Rabbits are famous for their long, sharp teeth, but the length can actually get out of hand. Unlike humans, whose teeth do not change or grow once they've pushed through the gums, rabbits have teeth that are always growing. In the wild, rabbits have to eat and chew through lots of tough, fibrous material like bark and vegetation, so their teeth continually grow to compensate for the wear. However, if they don't get enough opportunity to chew, their teeth can become overgrown and tusk-like — which is why owners of pet bunnies must ensure their animals have lots of chewables at all times.
Let's put this in context: a resting human heart rate is usually 60-90 beats per minute, with some doctors saying that number should be 76 or lower. In other words, rabbits' hearts beat twice as fast as ours, and that's just resting. If a rabbit is under stress or exercising, its heart can beat over 300 times per minute — that's five beats per second. I guess that explains how the Easter bunny has enough energy to deliver all those eggs.
This information may induce nightmares in human mothers, but female hares can actually become pregnant with a second litter of offspring before they've given birth to their first. The phenomenon is called superfetation, and it can happen if the hare mates again late in her first pregnancy. Becoming pregnant a second time, the hare's second set of embryos sits in the oviduct while the first set has claim to the uterus. Kind of like waiting for someone to be done with the shower so you can use it.
Rabbits were built to run — they have powerful hind legs and strong muscles that propel them at speeds comparable to a car. Jackrabbits have been clocked at up to 45 miles per hour — that's as fast as a greyhound can run, and much faster than a human can. In fact, for a rabbit, running 45 miles per hour would feel similar to a human running 80 miles per hour. No big deal.
When a rabbit is happy, it "binkies"
As in the verb, "to binky." Yes, the terminology really is that cute. So what is binkying? It's basically just a silly bunny dance — the rabbit jumps and twists in the air to express its happiness in a truly adorable manner. Rabbits can also half-binky, which sounds like a skateboarding trick but really means a joyous flip of the head and ears.
Yeah, but it's not as gross as it sounds. Because rabbits eat so much fibrous vegetation, they need a little extra help digesting it. To achieve this, they pass two types of feces — regular droppings and caecotrophs, fibrous pellets that they eat in order to digest and extract all the necessary nutrients. And you thought eating grass sounded bad.
Rabbits' eyes might look a little odd sitting on the sides of their heads, but they really do give them superior vision. Rabbits can see almost 360 degrees around them, plus above them, probably so they can be on the lookout for flying predators. In fact, rabbits have just one blind spot — directly in front of their noses.
Rabbits tend not to factor too heavily into most people’s lives (unless your name is Farmer McGregor), but there is one time of year when we turn our thoughts toward these cute and fuzzy, but fast and wily, creatures: Easter. This yearly celebration of spring probably got its name from from a pagan goddess of spring named Eostre, whose earthly symbol is a rabbit. Rabbits are also a symbol for spring, the season of birth, because of their legendary fertility, which we will be addressing in a moment.
However, Easter legends don’t exactly tell give us the real facts about these widespread but oft-ignored creatures (sorry to disappoint, but bunnies don’t really lay chocolate eggs). Rabbits, and their close relatives, hares, are actually capable of some pretty amazing things. They live everywhere from the Arctic to Japan, and they thrive in all sorts of conditions. We all know they’re adaptable, speedy, and smart, but they also have a few more tricks up their sleeves. Here, then, are some of the most amazing things you may not have known about rabbits and hares.


Should We Fear the "Werther Effect?"
In 1774, Johann von Goethe (a Romanticist contemporary of Wordsworth, Chateaubriand, Hugo, Colridge, Hawthorne, Poe, & Whitman) published a novel that distinguished him as a profound literary voice: The Sorrows of Young Werther. In this novel, Werther was a young artist, tormented by unrequited love, who came to believe that the only resolution to his sorrow was to take his own life, which he did.
Obviously, it was the brillance and passion of Goethe's writing that enamoured him to similar young men, but there was an unexpected, alarming phenomenon also occurring: young men began to mimic Werther's "solution" by committing suicide. in 1974, David Phillips, Professor of Sociology at the University of California, San Diego, in examing existing suicide data, corroborated what only a few had already observed: whenever a media source discussed the phenomenon of suicide, at least for a time, the rate of suicide significantly increased. And the irony to this discovery lay in the fact that even the report that a new community resource existed to prevent suicide, was as likely to account for an increase in suicide as a media report of the gruesome details of an actual suicide. Dr. David Phillips referred to this as the "Werther Effect," and its application since has not simply been limited theoretically to suicide alone, but is frequently associated with any behaviour that is a "copy-cat" behaviour, prompted simply by discussion.
In reaction to the identification of the Werther Effect, the most common international response - from China to Europe - was to call for legislation to control the media's dissemination of information; to impose an "ethical standard" on media bodies that ran the spectrum from suggestion (e.g. refrain from reporting the details of "successful" suicide - now referred to as "completed" - sensationalizing, claiming it "heroic," etc.), to outright media bans on the reporting of suicide completely. Surprisingly ironic is the fact that, for many years, Norway alone forbade the media to report suicide; yesterday, a blog on the UK's The Telegraph newspaper website asks, "Norway killings: does media coverage inspire copycats?" Further, in reporting the recent riots that spread across England, the Sunday New York Times began a story describing a mother, standing in court before a judge at an arraignment hearing for her 8 year old son charged with looting, who simply asks him, "Why?" And in case after case, we are asking of "ordinarily" moral people who engaged in such dramatically uncharacteristic behaviour, "why?"
The next-of-kin to the Werther Effect is the theory of "Cascading Information" where individuals, in a complex process, observe what others have chosen, and make the same choice, without the characteristic "input" of their own guiding principles in what then appears to be "rational choice." To clarify, this is not mindless "mimicry": it is a process of making a "rational" decision without enough information. Graetefully, most times cascades lead to a correct "decision," but sometimes, the cascade may lead to decisions completely random and incorrect; perhaps even disasterous. Most importantly, choices involving a lowering of the decision "threshold" are more disturbing because thay are arrived at with a fundamental absence of accurate information.
Satayana-esque warnings that we should rely, in toto, on the history of current Western heresy, that supposely began by "discussion," dialog, and questioning; suggesting that "discussion," in and of itself, is covert, manipulative, and a subtle, persuasive, narcotic seduction of those less than "traditional." And finally, concluding that such observations are, then, "predictive" and invetible. Invective has supplanted any attempt to present "data" deemed contradictory and oppositional.
With St. John Climacus' 21st Step of the Ladder of Divine Ascent, "On Unmanly Fears": Cowardice is childish behaviour within a soul advanced in years and vainglory. It is a lapse from faith that comes from anticipating the unexpected. Fear is danger tasted in advance, a quiver as the heart takes fright before unnamed calamity. Fear is loss of assurance. A proud sould is the slave of cowardice. Trusting only itself, it is frightened by a sound or a shadow.
Supplemented with the discussion I once had with the late Prof. S.S. Verhovskoy regarding "inclination" and "probability": there are things so improbable, and people can be so disinclined, that even knowing God is God and that the Holy Spirit goes where He wishes, we may emphatically state that some things will never change. And in this we have faith, and in this we trust.
The Werther Effect and phenomenon such as Information Cascades will never occur when three factors are operative: the decision "threshold" is not low enough and the information is not persuasive; those in the "network" are not well enough connected, therefore not vulnerable enough for influence to spread; or, the "network" is well connected, stable, and is affectionate and respectful. "Shocks" are inherent, and even the smallest propogates. "Shocks" are frequent and continuous, yet history and our Faith tell us we will remain the same. This we trust.
It seems, then, that, like transparency and accountability, discussion should be demanded and not restricted.


Hi, I'd like to have two parts to my book: Part 1 would be from one character's point of view, and Part 2 would pick up the story some time later from another character's point of view.
I think I've settled on third-person limited for both POVs, but even so, do you think readers might feel...cheated or tricked when the POV switches halfway through the story? And are there any other potential issues I should consider before going through with it?
I would clearly label Part 1 with that character's name so readers will have a heads-up that the POV will change. Thank you!
Answer: What you're proposing is one way of writing a multiple point-of-view novel. One comes across many successful novels that are variations on this approach.
Something to consider when you have two point-of-view characters, both of whom occupy major amounts of story space, is that each of them needs to have his own story, his own complete journey. Their stories may overlap and each character may contribute to the overall story of the novel, but their individual stories need to express complete arcs in themselves.
2. Find a way to put a resolution to the first character's story near the end of the book. For example, the second character could stumble across a message, diary, blog post, etc. written by the first character that illustrates his resolution.
3. Put the first character's resolution into an epilogue. In other words, switch back to his point of view briefly at the end.
4. Another approach is to have two completely separate stories whose only connection may be that they take place in the same story world or that they share a particular theme or motif. In other words, there is no overall plot that connects both stories so you have two standalone novellas. Examples of this approach include David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas, Frank Miller's Sin City, or Stephen King's Different Seasons (though admittedly, these books feature more than two point-of-view characters).
The downside to number 4 is that the reader does not get to develop as close a connection to any one character. The result is somewhat a cross between a novel and an anthology. However, this approach can still be quite successful.
Thanks so much for your response! I should clarify: both characters appear in each other's POV.
In Part 1, the two characters meet, the plot progresses, and then a very tragic event occurs. Character 1 is the most affected by said tragic event, though both characters' arcs are changed because of it. Close curtains. In Part 2, about two years have passed. The two characters haven't seen each other all this time, but then they meet up again and need to navigate their relationship with the tragic event looming over them.
So the readers get the whole plot story, it's just a matter of whose perspective it's from. Character 1's inner conflict does get resolved in Part 2, but we see that only through Character 2's eyes. I thought it would be more effective to show Character 1's angst and ultimate growth through someone else's perspective. There's also some question as to Character 1's identity when the two first see each other again. Character 2 has a unique character arc as well, so it's not as if that'll be a dull character.
Well, as Part 2 progresses, the two characters will hash out everything from what led to the tragic event, to the event itself, to how they chose to lead their lives up to the present moment. There will be reflective moments as well as heated arguments, and although the two will be cautious with each other at first, they will ultimately share with one another their truest, most vulnerable selves. So although readers won't be in Character 1's head, they'll still be privy to his thoughts, feelings, etc.
Are you still concerned about the readers' understanding of Character 1's inner conflict resolution?
I should add that Character 2 is also closer to the action of the subplot, which will be more prominent in Part 2, and another consideration for switching POVs. I apologize for adding in these details belatedly - there are a lot of elements to the story, and I'm still pinning it all down in my head!
Thank you so much for the tips, I really appreciate your taking the time.
I have another question, pertaining to plot, but I'll ask it as a separate thread so other visitors who are interested in that can more easily find it.


