO: It’s really about savoring life. We’re dealing with life, enhancing it, optimizing it. I believe in being passionate about what you do, and remaining true to yourself. Follow your heart first, and then your mind—since your mind can talk you out of things. | {
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My ebook: Journeys with the caterpillar
My ebook"Journeys with the caterpillar: Travelling through the islands of Floresand Sumba, Indonesia" is available at this link
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The pond in my town
There I was, standing in front of the muddy pond, the one in the small town where I was born. Its water looked muddier than the soil around. The palm trees and vines of all sorts circled around it like the court pays audience to the king. The waters looked forbidding; something created a ripple at the centre; a serpent just waded by before I could catch a proper glimpse. It had been like this since I knew it, mysterious, unwelcoming, and unwanted. It is too small to attract young lovers, too ill-placed to attract the property developers. But it has its own fascination; no one knows what lies beneath. From time to time, we dip in a hook from far, and out comes a wriggling evil looking fish with demonic whiskers and strength to match a cat. These dark ugly fish only add to the pond’s mystery. Imagine Loch Ness, every inch of which has been scoured to test the hype; the chances of finding the solitary monster are much higher here. No one dares take a swim in its bubbling fetid waters but for the occasional snake that crosses it in silent respect. At few places, dark lifeless twigs can be seen rising out of the pond surface, a reminder of how unforgiving the pond can be if its boundaries are violated. The sun moves all around it every day in vain attempts to reach its depths. Once every year, the pond rises with the rains to seek out the world from a greater height. And when it goes back to its habit, we see dark slimy remains of unfamiliar weeds and half eaten fish, their eyes in a state of horror. As I stand near the pond and the memories start coming back from the deepest recess of my mind, the pond sends its first line of attack, the mosquitoes, in scores to send me back. It’s getting dark, the smell of rot and death is all around, the mosquitoes are buzzing alarms around, the heavy air is too in thrall to move, and I head back; the pond ever engraved in my mind. | {
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World's Coolest, Weirdest, the most Awesome and Amazing Things – odd articles with pics and vids.
Coolest Coffee Shops In The World
Coolest Coffee Shops In The World
The morning coffee… some call it the best moment of the day, it’s the time when we just take a moment to relax and gather our strength for the rest of the day… well some people decided to take coffee to a whole different level, the tree level for example… wouldn’t you like to have coffee in a tree? Or maybe you’d like to go back to the future and enjoy a cup… We have a collection of some of the most amazing and cool coffee shops in the world. Take a look and see where you want to go buy some coffee some day.
1. Tree Coffee in Naha Harbour
This odd Japanese tree house is actually a coffee shop… and it’s placed 20 feet above ground in a tree… unfortunately, it’s not a real tree but the idea is extremely cool. If you’re wondering how to get to it… you should know it’s pretty modern with a tough of antique: it had a built-in elevator and a spiral stair-case, which ever you prefer, and once you get there, you can enjoy a lovely ocean view…
2. Seva Cafe, Ahmedabad India
Judging by its name, there seems to be nothing special about this one… except the fact that when you get there, everything is free. Neither of the items on the menu has a price, everyone gets to choose how much they pay for what they get. It’s all based on the concept of love and inter-human solidarity. They cook and serve with love and the peron pays however much he considers it’s worth. Lovely! [ad#Google Adsense-1]
We saved the best for last… this cafe in Vietnam is extremely cool… because the waitresses serve the clients wearing nothing else but bikinis. Now that’s what we call good service. Take a look at the . [ad#Google Adsense-1] | {
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Be sure to include your name, daytime phone number, address, name and phone number of legal next-of-kin, method of payment, and the name of the funeral home/crematory to contact for verification of death.
Based on crowd reaction at Time Warner Cable Arena, they still have some convincing to do.
The Bobcats chose Zeller, a skilled but slim 7-footer, over big men Nerlens Noel of Kentucky and Maryland center Alex Len, plus Kansas shooting guard Ben McLemore. That set off a round of shocked and angry reactions from fans at a draft party in the arena lobby.
Bobcats president of basketball operations Rod Higgins asked for patience:
“I want to ask them to give Cody an opportunity to show he’s a very good player. To give the Bobcats a chance to help him be a great player. We’re very excited.”
General manager Rich Cho added, “The fans are going to love this guy. He’s a worker. You’ll see why we chose Cody as the fourth pick.”
