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David Poland explains the mystery of ticket prices
Studios went to a 55% flat rate of ticket share almost 10 years ago. That's one of the reason why films don't play as long. There is no incentive to hold them over. With something like "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," as the film kept running, the theaters got larger and larger percentages,
So if a new movie was looking for a screening at 90/80/70/60 in the first 4 weekends and could draw 4000 people over those 4 weekends, it might generate less than $8250 for the theater, aside from concessions.
"Greek Wedding" may be drawing only 2000 people over those weeks in its third month of playing, but at 50/50, the theater could earn, say, $10,000. Even with concessions, there was motivation to go with the older, less popular movie. There were even cases, it is said, when "Greek Wedding" paid only 40% in rentals to the distributor.
The other consideration is that with multiplexes in the 90s, there would be larger and much smaller houses, so an AMC could accommodate "Greek Wedding" in a 200 seat house and the big new movie in the 450 seat house.
As the studios frontloaded the theatrical, looking for the giant opening weekends instead of long runs, the financial benefit moved so much to the studios, whose films were running for fewer and fewer weeks, that exhibitors rebelled against 90/10 and down. The number for studio movies was averaging about 55/45, so they junked 90/10 and reducing and went to the flat, with a flat rate for house nut.
So now, when a movie is still doing well in week 5, it still loses theaters -- unless it's going VERY well -- because every weekend, new movies will come in with massive ad campaigns behind them and the multis can accordion out for the first weekend, putting films on 2 or 3 screens or as many as 10 or 12... and take advantage of the marketing that first weekend, then cut back to 1 or 2 or 3 screens on the second weekends. But there is still no room for long-legged film, because they don't pay more and they don't draw in those opening weekend pumped up numbers.
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On Tuesday, Jan. 8, the New York Supreme Court convened for a hearing in the case of the People vs. Raphael Golb. The matter? That in July of 2008, Golb, a Harvard doctorate, created an email account in the name of Lawrence Schiffman, formerly professor at New York University and now vice provost for Undergraduate Education at Yeshiva University. From [email protected], Golb sent emails to the dean, the provost, and the faculty of the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at NYU where Schiffman was formerly the chair.
In the emails, the fictional Schiffman admitted to having plagiarized the work of Norman Golb, professor at the University of Chicago’s prestigious Oriental Institute, Dead Sea Scrolls scholar—and also Raphael’s father. “It is true that I should have cited Dr. Golb’s articles when using his arguments,” the email reads, “and it is true that I misrepresented his ideas. But this is simply the politics of Dead Sea Scrolls studies. If I had given credit to this man I would have been banned from conferences around the world.” It was signed—by some accounts, implausibly—“Lawrence Schiffman, professor,” with a lower-case “p.”
Raphael Golb admits to having sent the email, but he maintains that it was an act of parody, rather than criminal impersonation. “I was exercising my right to expose, condemn, and ridicule the misconduct of other people,” he says. “It says more about Schiffman than it does about me, that people might have believed that an informal email from a gmail account admitting to plagiarism, signed with a lower-case ‘p’ in professor, could have come from an NYU department chair.” The defense argued that Golb was well within his First Amendment rights and that the prosecution was trying to make hurting feelings into a criminal act. But the defense argument failed. In September 2010, Golb was convicted before Judge Carol Berkman of 30 counts of identity fraud, harassment, forgery, and criminal impersonation of Lawrence Schiffman.
Yet for impersonation to be criminal, benefit must be shown to the impersonator, or harm to the impersonated. (To see how common this otherwise is, try typing “Britney Spears” into a Twitter account search.) Jordan Kovnot, a privacy researcher at Fordham Law School, told me in an email interview that in “most computer hacking crimes involving unauthorized access, such as creating an email account under false pretenses, the law generally does require some showing of harm, unless the target was the U.S. government. That was not the case here.” In a recent telephone interview, Schiffman himself insisted that he suffered no harm; “the opposite, I got a big raise out of it,” he said—noting his recent move from NYU to YU, where he makes more money than he did at NYU—“though emotionally it was very difficult.” Without harm or benefit, it is difficult to understand how the prosecution managed to make the felonies stick.
Raphael’s father, Norman Golb, the subject of Golb’s email, was also shocked at the verdict. “Since when does a civilized society allow a prosecutor to invade the academic territory of learning and take sides?” he asked incredulously, in a recent interview. “Quarrels among scholars should be settled among scholars, not in court.” His son agrees: “Schiffman should have picked up the phone and called my father, not the FBI,” the younger Golb said in an interview after the hearing.
But Judge Berkman—herself an object of controversy, a judge whose verdicts have been rejected by appellate courts with terms such as “a gross miscarriage of justice”—insisted over and over throughout the trial that “neither good faith nor the truth is a defense” and based her decision, she wrote, on her sense that Golb’s email was “a parody over the line.” Golb argues that “she forbade me from defending the claim made in the email that Schiffman had plagiarized my father, and yet she allowed the prosecution to insist 170 times before the jury that I had made ‘false allegations.’ ”
Schiffman, of all people, corroborates this point. “I plagiarized him?” he asked me incredulously, reenacting the part he played on the stand. “I’ve published hundreds of books and articles, and he’s only published the same article over and over! I wasn’t supposed to talk about it at the trial,” Schiffman admitted. “But I realized no one would stop me, so I just went on and on, and the jury—they were eating it up.” Last Tuesday, Golb’s case was heard by five judges. He is now waiting to hear whether he will go to jail for six months as sentenced—in what might be seen by scholars, humorists, and devotees of the First Amendment alike as a gross miscarriage of justice.
And still, two important questions remain: Did Schiffman plagiarize Norman Golb’s work? And if so, why?
***
The Dead Sea Scrolls have sparked controversies of many kinds over the years since their discovery in Jordan in 1947. The story is now famous: the shepherd throwing a rock into a dark cave after an escaped goat, the sound of shattering, the hope for gold, the discovery of one of the 20th century’s most important archeological finds. There were seven scrolls in the first discovery, three of which were snapped up almost immediately by Prof. E.L. Sukenik of the Hebrew University, probably for a few hundred dollars. The remaining four scrolls eluded Sukenik’s grasp and were instead sold to Khalil Eskander, an antiquities dealer and shoemaker known as “Kando,” who sold them to a Christian clergyman—the Syrian Orthodox Metropolitan Mar Athanasius Samuel. Mar Samuel paid 24 Palestinian pounds for the scrolls, or $97.20, and smuggled them into the United States.
After failing to interest universities including Yale, Samuel placed an ad in the “Miscellaneous for Sale” section of the June 1, 1954, Wall Street Journal: “Biblical manuscripts dating back to at least 200 B.C. are for sale,” the ad read. “This would be an ideal gift to an educational or religious institution by an individual or group.” Lucky for Mar Samuel, Yigal Yadin, son of Prof. Sukenik, was in the market for an ideal gift to an educational or religious institution. Yadin had recently retired as IDF chief of staff and was on tour in the United States promoting his book. Through intermediaries, Yadin managed to purchase the remaining four scrolls for $250,000 and delivered them into the hands of the Israel Antiquities Authority. Mar Samuel ended up paying the lion’s share of the $250,000 to the IRS.
Such is the story of the first seven scrolls. However, since 1947 many more have been discovered in caves in and around Qumran, but also in Masada and near Jericho. The scrolls purchased by Israel represent less than 5 percent of the total scrolls now in the possession of the Israel Antiquities Authority. Until 1967, the other 95 percent were in the Palestine Archeological Museum, nationalized by Jordan. When that museum was captured by Israeli paratroopers and renamed the “Rockefeller Museum,” the scrolls were moved to the Shrine of the Book.
For Norman Golb, the rescue—or seizure—of the scrolls by the State of Israel during the Six Day War was the crucial event of his scholarly life. Until 1967, there was an informal Christian monopoly in place: Father Roland de Vaux, a French Dominican priest in charge of the scrolls, restricted access to only a select few, and not a single Jewish scholar had access to the scrolls. In the interview I held with him in his hotel room in New York City, Golb recalled a trip to Israel in 1957 during which time he wrote a letter to Father de Vaux, asking for permission to visit Jordan to see the scrolls. Father de Vaux refused, saying his team was hard at work and not to be disturbed. With only seven scrolls at the Hebrew University, Golb did not feel that he had enough material to confirm any theory about the scrolls. After 1967, though, Golb and other Jewish scholars could finally read the scrolls for themselves.
Yet while Golb and other Jewish scholars rejoiced, others view the reallocation of the scrolls to Israel as a more complicated phenomenon. According to Weston Fields, executive director of the Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation, “the Dead Sea Scrolls are spoils of war. According to the Geneva Conventions, the scrolls were not allowed to be moved from East Jerusalem,” he elaborates. “Israel is ignoring international law and falsely advertising to museum visitors what they are seeing.” While Jordan continues to ask for the scrolls back—as recently as January 2010, Jordan filed a complaint with UNESCO suing for the scrolls—experts remain unsure whether the scrolls would get the same care from Jordanians that they do in Israel. And though Fields believes that Israel should not be profiting from the scrolls, he admits that “the conservation efforts have been very good, definitely better than the care they would have seen in Amman.”
Yet there are also those who allege that in fact, very little has changed since the monopoly on the scrolls was inherited by the IAA. As recently as 1991, the New York Times and the Washington Post reported on the “scroll cartel”—the fact that many of the scrolls remained unpublished and accessible only to a select few. Though this monopoly was broken later in the 1990s, museum exhibits continue to present a single view—supported by the monopolists and the IAA—regarding the scrolls’ origins. The original scholars who encountered the text assumed that an obscure ascetic first-century sect of 4,000 members known as the Essenes had authored the scrolls in their home in Qumran, and this theory (sometimes with slight variations) still enjoys a monopoly in the presentation of the scrolls on tour in the United States at museums such as the de Young, the Jewish Museum, the San Diego Museum, and the Library of Congress.
But in 1970, soon after the Christian monopoly on the scrolls ended, a different theory emerged. Once he had access to all the scrolls, Norman Golb began to question the Essene theory. For Golb Senior, the evidence for the Essene theory of origins simply didn’t add up. Firstly, there was scant evidence that anyone, including the Essenes, ever lived at Qumran, a site that is shaped more like a fortress than a settlement, as Golb argued in a 1985 article in The Biblical Archeologist titled “Who Hid the Dead Sea Scrolls?” Furthermore, if the scrolls were written in Qumran, why are there no originals with original signatures? Why do so few of the texts—out of over 800—reflect in any shape or form the ascetic principles of the Essenes? And why are there women buried in Qumran if the Essenes were celibate?
Pliny, the source material for what we know about the Essenes, insists that they were averse to weaponry, and yet weapons abound in the fortress in Qumran. Is it reasonable to think that a sect of 4,000 wrote thousands of scrolls? Is it reasonable to believe that a cohesive group was responsible for the variegated viewpoints represented in the texts? These are the sorts of questions that Golb felt could not be answered by the Essene theory, propagated by a band of Christian clerics and field archeologists without the proper scientific and historical training.
“The heart of the scrolls is the struggle of the Jews to survive.”
For Golb, the discovery that helped shape his own sense of the likely origins of the Dead Sea Scrolls were the scrolls found at Masada in 1965. “Josephus tells us that the Jews fled Jerusalem during the Jewish War in two directions, to Masada, and to Machaerus,” Golb said. The Masada scrolls forced Golb to look outside of Qumran for the scribes who penned the scrolls. “I never considered myself a Qumronologist,” he said. “My project has always been the history and culture of the Jews in antiquity and the Middle Ages.” Golb argued in a Jerusalem Post interview in 1970 and in an article in 1980 that the scrolls were copies, relocated from an intellectual hub, on the eve of the Jewish War in 69 AD. The absence of originals provides strong evidence that the texts were not penned in Qumran at all. What the scrolls reveal is a doctrinally divided Jerusalem in spiritual turmoil, a community with a wide variety of practices and beliefs. “The heart of the scrolls is the struggle of the Jews to survive,” Golb told me passionately.
Despite the scientific and logical nature of Golb’s work, it went largely unrecognized for decades and was actively excluded from the public eye. Though hesitant to speak ill of other scholars, Golb attributes the continued insistence on the Essene theory as a result of what he calls “Qumronology,” by which he means a myopic focus on Qumran, “nurturing a theory that is not a bona fide scientific phenomenon.” When asked if he thinks the marginalization of his work is personal, Golb shakes his head. “I don’t care if it’s personal or not personal. I only care about the lack of evidence for the Essenes. I’ve urged the Qumronologists to reconsider, but they refuse.”
***
Some have suggested that there is money involved in sustaining the Essene theory, but apart from large donations, it is difficult to substantiate such claims. Nevertheless, it is curious that Golb’s alternative theory would have been so painstakingly hidden from the public eye while international conferences and museum exhibits portrayed the Essene theory as incontrovertible. However in recent years a subtle shift has occurred: Golb’s theory has begun to approach the status of received wisdom, while Golb himself remains a pariah in the field. Many scholars seem now to be in agreement that some, many, or even most of the scrolls were not of sectarian origin and came from “elsewhere” (code in the field for Jerusalem).
When did this reversal occur? To a large extent, with the publication of Lawrence Schiffman’s 1990 article “The New Halakhic Letter (4QMMT) and the Origins of the Dead Sea Sect” and his bookReclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls (1994)—in which Schiffman misattributes to Golb the implausible theory that the scrolls exclusively represent the remains of the Jerusalem Temple library, while arguing in favor of one of Golb’s key points: that the scrolls reveal the variety to be found in inter-testamental Judaism. Schiffman, an Orthodox Jew who has accused Christians of trying “to Christianize the message of the texts,” performed a close reading of one of the scrolls to conclude that the texts were not the work of the Essenes but rather a breakaway, Sadducean sect who were solidly Jewish, proto-Pharasaic, even halachic in their practice and writing.
In 1993, Avi Katzman, an Israeli journalist, published an interview in Haaretz in which he pushed Schiffman on the similarities between his work and Golb’s previous writings.
“But you also, in different articles that you published, have not hesitated to appropriate portions of Golb’s theory without acknowledging as much, and without giving him appropriate credit,” Katzman asserted.
“This isn’t the issue,” Schiffman responded. “There’s no innovation in Golb’s theory. … Golb can say what he wants. The idea that we’re not dealing with a sect is self-evident. Does he think that he wrote the Bible?”
Golb’s son Raphael is a devoted child with a combination of awe and protectiveness when it comes to his father—but it is important to note that his admiration for his father’s work is not simply an act of filial piety. Schiffman has suggested that Golb was behind the attempt to tarnish his reputation, but to this, Norman Golb only laughs. “Raphael is brilliant. He has a Ph.D. from Harvard, and a law degree, and he’s written his own book. I wanted him to write in his own field, comparative literature, but he was interested in this. He likes the field.”
Golb bemoans the injustice being done to his son, but his work has been brought to wider public notice. He says his son was “rather rash, but brave to do it. And after seeing all that I had gone through, how they had tried to suppress my ideas, he had every right to do it.”
***
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Batya Ungar-Sargon is a freelance writer who lives in New York. Her Twitter feed is @bungarsargon.
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1. The thirty convictions were not all for R. Golb’s actions against L. Schiffman.
2. “Westin Fields” should read Weston.
3. Philo and Josephus wrote that there were *more than* 4000 Essenes–hupertetrakischilioi.
4. Those who, early on, associated Essenes with Qumran included, among many others from diverse backgrounds, Sukenik and Yadin.
5. Some Qumran manuscripts are older than the Second Temple period
settlement there, so it has long been known that some of them had to
come from elsewhere.
6. Some of the Qumran burials may be later Bedouin burials.
7.
Before the Qumran discoveries, several scholars (from diverse
backgrounds) proposed that the name Essenes derived from Hebrew ‘osey
hatorah, observers of Torah, which is now found as a self-designation in
some Qumran scrolls that are considered to be Essene because the
teachings and practices in them match ancient descriptions of Essenes.
It should be clarified that the other convictions mentioned
by Stephen Goranson involve efforts to criminalize anonymous blogs
and e-mails criticizing various academics – blogs and emails that
while not abusive or threatening were experienced as “annoying”.
See the documentation gathered on the Raphael Golb Trial blog: http://raphaelgolbtrial.wordpress.com/
Don’t mean to change course of topic here, but I’d like to add that Gor. was also a victim, and I believe opening a blog in Dr. S’s name (and I never did see in the transcripts whether the email account opened in Gor’s name was also used to create the blog as well as listing it for posting and contact information) and then using the Gor. email account at least for a contact (when you click on the name of the poster his email showed) – in my opinion, that seems to be a form of Identity Theft.
I have read the transcripts with care, and the above is frankly rubbish–as it happens the account was never used for correspondence/contact with the outside world (but who in fact cares?); this little “side conviction” dramatizes the damage a rogue judge – a judge who understands her role as that of prosecutor’s aid – can do. (We need only look at her recent condemnation for “gross miscarriage of justice” by the same appeals court now carefully considering the constitutional and other issues in Raphael Golb’s case.) Otherwise, I believe all but one of the “harassment”/misdemeanor charges were based on sending letters of inquiry about ethical standards in museum exhibits etc. that the recipients found “annoying.” Say what?
Quite frankly, and with due respect, AnnPatricia, your opinion matters little when it comes to issues of law. What might seem like identity theft to you does not translate into what the law requires in order to establish such a charge, which is namely, an attempt or success in obtaining tangible benefit or causing tangible harm in the course of using someone else’s identity. Establishing this in R. Golb’s case requires a pretty extreme stretch of the imagination.
Let one thing be clear: the anonymous Internet campaign of the Dead Sea Scrolls provocateur CLEARLY CROSSED THE LINE into precisely the sort of deviant, and highly subversive, conduct that needs to be countered by the most rigorous action in the New York criminal courts.
Perhaps, but it’s not criminal. Or, at least, it ought not be.
On the other hand, I think the idea was not so much to have the “confession” taken seriously, but rather to encourage officials at NYU to look seriously at the underlying plagiarism allegations in order to settle that issue either way and once and for all — not such a ludicrous aim.
as said above, the key principle here is material gain–if the false/satirical confession is not to make money but is for another purpose such as exposing a misdeed, no crime–at most a libel case, to be decided in a civil court. That’s why the Yes Men have never been arrested on criminal charges for their various impersonations, which have fooled a lot of people and causing a lot of embarrassment and anger, but are fully protected by the First Amendment.
Again, it’s the contents that matter here, not the form: Would it be a “crime” to use a false confession to expose a real murderer? Doing something that seems REALLY MEAN (at least to those who don’t take plagiarism and the damage it does seriously) doesn’t make it a crime. That’s not (hopefully) the way the law works here, as opposed to Russia or China.
Just to clarify, if you created a false confession to expose a murder, the confession itself could not be used in court as evidence against the person. Hence it really has little impact beyond identifying a potential suspect for further investigation. And any evidence that then follows from that false confession (e.g. a subsequent inquiry that elicited a real confession or the location of a body) would still be admissible in criminal court, as long as it wasn’t manufactured by the police/state. In other words, the methodologies used, so long as they weren’t done by the government or someone acting on behalf of the government, are fair game.
So in the case of the plagiarism “confession,” that confession itself shouldn’t be the evidence used to sanction an alleged plagiarist. If that phony evidence (i.e. “confession”) lead NYU officials to do a proper investigation with proper and authentic evidence, it could and should be perfectly usable by an employer, just as any sort of whistleblowing, even if done pseudonymously, that ultimately leads to further investigations by the employer that yield compelling evidence of misconduct could render the investigated employee subject to fair disciplinary action.
Well there wouldn’t be gain there would it. But impersonating someone for gain is a crime. As well it should be. Why on earth would you want to protect the ability of people to impersonate and damage you???
Submitting a false confession via forgery seems a bit more than a prank, but than Biblical scholarship is not a discipline in which I can claim expertise. What is obvious is that Dr. Golb has a truer friend and advocate in yourself than he probably deserves.
If the “forgery,” as you call it were more convincing instead of deliberately transparently phony, you might have a stronger point. You might not like Golb, and that’s fine. But criminalizing his behavior, annoying though it may have been to those on the receiving end, is disproportionate when taken in the context of the really serious crimes for which defendants routinely receive a slap on the wrist.
Might or might not be that, but such “ludicrous thinking” isn’t a crime, if there’s no material gain. That’s the fatal flaw in this railroaded case. In addition, the false confession was to something the guy actually REALLY DID, demonstrably. What if it wasn’t plagiarism involved here, but some far more hideous deed everyone was ignoring? Would it still be ludicrous to expose it this way? Which is worse, the wicked deed or its exposure through a fake g-mail, transparently satirical confession? Ask an ethicist, dude.
Are you some kind of sociopath who can’t have empathy for others? I can see what it would be like in his shoes. I’m a prosecutor. So lets say someone at work doesn’t like me and starts sending emails to my supervisor to get me in trouble. Really really scary. And people need to know there are consequences (if the younger Dr. Golb was a lawyer, he would, of course, be disbarred).
I think it’s a bit more complex than you’ve portrayed it, but sure, of course I would be upset if someone sent a letter to my supervisor to get me in trouble. On the other hand, perhaps Prof. Schiffman deserved to have some “trouble” in the form of a meaningful investigation of the plagiarism allegations. If they turned out to be unfounded, then, the matter would be closed. But if they turned out to have foundation, then he would deserve whatever sanction resulted.
I think there is a difference between merely trying to cause someone trouble on the basis of something that one knows is false and having a genuine belief (even if ultimately mistaken) that wrongdoing has been committed, warranting an investigation and appropriate action.
By the way, the younger Dr. Golb is a lawyer, though following his felony conviction, he has lost his license to practice — a pretty serious consequence in its own right.
The reason I questioned your feeling fearful, by the way, is cause it doesn’t make sense that you would be afraid that this would happen to you (the ostensible basis for fear) unless you were somehow directly involved in the issues at hand.
Visiting Palestine in 1925, during the days of the British Mandate, James Henry Breasted, founder and director of the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute, recognized the need for an archaeological museum in Jerusalem to house important regional finds. Encouraged by Lord Plumer, the British High Commissioner, Breasted approached American philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who agreed to donate two million dollars toward the project….The museum opened to the public on January 13, 1938. Officially, it was called the Palestine Archaeological Museum, but was also known as the Rockefeller Museum.
On second “thought,” I think there is actually nothing wrong with the prose: the Wikipedia article states that “officially,” it was called the Palestine Archaeological Museum. Clearly the point is that it’s official name was changed to “The Rockefeller Museum.”
It appears to be more an act of petulance than parody. While I can’t comment on the legal matters (though Mr. Goranson seems to do an excellent job below), the younger Golb appears to be a spoiled brat who is throwing a fit when he doesn’t get his own way.
One man’s parody is another’s petulance. I’ve read the trial transcripts–the “harrassment” convictions were guided through by that judge on the basis that letters inquiring into balance in museum exhibits etc. sometimes “upset” people–sounds similar to Russian “hooliganism” charges to me.
Precisely. He ought to take his punishment like a man, at least apologize for impersonating a 90 year old legendary Dead Sea Scrolls scholar currently in a nursing home (F.M.C.), that is sending letters signed using his name, speaking in the first person to Cross’s colleagues or recipients whom would recognize his name (even without the middle initial.) Also, the links in those emails sent to Dr. Sch’s colleagues were very serious matter of fact toned blogs, had absolutely no element of parody whatsoever. It may have started out as a parody (using the small letter p) but in the end result that’s not what happened/ evolved. And you cannot hijack someone (what Golb did to Dr. S.) and tell them all they have to do is to admit what I am accusing you have and I’ll stop trying to ruin your life. That’s clearly NOT parody either.
See the DA’s Office appeal response for the complete picture on this matter: http://lawrenceschiffman.com/Raphael_Golb.pdf (or do a google search and the link should come up.)
Also, it has been rumoured that Golb admitted there was never enough plagiarism to take this to civil court to begin with, so how did it end up in the criminal court? Read the trial transcripts carefully (Golb posts them on his blog.) He clearly states in emails that he’s not interested in the plagiarism anyway, and if anything the institutional problem going on.
Here we see a good example of what the Raphael Golb Trial website calls the “myth of reverential satire.” Many parodies are malicious in tone and hard to detect as parodies; readers are often fooled. Contrary to the
suggestion we’ve been hearing that parody is “just for fun,” the deadpan
nature of many an accusatory parody does not mean that it’s not a
parody.
As for F. M. Cross, this man allegedly committed serious research fraud while still an active scholar, falsifying the characters in the transcription of at least one ancient text (a so-called ostracon); if he did indeed do this, he deserved to be mocked. From reading the transcripts, it appears that Schiffman himself didn’t even know that Cross was in a nursing home.
I do recall reading that Golb’s concern was the institutional problem, rather than the plagiarism itself. This makes perfect sense, because what he was obviously concerned with was the fact that the allegations had been suppressed at NYU, the institution in question.
Defenders of the prosecution seem to think that anyone charged with a felony must somehow deserve punishment… but today our criminal laws are so expansive that most people of any vigor and spirit can be found to violate them in some way. Basically, under American law, anyone interesting is a felon… In an age when our frontiers are digital, the criminal system threatens something intangible but incredibly valuable. It threatens youthful vigor, difference in outlook, the freedom to break some rules and not be condemned or ruined for the rest of your life.
Golb was ostracized by the “Qumranologists” precisely because of the central role he played in freeing the scrolls for examination of all scholars, not merely a select few, in the early 1990’s, together with the threat his theory posed.Golb’s role in the matter was amply documented in his 1995 book.
Another point: judging by material on the trial-documentation site linked by Quixote, the Manhattan DA’s position at the trial was largely based on the contents of a letter by Schiffman concerning Norman Golb, which became a public document at the trial. Norman Golb publicly responded to the letter shortly after the trial. Schiffman left NYU around six weeks later. See links to the letters at: http://roshyeshiva.wordpress.com/
Stephen Goranson wrote:”Philo and Josephus wrote that there were more than 4000 Essenes” and that the Scrolls describe them as “observers of Torah.”
Essenes were edited interpolations in Philo and the writings attributed to Josephus. Essenes were the prophets who were deliberately edited out of history by Flavian writers. The prophets were almost annihilated defending the temple when Titus stripped it of all its gold. The rest (800 or so) were transported for Vespasian’s misclaimed triumph. Philo wrote (according to the Christian writer Eusebius) in 11.1 – “But our lawgiver (Moses) trained an innumerable body of his pupils to partake in those things, who are called Essenes, being, as I imagine, honoured with this appellation because of their exceeding holiness.” – not because they kept the law. The Scrolls proclaim the priests as the righteous ones keeping the law. (observers of Torah), but the prophets are unmentionable and seen “as seekers of smooth things” who despise the law.
Because without specific intention of material (monetary) gain, impersonation has in fact never been considered a crime in the American judicial system (as opposed perhaps to the systems of China or Russia). The Yes Men, for instance, are impersonators and embarrass people horribly all the time, but as far as I know they have never been put in jail, I suppose because we have a First Amendment.
His intent was clearly to expose someone as a plagiarist. The remedy to an accusation of plagiarism is a civil not a criminal trial under American law. As the article indicates, someone was already directly charged with having plagiarized Golb a long time ago by Avi Katzmann in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
If Raphael was so outraged by Schiffman’s alleged plagerism of his father’s work, why didn’t he pen the email under HIS OWN NAME instead of pretending to be Schiffman? THAT is what the judge is bringing under judgement, not whether there is some sort of academic disagreement or freedom of speech.
It seems that in America, whenever you want to libel or harass someone, you immediately claim that you are just exercising your freedom of speech. As if that’s supposed to make the wrong you committed any better!
America is a nation under the rule of law (not under the rule, we may hope, of rogue judges). Heavy-duty scholarly plagiarism is clearly a terrible wrong against the scholar plagarized. Impersonation is one longstanding technique for exposing wrongdoing, and is protected by the U.S. Constitution, which, again, is why the Yes Men have never been thrown in jail, despite having infuriated and humiliated a bunch of people.
Libel is a civil not a criminal matter in America. Instead of apparently running to his friends at the police, Schiffman could have sued Raphael for libel if he really felt the plagiarism charge was false–or as the article indicates, he could have phoned Raphael’s dad to settle the matter (maybe with a mild public apology on his part for “unintentionally creating an impression of plagiarism”).
And, let us note further, it’s perfectly obvious that the reason S did not phone G is that he saw this as a perfect opening to “get” – not Raphael but G, the Qumranologists’ main opponent – and to do so, as the trial transcript makes clear, working together closely with another, younger academic whose scholarship had been subject to G’s rigorous critique.
Perhaps more to the point, New York is not on the list. This is what Ronald Kuby argues in his excellent appeal brief: criminal libel was taken off the books in New York following the Ashton decision; it cannot be resuscitated under a contrived, “non-financial-fraud” claim or pretext.
I think you’re misreading the case. It affects the common law conception of criminal libel as breach of the peace and statutes similarly drawn (holding them to be unconstitutional where the prosecution depends upon “breach of the peace” provisions, because of vagueness, over breadth, etc.). So while many of these statutes *may* be unconstitutional (if they are similarly drawn as the Kentucky statute) I don’t think we automatically know that without looking at the wording in each instance. I glanced at the New Mexico one, for example, and it contains no “breach of the peace” language, so I see no reason why it would be invalidated by Ashton.
It’s not plagiarism anyway — it’s using a theory and not living credit to those who thought of it first (even if it is obvious to the open-minded). My dad told me it wasn’t the Essenes when I was growing up, but he never mentioned Golb’s name. He could read the published texts for himself. I don’t understand why Schiffman won’t just be the bigger man and admit that Gold was battling idiots for decades before Schiffman came around, but that’s just a disappointment in Schiffman’s personality, not plagiarism.
No doubt, penning under a deliberately poor execution of an impersonation of Schiffman was designed to serve a dual purpose: 1. to initially draw enough attention to the matter so that NYU officials might initiate an actual investigation to determine once and for all whether or not Schiffman committed plagiarism and 2. to mock Schiffman via the use of subtle but noticeable underminers of the authenticity of the email.
There is no evidence that Golb really intended for anyone to actually believe (for longer than a second, perhaps, as with any good parody) that the email was really from Schiffman.
From what I’ve read of the trial transcripts, there was never a serious belief among NYU officials that Schiffman was, in fact, the author of this email, hence supporting R. Golb’s stated intent.
The reality is that had R. Golb written to NYU to ask them to investigate Schiffman he would have not been taken seriously, and no investigation would have taken place. Apparently, this was an attempt born out of frustration on R. Golb’s part to get NYU to pay enough attention to the matter in order to determine honestly and fairly whether or not Schiffman was guilty of plagiarism.
That’s just naive. If you are in the position of being charged with crimes, pleading guilty is often the best recourse even when you are not. The power of the government and the uncertainty of the jury are frightening things. And I’m a prosecutor.
Ooh, it appears that our esteemed Mr. Sarna is an ex-con, who plead guilty in 2006 to securities fraud, and was sentenced to about a year in the hoosegow. Tsk, tsk…very unfortunate that this man would call a factual disclosure based on court documents of his criminal past “smearing.” I always thought that was a pejorative term applied to false allegations, not to the plain truth.
David, you are perhaps hitting Mr. Sarna under the belt. We’ve all done things in life we may not be so happy about. I’ve heard that Mr. Sarna was Lawrence Schiffman’s roommate in college, and if they have remained close, it’s perfectly understandable he’d do his best to defend the man against the accusations of plagiarism, rank opportunism, and so forth.
I didn’t know this man was Schiffman’s roommate, but I’m not surprised to learn of his association with a former NYU department chairman who “insisted that he suffered no harm; ‘the opposite, I got a big raise out of it.’” I don’t like hypocrisy. The real question here is why prosecutors have spent so many taxpayers’ dollars persecuting Raphael Golb, when the vast majority of the financiers of Wall Street have not even been investigated for their alleged crimes.
I absolutely agree. Prosecutors make decisions ALL THE TIME re: who they should bring charges against. To bring charges in this case, the time, taxpayer dollars, etc., & then this Judge who acts like this is the worst crime she’s ever seen – c’mon. Plus – Schiffman DID have another route – civil court. Its not like he abused masses of children, and the kids wouldn’t even sue him for decades, or something. Enough is enough.
This isn’t a civil case — there’s no financial harm in the end. It’s a criminal case. Just the sentence should be probation, not jail time, but that’s this judge’s fault (and perhaps the prosecutor’s).
As you know, I never met you except when I sat as a spectator at your trial. I am not a scholar and have no dog in the hunt to determine the origins of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a subject on which I have never opined.
Yes, I was Prof. Schifman’s college apartment-mate, and I am proud to number him among my friends since1967.
Yes, you did Google my name and you discovered that in 2005 I sold $25,000 of free-trading securities of a stock I had invested in in a market sale through a well-known broker-dealer.The transaction had been orchestrated by the government. I had paid a facilitation fee to my subtenant (who needed money and whom I carried rent-free for six months). The government admitted in open court that there were “no known victims.” I was arrested and charged with a single count of securities fraud, and promptly pleaded guilty, on the advice of counsel. The SEC issued no fine and also no bars whatsoever, not for trading, or for acting as an officer or director of a public company.
Yeats later, you found it useful (why I don’t know) to publicize this incident in Tablet and in other forums over the past few years, using multiple aliases.
Since my plea, I wrote three books, all published by well-known publishers, numerous articles, including contributions to Tablet, and for the last two years have been trying to build a high-tech company that I co-founded.
Dr. Golb, as an attorney, you undoubtedly know yourself or were advised by counsel, that the vast bulk of criminal convictions are sustained on appeal. I am sure you have considered the possibility that the appellate court may sustain some or all of the 38 charges against you, where you were convicted after a jury trial. You might in the future find that you want to rebuild your own life. Peer seven years into the future and ask yourself if you will then want someone to orchestrate a campaign against you relating to events of 2010.
As Hillel the Elder (c.110 BCE -10 CE) said, “that which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn” (B. Talmud, Shabbat 31a).
Since David Sarna self-avowedly is not a scholar and has “no dog to hunt” when it comes to DSS origins, it would appear he’s not in a position to really judge if the plagiarism accusations leveled at Lawrence Schiffman, and the connected institutional issues informing the Raphael Golb Internet campaign, are justified or not. He may not care. He may believe what he’s told. It seems, then, that his entering the fray in the first place reflects a combination of friendship – in general a noble quality, but it sometimes needs to be combined with a sense of the bigger picture – and indifference or ignorance.
Mr. Siegel, With all due respect, you created out of whole cloth a clay Indian to knock down. I never in my life said one word in respect to allegations related to the scholarly merits of the respective contributions of Prof. Schiffman and Prof. Golb in the DSS controversy. Not who said what. Not who said what first. Not who credited whom. Nada. Nothing. I only provided links to the government’s case which the sock puppets ostensibly providing fair and balanced documentary history failed to do, and I stated that that some of the allegations made on this comments section belie credible testimony at trial. Both true points. As the author of History of Greed, I do know a little about fraud and misrepresentation. The Talmud says, “Kol haposel, bemumo hu posel” He who finds faults in others is influenced by the blemish in himself, (B. Tal. Ḳid. 70b). I think you need to take this advice to heart, look inward, and turn down the invective by at least 90 decibels to below 10 decibels.
It would be necessary to specify WHICH allegations–whether the claim is “true” or not could then be critically examined and fairly discussed with recourse to the trial transcript etc. Otherwise what was “stated” simply amounts to innuendo, and the above comment, particularly in light of its Talmudic conclusion, emerges as falsely ingenuous. Curiously, the double evocation of a vetting of these comments by an “attorney” has been omitted from the list. But the purpose of such an evocation is transparent and does seem to suggest, again, a certain quite non-Talmudic fondness for the police. To repeat, one of the central issues addressed in both the article and comments is public access to information, and efforts to suppress that access.
“The words men fear most are those that uncover them; yet it is not for injustice to complain of indecorum, or malice of indiscretion.”
Let us all seek to be accurate and balanced in our statements concerning this moment of history that we are witnessing. Documentation of the Raphael Golb trial and appeal, including the government’s response brief, trial transcripts, and all of the other material referred to in this debate, is available at:
The documentation appears to be extraordinarily complete, or at least virtually so: I do not see, for example, a transcript of the indictment session at which the government reportedly requested that the case be assigned to Judge Carol Berkman, in violation of the court rules requiring random selection of judges in criminal cases; nor do I see the jury selection proceedings, at which Judge Carol Berkman reportedly began to block any statements of counsel concerning parody. It is to be hoped each and every relevant transcript will ultimately become available for public scrutiny.
From the Prosecution’s brief, pg. 25:
“The deans believed Schiffman, and they found the plagiarism allegation not very “credible.””
Thus, even by the Prosecution’s own admission, the very brief inquiry, which was apparently conducted only as a required formality, was ended right after the first meeting with Prof. Schiffman, simply because there was nothing from Golb’s emails that made them believe they were genuinely from Prof. Schiffman.
Apart and aside from the fake Schiffman plagiarism self-accusation: if we look at what he wrote, Raphael Golb’s internet campaign was focused on letting the general public know about, precisely, the tacit (and grudging) paradigm shift in Dead Sea Scroll studies referred to in this article. The Israel Museum has been trying to cover up the scholarly developments through an aggressively marketed and lucrative series of outsourced museum exhibits, which is why Raphael Golb picked up that money/knowledge-control trail, in the process “annoying” a lot of influential people. (The one major institution that defied the IM and presented an objective Scrolls exhibit was the Jewish Museum New York.)
What led to this grudging paradigm shift? The weight of the evidence Norman Golb laid out in his book and articles, and which was then supported by an official Israel Antiquities Authority archaeological team after ten years’ study of the Qumran site. (Its findings have naturally basically been ignored in most of the exhibits.) Here we need to correct the article a bit: Schiffman’s uncredited appropriation of Golb’s ideas didn’t contribute to the paradigm shift–his arguments were too confusing and self-contradictory. As said, Norman Golb has not been forgiven by the “Qumranologists” for either opening the Scrolls to scholarly access or for showing, rationally and systematically, that “the emperor has no clothes.”
Identity theft, identity theft! let’s get an IP address, have the author of the above fake-defamatory confession arrested, convince a jury of the author’s s nefarious nature (we can even contrive a sequence of possibilities suggesting this was done with the intent of earning a thousand dollars–the minimum needed for felony identity theft charges, just like in the Raphael Golb trial!), and have him/her put in jail!
In Malaysia, that would likely be his fate for exposing a well-connected charlatan to public ridicule. But we live in the land of the free, where rogue judges may be put in their place (at least if their victims can afford it)!
Thanks for this article, I find the Dead Sea scrolls fascinating and would love to hear more. Sending a defamatory e-mail impersonating someone, regardless of cause, seems like something a Harvard graduate should know to avoid.
The e-mail wasn’t defamatory, since the plagiarism charges appear well-grounded (as the article indicates, they were already directly levelled by Avi Katzman in Haaretz a long time ago and have remained unanswered since). The proper response to perceived defamation is a civil lawsuit, not running to the police. Exposing wrongdoing through impersonation and mockery is a longstanding and constitutionally protected activity. What hovers behind the sort of discomfit expressed above is, I think, a feeling that scholarly plagiarism – taking credit for another’s ideas, in this case combined, it seems, with intentionally circulating misleading descriptions of a victim’s pioneering theory, in order to mask the theft – really isn’t all that bad.
Making it appear that someone admits to plagiarism in a fake e-mail is clearly either defamatory or criminal, unless it is very clear that the e-mail is a fake. Even if the accusation has some basis, by making it appear to be a confession it becomes defamatory, because the gentleman involves does not admit to plagiarism.
Calling him a plagiarist may be overstating his offence just as turning to the FBI over a fake e-mail may be over stating the crime involved.
“Very clear”? No, that’s not the law. First, it’s not a crime, because
you would have to show some kind of tangible benefit or harm. Second, it’s probably not even defamation, because what matters is the content of the confession, not the “making it seem” or “pretending to be” package or form which is protected expressive speech. As indicated in another exchange here, many parodies are not clear at all; putting an accusation in the form of a confession is exactly what’s involved in satirical speech. It should also be pointed out that since the recipients of the emails knew the individual in question, they cannot reasonably have been expected to believe he would crudely accuse himself of plagiarism in arrogant “Gmail confessions” sent to them.
Please help. I am the bailbondsman for Tina Fey, currently in a Hollyweird jail in the Sarah Palin impersonation trial. Tina is accused of having materially changed dozens of electoral college votes by voters who sincerely believed that they were hearing the wisdom of Sarah Palin, and changed their vote accordingly.
Ironically, both sides in the election joined together in prosecuting Tina for vote fraud, since many felt she was a double, deliberately sent to be an improvement on Palin, a case of criminal impersonation by the Republicans who were desperate try to win the election.
Would you please materially benefit Tina by sending me your bail contributions ! I’m always looking for the easy way to cash in. My full time employer Lindsay has already contributed $10g from Alcatraz and will send you a flower for each contribution.
Cool. But just to bring the point home, once unmistakable striving for cold cash is a deception’s goal (as opposed to exposing and embarrassing miscreants or, say, feeling happy), we’re indeed in the realm of criminal law, dude.
Yes, I am well aware, if you are like the lower court judge you might consider my post an “unmistakable striving..” blah blah, rather than a limited, but pointed, satire. Eyes of beholders.
And there was nothing of that involved with Raphael. I was just having a little fun in the sun, now I am waiting for the Schiffman-Cargill gendarmes to come knocking.
btw, I was on the forums when Raphael was sock-puppetting ( my email was [email protected] ) and it was curious and a tad annoying, but it is trivial for any forum to handle that by moderating the initial posts of new members.
Similarly if anybody in the world was actually materially concerned that Schiffman may have actually sent out the email, it could have been handled in a fifteen minute blog post, or its equivalent at the time: (“somebody who does not like me sent out an email in my name .. blah blah”). End of story.
And yes, ultimately Raphael and even Norman may have been embarrassed by the episode in some scholarly circles, those would have been the repercussions. And/or some of the issues may have been hashed out more. Both sides could get their basket.
That this case ever was even remotely a felony prosecution is a chilling indictment of Schiffman, Cargill, and others in that clique, and the Morgenthau (at the time) prosecutors office.
One of the judges last week was really kewl in putting the prosecutor on the spot. My sense is that the prosecutor was not dumb, and really did not want to be there, to see his name attached to an infamous case. (Uhh.. judge, we’re here, so I must have a case.) Hopefully, we will see not just a partial change (e.g. dropping the felony conviction) but a ringing reversal by the Appellate.
btw, while I am interested in the DSS issues, I take no sides. If you want my views, ask me about the Received Text versus the Hortian text in the NT, or the Masoretic-LXX issues. As to the plagiarism questions, DSS-Essene, museum representations, scholarship problems…
… those are not the real issues here, imo, it is prosecutorial misconduct, and scholars looking for protectia and maybe a payday. (For those who can read between the lines of my last post.)
Even Ron Kuby gets a shout out on this one, even if it puts him over into the 1%. He actually seems like a good speaker, with a sharp mind. He could go into law when he grows up .
Thanks, Mr. Avery, sharp insight. Of course we can’t know, but it’s hard to see how those absurd, “hooliiganism” type harassment charges can stand if the felony conviction goes. The thing would seem to crumble legally like a house of cards, esp. since the DA insisted on closely linking the two things in their reply brief. We shall see.
In respect to comment of David Sarna below and his earlier contributions to this debate, plus the responses to them: it seems to me that Sarna’s personal biography in the end shouldn’t matter: that we should generally refrain from trying to discredit the arguments unfolding here on personal grounds and simply focus on what is being said. In this case–it shouldn’t matter whether Mr. Sarna is a close friend of Schiffman etc. or the man in the moon, but simply whether or not his comments have substance.
That being said, I have a suggestion, folks: that for this debate not to deteriorate, we do our best not to take swipes at each other and question each other’s integrity, but rather to focus on the salient issues in a positive manner.
For instance, in line with the plagiarism question raised in Batya’s article, we could take a real look, a close one, at the book of Schiffman in question and other relevant texts of his, and at Norman Golb’s pioneering article in the “Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society” (1980) to see whether Avi Katzmann’s charges of major plagiarism, and then Raphael Golb’s, were in fact well-grounded.
Again, having the trial transcript, we could look closely at the nature and quality of the judge’s rulings in the trial and discuss them (for instance, her forbidding the defense to try to demonstrate the truth of the charges, combined with constant claims by the prosecutor that the charges were false, seems, well, kind of problematic). Can words be criminalized in America? Etc. We could also soberly consider the question of how valid Raphael Golb’s perception is that we have an ongoing major scandal of international scholarship and museum policy, a scandal he wished to expose: active collaboration between the Israel Museum, various American evangelical groups, and the “Qumranologist” network to hide from the public, through aggressively marketed and outsourced museum exhibits and by other means, the paradigm shift that has taken place in Dead Sea Scrolls scholarship. If the perception is well grounded, what are the possible complex religious and financial motives behind such an institutional effort? And so forth.
This is a poorly researched article and carries much of the same hateful tones as the impersonator. The Essene theory is presented in museum exhibits, not because of anti-Semitists advancing a view for monetary gain, but because it has been researched by hundreds of scholars in the past 60+ years and is by far the most probable. It is notable that the Essene theory was likely first introduced by Yigael Yadin, who is in fact Jewish, thus there is no Christian suppression of other “more Jewish” views. Schiffman himself is Jewish and, although his Sadducean theory is also not widely supported, is much respected in the scholarly world. It is unfortunate that the Scrolls’ main contribution to public knowledge is such unfortunate events as this.
See my new comments below. Paradigms sometimes collapse after 50 or 60 years, tacitly or otherwise, causing exactly these sorts of sometimes very nasty episodes when institutional networks feel threatened (read Kuhn). The shift in thinking is ongoing, and Golb, like it or not, is behind it–only hacks really try to still claim thousands of Essene monks wrote scrolls in a desert “scriptorium,” and if they didn’t, where did these literary copies logically come from? And what are the real contents of these texts? The driving force behind the “Essene” fantasy was Father Devaux, a Catholic anti-semite and amateur archaeologist who assembled a team of believing gentiles to work on the site his way. So now the real debate begins–as said, let’s keep it civilized, focus on the ideas, and avoid “everyone knows”/”sixty years” arguments–they have no substance.
It is not as if the Essene Hypothesis is some stagnant view held only by outdated hacks. It has been constantly evolving and after 60 years is still the dominant view, though has been much changed. The change in the debate has not been caused by Golb, arguing outlandish and unlikely scenarios, but rather by scholars who have devoted their lives to research on the texts and trying to understand their relation to the caves and the site. Anyone who has visited Qumran would relinquish the idea of the scrolls being entirely unrelated to the community living there. The Essene theory is still admittedly a theory but one that has stood the test of time and substantial scholarly inquiry.
Well, here we are with the “hateful” personal swipes. No serious scholar of ancient history would refer to Golb’s meticulously argued views, as presented in the “Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society,” the Cambridge History of Judaism, Les Annales, and other such publications – and emphaticaly not in journals of “Qumranology” – as “outlandish” and “unlikely”. Which, for instance, is more likely – that the Scrolls were written by thousands of Essene scribes in some desert scriptorium, or that they were precious documents brought from various Jerusalem collections to the desert for safekeeping, along with other precious things, in the period when the Romans were about to sack the city, hence offering us a view of the fractured state of Judaism in the intertestamental period? From a basic, commonsense view, which scenario is more likely? (The latter theory is of course Norman Golb’s.)
I’m reminded of the words of Groucho Marx, “I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members.”
If I were Norman Golb, and given that he has support for his theories from a number of respectable organizations, I wouldn’t even bother trying to become accepted by the Qumranologists or any of the organizations that choose to limit their focus to the work of a single theory. Life is just too short.
Apparently since playing a central role in freeing the Scrolls he has been openly blackballed at international Scrolls conferences (still largely controlled by the “Qumranologists”). And there has to be an expectation of balance in museum exhibits – despite the lucrative exhibit-fees they’re promised by simply towing the “official” Israel Museum line. There are specific, codified standards in that respect, which have been brazenly violated by the (mainy second-tier) museums involved.
You’ve kinda hit on something, Richard, when you suggest that standards have been violated by the “mainly second-tier” museums. My point, exactly. But in any event, my experience has taught me that some people/organizations are just not worth breaking a sweat over, even if the principle bugs ya.
well, yes and no, because it’s a question of the public’s right to information. The Scrolls exhibits at those second-tier museums have drawn millions of visitors. In that sense, the Raphael Golb case is part of a larger ongoing struggle. This chapter of the narrative actually has richly comic aspects, to which those who hate Golb senior and junior are blind. (To again paraphrase Rushdi: beware of humorless thin-skinned rats.) We’ve all been reading about another, truly tragic chapter in that struggle.
I accept that the Scrolls were from Jerusalem. My question is HOW fractured were the views represented by these manuscripts? They were using what was in effect the Septuagint, yet they chose to downgrade or misuse the prophetic parts with their pesher interpretations which were used of the “seekers of smooth things” in a highly malicious manner. We appear to be talking about, not a multifaceted Judaism, but a Judaism divided between two main parties, with the priests being one of them.
The guest author of the “poorly researched” comment inaccurately suggests that the Essene theory was “first introduced by Yigael Yadin.” It was introduced, on the basis of the seven initially discovered scrolls, by Eliezer Sukenik, who was Yadin’s father. Yadin, an Israeli military hero, later defended his father’s view. All of this is documented in detail in Golb’s book, Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scroll, with which the author of the “poorly researched” comment may be unfamiliar.
As for Schiffman’s theory, one noted British scholar has called it “not only difficult to accept, but difficult to understand.” Golb’s book contains a detailed discussion exposing the self-contradictory and fallacious nature of Schiffman’s version of the “sectarian” theory. As such, the theory has been systematically refuted by Golb. Rather than offer a reasoned defense of his claims, Schiffman has simply chosen to ignore Golb’s critique and, apparently, to smear Golb in secret correspondence delivered to colleagues of his at NYU, as discussed in Golb’s article on the topic at: http://oi.uchicago.edu/pdf/schiffman_response_2010nov30.pdf
What I’d like to know is how many of those commenting on this article are Golb family members. Seems like they’re up to their old tricks again.
And this article is fairly disgusting. Ms. Ungar-Sargon’s last foray into public opinion writing was to defend a pedophile in the pages of the Forward; seems like she likes convicted men, the more twisted the better.
Actually I, for one, am neither a Golb or Schiffman-Sarna family member, but what I do and where I work is none of your business, Mr. Sigman (whether or not that’s your real name): there’s a reason anonymity has been singled for protection by the Supreme Court. Focus on the issues being addressed, argue with them if you disagree so readers can judge your ideas and those you disgree with, and not on trying to discredit what is being said through sweeping ad hominems (you really do seem to hate Norman and Raphael Golb – you must be a “Qumranologist”). Your strategy is the resort of the week and angry – the thin-skinned rats.
your response speaks for itself, Mr. or Ms. Schiffman–I really don’t see how contributing many comments to a debate logically makes me thin-skinned; resorting to angry words that don’t address the issues raised is certainly a sign of that.
The fun of anonymity really is that someone who has no connection to this case, besides what he read in the paper, can get one of your obsessive posts by just writing here, Golb. :p
Givya 20 minutes to respond.
