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Lotsa Laundry: February 2010
A "likely letter"
Did Little Guy write a book?
When agendas collide
Valentine's Day Dropout
City sledding
The yardstick problem
It needs a name... maybe
Call of the Wild (and other book musings)
Sherlock Holmes and peanuts
I survived the FAFSA
Our homeschool co-op meets weekly. While the kids are in class (Dancer takes animation, writing, and biology; Snuggler does gym, physics, and writing; Little Guy has a sweet little group that does read-alouds with crafts), the moms chat for a while, then break out into smaller groups. I'm part of the book group. It is a fabulous collection of ladies: bright, compassionate, funny. We laugh a lot.
Before we start our book discussion, the group takes time to go around the circle to ask for prayer requests. I like this, and not only because there are times I need a crowd to clamor on my behalf. Half the benefit is that I hear a whole range of difficulties that people face. It drives home the reality that having problems is a normal part of life. I'm not the only one who sometimes struggles.
You might think I'm smart enough to know that, but no matter how well or how frequently the lesson is taught, it has about the same staying power with me that tutorials on table manners have with my kids. I ask myself why, and conjure up an whimsical MRI-like image of my brain with certain spots that are porous, others that are dense, and still others that are made of rubber. But there's some other explanation, I'm sure. It has to do with the nebulous crossover zone between the intellect and knowledge of the heart. There's probably a touch of self-absorption in the answer. Maybe there's a bit of self-protection, too, because our souls aren't big enough to carry the woes of the whole world. Half the time they aren't big enough to tote our own troubles without help.
One of the good things I've learned by hanging out with honest people is that perfection doesn't exist. Some families might seem flawless for a time -- there's always someone who messes up the curve -- but we all end up in tough spots eventually. We all face things we don't know how to handle. We've all blown it, blown up, and pretended to blow off stresses and griefs and worries.We're not perfect. Life's not perfect. That's okay.
Which brings me back to my book group. Whether this week's big problem belongs to me or to someone else, friendship, compassion and laughter are very good tools for getting through life. A big thank you to those of you who help me remember that.
Posted by Julia at 2:08 PM No comments:
Yesterday I had one of those I-can't-do-this days. We moms get'em every once in a while. Maybe they correlate to hormones (our own or those of our offspring), or to the weather, or the season, or how much exercise we (or our children) are getting, or to some grand pattern in the universe that's beyond our ken. For me, February is particularly bad.
When my mood heads south, it's time to learn something new. According to Wikipedia, this month gets its name comes from the Latin februum, which means purification. Maybe all the gloom and rain is purgatorial in some way? My forebears the Anglo-Saxons called it Sol-monath (mud month) and Kale-monath (after cabbage), which resonates more with my emotional experience. Though I do like cabbage. In moderation.
The Finns, for whom February is apparently better than other parts of winter, focus on the beauty of the month. They call it "month of the pearl", after the the frozen droplets of water that shine on the branches of trees.
The technical, linguistic term for why we don't pronounce both r's in February is dissimilation. This is different than dissimulation, which is deception. February dissimulates by getting you to believe it's not really possible to be a good mother, that your children are going to drive you nuts, that your job stinks, you made a huge mistake about ________, and it's never going to get any better.
But for years I've maintained that the surest proof that God exists -- and that He's merciful -- is that even the worst day comes to an end. I suppose this is true for months, too. We're almost there.
Posted by Julia at 7:57 AM 1 comment:
A very thin envelope arrived for Eldest today. It was from the big college down the street. I opened it, thinking with a shock that perhaps we'd forgotten to submit some portion of the application; admissions decisions aren't due for more than a month.
But it was from the admissions office. It said that Eldest was a great candidate, and though she wasn't really admitted yet, if she doesn't mess up big time between now and March 31, she can expect to receive good news when admissions are announced.
Uh... oh... huh?! Hey, that's great!
I had to hunt around on College Confidential for a while to find out that this kind of psst!-we-want-you notice is called a Likely Letter. I never knew such a thing existed. Apparently Likely Letters are usually sent by schools where there's no official sports recruiting to let athletes know ahead of time that they're in. Athletics aren't Eldest's forte -- Andrew claims that on his side of the family the most rigorous sport ever was turning the pages of a book -- so we're a bit mystified by this piece of good news. But hey, it is good news!
Posted by Julia at 6:35 PM 1 comment:
I was a senior in high school, waiting at home for my boyfriend Bruce to arrive. He was uncharacteristically late. Snow was falling heavily. Vaguely uneasy thoughts began to swirl through my head. Was he okay? Had he been in an accident? I didn't know, and in an era long before cell phones, I had no way to find out. I told myself traffic was probably slow because of the weather. I reminded myself that maybe he'd gotten a late start. And of course, (I said inwardly) it would be better if he drove carefully than if he tried to get to my house quickly.
Reason worked well for a while, but as the clock ticked onward it became less effective. My stomach began to churn. I was restless, unfocused, uneasy. Finally, around 4:45 I thought, I've got to find another way to handle this worry. There are lots of possibilities about what's happened, and I don't even know what to worry about. So I'm going to wait until 5:30, which leaves him plenty of time to get here with delays, and then if he hasn't shown up I'll worry.
Bruce arrived at 5:20.
It's my first memory of real, pulsing anxiety. I didn't know then that the way I handled the situation -- acknowledging the worry, but setting aside a specific 'worry time' in which to indulge it -- is similar to an approach that's taught to people who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Sometimes there are things to be upset about, or to worry about, or to fear. But we can't live if we let those things dominate our every thought and moment. Setting aside a specific time and place in which to allow yourself to be upset, e.g., 9-10pm on the sofa with a cup of tea, can free up the rest of the day for more productive and positive thoughts.
I'm not a worrier by nature. Perhaps that's due to disposition, or because I tend to be a rational thinker, or because I can generally talk myself down when I get wound up. I know anxiety from the outside in: I have one child with a severe anxiety disorder, and others with assorted anxiety issues. The anxiety I live with constantly is not my own.
I've learned over the years that anxiety rarely looks like anxiety from the outside. It shows up as irritability or anger, mimics ADHD, or manifests itself as rigid thinking. It causes some people to withdraw and grow silent, and makes others chatter non-stop. Few adults look worried when they are anxious. Few kids cower and cry. If you're looking at a pattern of otherwise inexplicable behavior, it's worthwhile to ask if anxiety could be causing it.
Here's another observation: anxiety is often seemingly inconsistent. It draws from a mix of the predictable and unexpected. A child who has trouble going to school every day may be fine flying cross-country alone. Someone who is paralyzed by asking for help may be perfectly comfortable on stage. A child may flourish one-on-one, and flounder in large groups. He may be able to give a speech in front of a class, but not know what to say in conversation. Or he may be able to give the speech one day but not another.
A third observation: There are techniques -- good techniques -- that can be taught to help people overcome anxiety. There is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which boasts truly impressive results. There is medication which can help (though as the saying goes, "The pill is not the skill"). But real progress can't be made by reason alone, because the opposite of fear isn't logic, but love. Which may be why kids in particular need a good hug when they're worried or upset.
Posted by Julia at 12:29 PM 1 comment:
Little Guy burst into tears (and into my arms) as I walked in the door. Snuggler chanted, "I hate you! I hate you!", presumably because she was mad I'd been gone so long. Big Guy gave me a hug and told me he missed me. Andrew made coffee and bought half-and-half to celebrate. When Dancer got home, she gave me a big, long hug.
It was the longest I've ever been away: four days and three nights. It was the first time I'd been away with one of the kids. (The others missed Eldest badly.)
We all survived. The children were fed, and they all got where they needed to go. Whatever meltdowns occurred were not audible in Boston. The house was not a total disaster tonight (at least in the rooms I was permitted to see). Kudos to Andrew!
Tomorrow life will get back to normal. I'll be up at 5:30 to bake breakfast, and we'll have school as the main item on our agenda. Slowly I'll process my impressions of the trip, and figure out what it all means.