How Can I Tell What Book Level a Non-English Speaking Student Is At?
I have a Chinese student who has very limited English as do his parents. He started with me after having studied some piano in China. Any suggestions for how to assess his level and how to determine which books to use with him?
If this were my studio, I would ask him and his parents to bring any piano books he currently has with him to his first lesson. That will tell you a lot.
My first request, though, would be for him to play something for you that he knows "by heart." Keeping the Suzuki approach in the back of your mind (lots of playing by ear for a long time), don't assume that what he is playing is what he is able to READ.
Then, I would have a little stack of your own preferred method books of all levels for him to demonstrate his sight-reading ability.
Get a bit of staff paper, and draw single notes on a grand staff, asking him to locate the notes on the piano.
Contrariwise, select a piano key and have him draw it on the staff paper.
Then, see if he can copy you when you play, for example, some chords and scales.
With rhythm, hand him a couple of pencils for "drumsticks," close the piano lid, and beat together a few simple rhythms from Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 books.
It may take a few weeks to get a solid feeling for where he truly is, and I would continue to quiz him every lesson in some way, to know if he is really reading what you are showing him.
Don't be afraid to "promote" him if the work is too easy, or to put him back into an easier level if he seems to be struggling. The work that you are able to accomplish at each lesson will show you what he is capable of (hopefully).


What follows is the story of a White House pet, and just possibly its historical effect.
The Kennedy White House was notable for the number of animals that eventually occupied it. Among these was President Kennedy’s dog Charlie, a Welsh terrier given to the family by the President’s father, Joseph P. Kennedy. Despite the tendency of the President to react allergically to dogs, Charlie was often with him at the White House and elsewhere. Another dog in the Kennedy menagerie was Pushinka, whom First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy received from Chairman of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev.
PX96-33-10. President Kennedy conferring with Premier Khrushchev, 4 June 1961.
Pushinka arrived at an inauspicious time for U.S.-Soviet relations. In June 1961, the President and Chairman Khrushchev met in Vienna, Austria. The debacle of the Bay of Pigs had occurred that past spring and the construction of the Berlin Wall was underway. Feelings on both sides were raw and the meetings between Kennedy and Khrushchev were grueling and mostly inconclusive: the Cold War continued. Its most fearsome moment, the Cuban Missile Crisis, was a little more than a year away.
Mrs. Kennedy, however, charmed the Chairman, and soon after the Vienna summit, the Soviet Ambassador to the US brought a small, white puppy to the White House as a personal gift from Chairman Khrushchev to the First Lady. President Kennedy was concerned that Pushinka had bugs (of the intelligence-gathering variety) and was not happy that a descendent of a dog in the Soviet Space Program was occupying the White House. But the First Lady often kept state and personal gifts over the President’s objections, and Pushinka was allowed to stay.
PX96-33-3. Mrs. Kennedy and Chairman Khrushchev enjoy a laugh at the state dinner, 3 June 1961.
There was no tension in the dogs’ relationship, and in 1963 they had four puppies. It is tempting to speculate that during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the President held the world’s fate in his hands, he thought about these animals, companionable together and blissfully unaware of potential nuclear annihilation. Or perhaps the First Lady, an important confidante to the President and a shrewd judge of psychology, spoke of the human motivations of the Soviets, including Chairman Khrushchev who had given her a dog as a personal gift.
JFKWHP-KN-18294. Charlie, left, and Pushinka, right, 22 June 1961.
I was wondering if you could give me some information about Charlie, I know Ambassador Kennedy bought Charlie in 1958 for Caroline. But do you have any information on where he purchased Charlie?
I am afraid I have not been able to track down further information about the source for Charlie. I have heard a verbal report that Ambassador Kennedy purchased Charlie in a department store, but I have not been able to find any documentary evidence to confirm the purchase or what store it might have been.


Interesting factoid to start with Irish Whiskey is spelled with an 'ey' at the end, whereas Scotch Whisky has no 'e'.
There has been a lot of news coverage this week about Protected Designations of Origin and Geographic Indications. Mostly, the coverage has been sensationalist and inaccurate. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story, and all of that.
His concern, and much of the news coverage around it was around the belief that "When Brexit happens, anybody is going to be able to call their whisky 'Scotch Whiskey', even if it has nothing to do with Scotland at all.....won't someone please think of the children".
"Scotch Whisky has been defined in UK law since 1933. Brexit is not going to change that. Scotch Whisky is also recognised as a GI and has been since the concept was introduced by World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules in 1994."
The focus of all the coverage is that Scotch Whiskey might lose it's standing under European Law. But European Law isn't the only law that governs 'Designations of Origin', which are called 'Appelations of Origin' elsewhere, and also overlap with 'Geographic Indications'.
And all of that is before we've considered 'Indications Of Origin', trademarks, labelling requirements (at national, EU and international levels) and a whole host of other methods, ways and means of protecting your brand.
Finally, can anybody tell me which three Irish alcoholic drinks (food is treated separately) have comparable protection to Scotch Whisky?
Answers in a tweet (don't cheat by Googling it) to @brianconroylaw, and I'll pick a winner to win a bottle of one of them!
Scotch Whisky has been defined in UK law since 1933. Brexit is not going to change that.


Did someone try to frame Elvis impersonator Paul Kevin Curtis by sending ricin-tainted letters to President Barack Obama and other officials?That's the question investigators are trying to answer now that federal prosecutors have dropped charges against Curtis, a law enforcement source told CNN on the condition of anonymity.
Reports in numerous media outlets have indicated a second home has been searched in connection with the investigation, and CNN reporters have visited a Tupelo, Mississippi, house where FBI investigators wearing hazardous materials suits have conducted a search.
However, CNN is not identifying the homeowner because federal authorities have not linked the owner to the ricin investigation.
Prosecutors initially charged Curtis April 17 with sending a threat to the president after letters containing a suspicious powder triggered security scares around Washington. Authorities dropped the charges Tuesday after new information became available, U.S. Attorney Felicia Adams said.
Curtis' attorney, Christi McCoy, said her client has been framed by someone who used several phrases Curtis likes to use on social media.
The letters read, in part: "To see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance."
They were signed "I am KC and I approve this message," a source told CNN.
Each letter had a Memphis, Tennessee, postmark and no return address.
Curtis called his arrest surreal.
"It's like a train has been lifted off my shoulders," Curtis told CNN's "Piers Morgan Live" on Tuesday. "I'm overwhelmed. I'm extremely happy to be vindicated and out and able to see my kids."
The letters -- sent to Obama; Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi; and Sadie Holland, a Justice Court judge in Lee County, Mississippi -- touched off anxieties in Washington and elsewhere in the wake of the bombing of the Boston Marathon. The two incidents were unconnected, officials said.
The FBI said the letters tested positive for ricin, a toxin derived from castor beans that has no known antidote. No illnesses have been reported.


I use the CSV format when importing full projects into 5pm. However, I'm having trouble to import the task team. I checked the help documentation on the matter and haven't found a way that works. Am I doing something wrong?
I have a column with header Users and I input the data in format "John Smithm not sure if this is a bug or me doing something wrong.
We don't have an issue when importing users on our side.
Please send an example of your CSV to support [at] 5pmweb.com so we can double check the format and do a test import on our side.
We don't have an issue when importing users on our side. Please send an example of your CSV to support [at] 5pmweb.com so we can double check the format and do a test import on our side.