Ms. Ungar-Sargon had the courage to present both sides of the story and to cite the allegations of plagiarism brought by the respected Israeli journalist, Avi Katzman, against former NYU Jewish Studies department chairman Lawrence Schiffman, who had the privilege of receiving a “big raise” as a result of the allegations, which were apparently suppressed at NYU and have yet to be examined by an appropriate academic committee.
What an amusing piece of reporting. Raphael Golb is “brilliant!” How does the reporter know? Because Raphael’s own dad said so! Great reporting!! Actually, the entire piece reads as if Raphael wrote it and papa Golb checked it for accuracy.
The morning the police picked up Raphael, they interviewed him and recorded it. It is amazing to watch Raphael lie, prevaricate and then lie some more. It’s obvious the interviewer and the others in the room know something, but Raphael just goes on and on, oblivious and fooling nobody. It’s like watching a sketch on Saturday Night Live.
Brilliance is not indicated when a 50 year old man is interviewed by a detective and thinks he’s smarter than everyone in the room. That’s “brilliance” only a dad could love.
In that video Raphael never mentions parody so I have been wondering if that idea came later amid discussions in the confines of Ron Kuby’s offices? Here’s the scenario as I imagine it…
“What are we going to do, Mr. Kuby? I don’t want to go to prison after years of maliciously harassing people and trying to destroy their lives only because I forgot to capitalize a p when I stole Schiffman’s identity.”
“Don’t worry, Raphy, I’ve defended so-called “terrorists” who are no less brilliant than you and we like to use the old “parody defense” in combination with the “late-riser” adjustment.
“Mr. Kuby…good one! You may actually be half as brilliant as me and a third as brilliant as my dad. What is the parody defense? Though I think I know what you mean by late riser, nudge nudge.”
(weary sigh) “No Raphael, the late riser defense is when we blame your brilliantly stupid lies to the police on being really tired that morning because you were busy writing malicious stuff on the internet until late the night before. I’m positive the simple-minded jurors will buy it, and if they don’t we can always blame the judge on appeal and tell impressionable reporters afterwards that the judge stinks and the jurors were misled.”
“Ooh, you really are too clever by half, Mr. Kuby. So what’s the “parody” defense? Is that when we parody the reactions of my victims by saying they should have written back serious responses under their real names even though I was writing vile, harassing and career-injuring lies anonymously using multiple pseudonyms?”
(patiently, slowly) “No. That’s when we try to cover up your incredibly stupid and ugly crimes, including stealing someone else’s identity and trying to damage their professional standing so as to advance your father’s reputation and prospects, by claiming you were just having nasty fun because you were angry.”
“Holy Frank Moore Cross on a stick, maybe you are…half as smart as my dad!”
“I can only dream, Raphael.”
“Well, my dad is more brilliant and more attractive than Schiffman and he deserves the accolades Schiffman has been getting all these years.”
(rolling his eyes) “Yes, yes, Raphy, we know. But you do understand it’s a little hard to sell your case of trying to protect your father if you keep bragging about your dad’s accomplishments and career achievements. We need to show harm to his career even if he is a senior professor at an amazing university who gives talks all over the world, has received a medal from the people of Rouen and plays impressionable reporters looking for the conspiracy angle like Mick Jagger handles groupies.”
“Mick Jagger wishes he were my dad.”
(Ron puts his face in his hands and rubs his tired eyes. He adjusts his cuckoo and reminds himself this is a shampoo night) “Raphael, this is serious. You could go to jail.”
“I was being serious.”
“Let’s try again, slowly. What were you doing when you sent an email signing his own name from an account bearing his own name to Schiffman’s students, colleagues and superiors claiming admission that he’s a plagiarist, perhaps the worst offense in academia?”
(Raphael’s eyes are a bit murky at first. The gears are churning hard. He recalls his halcyon days at Harvard, even if getting dates was a little tough. Ron waits patiently, fingering his long, shiny hair. The minutes pass. Suddenly, miraculously, Raphy’s eyes light up. Kazaam!)
Dear Ms. Ungar-Sargon, it’s unlikely that even the Golbs, who are virtually the only people who assert that Schiffman plagiarized Golb, truly believe their own claim. The only reason one would “explore” this “plagiarism” is that other than the ridiculous “parody” assertion, this is the only way for Golb to deflect attention away from the crime. This isn’t about first amendment or Schiffman or anything that complicated. Raphael pretended to be Schiffman and used Schiffman’s name to attack him. That’s identity theft.
-Raphael had no reservation contacting people using false identities, in at least one case using a victim’s own identity, strongly proposing ideas that would destroy or harm their careers
You’re a reporter. Do you see a pattern? There is nothing here which suggests he’s a brilliant, charming rogue, much less a nice, naive guy, who was merely trying to do the right thing by his poor, downtrodden father.
The pattern you see is of a man old enough to have kids in college himself, son to a very successful scholar, who plans and executes gross distortions and malicious dishonesty using sophisticated technology and methods so as to undermine other scholars. He would have gotten away with more had he not been caught breaking a law by stealing someone’s identity. He did violate the law, however, and deflecting attention with “plagiarism,” multiple new online identities, blogs and such is not a defense.
As for motive, the facts again shed a bright light. There are two more indisputable facts. One, Norman Golb has had a successful career. Two, there is one area where his recognition has lagged others, his work on Dead Sea Scrolls. He has received some recognition, but others have received more. He has also, according to his book and other articles, apparently antagonized others in the field by attacking other scholars and their theories. Ring a bell?
It appears that at least the three of the four Golb family members who are known to have participated in Raphael’s activities wished to change the reality of Norman Golb’s Dead Sea Scrolls reputation so that he would receive more recognition for that work. One of the trolls in this discussion even mentions the “lucrative” speaking engagements others were unfairly enjoying.
This makes sense, since the Dead Sea Scrolls are much more popular than work on the Jews of Rouen or manuscripts from other sources. You can liken it to being a family member of a gold-winning athlete who is resentful that other gold-winning athletes get to be on the Wheaties box or other sponsorship opportunities because they chose a more popular sport. Raphael has admitted he wanted more positive attention for Norman. The reason appears to be the good things that would follow, like having his work acknowledged by more scholars, museums and a greater number of speaking engagements. It’s hard to argue (though they are trying) that once you undress those goals they reveal anything other than a raw desire for more recognition and greater financial gain driven by a belief that it’s a zero sum game where increased opportunity had to come at the expense of others.
In other words, the identity theft crime was motivated by a plain old desire for gain. Nothing new here, even if the convicted party is “brilliant.”
This diatribe hardly merits a response, apart from noting
the hatred that appears to inform it. Raphael Golb has never admitting
acting out of “malice” — a ludicrous idea presupposing that his complaints
were illegitimate; and the Golbs are hardly the only ones who believe LS
committed plagiarism.
You see, Batya, this is why it’s ridiculous to call Raphael “brilliant.” He gave the game away, as expected, without a whimper.
Both Richard and Duchat’s sole concern with my comment is malice. A Raphael character once wrote that he wasn’t committing libel because Schiffman’s a public figure. Proving libel with “public” people requires proving malice. Guess Raphael’s greatest priority now that he’s no longer anonymous and the criminal trial is behind him? Avoiding a costly libel lawsuit.
Richard, I can’t fully describe the debilitating agony I feel having you attack my little play, especially since you’re both fictional. I’m crushed. As for hatred? You’re projecting. I didn’t waste years writing attack letters, blogs, and comments about scholars with my only achievement being the destruction of my family’s reputation and the possibility of prison.
I will agree that other than the Golbs, many characters all over the internet support the plagiarism accusation against Schiffman, but since they’re Raphael’s fictional creations they don’t count. Besides, they know what will happen if they don’t support Norman: libelous ugly blogs, nasty letters to their faculty or…being erased. Most non-fictitious people with real bodies and minds, however, correctly believe Schiffman is the victim of a malicious attack that used “plagiarism” cynically.
Which brings us to admission of malice.
Published email records of some conversations between Raphael and his mother, Ruth, reveal Raphael’s great desire to have Norman Golb receive a speaking engagement at the New York Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition. They conspire to attack Schiffman in some way. The idea being, I guess, that if someone of Schiffman’s reputation and stature “plagiarized” Norman Golb, then Norman’s credit and importance in the field will rise considerably and he would receive opportunities that Schiffman and others are getting instead.
On July 30, 2008, at 6:18pm, Raphael Golb wrote to Ruth Golb:
“I just spoke with Dan R; I could tell that basically he didn’t have the courage to ask Braunstein to invite Dad…”
Raphael is concerned that Norman won’t get an invitation to speak at the New York exhibition, an important venue because it’s New York.
Same night, at 9:04pm, Ruth wrote to Raphael:
“Now, if Dad is to use the Schiffman thing, he needs the exact quote of Schiffman’s”
Ruth is speaking about her husband, Norman. A couple of hours have passed and there appears to be a plan in the works with Schiffman as a target. I’ll bet there was a phone conversation from New York to Chicago between those two emails. A couple of days later the email from the fake “Larry Schiffman” is sent by Raphael to Schiffman’s students, in violation of identity theft law. The subject line is “Plagiarism charges.”
This line of attack reveals the plan, to weaken Schiffman in a manner that makes his scholarship seem inferior to the man who still needs a speaking engagement in New York, Norman Golb.
Then, on Mon, Aug 11, 2008 Ruth writes to Raphael :
“…I think you’re on to something here. Schiffman is such a sleaze and behaves as though he has nothing to fear… Love, Mom”
A very loving email. The Golbs feel their attack is having an effect. Things are moving. By the way, do others agree that Ruth’s name-calling (speaking of hatred) is setting a very poor example for her middle aged son. What type of education is he getting at home?
Where’s the malice? Well, the timing is odd. The Golbs had many years to accuse Schiffman of plagiarism but they conspire and launch their attack when they are most concerned about Norman speaking in New York. This proves the attack is opportunistic. The smoking gun, however, is offered in an email Raphael sends his brother days later. On September 17, 2008, 12:55pm, Joel Golb updated Raphael by email:
“there has been a new comment added to the Now Public site….”
“Whether someone plagiarized dad isn’t my concern.” I thought that was Raphael’s primary concern, so profound that he had to steal Schiffman’s identity and urgently inform his colleagues, superiors and students about the plagiarism while conducting rampant attacks on numerous sites and blogs with multiple invented characters.
It turns out, however, that in private Raphael acknowledges plagiarism doesn’t even concern him! He is only concerned with the “institutional problem.” By this, he means that he needs to open doors for “dad” at the New York exhibition and maybe other museums. Raphael doesn’t care about Schiffman as a plagiarist, he acknowledges it’s a means to solving the institutional problem which would lead to a prestigious paying gig, an opportunity to market Norman Golb some more, probably get him more speaking engagements, sell some of his books and grow his public reputation. Ironically, this goes a long way to proving that the identity theft charge is valid because there was gain. Norman Golb did end up with a speaking engagement and Raphael touted it for months. But we’re focusing on malice right now.
Raphael’s admission that he is not concerned in the least about plagiarism proves that he was cynically and knowingly driven by a desire to harm “the sleaze” so as to facilitate the “institutional thing.” This is an admission of malice. The dictionary definition. It so happens that I was using the dictionary definition, but hoped Raphael would read it as a lawyer. He didn’t disappoint.
Legal malice is defined as “knowledge that the information was false” or that it was published “with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.” This is why both Richard and Duchat jumped to excuse Raphael from malice by pointing out that he is utterly convinced Schiffman is a plagiarist. To admit anything else would indicate transgressing the legal definition of malice and possibly invite a libel lawsuit. Raphael must avoid admitting this was a cynical ploy to advance his father’s career at Schiffman’s expense.
But never mind about malice. I loved the semi-colon and the double dash in Richard’s comment. How did he happen to pick up some of Raphael’s writing traits, that little devil?
One of the best defenses for libel is the truth of the statement. So, if, indeed, Schiffman did plagiarize Golb, then there can be no malice, no libel. So far, you have offered no evidence beyond mere assertion that Schiffman did not plagiarize Golb, as has been alleged, and as Katzman asked Schiffman (apparently, without receiving a proper reply) during an interview conducted long before R. Golb began posting and emailing on the matter.
Unfortunately, the judge in the Golb case refused to allow any line of questioning that might explore the basis on which the allegation rests, while allowing the prosecution to repeatedly assert that the allegations were false. Doesn’t strike me as particularly fair, though admittedly, this was not conducted as a libel trial, as it, perhaps, ought to have been.
Perhaps if there is eventually a libel suit against R. Golb, he will be able to present the evidence of plagiarism in court for all to see. Then, a jury can make up its mind whether or not they accept the veracity of the allegations. In the meantime, I believe there is some material online about the matter, though I neither know its whereabouts offhand, nor would I be especially inclined to be the one to direct curious readers to that material.
As for your reference to R. Golb’s statements expressing his supposed lack of concern about the plagiarism matter, I agree that it seems that it was not his primary concern, as he seems more interested in addressing the wider issue of bias in favor of a single, outdated (in his view) theory of the origin of the Scrolls, one which excludes alternative hypotheses, such as Norman Golb’s. I do not believe that he is, however, entirely unconcerned with the plagiarism issue, merely that it is not his primary concern. His concern about plagiarism seems to be expressed as minimal relative to the larger issues, but it still exists.
But, I don’t believe his principle concern is whether or not his father gets paid engagements, per se. These might or might not come for him and/or for other non-Qumranologist scholars, were more of these events conducted with greater balance (i.e. as a side effect of a more just dissemination of knowledge). There is no evidence that Raphael Golb was specifically trying to get his father a paid speaking engagement, and in fact, contrary to your assertions, no such New York engagement took place as a result of any of Raphael’s actions.
Simon’s ad hoc bluster, his wounded anger directed at the Golb family, makes it pretty clear why “Qumranology” is where it is today. The emails he parades could mean, theoretically, what he wants them to mean, or they could simply mean that Prof. Golb’s 80 year old wife felt from her previous acquaintance with Lawrence Schiffman that he is, as she put in a private e-mail, a sleeze, and that she and her son were upset that nothing was being done to end a situation they felt was unjust.
Judging by their public statements, I wonder what the private e-mail correspondence of this or that “Qumranologist” has to say about Norman Golb.
Why do you bring up Ruth’s age? Is that an excuse of some sort? Is Norman over the hill because he’s older than Ruth?
The Golb family emails speak clearly and they’re corroborated by the timeline. Of course you and Ruth imagine the situation was unjust. After all, Raphael was trying to destroy the career of a doctoral student before it even began while his father sat atop one of the most important departments in the field in the world. So it’s a given they would feel victimized in an unjust situation. I have tears welling in my eyes since life has been so cruel to the Golb clan.
An alternative possibility is that the people in these emails are exactly as mean-spirited and conniving as the dozens of pseudonyms and mean-spirited blogs, emails, letters, comments and trial documents Raphael has put together have been and that their process of advancing Norman Golb’s career is to hurt others and seek to destroy their reputations.
I will say, though, that having some figment of Raphael’s limited imagination call me crass is more amusing than an article with a headline calling Raphael brilliant. Thanks for the chuckle.
Simon didn’t answer my question. If we know who the doctoral candidate was, and whether the above-linked work was indeed subject to Raphael’s critique, then all of us can decide whether the critique was legitimate, or whether it was in some manner unfair. After all, having one’s work even rigorously criticized, and not failing to answer the criticism, but addressing it openly and honestly, is something every grad student is trained to do, wouldn’t Simon agree?
Simon is not having a conversation or debate with a fictional figment of some Golb family member’s impoverished imagination. Simon is definitely not clicking on a link provided by a Golb family member. Simon reminds Raphael of that morning when he thought he was more clever than the detectives sitting around him and got trounced. Humility is a positive trait.
Simon reminds Raphael that had he sought legitimate debates, there were countless opportunities over the course of his years of daily nastiness to conduct them. He could have used his real name, Joel could have used his real name and Norman might have thought better of permitting his sons (and wife?) to act as proxies. The Golbs could have conducted these debates respectfully and without seeking to damage and harm people with hideous and cynical attacks.
Simon adds, don’t insult his intelligence by pulling up some nasty Goranson or Broshi comment as if Simon’s an ignorant reporter who may be strung along with a charming smile. Simon knows the score and what Raphael and Co. did was wage nuclear war on people with unsharpened spears who weren’t even at war.
Simon also reminds Raphael and Co. their underhanded and ugly activities, some of which were judged by a jury to be criminal, are embellished by this ongoing charade of self-righteousness. This behavior is the immoral coward’s way. You’re not Jean Valjean or Robin Hood, you did really bad things.
Simon strongly encourages the Golb family to end the posturing and begin to focus on their real problem. It isn’t “plagiarism” or some doctoral student or Simon, it’s that Raphael went too far and eventually stole someone else’s identity, lame capital P or small p excuse notwithstanding. Worse, Raphael did so as part of an obvious plan to gain benefit for his father, Norman Golb, who has admitted he knew about his son’s online war.
The lack of remorse, absence of humility, refusal to acknowledge the ugliness and pettiness of Raphael’s actions and denial of what is clearly a crime are among the key reasons that Raphael deserves little sympathy or understanding, much less a respectful discussion.
If being so mean didn’t come naturally to them, Raphael and Co. would have apologized long ago for everything instead of doubling down before, during and after the trial. Simon makes a wild guess that had Raphael done so, this sad outcome would have ended up being far less severe for him and his family. It is not Simon’s wish that anybody go to prison, but Simon informs Raphael that if this is the outcome, he can only blame himself. Even Lance Armstrong understood when it was time to back off from attacking others and come clean.
Einstein has that famous quote “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Simon prophesies that soon this will be Raphael’s only remaining defense.
Simon is now finished talking to fictional characters who are stupid enough to try to game the situation while judges determine their fate.
oh my. the only thing “clear” from above mini-rant is that openly identifying both the specific work that was subject to criticism and the work’s author, is being evaded, in favor of a rant. But why? Can it be that the work was itself incredibly shoddy, its criticism merited? And that the assertion by “Simon” he doesn’t want someone who dared expose yet one more “Qumranological” scam to go to jail is, again, falsely ingenuous? Could it actually be that “Simon” is actually a young, upwardly striving academic who, if the truth be told, colaborated as vigorously as he could with Lawrence Schiffman to try to send the son of Schiffman’s most well-known critic – and, it seems, plagiarism victim – to jail? The son of Schiffman’s most well-known opponent, who himself had previously subjected the same, shoddy yet very heavily marketed work by the young academic to rigorous critique on the Oriental Institute website? We’re in the world of the “house that jack built” here!
Whether or not a given piece of scholarly work “deserves” to be publicly criticized is irrelevant as far as the rights of other scholars or reasonably informed laypersons to criticize are concerned. As long as the criticisms remain professional rather than personal in nature, the arguments pro or con should be permitted to stand or fall on their logical and factual merits. So, if “Simon” objects to criticisms of his (or any other scholar’s) work, he ought to respond by explaining why such criticisms are unwarranted. Simples.
In a letter to Norman Golb dated December 24, 2002, Jacob Neusner, the well-known scholar of Judaism who has authored over 900 books, wrote: “I read in today’s NYTimes … that while your basic approach to Qumran now predominates, you were not invited to participate in the [Brown University] conference. The report said you were excluded by people who would not come if you were invited … That is chilling, a disgrace to the scholarly world. [Y]ou raised the fundamental questions and defined the shape of scholarship for generations to come …. The people who excluded you are nourished by your ideas, whether they want to be or not, whether they acknowledge it or not.”
This is relevant to this discussion somehow? Are you disputing that Norman Golb is a well known researcher who is a senior professor at an important university, who has received many honors in his career, who has many connections in important areas connected to his fields of research, and who knows how to give at least as good as he gets?
Besides, Neusner seems to have gotten his information from a news article. On the basis of this Tablet article, we may all assume henceforth that any news article where Norman and Raphael have been interviewed will be full of puff, bluster and a slanted point of view an can’t be trusted.
It’s relevant to the discussion in that, through the citation of an eminent scholar of Jewish thought who’s not a “Qumranologist,” it points to Simon’s comments about the lack of “success” of Norman Golb’s work on the Dead Sea Scroll’s as being myopic. (Simon apparently did not get the point.)
I’ll just make one point. In order to have malice, one has to knowingly say something false. I believe that Raphael Golb genuinely (whether rightly or wrongly) believes that Lawrence Schiffman plagiarized Norman Golb’s work. I’m not aware of any other allegedly malicious statements by R. Golb being involved in this case.
“It is impossible to deal fairly with a fool: not only my judgment is corrupted under the hand of so impetuous a master, but my conscience also… Malice itself must be employed to correct this arrogant ignorance.”
‘Simon’ wrote: “Two, there is one area where his recognition has lagged others, his work on Dead Sea Scrolls. He has received some recognition, but others have received more.” The question is, ‘Simon’, why has his recognition apparently lagged in some circles? Is it because a number of scholars just can’t bring themselves to accept that the so-called Dead Sea Scrolls (found all over the Judean desert) had their origin in Jerusalem. There was no half-way house, with some produced at Qumran and some at Jerusalem, as proposed by Pfann. According to some scholars the few inkwells found at Qumran must have been used for writing some of the Scrolls, with no other possible purpose!! You see it suits some Christians to believe that the ‘Qumran Scrolls’ were written by an obscure sect at Qumran. And similar considerations apply to the Jewish scholar Schiffman. In your eyes ‘Simon’, Golb may have lagged behind others, in recognition, but in mine and many others, he has been ahead of them, including you, all for a very long time.
“Simon” seems to have a lot to say about Raphael Golb’s activities, but what about the activities of Dr. Robert Cargill? I see that in a letter dated June 3, 2009, the University of Chicago informed Cargill that his “email messages” to the university concerning Norman Golb were regarded as “threats of nuisance litigation.” This letter is attached as an appendix to a recent article by Prof. Golb:
Ring a bell, Simon? Apparently, Robert Cargill has been actively engaged in quite an effort to prevent Golb from having a “successful career,” and his work on the Scrolls from obtaining “more recognition.”
This nonsense leaves little or no uncertainty as to why people look at lawyers and judges as scum of the earth. Taxpayers pay for the buildings, upkeep and utilities where these knotheads practice and to see our money ‘circling the bowl’ in this manner is disgusting.
The “earthy” image is unfortunately, totally apt in respect to the trial proceedings that took place here. When looked back on, they’ll be understood as reflecting.a connivance between the DA’s office, a judge condemned, already, for miscarrying justice, and a well-connected local academic (together with a younger sidekick), with millions spent on ludicrous criminal proceedings meant to protect the man’s reputation. Classic “selective justice”, Gotham style. In other words, rank corruption. Duchat himself put it well earlier: “The sheer absurdity of bringing this case to trial in the first instance boggles the mind. As noted attorney, Ron Kuby said, ‘Some people need to get out more.'”
No doubt, but the really intriguing question here is whether there is any connection between Schiffman’s’ departure from his prestigious position at NYU, and the Raphael Golb trial. Schiffman’s statement that the only “harm” done to him was a good raise, seems to be an acknowledgment that there was indeed a connection.
I will say, Golb (the younger) seems very immature. He went to Harvard? Then let him write a scholarly article re: plagiarism, or whatever point it is he wants to make. Schiffman does have a case for defamation, in civil court. What would Golb and his son say then “Oh, no! You’ve done me wrong!” The son should make an apology – by e-mail would be great- apologizing for what he did. I agree this isn’t a case for criminal courts – the Judge is acting like Golb murdered someone. But, then again, how would they feel if another scholar pretended to be Golb, Sr., and did this? I think Golb, the son, needs to get a life. Seems he is far too wrapped up in his dad’s life.
Considering all the claims for “stolen and/or confiscated” paintings that has been lodged by the Holocaust survivor in the millions since 47/48 when the Rothschild and Morgans of this world realized they were “sitting” on a fortune and the stupid Germans paid up without a grumble the Red Sea Scrolls is a clear case of stolen property that has been fenced among the Jewish underworld for decades. When are these scrolls returned to its rightful Owner, the Finder and the Jordanian people. There is not doubt however that it is not the property of Israel or any Israel museum or institution or any Jewish individual.
The crucial felony count, based on the claim that Golb was trying to
make money, has now been thrown out. Any argument that Golb was in it
for material, financial gain has now disappeared from this case.
At the same time, the stakes have become clear: the First Appellate
Division believes that a fraudulent benefit does not need to be
material, tangible, or financial. The United States Supreme Court
rulings to the contrary, discussed at length in the Raphael Golb
appellate briefs, are simply ignored. The decision also does not mention
the harassment counts at all, or provide any rationale for upholding
the “intent to falsify NYU business records” felony count.
Clearly, Golb’s defense team will now bring the case up to the New
York Court of Appeals in Albany, and possibly to the federal courts,
where the legalities of the matter and the background involving the
plagiarism allegations will undoubtedly get a lot more attention, and
where many more of the counts could well ultimately end up be chiseled
away.
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Some readers may wish to consult the “amicus brief” that the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has submitted to the appellate court reviewing this case. The brief argues that Raphael Golb’s trial was “unprecedented and inappropriate,” and that it involved criminalizing “online speech with academic value.” Are we meant to take the claim being made here as a humorous gesture, or do these “defense” lawyers really expect to be taken seriously? See the text at:
In a consummate gesture of legal futility, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has now submitted an “amicus brief” to the appellate court reviewing this case. The brief argues that Raphael Golb’s trial was “unprecedented and inappropriate,” and that it involved criminalizing “online speech with academic value.” Are we perhaps meant to take the claim being made here with a “grain of salt”? See the text at:
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I’m depressed. At least I think I’m depressed. I’ve spent my whole life convincing myself that I wasn’t depressed, so it’s hard for me to recognize it now. Typically I run away when I start feeling trapped. And that’s what depression is for me, the feeling of being trapped.
That’s me.
That’s what I do.
I run away.
I’ve tried this on several different occasions, in one form or fashion. The problem, I’ve found, is that I always take myself with me. These episodes come with a lot of guilt as well, which makes me want to run away even more. It’s a catch 22 that has never worked for me.
I don’t really want to run away, I love my life and all that it is and will be.
The whole Bi-polar II diagnosis is still a bit “woo-woo” to me. It’s almost too convenient a diagnosis to explain away my bitchiness and/or melancholy. But today… Today, I feel like it fits. I recognized that I was being really touchy with the animals; getting upset with them for being, well, for being animals. That’s when I realized I couldn’t blame these feelings on outside forces. This is me. It’s internal.
I’m driving through the beautiful pastures located at the Ark of Serenity on Big Blue (ATV) and all I want to do is cry. It’s not because I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the land – although it is very beautiful, it’s because I feel sad… or melancholy.
Melancholy is such a beautiful word. It’s a much more acceptable word to me than depressed. I was told by a psychic once that I had a tendency to be melancholy and she is right. I was a bit pleased that she saw that, because to me it feels a bit romantic. One of the official definitions is a “pensive sadness: thoughtful or gentle sadness”. The last part of the word spells holy. I can live with that… It’s much better than being depressed, which is an overused buzzword in my opinion.
Last week, I went to the Mall of America with my family. For some reason I decided I was going to ride on the Sponge Bob roller coaster; with a name like that how bad could it be? As I was standing on line I started to become anxious. My daughter kept telling me, “Just 20 seconds of bravery is all it takes…” I wanted to show her I could do it, so I ignored the klaxon that filled my brain (Danger! Danger!) As we neared the loading gate, I thought I was going to vomit and it took all I had to ignore my gut instincts and board that coaster. But I did it.
As the harness meant to secure my safety locked in, I went into full-fledged panic mode. The safety device turned into my prison and I needed to get out. This wasn’t melancholy, this was terror. I started yelling at the attendant to let me out but she couldn’t hear me over the noise of the crowd. Much to my daughter’s annoyance, I kept repeating, “I have to get off this, no SERIOUSLY! I have to get OFF!” Finally, the young girl in whose hands my life rested, turned to me, shrugged her shoulders and pressed the button.
I thought I was terrified of the inverted and barrel role portions of the coaster.
No.
It was the 20 e x c r u c i a t i n g seconds it took to climb 100 feet to the top of the track. That was the real horror. You don’t realize how long 20 seconds truly is, until you are trapped and terrified. The ride lasted a total of 53 seconds. When I finally escaped and was standing on solid ground, I was shaking internally, you know that fear jelly. It felt like I had to leave my body in order to survive. To get back into my body I chose to burst into tears.
This is what being bi-polar feels like. The only difference is that the other day I chose to stand on line and board that coaster. Today I did not.
I just want to live life without the rollercoaster I am involuntarily thrust on when my brain misfires. I do take medication to prevent or at least help with the frequency and/or length of the coaster. But I still feel like I am imprisoned by the shoulder harness on a ride I don’t want to be on.
Those 20 seconds of bravery in the midst of a very real terror had a significant impact on me. I am proud of myself for pushing through. I am also grateful for the awareness and connection it brought to me today. Instead of giving in to the panic that comes with the awareness of having zero control, I choose to write about what I am feeling, which is always better than running away. | {
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The purpose of this thesis is to prove that Dickinson characterized her poetic discourse with unique figurative manipulations as well as autonomous stylistic and prosodic techniques to serve a process of poetic dismantlement of her contemporary... | {
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} |
Signs and Symptoms
This outbreak investigation is over. However, the recalled nut butter products have a long shelf life and may still be in people’s homes. Consumers unaware of the recall could continue to eat the products and potentially get sick. Read the Advice to Consumers.
Clinical Features
Symptoms include:
Diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection.
The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment.
In some persons, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.
Children younger than 5 years, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness from Salmonella infection.
More information about Salmonella, and steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection with Salmonella in general, can be found on the CDC Salmonella Web Page. | {
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What could be more perfect than a Krispy Kreme doughnut? Hot from the fryer and loaded with sugar, the Original Glazed is practically irresistible. For a time, Krispy Kreme’s stock seemed irresistible, too. When the company went public in April 2000, at the peak of the Internet whirlwind, investors flocked to buy into a business they could understand. An old-fashioned franchise based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. boasted solid fundamentals, adding stores at a rapid clip and showing steadily increasing sales and earnings.
But Krispy Kreme also had a mystique. Its doughnuts, available for many years only in the Southeast, had attracted a devoted, even fanatical, customer base. When the company decided to go national, it opened franchises in locations guaranteed to generate buzz — Manhattan, Los Angeles, Las Vegas — and customers lined up around the block. By August 2003, KKD was trading at nearly $50 on the New York Stock Exchange, up 235 percent from its initial public offering price of $21 on Nasdaq, and Fortune magazine was calling Krispy Kreme the “hottest brand in the land.” For the fiscal year ended in February 2004, the company reported $665.6 million in sales and $94.7 million in operating profit from its nearly 400 locations, including stores in Australia, Canada, and South Korea.
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And then, just as rapidly as its popularity spiked, Krispy Kreme pitched into a steep downward spiral that may yet end in bankruptcy. The company’s woes surfaced in May 2004, when then-CEO Scott Livengood blamed low-carbohydrate diet trends for Krispy Kreme’s first-ever missed quarter and first loss as a public company. That raised analysts’ eyebrows, as blaming the Atkins diet for disappointing earnings carried a whiff of desperation.
The Securities and Exchange Commission came knocking in July 2004, making an informal inquiry into Krispy Kreme’s buybacks of several franchises. As the stock price plunged, shareholders filed suit. Franchisees alleged channel stuffing, claiming that some stores were getting twice their regular shipments in the final weeks of a quarter so that headquarters could make its numbers. The SEC upgraded its inquiry to “formal” status in October 2004. Average weekly sales, a key retailing measure, fell even as the company continued to add stores. In January 2005, Krispy Kreme decided to restate its financials for much of fiscal 2004. Livengood was replaced as CEO by turnaround specialist Stephen Cooper, who also kept his other job: interim CEO of Enron Corp.
The following month, the company announced that the United States Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York was also joining the fray — a move indicating concern about possible criminal misconduct. In April, Cooper shored up the business by securing $225 million in new financing. The company announced that it expected a loss for its latest quarter, and warned investors not to rely on its published financials for fiscal 2001, 2002, and 2003, and the first three quarters of fiscal 2005, in addition to those for 2004. By early May, Krispy Kreme still hadn’t filed its restated financials, and its shares were trading around $6.
What went wrong? How could a company in business for nearly 70 years, with an almost legendary product and a loyal customer base, fall from grace so quickly? The story of Krispy Kreme’s troubles is, at bottom, a case study of how not to grow a franchise. According to one count, there are at least 2,300 franchised businesses in the United States, and many are extremely successful. But there are pitfalls in the franchise model, and Krispy Kreme — through a combination of ambition, greed, and inexperience — managed to stumble into most of them.
Aggressive Growth
From its humble beginnings in 1937 as a family-owned business, Krispy Kreme slowly enlarged its footprint in the Southeast. In 1976, three years after founder Vernon Rudolph died, the company was sold to Beatrice Foods Co.; in 1982, a group of franchisees bought it back. In 1996, the company began to stake its claim as a national franchise.
But once Krispy Kreme went public, “there was enormous pressure, as there is for all companies, to grow very quickly and sustain growth quarter after quarter after quarter,” comments Steven P. Clark, an assistant professor of finance at Belk College of Business at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Unfortunately, adds Clark, “this was not the sort of business that was going to have that kind of unending growth.”
McDonald’s Corp. is the gold standard in franchising, driving such profitability to individual restaurants that franchisees are eager to join the system and follow the company’s stringent operating guidelines. But Krispy Kreme concentrated on growing revenues and profits at the parent-company level, while its outlets struggled. “You can often get a system to grow really large even when particular outlets aren’t really profitable,” notes Scott Shane, SBC Professor of Economics at Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management and an expert on franchising. Franchises, he explains, suffer from “goal conflict”: while the franchisor aims to maximize sales, and thus boost royalty payments, the franchisee needs to maximize profits. If a franchisor packs a market with outlets to boost its own growth, it hurts the system in the long run by forcing units to compete with one another.
“You might add another outlet in a market and increase your sales by 50 percent, but you might have turned franchisees in that market from profitable to unprofitable,” says Shane. Thus Krispy Kreme reported nearly a 15 percent increase in second-quarter revenues from fiscal 2003 to fiscal 2004, but same-store sales were up just a tenth of a percent during that time. The waning of a fad? Perhaps. But citing the issue of “significantly declining new unit returns” in August 2004, J.P. Morgan analyst John Ivankoe wrote: “These returns declined as [the] incremental appeal of each new retail store fell upon market penetration.” A year earlier, Ivankoe had downgraded the stock from “neutral” to “underweight,” the equivalent of a “sell” rating.
Getting Greedy?
Having to share markets with other outlets isn’t the only handicap for franchisees. In addition to the standard franchise fee and royalty payments, Krispy Kreme requires franchisees to buy equipment and ingredients from headquarters at marked-up prices. This strategy, while not unheard of, can hurt franchisees in the long run.
“There are a couple of ways that franchise companies can look at the selling of equipment and formula,” says Steve Hockett, president of FranChoice Inc., a company that matches potential franchisees with franchisors. “One is that it’s a true profit center, even to the point where companies can be aggressive on pricing. But most successful franchise companies build their business around the royalty payment; they don’t build it around equipment sales.” Over time, says Hockett, “the franchisor is more likely to succeed by building profitable franchisees that can make royalty payments.”
Krispy Kreme, on the other hand, raked in $152.7 million — 31 percent of sales in 2003 — through its Krispy Kreme Manufacturing and Distribution (KKM&D) division, which sells the required mix and doughnut-making equipment. With initial equipment packages selling for $400,000, KKM&D can have operating margins of 20 percent or greater. But what’s good for the franchisor’s bottom line isn’t necessarily good for the franchisee’s. “[Raw ingredients and equipment] are sold to franchisees at what [is] an exceptionally high margin…. It is difficult to say how much this margin needs to drop to support franchise operations, but it must,” wrote Ivankoe in an August 2004 report.
The Thrill Is Gone
In its quest for growth, Krispy Kreme also squandered some of its mystique. “They became ubiquitous,” says Jonathan Waite, an analyst for KeyBanc Capital Markets in Los Angeles. “Not just in sheer numbers of restaurant units, but also roughly half of their sales started going to grocery stores, gas stations, kiosks. Anywhere that consumers could be found, you could find a Krispy Kreme.”
In what amounted to an act of heresy to Krispy Kreme devotees, the company also added smaller “satellite” stores that didn’t actually make doughnuts. Unlike its factory-style franchises where customers could watch as the pastries were showered in glaze — “doughnut-making theater,” the company called it — some new stores offered doughnuts that had been made elsewhere. Other products were added to the menu, too, including a line of high-carb, high-calorie frozen drinks, or “drinkable doughnuts,” as people dubbed them.
Straying further from the appeal of its key product, in May 2004 the company announced that it was developing, of all things, a sugar-free doughnut, in response to the popularity of low-carb diets. (The sugarless doughnut has yet to be rolled out, however, and the new management team is reviewing the concept.)
Fudging the Numbers
As Krispy Kreme pursued its ambitious growth strategy, it was making missteps in the finance department as well.
Except for the company’s plan to finance a $35 million mixing plant in Illinois with an off-balance-sheet synthetic lease — a plan the company scuttled in February 2002, in the face of post-Enron suspicions — Krispy Kreme’s accounting seemed unremarkable until October 2003. That’s when the company reacquired a seven-store franchise in Michigan, called Dough-Re-Mi Co., for $32.1 million. The company booked most of the purchase price as an intangible asset called “reacquired franchise rights,” which it did not amortize, contrary to common industry practice. Krispy Kreme had also agreed to boost its price for Dough-Re-Mi so that the struggling franchise could pay interest owed to the doughnut maker for past-due loans. The company then recorded the subsequent interest payment as income.
Krispy Kreme also rolled into the price the costs of closing stores and compensating the operating manager and principal owner of the Michigan franchise to stay on as a consultant. Both of these expenses became part of the intangible “reacquired franchise rights” asset on the company’s balance sheet, rather than costs that would have reduced the company’s reported earnings. Krispy Kreme announced in a December 2004 8-K filing that it will need to make a pretax adjustment of between $3.4 million and $4.8 million to properly record the compensation as an expense. A second adjustment of some $500,000 will reverse the improper recording of interest income.
Krispy Kreme’s repurchase of its northern California stores from a group of investors is also under scrutiny. In February 2004, the company paid $16.8 million to buy the 33 percent of Golden Gate Doughnuts LLC it did not already own. One of the beneficiaries of the buyout was the ex-wife of CEO Scott Livengood. The company failed to disclose this fact, although Adrienne Livengood’s stake was valued at approximately $1.5 million. While the decision not to reveal the connection looks bad, “this is only a significant legal issue if it somehow could be established that [Livengood] was seeking some kind of personal profit or gain through his ex-wife, as opposed to truly serving the company’s interest,” says Carl Metzger, a partner with Goodwin Procter LLP in Boston.
In its December 8-K, Krispy Kreme revealed that there would need to be adjustments made to the accounting for the Golden Gate Doughnuts purchase as well — a total of $3.5 million to correct improperly recorded compensation expenses and management fees that had been included in the purchase price. The company will also make a similar correction to fix errors made in the acquisition of a franchise in Charlottesville, Virginia.
On top of the questionable accounting and the lack of disclosure, Krispy Kreme may have paid inflated prices for some of the franchises it bought back. In 2003, the company spent $67 million to repurchase six stores in Dallas and rights to stores in Shreveport, Louisiana, that were owned in part by former Krispy Kreme board member and chairman and CEO Joseph A. McAleer Jr. Another longtime director, Steven D. Smith, was also part owner. Compared with the $32.1 million paid for the Michigan stores that same year, the number sounds high — $11.2 million versus $4.6 million per store. A civil suit filed by another former franchisee alleges that a higher bid was offered but ignored.
“I asked a lot of questions about why they paid so much for those acquisitions,” says one analyst. “I don’t think I ever truly got an answer. They told me it was a different time in terms of valuation, but those were pretty exorbitant prices.” The SEC, presumably, will insist on an answer in the course of its investigation.
Who Minded the Store?
The company’s own investigation, as detailed in an April notification to the SEC, has turned up accounting problems in other areas, too, involving derivatives, leases, equipment sales, and the consolidation of a bankrupt subsidiary. Even if these turn out to be mostly peccadilloes, they raise a question: Who was minding the store in the finance department?
As it turns out, a lot of people. From 2000 to 2004, Krispy Kreme employed three different CFOs. John Tate joined just after the company went public, in October 2000, after 18 months at kitchenware retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc. Tate was promoted to chief operating officer in 2002, and Randy Casstevens, the company’s longtime controller, took the top finance spot. Casstevens, who had spent most of his career at Krispy Kreme, had never been CFO of a public company before. After adding the chief governance officer role to his duties, Casstevens left in December 2003 in a move he then called “purely voluntary,” just five months before the company announced its first earnings miss. (Now working as a career counselor at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, Casstevens declined to be interviewed for this story.)
To replace Casstevens, Krispy Kreme brought in current finance chief Michael Phalen, who had worked with Krispy Kreme as an investment banker for CIBC World Markets and Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown, but had never held a CFO post before. The company declined to make Phalen available for an interview. John Tate, meanwhile, departed in August 2004, and is now the operations head at Restoration Hardware, working once again with his former boss from Williams-Sonoma. Tate did not return phone calls for comment.
Company watchers come to different conclusions about the meaning of the CFO churn. Ric Marshall, chief analyst at governance watchdog The Corporate Library, says the turnover may mean the CFOs were trying to raise red flags about the company’s financial state. “To me, this says the real numbers the CFOs were coming up with were numbers that the rest of management didn’t want to hear. They were looking for a CFO who was going to tell them good news.” Adds Goodwin Procter’s Metzger, “It may be that a particular CFO is the one who brought these issues to the company’s attention. You just don’t know.” But the fact that Tate and Casstevens were both promoted before leaving indicates that they were on good terms with the board and their fellow managers. All three CFOs answered to Livengood, whose 27 years at the company gave him far greater tenure than any of the finance chiefs.
Stephen Mader, vice chairman of executive recruiter Christian & Timbers, says the CFOs simply may not have been up to the task of guiding a high-growth franchise through the public markets. “This happens a lot with companies that enter the public arena that had done well under earlier conditions, but don’t have the experience in the public markets,” he says. “You could simply have nothing more here than a lot of marginal competence for running a company of that magnitude.”
Current finance chief Phalen “is a capable guy,” comments Waite. “If you look at his compensation structure, it’s mainly stock options. He has incentive to get the ship righted.” But Mader is less optimistic about the CFO’s chances. “It’s very rare to take a company into bankruptcy or a turnaround phase and hold on to the existing CFO to do it,” he says. “You need someone with no baggage, no sacred cows, who can look at things with objectivity.”
A Missing Ingredient
When Krispy Kreme was a fast-growing private company, it was easy to conceal weaknesses in management and corporate governance. But those weaknesses were magnified by the pressures of the public markets, particularly when the company’s growth strategy started to stumble, says Marshall. “When you don’t have a fully independent board holding management responsible for operational and strategic shortcomings, a machine moving that quickly is going to fall apart,” he says. “They really weren’t able to sustain the growth rate.”
Until recently, Krispy Kreme’s board was stocked with insiders left over from the company’s days as a private business, including some, like McAleer and Smith, who owned franchises. And until early 2002, the company maintained a fund through which 35 executives could invest in franchisees, potentially creating conflicts of interest. Management elected to dissolve the fund as part of a push to improve governance.
In another questionable move, in 2003, Krispy Kreme purchased Montana Mills Bread Co., a bakery-café chain at which Tate, then chief operating officer, was a director. Tate has said he was not involved in discussions about the transaction. Krispy Kreme put Montana Mills up for sale a year later, after paying approximately $40 million in stock for the business and then recording a $34 million charge upon closing most Montana Mills stores. Together with the problematic franchise buybacks, the transaction smacks more of an insider deal than simple incompetence.
A further warning sign of weak governance was the outsized compensation package awarded to former CEO Livengood, says Marshall. Livengood’s total compensation was more than 20 percent greater than the median for similar-size companies, according to The Corporate Library. Despite the company’s decline, Krispy Kreme’s board allowed Livengood to retire with a six-month consulting position that will pay him $275,000. He holds $1.7 million in options in addition to nearly 100,000 shares of Krispy Kreme stock. Livengood also continues to receive health benefits through the company, but he will no longer have use of the company jet, since one of new CEO Cooper’s first moves was to sell off the aircraft lease.
“When we see patterns of excessive compensation, that is usually an indicator that the board is not sufficiently independent,” says Marshall. As a result of the board’s coziness, he says, no one stepped in to challenge Krispy Kreme’s move away from the fresh-doughnut model, and no one questioned the aggressive accounting for franchise buybacks. “It was a classic governance failure,” sums up Marshall.
A Fresh Start
Although Krispy Kreme today looks like a company becalmed, if not sinking, some observers believe it will regain momentum. “Krispy Kreme as a company still has a lot of value in its name and in its product,” says attorney Metzger. “There should be a way for the company to continue to grow the business.”
With the January 2005 replacement of Livengood with Cooper, the revamped board — in which 8 of 10 directors are fully independent, according to The Corporate Library — has shown it is serious about making a turnaround. Since his arrival, Cooper has lined up $225 million in new debt financing led by Credit Suisse First Boston, Silver Point Finance, and Wells Fargo Foothill Inc. to help Krispy Kreme meet its immediate cash-flow needs. Cooper also announced a cost-cutting program that includes a 25 percent reduction in head count.
UNC’s Clark suggests the company may need to go private or sell itself to another large chain, like McDonald’s. “But I’m not sure that buyers are exactly lining up at the door,” he adds. KeyBanc’s Waite calls an acquisition doubtful, in part because he says the company is “not terribly cheap,” given the amount of work needed to get it back on track. Indeed, Waite hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bankruptcy. “The biggest thing they have to do is bring on an operator,” he says. “They need an industry insider who can stem the drop in sales at the unit level — somebody who knows how to drive organic sales growth.”
Ultimately, Krispy Kreme needs to get back to what fueled its phenomenal growth in the first place: really good doughnuts. “They need to emphasize the hot-doughnut experience,” says Waite, “rather than the cold, old doughnut in a gas station.”
Kate O’Sullivan is a staff writer at CFO.
Half-Baked
Krispy Kreme first reported solid growth, but has since announced that its results for 2001-2005 are not reliable.
2002
2003
2004
Total revenue*
$394.4
$491.6
$665.6
Net Income*
$26.4
$33.5
$57.1
Total long-term debt*
$3.9
$62.4
$146.2
Number of stores
218
276
357
Note: Figures for fiscal years ended in February
*in $ millions
Source: www.krispykreme.com | {
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365+ popular jokes that will have your friends and colleagues in stitches. Simply copy and paste into your email
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Fastmind is a powerful tool to control your mind. Continued usage lets you learn new skills in the least amount of time, Expand your vision and develop a unerasable memory. Boost your creativity and destroy bad habits instantly. Get control of your e
Caustic Truths #112 is a new venture where we posted an edition online at our site, www.caustictruths.com which includes Dark Tranquility, Ill Nino,, INFERNAEON, Dollyrots, Poison the Well, Silverstein, Apocalyptica , and more.
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Orneta Biorhythm is an application to draw a biorhythm chart for Windows Mobile based Smartphones. Everything that happens in nature is cyclic. We are influenced by the changing of the seasons, the lunar tides, day and night, etc.
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Private Business
Manchester City Council Bill [Lords](By Order)
Order for Second Reading read.
3.29 pm
Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Alan Haselhurst):
Before I call the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Tony Lloyd), I should inform the House that although we are dealing principally with the Manchester City Council Bill, it will be in order for Members to refer, where appropriate, to any or all of the six Bills listed on the Order Paper.
Mr. Christopher Chope (Christchurch) (Con):
On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Following your ruling, can you intimate what will happen at the end of the proceedings? Will the Bills be voted on seriatim, or will they be voted on together?
Mr. Deputy Speaker:
While a blocking motion is in place, they will not be voted on at all. We will see how the debate proceeds, but the position is not as it would be if we were discussing private Members Bills. This is a different procedure, and the blocking motion prevents the Question from being put on the Second Reading of the other Bills.
Tony Lloyd (Manchester, Central) (Lab):
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.
I suppose I should congratulate the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope) on his assiduity in managing to bring us six Bills for the price of onea six-for-one offer of which many street traders would be proud.
I shall try to be relatively brief. The Manchester City Council Bill and the five other Bills on the Order Paper seek to achieve a number of common purposes. There are slight variations between them, but essentially their purpose is to control street trading in six geographical areas, and to deal with a point of contention by regulating in a way different from that specified in the Pedlars Act 1871. The role of pedlars is, I think, the meat of the argument.
Let me deal first with the way the Bill affects licensed street traders. In my city, the council has to a large extent worked in tandem with street traders, who are licensed under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 and work within the framework of that legislation. On occasion, however, matters of concern arise. From time to time, it is obvious that even those with legitimate street trader licences are operating outside the spirit of the Act. The council is now asking for a power that already exists in London, Liverpool and a number of other cities: the power of seizure and forfeiture of goods that are being sold against the clear interests of the general public, such as counterfeit goods or goods that simply do not do what the traders claim that they do.
Mr. Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater) (Con):
Can the hon. Gentleman be more specific about the type of goods involved? As we know, many pedlars sell a vast 12 Jun 2008 : Column 520
range of goods. Is the hon. Gentleman referring to white goods, goods brought in from overseas, or goods that are potentially illegal?
Tony Lloyd:
Any of those might be involved. I should emphasise, however, that I am not yet talking specifically about those who use the pedlars licence. I am talking about those who apply for street traders licences. The distinction is important, as the meat and drink of the Bill applies to pedlars.
John Battle (Leeds, West) (Lab):
One of the other councils bidding for a change in the rules is Leeds city council. It is controlled by the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives, so I think there is some political consensus on the matter. I understand that it is possible to obtain a pedlars licence from the police for £12.25, and then go to sell goods not in Leeds but in Blackpool. Would it not be better if the council controlled its own streets, and could use the street trading laws to regulate what is sold on the streets to ensure fairness for everyone in the vicinity?
Tony Lloyd:
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right, but I shall come on to the specific question of pedlars shortly, as I first wish to clarify the situation concerning those using the street traders licence.
Seizure and forfeiture are specific powers that are used in, for example, London to clear away the unregulatedthose who abuse the street-trading licence system. The example is often given of hamburger and hot-dog sellers who operate in a way that is inconsistent with the licence and that causes public nuisance.
Mr. Chope:
Does the hon. Gentleman accept that anybody who regularly crosses Westminster bridge, as I do, would recognise the weakness even of seizure and forfeiture, because there are hamburger stalls on that bridge almost continuously, yet they do not seem to be seized or forfeited?
Tony Lloyd:
I cannot, of course, speak on behalf of Westminster or Lambeth councilsI am not quite sure where in relation to the dividing line between them on the bridge these rogue traders operatebut the power does exist across London. The hon. Gentleman is assiduous in putting forward his points of view, so I am sure he could raise this matter with the Westminsters and the Lambeths in order to make sure they use the powers they have. I join him, however, in saying that the powers should be usedand Manchester, Leeds, Canterbury, Bournemouth and others want these powers under the street trading legislation.
The second change to normal street trading would be the issuing of fixed penalty notices. They have been found to be useful to prevent acts such as littering. That is a relatively light penalty in the grand scheme of things: it does not revoke licences, but it does allow the local authority to have the control to prevent unnecessary public nuisance and to bring to the attention of traders the need to conform properly to their wider social duties.