Posted by Julia at 11:35 PM No comments:
Yesterday I took the kids to Chinatown, because a) it was something all ages could do together, b) the stores are fun, and c) this year there was a funky convergence of Lunar New Year and Mardi Gras that cried out for gorging on dumplings.
First we went to our favorite grocery store, where we admired the $395/pound dried shark's fin (didn't buy any) and speculated about the origins of various displays of dehydrated wrinkly stuff. We bought many good things: crystallized ginger and Haw flakes and frozen pork buns. And since we've been dropping dishes left and right lately, I also bought some attractive (and unbreakable) Chinese-pattern melamine plates for $2.25 each.
Then we took a long trek off the tourist trail to a little dumpling house a neighbor told us about. Once there, two of my offspring realized it wasn't at all like The Usual Place We Go. They didn't like the idea of ordering at the counter and squeezing in with noisy locals at a small portion of a table. Even the bargain price of four dumplings for a dollar didn't sway them.
Everyone was tired and hungry, warming up to the kind of crankiness that occurs when low blood sugar takes hold. So we left, and walked until we got to the first legitimate-looking restaurant. There were Chinese people eating inside; I figured the food must be reasonably good.
When the menus arrived we looked at the Chef's Specials, which began with jellyfish and included "Blood and chive pot" and a number of intestine dishes. Hmmmm. Authentic. The next challenge was that there were NO DUMPLINGS. Little Guy is my dumpling fanatic, and also my picky eater. Lately he's been the frontrunner for the Sarah Bernhardt award for Best Dramatic Performance When Disappointed, so I thought for sure we were in for a show. But he had the privilege of being seated right next to the fresh-fish tank, and the restaurant did offer sesame chicken (one of Little Guy's faves). So we lucked out.
We ate. We were full. We were happy. On the way home we stopped at a bakery and bought sesame balls (the glutinous rice kind with bean paste in the middle) and almond cookies to munch on the train. And since I'd stocked up on frozen potstickers at the Chinese grocery, we ate dumplings for dinner.
Today we're living off the accumulated calories, since it's Ash Wednesday. I'm feeling extremely penitential; I have a deadline today for a project that's nowhere near done. So here's a factoid for those of you who don't do Ash Wednesday: the ashes are made of the burned palms from last year's Palm Sunday celebration.
And now I'm off to grind away. I'm leaving in the a.m. to take Eldest on a college visit, so things will probably be silent here until Sunday. Gong Xi Fa Cai (Happy New Year), and Happy (?) Lent to you.
Posted by Julia at 2:41 PM 1 comment:
We walked past this book in a store yesterday, and Little Guy laughed out loud. We didn't stop to look and see what it's about, but wow -- what a great title!
Posted by Julia at 2:31 PM No comments:
Eldest snuggled up last night, and asked me a lot of what-ifs about college. Dozens and dozens of what-ifs: roommates and boyfriends and failing out and alcohol and you name it, it was on her mind. Some of the questions I answered, others I said, "Eh...you'd figure that out." For that's partly what college is, no? Finding out how to solve life problems on your own; messing up, and figuring out how to recover. Discovering who you are when you're standing on your own. And realizing that the way out of worry involves thinking in terms of probability, not possibility.
Gosh, but I love that girl! What if I'd never had her? What if I hadn't been given the gift of raising this marvelous human being? What if I hadn't been challenged to grow into a better person by becoming a mom? How much smaller and grayer my life would have been!
Labels: college, Eldest
It dawned on me one morning that most parental-child friction occurs when agendas collide. Friction between adults usually has other sources, like different opinions or values. But with children an amazing amount of difficulty can be resolved if we stop and recognize our own agendas, and how they contribute to the problem.
This came to me as I stood on one side of the subway turnstile waiting for Snuggler, who couldn't find her transit pass. For once it didn't matter if we were late, so I was able to set aside my agenda (getting somewhere on time) and simply deal with hers. Being able to say, "Okay, I can wait" -- and then wait patiently while a train came and went -- put a spotlight on how often time limitations contribute to my handling of situations in a less than optimal way.
Getting kids out the door takes up a ridiculous amount of energy. It's particularly irritating because we parents have a mental list of 53 things to do before we leave, and all they have to do is find their shoes and put them on. But kids don't grasp the concept of time tradeoffs easily.
I made progress recently with Little Guy, who had been taking forever to do schoolwork and then bemoaning his lack of playtime, by using money as an analogy for time. "If you have a dollar and you spend it, it's gone. You have whatever you bought with it, and that might be something good, or it might be something worthless. But once it's gone, it's gone." It helped a lot to have something tangible to connect to an abstract idea. Now when I say, "Do you want to spend your time that way?" it has a different connection in his brain.
But the whole thing about having different agendas... well, it's a thing. It's not always possible to work around a kid's agenda, and it wouldn't be healthy, anyway. So perhaps the thing to do is to try to be more aware of our own agendas and tone them down a bit. Or else maybe back up our targeted departure time by five minutes, to provide a little more cushion.
I blame it on my parents. My mom gave birth to me in February, so Valentine's Day was always a lesser event than my birthday party.
Then my folks taught me the art of non-sentimental gift-giving. One year my father gave my non-gardening mom a wheelbarrow for Mother's Day. My mom rallied with a women's bicycle for Father's Day. The most memorable present, though, was a truckload of manure that Mom ordered one year. For Dad's garden, she said.
With romantic examples like that, roses just never took on the allure for me that they have for others. Still, on a whim I looked at Valentine's Day cards yesterday. After poking through syrup-saturated To My Husband poems and confused lust love messages, I decided not to spend $2.75 to have someone who doesn't know me say what I ought to say myself. Just to prove that I've got nothing against Valentine's Day, I might even tell Andrew today that I love him. He did, after all, give me Tupperware for my birthday. And new shower curtains. Gotta love a guy who knows what makes my heart go pit-a-pat!
Ivy Edison
Ivy was a small woman with a big heart. She lived in a housing project in Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn, along with her 40+ year old son. Butchie had been injured at birth; when I knew him, his skull was still misshapen from what I assume was a botched use of forceps at delivery. Butchie couldn't walk, had limited physical abilities, spoke sparingly, and spent most of his time cheerfully watching his favorite TV shows.
Ivy also had a daughter. I never met Gwinette; she died of cancer at about age 40. I helped out at Gwinette's funeral, at which the pastor preached an amazing sermon about how when someone dies we feel as if we've been dismembered, and how Christ said, "Do this in remembrance of me" at the Last Supper, and hence in the eucharist we are re-membered in and through Him. We also sang "Jerusalem, My Happy Home", which is one of the songs I want sung at my own funeral. But I digress.
I was single and in my late 20's, working as an assistant VP at a money management firm when I met Ivy. She sat in the front right pew at church. Someone later told me that this was because when Ivy was a girl, St. Paul's was one of the few places where African Americans were allowed to sit up front. I don't know why Ivy took an interest in a yuppie white girl, but every Sunday she took the trouble to say hello and find something to talk to about. I enjoyed her no-nonsense style. It was refreshing, especially in light of my own self-centeredness.
Ivy was short and squat and she never complained about her life. She had things to be thankful for, things I had trouble fathoming, like that she'd never had to institutionalize Butchie, and that Gwinette had been able to have a decent career before she died. Ivy was also very proud of her home. One day Ivy mentioned in passing that her kitchen ceiling needed painting, and without thinking twice I offered to do it for her.
So one Saturday I climbed on a bus in downtown Brooklyn, and headed up to Bed-Stuy. Truth be told, I was kind of scared. I was going somewhere new, and that somewhere was smack in the heart of what was then one of the most scarred and drug-ridden neighborhoods in the city. I felt like I had a neon sign flashing over my head saying, "Victim here!" I sat on the bus feeling very white, so I thought about all the times when there had been only one African-American in one of my classes, and about Ivy riding the same bus every Sunday, and about how many other Ivy's were probably right around me whom I couldn't appreciate because I was scared. I tried very hard to look like I knew what I was doing and where I was going.
The bus let me off across the street from Ivy's building. It was the kind of high-rise project that makes the papers every now and then because of unworking elevators and robberies in hallways and gang activity. I had a hard time thinking of Ivy living there. Her apartment was on one of the upper floors. I was infinitely thankful the elevator was functioning.
