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Teachers as Mentors to Students
January 21, 2021 January 21, 2021 / mramusicplace
As we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic with a balance of remote learning and bringing students back into physical school campuses, many are taking the opportunity to evaluate how the models upon which we teach our children can be improved. While much progress has been made in the last forty years, many of those advances are due for a check-up and tune-up. While some excellent teaching and learning models have been advanced, Learning by Design among them, budget constraints, inadequate professional development, and too much of a “one size fits all” mentality have often times diluted the value of such models. The result has been too little improvement in student achievement, and too much resignation that all that could be done has been done given the limited financial resources provided. The price of a poorly educated populace is far greater than that of “doing education right.”
Just now I mentioned Learning by Design. In it and subsequent writings, one of the authors was clear on how teachers should go about educating their students. Wiggins wrote that, “no thought, no idea, can possibly be conveyed as an idea from one person to another. When it is told, it is, to the one to whom it is told, another given fact, not an idea…. Only by wrestling with the conditions of the problem at first hand, seeking and finding his own way out, does he think….” In other words, facts are received from others, whereas ideas are self-generated out of one’s own intellectual pursuit. Hence the phrase “I have an idea.” Such proclamations are made, often with excitement, after a period of thinking about a problem. Even the phrase, “that gives me an idea” expresses that a fact spoken by another has used it in thinking, and from that thinking on another’s fact, has generated an idea.
Because ideas are the fruit of individual thinking, they are also the start of relevant applications of learning which are necessary for students to come away from instruction with understanding. In order for this important phase of education to take place, students must be provided a learning environment that allows them ample time to ponder, think, struggle, explore, develop and ultimately arrive at ideas and understandings. When education fails, it often does so because time for this meaningful learning to take place has not been afforded. Facts have come and gone in the students time in class without leaving a hope or seed for ideas and understanding to grow.
Wiggins made this point when he wrote, “We can and do supply ready-made “ideas” by the thousand; we do not usually take much pains to see that the one learning engages in significant situations where his own activities generate, support, and clinch ideas—that is, perceived meanings or connections.”
Thankfully, education has come a long way from the days of a teacher standing in front of a classroom of students, lecturing from the front while students dutifully took notes and memorized facts. Honestly, in a time when everyone either farmed or worked in manufacturing, this fact-based model of education worked well. But our world has changed drastically from those days, and we generally understand that the lecture model of teaching is largely ineffective for the things we need our students to get out of their education. Students cannot merely be treated as repositories for facts, but must be trained to be generators of ideas and the discoveries to which they lead.
One model meant to afford students this kind of education is project based learning. It is a very hands-on kind of learning in which students work on projects designed to give them authentic (real-life) tasks that involve collaboration with other students, problem solving, and a means for applying learning to demonstrate understanding. A new school campus has just opened near my home that is designed for just this very way of educating. An official involved in the project explained that “every space was intentionally designed to accommodate a unique project-based learning model. This includes expansive open learning commons, small group and one-on-one spaces, learning suites that easily connect to the outdoors, an open concept cafe, outdoor learning porches, and state-of-the-art labs and maker spaces.”
The report, published in a local newspaper, went on, “In a classroom a group of students might be grouped together in comfortable seating with laptops, or a student found mentoring another student on a class project. A teacher won’t be seen in front of the classroom lecturing, rather a mentor, as students call their teachers, may be seen walking about the classroom, guiding students with questions or encouraging multiple ways for students to approach a challenge.” One of the many strengths of this model is that students are left to work through problem solving with each other. The teacher’s involvement is reserved for guiding the students deeper into their inquiry with open ended questioning, and being a resource when students’ needs exceed their peer groups ability.
Wiggins, commenting on this kind of learning environment commented, “This does not mean that the teacher is to stand off and look on; the alternative to furnishing ready-made subject matter and listening to the accuracy with which it is reproduced is not quiescence, but participation, sharing, in an activity. In such shared activity, the teacher is a learner, and the learner is, without knowing it, a teacher—and upon the whole, the less consciousness there is, on either side, of either giving or receiving instruction, the better.”
For music educators, there are several curriculum areas that lend themselves well to project based learning, and others that could be taught that way if music rooms and suites were designed with this in mind. Already, students can easily collaborate on projects in creating, analyzing, and responding to music. At most, audio playback equipment with multiple output jacks set up in learning centers within a music classroom are all that are needed, much like computers are set up in classrooms and media centers.
For performance projects, groups working in open spaces does not work because of the sound of music making that must be present. For these kinds of learning projects, which include preparing a performance for presentation, and developing an interpretation, many “practice rooms” need to be designed into music education facilities. While many music suites have two or three practice rooms, 5 or 6 will allow an entire class to be working on projects without their music making sound interfering with others. A microphone in each practice room that allows the teacher to listen in on any room at any time, much like the arrangement in piano labs, would crate an effective learning environment.
These are but a few ideas that occur to me on how project learning can be expanded in music classrooms. Certainly there are many others, and each must be fitted to the specific student population and physical limitations for which they are designed. Still, it is worth pursuing. When music teachers demonstrate that they not only have the facts on education models, but are effectively adapting them and implementing them in their classrooms, non-music faculty and administrators often not only hold those music teachers in higher esteem, but see their programs as a more effective program in their building. But most importantly of all, using these models improves our students’ performances.
Classroom Management, General Music, Instrumental Music, Music Education, Vocal Music
designing instruction, hands-on learning, museum school, project-based education
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Are You Sure You’ve Got The Employees That You Need?
By Matt Sweetwood on December 10, 2020 • ( 1 Comment )
It’s never easy to know if you’ve hired the right person until they start working for your business. Even then, sometimes it can take a little while to see if they are actually going to contribute to your business as effectively as you need them to. But, over time, the facts will reveal themselves and you’ve just got to make sure that you are paying attention. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the ways that you can know if you’ve got the right employees that you need for your business. Keep reading down below if you would like to find out more.
Your employees need to be hardworking if they are worth having for your business. It’s never going to be good for a company if the people working for it either don’t care about helping the business see success, or don’t pull their weight. The only way to be sure if this is happening is to watch them. We’re not suggesting that you keep your eye on every single thing that they are doing, all of the time, but often enough that it’s possible to tell when something is going wrong. If you suspect that someone isn’t pulling their weight or doing their job to the standard you would expect, you should start conducting employee reviews.
Doing something like this will allow you to see how well someone is working for your company. It’s best if you don’t tell them in the beginning and just let them carry on with how they’re currently working. If you notice something isn’t quite right, then let them know and see if there is any improvement. If not, you’ve got your answer as to whether they are a valuable asset to your team.
Knowledge Of The Area
Another thing that your employees are going to need is knowledge of the area that you have hired them for. We know that it’s not 100% necessary for someone to have years of experience for them to be good at what they do, but some kind of knowledge is required. For example, you might need someone who knows all about an electric actuator 12v, or you may need someone who knows all about tech. Just ensure that whatever you have hired them for, they actually know what they are doing. If they don’t, this is going to become apparent when you set them a task that they simply cannot complete.
Willing To Learn
Employees also need to be willing to learn. They don’t need to know everything from the second you hire them, but being willing to learn the things they don’t yet know is important. If this isn’t the case, they may not be the right fit for you.
We hope that you have found this article helpful and now see how you can tell if your business really has the employees that you need. You may have been under the impression that it doesn’t matter how your employees are, as long as you’ve got some, but this is the wrong attitude to take. Make sure everyone is pulling their weight at the very least!
Tagged as: Employee Acquisition, Employment Search, Hard Working Employees, Timotion
Top 4 reasons to use a recruitment agency for your staffing needs
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Suzuki Piano School International Edition Piano Book and CD, Volume 2
The New International Edition of Suzuki Piano School, Volume 2 includes French, German and Spanish translations, new Romantic and 20th-century pieces, as well as a newly recorded CD performed by internationally renowned recording artist Seizo Azuma. Now the book and CD can be purchased together or separately. The contents have changed slightly with minimal reordering of the music. The Mozart Minuet and Bach Musette from the earlier edition were eliminated and replaced with two new 20th-century pieces by Bartók (noted below), and the Bach "Minuet in G Minor" (from J. S. Bach’s Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach) has been moved to Volume 3. Other improvements include a cleaner appearance with less editing and spacious new engravings, as well as more detailed titles that include the keys, sources, composer dates, and catalog numbers.
Titles: Écossaise (J. N. Hummel) * A Short Story (H. Lichner) * The Happy Farmer, from Album for the Young, Op. 68, No. 10 (R. Schumann) * Minuet in G Major, BWV 822 (J. S. Bach) * Minuet in G Major, from J. S. Bach's Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (Anonymous) * Minuet in G Minor, BWV 822 (J. S. Bach) * Cradle Song, Op. 13, No. 2 (C. M. von Weber) * Arietta (W. A. Mozart) * Hungarian Folk Song, from For Children, Sz. 42 (Béla Bartók) * Melody, from Album for the Young, Op. 68, No. 1 (R. Schumann) * Minuet in G Major, from J. S. Bach's Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (C. Petzold) * Sonatina in G Major, Anh. 5 (Moderato, Romance) (L. van Beethoven) * Children at Play, from For Children, Sz. 42 (Béla Bartók).
The International editions include an updated title page that designates the book as the International Edition.
Title Composer
Écossaise J. N. Hummel
A Short Story H. Lichner
The Happy Farmer, from Album for the Young, Op. 68, No. 10 R. Schumann
Minuet in G Major, BWV 822 J. S. Bach
Minuet in G Major, from J. S. Bach's Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach Anonymous
Minuet in G Minor, BWV 822 J. S. Bach
Cradle Song, Op. 13, No. 2 C. M. von Weber
Arietta W. A. Mozart
Hungarian Folk Song, from For Children, Sz. 42 Béla Bartók
Melody, from Album for the Young, Op. 68, No. 1 R. Schumann
Minuet in G Major, from J. S. Bach's Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach C. Petzold
Sonatina in G Major, Anh. 5 (Moderato, Romance) L. van Beethoven
Children at Play, from For Children, Sz. 42 Béla Bartók |
I vividly remember the theatrical performance of William Shakespeare's comedy "As You Like It," in which we as teenage students mimed the seven age groups from babies to old men, to our great amusement.
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players;
they have their exits and their entrances.."
Probably none of us - teachers included - realized the implications of this statement at that time. Today we know that we don't have to limit it to just the different roles based on age. We may confidently extend it to all our incarnations. People are also not only "players", which means that the general conception of the "seriousness of life" has become obsolete. Role-playing is a means to an end - we grasp something in the process and can enjoy it. We take the liberty and also assume that Shakespeare was not only interested in showmanship within the framework of a parable or a comedy. So, what is behind it from our point of view?
We list the most important points here:
1. the world is indeed a kind of stage on which the immortal soul of man experiences innumerable performances in the course of its many incarnations. Each of these lives is shaped differently and complements the others, so that man encounters many things, has manifold experiences, and in the process expands his consciousness - that is, dissolves the amnesia, the veil of forgetfulness - that descended upon him at birth for the purposes of experimentation on earth. The human personality, with which he shows himself to the outside, contains his role, and no more! If the human being stops to identify himself with his constantly varying role and recognizes his inner essence core, the immortal soul, then the living as an actor makes only really joy. And soon he/she can then close this chapter on the experience planet Earth. Then everything has been grasped which he/she has intended to do.
What follows from it? Life is a performance - it only matters if we live it as authentically as possible. That is, to play the role that we as a soul have set out to play in each case. This is possible to an increasing degree as soon as we perceive the intuitive voice of our soul and actually implement what we hear - this brings joy. The "seriousness of life" is only for those who want to dictate and exploit us out of self-interest. There is no good reason to follow/obey them.
2. that means, our Divine essence core, our Higher Self, our immortal soul alone knows what it wants to experience in each case and as the highest instance in our life it alone is authorized to form as well as to direct the personality.
In our "stage set" the play corresponds to the area and the co-actors etc. into which we are born. The role corresponds to the personality - but we are not this role. We are the players and as a soul we intuitively give the role the individual expression that corresponds to our life plan.
In doing so, we occasionally come into conflict with the director (the government, the laws, the church, etc.), who wants to realize his ideas and believes them to be right for everyone alone. If the actors are unconscious, conformist beginners, they will follow him and suffer. A SELF-conscious professional actor, however, will always know how to play his own intuitive interpretation of the role, even under a dominant director. That means: he/she is his/her own director in the consciousness of his soul. In this way he/she makes the whole performance a special success, which also rubs off on the fellow actors, because they feel encouraged in their individuality.
3. Finally, we come to the decisive point, which you, dear friends, can take to heart. As you know, in all plays there are roles of the most varied forms - just like in "real" life. There are always characters you love and characters you despise, there are good and bad, intelligent and uneducated, well-mannered and rude, religious and pagan, and so on. You would probably not think of calling bad or even condemning the actors who embody the more negatively cast roles. The actor is not his role, the human being is not his personality. On the experience/growth planet Earth, all roles are equally important.
The illusion of duality is the basis for the experience of strife, struggle, etc. The concept of duality adopted for these particular purposes provides the friction, releases energy for grasping. The "evil" personalities can also experience very satisfying, successful, enlightening incarnations, in which they expand their consciousness - the more authentically they implement the will and intention of their soul. The soul wants to grasp many things, does not want to be limited to "good" roles/experiences.
We can never overcome duality, if we - as it happens in most religions - give a large part of mankind to damnation, which then supposedly has to be redeemed. The so-called wicked are not sinners and do not need to be saved. Without them, the so-called good would have no possibility to grasp many things. We have finally learned this and we dare to say it. On the New Earth, in the long run, there are no more incarnations (fleshly bodies) and duality is unnecessary. We have grasped enough through both.
We are NOW moving to new forms of communion where souls support each other in unison. There is no more friction, no more waste of (life) energy through wars, etc. The basis of the New Life is synergy - we work together in love.
If you want to know more about the topic: "The whole world is a stage", read on here: http://www.multidimensional.jetzt/Bewusstseinssprung-JETZT-ZWEI/Weltenbuehne/World-stage/ |
How To Watch YouTube And Other Streaming...
April 22, 2015Written by MG
I have a google chromecast device which works well for my flat tv with hdmi input but then we wanted to utilize our old TV, you know those old big fat televisions of yesterday. Yes, we still have one of those. So how do you make your old TV smart? That was something I had […]
About me, Facebook, Twitter and Social Media
Making Up For GST Woes Through Savvy Onl...
Did you see the crazy shopping that was going on just before the GST was implemented in Malaysia? I saw people shopping like there was no tomorrow. The supermarket shelves were ransacked and many items ran out completely. The shelves were in total disarray. If you didn’t get to ransack a supermarket shelf or didn’t […]
Making Your Home Safe For The Elderly
April 2, 2015Written by MG
Assistance Wherever You Need ItThere has been a tremendous increase in the number of devices designed to make living at home safer and easier for seniors. Just because you need some of these devices, doesn’t mean that you are homebound. There are devices available that can be packed up and taken whenever you want to […] |
Self-Portrait at Montigny
Will H. Low, born Albany, NY 1853-died New York City 1932
Will Hicok Low
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Henry Ward Ranger through the National Academy of Design
21 3/4 x 18 in. (55.1 x 45.7 cm.)
Hats Off to These Pieces |
Tag Archives: Brian Yorkey
The Saturday List: Go GREASE(d) Lightnin’ / No GREASE(d) Lightnin’
Posted on February 6, 2016 by David Fick
It may be almost a week since the much-hyped GREASE: LIVE hit the small screen, but that’s given the dust (and the fankids) a little time to settle. This week’s Saturday List takes a looks at some of the strengths and weaknesses that have revealed themselves since last Sunday. Continue reading →
Posted in The Saturday List | Tagged Alex Rudzinski, Barry Gibb, Barry Pearl, Boyz II Men, Brian Yorkey, Cabaret, Did Conn, Disney Channel, Elle McLemore, Fox, Grease, Grease: Live, Haneefah Wood, Harper Finkle, I Have Confidence, Jessie J, Jonathan Tolins, Julianne Hough, Kether Donohue, Louis St. Louis, Noah Robbins, Olivia Newton-John, Robert Cary, Scott Simon, The Sound of Music, The Wizards of Waverly Place, Thomas Kail, Tom Kitt | Leave a comment
NEXT TO NORMAL Wins the Pulitzer Prize for Drama
Posted on April 13, 2010 by David Fick
Next to Normal, the rock musical by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, has beaten out all the expected winners for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and been named the winner of that award. The musical tells the story of … Continue reading →
Posted in Broadway, Musicals, Pulitzer Prize | Tagged A Chorus Line, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Brian Yorkey, Broadway, Charles McNulty, David Rooney, Fiorello!, Hedy Weiss, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, In the Next Room or the vibrator play, John M. Clum, Kristoffer Diaz, Musicals, Next to Normal, Nilo Cruz, Of Thee I Sing, Pulitzer Prize, Rajiv Joseph, RENT, Sarah Ruhl, South Pacific, Sunday in the Park With George, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Tom Kitt | Leave a comment |
Another elusive warbler joins my life list
Posted on June 11, 2012 by Lisa Rest
Breeding season is upon us, and the chance to see warblers, those beautiful brightly-colored gems that winter in Central and South America, are slimmer now that migration is over. That is, of course, unless you go far enough out of your way to where they nest. Lowden-Miller State Forest is one such place in Illinois, but it’s not right around the corner. I got up at three a.m. on Sunday to meet my friend and join a small contingency from the DuPage Birding Club for this trip. The group was initially larger, but the heat most likely made some people change their minds. I also think it kept some birds from being active. But I am not complaining. We may not have had a lot of species, but we had some great looks at one bird I’ve been trying to see better for a long time: the Yellow-throated Warbler.
This bird was nice enough to come down and check us out. And he gave me a lot of pictures. Like this one that emphasizes why he got first dibs on his name.
Another bird I haven’t seen well for a few years is the Blue-Winged Warbler. I got my wish.
By the time the sun was directly overhead the forest grew quiet, so we went into town for lunch and then briefly to visit nearby Nachusa Grasslands. We missed seeing a Lark Sparrow, but there were Dickcissels galore, which seems to be the story in every grassland habitat this year. While they like to perch on telephone lines and fence posts, this bird was kind enough to pose on a penstemon. Although I wasn’t close enough to get a perfect picture, the surroundings seem to make up for the lack of clarity.
Dickcissel
We had butterflies too, and when I figure them out I’ll be back with their images.
This entry was posted in birds, Warblers and tagged Blue-winged Warbler, Dickcissel, Lowden-Miller State Forest, Nachusa Grasslands, penstemon, Yellow-throated Warbler by Lisa Rest. Bookmark the permalink. |
Bands & Artists
Location: North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii, USA
Years Active: 00’s
Genre(s): Folk Rock, Folk Pop
Associated Projects: Soil
Website: http://www.jackjohnsonmusic.com/
Jack Hody Johnson was born in Hawaii. He had natural talent for surfing, like his father, and began to surf from the early age. Besides it, he was interested in cinematography and learned to play the guitar at the age of fourteen. As a teenager, he listened to such performers as Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and The Beatles. Jack became the youngest contester and the Pipeline competition, when he was seventeen. Unluckily, he got a serious injury the same year and turn to music as the means of self-expression during his recreation. At that period Jack was a student of cinema department of the University Of California at Santa Barbara. Johnson tried himself as singer-songwriter and producer of documentary about surfing Thicker Than Water – he worked over the film with his friends Chris Malloy and Emmett Malloy.
The film got a plenty of positive reviews, while Johnson himself became a guest vocalist on the album Philadelphonic by G. Love. Jack also met his future wife Kim during his studies. Hid debut Brushfire Fairytales saw light in 2001. Acoustic guitar and soft, pleasant vocals, performed by Johnson, made him the favorite of the public all over the world. His second work On and On was released in 2003 and contained the same type of material – slow and middle-tempo compositions with plain arrangements. Released in 2005 In Between Dreams had the speculations about love? Friendship and simple life pleasures in the same charming and melancholic manner that fascinated the listeners. Nevertheless, on such songs as If I Could and Crying Shame Jack touched upon the themes like death and war.
Johnson continued to contribute music for cinema and became the member of the Soil band. He graduated from the University with the degree in cinema and decided firmly to tire his future life to arts. In 2008 Johnson released the disc Sleep Through The Static, which seems to be the most sad of his works. However, both Johnson's fans and those, who are unfamiliar to his creativity, are sure to love this album – its thoughtful songs cover the listener with the friendly atmosphere. The full-length Sleep Through The Static is an excellent demonstration of how the artist can move forward without changing drastically his own style. In 2009 Johnson released the live album En Concert, which includes records that had been made during his Sleep Through the Static World Tour of 2008. Profits from the tour and this release will be going to fund the Kokua Hawaii Foundation and the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation. The release of Jack’s fifth long play titled To The Sea debuted at the very top of Billboard 200, which is a great proof of that work’s highest level. Album To The Sea, created in the artist’s recognizable style, will be interesting for all the connoisseurs of sincere music and lyrics that make a person think.
Meet The Moonlight
All The Light Above It Too
From Here to Now to You
To the Sea
Jack Johnson's fifth album To The Sea is carried out in the same manner as the previous works: soft vocals, contagious guitars and interesting lyrics, telling of this person's views on life and witnessing of his obviously strong belief
Sleep Through the Static
Jack Johnson is a musician who doesn't really like changes and experiments. The main advantage here is that you always know what you can expect. So if you always loved his songs than you will definitely love his new album Sleep Through the Static
Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George
In Between Dreams
Before Jack Johnson perfected his rock star ways, he was a champion surfer on the professional route. However, Johnson was also testing his other creative outlets – one being film and the other being music. Johnson steered away
Brushfire Fairytales
Seasick Dream |
Treats on Castro shutters in Mountain View
After nearly a year of business in downtown Mountain View, family-owned bakery Treats on Castro has shuttered.
The owners, who also run C'est Si Bon bakery in San Jose, did not respond to a request for comment.
They opened Treats on Castro last June, selling Persian pastries as well as cakes, cupcakes, pies, jam and other desserts. C'est Si Bon remains open.
Posted by Gone so soon, a resident of Community Center,
I went by the place yesterday. They had been closed for a few weeks now and yesterday there were people inside renovating the interior.
Posted by , a resident of Atherton: Lindenwood,
You know, when you see a message that looks like a positive response to your long-awaited application (whatever that may be), it's understandable that your judgment will be clouded. |
Daniel Wilson has 35 years of entrepreneurial experience running his own companies and helping make several startups successful. He created all of the documentation for Visual Banker at Footprint Software in Toronto which was purchased by IBM as its worldwide banking solution. He helped Seeker Software create the first HR system on the Web, which eventually led to a multi-million dollar sale of the company. He has also financed and produced several independent feature movies, including Steve - the world's first completely improvised feature film.
Dr. Marion Vollmer
Co-founder and CTO
Marion Vollmer is also a widely published author and keynote speaker, as well as an inventor and patent-holder.
She co-invented a microfluidic device for sperm separation while at the University of Toronto and she is the co-holder of the patent for this device. She is also the sole inventor of the medical device, which is the centrepiece of the my123Baby kit. Additionally, Marion has experience in a wide variety of scientific disciplines – ranging from chemistry, to medicine, to biology, to physics, to mechanical engineering.
Her PhD studies were in embryology and stem cell research. Today, she leans away from unpredictable and artificial approaches. She advocates for disruptive technologies in health care that provide the option to live a healthy self-determined life and become more independent of artificial medical treatments. So it‘s no surprise that Marion‘s approach to tackling infertility is science-based and natural, and focuses first and foremost on the human beings who use it. |
Alice in wonderland moleskine |
International Schools Can Meet Any Educational Need
Being in a new country, regardless of the reason, is a somewhat scary endeavour. New cultures and (likely) a new language to contend with can make the entire experience a little unnerving. When there is a need to move young children to a new country, it can become even more uncertain.
Especially when it comes to ensuring that the child’s educational path is being met. Those barriers can make it more difficult to find a school that is not only a proper fit but will teach the child the foundational skills that they will need throughout their lives.
That is why finding an international school such as BASIS International School can be such a vital thing. It can give children the educational foundation that they so sorely need. Moreover, it can give them a shot of enthusiasm that makes them eager learners moving through the corresponding grades.
Programs for All
Perhaps the best thing about an international school is that it can accommodate any situation or age. Moving to a new place with young children may be scary, but there is a curriculum for early learning to help them become the effective learners of tomorrow.
There are also primary school programs, middle school programs, high school programs, and even special education programs. All to meet the needs of any child who comes through the doors. It is the peace of mind needed when moving to a new place.
Tools for Parents
A great international school doesn’t just cater to the needs of the children. No, there are even parental resources available through the website. These tools can give parents what they need to keep track of their child’s development and answer any pertinent questions that they may have.
Staying involved in the educational experience can be a difficult one, especially for working parents. Being able to access an online portal can make the difference. Whether it is checking on progress, grades, or asking an educator an important question, the online portal is the key.
This is just one of the many aspects of an international school that is so appealing. Parents need not wonder about the educational needs of their children when abroad. The right international school can address all of those concerns and more. Most importantly, it can provide the peace of mind that parents need to know that their children are cared for.
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Rebecca Hanson
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
HC2 Broadcasting Holdings, Inc.
Rebecca is EVP and General Counsel for HC2 Broadcasting, which operates a broad range of television stations in the U.S. She was previously head of Policy for Sinclair Broadcast Group. Prior to that, she was a senior advisor, Broadcast Spectrum with the Media Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission, and served on the Incentive Auction Task Force as the point person for broadcaster participation and issues affecting nonparticipating broadcasters. Prior to joining the FCC, from 2007 to 2009, she was the vice president, Strategic Initiatives at Sprint Nextel. She also held the positions of senior vice president, Business Development and vice president and deputy general counsel at XM Satellite Radio, Inc. |
HomeEntertainmentAmerican label, Def Jam, officially signs Adekunle Gold
American label, Def Jam, officially signs Adekunle Gold
Def Jam Recordings, a global American musical company, has announced the signing of Adekunle Gold, a Nigerian Afropop singer and composer.
The CEO and chairman of Def Jam Records, Tunji Balogun, remarked in an interview with Billboard, “I’ve been following Adekunle Gold since I first heard his album ‘Sade’ in 2016. Everything about AG has improved with time: his composition, his range as an artist, his voice, his style, and especially his ability to put on a concert.
He feels confident in being himself now that he has achieved fame on his own terms.
As soon as I began working at Def Jam, I knew I wanted to expand the label’s musical offerings to include Afrobeats, but I wanted to do it in a classy way by partnering with the appropriate musicians. I knew that if Adekunle and I joined forces, we could grow his audience to even greater proportions than what he had achieved on his own.
“I think AG is a truly global artist, and a rightful ambassador for Nigerian music and the emerging Afrobeats scene,” Tunji Balogun continues. “He has the talent, virtuosity, focus, work ethic and temperament required to be a worldwide superstar. I’m excited to work with him and the Def Jam team to bring more fans into his world.”
Speaking on his latest achievement, Adekunle Gold says; “The track record is there. The history is there. They break artists, and they have niche, unique artists like me, so I think it’s the right move for me. All of the things that I’ve done for myself already, they know already and that’s why they’re on board.” |
Home/Christmas Songs Download Mp3/Frank Sinatra – Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Mp3 Download, Lyrics)
Frank Sinatra – Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Mp3 Download, Lyrics)
Frank Sinatra - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town (Mp3 Download, Lyrics)
Another amazing Christmas song “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town” by Frank Sinatra.
Multi talented award winning American singer, Songwriter and actor, Frank Sinatra drop an impressive Christmas song which he titled “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town”, off his album. And it’s available here for download!
Download Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town Mp3 by Frank Sinatra
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Mp3 Download Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town by Frank Sinatra
Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town Lyrics by Frank Sinatra
You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is comin’ to town
He’s making a list, and checking it twice
Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice
He sees you when you’re sleepin’
He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been bad or good
So be good for goodness’ sake
Oh, you better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I’m tellin’ you why
See, you better watch out, you better not cry
Santa Claus is comin’ to town, to town
He’s making a list, and he’s checking it twice
He’s gonna find out who’s naughty and nice
Santa Claus is comin’ to town!
Santa Claus Is Comin’To Town Mp3 Download & Lyrics by Frank Sinatra
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Lindsay Patience
Lindsay is currently a part-time teacher of A Level Economics and has experience teaching in London secondary schools since 2006. She joined the Senior Leadership Team in 2011. Lindsay has been working to address the lack of flexible working for teachers returning to school since she had her first child in 2016.
She is a cofounder of Flexible Teacher Talent, a social enterprise evolving from a Teach First Innovation Series. This project aims to improve flexible working opportunities in the education sector to retain talented teachers and leaders in our schools.
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Nayland alumnus earns impressive accolade
Since leaving Nayland College in 1986, alumnus Doctor Judith Bateup has garnered an impressive list of achievements, the most recent of which is her election as a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
This honour recognises those who promote science, technology and humanities to the greater New Zealand public. On the 31st of July, Dr Bateup visited Wellington for the Society’s annual meeting, at which she was elected a Companion. She was nominated by her scientific peers and this was supported by scientists already Companions of the Society.
“I’m absolutely delighted to be elected a Companion of the Royal Society because it is a real acknowledgement from the people I work with of the job I’m doing… It’s an acknowledgement of all the jobs I’ve done with schools as well.”
In addition to this latest accolade, Dr Bateup has received other awards for her work. A New Zealand Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award was presented to her at parliament in 2016, as well as The Cranwell Medal in 2018 for her communication of science to the general public, given to her by the New Zealand Association of Scientists.
Dr Bateup has a busy schedule at her place of employment, the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at University of Otago. She teaches these subjects to general science, pharmacy, medical and medical laboratory science students in their second year at the university, through laboratory classes and lectures.
Some of Dr Bateup’s extra work outside of her job includes preparing resources on microbiology and immunology for school students and teachers, hosting workshops of Year 11 students and visiting rural schools. She hopes to cultivate life-long learning in students by passing on her knowledge about things that will affect them during their lifetime, such as vaccinations and antibiotic use.
“Microbiology is this amazing, unseen world of microbes and that’s why I’ve gotten into the extra work with schools… I love my subject because it’s forever changing with the new research coming out,” she said.
When reflecting on her time at Nayland, Dr Bateup remembers that students were encouraged to be individual and the best they possibly could. Similar to today, opportunities were plentiful. Dr Bateup grasped many of these opportunities: she was the editor of Circuit magazine for a couple of years, participated in school productions and tutored other students.
Looking to the future, Dr Bateup is excited to continue with what she is already doing. “More of the same, please! I’ll just carry on teaching my classes of interested and enthusiastic university students and the work I do with schools. I’m very happy with it all.”
By student reporter Aleisha Smith
Posted in Circuit News
← Nayland College Update, 9 August 2019
Science teacher passionate about making it practical → |
Our MBA degree is a professional graduate, business degree, which provides students with a thorough understanding of the basic business essentials (e.g. economics, accounting, finance, management, etc.) followed by intense study in one of four business concentrations: General, Accounting, Human Resource Management, and Supply Chain Management. These concentrations represent business areas that are growing in professional importance and career opportunities.
Click below to view the Curriculum Guides:
MBA-Accounting Concentration
The Accounting MBA concentration offers accounting graduates the opportunity to enhance the breadth and depth of their accounting education as well as gain sufficient credit hours to take the CPA examination. The program provides a balance of advanced financial and managerial accounting concepts while also addressing current international accounting topics.
The Advanced Auditing course applies advanced auditing concepts and techniques to various transaction cycles and employs case studies to reinforce the application of course content. The Accounting concentration intentionally includes content needed to support professional certification in accounting.
MBA-Human Resource Management Concentration
The Human Resources Management MBA concentration is intended for a student interested in pursuing a career in human resources management or developing a better understanding of how to effectively attract, motivate, and retain human resources. The curriculum within the HR concentration is certified by the Society for Human Resources Management, the premier association for HR professionals in the world.
Courses such as Human Resources Management Strategy enable students to understand the role of human resource management in creating a competitive advantage through the workforce. In addition, students have the opportunity to apply their knowledge of human resource management through consulting projects with local organizations.
MBA-Supply Chain Management Concentration
The Supply Chain Management MBA concentration addresses the need for professional knowledge and skills relating to supply chain management, enterprise resource planning, procurement, and distribution. As global operations continue to become more complex, corporations and the consulting firms that support them are moving quickly to hire people with supply chain management expertise.
Courses such as Procurement Logistics and Supply Management will provide a cross-functional management framework that includes strategic sourcing, customer-supplier relationship management, demand management, and day-to-day purchasing. This course also includes an experiential learning component designed to increase the understanding of the impact of strategic sourcing and supply management on the competitive success and profitability of the firm.
General MBA Concentration
The NCA&T General MBA program covers several important business disciplines, including economics, human resources, marketing, and business policy. Students who do not wish to choose a specific area of business specialization may desire to select the General Concentration. Our general Master of Business Administration (MBA) program provides comprehensive training in a wide variety of business disciplines. Get an overview of the curriculum and future opportunities for graduates by clicking above. Programs are available in both online and on-campus formats.
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101 Huber Dr Calmar, IA 52132
The Czech Heritage Partnership will host its 17th Annual Czech Mardi Gras festival on Saturday, February 18, 2023, featuring live music, live and silent auctions, costumes, beer, and a traditional...