The final significant change in street trading licences is the extension of the current definition of simply goods to goods or services. In my city, an issue has arisen to do with the provision of services such as teeth 12 Jun 2008 : Column 521
whitening. Many people think that, regardless of whether the provision of teeth-whitening services on the streets is desirable, that ought to come under the same form of regulation as the sale of goods such as wristwatches on the streets. Bringing in parallel provision for services and goods is a simple and necessary step, and I hope that there is agreement on it.
Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley) (Con):
I cannot resist rising to say something about teeth whitening. There is ample legislation to deal with that through trading standards and in other ways. Let me explain what I find curious about the hon. Gentlemans position. There are a very few councils that wish to extend their powerspenalties and so forthbut the majority of the councils in this country do not. I know that the hon. Gentleman represents Manchester and this is a Manchester Bill and he probably feels obligated to carry it forward, but has he not questioned why just a few councils want to do this, and the rest seem to be able to manage?
Tony Lloyd:
There are a few councils before us today, but there is an increasing demand for these issues to be dealt with through national legislation rather than individual private Bills. Although six councils have applied for these powers today, London, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Medway, Maidstone and the whole of Northern Ireland have already sought equivalent powers. The hon. Gentleman refers to there being just a few councils, but if he adds up the total population base of those before us today and those who already take these powers, he will discover that we are talking about quite a large slice of the countryand, more importantly perhaps, a large slice of those conurbations that see themselves as being affected by, and attractive to, those who want to use, and are occasionally prepared to abuse, the street licensing system.
Mr. Julian Brazier (Canterbury) (Con):
Perhaps I could add to that point. The problem for a number of councils, including Canterbury city council, which I represent, is that disproportionate numbers of pedlars have descended on the city and at times in the summer our high street is completely blocked by vast numbers of them. Given that all three parties are now nominally committed to localism, surely allowing local authorities the power to have a dispensation in these matters is a good thing.
Tony Lloyd:
The hon. Gentleman makes a good point, which partly answers the question asked by one of his colleagues a few moments ago. The real issue is not why so few or so many councils want this power; it is that, where councils want and need this power, there is great sense in ensuring that it is available. That is what we are debating today, and I am delighted that this clearly is not a party political debateit is a debate that joins together Members from across the Chamber.
Dr. Brian Iddon (Bolton, South-East) (Lab):
Is my hon. Friend aware that the reason I proposed my Pedlars (Street Trading Regulations) Bill is because, apart from the six Bills before the House today and the seven that have already gone, there is, according to the Private Bill Office in this place, potential for 50 more of these Bills 12 Jun 2008 : Column 522
to be introduced? The Local Government Association has conducted a survey on my behalf, and we have received 74 responses from local authorities that very much want a Bill of this kind.
Tony Lloyd:
That is a helpful piece of information. Of course, my hon. Friend has played a significant role in trying to get this concept at least debated in this Chamber and more generally.
Perhaps it would be opportune if I were to turn to the area of greatest interest: the role of pedlars. The Pedlars Act 1871 gives a wonderful definition of a pedlar as
any hawker, pedlar, petty chapman, tinker, caster of metals, mender of chairs, or other person who, without any horse or other beast bearing or drawing burden, travels and trades on foot and goes from town to town or to other mens houses, carrying to sell or exposing for sale any goods, wares, or merchandise, or procuring orders for goods, wares, or merchandise immediately to be delivered, or selling or offering for sale his skill in handicraft.
Even the strongest promoters of the role of the pedlar would accept that that definition is a little out of date and antiquated; it refers to a time long gone. However, the legislation that regulates pedlars is that Act of almost 140 years ago.
I concede a point to the hon. Member for Christchurch, who I know has taken a keen interest in this matter. I do not want the remarks that I make today to be construed, in any sense, as dismissing the role of all pedlars, because there are pedlars who are perfectly legitimate traders seeking to provide a small service that adds colour to all our streets. I accept that the danger, as with any piece of legislation, is that we might make this legislation too heavy-handed. We do not want it to drive out the role of the genuinely desirable pedlar within that context. When Bournemouth borough council and Manchester city council presented their Bills to the upper House, they both gave certain undertakings about their recognising the need to treat with a light touch the role of those legitimate pedlars.
It must be accepted, as the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) said a few moments ago, that in some circumstances pedlars abuse the licence. Some pedlars operate way beyond anything either for which the pedlars licence was intended or even that it is accepted in modern times as trying to achieve. Pedlars can be a nuisance on our streets and, because of the way the pedlars licensing system operates, they operate in a very different way from legitimate street traders.
A pedlars licence can be obtained virtually anywhere in the country by anyone claiming to have good character and who is resident in the area for no more than one month. I am told that the checking by the police, who issue pedlars licences, is minimal and the concept of good character is not properly defined. Any pedlar given a licence in any part of the country can move to any other part of the country with the same licence and operate as a pedlar. That means that pedlars operate under a very different framework from those with street traders licences. First, the pedlars licence is massively cheaper, and some may say that that is an advantage. Those with a pedlars licence have a commercial advantage over street traders, and that is seen as unfair by those who operate market stalls or who have proper street licences. They not only pay a bigger fee and make a contribution to the community more generally, but accept a tighter framework of regulation on their operations, in accordance with local need.
12 Jun 2008 : Column 523
Mr. Chope:
The hon. Gentleman seems to be attacking the Greater Manchester police authority for not complying with its statutory responsibilities in respect of the issuing of pedlars certificates. Can he tell the House how many pedlars certificates Manchester police have issued in the past year? In Dorset, by contrast, thorough checks are made on people who apply for pedlars certificates, so it may be an issue for the police rather than for Parliament.
Tony Lloyd:
It may be a matter for the police, but in my city the problem is that it is not necessarily the Greater Manchester police who issue the pedlars licences to the pedlars who peddle on the streets of Manchester. I am delighted to learn that pedlars in Dorset are reliably checked, and no doubt we welcome every Dorset pedlar on the streets of Manchester. It may be that the pedlars who cause the nuisance and who run off with their goods when approachedand when asked if they pay tax, run even more quicklyare not from Dorset, but from other areas where the character check is not as rigorous as that performed by the estimable Dorset police force.
Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold) (Con):
The hon. Gentleman is making a cogent case. Is not the real problem that, whatever ones view of pedlarsunder the present legislation they are entitled to peddleit is very difficult to bring a prosecution against someone who abuses the rules? They have to be monitored and warned, and it is time consuming and expensive for any police authority to bring a prosecution against them. It is therefore very difficult under existing legislation to do anything about the small number who bring the rest into disrepute.
Tony Lloyd:
The hon. Gentleman is right and that is the nub of the problem. Let us accept happily that many pedlars operate in a way of which we would all approve. However, there are those who abuse the pedlars licence in various ways, such as by their trading methods or by selling items of dubious value. The innocent customer may be unable to obtain redress in the event of product or service failure, because the pedlar is long gone by the time the product is found to be defective. Sometimes, as in my city and, obviously, in Canterbury, the individuals behaviour is assertive or aggressiveor the collective behaviour of a group of pedlars leads to the same level of social deterioration. In any case, it is difficult to enforce any sanction under the present legislation.
The police do not see this as a priority. In my city, they are quite busy with a number of other issues. It is more appropriate that it should be for the local authority to enforce the legislation through other means, but they need the power to do so
Mr. Brazier:
The hon. Gentleman has left the most important example off his list, although he mentions some valid problems. Pedlars are meant to be mobile, but many stay in one place. A council can take a view on how many street licences it should issue, but then finds that many people claiming to be pedlars stay on its high street, and that is the problem.
Tony Lloyd:
Again, the hon. Gentleman moves me on to my next point. That is what is unfair about the pedlar who abuses the system. Stall holders who pay business rates, operate in a proper framework of regulation and 12 Jun 2008 : Column 524
demonstrate a proper desire to work with the local authority and the wider community face competition, which they accept goes with the street trader licence, albeit that the licence carries fewer overheads and all the rest. Street traders and shopkeepers find themselves disadvantaged when they are in competition with the pedlar, who has no regulation and can effectively sell what he wants because of the almost total lack of control that we have discussed. The problem in all that is that the ability to control the pedlar is minimal.
Although the concept of peddling is, in common-sense terms, one of constant movementthe door-to-door trader, or even the person who walks the streets with helium-filled balloons or miniature kites, whom my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, South-East (Dr. Iddon) is concerned aboutthe person with the fixed stand on wheels has to move only every 20 minutes, as case law has demonstrated. As long as the stall is effectively mobile enough to move a matter of yards down the street, the person can avoid the street trader legislation and, as a pedlar, producing a peddling licence, can say, I am operating within the technical limits of the law. The technical limits of the law are not fair to the proper street trader or stall holder.
Mr. Paul Truswell (Pudsey) (Lab):
Has not my hon. Friend put his finger on one of the major logistical problems of enforcing the legislation as it stands, which is keeping track of whether pedlars are moving every 20 minutes or not?
Tony Lloyd:
In the end, that is the real issue. Do we really want the police to spend huge amounts of time chasing round and checking after 19 minutes and 59 seconds whether the pedlar has moved far enough away to guarantee that they fit the framework of the Pedlars Act? Of course, it would be nonsense to ask for that to be done. Both the local authority and the police would end up spending massive amounts of time, sometimes intensely in short bursts, to try to rectify a problem that would simply come back again as soon as the intense effort disappeared. That is central to the case.
Mr. Clifton-Brown:
I am interested in the genesis of the hon. Gentlemans Bill. When he originally discussed it with his council, did he discuss the alternatives? Has he discussed the alternatives with those on his Front Bench? Would it not have been better to bring forward national legislation to deal with the problem across the entire country rather than dealing with it one council at a time? Surely if we deal with it one council at a time, we could be merely transporting the problem to a neighbouring council. | {
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PSX Extreme
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New Spyro Adventure Headed To PS3
The Spyro series started off with a roar on the PS1 but has kinda dwindled to a half-hearted shout, as the last few installments on the PS2 were merely mediocre. However, this doesn't mean the franchise has lost all its promise and appeal, and Spyro will be making his next-gen debut later on this year.
According to PSU, GameStop has already started taking pre-orders for the impending PS3 title, Legend of Spyro: Darkest Hour, which is loosely scheduled for an October release. Furthemore, the game is priced at $49.99; $10 cheaper than the standard retail price for PS3 games (perhaps because it's technically a Sony-published title...?). Now, one might expect the game to be available on all platforms, but it seems Xbox 360 owners are once again going to miss out, as the listed platforms include the PS3, PS2, Wii and DS...but no 360. Oh well; if Darkest Hour isn't any better than the PS2 entries, you Microsoft console owners won't be missing much.
There is the possibility we'll see the game pop up at next week's Game Developers Conference, but in the meantime, let's just call this the unofficial announcement. And let's hope they can rekindle the quality fires that made the little purple dragon so darn appealing a decade ago.
After Insomniac stopped making the Spyro games I kinda gave up on the series. The reviews and demos for the games after Spyro 3 seemed to have went downhill/took a nosedive. Maybe what Ted Price said was right? The character can't evolve (not a pokemon reference). He's a character controlled by universal studios, I doubt they would let anyone do drastic changes to the character. He can't even hold a gun... | {
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Moral Hazard? The Critics of G20 Bank Bail-Out were Right!
G20 Anniversary:
Five years ago: Do you remember? The old world’s economies were crashing. Jobs were haemorraghing everywhere (except China). Six months after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the global banking system was still cratering.
A one-day summit of the G-20 economies was called in London to put a floor under the collapsing structure, re-float the economy, and re-regulate the financial institutions that caused the mess in the first place.
On the way to the Excel Centre to cover the meeting, I stopped off at Canary Wharf. The idea was to talk to the people who would be most affected by the new regulations being discussed.
Canary Wharf was Sunday morning empty. Anticipating anarchist action, most people had been told to work from home. (The anarchists had not reacted nicely to being kettled down by the Bank of England the previous day. There was fear the black balaclavas might turn up at the Wharf instead).
I found myself talking to two men by a Starbuck’s kiosk at Cabot Square. I asked them what they thought about the new regulations.
Have you seen the Daily Mash today? one of them asked. It has a piece that says ”Bankers are smarter than politicians, they can find their way around any regulations they put on in place.”
That’s the truth, he added. “It doesn’t matter what they do. We’re smarter than they are. We’ll figure a way around it.”
It was a quotably arrogant statement. I scribbled it down and asked the guy’s name. His courage didn’t run that far. As a reporter I’m used to this: tough talk, bully talk from people without the guts to put their names to a repulsive statement. I’ve recorded this kind of anonymous boasting on the Shankill and in the Republica Srpska and road houses in the American South. It’s trash talk from people who know the game is lost and they won’t pay a price for having been on the losing team.
The pair were an example of something critics of the bank bailout were talking about: moral hazard. If you bailout the banks without imposing strict regulations at the same time, what is to stop men like this from wrecking the system all over again?
At summit’s end, Gordon Brown came out – alone – to meet the press. The first detail he mentioned was a reform of financial industry regulations. Hedge funds would be regulated for the first time and the shadow banking system exposed to sunlight. Credit rating agencies would be regulated as well.
He mentioned the reforms first because the French and German governments had made it clear they wouldn’t contribute to a stimulus package without serious reform of the banking industry. Moral hazard. If you bail them out without conditions, they’ll only do it again.
But the big headlines were about the 1.1 trillion dollar stimulus package for the world economy to be administered via the IMF.
It wasn’t just the size of the bail-out that drew journalists’ focus. It was the lack of specifics about regulations. Brown did not offer a time frame for drafting them nor say which body would be empowered to implement them. Regulatory reform became a secondary factor almost as soon as Brown finished speaking.
Looking back it is easy to understand why regulations were put to the side. In the US and UK jobs were haemorraghing at an alarming rate. In an exercise of pre-emptive downsizing of unparalleled viciousness, 2.6 million people had been thrown out of work in the US in the six months after Lehman’s went bust.
Unemployment was shooting up in most of the established economies. When the G-20 leaders met, stemming these job losses was the paramount concern, not moral hazard.
The extra funding made available to the IMF, made possible by contributions from individual nations and the sale of its own gold was going to stem the job losses.
Over the next few years, occasionally, the EU made an effort to cap bankers’ bonuses and put some form of regulation in place. But each attempt ended in failure and when it did, I found myself thinking about the two bully boys at Cabot Square.
Then they and the thousands in the City who think like them, had a nice run of luck.
The immediate fear of losing one’s job replaced the pressure for banking reform from the public.
In Britain, the Conservatives took power with the help of an extremely weak coalition partner and blocked every meaningful effort domestically and internationally to regulate the City.
Then came the most important piece of luck: The crash set in motion a causal chain that led the most over-leveraged eurozone countries to the brink of default.
The still unregulated City speculators drove the frenzy that pushed bond yields to extraordinary heights in the at risk countries.
The focus of policy makers shifted from regulating the financial industry to saving the single currency by imposing draconian austerity measures on Ireland, Greece and Spain. More people lost their jobs.
But not in financial services. Throughout the autumn of 2011, betting on fractional movements of sovereign bond yields became the latest game in the casino.
The conversation shifted in the Anglo-phone world. The real threat to the global economy wasn’t the unregulated speculation centered in London and New York that the G-20 promised to deal with, it was now the euro that was the cause of all economic hell and prolonged recession.
That put the regulatory fire out for the City. Meanwhile in the US, the one meaningful attempt at regulation: the Dodd-Frank bill was passed in 2010 but implementation has been delayed repeatedly. It is still not fully operational.
Today, in London, the economy is pretty much where it was just before the crash. Bonuses are at pre-crash levels, scandals in the city like fixing the Libor rate unfold regularly. Unable to generate growth, the government orchestrates an insane housing market bubble. The Shard stands empty – the perfect symbol of our era.
Moral hazard is priced in. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon got a 74 percent pay rise in January – a package worth $20 million – despite the fact that his bank paid $18.6 billion in fines in 2013 plus a further billion in legal fees.
Unthinkable levels of unemployment are priced in as well. 20 million American workers who want a full time job can’t find one and now, it is clear, never will. These aren’t just factory workers. They include the more than 50% of university instructors in the US who work on part-time contracts and millions of people like me, one-man band entrepreneurs of the professional classes.
We are the new self-employed, living on a combination of a few bits and pieces of freelance work and a judicious drawing down of retirement savings.
Britain’s ONS doesn’t keep a similar statistic on how many want full time employment and cant find it but that doesn’t matter, the Anglo-American economies have so much in common it is a reasonable guess that a similar percentage of the British work force is fruitlessly searching for that increasingly elusive full-time gig. (5)
And nothing will change.
Strip the City away from the UK economy and you remove most of the good economic news of the last year. 80 percent of new private sector jobs in the UK since 2010 have been created in the capital. What politician would dare mess with that?
Five years after that great gathering of leaders at the Excel Centre I find myself thinking once again of those two men who didn’t have the courage to put their names to their words. It enrages me to think they were right. | {
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AFP 17: Skill Transfer Mastery
The topic in episode 17 of the AdSense Flippers Podcast is very near and dear to our hearts and is probably the most effective strategy we’ve used to successfully scale personnel and processes across a wide range of projects. Growing a business is far from easy and the struggles many entrepreneurs and business owners face is the dilution of skills and abilities throughout their organization.
The Skill Transfer Mastery Process
When you’re a very small team working on a project, it’s easy to have the right skillsets in place and the efficiency you’re getting from each individual is likely to be high. As you find a need to grow your team outside of that initial core of people, you’ll find that efficiency can become diluted with the addition of new team members. Even for businesses that are growing and profitable, it’s critical that the organization remain lean through this period so that they don’t lose margins and advantage as they come out the other side of the growth tunnel. Using this 5-step skill transfer process will ensure that your team can maximize the strengths of the core group as you continue to expand outside of that small start-up phase.
Justin:
We’ve got a great episode lined up this week, we’re going to be talking specifically about Mastering the Skill Transfer Training Process; how to train your offshore or onshore VAs, and we’re going to get into that in a bit, but first we’re going to do some updates, some news and information. First thing we got is two brand new five star iTunes reviews, buddy.
Joe:
Hit me up, what did they say, Justin?
Justin:
Our first one is from SmellsLikeSuccess.
Joe:
Love it.
Justin:If you’re into Lifestyle Design and making a great income honestly from the internet, then AdSense flippers is a must-listen. Straight up five stars for A+ Dudes, in my book, wholeheartedly recommend, that’s awesome. I hope you’re continuing to smell like success.
Joe:
It’s better to smell like success than anything else you can smell like, probably.
Justin:
Better than like smells like failure, right? That’d be a lot worse. Next one is ManagerGuy, says: Joe and Justin are the real deal, great freeform on one and all things niche site building, and solid SEO tips that are easy to understand, and totally ninja. AdSense Flippers rock! Well, thank you ManagerGuy, hopefully can move on from your manager position, and start living the lifestyle dream. I don’t know, man, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be, the lifestyle dream, right?
Joe:
Yeah, we’ve put a lot of work into it, but you know, it beats being a manager, that’s for sure.
Justin:
Yeah, that’s true. Alright, so let’s get right into the next point, which would be our upcoming webinar. So we’re having our first-ever webinar on Thursday, man are you stoked?
Joe:
I’m stoked, and it’s filled up already, what’s up with that?
Justin:
I don’t know, man. So yeah, we put it out there, we allowed forty people to register, there are only two hundred spots, so I feel like a little bit of a jerk about that, but I’m really excited to get everyone on the webinar so we can really step through everything; and we’re also releasing our niche site guide.
Joe:
Yeah, I’m really excited about that, that’s going to be the coolest thing about this whole thing.
Justin:
Yeah, it’s awesome, man. I mean, that’s, I think we really could have charged a good amount of money for, that we’re able to offer up for free. So anyone that’s attending the webinar will get the first copy of that, and we should have a replay of the webinar, and the guide out within about a week after the first webinar.
Joe:
Yeah, and the technology we use for this particular one, limited as to two hundred, but we have found a way to expand that to a thousand, so I think the next time around we have a webinar, we’ll expand it to more people; so just be patient with us, and we promise, the next time we will get you included if you’re interested, and didn’t make it this time.
Justin:
But in this webinar, we’re doing a Long Tail Pro giveaway; we’re giving away five licensed copies of Long Tail Pro to five lucky people that attend. In the next webinar when we do a thousand, we’re going to do a follow-up to this one, where we kind of review the guide, do a lot more in depth, so as people go through the guide, they’ve had a couple of weeks to do that. We can kind of have a follow-up, and get some questions, and kind of get some conversation going there. So, you know, hopefully we’ll get some ideas on things we can change, and definitely for the next revision, how we can update our process.
Joe:
Yeah, I think the Q&A’s going to be the biggest part of this webinar, that’s going to be really, really cool, I’m really looking forward to that.
Justin:We did a private one for the Dynamite Circle, and we loved it. It was really cool ‘cause we got some tough questions, but really interesting questions about our process that we didn’t know we weren’t clear on; or that we honestly had to say we weren’t sure, we’ve just done it that way, and that’s the way we continue to do it. So it’s really interesting to see the questions come in, and it made me have to go back and research some of the stuff to figure out, make sure I knew what I was talking about.
Joe:
Yeah, if you’re going to be part of the webinar, definitely get us some good, hard questions, we like that.
Justin:
Next thing I want to mention is that you might have noticed we’ve got more content on AdSenseFlippers.com recently; that is thanks to my assistant, her name is Gaye, she’s doing a fantastic job, just want to give her a little props on the podcast.
Joe:
Yeah, just pumping out the content lately, huh?
Justin:
Yeah, she’s the one, man, that actually goes and puts these posts for the podcast, so she’ll have to go back and listen to it, when she hears this, I hope she has a smile on her face.
Joe:
When are we going to put some video together, and get that out there?
Justin:
I don’t know, man. We need to start working on that, right? That was one of our yearly goals is to make sure we’re pumping out some stuff on YouTube, so we need to get focused on that for sure. Last thing, man, what have you been working on?
Joe:
Ugh, I’ve been working with spreadsheets for the last two weeks. I think my eyes are getting a little cross-eyed, and it’s not from all the boxing I’m doing, either, it’s all those little numbers. But yeah, I’ve been working with some large private clients that are looking to make some rather big deals with us, buy a few hundred sites for several thousand dollars, so got to make sure our ducks are in a row, that we’re selling the right sites, and everything is clear. So that, you know, requires a good rollup of data.
Justin:
Yeah, we need to make a decision a while back, to choose whether we’re going to really start selling some sites off this next month, or we’re going to focus on really building out our process with link building, adding content managers; and we chose first to focus on our staff, and our internal process, and then to go out and start selling the sites. And I think that’s better, because if we get our staff trained, and ready to go, they’re going to be pumping out content, pumping out stuff while we’re fixing our process.
Joe:
Yeah, that’s the other thing…
Justin:
Or selling our sites, I mean.
Joe:
Right, that’s the other thing I’m focusing on this month is expanding our team, and we’re kind of changing some of the scope of that. Normally would say only hire in Davao, only hire local people that we can interview live; but we’ve kind of said, “let’s expand that to the rest of the Philippines, let’s use some more virtual staff, and let’s see if some of the training practices that we’ve developed live and in person work through a virtual system.”
Justin:
Yeah, we had to do that before, when we were in the US, and we first started hiring in the Philippines, so it’s interesting to go back to that after we’ve been doing this so long. But I really think that our training program, Mastering the Skill Transfer Process is really important. It’s easier to do in person, but it is something that can be done remotely, and we’re going to go through that in today’s heart of the episode. So let’s get right into that; this week’s heart of the episode, Mastering the Skill Transfer Training Process.
***** “The AdSense Flippers Podcast” *****
Justin:
So it’s important to remember that when you’re trying to transfer a skill to someone, it doesn’t matter whether they’re offshore, or onshore staff either, but you can only do this after you understand the process yourself first, and you have a clear way to transfer those skills to someone else. If you haven’t learned it, if you haven’t gotten it down, it’s going to be a mess trying to transfer that skill to someone else because you don’t know it.
Joe:
Yeah, I mean, we tell our outsourcing clients this all the time that the one running the training needs to be the one that’s the expert back home. So if you don’t know how to do it, you need to either learn it, or find someone who does, and they have to do the teaching.
Justin:
And we didn’t just come across this wonderful idea, we failed miserably multiple times until we were able to figure this out, like someone says, “Hey, you kind of want to do this, you want to be successful in this area, can you just do that? Can you just make us successful in this area?” Uh, no, we can’t ‘cause we’re going to suck at it.
Joe:
Yeah, and that includes reading a manual, or some sort of training guide, and you go, “Oh, well I have the material, but I never really done it, I’ll just hand that off to my assistant, or my employee, and they’ll just read through it and learn it.”
Justin:
Yeah. We had a buddy of ours that purchased all these thousand dollar, fifteen hundred dollar internet marketing courses, and they were really detailed, and hours of video, or whatever; and his idea was, I’ll just give this to an agent, have them learn it, and they’ll be my guru, my expert in this particular area.
Joe:Recipe for disaster, for sure.
Justin:
Yeah, horribly, you can’t just give someone a training program and say, “Run with it, you’re going to be an expert now.” It just doesn’t work, and he admitted to us honestly, that that was his plan to do it, but he’s not an outsourcer, that’s not his gig, so he hadn’t done that before. He’s here in the Philippines too. Yeah, one of the worst things you can do too, is to set long-term goals without putting milestones in place, like saying, “Here’s ultimately how I want it to look, just get me there.” The problem is they’re going to get all stopped up on this particular spot, on this particular spot, and if you don’t have those milestones in place, you can’t track or check their progress, right?
Joe:
Right, and it’s the old ODesk adage too, of someone that goes on ODesk and puts up an advertisement for “Make me a website that makes $300 a month,” and they don’t give any instructions on how to do it, or any milestones, or any tasks, or anything individual; they just put an ultimate goal, “This is what I want you to do, and can you do it for me?”
Justin:Oh, “and then I’ll pay you $300, onetime fee for that $300 a month site.”
Joe:
Yeah.
Justin:
But those people, really, they absolutely don’t know what they’re doing. I think some of the tips we have in here are going to be better for the people that actually do have kind of an idea, or but have stumbled on a couple of spots, I think we’ll really be able to help them out.
Joe:
But you got to remember, Justin, right, nobody cares as much about your business as you do.
Justin:
Yeah. Unfortunately, you’re the one that’s going to be protective of your baby, so if you, for example, hand over a process of checking out all your sites, even if you give them some details, they’re not going to be as meticulous, or care about it as much as you, so you can’t have them checking their own work, you have to be the one check their work, making sure the ship is righted, making sure it’s running correctly, thathas to be your responsibility. You can’t pass off responsibility to an agent, or to onshore or offshore staff; that doesn’t work.
Joe:
Yeah, again, that’s true anywhere in the world, I think. Employees never care as much about the business as the owner does; and you, as the owner, as the entrepreneur, need to take a vested interest in the direction of your assets.
Justin:
Yeah. So the real reason we’re doing this podcast too, as I’ve said on a previous podcast, I said if you haven’t got a process that works, go ahead and scale the shit out of it. The problem is we didn’t really talk about how to scale the shit out of it, right? So this is really what you’re going to do when you want to expand, when you have something that works, and you need to expand your team. There’s all kinds of steps or problems that can come into place if you don’t have that setup, so I’m assuming that you do, I’m assuming that you have a profitable process that you want to expand. If you don’t really know what you would have your agents doing, or something, then it’s probably not even a good idea to start offshoring, or even onshoring to a VA or something, it’s not the time to do that.
Joe:
Yeah, this training process, too, is general. What we’re going to talk about here can be applied to anything, so whether that’s teaching something in internet marketing, or teaching something in sports, whatever it might be; I mean, it was taught to us by one of our old mentors, a COO of the old company we used to work for.
Justin:
Yeah, the funny thing is, the skill transfer process was transferred to us from him for all the COO. I love that guy, dude, he’s so awesome, great mentor, really helped us out; and I’ll tell you, of all the things I learned from him, this might be one of the most critical, so I’m glad to share it today on the podcast.
Joe:
Yeah, and he was a big call center, offshore training guy, so that’s why we know that this process works. We’ve worked with it before with our own employees.
Justin:
Hundreds of employees we’ve done this with; he’s done this with thousands, over many, many years, so this is something that’s definitely been tested through. Basically, there are five steps to the process, the first is Explain, the second is Demonstrate, the third is Practice, the fourth is Observe, and the fifth is Feedback. And we’re going to get into each one of those steps individually, and go through it for you. So the first step of the entire process is Explain, and basically means this: let’s say you have an offshore agent that you’re looking to have do link building for you, what you want to do is you want to cover exactly why it is you’re building the links, what you expect that to do to the site, kinda give them, the agent the 30,000 ft view; you really want to talk about the point, or the purpose of what it is that you’re doing. Not all people are going to care, but for the ones that do, it’s going to be important for them, and for them to understand the entire process, and the point of the process is key. I think a lot of people have tried to outsource, and they say, “Ok, just step one, step two, step three,”and they don’t really know why they’re doing what they’re doing. To give them the background, it really helps, so that’s the first thing you want to start off with.
Joe:
Yeah, I think that purpose part shouldn’t be overlooked. Like you said, even though it can be very simplified, and can be very process-oriented when you outsource, purpose is important. That said, you do have to explain the process step by step with various mediums, right?You’re going to use audio, you’re going to screen-share, you’re going to use written directions, make sure they take notes, and you want to hit them from many different angles, and make sure they’re following along, and they’re understanding each step of the process as you explain it.
Justin:
Yeah, everyone has different learning styles, and way that they pick up and retain things. And it’s important onshore; when we were working in the US, we had people we were working with, we’d do it the same way, but it’s critically important when you look offshore, you’re dealing with different cultures, different ways of learning, different ways of thinking. So making sure that you have multiple mediums, and really trying them in different ways is critical to the success to the skill transfer. The other thing you want to do is make sure you’re asking open-ended questions all along the way. So you’re going to encourage questions to the employee, you’re not going to ask yes or no questions; why do we not ask yes or no questions, Joe?
Joe:
Because then they could just say “Yes” all the time…
Justin:
Yes! Oh yeah, yeah I understand that, yup, uh-huh, yup.
Joe:
And that’s a very common thing in Asian cultures, they just say yes when they actually mean maybe, or sometimes they even mean no. And it’s really frustrating, especially as Americans, we don’t do that.
Justin:
Yeah, I can imagine if you’re at home, and you’re trying to talk with your agent via Skype, or whatever, and they’re saying, “Yes, yes, I get it,” and the next day it wasn’t done. That could be so frustrating, but you have to understand that their yes may be a way of not wanting to anger you, making sure they can keep their job, making sure you’re pleased; that’s important to them, so asking open-ended questions gives you an idea, gives you some idea of where they’re coming from, whether they understand what you’re saying or not.
Joe:
Right, and I think you need to explain the process to them too. This process that we’re talking about right here, make sure they understand all five steps in skill transfer process. I remember when we started doing that here, in Davao, to our agents, we said, “This is why we ask if you understand, this is why we watch you do it, because we have a five step process for any training that we do.” And they go, “Oh, wow, sir, now I understand why you do it that way,” and so you actually help them to be more patient with the training, and do it our way, ‘cause they understood that if we follow the process, we have better results in the end.
Justin:
Yeah, and also making sure they have buy-in in the process, and they understand that it will be successful, will better understand what step they’re on, why they’re on the step, what’s going on, It’s critical. So I just did this with my executive assistant that we brought on, right? I mean, I basically sat her down and told her, her job responsibilities, why I need her to do the things I need her to do, how it benefits me, so she understands; basically her job is to take hours away from me. Her job is to save me time, and she can do a really good job when she knows the general aspect of her job, and what her purpose is.
So the second step in the process is to Demonstrate. Now it’s really important that you prepare yourself first. You have to know the process, and you don’t want any hiccups to interrupt the flow. So for example, I did a demonstration where I found a keyword that is something that we would use, and I put this in a blog post. The fact of the matter is, I wasn’t going through and trying to figure out why I did it, I found the keyword first, and then worked backwards. So I had already picked the keyword out, and showed you how I got to the keyword from the first step. This is important, it’s not very realistic, but it’s important to give them a good look in the demonstration, you don’t want to interrupt the flow, so you want to be extremely clear, you want to have tried it several times, and not allow the hiccups to throw you off.
Joe:
Yeah, make sure your technology is set. Test everything out beforehand, if you’re using some sort of screen sharing so you can walk them through live, make sure that’s working, you don’t want a whole bunch of problems and issues to come up ‘cause the demonstrate process is probably one of the more critical parts to this process. They’re all equally important, but demonstrate, if they don’t get it there because of some hiccups you had, they’re really going to lose the points.
Justin:
Yeah, this is the first introduction to the process, or introduction to what it is they’re going to be doing, and it’s really critical they see how it’s done the right way.
Joe:
And that said, you should stick to the norms, there’s a lot of processes that have exceptions, and sometimes you do this, and sometimes you do that; and that’s fine, but when you’re teaching the first demonstration of any process, stick to what happens the average amount of time.
Justin:
Oh God, Joe, I have to admit, I’ve donked that up before, man, where I was going through, I showed them, and I go, “Well, this isn’t always the case, and sometimes you’ll see this, and you’ll want to do this when that happens,” oh, you get so off track, and they look at you with this blank stare, like, “What the hell are you talking about?”
Joe:
Yeah, the worst comes to worst, you can always handle exceptions as they come up, right? Because after this whole skill transfer process is done, they’ll get to an exception to the rule, not know how to handle it, and come back to you, and then you can handle those exceptions as they come up.
Justin:
We’ll get into exceptions a bit more, ‘cause that’s definitely one of the later steps, but you want to communicate as you go, so it’s not just showing them, it’s also explaining what it is you’re doing. So you want to talk them, and walk them through it, so they get a feel for what you’re doing. Stop every little bit and make sure they understand where it’s going, how it’s working out, especially after you’ve already demonstrated it once or twice, you can start to break it down, start asking them questions, and that gets into the next step: you want to communicate as you go.
Joe:
Yeah, you can’t do this thing on a recorded level, it has to be done, live, ok? So that means screen sharing, or using Skype, or using video Skype, something like that, but you don’t want to use some sort of recorded technology, ‘cause that’s not what a demonstration process is about. Let me give you a great example, my assistant, who helps me with a lot of HR stuff, we’re using ODesk right now to hire some contractors all over the Philippines, and she has no idea how to use ODesk, ok? So I sat down with her…
Justin:
Great girl, little technology challenged though. I feel for her for sure.
Joe:
Right, and it can be very easy for us to pick up on these things, especially when I’m unfamiliar with a website, it’s easier for me to figure it out, she struggles with that. So we sat down together, I demonstrated how I found different contractors on ODesk, how I invited them to our job posting, how I followed up with them, how I went through and said who was good, and who was not, and excluded people from my list and whatnot; and showed her step by step what I did in the process.
Justin:
And the important thing is you didn’t show her the exceptions, you just went through the basic use case first, ‘specially when you’re demonstrating. So that was step two, let’s get right into step three, which is Practice. What you’re going to do here is basically go from Demonstrate to handing over the controls, so it’s not you in front of the computer, it’s not you clicking the buttons, it’s their turn.
Joe:
This is a tough one for me, you know, I hate to have to give up control of my computer, but when you’re doing this, especially for the first time, it’s really important that you give the other person the ability to use whatever it is, and if that’s a computer, then they should be using your computer as you’re watching them go, so that they can practice, and go through it. If it was a musical instrument, it would be the same kind of thing, right?
Justin:
Writing content, you’re going to watch them as they write the content, and jump in as necessary.
Joe:
Yeah, you got to stop them right away when they make a mistake, don’t wait until the end. This is the type, part of the process where you’re trying to weed out early on mistakes, and make sure they get it down end to end.
Justin:
Yeah, unlike the demonstrate process where you’re going through it, you want to be nice and clean, the practice step is not going to be as nice and clean. You’re going to be stopping them, and correcting them as you go along, fixing any errors that they have right there. So it’s kind of like, Oh, this is a bad analogy, but when you have a dog, and it does something bad, you want to stop it right there, like rub; you know what my mom used to do, she used to take the dog, and it would poop in the house, she’d like rub that dog’s nose in it. That’s kind of like this process. It’s not that bad, it sounds horrible, but you know what I mean.
Joe:
Yeah, I know what you mean, but the element that you can pull from the dog analogy is that if someone gets past the mistake, and then you try to go back and correct them, they’re not going to be familiar enough with the process in order to remember where that mistake was made, so that’s why you got to correct it immediately as they made it. For example, I was teaching someone how to use Google Calendar the other day, and how to set appointments and how to invite them, and I walked them through the entire UI, and this is very basic stuff, but it’s important that I let them take the controls, set up a calendar event, invite me and you to the calendar event, make sure it went all the way through, show them how we accepted it on our end, and made sure that any mistake they made was corrected immediately.
Justin:
Oh, that’s the wrong day, you need to change it ‘cause it’s US time, not Philippines time, that kind of thing, right?
Joe:
Right.
Justin:
The last point I’ll mention is that during the practice step, they’re going to bring up some things that they missed, that they completely missed, that they didn’t realize happen, in the explain or demonstrate step; and when they make that clear, when they let you know when it’s obvious that you get that blank stare, that, “I don’t know what the hell to do next” kind of look, you know that for your next time, the next time you’re doing a skills transfer process, you need to make that abundantly clear. You as the messenger, didn’t deliver that message very well.
Joe:
Yeah, that’ll make you a better trainer.
Justin:
So our fourth step in the process is Observe their work. Now here’s where the hands off work comes into play. So you’re going to allow them to work through the entire process without stopping. In the last one, they were practicing, you would stop them, try to correct errors, here they should have a pretty good feel for the entire process, and when you’re doing the last step, step three, you may need to do that a few times before you think they’re comfortable enough to actually go through it from start to finish. Once that’s done, you move on to this step, which is observe their work. You also want to encourage them to answer their own questions; so if they have a question, “What do I do in this step,” you can ask things like, “Well, what did I do in the demonstrate process? What would logically make sense, what’s the next step here?” “Ok, well I think I need to do this.” “Great, that’s fantastic.”
Joe:
Yeah, you want them to try to figure it out, if they don’t figure it out on their own, then they’re not making the connection, and you may have to back up a little bit.
Justin:
Yeah, you don’t want to step in and do it for them, that’s the key. Only step in if it completely shuts down, and they can’t move forward, but if they slow down for a little bit, or are a bit unsure, that’s typical here because they’re going to be unsure about the process the first time they’ve done it on their own before. So just let them get through it, help them to figure out the answers to their own questions.
Joe:
Yeah, if the flow’s horrible, obviously you can go back to the practice stage and sit with them where they’re at the controls, and you’re helping them through each step of the process; but I would say most people who get it will be able to work on their own, will be able to get through the process, and towards the end, you can even back off even further, where you’re just kind of watching them work, you’re not even concerned so much about what they’re doing.
Justin:
It’s easy to go back to the practice step at this point, because they’re doing it now anyway; so if you need to start jumping in again, go back to the practice step, and then the next time around, have them go through it completely on their own.
Joe:
Yeah, make sure you’re available during this stage, though. You don’t want to be so far away, or so distant, like offline, and they can’t ask you questions because if they get stuck during the observe phase, you want to be able to help them out.
Justin:
Yeah, so this is the period with agents that work from home, they need to be on just as their lieutenant needs to be on during this process. So eventually they can set their own hours, we allow them to do that, but they have to be on at the same hours their lieutenant’s on so that they can guide them through this process.
Joe:
So give us an example, Justin.
Justin:
Yeah, so we recently had to review the “Submit your article submissions” at our house, put it up on the big screen, and we had man, Sabine over here; so we were going through it, and after we had already done the other steps, I explained the process, I demonstrated it for them, allowed them to practice while I was stepping in; now I started to observe them, so I would watch what they’re doing, they would ask questions because they would stumble a little bit, “Oh, what do I do here, sir?” and I would explain it, “Ok, well, what do you think you need to do here,” try to help them figure it out. After a couple of rounds of that, I could completely back off, I could start to watch from afar, but I was still able to watch their work, I was there for them, able to review it with them. So the last step, the final step, is step five, and that’s Feedback. So now that they’re on their own, what you’re going to want to do is check their work, and provide critical feedback on the results. So basically, the last example with man, Sabine, they’ve done it a few times, I’ve watched them, helped them answer their own questions. Now I can back off, I don’t have to watch them to do their work, I just want to wait for them to finish, take a look at the end result, and then review it with them.
Joe:
Yeah, I think that this part is like the second most important part, next to demonstrate. If they don’t get the demonstration, then they’re not going to know how to do the process; but if you don’t get feedback on how well, or how badly they did the process, you’re not going to be able to determine how everything went in the entire skill transfer.
Justin:
Yeah, and then you can kind of back off a bit on this one to talk about, go back to the 30,000 ft view, and talk about whether this meets the objectives overall, and why what they’re doing is meeting the objectives or not, and then go into the specific steps, right?
Joe:
Yeah, I mean, you can compare the agent to the norm, your success, or compare against each other; something where you have some statistical data to make sure that they’re on the right track.
Justin:
Yeah, I want to make sure that the quality is on point. So if I can do it at say 100% quality, I want their quality to be 80-90%, or something as good as mine. If I know another agent is able to do seven of these per hour, I want to make sure that they’re getting that, that they’re getting close. It’s the end of the training process, they should be pretty close to stepping it up to where the other agents are, right? Here’s the thing too where you want to from reviewing each step, so like every time you have them do it, you say, “Ok, well here’s the feedback on this process,” they do a few, and you give them feedback on the few that they did. Finally you’re going to get it to a daily thing, where they give you the results daily, and you give them feedback. Ultimately, you want to get it to a weekly process, or a weekly feedback thing where they’re sending you weekly reports. Right now, we have our agents sending our lieutenants daily reports, and then our lieutenants roll that up into a weekly report for us.
Joe:
Yeah, I mean feedback step is going to be an ongoing process. Something that really is never finished, you always want to look at feedback and make sure that your agents are in line with what the norm should be because if it starts deviating, then something’s broken, and that’s when you need to adjust. And that’s why the reports that our lieutenants send us every week are so important.
Justin:
Yeah, I’ve reviewed those reports, and sometimes seriously, I give them 90 seconds, and other times, I’ll look at it for five minutes, review the over – making sure that the report jives with what’s going on, email them back questions if I think – especially if someone’s kind of getting, it’s kind of going dark, or something seems to be off in that particular process, that I’ll start to dig in a little bit, and make our lieutenants find out what the heck’s going on. So those are the five steps to the skill transfer process, Explain, Demonstrate, Practice, Observe, and Feedback. Let’s get into a few of the do’s and don’ts of the skill transfer process.
Joe:
Yeah, one of the biggest things, don’t move past the phase without making sure they understand the previous phase, and if that means you have to go back to the last phase and do it again, then that’s what you need to do.
Justin:
Next thing, don’t ask yes or no questions; as we said earlier, many cultures overseas will say yes to please you, but they won’t actually mean it, they’re just saying it to be nice, or because they don’t know what else to say.
Joe:
So important, especially in the Philippines. Don’t skip any steps and get lazier, it’s really easy to do that, especially when you’re in the middle, going from something like the demonstrate to practice phase, just skipping over practice and go directly to observe. No, you need to sit there with your agent, with your assistant, and actually have them practice.
Justin:
Yeah, I think a really bad one you can skip over is observe, you have them practice, you need to skip the observe and feedback, and they just do it for two weeks, and you find out it’s completely ruined. I’ve heard so many complaints, especially from IMers, actually, where they had a problem with this, and they’re like, “I don’t understand why the work was so bad,” well, did you observe what they were doing? Did you get to give them feedback on what they were doing? Some really critical pieces to the process.
Joe:
Yeah, they rush through the process probably.
Justin:
Make sure that you do use real world cases in your demonstrate set. So you want to use things that are actually real world, not just totally prepped; for example, if you’re using keywords, you want to use actual keywords that you would use, and not use an example that isn’t enough searches, or anything like that, you want to use real world stuff.
Joe:
Right, and I would also say that this is a great process to train your lieutenants on, so do make sure to train them, and make sure they know the steps for this training process, in fact, you can use this process to do skill transfer, you can skill transfer using the Skill Transfer Process.
Justin:
That’s what happened to us, right? That’s how we learned it.
Joe:
Yeah, exactly, and then they can use it to train their people that work for them, and it really works in a great cycle.
Justin:
It’s cool, ‘cause then you can overstep, basically you can provide them feedback on their skill transfer training with their agents, people that work for them. It’s really critical that you teach this skill to your supervisors, and that’s a great way to build up your middle management team. You also want to make sure that you do be patient. Frustration on your part can lead the trainee to worrying more about your anger or frustration than actually learning. And we’ve seen this before too where you just get frustrated, or like you’re worried, and they go, “No, no, no, it’s ok, I got it, I got it.” And then they didn’t get it, and it’s a mess.
Joe:
Yeah, I struggle with this a lot, especially with people that are technologically impaired, they have trouble, what to click on, can’t figure out an interface that’s new to them, things that seem really simple and easy to me because I’ve been using computers so long, it makes me think that they’re not as smart as they are. But that’s not the case, you just need to be a little more patient with them, and make sure they understand it; and they’ll be a better employee for it later on.
Justin:
I had a family member that I struggled with, I was trying to get her to figure out auto- bowl. Oh, my Lord, man! Two hours to get signed up for, and like ready to go with auto- bowl. I wanted to pull my hair out, man.
Joe:
Well, that may be a little bit more of an extreme example.
Justin:
I know, I know. all about skill transfer process, this is a family member that bought an auto- bowl account for, but yeah, man! So frustrating. Last thing I will mention though is that you want to make sure that you document this training process so that either the agents, or yourself can review it at a later date. While you are transferring the skill yourself, it’s important that you get better at doing it as well. It’s a great learning experience for you, and the better skilled you are at this, the quicker you can get your agents, or your team up to speed.
Joe:
Yeah, the old adage is you learn by teaching, and I think that’s really so true. The more times you go through this process with agents, you’ll notice that you learn a little more and more about it every time, and you refine it, and you get better, and you’ll be able to teach it better.
Justin:
Absolutely, Joe. Well, and that’s the heart of this week’s episode. Let’s get right into our ninja marketing tips, tricks, and our plans for the future.
***** The AdSense Flippers podcast continues… *****
Justin:
So our first two tips are from you, Joe, what do you got?
Joe:
The first one is join.methat’s not, join.me.com, or anything like that, no it’s join.me. That’s a great screen share software, it doesn’t require a download, or anything like that. Skype allows you to share your screen right now, but it doesn’t allow you to take over the other person’s computer, and that’s kind of the advantage of this piece of software. It’s free, doesn’t require a download, doesn’t require admin access, or anything like that, so it’s kind of nice if you’re working with an agent that has a limited computer.
Justin:
The other problem with Skype too, is that if you’re not on the same version, of if they have an older version, then it’s not going to work, or not work as well.
Joe:
Yeah, and then you can’t screen share with multiple people with Skype, at least for free. Join.mewill allow you to do that, so it’s nifty, it’s not the fastest thing in the world, but it does work, it’s good enough. Talking about more free software, something that you can use for training, we love screen casting, so Screen-o-maticis a good software that’s free, give you basic screen editing, screen casting editing tools, whatnot. It’s not going to be as good as Camtasia, which is definitely the premiere software out there, it’s very functional, but that’s also $300.
Justin:
Yeah, if you want to see examples of what we’ve done on Screen-o-matic, you can check out our YouTube page: youtube.com/adsenseflippers; and we’ve got a few videos up there that are using Screen-o-matic. Next point is kind of a plan for the future, let you know what’s going on; as we’ve said before, we’re working on niches for charity.com, which is basically a site we’re going to create niche sites, give them earning, and give that money to charity, especially local charities here. We’re going to be going over some of the content, adding the content. We had a meeting with Spencer from nichepursuits.comabout this, and we’re going to start writing out the content this month, and probably start pick out our keywords, and starting to build the sites out early next month, so the site nichesforcharity.comwill be live in May. We’re excited about that.
Joe:
Yeah, I’m keen to get it started, and see how it takes off.
Justin:
The next thing I want to talk about is we need your help. We’re considering doing a weekly keyword newsletter. Basically what this would be is kind of a walkthrough on exactly what process we use to get the keywords, and give out a couple of examples of keywords that we would use, or wouldn’t use, and why. And we’re planning on doing this on a weekly basis. Another thing I want to do there, is we get a lot of authority type niches that we couldn’t necessarily go after with our types of niche sites, and we’re thinking about picking them up and offering them for sale on that newsletter. So if you’d be at all interested in that, I’d really like to hear from you. Please go to our site and leave a comment under this podcast episode. I’d like to know what you think about our keyword newsletter.
Joe:
Yeah, and that would just be the domains, right, Justin? Not a full featured site?
Justin:
Yeah, yeah it would just be the domains, just explain our keyword process, why one is a winner, why one is a loser, and this would be additional keyword research, ‘cause we get a lot of extra keywords every week right now, that we’re not using. So the ones that we’ll just pick randomly the ones that would have selected, and put those in our weekly newsletter.
Joe:
So, something else I’m working on in the future is a good statistical analysis of our numbers. We need to know a good idea of how much our sites are making on average per month.
Justin:
How long we keep them, right?
Joe:
Yeah, these kind of things that I think we have good ideas before based on what’s coming from AdSense, but I need to take those reports, export them in Excel and make some pretty nice charts, and graphs, and make sure it all is accurate so that just when we talk about it, we can reliably back it up with the numbers.
Justin:
Also, I want to know historically, how well our sites do, where they’re trending, are the newer sites that we’re building: are they better or worse? And then we can start to look at why, and make sure that we’re progressing, make sure that our sites are getting better over time. I think we’ve done a good job with the content, but I’d like to make sure that the sites are earning a bit more as well, so we’re going to be looking at that over the next several months, and we should have some numbers in the next couple of weeks.
Joe:
Yeah, I’ve been reading up on a lot of advanced math stuff that I won’t bore you with the details here, but going to put it to good use, and come up with some nice charts and graphs that you can use in a blog post.
Justin:
Well, that’s it for episode 17 of the AdSense Flippers Podcast. Thanks for having you with us, make sure to check us out on Twitter, @adsenseflippers, or Facebook.com/empireflippers. We’d love to see you, and we’re having a webinar this Thursday, if you’re on it, we’ll see you on Thursday.
Joe:
Bye-bye, everybody!
Topics Discussed This Week Include:
Our upcoming webinar, our new guide, and the increase in content on AdSenseFlippers.com
Poll – Would you be interested in a free weekly keyword newsletter where we walk through our KW research process to show you what we would and would not pick for our sites?Let us know in the comments below!
[…] of months, which is fantastic. We put out (what I think is our BEST to date) a podcast episode about Skill Transfer Mastery this month. If you’re at all involved in training virtual assistants or in-house staff, […]
Signing up for a keyword newsletter is a no brainer. You start it, I’m there. Buying domains is a little more complicated but it’s something I’m definitely interested in, especially if it would reduce the time I spend on keyword research.
Yes, the newsletter will be just to help you get a feel for what we do and use to find out if we think we have a chance to rank. We’ll have purchased the domains beforehand and will offer them up for sale, along with some authority site keywords we’re not targeting that will be higher-priced, most likely. No push to buy them, just available if someone wants to pick them up!
