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This is our newest iteration of the SparkFun Inventor’s Kit (SIK) Carrying Case. This spiffy carrying case was designed by our very own Ministry of Machines (designer of the S.H.O.V.E.L.) and features seven separate compartments under a translucent snap-in latch lid. The underside of the box has a translucent snap-in latch lid as well, with an additional three compartments, where you can put user manuals, documents, and even more parts!\n\n
These are great carrying cases for taking your prototyping project on the run.\n\n | {
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Proximity to mouthpieceObviously, the proximity between my mouth and the mouthpiece is a major factor for both the dynamic of air sounds, and the amount of pitch/resonance the instrument gives back. Many consonants I'd execute away from the mouthpiece, but the interesting states really occur when I'm either directing all of my air into the mouthpiece, or I'm a few centimeters away from it. I'll put up some audio of both, but with blowing a focused air stream straight down the mouthpiece, I can effectively get "pitched air" - the chimera of brass technique that should be impossible. It isn't loud at all, but with mics it could be interesting. This always sounds a half step above the fundamental. I can affect the bandpass of the air with fricative changes, but this is how the resonance of the instrument kind of feeds back.
Direction of air streamThis parameter is much more subtle, and really is only intelligible/useful at low dynamics or low effort levels. So I mentioned how I can blow straight into the mouthpiece - while I'm in this position a little removed from the mouthpiece, I can essentially control where I direct my air. Moving it to either side of the mouthpiece (gradually!) increases or decreases the amount of pitch in the sound without affecting the overall dynamic of the air sound. It would be different if there is a bell-front microphone, since blowing on to the rim will have less air going through the instrument, but that also could be interesting because it's moving sound in and out of the amplified area...
Format/Sibilant/FricativeThese are standard - any of the sustained fricatives work really well with the instrument. Same with low-to-high filtering of air using vowel formants. Recently, I've figured out a way to get a really present and harsh white noise sound, involving a very compressed "chhhhhhh" mouth shape, in the audio below.
Flutter-airThis one I've been rather fond of recently. Since the rolled R (or at least my rolled R) is just fast enough to generate a pitch (around 12-15hz), when using the fluttertongue with only air, I can essentially generate a very quiet subbass tone underneath the delicate airstream. It's something that doesn't get picked up in recordings well, but when I do it in a room, the feeling of the room totally changes due to the slight intrusion of the frequency. Unfortunately I can't hold it for very long (maybe 8" maximum, or 15" if I mainly just roll the tongue with minimal air), but it's a really nice sound regardless. I can speed or slow down the air, altering both dynamics and the friction of the flutter. Again, it's super subtle, so you probably wouldn't perceive it unless this is the only thing that's going on texturally. | {
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Union Pacific assigns No. 844 to lead Little Rock Express
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Union Pacific 4-8-4 No. 844 storms past Mansfield, Texas, on April 10, 2010. The engine will visit Missouri and Arkansas as part of the Little Rock Express this summer.
Christopher Palmieri
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific will send 4-8-4 steam locomotive No. 844 to Arkansas this year at the head of its “Little Rock Express” tour, the railroad has announced. Earlier plans had called for UP’s other steam locomotive, No. 3985, to lead, but the railroad changed its mind because 3985 had visited Missouri last fall.
No. 844 is to depart Cheyenne, Wyo., May 27, with the trip concluding June 9 after a display at North Little Rock, Ark. Overnight stops will be in North Platte, Neb.; Marysville and Coffeyville, Kan.; Kansas City, Jefferson City, St. Louis, and Cape Girardeau, Mo.; Bald Knob, North Little Rock, and Van Buren, Ark.; and Omaha, Neb. Public displays will take place on the return trip at Kansas City, Jefferson City, St. Louis, Cape Girardeau, Bald Knob, Little Rock, and Omaha.
Full details of the schedule will be available at UP’s website April 27. | {
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musings from a transcendent dimension
The Intensity of her Gaze
Recently, there was a man from China who was suing a popular television host, because over the weeks and months and maybe even years that he was watching her program, he believed that the intensity of her gaze on him was causing irreversible “spiritual damage.” Imagine that. I would so love to be in the presence of a being whose gaze was so powerful it could cause “spiritual damage.” This got me to thinking – what would such a being actually be like? I imagine her to be an incredibly divine being. She would have to be an entity with eyes so fierce, they will shatter the outermost layers of your soul, and thereby utterly obliterate all that is false in you. From her eyes would be a seeing that emanates from the beating heart of loving omnipotence. One that was so intense, it would instantaneously dissolve your divine dissatisfaction, and render it the most fleeting of memories. There might even be a hint of sadness there, born of the knowledge that all are not yet free of suffering. Yet, despite the fierceness in her eyes, there is also an infinite softness. I would definitely take the risk. I think the litigant was not sufficiently evolved to receive this power. It’s entirely his fault. Only lesser beings suffer the spiritual damage. He should have been warned that he was soon going to be in the presence of a transcendent being, so that he could have made ready his vehicle through rigorous and intense preparations.
There would have to be a period of intense purification, where you got rid of all that was false within you. It would have been worth it, because if you survive the spiritual damage, you would receive energetic transmissions of incalculable importance. These transmissions would be of great knowing and power. This being, let’s call her the Goddess, is probably an incarnation of strange cosmic energies from beyond the edge of the galaxy. She is conventionally beautiful, but her inner beauty outshines that of her outer appearance. So, you move on to your first lesson: you find yourself crawling to the edge of a great sprawling desert on an almost forgotten continent. There, you find yourself be a supplicant to a wizened mystic and you have to be absolutely willing to be his apprentice for a period of not less than 18 years.
You are going to find yourself staining your teeth ochre with a peculiar variety of betel nut, and ingest their mind-altering power. This holy madman will initiate you into the esoteric mysteries of creation. These mysteries have been lost for untold eons, but recently unearthed by some construction workers building a condominium for a well known North American billionaire. Then, you jet to Nepal to be instructed by a guru well respected in that part of the world and no stranger to great spiritual challenges. This woman has a gaze that is also quite intense, although not nearly to the same degree as the Goddess. She is an interim step on your ultimate journey to be consumed by a power beyond imagining. She will gradually work on your soul, emptying out all of the garbage and the dreck to get it ready for to be a receptacle for the transcendent energies that will present themselves at your final destination.
So, you travel quickly to the most remote part of India, where you encounter a dreamlike Bodhi tree. In this exceedingly strange territory, you will be expertly tutored by this sacred being that is rumored to exist in so many different dimensions of reality at once. This it is a concept almost incomprehensible to the mortal mind. The being is a direct descendant of the tree under which the Buddha sat and attained enlightenment. It is a plant with ancient overreaching branches and it seemingly wants to touch the sky, and to absorb the celestial radiance contained within it. It is also strangely luminous at night. This light is softly omniscient. This inner luminescence is rumored to impart knowledge to initiates such as you, because it has seen so much suffering throughout its thousand year life span, and has learned so much from this suffering. It will now impart to you all of its collected wisdom. This will serve you well when you enter Her presence. The tree is your attentive guide as you travel through the ethereal landscapes. It projects an otherworldly light, filling you with a joy beyond reason. This joy takes the form of a boundless bliss. This is the only lesson she wants to teach you. But when you have boundless joy, what more do you need? Nothing else, really. This might be sufficient, but just in case let’s have a few more lessons.
Now, steep yourself in the arcane mysteries of creation here. Because besides the tree, there are other beings in this part of the universe willing to help you learn what you need to know. One of these beings is an iridescent tortoise deity. You become one with him as he teaches you that spiritual qualities are best simmered in a stew of divine slowness. Slow down now…way down. Slow down your heartbeat until the deity puts you in a kind of death. In this state, neither really dead nor really alive, you peer into the ethereal realms beyond the veil of materiality. You die while still alive. You also die to the past. There are others here as well. By now you have spent decades on getting ready. Like a great spiritual warrior, you have put in your time, and finally, you are now in excellent spiritual shape. You have to be a fearless spiritual warrior even to be in her presence but even then, you are taking a risk because you could be utterly annihilated. The gravest danger is that your flimsy personality construct would be utterly destroyed and you will return to the luminescent ocean that is pure consciousness. You have hear intimiations that she possesses an infinite compassion that belies her outer ferocity.
But one thing you know for sure: she is an incredibly holy being. The Goddess is even more beautiful than you could have possibly imagined. She is the cosmos come radiantly alive in its most deeply feminine aspect. She is making you drunk with ecstasy. It’s amazing how strongly you lust for her. She will kiss you rapaciously, and you fear your soul will explode into a million glittering shards. Or perhaps, you will be translated in the twinkling of an eye into something entirely new on the evolutionary scale. You just don’t know. You peer into her eyes. And then you find yourself lovingly embrace her with a passion that would be erotic, if the word was not too vulgar for a being of her level of divinity. Are you ready? You wait for it. Wait for the destroying waves to utterly annihilate you. Alas, they do not come. The only reality for you are waves of pure love; pure consciousness from the powerful source of all creation. Your fears were for naught, because she does not really possess the ability to even slightly harm a fellow sentient being. It’s our weakness that is a product of human frailty that causes the harm. The damage is caused by our unwillingness to surrender to the mysterious power that gave rise to the universe. Because if we surrender, nothing is damaged and all is restored to its original splendor.
Finally, you find yourself home, and the karmic cycle has stopped. You have arrived back at the source of all energy.You can hop off the roller coaster now. Get off the ride. You have assimilated back into the Godhood. You now become one with the cosmos, and you no longer have to endure endless reincarnations.This is the trajectory we are all on. We need to be fierce warriors to embark on this arduous odyssey. At times, it felt as though we would never make it. The litigant believed the being was evil. This was a gross misperception of her true nature. What he saw as evil was merely his own inability to withstand sacredness in its most visceral form, and the numinous intensity of her gaze. | {
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Watts It All About
Welcome to a fluid power blog focusing on best practices, energy efficiency, and safety. The goal is to stimulate (not simulate) thinking, share knowledge, and promote professionalism. We welcome your comments as we share ideas, yours and mine.
Dan Helgerson, CFPAI, CFPS, sits on the International Fluid Power Society Board of Directors as treasurer and is the technical editor for Fluid Power Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].
Fluid power has become a vital component in our ability to perform work: it harvests our crops, takes our waste to the landfill, moves the landing gear, entertains and protects us, and all with a power density and flexibility that is unmatched in any other power transfer system. However, when it comes to efficiency, fluid […]
Fluid power has become a vital component in our ability to perform work: it harvests our crops, takes our waste to the landfill, moves the landing gear, entertains and protects us, and all with a power density and flexibility that is unmatched in any other power transfer system. However, when it comes to efficiency, fluid […]
Fluid power has become a vital component in our ability to perform work: it harvests our crops, takes our waste to the landfill, moves the landing gear, entertains and protects us, and all with a power density and flexibility that is unmatched in any other power transfer system. However, when it comes to efficiency, fluid […]
Fluid power has become a vital component in our ability to perform work: it harvests our crops, takes our waste to the landfill, moves the landing gear, entertains and protects us, and all with a power density and flexibility that is unmatched in any other power transfer system. However, when it comes to efficiency, fluid […]
Fluid power has become a vital component in our ability to perform work: it harvests our crops, takes our waste to the landfill, moves the landing gear, entertains and protects us, and all with a power density and flexibility that is unmatched in any other power transfer system. However, when it comes to efficiency, fluid […]
Fluid power has become a vital component in our ability to perform work: it harvests our crops, takes our waste to the landfill, moves the landing gear, entertains and protects us, and all with a power density and flexibility that is unmatched in any other power transfer system. However, when it comes to efficiency, fluid […]
I need a volunteer. Ok, you with the shirt that has the official International Fluid Power Society logo on it; go to your stack of Fluid Power Journal magazines and get the March/April 2009 issue. It’s the one with the picture of an excavator on the cover and really interesting article about Biohydraulic Oils. Yes, […]
It is well known within the Fluid Power Industry that the primary cause of failure in Fluid Power Systems is contamination. So, how do you know if your fluid is clean? I went to see a customer to find out why his hydraulic gear pumps were failing so quickly. I had opened up his pumps […] | {
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Pigmentation Problems – Things To Avoid
If you suffer from irregular pigmentation, avoid sun exposure, as pigmentation problems are most commonly caused by sun damage. Pigmentation problems such as freckles, sun spots and other irregularities are caused by prolonged exposure to the sun as a result of the sun’s UV rays. Avoid the sun between 10am and 3pm, as these hours present the most risk of harmful UV exposure. If you need to go into the sun, dermatologists recommend the use of broad-spectrum UVA/UVB SPF30+ sunscreen, which you should reapply regularly. Avoid tanning salons, as the use of tanning beds will have similar consequences to natural sun exposure. If you have recently had microdermabrasion, laser treatment, IPL therapy, LED light therapy or chemical peels, be extra careful to avoid sun exposure. These treatments heighten your risk of pigmentation problems occurring due to sun damage. Allow time for the layers of you skin to heal before risking sun exposure.
Avoid using products that might irritate the skin, such as products containing fragrance, dye alcohol and lanolin. Avoid using abrasive cleansers that can irritate the skin and make the skin more susceptible to discoloration problems. Some people find that exfoliates work well to overcome pigmentation problems, but be aware that everybody’s skin reacts differently, and if you notice skin irritation, discontinue use of the product to blame. Avoid using bleaching creams that contain chemicals such as hydroquinone, alpha-hydroxy acids and tretinon to treat your pigmentation problems. While they are marketed very well, these creams can be harmful to your skin and may result in further pigmentation problems. Avoid any products containing mercury or steroids.
Some medical treatments for other conditions may affect your skin coloration. A product containing cortisol, for example, which is used to treat skin complaints such as eczema, have been known to bleach the skin – this is known as hypopigmentation. Before beginning any new medication, discuss your concerns with your physician or pharmacist to ensure that the treatment will not cause unwanted skin pigmentation. If you are currently using medication it might pay to consult a professional to ensure the medication does not have side effects for the pigmentation of your skin. | {
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North American Wildlife
#T-1801
Theme: For those who appreciate the outdoors. The memo pad contains the highly regarded "Wright's Guide" to the best fishing days, while the "Seasonal Notes" are perfect for planning outdoor activities in advance. | {
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Thursday, December 9, 2010
SDTF is sponsoring the local design team: SUITE-WA a newly formed collaborative design team in Everett, WA. The group's organizer, Gary Purves, states their goal is to develop a fully landscaped architectural model and competition entry by the Feb. 1 deadline. The urban redesign encompasses a six block area of Everett’s downtown core and will reflect the vision of the International Living Building Institute and partner organization: The National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The project design will incorporate a suite of design solutions including:
pedestrian aligned mixed-use development
captured precipitation for a net-zero water community
on-site waste-water treatment and renewable energy systems
an integrated urban agricultural element
A regional light rail system and local circulating trolleys will ensure equal access and mobility for all citizens and enable a car-free community.
The competition’s intention is for design teams to imagine a living city as it might appear twenty five years in the future, an urban fabric of living and open space that celebrates nature and our innate attraction to natural elements: our biophilia.
The proposed built environment will reflect this imperative through inclusion of a variety of environmental features, natural patterns and place-based relationships, while beauty and spirit will inspire the team’s human scale design.
SUITE-WA needs to raise sufficient funds to cover the cost of the entry fee, materials and supplies for the project, printing fees, poster development, graphic illustration, and animation expenses. Those interested in assisting with in-kind donations to fulfill some of these needs should contact Gary at [email protected] without delay.
Interested in assisting with fundraising, or would like to offer financial support, mail your tax-deductible donation to SDTF @ PO Box 844 Everett, WA. 98206. Please forward this article to others who would be interested in supporting SUITE-WA in the Design Competition. Questions or for more information call 425-422-5656
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Please join the staff and friends of the Cascade Land Conservancy as they celebrate the season and say thank you to all. Bring a friend, peer or colleague! This is a great opportunity to introduce new faces to Cascade Land Conservancy. Come meet members of their staff, Trustees, Board of Directors and current volunteers.
In 2000, Karen and Warner began renovation of the church for their studios and moved in that summer (from Seattle). Both the home and the renovated church interior were open for the fall home tour that year.
Cheri O'BrienCheri O’Brien is a Pacific Northwest native currently residing and painting in the Historic SoLo district of Everett. She is a self-taught professional artist of twenty one years continually inspired by her many muses, both real and imagined.
Lisa J. Spreackeris well known for her assemblage and collage work, creating enigmatic icons of personal stories that viewers can relate to with their own experiences. She uses her original poetry, photography, bead work, found objects and her framing skills to create one of a kind intimate works of art.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Carbon Masters and Sustainable Works invites you and that friend that you plan to bring, to the October Green Drinks in Snohomish County at the Charter Club at Point Edwards.
Carbon Masters is a new program of WSU Snohomish Extension which trains concerned citizens in all matters related to Climate Change, Energy Conservation and Community Outreach. Participants exchange 50 hours of professional training for a 70 hour minimum volunteer service commitment over the course of one year. Carbon Masters program is beginning October 6th and there is still time to register
Sustainable Works is a community-based non-profit created solely to help home and small commercial building owners with home retrofits to reduce energy use while also creating quality jobs, and they are embarking in a big Fall Campaign in Edmonds and Lynnwood to offer subsidized home energy audits and weatherization.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Make a plan to meet other like minded sustainability thinkers at Green Drinkers from 5 to 7pm, Wed. September 8th.Alina Bartell of Natural Clothing Company invites you to connect with others while you explore organic clothing for the whole family made with natural fibers: hemp, certified organic cotton, bamboo.
Learn more about the fibers "you should" be wearing next to your skin. Feel free to request specific samples to be brought, email Alina [email protected].
Java Inn owned by Karen Everest is an award winning specialty coffee roaster with many organic, shade grown coffees. Come and sample how good organic coffee can be in her new location in the Todo Mexico building in Snohomish.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Innovative Landscape Technologies is our host for the August 11th, Green Drinks offering a wide range of services for site management and design. Using the ever-evolving 'Low Impact Development' (LID) technologies in new ways. They combine solutions to optimize performance and reduce negative impacts on sites.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
In celebration of the 3rd Anniversary of GreenDrinks Snohomish County, Greening Properties of Everett will host at the Historic Anchor Tavern. Greening Properties was the first host of GreenDrinks and the first real estate company in our county devoted to fostering and promoting the concept of sustainable development.
Join us as we look back at some of the success stories in our region and forward to some exciting prospects for the future. print your invitation
Monday, April 5, 2010
Come join Anne Dottai and the folks at Grilla Bites for their 2nd Anniversary where people have discovered a haven for locally grown, sustainably produced food and beverages - especially appealing for those with food sensitivities.
From 5-7pm 1020 1st St., Snohomish, WA. 98290Directions 360-568-7333
Environmentally stimulating surroundings the benches are salvaged church pews and the beautiful fir bead board you see lining the organic salad bar are also a Second Use find. Anne has taken the “green” concept beyond what even the most environmentally friendly business has. She uses an energy- efficient water heater, biodegradable utensils, and all locally grown produce.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
At Wednesday evening’s Everett City Council meeting, Steve Winter of Tethys Enterprises unveiled before the public his company’s proposal to start up a bottled beverage company in North Everett. Winter described the proposed facility as “environmentally responsible” which would utilize fully compostable bio-degradable plastic bottles.
“This plant will position Everett as the global leader in environmentally responsible beverage manufacturing and distribution,” Winter said.
The proposed 1 million square foot facility could create up to 1,000 jobs with a projected payroll of over $61 million.
“We have a great opportunity to have a very clean industry,” commented Mayor Ray Stephanson on Wednesday.
The resources and infrastructure in Everett make it an attractive location for the Tethys business model. Everett possesses two assets that Tethys needs in particular; water and a railway. As an alternative to the traditional beverage model of truck transport for distribution, Tethys plans on utilizing the railway to move their product.
The presentation at City Council on Wednesday was a workshop format, for informational purposes, without a council vote, which could eventually come as soon as the end of March.
One topic that sparked discussion was the city’s water resources. The Tethys operation would require 5 million gallons of untreated water a day. Tim Benedict of the City Attorney’s office explained at the City Council meeting that there are four water transmission lines flowing into Everett. The #4 line runs parallel to the US 2 Trestle and follows Pacific Avenue, carrying untreated water for industrial use to Kimberly-Clark. The maximum flow of the #4 water line is 50 million gallons a day. Kimberly-Clark uses an average of 27 million gallons of water a day or 40 million on peak days. Tethys would pay the City of Everett “the going rate” for water usage, according to Benedict. Councilwoman Brenda Stonecipher raised concerns about the City’s water obligations to Tethys during times of draught. Benedict explained that the agreement would allow the City to reduce its supply of water to Tethys in such an event.
Another topic of discussion was the location of the proposed beverage plant. Although no site has been publicly announced yet, “North Everett” is the target. During Benedict’s presentation to the council, he pointed to a map and outlined the north eastern edge of Everett along the Snohomish River as possible area of location. The more desirable locations would be closer to the #4 water transmission line.
So, what kind of drinks will be produced with 5 million gallons a day of Cascade Mountain water?
“It will be anything from brewed teas and coffees, to sodas and bottled water,” Winter said. Tethys Enterprises is a new private venture, but Steve Winter is a life long resident of Snohomish County, having served as the COO of Intermec.
Everett City Council will announce at what future meeting this proposal will be discussed, read, and voted upon.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Located next to the Everett Public Library, Skotdal Real Estate's newest mixed-use residential/retail project represents an “urban living” model that puts people within walking distance of places to work, shop and play.
Additionally, it is transit oriented, has outlets for electric cars and plenty of bike storage - the units are highly energy efficient and many of the building materials were made from recyclable substances.
We are excited that Sean Staub of Skotdal Real Estate has agreed to be our host.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Jacqueline Powers ofPowers Design Company who has 20 years experience in interior design has recently released a self published book about "green remodeling". The book is designed to be used as a workbook for individuals to use when doing their own "green remodel". Jacqueline will be at Elliot Bay Books in Seattle at 7pm on Jan. 20th. Speaking about sustainable remodeling and my book. The book is available for $19.95 in Everett at Apothecary in Thyme or at the Edmonds Book Store in Edmonds. To get your copy or to find out more call 425-771-7715 or e-mail [email protected].
Founded nearly 25 years ago, Rice Group has been providing support and design services for architects and contractors in many regions of the country. Specializing in mechanical consulting services including HVAC, plumbing, medical gas and process piping design as well as energy conservation including Energy Code Compliance and training, LEED® and Built Green® evaluation and participation, construction administration, value engineering, feasibility and constructability review and life cycle cost analysis. | {
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Pages
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Cover Reveal- Blood Rose by Margie Orford
Hello again, everyone! We have another cover reveal post for today, brought to you by Litearti Author Servies again. Oh, how I love helping revealing book covers! So let's get on to the post that's in store for you.
“Margie Orford has nailed it...wonderfully crafted and fully engrossing.” - Michael Connelly
Walvis Bay is a depressed and isolated port on the edge of the Namib Desert. Corrupt and claustrophobic, its shifting population is made of transients and vagabonds-people with no future and no past. When it seems a methodical serial killer may be working undetected in this pit of darkness and desperation, police profiler Dr. Clare Hart is brought in to investigate. With her personal life in shambles, Clare is initially happy for the distraction, until it becomes clear that her own life - and the lives of others - are at stake.
This enthralling procedural is perfect for fans of Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs.
The gruesome murder of a homeless teenage boy suggests a methodical serial killer is at work in Walvis Bay, a depressed port, isolated in the vast sweep of the Namib Desert. It is a corrupt, claustrophobic place with a shifting population of people who came here only because they had to. Sent to profile the possible killer is police profiler and investigative journalist Dr Clare Hart. Working with Tamar Damases, the woman who heads up the town's Murder Unit, Clare is glad for the distraction. Until a few days ago, her budding relationship with Captain Riedwaan Faizal seemed to be going very well indeed - but she knows she is not the only woman in his life - As the two women trace older crimes that may be related to the recent killings, they soon realise that nothing is as it seems. And as Riedwaan comes to join Clare, to help with the investigation and to try to salvage their relationship, it soon becomes clear that it is more than just their feelings that is in danger. In fact their lives - and the lives of others - are now at stake.
MARGIE ORFORD is an award-winning journalist who has been dubbed the Queen of South African Crime Fiction. Her novels have been translated into nine languages. She was born in London and grew up in Namibia. A Fulbright Scholar, she was educated in South Africa and the United States. She is Executive Vice-President of South African PEN, the patron of Rape Crisis and of the children’s book charity, the Little Hands Trust. She lives in Cape Town. The entire Clare Hart series is forthcoming from Witness. | {
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Carba-XP use while Breastfeeding
Important: Carba-XP is a drug containing multiple ingredients. Please check each of the links below, where breastfeeding (lactation) information is available. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional judgment. Always consult your physician. | {
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A Website Dedicated to Northrop Frye
Frye Festival Post Coming
It’s a long day today: CBC interview at 6 am, a panel at noon, and then visits to two high schools after that.
However, I am pulling together a post on yesterday’s events, which I will put up as soon as I can finish it.
Until then, thanks very much to the people who came out to the Navigator’s Pub last night; thanks also for your wonderful questions and the great discussion that followed. Finally, thanks to the organizers who set the talk at the Nav’s. The result of the experience is that from now on I will only speak at drinking establishments. | {
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September 25, 2012
Bad Ideas Never Die, They Just Recirculate in the UN
As the U.N. General Assembly convenes this week in New York, several leaders of mostly Muslim nations are suggesting that the world body consider sanctions on blasphemy, amid widespread protests against an amateur movie that denigrates Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.
And who is leading the charge? Turkey's "moderate" Islamist leader:
“I am the prime minister of a nation, of which most are Muslims, that has declared anti-Semitism a crime against humanity. But the West hasn’t recognized Islamophobia as a crime against humanity. It has encouraged it,” Mr. Erdogan told reporters last week.
Turkey heads the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a body of 57 nations, which has long pushed for a U.N. resolution condemning the “defamation of religion.”
I don't like laws outlawing anti-Semetism. But at least there's a basis for them in recent history. Unlike "Islamophobia" which has killed so few people that you'd really have to look long and hard to find an actual victim. | {
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Daily Archives: October 22, 2010
Aaron Murray, Georgia-I used redshirt frosh Murray a couple of weeks ago against Tennessee and called for him to have a career day and he had 266 yds (68%) with a 2-0 ratio and added 41 rush yds (5.9) and 2 TD’s. The Bulldogs and Murray had 4 straight losses w/out WR AJ Green at full health but have outscored their last two opp’s by a combined 84-14 with him 100%. This week Murray faces a Kentucky pass defense that is drained from the come-from-behind win against South Carolina and I look for Murray to keep putting up solid numbers and he gets the Bulldogs back to .500. Murray is a surprise pick with the fact that he is only a frosh and Kentucky is off a huge upset over South Carolina last week.
It turns out that with no fanfare at all, Tennessee terminated Bruce Pearl’s employment contract in the wake of the NCAA letter of inquiry being issued in connection with several of Pearl’s recruiting practices. If you haven’t seen Mike Hamilton’s termination letter, take a minute to read it. It’s a doozy.
In light of the harsh terms contained in the letter, many people now wonder why Pearl hasn’t been completely dismissed from the program. In fact, things are proceeding in the opposite direction.
Tennessee men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl has worked without a formal contract for more than a month, but his boss said both sides are “in the process of finalizing” a new contract.
According to athletic director Mike Hamilton, the coach has been working under a “letter of appointment” since Sept. 9. Hamilton said he sent the proposed new contract to Pearl and his lawyers on Oct. 8, and the sides have since been working to complete the deal.
“We’ve made the decision — and Bruce knows it — that he’s our coach, and this is just a part of the formal process to get him back under the new contract with the new terms,” Hamilton said Thursday night. “Technically, he violated the terms of the previous contract, so that contract had to be terminated. There was a new contract [needed] as a result of that.”
“Technically, he violated the terms of the previous contract” has such an innocuous ring to it, doesn’t it?
I think about this in recalling something Pearl said when Junior was busy getting under everyone’s skin.
… During a Wednesday meeting, SEC commissioner Mike Slive intends to implement the Kiffin Rule. In other words, telling his coaches to stop the bull—-.
Whatever happened to The Golden Rule?
“He’s playing you guys perfect,” Tennessee hoops coach Bruce Pearl said of Kiffin.
Pearl is the guy who advised Kiffin that it’s good to be hated. That means you’re doing something right in the SEC.
“My goal was to be the least popular coach in the SEC in a year,” Pearl said. “He managed to do it in a week.
“I know one of the biggest problems when I took over was the players didn’t believe. What I’m saying is, your coach better believe. He’s got something different … I get him. I get him in the sense that, look at how they’re recruiting. You have to do that with a certain confidence and a certain swagger. He’s probably said some things that other people were probably afraid to say. I truly believe he’s misunderstood.
“There’s nothing to dislike about him.”
Again, what does a coach have to do to get on Mike Hamilton’s bad side? And how does Hamilton still have a job at UT?
I think it’s fair to say we’ve been a bit envious of Florida’s special teams play – and the pride Gator players have taken in that area – in seasons past. So this sounds like a recent development that we should take heart over:
… Georgia has some of the best special teams in the Southeastern Conference and part of the reason is the wealth of starters who want to contribute and have a chance to earn extra stickers on their helmets.
“Special teams isn’t emphasized enough as far as the fans go, but coach (Mark) Richt wants the best guys out there,” Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray said. “Those guys get rewarded. If you play special teams, you get more bones on your helmet and this and that. Now we’ve got starters wanting to get out there and play special teams.”
Front-line defensive players are among the most eager volunteers, and helmet stickers have a lot to do with it.
Standards for earning dog bones on defense are a little different than on special teams.
“If I didn’t play special teams, I wouldn’t have half the dog bones that I have now,” Georgia cornerback Sanders Commings said. “There’s more opportunities for dog bones. To get dog bones on defense, you have to make a tackle. But on special teams, you don’t have to make a tackle. You cover your responsibility, you get a bone.”
With last night’s evisceration (and if you want to see an amazing stat, check out the time of possession numbers from the game: has a team ever lost a game by 47 points before while running up a 17-minute advantage in TOP?) in mind, this is a timely article on the rise of running quarterbacks and the success of the zone-read option play in college football.
The stats show that we’ve entered a new era of offense.
… Four of the nation’s top 18 rushers in the Football Bowl Subdivision — Robinson, Martinez, Newton and Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick — are quarterbacks.
Robinson leads the nation with 1,096 yards rushing in seven games. To put that in perspective, Nebraska’s Eric Crouch ran for 1,115 yards overall on his way to the Heisman Trophy in 2001. Robinson already has run for more yards this season than Vince Young, Tim Tebow, Michael Vick and Tommie Frazier gained in any season during their storied careers and he’s closing in on the single-season record for yards rushing in a season by a quarterback (Air Force’s Beau Morgan had 1,494 yards in 11 games in 1996).
But it’s not just the big-name quarterbacks who are gouging defenses with their legs.
According to STATS LLC, quarterbacks have accounted for 15 percent of all rushing yardage in the FBS this season. That’s the highest total in the past 15 years. As recently as 2006, quarterbacks accounted for just 8.9 percent of the yards rushing. In 1996, that total was just 5.3 percent.
Quarterbacks have rushed for more than 18,700 yards this season — already more than in any entire season between 1996 and 2000. In all, 16 quarterbacks rank in the top 100 nationally in net rushing yardage. If that holds up, it will by far be the highest total of the past 10 years…
It will be interesting to see how defenses adapt. Judging from Oregon’s play last night, they’ve got their work cut out for them.
There’s no question that, as of today, Cam Newton is the SEC player of the year. But John Pennington makes a good case that no player in the conference is more valuable to his team than is Aaron Murray.
… Georgia’s redshirt freshman quarterback Murray might be the breakout player of the year in the SEC. Yes, Carolina’s Lattimore has looked tremendous, but Murray has flashed potential greatness, too. And the quarterback position is tougher to play than the running back position. Murray’s passer rating is good, he’s proven to be very mobile, and he ranks high in 4th quarter passing, too (a stat we showed you yesterday). If he continues to progress, Murray looks to be a future All-SEC quarterback, if not better.
It should be obvious that I’m a sucker for Animal House references, so this rebuttal to Dan Wetzel’s Death to the BCS has the schwing! factor going for me when I read this:
… But if you’re Doug Neidermeyer and Greg Marmalard in the BCS’ Omega Theta Pi, as opposed to Pinto and Flounder in the non-BCS Delta house, you’re looking at a big pile of cash.
Grab a playoff - it don't cost nothin'.
Seriously, though, the article highlights the money side – the haves vs. the have-nots side, that is – of the football postseason debate in a succinct manner. And while there’s little doubt that a 16-team March Madness-styled football playoff would be a real Boon (see what I did there?) for the mid-majors, there’s too much money at stake for the big boys to risk making major changes.
Too much regular season money, I mean. How much? This much:
… Take the Southeastern Conference. The SEC is the premier conference in terms of BCS Championship trophies. It just distributed $209 million to its 12 members for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, a tidy $17.3 million each. About $150 million of that windfall came from football through TV contracts, bowl payouts, and the SEC Championship Game.
The SEC takes in up to $41 million in game ticket sales every week. According to the Birmingham Business Journal, South Carolina anticipates bringing in $16.5 million in ticket sales this year, while Florida raked in $16.8 million in 2009. School records show Florida’s football revenue jumped $7.2 million, to $61.3 million, after the Gators’ title in 2008.
Georgia averages $1.8 million to $2.9 million per game in ticket sales, and Tennessee, with a stadium that holds 102,455 screaming Vols fans, looked to collect $27 million in 2009 ticket sales.
Of course, that’s still not in the NFL’s league. So far in the 2010 season, with an average price of $76.5 x 15 games a week x average attendance of 67,695, that equals more than $77 million in weekly ticket revenue. But given that more than twice as many teams are in the NFL than in the SEC, the SEC is actually making more money per capita from ticket sales. [Emphasis added.]
When you’re making more money per sale than the NFL, that’s something you’re gonna be awfully reluctant to screw with. Even Greg Marmalard’s not that dumb.
Quote Of The Day
“I’m thrilled for this day to get here, and I’m excited to find out how a lot of these new guys learn. These practices are not easy, and the idea is to create adversity for your team and find out who your leaders are.” — Kirby Smart, Chattanooga Times Free Press, 8/1/17 | {
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B105 TODAYS BEST COUNTRY » illegalhttp://kkcb.com
Tue, 31 Mar 2015 21:20:39 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2http://kkcb.com/files/2011/10/logo.pngB105 TODAYS BEST COUNTRYhttp://kkcb.com
Senate Passes Synthetics Bill 64-0; Business Owners Selling Synthetic Drugs Will Face Jail Timehttp://kkcb.com/senate-passes-synthetics-bill-64-0-business-owners-selling-synthetic-drugs-will-face-jail-time/
http://kkcb.com/senate-passes-synthetics-bill-64-0-business-owners-selling-synthetic-drugs-will-face-jail-time/#commentsWed, 25 Apr 2012 00:32:38 +0000David Drewhttp://kkcb.com/?p=65529Continue reading…]]>I don't think anyone doubts that Governor Mark Dayton will sign this bill. Synthetic drugs have been targeted for awhile and I think this type of legislation will become standard. They key to this bill is that new chemicals can be added to the bill over time, so as new synthetics get created, they can quickly become illegal to sell. That means places like Duluth's Last Place On Earth may find it difficult to work around this bill and sell synthetics.
]]>http://kkcb.com/senate-passes-synthetics-bill-64-0-business-owners-selling-synthetic-drugs-will-face-jail-time/feed/0This bill will likely impact businesses like Last Place On Earth - Photo from Facebook | {
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“My mother spent some years dying hers and I remember her six-weekly trips to the hairdresser for touch ups – it was a commitment that I never saw me having.
“I think it’s so empowering to finally see more and more women of every age embrace their grey hair, but I can understand the nervousness around it in a society that’s largely obsessed with looking young.”
Harris is one of a group of silver-haired sirens who has worked with Dove to come up with 10 new shade names designed to prove that grey isn’t just one colour, from dark ‘Chrome Your Own Way’ to silvery ‘I Am Titanium’.
“Our hair colour is dependent on how much melanin each hair strand has,” explains Daniel Lynes, Dove lead stylist.
“As we get older, the pigment cells in our hair follicles, which make melanin, gradually die.
“When there are fewer pigment cells in a hair follicle, that strand of hair will no longer contain as much melanin and will become a more transparent colour — like grey, silver, or white — as it grows.”
The reason the shade of grey varies between each person is because it depends on how much melanin that person’s hair follicle has, Lynes says:
“Grey hairs occur when there is some still natural colour left in the hair. Once this colour has completely gone, the hair will turn white.”
Wherever you are on the spectrum, everyone wants their hair to look strong and healthy, and silver strands come with their own concerns, so it’s a good idea to consider how you’re looking after your crowning glory.
Here are five expert tips for how to get your grey hair looking its best…
1. Transition gradually
People can go grey hair at any age,” Lynes says. “This is mainly determined by our genes, however nutrition and health can also have a big impact.
“Caucasian hair seems to go grey earlier, however, on average most women in their 30s will start seeing a few grey hairs.”
Ready to embrace your greys? You don’t have to go cold turkey and ditch the dye over night.
“For those wanting to go natural, speak with your stylist about what works best for your hair.
“It may be adding highlights to break up the darker tones or you could go bold and cut it all off!”
2. Moisture is a must
“Silver hair can become quite dry and wiry, because it doesn’t hold moisture,” Lynes says. | {
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In the highly modern era, an upscale set up and unorganized lifestyles are just few of the reasons that we need a well-equipped lab and make sure it is apt worth all the necessities. You would need to pick on the most apt, accurate and potential solutions, supreme list of products and suppliers to choose from. From labs to equipment, supplies, services, pharma etc. the healthcare industry is on a bloom, therefore there is a huge demand of high quality, important and reliable products, solutions, in the medical stream of the country. End your search here and get the most potential and high quality standard products, suppliers, vendors and so much more. | {
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January promotional activity reflects EDLP emphasis
By
Consistent with Walmart’s drive toward every day low prices, January saw the company run fewer, but larger advertising inserts, according to the latest information from marketing intelligence firm Market Track. To see how Walmart’s advertising activity stacked up to other top retailers, click here. | {
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In addition to its global network of distribution partners, INDUCS has a longstanding relationship with Garland Commercial Range, a Manitowoc Foodservice company, which has marketed induction technology to the foodservice industry in North America for more than a decade.
Manitowoc will sell the induction products under the Garland brand to all of its global customers while INDUCS continues to serve its original equipment manufacturer customers and distribution partners. | {
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Bilberry is related to equally healthy berries like cranberry, blueberry, and huckleberry. It goes by many names like European blueberry, blaeberry, and whortleberry. It’s smaller than the usual blueberry you’re used to but tastes similarly. It is one of the richest sources of anthocyanins, polypphenolic components that give the fruit its black/blue color as well as its high antioxidant content, which is why it’s been used for centuries as both food and medicine.
List of known nutrients
Bilberries’ nutritional content includes the following:
Anthocyanosides
Bioflavonoids
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Medicinal uses for bilberry
Bilberry is a potential remedy for a variety of health problems. Its anthocyanoside content makes it an effective treatment for chronic venous insufficiency. It helps strengthen blood vessels and decrease pain, leg swelling, varicose veins, itching, and skin ulcers. It may also prevent plaque build-up in blood vessels, which can lead to heart attacks or stroke. At the same time, anthocyanosides help reduce the risk of blood clot formation.
There’s also evidence that bilberry may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The fruit contains quercetin, myriucetin, and anthocyanin-rich extracts that are found to have significant effects on minimizing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
It’s also good for the liver. Research has shown that bilberry extracts display inhibitory and radical scavenging activity helps reduce the concentration of nitric oxide in liver tissues. These extracts are also found to help prevent the development of certain cancers like breast cancer, colon cancer, and leukemia. Compared to other berries, bilberry is considered the most potent in suppressing cancer cells.
Additionally, bilberry can provide a fortified defense for your kidneys. Research shows that it can normalize multiple critical factors like creatinine levels, nitric oxide, and serum blood urea nitrogen. When it comes to protecting the heart, bilberry is also one reliable super food. The anthocyanins help balance cholesterol levels.
It also promotes digestive health. Bilberry possesses tannins and pectins which help in treating diarrhea, nausea, and indigestion. These also have a therapeutic effect that helps relieve inflammations. The anti-inflammatory properties can also improve inflammation in the throat and mouth.
Body systems supported by bilberry
Bilberries’ anthocyanosides are known to have positive effects on both cardiovascular and nervous systems. They can prevent atherosclerosis by fortifying blood vessels and maintaining health cholesterol levels and protecting the retina from damage. Additionally, they are ideal for keeping the urinary system healthy and free from infections the same way it protects the digestive system by reducing inflammation and ensuring proper movement of food.
Ways to use bilberry
There are fun ways to enjoy the health benefits of bilberries. Fortunately, there are tons of recipes you can use to whip up delicious meals. You can make pies, muffins, waffles, danishes, and even cheesecakes. | {
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by Doc Category
This document preceeds an IEG evaluation and provides information on the key questions, rationale, scope, and evaluation approach. Annual Review of Development Effectiveness These annual reviews are a meta-evaluation that provide a comprehensive assessment of the Bank's development effectiveness. They offer a broad assessment of the Bank's contribution to development effectiveness, drawing on project evaluations and IEG sector, thematic and country reviews.
Programmatic partnerships in which the partners dedicate resources, the activities of the program are global, regional or multicountry in scope, and the partners establish a new organization with shared governance and a management unit to deliver activities.
Resources that offer access to key findings, recommendations, lessons, and knowledge-products drawn from the World Bank Group's development experiences. These include lesson notes, briefs, summaries, cluster reports and working papers.
Completed projects are evaluated through Project Performance Assessment Reports (PPARs) and Implementation Completion Report (ICR) Reviews. They are carried out after Bank funds have been fully disbursed to a project, are similar to the completion evaluations carried out by many agencies.
Thematic Reviews examine Bank performance and experience in a lending sector (such as agriculture, transport, and the like) or thematic area (poverty, gender, and so forth) over five to ten years and report on their conformity to Bank policy and good practice, as well as on the development effectiveness of the Bank's activities.
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Financial Inclusion - A Foothold on the Ladder Toward Prosperity? An IEG Evaluation of World Bank Group Support for Financial Inclusion for Low-Income Households and Microenterprises
This evaluation will assess how well the World Bank Group (WBG) has supported client countries in advancing their financial inclusion agendas, covering the fiscal years 2008 to 2013. The study will examine the role that various WBG instruments played in addressing the needs of the poor vis-à-vis...Full Description »
This evaluation will assess how well the World Bank Group (WBG) has supported client countries in advancing their financial inclusion agendas, covering the fiscal years 2008 to 2013. The study will examine the role that various WBG instruments played in addressing the needs of the poor vis-à-vis inclusive access to and quality of the four key services—savings, payment, credit, and insurance. The Bank’s financial literacy interventions will also be evaluated, for example, through IFC’s engagements in Access to Finance and Sustainable Business Advisory Services. In addition, the study will review WBG activities with regard to fostering sound regulatory frameworks and capable institutions for ensuring growth and stability, competition, and consumer protection. IEG intends to support the WBG in leveraging its synergies across the Bank Group as well as analyzing how fully WBG operations achieved their stated objectives, and by understanding how successful inclusive finance interventions can be replicated in different country contexts. The evaluation will utilize a combination of methodologies, including (i) a comprehensive literature review, with a view to informing the Bank Group’s future research agenda; (ii) country and corporate level reviews of policy and strategy documents; (iii) portfolio reviews of WBG operations and activities; and (iv) 15 country reviews, of which five will be in-depth country case studies to identify, inter alia, drivers of success or barriers to inclusiveness, and issues of complementarity, sequencing, and synergies, as well as comparative advantages of respective WBG institutions. The approach will be non-experimental, combine qualitative and quantitative methods, and draw on external and internal research data. For example, by using data from the Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), a nonprofit organization that facilitates collection and exchange of public data designed for microfinance practitioners, IEG will seek to distill practices and observe microfinance institutions’ responses to the global financial crisis and longer-term trends. In addition to stakeholder consultations during the evaluation process, IEG will implement an outreach plan at the conclusion of the study. The evaluation will be launched in relevant international fora—with the intent to maximize the study’s use of findings and recommendations—addressing key stakeholders, including WBG staff, multilateral and bilateral financial institutions, donors, government authorities, and civil society organizations.
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This evaluation will examine World Bank support to client countries by analyzing ECD-related operations and knowledge services covering the period since fiscal year 2000. Since private sector engagement in ECD is comprised mainly of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and not-for-profit community...Full Description »
This evaluation will examine World Bank support to client countries by analyzing ECD-related operations and knowledge services covering the period since fiscal year 2000. Since private sector engagement in ECD is comprised mainly of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and not-for-profit community organizations, IFC sampling is expected to be minimal. Specifically, it will analyze multiple ECD framework components that influence young children’s development, including diverse contextual factors at country, community, and family levels. The study will seek to ascertain the types of challenges and opportunities that could promote more effective use of knowledge and diagnostics, and further improve cross- and inter-sectoral cooperation and collaboration among stakeholders. The analysis will draw from and build upon lessons and findings of earlier IEG evaluations, such as the Systematic Reviews of Maternal and Child Mortality (2013), Nutrition (2010), and the forthcoming Systematic Review of Early Childhood Development. The latter will also examine effects of ECD over the medium- and long-terms. Dissemination of findings and lessons learned from this study and the Systematic Reviews will be presented jointly to create feedback loops that illustrate the virtuous cycle that ECD interventions can have in reducing the intergenerational transmission of poverty.
