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April 26, 2015
"The Color Run" Layout by DT Kate
"First 5K in 2014 and it was so much fun! Color Run at the National Harbor and the temps were perfect, Had a foot injury so I walked it and it was still lots of fun with the bff and my daughter!
Great sketch and I had fun pulling out all my Bella Blvd stash! I was inspired by the mood board in so many ways: First, it had my love of GOLD, then I was inspired by the polka dots, the rainbow colors with lots of focus on fuchsia and the feeling that the layout should be about something that made me very, very happy!"
Here is a look at the sketch and photo inspiration that inspired Kate's layout:
Create a layout inspired by the sketch AND...the inspiration photo and link it up by | {
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“We discovered that the weight of those women who developed dementia was drifting downward many years before the onset of symptoms,” says David Knopman, M.D., Mayo Clinic neurologist and lead study researcher. “This illustrates changes that occur before the memory loss and mental decline in dementia. We believe that the brain disease began to interfere somehow with maintenance of body weight, long before it affected memory and thinking.”
Knopman and colleagues conducted this retrospective study, analysing the medical records of people who were diagnosed with the onset of dementia between 1990 and 1994. They identified 560 patients and, for comparison, also identified a group of those similar in age and gender who did not develop dementia. For each patient, weight was identified for the year of dementia diagnosis and then for the 20 to 30 years preceding. The weights of those patients who didn’t develop dementia were tracked over the same period.
“In those women who did not go on to develop dementia, 30 years before the year of their peers’ onset of dementia, their average weight was 140 pounds,” says Knopman. “At the year of their peers’ dementia onset, they weighed 142 pounds. The women who later developed dementia started off at the same weight as those who didn’t develop dementia, but then their weight drifted downward to 136 pounds ten years before symptom onset and 128 pounds at symptom onset.”
The cause of the weight loss in those women who later developed dementia is unclear, according to Knopman. He hopes that dementia researchers can pinpoint the brain mechanisms influencing the weight loss in women who develop dementia in order to better understand how it develops. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Tag Archives: Wisdom
X is not your grandmother’s WordPress theme, and we want to prove it to you. Here are the top 5 reasons you need to buy X today! Stacks, Stacks, & More Stacks Instead of being stuck with one design for… | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
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Trident gets notifications
Dec 2, 2015
With the release of Version 1.3, Trident can now fetch updates in the background and notify you of changes for your GitLab server.
This is very handy if you’re involved in a project and you need to be updated for particular things, like issues, merge requests and Git pushes. The notifications are configurable in the settings area, so you don’t have to receive every type of notification.
Because of the way this is implemented (using a feature added in iOS 8 - Background Fetches) - no changes are needed on your GitLab server to receive these notifications. However, there will be some delay between the event happening and you receiving the notification. The delay will depend on how much battery your phone has left, whether you’ve enabled low power mode, or if you don’t frequently open Trident. If you force close the app you’ll also not receive notifications. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Only valid for active forum users. Active means at least 30 postings within the last 30 days (no spam postings). This will automatically being checked at www.starbike.com shopping basket so make sure that you are logged in at the WW board!If there does not appear a WW discount position when you check out you do not have enough postings!
Not only need to know what do you use now.....but to help with replies....what is currently wrong with what you have (your view or what the shop is saying), what do you weigh, what kind of riding do you do, watts output, etc, etc. .....taking the question at face value I'd go out on a ledge and question if the shop was simply trying to sell you something for their benefit which in reality may not contribute anything toward you actually having a faster ride in the countryside?
Just try'n to help with added focus on current versus potential future.
LBS said stiffer. So anyone here has the experience? So is stiff helps me with climbing? I got nothing with the current crank just need to find out more from here rather than listening without asking opinion to those who has changed or did some similar research.
my weight is 58kg and i do mostly climbing. Thanks Tommasini.
tommasini wrote:Not only need to know what do you use now.....but to help with replies....what is currently wrong with what you have (your view or what the shop is saying), what do you weigh, what kind of riding do you do, watts output, etc, etc. .....taking the question at face value I'd go out on a ledge and question if the shop was simply trying to sell you something for their benefit which in reality may not contribute anything toward you actually having a faster ride in the countryside?
Just try'n to help with added focus on current versus potential future.
If you're paying with a big bag of coins, then buying new cranks will help with climbing in the overall weight saved. Besides that, no. Even if the rotor 3d crank was stiffer, which I would have to see test numbers to be convinced, it would make an immeasurably small difference, and even that is debatable. One thing that is not debatable is the shift quality between the two. Shimano wins out.
the 6700's are fine for stiffness. Not as light as a the rotors but down there you won't notice that you dropped a few grams except when you actually set the bike on a scale.
This Fairwheel test is not your 6700 crank but you can take some of the comments and results of that and compare to the rotor.....other than a few more grams that an Ultegra will carry over DuraAce, Shimano shares design features/methodology well amongst neighboring models and generations of equipment....meaning I'd suspect that the 6700 stiffness will be excellent and same rave over shifting with Shimano rings. http://fairwheelbikes.com/forum/viewtop ... 3e9#p99937
Unless you're now thinking of losing grams from the crank (original post was about getting a stiffer crank) I'd save the dough for something else that will provide a real benefit.....something such as (assuming you don't have one of such already) light and aero wheels, lower rolling resistant tires, heart rate monitor, power meter, etc
58kg - you don't need much stiffness anyways. I agree with all other posters, I wouldn't upgrade in search of increased stiffness. Rotor chainrings will however, look god awful with a shimano crank. If you are bothered by this then a rotor or even better, new sram crank, would be considered an upgrade, from an aesthetic point of view. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
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In 2286, an unknown probe entirely disabled Spacedock upon reaching Earth. The shutdown happened before any vessels within, including the Excelsior, could be launched, resulting in the equally powerless vessels being trapped behind the space doors. When Kirk and his crew had resolved the crisis, power was restored as the probe left the planet. Kirk was demoted to captain, and offered command of a starship – namely the USS Enterprise-A, which was docked within Spacedock. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
After a brief shakedown cruise, the Enterprise-A returned to Spacedock while Captain Scott worked to resolve design flaws made apparent by the ship's maiden voyage. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)
The Enterprise-A was kept at Spacedock prior to an ill-fated trip to escort KlingonChancellorGorkon to a peace conference on Earth in 2293. Kirk ordered a departure from the facility at impulse speed, despite the fact that regulations specified thrusters only while inside the structure. Although LieutenantValeris (the ship's helmsman) initially questioned the captain's order, she successfully performed the departure and later admitted she had "always wanted to try that."
For the month of December in the 2010 Star Trek: Ships of the Line calendar, Spacedock is shown being constructed as the USS Enterprise's refit is nearing completion.
In an alternate timeline depicted in the game Star Trek: Armada, the Borg either destroy or assimilate Spacedock.
In the game Star Trek Online, this spacedock was replaced with another sometime before the year 2409. However, the new spacedock's design was not popular amongst players, and there were many calls for it to be replaced with the classic design. For STO's first anniversary on 2 February2011, the developers replaced the new Spacedock with the original facility, explaining it as being the work of Q. Though the external model (as visible from space) appeared to be the classic spacedock, the interior area (which served as a major player hub) remained based on the original, launch design. With the release of the game's Season 9 update, Earth Spacedock received a second revamp to correct the inconsistency, and the interior area received a major redesign to be more appropriate to the scale and presumed layout of Earth spacedock. The change was justified in the story via mission "Surface Tension", in which the Undine caused severe damage to the station during their attack on Earth, necessitating extensive repairs and relocation of player activities to a different area of the dock. | {
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Curated For The Young & Creative
June 19, 2018
Modern Family Co-Creator Steve Levitan Is ‘Disgusted’ to Work With Fox
Steve Levitan, co-creator of Modern Family, which is produced by 20th Century Fox TV, wants to make it clear that he does not support another arm of Fox’s business. On Twitter, Levitan said he was “disgusted to work at a company that has anything whatsoever to do with” Fox News, …More »
Modern Family Co-Creator Steve Levitan Is ‘Disgusted’ to Work With Fox By Jackson McHenry | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
"BLOCKS"
International Class
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Register your own trademark today
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Medical devices, namely, specifically designed padded wooden blocks used for positioning and adjustment of the human pelvis and body parts during medical treatment; chiropractic devices, namely, specifically designed padded wooden blocks used for positioning and adjustment of the human pelvis and body parts during chiropractic treatment | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Abstract
Background
Childhood obesity is a serious public health problem and epidemiological studies are important to identify predictive factors. It is the aim of this study to analyse factors associated with overweight/obesity in samples of German children.
Methods
35,434 five to seven year-old children (50.9% boys) participated in cross-sectional studies between 1991 and 2000 in several rural and urban areas in East and West Germany. Weight and height were measured and body mass index was calculated. International cut-off points, recommended by the International Obesity Task Force, were used to classify childhood overweight and obesity.
Predictive modelling was employed to analyse independently associated factors, using logistic regression to adjust for confounding.
Results
15.5% were overweight, and 4.3% were obese. Female sex, other than German nationality, smoking in the living place and increasing birth weight were found to increase the odds of overweight and obesity, while increasing educational level, living space > 75 m2 and breastfeeding for more than three months were inversely associated.
Conclusion
The findings add to the evidence informing public health action, both through health promotion strategies (promoting breastfeeding, tackling smoking) and wider societal change management (addressing children from migrant families and families with low educational level).
Keywords
ObesityParental EducationPreterm DeliveryLiving PlaceMaternal Smoking
Background
Recent evidence from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) provides nationally representative data with respect to overweight and obesity in children and adolescents (three to 17 years old) for the first time [1]. 15% were classified as overweight and 6.3% were classified obese (exceeding the 90th and 97th percentile of the German reference data, respectively [2]).
Obesity cannot only result in many adverse health outcomes such as respiratory [3], cardiovascular [4] or metabolic complications [5] as well as body dissatisfaction [6], but has itself a multifactorial aetiology. Thus, previous studies examined a large number of potential predictors of childhood overweight and obesity.
Apart from demonstrating a substantial burden of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents, the KIGGS study showed overweight or obesity to be associated with lower socioeconomic status, migration background and the mother being overweight. Other studies in samples of German children have identified further factors associated with a lower prevalence of overweight/obesity, e.g. high parental education [7–11], and factors consistently associated with an increased prevalence, such as maternal smoking during pregnancy [7, 9, 12, 13]. A review of international studies found socio-economic status to be inversely associated with overweight/obesity [14]. Ethnicity or nationality have also been linked in the patterning of overweight and obesity[15, 16]. Little physical activity and watching TV have been implied in the rising prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity [16–18], as well as the consumption of energy-dense foods[16]. Meta-analyses have shown a protective effect of breastfeeding on the risk of overweight/obesity [19, 20].
The cited studies used various different cut-off points to categorise overweight/obesity. Most studies used population-based cut-offs depending on the observed distribution at a given percentile [7, 9–13, 21] and only a few studies [8, 22] used the cut-offs suggested by Cole et al. [23]. Cole and co-authors have developed a definition of overweight and obesity based on pooled samples from several countries, providing age- and sex-specific cut-off points. These reference values are recommended for international comparison [24].
We have previously reported prevalence data for large samples of five to seven-year-old German children (N = 35,434), using the cut-off points proposed by Cole and co-authors [25]. We found significantly increasing prevalences of overweight and obesity in both East and West Germany from 1991 to 2000. Overall, the prevalence of overweight was 15.5%, and the prevalence of obesity was 4.3%.
The aim of this paper is to investigate predictors of childhood overweight and obesity, drawing on the same data.
Methods
Study design
The study design has been described previously [25]. In brief, data was drawn from the study in school beginners in East and West Germany (SAWO) [26, 27], and from the MIRIAM study (Multicenter International Study On Risk Assessment Of Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution and Eczema Morbidity) [28]. Repeated cross-sectional studies were conducted in several German cities: Borken, Essen, Duisburg, Köln, and Augsburg (MIRIAM) in the West of Germany; Leipzig, Halle, Magdeburg, Merseburg (from 1994), and four small rural towns in the Altmark (Salzwedel, Gardelegen, Osterburg and Kloetze) in the East of Germany.
All boys and girls entering primary school between 1991 and 2000 at one of the study sites were eligible to participate. Written consent was obtained from the children's parents. Every three years (1991, 1994, 1997, 2000), questionnaires were sent to the children's parents in the West, with the exception of Augsburg (1996, 2000). In the East, questionnaires were sent each year. Weight and height were measured at the obligatory school entry examinations which were held at the local health authorities. Height was measured without shoes and weight was measured in underwear.
Ethics approval was obtained from the ethics committees of the medical associations in Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt, Germany for the original studies.
Outcome variables: overweight and obesity
Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as weight/(height)2 [kg/m2]. Our analysis is restricted to five to seven-year-old children. The cut-off points as suggested by Cole et al. [23] increase with age (per additional 6 months of age) and are generally higher for boys than for girls.
Exposure variables
Besides age and sex, the questionnaire contained information on socio-demographic characteristics, environmental exposures and early-life factors. The following variables were included:
Nationality of the child
A child was classified as German if at least one parent reported German nationality. Until 1994 (East) and 1993 (West) the child's nationality was asked directly.
Education
Parents were asked about their total years of education and the education of their current partner if applicable. Parental educational level (based on the parent with the most total years of schooling) was classified as less than 10 years, 10 years and more than 10 years.
Living space > 75 m2
Parents were asked how many square metres (m2) the child's living space had. The median size was 75 m2 and a binary variable with values <= 75 m2 and > 75 m2 was derived.
Number of persons living in the child's living place
Parents were asked how many persons were living in the child's living place. The variable used for analysis had the following values: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 where 9 indicates 9 and more persons.
Single child
Parents were asked how many older/younger siblings their child had. From this information, a variable "single child" was created.
Attendance of day nursery or being otherwise looked after
Parents were asked whether the child spent more than six hours per day at a place other than the living address. If so, it is assumed that the child attended a day nursery or was otherwise looked after.
Smoking in the living place
Parents were asked whether there was smoking in the place where the child was living at the time.
Passive smoking during the first three years of life
Parents were asked whether anybody smoked in the place where the child spent most of his/her time during the first three years of life.
Smoking during pregnancy
Parents were asked whether the mother of the child smoked during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding for more than three months
Parents were asked for how many weeks mothers breastfed their children. From this information, a variable "breastfeeding for more than three months" was derived.
Year of study
Study region
The geographically defined areas were coded according to whether they were located in the East or in the West of Germany.
Study location
The geographically defined areas were coded according to whether they were located in a rural or an urban area.
Statistical analysis
Data analysis was performed with SAS® Version 9.1 WIN. Subjects were included only if there were no missing data on age, sex and BMI. Prevalence differences between groups were tested using chi squared tests. Trends across categories were analysed using Cochran-Armitage trend tests. Logistic regression was performed to obtain adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), measuring the association between exposure variables and the odds of being overweight or obese, respectively, in univarate and in mutually adjusted models. Model fit was evaluated by performing Hosmer and Lemeshow Goodness-of-Fit tests, testing the association of predicted probabilities and observed responses [29].
Results
The response rate for the questionnaire was 79% of those children who participated in the school entry examinations in the respective places and years. Table 1 shows the characteristics of the study population. The average BMI was 15.8 kg/m2. 15.5% of the participating children were classified as overweight and 4.3% as obese. The children's average age was 6.3 years with half of the study population being male. The large majority had a German nationality. Most children came from urban areas and from the Eastern study regions and had a birth weight between 2500 g and 4000 g. The level of parental education was comparably high with only 11.5% reporting less than 10 years of schooling. About half of the children lived in a place sized > 75 m2, about half attended day nursery and roughly every second child was exposed to environmental smoking at home. About one in three children was a single child, exposed to smoking during the first three years of life and was breastfed more than three months. Only a minority of children was delivered preterm or was exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy.
Table 1
Characteristics of the study population (N = 35,434)
Characteristic
Mean
SD
Age [years]
6.28
0.34
Weight [kg]
22.85
4.11
Height [cm]
120.05
5.53
BMI [kg/m2]
15.77
2.03
No of persons in the child's living place (N = 34,997)
3.91
1.06
N
%
Overweight
35,434
15.48
Obese
35,434
4.33
Male sex
35,434
50.89
Age group
35,434
5.0 – < 5.5 years
0.23
5.5 – < 6.0 years
23.98
6.0 – < 6.5 years
47.91
6.5 – < 7.0 years
26.15
7.0 – < 7.5 years
1.42
7.5 – < 8.0 years
0.32
German nationality
35,146
92.22
Study region: East
35,434
67.73
Study location: Urban
35,434
76.14
Parental educational level:
33,984
< 10 years of schooling
11.48
10 years of schooling
44.82
> 10 years of schooling
43.69
Living space > 75 m2
34,095
49.51
Single child
34,997
33.86
Attendance of day nursery
33,826
56.49
Smoking in the living place
33,208
45.00
Passive smoking during the first 3 years of life
34,693
31.95
Smoking during pregnancy
34,578
13.72
Breastfeeding > 3 months
33,106
31.63
Preterm delivery
34,540
6.45
Birth weight
34,809
< 2500 g
5.76
2500 – < 3000
17.00
3000 – < 3500
38.32
3500 – < 4000
29.45
> 4000
9.47
Univariate associations
In univariate analyses (Table 2), female sex, increasing age group, other than German nationality, living in an urban area, single child, smoking in the living place, passive smoking during the first three years of life, smoking during pregnancy and increasing birth weight were found to increase the odds of overweight. Living in the East of Germany, increasing parental educational level, living space > 75 m2, increasing number of persons living in the child's place, attendance of a day nursery, breastfeeding for more than three months and preterm delivery were found to be inversely associated with overweight. All exposure variables were significantly associated with overweight (p < 0.05). There was a significantly decreasing trend in prevalence with increasing parental education and increasing number of persons in the household. There was also a significantly increasing trend in prevalence with increasing birth weight category.
Univariate analyses for obesity (Table 3) revealed the same picture as the analyses for overweight with the exception that age group was not significantly related to obesity.
Table 3
Univariate association of predictive variables with obesity
Variables
Prevalence of obesity (%)
P value
Odds Ratio [OR]
Sex
Male
4.01 (N = 18,032)
0.003
Female vs Male 1.17 (1.06–1.30)
Female
4.66 (N = 17,402)
Age group
5.0 – < 5.5
2.50 (N = 80)
0.18
Per unit increase in age group: 0.96 (0.90–1.03)
5.5 – < 6.0
4.55 (N = 8,498)
6.0 – < 6.5
4.37 (N = 16,977)
6.5 – < 7.0
4.04 (N = 9,265)
Per unit increase in age: 1.00 (0.86–1.16)
7.0 – < 7.5
3.98 (N = 502)
7.5 – < 8.0
8.04 (N = 112)
Nationality
German
4.04 (N = 32,413)
< 0.0001
Other than German vs German 1.95 (1.68 – 2.28)
Other than German
7.61 (N = 2,733)
Study region
East
3.88 (N = 23,998)
< 0.0001
East vs West 0.73 (0.66–0.81)
West
5.26 (N = 11,436)
Study location
Urban
4.53
0.001
Urban vs Rural 1.24 (1.09–1.41)
Rural
3.69
Parental educational level
< 10 years of schooling
6.23 (N = 3,902)
< 0.0001 ***
Per unit increase in educational level 0.68 (0.63 – 0.73)
10 years of schooling
4.87 (N = 15,233)
0.77 (0.66 – 0.90)*
> 10 years of schooling
3.06 (N = 14,849)
0.48 (0.41 – 0.56)*
Living space
<= 75 m2
4.92 (N = 17,213)
> 75 m2 vs <= 75 m2 0.75 (0.67–0.83)
> 75 m2
3.73 (N = 16,882)
Number of persons in the child's living place
< 0.0001 ***
Per unit increase in no of persons: 0.90 (0.86–0.95)
Single child
No
3.95 (N = 23,148)
< 0.0001
Yes vs No: 1.30 (1.17–1.45)
Yes
5.08 (N = 11,849)
Attendance of day nursery
No
4.59 (N = 14,718)
0.01
Yes vs No: 0.88 (0.79–0.98)
Yes
4.05 (N = 19,108)
Smoking in the living place
No
3.65 (N = 18,266)
< 0.0001
Yes vs No: 1.46 (1.32–1.63)
Yes
5.25 (N = 14,942)
Passive smoking during the first three years of life
No
3.92 (N = 23,609)
< 0.0001
Yes vs No: 1.33 (1.19 – 1.48)
Yes
5.14 (N = 11,084)
Smoking during pregnancy
No
4.06 (N = 29,833)
< 0.0001
Yes vs No: 1.47 (1.29 – 1.68)
Yes
5.86 (N = 4,745)
Breastfeeding for more than three months
No
4.48 (N = 22,634)
< 0.0001
Yes vs No: 0.76 (0.68 – 0.86)
Yes
3.46 (N = 10,472)
Preterm delivery
No
4.42 (N = 32,313)
< 0.001
Yes vs No: 0.64 (0.50 – 0.83)
yes
2.87 (N = 2,227)
Birth weight
< 2500 g
1.94 (N = 2,006)
< 0.0001***
Per unit increase in birth weight category 1.35 (1.28 – 1.42)
2500 – < 3000 g
3.26 (N = 5,916)
1.70 (1.20 – 2.41)**
3000 – < 3500 g
3.91 (N = 13,340)
2.05 (1.48 – 2.85)**
3500 – < 4000 g
4.88 (N = 10,251)
2.59 (1.86 – 3.59)**
> 4000 g
7.62 (N = 3,296)
4.16 (2.95 – 5.85)**
*compared to educational level I (< 10 years of schooling)
**compared to low birth weight (< 2500 g)
***Cochran-Armitage Trend Test
Multivariable models for overweight and obesity
In multivariable analyses (Table 4), female sex, other than German nationality, being a single child, smoking in the child's living place, smoking during pregnancy, preterm delivery, increasing birth weight and increasing year of study were found to be independent risk factors for overweight. Of these factors, only female sex, other than German nationality, smoking in the living place and increasing birth weight were found to be independent risk factors for obesity. Parental educational level, living space > 75 m2, the number of persons living in the child's living place and breastfeeding for more than three months were found to be inversely associated with overweight. The same factors were inversely related to obesity. In addition, there was evidence for a protective association of attendance of day nursery with respect to obesity.
Table 4
Predictive model for overweight and obesity (N = 26,777) [all analyses are mutually adjusted for all the listed factors]
Overweight OR (95% CI)
Obesity OR (95% CI)
Female Sex
1.45 (1.35–1.55)
1.30 (1.15–1.47)
Age
1.05 (0.95–1.17)
0.86 (0.72–1.04)
Other than German nationality
1.52 (1.39–1.84)
1.60 (1.26–2.03)
Study region (East/West)
0.96 (0.87–1.06)
1.02 (0.86–1.22)
Study location (urban/rural)
0.97 (0.90–1.06)
1.08 (0.92–1.26)
Study year
1.06 (1.05–1.08)
1.10 (1.07–1.12)
Educational level*
0.87 (0.82–0.92)
0.80 (0.73–0.89)
Living space > 75 m2
0.86 (0.80–0.93)
0.80 (0.69–0.92)
Number of persons
0.91 (0.86–0.96)
0.91 (0.83–1.00)
Single child
1.16 (1.04–1.29)
1.13 (0.93–1.37)
Attendance of day nursery
0.97 (0.90–1.05)
0.87 (0.76–1.01)
Smoking in the living place
1.32 (1.21–1.43)
1.46 (1.26–1.70)
Passive smoking during the first three years of life
1.02 (0.94–1.11)
1.13 (0.98–1.32)
Smoking during pregnancy
1.11 (1.00–1.23)
1.13 (0.95–1.36)
Breastfeeding for more than three months
0.88 (0.81–0.95)
0.82 (0.71–0.95)
Preterm delivery
1.53 (1.30–1.80)
1.16 (0.84–1.62)
Birth weight**
1.43 (1.38–1.49)
1.49 (1.39–1.59)
Association of predicted probabilities and observed responses
(p-value***)
0.15
0.53
*OR for a unit increase in educational level
**OR for a unit increase in birth weight level
*** corresponding to Hosmer and Lemeshow Goodness-of-Fit Test
Discussion
The findings of our multivariable analyses are largely in line with previous investigations of samples of German children of similar age [7–13, 21, 22].
The study provides further evidence of an inverse association between parental education and both overweight and obesity in children, as documented by the majority of previous recently published international studies [14]. A finding from the longitudinal 1958 British birth cohort was that social class at birth predicted adult obesity (aged 33 years) in men [30]. It may be speculated that parental educational level at the time of birth or in infancy might be a predictor of overweight/obesity in children, but our study used information on current educational level. However, a change in parental educational level after the birth of children seems unlikely.
In a review, Livingstone points out that the association between social factors and childhood obesity is not well understood, and that social factors might interact in different ways for different individuals and population groups [31]. For Germany, the studies are consistent in the sense that all studies including the one presented in this paper found an inverse association of a high level of parental education with overweight/obesity [7–11].
The inverse association with living space > 75 m2 may be explained by protective effects of high social status, reflecting the fact that more living space becomes affordable with increasing income. More living space could also reflect a higher number of siblings, and the reduced odds could actually be due to not being a single child.
However, the inverse association was found in a model controlling for educational level, number of persons in the child's household, and being a single child.
Regarding overweight, the protective association of an increasing number of persons in the household could be seen in conjunction with the adverse effect of being a single child without siblings. Obviously, a social context – either through siblings or other persons in the household or both – confers some kind of protection with respect to overweight. Whether more persons in the household mirror a better socio-economic profile, or a closer monitoring of the child's health behaviour, e.g. with regard to eating habits or more opportunities to engage in physical activity with siblings, or whether the effect is mediated via psycho-social pathways remains speculative. The tentative protective association with attendance of day nursery or otherwise being looked after may likewise reflect social status or demonstrate the adverse effect of being neglected as a child on the development of overweight/obesity.
A study performed in the West German city of Aachen found that the prevalence of overweight was twice as high in children with other than German nationality as compared with native German children [21]. Multivariate analyses showed that most of the difference was explained by know risk factors such as maternal education, watching TV, snacking and consumption of sweets and soft drinks. From this finding, it was concluded that overweight prevention should address high-risk environments rather than high-risk ethnic groups. In contrast to this finding, a study in Swiss children found an independent association of non-swiss nationality and overweight [16]. Likewise, our multivariate analysis showed other than German nationality to be a strong independent risk factor for overweight and obesity, after adjustment for education. This may be due to the major limitation in the multivariate analyses presented which did not include data on dietary habits, physical activity or the time spent watching TV. Low levels of total [17] or vigorous physical activity [16, 17] and TV watching [16, 18] have been implied as risk factors for childhood overweight/obesity in earlier studies. If they had been measured and were associated with nationality in our study, these variables mighty possibly in part explain the observed relation between nationality and overweight/obesity. We were also unable to adjust for parental overweight and obesity which is a strong predictor for overweight and obesity in children [16, 18, 32–35]. In a study performed in Northwest Germany, the inverse gradient between parental school education and overweight was even more pronounced in children who had overweight parents [10]. However, in a prospective population-based family study in Eastern Finland, a family history of obesity did not seem to be a good predictor of BMI during childhood [36].
With regard to the role of breastfeeding, the study in East German children study found an inverse association with obesity, but not with overweight [8]. This protective effect was stronger if the children were exclusively breastfed. Although this study used the same cut-off points as we did, it should be noted that the study populations are not directly comparable with respect to the age range. The finding of inverse associations between breastfeeding and overweight/obesity confirms the finding of a recent meta-analysis [19] showing that breastfeeding reduced the odds of obesity in childhood (adjusted OR in the fixed model: 0.78 (95% CI 0.71–0.85)). Providing further evidence for a potential causal relation, another meta-analysis documented a dose-response relationship between duration of breastfeeding and risk of overweight [20]. However, a third meta-analysis investigating breastfeeding (as opposed to formula feeding) and BMI in adolescence or adulthood concluded that publication bias and confounding (e.g., by maternal BMI) cannot be ruled out [37].
Previous studies showed low birth weight to be inversely related to overweight and obesity [7] and higher birth weight to be positively associated [9, 18, 33]. However, some studies failed to observe associations between weight at birth and BMI levels in childhood [34, 36]. A study from North Germany observed sex-specific associations: in boys, low birth weight was positively associated with obesity and in girls a high weight at birth appeared to be a significant obesity risk factor [35].
With respect to the smoking variables included in the analysis, there was consistent evidence for an increased prevalence of both overweight and obesity when there was smoking in the living place, while smoking during pregnancy was related to overweight, but not to obesity. In contrast to this, both studies performed in Bavarian children and focusing on maternal smoking during pregnancy found an increased risk for obesity, too [9, 12]. While smoking during pregnancy, especially in early pregnancy, may result in neuroendocrine or other metabolic dysregulation [38], smoking in the living place is most likely a proxy measure for a set of lifestyles which in turn might be linked to carrying excess fat. As we did not have information on dietary patterns, we were unable to test a possible link between smoking in the living place and, for instance, the consumption of energy-dense foods.
Further limitations arise from other methodological issues. The measurement of children's weight and height was based on physical examination and can hence be considered a gold standard. However, although measurements procedures were standardised, inter-rater variability cannot be excluded. In the statistical analysis, multicollinearity could lead to biased effect sizes. A positive correlation of variables such as the smoking variables would result in an underestimation of the effect size in the multivariable models. As expected, the smoking variables do indeed show positive correlations (data not shown). The univariable effect sizes would therefore represent overestimations. It is evident that the true effect sizes lie somewhere between the univariable and multivariable estimates.
With respect to the study design, the cross-sectional nature of the investigation does not strictly allow to infer causality from the identified associations between exposures and overweight/obesity. However, reverse causality seems unlikely in most of the associations found (for instance overweight/obesity leading to parental smoking or to breastfeeding).
Although some exposures will have preceded the outcome (e.g., birth weight, breastfeeding, preterm delivery), they were measured retrospectively. This might have introduced recall bias. Also, exposure information might generally be distorted because it is based on self-reports. Social desirability may be an issue (for instance reported smoking during first three years of the children's life). However, to bias estimates in either direction, the accuracy of reports would need to be differential, i.e. dependent on the weight status of the child. This seems unlikely, as weight for height was not the primary outcome measure of the studies.
Conclusion
The study represents the largest study on predictive factors for overweight and obesity in German children so far. With regard to overweight and obesity, the study provides further evidence of protective associations of breastfeeding (more than three months) and of having a certain size of living space (> 75 m2). Additionally, evidence is seen of an inverse association with educational level while female sex, other than German nationality, smoking in the living place and increasing birth weight category have been shown to be risk factors. Together with the evidence in the published literature, this analysis forms a basis upon which preventive measures could be developed. A British longitudinal cohort study found little evidence of incident cases of overweight/obesity emerging over adolescence, supporting the notion that efforts need to target children at a young age [15]. Health promotion strategies, for instance, to promote breastfeeding should complement wider societal change, particular with regards to the most vulnerable groups, i.e. children of migrants and children from families with low parental education.
Declarations
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Kate Knotts who commented a draft version of the report leading to this paper. We thank the teams in the local health departments for their excellent cooperation and organisation of the studies, Dr Reinhard Dolgner, Prof Ulrich Ranft, Prof Michael Wilhelm and Georg Eberwein for organising the study in West Germany and Drs Hans Jörg and Heidemarie Willer and Dr Hanna Oppermann for organising the study in East Germany. We are especially indebted to Dorothea Sugiri who prepared the data set for this evaluation.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors' contributions
CJA suggested the idea for the article and wrote the manuscript, supervised by UK and JC. UK was principal investigator of the studies in East and West Germany. HB and JR were principal investigators of the study in Augsburg, Southern Germany. AL assisted in writing and reviewing the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
Authors’ Affiliations
(1)
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, UK
(2)
Department of Clinical Social Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
(3)
Divison of Public Health and Primary Care, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Brighton, Falmer, UK
(4)
Institute of Psychology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
Apfelbacher CJ, Cairns J, Bruckner T, Mohrenschlager M, Behrendt H, Ring J, Kramer U: Prevalence of overweight and obesity in East and West German children in the decade after reunification: population-based series of cross-sectional studies. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2008, 62 (2): 125-130. 10.1136/jech.2007.062117.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
Krämer U, Behrendt H, Dolgner R, Ranft U, Ring J, Willer H, Schlipkoter HW: Airway diseases and allergies in East and West German children during the first 5 years after reunification: time trends and the impact of sulphur dioxide and total suspended particles. Int J Epidemiol. 1999, 28 (5): 865-873. 10.1093/ije/28.5.865.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
du Prel X, Kramer U, Ranft U: Changes in social inequality with respect to health-related living conditions of 6-year-old children in East Germany after re-unification. BMC Public Health. 2005, 5 (1): 64-10.1186/1471-2458-5-64.View ArticlePubMedPubMed CentralGoogle Scholar
Pre-publication history
Copyright
This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. | {
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33 Elegant Bathroom Fittings Online
<strong>33Elegant BathroomFittings Online
– Wall to make an aesthetic allure. When it has to do with buying bathroom accessories there are a great deal of vital elements you should take into consideration. So bathroom accessories that aren’t simple to wash and keep, are not practical however stylish they are. As an example, if you want to use black toilet accessories, make certain that the colour matches the entire look of the lavatory.
With the Help of accessories, it’s possible to also decorate your bathroom. To start with, while renovating the house, it’s the toilet that demands utmost attention. While refurbishing the home, it’s the bathroom that demands utmost focus. For instance, if you are buying bathroom mirrors with lights, make certain you analyze their effectiveness and ensure they might be utilized by everyone. There has to be simplicity in the plan and color in case you don’t want your bathroom to seem gross. Initial step into fixing your bathroom is to solve the problem from the restroom.
If you’re considering remodeling your bathroom, you must Bear in Mind that Functionality should be at the heart of all design thoughts. The bathroom is a substantial place in the house, where we wish to encounter complete functionality with a feeling of relaxation. Contemporary bathrooms incorporate lavish bathtubs, which arrive at a selection of colors, styles, and materials.
Bathroom Fittings Online
– Normally, bathrooms vary between 15 square feet to up to 72 square feet in Proportion. Some bathrooms include a bidet, which could be put near a bathroom. A great deal of people consider remodel the bathroom dressing saves a little time and money. According to your personality, there is something for each bathroom and proprietor.
According to what mood you Want to create in your bathroom, you can opt for Colors associated with it. A toilet is full of moisture, and you require quite great ventilation. It can never be whole without towel bars. Possessing a little Bathroom is a normal issue in small homes. If you have got an extremely light And airy bathroom then you’ll have more choice when it’s to do with the color scheme. | {
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Ideas for Profit: Should one avoid or bottom fish asset financing NBFCs?
Sustainability of asset growth can’t be taken for granted. The steep hike in funding cost would impact interest margin as the entire hike may not be passed on to end-customers.
Madhuchanda Dey
Asset financing companies are at a crossroad. While vehicle finance, its principal business, is experiencing opportunities from robust volume growth, especially from the commercial vehicle side, the rapid escalation in fuel prices raises questions about the sustenance of cash flow of customers, namely fleet operators. The rural economy is on the mend with a normal monsoon, pre-election largesse and expected rise in the minimum support price. However, sharp hardening of bond yields and expectations of a rising trend on account of firming up of crude oil and falling dollar-rupee signals further pressure on borrowing costs.
Stock prices have fallen in the past three months in light of the myriad concerns. Are these companies ripe for accumulation or are we staring at a period of prolonged pain?
A decent Q1 FY19
Asset financing companies reported a decent performance in Q1 FY19. Average growth in assets under management (AUM) stood in mid-20s. For Shriram Transport Finance Company (STFC), the growth was aided by new vehicle loans, business loans and working capital. For Cholamandalam Investment & Finance Company (Cholamandalam), growth was driven by vehicle finance, even as the management continued its cautious growth strategy with respect to the home equity business. M&M Financial Services (MMFSL) saw strong traction in tractor, commercial vehicles and small business loans. For Sundaram Finance, the growth drivers were construction equipment and tractors.
related news
The hardening of wholesale funding rates impacted net interest margin for all the players on expected lines.
Source: Company
Despite moderation in interest margin, robust growth in assets under management (AUM) led to significant improvement in net interest income: the difference between interest income and interest expense.
Network expansion continued, although it is heartening to witness growth in operating expenses, lagging growth in loan assets.
Source: Company
Another significant kicker for earnings growth in the quarter under review has been decline in provisions. STFC, for instance, has maintained its high provision cover (amount of provision held for non-performing loans), despite decline in provisioning, thereby indicating an improvement in underlying asset quality. Cholamandalam too saw an improvement in provision coverage despite a year-on-year decline in absolute provision. Sundaram saw a decline in provision, with a reduction in coverage ratio. MMFSL saw an increase in provision, thus improving its lower coverage ratio.