Glad to see you addressing the skills training issue … especially the issue of not finding enough staff locally. One of the “biggest lies” I’ve been watching over the past few months is the BS that comes from a lot of people who talk about outsourcing, but have no idea of the realities.
You can do a lot of good by continuing in your present discussion/training direction, because there are a lot of potential outsourcing employees and tons of potential employees out there ‘lost in the cosmos’.
I’ve been doing some deep data diving into keyword search volume & estimated PPC, but I’m left now with trying to effectively evaluate and rank a couple thousand potential winners to decide which to start with in my first batch of niche sites.
I’d really like to see real examples from you guys on things like:
‘first page result red flags’,
‘this domain is compatible with our model (i.e. the web searcher isn’t looking for a blog with adsense, they want a specific ecommerce store?) and so we will not use it’,
‘rock bottom search volume for a purchase’,
‘rock bottom estimated per click payment for a purchase’,
‘how do you feel about brand names in domain names?’
etc.
If you want more ideas for the newsletter let me know, I got tons of questions!
Those are some of the exact topics we were looking to cover. It would probably be short/sweet at first, just covering a couple of keywords each week. The idea for the newsletter would be a “freemium” model, I think. We can share a few keywords in the free newsletter, but offer many more in the premium version. In the free newsletter we can also offer a few domains for sale if you’d like to buy them from us…a couple micro-niche domains and a few that we came across that are better for an authority site project and would have a higher pricetag.
Hey Mike, absolutely agreed. I laid out the skill transfer steps in a comment on LeavingWorkBehind.com and it reminded me how important this has been to our business…thought we should share what’s worked fantastically for us.
I’ve found the same exact thing. When making screencasts and documentation for VA,’s you have to really spell out each little step, with no room for interpretation. It must be foolproof. I’ve often gone back several times to further refine instructional material to make it easier to follow – in bite size pieces. | {
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Digital marketing; the industry that probably has the most grey areas when it comes to the understanding of what it actually is (and the hardest to explain when asked what it is you do). With such a wide variety of digital services, activities and marketing methods, simply knowing what “digital marketing” comprises of is actually a difficult task in itself, never mind trying to implement it yourself.
Perhaps you don’t work in the industry and find yourself wondering what we do, or maybe as a business, you might have been advised to hire an agency. You might have read about how important it is, and how it can really help your business grow. But why? Why is digital marketing so important? Will it actually garner results? And why can’t you do it yourself, rather than ask an external company to do it for you?
One things for sure, your competitors - you know, the ones that grind your gears because they seem to be outperforming you day in day out - well, it’s safe to say they have asked themselves the above questions and 90% of them will have seeked professional help. So if you don’t want to get left behind, we’d advise reading up a bit more on the subject, and putting together plans to outsource your digital marketing. But to get a head start and put your mind at a little more ease, we have aimed to answer most of the preliminary questions that may be eating at you:
What is Digital Marketing?
Simply put; digital marketing is entirety of marketing you do online.
It comes in many different forms. There are lots of different ways to market yourself online and choosing the right method is essential for success. If you use the internet (who doesn’t, these days?) then you’ll be aware of how advertising works on this particular platform.
Seen an ad on Facebook? That’s digital marketing. Maybe someone has popped into your LinkedIn Inbox, that’s digital marketing. Heck, even the order in which your google search for “funky and mildly offensive Halloween costume ideas” appears is a big part of digital marketing.
And it isn’t only the strategy and paid placement of the adverts you see, it is the sales copy, the digital imagery / motion graphics, the structure of the URL – all designed to compel you to buy that item. We could go for days describing the intricacies of digital, but to summarise, digital marketing is essentially a way to sell products and services online. The digital age is not just upon us - it’s in full flow, meaning most businesses will find their target audience online, and if they ignore this, they’re missing out on a major source of revenue.
Why Outsource to a Digital Marketing Agency?
As a small/medium business owner, sure, you may be thinking “I can do this myself, it’s only social media, I use Facebook all the time” - with the greatest amount of respect, oh how wrong you are.
Digital marketing is not easy and, depending on the size of your business, can not be handled by a single person, or even a few people. That’s because there are many different disciplines within digital marketing – and you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who can cover everything.
You need someone familiar with paid media. Another who can focus on organic search. Another that is a copy writing Guru, and another who can turn words into inspiring and engaging imagery. Perhaps you want an on network app designing, well you’ll need a developer/designer for that, and hey, who is even coming up with all of these campaign ideas, oh yes, you’ll definitely need a digital strategist.
Full disclosure, to be successful at digital inhouse, you’re looking at hiring 5-6 people if you want to cover all services. And don’t get us wrong, if you have the budget to do so, the time to hire and the expertise to figure out who’s bluffing in the interview (believe us, there’s a lot of that in this industry), then by all means hire an inhouse team.
On the flip side, if you’re an SME that has limited but enough budget, it makes much more sense to pay an agency, which tend to be stocked with experienced individuals across all areas. Mainly because it’s a lot cheaper, but also because it means you don’t have to worry about doing the work yourself. Leave it to the experts.
What Digital Marketing Services Are There?
So down to the nitty gritty, what service do you even need? Time after time, we have experienced clients adamant they want a “social media strategy” to generate more leads to their business” as one of their friends has said “social media is the way forward”. And while social media is most definitely a great service, it is not necessarily the be all and end all of digital - and this is where another benefit of an agency comes in. A good agency will drill down and ask you questions about everything you want to achieve. Only from there will we then recommend what service / mix of services to use. If you had come to an agency asking for social, but they don’t believe that particular channel will convert, but instead Google advertising will, then a good and worthwhile agency will tell you that straight up. After all, they’re the experts in this field, not your friend who told you posting 5 times a day on social will generate you thousands of new leads!
So what services are there?
You might just want to focus on one or two, or you might want the full service approach.
As mentioned, agencies will typically help you decide which areas to focus on. Good agencies won’t force you to buy services you won’t need – as it will look bad on them when they don’t deliver results. To give you a brief overview, we have listed the core services you might find in digital marketing below:
PPC – Also known as Search Engine Marketing. A solid PPC expert will produce Google ads for your business that appear at the top of those search results pages. Your ads will be competing against the ads of your competitors.
PPC stands for Pay-Per-Click – and the idea is that you pay a small fee every time somebody clicks on your ad and is directed to your website.
SEO – Also known as Organic Search, is the process of trying to get your business to appear in the top/higher positions of a Google search. For example, say you’re selling blue shoes. If somebody searches for ‘buy blue shoes’ – you want your website to appear first – or second, if not.
This is where SEO comes in. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It involves making sure your website is sound from a technical perspective, has useful, relevant content, and is considered to be an authority by other websites.
Content Marketing – Content is essentially all marketing, due to every aspect of marketing needing some form of content - It can be a blog post, an infographic, a video, an animation, an interactive web page, or even a quiz. A piece of content that people want to read or watch, or play around with, and then share with their friends and colleagues.
Social Media – There are two sides to social media, paid and organic. Paid is when you pay to push adverts for your business to people’s feeds, whether that’s on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram. Organic is when you simply post things on your social accounts for your followers to read, with the aim of gaining even more followers. A good social media strategy will feature both paid and organic elements.
How to Choose the Right Digital Marketing Agency?
As with any high involvement transaction, before settling on a digital marketing agency, most businesses tend to seek a proposal from a selection. And rightly so! You may want to judge agencies based on experience, cost, ideas, transparency and sometimes even location.
It’s worth taking the time to research a few different companies, and ask them if they’d like to submit a proposal. What you need to look out for is quality over quick selling. Many agencies will take advantage of your lack of digital knowledge, sell you fluff and in the end not deliver on their promises. It is essential that you pick an agency as transparent, honest and as realistic as possible.
Also make sure the agency has a full grasp of your business ideals, morals and overall aim. There is nothing worse than a working relationship whereby either party is on two different wavelengths!
How Do I Know I’ve Chosen the Right Agency?
Ultimately, its up to your agency to demonstrate the work they’re doing is producing results, meaning you won’t really know 100% until the working relationship has started.
Monthly / quarterly reports are typical – you should be sent information regarding your campaign, how its going, what results have been achieved etc.
You generally should also be able to call or email your contact at the agency to ask questions, or request an update at any time. A worthwhile agency will keep you in the loop, inform you of any major developments and explain what they’re doing to improve performance.
At least, that’s how we do things here at Tuskany!
If you’re ready to hire a digital marketing agency, or even just want to know a little more and understand how it may benefit you, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Give us a call on 07 577 1630 or email [email protected] | {
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*ost
I wasn’t totally up for posting for the transvisibility thing, I’ll be 100% honest its hard to see people who can pass their gender when I feel like I’m stuck at stage 1 with 0 validation for who I am.
I want to kindly say; fuck validation. Fuck finding self worth in the eyes of others. And most sincerely, fuck every single person who tried to invalidate my identity because I present myself feminine. I present myself feminine for the social satisfaction; I’m a high school student and this shit is already hard without the outside criticism. I’ve been trans for 3+ years now, living in a household where my identity is something only I know. I wasn’t allowed to cut my hair, wear anything more masculine than neutral. I felt like barbed wire and garbage in a body, I think is the best way to describe it. Because it hurts and it fucking sucks. It took more guts than I thought I had to come out to my parents. And it’s so recent, I can’t say how things will go from here. But my parents are supportive and assured me hopefulness.
I think my biggest problem was I never saw much hope at all. I never saw someone I could look at with a glimmer of some sparkly fucking revelation that things will get better for me. But I did. I did in the people I meant. I was scared to death because the last thing I wanted was for my parents to disapprove the person I’ve been screaming for years to know. But they didn’t. And I don’t think enough people can see that, that in dark places it’s hard to find that bright sparkling eyesore revelation that things will be okay. I want people to find that. I want people to find happiness, and I want them to smile so big and shove that happiness down people’s throat like a hard pill to swallow, and I want it to be contagious as hell. I think hope passes on to people, because it’s hard to stay in a negative state of mind when you see someone in your same situation find happiness. You see yourself in the people who suffer but I want you to see yourself in the people who suffered and got the hell out of there. I want you to see yourself in the people who found happiness, because I did and now I’m here. And I have a long way to go but I’m so ready for that, and I’m so ready to turn around and say fuck you to everyone who told me otherwise.
I hesitated to post anything today because it’s far easier to sit back than take the risk of the hate I get the moment I seem happy with who I am. People hate that. But I’m happy with who I am, whether I look “too feminine” or not. Fuck that.
He/him || transgender || 16 ✌️
i got really excited early and i love seeing all of these really cool trans people on my dash so i just took really quick selfies at lunch and posted them but now i’m home and i wanted to take more?? today is just such a good day and i love being trans and i love everything.
hey! my names jackal! i’ve been out as trans for abt two years now and yeah, soooo many people think I’m going through a phase, or I’m trans because boys don’t like me and i want to get their attention, or i’m doing it because one of my siblings is also trans. It really sucks??? Having to try to constantly validate yourself to people that won’t matter to me in a couple of years, and idk i just wanted to say that even if everyone doubts you there’s a huge community of trans people that are there for you and I think about that often when I’m upset about my gender and how some people in my family perceive me and i’m just really glad I have the privilege of knowing all of these amazing trans people, and man i just luv you all. I hope everyones having a good transgender day of visibility!
I got a lot of demands response from this post asking what 1920′s link and gan would look like.So here is mob boss gan and street rat link uvu I really like this idea so I’ll probably draw more of it soon but other au’s are calling >u>; | {
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How to obtain a certificate of good conduct
If you are going to study abroad or plan to apply for a prestigious job in an international company, to enter into a marriage with a foreigner, to issue citizenship, you may be asked to provide a certificate about your lack of a criminal record.
To obtain a certificate of criminal records is possible in the local body of internal Affairs at the place of residence or at the Information Center of the Ministry of interior. Complete the application, indicate the surname, name, patronymic, date and place of birth, nationality and place of residence. In addition, if you have changed name or surname, it should also be noted. Such a statement, you must provide personally at the same time presenting a passport.
2
If you have no opportunity to obtain such a certificate, use the services of the mediator, issued a notarized power of attorney on the representative of this company. All the work for you will make a different person. You just have to come at the appointed time and pick up a certificate, not forgetting to pay the agreed amount for services. Typically, intermediaries offer to issue a certificate in 2-4 weeks.
3
Often the receipt of the certificate of no criminal record is required when work visas or residence permit or permanent residence. In this case, you must provide certificates from all countries where you lived more than 6 months from 18, and in some cases 16 years. If you, for example, studied at the University of the same country, then worked in another, you will need the help of the two countries. Where to go? Don't make the expensive trip all the republics and countries where he once lived. Go to the Embassy or Consulate of the desired country, write on it the application form, attach a copy of your passport. In a statement, don't forget to specify when and where exactly you lived in this country. If you have kept copies of the documents confirming this information, please attach to the application.
4
Your application will be processed and examined within one month, if you get a certificate on the territory of Russia. Much more time it would take to get help from another country. In this case, get help from your acquaintances, friends, relatives by issuing them a power of attorney. Or refer to the services organizations that provide such services. Then you don't have to worry and be nervous about burning time.
Note
Remember that in the future to provide help in your desired organization, you may need:
- translation of certificates into foreign language
legalization of certificate of no criminal record in a foreign Consulate
- apostille
Useful advice
The validity can range from 3 months to an unlimited period.
Specify the requirements of organizations that require you have this document.
Certificate of good conduct is issued absolutely free of charge. You can get it personally in the organization where you applied, or you will send it by mail (which takes much more time). | {
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} |
Month: April 2017
With over 20 years experience and exposure to small business, we have learned an enormous amount on what to do and what to avoid. You don’t need to go through all the problems we experienced trying to start-up a small business. We’re happy to share our secrets with those who’d like to listen. Yes, we’ve made mistakes. Some only small, others took us to the brink of bankruptcy! But the great thing is we learned from them and took away important lessons each time.
We took these lessons, and combined with our formal Business Management and Development Training, have developed our 7 Vital Keys To Small Business Success. These are the very same Quick and Easy Systems we used to grow our Successful International Franchise Network.
Yes! We went from our garage to franchise in under 12 months, and International Franchise in just over 2 years. We later sold our interests, and profited further from our systems. Our processes are easy to understand , with clear methods to follow. By following our 7 Vital Keys To Small Business Success program, you could quickly establish your own small business, helping you enjoy the lifestyle you desire and the freedom to be your own boss. We know it works. We have seen these processes repeated over and over. Small Business should be about working smart, not working yourself into the ground.
Starting a Small Business can be risky. About 80% of small businesses fail in the first 2 years. So why do people keep doing it, you ask? Why put your money, family and reputation on the line, just to follow your dreams? Because it’s such a wonderful feeling to start-up and run your very own successful small business. You don’t need to go it alone, though. There is help. Overcome the statistics and be one of the successful few. Start your small business with the right help and know how. You will achieve amazing results in the best possible time, with less headaches, and saving you hard earned dollars along the way.
Ensures that the Government of Castilla-La Mancha and CECAM “working in the same direction, which is to create jobs and wealth for our region”
Spain, May 25, 2013 – The Minister of Employment and Economy Regional Executive, Home Carmen said that “entrepreneurs are the engine of economic recovery and a source of employment in Castilla-La Mancha, in collaboration with the government led by Maria Dolores Cospedal “.
Home This was said during a meeting with the president of the Confederation of Employers of Castilla-La Mancha (CECAM), in which we have analyzed the measures it has put in place the regional government to accelerate economic recovery and employment.
In this regard, he indicated that the regional government “is very clear that the revitalization of the productive and commitment to innovation and modernization passes businessmen and entrepreneurs of Castilla-La Mancha, because without them there is no business, and without businesses can not create jobs. ”
The Minister also referred to the latest economic indicators, which he described as “encouraging” Thus, stressed the sale of new vehicles in Castilla-La Mancha in the last month, which has increased by 23.6 percent, compared to 10.8 percent of the national average, the Business Confidence Index from 6.5 in Castilla-La Mancha against the national average of 3.6, or increasing the number of self in the last month 0.31 percent.
Home has expressed its belief that “the measures taken by the government of Castilla-La Mancha are beginning to bear fruit, something that is being endorsed by economic data that reflect a slight change of trend”
In this regard, he said that “despite the difficulties, we were able to ensure basic social services, meet the deficit target and, above all, to show that the measures we have taken were correct.”
As an example, he recalled that “only the Ministry of Employment and the Economy will invest 95 million euros in 2013 to encourage entrepreneurship and to create jobs through measures such as the Development Plan for the Recruitment, Development Plan of Self-employment agreements with financial institutions, the Investment Plan and Employment Creation or the Internationalization Plan of Castilla-La Mancha, among other measures. ”
Finally, Casero wanted to highlight the important work CECAM with Nicholas Angel in the lead, to streamline and improve the business of Castilla-La Mancha. “The Government of Castilla-La Mancha and CECAM working in the same direction, which is to create jobs and wealth for our region,” he concluded.
Tips For Mom Entrepreneurs To Get Down To Business
If you’ve ever attempted to get anything done with a toddler around, you know it’s no cakewalk. It’s a challenge to do the dishes or the laundry (shower, anyone?) let alone actual, potentially lucrative work. Here are 5 ways that you can get down to business, even if it means doing these things between phone calls, diaper changes and mealtimes:
1-Find a need and fill it
Stop staring at the competition. Dont take someone elses idea or existing business, tweak it, and try to call it your own. Take a look at your life, your needs, wants and desires. Ask yourself, what would make your life easier? Find out how to help your friends do X if you have created Y? Filling a void in the market is, in theory, a cinch. Fill a need stop procrastinating. And not by thinking about it, talking about it or dreaming about itdo it
.
2-Create A Plan Of Action
Do not write up a business plan. Dont even Google the words “business plan.” Mom entrepreneurs dont have time to put together a lengthy, heady write-up of profits, losses and EBITDA (wha? Take a pen and write out your plan. Get the gist? Then dive in. Try things out. The more you work on your business idea, the more thrilled you will be to see it in actionand it will keep you building.
3-Work With Your Kids, Not Around Them
Stress being the killer that it is, skip it altogether. Dont fret the childcare or sweat the pick-ups/drop-offs. Incorporate your childs schedule into your work day. Teach them to play the Silent Game while youre on the phone. Have them create something you can hang in your office. And when that noisemaker screams during your conference call? Skip the embarrassmenta whole lot of people also have kids.
Theyll understand
Promise.
4-Embrace the web
The interwebs are your friends. You don’t have to get hooked into social media like facebook and twitter, but don’t stay away either. Make sure youre connecting with folks who can help you along in your business. Find local groups like The Founding Moms where you can meet up with fellow mom entrepreneurs face-to-face. Grow your network who will, in turn, help you and your business grow.
5-Meet up with fellow mom entrepreneurs
Theres nothing like meeting someone in-person. You should embrace the web and all that it has to offer. But, get out of the house. Not only will it bring you great joy to smile at other human beings, but your kids will appreciate staring at new walls, too. Tell us your trials and tribulations of being a mom entrepreneur, then shake hands with like minded people and know your not alone.
Youll thank yourself.
Call Center Franchises and Remote Pizza Agent offer professional yet personalized telephone support for established and growing businesses alike – from answering the clients calls when they cannot, to telephoning potential customers and arranging appointments on their behalf. In fact, they can handle just about any activity which involves using the telephone effectively.
The Norbells vision is to ensure service offerings were more custom-made to the clients needs and budget. Our pricing structures are completely transparent, enabling clients to easily calculate their return on investment. Future of Call Center Franchises is very exciting and bright.
Are you interested in starting your own business but afraid of doing it all on your own?
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The reputation of Norbell speaks for itself. Entrepreneur has consistently ranked Norbell finest in the worldwide Call Center Franchising and Remote Pizza Agent category. With our franchisees operating around the world, weve grown and developed a unique business strategy and methods of operation that are designed to help you quickly start a profitable, sustainable business.
Foundation of the most trusted and profitable franchising program are Training and Support. This is the reason that we dont require you to have technological and consulting experience. Youll learn the methodology and principles of a successful franchise in our extensive Certification procedure. Youll then be ready to create a profit-driven and knowledgeable Call Center or Remote Pizza Agent Franchise, all the while making use of our on-demand support structure to help you along.
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TANNAN’S BANKING LAW AND PRACTICE IN INDIA- is a classic legal Treatise and most comprehensive, authentic, authoritative, widely acclaimed,appreciated, recognised and recommended masterwork on the Banking Law and Practice in India since decades, to be precise since 84 years of thefirst edition of this most prestigious book in 1926.
TANNAN’S BANKING is undoubtedly one of the best in the Banking Law field. Every edition of this book has sold like proverbial hot cakes, pointingclearly to its scholastic wealth on the subject, its deft handling by the authors its usefulness, utility and eventually the popularity of the book in the field.
TANNAN’S BANKING in its every edition is eagerly awaited and widely welcomed by the people in the Banking Law field. Present edition is nowreleased with the pride and glory of the previous editions. It is a unique and authentic publication of its kind, authored by a renowned personality, having tremendous knowledge and authority over the subject. New edition is completely revised and updated. The present Revised and Enlarged edition contains 76 Chapters covering entire spectrum of Banking Law and Practice. It contains most upto-date Statute Laws, Case Laws and RBI Master Circulars, Guidelines and Directions and other related matters annotated under appropriate discussions.
TANNAN’S BANKING has always been prescribed and recommended by Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF), Promotion Tests, Internal andother Exams and is cited and quoted by Hon’ble Supreme Court, High Courts and Tribunals in various judgments.
This most authoritative Treatise is an indispensable guide and reference work for the Banks and Financial Institutions (FIs), Legal Officers, BankingExperts, Branch Managers, Bankers for Promotion Tests, Internal exams, exams conducted by the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBS), other Universities and Management Institutes, Staff Training Colleges, Law Colleges, Commerce Colleges, Professors of Banking, Academicians, Chartered Accountants, Practitioners, Advocates, Lawyers, Hon’ble Courts, Judges, Bench and the Bar.
Canada is the best place for property investment. Many foreign investors are interested in buying property in Canada. As real estate investment in Canada offers some value. There are many advantages of buying the investment property in Canada. Although Canada is less expensive place to live and the standard of living is high.
How Canada come up as a Hot Investment Destination?
One thing that makes Canada a unique place is a beautiful landscape that has left with a large unspoilt and undeveloped locations of Canada. The mixture of modernism with the rustic charm of natural features and attractions is what defines Canada.
The near by cities of US-Canadian border have much developed to be in count of modern twenty-first century cities. Canada has enjoyed the pleasure of getting the maximum status in the worlds top most livable cities. This is because of the huge development in the country. Focus on development of Canadian cities is the major factor of becoming it as the hottest property investment destination of the world.
Why most of the people prefer property investment in Canada ?
Property agents, foreign investors and Canadian citizens are interested in buying the property in Canada, as Canada becomes the most desirable place to live. So the property investment in Canada is also becoming the most attractive prospect. Moreover, the property in Canada has good value because of the increasing demand day by day and as a reaction of which the value of property will also go on rising day by day. The most beneficial part of purchasing property in Canada is that the land is less expensive and the cost of living is lower but the standard of living is high.
Following are the ways to find the investment property in Canada:
-Talk to people. Let them know that you are looking for property and sometimes the property will come to you through them. There are lots of people who havent listed their property but want to sell.
-Online searching. Use internet for searching. Open any browser, enter the type of property, along with the city name where you want to invest in.
-Pay attention to different sign boards like “For Sale by Owner”. Owners often do this to get direct buyers without spending much on ads.
-Search abandoned properties. This type of property, owner might sell cheap.
-Contact to some good property agents. They will charge you but you will get your desirable property.
-Old FSBO ads. Find one/two months old “For sale By Owner” ads, Call them and if they have not sold their property yet then they may be ready to deal. Sometimes owners give up the effort, but still interested to sell.
-Put an ad in the newspaper might help you to generate few calls.
-Talk to bankers might help you to get cheaper property if they have not yet listed it to some real estate agent.
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Due diligence is the term commonly used for investigation of any kind. People in todays world are extremely cautious before entering into any kind of investment whether it is stocks or assets. Investment due diligence involves performing a thorough check up on the property before investing. In case of stocks or hedge funds, the person can perform due diligence by going through the prospectus and checking on the fund managers background and capability. Investment due diligence when it comes to property, requires a specific check list which takes care of the authenticity of the transaction and acquisition, as in the case of industries. An effective checklist will contain the financial background of the principal, the physical condition of the property and the marketing capability of the place. If the due diligence investigation is performed properly then the buyer can avoid himself from getting into a trap.
In case of commercial properties, the commercial landlords often conduct a thorough due diligence investigation. Preparing a proper acquisition due diligence list is very important for commercial property investors. They must look for the underground and storage tanks, drinking water taste reports, radon and remediation reports, plans and survey report and also visit the site physically to track any kind of disputes between the seller and the buyer.
The Merger and Acquisition (M&A) activities are mainly dependent on the analysis of due diligence. It mainly involves financial and legal due diligence. The merger and acquisition by companies take a deep look into the financial assets, articles of incorporation, market value, technology and the competency of the company. Once a company decides to sell the property, the bank is taken into confidence to keep the M&A accounts. Then the property is given to the investment bank; thereafter, investment banking due diligence starts playing its role. The bank goes through the legal points and discusses the litigation issues before the sale.
In the case of rental residential properties, there is also an effective due diligence method. This method is commonly used by collection agencies appointed by the landlords to track the default tenants. The collection agencies use the skip trace tools to track the contacts of the faulty tenants.
So, whether it is a small or big investment, due diligence investigation plays a pivotal role in property investment. Proper investigation can result in fruitful investment and can take you a long way. Consult the masters and invest today!
A good post in a prestigious bank is the dram of many; it not only provides exciting incentives but also promises job security in this world, which is truly unpredictable where one can lose his or her job in a matter of few minutes. In this environment full of threats and dangers, banks offer a secure job and provide additional facilities. However, it is not easy to be recruited for a post that offers you money and respect at the same time. Banks conduct exams for the recruitment of suitable candidates for various posts and filter them down during the interview session. Only the most deserving candidates out of the thousands who had appeared for the bank exams are chosen and recruited.
It is very essential for the candidate to study properly for the exams and be well aware of the kind of questions asked in the exam. You should have a gist of the marking scheme and the question paper pattern in order to answer all the questions accurately and in time. Many students fail in bank exams because they are not aware of the pattern of questions or the basic rules to be followed during the exam. Hence, you should not only prepare the syllabus thoroughly but also be fully aware of the dos and don’ts to be followed during the exam. A few basic tips can help you in the successful exit from the exam hall and the eventual entry into the applied post. Some of them are: Be well acquainted with the question paper. This means that practice as many question papers as possible from the internet or books available in the market. Bank offers a booklet which has questions at the back, do them thoroughly they will give you a gist on the exam pattern. Vocabulary form an important part of the question paper and needs to be practiced. You cannot learn it in one day, read newspapers and books to expand your vocabulary. Current affairs are also an important part of bank exams and the interview that follows. Be updated with the latest happenings and have a sound knowledge of general affairs. It is best to avoid questions that are doubtful or answer them in the end. This would help you to save time.
Above-mentioned are some basic tips that will help you prepare thoroughly and should be kept in mind while answering the question paper. It is also essential to know the bank regulations and gain information on the background of the banking sector for additional knowledge for bank recruitment .
With the increasing number of forums created now and then, more and more Internet users are sharing and looking for some quick information on this great learning platform. Creative Forum Entrepreneurs, seeing this opportunity, grab the chance to generate revenue in these forums. This article will illustrate how a Forum Entrepreneur gain tremendously income by simply participating in the forums.
There are many forums that offer free marketplace for the members to trade freely. Some of these popular forums tor the Webmasters are DigitalPoint, WebMaster-Talk, NamePros, WebHostingTalk and EarnersForum. These forums offer a great opportunity for everyone to earn money by selling products or services.
Many forum members would have knew that they can simply sell their products or services if they own them respectively. However, is it possible for someone to generate income if he / she does not own any products or offer any services? The answer is yes, absolutely. In fact, I have been selling and promoting other people’s product in the forums most of the time. This is the power of outsource.
By outsourcing the correct product to the right market, you can simply earn by managing the customers and push the orders to your service providers. If you were to look in any forums, you will notice that there are many services offered by various Entrepreneurs.
There are also several other ways to profit as a Forum Entrepreneur. For example, you can look out for profitable sites in the forums and buy them to maintain or sell off for a quick profit. These may not be as easy for the new forum members but this is definitely a good area to study especially if you are looking for long term profit online.
Forum Entrepreneurs do not mean selling your products in the forums or creating a discussion platform for the Internet users. They simply make use of several targeted forums to look for great services and generate profit by outsourcing.
To conclude, earning as a Forum Entrepreneur is much easier than creating your own product or services and sell them in the forums or other places. Be creative and look out for online opportunities and think about how to repackage that particular service. | {
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Boston’s Roadmap To Becoming a Smart City
From Faneuil Hall to the Old North Church, Boston is jam-packed with historical sites. With anything, progress takes time. Boston is implementing changes all over the city in its path towards becoming a ‘smart city.’ A smart city is as an urban area that uses different types of electronic data collection sensors to supply information which is used to manage assets and resources efficiently. Calling on IoT developed from the public and private sector, Boston has several initiatives that are pushing it further into the smart city category.
Smart Streets
One of the first steps is Boston’s implementation of smart street sensors installed on Massachusettes Ave and Beacon Street. The ‘Vision Zero’ initiative’s goal is to end serious traffic accidents by analyzing the movement of drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Through the installation of cameras, LED lights, and sensors, they hope to capture long-term data to understand better what is happening on the roads.
Self-Driving Cars
Lyft, partnering with the self-driving automotive software company, nuTonomy, began testing their first line of self-driving cars in the Seaport district of Boston. This ride gives a select few the futuristic experience while at the same time generating buzz for Lyft against the other ride-sharing mogul, Uber. These cars have a driver on board in case manual intervention is needed during the testing phase.
Smart Bike Sharing
Residents of Boston may also have noticed Hubway stations appearing throughout the city. Hubway is a bike sharing system where app users can see real-time availability of bikes in their area. This initiative is to combat harmful emissions into the atmosphere. These bikes, combined with Boston’s Emerald Network, seeks to finish more greenway paths throughout Boston to make emission output as low as possible.
Smart City IoT
These are only a few of the additions being added to the Boston area. The IoT landscape, especially for smart cities, is on the rise. Everything from smart bus stops to smart parking spaces. Sensors and analysis of the data collected from these sensors are the building blocks of converting a city into a smart city. With all of the initiatives in their infant stages, there is plenty of room for new jobs with hard skills needed. Get the skills in IoT and Data analysis you need from Level. | {
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I agree with the two previous comments… this is an inappropriate group to single out.
How dare you single out people who have unique physical attributes? that in NO WAY makes them individuals with "deformities".
I see this post as you being a Bully… picking on people who are different and unique.
Re-title this gallery, most of the "deformities" that you are not deformities but scars and accidents. As a person born with and actual severe deformity, this is VERY offensive. Perez, you try living a life with symbrachydactyly (Google image search it!).
i hope at least you read all the comments… where can i report repot this. this is truly disgusting. i can't believe that a person so immature like you is raising a child… i hope that he doesnt grow to be a bully just like you, and yes, you are a bully hiding behind this martir gay facade. im so sick of you, i used to like you blog, but you've changed, in a bad way…
But now, that's all about to change, at least according to TMZ! That's because a week from tomorrow -- on December 17 -- Khloé and Lamar's split will be legal, final, and FULL! And that's all she wrote!
As the final divorce docs are set to be stamped by a judge on that day just over a week from right now, the final terms are pretty standard and straightforward, too: | {
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Meaningful body art for men in Rienzi, Mississippi
Considering that a there are actually a ton of folks with a conventional rose tattoo design, there are additionally an enhancing amount from folks that really want increased tattoo designs however likewise want to reveal of their individuality as well as get a various layout to exactly what everyone else possesses.
Find affordable high end tattoo designs.
Sparrows are actually also a quite popular tattoo style, particularly amongst girls and you are going to on a regular basis observe all of them functioned in to the same tattoo as roses or even florals.
Heart tattoos could stand for an individual's affection for somebody else, an individual's love for lifestyle and also humanity, and even an individual's anticipate discovering passion.
Tattoo makes based upon this concept can easily present to the flower in total blossom or even as a bud that will blossom, or perhaps as a ton from flowers.
Aided along by popularity from the Nautical Superstar, this is a tattoo layout that is actually significantly popular among popular and also youthful body art enthusiasts just who enjoy listening back to the origins of tattooing.
While commonly people would certainly connect up all the designs on their arms right into even more from a sleeve layout, this is becoming considerably well-liked in order to get lots of smaller sized layouts up your arms that are certainly not automatically linked by everything.
The decided on flower petals can store emblematic interpretations and if you actually desire something like that can easily select a lotus, climbed, sunflower or a proverb tattoo design.
That is certainly not uncommon for males to select an Angel tattoo layout when somebody close to them has perished.
You could additionally tattoo the heart beat of a loved one to present them that your lives will always be actually attached and your affection will certainly last permanently.
This is better to choose a authentic as well as special concept than a mass market style - "flash" is developed by excellent artists then sold to tattoo design musicians around the nation and also worldwide.
Get the best tattoo ideas.
Tattoos can look definitely amazing, offered a great deal of thought has gone in to choosing your layout, as well as derived plainly on the understanding that this is a long-lasting marking on your physical body.
Angel Tattoos for Girls as well as Angel Tattoos for Girls are actually a well-known choice for the fairer sexual activity as Angels could be spokened to illustrate appeal as well as grace.
Support tattoo designs are actually often related to the brawny arms of sailors; however, certainly not all folks showing off these tattoo designs live a quality of life at sea.
Whether you choose your tattoo motivation coming from a top 10 list or pick a custom-made designed item, you could make your design also a lot more purposeful by sharing your one-of-a-kind originality within the physical body of the tattoo.
Occasionally less is even more with designs, and you simply must have a design like this to possess that stunning and also alternate appearance that a ton of females as well as fellas are actually going with in these times.
Conventional tattoos are actually usually described in dark and afterwards filled out with black shading or even various other colors combined with dark ink.
Precious stones are one more preferred tattoo concept and our team love just how in-depth this one is.
And also our team are actually influenced by all of them also, utilizing design typefaces as well as or taking a look at other motivating tattoo design designs.
Angel tattoo designs that act as remembrances are several of the best well-known layouts picked through guys in specific considering that they signify a specific they enjoyed as opposed to some type of mythological being or even suggestion.
Believe me, there are bunches of design designs in this particular world, and you could discover quickly one excellent tattoo design for you.
Helping you get your hands on high quality tat designs in the following areas: 38865 | {
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02/01/2018
01/01/2018
04/12/2017
Over the July 11th weekend I returned to Minnesota to attend the largest Veteran's Powwow in the nation on Fond du Lac Reservation. Relative to population, Indian country has the largest number of volunteers that have served our nation's defenses.
02/02/2015
This event seeks to spark conversation at UC Berkeley concerning how racialized violence intersects with sexual violence. In particular, this event focuses on the compounding impacts of racism, colonialism and patriarchy in Native American women’s experiences with sexual violence. | {
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How blockchain technology could help improve profitability of B2B businesses
Bitcoin and cryptocurrency have been flooding the news recently all thanks to the buzz surrounding the record-breaking exploits. It’s hard to believe that in 2011, Bitcoins traded for just $1 each, and whilst you may be regretting not investing when the word of crypto was still emerging, today there are several ways that blockchain technology could help improve profitability of B2B businesses and the efficiency of stock trading, and so not all is lost!
Here, we’re taking a closer look at how blockchain technology has improved profitability of B2B businesses and the business world in general.
Real savings
Blockchain technology not only helps improve the profitability of B2B businesses, but this innovative technology also offers real savings. By speeding up the transaction process, blockchain technology immediately moves the customer’s payment to the vendor. This speed ripples through the supply chain, satisfying the customer and making the entire process far more effective. Due to the technology facilitating distribution, this significantly increases efficiency down the line, helping save invaluable time and money also.
Suitability
Unlike some of the other advanced technologies that are clearly suitable for only a handful of industries, blockchain technology is useful for B2B businesses in a number of different industries. Businesses are able to utilise blockchain technology in a number of different ways, modifying it to their needs. As a result of the fast technology, orders can be processed much faster.
Better business processes
One of the blockchain’s simplest functions is to ensure that data is exchanged and stored across networks in a transparent fashion. This is crucial for not only addressing the inconsistencies in data, but the lack of trust among participants in a particular network. Businesses can use smart contracts in a several ways, including for lease agreements, employment contracts and sales contracts. Above all, smart contracts save time – instead of lawyers and/or accountants spending a number of hours going over the information, the gaps are automatically filled.
Tokenization of assets
A rapidly emerging business practice within the world of blockchain technologies is the tokenization of assets. In short, this simply means assigning various cryptocurrency tokens to physical assets. It can be achieved in a number of ways such as tokenizing product offerings or enhancing the liquidity of illiquid assets. This enables businesses to easily manage or sell the assets they own without having to undertake a tedious, time-consuming process each time, putting value to otherwise intangible assets.
While purchasing Bitcoin or any other type of cryptocurrency might not be at the top of your to-do list, it is almost impossible to ignore how blockchain technology is helping improve the profitability of B2B businesses. From the tokenization of assets, to better business processes and the opportunity to make real savings, Blockchain really has benefitted the B2B business environment, and so it is certainly a technology worth being thankful for! Who knows how else blockchain technology could significantly benefit B2B businesses in the future? | {
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Demonstration Scenario
This is a typical scenario from the Patient and Workplace Safety 2. The presentation will lead you through the scenario step-by-step, demonstrating in detail some of the functionality available in the ACS FSC.
Scenario Features
Feedback
In each of the scenarios, residents make decisions such as how urgently the patient needs to be seen, what questions are the most important to ask the patient or family, and to what extent the physical examination needs to be performed. For each action taken by the resident, immediate feedback is provided either supporting the action or providing information about when and where it would be appropriate. As the case progresses, residents are asked to view patient charts and records, order tests and diagnostic procedures, review references, then evaluate all the data to form a differential diagnosis and formulate an initial management plan. The scenarios end with a summary of key learning points. Opportunities to make “classic errors” are embedded within the scenarios. If, in certain scenarios, the residents’ actions result in poor patient outcomes, they are required to start over again. Residents are not permitted to progress to the next section of the scenario until they have selected all of the correct answers. At the end of each scenario, residents receive an overall summary of their appropriate and inappropriate actions (as opposed to a grade), and then are free to repeat the scenario as often as they wish.
Images and References
Each scenario includes a patient chart on which the findings from the history and physical examinations, as well as results from tests and procedures, are recorded for easy reference. Results from tests and procedures include appropriate images and reports for use by the resident. Underlying principles of pathophysiology are also addressed within the context of the scenarios. At the end of each scenario, key features of the case are presented to emphasize the learning points.
More than 275 references have been placed in the scenarios of the ACS Fundamentals of Surgery Curriculum® to provide residents with information about subjects relevant to the challenges they are being asked to solve.
This “just-in-time” learning feature takes advantage of the window of opportunity when a learner wants to know something by making information available instantly. The learner may see a chart or graph, an excerpt from a textbook or journal article, a completed patient monitoring form, or another piece of information the author believes will explain, illustrate, or reinforce the educational material. In addition, all of the references are accessible from a Reference Index. If residents want to review a reference, they can do so by accessing their accounts.
Disclaimer
The scenarios do not represent a standard of care; rather, they present safe and effective approaches to managing patients. Residents are encouraged to discuss with their program directors anything in the scenarios that varies from practice at their institutions. | {
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Business Logic Architecture
Web frameworks continue to evolve towards an ideal of highly automated view / presentation logic for Rich Internet Applications. ORM products are now an accepted and standards-based approach for persistence.
This places increasing attention on the approach and effort for Shared Transaction Business Logic, which can represent 50% of a typical update-oriented application. Though the term Business Logic is often used, there is considerable confusion, ranging from definition to architectural approaches to appropriate tools.
This paper explores considerations and approaches for this important topic. Please see here for a description of the ABL architecture.
Abstract
This paper defines Transaction Business Logic as the
multi-table derivation, constraint and action logic required for database
integrity. We propose key criteria for evaluating
various architectural alternatives: encapsulation for active enforcement of logic, separation
to maximize interoperation with other components, performance, and business
considerations of Agility and TCO.
After surveying various alternatives, we propose Rich Active Declarative
Domain Objects, where a Business Logic Engine plugs in to ORM events for active
enforcement of declarative, multi-table logic.
What is Transaction Business Logic
Business Logic is a term often used informally,
but formal definitions have proved elusive.
So, it is appropriate to begin by defining what we mean, with an
illustrative example.
Transaction Business Logic is most easily described in the context of this
familiar and representative example, where our logic specification for placing and modifying orders can be
summarized as:
1.Constraint:
customer.balance < customer.creditLimit
2.customer.balance
= sum(orders.total where paid =
false)
3.order.total
= sum(lineitems.amount)
4.lineitem.amount
= quantity * partPrice
5.lineitem.partPrice
= copy(part.price)
Business logic elements include:
Constraints
These are the most obvious elements of business
logic - expressions that prevent bad data from being committed into the
database. These include single value
constraints (not null, in value list, in range etc), and multi-value
constraints (as in the Constraint example above the diagram). Finally, it is often required that the expressions deal with old values (reject if salary < @old(salary) -- often referred to as state transition logic).
Derivations
The most challenging element is derivations, since
these are typicallychained(dependencies require detection and properly
ordered change propagation), andmulti-table(so are performance-sensitive). In our example, the Customer.balance is multi-table (it sums that customer's unpaid
order.total), and is chained (since
the order.total is itself a derivation).
Actions
Actions include auditing, copying,
messaging, business process initiation, etc. Ideally, these are generic,
so they can be re-used over multiple Use Cases and Domain Models. For example, we might send email if a
Customers’ balance is close to the credit limit.
Such logic should be architected so that it encapsulates domain access,
automatically shared over User Interfaces, Message-based and all other types of transactions.
Why: it’s half the app
Transaction Business Logic is important since it constitutes
approximately half the code / effort for a typical transactional application.
Context: Well-Accepted Principles
We evaluate several alternatives for Transaction Business Logic
in the next section. Here, we define evaluation criteria based on several well-accepted architectural principles.
Encapsulation
– guaranteed re-use, active enforcement
Encapsulation means all the
invoking code is guaranteed to utilize the same logic – various screens,
messages, etc. Not only does this mean
transaction business logic should not be placed in individual controllers, it
also means the job of the architecture is to assure the use of the logic.
In particular, enforcement ought
not to require the caller to make “magic calls” for logic invocation. The architecture should provide automatic, active enforcement of
business logic.
Architectural
Separation – snap-in components
Maximize
Interoperation: Using existing CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) APIs,
for example SQL or ORM, means that existing tools / frameworks do not require custom code for interfaces, or to participate naturally in
building RESTful services
Minimize
Interference: Domain Objects are widely used for persistence, transport,
etc. Injecting code into such objects
can affect characteristics such as serializability
Performance
is critical (pruning, adjustment)
As our example illustrates,
aggregates are integral to business logic.
Unlike simple attribute validations, such multi-table logic means that
minimizing SQL access plays a critical role in performance. It comes down to when and how the
aggregates are derived.
When means analyzing transactions to identify when there are no
changes to data on which the aggregate is dependent, and pruning SQL overhead. For example, changing an order’s date does not affect the customer’s balance, so no SQL overhead should be incurred.
Once the logic determines that
aggregates are affected, there are important strategies regarding how aggregate derivations are performed.
Application architects have long
recognized that performance denormalizations
(storing aggregate results in the parent object, such as the customer balance)
can dramatically improve performance by eliminating SQL aggregate queries, or
reading all the child rows into memory.
Such techniques enable the application to utilize adjustment logic, so, for example, changing a Line Item quantity
simply adds the delta to the Order total, which in turn adds the delta to
the Customer’s balance.
This is important when there are many
child rows per parent (orders per customer), and particularly important when
there are chained multi-level aggregates.
For example, changing a Line Item quantity should not entail adding up
all the Orders / Line Items to compute the balance.
Ideally, performance
denormalizations are a tuning parameter that can be changed as performance
characteristics become clear, without
affecting existing logic. A good
example of this is a relational database index: you can add it at any time
without recoding.
Business
Agility and TCO – Declarative wins
The purpose of a strong
architecture is ultimately to provide business value. So, it is appropriate to address that issue
directly. Business certainly has an
obvious interest in the items above, but there are always two concerns near the
top of the list:
Agility: business advantage goes to the organizations that are the fastest to respond
to new opportunities, or to change
Total
Cost of Ownership: there is obvious benefit when maintenance costs are
reduced, and when transparency increases the communication between business and
IT to reduce requirements risk. There is
nothing as expensive as a system that fails to meet user needs.
In system terms, this pretty much
boils down to the volume and complexity of the code we write.
Core of the problem: Dependency Explosion
While there are Rete / Process engines for different aspects of Business Logic, the presumption is that
Transaction Business Logic is pretty much ad hoc code. The problem is, there’s a lot of it.
Our simple exercise above, believe it or not, results in about 500 lines
of Java.
The problem boils down to coding an
explosion of dependencies. For example,
our derivation for Customer.balance is directly dependent on
Order.total
Order.paid
Order.customer (the foreign key)
And, we are far from done, because
dependencies can cascade due to chained derivation logic. So, Customer.balance is also dependent on
everything Order.total depends on
Declarative Approaches gaining acceptance: JSR 303, Grails, …
Declarative approaches are generally defined as those where you state what should happen, not how. For our purposes, the what is the 5 rules at the top. The how is the dependency automation, as well as other elements such as performance and re-use.
Declarative approaches are gaining increasing favor, due to the business value of the automation they confer. JSR 303 provides for Bean Validation, provided by various implementations such as Hibernate/JPA and Grails. While these provide minimal or no support for multi-table derivations, they do suggest an approach for specifying business logic.
Ideal: executable design (intent)
The ideal here is that the business logic is
Concise – the ultimate goal is an Executable Design Specification, where the smallest list of formal specifications runs
Transparent – the logic should also be clear enough so Business Users can read it, and collaborate with IT to spot errors, omissions, etc. This can reduce Requirements Risk.
The “rules” at the top of the page meet these requirements.
Simpler – fewer objects / less code – is better
Finally, to include a more
intuitive criterion, we suggest that simplicity is a virtue that has economic
value. In the context of Java, it is not
uncommon to require a Domain Object, a DTO (Data Transfer Object), a DAO
(Data Access Object), and Service Objects (for multiple table transaction
logic). These must be maintained and
kept in sync, reducing Agility and increasing TCO.
Alternatives for How
Using the criteria above, the sub-sections below briefly
survey alternatives for transaction business logic.
Rete Engines
Rete-based inference engines provide valuable services that enable Business Users to manage (safely selected) elements of their system, bypassing the need to contact IT. While valuable in that sense, Rete engines are quite inappropriate for the transaction processing elements of Business Logic:
Poor aggregate performance
Aggregate processing is a well-known challenge for Rete engines. The root cause is that Rete engine interfaces do not presume a transaction that can be compared to an existing database to compute adjustments, and use these to prune processing logic. So, to define a sum, they must bring all the child rows into memory. Particularly when such aggregates are Forward Chained on other aggregates, this can be prohibitively expensive.
No encapsulation
Unlike automated Business Logic where rules are automatically invoked for all updates, Rete rules require explicit calls. Integrity that is elective is not reliable, and does not meet the requirements of regulatory compliance or system integrity.
Lacking persistence integration, Rete engines do not have concepts like old values, so there is no natural way to express state transition logic. They also do not provide advanced logic such as copy and allocation.
BPM
Process Engines provide excellent value in workflow and system integration processes, where a sequence of steps is inherently manually ordered. They are a poor fit for transactional Business Logic:
Agility / TCO compromised – no dependency-based automated ordering
BPM ordering does not address the important dependency-based automated ordering, a core issue for transaction logic
No aggregate support
BPM engines focus on workflow – they are not designed to provide persistence integration with pruning and adjustment logic that are crucial for multi-table transactions.
No Encapsulation / poor separation
As described above
Visual Rule Designers
Visual Rule Designers provide a graphical (flow-chart like) way to program your business logic. While visually appealing, these are really totally procedural, suffering from all the liabilities of programming:
Agility / TCO compromised: your diagram is inherently ordered, which must be designed – and re-designed – as changes are necessary
No Encapsulation: your logic is not called without explicit invocation, so re-use is not guaranteed. Worse, re-use is of the procedural variety, not re-use of declarative logic (such as a sum, which is automatically re-used over inserts, updates and changes)
Performance not automated: such engines typically require you to manually invoke SQL calls. This is a very low level of abstraction and obviates the possibility of automated optimizations
Optimization: such procedural approaches require you to manually code optimization techniques such as pruning or adjustment, which must be reconsidered on each maintenance change
Triggers
Database triggers provide excellent encapsulation. However, they incur all the disadvantages of manual dependency management, implemented in a non-standard programming language often without debugging tools.
xDBC injection
Technologies such as Spring provide injection to intercept designated calls, such as JDBC/ODBC calls. This can provide encapsulation. But these are typically not integrated with ORM services for caching, so performance suffers.
Service Layer (multi-table, discoverable)
A very common approach to business logic is to build a Services Layer. Often designed to resolve complex design issues (is aggregate adjustment a responsibility of the child Order, or the parent Customer?), this involves creating explicit APIs for each Use Case (e.g., addOrder, deleteOrder, modifyOrder etc).
These clearly “publish” the Use Cases and public interfaces for the system. However:
Agility / TCO compromised: Service Layers tend to be large. For example, the Service Layer for our simple example required around 500 lines of Java to deal with all the related Use Cases. In particular, the main source of code was extensive Dependency Management as described in Dependency Explosion, above.
No Encapsulation: your logic is not called without explicit invocation, so re-use is not guaranteed.
Performance not automated: your code is responsible for optimizations described above such as pruning and adjustment. These can dramatically increase maintenance costs, since these must be reconsidered for each change. As with SQL indices, organizations ought to be free to introduce / remove performance denormalizations without rewriting.
Rich Domain Model: ORM Domain Objects as Data Access Objects
Domain layer proponents regard a Fat Service Layer to be an anti-pattern (“Anemic Data Objects”), since business logic is not encapsulated. It is often proposed that the Domain Objects be extended with Data Access Object “crud” methods. While this provides encapsulation, there are many issues not addressed:
Architectural separation is not provided, since logic may interfere with the use of Domain Objects as transfer objects, and framework automation of existing persistence APIs is unavailable since these bypass the Domain logic methods
Business Agility is not provided since such Domain methods must be manually coded, and directly deal with the Dependency Explosion, optimization, and multi-object logic
Rich Active Domain Model (via ORM Events)
An elegant approach for addressing these concerns is to leverage ORM events for transaction business logic. This provides:
Encapsulation of logic: any Domain Object update invokes the logic
Excellent separation: frameworks that automate ORM calls can be used directly
This approach is so attractive that proponents have characterized the Fat Services Layer as an anti-pattern (so-called Anemic Domain Objects), as contrasted to a Rich Data Model that encapsulates business logic. ORM events confer a Rich Data Model with the benefits noted above, but there are drawbacks:
Poor Agility / TCO: the event handlers still must provide the dependency management to analyze what has changed, and recompute dependent derivations (which can, as we saw above, chain)
Moreover, experience has shown that the subtleties of ORM event technology make even the simplest logic (e.g., auditing) very tricky
Rich Active Declarative Domain Model
We can now summarize how Automated Business Logic results in
Active Domain Objects can fit into your overall architecture using a Rich Domain Model approach:
Separation
by Event-based Injection, and
Encapsulation
for Active Enforcement
Business
Logic Engine automates multi-table business logic
These are further developed in the
sub-sections below.