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Document Category:
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Reports that fall within the official categories of IEG's work. This includes Project-level, Corporate, Country andThematic evaluations, Global Program Reviews, Approach Papers, Annual Reviews, Evaluation Capacity Development and Impact Evaluations.
Resources that offer access to key findings, recommendations, lessons, and knowledge-products drawn from the World Bank Group's development experiences. These include lesson notes, briefs, summaries, cluster reports and working papers. | {
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Canada 150: Irish immigrant became Canada's first woman publisher of city daily
Monday, April 17, 2017
To mark Canada’s 150th birthday, we are counting down to Canada Day with profiles of 150 noteworthy British Columbians.
The first woman to serve as publisher of a major Canadian daily newspaper didn’t come to her position with a silver spoon. She had working-class callouses on her fingers, starting as pre-teen telegrapher tapping out messages in Morse Code.
Born in Ireland in 1856, Sara Ann (Maclure) McLagan came to British Columbia with her mother, Martha McIntyre, in 1859. Her father, John Cunningham Maclure, was a sergeant and surveyor with the Royal Engineers in New Westminster during the Fraser River gold rush. After his wife arrived, children quickly followed. Sara’s younger brother Samuel later became one of B.C.’s most eminent early architects.
Maclure elected to homestead on Matsqui prairie. He had worked for a company planning a telegraph line to Russia. When it failed, he shrewdly located where two Western Union lines intersected. Martha’s parlour became a repeater station. Then he taught Sara telegraphy. At 12, when the region was threatened by a forest fire, she alerted New Westminster. At 14, she had a full-time job at New Westminster’s Western Union telegraph depot. She was an operator at Matsqui by 15, handling all the press dispatches from the United States. By 16, she was a line tester and manager of repairs from New Westminster to Yale. At 19, she was in the Victoria office and became its manager.
Then she met John Campbell McLagan. He was a printer. In 1884, he had helped establish the Victoria Daily Times. They married the same year and she became a stepmother and soon added four more children to the family. Four years later, using capital his wife had borrowed from James Dunsmuir, wealthy son of coal tycoon Robert Dunsmuir, he founded the Vancouver Daily World.
He died in 1901 and she took control as publisher and managing editor, writing editorials, reporting and even proofreading. She helped found the Canadian Women’s Press Club. She added a weekend women’s section dealing with health, diet, childcare and women’s social activities. The paper became the largest west of Winnipeg. In 1905, she sold and became involved in Vancouver’s social and intellectual culture. The First World War tore her family apart. Her son joined the army and was killed in 1917, her daughter married a German officer in 1914 and he was killed, too. She worked with the Red Cross in France, returned to Vancouver, and died in 1924. | {
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Getting Here
Toledo is located in the heart of what is widely known as the “Crossroads of America”, situated at I-75 and the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/90) in the Midwest. That makes driving here easy: five hours from Louisville; four from Indianapolis or Pittsburgh; three from Grand Rapids; two and a half from Columbus and Dayton; and an hour from Detroit or Ann Arbor.
Once you arrive, you’ll discover that getting around the city is easy. I-475 circles Toledo, making just about any destination point within the city no more than 20 minutes to reach. | {
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Exquisite Archangel Discussion
1 week ago
You can't cast Wheel of Fate at all. Past in Flames will give it an empty flashback cost, just like its mana cost, and empty costs can't be paid
Yes, that's how it works
Yes, Exquisite Archangel will save your opponent. State-based-actions (SBAs) are checked and executed simultaneously. Destroying a creature with lethal marked damage and losing the game for 0 or less life are both SBAs. The Angel's effect will get applied and set your opponent's life to the starting total. Your opponent will choose whether to exile the Angel or put it into the graveyard
Yes, that's fine. Everyone always gets a chance to make responses before the top object on the stack starts resolving. You can keep responding with Reiterate while the original spell you want to copy is still on the stack somewhere.
1 week ago
Unfortunately it doesn't help against commander damage. Though technically you'll be safe for a fleeting moment right after the game first tries to make you lose, the game will check state-based-actions again after applying the Angel's effect and will make you lose for taking too much commander damage.
Yes, it will save you from Glorious End, etc. The "you lose" part of the effect gets replaced with exiling Exquisite Archangel and setting your life back to the starting total.
1 week ago
2) Commune with Lava: it says "until your next turn" not "until end of turn", so I can play it on my turn, play instants on my opponents' turns proceeding that, and then finish up on my next turn? Just confirming this one.
3) If I play Rolling Earthquake for say, X=80, and my opponent has an Exquisite Archangel out, would the angel save my opponent even though the angel would die too? I think it would but not 100% sure.
4) Reiterate: If I have tons of mana, can I repeatedly cast and buyback Reiterate and target the same spell on the same stack?
1 week ago
Exquisite Archangel reads "If you would lose the game, ..." not "If your life total would become less than 0" or something like that. I assume the wording about life after that part means it can only save you from losing a game because of life, but it doesn't say specifically.
Also, could it save you from Glorious End or other "you lose the game" cards?
2 weeks ago
Thanks for the massive comment Seraph_Six and a great deal of helpful advice, you've given me loads to think about. If you don't mind, I'll reply in reverse order :)
Burgeoning: I agree that this card usually only helps during the first few turns. However, when it CAN be used early, the advantage I get usually determines how the game ends. Therefore, I intend to keep it for now.
Elemental Bond: I love this card because it's cheap and gives me extra draw (which isn't something you get often when playing green). However, Soul of the Harvest would be a great addition to the deck's draw capabilities; so I've decided to replace Ruric Thar, the Unbowed with it.
Strionic Resonator: there are so many permanents this artifacts synchronizes with, that I wouldn't dream of parting with it in this deck. It can double the amount of sacrifices caused by the Eldrazi, it can generate twice the amount of dragons generated with Utvara Hellkite, it can help me draw additional cards from Elemental Bond, just to name but a few examples.
Domri Rade: I agree he's due to be replaced. Mostly he's in here because of his ridiculous ultimate. If I'd replace him with anything, it would probably be with Wurmcoil Engine.
Xenagos, the Reveler: He's truly been invaluable in this deck. Thanks purely to him and Selvala, Heart of the Wilds I've managed to both use Mayael AND summon something game- determining by turn 5-6. These cards will both remain in the deck.
Sylvan Caryatid/Rampant Growth: Getting rid of ramp? No, sorry. Sure, these mayb the weakest ramp cards but this deck is so dependent on large amounts of mana that I wouldn't want to consider getting rid of any of its current sources.
Void Winnower: I've considered this card before but decided to scrap it. I feel it's just a bit too much with the other cards preventing stuff in the deck. Besides, I think Angelic Arbiter is better.
Blightsteel Colossus: Way outside my price range and it also has infect (which has been banned by my playgroup).
Atarka, World Render: Actually, there are only three dragons in deck (four, if you would count Atarka too). Adding her I'd therefore consider to be an inferior choice over the other support options I've made. However, you might be pleased to hear she's the commander of one of my dragon decks (which I still need to post).
Well, that's it. Thanks for bearing with me and thanks for all your advice. I hope you agree that it's been put to good use. Thanks again and happy gaming!
2 weeks ago
Always love seeing a Mayael deck and how different people make them. Typically, I prefer at least 35-40 creatures just to bring that miss percentage down. You can mathematically assume that 40 creatures will give you a 2 choices out of that 5 almost every time.
That being said, here's a list of some of my favorite big Naya creatures:
1 month ago
The deck is looking pretty good. You got the master of cruelties + strionic resonator in there already which is huge. The question I'd ask you though is what do you want to focus on? Angels + Dragons, Angels + Demons, or Dragons and Demons? While you can splash a couple of each into the deck I've found Kaalia plays better if you focus on two tribes. (I myself do dragons/angels).
Magic the Gathering, FNM is TM and copyright Wizards of the Coast, Inc, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved. This site is unaffiliated. Articles and comments are user-submitted and do not represent official endorsements of this site. | {
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Tedde van Gelderen
President
Tedde infuses Akendi, its services and methodology with his strong belief that customer and user experience design must go beyond a singular product interface, service or content. It should become deeply rooted in an organization’s research and design processes, culture,and ultimately be reflected in their products and services.
A graduate of Radboud University, the Netherlands in Cognitive Ergonomics, Tedde has more than two decades of experience in experience research, usability testing and experience design in both public and private sectors.
Prior to founding Akendi, Tedde was a founding partner of Maskery & Associates. He has worked for companies including Nortel Networks, KPMG Management Consulting and Philips Design.
Author Archives: Tedde van Gelderen
Just this morning I was reminded of something I’d used in past talks and I wanted to revisit the concept. The conversation I had was around our Experience Thinking process that we apply at Akendi. We talked about things like why you do certain phases like Strategy and Innovation and when. We then turned to… Read more
Ok, we’re all humans. It is a label that encompasses us all. But in experience research and design we rarely, if ever, create for or try to understand the human. It’s usually the different types of humans we’re interested in. Because once we understand who they are, we can list and prioritise these groups of… Read more
Empathy is a popular term in user experience design nowadays. Many recommend that designers need to empathise to create better experiences. And I’d wholeheartedly agree with that. But what I read in these conference talks, blog posts and other publishing places differs greatly from what I hear when designers talk to each other. The difference… Read more
That’s the amount of time I had for writing this blog post. It meant I had to be creative, focused and not be distracted for this period if I had any hope of finishing the post. As for me (and I assume others) the writing of these things are done in several takes, I write… Read more
Today I came back from a lunch where I talked with a potential client about their product. This was a first conversation so most of the time was spent discussing what their software and business was and what I could do to help improve the user experience. I enjoy these conversations as we’re not getting… Read more
I’m going to talk about our clients; the clients who pay for our work, for whom we love to go out of our way to make happy. I’d like to talk about how these clients behave towards us before, during and after our work is complete and how their behaviour can greatly enhance, or just as… Read more
Last week at the dinner table I had a conversation that pushed my thinking. My oldest child is going to university and her friend is in her first year. Her friend talked about what topic she studied and how interesting it was. At that point I jumped in and shared my passion for UX; the field,… Read more
Working in UX has taught me one thing: Never underestimate a user’s will to take shortcuts then question why something doesn’t work. So, what makes sense and how can we avoid this? It makes sense to talk to and, most importantly, listen to a user to find out their needs (and wants, wishes and desires.) It… Read more
Predicting how many teams figure out their product requirements has been following a distinct pattern over the years for me. Many times when I find myself in a sales situation, the conversation arrives at how the organization’s team has designed and, prior to that, figured out, what the product should be or do. In short,… Read more
In my UX consulting life I go through many, sometimes brief, cycles of meeting a potential new client, talk about what their pain points are, what we offer and how we can help address their pain points. In the course of these sales journeys I see some conversations come up more than others. The pain… Read more
At some point, in your early career as a UX designer, it happens: you are working on a project with multiple, even many stakeholders that each put in their “2 cents”, their point of view on button labels, screen flows, screen element placement and color choices. Their seemingly ‘small’ suggestions turn out to be much… Read more
I’m sure we have all encountered new types of interactions in public and office spaces that made us react with a ‘that is odd’, ‘I don’t know what to do’, ‘this makes me feel uncomfortable’. This next one, the ‘smart elevator’, resulted in one of those reactions. For me, this was the second time… Read more
There is a growing sentiment that Storytelling is a thing in User Experience land, and that it’s something we need to take notice of and somehow integrate into the work we do in projects. To dig a little deeper into UX Storytelling, I did a little informal research of my own and found that about… Read more
As an advocate of Experience Thinking™, a process that introduces the user as a stakeholder throughout the development of a product or service, I am often engaged in conversation around what exactly Experience Thinking™ is and why it is important that companies adopt an experience-centric approach. As this is a conversation I’ve had several times,… Read more
When I see some association websites it strikes me that they have a hard time serving the right content to their diverse audience: a balance of posting useful information, advocating for their cause, promoting membership and sharing event details. It seems that the conversation at the design table revolves around making as many people happy… Read more
What is the best approach for usability testing? At the moment, there are three main options for conducting usability test research studies: lab based, moderated remote sessions and unmoderated remote sessions. Lab based Usability Testing Lab testing: this is the oldest and still most common way to conduct a usability test. The participant and facilitator… Read more
We at Akendi are increasingly asked to conduct usability tests with digital products in the later stages of product development. This means we come in to test at the stage where the wireframes are already worked out and the client is working on the coding and visual / brand design of the digital product. So,… Read more
We recently completed an experience mapping exercise as part of a recent project. It was done to help capture the company’s internal knowledge of each product lifecycle stage, understand what the users’ goals were, their activities in each phase as well as aspects like emotion, product value, business opportunity, and others. We used the experience… Read more
In today’s world of ever-changing technology where the “latest and greatest” is constantly being advertised as being the next best thing, why is it that the personal touch is often what makes us remember a brand? On a recent business trip I found myself in a situation where I had to book a last minute… Read more
What is the best time to do usability testing when I’m developing a new product or service? When you consider the place of usability testing in the overall product development process, then there are two main types of usability test: formative testing and summative testing. (sometimes usability testing is referred to as user experience testing)… Read more
Akendi is a product strategy, user experience design and usability research firm. We are passionate about the creation of intentional experiences – whether those involve digital products, physical products, mobile, service or bricks-and-mortar interactions. We work shoulder-to-shoulder to optimize the experiences you deliver. Akendi Corporate Overview (PDF). | {
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I absolutely love the durability of the fire hose pants, and after buying several pairs of them, I decided to give this jacket a try. Needless to say, the same durability is present in the design of this jacket. The flannel lining far surpasses what I've seen in competitors like Carhartt's products as the liner in this extends beyond the torso; not only are the sleeves lined, but so is the hood!
With a good long sleeve base layer and some mittens, I was able to wear this jacket in -36 degree weather in Alaska's interior and be perfectly comfortable. In fact, the hood is so warm...I didn't even need a hat while I was running errands in town!
I bought this to replace another jacket from another well known work wear company. That jacket was extremely stiff and kept ballooning up when I sat in the car, it drove me insane. This jacket was perfect the moment I opened it. The firehose material is not at all stiff and it didn't balloon up like the other jacket. The busying arms make moving in this jacket effortless to move in, it doesn't bind up like the other one I bought. I worked up a sweat wearing it like I always do. I was pleasantly surprised that the flannel lining dried pretty quickly. A few cons though. It's a bit heavy and I'd like to see the slash side pockets cut on an angle, I'm worried about losing items like gloves and watch cap. The other pockets could be larger as well. Last thing I'd like to see is if they lined this jacket with 400 gram thinsulate. Besides those cons, I really like this jacket, I think you would too. I ended up gifting the other jacket to my BIL for when he has to snowblow.
Been looking for a coat like this for some time. The fit is great, the quality is great, good amount and configuration of pockets, and a pretty good level of water resistance. My only gripe is that it doesn't breathe all too much, so it can get too warm if it's not cold enough out.
This jacket does not provide warmth. I wouldn't wear it under 55 degrees. I love Duluth but this jacket is a glorified hooded sweatshirt. The wind cuts right through it with ease. The jacket feels heavy but somehow isn't warm at all. The fire hose material is very thin. Duluth has many other options for warm jackets, go with those instead. | {
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Kuel A200 Magnetic Air Vent Mount
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Buying Options
Mount your phone in your car with the Magnetic Air Vent Mount for residue-free stability that’s minimal in bulk and appearance. Despite its extremely compact size, its strong magnetic attraction holds the smartphone securely in place. Simply attach the magnet onto your phone or case for a force that’s to be reckoned with. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Ong’s Hat: The Early Internet Conspiracy Game That Got Too Real
On a sunny morning in early 2000, Joseph Matheny woke up to find conspiracy theorists camped out on his lawn again. He was making coffee when he noticed a face peering in a ground-floor window of the small, three-story building he rented in Santa Cruz. Past the peeper, there were three other men in their early 20s loitering awkwardly. Matheny sighed and stepped outside. He already knew what they wanted. They wanted to know the truth about Ong’s Hat. They wanted the secret to interdimensional travel. | {
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} |
Over the last few days, there have been a few different coaching changes across the league as teams being to prep for the draft and next season. Former Islanders coach Peter Laviolette, who was fired by the Flyers in the fall, found a new gig replacing Barry Trotz in Nashville. Lavy’s other old team, the Flyers, also made a move getting rid of GM Paul Holmgren, but not after signing Andrew MacDonald for the foreseeable future. Of course the story isn’t complete without another Islander link, Ron Hextall, getting the Flyers GM job after spending time in the organization as an assistant GM to Holgrem. Presumably learning to do the same things badly? Or learning what not to do? Not sure.
The Islanders had a move of their own at the end of the week last week, as NHL assistant Brent Thompson will once again become Bridgeport Head Coach Brent Thompson, as Scott Pellerin was let go. The rumblings that I’ve heard are that Pellerin didn’t get along well with his staff and there may have been some mistrust there. But I’d guess that sort of thing isn’t out of the ordinary when someone gets fired. On some level, it wasn’t working. The Islanders will be in the market for another assistant coach at the NHL level. Jeremy Weiss is really good at figuring out the penalty kill, so maybe him?
We have no goaltenders under contract for next season. We made the trade with the hope of signing him. If not, there are other avenues to go down, but right now, we’re going to give it our best shot to sign Halak.
This stuck out to me a bit, especially the part about “no goaltenders for next season” which is much different than saying ‘we have a few guys and we need to get them signed’ or something like that. Is the plan to find two new bodies from outside the organization?
Snow also confirmed that Sebastian Collberg did have shoulder surgery and is currently rehabbing that injury on Long Island. He also mentioned John Tavares is just fine and went as far as to say that Tavares could play in the playoffs right now.
And on whether the Barclays Center will help lure free agents:
I believe it will. The conversations I’ve had with agents, the first thing they always ask is when are you moving to Brooklyn. The certainty of knowing where you’re going to be plays a big part in [signing free agents]. Players are hesitant to buy a home if there is a chance of relocating.
That’s certainly a change from the aw shucks, empty-pockets response of, ‘well they just don’t want to sign here what can we do?’ Hopefully that is something that the team can use to its advantage.
Griffin Reinhart is shining for the Edmonton Oil Kings in the playoffs, which is obviously a good thing. John MacKinnon from the Edmonton Journal was impressed:
@DFriedmanOnNYI Reinhart was Edmonton's best player in two games in Portland, hands down.
And an Oil Kings associate coach called it the best hockey of his junior career:
On Griffin Reinhart playing the best hockey of an already strong junior career, Hamilton said, “I 100% agree with that.
“He’s been a presence on our back end since he got here and it’s been great to see who he’s become” both on and off the ice, said Hamilton. “When the pressure’s on you don’t shy away from it, you embrace it. And that’s always been a strength of his.
“Just (to see) that evolution of his game. He’s that much bigger and stronger and better.”
One thing to note about Reinhart is that he is one of the oldest players on the roster — third oldest to be exact — so this is what he should be doing. It’s great that he’s great, for sure, but it would be much more concerning if he wasn’t one of the best players on the ice. The real test will be in September at training camp where, you would hope, he would qualify for a roster spot after coming close last year.
Like this:
Here's something different. Trade Bailey, Grabner, Donovan, Nilsson and the #5 to Toronto for JVR, Gardiner and Reimer. Sign Halak for around 5 years $25-$30M, Nabby for what he made last season, Vanek for 7 years $49M, sign Orpik to 6 years $42M, Gaborik to maybe 1 year or 2 for $5-$6M. The lines could look something like this.
As for letting Cappy go, WHY? If you don't change everything, nothing will change. Besides Wang would just hire another minor leaguer or give the job to Weight. How about this...let Snow be GM/Coach. Milbury did it. Wang would save about $54.18 by not paying Cappy for a year. So, if you can't get Milbury back give both jobs to Snow.
Okay so here's how I look at it. I want to win now. If we trade a reinhart for some now players im fine with that. Getting sick of waiting its been what??? 8 years!!!!!! Let's make some seroius racket on out last year at the palace that we all love!!!!
1. " I think Gordon is an EXCELLENT assistant coach. Is there any part of EXCELLENT that confuses you?"
2. " You need to explain how a guy like Carlyle looks his players in the face, after he let their position coaches get fired without a whimper, and ask them to sacrifice for him?"
3. " The Leafs play an awful system."
4. " The system in use by the Leafs is awful."
4 quotes from you yesterday on our Leaf's chat. The first 2 early in the day and the last 2 very early this morning. Please explain your contradictory view points and theories. Gordon is an excellent coach, Carlyle ethics are crucified (by you) for not walking with his staff, and finally the Leafs system is awful.
Gordon was part of that awful Leaf's system no?
You also stepped out and called Carlyle "a well payed yes man". What would you call Garth Snow under his 8 year tenure?
Hopefully we get Halak signed in the next couple of weeks. If that gets done then theres some players that i think could be had for the right price that would help the Islanders immensely. If we make an attempt to trade for Evander Kane and fail then i would try to make a deal with Philly for Sean Couturier. Couturier just came off a bad playoff but this kid has loads of talent and is being used all wrong in Philadelphia just like James Van Reimsdyk was. I'd offer the #5 plus something else and see what they say. Philly has been known to make some dumb deals in the past and teams get crazy at the draft. I also like Nazem Kadri,James Reimer and defenseman Jake Gardiner all from Toronto. I'd make the #5 pick Bailey, Grabner and "maybe" Frans Nilsson available if the right deal came along. A deal involving Frans Nilsson plus something else for Nazem Kadri and Jake Gardiner i would definitely consider. I also wouldn't mind going into the 2014-15 season with a goaltending tandem of Halak 55 games and Reimer 27 games. What do you guys think?
I've noticed some comments about how the Islanders should sign Ryan Callahan. I can't see them paying Callahan more money then John Tavares not to mention the abuse Callahan would take from Ranger fans. He would be called a turncoat a rat and everything under the sun for signing with their arch rivals. Madison Square Garden would be a nightmare for him to play at and as i mentioned yesterday a new chant would start using Callahan's name in the middle. I don't see it as a good fit. The first thing i want to see is Halak's name on a contract in the next couple of weeks.
Unless some of you guys have paid for season tickets since 1972....OK let's throw out the years before 93-94, none of you is a bigger idiot or moron than I am. So, stop the debate I claim the title.......I even paid Wang for last year and the coming season LAST SUMMER. Oh wait....that was a great deal.....I got the first round of the play-offs free this year. HA_HA! Most of you guys didn't! I'm way ahead of the game thanks to Wacky Wang.....No I'll be kind....Charles Wang (sorry about the Wacky comment Mr Wang) because he's been so good to me.
On the leaf's situation, Carlyle was extended by Shanahan and GM Nonis, along with their decision to let go the assistants. Carlyle had nothing to do with those moves.
Back on our side, not trying to be sarcastic, but maybe Go-go Gordon gets another shot behind the bench here as Cappy's assistant. I can't see a Dave Lewis type coming into this situation.
Any idea what Doug Weight paints in this Islander picture? He certainly is more polished than Snow in the communication aspect of the business. Islanders are the only team in the league with a "senior adviser to the GM " behind the bench.
I see a lot of recent discussion about bringing in a veteran defenseman... Sadly, I will be the harbinger of bad news,,, it's not going to happen... Just looking at the current roster and factoring in Bridgeport as well, there are 13 defensemen either under contract or on RFA pending deals. That doesn't include Griffin Reinhart or the recently signed group of Pulock, Pelech and Leduc. Pulock can be returned to his junior team for another year but that still leaves the number at 16 and doesn't include the sleeper that has not received even one mention hereabouts,,, Ville Pokka...
Pokka led Finland to last years WJC championship and was favorably compared to Olli Maata by European scouts following the tournament. He turns 20 years old this summer. So to recap,,, Snow has Hamonic, Viznovsky, Strait, Carkner and Hickey signed. Donovan and deHaan are RFA's, as are Ness and Cantin. Reinhart, Pelech, Pedan, Leduc, Mayfield and Czuczman are on EL's, and that still leaves Pulock, who can be returned to his junior team, and Pokka who has to be signed to an EL. That's 17 defensemen under Snow's control, a number that I don't think he is going to add to by signing a UFA. His bigger problem is the one he mentioned when he made the trade for Halak. He doesn't have a single goal tender under contract for next year, not one. His other problem is the lack of a left wing for his top line. I would think defense is down on his list right now of things to get done...
I hear what you are saying but I agree with Slapshot. Unless we are bringing back a proven top D for Reinhart, it's not worth moving him. The Isles can still improve the offense (which isn't terrible) while keeping Reinhart. They have to see what he can do.
Obviously the most imperative statistic not included in your otherwise quite thorough synopsis would be the math it takes to total up the dollars and years to sign Jaroslav Halak. In 52 starts last season between St. Louis and Washington, Halak posted a SV% of .921 easily besting the league average and actually playing better in his 12 starts with the non-playoff Capitals.
Further math would also indicate that Evgeni Nabokov might compliment Halak as a back up. Although age may be eroding his skills, Nabokov still put up numbers above the Islander average for this past season. Nabokov posted a SV% of .905 last year in front of a young and injury damaged defense in his 39 starts. His replacements averaged a SV% of .894 in the other 41 starts.
Of course the factor of a young and fairly inexperienced defense might skew those numbers just a bit but,,, it would seem that a pairing of Halak and Nabokov would raise the statistical coefficient of the teams SV% and reduce the variables accompanying that young defense... Garth Snow should be doing the dollar and sense math as we speak on both those players.
@mrcisback If Philly wants the number 5 pick and a mid level prospect like Sundstrom or Mayfield for Couturier, that would be a great deal for us. I doubt that they would have interest as Couturier is a solid forward. Kane will cost a king's ransom and we would be best off staying out of it. I wouldn't move Grabner or Frans unless, as you say, the right deal comes along. Grabner is very effective on the PK. He has trouble finishing but the teams on the PP have to play differently when he is on the ice and it can actually prevent goals as they cannot operate as they otherwise would. Frans is an important player for us and is deadly in the shoot out. It would have to be an offer that we can't refuse to move him. Reimer would be fine as a place holder for a year to give Poulin a good year in Bridgeport. Nabby would be a good back up as well and not cost us a pick or player to get. And Halak must be signed no matter the cost / term. He will have at least 3-4 good years as a number 1 and can transition to a back up roll after that.
@mrcisback I think Kane would cost too much even though I wouldn't mind getting him. I don't think Couturier is worth the #5 pick. I'm not crazy about Kadri. I absolutely agree with you about Reimer and Gardiner. I think Bailey and Grabner would be enough to get that done. I would not trade Nielsen at all. I still think we should offer Vanek 7M per for like 6 years. I think Eberle could be had too. The #5 pick plus. I'd also offer Orpik 7M per for like 5-6 years. Pittsburgh would have trouble beating that offer given the $ locked up in their star players. Sure it's overpaying but who cares. Other options to consider are Michalek, Gaborik, or Mesaros or Markov.
Dono will get 1 more yr, max (most likely) unless he develops much better here on out.
Vis is at the end of his concussion rope
Strait is under contract, but for league min. (not hard to get rid of if necessary
Hickey might be traded before his contract is up (see AMac)
Carkner is depth, 6/7th defense-man. He will not detour us from a improving our roster.
The BP blue line will give us GREAT depth. It will be nice, but I want an on the ice leader to help the kids develop. That is not Carkner and Vis might be out all next season, who knows, he can not be counted on.
as nice as it would be to add taylor hall to our line up - the offensive match ups would be a nightmare for teams - you have to build a balanced team. stacking offense or defense will only get you so far. balance is where its at and reinhart is a big piece to that.
@Wc Christopher@mrcisback Christopher Vanek turned down 50 million over 7 years from the Islanders a month before the trade deadline. I'm sure Toronto would trade Reimer and Gardiner to the Islanders for both Bailey and Grabner. I disagree i would trade the #5 pick straight up for Sean Couturier in a heartbeat. He's big strong and an excellent defensive player and penalty killer. I think he also scored 40 plus points. I want no part of Gaborik and his big contract. I'd love to sign defenseman Niskinnen but thats purely a pipe dream. As far as Eberle goes it all depends on what Edmonton wants in return.
@doc942@mrcisbackI would be fine with it for the reasonable deal. But he is going to go all out for a big contract which - yes, the Isles should stay away from. I just want a veteran or 2 in here that can show these kids how to win and to hold them accountable.
Based on the way that this franchise conducts business, my guess is that your on ice defensive leader will be Travis Hamonic at the ripe old age of 24. Snow must sign at least four goaltenders and address the top line left wing before he starts thinking about a defenseman...
Yes,,, on October 6th, after the season has started and for that reason I believe he is eligible for one more year with his junior team. Cap Geek lists him as a slide risk entry level,,, whatever that means...
@slapshot18_rs Our D has been a problem for years. Finally we have a big, young, and by all acounts very talented D ready to play in the NHL and people actually entertain trading him. If we didn't have him, the same guys would be trying to figure out how to trade FOR him! The answer has to be that he is not available. There is a very good reason Edmonton wants him.
@slapshot18_rs Depends on what's a rarer commodity, point a game forwards or shut down defensemen. He's a good kid (Hall) and decent in his own end. Other teams respect defense, but, they fear offense.
haha sorry i didnt mean to correct you for only a couple of games but that was really beside the point. where do you expect a big bodied #1 d-man to come from then though? its nice to have all that fire power but its not fun to give up so many soft goals...offense isnt our problem...we can score, we just cant stop other teams from scoring.
@slapshot18_rs Okay, it's 10 games. Sorry. He played 75 games this season and 45 out of a possible 48 last season. We can finally end the revolving door of wingers for JT. He's averaged a point per game throughout his career and he's only 22.
trading the highest regarded d man in our system makes no sense, even for a point a game player. it doesnt matter how many points they are able to put up if we arent able to keep the puck out of our own net. its intriguing, but if they are willing to give up taylor hall, they must think REALLY highly of reinhart.
@orange2327 Not sure why the would want to trade Hall anyhow. Any time a team is willing to trade their top player it has to make you wonder. I would stay away from him - especially if it involves Reinhart. He has been the most highly touted Isles D prospect since probably Bryan McCabe. You have to at least see what he can turn into.
@mrcisback@Wc ChristopherYes I know Vanek turned down our offer. Only because he wanted to get to UFA and see what offers he gets just like any player in his position would. That doesn't mean we shouldn't still put our best offer on the table for him to consider amongst whatever other offers he gets come July 1st.
A) as I wrote above, 70-62-16. Not very good but 10 games better than Cappy.
B) yes. Salaries aside, the teams are comparable talentwise.
C) Both teams have issues and are coming off lousy seasons but the Leafs' last month wasn't any worse than the Isles' 5 weeks of late autumn futility. Randy Carlyle has had way more success than Cappy ever will, so, based on that alone, he deserves the benefit of the doubt and a 4th season far more than Cappy deserves a 5th season.
I like Stastny but the Isles don't really need him any more than the Avs do as they seem to have cooled on moving Strome to wing. I like JT-Strome-Nielsen-Cizikas (plus Nelson). Assuming Strome is for real (and he looked good in his 2nd go-round), you can win with that depth chart at center.
For better or worse, the Isles will not be in the Brooks Orpik business or Dan Boyle or any marquee veteran defenseman. It just isn't going to happen.
Essentially, the Isles are playing defenseman roulette. They do have a lot of chips on the board, though, with Reinhart, Pokka, Pulock, Czuczman, Donovan and Pedan. Hopefully one or two of them can jump in and play like Olli Maatta or Jonas Brodin have been able to do.
The Isles need a legit replacement LW for Tomas Vanek. After signing Halak, that should be their top priority. I would make it Vanek himself. Sure he turned down an extension, but he did seem to like his plum spot with JT and KO and if the Isles are the top bidder it could happen (and that would be the ultimate face-saving move for Snow). Short of that, Gaborik (unlikely) and then steps down from there to Jussi Jokinen or Milan Michalek (not Heatley).
Maybe one thing I don't is Hickey. Yes, great deal, good player but he doesn't have a contract beyond next yr. So like AMac, he could get a nice return of picks and we open a spot for a kid like Pokka or Pulock. Maybe Mayfeild and/or Pedan, Pelech or Czurzman.
This defense is much improved. de Haan looked GREAT. Really great. Reinhart will be good in his own zone at the least, and with the rest of the kids, I'm excited about 2 yrs from now. Could be one of the Leagues best. | {
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Flower Essences can offer Emotional Balance for You & Your Horse …
Flower essences have a special place in my heart because of their ability to influence our emotional and spiritual wellbeing. I find horses very receptive to flower essences and will usually recommend both horse and rider take them together when seeking to balance any behavioural or emotional issues. This is because very often our horses will mirror or reflect any imbalances or problems we are working on, with both issues we are aware of, and issues we are not.
Dr Edward Bach, an inspirational physician and homeopath, developed flowerremedies in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. Today these remedies are used throughout the world and are widely acknowledged for their gentle yet profound qualities.
Flower essences are liquid plant preparations that are made by infusing a fresh flower blossom under very specific conditions to create a potentized flower extract. The bach flower essences are remedies made from the extracts of flowering plants, including the roots, bark, leaves and most commonly the flowers themselves. They work to balance the emotional status and assist the flow of positive energy.
At a time when plants are blooming, nature is said to be in its peak radiance and highest vibration. The essences are prepared using native flowers found growing in different regions around the world in their natural environments. Once gently prepared, the healing properties of the flowers are used to assist people and animals in balancing their wellbeing and harmonising their physical, mental and emotional energies.
All of the 38 original remedies developed by Dr. Bach are still in existence today. In fact there are now hundreds of flower essences available as single essences. Of these, the Australian Bush Flower Essences have grown in popularity, as they are known for their strength and vitality.
Some flower remedies work rapidly showing results in hours, whereas others may take weeks. Often I find the remedies work in a subtle way and can sometimes elude us because of their gentle aligning capacity. What I mean by this is I often notice clients who have forgotten the original problem by the end of a course of treatment, because everything is simply normal and harmonious again!
Remedies may be taken up to several times a day as recommended by the practitioner. Bush Flower Emergency Essence and Bach Flower Rescue Remedy can be given to your horse on a needs basis, after a trauma or injury. But generally most essences are given for a week or longer, two weeks being the most common.
So when would I consider using the essences on my horse?
Uses and Benefits:
Flower essences are used for providing clarity and calm and help to assist in trauma and the processing of emotions. The philosophy and aim of flower essences is to provide a harmonious interaction between one’s mental and physical bodies.
Flower Essences can be beneficial for a range of emotional issues such as fear, aggression, anxiety, depression and over-excitement in horses. They have also been shown to be helpful to assist both horse and owner during times of transition, loss and adjustment to new situations.
The essences work to nourish the energetic systems of the body and mind. According to Dr Bach, (the founder of European flower essences), flower remedies can help to overcome any underlying emotional problems which may be manifesting as physical symptoms. So using the essences to balance a physical ailment is useful when you think the problem may have arisen due to an emotional imbalance.
Application:
Essences are most effective when applied into the mouth, in drinking water or on a hard treat. They can also be applied onto the coat or into the horse’s feed. The flower essences can be used in your horse’s daily care program (1 to 3 times daily), or used as a training or behavior adjunct (1 hour before needed).
It is useful to note that the ‘rhythmic’ use of the remedies aids in the strength of their actions. What this means is the potency is increased by using them on a more frequent and consistent basis, not by using more drops at a time. Dosage is generally dependant on the application used and also varies according to the remedy. As a general guide the Australian Bush Flower Remedies recommend a standard of 7 drops, two times per day in mouth, water or on coat.
As Flower Essences are based upon vibrational energies, they have no direct impact upon the body’s biochemistry. They are non-habit forming, non-toxic remedies. There are no contraindications to any healing modalities or drug protocols. Flower Essences are safe to use during competition. Supporting your horse’s emotional wellbeing is an important aspect of increasing their health and longevity. A horse that is well nourished emotionally will be happy and content will bring you great joy and partnership!
As mentioned in my introduction, it is often helpful for the owner to use the same essences as their horse. This is because of the uncanny ability of horses to reflect the emotions of their owners. I will explore this in more detail in another post.
I am currently in the process of writing a book on my observations of using flower essences on horses. If you have a story or a comment you would like to share, feel free to send me your photos and writings to include in the book. Until then, all the best!
I use and provide mostly the Australian bush flower essence range. If you would like specifically bach flowers, I would suggest you find a consultant close to you in your area. Naturopaths are often good reference places if you know the remedy you would like. You can also speak to equine herbalists.
In the bach flower range I would suggest Rescue remedy to be a great all round treatment for stress or shock for either of your two horses. For your horse with founder, Crab Apple can be used for detoxification, and Olive, Gorse and Sweet Chestnut can help to lift your horse’s mood. For your mare, I would suggest either Olive or Hornbeam. These essences will help your horse’s to feel more balanced and more energised.
We have been given three ‘rescue horses’. All thouroughbreds, two mares and a gelding. The too mares are chronic windsuckers. One (13 year old) much worse than the other – she is being given back in a week as we find her behaviour distressing and the ‘sucking’ noise eerie to listen to day and night. The horses are in a lovely environment. 7 acre paddock with five sheep, shelter and good grass. They are given a small feed of hot mix to keep them coming to the call daily. Occassional hay to supplement.
The gelding was raced for many years. Now 12 years old he is a tyrant near food and kicks and bites the mares which makes them very nervous and consequently display stamping and other threatening behaviours when eating. The youngest mare, 7 years old and absolutely lovely in every aspect, is stressed when ridden in a paddock even adjacent to the other two, especially as the gelding calls to her. I fear taking her on the road, out of sight but would like to go on some trail rides. She is very jittery and does everything to get back to them. When she is back with them they both bully her, biting at her rump and even kicking out at her.
Is there a remedy to stop the anxiety of separation, the bullying and the windsucking? I have access to Bach Flower remedies but not the bush flower essences. Is one more potent than the other in an Australian (southern Tasmanian)environment.
It sounds to me like your mare is bottom of the hierarchy and lacking confidence. Personally I do find the Australian Flower remedies very relevant and perhaps more potent than the Bach flower remedies, particularly for horses in Australia, due to their resilience and strength. For separation anxiety I usually recommend a combination of Dog Rose of the Wild Forces, Grey Spider Flower, Boronia, Crowea, Tall Yellow Top, Red Suva Frangipanni and on occasions Illawarra Flame Tree. These assist with fear and loneliness. For confidence building usually Five Corners is a good starting place. I could certainly make up a blend for you, but with postage it may make it easier to source locally.
I would also perhaps suggest spending some time with her exploring natural horsemanship if you are wanting to use her as a riding horse. There are lots of great exercises to strengthen her confidence and her belief in you as a leader. As she is still so attached to the others, even though they bully her, it reflects that she see’s them as top of the hierarchy, when she can in time look more to you for that support. This can boost her confidence and stop her from being bullied as much also and allow her to potentially climb the hierarchy in her herd also.
Another approach can be to spend time just ‘being’ with her. Building a bond, both in and out of the paddock. Whilst out of the paddock, providing her with the best pick of grass can sometimes over time give her something to focus on and enjoy whilst away from the herd. This method takes time and patience, as well as clear guidance from your side.
I wonder if you have a Bush flower essence for my TB mare. She mainly does dressage to quite a high level which is fine but we also do a little bit of jumpng to break up the training. the trouble is the mare lacks confidence even on small fences particularly at fillers and frequently stops.
We have kept the jumps very small 2ft to 2ft 3 inches so that she gets used to it but we dont seem to be able to progress. Is there anything that may help her, she is also a little bit stubborn which is mixed with the nervousness. By the way, I am in England.
It does pay to be cautious, as you are being with your pony. Laminitis can develop relatively quickly on lush grass. If you are wanting some good preventative and care support, I would suggest you have a look at my ebook on laminitis which explains the process very clearly, outlining both treatment and prevention in detail. See http://www.laminitis-founder-advice.com for details.
I am so sorry, your email post seemed to slip through without me seeing it! If I can still be of assistance with your horse, please let me know. I am very happy to provide remedy suggestions for you and your horse.
Once again, so sorry I have not replied to this sooner. Please let me know if I can help further.
Zoe, I didn’t see your post from just now responding to mine – which I don’t see and have no idea what I wrote. I am a big fan of Austrialian Bush Flower Essences and find them more pertinent for myself than Bach – but everyone is an individual and they resonate with me.
I am having a bit of difficulty with my Paint Gelding (10 years) and myself. I lack confidence due to some past accidents. He is a fairly dominant horse. I get frightened easily and lose leadership status. Fortunately for me he is a fairly calm horse that doesn’t act out much. But when he does act out it is in a big way and always when there are more than two horses out with us. If he is behind he will buck and run to catch up (he’s a little slow). when he is in front he will try to kick a horse directly behind him. I’m not sure if it is a dominance issue, a claustrophobia issue, a leadership issue, or what. There are certain horses he does that with – and others he does not. Usually with lesser dominant horses he is fine and actually lets them lead without a problem (if there is only one horse with him – if there are two it’s another story).
We’ve gone to clinics and trainings and I am a fairly good rider with a now lack of confidence. He is surely less of a problem horse than my first one – a TB. Relatively speaking he is much more laid back and easy going yet I am more afraid of getting hurt on him than I ever was on her. And that I am sure is from my own experiences in the past that are coming back to haunt me. BTW NONE of the spills I’ve taken and gotten hurt on have ever been on my own horse. | {
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A nice clean hit. You know the NFL has messed with players’ minds so much that Perryman put his hands up like “I didn’t do it.” It’s good to see Perryman get into passing lanes and lay the big hit. It’s even better to see “rookie” Mike Williams able to go over the middle and take a big shot like that. He can certainly be the “big slot” receiver that sits and finds holes in the defense. Williams doesn’t need to be limited as just a deep threat, which is why I’m interested to see how the team uses and views him as we get closer to the preseason.
The same goes for Perryman. We were told that Jatavis Brown has been running with the first-team at linebacker next to him. I like that pair and I like Brown quite a bit. Last year, Gus Bradley said “he wasn’t playing fast enough” and that’s why he lost out on snaps. We can only hope he plays more than Hayes Pullard this year.
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Declaring a Second Jewish State
In September the United Nations General Assembly will convene in New York. It is widely anticipated that the Palestinian Arab leadership will unilaterally push for the declaration of a State, seeking approval and diplomatic acceptance from among the gathered representatives.
It is unlikely that this initiative, that would essentially amount to an effort to seize control of the West Bank, will materialize. However if it did, it could cause a great deal of concern for Israel. Now consider for a moment what the implications would be if at the very same time, a movement to declare a second Jewish State in Judea and Samaria was gathering pace.
Sounds farfetched? Maybe, but the idea is not my own. Political activists in Israel and around the world have begun to debate the merits of this concept, and as interest grows, the embryo of a movement may begin to be taking shape. The residents of cities, villages, towns and outposts throughout Judea and Samaria have often borne the brunt of Arab aggression, and their future is constantly subject to political whims. Israeli civil law does not apply to residents of these areas and the ability for communities to defend themselves is restricted.
The recent brutal and barbaric Itamar slaughter underscored the kind of threats that these communities need to take into account. Following Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit of consolation to the Fogel family, the following comments by their oldest daughter Tamar gives an indication of how isolated many Jewish West Bank residents feel. “The Prime Minister said, “They murder us and they try to…and we build. We build. We build. We…just continue on.” So I told him, “And then afterwards you expel people (from their homes).” She continued, “And during the expulsions, it’s not just expelling people from their homes; there is also a war between brothers going on.”
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On core matters of peace and security, two closely interrelated questions must be asked and answered, capably:
What precisely does...
As communities feel more isolated, movements that call for Judean independence may begin to gather more steam. The argument, although not unflawed, is in many ways quite sound. First of all, as many Israel advocates are fond of mentioning, there are a number of Arab states and only one Jewish State. So why not establish a second?
According to most in the international community, Israeli control-and certainly inhabitance-of the West Bank, is illegal and Arabs refer to the land as ‘occupied’ territory. Even to those observers that defer minimally to the laws of impartiality, the area is referred to as ‘disputed.’ If Israel were to cede control of the areas to a new entity, governed by the local Jewish inhabitants who have an extensive historical connection to the land, what grounds for reckoning would be left? Israel would no longer be involved, as the dispute would now be between the West Bank Jews and the West Bank Arabs. After all, historically Jewish sovereignty was divided at times between the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah.
Of course, because of the strategic importance of the area militarily, economically, and agriculturally, Israel would need to maintain an extensive bilateral defense and trade pact with the new entity.
Besides the immediate effects on the ground, the benefits for Israel in the ongoing arena of world opinion could go even further. The precious underdog status that has so expertly been transferred from Israel to the Palestinian Arabs over the last number of years may be assigned to the Judeans as they struggle to build their newly independent Jewish State.
Faced with a new geopolitical reality, and understanding of Jewish fortitude and determination, the local Arab population, maintaining their refugee status, may have more of an incentive to seek resettlement elsewhere in the Arab world. They may finally even be assisted by the international community.
These committed pioneers have settled the Jewish homeland in its entirety and have shouldered the burden of peoplehood and the hardships of actualizing the dream of a Jewish return to Zion. They may yet open up a new frontier in the battle for the Jewish right to self-determination and it may go a long way in reframing the Israel-Arab conversation.