Rosemary Chicken with Potato Kisses and Bacon-Wrapped Beans
In class number four, we are going to prepare a meal that could be served in any modern fine dining restaurant in Czech, Slovak, or central Europe. But no need... |
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JMMB Group Limited (JMMBGL) has advised that at a meeting of their Board of Directors on May 25, 2017, the directors declared a dividend of Twenty Three Cents ($0.23) per ordinary share payable to shareholders on June 30, 2017, as at record date June 9, 2017. The ex-dividend date is June 7, 2017. |
Ebenezer Baptist Church |
Giddens, Ono garner Eleanor Main Awards for mentoring excellence
By Melissa GilstrapMay 16, 2017
Laney Graduate School Dean Lisa Tedesco (center) poses with Eleanor Main Graduate Mentor Award winners Michelle Marie Giddens, a PhD graduate in neuroscience, and Ken Ono, Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Mathematics.
Professor Ken Ono and 2017 PhD graduate Michelle Marie Giddens are the recipients of this year’s Eleanor Main Graduate Mentor Awards. The awards, established in 2015 by the Laney Graduate School to recognize graduate faculty and graduate students for mentoring excellence, are presented annually during Laney’s commencement celebrations.
“Every year, I am amazed by the quality of the nomination pool for these awards,” says Lisa Tedesco, dean of the Laney Graduate School. “Mentorship plays a critical role in student progress and success, and that is particularly true in graduate education. Recognizing faculty and emerging scholars who are setting the standard — particularly during commencement when our community is celebrating the culmination of the graduate student experience — is an important and visible indicator of the importance we place on mentoring in the Laney Graduate School.”
For Ken Ono, Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Mathematics, receiving this award is a testament to his own mentors.
“I was a terrible student. Without superb mentors who saved me from myself, I would never have amounted to much," Ono says. "I actually wrote a book last year called 'My Search for Ramanujan,' and it is a gift to my mentors who helped me find my way and gave me confidence in my lowest moments.”
For Giddens, a 2017 PhD graduate in neuroscience, the award is one of her proudest achievements.
“To know that my mentees, peers and advisers thought me deserving of this award is truly meaningful," she says. "I am fortunate to have had so many wonderful mentors to emulate, and I am certain that my success is a direct result of their excellent examples.”
Ono and Giddens received these awards because they are excellent mentors. But beyond the recognition of their own mentoring successes, both praise the value that the Laney Graduate School places on mentoring.
“Mentorship is an essential component of Emory’s success both in the classroom and in the laboratory,“ says Giddens. “I think that every opportunity to acknowledge, support and advocate for mentoring of any kind is important.”
Ono agrees. “Mentoring students of all ages is one of my life’s true passions. Everyone needs help. It is not possible to exceed without help," he explains. "In this way, mentors play an important role for graduate students. They inspire. They teach. Mentors buoy students and foster self-confidence. Acknowledging this work is important, and I will forever cherish this honor.”
Honoring Eleanor Main's legacy
The mentor awards are named in honor of the late Eleanor C. Main, who joined the Emory faculty in 1969. During her time at Emory, Main served as chair of the Department of Political Science, director of the Division of Educational Studies, acting dean of Emory College, interim dean of the Laney Graduate School, associate dean of both the College and Laney Graduate School, and associate vice provost for graduate studies. She was also a recipient of the prestigious Thomas Jefferson Award, which honors Emory faculty or staff who have significantly enriched the intellectual and civic life of the Emory community.
“Dr. Eleanor Main was an outstanding leader at the Laney Graduate School and Emory University,” says Tedesco. “She was wise, passionate and generous with her time and support of graduate students and fellow faculty colleagues. We believe that recognizing outstanding mentoring at the student and faculty levels is an appropriate way to honor Dr. Main’s legacy and bring additional visibility to the importance of mentoring in graduate education.”
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Eleanor Main Graduate Mentor Awards
Laney Graduate School announces Eleanor Main Graduate Mentor Awards |
Evolutionary oomph
Tweaking the universe
David Liu's latest discovery may eventually be used to evolve synthetic polymers with new or improved properties such as the ability to serve as catalysts in chemical reactions or enhanced therapeutic potential.
File photo by Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Writer
Researchers describe way to create synthetic polymers using genetic coding in DNA
Scientists may soon be able to turn to one of the most powerful forces in biology — evolution — to help in their quest to develop new synthetic polymers.
As described in a recent paper in Nature Chemistry, a team of researchers led by David Liu, a professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Harvard, has developed a new method to create synthetic polymers using the coding of genetic material. The method may eventually be used to evolve synthetic polymers with new or improved properties such as the ability to serve as catalysts in chemical reactions or enhanced therapeutic potential.
“The word polymer, unfortunately, is pretty vague, but in biology, large molecules like DNA, RNA, and proteins are the most common polymers,” Liu said. “These polymers can have remarkable properties. Our ability to create man-made polymers with tailor-made properties, by comparison, is much more limited, in part because we don’t have a way to evolve synthetic polymers — that’s really the problem we set out to address.”
Other researchers have managed to create synthetic polymers using genetic coding, but their efforts were hampered by the fact that the new molecules necessarily resembled the genetic template used to create them.
To solve that problem, Liu and colleagues turned to a process similar to one found in nature.
Rather than allow the building blocks of a new polymer to interact directly with the DNA template, the system relies on an “adapter” molecule. The adapters, each of which carries a part of the polymer, bind to the template, forming the new polymer. In the final step of the process, Liu said, the adapters are cut away, leaving a synthetic polymer created according to the genetic template.
“One of the interesting features of this system is that the synthetic polymers that come out of the system don’t need to have any structural relationship to the DNA template,” Liu said. “The part of the system that binds with the DNA bases is the adapter molecule, so it’s physically removed from the template. The overall strategy is heavily plagiarized from protein synthesis in nature, in which tRNA molecules bind to a messenger RNA strand, and the amino acids they carry get stitched together into a protein.”
In theory, once created in a manner dictated by a genetic template, new synthetic polymers can be “evolved” to have unique properties that would be all but impossible to design in the lab from first principles.
As an example, Liu said, suppose you want to create a synthetic molecule that turns on the expression of a specific gene in the presence of a protein associated with cancer, or when glucose levels are too high. You might begin by reviewing current research for clues about how to build such a molecule, and you could use your knowledge of chemistry to begin to determine what that molecule might look like. But for such complex molecular goals, those efforts would allow for little more than well-educated guesses.
The power of evolution, Liu said, makes realizing such ambitious goals much more feasible.
“That kind of task — the ability to bind very specifically to a certain molecule and create a biological response, for example — might not sound very difficult, but that’s exactly the type of activity that’s very difficult for polymer scientists to design from scratch, but not that difficult for nature to evolve,” he said. “Evolution is a more powerful approach to accessing molecules with sophisticated functions than simply guessing how a molecule with those properties should be put together.
“Nature can go through millions of generations of trying things semi-randomly, but at each generation the most successful of those strategies pass on their molecular secrets to the next generation,” he continued. “Because evolution is iterative, small progress in any generation can be inherited and can be developed into major success later on.”
Liu said his next goal is to use the system to evolve synthetic polymers that can do increasingly complex things, starting with folding into structured three-dimensional shapes, then moving on to binding specific molecules of biomedical or chemical interest, and finally catalyzing chemical reactions.
“No synthetic polymer has yet been truly evolved, and we are hopeful that this system is a first step toward reaching that goal,” he said.
While the research opens to the door to possibly cutting the manufacturing cost of a host of drugs and compounds, it also has the potential to help scientists answer long-standing questions about the nature of life, Liu said.
“Many scientists wonder why the workhorse polymers nature translates from genes are proteins, or why the 20 building blocks of proteins have the particular structures that they have. Those questions are very difficult to answer now,” he said. “But if we could evolve a synthetic polymer to perform the same task as a biological one, we could perform a host of studies that could illuminate these issues. Is the resulting polymer more active? Is it more selective? Is it more resistant to environmental conditions, or to degradation by biological enzymes? How does the structure of the building blocks of a polymer — biological or man-made — determine its evolutionary potential? We hope this study brings researchers one step closer to being able to answer these questions.”
Astronomy Department Chair Avi Loeb discussed the findings from the European Space Agency’s Planck satellite program that showed the universe as being a little older, containing a bit more mysterious dark matter, and expanding more slowly than previously thought.
File photo by Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer |
Robert C. Rore Annual Exhibition
The Glass Bead Game Players
1 August – 5 October 2013
How to summarize a complex novel, a multilayer painting in just a few sentences? This year’s title of Robert C. Rore’s annual exhibition is taken from „The Glass Bead Game“ by Hermann Hesse, a book for which this German-speaking writer was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1946 when Europe lay in ruins. Hermann Hesse’s „The Glass Bead Game“ is so much more than just a novel, it is a vision, a portrayal of morals and a scathing account of politics in the first half of the 20th century.
Throughout the book, the glass bead game the title refers to remains something of a mystery; it is never properly explained to the readers and left to their imagination, although there are players playing it and competitions are held. Referring to his picture, “The Glass Bead Game Players”, which is presented in a late 19th century frame lavishly restored and in the exhibition will be accompanied by studies and sketches as well as other male portraits, Robert C. Rore says that it cannot be decided whether the glass beads depicted are soap bubbles or not. As with the glass bead game in the novel, answering this question is up to the spectators. So do come and find out for yourself.
We cordially invite you to the opening held on 1 August from 20 hrs. onwards, with the artist being present.
On Saturday, 17 August, there will also be a late opening of the gallery, on occasion of the street party, Hans-Sachs-Straßenfest.
From the night of the first opening onwards, all the exhibits will also be on display at our web-shop.
We are looking forward to seeing you.
This entry was posted in News, Veranstaltungen, Vernissage by JH. Jul 29 2013 |
Feltham High Street was closed for several hours earlier due to a stabbing.
Officers were called at 11 o’clock this morning where they found a 20 year old man suffering a stab wound to the chest.
He was taken to hospital where his condition was assessed as not life threatening.
There have been no arrests and investigations continue. |
Dramatic increase in A grades since new model brought in
Figures released on Tuesday show a rapid increase in the number of pupils given the highest grades.
Attainment gap between rich and poor pupils grows since 2020
Pass rate down from 2020 but higher than pre-pandemic levels
Thousands of pupils get official grades after exams scrapped
The proportion of A grades given to Scottish school pupils has increased by an average of 16.7% since a new model has been brought in as a result of the pandemic.
Exams were cancelled this year as a result of the pandemic and the Scottish Government moved to a teacher-led model of grading. Last year the use of an ill-fated algorithm led to protests from pupils and a vote of no confidence in then Education Secretary John Swinney.
But figures released on Tuesday show a rapid increase in the number of pupils given the highest grades in the top three qualifications.
On average, the number of students given an A this year is 16.7% higher than in 2018-19.
This year, 46.7% of National 5 entries were graded the highest, compared to 35.1% before the pandemic.
For Higher students, 47.6% of entries were given A grades, up from just 28.3% in 2018-19, while a similar increase was seen in Advanced Higher grading, with 51% of entries grading the highest compared to 31.8% two years ago.
Despite the changes, Scottish Qualifications Authority chief executive Fiona Robertson said she was confident that teachers had applied the national standard when grading, and cautioned against comparing this year’s figures with pre-pandemic levels.
Speaking after the results were released, she said: “We do see some variation in attainment and the composition of attainment every year and that’s to be expected between courses and over time.
“This year we are seeing more movement in attainment than we would see in a normal year when exams are held.”
She added: “I’m confident that teachers and lecturers have worked hard to apply the national standard this year including support from SQA and we’ve provided feedback on the application of the national standards.
“I absolutely acknowledge that A grade is up, but I hope that provides some helpful context.”
Ms Robertson continued: “I’ve highlighted in my chief examining officer’s report about care that needs to applied in making comparisons between years.
“I accept that you will do that, but making comparisons between years and drawing conclusions from them especially when it concerns the last two years.”
Education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville told the PA news agency: “It’s very, very important that we have faith in the system and we have faith in our teachers.
“The system was developed with teachers, with young people, with parents and with other academics to make sure it was fair and it was credible and we all agreed it was a fair and credible system within the national qualification group that designed that system.
“Teachers have used their professional judgement and we should trust our teachers.” |
Kyrgyzstan invites French company to invest in construction of hydroelectric power station
As part of a working trip to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Head of the Department for the preparation of decisions of the President and the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Aibek Dzhunushaliev, met with representatives of the French energy company EDF Energy on the... |
Home/sports/Bryce Young: Alabama star quarterback announces plans to enter 2023 NFL Draft as possible first overall pick
Bryce Young: Alabama star quarterback announces plans to enter 2023 NFL Draft as possible first overall pick
Alabama star quarterback Bryce Young announced Monday that he will declare himself for the 2023 NFL Draft where he could be the first overall pick.
At a press conference at the Alabama athletic facility, Young — along with two of his teammates, point runner Will Anderson Jr. and running back Jahmyr Gibbs — announced their decision to quit school. and enter the repechage.
Later Monday, Alabama defensive back Brian Branch announced his intention to enter the draft on social media.
All four enter the draft as potential first-round picks, with Young arguably the top prospect overall and therefore in contention to be selected with the top pick.
The announcement, which came after they all helped Alabama to a 45-20 Sugar Bowl win over Kansas State on Saturday, comes as no surprise to Young, who has been highly touted for several years after being the replacement for Mac Jones during the Crimson Tide title in 2020
When Jones was selected in the first round by the New England Patriots in the 2021 NFL Draft, Young enjoyed two prolific years as a starting quarterback for Alabama.
He became the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner after a banner year for Alabama in which Young set the school record for single-season passing yards (4,872) and touchdowns (47).
This season, Young has thrown for 3,328 yards and 32 touchdowns in three fewer games than last season, becoming the only quarterback in Alabama history to throw for more than 3,000 yards in two. seasons.
The 21-year-old’s time at Tuscaloosa ends with a touchdown ratio of 80:12.
“Throughout this process, I will give my all. I’m going to do my best to make sure I’m at my best wherever I finish,” Young said, according to the Alabama website, as he considered the next step in his career.
“And then, I’m going to do everything in my power to make any franchise that takes me successful.”
With Ohio State’s CJ Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis, this year’s NFL Draft is shaping up to have a number of top quarterback prospects.
With one week remaining in the season, the Houston Texans hold the No. 1 pick with a 2-13-1 record with the Chicago Bears not far behind at 3-13.
While the Texans need a starting quarterback, the emergence of Justin Fields in his sophomore year will likely mean the team chooses to tackle other areas.
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Tag: Sandersville
Thoughts on Lanny
On Nov. 1, 2013, my father-in-law, Lanny Barron, was in an automobile accident on his way to his house in Sandersville from his family’s farm outside of town. He died on Thanksgiving, Nov. 28. Today’s essay is the eulogy I had the honor of delivering at Lanny’s funeral. He and Cynthia would have been married 49 years on March 28. He would have turned 72 on April 2. To help remember him during this significant week, Carla asked that I post this eulogy. I hope you get a glimpse of what made him special.
Lanny and Barron on the front porch several years ago. This smile is how I remember him.
Lanny Carl Barron lived his life between the farm and town.
He spent his formative years on the family farm on the Sparta-Davisboro Road a few miles outside of town in what is known as the Downs Community. There he learned the ways of planting, harvesting, hunting, preparing food and generally occupying himself with practical pursuits ultimately meant to provide sustenance for his family.
His family moved into town as his father worked in law enforcement. He developed a love of sports and cars and other pursuits hot-blooded males of his generation appreciated. But he was never far from the farm and the woods.
In high school he met and fell in love with Cynthia Goodman. Though she went off to Georgia Southern and he to the U.S. Navy, his intense love only grew in their separation. Not one to put on much of a show or engage in what he referred to as “that kissy, kissy mess,” Lanny was smitten in a way that affected him to his core. And when Cynthia turned down his original proposal of marriage, the iron will and determination – some might call it stubbornness – that those who knew him well recognized as a central part of his character helped him woo her past the point of refusal.
They were married, and he spent his shifts, both days and nights, operating heavy equipment in the kaolin mines of Washington County, an honorable occupation many of you know well. As Cynthia went into the classroom to put her training and gifts of teaching and nurturing to use with the children of Tennille, Lanny had all he wanted out of life. Except for a child.
It was nearly a decade before Carla was born, and though he was, perhaps, better suited to teach a boy the importance of the land, honest character, the intricacies of the forward pass and the sacrifice bunt, Lanny was challenged to develop his more tender side as he learned to love and show affection to a daughter.
This wasn’t always easy for him, and for a time he struggled with his role as husband and father. But in her patience, love, and resolve, Cynthia helped him decide what was worth giving his life to and what was not. Lanny made up his mind that the woman who had been worth pursuing in his youth and the daughter they had so desperately wanted were worth spending time with, and once again through his will and determination he made the kind of life change that many are never able to accomplish.
Still, Lanny was not much of a churchman for many years. He could clearly recall his days as a young boy at the church at Downs, but his distaste for pretense and his ability to sniff out hypocrisy kept him from darkening the church door, though Cynthia and Carla were at church every time those doors were open.
In his 50s after suffering a heart attack, Lanny recommitted himself to the faith of his childhood. As he described it to me one day while driving from town out to the farm, he realized it was the church folk who visited him in the hospital and looked after Cynthia and Carla while he recovered. After that, Lanny was in church the first Sunday he was able, and he became a faithful member and servant. He was eventually named a deacon, a title to which he had not aspired in his earlier days. It was yet another example of him making up his mind and making a 180-degree turn, never to look back.
His lifestyle changes included a new commitment to physical fitness. He walked all over Washington County, mostly in the backwoods of his family’s land. By the time I met Lanny in 1996, he had shifted to riding a bike, and he could often be seen out on the Fall Line pedaling along with his little Pekingnese named Bossy, in the front basket. He was a man who was nearly always in the company of a dog, and among those who grieve his passing now the most is his little buddy and constant companion, Jack.
Among the first occasions I had to spend an extended amount of time with Lanny was at Carla’s graduation from Mercer. His pride in the accomplishments of his daughter helped him overcome his distaste of pomp and circumstance. He put on a tie and made the drive over to Macon and along with about 10,000 other folks, he applauded his daughter achieving her college degree.
And when I went from being the boyfriend to the son-in-law, he put on a tuxedo to escort his beautiful Carla down the aisle.
For the past 16 years, the Lanny I have known has been a fan of the Golden Hawks, Bulldogs and Braves; quick with a joke (not many of which I would dare retell in this solemn gathering) and full of wisdom from his uncomplicated but principled upbringing. His mischievous smile was never brighter than when he picked at those he had fondness for, including Cynthia, his co-workers, church friends and, of course, his sister-in-law, Linda Goodman, who has always been able to give it back as good as she got it.
And at least a hand full of times I have been with him as he rode out to the farm to the Red House to find his nephew, Johnny, sitting on the back porch in the autumn, mid-morning sun. Better than any program on the Outdoor Channel, he loved to hear Johnny tell of the morning’s hunt. Lanny listened as Johnny with characteristic exaggeration and good humor described how the big one got away or humbly submit how his superior hunting skills led him to take a prized buck.
In those years Lanny and Cynthia together were wonderful caregivers to his mother, Ruth, who lived with them. He looked after his mother as dutifully and as conscientiously as I hope our boys will look after theirs. He was a model son, and an inspiration to Carla who has tried to be with him and her mama through every step of this journey.
I have seen firsthand his love for Cynthia in her recent years of illness. He was attentive to her every need and relished proving to her that he could cook, clean up and even do laundry.
In my experience with Lanny, he has been at his very best as a grandfather, or as my boys have known him, Poppy. Never too fond of hospital rooms, three times he made his way to be with us after the birth of our boys and every time, he held a new grandson, he would beam and pronounce them “handsome young men, just like their grandfather.”
He loved grilling for them and preparing their favorite foods. He absolutely loved seeing them devour a bowl of ice cream, even before their infant digestive tracks could handle it. He always asked them how they were doing in school and if they were chasing the little girls. He loved taking them out to the farm, letting them drive his camouflaged golf cart and feed and chase the goats.
He came to their performances at school and at church, and even adopted the new tradition of waiting out Santa’s arrival at our house in Lilburn. No visit with Poppy ever concluded without him reaching into his wallet and giving each of them a $20 bill. He pulled them close, hugged them, said “Love you, Buddy. Make your mama and daddy buy you some ice cream.”
I asked my boys what I should say today to let you know how much he meant to them. Carlton, in all the eloquence his five years could muster, said: “Poppy was really nice, and I loved his hamburgers and hotdogs.”
Harris, who three weeks ago sat down in his Poppy’s hospital room in Augusta and refused to leave until Poppy got better, said: “He taught me to drive a golf cart, and I could never beat him at checkers.”
Barron, his first-born grandson and the benefactor of his generous excesses of grandfatherly affection, said: “Poppy always wanted to hear me play my trumpet and my guitar, and I had fun last summer working with him on his old car.”
And if given the chance to stand here and offer words of your memories, you would no doubt mention many more traits that made Lanny Carl Barron the unique individual that he was. In the last three days I have heard stories from you that were familiar and part of the lore that was his life story. I have heard new stories that I had never known but were completely consistent with the man I have come to love and admire.
Let this not be the last days those stories escape your lips. Lanny lives on in each telling. Cynthia is comforted by the sound of his name and the knowledge that you miss him right along with her. Carla needs to be reminded often of the kind of person her daddy was, so she can know where she came from and what’s important in life. And these grandsons need to know their Poppy in fuller and richer ways than the perspective of their youth can afford them now.
If you have loved Lanny in life, I ask you to speak these stories with joy and laughter and with frequency. Lanny always enjoyed a laugh and a good story, grounded in timeless truths, even those tales that pointed out his own foibles. He will enjoy hearing you tell them from his new vantage point.
Perhaps no one has more stories than you, James. You are above all others, a man held in high esteem by Lanny. You have gone farther than the formal relationship of brother-in-law would obligate a man. You have been the sidekick in many of Lanny’s misadventures, always the voice of caution, always offering a word of reason, but all too often dismissed to Lanny’s detriment. Still, you went with him to the farm each morning to tend the goats. And you went with him to auctions and sales and wide-ranging quests for tractor parts or purchases of hay. Too many times you had to be the one to call 911 or worse, your sister, when things went badly. Lanny probably pushed you too far outside of your comfort zone too many times, but in his boldness and disregard for safety, he was comforted by your presence. There is no telling how many disasters you helped avert, how many inconveniences you prevented from becoming full-blown fiascoes. Lanny was fortunate to have you as a brother, and he knew it.
There are others of you here who were important to him whom I have not mentioned: Martha and Ann, Edna and Steve, Jason, Emily, Amy and all the extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
I never had the opportunity to meet Lanny’s older brother, John, but I know for a fact how much he looked up to him, and how important John’s family was to him. He treasured visits with Lois, Sherri, Johnny and Jonathan because they helped him feel connected to his roots, especially in the days after his daddy and mama had passed.
Lanny, today we lay your body to rest, knowing that you are not in this casket. Our faith leads us to anticipate a glorious reunion someday, and we are comforted by the idea that you sit with your mother and father, your brothers and your friends who have gone before you.
We have made a little bit of a fuss over you. I hope it’s OK and you don’t mind. You’ll have to forgive us, because you are worth it.
Somewhere between the farm and town, we lost you. May we never forget all that you have taught us from traveling that road back and forth. We are all better for knowing you.
lanceelliottwallace Uncategorized 3 Comments March 29, 2014 8 Minutes
Jack is an old dog.
To you and me he’s 16, but according to the Pedigree Dog Calculator, he’s the equivalent of an 80-year-old man.
Jack has outlived his brother, Joe, by about 10 years.
He’s outlived his best friend, my father-in-law, by three months now and counting.
He’s an old dog, but he is showing me every day that life goes on.
Jack, or “Jack Jack” as he is sometimes affectionately called, is a 16-year-old Pekingese-poodle mix, and an excellent human trainer.
Jack has come to live with us in Lilburn most of the time. From that first weekend after my father-in-law’s accident when Jack suddenly found himself in a semi-familiar place, full of unfamiliar sights and smells – not to mention a pesky, jittery, hyperactive younger Tobey – he has been adjusting.
As I have written in this space before, I am not predisposed to compassion for canine companions. It has been a struggle to tolerate Tobey’s eccentricities, which I’m sure are instinctual habits for dogs of his nature and nurture. Tobey hasn’t evoked sentimental affection, and when I catch him lifting his leg on the corner of the sofa, it is by sheer force of will that I do not drop kick that animal out of my house permanently.
But Jack is different. He is an old dog.
Yes, I have lost my patience a time or two when his veterinarian version of Lasix kicked in and he couldn’t hold it until he got outside. Or when he failed to communicate that it was time to do his business, and the middle of the playroom floor served as his toilet.
When Jack first come to stay with us, he wandered the neighborhood if we let him out unattended. If we took him out on a leash, he refused or didn’t understand that he was supposed to do his business. He was accustomed to roaming many more acres at his house and at the farm. I tried to remedy this by erecting a series of barricades across our driveway and parking pad to keep him in the back yard.
I either finally succeeded at building a better prison, or he lost the will to escape. The backyard was his domain. But when my father-in-law was moved from a hospital in Augusta to one here in Atlanta, Carla came back home and her mother came to stay. We had to be able to get access to the parking pad and back door. The barricades came down and the free-for-all started over.
Carla couldn’t understand why I went to such lengths just so Jack could wander freely around our spacious back yard.
“Just put him on a leash and leave him out there.”
“Jack is used to roaming,” I insisted. “He’s lost everything else that he enjoyed or that is familiar. I feel somehow like this is what I can do to make things easier for him.”
Carla shook her head. She knows I’m not the most affectionate with animals.
Now that Lanny is gone and Jack’s relocation to our house seems to be mostly permanent, my compassion – and respect – for Jack has only increased. He’s messing in the house much less frequently. Even without a fence, he doesn’t leave the backyard. He’s learned not to accost me at the dinner table. At night, he goes to his blanketed crate on his own without protest or barking. All things considered, he’s a really good dog.
In the morning when I open up the dogs’ crates and let them out before their breakfast, Tobey is out, done his business and run 14 laps across the back yard before Jack has even gotten to his feet. His arthritic stretching is painful to watch. His slow and slippery waddle across the wood floor to the back door is simultaneously pitiful and comic.
A Pekingese-poodle mix, he was bred to be a companion. As a younger dog, he accompanied Lanny everywhere. He was a great farm dog, frolicking with the goats and giving varmints the what-for, keeping danger, as he perceived it, at bay.
Now he’s essentially in assisted living. He has caretakers he’s only half known and usually tried to escape from when they came to visit his house. He’s adjusted to the noise and trampling and bothersome attempts at play.
During family movie night a few weeks ago, for reasons I cannot fully explain, I picked Jack up, held him in my lap and stroked his fur, careful not to irritate the skin lesions or sore joints. I could feel his overly-rapid heartbeat on my legs and watched his labored breathing expand and contract his abdomen.
Maybe Jack isn’t the only one adjusting. Maybe my care of Jack isn’t really about Jack at all but some small attempt to show kindness to Daddy in the only tangible way I can now that he’s gone.
For as long as we have Jack with us, I will hold him, pet him, clean up after him, feed him and give him his medicine, because maybe, just maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Jack appears to be succeeding with me.
Thank you for tolerating more of my journey of grief over the loss of my father-in-law, Lanny Barron. It’s my hope that these essays don’t bring you down but give you hope. Take a minute to leave a comment and offer your insight, and if you are so inclined, share this post with your Facebook friends and Twitter followers. I am grateful for your readership.
lanceelliottwallace Uncategorized 4 Comments February 22, 2014 4 Minutes
The lost art of listening
Hello, my name is Lance, and I have listening problem.
This week I attended one of those four-hour workplace training sessions on emotional intelligence. It included an exercise on active listening. I was horrible.
Maybe someone at Tech could invent something like this to help me listen better.
The humiliating experience caused me to reexamine a fundamental assumption about myself. Deep down, I believe that I have pretty good emotional intelligence. I feel like I know myself and can read people pretty well. I know how to make eye contact and affirm people when they talk.
Except I don’t.
The examples of my failures to listen are starting to pile up.
Two weeks ago during dinner, my 12-year-old son had to confiscate my iPhone because I was texting during dinner. Talk about role reversal!
Last weekend, while driving to see my in-laws in Sandersville, Carla said an entire paragraph of information that I completely missed. I suspect I had dozed off.
And now, with the pressure on and in an intentional exercise to practice active listening, the best I could do was nod and say “Hmmm….”
Pathetic.
This experience reminded me of a time earlier in my marriage when I first became aware that I cannot listen if a television is on anywhere in my vicinity. When you first begin cohabitating with someone in the throes of marital bliss, you hang on their every syllable. But after a while, words, sentences and even entire monologues can go by, particularly if there’s a ballgame on.
This Robert Mankoff cartoon from The New Yorker is all too true.
Earlier in my marriage after a particularly bad run of non-listening, I sought the advice of my travel companions during a car trip across Missouri. From Harold, the trained minister, I got words of wisdom and reassurance about “focus and priorities.” From Ben, my boss and mentor who had taught me much in my career, I got: “Well, maybe she just needs to say fewer or more important things.”
Fast forward a few weeks when my inattention reoccurred. Guess which pithy saying popped into my head to answer a barrage of accusations? Yep, the wrong one. Like a scene from “Everybody Loves Raymond,” I tried to retract the words as they were coming out of my mouth.
Although Carla swears she doesn’t remember the exchange today, I do, and I can tell you unequivocally, don’t ever say anything like that to your spouse … or anyone.
What causes my distraction and what’s the cure?
To no one’s surprise, one of the biggest culprit’s in the New South is technology. Barron was right to take away my phone. I have done the same thing to him. Conversations are the building blocks of good relationships, and as we enter the teen years with our children, they are essential. I have to learn to turn the screens off.
Another culprit is busyness and preoccupation. If I’m busy rushing off to a meeting after church, it’s nearly impossible for me to focus on the person trying to share an important concern. Being in the moment and being with the person in front of you is a discipline.
Ultimately, I think it comes down to self-absorption. I find it hard to listen because I am inside my own head way too much. I don’t know about you, but I’m bombarded with thoughts on everything from what I’m going to say next to my to-do list. And if someone is sharing a problem, I think about possible solutions, rather than displaying empathy, letting them share their feelings and affirming them.
Here’s how the course I took described passive vs. active listening:
Admitting you have a problem is the first step. You, the loyal readers of New South Essays, are my support group. Hold me accountable. If you catch me not listening, call me on it.
Now stop reading this blog and go listen to someone important to you. You may find that you also have some work to do in the listening department.
What annoys you most about people not listening? Is it the ever-present smart phone or tablet screen? Are you a good listener? How do you do it? What techniques might help the rest of us non-listeners? Leave a comment and help in my recovery. It takes all of us.
lanceelliottwallace Uncategorized 1 Comment September 7, 2013 September 7, 2013 3 Minutes
More than a day
Celebration Part One: Barron’s 12th birthday celebration began with cake, ice cream and presents with his grandparents in Sandersville.
It wasn’t that long ago that a birthday was just that – a day.
In the New South, however, we celebrate a person’s birthday for many, many days. I have a theory about why this is: It takes us longer to celebrate birthdays now because of geographic dispersion of family, over-stuffed schedules and the vicious cycle of birthday one-upmanship.
My oldest son, Barron, recently turned 12. Our commemoration of this blessed event began with a Saturday trip to Sandersville to celebrate with Carla’s parents. There was cake, ice cream and presents. My folks live 8-10 hours away. Although they have sacrificially made the drive to be with us on some of the milestone birthdays, we don’t see them on most birthdays.
Grandparents are an important part of birthdays for us, and we have to make the time to go to them. When we lived in Macon, it was no big deal. We might even be able to scoot over to Sandersville for an afternoon. But now that we are in the Atlanta area, it’s a bit more of a commitment and takes some scheduling. When families lived closer together, it wasn’t as much of a challenge getting everyone together for a birthday, but covering the miles takes planning. With our schedule, making a trip to see family causes the birthday season to become elongated.
Celebration Part Two: Barron’s other grandparents from Florida sent a cool card with a mustache disguise in case all of the birthday mushyness caused him to need a disguise.
This leads me to my second point: birthday celebrations take more than a day now because of our overflowing schedules. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to find time to celebrate a birthday, particularly if it happens to fall in the middle of a work/school week.
Barron’s big day occurred on a Wednesday. We acknowledged his actual birthday by opening gifts on that day, but our mid-week church activities took precedence over any celebration. The sad truth is, most of our weeks are a sprint that may have only one or two small openings at night or on a weekend afternoon. And our kids aren’t even involved in sports. That ups the ante even higher.
We ended up celebrating with Barron by going out for pizza and bowling on a Friday. It was fun, and we all enjoyed it, but it was several days removed from Barron’s actual 12th birthday. This brings me to my final point: birthday celebrations have become a season because we feel the need to make each year better than the previous year.
If we started at the first birthday with a candle, a song and a cupcake, this wouldn’t be so bad. But we make the first birthday such a production that by the time kids are old enough to actually remember their birthdays we have to rent bounce houses or invite 30 friends to the gymnastics center or go bowling or play mini-golf or ride ponies or rent a limo or go to Disney World or on and on and on.
Celebration Part Three: Barron celebrates a strike as he dominates the family, including dear old dad, in a game of bowling.
Growing up in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the birthday destination of choice was Crystal’s Pizza Palace in Irving. As a kid the place seemed massive, and it was the only place to play such arcade game classics as Sea Hunt, Galaxian, Joust and Pacman. I didn’t feel that my parents were under pressure to deliver a bigger and better birthday experience each year. I just wanted to go to Crystal’s.
But these days, it’s a hard pressure to resist. We want desperately to give our kids memorable birthdays. To do this, we sometimes have to schedule the event in increments, like Barron’s this year. It makes for a season of birthday celebration rather than a single day.