But once the door shut on the gray, ill-lit hallway, I forgot my fears. Ivy lived here. This was Ivy's home, cozy and cluttered, safe and solid. There was plastic on the good sofa and there were hand-crocheted doilies on the end tables. Ivy introduced me to Butchie with pride, then sat down and showed me family pictures. Only after an hour of getting to know Ivy better was I allowed to paint the ceiling.
It didn't take long, maybe a couple of hours. You'd think I'd swum the Atlantic to bring Ivy diamonds, she was so happy with the results.
Then Ivy made me lunch and showed me more pictures, and told more stories. Whoever Mr. Ivy was, he'd skeddadled long ago, when the kids were little. There wasn't a drop of self-pity in Ivy's voice as she told me about it. She was matter-of-fact about Butchie, too, and about friends who had died or gone astray.
I learned that day that Ivy's family was originally from the West Indies. Her birthday was September 8. When she'd moved into the housing project when it opened, it was the most beautiful place in the world. I discovered that Ivy was a talented seamstress. (Years later, she adjusted my mother's wedding gown so I could wear it at my own wedding.)
I went home on the bus, no longer afraid of Bed-Stuy. Whatever else it had, it had Ivy. Ivy was a strong woman. She was not afraid of life. She was thankful for what there was to be thankful for, and accepting of what needed to be accepted. I heard myself think When I grow up, I want to be like her!
Posted by Julia at 9:50 AM 1 comment:
We have a big park right up the street, which has some glorious sledding hills. But in the middle of the day, when homeschool's done and mom has to work, the simple solution to outdoor time is to go down into the building's courtyard and sled down the steps.
It's a short ride, but nice and fast!
Posted by Julia at 12:12 PM 3 comments:
Last night I was in the local pharmacy and ran into a dad I know. I asked after his kids, and he said one of them was sick. Then he picked up a made-in-China florescent green plastic ring from a display on the counter and mused, "I wonder if I should bring her a ring."
I replied, "Nah. Send the money to Haiti instead." He (and everyone else nearby) looked startled for a moment, then nodded. As the dad left he said, "I'll tell her that."
Can you tell Haiti's on my mind?
My mental back burner has been simmering for weeks now, trying to connect certain dots that don't want to form a coherent picture:
Dot #1: Children (and adults) in Haiti are suffering unimaginably, and are going to continue to suffer for a long time to come.
Dot #2:There's not really anything left in our family budget to cut. I can't give out of fat; if I'm going to give, it has to be out of flesh and bone.
Dot #3: My kids have certain needs that reflect their natural gifts (and natural weaknesses). I have an obligation to do my best for them.
A couple of things are gradually dawning on me. One is that when I think of what ingredients can go into a "solve the inequities of the world" pie, I don't include a substantive decrease in my family's standard of living as an option.
A related reality is that although I am not, by American standards, an ungenerous person (we do aim to give 10% of our income to charity), my ideas on what it means to be generous are limited by a large hazy zone between need and want. The other day I idly thought, "If I gave up drinking coffee, I could probably save a child's life with the money I saved over a year."
Give up coffee?! My reaction to that thought slammed me up against the reality that, on some I-don't-want-to-go-there level, my morning coffee is more important to me than someone else's life.
I've long been aware that I suffer from what I call the Yardstick Problem. I have a tendency to assume that the yardstick of well-being begins about a half-inch below where I am, and extends upward to where everyone else seems to be. In the big city, where there are people who have a lot of money, this is absurd. I need to constantly recalibrate my thinking to remember that I live in the top two inches of the yardstick.
I recalibrate mainly by bringing to mind various stick-to-your-heart anecdotes that I've picked up over the years: the volunteer speaker from Food for the Poor who told of a boy who cried as hamburger patties were being handed out, because "It's my sister's turn to eat today"; a vignette from a book on Mother Theresa, which mentioned in passing a family that slept in shifts in their shack, because there wasn't room for everyone at once; the series of stories the NY Times ran in 2006 about easily preventable diseases like Guinea worm, blinding trachoma, measles and lymphatic filariasis, and how they cripple and destroy lives.
I tell my children that the first step in becoming a thoughtful person is to become an observant one. You can't help the old lady get into the shop with her walker if you don't notice her struggling. I can't do much to rectify the problems of the world if I don't notice how stuck I am in myself and my inch of yardstick. One place I'm stuck is in thinking I'm not among the rich, just because my budget doesn't flow as smoothly as it used to.
People can feel poor no matter where they are on the yardstick.Some people feel poor because they can't go on vacation one year, others because their life is dominated by a constant struggle to juggle bills and cash flow. I have a friend who confessed to scrounging change from the sofa cushions to buy pasta for dinner on night, and another who has foregone dental care for years so that she can pay for her kids' dentist. But these are all a far cry from being unable to treat a serious medical problem, or having your kids go hungry because you can't feed them. It's a long way from being homeless or in danger of dying from lack of food.
It's helpful to examine what we think is iconic of being poor, because it helps us to calibrate the richness of our lives relative to the rest of the world. It gives us a way to remember how blessed we are... and how much we have available to give to those who have less.
More on this another time...
Posted by Julia at 4:24 PM 4 comments:
This is the command center
This part moves up and down
Here's how it's attached
Ummm... yeah. I think we need to review the DTR (Duct Tape Rules). Ironically, after building this Little Guy watched Meet the Robinsons. Which I obviously didn't know anything about, because although I tend to encourage the inventing streak, I think we've just ramped up a couple of notches.
Posted by Julia at 11:18 AM 1 comment:
I warn you that you will waste significant time if you go to the Improv Everywhere site. You will also laugh out loud, so don't do it at work. Very, very silly. I'd seen the "Human Mirror" video before, but hadn't realized there's a whole series of "missions" that this group has done. I particularly like the spontaneous musicals.
Posted by Julia at 7:23 AM No comments:
Just out of curiosity: does anyone else have a husband who introduces the kids to the Last Night at the Proms... and kids who then spend days researching and memorizing the lyrics to God Save the Queen, Rule Brittania, (and other British favorites), making British flags for all their stuffed animals, and setting up a stuffed animal orchestra? It's been a bit curious around here.
We had our annual Super Bowl party last night. We don't have cable, and our regular TV reception is so poor it looks like a blizzard, so we didn't watch the game. But every year we honor the football fanatics of our nation on this important day by eating junk food for dinner. Last night's menu consisted of popcorn, dry roasted peanuts, tater tots, hummus with carrots and pita, potato chips, and seltzer. (Normally I make nachos, but the store was out of tortilla chips.) Eldest, who came shopping with me, was a bit concerned that perhaps not everything qualified as junk food. I assured her that next year we'll do better. Case in point: this year not only did I find out which teams were playing, I also made note of who won the game.
Posted by Julia at 8:27 AM 1 comment:
Turned out that the book group was tonight instead of tomorrow (thank you, Rebecca, for the reminder!) It was a terrific discussion. Snuggler didn't go, but all five of the other girls enjoyed Call of the Wild and had a lot to say about it. We also learned that Jack London was a celebrity endorser of grape juice. Who knew? He was an oyster pirate, too, a term which prompted some rather funny mental visuals before we found out what it meant.
I was really quite surprised at the enthusiasm these 10- and 11-year old girls had for the rather raw and rough writing. I enjoy Jack London, but in small doses with ample time in between readings; like Hemingway, he's too masculine for me to take in big draughts.
As I grow older I tend to prefer non-fiction to fiction, anyway. I've wondered if that's because by now I've seen enough human frailty and folly in real life that I don't need more from books. I still appreciate subtlety, the truly tragic hero or heroine, the well-drawn humorous character, the ingenious plot twist. I get bored when I'm expected to wallow in prosaic psychological stresses and sexual interests and American greed/self-centeredness/middle-class angst. What I yearn for is beauty... characters who renew my sense of hope... insight into who I want to be when I grow up. I want fresh ways of looking at problems, and inspiration to do the right thing, and the motivation to get up and keep moving when I'm worn down. Right now it's easier to get that by reading non-fiction. But if you've read any good novels lately that meet some of my criteria, let me know. I'm always up for a good read.