Is It the Right Time to Invest in SodaStream?
SodaStream is having a tough year, but the company is still growing at a considerable speed and valuation looks quite attractive. Is it the right time to invest in SodaStream?
SodaStream (NASDAQ:SODA) is having a tough year, and the alliance between Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (UNKNOWN:GMCR.DL) represents a considerable risk for the company. However, SodaStream is still generating substantial growth and disrupting the gigantic carbonated drinks market. Besides, the stock is trading at attractive valuation levels. Is it the right time to invest in the home soda pioneer?
The company had already warned investors about the tough holiday quarter, so expectations were quite low leading to the report. That's the main reason both sales and earnings came in above expectations when the company announced results on Wednesday, even if profit margins were under heavy pressure during the period.
Revenues during the fourth quarter of 2013 grew 26.4% to $168 million, but EBITDA decreased 45.2% to $5.9 million from $10.7 million in the fourth quarter of the previous year. Net income also declined steeply from $7.5 million to $0.7 million during the quarter.
The holiday season has been notoriously tough in terms of pricing, and SodaStream is prioritizing household penetration over profit margins. In addition, alternative distribution channels like the Home Shopping Network produced extra pricing pressure during the quarter.
SodaStream was also affected by rising costs due to higher than anticipated product reconfiguration expenses. The conversion of starter kits to mega-packs, the shift from brick-and-mortar to direct-selling channels, and the redeployment of inventory from the U.S. to Canada were responsible for this increase in reconfiguration expenses.
On the other hand, the company is still generating substantial unit growth, starter kits sales increased by 39%, units of carbonator refills grew 25%, and flavors units were up 32% during the quarter. Starter kits sales are encouraging in terms of showing that the company keeps gaining more clients, but growing sales of consumables are perhaps more important as it reflects active consumption from customers, and consumables also carry far higher profit margins than starter kits.
SodaStream is still successfully expanding and disrupting the worldwide carbonated beverage industry, which management estimates to be worth around $260 billion, so the company has enormous room for growth in the coming years if it continues moving in the right direction.
CEO Daniel Birnbaum said during the press conference that everyone has the right to make mistakes. He was not talking about SodaStream's missteps during the last quarter, but about Coca-Cola's decision to partner with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters to enter the home soda category.
Coca-Cola bought a 10% stake in Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, for $1.25 billion. The companies have also signed a 10-year agreement to collaborate in the development and introduction of Coca-Cola's products for use in Green Mountain's forthcoming Keurig Cold machine, which is expected to be launched during the company's fiscal 2015, beginning in October 2014.
Coca-Cola is the undisputed global leader in soft drinks, and the fact that it has chosen to align with Green Mountain represents a reason for concern for SodaStream investors.
On the other hand, this move could also provide validation for the home soda category, and Coca-Cola is unlikely to choose a low price strategy to compete, so this could turn out to be a positive factor for SodaStream in terms of margins.
It's far too early to tell how the competitive dynamics between SodaStream and Green Mountain's new products will play out, but it doesn't need to be a negative for the company. It is, however, a considerable source of uncertainty to monitor.
Falling profit margins and increased competitive pressure mean that SodaStream is becoming a more risky investment lately. However, this uncertainty seems to be already reflected in the stock price since SodaStream is trading at attractive valuation ratios from a historical perspective.
As long as the company continues generating growing sales and gaining market penetration, there are valid reasons to expect recovering profit margins, especially if management leaves recent mistakes in the past. Under such a scenario, SodaStream could offer substantial upside potential.
SodaStream is going through a challenging period, and competition is an important risk to monitor in the medium term. However, the company is still on the right track when it comes to capitalizing on opportunities for growth in the gigantic carbonated beverages industry, and valuation is quite attractive at current levels. The company's recent setbacks could easily turn out to be a buying opportunity for long-term investors.


The other night, I grabbed veggies out of the produce drawer in the refrigerator to wash and slice for a quick snack. It wasn't until I made the first slice that I realized I had grabbed a zucchini instead of a cucumber. While sliced zucchini can make a fine snack, it wasn't the cucumber I had been expecting, so I was a little disappointed. I decided to use a peeler to imitate zucchini noodles or "zoodles". When I was done peeling down the zucchini into strips, I put them in a sandwich bag into the fridge, thinking that I would snack on them the next day at my leisure.
Later on, when it came time to make dinner, I was stumped. I had not planned well. It was getting later and I was getting more hungry by the second. When I opened the fridge, I saw the baggie of zucchini and inspiration struck.
I thought back to a "diabetic" cookbook someone gifted me when I returned to work after my hospitalization at diagnosis. The one recipe that appealed to me was a zucchini parmesan dish that I had attempted a handful of times, but cutting the zucchini into medallions meant that they never seemed to cook as thoroughly as I'd hoped.
Anyways, this all comes back to the peeled zucchini in a bag because I realized I could use it to make the zucchini parmesan. Instead of running to go find the old cookbook, I went with my instinct and memory. I am proud to report that my instinct did not fail me and my dinner turned out to be delicious.
Since it ended up being such an easy and yummy meal, I thought you might be interested in how I threw this quick dinner together so you can try it at home. There are no measurements, just flavors and steps so feel free to make it your own and experiment while following your own instincts.
Step 1 - Once you have your zucchini prepared (peeled, shredded, or spiralized), drizzle olive oil in the bag, zip it up, and toss the bag until the zucchini is lightly coated.
Step 2 - Drizzle white balsamic vinegar into the bag and repeat coating process.
Step 3 - Set up pan over stove on medium heat with a small drop of olive oil to prep the pan, then add zucchini to the pan and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Step 4 - Let the veggies sizzle a little bit while being sure to get all of the pieces cooked. It will cook down a bit.
Step 5 - Just as the zucchini begins to cook down and look more like cooked noodles, sprinkle the parmesan cheese and stir to melt.
Step 6 - Plate, sprinkle with cool parmesan (if desired), and serve!
It is even easier than it sounds, so please don't hesitate to give this a try. I generally choose to exclude pasta from my diet because of the way my blood sugar reacts and I usually don't miss it. Chowing down on this dish reminded me of sitting down to a plate of pasta, except I felt lighter than I would have after eating all of those carbs.
In full disclosure, I did not weigh the zucchini for an accurate carb count, guessing that the serving I ate was minimal, somewhere between 5-10 carbs. If you have diabetes or count macros, just pull out your food scale to weigh the raw zucchini to get a quick measure for precision.
If you give this idea a try, I would love to hear how it turned out after making it your own! Do you have another low carb, full flavor quick meal fix your family enjoys? Share in the comments!


Lead by professional scientists. All lectures in English.
Drake Passage - multitude of albatrosses and petrels.
If weather permits: landing on Shackleton's legendary Elephant Island, where his men from the 'Endurance' wintered. In bad weather: landings in sheltered Admiralty Bay, King George Island. Penguins, Elephant seals, whales.
Hope Bay (to set foot on the Antarctic Continent, at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula), and Paulet Island.
South Orkney Islands, where Scotsman Bruce wintered. Argentine base.
South Georgia. Abandoned whaling stations Grytviken and Leith Harbour. King Penguins on Salisbury Plains, Wandering Albatrosses (and other albatross species) nesting in Bay of Isles.
At Sea. 'Pleasant tailwind'. Great numbers of antarctic and subantarctic seabirds.
Circumnavigation of World Heritage Site Gough Island, visit Tristan da Cunha settlement, if possible landing on Nightingale Island, where millions of seabirds of many species breed.
At sea. Subtropical waters with different seabirds and dolphins.
St Helena. Pleasant atmosphere, people, and climate. Many historic sites. Napoleon's quarters during exile. National park with remnant endemic vegetation.
Ascension Island. Volcanic desert island, with a million tropical terns. Turtles laying on the beaches at night.
Early in the morning some passengers may fly to to Brize Norton/Swindon (Southern England) with scheduled RAF flight. Remaining passengers will circumnavigate (in zodiacs) Boatswain Bird Island with nesting boobies, noddies, tropic birds and the endemic Ascension Frigate Bird.
At sea, accross the equator.
Cape Verde Islands. Visits to Brava, Fogo and São Tiago. Friendly African people. Many historic sites from colonial and slave trade period.
At Sal (Cape Verde) passengers can disembark to fly home. The lecturers programme ends here. Passengers still remaining on board will have to amuse themselves.
The ship will bunker at Tenerife. Passengers can explore the island on their own steam, or fly home.
Circumnavigation of uninhabited Selvagens nature reserve with large colonies of petrels and shearwaters.
Passengers can explore Portuguese culture on Madeira on their own steam.
Channel Islands. Visit to Guernsey.
At Folkstone (UK) British passengers disembark.
At Vlissingen (Flushing - Netherlands) last passengers dismebark.
Yes, the Atlantic Odyssey 1998 is history. It was a great trip. I joined as one of the lecturers. We did everything we wanted to do, we saw everything we wanted to see, we made all landings we wanted to make, and we did it again every year since. I joined as a lecturer again in 2000. Want to join us? Contact me.
Because of the enormous interest in the Atlantic Odyssey 1998, the cruise has been repeated in 1999. The programme was slightly different, as the Falkland Islands were visited, instead of Antarctica.
In the afternoon we embark in Ushuaia and sail through the Beagle Channel.
On our way to the Falklands we witness a multitude of albatrosses, petrels and fulmars.
In the Falklands we land on New Island where we will visit large colonies of black-browed albatrosses and sea lions.
Port Stanley, the capital of the Falklands, has about 1000 inhabitants.
On our way to South Georgia we will cross the Antarctic Convergence, where we enter Antarctic water.
In South Georgia we will pay visits to the abandoned whaling settlements Grytviken and Leith Harbour, the King Penguin colony on the Salisbury Plains, and the breeding Wandering Albatrosses in the Bay of Isles.
From South Georgia onwards, the programme was identical to the programme of the Atlantic Odyssey of 1998.


Is she facing a tough sentence?
Debbie is left speechless when her solicitor tells her that she has been given bail and can go home.
Debbie is alarmed to also hear that she could be looking at five years in prison. She sobs as the news sinks in.
Meanwhile, Moira is frustrated when Cain won't answer any of her questions as to where he's been and what's going on with Graham.
Elsewhere, Chas struggles with normality.


Two boards in one: rocker and wobble board.
Use for calf stretch, push ups, or sit on it and wobble.
(2) boards in one: rocker and wobble board.
Wobble on the large yellow center ball, or remove the yellow ball and rocker on (2) wooden balls attached to the bottom of the board.
Wobble on the large yellow center ball, or remove the yellow ball and rocker on two wooden balls attached to the bottom of the board.