Going forward, with improved dynamics of the end-market, we expect credit cost to stay subdued and should provide a major earnings kicker.
One of the highlights for the quarter gone by was presentation of accounts as per the new accounting standard: IndAs. Implementation of expected credit loss (ECL) criteria led to lower provisions compared to the earlier accounting standard (I GAAP) for MMFSL, Cholamandalam, Sundaram as well as STFC. Consequently, profitability improved under IndAS.
Source: Company
What are the stocks to look at?
While rural demand looks supportive on the back of pre-election spending, normal monsoon and hike in MSP, the dream run in the automobile segment faces speed breakers in the form of higher fuel prices. The ambiguity surrounding enhanced axle load norm might impact CV demand. Hence, sustainability of asset growth can’t be taken for granted. The steep hike in funding cost would impact interest margin as the entire hike may not be passed on to end-customers.
Of the companies under review, MMFSL has a diversified portfolio and is well entrenched in the rural geography. We see little risk to double-digit growth. With improvement in the end-market, after the migration to 90-day non-performing assets (NPA) recognition norm, credit cost normalisation should support earnings despite a decline in interest margin on account of rising wholesale rates.
Cholamandalam too has a diversified vehicle and home equity portfolio and has maintained pristine asset quality, while registering profitable growth. It is likely to continue on this path. However, valuation captures the positives. So, investors should await a better entry opportunity.
We are circumspect about traction in the second hand vehicle market of STFC as the non-second hand vehicle businesses have grown faster in recent times. This could impact profitability going forward as its margin is much lower. However, the steep 17 percent correction in the stock in the past three months has captured part of the concerns. For the long-term investor, we feel the stock is beginning to offer value.
Sundaram, with diversified business segments, will be a key beneficiary of the multiple growth drivers across various financial services. We expect the company to grow its lending book, albeit at a gradual and steady pace. Additionally, the other financial services business like AMC and general insurance are expected to grow in sync with India’s economic growth. | {
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Dinosaur simulator is action, casual adventure game, where you play as a crazy, angry, frenzy and stupid prehistoric dino in city. Your aim is to cause destruction, mess, wreck, demolish, ram, smash everything interactive and also annoy citizens. In your mission you gain points and experience, the faster you get them the more bonus you recieve. Town environment contains a lot of obstacles such as explosive cars, pixel fence, barrels, block lawns, streetlights, street hydrants, cube dustbins and many other.
Nerf War: 2 Million Subscribers
Today PDK Films brings you Nerf War: 2 Million Subscribers! In this Nerf gun war, PDK Films hits 2 million subscribers and the team celebrates. Paul rewards everyone with presents, but Anna and Eva aren’t happy with their presents.. . Leave us a comment and LIKE to help us reach THREE MILLION SUBSCRIBERS!
#nerf #nerfsquad #pdkfilms #kingkousky
Join Nerf Squad and subscribe to PDK Films to get all of our new Nerf videos, and remember to turn on post notifications! Also subscribe to my gaming channel: King Kousky.
About PDK Films:
My name is Paul Kousky and I’m the director of PDK Films, which is the biggest Nerf channel on YouTube! I make all kinds of crazy Nerf videos with Nerf blasters, and I’m known for creating the popular Nerf Squad and Nerf First Person Shooter series on YouTube. If you like Nerf then be sure to join Nerf Squad by subscribing to PDK Films, and remember to check out my gaming channel: King Kousky. | {
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Thanks for the comments and feedback following the posting of chapter 1 of my book. Chapter 2 is below and I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Hope you enjoy it. Mid-August – Chester It had been a month since the
attack on the old lady that shocked most of Britain. The fact it was leaked by
a blog embarrassed most of the hacks still left on Fleet Street and even more
so the nouveau-scribes in Canary Wharf. The Home Secretary condemned ‘The
Day Today’ for putting the story out there amid pressure on the Government for
standing seemingly idly by while Britain was gripped by all too regular violent
interludes. People were scared. They were
scared and angry that nothing was being done. Public visits by any Cabinet
Minister were met with derision and speeches received with a chorus of boos. The
election could not come soon enough as the majority of the public had lost
faith in the current Government. David Lawson had been campaigning
on the back of a promise to rid the streets of these fer… | {
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money is real tight....live in michigan do i need say more...the trans is at my buddys shop i owe him 1100 on it....all the truck needs is a trans put in and 2 back tires and bumpers and some elbow grease....sell the whole truck today or tomorrow for $1800 motor and axles are worth more then that,interior is real nice.....i have to do something with it by the weekend so its either as a whole or parts...either way its gotta go
the bed is sold.....im not going to part anymore of it out untill this weekend unless the motor sells...i would like to sell the rest of the truck as a whole....all it needs is a bed and trans and wiould make a awsome tow rig or toy | {
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Free shipping and No sales tax. Ford 2017 GNRK1116 and GNRK1117 are $539 all others are $457 BRAND NEW B+W Turnover Ball Gooseneck Hitches, Free Shipping! to lower 48 states. B+W perhaps the best hitch in the USA allows a flat bed when you need one and a hitch when you need it. This hitch has a full line of accessories including a fifth wheel hitch and a kingpin. 30,000 lb GTW / 7,500 lb VTW Al...
US Made B+W RVK 3405 B+W Companion 20k Slider Hitch only, All B+W Products available. Call for pricing. USA Made Lifetime Warranty! You must have the B+W Turnover- Ball Gooseneck Hitch (sold separately ) in your truck bed to use this hitch!! NO UNDER BED MOUNT is included. Free shipping in lower 48 States and no sales Tax! Need room to maneuver? Of course you do! The Companion Slider 5th Wheel ... | {
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How To Build Your Fire For a Low and Slow
Over the years, I’ve seen and heard countless people ask about how to build a fire in a Kamado style grill in order to get smoke through out a low and slow cook. In fact, just this morning I was asked in a PM about this very topic. If you just put wood on top of the coals, it will burn up at the beginning of your cook. You can always take out your plate setter or your heat deflector and add more wood, but you lose heat, its awkward (where do you place that hot plate setter?) and will end up adding time to your total cook. Who wants that?
The answer is pretty simple. When filling up your firebowl, add wood mixed in with the lump charcoal. Place a layer of charcoal on the bottom, then add your wood chunks (or chips. Or a mixture of both), add more charcoal, then more wood chunks and repeat until your firebowl is full. As the fire burns down, it will continue to hit fresh wood which will ensure smoke through out the cook. Voila! Easy peasy. Simple as could be.
Note that on a low and slow, you will have a small fire and it will be contained pretty much too a small cylinder in the middle of you bowl. For that reason, just add the wood to the center. No need to spread it out towards the edges as the fire probably won’t ignite any wood there.
I’d like to be able to take credit for creating the above illustration, but in truth it’s been floating around the ole interweb for years on various forums. I believe credit should go to a guy named Stike, but sadly he is no longer active on the Egghead forum.
4 responses to “How To Build Your Fire For a Low and Slow”
Hey! A couple weeks ago we had an Argentine asado in our backyard and our visiting friends from Argentina talked my husband into using two of our portable fire pits – like in the illustration above to do it! They would not have anything to do with the gas grill. You might enjoy seeing the post on my blog – it’s the first post this month and it was quite the night! | {
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Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart take nude tape to court
The brouhaha over the naked video featuring
"Grey's Anatomy" actor Eric Dane, his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and one-time Playboy model Kari Anne Peniche had died down in recent weeks. Until Dane and Gayheart fired it back up on Wednesday.
The couple has filed a lawsuit against Gawker Media and journalist Mark Ebner for releasing the video and, they claim, refusing to remove it when issued a cease-and-desist order.
The suit argues that Gawker exhibited "brazen disregard for plaintiffs' legal rights and personal privacy" and "maliciously distribute[d] an uncensored copy of the video," according to court documents obtained by
Radar Online.
Gawker.com posted a PG-13 version of the video in August, and sister site Fleshbot put up unedited footage, which shows all three parties naked and chatting. As of Wednesday evening the videos were still active on both sites.
Here's the kicker: The suit also accuses Gawker Media and Ebner, whom the Danes claim gave Gawker the footage, of copyright violation. For real -- the court documents say Dane and Gayheart registered the video with the U.S. Copyright Office.
Gawker says it hasn't received the court papers yet, but owner Nick Denton responded thusly on his
Twitter feed: "To quote the great Marty Singer -- Eric Dane's lawyer -- if you don't want a sex tape on the internet, 'don't make one!'"
Follow Zap2it on Twitter for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news.Related: | {
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Dodgers plan ‘upgrades, renovations and additions’ to stadium before 2020 All-Star Game
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Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten, left, and Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred announce that Dodger Stadium will host the 2020 All-Star Game – the venue’s first since 1980 0- during a news conference on Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
From left, Dodgers pitcher Kenley Jansen, third baseman Justin Turner, Los Angeles Councilman Gil Cedillo, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten, and manager Dave Roberts pose for a photo, after announcing that Dodger Stadium will host the All-Star Game in 2020 for the first time since 1980 at a news conference in Los Angeles Wednesday, April 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten, left, and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announce that Dodger Stadium will host the All-Star Game in 2020 for the first time since 1980 at a news conference in Los Angeles Wednesday, April 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, left, and Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten exchange a Dodgers’ hat, after announcing that Dodger Stadium will host the All-Star Game in 2020 for the first time since 1980 at a news conference in Los Angeles Wednesday, April 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, left, and pitcher Kenley Jansen comment on Dodger Stadium hosting the All-Star Game in 2020 for the first time since 1980 at a news conference in Los Angeles Wednesday, April 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten, left, and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announce that Dodger Stadium will host the All-Star Game in 2020 for the first time since 1980 at a news conference in Los Angeles Wednesday, April 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, at podium, speaks after Los Angeles President and CEO Stan Kasten, third from ring, and Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred second from right, announced that Dodger Stadium will host the All-Star Game in 2020 for the first time since 1980 at a news conference in Los Angeles Wednesday, April 11, 2018. At right, Alanna Rizzo. Sitting left to right, Dodgers pitcher Kenley Jansen, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and Los Angeles Councilman Gil Cedillo. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten, left, and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announce that Dodger Stadium will host the All-Star Game in 2020 for the first time since 1980 at a news conference in Los Angeles Wednesday, April 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
LOS ANGELES — The last time the Dodgers hosted Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game they unveiled DiamondVision – a state-of-the-art, first-of-its-kind video screen perched above the left-field pavilion.
The Dodgers will be hard-pressed to match the game-changing nature of that 1980 stadium innovation. But Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said the team is planning its “next set of upgrades, renovations and additions to Dodger Stadium” in advance of the All-Star Game returning to Dodger Stadium 40 years later.
“The next two years will be very active for us,” Kasten said Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium where MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred officially announced the awarding of the 2020 All-Star Game to the Dodgers.
“Obviously we will be sending a team this year to Washington (for the All-Star Game) and a team next year to Cleveland to examine how they’re doing things. But we’re Los Angeles. We know how to throw parties. We know how to host big events. And you can bet the party here in two years will be extraordinary and we have already begun planning.”
Kasten would not reveal any specifics about what upgrades might be coming to Dodger Stadium, saying he doesn’t have “the full plan yet.” In recent years, the Guggenheim ownership group has spent more than $150 million on upgrades and renovations to the 56-year-old facility (the third-oldest stadium in MLB behind Fenway Park and Wrigley Field).
That investment was a factor in the Dodgers finally being awarded the All-Star Game, Manfred acknowledged.
“I can only take responsibility for the last three years. Before that was on someone else,” Manfred joked when asked about the extended wait between All-Star Games at Dodger Stadium. The game has been played in Southern California four times in the decades since it last came to Los Angeles – twice in Anaheim (1989 and 2010) and twice in San Diego (at Jack Murphy Stadium in 1992 and Petco Park in 2016).
The field of teams hoping to host the game has become “very competitive,” Manfred said. Teams that have built new stadiums or invested heavily in renovations have frequently been rewarded with the game. The Chicago Cubs, currently in the third year of an extensive renovation of venerable Wrigley Field, were also interested in hosting the 2020 game and could be named as hosts for an All-Star Game shortly after the Dodgers.
“We always take into consideration the commitment the ownership group has made to the facility we’re going to use for the All-Star Game,” Manfred said Wednesday. “I was very involved in the sale process when Mark (Walter) and his partners took over the Dodgers. They made an amazing financial commitment to purchase the club ($2.15 billion) and I think that one of the things that really is most impressive is the money that they’ve put into making Dodger Stadium a first-class, modern facility while maintaining its history and tradition.”
Since 1980, though, the All-Star Game has grown into what Manfred called “a four-day celebration of baseball” including the All-Star Futures Game, a celebrity softball game, the Home Run Derby and numerous satellite events. That will require more than Dodger Stadium to host and Kasten praised the cooperation and support of Los Angeles city officials. The massive FanFest event, for example, will be held at the L.A. Convention Center, a major logistical hurdle that had to be cleared.
“There were legitimately conflicts,” Kasten said. “We have a four-day long FanFest. It’s one of the busiest convention centers in America. We also plan a robust program of events throughout the city.”
Ticket prices and distribution for the All-Star Game are handled by MLB and not the host team. Details will not be available for some time. But the Dodgers will make a priority purchase opportunity available to season-ticket holders.
"We’re Los Angeles. We know how to throw a party. We know how to host big events."
Bill Plunkett has covered everything from rodeo to Super Bowls to boxing (yeah, I was there the night Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear off) during a career that started far too long ago to mention and eventually brought him to the OC some time last century (1999 actually). He has been covering Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register since 2003, spending time on both the Angels and Dodgers beats. | {
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In 2012, the superstar received Marlon Brando's best actor Oscar as a 38th birthday gift from the production company behind The Wolf of Wall Street. DiCaprio has turned over the Oscar, as well as other pricey gifts, to the U.S. government as part of a massive money laundering investigation into the production company.
According to the LA Times,the Oscar and pricey art have been seized as part of the investigation into a $3.5 billion Malaysian money laundering scheme. Authorities from the U.S. Department of Justice believe that co-founder of Red Granite production company, Riza Aziz, helped his stepfather, Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, embezzle $4.5 billion.
Part of this money was apparently used to bankroll the film The Wolf of Wall Street, which DiCaprio starred in, and buy lavish presents for the actor like works of art from Picasso and Basquiat.
In a statement by his spokesperson, DiCaprio shared that he has no plans to give up the salary he made from the film but he intends to return all "gifts or donations" being investigated by the government.
[Photo: Getty Images]
Crime Time is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxgen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Sign up for our Crime Time Newsletter and subscribe to our true crime podcast Martinis & Murder for all the best true crime content. | {
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Beloved larva inches toward 40
Eric Carle celebrates two milestones this year: his 80th birthday and the 40th anniversary of one of his beloved little creatures. To mark the occasion of the latter, he has translated the 1969 classic tale of a butterfly larva’s culinary and developmental adventures into 3-D. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Pop-up Book retells the familiar story—complete with the trail of holes left by... | {
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The Kruger National Park is South Africa’s flagship conservation area where 2 million hectares of unrivalled diversity of life forms fuses with historical and archaeological sites, in a semi-arid savanna landscape. The KNP offers a wildlife experience that ranks as one of the best in Africa. The KNP has also had a long history of freshwater management and research on both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem, which includes some long running water resources management and hydrological studies. This technical tour will allow the participants to get out into the bush, with a chance to see some of the Big 5 whilst visiting some of the long term hydrological monitoring sites. Space is limited, so please register your interest as soon as possible at http://cwrr.ukzn.ac.za/iahs/programme-of-activities | {
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Find Many People Striving For A Much Healthier Lifestyle
This has been brought on by the “unhealthy” lifestyle we have been accustomed to. It’s disappointing to know that we live in a world where unhealthy is the norm and healthy is somewhat of an achievement. What can we do to live a healthier life? Should we exercise more? Should we look for healthier food? Should we change our attitude? Should we start a revolution? A revolution maybe too much to hope for but there are certain things we can do to make sure all of us live a “healthier” life. We will look at this in three steps and all three steps will involve a change of attitude!
Step One – Eat clean!Food is the most important aspect of staying healthy. Right now, looking for healthy food has become somewhat of a luxury. We live in a fast paced world where everything needs to be done quickly. Hence, fast food and processed food! Easiest way to eat, isn’t it? But do we really understand the amount of abuse we are putting ourselves through? We may as well inject ourselves with chemicals! How do we change the way we eat? Definitely change your attitude! Don’t be lazy, cook your own food whenever you can. You don’t have time? Then use a few hours off your Sunday to cook for the week and make use of that freezer of yours. May not be ideal but it is certainly a solution. Always make sure you eat a minimum of three healthy meals a day. This is a must, often we find ourselves skipping meals as we are way too “busy”. Ideally, time permitting, aim for 5 – 6 smaller meals a day. This would ensure you are never hungry, and your body stays fully nourished the entire day. Stay hydrated; drink a lot of pure water! Always important! Cut down on caffeine and avoid alcohol and smoking at all cost.
Step two – Rest!Yes, that’s right! You need to rest. How many hours of sleep do you get in a day? Most of us would be lucky if we found 5 hours of sleep! This is certainly not the way to go for a healthy lifestyle. All those bags under your eyes will only age you sooner. A good night’s sleep would ensure you wake up fresh and rearing to go. Keep that up and you won’t even need special skin care! A healthy life is not only about your internal body but also about your external body. So rest well and have that glow that no amount of skin care Gold Coast will ever help you get!
Step three – Exercise!This is the final step of living healthy. Eating healthy and having plenty of rest alone won’t be enough to support a healthy lifestyle by laser hair removal Brisbane. This is the final hurdle and the most important investment! Spend an hour everyday exercising. If you can’t achieve that, aim to hit the gym at least every other day. This step would involve a huge change in attitude. You need to get yourself off the couch and start living. Find yourself a partner with the same goals and this would be easy! When you have achieved all three of these steps through a set of goals, rest assured, you have started a healthy lifestyle! Best of luck, now stop reading and start living! | {
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Volume
Article Number
Publisher
Keywords
Abstract
Objective: To assess differences in trait objectifying measures and eating pathology between Australian Caucasians and Asian women living in Australia and in Hong Kong with high and low levels of western cultural identification (WCI) and to see if exposure to objectifying images had an effect on state-objectification. A further aim was to assess using path analyses whether an extended version of the objectification model, including thin-ideal internalization, differed depending on the level of WCI.
Method: A total of 424 participants comprising 162 Australian Caucasians and 262 Asians (n = 183 currently residing in Australia and n = 79 living in Hong Kong) took part in the study. Of the overall Asian sample, 133 individuals were classified as high- WCI and 129 participants as low-WCI. Participants were randomly allocated into one of two conditions, presenting either objectifying images of attractive and thin Asian and Caucasian female models (objectification group, n = 204), or showing neutral images of objects (e.g., chairs, tables; control group, n = 220). Subsequently, participants were asked to complete a series of questionnaires assessing objectification processes and eating pathology.
Results: Findings revealed that the Caucasian group presented with significantly higher internalization and body surveillance scores than either of the two Asian groups and also revealed higher scores on trait-self-objectification than the low-WCI Asian sample. As regards to the effects of objectifying images on state self-objectification, we found that ratings were higher after exposure to women than to control objects for all groups. Finally, multi-group analyses revealed that our revised objectification model functioned equally across the Caucasian and the high-WCI Asian group, but differed between the Caucasian and the low-WCI Asian group.
Conclusion: Our findings outline that individuals with varying levels of WCI might respond differently to self-objectification processes. Levels of WCI should therefore be taken into consideration when working with women from different cultural backgrounds. | {
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"Faith, acts promptly and boldly on the occasion, on slender evidence."
It's comforting to choose a path that seems well-lit and predictable. But, once in a while, we seem to know with inexplicable confidence that it's time to take a risk.
Moving in faith takes a joyful heart and willingness to surrender perfectionism. Those leaps, both big and small, bring us to a new level of living, thinking and loving.
Have Faith
Search This Blog
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
No expectations BE spontaneous as a child....just Experiencing, discovering and Enjoying...
If you spend your time trying to figure out what's
"best" for you, your choices will be cautious, your decisions will
take forever, and your journey will be launched on a sea of expectations.
If
you are not careful, you will drown in your expectations, it's very hard living
without expectations... The ego always tries to take over!
The greatest freedom
I got was letting go of my expectations, and embrace life as it is I was set
free.
Act with your heart and do what you want, because you’re true desires
will make you happy. Each moment you do this you build happiness and there is
no fear, no worry in the future.
Expectations are indeed walls, limiting a
person from seeing and experiencing life, love and people in their fullest
measure.
Your perspective about a thing is what creates your idea about it. If
your perspective is created by your Mind, it will be based on Data.
If your
perspective is created by your soul, it will be based on awareness.
If you
perspective is created by your Mind and your Soul, working co-jointly, it will
create Wisdom.
Everything that is happening is happening just the way it must,
in order for you to have the opportunity to create the experience of your Self
for which you yearn.
The idea behind all of this is to give you a chance to
become and to know, at the highest level, Who You Really Are. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
What Are Little Boys Made Of?
In this original BTB Investigation, we unveil the tragic story of Kirk Murphy, a four-year-old boy who was treated for “cross-gender disturbance” in 1970 by a young grad student by the name of George Rekers. This story is a stark reminder that there are severe and damaging consequences when therapists try to ensure that boys will be boys.
Slouching Towards Kampala: Uganda’s Deadly Embrace of Hate
When we first reported on three American anti-gay activists traveling to Kampala for a three-day conference, we had no idea that it would be the first report of a long string of events leading to a proposal to institute the death penalty for LGBT people. But that is exactly what happened. In this report, we review our collection of more than 500 posts to tell the story of one nation’s embrace of hatred toward gay people. This report will be updated continuously as events continue to unfold. Check here for the latest updates.
David Benkof: Behind the Mask
At first glance, David Benkof appears to be a young gay man who believes that same-sex marriage will damage the institution of marriage, that there are better options for gay couples than marriage, that the community should join him in prioritizing other more pressing issues, and that the marriage discussion is harming the efforts of gay couples in red states to get recognition for their unions. He also claims that he’s a gay columnist, that he speaks for an influential collection of gay thinkers, and that he is part of the gay and lesbian community and that he shares our goals and dreams. But none of that is true.
“Repeat After Me”: The Reparative Therapy Echo Chamber
The April 2008 edition of the pay-to-publish vanity journal Psychological Reports featured a new report from NARTH. Written by NARTH president A. Dean Byrd, past president Joseph Nicolosi, and Richard W. Potts, the report carries the unwieldy but self-descriptive title, “Clients perceptions of how reorientation therapy and self-help can promote changes in sexual orientation.” While the title describes what the authors meant to show — how clients describe the benefits of reparative therapy — the report itself actually illustrates something very different: the ex-gay movement’s remarkable ability to instill an almost robot-like parroting of ex-gay rhetoric among their clients.
Testing the Premise: Is MRSA The New Gay Plague?
The Toronto Star said that a new study “discover[ed] a new strain” of a super-bug “hitting gay men.” Headlines in Britain screamed, “Flesh-eating bug strikes San Francisco’s gay community,” and anti-gay extremists across America spread the alarm that gays were introducing another plague into “the general population.” But there was a small problem with all of this: None of it is true!
Paul Cameron’s World
In 2005, the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote that “[Paul] Cameron’s ‘science’ echoes Nazi Germany.” What the SPLC didn”t know was Cameron doesn’t just “echo” Nazi Germany. He quoted extensively from one of the Final Solution’s architects. This puts his fascination with quarantines, mandatory tattoos, and extermination being a “plausible idea” in a whole new and deeply disturbing light.
From the Inside: Focus on the Family’s “Love Won Out”
On February 10, I attended an all-day “Love Won Out” ex-gay conference in Phoenix, put on by Focus on the Family and Exodus International. In this series of reports, I talk about what I learned there: the people who go to these conferences, the things that they hear, and what this all means for them, their families and for the rest of us.
The Heterosexual Agenda: Exposing The Myths
At last, the truth can now be told.
Using the same research methods employed by most anti-gay political pressure groups, we examine the statistics and the case studies that dispel many of the myths about heterosexuality. Download your copy today!
Testing The Premise: Are Gays A Threat To Our Children?
Anti-gay activists often charge that gay men and women pose a threat to children. In this report, we explore the supposed connection between homosexuality and child sexual abuse, the conclusions reached by the most knowledgeable professionals in the field, and how anti-gay activists continue to ignore their findings. This has tremendous consequences, not just for gay men and women, but more importantly for the safety of all our children.
Straight From The Source: What the “Dutch Study” Really Says About Gay Couples
Anti-gay activists often cite the “Dutch Study” to claim that gay unions last only about 1½ years and that the these men have an average of eight additional partners per year outside of their steady relationship. In this report, we will take you step by step into the study to see whether the claims are true.
The FRC’s Briefs Are Showing
Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council submitted an Amicus Brief to the Maryland Court of Appeals as that court prepared to consider the issue of gay marriage. We examine just one small section of that brief to reveal the junk science and fraudulent claims of the Family “Research” Council.
Review: The Gay Report
When Karla Jay and Allan Young published The Gay Report in 1979, it quickly a favorite source of statistics for many anti-gay extremists. But before you accepts these statistic at face value, you should examine the inner workings of this survey very carefully. What you learn might surprise you.
Daniel Fetty Doesn’t Count
The FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics aren’t as complete as they ought to be, and their report for 2004 was no exception. In fact, their most recent report has quite a few glaring holes. Holes big enough for Daniel Fetty to fall through.
Sen. Hatch “clarifies” that he meant the opposite of what he said about DADT
Timothy Kincaid
February 4th, 2010
Senator Hatch (Mormon – UT), is now uncomfortable with having told Andrea Mitchell that he had an open mind on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Perhaps his church informed him that his position was in opposition to changing the policy or perhaps the Republican Party clarified for him exactly what he thinks, but whatever the reason, Senator Hatch wishes the public to know that his vote will be in opposition to the change irrespective of the requests of the Pentagon, the position of the Commander in Chief, the findings of the study, or the wishes of the populace.
“It’s deeply regrettable that liberal groups are misconstruing my position on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ for activist purposes. I certainly do not support repealing this policy,” Hatch’s statement on Thursday said.
I guess little ol’ “liberal” me must have misconstrued his position when I posted the video and typed out this words verbatim. I suppose I should have realized that he meant exactly the opposite of what he said. Sen. Orrin Hatch is not “at least open to the idea” of being “willing to vote for the change.”
Or, to put it in politician-speak:
“What I said was that I want to see Adm. Mullen’s report. This is a controversial issue with inflamed passions on both sides,” Hatch said.
“Over the years, the views of the military officers and experts, whom I respect, have said that repealing ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ would make life for our troops more difficult — especially as our armed forces wage a global war on terrorism,” Hatch said.
He added, “I always try to be fair and stand by what’s right and that is why I look forward to reviewing the admiral’s report.”
Somehow “I look forward to reviewing” seems a bit disingenuous when coupled with “I do not support” and “experts, whom I trust”. One gets the sense that the ‘review’ will be a search for items to criticize rather than an impassioned desire to do what is right and correct.
I’m uncertain whether this is an indication that the Republican Party wishes to present a unified front in opposition to the change. But if that is the case, it will only serve to further entrench the party as recalcitrant, obstructionist, and hopelessly in servitude to a tiny fraction of socially ultra-conservative activists.
Polls have shown that a majority of the public, a majority of Republicans and a majority of conservatives all favor doing away with Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. But it seems that Sen. Orrin Hatch no longer dances to the tune of conservative Republicans; he now only dances when the subset of social extremists play.
Sadly for Senator Hatch, it must be increasingly difficult to look in the mirror and say, “I just plain do not believe in prejudice of any kind” or “I just want to do what is right”.
Comments
cowboy
“For one brief shining moment…” — from Camelot. was the thought running in my brain when I read what Sen. Hatch said yesterday and then I hear this clarification from him.
Typical. Consummate politician he is. Life will continue to leave Orrin behind as he continues to write his music & lyrics while sitting at his desk in Washington D.C. Gleefully knowing his Utah constituents will vote for him AGAIN.
Ray
John
Orrin Hatch is and always has been a bigot. So this really comes as no surprise.
This reminds me of another issue though regarding Senators running on at the mouth (particularly on camera). Senate rules allow someone to just say they are filibustering a bill, and the filibuster is on. They don’t have to stand there on the Senate floor hour after hour talking. Because filibusters are so painless now, they are being used much more frequently. And why not? No effort needed!
However, if the old rules were to be brought back and windbags like Hatch would have to stand there hour after hour (perhaps for several days straight) on camera, could you imagine the mileage one could get from the screwy things they say, their angry outbursts as they got more tired. America would also have a very clear visual picture of who is blocking the nation’s business.
The Senate is dominated by elderly men. If they want to put this country’s business on hold, let’s see them work for it. And who knows what they might give us in the process
Chris McCoy
Polls have shown that a majority of the public, a majority of Republicans and a majority of conservatives all favor doing away with Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.
Do you have links to these polls?
When were they conducted?
Have any polls been conducted since the passages of Prop 8 and Prop 1, and the SSM defeats in NY and NJ?
A recent poll over at Daily Kos indicates that only 26% of Republicans favor repealing DADTDP.
I appreciate your larger point here, but I’m leery of pinning Hatch’s views on his Mormonism, and to do so without providing any source on what the Mormon Church thinks about DADT has a whiff of religious bigotry. Their push on Prop. 8 is not necessarily indicative of a general “anything to screw over the gays” policy (which is more characteristic of the evangelical we-can-cure-‘em-at-Jesus-Camp types). Gov. Huntsman of Utah is also a Mormon, and he favors civil unions; Elder L. Whitney Clayton has said the Mormon church will not oppose legislation for domestic partnerships and civil unions.
Richard Rush
I’ve noticed before that some polls show the public to be much more supportive for gays in the military than on other gay rights issues. Even those who self-identify as conservative or Republican show about 58% support. I’m curious, though, about what the reason may be.
I’m inclined to think the reason is that they would much rather see gays be wounded or killed in battle than their own friends and relatives. Is that too cynical? I don’t think so. With two wars still in progress, people know a “draft” is always a possibility.
But I also saw that Daily Kos poll showing 26% support from Republicans, so if that one is correct, then all I can say is . . .never mind.
What Orrin Hatch did here was very typical! He just says what he thinks the current audience wants to hear – and when a different audience is listening, he changes his tune to what they want to hear! Nothing new and something that has been getting worse and worse in the recent past.
Nowadays politicians don’t think twice about outright lies when talking (down) to people who want to hear them – take for instance Susan Collin’s (Maine – R) response to Obama’s weekly address where she spews lie after lie after lie! Who cares!?!? The only ones listening want to hear about how wrong it is for Obama’s administration to mirandize the “underwear bomber” – They want to believe that non-U.S. citizens have no human rights.
The only folks who caught Rachel Maddow exposing her lies and telling the truth about them are liberals who wouldn’t be voting for her anyway — and who Republicans wouldn’t believe anyway. So, who cares that she lies in order to whip up a republican frenzy against following the constitution even when the guilty party is a foreign terrorist!
Frick, 95% of what most politicians say is just to pander to those who are listening.
cowboy
I would suggest the cozy relationship of a lot of the LDS Church Elders with the Sutherland Institute can give a pretty good indication of what a good portion of the Mormon populace believe.
You’ll never see a code of bigotry written or endorsed pronouncement by the LDS First Presidency but the actions and comments I have heard and the reality of living in a LDS dominate culture has shown me the majority of Mormons are prejudiced toward gays. Hence the dichotomy of when some Elders in the LDS Church say one thing but this year (again!) the Mormons in the Utah Legislature are not going to act on resolutions to give gays protection in their jobs or domicile.
And I’d love to introduce you to some BYU students from not too long ago that went through some “cures”. The LDS Church lets Evergreen/NARTH use office space on their Temple Square. They’re not that much different than their Evangelical cousins.
Mykelb
John Doucette
How about the Tea Party movement has the regular Republicans running scared. That and talk about a purity test for Repub politicians to get campaign funds. When it’s all said and done, the KKK and John Birch Society will look like left-wing groups. Until now regular people could still accept the false belief that our politicians actually had some principles. This past year has proved that the Repubs have none.
customartist
The Utah State Legislature just last week postponed passing anti-gay legislation, reportedly as a way of de-focusing Gay issues on the State (and Mormon Church).
Obviously to me, they will continue to “keep it as quiet” (refereing to their promotion of hate) as possible. Remember this was one of the secret directives of the Mormon leadership during the build up to Prop 8.
“Shhhhhhh – keep it quiet!”
Amicus
I never believed his first statement. I figured it was just a gaff, the follow-on the the Mormon charm-offensive in the wake of Prop8 (afterall, they did issue that kind statement that they still love us ‘n all).
He’s just been notified by the Grand Wizard that, like marriage, the military is another ‘justifiable distinction’. That’s all.
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Disc Golf Reviews
Found this in the woods buried in the mud no name no phone number and put it in my bag. Took it home and cleaned it up and have been using it as a great mdirange driver. Holed out my first time with this disc 228 feet through the woods straight in the basket
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My disc golf friends that live out of state always ask me about Disc Nation. Had a buddy fly in from Michigan last year and that was the first place in Texas he wanted to go to.
Thanks, y'all are the best.
AaronSep 10, 2012
I just wanted to let you know how happy I am that I purchased a gift certificate from you. Your customer service was wonderful when I had a problem and I wanted to thank you for that. I will use your company/site 100% of the time in the future. Thanks, again, and have a Merry Christmas. :) | {
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Good time management does not consist of following numerous rules for handling emails, telephone calls, errands, crises, or the myriad assignments and distractions we face every day. Instead, it comes down to one fundamental rule: Do everything now that you now know you have to do. This may sound like mumbo jumbo or a fortune […] | {
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} |
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50+ Years of Proven Silicone Performance
In the 1950s and 1960s, Dow Corning was a pioneer of technologies that opened the eyes of architects to a new way of designing and realizing pure glass aesthetics, first with long-lasting weatherproofing sealants, and then with revolutionary silicone structural glazing (SSG). Learn more in this brochure. | {
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How to Remove Fungus From Ficus Benjamina
Ficus benjamina is a tree that can have fungus problems when it's not getting any air, and the best way to get rid of the fungus is to wash it off in the shower. Spray a ficus benjamina down with a mixture of baking soda and vegetable oil with help from... | {
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Hi all! Tonight’s post is a bit of a mish-mash of what’s been going on and what’s coming up, so please bear with me.
I had a great time at the Webster Groves High School All-Write event on Thursday. The kids were incredibly engaged. They asked thoughtful questions and I was amazed at the number who asked about historical fiction: how to pick a topic, what kind of research it takes, the writing processes etc. It really gives me hope for the future writers of this wonderfully rich genre.
It doesn’t appear that He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not finaled in the most recent contest to be announced. Finalists were supposed to be notified yesterday and I haven’t heard anything. Oh well, can’t win them all. Congratulations to all who did final! (Many more contest results to come over the next few months.)
I am leaving for vacation on Thursday and already have vacation brain. I’m going to Sedona, Arizona, to see my favorite musician, Wrongchilde (aka, Mat Devine, frontman of Kill Hannah), perform at a winery. But more than that, I’m going because I need time off. I haven’t stopped writing in about two and a half years. I need time to get away and think. Sedona is supposed to be a very spiritual place, so I’m looking forward to seeing what messages the Divine has for me.
Speaking of the Divine, I’m reading this incredible novel called A Map of Heaven by Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson. It’s about a 34-year-old woman who finds out she only has two weeks to live because of an inoperable brain tumor. But it’s not a depressing book; it’s actually very uplifting, and the questions she asks very closely mirror ones I’m asking about my own life (so much so, it’s creepy). I’ll do a full review once I’ve finished it, but it’s made such an impact on me I had to mention it.
I’m halfway through my short story for the RWA anthology. Not sure if I’ll get it done in time to submit by March 12, but I really want to, especially since it’s in honor of my grandfather (even though it’s not his actual story).
Still waiting to get edits back on my current historical fiction book. Once I do, I’ll tell you more about it.
Characters are appearing in my head for my next book all the time. I can tell you this: It’s set during WWII in France. There are two main characters, one who is historical and the other I’m making up but placing in semi-historical circumstances. Of the minor characters, a few are just names, but one is quite clear, thanks to me finding the actress who would play her. It’s going to be interesting doing something totally different for this book.