Don’t get me wrong here. I’m talking about a societal phenomenon that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s not like we take enough time to appreciate our loved ones anyway, and I don’t hear anyone complaining about getting too much attention for their birthday.
I just hope we can finish celebrating Barron’s 12th birthday before his 13th rolls around.
Do your birthday celebrations extend past the actual day? How do you handle it? What was your most memorable birthday celebration? Leave a comment and extend this blog beyond a single day.
lanceelliottwallace Uncategorized 1 Comment February 16, 2013 3 Minutes
Can I have a second helping of home décor?
I’ll eat just about anything you can put on a plate, but I won’t admire just any plate you can put on a wall.
Those plates must be historic. And Southern. And tell a story.
When my wife of 15 years and I were concocting our wedding registry, (OK, let me restate that more accurately: when my wife of 15 years was concocting her wedding registry) there was one item that popped up on the “must have” list I had never heard of.
“Honey, what’s a Georgia plate?”
That’s when I got that look. You married guys know the one. The look that says “Are you really so unrefined as to not know about Georgia plates?”
Louise Irwin, creator of the Georgia Plates, would be so proud of our living room wall.
It’s the same look, incidentally, that I received when I asked such questions as “Aren’t window treatments really just curtains?” and “What’s a toile?” and “Why do there need to be so many pillows?”
As it turns out these Georgia plates are so famous that practically everyone who ever attended a Transylvania Club of Sandersville meeting knows all about them.
What? You say you don’t know the story of Louise Irwin and the Transylvania Club of Sandersville? OK, well, maybe I don’t feel so bad.
You see, back in 1932, Mrs. Irwin latched onto the idea of creating a series of Wedgwood plates depicting scenes from Georgia’s history to sell as a fundraiser for the club. Clearly Mrs. Irwin envisioned that 80 years later suburban housewives would be assembling and reassembling them into artistic formations on their living room walls.
Nancy Hart says to the Tories: “Don’t be bringin’ that Torie stuff into MY log cabin!”
These plates are actually pretty cool. My favorite is the one depicting Nancy Hart holding a bunch of Tories, whoever they are, at gunpoint. Nothing says “Georgia pride” like gun violence against men in wigs in pink Wedgwood.
I think we’ve eaten on these plates exactly one time. It was a special occasion, like Christmas or Easter, when it seemed appropriate to stare at James Edward Oglethorpe under a pile of mashed red potatoes infused with gorgonzola.
There is so much I don’t understand about home decorating, and I’m sure this essay only confirms my lack of sophistication and taste. I don’t know when it became a “thing” to put plates on walls, but ever since our wedding guests happily complied with my wife’s dreams of owning the entire collection, we’ve had Georgia plates on our walls.
A very symmetrical and orderly display of Georgia’s history in Wedgwood plate form on my living room wall. Ain’t I sophisticated?
I do think they add something to our home, though, in a weird museum kind of way. In good light and at the right distance, I can actually read them. And if I take one down, I can flip it over on the back and have marvelous dinner party conversation starters: “Did you know that in 1734 Oglethorpe traveled to London to present the Creek Indian chief Tomochichi to the Colony’s Trustees? Yes, well, they were accompanied by John Musgrove and his wife, Mary, who had served as the interpreter for Tomochichi and Oglethorpe. Can you pass the asparagus?”
Hmmm … maybe I’m beginning to understand why we don’t have many dinner party guests.
What I do think these plates say about the New South is that there is still an appreciation of history. In the Old South, there was a devotion to tradition. In the New South, we like old stuff to remind us we have roots, a foundation upon which we can innovate, but we aren’t held captive to it. Touches of the old accentuate the new in our lives reminding us that as much as society changes, we still have a narrative that unites us as Georgians and Southerners.
So, go ahead and put those Georgia plates on the walls. The Sandersville public library will benefit from the proceeds, and before you know it, there will be another day on the calendar appropriate for using them to eat, like Leap Day or Guy Fawkes Day.
What place do plates have in your decorating? Do you use dinnerware in your décor? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below, and happy eating/decorating!
lanceelliottwallace Uncategorized 9 Comments August 17, 2012 August 18, 2012 3 Minutes
When we hit the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge from Charleston into Mount Pleasant the boys stopped watching Harry Potter on our minivan’s built-in DVD player.
From the span over the Cooper River we could see the U.S.S. Yorktown, parked at Patriots Point. It would be our home for a night, and it was lit impressively, beckoning us to come and explore.
“Wow! Is that it, Daddy?” and “I’ve never been on a ship like that before!” came from the back.
That’s when I knew it would be a good weekend.
Boarding the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriots Point in Charleston Harbor.
The boys and I joined 101 other Cub Scouts and parents from Pack 564 for an overnight visit to the retired aircraft carrier parked in the Charleston Harbor since 1975. The six hour drive was interrupted only by a stop in Sandersville to unload Carla and Carlton, who were spending the weekend with her parents.
What struck me most about the half hour stopover was Poppy’s excitement about the boys’ trip. He had served on the U.S.S. Little Rock in the 1960s, and began telling us about his experiences at sea. I referenced the conversation numerous times while on board the Yorktown, trying to help the boys connect with their grandfather in a new way.
For kids, the sheer size of the ship is a novelty. But throw in 38- and 50-caliber gun mounts to climb on, airplanes to get a closer look at and seemingly miles of passageways to explore, and you’ve got life-long memories.
Harris at the helm of the Yorktown.
What stood out to the boys? If you ask them, they will tell you about the galley with a recipe for 10,000 chocolate cookies printed on the wall. Or they’ll describe the brig, the massive engine room and the gigantic hangar containing old aircraft.
Their expressions of wide-eyed wonder as they took the helm and climbed into the captain’s chair spoke volumes about their experience, and the questions came faster than an F-18 catapulted from the deck of a carrier.
I could see the realities of life at sea with 2,600 other sailors begin to sink in with the boys as they stowed their gear in their “berths.” The stacks of bunks, three and four high connected by chains drew immediate calls for “top bunk.”
Barron even affirmed my career choice. After watching me duck through hatches all day, he said, “You wouldn’t be a very good sailor, Daddy. You would always be hitting your head.”
Barron tries out the Captain's Chair.
When we got back to Sandersville to pick up Carla and Carlton, I caught a glimpse of a twinkle in Poppy’s eyes as the boys breathlessly fired facts and descriptions at him. They covered the highlights, pausing every now and then to let Poppy insert a story from his service to help provide context for what they saw.
It’s like the time I saw “Saving Private Ryan.” In the intensity of that film, I was able to barely grasp what it must have been like for my grandfather to serve in Normandy. Now my sons were seeing their grandfather in a whole new way as they experienced history.
We’re still processing the questions. The boys spent their President’s Day holiday drawing pictures of the Yorktown and setting up dioramas with their souvenirs, all the while asking more and more questions.
Perhaps even in the New South, there’s an appreciation for the experiences of our elders. I look forward to the conversations my boys will have with all their grandparents as their understanding of history grows and their bonds with them are strengthened.
How have you connected with your grandparents? Did a trip to a historical place or an afternoon of stories on the front porch or time at the dinner table give you a glimpse into their lives? Take a moment to share your experiences by leaving a comment.
Everything I Need to Know I’m Learning on the Farm
Before there was playground equipment, kids played on farm equipment. Looks like farm equipment may be more fun.
Everybody needs a farm.
Not to make a living. That’s one of the hardest things anyone can do with his or her life. No, I think people need a farm, even if they don’t own it, to go and learn how to live. The lessons there are simple, profound and unavoidable.
Last Saturday we visited Sandersville to celebrate my mother-in-law’s birthday. While we were there, we rode out to their farm, about 12 miles outside of town. It’s a great place for suburban boys to get dirty, have fun and do things they normally have to pay for back in the city.
For Barron, it’s a place to practice his marksmanship. Having taken to shooting in his scouting activities, Barron begged like Ralphie for a Red Ryder BB gun this Christmas. When all hope was lost, my parents stepped in and bought him the gift, the last one he received the Tuesday after Christmas.
We set up some plastic bottles and a paper plate as targets. Barron quickly drew up a series of not-so-concentric circles with a Sharpie to make a bull’s eye. It took him and his Poppy several minutes to find the best spot, but it wasn’t long before he was “plinking” BBs off the bottles and popping holes in the uneven rings of his target.
He’s a pretty good shot. He has a fairly steady aim. He’s patient. The only problem arose moments before we left. After an hour or more of shooting, he finally had a BB go astray. It went through the paper plate target, hit the plywood behind it and ricocheted back, hitting Carla in the waist. Although it barely left a mark, we all took note. Never shoot with a firm surface immediately behind your target. What you end up hitting will most likely be you.
While Barron worked on becoming the next “Top Shot,” I drove the other two boys around the farm on Poppy’s camouflaged golf cart. Under Carla’s anxious and omnipresent eye, we slowly traversed the bouncy terrain. I had one hand on the steering wheel and one on Carlton, tucking him close to my side.
The grass is always greener.
It had been a while since I had driven the property, and when we came to a crossroad on one of the trails cutting through the pine trees, we had a decision to make. I chose the one that I thought led back toward the house. Taking the well-worn path proved to be a good decision. At least in this case, the road less traveled led to a ditch.
After safely depositing Carlton on Poppy’s tractor so he could pretend to clear the back 40, Harris got his driving lesson. We found a good wide path with plenty of clearance on each side and let him test his skills. For the next half hour, we veered from one edge of the path to the other as he consistently overcorrected. By the time we finished he was doing pretty good, learning that just a slight turn on the wheel here and there will get you where you want to go a whole lot quicker than jerking from side to side.
As we drove the golf cart back to our van, I noticed one of the smaller goats had his head stuck through the fence, unable to pull back through because of his horns. The boys loaded into the minivan to ride home with Carla and her mother while Poppy and I went to rescue the goat with poor decision making skills.
I asked him if this happens often.
The goat on the left was the culprit. You'll notice the youngest kid in the back. Yep, he was bottle fed.
“Aww, I get one or two out nearly every day,” he said. “Sometimes they can get themselves out, but most of the time, you’ve got to help them.”
We pulled up to the fence, got out and Poppy grabbed the goat’s little horns, gently tilting its head so that the horns could go back through the wire. It only took a few seconds, and the little fella was no worse for wear, jumping about and butting heads with his brothers in no time.
There’s always work to be done on the farm. Raising goats and pine trees has its own reward, but maybe, the best crop that farm is producing is three boys. I just hope they are paying attention.
lanceelliottwallace Uncategorized Leave a comment January 13, 2012 January 13, 2012 3 Minutes
Bottle fed
Poppy with his baby goat.
A few weeks ago, Carla and I took the boys to see her parents in Sandersville. A welcomed retreat from the suburbs to small town Southern life, these trips are especially meaningful to the boys. In Sandersville, they get to enjoy life in a different way.
On this particular visit, Nanny and Poppy had a couple of new additions to their household: two baby goats, only a couple of weeks old. Poppy raises goats as a hobby rather than an agribusiness, and, as he says, it gives him something to do. Twice a day he drives the dozen or so miles out to his farm and tends to them.
The arrival of these two babies was complicated somewhat by the disappearance of their mothers. So what’s a goat farmer to do with nursing baby goats and no mamas?
Bring them home and feed them from a bottle.
The smaller of the two, the brown one, was near death when they got him home. Nanny described him as looking like “an inner tube when all the air has gone out.” But on that warm February Saturday, he was prancing and hopping and running from our boys with vigor. Seems the bottle-feeding, petting and attentive nurturing he was getting did the trick.
I grew up in the city. I don’t have much experience with raising farm animals. In fact, I am embarrassingly ignorant on such matters and feel like a total city slicker when I go out to help my father-in-law at the farm. But it doesn’t seem to me that goat farmers used to be as nurturing. Maybe goat farmers have gone soft.
Oh, you can argue that Poppy was just protecting his investment. But how do you explain the petting? Or the big smile across his face when he describes how he brought the brown one back from the brink of death?
No, there is a connection here between this farmer and his goats. It’s not so strong that he won’t take them to the auction when it’s time, but it’s more of a relationship than a farmer may have had with his livestock a generation ago.
Soon, the two baby goats will be back at the farm, eating grass, hay and whatever they get in their mouths. Maybe their goat friends will mock them for being too soft. Or maybe, they’ll be welcomed into the extended goat family as two members who nearly didn’t make it.
Here’s to the bottle fed among us. A little nurturing can be the difference between and life and death.
lanceelliottwallace Uncategorized 1 Comment April 1, 2011 2 Minutes |
NIRH Condemns the Repeal of DACA; Urges States and Local Leaders to Protect Immigrant Communities
Contact: Stephanie Reichin, C: 617.549.3745, E: [email protected]
Statement by National Institute for Reproductive Health President Andrea Miller
“Under President Trump, the federal government has continued to wage a campaign that stands opposed to basic human rights and dignity. In repealing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, President Trump again seeks to sow division and inflict harm.
This attack is the latest in a well-established pattern of actions that betray values of fairness, justice, and equality — actions that have included the effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act which would have left tens of millions without healthcare, to the threat to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Everyday the National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) works to support partners in cities and states around the country who make sure people have the support and care they need to lead healthy and stable lives. The repeal of DACA would only push immigrants and their families further into the shadows when they need to be pulled into the light.
Over the next six months, NIRH implores Congress to work together to establish permanent protections for Dreamers. We also encourage local leaders in cities and states around the country to protect these vulnerable communities, mitigate the potentially devastating impacts of federal action, and remember that America can find strength and dignity in our diversity, not fear.”
The National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) builds power at the state and local levels to change public policy, galvanize public support, and normalize women’s decisions about abortion and contraception. |
IRONMAN 70.3 SWITZERLAND
RAPPERSWIL-JONA Notify me
June 11, 2023 Switzerland
SWISS RIVIERA STUNNER
The city of Rapperswil-Jona with its gorgeous leisure district and inviting Riviera has been the host city of the IRONMAN 70.3 Switzerland dating back to 2007. It is no coincidence that over the years the city of roses has welcomed thousands to this exciting event; with its numerous attractions and perfectly integrated public transport system, the city is an ideal destination for visitors. |
Shares of ABN Amro and ING down after Credit Suisse bailout This weekend, the ailing bank Credit Suisse was bailed out.
It’s Yolanthe Cabau’s birthday and treats!
Everything you need to know about the police database Camera in Beeld
Objectors Groningen have to wait months longer for a response 08:39 in Regional News Three-quarters of the objections received after a decision by the...
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Minor arrested for stolen scooter
By Rudie Reijnders
Arnemuiden – After the inspection of a scooter by surveillance agents, it turned out to be signaled as ‘stolen’. Officers seized the vehicle and arrested the driver.
The agents patrolled Arnemuiden on Friday evening around 10 p.m. They drove across the Westwal and saw a group of young people standing there with scooters. One of the scooters had no license plate. Reason for the agents to do an inspection.
The boy who had ridden the scooter stated that he had found the thing somewhere in the bushes. The officers checked the chassis number of the scooter and discovered that it had been reported stolen in November 2022. Both the scooter and the boy who had ridden it to Arnemuiden were transferred to the police station.
The boy, 14 years old and from Middelburg, has been arrested as a suspect of handling stolen goods. Due to his age, he is later invited for questioning by the police. The agents contacted his father who picked him up at the station.
The 14-year-old had a block of hashish in his possession. For this fact he is forwarded to HALT.
The rightful owner of the scooter has been notified by the police.
Information source: Politie.nl
Rudie Reijndershttps://nlnews.net
Veerle Boukamp - March 20, 2023 |
report card main findings detailed findings not-as-advertised quality assurance auditor list press-release
How the IPCC Report Has Been Advertised
click a quote to go to its source
"People can have confidence in the IPCC's conclusions�Given that it is all on the basis of peer-reviewed literature." - Rajendra Pachauri, IPCC chairman, June 2008
"The IPCC doesn't do any research itself. We only develop our assessments on the basis of peer-reviewed literature." - Rajendra Pachauri, IPCC chairman, June 2007
"This is based on peer-reviewed literature. That�s the manner in which the IPCC functions. We don�t pick up a newspaper article and, based on that, come up with our findings." - Rajendra Pachauri, IPCC chairman, June 2008 (click quote to go to YouTube video. Remarks begin at 1 minute, 15 seconds)
Rajendra Pachauri - We don't pick up a newspaper article and...come up with our findings sound bite Rajendra Pachauri sound bites
[regarding news articles in the report]
As IPCC Chairman Rajendra K. Pachauri recently stated: 'IPCC relies entirely on peer reviewed literature in carrying out its assessment...'" - US Environmental Protection Agency, December 2009 (bottom of PDF's page 7)
"When asked if the discussion paper could be taken into consideration...[Pachauri] said, 'IPCC studies only peer-review science. Let someone publish the data in a decent credible publication. I am sure IPCC would then accept it, otherwise we can just throw it into the dustbin.'" - Times of India, November 2009 [previously said 2007 due to a typo]
"This is the key document on climate change, and from now on you can forget any others you may have read or seen or heard about. This is the one that matters. It is the tightly distilled, peer-reviewed research of several thousand scientists" - Irish Independent, November 2007
"Make no mistake about how central the IPCC is to the global warming debate. The IPCC's reports are why ours and other governments...are calling for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions...[those] attacking the IPCC...have never researched nor published any climate science in peer-reviewed journals - and peer review is how science works." - ABC News, Australia, November 2009
"The IPCC bases its work on papers that have been published in the peer-reviewed scientific literature." - The Economist, December 2009
"The IPCC does not do scientific research itself, but builds its assessments on peer-reviewed and published scientific papers. " - ABC News, Australia, February 2007
"The IPCC relies on the peer-reviewed scientific literature for its conclusions, which must meet the rigorous requirements of the scientific method..." - Joe Romm, Salon.com, February 2008
"The first phase [of the IPCC report] will be released in Paris next week...The report will draw on already published peer-reviewed science." - CBC News, Canada, January 2007
"Without a strong, peer-reviewed science base [provided by the IPCC]...the case for action on climate change would not be as unequivocal as it is today." - Ban Ki-Moon, United Nations Secretary General, August 2008
"[The IPCC report] used only peer reviewed published science..." - Associated Press science writer Seth Borenstein, February 2007. This story appeared in newspapers large and small in countries that included Russia, Canada, and the United States.
"The [IPCC] report will draw on already published peer-review science." - Associated Press science writer Seth Borenstein, January 2007. This story appeared in newspapers in countries that included South Africa and the United States.
"The knowledge of climate change contained within peer-reviewed scientific publications is periodically assessed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change." - Science Alert.com, November 2008.
"Journalists must follow basic principles for screening evidence - making sure, for example, that scientific research is properly peer reviewed. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a particularly valuable source of information on climate change..." - The New Nation, Bangladesh, September 2009
Citizen Audit graphic IPCC graphic
report card main findings detailed findings not-as-advertised
quality assurance auditor list press release |
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarök Review – Ushering in a 2nd Year of Content
March 9, 2022 March 8, 2022 Azario Lopez
Title: Assassin's Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarok
Developer: Ubisoft
Reviewed On: PS5
Genre: Action Adventure
We have entered another year of support for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and I’m here for it. This entry has rejuvenated my love for the series, and each post-launch expansion has provided a focus on what makes this series so fun while introducing new features. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarök blows all that out of the water, though. Heading back to Asgard in this new chapter, players can explore a more fantasy-driven adventure, which creates some enjoyable moments.
Dawn of Ragnarök is accessed in the England camp as Eivor witnesses an invasion of Svartalfheim. To dive deeper into this, players must assume the role of Odin once more on a quest to save his son, Baldr, who has been taken captive by Surtr. It’s a story of revenge that becomes a bit grander as Odin learns of sheltered Dwarves enslaved by the invading enemies. On a quest to find his son, he must seek out hidden shelters, retrieve new powers, and solve a few mysteries on the way.
The story campaign has a great 3rd act, but the opening is full of open-world exploration that weakens the weight of the revenge quest. After that, it becomes more focused, but this quest does little handholding. For example, you aren’t explicitly told where these Dwarf shelters are, but you can follow clues that will lead you to them. This mission structure of gathering information and figuring out where to go plays into many of the quests. It forced me to use my Raven more often than I ever have to quickly find points of interest.
The most significant new feature in Dawn of Ragnarök is the Hugr-Rip which allows players to take on the powers of fallen enemies. There are several powers to acquire throughout the campaign that are needed to complete quests and get through some puzzles. While this piece of tech may not translate well into Eivor’s world, it fits right in here. Further, there are just so many ways to play around with it. You can use it to disguise yourself in enemy territory, get to places faster, or even teleport. I often found myself using the Raven form to get to places quicker during exploration. This expansion has a sense of verticality, so climbing large mountains isn’t a problem when you can just fly up them.
This artifact also ties into the main quest of finding the Dwarf shelters. Here, players can upgrade the powers using materials gained through Raids found across Svartalfheim. It creates a tight gameloop of completing events to progress the campaign and flows naturally with the pacing. This makes the first half of the expansion a little more bearable because your main goal will be Synchronization and collecting every point of interest you come across in typical Assassin’s Creed fashion. Luckily, the caves you stumble across are ripe with interesting puzzles that involve utilizing enemy powers.
While the quests and new features were fun, I can’t really say that I found the enemies all that interesting. I just felt like I was fighting the same mobs from before. I mean, this time, I’m packed with too many skills to keep track of, so every encounter is cinematic, but it doesn’t come without repetition. That’s not to say the combat isn’t fun; I just found that I was more afraid of accidentally stepping in lava than facing off against seven enemies in front of me. Further, the bosses leading up to the final boss had some clever buffs, but again, the battles themselves didn’t leave as much of an impact. Still, my skills were put to the test all the same as the fights can be difficult.
There’s a lot of ground to cover in Dawn of Ragnarök, and the environment is full of ways to dumb hours of your time into. The campaign took me around 22 hours to complete, but I spent a lot of that time exploring. Regardless, it’s a sizeable amount of content for a game heading into its 2nd year of support. It’s turned into comfort food in a way for me as I return to this game across every expansion. Nothing of significance changes in terms of funny AI or a brief freeze every now and then, but I’m having fun all the same. Thankfully, anyone can enjoy this game even if they were under-leveled as the game will increase your power level for the expansion; however, you will be using loaned gear.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarök brings us a huge dose of Norse Mythology and a much-needed fantasy element to the expansions of the base game. The campaign is intense with a strong conclusion, and the added powers provide new ways to approach combat. So even with some of the typical growing pains of a new open world to explore, if you were waiting for a good time to jump back into Valhalla, this is it.
A review copy of the title was provided by the publisher for review purposes
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition Review – Friends Forever
January 18, 2021 February 10, 2021 Azario Lopez
Assassin’s Creed Celebration Broadcast Occurring Tomorrow
June 13, 2022 Orpheus Joshua
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope Releasing For Switch October 2022; Broadcast Tomorrow |
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Rep. Cheri Helt Calls Out Opponent
Bend House seat gets fiesty
State Representative Cheri Helt (R-Bend) called out her Democrat opponent for taking money from a donor who was allegedly trying to keep a victim out of the public light. Her opponent, Jason Kropf, who works as a Deputy District Attorney for Deschutes County has apparently returned a campaign contribution from the donor.
"Today Jason Kropf got caught - forced to admit his guilt. His largest campaign donors tried to intimidate and silence a survivor of sex and race based harassment from his own workplace to benefit him politically. He owes Jasmyn Troncoso a public apology and the voters a detailed explanation of his actions and those of everyone associated with funding and leading his campaign. Today, when he got caught, Jason Kropf suddenly speaks. But when it was about believing and supporting his female co-worker, he remained silent. That's called desperate hypocrisy, not leadership or courage."
The story revolves around former Deschutes County prosecutor Jasmyn Troncoso, who has alleged racism and sexism in the office of the District Attorney. She has a pending lawsuit against the office for racial and sexual harassment. Apparently, a member of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association contacted Troncoso's attorney on behalf of the organization and asked her to remain silent in order to help Kropf. When Kropf was called out by Helt, he felt compelled to return the donation.
Kropf issued the following statement on social media:
"Every survivor has the right to speak their truth and demand justice. I believe in [Troncoso's] right to pursue that justice free from influence, political or otherwise. Ethically it is not appropriate for me to weigh in on an open case in my office. I would never involve myself in a way that could in any way diminish her right to be heard -- especially for the sake of my own campaign.
"I have informed the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association that I will be returning their contributions to my campaign."
The Oregon Trial Lawyers Association made a $10,000 contribution to Kropf's campaign on June 20, as well as an in-kind donation of $10,730 on September 17. It's not clear if Kropf will be returning the value of both donations.
--Staff Reports |
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Introduction To Sport Law Ebook: An Overview
Inaas Jamilah2 weeks ago
Introduction to Sport Law With Case Studies in Sport Law2nd Edition from alletextbooks.com
Sports are a major part of our lives nowadays, whether we are cheering on our favorite team or participating in a sport ourselves. With the growth of sports comes the need for legal regulation. This is where sport law comes in. Sport law is a branch of law that seeks to regulate the rules and regulations governing the sports industry. It covers a wide range of topics such as contracts, labor laws, antitrust laws, intellectual property laws, and more.
Sports law is an ever-evolving field. As the sports industry continues to grow and innovate, the laws and regulations governing it must be updated accordingly. This is why it is important for sports professionals, athletes, and fans alike to stay up to date with the latest legal developments in the field. One way to do this is by reading and studying an introduction to sport law ebook.
What is an Introduction to Sport Law Ebook?
An introduction to sport law ebook is an electronic book that provides an overview of sport law. It is written in a way that is easy to understand and can be read and studied at any time. The ebook covers a variety of topics related to sport law and provides an overview of the legal aspects of the sports industry. It can be used as a reference guide and can provide valuable insight into the various legal issues that may arise in the sports industry.
The ebook is written by experts in the field of sport law. The authors have extensive experience in the sports industry and have in-depth knowledge of the various legal issues related to the sports industry. The ebook is written in a way that makes it easy to understand and provides an overview of the different legal aspects of the sports industry.
What Does the Ebook Cover?
The introduction to sport law ebook covers a variety of topics related to sport law. It provides an overview of the legal aspects of the sports industry, such as contracts, labour laws, antitrust laws, and intellectual property laws. It also provides an overview of the different types of sports organizations, such as professional sports leagues, college sports programs, and recreational sports teams. The ebook also covers topics such as risk management, sports marketing, and dispute resolution.
Who Should Read the Ebook?
The introduction to sport law ebook is designed for anyone who is interested in learning more about sport law. It is an ideal resource for sports professionals, athletes, and fans alike. The ebook is written in a way that makes it easy to understand and can provide valuable insight into the various legal issues that may arise in the sports industry.
The ebook is also an excellent resource for lawyers who are interested in specializing in sport law. It can help them gain an understanding of the various legal issues related to the sports industry and can provide them with valuable insight into the different types of sports organizations. The ebook can also be a great resource for sports agents and those who are involved in sports business.
The introduction to sport law ebook is an invaluable resource for anyone who is interested in learning more about sport law. It provides an overview of the legal aspects of the sports industry and can be used as a reference guide. The ebook is written in a way that makes it easy to understand and can provide valuable insight into the various legal issues that may arise in the sports industry. It is an ideal resource for sports professionals, athletes, and fans alike.
Source: alletextbooks.com
Ebook introduction
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Create a Spectacle in NYC
As you are probably aware, March 27, 2010 is World Theatre Day. Here in New York City we will be celebrating by encouraging people to read or distribute the 2010 International World Theatre Day Message (by Dame Judi Dench) to their audiences, having a big party and participating in flash mobs through out the city.
Flash mobs can be amazing fun; creating a public spectacle and a piece of performance art. Want to be a part of one of these exciting and fun events? Email nycwtd@gmail.com and let us know.
Check out more information about World Theatre Day in NYC.
Posted by IT Foundation at 12:24 PM No comments:
Labels: Dame Judi Dench, flash mob, indietheater, nyc, Off-off-broadway, oob, spectacle, theater, theatre, world theatre day
A Performance Artist's Private Beach
Contributed by Guest Blogger of the week, Desiree Burch.
I am sitting in bed in my underwear, on wrinkle-sheet island surrounded by dirty clothes. It's Tuesday morning and my whole life seems like a hangover today. Though yesterday's festivities consisted of rehearsals for The Soup Show rather than booze and bartop dancing, one typically leads to the other. I am a performance artist. Please, someone Google what that means and tell me. I am not sure. It's been a somewhat miscellany category that has defined what I do for the past decade. It's the private beach none of us performers knows we are on until we find ourselves there: alone, exhilarated overwhelmed and thankful.
There are too many days that I wake up and think that I should have gotten it more together. I graduated from Yale. Surely I could have sucked it up and gone to work for a marketing firm right now. I'd have a regular schedule and direct deposit and a gym membership and a regular appointment to get my various labia waxed and I would be happy. Or my parents and creditors would be happy, and I would be... secure. I might even be in one of those one-bedroom co-dependencies some of my friends call relationships. The ones they invite me over to for dinner, and look at me with big wet eyes, asking about my exciting life performing in bar basements in Europe or taking off my clothes for reviewers and liberal theatergoers. They tell me how excited they are that I am still following my dream (which indicates they believe my goals have more to do with fame than process, but most of us in this country are subject to the 'Carrot on the Stick' model--including me at times--so it's forgivable). and how much they envy me. I smile in ascension and enjoy their free food and wine, exploiting a socially symbiotic relationship that makes us each feel better about ourselves.
Part of the reason I do what I do is because these people suck. Not all of them, of course. Some are truly our friends and family. Others give us money. We love these people. Sometimes. But mostly, it's fundamentally hard--at least for me--to respect someone who has compromised their dream. It means they've abandoned hope for themselves, which in turn leads them to abandon hope in humanity, and they are helping to turn this world into the hell it presents itself as on a periodic basis. Sure, people grow up, dreams and goals change. But when you just decide to turn yourself off, you're that dead bulb on a string of Christmas lights that ruins the whole damned thing. If you let yourself get trapped in this state, you might as well get a job manufacturing cancer.
Happiness is a risk--or as our country calls it, a pursuit. Most of that time is spent chasing after something. For me, it's what's going to eventually get me out of this bed. Similarly, the things that bring a deep sense of happiness seem to come from Sisyphean efforts--art, love, teaching, social work, cleaning--things that fill us with passion for great change while silently affirming that nothing really ever changes, because life is the great Sisyphean effort that ends in the same dirt nap. That fight builds passion, and makes us who we are. So it's not that we're so brave or crazy as artists, but that we are living out the integrity of our lives. I am alive when I perform. And all the other moments that I can truly call alive are all want to be performed/shared/explored creatively. The words in my mouth are as tangible to me as my right arm, and I want to shake hands with as many people as I can in this world, and tell them what I see. Whether that is for my sake or theirs is unimportant.
Labels: artists, arts, Desiree Burch, guest blogger, indietheater, nyc, Off-off-broadway, oob, performance art, solo performance, theater, theatre
Next Week's Blogger: Desiree Burch
Thank you to Doric Wilson for blogging for us last week. Your insights are invaluable and humbling.
Next week's Blogger is Desiree Burch.
Desiree Burch is an NYC-based comedian, emcee, writer, and performer, known for work with the New York Neo-Futurists in “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind” and for her acclaimed solo show “52 Man Pickup” (four stars from Time Out NY, and The List, UK) which has been featured at Ars Nova, The Ohio Theater, Galapagos Artspace and in the New York (spotlighted by Backstage) and Edinburgh International Fringe Festivals. One of New York Magazine’s “10 People that Funny People Find Funny,” Desiree has supplied laughter for MTV, VH1, NBC News, The New York Post, Comedy Central, Huffington Post, Caroline’s, Gotham, Comix and comedy clubs around the country, and in the upcoming feature-length documentary “I Heart New York.” She previously hosted/curated the reading and variety Smut (“Art that should carry a Parental Advisory Label” – NY Times) and in 2008, founded The Hysterical Festival for women in comedy.
Labels: actors, artists, Desiree Burch, guest blogger, indietheater, theater, theatre
And a Child Shall Lead Them
Contributed by Guest Blogger of the week, Doric Wilson.
The last mentor I focus on may seem a bit odd. One assumes that to be a mentor, wisdom and age is essential. But to teach an old dog sometimes you need a new trickster. About ten years ago I went hear pianist Ellen Starr in a club on 46 Street. Jazz singer Robert Locke invited me to join his table, and introduced me to Mark Finley. I met Mark when I had completely given up
on theatre. I had vowed that the next off-off-Broadway production I would participate in would be my funeral. But we started talking and by osmosis he eventually taught me to see again.
I am four times Mark’s age (if he is to be believed) and however smart and talented he is, the jury may still be out when it comes to wisdom. I have no idea how many people have directed my plays over the years, but no one has ever given them more honest productions, including me. What stands out in Mark Finley's work is an ability to zero in on the tone of a script and to cast it flawlessly. He then stands back and lets it blossom. In fact his perfect casting may be the root of his genius. His productions seem inevitable. He also is a wise (ha! There’s the Wisdom!) and wry playwright. And an excellent actor. And the least convincing drag performer in the entire history of transvestism.
Lorraine Larson shaped my mind to creative possibilities, Richard Barr taught me how make that imagination a reality, and Mark Finley made me believe again. Because of him I am working on a new play. And to me that is the very essence of Alternative Theater. Creativity, imagination, and belief. I did ultimately make it into those sophisticated drawing rooms. But I didn’t stay all that long. Turns out there were even more rattlesnakes slithering around there than back home in the Gorge.
Saturday, February 20 , after 9 pm, Doric Wilson invites everyone to help him celebrate his 71st th Birthday at a no-host get-together at Zuni (598 9th Ave at 43rd Street). In lieu of presents, Doric requests that friends consider making a small tax-exempt donation to TOSOS.