Posted by Julia at 11:39 PM No comments:
Our mother-daughter book club is meeting this Sunday, and the assignment is Call of the Wild. A bit strong for a group of 5th and 6th graders (and Snuggler, who is in 3rd). I'll be interested to see what the girls think. Last month we did Witch of Blackbird Pond, which was just about perfect for that age group.
No one would have dreamed of doing Call of the Wild, except it's given as an example in Deconstructing Penguins. If you have school-age kids and don't own Deconstructing Penguins, you need to buy it. It is the best, most insightful book there is on how to run a book group for kids and adults. (Not that I feel strongly about it, or anything.) Even if you don't want to have a book group, it's worth reading for ideas on how to talk about chapter books with children.
On a separate educational note, I've decided we can probably skip all the sections of Little Guy's math books that cover measurement. He has been toting a retractable measuring tape around for the past few days, measuring everything in both inches and centimeters, and trying to convert from inches to feet. It helps that the measuring tape is soft (rather than metal), so we haven't had any sliced fingers from that nifty zippy snap when the retraction button is pushed.
Last night Snuggler had to do her physics homework. Her science class at Co-op is using the Real Science 4 Kids curriculum, which I find very solid and yet kid-friendly. The assignment for yesterday was on gravitational potential energy, and the homework was to drop a book from various heights onto a peanut, to see when it cracked open.
We rigged up a ruler between two blocks, so we could measure how high above the peanut we were starting. Then Snuggler hauled out The Complete Sherlock Holmes. (No, she hasn't been reading it; Big Guy and Eldest just finished.) Dontcha know that 1,122-page tome can crack open a peanut from a height of two inches? Go, Sherlock!
Then we decided to see what would happen if we used a less ponderous volume. We tried Voyages in English 3 (which we're not using this year), which is a tad more than 200 pages. That took a drop of 12" to crack a peanut. We don't have a scientific scale here, but weighed Sherlock on our regular bathroom scale, and it came out at 6.2 pounds.Voyages was too light to register on the scale. I tried to get Snuggler to figure out how much Voyages ought to weigh, based on what we knew about Sherlock and the weight and height needed to crack a peanut with it. Either that was too abstract or I worded the question poorly, because she had no idea what I was talking about. Then I made a table headed like this:
Book name Height * Weight = gravitational potential energy
We filled in the info we had for each book, and lo and behold it suddenly looked like a math problem, where the only missing information was how much Voyages weighed.
Needless to say, Little Guy was into smashing peanuts with books, too. Given the mess that was created, it was a good thing the prior lesson was on WORK.
Posted by Julia at 7:19 AM No comments:
I have no memory for other people's birthdays. There is an amazing array of useless stuff cluttering my gray matter, and a lacuna where the birthday info is supposed to be stored. Once I took one of my kids to the emergency room, and the clerk at check-in asked, "Child's date of birth?" I glared at him and said, "That's not fair." But I did eventually figure it out.
About three years ago (more than a dozen years into my marriage) I finally came up with a way to remember Andrew's birthday. That was exhilarating. But I still have to re-calculate the date every time I need to know it. I can get it to within one or two days pretty easily, but then it gets tough. This is true of my dad's birthday, too. I know it's either Feb 1 or Feb 2. I seem to recall it's not the same as Groundhog's Day, which would mean it was yesterday. Which means I missed it, because I can't remember when Groundhog's Day is, either, until it shows up in the news.
Happy birthday anyway, Dad. I love you.
Posted by Julia at 7:34 AM No comments:
There was much excitement here this afternoon, as both the new science kits and the K'nex MotoBots for Little Guy arrived. I must say, the MotoBots are pretty cool. It took Little Guy and Snuggler a solid 90 minutes to put the first one together, though we still have to add the arms.
Tonight Little Guy simply couldn't stand the idea that he'd have to wait until tomorrow to start his volcano kit. We've done the usual baking soda and vinegar explosions many times; this is a kit with far more detail about the different kinds of volcanoes, and it includes a plastic model with several imitations of real-life volcanoes (Mount St. Helens, Mauna Loa, Santorini, etc.). There's a page with suggestions of which colors to put where. Little Guy didn't like any of those ideas, and had his own. He didn't want greenery anywhere ("Why do I have to put in plant life?") and after fending off a few gentle ideas from Snuggler and me he put on a weary look and sighed, "Mom, I just want to stretch my creative expression!"
So... he's stretching away.
P.S. He later decided that greenery was a good idea after all. I noted, "You have many types of green here." He replied, "Hues, Mom. Hues."
Posted by Julia at 8:17 PM 1 comment:
A while back I went to a presentation at Eldest's school about college financial aid. The speaker directs fin aid at an Ivy League school. He said, "If there are only four words you remember from tonight, let them be these: NEVER MISS A DEADLINE." Amazingly, I remembered that.
I filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) last night. It's not difficult, but -- heads up -- you do need to have a pretty good idea of what your tax return is going to look like. Early. Very early. Keep track of your earnings info the year you're going to file.
The greater challenge is the CSS Profile, which requires far more information. (You want to supply more info about your expenses, since the Feds' formula is inanely simplistic and pretty much comes down to income and how many people are in your family.) I couldn't finish the Profile last night because apparently a bunch of colleges have Feb 1 deadlines for it, and the CSS system was catatonic. I was dumped and had to re-start a couple of times, which would have been stress-producing if I'd absolutely needed to file last night. So -- second heads up -- pretend your deadline's at least three days before it actually is, so that the empty spot in the nest next year isn't you (in jail for murder) instead of your college student. (Our deadline is Feb 15, so I'm waiting until Feb 2 to file the Profile.)
Eldest applied to three schools, two of which only require the FAFSA and the Profile. The third has its own form, which amounted to an "Is Your Parent Smart Enough for You to Go Here?" test. I think I passed, but only because it was open book and I was able to review my answers several times before submitting them. If your child plans to apply to a dozen colleges, check out how many financial aid forms you're going to have to complete before you approve her list.
Though I'm not really done with the Profile, I felt somewhat heroic last night. I can already see that this won't be as intimidating the second time through. I find it useful (though not enjoyable) to stagger through a completely new and unasked-for experience every now and then. I think that, as adults who have mostly mastered the little things in life, we forget how uncomfy new experiences can be for kids. I'm more sympathetic when I have a fresh memory of that AAAAAAck! feeling.
Posted by Julia at 7:29 AM 2 comments:


text:
Romantic Hotels In Baku: Find 52 Hotel Deals | Expedia Español 简体中文 Chinese Language Show menu
Romantic Hotels in Baku	Baku
Baku Romantic Hotels
Check Availability Located in the heart of Baku, this hotel is within a 5-minute walk of Palace of the Shirvan Shahs and Maiden's Tower. Nizami …More
Khanlar Street 38, Baku AZ1003
Check Availability Located in the heart of Baku, this hotel is within 2 mi (3 km) of Baku Crystal Hall, Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall, and …More
Mirza Mansur 62, Baku 1095
Check Availability Located in the heart of Baku, this hotel is steps from Palace of the Shirvan Shahs and Maiden's Tower. Nizami Museum and …More
4.7 out of 5 (19 reviews) "Beautiful hotel but some things disappoint "
Tbilisi ave. 22, Baku 1078
Check Availability Located in the heart of Baku, this luxury hotel is within 3 mi (5 km) of Baku State University, Heydar Aliyev Palace, and …More
See all 52 Romantic Hotels in Baku
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Romantic Baku Hotels Information
Light the candles, turn up the sultry music, and get the rose petals ready: You are on your way toward a fairy tale ending. Whether you want a break from a busy life agenda or have an extraordinary anniversary approaching, you'll fall in love when you see Expedia's romantic hotels in Baku. No matter the reason you want this getaway, we provide a simple way to . Romantic Hotels in Baku Are Only the Beginning When it's time for tales of love, what are you interested in? Perhaps you can find Baku hotels with health clubs or in-room indulgences for a rejuvenating massage together. The area eateries will be delighted to provide for candlelit feasts where you can gaze deeply into your special someone's eyes. No need to retire to your accommodation just yet, continue the merriment at a nearby pub. You can discover the views in the neighborhood, so you will understand just what is in the cards for you. Just when you need them, Baku romantic hotels are here for you and your love.