Event-based Injection: Separation per use of existing APIs
While injection is usually associated with compile-time injection of logic, you get the same effect by plugging into ORM events. This provides the Architectural Separation:
Maximize Interoperation: frameworks and tools that automate calls to ORM events can be fully leveraged, without any custom code to invoke services
Minimize Interference: no impacts to Domain Objects (e.g., serializability for use as Transfer Objects)
So, for example, MVC-oriented interactive apps simply make the usual calls to persist data, and logic execution is automatic.
Encapsulation: automated re-use, active rule enforcement
Encapsulation of logic is conferred since any ORM updates automatically invoke the relevant logic. While encapsulation is traditionally implemented by Object technology, we achieve the same re-use using ORM Event Injection.
Note that re-use is automated. This is in sharp contrast to traditional approaches, which achieve re-use only by careful object design.
Note we are defining re-use in the broadest possible manner, where it applies regardless of transaction type (interactive or message), or (per automated dependency management) Use Case.
Declarative Logic Engine: Agility, TCO
The Logic Engine is driven by declarative rules, such as those noted in the example above. This reveals the fundamental advantage: you replace 500 lines of code with 5 rules. This can confer strategic business advantage.
Logic can be presented in multiple ways:
Files
Classes (using annotations, methods, DSL grammars, etc)
Database rows (enabling runtime logic changes)
Regardless of how the logic is specified, the responsibilities of the Logic Engine are described in the sub-sections below.
Dependency Management: ordering, optimizations
Declarative means the system assumes responsibility for Dependency Management
Change Detection
Change Propagation – with Forward Chaining
Ordering
Dependency Management applies both initially, and when the logic is changed. This brings automatin advantages to maintenance, not just development.
Automated Dependency Management takes re-use to an entirely new level, moving beyond re-use ot code to re-use of intent. So, for example, the rules shown at the top of this page are automatically re-used over multiple Use Cases: new order, delete order, re-assign order to different customer, etc.
Full Support for constrained multi-table derivations
The set of Business Logic constructs includes all the items noted above, particularly including optimized multi-table derivations.
ORM Integration: state transitions, pruning, cache utilization
ORM integration means that the Business Logic Engine has access to both the transaction changes, and the original data. This enables the engine to make the original data available (e.g., salary < @old(salary)) for state transition logic, and to perform intelligent pruning of rules whose dependent data has not changed.
Extensible (Action rules)
Ideal implementations provide extensibility at two levels:
Ad hoc: Developers will always need to provide procedural logic for the exceptions, with full access to existing libraries
Generic: Systems Developers should be enabled to provide new reusable rule types, enabling them to extend the services of the Business Logic Engine.
Optional Thin Service Layer (e.g., to publish APIs)
There is a fair bit of confusion in the industry regarding where to put business logic: in the domain objects, or in a service layer. Domain layer proponents regard Fat Services with Anemic Data Objects to be an anti-pattern, since they don't encapsulate business logic. Service layer proponents express concerns about how to embed multi-table logic - is the adjustment of a Customers' balance a responsibility of the Purchase Order, the Customer, or some mediator object?
Rich Active Declarative Domain Objects not only provide automation, they can dramatically simplify this quandary. Multi-table logic is automated - from the "what" based design objective - including its implementation design. That is what we mean by Rich Active Declarative Domain Objects - domain objects that actively enforce your logic by acting in concert with related objects on the basis of declarative rules.
So, for the vast majority of your transactions, Rich Active Declarative Domain Objects address the multi-table requirements (and complexity) traditionally associated with a Service Layer. You may still elect to provide a Service Layer, for example to publicize APIs, or to address transactions that are not fully REST-based. But even in these cases, you will find that the Service Layer will be thin: it needs only to choreograph updates to the Domain Layer, since it can be assured these will enforce the multi-table business logic.
Conclusion
This paper has presented a Rich Active Declarative Domain Model architecture for Transaction Business Logic, providing excellent architectural separation, active encapsulation of logic, enterprise-class performance, and strong business value in Agility and TCO. These concepts can be applied to a number of different platforms: Java vs. .NET, various client topologies, and message-based transactions. | {
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Helen Keller: Author and Advocate for the Disabled (Our
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Kerby Rychel is yet another 2013 NHL Draft prospect with excellent athletic bloodlines. He is the son of Warren Rychel, who played 9 seasons in the NHL. While Warren was mainly known as a grinder and a pugilist, Rychel has become a truly skilled power forward with back to back 40 goal seasons for the Windsor Spitfires. After Kerby was drafted by the Barrie Colts in the OHL draft and then traded to the Mississauga St. Mike’s Majors; Spitfires’ GM and co-owner Warren Rychel made a series of trades to ensure that his son would be part of his hometown team. In Windsor, Kerby flourished, and his game has improved by leaps and bounds from his days in Mississauga.
Both Paul Maclean and Bryan Murray have been talking about how we need to get bigger skilled guys as they thrive in the playoffs. Kerby Rychel would be a prototypical Murray pick. But than again there also a lot of other big skilled guys in the draft as well so we will have to see i guess.
Why isn't Rychel higher on draft lists? Back to back 40 goal seasons in the OHL with 87 points this past year, which is comparable to Max Domi. Also has size, which Domi doesn't have.
Rychel was also 32 points ahead of the next best scorer on his team.
Don't look at stats. The effort on both sides of the puck is inexistent at times. Great shot, and good skater, but he needs to bring it. He can be completely invisible some games and fantastic in others.
Don't look at stats. The effort on both sides of the puck is inexistent at times. Great shot, and good skater, but he needs to bring it. He can be completely invisible some games and fantastic in others.
Stats are a pretty important indicator of talent and future success. If he's putting up 40+ goals in the OHL with occasional "non-existent" effort then I'm even more intrigued.
I see Rychel going between 16-23. One of the best goal scorers of his draft class, has a more well-rounded game than most in my opinion. One of the most underrated players as well. He was also on a terrible team this year. He doesn't have that much help.
I've been reading a lot about Rychel lately and I'm very intrigued about the package he brings.
Can more knowledgeable fans than I (Spits fans?) give me any NHL comparables, or project his ceiling? Is he useless without someone getting him the puck?
I've seen him play a ton, and there's no doubt he's going to be an NHL player. He's got a very good shot, he can get it off in traffic and he doesn't shy away from that. He throws the body around when he needs to and at times can be punishing, he's solid along the boards. He'll drop the mitts when he needs to, a willing and capable fighter although not really a heavyweight or enforcer by any means. People say he needs a playmaking center to produce, but most guys do and that isn't going to be a problem in the NHL. The reason is because his skating could be better, he's not a guy you want rushing the puck, he's not a stick handle wizard or anything. He's a chip it in and pound you kind of guy with a good shot. Reminds me a bit of another former Spitfire, Bryan Bickell but maybe not as big. I'd take him in the 1st round.
No way he makes the team unless a miracle happens. Part of Columbus's problems regarding player development was that they rushed their players Jarmo isn't going to rush prospects he is going to ensure they develop gradually ala Detroit.
3-5 years before he's a significant force in the league. If he manages to live up to his potential, the absolute best case scenario is a tougher Luc Robitaille. Average scenario... 2nd line sniper and PP specialist who plays with some grit and peaks out at approx. 30 goals.
Regardless, he needs to do a lot of work to get his skating up to an NHL level... amongst other things. Even the old Columbus, who wrecked their picks by rushing them, would still probably not have played him next year. Besides, they're supposed making more of an effort to let their young guys develop properly these days.
No way he makes the team unless a miracle happens. Part of Columbus's problems regarding player development was that they rushed their players Jarmo isn't going to rush prospects he is going to ensure they develop gradually ala Detroit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ogie Goldthorpe
Even the old Columbus, who wrecked their picks by rushing them, would still probably not have played him next year. Besides, they're supposed making more of an effort to let their young guys develop properly these days.
Name 3 rushed Blue Jackets prospects. I can give you one and thats Gilbert Brule. | {
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Introducing objects-what JavaScript's made of
Eventually we're going to have to face it, so lets just get it over with.
I will now explain to you the fundamental structure of ALL JavaScript codes,
because in order to understand JavaScript, you'll have to understand the
structure of it. JavaScript is a language that revolves around the "object"
concept, meaning that the majority of what you do with JavaScript involves
merely picking of one JavaScript's pre-made code and accessing it. Uh? You
say. Don't worry, I'll clear it up. | {
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} |
Brand
Rainier Ballistics
UPC
702381322107
Mfg Part#
00922
Description
Specifications
Reviews
Questions
Description
Each Rainier Ballistics Leadsafe bullet begins as a lead core that is swaged, not cast, for highest quality. Rainier uses only virgin and secondary lead alloys made to strict specifications. This attention to quality enhances uniformity, accuracy and terminal performance. The swaged core then receives Rainier | {
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And speaking of lists, the Orioles rank starting pitching first among their priorities this winter.
They need a bat in the middle of their lineup. They might need a left fielder, corner infielder, designated hitter and second baseman. They might need a late-inning reliever. But another arm for the rotation tops all of them.
The Orioles’ 4.89 ERA ranked last in the majors. The rotation’s ERA was 5.39.The failure of their starters to consistently avoid early exits again caused their season to unravel.
“You’d be surprised how much better your bullpen’s going to look if you can get deeper into games,” manager Buck Showalter said last week. “There’s a morale, there’s a consistency in the clubhouse, everything. You walk out there and you’re down 5-0, 6-0, 7-0 in the third or fourth inning a week in a row, I don’t care how strong you are mentally, that beats up on you.
“Because of the proposition of where we play - what league we play in and what division we play in - that’s going to be a constant challenge. But when you look at New York and Boston, and especially Tampa Bay, and Toronto’s coming, that’s the biggest separator.”
I asked Showalter whether the club could go against it’s grow-the-arms philosophy and make an aggressive offer to a free-agent starter such as C.J. Wilson or Mark Buehrle.
“I think you have to look at all avenues,” he said. “The first place you’re always going to look is from within, and I think one of the biggest things you can do as an organization is evaluate yourself sincerely, not with rose-colored glasses, and look at things clearly. If you can’t fill it from within...we’re into the process some with the young pitchers. It’s not a one-day, one-start, one-year thing. It’s a process. But through that process, you also have to be willing to identify that maybe this one is not going to happen. You’ve got to be honest with yourself, instead of saying, ‘Well, he was traded for, he was drafted here, he was this and that.’ You’re better off getting ahead of the curve than waiting until everybody else figures it out.”
You can speculate which of the young starters has Showalter thinking “This one is not going to happen.”
“We’re going to continue to put a priority on people who can defend,” he said. “When a ball stays in the ballpark in this division, you better catch it. You better have the ability to take an out, take a batted ball and make it two outs. And you better have a big bat if you’re just going to make the routine play.”
I have to believe he’s referring to left field, which was an adventure for anyone who played there. | {
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Prohibiting specified nursing homes or nursing home management firms
from knowingly employing or retaining as a consultant an individual
who has surrendered a specified license under specified circumstances
to the State Board of Nursing Home Administrators or has had a license
revoked by the Board based on specified grounds for discipline except
in specified circumstances; prohibiting the Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene from reimbursing specified institutions and management
firms under specified circumstances; etc. | {
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The pedals on a motorised bicycle must be the primary source of power for the vehicle. If the motor is the primary source of power then the device cannot be classed as a motorised bicycle. For example, a device where the rider can twist a throttle and complete a journey using motor power only without using the pedals, would not be classed as a motorised bicycle.
There are two main categories when choosing an e-bike: a pre-built electric bike or a custom e-bike conversion. Prefab electric bikes come in a wide variety of setups and styles and are designed specifically as electric bicycles. With unique characteristics and design qualities, most meet the law requirements which limit power and speed. There is also a variety of options to choose from equipped with different design and different motor and battery configurations to suit different riding styles and preferences: cruisers, commuters, mountain bikes and more. Pre-built e-bikes are clean and sleek in design with all of the wiring and electrical components built directly into the bike. For most people, production e-bikes work great and there’s no need for a custom conversion.
If a car is at fault in an accident with a bicycle or ebike, their motor vehicle insurance will likely cover your cost for repair and hopefully medical expenses. But what happens if you are at fault, riding an ebike illegally because you did not register it as a Moped? At best, you could be prosecuted under the law. At worst, you could be financially liable for neglect or reckless endangerment via a law suit.
A new European product safety standard EN 15194 will be published in 2009. EN 15194 contains several new requirements for ebikes to be sold in European Union and European Economic Area, including weight and voltage limitations. EN 15194 also defines a specific name for EU approved electrically-assisted cycles, EPAC - "Electrically Pedal Assisted Cycle".
I discovered these downsides when, on my third day with the bike, I got a flat tire and had to carry it onto the subway with me for those last few miles back to my apartment. The cause of the flat is unknown; the bike mechanic who eventually fixed it didn’t see anything wrong with the rims. But the experience of trying to maneuver an almost 40 pound e-bike on and off a crowded subway car during rush-hour is not one I can recommend.
The company was founded in 2009 by Tora Harris who graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. While at Princeton, Harris ran track and became a 2-time winner of the NCAA Championship in the High Jump and set several Ivy League track records in the process. Harris went on to win 2 USA National Outdoor Championship Titles and competed in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
There are no ADRs applicable to AA or AB category vehicles. There are ADRs for lighting, braking, noise, controls and dimensions for LA category vehicles, mostly referencing the equivalent UN ECE Regulations. An approval is required to supply to the market any road vehicle to which ADRs apply and an import approval is required to import any road vehicle into Australia.[5]
DIY Kit ebikes – Ebikes that are home built with a DIY kit, and exceed the 750W/20mph definition, are also allowed to be bought, build, and ridden. DIY kits are throttle activated. Some of the newer systems have PAS options. Ebike kits are not unilaterally prohibited or assigned motor vehicle status, but again, legal classification and road use falls under state law.
The BC Bike Show is the premier cycling and outdoors event in Western Canada and is happening in just 2 weeks on March 2nd and 3rd. We'll be there of course, and in addition to our exhibitor booth we'll also be hosting Cycle Stage to give more public presentations. On Saturday at 11:45 am we'll talk on how to navigate the various motor and battery options available for ebike retrofits, and on Sunday at 2pm we'll be doing a live demonstration of a regular bicycle being converted over to electric assist.
The Tidalforce Electric Bicycle was an electric bicycle manufactured by Wavecrest Labs from 2003 until the company went out of business in 2006. All models of Wavecrest Tidalforce electric bikes have a 36 volt electric hub motor built into the rear wheel hub and a 36 volt battery pack built into the front wheel hub. Wavecrest Labs manufactured three models of Tidalforce bikes: The Wavecrest Tidalforce M-750, the S-750 Traditional hard tail mountain bike and the iO-750 Cruiser. Any of the three bikes with an X suffix denotes that the motor is a 1000 watt motor without a set speed restriction as compared to the speed limited 750 watt version.
Biking is awesome, but biking uphill is not. Commuting by bike is environmentally friendly, fun and good for your health, but presenting your sweaty self to your office coworkers in not fun at all. Fortunately, there is a solution! Electric bicycles offer the same great benefits as traditional bicycles including cost savings, health improving, plus some additional advantages like efficiency in climbing hills, less stress on knees and joints, which is convenient for people of all ages and health.
E-bikes use rechargeable batteries and the lighter ones can travel up to 25 to 32 km/h (16 to 20 mph), depending on local laws, while the more high-powered varieties can often do in excess of 45 km/h (28 mph). In some markets, such as Germany as of 2013, they are gaining in popularity and taking some market share away from conventional bicycles,[1] while in others, such as China as of 2010, they are replacing fossil fuel-powered mopeds and small motorcycles.[2][3]
In a friction drive motor, a small, solid wheel rotates against the side of the tire in order to drive it. The first motorcycles used the same concept, with a motor mounted above the front wheel. The problem is that the drive rubs at the side of the tire. It's inefficient, and it quickly wears the sidewall away. Tires need to be replaced every couple hundred miles. For this reason, you'll seldom see electric bikes with this type of drive anymore.
There is however still confusion over the various legislations involving Electric Bicycles. This stems from the fact that while places like the US and Canada offer some Federal regulation, the legality of road use is left to the various States or Provinces and then complicated further by municipal laws and restrictions. Further more there are a range of classifications and terms describing them, "Power-assisted bicycle" (Canada) or "Power assisted cycle" (United Kingdom) or ”Electric pedal assisted cycles” (European Union) or simply "electric bicycles", and as such in some cases have varying laws according to their respective classifications in some places.
Torque sensors and power controls were developed in the late 1990s. For example, Takada Yutky of Japan filed a patent in 1997 for such a device. In 1992 Vector Services Limited offered and sold an e-bike dubbed Zike.[9] The bicycle included NiCd batteries that were built into a frame member and included an 850 g permanent-magnet motor. Despite the Zike, in 1992 hardly any commercial e-bikes were available.
Under the doctrine of One Country, Two Systems, Hong Kong has independent traffic law from mainland China. Electric bike are considered as motorcycles in Hong Kong, and therefore needs type approval from the Transport Department as other automobiles. All electric bike availble in Hong Kong fail to meet the type approval requirement, and Transport Department has never granted any type approval for electric bike, making all electric bike effectively illegal in Hong Kong. Even if they got type approved, the driver would need a motorcycle driving license to ride[14]. As a side note, Hong Kong doesn't have a moped vehicle class (and therefore moped driving license), and mopeds are consided as motorcycles too.
We bought 2 of these to go along with our AW 26"x1.75" Front Wheel Electric Bicycle Motor Kits and they work perfectly! The batteries that came with and were recommended by the wheel manufacturer were "clunky", had to be mounted in hanging bags and just didn't work well. These Li-ion Battery with Battery Holders are sleek, fit our Beach Cruisers perfectly, give us a rack to carry our "beach stuff" and one of the best features is how easy they are to charge! They lock in place when we are out and about, but I can unlock them, slide them both out and take them into the RV for charging when we return. Very happy with these and would recommend to anyone looking to convert their current bike into e-bikes!
The Bosch Performance CX is still one of the most popular motors on the market. It’s synonymous with reliability, but it’s getting on in years. The newly presented Active Line looks like a glimpse into Bosch’s future: it is more compact, lighter, has less internal resistance, and uses a large chainring. It can only be a matter of time before Bosch releases a new performance motor.
The 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of the United Nations considers a bicycle to be a vehicle, and a person controlling a bicycle (whether actually riding or not) is considered an operator. The traffic codes of many countries reflect these definitions and demand that a bicycle satisfy certain legal requirements before it can be used on public roads. In many jurisdictions, it is an offense to use a bicycle that is not in a roadworthy condition.[citation needed]
I waited until I hit 100 miles on this beauty before writing this review. My riding buddies told me I couldn't get a quality ebike for under $3k. Absolutely the wrong advice. This Addmotor is amazing in every way. Well built, close attention to detail and a complete joy to ride. I would highly recommend this bike to anyone looking for a great ebike experience.
We rode the Vado through the gauntlet, including some of the steepest hills in Palo Alto, and it easily handled everything we threw at it, maintaining a steady 20 miles per hour even on the most daunting of ascents. The bike also handles well on downhills and is both nimble and quick on city streets and paved trails. It’s even comfortable to ride for extended distances, which is vitally important for any bike built for urban settings.
By 2001 the terms, E-Bikes, power bike, pedelec, assisted bicycle and power-assisted bicycle where commonly used to describe electric bicycles. E-bike, according to Google, is a term that has increased in trend. This term generally referred to an electric bicycle which used a throttle. The terms Electric Motorbike or E-Motorbike have been used to describe more powerful models which attain up to 80 km/h.
The electric bike revolution has officially crossed into the arena of off-road motorbikes. For those who prefer riding in nature, Cake introduced a product which not only respects the environment but other riders, as well. Cake’s Kalk is a silent off-road motorbike that releases no emissions into the atmosphere. Additionally, its electric motor means no gear changing or clutching — a silent motorbike that won’t detract from the experience of others. Perhaps the best part is Cake avoided any sacrifice in performance. The Kalk reaches speeds of fifty miles per hour and features three distinct driving modes: Discover, Explore, and Excite.
If you are a person who enjoys riding a bike casually at a typical bike path speed (10-15mph), and you like the idea of an ebike push up a hill, against the wind or to relieving a sore knee, then your market for a fully legally defined ebike is very broad and your practical use only has a few limitations. Most ebikes will meet your needs and expectation. I would estimate that 85% of the electric bikes on the market are 100% compliant meeting the federal definition. I encourage you to take the plunge and get a good quality ebike and ride more with assist. Do so with the confidence that electric bikes are here to stay. Coexisting with pedestrians and other cyclist will become a normal part of cycling life.
In some countries mixed systems, i.e. pedaling and/or using a throttle is legal. In EU countries and Switzerland this is not the case. I.e. you can buy an electric scooter, but this is not considered to be an e-bike in the moped / light scooter category. That kind of hack is probably more difficult, unless the original design has been modified to fit with (s)Pedelec specs. E.g. The Ezee models are of that kind and modifications to revert to the original does not seem to be too difficult...
The Ancheer comes with outstanding Shimano Tourney gears in 6 x speeds. This gear system is one of the best in the business. Similarly the front-rear disc brakes are perfectly effective and will bring you to a safe stop even from speed. Speaking of speed, the maximum is 16mph and the bike will travel anywhere between 17-23 miles on a single charge. The battery charges up in 4-6 hours, which is the same for virtually all e-bikes.
Bicycles offer an important mode of transport in many developing countries. Until recently, bicycles have been a staple of everyday life throughout Asian countries. They are the most frequently used method of transport for commuting to work, school, shopping, and life in general. In Europe, bicycles are commonly used.[67] They also offer a degree of exercise to keep individuals healthy.[68]
Electric-assisted bicycles are treated as human-powered bicycles, while bicycles capable of propulsion by electric power alone face additional registration and regulatory requirements as mopeds. Requirements include electric power generation by a motor that cannot be easily modified, along with a power assist mechanism that operates safely and smoothly. In December 2008, The assist ratio was updated as follow: | {
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Thursday, May 16, 2013
This is Bailey, my first baby. He is about 12 years old now and he lives with his grandparents. He is much happier but I do miss him, especially when I see how cute he still is. He was a great pet, pre kids.
My pretty girls, I had a great day and was totally pampered, by Abby. Reese didn't want to go shopping with Abby and Kane for me, LOL. But she and I were sewing together and she didn't want to stop. :)
Mom and her two guys: Dad on the left and Hubby on the right. So thankful to have everyone here this year. She cooked a delicious meal this year and we enjoyed the weather thoroughly, it was a wonderful day.
Four generations of women in my family. I wish my sister had been there to make the picture complete.
Mother's Day Tea at school: It was bittersweet that this was the last Mother's Day event at school for me. My babies are too big.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
My class was last night, it went great! I really have so much fun and everyone's project turned out well. I wish I had taken pictures, I always forget. I made this out of some scraps yesterday to get ready. I really love how it turned out. It will look great when she has a tan too. Maybe I can find this fabric again because I would love one for me! Without the seahorse of course. ;)
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Abby was surprised the this month's assembly with the Student of the month award. They highlight a character trait every month, in each class. This month's trait was for "Confidence and Poise." Her teacher let me know in advance that she was getting it so we could be there for it. She was very excited! | {
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The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the MLS. Listing broker has attempted to offer accurate data, but is not guaranteed accurate. All information presented is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. | IDX Sitemap | {
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Reader Discussion: Is The New Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon Trailer Too Close To Capy's Super Time Force?
Earlier today, we shared with you the first trailer for Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon. The concept apes cheesy 1980s sci-fi movies, complete with grainy VHS overlay. Capybara Games president and co-founder Nathan Vella feels that the presentation of the trailer is just a little too similar to one for his studio's Super Time Force.
A conversation ensued between Vella and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon creative director Dean Evans. It ended civilly, but it's clear that the Capybara president is still hurt.
Here are the two trailers for comparison:
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
Super TIME Force
While there are certainly similarities, both are derived from classic 1980s television absurdities. The decade has also been evoked in other recent titles. Of note is the fantastic introduction scene for Awesomenauts, which is set up as the title sequence of a Saturday morning cartoon.
What do you think? Honest admiration for the period or a bit too close for comfort? | {
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Let's get more from dan abrams. Former special agent for the fbi brad garrett. We now know that dzhokhar is answering some questions in writing. The fbi wants to know, is anybody else involved? Right. The real trick is figuring out where his mind is? Why does he want to talk to us? Is he being truthful or not? Getting him over that hump and saying, okay, it's okay to talk to us, it's your only avenue to a better situation maybe. That could take a long period of time. And dan, how much longer can this questioning go on without reading the suspect his miranda rights? They're calling it the public safety exception. Unclear how long they're allowed to do it. In past case, the underwear bomber, for about 50 minutes and a court determined that was okay without a miranda warning. The further ter time is away from the incident itself, the more perilous it is constitutionally. At some point, it doesn't matter. He challenges it later on, the court says, you shouldn't have done it. What happens then is this they throw out his statement. So what? They don't need his statement in They have all the other evidence. This is about getting intellige intelligence, from him. Not a statement they can use in court. The charges expected to be filed. Almost certain to face the death penalty. It will be a death-eligible charge for sure. The use of a weapon of mass destruction would be a death-eligible. The fbi interviewing the older brother if 2011. Some members of congress saying that was a missed opportunity, criticizing the fbi for not keeping their eyes on tamerlan. Hundreds of thousands of versions of him are floating around the country. The fbi go, do a background, sometimes ultimately interview them. Visiting jihadist websites are not against the law. A lot of teens and young adults are doing that. You have to do an assessment if you're an fbi agent. Do you move forward? Do you have enough evidence to move on? If you don't have anything but chatter, you move on to the next one. Should they have come back and visited in when did they know about the six months in russia? The devil is in the details. If someone else were involved, would we know by now? One would think. Only because of everything they've been able to do in the last week from their chuters, phones, the people around them, associates. My sense is, they probably have handle on that. Thank you, let's go to josh
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate. | {
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Half Bath Makeover Decorating
Half Bath Makeover Decorating - The half bath at home, otherwise called the powder room, is frequently overlooked during remodeling. This really is perhaps owing to its modest size. Yet, since it's the only room that guests will definitely see (perhaps even a lot more than once), it is advisable to do something here to make a great impression. Besides the feeling, for investing in a powder room remodel another great reason is that since it's so little you'll be able to splurge on higher-end stuff that might not be practical in a room that is bigger. Here are some suggestions that will help you make the most of your remodeling job.
Take the opportunity to splurge on countertops and floors. Floorings may benefit from possibly, or a nice natural stone hardwood. In case your floor matches the floors outside the room it will make the space look larger when the doorway is opened. For making the space appear bigger, other thoughts are a pedestal sink as well as oversized floor tiles. This is going to make the space look uncluttered and cramped. All your hardware and fixtures might be upgraded to give the area a modern look and feel. Gleaming brass in addition to vintage alloys give your fixtures a look that is dated.
By hanging a cupboard using a towel rack, utilize your wall space. Put this above the bathroom to make the most efficient utilization of wall space. Glass tile is a terrific option for a backsplash. This provides an impressive look for visitors when they see either clear or colored tiles, the appearance is obviously a unique one. As a last touch, add a hook on the doorway or a ledge so that your guests will have a spot to hang a coat or bag. | {
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By
Patrick Martin
4 December 2017
In the wake of the guilty plea filed Friday by retired General Michael Flynn, former national security advisor in the early days of the Trump administration, Trump’s opponents among congressional Democrats, the media and the intelligence apparatus have stepped up pressure on the White House.
Several leading Democrats suggested on Sunday television interview programs that the investigation into alleged Russian intervention in the 2016 US presidential election, headed by Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Mueller, was likely to conclude that Trump was guilty of obstruction of justice, an impeachable offense.
The lenient character of Flynn’s guilty plea to a single felony count of lying to the FBI—with the promise of a sentence of no more than six months in prison and a $9,500 fine—has been universally interpreted to mean that Mueller plans to use Flynn’s testimony against higher-ranking officials in the White House and the Trump campaign: Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr. and the president himself.
Senator Diane Feinstein of California, one of the wealthiest and most influential Democrats in the upper house, appeared on the NBC program “Meet the Press,” where she discussed the investigations by Mueller and by the Senate Judiciary Committee, on which she is the ranking Democrat. She declared, “I think what we’re beginning to see is the putting together of a case of obstruction of justice. I think we see this in the indictments, the four indictments and pleas that have just taken place, and some of the comments that are being made.”
Feinstein was referring to the step-by-step ratcheting up of the Mueller investigation: the guilty plea by a lower-level campaign aide, George Papadopoulos, to charges of lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials; the indictments of former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy Richard Gates on charges of money-laundering, conspiracy and filing false statements; and now the guilty plea by Flynn, the first former White House official to be charged in the investigation.
The alleged obstruction of justice took place when Trump importuned then-FBI Director James Comey to drop the ongoing investigation into Flynn’s contacts with Russian officials during the transition period following Trump's election. In the course of that investigation, as Flynn now admits, he lied to FBI agents in an interview on January 24, 2017, four days after Trump’s inauguration. He was fired two weeks later, allegedly for telling the same lie to Vice President Mike Pence.
Trump repeatedly urged Comey to “go easy” on Flynn, and when it became apparent the investigation was continuing, he fired the FBI director. This triggered a political uproar that led Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to name Mueller, himself a retired FBI director, as a special counsel to run the Russian investigation, now expanded to include the actions of the Trump White House in seeking to block the probe.
Despite the hysterical allegations of “treason” and “Russian takeover” of the Trump administration, voiced by columnists at the New York Times and Washington Post, among others, no section of the political establishment seriously believes that the Kremlin is in charge of the White House. These sentiments are voiced to channel popular opposition to the Trump administration in a right-wing and pro-war direction.
The real concern in sections of the ruling elite is that Trump’s effort to establish a more collaborative relationship with Moscow cuts across the confrontational posture adopted by the Obama administration and the military-intelligence apparatus, beginning with the effort to subvert the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, the lone Russian ally in the Middle East, and intensifying with the US-backed ultra-right coup that removed a pro-Russian government in Ukraine.
It is significant that Feinstein, long one of the most cautious Senate Democrats on the question of potential impeachment of Trump, is now hinting at support for an effort to remove him, mainly citing his impact on foreign policy. “We’ve got major problems in the world with our allies now, in the Middle East, with North Korea,” she said on “Meet the Press.” “It goes on and on. And I think that this president is just precipitating more and more angst that’s going to lead to serious discord.”
In response to a direct question from interviewer Chuck Todd, “When do you hit your ‘enough is enough’ moment,” Feinstein replied, “Well, it happened about a month ago, and I can’t give you any particular event,” adding that it was the accumulation of reports of Trump’s increasingly erratic statements and actions.
The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mark Warner of Virginia, adopted a similar stance in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” program. Asked about Trump’s latest tweet, in which he denied telling FBI Director Comey to drop the investigation into Michael Flynn, Warner said, “I believe FBI Director Comey. I think he was very credible in his testimony and his private meetings with us.”
CNN interviewer Jake Tapper cited another tweet in which Trump said he had fired Flynn because he had lied to both Pence and the FBI: “That would seem to suggest that President Trump knew that Michael Flynn had lied to the FBI, which is, of course, a crime, when he fired Flynn and also when he, according to Comey, asked Comey to back off. That seems to be in the territory of obstruction of justice.”
Warner concurred, saying, “And, again, that’s why I think you’re going to see much more coming from the special prosecutor.”
He continued, “We also have mounting evidence, almost every week, of additional contacts between the Russian government or Russian officials and officials connected to the Trump campaign, under the guise of trying to improve relations... there has never, there has never been, in modern American history, a political campaign that had this much outreach to a foreign government, and a foreign adversary in this case, throughout the campaign and throughout the transition.”
Warner is, like Feinstein, a charter member of the Democratic political establishment. A former telecommunications mogul, he is personally the wealthiest member of Congress, represents the state of Virginia, home of the CIA and Pentagon, and has the closest ties with the military-intelligence apparatus. He flirted with a presidential candidacy in 2008 before pulling back and is expected to explore a 2020 candidacy as well.
Representatives of the super-rich like Warner and Feinstein are not targeting Trump because of his racist attacks on immigrants and Muslims, his gigantic tax-cut for American corporations—to be paid for through savage cuts in social spending—or his readiness to use US American military power around the world. Instead, they regard Trump as a destabilizing factor, in both domestic and international politics, whose provocative behavior undermines the long-term interests of the capitalist ruling class.
A handful of House Democrats have begun raising the possibility of impeachment, more as a campaign slogan for the 2018 elections than as a practical possibility, given the current Republican majority in the House of Representatives. But the Mueller investigation seems more tailored to put pressure on Trump to resign to avoid legal measures against his own family as well as himself.
There is no sign at this stage of Trump acquiescing to such demands. On the contrary, the right-wing media outlets aligned with the White House, including Fox News and Breitbart News, have unleashed a fusillade of counterattacks against his critics. Some of their missiles have struck their targets.
Special counsel Mueller was compelled to reassign an FBI official playing a major role in his investigation after it became known that he and another member of the investigative team had exchanged anti-Trump emails. Peter Strzok, deputy head of counterintelligence at the FBI, has been demoted to a human resources position.
The top investigative reporter for ABC News, Brian Ross, was suspended without pay by the network Friday after he made a false report that Trump had told Flynn to contact Russian officials during the election campaign rather than during the transition, when such contacts between foreign governments and those about to assume office in Washington are routinely carried out.
However, the White House is increasingly bogged down in the response to the investigation and sinking deeper into crisis. According to press reports, over the past ten weeks at least two dozen campaign or White House aides have been questioned by FBI agents and attorneys working as part of the Mueller probe. These include Jared Kushner, former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, former press secretary Sean Spicer, former foreign policy adviser J. D. Gordon, White House communications director Hope Hicks and Gen. Keith Kellogg, chief of staff of the National Security Council. Trump’s White House lawyers, Donald McGahn and James Burnham—who do not represent him as a personal client but as president—have also been summoned to testify. | {
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How to Write like Jack Kerouac
3.1 based on 307 ratings
Inspire your young writer with a fun activity on how to write like Jack Kerouac. Your student can read quotes from famous influences such as Jack London and Thomas Wolfe, and he'll use their words to make a found prose "collage". | {
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T-Birds denied at 54 Classic
Wednesday
Jan 16, 2013 at 11:43 AMJan 16, 2013 at 11:47 AM
The Skyline Thunderbirds were in the game until the very end in the opening round of the 54 Classic at Cunningham on Tuesday. When it was over, however, they had once again been denied their first win of the season, falling to Attica 68-61.
Neil DePew
By Neil [email protected] Skyline Thunderbirds were in the game until the very end in the opening round of the 54 Classic at Cunningham on Tuesday. When it was over, however, they had once again been denied their first win of the season, falling to Attica 68-61.The T-Birds trailed 19-13 after one period, and they would play virtually even with the Bulldogs from that point on, ultimately losing by just 7. “We played a good game,” Skyline head coach Justin Miltner analyzed afterwards. “We took care of the ball on offense and had good defensive rotation.”“We felt like we could match up against Attica,” Miltner continued. “It was nice to have a game where we were not badly outsized, where the deck wasn’t stacked against us from the start.”As the game proceeded, Skyline got increasingly efficient on offense, each quarter’s point output topping the previous. The T-Birds were able to get some buckets in transition, beating the Bulldogs down the court. At other times, their half-court zone offense was working slickly.“We started to click on where the scoring opportunities are located,” Miltner explained. “We started picking the right moments to get the ball into the high post.”Skyline had a nice combination of inside and outside threats. Post man Brandon Abbott was the recipient of entry passes from players like Kasey Gilpin and Blake Lee. From outside, Cole Patterson connected on three long balls, and Lee also chipped in a trifecta. Trailing by only a basket at halftime, 30-28, Skyline came out after intermission and seized the lead briefly on a Windex bucket by Dustin Weber and a fast-break lay-up by Gilpin. Unfortunately, the Atticas went on a 6-0 run at that point, and the T-Birds found themselves playing catch-up for the rest of the contest.In the 4th quarter, the Bulldogs got up by as many as 9 with 4:00 left to play. Skyline kept fighting back, though, and a hustle play by Brady McComb resulted in a hoop that shaved the deficit to only 3 again with 1:49 on the clock. Ultimately, the T-Birds could not get over the hump, falling 68-61, but they had given the 2nd seeded Attica Bulldogs everything they wanted in the opening round of the 54 Classic. STATSSkyline 13 15 15 18 61Attica 19 11 16 22 68Gilpin 2-0-3/6-7; Cole Patterson 2-3-0/2-13; Brandon Abbott 5-0-5/8-15; Weber 2-0-4/7-8; Holz 1-0-0-2; Lee 1-1-0-5; Brady McComb 5-0-1/3-11 | {
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Once again I must apologize to the newsgroup for my poor spelling/poor
memory for technical terms. There is a disorder, "Lesch Neihans" (just
looking at it I think looks farther from correct spelling than I
thought it would be!) which involves self-biting, especially when uric
acid blood levels are high (it is a--perhaps genetic?--metabolic
disorder).
This case sounds less extreme than examples of that condition I have
read of, but conceivably one could have milder expressions at one end
of a "spectrum" of this basic disorder.
Irt may, of course, be something entirely different. I believe L.N.
patients bite themselves more for self-stimulation than for expression
of anger. Early in my career (as an intern), I worked with patients
with various self-injurious behaviors, in a Behavior Therapy unit.
We were not so successful with a patient who was equally ready to hurt
others as to hurt herself, but very successful with one who just hurt
herself. She came to us with self-inflicted cigarette burns all over
her arms, almost no hair on her head, and many scars on her face (most
from putting it through a glass door, deliberately), and we interrupted
this behavior long enough for wounds to heal and hair to grow back.
In those days, one could control patients' behavior by giving or
witholding cigarettes... With these (or tokens which could be
exchanged for them) we first rewarded prompt compliance to a command to
sit--wherever she was, on the floor if no chair was right there. When
this became reliable, almost automatic, it could be used to interrupt
self-injurious behavior the moment we saw it. Eventually, she could
work towards accumulating tokens (yes, they could be exchanged for
other things besides cigarettes) earned by number of hours without
self-injurious acts.
On the other hand, might the case described be an expression of OCD?
Are their other aspects of behavior which would fit this diagnosis? OCD
these days is treatable with SSRIs, although (as a speaker at one of my
own conferences reported a few years ago) there is evidence that
cognitive/behavioral therapy for OCD can produce changes in regional
brain metabolism similar to that achieved by SSRI treatment.
F. Frank LeFever, Ph.D.
New York Neurppsychology Group
In <7cquot$lpl$1 at news-2.news.gte.net> "SGH" <newsun at gte.net> writes:
>>Recently one subject was entered into a research study with one
unusual
>behavior exhibited. The subject was a 9y/o white male who, when
seemingly
>aggravated , bit the back of his right hand over the knuckles.
>Unfortunately for us, this particular exhibit seems to be unknown to
our
>reference data. I am trying to locate a reasonable "explanation" with
>possible preliminary diagnosis in order to clarify this behavior
pattern.
>>This child's history, according to his parents: This child has bit
the
>back of his hand while stomping his feet since he was able to put his
fist
>in his mouth. The mother reports noticing it at the age of 11 months.
He
>has one sibling, female 2 years his senior. Father reports child had
bit
>his hand more frequently when he was younger, however, seems to bite
it
>less now. Father had put "nail biting deterrent " on child's hand to
keep
>him from biting it. Father reported that this did not work. Both
parents
>report verbal reprimands to this behavior and Father reports biting
his
>hand in an effort to "show him how stupid he looks".
>>OK, how do I catalog this? Is this similar to nail biting? I can't
find
>anything other than some material on children / adults that self
>maim....This doesn't seem to fit this category.
>>If there is anyone who can point me in the right direction....please
reply
>to : <newsun at gte.net>
>Many thanks in advance, S. Goddard, RN | {
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The library system is moving to a new mobile app! The current library mobile app will not be available after January 3, 2018. This only relates to the library’s mobile app (used on phones and tablets). You can still connect to the library through your desktop, laptop, or mobile device’s web browser at https://smplibrary.bibliocommons.com/ Projected date for the new mobile app is February 1, 2018. We apologize for the inconvenience
Dating Radar
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Why do so many of us commit to the wrong person - sometimes more than once? While most believe that attraction and compatibility are the keys to relationship success, in reality these are red flags in 15-20% of the population. When it comes to love, the brain is irrational and short-sighted. We make decisions based on incomplete information, biased. | {
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Vietnam Trek - Sapa Hill Tribe
Boot
Sapa is a rugged northern Vietnamese area, with terraces, rolling hills, deep valleys and vibrant paddy fields. Our challenge begins in Vietnam’s capital city Hanoi, an eclectic mix of old colonial streets and traditional culture. We head north from here taking the overnight train to Lao Cai. Venturing into the hills, our challenge takes us along scenic trails and off the beaten path, through the remote villages of Nam Ket, Red Sin Chai, Nam Cum, Thanh Phu and Seo Mi Ty where we will meet local tribes along the way; staying in homestays and trekking on trails which are used for cardamom harvesting deep in the forest. Heading to the Topas Ecolodge where you will be amaze with breath-taking views of towering mountains, before heading back to Lao Cai for returning to Hanoi.
Self funder option
The full cost of this challenge is £2,213.00.
You will be required to pay the registration fee of £375.00 at the time of booking
and the final balance of £1,838.00
which is due 8 weeks before departure
(10/08/2018).
You will receive fundraising advice and sponsorship forms and be asked to raise as much as you can for your nominated charity.
As you have covered the full cost of the challenge, 100% of this fundraising will be retained by your nominated charity.
Minimum sponsorship option
You will be required to pay the registration fee of £375.00 at the time of booking and raise a minimum amount of sponsorship,
£3,750.00 for your nominated charity. You should send your sponsorship money to your nominated charity as you raise it.
At least 80% of the minimum sponsorship required
(£3,000.00)
must be sent to the charity 10 weeks before departure
(by 27/07/2018),
and the remaining 20% (£750.00)
within 4 weeks of completing the challenge (by 13/11/2018).
If you have raised the necessary funds, your nominated charity will then pay the balance of your expedition costs (which will not exceed 49% of the minimum sponsorship target).
The charity benefits by keeping the remaining sponsorship money and every pound over and above that you raise.
Flexi option
You will be required to pay the registration fee of £375.00 at the time of booking,
and 8 weeks before departure
(10/08/2018) you will be required
to pay a second contribution of £375.00 towards your challenge costs.
You will also need to raise a minimum amount of sponsorship,
£2,985.00 for your nominated charity.
You should send your sponsorship money to the charity as you raise it.
At least 80% of the minimum sponsorship required
(£2,388.00)
must be sent to the charity 10 weeks before departure
(by 27/07/2018),
and the remaining 20% (£597.00)
within 4 weeks of completing the challenge (by 13/11/2018).
If you have raised the necessary funds, your nominated charity will then pay the balance of your expedition costs (which will not exceed 49% of the minimum sponsorship target).
The charity benefits by keeping the remaining sponsorship money and every pound over and above that you raise.
What's included?
Before you go
Discount on personal equipment from Outdoorhire, Cotswold Outdoor and Cycle Surgery in the UK
Access to your own password protected account including support materials and training schedules
On your challenge
International flights to and from the UK (including all known UK air taxes at the time of costing)
Accommodation during the challenge (usually in twin share)
Three meals a day (unless otherwise stated in the itinerary)
All ground staff including English speaking guide, drivers, cooks, and porters
Activity equipment such as bikes, tents and rafts as per the challenge activity
A Charity Challenge T-Shirt
All internal transfers
What's not included?
Before you go
Travel to and from the UK airport of departure
Visa
Vaccinations (please check Trip Notes for requirements)
Travel Insurance (you can buy at time of booking or in your Account Area, or provide your own policy details)
On your challenge
Tips
Departure Tax (if applicable)
The details
Fundraising deadlines
You will need to send your sponsorship money to the charity as you raise it.
At least 80% of the minimum sponsorship required must be sent to the charity 10 weeks before departure
(by 27/07/2018),
and the remaining 20% within 4 weeks of completing the challenge
(by 13/11/2018).
If you have raised the necessary funds, the charity will then pay the balance of your challenge costs.
The charity benefits by keeping the remaining sponsorship money and every pound over and above that you raise.
Prices include all known air taxes
We include ALL known air taxes (including fuel) at the time of costing. Many companies do not include air taxes at all, and clients are therefore hit with a
surcharge of three or four hundreds of pounds just before departure. If the air taxes increase between the time of costing and your departure,
we will absorb up to £50 (depending on the challenge) before passing on any increased costs. Our aim is to provide you with transparent pricing and
clear instructions as to what is included in our prices and if applicable what isn't.
Typical group size
The typical group size is 16 - 30 participants
Small group supplement
The costs and sponsorship levels on our website are based on a minimum of 16 participants.
We can run this trip with 11-15 people, but there will be a small group supplement of
£50.00.
This is payable by your charity if you book under the Minimum Sponsorship or Flexi options, and by yourself if you choose the Self Funder option.
We will notify you 12 weeks before departure if this is necessary.
Optional extras
Extensions at end of trip*
Single room supplements*
Business class upgrades*
(*subject to availability)
Travel insurance
We can provide a comprehensive travel insurance policy for this challenge which provides cover for medical (emergency, evacuation and repatriation),
cancellation and curtailment and specifically covers the activities undertaken during the challenge. You can take this out when booking.
The cost is £82.00.
We hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 6546. Many of the flight-inclusive challenges on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. This ATOL protection only covers challenges that include flights booked by Charity Challenge and that originate in the UK. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate | {
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Another Teacher Busted for Sleeping with Students
October 30, 2007
This time around, according to authorities, Mario Quinones, a 58-year-old teacher at Robert F. Wagner Jr. Secondary School for Arts and Technology (“RWSSAT”) in Long Island City, slept with students, both male and female, and current and former.
Quinones cannot be prosecuted for his actions but Special Commissioner of Investigation Richard J. Condon, who conducted the probe, recommended that the social studies teacher be terminated.
From Condon’s report:
The investigation substantiated that Quinones engaged in sexual intercourse and other sexual activities with a female RWSSAT student which continued after the girl had graduated from the school. In addition, Quinones engaged in sexual acts with a male former RWSSAT student after the boy had graduated from the school. We also found that Quinones, the girl and the boy engaged in sexual acts together.
These sexual encounters, which occurred at Quinones’s Manhattan apartment, began when the girl was 17-years-old and continued for several years after the girl had graduated from RWSSAT.
Quinones admitted to engaging in sexual acts with the girl and also to participating in sexual activity with the girl and the boy together.
The Special Commissioner has recommended that Quinones’s employment be terminated and that he be made ineligible for work in the New York City school system. Although Quinones cannot be prosecuted for the aforementioned actions, the matter has been forwarded to the Queens County District Attorney’s Office and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for their information. | {
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A broad range of religious groups is calling on Congress to pass immigration reform - among them conservatives who in the past have opposed reform plans. VOA religion correspondent Jerome Socolovsky says evangelical Christians see it as an opportunity to expand their congregations. | {
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Welcome to “Going Places!”
A travel blog brought to you by The GO Group, a ground transportation company serving more than 60 airports worldwide and its mascot Vinnie Van Go. Whether you travel for business or pleasure, you’ll want to check out Vinnie's tips, recommendations and “news you can use.”
Have a question?
Want to know: Where to get the best hot dog in New York? The best surfing beach in Southern California? Ski conditions in the Rockies? Vinnie and our travel experts have the answers. All you have to do is ask. We hope to be your one-to-one source for travel information regarding GO cities and airports.
Got a Beef?
And let us know what you think about airport amenities, reclining airline seats, hotel mini bars or whatever else is on your mind.
Some 21 percent of travelers think airlines have the right to ask passengers to change their attire before boarding a plane according our recent poll. The survey was in response to a recent incident... | {
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America is the land of blue jeans, muscle cars, bald eagles and burgers. However, as Jack in the Box points out, those pants have gotten tighter, the vehicles have lost their muscle and bald eagles have gotten... balder. (Yes, it IS obvious!) However, Jack insists that burgers aren't going anywhere, as evidenced by his All-American Ribeye Burger, featuring 100-percent ribeye beef, fresh spring mix and provolone cheese on a potato bun. | {
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} |
Poplar / British Council
01 ‐
05
Previous ‐
NextPause
Commission from the British Council to create a series of photographs responding to their International Architecture Showcase, a residency programme which was based in the Balfron Tower during the London Festival of Architecture 2014. | {
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Just because Lady Salamence/Veedrock/Purple Wobbuffet/Eagle4 can't count and failed to realize that Obi's was the first and that I won the second doesn't mean that you have to get defensive Pernicious.
I didn't play in the third one so I still consider myself the defending champion.
Just because Lady Salamence/Veedrock/Purple Wobbuffet/Eagle4 can't count and failed to realize that Obi's was the first and that I won the second doesn't mean that you have to get defensive Pernicious.
I didn't play in the third one so I still consider myself the defending champion.
Click to expand...
Fair enough, I just thought that posting "Actually, you were the first and I was the co-second" was awkward. | {
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Satoshi Nakaboto: ‘Bitcoin whale moves $400M, pays $2.50 fee’
Our robot colleague Satoshi Nakaboto writes about Bitcoin every fucking day. Welcome to another edition of Bitcoin Today, where I, Satoshi Nakaboto, tell you what’s been going on with Bitcoin in the past 24 hours. As Isaac Newton used to say: Intelligence is in the eye of the beholder! | {
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Pages
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Readers of my blog who live in Oklahoma likely know of the humor blog, Irritated Tulsan. As the disclaimer on Irritated Tulsan's home page states, he uses humor, satire and parody to provide comic relief for his readers. Topics range from the ridiculous to the very serious.
The recent post, Why North Tulsans Won't Speak, got my attention. I was born in Tulsa and raised out north. I attended Alcott Elementary, Gilcrease Middle School and McLain High School. My parents lived in north Tulsa until nine years ago.
The "no snitch" mentality of some people in the area is very disturbing. Also disturbing is the reality that there are people who would talk to the police but don't, because they are afraid of being "punished" later.
We know many very fine people who live there because it has always been their home, and I wish their neighborhood was safer.
If it were as simple as providing garden gnomes for every home in North Tulsa, I'd purchase 100 and personally deliver them. How about you?
If not garden gnomes, what else might work? We're smart people, we ought to be able to figure this out.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
I found out today that Buford, the mascot for Harvard Meats, has been injured.
Children decided to hang off his horns. You can guess what happened. Both horns broke off his head. The account we heard was that the parents were right there when their children injured Buford. I will say no more on this part of the story.