I am obsessed with Orphan Black. If you haven’t watched it, remedy that immediately! I watched the first season free with Amazon Prime and immediately got the second from the library. The third season starts April 18 on BBC America. I don’t have cable, but if Amazon offers it, I’m willing to pay for each episode. The writing is so intricate – I stand in awe of the writers, really. And the acting! Tatiana Maslany is amazing. She plays several different characters and I keep thinking they are all individual people! And in case you’re wondering, I’m team Cosima. (And Felix!)
March is Women’s History Month. I wish I would have known that ahead of time so I could have arranged a series of posts. Maybe I’ll still come up with something. You never know.
Come back here on Thursday to see the cover reveal for Age of Blood by my friend, Shauna Granger. | {
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Taylor-McMahon
Christina Taylor and Bradon McMahon, both of Belpre, announce their engagement.
The bride-to-be is the daughter of Anthony (Pamela) Leak of Parkersburg, and Amy (David) Ball of Strange Creek, W.Va. She is the granddaughter of the late Gary Leak, Jeanette (Lloyd) Border and Howard and Betty Taylor.
She is a 2008 graduate of Parkersburg High School and is a certified phlebotomist and is employed at Interim Health Care as a home health aide.
The prospective bridegroom is the son of Jay McMahon of Marietta, and Denise (Brian) Ward of Belpre.
He is the grandson of the late Ervin and Opal McMahon, Sonny (Kate) Sturm and the late Cheryl Sturm. He is a 2008 graduate of Marietta High School and Washington County Career Center. He is employeed at Thermo Fisher Scientific as fabricator. | {
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OECD figures foresee an uptick in British economic prospects
ECONOMIC growth is set to pick up in the UK even as it weakens across the Eurozone, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said yesterday.
The Paris-based group released its latest composite leading indicators, designed to predict economic turning points in the near future.
The Eurozone’s indicator slipped to 99.4 in August, from 99.5 in July, where the 100 level represents the long term average rating.
The UK’s rating edged up slightly to 100.1 in August, from 100 the previous month, while the US and Japan also recorded levels of 100 or higher.
Across the OECD area as a whole, the outlook fell moderately from 100.2 to 100.1, continuing a downward trend from April’s figure of 100.4.
“The latest OECD leading indicator ties in with the view that the UK economy exited recession in the third quarter but still faces a tough job to develop significant, sustainable growth,” commented economist Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight. | {
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} |
Managing Director Shelley Satonin-Hershkovits has published a new blog postingthat places emphasis on the nurturing process of learning provided by the Frank Hamilton School – it really is a wonderful sight to behold witnessing people of varying skill levels coming together for a harmonious jam where one can just play what is natural in the moment. It is this sort of environment that can be so welcoming to an individual (take me, for instance!) who has never played before or hasn’t played in 20 years and encouraging towards continuing beyond each session and Second Half to enjoy his/her instrument(s) of choice.
Come Play With Usand see what it’s all about. You’ll be glad you did! The new term begins Tuesday, March 7 & Wednesday, March 8.
Happy New Year everyone! I hope that whether you endured or enjoyed the holiday season, you are happy to be in a new year, and 2017 promises to bring some goodness to our collective soul when we most need it. THANK YOU to those of you who made it out to the inaugural Hamilton Hoopla for the Frank Hamilton School and the 6th Annual Atlanta Holiday Hootenanny for Atlanta Habitat! So many wonderful moments scattered through both performances with lasting memories to carry you into the new year!
Sat Jan 14 ~ Frank Hamilton School Presents Barry Waldrep & Kelli Johnsonat the Red Light Café. Advance Tickets $15/$18 Door, Showtime 9 PM/Doors 8 PM. Barry Waldrep is one of the finest guitarists and instrumentalists around and we are grateful to have him perform as part of the Concert Series! Combined with Barry’s prowess as a master multi-instrumentalist is Kelli Johnson’s ability as a songwriter who commands authority in her writing. Smart and charming, she captivates her audience with raw honesty and talent. Deeply rooted in Bluegrass, Country, and Americana music, Kelli has an innate ability to produce fresh music that defies genre boundaries. Check out the beautiful music below as captured on Music City Roots in November. Y’all this is going to be a special evening.
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Winter Term classes begin Tuesday & Wednesday, January 10-11, at Oakhurst Baptist Church in Decatur! Treat yourself right and check out what is going on, as the Frank Hamilton School has added a second evening of offerings for each Wednesday evening during the term as well. For more information click on the picture above or click here! C
THANK YOU from the bottom of the collective heart that includes Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, the Frank Hamilton School, and me, for being a part of the holiday music season. Both The Hamilton Hoopla and the 6th Annual Atlanta Holiday Hootenanny were stellar events, and the musicians who gave of their time and energy for great causes really deserve a loud shout out for participating! Despite all the craziness going on in the world, I am so grateful to be a part of a whole that is so much greater than political/religious/racial beliefs & controversies and provides an outlet for everyone through music and community. Music is a unifying force for all of us. TDawg Presents will return in 2017 with Jerry Day ATL in either late July or early August, perhaps a random event thrown in there somewhere, and of course, the 7th Annual Atlanta Holiday Hootenanny next December!
Exciting times are to come in 2017 for The Frank Hamilton School, as we add additional days for classes, more workshops, and of course more shows as part of the ongoing Frank Hamilton School Concert Series. We will be expanding our reach to venues around the greater Atlanta area, and look for us to be involved again in community events! We are already on board for the Atlanta Dogwood Festival in April and look forward to returning to other festivals while creating some new paths as well.
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Upcoming concerts in January! The Frank Hamilton School presents two distinctly different shows in the month of January to get you started in the new year, SAT January 7 and SAT January 14.
Dusty Roadsis a high-energy Georgia-grown Americana band with influences spanning the legends of country and bluegrass music, such as Merle Haggard, Flatt & Scruggs, Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, and Bill Monroe. You can also expect sprinklings of songs and sounds of the great writers and musicians from across the globe and halls of time, like Django Reinhardt, Duke Ellington, and Irving Berlin. “Come take a trip, down that long, dusty road!”
CJ Jones & The Spirit Bones is an eclectic outfit out of the Commander Cody textbook of music. You’ll be rockin’ and hoppin’ to their infectious Americana sound that tells the story of the Odyssey of Cledus Jeremiah Jones!
Barry Waldrep is a Georgia based Bluegrass, Jam Band, Americana instrumentalist, songwriter and composer extraordinaire. Waldrep and another music partner formed the very successful bluegrass/jam band Rollin’ in the Hay in July 1993, touring the Jam Band circuit of festivals and college campuses across the country until May 2009. Rollin’ in the Hay produced 7 CDs and performed over 300 dates per year for 16 years.
His partner, Kelli Johnson, leans on musical influences such as Allison Krauss, Dolly Parton and Rhonda Vincent and has always been inspired by the pure melodies and lyrics found in classic artistry. There’s no question that Kelli commands authority in her writing. Smart and charming, she captivates her audience with raw honesty and talent. Deeply rooted in Bluegrass, Country, and Americana music, Kelli has an innate ability to produce fresh music that defies genre boundaries. | {
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I am very happy with the speed of delivery and the whole assessment and ordering process. I used Zava for smoking cessation medication. My request was assessed via a medical questionnaire, which, I believe, was then passed onto a medical professional. Less than hours later I received the message from one of their GPs that my request has been approved, I was given full information about the medication (and was made clear numerous times that I was expected to read this), as well as a medical contact person for immediate and future queries. After I paid I then received my meds in the post a day later. Can't fault this service at all and can recommend it 100%. The best thing is, this medication really does work and it's now my fourth day without cigarettes.
Herpes infection can cause sores or breaks in the skin or lining of the mouth, vagina, and rectum. This provides a way for HIV to enter the body. Even without visible sores, having genital herpes increases the number of CD4 cells (the cells that HIV targets for entry into the body) found in the lining of the genitals. When a person has both HIV and genital herpes, the chances are higher that HIV will be spread to an HIV-uninfected sex partner during sexual contact with their partner’s mouth, vagina, or rectum.
People who have had HSV-1 are less likely to contract HSV-2 than those who have not. Previous exposure to HSV-1 also decreases the severity of an HSV-2 outbreak. Reoccurrence of the virus is common, and the virus can be active yet asymptomatic. These infections are more likely to be contracted since the person isn’t aware the virus is active. Studies have shown that 50 percent of the cases of sexual transmission of the virus occurred during asymptomatic infections.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Although there is no cure for herpes, treatments can relieve the symptoms. Medication can decrease the pain related to an outbreak and can shorten healing time. They can also decrease the total number of outbreaks. Drugs including Famvir, Zovirax, and Valtrex are among the drugs used to treat the symptoms of herpes. Warm baths may relieve the pain associated with genital sores.
Do everything possible to prevent spreading it to other people. The virus cannot live long when it is not in contact with the skin, so door handles and towels are not likely to spread it. Do not share your personal belongings, like toothbrushes and combs. Wash your hands with soap and water often, and immediately if you touch the sores. This is important so as to minimize the chance of getting ocular herpes (herpes infection of the eye) which is a serious infection. Be especially careful around infants because their immune systems may not be fully developed. Little children often express affection with sloppy wet kisses. This is a common way to spread the herpes virus within the family.
Herpes simplex is a viral infection caused by the herpes simplex virus.[1] Infections are categorized based on the part of the body infected. Oral herpes involves the face or mouth. It may result in small blisters in groups often called cold sores or fever blisters or may just cause a sore throat.[2][5] Genital herpes, often simply known as herpes, may have minimal symptoms or form blisters that break open and result in small ulcers.[1] These typically heal over two to four weeks.[1] Tingling or shooting pains may occur before the blisters appear.[1] Herpes cycles between periods of active disease followed by periods without symptoms.[1] The first episode is often more severe and may be associated with fever, muscle pains, swollen lymph nodes and headaches.[1] Over time, episodes of active disease decrease in frequency and severity.[1] Other disorders caused by herpes simplex include: herpetic whitlow when it involves the fingers,[6] herpes of the eye,[7] herpes infection of the brain,[8] and neonatal herpes when it affects a newborn, among others.[9]
Signs and symptoms of dehydration usually warrant going to a hospital's emergency department. Infants, especially under 6 weeks of age or if the infant appears to slow urine output or decrease fluid intake, should be evaluated by their pediatrician or in an emergency center if oral sores appear. Individuals with immune suppression (for example, patients undergoing chemotherapy, HIV patients, or cancer patients) should contact their doctors if they suspect a HSV-1 infection.
During stage 1, the virus comes in contact with the skin, enters through cracks or breaks, and reproduces. In this phase, symptoms like fever might occur. The incubation period for oral herpes is between 2 to 12 days. The symptoms last for about 3 weeks. The symptoms may be mild or serious, and occur within the first three weeks after contracting the infection. These symptoms include;
Herpes “triggers” (determining exactly what leads to an outbreak) are highly individual, but with time, many people learn to recognize, and sometimes avoid, factors that seem to reactivate HSV in their own bodies. Illness, poor diet, emotional or physical stress, friction in the genital area, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light (commonly for oral herpes, such as a beach trip or skiing weekend), surgical trauma, and steroidal medication (such as asthma treatment) may trigger a herpes outbreak.
Worldwide rates of either HSV-1 and/or HSV-2 are between 60 and 95% in adults.[4] HSV-1 is more common than HSV-2, with rates of both increasing as people age.[4] HSV-1 rates are between 70% and 80% in populations of low socioeconomic status and 40% to 60% in populations of improved socioeconomic status.[4] An estimated 536 million people or 16% of the population worldwide were infected with HSV-2 as of 2003 with greater rates among women and in those in the developing world.[10] Rates of infection are determined by the presence of antibodies against either viral species.[81]
Diagnosing herpes is made much easier if you present to your clinician at the time that the rash is present and if possible, we can take a sample from that to be sent for Herpes PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) studies to confirm the diagnosis. Advanced medical investigative techniques such as this will allow us to differentiate type one from type two herpes regardless of the nature and distribution of the rash.
Antibodies that develop following an initial infection with a type of HSV prevents reinfection with the same virus type—a person with a history of orofacial infection caused by HSV-1 cannot contract herpes whitlow or a genital infection caused by HSV-1.[citation needed] In a monogamous couple, a seronegative female runs a greater than 30% per year risk of contracting an HSV infection from a seropositive male partner.[37] If an oral HSV-1 infection is contracted first, seroconversion will have occurred after 6 weeks to provide protective antibodies against a future genital HSV-1 infection.[citation needed] Herpes simplex is a double-stranded DNA virus.[38]
Following active infection, herpes viruses establish a latent infection in sensory and autonomic ganglia of the nervous system. The double-stranded DNA of the virus is incorporated into the cell physiology by infection of the nucleus of a nerve's cell body. HSV latency is static; no virus is produced; and is controlled by a number of viral genes, including latency-associated transcript.[70]
Once a person is infected, there are no symptoms for anywhere between 2 days to 2 weeks. This is known as the incubation period and is the time during which the virus multiplies profusely. The first symptoms that are seen are the small fluid-filled blisters known as vesicles. This arises as the virus starts destroying cells at the site and causes intense localized inflammation. These small vesicles or sometimes the larger bullae may either burst resulting in ulcer or heal completely with no scarring. The virus may also travel from the site of infection and “hides” by the sensory dorsal root. Here it remains latent until is it is reactivated.
Zinc: Zinc is needed in many chemical reactions that help rebuild skin and protect the body from viruses or infections. Topical zinc formulas have been found to be effective not only for cold sore treatment, but also for prolonging remissions in herpes. (2) To increase your intake of high-zinc foods, consume more protein sources, such as organ meats (like liver), grass-fed beef, pumpkin seeds, nuts and vegetables like spinach.
If not treated immediately, it has potential spread to other parts of the body. Being highly contagious in nature it gets readily transmitted by sharing utensils, clothes, and toothbrush. Maintaining sexual contact, kissing and touching also leads to the spread of virus. It is likely to spread more when the virus is present with physical outbursts. It is less contagious if the virus is present without any outward physical signs.
People who have had HSV-1 are less likely to contract HSV-2 than those who have not. Previous exposure to HSV-1 also decreases the severity of an HSV-2 outbreak. Reoccurrence of the virus is common, and the virus can be active yet asymptomatic. These infections are more likely to be contracted since the person isn’t aware the virus is active. Studies have shown that 50 percent of the cases of sexual transmission of the virus occurred during asymptomatic infections.
Human herpes virus 3 (HHV3) is also called varicella-zoster virus. HHV3 causes chickenpox. It can also cause a recurrent virus infection of the skin, which is called herpes zoster or shingles. Shingles occurs when dormant varicella-zoster virus from an initial bout of chickenpox becomes reactivated. Like its close relative, HHV1, herpes zoster likes to infect skin cells and nerve cells. This virus may also recur along nerve fibre pathways, causing multiple sores where nerve fibres end on skin cells. Because an entire group of nerve cells is often affected, shingles is generally much more severe than a recurrence of herpes simplex. The lesions generally appear in a band-like or belt-like pattern occurring on one side of the body and are often accompanied by itching, tingling, or even severe pain. Healing usually occurs in 2 to 4 weeks, and scars may remain. Postherpetic neuralgia is a complication of shingles where the pain associated with the infection can persist for months and even years. Most people who experience shingles once do not experience it again.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Although there is no cure for herpes, treatments can relieve the symptoms. Medication can decrease the pain related to an outbreak and can shorten healing time. They can also decrease the total number of outbreaks. Drugs including Famvir, Zovirax, and Valtrex are among the drugs used to treat the symptoms of herpes. Warm baths may relieve the pain associated with genital sores. | {
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Show Info. – 9/3/17
Gold Rush Days
Get ready to turn back time to the turbulent 1850s when Gold Rush Days (& Nights!) return to Old Sacramento over the extended Labor Day Weekend – Friday, September 1 through Monday, September 4, 2017.
September 3rd & 4th
Old Sacramento
FREE
#SacHelpHouston
Former Papa Roach Drummer Dave Buckner and his wife were outraged when they saw the price gauging of water in Texas in the wake of Harvey’s aftermath.Former Papa Roach Drummer Dave Buckner and his wife were outraged when they saw the price gauging of water in Texas in the wake of Harvey’s aftermath. Dave, his wife Stacy and their friends Papa Roach (getting ready to leave on world tour Sept 11) are teaming up to collect items which Dave and his team will personally drive to Houston, departing Sac on Sept 10th.
#SacHelpHouston
755 Riverpoint Ct., West Sacramento
Chalk It Up!
The main attraction of the Chalk It Up! festival are the hundreds of sidewalk chalk paintings that are created over the course of the weekend. Supported by generous sponsors, and brought to life by talented volunteer artists, these squares turn from gray concrete paths to beautiful expressions of artistic vision.
Taste of Tuscany Fundraiser
The community is rallying together after local family law attorney, Christie Mitchell was diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor. Now family and friends invite you to a series of fundraisers to help cover medical costs!
Sangria Sundays
It’s Labor Day weekend! What better way to celebrate a 3-day weekend, then to enjoy nice refreshing beverages with family and friends! We’re talking “Sangria Sundays” with Cante Ao Vinho. Cante Ao Vinho is an award winning, family-owned-and-operated vineyard, winery, and wine bar in the Sierra Foothills of California.
Peanut Butter & Jelly for PFB
One young girl is already lending a helping hand in her community, and she’s only 5-years-old! McKynzie had a goal of collecting 20 jars of Peanut Butter and 20 jars of Jelly — but quickly surpassed it. In just 10 days, she was able to collect 100 jars!
Sugar Shack Boutique
This is something you’ve probably heard before: “No white after Labor Day.” HOWEVER, because we live in the sunny state of California, we can still get away with wearing it. Sugar Shack Boutique joins us in the Good Day studio to share how you can rock white pieces, plus, shared for new fall favorites! | {
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Boyolali Tourism - Exoticism Scenery Of Gancik Hill
Gancik Hill is one of the attractions in Boyolali, Central Java that worth to be visited. From Gancik Hill in Selo Nduwur, Selo Village, Selo Sub-district which is located at 1,850 mdpl slope of Merbabu, the scenery around it looks exotic. Lately, Gancik Hill that is right overlooking Merapi becomes a favorite place of local tourists who visit Selo region. It happens after local residents build a view post and two gazebos on this hill. Viewing stand made of bamboo with height 9 meters is now a favorite photo hunting place for doing selfie.
In addition to beautiful natural scenery with the background of Merapi and Merbabu Mountain, Gancik Hill also includes one of the most beautiful places for its sunrise view, especially during summer season. This is possible because of the location, it is a view point parallel to the peak of Merapi that is known to have one of the best sunrise views. From the viewing post at Gancik Hill, travelers can enjoy the beautiful sun as it emerges from behind Lawu Mountain in Karanganyar. From here, the view of the golden triangle mountains (Lawu-Merapi-Merbabu) looks distant. Even at night, the natural beauty of Gancik Hill is still interesting. The area of Solo City looks like a reverse latitude with the lights from the mainland like a full moon shadow.
The word of "Gancik" was taken from the history of Kyai Sharif who lived in Merbabu in the year before independence. It was said that path on the hill often be a path up and down Kyai Sharif from Merbabu to Pasar Selo. In Gancik Hill area, there are 4 sacred places that have potential to become tourism supporters in this hill. The four places are the Jalak Cave, Watu Buto, Watu Jonggol, and Kali Gede.
From the 4 caves, distance of Jalak Cave is the closest with the viewing post of Gancik Hill, about 200 meters up from the Gancik Hill viewing post. While Kali Gede, Watu Jonggol and Watu Buto are still in the area of the hill. Watu Buto and Watu Jonggol are 2 large pieces of rock that have historical stories and mystical place. Because of the size of the stone, it is said that the stone is clearly visible from the Solo Palace. Until now, Watu Jonggol remains in place and it's never rotten. No one dare person moves the location of the stone because the stone will always return to its original place.
By local residents, the existence of sacred places will be managed better as part of religious tourism that supports the potential of Gancik Hill Tourism. So that later complete, there are agricultural tourism, nature tourism, and religious tourism.
Access to Gancik Hill is not difficult. Although the location of the viewing post is quite high, but the distance of it is quite close to the settlement. From the Solo-Selo-Borobudur (SSB) line, travelers can take a route through the villages of Selo Tengah and Selo Nduwur. The path to the hill is quite adrenaline rush because there is only a path, uphill, and flanked by vegetable plantations owned by residents.
Travelers can reach the viewing point in Gancik Hill by motorcycle with crossing the farm path that is partly already in the concrete. Meanwhile, if reached by foot, this hill can be achieved in 30 minutes. For entrance ticket to Gancik Hill, visitors are charged Rp. 5000 / motorcycle. In this tourist place, there are also many food and beverage sellers that you can enjoy. | {
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cwo-reynolds
Waiting for an ah64 apache longbow helicopter with a passenger target designator (like the viewfinder only it is your target system for chain gun) with pilot controlled missiles. You'd never see me driving in a car. | {
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UCLA In the News April 27, 2018
Jeff Brantingham is as close as it gets to putting a face on the controversial practice of “predictive policing.” Over the past decade, the University of California-Los Angeles anthropology professor adapted his Pentagon-funded research in forecasting battlefield casualties in Iraq to predicting crime for American police departments, patenting his research and founding a for-profit company named PredPol, LLC.… Now, Brantingham is using military research funding for another tech and policing collaboration with potentially damaging repercussions: using machine learning, the Los Angeles Police Department’s criminal data, and an outdated gang territory map to automate the classification of “gang-related” crimes.
Jonathan Flint, who studies the genetics of depression at the University of California in Los Angeles, said: “Our current treatments for depression are relatively ineffective — roughly speaking, only about half of patients improve — so we really need better therapies. To discover new treatments and to deliver the ones we have more effectively, we need a better understanding of what causes depression. Finding genetic risk variants is a way to do just that — the risk variants point to genes that are involved in the disease, and thus provide clues to how depression arises.”
It’s not hard to imagine how difficult it would be to complete the simplest of daily tasks if your hands and fingers were paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury. Six people so afflicted have now regained the use of their hands and fingers after participating in a UCLA-led study of a non-surgical, non-invasive spinal stimulation technique.
“These marriages are not leading, to the best of our knowledge, to long-term marriages where they’re living together,” [UCLA’s] Jody Heymann told Teen Vogue. “So, I think that’s really important for people who believe that child marriage when there’s a pregnancy is actually forming a family and a long-term marriage. It’s not. It’s really not the solution.” Heymann serves as the dean of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. In this role, she assisted Alissa Koski, a postdoctoral scholar, in investigating the prevalence of child marriage in the U.S. Together, they published “Child Marriage in the United States: How Common Is the Practice, And Which Children Are at Greatest Risk?” a new study that goes further than any other to show just how prevalent child marriage is in the U.S.
“Laura’s passing is a profound loss,” said Chon Noriega, director of the [UCLA] Chicano Studies Research Center. “She had an ability to cut through the biases and habits of thought that makes us see a smaller world than actually exists. And she did it as an expression of the stunning beauty of the human body, including her own.” (Also: Associated Press)
Adds a blunt-spoken Tom Nunan, a former UPN network president who now teaches at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television: “Bill Cosby was once known as America’s dad. Now, he’ll forever be known as America’s rapist. And that’s the fact. There may be an appeal, but his reputation is forever scarred.”
A February report from UCLA’s Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies notes, “The industry has been much slower to accept the related truth that its success in providing today’s (and tomorrow’s) audiences with what they crave also hinges on the presence of diverse talent behind the camera.” This is where MoviePass, with its single fee for a monthly buffet of films, could be the most significant catalyst for cultural change since the internet and yoga pants. (Written by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)
“If a male has a BRCA mutation, their risk of breast cancer increases 100-fold,” said senior study author Dr. Christopher Childers. He is a resident physician in the department of surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine. “But it’s not just breast cancer — BRCA mutations put men at higher risk for often aggressive prostate cancers that occur at younger ages,” Childers added in a university news release.
“There’s a pent-up demand for superhero films that’s been building since 1938 and 1939, when Superman and Batman came along, and it’s kind of exploded here in the 21st century,” said Jonathan Kuntz, a lecturer at the School of Theater, Film and Television at the University of California Los Angeles, in an interview on April 19. | {
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Air Traffic Control Kids Feel Terrible About Father’s Suspension
Like a divorce gone bad, the nine-year-old twins who went to work with their dad and were permitted to give directions to pilots from an air traffic control tower at JFK blame themselves for their father’s suspension. The whole family is reportedly distraught over the incident and saddened by the father being “demonized.” |NYDN|
Seems like all our authorities are way too touchy these days. It's like how a kid bring a toy laser gun to school and gets expelled, or how Adult Swim puts up warning lights in Boston with animated characters and people think there's a terrorist attack. | {
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Litigation Solicitor
A fantastic opportunity has arisen with a highly-regarded, law firm based in Hereford to work in an established litigation team on a permanent basis. Salary competitive, dependent on experience.
Working in a small team, you will be responsible for building on an already established case load and driving business development to achieve the firms long term goals. The firm can offer an accelerated career path, were the successful candidate can expect to achieve full partnership in the short to long term.
The successful candidate will have experience in a broad range of both civil & commercial litigation. You will be an ambitious, driven individual that is able to demonstrate a solid technical background, superb communication skills and a real commercial focus to succeed.
Employment law experience would be advantageous.
This really is a great opportunity to join a growing, respected firm operating in the local area that can offer real achievable career prospects.
Please contact Jack Smith, Legal Recruitment Consultant, to discuss the role in more detail or apply through the vacancy for immediate consideration.
Please contact Jack Smith, Legal Recruitment Consultant, to discuss the role in more detail or apply through the vacancy for immediate consideration.
Douglas Scott are a legal recruitment expert and the UK's leading law firms trust us with their legal vacancies. You can therefore apply for our London legal jobs with confidence. We are a regulated recruitment consultancy and will discuss this role and seek your approval before submitting an application directly to the decision maker. | {
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The more I read about this guy, the more I have (apparently) contradictory feelings.
I'm sorry it had to end the way it did for him; he deserved much better; he could have achieved much more.
I'm glad it ended quickly for him; he can move on to other things in life because he is a very talented and intelligent guy.
^ born in the wrong era to an extent, played under the shadow of Chinese stars like Lin Dan, Xia Xuanze, Chen Jin, and as a result got less exposure. On his day capable of beating anyone, but injury often prevented this, and when given his chance injury would always hinder his performance. In the end it was a quiet unspectacular end to his career not what he deserved, but he has the opportunity now to go on to a different path to which I wish him good luck!
He seems to be getting into media and promotion. But he is also staying fit for another go later in the National games next year. Here is something I just found...
Bao Chunlai tell everyone he has worked as a manager in the Culture and Sports Department of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office Jiuzhou Cultural Communication Center the post. In addition, he joined the Qinghai Satellite TV is also special as host of “adventure” file of the nature of the reality show’s program. It is worth mentioning, Bao Chunlai said that although there is a new job, but they did not leave the sports, did not leave badminton, he said exactly that in the 2013 National Games on behalf of the Hunan team play.
He seems to be getting into media and promotion. But he is also staying fit for another go later in the National games next year......
If North American badminton organizations were smarter (and richer) they would make him an offer to come over and coach. Even if he couldn''t speak a word of English, his employers would get their money's worth if even a nanogram of his talent rubbed off on some of our up-and-comers.
Read somewhere that BCL is coming out of retirement and will play for one of the team's in the chinese badminton league next season because he was asked to play in the chinese provincial games of next yr? Can anybody confirm that?
Read somewhere that BCL is coming out of retirement and will play for one of the team's in the chinese badminton league next season because he was asked to play in the chinese provincial games of next yr? Can anybody confirm that?
We could be reading the same Chinese article which was somewhat sketchy and didn't specifically say he's coming back to play in the International circuit,only mentioning the domestic league for a certain team - I wouldn't exactly call that coming out of retirement, still it'll be great to see him play again (problem is where to watch it).
Don't think BCL will go back to the international circuit. He informed BWF that he's not playing any more to get off the doping control program so he can treat his injuries.
The Chinese National Games next year will most likely be his last competition. Chinese players are usually brought up by the local sporting system. They are obliged to repay the system with their contribution to the provincial results at the National Games.
It has been reported that BCL may make his first appearance at the Chinese League in October.
Well, even if he only makes a brief comeback it's still good news, he was my favorite men's singles players...
BCL was a gentleman on court compared to ..................
He was good but not good enough to clinch consistent top 5 ranking and was a bridesmaid to other illustrious Chinese players.
It is hoped that he does well in his new career and that he continues to earn sporting endorsements. | {
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Audio Note UK DAC 2.1x Signature Review
Beguiling Digital
Unexpected Pleasures
I wanted to share a few notes about the Audio Note UK (website) DAC 2.1x Signature that Mr. Q sent along with the CDT-Two/II transport that I so greatly admired.
The US price for the DAC2.1x Signature is $4,900. Like the transport, this DAC sits about mid-way through their “levels” of digital converter products. It includes the expected Audio Note “secret sauce” componentry, including Black Gate caps, Tantalum resistors, a choke-regulated and tube rectified power supply, as well as the separate mains transformer and a transformer-based digital input. It also includes a no-feedback tube-output stage. The AD1865N chip supports 24Bit/96KHz files (even though the chip is 18-bit), and in direct contravention to received wisdom, the DAC is “digital filter free”.
In case it’s not obvious, this DAC is unabashedly un-modern — there are no inputs for USB or Ethernet (wired or wireless), and no “real” high-resolution support (the DAC will truncate down to 18 bits). It’s S/PDIF over RCA or AES/EBU over XLR or nothing.
Generally speaking, the sound of this DAC is “warm” bordering on “romantic.” I suspect that other reviewers will prefer the terms “analog” or “musical”, and they have a point — digital music that flows into this DAC comes out sounding rich, full, lush, and very listenable. If you’re looking for a converter that is going to make everything sound pretty flipping awesome, you can pretty much stop right here. Not only could you do a lot worse than this little machine, I am unconvinced that most of you have done better. Different, maybe. Better? Probably not.
Which brings me to an aside. The point I’m making here is pretty simple even if it’s combative — digital converters, by and large, are not awesome. Still.
Don’t get me wrong — the newest ones are very precise. Very clean. They’ve got all the right bits and bobs, say all the right things on the spec sheets, have all the latest support for whatever. And still, they sound like death. You’re welcome to disagree, but until you have the chance to sit down with a great DAC, your opinion is uninformed.
Snap.
Yes, yes: I am waving my hands violently for effect. I am not saying you’re an idiot. I mean, you may be, but I’m not saying that. What I am saying is that there does not seem to be a useful barometer out there for “good converters”, which is particularly perplexing at this point in the development of computer audio. As you probably know, I’m a huge fan of Stereophile; I’ve had the opportunity to sit down with most of their Recommended Components digital components and their conclusions are inconsistent and confused. And while I will cheerfully caveat these comments with the usual “YMMV”, I will also say that I have high hopes for our erstwhile partner Rafe Arnott in his new gig at Audiostream.
So, back to brass tacks: according to Received Wisdom, the DAC 2.1x Signature should not be an excellent-sounding converter. Especially since it measures like crap. There is nothing in the spec sheet that justifies anything other than a complete dismissal.
And what a shame that would be.
Why? Because while it does not quite reach best-in-class, that ought not to be the last word. Why? Because chances are, this DAC is a damn sight better than what you’ve grown accustomed to. Why? Because what the DAC2.1x Signature does offer is that all-too-rare window that only occasionally sits between two stereo speakers: real music.
In short, what this DAC does is make me completely rethink what actually matters in high-end audio, digital or otherwise. I am (once again) sorely tempted to toss all rulers and barometers out the window and start over, and this time, completely ignore anything that has anything to do with specs or measurements. Which, I fully acknowledge, will present a problem for certain readers addicted to forum-sourced spec-led latest-is-always-greatest opinions.
My suggestion: Don’t be misled. Try one of these DACs for yourself and trust your ears.
Comparisons
Some points of comparison to that notion of “reference”. Compared with my in-house value-reference, the BorderPatrol DAC, I will confess that I find the latter to be more open and more transparent. I should note that the BP DAC also happens to be an exemplary all-over performer in this category (the BorderPatrol DAC retails for half the price of this version of the Audio Note DAC), so this result was not really a surprise.
Where the Audio Note DAC made up lost ground was in the low-end, where there was more there there in terms of bass weight, body and texture. This was a bit more than a simple trade between openness and heft, however. The BP DAC has percussive bass, but the Audio Note DAC just has this pleasing plumpness that sounds especially good on systems challenged by an all-too-common unbearable lightness of being. That is, if you’re running a full solid-state system, you really ought to try this Audio Note source pronto (– otherwise, the usual caveats apply).
Moving directly to my in-house performance reference, the Bricasti M1LE, I found the DAC 2.1x Signature to come admirably close in terms of immersiveness and tangible interactivity — and by that, I mean that both are incredibly playable DACs, rendering music in ways that are mesmerizing and invitational: you will want to listen to music. Both will while away the time, lull you with their beauty, lure you onto the rocks, and peacefully drown you while the Sirens sing on and on and on, wailing their tale of forgotten sorrow into the cold, wet, salt-swept air.
When we decide to be annoying and pull out the metric-driven scoresheet, however, the Bricasti has the advantage. The M1LE is more articulate and more linear-sounding, with a deeper and more nuanced low-end matched by a more extended high-end. The second-order pleasures of tube-based audio are also more than matched with an increased 3-D sense of spaciousness. The M1LE maintains its reference-grade pride-of-place, but it is worth mentioning that the top-of-the-line Bricasti is also $15k and has a faceplate that’s been dipped in actual gold (no, really, actual gold). Apples to apples? Maybe not quite.
But with all that said, I am deeply tempted by the DAC 2.1x Signature’s warm, easy and inviting character and will be the very first to suggest that it will genuinely and unapologetically appeal to those that simply want to play their CDs and don’t care about the latest and greatest formats or the joys of streaming music. And for those lucky few, the Audio Note will create a truly lovely, inviting, and welcoming sound.
My friend Art Dudley reviewed the DAC 2.1x Signature a few years ago, and aside from his “vigorous recommendation”, I don’t have much to add. The DAC 2.1x Signature is an excellent machine. It may not look like much, but it’s simple. It’s easy. And best of all, it sounds damn good.
2 Comments on Audio Note UK DAC 2.1x Signature Review
I have the BP SE DAC and as of a week ago an AN 2.0 dac upgraded to 2.1 signature; it is superb. As much as I enjoy the BP the AN has even more boogie & tone, in my system it really brings things to a plateau that I think I would need to spend significant money to improve. | {
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Walmart CEO Optimistic About Christmas Because Broke People Shop At Walmart
…about Walmart’s upcoming holiday season. Why? Because consumers are broke and they have to shop at Walmart or else.
“I saw great merchandise and our customers are going to love our prices,” Scott said during the conclusion of Wal-Mart’s two-day annual analyst and investor meeting in Rogers, ARK.
“I feel we are well positioned for an economic downturn,” Scott said. “Our low prices and low-cost business model should give us an advantage over other retailers if things get more difficult for consumers.”
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Everyone is getting the Hershey’s Pot ‘O Gold from K-Mart from ME this year. They’ve always got those for a good deal after Thanksgiving. Maybe I’m taking the lesser evil, but Wal-Mart gives me goosebumps.
Were there any Americans doing those jobs in the first place? Seems like most of the work in America are done by illegal immigrants to me. Americans are F-ing lazy and spoiled. I see people begging on the streets, then notice.. why aren’t there illegal immigrents begging on the streets.. Oh that’s right.. they actually work.
@BigNutty: If they were infact paying their fare of taxes I guess your right. They outsource the manufacturing, denying America the payroll taxes, get huge tax breaks in building the stores, the bury the profit in ways that taxes won’t have to be paid on them.
Remember that Enron was a poster child for this kind of crap. Held in high esteem until it all unraveled.
Biggest load of libertarian bullshit in the world. Illegal immigrants ARE the only ones willing to do those jobs at extreme poverty pay. It the general and not so good contractors we have today would pay more than slavery rates, which they would if there was no illegal immigrants there would be lines for those jobs.
@COFFEECUP: LOL, the Hot Cocoa set thing was a joke. You dont realize how crappy those are until you get one. I usually give nice gifts but it just seems silly to buy my wife gifts and her to buy me gifts when it all comes from the same pool of money.
I’m not a Walmart hater and I think what Lee Scott said is reasonable. During an economic downturn people are still going to buy things. Walmart has many of those things at a cheaper prices than their competition. People who are worried about their economic situation will naturally try to make every dollar stretch as far as possible. Your headline is overblown. Also, Christmas shopping fever is creepy.
I agree with your assessment. Though this kind of jumps tracks of the origional post, the entire argument that illegals “do work Americans won’t do” or anything similar is only because the pay for those positions won’t support an average American family. I wonder if those same people who make those arguments ever consider that if there were no illegals to do those jobs at such low rates of pay, businesses would be forced to increase pay for those jobs to livable wages and Americans will suddenly become interested in those jobs.