당신이 얼마나 감수성이 예민한지 내가 잊고 살았었나 봐. I had forgotten how wonderfully sensitive you can be.
당신이랑 소파에 바싹 붙어서 snuggle up with you on the sofa 영화 보니 너무 좋더라. 꼬마가 피터패닝의 얼굴을 이리 저리 막 당겨 보고는 눈을 쳐다 보며 그랬지, “ 오, 여기 있었네, 피터.” stretched Peter Panning's face all around, then looked straight into his eyes and said, "Oh, there you are, Peter." 그 장면에서 나도 감동 받았어 I was also touched by the scene. 영화 속 주인공들처럼 우리도 어린 시절이 있었다는 걸 나이 들어 까맣게 잊고 지낸 것 같아. 중년의 얼굴 뒤에 당신이 기억하는 열 여덟의 아이가 아직도 숨어서는 behind this middle-aged face the young eighteen-year-old you remember is still lurking 가끔 뛰쳐나오고 싶어하지.
여보, 언제부터 우리가 어리고 함께 행복하길 멈춘 걸까? 언제부터 우리가 이렇게 서로에게 소원해진 늙은이가 된 거지? 오늘 밤 당신을 안고 있으니까 한 때 우리가 단지 같이 있는 것만으로도 얼마나 좋았는지 생각나더라 Cuddling with you tonight reminded me of how much we once enjoyed just being with each other.
우리가 서로에게서 멀어지기 시작한 순간을 찾을 방법이 있을까 Is there any way that we can find that moment where we started drifting away from each other? 그럴 수 있다면, 우리 다시 시작해서 이번엔 제대로 할 수 있을까 If so, could we start all over again and get it right this time? 아니면 너무 늦은 걸까 Or is it too late?
추신: 그런데 당신 울고 불고 하느라 내 셔츠 온통 축축하게 엉망으로 만들었어. 언제든지 나한테 기대서 울어도 돼. By the way, you got the front of my shirt all damp with your blubbering. Please blubber on me anytime you want to.
어젯밤 당신 안고 영화 본거 너무 근사했어. 그래, 너무 오랜만이지.
영화 속 그 장면 보면서 분명 우린 같은 생각을 한 거야 We were obviously thinking the same thing while watching that scene in the movie. 가끔 나도 거울 앞에 서서 내 얼굴 당겨보고 “야, 너 거기 있었구나!” 하고 말 할 수 있으면 좋겠어. 난 여전히 여기 그대로 있는 걸 아는데, 내 자신이 너무 많이 변한 느낌이야 I feel like I have changed too much. 난 과거의 그 행복하고 자유분방했던 젊은 여인이 아냐 I'm not the happy and uninhibited young woman that I used to be.
이젠 내 마음 주위로 바리케이드가 둘러져 있어. 감정의 질곡에서 살아남으려는 몸부림일거야. 수없이 당신이 보여준 나에 대한 조바심 때문에 내 스스로 껍질 속에 날 가두고 만 거야. 날 보호하려고. 기억할 거야, 우리가 의견이 다르면 난 당신한테 용감히 맞섰었어 I used to stand up to you when we disagreed. 그런데 어느 순간 당신과 싸우는 걸 포기한 거야 Somewhere along the line I gave up fighting with you. 당신은 늘 양보하는 법이 없었잖아 You always had to have the last word. 당신이 그럴 때마다 내가 물러선 건 지후 때문이야. 이제 지후도 다 컸으니까, 이제 나도 다시 할말 하며 살아야겠어 I have decided that it is time to assert myself again. 당신하고 맞서는 게 두려워서 안으로 꽁꽁 중무장을 한 채 남은 인생을 보내는 건 상상조차 할 수 없어. It is just inconceivable to me that I should spend the rest of my life all bundled up inside because I am afraid to disagree with you.
그래, 어젯밤 당신한테 바싹 붙어서 영화 보니 너무 좋더라. 그래도 당신한테 솔직해야 하잖아. 내 손으로 당신 얼굴 감싸 안고 hold your face in my hands “아, 당신 여기 있었네.” 라고 말해주고 싶어.


While in the different jobs I noticed one particular aspect of the job has been more or less consistent - disagreements between developers within the same team. As a developer it's probably quite easy to get into an argument with another team mate. And during the disagreement, all parties involved are very convinced that they are right. They all think that their solution is the best one for everyone involved and they will insist on their path. Usually a compromise will be reached, but they will still believe that their solution was the correct one, even if it wasn't selected by the majority.
I hear this a lot from other people in the team - "I want to have this or that because...". And they might give a good reason or explanation, but the problem here is that they put the emphasis on what they want and this might make other people feel uncomfortable.
The important thing to remember is, in my opinion, that even if it's a one person team, in most cases is not about what they want. It is about what is good for the team and the organisation. That does not mean that what the team members want is not important, but when someone says "I want" the other person doesn't usually hear collaboration.
"I'm not sure about that, because..." or "I'm not convinced that's the best way".
Sometimes you may require something stronger, but still respectful and not harmful, although it shouldn't be used lightly: "I disagree". And there are variations, depending of the intended tone and nature: "I respectfully disagree" or "I strongly disagree".
There's a myth existing for a while in development teams, which goes a bit like "you are not your code". That is presumably meant to say that you shouldn't feel too bad when things go wrong as a result of your code changes. But sometimes it is also used as a platform for offering criticism.
Personally, I never found expressions like "constructive criticism" to be useful. In my view, "constructive criticism" is an oxymoron - you can't be constructive if what you're doing is criticizing someone's work (or someone).
"I think we can improve this by doing this or that..." or "I believe this might not work in some/all cases. Here's why..."
state what you would wish it would happen next - offer some kind of solution to remedy the problem.
"I see you're saying that I'm complaining. That is something I normally try to avoid so I'm a bit disappointed by hearing this. I still think it's important that we address this issue and try and find a solution because it is bothering me."
Personally, I don't always feel that confrontational. I wish I would be, but in situations where I think I should have said something and didn't, I always have the option to send them an email. In it I can be as detailed as I want and I can express my opinion uninterrupted and concisely as I see fit.
I think you misunderstand what is constructive criticism. It is about suggesting improvements. I wasn't sure about this so I looked up some tips for criticism and that is what I saw.


What inspired the concept of this album?
I saw "Fire & Light" as a kind of an extension of "Name Above All Names" . "Name" was a prophetic warfare album, and in my opinion, the natural progression of this dimension of spirituality is to see praise & worship as a force of devastation to the powers of darkness. A weapon of warfare if you will.
"How did you arrive at this conclusion?"
"So, the process was different, did you find that these songs differed as well?..."
I did. Many of these songs were coming out of the study that I was doing through the Bible on the subject of worship. I was actually writing more praise oriented songs at the piano, more up-tempo than what I was receiving in the more contemplative times of personal worship. Some were celebratory, some were instructional, and some were more reverent and contemplative. Although I didn't and don't consider F&L to be a worship album, all the songs dealt with aspects of praise and worship in some way. My concept was to sequence the album from a more celebratory mood, winding down to represent a kind of an arc from praise into worship ..."
" You mentioned some problems you have with the sound of the album.
From a technical standpoint this was my first album done in the digital realm. Calvary Chapel was funding the album and the recording was done in their studio.
Digital technology was young at the time. I had no real experience and working in this domain.
Consequently, to me the album is a bit harsh and aggressive sonically. Technically, it is not my favorite album.


Task 1: Analysis of nonlinear biosphere dynamics governing Earth resilience.
Task 2: Integrating nonlinear dynamics in World-Earth models.
Task 3: Exploring tipping points in social systems for large-scale transformation.
Task 4: Backcasting pathways for achieving the SDGs.
Task 5: Integrating World-Earth dynamics into online learning and VR games.
Tasks 1 and 3 focus on improving our understanding of tipping points in biophysical and social systems – with special attention to the interactions of the two kinds of systems. Task 2 deals with the technical aspects of improving the capacity of our current suite of models and analysis approaches to deal with nonlinear dynamics that play out globally. Task 4 uses the analytical findings and model outputs from Tasks 1-3 to inform scenarios of the ‘Safe Operating Space for humanity’. And Task 5 consists of our activities that take these emerging scientific insights into decision-making and co-learning contexts.


It was announced today that Disney is acquiring Marvel Comics (subject to a Marvel shareholder vote and various regulatory reviews). Key result? At long last, Howard the Duck may be able to take off his pants.
You don't know Howard the Duck? I refer not to the best-ignored, misbegotten George Lucas movie of that name, but to the brilliant comic book series, originally written by Steve Gerber.
In the 1970s, some execs at Disney raised concerns that consumers might confuse Howard the Duck (a cigar-chomping, jacket-and-tie wearing, wise-cracking duck) with Donald Duck (a sailor-shirt wearing duck). The Disney lawyers threatened Marvel, who agreed to make some changes, key among them being that Howard would henceforth wear pants.
Now that Disney will control both Howard and Donald, maybe Howard can finally remove those confining pants and re-expose his tail feathers in all their glory.
1) In response, Redbox sued Fox.
2) And, going a step further than Fox did, Warners now proposes a similar delay in providing DVDs to Netflix.
Expect more battling lawsuits as each party tries to assert its power and control over pricing and availability.
The first-sale doctrine allows the purchasers of copyrighted works to dispose of them as they see fit: sale, rental, gift, garbage. That is what originally allowed stores to rent video tapes.
Thus, some Redbox employees are now buying DVDs at retail outlets in order to stock their vending machines. Warner and Fox have no recourse over this tactic; but, given the price-points, this is not a long-term solution for Redbox.
I'm all for the efforts to keep the prices of movies and books from dropping. After all, I've made my living in the entertainment and media business for decades. And I'm writing a book.
But I do see the arguments (especially in this economy) for making some prices somewhat lower.
Anti-trust and other regulations prevent the studios, publishers, and retailers from getting together in a room to discuss this. So we'll continue to see individual companies pursing various tactics, until an unofficial consensus is reached.
In effect, Amazon and B&N are turning an old marketing ploy on its head -- they are giving away the blades to try to sell more razors.
While publishers collect the same wholesale price regardless of the ultimate retail selling price of the e-books, they are not happy about the e-book pricing. For decades, books have appeared first in hardcover, followed many months later by a cheaper paperback. If you want the book immediately, buy the expensive hardcover; if you can wait, buy the cheaper paperback. With Amazon and B&N e-book pricing, it is now possible to buy a brand-new book at nearly the paperback price.
The publishers' concerns are two-fold: (a) the $9.99 price will devalue books in the eyes of consumers, and (b) at some point Amazon and B&N will tire of losing money on e-books, and will then pressure the publishers to reduce the "official" retail prices on them to the price consumers have come to expect.
There is a reasonable argument to be made that the price of an e-book should be somewhat lower than the paper book, because there are no manufacturing or distribution costs. On the other hand, the consumer is still buying the ability to read the book, regardless of the format. Some have argued that the paper versions remain much easier to read, with crisper type and higher contrast; others point to the convenience and lightness of the e-book reader device. On the whole, there may be balance here.
I suspect that publishers would not be averse to a small reduction in the price of e-books, perhaps in the range of $2-$5 off the retail price of the hardcover. However, this would also cut into the royalties payable to the author of the book -- author royalties are typically a percentage of the retail price-point.
From the book-buyers' point-of-view, the publisher and the retailer are middlemen, standing between the reader and the author. Perhaps if the savings in "manufacturing" e-books could lead to an increase in author royalties, then book-buyers would be more amenable to the limitations inherent in the e-book format?
Note of Interest: The movie studios are facing a somewhat similar problem now, as several of them are refusing to provide DVDs to Redbox, which offers $1 DVD rentals from its vending machines. The studios are concerned that the $1 price would devalue the movie in consumers' eyes. 20th Century Fox, for example, is proposing a delay of 30 days after a movie's release on DVD before it would be available for Redbox $1 rentals.