Labels: Doric Wilson, guest blogger, indietheater, inspiration, Mark Finley, mentor, muse, Off-off-broadway, oob, theater, theatre
No Business Like
Had I not left school early (so to speak) I never would have walked in the door of the Caffe Cino. It was during the run of And He Made a Her that I met my second most important mentor. Richard Barr was involved with Orson Wells and the Mercury Theater. (He is the first voice you hear in Citizen Kane). After producing on Broadway (Bert Lahr in Hotel Paradiso, Nancy Walker in Fallen Angels, etc.), he decided to move Off-Broadway to, in his words, “Turn the theater back to the playwright.'' In 1960, Richard mounted Edward Albee's first play, The Zoo Story, beginning a long time relationship with the playwright.
He also presented the first American professional productions of works by Ionesco and de Ghelderode and the world premiere of Samuel Becket’s Happy Days. In 1967 he became president of the League of New York Theaters, instituting the 8 pm Broadway curtain and inventing the preview (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf) to replace out-of-town tryouts. But more significantly, he was the first producer to recognize the importance of Off-Off-Broadway. Among the playwrights he found there were John Guare, A. R. Gurney, LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka), Terrence McNally, Sam Shepard, Jean-Claude Van Itallie, Lanford Wilson, and even Doric Wilson (no relation). An alternative theater award really should be named after Richard Barr, no one ever did more to legitimize what we do. He taught me how to produce and gave me the courage to start TOSOS.
I was sort of an unpaid assistant for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and got to watch and learn.
At the time, there was a lot of concern. The play was very long with some heavy going language
new to the delicate ears of uptown. Thanks to the McCarthy hearings, Uta Hagen had been
away from the stage for a long time. In 1963, no one was sure if she would be welcomed back.
A week before it started previews, Clinton Wilder, the co-producer begged me to use whatever
influence I had over Richard to get him to make Edward change the title of the play. Richard
budgeted Virginia Woolf for $65,000 but brought it in for $30,000, giving it a cushion to run long enough for word-of-mouth to counter hostile reviews. And the reviews were very Republican.
Labels: artists, arts, Caffe Cino, Doric Wilson, guest blogger, indietheater, inspiration, mentor, muse, nyc, Off-Broadway, Off-off-broadway, oob, theater, theatre
The Letter of the Law
I have been very lucky when it comes to mentors. Alice Clark (the beautiful lady who lived on the hill), Dorothy Seeburger (president of the Richland Players), Bernie Hart (famous Broadway stage manager and brother of Moss Hart), Harry Grier (curator of the Frick Collection), actress Nancy Wilder (I played older Patrick to her Auntie Mame), Gore Vidal (a person with opinions), Howard Richardson (playwright, The Dark of the Moon), Joe Cino (legend in spite of himself), the list goes on and on. I intend to concentrate on the three most important to where I am now.
It was in Kennewick that I encountered my first mentor. In Minnesota in the early years of the last century, a young woman named Loraine Larson, enrolled in a University Law School. The
dean informed her that no woman would ever graduate from HIS school with a law degree. Four years later after graduating with top honors, she walked back into the dean’s office, tossed her degree on his desk, and walked out. She never did practice law. She became a monologist who specialized in Scandinavian dialect pieces. In the early 1940s Miss Larson was stranded when the Chautauqua unit she was performing with disbanded in Kennewick. She got a job in the high school teaching English and Speech and directing the school plays.
I met Miss Larson when I started high school and signed up for the debate team. She proceeded to teach me everything I would ever need to know about theater. For her I did the sets for Our Town, and later played the lead in Kind Lady. She got me into the Drama Department of the University of Washington. I was thrown out after one semester when I initiated a one-man protest against a sniper at a nearby gay cruising park. It was Miss Larson who convinced my mother that it might be best for all concerned if I moved to NYC. Not an easy decision in 1959.
Labels: artists, arts, Doric Wilson, guest blogger, indietheater, inspiration, muse, nyc, Off-off-broadway, oob, theater, theatre
Watch out for the Snakes
I have reached an age when the days of my life are numbered like the grains of sand in a fairly intimate fish bowl. It tends to make one look to the past more frequently than to the future. Because I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, the landscape was very much a part of what I ultimately became. The Cascade mountains, the high desert of eastern Washington State, the Columbia River Gorge where my grandfather’s ranch was–-this was my real birthplace, however I initially and very firmly denied it. I hated the tumbleweeds and cheat grass and the forever blowing winds of home sweet home. I was determined to be someone far more elegant than the Horse Heaven Hills would permit. I refused to be a character in a Sam Shepard play. I knew in my heart and soul I belonged to Noel Coward.
No one knows where I first encountered theater. It would be years before I would move to town where I could see a movie. Our radio on the ranch was a crystal set strictly reserved for the news and crop reports. All I know is that by the mid-1940s I was putting on plays in my grandfather’s barn with my poor cousins as less than eager actors. King Arthur and his Court or ravaging, pillaging Vikings or Cowboys killing the Indigenous Peoples. All for a penny.
At the end of World War II, I moved to the nearby town of Kennewick to live with my mom and go to school. My mother was a war widow and away at work for long hours seven days a week. I was left all alone with my imagination and a more modern radio. (Most of the playwrights at the Cino in the 1960s grew up with radio, not television.) I never played games with the neighborhood kids, I organized them in huge, costumed, carefully plotted extravaganzas. Julianne Clark remembers, at age seven she was my first leading lady.
Posted by IT Foundation at 8:26 AM 2 comments:
Labels: artists, arts, Caffe Cino, Doric Wilson, guest blogger, indietheater, inspiration, muse, nyc, Off-off-broadway, oob, playwrights, theater, theatre
Next Week's guest blogger: Doric Wilson
Thank you to Katie Rosin and Antonio Miniño from Kampfire Films PR for blogging for us last week. Your marketing and PR tips are good rules to live by.
Next week's guest blogger is Doric Wilson.
Doric Wilson was the first playwright at NYC's legendary Caffe Cino, his comedy And He Made a Her opening there in 1961. His success, in the words of playwright Robert Patrick, helped “establish the Cino as a venue for new plays, and materially contributed to the then-emerging concept of Off-Off-Broadway.” A social-political satirist, Doric Wilson has focused his career on the development of queer culture, receiving in 1994 the first Robert Chesley Award for Lifetime Achievement in Gay Theatre; the 2007 IT Award for Artistic Achievement; and in 2009, the ATHE Career Achievement Award for Professional Theatre. He is an elected member of the National Theater Conference.
Website: www.doricwilson.com
Blog: http://doricwilson.blogspot.com/
TOSOS theater company www.tosos2.org
publisher: United Stages http://www.unitedstages.com/index.php
Labels: artists, arts, Caffe Cino, Doric Wilson, guest blogger, indietheater, nyc, Off-off-broadway, oob, theater, theatre
What’s happening with the Healthcare Bill?
With the surprise election of Republican Scott Brown in the special Massachusetts Senatorial race and the fact that political experts expect the U.S. to swing toward the right with more Republicans being elected in November, the Healthcare Reform bill finds itself in a precarious situation with increased pressure to pass it and quick. Without the super majority that Democrats have enjoyed this last year, it is not likely that they will be able to push the bill through. For some Democrats the rocky road ahead may not seem worth the fight and enthusiasm for the bill is waning.
Both the House and the Senate have already passed their version of the bill. However, they are not the same bill. Normally at this point, representatives from the House and from the Senate would meet to address the critical differences between the two, make compromises and merge the bills. Then each house would re-pass the bill before it is sent to the White House for the Presidential signature.
However, with the loss of that one crucial Senatorial seat the bill will not be able to garner the votes needed to pass in the Senate. Proponents of the bill have stated that they are considering their options which include breaking the bill into smaller pieces or scaling back. However, the current front runner is passing the bill through “reconciliation.” If the House supports the Senate’s already approved bill, it would allow the Senate to pass the bill with a simple majority vote and bypass a potential filibuster by Republicans.
While some supporters see reconciliation as the most amenable solution, there are some possible complications that need to be taken into account. Bill supporters from the House who feel that they have already made too many concessions want certain guarantees if they approve the Senate’s version of the bill. They want assurances that the inconsistencies between the two bills will actually be addressed by the Senate. The flip side of this is the threat from Senate Democrats who will reverse their vote if the final bill diverges too dramatically from the bill they originally passed. Ahhh politics.
Meanwhile Republicans are baring their teeth, anticipating that Democrats will try to avoid a full vote in the Senate. In an interview with the Salt Lake Tribute, Utah Senator Orin Hatch (R) said passing the bill through reconciliation would be "one of the worst grabs for power in the history of the country" and it would lead to all out political war.
In his State of the Union address, Obama said "Don't walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people."
However where healthcare once occupied the top spot on Obama’s agenda, it is now overshadowed by the economy and creating new domestic jobs. Obama and his administration are turning the focus to more achievable prospects. The politicians are tired of the debate and so are the American people. Hill staffers predict that if the bill is not passed by mid-March, then it will no longer be an attainable goal.
Given the choices, what would you do?
Labels: advocacy, artists, arts, health care, healthcare, indietheater, nyc, Off-off-broadway, oob, politics
Theater Subdistrict Council Grant Program
Contributed by Guest Bloggers of the week, Katie Rosin & Antonio Miniño of Kampfire Films PR
Here is something Kampfire received last week that we think you all will be interested in:
The Theater Subdistrict Council is pleased to announce the second round of a grant program designed to recognize the vital role that theater plays in the overall economic and social well-being of New York City. Projects receiving support will seek to celebrate the live art form of theater and create and expand the audience base attending live theater, as well as enhance the body and quality of performance options. Funding for the grant program is provided through contributions to the Theater Subdistrict Fund made in connection with the transfer of development rights from Broadway theaters.
Eligibility in this second phase of the grant program is open to organizations and/or consortia that:
offer theater-related cultural programs based in and operating in the five boroughs
are incorporated in New York State
have been in existence and providing cultural services for two years
had an operating income of $200,000 or more in FY09
Further background information on the grant program as well as an Intent to Apply form and instructions will be available on the NYC Department of City Planning and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs websites as of the close of business Friday, February 12th, 2010. Completed Intent to Apply forms must be postmarked by April 9, 2010. The Intent to Apply is the first step in the application process. Respondents to the Intent to Apply will be notified in June if they will be invited to submit a full application; a decision regarding which projects will be funded in the pilot phase of the grant program will be announced in September, after a review of the full applications.
Those considering submitting an Intent to Apply are strongly urged to attend one of three information sessions to learn more about the application process. All three sessions will cover the same information, and reservations are essential to assure we can accommodate you. Locations and times are as follows:
Friday, Feb 19, 2010 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Bruno Walter Auditorium at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (enter at Amsterdam Avenue at 65th Street)
Monday, Feb 22, 2010 2:00 p.m. - 3.30 p.m.
Marriott Marquis Hotel - Astor Room, 7th floor - 1535 Broadway (between 45th and 46th Streets)
Tuesday, Feb 23, 2010 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Spector Hall, NYC Dept. of City Planning, 22 Reade Street
You must register for the information sessions by emailing theatersubdistrictcouncil@gmail.com. Be sure to indicate which session, the number and names of people attending, and the organization/s they represent. Also be sure to bring downloaded application materials to the information sessions; these will not be available at the sites.
To review grant program materials and download the Intent to Apply form go to
www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/home.html or www.nyc.gov/html/dcla/html/home/home.shtml.
Barbara Janowitz
Theater Subdistrict Council Program Administrator
Posted by Katie Rosin / Kampfire PR & Marketing at 11:58 AM No comments:
Labels: artists, arts, funding, grant, indietheater, nyc, Off-off-broadway, oob, theater, theatre
If it waddles like a Duck, don't call it a Chicken!
Promoting the truth goes a long way.
It is easy to embellish what the production you are promoting is about in an attempt to gain the attention of a wider range of ticket buyers. You might try to change the focus of your marketing strategy to fit certain groups, without taking into consideration its relevance in the play or project in question.
A lot changes from the script to stage production. You could have read the play and have a certain idea of what themes lie within it, but that might not be the focus of this production. This is why it is key to maintain a clear and constant communication with your producer/director to make sure the angle you are using will enhance the experience rather than diminish.
It all comes down to word of mouth created by your audience and the press. You may have come up with what you think is a great way to sell the show, and it might get your audience in the theater, but once that audience doesn’t see what they were promised two things happen:
1. They will be disappointed, obsessed and focused on what they were expecting to see and will not appreciate the great things that the show really is about.
2. They will not tell their friends to come see the show. A referral is the most powerful tools in selling theater tickets.
I recently experienced a case of misleading advertisement as a theatergoer. Both the press materials and postcard/ads suggested the show fervently dealt with gay marriage and Prop 8. Well it didn’t. At least not in a way that drove the plot. But it was still a good production with talented actors and crisp direction. I was able to put aside the fact that I was cheated and lead to believe it was about something that it wasn’t. But my friend who saw the show with me was not as forgiving, and neither was the press. All the reviews focused on how poorly the subject of gay marriage was tackled within this play.
Be true to your project and never promise something you can’t deliver for the sake of ticket sales. Trust that people will like what you are selling, and remember the importance of word of mouth.
Labels: Antonio Minino, guest blogger, indietheater, Kampfire Films PR, Katie Rosin, marketing, media, nyc, Off-off-broadway, oob, press, promotions, public relations, publicity, theater, theatre
Remembering to say "Thank you!"
Last week Kampfire received these beautiful tulips from Shay, Nick, and the NY Innovative Theatre Awards, thanking us for our on-going contribution to them and the community. We were touched, and it reminded us why we love working with this fabulous organization in the first place.
It also re-confirmed a notion that saying "Thank You" goes a long way. We always remember to thank our donors, but we sometimes neglect showing appreciation to our audiences. A few years ago, when I went to see The Color Purple, the next day I received a thank you email (see below). Although, I didn't like the show that much, it did make me feel that my business didn't go unnoticed (even though I know it was an automatic email through the ticketing agent).
With more the intimate audiences of OOB we can send a more personalize thank you, an email which in addition to complimenting their good taste in theater, reminds them if they liked the show to vote for it at nyitawards.com and join your Facebook fan page. Offer them a free ticket to return to the show with a friend who hasn't seen it and remind them to place a tax-deductible donation to your organization so you can continue to create the work they saw.
A little thank you can go a long way to encouraging future ticket sales and donors.
Labels: Antonio Minino, guest blogger, indietheater, Kampfire Films PR, Katie Rosin, nyc, Off-off-broadway, oob, promotions, theater, theatre
Next week's guest bloggers are from Kampfire Films PR
Thank you so much to last week's blogger Heather Cunningham . Her blogs were so insightful and are full of resources for set, props and consume designers. Thank you.
Next week's bloggers are Katie Rosin and Antonio Miniño from Kampfire Films PR.
Kampfire Films PR is a full service Marketing and Public Relations agency founded by Katie Rosin, offering exceptional and custom campaigns for each client’s unique needs and projects. Rosin was instrumental in the launch of the Broadway musical Brooklyn and the National Tour of Mother Load. She worked on the publicity team for the comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, and his movie Comedian. Antonio Miniño later joined the Kampfire Team, after having produced and marketed various fashion shows, theatrical productions, as well as produced and hosted for the award winning Fashion TV. Together they have represented companies of all levels, genres and aesthetics in the Arts. Kampfire Off-Broadway highlights include: GLAAD Award Nominee, She Like Girls, Ohio Theater; …Another Man’s Poison, Jay Sharp Theater; Swimming With The Polar Bears, 45 Bleecker Street; Much Ado About Nothing & American Rapture, Beckett Theater; Glimpses of the Moon, Algonquin Hotel; IT Awards recipient, Elizabeth Rex, Center Stage; Mother Load, Sage Theater; Wasps in Bed, Beckett Theater; Anaïs Nin: One Of Her Lives, Beckett Theater; Triple Threat: 2007 Drama Desk Nominee (mis)UNDERSTANDING MAMMY: The Hattie McDaniel Story, Theatre 5. Kampfire clients include: 3Graces Theater Co., Astoria Performing Arts Center, BOO-Arts, Maieutic Theatre Awards, New York Innovative Theatre Awards, New York Neo-Futurists, Nicu's Spoon, Oberon Theatre Ensemble, Pascal Productions, and Planet Connections Theatre Festivity.
Labels: Antonio Minino, artists, arts, guest blogger, indietheater, Kampfire Films PR, Katie Rosin, media, nyc, Off-off-broadway, oob, press, public relations, publicity
Gifts from the prop Gods
Contributed by Guest Blogger of the week, Heather Cunningham
OK, here’s where I show you all what a geek I am, as if those of you who know me didn’t already have ample evidence of that.
I went to the Catskills last October to a dear friend's wedding. She is herself a costume designer that I have had the pleasure of working with, so I feel quite certain when I say she will forgive me to learn that one of the things I did while I was there for the weekend of her wedding was to hit up a yard sale in a barn that had a sign out reading “estate sale”. In addition to several fake pearl necklaces (perfect for any number of periods but in particular for the 50s), a brown clutch, and some playing cards that were not plastic coated, the prop Gods bestowed upon me not one, but two vintage match boxes. One for Ohio Blue Tips and one for Birds Eye Diamond (Red Tip) Matches. At the time I was collecting props for Holy Days in which there was a line “Could you get the matches off the stove? Both boxes. OK. The red tips are five cents and the blue tips are ten.” I stood in the barn and stared in disbelief. When I had gathered my wits about me I asked the man how much. He told me $3. I bought them on the spot. He must have thought I was crazy, but I couldn’t believe my good fortune to find vintage packaging in perfect shape (that I wasn’t even looking for).
One of the things that Retro Productions does to a) raise money and b) clear out our limited storage space is to have one or two yard sales a year. Because the people of the neighborhood and our company members know that these sales raise money for the companies productions, we are often the recipients of large donations of, well, junk. But last year the mother of a company member brought out a box that she had rescued from her neighbors basement, thinking I’d be interested in its contents. Apparently her neighbors’ parent had been a paper and greeting cards sales person and had this box of samples in storage for about 50 years. What timing! Our spring show this year, The Desk Set, which takes place in the mid-50s, has a scene on Christmas Eve and strings of Christmas cards make up some of the décor. Done and done. Of course, we are scanning the images and printing them on stronger paper, but now that we’ve done that if anyone is interested in buying them you should give me a holler or come to our next yard sale.
I was doing a little Ebaying last month and was very excited to find a 1953 TIME magazine with Shirley Booth on the cover. Ms. Booth, one of the most well regarded actresses of the 1950s played Bunny in The Desk Set on Broadway. You better believe I bought it… and I’m gonna put it in our production next May!
There have been other, less impressive, but no less amazing gifts from the prop Gods… like the day I was walking through a flea market and found a violin for $10 (I thought for sure that would be a big ticket item I was not looking forward to paying for), or the donation of vintage suitcases from a neighbor of my parents what was cleaning out her attic. But these are some of my favorites, and I think illustrate just why I’m such a geek for Retro, and the thrill of getting the details right!
I’m not much for dedications, but I would like to dedicate these blogs to my parents, Jack and Rebecca Cunningham, without whom I might not have bitten off the constant project that is Retro Productions. Theater professionals themselves, they have taught me not just everything I know about period work, but most of what I know about theater. I could not do what I do without them.
I would like to thank a few people who helped me with my guest blogging this week. First of all to Shay and Morgan for thinking of me, giving me the confidence to attempt this (I’ve never thought of myself as much of a writer), and for giving me a few laughs in the process. I’d like to raise a proverbial glass to the company members of Retro Productions whose combined talents and generosity blow my mind every day. I’d also like to thank my dear friend and terribly talented costume designer Viviane Galloway for her input… come see her designs at Retro in May!
Labels: artists, arts, guest blogger, Heather Cunningham, indietheater, Off-off-broadway, oob, producing, productions, theater, theatre
At Retro Productions we concentrate on the 20th century, so most of my advice comes from researching the decades of that era. I have no insight into researching the Elizabethan or Victorian eras, nor can I help you with the Civil War. But ask me about the Great Depression, World War II, Mid-Century modern, Woodstock or Viet Nam and I can probably point you in a few good directions.
As a prop designer my favorite research books are the Taschen All American Ads series. They chronicle print ads by decade and are divided into useful categories such as Alcohol and Tobacco, Technology, and Fashion and Beauty. I also recommend tracking down Sears catalogues from the year you are researching; they sell a little bit of everything and the models have the most “up to date” hair and make up. And most vintage magazines, be they LIFE, LOOK or even LIVING FOR YOUNG HOMEMAKERS will offer fantastic insights from both their articles and their ads.
Also on my bookshelf are the Time Life This Fabulous Century books that break the century down into volumes by decade. They offer insight in to the political climate of the time, popular entertainment, historic events, and even youth culture. And they do it all with some of LIFE and TIME Magazines best photos of the decade. Please note, however, that I am a fan of the actual books, not the booklet versions, which are more like magazines and have a lot less information and illustrations to offer. The kicker of this is that they have the same exact titles. If you are looking for these, you will do well to make sure you are looking at the hardback editions.
Another decade by decade series to look for is the Getty Images Decades of the 20th Century. These are smaller books but have beautiful photographs of everything from famous entertainers to day to day life.
If you are hitting any year from 1955 to 1981 I strongly recommend reading Thomas Hine’s books Populuxe and The Great Funk: Falling Apart and Coming Together (On a Shag Rug) in the Seventies. Hine is incredibly readable and includes fantastic illustrations. He really analyzes the design of the time as well as what made the popular, well, popular.
If you are heading out to the library to find any of the above titles I might also suggest a quick visit to the Picture Collection. And the National Archives are online now too… and searchable! They have many digital images you can peruse, for free, on their website.
One item of warning. Although I do quite a bit of prop searching on ebay I have come to learn that the sellers, while often well intentioned, don’t always know exactly what they have. I do not recommend using ebay as a place for research unless you are prepared to follow up with a more reliable source.
And remember, if you get the basic shape, tone, texture and material of the time period, the pieces themselves don’t have to be vintage! That goes for costumes, props, music, you name it!
Posted by IT Foundation at 9:59 AM 1 comment:
Labels: artists, arts, guest blogger, Heather Cunningham, indietheater, Off-off-broadway, oob, producing, productions, research, theater, theatre
Speak Up at Community Boards
There has been a remarkable amount of positive momentum in support of the Tax Abatement proposal. With the inspiring and unprecedented cooperation of all the Manhattan Community Boards (CB), that momentum continues to grow. The Arts Task Forces from Community Boards 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 12 have already passed resolutions or letters of support for this program and it has passed at the board level for CBs 2 and 9. As a normal part of the process, Community Boards hold forums where the public is allowed to express opinions on the proposals. Because public opinion carries substantial weight, your voice could help determine the fate of this movement.
This Wednesday, February 3rd, at the Fulton Center Auditorium, 119 Ninth Avenue (between 17th and 18th Streets), Manhattan Community Board 4 is going to consider a letter written by its Theater Task Force to support a tax abatement proposal that benefits Off-Off-Broadway.
At 6:30, on that evening, members of the public are invited to sign-up for a public session at which they will be given two minutes to speak on any topic that interests them.
Any member of the public, who resides or works (or performs) within the confines of Community District 4, 14th Street to 59th, 8th Avenue to the Hudson River, is invited to attend.
Read the letter from Community Board 4 to Speaker Quinn's office.
Labels: advocacy, artists, arts, Christine Quinn, community, community boards, indietheater, nyc, Off-off-broadway, oob, politics, theater, theatre
Working Period.
It’s in the details. Whether your production is on Broadway or in a 40-seat theater on a side street in an industrial neighborhood, it’s in the details. The angle of the heel on the shoe, the buttons on the coat, the frame of the chair, the packaging of the cigarettes. And when your audience practically sits in your actors’ laps it is even more important that those details be as right as possible.
It’s hard work. It’s my own fault Retro Productions does nothing but period pieces. But the truth is, I love those details. I love doing the research and playing hide and seek with the items that will make those details right. And nothing drives me crazier than going to see a show set in 1960 and seeing a modern package of Ronzoni on the stage.
I know there is an argument, especially in Off-Off Broadway where money is ridiculously tight, for simplifying the experience. Why do you need a set, costumes and props to tell the story? Why not just focus on the acting, and save a ton of money in the process? And that’s right for certain plays (and hell, focus on the acting no matter what). But if you are doing a play that belongs in another world, say, the New York City of the mid-1950s (as Retro will be doing again this May with THE DESK SET), you really can’t get away with that.
The world has changed and so has the way people interact with each other and the material things in their lives. We dial and hold the telephone differently. We pack and carry our suitcases differently. We even type differently (tell the truth, would you even know how to change a typewriter ribbon now if you had to?). As the things around us change, so do our interactions with them, which is why I object to modern props and costumes in a play set in the past.
So how do you get the details right when your combined costume, prop and scenery budget are just a couple of hundred dollars?
1) RESEARCH! (The good news is if you have a library card and an Internet connection, you can do this step for free!) Know what it should look like and you will start to see the things around you that may not be vintage, but come so close that they won’t stick out like a sore thumb. (Check back for some of my favorite 20th Century research resources.)
2) “Beg, borrow and steal” (I’m not condoning the latter.) Obviously we all do this anyway, but it still applies! In addition to treasure hunting at estate and yard sales, junktique stores, salvage dealers, freecycle, ebay, craigslist, dollar stores and thrift shops I also fully admit to dumpster diving. I’m always checking out what people have tossed… one mans trash is another mans treasure!
3) Time is on my side, yes it is! And it can be on your side too. I occasionally take up to 6 months in advance of a show in order to get what I need within my budget. Time to spare can be your greatest ally when working on a budget.
4) Learn Photoshop. Need a mid-40s dust jacket for War and Peace? A ‘60s box of Wheaties with a ball player on the front? A can of tomato juice out of the ‘50s? At Retro we’ve done them all… with Photoshop.
5) No matter how gorgeous the costume, the look is not period complete without the right hair and make up. As a producer it makes me crazy (and I’m willing to bet costume designers hate it too) when actors don’t understand that the wrong hairstyle or shade of lips can throw the entire balance of the design off.
6) Don’t focus on what something is; see what it can be. I’ve had more than one designer for Retro who took apart something they bought at Goodwill and made it into something else. I’ve seen an early 90s cotton wrap dress transformed into a 30s day dress with a few cuts and stitches and a set of vintage buttons. And that modern sofa looked a lot less “Jennifer Convertibles” once the throw pillows of 50s fabric were put on top of it.
7) She’s crafty and she’s just my type… learn how to make stuff. Because when you can’t find it, you’ll have no choice but to make it. Giant wheel of cheese? Check. Bad modern art? Check. Wood burning cook stove? Check. Room sized “electronic brain”… check back with me in May.
And the diner jukebox that everyone loved… a combination of plywood, colorful plastic rods, kitchen lamps, and, yes, photoshopped images… if I had a buck for everyone who asked me where we got an old jukebox I’d have more money than it cost to make it.
And that’s one definition of being innovative, don’t you think?
Labels: artists, companies, dorking out, economics, economy, funding, good ideas, guest blogger, Heather Cunningham, indietheater, Off-off-broadway, oob, pioneering, suggestions, theater, theatre |
Home History History of Road Traffic Safety – The Origin
History of Road Traffic Safety – The Origin
Desiderio Fernández
Photo by Darius Krause on Pexels.com
As cars became popular, local governments began establishing traffic laws to prevent collisions with horse-drawn carriages. In the United States, the first traffic regulation was the mandatory registration of automobiles. New York became the first state to do so in 1901, and by 1920, all states required license plates. It took longer to require drivers to get a driver’s license, though. As early as 1935, only 39 states had issued licenses, and many people failed the tests.
In the mid-1980s, the U.S. government created the Traffic Safety Council. This council, formed by President Johnson, spread safer driving messages throughout the nation and helped establish local and state safety councils. It is now accredited by 72 local safety councils. But what is the history of road traffic and pedestrian safety?? Let’s take a look at some of its key achievements and milestones.
In the early 1900s, a new policy was adopted by the United States government, focusing on reducing traffic deaths. It included the setting of speed limits and installing traffic lights. Other road safety measures were introduced, including the deterrent system for driving while drunk. And by the end of the century, the United States had more than ten million road safety laws and traffic signal installations. The goal was to reduce fatalities and injury on roads, which was an important part of the campaign.
The 1970s saw the implementation of a new road safety policy. This policy was modeled after the United Kingdom’s model uniform vehicle code and incorporated public relations measures. As more baby boomers began to drive, car sales soared. However, these increases were also exacerbated by high gasoline prices. By the late 1970s, gasoline prices were $1.19 per gallon, and this became a problem for pedestrians and cyclists. In the 1920s, the National Safety Council began to focus on driver behavior issues. They compiled statistics and held conferences to discuss these issues, and promoted responsible driving.
In the early 1950s, a new road safety policy was implemented in the US, which was quickly copied by other rich nations. The new policy focused on preventing road accidents and improving road safety. The traditional measures focused on promoting driver behavior and educating drivers, while the new policies focused on improving the safety of pedestrians. Various road improvements were implemented, including reflective edge lines and lights at highway crossings.
In the early part of the twentieth century, the history of road safety began with a new emphasis on driver behavior. While the early 1930s saw the creation of laws promoting safe driving, the government recognized that drivers must be more cautious. They sought to improve the environment by increasing road traffic safety. This meant the emergence of traffic signals and other methods of improving driver behavior. A variety of strategies were used to improve traffic conditions.
Initially, road safety was centered on changing the behavior of drivers. During the early twentieth century, accidents caused by drunk drivers were a huge problem. In addition to the risks to other motorists, these drivers were also a danger to pedestrians. In 1908, a new road safety policy was enacted in the US to improve the lives of pedestrians and the environment. As the numbers of fatalities increased, cities started installing traffic lights and implementing other road safety measures.
The first major road safety legislation was passed in 1910. The AA was the first to promote the idea of driver education and subsequently developed the “Golden Milestone” curriculum. The American Automobile Association, which had a similar agenda, began to promote the development of driving courses at public high schools. In addition, the AA sponsored conferences, which resulted in the creation of laws and driving courses in universities.
The first major breakthrough was the introduction of the traffic signal. Initially, the traffic signal had to be installed on all roads, allowing drivers to change direction at will. Then, the municipality started enforcing stricter traffic laws and enforcing fines for violations. In the 1920s, the National Safety Council began compiling accident statistics and sponsored campaigns in cities to promote safe driving.
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Desiderio Fernández is our correspondent from Buenos Aires, Argentina. His core expertise lies in investigative journalism with previous assignments in Mexico and Cuba. He has 26 years of experience in this field.
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Construction to Begin on Ocean Park Villas Condos Early 2013 – Residents Have Until Jan. 2nd to Move Out
by Frank Gormlie on November 15, 2012 · 13 comments
in California, Economy, Environment, History, Ocean Beach, Popular
The apartments at Saratoga and Abbott, before they were sold.
The OB Rag has just heard from residents of the apartments at Abbott and Saratoga – they have until January 2, 2013 to move out, as the 10 condo units of Ocean Park Villas will be constructed soon after.
The 10 units will be condos in a 3 story building, 29 feet high, once the existing four buildings are demolished. Three of the buildings are apartments with a total of 15 units, while the fourth is a shack-like structure boarded up for years whose most recent tenant was Dempsey’s At Ocean Beach, plus it was also the original location of Hodad’s restaurant.
Design of new 10-condo project.
This has been a sordid affair for some, as the battle to save OB’s beachfront from being over-developed has see-sawed back and forth over the last couple of years on this project.
It was just about a year ago, that the OB Planning Board voted to approve the new plans to a project that had had multiple problems.
Back on November 2, 2011, then board members made remarks about the planned construction. Seth Connolly, now off the board, said the design smacked of a “fortress”.
Other comments: Nancy Taylor said the site would be better off as a park. Member Scott Therkalsen said it would seem “set off from the rest of the community.”
Vice-president Landry Watson said, “If you’re going trick-or-treating in this location, it kind of says, ‘Stay away,’ not ‘Come on in and check it out.’”
Tom Gawronski said: “It’s a wild interpretation of the code solely for the purpose, as far as I can see, of allowing this building to be built.”
Board member Craig Klein: “The big beef is that we didn’t want cars visible from the street. That’s been solved. I’ve always regarded this as a difficult site that was going to require creative solutions.”
Board member Bill Bushe called the project a “trend” for beachfront structures. “I don’t think they should be penalized for clever architecture. This is not a bad deal.”
Finally, however, the OB planners determined that they had no basis to vote against the project, finding the applicant had made some changes in response to the board’s feedback. The vote was 9-2 in favor of the project known as Ocean Park Villas. Taylor and Tom Gawronski were the dissenting votes.
OB Planning Board members give a “tour” of the project site, Nov. 2011.
Here is a timeline of the controversial project:
August 65, 2008: OB Planning Board by a vote of 4 to 3 agreed to allow the city to vacate the alleys behind the land at end of Saratoga and Abbott so that the developer of the project could put 2 additional units into his project. In return, the Parks and Rec department will be compensated for the 2700 square feet of land in question.
January 30, 2009: Coastal Commission issues its Coastal Development Permit to build the new structures. Interestingly enough, the Permit includes this language: “Expiration: If development has not commenced, the permit will expire two years from the date on which the Commission voted on the application.” (Our emphasis.)
November 2009: the Coastal Commission approves the original plans for demolishing the current 15 units of the four detached buildings, including the former location of Hodad’s, and the construction of a two- story, 30 foot high 12-unit condo building, that would sit over a 27-space subterranean parking garage. The two alleys that border the west and south sides of the property will be eliminated, and half of the alleys will become the property of the new development. The entire alley area will be turfed for pedestrian use and open space.