Years ago, I worked in a fast food restaurant with an extremely friendly young woman from Mexico. She was an illegal immigrant and lived in a house in town with like 20 others. She was a police officer in Mexico City before she jumped the border, and made more money making burgers here than she did there. The problem was, she took all the money she made and sent it back to her family in Mexico, and of course, being an illegal, she didn’t pay taxes on her income. So, she was taking money out of our economy here in the US and wasn’t putting anything back in. Last I heard, the estimate is that there are over 12 million illegals here in the US, and I’m pretty sure all of them are doing the same thing. Some of them even manage to somehow get onto welfare. Think this is a drain on our economy? You bet.
Here’s an interesting story my father passed on to me. He works with a woman who immigrated here with her husband from Switzerland. They both have college degrees, are highly-intelligent, and were well-off in their home country from their hard work. Sounds like the kind of people we want immigrating here, right? They came here legally, but it literally took years to cut through the red tape and beaurocracy and cost them thousands of dollars of their own money, to the point where she told my father they felt like the US didn’t want them and were trying to keep them out.
When they finally got here and found out that people from Mexico jump the border all the time, and then heard there was a political movement to grant these immigrants *amnesty* who broke the law and came here illegally, after all they went through to come here legally, they were infuriated. Can you even imagine how they must have felt?
Seriously, just try to cross the border illegally at virtually any other industrialized country in the world. What would happen? Your ass gets thrown in jail. Other countries take it very seriously when you don’t respect their borders. I don’t understand why some people think it’s alright for Mexico to try to anex the US.
It’s somewhat of a cyclical problem. Wal-Mart lowers the overall wages (especially in small towns where they’re the primary employer), so people have less money to spend. They shop and Wal-Mart because they have less money to spend. There are more Wal-Marts because more people are shopping there because they have less money to spend.
One of the earlier posters mentioned how illegals don’t pay taxes and are a drain on our economy. But I have to wonder, really what would happen to our economy if they ALL just suddenly were deported back home. I know someone who is in the country illegally who has a great paying job, under a false name and of course they deduct all the usual deductions from his paycheck but he can’t file income taxes like the rest of us do nor will he ever be able to receive what he has paid into Social Security. Like the rest of us the money he makes goes to pay for food and essentials for his family which he pays taxes on.
What might happen to our economy and Social Security system if the money deducted from the millions of paychecks from illegal workers just suddenly stopped?
@SkyeBlue: It’s not a bad consideration, but you’re assuming they all work on the books. I think that people arguing the opposite are imagining that there would be more tax money coming in if all the people working off the books and/or drawing welfare were suddenly on a legal payroll.
“I feel we are well positioned for an economic downturn,” Scott said. “Our low prices and low-cost business model should give us an advantage over other retailers if things get more difficult for consumers.”
Well good for you Lee. Congrats all-around.
Considering the fact that by forcing manufacturing jobs overseas by Walmart is part of what is causing the downturn,
I’m sure he is squealing with glee over this. One can only hope that maybe Mr. Scott will be visited by 3 ghosts on Christmas eve too.
And what large retailer doesn’t sell imported merchandise? Most everything I buy says made in China or made in Taiwan. Most of the people in my kids school district are foreigners. Walmart doesn’t make the rules. Nor do they decide on the minimum wage in this country. They just go with it and work with it. Write to your government if you want changes. Get involved instead of just complaining about the way things are. And leave Walmart alone. They’ve got great prices.
Are you kidding me? There’s actually people who DON’T know whats wrong with Wal-Mart!? What rock have you been hiding under? They pay their workers squat, don’t offer health insurance to most, sell lead tainted Chinese made CRAP, cheat out on taxes…the list goes on. And yes, other companies do this as well, but Wal-Mart has shown a history of blantent insensitivity to the issues that arise from customers and workers alike. The question really is whats NOT wrong with WallyWorld.
I may not have a lot of money to spend this season but it sure as hell won’t be spent at Wal-Mart. I started shopping for deals online about a month ago. And I’m also trying to buy what I can that’s not made in China.
We are pretty broke this year but we are buying American made products this year, as opposed to cheap, Chinese made crap, so no…guess we won’t be hitting walmart anytime soon. Sorry to burst your bubble there Lee.
@etinterrapax: It is sadly very hard, I dread going to the store because I spend so much time reading labels. It’s such a pain, but seems to be important. I never even set foot into walmart anymore but I am doing some research on American companies that actually make & sell their stuff over here, I should put together a list…. | {
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ryland555555
About Me
Started playing paintball in 1998 or so. I worked as a REF for about 2 years at Pev's when they were at the Woodbridge field. OLD SCHOOL!!! Just got back into the sport and own a Invert MINI with a Velocity Jr. loader. I love woodsball and love to play hopperball. Catch me at Hog-Back or AG for now I guess. Ill check the new Pev's out once they get some woods fields. | {
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Events such as the Central European Floods in 2013 have shown that the collaboration between citizens and authorities can be of high importance during crisis situations. In recognition of this, the EU research project "EmerGent” aims to explore possibilities and concepts for supporting this collaboration through social media and technology. The overall objective of EmerGent is to understand the positive and negative impact of social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.) in emergencies in order to enhance the safety and security of citizens before, during and after emergencies. For this, concepts and technical prototypes will be developed which will enable emergency services to receive information from social networks, to evaluate it and, if applicable, to integrate it into their decision-making processes and emergency responses (for details visit: http://www.fp7-emergent.eu/).
Our project is guided by practical research: First we want to find out what emergency services really need and what the situation is like at the moment via a very short online survey which will only take 5-10 minutes to complete.
We are interested to know whether you have already had experiences in collaborating with citizens via social media, what problems you have experienced, and what you think the role social media could play in future crisis management. Your input and feedback will guide the development of technical prototypes, which we hope will be of relevance to you and your organization and will be further developed through testing and redevelopment.
Please be reassured that your responses to this survey will be anonymous and treated in strictest confidence, and the results of the survey in anonymized form can be accessed on the project website or emailed to you.
We would be very grateful if you would support us in answering our questions: | {
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4 archives found for "magnet scraper"
Flipping and flopping magnetic algae scrapers are all the rage these days, giving hobbyists multiple options when cleaning their aquariums with a single device. The latest scraper to surface in this expansive hobby is this Magnetic Scraper from ZetLight, and it puts a slightly different twist to [...]
Vertex Aquaristik recently loaded us up with a whole bunch of their products for review, and in an attempt to work methodically and at a sufficient pace to properly cover each item leading up to MACNA later this month, we are going to take things slowly and start off with a preliminary review of [...]
A couple of days ago, we spied a photo of the new Hexaplex Cleaner Mag from Vertex Aquaristik, but at the time, we had literally zero details about the magnetic device. Fortunately, Vertex reached out to us shortly after our article went live to offer up a few more details (mainly price and glass [...]
Magnetic algae scrapers can be your best friend or your worst enemy. On one hand, they remove most of that pesky algae off the walls of the aquarium without having to get your arm and half of your body wet. On the other, the pads of the scraper can can cause numerous scratches in both glass and [...] | {
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"If I allow you to do that, the whole system collapses," I said. "We will have chaos. I let you make your case to the DNC, and we voted unanimously and you lost."
He kept insisting that they were going to move up Michigan on their own, even though if they did that, they would lose half their delegates. By that point Carl and I were leaning toward each other over a table in the middle of the room, shouting and dropping the occasional expletive.
"You won't deny us seats at the convention," he said.
"Carl, take it to the bank," I said. "They will not get a credential. The closest they'll get to Boston will be watching it on television. I will not let you break this entire nominating process for one state. The rules are the rules. If you want to call my bluff, Carl, you go ahead and do it."
We glared at each other some more, but there was nothing much left to say. I was holding all the cards and Levin knew it.
[Source: McAuliffe, Terry. What A Party!, p. 325.]
Yup, this is the same guy that wants the votes counted this time. With Harold Ickes making similar pronouncements before signing up for the Clinton campaign it will be increasingly difficult to sell the public (and more importantly SuperDelegates) their current line of bull. | {
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In a Nutshell
Online video courses prepare students for emergencies by training them in first aid, defibrillator operation, and CPR for adults and kids
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires 180 days after purchase. Amount paid never expires.Limit 1 per visit. Must activate by expiration date on Groupon, membership expires 12-months from activation date.Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
ProFirstAid
The Deal
This convenient training is nationally accredited and meets the latest ECC/ILCOR, AHA, and OSHA standards. After becoming certified in first aid, AED operation, and CPR, the card is immediately available to print. A hard copy will follow in the mail shortly afterward.
Practical Self Defense
Because a human life is priceless, it seems silly to put a price tag on the training videos that could save one. So Practical Self Defense didn't—most of its online tutorials are free to view, from those that cover CPR and basic first aid to the ones about snake bites and allergic reactions. Viewers can stop and start these lessons at their leisure as they learn the latest emergency techniques, demonstrated by lead trainer and paramedic Roy Shaw. The library is also continually updated so that it keeps up with American Heart Association guidelines and any discoveries of new, uncharted organs. Students who pass a skill test can print their certification card immediately. A second, professionally printed card will arrive in about a week. These cards are recognized at institutions across the country and remain valid for two years.
Shaw also draws from his army and hand-to-hand combat training experience to help everyday people overcome violence from criminals. His self defense course covers topics like overcoming the fears of self defense, how to effectively use pepper spray, and the physical necessary skills to defend yourself. An easy-to-use online module imparts knowledge of vital techniques for subduing or escaping from an assailant. Armed with simple, tried-and-true tactics for countering attacks, students return to the world with heightened awareness, training, and a greater sense of security. | {
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Pages
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes....
Happy New Year Bo Bunny fans!
This time of year always brings with it thoughts of a new year and a fresh start, but it is also winter time for those of us living in the northern hemisphere. I personally don't care for the cold, but I do love snowflakes! So when I first saw the Bo Bunny Winter Lace snowflake, I knew I wanted to create something with it!
Today I am sharing a stamping tutorial using the Bo Bunny Winter Lace snowflake, embossing powder and glitter. Here is the finished project. I also created a video for you to view with instructions on how to create your very own glitter, embossed snowflake. I used it on a card, but you could easily use it on a layout or tag.Supplies: Snowy Serenade Winter Night, Double Dot Slate Dot, Double Dot Frost Dot, Winter Lace Stamp, iCandy Jewels | {
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Disclaimer
The information provided on this site, the service provided by it, and its text, graphics, and images is for informational purposes only.
It is not to be construed as medical care or medical advice, does not create any patient-physician relationship and is not a replacement
for medical care given by physicians or trained medical personnel. | {
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The Masked Medics
Members
Promotions
The Masked Medics', also referred to as The Mysterious Medics, were a professional wrestling tag team during the 1950s and 1960s. The team consisted of American wrestler Tony González and French-Canadian wrestler Donald Lortie. | {
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W-40i Game Camera (Refurb)
*90 DAY WARRANTY APPLIES.* With the Moultrie W-40i Game Camera as a major player in your scouting game plan, you can stay ahead of the pack with clear, crisp images and HD videos with sound of wildlife roaming your land.
You’re laser-focused on a nearby buck with your bow raised and ready – and you arrived at this crucial moment because of the knowledge you gained through scouting. With the Moultrie W-40i Game Camera as a major player in your scouting game plan, you can stay ahead of the pack with clear, crisp images and HD videos with sound of wildlife roaming your land. Even up to 80 feet away in the pitch dark of night, the W-40i can detect a passing buck and covertly snap a brilliant shot through the trees thanks to the 80-foot flash range and iNVISIBLE Infrared Flash technology. | {
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This year’s Bulls-Suns showdown featured: the second-highest-rated NBA game ever, Sunday night’s climactic game six (which can also claim the most individual viewers ever, thanks to the ever-increasing population); the third-highest-rated NBA game in history, Wednesday’s game four; the second-highest-rated game five ever Friday; and the highest-rated games one and three ever during the previous week.
Sunday’s dramatic sixth game (20.3/39) delivered the second-highest rating ever for an NBA game, behind only the 21.2/37 scored June 21, 1988, with that year’s L.A. Lakers-Detroit Pistons championship series seventh game.
Ratings are a percentage of households, and are not inflated by population increases. Counting individual viewers, a measure that is inflated as the population grows, Sunday’s total of about 60 million sets the all-time NBA record.
Sunday’s 16-minute post-game show was even higher-rated than the game itself, achieving a 20.8/35.
While NBC will in no way bemoan these stratospheric numbers, it seems nearly certain the Peacock could have achieved an all-time NBA ratings record had the Suns been able to win Sunday and force a seventh game.
With the NBA’s two biggest names, Chicago’s Michael Jordan and Phoenix’s Charles Barkley, headlining the pro basketball’s championship series, the six-game average rating managed to land within reasonable range of last October’s baseball World Series (which finished with a six-game 20.2/34). Basketball does it in the low viewership month of June and with somewhat more profitable demographics than baseball is attracting these days.
Neither sport can currently challenge the single-game pro-football championship, the Super Bowl, which scored a 45.1/66 last January to make it the second-highest-rated telecast of any type (behind only “Cheers’ ” final episode) since the January ’87 Super Bowl.
And pro basketball’s four- to seven-game championship series still doesn’t equal the ratings of college basketball’s single-game finale, telecast in the early spring when overall viewership is somewhat higher. Last April 5, the North Carolina-Michigan matchup earned a 22.2/34.
NBC’s strong young-adults numbers from basketball propelled it to a big win among adults 18-49 for the week. The Peacock averaged a 7.7/24 in that demo, clobbering the competition of ABC (4.8/15), CBS (4.5/14) and Fox (3.4/11). NBC has now run no worst than second and CBS no better than third by this measure for the last 10 weeks.
The young urban appeal of basketball has meant that NBC’s success came largely at the expense of Fox, which got stuffed last week to its lowest weeklong rating since July 1-7, 1991.
Monday
But basketball is over and Fox immediately bounced back on Monday of the current week with feature film “The Babe.” Slamming a 9.1/16, the cable-bypassing Babe claimed Fox’s highest film share ever and won the night among adults 18-49. Measured by household rating, “The Babe” ties for third among all films shown to date by Fox, a stellar start for Fox’s Monday pic as a weekly fixture.
In results from the country’s 29 individual metropolitan areas metered by Nielsen, “The Babe” actually won in households and earned the best Fox Monday-pic rating ever (an average 11.8/20 in those 29 cities).
But in national numbers, ABC took the night in households when “Day One” (11. 4/21) stunned the 8-9 p.m. competition with the second-best “Day One” rating yet and best so far on Monday. The newsmag did it with a report on Pepsi’s PR campaign to combat false product-tampering reports and a story on patients mistakenly diagnosed as dead.
Then the theatrical pic “Dead Bang” (10.6/19) won the 9-11 p.m. race, marking just the second time in the past year that an ABC Monday pic has managed that.
Sunday
The second-highest-rated NBA telecast ever made it an easy Sunday victory for NBC, its third in five weeks and biggest since January’s Super Bowl. CBS came up with the most effective counterprogramming –“60 Minutes” and the theatrical “Parenthood,” though “60 Minutes” lost its slot for only the second time since last Summer’s Olympics.
Saturday
As usual, CBS won the night in households and Fox dominated among adults 18- 49.
NBC’s Saturday lineup is turning in ghastly numbers, particularly the 10-11 p.m. team of “Black Tie Affair” and “The Powers That Be.” They caused the Peacock, for the second time in three weeks, to flutter to its worst Saturday share since Jan. 16, 1982.
Friday
NBC’s Suns-Bulls hoops coverage jumped through the Friday competition and nobody was hit harder than ABC’s “Home Free,” which equaled ABC’s worst Friday 9 :30-10 p.m. share in the five years since a David Bowie spec aired there June 3, 1988. A low 92% clearance contributed to the “Free” fall.
CBS premiered its “Eye to Eye With Connie Chung” and saw its best share in the Thursday 9-10 p.m. hour since the “Knots Landing” finale, and second-best share there in the last 12 weeks. Chung even beat “Cheers,” though with demos that were dramatically older-skewing — a mere 13 share among women 18-34 and a 28 among women 50 and older.
ABC moved back into the Thursday lead as NBC turned its troubled 8-8:30 half-hour over to a President Clinton broadcast. The Peacock was also stuck with its worst Thursday 10-11 p.m. share since New Year’s Eve from the start of a test run for “Sisters” (which did manage competitive young-women demos).
The night’s demo race was nearly a reverse image of the households race. Households winner ABC dropped to a tie for last among adults 18-49, while NBC, third for the night in households, still won Thursday as usual in the 18-49 demo.
CBS won its third Tuesday in four weeks, as ABC continued to endure poor “Jack’s Place” numbers.
NBC’s “Route 66″ may already be running out of gas, losing 24% of its ratings mileage in its second trip. Meanwhile, “South Beach” actually gained 1% with its second exposure, but it’s still the flabbiest net performer in the slot.
Each rating point represents an estimated 931,000 households, or 1% of the country’s TV homes. The share is the same sort of percentage, except that it’s measured against only the households watching TV during the timeslot involved. | {
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Factbox: Most and least obese states
July 7, 2011 by Lisa Baertlein Reuters
The number of U.S. adults who tipped the scale into obesity rose in 16 states the last year, helping to push obesity rates in a dozen states above 30 percent. Obesity rates did not decline in any state.
Here is a list of the five most and least obese states (including the District of Columbia), according to "F as in Fat," an annual report from the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which was released on Thursday. | {
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I’m an iOS developer at Snapsale, and I spend some time on the road, either travelling to our main office in Oslo, or to conferences. For my out-of-office work, I chose the entry-level Macbook.
The specs were not very powerful: a 1,1Ghz dual-core Broadwell Core-M with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. But then again my expectation was mainly to do meetings and notes, UI review and the occasional Xcode hacking. Thus I chose 12” to optimize for being able to “comfortably” work from the flight seat and the coach seat, and retina for working on UI together with our designer.
Optimizing for the screen is something I would not have expected to do five years ago, and I must admit to being a bit hesitant to how the Macbook would deal with Xcode. The answer is: surprisingly well. What I had not factored in was that the SSD is actually a quite fast SSD, and since development work is quite I/O intensive, that made a significant difference.
One of the big benefits of this Mac that is easily overlooked is no fans. I actually didn’t notice for the first couple of weeks until my colleagues Macbook Pro spun up to a whine. Of course, the worst part is that the CPU is not powerful enough to need those fans, but buying a Macbook, you should be very aware of this going in.
So how is the Macbook for Xcode? It’s decent: I’d say about half the speed of my Skylake iMac (2015 model). The amount of stuff on my screen is of course limited, but laptop development work usually has this drawback, and dealing with that is not hard.
So instead of only occasional Xcode work, I use it heavily for Xcode even when I’m not travelling: at home when I don’t want to go into my home office but be in the living room, and even in my office when I want to run another branch of the git repo in parallel.
With this in mind, I expect to be able to recommend a Skylake Macbook (the rumoured early 2016 model) as an all right Xcode environment. | {
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What physical requirements must I have in order to go land sailing?
Who goes land sailing?
How do I charter a private group trip?
What if there is inclement weather?
The weather is generally very pleasant in the region. In the rare event of inclement weather, you may choose to
participate in alternate activities and side trips until the weather improves. A generous credit will be issued for
use toward a future trip should inclement weather occur during your entire trip.
What should I bring?
Bring a refillable water bottle, sunglasses, a snug-fitting hat (a tie string is recommended), sun
block, lip balm, camera, any important medications, and a desire to have
a great time & make new friends. You may use a pocket MP3 player
with headphones, however, keep the volume at a level where you can still hear what's going on around you.
What should I wear?
Wear full length pants (no shorts or "capris") and closed toe shoes (no
sandals or flip-flops). Select very casual clothing that you won't mind getting a little
dusty. The same goes for your shoes - but don't worry - a
damp cloth is usually all that's needed to clean your shoes when you
get back. During the early spring and late fall, it's a good idea to
bring a coat, hat, gloves, and a muffler. The sunny desert air can sometimes feel
very cool in the breezes.
How do I redeem a Gift Certificate?
Please call 800-377-9774 or email the date(s) you are interested in, including your name, certificate number, and telephone number. You will receive a telephone call prior to receiving your final confirmation materials. | {
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Mexican Side Leon Acquires Three Salvadorian Players
After El Salvador's win over Mexico, three Salvadorian players have made their way to Mexican second-division side Leon.
Inspired by El Salvador's 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory over
Mexico, Primera A outfit Leon has acquired the services of three
“Selecta” players in Christian Castillo, Rodolfo Zelaya, and Julio
Martinez.
“They are the best that El Salvador has to offer,” confirmed Leon
vice-president Salvador Necohea in a press conference. “We are building
a strong team, we expect to ascend to first division this year, and I
feel that they will help us achieve that objective which will also be a
benefit to them because Leon is part of Primera A and that will help
them get noticed by first division sides."
Martinez, the 23-year-old Isidro Metapan midfielder, opened the
scoring against Mexico in the fourth-round Hexagonal qualifier. He will
be joined by Alianza strikers Zelaya and Castillo who have become key
players in the Salvadorian national team which is competing in the
CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers.
“They saw that taking all three players could be an advantage
because of the quality they posses,” added Alianza president Lisandro
Pohl. Originally Leon’s intention was to take Zelaya on loan but upon
further negotiations with the Salvadorian club decided to take all
three players.
“It was not a difficult negotiation,” added Pohl. “It was a positive
reunion, the players will go on loan with a buyout clause,” concluded
the Alianza president. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Nicaragua fall 2009
This team focused on presenting the Gospel through evangelistic puppet shows. We worked in Condega and coordinated with a youth group there and their outreach program. We then went to Managua and visited various places including churches, schools and an orphanage. We had two different Nicaragua pastors assist us in doing a Gospel presentation and invitation. About 2500 heard the Gospel, and over 200 made a first time profession of faith. We also helped refurbish computers at a school for the deaf, and for an Assemblies of God radio station in Managua. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
COTTON TWILL CLASSIC SUIT
- JACKET:NOTCHED LAPELS, LONG SLEEVE, FOUR BUTTONS ON THE CUFFS, TWO BUTTON CLOSURE, TWO FRONT POCKETS, ONE POCKET ON THE CHEST, THREE INTERNAL POCKETS, T CUT ON THE BACK SIDE, LINING, LENGTH: 72 CM- TROUSERS: BUTTON AND HOOK CLOSURE, TWO SIDE WELT POCKETS, TWO SLIT POCKETS ON THE BACK SIDE, RISE: 21 CM, LENGTH: 91 CM, HEM: 18 CM- 98% COTTON, 2% ELASTAN- MADE IN ITALY- MODEL IS WEARING SIZE 48 | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
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Melissa was referred to me by the "Welcome Back" clinic in Kamloops. I have two herniated discs in my lower back & after just one session I felt immediate relief from the pain. I would not hesitate to recommend Melissa and the Change Your Pain Kamloops Clinic to anyone!Phil | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Nemoto Boutique
With only about 1,800 square feet on a tight site in suburban Tokyo, Japan, this house and boutique for a wealthy landowner was designed using two major themes:
Exposed Architectural Concrete contrasted with soft and warm colors, and Light used to make dramatic statements. The steps inside the glass block “lantern” stairwell do not touch the perimeter, allowing light to wash up the inside, creating a dramatic night-time effect. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Product Description
Day/Night Marine camera. NTSC version for North America
The Raymarine CAM100 Day and Night Marine camera instantly transforms Raymarine E-Series into a powerful onboard video observation system. Improve docking safety by monitoring blind spots or keep track of the engine room and crew from the helm. From the fly bridge to saloon, monitor any on board activity, or use multiple cameras for a total view of your vessel and surroundings. Using a highly sensitive IR sensor the camera automatically switches from true color to black and white night vision mode at night.
CAM100 Features:
Transforms Raymarine E-Series displays into an onboard video observation system | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
News and opinions about gaming and pop culture filtered through a HeroClix lens!!
Month: August 2015
Don’t mess with the volcano my man, ’cause I will go Pompeii on your… butt.
[WRITER’S NOTE: So the set is about Nick Fury and not Mr. Furious, but a guy can dream.]
[EDITOR’S NOTE: You have strange dreams.]
Some General Notes About the Set:
There are a lot of good figures in this set. I know it sounds like I say that every time, but seriously, there just aren’t many losers when you factor in their point value. I listened to the Dial H for HeroClix Podcast today and one of the hosts joked that there are so many good figures in this set that when you do Sealed you don’t really need to think too hard. Just make sure the total point value is near 300 and the actual characters you select don’t matter that much. It will be a good team.
The Dial H guys also warned that this set is awful for Battle Royales. I would definitely agree with that. Your whole 5 member team might not add up to 300 points and someone else might start off by pulling the 300 point SR NFAOS006AHulk. Or you might get a Hulkbuster torso in the rare slot of the pack you just opened.
I would have liked to have seen more Secret Warriors then just Quake and Druid. Most of this set seems to come from the pages of their series and all of the rest of Team White has rotated out of Modern.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Last I checked, Eden Fesi, aka Manifold, was a very important character in that run and arguably–at least before Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. blew up Daisy Johnson’s profile–the most recognizable member of Nick’s Caterpillar team, since he graduated to the Avengers when Hickman took that book over. And he was just Clix’d in Avengers Assemble!!]
Okay, yeah, I meant besides him.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Sure you did.]
Anyway… some of the Invaders are individually powerful, but I don’t see myself ever playing that team. Maybe because they were before my time? It would have been cool to give Spitfire a Trait that shows she is now Blade’s girlfriend. Like +1 to defense when adjacent or something. Missed opportunity.
How can Wizkids not have made a “Watcher Eyeball” Special Object for the OP kit? Why would they include a Winter Soldier in that prize kit and not have him be the new “Man on the Wall” version of that character from the final panels of Original Sin? Where are all the villians from the Original Sin series? I want an intelligent “Mindless One” figure! More missed thematic opportunities–and this is coming from someone who really digs this set!
Uhhh… on second thought, maybe not.
Continuing that line of thought, everyone knows about the Fantastic Four/X-Men pseudo-ban that Marvel has imposed, so it would have been nice to see Wizkids really properly exploit some of the best Nick Fury stories of the last 6 years. Nick Fury “The Unseen” needs a whole dial–not just a final click. While the Invaders–old and new–are all fine and dandy, this set needed to pull more pieces from “Secret Warriors” and “Original Sin.” I realize we were probably never going to see a new Gorgon (part of his convoluted history involves him being a mutant), but instead of all those Invaders, I would have rather seen: JT James, Alexander, Ares (at this point, he almost HAS to be a Con Exclusive next year, right?), Norman Osborn, Jerry Sledge and, hmmm… oh yeah: Leviathan!! Two or three figures plus some Generics. And I haven’t even gotten to the members of The Great Wheel!! MISSED. OPPORTUNITY!
Alright. Enough moping. Time to get into some…
Top Five HONORABLE MENTIONS:
“Just because we all look the same in these uniforms doesn’t mean you can refer to us as ‘Generics.’“
5. NFAOS006AS.H.I.E.L.D. Bodyguard – Here’s a quote from my appraisal of Iron Man’s blue-dial from my Avengers Assemble Top Ten article: “18 Defense with Defend is nothing to sneeze at. It was awesome when they released CT043Invisible Girl and it’s almost as good now.” That applies double to S.H.I.E.L.D. Bodyguard who, instead of costing 125 points like Iron Man, costs 35 points. That happens to also be two points less than CT043Invisible Girl and with a much better dial. You’re going to want to push the S.H.I.E.L.D. Bodyguard to Click 2 where he sports his 18 Defend along with Sidestep and Close Combat Expert (a skill he undoubtedly likes to keep handy for close encounters). If you then push him again onto Clicks 3 and 4 he becomes your team’s medic. So he’s at first protecting your team from damage and then he switches gears to heal your team if they get damaged. That’s a lot of usefulness for just 35 points.
Will the real Nick Fury please stand up?
4. NFAOS001 Nick Fury – Nick Fury for 65 points is just average. 10 Attack, 3 Damage, Stealth, Precision Strike, Toughness and Shape Change, and Indomitable. There are lots of guys like him in this set. However, his 65 point dial is hiding the best S.H.I.E.L.D generic in the set. The 25 point generic dial starts with the same exact first two clicks as the 65 point version, but for 40 points less! Once you pay for the 65 point leader, you can add as many of the 25 point version as you want. With all of those little guys you’ve added it’s a good thing they all have the rally trait which states, “Rally: Whenever Nick Fury hits one or more opposing characters, add one action to your action total this turn.” That means that even if you have ten of this guy on your team you won’t run out of actions as long as your attacks keep hitting. If you decide that you want to be “that guy” for one event and just run a metric poop-ton of generics, you could do worse than fielding one Fury and a bunch of his L.M.D.’s…
3. NFAOS046 Imperial Hydra– I like him because he enhances a lot of other pieces rather than just being a powerful piece himself. The main reason to play this guy is his Trait that states, “TWO HEADS SHALL TAKE THEIR PLACE!: When another friendly character with the Hydra keyword is KO’d and actions resolve, you may give Imperial Hydra an action token. If you do, roll a d6 that can’t be rerolled. 4 – 5: Place a character from outside the game with the Hydra keyword of 40 points or less adjacent to Imperial Hydra. 6: Place up to two characters from outside the game with the Hydra keyword of 40 points or less adjacent to Imperial Hydra.”
So keep him in your Starting Area and let him constantly re-spawn more Hydra units for you all game. If you get even one 40 point Hydra unit out of him then you’ve broken even. He works way better on teams with a lot of Hydra units rather than teams with just a few figures.
“No I will NOT look behind me! You fools think you can outwit Demonicus with the oldest trick in the book?!“
2. NFAOS047 Dr. Demonicus – What a cool idea for a figure. He’s a Kaiju summoning mad scientist. “GIANT MONSTER SUMMON!: Give Dr. Demonicus a power action if no friendly bystander token named on this card is on the map. You may choose one you haven’t chosen this game and place it on the map adjacent to him.”
While each of his Bystander Tokens probably isn’t worth 80 points by itself, if you get most of them out over the course of a game then I’d say you definitely got value for his 80 points. Remember to keep the good doctor close to his creations. He has Perplex and the Special Power “LIFESTONE DEFENSE: Adjacent friendly characters with “colossal damage symbol” modify their defense values by +1.” Those two powers together can raise any of his monster token’s Defense Value to 20 or more!
Shine bright like a diamond.
1. NFAOS041 Radiance – For 65 points you get a character with the S.H.I.E.L.D. keyword that has the Wing Symbol and gives all adjacent S.H.I.E.L.D. pieces Shape Change. There are a lot of good S.H.I.E.L.D. pieces in this set and many that I would argue were great who came out even before this set. Radiance is the best low point Taxi for S.H.I.E.L.D. keyword that is not named AVAS037Manifold. But, unlike Manifold, her duel target Incapacitate lets her also assist her teammates in battle. She reminds me a lot of one of Hypefox’s favorite pieces, IIM002Rescue.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Probably one of my most-played Common pieces.]
TopTen Figures of the Set:
“Need… more… arms… with guns!!”
10. NFAOS022 Winter Soldier – This Winter Soldier shares a keyword with Steve Rogers and actually lets them make a Themed Team again. That warms my heart. On the other hand, seeing this guy across the table should chill your opponent’s heart.
Now, he doesn’t have opening Running Shot or any sort of native move and attack. Instead, he just sits in Stealth and bides his time. He sports Improved Targeting: Ignores Hindering AND Improved Targeting: Ignores Characters AND he’s rocking a crazy-good Special Damage Power that reads like this: “Deadly Sniper: Winter Soldier can use Outwit and Ranged Combat Expert, both with a locked range value of 10. If he uses both in a turn, he must target the same character.”
When you put it all together, he can Outwit right through Stealth from 10 squares away and then attack that same character for up to five damage. To paraphrase my earlier thoughts on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Bodyguard, having Steath and Outwit together on one dial was good all the way back in Infinity Challenge (Why, it’s Infinity Challenge Experienced Black Panther! Hello again, old friend!), and it’s still good now. And when you add Winter Soldier’s Improved Targeting twist, it gets even better.
Ooooookay, this does not look safe…
9. NFAOS061 Avengers Sky-Cycle – Hawkeye has been getting a lot of love lately in HeroClix. He’s got three good-to-great options in Modern (AAOU009Hawkeye, AVAS002Hawkeye, and AAOU106Hawkeye.). He’s got two specialized Revert figures (AVAS066Goliath, and AVAS052Ronin). And now he has the best vehicle in this set printed for him.
Of all of the Chases in this set, this is the only vehicle that can actually carry more than just the pilot. That’s a big thing. It will also let Hawkeye take a huge hit that might otherwise have KO’d him (seriously, this thing has six Clicks of life–with Toughness on the first three!).
But the best part about this vehicle is it’s printed power, “Unbelievable Upside-Down Shot: When Avengers Sky-Cycle makes an attack, you may modify its attack value by +2. If you do and actions resolve, roll a d6 that can’t be rerolled and on a result of 1, place the pilot in an adjacent square, dealing it and all passengers 2 unavoidable damage.” Keep in mind that with the new vehicle rules, the Sky-Cycle will be making attacks with its Pilot’s printed stats. So this power allows almost any Pilot to raise the Sky-Cycle’s Attack Value to a very “Hawkeye-like” 12 or 13 with only a very small chance of catastrophe.
This piece is called “Killing It” by Stuart Immonen. And if it’s not, it should be.
8. NFAOS049 Captain America – The new Falcon as Captain America has a better then expected range of 7 along with Precision Strike, 11 Attack, and 3 Damage. But his defense is where he really shines. He has a Defense Special Power that contain the most standard powers I’ve ever seen combined into one white box. It reads, “How Did I Ever Survive Without a Shield?: Captain America can use Energy Shield/Deflection, Invulnerability, Super Senses, and Willpower.” That’s four standard powers in one! Apparently, Sam is able to use that shield better than Cap ever did (at least in HeroClix).
Being that he’s the artist formerly known as Falcon, this Captain America also gets help from his birds via 3 pigeon tokens and a Redwing token. Redwing’s use is obvious, but the pigeons will need a bit more strategic planning to get the most out of them. Being that they are tiny size I believe that their best use is to be Carried and then dropped into adjacency with opposing figures while your figures stay at least one square back. You opponent will hopefully have to waste an attack on each pigeon token.
I’m just picturing it in my head now:
“Hulk hate puny pigeons!”
[EDITOR’S NOTE: By the way, has there been a better “new look” for an established character in the last ten years than Falcon’s Captain America costume? It’s like they took the best bits of Falcon’s original costume, Cap’s normal suit, and Cap’s “Winter Soldier” movie costume, blended it all together, and somehow the result is even greater than the sum of its substantial parts.
Also, I don’t want to get off on a rant here, but of all the diversity initiatives Marvel has undertaken with their topline, A-list characters lately (Thor is a woman! Spider-Man is black! Ms. Marvel is a Muslim!), Sam Wilson becoming Cap has always made the most sense to me, story-wise. If anything, Falcon should have been promoted to replace Steve a few years ago when the Winter Soldier ended up taking over as Captain America. Cap and Falcon had been friends and fellow Avengers for years; at the time, Bucky Barnes had only recently gotten his mind right after being brainwashed into becoming a Communist killing machine for decades! Which of those two would YOU choose to inspire millions of Americans and carry on your legacy if you were Cap?
Now don’t get me wrong; while I thought most of these storylines were bad ideas at the time (mostly because they seemed forced and contrived, as if they existed solely to round out some sort of character diversity quota instead of coming about naturally as each character’s story progressed), Marvel’s implementation of these stories has been nearly flawless, especially when you consider how easy it would be to screw these twists up and alienate your core readers.
As much as I didn’t understand replacing Thor with a woman called “Thor” (isn’t Thor Odinson Thor’s actual name, and not a title like “Captain America?” That’s like if everyone started calling the Falcon “Steve” after he took over the mantle of Captain America, which wouldn’t make any sense at all, right? Or am I just completely overthinking this?), the way that story has evolved (especially with the reveal of who this new Thor actually is) has kind of grown on me.
And while I’m not a huge Ultimate Spider-Man fan, Miles Morales actually seems to work better when he exists in stories WITH Peter Parker interacting with/sort of guiding him. Peter’s traditionally portrayed as just barely having his own life together, so the idea of someone like that mentoring a kid with similar powers like Miles is actually pretty interesting to me, and I look forward to the upcoming post-Secret Wars merging where they will both exist in the same universe.