Cho said there were several trade scenarios the front office considered once Anthony Bennett (Cleveland), Victor Oladipo (Orlando) and Otto Porter (Washington) were selected 1-2-3.
“But at the end of the day,” Cho said, “we didn’t feel comfortable moving back and (possibly) losing Cody.”
Zeller’s strengths are the ability to run the floor and to shoot with range. During his workout in Charlotte he hit the 3-pointer from NBA range with consistency. That could make him a “stretch 4” – NBA lingo for a power forward who can force a defense to chase him far from the basket, opening driving lanes for others.
But at 240 pounds, Zeller acknowledged in a conference call with Charlotte media he might need to put on muscle and bulk to compete at the next level.
“I could put on 15 to 20 pounds, as long as I keep my speed and quickness,” Zeller said Thursday. “That’s what sets me apart.”
Zeller was projected in most mock drafts to go in the seven-to-12 range. But Cho said he was clearly their favorite at No. 4 versus the alternatives. At various times Noel, McLemore and Len all appeared viable to be the top pick in 2013.
“People forget he was (projected as) the No. 1 pick in the preseason,” Cho said. “He’s a versatility pick – inside and outside (scorer). He’s one of the best athletes in this draft. His work ethic is off the charts. He’s a competitor and his character is off the charts.”
Zeller averaged 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds for the Hoosiers last season, shooting 56 percent from the field. With two relatively limited scorers playing center and small forward, in Bismack Biyombo and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, it was essential the Bobcats found another frontcourt player with a knack for scoring.
Zeller said he found Charlotte to be a good fit during his predraft visit. Of the seven viable candidates for the fourth pick, he was the only one to work out for the Bobcats. Three others – Noel, Bennett and Len – were injured. The rest declined offers to work out for various reasons.
“I had a great workout there. They got to know me personally off the court,” Zeller said. “It seems like that program, that organization, is headed in the right direction.”
He has doubters. During a radio appearance on WFNZ-AM 610 Thursday morning, ESPN analyst and former Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg predicted Zeller would be an “average” NBA player. Greenberg said he can’t recall a player of Zeller’s size and skill set as an NBA starter. He questioned whether Zeller’s lower body strength could hold up against NBA big men.
The Bobcats’ situation at power forward is unsettled. The starter at the end of last season, Josh McRoberts, will be an unrestricted free agent. Byron Mullens will be a restricted free agent, assuming the Bobcats extend him a $3.2 million qualifying offer by June 30.
The Bobcats still owe forward Tyrus Thomas about $18 million over the next two seasons, but there’s a possibility – perhaps a strong one – Thomas will be waived next month under the NBA’s amnesty provision. That would allow the Bobcats to stop counting Thomas’ salary against their cap.
Asked how the Zeller pick would impact free-agency, Cho said, “We probably won’t have as much of a need at the (power forward) spot.”
Zeller is the third brother in his family to reach the NBA. Luke spent a portion of last season with the Phoenix Suns and Tyler – who played collegiately for North Carolina – is with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
NBA scouts typically describe Cody as the most athletic of the three brothers – springier and quicker than his older siblings. That attracted the Bobcats.
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Live working or die fighting: How the working class went global
Book Review: Live Working or Die Fighting: How the Working Class Went Global (Paul Mason; Vintage Books, 2007) by Melody Kemp
In 2007 businessman Henry Liu, writing for Asian Times Online, called for a global working class coalition to counter to global corporatism. That a businessman should do this might surprise some, but Mason’s new and fascinating book challenges many shibboleths related to working class history. In it Mason describes the vibrant counterculture flirting with emergent feminism, democracy and republicanism in the 18th and 19th centuries, and which was integral to shaping factions in the global conflicts of the 20th. This is a history which should inspire all trade union, labour activists and scholars.
That modern day Labour parties throughout the world have abrogated working class sentiments, and have become themselves the new lords of pragmatism, reminds us that while transnational corporations have subsumed the power of nation states, modern working classes have to find new political expressions to succeed.
“Live like a family, play like a team and work like an army” is the motto of a factory in China making around 70% of the world’s mobile phone batteries. The 17,000 workers, like the motto says, march and drill with military precision on the concrete rivers that blend into the windowless production halls. The military drill is one thing they have in common with their eighteenth century predecessors, workers in England who espoused non violence, but used military discipline and tactics to fight for their rights.