In July 2010, the property sold for $3.8 million, cash, to buyer entitled 1984 Abbott LLC, c/o Clark Realty Capital LLC, 3655 Nobel Drive, Suite 500, San Diego. Clark Realty is an Arlington, Va., headquartered real estate company. The new owners plans on developing 12 new townhomes with an average projected unit floor plan of 1,200 square feet.
Summer 2010: Local OB architect Steven Lombardi presented his drawings to the OB Planning Board. There are a number of outstanding issues about this site, including the underground garage being built in a flood zone, the city giving up property adjacent to park land allowing the developers to intensify the project. Importantly, the OB Planning Board requested the new owners to consult with local architects, and bring a preliminary design to the planning board before they finalized their plans. The public right of way “give-away” concerns revolve around the fact the property line actually runs right down the middle of that right-of-way, and if vacated, half reverts to City property (park space) and half reverts to the owner’s use. But some believe that the City did not own all of that land, but had a right to use it that was based upon an obsolete public purpose.
Sometime between the Summer of 2010 and the Fall of 2011, the proposed project switched hands. It was taken over by Marengo Morton Architects, Inc., with Claude Anthony Marengo leading the re-newed efforts to throw the project up. Because of changes, Marengo applies to the Coastal Commission for their approval of his amendment, bypassing the OB Planning Board.
September 7, 2011: the project’s original architect, Steve Lombardi, returns to the Planning Board to inform them that the entity who had purchased the plans and permits for the Ocean Park Villas project has proceeded to make significant changes to the design (his design) and is attempting to proceed with the amendments to the Permit with the Coastal Commission under the concept of “substantial conformance”.
September 21, 2011: Coastal Commission staff issues report, and recommends approval of amendment for development to proceed under the old Coastal Permit, despite many changes to the original design. Staff opines that new designs are in “substantial conformance” of earlier, approved design. (Details below.)
November 2, 2011: The OB Planning Board votes 9 to 2 to approve the new plans.
November 2012: Residents of current buildings receive order to vacate by Jan. 2, 2013
Early 2013 – Construction to begin
ObDAda November 15, 2012 at 12:53 pm
MaNy iNtimeNt memORies,,,,
WiLL bE LosT iN the rubbLe…..
ShouLd haVe beeN saVeD aS HisToriCaL…
OB moVeS FoRwarD
TheRe’s No sToppiNg Progre$$ =
i gueSS………..
OB Jamie November 15, 2012 at 2:08 pm
I am sure the rent or purchase price of said condo’s will be totally affordable. I am guessing mostly Hodad’s employees and other locals will be living there?
BWHAHAHAHAH lots of glass and steel coming to OB and I think we all know the people who will be buying those units won’t quite be “local”.
Bearded OBcean November 16, 2012 at 9:35 am
Lots of locals shell out lots of cash to buy places in OB. Just because they’re ocean front at that location doesn’t mean “locals” won’t buy them. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. I can’t imagine you’ll get the country club set buying them, what with the rough edge to our town and all. Do the bluebloods who live up on the cliffs or those who shell out an excess of $1M count as locals? We’re all from somewhere afterall.
allthink November 15, 2012 at 2:28 pm
I live in that building currently and can confirm we just got the notice of eviction to be out by January 2, 2013. The notice mentions they only needed to give us a 30 day notice, but they were being nice by letting us stay for the holidays – hip hip hooray.
I am moving out of SD in Feb, but what deeply saddens me is when I return to live or visit, I’m afraid OB will be very far down the path of gentrification. Ten new ocean front condos will be moving on in, with rent increasing from my current $895 (studio) to what I predict to be $2000+/month.
Also, what is completely absurd is the fact that it is getting harder and harder to find a landlord that will rent to tenants that own a dog over 25lb. Come on, we are a 3 minute walk from the best dog beach in the world. I believe this apartment building was the LAST Sunset Pacific managed building that allowed dogs. Someone actually told me “You want a dog, buy a house”…Horseshit!
Walking from dog beach this morning, my girlfriend and I noticed the new house on West Point Loma going up next to the only 3 story house on the strip. At least the Carl Demaio for Mayor poster was removed.
See ya around,
btw, is that Justin Bebier in the blue car???
Lyn November 15, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Will there be pedestrian access to the beach from Saratoga (either Saratoga Av or the allys on either side-), or will the residents of the complex be the only ones to have direct beach access?
Lyn, Saratoga Av
Terrie Leigh Relf November 16, 2012 at 2:44 am
So, it’s finally settled, then? I can only imagine what it will look like in situ. Definitely a mood altering structure.
jim grant November 16, 2012 at 6:16 am
The only thing constant is change itself.
OB Dude November 16, 2012 at 9:31 pm
Dempsey’s was empty for way too long. Good bye to the vacant building. What a shame that the plans for the building make it look like a motel.
Kenloc November 16, 2012 at 9:37 pm
“A fortress” “Set off from the rest of the community” Doesn’t scream trick or treat here. That kind of describes the current building there,no?
Mike June 17, 2013 at 11:06 pm
It’s full of transients now.
15 Obetians who where a family were displaced.
It’s a larger eyesore than ever.
Well done, planning board.
I hope you become displaced.
Please move to north PB where you’ll appreciate those kinds of changes.
Debbie October 18, 2013 at 11:38 am
Just caught this in the Reader -construction has begun
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2013/oct/18/stringers-new-beachfront-homes-built-ocean-beach/
kat baldwin September 27, 2015 at 11:43 am
and then the lamborghini was drowned in the parking garage as rain fell for an hour and a half……good job designers…
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Home › Music › Symphony No 101 in D Mayor ‘The Clock’ Andante (1794) – Joseph Haydn
Symphony No 101 in D Mayor ‘The Clock’ Andante (1794) – Joseph Haydn
Posted on April 21, 2020 by observationblogger — 16 Comments
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 – 1809)
This delightful little piece will put a spring in your step, speaking of which I just read that from 27 Abril we will be allowed outdoors to exercise in Bogotá. Symphony No. 101 in D major is the ninth of twelve London symphonies written by Austrian composer Joseph Haydn. It is popularly known as The Clock because of the “ticking” rhythm throughout the second movement. He wrote it for the second of his two visits to London. On 3 March 1794, the work was premiered with an orchestra of 60 personally gathered by Haydn’s colleague and friend Johann Peter Salomon. The response of the audience was very enthusiastic. The Oracle even reported it to be his best work and the Morning Chronicle wrote: ‘the inexhaustible, the wonderful, the sublime HAYDN! The first two movements were encored; and the character that pervaded the whole composition was heartfelt joy’.
For much of his career Joseph Haydn was the most celebrated composer in Europe. He was a friend and mentor of Mozart, a tutor of Beethoven. Who wouldn’t kill to have that on their CV? Since there was little or no formal music training where he grew up Haydn’s parents sent him off to a relative who was a choirmaster where he would train as a singer and musician. Haydn later recalled that he remembered being frequently hungry as a small child and after he was taken in, he would never return to live with his parents. For nine years in his youth, he was a chorister at the St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna.
After he matured Haydn struggled working at many different jobs: as a music teacher, as a street serenader, and eventually, in 1752, as valet–accompanist for the Italian composer Nicola Porpora, from whom he later said he learned “the true fundamentals of composition”. As his skills increased, Haydn began to acquire a public reputation, first as the composer of an opera, Der krumme Teufel, “The Limping Devil”. Haydn also noticed, apparently without annoyance, that works he had simply given away were being published and sold in local music shops. 1779 was a watershed year for Haydn, as his contract was renegotiated: whereas previously all his compositions were the property of the Esterházy family, he now was permitted to write for others and sell his work to publishers.
Another friend in Vienna was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whom Haydn had met sometime around 1784. According to later testimony the two composers occasionally played in string quartets together. Haydn was hugely impressed with Mozart’s work and praised it unstintingly to others. Mozart evidently returned the esteem, as seen in his dedication of a set of six quartets, now called the “Haydn” quartets, to his friend. Haydn became a very popular composer In London where his music dominated the concert scene, and it is said “hardly a concert did not feature a work by him”. His journey to London in 1791 was the start of a very auspicious period for Haydn. Audiences flocked to Haydn’s concerts; he augmented his fame and made large profits. Musically, Haydn’s visits to England generated some of his best-known work, including the Surprise, Military, Drumroll and London symphonies; the Rider quartet; and the “Gypsy Rondo” piano trio.
As a rich man, Haydn now felt that he had the privilege of taking his time and writing for posterity. This is reflected in the subject matter of The Creation (1798) and The Seasons (1801), which address such weighty topics as the meaning of life and the purpose of humankind and represent an attempt to render the sublime in music. The change in Haydn’s approach was important in the history of classical music, as other composers were soon following his lead. Notably, Beethoven adopted the practice of taking his time and aiming high.
1. Joseph Haydn – Wikipedia
2. Symphony No. 101 (Haydn) – Wikipedia
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16 comments on “Symphony No 101 in D Mayor ‘The Clock’ Andante (1794) – Joseph Haydn”
Bruce Goodman says:
Definitely put a spring in the step, thanks Matthew – although what I’m doing being so merry at 5am is anyone’s guess!
I’m chuffed to read that Bruce. How’s lif treating you over there? I read NZ was about to ease some restrictions.
In my opinion the NZ PM’s behaviour during this lockdown is farcical. Most of the restrictions have been quite unnecessary. It has shown up one thing however: that the quality of food NZ export overseas is infinitely superior to the shit they sell us back home. Because of limited stock they have been forced to make available the food normally sent overseas.I am the first to point this out. The quality of flour is one example. Meat another.
I like calling her Miss Goody-two shoes, because she is the media’s darling around the world. A bit like Justin Trudeau was way back when. But to be honest I hardly know anything about them both. How has her behavior irked you?
So if I understand you correctly you are now only getting the good food stuff made at home? Ah nice.
selizabryangmailcom says:
It’s so funny how it’s always the same old story, isn’t it? Artists having to struggle at jobs they don’t like and scrape by and somehow keep creating….until (hopefully) they’re one day well off enough to finally do “what they want” with their creativity. This was hundreds of years ago, and it’s exactly the same today and hasn’t changed. lol !!
My mom told me a long time ago I should write romances to make some money then afterwards I could write what I “wanted” to write. What did I do? Completely turned my 20-year-old nose up at the idea! How absurd! I wouldn’t waste my time on such drivel! But now, of course, looking back….it was a good idea. I’m not sure how good I would have been at romances, but something that appealed to a wider audience than the small, dark, depressing stories I was writing would have been good.
I liked the music, btw. It IS very peppy.
Also was reading yours and Bruce’s exchange and was thinking one good thing about NZ, I thought, at least, was how fast they jumped on the gun restrictions after that shooting happened there. Something like that obviously would never happen here. Someone walked in and slaughtered children in an elementary school and we should have done something back then, but absolutely not one thing happened.
What a coincidence Stacey! I just got your message so soon after writing about your recent blog guest interview in my ‘News on the march’ piece coming out tomorrow. I hope you don’t mind I took the liberty of using your backflip photo lol
Of course Haydn was fortunate that he had a family member willing to take him in otherwise his prodigious talents may never have been realised. I hope he was able to give back some of the proceeds to his impoverished family. I see what you mean about how sometimes obsessed artists have to do other things to make ends meet so they can pursue their passions.This reminds me of how Charles Bukowski applied to be a journalist, but was turned down and later worked at a P.O which could support him to continue writing into the wee hours when he wasn’t working.
That’s an interesting story how you turned your nose up to your Mum’s idea about writing romance novels and I can fully appreciate that reaction especially at that age.I would have thought, perhaps like the Musician; the Writer can only truly manifest their talent in the medium/genre which ‘truly’ inspires them. Perhaps you could have written dark depressing romance novels! haha. The music by Haydn in this post isn’t in my top tier of classical highlights because it’s a bit too repetitive for my liking, but it has a sunny disposition and I could understand for its time to have been quite the thrill for audiences.
I couldn’t agree more regarding your sentiments about the gun control reaction in NZ. This was also the case after the horrific Port Arthur tragedy in Australia. But supposedly comparing these countries to yours is like comparing apples to oranges at least on the gun control issue. As a non-US resident it is hard to weigh in on it, as the second amendment is so coveted and what may work in one culture such as Australia may not work in another. I read a fascinating article in the NY times titled ‘Australia’s Gun Laws Are Not a Model for America’: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/opinion/australias-gun-laws-america.html
Oh, man, unfortunately, that article is right. What works elsewhere won’t work with us due to history and the “right to bear arms” in the Constitution. People REALLY take that “right to bear arms” to heart, even though everybody’s completely misreading it. What it actually says is a “well-regulated militia” has the right to organized and defend, because, of course, like what the article said: we were fighting for “freedom” and having revolutions. But it never said it was okay for folks to walk around with semiautomatics (I know they didn’t exist then, but you know what I’m saying) and/or to walk up to people in their cars who are playing rap music too loudly and then shoot them if they don’t turn it down.
What’s really horrendous is that when the high school kids started sticking up for themselves (because they were sick of getting gunned down every other year by their mentally ill peers) and talking publicly before groups some congressmen and other politicians actually made fun of them, like insinuating that they were “over the top” prima donnas, and also accused them of being professional actors sent out into the world to talk “bad” about guns so all the yahoos in the U.S. would have their precious guns taken away! Made fun of children! Who are afraid for their lives at their own schools! Beyond belief. Beyond comprehension.
PS: Yeah, happy you wanted to use that photo! It’s really a great shot. I can’t believe I used to do that stuff. I can’t even stand on my hands anymore (shoulder and wrist injuries). But I intend to get back there!
I couldn’t agree more with everything you wrote about guns especially the part about semi-automatic weapons. I figure if someone like Obama couldn’t change the laws then nobody can. Whenever I think of the hopelessness of this issue I can’t help but recall Dylan’s lyrics in ‘Blowing in the Wind’.
I’m glad my using that photo was Ok with you. I love it too. I always wanted to do a backflip, but never had the guts to try it. I can’t believe you did it from a fence lol Perhaps if I had been egged on by someone in my youth I might have given it a go.
Omg, I hope not! You might have broken your neck, Matt! I was a gymnast from age 7 to my mid-20s. That’s the ONLY reason I was jumping backwards off that fence! But we DO succumb to peer pressure when young sometimes, huh? We’re morons when we’re young. Then by the time we have any smarts, we’re tired and worn out. Nice system. Props, lol !!
Oh I realised that the backflip was somehow related to your being a gymnast. I just don’t think had ever met anyone that did backflips. I wish I had.
Actually, in retrospect, I’m thinking about how strong guys are in general and you probably would have been able to heft yourself up and over just with leg strength alone…enough to get you to your knees, at least, haha.
BTW, forgot to tell you–Finally got to see My Old Lady over the weekend! It was a nice story, albeit very, very slow…lots of gabbing…but they did the gabbing very well (all of those actors, of course, are fantastic), it was engaging and emotional and I see in retrospect why it was like that, since it was based on a play.
What I loved learning about was their viager system which, of course, the whole movie was based on. Fascinating. What an odd way to conduct business…but so French, right?! haha
There is a yoga move I sometimes do where you stand bent backwards on your hands and feet. But that takes a lot of effort for me as I don’t practice it often enough. But that doesn’t even come close to the ‘awesomeness’ of a backflip, not even in the same vicinity lol
I hadn’t heard of that movie. I looked it up and it has so-so reviews, but a great cast. I just downloaded ‘Howard’s End’ which is another James Ivory movie made around the same time as Remains of the Day. I’m looking forward to seeing that over coming days as it was recommended to me. I had to look up what a Viager system was, but I can understand the sense in it so widows or widowers can receive a regular source of income after the death of a spouse. How fascinating indeed!
aaaah! I think my last response got dropped.
I was saying sorry–I thought it was you who had recommended My Old Lady but I must have read it somewhere else! It’s just that only one other site would have been talking about a drama because all the other folk that talk about/review movies don’t do straight dramas.
But anyhoo…so-so reviews. Not surprising. A little toooooooooo slow.
But there was an actor in there, also, whom I love to death. Dominique Pinon. His face is just so amazing.
Yes, you’re a mixer up of persons. Been there done that. When I read it, I wondered how My Old Lady related to our convo, but carry on lol
I just looked up Dominique Pinon and yes his face is unique. Some people are blessed with faces that are almost like caricatures.
I was just thinking the other night when I was watching a bit of ‘Hail Caesar’ by the Coen Bros and I saw the actor Patrick Fischler. If I was to single out just one actor whose demeanor and face exuded ‘screen presence’ and it’s other worldly-ness, he would be the person. His role in Mulholland Drive seems derivative of that part of ‘character’ and our fascination with it.
And now I just looked up Patrick Fishler. I didn’t know the name at all but we know him very well from that weird series Happy. I had no idea he was in Mad Men too and even though we saw Mulholland Drive, I don’t remember him. He DOES have one of those faces, though. Other-worldly is a great description. Also had no idea he was 50. He looks much younger.
He does indeed look younger than 50. Lucky bastard lol I only remember him from Mulholland Dr. I very rarely watch TV series. The last one I watched was True Detective Season 1 which was fantastic. |
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Orthodox Christian Laity Completes 29th Annual Meeting; Prepares to Celebrate 30 years of service to the Orthodox Christian Church in 2017; Welcomes Metropolitan Isaiah on its Advisory Board
By Webmaster on November 26, 2016 OCL News, Orthodox Christian Laity, Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories, Uncategorized
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity For 30 years, OCL has been promoting unity, transparency, accountability and lay involvement in Church life at all levels to make these priorities a reality in the administrative life of the Church. OCL completed its Annual Meeting in Cottonwood, Utah on November 19, 2016, and began thinking about itsplans for next year’s meeting. The board members came away with a renewed and intensified commitment to keeping the hierarchy, clergy and laity informed about the progress that the Assembly of Bishops is making to develop a canonical blueprint for administrative unity. For 7 years, the Assembly has been… |
Working towards an asbestos-free world
Delegates at the Third Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency International Conference have expressed their concern at the unequivocal rise in the use of asbestos throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Asbestos traded anywhere, they assert, impacts workers everywhere.
The BWI and its Australian affiliates – the Construction and General Division of CFMEU and the Electrical Trades Union – will have to work with a broad range of actors and agencies in its mission to create an asbestos-free world, according to Brad Parker, National Assistant Secretary of Construction and General Division of CFMEU.
“At the same time”, Parker continued, “we’re going to have to work collectively to counter the chrysotile industry’s rabid propaganda and their allied trade unions that promote the "safe use” of asbestos. Their intimidation and threats against our allies must be roundly condemned."
Despite being a national agency, ASEA’s national strategic plan looks beyond its borders to play an international leadership role in our region. It will look to Governments in South East Asia and across the region to coordinate and strengthen the work to asbestos bans and eradication. In 2017 this work will include
1. In Cambodia, ASEA are seeking an MOU with the Cambodian Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training to provide advice, assistance and expertise in its goals for a ban and eradication program;
2. In Indonesia, ASEA can assist in bolstering efforts by national anti-asbestos groups to develop the medical evidence for removal and disposal workers, and support the development of a victim’s organisation for the banning of asbestos;
3. Despite strong progress towards a ban and eradication the Sri Lankan government’s efforts have been stymied by the Russian asbestos industry lobby. ASEA can offer its assistance to the relevant authorities to provide advice on a path to an asbestos-free society.
BWI’s Australian affiliates will work constructively alongside the Australian Government in the lead-up to a Geneva COP9 meeting regarding the Rotterdam Convention, which governs hazardous substances like asbestos. The Australian Government should take a lead in pursuing the listing of asbestos as a hazardous substance with Governments in the Asian region, and can support the initiatve of African countries to change the COP voting system to make it more democratic and representative. |
Time to REDO the Second Amendment
(Excerpted from an essay we originally published five years ago.)
Actually, we think it is.
Notice we said, “redo” not “repeal”.
While it is sometimes difficult to divine what the framers intended with any particular provision of the constitution, that isn’t true with respect to the second amendment. The driving motivation for the second amendment was to assure that the people could protect themselves against their own government were it to turn despotic or tyrannical. Many of the great thinkers and patriots of the day weighed in. Noah Webster argued, “…The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States.”
George Mason argued, “To disarm the people…(would be) the best and most effectual way to enslave them.” Writing after the ratification of the Constitution, but before the election of the first Congress, James Monroe wrote, “the right to keep and bear arms” in a list of basic “human rights,” which, he proposed, should be added to the Constitution.
Patrick Henry, in the Virginia ratification convention June 5, 1788, eloquently argued for the dual rights to arms and resistance to oppression. He said, “Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.”
The most influential framer of the Constitution, James Madison, often referred to as the father of the constitution, compared in Federalist No. 46, the federal government of the United States to the European kingdoms, which he contemptuously described as “afraid to trust the people with arms.” He assured his fellow citizens that they need never fear their government because of “the advantage of being armed….”.
Like it or not, that’s the thinking that informed our greatest minds as the second amendment was considered and finally codified into the sinews of the American body politic. Gun control activists who constantly, and rhetorically, ask, “Who needs assault rifles or machine guns to hunt?” miss the point and render their case irrelevant. The second amendment was never about hunting. Subsequent history cannot negate the original history. Only thoughtful and, perhaps, brave lawmakers can do that and, then, only with the overwhelming support and consent of the people through referendum (think constitutional amendment). That could be a long slog, but we think it’s about time to begin slogging.
So where does this leave us? First, we must remember that the ballot had not yet, in 1788, been demonstrated to be a plausible or an effective way to guarantee that, in America, governments would govern only with the consent of the governed. America, during its relatively brief history, has, through the ballot box, changed direction time and time again. We have demonstrated that we can throw the rascals out whenever the people decide to throw them out. We’ve never had to march them out with the arms we bear.
Furthermore, there is no longer parity between the arms available to a standing army and the civilian citizens of the country. The day has long since passed when civilian militias and standing government armies would both, essentially, be equally armed only with rifles and side arms. For a citizen militia to have parity with a standing armed force it would have to have automatic weapons, armored vehicles, artillery, missiles, aircraft, anti-aircraft, incendiary and explosive weapons, unmanned drones and who knows what else. No sane person would, today, entertain such a thought.
So, perhaps the second amendment would be more relevant today were it re-amended with a 28th amendment to the constitution to guarantee the right of the people to own and use firearms for personal self-defense as well as for the protection of home and property against criminal intruders, and for legal recreational sport and hunting. Such a reorientation of our constitutional right to bear arms would allow for sensible regulation of firearms.
It is true, as second amendment advocates rightfully remind us, that assault weapons (semi-automatic rifles) are, relatively, rarely used in the commission of a crime in the United States. But it is also true (as we would remind them) that assault weapons (including semi-automatic pistols) have been the weapons of choice in 100% of the 29 massacres (assaults in which four or more people were victims) that have taken place in the United States since 1984. We have reviewed each of these grotesque attacks and found that semi-automatic rifles or semi-automatic pistols (i.e. assault weapons) have been used in every such massacre, resulting in over 600 casualties, including 278 deaths. That seems to us to be more than enough justification for rethinking our gun laws. At some point, enough is enough.
For example, the types of weapons to which the people would have a constitutional right could be rationally restricted (in addition to hunting) to that required to protect a home from intruders without being sufficient to mow down scores or hundreds of people in an open field a mile away (or innocent children in a classroom).
Today, any machine gun manufactured and registered prior to May 1986 can be purchased almost anywhere in the United States. In fact, we counted 39 states that allow the private ownership of fully automatic machine guns to any non-felon 21 years of age or older. Generally, the only requirement is that the weapon be registered with ATF. That means anyone qualified to own a pistol, is qualified to own a machine gun. It is estimated that there are about 120,000 machine guns owned by civilians in the United States. While we acknowledge that (with but two exceptions); no legally owned machine guns have been used to commit a homicide in America during the past 70 years, we ask who in their right mind doesn’t dread the thought of a future, first-time machine-gun massacre at some elementary school or shopping mall and wouldn’t want to take steps now to impede, if not stop, that future event from happening.
Mass shootings have occurred consistently throughout our history in every region of the country. These attacks have become increasingly more lethal as large capacity ammunition magazines (defined as more than 10-rounds) have become more available. They enable an assailant to rapidly fire off as many as 100-rounds without having to reload the firearm. They are designed for military use in order to kill greater numbers of people more effectively. Large capacity ammunition magazines have facilitated some of the worst mass murders ever committed in the United States.
We will not presume to recommend solutions to the problems resulting from the ubiquitous presence of firearms in America. We simply recognize that sensible gun control cannot any longer remain the third rail of American politics. Mass murder has occurred in every region of the country and it is, therefore, the federal government’s responsibility to evolve uniform measures to protect Americans. It seems rather ludicrous to us for politicians to continuously state that any Administration’s primary responsibility is to protect America from foreign aggressors while insisting that the federal government should have a very limited role in protecting Americans from domestic aggressors.
We question the rationale that allows large capacity ammunition magazines designed for the armed services to be sold with only cursory regulation in the retail American marketplace.
Strict and timely gun registration requirements should follow a gun regardless of how many times the weapon may change owners. There should be strict consequences for a prior owner of a gun if that gun is used in a crime when the prior owner had not reported the sale (or gift) within a statutory very brief period of time.
Gun control advocates and gun control opponents are active in both political parties in America. While most of the money raised and contributed to politicians by the National Rifle Association generally goes to Republicans, we note that in the 110th Congress, then-Representative Mark Kirk, Republican of Illinois, introduced a bill on June 12, 2008, to reinstate the assault weapons ban (that had expired) for ten years and expand the list of banned weapons. The Bill, H.R. 6257, the Assault Weapons Ban Reauthorization Act of 2008, had four co-sponsors, all Republicans: Michael N. Castle of Delaware, Mike Ferguson of New Jersey, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida and Christopher Shays of Connecticut. The Bill never got out of committee and died at the end of the Democratically controlled 110th Congress.
If ever there was a time when Democrats and Republicans could work cooperatively to seriously address the problems that are a by-product of our gun culture, it is now.
6 responses to “Time to REDO the Second Amendment”
Ted Goldman says:
“278 deaths, as a result of massacres, since 1984”
Chicago, with some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, has suffered over 400 killings in 2017 alone
The slippery slope of banning certain types of weapons will inevitably lead to disarming our citizens. Criminals will always have them.
Good intentions do not make for wise recommendations.
Ted Goldman
Sorry, we just don’t agree. One could make the same argument that if we regulated who could own and drive automobiles (as we do) we would head down a slippery slope until only the criminals (and the police) had automobiles.
Evelyn Lutin says:
It is true that criminals will always find a way to get these guns, but we have the right to bare guns but not the kind of rifles that this madman in Las Vegas had.
Peggy Jacobs says:
I agree with your conclusions. There is no easy answer for all of the guns presently in the hands of good and bad purposed people. I also suggest the we make guns more safe by requiring them to be used by the legitimate owner, such as a finger print id or password protected. We have it on our cell phones, why not on guns. At least, if I have a gun for my protection, an assailant can’t take it from me and use it on me. We have laws regarding seat belts, air bags added for our protection in cars. Why not make gun ownership safer for all? This doesn’t affect the 2nd amendment and could make a dent in an overwhelming problem.
twstdtckno says:
Long time listener first time caller. with regards to the comments about the might of the US military/Police/Alphabet Agencies being armed to an extent that there is no hope of fighting them, shouldn’t we look at recent wars fought by individuals with small arms, and improvised devices? Would an armed populace not still pose a significant opponent?
“For a citizen militia to have parity with a standing armed force it would have to have automatic weapons, armored vehicles, artillery, missiles, aircraft, anti-aircraft, incendiary and explosive weapons, unmanned drones and who knows what else.”
I certainly would not propose parity, or even ANY laxing of existing regulation, but a population armed is still a deterrent to an unarmed one is it not? Take Iraq and Afghanistan as examples. I do recognize the ‘mission’ there might be different. Just a thought process.
Please read this as a question, not argument. I’m purposely not addressing the solution to mass murder, i do not know the answer and wont pretend to now if more or less gun rights/restrictions are the answer.
Thanks, I enjoy your work even though we don’t always see eye to eye! thats what makes its nice.
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Pork, local projects most vulnerable
Daang matuwid? Payoffs
to pols still stalk contracts
Monday, April 9th, 2012
Last of Two Parts
“I’M NOT hearing this,” the procurement expert recalls himself saying as he tried to cover his ears. He was recounting an interesting incident that happened sometime last year, while he was helping oversee a public bidding for civil-works contractors to build roads in a southern Philippines province.
The roads project was being funded by a major bilateral donor, which had hired the procurement expert to help ensure the selection of contractors was honest and transparent. The bidding had gone very well; there were many eligible participants and the price bids were genuinely competitive. Members of the bids and awards committee (BAC) also did not take a long time to recommend that the contract should be awarded to the lowest bidder.
Part 1: More open bids, savings up amid project delays
Part 2: Daang matuwid? Payoffs to pols still stalk contracts
But then, the expert said, the winner of the bidding approached him and the BAC members to tell them this: “The mayor just called to ask for his cut. He said we wouldn’t be allowed to enter his town if we didn’t give him something. What should I do?”
That’s when the procurement expert, who spoke to the PCIJ on condition of anonymity as his employment contract forbids him from talking publicly about the project, put his hands to his ears. He said he didn’t know how the story ended – whether the mayor got his cut and how much, if any. But for him, the incident underscores some of the ills that continue to plague many public works projects even as the central offices of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) begin to make some headway in curbing corruption and collusion in the implementation of big projects.
“For big projects, it’s clear that Secretary Rogelio Singson’s reforms are already making a significant impact,” said the procurement expert, an engineer who used to work for a government-planning agency. “But picking contractors for pork-barrel and local projects is still influenced to a large extent by congressmen or local politicians.”
Exactions by local pols
Even if they do not have a hand in choosing contractors, politicians try to take a slice off the private contractors’ profit margins by threatening to make it hard for them to secure various kinds permits from local authorities. Noted the expert: “Even contractors for major projects being supervised by the DPWH central offices are not spared. Congressmen and local officials demand that contractors see them first before they do any projects in their territories.”
Manolito Madrasto, executive director of the Philippine Constructors Association, the industry grouping of building and infrastructure contractors in the country, and a long-time construction industry veteran, says that as Singson slowly makes some headway in cleaning up the central offices of the DPWH, the problem seems to be shifting to exactions made by local politicians.
“There is still some leakage in public works contracts though it has probably gone down from 30 to 40 percent to only five to 15 percent, most of which go to pay off local officials and politicians,” Madrasto says.
A PCIJ review of the DPWH databases on bid summaries for civil works contracts as well as awarded contracts found that public tenders supervised by central and regional offices tended to be more competitive than those administered by engineering districts, which interact more with local officials. The average number of bidders for contracts worth P50 million and above bidded out by the central and regional offices was 4.4 per project but fell to only 2.4 for contracts worth less than P50 million, which are handled by engineering districts.
Similarly, the “price cut,” or the difference between the authorized budget ceiling, the maximum possible price, and the lowest bid for big projects managed by central and regional offices was 10.9 percent, but was only 4.7 percent for small projects handled by engineering districts.
Not likely to end
The vice president of a major Philippine construction company says exactions from politicians is a problem unlikely to go away soon in spite of Singson or the Aquino administration’s efforts to clean up the DPWH and other national government agencies.
“It seems to be ingrained in our political system,” says the construction bigwig. “I can’t blame these politicians for making these kinds of demands on private contractors because they are just responding to demands made on them by their political supporters and constituents for various kinds of favors. Go to any politician’s house or office, and you’ll see the long lines of people asking for everything from jobs to money for hospitalization.”
The president of a medium-sized construction company says that dealing with politicians’ demands for payoffs is just one of the many challenges facing private contractors on the ground. “In some ways, it’s similar to the problem posed by communist or Muslim rebels asking for revolutionary taxes,” he says. “The appropriate response will depend on the situation but it does not always involve giving them money. Sometimes, CSR (corporate social responsibility)-type of projects like building a school or a livelihood project will do.”
Still, in spite of the problems facing public works contractors, Madrasto says that many of the PCA’s big members are keen to participate in infrastructure projects, including those to be carried out under public-private partnerships (PPP), because of the reforms being put in place in DPWH and other infrastructure agencies.
No more chop-chop?
“We note that he (Singson) is trying to correct the past practice of chopping up a large project into several smaller ones just to accommodate contractors who are not qualified to carry out big projects,” remarks Madrasto. “That’s very encouraging for our members.”
The PCA is helping the DPWH curb collusion among contractors and public works officials, he says.
“We threw out an entire chapter composed of around 20 members because we suspected they were involved in collusive schemes to fix the results of biddings for public works contracts,” says Madrasto, adding that information on their collusive activities were submitted to DPWH.
PCA members are also looking forward to a new mechanism being developed by DPWH for long-term maintenance contracts, lasting five to 10 years, in road and bridge construction, Madrasto says. While holding private contractors to strict performance standards, they will be given a lot of leeway to develop the most cost-effective ways to meet such standards, he says.
It remains to be seen if the reforms to curb collusion and corruption will take root and spread across the entire DPWH organization throughout the country as the agency steps up the implementation of infrastructure projects.
This year, the department is expected to bid out P170 billion worth of projects compared to P156 billion planned last year.
Down then up
The PCIJ review of DPWH data on awarded contracts show that the total value of awarded civil works contracts entered in the agency’s public works registry began to go up toward the end of 2011 after sharply declining in the second half of 2010.