I visit Rodborough Church Yard: there are a number of Commonwealth War Graves scattered about but the family tombstones and memorials are in the higher part of the churchyard. It was a dismal, dank, October day when I visited and I had trouble deciphering the words on the Apperly memorial. I’ll do that next time I visit. When you wander through the churchyard, you will see family memorials and tombstones with commemorations for : William Henry Stephen Winn, Killed in Action, 1917, aged 24; Lance Corporal F. Critchley Cordwell, killed Ypres, 1917, interred at Dickebusch Military Cemetery – “Into the field of battle He bravely took his place And fought and died for England And the honour of his race.”; Samuel Huntley Powell, killed in action, France, aged 25, March 25th 1918, Pro Patria Mori; Alfred H. (Eddie) Spencer, killed in France, December 1917, aged 20; Private William R. Carter, August 22nd 1917, aged 33; the broken cross for the Bennett family commemorates Captain Theodore John Bennett, Indian Army, “who fell in Palestine”, September 7th 1918 (the base of the cross has the famous Rupert Brooke lines: “If I should die, think only this of me: That there’s some corner of a foreign field That is for ever England”) and Harold Stanley Bennett 2nd Lieutenant RCA “called to rest” April 25th 1915.
The war graves themselves, of course, do not express family heart-felt loss, but they still a tale that stirs the reader’s heart. You will find the following names and implicit stories: Private RMLI HC Nicholls, Royal Naval Division, 15th October 1918; Private L Phipps, Gloucestershire Regiment, 26th January 1916; Private WL Allen, Gloucestershire Regiment, 23rd December 1917, aged 21; Private W Stevens, Gloucestershire Regimen, 26th December 1918, age 23; Private R Bick, Gloucestershire Regiment, 7th April 1915; FA Bartlett, Chief Petty Officer, RN, HMS “Vernon”, 28th August, aged 49. After making a few notes, I entered the Church and bought a jar of marmalade for Church funds; I then studied the memorial tablets for WW1 and WW2, placed on opposite walls. Rodborough Church and Churchyard is well worth a visit.
If you want to make a pilgrimage, rather than take a walk, however, then let’s go to Framilode and also to Brimscombe, in the footsteps of Ivor Gurney. The more obviously atmospheric trip is down by the river, but the trip to Brimscombe might be a more demanding one for any empathetic reconstruction, and therefore equally enriching. We’ll start with the river, however: the Severn Way is an obvious pilgrimage-route; you can park by St. Peter’s Church, Upper Framilode, but before heading downstream, walk back to find the lock-keeper’s cottage ( Lock House, near where the Stroudwater Canal and the River Severn clasped hands). This is where Gurney kept his boat and where he and Will Harvey enjoyed so many happy hours. Now walk until you find a good vantage point for gazing downstream, so as to lose your mind, as it were, in the view and river-scape. (“When I saw Framilode first she was a blowy Severn tidy place under azure sky…Adventure stirring the blood like thunder, With the never forgotten soft beauty of the Frome, One evening when elver-lights made the river like a stall-road to see”.) Will went missing on a reconnaissance mission in no man’s land in 1916, and a distraught Gurney, thinking his boyhood friend dead (he was, in fact, captured), wrote “To His Love” ( Harvey had become engaged to a nurse, Sarah Ann Kane). It might be right to declaim this whilst staring downstream.
Of Heaven to earth; and the thudding was illness own.
From others courage, and not as coward be known.
And such things, in wire tangled, to shatters blown.
Courage kept, but ready to vanish at first touch.
A hard act to follow, but we will, with a nocturnal stroll on the spring line above Brimscombe. Choose a clear, starry night and feel the presence of Ivor Gurney , for he made a similar night-walk , pausing to take in Brimscombe.
Above and through; Brimscombe wrapped (past life) in sleep!
Forgetting the blackness and pain so driven hence.
And the naked uplands even from bramble free.
That ringed-in hour of pines, stars, and dark eminence.
Another pilgrimage one might make to link the Great War and Gloucestershire lies beyond the Five Valleys but is do-able by public transport. I used the train to Gloucester and the bus to and back from Dymock for some Edward Thomas reverie. I went in late October and the water table was quite high in the red clay fields near the River Leadon; the Poets’ Path I took – number 2 of 2 Poets’ Paths; there is also a Daffodil Way walk too – was well marked but ran into impenetrable stinging nettles when skirting a field of sweet corn. I know that Rodborough Tabernacle members used to bike out to Dymock for the daffodils at Easter donkey’s years ago, and I think that Easter might be the best time to visit Dymock – especially as Edward Thomas was killed at Arras on Easter Monday 1917. By the way, there is a little bit of old England in St. Mary’s Church, right by the ‘bus stop and the Beauchamp Arms, with a beautiful display about the Georgian Poets; don’t miss that.
I trudged through the quagmire for an hour or two (the Paths are 10 miles and 8 miles long), but the weather was unprepossessing and so I returned to the church when confronted by the nettles. Mist shrouded the Malverns and May Hill: the sun-dial at the church denoted no time, the aspens were still and the smithy long silent. Even so, it was impossible to be unreflective and uninspired. It was here, after all, that Thomas moved from prose to poetry and where Robert Frost’s company led Thomas to enlist. He joined up on the day that my mother was born and for that reason I have always felt a bond with him. My mother was named Nancy Mary Lorraine “In honour of our gallant French allies”; she was born on July 14th 1915, Bastille Day.
of the Dymock Poets’ website has these walking guides for free.
Diverging in a yellow, autumn wood.
The last walk I made during Remembrance-Tide was along Tinkley Lane, from Forest Green to Nympsfield. The road can be busy at times; it is also muddy, puddle-pockmarked and narrow. The views are wonderful, however. At times, it feels as though one is in the Yorkshire Wolds: high up in big sky country, but with the Severn to the west, and the Downs above Swindon, on the Wiltshire-Berkshire border, to the east. Forest Green were at home on the day I chose; it was quite busy when I returned from Nympsfield. Green Union Jacks, a band playing, a football ground along a street named “Another Way” – I’ll have to go sometime. The ‘bus to Stroud (46/93) runs every thirty minutes, but, to be honest, it’s not really a walk I would recommend. Whereas “Another Way” might be an example of nominative determinism, Tinkley Lane is lane in name only. Busy Thoroughfare might be a better description. Why not get the number 35 that runs Monday to Friday and goes to Nympsfield?
The war memorial has a plaque with an inscription that reveals why it is worth visiting: see below. After making my notes, I had lemonade in the Rose and Crown, a walk around the Roman Catholic Church, and then wandered over to the village football pitch for a think. Whilst pondering, the local team arrived to change and run out for a kick-about before the start of the match. This coincidence of time and space serendipitously and subsequently determined my writing.
The Guardian used the phrase “cultural tyranny” recently to describe the atmosphere surrounding media expectations about the wearing of poppies. The editorial wondered if a poppy week might be a way of concentrating minds and hearts. We all recognise that attitudes vary towards the poppy in the buttonhole: I wear one to remember my dad and grand-dad; some wear them in recognition of current conflicts; some do not wish to wear one and some wear a white poppy. It is easy to forget that the renewed intensity surrounding Remembrance is of recent provenance.
Whatever our motivations, I am sure we are all united in our despair at the carnage of WW1. How can we forget Harry Patch describing war as “legalised murder”? So in that spirit, I include the final line of Owen’s Anthem for Doomed Youth, “And each slow dusk the drawing down of blinds”, for our own mobilisation and entrance to the front line. This image seems to capture the heart break of war; the atmosphere of a dismal November afternoon; the empty evenings and empty spaces; even the foreshadowing of the arrival of the telegram announcing the news of Owen’s own death, on Armistice Day.
THRUPP: 31 UPLANDS: 25 WHITESHILL: 36 WOODCHESTER: 25.
So, it would be easy to arrange walks, bike rides and pilgrimages to these memorials: a moving and memorable thing to do.
There are other places to visit too – Chas writes, in his introduction, that “More or less every Gloucestershire village and town is marked by war memorials listing the fallen and it is easy to forget the many more practical projects undertaken to remember their sacrifice.” Here are these “practical projects” that one could visit: the 1919 extension to Stroud Hospital, the “Peace Memorial Wing”; “Victory Park” at Cainscross; “for the wealthy a public park, as at Park Gardens in Stroud”, says Chas and “ For the less well off, perhaps a bench or donation”.
Betty Merrett wrote of the “Parks and Gardens of Stroud” in the Stroud Local History Society’s Millennium Booklet: “Park Gardens was another gift to the town. Sidney Park was a local businessman and councillor. Parks Drapery prominently occupied the corner of King Street and George Street where the HSBC bank now stands. The family lived in a flat over the shop. Their only son, Herbert, was killed in France in 1917 in WW1 aged 23, and in 1920 Councillor Park gave a tract of land off Slad Road as a garden memorial to his son and all who fell during the 1914-18 war. The town’s cenotaph stands in the garden.” Now I return to Chas and his section on Oakridge: “Oakridge’s war memorial was a water supply and drinking fountain – a reminder that in the villages we did not have mains water for many years to come.” He also mentions the font at Minchinhampton church; the Eagle Lectern at Leonard Stanley church; the Wayside Cross at Woodchester Priory and, tells us a great deal more about the Oakridge War Memorial. This is worth knowing. It could mean a pilgrimage.
They knew the parching thirst of wounds and fever.
James Edward Young PTE. R. NORF. REG.
Justas I do today in his memory.
Giving back thoughts of England given.
“Contour Mackhouse woods and aim south for Stroud”.
Until I left No-Man’s Land.
With a bullet in its blood-red eye.