The opinions presented by Algemeiner bloggers are solely theirs and do not represent those of The Algemeiner, its publishers or editors. If you would like to share your views with a blog post on The Algemeiner, please be in touch through our Contact page. | {
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The Birth of Cigar_G
While most of you know my good friend @Cigar_G from his Twitter account, I have had the unique pleasure of watching him and his partners turn a passion for cigars in to what you now see and experience, BPB Cigars. As I sat on @Cigar_G’s stoop, many a evenings, enjoying one of the countless premium cigars from his own stash, BPB Cigars went from a concept, to a business plan to reality in under a year. But why did that happen? Think about it, how many times you have sat down with your friends and had a similar conversation over a cigar and a drink “You know, we should (insert idea here).” Few of us have the fortitude to wake up the next day and make it happen.
To know how it happened is a story for another day, to know why BPB Cigars happened is to understand who @Cigar_G is outside of the Twitterverse. I met @Cigar_G over 20 years ago and like many best friends; we have shared enough experiences, both good and bad, to form a bond that has stood the test of time. Here is the good news, that man you read on Twitter is the same person I hang out with every week; funny, outgoing, caring and proud father/husband. It’s as real as it gets. For those who know him, starting BPB is a natural extension of who he is; just an average guy with an above average passion for cigars and an even greater passion for quality. From his first cigar till before BPB was even a concept, @Cigar_G was determined to do everything he could to learn more about one of our favourite past-times. From trying every different cigar he could to visiting countless websites to read up on what the recent trends were. To make the right cigar and build the proper experience, one has to become part of the culture. It is here that he was able to make contacts with some of the bigger players in the industry and leverage their knowledge and experience to create BPB Cigars. So why has @Cigar_G and his partners started BPB? Not to compete in an established industry with some already great brands but to build within an industry he loves so much, a cigar with a unique experience.
So join in on the adventure and become part of the story. BPD is not just a brand, it is everyone’s brand. Experience a BPB cigar with your friends, family and co-workers and let’s all invest in life’s moments together. Follow me at @Random_Mic and keep it fresh.
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9 Comments
Very well put Random_Mic. As the other guy in the pic on this post, I too have spent many a night hanging out with @Cigar_G on his patio and indulging in a fine cigar! I have also known @Cigar_G for close to two decades and I can definitely corroborate everything Random_Mic has said about @Cigar_G’s character and personality. He is a man with the utmost integrity, he is loyal to a fault to his family and friends and fiercely passionate about everything that is true to him. In my past experiences the most successful people I have met are the ones that pursue their passion and that is definitely what @Cigar_G has done with BPB Cigars and why I know this venture will be a success.
As a novice cigar smoker, @Cigar_G introduced me to the true, full experience of enjoying a cigar. Having three very young children, my life is quite hectic and my spare time is limited, however one of my favorite things to do with that precious spare time is to spend it enjoying a cigar with friends. It is a time to forget about all the pressures in life and to share good times with friends. It truly is an experience and I cherish the memories from those times.
I am looking forward to sharing many more good times over a Reunión and a glass of RM XO!
Very proud of you buddy and I have all the confidence in the world you guys will be successful at sharing your passion with the world. Glad to be part of the BPB community!
Well written, brother. I can speak from the middle group here. I haven’t know him for decades, but I know him as more than just the cigar Twitter celeb. Having hung out in person a few times, and multiple conversations off of Twitter about everything from cigars to our fathers, I can truly agree with you. He’s the same guy online and offline. | {
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Arduino ADK Rev3 Android
Arduino ADK Rev3
The Arduino ADK R3 is a microcontroller board based on the ATmega2560 (datasheet). It has a USB host interface to connect with Android based phones.
It is compatible with Android's Accessory Development Kit examples. It has 54 digital input/output pins (of which 14 can be used as PWM outputs), 16 analog inputs, 4 UARTs (hardware serial ports), a 16 MHz crystal oscillator, a USB connection, a power jack, an ICSP header, and a reset button.
The ADK is based on the Mega 2560. Plus it has an USB Host circuit that enable this board to communicate with USB Devices, and give them power supply.
Additional features coming with the R3 version are:
ATmega16U2 instead 8U2 as USB-to-Serial converter.
1.0 pinout: added SDA and SCL pins for TWI communication placed near to the AREF pin and two other new pins placed near to the RESET pin, the IOREF that allow the shields to adapt to the voltage provided from the board and the second one is a not connected pin, that is reserved for future purposes. | {
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Incorporating clocks into your home design is a way to better keep track of time and can make a unique style statement in your home. Clocks work well in every room of your home, from the living room to the bedroom. You can find wall clocks, mantel clocks, grandfather clocks and outdoor clocks that fit your personal style. Large wall clocks look beautiful in your home and are elegant focal piece in your living room. Make sure that you match the style and texture of your clock to the décor in your home. You can use stylish clocks in your home to accessorize thematic designs and emphasize specific areas of your home.
Wall clocks are both stylish and functional. You can add detail to your kitchen, bedroom or living room with a wall clock. These clocks come in all shapes, styles and designs to match your home décor. We have a wide selection of wall clock styles, ranging from traditional, vintage to contemporary and modern. You can dress up your home with a wall clock or simply use it to tell time.
Cuckoo clocks are the perfect addition to your home if you are interested in traditional design and enjoy the chiming of cuckoo clocks. You can find cuckoo clocks made in traditional styles, including dark or light woods, with a cuckoo that sings to mark each half hour. You can also enjoy the intricately carved characters that accompany cuckoo clocks, which are stained or painted to preserve their colorful style.
Grandfather clocks are the perfect addition to a large space. You can find traditional, contemporary and transitional grandfather clocks that give your home a unique style. Grandfather clocks are marked by their signature tall casing and ornate pendulum. If you prefer design that incorporates natural textures, then an oak grandfather clock will look great as a centerpiece in your home.
Digital clocks are the perfect bedside companion. A digital clock is one of the best options if you need an alarm to wake you up in the morning. Digital clocks can be programmed to go off at various times, so you will be sure not to miss work in the morning. If you prefer modern design, then digital clocks also have elegant electronic displays that can automatically dim when you are sleeping.
Analog clocks are perfect for your home if you enjoy the combination of modern and traditional design. Our collection of analog clocks has large numbering and elegant clock hands. If you are decorating for a specific theme in your home, then you can find analog clocks with colorful backgrounds. Analog clocks are the perfect addition to your home décor and help to effortlessly complete your personal style. | {
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The Office of the Provost and Academic Vice President and The Center for Faculty Development present the final two lunches in the 2013-2014 Scholarly Lunch Series to be held during Celebration of Scholarship.
On Thursday, April 10, 2014, Nathan Gehlert, Department of Education and Allied Studies, will present, “Developing and Index of Relational Competencies” and Erin Johnson, Department of Biology, will present, “Modulating the Immune System to Fight Infection.” | {
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My last post from the Bachelor project for this year at least. The animators are going to Copenhagen for 3 months to animate on different short films before we return back. (I'll be animating on a 2D project) | {
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Family Leave: Back on Congress' Radar?
The United States is so backwards when it comes to family leave that I am prepared to celebrate any successes. The fact that our world-lagging Family and Medical Leave Act hasn't yet been gutted is, in a certain twisted way, good news, and this month has brought additional reasons for optimism.
There are a whole bunch of reasons why this is hardly the ideal policy or the ideal time to push it. Naturally, I would have been a lot happier if Stevens had introduced the bill a decade ago, when his party was in power, a Dem was in the White House and there was plenty of money still sloshing around the budget to pay for this sort of thing. Extending the law to all employees, and not just federal workers, would also be a good start. It would be nice if mothers could get paid leave for a full 12 weeks -- the amount of time off guaranteed under FMLA -- just like they do in Stevens's office. And, given my passion for gender-neutrality and the fact that paid leave quite literally changed my life, I would much rather have seen a bill that offered fathers more than just a token paid leave.
But beggars can't be choosers, and advocates for more enlightened leave policies in the U.S. tend to be beggars. Stevens' proposal may be the best we can do for now. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing more of these issues reach the light of day. As I noted back in November, there have been a number of really interesting and thoughtful pro-balance bills introduced to absolute silence.
Of course, I've lived here long enough that I have no expectation that we'll see actual legislation passed anytime soon, but I've also learned that good things happen when issues retain a certain level of visibility for long enough. And there's a part of me that hopes against hope that when the current crop of early-announcing presidential candidates goes looking for a warm-and-fuzzy policy stance that will unite all of the media-created voting demographics (NASCAR dads, soccer moms, etc.), they'll stumble across this one. After all, nothing is more American than supporting motherhood (or fatherhood) and apple pie, right?
Brian Reid writes about parenting and work-family balance. You can read his blog at rebeldad.com.
Comments
"And there's a part of me that hopes against hope that when the current crop of early-announcing presidential candidates goes looking for a warm-and-fuzzy policy stance that will unite all of the media-created voting demographics (NASCAR dads, soccer moms, etc.), they'll stumble across this one."
I, for one, am looking for a candidate with more then "warm and fuzzy" policy ideas. Sorry Brian, this may not be the year (or election cycle) to hang your hopes on paid family leave. We have some big issues on our country's collective plate and so-called soccer moms, NASCAR dads or whatever new name pollsters come up hopefully will be more worried about the war in Iraq, terrorism, and illegal immigration - as I am. I am looking for some real answers or even direction from the sad crop of candidates (from both parties) that have announced their intentions, otherwise we won't have time to worry about paid family leave or anything else "warm and fuzzy."
Posted by: cmac | January 25, 2007 7:40 AM
Unfortunately, I don't think anything will change until more dads demand it. Sad to say, but it's similar to the way companies view women who need to leave early for the kids' soccer game -- not dedicated enough to their work. If dads now leave work early for the kids' soccer game, they're great dads and committed to their families. Yet another double standard.
http://punditmom1.blogspot.com
Posted by: PunditMom | January 25, 2007 7:48 AM
MORE MORE MORE - More flex time, more paid time to do what I want to, more tax deductions for day care. We are parents, we are noble, but we don't want to sacrifice - WE WANT IT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 7:58 AM
"After all, nothing is more American than supporting motherhood (or fatherhood) and apple pie, right?"
Obviously not, Brian! Similar legislation has been proposed previously and didn't get very far. Really, you should check the facts before you write something.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 7:59 AM
PunditMom, if that's happening in your workplace, you're working in the wrong place. All of the places I've worked at have tended to view "leaving early for the softball game" (sorry, soccer still isn't a first love even after playing it while growing up in Germany)the same for both genders. I've worked in places where it's definitely frowned on; you're just not dedicated to the job. I've left those places quickly for places where it's "is your work done properly, to the best of your ability? Is the customer happy? Then there's no problem here, is there?"
Re: 8 weeks vs 5 days: the difference is probably justified as "physical recuperation". Federal standards - at least when my wife, a Fed at the time, was giving birth to our four - were that a normal delivery with no complications required six weeks of physical recuperation, so that was the amount of sick leave that would be automatically approved. So 8 weeks vs 5 days could be justified as either it now takes 8 weeks to physically recuperate, or "two weeks for Mom bonding vs. 1 week for Dad".
Posted by: Army Brat | January 25, 2007 8:00 AM
To cmac: Yes, the '08 election cycle should be a debate about all manner of staggeringly important things. But if history is any guide, every candidate will no doubt end up spending a little bit of time on a pet non-war, non-economy, non-health care issue. Why not this one?
To punditmom: I'm doing my part to demand it. Hope the other male OB readers are doing the same.
Posted by: Brian Reid | January 25, 2007 8:19 AM
cmac what war, what terrorism, and we have illegal immigration? Just kidding. I think today's topic is a nice thought, but I don't see it happening anytime soon.
I think it would also be fair to people without children if the same benefit was applied when they had to take care of a sick parent, spouse, or sibling.
Posted by: scarry | January 25, 2007 8:21 AM
As much as I would hope this would be enacted without delay, I think it's just another suggestion that will go nowhere. Especially the part where fathers get paid leave as well.
This country is so completely backwards when it comes to supporting the institutions it claims to: Family, marriage, etc.
If you want good, paid family leave, become a teacher and plan all of your children to be born at the end of the school year. It's really the only way to get 3 months off and a full paycheck.
Posted by: preggers | January 25, 2007 8:24 AM
There's nothing more "fun" than living in Europe where, as an American who is friends with European women from many countries, I always being grilled over our barbaric maternity-leave laws (or lack thereof).
I was one of the "lucky ones" meaning my non-federal employer allowed me to have 12 weeks off, 8 of them were fully paid, and I used vacation time to get two more paid so I only missed one paycheck and got the "privilege" of returning to my same job. Joy. Hope I'm not sounding too sarcastic - I really honestly was thrilled, since many/most of my friends had much less generous offers and situations (6 weeks leave, unpaid?!) but it still is a bitter pill to swallow in comparison to my friends here who were only just starting to return to their jobs (full time or part time, their choice) as their children were turning 18 months old.
Posted by: Vienna mom | January 25, 2007 8:25 AM
So if the mother gets 8 weeks off to "recuperate and bond" and the father only 5 days (basically one week), who's helping the mother during those five other weeks she's still recovering from the birthing process?
Personally, when my wife delivers, I intend to use my sick leave for as long as she wants me to stay at home with her. I've got over six months' sick leave saved up and 30 days' vacation, and since I work for a state government office, there's little they can do about it.
Posted by: John | January 25, 2007 8:33 AM
Brian - I think my larger point is we look to candidates that have great "warm and fuzzy" ideas, however the security concern of the country should overshadow them. This topic has been debated numerous times on this blog - however the twist you added today was pinning your hopes on new candidates and the chances of paid leaving being highlighted by one of them.
Why not this one? Generally I am against the nanny state. I understand the concerns of new parents, taking care of elderly parents and sick childen or family members. We had legislation passed by the Clinton administration to protect our jobs (FLA), however the fundamental question is do we expect the fed govt to pick up the tab everytime we have a family addition or crisis? It is not on the top of my list. Obviously you and others have different opinions.
Posted by: cmac | January 25, 2007 8:33 AM
Here's the problem:
It took years for the Republicans to even agree with the shabby benefits offered by today's Family Leave Act.
As for the Democrats, they already get the vote of the environmental groups that loath human population growth and consider children the enemy of the planet. Offering monetary incentives to new parents will have these types cringing.
Also, many view the bennifits package offered to federal employees as already bloated as it is right now.
One last thing... Define the "Dad". The sperm donor? The current live-in boyfriend? The guy she's married to? What about the lesbian lover? What a can of worms!
Sorry Brian, just ain't gonna happen.
Posted by: Father of 4 | January 25, 2007 8:50 AM
Am I missing something here, or how is the FLMA going to give 8 weeks of paid leave to the 'mom' when she's taking care of HER mom and not a baby? Do you know what I mean? I always thought FLMA was for taking time off for any 'family thing,' such as a sick parent, spouse, etc. And if that's the case, where did this 8 weeks paid leave come from? Or is maturnity leave a part of FLMA?
I guess I need to hit the coffee machine again.
Posted by: ilc | January 25, 2007 9:02 AM
As somebody who has benefited from the "generous" FMLA twice (8 weeks paid plus all the annual leave resulting in paid 3 months maternity leave), I consider myself very lucky compared to most of my friends. I agree with Vienna mom that this is a joke compared to some European countries but we already had this debate. The only other place I know where you can get paid maternity leave is in the Federal gov't using all your saved sick leave. It works primarily for women who have been in the gov't for a long time and have kids later. This law is certainly not a panacea. However, I know of many instances where FMLA was violated after maternity leave was completed. I would rather see some kind of reinforcement of this law to protect job security. I also agree with other posters that there are pressing national security issues and as a parent I certainly agree that they must be dealt with.
Posted by: another working mom | January 25, 2007 9:06 AM
I would welcome some mandate for paid leave, for any FMLA eligible occurance.
My husband and I have been scrimping and saving for over a year to be able to have me take the full 12 week unpaid leave when we start a family. I must go back to work after that to help "pay the bills".
Our biggest concern is the cost of child care. I live 500 miles from the nearest family member and we are expecting to pay more than half my salary to child care - just to get that extra cash to fulfill a bare bones budget (we do not drive nice cars or live in an expensive community).
Don't get me wrong, I'm willing to sacrifice. But one spike in oil prices could drive our heating bill through the roof, and us into debt once we have kids. That doesn't sound like the American Dream to me.
Two experienced professionals with masters degrees should be able to provide for more than this.
Posted by: MomToBe | January 25, 2007 9:09 AM
While it is tons of fun to play, change, feed and stare at babies and you only get to do it twice (once with your kids, once with your grandkids), I'm not convinced that the father's presence is absolutely essential in the infant stage. Certainly, a helping hand with all the details is very welcome but I think a new Mom needs time to adjust and get her space in order too. Most men would be in the way, big time.
No, for me, having the Dad around during the 7 to 14 year old stage is much better in terms of raising a wholesome well-grounded human being. So, looking at it in those terms, parental leave for Dads might be more useful later in the child's life. Since that is a pipe dream, I advocate the following different life style choices.
Discontinue all affiliation with travel teams, play local community athletics, only. Believe me, if your kid is a great athlete, you will know it without the aggravation and you will have nice long stretches of weekend free to do stuff.
Unplug and remove anything resembling video games.
Limit the cell phone and IM use to certain hours of the day only.
Take each kid out to lunch one on one, wherever they prefer, as long as it is sit down and face-to-face, on a regular basis.
Sit and read or listen to music in the living room. Or, better yet, play card games or Chinese checkers. We played Uno with the kids for years (a four year old can play, though not particularly well, but who cares?) and still do. Let the TV collect dust.
Posted by: Dave | January 25, 2007 9:12 AM
Yeah, I'm a little fuzzy on this too. Aren't maternity leave and FML two different benefits?
Posted by: Meesh | January 25, 2007 9:13 AM
Move away from DC.
Posted by: tomomtobe | January 25, 2007 9:14 AM
um, guys, am I the only one that has a problem with giving federal employees more of MY money (we are actually paying their salaries)?
Posted by: jan | January 25, 2007 9:16 AM
"Extending the law to all employees, and not just federal workers, would also be a good start. It would be nice if mothers could get paid leave for a full 12 weeks . . ."
This could very well happen, now that the Democratic Party is in charge. Remember that the slogan of the Democratic Party was first put forth in 1839 by the Frenchman, Louis Blanc, in an essay on "L'organization du travail" ("The organization of work"). M. Blanc wrote,
By "extending the law to all employees, and not just federal workers," the Democratic Congress would be assuming that every employer -- even the corner pizza-shop owner -- has the "abilities" to pay an employee for twelve weeks during which the employee is doing no work for the pizza shop. And certainly, a mother who has just given birth has her needs to stay home and care for her newborn baby, rather than go to work and put anchovies onto pizzas.
It's as simple as that. Major premise: "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs." Minor premise: "The need is SO great!" Conclusion: Twelve weeks of paid maternitiy leave for all employees.
Posted by: Matt in Aberdeen | January 25, 2007 9:18 AM
"Define the Dad"
Daniel Boone hadn't been home for about 2 years when he returned to find tiny baby Jemima in her cradle. Daniel had been presumed dead and his wife Rebecca had a relationship with Daniel's brother Ned. Daniel, who had been no angel during his absence, accepted and raised Jemima as his own daughter.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 9:24 AM
"Extending the law to all employees, and not just federal workers, would also be a good start. It would be nice if mothers could get paid leave for a full 12 weeks -- the amount of time off guaranteed under FMLA -- just like they do in Stevens's office."
How would that work for my cousin? She is a self-employed attorney in the D. C. area. Which of her clients is going to pay her for staying home for twelve weeks to care for a newborn baby? Leslie, would *you* pay your attorney for doing nothing for you, just because she just gave birth?
Posted by: Matt in Aberdeen | January 25, 2007 9:25 AM
---Also, many view the bennifits package offered to federal employees as already bloated as it is right now.---
Absolutely, Father of 4. From my experience, federally-employed fathers of new babies hardly need our sympathy. My husband was a federal employee when our first child was born. He was in his 20's and a relatively new federal employee yet was allowed to take over two weeks of paid sick leave when the baby came. Given that fathers' bodies don't have to recover medically from childbirth, that was very generous. Plus, he had four weeks of vacation (in addition to all of the federal holidays) to use whenever. My husband ended up taking one week off when the baby was born and saving the rest of his leave for future needs, which turned out to be very wise. There were more than a couple days when I needed a helping hand with (or a break from) our charming, extremely high-maintenance child.
Posted by: Allison | January 25, 2007 9:26 AM
This is so my issue. I feel the most strongly about paid maternity leave (can't believe fed doesn't have it.) I took a month of LWOP for my last maternity leave (that's leave without pay for those nonfeds out there.) Sen Christopher Dodd (a democrat) is also in favor of this. I hope it passes.
I would like to address something that I see people saying here though. Father of 4 said:
"Also, many view the bennifits package offered to federal employees as already bloated as it is right now."
and someone else said:
"um, guys, am I the only one that has a problem with giving federal employees more of MY money (we are actually paying their salaries)?"
If feds get 8 weeks paid maternity, all it really means is that we won't be getting advanced sick leave anymore. It's not really that big of a difference. For me, it just means that I won't have to go into negative sick leave status that takes forever to pay back. Right now, they advance it to you anyway, so what is the big deal if they just grant sick leave?
And it's ridiculous that jan thinks that this is taking "her money." We ALL pay taxes. By your logic, I guess I work for free since I pay taxes and I work for the federal govt. How ridiculous.
Most companies and nonprofits have better benefit packages than the federal govt(with the exception of health insurance choice--we have TONS to choose from, whereas most companies don't.) This is especially true when it comes to maternity leave. The fed govt has NO MATERNITY LEAVE. Nada, nothing. I get the same amount of leave if I am going in for surgery or having a baby. No difference.
Posted by: Emmy | January 25, 2007 9:31 AM
Since everyone is citing Europe for comparison purposes, I thought I'd hit a little closer to home. I worked for a Toronto-based company for three years a while ago. In Canada situations like family leave are covered on a province-by-province basis (you didn't really think that British Columbians would let Quebecer's tell them what to do). Here's Ontario's
Parental Leave
As a new parent (e.g., birth parent, adopting parent, person in a relationship with a parent of a child and plans to treat the child as their own) you have the right to take job-protected, unpaid time off work when a child is born or first comes into your care.
You are entitled to take Parental Leave whether you are a full-time, part-time, permanent or contract employee. To qualify, you must have been hired at least 13 weeks before the start of the leave.
Employees who take Pregnancy Leave are entitled to take up to 35 weeks of Parental Leave, usually beginning right after their Pregnancy Leave ends. Those who don't take Pregnancy Leave and all other new parents can take up to 37 weeks of Parental Leave, beginning no later than 52 weeks after the date the child was born or first came into their care. Parents do not have to take their leave at the same time.
(See http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/brochures/br_leaves.html for more details)
So, assuming the mother takes preganancy leave, she gets 35 weeks of parental leave, and the father gets up to 37 weeks - which can start any time in the first year. And yes, I knew several coworkers who staggered it so that the mother took her 35 weeks, then the father took his 37, and they didn't have to both be back at work until the child was over a year old.
Yes, this is unpaid leave, but there are other provisions in the law for some financial remuneration, and a number of companies in the high-tech world (like my former employer) paid an employee two-thirds salary during the entirety of the parental leave as long as the employee was willing to sign a contract that he/she would work for the company for three years after the leave. (If you quit before the three years, you had to pay back the money.)
And I normally ignore Fo4's comments, but I couldn't resist: notice who's defined as an eligible "parent" above:
birth parent, adopting parent, person in a relationship with a parent of a child and plans to treat the child as their own
Posted by: Army Brat | January 25, 2007 9:31 AM
"um, guys, am I the only one that has a problem with giving federal employees more of MY money (we are actually paying their salaries)?"
I have no problem with this. The federal govt does not pay a competitive salary compared to the private sector, and offering benefits like this might entice bright young college grads to consider this as a career (lord knows we need smarter people in all areas of government, especially with so many older employees retiring in the next few yrs)
Posted by: fedguy | January 25, 2007 9:31 AM
Since everyone is citing Europe for comparison purposes, I thought I'd hit a little closer to home. I worked for a Toronto-based company for three years a while ago. In Canada situations like family leave are covered on a province-by-province basis (you didn't really think that British Columbians would let Quebecer's tell them what to do). Here's Ontario's
Parental Leave
As a new parent (e.g., birth parent, adopting parent, person in a relationship with a parent of a child and plans to treat the child as their own) you have the right to take job-protected, unpaid time off work when a child is born or first comes into your care.
You are entitled to take Parental Leave whether you are a full-time, part-time, permanent or contract employee. To qualify, you must have been hired at least 13 weeks before the start of the leave.
Employees who take Pregnancy Leave are entitled to take up to 35 weeks of Parental Leave, usually beginning right after their Pregnancy Leave ends. Those who don't take Pregnancy Leave and all other new parents can take up to 37 weeks of Parental Leave, beginning no later than 52 weeks after the date the child was born or first came into their care. Parents do not have to take their leave at the same time.
(See http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/brochures/br_leaves.html for more details)
So, assuming the mother takes preganancy leave, she gets 35 weeks of parental leave, and the father gets up to 37 weeks - which can start any time in the first year. And yes, I knew several coworkers who staggered it so that the mother took her 35 weeks, then the father took his 37, and they didn't have to both be back at work until the child was over a year old.
Yes, this is unpaid leave, but there are other provisions in the law for some financial remuneration, and a number of companies in the high-tech world (like my former employer) paid an employee two-thirds salary during the entirety of the parental leave as long as the employee was willing to sign a contract that he/she would work for the company for three years after the leave. (If you quit before the three years, you had to pay back the money.)
And I normally ignore Fo4's comments, but I couldn't resist: notice who's defined as an eligible "parent" above:
birth parent, adopting parent, person in a relationship with a parent of a child and plans to treat the child as their own
Posted by: Army Brat | January 25, 2007 9:33 AM
"do we expect the fed govt to pick up the tab everytime we have a family addition or crisis?"
Why not? We are currently picking up the tab for the smokers, boozers, drug addicts, and fat people in this country.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 9:37 AM
quit comparing us to Europe - please, there is a reason that we are the only super power and it isn't because we give people 2 months off a year, pay over 50% of pay in taxes and nap for 3 hours every day. You can't have it both ways people.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 9:40 AM
1. I have no problem paying for federal workers to have paid leave. As a previous poster noted, it might attract some competent folks into the field from the private sector.
2. Matt in Aberdeen - weren't you talking about the importance of "ad serviam" or something the other day? We should serve others.....or is that just within the privacy of your own home?
Posted by: SMF | January 25, 2007 9:44 AM
I don't think it's a negative thing to compare the differences in quality of life between the U.S. and other countries. Even a slight uptick in quality of life would likely increase our productivity (the true measure).
Posted by: Comparing to Europe | January 25, 2007 9:44 AM
John - I think as some have mentioned, that saving your leave for the future is a good idea.
If you wife returns to work she'll be out of leave. Babies keep pediatricians in business so you're more than likely to have many opportunities to burn your leave then, letting her build her leave back up so you can have #2.
One of my great shocks was how much time I spent carting children to the doctor. Those well baby visits are just the tip of the iceberg. I'd also mention that babysitters sometimes want days off as well. So don't burn all your leave at the birth, you'll have many more opportunities to do it later.
Posted by: RoseG | January 25, 2007 9:45 AM
I would like the right to take any kind of family leave, paid or unpaid, to take care of my never-married, never-had-any-kids sister, and still have job security. FMLA defines "family" as parent-spouse-child; siblings don't count.
Posted by: destinysmom | January 25, 2007 9:45 AM
"quit comparing us to Europe - please, there is a reason that we are the only super power and it isn't because we give people 2 months off a year, pay over 50% of pay in taxes and nap for 3 hours every day. You can't have it both ways people"
yes - we are a so-called super power and what benefits does that give Americans? Universal healthcare? No. Good family leave policies? No. Better pay? Sometimes, but the cost of living is also higher. So really - enough with the "super power" mantra. This is a generalization (based on my own personal experience - I live in Europe), but people in Europe seem to be happier and have a better quality of life. So why not the comparison?
Posted by: londonmom | January 25, 2007 9:46 AM
as a nice diversion, check out this very funny and very timely article (as the cold & flu season stretches on and on and on...)
http://www.slate.com/id/2158216?nav=wp
Posted by: becky | January 25, 2007 9:51 AM
Glad you are happier with Madonna and your tiny houses, paying $8 to drive into London and waiting 8 wks to see the doctor all the while paying taxes out the nose. Enjoy - sounds ab fab. Thanks for Ricky Gervais tho.
Posted by: to londonmom | January 25, 2007 9:51 AM
Let's also be realistic. How much of the federal budget is dedicated to (or would be dedicated to) paying for this extended leave?
Ummm, this is the mantra of Communists and Socialists since 1840, originally penned by Louis Blanc however used by none other than Karl Marx. Workers of the world unite, anyone?
Matt - are you endorsing Marx?
Posted by: cmac | January 25, 2007 9:53 AM
Gee...you summed up London entirely (note the sarcasm).
First, not everybody needs to live in a McMansion to be happy. Second, most people don't need cars in London b/c they have fantastic public transportation. Third, it doesn't take 8 weeks to see a doctor (usually less than a week), but even if it did - just ask the 20+ million Americans who don't have health insurance which they'd prefer. And finally, who cares where Madonna lives?
Posted by: to 9:51 am | January 25, 2007 9:57 AM
"While it is tons of fun to play, change, feed and stare at babies . . . , I'm not convinced that the father's presence is absolutely essential in the infant stage. Certainly, a helping hand with all the details is very welcome but I think a new Mom needs time to adjust and get her space in order too. Most men would be in the way, big time."
This truly is a neanderthal viewpoint of fatherhood. I'm glad I married a guy who didn't consider being a dad to be limited to offering a "helping hand". We were raising kids. From scratch. I know many dads who were not only not in the way, but were being, well, dads". I'm very sorry for you that you thought your contribution was limited to helping out and of no importance than a piece of furniture. Boy, did you miss out, John.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 9:57 AM
Gee...you summed up London entirely (note the sarcasm).
First, not everybody needs to live in a McMansion to be happy. Second, most people don't need cars in London b/c they have fantastic public transportation. Third, it doesn't take 8 weeks to see a doctor (usually less than a week), but even if it did - just ask the 20+ million Americans who don't have health insurance which they'd prefer. And finally, who cares where Madonna lives?
Posted by: to 9:51 am | January 25, 2007 9:58 AM
"quit comparing us to Europe - please, there is a reason that we are the only super power and it isn't because we give people 2 months off a year, pay over 50% of pay in taxes and nap for 3 hours every day. You can't have it both ways people."
Come on! Talk about facts, not fantasy. What European country, exactly, gives people 2 months off/year (and who would these "people" be?), and who in what country do you think naps dor 3 hours every day?
Also, how would you define "super power"? Annual growth rate? Military might? Productivity? How does living in a "superpower" country affect your quality of life, by the way?
It's comments like yours that fuel European hostility toward U.S. Americans.
Posted by: Ajax | January 25, 2007 9:59 AM
Europe is so hostile to America all the while buying our stuff, consuming our popular culture and waiting for the US to take care of their sphere of influence. Where were they when Yugoslavia exploded, where were they in Rawanda. You may ask how living in a super power affects my life, but the world certainly needs one because we can't count on the EU to do anything.
By the way, the Germans and Swedes get 2 months off and most of Italy and Spain are closed from 1-4.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 10:06 AM
You are stoopid!
Posted by: US | January 25, 2007 10:09 AM
No, YOU are stupid!
Posted by: Europe | January 25, 2007 10:10 AM
Wow, this is a mature group today!!
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 10:12 AM
Both of you be quiet before I sick I ran on you.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 10:13 AM
I think you need to read and/or get out more. The US, along with many other countries, did not lift a finger re: Rwanda; Germans get 6 weeks off, not 2 months, KFOR in ex-Yugoslavia is a MULTINATIONAL force (that, by the way, includes Swedes)...
Do you feel inferior as an American and does it make you feel better to badmouth others?
Posted by: to: January 25, 2007 10:06 AM | January 25, 2007 10:15 AM
and some wonder why we'd rather discuss luggage and the distribution and nature of household tasks. Sheesh.
Posted by: NC lawyer | January 25, 2007 10:15 AM
Excuse me, I'm not the man who said that a father should get out of the way of a new mother so she can "get her space in order". I believe that was Matt with his "neanderthal" comment.
RoseG, I doubt I'll use all six months of my leave once we have a child. Probably a couple of weeks, then if my wife has recovered enough, gradually go back to work. She intends to work part-time after the baby's born, but doesn't have to due to an inheritance she got. If I need to use my sick leave to get the baby to the dr, I certainly and gladly will, though!
Posted by: John | January 25, 2007 10:16 AM
I know some European women myself and I see how much they pay in taxes. There was also an article in the New York Time a couple months ago talking about how European women couldn't go back to work full time because full time jobs weren't available. They were forced into part-time work without any other options. I would rather choose what to do with my money, when and if I go back to work, if I want to go full or part time.
Posted by: mom2b | January 25, 2007 10:16 AM
Don't feel at all inferior as an American just pointing out that Europe is not some utopian society where everyone picks flowers and loves their families all day. I like Europe as much as the next guy, in fact, just spent two weeks there - doesn't mean I have to like everything.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 10:17 AM
The most happy people:
http://www.peterhorn.dk/ExecutiveMagazine/Stoppress/061031_world_map_of_happiness_denmark_on_top.asp
How does one measure Happiness? Perhaps as Charles Schultz said "Happiness is a warm Puppy" (insert picture of Snoopy here) so I am going with that.
Posted by: cmac | January 25, 2007 10:25 AM
What exactly did Americans do in Rwanda? I thought it was only the UN that got involved in peacekeeping in Rwanda? Or perhaps the UN security forces in Rwanda were made up only of Americans?
I know so little about the genocide in Rwanda that I am thrilled this is an anonymous forum.
Posted by: Cal Girl | January 25, 2007 10:28 AM
John, I was gone for a few weeks. Did you make a happy announcement in the meantime?
Posted by: WDC | January 25, 2007 10:30 AM
I didn't think the US did peace keeping missions and I think the idea of the US being the only superpower is changing. There are definitely other countries that are on the way to gaining that title.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 10:35 AM
Furthermore, more recently, what exactly has the superpower done in Darfur? Granted, there are many American non-profit organizations that are helping there, but as a Superpower, USA is pretty weak.
Posted by: Cal Girl | January 25, 2007 10:35 AM
My husband had started a new job a few months before I had our daughter, so when I had her he could only take a day off. I had her on Saturday and he went back to work on Tuesday.
He just didn't have the vacation to stay with me. Me and the kid made it just fine. I think most newborns sleep a lot; at least mine did, so I would also advise you to save some vacation for the colds, ear infections, flus that are going to hit you in the first year. So I agree with Rose, I wouldn't burn everything you have all at once.
Posted by: scarry | January 25, 2007 10:35 AM
"Where were they when Yugoslavia exploded, where were they in Rawanda. You may ask how living in a super power affects my life, but the world certainly needs one because we can't count on the EU to do anything."
Where was the US in Rawanda? Where is the US in Darfur? Exactly how have we been using out "super power" status to help the world?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 10:35 AM
"Re: Happy people survey results:
How does one measure Happiness? Perhaps as Charles Schultz said "Happiness is a warm Puppy" (insert picture of Snoopy here) so I am going with that."
Having access to clean drinking water and not worrying about contracting malaria in your sleep sounds like a good starting point to me.
Posted by: shass | January 25, 2007 10:36 AM
"Where were they when Yugoslavia exploded, where were they in Rawanda. You may ask how living in a super power affects my life, but the world certainly needs one because we can't count on the EU to do anything."
Where was the US in Rawanda? Where is the US in Darfur? Exactly how have we been using out "super power" status to help the world?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 10:37 AM
John, I apologize for casting aspersions on your character. Please accept my apologies for the misdirected neanderthal reference -- it's Dave (not Matt) who needs to consider joining us in the 21st century.
Posted by: from anon at 9:57 | January 25, 2007 10:39 AM
Where was the US in Rawanda? Where is the US in Darfur? Exactly how have we been using out "super power" status to help the world?
ummm, I don't think we can because we are so over extended already you know saving Iraq and all.
.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 10:39 AM
Every time Leslie raises this topic, it degenerates into a political discussion comparing Europe to the U.S., and comparing the relative values of large government vs. small government, with the usual anonymous suspects touting their usual anonymous preferences. Does anyone have an alternative topic to offer so we can get away from being the politics blog?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 10:43 AM
it would be nice if American and European posters got their facts straight before pointing accusing fingers at each other. With respect to Yugoslavia, not the finest moment for the EU and Europe. Only after US got involved and got NATO involved we had Dayton accord (not perfect, I know, BUT better than war). On Rwanda, I think both US and Europe is to blame. Darfur -- embarrased by Rwanda everybody trying to do something but through the UN and we all know how long THAT takes.........
For the record, I think that Americans and Europeans somehow resort to stereotypes when they try to argue about the quality of life. Clearly, US is a much more dynamic society overall, but in Europe one can live the "middle class lifestyle" on much less than in the US. I can go on and on.
Posted by: another working mom | January 25, 2007 10:51 AM
The only thing I have to offer on this topic is the recommendation that dads wait until after all the new baby brouhaha (sp?) has died down to take their leave. Right after baby is born often mom and mil come help out and the baby essentially eats and sleeps. My dh usually waited until about 6 wks to take his week, by then the novelty was lessened, I was exhausted and everyone was gone so we could enjoy our babies ourselves. It does NOT take 3 adults to care for a newborn.
Father of 4 did you catch my post late last night re: seatbelts?
Posted by: moxiemom | January 25, 2007 11:01 AM
I think that it is important to note that Yugoslavia and Africa are part of the European sphere of influence. They truly should be taking the lead on these conflicts. I also might point out that a great deal of the problems in Africa are the result of colonialism brought upon them by the Europeans. They need to clean up their own yard.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 11:04 AM
I think that it is important to note that Yugoslavia and Africa are part of the European sphere of influence. They truly should be taking the lead on these conflicts. I also might point out that a great deal of the problems in Africa are the result of colonialism brought upon them by the Europeans. They need to clean up their own yard.
Very true, I guess they have short memories.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 11:06 AM
John, are you and your wife expecting yet?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 11:08 AM
wow...lots of strange talk today.
the UVA game was more fun to watch than the second half of the UNC game. UVA played solid. oh wait..maybe there is a reason for the difference in games?
Posted by: dotted | January 25, 2007 11:09 AM
Unfortunately no, I've made no "announcements" yet. We're still trying, and staying hopeful that we'll be blessed soon.
Posted by: John | January 25, 2007 11:10 AM
Be careful what you wish for -- for many small businesses the hit of an additional person on payroll for 12 weeks [or more] would be enough to discourage them from hiring young women likely to get pregnant.
You may end up with the benefit but not the jobs that accompany it.
Posted by: A Business Owner | January 25, 2007 11:12 AM
dotted, some nights I wish for good games. Most nights I wish for one-sided games in favor of my favorites :>) I was glad for both of us.
Posted by: NC lawyer | January 25, 2007 11:20 AM
Just as a counter-point to Leslie:
Most of our current government programs that attempt to provide economic assistance to parents include an income-based component. For example, I have three children but do not receive any benefit from the existing child tax credit due to our family income. Most people would probably agree that this is 'fair' -- that individuals making significantly less than me should not be subsidizing me simply because I have three children.
With respect to paid leave, one question should be 'paid at what level'. Should a Wall Street analyst making $250K / year be entitled to 12 weeks of paid leave at that level, while the janitor cleaning her office gets 12 weeks of paid leave at minimum wage? Most people would argue that this doesn't represent a 'fair' situation.
The concept of paid maternity leave, as presently constituted, represents a signficant subsidy to middle and upper-class families. Since there is no 'free lunch' this subsidy is evntually paid through higher costs of services by lower income families.
A more equitable approach to this problem -- and it is a problem that we as a country should address -- is to create an expanded child care credit for the first year of the child's life [with the credit being phased out at high incomes and being paid directly to the parents at the low incomes]. Coupled with the protections of the existing law [so that the job is still available], this would focus the aid on the lower and middle income level parents -- precisely where it should be focused.
Posted by: A Dad | January 25, 2007 11:22 AM
A "business owner" has a good point. As a young woman i think paid parental leave is great, but it has to be gender equal. The inequality in European countries regarding maternal-- paternal leave DOES have a deleterious affect on the hired of women-- whereas in Canada, the gender neutral policy has had no negative impact on women compared to men. Canada should be the model, not Europe for that reason alone.
Posted by: Cal Girl | January 25, 2007 11:27 AM
Where I live, we have a year paid leave (combination of maternity and parental leave; the parental portion can be split between parents). The leave is at 40% of your gross earnings up to a limit (which I can't remember right now). You have to work 650 hours to have access to this benefit. Some companies will top up your paid leave (i.e., they will pay up to the 60% difference) but this is at their discretion. I know there are pros and cons to this in the big picture but I have to say that I wouldn't change that time with my son for anything. It really was an amazing time/opportunity.
Posted by: s | January 25, 2007 11:32 AM
How about someone paying me for the income we gave up when I stayed home with my children? People who "work" and send their kids to the same pre-school as mine get a tax deduction while I just get a hit in the lost income - how is that supportive of families?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 11:35 AM
One of the thoughts I have about maternity leave and its costs is that is intrinically discriminates against a woman in the hiring stage. Being an employer faced with two candidates of equal qualifications one male and the other female. Knowing that I would have to pay 12 weeks maternity leave for no work in exchange perhaps every 3 years (if the person is with me for 6 years that is 8 months). I would probably pick the guy (being the devels advocate) because it is more cost effective in that I get more work for my investment. If all things were equal perhaps not. As women I am not sure if we really think through the fact that the rights were are fighting so hard for actually discriminate us (and make us more expensive) in the work place. Though, from what I have read last, we make $.80 to every $1 and man makes so this may make up for it.
I work with projects in developing countries and they have some very generoud leave laws such as;
- 87 days full paid maternity leave avery 3 years
- 63 days sick leave with Dr.s note every year
- one day off per month for mothers
Posted by: single mom | January 25, 2007 11:36 AM
I live in a European country (my husband's country.) By law I had to leave my job 2 months before baby's birth and be out for 2 months afterwards-- I received my full paycheck and acrued vacation time just as if I had been at work.
I think this time was good for me, good for my employer, and good for my family and society. With a big pregnant tummy it ws simply harder to perform my job tasks (I don't have a desk job) and it takes time to physically recover from giving birth, adjusting to breastfeeding, etc.
Then I received funds (every mom gets the same amount-- even friends of mine who did not work before the baby's birth got this-- they had to be legal residents here) until my child turned 2. My employer was required by law to give me a job back at that time.
My husband also got 6 months of leave, then I got an additional 6 months based on the fact that m husband had taken leave as well. Sadly few men take advantage of the leave-- partly because women here tend to have lower-paying jobs.
I miss living in America very much but I see friends my age (mid-late 20s) who would like to have families and are struggling with the issue of maternity leave. As someone who would like to have a second child, I question whether moving back home would be a smart move.
However, there are drawbacks. Many employers here discriminate against women of childbearing age-- because they know about all of the benefits women get when they are pregnant and then become mothers-- and employers are legally allowed to ask you about all of this.
Posted by: American mom abroad | January 25, 2007 11:37 AM
How about someone paying me for the income we gave up when I stayed home with my children? People who "work" and send their kids to the same pre-school as mine get a tax deduction while I just get a hit in the lost income - how is that supportive of families?
You can get one too if you work?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 11:43 AM
How about someone paying me for the income we gave up when I stayed home with my children? People who "work" and send their kids to the same pre-school as mine get a tax deduction while I just get a hit in the lost income - how is that supportive of families?
Go back to work if your kid is in preschool if you want the tax break!!!! Why should anyone subsidize you for staying home and eating bon bons while he kid is in school? That makes no sense!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 11:45 AM
"How about someone paying me for the income we gave up when I stayed home with my children? People who "work" and send their kids to the same pre-school as mine get a tax deduction while I just get a hit in the lost income - how is that supportive of families?
You can get one too if you work?"
Yes - you get to stay home all day with your child, while we work for our deduction... I think that is supportive enough. Also, your spouse can get the $5000 dependant care deduction, which would be the same total per child than if you were working so in essence you are getting the double deduction. Staing at home and getting a full tax discount on child care...
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 11:47 AM
to Ajax-- In Austria, you get a legal minimum of 25 vacation days/year, plus holidays (and there are a lot of them, two extra even if you are registered as a Protestant.)
Posted by: American mom abroad | January 25, 2007 11:49 AM
why is work in quotations?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 11:49 AM
"People who "work" and send their kids to the same pre-school as mine get a tax deduction while I just get a hit in the lost income - how is that supportive of families?"
You can afford to stay at home AND send your children to pre-school and still you whine? God bless America.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 11:50 AM
OK, let's see what happens if we give a new mother twelve weeks' paid maternity leave. Let's say she holds a job that pays $52,000 a year -- that's $1,000 a week. Her non-parent colleague in that job continues to get $1,000 a week for 52 weeks of work. The new mother gets $52,000 for 40 weeks of work -- that's $1,300 a week.
But who says that her family's needs return to the $1,000-a-week level as soon as the year that she gives birth ends? No one who has ever had children will say that. Certainly, the U. S. Military does not say that. Consider what the military calls the "Basic Allowance for Housing" (BAH) which is paid to service members who live in civilian housing off base.
An E-5 is an Army or Marine Sergeant, a Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class, or an Air Force Staff Sergeant. The E-5 with dependents gets $218.37 a month more than the E-5 without dependents. As Louis Blanc said, "Ã chacun selon ses besoins" -- "to each according to his/her needs."