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text:
User Doug Wilson - Stack Overflow
Freelance Programmer at Fridge Productions
https://dkw.io/ dougwilson hellfirehd
Favorite editor: VS Code • First computer: Commodore VIC-20, Macintosh 512KE
.net-core angular linux typescript signalr
Position Jun 2006 → Current (13 years, 2 months)
asp.net asp.net-mvc asp-classic ms-access sql-server c# javascript
Developed custom applications for small and medium sized businesses. Typically worked as an extension of their team learning as much about their business as possible while remaining objective, evaluating, recommending and implementing solutions that address their specific needs. Specialized in database development and web applications using Microsoft technologies.
Developed data collection and validation systems. Catalog and process management, reporting and invoicing, workflow and inventory.
Worked remotely and on-site.
A for fun SPA to play around with combining AngularJS with ASP.NET MVC. Please don't judge me too harshly by this. It was coded in around 48 hours and I haven't been back to finish it.
angularjs asp.net-mvc twitter-bootstrap structuremap c#
Provides on the fly resizing and caching of images for use with ASP.NET.
Primary developer. This was originally used with custom CMS solutions developed for a number of clients. Was open sourced last year to facilitate maintenance.
A multi-file find/replace utility for Windows
Lead developer. Used the Model View Presenter pattern to decouple the UI from the logic. Is used daily in production by a small team of web developers.
c# winforms regex
In junior high school I started out writing BASIC programs in a notebook at home and then typing them into and Apple ][e at school. I would write down where the bugs and errors were and then go home and rewrite the programs in my notebook to fix the bugs.
In high school I learned CPM and Pascal and after graduation I learned C++ just for fun. A guidance counsellor suggested that I could learn more programming while studying electronics engineering at DeVry in Calgary. I attacked college with gusto but In the process I discovered that, while electronics was interesting, it did not involved enough programming to satisfy me. However, by the time I realized that I had racked up sizeable student loans.
To start making those payments I changed to the construction industry, working hard as a framer and roofer. It was an honest living but often left me too tired to work on learning more programming in the evenings. Then one day, a friend called me up out of the blue and asked if I was interested in a programming job in Kelowna developing databases to back web sites. I leapt at the opportunity and the rest is history!
Position Jul 2008 → Jan 2015 (6 years, 7 months)
Manager, Software Development at Beelineweb.com
asp.net sql-server asp.net-mvc ajax webservice windows-services reporting-services selenium azure amazon-web-services
Lead developer on the Content Management, Lead Generation, Accounting and Billing systems. Developed internal fault-tolerant distributed services infrastructure on which all the other LOB applications run. Developed public facing web applications including blogs and surveys. Developed fault-tolerant lead delivery system for interfacing with clients and agencies. Hosted web sites and applications on local dedicated servers, Azure and AWS. Coordinated and synchronized all the local and remote web sites and applications using a message broker on top of MSMQ. Lead the transition to mobile friendly and responsive web site/application designs.
Managed the SQL Server databases, Backup Exec, Exchange Server, Active Directory Domain and DNS.
Successfully completed migrating the office from a local Exchange Server to Office 365 and Azure Active Directory.
Worked remotely and in office.
Position Jan 2003 → May 2006 (3 years, 5 months)
Manager, Software Development at Enquiro Search Solutions Inc.
asp-classic asp.net sql-server webservice windows-services msmq c#
I was the department manager and lead developer on a number of software projects involving teams from 3-11 people. My projects ranged from simple web sites to full business applications spanning multiple databases and servers. I worked primarily with Microsoft technologies including .NET & C#, SQL Server, MSMQ, SharePoint, and MS Project.
My key responsibilities included interviewing and hiring developers and project managers, requirements analysis, application architecture, and core development.
Position May 2001 → Dec 2002 (1 year, 8 months)
Lead Developer at Capecom Media, Inc.
asp-classic php java oracle mysql iis apache perl c# asp.net
Lead developer for the LuxuryHomes.com web site using C#, ASP.NET and SQL Server. Worked directly with stakeholders to determine requirements and develop the application. Key responsibilities were the database design and application architecture. Also worked directly with graphic artists to implement their design. Develped administration tools allowing staff to manage the site as well as tools for Realtors to manage property listings.
Lead developer for oilfieldcanada.com web site and telephone directory. Key responsibilities included database design, web site design and maintenance as well as print directory data entry and layout.
Position Mar 2000 → May 2001 (1 year, 3 months)
Software Developer at Interior Networking Group Ltd
asp-classic sql-server coldfusion mysql c++ iis
Worked directly with clients to determine business requirements and develop their web sites using JavaScript, ASP classic and ColdFusion hosted on IIS. Interfaced with accounting packages (Simply Accounting, QuickBooks) to automatically include sales orders.
Performed web server hardening and security audits. Developed and implemented security infrastructure for virtual hosting environment including provisioning and decommissioning. Wrote a Windows Service in C++ to monitor and reset a watchdog timer to ensure that a BSOD didn't take the server offline.
Designed and developed a DNS and Email control panel in ASP classic backed by SQL Server. The DNS portion of the control panel is still in use today.
Education 1990 → 1993
High School Diploma, Prairie High School
pascal basic cpm
Graduated at the top of my class for PE and Computers. Was a member of a traveling choir and drama team as both their sound engineer and a singer. Played on the high school badminton team. Was the lead A/V tech for the school. Teacher assistant in the computer lab for grades 11 and 12.
Applied Microsoft® .NET Framework Programming (Pro-Developer)
One of the most mind-expanding books I have ever read. It introduced me to a whole new vocabulary and is required reading for any new hires. Arguably the most significant contribution in moving Computer Science towards Software Engineering.
A great introduction to angular 5+. Easy to read with good examples.

value: Stack Overflow is a question and answer website for professional and enthusiast programmers. It is the flagship site of the Stack Exchange Network, created in 2008 by Jeff Atwood and Joel Spolsky.


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value: Walmart Inc. ( ; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas.


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text:
Methylhexanamine (also known as methylhexamine, 1,3-dimethylamylamine, 1,3-DMAA, 1,3-amphetamine, dimethylamylamine, and DMAA; trade names Forthane and Geranamine) is an indirect sympathomimetic drug invented and developed by Eli Lilly and Company and marketed as an inhaled nasal decongestant from 1948 until it was voluntarily withdrawn from the market in the 1970s.[2]
115.21658 g/mol g·mol−1
Since 2006 methylhexanamine has been sold extensively under many names as a stimulant or energy-boosting dietary supplement under the claim that it is similar to certain compounds found in geraniums, but its safety has been questioned as a number of adverse events and at least five deaths have been associated with methylhexanamine-containing supplements.[3] It is banned by many sports authorities and governmental agencies. Despite multiple warning letters from the FDA,[4] as of 2019, the stimulant remains available in sports and weight loss supplements.[5]
In April 1944, Eli Lilly and Company introduced methylhexanamine under the brand name Forthane as an inhaled nasal decongestant; Lilly voluntarily withdrew methylhexanamine from the market in 1983.[6]:12 The compound is an aliphatic amine; the pharmaceutical industry had a strong interest in compounds in this class as nasal decongestants in the early 20th century, which led to methylhexanamine and four other similar compounds being brought to market for that use: tuaminoheptane, octin, oenethyl, and propylhexedrine; octin and oenethyl were eventually approved for use in keeping blood pressure sufficiently high for patients under anesthesia.[7]:95–96
Patrick Arnold reintroduced methylhexanamine in 2006 as a dietary supplement,[8][9] after the final ban of ephedrine in the United States in 2005. Arnold introduced it under the trademarked name Geranamine, a name held by his company, Proviant Technologies. A large number of supplements focusing on fat loss and workout energy (thermogenic or general-purpose stimulants) used the ingredient in concert with other substances such as caffeine, a combination similar to the combination of ephedrine and caffeine.