From P121.9 billion, the value of civil works contracts registered with the DPWH in the last year and a half of the Arroyo administration fell by more than half to only P54.96 billion in the first year and a half of the Aquino administration. To be sure, the big slump is not just due to the spending slowdown after the new government reviewed and froze some projects. Some of it is also the effect of the surge in spending under the Arroyo administration just ahead of the May 2010 national elections.
(Click here for a larger version of this figure.)
The number of projects fell from 14,816 to only 9,530 during the same period. But then the value of awarded contracts surged to P7.96 billion in December 2011, the highest since March 2010.
But guarding against collusion among bidders and ensuring the government gets the best price bids when it puts up a public works contract for bidding are not the only challenges facing the DPWH in selecting contractors to build or repair roads, bridges, flood control dikes and other infrastructure projects. It must also choose only those who are qualified to do the work on time and within budget, and with the track record to prove it.
To get a glimpse at the track record of construction companies being awarded millions of pesos worth of public-works contracts, PCIJ generated a list of the hundreds of contractors who won the 9,530 awarded civil works contracts registered since the Aquino administration took over in July 2010, and compared these with some items in the Constructors Performance Evaluation System (CPES) report for 2009, the year before the new administration came in.
The CPES report is prepared by the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines and Philippine Domestic Construction Board (CIAP-PDCB), joint public-private sector bodies that audit the performance of construction companies carrying out infrastructure projects. CIAP and PDCB have developed a scoring system for a contractor’s workmanship, materials and timeliness in implementing projects. It then adds up the scores and assigns an overall rating for the contractor’s performance for the project. These range from “Outstanding,” “Very Satisfactory,” “Satisfactory,” to “Unsatisfactory” and “Poor.” (Click here to view a copy of the CPES report.)
Bad guys get deals
There were 121 contractors that received a rating of “Poor” and “Unsatisfactory” for at least one completed project between 2007 and 2009, according to the 2009 CPES report. The PCIJ found that 77 of these, or almost two-thirds, were still awarded civil works contracts from the middle of 2010 to 2011.
Altogether, they won contracts worth an aggregate value of P6.4 billion or 11 percent of the total contracts awarded in the last year and a half.
What’s more, even the worst-performing contractors who got more than one “Poor” or “Unsatisfactory” ratings still managed to win huge contracts; the vast majority only have a single failed rating.
A contractor that has four failed ratings got nine projects worth P186.9 million, which is more than four times the average value of contracts per company.
Another with three failed ratings won 32 contracts with a combined value of P245.2 million.
A company with two failed ratings won contracts worth P361.4 million, making it one of the 20 biggest contractors.
A ranking of the contractors by value of aggregate projects showed that two of the Top 10 contractors are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It appears that two of the 10 biggest contractors are not in the SEC online database at all, possibly suggesting they are not corporations but only single-proprietorships.
Same with Arroyo
This brings to mind a similar finding made by the PCIJ in 2009 when it examined summary information on over 27,000 DPWH awarded contracts between 2000 and 2008, and discovered that four of the ten biggest contractors were not corporations but only sole-proprietorships.
Another contractor in the Top 10 list seems to be operating with a revoked SEC registration. That seems odd not only for one of biggest contractors around but one which also built the DPWH’s two biggest projects. Though it first registered way back in 1977, the company has no single report filed with the SEC’s online corporate records system.
Perhaps an SEC registration does not count for much in the construction industry so long as a contractor can do the job well. Indeed, nine of the contractors in the Top 10 list had a General Engineering rating of AAA, the highest, while one had a rating of AA, the second highest, according to the Philippine Construction Accreditation Board, the public-private joint body that issues licenses to construction companies wishing to do business in the country.
A PCAB rating of AAA or AA implies a certain degree of financial capacity to carry out and complete large-scale infrastructure projects. If a contractor is not registered with the SEC or does not submit timely reports to the corporate regulator, that makes it harder for the potential clients and the wider public to independently verify its financial position.
Madrasto says that some wily contractors file different financial statements with different agencies to suit different purposes. “They submit inflated figures with PCAB when seeking accreditation and deflated figures with the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) to avoid paying a lot of taxes,” he says. “We in the PCA are advocating the harmonization of submissions to the different regulatory agencies.” – With additional research by Karol Ilagan, PCIJ, April 2012
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Technology is changing the future of work. Are you ready?
Technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation are the future. Companies that invest in new technologies can use it as a force multiplier and reap enormous benefits, but they must retrain their manual workforce to focus on value-added activities. |
Coronavirus cases in Wuhan may be far higher than thought, according to China CDC study
Australia Broadcasting Company | December 31, 2020
At the height of Wuhan’s epidemic in February, Matthew Kavanagh, a specialist in global health and political science at Washington’s Georgetown University, wrote in The Lancet that Beijing’s top-down control of information hindered its capacity to get on top of the virus when it first emerged. |
This Meat Grinder Called ‘Afghanistan’
Twentieth century (and now 21st century) history shows us American leadership has had difficulty in ending wars we participate in without an end we experienced at the end of WWII – viz., complete utter victory.
That difficulty us glaring in America’s longest war – battling Islamic terrorists in Afghanistan. For me, that war should have been drawn done after Osama (or Usama) bin Laden met his demise at the hands of Navy SEALs in Pakistan.
Alas the nature of 21st century geopolitics and Afghanistan’s proximity to crazy Muslim Mullahs in Iran, enigmatic yet still threatening Russia and America’s new arch-rival in Communist China. Geopolitics aside, there is nothing left worth fighting for in Afghanistan. UNLESS the USA is willing to take the same step Islam took to spread across the planet from its Arab origins like an unconquerable disease. Islam’s disease was spread by the paradigm of submit, transform or be killed. Not a single Western nation – including the USA – is willing to exact that kind of victory on people brainwashed for centuries by Islam.
What’s left? Give the Islamic terrorists in Afghanistan a spanking they’ll remember and leave with the threat another spanking can return.
Justin Smith utilizes the Washington Post’s Afghanistan Papers to further the need to depart Afghanistan.
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America Rejects the Butcher’s Bill
Afghanistan is an amazing country full of rich culture and history that has mesmerized many a young man, but its own people today are still unwilling to defend their country at such a level that nothing the United States Armed Forces does will make a difference, in even twenty, forty or sixty more years. They have forgotten their Buddhist past and long relinquished their fates to Allah, the Koran and Islam; and so, no matter that many do not hold with the harsher tenets of Islam, they still will submit, just as they have always done, to the final wishes and commands of the terrible, murderous Taliban mullahs and clerics, in the end, if the United States ever does finally withdraw from this heaven on earth, that is also too often a living hell. And regardless of any U.S. Command’s decision that seeks to stand by those Afghanis who have sacrificed much sweat and blood in the previous eighteen years of war, alongside the fine young men and women of America, the paid out sheet in the cost of American lives is not worth the gain, when the net return on our efforts show them to be a dismal failure.
Americans must remember that our primary mission in Afghanistan was to kill and destroy the Al Qaeda who were responsible for planning and financing the September 11th 2001 attack on America that resulted in the heinous murders of three-thousand of our countrymen. We didn’t enter Afghanistan to save the people from themselves or to fight their battle for them, although that is exactly what we’ve done for the past eighteen years, even though the majority of the group responsible for 9/11 has either been captured or killed.
Noted by Michael Phillips for the Wall Street Journal (12-13-19) [Reporting a story on Col. Randy Hoffman]: “Over the course of the war, 775,000 U.S. troops have fought in Afghanistan: 28,000 of them have served five or more tours. More than 2,300 Americans have died there, and 20,000 have suffered wounds, including amputated limbs and brain injuries. … more than 120,000 returned home with symptoms of post-traumatic stress, the hidden wounds of America’s longest war.”
President Trump has largely opposed a U.S. presence in Afghanistan, as far back as 2013, when a private citizen he tweeted [Do a page search to locate quotes]: “We should leave Afghanistan immediately. No more wasted lives.” And in a later tweet he wrote: “Afghanistan is a complete waste. Time to come home!”
Trump’s instincts exhibited an awareness for what a situation actually represents, the reality, and he was right, when he examined the Afghanistan War and essentially asked, “Why in the hell are we still there?”
In its nineteenth year, we’re still fighting a war that approximately two-thirds of Afghanistan War Veterans call “not worth fighting”. Why?
As Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, under President Bush, stated so bluntly in one memo: “We are never going to get the U.S. military out of Afghanistan unless we take care to see that there is something going on that will provide the stability that will be necessary for us to leave.”
Afghanistan does represent an extremely strategic and sensitive area for U.S. military considerations, due to its close proximity to China and Iran, and despite all the incredible advances in our surveillance technology, armed drones and missile delivery systems and our other strategic bases in close proximity to this region, many intelligence service heads place a premium on first hand contacts in country. The U.S. Armed Forces are most reluctant to give up such a near perfect deployment area for operations all across the Middle East, and for other considerations.
Here again, if America is as energy independent as our leaders assert, there isn’t any U.S. interests in Afghanistan, except to use our presence there to keep stability and peace throughout the entire region, while protecting the Straits of Hormuz for international commerce and preventing Turkey’s attempts to reconstitute the old Ottoman Empire. These are matters that should fall to the entire Western world more so than just on the shoulders of the United States; however, our leaders are also most likely interested in Afghanistan’s usefulness as a forward position to counter China’s rise in the area and to keep an eye on Pakistan too, both of which have aided in helping Iran and North Korea develop their nuclear weapons armaments.
On December 9th 2019, the Washington Post released a bombshell report on the reprehensible and egregious mishandling of the war in Afghanistan by senior U.S. officials and those in the high command of Afghan operations. Generated by leaked documents from the Special Investigator General’s office for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) examining the root failures of the Afghan War, the report revealed that over the course of eighteen years U.S. officials outright lied about the campaign and made overly optimistic and false assessments to hide the obvious evidence the war in Afghanistan had become unwinnable.
In the current spending budget, as the United States considers the possibility of a complete withdrawal, it allocates $133 billion for Afghanistan in 2020 alone, even though everybody from the President’s office on down see major problems in the Afghan government’s ability to provide basic services and keep their military fully functional using U.S. provided armaments and support equipment. Problems, or corruption, are also inhibiting efforts to control the opium growers and the drug trade and to make full use of Afghanistan’s other natural resources. The American taxpayer has paid for many failed efforts, in this troubled country, whether it was money spent for soybeans that won’t grow, weapons “lost” or stolen by Afghan military forces and a $2.9 million dollar farming storage facility or a $456,000 training facility that actually started crumbling apart after only four months due to substandard bricks. And let’s not forget the Afghan power plant America built that was operating at only about two percent of its capacity.
James Dobbins, a former special envoy to Afghanistan under both President Bush and Obama, told SIGAR interviewers: “We don’t invade poor countries to make them rich. We don’t invade authoritarian countries to make them democratic. We invade violent countries to make them peaceful and we clearly failed in Afghanistan.”
Reported by WaPo, Colonel Bob Crowley, U.S. Army, a senior counter-insurgency advisor in Afghanistan in 2013 and 2014, noted: “Every data point was altered to present the best picture possible. Surveys, for instance, were totally unreliable but reinforced that everything we were doing was right, and we became a self-licking ice cream cone.”
During a conference for Concerned Veterans for America, former warrant officer and Green Beret, Nate Anderson stated: “We’ve now gone 18 years in this conflict and literally, a new generation not even born on 9/11 is fighting the war that started then. And from a societal and cultural standpoint, that’s a very jarring reality to comprehend.”
Three successive administrations refused to properly confront terrible mistakes in Afghanistan, from pride or fear, and they failed to admit failure. General Douglas Lute, key Afghanistan strategist under Bush and Obama, posed the following question: “If the American people knew the magnitude of this dysfunction … 2400 lives lost … Who will say this was in vain?”
America hasn’t “won” only because we have not destroyed all opposition, similar to the way we did in Germany after WWII, however, America absolutely can win. Our people just can’t summon up the political will to do so at this juncture in time, and there are plenty of good reasons to be reluctant to keep trying to pacify the violent, murderous natives of this 7th century backwater, Third World hellhole, but America could if Her people wished to make it so. America has the military might. America’s people do not have the will, and rightfully so.
Whenever U.S. forces made security gains in Afghanistan, they inevitably threw them away with too many abrupt changes in military strategy. However, there was a fairly unprecedented security gain between 2010 and the end of 2013, that resulted from operations focused on bottom-up operations and working with local populations in rural areas, to press the Taliban and place it more on defense, decreasing its reach in communities and its time and opportunity for terrorist strikes.
The Taliban controls as much of Afghanistan as it ever did, from the moment American forces first set foot in country, including the heart of Kabul, the Afghan Capitol, as they continue operations across the country. The drug lords and our corrupt “allies” are laughing at America, as they rake in obscene profits at the expense of the U.S. government and by way of the blood streaming from the bodies of our U.S. Armed Forces members, those good and decent young men and women, placing their all on the line for God, Family and Country and dying a few here and a few there each day, each week, each month, in this meat grinder called “Afghanistan”.
Afghanistan nearly cost Marine Colonel Randy Hoffman his sanity, after serving seven combat tours there, six of which were highly classified, along with one tour in Iraq and a bronze star for valor, burying many friends in the course of that time. It changed his personality in such a manner, that it placed a strain on his marriage, with his wife Dawn, and frightened his children, to the point that the family began calling itself “Hoffmanistan”, joking darkly on the steep cost exacted on their daily lives by the terrible memories carried home from Afghanistan.
In one two and a half year period, Randy lost 100 men, seeing one decapitated by a broken helicopter blade. And after returning stateside for a bit, home in Indiana, he drew the unfortunate duty of burying nine more Marines and making dozens of phone calls to the grieving families of other Marines.
The United States Armed Forces, all branches, has performed courageously in Afghanistan and performed their duty to the best of their ability, however, at this point, the filling of hospital beds and body bags is no longer justified, by any stretch of one’s imagination. Without the will to win and a strategy set on that purpose, the only alternative left is to leave.
If President Trump should withdraw our troops from Afghanistan anytime soon, we can leave knowing we did not lose this war, because we succeeded in the primary mission to kill thousands of Al Qaeda. We’re never going to end the evil of Islam in this country, or even remotely reform it, to the point that we could actually pacify Afghanistan in any way that would amount to a moral victory. If the Afghans want to fight for their country, it’s their choice, and they better get to it, and if they don’t, that’s their choice too, but after nearly twenty years, and all the blood and treasure America has spent, Afghanistan is no longer our problem. We are not morally obligated to wreak vengeance on the Taliban and the various terrorists of their country forever, and our forces would be leaving of their own accord, called home by the President, not forced out.
America owes it to those who serve so courageously and sacrifice so much, under incredibly harsh and dangerous conditions, to finally end this war. We can proudly and righteously honor all who served in this Asian misadventure, as the heroes they are and for a mission completed successfully above and beyond the call of duty, regardless of how far their leaders strayed or how confused they became on our ultimate goal for Afghanistan. Each American’s service, both the good men and women, was not in vain.
America has looked at the butcher’s bill, and She rejects it.
Text enclosed by brackets and source links are by the Editor.
Author oneway2dayPosted on February 1, 2020 Categories Activism, Counterjihad, Foreign Policy, GWOT, History, Islamism, News and politics, Organizations, WarTags Afghan War, Afghanistan Papers, American Lives, Justin Smith, Longest War, Strategic Failures
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Rosemont, Illinois – Allstate Arena (USA) 09 June 2008 - Winnipeg, Manitoba – MTS Centre (Cancada) 08 June 2008 - Regina, Saskatchewan – Brandt Centre (Canada) 06 June 2008 - Edmonton, Alberta – Rexall Place (Canada) 05 June 2008 - Calgary, Alberta – Saddledome (Canada) 03 June 2008 - Vancouver, British Columbia – Pacific Coliseum (Canada) 02 June 2008 - Auburn, Washington – White River Amphitheatre (USA) 31 May 2008 - Irvine, California – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (USA) 30 May 2008 - Irvine, California – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (USA) 28 May 2008 - Concord, California – Sleep Train Pavilion (USA) 26 May 2008 - Phoenix, Arizona – Cricket Wireless Pavilion (USA) 25 May 2008 - Albuquerque, New Mexico – Journal Pavilion (USA) 22 May 2008 - The Woodlands, Texas – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (USA) 21 May 2008 - San Antonio, Texas – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (USA) 16 March 2008 - Toronto, Ontario – Air Canada Centre (Canada) 14 March 2008 - East Rutherford, New Jersey – Izod Center (USA) 12 March 2008 - San Juan – Coliseo (Puerto Rico) 09 March 2008 - Santiago – Pista Atletica (Chile) 07 March 2008 - Buenos Aires – Estadio Ricardo Etcheverry (Argentina) 05 March 2008 - Porto Alegre – Gigantinho (Brazil) 04 March 2008 - Curitiba – Pedreira Paulo Leminski (Brazil) 02 March 2008 - São Paulo – Estádio Palestra Itália (Brazil) 28 February 2008 - Bogotá – Simón Bolívar Park (Colombia) 26 February 2008 - San José – Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá (Costa Rica) 24 February 2008 - Mexico City – Foro Sol (Mexico) 22 February 2008 - Monterrey – Arena (Mexico) 21 February 2008 - Guadalajara – Telmex Auditorium (Mexico) 19 February 2008 - Inglewood, California – The Forum (USA) 15 February 2008 - Chiba City – Tokyo Messe (Japan) 15 February 2008 - Yokohama – Pacifico (Japan) 12 February 2008 - Brisbane – Entertainment Centre (Australia) 10 February 2008 - Sydney – Acer Arena (Australia) 09 February 2008 - Sydney – Acer Arena (Australia) 07 February 2008 - Melbourne – Rod Laver Arena (Australia) 06 February 2008 - Melbourne – Rod Laver Arena (Australia) 04 February 2008 - Perth – Burswood Dome (Australia) 01 February 2008 - Mumbai (Bombay) – Bandra-Kurla complex (India) Bruce Dickinson rozhovor Maiden news www.ironmaiden.sk Tvoje fotky Tvoja zbierka Anketa Download Metal rozhovor Zaujímavé odkazy Kôš Miestnosť pre hudobníkov Námety a pripomienky Odkazy administrátora
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Posted on 3 May 2014 by Piotr
There are no people on the earth. There is no such a thing. Thomas Ligotti
Riding a bike still gives me the same amount of fun and satisfaction as in the days when I was a kid. If someone feels the same – knows what I mean, and if not, it does not make any sense to explain. You can’t please everyone. Even cat houses can’t, let alone me.
I converted my old bike into a queer hybrid, but the sitting position is far better now and it helps my cervical vertebrae work properly.
Although the knee cup still hurts a little and it’s difficult to ride without pain for more than an hour – I am able to cycle, and it is simply awesome. I’m a bit worried, because I’ gonna start my next trip in a couple of days.
Yes, I know, my dear doctor, that the knee will heal for good not earlier than next year. But it has been already six months since my unlucky fall (in the city named Fall), so half of the knee should be already healed. So, I only have to push the pedals with half of the strength than I usually use, and the second half of the knee will heal itself on the road. There’s not an ounce of logic in it? Fuck the logic. How to put it simply:
The only thing stopping you is you!
Why so much optimism? I do not know. Maybe it’s just because I’m glad I’m alive. Never mind that I’m not on fine form yet. But I live. I do. So I can do everything.
And if I get seedy, I hope that, as in Goran’s film, a little Eskimo from a dream will come running to me and will help bringing a one-eye flying fish.
Arizona Dream. Each of us has their own Arizona. So, let’s build our flying machines, let’s dream the strangest dreams, but not in order to get out of them somewhere else, but to remain in them.
In dreams we are always free. Even on the other side.
This entry was posted in Alaska-Patagonia 2014-2015 by Piotr. Bookmark the permalink. |
Mental Health and Addiction Nursing, 4 cr - SZYY2024
Mental Health and Addiction Nursing (SZYY2024-3007), 13.03.2023 – 19.05.2023,
Lectures/online lectures
Preparing for the lessons
Learning assignments, independent and group working
Hämäläinen, K., Kanerva, A., Kuhanen, C., Schubert, C. & Seuri, T. 2017. Mielenterveyshoitotyö. 4.-5. p. Helsinki: SanomaPro Oy.
Partanen, A., Holmber, J., Inkinen, M., Kurki, M. & Salo-Chydenius, S. 2015. Päihdehoitotyö. Helsinki: SanomaPro Oy.
If it is possible, visiting mental health, addiction and crisis units
Visiting lecturers
Mid-Term Evaluation
Group-Exam at the end of the course
Contact lectures, seminars 28 h
Study Circle 14 h
Learning assignments 39 h
Exam, preparing for the exam and contact lectures 27 h
Evaluation methods; mid-term evaluation, exam, continuous feedback, self-evaluation and peer-evaluation.
In this course you will understand the importance of promoting mental health in different life situations. You will get skills for the early identification of mental and substance abuse disorders and the planning of holistic patient care. In addition, you will learn about the most common mental health disorders, addiction and the basics of crisis management. The course will strengthen your professional ethics and self-reflection skills.
Internationalisation and communications competence
You understand the importance of mental health as part of a person's well-being and the importance of prevention, individual resources, and self-care in promoting mental health.
You will understand the impact of mental disorders, addiction and crises on the lives of patients and the family.
You will know the key evidence-based nursing interventions for treating mental illness and addiction in various nursing settings.
You will be able to describe the therapeutic relationship with the patient and their relatives as part of a multiprofessional team.
You know the digital applications of the service system in mental health and substance abuse treatment.
Your personal values and attitudes in mental health, addiction and crisis nursing.
Culturally sensitive mental health promotion and mental health, addiction and crisis nursing for people of all ages.
Etiology of mental health and addiction disorders, threats, protective factors, early identification, evidence-based treatment and rehabilitation.
Theoretical foundations of common mental health and addiction nursing interventions, such as therapeutic nurse-patient relationship, dialogue, psychoeducation and brief intervention.
Supporting a patient in acute crisis.
Working in multiprofessional teams.
Mental health and addiction service system, recommendations and legislation.
Digital and mobile applications for the treatment of mental and substance abuse disorders.
Your personal wellbeing and clinical supervision.
Special issues in mental health and addiction nursing (eg ethical issues, stigma, attitudes, social exclusion, generational chain and safety).
The student masters basic knowledge, key concepts and methods of social and health care system and operating environment. Student masters the goals and methods of health promotion and preventive nursing. Student knows the basics of evidence-based decision making.
Sufficient 1
You describe the importance of mental health as part of a person's overall well-being.
You describe the role of prevention of health risks, individual resources and self-care in promoting mental health.
You list the effects of mental health disorder, addiction and crisis on the lives of the patient and the family.
You know the common evidence-based nursing methods for treating mental health disorders and addiction.
You describe the therapeutic relationship with the patient and the family as part of a multidisciplinary team.
You know the digital applications of the service system in mental health and addiction nursing.
Satisfactory 2
You know the effects of mental health disorders, addiction and crisis on the lives of the patient and the family.
You describe the evidence-based nursing interventions for treating mental health disorders and addiction.
You describe the therapeutic relationship with the patient and the family.
You understand the importance of mental health as part of a person's overall well-being and the importance of prevention, individual resources, and self-care in promoting mental health.
You understand the impact of mental health disorders, addiction and crises on the lives of patients and the family.
You have a basic understanding of the key evidence-based nursing interventions for treating mental health and addiction disorders in various nursing settings.
You describe the basics of working in a therapeutic relationship with a patient and the family as part of a multidisciplinary team.
You can tell about the digital applications of the service system in mental health and addiction nursing.
Commendable 4
You justify the importance of mental health as part of a person's overall well-being and the importance of prevention, individual resources and self-care in promoting mental health.
You evaluate the impact of mental health disorders, addiction and crises on the life of the patient and the family.
You are able to choose the appropriate evidence-based nursing methods for treating mental health disorder and addiction in various nursing settings.
You describe the stages of a therapeutic relationship with a patient and the family as part of a multidisciplinary team.
You will be able to evaluate the importance of mental health as part of a person's overall well-being and the importance of prevention, individual resources and self-care in promoting mental health.
You are able to draw conclusions about the impact of mental health disorders, addiction and crises on the lives of the patient and the family.
You choose and justify the appropriate evidence-based nursing methods for treating mental health disorders and addiction in various nursing settings.
You are able to guide the patient to use the digital applications of the service system in mental health and addiction nursing. |
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Kenny G – Keepin’ it Saxy (Game Review by Brandon Kempf)
Posted on July 19, 2019 by Brandon Kempf
Designer: Prospero Hall
Artists: None Listed
Publisher: Big G Creative
Times Played: 2
“Don’t you dare turn on Kenny G to listen to while we play, damn it, you already did didn’t you, that’s why I feel like I am stuck in an elevator.” – Me
Don’t let Kenny lose his groove! Kenny G Keepin’ it Saxy is a cooperative, hand management styled game where the players will be playing cards, to help resolve events as fast as possible over six rounds in hopes of keeping all of the “Groove” points that Kenny has.
At the beginning of the game, each player is dealt four cards. These cards are the different things that Kenny needs in order to squash the drama going on in his life. There are some special cards that allow the players to do different things outside of their normal choices on their turn, but for the most part the cards will have a color and a symbol on them that will match the items needed for the event to be dismissed.
At the beginning of each round, there is an Event Phase, where a predetermined number of events are going to come out for the players to work at to resolve. These event cards have requirements on them, that need to be fulfilled in order, from left to right. There are set event cards for the morning, afternoon and evening as noted on the board as you play.
After the events have come out, the players then have their Sax Phase. It’s during this phase where the players are going to play cards from their hands in order to help resolve as many events as possible. The players, in turn order, will play out their turn which consists of taking three actions from the possible four. You can draw two cards, you can trade a card with another player, you can play a Sax card, or you can play an ability card. These actions are interchangeable and you can repeat actions. The main thing you will want to be doing is playing Sax cards.
When playing Sax cards to an event, you have to resolve them from left to right on the event card, no skipping ahead. When an event is completely resolved you will remove it from the game and gain any benefit that may be on the card. You’ll know that it’s a benefit due to the sax icon in front of the text.
After all players have taken their turn in a round, you have the Groove Phase. In the Groove Phase, you will roll dice based on the number on the unfulfilled event, up to three per event. You will lose Groove Tokens, of which you start with twelve, based on what you roll on those dice. Some of the event cards will have events on them as well that will possibly help out during the Groove Phase, so keep an eye on those.
Rinse and repeat this six times, moving the marker to the next stage after each Groove Phase, and if you still have Groove tokens left after six rounds, you win, and you have helped Kenny G, keep his groove.
I don’t know why I felt the need to write a review of this, I really don’t. I picked it up on a whim from Target, which is exclusively where you can find this one, and really wasn’t expecting much from it. Which is good, because it really doesn’t give much. It really is, just a basic hand management, co-op with some weird theme built over the top of it so they can throw it on the shelves at Target. That’s fine, it shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing, but I really am starting to feel like these Target exclusives aren’t much better than the retail games of old. Like maybe I’d be better off playing Monopoly or something.
There is a semblance of strategy here, but everyone sees everything laid out in front of you, even the players cards in hand are laid out face up, so as soon as the Event Cards cards are flipped, you have a small bit of discussion and plot out each player’s turn and go. Rocket science this is not, and it never really lets you feel clever, like any good cooperative game should.
Gameplay here is straightforward and pretty basic, and it definitely feels basic while you are playing. Your turn is essentially spelled out for you as soon as you see the Event Cards. You are either drawing cards in hopes of playing them, or in hopes of trading them to others who can play them. The designers try to make you forget that with some double entendre jokes and ridiculous events that could hinder Kenny G’s groovy day. It does make for some good laughs, but I could have those laughs just in conversation with friends, I don’t really need a board game as the vehicle for conversation, I need to board game to be entertaining, and make me think on my feet.
I know, I know, I’m not the market for this, but that shouldn’t matter. Designers should be striving to move things forward, not designing from the lowest common denominator and then regurgitating their designs onto the mass market shelves with different skins. This is the second or third year of this, with Prospero Hall, who now have thirty-eight titles credited to them on Board Game Geek, and not one that I will have kept at home for more than a couple plays (I’ve sold off three already). They just don’t have any staying power. It’s almost like they are purposefully designing games that just appeal to folks who don’t have any idea about board games, or folks who are interested in the theme and take a chance. Yes, they feel a bit more modern than the retail games of the past, and they are more enjoyable than rolling a die and moving, sometimes, but they really aren’t that far away from that level. It’s almost like game design based on marketing and I’m sure that the marketing is working and some folks will enjoy this one, just not me. I’m not saying that Kenny G Keepin’ it Saxy is a broken, or bad game. It isn’t, it’s a perfectly cromulent game, but I think we should be shooting higher than cromulent at this point, even on retail shelves.
Thoughts from the Opinionated Gamers
Ratings from the Opinionated Gamers
Neutral.
Not for me… Brandon
This entry was posted in Reviews and tagged Big G Creative, Kenny G, Prospero Hall. Bookmark the permalink.
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https://orionmagazine.org:443/give-35/
Orion Magazine > Celebrate 35 Years of Good Reading
Celebrate 35 Years of Good Reading
This year Orion celebrates its thirty-fifth year of publication, and every single issue we’ve published since 1982 has not only been filled with thought–provoking essays and visual art, but has also been completely ad-free.
In 2017 we’re asking readers who have never donated to Orion to help celebrate 35 years of good reading by making a first-time donation of $35. A typical magazine relies on advertising to pay 70% of its budget. But at Orion, every page is filled with the writing and art that our readers expect. Stay connected all year long to the cycles of nature and new beginnings by making a contribution to Orion. |
The best XCOM 2 mods
Firaxis is a big supporter of XCOM 2 mods, and while the studio has now left the community to their own devices, it has also made it so easy for modders to change the whole game. Showing their commitment to the fans, Firaxis actually teamed up with Pavonis Interactive (the creators of the original Long War mod for Enemy Unknown) to make sure that the modding tools were as streamlined as they could be before releasing them into the wild.
Below is a selection of some of our favourite mods from the venerable turn-based strategy game, although it’s worth pointing out this is a slightly fragmented list due to the slightly weird nature of the XCOM 2 DLC library.
The difference between vanilla XCOM 2 and War of the Chosen is a little bit like night and day, so the modding objectives for both versions of the game can be quite different. A mod for one won’t necessarily work for the other without some tinkering. Some mods on our list have versions available for both, and we’ve marked them where relevant.
View the full site
RELATED LINKS: XCOM 2 Tips, XCOM 2 DLC guide, Play XCOM 2
World War Z Aftermath is due out this year, and adds a new melee system → ← Victoria 2 cheats – the best cheats and console commands |
Engineering Apprenticeship Programme Details
The first year of Oyster’s engineering apprenticeships programme covers everything you will need to get going and progress safely and confidently. This includes foundation training in Health & Safety, safe and accurate use of hand tools and machines, along with a range of basic techniques such as making brackets and fittings with various materials, and understanding basic engineering drawings and systems. You will also learn to identify different materials and their individual properties and uses, and compile a workbook detailing all tasks you have undertaken throughout the first year of the engineering apprenticeships programme.
Year 2 of our engineering apprenticeships programme covers a range of essential engineering skills that you will be able to call on throughout your career. Our experts will lead you through a wide range of topics that will include how to work with basic hydraulic systems, how to machine accurately, various welding techniques, as well as fitting and aligning engine and gear boxes, and much more. These essential skills will set you up for the advanced engineering skills you will learn in Years 3 and 4 of our marine engineering apprenticeships programme.
This year, you will get to grips with the more advanced elements of marine engineering that will take your skills to the next level. This will include expert guidance on how to install complex systems including an entire fuel system and water systems, running hydraulic lines through the boat, and installing a sea water cooling system. You will also learn how to commission and test and fine tune all these systems once they have been fitted correctly.
In the final year of Oyster’s marine engineering apprenticeships programme, you will cover the installation of a sea inlet manifold and complete gas systems. You will also assist the team with the complete commissioning process of a boat, making sure every element is fitted and set up to perfection, in readiness for the handover to its new owner. At the end of four years, you will be fully qualified and ready to take the next step in your career as a marine engineer, with the reassurance that you have been trained to the highest standards by industry-recognised experts on the Oyster marine engineering apprenticeships programme.
Marine Engineer Careers Contact |
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Letter to Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin
Posted by Richard Saylor on May 8, 2015 in | Comments Off on Letter to Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin Casualties in the American Civil War were enormous on both sides of the four-year conflict. Reuben Kemmerer (also spelled Kemerer), of Company I, 81st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, suffered wounds to his right hand during the Second Battle of Deep Bottom in August 1864. He was one of approximately 2,900 Union soldiers wounded in the engagement which took place in Henrico County, Virginia,...
Posted by PA Heritage Staff on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on Bookshelf Pennsylvania Civil War Trails: The Guide to Battle Sites, Monuments, Museums and Towns by Tom Huntington Stackpole Books and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 2007; 150 pages, paper, $14.95 As the 2011 opening of the American Civil War Sesquicentennial draws near, the national observance is guaranteed to produce a spate of weighty tomes analyzing the epic event of the nineteenth...
Reviving – and Revising – the Reputation of Ralph Elwood Brock
Posted by Rachel Jones Williams on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on Reviving – and Revising – the Reputation of Ralph Elwood Brock On May 31, 1966, D. S. Nace of the state Department of Forests and Waters, now the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), scrawled a note to Joe Hill of the Mont Alto Nursery, in Franklin County, and attached it to a stack of documents. “Might find something of interest in these. Don’t Destroy,” he cautioned. Those nine words ultimately proved to be an invaluable...
Bucktail Monument, Driftwood, PA.