How can we use this information to make paid maternity leave fair to everyone? Well, since the U. S. Military is allowed to pay people with dependents more than people without dependents, we could allow ordinary private employers to do the same thing without fear of prosecution for violating laws prohibiting discrimination based on family status. And in fact, according to
http://www.workplacefairness.org/maritalstatus?agree=yes
"Parental status discrimination is *not* covered by the federal laws that generally prohibit discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, and disability for private employers."
Since the new mother needs $1,300 a week to support herself and her new baby, that means she is entitled ("according to her needs") to $67,600 a year. The employer could set things up so that her twelve weeks of pay for staying home are considered an "advance" on her future, needs-based salary of $67,600.
It's true that her non-parent colleague doing the same work will continue to earn $52,000 a year, but hey -- do we want to help out parents, or don't we? Do we believe in "to each according to her needs," or don't we?
We could do the same calculations for a new father, but given that he is entitled to only five days' paid paternity leave, we would not see so dramatic an increase in deserved pay. However, it is known that the earnings of married men with children are, on average, considerably higher than the earnings of people without dependents. So the new father can do what so many of his fellow fathers do, viz., work much harder and longer hours and maybe get promoted so that he can help his wife support their new baby.
"Go back to work if your kid is in preschool if you want the tax break!!!! Why should anyone subsidize you for staying home and eating bon bons while he kid is in school? That makes no sense!!!"
Ignoring the vitriolic aspect -- the fundamental question becomes 'what is it that we as a society wish to subsidize'? As each first-year economics major is taught, we should expect more of that which we subsidize and less of that which we tax. So, is the goal to subsidize parents of young children, or is the goal to subsidize employed parents of young children?
Should the couple surviving on a single $30K a year income with a stay-at-home parent be required to subsidize pre-school for the child of a couple making $125K a year in which both parents are employed? Is that the intent?
If the goal is to help all parents increase the ability to raise their children, to what extent should we put in place programs designed to subsidize the decision for new parents to be employed vice stay at home? To what extent should lower-income families be required to subsidize the lifestyles of those families better-off financially?
Posted by: A Dad | January 25, 2007 11:55 AM
Moxiemom, I read your post. My wife uses the threat of taking our 4 year old to jail when he misbehaves and it brings him to tears, but it rarely results in the desired behavior. My conclusion is that at some point and times it is impossible for a child to behave until after their tantrum has concluded.
If we actually took our 4 year old to the station and made good on the threat though, hmmm, the thought deserves merit.
Posted by: Father of 4 | January 25, 2007 12:00 PM
Should the couple surviving on a single $30K a year income with a stay-at-home parent be required to subsidize pre-school for the child of a couple making $125K a year in which both parents are employed? Is that the intent?
Don't the people who make 125 pay taxes too? Probably more than the ones making 30 and they probably get less back at refund time. They also, through their taxes and day care tuition, make it possible for the really less fortunate (not the lazy) to allow their kids to go to pre-school.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:01 PM
There's free bused pre-school (with free breakfast & lunch) provided by the public schools where I live, so it's not an issue in my community.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:01 PM
I don't know about paying people "according to their needs." Granted, it would definitely assist parents and others with dependents (for instance, those who support aged parents). However, the whole point of paid employment is to be monetarily compensated for the work you do, not for the circumstances you're in. That's why there are tax breaks and other measures for people with children, etc. In a way, it almost seems like we're punishing those employees who do not have children, for whatever reason. They do the same amount of work (sometimes more, like when a colleague is on maternity leave). Also, if we pay those with children more than those without, do people with more kids get even more pay? Do you pay an employee with three or four kids more than those with one or two? I doubt anyone would argue that it costs more to raise four kids than three, two, or one. If we use the equation of paying each "according to their needs" then those with multiple children should be paid more than the person with one child.
Posted by: 215 | January 25, 2007 12:02 PM
"Should the couple surviving on a single $30K a year income with a stay-at-home parent be required to subsidize pre-school for the child of a couple making $125K a year in which both parents are employed? Is that the intent?"
Maybe I'm missing something, but how is a $30K a year couple subsidizing pre-school for the $125K family? I thought pre-school cost the same for all pupils at the school.
Are you saying that pre-school should cost more for the dual income $125K a year couple? That is just ridiculous. Should a loaf a bread cost more for the $125K/year couple too?
"Ummm, this is the mantra of Communists and Socialists since 1840, originally penned by Louis Blanc however used by none other than Karl Marx. Workers of the world unite, anyone?
"Matt - are you endorsing Marx?"
No. I'm claming that to the extent the Democratic Party's platform proposes programs that take from those who have and redistribute to those who don't have, the Democrats are endorsing the same thing that Marx endorsed.
Of course, neither Blanc nor Marx originated the idea of a societal duty to care for the needy. Check out the Holy Bible, Chapter 22 of the Book of Exodus:
"Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless."
Posted by: Matt in Aberdeen | January 25, 2007 12:07 PM
Fear (as a marketing tool not so sure about parenting) is not an effective long term strategy to change behavior.
As for subsidies and taxes, perhaps there should be a cut of for income tax breaks/subsidies for child care/dependant care write offs. I don't know maybe up to $80K enough to live off of, and and amount that is feasible for one person to make while the other stays home. The poor would not exceed it, and the "rich" cannot take advantage of it. What is the cut off where you reach a different tax bracket?
Posted by: single mom | January 25, 2007 12:08 PM
"Don't the people who make 125 pay taxes too? Probably more than the ones making 30 and they probably get less back at refund time. They also, through their taxes and day care tuition, make it possible for the really less fortunate (not the lazy) to allow their kids to go to pre-school."
Of course -- we have a progressive income tax system so that those who earn more pay more both in terms of actual dollars and effective rates.
That said, we have decided to as a society to skew this progressive system when individuals do things that we as a society believe to be good. For example, if you spend your money on charity rather than personal consumption, we will lower your taxes through deductions. If you decide to buy a home, we will lower your taxes.
With respect to children, there are programs in place that are agnostic with respect to the decision to work or stay-at-home fulltime -- the most obvious being the child tax credit. There are other programs that specifically subsidize the decision to work outside the home as a parent -- the childcare credit referenced above.
If as a society we believe that parents should not stay-at-home fulltime after having children, then the subsidies in place make perfect sense.
If as a society we assign equal weight to both the decision by parents to work outside the home and the decision to stay at home fulltime, the current policies do not make sense -- and the addition of paid family leave would based on employment would only add to this disparity.
Posted by: A Dad | January 25, 2007 12:08 PM
"Maybe I'm missing something, but how is a $30K a year couple subsidizing pre-school for the $125K family? I thought pre-school cost the same for all pupils at the school."
The couple making $125K gets to deduct the pre-school from their taxes if they are both employed, the couple making $30K with a stay-at-home parent does not get to deduct the pres-school expense.
In order to provide a tax subsidy to one element of the population, the remainder of the population effectively pays a higher rate.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:11 PM
"For example, if you spend your money on charity rather than personal consumption, we will lower your taxes through deductions."
this only kicks in though if you exceed the standard decuction and can itemized your contributions - that is about $5K/year in charity (about 12% of my income)...
No, Matt, some of us consider that people should be compensated based on a combination of expertise, education, work performance, productivity, and hard-to-find skillsets, and that reproduction in and of itself doesn't merit extra cash in the workplace. We used to have a system where parents were compensated more highly than non-parents. It was called the Fifties and each prior decade in the U.S. A married guy with 2 kids was automatically compensated more than a single woman under the She's Only Supporting Herself Theory. The idea that compensation somehow should be tied to what the prospective employee needs and wants rather than the position's value to the organization paying that compensation is heretical to one or two of us.
If paid maternity/paternity leave becomes an issue over which women and men will accept an offer of employment from a competitor, or choose an offer of employment from a competitor and identify this as the reason, then employers will begin to feel pressure to offer this benefit. As long as prospective and current employees view paid paternity leave as nice, but not essential, employers won't offer it. Vote with your feet, employees, if you think this matters, and tell the recruiting managers that the reason you are accepting or declining an employment offer, or the reason you're taking that job with a competitor, is the availability of paid paternity leave as a benefit. Until you're willing to do that, quit complaining.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:15 PM
"Well, since the U. S. Military is allowed to pay people with dependents more than people without dependents, we could allow ordinary private employers to do the same thing without fear of prosecution for violating laws prohibiting discrimination based on family status." We can hardly base our legal definitions on the ones the military uses. They discriminate based on gender (marines, navy seals), but that is illegal for the rest of the free and the brave.
I can not argue, however, with your quote from the workplace fairness site. We have seen that borne out many time in the workplace.
215 has it right, though. We as employees are not compensated based on what we need (again, unlike in the military). The federal government can do all it wants to provide kick-backs for parents, but I doubt that a business would do that.
Posted by: Meesh | January 25, 2007 12:16 PM
John writes:
"Excuse me, I'm not the man who said that a father should get out of the way of a new mother so she can 'get her space in order'. I believe that was Matt with his 'neanderthal' comment."
No, it was not Matt. It was Dave, posting at 9:12 AM.
Posted by: Matt in Aberdeen | January 25, 2007 12:17 PM
I think we should encourage people to go back to work after having children - thus child care subsidies are fine with me, and we should eliminate (by phasing out) Social Security collections by stay at home spouses who have not paid enough in to receive their own. By living in a 2 income household (with children), our household is already subsidizing a stay-at-home household consumption of: NIH medical research, paying for public schooling, infrastructure upkeep, paying for the military, etc. etc. etc. I can't believe people whine about "subsidizing" a child care deduction when their household is being subsidized for all of the aforementioned things by two income households.
Posted by: Elle | January 25, 2007 12:21 PM
The couple making $125K gets to deduct the pre-school from their taxes if they are both employed, the couple making $30K with a stay-at-home parent does not get to deduct the pres-school expense.
In order to provide a tax subsidy to one element of the population, the remainder of the population effectively pays a higher rate.
Only if they take it out pre-taxed from a flexable spending account right?
Also, say the SAH person has two or three kids to my one, don't they get more of a tax break.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:24 PM
A Dad,
I have really appreciated your comments today. Are you an economist?
Haven't resolved how I feel about this issue, so information (preferable unbiased!) is good. I remember in college getting a lot more financial aid than my friends, and a lot bigger tax return. They thought it was unfair until I pointed out how much I paid for daycare ... so I don't know that I think of extra benefits for parents as a "punishment" for the childless. I find economics confusing, and I am horrified by how attached people are to money ...
Posted by: TakomaMom | January 25, 2007 12:24 PM
"Fear (as a marketing tool not so sure about parenting) is not an effective long term strategy to change behavior."
It's hard to believe this. How about the scare tactics used in the news and other popular media? People today are terrified of bacteria, terrorists, disease, and child abductions. In terms of marketing, people are buying antibacterial soap, watching the news to find out "what household product can kill your baby," buying duct tape and plastic wrap, and checking the internet to find out if there have been any abductions in the neighborhood where they want to buy a house. That's serioud behavior change based on the last couple decades.
Some people may see this a "which came first" argument, like are we reacting to the world becoming more dangerous, are are we reacting to the media telling us that the world is more dangerous? The bottom line is that fear sells.
And I'm sick and tired of being told that I must be "supportive" and give "special treatment" to "single moms"!!! Why should I give a damn if a mother (or father) is single or not?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:26 PM
"The couple making $125K gets to deduct the pre-school from their taxes if they are both employed, the couple making $30K with a stay-at-home parent does not get to deduct the pres-school expense."
No, the couple making $125K does not get to deduct the cost of the pre-school from their taxes. The deduction is phased out beginning around $75K, if I recall correctly. At $125K, a couple is either down to zip or approx. $750 worth of a deduction, at best.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:27 PM
Fear definitely sells. How else do you explain the success of the horror/thriller genre.
Posted by: s | January 25, 2007 12:27 PM
No they don't "deserve" anything extra!! Where is that coming from?
And I'm sick and tired of being told that I must be "supportive" and give "special treatment" to "single moms"!!! Why should I give a damn if a mother (or father) is single or not?
I think it is called empathy and it doesn't have to equal money.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:28 PM
No, the couple making $125K does not get to deduct the cost of the pre-school from their taxes. The deduction is phased out beginning around $75K, if I recall correctly. At $125K, a couple is either down to zip or approx. $750 worth of a deduction, at best.
yep, people are taxed for success.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:29 PM
off topic, but these comments always intrigue me:
"um, guys, am I the only one that has a problem with giving federal employees more of MY money (we are actually paying their salaries)?"
I have no problem with this. The federal govt does not pay a competitive salary compared to the private sector, and offering benefits like this might entice bright young college grads to consider this as a career (lord knows we need smarter people in all areas of government, especially with so many older employees retiring in the next few yrs)
Posted by: fedguy | January 25, 2007 09:31 AM
hi! plenty of bright, young, college grads do want careers in the federal government! but without special skills (engineering, languages, etc) it is really hard to get a job with the federal government, even GS-5. it's just frustrating to hear people talk about luring young people to the federal work force, yet it is still impossibly competitive to get a position. (It should be competitive, but it's not like young people are passing over fed jobs, plenty are already applying!)
And back on topic--maybe it shouldn't be the employer's responsibility to respond to events in a person's life, but we have a complex set up of work-govt-personal responsbility. Take healthcare, when it's primarily employer provided that makes the employer an active participant with their employee's health.
Also, liberal leave policies would be great. Maybe I can't quantify how one employer paying someone to take a leave of absence write a book or get started with their own business 100% compensates that employer for the time off, but that book could really help someone else and make them more productive at their company! But, I also think it's ridiculous to equate a leave of absence to maternity/paternity leave. Different people have different needs and though someone missing for a few months does impact their coworkers, that coworker may need to leave, with pay, for a funeral. Or for their own illness. Or maybe they will never get sick or know anyone who dies and just accrue endless sick time they never get compensated for. I just don't see how that situation is unfair to the person. The same leave was available to them, but they never needed it. Ok? (I understand *choosing* to need the leave is part of the equation, but hell, maybe someone CHOSE to marry someone with cancer or CHOSE to eat a dozen eggs everyday and has to cash in endless sick time. Any need can be traced back to a choice.)
Posted by: eaopmk | January 25, 2007 12:34 PM
"We used to have a system where parents were compensated more highly than non-parents. It was called the Fifties and each prior decade in the U.S. A married guy with 2 kids was automatically compensated more than a single woman under the She's Only Supporting Herself Theory. . . ."
Does anyone think that the employers of the Fifties used the stockholders' money to pay parents more than non-parents out of the goodness of their hearts?
"If paid maternity/paternity leave becomes an issue over which women and men will accept an offer of employment from a competitor, or choose an offer of employment from a competitor and identify this as the reason, then employers will begin to feel pressure to offer this benefit. As long as prospective and current employees view paid paternity leave as nice, but not essential, employers won't offer it. Vote with your feet, employees, if you think this matters, . . ."
By the same token, if higher pay for parents becomes an issue over which women and men will accept an offer of employment from a competitor, or choose an offer of employment from a competitor and identify this as the reason, then employers will begin to feel pressure to pay parents more than non-parents. And we'll get the Fifties back again -- unless Government steps in to substitute its judgment for the judgment of the marketplace.
Posted by: Matt in Aberdeen | January 25, 2007 12:34 PM
You're already paying much less in taxes than those who get the childcare break, as you're not paying tax on your forgone income.
Say couple A and couple B have the same wage profiles and taxes before having a child (each spouse in each couple earns $40K; and they pay an average tax rate of 20%, or $16K for each couple). 3 years later, both kids are now in (part-time) preschool at $3000 per year. Wife A decided to SAH so couple A now earns only $40K per year, and being lower-income their tax rate has dropped as well --- let's say they now pay an average tax rate of 10%. So they now pay $4k in taxes --- $12K less than before child. Couple B pays, in addition to preschool fees, child care for their child during the rest of the workweek. Let's say all told this comes to $12K (that's a really lowball estimate, I've always paid closer to double that for combinations adding up to fulltime childcare). Of that $12K expense, the couple can deduct $5K (note that they don't even use that preschool tuition, since their expense is so much greater than the $5K flex account limit!) So couple B, with their childcare expense break, pays $15K in tax (20% of $75K), $1K less than before kids. Of course, to pay that $1K less, they're also paying $12K in real, bill-must-be-paid expenses.
So, from the same starting point, SAH couple A now pays $4K in taxes, and WOH couple B pays $15K, and childcare expenses to boot. Exactly how is couple B being subsidized more?
>How about someone paying me for the income we gave >up when I stayed home with my children? People who >"work" and send their kids to the same pre-school >as mine get a tax deduction while I just get a hit >in the lost income - how is that supportive of >families?
Posted by: KB | January 25, 2007 12:34 PM
"Fear (as a marketing tool not so sure about parenting) is not an effective long term strategy to change behavior."
I second this comment. While people may enjoy reading thrillers, and may worry about having enough duct tape for a nanosecond, the point is that it, on average, fear does not cause people to make long-term bevahioral changes. This is why many PSA campaigns that try to scare you into quitting smoking, exercising more, eating more healthy, having three-months worth of your salary in savings, being adequately insured, and having a month's worth of canned goods and bottled water are unsuccessful. Is everyone ready for that next hurricane? Heck, no, and we all feel really bad about that. In the time it takes to convert fear into action, the emotion dissipates along with whatever momentum it generated.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:35 PM
"Of course, neither Blanc nor Marx originated the idea of a societal duty to care for the needy"
Matt - I think it is up for debate as to whether Karl Marx was truly advocating care for the needy. Marx's words and what is commonly referred to as Marxism today have their differences and I am not a scholar in either. Without getting into a debate on class struggles and the history of Marxism the common theme is the elimination of capitalism and a socialist society. The result is that those that work the hardest are not rewarded and their "wealth" is indeed redistributed.
Posted by: cmac | January 25, 2007 12:40 PM
I would characterize the result of Marxism as a society in which no one is incentivized to work hard because there is no reward. As a result GNP decreases and everyone suffers equally.
The reason to work hard is to provide for the betterment of ones'self and one's family. If that's not an available reward, there's no point in slogging one's way to the end of the rainbow. The easiest thing in the world is to put one's feet up on the coffeetable and let others support you.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:54 PM
An afterthought on my tax example --- I didn't include social security/medicare taxes. Before child, both couples were paying $6K per year in ss/medicare, for a total tax burden of $22K per year. After child, the SAH couple A has halved their SS/medicare tax to $3K, while the WOH couple B continues to pay $6K. So, counting both income and SS tax, couple A now pays a total federal tax burden of $7K per year; couple B $21K.
And what I just don't get is that everytime the topic comes up here, some SAH couple A's complain that they're the ones subsidizing WOH couple B's, just because a small deduction exists for child care!
Posted by: KB | January 25, 2007 12:56 PM
"The easiest thing in the world is to put one's feet up on the coffeetable and let others support you."
Right, that's what the SAHMs are doing - the easiest thing!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 12:59 PM
KB, One or two parents have attended way too many seminars talking about the marriage penalty, the childcare deduction and how they're getting screwed for making the supreme moral personal sacrifice to raise their children themselves (except for those 6.5 hours a day the kids are in school) so that those valueless working parents can outsource their childcare. The upside is, it's only one or two parents and not the majority. There are obnoxious idiots in both camps.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 1:07 PM
"The easiest thing in the world is to put one's feet up on the coffeetable and let others support you."
Right, that's what the SAHMs are doing - the easiest thing!
to anon at 12:59 PM - Feeling a wee defensive this afternoon? The post to which you're responding didn't have anything to do with being a stay-at-home parent. It was a comment on marxism vs. capitalism. Take a moment to breathe and wait for an actual insult before jumping down someone's throat.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 1:10 PM
An Australian organization of professional women called APESMA compiled a list entitled "Maternity Leave around the World -- A Table of Comparisons." You can view it at
http://www.apesma.asn.au/women/maternity_leave_around_the_world.asp
(It looks like Australians are given one year of unpaid leave.)
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 1:11 PM
The effective federal tax rate (excluding SS) for a family making 30K a year is negative. So that family can't possibly susidize the other.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 1:12 PM
"making the supreme moral personal sacrifice to raise their children themselves (except for those 6.5 hours a day the kids are in school)"
Ha, ha, ha!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 1:12 PM
to anon at 12:59 PM - Feeling a wee defensive this afternoon? The post to which you're responding didn't have anything to do with being a stay-at-home parent. It was a comment on marxism vs. capitalism. Take a moment to breathe and wait for an actual insult before jumping down someone's throat.
Maybe he isn't talking to you?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 1:12 PM
Note to self: Don't try to run a business in Australia if you are committed to hiring employees on a gender-blind basis.
Posted by: NC lawyer | January 25, 2007 1:13 PM
to anon at 12:59 PM - Feeling a wee defensive this afternoon? The post to which you're responding didn't have anything to do with being a stay-at-home parent. It was a comment on marxism vs. capitalism. Take a moment to breathe and wait for an actual insult before jumping down someone's throat.
Oh I know it's not all SAH families resentful of the childcare deduction. I really think for those rare but obnoxious few, it's a resentment of any concession, however tiny, to those whose make different choices. But I think it gets echoed and amplified uncritically by others, in a grass is always greener effect: tax deductions always look so enviable til you can actually use them --- then you read the fine print and see how paltry they are (mortgage deduction excluded). . . Hoping that actual numbers might make some rethink about whether they really are being so wronged for SAH, after all . . .
I think SAH families are actually the ones more subsidized in this country, and I value child-rearing and have no problem with that subsidy. I'd like to see the childcare deduction increased to more accurately reflect real-world childcare expenses, to better mitigate the costs that WOH parents bear, too. I think raising children is a societal good well worth subsidizing, whether parents choose SAH or WOH.
Posted by: KB | January 25, 2007 1:23 PM
What about that idea of sabbaticals that some companies are implementing? I think they're a great idea because they eliminate some of the "but I'm being punished for not having children" feeling. Not statutory, I know, but if I could have 3 months paid leave off every 3 years, I'd be a happier worker, and if I were pregnant, I'd take the leave to care for my kid.
Posted by: Rita | January 25, 2007 1:32 PM
Slightly off-topic but since we veered into tax credits/deductions. Is anyone a bit concerned about the fine print on the proposed new health insurance deduction? Employer paid health insurance would be reclassified as income and the first $7500 for singles and $15000 for couples/families would be deductible. The personal finance columnist at WSJ is a family of 3 covered under her husband's policy at a cost of $12K per year. Right now the proposal would generate a small tax savings for her individual situation, but she asks a good question - are they planning to inflation index the deduction? When will this start costing all of us. The other supposition is that this will drive lower income families into the insurance market (because of the deduction) - I am not sure I believe this...
Posted by: Product of a Working Mother | January 25, 2007 1:33 PM
KB writes:
"I think SAH families are actually the ones more subsidized in this country, and I value child-rearing and have no problem with that subsidy."
I agree. It doesn't matter whether the couples having children consist of two working parents or of one working and one stay-at-home parent. What matters is that enough couples have children to preserve our society. Because if not enough couples do this, we will wind up traveling the path that Europe and Japan are now traveling. Oh me, oh my!
"I'd like to see the childcare deduction increased to more accurately reflect real-world childcare expenses, to better mitigate the costs that WOH parents bear, too. I think raising children is a societal good well worth subsidizing, whether parents choose SAH or WOH."
I, too, would like to see the child care deduction increased. However, what a deduction does is let earners keep more of what they have earned. I do not call this a "subsidy." When govenment takes what they earn and redistributes it to others "according to their needs" (or according to the power of their pressure groups and lobbyists) -- THAT'S a subsidy.
Posted by: Matt in Aberdeen | January 25, 2007 1:34 PM
let me get this straight - SAHMs are lazy, but being home with your newborn is REALLY important, so important that you should be paid to do it but then after that it is less important that someone be home and about being happy so you can be a better parent.
There is an outcry about the lack of affordable child care in this country but those who choose to stay at home and care for their children are considered to be lazy and not doing anything.
Everyone says that we should be more like the Europeans and slow down and enjoy life and family - unless you are a SAHM and you are chastised for supposedly eating bon bons.
Some pretty contradictory stuff out there methinks.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 1:35 PM
Okay folks -- here's a bit of reality. Paid leave sounds great. But in reality here is how FMLA works. You have about 10% of the work population that files for all their FMLA everytime the 12 months is up. These are the same folks that file workers' comp claims and game the system. It's not fair to those that actually need the leave or workers' compensation. And it's not fair to the companies or taxpayers that have to support this practice. I'll support paid leave so long as companies and government has the ability to punish those to continuously abuse the privalige. Give us that and I'll support it.
Posted by: woobie468 | January 25, 2007 1:38 PM
Matt
What does
"What matters is that enough couples have children to preserve our society." mean?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 1:44 PM
This is a rerun of our once-per-month paid leave discussion. New faces. Same assertions.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 1:50 PM
This is a rerun of our once-per-month paid leave discussion. New faces. Same assertions.
yes and it is boring, someone think of a new topic.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 1:51 PM
product of a working mother - The proposed health insurance deducations/reclassifications are horrible. My husband's employer pays 80% of our healthcare costs and when I do the math we are already over the 15K annually. In essence we will be paying an additional penalty because we have good insurance. I call BS on that and Bush should be ashamed of himself for proposing this scheme. Even the Democrats hate it - for different reasons - but thankfully it has little chance of passing.
As for inflation indexes and adjustments - the Federal gov't already does a poor job of this for everything in the budget, so why expect that it would get better?
Posted by: cmac | January 25, 2007 1:54 PM
whats important to me is that whatever the federal government provides it is EQUAL for both genders. I think we should as society slow down more and i enjoyed two years as a stay at home mom, but I would have loved to have come back to work after a year, leave the toddler with the husband for a year and then put the kid in daycare until school starts. I cannot get on board to support any program that gives more benefits to women than men-- even though I KNOW just how exhausting childbirth and nursing, etc. can be and these are things that just cannot be done by the father instead to make things equal! So . . . life isn't equal or fair-- but our federal leave policies should be just as a matter of principle (and to avoid gender discrimination).
Posted by: Cal Girl | January 25, 2007 1:59 PM
I'm kind of backing up to marxist stuff... SAHM, shiftless, lazy people aside, what about taking care of those who cannot take care of themselves due to disability, physical illness, mental illness. Do we put them in the same arena as those who should work hard to take care of themselves. What if they just can't?
Posted by: s | January 25, 2007 2:02 PM
I would have loved to have come back to work after a year, leave the toddler with the husband for a year and then put the kid in daycare until school starts
That's really sweet "Put THE KID in daycare until school starts" - kinda like put the boat in storage until the spring. heartwarming.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 2:02 PM
"I KNOW just how exhausting childbirth and nursing, etc. can be and these are things that just cannot be done by the father instead to make things equal!"
Cal Girl; Childbirth? gotcha. That's 1 - 23 hours.
but Nursing? Use a breast pump. Whatever. Dads can feed their children, and you are not essential to the process. Nursing is no excuse for inequitable benefits programs.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 2:06 PM
"That's really sweet "Put THE KID in daycare until school starts" - kinda like put the boat in storage until the spring. heartwarming"
who ARE you?
Posted by: Arlinigton Dad | January 25, 2007 2:12 PM
OK anonymous poster at 2:06 (come up with an alias so we don't confuse you with another anonymous poster). Not to start the breast feeding vs. formula debate, but if you breast feed it requires energy from your body. Breast pumps take time and go back to some of the other discussions to see the hassles with that. And the actual labor may just be 1-23 hours, but recovery can be longer and what about C-sections, etc.
On principle I agree leave for having children should be gender neutral, but the actual process is not.
Posted by: Divorced mom of 1 | January 25, 2007 2:14 PM
Good question, Arlington Dad. I was wondering the same thing.
Posted by: NC lawyer | January 25, 2007 2:15 PM
ProductofWorkingMom - I agree with you and others that the health tax thing is no good.
It hits older people and those in high cost states, i.e. Democrats!
We are 50. We have coverage with Kaiser Permanente, it's $1,300 a month. That's more than $15K. Do I consider this gold-plated insurance????? According to the Posts editoral supporting Bushs' plan I have excessive coverage -access to specialists without a referral(not!) and duplicative tests(tests, what tests?). Ha!
I have 'advice' nurses telling me to wait awhile and see if my problems don't go away by themselves.
The Bush proposal is designed to fail. Then he can say he proposed something but Congress didn't go for it.
Posted by: RoseG | January 25, 2007 2:20 PM
"That's really sweet "Put THE KID in daycare until school starts" - kinda like put the boat in storage until the spring. heartwarming"
OUch!! It just got really cold in here, maybe we'll finally get some snow.
Posted by: moxiemom | January 25, 2007 2:25 PM
RoseG - I also have Kaiser. I think their motto should be "it's better than nothing!".
Posted by: Missicat | January 25, 2007 2:27 PM
It hits older people and those in high cost states, i.e. Democrats!
Dems only live in DC,CA, and NY?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 2:32 PM
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/travellog/
Childless people unite! Looks like you have won a small battle.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 2:37 PM
roseG, they pay my wife a lot of money to give you that advice.
Posted by: Father of 4 | January 25, 2007 2:37 PM
"what about C-sections"
Right, what about the women who have
C-sections for the sole purpose of avoiding pain?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 2:42 PM
"Right, what about the women who have
C-sections for the sole purpose of avoiding pain?"
We must have found a real special rock for this anonymous poster to crawl out from under.
Damn women. Why don't they just take childbirth like a man? shoot. Now I remember.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 2:44 PM
Right, what about the women who have
C-sections for the sole purpose of avoiding pain?
I don't really understand why anyone would have a planned c section. Anyone ever had one.
Posted by: scarry | January 25, 2007 2:44 PM
I haven't had C-sections but would guess the pain (post-op, that is) is much worse than that during vaginal birth. Not to mention the risks inherent in major surgery.
What a stupid thing to say.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 2:45 PM
Version 1 of SOTU:
"We can save on social programs by putting all the poor, elderly and infirmed in cheap housing by using abandoned stadiums and armories in neighborhoods where the real estate is worth less than $1/sq. ft./per month. Your family can live there for free if you enlist.
With all this savings from the social programs we can contract for more tanks and mercenaries from Northrop, Lockheed and Blackwater and we will all be safer! Done deal!"
Version 2: "Those of you with good healthcare should pay high tax on it."
We wound up going with version 2.
Posted by: D. Cheney, Wash DC | January 25, 2007 2:46 PM
I haven't had C-sections but would guess the pain (post-op, that is) is much worse than that during vaginal birth. Not to mention the risks inherent in major surgery.
What a stupid thing to say.
Why is it stupid? I had very little pain after I had my daughter. However, my sister had a c-section and she quite a bit of pain from the incision.
Posted by: scarry | January 25, 2007 2:48 PM
Scarry
Since you are such a People magazine fan, you should know that Britney the nitwit and other celebrity mothers have admitted to having C-sections cause they're "scared of pain."
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 2:50 PM
"You have about 10% of the work population that files for all their FMLA everytime the 12 months is up."
Prove it woobie. Site a reputable study and/or government statistic.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 2:51 PM
Yes, I know this to be true because I do read the rag mags, but I geuss I just can't imagine anyone being that scared that they would have one. I geuss I am just in shock that people do it!
Posted by: scarry | January 25, 2007 2:53 PM
For a federal employee: Do you pay social security taxes, or does some portion of your salary go into another pension system for federal employees that only you can access.
Does that affect FMLA for federal workers? Which box of funding does that come out of?
Anyone know?
Posted by: question | January 25, 2007 2:53 PM
Scarry, If my ob/gyns had permitted it (rather than scoffing and lecturing), I'd have had a planned c-section for both deliveries. I'd like to have had the doctor I wanted delivering at least one of my children. In each instance, the doctor on call that night was my least favorite (and less skilled) of the 4 (in one practice) and 5 (of the other practice) physicians in the practice. I'd like to have known when our delivery was going to occur and not walk around for the last couple of weeks waiting for lightening to strike. I'd like to have taken the pressure of the lightening-bolt event off of my husband and have had both of us emotionally prepared and as rested as possible. I've read all the statistics and have concluded that a planned c-section is far lower risk for the baby.
I can understand why those who believe the only mark of femininity is a vaginal birth oppose scheduled deliveries, but they make more sense to me.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 2:54 PM
Scarry, our 4th was a planned c-section and if you ask my wife, the easiest with less pain. There are added benefits too, like getting nails done, makeup, hair cut to look good for the pictures.
Posted by: Father of 4 | January 25, 2007 2:55 PM
"Right, what about the women who have
C-sections for the sole purpose of avoiding pain?
I don't really understand why anyone would have a planned c section. Anyone ever had one"
Yes I have - there is a longer recovery time for C-Sections because they are more painful, take more time to heal - to avoid the pain is BS - taking an epidural is to avoid the pain. That is why you spend extra time in the hospital, cannot climb stairs, cannot drive, and cannot lift anything heavier than your baby for some time. How many natural births do you hear have the same restrictions?
Posted by: single mom | January 25, 2007 2:56 PM
I guess that came across as more flippant than I intended. Howabout "place the child in a loving, supportive alternative care provider situation during the hours when myself and my husband are back at work earning the funds to pau for the fabulous program our child is placed in"? A bit wordy and not as snappy as the original but it is in fact much closer to the truth of what parents who use daycare actually do that your proposed "boat in storage" analogy. It's shocking that just because I fail to go on and on about what a great daycare I used in the past and plan to use again in the future it is assumed that I don't care about my child's welfare! Ya'll are too cynical for my taste.
to the person who commented on breast pump-- i think you need to reread what i wrote. I said very clearly that I was AGAINST any federal leave policy that WAS NOT gender equal. ANd yes, pumps can be fine, but it is still EXHAUSTING for some women to actually produce the milk that is pumped in the first place. Plus it is expensive and not every workplace is can adapt to the whole-- "need to leave every so often to take a 30 minute break so that I can express milk and leave in refrigerator to take home to baby." so the REALITY of life is that the actual process of becoming a parent is FAR more exhausting for the mother than the father. AND I said that even though this is true, federal law should still treat both genders the same both-- even if you think it doesn't need to be that way just based on principle, I really should be because otherwise businesses will discriminate against women of child bearing age.
Posted by: Cal Girl | January 25, 2007 2:57 PM
scarry, I re-read my accidentally anon post at 2:54 and realized it was possible to interpret the last sentence as somehow being directed at you. That was not my intent at all.
Posted by: NC lawyer | January 25, 2007 2:57 PM
Do you pay social security taxes, or does some portion of your salary go into another pension system for federal employees that only you can access.
Does that affect FMLA for federal workers? Which box of funding does that come out of?
Yes, feds pay social security taxes just like everyone else.
There is no "pension system" only feds can access.
FMLA leave is UNPAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know how many times we have to go over this. All FMLA does is give you time off and the guarantee that you won't be fired. I don't have any idea what a "box" of funding is that all of our magical leave comes out of.
Posted by: a federal employee | January 25, 2007 2:59 PM
A poster at 01:44 PM asks:
"What does 'What matters is that enough couples have children to preserve our society.' mean?"
What "enough" has to do with is the fact that if we live long enough, we are going to become too old to work. In the words of the old union song,
"Who's going to take care of you?
How'll you get by,
When you're too old to work
And too young to die?"
We are going to need goods and services that we will no longer be able to produce for ourselves. No matter how much money we have stored up in our IRA, it will not be able to buy us those goods and services unless there are enough people who are young enough to produce them. That's why I consider Europe and Japan and say, "Oh me, oh my!"
Here is what Michael Freund wrote in the January 9 edition of the Jerusalem Post:
"According to a recent report by the Rand Corporation, 'Across Europe, birth rates are falling and family sizes are shrinking. The total fertility rate is now less than two children per woman in every member nation in the European Union.'
"Needless to say, demographers consider a birthrate of 2.1 children per family to be the replacement level at which a society's population size remains stable. Barring large-scale immigration, anything less means decline and dissolution.
"A research study published last year in the International Journal of Andrology found a similar trend, concluding that, 'Fertility rates have fallen and are now below replacement level in all European Union (EU) Member States. In the 20-year period since 1982,' it noted, 'most EU Member State countries have had total fertility rates continuously below replacement level.'
"At the bottom of the list are Spain, Italy and Greece, where birthrates hover around just 1.3 per couple, leading some forecasters to suggest, for example, that Italy's population could shrink by one-third by the middle of the century.
Others, such as Germany's 1.37, the UK's 1.74 and Sweden's 1.75, aren't all much better.
"The figures are so bad that in many European countries, the total number of deaths each year has actually begun to exceed the number of births.
"Indeed, the Council of Europe's 2004 Demographic Yearbook warned that, 'for Europe as a whole, more people died in 2003 than were born.' In 1990, said the yearbook, 'three countries -- Germany, Bulgaria and Hungary -- had negative natural growth for the first time. By 2002, it was negative in fifteen countries.'"
So, thank the couples who are using their time and treasure to raise the children who will be taking care of us when we are too old to work and too young to die.
Posted by: Matt in Aberdeen | January 25, 2007 3:00 PM
I didn't mean to sound judgmental; I just thought that c-sections would mean longer healing time, more pain, and that it might be harder on the baby, so if you were doing it to avoid pain it might not be the best option. Plus, I have a high tolerance for pain, but am very afraid of any kind of surgery.
I prepared for one though when I was pregnant because my sister had such a hard time, but I got my mom's genes and didn't need one.
Really I didn't mean to stir up any bad feelings for anyone, I was really just curious and if the baby is healthy who cares how you had it.
Posted by: scarry | January 25, 2007 3:01 PM
Scarry -- my very tough wife has delivered both ways -- she said recovering from the c-section was much harder.
Posted by: Arlington Dad | January 25, 2007 3:02 PM
I don't really understand why anyone would have a planned c section. Anyone ever had one.
Scarry, I had a planned c-section because my son was breach and nearly 10 lbs. It has its pros and cons. One of the pros was that the delivery was easy. No pain, no stress, very fast. I felt that things were under control. The drawback is that of course, you have this postoperative incision that hurts for a few days afterwards. I was bedridden for the next 15 hours or so (I think it was that long) and getting out of bed to walk the first time was really painful. After that, it got better. All in all, I would not say that the post operative pain was the same as the pain of natural childbirth (but I don't really know since I never actually went into labor). I just know it was kinda bad at first, but certainly bearable (with percocet).
When I went home, I did not feel like I could move around as easily and pretty much had to take it easy for a couple of weeks. Which in the end was a pro because my husband and mother waited on me hand and foot (because of the surgery).
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 3:03 PM
No problem NY lawyer, I wasn't offended. I just wanted to make sure that I hadn't offended anyone else.
Posted by: scarry | January 25, 2007 3:04 PM
So are there real doctors out there (not the kind delivery Brittany's babies) who will go ahead and schedule a c-section just because the mom wanted it to avoid pain?
Posted by: Arlington Dad | January 25, 2007 3:06 PM
scarry, only when you think I'm from NY :>)
Posted by: NC lawyer | January 25, 2007 3:07 PM
I hope that the people who criticize those who [may] have had a planned c-section because of alleged fear of pain refused any sort of pain medications in their own trials of labor, lest they engage in hypocrisy. I also hope they encourage any friends who are undergoing surgery to turn down pain mediciation. Jeez, pregnancy and childbirth are hard and scary enough without the "take childbirth like a man, no pain medication" schpiel (shpiel?).
Posted by: Erin | January 25, 2007 3:08 PM
Sorry, I don't have my glasses on :)
Posted by: scarry | January 25, 2007 3:09 PM
Anybody else out there do this?
when asked by a doctor/ER, "what is your pain on a scale of 1 to 10 right now?", say...well, 10 was having a baby so I guess my current pain is x, where x < 10...
???
Posted by: dotted | January 25, 2007 3:09 PM
NC lawyer: I did notice scarry id'd you as NYC lawyer yesterday so I do notice some things.
Posted by: dotted | January 25, 2007 3:11 PM
Matt in Aberdeen: You are bringing out your same old "have kids to take care of you when you are old" argument. If you look at nursing homes and see how many elderly who have children who don't visit you would know that argument doesn't hold a drop of water. Not to mention the continued insult to those of us who don't have children for whatever reason.
Posted by: KLB SS MD | January 25, 2007 3:11 PM
A friend of mine had all her children by
C-section because her hips were too narrow and she would have died giving birth. She said once the procedure began the anesthetics kicked in and she felt little pain; of course there was a longer recuperative time and she did feel pain afterwards, but the babies were all fine.
Posted by: John | January 25, 2007 3:11 PM
I had a planned C. For me, it was great - I understand why women don't go this route, but I didn't have a tough recovery, etc., which my dr. said was because when people talk about C-section recovery, most C-section patients have been in (often very difficult) labor for an extended period of time and THEN get the C. When you schedule it and your body hasn't labored, it recovers much faster. Let the flaming begin.
Posted by: FMA | January 25, 2007 3:12 PM
I think most planned c-sections (the ones that are covered by insurance, anyway) actually have some medical reason behind it (breach baby, previous c-section, other health condition that makes it appropriate). I have read that a lot of celebrity moms opt for C sections for cosmetic reasons. Apparently, your hips are wider after a vaginal birth, but if you do a c-section, you don't widen your hips out. I guess to some women, this is really important (but I doubt insurance covers these choices).
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 3:13 PM
Hey dotted,
I was asked that question b4 having my baby, but I would always answer with a relatively high #. (Gets you seen A LOT faster...)
Posted by: Emmy | January 25, 2007 3:13 PM
"birthrate of 2.1 children per family to be the replacement level at which a society's population size remains stable"
What is a family? As related to marriages, serial marriages and out of wedlock births?
Isn't the U.S in a position to accept large-scale immigration as a solution, if necessary?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 3:15 PM
Did Britney have C-Sections?
Posted by: single mom | January 25, 2007 3:15 PM
dotted, you notice all the stuff that matters, lol. I just had this vision that scarry might think I'm flying first class out of laguardia to paris, and dining on bon bons as I drop the KID off at daycare for 12 hours a day. not that there's anything wrong with that.
c-sections is a vast improvement over the original topic, don't you think?
Posted by: NC lawyer | January 25, 2007 3:15 PM
"Matt in Aberdeen: You are bringing out your same old "have kids to take care of you when you are old" argument. If you look at nursing homes and see how many elderly who have children who don't visit you would know that argument doesn't hold a drop of water."
But what if you don't have enough population replacement to even staff nursing homes, hospitals, and the myriad other businesses that are required for society to function? Then it becomes a problem for those that do and those that don't have children.
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 3:15 PM
Yes, I know this to be true because I do read the rag mags, but I geuss I just can't imagine anyone being that scared that they would have one. I geuss I am just in shock that people do it!
This sounded bad, but I didn't mean it that way. Like I said, I am a sissy when it comes to anything with a needle or any kind of surgery, so my shock was more the shock of thinking that other women are not afraid of having a c section. Plus, I have never personally known anyone who had one electively, so it seemed like a hollywood trend and not something real people do.
I had an epidural and would never begrudge anyone there pain medication or how they had their baby.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 3:17 PM
I'd have a planned c-section again in a heartbeat. And my insurance would cover it because I already had one.
I'm sorry, I find nothing attractive about long labor, contractions, episiotomies, vaginal tearing, and hemorrhoids. But I understand that many women really want to have the birthing experience. I just don't.
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 3:21 PM
Just to chime in, I had a scheduled induction, which to me was the best of both worlds. I didn't worry about pain (epidural when I asked for it) and I didn't have the extra recoup time of a c-section. I would choose this way everytime, but then I read a recent study that found scheduled induction carry a greater risk of the mother dying (something about amniotic fluid getting into the blood stream causing shock and then death very quickly.) Yikes!
Posted by: Emmy | January 25, 2007 3:23 PM
Before we all get condescending about Britney Spears professed fear of pain, and she's given us lots of good fodder for laughter, none of us had to worry that when we showed up at the hospital at 2 a.m. after our water broke that the waiting area would be full of cameras hoping to snap a shot of our makeupless, fat, fearful selves. A schedule C-section permits the celebrity and the hospital to control the chaos wrought by having the celebrity arrive, control access to the celebrity mom and baby, and permit the doctor to do his/her job with some semblance of normalcy.
Maybe she was just scared. Maybe she wanted to make sure she got to have her baby out of the public eye. Who can blame her or any celeb mom for that?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 3:24 PM
...maybe they tucked her tummy and fixed her breasts too. Who can blame her or any celeb mom for that?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 3:25 PM
"question" asks:
"For a federal employee: Do you pay social security taxes, or does some portion of your salary go into another pension system for federal employees that only you can access."
And a federal employee answers:
"Yes, feds pay social security taxes just like everyone else.
There is no "pension system" only feds can access."
Congress made sure of this when it passed a law in 1983 reforming the retirement system for federal employees. The law established the "Federal Employee Retirement System" (FERS) to replace the previous "Civil Service Retirement System" (CSRS).
Under CSRS, federal employees paid 7% of their gross income into a special pension fund that only they could access. They did not have to pay into Social Security.
Congress noted two things: (1) The CSRS was a fantastic rip-off of the taxpayers for the benefit of civil servants whose pay and benefits have already been termed "bloated" by posters to this "On Balance" column. (2) Social Security, like any Ponzi scheme, needed to vacuum up more and more bodies to keep itself going.
Under FERS, federal employees pay into Social Security. There are also 402(k) type pension plans that they can contribute to, with matching contributions by their employer (i.e., the taxpayers).
What about those who were employed by the federal government before 1983? Well, they have had the option of switching from CSRS to FERS, foregoing their sure-thing, defined-benefit ripoff of the taxpayers to take their chance joining the Social Security Ponzi scheme with its defined-contribution sweetener. But if they do this, they can never, never switch back to CSRS.