Finally, Ms. Marvel has become a wonderful book about a young girl trying to balance the power and responsibility of being a latent Inhuman with her Muslim faith while still trying to survive life as a normal American high-schooler (and not just in her own book–check out her delightful guest appearance in the second issue of Mark Waid’s wonderful new “S.H.I.E.L.D.” series from a few months ago). Also, her hero worship of Carol Danvers offers a unique window into what Kamala Khan values and plants a very compelling reason as to why she would consciously choose to fight for justice under the name “Ms. Marvel.” In other words, Ms. Marvel might be the most Spider-Man-like character Marvel’s published in a decade.
This is why I always loved that Marvel as a whole is called “The House of Ideas.” I love plenty of DC characters, and there are many wonderful stories in that universe. But I just can’t see DC pulling off something this crazy on paper and actually having it all work.
Alright, with all that said, let’s get back to Ninwashui’s Top Ten already!!]
7. NFAOS007B Peggy Carter – Ho-hum. Another set, another VERY good Common Prime. For 60 points, this bargain Batman piece Peggy Carter figure brings a lot to the table. First, her Improved Movement: Ignores Hindering Terrain helps her get to enemy territory and her Trait protects her when she gets there: “Behind Enemy Lines If Peggy Carter is closer to an opponent’s starting area than she is to her own, she can use Stealth and Shape Change.”
If your opponent can’t see through Stealth, then she can keeping running between Hindering Terrain patches while she puts her Energy Explosion to work. If the opponent tries to engage her in close combat he faces the wrath of her exceptionally good Damage Special, “Saboteur At the beginning of your turn, choose a standard power or team ability. Opposing characters within 3 squares of Peggy Carter can’t use it until your next turn. ” If your opponent brings his whole team after her… well, she is only 60 points. Your other 240 points of team should be able to flank your opponent and easily take advantage of that.
6. FFNFAOS004 Fitz (and FFNFAOS099 H.E.N.R.Y.)– If you’ve read any of our Top Tens before, you know that whenever I see a character cost exactly 50 points in a Fast Forces set, I tend to pay attention. 50 points is the magical point value for good support characters in HeroClix Fast Forces releases. It’s a trend that started way back with FFCW006RScarlet Witch and continued on with pieces like FFDP006RMercy and most recently FFOA006RCaptain America. In the long tradition of 50 Point Fast Forces support pieces, Fitz does not disappoint.
Starting on click two, Fitz has Perplex, the Shield TA, Field Team Backup Trait and an extremely mobile Empower/Enhancement effect via Henry. Then he also has the choice to use a power action for Telekenisis or to grant another character an additional Perplex. That’s a ton of support for just 50 points, and that’s why he’s on this list at #6!
So… I’m thinking this is the image they referenced for her sculpt.
5. NFAOS050 Thor – For 145 points this may be the best version of Thor ever printed. She has the damage reducers normally associated with Thor, but she also has the Improved Targeting: Ignores Characters, Elevation, and Hindering that seems more like it would be at home on DP036Bullseye. She starts defensively with Impervious and Shape Change. Offensively, she has Running Shot and Energy Explosion. Once she takes some damage she switches to Super Strength and full move Charge! He dial finishes strong with Pulse Wave and then finally regeneration. She doesn’t have a bad click amongst her eight clicks of life and she gets a bonus against resource users: “If She Be Worthy: Modify Thor’s attack and damage values by +1 when targeting a single character that is assigned a relic or resource with an attack.” A real steal for the points.
This is a Primary Attacker that we’ll be seeing in ROC’s and other tournies for the next two years!
“Of course I use a gun! Who am I, Batman?“
4. NFAOS051 Steve Rogers – In HeroClix this is the best director that S.H.I.E.L.D. has ever had. You’ll notice the high Attack Values right away with the opening 12, but the surprising part is how consistent those values are. Only on his final Click does he get as low as a 10 Attack. While his Running Shot, Improved Targeting and dual target Energy Explosion make him look like a solo Primary Attacker, he is just as good at supporting his team. He has Leadership, Enhancement, the ability to grant other pieces Energy Shield/Deflection, and every time he hits with an attack anyone with the S.H.I.E.L.D. keyword can use Probability Control while attacking that turn.
So you may not have a ton of room left after fielding Steve for 150 Points, but you won’t need it, since he gets the most out of his 40-60 Point S.H.I.E.L.D. running buddies!
“I am called Nighthawk. Mostly because it is scarier than ‘Kyle.”“
3. NFAOS059b Nighthawk (Prime) – Think of how much you enjoy powers like Ranged Combat Expert, Traits that grant stat bonuses, or Resources that give +1 to all stats. For 65 points this guy shuts all of that down and much, much more. His Trait reads, “The People Must Think For Themselves: Friendly characters can’t be targeted by Mind Control. Opposing characters’ combat values can’t be increased unless they are adjacent to Nighthawk.” Offensively this guy is nothing too special, but he shines defensively. He defensive power reads, “President of the United States (of Earth-712): Nighthawk can use Energy Shield/Deflection and Shape Change. When he uses Shape Change, increase the result by +1 for each adjacent friendly character.” It’s kind funny that he gets energy Shield/Deflection himself because that power is useless on opposing characters. But hey, what good is an unfair advantage if you can’t take advantage of it?
“What do you mean you think I look like a rejected monster from Resident Evil 4?!“
2. NFAOS048 Iron Nail – Hypefox and I played a Sealed game with 2 packs each of this set. He pulled Iron Nail and SR Nighthawk. The truth is that he could have beaten my whole team with just this guy. His powers and stats are about average for a character of his point cost, but his Trait is borderline broken. It reads “Rapid Power Drain At the end of your turn, place a Drain token on the cards of all adjacent opposing characters. Opposing characters modify their combat values by -1 for each Drain token placed by him. An opposing character may be given a power action to remove all Drain tokens from that character’s card.“
In our sealed game he just walked Iron Nail next to my Baron Blood prime and that was pretty much all he needed to do to win that match. Baron Blood had a 10 attack that became a 9 and of course he missed that attack roll the following turn. Even if he hit, he would have needed a good Blades/Claws/Fangs roll to even do damage. Iron Nail’s dial is 8 clicks long with damage reducers all the way and it has this Trait the whole dial, obviously. He could easily KO any of the 14 figures I have named so far. Even 300 point SR Hulk in this set would have a good chance of losing to this guy in a 1 on 1 fight. In Sealed he’s an auto play and I bet he’ll see a lot of constructed play as well. Especially when you consider he has the S.H.I.E.L.D. keyword. Which leads me to my next thought: He has the freaking S.H.I.E.L.D. keyword! So you’re not even that limited in what teams you can build around him! Sheeesh.
1. NFAOS056 Nick Fury– In the Original Sin storyline it was revealed that Nick Fury was secretly a cosmic assassin (called “The Man on the Wall”) that spent all his free time killing entities that were going to threaten the earth before anyone else even knew about it. If you were a mystical demon overlord, cosmic alien warlord, or a monster from the center of the earth, chances are that Nick and his frankly awesome-beyond-words-Gamma- bullet- sniper- rifle had you in his crosshairs.
They’ve translated this character into HeroClix extremely well. He doesn’t have Running Shot; like the Winter Soldier, Nick will just sit and wait for you to come into his (extremely long) range. When you do, you’re toast He accomplishes this with a Trait and Special Power. His Trait reads “Cosmic Assassin, Guardian of Earth: Nick Fury can use Shape Change. When Nick Fury targets only the highest point opposing character with an attack, modify his attack and damage values by +1 and he deals penetrating damage.”
His special power reads, “Watcher’s Eyes to See Secrets: Nick Fury can use Probability Control. Give Nick Fury a free action and choose a power that an opposing character within range and line of fire can use. That character can’t use that power until your next turn.”
Because of his Trait, the highest point opposing character is always dealt Penetrating damage on any attack (even close combat). If you are someone like IIM103Absorbing Man who doesn’t fear Penetrating damage, then Nick Fury will just use his Special Power on you and take away your defense anyway. Think about that for a moment. He would deal Penetrating damage to 1000 point Shuma-Gorath and if Invincible showed up, Nick would just take that power away too. With an 11 Attack likely changing to 12 and Probability Control built in, he is not missing often and with his various Improved Targeting Traits, literally only Blocking Terrain is safe to hide behind. Defensively he has Stealth, Toughness, 18 Defense, Probability Control, and Shape Change! If an opponent wants to try and take Nick out, that’s far from a sure thing.
He reminds me a lot of DP036Bullseye back when Bullseye and DP102Bill, Agent of A.I.M. were the Meta team to beat. Nick is far superior to Bullseye for just 10 more points and he should see a bunch of Constructed play. Heck, the Meta might soon be playing either him or playing a team designed to beat him (whatever that might be). That’s why he’s the best figure in this set.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: We also have a special announcement!! We’re teaming with Heroclix Underground to help provide content for their new venture! Look for versions of this article, a Top Ten Second Opinion and more to show up soon on their site. As for Critical Missives, we’re not going anywhere, and we’ll soon return with “Straight, With CHASEr 4” (where we take a special look at the new vehicles) and the aforementioned Second Opinion on Nick Fury!!]
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So I was not able top attend the ROC state championship for Michigan, but after it was over I talked to several people that were there. One of those people was Adam Kohl, who finished in third place. I thought his team was very interesting and deserved further analysis. He played:
Team Name: Adam’s 3rd Place ROC Team
Keyword Theme: None
Roster:
FL050 The Flash (w/ WOL068P Predator)
WOL099 Despotellis
WOLR107 Power Battery (Blue Lantern Corps)
WOLR307 Blue Lantern Ring
WOLR207.11 Bulldozer (Blue)
WOLR207.14 Sniper Rifle (Blue)
WOLR207.13 Stop Sign (Blue)
WOLR207.04 Wall (Blue)
WOLR207.06 Decoy (Blue)
WOLR207.09 Nurse (Blue)
Total = 300 Points
I asked him why he used the pieces he used. He responded, “Predator because it looks cool and gives you Shape Change the whole dial. Blue Battery because it let’s you reroll Shape Change . I’d give Flash Sniper Rifle and Despotellis the wall.Basically I wanted to take non meta or barely meta stuff to the top to prove it could be done.”
He took third place at States with his team and he was trying to play non meta pieces. This got me thinking… what if we took his team and went the other way with it. What if we took KC Flash and went completely Meta with the rest of the team?
“KC Flash you have shown the ability to cause great fear in the hearts of HeroClix Players. Welcome to the Sinestro Corps.”
Team Name: KC Flash, the Meta Version
Keyword Theme: Sinestro Corps
Roster:
FL050The Flash (w/WOL065PParallax)
WOL099Despotellis
WOLR105Power Battery (Sinestro Corps)
WOLR305Sinestro Corps Ring
WOLR205.11Bulldozer (Yellow)
WOLR205.14Sniper Rifle (Yellow)
WOLR205.13Stop Sign (Yellow)
WOLR205.04Wall (Yellow)
WOLR205.06Decoy (Yellow)
WOLR205.09Nurse (Yellow)
Total = 300 Points
Now this isn’t a team I’d ever play at my local venue, but in a State Championship the gloves are off. This is a Themed Team, so you’ll get +3 to map roll and WOL099Despotellis will get to use Themed Team rerolls.
The Yellow Power Battery and WOL065PParallax are proven winners. They just won the European Championship teamed up with JLTW050Superman. The Emotional Spectrum Power states: “Opposing characters modify their attack values by -2 when targeting a friendly Corps Member of a higher point value.” In a 300 point game it’s not very often that you’ll see characters played that are a higher point cost then 195 point FL050The Flash. When I looked through the lists of the Michigan state ROC Championship, I didn’t see any. So it’s likely that people will be at a -2 to hit when Targeting Flash.
Then you may also consider the fact that the combination of Parallax granting the Sinestro Corps Keyword to Flash and the Yellow Battery grants Flash +1 to all stats (except Damage). The Parallax Entity can grant Flash +1 to Attack or Damage. He can also choose either Impervious or Quintessence and Perplex (opposing figures only).
So if I had played this team at a ROC, I would’ve planned to use the Decoy on Flash to grant Shape Change, Parallax to grant Impervious and the Flash already has Super Senses. Now, the Flash will have 20 Defense (due to the ring) and he has Probability Control printed on his Dial.
So, I took the time and work up the math on a possible situation the Flash might face during a real match. If an opposing character has a 12 attack and tries to attack Flash they will face -2 attack, Shape Change, 20 Defense, Probability Control, Super Senses, and Impervious. If that character has no way to get around any of what I just listed then they have a less then %1 chance of doing damage to Flash. If Despotelis is near by he can also through in a Theme Team Probability Control.
So Flash is pretty well defended. On offense Flash’s 17 move with Hypersonic speed should get him the first strike on anyone not named Adam Strange or Supreme Intelligence. Flash’s attack can go as high as 13 (with Probability Control), but most times I would instead bump his damage up to four. You might have problems with someone who has strong Damage Reducers especially if they also have Mystics. Despotelis is the best character in the game in situations like that.
I think this “Meta” version of Adam’s team is a real contender. If you can track down the pieces to build it, it could take you all the way in a big tournament.
Having said that, congrats to Adam, and I’d like to thank him for letting me talk about his Build!
And we’ll be back in a few days with a post-Gen Con report, an update on Age of Ultron: Month 3 and, next week… our Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Top Tens!! | {
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Incredibly strong, light and easy to fit. The Mira Flight Rectangle shower tray has a great new contemporary and sleek look that always keeps its colour and includes Biocote® technology which reduces bacteria by up to 99.9%. Integral upstands provide watertight performance.
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Sometimes, observing wildlife doesn't go quite the way you hoped it would. When
Diederick Ryan decided to film the local crabs while on vacation, he didn't expect one of them to try to run off with the camera. | {
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Our conferences provide the opportunity to hear the latest research in energy economics and dialogue that takes place between industry, government and academia. IAEE meets globally between three to five times per year. Don’t miss your opportunity to present your research.
Membership in IAEE is open to anyone worldwide who has an interest in the fields of energy or energy economics. Our membership consists of those working in both the public and private sectors including government, academic and commercial.
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Abstract: In large part, the literature on energy and development focuses on how energy demand is driven by economic development and on how energy services can be improved for developing countries. In this paper we begin with a conceptual discussion to identify the channels through which increased availability of energy services might act as a "key" stimulus of economic development along different stages of the development process. We then examine some empirical work to see what evidence it might provide regarding the importance of the possible channels of influence. We do find some important illustrations of a disproportionate role for energy. However, that evidence also underscores the importance of energy development in concert with other forms of development. Moreover, the amount of relevant literature we found was fairly limited, and in many cases it was difficult to separate out various influences in the study to see how energy might be exerting a disproportionate role relative to other influences. This underscores our conclusion that more work is needed to understand the magnitude of its importance for economic development at an economy-wide level. | {
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Fuzz - The Sound That Changed the World by Various. Live/DVD. DVD. MVD #BDVD0069. Published by MVD (HL.320793).
ISBN 1423456270. 5.25x7.5 inches.
Fuzz ... the sound that changed the world. The fuzz box, that tiny little box between the electric guitar and the amp, what on earth does it do? Clif Taylor explores this insane industry of noise making, a world popularized by guitar slinging super heroes and garage dwelling electronic geeks all sharing the collective obsession of one day creating that perfect sonic wave of limitless distortion. It's a unique subculture of psychedelic noise freaks and vintage distortion connoisseurs, a world of gear oriented Internet chat rooms and completely ararchistic electronic product conventions. Clif shows us all of it while on the hunt for his own perfect tone. Guitar gods Billy Gibbons, Peter Frampton, Jon Spencer, J. Mascis, Chris Ross of Wolfmother, and other music legeneds weigh in on their favorite circuits. This is a must-see for anyone interested in the nuts, bold, solder, transistors, and true history of rock. 91 minutes.
Fuzz - The Sound That Changed the World by Various. Live/DVD. DVD. MVD #BDVD0069. Published by MVD (HL.320793).
ISBN 1423456270. 5.25x7.5 inches.
Fuzz ... the sound that changed the world. The fuzz box, that tiny little box between the electric guitar and the amp, what on earth does it do? Clif Taylor explores this insane industry of noise making, a world popularized by guitar slinging super heroes and garage dwelling electronic geeks all sharing the collective obsession of one day creating that perfect sonic wave of limitless distortion. It's a unique subculture of psychedelic noise freaks and vintage distortion connoisseurs, a world of gear oriented Internet chat rooms and completely ararchistic electronic product conventions. Clif shows us all of it while on the hunt for his own perfect tone. Guitar gods Billy Gibbons, Peter Frampton, Jon Spencer, J. Mascis, Chris Ross of Wolfmother, and other music legeneds weigh in on their favorite circuits. This is a must-see for anyone interested in the nuts, bold, solder, transistors, and true history of rock. 91 minutes.
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Make a wish list for gifts, suggest standard repertoire, let students know which books to buy, boast about pieces you've mastered: Music Lists are as unique as the musician! Easily share your music lists with friends, students, and the world. | {
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My crash course in life.
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Tag Archives: fatherhood
Normally, I can’t get our 3-year old, Moses to sit still long enough for a brief conversation. But music’s our thing — he used to love it when I played my old songs on the turntable to put him to sleep — so I’ve recently started singing to him. It worked! At least for this video, I got him to be still for about a minute until he got distracted by himself.
One December afternoon five years ago, I found myself in a mad rush from St. Luke’s Hospital to SM Centerpoint Department Store’s baby section. After spending about 2 weeks in a hospital room for premature difficulties, my wife was about to give birth and I suddenly, mistakenly thought we had bought nothing for the baby: mattresses, feeding bottles, a sterilizer, diapers…!
When I got to the department store, my mind began to spin…I was confused, I had no shopping list! I grabbed everything I could get my hands on, everything I thought our little Noah Caleb would need. I surely gave the salesladies a tough time asking for tips, for the best brands, the proper sizes, the right textures, and they all had to be blue!
And then just as I was about to approach the cashier, I realized, I remembered, Nike, my wife with who I am happily un-married, had already bought everything we needed and tucked all of little Noah’s supplies in a corner at home by his crib. And I remembered I was even with her when we bought some of those things!
It slowly dawned on me how unprepared I was for fatherhood. Though I was with Nike for every pre-natal check up, I suddenly felt unready, inadequate and afraid. How easily my nerves frayed. What kind of dad would I be? I never saw my dad panic when I was a kid!
It wasn’t fair, I thought. Nike had 9 months to get used to and prepare for parenthood, while I was busy working! The reality hit hard. I’m going to be a dad. I cried a little and said a silent prayer asking God to not let me screw up. Then I realized the salesladies were staring.
But right there, at Cashier 17, a father was born.
I went back to the hospital after 7pm that night – it was coding day – I could’ve gotten a ticket! — just in time for Nike to wake up and make fun of my frantic faux pas.
Noah was born a few days later, the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Saw him corkscrew his way to life in one smooth, expert motion, I did! And I cut the cord!
I’ve been staring at my son ever since, every night, thinking what good things I could’ve done to deserve such a beautiful blessing, because God’s list is probably short. And I still find myself saying the same prayer I said at the cashier.
We could be dancing, playing the Xbox or Wii or making Lego robots. We could be reading or talking about school, but always at the back of my mind, I am all at once marveling at the boy, thanking God, praying I don’t screw up and keeping my chest from exploding. When you’re a parent, multi-tasking becomes a cinch.
Fatherhood’s been fun, mostly. Just that some parts of the past five years (I’m looking at you, Delgado Hospital) were extremely traumatic, I may write about them here or I may not.
This blog is for Noah Caleb Lorenzo Parlade. So someday he’ll know his dad always did his best, and that even as I am making all this up as I go along, I (and his mom) have the best intentions for him. So he knows, I never mean to screw up. | {
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Country Living Series
Sunday, March 11, 2018
The crime of being a boy
And of course, I got a "snark du jour" from someone calling him or herself "Covariant Derivative": "Sure, go ahead and trust an untrained ignoramus who invests in anecdotal accounts and gender stereotypes to advise you on your medical decisions."
(To which I want to respond with something like, "So you approve of boys being drugged?")
For those unable to access the WND website, this "untrained ignoramus" is posting the column text:
The Crime of Being a Boy
When our daughters were growing up, they were good friends with two boys of about the same age who went to our church. The children often visited each other’s homes for play dates and we got to know them very well. Their parents are solid, respectable, well-liked members of the community. The mother teaches math at the local high school and is one of those rare breed of teachers I wish could be cloned in every public school.
Their younger son (I’ll call him John) was a wild child. He was antsy, restless, full of energy, and had a hard time paying attention in class because he couldn’t sit still. He was impulsive and lacked judgment. He was below grade-level in reading because he preferred to be outside playing. In short, he fit the bill perfectly for the dreaded condition of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
Even I had my doubts about John. He was just so – active. Whenever we had John and his brother over to play with our girls, he was always the one impulsively jumping in puddles or swinging from tree branches. My daughters tell a story about visiting John when he was about eight. Sitting on the couch watching a movie with the other children, John had a juice box. Suddenly without any warning, he shouted “Three – two – one – blastoff!” and forcefully flattened his juice box between his hands. The juice spurted through the straw so fast it slammed up to the ceiling and then rained down on the four children sitting on the couch, staining clothes and upholstery.
We still laugh over that incident, but it typified the impulsive nature of John’s personality. He seemed incapable of focusing, of sitting still (even while eating), of using age-appropriate judgment about a situation. I’d never seen anything like it, and I grew up with three brothers.
Over and over again, people urged his parents to give the boy Ritalin to calm him down and help him focus in school. And over and over again his parents refused, absolutely refused. “He’s just a boy,” his mother confidently said. Having spent 20 years teaching high school boys (and girls) in a classroom setting, this woman knew kids. In fact, I think one of the primary reasons John didn’t end up on Ritalin – despite getting into trouble in elementary school – was because his mother was a teacher and the school system couldn’t bully her into drugging her own son.
So are hyperactive boys like John truly afflicted with ADHD? The answer seems to be “no.”
There are some boys – or girls, for that matter – with decided neurological disorders which result in inappropriate behaviors, but an inability to focus in school is not necessarily an indicator. Frankly, it’s just easier to drug kids, especially boys. The Daily Bell notes, “Some schools end up harassing parents who do not comply with their recommendations to drug their kids. Some parents are not well informed and take schools’ advice, wrongly assuming it is scientific.”
This same Daily Bell article states the obvious: “Some children are better at paying attention than others. Some can cope with, or even enjoy, a school classroom setting. Some kids have more energy than others. Some are good at following directions, and some are easily distracted. But just because a classroom is not a good environment for many children does not mean they have a disorder. They may have an Attention Deficit because they are bored. They may he Hyperactive because they are cooped up and forced to sit still at a desk. But this does not constitute a Disorder. What happened to the belief in the uniqueness of a child? Aren’t they told they don’t have to fit in? And then if the factory school system doesn’t work for them, they have a disorder. Instead of treating children like individuals, schools and parents act like they have no other choice but to let drugs make the behavioral adjustments. How sad that there is more willingness to drug kids to make them fit in, instead of changing the system, or being attentive to individual needs.”
So why now, in modern times, are boys suddenly afflicted with this newfangled disorder? Frankly, they’re not. It’s just that boys have less opportunity to vent their excessive energy in societally-approved ways. In generations past, boys would be working active jobs or engaging in active games. Now kids are pacified by electronics and it’s “too dangerous” to let them play outside (besides, they might get their clothes dirty). For hyperactive kids like John, the eternal requirement to “sit still and behave” is simply impossible.
Because active little boys have a hard time going against their own nature, they’re told they’re bad. Frankly I think ADHD is just a backlash against boys.
The very existence of ADHD “as a legitimate illness is questionable, given the fact that diagnosing a person with ADHD does not involve any sort of scientific testing,” notes a Psychiatry News article. “Even those in the medical community who claim it involves abnormal brain activity must admit that brain scans are not used to diagnose a person with ADHD, and this is a very big problem. Nowhere is this issue more pressing than in the public school system, where experts have voiced concerns that students are being diagnosed with ADHD simply as a matter of convenience.”
Correct. Being a boy has become a problem. Public education is now firmly in the hands of feminists, who have decided boys should be like girls. They’ll forcibly make them like girls by drugging them into submission, if they have to. They view the instinctive rough-and-tumble, smash-and-bang physical nature of boys as the ultimate evil.
But boys shouldn’t have to apologize for being boys.
It’s been noted again and again how the one-size-fits-all nature of school classrooms serve girls far better than boys, where of necessity children are processed (taught) in the most efficient manner possible – efficient for the school, that is. But kids learn in different ways. Some learn visually; some learn hands-on; and some learn kinesthetically. John was clearly a kinesthetic learner.
Thanks to the influence of his parents, this boy was never drugged for the crime of being a boy. Today he’s in college studying civil engineering and is a talented trombone player. He has a wide circle of friends and is well-liked.
Parents, please be like John's mother and father. Sometimes it's easier to go with the words of modern “experts” rather than the tools of common sense that are based on thousands of years of family experience. Let your boys be boys and “bring them up in the way they should go.” That's the best way to turn a boy into a man.
I have five sons. The youngest was a lot like your friend's John. You couldn't get him to sit still and complete anything, even a meal of his favorite food. He ate the last half of it on the run.
The school, of course, had fits with him. Homework was "lost" on the way home and placement and progress tests came in partially finished. On their famous Iowa Basics evaluation test he didn't even finish writing his name at the top. The insisted on drugging. I refused and took him to a high quality children's hospital for evaluation to see if there was something physically or neurologically wrong.
While waiting for him to come out of one particular test one day an older woman came to me and sat beside me. She took my hands in hers and patted them. Then she introduced herself. "What I do is evaluate the current and potential knowledge level of people. I study just how much can a person know, in a particular subject and generally, and how quickly can they learn it.
I have studied many the brilliant scientists of the world today (she dropped names, including Carl Sagan of "Cosmos" fame). have studied writers, doctors, economist, politicians." In the mean time my little edition of John was balancing in the sill of the fifth floor window near us.
"I have worked with your son for the past hour on math comprehension. He's in fifth grade now, and he firmly understands the concept of math at the first year college level. Can we guess at why he won't do his fifth grade math homework? There are steps that haven't been presented to him yet, but he understand the concept of them already on his own. Like a child who can read very young but doesn't know the details of paragraph construction, your son knows math. He has one of the highest math comprehension levels I have ever seen."
Needless to say I pulled him out of the school who almost rabidly wanted him drugged. I couldn't afford high-end special schools for him but that woman helped me get a scholarship to an institution better suited to his needs. Today he's teaching Applied Physics at a top private university. Some of his projects for students is building medieval catapults, just for those who want a little excitement in their dull academic life.
in pre-school my son was showing all the signs of ADHD. thanks to a teacher who didn't believe in drugging boys for being boys, we started looking for alternative causes for his behavior. when we got to food, we took away the sweetened chocolate breakfast cereal, and the chocolate milk, and, almost immediately, had a well behaved, normal child who could sit still and pay attention.studies in France, where only 2% of the youth are diagnosed as ADHD, show that diet modification and parental dissaplane are the best treatment for over active, and poorly behaved youth. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/suffer-the-children/201203/why-french-kids-dont-have-adhd
While I am not an advocate of "drugging children into submission," I do hope more parents would consider home schooling or other arrangements for the special needs children you describe in your article. When you recommend "changing the educational system or being attentive to individual needs," what would you recommend? Who is going to pay for the extra resources, intervention, and/or one-on-one teachers that these children need? I am a middle school teacher who has an average of 150 students per day in 7 (45 minute) classes. I arrive at school at 7 for early bus duty every day & leave school at 5 because I care. I then do 2-4 more hours of school work at home to serve my students the best I can. I teach an elective class, so I have no help with special needs students who disrupt the learning experience for everyone else. Who is going to clean up the mess when a student squirts their juice to the ceiling? This is a very complex issue that needs careful input from all impacted parties. Public schools are not the best choice for everyone. We need to continue to discuss alternatives when one student compromises the learning opportunity of many others because this isn't reasonable either.
As a former middle school teacher, I dealt with "energy consumer" students every day. You find ways to channel their energy: sorting school supplies, emptying wastebaskets, etc. Out them in charge of SOMETHING, and they will be your most dedicated helper. I gave one student a soft rubber ball he could squeeze silently during class; I gave another permission to go to the back of the room and do jumping jacks when he felt he needed to.
Believe me, I know you have a lot on your plate, but meeting the needs of students - all students - is your job, however impossible the mandate.
As far as exploding juice boxes...who cares? In my classroom, we would have had a good laugh, after which I would inform the perpetrator that they would be coming in at lunch to clean up the mess.
Please don't squeeze the life out of your students by forcing conformity. I know you have to operate within the system, but you have more freedom within the walls of your classroom than you think.
This northeast Hillary-voting liberal completely agrees with you. Our culture is currently toxic to little boys, and it's my belief that the current terrible incidence of mass shootings by teenage boys are a result of it.
A lot of folks think they're smarter than they are. I once told the doctor what I thought was ailing me and he asked self-righteously just how I knew. I told him it was because I'd lived in the same body for 50+ years and knew how it reacted, and that I had a computer the same as he did. I don't go to the guy anymore as he can't usually handle anything that the quick med place can't, and they make better diagnoses.
Hi Patrice,I just thought I'd offer up my experience just to sort of flesh out the discussion going on here. My older son has ADHD. I certainly never believed this condition actually existed when he was a baby or toddler, or even a preschooler. And I swore I would never "drug" him. I have homeschooled him since the beginning and he has tons and tons of free time to be a boy on our large property in the country. He eats a healthy, low-sugar, non-processed food diet.
All that to say, my son needed help. We're not talking about flattened juice boxes here. He was so impulsive that he was a danger to himself. He talked literally non-stop and never even realized it even when we tried to help him moderate. He hated himself and believed he was stupid because he couldn't concentrate enough to learn to read or memorize math facts (age appropriate--I didn't start forcing him to learn before the right time). He absolutely dominated our family dynamic in a negative way, despite the fact that I am far from a liberal and raised him with traditional parenting methods. There was never a moment's peace in our family despite our great love for him.
I'll never forget the day he had his first ADHD pill. About an hour later, he went and took a puzzle off the shelf and did the whole thing. When he was done, he looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "momma, I never thought I could do that." He's now on grade level with reading, loves woodworking with his grandpa in the shop every day (something too dangerous before because of lack of impulse control), and never says he's stupid anymore. There is not always peace in our home--hello, we're a country family with 2 boys. But our family isn't ruled by severe ADHD any longer and I'm so grateful.
My point is, probably there are many, many boys who are being medicated simply because they are boys in suburbia. But there are, absolutely, some boys whose lives and sense of self-worth can be hugely and positively impacted with this medicine. If anyone is reading this with a kid like that, don't feel like a failure.
I raised my grandson, and he, too, exhibited severe ADHD symptoms. I refused medication for quite a while. But when it got to the point that his inability to focus long enough for even the simplist of tasks and it was impacting his confidence and self-image, we went to a special diagnostic clinic. I was much impressed, because they detected the nystagmus that he still had to a small degree. (It was not obvious from casual observation). We did the diet modification, we observed strict schedules for sleep, and he got a mild medication (not Ritalin!). He saw almost immediate changes. He stayed on the meds for about 3 years, and he stopped taking the meds when he began to feel he had control without the pills.
I saw other kids who became zombie-like from taking Ritalin. I'm glad we were not forced into using that particular med! But I'm also glad we found a different med and lifestyle modifications to use that brought him some relief without the horrible side effects.
I will NOT condemn those who have been in a situation where they needed to medicate their child. There are certainly cases where it may be warranted. My personal experience, my former mother in law pushed and pushed for me to medicate my son. I had a great conversation with his preschool teacher. She had experience with special needs kids, and reassured me that I was correct in my estimation that he was just a boy being a boy. BOY this hits a nerve for me. I encourage parents to look at diet and environment before jumping on the medication bandwagon. Again, there are some who do need it and do better on it. But I am going to throw this one out there too...most of the school shooters were medicated...Please research other options first....
My first experience with ADHD was when my daughter was in elementary school. She had a friend who bounced off the walls. Couldn't sit still, didn't listen to what she was told. So every September her parents put her on meds. One summer, her Mom asked me to babysit, I said sure. Now, during the summer she wasn't medicated. The first day was horrible but enlightening. Her behavior was atrocious. I sat her down and explained to her that we had rules in our house and that behavior wouldn't be allowed. Once the rules were explained to her and reinforced, we never had any of the bad behavior. She was a delightful child. She just needed some rules, direction and someone who wouldn't let her get away with everything. My second experience with ADHD was my grandson. He was diagnosed with ADHD even though I kept telling them that wasn't what was wrong. When our trusted doctor said he thought the medication would help, I agreed to a trial period. As I expected, it didn't help. What it did was turn him into a zombie. We kept searching and finally found a doctor who realized that he had high functioning autism. We have custody of him and his parents were stressing him out horribly. We eventually pulled him out of public school because of a bullying situation. The change in him was amazing. Then his parents dropped out of his life and things got even better. Once we took away all the anxiety causing situations he improved almost miraculously. He still has autism but is able to function much better without the stress. My third experience with ADHD was a friends granddaughter. She was going through a lot and it was decided that she had ADHD and was put on medication. The change in her was unbelievable. She was a clam, warm sweet little girl when she was on her meds. So, I definitely agree that too many children are being medicated for a condition they may not have or need meds for, but there are definitely some children who benefit from the diagnosis and medication.
Patrice, you are right on this one! I'm a Vet who just turned 55 years old and when I was in my youth the old timers would say those boys are full of Piss and Vinegar. Now they want us to put them on drugs and name it ADHD. I've been telling those around me for years that there is no such thing. Like wise with PTSD. Now that being said there are special circumstances,but the Gov and Doctors and Pharmaceutical companies are selling the world a bill of goods for their benefit not the Vets or the children..
Surely John’s parents saw first-hand the merits of homeschooling (by Patrice) and realized that would be far better choice for their son. Yet they chose to force him to be literally held hostage in a government indoctrination center for years. They knew damn well that the system is designed to harm boys like their son.
I'm sorry but unless there was some valid reason (not mentioned) why homeschooling was not an option, is that not child abuse?
First off, I am a pediatrician. I treat kids with ADHD, with and without meds. While there are kids who respond very well, in the sense that they are less frustrated by class and better able to attend, there are others who do not. We do extensive testing prior to medication, which results in probably 1/3 of kids who are referred to us getting medication. Needless to say, we deal with frustrated parents who "just want the child to behave" and have been told that Ritalin will make a child obedient, motivated and intelligent. None of that is true. And if you want to see a parent hit the roof, try meeting with them and telling them that the child they think has "severe ADHD" is normal and they need parenting education. I have been cursed at and had folks leave our practice over it, but I have never (so far) been pressured into medicating a child I did not think would benefit from it. I agree with the criticism of "one size fits all" classroom theory, and the same applies to absolutely anything in the medical realm. There is nothing that applies equally to each and every child, and while it is harder and more labor intensive to individualize treatment, that is the only way to effectively practice medicine.
You have to wonder how many of those hyperactive kids are simply reacting to the synthetic fragrances in their clothes from laundry product fragrances or from air fresheners like Fabreeze??? They are well researched to be toxic and negatively affect children and pets. I took in a "monster cat" who did considerable damage and caused problems in an apartment. She absolutely reeked of Purex and was super hyper; the previous owner told me the cat always slept on her laundry fresh out of the dryer. Once the smell went away, so did all her bad behavior, and she returned to being the sweet, mellow little cat who had been originally adopted. To anyone with hyperactive kids or pets, first rid your house of synthetic fragrances for a couple weeks and see what happens.
I'm comfortably certain that ADHD is a real, actual thing. But, if something "afflicts" approximately 10% of the population, one had to wonder if it's really a "disorder" or just a normal part of human biodiversity.
God knows I wouldn't change my ADHD hubby for the world. OK, I'd like to feel like he's listening to what I say instead of picking up certain keywords, filling in the blanks, and reacting, but-- said every wife, ever LOL!! All joking aside, his way of thinking works well for us. He thinks fast, I think deep, between us, we've pretty much got it covered.
I'm glad we chose not to medicate our son. We gave him some time to grow, and he's learning to manage the wild horse that is his brain. Like his father and me (HFA), God made us this way for a reason. I'll trust in God long before I trust in pills (I've tried a fair few in a misguided quest to make myself "normal," with ugly results).
That said, I think there are times when medication has a place. I've seen it work wonders, in a very few cases. It's vastly overpromoted these days, but not everyone who finds it works for them is zombifying their kid or copping out.
Yep, we would have been encouraged to put two of our three boys on ritalin had they gone to pubic school. They were all homeschooled; they are all smart and talented. They are precious to us, and we didn't want them drugged or made to apologize for their gender. Viva la boys! | {
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Britain's newest aircraft carrier is on track to sail out of Rosyth dockyard later this month, the head of the Royal Navy has said.