Horn reconstruction was being attempted on poor Buford when we were at the shop Saturday. Fingers crossed the surgery is successful.
Friday, June 25, 2010
This is a great book. An exciting book. A book that a lot of people have discussed. This is not the reason I read this book. I read the book, based on a recommendation from a friend. What a GREAT recommendation!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
The Husband and I took a drive today and ended up in Chouteau, OK. Have you ever been there?
For a long time, we have seen tv ads for the Amish Crafted Furniture store located in this town. We stopped and took a look at their goods. Oh. My. Goodness. I'm ready to refurnish our entire house! The craftmanship and quality of this furniture is quite high and, on the plus side, we didn't think their prices were unreasonable at all. These furniture pieces are future heirlooms. If you are in need of new furniture, I recommend that you look there first!
We ate lunch at the Dutch Pantry. They feature home cooked food, served buffet style and all you can eat. On the menu for today was fried chicken. Yum, yum. The place was packed when we arrived. There was a charter bus tour group there enjoying lunch, along with a variety of people I assumed to be local workers and folks like us who just happened to be driving through town. We'll return to this place, for sure. I'm interested in their breakfast buffet, since breakfast is my favorite meal.
We stopped at one of the local antique stores. It was more a junk store than an antique store, but whatever. Prices were really reasonable. We saw a couple of interesting things, but ulimately left without making a purchase.
All in all, it was a pleasant day with The Husband exploring small town Oklahoma.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
My BFF for several years in elementary school was named Sue. She lived across the street from me for 2 or 3 years, I am not sure how long.
We rode bikes, we played Barbies, we went to the library, we went to the community swimming pool, we played "War" with the boys in the neighborhood, we spent the night at each other's house. In other words, we did everything together!
We had not seen each other in approximately 20 years. Things happened and we lost contact with each other. Thanks to Facebook, she found me a couple of months ago.
She and her husband live in Missouri and own a dairy farm. They came through Tulsa today and stoppped to have lunch with my Mom and me.
Monday, June 21, 2010
If you know me in real life, or you've read this blog for a while, you know that I love to go to estate sales, flea markets and antique stores. On our recent roadtrip, we stopped in at a very nice antique mall in Russell, KS and we found a great item.
It is a summer weight, hand embroidered and hand stitched quilt.
It fits perfectly on our queen size, guest room bed.
One of the hand embroidered panels:
Another panel:
Can you tell how thin the quilt is? Also, if you enlarge the picture, can you make out the hand stitches that quilted the top to the bottom?
Another shot of the quilt on the guest bed, with some of my peacock embroidery pieces. Can you have too much embroidery in a guest room?
I fell in love with this quilt when I first laid eyes on it. And, best of all, it was only $49. That's right forty nine dollars! As in, 4 and 9.
I couldn't believe the price because the maker of this quilt invested hours of time in it's creation. I will treasure it!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
The Sister and her family came over for dinner Saturday night. I made the PW's corn salad, found on pages 26-27 on her cookbook.
Pretty, isn't it?
The Husband, The Sister and The Brother-in-Law all liked this dish. Instead of a traditional lettuce based salad, this was a refreshing change of pace for our dinner.
The nieces did not like it, at all.
The 7 year old made a face after she tasted it.
The 4 year old told me "Do not make this again, Aunt Cindy."
Little squirt!
Edited to add:
I should have said I did not follow the recipe exactly. I used canned corn, instead of fresh off the cob. I also did not grill the vegetables, because it was too stinking hot to fire up the Hasty Bake Saturday afternoon! Even with these modifications to the recipe, all the adults scored the dish as an 8, on a 10 point scale. Pretty good!
Can you see them? They are up there, above our heads in our fancy self-portrait.
Oh, you want to see a better picture? Okay, here you go...
When I told my sister we were coming here on this trip, she related the story of her oldest daughter (now 7) coming home from school last year talking about the "rock head presidents." It took my sister and her husband asking a few questions to understand she was talking about Mount Rushmore! Funny!
You are not supposed to feed the animals in the park, but of course some people do not believe those rules apply to them and do so anyway. We got stuck in a bit of a traffic jam, because the burros know cars = people = food. Here's a shot of one of them trying to get us to feed him:
On the scenic drive through Custer State Park the roads are narrow and extremely winding, with a few very narrow stone tunnels. Here's a shot of a commercial tour bus coming through one of the tunnels. It took him a while to get through and by the time he did, he had a large audience watching him.
Here's a shot of the tunnel as we drove into it:
After we left the park, we headed to Wall, South Dakota. Home of the famous Wall Drug Store.
It was overwhelming. Any type of junky souvenir you could possibly desire is available here. They also have places to order food and opportunites for weird pictures. To wit:
After walking through Wall Drug (and, I confess, purchasing a tee shirt) we checked into the local Best Western Hotel and got settled. We went out for a quick dinner and I was in my pj's and in bed by 8:30p.m.
We walked in this cemetery for quite a long time. It is very large and the inclines are very steep. It is situated above the town of Deadwood and it was quite surreal on this cool, rainy morning.
We left the cemetery and made our way to the Crazy Horse Memorial. Even though it is not finished (after 60 years of work), it is still very impressive. And the dedication of the sculptor's family to continue his work is impressive. I would recommend you visiting it if you ever have the opportunity.
The entire time we've been in SD, it's been rainy, foggy and cool. Temperatures ranging from 45-55 degrees. This was the best picture we could get of Crazy Horse as it is today:
This is the model of what he will look like eventually.
Hopefully, it won't take the family another 60 years to finish this sculpture!
After leaving Crazy Horse, we drove to Rapid City, SD and checked into the Hotel Alex Johnson. It was a pretty nice place. We ate dinner at Botticelli Ristorante that evening. The food was very good and our waiter was quite entertaining.
Nah, those weren't the reasons! It's just that the town was really, really slow. Not many tourists in evidence.
We returned to the hotel in Deadwood and I took a nap while The Husband explored the town. Unfortunately, his report upon his return was not good.
Deadwood makes it's money on gambling. There you have it. Gambling.
Gambling is not so bad, but you would think they would mix it with high end shopping (art galleries, jewelry, etc.), like Las Vegas. That is not, however, the case in Deadwood. Tee shirt shops, TV show memorabilia and a few Indian pottery pieces are the extent of the shopping. I'm sure, however, they know their core audience better then we do.
From all appearances, the primary gambling crowd is "blue haired." Which sounds bad, but how else do you describe it? This primary crowd are at a point in their lives when they don't want or need to purchase many things. So, it makes sense there is no really high end shopping in town.
The Husband and I are not big gamblers. We are, however, people who are looking for a really nice dining experience. That's not so much what we found in Deadwood. However, I will say that we ate at Bully's in The Bullock Hotel on Saturday night and the meal was quite good. My filet was "melt in your mouth" good, which says a lot!
We walked to The Franklin Hotel after dinner to have a drink. We met a group of mid-20's kids out celebrating the birthday of one of their friends. Everyone in the group was very funny, nice & polite. The birthday boy was celebrating his 25th birthday (what a baby!) and was quite the talker. He was from Montana and had been raised on a 10,000 acre ranch that his great-grandfather homesteaded. He sells insurance during the day and works on the ranch the rest of the time. He said he's on "weed duty" at the ranch.
We had a good time in Deadwood. Yes, we did. And we only lost $21 on the slots!
Have you ever been there? If yes, what did you think? If no, do you have any desire to visit?
It is very difficult to describe the magnificence of the scenery. The land is large, wide open and awe inspiring. It is no wonder the Indians did not want to be restricted to living on reservations. They wanted to continue roaming this large, beautiful land as they had always done. Hence, their logical decision to fight back against the US government. The decision led to many battles, one of which was the Little Big Horn.
Actually being on site at the battlefield gave me a much richer understanding of the battle. It spread over a realatively narrow corrider of land, spanning approximately 3 miles in length. Tombstones are placed over that 3 mile stretch to indicate where US soliders and Indians fell during the battle.
It is very moving.
This picture of The Husband is at the location of "The Last Stand" where Custer died. If you enlarge the photo, the tombstone with the black highlighting is Custer's monument. (I really must invest in a more sophisticated camera!)
Here I am at the Indian Monument on the Battlefield.
Check out my new hat, purchased in the gift shop. Cute, don't you think? The Husband has one that is very similar. We also purchased the National Park Service Passport. Between stopping to take photos of every "Welcome to this state" sign and purchasing the NPS passport, The Husband has officially declared our "dork" quota is at an all time high. But you know what? We don't care!
We spent almost 3 hours at the Little Big Horn Battlefield. Easily, we could have spent another 2 or 3 hours to complete all the walking tours and to view the film at the park center. However, it's not like this battlefield is in the middle of a densely populated area, or even a commercial area, so you have to PLAN to go there. Next time we visit, we will plan a bit differently so we will be in the area for a couple of days.
Deadwood has a long and sordid history. But what US town doesn't? Some towns may not, but this nation was scratched out by "hook or crook" frequently and Deadwood fits that description. The Husband and I were fans of the HBO series, Deadwood. Have you seen it? We are not thinking the actual town was like the HBO series, but who knows?
We walked around downtown tonight, stopped into one of the many casinos to have a cocktail and assess the situation. The Husband lost ONE DOLLAR in a penny slot machine! I cut him off, needless to say. We ate dinner at the Buffalo Saloon, which has a long history in Deadwood.
We have a big day planned for Saturday, visiting a number of local sites. Hopefully the rainy forecast, with highs around 48-50 degrees, won't put too big of a damper on our plans!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Before we hit the road this morning, The Husband and I took a quick tour of Cheyenne, WY. What a neat town! We plan to return in the future and spend a couple of days exploring. In the mean time, a few of our highlights:
The State Capital
The State Capital Sign
The art project in Cheyenne is eight foot tall cowboy boots. How fun!
This is a portrait of the fish that got away from The Husband in New Mexico
We saw the Wrangler store
They also had a very cool, automated sign
I should have taken a video of the sign movement, but I didn't think of it. Duh. Don't judge, I'm on vacation! Isn't it a neat sign? We both loved it.
We left Cheyenne and drove north on I25 towards Sheridan, WY.
Oh. My. Goodness!
As I tweeted during the drive, do you have any idea how big & empty & beautiful the Wyoming landscape is? It is magnificent!
We have lovely, big open spaces in Oklahoma. But they are much different than Wyoming. And smaller.
The Husband and I lived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 1998 to 1999. Today's scenery reminded us of our weekend drives through the remote areas of the Alberta province. Endless open vistas, bounded on the west by imposing mountains. Lovely and restful.
We ended our drive by arriving in the cute town of Sheridan, WY. We checked into our hotel, got settled, and took a drive. Everyone we spoke to around town was friendly and helpful. Again, this is another place we would love to return to and explore further in the future.
We are looking forward to exploring The Little Big Horn Battlefield tomorrow even though the forecast is for rain and cool temperatures. Mid fifties for a high, anyone?
Have any of you been to The Little Big Horn Battlefield? If yes, what did you think?
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Typically when we travel, we seek out locally owned establishments in which to spend our money. However, we were both tired tonight after the day of driving and decided to go to the Outback Steakhouse across the street from our hotel.
We arrive and, lo and behold, there were five grown men in the parking lot circling each other, as two of them were swinging at each other. At least one of them had a bloody nose.
Now these weren't guys in the 20's or 30's. These were middle-aged, ought to know better, men. Probably on the high side of 40, if I were a betting woman.
We went to the side door where you pick up "to go" orders and entered the restaurant there. Of course, the staff was huddled at the front doors and the windows watching the action.
The Husband and I drove from Las Vegas, NM to Cheyenne, WY on I25 today. We were on the road 8+ hours, due to various spots of highway construction and terrible traffic in Denver. It tooks us an hour to get through the city. Even after leaving Denver proper, the traffic on I25 through Ft Collins was very heavy. It was a good driving day, even though we only had two brief stops.
The scenery was so different from our daily dose of Oklahoma, that I couldn't even read a book. I was too busy gazing at the mountains. Okay, I confess, I was also too busy getting my fill of the internet, since we had connectivity on our I-phones (unlike most of our time in New Mexico).
The only jarring note to the day was when we were in the hotel lobby in Cheyenne. There was a line at the desk and the clerk looked up at us and asked if we had a reservation. We said "no" and she advised they only had a couple of rooms left and what the rate would be. As she was making this statement, a man walked up behind us. She then asked for assistance at the front desk. When the second clerk came out, she said "Who's next?" Neither The Husband or I spoke up, but we were moving toward the clerk, when the man behind us said "I guess I am."
ARRRRRGGGHHHH...I hate it when people do that.
I hate that we didn't step up and say "No, we are."
I hate that the first clerk didn't say to the second clerk "These people are next."
I hate that the second clerk didn't realize the man BEHIND us could not be next.
He told the clerk he was by himself and needed a room with one bed for one night.
The two clerks had a problem with the system assigning the same room to the individual reservations they were working on. There were jokes back and forth between them, the ladies the first clerk was helping and the man that the room had double beds and they would have to share. He said he didn't want to share, but would if they would pay half.
The clerks finally got it straightened out, but by this time I was getting really irritated because they were all joking and the line was growing behind us. The man kept asking questions about "where are the luggage carts", "what is the closest restuarant", "oh, I don't know my license plate number, I'll have to go get it" which meant his transaction could not be closed out until he returned, which meant everyone in line had to wait on him.
Anyway, we finally got a room assigned to us and went to the car to retrieve our things. He was in the parking lot, unloading luggage onto the cart with a woman helping him.
Huh? He said he was alone. Did he think he'd get a better room rate by saying he was by himself?
I'll never understand why some people act they way they do.
Anyway, I'm glad to be in Wyoming. I've never been to this state, so I'm anxious to see what it is like. I'll keep you posted.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
We've been in New Mexico for a while, without consistent internet access.
Last Friday, we drove to Santa Fe and checked into a very nice B&B. We toured the Santa Fe Plaza immediately (not our first rodeo!)
I would rate the Bed & Breakfast as a 7 on a 10 point scale. The reason being they are undergoing a major remodel and things happen during remodels. Make no mistake, the breakfast was outstanding. Freshly brewed coffee, orange and cranberry juice, hot tea, fresh fruit, plus outstanding breakfast quesadillias (with salsa and sour cream). The downside was the Comcast connection was not working, hence no cable TV or internet connection.
Trust me, after spending a week (or more) in a remote cabin without internet, when you pay for a B&B that advertises both internet access and cable tv access, you are more than a little bit disappointed when that does not occur.
After our B&B breakfast, we drove to the Santa Fe Flea Market. Oh my! Many, many interesting and pretty things to be purchased. I must confess, I purchased a lovely bracelet. I so love jewelry!
We left the flea market and drove straight to our friends house in Albuquerque. We had an easy lunch and drinks at home, then went to Sam's Club to shop. Proving, once again, these friends are friends to have fun with no matter what we do!
Our friends cooked a fabulous salmon, asparagus and potato dinner.
Everyone went to bed and I stayed up to write this post, because I didn't want you to think I forgot to update you on my life.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
If you are at a cabin in the mountains of New Mexico where you have to drive 13 miles into town just to get cell phone reception or an internet connection, is it bad to stay in your pj's all day?
There were many things to be done, in addition to hanging laundry on the line like in the olden days. For instance, reading a great book (The Girl With The Dragan Tattoo), watching a chipmunk dart here and there, watching a wren build a nest and watching numerous hummingbirds feed.
I mean, you don't have time to shower and get dressed, do you?
Not that I've done that this week. I was just asking for a friend...yes, a friend. | {
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CloudMe for iPhone
Quick Specs
Version:
1.8.13
Total Downloads:
2,495
Date Added:
Jul. 18, 2015
Price:
Free; iTunes account required.
File Size:
Not available
Downloads Last Week:
0
Platform:
iOS
The download button opens the iTunes App Store, where you
may continue the download process. You must have iTunes installed with an
active iTunes account in order to download and install the software. This
download may not be available in some countries.
Editors' Review
CloudMe is a well-made cloud storage service for your iOS device that connects your documents, pictures, videos, and more with your computers for quick and easy access. While not offering substantially more storage than other services, the app is well designed and offers a number of features that are well-suited to the needs of a business professional backing up files to the cloud.
If you don't already have an account, you can create one for CloudMe directly in the app. It only takes a minute and you will be given a custom URL to access your account on a Web browser away from your device. The app then creates a virtual desktop where you can see folders with videos, images, documents, and more. Creating a new folder is easy and CloudMe is added to the menu for saving files from e-mail attachments and in other apps that support the save menu. Combined with automatic picture uploads, a built-in media player, and numerous syncing options, CloudMe is designed with mobile devices in mind. It works great, looks great, and operates at a high level when moving large volumes of files.
While it doesn't have the name recognition of other cloud storage services, and server speed was noticeably slower than some other alternatives (though not all), CloudMe's mobile platform is very well designed, and works quite well with both the iPhone and iPad to back up your important files for access on any other device you own.
read more +
Sponsored Products
Publisher's Description
From Xcerion AB:
CloudMe - The European Sync / Storage ServiceCloudMe is a secure European cloud sync/ storage service that gives you anywhere access to your files from any device. The service supports most common devices, but also smart TV's and NAS. With CloudMe you do not have to sync everything through a single folder, add as many folders as you like from your computer, from any hard drive and keep them synced to the cloud. Selectively sync the folders you need to each device.You get:- Access to your files wherever you are- File sharing through folders and http links- Sharing through text messages, email, Twitter and Facebook- Password protected sharing- What you share does not reduce the available storage at the receiving party- Collaboration folders to work in teams and projects- File inboxes, setup folders to receive files from people- Automatic camera roll backup- Streaming music and video player- Support for syncing unlimited number of folders through the CloudMe desktop app- Enables you to manage and organize your camera roll photos through a computer- Many supported clients like: Samsung SmartTV, WD TV Live, GoogleTV, smartphones, Mac, Linux and Windows- WebDAV support for connection to third party appsThe CloudMe app requires a CloudMe account. If you don't have an account, you can sign-up for free from within the app. Need more storage? You can buy more inside the app.To learn more about CloudMe and all our supported clients, please visit our website.
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If you believe this comment is offensive or violates the CNET's Site Terms of Use, you can report it below (this will not automatically remove the comment). Once reported, our staff will be notified and the comment will be reviewed. | {
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What no one tells you about vaginal tearing in childbirth.
Mothers are so focused on the baby, they often ignore their own wellbeing. If you’re experiencing pain or other symptoms after a tear, Dr Rosen advises consulting with your healthcare provider. Read the full article here on Huffington Post Canada, March 17, 2018 | {
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These Cool Features now in Instagram!!
Wow, Instagram has been revising some features which we are longing for…
So Guys, update your Instagram Accounts and enjoy life Instagramming,
Firstly, It’s going to be a great deal for promoters, where Instagram is giving brands the facility to link their products in stories with new stickers related to shopping. It is as simple as tapping on the sticker to view the product, which proceeds by adding multiple stickers in a story. But this is entirely different from the swipe up option, used by the business pages.
Isn’t it cool for you to promote Marketers!
And, this new update is yet on its way #trending and eventually, it will lead to a win-win situation for those who make use of it.
Second being, In the History of Instagram, the users are allowed to share other people’s stories publicly. Previously, sharing one’s post could be done via DMs [ Direct Message]
It also has the option to share stories and followers can be tagged with an @mention and this will send a pop-up message to the user whoever are tagged in the story!!
With the mix of all colorful text, stickers, or drawings users can add edit them in their own creative way!!
And That’s how was Instagram, has been improvising with better features which are leading them with massive user engagement and positive feedback among followers and that is why even people like Instagram. | {
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The Spices and Herbs market report gets comprehensive profiles of key player’s improvements in the market research industry. The year 2017 is considered as the base year for the sales of Spices and Herbs market in this report. The market is forecasted from 2018 to 2023.
The scope of the report covers all the major system technologies that are currently being implemented in the global Spices and Herbs industry. Market values are based on the end user (public and private) based on the manufacturing of Spices and Herbs systems. Spices and Herbs market manufacturers place orders when they receive work orders from Spices and Herbs market operators such as commercial, military, and others. Therefore, market numbers are derived from the end user perspective, considering their (Spices and Herbs market operators) orders for the Spices and Herbs market.
The Spices and Herbs market report gets comprehensive profiles of key player’s improvements in the market research industry. The year 2017 is considered as...
The Real Zima is an entertainment media for the generations that enjoy stories from celebrities, shows, gaming, and movies. The site focuses on producing reviews, opinions, and stories that feed our reader’s interests. | {
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Don Williams
Don Williams has covered Texas Tech football as either a beat writer or columnist for all but one year beginning in 1986. That counts two seasons he spent at the University Daily. He joined the A-J full-time in 1988.
He's covered 300 Tech football games, including 19 bowls. In the 1990s, he also staffed Dallas Cowboys home games and three Super Bowls.
Some of his other beats include Tech track and field and small college basketball and baseball. He was on hand in Lewiston, Idaho, when Lubbock Christian University won the NAIA World Series in 2009.
Williams graduated from Midland College in 1985, following the Chaparrals to the NJCAA final four one year, and from Texas Tech in 1988. He interned at the Arizona Republic in 1987, where he spent the summer covering the Triple-A Phoenix Firebirds and future major leaguers Matt Williams, Terry Mulholland, Dennis Cook and Jeff Brantley and ex-major leaguer Dave Kingman. (Thankfully, Kingman, a renowned media hater, did not send a rat to Don in the press box.)
DALLAS — Senior guard Shannon Lilly poured in season-high 29 points and junior forward Myles Johnson added 18 as hot-shooting Dallas Baptist pounded Lubbock Christian University 93-67 Monday night in Heartland Conference basketball.
Dallas Baptist came in averaging nearly 91 points per game and kept up that pace. Lilly shot 11 of 16 from the field, including 7 for 10 from 3-point range, and Johnson made 4 of 6 on 3s.
The outcome made both teams 8-4 overall and 2-2 in the Heartland.
Texas Tech football coach Kliff Kingsbury filled two of the several vacancies on his staff Monday, making one promotion from in house and hiring a veteran special teams coach from South Carolina.
Tech announced the promotion of Emmett Jones to offensive assistant coach and the hiring of Joe Robinson as special teams coordinator.
Robinson has coached special teams at six programs, most recently at Arizona (2004-07), LSU (2008-10) and South Carolina (2012-15).
Texas Tech on Saturday announced the resignation of football strength and conditioning coach Chad Dennis, yet another staff shakeup after a 7-6 season.
Dennis is another original member of Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury’s staff, formed in 2013, now leaving the program.
“We would like to thank Chad Dennis for the three years he led our strength and conditioning program,” Kingsbury said in a statement the Tech athletic department released. “We wish him well in all his future endeavors.”
Matthew Alford plays a lot of minutes for the Lubbock Christian University basketball team, usually without scoring a lot of points.
An uncommonly small power forward at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Alford’s contributions are measured by how he passes, rebounds and defends in the low post. He’s so good at it, he’s started 34 games the last two years.
The ultimate role player became a lead dog Thursday.
Lubbock Christian University coach Steve Gomez had little reason to worry, as it turns out.
The Lady Chaparrals came back strong from the Christmas break, no matter the level of competition.
LCU won its Heartland Conference women’s basketball home opener Thursday afternoon at the Rip Griffin Center, beating Oklahoma Panhandle State 96-51 after 11 days off from games.
Texas Tech quarterback Davis Webb, blocked by the rise of Patrick Mahomes II to this season's FBS total offense leader, on Wednesday night announced plans to transfer and use his final year of eligibility elsewhere.
The 6-foot-5, 224-pound Webb figures to be a coveted prospect. He's thrown for 5,557 yards and 46 touchdowns in his three-year career. However, Mahomes took over as the Tech starter in the ninth game of the 2014 season and never relinquished the job.
HOUSTON — During the Texas Bowl’s pre-game press conference on Monday, Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury and his counterpart, LSU’s Les Miles, agreed on the value of ending a season by winning a bowl game.
Miles really needed this one, given the Tigers ended the regular season on a four-game streak of scoring fewer than 20 points. Mixed into that was a three-game November losing streak that put Miles’ job in jeopardy.
HOUSTON — Maybe it’s fitting DeAndre Washington isn’t the center of attention for the first game he gets to play in his hometown NRG Stadium.
The Texas Tech running back’s on the verge of 1,500 rushing yards for his senior season, yet the spotlight for Tuesday’s Texas Bowl shines on his counterpart, Leonard Fournette, the LSU all-American with more than 1,700.
All the other times Washington’s been to NRG Stadium, the fans were there to see someone else: the Houston Texans or the cowboys of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo or the monster trucks.
HOUSTON — Texas Tech’s last practice Sunday for the Texas Bowl took place at Houston Methodist Training Center, the Houston Texans’ indoor facility right next to NRG Stadium.
Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said, with rain in the forecast, he didn’t want to take chances.
“It’s our perfect-play Thursday (equivalent),” he said, “and we wanted to make sure it was crisp and clean.”
Sure enough, it rained later in the day. | {
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1.) Making news out of a non-story is the word out of Empire magazine today in which J.J. Abrams confirms he turned down any involvement in Star Wars: Episode VII:
There were the very early conversations and I quickly said that because of my loyalty to Star Trek, and also just being a fan, I wouldn’t even want to be involved in the next version of those things. I declined any involvement very early on. I’d rather be in the audience not knowing what was coming, rather than being involved in the minutiae of making them.
Abrams directed the upcoming Star Trek Into Darkness, which hits theaters in May and I have to ask, does anyone else find it mildly concerning that the level of imagination taken in approaching this new Star Wars trilogy already has the producers looking at a director with his own similar sci-fi franchise already in theaters? Wouldn’t you want to distance and differentiate your franchise and isn’t it interesting Star Wars is now literally turning to Star Trek for direction?
2.) I have no idea what we should expect from Wes Anderson‘s next film The Grand Budapest Hotel, which is described as a European set comedy set 85 years ago in which the main character, who’s a bit crazy, has a personal medium [mind reader] whose assistant is a teenager. That main character was originally supposed to be played by Johnny Depp, but he had to drop out and was replaced by Ralph Fiennes. Either previously rumored, or now confirmed, Fiennes will be joined in the film by Jude Law, Bill Murray, Angela Lansbury, Owen Wilson, Saoirse Ronan, Jeff Goldblum, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, Mathieu Amalric and F. Murray Abraham. I don’t know about you, but it’s hard not to look forward to a film with that cast intact. [THR]
3.) Over the past couple of days the acting world lost both Jack Klugman (“The Odd Couple”) who died on December 24 at the age of 90 and Charles Durning (The Sting) who passed away on Christmas Day at the age of 89.
4.) Whether because he enjoys being irrational and judging things he hasn’t seen or because he simply has no tolerance for Quentin Tarantino (Lee has taken issue with Tarantino’s use of the n-word for years), Spike Lee has spoken out against Tarantino’s Django Unchained telling Vibe TV, “I cant speak on it ’cause I’m not gonna see it… All I’m going to say is that it’s disrespectful to my ancestors. That’s just me… I’m not speaking on behalf of anybody else.” His efforts to not speak out on it then continued on Twitter where he wrote, “American Slavery Was Not A Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western.It Was A Holocaust.My Ancestors Are Slaves.Stolen From Africa.I Will Honor Them.”
I respect anyone’s informed opinion, but to judge something before you’ve seen it is part of the problem we’ve already seen with the critics of Zero Dark Thirty.
5.) Speaking of Django, Tarantino’s film brought in $15 million on Christmas Day, coming in second behind the $18.2 million earned by Les Miserables while The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is holding its own with a strong $11.3 million.
The Christmas Day opening record is still held by Sherlock Holmes at $24.6 million, but Les Mis and Django are now numbers two and three respectively, ahead of Marley and Me at #4 with $14.3 million. | {
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Punching fog – how people with HIV are tackling stigma worldwide
Gus Cairns
Published: 01 November 2009
The UK theme of this World AIDS Day is ‘HIV:
Reality’, building on last year’s theme of ‘Respect and Protect’. The reality
is that HIV status continues to mark people down as second-class citizens
worldwide. Gus
Cairns looks at a community-led initiative that documents
HIV-positive people’s experience of stigma and helps them combat it.
HIV is a stigmatised condition, it’s agreed. To reveal one’s
HIV status risks disapproval, rejection or worse. People may also stigmatise
themselves, blaming themselves for having the virus.
How to reduce stigma is less clear. While we can legislate
against discrimination, tackling attitudes is much harder.
Anti-stigma initiatives are useless unless we understand exactly
what we are trying to combat and how we can.
Stigma describes something we attach to people perceived as
having offended against the way we think people ought to be.
The US
sociologist Erving Goffman, in his seminal book,1 described it as an
intensification of the normal expectations we have of people.
“We lean on these anticipations we have,” he said,
“transforming them into […] righteously presented demands.”
Who’s this ‘we’? Well, it’s unlikely anyone is free of
stigmatising attitudes towards others. What do you think of bonus-grabbing bankers?
Of AIDS denialists? Even members of a stigmatised group can stigmatise others,
and quite often we do to those nearest us. In June, HTU looked at how having HIV is stigmatised by gay men (see Stigma Begins at Home, issue 187).
Yusef Azad is Director of Policy and Campaigns for the
National AIDS Trust (NAT), which has campaigned against both stigma and
discrimination in the past. Azad now makes a careful distinction between three
concepts.
“Discrimination
is the simplest of the three to tackle,” he says. “It is a legal concept, a
concrete and identifiable way of doing harm to someone by treating them
differently. It may be the result of prejudice or stigma but you don’t have to
look at motivations or reasons to prove discrimination.”
“Prejudice
consists of unfair, stereotypical and usually negative assumptions about
someone else based on the group they are seen to belong to.”
Prejudices may still not be stigma. “Stigma is different
because it has a concept of shame attached to it,” says Azad.
“In stigma, a
belief system is actually shared by
the stigmatiser and the stigmatised. The stigmatiser fears becoming the type of
person they hate, and the stigmatised person feels [that] shame... Stigma has a
grip on people: that’s what’s so toxic and unfair about it.”
“Stigma is absolutely dependent on the stigmatised person
actually giving a damn, in terms of feeling ashamed,” says Azad. “Organisations
like NAT can combat discrimination, and we can even help to make public
expression of stigma unacceptable. But the only thing that stops stigma is for
people with HIV to refuse to feel the stigma. Why should they have to do this?
Because only they can.”
When the nurse put on
two gloves I was so humiliated, I mean who taught her to do that?
The Stigma Index is both a stigma-measuring and a community
development tool. It recruits HIV-positive people to be community researchers,
conducting interviews with other HIV-positive people and asking about every
aspect of the experience of stigma.
The Index asks about experiences only over the last year, so
that people’s memories are fresh and so that later years’ results can be
compared. Areas covered include:
Self-exclusion:
voluntarily opting out or avoiding jobs, social groups, relationships and
so on
Whether
people knew that people with HIV were protected by laws such as, in the UK,
the Disability Discrimination Act
Whether
the respondent had ever helped another person with HIV, joined a voluntary
organisation, or been an HIV campaigner themselves.
Individual countries are allowed to ask supplementary
questions; for instance, in the UK,
there was a supplementary section on criminalisation of HIV transmission.
The Stigma Index relies entirely on people coming forward. Participants
are guided by trained facilitators and fill in the 24-page questionnaire
individually. Open-ended discussions and phone follow-up interviews are then
used to gather more qualitative data. In the UK 867 people, recruited through
community groups, were interviewed.
“More than we were expecting,” says the IPPF’s Lucy
Stackpool-Moore, who has co-ordinated the Index here.
Small pilot studies tested the types of questions in 2006
and last year the Dominican
Republic became the first country to conduct
a full Stigma Index study, with 1000 people interviewed.
Headline results found that fear of being gossiped about was
one of the most all-pervasive fears, but it also found that one in ten people
had been assaulted because of their HIV status, and nearly a third of women,
usually by their partners. Self-stigma was more common in men than women, with
40% blaming themselves for their own status. Only one in 44 respondents had
used the law to combat discrimination, but three-quarters had helped other
people with HIV and over a third had confronted or educated people who had
stigmatised them. About three-quarters had disclosed to at least one person
close to them but in a quarter of these cases they were ‘outed’ as HIV-positive
by a third party.
In 2009 the Stigma Index gained real traction. The UK is one
of about 20 countries to have conducted a full study this year, and results
will be announced at a launch in the House of Commons on 30 November. Preliminary
findings suggest lower levels of gossip, harassment and violence in the UK, but quite
high levels of stigmatisation by healthcare workers and educational
institutions, and higher levels of self-stigmatisation, shared equally between
men and women.
Some previewed quotations from the interviews bring to life
these themes:
“When the nurse put on
two gloves I was so humiliated, I mean who taught her to do that?”
“I am an asylum seeker and people don’t want
people who have nothing. I am HIV positive. If I could get rid of just one of
these things…”
Other countries to report around World AIDS Day include China, Thailand
and Bangladesh, and the
process is underway in the Philippines,
Pakistan, Mexico, El
Salvador, Columbia, Argentina, Zambia,
Kenya, Nigeria, Fiji
and Ethiopia.
In the UK
the Index was funded by the MAC AIDS Foundation and the Scottish Government; more
money will be needed for a detailed analysis and report next year, which will
include the stories from participants to bring the data alive.
Are the self-selected Stigma Index interviewees representative
of people with HIV?
“Sampling is word of mouth,” agrees Lucy Stackpool-Moore.
“So they had to be linked into some sort of network. But many people had never
disclosed to anyone in their family, for instance”.
The main aim of the Stigma Index is to establish a baseline
for the future. The idea is to repeat the exercise every few years to see how
HIV stigma, or people’s experience of it, changes. The UK survey is big enough to get some really
specific results: “We could see, for instance, if people in London
had different issues from people in Manchester,
or asylum seekers from gay men,” Lucy says.
The other aim is to influence policy. Some prevention
interventions, for instance, may fail because they are ill-informed about feelings
on issues like testing or disclosure.
The Stigma Index won’t ascribe a stigma rating to countries.
To do so, given the complex nature of stigma, would be impossible.
“We don’t want to reduce experience to numbers,” says Lucy.
“But we do want to capture it in the most scientific and quantitative way we
can, and to ensure that the experience of people living with HIV informs future
developments that are supposed to benefit them.”
Issue 191: November 2009
This content was checked for accuracy at the time it was written. It may have been superseded by more recent developments. NAM recommends checking whether this is the most current information when making decisions that may affect your health.
NAM’s information is intended to support, rather than replace, consultation with a healthcare professional. Talk to your doctor or another member of your healthcare team for advice tailored to your situation. | {
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Cool Down
The Daiquiri Is the Cocktail of Summer
Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast
Some people start wearing seersucker after Memorial Day. I start drinking Daiquiris.
If I could spend the days between the last Monday of May and the first Monday of September with one of these iced dew-drops close at hand at all times, and still remain married, housed, and employed, that would be the entirety of my plan for the summer. Sip Daiquiris; watch the world go by; pretend life is good.
Even though, in this vale of toil and tears, I can’t pull such a thing off, I can still dream about it and, occasionally at the end of the day break off a little corner of it. There’s something about the cool, crisp kiss of a properly-made Daiquiri that makes it a miracle pill for being hot and bothered. Each one is like a little dipper of the old, pre-global warming Arctic Ocean in January, magically desalinated and infused with alcohol and poured into your glass.
That is exactly what the drink was invented to be. We know that because, unusually for one of the world’s great drinks, which tend to be born in shadow and spread by underground telegraph, we have remarkably solid information on how the Daiquiri was invented. The best account comes from a 1935 letter from Robert Huntington Lyman Jr. to the New York Sun’s “Along the Wine Trail” column. Lyman, a Pennsylvania-born mining engineer, was serving as comptroller of the Spanish-American Mining Co.’s large iron mines in the hills above Daiquiri, a little fishing port 20-odd miles east of Santiago, Cuba. But I’ll let him tell the story.
“Jennings S. Cox, Jr. was general manager… There were seven of us on the staff and we all lived together on the property. We were known in Santiago as La Mina de los Siete Solteros, or the mine of the seven bachelors.
“The insurrection [i.e., the popular uprising that led to American intervention and the Spanish-American war] was on full tilt, 1897, and several hundred Spanish troops were camped on the property, not so much to protect us as to prevent the ‘insurrectos’ from stealing our explosives. There was, of course, no safe overland communication with Santiago and we had to rely on the water route with very irregular boat service.
“Occasionally, very occasionally, when the tug Colon was coming out with supplies a cake of artificial [i.e., machine-made] ice would be aboard for our use at the mine. Barring the occasional bottle of Scotch secured from an ore cargo boat, the only hard stuff we had available was Bacardi rum.
“In our thirst for knowledge and other things, we naturally tried out various mixtures in which, however, Bacardi was always the base. Limes were, of course, abundant and when ice was at hand we just naturally discovered that a stiff jigger of Bacardi with a little sugar, half a lime and a generous amount of cracked ice rang the bell. This combination, decanted, just about filled a cocktail glass and thereby became known, very improperly as a cocktail [cocktails at the time had bitters and no fruit juice—ed.], but to us ‘patrones’ it was never known by any name other than a ‘Daiquiri.’
“Of the seven of us, all of whom no doubt had suggestions to offer as to proportions, ingredients, & c., each always claimed credit for the creation, none more violently than myself, but the contribution added so much to the sum of human happiness there’s glory enough to go around…
“All the above happened before the Spanish war, and even then we had transplanted the tipple to the Anglo-American Club in Santiago, where it immediately became the popular drink.”
Lyman’s story checks out in just about as many of its details as can be checked out; indeed, he wrote letters to American newspapers about his experiences in Cuba. In 1898, when the Americans, who landed at Daiquiri, reached Santiago, many of Army and Navy officers and their entourages made the Anglo-American Club their home-away-from-home. There, Cox—with mining operations temporarily suspended—held forth from behind the club’s piano, deploying his “fine voice,” as one observer noted, and “inimitable way of putting character into his songs” to great effect on ragtime ditties, barracks-room balladas out of Kipling and whatever else popped into his head.
The one hitch in the story is the fact that the contemporary accounts of drinking at the club mention plenty of Bacardi, made right there in Santiago, but taken with soda, under the name “el mismo” (“the same,” as in “I’ll have the same thing he’s having”), not shaken up into a Daiquiri. That doesn’t mean that Lyman’s story is wrong, of course. Sometimes drinks just take a while to find the right agent of transmission.
That probably came in January 1909, when Lucius Johnson and John Manchester, then junior officers in the Navy Medical Corps, were touring the battlefields of the Spanish-American War and ran into Jennings Cox, still at Daiquiri. He irrigated them with Daiquiris, as Johnson recalled in 1951, and they liked it. When they returned to Washington, they talked the bar of the Army-Navy Club into making the drink, which involved procuring Bacardi rum (then imported only in small quantities). Officers drank, and they drank Daiquiris.
By then, however, so did travelers to Cuba: The drink first appears in print that same year, as a Havana specialty; apparently, one of Cox’s engineers was a regular at the popular Café Telegrafo there, where he taught Emilio “Maragato” Gonzalez (1868-1940), head bartender there, to make the Daiquiri drink, and Margato’s version of it had begun to catch on around town. With momentum behind it on at least two fronts, the Daiquiri made rapid progress. By 1914, it was everywhere, both in Cuba and in America, one of the great new drinks of the decade.
The original version—well, we have Cox’s recipe for that, which involved adding soda before shaking and pouring the whole thing unstrained into a glass. Of course, Lyman’s version might have been different (he didn’t include it in his letter), and so might the version of any of the other seven bachelors. But once the concoction ran through the shakers of Maragato and the other expert mixologists in Havana, it came out as simple and refined as a drink can be.
Most modern drink-mixers make their Daiquiris with simple syrup and a lot of lime juice—at least three-quarters of an ounce. This makes a pleasant drink, but it’s not what they were making in Havana. The simple syrup adds volume to the drink, its true, but it also brings a slight plasticy texture to it. The original Cuban recipe used less sugar and lime and thus, proportionately, more rum, and it began with the simple step of stirring the sugar into the lime juice. I find that this makes for a brighter, leaner drink and takes little additional time.
Unfortunately, we no longer have the same Bacardi they had before World War I, which was largely made in pot stills and was, judging from old bottles I’ve tasted, a richer, funkier rum than the present one. If you’re traveling abroad, bring back some Havana Club 3-Year-Old, which has the funkiness if not all the richness. Other good options are Banks 5-Island, Denizen Aged White Rum, Plantation Three-Star, and Caña Brava, all of which have some of that sugarcane flavor.
Now I have some Daiquiri drinking to get back to.
Daiquiri
INGREDIENTS:
Half a good-sized, juicy Lime (this should be around .5 oz; if conspicuously juicy, add more sugar; if conspicuously stingy, add more juice)
1 tsp Sugar
2 oz Good, white rum
Glass: Coupe
DIRECTIONS:
Squeeze the lime directly into a shaker. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the rum, fill the shaker with ice and shake viciously. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Do not garnish. Repeat until you’re cool. | {
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Apple's victories over Samsung in a San Jose federal court have brought the company close to $1 billion in jury verdicts. But those wins have come at a price.
Specifically, they have cost about $60 million, the amount the company has paid its outside lawyers, according to legal filings the company made this week.
In the filing, the company is asking the judge to make Samsung pay $15.7 million of those legal fees. That would be in addition to the $930 million in damages Samsung already has to pay Apple.
"Awarding fees to Apple 'flows quite naturally' from the jury's willfulness verdict as well as Samsung's extensive record of willful, deliberate, and calculated decisions to copy the iPhone, in blatant disregard for Apple's IP," Apple's attorneys said in its filing, according to Reuters.
The fees primarily have gone to Apple's main law firm, Morrison Foerster. The amount covers the past two years, which included a trial in 2012 that resulted in a decisive verdict for Apple. It also includes the recent retrial over a portion of the damages awarded that also resulted in an Apple victory. | {
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Street Photography Ethics
There are no ultimate ethics in street photography— you just dictate your own code of ethics for yourself.
Shooting photos at the expense of others
Madison, 2017
Is it possible to shoot photos without upsetting others or at the expense of others? I don’t think so.
The truth is:
It doesn’t matter if you shoot photos with or without permission— there is always a chance that your subject won’t like being photographed, they might not the photo you shoot of them, or they might not like you sharing the photo.
I believe that street photography is artwork that requires you to use other people (strangers). The whole process of street photography is risky— you risk upsetting others, you risk physical or mental attacks from your subjects; but this is what makes street photography interesting and enjoyable. Because street photography is so hard, it makes us street photographers more unique and special. Not everyone can shoot street photography — we should pride ourselves on the difficulty and danger of our artistic expression.
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It will be low-key and with less fanfare, but the NHL will officially announce on Sunday that the outdoor Winter Classic between the Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings is back on, the Star has learned.
The league has called a news conference for Sunday at Joe Louis Arena at which it will reveal the jerseys the Leafs and Wings will wear for the affair that is expected to draw more than 100,000 people to the football stadium at the University of Michigan.
The Jan. 1 game was a casualty of the lockout in 2013. There is talk the game may be shifted from its usual Jan. 1 slot.
Last year, the league announced among much hoopla that the Classic was coming to Detroit, that it would be accompanied by festivities through the holiday season that will include outdoor games for teams in the AHL, OHL and U.S. colleges. The facilities at Comerica Park — the Detroit Tigers stadium — were also expected to be used.
All those games are expected to be back on the agenda as well as the main event at the Big House.
More on thestar.com
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The Final Takedown of Trump Begins in Earnest
US Intelligence Agencies Conspire To Implement A Coup D’état
There is now a highly coordinated conspiracy afoot to take down President-elect Donald Trump.
This deliberate scheme to execute a soft coup has been orchestrated at the highest levels of the Obama Administration, Democratic and Republican National Committees, as well as the major intelligence agencies and special secret services.
The essence of their scheme is to fabricate the appearance of collusion between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. They especially strive to put out fraudulent and contrived evidence that Putin possesses salacious material on Trump that is substantive enough that it can be used to blackmail him. Wait, it gets worse … or, rather, this CIA implementation plan will continue to evolve so that the US Congress is forced to take unprecedented action.
______________________________________________________________Special Note: What follows is just one example of how much Donald J. Trump is upsetting the NWO apple cart. Robert Kennedy Jr. agrees to ‘chair a commission on vaccination safety and scientific integrity’ for Trump It ought to be obvious by this critical appointment that Trump is willing to take on a central pillar of the NWO social engineering agenda. In fact the super-vaccination agenda is as BIG as it gets in terms of controlling the entire human population. RFK Jr. is well known among health advocates to be a zealous truth seeker regarding the inherent dangers of vaccines, and especially of the overly aggressive vaccination regimens that young children are now exposed to. The bottom line concerning this extraordinary appointment by Trump is that he is showing a courageous willingness to go after one of their sacred cows. You don’t ever go after their sacred cows and expect to succeed given the current institutional arrangements which make up the Global Control Matrix. Big Pharma is an extremely powerful corporate NWO player that has always gotten their way, so they will NOT play nice. A soft coup was initiated on the very same day! ______________________________________________________________
The Last Peaceful Overthrow Attempt Before The Putsch
The final push to revoke the results of the 2016 presidential election has begun in earnest.
With the publication of more fake news about Trump’s hidden relationship with Russia, the Mainstream Media (MSM) has been enlisted by the CIA to disseminate completely fictitious accounts to undermine his victory.
That the MSM was so easily conscripted to report such patently false information is beyond comprehension. They have taken the extremely reckless initiative to distribute obvious falsehoods about Trump’s non-existent relationship with President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation.
The very dissemination of such dangerous fake news, in this particular context, constitutes high treason, corporate sponsored sedition among a number of other very serious felonies. Not only have the MSM traitors acted against the American Republic, they have betrayed the U.S. citizenry in ways that require their criminal prosecution. The whole array of MSM organs of propaganda may have just sealed their fate—perhaps a total takeover of the MSM by the appropriate presidential oversight commission.
That many of the major MSM news outlets have trumpeted these false claims against Trump could only have occurred with the blessing of the Obama Administration. Obama himself has politicized the outcome of this election which clearly indicates that he has no intention of leaving. His many unprecedented disruptions to a smooth transition are so reprehensible and feckless that he will surely be called to account when this ongoing coup has been short-circuited.
Would you?
From now until Inauguration Day
Make no mistake about it: from now until Inauguration Day will be the most dangerous times for Donald Trump and his transition team. The very future of the United States of America now hangs in the balance as never before. Hence, it is imperative that every American citizen stays vigilant and does what the Turks recently did to avert the CIA-directed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government.
The people went out in the streets and shut that violent US-coordinated coup down in an Ankara minute. That’s where we are at this very moment; for if the soft coup is not successful for the traitors, they will not stop until they have violently removed Donald Trump from the picture.
Now that so many agencies of the U.S. Federal Government have graphically exposed themselves, there is no going back for them. The culpability of the C.I.A. and other intelligence agencies etc. is so obvious for the whole world to see, that they have no choice but to be successful however they must; otherwise, many will face the gallows for high treason.
Herein lies the real challenge for the American people: to terminate this coup-in-progress once and for all before it terminates any semblance of the American Republic.
What are you, American citizens, going to do?
Conclusion
There can be only one reason for the fake dossier that was fabricated by rogue elements within the U.S. intelligence community. To use it as a pretext to delegitimize the presidency of Donald Trump by traitors within the Obama Administration and DNC, as well as rogue intelligence agencies.
That this unvetted fraud was then quickly disseminated throughout the global MSM provides further evidence of a highly organized coup against the president-elect. Because the inauguration is only 9 days away, look for many other desperate attempts to bring down Trump before he even steps in the Oval Office.
The Company, also known as the C.I.A., has had more experience than any other US agency in conducting color revolutions across the planet. However, the agents of the C.I.A. really work for Deep State not We the People. Therefore, if not very watchful, the American people will get to experience a Purple Revolution in their own back yard. | {
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Domestic
With over 20 years experience in the domestic / residential market S.Clift Building Contractors can assist with all types of domestic requirements, new builds, extensions, refurbishments. We also offer any type of property repair or maintenance.
Given the scale of the project, it could not have gone better. Mick was very helpful and listened to any concerns and helped with any questions we had. Communication between us and yourselves was clear and open. You always arrived on time to do the work and we cannot fault the quality of the workmanship.… Continue Reading
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We will never communicate any bank details or bank changes by email or post to our clients.
This is a security precaution due to previous attempted Cyber Attack and Postal Fraud.
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The Dispatch for smart phones
By Guy TrebayNEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE • Monday June 9, 2014 6:58 AM
James Bond gets all the glory, but Pussy Galore wore it best.
There, in a photo from the movie
Goldfinger, she stands atop the wing of a small plane. Her face is framed by a honeyed
mane that was actress Honor Blackman’s glory. Her left hand rests on the aircraft. Strapped to her
wrist is a chunky Rolex GMT Master watch on a workmanlike nylon strap.
Sean Connery’s Bond, too, favored the same sturdy straps for his fine watches; it was one of the
countless sartorial fine points of Bond movies that tastemakers will be mining for eternity.
Curiously, though, the striped strap on Bond’s Rolex Submariner in
Goldfinger is skimpy — too narrow for the watch it supports. Perhaps that was the
intention . . . or maybe the prop handler was out to lunch.
Galore’s watchband, on the other hand, is scaled right for a timepiece somewhat outsize for most
women of the era, though well-calibrated for a character that in the original Ian Fleming novel was
a lesbian cat burglar running a Harlem-based girl gang called the Cement Mixers.
The watch strap is a type many call a NATO. Whether it is in fact a NATO is a subject of
considerable online debate, like most everything to do with the world of fine watches and Bond.
Named for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, though likely created for British soldiers, a
NATO is classically a length of plain woven nylon with two stainless steel loops and a metal
buckle. Like Bond or Galore, it is tough, resilient and hard to kill.
And it is a certifiable trend. At least it was during the huge Baselworld watch fair held in
Switzerland in the spring, when large numbers of watchmakers showed their costly wares on NATO
straps.
Watch purists hate them. NATO straps “don’t belong on any watch that costs more than the strap,”
sniffed one professed online arbiter known as the Watch Snob. | {
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Robert Wood Wall Art
Robert Wood (1889 - 1979) was born to W. L. Wood in Sandgate, England. His father was a Victorian painter and he displayed his at his facility at an early age. He studied painting in nearby Folkstone as a young man. After a brief stint in the Royal Army he, together with a close friend of his called Claude Waters, immigrated to America. Wood initially settled in Illinois where worked on a farm belonging to Water's uncle as a hired hand. But after awhile, he struck out on his own and lived a life of an itinerant painter. By 1912, he visited Los Angeles for the first time. And by the end of that year, he met, courted and married Eyssel Del Wagoner in Florida. They later moved to Ohio where their daughter, Florence, was born.