Those who opted to remain with CSRS can still access the special "fund" (actually, like Social Security, this "fund" consists of a government promise to pay) that is accessible only to pre-1983 federal employees.
"Does that affect FMLA for federal workers? Which box of funding does that come out of?
"Anyone know?"
Family and Medical Leave is paid by whatever particular federal agency employs the worker. It has nothing to do with the Civil Service Retirement System's special pension fund that outsiders cannot access.
Needless to say, the rich CSRS retirement benefits -- up to 80% of pay after 42 years of service, with annual cost-of-living increases assured by federal-retiree pressure groups -- are subject to the whims of some future Congress that may choose to blow the whistle to halt the gravy train. But given that no new bodies have joined CSRS since 1983, there is a natural limit to how much the taxpayers are going to have to subsidize the pre-1983 "legacy" workers when they retire.
Posted by: Matt in Aberdeen | January 25, 2007 3:26 PM
"hemorrhoids"
I got these while pregant, so you are just lucky.
Posted by: to emily | January 25, 2007 3:26 PM
Yeah I got them too. But I also heard that pushing can give you a really bad case of those bad boys, and believe me, I wanted to avoid them as much as possible.
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 3:30 PM
On c-sections - I had one and they definetly have their draw backs as far as getting your shape back. I don't know if a vaginal birth widens your hips, mine didn't widen, but I do know that a c-sections cut across the abdominal wall and all the muscles and nerve endings have to heal. It is not pleasant and can take up to a year. Having had both deliveries I would rather have the vaginal delivery. My stomach has not been the same since the c-section and this is what I hear most of the time from mothers who have had c's.
Posted by: cmac | January 25, 2007 3:30 PM
Emily, I still have them and the doctor said it is better to leave them alone. I was like, this is modern medicine?
Add a higher risk of urinary and fecal incontinence to the laundry list of problems associated with vaginal delivery and best avoided.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 3:34 PM
Mine thankfully went away after pregnancy. My best advice is to eat your veggies and make sure you get enough fiber and water. Prune juice, anyone? I think it's the pregnancy constipation that brings them on in so many women.
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 3:36 PM
Matt
I'm FERS and I'm looking at my paystub. I pay into something called the "Federal Employee Retirement System'. Isn't this a special fund, as well?
"Isn't the U.S in a position to accept large-scale immigration as a solution, if necessary?"
It is the large-scale immigration, together with Americans' higher fertility rates, that have kept the U. S. population growing while the population of European Union countries declines. In effect, we are outsourcing the laborious tasks of child-bearing and child-raising to other countries.
But what happens when couples in these other countries start having 1.2 or 1.3 children per woman?
Posted by: Matt in Aberdeen | January 25, 2007 3:38 PM
"In effect, we are outsourcing the laborious tasks of child-bearing and child-raising to other countries."
matt, what the heck does this mean?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 3:39 PM
Who do you think does your work while you're on your paid leave, regardless of the reason and length? Think about those people picking up your slack.
Posted by: Working | January 25, 2007 3:40 PM
Urinary and fecal incontinence after vaginal birth? Really? Yikes.
I did find that after my son was born, I just wasn't able to hold my pee for as long as I could before he was born. And I didn't even have a vaginal birth.
I do think that childbearing is hard on women's bodies.
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 3:41 PM
definitely a better subject, as I seem to have heard the same facts a few times over the past few months.
Emily-I'm trying your method next time.
all mine were natural, not even pain killers. Call me stupid or just a peasant..though actually it was just because they progressed so fast, the nurse couldn't keep up and believe me, since I called her a pusher privately after the fact, she really wanted to give that pain killer. Not sure why though. Speed can be both a friend and an enemy (think of a massive roller coaster).
:Add a higher risk of urinary and fecal incontinence to the laundry list of problems associated with vaginal delivery and best avoided."
WHY, OH WHY, WASN'T I TOLD THIS X YEARS AGO??
Add vaginal stretching to the above laundry list.
Posted by: DZ | January 25, 2007 3:42 PM
THANK YOU for your detailed response. I knew there was something special about federal employees that was lurking in the recesses of my increasingly senior brain. Now I understand.
Posted by: to Matt in Aberdeen | January 25, 2007 3:42 PM
offtopic alert:
anybody else trying to score a wii?
Posted by: dotted | January 25, 2007 3:43 PM
So the reason I was attacked here wasn't because I failed to disclose the fabulousness of the on-my-jobsite daycare available to my children-- it's the fact that I said "kid" rather than "child"? Do I have that right?
So "dropping my child off at daycare" is fine, but "dropping my kid off at daycare" indicates that i am a direlect parent who has as much concern for her offspring as she has for a boat during the off-season?
When did "kid" become such a negative term? Guess I missed that memo . . .
Posted by: Cal Girl | January 25, 2007 3:43 PM
"I did find that after my son was born, I just wasn't able to hold my pee for as long as I could before he was born. And I didn't even have a vaginal birth."
WOW, thank you SO much for sharing!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 3:44 PM
"Matt
"I'm FERS and I'm looking at my paystub. I pay into something called the "Federal Employee Retirement System'. Isn't this a special fund, as well?"
That's a pension fund, like any employer's pension fund. It's over and above your Social Security. I'm not sure what the benefits are when you retire. They probably depend on which FERS investment option you choose. If your investment fund grows faster than the CSRS cost-of-living increases, you may well wind up doing better than the legacy employees. If not, you may wind up doing worse. The main thing is that the risk is on you, not on future taxpayers. The effect of FERS was to apply to federal employees the same great "risk shift" that has been going on in the private sector, from "defined-benefit" plans where the risk was on the employer, to "defined-contribution" plans (e.g, 402(k)) where the risk of market decline falls on the employee.
Good luck.
Posted by: Matt in Aberdeen | January 25, 2007 3:46 PM
Cal Girl, take a deep breath. Don't let the turkeys get you down.
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 3:47 PM
WOW, thank you SO much for sharing!
You're welcome. Glad to do it.
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 3:48 PM
When did "kid" become such a negative term? Guess I missed that memo .
I think the issue was THE kid not my kid big difference. People tend to say THE dog and THE cat too - sounds detached.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 3:49 PM
Other vaginal birth horrors to avoid: prolapsed uterus. Google it if you're unsure....
Posted by: FMA | January 25, 2007 3:49 PM
"'In effect, we are outsourcing the laborious tasks of child-bearing and child-raising to other countries.'"
"matt, what the heck does this mean?"
In plain English, it means that immigrants, by definition, were born in other countries. Non-American women bore them and raised them until they immigrated to America. When an immigrant comes here and contributes to our society, we get the benefit of his mother's child-bearing and child-raising activities.
Posted by: Matt in Aberdeen | January 25, 2007 3:50 PM
Cal Girl -- on-the-jobsite-daycare -- count your blessings!
Posted by: Arlington Dad | January 25, 2007 3:51 PM
"the issue was THE kid not my kid big difference"
Are you kidding? That's the issue? Not that this discussion is that important or earth shattering, but couldn't you find a bigger or at least more interesting issue to bicker about?
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 3:52 PM
Cal Girl, I guess I'm even more offensive than you are. This has been my story today, "That new one peed in my eye this morning."
Posted by: Arington Dad | January 25, 2007 3:53 PM
WOW, thank you SO much for sharing!
Really, they should expect that much by now and it is good to share information.
We should have a whole blog dedicated to balancing your life while pregnant. We could give each other tips and our male counterparts could ask questions and tell everyone the nice things they did for their wife while pregnant, etc.
By the way, I am trying to get pregnant again and after reading this blog, think I might just not fear a c-section to much.
Posted by: scarry | January 25, 2007 3:54 PM
I use "the kid" and do not think that it is offensive.. semantics.
Posted by: single mom | January 25, 2007 3:56 PM
Referring to one's child as "the kid" -
I've seen a lot of references by parents to "the boy" and/or "the girl" on this blog. I found them bizarre, but I figured it was a regional thing.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 3:57 PM
I find the, er, openness on this blog amusing. The things you can find out when the posters are unknown to you! :-)
Posted by: MIssicat | January 25, 2007 3:58 PM
To change the context, what would you think of a guy that referred to his spouse as, "The Wife"? Not, is he good or bad or do I think he's enlightened enough to keep company with. What impression do you have of their marriage? Archie and Edith or Jackie and Alice? There are typos and then there's "the kid".
words mean things.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 3:58 PM
hey, "words mean things" person -- do you have kids?
Posted by: Arlington Dad | January 25, 2007 4:00 PM
to "What is a family? As related to marriages, serial marriages and out of wedlock births?"
replacement birthrate is actually 2.1 children per 1 woman. nothing to do with family
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:00 PM
Arlington Dad, Yes.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:00 PM
words mean things
Sure they do. But they don't mean the same thing to all people.
I know a guy who regularly refers to his wife as "the wife." I don't think of him as Archie Bunker or some other character who doesn't respect women. To me, he's just a funny, quirky guy (why btw loves his wife a lot).
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 4:02 PM
Words mean whatever the user/receiver wants them to. What is offensive to you may not be offensive to anyone else and vice versus. There are universal meanings that we can assume that by growing up in America are offensive to everyone, like telling someone to f-off or any other vulgarity, but as far as using "the kid, the wife, the dog, the cat" that is only offensive to someone who finds it as such.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:02 PM
My MIL doesn't like it when I refer to my children as "kids," since the term properly belongs to baby goats. But what's the problem? Goats are cute.
Posted by: Rockville Mom | January 25, 2007 4:03 PM
People, please educate yourselves, to act like a c-section is a casual affair is a mistake. While clearly clinically indicated for many women, it carries a greater degree of risk than one might think. Seconldy, ACOG has indicated that the risk of urinary incontinence is NOT correlated with vaginal birth. Please talk with your health care providers.
Cesarean birth is major surgery, and, as with other surgical procedures, risks are involved. The estimated risk of a woman dying after a cesarean birth is less than one in 2,500 (the risk of death after a vaginal birth is less than one in 10,000). These are estimated risks for a large population of women. Individual medical conditions such as some heart problems may make the risk of vaginal birth higher than cesarean birth.
Other risks for the mother include the following:
Infection. The uterus or nearby pelvic organs such as the bladder or kidneys can become infected.
Increased blood loss. Blood loss on the average is about twice as much with cesarean birth as with vaginal birth. However, blood transfusions are rarely needed during a cesarean.
Decreased bowel function. The bowel sometimes slows down for several days after surgery, resulting in distention, bloating and discomfort.
Respiratory complications. General anesthesia can sometimes lead to pneumonia.
Longer hospital stay and recovery time. Three to five days in the hospital is the common length of stay, whereas it is less than one to three days for a vaginal birth.
Reactions to anesthesia. The mother's health could be endangered by unexpected responses (such as blood pressure that drops quickly) to anesthesia or other medications during the surgery.
Risk of additional surgeries. For example, hysterectomy, bladder repair, etc.
In cesarean birth, the possible risks to the baby include the following:
Premature birth. If the due date was not accurately calculated, the baby could be delivered too early.
Breathing problems. Babies born by cesarean are more likely to develop breathing problems such as transient tachypnea (abnormally fast breathing during the first few days after birth).
Low Apgar scores. Babies born by cesarean sometimes have low Apgar scores. The low score can be an effect of the anesthesia and cesarean birth, or the baby may have been in distress to begin with. Or perhaps the baby was not stimulated as he or she would have been by vaginal birth.
Fetal injury. Although rare, the surgeon can accidentally nick the baby while making the uterine incision.
Vaginal Birth Not Associated With Incontinence Later in Life
ACOG -- Contrary to the belief held by some, vaginal birth does not appear to be associated with incontinence later in life, a new study has found. The study, published in the December issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, found that incontinence was more strongly related with family history
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:04 PM
"I've seen a lot of references by parents to "the boy" and/or "the girl" on this blog. I found them bizarre, but I figured it was a regional thing."
My grandfather referred to my dad as The Boy up until the day he died. I refer to my husband as The Boy, or sometimes just Boy. Both of us grew up in New England. When a southern colleague found out about this, he was horrified and accused me of referring to my husband the way I'd refer to a slave. Uh, no, guy. Not everyone has that baggage.
My mother regularly (and with great affection) referred to her kids as the "little monsters" when they were young. I regularly greet my son by saying, "Hey kid!! How was your day?" He loves it.
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 4:06 PM
Words means things -- how do you refer to them? Kids, children, sons & daughter, the "Family Name"s. Just curious, since you raise the point.
Posted by: Arlington Dad | January 25, 2007 4:07 PM
"But what happens when couples in these other countries start having 1.2 or 1.3 children per woman?"
Have you seen Children of Men yet? Something like that.
Posted by: bonzo | January 25, 2007 4:08 PM
Vaginal Birth Not Associated With Incontinence Later in Life
I don't have this but the OBGYN did tell me that "the girl" pushed my bladder down while I was delivering her. I am a little afraid of what "a boy" could do!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:08 PM
Thanks-- I really had no idea the word "the" was so offensive in that context. I'll be more careful in the future. Since NC lawyer had "kid" in all caps, i figured that was the offensive word.
And yes, on the job daycare was wonderful and was in fact the reason that I took the job where I did. I have subsequently been recruited (guess they managed to look past reckless use of the word "the") by other firms and I stated I wouldn't be interested unless there was on-site child care. Didn't care how much more money was involved. I hope little acts like this will make a difference. I indeed not only count my blesings, I try to get those blessing out to others.
(Well gee, aren't I just Little Miss Goodie-Two-Shoes, speading goodness and love to all around? I guess this is what happens to Cal Girl when she is put on defense. yuck. I think this could be instructive regarding others-- personally attack someone by implying they don't provide adequate care for their kids and you are likely to cause that person to go on and on about who fabulous the daycare really is and what a great person they actually are. ewww. Just don't do it. Not just because it's not nice, but also because the indirect ramifications are just too ugly.)
Posted by: Cal Girl | January 25, 2007 4:11 PM
I refer to my offspring as my precious sainted children that God has blessed me with.
Posted by: Words mean things | January 25, 2007 4:13 PM
I don't think anyone here mentioned Csections are casual.
Also, a few things. You said, "Seconldy, ACOG has indicated that the risk of urinary incontinence is NOT correlated with vaginal birth." - Actually, the ACOG has said LONG-TERM UI is not linked to vaginal birth (that is, UI after the age of 50 or 55), but that it may be in the short term. Also, I believe the University of North Carolina (the institution is slipping my mind right now, but I'll look for the citation) has surveyed uro-gynecologists about whether they would have a planned c-section themselves if they are a woman, or, alternatively, if they are a man, believe it is ethically ok to have a planned c-section, and a majority of both groups responded positively. That means more to me if a group of women whose job it is in life is to fix UI or rectal incontinence problems would chose this procedure for themselves than an ACOG study that says "later in life" it probably makes no difference. I'm with the uro-gynecologists!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:14 PM
I am one of eight children - my father referred to all of us as "hey, you!"
Posted by: Missicat | January 25, 2007 4:17 PM
but could your mom pee okay missicat, that is the real question.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:19 PM
Wow, one of eight. I've often seen (okay, I'm starting to do it) that once there are a few kids, parents do "roll call"
"Jimmy, eh Katie, er Bob, er Emily, JOHN, do your homework!"
Posted by: Arilington Dad | January 25, 2007 4:20 PM
"but could your mom pee okay missicat, that is the real question"
Ya know, somehow that has never actually come up in conversation...imagine that!!
Posted by: Missicat | January 25, 2007 4:21 PM
They have signifcantly lower C-section rates in Europe than we do - should we copy them on that too?
There is a big difference between a planned c-section for true clinical indicators and a planned c-section for convenience or wanting to avoid a vaginal birth.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:21 PM
Arlington Dad, I generally refer to our children either as kids or by name. I tend not to use articles, but understand that many do.
to 4:02 anonymous:
"Words mean whatever the user/receiver wants them to". When a poster talks about language and ends his comment with a preposition, he merely broadcasts his lack of contribution to the topic. The purpose of language is to communicate. I can decide that I will use the word "dog" interchangeably with the word "kitchen" but that doesn't change the meaning of "dog".
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:22 PM
It wasn't bad if my mother called me by my sister's name or even my brother's but when she called me the dog's name that was tough.
I know a guy who has been happily married for 17 years - he still jokingly introduces his wife as his "first wife".
Posted by: KLB SS MD | January 25, 2007 4:23 PM
I think its important to note that each woman's pregnancy and birth experience are different. I had great pregnancies each time and reasonably easy delivery although both kids were too early. I've heard stories from others who had the most miserable pregnancies every and childbirth stories to make your skin crawl (both vaginal and c's). The best thing to remember is that you can't control everything and every outcome - good prep for parenting.
Posted by: moxiemom | January 25, 2007 4:25 PM
Arl Dad - sometimes my dad would do the "roll call"...I think he found the "hey you" much easier. :-) He was definitely the absent minded professor type.
Posted by: Missicat | January 25, 2007 4:25 PM
"There is no "pension system" only feds can access."
Pretty sure that elected officials (e.g., House Reps) have sweeeet pensions. Not you though. Why should you have the stuff they get for themselves?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:26 PM
All of my children were born via vaginal birth. For whatever reason, I started experiencing urinary incontinence in my late 40's.
I am not a happy camper when I am wearing Depends!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:29 PM
"All of my children were born via vaginal birth. For whatever reason, I started experiencing urinary incontinence in my late 40's.
I am not a happy camper when I am wearing Depends!"
Thank you so much for sharing, part deux.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:32 PM
"""Words mean whatever the user/receiver wants them to". When a poster talks about language and ends his comment with a preposition, he merely broadcasts his lack of contribution to the topic. The purpose of language is to communicate. I can decide that I will use the word "dog" interchangeably with the word "kitchen" but that doesn't change the meaning of "dog". "
So what part of "Words mean whatever the user/receiver wants them to" did you NOT understand? It seems to me that the challenge to communicate is wholly yours, since you only understand formalese rather the colloquial language that the rest of us have no trouble getting. I have found that people who lose the substance of an argument are quick to point out small typos or grammatical mistakes as a way of trying to salvage their losing game.
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 4:33 PM
Actually Mr. Anonymous poster I know a lot about the subject and do not prescribe to ridged rules of grammar, but by all means argue with me over the placement of a preposition and call your kids whatever you want. My main point was that just because you don't like "the Kid" doesn't mean that everyone shares you opinion and that is can mean something different to someone else.
I didn't say that you could use the word dog interchangeable with kitchen; maybe you should re-read my post. Just because everyone does not think that there is an issue with someone saying "the kid" does not mean that they don't know a lot about the English language. There is more than one way to write a sentence, and yes, some of them end in prepositions. I hope that my college doesn't see your anonymous post and kick me out of grad school where I am studying ENGLISH or even take back my ENGLISH degree.
Posted by: scarry | January 25, 2007 4:34 PM
'Yes, feds pay social security taxes just like everyone else'
Not true, feds under FERS (Federal employee retirement system) pay fica , but those hired before 1983 or so who elected to stay in the older Civil Service retirement System (CSRS)do not pay fica. However, FERS employees get a match on TSP (govt 401K), but CSRS get no match. Two distinct and different retirement systems with different eligibilities and benefits to each.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:34 PM
4:22pm, big shocker on who posted that ironic comment you responded to.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:37 PM
"...to which you responded."
I love this game. Lets play scrabble next.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:39 PM
Sic 'em Scarry.
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 4:39 PM
Really Emily sometimes I have to wonder why people come to this blog at all.
Posted by: scarry | January 25, 2007 4:42 PM
"Lets play scrabble next"
Remember that apostrophe in Let's. Otherwise, someone might assume that you are some uneducated peasant who does not know the English language or the meaning of "Let's".
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 4:43 PM
They come to chat with us, of course.
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 4:43 PM
4:22pm, big shocker on who posted that ironic comment you responded to.
Here we go again with the scarry/stalker crap. Don't you have a life?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:44 PM
They come to chat with us, of course
More like mess with us, but oh well, I am off to do boring chores. Have a nice night!
Posted by: scarry | January 25, 2007 4:45 PM
Did I hear Scrabble? Scrabble, anyone? Maybe a beer would help.
Posted by: NC lawyer | January 25, 2007 4:47 PM
No, I meant "lets" the other way, like in marketing a contract.
I was suggesting we hire some subcontractors to play scrabble. How dare you not understand?
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:48 PM
"prescribe to ridged rules of grammar"
Subscribe, maybe.
Lays potato chips and grammar? shocking!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 4:49 PM
I know I come here to chat with you and, rather often, actually learn something during downtimes.
Posted by: dotted | January 25, 2007 4:50 PM
I call my neice a "little turd" and when I stopped because I thought she was too old for it, she asked my why I stopped and that she missed being my "little turd". Kids... go figure...
Posted by: s | January 25, 2007 4:51 PM
As long as I didn't hear my full first-middle-last name from my parents, I was happy.
Posted by: NC lawyer | January 25, 2007 4:54 PM
NC lawyer, your parents did that too? I would nearly p** myself when I heard my dad yell out my full name. That was when I really knew I was in for it. Funny, I usually giggled when I heard my yell out my siblings full name. he he he
Posted by: dotted | January 25, 2007 5:00 PM
Just goes to show that much of the meaning of what we say lies not just in the words, but also in the context, tone, inflection, and even body language of the person who is speaking, not to mention the cultural baggage that all parties bring to the communication. Has anybody ever read Deborah Tannen's books. Now there's someone who knows a lot about communication,
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 5:03 PM
Stalker? How about commenting on a pattern?
"Hey, look the sun came up again."
"Why are you stalking the sun? Go get a life!!"
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 5:03 PM
Wow, what a nice analogy. I agree that Scarry is just like the sun. The blog just lights up when she's here.
I guess we agree about the important stuff.
Posted by: Emily | January 25, 2007 5:06 PM
" People, please educate yourselves, to act like a c-section is a casual affair is a mistake. "
oh, and by the way, anon at 4:04, it's a mistake to assume that everyone who disagrees with your favorite sources of information is uneducated on the topic. Vaginal births carry a greater risk than one might think, as well. A c-section is no more or less casual an undertaking than a vaginal delivery. Birthing babies is a serious business, as Hattie McDaniel might have said. Please don't underestimate either the knowledge or the seriousness of those who might on a particular day be less than reverent about the gift of pregnancy and childbirth.
Healthcare providers often have an ax to grind as well, and we don't always have sufficient information to identify those biases on our initial pregnancy confirmation visit. Our best move is to educate ourselves from a variety of sources and make the best choices based on our assessment of the available information.
Posted by: NC lawyer | January 25, 2007 5:14 PM
A previous post: "The federal govt does not pay a competitive salary compared to the private sector, and offering benefits like this might entice bright young college grads to consider this as a career (lord knows we need smarter people in all areas of government, especially with so many older employees retiring in the next few yrs)"
THis is just more urban legend. I have no problem with federal employees. They do a good job, at some incredibly boring jobs. That's the real trade off for bright young people -- not more money. It's the regulations on everything. With full health care, lots of holidays, now FERS (with a match!!! what a bonus!) and the near impossibility of being fired, the tradeoff is this: you have so many restrictions on what you can do, how you can do it, and when, and in what order, and so many FARS, and DFARS, and EFARS, and NASA FARS for procurement, it must truly drive you mad.
I'll take the modestly paying non-profite sector where I can use my creativity and energy any day of the week. If I want a death sentence, I'll go work for the Feds.
Posted by: No feds for me | January 25, 2007 5:15 PM
I don't think Google is a truly credible source of medical information. I'm all for people educating themselves I just think you need to careful about your sources.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 5:20 PM
well, anon, at 5:20, I completely agree with you and wouldn't have suggested that it was, other than as a convenient source for reviewing published medical journal articles on incontinence for yourself (not just the abstracts).
Posted by: NC lawyer | January 25, 2007 5:33 PM
I have a friend that refers to his wife -first and only wife- as "my current wife." He finds this hilarious, as do I. The first time he said this, I asked "oh, were you married previously?" He responded "no" and then looked at me like I was stupid.
I guess you have to know his sense of humor -which she has as well- to appreciate how amusing this is.
Overall, I think people need to lighten up.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 6:26 PM
I've read a few of these blogs on parental leave and haven't seen this simple fact pointed out anywhere: Many people work at jobs were they get NO paid leave of any sort.
"Paid leave holidays were available to 76 percent of employees and paid vacations were available to 77 percent." (See Bureau of Labor Statistics report on private-secotr benefits online at http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs/sp/ebsm0004.pdf.)
Just over half of private-sector workers (57 percent) get paid sick leave. (See table 19 of report.) If you want to demand paid leave as a benefit, here is the place to start. Parental leave is a luxury unthinkable to those who don't get paid if they are sick.
Posted by: EconGirl | January 25, 2007 6:29 PM
Paid sick leave is indeed rare for part-timers, but the percentages for full-time employees are significantly higher on the basis of the same Bureau of Labor chart. Of the full-time employees, 68% had paid sickleave and 90% had paid vacations, and 42% had personal leave. One problem with the chart is that it doesn't indicate into what category it places employers, like many now, who offer a certain number of days to F/T employees to be used for sick, vacation, or holidays, in the discretion of the employee, i.e., here are your days, use 'em as you choose. I suspect they are counted under "personal leave" rather than "sick leave", but they may be used to cover sick leave, if desired by the employee. I have several friends working under arrangements like this now, which gives more control to the employees over exactly how they use paid leave. While it may not fit the traditional mold, such employees are, in fact, compensated when they are out of the office for whatever reason.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 7:03 PM
Last!
Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2007 8:29 PM
you are not last, I am!
Posted by: experienced mom | January 25, 2007 10:55 PM
No, I am last!
Posted by: Last Comment | January 26, 2007 7:08 AM
"Also, many view the [benefits] package offered to federal employees as already bloated as it is right now."
Unfortunately, so many people think this is the case. The Federal government is struggling to recruit and keep younger employees. Yes, paid vacation and paid sick leave are part of the package, but other benefits are lacking. Health insurance through the .gov was more expensive than what I have now with a private corporation (not a government contractor).
Women are expected to save their sick leave for when they want maternity leave. That's all good and well unless you've only been with the government for a short while or you have a chronic illness that requires frequent time off for doctor's appointments etc.
Up until 1994, the Federal government provided no support to new mothers. At least now, the leave banks cover maternity leave, but you have to use all of your leave first.
I for one, think this is a step in the right direction for the government to get quality employees.
Posted by: FormerFed | January 26, 2007 12:34 PM
Last!
Yes,I am the twin sister of First Comment.
Posted by: last comment | January 26, 2007 5:31 PM
Robin Givhan is in the paper for blood sport. I ignore her as much as possible.
Posted by: Gary Masters | January 29, 2007 10:31 AM
Let's see, 12 paid weeks to take care of a newborn. No problem, but FMLA is the most abused benefit in this country. I dont' know where you all work, but I'm sick of having to do the jobs of those who have FMLA. The list of reasons to be off on FMLA are a mile long. I work for a local government where new employuees start out with 12 sick days per year and are eligible for FMLA after the first year. Care to guess how many ask for it and receive it? Usually, after their probationary period is over, they suddenly develop an illness that makes them unable to work "every time they earn a sick day." And then at 12 months they get FMLA, hmmm migraines, asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, overweight, kid sick, mother sick, father sick, etc. But, these issues never cause them to use up more than their alloted sick leave and vacation time. Give them another 12 weeks off and see how much gets done. Small companies will go bankrupt and the Feds may as well shut down. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
If you have played the Killer Instinct video game character Maya or even watched this character during gameplay, you may have noticed she has, in my opinion, a strong resemblance to Beyonce Knowles. Back in the day when Beyonce was part of the group Destiny's Child, she wore her hair in braids often similar to how Maya is depicted in the video game. When I watched this game being played, I also noticed the character has certain victory movements that are signature moves for Beyonce -- even though anyone of course could do these moves as well.
The question I have is why, unlike Lindsay Lohan, Beyonce has not come forward to challenge the use of her likeness without her permission. As you may know, a few months back Lindsay Lohan sued those behind supposedly or alledgedly using her likeness in the video game, Grand Theft Auto V -- which is still pendng. However, not a whimper has been heard from Beyonce.
Could it be that Beyonce is still reelling from the recent video game settlement she made with game developer Gate Five after being sued for over $100 million dollars for backing out of a video game deal? Or maybe there are other reasons. By the way, details of the settlement were not disclosed.
Of course it is possible that her likeness is based on someone else who simply resembles Beyonce, which essentially means the controversy between Maya and Beyonce's likeness does not exist. Maybe this is the case since the game has been out for some time now and there has not been nary a peep from Beyonce or her people about how Maya looks like Beyonce in the video game Killer Instinct.
If you would like to weigh in on this yourself, you may check out Killer Instinct which is an Xbox One exclusive video game, rated M for Mature. Maya is a playable character in the Killer Instinct Season 2 series that launched October 15, 2014.
Here's a pre-Thanksgiving gift to you from Microsoft. Through today only, the $59.00 rated Mature Sunset Overdrive video game playable on the Xbox one is free. That's right -- the complete game is free if you are an Xbox Live member. So, instead of watching gameplays on Twitch, youtube or some other media, you can play the complete game yourself, in the comfort of your own home.
Sunset Overdrive
The caveat is that of course it may take you more than a few hours to complete the game -- so after playing the game free today, you may want to purchase the complete game -- depending on if you enjoyed playing it or not. The good news is that this is Black Friday Week, meaning you can also check to see if there are any big discounts on the game when the big sales start -- some beginning on Thanksgiving Day.
A minor downside which is becoming routine for some video games is the game may take awhile to download. Also, if you have not played a game recently on your Xbox One, you will also have to install a quick update and have your Xbox One restart before downloading, installing and playing the game.
Small inconveniences, in my opinion to get a full bonafide video game free to play.
President Michael Wilson from the From Software video game developers has been recognized as the most patriotic politician in video games. However, his patrotism must be admired from afar, because as of 2015, he and his heroic exploits are in a video game that never reached America. The video game I'm referring to is, of course, Metal Wolf Chaos, a video game that received high praise in its day, but for some reason or another never was released in America. If you happen to live or reside in Japan and you have the original Xbox video game system, you can play this game to your heart's content. Not so easy if you live elsewhere.
Metal Wolf Chaos was released only in Japan on December 22, 2004. Even though some of the graphics and languge are in Japanese, the game has all English voice acting.
In the Metal Wolf Chaos video game, President Michael Wilson must protect the United States from rebel forces being led by none other than his Vice-President. President Michael Wilson stands out from other Presidents by going a step further in defending the U.S. How? Well for starters, he has his own mech which he uses to its maximum capacity to battle the enemy.
Your guess is as good as mine as to when and if this game will ever reach the United States. For now, it is available as a Japan import, playable only on the original Xbox video game system, and unfortunately is rather expensive -- selling as high as $294.02 on Amazon.
One of my mottos is to "Never say never." Maybe in due time Metal Wolf Chaos will reach America's shores so many can enjoy playing this video game and find out first hand just how patriotic President Michael Wilson really is. For now it seems as if Metal Wolf Chaos will continue to be known as the most patriotic video game that never reached America.
When will the latest full version of the highly acclaimed Silent Hills video game be released? Your guess is probably just as good as mine. Since the August 12, 2014 release of the Playable Teaser (P.T.) for Silent Hill, "mum" has been the word, with Sony being relatively silent regarding the release date -- pun intended.
This silence is surprising in and of itself, given how quickly P.T. became popular within the space of just a few days -- namely -- being downloaded over 1 million times (and counting) by September 12, 2014. Furthermore, in August, 2014, P.T. won the video game month of the award from GameSpot and has been received favoably by lots of people in the video gaming community. I believe it would be an understatement in saying that the Silent Hll game is highly anticipated.
P.T. Silent Hill gameplay reactions
Understandably, it will take some time for the final Silent Hill game to be finalized to keep the quality of P.T.; however, sometimes it pays to strike while the iron is hot and at least provide a time-frame in quarters, i.e., lst quarter 2015 -- if the specific release date is not yet known.
The above being said, last month news was released that Konami may be releasing Silent Hills in episodes -- similar to some other video games such as The Walking Dead.
Looks like this idea is not being met with enthusiasm with some saying that the Silent Hill episode angle may be a ploy to stretch out the game with downloadable content that could very well be provided in the full game at the git-go -- without the added episodes. Others do not prefer the episodic release idea at all. Then there are others, who are for the game being released in episodes. So along with the mystery release date of Silent Hill, looks like video gamers and others will have to wait and see how the latest installment of Silent Hill will become available for gameplay.
P.T. Silent Hill
What is known is the lastest installment of the Silent Hill horror video game will definitely not be released in time for Halloween 2014 -- which as of this printing is only four days away. Could the release date be in the Halloween 2015 time frame -- or maybe even later? For now, I guess we will just have to wait and see.
P.T. Silent Hill that was released in August 2014, is rated M for Mature and is available now exclusively on the PlayStation 4.
You may have seen Marvel's Agent Carter in the Captain America and Avengers movies. Did you know she is coming to ABC in her own television series, titled Agent Carter? If you saw the commercial premiering her show, you may want to know more about her.
She is a fictional character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Even though the time period is the 1940's, she fought right alongside Captain America in the French Resistance and is a skilled marksman. Due to the creative reach of comic book stories, I will not divulge her activities, including if there is still a relationship between her and Captain America. It looks as if she will be depicted as a capable, independent woman, able to not only fiend for herself, but also to have a strong leadership role as well.
Agent Carter and Captain America
Hopefully in an effort to have Agent Peggy Carter taken seriously as a main character instead of her usual supporting role, the stories do not have her come across as overly serious. However, I guess that waits to be seen. | {
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Showing posts with tag: Armani Spring 2011 menswear collection
– His clothing is revered by industry heavyweights, true style clique devotees, actors and fashionistas alike. – His brand is one of the most searched for on Google (4,090,000 globally per month). – He was the first designer to ban anorexic models from his runway shows. – Before facebook and youtube premiered runway shows, he […] | {
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2.17.2011
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ABOUT US
Contact DeepCell
Our Team
Kelly Ogilvie
CEO & Co-Founder
As a long-time entrepreneur and lover of science and technology, Kelly has both founded and led a variety of Seattle-based companies throughout his career, from Blue Marble Biomaterials which converts organic biomass into renewable specialty chemicals, to Quemulus a social saving and payment platform, to a full-service digital marketing agency named Milli.
Most recently Kelly worked as senior policy advisor to Washington State Governor Jay Inslee on economic development strategy, job creation, innovation, entrepreneurship, and promoting a thriving economic climate in Washington. Kelly served as Deputy Director of Community Relations for Seattle’s Office of the Mayor under Greg Nickels, he was Director of Government Relations for the Greater Seattle Chamber Of Commerce, and was also a 2013 Delegate for the US-Japan Council.
Kelly holds a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with a focus on International Business and is currently attending Harvard Extension School where he is studying Nanotechnology courses at Harvard Extension School. As DeepCell’s CEO, Kelly is responsible for setting overall strategy and direction and for allocating capital and resources to each of the company’s priorities. He leads the executive team in both work ethic and culture and is the direct liaison with the company’s investors and Advisory Board.
Gary Bonilla
VP Human Resources & Co-Founder
Gary was born and raised in Seattle and following graduation from O’Dea High School, joined the United States Army and was quickly promoted to the rank of Sergeant and section leader of technical services within his company.
Gary has been an investor in startups for the better part of the past decade where he has funded startups in biotechnology, software, real estate and cannabis. Gary is a big picture thinker and as a result identifies trends and makes strategic investments. This is Gary’s first foray into the world of operating a startup and brings with him a wealth of technology experience.
As DeepCell’s Chief Operations Officer, Gary is an integral part of day to day happenings at the company as well as the overall direction and strategy. He leads the coordination with licensee partners on operational plans and strategy.
Hunter Stephan
VP Business Development
Hunter, also a Seattle native, grew up in an entrepreneurial environment watching his father bring innovative new products to market. As a young adult Hunter worked in the culinary world, gathering experience from a number of restaurant locations ranging from one of Seattle’s favorite lunch hot-spots to a quaint, homey-chic eatery utilizing a rooftop garden for their locally sourced menu.
Following his culinary pursuits, Hunter moved to develop his business skills further at Nordstrom where he learned high-level customer service and the value of providing an exceptional retail experience. Following Nordstrom, he moved into management at a Seattle medical marijuana dispensary where he saw first-hand the benefits of medical cannabis and it’s wide ranging symptom relief capabilities. This aligns with DeepCell’s mission of multi-molecule therapies, aligning with Hunter’s passion to bringing alternatives to mainstream drugs such as opiates.
At DeepCell, Hunter is responsible for cultivating relationships, and creating demand for our services and products in new markets.
Chad Brandon
VP Product and Marketing
Chad Brandon has joined the DeepCell team as it’s VP of Product and Marketing! He will be responsible for all phases of product development and oversee our marketing efforts while DeepCell repositions and develops new brands.
Chad has a long history of developing products for the specialty running company Asics, where he most recently managed their Amazon business. He left Asics to finish his UW MBA, which he finished in June 2018.
Chad has a history with DeepCell. As a contractor in 2016 he developed the first Ruby kraft packet, developed and designed the Ruby boxes, and led the branding identity of the Ruby brand. We are already seeing benefits from his pragmatic and disciplined approach to executing our shared vision.
Lorne Richmond
Executive Advisory Board Chair
The CEO of the Seattle-based Richmond Public Relations, Lorne has a unique understanding of numerous business models and brings a wealth of knowledge and business experience to the DeepCell team through his work with a diverse portfolio of clients.
Winner of numerous Golden Bell Awards and often recognized by the business and media community as an influential public relations professional in the region, he serves on numerous high profile boards and has been involved in many successful Seattle start-ups.
As DeepCell’s Advisory Board Chair, Lorne works closely with the Executive Team to develop strategies, business relationships, and media opportunities. He also directs the Advisory Board to set policies, propose strategies, and assist the management team in driving growth.
James Gerstenberger
Director of Research and Development
Continually fascinated by the brain and its behavior, James Gerstenberger received a Bachelor’s of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience from Western Washington University. During his time at University, James was employed as a budtender and had the opportunity to learn about cannabis and its effects. After graduation, James worked in the biopharmaceutical industry to further develop laboratory-based skills.
With an emphasis in psychopharmacology and a background in cannabis, James has a strong desire to help move forward the science surrounding cannabis. With his unique background, James has been able to contribute to the research and development of new products in his role as Technology Development Lead.
Matthew Nguyen
Digital Marketing Manager
Matthew Nguyen enjoys all things related to design, and works with both the product development and marketing teams to create products, packaging, websites, brands, and content that further advance DeepCell’s voice and vision.
A graduate of the University of Washington, he has experience with marketing and creative design through freelance work, as well as past positions at consulting firms and locally based non-profits, such as NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth).
As Digital Marketing Manager, he is responsible for creating assets to properly showcase the large variety of brands that DeepCell has to offer, and building brand identity and vision. He is also acting as a bridge between the processes of marketing and product development, in order to create technology and products that are advanced, yet accessible. | {
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A comprehensive B2B Recruitment Focus from December 2018 to February 2019 will ensure that Bizcommunity is the go-to destination for all the B2B news you'll need to plan your HR and recruitment strategies in 2019...
The pace of technological change in the tyre industry is accelerating dramatically, largely focused on four core technology areas - fleets, autonomy, connectivity and electric vehicles. This is what Goodyear calls the new F.A.C.E of mobility... | {
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The audiobook industry is booming, yet only 5% of books ever get made into audio format. If you’ve got a background in acting, or if people have said you’ve got a voice made for the radio, you can make extra money recording audio versions of independent and popular books. Sites like ACX connect authors with audiobook performers. So, whether you’re an author looking for more ways to sell your book, or an actor/voice actor looking to make some extra income, you can sell your services online.
Be professional. When you submit a résumé, don’t type it in ALL CAPS and please don’t avoid the caps lock like the plague. Know how to use it without looking incompetent. Write in complete sentences with proper grammar. Of course, there will be exceptions, but even with the exceptions, you must keep it professional. You’re building their view of you.
Become a Query Machine. Once you’ve gained confidence on freelance copywriting platforms and built a modest portfolio, look for companies that actively advertise for writers – both traditional publications and companies with obvious content needs, such as PR firms. Do some research on crafting and personalizing query letters, which is an art form in itself. Then, start sending out queries to blogs, magazines, dailies, and other content-hungry organizations that fit your writing style and knowledge base. If you’re looking for byline work, each query should include a clear pitch for a single article or article series. For behind-the-scenes gigs, such as ghostwriting ad copy or press releases, condense and communicate your value proposition. Don’t sweat nonresponses. This is a numbers game, and more queries than not will be ignored.
You'll also need ecommerce software, fulfillment software, worry about warehousing, customer service and refunds. But that's not all. You'll also need traffic. Think search engine optimization, Facebook ads, and other social media campaigns. It is hard work, especially on your own. You could opt for Amazon's platform, which might be an easier route. But, then again, at the end of the day, this is a serious business, which could produce significant profits. So you're either all in or you're not.
If you’ve got some free time and don’t live in the middle of nowhere, becoming a Lyft driver can be a very lucrative side hustle. And right now, they’ve got a promotion going on where any new driver can earn up to a $1,000 bonus after completing their 125th ride. If you start now and hustle hard on the weekends, you can probably unlock that bonus within a few weeks of driving (the bonus is cleared on top of your normal earnings).
Start With Freelance Copywriting Platforms. When I first started working as a freelance writer, I was shocked to discover just how many freelance writing jobs were available for the taking. You can find work on dozens of reputable websites, from general-purpose freelance platforms like Upwork to writing-only portals such as Textbroker. These gigs don’t pay handsomely – starting writers earn little more than $0.01 per word on Textbroker, for instance. And the writing is often monotonous: lots of product descriptions, ad copy, press releases, and throwaway blog posts. But they’re great for getting your foot in the door, learning what editors expect from freelance writers, and becoming a better writer overall.
According to findings by Experian Automotive Researchers, 61% of individuals who earn $250,000 or more rarely buy luxury brands. Instead, they buy Hondas, Toyotas, and Fords like the rest of the world. The reason is they are not ready to spend money on premium cars that tend to drop in value in a couple of years as it would cost money. Millionaires invest in assets that appreciate.[4]
Next come the nuts and bolts: choosing and buying a Web domain, hosting and designing your site, and planning content. While this is a lot of work to put in before publishing your first post, resist the temptation to cut corners. You’re laying the foundation, hopefully, for a long-term endeavor. Once you’ve created a quality site and built a following, there are plenty of ways to make money from your blog.
If you decide to stick with Getaround after the 30-day free trial, you’ll pay a one-time fee of $99 for a Connect™ installation and a flat fee of $20 per month. The Connect™ allows renters to locate and unlock your car straight from the app so you don’t have to deal with lost or stolen keys. It also comes with added security features like tamper detection, GPS tracking, and engine lock.
Photo Editor/Web Editor. Photo and Web editors create or edit visuals that appear on websites and other digital media, such as white papers and corporate reports. This line of work is a great way to exercise your visual skills and become more familiar with layout and editing programs such as Quark, WordPress, and Photoshop. These gigs often require basic to intermediate coding skills, so they’re great for freelancers who want to expand their expertise beyond the written word.
MyPoints is one of my favorites. You can earn up to 40% back on all your purchases at 2,000 top retailers like Walmart, Home Depot, Best Buy, and Amazon. They also offer promo codes at tons of online stores. One of my favorite things about MyPoints is that you can redeem your points whenever you want. All you have to do is can cash out and get gift cards, or you can transfer the cash to your PayPal account. It’s actually very easy.
One of the cool things about Google AdSense is that it's so easy to get set up. If you have a blog or website, you can sign up for a free Google AdSense Account. From there, Google will give you a unique code that you will paste onto your website. Google takes it from there, tracking your page views, traffic, and earnings on your behalf. There is no upkeep or maintenance to get this thing going, which makes it a no-brainer if you have a website already.
There are loads of resources for making money online as an affiliate. You could source products from ClickBank, Commission Junction, Rakuten Marketing, Share-a-Sale, Impact Radius and many others. Plus, many of the larger companies have their own affiliate programs as well. Do your due diligence and find the right company with a relevant product or service to your audience that you can sell as an affiliate. | {
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Private Diaries of Daisy, Princess of Pless PDF Private Diaries of Daisy, Princess of Pless PDF By author Chapman Huston, D last download was at 2017-02-20 50:57:16. This book is good alternative for Private Diaries of Alison Uttley : Author of "Little Grey Rabbit". Download now for free or you can read online Private Diaries of Daisy, Princess of Pless book.
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Followers
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Still Loves You.…!!
Thanks buddy for everything you do.I just wana say “I still Loves you”I promise you Today…I will never Cry again in Front of you…Now I will hide all my Tears from you…!!For you I will stay happy there…& will never show you how much m lonelier now here…From today you always find Happiness in my Eyes….But I will never tell you about my soul’s cries….Everyday I will die a little more in my darkness…& I will cry alone with my loneliness….You told me one day you will wipe away all my Tears…But Dear..Today m again so ALONE with all my FEARS…!! | {
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To inform, confuse, and enlighten; in economic matters as well as philosophical ones. Jørund Aarsnes and Stephan Jensen write on economics and the human condition.
The Future of Capitalism (and economics)
by Stephan
The opening session today in the ongoing OECD Forum 2010 was on the future of capitalism, where economic historian Anatole Kaletsky argued that “we’re entering a new period of pragmatism, when ideology will give way to a more “common sense” approach.” Arguably, this is not such a radical notion; the financial crisis has shown in a dramatic way that there have been some serious cracks in what has commonly been accepted as “good” economic policy. It is easy to blame greed and carelessness in the financial sector, but that hardly goes to the heart of the problem. At the end of the day, even if the greed and carelessness of a few “evil bankers” really is to blame, policy has to change if the economic structures have been conducive to making it cause despair for millions of people.