Methylhexanamine-containing supplements sometimes list "geranium oil" or "geranium extract" as a source of methylhexanamine. However, geranium oils do not contain methylhexanamine, and the methylhexanamine in these supplements is added in the form of synthetic material.[10] A variety of studies have explored the possibility that DMAA is found in some types of geraniums, but at present, high quality evidence of DMAA's presence in plants is lacking.[11][12]
Methylhexanamine is synthesized by reacting 4-methylhexan-2-one with hydroxylamine, which converts the 4-methylhexan-2-one to 4-methylhexan-2-one oxime, which is reduced with hydrogen by means of a catalyst; the resulting methylhexanamine can be purified by distillation.[13]:995–996
Methylhexanamine is an indirect sympathomimetic drug that constricts blood vessels and thus has effects on the heart, lungs, and reproductive organs. It also causes bronchodilation, inhibits peristalsis in the intestines, and has diuretic effects.[7]:95 Most studies have been done on pharmacological effects when the drug is inhaled; the understanding of what methylhexanamine does when taken orally are mostly based on extrapolating from the activities of similar compounds.[7]:97 A 2013 review concluded that: "Pharmacological effects after oral intake can be expected on the lungs (bronchodilation) and the nasal mucosa following a single oral dose of about 4–15 mg. Pharmacological effects on the heart can be expected following a single oral dose of about 50–75 mg. Pharmacological effects on the blood pressure can be expected after a single oral dose of about 100 mg. Because of the long half-life, there is a risk that repeated doses within 24–36 hours could lead to steadily stronger pharmacological effects (build-up)."[7]:98
Methylhexanamine may be quantified in blood, plasma, or urine by gas or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to confirm a diagnosis of poisoning in hospitalized patients or to provide evidence in a medicolegal death investigation. Blood or plasma methylhexanamine concentrations are expected to be in a range of 10–100 μg/l in persons using the drug recreationally, >100 μg/l in intoxicated patients, and >300 μg/l in victims of acute overdosage.[14][15]
The LD50 for methylhexanamine is 39 mg/kg in mice and 72.5 mg/kg in rats, when administered intravenously.[7]:95[16]:110
The FDA has stated that methylhexanamine "is known to narrow the blood vessels and arteries, which can elevate blood pressure and may lead to cardiovascular events ranging from shortness of breath and tightening in the chest to heart attack".[17] Numerous adverse events and at least five deaths have been reported in association with methylhexanamine-containing dietary supplements.[3]
A 2012 review by a panel convened by the U.S. Department of Defense to study whether the military should ban methylhexanamine supplements from stores on its bases concluded that: "The existing evidence does not conclusively establish that DMAA-containing substances are causally-associated with adverse medical events. However, a consistent theme among the studies is that DMAA use potentially affects cardiovascular function, just as other sympathomimetic stimulants. Without further rigorous study designs developed to evaluate the safety of DMAA, especially in patients with concomitant use of other substances, co-morbid conditions and high frequency use, the magnitude of the association of DMAA with adverse medical events is uncertain. Widespread use of DMAA-containing products by tens of thousands of Service members – often in combination with other substances – increases the likelihood of observing serious adverse events, even if the overall risk of a DMAA-related event is low, resulting in consequential impact to some Service members and other beneficiaries. DMAA should be further studied to evaluate its safety. Data from the case control study suggest that the frequency and amount of DMAA use and risk of specific [acquired medical events], particularly heat injuries and rhabdomyolysis, need to be examined in greater detail. ... The Safety Review Panel recommended ... to continue the prohibition of sales of DMAA-containing products in Exchanges and concessions. The Panel judged that the evidence supports sufficient risk, even if very low, of another death or catastrophic illness of a Service member who has used DMAA-containing products, without any offsetting benefit of these products."[6]:10
A 2012 review of the regulatory status of DMAA found that "1,3-Dimethylamylamine (DMAA) is a pressor amine often found in food supplements for athletes at dosages of 25–65 mg. Historically, the compound has been used as a nasal decongestant but its oral application is largely unstudied leaving the regulatory status of such food supplements as unlicensed medicines undetermined. We therefore reviewed the literature on DMAA and similar amines in order to deduce an effective oral dosage. Based on our findings we conclude that oral preparations with >4 mg DMAA per dose unit should be considered as effective as a bronchodilator. Food supplements that exceed that limit are in fact subject to the Medicines Act and require licensing. Dosages higher than 100–200 mg are expected to cause serious adverse events."[7]:93
In 2010, a 21-year-old male in New Zealand presented with a cerebral hemorrhage after ingesting 556 mg of methylhexanamine, caffeine, and alcohol.[18] Health authorities in Hawaii linked cases of liver failure and one death to OxyElite Pro.[19]
The death of Claire Squires, a runner who collapsed near the finish-line of the April 2012 London Marathon, has been linked to methylhexanamine. The coroner stated that methylhexanamine was "probably an important factor" during the inquest. Despite, according to a friend, having been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat[20] - and advised not to consume methylhexanamine, it is believed that she consumed the substance through drinking an energy drink, which was subsequently reformulated to exclude methylhexanamine.[21]
Many professional and amateur sports bodies, such as the World Anti Doping Agency, have banned methylhexanamine as a performance-enhancing substance and suspended athletes that have used it.[22][23][24][25][26][27]
March, 2012, a minor league baseball player, Cody Stanley, was suspended 50 games for testing positive after using a dietary supplement.[28]
In July 2012, Welsh boxer Enzo Maccarinelli was banned for six months after testing positive for methylhexanamine.[29]
VFL player Matthew Clark was suspended for two years after the banned substance was detected in his system after a game in 2011.[30]
August, 2012, minor league baseball player Marcus Stroman was suspended 50 games for testing positive for methylhexanamine.[31]
On 8 August 2013, US Weightlifter Brian Wilhelm accepted a nine-month suspension after testing positive for the drug in a urine sample from December 2012 at the American Open.[32]
MotoGP rider Anthony West was suspended for one month by the FIM International Disciplinary Court (CDI) on 29 October 2012 after testing positive for the drug on 20 May 2012 at the French Grand Prix. This was increased retroactively to an 18-month suspension, starting from 20 May 2012, on 28 November 2013 after an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).[33]
In December 2013, boxer Brandon Rios, after losing a unanimous decision to Manny Pacquiao, was suspended by the China Professional Boxing Association after testing positive for the drug.[34]
During the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, three athletes tested positive for the drug: Italian bobsleigh brakeman and former decathlete William Frullani, German biathlete Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle and Latvian ice hockey forward Vitalijs Pavlovs.[35][36]
During the 2015 Asian Cup, Iraqi player Alaa Abdul-Zahra was subject to an investigation relating to illegal usage of the drug.[37]
In January 2016, Algerian footballer Kheiredine Merzougi was banned for two years by the Confederation of African Football after testing positive for the drug.[38] However, in March 2016, the international body FIFA confirmed they were giving an extended four-year ban to apply worldwide through January 2020.[39]
In November 2016, Heavyweight boxer Bermane Stiverne was fined for 75,000 dollars after testing positive for methylhexanamine by the World Boxing Council.[40] The WBC, however, still allowed this fight to happen.