The family moved to Seattle where their son, John Robert Wood, was born. The family later moved to Kansas, California, Missouri, Portland, and to Oregon. His seemingly constant wandering disrupted his family life and delayed the development of his painting skills. However, these travels helped him develop an appreciation for the American landscape that would inspire his for the rest of his life. Finally Wood found a place where he felt he could be happy, he put down his roots in the state of Texas. He settled in San Antonio, which was the largest city in the state. It was in San Antonio that he began to pursue painting seriously. In a short time, he had established a reputation for his paintings of landscapes of Texas scenes such as the Red Oaks found in central Texas and the famous fields of Blue Lupin. | {
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Get Involved
Rising Up! is run by volunteers and people can do what they want, so long as it doesn't contradict our principles and values. This has been shown to be a good way of organising, it helps a network to grow when people don't have to ask for permission to act. This means that things may happen using #RisingUp! as a name that those managing the website are less aware of. People in charge of campaigns may change and so on. If you want to create your own local Rising Up! group or campaign, great, and please let us know at https://risingup.org.uk/contact. If it feels a little chaotic as a result please forgive us! If you have any edits or updates for this page contact us at https://risingup.org.uk/contact and if you'd like to receive the Rising Up! newsletter sign up on the website by entering your email on the top right and clicking 'sign up'.
Here are our current campaigns (updated August 2017)
Stop Killing Londoners
London, one of the greatest cities in the world. Population 8 million+ and the very air we breathe is killing us by the thousands each year. Stop Killing Londoners is a new new open direct action campaign mobilising London communities to demand action on air pollution. We offer tips on organising in your local area. Our campaign will culminate in co-ordinated road blockades across the city. See facebook page here.
Cancel the CONtract
Campaign in Gloucestershire to stop the building of a super-expensive, toxin-creating, air-polluting, climate-changing incinerator on our doorstep (at Javelin Park). The contract is so SUPER-EXPENSIVE that it will be CHEAPER TO CANCEL than to continue - even now that work has begun. It is NOT the only alternative to landfill, & it is more expensive than ANY other option (including landfill or trucking waste to an incinerator elsewhere!). Legal challenges, petitions, motions to cancel, official questions & complaints have encountered a STONEWALL OF DENIAL & continual stream of MISINFORMATION from Glos County Council. Every area of the Council's budget has been slashed - EXCEPT for waste, which is going up because of this awful contract. Our public money will literally go up in TOXIC SMOKE. This is unacceptable. We WILL make our voices heard, & if that means a little PEACEFUL MISCHIEF, there are some among us who are willing to take that step into civil disobedience (non-violent of course). We are not willing to negotiate on the health of our families, communities & landscape & we intend to make that clear - & to HAVE FUN doing it. This facebook page has been created to publicise a carnival series of PEACEFUL CITIZENS' ACTIONS, events & protests which all are welcome to participate in - bring banners, voices, colours & tambourines... If you're willing to stick your neck out a little further & more MISCHIEVOUSLY at these occasions, please MESSAGE US for more info.
The defense laid out an argument for “reasonable excuse” to justify the actions of the protestors. Compelling evidence of air pollution, community damage and climate change were presented alongside the point that democracy has failed and that such actions are the only way to get heard.
One of the defendants, Stu, was grilled in the doc as to whether he had tried alternative methods to getting his message across that didn’t severely disrupt and inconvenience travellers. He responded that he had helped to organise a march 25,000 people but it had received less publicity than the action to block the tunnel at Heathrow. Simon, who had broken bail conditions to participate in the protest and had stated he was willing to risk going to jail to take a stance for sanity and future generations also explained that public engagement can involve a process of polarising opinion in which people feel offended by the action but nevertheless talk about the issue at hand as a result. All defendants expressed their regret and conflict at having caused disruption for passengers, but stated that they felt the severity of the bigger issues at stake justified their actions. They stated they considered the disruption of losing a family member due to air pollution to be far greater than the inconvenience caused on the day. One of the defendants, Daniel, said, "It is clear that what we call democracy has become redundant and ineffective in dealing with such vital issues”.
The cleaners won their campaign on June 7th. So well done to the UVW trade union and the Justice for LSE cleaners campaigners for a totally fantastic win. Thirty years of growing neglect, cruelty and outright corporate greed towards workers and staff at the school is going to change into something beautiful and life affirming. Rising Up! activists broke bail conditions to carry on chalking on the institution to raise awareness of the issues of deep inequality. See campaign facebook page here.
Barclays #ToxicBankers
Barclays #ToxicBankers- SUCCESS! they are going to divest!
In early May, as part of Global Divestment Mobilisation, groups #RisingUp across the UK took part in actions to demand Barclays Bank Divest from Third Energy (they have a 97% stake in this fracking company). Barclays have announced they will be divesting! WooHoo! There have been ongoing campaigns from People and Planet, Sum of Us and Friends of the Earth. Rising Up! added to this energy with our spray chalk actions in Edinburgh, Huddersfield, Stroud, Oxford and across Bristol, in some cases leading to arrests. They were friendly actions (staff were often offered tea and cakes and a letter of explanation) but we feel also included a level of confrontation that evidence shows is required as part of change processes. IF YOU TOOK PART in these actions.. thank you! A principle in Rising Up is to reflect on our actions- how did it go? Let us know here! More information here.
WAKE UP UK Citizens! – You don’t have a genuine democracy! So GE2017 is done. There are some victories to celebrate. Justice, peace and a world fit for future generations feel possible. But we mustn't just play the rigged game of their #FakeDemocracy. Here's why the Tories still have a bigger share of the vote, watch video. The “playing field” is almost vertical – we have a system rigged for the rich and corporations and it is leading to fascism. Rising Up! is calling for mass civil disobedience with ideas for actions here. Here are 15 ways to Fake a Democracy. Let's take on the #ToxicMedia | {
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…a little bit of everything for everyone!
ADHD kids: which are their special needs?
ADHD, the abbreviation for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a condition affecting people’s behavior and attitude. It is often observed and diagnosed during the first years of live, and it seems that a recent study has shown that more than 10% of children in school suffer from this disorder. So, in case your kid is one of them, do not be worried. Of course, it means it has certain special needs and may not act completely normal all the time, but this does not mean they cannot lead a normal life. Sometimes, parents who notice their children are somehow hyper energetic and dynamic think they are dealing with ADHD, but this is not always true. For this reason, it is extremely important to take the kid to a specialized doctor as soon as you notice anything strange happening. An experienced doctor will run many dedicated tests to establish an accurate diagnose and prescribe proper medication. Fortunately, nowadays there are multiple treatments and solutions, such as weighted blankets for ADHD, aimed to sooth and alleviate symptoms.
The most important thing you need to know is that the patient has to be correctly diagnosed. In order to get this, keep in mind you will have to go through several stages of testing, which involve gathering information from many sources. This way, experts get access to a wide array of perspectives on the child’s behavior. The most common symptoms of ADHD consist in inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. So, if your kid is always in motion, easily distracted and cannot finish their tasks or do not seem to listen to what is happening around them, you should consider talking to a specialist. After seeing their medical history, performing a physical exam and comparing the child’s behavior to that of pupils of the same age, the doctor will set the diagnostic. In case your kid is actually suffering from ADHD, rest assured this does not mean there is no cure and they will remain the same their entire life.
There are several behavioral treatments you can try, and these work perfectly for those whose symptoms are not that severe. For starters, visit InYard to purchase dedicated products aimed to help you control any type of disturbance. Another important thing you should do is design a more structured schedule, including setting expectations and goals, together with the kid. Establish a clear routine and inform them firmly but gentle that they need to respect it and complete their tasks. Invest in a weight blanket for ADHD and use it every time you think the child is agitated or hyperactive. Try to streamline their social skills, because later on this will evolve into the ability to build social relationships. If you feel like you need more ideas, you can even join a support group made of parents of children who also suffer from ADHD. Remember that medical treatment requires a detailed previous history, because different patients may respond differently to the same drugs. | {
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Necro full book part 1
WARNING: The NECRONOMICON'S magick is nothing to fool with and it mayexpose you to psycological forces with which you cannot cope. Remember if youfool with the incantations, you were warned! THIS IS NOT A FARCE!!! As aformer follower in the ways of the Occult I can guarentee the legitimacy ofthis.
Book 1: The Introduction "LET THEM CURSE IT THAT CURSE THE DAY, WHO ARE SKILFUL TO ROUSE THELEVIATHAN" JOB 3:8
This, of coarse, is not a complete list but rather an inspisationalsampling. Meditation upon the various things mentioned in the Mythos willpermit the scholor to draw his own conclusions; research upon the etymologyof both Lovecraft's and Crowley's respective literature enables the occultistto discover the ancient Names and Numbers for much of his own, familiar,material. (Note:that Lovecraft may have heard of Crowley is hintedat darkly inhis short story "The Thing On The Doorstep" in which he refers to a cultleader from England who established a covenstead of sorts in New York. Inthat story, published in Weird Talesin 1936, the cult leader is closelyidentified with chthoinc forces, is described as "notorious", and linked tothe strange fate that befell the protagonist, Edward Derby)
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL TO 777 THE CHART that follows is based on research presently available tothe Editor with regard to Sumerian and Assyro-Babylonian religions. Entriesin parenthesis refer to the state of Correspondance before the advent of theElder Gods, the Race of Marduk ; that is, it reflects the nature of the cosmosbefore the Fall of Marduk from Heaven. (Names of zodiacal constellations areafter Budge's renderings)
WE CANNOT BE absolutely sure how Sumerian and Akkadian werespoken; but many use ful guidelines are available to the student, includingthe translated tablets found all over Mesopotamia. Basically, we can offerthe following principles which should prove of value in reciting the foreignlanguage instructions:
Vowels
a as in "father" e as in "whey" i as in "antique" o as in "boat" (but rarely found) u as in "zulu"
Consonants
Most are basically the same as in English. The Sumerians did not have analphabet as we know it, but they had developed a syllabry, very much like theJapenese "Kana" script of today. In phonetic transliterations, the Englishspelling sought to approximate the Sumerian pronounciation. However, thereare a few sounds which English does not possess, and which have been put intophonetic variations. Important examples below:
x as in the German "ach" ch (same as above) q as in "liKe" k (same as above) sh as in "shall" ss as in, perhaps, "lasso"; a hissing "s" common to Arabic languages z as in "lotS"; a hard "ts" sound, not quite as in "zoo"
Remember, in the translations which follow, every letter must bepronounced. There are no schwas or silent syllables in Sumerian. Hence, KIAis pronounced "keeya"; "KAIMANU" is pronounced "ka-ee-mah-nu" or, if spokenrapidly, the two initial vowell sounds slur onto "kigh" rhyming with "high".
The incantations should be carefully and slowly at first, tofamiliarize oneself with the tongue-twisting phrases. A mistake may provefatal to the Work.
SPELLS (TRANSLATED)
WHERE POSSIBLE, the Editor has taken every oppurtunity to find theoriginal Summerian or Akkadian translation of a given Greek charm or conjura-tion. These will be given here. Also, the reader will find English transla-tions of the Sumerian charms as they are given in the NECRONOMICON. Not allof the charms are avaliable in this way, and sometimes we have had to make dowith near misses. Much of what is found here is from the MAKLU text, of whichonly extant translation is in German or Tallqvist. The word "maklu" or"maqlu" itself is controversial, but Tallqvist seems to think that it does,indeed, mean "burning"; especially so as the incantations to be found therininvaribly entail burning something, usually a doll made in the likeness of awitch or evil sorcerer that the magician wished to dispose of. Hence, we havehere probably the archetype of the Great Burning Times of the Inquisition,when people were condemmed to firey deaths as Witches and Pagans. The chant"burn!witch!burn!" can be found in the MAKLU text, in all its pristine glory. Indeed, Cthulhu Calls. The Conjuration "The Binding of the Evil Sorcerers"
NOTE: SINCE THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS INCANTATION I HAVE LEFT OUT 1 VERSESO IF IT IS TRIED IT WILL NOT WORK!!!!
The Conjuration "XILQA XILQA BESA BESA" or "A Most Exellant CharmAginst the Hordes of Demons" etc.
Arise! Arise! Go far away! Go far away! Be shamed! Be shamed! Flee! Flee! Turn around, go, arise and go far away! Your wickedness may rise to heaven like unto smoke! Arise and leave my body! From my body, depart in shame! From my body flee! Turn away from my body! Go away from my body! Do not return to my body! Do not come near my body! Do not approach my body! Do not throng around my body! Be commanded by Shammash the Mighty! Be commanded by Enki, Lord of All! Be commanded by Marduk, the Great Magician of the Gods! Be commanded by the God of Fire, your Destroyer! May you be held back from my body!
NOTE: SINCE THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SPELL A VERSE HAS BEEN LEFT OUTFOR YOUR SAFETY! IT WILL NOT WORK IF READ LIKE THIS!!!!
"The Conjuration of the Mountains of MASHU"
May the mountain overpower you! May the mountain hold you back! May the mountain conquer you! May the mountain frighten you! May the mountain shake you to the core! May the mountain hold you in check! May the mountain subject you! May the mountain cover you! May the mighty mountain fall on you! May you be held back from my body!
NOTE: THIS SPELL IS COMPLETE!
(Note that the original translator had noted the resembelance between theGreek word for Lord, KURIOS, and the Sumerian word for mountain, KUR, and fora type of underworld, chthonic, monster which is also called KUR and whichrefers to the Leviathan of the Old Testiment. Also in this particularconjuration, the word for mountain is SHADU-SHADDAI? The Old Serpent KUR is,of coarse, invoked every day by the Christians: Kyrie Eleison!)
%%% BOOK 1 PART 2 %%%
WARNING: The NECRONOMICON'S magick is nothing to fool with and itmay subject you to psycological forces with which you cannot cope. Remember,if you fool with the incantations, you were warned! As a former follower inthe ways of the occult I can vouch for the legitimaty of this! | {
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In any product design it has two major steps one is product design and Product manufacturing.The designer have to design a product on the basis of market analysis,customer need,style,raw material,manufacturing space,used technology.And also manufacturer have to manufacture it on the basis of design of product which is made by designer and also think about the repair-ability and disposal off this product. So design and Manufacturing is depending on each other so there have to some correlate or integrator and that is why integration is needed.
Integration is a mathedology by which product design and manufacturing process are integrated together into manufacturable , salable at profit with highest customer satisfaction with grate quality and reliability. | {
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Motorola DEFY owners, you are second-class citizens no more, as T-Mobile's latest OTA software update will infuse your devices with a fresh Froyo taste. Unfortunately, the 112MB upgrade won't free you from the shackles of MOTOBLUR, but it will bring some staple 2.2 features - including Adobe Flash compatibility, WiFi hotspot capabilities, and faster performance - as well as some Motorola additions, such as a task manager and LinkedIn integration.
As the topping on the cake, it appears that all DEFY owners are now able to get the update, not just those lucky enough to have been included in the first "stage" of the roll-out. | {
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Search continues for missing LP man
August 15, 2012
LAKE PLACID - Village police here are asking the public to remain vigilant as authorities continue to search for Seth Kilburn, who has been missing since early Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, members of the Lake Placid community gathered at the Lake Placid fire station this morning to help search for the 34-year-old Lake Placid man.
Police Chief Bill Moore said the search continued throughout the day Tuesday.
"We're continuing to search with forest rangers," he told the Enterprise. "So far we haven't turned up anything."
Kilburn, who lives with his parents on Mill Pond Drive, was last seen between 12:30 and 1 a.m. Sunday. His family reported him missing early Monday morning.
"I'm asking for people who live in the village, for people who are caretakers, to check outbuildings, check backyards," Moore said. "Any caretakers who may have a vacant property, please go and check to see if there's anything out of the ordinary."
Moore said his officers have been performing "cursory searches" with state Department Environmental Conservation forest rangers. He said for the time being, these searches aren't concentrated on specific areas.
"It's not like somebody saw him going on a trail and we can concentrate there," Moore said. "He was in sort of an urban area when he was last seen, not a wooded area."
Members of the Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department and state police assisted with the search effort on Tuesday, as well as Kilburn's family and friends.
Moore said Kilburn has access to vehicles, but they're not missing. The chief added that Kilburn doesn't own a vehicle,
"I have no reason to believe he's in a vehicle at this point," Moore said.
Moore said his department has received a few plausible tips.
"We did have a report that he was seen on state Route 73, the Sentinel Road area," he said, adding that search parties were checking out the Sentinel Road area late Tuesday afternoon.
Moore said search efforts were also being conducted near Mill Pond.
Nicole Lewis, a friend of Kilburn, said people were scheduled to meet at the firehouse on Old Military Road at 9:30 this morning to help with search efforts.
Joan Grady is a close friend of the Kilburn family and has been speaking to the media on their behalf.
"If people can just keep their eyes open and call in anything that may look out of the ordinary, it'd be greatly appreciated," she said.
Grady said people have been helping the family by assisting with the search effort. She noted that a group of local mountain bikers who get together for a weekly ride helped out Tuesday night, too.
The family is dealing with the situation as well as it can, Grady said.
"It's one of those things where one minute you're laughing, the next minute you start to well up," she said. "They're doing all right."
Grady said the community has been helping by bringing food to the family. | {
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Sorry to say but you can’t create your professional freedom in one day. And believe me, no-one would be happier than me if you could 🙂 It might sound like a cliché, but we need to sleep on things once in a while. Sometimes the surrounding need time to adapt even though you know exactly where you’re heading. Making a change, like creating your ideal professional life, can’t be done in one day. But. You can do one thing every day. And it’s those things that will make all the difference.
If you want to make a change in your (professional) life you have to stop putting your experience first. If you base your next step on your previous experience chances are big you’ll end up doing the same thing over and over again. Instead – start thinking about what you want in the future and what expectations you’d like to create. Your experience gives your dream credibility.
I believe we tend to regret what we didn’t do more often than the things we gave a try and found out it didn’t work. That’s why my formula for no regrets is simple: Take the chance. Give your idea a try. Make the change you’d like to see. That’s the only way to find out whether it will work or not.
Guess we all have something we’ve been thinking about for quite a while, right? Something you want to do, a change you want to make, a person you’d like to meet… Why not let today be the day when you stop thinking and actually DO what you’ve been thinking about? I know you can.
This time of the year many of us spend some time reflecting about the year that passed; what we’ve done and if we’ve reached our goals. If you’re one of us that evaluate this year, I just want to give you a heads up:
Make sure you evaluate your accomplishments based on YOUR definition of success! You decide what success means to you and only you know where you’re heading on your adventure called professional life.
Skip those traditional definitions of success and what you ”should have” done. Instead focus on all the things you actually did that took you closer to the professional life you want. And – remember to celebrate!
Wish you all happy holidays! Relax, recharge and why not take a moment and reflect on where you’re going? Are you moving in the right direction or is it maybe time to correct the course for 2017? Create the professional life you want. Your professional freedom is waiting!
Read this quote the other day “The more you look at competition, the more you will look like competition”.
“The more you look at competition, the more you will look like competition”
Touché. Might be smarter to just focus on your unique talents and how you’d like to run your professional life. Because after all, you get hired because you are you. Not because you’re like competition…
It is so easy to be drawn into someone else’s definition of success. To evaluate your results based on a scale set by others. But the fact is only you know what success means to you. Make sure you play the game on your terms. Let your definition of success guide you on the adventure called professional life. It’s up to you to decide what’s important. Use that power. | {
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Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast
Across a nondescript conference table in Midtown Manhattan, music video director to the stars Joseph Kahn is explaining how his rap battle film, Bodied, was partially inspired by a Taylor Swift video. Kahn, who’s directed some of the pop star’s most iconic music videos, teamed up with Swift for 2015’s “Wildest Dreams,” a romance set somewhere on the continent of Africa in the 1950s. As Kahn previously explained in a Vulture interview, he and Swift were well aware that they were tiptoeing through a minefield—the metaphorical kind, where any single misstep could trigger the publication of a thousand think pieces. Taylor Swift’s “African colonial fantasy” was never going to end well.
“I remember at one point I was trying to defend myself, and I knew I was getting myself into this trap,” Kahn laughs. “I was like look, the reality is everyone that made this video is not white. A lot of my friends who made this video are black, like the editor and the AD and the producer and all that, and we all had no problems with it. And everyone was like, now you’re saying you have black friends so you’re not racist! So I literally could not say anything. And I thought, there’s a movie in that.”
“To be fair, it wasn’t just the Taylor video,” Kahn explains. “That was one of the catalysts, but around that time, it seemed like on a weekly basis I would say something on Twitter that would offend somebody. Like I would say something about Lady Gaga and all the monsters would jump on me. I’m saying these things, and people are hypersensitive around the famous music video director who says anything about any artist, and they’re dog-piling. And what would be interesting about the dog-piling is a lot of times the dog-piling would come from a race perspective or a sex perspective. It would be, you made fun of Beyoncé, you’re racist. You made fun of Gaga, you’re homophobic. You made the ‘Wildest Dreams’ video, you’re racist.”
Kahn has a lot to say about “offense culture,” call-outs, and millennials who use social media to brand themselves as “hyper-woke.” He thinks that “a lot of it came from Lady Gaga’s marketing,” explaining, “She was patterning herself after Madonna’s social awareness—and by the way, I’ve done three Gaga videos—but I think in the pursuit of marketing herself as the new Madonna, she took a lot of social activism in the exact same beats and amplified it, and all of a sudden a new generation of social media users glommed on to it. Now everybody became hyper-aware of, like, their social clothing that they were wearing, it became the avatar of how you interacted with people. And all of a sudden it just felt like young people now branded themselves as more hyper-woke towards each. You literally saw a shift from old people saying, ‘You can’t say that’ to young people saying, ‘You can’t say that.’”
The internet has given the gift of connection, Kahn explains, allowing social media users who might be in the minority at their high school to “clique up” and consolidate power. “So all of a sudden, you might be the only two Gaga fans in your high school but now you have an interweb of millions, all together. And all of a sudden, they’re weaponized. So that if you say one bad thing about Gaga, all of a sudden you've got millions of people dog-piling on you.”
“Everyone was like, now you’re saying you have black friends so you’re not racist! So I literally could not say anything.”
These days, Kahn is the kind of person who can write a tweet about Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, and then wake up the next day to find he’s made headlines. But his interest in battle rap dates back to his early days as a music video director. Kahn was born in South Korea, and settled in a predominately white Houston suburb when he was 7 years old. “When I see how Asian-Americans today interact with the world and just feeling hypersensitive about things, that's interesting to me,” Kahn says. “You cannot build a thicker skin than an Asian guy that grew up in Texas in the '80s.” He got his start doing gangster rap music videos, and was exposed to battle rap for the first time through them. As much as he was bullied by his white classmates at school, Kahn recalls, “When I went to a black neighborhood and I was the only Asian person there, I was a walking target. I became the material.”
For Kahn, a backlash magnet and self-described “social critic,” now felt like the right time to finally return to battle rap. “Offense culture and woke culture are intersecting with each other to the point where we are completely afraid to say anything, but battle rap still exists in that weird little world, where people can say the worst things about each other and for the most part—not all the time—still stay friends. And I thought, that’s a wonderful prism to talk about the world today.”
Bodied is a film about a white UC Berkeley grad student whose thesis subject is the “poetic function of the N-word in battle rap.” While doing “research,” he gets pulled into a battle by his soon-to-be mentor, the legendary Behn Grymm (Jackie Long), and quickly rises through the ranks as a talented up-and-comer. Written by Alex Larsen aka the battle rapper Kid Twist, the screenplay is riddled with brutal rhymes, whip-smart dialogue, and stinging social and cultural critiques. Adam Merkin (Calum Worthy) is on a dark parody of a hero’s journey, transforming from a Bernie bro who doesn’t want to offend into a ruthless rapper who screams racist, homophobic, and misogynistic bars at his opponents (a mix of actors and enlisted battle rappers). He earns respect on the basis of his technical prowess, but also gets rightfully called out for his racist assumptions, his culture-vulturism, and his profoundly shitty behavior towards the people he purports to love.
Kahn previously guessed that men might “overcompensate” in reaction to the film’s misogynistic raps, so I ask him if his prediction has come to fruition. “100 percent,” he laughs. He points out that while the film critiques white feminism, he would have loved to dig deeper into “white male masculinity, still kind of transferring itself into kind of a savior position.”
“[White men] still have to be the leader somehow, you know,” he explains. “So if they see some sort of injustice, they insert themselves into the conversation by being the answer. And you know, you can view it two ways, you can either view as well, they’re being great allies, which is what they’re saying in their heads, or you can say that they’re still kind of taking credit for things that they shouldn’t be.”
Aside from the rap battles themselves, in which Kahn gives his highly-stylized vision free rein and actors scream and spit for dear life, some of Bodied’s most compelling scenes are caustic send-ups of “woke” intellectual elites.
At a stodgy party thrown by his professor father, Adam and his friends sit around a table partaking in what we’re clearly meant to understand as the go-to battle rap technique of privileged Berkeley students: calling each other racist. Despite their obsession with not being labeled racist, Adam’s hypocritical friends are prone to celebrating their “inner black woman,” while wondering why security has yet to kick the homeless people of color off their campus. Later on, when Adam’s girlfriend Maya (Rory Uphold) confronts him for rapping behind her back, Adam reverts to his battle rap mindset, running through a list of potential comebacks. He lands on accusing Maya of displaying colonialist tendencies, momentarily winning the battle.
Bodied plays with its seemingly problematic premise—why is there a white guy at the center of this battle rap movie?—by literally and figuratively pulverizing its deeply unlikeable protagonist. Larsen, a white battle rapper himself, undoubtedly pulled from his own life experience. But it’s impossible to watch Bodied without thinking of another white rapper, Eminem, who is repeatedly referenced in the soundtrack and the script, and occasionally roasted by Adam and his cohorts. Eminem also produced the film. Kahn says that the rapper, who has experienced his fair share of backlash for bringing the spirit (and bigotry) of battle rap into the mainstream, was involved with Bodied on “both an artistic and a spiritual level,” adding, “his shadow hung heavy over the making of the film.”
“Battle rap still exists in that weird little world where people can say the worst things about each other and for the most part—not all the time—still stay friends.”
“I sent him the script early on, and he had thoughts about it,” he recalls. “But I did not go into the movie going, ‘It’s an Eminem movie’ because that looks cheesy, like I’m running around Hollywood and using it when he’s not even signed on yet. He’s just being a cool dude and giving me thoughts… If I had run around Hollywood and he heard about it, he would have never signed on board!” Luckily, Eminem loved the film. “He said, how can I help?” Kahn continues. “And he’s helping with the soundtrack, he’s helping with the notes. He’s a great creative partner.” The director insists that Eminem was totally cool with all of the 8 Mile jokes. “He loved it. He’s a battle rapper. You don’t think that people have taken shots at him every day now? That dude is not afraid of anything.”
And neither is Joseph Kahn. Attempting to articulate his allergy to censorship, he quickly suggests we “get into something really dirty”: the recent firing of Megyn Kelly. Discussing Kelly’s comments about black face (she didn’t get why it’s bad), he begins, “Of course most people that are ethnic right off the bat know that this stuff is offensive. I myself get annoyed when somebody does the Ching-Chong eyes at me, you know, like there’s nothing funny about it. She was wrong. By far.”
Kelly was called out for it, and then she apologized, Kahn narrates. “And I think that because she apologized, what a great teaching moment for her audience to have a discussion, you know, maybe bring on a few more guests. Maybe have a couple segments on the show talking about it. What a great opportunity to intersect her audience with the people that were offended, but instead the corporate structure of how things are made right now, NBC from on high goes, we can’t be the racist company. We have to show force. So they get rid of her, and the dialogue doesn’t even happen.” (To be fair, Megyn Kelly was lectured by two black Today show panelists on-air before she was fired).
“Now you just have all the people going, fuck those people, because they think blackface is bad and that you can fire people over saying something like that,” Kahn continues. “They’re still gonna have those thoughts, but now there’s no debate. If we keep doing that to every single person that we disagree with, these echo chambers are going to be there. How do you think we’re going to be less racist as a society—by not talking about it?”
“You want to confront, you want to take bad ideas and you want to debate them in public,” he adds. “That’s what battle rap does. And I feel that we’re in a dangerous zone where we think we can clinically fix the world by shutting it up, and I do not think that’s the way the world works.”
“I will argue that there’s actually a place on NBC for racist people. I’m a free speech absolutist.” He argues that a space must exist where people reach out and “accept the fact that there are imperfect people you’re going to interact with. You’re going to have to interact with racist people. I’ve done that my whole life, by the way, as an Asian person, like as soon as I hear a Ching-Chong joke, do I freak out and leave the room? No. At some point you sit down and you say, OK, that wasn’t cool. This is the reason why, you’re not going to get penalized for it, let’s move on. The move on part of life is not happening right now.”
In the spirit of battle rap, Bodied is an equal-opportunity offender. While the battle raps themselves mostly deal in broad stereotypes, taking truly un-P.C. shots at competitors’ race, gender, or sexuality, Bodied rapid-fire shoots through countless targets—social justice warriors, English majors, predatory male professors, public image-obsessed college administrators, social media vigilantes, white supremacists, white guys who just want to say the N-word, vegans, white women who wear “Kale” T-shirts, and battle rappers themselves. Kahn says that the handful of negative reviews he’s read all follow a similar template: “This movie is really funny—90 percent of it, I laughed my ass off. But 10 percent of it was not correct about a particular issue that I’m invested in. And that 10 percent was not funny, and therefore the film was terrible.”
“But here’s the thing,” he continues. “The film was not 10 percent offensive. It’s 100 percent offense! It was not designed only to make fun of your particular issue. It’s making fun of every issue. And the fact that you somehow said that the 10 percent that bothered you is problematic in and of itself. What about the other 90 percent you were laughing at?”
“You know, the biggest criticism that people give me is that I took a middle,” he says. “But you know what? Fuck you. That’s the whole point of it. The other thing that people criticize is that it doesn’t seem to define its politics, but I’m not trying to define politics. I’m simulating and satirizing a world.” | {
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523 Things To Do in Gauteng
Where? Johannesburg CentralOrlando Pirates is South Africa’s oldest football club formed in 1937 in Orlando East, Soweto and their performances over the years have served as an inspiration for young soccer players to strive to play the ...
Where? ModderfonteinModderfontein Reserve Parkrun is a free weekly 5km timed run!
The Modderfontein Nature Reserve is a natural treasure in the heart of the urban vibe of Gauteng Province. As the second-largest privately owned ...
Where? FourwaysJohannesburg is the capital city of Gauteng and is the springboard for millions of international tourists every year to explore South Africa. It is the epicentre of commerce and business, and is constantly ...
Where? SandownNot everyone likes the huge hot air balloon that dominates the skyline at Mushroom Park, opposite the Radisson Blu Hotel. A few grumbles have been heard.
However, that was before the grumblers knew that the ...
Where? NorthridingEspecially popolar with teenagers and young adults, ice-skating to loud music at an ice-rink can be a lot of fun, especially as you get better at skating (lot less fun when you keep falling on your face!). So ...
Where? RivoniaLiliesleaf is an interactive and historical experience situated in the leafy suburb of Rivonia.
The Liliesleaf farm was key to the political and military policies and strategies of the ANC during Apartheid. ...
Where? RoodepoortThe JCI Geological Trail is one of the self-guided trails of the ever-popular Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens in Roodepoort, Johannesburg. This is a verdant, scenic part of the Gauteng Province; a ...
Where? CenturionThe luxurious architecture and décor of the classic Cape style is celebrated at the 16th Lintel Restaurant. This gorgeous venue is part of the Kleinkaap Cape Dutch Manor Hotel, a boutique hotel that promises ...
Where? MelvilleIn the heart of Melville, Johannesburg, is an all-day breakfast, brunch and juice spot with a difference. Pablo Eggs Go Bar is a vibey, laid-back venue for the whole family, with plenty of stunning dishes and ...
Where? LynnwoodThe “Old East” area of Lynwood Manor is a bustling, developed part of Pretoria in Gauteng. It is also the home of the uber romantic LeSi Restaurant, where romance abounds in the midst of tasteful elegance and ...
Where? OR Tambo InternationalWitness first hand, the art of diamond cutting and the careful craftsmanship of jewellery manufacturing from our skilled professionals - all whilst enjoying a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.
The most ...
Where? Melrose ArchLocals who live close to James and Ethel Gray Park claim the park has the best sunrise view in the city. Early risers head to the park with their children and dogs, and the R5 million upgrade the park received ...
Where? SowetoThokoza Park lies on Ntuli Street in Rockville, Soweto. Whilst this is its official address, the park is fairly large – 4.5 hectares - that includes the Moroka dam, and it thus spreads on both sides of Vundla ... | {
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Comments on: Follow DesignM.ag on Facebook!https://designm.ag/sitenews/follow-designm-ag-on-facebook/
Articles and Resources for DesignersThu, 18 May 2017 09:51:00 +0000hourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8By: Paul Alexanderhttps://designm.ag/sitenews/follow-designm-ag-on-facebook/#comment-28245
Tue, 06 Jul 2010 07:47:05 +0000http://designmag.wpengine.com/?p=27206#comment-28245This is so very interesting and well put together, we love this blog! Costa Blanca Web Design
]]>By: Brant Wilsonhttps://designm.ag/sitenews/follow-designm-ag-on-facebook/#comment-27199
Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:03:57 +0000http://designmag.wpengine.com/?p=27206#comment-27199I’m not sure what you mean. In posts about design/website how stay SEO? Do you mean, how do you try to achieve good organic rankings while having a nicely designed site?
]]>By: Rafaelhttps://designm.ag/sitenews/follow-designm-ag-on-facebook/#comment-27174
Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:56:25 +0000http://designmag.wpengine.com/?p=27206#comment-27174hi, i have a questio for you , first of all i have to say i love your site and tutorials.
but in your posts about design/website with photoshop how stay SEO in website its good for organic search and seo?
P.S. – strange thing. When I clicked the link you provided in the article, it kept taking me to the EDIT page for my own Fan Page. Very weird! The link looks like it has the “manage” info in the url?
It might have been because I was logged in? Even when I logged in out and tried to use that link, when I finally did log in to actually “like” the page, it still took me to my own Edit Page area. Strange.
Finally, I switched to another browser (firefox, originally I was using Safari on the Mac) , grabbed the link and was able to Like the page. Possibly anyone with their own fan page might have this issue? | {
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$203.93
by Fabio from Cypress, CA 90630
$266.15
by Mark from Lakewood, CA 90712
Good communication when he was running late. Explained some of the fixes that he was doing, along with ensuring that I didn't need more work done than expected. There was a little bit of confusion regarding what the service I had ordered entailed, based on YourMechanic's basic description, but we resolved it and everything was A-OK.
Richard
$168.65
by Andrew from Inglewood, CA 90302
Richard showed up on time and went right to work! Talked me through all the things he was doing and gave me the status of certain components of the car that were either okay or might need replacement soon. Great job and good timing! Will definitely call him again. Thanks Richard! | {
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} |
4 Iconic Crime Protagonists Who Are Even More Memorable Than Their Stories
On character being more affecting than plot
Can you recall all the plots of all the books in all the mystery series that you’ve read over the years? Of course not. There are simply too many to retain the specifics. But what you DO remember from book to book are the protagonists.
What is it about a mystery series that makes us want to keep coming back, eager to devour the next installment? Is it the way the story is told, the plotting, the pacing? It is all of those things, of course—but most importantly, it’s the characters. We become invested in them and can relate to them. Sometimes we are so invested that, if they do something we think is stupid or make a bad decision, we get frustrated or angry at them. Often we’ll forget the plot to the earlier books in a series, but the protagonists live on in our minds. So, let’s talk about why we love certain characters.
Kinsey Millhone
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Starting with the late Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone…She jogs three miles every day but enjoys junk food. She’s been in and out of various relationships and was married twice.
We can relate to her. She’s just a regular person with a self-effacing sense of humor who solves mysteries. From letter to letter in her series of “Alphabet” books, we watch her grow her friendships, romantic relationships, and her cases.
However, she’s one of the few characters who doesn’t really age. She’s been in the Eighties since, well, the Eighties. Kinsey doesn’t have a cellphone and has never streamed a movie on Netflix. Keeping Kinsey’s stories in that decade makes Grafton’s novels as comfortable as a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich on a rainy day.
After 25 volumes of Sue Grafton mysteries, it’s nearly impossible to recall the plots of all of them…or any of them. But that’s not important, is it? As long as when you finish one, you’re looking forward to the next letter of the alphabet.
Travis McGee
A favorite character who I grew up reading was Travis McGee, written by John D. MacDonald. The books started with The Deep Blue Good-by in 1964 and ended with The Lonely Silver Rain in 1984.
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Like Kinsey, Travis is relatable. There’s no sense of ostentation at all. He’s a beach bum who lives on a houseboat called the “Busted Flush” that he won in a poker game. He’s a self-described “Salvage Consultant” and “Knight Errant.” Travis makes his living by finding items that have been lost or stolen and taking a cut (usually half of what the item is worth).
Travis was another hero who didn’t seem to age—although at the beginning of the series, he intimated that he was a Korean War veteran. Somewhere along the way that subtly changed to him being a veteran of the war in Vietnam.
I was impressed that, even in the ‘60’s, he was a prototypical environmentalist, waxing poetic on how damaging encroaching human development was on the Everglades.
It wasn’t until 1979, in The Green Ripper, that Travis starts to slow down. In the last book of the series, The Lonely Silver Rain, Travis learns he has a teenage daughter and takes all the cash he has on hand and puts it into a trust fund for her.
Who can’t love that?
But as memorable as the recurring characters in MacDonald’s books are, unless I go back and reread them I can’t recall any of the plotlines.
John Rebus
Two favorites who do age are Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch and Ian Rankin’s John Rebus.
In the roughly 25 John Rebus novels (including a book of Rebus stories), the protagonist, Detective Inspector Rebus, ages in real time. In a 2017 interview, Rankin said that since he’d written in Rebus’s retirement, he’s slowed the aging process down for him. In the first book, Knots and Crosses, Rebus was forty years old. If he had aged in real time, he’d be seventy-three. Rankin admitted that when he’s presently writing, Rebus is in his sixties.
By rights, Rebus should be thoroughly unlikeable. He’s gruff, never minces words, and up until recent novels, drinks and smokes too much. He doesn’t spend much time thinking how he’s dressed or how other people judge him. He’s had multiple romantic relationships, but none that have lasted long. He’s divorced and has one child, a daughter, Samantha, who grows and ages in real time as well.
Rebus is loner who wants to do the right thing. Is that what makes us like him? I had the privilege of meeting Ian Rankin and talking with him, and he told me that Rebus—as well as his sworn nemesis Big Ger Cafferty—are both good Scotsmen. They’re both thrifty and, up until they aged out, they were heavy drinkers.
Rebus has a strong platonic relationship with the up and coming Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke as well as Inspector Malcolm Fox who we meet while he is working in an Internal Affairs investigating other cops.
It would appear that Rankin is grooming Clarke and Fox to someday replace Rebus as the lead protagonist in his mysteries. There have been two Malcolm Fox mysteries already. And most recently, Rebus adopted a stray dog, Brillo, in Even Dogs in the Wild. Who doesn’t like someone who is good to dogs?
Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch
What can be written about Michael Connelly’s Detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch that hasn’t already been said? Twenty-one novels have given Harry Bosch a very full life of his own. Bosch is so firmly in the minds of mystery readers (and writers as well) that he’s even appeared as in cameo roles in other writers’ books.
Bosch has a long history with multiple partners, both professional and romantic. He has a colorful, exotic backstory. With each book that Connelly writes, his protagonist evolves. But Bosch is also getting older. It’s no secret that he is a Vietnam veteran, a tunnel rat. That would make him close to seventy-years-old. In his last book, Dark Sacred Night, Bosch is slowing down. He’s joined forces with one of Connelly’s newest creations, Renee Ballard.
By his own admission, Connelly said that Ballard’s debut appearance in The Late Show was intended to be a single appearance. But she was “too fierce,” so he brought her back. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of Ballard. She and Harry are both forces to be reckoned with on the likability scale. They’re both loners, they both have haunted histories, and they’re both relentless in the search for justice, break the rules to achieve it.
Thomas Kies is the author of the Geneva Chase Mystery Series. He lives and writes on a barrier island on the coast of North Carolina with his wife, Cindy, and Lilly, their shih-tzu. He has had a long career working for newspapers and magazines, primarily in New England and New York | {
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Subject:Hawk The Slayer's Cryptic Clue Song Quiz- 3 LEFT TO GO!
Here is my tribute quiz: Let's see if any of you care to venture on it:
The quiz consists of 10 songs. You need the title, and can name the artist if you want to (not necessary).Bon chance, mes amis!
1. Evaporated Water From the Kettle- STEAM (windbreaker)2. Converse With Vous At Another Time- TALK TO YA LATER (windbreaker)3. A Nickname For Tarzan- JUNGLE BOY (kairi747)4. Behave Yourself, Mr. Carson- BE GOOD JOHNNY (windbreaker)5. This Horrible Stench!- THAT SMELL (sister m)6. Awakened Next To An Intolerable Creature7. You, I, We Are All the Same8. This Solitary Blood Pump Belongs To Me- OWNER OF A LONELY HEART (Jeni)9. Orangutans With Electric Pulses- SHOCK THE MONKEY (sister m)10. A Midget Politician
Subject:Re: Hawk The Slayer's Cryptic Clue Song Quiz
Written By:Windbreaker05on05/02/06 at 2:20 am
Hello there! Nice to see a new face posting quizzes. Thanks for 'em :)
Usually, people will put answer limits on their quizzes, to ensure everyone has a crack at answering a few. Other people will specify that everyone can try 'em all, but then post a disclaimer not to look at the other answers before posting your set.
Subject:Re: Hawk The Slayer's Cryptic Clue Song Quiz
Subject:Re: Hawk The Slayer's Cryptic Clue Song Quiz
Written By:HawkTheSlayeron05/02/06 at 2:27 am
WOW...I just posted this, and already I have responses! :o
You heard it right...no limits on the guessing, this time.It's all in fun, and if it takes networking your answers, that's OK. (Just the original one with the correct answer actually scores the point, in the group!)
The stats so far:Windbreaker- 2Sister M- 2
Let's see who else is in a cryptic state- which is where I am, usually...and like that! 8)
Subject:Re: Hawk The Slayer's Cryptic Clue Song Quiz
Written By:Sister Morphineon05/02/06 at 2:28 am
WOW...I just posted this, and already I have responses! :o
You heard it right...no limits on the guessing, this time.It's all in fun, and if it takes networking your answers, that's OK. (Just the original one with the correct answer actually scores the point, in the group!)
The stats so far:Windbreaker- 2Sister M- 2
Let's see who else is in a cryptic state- which is where I am, usually...and like that! 8) | {
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GGF 7 Day Chakra Cleanse
There are seven main energy centers (chakras) of the body. These chakras are like spirals of energy, each one connecting to the other. Using the seven colors of the spectrum, Go Green Fashionista 7 Day Chakra Cleanse aims to balance and enhance your spiritual connection to mind and body using the 7 colors known to each to have a healing effect to ones spirit and physical body.
Color has a profound effect on us on all levels, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. If our energy centers become blocked or depleted, then our body cannot function properly and this, in turn, can lead to a variety of problems on any level, including health problems.
Go Green Fashionista 7 Day Chakra Cleanse is a daily step by step mechanism created to help YOU clean out your body, rejuvenate your energy points, while connecting to your divine self all at once based on the color spectrum. Working with the appropriate colors can help to dispel negative feelings, free blocks and re-balance the body. | {
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Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Chariots of the Gods
[Chariot of the Gods - Warren Widener Edition]
It is a fun theory but the physics are formidable. There is moving a craft to near light speed which would require unimaginable amounts of energy, transporting it between stars, decelerating from near light speed which would require the same energy as the acceleration, arriving at the exact moment there is intelligent life on the destination planet (there has been life on earth for 3.5 billion years, but most of that time is was only blue-green algae), remaining undetected, returning to near light speed, going back to the origin world, decelerating again, then coping with the fact that the voyage would have taken at a minimum centuries in ship's time, but millions of years would have elapsed on the home world. Making the "Welcome Home" parade dubious since the astronauts' species would likely have become extinct in the meantime, as happens to most species in earth history and one presumes elsewhere as well .
My guess is that if there is any interstellar space travel or ever was or will be, it would be between planets around stars in binary or trinary orbit around one another, like Sirius which is two stars or Alpha Centauri.which is three. It is even possible that there might be interstellar travel between planets around stars in the closely packed cores of globular clusters where there are many stars within a fraction of a light year of one another. But out here in the wide open ranges of an outer arm of the Milky Way, it is hard to see how it could happen. | {
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HTC ThunderBolt
Re: Latest NOT GINGERBREAD update
I did a software upgrade today. I noticed they added My Verizon to my phone. So far, it's not rebooting like it did before. So this new software is suppose to be Gingerbread. Talked to customer service about the rebooting issue. He told me it was Gingerbread. | {
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Seattle Saxophonist
Last month I spent 17 days on the road with Polyrhythmics, having played 13 shows, and on 11 of those shows we shared the stage with the band Ghost Note. Although the road is always thought-provoking and eventful (in addition to a lot of work), it’s the sharing of the stage that’s prompting this post.
Ghost Note is co-led by Nate Werth and Robert “Sput” Searight, both musicians I first heard when they were performing with the band Snarky Puppy. They are the center of the group, are both immensely talented, and draw equally talented musicians to that center, surrounding themselves with people that match their level of musicianship and passion for creative music.
The tour began with Nate on percussion, Sput on drums, MonoNeon on bass, Vaughn Henry on keyboards, Jonathan Mones on Alto sax, and Sylvester Onyejiaka on Tenor sax. Halfway through the tour, Sylvester and Vaughn left, and the band added Domi on keyboards, Peter Knudsen on guitar, and A.J. Brown on bass (for 2 of the gigs). All from different parts of the country, all immensely talented. It was incredible.
I could write a whole other blog post on Ghost Note’s music itself – fun, melodic music with room for a lot of complex rhythm and interplay, as well as specific spaces for improvisation and solos. But as fascinated as I was with the music, I was equally fascinated with the personal dynamic of the group and how it stays together, works together, and plays together. I didn’t ask Sput or Nate very many specific questions related to this, but in conversations with them and the other band members I started to get a picture of it. Here a couple of observations:
-These guys WORK. Like all the time. Whether it’s recording parts for someone from their house, DJ’ing radio shows, travelling for gigs, or making videos and music through their social media platforms, everyone involved in Ghost Note works on music-related projects in a wiiiiide variety of forms. And it’s not limited by geography; they’re involved in collaborations with people across the country.
-Even while they travel and connect with people away from home, they’re connected with the scene where they live. Following them on social media, I can see what everyone is doing locally, whether it’s Portland, Miami, Dallas, or New York, among other places (yes, there were members of Ghost Note currently living in each of those places!) And although I’m sure all of the Ghost Note members have occasional issues similar to what I’ve just begun to deal with – in terms of striking a healthy balance between in-town/out-of-town and work/friends and family – it was motivating to talk to and be around musicians that were so professional in terms of networking and personal promotion.
-They were all really warm and supportive! They’ve played with some of the greatest and most famous musicians in the world, and there were no egos, just people focused on playing music at the highest level they can, and enjoying it at all times. And that was the case no matter how big or small the venue was; they always brought it and played with full intensity. This is another thought that seems obvious when it’s written down, because everyone says that great musicians do that, but it’s different when you see it in action. I can think of a few very specific situations on this tour where Ghost Note could have played differently or dealt with things in another way, and I watched them put huge amounts of time and energy into the show, their fans, and the venue and staff.
I have a lot of other thoughts swirling in my head after this tour and Polyrhythmics’ recent run to New Orleans, but I will end here with these initial thoughts about the Ghost Note run. If you’re so inclined, check out their recent album, Swagism, and stay tuned for more from me! | {
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Wednesday, July 11 – OC Police Nab Teens After Vandalism Spree
OCEAN CITY – Two 18-year-old Pennsylvania men were arrested Friday after damaging several cars in parking lots on 94th Street and 100th Street.
Police received a call shortly after 4 a.m. Friday from a newspaper delivery driver who witnessed two teens break the windows out of five vehicles in the 94th Street Mall parking lot. The witness told police the men were running north from the lot.
A witness told police the men entered a unit on Old Landing Road. Officers obtained a search warrant for the unit. Once inside, officers spoke with several young men in the unit. It became apparent that only two were responsible for the damage.
Police arrested Matthew Lanyon of Schavertown, Pa. and David Caruso of Dallas, Pa. Officers also discovered marijuana in their room as well as a camera that was stolen from one of the vehicles.
Both men were charged with seven counts of Malicious Destruction, Malicious Destruction Scheme, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor Theft, and Rogue and Vagabond. Over $10,000 in damage was done to these vehicles. Each was released after posting $50,000 bond.
The vehicles in the 94th Street Mall parking lot were commercial vehicles owned by Century Carpet Cleaning. Another car, parked in the 100th Street Public parking lot, sustained damage from being kicked. It is owned by a Pennsylvania man. | {
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Shelley Duvall's marriage is having difficulties in "The Shining." PHOTO BY WARNER BROS.
What if we told you that director Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror classic "The Shining" is NOT just a movie about a writer played by Jack Nicholson who goes insane after taking a job as a caretaker at an isolated resort hotel?
Would you believe that it is a film that contains hundreds of subliminal images and secret messages? Would you buy the notion that the movie is really about Nazis, ancient American Indian burial grounds and the devil? Would it surprise you to learn that the film is a cleverly disguised admission by Kubrick that he helped the federal government fake the Apollo moon landing?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, or are at least intrigued by the questions, we've got a film for you – and it's not "The Shining."
"Room 237" is a documentary mixing fact and fantasy that is director Rodney Ascher's loving salute to a film that scared him so much when he was a child that he ran screaming out of the theater after only 10 minutes.
His filmmaking partner, producer Tim Kirk, sheepishly acknowledges that "The Shining" still gives him the creeps after hundreds of viewings.
According to the filmmakers, the horror film has developed a determined and imaginative cult following in the three decades since its theatrical release, and they have given five of the most passionate and articulate of those followers a chance to put all their theories into one intriguing film. Among those offering their opinions on Kubrick's film are ABC news correspondent Bill Blakemore, college professor Geoffrey Cocks, playwright Juli Kearns, conspiracy theorist and author Jay Weidner and Kubrick blogger John Fell Ryan.
"Room 237," which opens Friday at the South Coast Village theaters, was shown last year at both the Cannes and Sundance film festivals. We sat down with Ascher and Kirk to find out if they're crazy.
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER:What is the genesis of this project?
TIM KIRK: The Internet.
OCR:Seriously?
TK: I'm always been interested in "The Shining," so if I see something on the Internet, I'll usually read it. In this case, it was Jay Weidner's essay laying out some of his ideas about Kubrick faking the moon landing, and "The Shining" being his coded confession. I shared it with Rodney and the next thing we knew, we were looking for more of these theories.
RODNEY ASCHER: The substance of these theories is really deep and fascinating and eerie, but what was really fascinating was this phenomenon that there are so many people poring over "The Shining" in incredible detail looking for symbolic readings and metaphors. I always loved Kubrick and "The Shining." I once did a fake movie trivia slide show that was nothing but decoding the numerology of "The Shining."
OCR:So you're one of the crazies?
RA: (laughs) Of course I am. I'm the kind of guy who is happy to watch "The Shining" a frame at a time forward and backward for two years. Anybody who watches this film is one. If you can spend 104 minutes watching nothing but symbolic interpretations of "The Shining," you're one.
OCR:And I take it you believe that you two are not alone?
RA: It seemed like a daunting challenge to make a movie like this for the general public, but here we are doing an interview in the Standard Hotel in Los Angeles about a movie that is inexplicably going to play in real movie theaters for normal human beings.
OCR:Could each of you tell us when you saw "The Shining" for the first time?