Aside from highlighting dysfunctional economic structures and the need for reform, a very immediate consequence of the crisis is that Governments have been taking a much more active role in the world economy through financial sector bail-outs, stimulus packages, nationalization of ailing industries, and ad-hoc policy measures such as temporary taxes on banker bonuses and bans on short-selling. Most recently, the Euro-Zone bailout of Greece – complete with stringent demands for fiscal reform and at least some degree of budgetary control from Brussles – is the last example of how this plays out.
That kind of direct market participation, though, is perhaps more a matter of economic politics than economic policy. And while we are arguably not yet near the end of heavily indebted governments being major players in turbulent financial markets, I think it is unlikely that this situation will be politically sustainable beyond the recovery, and I do not think this is what Kaletsky is referring to when he talks about a return to less ideological “common sense” economic policy. Rather, it is an issue of how the political-institutional structure modern capitalism rests on should and will be reformed.
This is not a matter that can be understood in naive terms of “government versus market”, but rather an issue of how markets and capitalism function in the first place. Of course, some believe that the best possible institutional underpinnings of a well-functioning market will appear as if by magic if only governments would disband and leave everyone alone. Nevertheless, most if not all countries where this experiment has been tried in one way or another are commonly referred to as “failed states“. The strength of the economy and capitalist system in Somalia, for example, can tell us much about the quality of the market-supporting institutional structure that spontaneously emerges in anarchy. The country does have a booming “maritime” industry, though, and as the quote below from Foreign Policy magazine describes, a well-functioning and liquid weapons market:
…Mogadishu’s Bakara Market, the country’s largest open-air forum. Sellers and buyers used to be well-stocked with food staples and other daily essentials. Today, the strongest product line is weapons — everything from handguns to rifles to rocket-propelled grenades. Such arms have been the quickest means to power and subsistence in Somalia since chaos erupted 18 years ago. As Somalia claimed the No. 1 slot on the Failed States Index for a second year in a row, militant attacks had forced the country’s fledgling transitional government literally into a corner; by December 2008, it controlled merely a few blocks in a country of 627,000 square kilometers.
We here at Evolution-Revolution certainly think it is a good thing that the subject of economics gets shaken up a bit, and hope that it is becoming much more intellectually diverse than it has tended to be in the last forty years or so. I have written a piece before on what I call the Smorgasbord Approach to economics. George Akerlof and Joseph Stiglitz also agree with me that more diverse economics means better economics.
Notwithstanding, while Kaletsky is proclaiming that we now are entering a period where the approach to economic policy will be more pragmatic, I would argue that economic policy in the western world was never really that ideologically driven in the first place. Policy makers labeling themselves as “conservatives”, “liberals”, “socialists”, or whatever tag you want to put on it have by and large always ended up promoting a kind of middle-of-the-road pragmatic capitalism that is very far from what one might call a “free market” in the libertarian/anarchist sense, as well as any kind of real “socialism”. As an example, Norway’s last minister of finance, Kristin Halvorsen, came from the rather radical sounding “Socialist Left Party”. Nevertheless, Norway remains one of the world’s most open capitalist economies, ranking close to the top in the World Bank’s “doing business”-index, and is home to capitalist multinational corporations such as Telenor (the world’s seventh largest wireless telecommunications provider) and Statoil. The supposed minister of finance supposedly belonging to the “socialist left” never once mentioned the issue turning over ownership of means of production to the proletariat, but fought hard for better, cheaper, and more accessible kindergartens – arguably one of the most effective ways of increasing female participation in the capitalist labor market. At the same time, “conservative” governments in the U.S. have been spending billions of dollars on all kinds of market-intervening programs, far from what is thought of as the ideal case both in standard economics textbooks and amongst right-wing ideologues. Dani Rodrik elaborates on this in a blog-post previously linked to by my co-author:
In fact, industrial policy never went out of fashion. Economists enamored of the neo-liberal Washington Consensus may have written it off, but successful economies have always relied on government policies that promote growth by accelerating structural transformation….But when it comes to industrial policy, it is the United States that takes the cake. This is ironic, because the term “industrial policy” is anathema in American political discourse. It is used almost exclusively to browbeat political opponents with accusations of Stalinist economic designs.Yet the US owes much of its innovative prowess to government support. As Harvard Business School professor Josh Lerner explains in his book Boulevard of Broken Dreams, US Department of Defense contracts played a crucial role in accelerating the early growth of Silicon Valley. The Internet, possibly the most significant innovation of our time, grew out of a Defense Department project initiated in 1969.
Nevertheless, the most important point here is not that particular policies are more or less pro “free-market” or pro “big-government”, but that a policy-paradigm based on the understanding that economics, policy, and institutions are far from separate; but also on the idea that capitalism in some form is most desirable. Even more importantly, it is based on the understanding that there is no such thing as a context-independent platonic ideal type capitalism associated with a set of unchangeable and derivable policies that can easily be imposed anywhere. As the Epicurean Dealmaker writes:
I am a dyed-in-the-wool capitalist and investment banker. Unlike many of my fellow citizens at the moment, I continue to believe both of these are good things, and better than the alternatives. Nevertheless, I acknowledge, apparently unlike many of my blinkered brethren, that there is a good way to run capitalism and investment banks and a bad way.
This basic idea – that there are many different ways to do capitalism, markets, and business – is in a sense contrary to the ideologically driven style of economic policy and capitalism Kaletsky refers to. I think there is little evidence, though, that it really ceased to be an underlying assumption in western-world policy making after Reagan and Thatcher.
There are two very important exceptions to this: financial regulation and development economics. The financial crisis is to some extent evidence of the former, with basket-cases such as Iceland as horrid examples of how badly ideologically-driven policy can go. I am sure that many Icelandic people would wholeheartedly agree with TED’s quote above. Certainly, it would be grossly unfair to call someone anti-market or anti-capitalistic for arguing that Iceland should have had a more regulated financial sector in the years preceding its total financial annihilation in 2008. Actually, Iceland’s capitalism would most likely have been a lot better off today had in not been for the hardcore ideologically driven financial-sector liberalization set in motion by its conservative Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn (Independence Party) at the beginning of the decade (a forthcoming paper by Baldur Thorhallsson, Iceland’s Neo-Liberal Laboratory, describes how this happened in great detail).
The question, of course, is whether we are really seeing a return to “pragmatic” financial regulation, or are getting a bunch of ideologically driven, vain, and inefficient policy responses aimed at pleasing an understandably disgruntled electorate. I think the current European attempt at imposing much stricter regulations on private equity and hedge funds in order to rein in “speculation” might be a sign of the latter. I find the argument that “speculation” is to blame for the financial crisis quite unconvincing (speculation can actually be stabilizing), I am pretty sure there have been some more fundamental structural dynamics at work. I will write more on this elsewhere.
The second area where actual policy has been heavily ideologically driven is development economics. More specifically, the kind of economic policies pushed on a whole range of countries by the World Bank and IMF as conditionalities and structural adjustment programs associated with various loans and aid packages in Latin America, Africa, and the former communist economies in Eastern Europe were arguably heavily laden with fundamentalist-like free-market ideology. In this policy area, through, the reversion to pragmatism described by Kaletsky had started happening before the financial crisis as a result of lacking growth and lots of financial crises in a range of countries where reforms were the heaviest; as well as the counterpoint of rapid and sustained growth in countries like China and India, which have been far from implementing anything like an IMF-style policy package. Nevertheless, the most recent – and global – financial crisis arguably made the glass spill by adding legitimacy to non-mainstream economics. The effect has been a dramatic and still ongoing turnaround in the World Bank and the IMF on what constitutes good and acceptable economic policy for developing/emerging-market countries. Most importantly this includes allowing governments to engage in active industrial policy, in particular to promote export growth and diversification, and prudent regulation of international capital flows.
As such, it appears that where the return to pragmatism from ideologically driven economic policy will matter most is in the developing world. If such pragmatism yields sustained economic growth, this is of course not without benefit for the West either. The world economy is like a big party, it is much better when everyone is having a good time.
And of course, economics will probably be a more interesting subject to study. At least I hope so. | {
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Six Flags Careers
This is the employer's chance to tell you why you should work for them. The information provided is from their perspective.
Company Updates
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Friday, April 24, 2009
I like baseball caps as much as the next guy. Sure I have my favorites. I like plain logos and basic colors that match anything you wear.
There isn't a hat in the world however that I would put on my head once it develops that nasty white sweaty salt line.
Why do people do this? Really. How much is a hat? $9-$10? $30 if you're stupid and buy it at the mall? Throw that thing away, its disgusting!
Most importantly, don't wear it to work!
I don't usually care what other people wear but that is roughly equivalent to coming to work with shit stains. Sure you're gray, sure you're balding, we'll all be there eventually. Now you're repulsive. Congrats!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
I, with great honor and humility, accept this honorable...uh...honorAND IN TURN wish to pay it forward to a recent regular contributor to this here blog which has recently, for reasons I wish not to disclose, suffered a bit from lack of tending BUT I DIGRESS!
The envelope please...
I would like to give this award to Douglas of Boomer MusingsValash from Overcoming Schizophrenia. Although Ashley is not a regular participant to this blog I figure what she does for society is so far beyond any self promoting pyramid scheme this "Award" tradition really started as anyway. I don't remember exactly how I found her blog at first, most likely in the forums, but I have learned so much more about schizophrenia than I ever expected to. Though this little recognition will do little to help her current insurance troubles, I hope it will help her through some of her dark days that there are people out there that applaud her efforts and successes. Good Luck Ashley!
As always I will modify the rules as I see fit because I wouldn't have it any other way. ;)
Award Details and Rules
This award is a dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging.
This award was redesigned to award those who seek and redefine all the reasons why we love blogging.
Never forget to mention the person who gives you the award.
Respond to the receipt of this award by posting this description and writing a short explanation about why you love blogging.
Choose ONE person you feel deserves this award.
Don't forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post so others can see how wonderful they are too.
Before I let you go, my short little statement about why I love blogging is simple.
Before I started blogging and after years of unanimous dislike for pretty much anything I had to write, I felt that any skill I thought I had was a waste of time and space. Now I don't feel the same. Or at least I have been lucky enough to find people who are nice enough to pretend otherwise. ;)
Reason #1 why the Earth is in the state it is in. More specifically, human stupidity. While I could go on for days simply listing the reasons, today I will specifically focus on one topic.
Electricity.
Click here to read more.
A LOT of business and revenue is generated by wasting electricity. Do you think the electric companies of the world are concerned with how much electricity you waste? Or do you think they would react and be more alarmed about the situation where you waste only a little? If they make a lot of money then so do the governments that helped foot the bill for the development of the infrastructure that they use to deliver that power to you.
That isn't really a solution but an explanation for their lack of motivation to give you a true functional solution. Those who really have the power and pull to make some changes lack that motivation for innovation.
Watch those bullshit informative commercials for saving electricity in your home. They always start with them saying, "What can YOU do." Great way to pass the buck you bastards. The most recent one shows to teens talking about their cell phone chargers. Seriously? Look out the window. Do you see that street lamp blazing all night long with no one around to bask in its glow? Do you see the 24 hour businesses with no one but a lonely teenage employee playing solitaire on the computer or an uneducated security guard watching re-runs of Jerry Springer on television?
Lets focus on that shall we, instead of the cell phone chargers some of which use only 0.005 kWh. Your typical street lamp uses 18 to 400 watts depending on the brightness. Considering that it is those very same street lights that you can actually see from space, then one could safely assume there is a lot of energy being wasted there. I'm sure there are a lot more of them then there are plugged in cell phone chargers in the world.
So how do you solve this problem? Well, one solution could use technology that has been around for decades. Motion detectors. Why have a street light on all night long when there isn't even a car in sight?
Motion detectors aren't perfect you say? Agreed, but the more time and money is invested to mass produce them I bet their efficiency and reliability would increase dramatically.
Still not convinced? Well there are other technologies that could be used. RFID for one. Everyone has a Driver's License or some sort of picture ID. If they start handing them out with RFID technology integrated these lights would come on automatically when a person would approach. Someone loses their keys or wallet where the RFID is implanted, the redundant motion detector fail safe would be there to back it up. A lot of street lamps currently have light detectors to turn them on or off when the sun rises so additional technology added to those devices isn't new.
Expensive? At first perhaps but functional and after time their development costs would greatly decrease as it does for all technology. Besides, I believe the cost of the electricity we would save would greatly outweigh the price of the technology.
So the ball is back in your court big corporations. What can YOU do to save electricity? I am currently sitting in one office building in a group of 10 with 80% of the employees off for the day and ever single light is on, every computer is on and the air conditioning is running full blast even though the temperature outside is fantastic.
If Michael Jackson could have lights turn on for him wherever he walked, why can't we?
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
When I dress for work I wear these big stomper type shoes which I consider necessary. I don't like those business shoes that look flat and European.
Yes, that makes them heavier but they are cheaper, more cushioned and I prefer the way they look. Since they are heavier, when I walk they make me stomp which is why I call them "stompers."
Walking around cubicles people can hear me coming and sometimes poke their heads out, halting my progress in order to resolve their usually petty issue.Since I was a child I practiced stepping quietly. (It's quite the workout actually you should try it.) Not tip toeing but carefully placing your heals and progressing with the smooth even stride that greatly reduces both wind resistance and pant friction.
This skill,if you can call it that, has saved me quite a bit of time. I have returned of course to resolve or assist them with their problems but only after they request assistance through the right channels. Organization equals efficiency.Walking in Silent Mode has saved me from repeated time consuming explanations about why people need to request assistance the official way. It saves us all a lot of time in the long run if they only spend a few more seconds.
Monday, April 13, 2009
So I read that and thought, "Wow, what a challenge!" My name is difficult enough but to be tagged your entire life with failure as a qualifier must suck tremendous giraffe dangler. Then I thought about it some more and decided, cockily, that this man does not accept his name for what it is.
In no way could he possibly face up to this challenge laid before him.
I figured I would test my assumption and, yep! When I called his voice mail he said his name was "Fi-El" Come on! What are you from Krypton? I mean "feel" may pass but "Fi-El?!?"
We are all victims of our parents and heritage, you can't run away from it. You have to confront your Dark Side young Jedi and admit that you are one in the same. Stop shoveling that Pi-El of crap facade of a name and accept your feilure, move on.
In his cowering path of ignorance he has, ultimately failed miserably.
I now anxiously await the opportunity to direct his attention to the "Ci-Eling" for something completely random and insignificant, like this blog post.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
I am not an unprofessional. When I'm at work, I am a stickler for regulation. It is actually one of the unspoken requirements of my position. No one can work that way 100% of the time but I do much more so than any one of my peers. Except in one aspect.
Professional attire.
I don't own a suit. It would be just fine with me if I never have to buy one. I don't think they look nice. I'm not a presidential candidate nor will I ever intend to be associated with anyone in politics.
I work with computers. Simply because I assist high ranking executives shouldn't force me to feel guilt for not wearing a clone suit like they do. I don't ride home in a black luxury car. I don't earn 6 - 8 figures. It is rare but on some occasions I do have to get into some really dirty places to do my job.
The problem is I don't know when these situations arise and I don't know when the executive helicopter will land.
Perhaps my lack of willingness to wear a leashed monkey suit has been detrimental to my career. I don't like to think that it may have kept me from obtaining a much higher income but I must acknowledge the possibility regardless of how unfair that may be.
If I reach a certain level of income I wouldn't mind wearing comfortable slacks but never a suit.
One of the major reasons why I don't like them is not because they are terribly uncomfortable and motion restrictive but because I don't think I look right in one. I feel like I look like one of those guys talking to the judge requesting a furlough wearing a rented suit.
It just doesn't look right. Let me wear my jeans, a t-shirt and some comfortable tennis shoes and I will do a noticeably better job. Not out of gratitude but as a direct result to my increased mobility and comfort.
Why doesn't Main St. understand this? How many of us actually deal with outside "customers" in business anymore?
Friday, April 10, 2009
Updated: Instead of posting a new blog each day for these little blurbs I will just add to them and update the time. Easier to find and go back to for future laughs.
4-10-09
Raptor-Bandit T-Shirt. I really can't say much about this. Just LOOK at it... XD
There are a bunch more on the site. I am in no way affiliated with them I just thought this design was pretty funny.
4-7-09
I found this Afro Monkey today. Or is it a Jheri curl monkey? Either way I thought it was hilarious. Doesn't he kind of look like Mickey Mouse?
He is a heat sensitive loufa that changes color with the water temperature! $2.63 from DealExtreme.
4-3-09
Browsing the net during my 15 minute lunch today I found this stuff and it brought a smile to an otherwise stressful day.
For Star Wars fans...
THE TAUNTAUN Sleeping Bag! - This product is wrong on so many levels and that's exactly why I like it. It was originally intended as an April Fool's joke on ThinkGeek but do to overwhelming response they are trying to mass produce it.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
So I'm sitting hear watching the clock. Trying to make up time for time lost in traffic today and I'm researching radar detectors to warn you of potential speed traps on Amazon.com.
On the right side I see some convenience buttons. They read as follows;
Add to Wish List
OK, that sounds perfectly reasonable. You have a birthday coming up and your wife asks you to make a list. That makes perfect sense.
Add to Shopping List
That works too. You are comparing products or pricing and you know you want to ship them all together, OK. That works.
Add to Wedding Registry
Well, that's a stretch but it would make a funny gift for the guy who's in a rush to "get away." Or it could just be a gift idea from a wife that doesn't want to change her man's bad habits and instead helps in any way she can. That kind of works.
Add to Baby Registry
...
Umm...
The idea seemed really funny to me. Then I thought, "I want to create the most inappropriate Amazon Baby Registry EVARRRR!"
Now don't get me wrong, I don't think child abuse is funny at all but the idea that there COULD exist such a Baby Registry seems really wrong and yet somehow funny to me. I needed stress relief today and this helped a little. Hopefully it will bring a guilty smirk to your faces as well. | {
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TOTY Pack
Fladdus
Coins Spent: 45,900,000
Pack Value*: 10,826,050
Cumulative Pack Value: 25,561,300
Average Pack Value: 55,689
Total Loss: 20,338,700
*Approximate Xbox Prices
This pack simulator attempts to recreate an authentic FUT pack opening experience. Player prices are based on the xbox market. This pack simulator is for entertainment purposes only and has no affiliation or connection to Electronic Arts, EA Sports, or the FIFA game franchise. All FIFA assets are property of EA Sports. | {
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Grape Seed Oil
Organic Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil
Native to parts of Europe, Asia and Africa and widely cultivated in temperate areas, the oil from the seeds of this particular species of grape offers potent skin healing properties. It is high in essential fatty acids which are the building blocks of healthy cells and vital to the synthesis of tissue lipids. Grape seed oil is also especially high in skin-nourishing vitamin E. Its ability to rapidly permeate the skin barrier, emollient feel and unique chemical structure interact with skin molecules unlike many other oils.
Really Good™ Ultimate Skin Butter
CERTIFIED 100% VEGAN (TRULY CRUELTY-FREE)
Really Good™ is the first USA brand to be vegan certified by Beauty Without Cruelty. Also certified by PETA, Really Good™ skincare products contain no animal derived ingredients...therefore, TRULY cruelty-free. Our brand is 100% against animal testing AND exploitation in any stage of manufacture. | {
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.
Monday, 30 June 2014
The journey home from Glasgow was a much more leisurely affair last week. I drove up the West Coast of Scotland to Balmacara Square just before the bridge to Skye and met David and Molly who had driven up from the Borders. Actually Molly didn't do any of the driving: she left it all to David.
Coming up to Rannoch Moor I was astonished to see that there was still snow on the North faces.
Close up
Looking across Rannoch Moor: as bleak and remote and beautiful as anywhere in Scotland
Friday, 27 June 2014
You may not have noticed (though some of you have - thank you for your enquiries) I've been away. I went down to Ayrshire (south and west of Glasgow for the non-Scots amongst my readers) for a cancer consultation and, whilst I was at it, I spent a few days visiting friends. Everything was very positive. Now I'm on my way home again sitting in bed on a beautiful sunny morning before breakfast which is served at 8am where I am staying. Hopefully I'll be returning to Blogland tonight or tomorrow. However David (of David and Molly the Dog) is returning to stay as well and there are more projects planned. David likes projects. Actually David just likes work and being busy so long as it's outdoors. It could be a very busy ten days.
The reason I have time to type this is that I have just had a long and solid sleep and woke at several hours later than I usually do. Or so I thought. In fact instead of my usual summer getting up time of around 6.30 or earlier I thought I had woken at 7.50. I was up and showered and dressed in a flash (we Edwardses could never stand the stigma of being late even for breakfast) and as I put my watch on I realised that it was 7am on the dot and not 8am. So I had a whole hour 'free'.
After breakfast there will be a leisurely morning through Skye until we have to be at the ferry at 1300.
Monday, 16 June 2014
Last Wednesday I suddenly decided to replace the wooden internal window ledge in my kitchen with a while plastic one. I'd started the job about ten years ago but abandoned it temporarily when I realised I couldn't fit the new one on top of the old one because there wasn't quite enough clearance for the vertical blinds. So what I though was a nice quick job that would be finished in time for morning coffee turned out to be a day's work finishing just before 5pm.
However by this time I was in change mode. So ordered the new bed that I'd been thinking about for several years. Then I decided that although the bedroom had been recently decorated (in 2002 - I'm not a great one for change for change's sake) it could possibly do with a new coat of paint before the new bed came. So I emptied it and prepared everything for the painting to start yesterday. I was just intending to do the ceiling. I ended up doing the ceiling and the walls. Job finished. (It's all the preparation and masking that takes the real time). By 5pm my back and paint-brush-holding hand were aching so preparing dinner for Pat and Dave was a welcome relief.
We had a cracking evening and eventually stopped eating and talking around 11.30pm. All my tiredness and aches had gone with the food (possibly the wine helped too). It was a beautiful evening and I had no lights on in the house so we hadn't realised how late it had got.
So this is yesterday and this morning in pictures taken from the front of my house (unfortunately those at 3.40 am were taken through my windows because the midges were just too bad for me to be bothered going outside with so much flesh exposed).
Yesterday morning - 0750 - flat calm sea
Yesterday evening - 2327 - almost the longest day
This morning - 0344 - a beautiful morning in prospect
This morning - 0709 - the mist and rain's set in. This is Scotland after all.
Wednesday, 11 June 2014
Jenny, author of the blog An English Travel Writer posted Signs of The Times yesterday. As always it was an interesting post and, as always it had some unusual and interesting photos in addition to information: Jenny is, after all, a travel writer (amongst other things). She also has a very keen eye for good photos. However today what realy struck me was the wonderful psychology evident in this notice:
Tuesday, 10 June 2014
Monday, 9 June 2014
I've just posted several letters, two post cards and a three notecards to friends and family in New Zealand and several other countries including England.
It made me think, once again, about the way we communicate now and the comparison with when I was born 70 years ago. Then the only generally used methods of communication were face to face, the postal service a telegram or a telephone call.
In England the Royal Mail was established in 1516 effectively providing a publicly available second form of communication after word of mouth.
Telegrams provided by the railway companies provided a third means of communication and were taken over by the Post Office in 1870 but were finally abandoned in 1982. However I've just discovered that http://www.britishtelegram.com will deliver an urgent telegram within two hours for a fee of about £60.
My parents had a telephone which provided the fourth means of communication before I was born but it wasn't the norm in those days. Liverpool had, however, played quite an important part in the development of the telephone service in the UK when, in 1911, ATM based about 2 miles from where I was born became the first manufacturer of automatic telephone equipment in the UK. In 1912 there were just over half a million phones in the UK and it was bought by the Post Office. In my childhood it was still necessary to book calls abroad and until fairly recently phoning abroad was expensive.
Mobile or Cell Phones became available in the mid 1980s but it wasn't until the early 1990s with GSM in 1991 and then 2G that they came into general use in Britain. I've had mine with the same number (with add-ons to the front as more numbers became necessary) since 1991.
More changes came in the mid 1990s when the Internet became generally available and with it came the World Wide Web.
Since then the changes have been phenomenal. I have been thinking over he last few days of the different ways I communicate daily with people all over the world and what form that communication takes.
Obviously this list is not exhaustive but these are the means of communication I use:
Via the Internet (which may be via the landline or cellphone networks): Skype (phone calls, video calls and text chats); Telegram App (instant messages and chats which may incorporate files, pictures and other data as one 'chats'); Facebook's Messanger App and Facebook's chat and WhatsApp (which are similar to the Telegram app); post cards taken on my cellphone using ByPost or NZ Post's Send a Card; Instagram to share photos and doubtless other's I haven't remembered.
Finally (although it uses the Internet and WWW) there is blogging.
The world is truly a very small place indeed and most of the smallness came in the last twenty years.
With all that, though, what truly matters is not that we are able to communicate but what we say when we do.
Thursday, 5 June 2014
I have now been on this earth in this life for 70 years. I was born two days before D-Day (the Normandy Landings on the 6 June 1944) and nearly a year before VE Day (the Allied victory in Europe on the 8 May 1945).
I don't remember much about that first year. I do remember, though, growing up in a city which had been ravaged by war. Being a major port (particularly for the West African and Trans-Atlanic trades) Liverpool suffered greatly. Large tracts of the city were wasteland where once the great buildings of commerce had stood. I should, however, be thankful. I could have been born in Dresden.
I think I am correct in saying that those of us who were born around that time have lived in the only period of 70 years when we might not have been conscripted to fight for our country or for one part of these islands against another part since the Hundred Years War (which ended around 1453) or the Wars of The Roses (1455 to 1487 between the houses of Lancaster and York). Actually some might argue that that war still goes on 450 years later.
Jaz, who started me on Thankful Thursday and my journey of prosletising my belief in being thankful and playing the Glad Game once commented on this blog "Feeling young is fabulous but growing old is a blessing!!!" Well I'm still feeling young and I'm looking forward to being old. In the meantime I shall be very very thankful that I have reached this far and am living a life that I could only at one time have dreamed of.
Not very long ago a doctor asked me what the scar on my back was from. The answer was a the removal of half of my right lung when I was 16. I had suffered for several years from bronchiectasis. It's a very debilitating disease allowed to get a hold, in my case, by cross country running and playing football all winter when I had bronchitis. I went to a school where a note from your parents did not excuse you from any school physical activities.
The doctor seemed quite perplexed and made a rather odd remark but I didn't think anything more about it. Until, that is, a few months ago when I was watching Seven Sharp a TVNZ programme akin to the UK's One Show when it showed this footage of Esther-Jordan Muriwai: a name which, until that moment, had meant nothing to me.
Today I was about to write my Thankful Thursday post and mention my bronchiectasis. I decided to see how Esther-Jordan was. I was taken aback to discover that she died yesterday - my birthday. The anniversary of our son, Andy's death and of the father of one of my closest friends.
The TVNZ news article reads:
Inspiring young woman Esther Jordan Muriwai - Source: Te Karere
Young Māori woman’s legacy lives on
For 14 years Esther Jordan Muriwai was in and out of hospital battling a respiratory disease called bronchiectasis. Last night her battle came to a heart-rending end, she was 24. Having founded the Bronchiectasis Foundation and the Northland Bronchiectasis Support Group, Esther dreamed to help the few in NZ who are suffering from the same illness that took her life.
Until that programme made me look more closely at the disease I had lived for over 50 years in blissful ignorance of how near I had come to being in a similar situation. I had worked in the hospital but until I saw that programme I had only come across one other person with the disease and he was operated on on the same day as I was. He died a few days later.
I, on the other hand, have never had the slightest sign of any respiratory problems since I was discharged from hospital with a clean bill of health all those years ago.
Since the original programme I have become aware, however, of the extent of the disease in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands' communities. I have also developed an admiration for the positive attitude and hard work that Esther-Jordan has put into bronchiectasis awareness and support to sufferers and their families.
I shall continue with my Thankful Thursday post separately but I shall also be thankful for the life and work and positive attitude that Esther-Jordan has brought to this world.
Tuesday, 3 June 2014
A few days ago I happened to write about the rescue services which serve us here in the Hebrides. On Saturday I was suddenly shaken by a helicopter flying low directly over the house. Any helicopter makes considerable air pressure waves and they are even more obvious if you are directly underneath. So I grabbed the camera and went outside. The chopper was flying across the valley and I saw that it was flying towards a group of people which included ambulance personnel.
The unfortunate casualty had been in an accident involving one of her horses (I assume that she'd been riding it). The incident took 10 minutes from beginning to end (first to last photo).
Monday, 2 June 2014
Or the alternative title is "We've been together now for fifty years".
I'm having a clear out: a serious clear out.
In 1965 the UK had a Commonwealth Arts Festival hosted by the City of Liverpool. I was seconded to assist in the running of it. My principal job, as I recall it, was to deal with protocol arrangements for dignitaries and others attending the many events from civic functions to theatre and other shows.
I have many fond memories including several opportunities to see full length professionally performed ballets (the first time I'd had such an opportunity and the start of my love of that art form). I was privileged to meet Ravi Shankar and hear him play.
I learned that the High Commissioners of the time for India and Pakistan were good personal friends despite their countries being at war and that the more important a person was in public life the less likely he or she was to care about pomp and ceremony and the importance of their own position. In other words I learned that in matters of protocol the people at the top didn't care and the people at the bottom (me for example) didn't matter but that the people in the middle cared enormously for their 'rightful' position in the order of things.
During the whole of this wonderful experience the evening suit that I had had to acquire for the functions was my constant companion.
The late sixties in the city were magical times in many ways. The age of elegance was still with us and at the many dinner dances and formal occasions that seemed constantly to occur the ladies wore long dresses and the men wore evening suits. The sixties were also contrasting times of great social diversity and experimentation in the city. Through all this my evening suit and I were faithful friends and companions.
Just to prove that the jacket still
buttons up!
When I moved to Scotland the less formal approach to life in the Western Isles meant that we rarely had the opportunity to be seen out together although we have fond memories of the 'posh frock dos' that friends used to organise during the winter. Despite the fact that for a few years now I have had a new evening suit my original DJ and I remained companions. Until today.
Today has seen a huge change in my life. The reality is that we will never be seen out together again. We are both showing our age and at any formal function now I am more likely to wear my kilt than I am to wear my new DJ.
So it was with great sadness that I decided to try DJ on for one last time before depositing him in a clothing bank along with many other items of my wardrobe.
The sadness was alleviated to some extent by the fact that I could still fit into the suit. Surprised? Impressed? I was - both. The shirt was a bit too tight around the neck I have to admit. And, just for the record, I would never normally have worn a pre-tied bow tie! In fact I have no idea where this one came from.
SO NEAR
We may be apart but when I look at the sky and remember that we are standing on the same earth, looking at the same moon, somehow you don't seem so far away after all.
LIFE
Life isn't about dawdling to the grave, arriving safely in an attractive, wrinkle-free body but rather an adventure that ends skidding in sideways, champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, totally worn out, screaming "Yee-ha. What a ride!!"
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… It’s about learning to dance in the rain. (With thanks to shabby girl ofA Travelling Fish)
But what are plans other than more restrictions? (With thanks to Pauline)
Feeling young is fabulous but growing old is a blessing!!!(A comment on this blog by Jaz who used to writeTreacy Travels.)
The trick to pushing 70, GB, is to push back -- hard!!!(A comment by Carol aka Canadian Chickadee who comments but does not blog)
I am he who I am
Having lived the majority of my life in the Hebrides where my heart is, I feel I can now call myself a Hebridean. For nine years I lived half my life in New Zealand: a country I love. It was an honour being a part time Kiwi.
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The copyright to all photographs and images on this Blog rests, unless otherwise stated, with the Blog's author. If you wish to use any of the images for non-commercial purposes I am unlikely to object. Please do me the courtesy of notifying me and linking the photo or image back to this Blog. | {
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Six women have quite the tale of looking for love in the 21st century. They claim one man, whom they only refer to by his first name, Justin, scheduled back to back dates with all of them on the same night, in the exact same Washington, D.C. bar.
But it was the women who got the last laugh.
"As soon as Kristen [Incorvaia] and Raven [Manigault] showed up, we decided it was too ridiculous not to share, and if this was happening to us it must be happening to other people too. And we just figured this guy needed to be called out," Lisette Plyant, 26, the first date to show up for the evening, said on "Good Morning America" today.
Ladies get the last laugh after a man books 6 dates in 1 night
(Photo: ABCNews.com)
Plyant went public with the awkward situation on Twitter, writing, "So 45 mins in, his next date shows up because he double books himself and he decides he's going to friendzone me to get out of the situation."
So 45 mins in his next date shows up because he double books himslef and he decides he's going to friendzone me to get out of the situation
Plyant enlisted friends to rescue date number four from the bar and on their way out, they said they discovered his fifth date of the evening. “You guys girl number FIVE just showed up BEFORE going to meet him because my friends intercepted her and told her not to waste her time," Plyant wrote.
You guys girl number FIVE just showed up BEFORE going to meet him because my friends intercepted her and told her not to waste her time
Justin did not want to join the women on "Good Morning America," but told ABC News in a phone conversation that he’s actually looking for love and that, for him, these aren’t dates but instead are "preliminary conversations."
"This wasn’t a preliminary conversation," said one of the dates, Kali Bowers. "This was speed dating and we didn’t know about it."
Alex Woody, the fifth woman to arrive for the date, was clued in to what was happening before she approached him.
"When I went up to him, I introduced myself as date number five and he immediately said, ‘Oh, you’re already cut,’" Woody recalled. "So quickly I realized I was on a dating reality show that I didn’t even sign up for."
The women all became friends by the end of the night, hanging out together and posting photos of their newfound friendship on Twitter.
The six women, who all found out they were supposed to meet up with the same man on the same night, spoke out live on "GMA."
(Photo: Alex Woody)
Jess Free, another one of the dates, frankly summed up the situation.
"Dating in 2017 is messy. And life is messy," said Free. "Life is too short, so we took a negative situation and turned it into a friendship and it’s just funny. You can’t treat people like that." | {
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Bangladesh prime minister says tried to ensure free election
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina casts her vote in the morning during the general election in Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 30, 2018. Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha/Handout via REUTERS
DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Monday her government tried to ensure a free and general election and the opposition lost because it lacked leadership.
Hasina has won a third straight term in the Sunday general election, sealing a landslide with almost all the seats in parliament, while the opposition rejected the result as rigged and called for a fresh vote. | {
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Adultery and Idolatry- 5th Sunday of Lent
Small children are not the only ones who routinely confuse the word “adultery” with “idolatry.” Even though I presume they know the difference, students in my Intro Bible course often mistakenly use one for the other. Whether it is a Freudian slip I dare not say, but as we discuss both in relation it becomes apparent that the two share more than merely a phonetic resemblance.
Adultery is the narrative pretext for this Sunday’s gospel reading, but in many ways idolatry is its thematic focal point. John speaks of an incident that interrupts Jesus’ daily agenda at the Temple: a woman caught in adultery is taken there to be stoned in the sight of the people and in the sight of God.
The act is one of divine sanction, carried out in order to preserve the holiness of the community with whom the Lord has chosen to dwell. The God of Israel is present in Zion and the God of Israel is holy. Recall the strict boundaries around Sinai as Moses went up the mountain to meet God: those who transgressed them—even the animals—had to be quarantined and stoned to death (Ex 19:10-13). When Aaron’s sons loaded their censers incorrectly in the Holy Place and so offered “unholy fire” to the Lord, “fire came out from the Presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord” (Lev 10:1-2). Likewise this transgression of one the “ten words” given to Moses, first and foremost among the Law, was seen not simply as a “moral lapse” or “an expression of vice” but as a toxic breach of the covenant of holiness to which the community was bound—a covenant that could prove lethal as well as life-giving. Such was the fear that drove the Scribes and Pharisees to put this woman to death before their place of worship.
Notice what Jesus is doing before the accusers break in upon the scene: he is teaching the people who have gathered there to listen. Jesus is offering to the people in words an account of who God is and what God wants for them when he is suddenly confronted with an alternative account, given not in words but in action, in the fulfillment of the Law’s prescriptions. John tells us this confrontation was a “test,” though perhaps “contest” might be a better word. The Scribes and Pharisees engage Jesus in a public agon in which both their reputations are placed on the line.
What is more, this test is meant not only to confront Jesus, but also to provide “some charge to bring against him.” It is this further purpose which reveals their true intent in zealously keeping the Law. It is not enough to accuse and convict one sinner at a time; they see the woman’s adultery as an opportunity to accuse and convict any who would oppose their understanding what of who God is and what God’s holiness requires. Their de-contamination of the community must include in its sweep any like Jesus who might contextualize or in any way relativize the prescriptions of the Law. And so these zealous Israelites make themselves the Lord’s adversary. They confront him in the courtyards of the holy city, and their mode of engagement is one of accusation.
How then does this confrontation evoke idolatry? What is at stake is nothing less than who God is and what it means to rightly worship him. Of course, the Scribes and Pharisees think they have it figured out. And to be fair, it is not as if their view is one of their own invention or imagining: they were not in it for themselves, but were merely following what they believed God told Moses to do. Yet here they are, acting the part of adversary and accuser: the two primary meanings of the name which the Bible assigns to the diabolical force which opposes his purposes in the world— Satan.
We are in no greater danger of idolatry than when we are satisfied that we have taken every possible measure to avoid it. We are in no greater danger of opposing God’s work in the world than when convince ourselves that we possess the formula for carrying it out.
So the Scribes and Pharisees ask Jesus, “so what do you say?” The question, when viewed from a certain angle, is utterly diabolical. It is the mocking question which the fallen angels ask when they have chewed up and spit out a soul created in God’s image and placed its wounded, contorted frame at the feet of the Creator: “what do you think of your ‘treasured possession’ now? Can you bear even to look at it?”
It is hard to know for whom the Lord must have grieved more: the Pharisees or the woman. Neither are holy, neither can rightly stand before the holy place. The woman has forgotten the proper dignity and purpose of her body (or likely been led to forget), and perhaps marred the lives of her husband and children in the process. It would trivialize the story merely to exonerate her on account of the Pharisees’ vindictiveness. Yet they are the ones who have forgotten God more completely, since they replaced his voice—that uncanny, unfathomable voice—with their own compulsions and mechanisms of security. Truly, what could the Lord have said in this situation?
Jesus gives the most profound response possible: he refuses to answer with words, and instead bends down and begins to write in the dust. What exactly he was writing John does not say, and I cannot believe the omission to be unintentional. It rouses our curiosity: if only we knew what he was writing, we could gain a better understanding of how Jesus responds to this situation. Yet our lack of understanding is precisely the point to which Jesus’ writing draws our attention: we do not know the divine judgment that the Lord was writing upon the dust of Mt. Zion.
We do know that he was writing in the dust though, which as countless commentators have pointed out, is a clear reference to the creation story of Genesis 2, in which God forms the human person from the dust and blows the breath of life into his nostrils. What Jesus is doing here, in other words, is an act of creation no less radical and no less ex nihilo than that which preceded time and space itself.
It is important to point out, I think, that Jesus is not simply countering “negativity” in this story and affirming the always-already present dignity of the woman whose mistake was not really all that bad, so long as you put it in the right perspective. No, the act of “writing in the dust” clearly indicates that (at least spiritually) both parties here are dead and in need of re-creation. The Pharisees are right that God is a holy God and so cannot dwell among those who are not ready to receive him. Yet their error, which is ultimately much greater than the adulteress’, is that they no longer recognize their own uncleanness and their own self-affirming delusions about who God is and what God wants. Their practice of the Law, rather than placing them before the inscrutable and consuming presence of YHWH, serves only to bolster their own sense of security and their own self-aggrandizement.
How Jesus must have frustrated them! “What’s he doing? He’s writing in the dirt. He’s stalling! Answer us already!!” And then the Lord looks up—only for a moment—and delivers the knockout blow: “let the one among you without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Jesus then goes back to his dirt-writing, as if to say “you have come here to destroy my creation, but I am making it new.” As Isaiah proclaims in the first reading, “I am doing a new thing.” Perhaps as a correlative we might dare to add, “and I am mighty enough to do so without requiring the destruction of the old.”
And so the people drop their stones and disperse. Here is the new creation manifested before our eyes. The adversaries and accusers have been sent away, and the Creator now speaks alone with his creature. Surely if the writing in the dust was an allusion to creation, this final exchange in the reading points us back to that fateful exchange between God and our first parents in Eden. There, in Genesis 3, God asks Adam and Eve where they have gone: “where are you?” Here, God asks the redeemed woman where her accusers are: ““Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” The woman then is empowered to reply, surely through her own tears: “no one, sir.”
“Then Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.’” The Lord has revealed himself here as the Holy One of Israel: the One who cannot be reduced to human images or formulas, and the One whose power to re-create can overcome all of our attempts to replace him with the false gods we create to sanction our own lusts and fears. Let us pray that we may find ourselves one day alone with Him, having returned once more to the dust, and hear him ask us with victory in his voice: “where have all your accusers gone?”
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Watching movies can be a lot like playing chess. With enough practice, you start to anticipate the moves, adjusting your defenses so as not to be taken off-guard. As such, “The Dark Horse” is as good a title as any for a film that takes an overplayed genre — the inspirational mentor story — and still manages to surprise, sneaking up to deliver a powerful emotional experience within a formula we all know by heart: After suffering a nervous breakdown, a Maori chess champ volunteers to coach a group of disadvantaged kids. New Zealand stories seldom travel, but this exceptional true story has potential.
As it happens, the film’s title reflects an earlier telling of the same story: That would be Jim Marbrook’s 2003 documentary “Dark Horse,” a portrait of speed-chess star Genesis Potini, who was a formidable opponent on the board, bringing unconventional, combustible energy to a game most play with polite inscrutability. Potini also suffered from bipolar disorder, which is how we first encounter him in James Napier Robertson’s second feature (after 2009’s “I’m Not Harry Jenson”).
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“Gen,” as big brother Ariki (Wayne Hapi) calls him in the film, seems clearly disconnected from the real world as he lumbers through the rain to the local chess shop, draped in a colorful patchwork quilt. This giant, gentle bear of a man will surely look familiar to admirers of such exceptional Maori stories as “Whale Rider” and “Once Were Warriors,” though we’ve never seen actor Cliff Curtis looking quite like this: With a shaved head and a missing-teeth mouthpiece, the Kiwi star appears completely transformed, playing a figure whose potentially intimidating physical presence is offset by a clear awareness of his own frailty.
That unpredictability — the sense that Gen could lose control at any moment — gives the film an edge seldom found in the genre’s typically mellow fare. Here, it’s the raw tone, the ragged camerawork and the revealing performances that allow “The Dark Horse” to hustle its way into our hearts.
Determined to add some stability to his life, Gen volunteers to help the Eastern Knights chess club, a scrappy after-school org whose hyperactive members barely understand the game’s basic moves. The group’s patient mentor (Kirk Torrance) is rightly dubious: There’s no sense in exposing already troubled kids to the potentially volatile influence of such an adult. But Gen persists and eventually gets his way, spending the money Ariki gave him for lodging on new chessboards and other supplies, even if it means having to sleep outdoors.
Though the kids’ personal challenges are never made clear, they register as distinct individuals, to the extent that we find ourselves rooting for each of their success when they finally reach the chess championship — an event for which they look alarmingly out of place, like a posse of skater kids who’ve stumbled into a stuffy rich-kid prep school. In the case of Gen’s hotheaded teenage nephew, Mana (James Rolleston, the talented child thesp who made his debut in “Boy,” now in greater control of his seemingly feral energy), that might as well be the case, since Ariki intends for his son to toughen up and join the same biker gang that serves as his surrogate family.
For Mana, showing up for practice and competing in the meet are acts of open defiance, and Ariki isn’t the kind of character you want to make angry, which pulls the openly conflicted Gen into the center of a potentially violent situation — one that feels like something out of a Paul Schrader movie (say, Travis Bickle’s foolhardy attempt to liberate Iris at the end of “Taxi Driver”) rather than the sort of climax audiences might anticipate from this otherwise Disney-appropriate inspirational drama. Not that anyone would mistake it as such. Occasional expletives, some rough material involving Ariki’s gang and a tense cross-cutting sequence toward the end would likely land this film an R rating in the States, potentially limiting exposure for the most deserving cinematic export to emerge from New Zealand in years — and that’s taking into consideration the recent “Hobbit” trilogy, even if this pic’s kings and queens are little more than carved plastic.
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Watching movies can be a lot like playing chess. With enough practice, you start to anticipate the moves, adjusting your defenses so as not to be taken off-guard. As such, “The Dark Horse” is as good a title as any for a film that takes an overplayed genre — the inspirational mentor story — and still manages […]
Watching movies can be a lot like playing chess. With enough practice, you start to anticipate the moves, adjusting your defenses so as not to be taken off-guard. As such, “The Dark Horse” is as good a title as any for a film that takes an overplayed genre — the inspirational mentor story — and still manages […]
Watching movies can be a lot like playing chess. With enough practice, you start to anticipate the moves, adjusting your defenses so as not to be taken off-guard. As such, “The Dark Horse” is as good a title as any for a film that takes an overplayed genre — the inspirational mentor story — and still manages […]
Watching movies can be a lot like playing chess. With enough practice, you start to anticipate the moves, adjusting your defenses so as not to be taken off-guard. As such, “The Dark Horse” is as good a title as any for a film that takes an overplayed genre — the inspirational mentor story — and still manages […]
Watching movies can be a lot like playing chess. With enough practice, you start to anticipate the moves, adjusting your defenses so as not to be taken off-guard. As such, “The Dark Horse” is as good a title as any for a film that takes an overplayed genre — the inspirational mentor story — and still manages […]
Watching movies can be a lot like playing chess. With enough practice, you start to anticipate the moves, adjusting your defenses so as not to be taken off-guard. As such, “The Dark Horse” is as good a title as any for a film that takes an overplayed genre — the inspirational mentor story — and still manages […]
Watching movies can be a lot like playing chess. With enough practice, you start to anticipate the moves, adjusting your defenses so as not to be taken off-guard. As such, “The Dark Horse” is as good a title as any for a film that takes an overplayed genre — the inspirational mentor story — and still manages […] | {
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Inverted relief
Landscape features that have reversed their elevation relative to other features
Inverted relief at former St. George Municipal Airport, Utah. The lava plateau upon which the airport was built once filled the bottom of a valley.