HMS Prince of Wales, the sister ship of HMS Queen Elizabeth, will squeeze out into the Firth of Forth for her maiden voyage in the coming weeks so it can be tested in areas including speed and propulsion.
It will see both of the UK's biggest and most powerful warships at sea together for the first time.
First Sea Lord Admiral Tony Radakin told the PA news agency: "We are on track for HMS Prince of Wales to sail from Rosyth later this month to start her sea trials.
Work continues on the flight deck during a tour of the under-construction aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales
"Similarly, we are on track for her arrival into Portsmouth in December."
It is understood the departure from the dockyard where the ship has been built could happen as early as next week, weather permitting.
At 280 metres long, weighing 65,000 tonnes, with a predicted lifespan of half a century and a flight deck of four acres, the £3.1 billion ship is expected to commission into the Royal Navy in 2020.
HMS Queen Elizabeth is off the east coast of America, and will see Britain's cutting-edge F-35B stealth fighter jets land on deck for the first time in the coming weeks.
A general view of the thermal metal spray coated landing area of the flight deck
During their 50-year service, the two Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers will be used for work ranging from high-intensity fighting to humanitarian aid and disaster relief. | {
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Baseball Superstars® 2011 is a full featured baseball game which includes 6 different modes to satisfy everyone's needs.
My League Mode contains unique RPG elements in a sports title, Season Mode requires great management skills,THE MOST COMPLETE BASEBALL EXPERIENCE ON APP STORE!
Baseball Superstars® 2011 is a full featured baseball game which includes 6 different modes to satisfy everyone's needs.My League Mode contains unique RPG elements in a sports title, Season Mode requires great management skills, Exhibition Mode provides sheer entertainment, Homerun Race offers quick challenge, Mission Mode demands finest skills and Match Play Mode allows you to boast your talents to the rest of the world!
---------------------
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MY LEAGUE & SEASON MODE ADDITIONSPerform events through full interactive outings menu, hire super players as coaches to boost your team's ability, and achieve record breaking numbers to take part in the Superstars tournament.
ACHIEVEMENTS GALOREAchieve all batting, fielding and special records as well as skills and nicknames that are available. See how many back to back to back home runs you can blast or how many perfect games you can pitch!
CHALLENGE AND SEND GIFTS TO FRIENDSChallenge players who have defeated you in Match Play mode and send Hall of Fame players as a gift to your friends.
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OVER 12M COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDESince 2002, the Baseball Superstars series has been loved by worldwide gamers.
FULL FEATURED BASEBALL GAME6 different modes; Exhibition, My League, Season, Home Run Race, Mission and Match Play, guarantee long play time and tons of fun.
TOTAL MANAGEMENTGuide and manage your player to a successful career by purchasing the right equipment, performing the necessary training and giving him a well deserved outing in this year's revamped player management menu.
BECOME CROWNED AS CHAMPIONSForm the best line up by acquiring hall of famers and trading players. Be coached by super players on road to post season and dominate other users in Match Play Mode.
I'll be honest -- this is not a game for people looking for a lightweight, pick-up-and-play baseball game. Despite its cutesy appearance, Superstars is about as hardcore of a simulation game as you can get.
Baseball Superstars 2011 is still far from being a perfect game, and the changes in this year's version are really only minor tweaks to the overall formula. But the minor tweaks add up to make this a better game, in some ways, even if the pitching is still far from perfect. | {
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Search
The kids are still sick (I kind of regret the thought I had two weeks ago that this winter has been easy on us in terms of sickness). Yiannis has been sick and OFF SCHOOL (the latter being the hardest) for the last two weeks, Iliana followed a week later. N. felt off a couple of days ago and guess who got the fucking flu now??? YEAP, you guessed it. No wonder.
They still haven’t found what the hell is wrong with my mom (she got admitted to the hospital a week ago). In the meantime she feels like shit, is horribly bored and needs to feel pampered and well taken care of. After all she has done for us the least we can do is take care of her.
As I returned yesterday from yet another day spent in the hospital (my mother in law has spent more time with the kids during this last week than she has in the last 6 months-bless her), I was hallucinating due to sleep deprivation thinking of Michael Keaton in this movie he did ages ago, Multiplicity. It’s a comedy about a man who never has enough time for the things he wants to do and is offered the opportunity to have himself duplicated.
Between you and me the movie is pretty lame, but the idea of being able to duplicate myself seems very appealing to me at the moment. That is the magic power I would choose to have right now. No, I am not full of myself but for the purpose of keeping it together I would love to be able to have 5 versions of T at the moment.
One for the kids, one for N., one for my mom, one for the housework & one for my sister, who is attending to her 3 kids, taking care of our dad & pampering our sick 91-year-old Omi (oh yes, I forgot to mention, that she got the evil flu my kids seem overzealous to spread around) and is not far away from a nervous breakdown herself.
Thank you all for your very sweet thoughts, prayers and kind words. Thank you for all the great ideas to let some steam off (even if it means creating a calmer yet FATTER version of myself). | {
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Old Paint Farm Table For Sale At 1stdibs
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Within this table style layout strategy, it is possible to place the sink, refrigerator, and the range in a triangle position. This informative article will make your table do the job easier. You may have 2 sinks when you have two prepare table. Separate your table place together with other areas such as dining area or cleansing area. It’s possible for you to separate the parts along with your table counter. Your table operate will not be blended with different activities if you have this layout.
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Can you seek out the optimal/optimally table appliance packages to set inside your table? old paint farm table for sale at 1stdibs may be pick for you. You can find several brands that offer table appliance packages, however, GE may be the most suitable choice for you personally. Here some advice for you about GE table blower bundles.
To get a table with contemporary style, pick a set panel cabinet with grey colour. You’re able to merge it using stainless appliances along with counter tops counter tops. To get a tasteful style for your table, you’re able to pick out a recessed panel cupboard with green look. Blend it granite counter tops, white back-splash or rock tile backsplash and tiled flooring. Choose a glistening green cupboards to create the tasteful look even more durable.
This Old Paint Farm Table For Sale At 1stdibs the gallery form Farmhouse Table For Sale. Hopefully you can find the best inspiration from our gallery here. | {
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Friday, December 16, 2016
Conflicting New Research Frustrates Efforts to Shed Light on Zika
Two new studies seeking to determine how often Zika causes severe birth defects in fetuses have returned conflicting results, frustrating scientists' efforts to pin down how the virus works. Both studies are products of esteemed research teams and reported in high-quality journals.
The first study found that out of 125 Brazilian women infected with Zika, 46% of pregnancies were negatively affected by the infection. The second study, however, found that 6% of the 442 American women who tested positive for Zika and were included in the study had pregnancies that resulted in birth defects.
Despite these differences, the teams are not disputing each others' results, partially because other findings held across both studies. For example, both studies found that around 10% of fetuses infected in the first trimester ended up with microcephaly. In addition, the technical definition of and criteria for microcephaly vary from country to country. This and other inconsistencies in methodology mean that the greatest takeaway is perhaps that more research is still needed to understand Zika's effects, as the truth has been elusive thus far. | {
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Do i have to learn chords
Learning chords is so annoying. i learnd the basic ones. but then i learned how to read tabs. and now all i do is look up iron maiden tabs and play liek the 30 secs. of that part in the song. Can i just get nasty and finger picking and then try to learn their solos . or do i absoultly have to learn chords. Thanks!
The question you need to ask yourself is do I want to become a great guitar player. If all you want to do is casually play the guitar for your own enjoyment keep doing what you are doing. However, if the thrills of performing tickle your fancy, chords are the way to go. Also, by knowing chords your other aspects of guitar, like solos and finger picking, will improve because everything works together. Now, how you go about learning them is up to you. I find learning them when you need them is the best method because you will actually use them. I hope this helps :)
The interesting point about playing guitar is that typically most licks are only about upto about 10 percent of the total guitar experience. I personnally started out by only learning scales, then blues licks, then improve, then I decided to learn chords, then music theory, which lead to writing music. In the end, I agree with Chimzar. It really depends what you want out of playing the guitar. if you are happy plating cool licks then go for it. But if you want the whole experience learn some chord progressions in a key and play some music. The licks that you learn will start to fit with the chord progressions. Then who knows what can happen!
Ok so. I agree with Chimzar. My name is Bryan :P. I've been playing guitar for like uhm 1 month or something ? And I learned all the basic chords. Now it's up to you what you want to do with guitar playing. But me I love using chords. They come in handy alot of times. Ofcourse there are tabs. Which I don't know anything about and others do. So it's really up to you what you do with it. You can always learn chords later. It's never to late.
since you're beginning, buy a good guitar book with many if not all chords, this site is very useful as well, and learn what they are and what they sound like, train your ear its very important, also, learn the circle of fifths, that will help you tremendously...my thoughts..
~C
ok my first explination of this was way confusing so im rewording it. learn a barred F note. low pitch to high pitched 133211. the 1 next to the 3 is an F. so if you can play any note on the top string (even an open E, just have your bar finger rest past the necks nut thing) you can play the sliding chord. | {
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Research
Current Research
I am currently a postdoctoral research associate with Dr. Diane Ebert-May at Michigan State University. I am working on questions in Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER) for biology education. Specifically, we are asking how the environment, self-efficacy and training impact teaching practices for early‑career faculty from around the country. My role is to build and maintain a database as well as conducting multivariate statistical analyses of the data we collect. I look forward to expanding my pedagogical and computational skills as well as building collaborations among ecologists and education researchers.
In addition to exploring professional development in early-career biology faculty, I am collaborating with colleagues at MSU and beyond on examining foliar uptake across plant species and other ecophysiological questions.
Current Questions:
How does water enter leaves? and how does it affect their physiology and ecology?
How can we detect changes in plant flammability and what are the consequences for ecosystems and landscapes?
How have networks of hiring changed for biology faculty? How has research productivity changed across biology fields?
Dissertation work
How does seasonal fog influence the fire regime for the central coast of California?
My dissertation took a multi-scale approach to evaluate how fog affects the fire regime for the Santa Barbara region and the California coast from Ventura to Monterey. First I focused my efforts on determining the effect of fog on live fuel moisture for several shrub species as changes in live fuel moisture have important consequences for fire disturbance. I evaluated the influence of fog relative to other climate factors in affecting the seasonal change in live fuel moisture. To fully understand changes in live fuel moisture it is important to understand where plants are acquiring their water from during the summer drought.
In addition, I used stable isotopes of Hydrogen and Oxygen to discern the source of water in plants during the late summer when fog events tend to occur. During my investigation of live fuel moisture I explored other means by which fog can influence the water budget of chaparral and CSS shrubs. Fog may affect shrub physiology and could be incorporated into plant tissue via fog drip or foliar uptake.
It is essential to understand the effect of fog on fuel moisture at the scale at which fires occur. I evaluated records from several coastal counties and examining the relationship between plant phenology and live fuel moisture. My dissertation work sought to uncover the interactions between fog, shrubs, fuel moisture and patterns of fire at multiple spatial scales. | {
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Frons In High Places
ABC Daytime President Brian Frons will add first-run programming unit Buena Vista Productions (BVP) and SOAPnet to his domain in the newly created role of daytime president for the entire Disney-ABC Television Group.
The promotion represents the latest step by Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president of the TV group, to simplify the reporting structure and integrate similar functions.
By putting Frons over all of daytime, SOAPnet could expand its original program offerings with BVP, which has been limited to producing solely for syndication (Live with Regis & Kelly,Who Wants to Be a Millionaire), becoming a primary supplier.
SOAPnet now offers same-day episodes of serials and original series talk, biography, reality, and behind-the-scenes shows.
BVP, which previously reported to Laurie Younger, president of Buena Vista Television Worldwide, could also now technically produce for ABC’s daytime schedule, though there are currently no time slots open there.
Under the realignment, Gwynne Thomas, executive VP of programming and development for BVP, will report to Frons, as will Deborah Blackwell, executive VP of SOAPnet.
The new structure gives “us one strategic vision for all our daytime-oriented programming regardless of where it airs,” says Sweeney, who says that Frons has “an eye toward what’s next, not what’s worked in the past.”
Frons was named president, ABC Daytime, in August 2002, responsible for all programming, development, marketing, production, and promotion for The View, All My Children, One Life to Live and General Hospital.
An industry veteran, Frons joined ABC Daytime from London-based SBS Broadcasting, where he served as senior vice president of programming. Earlier, he was president, creative affairs, for New World Entertainment, and VP of creative affairs for NBC Prods. His daytime credentials include VP at NBC Entertainment and director at CBS Entertainment. | {
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Classified ads
CLASSIFIEDS for January 26 issue
January 26, 2012
Business Loans Available: Ask the Loan Fund Managers at MEO Business Development Corp. to see how they can help you finance the start-up or expansion of your business. MEO BDC also offers business planning classes. Call 249-2990 today!
Garage/yard sale
Garage Sale on 1/28/12 at 1340 Hoapili St. Lahaina, just north of Safeway. 8-4pm. Gas, power, hand tools, ladders, compressors, and much more. | {
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Stockland Martel, one of the photo industry's premier talent-representation agencies for more than 30 years, closed its doors on December 31, 2017.
"After more than three successful, exhilarating, and memorable decades, we decided to retire and begin a new chapter in our lives. We are looking forward to enjoying life at a slower pace, exploring new interests, and spending more time with family and friends.
We have been honored to represent some of the most talented photographers in the industry and are grateful for the trust they invested in us. Together, we built a business that we will forever be proud of, one that endured and thrived despite the many ways in which commercial photography has evolved since we began in 1983.
Stockland Martel has been the center of our lives for so long, and we have made so many wonderful friends along the way. We thank all of you for your collaboration and support over the years, and we wish you all continued success." —Bill Stockland and Maureen Martel, January 1, 2018
Below, Stockland Martel's final roster of photographers, and below is that is the final roster of hair, makeup, and prop stylists. Click on an image to reach the person directly.To contact Bill or Maureen, write [email protected] or [email protected]. | {
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FTVS HD: First Then Visual Schedule HD
FTVS HD is designed to be used anywhere and everywhere with everything you need easily accessible from within the app, it's universal so it will work on any iDevice.
FTVS HD lets you easily and quickly create and use ALL these visual supports in just one app: First Then boards, Visual schedules, Task analyses,Social stories, Choice boards and Video models.Features incluce:
Customize with your own photos (from five different image sources) and sound
Set a timer for either an entire schedule or for individual steps within it
Attach a choice board or video to any step
There are FIVE different viewing options
FTVS HD makes it easy to create, customize and share schedules
To save time, you can used previously created schedules as templates or create a new schedule from scratch
You can print your schedules and share them with other users via email.
Temporarily hide a step in a schedule from view
Is a multi-use scene based app that can be completely customized to the specific needs of our users. App can be used as a means of communication, to create social stories or to increase receptive language....learn more.
Customize with your own photos and sound
Create custom interactive social stories
Add pop-up labels to a scene to increase receptive language
Add "animated" text to a scene.
Link one visual scene to another via a "hotspot".
Add multiple sound areas to an image.
Password protected features menu
Backup and share app content via iTunes
Scene Speak
First Then Visual Schedule
First-Then visual schedule is an affordable, fully customizable user-friendly mobile app, designed to provide positive behavior support through the use of “visual schedules”. First-Then was designed for individuals with communication needs, developmental delays, Autism Spectrum Disorders or anyone who would benefit from a structured environment....learn more.
Customize with your own photos and sound
Three different viewing formats
Password protected settings menu
Checklist feature
Backup and share schedules via iTunes
Email copies of schedules to print out at home
Visual Schedule Planner
Visual Schedule Planner is completely customizable Audio-Visual Schedule/ Calendar specifically designed for individuals with who may benefit from the use of visual supports to ease transitions, anxiety or for those who may need a way to visually represent the "events" in their day. Visual Schedule Planner is unique in that there are a variety of different visual supports available within the app to support a daily event...learn more.... | {
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It's time for HerRoom's annual Friends & Family sale, which is one of our biggest sales of the year. It's not often we're able to offer almost every brand in a storewide sale, so this is a great time to stock up on the basics, buy gifts and maybe treat yourself to something special. This Friday- ...
HerRoom is happy to announce we're now carrying Heidi Klum's new lingerie line, filled with sexy, fashion-model-worthy pieces. This line replaces the Elle MacPherson line and maintains supermodel style and brand appeal.The new video that Heidi Klum has made to feature the brand does it justice. Sc ...
Lately, I've had a lot of inquiries from women looking for help finding bras for their elderly mothers. I also hear from older women saying bras that used to work for them just don't anymore. As we age, our bodies change in so many ways: breasts sag; underwires and tight bands become uncomfortable; ...
It's Spring and I have to ask: how's that New Year's resolution going? According to usa.gov, the most popular resolutions include lose weight; quit smoking; volunteer; get a better job; exercise to get fit and save money.Not surprisingly, those are also the ones most commonly broken. An article in ...
I came up with the idea of HerRoom back in 1998 because women's lingerie buying options were so limited. Department stores, shops and catalogs didn't carry every size and color of a bra, nor did they offer a vast range of brands to choose from. I wanted to offer women a different shopping experience ...
It was a surprisingly quiet night for the Academy Awards Lingerie Patrol last night. I can't remember the last time the red carpet showed so many beautifully dressed (and appropriately supported) stars. Aside from the glamor, some gowns were unusually demure, featuring high necks or barely a hint ...
Valentine's Day is like a little piece of spicy candy in the middle of the winter blahs. It's a great opportunity to liven up a lingerie wardrobe (and a romance). Over the years, I've noticed trends in what women buy around this time of year and in what men buy for their women. We've also conducted ... | {
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Watch:Youngr reveals new original 1990's video for latest single release ''93'.
Youngr has just launched his new pop-infused single called ’93 which is a fun but insightful take at the way social media has changed the way we all connect and how different life was in the ‘90’s. The video for ‘93 features a collage of home footage of Youngr shot throughout the ‘90’s, interspersed with current live footage of Youngr on tour.
In his own words, ‘I wrote this song about social media and how I try not to let my life depend on it or change who I am! It’s about trying to remember how everyday life was before social media took over’ The video is a play on that, it’s home video footage of me as a kid growing up, just having fun and playing music in a much simpler time before facebook and iphones.‘ | {
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Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Living in Southern California as I do, Subway Domer is kind enough to let me be the host for this week's edition of the Irish Blogger Gathering. It's an exciting week here at OC Domer Headquarters. As I type this our daughter is on a plane flying home for Thanksgiving (and the ND v. USC game). She is bringing her roommate with her, and we are going to be seeing a lot of her OC and Notre Dame friends over the next several days. OC Headquarters is as clean and ship-shape as it has ever been, as Mrs. Domer has had us working overtime for weeks in preparation. But now that all the preparations are complete, we can turn our full attention to those heathens who call themselves the "Trojans." I don't think I can over-emphasize the importance of this game to all the Notre Dame alumni and fans here in Orange County. This is Trojan country, and this game is for a full year's worth of bragging rights. I don't know if you have a lot of interaction with USC's bandwagon fans where you live, but I can tell you that the last thing you want to give a Trojan is a year's worth of bragging rights. You might think that having a National Championship, a Heisman Trophy, and two years of bowl eligibility stripped from them by the NCAA would teach them a little humility. You would be wrong.
USC has had a nice little run lately against the Irish, having won eight in a row. It's almost enough to make you forget that the Irish owned USC for 13 years in a row from 1983 through 1995, or that Notre Dame leads the all-time series over USC 42-34-5.
Both of these teams are in transition. The Irish are beginning what they hope will be a long, successful run under new head coach Brian Kelly. USC said a tearful goodbye to Pete Carroll and is now led by Lane Kiffin. It hasn't been pretty for either team this season. USC of course got hammered by the NCAA, and they have lost four games to PAC-10 opponents so far, getting completely undressed by Oregon and Oregon State. The Irish have had troubles of their own, losing five games so far and having been whipped by Stanford and Navy. Yes, whipped by Navy. The Irish have not had any NCAA trouble, but they have been beset by a rash of injuries to key personnel and a tragic death within the program. The good news for Irish fans is that the team is playing its best football of the year behind freshman quarterback Tommy Rees and a defense that seems to have finally got its groove on with outstanding performances against Utah and Army in the last two games, whereas USC is coming off a beat-down at Corvallis and may have lost their starting quarterback to a high ankle sprain.
Which brings us to this week's IBG questions:
1. Notre Dame played perhaps its best game of the year in a win over the Utah Utes two weeks ago. Utah remains ranked at #23 in the Associated Press poll. Notre Dame likewise took Michigan State (AP #11) to overtime before losing on a fake field goal. Therefore the Irish should have no trouble with this unranked Trojan squad. Agree or disagree? Show your work.
Disagree. USC is unranked, but perhaps unfairly. Yes, Oregon and Oregon State whipped them pretty good. But those are two great teams (#1 and #22 in the Sagarin ratings). But USC has also beaten California, Arizona, and Arizona State (#27, #17, and #29 in Sagarin). They lost to Stanford (Sagarin #2) by just two points. You might recall that Stanford beat the Irish by 23.
Although the Irish win over a ranked Utah team was nice, let's not get ahead of ourselves. The Irish themselves are unranked in the major polls and Sagarin has them at #37 versus USC's #19.
But, a lot of that is history. Notre Dame is playing its best football of the year. The defense in particular appears to have had an enormous light bulb turn on over its collective head. The challenge for the Irish this week will be to take its high level of play into the Coliseum against a team with athleticism which is a significant cut above that of Utah and Army. The Irish defense was clearly faster, stronger, more athletic than the skill players of Utah and Army. How will they match up against the 4- and 5-star players of USC, even if they are playing with the same focus and discipline? The Notre Dame defensive line dominated the past two games. Can they dominate the USC offensive front?
Notre Dame's backups - at QB, receiver, tight end, running back - were able to outplay the starters for Utah and Army. Can our backups outplay USC's starters?
I think it will be a close game. Our spread O against a USC defense that has been out of sorts this year. USC's dynamic offense against an improving D that has been gashed at times. It may well come down to whether Matt Barkley is able to play. If we can put the Trojans in the same position we are of playing back-up QB, I like our chances. Our back-up quarterback is better than your back-up quarterback!
Bottom line: I like the momentum and mental toughness of the Irish. USC is feeling a bit besieged right now. The streak ends Saturday, as the Irish beat the Trojans 27-24.
2. It is almost time for the OC Domer Player of the Year to be named. This award is intended to recognize the Notre Dame football player or players who played the best when it mattered the most. Suffice it to say that the primary criterion is a consistently high level of play, with significant bonus points awarded for exceeding expectations. Injuries have taken many of the pre-season favorites for this prestigious award out of the running. Who is your nominee for this award, and why?
Well, there is still a chance for a star to emerge against USC and take the prize. And I am very interested to see who the other bloggers nominate. But the obvious candidates for me are Manti Te'o, Chris Stewart, and Tommy Rees. Manti has been a tackling machine and is a rising superstar at the national level. Chris Stewart is just an amazing story of character and perseverance. And freshman back-up Tommy Rees has been remarkable off the bench so far.
3. With a delicate flavor similar to beef, though slightly sweeter than other meats, horse meat can be used to replace beef, pork, mutton, and any other meat in virtually any recipe, though most aficionados prefer it in marinated or spicy dishes. Nutritionally, horse meat has around 40 percent fewer calories than the leanest beef, while supplying 50 percent more protein and as much as 30 percent more iron; and horse fat is considered an excellent health-conscious deep-frying alternative, especially for delicately-flavored foods that are easily overpowered by heavier oils. What is your favorite horse meat recipe?
Filet Mignon
This simple French classic serves 4.
4 four-ounce filets of horse4 slices baconsalt and pepper to taste
Prepare exactly as for a filet mignon. Wrap outside of filet with uncooked bacon slice and secure with toothpicks. Broil to taste.
4. Do you miss Pat Haden, who left the Notre Dame television broadcasts to become athletic director at USC?
Absolutely not! It was always a little weird that Notre Dame had a USC guy on its T.V. broadcasts, although I always thought Haden did a good job. But I have been blown away by his replacement in the booth, Mike Mayock. Mayock is outstanding in analyzing the X's and O's, as well as in relating his stories and his impressions of the student-athletes involved in the games.
As an aside, I think Haden was an excellent hire to replace Mike Garrett as USC's A.D.
5. USC is the Notre Dame rival I love to hate. What Notre Dame rival do you most despise, and why?
As noted above, USC is villain #1 in the OC Domer household. It started with watching Anthony Davis and that damn horse gallop all over the field against Notre Dame. Living amongst the Trojan faithful the past several years hasn't helped things. The contrast between flashy, west coast, Hollywood USC and wholesome midwestern values Notre Dame is just so stark for me. It's a clash between two different cultures.
6. Reggie Bush got a car, his parents a house. Cam Newton's Dad was looking for $180,000 in straight cash homey. Can Notre Dame compete for athletic recruits in this environment? Or do you believe these incidents are the exceptions to an otherwise clean recruiting landscape?
I think this type of stuff happens more than I would really care to admit to myself. But I still think there are enough kids of good character who are going to college for the right reasons that the Irish can field a strong football team. I do think, however, that in some parts of the country (cough *SEC* cough) the motto is still "If you ain't cheatin' you ain't tryin'." That's why the sanctions against USC and a strong NCAA response to the Cam Newton situation is so important.
As the other members of the IBG post their responses I will put links to those posts below.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
As luck would have it, the OC Family was in New York last weekend, and there was a big part of me that really wanted to hang around for a few days so that we could see this week's historic match-up between the Fighting Irish and the Black Knights in Yankee Stadium. Earlier in the week I posted to my Facebook page a link to a short article that gives a terrific overview of just how HUGE the games between Notre Dame and Army were when they played in the old Yankee Stadium "back in the day" as they say. If you aren't up to snuff on your Notre Dame football history, you really need to read that article or others like it before kick-off so that you fully appreciate today's game.
Last weekend was a frenetic and amazing one for our family. The OC Wife, OC Son, and I flew to Chicago on Friday and drove over to South Bend to visit the OC Daughter and see the Irish play the Utes. We made it to town in time to have dinner with our daughter and her close friends (purposely ambiguous description to avoid embarrassing anyone by mentioning them by name). It was a a great time and we continue to be impressed by all the amazing people our daughter has met and befriended while at Notre Dame. We were hosted on our visit by the amazing McBride family. Thanks Tim and Tisha once again for putting up with us!
Our high school junior son spent Friday night on campus and slept in the dorm room of one of her friends (Thanks Brett!). He is just now recovering from the sleep deprivation, but he had a blast hanging out on campus with his sister and her friends.
On Saturday we did our usual rounds before the game, lighting a candle at the Grotto and eating a Knights of Columbus steak sandwich for lunch. The rain started about 30 minutes before kick-off and it was pretty steady until after half-time. But the weather did not bother us at all because the Irish were taking it to the visiting Utes on the field. It was an amazing game.
I won't give a game re-cap, but I wanted to share a couple of impressions. First, although I don't get to South Bend for a lot of games, the game against Utah was the first I can remember for a long while where I felt that the crowd was being vocal enough to give our team a true home-field advantage. It has seemed to me in recent years that the Notre Dame home crowd is generally pretty flat, and not too fearsome for opposing teams. But the crowd was into it last week (sparked by Robert Blanton's punt-block touchdown!) and I really felt that Utah was having trouble communicating and that they were rattled by the crowd. It was awesome!
Second, the scene after the game was unlike anything I had ever seen. I stormed the field as a student at Notre Dame, but I have never witnessed anything like the celebration last Saturday. It was clearly a catharsis. On one level it is silly for a 5-5 Notre Dame team to storm the field after a win over Utah. We're the Fighting Irish for crying out loud. On another level, this team, these seniors, those students have experienced tremendous adversity over the last four years and even in the last few weeks. They needed some good news like nobody's business. The first win over a ranked opponent for this senior class was a sufficient excuse to celebrate. The students poured onto the field, and it didn't take long for the ushers and security staff to switch from trying to stop it to just making sure nobody got hurt. The team and the band and the students were all partying together, and the crowd was so jammed in that the band couldn't march out through the the tunnel. So they just kept playing! The fact that my wife and I watched from the stands while both our kids were down on the field (somewhere!) just made it that much more special.
Third, and this is probably just the optimist in me, but the outstanding play of the defense and the efficient play of the offense (including the appearance of a power running game) really felt like a turning point for this team and for Coach Kelly's program. From the stands you could feel the confidence of the team grow as the game wore on. I sure hope we're able to look back at this game and say "We were there" when Coach Kelly and the Irish turned the corner.
On Sunday the three of us flew from Chicago to Newark, New Jersey and drove up to West Point New York to see the United States Military Academy, which our son is very interested in attending. We sat through an information session on Monday morning, then we each took a tour of the campus. The students were each assigned their own cadet escort, and the parents had their own guided tour. Our expectations for West Point were high before our arrival, but our expectations were exceeded by the beautiful campus on the banks of the Hudson River and by the people we met there. There was definitely a bit of a buzz on the campus about the upcoming game against Notre Dame, although honestly it is all about the Navy game there. "Beat Navy" is everywhere on campus, including the doormat for every door you walk through. As a Notre Dame alumnus I am very proud of the tradition and the amazing campus of my alma mater, but West Point gives Notre Dame a run for its money in both categories.
Embedded below is a slide show of some of the pictures we took of the campus at West Point during our visit. Click on any of the pictures to bring them up in full size.
Here, very quickly, is my contribution to the Irish Blogger Gathering for the week.1. Saturday’s result against Utah was a very pleasant surprise, but an unexpected one, to say the least. What was the biggest positive you took from the win over the Utes, and what concerns you most as the Irish head into their final two games of the regular season?
The Utes are pretenders in my book. They are a good team that has built an over-inflated reputation on an easy schedule. They may still be better than the Irish, but I think it will be a competitive game. The key match-up is Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco against the Utes' spread offense. I believe the Irish will have success on offense. I actually think Tommy Rees has a better grasp of the Irish offense than Dayne Crist does, although he may not be as athletic. He (generally) makes sound decisions quickly and moves the team. The key is whether the Irish can slow the Utes down enough to keep us in the the game.
Biggest positive for me was the way the defense stepped up and dominated. A close second was the confidence the Irish showed. A good team needs a little swagger.
Biggest concern for the final two games are (1) did the Irish learn anything from the Navy game that will help them stop Army's option attack? and (2) Will the Irish be able to overcome the loss of so many starters when they play USC?
2. The Irish will have to take a completely different approach against the Army option than they did against the Navy attack a few weeks ago. Who do you see playing the biggest role in slowing down the Black Knight attack? Who will be the big performer on offense?
It has to be a team effort on defense. All eleven guys, and their subs, have to step up and play with speed, aggression, and discipline.
On offense, the offensive line simply has to take control of the game. We have to be able to control the ball, and we have to move the chains. A huge part of the woes against Navy was that the offense kept giving the ball back to the Middies.
3. Should Notre Dame win one of their final two games, they’ll likely be going bowling. There are a lot of tie-ins that may or may not be fulfilled from other conferences that will likely end up deciding their postseason fate, but what bowl do you see the Irish playing in?
I'm on deadline here. I have no idea. I just hope it is a decent enough bowl game that nobody laughs out loud at us when it is announced.
4. This isn’t a question any of us thought would be an issue at the start of the season, but who do you see as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback against South Florida next year?
We're playing South Florida next year? Geez. I'm going with Tommy Rees at QB. Even before Dayne Crist's injury, I felt Rees had a better grasp of the offense that Dayne did. He doesn't have a big arm like Dayne, but he seems to make the reads and get the ball out more consistently. To me Dayne looked a little overwhelmed at times, and he was very inconsistent with his accuracy. It's hard to knock success and Rees is 1-0 against ranked teams. Andrew Hendrix is the wild card, of course, but I know nothing about his progress in the offense. Under Brain Kelly it is very clear to me that quarterback play is more mental than physical. A big arm is useless if a guy doesn't grasp the mental aspects of the offense.
5. We’re all very excited for Saturday night at Yankee Stadium, which is a nice turn towards some pretty exciting neutral site games (Miami at Soldier Field, Arizona State at Cowboys Stadium) after a rather lackluster start (Washington State in San Antonio). What are three neutral site games you’d like to see down the road?
I'm out of time. I need to get this post up and take a shower. It's clear from the question that neutral site games can be great (Army in Yankee Stadium) or awful (Wazoo at San Antonio). Let's all agree to not schedule the crappy ones.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
The Irish are playing the Utes this week. Every time I say (or even think) "Ute" my mind flashes to that hilarious scene in the movie "My Cousin Vinny." Do you remember it?
Anyway, the Utes are coming to town, looking to redeem themselves after being humiliated by TCU in their last game. The Irish, meanwhile, are looking to get back on track and salvage a bowl berth after suffering a string of very difficult losses over the course of the longest two weeks in the history of Notre Dame football.
Navy simply crushed the Irish in the Meadowlands. I have never liked the Irish in the Meadowlands, despite having been informed that, prior to this year, they had never lost a game there. Losing to Navy is tough to take. Getting completely out-classed by Navy is another thing altogether. I have been too busy to keep my blogging up to satisfactory levels this season, but my Twitter/Facebook comment on the game was "Memo to Brian Kelly: Honeymoon Officially Over."
Tulsa came into Notre Dame Stadium just hours (or so it seemed) after Notre Dame student Declan Sullivan was tragically killed while filming an Irish football practice in high winds. I honestly didn't know what to expect from the Irish in that game. Given all the emotions of the week, I thought they could get blown out, or they could have blown out the Golden Hurricane. Instead we saw something in the middle, with the Irish playing a close game and being in position to win the game at the end despite losing starting quarterback Dayne Crist for the rest of the season with another freaky knee injury. Unfortunately, the Irish lost the chance to kick a game-winning field goal when a ball that never should have been thrown on a play that never should have been called was intercepted in the end zone. The team really surprised me with their resilience against Tulsa. Coach Kelly also really surprised me when he blew the game with a really poor decision. He can rationalize it all he wants that he liked the match-up, or that Tommy Rees should have thrown it away. But Tommy Rees is a freshman, and he should not have been put in the position to make that decision. Once again, my wife had her head in the game more than the coach did. She was shouting at the T.V. that Kelly better not throw that d*&# ball! They better run the ball to the middle to get a good angle for the field goal! I can only imagine that Declan's death was weighing pretty heavily on Coach Kelly that day, and he wasn't in top form.
So a two game losing streak. A bad two game losing streak. Starting quarterback, running back (Allen), tight end (Rudolph), wide receiver (Riddick) all out with injuries. The Utes coming to town still ranked #15 in the country. It is serious gut check time for Coach Kelly's Fighting Irish. A loss removes all margin for error if a bowl game is to remain in play for this team. They would have to beat Army and USC to go 6-6 and be bowl eligible. A win, especially over a ranked team, would be a much needed boost to the program. It would be some measure of validation that the "process" Coach Kelly constantly talks about is actually yielding some results.
The OC Domer household is especially excited for this week's game because in about five hours we are heading for the airport to go back to South Bend to visit the OC Daughter (Hi Katie!) and see the Fighting Irish play Utah on Saturday. But wait, that's not all! On Sunday we fly to Newark, New Jersey and drive up to West Point, New York where the OC Son is scheduled to take a campus tour of the U.S. Military Academy on Monday. A late flight home gets us back to the OC late Monday night. A very exciting and busy weekend that we have been looking forward to for a long time. I just hope it doesn't rain too much!
It hasn't just been a crazy season for the Irish. I was tied up in some litigation at work for a couple of months, and spent a lot of time on the road. The case is over now, so I am trying to get back into my normal routine. Which means posting my response to the Irish Blogger Gathering questions for this week. Very quickly. Here we go:
1. Notre Dame is currently 4-5 with three games left in the season. First, are you surprised by the wins and losses so far? And second, given how the Irish have played, what is a realistic expectation for the remainder of the season?
None of the wins have surprised me. The losses to Navy and Tulsa, and the magnitude of the loss to Stanford all surprised me. I think Utah has been a bit of a pretender all year and is still overrated. I think we'll find a way to rally and beat the Utes. We have to. A win over Army and a loss to USC in a more competitive game than recent years should round it out.
2. A little report card in the spirit of the bye week. What player or position unit has been the biggest surprise of the year and what player/position unit has been the biggest disappointment?
The defense has been a disappointment to me. I don't know which sub-unit on "D" is the culprit, but the simply awful performances against Michigan and Navy were an abomination. The O-line's inability to impose its will and get a first down in short yardage is a real disappointment. I can't say I really have a positive surprise. Manti's prodigious tackling numbers and his speed to the ball have been impressive.