In 2017, the International Olympic Committee disqualified Jamaica's 2008 gold-winning 4x100 men's relay in Beijing due to Nesta Carter's positive testing for methylhexanamine. This cost Usain Bolt a medal.[41]
AMA Supercross Championship rider Broc Tickle was provisionally suspended by the FIM International Disciplinary Court (CDI) on 13 April 2018 after testing positive for the drug following a drug test after the supercross round held in San Diego on 10 February 2018.[42]
In May 22, 2018, Filipino basketball player Kiefer Ravena was handed 18 months suspension by FIBA to compete in international competition. He was found testing positive for methylhexanamine and 1,3-dimethlybutylamine by WADA. Urine samples were taken after the Philippines vs Japan game at Manila during the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualification. Ravena explained that he consumes a pre-workout drink called C4, which can be bought from retailers around Metro Manila. He ran out of supplies shortly before a training camp in Australia and took Blackstone Labs DUST, a supplement which is mixed with water and is supposedly similar to C4.[43]
On August 26, 2019, NASCAR crew chief Matt Borland was indefinitely suspended under the sanctioning body's substance abuse policy after testing positive for DMAA. In a statement, Borland said that the positive test was most likely caused by a diet coffee he had felt comfortable drinking "after doing my due diligence." Team owner Bob Germain Jr. also said that he did not believe Borland “had reason to know that the coffee contained a banned substance. However, we also understand and respect NASCAR’s decisions to strictly uphold their policies for each and every owner, driver and crew member in the garage." [44] The suspension was lifted on September 24th after completing NASCAR's mandatory "Road to Recovery Program". [45]
In 2010, the US military issued a recall of all methylhexanamine-containing products from all military exchange stores worldwide.[46][47]
In July 2011, Health Canada decided methylhexanamine was not a dietary substance, but was a drug requiring further approval. Consequently, Health Canada banned all sales of methylhexanamine.[48]
In June 2012, the National Food Agency of Sweden issued a general warning regarding use of methylhexanamine products, resulting in a sales ban in parts of the country.[49]
In July 2012, the National Health Surveillance Agency of Brazil issued a warning to the general public on the hazards of products that contain methylhexanamine.[50] It also updated the list of prohibited substances to insert methylhexanamine, which translates into the banishment of products containing such ingredient from the Brazilian market.[51]
In 2012, Australia banned methylhexanamine. In New South Wales, methylhexanamine was classed as a "highly dangerous substance" on the poisons list.[52]
In August 2012, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has ruled that the popular DMAA containing sports supplement Jack3D is an unlicensed medicinal product and that it and all other methylhexanamine containing products need to be removed from the UK market amid concerns of potential risks to public safety.[53]
In 2012 the New Zealand Ministry of Health banned the sale of methylhexanamine products,[54] due in part to its growing recreational use as party pills.[55][56]
In April 2013, the US Food and Drug Administration determined that methylhexanamine was potentially dangerous and did not qualify as a legal dietary supplement; it warned supplement makers that it was illegal to market methylhexanamine and warned consumers of potentially serious health risks associated with methylhexanamine-containing products.[3][57] The FDA has issued warning letters to manufacturers and distributors who continued to market products containing methylhexanamine.[58]
^ Cohen, Pieter A. (9 July 2012). "DMAA as a Dietary Supplement Ingredient". Archives of Internal Medicine. 172 (13). doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2012.1677.
^ FDA, Center for Food Safety and Applied. "Products & Ingredients - DMAA in Products Marketed as Dietary Supplements". www.fda.gov.
^ Cohen, Pieter A. (8 April 2013). "DMAA as a Dietary Ingredient—Reply". JAMA Internal Medicine. 173 (7): 594. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.3776.
^ WADA 2010 Prohibited List (pdf) Archived 2013-09-11 at the Wayback Machine, World Anti-Doping Agency, Monday, 19 September 2009
^ https://racer.com/2019/08/26/dillon-crew-chief-borland-suspended-after-failed-drug-test-cites-diet-coffee-as-possible-cause/
^ https://sports.yahoo.com/crew-chief-matt-borland-reinstated-123010573.html
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Methylhexanamine&oldid=919848400"

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Blanket Chest from Popular Woodworking Magazine August 2009 Issue de Popular Woodworking Editors - Armazém 3D
em 10 de June de 2009
6102 Downloads:
3143 Blanket Chest from Popular Woodworking Magazine August 2009 Issue
6102 (40 em 7 dias)
3143 (10 em 7 dias)
[ Fazer download 408 KB ]
[ Fazer download 92 KB ]
Sua resenha: (opcional) This is a model of a blanket chest that was the cover project for the August 2009 issue of Popular Woodworking magazine. Project design, construction and SketchUp model by senior editor Glen D. Huey. More information and back issues available from the magazine website.

value: SketchUp is a 3D modeling computer program for drawing applications such as architectural, interior design, landscape architecture, civil and mechanical engineering, film and video game design. It is available as a web-based application, SketchUp Free, and a paid version with additional functionality, SketchUp Pro.SketchUp is owned by Trimble Inc., a mapping surveying and navigation equipment company.


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SOLVED: Sony Bravia KDL-40W4500 turns off - Fixya
Have a new Sony Bravia KDL-40W4500 which is turning off onto standby mode, and is flashing 8 times.
four lines appeared near top third of screen, looked like interference but I'm now sure it is electronic/lcd fault. Perhaps dry joint on a driver pcb? four lines appeared near top third of screen, looked like interference but I'm now sure it is electronic/lcd fault. Perhaps dry joint on a driver pcb?
So my Sony Bravia wont Turn on at all, I did everthing I could, but still no answer So my Sony Bravia wont Turn on at all, I did everthing I could, but still no answer
Re: Sony Bravia KDL-40W4500 turns off
service mode sony kdl 40v2500

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ANALYSIS-U.S. drilling boom leaves some homeowners in a big hole | Reuters
December 12, 2013 / 12:04 PM / 4 years ago
Dec 12 (Reuters) - When Gary Gless bought his sleek, modernist house in Los Angeles in 2002, he thought he had hit a “gold mine.” The world’s largest inner-city park - featuring a lush, 18-hole golf course - was about to get built across the street. Gless’s balcony was set to overlook the clubhouse and first tee.
Freeport-McMoRan, part of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc , said that, for the past three years, its surveys of the oilfield and surrounding communities have found no connection between its activities and “localized claims of property damage.” It said it would continue to evaluate the issue.
“You go to buy a home, you see that it has a well pad in the backyard, and essentially you might say I‘m not willing to pay very much for this house,” said Elisheba Spiller, an economist at the Environmental Defense Fund. “That’s where the drop in value comes in.”

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Cycles: Shadeless "Shadow-catcher" Material for Rendering onto Footage - Blender Stack Exchange
I am superimposing CGI over video footage, and have run into a problem in making materials for objects that act as 'shadow catchers'.
Essentially I want a shader that is shadeless—like an emitter—but catches shadows and light from other objects. This is so I can reconstruct objects in footage so other objects in the scene interact convincingly with them.
Here's an overcomplicated diagram to illustrate my point:
(In this particular scenario, the problem could be glossed over by using RGB curves, but that is definitely not the case with more complicated scenes)
Isn't this a common situation? How to the real guys do it? Thank you.
(I am welcome suggestions of other ways of doing this.)
JollywattJollywatt
$\begingroup$ Yep, this is one of those features that's been on the wanted list for a while. It'll be added sometime, hopefully in the near future.. (though AFAIK no one is currently working on it). $\endgroup$ – gandalf3♦ Dec 10 '14 at 4:33
$\begingroup$ @gandalf3 Well, now there is someone working on it. See developer.blender.org/D1788 $\endgroup$ – PhoneixS Oct 4 '16 at 15:21
$\begingroup$ Related: blender.stackexchange.com/q/518/28015 $\endgroup$ – JakeD Apr 28 '18 at 2:37
Note: this solution may not work for everyone...you give up some control because changing the appearance of the shadow can only be done in the compositor AFAIK. See the end of my answer for more details.
There is a simpler way to build a basic shadow catcher now, thanks to Blender 2.78c. There is no longer even a need for a material, just enable "Shadow Catcher" in the Cycles Settings panel in the shadow catcher plane's object settings.
For more advanced tweaking of the new shadow catcher, you can add a material to the plane as detailed in this article:
https://cgjam.net/how-to-use-the-shadow-catcher-in-cycles-2-79/
See here for more info, or the section in the Blender manual here.
This image literally took less than ten minutes to make thanks to this free model by MAC2001, this free model by hasapeta, Greg Zaal's amazing, free HDRIs, and this new Blender feature.
This solution is not easily adjusted, however, as Jeroslav notes in the comments:
Unfortunately this method is very limited and will provide only black shadows, no color bleed...For someone it may work, but this does not produce correct result in general.