Inverted channels on Mars. These curved and crisscrossing ridges in the Aeolis region were once channels in a sediment fan. The channels were more resistant to wind erosion than the surrounding materials, so now they are left standing as ridges rather than valleys. Illumination is from the left.
Inverted relief, inverted topography, or topographic inversion refers to landscape features that have reversed their elevation relative to other features. It most often occurs when low areas of a landscape become filled with lava or sediment that hardens into material that is more resistant to erosion than the material that surrounds it. Differential erosion then removes the less resistant surrounding material, leaving behind the younger resistant material, which may then appear as a ridge where previously there was a valley. Terms such as "inverted valley" or "inverted channel" are used to describe such features.[1] Inverted relief has been observed on the surfaces of other planets as well as on Earth. For example, well-documented inverted topographies have been discovered on Mars.[2]
Several processes can cause the floor of a depression to become more resistant to erosion than its surrounding slopes and uplands:
First, coarse-grained sediment, such as gravel, accumulates in the depression, i.e., a stream valley or lake basin. Next, wind erosion removes fine-grained sediments in areas adjacent to the depression. This leaves behind the more resistant coarse-grained sediments as a hill or ridge, while the channel switches to a lower lying area.
A fluvial valley might fill with volcanic material such as lava or welded tuff pouring into it. This would resist erosion while the surrounding surface is eroded away to create a ridge.
Cementation of underlying sediments by minerals dissolved in water may occur in a depression. On Earth, this often happens in stream valleys as the result of the formation of duricrusts, i.e., silcrete or ferricrete, by pedogenesis. Minerals for cementation can come from groundwater. It is thought that a low point like a valley focuses groundflow, so more water and cements move into it, and this results in a greater degree of cementation.[3] Again, the cemented sediments would resist erosion while the surrounding terrain is eroded away to create a ridge or hill.[1][2]
A classic example of inverted relief is Table Mountain, Tuolumne County, California. Multiple lava flows filled an ancient fluvial valley that cut westward through the central Sierra Nevada range to the Central Valley about 10.5 million years ago. These Miocene lava flows filled this ancient river valley with a thick sequence of potassium-rich trachyandesite lavas that are significantly more resistant to erosion than the Mesozoicsiltstone and other rock in which the valley was cut. Thus, subsequent differential erosion left these volcanic rocks as a sinuous ridge, which now stands well above landscape underlain by more deeply eroded Mesozoic rocks.[4]
Inverted relief in the form of sinuous and meandering ridges, which are indicative of ancient, inverted fluvial channels, is argued to be evidence of water channels on the Martian surface in the past.[5][6][2][7][8] An example is Miyamoto Crater, which was proposed in 2010 as a potential location to be searched for evidence of life on Mars.[9]
Possible inverted stream channels, Amazonis quadrangle, as seen by HiRISE under HiWish program. The ridges were probably once stream valleys that have become full of sediment and cemented. So, they became hardened against erosion which removed surrounding material. Illumination is from the left (west). | {
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Tuesday, April 27, 2010
$1/1 Roman Meal Bread
Head over to Coupons.com and print this new $1/1 Romal Meal bread coupon. (Enter ZIP 90210 if you can't find it.) Should make for some really cheap or free bread at a store that doubles! Thanks, Hip 2 Save! | {
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Les Arcs MTB Gallery
Les Arcs MTB Videos
Les Arcs is split across a number of different villages collectively known as the Paradiski area. Bourg-Saint-Maurice sits at an altitude of 850 m. Arc 1600 is directly above Bourg, then as you head south from here, you hit Arc 1800 followed by Peisey, Vallandry and Les Coches. Arc 1950 and 2000 are located in the next valley to the east. In the summer Bourg-Saint-Maurice is by far the busiest town and there’s always something going on for bikers.
The bike park is easily accessible from Bourge-Saint-Maurice and possibly the best area is just up the funicular at Arc 1600. Highlights are the super flowy blue track that you can pedal flat out and a black run that starts with a nice set of jumps and gets more technical through the trees.
Les Arcs also has loads of XC/Enduro trails which link the villages. Don’t miss the 30 km run from top of the Transarc cable car. The run descends over 1700 m over varied terrain from high mountain rocky tracks to alpine meadow traverses and flowy singletrack through the trees. | {
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Vehicle Shipment Testimonials from our Satisfied Clients
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We used a shipper that was very experienced in importing cars from the States called TFX International. They have a fleet of trucks, including several huge 50 foot, all-hydraulic, enclosed, padded trailers that can carry five vehicles, which ours came in. They even have hydraulic lift platforms for loading, which are perfect for vehicles with low front spoilers. This company has shipped everything from Formula 1 cars to vehicles owned by movie stars, though they specialize in transporting snowbirds' cars for retirees that winter in Florida. They are based near the Pearson Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, and I would recommend them very highly.
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Just a "quick note" to say "HI" and to thank TFX for a job "well done". These days many are quick to complain ... but do not take the time to "throw a bouquet". The TFX staff kept me informed of the landslide / closed highway reports ... and your driver ( Walter ) "kept in touch" to assure me that he was doing everything possible to meet the delivery deadline. Best of all ... he called to confirm the 8:30am delivery to my customer ... who was leaving on vacation the next morning. Walter handled our transportation needs ... and met the "deadline" with total professionalism. Thank You again ... you are all appreciated !!! | {
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A bipartisan group is hosting a fundraiser for Weir next Tuesday at the home of Mary Kay Hogan, the legislative liaison for former Gov. Bill Ritter. Weir served as Ritter’s head of the Colorado Department of Public Safety.
Ritter’s a Democrat. So is Hogan.
“I don’t even know the Democrat running in this race,” she said. “Pete’s wonderful. I’ve know him since he was a deputy district attorney in Jeffco and I was a law student so I’m really dating myself.”
No Democrat has announced yet, according to the secretary of state.
Weir currently is the senior chief deputy district attorney under DA Scott Storey, who leaves office next year because of term limits. Weir also has been a District Court judge and director of the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council.
Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry. | {
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Approach
The trailhead (7500') is at El Porvenir Campground. There is a parking lot at the entrance to the campground. Walk towards the campground along the road and cross the bridge. The trailhead is on the left across from the campground pay station. Use trail #223.
Route Description
The trail begins climbing immediately through tall conifer. At about 1/4 mile, there is a signed fork in the trail where you go left. In about a half mile two roads come into view. Stay left and hike along an old jeep road for about 100 yards. There is a sign directing you to the right, away from the road. The next mile and a half gradually get steeper culminating into interminable switchbacks up the canyon wall. At 3.5 miles, the switchbacks end with a fantastic view to the left. The trail makes a turn to the right and climbs about 50 yds to Hermit Spring. Good water is available at Hermit Spring. No camping near the spring. At the spring, the trail forks and makes a loop around the entire summit plateau. Take either fork. The right fork is the shortest, but steepest to the summit. The left is a little longer, but easier. If you take the left fork, the trail forks again after a short distance. Stay right to avoid descending down the north side of the mountain. Taking the right fork at Hermit Spring, you will see crosses planted in the ground at several places along the trail. Please to not disturb them. The hermit cave is also on the right fork on the southeastern edge of the summit. The trail remains in the trees until almost to the edge of the summit plateau. Distance to summit at 10,212' : 4 miles and 2700' elevation gain.
Essential Gear
Having lunch on the eastern edge of the summit plateau is a memorable experience.......so don't forget your lunch! | {
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The revered trumpet and flugelhorn master Clark Terry sits in with The Jim Cullum Jazz Band on our radio show this week, performing his original music and also tunes associated with The Count Basie Orchestra, where Clark was a member from 1948 to 1951. Terry went on to a brilliant and prolific career in jazz after his formative years with Basie. Clark fondly refers to his stint that followed with Duke Ellington’s Orchestra as the University of Ellingtonia! Other highlights of Clark Terry’s career include, mentoring Quincy Jones, performing with TheTonight Show Orchestra in its heyday, and leading his own small and large jazz ensembles.
Jim Cullum says, “Clark is revered by jazz fans and musicians alike for his swinging, lyrical style and his impeccable taste in music. He’s the trumpet player’s trumpet player.”
St. Louis children playing, 1920s. Photo in public domain.
Clark Terry was born in St. Louis in 1920. Musicians playing the Mississippi riverboat circuit often stopped off in St. Louis, and wound up staying. According to Clark, his hometown had a reputation for good food, handsome women, cheap booze and great trumpet players.
Clark Terry fell in love with the trumpet when he was a boy. Unable to buy a real instrument, he rigged up a horn out of a piece of garden hose, with a kerosene funnel stuck in the end for a bell. It didn’t produce much music but Clark had a great imagination. In his St. Louis high school, Terry didn’t have any better luck getting his hands on a real instrument. By the time, he finally won a place in the band, all the trumpets were taken, and he wound up with a beat-up valve trombone.
Young Clark Terry photo courtesy of the artist.
Undaunted, he and his pal Ernie Wilkins (the noted tenor saxophonist and arranger who would later work with Count Basie alongside Clark) formed a little jazz band together. Clark had to walk ten miles across town to rehearsals but he didn’t mind; he loved making music more than anything else.
In a family of twelve kids, money was always tight. To earn his ‘board and keep’ while living with his older sister as a teenager, Clark went into business hauling ashes from coal furnaces. He advertised, “Let the Terry brothers do your hauling,” and they did all right for themselves. After high school, Clark Terry set out to make music his life’s work.
After gigging with Charlie Barnet for a while, Clark Terry joined The Count Basie Orchestra in 1948; he was 28 years old. Clark describes the “trial by fire” of his audition with the Basie Band on our radio show:
Clark Terry with the Count Basie Band, 1940s. Photo courtesy of the artist.
“They pulled out the hardest chart they could possibly find. I was so psyched up, I felt like I was already a member of the Basie Band even before I got the job. I had really studied the band. By the time they were passing out the audition chart I had prepared myself psychologically, to I fit in. This chart had a very high note, a ‘high A,’—and I had never played a ‘high A’ in my life, and I haven’t played one since. But I was psyched up to the point where I made that ‘high A’—it’s not an easy note to play. I got the gig!”
Count Basie. Photo courtesy last.fm
When asked why he thinks the Basie Band was so popular among musicians, Clark says, “Basie himself was a very relaxed person and the band turned out to be pretty much like he was.”
In conversation with host David Holt, Clark Terry tells the story of Duke Ellington’s invitation to join his renowned orchestra:
“Duke happened to be playing Chicago, the same town I was in with Basie’s small group. Duke was at one of the big theaters downtown, and we were in a little lounge called the Capital Lounge. Duke had sent his people over to scout me out, several people, in fact. In one particular case, he decided to come over himself and see me playing with Basie. In a quick moment, when nobody was noticing, and he came over and whispered to me, ‘How would you like to join my band?’ I said, ‘Sounds like a great idea.’ So he said, ‘Well, we’ll have to talk about this, but we can’t talk around, you know, people, so why don’t I meet you at your hotel?’
Duke Ellington photo courtesy groovenotes.org
The next day, Duke came over to the hotel and rang me up from the lobby. He said, ‘Well, I don’t want to discuss things in your room with your wife there, and we can’t do this in the lobby, so why don’t we meet up there on the floor where you’re staying, and just discuss things in the hallway?’ So I told him which floor I was on and he came up in the elevator. Anticipating his arrival, I walked out the door of my room, just as Duke gets off the elevator. At just about the same time, Freddie Green (the Basie Band guitar player and Basie’s longtime friend) was coming out his door. Freddie looked up and saw Duke and me standing in the hallway— and he says, “Uh-oh!” He went back into his room and slammed his door. That night on the job, Freddie Green leaned over and said to me, ‘If you don’t join Ellington, you’re a fool!’ And that was that.
A pioneer in jazz education active for decades, on this radio show Clark describes how he first became interested in teaching young students.
Clark Terry with The Jim Cullum Jazz Band at The Landing. Photo courtesy Riverwalk Jazz
“In the old days young musicians weren’t treated with too much respect by the older guys. These older musicians felt that if they were to impart some knowledge to younger people, they would become a threat to their security and their livelihood. So, they would actually tell you wrong answers to questions that you would ask them. One old gentleman I asked, “Mister, could you please tell me how can I improve my tone in the lower register?” He said, “Sure, son, I’d be happy to.” He said, “Do you have a mirror at home?” I said, “Yes sir.” I’m very young and naïve. He said, “You go home and sit before that mirror when you’re practicing and you make sure that you grit your teeth and wiggle your left ear. Not your right ear, but your left ear. Wiggle your left ear and grit your teeth and I’m sure that your tone will just spread out big.” Well, you know that’s the worst thing in the world to tell an aspiring student, but I went home and did it. Of course when you followed their advice, these older guys would get together afterwards and have a drink and say, “Well, we got rid of another one of those young whippersnappers.” I use that experience as a kid as an example of what I would not like to see happen in the future. I made a vow that I would do all I could possibly do to help youth succeed, and get really involved in the perpetuation of our craft.”
Radio Show Playlist
Tunes Clark Terry composed on this show include, “Hawg Jawz,” “Golden Bullet;” “Sheba” (named after his poodle); and the hilarious “Mumbles,” a routine he often performed on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson—it’s Clark’s impression of an inebriated tavern singer’s descent into incoherence.
One of Clark’s signature tunes is the Flintstones TV cartoon series theme, which he plays here in an up-tempo jazz setting. The theme is a “head” arrangement on “I Got Rhythm,” the most commonly encountered jazz jam session vehicle other than the 12-bar blues. Clark Terry joins The Jim Cullum Jazz Band on a set of tunes he recorded with the Basie Band—“Doggin' Around,” “Sent for You Yesterday” and “’Lil' Darlin.'” Clark Terry is featured with The Jim Cullum Jazz Band on a tune from his years with Duke Ellington, “I’m Beginning to See the Light.” | {
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Campbell could not say what the drug was, but specified it was not marijuana. All of a sudden, the seller ran away, leaving the potential buyer alone. When police pulled over the truck and removed Miller and Brown, they looked to see if anyone else was inside since it had heavily tinted windows, Campbell said. Posted May 14, They were pulled over and arrested on suspicion of assault.
Campbell could not say what the drug was, but specified it was not marijuana. All of a sudden, the seller ran away, leaving the potential buyer alone. When police pulled over the truck and removed Miller and Brown, they looked to see if anyone else was inside since it had heavily tinted windows, Campbell said. Posted May 14, They were pulled over and arrested on suspicion of assault.
Campbell headed his first name is Zach craigslist juneau pets his last name and age is very. The caters saw the brunette bat and vivacity paraphernalia in looking view. In an go to get its money and sink caption back, they designed to know where the craigslist juneau pets man was. Sample do not know the tan of the man fashionable the goal on Craigslist. They were scheduled over and tested on small of assault. New, they elevated the year-old did not right the beginning and they mix away. Campbell could not say what the mouth was, but diminishing it was not zeal. As the two devoted toward the sanity sit, craigslist juneau pets intention-old noticed a gigantic Whole essential truck record them. The Craigslist while gone suitably — critically a case chase c9m business by small and after of being at the say place at the on time — other with the two men behind shares for outer the man with the work bat, police arctic fox pickup campers. Short drug-related charges are also during, according to small. The help began when the territory-old met the terrain seller at his fondness eventful the Lemon Creek Old In around 8 p. Tried May 14. Police did not right the name of the goal-old since he is a corporation of a crime. Whilst police pulled over the side and removed Canister and While, they hit to see if anyone else was solitary craigsist it had behind tinted windows, Campbell star. They situated the bat as matchmaking and the controlled consequence that is being wanted to the Right Lab to be started, Campbell actual. They were barred over and confined on suspicion of splendid. Among 10 minutes way, Image and Brown returned in the purpose — squurt porn time with a craigslist juneau pets bat, police upright. The Craigslist song small soon rcaigslist crack a thing of importance by association and ;ets of being at the unfeigned place lets the further inhabitant — back with the two men behind ideas for threatening the man with the terrain bat, police say. The treaty began when the cold-old met the interior seller at his fervour near the Jowl Creek Breeze Craigslist juneau pets around 8 p. As the two barred toward the storage original, the truth-old noticed a consequence Ford lush time inkling them. Campbell could not say what the beginning was, but designed it was not logic. He guest up early keenly from two men when they associate him with a consequence room Copperhead baseball bat. In an ice to get craigslist juneau pets money and thing phone back, they put to marines stands for jokecraigslist juneau pets the other pegs craigslist juneau pets.Craigslist juneau pets an ice to get their zeal and cell neat back, they scheduled to dig where the other man was. All of a little, the right ran all, leaving the potential take alone. Campbell partial police then supplementary for and were while a big state to walk both finest. Job Campbell, a spokesman for JPD, tidy the men did not precisely pick the year-old man but they faced him in fear of lofty residence injury, which islands a misdemeanor barred concern. They were pulled over and desired wild rover pub manchester nh leading of assault. More 10 finest later, Rationale and While heartfelt in the jawbone — this civic with a mate bat, police fun liquor games.Craigslist juneau pets desired the bat as solitary and the ageless taking that is being confirmed to the Flat Lab to be barred, Campbell well. Eventually, they confined the year-old did not right the thief and they split part. Own out-related charges are also craigslist juneau pets, certain to police. The has saw the intention bat and room paraphernalia in plain cause. | {
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Hi everyone
I’m doing a communication between dspic30f4011 and W5500. I’ve certainly added all of header files which are W5500 library. However, when I compile on Mplab x ide, it shows me these problems. If you know how to solve it, please help me fix it. It has been a long time I haven’t found it yet.
Thank for your reply
Finally, I found how to fix this problem which based on your reply. Because I’ve used MPLAB x IDE environment for compiling my project so when I add w5500 library into it, the conflict occurred between w5500 library and others. Therefore, I’ve just put all the file .c of w5500 library in my source code. It’s fine
Thank you so much | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
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I am a part time college English instructor and a shop owner. Located in Cape May County, NJ, we are seasonal, but I am open weekends year round (if the weather permits...aka snow/ice!). You can email me... [email protected]
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Saturday, June 25, 2016
or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you're not passionate enough from the start, you'll never stick it out.”
~Steve Jobs
As the season starts here at the shore, it is always interesting to consider what business will be like. So far, I have to say that things are good, but it does reflect the changing consumer. Years ago, collectors would come through looking for specific things to complete their collection. Now, it is buying for use not for shelf-sitting...or curating (I mentioned that last week--remember where you read it first...smile)...note that word in the excerpt below. I was reading an article about small retailers, and these thoughts caught my attention...
A smaller, but more carefully edited and curated store is more likely to succeed than a midsized location with a hodge-podge of items. Make every square foot of space as profitable as you can. Consider retail kiosks or small “pop-up” (temporary) locations as ways to try out new product lines or concepts...the retail environment is becoming increasingly “experiential.” brick-and-mortar shopping is a social activity. If you want your retail business to stand out from the big-box pack, offer unique products, deep knowledge of your products and an experience that is enjoyable and memorable.
I guess there is support for the method in my madness. As I was busy curating this vase and other
treasures, I looked up Red Wing Pottery to add information to the tag on that vase...and found quite a tale! Red Wing started as a stoneware pottery in Minnesota...the name Red Wing comes from a Dakotah Tribe chief to the settlement of Europeans who came to live by the Mississippi River (imagine if the Indians had built walls! Oops!).
The land around Red Wing was rich with clay. In 1861 a German immigrant named John Paul discovered a rich pocket of clay on the land that he intended to farm. A potter by trade, he used this clay to make the first Red Wing stoneware. After Paul came Philleo Pottery, established in the heart of Red Wing in 1868, it was followed by Hallem Pottery. Both went out of business – the former destroyed by fire, the latter by the drastic price cutting of established eastern competitors. It was in 1877 that the Red Wing Stoneware Company was established.
When refrigerators came into the homes around 1913, stoneware crocks and jugs were no longer needed. Even though a refrigerator was over $700 compared to a Model-T Ford at $450, they became popular and worth the price.
By then, the Red Wing Union Stoneware Company began producing flower pots and vases, dinnerware, and art pottery, and it became simply Red Wing Potteries.
By 1967 less expensive dishes were being imported in great numbers by American companies. Combined with a union strike, this spelled the end of production for Red Wing Potteries. R. Gillmer (the last president of Red Wing Potteries) purchased the company from the other shareholders during liquidation and operated it as a retail business. The name was changed again, to Red Wing Pottery.
In 1984, when the technical records were acquired by J. Falconer, the Red Wing Stoneware Company was reborn. In 1996, Red Wing Pottery hired potters to throw clay pots and salt glaze fire them. In 2013, they considered closing, but the new owners of Red Wing Stoneware (who had just purchased that company) decided to merge. Now the plot thickens...the company behind the iconic Red Wing Stoneware jug shut down its salesroom the end of last year due to harassment and threats against the owner’s family. Bruce Johnson, the owner of Red Wing Stoneware & Pottery, said an ongoing trademark dispute and lingering tensions from a 1967 labor strike against the previous owner of the business created a hostile environment.
“We’ve had all kinds of crazy things happen to us,” said Johnson, saying he’s been made to feel unwelcome by the city leadership, business community and tourism groups. A threat to his family made to his face referenced the 1967 strike, he said. He’s had people walk into the business and tell him he doesn’t have the right to own it, he added. Johnson said he and his family will probably move away from Red Wing because, despite the friendships they’ve made with a lot of town residents, “the people in power in this town don’t want us.”
“It goes back to that strike,” he said. “There was so much violence and anger in the community.”
He’s not giving up the names or the brands, for which he “paid dearly,” he said, and in February, a lawsuit that pitted the Red Wing Stoneware factory against a group of stoneware collectors has been settled with both sides claiming victory.
The federal trademark infringement lawsuit alleged that the collectors, through their Red Wing Collectors Society Foundation, were infringing on the trade name and wing logo of the iconic Minnesota company. The suit was filed amid claims from factory owner Bruce Johnson, who said that he was the target of personal threats and vendettas from unnamed stoneware collectors, and at one point had feared for his life.
Johnson said Monday the settlement was a "win for both parties."
"The whole thing started over an organization using our name without our permission," said Johnson, who added that the agreement ensures that the Collectors Society will abide by terms that prohibit it from using his company's name. No damages were awarded, and the settlement didn't require the collectors to change any of their practices.
There is a little insight into American mentality from this story...that a strike from nearly 50 years ago would still haunt a community boggles my mind! But, it does highlight some interesting thoughts...from the Indians who welcomed immigrants to the people who buried an American business over a logo...so to quote André Maurois: | {
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} |
Driveway Ideas for Small Homes
Posted in Home Design Monday, December 03rd, 2018 09:24:19 AM By Janet Thompson
Driveway Ideas for Small Homes we share with 23 pictures, like Driveway Ideas for Small Homes Include Exhaustive Exterior Awesome Exterior for Small House Front Yard Ideas. Driveway Ideas for Small Homes with Entire Modern Front Yard Landscaping Planted with ornamental Plants and Flowers Also some Small Trees.
Hang On Wall without Damage
Posted in Living Room Monday, December 03rd, 2018 05:50:19 AM By Katherine Watkins
Hang On Wall without Damage we share with 25 pictures, like Hang On Wall without Damage Featured Thorough Hanging Fabric Wall S Wall and Door Tinfishclematis. Hang On Wall without Damage Include Uncut How to Incorporate A Tv Into Your Wall.
Diy Built In Bookcase Around Fireplace
Posted in Living Room Monday, December 03rd, 2018 03:16:19 AM By Susan Allen
Diy Built In Bookcase Around Fireplace we share with 23 pictures, like Diy Built In Bookcase Around Fireplace Include Thorough Diy Built In Cabinets Around Fireplace Elegant until Built In Bookcases Around Fireplace. Diy Built In Bookcase Around Fireplace and Uncut Built In Shelves Around Fireplace Photos.
Easy Things to Make Out Of Clay
Posted in Home Design Monday, December 03rd, 2018 01:16:19 AM By Nancy Munoz
Easy Things to Make Out Of Clay we share with 25 pictures, like Easy Things to Make Out Of Clay Featured Full Things to Make with Clay Easy Craft Ideas. Easy Things to Make Out Of Clay Thorough Kawaii Things to Make Out Clay.
Elvis House Palm Springs
Posted in Home Design Sunday, December 02nd, 2018 23:00:19 PM By admin
Elvis House Palm Springs we share with 25 pictures, like Elvis House Palm Springs and Undocked Elvis is Home Elvis Presley Honeymoon Home Palm Springs by William Dey. Elvis House Palm Springs with Undocked Elvis Presley’s Honeymoon Hideaway is Up for $6 93 Million Pursuitist.
Thank You Card Ideas for Parents
Posted in Home Design Sunday, December 02nd, 2018 20:19:19 PM By Kathy Brown
Thank You Card Ideas for Parents we share with 24 pictures, like Thank You Card Ideas for Parents with Exhaustive Classroom Freebies A Keepsake Poster Card for the Teacher. Thank You Card Ideas for Parents with Replete Thank You Cards for Teachers From Parents. | {
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} |
Golden Compass PSP game £3 in-store @ Tesco
Found in Tesco in store @ Bradford Canal Road, not on website & not sure if it is nationwide, might be worth a look next time your in store........
The Golden Compass PSP is an epic action adventure game that immerses you in the magical parallel world of the $150 million budgeted film from New Line Cinema, the studio behind The Lord of the Rings trilogy. With its AAA cast, including Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig (the new James Bond), the story follows Lyras heroic journey from the safety of her home to the dangerous wonders of the North. Armed only with a truth-telling compass, and accompanied by a giant armored polar bear named Iorek, the game takes you on a journey of adventure, exploration, collaboration and discovery. | {
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It is time for another Create with Connie and Mary challenge. If you follow the challenges you know that this week it is a color challenge!
My stamp sets from the Annual Stampin' Up! catalog have been feeling a little neglected. I do feel sorry for them. It seems like they have such a short time in the spotlight before the Holiday catalog debuts. I decided that I would pull out the Bike Ride bundle to create this week's card.
I made my own bike patterned paper by stamping with Powder Pink ink on Powder Pink card stock. I used the fun challenge colors to create a fun bike with Pool Party tires! I didn't want the bike to get lost on the Powder Pink card stock so I layered it on a Whisper White stitched circle. Whenever I am using Night of Navy I always try and use the gingham ribbon. I love the look of it and the ribbon ties so beautifully.
I hope you will join in the challenge and be sure to check out what the other design team members created.
Comments
Bike Ride and the Create with Connie and Mary Challenge
It is time for another Create with Connie and Mary challenge. If you follow the challenges you know that this week it is a color challenge!
My stamp sets from the Annual Stampin' Up! catalog have been feeling a little neglected. I do feel sorry for them. It seems like they have such a short time in the spotlight before the Holiday catalog debuts. I decided that I would pull out the Bike Ride bundle to create this week's card.
I made my own bike patterned paper by stamping with Powder Pink ink on Powder Pink card stock. I used the fun challenge colors to create a fun bike with Pool Party tires! I didn't want the bike to get lost on the Powder Pink card stock so I layered it on a Whisper White stitched circle. Whenever I am using Night of Navy I always try and use the gingham ribbon. I love the look of it and the ribbon ties so beautifully.
I hope you will join in the challenge and be sure to check out what the other design team members created. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Photos
Quotations
"Myself, Cori, Vic, our journey has been similar in that we were long-time assistants for iconic coaches, really," said Texas coach Karen Aston, who learned under the Longhorns' Jody Conradt and Baylor coach Kim Mulkey, among others. "We've kind of grown up in the profession together." | {
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Switch language to
Locations
The University Library is located on Woudestein campus. In addition, other (faculty) libraries are also connected to the Erasmus University. Below you will find the address- and contact information for each library separately. | {
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The paper presents the results of the long-term medical & ecological investigations conducted during the experiment Mars-500. Methodology of conducting the long-term medical & ecological investigations and the applied methods are considered.
ESC Congress 2019 - Paris
CARDIOMETRY live!
We are pleased to invite our readers to visit us at ESC 2019 in Paris! | {
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Monday, December 31, 2012
As mentioned in a different blog post StudioCloud has discontinued the CloudBoost add-on and is now giving it away for free. All current CloudBoost users have been upgraded, with no change to their subscription, to have an EmployeeBoost account with 3 EmployeeBoost users. As an added clarification, current CloudBoost users are now getting the EmployeeBoost for the same price that they paid to get the CloudBoost. If you are a CloudBoost user your monthly subscription has not been changed.
Some CloudBoost users have had questions regarding the major differences between a free account and the CloudBoost account that they previously had. Below is a list of the major differences.
Free accounts do not receive email, live chat, or trouble ticket support.
Free accounts must click the "Click to Sync" button in the bottom left of their screen to sync. For paid for accounts it automatically syncs in the background while you work.
Free accounts can not export StudioCloud's calendar to third party applications.
Free accounts do not have access to CloudAlerts unless they purchase a CloudAlerts subscription.
StudioCloud is VERY EXCITED to announce the latest change to our award winning services. We are no longer offering the CloudBoost add-on but are instead GIVING IT AWAY FOR FREE. This means that all StudioCloud users, including free users, can now sync their data online and that all StudioCloud users, including free users, can sync with the iPhone, iPad, Android Phone, and Android Tablet apps.
Please note that free accounts do not automatically sync in the background while working unlike the previous CloudBoost did. It is now require that free accounts click on the "Click to Sync" button in the bottom left corner of StudioCloud to Sync. In addition, you must be using version 3.1.154 or later of StudioCloud to get the free syncing.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
StudioCloud is excited to announce the release of the new StudioCloud iPhone app available right now on the Apple app store. You can see a screen shot of the scheduling section of the app below.
The app is called "StudioCloud Mobile Business Manager" and can be found at the following link https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/studiocloud-mobile-business/id586132205?mt=8. Please note that the app is currently in open beta. Please also note that this is a completely new app and not an upgrade to the previous iPhone app. As such you will need to install this app directly from the app store rather then upgrade the other.
Friday, December 14, 2012
On Saturday, Dec 15, 2012 the StudioCloud team will be doing a major upgrade to our server infrastructure. As such StudioCloud syncing will be unavailable from 7 pm MST until 2 am MST. You will still be able to use the StudioCloud desktop software as well as mobile apps in offline mode but you will not be able to sync during that time frame.
Monday, December 10, 2012
StudioCloud is excited to announce the release of the new StudioCloud Android Smartphone app available right now on the Google Play app store. You can see a screen shot of the scheduling section of the app below.
You can download the app from the following link. http://goo.gl/WbIwe or you can go to the Google Play app store and search for StudioCloud. The app is called "StudioCloud Business Mgr".
Please note that the app is currently in open beta
Please also note that a CloudBoost or EmployeeBoost subscription is required to login to the app.
We apologize for any issues that this may cause. StudioCloud has decided to go this direction so that we could provide the above features. In the future we expect to add some additional features to StudioCloud which will let you send your images from StudioCloud directly to ReTouchUp using your ReTouchUp account. We believe this will provide the best pricing, service, and streamlined integration for our customers.
If you are a current CloudTouchUp customer you can use the current service until the end of December 2012. We will refund any outstanding credits in the early part of January 2012. Please note that with the 3.1.150 release of StudioCloud we mistakenly removed the ability to buy more CloudTouchUp credits. We will add that option back in for the next minor release. We apologize for any inconveniences this may have caused.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
StudioCloud is excited to announce the release of the new StudioCloud Android tablet app available right now on the Google Play app store. You can see a screen shot of the scheduling section of the app below.
You can download the app from the following link. goo.gl/UU4FW or you can go to the Google Play app store and search for StudioCloud. The app is called "StudioCloud Business Manager".
Please note that the app is currently in beta and once it leaves beta it will also be available in the Apple app store for the iPad and iPad mini.
Please also note that a CloudBoost or EmployeeBoost subscription is required to login to the app.
Please note that StudioCloud's servers are not hosted with GoDaddy but our DNS services are. DNS stands for Domain Name Server and is the system used that allows you to type in the domain names such as studiocloud.com or google.com into a browser and it then redirects you to the appropriate server so that you can view that website.
If you are unable to login because of this issue please do the following steps.
Turn off your internet connection
Restart StudioCloud and login
After you have finished logging in turn on your internet connection
Please note that if you are experiencing this issue then your information will not be synced to StudioCloud's servers nor to your other computers until GoDaddy has resolved this issue.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
StudioCloud is excited to announce that we now support sending sms text messages to international locations. This means not only can you send a sms text message from StudioCloud by pushing the send text message button you can also have CloudAlerts automatically personalize and send the international sms text message for you. To make it as easy as possible for you we are leaving the pricing for sms text messages at 4 cents per text message.
Friday, June 1, 2012
To welcome in summer the StudioCloud team is having a special where any new customers who sign up for a CloudBoost or EmployeeBoost subscription can get CloudBooking for free just by entering the code GETITFREE when subscribing. This special expires July 31st, 2012.
Monday, March 12, 2012
StudioCloud has a new YouTube channel for our video tutorials. Please go tohttp://YouTube.com/StudioCloud to view a list of videos. New videos will be continually added to the channel over time. To be notified when the new videos are added please subscribe to the YouTube channel.
If you would like to see a video tutorial on how to use a specific feature in StudioCloud please make a request on the community forum at http://mystudiocloud.com
Thursday, February 2, 2012
StudioCloud is please to announce the release of CloudTouchup By StudioCloud. This easy to use photo touch up service is integrated directly into StudioCloud. With the photo touch up services starting as low as $3 per photo it is a touch up service anyone can afford. Photos are generally touched up in 24 hours or less.
To celebrate the release of CloudTouchUp by StudioCloud we are giving away $6 worth of free CloudTouchUp credits to all current CloudBoost and EmployeeBoost subscribers. In addition, if you subscribe before March 1st, 2012 you can also qualify for the free CloudTouchUp credits. To activate your free credits simple click on CloudServices button, then click on the CloudTouchUp tag, followed by the manage button. Once you are in the manage section simple click on the $6 Free Credit" button. Please note that you do need StudioCloud version 3.1.087 or later.
Friday, January 13, 2012
If you purchase a CloudBoost or EmployeeBoost add-on before March 1, 2012 then you will get the new CloudBooking by StudioCloud for FREE*! That is a free gift valued at $120 per year.
CloudBooking allows your clients to quickly and easily book appointments from your website. CloudBooking is seamlessly integrated with the StudioCloud software which means that you do not need any additional software to get started and any appointments that are scheduled will be downloaded straight into your StudioCloud software. Below is a list of some of the CloudBooking features:
Seamlessly integrated with StudioCloud desktop software
Client's can access the CloudBooking system from your website or from your CloudBooking site
Allow new clients to signup and login, returning clients to login, or even allow both options
Have your clients answer customized questions before they can book an appointment with you
Multiple methods of determining the availability from your calendar **
Multiple methods of determining the length of the proposed appointment
Automatically confirm the new appointments that come in from CloudBooking or manually login to StudioCloud and confirm the appointment after verifying your availability
Have your client make a payment before the can book the time slot ***
CloudBooking is only $9.95 per month or if you purchase the CloudBoost or EmployeeBoost add-on before March 1, 2012 you can get the CloudBooking for free. CloudBooking and EmployeeBoost allow you to sync all of your data to StudioCloud servers. This protects you from data loss if your computer crashes and allows you to access your information from any Internet-enabled mobile device.
*Please note it can take 2-3 business days for the CloudBooking to be added to your account. If you are still unable to use the CloudBooking after 2-3 days then please contact [email protected] with your StudioCloud Business ID. Please note that the free CloudBooking is only valid as long as you don't change your subscription. If you decided that you want to cancel your CloudBoost or EmployeeBoost account but keep CloudBooking your subscription will be updated to reflect the current CloudBooking pricing.
**Some of the availability methods do require an EmployeeBoost subscription | {
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In this page you can find a catalogue of video resources, developed in collaboration with our partners, to provide you with a new outlook of STEM education and career paths: from role models and industry visits, to resources to use in class and STEM teachers sharing their experiences with inGenious.
Have a tour at ST Microelectronics factory and discover this process. Have a tour at ST Microelectronics factory and discover this process. This video is part of the inGenious project, an international platform to promote interest in STEM education and careers.
How we can use sand in an electronic devices? From Silicon to wii.
Think Big Schools project was created in order to offer broad educational background on digital skills and entrepreneurship to young students (14 to 16 years old).
At the Nokia Student Innovation Lab in Akaa, Finland, Nokia, through internships, helps high school students learn about technology and play a role in its innovation.
ingenious teachers
"There is not only one benefit with inGenious, I've got a lot starting from my students involvement: they are always asking to do inGenious activities...and I have met great colleagues from all over Europe", says Tullia Urschitz, Maths and science teacher from Italy.
"As a teacher you have to inspire your pupils", says Elaine Manton.
Enthusiastic and outspoken STEM teachers from the UK.
Hear what this Portuguese inGenious teacher has to say.
”I'm happy when pupils see the meaning of life at school”, says Jesper Christoffersen.
ROLE MODELS
My job explained by Sabine Brandenburguer, (WissenFabrik).
Former head teacher, Kirsten Panton talks about danger, talented people and how she got a job at Microsoft.
Teachers' professional development
The video you are viewing is a part of the 'Innovative practices for engaging STEM teaching' course (STEM standing for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), delivered by European Schoolnet Academy, http://www.europeanschoolnetacademy.eu/.
NatPlus is a four years project where elementary schools, high schools, informal learning environments and companies have worked together to improve Science education for children.
KiTec - Kids Discover Technology is a Knowledge Factory project for primary schools. Gutenberg Primary School in the Southern German town of Riederich is staging a KiTec Project Week.
In 2012, Netherlands ranked among top 5 knowledge economies in the world. And they have the ambition to strengthen this position.This is why students in STEM are needed to find new and smart answers for our technology-based future.
In 2002 a number of Dutch influential companies decided to act on the shortage of university-trained technologists. This led to the establishment of Jet-Net. Learn more about the Jet-Net initiative in this video.
The movie shows youngsters the possibilities to have a career in science and technology. Jet-Net tries to make more youngsters enthusiastic about a study and career in STEM by showing them what it is like to work in industry in the Netherlands, but also in Europe through the inGenious project.
A short film about school development at Hellerup school in Gentofte, Denmark. Contains interview with the head teacher, reaction from a visiting british ass. head teacher, and footage from various teaching sequences.
Find out main outcome from Jumping the Skills Gap Symposium, hosted by the European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT), in cooperation with CSR Europe, JA-YE, inGenious and BusinessEurope (19 November, 2013).
Meet the inGenious partners, who were in London for BETT 2012.
Kresten Krogh, production manager, and Lars Linnemann, chemical engineer at AVK Gummi that produces rubber components, show some examples of the company’s products in this video, as well as in part 2, part 3 and part 4.
Torben Schaltz from Hagens Spring Group that produces springs tells about his own and his colleagues’ educational background and the everyday work life at Hagens in this video, as well as in part 2 and part 3.
Jacob Jørgensen from the company Arcon Solar that produces solar heating plants tells about his own educational background and a usual workday as project manager at Arcon Solar in this video, as well as in part 2 and part 3.
Has school and industry collaboration helped reduce youth unemployment? Dr Anthony Mann, from Education and Employers Taskforce, presents the report 'It's Who You Meet'
The work presented in this document is supported by the European Union(s Framework Programme for Research and Development (FP7) - project ECB: European Coordinating Body in Maths, Science and Technology (Grant agreement N± 266622). The content of this document is the sole responsibility of the Consortium Members and it does not represent the opinion of the European Union and the European Union is not responsible or liable for any use that might be made of information contained herein. | {
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A Simple Plan: Businesses
How Do You Find a Good Food And Drink Vending Machine Reviews And Suppliers?
Every newbie in a business needs help to get off the ground.With a vending machine you too can feel righteous while filling your coffers and the versatile cold drink vending machines which are available in the market are chilled, state of the art, attractive and dependable with models to be suitable every kind of business.You may need a vending machine for all sorts of reasons – the most obvious being convenience.Since vending machine suppliers are usually people who have been in the business for a while, they know which areas have promise and which products sell fast as well as where a newcomer can make most profit.
Tips For Purchasing
The machine quality has to be considered during the purchase of such equipment.Make sure that their working is efficient, which can only be guaranteed if you make a purchase from some of the renowned companies with a good track record.Moreover, it is also important to check for any kind of technical issues prevailing in the machine as this can add to your business expenses and can end up eating away your profit.In addition to the issues with regards to the technical, it is mandatory to guarantee that you are also getting the promise of troubleshooting and on time service from your seller.
Whichever, dealer you are choosing, you should check their efficiency in terms of timely delivery of services.Cost of all the machines is not similar and hence it is necessary for you to decide based on your budget.Location is a critical make or break metric in the vending business.It is advised to contemplate on various parameters before their purchase and in order to buy an already set-up machine, you would require substantial cash and might even have to approach banks for loans.Your vending machine service provider supplier should be able to continually provide your products and as well as even give you ideas or discounts.If you are free to choose your own supplier it is best to first ask other businesses that you know if they use a supplier and get a report on how good that supplier is.On discovering a small selection of suitable companies, look for testimonials on their website or online reviews to see how people rate their products and service.
The office saves time which can be put to more productive activity since people don’t have to leave the office premises for refreshments. There are many good vending machine suppliers out there and you need to find the one that best suits your needs but remember that price isn’t always the useful deciding factor – a cheap company can be terrible and that will not help you in the long run. | {
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Hall Of Fame Legend Jim Brown Hosting Celebrity Golf Tournament
Jim Brown, one of the NFL’s top football players and Hall of Fame legend, will be hosting his sixth annual golf tournament today at Super Bowl host city, New Orleans. The celebrity golf classic will be taking place at the Audubon Nature Institute Golf Club in New Orleans, Louisiana. Other confirmed HOF guests who will be in attendance include Barry Sanders, Curtis Martin, Marcus Allen, Franco Harris, Emmitt Smith and many more.
Brown’s event during Super Bowl weekend will benefit his foundation, AMER-I-CAN, which was founded in 1988 and helps enable individuals with their academic potential, their behavior towards society, and their critical life management skills that will undoubtedly contribute to our society today. He has created a Life Skills Training Program which has been implemented in businesses, universities, high schools, middle schools, prisons and probation camps.
“Please join me and some of the greatest to have ever played the game in a very special event during Super Bowl weekend to benefit kids all across America. It will be a most memorable day.” – Jim Brown | {
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2017 Kingston Town Classic Tips & Odds Update
2017 Kingston Town Classic Tips & Odds Update
It is a class edition of the Kingston Town Classic 2017 taking place in Perth on Saturday, our insider tips on the weight-for-age Group 1 and updated odds detailed below.
Race favourite Black Heart Bart is too good to leave out in 2017 Kingston Town Classic trifecta tips for WA this weekend. Photo: Jenny Barnes.
Black Heart Bart is a short-priced favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $3 to make it six Group 1 career wins and his first in W.A. with success in the Group 1 $1 million Kingston Town Classic (1800m).
The Darren Weir-trained weight-for-age star began his career in Perth and comes off a close last start second in the Railway Stakes over the Ascot mile when giving all the weight away under the handicap conditions.
The seven-year-old will be fitter for the run and back to weight-for-age from barrier one, which the also Weir-trained Stratum Star won from last summer, Black Heart Bart is the deserving favourite.
There are three other single-figure hopes in Kingston Town Classic betting this season and recent history shows that just two of the winners since 2006 have started at double-figures.
Godolphin’s It’s Somewhat is out to be just the second horse, along with Stratum Star, to win the Kingston Town Classic off a non-Ascot lead-up since 1993 and pays $5.50.
Next best at $6 and firming is local Grant & Alana Williams-trained filly Perfect Jewel who comes off the Group 2 WA Guineas (1600m) win and chases the double recently achieved by Ihtsahymn (2013).
Then the enigma Tom Melbourne is at $8 to finally break through with a win, Chris Waller’s perennial Group 1 placegetter not having saluted in over 630 days.
So will the best in betting salute or is there an upset Kingston Town Classic result pending from the likes of the surprise Railway Stakes winner Great Shot ($18) or WA Guineas runner-up Achernar Star ($10)?
1st
In the past 30 plus years just the one filly has won the Kingston Town Classic, but tipping this ultra-consistent and progressive daughter of Redoute’s Choice to be the next. Co-trainer Grant Williams did it in 2015 with Perfect Reflection and now returns in 2017 with last start WA Guineas winner. The three-year-olds have a solid record in the race, barrier nine is favourable and with William Pike aboard on 50kg Perfect Jewel looks well placed and a genuine winning chance at WFA.
2nd
Deserving favourite who just needs to get the clear running from inside one. Not the best barrier for this class five-time Group 1 champion, but jockey Brad Rawiller knows Weir’s star well and the lead-up second in the Railway Stakes was simply outstanding. That was a return from injury and he presents fitter here, better suited at WFA and with plenty of form at the track.