3. Defensive coordinator Bob Diaco caught plenty of flack after the debacle against Navy, and rightly so. But his unit bounced back with arguably their best performance of the year against a prolific Tulsa offense. So which version is the real Diaco? Is it the one that had no answer for Navy? Or is it the one that had his troops prepared against Tulsa (and most other Irish opponents)?
Didn't Tulsa score 28 points on us? Didn't they have 203 net rushing yards and a 5.2 yards-per-rush average? Diaco's grade is still "incomplete." The defense needs to come up big in a big game that we win. Good statistical performances in valiant losses are not good enough. Make a play.
4. Off the heels of a near miss against Air Force, Utah was undressed by TCU in their first "real" test of the season. Are the Utes pretenders and does Notre Dame have a shot at winning Saturday? What will be the key matchup next week in South Bend?
The Utes are pretenders in my book. They are a good team that has built an over-inflated reputation on an easy schedule. They may still be better than the Irish, but I think it will be a competitive game. The key match-up is Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco against the Utes' spread offense. I believe the Irish will have success on offense. I actually think Tommy Rees has a better grasp of the Irish offense than Dayne Crist does, although he may not be as athletic. He (generally) makes sound decisions quickly and moves the team. The key is whether the Irish can slow the Utes down enough to keep us in the the game.
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About OC Domer
I am a 1986 graduate of the University of Notre Dame living in the heart of Orange County, California. Working hard and raising two kids with my wonderful wife (SMC '86), I'm running the rat race like everyone else I see on the freeways of Southern California. I am passionate about my family and my University. My family won't want me blogging about them, but the University doesn't seem to mind. So I'll share my opinions about Fighting Irish football, the University in general, politics, and anything else that comes to mind. | {
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My interest in the book (and I must say that while brief, it’s not for casual reading) was spurred by Pogany’s late-in-life interest in the consciousness studies of Jean Gebser, and how he utilised Gebser’s Kulturphilosophie, the history of consciousness, to illuminate his own field of economic history, as well as emphasise his own expectation of global catastrophe or “choatic transition” (“havoc”) on the way to what he calls GS3 (Global System 3) as the successor to the present socioeconomic paradigm. Most of the book is the application of thermodynamics to a reinterpretation of modern history (especially economic history), and why the present world system is going to start colliding with the reality of the limits to growth between now and 2030.
While I am sympathetic to the thesis that “havoc” will indeed be the historical endgame of the Modern Era, and that this will be a “chaotic transition” to a new planetary reorganisation (world order), I’m not persuaded that GS3 (defined as “two-level economy/ strong multilateralism/ mostly government money (maximum reserve banking)” has much in common with Gebser’s “mutation towards” arational or integral consciousness. For one thing, Pogany cites China as an emergent model of GS3, quite in keeping with the Chinese government’s own boast that its form of social organisation and government is the most appropriate one for a new world order, and which it promotes through its “Confucius Institutes”.
Pogany seems to think that Confucianism is our future. But if it is, this hasn’t much to do with Gebser’s “integral consciousness”. This is the concluding paragraph of Havoc,
“It is worth mentioning that Quesnay showed a remarkable interest in China, seeing a great promise in the fusion of central authority with Confucian philosophy. The focus gravitates toward China also in the thermodynamic framework of universal history. The most populous country’s two-level economic organization seems to anticipate what the planet will eventually need, but with Confucianism, not communism, in the background.”
Peter Pogany (2015-10-23). Havoc, Thy Name Is Twenty-First Century!: Thermodynamic Isolation and the New World Order (Kindle Locations 1735-1737). iUniverse. Kindle Edition
First, I’m glad to see that someone has correctly noted that the political and social condition of China is not “communism” but the rehabilitation of Confucius, who was very conservative. The Maoists, in fact, blamed Confucianism for keeping China weak and backward relative to the West, and did their best — in the “Cultural Revolution” — to purge Chinese society of the taint of Confucianism. That ended with the trail of the Gang of Four, effectively being China’s “Thermidor Reaction” after which Confucius was restored, and China reverted from a totalitarian system to an authoritarian one.
Admiration amongst some Western leaders for China’s “basic dictatorship” (as even newly minted Canadian Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau openly confessed) is actually an admiration for Confucianism. And while that might seem shocking to hear coming from a Liberal Prime Minister, it’s even refreshing compared to former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s obsession with Stalin and the Stalinesque (as reported by “a senior Conservative senator”).
Is the new god of our near future going to be Confucius? If so, that hasn’t much to do with Gebser’s arational-aperspectival consciousness structure. The great foe of Confucius was Lao Tze, the Taoist. The opening lines of his famous Tao de Ching took direct aim at Confucius and Confucianism:
The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named is not the eternal name
It’s hard to see how one can reconcile China’s “basic dictatorship” with Gebser’s “integral consciousness”, which has more in common with Lao Tze and Chuang Tzu than with Confucius.
GS3 strikes me more as being the immediate near term response (authoritarianism) of the Modern Era to its own self-contradictions, dilemmas, and predicament, rather than a revolutionary transition or in any way a correlate to Gebser’s emergent aperspectival-integral consciousness structure.
While “havoc” and the “chaotic transition” may indeed provoke an authoritarian response (and in fact, it is doing so already, including scenarios like Bertram Gross’s “Friendly Fascism” and Sheldon Wolin’s “Democracy Incorporated“) GS3 seems very unappealing as a new “steady state” New World Order, even though it is likely to come to be, but as part of the chaotic transition, and not as its resolution.
Apart from that, Pogany’s description of the predicament of Late Modernity is worth considering. But it needs to be restated that any true “mutation” of consciousness must be made plain and explicit by the addition of new powers or faculties of consciousness, powers or faculties which reveal hitherto invisible or surprisingly overlooked aspects and relationships between things, including, as I noted in the last post on “Complexity and Consciousness,” dexterity in handling more than one or two variables simultaneously, and I do not see how a merely globalised Confucianism represents such a mutation as much as a reactionary formation.
But it’s true. Even as our politicians and captains of industry bash China’s model, they secretly envy it, without apparently realising that they are all becoming Confucians.
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28 responses to “Havoc, Chaotic Transition, and Confucius”
Interesting. Based on the quote from Pogany in a recent comment, I skimmed through the online Google books preview. Didn’t seem to have anything to do with anything integral. Glad to see you found it to be pretty much along those lines.
GS3 looks more like a traditional synthesis of Marx and Hegel. In fact, if you were to attempt a synthesis of Marxian materialism and Hegelian idealism (spirit) it would probably look like Confucius, with his harmonisation of Earth and Heaven. Same kind of notion. And for quite similar reasons as Gebser saw both Marxism and Hegelianism as “deficient”, Lao Tze saw Confucianism likewise as “deficient”.
I certainly hope we aren’t cursed to go around in Sisyphean tasks and circles like this forever and ever and ever.
Scott,
That’s a quick turn-around for getting a review out! I’ll be quite a bit slower, as I ordered the soft-cover book that will take a few days to print, a few more to ship, and who knows how long for me to read.
That’s really interesting to make the connection to Confucianism. I don’t recall Pogany ever referencing Confucius, and I don’t know much at all about that system.
Yes, Marx and Hegel were perhaps primary influences on Pogany’s “new historical materialism” project, with additional influences from numerous others, including Karl Polanyi, and Gorgescu-Roegan. He’s a transdisciplinarian, so there are lots of influences.
Don, I imagine you were looking at the Google preview of Pogany’s 2006 book Rethinking the World? It’s true, there are zero references to Gebser in that book. The first Gebser reference I’m aware of is in his 2009 paper: “Fifth Structure Emergence in Economics: Observations through the Thermodynamic Lens of World History.” This is a good place to start with in regards to Pogany and Gebser. I’ve found many, many useful Gebser references in his 2009-2013 papers – I plan to create a page summarizing. Here’s the Fifth Structure paper: http://www.humanthermodynamics.com/Fifth_Structure_Emergence_in_Economics.pdf
Hi David – I only had time to quickly skim that paper – perhaps you could identify some section or phrases that strike you as “integral” in the sense that Gebser was referring to (by the way, I find Gebser’s portrayal of integral consciousness quite varying in quality; some things in his massive tome strike me simply as more refined rational expressions, perhaps more well integrated with aesthetic/ethical and what the Indians would refer to as more “Sattwic’ concerns, so i’m not sure that anything that simply refers to Gebser is necessarily integral in the deepest sense).
Pagan’s writing in the paper you linked to strikes me (as quite a bit of Feuerstein’s writing does also) as a refined, postmodern take on integral, still very much in the mental/rational realm).
But as I said, I only took a few minutes to skim it and perhaps missed much if not most of the essence of it.
Just a word about Confucianism – there’s a movement at least 1000 years old in China of “Neo-Confucianism” – whatever Confucius may have meant in his own writings, the “modern” (over the last 1000 years or more) sense has been profoundly influenced by Tantric, Mahayana and other Indian and East Asian mystical influences, including of course Taoism as well – the Tantric in particular is, to my mind, far more “integral” than anything i’ve ever come across in Gebser’s writings, just to throw a little friendly wrench in this conversation:>)) – especially the Vajrayana version of Tantric Buddhism, which made its way into China and grew particularly strong in Japan.
Finally, for a strongly integral view of Gebser (and considering the fact that Gebser himself considered Sri Aurobindo’s view of integral to be more profound than that of Gebser himself), you might want to look up Ulrich Mohrhoff’s “Sri Aurobindo for Gebserians”
Gebser, though, wasn’t looking to replace the Western intellectual tradition with an Eastern one. He makes that quite explicit in Ever-Present Origin. But the fuller treatment of his reasons is given in a book that hasn’t yet been translated, Asien Laechelt Anders, which translates as “Asia Smiles Differently”.
Scott, maybe we can just agree to disagree on this one. I wrote a series of letters some time back a month or so ago on the urgent need to transcend this long useless distinction of East and West – even granting it might have been useful 100 or 1000 years ago, we now can look at the whole history of humanity and find integral consciousness anywhere – whether the Americas or Asia or Africa.
in any case, Gebser did not at all see Aurobindo as “Eastern” (nor did Aurobindo). Gebser quite clearly stated, in no uncertain terms, that his own vision of integral was like a tiny shadow compared to the supramental consciousness that aurobindo described (I am stating this from memory). I can’t imagine how “East” or “West” plays any role in that, at least.
Be it noted that my concept of the formation of a new consciousness, of which I became aware by a flash-like intuition in the winter of 1932/33, and which I began to put forward in 1939, largely resembles the world-scheme of Sri Aurobindo, who was then unknown to me. My own, however, differs from Sri Aurobindo’s in that it appeals to the Western world only and does not have the profundity and the pregnant origin of his ingeniously presented conception. I see an explanation for this phenomenon in the fact that I was in some way brought into the extremely powerful spiritual field of force radiating through Sri Aurobindo.[1]
Wow, I just noticed something. The place I originally discovered Peter Pogany was the Jean Gebser Society blog, where there are exactly two posts. The most recent by Peter Pogany, and the other, original post was written by, wait for it, … Scott Preston!
In that initial post, Scott reproduces one of Gebser’s last written documents on The Integral Consciousness, originally published in Jan.-Feb.of 1974. Here is one paragraph:
“It is precisely because Asia and the Occident are not mutually exclusive opposites, but are mutually complementary poles (which may very well one day rediscover their common roots), that it is important for this consciousness to be coherently and fully explored. This now becomes even more necessary in view of the fact that my earlier publications have been mainly concerned with providing evidence of the dawning of the Integral consciousness and of the forms it has taken in the Occident in recent decades, and have not addressed themselves sufficiently to the unique character of this new constellation of consciousness.”http://blog.gebser.net/2012/01/jean-gebser-integral-consciousness.html
yes, exactly. Common roots. Maybe i should just quote that paragraph every time Scott denigrates (I know Scott – you don’t think you are but I believe you are) or misrepresents “the East”).
I have a feeling (boy I’m getting into deep waters here) that this is because of the influence of H’stock (sorry I can never remember his name) who i imagine simply absorbed the standard German attitude of his day about the mysterious East.
Maybe we can come to some kind of truce where a mention of Neo-Confucian ideas from the 10th century is always accompanied by:”I’m talking bout COMMON ROOTS, not anything inherently “eastern”;
or something like that:>))
Anyway, I leave you with a smile:
I am, therefore (among other things), I think – just remembering not to put Descartes before his Source
I have a feeling (boy I’m getting into deep waters here) that this is because of the influence of H’stock (sorry I can never remember his name) who i imagine simply absorbed the standard German attitude of his day about the mysterious East.
I really have no idea about any “denigration” of the East in the Chrysalis. And as for common root, what else is the “ever=present origin” or, in fact, the centre of Rosenstock-Huessy’s “cross of reality”?
In fact, in his “Christian Future, or the modern mind outrun”, Rosenstock-Huessy takes a stab at showing how the world religions relate to one another through the cross of reality. It was part of his project of generating a “universal history”.
I’ve recovered some rudimentary computer functions, enough to get me by for the time being, anyway. I will, unfortunately, have to put my laptop out to pasture.
Scott, maybe we can just agree to disagree on this one
We will have to I think. And I think the issue is what we variously understand by “integral” or “holistic”. It might help if you make your own understanding of this more explicit.
we now can look at the whole history of humanity and find integral consciousness anywhere – whether the Americas or Asia or Africa
I’m not sure what you’re getting at here, because if anything the Chrysalis has even overdone pointing out the recurrence of the same implicit pattern diachronically as well as synchronically — the recurrence of the same fourfold pattern; the same four “guardians” wearing different disguises, or even as the four directions — north, south, east, west. These aren’t geographical coordinates. They are value coordinates.
It needs to be re-emphasised — one can’t have an “integration” without simultaneously a differentiation. The root paradox is the identity of the One and the Many.
Hi Don,
On page 10 of the “Fifth Structure” paper Pogany outlines what he sees as Gebser’s “19 criteria to appraise aperspectival movements and tendencies” and in the appendix beginning on page 22 he provides definitions of these criteria, and what I see as his interpretation of what “integral consciousness” means. He’s heavily dependent on Feuerstein (whom I haven’t read) here in his early (2009) consideration of Gebser.
I was going to provide a bunch of quotes from Rethinking the World yesterday to kind of outline his general ideology (from the section he calls “Saga,” but I ran out of time.
I’ve read The Ever Present Origin as well as a number of articles by Gebser (including some published in the Theosophist, which didn’t make the kind of East-West distinction that’s being made here) as well as all or most of Feuerstein’s writings on Gebser.
As far as I understand him, Feuerstein was crystal clear in all of the writings I’ve seen that Aurobindo’s integral vision went far beyond Gebser – which I thought Gebser made pretty clear himself in that statement I quoted. When I was involved briefly with an online Gebser forum, it was clear that many people could quite clearly and concisely quote Gebser (such as Ken Wilber) yet still not have any idea what he was talking about (Feuerstein made clear over a period of many years that he felt Wilber consistently misunderstood Gebser, though Wilber never acknowledged it and since the early 1980s has made Gebser’s categories a core part of his “theory”).
By the way, comparing Gebser’s integral vision to that of Aurobindo doesn’t in any way for me involve a denigration of Gebser – nor does it have anything to do with East, north, west or south.
Feuerstein has been as much criticized for mistaking Gebser’s “integral consciousness” as much as Wilber has been. I can’t comment on that as yet, because I’ve only just begun reading Feuerstein’s work on Gebser.
I”ve also begun reading more deeply into Aurobindo’s works, and I have some concerns about it, particularly some echoes of Brahmanism and his apparent antipathy to sexuality and sensuality, and his suggestion that procreation of the race should be left to lesser developed humans — in other words, it’s the caste system by any other name, and with a sexual proletariat.
Firstly, I should reiterate what I’ve said before. If anything, I’m a disciple of William Blake. My appreciation of Gebser (as of Nietzsche too) is much owing to the light Gebser and Nietzsche both shed on understanding Blake’s “fourfold vision” and the more arcane and esoteric aspects of Blake’s mythology and prophecy. Same goes for Rosenstock-Huessy.
Just from my early reading of Aurobindo, there are clear differences between him and Gebser despite the similarities. Those differences are not impertinent. They are highly relevant to cultural history and historical context as well as a sense of destiny, although a comment isn’t the place to draw them out in detail.
I reiterate also what Seth pointed out. There are “species of consciousness” — different pathways. This is how it should be.
Don,
Regarding Mohrhoff’s “Sri Aurobindo for Gebserians,” that sounds intriguing. The only Aurobindo book I own is the short survey book “The Essential Auribindo,” which I’ve only skimmed so far.
I did just find on my hard drive an article I’d saved by Mohrhoff: “Evolution of Consciousness According to Jean Gebser.” I don’t remember reading this, so either I’ve forgotten, or it was something I downloaded for reading later, then forgot.
Thank you Ulrich for providing a link to what looks to be some very valuable resources.
As to “Sri Aurobindo for Gebserians”,
In his philosophical writings, Sri Aurobindo is chiefly concerned with the large-scale evolution of consciousness, whereas Gebser supplies fascinating details of the evolution of human consciousness on a finer scale. For Sri Aurobindo the decisive evolutionary steps are life, mind and supermind; for Gebser they are the magic, mythical, mental and integral structures. From the Aurobindonian point of view, nothing stands in the way of identifying the integral structure with supermind. Such an identification was explicitly endorsed by Gebser. But because of the different evolutionary scales envisaged, the evolution of supermind as expounded by Sri Aurobindo stands out as an even more radical proposition than the manifestation of the integral structure as set forth by Jean Gebser.
I concur completely with that statement, and stated some of my reservations about Gebser’s model and method in earlier posts.
Thus while supermind looks upon itself as the one Conscious-Existence adopting a plurality of knowing and determining standpoints, mind experiences itself as a multiplicity of separate entities. And while supermind perceives each thing as the One Existence under a particular aspect, mind sees each thing as a separate integer. Supermind also transcends the distantiating perspectival outlook of mind. It knows all because it is all, not at a distance but immediately, by identity. Its Self encompasses the world. Its vantage-point is coextensive with space. It likewise encompasses past, present and future time.
The creative action of supermind is primarily qualitative and infinite and only secondarily quantitative and finite. At its origin, mind is the agent of this secondary action—measuring, limiting, defining, individualizing. But when separated in its self-consciousness from supermind, mind becomes a prisoner of the quantitative and finite aspect of reality which it had helped to create.
That is an exact description of my “Dream of the Fish”, as well as providing the rationale for considering Rosenstock-Huessy’s “cross of reality” the nexus between mind and supermind — a map of the integral consciousness.
I’m curious if anyone has a problem with this very brief summary of Gebser’s concept of “integral” (with acknowledgement of some reliance on Feuerstein) from Pogany’s “Fifth Structure” paper:
APPENDIX
(1) The whole: Originary givenness spiritually awared.
(2) Integrity: Harmonious coexistence among all structures in the lived experience of integral consciousness.
(3) Transparency: Based on the thermodynamic worldview, the individual sees, senses, and feels the unity of past, present, and future. Such a synairetic way of “understanding” becomes the permanent backdrop in dealing with all problems of human life.
(4) The spiritual: Excessively ambitious calculative deficiency withdraws in the face of originary presence. The intellect is no longer dominated by a compulsion to squeeze the world into categories; quantifying, tabulating, and formalizing every aspect of it. Primal trust overcomes primal fear.
(5) Supersession of the ego: Reduction of egoity — Ichhaftigkeit. (Feuerstein describes the outward manifestations of integral consciousness. See, Feuerstein, 1987, p. 170).
(6) Realization of timelessness: Connection between archaic-magic preconceptual and integral postconceptual “being-without-time.”
(7) Realization of temporicity: Recognition of mythical elements (e.g., cyclicality and destiny) in the structure of consciousness.
(8) Realization of the concept of time: While becoming the integrating factor of all dimensions, time itself disappears (becomes amension) both as an absolute scientific/philosophical concept and as the Molach of daily life.
(9) Realization of time-freedom: The integrative vantage point renders individual, community, and cosmic existence transparent.
(10) Disruption of the merely systematic: Freedom from mental-rationally perceived causality, liberation of creativity.
(11) Incursion of dynamics: Conscious appreciation that ceaseless animation is a fundamental aspect of all forms of existence, including human thought.
(12) Recognition of energy: The science of thermodynamics absorbs and reinterprets conceptualizations and characterizations of time.
(13) Mastery of movement: Transformation of consciousness begins to take an outward shape.
(14) Fourth dimension: Conscious absorption that Being is temporally dimensionless.
(15) Supersession of patriarchy: Movement toward integrum is catalyzed by the elimination of man/woman duality in the socioeconomic sphere; decline in the relevance of masculine symbolism in theological metanarratives.
(16) Renunciation of dominance and power: Discovery that imbalances in personal and social relations are ultimately futile, collectively harmful, and consequently, untenable in the long run.
(17) Acquisition of intensity: The presentiation of “Itself” (Sich) as internal transcendence in opposition to the mere expansion of consciousness. (This theme is too abstractly related to economic theory to make a plausible connection.)
(18) Clarity (instead of mere wakefulness): Recognition through a “systatic act” that the outer-related (exhaling) mental-rational world of wakefulness, buffeted by previously dominant structures, is insufficient to achieve true freedom.
(19) Transformation of the creative inceptual basis: History is no longer viewed as a path of some linearly imaged progress; the future as an unlimited design of human volition.
I suppose the elements and characteristics that stood out strongly for Pogany are those that resonated most with his economic and thermodynamic interests. “Acquisition of intensity” is an odd way to put it — like increasing market share, and the contradiction of a “postconceptual being-with-time” as being a thermodynamic “reconceptualisation”. And I think fretting about whether to call it an “expansion” or an “intensification” can get a bit overdone, drawing us back into thinking in terms of antitheses rather than polarities.
Otherwise, I don’t think there’s much wrong with this, although this kind of distillation seems a little dry. I think Ulrich’s “Evolution of Consciousness According to Jean Gebser”, which relies on excerpts from Gebser’s own work to present an overview, is more pertinent, although it might assume greater familiarity with Gebser’s ouevre than most people have. But maybe not…
A good site to test Pogany’s hypothesis about the chaotic transition is the GlobalEuropeAnticipationBulletin (GEAB). They currently have an article on systemic transition, but they don’t see China as the new pole.
The “East-West Dialogue” can’t be better exemplified than in this: Ulrich discovers the meaning of quantum mechanics in Indian philosophy, while his colleague, Amit Gotswami, discovers the meaning of Indian philosophy through quantum mechanics.
Thank you all. Human is a receiver and transmitter of energy, high and low ,positive and negative. Responsibility is an individual affair and what others say is only beneficial as far as it waters the roots of my tree of responsibility. Energy is blocked by fixed meanings, when narrowed human perception insists that things must only go one way. Rumi said , there are hundred ways to kneel and kiss the ground. It is the story of the one and many and the honest dance of the one and the many. Not every piece of writings presented are truthful. This recall to my mind, Horton the editor of Lancet medical journal saying, much of the scientific literature, perhaps half may simply be untrue. Heat of honesty pushes forward, away from being prisoned in this or that river, after all rivers pour in the sea. Let us not forget the sea.
One can consider that to the “leaders” of the world, this havoc, or chaos must precede order or like their motto states: “ordo ab chao”.
That’s how they wish to bring about the transition to “Novus Ordo Seclorum” (as is written on the dollar bill).
For this to happen, they need to achieve the culmination into what THEY see as integral-consciousness (except that it is only a way to serve their own interests) by the means of a One Religion, a system of beliefs and political directions that may not be that different from the confucionism you mentioned. Maybe in that sense they see China as a model, but those are just my ramblings on the subject… 😛
I see it as a new form of imperialism, though.
And “havoc” may arrive even faster if indeed the engendered WWW III begins, taking in account the rate of worldwide key events lately. But maybe not just yet… What are your thoughts on this? Too much of a conspiracy?
Meanwhile humanity “sleeps” serenely to the “music” of nowadays, entranced by the light of their cell phone screens, car displays, commercials, outdoors, tvs, anything that overwhelms their vision, or their ears too, for that matter. An elusive “darkness” of colourful signs and images that shadows the mind so that their thoughts can barely escape. What a paradox…
Fortunately there are people that see through the fog and stand against all the lies, like you.
Thanks for being this piercing voice in the uncomfortable, consenting silence (sometimes even conniving) of the immense mass of “average citizens” like you posted a while back, which aren’t expected even to think for themselves anymore.
As usual I wish you the best, and feel grateful for this blog where truth can be freely poured in words, with much technique and wisdow, by the way.
And “havoc” may arrive even faster if indeed the engendered WWW III begins, taking in account the rate of worldwide key events lately. But maybe not just yet… What are your thoughts on this? Too much of a conspiracy?
Not inconceivable. One hopes that “cooler heads prevail”, but that’s not exactly the case when the mind is at “the end of its tether”, to refer back to H.G. Wells on this. In some ways “cooler heads” and being “at the end of one’s tether” are mutually exclusive.
Of real danger is recent reports that the Persian Gulf may become uninhabitable. That would be very unsettling, so to speak. If you think the refugee and mass migration crisis is severe now, just imagine that as one possible scenario.
On a different vibrational plateau, the three basic tools of human interaction, perception, emotion and action seem to be in complete chaotic situation, in complete separation from each other, but moving on contrary paths. We talk away from action, we act away from emotion, we perceive only the seen away from the important forces of the unseen. It seems we talk of decline without fear and Patricia visited Mexico and Texas not to remind of these unseen forces but for entertainment and news. The dislocation of peoples seem to be looked upon with deep unconcern and the media are happy debating the trivial and in complete oblivion of the serious. Lies into divine reality is havoc. We enjoy divine knowledge and defy the divine. What a sorry story. The signs of the doom is everywhere. | {
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related
related
Yeah, you could go into your favorite fast food joint and just pay a human for some fries, but that's so Earlier-Part-of-2013.
Beyondte Technology, a manufacturer in China, has created the first-ever FRENCH FRY VENDING MACHINE, which busts out hot, fresh fries in 95 seconds. The fries even come with your choice of sauce! Is it more or less useful than the pizza button? Who cares?!
Following five years of R&D&L (research & development & lunch), the contraptions were tested out in Brussels (they take their frites even more seriously than their sprouts), and are supposedly set to show up in apparently fry-crazed nations like Iran, Croatia, and Chile.
And -- perhaps best of all -- Beyondte's website lists specific ways to "inspect perfect fries" by using your very own senses. For instance, your mouth should feel a "crisp outside and soft inside", while your ears should experience the sweet symphony of a "crisp sound... during eating". So, keep that in mind.
(Thank you, Grub Street, for finding this beauty.)
Recommended Video
Guides
Proof That Iceland's Ring Road Is the World's Most Beautiful Road Trip | {
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New York Times finds a non-gerrymandered district – expresses incredulity
NY Times 5 August 2006 / Campaign 2006
Leveled Colorado District Creates an Election Lab
By CARL HULSE
DENVER, Aug. 2 –
The remarkable thing about Colorado's Seventh Congressional
District,
where Republicans hold a seat that Democrats are desperate to win this year, is
that the
fix isn't in.
Unlike the vast majority of House districts around the country, this one,
encompassing a
thriving collection of Denver suburbs, was not gerrymandered to guarantee
victory to one
party. Quite the opposite. It is a freak of modern political nature,
purposefully drawn to be
balanced between the parties and provide a genuine test of the ideals and
abilities of the
opposing candidates.
"It is a political scientist's dream," said Representative Diana DeGette, a
Democrat who
represents an adjoining district.
Now, with control of Congress at stake, the decision by Representative Bob
Beauprez to
vacate the seat after two terms to run for governor has created one of the most
important
Congressional races in the nation, a laboratory for Republicans and Democrats
alike and a
bellwether in a fluid political year. Both parties are making the contest a
priority as
Republicans try to hold on against determined Democrats, who will choose their
candidate
in a primary next Tuesday and sorely need the seat to recapture the House.
The candidates are already fighting over the Iraq war, immigration, stem cell
research and
political corruption, suggesting that the outcome could be settled by how a
textbook
swing district comes down on the driving questions of the day.
"It really is like America, right down the middle, just like you read about in
civics class,"
said Peggy Lamm, one of the three Democratic primary contenders, as she headed
out on
a scorching day to knock on doors. "That's what I love about it."
Under boundaries imposed by a Denver judge in 2002, the Seventh District is
almost
perfectly divided among independents, Democrats and Republicans, each sharing a
third
of the district, which nearly surrounds Denver. It is a mix of old suburbs and
new exurbs
that are home to a potent demographic stew, with slightly more women than men,
stirred
by a healthy mix of Hispanics and other minorities who make up almost a quarter
of the
district.
The mainly middle-class residents commute to downtown offices and stores or work
at
nearby federal medical and energy research centers and military installations.
Many are
retired. Others labor at the oil refineries and warehouses that dominate
industrial
Commerce City at one end of the district and the Coors brewery that is
synonymous with
the city of Golden at the other.
It is a district where voters twice sent Mr. Beauprez, a Republican, to the
House – the first
time by 121 votes –
but backed John Kerry for president. Voters elected a
Democratic
senator and a Republican governor, demonstrating a willingness to look beyond
party
labels when making decisions at the ballot box.
"This really is a district that could only have come out of a court, not a
political process,"
said Bob Loevy, a political science professor and analyst at Colorado College.
In the Democratic race to take on the Republican candidate, Rick O'Donnell, Ms.
Lamm, a
former state legislator, is facing off against Ed Perlmutter, a former State
Senate leader
with deep roots in the district and strong party establishment backing, as
evidenced by his
endorsement this week by Representative Mark Udall. A third candidate, Herb
Rubenstein,
a recently transplanted Washington lawyer and businessman, is a long shot who
has made
opposition to the war in Iraq a centerpiece of his campaign.
Mr. Perlmutter and Ms. Lamm, two seasoned politicians, have waged tough
campaigns
against one another through television advertisements and mailings. Ms. Lamm
this week
hit Mr. Perlmutter for a 2001 legislative vote against eliminating the statute
of limitations
on sex crimes; Mr. Perlmutter, the father of three girls, said the law was
unconstitutional.
He likes to remind voters that Ms. Lamm was a lobbyist and that she is not the
wife of
Richard Lamm, the popular former governor, but was married to his brother before
a
divorce.
The three Democratic candidates do agree on one thing: they say voters in the
district are
fed up with the Bush administration and Republican governance. "Simply put,
people have
had enough and they want a change," Mr. Perlmutter said. "Moderate Republicans,
unaffiliated voters and Democrats are wanting to see some checks and balances
back in
Congress."
No matter who wins the primary, the general election promises to offer a clear
choice
between Democratic and Republican ideology, pitting the primary victor against
Mr.
O'Donnell, the state higher education commissioner who has welcomed President
Bush
and a string of administration stars to the state for help in raising money.
Mr. O'Donnell, who has been quietly biding his time and building his bank
account while
the Democrats compete, said he knew his eventual opponent would try to link him
to the
Bush White House so he figured he might as well reap the financial rewards of
his
association. "I was honored to have President Bush come in and give me the
upside," said
Mr. O'Donnell, a native of the district who lost a primary to Mr. Beauprez in
2002.
Mr. O'Donnell notes that he has split with Mr. Bush and taken a harder line on
immigration, which he sees as the top issue in the race. But Democrats say some
of the
passion has gone out of that topic with the passage of new immigration laws by
the state
legislature and a failed effort to put an immigration initiative on the November
ballot.
And while he generally backs the current Republican agenda, Mr. O'Donnell said
he
considers himself more progressive on matters like education and health care
policy,
which he thinks will play to the district's center.
His potential Democratic opponents are not buying it. And they plan to make hay
out of a
policy paper Mr. O'Donnell wrote 11 years ago advocating the elimination of
Social
Security, a view that internal Democratic polls show is deadly when brought to
the
attention of voters. Mr. O'Donnell attributes the paper to youthful exuberance
and says he
has since changed his mind.
"As my pollster said, Why couldn't I have smoked pot when I was 24?" said Mr.
O'Donnell,
a former aide to Gov. Bill Owens. "Instead, I had to write about Social
Security."
Mr. O'Donnell acknowledged that residents who press him on the war tend to be
frustrated by events in Iraq, but his position is that pulling out troops too
quickly would
risk leaving a "failed state in the Middle East." That view puts him at sharp
odds with the
Democrats, all of whom have called for troop withdrawals in their campaign
advertising.
On another national topic that could play a role in the race, Mr. Perlmutter's
first television
commercial focused on embryonic stem cell research, tying it to the potential
benefits for
a daughter who has epilepsy. All three Democrats participated in a Denver rally
for federal
stem cell research after Mr. Bush's veto of a bill to expand federally financed
research,
which he issued two days before appearing in Denver for Mr. O'Donnell. Mr.
O'Donnell
plays down the potential impact of the issue and sides with the president,
saying he does
not want federal money to provide an incentive to destroy human embryos, though
he
supports private research.
As the race heads to November, candidates of both parties will have to reach
beyond their
political base and find support in the middle, since 123,000 voters in the
district do not
claim allegiance to either party. They total slightly more than Democrats who,
at 119,000,
have pulled slightly ahead of Republicans, at 113,000. But in political terms,
the groups
are effectively equal, setting up a true horse race, which was evidently what
Judge John W.
Coughlin had in mind in 2002 when he approved the present boundaries after a
politically
drawn map was tossed out.
"The court has concluded that the new district would benefit from what should be
a
competitive race," Judge Coughlin wrote in his decision. "The foreseen closeness
of the
race will hopefully generate much interest of the voters." | {
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Revision as of 09:16, February 28, 2008
Kayaking BSA Award - This patch is not worn on the uniform. It is aquatic insignia and can be worn on swim trunks. It can also be worn on a jacket or patch vest or placed on blankets, backpacks, or other personal equipment. | {
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Petoskey council to consider endorsement of carbon fee
PETOSKEY — Petoskey City Council members might voice their support Monday for a federal “carbon tax.”
The measure, which is under consideration in the U.S. Congress, is known formally as the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, and calls for a starting fee of $15 per ton on carbon emissions. That fee would be imposed high up the economic chain, at the point where the fuels enter the U.S. market.
Revenues generated from the fee would be doled out to American households in equal shares.
The website for the Energy Innovation Act specifically rejects the term “tax” in describing the proposed legislation because the revenue garnered does not stay in government coffers, but many commentators and media outlets still tend to use “tax” as an analogous shorthand for the regulatory strategy outlined in the proposal.
Petoskey City Council members became involved in the legislation when resident Ron Marshall brought it up at a recent meeting. He framed his statements around the context of Petoskey’s 2035 renewable energy commitment — which was up for a vote at that meeting — and argued that federal initiatives would be essential to the city achieving its goal.
“Besides promoting efficiency and health, this legislation helps our city by creating jobs, providing dividends to every household and to protect our businesses from unfair competition,” he told the council members.
Marshall asked the council members for an opportunity to provide a more thorough presentation on the measure at their next meeting and requested that they consider passing a formal resolution in favor of the bill.
According to city agenda materials, Marshall is expected to speak briefly at the City Council meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. Monday at city hall, 101 E. Lake St. At that same meeting, council members are likely to take a vote on whether they want to endorse the bill.
The legislation seeks to drive down fossil fuel use by disincentivizing it, thereby correcting what some deem as a superficially low market cost. It could also encourage innovation into new energy technologies. At the same time, the dividend payments are intended to ease the burden that such a market tool might have on individuals, especially middle- and low-income citizens.
Essentially, proponents of the bill argue that the continued use of fossil fuels has a variety of “externalized” costs that are not reflected in their price. At the same time, subsidies and tax breaks continue to keep the price of those fuels low, despite their consequences, supporters say.
The fee on fossil fuels, which starts at $15 per ton, would increase by $10 annually until greenhouse gas emissions decrease by 90 percent. | {
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5 CFR 1830.4 - Requirements for requesting amendment of records.
(a)How made and addressed. Individuals may request amendment of records pertaining to them that are subject to amendment under the Privacy Act and this part. The request should be sent by regular mail addressed to: Privacy Act Officer, U.S. Office of Special Counsel, 1730 M Street, N.W. (Suite 218), Washington, DC 20036-4505. Such requests may also be faxed to the Privacy Act Officer at the number provided on the FOIA/PA page of OSC's web site (see 1830.1). For the quickest handling, both the request letter and envelope or any fax cover sheet should be clearly marked “Privacy Act Amendment Request.” Whether sent by mail or by fax, a Privacy Act amendment request will not be considered to have been received by OSC until it reaches the Privacy Act Officer. A Privacy Act amendment request may also be delivered by person at OSC's headquarters office in Washington, DC.
(b)Description of amendment sought. Requests for amendment should include identification of records together with a statement of the basis for the requested amendment and all available supporting documents and materials. Requesters must describe the amendment sought in enough detail for the request to be evaluated.