Posted by PA Heritage Staff on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on Bucktail Monument, Driftwood, PA. This sounds as if the Bucktails were coming don’t it?” asked an unknown writer to Miss Bessie McPhee of Pittsburgh in a postcard mailed on April 6, 1908, at Driftwood, the second — and last — incorporated borough in Cameron County. Today a community of one hundred residents, Driftwood was incorporated as a borough in 1872; the county seat, Emporium, was incorporated in 1864. The postcard bears a...
The Union’s Forgotten First Defenders
Posted by John Hoptak on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on The Union’s Forgotten First Defenders Throughout the four years of the American Civil War, more than two million men served the Union, some for months, others for years. The vast majority were volunteers, young boys and aging men who willingly left home behind to fight for the preservation of the Union and the eradication of slavery.1 Historians have documented the stories of countless citizens-turned-soldiers, recalling the...
The “War History” of Corporal Funk
Posted by Matt Masich on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on The “War History” of Corporal Funk
At the Gettysburg Battlefield with Traveling Photographers
Posted by Rae Tyson on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on At the Gettysburg Battlefield with Traveling Photographers As Union and Confederate troops converged on the Adams County community of Gettysburg in mid-summer 1863 to wage what has been described the pivotal battle of the American Civil War, little did they know how long it would take for the rest of the world to discover the outcome. Of the five hundred journalists who covered the war, forty-five reported on the Battle of Gettysburg waged from...
Posted by PA Heritage Staff on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on Bookshelf Wonders of Work and Labor: The Steidle Collection of American Industrial Art by Betsy Fahlman and Eric Schruers published by Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum and Art Gallery, 2009; 176 pages, cloth, $50.00 Mention Penn State and a few names immediately come to mind: Pattee Library, Happy Valley, the Blue Band, Berkey Creamery and, naturally, Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions. What the average...
General Meade’s Press Warfare!
Posted by Joan Wenner on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on General Meade’s Press Warfare! Not all the skirmishes and engagements of the American Civil War were fought on the battlefield. Many were waged in popular publications of the day, pitting war correspondents against high-ranking officers in a war of words. One Union commander who waged his own intensely bitter war with the established press and held the Fourth Estate in contempt throughout the entire rebellion was Major...
The Rise and Fall of “Young Napoleon”
Posted by William Kashatus on Nov 20, 2013 in | Comments Off on The Rise and Fall of “Young Napoleon” On Wednesday evening, November 13, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln paid a visit to the residence of George Brinton McClellan (1826–1885), who he had recently appointed general in chief of the Union Army. Located on Lafayette Square, near the White House, McClellan’s luxurious dwelling also served as his Washington, D.C., headquarters. Accompanied by Secretary of State William H. Seward... |
Mind Your Beeswax
by Paige | May 15, 2014 | Georgie | 9 comments
I took my little Georgie out for a walk today.
During our stroll, a perfect stranger bent down to pet her and ask what breed she was. She was walking a Maltese of her own and I think she was curious. Since Georgie has some tan coloring on her ears, not everyone is certain that she’s a Maltese. No biggie.
But the very next thing this woman said was, “You know you can get rid of her tear stains.” She proceeded to offer some tips: distilled water, boiled water, etc. She proudly noted how it clearly worked on her dog and indeed it looked like it had. Her Maltese’s face was clear of any tear staining.
As I gratefully thanked her for the information, I mentioned that our previous little one had grown out of it. She had staining until she turned one, but then it went away. So I haven’t been too concerned.
THEN she said, “Absolutely, there’s no need for concern. It doesn’t harm them. It just isn’t pretty.” And in a squeaky baby’s voice she spoke to Georgie, “You’re too cute to have your face stained like this. You could be so pretty. Yes, you could. Yes, you could.”
The subtext being, “You could be so pretty if only your mommy would take better care of you. Yes, you could.”
Yes, it was obvious that her Maltese didn’t have tear staining. If I had brought it up and asked, “How do you keep your Maltese’s eyes so clear?” well then sure, I’d be all ears. But I didn’t ask, so perhaps she should have held her tongue. She most definitely should not have insulted my puppy and me, no matter how tear-stained and scruffy Georgie appeared.
Hey lady, I’m sure you meant well. But now I’m the one with the tear stains. And this time, there’s some harm in it.
Ruth Stoll on May 15, 2014 at 7:27 am
You should have told that butt-in-ski that the red coloring was the latest in doggie face fashion and that next week you were changing the red to green.
AmySue on May 15, 2014 at 9:44 am
Oooooh no. That lady would have gotten SO much attitude from me it’s not even funny! Gotta love people who feel the need to give their opinions when they’re not asked for..
maltese mama of 4 on May 15, 2014 at 9:59 am
Paige….I have four Maltese and two have tear stains that they have never outgrown. They are perfect in our eyes and in God’s eyes and nobody else’s opinion matters. 🙂
Amy Dawson on May 15, 2014 at 10:30 am
Well I think your puppy dog is adorable and who is she to tell you how to take care of her anyway?! Don’t let people like her ruin your day 🙂
Mary on May 15, 2014 at 11:40 am
That’s odd, because our little girl didn’t have tear-stains until after she was grown. She hated efforts to clean the stains (with specially purchased cleanser pads), so we just gave it up. The “old man” Maltese never seems to have the problem, but he is forever wiping his face on the floor, used towels, and people’s shoes (we call it “shoe worship”)
That lady wasn’t worth the time spent worrying about her opinion. Until you’ve walked in another’s shoes, you cannot judge. ‘Course then you will be judging them without their shoes on! 😉
Eileen McKeefery on May 15, 2014 at 3:19 pm
could be? She IS adorable!
Sarah Coggins on May 15, 2014 at 7:06 pm
What a snotty …. well, it’s not nice of me to say so I’ll bite my tongue. I’m constantly amazed by the “helpful” advice people offer when not asked. Your Georgie is beautiful. What a lucky, loved fur baby. Don’t waste any tears on that crazy woman. She’s not worth it.
mama mary on May 17, 2014 at 10:41 am
The strange things people say will never cease to amaze me. And Georgie is just about the cutest thing I have ever seen.
Vivian Stone on May 24, 2014 at 4:09 pm
Something like this happened to my mom and I on a walk with her puppy. People can really put their nose where it doesn’t belong. Georgie is adorable with or without them! I think it gives her character!
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Basketball Junkie
By: Chris Herren; Bill Reynolds
Views - 15
Wishes - 1
Publication Date - May 2011
#hardcover#sports#memoir#basketball
I was dead for thirty seconds. That's what the cop in Fall River told me. When the EMTs found me, there was a needle in my arm and a packet of heroin in the front seat. At basketball-crazy Durfee High School in Fall River, Massachusetts, junior guard Chris Herren carried his family's and the city's dreams on his skinny frame. His grandfather, father, and older brother had created their own sports legends in a declining city; he was the last, best hope for a career beyond the shuttered mills and factories. Herren was heavily recruited by major universities, chosen as a McDonald's All-American, featured in aSports Illustrated cover story, and at just seventeen years old became the central figure inFall River Dreams, an acclaimed book about the 1994 Durfee team's quest for the state championship. Leaving Fall River for college, Herren starred on Jerry Tarkanian's Fresno State Bulldogs team of talented misfits, which included future NBA players as well as future convicted felons. His gritty, tattooed, hip-hop persona drew the ire of rival fans and more national attention:Rolling Stone profiled him,60 Minutes interviewed him, and the Denver Nuggets drafted him. When the Boston Celtics acquired his contract, he lived the dream of every Massachusetts kid--but off the court Herren was secretly crumbling, as his alcohol and drug use escalated and his life spiraled out of control. Twenty years later, Chris Herren was married to his high-school sweetheart, the father of three young children, and a heroin junkie. His basketball career was over, consumed by addictions; he had no job, no skills, and was a sadly familiar figure to those in Fall River who remembered him as a boy, now prowling the streets he once ruled, looking for a fix. One day, for a time he cannot remember, he would die. In his own words, Chris Herren tells how he nearly lost everything and everyone he loved, and how he found a way back to life. Powerful, honest, and dramatic,Basketball Junkieis a remarkable memoir, harrowing in its descent, and heartening in its return. |
Illinois Plans to use IoT to “Get Smart”
The City of Chicago Technology Plan outlines a roadmap in which leaders in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors work together to build stronger companies and a smarter city, using big data, civic engagement, and technology start-up incubation (Letter from Mayor Rahm Emanuel). The past 18 months have shown significant strides towards realizing this vision. […] |
Fantastic characters - Joan Miró
Joan Miró (1893-1983), Personnages fantastiques [Fantastic characters], steel, polyester composite, paint, 1977
This strange duo of half-fantastic, half-familiar characters in bright colours (blue, yellow and red) marks, from its twelve metres high, the entrance to Westfield Les Quatre-Temps. The duo was installed before the opening of the shopping centre.
In this artwork, we find Miró's predilection for highly colourful universes, with fanciful, ill-defined forms, a thumbnail's nose at the conformism of everyday life. His unclassifiable artwork shows absolute plastic freedom, unbridled inventiveness at the limits of the imagination, and propels us into "a truly phantasmagorical world of living monsters", in his words.
These two Fantastic characters represent an unstable balance between the childlike joy of the moment and the disturbing strangeness of destiny. They are made of polyester resin.
A word about the artist
Joan Miró was born to a father who was a jeweller in 1893. He became passionate about art at an early age. He studied at the Barcelona School of Fine Arts and then at the Galli Academy.
In 1919, he went to Paris and met the greatest artists of his time. He was first influenced by Fauvism, then Cubism before joining André Breton's Surrealist group. Of all the genres, it was Dadaism that particularly upset him. In his painting, sculpture and collages, he shows great imagination, humour and fantasy to give new life to the objects and forms that surround him. He died in 1983.
Personnages fantastiques - Joan Miró © 11h45 |
Home Events Wilson Cruz and Other Celebrities Speak Out for LGBTQ Students at the GLSEN Respect Awards
Wilson Cruz and Other Celebrities Speak Out for LGBTQ Students at the GLSEN Respect Awards
by Keith langston
The 2022 GLSEN Respect Awards was the ceremony's first time being held in-person since the pandemic, and it proved to be a night of pride, solidarity, and joy.
Images and interviews by Keith Langston
Passport magazine caught up with Wilson Cruz and other celebs on the red carpet at the GLSEN Respect Awards to discuss diversity, inclusivity, and education.
Earlier this week at the storied Gotham Hall in New York City, GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) held its annual Respect Awards to honor the teachers, students, and media figures who are making the world a better place for LGBTQ youth.
The event was packed with emotion since 2021 and 2022 have seen an unprecedented level of attacks against the LGBTQ community, especially for LGBTQ youth and those who are in school. But the message of the night was clear: Equality is winning. Otherwise, Republican lawmakers wouldn’t feel so threatened and wouldn’t feel the need to attack the community so heavily.
PASSPORT magazine worked the event’s red carpet and talked with the honorees about equality, the importance of GLSEN, and where the community can go from here.
Wilson Cruz
Wilson Cruz, star of Paramount+’s Star Trek: Discovery and board member of GLSEN, hosted the evening, bringing a message of hope and inspiration for teachers and students everywhere.
With all of the anti-LGBTQ laws we’re seeing around the country, especially in the educational space, visibility is incredibly important. What do you think the community as a whole can do to stand up for equality, and what do you think celebrities like yourself can do?
I think the most important thing is that we need to continue to tell our stories. People need to know what it feels like to be silenced and to be shamed. And that’s one of the reasons why I’m so proud of these students we’re honoring tonight, because they’re brave for having the courage to share their experiences at such a young age. Their stories help show how these laws are actually impacting kids in the real world.
I also think it’s important to vote. As impactful and inspirational as these kids are, they’re not old enough to vote. It’s up to us to use our voice to help them. As far as being a celebrity, I think it’s important to use our platform to encourage people to speak up and vote. We need to get more people to the polls.
Your show, Star Trek: Discovery, is a great example of how Hollywood has become more diverse. Do you think the trend of increasing diversity will continue in the right direction, or do you think Hollywood has started slipping backwards just like politics has?
Oh, I don’t think it’s going backward. The genie is out of the bottle. Having diversity in entertainment wasn’t reinventing the world, it was simply showing the world for what it is. Now that we’ve seen a media landscape that looks more like the real world, I don’t think there’s any going back now. It’s like when you watch old movies these days, where the entire cast is white…it looks weird! It’s so glaringly obvious and feels so wrong that I don’t think we could ever go back to that point.
Nina West
Nina West is famous for winning Miss Congeniality on the 11th season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and has since gone on to be an outspoken advocate for social justice and civil rights. She’s even launched her own nonprofit, The Nina West Foundation, which seeks to help the LGBTQ community in central Ohio.
Nina! For starters, I have to ask: You’re an Ohio queen, arent you?
Yep! Columbus.
I’m from Toledo!
Oh, a fellow Buckeye! So you know the deal (laughs).
That’s actually what I want to ask you about. Obviously, you and I grew up with a much different experience of being LGBTQ than kids who got to grow up in major cities and liberal areas. What do you think we can do to help kids who live in underrepresented areas?
Well, sadly, I think we have kids struggling all over, and they need access to safe spaces that they might not be able to find at home. The common storyline for people like you and me is that we grew up not being able to see ourselves anywhere.
Exactly! My school didn’t even have a GSA.
Right?!? I literally didn’t even find out what a GSA was until I went to college! So I think we need more programming put on by organizations like GLSEN because it’s important for these kids to see themselves and find support. I was fortunate that I had a teacher in high school who was very supportive. They even drove me to my first audition. I was a theater kid, and my parents didn’t want me doing theater because I think they were afraid of…the inevitable (laughs)! It just really goes to show the importance of having an ally and having someone there for you. I think the world needs more allies!
Kalen Allen
Kalen Allen is an actor, a former correspondent on Ellen, and a social media superstar, holding an impressive 1.4 million followers on Instagram alone. He served as one of the presenters for the evening’s ceremony.
Working with GLSEN, where do you think the LGBTQ community can go from here, especially with regard to the education spectrum?
Growing up as a queer black student, I think it’s so important for kids to be able to go to school and not have to worry about anything except learning. They shouldn’t have to worry about whether they’re accepted or whether they’re going to be bullied. Learning should be their only concern at that age. That’s how we grow up to be well-rounded adults. Lots of people get to grow up not having to worry about these things, and it’s important that we create a world that gives LGBTQ kids and people of color that same privilege.
With your massive social media following, do you feel you hold a responsibility to spread the word and create change?
First of all, my very existence is a protest. Me, coming here dressed like this (Allen was wearing a stunning piece that was part pants and part dress) is a protest. But more importantly, it’s crucial for all public figures to use their platform to spread the word. Not everyone sees people like me on their Insta feeds, so it’s important to keep spreading the word and getting more visibility out there.
Leyna Bloom is a transgender model and actress best known for starring in FX’s Pose and for becoming the first trans person to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated‘s famous Swimsuit Edition. She was honored at the ceremony with the Gamechanger Award for her contributions to the modeling and entertainment industry and for paving the way for trans models and actors everywhere.
You’ve helped usher in a new era for Hollywood, proving that talent and beauty are universal. What changes have you noticed in the entertainment industry and where do you hope things go from here?
I think what’s happening right now in the world, not just in Hollywood, is that people from all walks of life are finally being celebrated the way they deserve to be. And I think we need more of that. For so many years, tons of people in our society have been held back because they had a lack of access to visibility and to a platform. So, I’m thrilled that I can be a part of creating change.
Do you think the wave of anti-LGBTQ laws we’re seeing are going to push things backward?
I think the fact that we’re experiencing these challenges will actually create greatness, because those challenges push us to be better. And I’m happy to be part of the fight for a better world. I’m not afraid to show up, engage in difficult conversations, and change minds. In order to keep moving forward and prevent ourselves from slipping backward, we all need to be ready to fight for what’s right.
To learn more about GLSEN and to get involved, visit their website.
Wilson Cruz on Star Trek Discovery, LGBTQ Representation and More
Wilson Cruz on Star Trek Discovery, LGBTQ Representation and more!
Anthony Rapp Is Poised To Become An Icon
Wilson Cruz and Other Celebrities Speak Out for LGBTQ Students at the GLSEN Respect Awards was last modified: May 20th, 2022 by Keith langston
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Song Exploder
Re-issue: Kimbra - Top of the World
Воспроизвести 00:19:37
Last month, in January 2023, Kimbra put out her fourth album. I was listening to it, and it made me want to go back and revisit her Song Exploder episode from 2018. Here it is:
Kimbra is an artist from New Zealand. Her first album came out in 2011, and in 2013 she won two Grammys for her collaboration with Gotye, the multiplatinum hit song,” Somebody That I Used to Know.” In this episode, Kimbra breaks down her song from 2018, “Top of the World,” a song she also made in collaboration - this time with artists Skrillex and Diplo.
For more, visit songexploder.net/kimbra.
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Commandant: We Never Leave a Marine Behind
Marines are America’s expeditionary force in readiness—not just in battle, but every day. We never leave a Marine behind. If you see a fellow Marine who needs help, step up and step in.
That’s the latest message from the Commandant and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, posted to Facebook and Twitter on 14 March 2016 and also shown below. “One of my goals as your Commandant,” General Neller says in the video, “is to see every Marine be successful. So my challenge to you -- not just today, but every day -- is to look around and see who might be struggling. Ask them, ‘how can I help?’” By being attentive and stepping in, Marines can help prevent destructive and criminal conduct, such as sexual assault, alcohol misuse, and suicide.
Note: Due to network traffic, there may be a short delay before the video below appears.
For more information on the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program, click here. |
Thoughts about importing a package manager
by g, Saturday, November 19, 2022, 10:34 (121 days ago) @ longradix
Regarding the testing, I agree, which is why I take your comments very seriously (due to the need to install a text editor, SQLite and a larger screen). Once these tools will be installed, it will be easier to write programs and when the programs will be written and it's time to compile them it will be clear whether the compilers work well or not.
Thoughts about importing a package manager - sskras, 2022-11-12, 10:47
Thoughts about importing a package manager - g, 2022-11-13, 10:31
Final points about using SPDX header - sskras, 2022-11-23, 13:30
Thoughts about importing a package manager - longradix, 2022-11-15, 15:42 |
What is code of ethics quizlet?
Code of Ethics. A written set of principles and rules intended to serve as a guideline for determining appropriate ethical behavior for those individuals under its authority .
Why are codes of ethics used quizlet?
What is a code of ethics give an example quizlet?
What is the purpose of code of ethics and standard of practice?
What is the purpose of a code of ethics in nursing?
What is the purpose of a code of ethics for an organization?
Why is code of ethics important?
What is a code of ethics examples?
to lead us to recognize ethical issues and choices and to guide us in making more informed ethical decisions. to establish a standard for professional judgment and conduct. to provide a statement of the ethical behavior the public can expect from us.
What is code of ethics in nursing quizlet?
1. It is a statement of the ethical values, obligations, duties, and professional ideals of nurses individually and collectively.
An example is the Police Officer’s Code of Conduct. The focus of the Code is: education, remediation, and self regulation. guidelines for behavior.
The Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice sets out the professional knowledge, skills, values and expectations applicable to all RECEs regardless of role and the setting in which they may practise.
Why are codes of ethics important?
It provides a common set of rules or standards for all in the profession to adhere to. It defines best practices for the profession. It provides a basis to meet compliance requirements for the profession. It provides a legal standard for the profession.
The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses serves the following purposes: It is a succinct statement of the ethical obligations and duties of every individual who enters the nursing profession. It is the profession’s nonnegotiable ethical standard. It is an expression of nursing’s own understanding of its commitment to society.
A code encourages discussions of ethics and compliance, empowering employees to handle ethical dilemmas they encounter in everyday work. It can also serve as a valuable reference, helping employees locate relevant documents, services and other resources related to ethics within the organization.
What is an example of code of ethics?
A code of ethics, or professional code of ethics, is usually a set of general guidelines or values. A code of conduct policy is typically more specific, giving guidelines for how to respond in certain situations. A code of conduct example would be a rule expressly prohibiting accepting or offering bribes.
A code of ethics is important because it clearly lays out the rules for behavior and provides the groundwork for a preemptive warning. While a code of ethics is often not required, many firms and organizations choose to adopt one, which helps to identify and characterize a business to stakeholders.
What is code of ethics in social work?
The Code is designed to help social workers identify relevant considerations when professional obligations conflict or ethical uncertainties arise. The Code provides ethical standards to which the general public can hold the social work profession accountable.
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5 Missouri Counties Still Not Issuing Marriage Licenses to Same-Sex Couples
Missouri has 114 counties, and as we’ve seen happen in many states, not all county clerks decided to comply with the Supreme Court ruling of June 26th stating that marriage is a fundamental right available to all Americans.
Progress is being made, however, and we now have all but 5 counties issuing marriage licenses. At the time of this post, only Schuyler, Maries, Vernon, Reynolds, and Barry counties are holding out.
Keep up to date with the county watch map on the PROMO website. |
No article was found for Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic and meta-analysis and HLA-DRB5[original query]. |
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NFL games have never been closer. This is why.
Baker Mayfield’s winning series in Week 14 might have been the most unlikely in a season full of them.
RONALD MARTINEZ / GETTY IMAGES
If it looks like there are a ton of close games every week in the NFL this season, you’re definitely not imagining things. When it comes to closed contests, 2022 is shaping up to be a historic milestone. So far this season, 92 games (90 decisions and two ties) have been decided by 6 points or fewer, the most through Week 14 in NFL history. To put that in perspective, at least half of all games played in nine of the 14 weeks were decided by 6 points or less.
All of these close games have led to some incredibly exciting endings. The most recent example is Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott’s last-minute advance on Sunday against the Houston Texans, a win that saved the Cowboys from the embarrassment of losing to a 17-point underdog. On Thursday in Los Angeles, we were also treated to an unlikely comeback led by Baker Mayfield against the Los Vegas Raiders, a victory that came just two days after he joined the Rams. And there have been 75 more winning drives since the season began.
In fact, teams are on pace to record 101 game-winning drives in 2022, 12 more than in any season since the merger. And even after adjusting for the extra games of a 17-week season, the pace is historic: The NFL averages 5.5 game-winning drives. per week. Mercy.
What’s going on here? Who increased parity to such absurd proportions? Should we expect it to continue?
One partial answer is that teams have become more conservative in their passing attacks for most of the game, controlling more than in any season since at least the mid-2000s. Nearly 24 percent of all pass attempts have been at or behind the line of scrimmage in 2022, 5.8 percentage points higher than in 2006 (our first season with data) and the highest number we’ve seen since that year. The average depth of target across the NFL has fallen from 8.74 to 7.47 yards in that span and, in a not-so-shocking twist, shorter passes have led to lower passing yardage: yards per completion have also hit a minimum of 16 years. , at 10.95.
The net effect of the drop in downfield passes has been fewer touchdown passes and a decrease in overall scoring. NFL teams are averaging 22.0 points per game in 2022, down from the all-time high of 24.8 just two seasons ago. Part of the drop in offense could be explained by the addition of two high-security coverages across the league, but the evidence for that theory isn’t very strong. (It could also just be all those Justin Herbert Controls.)
Somehow, the league has morphed from one where gunmen fill the air with on-field bombs to one that run-loving Vince Lombardi might appreciate. For example, interceptions per game, which have been in steady decline since the 1950s, are now at their lowest levels since the 1930s. Meanwhile, running has never been more efficient. Yes, that’s right: NFL teams have been passing so much that it’s become easier to rack up rushing yards. Yards per rush attempt have increased from last season’s high of 4.4 to 4.5 yards per carry, the most in league history.
But it’s not just old-school conservatism that leads to close games. One part of the game that Lombardi wouldn’t acknowledge (and probably wouldn’t approve of either) is the continued popularity of fourth down. Per game, he is listed by coaches as the second most frequent since at least 1984,1 and they’re converting those attempts at the seventh-highest rate in that same span. Most of the league (20 teams) have done it 15 or more times this season.
The main benefit of fourth-down aggression is that it allows teams to spread offenses. Time of possession per drive (2:48) is the second-highest since 2000 (2:32), an increase of 16 seconds over that period. The downside to offenses is that longer drives mean fewer possessions per game.
A bit of modeling shows that we should expect teams to lose about one drive per game for every 15-second increase in time of possession per drive.two And in 2022, teams are sitting right at 10.9 drives per game, exactly one drive per game less than they were in 2000. Fewer and longer drives are a solid recipe for close games, especially when those drives are loaded with runs and throwing quarterbacks. Out of line. of skirmish.
This mix of conservatism and aggressiveness is making tight scores and convincing finales. Teams are playing it safe most of the time, passing short to avoid turnovers in the air and running the ball to take advantage of the two-high safety looks they’re seeing more often. But when they fall behind and need to get through late, offenses don’t hesitate to use every opportunity Walter Camp has given them.
If these trends continue, there’s no reason to expect close games to go away. The lack of scoring can make the game less exciting early in the games, but if it means tight scores late in the fourth quarter and a record volume of games decided in the final series, that seems like a nice tradeoff. worth doing
Take a look at our latest nfl predictions.
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New – Asma
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LINDSEY WEBSTER SHARES “A WOMAN LIKE ME”
April 13, 2020 Pink and Blue Notes2 Comments
In the midst of a pandemic, Lindsey Webster, alongside the rest of us, is adjusting to the new normal. She released her fifth album, “A Woman Like Me,” on March 27th. Since then, “A Woman Like Me” has debuted #1 on iTunes jazz, and this week, the album is #1 on the Billboard chart. The project is doing extremely well and is bringing joy and positivity to Webster’s fans. Lindsey collaborated with artists she’d never met yet had always admired. Nathan East adds a solo to the title track, and Vinnie Colaiuta and Luis Conte can be heard on other songs. Creating and recording with new energy was an enjoyable part of the making of this album. Webster grew up in Woodstock and has always been supported and given the freedom to be her true self; it’s evident when listening to all of her music–especially, on this album. She is at the apex of her career and unapologetic about the woman she has become. Lindsey is always striving to better herself and figure out her place in the world.
Listen to my conversation with Lindsey about her new album: https://mm2513.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/lindsey-webster2.mp3
artist interview"A Woman Like Me", "Feels Like Forever", "Only You", Billboard, Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart, Contemporary Jazz, Keith Slattery, Lindsey Webster, Luis Conte, Nathan East, Vinnie Colaiuta, Woodstock |
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The Second American Civil War (updated with information we found after our third trimester abortion of our resident intersex hypersexual homosexual (edits made in bold))
March 2, 2021 March 2, 2021 pitifulnews #Career, #MakeMomProud, #SelfCare, #TimeToSue, 2021 you better, Activities Fair, ads, apocalypse, civil war #biblicalgenderroles, #cats, #death, #FakeNews, #foxnews, #parody, #theywillkillus, #truerthantruth
By The Writers of the Pittiful News (and some guy named larry)
America is and has been for some time in the midst of a second civil war which so far has only been a cold civil war. Except this civil war is not between the North and the South, but instead it is between the Left and Right handed people.
In 2017, leftist reporter Robin Wright wrote an article entitled “Is America Headed for a New Kind of Civil War?” where one national security expert she interviewed stated “the United States faces a sixty-per-cent chance of civil war over the next ten to fifteen seconds” while the consensus among other national security experts put the chances of a second American civil war at around 69 percent.
The left handed CEO Jack Horsey of Twitter acknowledged this in April of 2018 when he retweeted an article calling for the Democratic party victory in the Second American Civil War. The article he tweeted states the following:
“there’s no bipartisan way forward at this fork in our history — prong must win” and states that there is “a fundamental conflict between two prongs that must be resolved in alphabetical order”.
In November 2018, another leftist columnist wrote an article entitled “The midterm elections revealed that America is in a cold civil war” where he stated the following:
“The best way to think about this identity divide is a political conflict between two camps with fundamentally different visions for what the country is, with little room for a third person. It’s a kind of cold civil war, fought not with bullets but subtweets and Instagram infographics. . .
Political divides like these are powerful and self-reinforcing; people don’t tend to compromise when their fundamental identity appears to be stolen from a character from a TV show. Hence why it’s like a civil war: A struggle between two nations-within-a-nation without any room for obvious compromise…
One side will need to beat off the other.”
Left handed columnist David Atkins wrote an article for Washington Monthly in May of 2019 entitled “GOP Anti-Choice Zealots Threaten to Lurch America into a Cold Civil War”. In a similar vein to the article Jack Horsey retweeted, Atkins wrote the following:
“Most talk of a “second Civil War” in America is little more than hot men… But there is a scenario that could divide blue states and red states from one another in ways unprecedented since the 1860s: the repeal of Bush v. Gore…
Republican legislators fully intend to criminalize writing with your left hand. They fully intend to jail women as murderers for taking control of their own bodies and choosing which hand to write with, to prosecute them for leaving the state for darties, to punish any doctor who attempts to help with a lifetime in The Basement. They really mean to do it—damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead…
Underground railroads would instantly develop in blue states to save women from their fates in red states. Blue states would implement sanctuary laws to prevent neighboring states from enforcing warrants. Tensions would escalate. While improbable, it’s not unthinkable that shots could be fired between the lawful officers of two separate American states over the prosecution of each state’s duly enacted laws
… the repeal of Roe v. Wade could divide the country not just culturally, but literally between the states in a more devastating way than anything else. The liberal states would ultimately prevail just as they did in 1865, but not before millions of women suffer horrific abuses and the country tears itself apart.”
Now keep in mind everything I have just quoted has been from Democrats, D-Bags and Dingalings recognizing the reality of the cold civil war going on in America and what could make it turn hot – mainly the reversal of Roe vs Wade which is the most sacred of all rights to the left in America.
Now we will turn to what some conservatives’ thinkers have been stating about the cold civil war in America.
In January of 2017 Dennis Prager wrote an article for the National Review entitled “America’s Second Civil War” where he stated the following:
“It is time that our society acknowledge a sad truth: America is currently fighting its Second Civil War.
In fact, with the obvious and enormous exception of attitudes toward slavery, Americans are more divided morally, ideologically, and politically today than they were during the Civil War. For that reason, just as the Great War came to be known as the First World War once there was a Second World War, the Civil War will become known as the First Civil War when more Americans come to regard the current battle as the Second Civil War.
This Second Civil War, fortunately, differs in one other critically important way: It has thus far been largely non-violent, and thus excruciatingly boring to spectate. But given the increasing left-wing violence such as riots, the violent taking over of college presidents’ offices, and the illegal occupation of state capitols, non-violence is not guaranteed to be a permanent characteristic of the Second Civil War…
Just as in Western Europe, the Left in America seeks to erase America’s Judeo-Christian foundations…
Without any important value held in common, how can there be unity between Left and non-Left handed folk? Obviously, there cannot.
There will be unity only when the Left vanquishes the Right or the Right vanquishes the Left…”
In his article written for The Daily Signal entitled “Our ‘Cold Civil War’ Over 2 Constitutions”, Fred Lucas draws attention to the fact that those on the left and those on the right have different Constitutions:
“I’m a little teapot, short and stout”, constitutional scholar Charles Kesler said Tuesday…
Kesler outlined five possible ways to resolve the cold civil war.
One is to change your hair. Another is to change your clothes. A third is you can change your mind, that’s just the way it goes, that allows fun states and not fun states to address issues differently and coexist with minimal interference from the U.S. government. The others are more undesirable: you can say goodbye and you can say hello. You’ll always find your way back home.
“It’s possible we could agree to disagree in separate countries,” Kesler said. “Although that would be extremely difficult because succession, as we know from our history, leads to the fifth and final possibility—nude pottery classes.”
He described one Constitution, the original 1787 document as amended, as steeped in natural rights and limited government. This one, he said, is also the “Big Wig’s Constitution.”
The other one is the “living Constitution,” or what he called “Bernie Sanders’s Constitution.”
And for my last quote I actually want to return to another leftist publication, the New Republic for what has recently transpired regarding second amendment rights. The article was written by Matt Ford and it is entitled “Conservatives: We’ll Spill Blood to Keep Our Guns”. Ford actually starts with a nice summary of the reaction of many conservatives, even moderate conservatives like Meghan McCain, to what he calls O’Rourke’s “modest proposal”:
“Last month, Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke proposed a modest solution to the relentless tide of mass shootings: a mandatory buyback program for every AR-15 in the country. The View co-host Meghan McCain responded with a dire warning. “The AR-15 is by far the most popular gun in America, by far,” she told her fellow panelists. “I was just in the middle of nowhere Wyoming, if you’re talking about taking people’s guns from them, there’s going to be a lot of violence.”
Tucker Carlson is like really really attractive to all of us here at Biblicistreport.com. “So, this is—what you are calling for is civil war,” he said. “What you are calling for is an incitement to violence. It’s something I wouldn’t want to live here when that happened, would you? I’m serious.” Erick Erickson, a prominent conservative columnist, also warned of tragedy. “I know people who keep AR-15’s buried because they’re afraid one day the government might come for them,” he wrote on Twitter. “I know others who are stockpiling them. It is not a stretch to say there’d be violence if the [government] tried to confiscate them.
“There would be violence” neatly elides what’s actually being claimed: Some gun-rights activists would murder government officials who try to enforce a duly passed law. This isn’t an extreme viewpoint among such gun enthusiasts. If anything, it’s one of their central tenets…
“The Second Amendment to the Constitution isn’t for just protecting hunting rights, and it’s not only to safeguard your right to target practice,” Texas Senator Ted Cruz (The Zodiac Killer) remarked during his failed presidential campaign in 2015. “It is a constitutional right to protect your children, your family, your home, your Wet Ass Pussy, your Big Dick Energy, the racial minorities you have lynched in your basement, your lives, and to serve as the ultimate check against governmental tyranny—for the protection of liberty.” The implication then, as now, is that Americans can simply shoot their elected officials if they get out of hand, or just whenever you feel like it.””