Let's play a game: name the best two and worst two of the 22 starters on GB (kickers and punters don't count).
Would we all agree that ARod (QB), and Woodson (CB1) are the top two? To make it a bit more interesting, I would put Clay Matthews (OLB) and G. Jennings (WR1) at the next two spots.
How about bottom two: this is a bit tougher. I would go with the winner of the LG battle (Spitz/Colledge), and winner of the SS battle (Bigby/Burnett).
Am I way off base here? I'm not 100% thrilled with Brad Jones but still think that he's better at his position than the above two.
You've got it called pretty well. definitely Rodgers/Woodson. On the bottom, allowing that Green Bay plays more nickel than base, I'd put the bottom at College/Spitz and Underwood/Lee at nickel back.
I would definitely say Aaron Rodgers and Charles Woodson are the top 2, but Greg Jennings, Cullen Jenkins, Clay Matthews, and Nick Collins are all in the conversation.
For the worst, I would say Brad Jones falls into the mix for sure. We don't know what Morgan Burnett is yet, but I wouldn't question the inclusion of Atari Bigby in the conversation. I actually think Daryn Colledge is a pretty decent guard - he just can't play tackle. I'm honestly more concerned about Clifton and Tauscher hanging on at the tackle positions than I am about Colledge at guard, but I do feel better that we have some depth at tackle in Bulaga and Lang. It's cute that they're trying to make Breno the #2 right tackle because he can't play anywhere else on the line, but I think that will ultimately be Lang's job.
I also agree with bluestree who mentioned nickel back - at least until Harris gets back.
I agree with your picks. However my opinion of Brad Jones is different. This guy was drafted in te 7th round and became a starter only after Kampen went down. I think he played very well. I believe he will be better this year with a full training camp as a starter. As for Colledge, he was out of position constantly last year. He is more suited as a guard and has played well there in te past. I think the line will be pretty strong this season baring injury. Injuries can hurt any team. As for Bigbi, he is a one year wonder who can't stay healthy. Burnett will be the starter, just wait and see.
I might go out on a very large ledge (because it isn't that far off what everyone else thinks), and say it would be Rodgers and Jennings. If Bigby could just get and stay healthy, MAN would he be dangerous.


To Kill A Machine — Chris Hislop Testing What happens next?
Transferring to the King’s Head Theatre after successful runs in Wales and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2015, Scriptography Productions’ To Kill a Machine by Catrin Fflur Hews tells the story of Alan Turing through the lens of a gameshow.
To Kill a Machine tells the life-story of war-time cryptanalyst Alan Turing. It is a story about the importance of truth and injustice and of keeping and revealing secrets. The play examines his pioneering work considering whether a machine could think, asking the questions “what is the difference between a human and a machine?” and “If a human is prevented from thinking, do they then become a machine?” At the heart of the play is a powerful love story and the importance of freedom, in relation to Turing's own life, death and posthumous re-evaluation. It is the story of Turing the genius, Turing the victim and Turing the constant in a tumultuous world.
Created in 2012, Scriptography Productions looks to support and develop writers, find new platforms for text based work to be produced and encourage cross disciplinary collaborations. To Kill a Machine was nominated for four Wales Theatre Awards - Best Actor for Gwydion Rhys, Best Director Angharad Lee, Best Writer Catrin Fflur Huws and Best Production.
The cast includes Gwydion Rhys, Francois Pandolfo, Rick Yale and Robert Harper. It is directed by Angharad Lee and produced by Sandra Bendelow for Scriptography Productions.


There were three of us at a six-deck blackjack table. I was at third base. The player between us had a pair of 4s against the dealer's 6. He looked over to his friend at first base as he started to shove a second bet out and said, "Should I?"
"Of course!" came the answer. So the player completed his motion and then held out two fingers, indicating a split. "No, no!" objected first base, "Double it!". Play came to a grinding halt and then center field asked my opinion. "I'll go halves with you either way," I replied.
Why did I answer the way I did? It's because the player is the favorite with that hand no matter how he plays it. Both doubling and splitting will make a profit. More specifically, of the three feasible ways to play it, here's how they rank (the following hierarchy assumes you can double after splitting a pair, which you can in most shoe games. If you can't, then just never split a pair of 4s).
Doubling makes the least of the three.
That's why you can watch somebody play this hand any way he pleases and he'll usually gloat back at you afterwards with a "See, I knew what I was doing" sneer. The point, however, is that splitting is the optimal play because over half the time you'll end up doubling down at least once.
Sadly though, not all blackjack mistakes merely reduce your profit on a moneymaking hand. Some goof-ups actually turn you from a favorite into an underdog on the hand. Want a common example? How about when you have this?
If you play this hand right and just hit, you're a favorite to win it. But if like many players you decide it's a good double, you become the underdog -- and for twice as much money! The thing of it is, not all small soft hands against small up-cards are good doubles. And very few players can tell the good from the bad. The closer to 6 the dealer's up-card and the side card next to your Ace get, the better the double. The closer to a deuce they both get, the worse.
If you just sit tight with your 18 here, you're a 3-to-2 underdog to win. But if you split the 9s, you become only an 11-to-10 underdog on each new hand. That works out cheaper overall.
Don't be silly enough to assume the dealer has 13 here. Yeah, four times out of thirteen she'll have the 13, but five more times she'll have 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 (by having a 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 in the hole). In all, the dealer will make a hand five out of eight times when she has a 3 up. Not hitting 12 against a 3 is a telltale mark of an unskilled player.
There are many other ways players will shoot themselves in the foot when their hard earned money is on the line. Last night, I passed by a table where a big player had bet $2000 on the first hand of the shoe. He was dealt a blackjack against the dealer's Ace up. Without a moment's hesitation, he signaled for the dealer to pay him the $2000 (even money). What could his rationale have been? If he's playing for that kind of money, he should know that only 95 cards out of 309 could reduce his hand to a mere push. The other 214 times he's going to collect three grand! His average profit by just waiting it out would be $2078. It turns out, the dealer didn't have a 10 in the hole and this player showed absolutely no concern over the $1000 that he had just thrown away. Please -- don't you do that to yourself.
Costly Superstitions: It's amazing how far some players will go to protect their superstitious beliefs. An elderly gent who was betting $500 to $1000 per hand was sitting next to a woman betting $50. Halfway through the shoe the girl suddenly put out two $50 bets.
"Don't do that!" chided the older fellow, "I've got $800 up here and you wanna' change the cards?" "I was playing two hands before you got here!", remarked the lady, defensively.
"Here -- get your lousy 50 bucks off the table!" snorted the older gent as he threw the girl two green chips. The girl's eye gleamed just a tad as she pulled her second $50 bet back and then asked, "Now what about the next hand?"


What happens next: USCIS will send hard copy receipt notices. This is done via regular U.S. mail and may not get sent right away. It may take a few days or even a few weeks to receive the hard copy receipts. In our past experience, receipts arrive from late April all the way through July.
What if a case is not accepted: the entire filing packet, including the filing fee checks, will be returned to the employer's attorney via regular U.S. mail. This doesn't happen right away and typically takes several weeks to receive.
On April, 7, 2017, USCIS announced that the H1B cap limit for fiscal year 2018 has been reached. However, unlike announcements made in previous years, USCIS did not inform the public how many filings were received, nor did USCIS discuss a lottery selection process.


Why would I create my own DVD covers? The reasons for custom covers are varied. Some people do not care for the "Digipaks" that many TV series come in. They are cumbersome to deal with, and often you have to unfold the whole thing just to remove one disc! There are other reasons as well, from saving shelf space to asthetics.
I started designing covers to replace my lackluster Star Trek (The Original Series) DVDs. The original art featured ugly colors and a boring head shot. When they ran out of regular cast members they started plastering some of the guest stars on the covers! Star Trek was also released in 40 separate volumes and took up a large amount of shelf space. Using eight 5 disc cases with my new cover art on them, I was able to cut down the amount of room the discs took up and ended up with a more attractive presentation.
From there I moved on to several other TV series and have also completed some movie sets for "James Bond" and "The Lord of the Rings" among others.
I have also dabbled in web graphics and design. I have built this site as well as a few others. I've had a series of ads placed in national Home Theater Magazines. While my interests lie more with visuals than the technical side, I would welcome any challenge from a small company or organization. From designing ads, logos and banners to creating your own custom DVD cover projects, I would be glad to work with you to create a product we both can be proud of.
Most of my covers need to be printed on legal size (8½" x 14") paper. Photo quality paper is the best, but unfortunately legal size photo paper is hard to come by. A solution that I have found is to get some 13" x 19 " photo paper (329 x 483mm). I use Epson's glossy Super A3 (aka: Super B), it's available at CompUSA and on the web. Cut each sheet into two 8½ x 13 sheets. While you end up with a sheet that's one inch shorter than legal size, the covers should still fit when printed up.
Using a photo editing program such as Adobe Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro to print the covers is recommended, but shouldn't be required.
Make sure the printer is set to the best quality and that it is also set to landscape (or horizontal) mode. You also may be able to set the document so that it prints as close to the edge as possible. If the picture automatically defaults to the center, the cover may get cut off when using paper that is 13" long. In your printer settings, make sure you have nothing checked that would change the size of the cover like "Borderless" or "Print to fit Media".
Copyrights and trademarks for The Lord of the Rings books, films, images, and other promotional materials are held by their respective owners. Among them are: Tolkien Enterprises, The Tolkien Estate, Alan Lee, The Houghton Mifflin Company, Harper Collins Publishers and New Line Cinema.
No copyright infringement is intended by anything on these pages. All other content is defined as "original content." The use of all files on RixGrafix are allowed under the fair use clause of the Copyright Law and are for personal use only and cannot be bought or sold.
and the 4 discer has one of The Jack Ryan Collection covers available in this size).
Is an Ebay seller that has many varieties of DVD cases. He also has multi-disc (4, 5 and 6) slim cases, but be aware that their spines are 1/16th of an inch wider than those available at Media Tech. Currently, the only cover I have available for that size is one of my Jack Ryan Collection covers.
Is the only UK source I have been able to find forMulti Disk Alpha paks in the region 2 area.
Has the Add-A-Pages that are used in one of my Star Trek: The Original Series sets.
Also offers the 5 and 6 disc slim cases with the one inch spine. They also offer three and four disc cases that are no thicker than a single DVD case.
These are the new slim 8 disc cases that measure only an inch wide. Many of my new Star Trek sets are designed for these cases!