(c)Proof of identity. Rules and procedures set forth in 1830.2(c) apply to requests made under this section.
(d)Acknowledgement and response. Requests for amendment shall be acknowledged by OSC not later than 10 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) after receipt by the Privacy Act Officer and a determination on the request shall be made promptly.
Title 5 published on 2014-01-01
no entries appear in the Federal Register after this date.
This is a list of United States Code sections, Statutes at Large, Public Laws, and Presidential Documents, which provide rulemaking authority for this CFR Part. | {
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MIASMA AND MOSQUITOS: An ancient Roman curse
06/30/2014 16:15
Several Roman harbor an exaggerated fear of drafts, few of them dare to sleep with an open window open and as soon as the air is saturated with moisture and cold they cover themselves up with layers of clothing and scarves and only reluctantly leave their overly heated homes, cars and offices.
In Rome, fear of miasma is still alive, the moldy decayed fumes that allegedly seep out of the Eternal City's decaying guts. Almost imperceptibly they penetrate the porous soil and Rome's soft limestone; the tuff and the travertine. Moisture and rot from vast systems of catacombs long forgotten and brooding on ancient accumulations of dead bodies, rats and other vermin. Rotten stench from broken-down sewers, unexplored caves, built-over swamps and underground rivers where all kind of uncleanness thrive. Superstitious children and adults spread stories about spirits and ghosts, who along with the miasma rise up from the earth to paralyze the living with their icy touch, kill them and bring them back with them to their abode down below, the Aldilá, "There Beyond".
I have often been reminded of the miasma´s presence. Guide books from the nineteenth and early twentieth century alerted visitors to Rome about its harmful effects. It was, for instance, not recommended to travel in an open carriage after sunset. When the warmth of the sun no longer depressed the cold of the underworld, harmful vapors rose out of the ground, the movements of wagons and horses swirled up fumes of disease and putrefaction, which found their way into the carriage passengers' lungs. It was not healthy to linger in wrong places, at the wrong time of the year and at the wrong time of day. Especially dangerous was it after dusk in the vicinity of archaeological sites. I thought about it one evening when I along with my family attended a performance of Aida in the huge ruins of the Baths of Caracalla, suddenly we all felt how gushes of raw, cold and moisture-laden air found their way under the pews and spilled over into the surroundings - it was the miasma that was wafting out from the hidden depths beneath us.
Rome was for thousands of years known as an unhealthy place. As soon as their duties permitted it, wealthy Romans who lived during the era of classical antiquity escaped their town and made their way up to the fresh air around their rural villas in the hillcountry, or moved down to the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea. In the eleventh century Peter Damian, bishop of Ostia, wrote, "Rome devourer of men, tames the erect necks of men. Rome fruitful in fevers is very rich in the harvest of death. The Roman fevers are faithful to a constant law. Once they have assailed a person, they seldom leave him while he is still alive."
Within the walls of Rome, water is always present. Aron Borelius, my professor of art history, once told me: "I'm a very old man. Do you want to know how old I am? I'm so old that when I was a young man youth strolling through Rome´s streets in the night, I could all the time hear the sound of rippling water." He meant that in his youth there was almost no car traffic in Rome, and in the stillness of the night the purling of water could be heard everywhere because the wealth of city fountains and nasos, noses, the drinking water fountains that still can be encountered in several of the city's street corners, where they constantly pour water from their “noses”, i.e. long, bent iron taps.
If you descend deep under the Basilica of San Clemente, near the Colosseum, you will hear how one of Rome's underground rivers unseen gushes forth under your feet. All this water has for thousands of years been pouring down into the Tiber. Crumbling sewers and old pipes have for years and years, in reckless disregard for public health, spewed their waste into the shallow Tiber. A river that on top of this misery regularly overflowed its banks to spread devastation, disease and death.
Italy's great folk hero Giuseppe Garibaldi had been bothered by this state of affairs and in 1875 he left his self-imposed exile on the island of Caprera off the Sardinian coast to return to Rome and as a member of the Chamber of Deputies combat the malaria (mal - bad, aria - air). Garibaldi suggested that the river bed simply had to be filled in, while the Tiber´s course could be altered in such a manner that it passed by outside of the city. In order to increase the prosperity and well-being of the kingdom's new capital, Garibaldi also wanted to drain the huge marshes south of the town and turn them into cornfields. The Tiber was saved from being obliterated; instead ‒ beginning in 1876 ‒ huge embankments were constructed along the river shores, separating the Tiber from the surrounding city. The pictures below provide a clear picture of how these high walls protect the city from being flooded, observe how the sidewalks become inundated during aqua alta, high water.
The people living at Garibaldi's time did not yet know that malaria was spread by a mosquito, but continued to blame the disease on bad air coming from polluted, stagnant water. Many assumed that people who lived in vapors from such water ran the risk of succumbing to hopelessness and fatal lethargy. Garibaldi, and others with him, feared that many Romans due to the unhealthy exhausts had broken down and become part of a deformed, degenerate and stupid generation.
Society had stagnated, a word derived from the Latin term for a puddle ‒ stagnum. Swamps were perceived by many as extremely harmful and in some circles such bodies of water were likened to "femininity", while healthy, vigorously flowing water was considered to be "masculine".
In his fascinating book Male Fantasies Klaus Theweleit describes how swamps in Fascist and Nazi ideologies sometimes came to symbolize a “female” threat to the male body's hardness, dryness and insensitivity. The women's world was described as soft, malleable and wet. If an object falls into a swamp it is absorbed, it sinks into it, while the surface again becomes calm. Like quicksand “the feminine” is both solid and liquid, it is also impure and deadly, not creative, only encompassing, it is cool, but flaccid and devouring. Strange notions like these fitted like a glove for virile Fascists while they set out to drain the Pontine Marshes, leading the water from female, stagnant pools into the masculine gushing Mussolini Canal that flowed into the Tyrrhenian Sea.
More of this later on – let us now turn to the mosquitoes, a kind of insect that hardly can hardly be called neither soft, nor passive, it is namely the mosquito female which sucks blood and produce offspring, whereas male mosquitos are quite irrelevant creatures.
I am writing this in the garden of our house in Bjärnum. A rather stupid initiative since the blinding sunshine means that I can barely see the computer screen, but I cannot stay inside now when nature flaunts its lush and healthy greenery, the sun is warm and the birds are still singing, soon they will fall silent while they are getting busy attending to their young. Just now I caught a mosquito and am scrutinizing this tiny, but nasty animal. It was such a creature that that was the source of the Roman malaria, it was she and not any bad air that was the real culprit.
It was until in 1898 when three Italian scientists, Grassi, Bignami and Bastianelli, managed to prove that malaria was caused by a single-celled organism which was spread by anopheles, a specific species of mosquito. They are found worldwide. Even in Sweden anopheles once spread the malaria, which up in the North was called chills or swamp fever. It came in the form of violent shaking shock, sudden attacks of fever, nausea, vomiting, headaches, diarrhea, and muscle aches.
I observe the mosquito while she is carefully advancing across my fore arm. As soon as she starts to suck blood I will slap her dead. With the naked eye I cannot discern her refined weapons; a bouquet of seven spears that pierce through the victim's skin, before she through a snout sucks up the blood. Her proboscis contains both inward- and outward conducting channels. She must before she sucks up the blood inject her saliva into the wound to hinder it from clotting. In her saliva live microscopic fungi that irritate the tissue and increase the blood flow at the same time as unicellular animals are released to poison the human body.
A proper sip of fresh blood stimulates the development of the mosquito´s eggs and when they are ready to hatch their mother places them in stagnant water, where they become larvae that incessantly swim around with frenzied, jerky movements in search of microscopic plankton, before they become pupae, and finally leave the water as fully developed, blood-sucking mosquitoes. To survive, the mosquito larvae need oxygen and heat. That means they will die if the water surface is coated by, for example, oil. In a cold environment, like in Northern Sweden, mosquito larvae live close to the surface of small pools of stagnant water, precisely because these are rapidly heated by the sun and lack predators like fish and larger insects. In a warmer climate mosquito larvae thrive in deeper waters, like swamps, where the water is warm and tranquil. In Italy, the mosquitos enjoyed the huge Pontine Marshes south of Rome.
My father often had time for me and as far back as I can remember we used to talk to each other like two friends. I do not remember that my father ever treated me like a feeble-minded child. As I got older, he could even confess mistakes he had made as a young man. For example, he once told me that: "I have seldom felt so ashamed as when I discovered that Mussolini was a bloated and phony despot and that Fascism in reality was a quite harmful ideology. As a youngster, I had been quite impressed by what happened in Italy. I was probably under the influence of older friends and acquaintances. "
In those days I had already seen movies with goose marching Black Shirts and the buffoon-like Mussolini who shot out his chin while he made stupid faces and theatrical gestures. He had waged war on Hitler's side and eventually ended up with his own people in arms against him. How could my father have been able to admire such a clown? "It was about cooperation, modernization and notions that at the time seemed to be modern, fresh and innovative. Foremost it was the successful drainage of the Pontine Marshes that impressed me. The Fascists succeeded in eradicating the malaria. We imagined they were about to overcome the endemic poverty of Italy. But in 1935 they attacked Ethiopia with airplanes pouring poison gas over defenseless peasants and thus I became convinced that most of the advertised successes had been nothing more than mendacious propaganda. "
All that was new to me and it was only when I had moved to Italy and began to notice some similarities between Swedish Social Democracy and early Fascism that I began to understand what my father had hinted at. I also started taking an interest in the Pontine Marshes.
The vast marshes south of Rome had been formed when large sandy plains prevented the waters from the Volscian and Albanian hills to reach the sea. Even if they protected the southern flank of Rome the marshes also had to be traversed by Roman troops heading south and to that end the tree-lined Appian Road was constructed straight through the marshes. The road was a constant hassle, wide channels had to be dug and constantly dredged to protect and clear it from floods. Many soldiers marching along Via Appia and the slaves who maintained it succumbed to the malaria, while wealthy Romans heading south preferred to take the sea route.
Even if the area was very fertile the malaria made it sparsely populated and empty, waterlogged plains alternated with large, untamed forests. Travelers like Goethe and H.C. Andersen praised the Pontina as one of Europe's most beautiful areas, though H.C. Andersen marveled at how the few inhabitants "were so pale and sick, with yellowed skin." It was the miasma that sucked the life out of them and poisoned their blood. During the nineteenth century the suffering and misery in the Pontine Marshes were depicted by several Roman artists, often as an effort to make the Romans conscious about the misery that reigned not far from the Eternal City´s southern walls and that it was under constant threat from the unhealthy vapors that caused so much misery in the marshes red from the South.
Princes, popes and cardinals succumbed to the malaria and it was not until the Jesuit Agostino Salumbrino in 1631 brought the miracle drug of the Quechuas to Rome. For centuries the quinine bark taken from a tree growing in Peru had successfully been used to kill the malaria spreading amoeba. When the effectiveness of quinine had been proven, Romans began to dream about defeating the ghosts of the Pontine Marshes. Many of them actually believed that miasma could take the form of evil spirits taking possession of human bodies. Forensic archaeologists have from Roman cemeteries unearthed corpses, diagnosed with malaria, that have been weighed down with stones as if the living wanted to confine the contaminating spirits still lingering within the dead and anchor them into the ground.
Quinine proved to be quite effective against malaria and it is said to have played a major role in colonialism. When the Spaniards, Frenchmen, Englishmen and other conquerors began to drink quinine, tropical countries ceased to be "the white man's grave". The British preferred to alleviate the bitter taste of quinine with gin and thus invented gin and tonic, which was enjoyed extensively by soldiers and colonial officials.
Supported by the wondrous quinine, workers could maybe drain and cultivate the Pontine Marshes. Even Goethe had in Faust's second part made the main character dream about converting the marshes into a huge area where millions could live, "if not entirely confident, however, free and active" and that was also Garibaldi's plan. However, the fear of miasma remained and no one dared to get to grips with the big task, at least not until it was found that it was neither evil spirits or rotten fumes that afflicted the marshes, but a tiny, seemingly insignificant mosquito.
In early 1922, the Italian Ministry of Health launched the first stage of its National Prevention Plan - free quinine was distributed to swamp residents and all those who would participate in the vast drainage work; houses were painted white and large screens were set up so the mosquitoes became visible and could be killed. People affected by malaria were isolated within large facilities and treated with quinine. If the malaria parasite was killed by quinine, newborn Anopheles mosquitos were not infected while sucking the blood from recovered malaria patients. Scientists identified the mosquitoes hatching places and poured grease or oil over the water, whereby stifling the larvae. Fortunately, DDT was not in use until 1938 and then the mosquito plague was largely under control.
When stage one of recuperating the marshes was up and running, the plans for the next stages were initiated - the actual draining of the swamps. Thousands of workers were sent into the marsh lands to build canals and dams so that the water could be used to irrigate the fields and directed towards the sea. When the irrigation needs were met, fields were cleared for the planting of the seed, while towns and villages were erected for farmers and service personnel.
It was probably Mussolini's great luck that all this began shortly before he and his Fascists came to power. Now he could leap up on the locomotive, which already had started to roll and turn himself to the people who enthusiastically followed him into the new adventure: "Italians" he thundered with his chin willfully prominent. "We have now started the huge battle that already Augustus dreamt of, which the great Garibaldi wanted to fight, but never was able to initiate. Supported by my Fascists and loyal management we are now waging a heroic battle against the marshes and this magnificent endeavor will be followed by the Battle for Wheat, when thousands of farmers will sow and reap, so that Italy finally becomes totally self-sufficient! "
The conquest of the Pontine Marshes became the battle cry of the Fascists, driving them forward and soon everything ran at a tremendous speed. Mussolini abolished freedom of the press and banned all other parties except his own. Homes, buildings and roads grew up all over Italy and the Mafia was disciplined. After a few years, the country's wheat crop had increased fivefold. Swamps were drained, forested areas cleared, while Mussolini, like the spaghetti on each family´s table, was everywhere - he was riding, fencing, running, swimming, playing the violin, skiing, writing bad plays, flew planes, harvested, screamed and yelled, all in the light from camera flashes and always at the center of adoring crowds.
"Mussolini is always right!" declared gigantic propaganda posters and the Leader´s grave face was seen in every corner of the vast country. Nevertheless, we know now how it all ended. Power drunk and blinded by his own magnificence Mussolini allowed his troops to kill defenseless Abyssinian peasants the poisonous gas and with such doubtful success attacked Yugoslavia, Albania and Greece that Germany and Austria were forced to step in to complete the whole sordid business. Mussolini lost control of himself, his politics and his people and fell into the stifling embrace of Hitler, ending up being humiliated by the little Austrian corporal whom he during his triumphal heyday had called "a plumber in a raincoat - a silly little clown". Mussolini sent Italians to die from cold and hunger in faraway Stalingrad, implemented racial laws, sending Jews to the extermination camps, was deposed by his own government and had to experience how his enemies invaded Italy and Italians taking arms against him. Finally, Mussolini's corpse hang upside down at a petrol station in Piazza Loreto in Milan, while most of his impoverished and humiliated compatriots rejoiced at the news of his death.
And the conquest of the Pontine Marshes? How did that immense endeavor end up? In early 1930, forests had been felled and over 16 000 square kilometers were covered by canals and trenches, harnessed rivers, dams and pumping stations. The Mussolini Canal had reached the Tyrrhenian Sea, at last bringing the water away from the pestilential swamps that gradually were turned into fertile fields. The project culminated in 1933, when it counted with 124 000 employees, though defaulting peasants and workers had been detained in overcrowded camps, surrounded by barbed wire. Wages were low, work days long, food and medical care poor and inadequate. The turnover of workers was unusually high. In 1935, all of them were dismissed without prior notice. Many of them were malaria infected.
The government had then placed over 2 000 families within the Pontine area, most of them came from the north and had certified their Fascist loyalty. Settlers were placed in the countryside and provided with standardized two-storey houses. Each family was also given a stable, an oven, a plow and other agricultural implements, some cows and several hectares of land, depending on soil quality and family size.
Five beautiful and well-planned cities were founded - Latina, Sabaudia, Pontine, Aprilia and Pomizia - all erected in an aesthetically pleasing, functionalist style. Outside these urban centers several smaller borghi, villages, were constructed. Malaria had almost disappeared and when the area was invaded by warring Germans and allied troops many farmers refused to evacuate their new homes and fertile fields.
When the Germans retreated they shut off the pumping stations and opened the dams so that the fields were covered with brackish water. They did it not only to destroy the agriculture and wipe out fresh water supply, they also wanted to frustrate the allied efforts to bring their tanks, trucks and heavy equipment towards Rome and the Germans also acted in full awareness of the fact that malaria mosquitoes thrive in brackish water. One of the disastrous consequences of the war was the outbreak of a fierce malaria epidemic, but finally – in 1962, Rome had its last case of malaria. A multi-millennial curse had been lifted and even if you still can feel the miasma creeping up out of the ground after sundown, it is not the same malaria, foul air, which had plagued the city for several thousand years.
You may read about Rome's fight against malaria in Pickering, Daniel (2005), Rome or Death: The Obsessions of General Garibaldi. London: Jonathan Cape. An Italian book about Mussolini's draining of the Pontine Marshes is Pennacchi, Antonio (2000), Palude. Storia d'amore, di spettri e trapianti. Roma: Donzelli. I read about mosquitoes in a Swedish book, Carl H. Lindroth's charming and well-crafted Från insekternas liv, but I am sure there are several excellent books in English about the Anopheles mosquito. Interesting ideas about Nazism and misogyny are presented by Klaus Theweleit in his Male Fantasies. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1997. The town of Latina has an excellent and free of charge museum about life in the Pontine Marshes throughout time: Museo della terra Pontine.
BLOG LIST
When I was a kid, It happened that an elderly lady moaned and stated: "There´s much ado about earthly worries." Certainly, quite often everyday life seems to be choking us. Family life's wear and tear nibble on the soul. The darkness of duties, worries and mistakes hovers above us, closes in and...
The car is a great place for intense music listening. If you are alone in the complete privacy of your vehicle you can indulge in letting thoughts and impressions flout around to the rhythm of the music. It is like being inside a sound system and today I could not avoid thinking about the words of...
For me reading and writing is an inescapable necessity. I cannot be without it. It is a source for harmony and joy. An escape valve. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of time. If it provided me with an income my urge could easily be justified and my happiness would be complete. Not the least could it...
This year our Easter weekend became, at is often is, varied and inspiring. Good Friday – rainy and dark – ended up with the traditional procession in Civitavecchia, an expression of grief over the deceased Christ. It is told that the procession first took place in 899 AD, as a public, joint...
Two weeks ago we went to the beach at Sosúa. It was the first beach I came to after I as a newly married man had arrived to Dominican Republic from Puerto Rico in 1980. In those days Sosúa was a village consisting mainly of white painted, wooden houses. There was a synagogue and a dairy, which were... | {
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I found a tick on my arm two years ago while I was hunting for deer.I think it was there for a couple of days.I think we got all of it out.I just noticed a bullseye like rash with a small bump in the middle. it do hurt to the touch should I be weried.
Were you ever diagnosed with Lyme disease? I had a very similar rash/bite, whatever it was and have been sick ever since. However, can't even discuss Lyme with local doctors and not sure what to do or where to go. Are you better?
my hand looks just like this one does and i was told it may be limes disease. is this the same as other lyme diseases? how do you get rig of this and how did so many outbreaks occur? I'm very irrarable and drained of energy! no patience, concentration is gone, head and muscle pains, vision decreasing, balance, bowel syndrome, cramps, and just restlessness! What do i do? please help me, thanks, pearce ps please call or text any info due to my email being business
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Japan Relief Work – Update 1
I would just like to give people a heads up on my current situation. I have just been notified by CRASH Japan that I just might be a contender to volunteer for relief work in Japan. I am very emotional right now because I feel like this is it. That GOD has been preparing me for the last 6 years and did not let me go to Canada because this is what he wants me to do. I am asking that people pray for the blessings of GOD to rain down because in reality if they ask me to volunteer I don’t know how I can pay for the whole thing and even if it will be possible. I am completely putting my faith in GOD that if I am to do this that it will happen and it will the greatest testament to GODs glory and grace. | {
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J.League Preview: Top three expected to win
The leading J.League sides can all consolidate their positions as each of the top three face bottom-half opponents at the weekend.
Leaders Omiya Ardija (29 points) can continue their high-flying season on the road at 13th-placed Ventforet Kofu on Saturday.
Omiya have won nine of 12 this season, although their most recent road trip ended in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Vegalta Sendai.
Kofu, meanwhile, have won two of their past three at their Yamanashi Chuo Bank home, although their last fixture there resulted in a 2-0 reverse to Shimizu S-Pulse.
Saturday's hosts will be optimistic of a result, as they beat Omiya 3-1 away in their J.League Cup first-round tie in April.
Omiya have not won at the venue since 2004, when both clubs were competing in J.League Division 2.
Second-placed Yokohama F Marinos are five points adrift of top spot ahead of their trip to 15th-placed Sagan Tosu.
Tosu have dropped their past four outings at home, conceding 10 goals in the process - while Yokohama's most recent road trip was a 2-1 victory at Nagoya Grampus, and they have lost just one of their past 10 league away clashes.
Urawa Reds are third on 23 points - one behind Yokohama - in the final AFC Champions League spot, and the continental tournament's current edition could work in their favour this weekend.
Urawa take on Kashiwa Reysol on Sunday, with the latter involved in Asian duties on Wednesday in the last 16 of the 2013 tournament.
The Reds will fancy their chances of getting all three points given 10th-placed Kashiwa's squad will be pushed to back up for league duties with just three days to recover from their ACL clash with K-League club Jeonbuk Motors on Wednesday.
In the only fixture pitting two top-half teams against one another on the weekend, seventh-placed Tokyo can draw level with Kashima Antlers in fourth with a win.
Tokyo have just one draw in 12 league affairs this season, meaning a result one way or the other is on the cards.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima - led by golden boot frontrunner Hisato Sato (nine goals) - can make it three wins in succession when they travel to relegation-placed Shonan Bellmare.
The Hiratsuka-based club have scored only two more goals collectively than Sato, who has scored the game's first goal on four occasions this term.
Shimizu S-Pulse have lost three of their past four, and will host a Vegalta Sendai outfit who are unbeaten in four.
Kawasaki Frontale can continue their bright form of late, and make it four wins in their past five when they entertain Albirex Niigata.
Nagoya Grampus will have a tough time ending their seven-match winless run in all competitions when they face Cerezo Osaka.
Osaka have not been beaten in seven, including back-to-back wins in their past two including a cup triumph.
Finally, Oita Trinita can scrape their way off bottom spot on the table when they take on the side directly above them Jubilo Iwata.
Both sides are level on points with six from 12 matches, but Oita have an inferior goal difference - meaning only a victory can get them off bottom. | {
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Christmas Around the World: A Christmas Play
BACKGROUND:
We live in Canada (loads of snow). My daughter came up to me near
Christmas when she was about 4 and told me she felt very sorry for all the
people in Australia and Maui (we'd been to Maui, but I'm not sure how she came
up with Australia).
I asked her why and she responded, "because they don't get
Christmas."
"Sure they do honey!"
"No they can't mommy... They don't have any snow."
I explained that Christmas wasn't about celebrating snow... It was about
celebrating Jesus' birth. In fact, there was no snow where Jesus was
born!
SCRIPT:
Written by Leanne Guenther
I think this could easily be expanded into a simple play. You could
start with two people dressed in cozy warm clothes -- mom and two children
having a similar conversation (or you could expand to a mom, a dad and a child
and give some of the mom lines to the dad)
Child 1 (looking sad), "Mom, we can't have Christmas this year"
Mom (looking puzzled), "Why not dear?"
Child 2 , "Because it makes me sad that we get to have Christmas and
people in Hawaii don't"
Mom (suppressing a giggle), "Um, why wouldn't people in Hawaii get to
have Christmas?"
Both children together (emphatically), "Because they don't have any
snow!"
Mom, "You don't need snow to have Christmas!" (you can add,
"in fact, there was no snow where Baby Jesus was born")
Depending on how large your group is, you could have
the group singing this song dress up in Hawaiian outfits and do a bit of a hula
dance (check out our luau Activities) or you could
just have a few of the group members in Hawaiian outfits move to the front
during this part.
Both children (look at each other with a really happy expression),
"Neat!!!"
Mom, "Wonderful! NOW we can have Christmas, right?"
Children contemplate for a second and then Child 2 looks sad
Child 2, "No... I don't think so" (big sigh)
Child 1 looks curious, mom looks flustered
Mom, "Now why not!!"
Child 2, "Think of all the people who don't speak English... You can't
have Christmas if you can't speak English!"
Mom (semi-curious as to the rational behind this one... half grinning),
"And why can't people have Christmas if they can't speak English?"
Child 2, "well... You couldn't say merry christmas..."
Child 1, "or happy new year..."
Child 2, "or sing Christmas Carols..."
Child 1, "Yeah! you couldn't even sing Silent Night. What
would Christmas be without Silent Night!?"
Both children, "You can't have Christmas without Christmas Carols!"
Mom, "You can sing Silent Night in any language!"
... Then sing
Multi-lingual Silent Night (pick a few lines from
various languages) The ones with Real Audio Files help a lot with the
pronunciation - you don't have to do too many lines to get the point across, nor
do you have to do too many languages. (The Boney M christmas tape has it
sung in a German/English medley.)
You can add this right
before THE END for a good Christian finale (I
made the first version for schools where a strong religious message isn't
allowed... here's the rest of the
play:
Child 1, "And you need to know the story!"
Child 2, "Oh yes, don't forget the story."
Mom, "Which story is that?"
Have someone read the Meaning of Christmas
LUKE 2:8-12 I
split it up a bit so you can share the reading... If you want to show the kids
how to read it let them watch a Charlie Brown Christmas first!! I'd dress
the children who read this up like shepherds or angels.
Instead of We Wish You a Merry Christmas or Have Yourself a Merry Little
Christmas, sing "Hark the Herald
Angels Sing" or "Joy
to the World" (I love the Boney M "Mary's Boy Child" song,
but their Christmas tape also has Hark the Herald Angels sing on it *grin*) | {
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Renzi, Berlusconi discuss election law by telephone
Sources say leaders adamant proposals cannot be amended
(ANSA) - Rome, January 28 - Democratic Party (PD) leader
Matteo Renzi spoke more than once by telephone Tuesday with
centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi on the controversial
proposed new election law, sources said.
The pair reached a deal on January 18 that Renzi insisted
may be improved but cannot be overhauled.
"Everything can be improved, but we have an agreement after
years of not moving," Renzi said earlier via his Facebook page.
"This can get Italy out of the quicksand".
Renzi, who is mayor of Florence, and representatives from
Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI) were in talks over possible
changes to a bill that was presented on the basis of the deal
between the PD chief and the three-time premier.
The proposal has come under fire from the smaller parties
in parliament and parts of the PD over several issues.
These include the thresholds it sets for parties to access
parliament, the system of bonus seats that would be awarded to
the coalition that comes first and gets over 35% of the vote,
and the fact that voters would not be able to express
preferences about which candidates on a party list are elected.
The debate on the law in parliament, which had been
scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed until January 30. | {
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Communication rules are necessary, especially in the most important place in your life: Your marriage. If your marriage is in trouble, your first task is to identify the problems and then set communication rules with your partner.
Good companies want to retain valued talent can be critical in a competitive market. You want the freedom to exercise your leadership and effective management skills, but you also should be legally protected. We offer free events to help you manage workplace conflicts. | {
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} |
Romney, the all-but-official Republican nominee, actually collected less in July than he had in June, but only slightly. His campaign announced Monday that its overall take for July was $101.3 million.
That's a total from Romney For President, the Republican National Committee and a joint fundraising committee called Romney Victory Inc.
The $101.3 million compares with $75 million for Obama's re-election effort from a similar combination of individual and joint fundraising by committees for both the candidate and the party.
Political scientist Randy Adkins at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, says July may have still included Romney's post-primary bounce.
"It could be that we're seeing people who originally donated to Newt Gingrich or to Rick Santorum or other candidates in the race are now able to donate to Romney," he says.
Romney's campaign says donors of $250 or less made 94 percent of the contributions.
For Obama, the small-donor percentage was even higher — 98 percent.
Adkins says that's good news for both candidates. "A lot of these people will be new donors to the campaign. They could continue to donate."
The Obama campaign did not disclose its cash on hand. That number is likely to be substantially less than the $186 million announced by Romney's staff.
The president's strategists have spent unprecedented amounts on ground organizing in battleground states.
And they've financed a massive TV campaign, although that is being outpaced by even more ads from the Romney campaign, a pro-Romney superPAC and outside groups.
Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.
Transcript
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
It's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Audie Cornish.
Now to the financial fortunes of the presidential candidates, as the numbers emerge from the month of July. Once again, the Romney fundraising operation has outpaced President Obama's.
The Republican brought in one-third more than the Democrat, as NPR's Peter Overby reports.
PETER OVERBY, BYLINE: Romney actually collected less in July than he had in June, but only slightly. His campaign announced today that its overall take for July was $101.3 million. That's a total from Romney For President, the Republican National Committee and a joint fundraising committee called Romney Victory Inc. The $101 million compares to $75 million for President Obama's re-election effort - a similar combination of candidate committee, party committee, and joint fundraising.
Political scientist Randy Adkin, at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, says July may still have included Romney's post-primary bounce.
RANDY ADKIN: It could be that we're seeing people who originally donated to, you know, Newt Gingrich or to Rick Santorum, or other candidates in the campaign are now able to donate to Romney.
OVERBY: Romney's campaign says donors of $250 dollars or less made 94 percent of the contributions. For President Obama, the small-donor percentage was even higher, 98 percent. Adkins says that's good news for both candidates.
ADKIN: A lot of these people will be new donors to the campaign. They could continue to donate.
OVERBY: The Obama campaign did not disclose its cash-on-hand. That number is likely to be substantially less than the $186 million announced by Romney's staff. President Obama's strategists have spent unprecedented amounts on ground-organizing in battleground states. And they've financed a massive TV campaign; although that is being outpaced by even more ads from the Romney campaign, a pro-Romney superPAC and outside groups. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Very nice climb. We didn't start until 1:30 PM (!) from Carson pass. It took us about 3 hrs. to get to the summit. At the base of the peak we met a guy whom we'd met before a year ago on the summit of Tallac - small world.
The snow in the couloir was good. I really liked this route. Exit is kind of steep and fun. We descended the west ridge and got back to the car at around 6:15 PM
First time up Round Top, amazing view, great place to spend Easter Sunday. Skied the couloir, very firm conditions at noon. Ash (Baldy's dog) went top to bottom in about 5 seconds... craziest sh*t I've ever seen! Show off...
Fun climb - no ice in the couloir, only hard packed snow so kicking steps was fairly easy. Traversed to the Sisters afterwards, down climbed the steep slope of the west sisters... great weather, no people, what more could I wish for?
Leaving from the Bay Area (Sam from Cloverdale) the night before, Sam, Mark & I camped @ Carson Pass the night before. Met up with the others in the morning. I left the TH @ 7.51 (got a late start adjusting my crampons & snowboard attachment system), & lagged behind, my board bumping into my back leg each time I took a step. Got to Lake Winnemucca without incident.
Started up the couloir after Mark & Sam, who had a good pace from the get-go. Doug made his way up the N ridge to the L of our route. Snow conditions were excellent for climbing, & the route was great (think I even enjoyed it more than the Dana Couloir)! Soon we were @ the top, & headed over to the true summit. Summited ~11.20. After lounging a bit & taking in the beautiful Lake Tahoe-area surroundings, descended to the saddle between Round Top & the Sisters.
Convinced Mark to go up to the Sisters once more with me. Had a great view from up there, & went back to the saddle. Snowboarded down the mellower slopes (my first run of the season, + hard, wind-packed snow) to the lake- fun!! Ended up lagging behind Doug & Scott, who wisely opted to bring their snowshoes. After much postholing & corresponding cursing, reached Carson Pass, & a well-deserved beer, @ 15.15.
A nice dinner @ Kirkwood afterwards, & we left @ 17.45. A confusing drive in the dark, & I was back to Oakland by 21.00.
Fun trip, great route, with some cool people!
1.10.'10
Convinced Rob to come up with me to try a new route up this impressive choss pile. If interested, check out the trip report. Phenomenal day!
YEAH! What a great climb in a great company of fellow SP-ers. The route turned out to be easier than I anticipated, but steep enough to keep you excited throughout. This turned out to be an awesome way to start my alpine climbing season!
Dave Kiene and I were aiming for Mt. Tallac, but the road was closed for the marathon so we could not get to the trailhead (!!!). Instead we decided to head to Carson Pass and Round Top. This was my first summer-time trip to the area after two winter trips earlier this year. Beautiful scenery! The entire route is Class 2 with the exception of the last 15-20' to the top of the East summit block (Class 3). On the summit I've met two NY-ers who brought their skis... hoping to ski down the "glacier"... in early October... Hmmm...
I tried to go down from the summit via Crescent Moon Couloir, but it was filled with loose rock and ice patches. Will be back to scale it in the winter. Fun half-day outing!
An enjoyable summit, which was teeming with crowds even on this (admittedly beautiful) early November day. Headed over to bag The Sisters and Fourth of July bump, I mean peak, afterwards.
Came back to climb it again with Bob in April 2004 as part of a ridge traverse from Kirkwood Ski Area around to Carson Pass. We descended Crescent Moon Couloir--a bit spicy without an ice axe. In retrospect that was probably foolish, but it was great fun anyway. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Opinion pieces
Magna Carta: A Beggarly Thing, A Mess of Pottage
That in 2015, we still commemorate an agreement between the king and the barons of England reached 800 years ago, probably on the 15th June 1215, is a cause for wonder. Magna Carta, the Great Charter, as that agreement has come to be known, is held to be a milestone in the course of western constitutional thought.
A Break in China’s Smog: Will environmental concerns help deliver consumer rights to China?
China’s spectacular economic growth has arguably been the most significant development in the twenty-first century thus far, with experts predicting a Chinese Century in which it will overtake the US as the world’s largest economy.
The Regulatory Space: An Evolving Paradigm
The 2008 international financial crisis spawned an avalanche of financial regulation. As Europe’s banks struggle to raise fresh capital and cut back on certain types of transactions, questions are beginning to be raised about whether financial regulation is going ‘too far’.
Twenty-five years since the Velvet Revolutions, how much has changed in the Eastern Bloc?
This Sunday, 9th March marks twenty-five years since the first major breakthrough in the roundtable talks between the Solidarity and Communist Authorities in Poland – an agreement on bicameral legislature called the National Assembly.
A decade on from the Morecambe Bay cockling tragedy, the business of human trafficking is thriving
Exactly a decade has passed since twenty-three Chinese men and women met their tragic deaths at Morecambe Bay, drowned while out picking cockles on the notoriously dangerous stretch of coastline, working for the profits of an illegal gangmaster.
"We need to get better at coping with extremes."Environment Agency Chairman Lord Chris Smith has today had to defend the Agency’s flood management record in response to growing criticism that it could have done more to alleviate the flooding in Somerset and other parts of the South.
Implementing ‘Sharia’ in Syria’s Liberated Provinces
In November 2012, Syrian rebels established a ‘Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice’ — a name similar to that of the Saudi religious police — in the city of al-Bab (province of Aleppo).
Leveson and the Royal Charter: an unsatisfactory stalemate
When Lord Justice Leveson published his recommendation that newspapers should operate a system of independent self-regulation, he surely cannot have envisaged the political turmoil, in-fighting, and secret backdoor deals that have resulted.
Europe on the Brink? Economic, Political, and Constitutional Issues
As an insider with experience of the workings of the EU, I am sure that its institutions can cope with the stresses and strains now being experienced. The EU will emerge stronger from this crisis, as it has from past crises.
The Cost of a Legal Transition in Egypt: A Price Worth Paying?
Black Swans and Elephants on the Move: Can Emergencies Trigger Welfare State Reform?
An important lesson of history is that to create the conditions for change one must transform unfocused popular support for reform into the sharpened perception of an immediate source of emergency. This is a lesson that modern political managers are wont to forget.
Beyond the Third Way in Labour Law
About a century ago in Britain, the opposing forces of capital and labour reached an accommodation in a legal framework that provided a structure within which collective bargaining between employers and unions could flourish.
One China, Many Systems
The Boumediene Decision: What Now?
Some weeks back, in a policy brief prepared for the Foundation for Law, Justice and Society, I predicted both the outcome of and a good portion of the reasoning that would serve as the basis for the US Supreme Court's recently issued decision in Boumediene v. Bush. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
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