Parallels are what this book is about. Mason plays out contemporary lives of industrial workers in China, India, Central and South America and Africa, then lays them against their historical peers, going back to eighteenth and nineteenth century Europe where working class movements began to evolve into trade unions and then into working class republicanism. Ironically, independent handloom weavers and spinners, who were the fathers and mothers of trade unions are, in modern parlance, informal handicraft workers, and excluded from mainstream labour organizing.
The history of the working class evolved, as Mason says, into “worlds within worlds”. They developed parallel institutions such as financial systems (e.g., Manchester Unity insurance founded by the Manchester strikers). La Marmite was not an icky brown spread, but a cafeteria serving nutritious food for French workers created by worker cooperatives. Solidarity and conversation were served with the food. After a 12-14 hour day, workers would sit down to political and social education classes, debating alternative social and political systems, long before the economic ideologues like Marx and Hayek formulated their ideas. Sadly, as Mason says, labour history seems to insinuate that everything workers did before 1848 was merely a fill in until the arrival of Marx.
At the base of the self governing worker communities of Mason’s history was the trilogy of self betterment through education and skills improvement, workplace dignity and autonomy, and democratic rights which would include women. Wages hardly ranked a mention.
In this age of stern gender advisers, it is fascinating to know that the Manchester weaving and spinners union (the majority of whom were men and who defied a ban on trade unions) gave the vote to women in 1819, 100 years before the British Government granted them suffrage. In those opening years of the nineteenth century, women’s trade societies sprung up with the aim “to instill into the hearts and minds of our children, a deep and rooted hatred of corrupt and tyrannical rulers.”
The anarchists later marginalized women.
This well researched book is meant to help labour activists rediscover history, not, Mason says, “to piously learn lessons” but to see where activism leads, what reactions various patterns of revolt bring. He notes that when work becomes humane, fair and representative, the red fire tends to be quashed. If only more would listen. It took only 20 years to dismember this 200 year old carefully built community of working class skill, intelligence and foresight. In its shadow has been built a management class, international production and the new activism that was blooded in the streets of Seattle in 1999.
Mason is no turgid ideology-driven academic; he covers industrial affairs for the BBC and is clearly in sympathy with the working class. Towards the end he refers to his own working class roots. And can he write! One is immediately hooked into vision of James Larkin planting a time capsule in the basement of a church being built in 1904 and the pace hardly slackens.
I couldn’t put it down. It read like a thriller. The murder happens and I realized what had been lost. Mason, a true journalist, went to the places, smelled the sewage and saw the squalor. Under the global barbarism of modern industrial culture, sweat shop mentality has taken us back to the factory culture of post Industrial Revolution Europe.
While the modern labour movement has real time text messaging, the modern day worker has been largely bought off by the promise of riches; neatly shifting the focus from dignity, control and political representation to the instant gratification of wages.
The West has exported and globalised neo Taylorism; job simplification and atomization; discredited shortly after it was introduced. Collective corporate sclerosis and incompetence have spelled misery and death for many, but also spurred the rebellions spelled out so joyously in his text.
Mason’s fear is that with all the technological gizmos and power point presentations, the Global South could be let down by its lack of intellectual breadth and depth and reliance on educated elites who have never been skilled industrial workers. Workers' rights are dissociated from the broader political context and from the bigger issues facing the world. I recall my own involvement in a Singapore based conference on women in the Asian labour force. The Singaporean convenor concluded “It’s all academic. None of us has worked in a factory” All the participants nodded. I alone raised my hand admitting that I had done considerable time on production lines. They thought they had not invited workers.
In this era of stagnation, recession and economic entropy, it is wise to remember that by the mid 1900’s, a metalworker was predicting the internet and Valrin was making acute economic observations about consumption. That the bosses didn’t listen, that greed has replaced dignity and pride, is a loss to us all.
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Saya baru pulang dari Laos selatan ... and I saw in that one trip (to the Lao Cambodian border to do a story on the annual fish migration) an exemplar of modernisation and what happens when consumerism and the market intervenes.
This is a bit of flight of ideas, but I have seen so much and experienced more than most...so it floods into my mind.
I am no Luddite but I am old ... and have been in the Pacific and Asia for many years. Since 1980 in fact.. So have seen the changes brought about by development. Poverty continues to be monetised as a concept and yet things like dignity, self sufficiency, cultural integrity, spiritual richness, self determination seem to be forgotten as we too have passed them over to be wage slaves. I have also seen the pain of migrant workers and did several studies for Inside Indonesia years ago.