How can businesses target new initiatives by the store, not the city or state?
A telecom giant in India wanted to roll out a new product across several cities in India. Instead of launching the product in all of their stores at once, they wanted to start with the stores that would give them the greatest results. They turned to our geo-targeting solution, which helped them figure out the exact locations that they should target.
For ages, businesses have known that different locations perform differently. Some are fertile ground for new campaigns, while others will endlessly consume money with nothing to show for it. Yet too often, sales and marketing efforts in India are painted with broad strokes — targeting entire swathes of the country or dozens of cities at one time. In a country with so much diversity, this isn't sustainable or scalable.
Today, most businesses today use data to stop guessing and start targeting their efforts at the most local level possible. In many countries, it's all too easy to get incredibly granular data on consumers' movements and preferences through digital tracking.
However, in India, getting granular consumer data is far more difficult. Digital data isn't helpful because of low internet penetration, and India's other sources of granular data are often incomplete, inaccessible, and siloed in systems that don't talk to one another.
The opportunity to connect with consumers on a local level has never been easier, but national and global brands continue to miss the mark – big time.
How could the company develop an effective hyperlocal marketing strategy?
The Indian telecom company wanted to find the right locations in several Tier 2 cities to sell its new product. It needed two strategies — which of its existing retailers it should target, and where it should open new stores to reach untapped consumers.
Our solution first found the business potential for each store, based on an analysis of nearby points of interest and other demographic and economic data. This helped the company create a strategy of which stores it should target with its new product.
We layered store-level data with a local area-level business potential score, mapped on 2.5 km hexagonal grids. This let us find areas with high business potential but no existing company stores — the perfect locations for expansion.
Layered geographic analysis made it easy to create a cohesive business strategy — all in a single screen.
We uncovered insightful trends and patterns with proprietary analysis, algorithms and estimations.
Granular POI data covered competitors' stores, residential complexes, colleges, ATMs and banks, and more.
We converted the company's incomplete retail addresses into full addresses and precise lat-longs.
Viewing data at city or even street level helped the company make important decisions at any level.
Decision-makers could surf through data quickly and use our dynamic map to explore key metrics and trends.
Use data intelligence to create a hyperlocal targeted business strategy.


Words I should add? Mail me at words @ chthonic . net with information.
Egyptian underworld. Ruled by Osiris.
Underworld of Celtic myth. Ruled by Annwn, and, briefly, Pwyll (who exchanged forms with Annwn for one year and one day). Adapted as Annuvin in Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles.
Egyptian chthonic deity, depicted as a jackal or a man with a jackal's head. Guide of the the dead, and god of embalming, the art he created while restoring the corpse of Osiris.
Three headed dog, guardian of Hades.
The boatman of Hades. Ferries those who've received the proper burial rites across the Styx. Son of Erebus and Nyx (Night).
(also Ah Puch, Xibalba, Yum Cimil) Mayan chthonic deity. God of war. Uproots the trees that Chac, the rain god, plants. Appears as a dancing skeleton smoking a cigarette.
"River of Lament". One of the rivers of Hades.
(also Barghest, Gwyllgi). Hound of hell. Monstrous dog of Welsh and English legend. To see one clearly meant that you would die.
Mesopotamian chthonic deity. "Lady of the Great Place". Sister of Inanna (Ishtar), mother of Namtar, an evil demon.
A hound that guards Hel and prevents the dead from leaving and the living from entering. Garm is chained up at the cave Gnipahellir. Garm and Tyr will kill each other at Ragnarok.
"The Unseen" (also Pluto or Pluton "The Rich") Greek chthonic deity. Son of Kronos and Rhea. Brother of Zeus and Poseidon. When he and his brothers were dividing the spoils from overthrowing their father, they drew lots and Hades won the earth. Hades made his home in the underworld, called the "House of Hades" or simply "Hades".
(also Hela) Norse chthonic deity. Daughter of Loki and the giantess Angurboda, Sister of the Wolf Fenrir and the World-serpent Jormungand. Ruler of the underworld (Hel or Niflheim). Lives in a hall called Eljudnir ("Misery"), and is served by Ganglati and Ganglot ("Slow moving").
"The Roaring Kettle". A well in Niflheim. Source of eleven rivers (the Elivagar), and home of the dragon Nidhogg, who gnaws on the roots of Yggdrasill.
A wet, green land at the base of the World Tree in Slavic myth. Where the birds fly for the winter, and where Veles lives. Jarilo, god of the spring was stolen from the father god Perun, and spends the winter here.
Slavic god of the spring, last son of Perun and Mokosh, stolen from him and hidden in Iriy, the underworld. Perun battles Veles to reclaim Jarilo in the spring, but Veles recaptures him in the autumn. Herdsman of the cattle of Iriy.
The Land of No Return. Mesopotamian underworld where the dead live in darkness, eat clay, and are clothed with wings.
"River of Forgetfulness". One of the rivers of Hades. The dead would drink of its waters to forget their lives.
Aztec chthonic deity. Married to Mictecachuatl. Rules Mictlan, the underworld where the souls of those who died in a way that didn't earn them a place in one of the paradises. There are nine regions of Mictlan, and when a soul reaches the last, Mictlantecuhtli's home, it finds rest.
(also Xibalba) Mayan land of the dead. Divided into nine realms.
Life-giver and life-taker, a Slavic goddess of fertility and death. She is wife of Perun, but lover of Veles, and mother of Jarilo. She watches over a gate in the marshy valley which leads to the land of the dead. When she returns through the gate, a magical spring in the valley runs with silver and gold. Mother Wet Earth. Mother of Graves.
The Shore of Corpses. A region of Niflheim. Nidhogg chews on the corpses of the evil dead here.
(also Meslamtaea "He who comes forth from the luxuriant Mesu Tree") Mesopotamian chthonic deity. Son of Enlil (sky god) and Ninlil (grain goddess). Perhaps originally a tree god. Seized the underworld from Ereshkigal, who became his queen.
(also Hel, Nifhel) Underworld of Norse myth. The lowest of the nine worlds, a cold, misty place ruled by Hel. Where the evil went after death. The roots of the world-tree Yggdrasill extend down into Niflheim, and one of the three wells at the base of the tree is there: Hvergelmir (The Roaring Kettle). (The other two are Urdarbrunnr (The Well of Fate), which the Norns use to water Yggdrasill; and Mimisbrunnr (Mimir's Well), the waters of which granted Odin his wisdom.).
(also Khenty-Imentin "Foremost of the Westerners") Egyptian chthonic deity. Husband of Isis, father of Horus. Killed by Seth, who cut the corpse into 14 pieces and scattered them. Reassembled by Isis, who found 13 of the pieces (not the phallus). Ruler of the underworld. Giver of life.
Consort of Hades. Daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Kidnapped by Hades, and forced to live part of each year in his realm because she ate a seed from his pomegranate.
"River of Fire". One of the rivers of Hades.
"The land of gloom and darkness". Underworld from early Hebrew belief.
A river in Hades. The word literally means "hateful" or "cold". The water was said to dissolve any vessel not made from a horse's hoof. Achilles was said to have been dipped into the river by his mother, Thetis, making him invulnerable.
The deepest abyss in Hades. Where Kronos was imprisoned.
A Slavic god of the underworld and fertility. Step-father of Jarilo. When a seed is planted, it is an offering to him.
(also "The Deallocator", "The Destroyer", "Lord of the Graveyard") An aspect of the Reclaimer. Imprisoned by the other Powers of the Council in The Ruins.
(also Dharmaraja "The Just Judge") Hindu chthonic deity. The first man who died, and the guardian of the land of the dead to the South. Green in appearance with red eyes. Carries a mace decorated with a skull. His realm is guarded by his two four-eyed dogs.


All foods and drinks can be classified by an eMark number from 1 - 5. The eMark number indicates energy density, which is the amount of energy (kilojoules) per gram of the food, or per 10mls of the drink.
Low and medium energy density foods (1e - 3e) usually have a high water content: for example, fruit, non-starchy vegetables, milk and yoghurt, some fish, tofu and other soy products.
High energy density foods (4e and 5e) have a larger number of kilojoules in a small amount of the food, and usually contain high amounts of sugar, fat, or both: for example, chocolate, butter, lollipops, and some healthy fats and oils.
For healthy meals and snacks, therefore, you should choose mostly 1e and 2e foods, with some 3e and eat 4e and 5e foods only in small amounts.
As well as eMark numbers, you need to take into account eMark colours and which food groups your choices fall into.