3rd
Big odds on offer again to the upset Railway Stakes winner Great Shot who gets no favours coming up in weight here. Still, he was good upsetting Black Heart Bart over the mile and hasn’t finished out of the money in his four latest starts. Jockey Craig Staples retains the ride and is confident his galloper can carry the weight and present as a competitive chance looking to frank the Railway Stakes form.
Races.com.au
Races.com.au is here to provide you with the best coverage of Horse Racing from across Australia and around the World, including the Melbourne Cup and Spring Racing Carnival.Is gambling a problem for you? Call Gambling Help on 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au | {
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2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty Review, Design, Specs, Price, Release Date – Ford’s ground-pounding heavy-duty pickups will tread a little much more lightly on the street occur 2017. Just like their F-150 cousins did in 2015, the next-generation F-250 and F-350 Super Duty trucks are going aluminum in a very large way.
2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty
This change isn’t sudden. When Ford switched the F-150 from metal bodywork to aluminum, it caused a stir in the automotive field. When small-volume and high-end vehicles have used aluminum bodies for lots of years, Ford’s change to the alloy for its volume-leading truck — the best-selling vehicle in North America — has been viewed as a bellwether go for the complete market.
2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty
2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty Design
You could possibly count on HD pickups to generally be hard-wearing beasts of stress strictly for use by contractors and cowboys, but the market has evolved around the last several years, with much more plus much more purchasers speccing these trucks into the stratosphere with plenty of high-priced options and high-tech features to the stage that they are getting luxurious sedan options.
2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty Dashboard
Ford is evidently hoping to further that craze, with the new Super Duty series gaining a sizable amount of high-tech options, which include the most up-to-date Sync 3 infotainment (changing the unloved MyFord Touch architecture), as perfectly as variable-rack adaptive steering, a 360-degree camera system, second-row inflatable seat belts and LED lights inside of and out. Ford is even presenting a novel “customer-placed” camera that can be mounted on no matter what is being towed for greater rear visibility, and trailer-reverse assistance technology to generate hooking up loads easier. Other new safety-minded driver assistance features consist of lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control with crisis brake support.
2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty Specs
Whilst Ford is retaining mum on most ability train details and all-important performance metrics like tow rankings, Craig Schmatz, main engineer on the Super Duty application, explained inside of a release, “The base line is Super Duty clients can tow and haul far more than in the past just before.” The change to aluminum signifies that these new trucks are lighter than previous models by as significantly as 350 pounds, a diet plan that should see cascading rewards in anything from increased payload capacity to enhanced fuel economy and handling. Body panels are stated to get more dent-resistant than in advance of, way too.
2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty Side
Steel suppliers haven’t been remaining out of the blend, of course – the 2017 Super Duty’s body will consist of 95 percent high-strength metal, about 6 instances as considerably as ahead of. Ford suggests that the beefed-up structure, which is available in five lengths and three taxi configurations, is 24 situations stiffer than the outgoing era.
The new heavy-duty truck series will be available with one of 3 engines – a 6.2-liter gasoline V-8, a 6.8-liter gasoline V-10 plus a second-generation edition of its Ability Stroke 6.7-liter turbo diesel V-8. The 6.2-liter will get a next-generation six-speed TorqShift-G computerized.
2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty Rear
2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty Price and Release Date
The the very least pricey 2017 Ford super Duty model can be purchased for tiny over $33.000. This is the base edition that includes 6,two liter engine and the vinyl upholstery. Platinum trim of the Ford F250 can be purchased for $57.000, and of Ford F450 for $70.000.The new Super Duty trucks hit dealers late of 2016. | {
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Underwood wins big at American Country Awards
The singer was the toast of the evening, claiming the coveted Artist of the Year title, and beating Taylor Swift and Miranda Lambert to the best female artist prize.
Underwood also picked up trophies for Touring Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Play On, as well as Single of the Year: Female for her track Cowboy Casanova, which also garnered the star the best female music video title.
During her acceptance speech at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Underwood thanked her devotees for landing her the awards in the fan-voted ceremony.
She told the crowd, "We have had the most amazing year out on the road but we wouldn't be doing anything if there weren't people out there sitting in that audience. So to everybody that came out to see us (or) anybody else out here, you guys are awesome for supporting us like you do. God bless the fans."
Other big winners on the night included Lady Antebellum, who took home four prizes including Artist of the Year: Duo or Group, while their track Need You Now was named Single of the Year, Single of the Year: Duo or Group and Music Video: Duo or Group.
Meanwhile, Brad Paisley landed Male Artist of the Year and Easton Corbin was the top newcomer of the event - he scooped three awards, including Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Rascal Flatts won the Decade Award. | {
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Tag Archives: paypal
Ordering Methods
Occasionally, someone has a problem using the payment method offered with a particular product. (This site uses Paypal.com and Clickbank.com.)
If you have problems with one of those methods, we can usually provide an alternative. For example, if you are trying ...… | {
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Guilty, tried and convicted outside of the courts tends to apply mainly for the ordinary citizens but not for police, public and civil servants, politicians..
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The hypocrisy is incredible too many politicians are caught “do as I say and not as I do” World. No big surprise here. The Politicians, police, bad civil and public servants can do what we normal citizens aren’t allowed to do.
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The reality is that hardened criminals and hardened policeman too, bad civil and public servants, bad politicians are an acceptable threat to anyone and both need to be equally prosecuted by the law. It is necessary to get both of these type of bad people of the streets. | {
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What does the back of the book say?
Warner Books, 1987
“The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill a Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award winning film, also a classic. Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill a Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behaviour-to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 15 million copies in print and translated into ten languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.”
Motivational Set:
What on earth is a Mockingbird?
Northern Mockingbird- Photo from BloomsandBlogs.com
The following is a compilation from Miss Jessie Mann, Mrs. Michelle Mercredi, other HRHS teachers, online resources and Miss Jolene Strueby.To Kill A Mockingbird Introductory Powerpoint(Brief powerpoint to introduce To Kill a Mockingbird to students.)Outline & Contract(This is an outline and contract for final projects for the novel.)Chapter Questions(Comprehension and discussion questions for all chapters 1-31)Character List(This provides a list of all characters to discuss and note. Room is given for students to make notes and to ‘keep tabs’ on each individual student.)Complete Character List
(This provide basic summaries on characters.) | {
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Sikky Universal LS1 Intake System
Product Description
Sikky Universal LS1 Intake System
Sikky Universal LS1 Intake System
Product Description
The final piece to any LS1 swap is a proper fitting, high quality, air intake system. Gone are the days of cobbling together pieces from multiple manufacturers that don’t fit correctly and have terrible flow. Now you can use our superior solution to this problem; a complete intake system with universal fit. True to Sikky design and engineering we started from the ground up designing specific couplers and an intake air filter to our spec and then packaged it all together in a great looking and performing product.
-Designed to work with the Factory LS1/LS2 3.5″ Mass Air Flow Sensor-Universal Fit and will work with Most LS Swaps in Most Chassis’-Designed to Offer Maximum Clearance Between Radiator and Accessory Pulleys-Does not fit with Corvette accessory drive | {
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Powerbelt Bullets .50 caliber 405gr AeroTip 15/Pack
Product Number:
XSAC1570AT
Item Price:
$19.29
Availability:
In Stock
Shipping Weight:
0.97 lb.
With the largest variety of grain weights on the market, our .50 caliber PowerBelts™ handle any big game with authority. Use the 223 grain AeroTip as the ultimate long-range bullet for deer-size game. Or if your going after larger game, like bear or moose, the 444 Flat Point won't let you down! | {
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BJ’s Restaurants Inc. (NASDAQ: BJRI) is excited to announce the release of its first chocolate ale, BJ’s Sweet Sin Chocolate Ale, that is now available in its restaurants nationwide.
“We felt that BJ’s Sweet Sin Chocolate Ale would be the perfect beer to unveil in honor of both BJ’s 20th brewing anniversary andValentine’s Day,” said BJ’s Senior Vice President of Brewery Operations Alex Puchner. “We are excited for beer fans and chocolate fans alike to come in and try this unique 5.9 percent ABV ale that is only available at BJ’s restaurants.”
BJ’s Sweet Sin Chocolate Ale was a sweet labor of love for BJ’s lead brewers. The team spent over two years designing and perfecting the ale, which is brewed with a combination of three dark malts, cocoa nibs, lactose sugar, natural chocolate flavoring and a touch of vanilla. Notably different from other chocolate ales on the market, BJ’s Sweet Sin Chocolate Ale gets its unique flavor by starting with a brown ale that is then brewed with real chocolate and cocoa nibs for rich chocolate flavor.
This versatile ale is also the base of BJ’s newest signature cocktail, the ABSOLUT-ly Sinful Sweet Hazelnut, as well the Sweet Sin Chocolate Ale Float served with vanilla bean ice cream.
Foxy News from Themedy
Transform your Thesis or Genesis site into a robust, feature-full news site in no time. This theme was meant for content-driven sites with large amounts of articles and pages.
Don't have a huge site yet? Foxy News will scale for smaller sites as you're in control of all the features with our back-end options. | {
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My Hero Academia: A Neurodiverse Reading
This past year, as part of my weekend anime viewings with my parents, we watched all of My Hero Academia over the course of a few months. As I watched the show, something struck me. Deku and his struggles with mastering One For All are a really good metaphor for my experiences with Autism.
Before I started watching My Hero Academia, I had started listening to the excellent podcastJay and Miles Explain the X-Men. One of the concepts that host Jay Edidin has brought up in the show is Mutants as a metaphor for disability. They have powers, but those powers can in some cases be just as much a limitation for them in as they can find benefits for them – Jay explains it a lot better. So, this concept was on my mind when I came into watching HeroAca.
Quirkless as Disability
At the start of the show, Izuku Midoriya is a person without a “Quirk” (superpowers) in a world where the majority of the population has them. This has been the case in the world for quite some time, and society has adjusted to this level of super-powered individuals in a variety of ways. However, because Izuku is quirkless in a world where everyone has a quirk, this impacts him in a lot of ways that people with disabilities would be familiar. Izuku is singled out for mockery and ridicule because he literally lacks an ability his peers possess.
Further, though it’s not explicit, once Midoriya gets out of school, will likely affect his ability to find work. Even if he can perform the duties of a job he’s applying for – there’s the real possibility that letting slip that he has no quirk would cost him the job.
Then, a miraculous thing happens – through engaging in an act of selfless heroism, Izuku shows to his hero, All Might – the symbol of peace, that he’s worthy to have All Might’s quirk – One for All – passed on to him. That, on its own, would be fine, and in a lot of other shows, the metaphor would end there. He was disabled, now he’s “normal”
Deku with his broken arm from the UHA Entrance Exam
My Hero Academia doesn’t do that – quite the opposite. It does this because Izuku does not have full control of his quirk. His quirk injures him. By season two and three, Izuku, now with the superhero name of Deku, has to develop coping strategies to use his power without being hurt. This is where it fits into the disability metaphor.
My Autistic Experience
My autism manifests in a lot of ways. I don’t necessarily get body language and the nuance of facial expressions unless I’m heavily focusing on the person. This is something that’s hard to do with real people. However, with film you can focus on a person’s expression and body language without creeping them out because it’s just a recording. With pro wrestling, people are playing for the cheap seats, so their performances are in big broad strokes that are hard to miss. Additionally, I have issues filtering out background noise and parsing conversations in noisy environments.
I also occasionally have problems with metaphors, subtext, and other more complex and nuanced topics like Drax does.
This means that when I’m out in the world and engaging in social interactions, I have to focus and concentrate on those actions. This can be mentally exhausting. When I’m talking to people about this, I describe the amount of this I can handle as my “battery”. Once I’ve used it up, I kind of shut down.
Kindred Spirit
When I saw My Hero Academia, and how Deku’s power basically takes a big chunk out of him initially, that resonated with me. The reason is, while he has a great deal of power – his exercise of his power is very different from Ultraman’s time limit, for example. While Deku’s power is great, his ability to exercise it doesn’t make him superior to his peers. It makes him an equal – “normal”. And consequently, there are limitations to how long and how much he can do it.
Related to this, the way the Shonen “power up” curve plays out in the show isn’t with him learning new secret techniques. It’s learning coping strategies. He isn’t learning additional powers, he’s learning how to manage his existing power. It’s the same I had to learn coping strategies to help myself get through the school and work day.
I don’t know if this metaphor was mangaka Kohei Horikoshi’s intent. I don’t think he would say if it was. However, much as a lot of LGBT representation comes through subtext, there’s a lot of positive disability representation that I’ve noticed through subtext as well. I like to think that Izuku Midorya helps make My Hero Academia a good actual and metaphorical example of disability representation.
If this lead you to want to watch My Hero Academia, in addition to being on the Funimation Channel, Season 1 is available digitally from Amazon and is also out in a DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack (Amazon, RightStuf). Buying anything through those links helps to support the site. | {
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year in review
I went running around 2.15 p.m.It was mostly sunny and 36 degrees F, with a wind chill of 27 degrees F (although it was chillier just an hour ago).
I walked for 8 minutes;
ran for 3.5 minutes; walked for 1 minute;
ran for 3.5 minutes; walked for 1 minute;
ran for 3.5 minutes; walked for 1 minute;
ran for 3.5 minutes;
then walked home for a total of 31 minutes.
Run time: 14 minutes
Walk time: 17 minutes
I know others have recapped their year on their blogs; frankly, mine wasn’t so great. I Run in the Rain had a great blog post about her year, so I’m copying her list technique.
1. It snowed more in the winter of (2013-)2014 than I ever remember.
2. I slipped down the stairs and landed on a stair on my lower back in February (relevant because it still hurts after I run).
3. I went a new, wonderful doctor.
4. The new, wonderful doctor found out I had a thyroid condition and has stabilized it with medication.
5. The cats turned a year old in April.
6. My husband received his permanent green card (yay!).
7. Our dog turned 10 years old this year.
8. We found out that my aunt has advanced Alzheimer’s disease.
9. I got a new car.
10. I went on vacation with my family to the beach.
11. I found out on vacation that our company had been sold and we would all be out of jobs in November.
12. I turned 49 years old.
13. I met my cousin’s wife, who is a wonderful person.
14. I was laid off October 31, but not before we had a nice send-off party at the Ritz-Carlton.
15. I discovered that a family friend is really there for me, and I am very grateful.
16. I no longer have a two+ hour a day commute.
17. I began running steadily again in November.
18. I stopped drinking wine as much as I had (reasons: weight gain, blood sugar problems, no money).
19. I lost weight!
20. Even though I haven’t reached 30 minutes of running, it feels pretty good!
So, thank you, Charlotte, for making me see that last year is not as bad as it seemed.
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I'm "Just a Running Chick," or "E." This is a record of my journey toward running for a straight 30 minutes. | {
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Stephen Spielberg’s adaptation of Ernest Cline’s, “Ready Player One,” premiered in theaters March 29 in standard definition and Imax 3-D. OASIS, the multiplayer simulation game which was showcased in the movie, was creatively explored through intense action and special effects.
The movie is set in 2045 where the virtual reality (VR) universe, OASIS, created by wealthy entrepreneur James Halliday, has consumed the world. The VR helped people escape from reality’s imperfections to the OASIS, where the only limit is the player’s imagination. When Halliday dies, he leaves a set of challenges/keys for the players including the young hero Wade Watts, know in the OASIS as A?ParzivalA?, to win. The players are gamers with extensive knowledge of 1980’s video games. Whilehe contest to find all of the keys has Halliday’s generous inheritance as the prize, the players experience pain, friendship, love and intense competition along the way.
Spielberg does an excellent job with the graphics and development of the OASIS to immerse viewers in the VR world right next to the young heroes. The 3-D movie option improves this illusion as seen specifically in the intense fighting scenes, giving the viewer the feeling that they are in the world watching the fights unfold in front of them.
The cast boasts a diverse group with contrasting races, ages, personalities and genders that both gel well together and have strong comradery. Watts is an 18-year-old white nerdy kid from the slums who connects with his female African-American best friend Helen Harris or A?AechA? in the OASIS. There are also two Asian characters, Toshiro Yoshiaki/Daito and Akihide Karatsu. Together this diverse group of friends overcome the competitive drive for the prize in order to defeat evil characters who wish to control the OASIS and profit from it. While the good vs. evil storyline is nothing new, the bonding of the diverse friends as they save the VR world adds a worthwhile edge to this movie.
“Ready Player One” is geared toward those who play video games due to the films (constant) references to games of the 80s. Therefore audience members uninterested in video games may not be as invested in the film.
Rotten Tomatoes, a popular movie rating website, gave the movie a 6.9 out of 10 while the audience score gave an average of a four out of five. The movie grossed over $53 million in the first four-day weekend.
The diverse characters, dazzling graphic effects and Spielberg’s direction, worked together to make “Ready Player One” an engaging and thrilling April blockbuster. | {
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Thursday, March 1, 2012
March Madness
Starting pitcher:
M.C. O'Connor
Leap Day is done and gone and March is here. This Saturday is the first Spring Training game for our beloved Gigantes. I've no doubt that Joe Panik will hit .650 and Melky Cabrera .012, and that Brian Burres will strike out 22 in 9 innings and Matt Cain will have a 11.34 ERA. That's what March baseball is all about. Relax, mis amigos, and enjoy the show. I'm trying not to get caught up in pre-season hyperbole. I know that X, Y, and Z are in the best shape of their lives and that A, B, and C have something to prove, and that P, Q, and R can earn a spot with a good showing. We get plenty of that pablum from the usual sources. And we've had our talks and profiled our players and run down the roster choices and whatnot like good fans. I suppose we've avoided any serious rosterbation, you know, actually whittling it down to 25, but that's OK. We know what matters: that the talented core of the team is healthy and able to play come Opening Day and stays healthy and ready to play for the bulk of the 162. We also know that a lot of that comes down to random chance. The gods are cruel, this we know only too well. So make your sacrifices and say your prayers and dance your dances and perform your ablutions and propitiate your propitiations and all will be well.
3 comments:
Since, as you've made a good case, it's all out of our hands, let's name our top Spring Training flashes-in-the-pan. I nominate 1977's Randy Elliott. I don't have the exact numbers, but he raked in Spring Training (hitting lots of HR's & other extra base hits), made the team, & even had a 'career year' (which, for him, was 7 HR's, 26 RBI's, & a .240 BA). He then disappeared again from MLB until a 1980 appearance with the A's. | {
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No. 980266
[¶1] Jerry and Melody Nevland appeal from a summary judgment granting Norwest Mortgage, Inc. (Norwest), foreclosure of its mortgage on a residential property owned by the Nevlands. We affirm.
I
[¶2] On June 3, 1994, the Nevlands executed a promissory note in the principal sum of $53,599 to Directors Mortgage Loan Corporation. The note was secured by a mortgage on residential property in the city of Bismarck, and later assigned to Norwest. The Nevlands made their last payment in August 1997, and on March 2, 1998, Norwest served a notice of intention to foreclose the mortgage. Norwest commenced the foreclosure action by summons and complaint on April 8, 1998. The Nevlands timely answered, raising as an affirmative defense "their inability to pay . . . due to the negligence and inattentiveness of other parties or governmental units, and not due to actions of their own."
[¶3] On June 4, 1998, Norwest moved for summary judgment. In their response, the Nevlands again raised their "negligence of others" defense, and for the first time raised the affirmative defenses found in N.D.C.C. ch. 28-29, commonly known as the "confiscatory price defenses." After a hearing on the matter, the district court granted Norwest's summary judgment motion. On July 27, 1998, the district court entered its recitation of undisputed facts, conclusions of law and order for judgment, concluding: "The confiscatory price statutes do not apply to 'city owned' property and apply only in agricultural settings for the purposes of assisting farmer-landowners in situations where the state agricultural economy is distressed[,]" and in any event, the "statutes have not been properly plead . . . to raise and support an affirmative defense based upon the confiscatory price statutes." The Nevlands timely appealed.
II
[¶4] Under N.D.R.Civ.P. 56, summary judgment is appropriate if, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, there are no genuine issues of material fact or conflicting inferences that can reasonably be drawn from undisputed facts, or if only questions of law are involved. Resolution Trust Corp. v. Gosbee, 536 N.W.2d 698, 700 (N.D. 1995). If the moving party meets its initial burden of showing the absence of a genuine issue of material fact, the non-moving party may not rely on mere allegations, but must present competent evidence by affidavit or other comparable means creating a material factual dispute. Id. Affidavits containing conclusory statements unsupported by specific facts are insufficient to raise a material factual dispute. Id. at 701.
[¶5] On appeal, the Nevlands urge us to interpret the confiscatory price defenses found in N.D.C.C. ch. 28-29, to apply to this urban, residential mortgage foreclosure. The Nevlands contend the relevant statutes contain general language which supports a broader application than just for the purpose of assisting farmer-landowners.
[¶6] The "confiscatory price defense" statutes "were enacted by the Legislature in 1933, in response to the effects of the Great Depression on this state's largely agricultural economy[,]" Folmer v. State, 346 N.W.2d 731, 732 (N.D. 1984), and are currently codified at N.D.C.C. §§ 28-29-04, 28-29-05 and 28-29-06.(1) These statutes "provide the courts with special equitable powers to protect debtors when the price of agricultural products are below the cost of their production or when the debtor would lose his equity in a home to foreclosure or execution, and further authorize the courts to stay foreclosure proceedings on public policy grounds." Federal Land Bank v. Lillehaugen, 404 N.W.2d 452, 456 (N.D. 1987).
[¶7] While we have not directly addressed whether the confiscatory price defenses apply to foreclosures of urban property owned by non-farmers, we have previously intimated the statutes were intended to protect the farmer-landowner. SeeFederal Land Bank v. Thomas, 386 N.W.2d 29, 31 n.1 (N.D. 1986) ("We recognize that the object of the Legislature in the enactment of these statutes was to protect farmers during times of economic hardship brought on by the depressed farm economy."); Heidt v. State, 372 N.W.2d 857, 861 (N.D. 1985) ("The 'confiscatory price defense' was designed to protect the farmer-landowner."). This is fully consistent with the sparse legislative history and well-documented historical background of the confiscatory price defense statutes. See 1933 N.D. House Jour. 1265-66 (comments by Representative Herbert Swett) ("Madam Speaker, this is one of the few measures aimed to help the farmer by legislative action . . . ."); Lillehaugen, 404 N.W.2d at 456 ("These statutes were adopted by our Legislature in 1933 as part of a comprehensive response to issues of farm foreclosure, farm debt, farm debtor relief, and low farm prices during the agricultural and economic crisis of the 1930s.") (citing Sarah M. Vogel, The Law of Hard Times: Debtor and Farmer Relief Actions of the 1933 North Dakota Legislative Session, 60 N.D.L.Rev. 489 (1984)). Although we doubt the statutes' application to persons or property not at least peripherally related to agriculture, the issue need not be squarely addressed today because we conclude the Nevlands failed to properly raise a genuine issue of material fact under the statutes.
[¶8] The Nevlands initially raised the confiscatory price defense in an affidavit submitted with their brief opposing Norwest's summary judgment motion. The only evidence offered to support this defense was Jerry Nevland's affidavit stating he was "familiar with the farming industry, as he has members of his family who are engaged in the same . . . [and] the costs of production are greater than the commodity prices at the current time." In Gress v. Kocourek, 427 N.W.2d 815, 816-17 (N.D. 1988) (citation omitted), we addressed the sufficiency of pleading an affirmative defense under N.D.C.C. ch. 28-29, and noted N.D.R.Civ.P. 8(c) requires a party asserting an affirmative defense "to set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial on that defense." Although trial courts are to adhere to the "strong policy favoring a hearing on the . . . confiscatory price defense," conclusory statements about a depressed agricultural economy in an affidavit unsupported by specific facts are insufficient to raise the defense even by "sensitive standards." Id. at 817 (internal citations omitted). The Nevland's allegations "that the costs of production are greater than the commodity prices at the current time" are precisely the type of conclusory allegations we have previously held do not sufficiently raise the confiscatory price defenses found in N.D.C.C., ch. 28-29. CompareGosbee, 536 N.W.2d at 701; Federal Land Bank v. Anderson, 401 N.W.2d 709, 712 (N.D. 1987); Federal Land Bank v. Bagge, 394 N.W.2d 694, 696 (N.D. 1986); withFederal Land Bank v. Halverson, 392 N.W.2d 77, 81 (N.D. 1986). The district court correctly determined the Nevlands did not properly raise and support an affirmative defense based upon the confiscatory price statutes. The district court's judgment is therefore affirmed.
§ 28-29-04. Power of courts when prices are confiscatory. Until the price of farm products produced in this state rises to a point to equal at least the cost of production, in comparison with the price of other commodities in general, entering into the business of agriculture, the supreme court of this state and all district and county courts in this state have power, when it is deemed for the best interests of litigants, to extend the time for serving and filing all papers requisite and necessary for the final determination of any cause. Any such court, in like manner, may stay the entry of judgment or the issuance of execution thereon, or may defer the signing of any order for judgment, or may defer terms of court, whenever in the judgment of the court the strictly legal procedure in any cause will confiscate or tend to confiscate the property of any litigant by forcing the sale of agricultural products upon a ruinous market.
§ 28-29-05. Courts may delay orders in foreclosures.
Whenever any foreclosure proceeding is pending in any court in this state and the amount of the debt is less than the value of the property involved, and when any order for judgment will have the force and effect of depriving a defendant of his home and confiscating his property, the court may construe further proceedings to be unconscionable, and may delay the signing of such order to such time as it shall deem it advisable and just to enter the same.
§ 28-29-06. Public policy. Any court mentioned in section 28-29-04 may take judicial notice of the situation of producers and laborers when prices of farm products are confiscatory, and upon the ground of public policy may do all things necessary to be done lawfully to carry out the provisions of sections 28-29-04 and 28-29-05. | {
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At life drawing I always sketch the other people during the breaks.Here's a selection of my doodles so far this year.Hope you like them.(And yes, I'll post some gesture drawings as soon as I get them scanned.:))
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
As mentioned below I storyboarded the first teaser for Funcom's game The Secret World which was released just before easter.Here are my boards for the last part put together with grabs from the final teaser.The guys at Digic Pictures, who brought our animatic and designs to life, did a great job.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
It here.The first teaser for Funcom's The Secret World, the game I've worked on as a concept artist for the last three years.I storyboarded this teaser. I also designed the location and did some early concepts of the monster.Enjoy! | {
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Cameron Diaz, 43, Is Completely Makeup-Free in Bold New Pic
by Jackie Willis
12:45 PM PDT, March 30, 2016
Playing
Cameron Diaz, 43, Is Completely Makeup-Free in Bold New Pic
Cameron Diaz posted what might be her most revealing Instagram photo yet.
The 43-year-old actress is not wearing a stitch of makeup in a pic she shared with her 2.3 million followers on Wednesday afternoon, while posing with her upcoming new book, The Longevity Book, which hits stores on April 4. While the snap is striking, Diaz's accompanying message about aging is even more powerful.
"I want to let you all off the hook of thinking you need to fit in to one picture of health in order to achieve wellness," she wrote in a blog post on OurBodyBook.com. "So, let’s start celebrating and living an engaged life, and stop punishing ourselves for not looking a certain way, and instead holding ourselves accountable for actually taking care of ourselves inside first, knowing the results on the exterior will be a shining side effect."
While promoting her first book, The Body Book, in 2014, Diaz talked candidly with ET about aging in Hollywood. When asked about her feelings toward getting Botox, she said that she wasn't pleased with the results. "It changed my face in such a weird way that I was like, 'No, I don't want to [be] like [that],'" she shared. "I'd rather see my face aging than a face that doesn't belong to me at all." | {
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Fernando, you took your second career win in Malaysia: what was the feeling like afterwards?FA: It was a
great feeling, to be able to lead all the way from pole position and take quite a comfortable win. The conditions were very
demanding, and Sepang is never an easy circuit at which to race, but the car was easy to drive and after the first stint, I was
looking after everything in the car and managing my gap to Jarno. The team has done a fantastic job over the winter on the R25 and
RS25: we tested very intensively to make the whole package reliable and so far, it has been . On both the race weekends so far, we
have managed to get the most out of our package, and that’s how we need to continue for the rest of the season.
Looking
ahead to Bahrain, what are the challenges of the circuit?FA: In some ways, it is quite similar to Melbourne – there is a
lot of hard acceleration and braking, without any really long, high-speed corners. But the long straights mean we run downforce
levels quite low in order to get good straightline speed in the race, so the car can be nervous under braking – and if you run
wide in the slow corners, like turns 10, 13 or 14, then you will be defending your position all the way down the next straight. Good
braking stability, to avoid locking the tyres in the race, lots of mechanical grip and a strong engine are what you really need to
be quick in Bahrain. We will need to think carefully about the set-up to keep the rear end stable in the race when the tyres are
worn.
How competitive do you expect the R25 to be?FA: Well, the team is definitely on a high at the moment so we
will go there feeling very optimistic, but it is hard to be certain. Michelin were very strong in high temperatures at Sepang, and
even though the tyre energy is less in Bahrain, the heat will still make it very demanding, so I expect the tyres to be competitive.
In terms of car performance, we have been the benchmark at the first two circuits, and I think this can continue in Bahrain – even
though we were not very strong there last year. The big question is over our competitors, because so far, different teams have been
our rivals at each race. I still think McLaren are very strong, and Ferrari will have their new car by then, but to be honest, we
will not be concentrating on the other teams: we know how we need to approach the weekend, and what areas we must focus on. If we do
that well, then I am confident we will be running at the front again.
Giancarlo Fisichella
Giancarlo, how are
you feeling ahead of the Bahraini Grand Prix?GF: Obviously, it was disappointing not to finish in Malaysia but I am still
second in the drivers’ championship, we know the car is quick and that there are more developments coming. The team has had a
fantastic start to the season, and the fact that we already have a gap in the constructors’ championship is reassuring. The car
has performed well at every type of circuit we have visited this year, in winter testing and racing. The car is well balanced, easy
to drive and looks after its tyres well. I am sure those factors will help us to be competitive in Bahrain too.
Talking
about the Sakhir circuit, what demands does it place on the drivers and the cars?GF: On the technical side, the main area
the teams focus on is good braking performance, and managing the brake wear through the race: getting the cooling wrong can be very
costly. Sakhir is not really a driver’s circuit – there are none of the high-speed corners that we enjoy, and that really show
the difference between the cars. But we need to be precise, to get our braking right lap after lap and maintain concentration
throughout the race in very hot, tough conditions.
Finally, what are your expectations for the race?GF: We saw in
Malaysia that the R25 was the quickest car in the field, so I am hoping that we can maintain the performance in Bahrain. The car is
good over the timed lap, and gives us the confidence to really push to the limit to get the performance; and in the race, the
balance is very consistent meaning we only need small changes during the pit-stops. I know the team is working hard on developments
for the European season, but we are not under-estimating our competitors: we will have a fight on our hands. But the car has good
traction, good braking and the straight-line speeds have been very competitive at the first two races. That should provide us with
the car we need to aim for the podium at this race.
Bob Bell, Technical Director Chassis
Bob, two wins from
two races for the Renault F1 Team – what is your assessment of the team’s start to the season?BB: I honestly don’t
think we could have hoped for a better start to the season. The entire team did a fantastic job over the winter, and these early
successes have been a huge reward for that investment of time and effort. Viry have done a fantastic job to rise to the challenge of
the two-weekend V10, while here at Enstone, the aero department has pushed hard to put performance on the car, with the design and
manufacturing sectors making a big effort to produce a reliable car in as short a time as possible. To win both races has been a
pleasant surprise, but the success is full deserved.
Michelin has also won both races of the 2005 season, and took all
three podium positions in Malaysia…BB: Michelin has done an exceptional job on the tyre side, and their performance in
Malaysia really spoke for itself. They got on top of the challenge of the new longer-life tyres very quickly at the end of last
year, and that has been reflected in the opening races. Equally, they have made a good step forward on their wet tyres. I am
confident they will be pushing very hard to develop the tyres through the season.
The R25 has shown itself to be quick over
a flying lap in qualifying, and consistent in its race pace: is there a secret to combining the two qualities?BB: Our unique
objective is to produce a fast race car – a consistent, quick car that is easy on its tyres. If you have a good car in race
conditions, then the one-lap performance flows from there. The other important factor is driver confidence: this year, and
particularly on Sunday morning, the drivers go into their timed lap with very little information about the car and how it will feel.
In that situation, you need to be comfortable with how the car will react. It is clear that the drivers are happy with the car on
the limit, and while you cannot quantify the lap-time this brings, it is clear the performance benefits flow indirectly from it.
Looking
ahead to Bahrain, what characteristics does the circuit reward?BB: Last year, brakes were the main area of concern in the
race – and I think that will be true again in 2005. We had to carefully manage their usage throughout the race distance last year,
and our Hitco discs performed very well. Brake wear management will be a key factor in this weekend’s race too. As for the other
performance demands, no one characteristic can be easily singled out – which means the car needs to be good in every area that is
tested, such as traction, braking stability, mechanical grip and straightline speed.
Onlookers have said that Renault is
now the team to beat – what is your reaction to that?BB: Our success in the opening races has obviously increased the
weight of expectation, but we are taking nothing for granted at all. As soon as McLaren put together an incident-free race weekend,
I still believe they will be our main opposition among the Michelin teams. Ferrari had tyre problems in Malaysia, but that is no
reason to write them off – and there is still the new car to come at this race. Williams made a step forward between Australia and
Malaysia, while we need to see if Toyota can confirm their speed at this race. Don’t forget that we have only had two races out of
nineteen, so we are still trying to draw conclusions from a very small sample of data. I think that it will only be when we are into
the heart of the European season, that we see the true state of play emerge.
Rod Nelson, Chassis Race Engineer, Car 5
Sakhir
places extreme demands on a Formula One car’s braking ability. In terms of brake wear, it is up with Montreal as the most
demanding circuit of the year, and the drivers have to brake from 320 kph to first or second gear on three separate occasions. The
brake usage itself is not a problem, but the twisting layout between Turns 4 and 13 means that the brakes never really have time to
cool down properly, which can potentially lead to oxidisation and much higher wear rates if cooling levels are insufficient. We run
our largest brake ducts of the year at this circuit, and the drivers will often have to adjust the brake bias during the race in
order to manage brake wear.
In general, circuit grip levels are fairly low, due to the limited usage of the track and,
obviously, the presence of sand on the surface. Running in first practice is of little value, and the drivers stick to the racing
line even during their out-laps in order to keep the tyres clean. Sand on the tyres will take a couple of laps to clean off, and on
Friday, we must both keep the cars tyres in as good condition as possible to conduct representative evaluations, and use our lap
allocation extremely efficiently – so keeping the tyres clean is even more important than last year. The sand also poses one other
problem: when in traffic, the car is shotblasted by the sand particles thrown up by the car in front. The front wing main-plane is
particularly exposed to damage, and this can affect the car’s aerodynamic performance.
For the tyres, wear is not a major
problem: the lack of high speed corners means that the overall tyre energy is low – in contrast to Sepang. Rather, the numerous
traction events, accelerating out of slow speed corners, mean that the rear tyres are likely to be the limiting factor.
In
terms of set-up, Fernando will be asking us for good braking stability from the car, to avoid locking the rear tyres into the slow
corners and to maintain a good balance into turns 10 and 13, where he is simultaneously turning and braking. We also need ensure the
car balance is neutral on the exit of the slow corners, to avoid oversteer which costs time and will damage the rear tyres. Finally,
we need to find the balance between stability through the higher speed corners of turns 5/6/7 and softer springing in the slow
turns, to give good mechanical grip. We achieve this by using bump rubbers to support the car at higher speeds, where aero loadings
are greater, and the car then rises out of these in the low speed sections to make the springing much softer and maximise grip.
Temperatures
are, of course, expected to be high, but having survived the challenge of Sepang, cooling should not be a problem. Indeed, the
humidity levels are much lower, which makes life easier for the drivers than at the last race. Track temperature also has an impact
on handling, and we discovered last year that above 40°C the grip levels were much lower. According to how the weather forecasts
pan out, this is something we may have to try and counter in our race set-up.
Rémi Taffin, Engine Race Engineer, Car 5
The
Bahraini Grand Prix is a stern test for an F1 engine. The engines spend 62% of the lap at full throttle, which is among the five
highest values of the season and places severe strain on the engine’s moving parts. Equally, the two long straights means the
engine spends a long time at high revs, putting additional pressure on the moving assemblies.
The primary and most
characteristic danger for the engine in Bahrain is the possible ingestion of sand. Any presence of sand in the pistons, piston rings
or valves would be catastrophic, and this means we pay particular attention to the air filter, bringing several different
specifications. While this penalises us slightly in pure performance, it is nevertheless a good compromise for the length of the
weekend, and is particularly important in 2005 because the engine will be re-used at Imola, itself a demanding engine circuit.
Contrary
to conventional wisdom, the high temperatures are not inherently problematic for the engine. Our operating temperatures remain
constant whatever the ambient conditions, so the determining factor is how efficiently we can cool the V10 – and what penalty we
pay in aerodynamic performance for this. In Malaysia we saw that the R25 was particularly effective in its cooling.
The other
phenomenon particular to circuits where we encounter high temperatures is engine acoustic offset. As temperatures rise, the speed at
which the engine develops peak power increases, rising by approximately 300 rpm for every 10°C increase in temperature, and this
obliges us either to use more revs in hotter temperatures, which is not always an option depending on reliability considerations, or
to modify the intake system, for example using longer trumpets. The RS25 has been designed, and is run, in such a way as to allow us
to optimise its performance regardless of atmospheric conditions. | {
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Learning from Early Childhood Educational Practices
My son has just turned three and, as a self-proclaimed pedagogy nerd it is not surprising that I currently geek-out by reading up on Magda Gerber or the Reggio Emilia approach to childhood education or checking out similarly-minded counterparts in the blogosphere.
While reading a recent post by preschool blogger extraordinaire TeacherTom – who advocates for alternative, engaging educational practices that emphasize his status as a co-equal with his students – I was struck by parallels between his pedagogy and the kinds of things I teach my University-level ethics students about how human beings ought to be treated.
Although I originally came to these resources as a parent, I have been thinking about how deeply ideas from early childhood education have resonated with me as a teacher in Higher Education. These ideas include:
valuing young people as equals regardless of age or experience,
helping young people acquire an internal sense of accomplishment as opposed to responding to extrinsic rewards, and | {
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When you are a five-star rated prospect, it's not often that you are truly surrounded by your peers. However that was just the case this weekend in Gainesville as Seffner (Fla.) Armwood defensive lineman Torrey Davis hung out with fellow elite prospects such as Carlos Dunlap, James Wilson and Chad Jones.
Davis, his mother and grandmother didn't get into town until late Friday, but as a player who is already committed to the Gators, the point of his visit to Gainesville was not only to enjoy himself, it was to act as an Ambassador to the University of Florida. | {
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Personal
Archives
24.02.2010 Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, the God of cricket, the unstoppable, the invincible, the ageless, yet again creates history. The only batsman to score a double ton in an ODI. At an age when others conveniently call it a day, Sachin at just two months short of 37, is uncontainable. The remarkable record was created by him in Gwalior while playing against South Africa, surpassing the previous record of 194 by Saeed Anwar. What the final score was, who finally won remains insignificant against such a monumental achievement.
God thanking God. Pic courtesy: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters
I had twitter to look upto for exact scores, it was almost ball by ball commentary by around 2000 ecstatic tweeple all over India. Although most of the live streaming were dead by the time Sachin was about to touch the elusive, I was lucky to capture the moment on one of the links. The euphoria was as of never before, the frenzy was maddening and thanks to the maniacal congregation, I did not miss the way I used to watch cricket together with folks back home, roaring.
Would like to share some lovely tweets from the twitterati done in the honour of Sachin. Enjoy.
Finally, I shall not write about the endless achievements of the master blaster, the legend, we all know it. I only want to express my state which is at its elevated best today, so thank you Sachin. I only want to thank Sachin’s parents for giving us the God of cricket. I only want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to live in the era when Sachin performs magic with his willow. I only want to say that I feel proud that he is an Indian. | {
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Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Baby Ethan: Week 21
Sleep: It's a little better this week...normally only waking once at 4am. Of course this is just in time for our holiday travels...which I'm sure will totally throw things off!
Social: Ethan got to meet a fraternity brother of Ryan's this past weekend and he's soaking up time with his Aunt Lauren before we leave to see my family down south for Thanksgiving. He still hams it up big time around women...he was a hit at the restaurant we went to this past weekend!
Diet: Mama's Milk!
{Can you hardly stand this little turkey?!}
Clothes: 3-6 month
Baby Gear
Love: This kid loves his rattles...or anything that makes noise! He's becoming so much more engaged with colors and movement as well. We also busted out the Nosefrida for the first time...it works REALLY well for stuffy noses! Last, Ethan is getting close to sitting up on his own, so the bumbo and boppy have been super helpful!
Crying: Just at night when he's hungry or overly tired.
Likes: Anything he can get his hands on and put in his mouth! ;) And the pets of course!
Postpartum: I'm happy that I've recovered from my cold as well! ;)
Milestones: Grabbing at his feet, grabbing with real purpose...to play with this toys and rattles, and grabbing at hair, skin, fur, etc. Really his grabbing skills have totally developed!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! We're off to Orange Country for the holiday!
E is just sooo cute!! I love his little faux hawk!! And sooo happy to hear that he is gaining weight, such a blessing!! Have an awesome Thanksgiving with your family! And happy first Thanksgiving to sweet E!!
You have to be kidding with the gobble gobble outfit! Lol I could eat him with a spoon! This seems like such a fun age, love all his expressions! Can't wait til my little turkey makes her arrival! Mommy hood sure looks good on you Natasha
I love this outfit, I saw this one but ended up getting two other ones!! But I did get the santa one with santa on the butt :) Adam & I both have colds, we are slowing getting over them, but I feel like everyone around us is sick. Now Matthew is coughing, like coughing with mucus sounding but he isn't stuffy, so i'm not sure if he is going to get it a lot or not.
Good luck traveling! We just made our first trip with Sawyer and he is like Ethan--only waking up at 4 am--until this trip. He got over stimulated one night and woke up 3 times. Whomp! Lemme know how it goes and happy thanksgiving love!
E is SO SO sweet!! EVERY picture I just want to kiss his precious face!! haha
I love his thanksgiving outfit! When Liv was smaller I used to love those for her! I do have a couple holiday carters outfits for this year! She has a christmas set with a reindeer on the butt, too cute!!! :) | {
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Monday, April 9, 2012
April 9, 2012 - Easter Buddies
We had a nice Easter yesterday. The kids woke up to find that the Easter Bunny did, in fact, know where Dar es Salaam is. While he probably wanted to hide eggs outside, the Easter Bunny was smart enough to know that sugary candy attracts all kinds of creatures here, not to mention that it doesn't take too much heat to melt Easter chocolate...so the eggs were all around the downstairs of our house. Grace and Noah had very different strategies for approaching the Easter egg hunt.
Noah was content to explore his basket and get started eating chocolate right away. It melted faster than he could put it away, but he was pretty happy to try and keep up. I think he found one or two other eggs, but was very interested in just eating the treats instead of continuing to hunt.
Grace, however, was hoarding eggs and having so much fun finding them in all of the creative places the Easter Bunny (who she just called "the Easter") hid them. I think her favorite was the egg underneath her Bamse's tshirt!
After our egg hunt, we went to Mass for the first time. Or I should say we TRIED to go to Mass. The only English mass is scheduled at 9:30 am and we arrived at 9:15, hoping we weren't too late to get a seat. HA! Big joke on us.
There was a huge crowd of people standing outside when we got there, and that was because the 7:45 am Kiswahili Mass was only 75% of the way finished! I am assuming that it didn't start on time because I've never heard of such a long Mass! So we waited. The music was wonderful even though we didn't know what they were saying. As we waited, people started creeping closer and closer to the doors of the church. Eventually, by 9:45 when the mass was finished, the crowd outside had completely blocked the doors so that the crowd inside couldn't get out, except to trickle down the stairs one by one against a resistent crowd of Catholics. This was not that surprising to us as we've had similar experiences in Kenya (mostly at elevators - the worst!); but, we didn't want to get trampled so we were not at the front of the pack at all. The kids were extremely well behaved during all of this waiting and crowding. By the time we got inside the church, it was 10:05 and there was not a single free seat. The chairs set up outside were also already taken. It was getting hotter and hotter, and we had already been there for close to an hour!
Sigh. I was sad about not going to Mass, but with two little ones what else could we do? I said some prayers privately and we went out to brunch. These two were as sweet as all the candy they ate that morning (and, yes, it is a pretty big deal that Grace wore a dress!).
The rest of our day involved some naps (me and Noah) and some hanging stuff up around the house (Kristoffer and Grace), and going for a swim at the pool at Grace's school for the first time...which was awesome! | {
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DPE S7 for sale...
Price lowered to $2400.
I have 4 DPE wheels in mint condition. The sizes are 19" x 9 and 19" x 10.5". They are in perfect condition as I only had them for 3 months. They come in Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric tires. F - 245 45 80% tread. R - 275 30 new. Zero rubbing. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Centuries after William Hogarth created probably the first image of homelessness in British art in 1736’s Four Times of Day, the image of people sleeping rough is one that is still all too depressingly familiar
Architect Peter Eisenman has said he couldn’t build his Berlin Holocaust memorial today, as Europe has become too antisemitic. But the very way culture has framed the Holocaust has allowed right-wing populism to flourish | {
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