You can actually get somewhat more control over this shadow method by putting the shadow catcher on its own render layer and playing with it in the compositor. In this case, I put the shadow catcher on a different layer that had the layers that my cars were on as a mask layer. Enable the environment pass for one of the layers so you can get the HDRI in the compositor.
Here is a possible compositor node setup (note that I just made this so that it looks right to me, this is not technically "correct"). In this case, I gave the lefthand value of the compositor a slightly bluish tint as well as making it brighter (of course) to change the shadow color.
answered Apr 28 '18 at 2:36
6,40322 gold badges1515 silver badges5555 bronze badges
$\begingroup$ Unfortunately this method is very limited and will provide only black shadows, no color bleed. You should also include the negatives in the answer so it does not seem equivalent. For someone it may work, but this does not produce correct result in general. $\endgroup$ – Jaroslav Jerryno Novotny Apr 28 '18 at 13:31
$\begingroup$ @JaroslavJerrynoNovotny I've played around with it some more and edited my answer... $\endgroup$ – JakeD Apr 28 '18 at 14:18
Divide objects into 2 scene layers, move actors (Suzanne) onto layer 1, move backgrounds onto second layer, place lights into both of them.
Setup 3 render layers - First for layer 1, second for layer 2 and third for layer 2 with layer 1 excluded:
Render it with transparent bacgrounds, it will produce results like this:
In compositor divide render layer 2 (BG_With_Shadow) with 3 (BG_Clean) - you now have a shadow to multiply over your backdrop and layer 1 to composite into backdrop:
answered Dec 10 '14 at 7:53
$\begingroup$ Instead of the Subtract node, I recommend the Divide Node. The goal is to multiply the result with any image: So bg_with_shadow needs to be divided by bg_clean to get the factor, bg_clean needs to be multiplied with to get the bg_with_shadow version. $\endgroup$ – Random Citizen Feb 7 '17 at 21:47
$\begingroup$ @RandomCitizen Yep you are right. Divide is not only recommended it is needed, the subtract-invert math is wrong. Thanks for pointing this out. $\endgroup$ – Jaroslav Jerryno Novotny Feb 7 '17 at 22:17
$\begingroup$ I tried this, and instead of getting white I got gray. The solution was using Default view in color management. I suspect the log color of filmic is to blame, but I don't know enough to have filmic and true shadow catching for now. Edit: I was using photoshop to composite the shadow and object (for a class) and was noting that the grey was affecting the whole image from a multiplication blending perspective. The visual grey was indeed grey to photoshop. Using EXR's solved my problem and I was able to use filmic. $\endgroup$ – Boris N Feb 22 at 22:37
$\begingroup$ @BorisN please ask this as a question and post your own answer. Others with a similar issue can benefit from your experience, and you can also get other answers on the same topic. $\endgroup$ – cegaton Feb 22 at 23:56
One little idea: use built-in camera tracking. Then scene will be prepared for you by Blender. This is, I think, the simplest way. Maybe it won't work in your case, I don't know!
Camera tracking in blender has the ability to set up the scene. Then it writes everything you need into the composer, and just by creating the ground plane and extruding it, you should receive the result of shadow catcher. Basically, the ground plane in camera tracking is the shadow catcher.
edited Mar 25 at 14:59
answered Mar 25 at 14:45
Богдан ОпирБогдан Опир
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged cycles materials compositor or ask your own question.
Change things between render layers?
Material that shows only shadows in rendering
Shadow catcher problem?
render only the shadows in Cycles
How do I make a pure white plane that receives shadows?
How to make material like shadow catcher, but for reflection(not shadow)?

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text:
Patent US6055057 - Method and apparatus for accurately sensing a light beam as it passes a ... - Google Patents
A method and apparatus for detecting a scanning light beam used for writing onto a media. A detector is disposed in the scanning path for sending a signal to a first amplifier. A second amplifier is provided for providing a feed back loop to the first amplifier so as to maintain the first amplifier a...http://www.google.com/patents/US6055057?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6055057 - Method and apparatus for accurately sensing a light beam as it passes a defined point
Publication number US6055057 A
Application number US 09/218,868
Also published as CN1261683A, DE69906026D1, DE69906026T2, EP1014146A2, EP1014146A3, EP1014146B1
Publication number 09218868, 218868, US 6055057 A, US 6055057A, US-A-6055057, US6055057 A, US6055057A
Inventors Jon L. Hoeft
Patent Citations (11), Referenced by (1), Classifications (7), Legal Events (7)
Method and apparatus for accurately sensing a light beam as it passes a defined point
US 6055057 A
1. A scanning apparatus having a scanning light beam which moves along a scan path for writing onto a media, comprising:
a detector disposed in said scan path;
a first amplifier having a negative input, a positive input and an output, the output of the detector being connected to the negative input of said first amplifier;
a second amplifier having a negative input, a positive input and an output, the output of said second amplifier being connected to the positive input of said first amplifier, said second amplifier providing an output to said first amplifier such that said first amplifier is forced to a predetermined value when no signal is being produced by the photo diode; and
a time delay circuit provided between the output of said second amplifier and the positive input of said first amplifier for delaying the signal from said second amplifier to said positive input of said first amplifier.
2. A scanning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said time delay circuit comprises a capacitor and a resistor designed such that a signal produced by the detector will be passed through the first amplifier long before the response of the second amplifier can take effect.
6. A scanning apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a third amplifier having a negative input, a positive input and an output, the output of the second detector being connected to the negative input of said third amplifier;
a fourth amplifier having a negative input, a positive input and an output, the output of said fourth amplifier being connected to the positive input of said third amplifier; and
a second time delay circuit provided between the output of said fourth amplifier and the positive input of said third amplifier for delaying the signal from said fourth amplifier to said positive input of said first amplifier.
7. A method for monitoring when a scanning light beam crosses a predetermined point in a scan path, said monitoring circuit comprising a detector placed in the path of the scanning beam at a predetermined point and an amplifier having a negative input, a positive input and an output, the output of the detector being connected to the negative input, comprising the step of:
providing a feedback loop to said amplifier such that the output of the amplifier is forced to a predetermined value when no signal is being produced by the photodiode.
8. A method according to claim 7 wherein said feedback loop comprises providing a second amplifier which provides an output to the input of the first amplifier.
US4492858 * Jun 7, 1982 Jan 8, 1985 Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. Photometric circuit having a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements capable of being selectively enabled for photometry
US5748303 * Dec 31, 1996 May 5, 1998 Intel Corporation Light sensing device
U.S. Classification 356/629
International Classification B41J2/44, H04N1/04, G01D5/26
Cooperative Classification G01D5/26, H04N2201/046
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:HOEFT, JON L.;REEL/FRAME:009677/0065

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text:
BBC News - Father and daughter in Havant barbecue fire
Father and daughter in Havant barbecue fire
A Hampshire father and his three-year-old daughter were taken to hospital with burns after petrol was used on a barbecue.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service received a call at 15:51 BST on Friday to a house in Wildmoor Walk, West Leigh, Havant.
The pair suffered from burns to their arms and legs. Watch manager Craig Sadler said the consequences could have been "catastrophic".
He added: "You should never use any kind of accelerant when cooking on a barbecue.
"Not only can the fire quickly spread causing damage to your property, more importantly the out-of-control fire can put people at risk of getting burnt."
Heart Radio Two Injured After Petrol Poured On BBQ 64 hrs ago
Capital Radio Two Hurt After Petrol Poured On BBQ 65 hrs ago
Portsmouth News Warm Weather Sparks Safety Advice After Garden Fire In Waterlooville 65 hrs ago
AboutMyArea Hampshire Fire and Rescue Urges Barbecue Safety After Accident in Havant (PO6) 67 hrs ago
Driver, 18, dies as car hits tree
6: Inside a Maoist forest hideout Watch
8: Boston amputee: 'I will dance again' Watch

value: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the national broadcaster of the United Kingdom. Headquartered at Broadcasting House in  London, it is the world's oldest national broadcaster, and the largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees, employing over 22,000 staff in total, of whom approximately 19,000 are in public-sector broadcasting.