There's a repository at Google code. I need to add you to the list of committers before you can do any changes. But anyone can download the files.
You need a google account and password for this. See the page for instructions.
Or whatever version of GF you have, this is just for 3.2.
the 侍应生 爱 the 酒 .
the waiter loves the wine .
Function words are still in English, and the grammar still has number category and other English stuff in phrase types, they are just not used.
I have generated some random sentences, please provide idiomatic translations. Don't do word-by-word, translate the meaning in a way that sounds good in Chinese. If something can't be said, please explain why. The domain is pretty limited, but don't care about the semantic weirdness -- except if that is a major syntactical difference, like for example classificators, active and stative adjectives, human vs. non-human. But if there is no grammatical difference in saying "the waiter is warm", "the wine is warm" and "the fish is warm", that should not be a concern now.
Are these correct? If not, please specify why.
This is not even near a comprehensive list, just something I thought.
Context: we are in a restaurant, and I make a comment about our waiter, to whom I refer to "the waiter".
Are there any other nearness distinctions besides this, that, these and those? What?
The waiter ate a fish today -- unspecified whole fish.
The waiter ate the fish today -- specified whole fish.
Are these two latter sentences in any way meaningful, or just weird and artificial?
This fish is not delicious.
Is this fish not delicious? -- What does this mean? Is there some pragmatic function, such as being more or less polite?
Are some questions more natural with negation after the verb (是不是) and others with 吗 after the sentence, or is this more like free variation or dialectal difference?
Mary talks about John to/with Kate. -- is there a difference between to and with? Like "giving a lecture to" vs. "chatting with"?
Can we coordinate adjectives like this? What if one adjective needs copula 是 and other doesn't?
What other times there are? Okay, I'll see this from a grammar book as well.


President Donald Trump listened to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in the Rose Garden Friday after a meeting with congressional leaders on border security.
I appreciate the comments of a Jan. 8 letter writer (“Dual purpose in our republic”) in response to the opening remarks by Rep. Kevin McCarthy in the U.S. House following Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s speech. He said, “There is one core principle upon which we will not compromise: Republicans will always choose personal freedom over government control.” I would add one caveat: Republicans will always choose personal freedom (especially for men) over government control — except for women, their bodies, their choices, their reproductive rights. In the case of women’s bodies, choices and reproductive rights, Republicans always seem to want more government control.
It is scary to realize that second in line to succeed the president is Nancy Pelosi. But it is even more frightening for the country to hear her agenda priorities. The top of her list is not our mounting national debt, nor the out-of-control border issue. Speaker Pelosi states that her top priorities are disparities of wages, climate issues and raising minimum wages. I am certain she will direct the efforts of Congress to oppose everything supported by the opposite party. What happened to doing what is best for our country by people of character?
According to a Jan. 4 article (“Minnesota’s lawmakers pledge to get to work”), newly seated Republican U.S. Reps. Jim Hagedorn and Pete Stauber “are sticking close to the president on immigration and his demand for a wall.” Hagedorn notes that the president is “in charge of the government.” The Republicans in Congress have failed in their responsibility to rein in a dangerous, incompetent executive, and Hagedorn and Stauber do not offer much hope that things will change in their party. When a 3-year-old has an assault rifle, the adults in the room need to safely take it away, not pretend that the situation is normal.
The writer is an assistant Carver County Attorney.
I am so very tired of hearing Republican politicians (such as state Rep. Jim Nash, quoted in a Jan. 4 article, “Dems plan bills to increase voter turnout”) justify their opposition to efforts to increase voter turnout by invoking the tired canard of “voter fraud,” especially in light of the fact that whenever we hear about actual fraud, it always seems to be the Republicans who are doing it (see North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District), and that their efforts are invariably aimed at suppressing, not encouraging, the exercise of the franchise by eligible voters.
With regard to automatic voter registration, already in effect in 15 states, Nash spoke against “enroll[ing] somebody who may not want to actually vote.” Well, if they don’t want to, they don’t have to — but maybe they’ll decide they want to. Either way, what’s the harm? Here’s the only thing I worry about: If we have automatic voter registration, the GOP can be counted on to put forward a “voter purge” proposal such as those seen in Ohio and elsewhere, where people who don’t make it to the polls often enough are summarily removed from the rolls.
Minnesotans, stay vigilant. We now rank No. 1 in voter turnout nationally — but not all of our politicians seem to think that’s a good thing.
The continuing government shutdown is just the most recent example of divisive, us-against- them politics. How have we gotten to this point? Both sides have contributed over the years; however, I would contend that it began with the 104th Congress (1995-97) when Newt Gingrich was elected as speaker of the House. An old memo published in 1996 sourced from Newt’s GOPAC titled “Language: A Key Mechanism of Control” (http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4443.htm) is an eye-opener. It’s meant for fledgling Republican candidates to use if they wish to “speak Like Newt.” He calls it “creating a clear and easily understood contrast” to apply words like pathetic, bizarre, incompetent and traitors to an opponent’s record, proposals and party. It appears to me that while both parties contribute to the madness, for the most part with Democrats, it’s reflexive, whereas for Republicans, it’s strategic.
In our current political climate, people are often put in a conservative box or a liberal box.
What is the reality? Most people are both conservative and liberal — conservative on some issues and liberal on other issues.
People tend to be conservative about what works, but they may also want to learn more effective ways.
A healthy dynamic between the conservative and liberal tendencies can be described by looking at how to climb a tree. To successfully climb a tree takes two hands — one to firmly hold on while the other reaches for a higher branch. This two-handed dynamic enables a successful climb.
The two-handed dynamic of climbing a tree is a useful analogy to understand a healthy interactive dynamic between those who tend to be more conservative and those who tend to be more liberal. Conservatives tend to hold on, and liberals tend to reach higher.
With mutual respect and open dialogue, conservatives and liberals can climb higher — conservatives holding on to life-giving values and liberals reaching for new ways for everyone to live life more fully.
Both liberals and conservatives have to guard against making a deadly mistake while climbing. Liberals can reach for a branch that is not yet strong enough, and conservatives can hold on to dead wood. And both can err by failing to embrace mutual respect or open dialogue.
Our country always needs good conservatives and good liberals working cooperatively together. And at this time, America desperately needs such cooperation!
Robert Moilanen (“It’s time for another crack at restructuring state government,” Opinion Exchange, Jan. 4) makes some excellent arguments for reforms in our state government. I am sure many of them would be useful to carefully consider. One in particular caught my eye — that the state retirement and trust funds are overseen by politicians/elected officials. Perhaps a conflict of interest could arise?
This immediately brought to mind another vital function of our government, overseen by politicians with a definitive conflict of interest: drawing new legislative and congressional district boundaries following the census. Politicians designing the maps, which would determine their future as representatives of a constituency, is clearly a fraught process. While the U.S. Constitution assigns the responsibility for this critical activity to the state legislatures, it should not preclude them from delegating this activity to a nonpartisan body and process.
There are extensive examples of how politicians design legislative and congressional districts to favor their political party. This is done by both Democrats (e.g., Maryland) and Republicans (multiple examples, including Pennsylvania and North Carolina). There is much recent activity in the courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, occurring as a result of partisan redistricting (gerrymandering) in the last round following the 2010 census.
Politicians can design the maps, using sophisticated computer software readily available, which allows them to pick the voters in the new districts with the objective of favoring their political party. This is not how democracy should work. Under current law in Minnesota, we are at risk for this to occur.
We need a new process for creating districts (legislative and congressional) in Minnesota that is nonpartisan and fair so that a real contest between qualified candidates can occur and voters can choose who they want to represent them, rather than the other way around.
This is a truly fundamental restructuring of state government that must happen this session of the Legislature. I would urge everyone to contact their state representative and senator and the governor, beginning Tuesday, and tell them that is what they want.


A former worker at a Jersey children's home has been found guilty of eight counts of indecent assault against three teenage girls in his care.
Gordon Wateridge who worked at the Haut de la Garenne home, was cleared of a further 12 charges of indecent assault.
The 78-year-old, who lives in the parish of St Clement, was described as "a persistent sexual bully" during his trial at Jersey Royal Court.
The convictions relate to his time as a house parent at the home in the 1970s.
Wateridge was also found guilty of assaulting a teenage boy.
He had denied all the charges against him and told the court that staff at Haut de la Garenne were advised not to have any physical contact with the children in their care.
He was released on bail pending sentencing in September, but Judge Christopher Pitchers warned him he had betrayed a position of trust and there was an overwhelming possibility that he would be given a custodial sentence.
Wateridge, who was born in Croydon, south London, was the first person charged in connection with an inquiry into historical abuse at the home.
Speaking after the verdict, Det Supt Mick Gradwell said in a statement: "Gordon Wateridge, a house parent at Haut de la Garenne, was a sexual bully towards vulnerable young girls in his care.
"We hope the complainants involved in this trial have received some comfort from the decision reached by the court.
"The historical abuse inquiry is continuing and there is another case in the court process.
"We would like to emphasise that the States of Jersey Police take reports of historical abuse seriously, and are committed to investigating them."
The historic abuse team has submitted further evidence to the island's Attorney General, and he and the police are expected to make a detailed statement within the next few weeks.
But the BBC's Robert Hall, in Jersey, said there were serious questions about the way the investigation had been carried out, not least the role played by the island's police Chief Officer Graham Power, who was suspended from duty last year for allegedly mishandling the inquiry.
There had been suggestions of murders taking place at the home, and following extensive searches police initially claimed to have found traces of blood, a fragment of a child's skull and secret underground "dungeons".
But in November 2008, these claims were discredited. Senior officers admitted there was no evidence of any murders and said "misleading" information had been wrongly made public.
Wateridge was arrested early last year. He worked at the home between 1970 and 1974 and lived in a flat on the premises with his wife and two children.