Separated from family, unable to attend in the case of sickness or family rituals, ripped off by bastard bosses, raped or beaten, shaken down by border police as they come home. It's not a favour we are doing. After changing a way of life that had endured for thousands of years, we hurl crumbs by giving them jobs away from their cultural context, language and families. It's like a gentle but destructive war in which there are no reparations. We think we have brought enlightenment and wealth. In some cases that is true, but most usually for the elite and those already wealthy who can cash in on the opportunities. And we get cheap T Shirts and shoes.
When I lived in Fiji in 1980 and then during my postgrad studies in the Solomons in 1988 ( the effects of deforestation on malaria distrubution), the people at that stage lived a self-sufficient subsistence life largely outside the cash economy. Cash for fuel or food between harvests was gained by seasonal work, such as the logging that was bringing malaria and floods. It was a hard life: I am no Rousseau. But not having money and cars or TV's did not constitute hardship.
At the Falls down south, my Lao guide told me that his 10 year old son fishes enough to sell and buy Pepsi and that he expected that another ten years would see the demise of this way of life and all the extraordinary skillls and knowledge held by the people. I cut my thumb badly on the boat and a colleague immediately picked a leaf chewed on it and then applied it to the gushing wound which immediately stopped bleeding. That is all about to die ... they don't want to migrate, they want to be able to stay and be proud of the culture and way of life, to be familar with the medicinal plants that are being destroyed by logging. Markets are leading to overfishing and overpopulation of fishers as they compete for a smaller catch, taking more risks ... and in the background is Thai TV pushng Pepsi and other consumer goods.
I am trying to see through the ideological crap, tinged with paternalism about Asia and Pacific, to work out alternatives before I peg out...
The new managers saw only costs and no benefits to the six-hour day, and almost immediately after the end of the war they began a campaign to undermine shorter hours. Management offered workers a tempting set of financial incentives if they would accept an eight-hour day. Yet in a vote taken in 1946, 77 percent of the men and 87 percent of the women wanted to return to a thirty-hour week rather than a forty-hour one. In making that choice, they also chose a fairly dramatic drop in earnings from artificially high wartime levels.
The company responded with a strategy of attrition, offering special deals on a department-by-department basis where eight hours had pockets of support, typically among highly skilled male workers.
Eliot: "Those who graduated from Australian universities and were assessed as competent by local accrediting authorities were the least likely to find employment relevant to their qualifications, according to the report, "How are skilled migrants doing?", published in today's People And Place. Why doesn't this surprise me?"
Now I wonder why I took up nursing after spending five years in two universities studying a variety of languages and Asian history and civilization., not to mention the ten years in the Department of Primary Industry, which, while requiring a degree, hardly required one in Islamic Studies. Bahasa Indonesia and Arabic. I won't count the short stint I did with the Joint Intelligence Bureau processing intelligence coming out of Vietnam during that war, for which work I admit my degree was marginally relevant.
So why bother going to university in the first place? Might have something to do with developing one's intellectual skills as opposed to just acquiring knowledge, might it not? So, let us not draw too many conclusions if people enter fields of work that are not directly relevant to their chosen field of study.
As for the skills shortage and placement of skilled migrants in this country. Clearly not having command of the language can be a real barrier to performance, and I would think safety in some occupations. How useless would a degree in Accounting be if one was expected to work in Japan with little command of Japanese. I am sure the Japanese speaker would get preference every time, as do the English speakers amongst skilled migrants here. I don't find any of that surprising at all. Clearly language training is important if a country is going to want to import certain skills.
But when it comes to unskilled labour, which is what I was writing about, not speaking English very well would not be such a problem. You don't need English to learn how to pick a peach.
Jenny Hume: "Apart from the skills shortage Australia is facing a similar crisis of shortage of labour across the whole rural sector."
Less than a third of people from non-English speaking countries who migrate to Australia on skilled workers' visas are gaining work in their fields and many of them are adding to the skills crisis they were brought in to solve, a study has found.
Those who graduated from Australian universities and were assessed as competent by local accrediting authorities were the least likely to find employment relevant to their qualifications, according to the report, "How are skilled migrants doing?", published in today's People And Place.
Hi Melody, I remember reading that article and noting what common sense there was there. I also had the feeling that maybe we had here passed the point which was ideal as far as balance between cheap products of labour and loss of jobs here.