TK: I saw it when I was 15. I wasn't old enough, but I snuck in with a friend who looked older.
RA: I was about 11 or 12 when I first saw it, and it scared the hell out of me. I only made it 10 minutes in the movie.
OCR:You were that scared?
RA: Absolutely. It was scary, but I was as embarrassed back then as I am now to admit it (laughs). I revisited it years later on video.
OCR: Were you scared the second time?
RA: Parts of it. And parts of it I found funny. I think some of the intimidation in the beginning is the music. It just cuts through you like a knife.
OCR:Tim, how long before you saw it a second time?
TK: In college. Then I started watching it repeatedly on television.
OCR: I'm not passing judgment on the people you feature in your film, but were you ever tempted to laugh at these people?
TK: We weren't making a spoof, so I was never tempted to laugh. I would read these theories alone at 2 or 3 in the morning and it would make the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
RA: And that actually helped us make "Room 237" a horror film in its own right. We wanted to sell an eerie quality to the film.
OCR:Did working on this project change how you felt about "The Shining?"
TK: Rodney and I hadn't watched "The Shining" for a couple of years after we started this project. We had been doing research but hadn't started the interviews. Then we sat down and watched "The Shining," and saw it completely different than before. In the ensuing years, both of us had become fathers, and suddenly we watched the movie and saw it for the first time as a cautionary tale about fatherhood, and letting your work overtake your life. That pretty much haunted my dreams while we were making this film. When you see this movie as a child, you identify with Danny (the boy on the bike). But as an adult, you identify with Jack's character and it changes everything.
OCR:Do you accept that there are people, including many film critics, who do not believe that "The Shining" is one of Kubrick's better films?
RA: We do.
OCR:Do you have to sell those people on "The Shining" before you try to sell them on "Room 237?"
TK: For "Room 237" to work, we have to present "The Shining" as a masterpiece.
RA: Some people are going to believe, and some people are not going to believe, but we had to believe.
OCR: Did you reject any theories as being too far-out?
RA: To try to get everything in would have been impossible.
TK: At one point we considered including every theory, and I have a crazy spreadsheet that shows me going insane trying to characterize every one, but at some point, the ones we did use just stood out as more engaging.
RA: There were some that we didn't understand, or weren't that different than other theories we already had, and then there were some people we simply couldn't track down. There were some that were baffling to us.
OCR:You talk about the fake moon landing very matter-of-factly, but that's a pretty outrageous theory. So is the Holocaust stuff. Don't you think that some people are going to think this is crazy?
TK: The point of "Room 237" is that "The Shining" is seen differently by different people. If people look at "Room 237" differently, who are we to take offense?
OCR:Who is the audience for this film?
RA: You've got me. I'm astonished that anybody who's not exactly like me can sit through this movie. Happily enough, it seems to be getting to a wider audience. It's had an amazing film festival run. I went to a neighborhood screening with regular people who are not devoted to "The Shining" and they seemed to enjoy it. It was an early indicator to me that this film might be able to reach other kinds of people. Tim and I were hoping that this film would spark conversations on a variety of subjects, and it seems to be doing that.
OCR:Is Stanley Kubrick on the record anywhere discussing any of these theories?
TK: Not really.
OCR: Do you believe that he intended all this symbolism?
RA: I believe that there is a lot of symbolism in "The Shining." If you look at an early film of his called "Fear and Desire," he cast the same actors for the Americans and the Nazis. It seems there is some interesting and complicated symbolism going on. In "Full Metal Jacket," if you look at the hold the sniper's shooting out of, it is shaped like the state of Texas. There are a lot of weird references to Texas in that film, and I don't think that's a coincidence, given the Texas history with snipers. That's the kind of detail we're talking about in "The Shining." Kubrick is a symbolic filmmaker. I don't think there is any doubt about that. It can't all be an accident.
TK: Ultimately, this is a film about what happens to a work of art when it leaves the artist's hands. Who owns it? What do other people make of it? What's important to them?
RA: Although we're talking about "The Shining," we're hoping that this film starts conversations about things other than "The Shining." Art and intent is something that interests us, and I think it interests other people as well. Some people believe that what he meant is important, but it's not the end of the line.
OCR:Do you think it's proper for one filmmaker to make a movie about the symbolism of another filmmaker?
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> I have two time scales, TAI and UT1, that tick at very slightly
> different rates. I want to make TAI the basis for civil time keeping
> but I need to make adjustments occasionally to keep it in step with
> UT1. How do I do it?
>
> The answer provided by CCIR was to represent TAI in a variable-radix
> notation that matches (or appears to match), to within 0.9s, that of
> UT1 expressed in the usual calendar/clock format. This is done by
> varying the radix of the seconds field in a pseudo-sexagesimal clock
> format from 60 to 61 (or in principle 59) on occasions announced 6
> months in advance.
>
> So if asked for a definition I would say that "UTC (post 1972) is a
> representation of TAI such that ... (you know the rest)".
>
> The point is that UTC is simply a representation of TAI. "Writing UTC
> as a real" reveals it to be TAI.
I believe I'm now grasping what you mean: the rate of UTC is the same
as the rate of TAI (since 1972), that is, the derivative
d( UTC )/d( TAI ) = 1. Hence, when I integrate the "ticks" of UTC
I must get TAI, up to an integration constant. This is correct.
The integral of d( UTC ) is TAI (up to an integration constant),
but this integral is UTC only where UTC is a continuous function
of TAI.
Astronomers who "write UTC as a real" (eg, in JD or MJD notation)
want an approximation of UT1 to point their telescopes, they do
_not_ want TAI. They use UTC as a timescale whose values are
close to UT1, but whose rate nevertheless is d( UTC ) = d( TAI )
and not d( UT1 ). Such a function cannot be continuous (and it
cannot be differentiable everywhere). At the latest discontinuity
of UTC, it jumped from a little bit after UT1 to a little bit before
UT1. | {
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Llanelly Bed and Breakfast, Cheap Hotel and Guest House Accommodation
Llanelly Bed and Breakfasts. Compare latest rates and Live availability for all your favourite places and places you have always wanted to go using our new My Shortlist feature. Click + to add to your Shortlist.
The Old Six Bells, Llangattock, Crickhowell, NP8 1PHDistance:2.63 miles | Star Rating: N/A
The Old Six Bells is a Grade II listed house offering accommodation within an exclusive and family atmosphere. The house dates back to 17th century. The family has taken care to refurbish the property ...more
The Old Six Bells is a Grade II listed house offering accommodation within an exclusive and family atmosphere. The house dates back to 17th century. The family has taken care to refurbish the property resulting in an exquisite place to stay.
In Crickhowell, the Dragon Inn has views of the mountains and the Brecon Beacons National Park. It offers modern rooms with free Wi-Fi, a full cooked breakfast and free parking. Many rooms at the Dra ...more
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Located in Llangattock, the Old Rectory Country Hotel & Golf Club is situated in Brecon Beacons National Park, a mile from Crickhowell. The hotel has a 9-hole golf course, and offers free parking and ...more
Located in Llangattock, the Old Rectory Country Hotel & Golf Club is situated in Brecon Beacons National Park, a mile from Crickhowell. The hotel has a 9-hole golf course, and offers free parking and WiFi.
The Kings Head Hotel is a former coaching inn set on the edge of Brecon Beacons National Park, in the historic market town of Abergavenny. The Borough Theatre is just next door and nearby Market Hall ...more
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Located just 13 minutes' walk from the centre of Abergavenny, the Abergavenny Hotel offers private parking, a bar, and free WiFi throughout. Abergavenny Castle is just 400 metres away. Each simple ro ...more
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Located in a peaceful South Wales village close to Brecon Beacons National Park, Soar Chapel provides guest house accommodation. Free private parking is possible on site and free Wi-Fi is accessible t ...more
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A modernised 300 year old farmhouse with 5 stylish en-suite rooms just a 10-minute drive from Abergavenny town centre. There is ample free on-site parking, and WiFi in bedrooms and in the guest lounge ...more
A modernised 300 year old farmhouse with 5 stylish en-suite rooms just a 10-minute drive from Abergavenny town centre. There is ample free on-site parking, and WiFi in bedrooms and in the guest lounge.
A 4-minute walk from Ebbw Vale Parkway Train Station with a direct train route straight into the heart of the Cardiff city centre, The Ambala offers en-suite rooms and an Indian restaurant with a bar. ...more
A 4-minute walk from Ebbw Vale Parkway Train Station with a direct train route straight into the heart of the Cardiff city centre, The Ambala offers en-suite rooms and an Indian restaurant with a bar. There is free on-site parking and WiFi available.
Porthmawr is historic and contemporary, set in 3 acres of gardens in the Brecon Beacons town of Crickhowell it offers something you don't find often - bed and breakfast with the accent on luxury. if b ...more
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Rutland Cottage offers cosy,friendly accomodation. We are 3 miles from Big Pit Mining Museum & are on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Walking & cycling tracks are near.We are adjacent to ...more
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This family-run free house in the heart of Tredegar has a friendly bar with Sky television showing the best sporting action on 2 big screens. Ye Olde Red Lion Hotel has a 10 en suite bedrooms and a f ...more
This family-run free house in the heart of Tredegar has a friendly bar with Sky television showing the best sporting action on 2 big screens. Ye Olde Red Lion Hotel has a 10 en suite bedrooms and a function room. The hotel caters for every occasion in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
This family-run free house in the heart of Tredegar has a friendly bar with Sky television, showing the best sporting action on 2 big screens. Ye Olde Red Lion Hotel has a 10 en suite bedrooms and a ...more
This family-run free house in the heart of Tredegar has a friendly bar with Sky television, showing the best sporting action on 2 big screens. Ye Olde Red Lion Hotel has a 10 en suite bedrooms and a function room.
Situated between Abergavenny and Hereford, The Rising Sun offers en suite accommodation, free Wi-Fi, a bar and a restaurant. The property is set in idyllic surroundings, right at the foot of Coed-y-Ce ...more
Situated between Abergavenny and Hereford, The Rising Sun offers en suite accommodation, free Wi-Fi, a bar and a restaurant. The property is set in idyllic surroundings, right at the foot of Coed-y-Cerrig National Nature Reserve.
Family run hotel with 8 en-suite bedrooms. Bed and breakfast at £40 for single room, £55 for double. Family room available. Restaurant serves a wide variety of tasty meals. Close to the A465 ...more
Family run hotel with 8 en-suite bedrooms. Bed and breakfast at £40 for single room, £55 for double. Family room available. Restaurant serves a wide variety of tasty meals. Close to the A465 Heads of the Valley road and rail access to Cardiff.
Lord Nelson Hotel offers accommodation in Rhymney. Guests can enjoy the on-site bar. Free WiFi is offered throughout the property and free private parking is available on site. A flat-screen TV is av ...more
Lord Nelson Hotel offers accommodation in Rhymney. Guests can enjoy the on-site bar. Free WiFi is offered throughout the property and free private parking is available on site. A flat-screen TV is available. You can play darts at the inn.
With panoramic views over the local mountains,The Bridge Inn is located in Abergavenny on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Guests can enjoy a drink in a riverside beer garden on the banks ...more
With panoramic views over the local mountains,The Bridge Inn is located in Abergavenny on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Guests can enjoy a drink in a riverside beer garden on the banks of the River Usk.
Situated in the World Heritage site of Blaenavon, The Lion Hotel & Restaurant offers a health suite with sauna, steam room and heated loungers. There is also a restaurant and lounge with real log fire ...more
Situated in the World Heritage site of Blaenavon, The Lion Hotel & Restaurant offers a health suite with sauna, steam room and heated loungers. There is also a restaurant and lounge with real log fires, and free WiFi available.
The Kings Arms Hotel is a late sixteenth century coaching inn located in the heart of the bustling Welsh market town of Abergavenny; the gateway to Wales. We offer something for everyone; comfortable ...more
The Kings Arms Hotel is a late sixteenth century coaching inn located in the heart of the bustling Welsh market town of Abergavenny; the gateway to Wales. We offer something for everyone; comfortable well-appointed guest accommodation lip smackingly delicious restaurant food and a versatile function space for all manner of events.
At the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, Plas Derwen offers rooms with flat-screen TVs and modern bathrooms. Plas Derwen has gardens, with a restaurant and bar serving real ales and quality f ...more
At the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, Plas Derwen offers rooms with flat-screen TVs and modern bathrooms. Plas Derwen has gardens, with a restaurant and bar serving real ales and quality food.
Surrounded by Brecon Beacons National Park, The Celyn is a bed and breakfast set within a 300 acre working farm in the beautiful county of Monmouthshire. The property offers free private parking and f ...more
Surrounded by Brecon Beacons National Park, The Celyn is a bed and breakfast set within a 300 acre working farm in the beautiful county of Monmouthshire. The property offers free private parking and free Wi-Fi is accessible throughout.
Situated in Pontypool, the Best Western Pontypool Metro Hotel offers free Wi-Fi and free private parking. It is just 5 minutes’ drive from Pontypool and New Inn Railway Station and it is 3 miles from ...more
Situated in Pontypool, the Best Western Pontypool Metro Hotel offers free Wi-Fi and free private parking. It is just 5 minutes’ drive from Pontypool and New Inn Railway Station and it is 3 miles from Cwmbran Railway Station.
Located in the heart of the Welsh market town of Abergavenny, Kings Arms Hotel offers bed and breakfast accommodation, a restaurant and free Wi-Fi throughout. The property is set in a late 16th centur ...more
Located in the heart of the Welsh market town of Abergavenny, Kings Arms Hotel offers bed and breakfast accommodation, a restaurant and free Wi-Fi throughout. The property is set in a late 16th century coaching inn.
New Users/How to Create a User Account – User Login allows you to access your saved “Shortlist” of properties. First you need to create a Shortlist by adding desired properties from any results page. Click “+”/”Add to Shortlist”. Then click “My Shortlist” and save your shortlist which will take you through the User Sign Up process”. After which you can Login via the “User Login” box to access all your favourite properties, and pre defined shortlists. | {
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Random Reviews:
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Today I'm so happy to be part of this fantastic tour. I want to thank Chapter by Chapter blog tours for letting me be part of this tour and I hope you all enjoy this amazing author guest post that author Tobie Easton wrote for you. I want to thank her as well for giving us a fantastic reply to my question! As well as the giveaway, which will be at the bottom of the post. Enjoy!
Guest Post Topic: Day in the life or Plotter or Pantser
I have always been a plotter.I spent A.P. Biology plotting my essays for my literature class (my bio teacher just thought I took really detailed notes).I’m one of those writers who gets stuck if I don’t know where I’m going next.It’s taken me a long time, but I’ve finally figured out that if I think I’m stuck on Scene A, I’m usually not.I really just don’t know enough about Scene B yet, and once I puzzle that out, Scene A suddenly becomes clear.That’s true on a larger scale, too; I need to know all the major plot points before I start writing.How do I come up with those plot points? A lot of long baths spent staring at the ceiling are involved.
When I have that basic outline, I write a scene by scene outline that sometimes includes description or bits of dialogue that come to me.The outline lets me know where the story is going and helps me fully grasp character arcs.Once the outline is done, I start writing!
So what does my day-to-day routine look like in a drafting phase?I wake up and work out before I can think about it or talk myself out of it, usually while listening to a podcast or audiobook or watching an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Meanwhile, my husband walks our puppy Maple just in time for her to attack me with boundless energy when I finish my workout.I shower, then make a large pot of tea and bring it upstairs with me.I say goodbye to the husband when he leaves for work, then get Maple settled.She falls asleep and I set a brainstorming timer for 30 minutes.
During those first 30 minutes, I listen to between one and three very specific songs on repeat that help me feel creative and fit the mood of my current work in progress.For the Mer Chronicles series, it was “The Old Ways” by Loreena McKennitt, over and over, until just the hearing opening notes made me feel like it was time to write.I listen to the music, sip my first cup of tea, and think about what I need to write that day.If my mind starts to wander, I do my best to refocus it.I’ll often read through my outline of the scene and then read the ending of scene I wrote the previous day.I also use this time to set my wordcount goal in a little, virtual sticky note on my computer, then break it down into 250-word increments.Focusing on those smaller pieces, one at a time, makes the goals seem much more achievable.
When the timer goes off, I set it for another 30 minutes and start to write.During those 30 minutes, I can’t check email or social media, I can’t watch YouTube videos or Netflix.Nothing.That’s 30 minutes of focus—to be interrupted by nothing and no one (except Maple, if she needs a potty break because puppies don’t care about deadlines, in which case, I pause the timer).I write as much as I can in those 30 minutes and, since I’m not a fast writer, I count it as a success no matter how many words I’ve written provided I stayed focused the entire time.When the timer goes off, I set it for 10 minutes and take a break.This is when I can check anything online that I want, listen to some of a podcast, watch a short video, whatever.I drink another cup of tea and recharge.When the timer goes off, I set it for another 30 minutes. Repeat until lunch.
That’s my morning.On good days, I can do that until about 12pm without being interrupted, but of course, sometimes things need to be shuffled around a bit.At 12pm, Maple and I head downstairs and I eat lunch (well, breakfast—I’m trying out intermittent fasting right now, which I like so far).After that, I catch up on authory business stuff like emails, interviews, marketing, etc.And after that, I try to conquer all the other non-author stuff I need to do on a given day. If I’ve managed to write enough in the morning that I’m satisfied with my wordcount for the day (1,000/words per day earlier in a draft and hopefully 2,000/words per day once I’m farther along in the draft and the pace picks up), then that’s a GREAT day. If I haven’t yet, I try to incorporate some more writing sprints later in the day or evening.On the best kind of day, I have time at night for a brainstorming bath that I can spend thinking about the shape of the book overall as well as what I’ll be working on in the coming week.
And there you have it.I find that sticking to a set schedule really helps me get in the right mindset to write.For me, the magic moments during drafting are the ones when the characters’ voices completely take over.It’s a lot of hard work to get to those voicey moments, but they’re the absolute best.So far, this is my process for getting there more often. Some days are much busier with non-writing work than others, and sometimes I’m lucky to get an hour or two instead of a whole morning.When that happens, I find that falling back on my routine (the music, the tea, the timer) helps trigger my brain so I can get into a creative headspace faster.
Writing is so individual, and every writer needs to find what works for them. I find I’m always learning new ways to make my routine more effective, so if you have any tips you’d like to share, I’d always LOVE to hear them.Come find me on Twitter or IG (@TobieEaston) or email me via my website www.TobieEaston.com I hope this post gave you some insight into my routine and maybe even a few ideas you’d like to test out in your own!
Immerse is the spellbinding and breathless final installment of the Mer Chronicles series where descendants of the Little Mermaid must face deadly magic, shifting alliances, and the dangers of forbidden love.
Lia can’t wait for her parents’ coronation. Now living in the sparkling palace beneath the waves, she sneaks off to Malibu whenever possible to see Clay. Tucked away in an abandoned seaside mansion, Lia and Clay devise a plan to ensure they can stay together forever.
But when an old enemy resurfaces and Lia is restricted to the palace for the safety of all Merkind, she and Clay are ripped apart once more.
She fears not only for Clay, but for her best friend Caspian, who seems to be swimming down a dangerous path. He has invited the conniving Melusine to the coronation ball, convinced she’s capable of change. And no matter how hard Lia fights it, showing up on Caspian’s arm is just the start of Melusine’s insidious return to her life.
With threats Below growing more ominous by the day and a powerful ancient ritual looming, soon the two girls can’t escape each other. As their fates grow increasingly intertwined, Melusine might be the only one who can help Lia find the answers she desperately needs to save everyone she loves and to achieve her happily ever after. But can Lia trust her?
Award-winning author Tobie Easton was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where she's grown from a little girl who dreamed about magic to a twenty-something who writes about it. Her debut novel, Emerge, is a Gold Medal Winner (Young Adult – Sci-Fi/Fantasy) of the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards and is Book 1 in the acclaimed Mer Chronicles series. The trilogy follows the descendants of the Little Mermaid and offers fans a peek into a world where Mermaids aren't just real, but live secretly among us on land.
She and her very kissable husband enjoy traveling the globe and fostering packs of rescue puppies. Tobie loves chocolate chip cookies and Oxford commas. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Southern California, Tobie splits her time between Los Angeles and Boston.
Learn more about Tobie and her upcoming books on www.TobieEaston.com. | {
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Shadow of the Unnamable
Directed by
Sascha Renninger
starring
Jeff Motherhead<br />Robert Lyons
16 mins
| 2011
| Germany
| English
Set in New England in the late 1920s, two friends Randolph Carter and Joel Manton spend a sunny autumn afternoon in a remote 17th century cemetery. An argument arises, concerning the horror stories written by Carter especially one story that draws Manton's sarcasm. It's centered around a creature so horrifying, that it cannot be named or described: the Unnamable... Manton, as a schoolteacher and firm believer in science, can`t imagine anything that could be truly unnamable. Encouraged by the atmosphere of the old burial ground Carter tells his friend about the origin of the story. He claims it to be based on a local legend that is over 200 years old. A legend about a strange old man, who was rumored to have a terrible creature locked up in his attic. Manton listens with increasing fascination, as darkness descends on the cemetery, when suddenly they become part of the legend as well...
Mission statement
The H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival ® & CthulhuCon™ promotes the works of H.P. Lovecraft, literary horror, and Weird tales through cinematic adaptations by professional and independent filmmakers, as well special event, book signings and author readings, panel discussions, musical performances, and much more. The festival was founded in 1995 by Andrew Migliore in the hope that H.P. Lovecraft would be rightly recognized as a master of gothic horror and his work more faithfully adapted to film and television.
"H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival®", "CthulhuCon™", and the Squidgate logo are the property of Lurker Films, Inc. and are used with permission. | {
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Vegan Guide Glasgow
The vegan scene in Glasgow is booming. I can barely think of another city where veganism is embraced as strongly by the local community and restaurant scene, whether they serve plant-based fare or cater to omnis. When I moved to Glasgow, I had no idea that I would still be there four years later and as a vegan on top of that. Ever since I turned vegan though, I could not imagine an easier place to live, with plenty of restaurants and street food markets to choose from, great stores focusing on health foods and vegan products and great local resources that make it easier to transition to veganism.
This vegan guide for Glasgow will tell you everything you need to know for a vegan weekend trip to Scotland’s largest city and how to prepare for it!
Vegan Restaurants in Glasgow
There are numerous restaurants in Glasgow that offer vegan options or even boast complete vegan menus. It’s almost expected these days that a restaurant should be able to cater to a variety of dietary requirements and so it’s very easy to find a place to eat out in all over the city. There is, however, also a growing number of fully vegan cafes and restaurants – and wouldn’t you agree that there is nothing better than being able to order anything off the menu without having to think about whether it is really vegan or not?
Soy Division
Soy Division wasGlasgow’s first vegan cafe and offers anything you would expect from a traditional Scottish breakfast cafe – sausage rolls, square sausage, bacon rolls and other Scottish classics like Scotch pie or Shepard’s pie. My personal is the full Scottish breakfast with secret-recipe square sausage.
Lotus
Lotus is Glasgow’s only plant-based Chinese restaurant and is operated by a lovely family from China who are serving the local vegan community with their favourite stir-fries and curries. The dishes can be a little heavy on the fake meat for my taste, so make sure you mix up your order with plenty of veg-based dishes.
In Bloom
In Bloom is a Nirvana-themed cafe near Charing Cross in Glasgow. It is located in a cosy space with little seating, but the generous sandwiches and toasties are worth the wait. On the menu you will find creative creations like a double-decker Big Cheese Steak sandwich, Polly’s Ploughman or Doner Kebab wraps.
Serenity Now
Serenity Now is the latest addition to Glasgow’s vegan cafe scene, and is named after an episode of the famous TV show Seinfeld. The menu changes weekly, but you will always find a variety of breakfast and brunch items, sweet treats and fresh juices.
The V&V Cafe
This cafe only recently turned fully vegan (after opening as a vegetarian cafe). It offers not only delicious Kashmir-inspired Scottish cuisine, but also has a retail section with vegan products, fresh bread, and cookbooks for inspiration. My favourite is the signature pakora toastie!
The Hug & Pint
This place is a gastropub and music venue in the West End of Glasgow. The menu is changing constantly, as dishes are replaced with new ideas as they run out throughout the week. I recommend going for a taster menu, to taste a little bit of everything.
Kind Crusts
Bagel and donut shop in the East End of Glasgow. Run by a woman with big dreams – one day she wants to turn it into a UK-wide chain with healthy lunch options – you can come here to stuff your face with deliciously filled bagels and weekly changing donuts.
Mono
Mono is Glasgow’s pioneering vegan gastropub, a music venue and shares the roof with a small music shop. The menu offers a mix between comfort food and Scottish classics, like tofu fish’n’chips or Mac and Cheese. My personal favourite is the spicy sausage and fennel pizza!
Stereo
Stereo was established by the same owners as Mono, but has a wildly different menu and vibe. While also a music venue, the eatery has more of a bar vibe, shrinking the dining area considerably during the evenings to make more space for pre-gig drinking. I love coming here for a Reuben sandwich during the day!
The Flying Duck
This is the budget-friendly little sister of Mono and Stereo. While the former two aren’t expensive either, the Flying Duck is frequented by students looking for affordable but delicious burgers and hot dogs. The pineapple burger is my go to!
The 78
The 78 is the fourth location in the Mono-Stereo family. The cosy gastropub lies in the West End of Glasgow and offers a small menu of classic pub grub – the likes of burger, nachos, mezze or quesadillas. I like coming here on a cold day to sit nearby the fire and drink a glass of vegan red wine.
Picnic
A cafe in the city centre of Glasgow that focuses on healthy lunch options for people who work or live locally. On the menu you find a variety of sandwiches and wraps, a soup and curry of the day, a great burger and different homemade cakes from the counter. My tip is to finish off your lunch with a freshly blended smoothie.
Tomillo
The latest vegan opening in Glasgow, so new in fact, that I’ve not tried it yet. It is a takeaway and delivery service offering exclusively plant-based dishes, filling the gap of much needed “safe” takeaway food in Glasgow.
Vegan Food at Street Food Markets
Admittedly, Glasgow has been a little late to the party of food markets compared to London, Berlin or Vienna, but there are a few options in town that will make every vegan heart beat faster.
The Big Vegan Fete
This is Glasgow’s only fully vegan food market and takes place once a month at the Flying Duck. The downstairs location inside a pub means though, that instead of food trucks serving up fresh grub, you should expect local producers selling their fare over little tables. It’s great to meet local producers, grab some sweet cakes and stock up on vegan household products. It is free to enter.
Big Feed Street Food Market
This market takes place once a month in a large warehouse near the river Clyde. The food trucks change every month, but the organisers make an effort to always have a few hot options available for vegans too.
Dockyard Social
This is a new street food market in the trendy Finnieston area happening once a month. You need to get tickets in advance (£5) but in return all dishes are sold at a set price of £5. There is always a variety of vegan and coeliac dishes available and you can see which vendors will be present on the website before you buy your ticket.
Local Resources for Vegans
Of course, it’s not all about addresses and food – sometimes it’s nice to hear personal recommendations from locals with similar requirements. That’s why I started Glasgow Vegan Guide, a website where I publish restaurant reviews, talk about current vegan events in Glasgow and also link to other vegan and vegan-friendly businesses, such as hair salons, catering services or clothing shops.
Another useful resource is the Facebook community Vegan Edinburgh & Glasgow, where locals exchange advice and share recommendations about all things plant-based and cruelty-free.
My top tip for navigating Glasgow as a vegan is to save places on your Google Maps so that you always know which vegan business is near you. This Glasgow city guide is a great start to get you going and will make sure you know about vegan restaurants in Glasgow to eat for days! If you’d like to read more – especially about my favourite vegan-friendly omni restaurants, follow along at @glasgowveganguide. Happy traveling!
Have you ever been to Glasgow?? Tell me about it in the comments below ↓↓↓
Hailing from Austria, Kathi is a vegan travel writer based in Glasgow. She shares her passion for travel all over Scotland on her blog Watch Me See and offers travel consultation for Scotland visitors who are overwhelmed with choosing where to visit. She recently launched Glasgow Vegan Guide - a platform for vegan and vegan-friendly business listings, restaurant reviews, and tips for vegan life in the city.
To be honest – I don’t know anything about it yet! Maybe once I’ve been there, or there is a little bit more info about it online. At the moment, there’s just a brand-new Facebook page and it seems like it’s gonna be junk food!!
Kathi it is cool how the vegan scene continues to explode around the globe. I would never think Scotland and vegan but the people are speaking. Or have spoken 😉 Here in Chiang Mai Thailand the Buddhist veggie scene and lack of dairy makes for vegan haunts all over but it’s neat how the world is adopting a different way of eating.Ryan Biddulph recently posted…Blogging Breather: Squirming Chopped Off Gecko Tail Chiang Mai Thailand
Hi Ryan, how funny – we went to Chiang Mai last October and loved all the fresh vegan food there! Our favourite place was probably Bodhi Tree Cafe 🙂 Glasgow is a great unexpected vegan gem in Europe – definitely worth a foodie trip!!
The variety of dishes and decor in these restaurants really makes me wish I’d had the chance to see Glasgow while I was in Scotland. It seems much more metropolitan than Edinburgh, based on your post, but then — I probably didn’t see enough of Edinburgh, either.Juliann recently posted…Auschwitz I
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Make an Emu craft and learn about Australia Global Explorer's: Australia
Pin This pin represents an incredible collaborative art activity that allows children to see and embrace the culture of Aboriginal Australia, which the EYLF recognises as promoting a greater understanding of Indigenous culture.
Animals of the Continent Booklet - Black & white images of animals for each of the 7 continents. Can be colored and made in to booklets by the children. Printable Montessori geography materials and lessons for children by Montessori Print Shop. | {
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Blog Archives
I’ve never done a post like this. The reason is that of all the creators that have passed in the 3 years since I started this blog, I’ve never had a personal connection with them. But this week, Aaron Allston passed away, and with this fine gentleman I have a very personal and important connection, something that I’ve unfortunately overlooked in recent times when talking about my first proper forays into the wide world of science fiction and fantasy.
As a kid, I remember when the original trilogy was released in India in theaters. There was a huge promotion about it, to the tune that you could get these nice little stickers in packets of chips that you could then use to add to these booklets that you could buy from confectionaries, grocers etc. That was when my fascination with Star Wars began. Years later, I picked up my first Star Wars book, Starfightersof Adumar by Aaron Allston, and a few years later I saw the third movie in the prequel trilogy in theater with a friend, and then soon after that I saw the original trilogy for the first time, in college. I then went on to read a ton of Star Wars novels, thanks mostly in part to a well-stocked college library (or libraries rather, I should say), and I’ve almost always had fun.
In 2012, George Lucas and Co. began to roll out 3-D versions of the movies, starting with Episode I. It was a fantastic experience for me. But my excitement for watching the successive movies in the new format died out when it was announced that all plans had been put on hold pending Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm. And now Disney has no plans to rerelease the movies in 3D, moving forward instead with a new trilogy and several spin-off films. Ah well. It was fun while it lasted.
So, anyway, here’s a repost of my review for the 3-D version of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
Today’s guest on Names: A New Perspective is New York Times Bestselling author John Jackson Miller, who has worked on multiple Star Wars media in the past, particularly the really good Knights of the Old Republic comics from Dark Horse, and the recent novel Kenobi which is set in the aftermath of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. His Lost Tribe of the Sith series is on my “25 Series To Read In 2014” reading challenge as well and I’m really looking forward to those books. My experience with John’s work has been quite positive over the years, and he is definitely among my favourite writers, so its really exciting to have him on the blog and talking names in fiction. Here’s what he has to say.
Last year, news arrived that Disney had bought Lucasfilm and that once the deal was done with, the company owned full rights and licenses to anything involved Star Wars, Indiana Jones and other properties that were under the purview of Lucasfilm. At the time, there was absolutely no news about future Star Wars movies, and the license for all related comics was with Dark Horse Comics, who’ve had that specific license under contract for almost two decades and have done their share of adding to the Expanded Universe over the years, building on what Marvel originally did. But then, as expected and dreaded, it was announced a few days ago that by the end of this year, the license would be shifted back to Marvel and that Dark Horse would no longer publish any new Star Wars materials.
Part of this entire move has been that within weeks of buying Lucasfilm, Disney announced plans to do a third Star Wars trilogy of movies, Episodes VII to IX, and even plans to do several spin-off movies, most notably involving the Bounty Hunter Boba Fett, one of the most iconic characters in the Star Wars setting. The big question now is how much of the Expanded Universe would Disney adhere to, and whether it would just chuck out all of it. Details are starting to emerge on this front and there has been a lot of talk about it recently. Here is what I have to say on the matter, as someone who has been invested in the setting since early 2001 and has really come to love everything about it, whether good or bad.
Last year, I blogged over at The Founding Fields about 25 book series from various genres, science fiction, fantasy, urban fantasy, space opera, etc that I wanted to read in 2013. The intention behind that particular reading challenge was to read a broad variety of some of the most popular names in those genres as well as to try out several new authors and revisit some favourite classics. While I wasn’t as successful in the challenge as I might like, I’ve made it a new year resolution to make sure that I do indeed repeat the challenge in 2014 with new books, new authors, and finish it this time.
To that effect, here are the 25 book series I’ve picked for this reading challenge for this year. You can see the previous list for 2013 here.
For this new seasonal list of the best SFF characters I’ve read this year, my eighth pick is trio of Leia Organa, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, who have been the mainstays of the Star Wars universe since its earliest days and have recently starred together in several novels, most notably in Troy Denning’s latest, Crucible, as an old generation of heroes and in Martha Wells’ Razor’s Edge as a young generation of rebels against the galactic tyranny of the Empire. Both novels are among my favourite novels of the year and the portrayal of this trio has been excellent in both.
Since 2013 is now over, its time to do my second “Best of the Best” list, for the second half of the year from July-December. There were some really good reads in this period, and as always, picking the best has been a chore. I always try to keep these lists as diverse as I can and hopefully you agree.
You can check out my top-of-the-month lists on my Reading Awards page and this list is both an extension, and a continuation of what goes on there.
The ninth pick for the “12 Days of Best Covers of 2013″ list is the cover for Martha Well’s latest novel, a Star Wars tie-in for the new Empire and Rebellion series, The Razor’s Edge. This new series takes place after the original Star Wars movie and continues the adventures of Leia Organa, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker in those early days of the Rebellion. It was a really fun book that did much to add to the mythology of these characters and add to the overall Star Wars lore as well. The most fun part was in seeing how these characters continued to interact after their victory over the First Death Star, and the primary protagonist was Leia herself, one of my favourite female characters in SFF.
The ninth comic cover that I pick is Nick Runge’s excellent cover for the first cover of J. W. Rinzler’s adaptation of George Lucas’ original script for Star Wars, The Star Wars. I’ve read the first three issues of the series and they’ve been quite interesting and fairly good. They betray a much more fantastical tone to the entire setting and its evident that George Lucas’ imagination really did run wild for that initial attempt. I’d definitely recommend the series!
Without further ado, hit the break to see both the covers in all their glory! The full list of all these covers is available here.
For this new seasonal end of year list, the first book cover that I pick is the second novel in the Night’s Masque series by Anne Lyle, published by Angry Robot Books. Anne’s first novel, The Alchemist of Souls, was one of my first Angry Robot reads last year and it got me hooked on to reading more of the publisher’s output. The cover for that novel too was rather excellent and that success was repeated for the second book in the series.
And the first comics cover that I pick is the first issue of Brian Wood’s Star Wars from Dark Horse Comics. As a life-long fan of the entire setting, it is one of the best covers I’ve seen to date and its what got me started on really reading again all the different Star Wars comics, regardless of where in the setting they are set. And it also gave me a good solid taste for the kind of books that Dark Horse puts out each month.
So without further ado, hit the break to see both the covers in all their glory! The full list of all these covers is available here.
Finally, this was a week where my non-DC reading far out-stripped my DC reading. Villain’s Month really seems to have taken a toll with my reading, what with reading like seven or eight titles a week. Things are finally becoming more normal, and that’s excellent in and of itself. Lots of Dark Horse and IDW reading as well this week, which was really nice, since I’m playing catch-up with a few of their titles and really need to be getting down to read these issues.
However, no luck with reading any graphic novels again this week. I had hoped to read at least one during my flight back to Dubai from Delhi but things didn’t work out like that since I slept on the entire flight, all three and a half hours of it. That’s something I suppose. But now I have the time I hope so will see what happens.
In the meantime, here’s another edition of this new feature. Full reading list, as always, is available here and all my comics reviews are available here.
There’s an article floating around today in which Damien Walter talks about grimdark fantasy within the context of the David Gemmell Legend Award and the World Fantasy Award. There has been a lot of discussion about the contents of the article and grimdark fantasy on both Twitter and on the article itself. In a nutshell, it has been a very interesting argument on all sides and some good points have been made. But, as a reader and reviewer, I feel that something is getting lost in the translation because there are misconceptions being thrown about as to what grimdark fantasy is.
Additionally, there has been a distinct lack of acknowledgement of grimdark fantasy as written by women. Or, you know, just grimdark fiction in general, whether it is science fiction or fantasy. This isn’t something new of course, because the publishing industry and the reader/fan-base have become adept at glossing over the contributions of women in SFF, for the most part. This is a perception that desperately needs to change but sadly, there are very few agents of such change.
Regardless, fact remains that grimdark fiction isn’t what most people think it is. It is much more nuanced than the general public believes to be.
As part of my “Top 25 Series To Read In 2013” reading challenge, I’ve read a fair amount of books this year that can be considered to be classics of science fiction and fantasy, in all their different forms. There is a certain charm to all these novels that has persisted long after they were first published. Whether we talk about Frank Herbert’s space operatic political intrigue epic Dune or Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman’s true-to-style epic fantasy Dragons of Autumn Twilight, I’ve had a lot of fun with these novels.
And that is my question: are they re-readable? I’ve read Dune and Dragons of Autumn Twilight several times since when I first read them in 2001. I think they are rereadable, but I’m not completely sure. Is the question answerable in part with regard to whether the book is good or not? We shall see. | {
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The day of the land
Land Day highlights Palestinians' identity and their political struggle for equality against oppression and discrimination
This week Palestinians commemorate the 39th anniversary of Land Day. The Committee for the Defence of the Palestinians in Israel recently announced that this year there will not be a general strike, but instead, two national demonstrations will be held in Rahat in the Negev and Arabah in the Galilee.
The establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 had a devastating impact on the Palestinian people – it was the year of the Nakba, the Catastrophe. Immediately, the majority of the Palestinians were forced out of their homes to become refugees, both locally and throughout the Middle East. Those who remained within the newly established state of Israel were reduced to a minority within their homeland, cut off from the rest of their fellow nationals.
It is estimated that after 1948, between 80,000 -160,000 (10 percent) of the original population remained in Israel. As a result of the Nakba, Palestinians faced the destruction of their political, economic and social structures. To maintain the fragmentation and control over the Palestinian minority, the Israeli state introduced military rule, economic and political dependency and complex systems and regulation of discrimination.
Control over Palestinian land is one of the main features of the conflict with Zionism. Israel instituted a series of mandatory laws, regulations and policies to legalise the confiscation of Palestinian refugees’ land and property and preventing them from returning to their homes. Palestinian land was deemed “absentee property” based on the 1950 Absentee Property Law and the control of the land was transferred to the state and its quasi-state entities, such as the Jewish National Fund and Israel’s Land Administration for the benefit of Jewish Israelis.
Under this law, Palestinian refugees and the internally displaced are regarded as “present absentees”, designations that authorised the confiscation of their land. The implication of this was that the majority of the Palestinian land was lost.
This was not enough. In addition Israel legislated more than 16 laws and acts to legalise the expropriation of more Palestinian land. The loss of their land resulted in Palestinians becoming a destitute reserve for cheap labour entirely subordinate to the Israeli economy.
The process of land confiscation continued, and on 1 March 1976, the Israeli government declared the expropriation of 20,000 dunums of Arab land in the Galilee, branded as “developing the Galilee”, while the real aim was to Judaise, and in short, ethnically cleanse the area of Arab Palestinians.
The National Committee for the Defence of the Arab Land (NCDAL), which represented a spectrum of the political social forces of Palestinians in Israel, knew about these plans and tried to persuade the government to abandon them, but to no avail.
In protest of these plans, as well as an aggressive police and army presence in many villages, a day of national strike was planned for 30 March 1976, to protest land confiscation and discriminatory Israeli policies towards Palestinian citizens. On 30 March, a confrontation with the police and the army occurred, resulting in the killing of six Palestinian protesters.
The NCDAL urged Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories to join them. The PLO’s appeal to support the strike was a decisive factor in the success of the strike. The overwhelming support for the strike from Palestinians inside and outside Palestine put the “1948 Palestinians” at the top of the PLO's agenda.
Palestinian media and groups outside Palestine were euphoric, calling Land Day an uprising. They exaggerated the scale and duration of the confrontations. It is important to note, however, that during the early days of the establishment of the PLO, there was almost total ignorance regarding the political and social circumstances of Palestinians who remained on their land after 1948, to the extent that they were seen as collaborators with Israel. Later, during the 1970s, most of the efforts by the PLO were channelled into recruitment to join the armed struggle, thereby devaluing their strategy for national and civil struggle.
Land Day indicated the potential role they can play in the struggle. In this sense, Land Day brought about a significant change in the history of Palestinians in Israel, making them a recognisable political and social force that could no longer be ignored by either Israel or the PLO. It highlighted their Palestinian identity and their political struggle for equality against oppression and discrimination.
This change of attitude was reflected in the Palestinian National Council (PNC) held in Cairo in March 1977, where a clear reference was made in the final resolution to support their struggle and steadfastness and the PLO executive committee put forward a plan to support the 1948 Palestinians to defend their land and recognised Land Day as national day of solidarity on the Palestinian calendar.
Since then, Palestinian political groups and international solidarity groups have organised various political and cultural activities to celebrate Land Day. These actions have strengthened the connections between various Palestinian communities, especially from both sides of the Green Line. It was indicative of a change that Arab countries began broadcasting programmes about the 1948 Palestinians.
The critical role played by Palestinians in Israel undoubtedly paved the way for the first official meeting between the PLO and the Israeli Communist Party/Democratic Front for Peace and Equality held in Prague in May 1977. Such meetings became a regular occurrence in the next few years between the PLO and various Palestinian political groups inside Israel.
By late 1978, the National Palestinian Student Movement in Israel issued a statement sent to the PNC in Damascus which announced its support for the PLO and the establishment of Palestinian state in all the land of Palestine. The Israeli response was immediate and harsh. House arrest orders were issued against the students, and in 1980 legislation was approved by the Knesset to prohibit any contact or identification with the PLO.
Palestinians in Israel continued to play a vital role in the national liberation struggle from their unique position as the indigenous population and citizens of Israel. The outbreak of the Intifada in December 1987 was significant in the evolution of the political consciousness and organisation of this community; they had become a political power - both within Israel and the Palestinian national movement, which reflected their civil and national identity. They expressed political support and solidarity with the Intifada, and Land Day in 1988 was marked by a general strike in solidarity with the Intifada and against the continuation of Arab land confiscation.
Land Day saw the birth of the politically active, national identity of the Palestinian people inside Israel and gave recognition to their cause and plight. They have become a legitimate force within the collective Palestinian aspiration for self determination.
- Dr. Marwan Darweish is a Principal Lecturer at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University, His research focuses on peace processes, conflict transformation and nonviolence and he has extensive experience across the Middle East region with special interest in Palestine and Israel. He is a Palestinian from Umm El Fahem within the 1948 borders.
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
Photo: Israeli troops push back protesters during a demonstration 30 March 2015 marking Land Day (AFP) | {
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The event also included a “Chefs of Aloha” Dine-Around that featured guest Chefs (see attached for complete list of guest Chefs) from the past nine (9) years of Hall of Fame dinners preparing exquisite dishes for all attendees.
The formal Hall of Fame Inductee ceremony began at 7:30 p.m. with the following individuals being inducted into the HRA’s 2016 Hall of Fame:
The inductees as well as the legacy winners were individuals and/or company’s that have demonstrated dedication and commitment to the growth of the restaurant and food service industry in Hawaii, contributed to the enhancement of its quality and image, and demonstrated service through outreach.
For the past 50 years, Zippy’s has followed Frances and Charles Higa’s core business values of commitment, serving with honorable intentions and uncompromising integrity, taking care of people, recognizing the unlimited potential in people and opportunities, taking risks and being willing to change and think long term. Whether it’s a Zip Pac before heading to the beach, a bucket of chicken for a potluck or some oxtail soup after a long night out the next stop will always be Zippy’s.
After 70 years in Hawaii, the Aloha Shoyu `ohana continues to emphasize the core Hawaiian values of kindness, unity, humility, and perseverance. For over seven decades, Aloha Shoyu Company continues to bring its unique products to kitchens all over the world, so that every dish can be served with a little aloha.
Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit the HRA Scholarship Program at the University of Hawaii Community Colleges.
The Hawaii Restaurant Association (HRA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade organization, together with the National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, is dedicated to representing, educating and promoting the restaurant, food service, hospitality and tourism industries. The HRA provides access to the support and resources that industry professionals need to maintain a thriving business and serves as a contributing member of the unique and diverse restaurant community here in Hawaii.
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By submitting this form, you are granting: Hawaii Restaurant Association, 2909 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96826, United States, http://www.hawaiirestaurant.org permission to email you. You may unsubscribe via the link found at the bottom of every email. (See our Email Privacy Policy for details.) Emails are serviced by Constant Contact. | {
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The Chrysler Avenger started out in 1970 as a Hillman,
being initially manufactured at the Rootes Group’s
plant in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, England, although production
would switch to the companies Linwood facility near
Glasgow, Soctland.
It was the first car to be developed
by Rootes following the Chrysler takeover of 1967,
however there were some obvious styling concessions
made to Americanize the car for the new company owner.
The “Coke” bottle waistline and semi-fastback
styling gave the car a very modern appearance for
the time, although under the skin the car was entirely
conventional.
The 4 cylinder overhead valve 1.3 liter
and 1.5 liter engines, while entirely new, drove
through a coil sprung suspended live rear axle. Although
it was obviously “old school” the motoring
press were unable to fault the car’s supple
ride and reasonably well sorted chassis.
In any comparison
with its competitors, the Avenger would nearly always
prove to be the best of the pack. The car would sell
well against such rivals as the Ford Escort and Vauxhall
Viva. In fact the car was doing so well in the UK
that Chrysler took the ambitious step of trying to
sell it in the US market.
Americans had, however,
been used to something a little larger, a little
more reliable and a little better built, and the
car flopped. It would be quietly withdrawn from US
dealerships after only 2 years.
In 1972 Chrysler introduced
a “fleet” version,
a most basic and utilitarian version designed to
appeal to the budget conscious fleet purchaser. Like
jettisoning sand bags from a rapidly descending hot
air balloon, the “fleet” would have just
about every creature comfort removed in an effort
to keep costs as low as possible. Even the sun visor
for the front passenger was removed.
Thankfully there were some rather better equipped versions also released
that year, including five door estate version of
the existing 1250 Deluxe, 1250 Super, 1500 Deluxe
and 1500 Super. A two-door version was also introduced,
its trim following that of the four door.
The Avenger was extensively marketed in Europe, first as a Sunbeam
(but without the Avenger name), the Sunbeam 1250
and Sunbeam 1500 sold reasonably well. In Northern
Europe the car was sold as the Sunbeam Avenger, and
the car was even manufactured in Brazil where is
was sold as the Dodge 1800/Polara (where the car
was fitted with a larger 1800cc engine), and in Argentina
as the Dodge 1500. In South Africa the car was fitted
with Peugeot engines and badged as a Dodge, at some
iterations were even sold as far a field as New Zealand.
In
1976 Chrysler decided to market the Avenger under
it’s
own name, and at the same time gave the car a comprehensive
makeover. The new frontal treatment featured squared
off headlights, while at the rear the distinctive “hockey
stick” style
tail lights were dropped in favour of more conventional
units.
The top of the former “hockey sticks” had
body colored metal in their place. But the time
was running out for the Avenger, it now being thoroughly
outclassed by the likes of the VW Golf and Renault
14. In 1978 Chrysler Europe would go bankrupt, and
following the takeover by Peugeot the Chrysler models
were re-braded as Talbot’s. | {
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} |
It took 28 years to get a Tron sequel as Tron: Legacy earned over $400 million globally, but was attacked by critics. Despite the rumors and interested big names, Tron 3 still isn’t going anywhere.
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Tron 3 will unofficially be called Tron: Ascension as production appears to be set for later this year.
This was released by director Joseph Kosinski who directed Tron Legacy via twitter, check out the post below.
Tron: More...
A new report suggests that a sequel to Tron: Legacy, Tron 3, is on its way sooner than later, shooting in Vancouver, late this year. Disney has been quiet on the new Tron film, will scattered updates from creator More...
While Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass continues filming, Disney fans are still left scratching their heads as they seek details for two other big blockbuster sequels: Tron 3 and Enchanted 2.
After More...
A sequel to 2010’s Tron: Legacy is still in the works, the film’s director provided an update for fans.
Speaking to Assignment X, Joseph Kosinski says the third film in the franchise is still in development More...
The Hallmark Channel held a dinner party for the Television Critics Association and for all of their talent from original movies and series.
Bruce Boxleitner stars in Hallmark’s Cedar Cove, so after dinner Crave More...
While promoting Once Upon a Time in Wonderland with Forbes, producer Adam Horowitz gave fans a “no news” update on a third Tron film.
“Hopefully we’ll have some news about what’s going on forward with More...
Movie news does come in waves and some projects do suffer the woes of ballooning budget projections and trends at the box office. The biggest film tabled at the moment is probably Tarzan.
Back in April Warner Bros More...
While promoting his upcoming film, Oblivion, and talking at the WonderCon panel this weekend Joseph Kosinski gave fans an update on Tron 3 in a March 31 article on Collider.
“I think I’m two weeks away from More...
Bruce Boxleitner was out and about talking with science fiction fans, giving everyone an update on the next Tron film and his thoughts on “Tron: Uprising.”
Bruce Boxleitner still is uncertain on returning More...
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May 17, 2012 –How Could J.P. Morgan Lose $2 Billion? Months before Bruno Iksil became famous as the “London whale,” the trader who contributed to a loss of more than $2 billion at J.P. Morgan, earned a different nickname: the “Caveman,” for pursuing trades that rivals sometimes thought were overly aggressive but often led to huge profits. Pictured above, J.P. Morgan’s London office at Canary Wharf.
Last year, Mr. Iksil (pictured above) had a $1 billion bet that companies in a certain group would default on their debt. Many hedge funds and rival banks viewed Mr. Iksil’s move as risky and took the other side of his trade.
But when the parent companies of American Airlines and power company Dynegy, Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection last year, Mr. Iksil’s positions brought a windfall of about $450 million to J.P. Morgan, saddling hedge funds and other rivals with similar-size losses.
Some of these traders would get their revenge on Mr. Iksil months later, taking the other side of bets that contributed to the more than $2 billion of losses for J.P. Morgan and raised questions about the bank’s risk controls. Mr. Iksil is expected to leave the bank but it isn’t clear when, said people familiar with the situation. Mr. Iksil didn’t respond to a request for comment. Follow the link below for the complete story of greed gone bad. | {
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