There is no lack of intellectual rigor in the seeking of profits and the challenge to local national sovereignty in maximising them. Perkins’ book has well described this. History as well if we watch the West and East India companies and the move of money with William of Orange, and then the various wars fought over such events. Consider, as I am sure that China does, the opium / tea issues and wars and loss of sovereignty there.
This has always been the case, where the industrialists seek to maximise profit (as one expects them to, naturally) and thus seeks the cheapest workforce. Thus the looms moved around Europe and to the Free World and more recently to the duty free / FTA island states-Philippines and the Pacific, and China and India. But then the local peoples may gain some improvements by fallout and gain education and start to expect to participate in decision-making and national aspirations and then – time to move on. Truly democratic and educated informed populations do not make the best fodder for factories.
It was incredible to hear Robert Cooper, "Labour" Blair’s advisor, actually describe modern day colonialism!!!! Back in 2002:
"...............an Essay was published by his (Blair)foreign affairs advisor, Robert Cooper, calling for a new imperialism. "The challenge of the postmodern world is to get used to the idea of double standards," wrote Cooper. "Among ourselves," by which he meant the West, "we operate on the basis of laws and open cooperative security. But when dealing with more old-fashioned kinds of states outside the postmodern continent of Europe, we need to revert to the rougher methods of an earlier era -- force, preemptive attack, deception, whatever is necessary to deal with those who still live in the nineteenth century world of every state for itself. Among ourselves, we keep the law but when we are operating in the jungle, we must also use the laws of the jungle." Rather than charting a new course, Cooper's bluntly stated paper merely provided the ideological underpinning for Western policy as it is actually practiced. The citizens of Iraq, Yugoslavia, Cuba, Zimbabwe and others who attempted to defend their sovereignty against the imperial onslaught would no doubt feel that it is Cooper who is living in the nineteenth century. "[T]he opportunities, perhaps even the need for colonization is as great as it ever was in the nineteenth century," suggests Cooper. "What is needed then is a new kind of imperialism, one acceptable to a world of human rights and cosmopolitan values." Only the haughtiest imperial mind could claim "human rights and cosmopolitan values" only for the West and "force, preemptive attack, deception, whatever is necessary" for subject peoples in the Third World and Eastern Europe.
We are having a bit of a discussion about such in the Zimbabwe thread where there is an imperial battle going on now in the style of Perkins’ Confessions of an Economic Hit man.
The think tanks are well aware of worker happiness but it gets in the way of mass profits. There is no mistake in this: it is deliberate and carefully orchestrated. It is up to the propaganda arm to enable a naive population to support it, even with their own blood.
Living without a wage or income would not have much going for it. I have been following with interest the success in NZ of employing islander seasonal workers in the labour-dependent horticultural industries. Apart from the skills shortage Australia is facing a similar crisis of shortage of labour across the whole rural sector.
The poverty faced by many islanders makes this work very attractive, allowing them to take home money to build a better life for their families, and also, through the training programs being started for them while in the country, giving them a whole range of new skills to take back to their communities.
A properly run program of imported seasonal labour would be mutually beneficial for all concerned provided the workers were given the same wage and protections that we expect for ourselves.
However in supporting the importation of island seasonal labour does cause one to reflect upon the silent pool of labour that could be available from the large and unemployed indigenous communities in our rural towns.
Labouring may not be an attractive form of work, but it can provide the means to an end for those wishing to lift themselves and their families out of the poverty cycle. Something seems wrong to me if we have unemployed people in our community and yet have to look to importing workers from overseas.
But that is exactly what is being proposed along the lines of the NZ program.
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Red-shirt party adviser Jitra arrested
The NationJune 14, 2014 1:00 am
Jitra Kotchadej, a former labour leader and adviser to the new red-shirt Palang Prachathipatai Party, was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday for failing to report to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) after a summons was issued.
Jitra, 42, was detained at 7.40am yesterday in the immigration area of the airport after returning from the United States. Upon arrest, she told reporters she did not know what to do and wanted to consult her friends first.
She will be taken to a military court today along with red-shirt actor-singer Thanat Thanawatcharanond, aka Tom Dundee, who was also arrested for refusing to respond to an NCPO summons. | {
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Animal pictures of the week: 19 October 2012
Felix the polar bear chews on a £1,300 camera lens dropped into his enclosure at Nuremberg Zoo, Germany. The giant 10ft bear quickly investigated the new toy, before realising it couldn't be eaten and hurled it into his pool.Picture: Marion and Dieter Sempf / Barcroft Media | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
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