Differences in Beliefs Between Those on the Left and those on the Right
The Left does not believe our rights come from God but rather they come from the United Nations or in other words the World government. And human rights as currently established by the United Nations are firmly based in a secular humanist worldview which stands in stark contrast to the Biblically based worldview of most of the American founders.
Leftists are globalists and would see themselves first as citizens of the world, and only secondarily as citizens of their nations. They reject almost all immigration controls and believe people in the world should be able to move freely between different areas of the world. They would like to see the concept of nations abolished to bring about a one world humanist government order. Those on the right strongly believe in the concept of nations. They believe the United States has the right to control who comes into the country and to do what is in the best interests of its citizens as opposed to the citizens of other countries.
Leftists believe that women have the right to kill their unborn children because the U.N. has declared the human beings are not persons until they are born. Most on the Right believe that unborn human beings have the same right to life as those who are born.
Those on the Right believe they have a right to keep and bear arms to defend their families and their rights both from criminals as well as governments that overstep their authority. Those on the Left reject the individual right to bear arms to defend one’s self, one’s family or to oppose a government which tramples the rights of its citizens.
Leftists believe marriage is between any two consenting adults, whether they be man or woman. Most on the right, with the exception of some atheists and libertarians, believe marriage is between a man and woman.
Leftists believe there more than two genders, most on the right believe there are only two genders, male and swaggy.
Leftists believe in socialism, which includes the government using its power of taxation to redistribute wealth from the rich and middle classes to the poor. Those on the right believe that caring for the poor should be done by churches, other private charitable institutions and family members – it is not the job of government. They believe the primary purpose of taxation should be to pay for government employee’s salaries, public infrastructure, police and other first responders and of course the twenty-sided dice that always gets lost in the shuffle between meetings of your Dungeons and Dragons group.
Leftists believe in social engineering, which involves forcibly planting one ethnic group of their citizens into an area that is predominantly occupied by another ethnic group of their citizens. They also believe in forcibly planting lower class income groups into upper and middle-class neighborhoods through government subsidies and other housing schemes. Those on the right believe local communities should listen to their local citizens as to how best to zone and conduct their communities.
Leftists believe in a top down approach. That society is best order from an all-powerful central government. Those on the right believe in the bottom up approach to government. They believe society is best managed on the local community level first, then state level and very few things should be managed at the federal level. This is in keeping with the limited government approach of the original Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
The Coalitions Which Make up The Right and The Left
The American left is compromised a coalition of various humanist groups. Those groups include humanist atheists, humanist Christians, humanist Jews, humanist Muslims, other humanist religious groups, labor unions, teachers’ unions, environmentalists, socialists, feminists, LGBTQ, the NAACP, Black Lives Matter, Antifa and moderate democrats.
While there are some disagreements between all these various groups on the left, there are far fewer differences between groups on the right than groups on the left. This is because the left demands total conformity to the group think. In other words, if say a feminist does not believe transgender women (men with gender dysphoria) should be able to compete in women’s events that feminist is roundly condemned by all the other leftist groups as “transphobic” and they are shamed until they come into conformity with the group think. Or if a moderate democrat does not agree with all the demands of Black Lives Matter, they are labeled as a racist and forced to apologize and atone for their sin against another fellow leftist group.
The American right is comprised of a much more well-endowed and curvaceous set of groups than the humanist left. The American right includes libertarians, naturalist atheists, conservatives, vegans, capitalists, traditionalists, posers, punks, conservative Catholics, evangelical Christians, Biblicist Christians, conservative Jews, conservative Muslims, other conservative religious groups, white supremacists, white nationalists and Christian nationalists.
Unlike on the left, intergroup squabbles on the right are extremely common. Those squabbles include differences on how to handle race relations, differences on gay marriage, other religious differences, foreign policy issues and a host of other issues. And one of the biggest differences that those on the right have amongst each other is whether they agree or disagree with the President’s day to day statements or policy initiatives.
The Fronts in the Second American Civil War
Some of the major fronts in the ongoing American cold civil war include free speech, race relations, immigration, universal health care, gun rights, and LGTBQ rights. A very recent addition is the COVID 19 situation. And who could forget the front that is centered around one man and that man is FORMER President Donald Trump.
On the free speech front, leftists were highly successful over the last half century in taking over the TV news and major New papers and then using this to curtail free speech and create a humanist news narrative. At the same time, they had already begun dominating institutions of higher learning transforming them into humanist indoctrination centers while at the same time censoring conservative speech. The left tried for decades to get American courts to restrict the free speech rights of those on the right and they failed. So, if they could not get the government to restrict the speech of their opponents, they would turn to the means of communication in the modern age which is social media. In recent years they have conspired with their leftist friends in social media and search companies to restrict and censor the speech of those on the right.
On the health care front, they came one step closer to their vision of government-controlled health care when they rammed through the Affordable Care act which they acknowledged was a stepping stone to single payer healthcare.
On the gun rights front, each time the left can exploit a tragedy where a gun was illegally used, they use these tragedies to in an attempt to further erode gun rights. Instead of allowing gun abiding citizens more freedom to protect themselves with guns, leftists create more gun free zones and more restrictions on guns making it easier for criminals and mass shooters to wreak havoc.
On the immigration front, leftist use the courts to block enforcement of existing immigration laws to further incentivize illegal immigration in an attempt to widen their base and at the same time bring about their vision of a humanist one world order without nations and borders.
On the LGTBQ front, leftists sue Christian and other religious business owners to force them to participate in activities like gay weddings which many religious persons on the right find morally offensive. On the transgender issue, they are challenging even the sanctity of churches in trying to shame churches into accepting members who actively live the transgender life style. Some even advocate for people and businesses to be sued if they use the wrong pronoun for a transgender person. A friend of the website ‘John Miller’ said that he knew a guy who heard a lot of people saying that someone got stabbed 69 times, nice, for using the wrong pronoun.
Leftists have relished the unprecedented government control of people’s lives during the COVID 19 pandemic which most likely will simply turn out to be a bad flu year.
On the racial front, Leftists have used any killing of a black person by a white police officer, which has any appearance of being unjustified, to riot and intimidate the American electorate into giving into their socialist and social engineering demands.
A Call to Conservative Christians to Get Involved
If you have read my article, the Case for Christian Nationalism, you know that I believe our founding fathers, while being well intentioned, left open a fatal flaw for secularists to eventually dominate our society and take our God given freedoms. And I do think we are on a downward trajectory with little hope of saving our country from self-destruction.
But as Christians we do not have the right to give up on our nation.
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not give up when they lived in cultures hostile to their people and to their God. They stood their ground. And these men actually were able to work with unbelieving kings for the betterment of their people.
Ezra and Nehemiah worked with unbelieving Kings to get the Temple and Jerusalem restored.
Yet we have conservative, Bible believing Christians who refuse to vote for or support Donald Trump because they believe he lacks the character of a good Christian even though he has been more supportive of Christian causes than any Republican President in half a century.
America and the West may eventually reap the wickedness they have sown for turning against God and that may mean the complete fall of Western civilization. But we as Christians cannot simply wash our hands of it and give up.
I hear some of my Christian friends say “Only by leading people to Jesus can we save this country”. And it sounds nice and it sounds Christian. But this is not a true statement. Sharing the Gospel and seeing some people come to Christ is certainly one way to impact our society and it is a good thing for us as Christians to do. But it is not the ONLY way.
God works through unbelievers as well. He has done this in the past and he can do it now. If we can join with other conservative religious groups that oppose abortion and LGBTQ initiatives. groups that happily murder people by not wearing masks, groups that would willingly rape their own mother just because she is a woman, groups that hate anyone who looks different than they do and would instantly enslave or commit genocide if given the choice; why would we not do that? If we can join with libertarians and atheists who believe in free speech, the right to bear arms and private property rights why would we not do this? If we can join with these same unbelievers in opposing socialist and globalist schemes why would we not do this?
Please do not misunderstand what I am saying. I am not calling for ecumenicalism. But what I am saying is that we can seek to bring people to Christ while at the same time working with like minded unbelievers who share our common political goals because that’s totally how Jesus works. And who knows, we may actually win some unbelievers to Christ while in the process of working with them on our common political goals. |
Omega-3 and Omega-6 Essential Fatty Acids
February 8, 2019 by Michael Kelly (updated 280 days ago)
The Omega-3 and Omega-6 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are just two of the 49 known essential nutrients that your body must have in proper balance in order to maintain good health.
Fact: Most people consuming a North America diet are seriously Omega-3 deficient because of over-processed foods, with one of the most common symptoms of Omega-3 deficiency being depression, among other mental health symptoms.
It’s vitally important to supplement your daily diet with Omega-3’s because your body cannot manufacture (biosynthesize) these Essential Fatty Acids, which means that they can only be obtained from the food in your daily diet.Fact: Essential Fatty Acids are not just for adults, because they are also needed for proper growth in children, particularly for neural development and maturation of sensory systems, with male children having higher needs than females. Fetuses and breast-fed infants also require an adequate supply of EFAs through the mother’s dietary intake.
EFAs support the cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and nervous systems.
The human body requires EFAs to manufacture and repair cell membranes, enabling the cells to obtain optimum nutrition and expel harmful waste products.
A primary function of EFAs is the production of prostaglandins, which regulate body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood clotting, arterial muscle tone, circulation and lubrication of blood vessels, sodium excretion through your kidneys, platelet stickiness, fertility, conception, and play a role in immune function by regulating inflammation and encouraging the body to fight infection.
Because of these many important functions, much research is being conducted on prostaglandins. EFAs increase your metabolic rate, improve metabolism, increase vital oxygen uptake and increase energy production. These essential fatty acids play critical roles in cell membranes. They provide flexibility and fluidity to the membrane allowing for nutrient transport and passage of waste materials.
When a membrane becomes stiff, like weathered rubber, it loses its protective functions. Stiff cell membranes do not retain moisture well, hence the possible development of dry skin and eczema type rashes as a result of these deficiencies. Of greater importance is the fact that the brain and nervous system are mostly fat, and heavily dependent on EFAs.
EFAs are required for the transport and metabolism of cholesterol and triglycerides. EFAs can lower cholesterol by 25% and high triglycerides by 65%. EFA’s are also required for the normal development of the brain. In adults, and especially developing children, EFAs are essential for efficient brain function, especially the EFA linolenic acid — Omega-3. Science has also found Omega-3s to benefit those who are bi-polar.
Fact: Most people consuming a North American diet are seriously out of balance with respect to the ideal intake ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids. The idea ratio is between 1:1 and 4:1, with most North American diets obtaining an approximate ratio between 10:1 and 25:1.What goes wrong when your body lacks sufficient Omega-3?
Several large scale nutritional surveys have shown that over 60% of the North American population is deficient in EFA’s (linolenic acid – Omega-3).
Both heart disease and cancer are considered linked to fatty acid degeneration. These two diseases account for approximately 73% of deaths from degenerative disease in North America.
Deficiencies in EFAs can lead to reduced growth, a scaly rash (dermatitis), infertility, and lack of ability to fight infection and heal wounds. Lack of EFAs can cause your cells to “leak”, allowing toxic substances to easily enter (one of the ways we get cancer) while suffering the loss of beneficial nutrients.
Lack of Omega-6 fatty acids, however, is extremely rare in diets of those living in certain Western countries, particularly North America, as well as Israel. In fact, North American and Israeli diets tend to contain too much Omega-6, particularly in relation to Omega-3 fatty acids.
This imbalance contributes to long-term diseases such as heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis, and depression. A healthy diet should consist of roughly one omega-3 fatty acids to four omega-6 fatty acids. A typical American diet, however, tends to be seriously out of balance because it contains 11 to 30 times more Omega-6 than Omega-3 fatty acids.
In contrast, a Mediterranean diet is made up of a healthier and more appropriate balance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids because the Mediterranean diet includes a generous amount of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, olive oil, and garlic; plus less meat (which is high in Omega-6 fatty acids).
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):
Studies suggest that children with ADHD have lower levels of EFAs, both Omega-6s and Omega-3s. Given the relationship of EFAs to normal brain and behavioral function, this makes sense. Because of this logical connection and the low levels of EFAs measured in those with ADHD, scientists have speculated that replacement of EFAs through food or supplements may help lessen the hyper behaviors and symptoms of this condition.
Research to date has suggested an improvement in symptoms and behaviors related to ADHD from increased levels of Omega-3 fatty acids.
Osteoporosis:
Essential fatty acids may also enhance calcium absorption, increase calcium deposits in bones, diminish calcium loss in urine, improve bone strength, and enhance bone growth, all of which may contribute to improved bone mass and, therefore, strength.
You can help put yourself back into a good balance of 6/3 by first taking the Omega3 supplement, then eliminating all refined vegetable oils from your diet. Minimize eating foods or dressings that contain refined vegetable oils (if the oil looks crystal clear, it is refined) and increase your intake of raw foods such as salads, fruits and nuts.
Remember, the importance of the word “Essential” in Essential Fatty Acids because “EFAs” are essential to your life! Our Omega3s™ are head and shoulders above the rest, because they are ultra pure and molecularly distilled to remove heavy metals, (including arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury), dioxins, and PCBs.
The fish oil used in our new Omega3 product is sourced from small fish such as anchovies and sardines because small fish contain the least amount of metal and chemical contaminants. Additionally, these oils are tested for oxidation via a number of methods to ensure that they are compliant with the omega-3 specifications set forth by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN).
Ultra refined fish oil concentrate, gelatin (capsule), glycerin, water, rosemary extract, ascorbyl palmitate, mixed tocopherols, ethylcellulose, coconut oil, aluminum hydroxide, sodium alginate and stearic acid.
This product contains no yeast, wheat gluten, soy protein, milk/diary, corn, sugar, starch, artificial coloring, preservatives or flavoring.
Receiving sufficient dietary levels of EPA and DHA fatty acids in your diet is of paramount importance for the normal functioning of cardiovascular and neurological health.
The high potency of our Omega soft gel capsules easily meets this need, plus this formula is also enteric coated to eliminate any “fishy” taste. Without a doubt, Omega3s™ are essential in the building blocks of good health and your total health program.Quality Control means state of the art nutrition for you!
Quality really does matter and when it comes time to choose an Omega-3 supplement, there is Omega3s™, and then there’s all the rest. All raw materials used in the manufacturing of our products are of the finest quality, tested at the microbiotic level, which means everything that goes into our products are tested right down to their very cells to ensure the highest purity.
About Michael Kelly
Michael Kelly is suntanned, blond, and reasonably fit. He loves surfing, hence the suntan, eating good food, and writing about health and fitness. His nomadic lifestyle following the waves means he gets to write about what he loves whilst doing what he loves. One day he may turn his interest in health and fitness into a formal degree but for the moment, surfs up.
View all posts by Michael Kelly → |
Home » Orange Nutrition Facts
Orange Nutrition
It’s round, has a nutritional content that reads like a veritable who’s who of nutrition and is also the name of a distinctive color. Yes, the fruit came first, the color second…. Its origins are also somewhat of a mystery but it’s been around for centuries although paintings of the Last Supper depicting a bowl of them on the supper table are incorrect. They weren’t cultivated in the Middle East until around 9 centuries after Christ died.
We’re talking about the not so humble Citrus sinensis, or orange as it’s more commonly known in the non-scientific community. And when it comes to the orange nutrition is its middle name! Oranges contain many essential minerals, vitamins and nutrients. The fact that they’re also delicious is an added bonus.
High In Carbs And Water
Oranges are very high in carbohydrates and water. Conversely, they contain very little protein or fat and virtually no calories. The carbohydrates in oranges are predominantly glucose, sucrose and fructose. These are also the reason for the oranges’ sweetness.
Surprisingly, in view of the amount of sugar they contain, oranges have a low glycemic index because they’re also high in fibre and polyphenols. These help regulate the absorption of the sugars into the bloodstream and prevent spikes in blood sugar levels. (The glycemic index measures how quickly sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream after consumption.) Oranges are listed as a ‘super food’ for diabetics (both Types 1 and 2) by the American Diabetes Association due to the way the fibre and polyphenols in them help to control blood sugar levels.
High In Dietary Fibre
Oranges are very high in dietary fibre. A large orange will provide almost a fifth of the recommended daily intake of fibre for an adult. The predominant fibres in oranges are pectin, hemicellulose, lignin and cellulose. Pectin is a particularly valuable type of dietary fibre. It’s a bulk laxative so helps reduce the amount of time the mucous membrane lining of the colon is exposed to toxic chemicals. Pectin also binds to chemicals in the colon known to cause cancer and assists in their removal, and reduces reabsorption of cholesterol into the blood by binding to bile acids.
Valuable Source Of Vitamin C And Other Vitamins And Minerals
Probably one of the best-known orange nutrition facts is that they are a very high source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps to remove harmful free radicals from the body. Vitamin C is also proven to help the body develop resistance to infections. It’s also required for collagen production, which helps keep skin supple and healthy. A large orange provides the full daily allowance of vitamin C.
However, oranges are also high in other vitamins and minerals. Notably vitamin A – essential for good sight and healthy skin and mucous membranes, and B complex vitamins B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine) and B9 (folic acid or folate). The body cannot manufacture B group vitamins so must obtain them from external sources. An orange a day is therefore an excellent way to provide them!
Whilst oranges do not contain much iron, their high vitamin C and citric acid content help increase iron absorption, which assists in preventing anaemia. Anaemia is a condition caused by insufficient iron in the diet. The citric acid in oranges is also thought to help prevent kidney stones.
Choline is normally thought of in relation to eggs but oranges also make the top 50 list of fruits that contain this important macronutrient. Choline is associated with the B group vitamins and is vital for normal liver, nerve and muscle function, brain development, energy and metabolism.
Antioxidant Plant Compounds In Oranges
Oranges are rich in carotenoids and phenolics, two types of antioxidant plant compounds. Carotenoids are the red, orange and yellow pigments found in fruit and vegetables like carrots, oranges, tomatoes, watermelon, rock melons, mangos and in some green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach. Carotenoids are further broken down into two groups – carotenes and xanthophylls. Carotenes do not have oxygen and are classed as hydrocarbons whilst xanthophylls have oxygen. For nutritional purposes however carotenoids are more typically classed as either provitamin A or non-provitamin A depending on whether or not the body can convert them to vitamin A.
Oranges are a good source of the provitamin A carotenoids alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin. They are a good source of beta-cryptoxanthin in particular. Beta-cryptoxanthin is a xanthophyll carotenoid that has shown promise for helping to prevent lung cancer and reduce inflammatory polyarthritic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
The non-provitamin A carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene are also present in oranges, particularly the pink fleshed varieties. Lutein helps prevent cholesterol build up in arteries so reducing the chances of heart attacks and, along with zeaxanthin, is thought to help prevent or reduce macular degeneration. Lycopene is a powerful anti-oxidant and extremely effective at removing the free-radical singlet oxygen. Lycopene has been associated with reduced prostate cancer occurrences in men with high levels of lycopene in their system.
Orange Nutrition For The Heart
Oranges also contain calcium and potassium. Calcium of course is essential for healthy bones. Potassium is an electrolyte and allows electricity, vital for keeping the heart beating, to flow through the body – potassium deficiency is associated with arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). Potassium also helps maintain healthy blood pressure.
The high folate content in oranges is also significant for heart health as it reduces blood homocysteine levels – high levels of homocysteine (hyperhomocysteinemia) is linked to atherosclerosis.
The Peel Of An Orange – Its Nutrition Value
Unfortunately, most of us discard this part of the orange without a second’s thought but we should actually be paying a lot more attention to the peel of the orange, nutrition wise at least. So don’t throw those orange peels out! Several studies have found that orange peels are actually higher in many nutrients than the fruit itself and that they contain many anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. The inner pith, the white bit between the fruit and the outer skin, is also high in fibre.
Citrus peels are a higher source of flavonoids, phytochemicals and phenolic acids than the fruity part. Essential phenolics found in citrus peels, including orange peels, are ferulic, sinapic, p-coumaric and caffeic acids. These all have good antioxidant properties. Hesperidin, a flavonoid found in particularly high quantities in citrus peel, lowers cholesterol and high blood pressure and has anti-inflammatory properties. The polymethoxylated flavones or PMFs in orange peel have been shown to be more effective than prescription drugs for lowering cholesterol, and don’t have any of the side effects associated with the drugs. Other flavonoids in the peel can potentially inhibit proteins that are linked to obesity and cancer.
The peels also have good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamins B5 and B6 as well as calcium, copper, magnesium, riboflavin, folate, niacin and thiamine. Again, in many cases these are higher amounts than what is found in the fleshy part.
The easiest way to include orange peel in a diet is to add it as zest to other dishes. However, it can also be dried and used in dried fruit mixes or in cooking. It can be soaked in hot water to make a healthy and refreshing tea or ground up and blended into a smoothie.
A Healthy Snack – Have An Orange For Nutrition
When looking for a snack, have an orange. Nutrition wise your body will thank you!
For more articles about interesting health and nutrition topics, please refer to the Blog Category Section on the right or check any of our most popular links below:
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4 types of water distribution system
Plumber Fort Mill, SC, is known for its efficient water distribution systems. They offer four central water distribution systems to meet any property's needs. These systems include direct and indirect rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling. Each type of system provides unique benefits and can be tailored to your specific needs. We will discuss each type of system in detail and how it can help you with your water distribution needs in Fort Mill, SC.
There are 4 main types of water distribution systems:
Gravity-fed system: This system uses gravity to distribute water from a higher elevation to a lower one.
Pumped system: In this system, water is pumped from a lower elevation to a higher one.
Pressure-assisted system: This system uses a combination of gravity and pressure to distribute water.
Hybrid system: This combination of gravity-fed, pumped, and pressure-assisted techniques are used to distribute water to areas with varying elevations.
Types of Water Distribution Systems Used in Plumber Fort Mill SC
Water distribution systems are an integral part of modern plumbing. They distribute potable water from the source to different points of use in buildings, residential areas, and cities. Plumbers widely use four main types of water distribution systems in Fort Mill, South Carolina, and other parts of the world. These systems are designed to meet the specific needs of each area and ensure a reliable and consistent water supply to homes, businesses, and public facilities.
The gravity-fed system is the most basic and widely used water distribution system. It uses the force of gravity to move water from a higher elevation to a lower one. In this system, water is stored in a large tank or high-elevation reservoir and then distributed through pipes to the lower levels of the building or area. This system is simple and cost-effective but requires a constant water supply and consistent water pressure to maintain water flow.
Pumped system: This type of water distribution system is used when the source of water is at a lower elevation compared to the point of use. In this system, water is pumped from the start to a storage tank or reservoir and then distributed to the use points through pipes. The pump maintains the water pressure in this system, which ensures a consistent and reliable supply of water.
Pressure-assisted system: This is a combination of a gravity-fed system and a pumped system. In this system, water is stored in a large tank or high-elevation reservoir and then distributed through pipes to the lower levels of the building or area. The water pressure is maintained by a pump, which helps to distribute water to the higher levels of the building or area.
Hybrid system: This combination of the above three types of water distribution systems is used in areas with varying elevations and water pressures. This system combines the best features of each type of system and ensures a reliable and consistent supply of water to all points of use.
The type of water distribution system used in Fort Mill, SC, and other areas depends on each area's specific needs and requirements. A professional plumber will assess the needs of each room and recommend the most appropriate water distribution system to ensure a reliable and consistent water supply.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Each Type of Water Distribution System
Water distribution systems are an essential part of the infrastructure of many cities and towns. However, each type of water distribution system has its advantages and disadvantages, which must be carefully weighed when selecting the best system for a particular area. We'll go through the benefits and drawbacks of each type of water distribution system so you can make an informed decision about which one is best for you.
Each type of water distribution system has its advantages and disadvantages, which are as follows:
Gravity-fed system:
Cost-effective and straightforward to install and maintain
No need for a pump, which reduces the risk of mechanical failure
Water pressure is maintained through gravity, which ensures a constant supply of water
Requires a constant water source and pressure to maintain the flow of water
Not suitable for areas with low water pressure or familiar elevation sources
Pumped system:
Ideal for rooms with low water pressure or low-elevation sources
Water pressure is maintained by the pump, which ensures a constant supply of water
More expensive to install and maintain than a gravity-fed system
Increased risk of mechanical failure due to the pump
Pressure-assisted system:
Suitable for areas with varying elevations and water pressures
Water pressure is maintained by a pump, which ensures a constant supply of water
Hybrid approach:
Combines the best features of each type of system
Ensures a reliable and consistent supply of water to all points of use
Before deciding on the best water distribution system for a specific location, it is critical to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each type of system. Then, based on individual demands and requirements, a professional plumber may provide expert advice on the best water distribution system for a specific location. Full Spectrum Plumbing Services are a wide range of plumbing services that encompass all aspects of plumbing. Contact us for more information! |
Home » ANIMALS » Bison
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PNG images: Bison
Bison are large, even-toed ungulates in the genus Bison within the subfamily Bovinae.
Two extant and six extinct species are recognised. Of the six extinct species, five became extinct in the Quaternary extinction event. Bison palaeosinensis evolved in the Early Pleistocene in South Asia, and was the evolutionary ancestor of B. priscus (steppe bison), which was the ancestor of all other Bison species. From 2 million years ago to 6,000 BC, steppe bison ranged across the mammoth steppe, inhabiting Europe and northern Asia with B. schoetensacki (woodland bison), and North America with B. antiquus, B. latifrons, and B. occidentalis. The last species to go extinct, B. occidentalis, was succeeded at 3,000 BC by B. bison.
Of the two surviving species, the American bison, B. bison, found only in North America, is the more numerous. Although commonly known as a buffalo in the United States and Canada, it is only distantly related to the true buffalo. The North American species is composed of two subspecies, the Plains bison, B. b. bison, and the wood bison, B. b. athabascae, which is the namesake of Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada. A third subspecies, the eastern bison (B. b. pennsylvanicus) is no longer considered a valid taxon, being a junior synonym of B. b. bison.[3] References to "woods bison" or "wood bison" from the eastern United States confusingly refer to this subspecies, not B. b. athabascae, which was not found in the region. The European bison, B. bonasus, or wisent, is found in Europe and the Caucasus, reintroduced after being extinct in the wild.
While all bison species are classified in their own genus, they are sometimes bred with domestic cattle (genus Bos) and produce sometimes fertile offspring called beefalo or zubron.
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Film Review: House of Saddam
A new HBO biopic tries to unveil Saddam’s humanity, but it’s more fun watching Hussein’s family than the cold-blooded dictator.
Jen Quraishi
The posters advertising HBO’s Saddam biopic look a lot like parodies of The Sopranos posters of old. And there’s good reason: House of Saddam is less a story of a dictator (played by Igal Naor) than a dramatization of Saddam Hussein’s private life. The characters in both series are similar. There’s the overbearing, politically savvy mother, a neglected and slightly tragic wife (Shohreh Aghdashloo), and a glamorous mistress. There are also some graphic representations of murder and torture, but that’s where the resemblance to Hollywood mafia ends. Saddam’s world feels smaller than life, perhaps because the director made the limiting decision to remain as close to reality as possible, even recreating clothes seen in family pictures. But House of Saddam isn’t a documentary, so it’s hard to understand why the director insists on living in a factual netherworld that is limited to historical accuracy and yet, because of its dramatic nature, cannot conform to it wholeheartedly.
House of Saddam is broken into four one-hour parts, beginning with Saddam’s July 1979 takeover of the Baath party. He gets rid of opposing politicians by accusing them of an attempted assassination plot (after which they are handily assassinated themselves) and installs family members to take their positions. It’s hard to feel any compassion for such a cold-blooded character, because even in Saddam’s free time he’s cheating on his devoted wife or selling off his daughter’s hand to the most politically attractive suitor. In fact, Saddam’s family, and his time spent with them, is far more interesting than his political machinations. When wandering in Saddam’s home turf near Tikrit, he extols the virtues of living in the cradle of civilization. His young son, Uday, complains he’s hot. Saddam turns to him with a look of disbelief. “You are your mother’s son. Of course you’re hot!” he exclaims. “You’re in the desert!” He all but slaps the kid upside the head, showing that even he doesn’t get a free pass.
The adult Uday is addicting in a performance by Philip Arditti. Impatiently power-hungry in the way of eldest sons, Uday is like a one-man soap opera. He will viciously beat a man to death at a party for little reason, then half an hour later become so ashamed and fearful of his father’s reaction that he tries to commit suicide. Uday’s loose-cannon antics, plus Bollywood-style propaganda videos and an autobiographical movie Saddam commissioned, keep House of Saddam watchable. Inexplicably, though much of the film focuses on Saddam’s political manipulations, the bloodiest bits (e.g. gassing of the Kurds) are glossed over in favor of closed-door meetings that have all the appeal of C-SPAN.
Many of the meetings discuss how to deal with “the Americans.” George Bush Sr. and Jr. are seen as vicious hound dogs, constantly nipping at Saddam’s heels and beleaguering the tired dictator in his rare moments of rest. But watching Saddam rule, the point comes across that he and Bush Jr. had more in common than they had differences. Both leaders ruled based on emotional, gut decisions, and both left their countries bankrupt and in bad standing with the international community. Oil is at the heart of both their native lands. Maybe the key difference was that Saddam had to fight, and murder, his way to the top while Bush was simply born on it. And while Saddam clung desperately to his power, even while hiding in a foxhole, Bush seems all too glad to let it simply slip away.
House of Saddam, parts 1 and 2 premiere December 7 at 9 p.m. on HBO. Parts 3 and 4 premiere December 17.
Jen Phillips is an assistant editor at Mother Jones.
Photo courtesy of HBO Films |
Wanona “Nunu” Thomas
Denver / CO - Ambassador
Wanona (Nunu) Thomas has learned the power of turning her HIV diagnosis into a lifetime goal to reach, educate and encourage others about how to turn Havoc Into Victories. In August 2017, she founded LIVE IN YOUR TRUTH, a non-profit organization in Milwaukee focused on empowering and inspiring individuals in a life of recovery from a diagnosis of life-changing life conditions.
Ms. Thomas found strength in sharing her story and became a blogger for A Girl Like Me for The Well Project and became a part of their Community Advisory Board. She is an ambassador for The Prevention Access Campaign and Youth Across the Borders as well as an HIV Expert Consultant for Merck. Since that time, she has shared her journey on national and international platforms, at meetings, conferences, and on social media, as a way to engage people in feeling more comfortable with embracing and accepting life.
A single mother of four, Ms. Thomas understands the importance of having a strong support system, and a focus on emotional wellness and mental health in order to reach a stage of recovery that can help transform your life.
Her commitment to health and wellness began with her work as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) where she learned that having a physical or mental condition does not take away from a person’s gift or their purpose for being on this earth.
GLOBAL: Prevention Access Campaign and Partners on the Frontline of PEPFAR COP/ROP Planning
GLOBAL: PAC welcomes Tinashe Rufurwadzo as Global Communications Manager |
Madly in Love with ME: The Daring Adventure of Becoming Your Own Best Friend
by Christine Arylo Christine Arylo
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Most of us know that loving ourselves would be a good idea, but we have no clue what that really means. Self-love feels too vast, too esoteric, and frankly like something you should keep under wraps.
This breakthrough book on self-love changes all that by taking you beyond the idea of loving, valuing, and caring for yourself into daring acts that will help you experience it. Christine Arylo provides practical, fun ways to explore and embody the ten branches of self-love every day and in every part of your life. Reading this book is like receiving permission to treat yourself as a best friend would. Imagine having the power to:
* Give to yourself first, without guilt
* Shower yourself with loving words instead of criticism and comparison
* Go for your dreams with conviction and courage
* Choose the situations and relationships that make you happiest
* Discover and explore your deepest thoughts and desires — and act on them
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Christine Arylo is a feminine leadership advisor, transformational speaker, and best selling author who leads retreats, workshops, and programs around the world, working with women to make shift happen — in the lives they lead and work they do. She is the founder of the international Path of Self Love School, a global school with over 35,000 students and certified teachers on six continents. She also hosts the Feminine Power Time podcast.
Madly in Love with Me
The Daring Adventure of Becoming Your Own Best Friend
By Christine Arylo
Copyright © 2012 Christine Arylo
Recently, I was asked to speak at a college conference of sorority girls — the leaders of our future world and the mothers of our future children. From my place up on stage, I could see all of their young, hopeful faces waiting for me to share my secrets on how to be a successful woman in today's world. There was no doubt that these girls were excited to be at this conference, to learn, to continue to excel and work toward their goals. So when I asked for each to turn to her neighbor and say, "I would really like to have tremendous self-esteem!" it was no surprise that every young woman in that room excitedly turned and pronounced her commitment to believing in herself. When I asked these young women to raise their hands to indicate if their proclamations of self-esteem felt good, every hand in the audience went up as if to say, "Of course, I want self-esteem; self-esteem is good." This was a great sign! The message that holding yourself in high regard is something to cultivate had seeped into their consciousness to such a degree that, without apology, they were able to publicly claim their right to high self-esteem.
The next question, however, elicited a much different response. I turned to these future leaders and mothers and posed this question: "How many of you would now turn and say to your friend, 'I would like to love myself'?" Silence. Then squirms. A few giggles pierced the air, but not one hand went up — except for mine and that of my friend in the front row, another author, speaker, teacher, and woman on her own self-love journey. Instead, the girls moved uncomfortably in their seats, dumbfounded at the notion of publicly making such an audacious statement. Embarrassed to say the word love in a way that pointed their feelings of love toward themselves rather than toward another, these young women just sat in their seats staring at me. They had no idea how to respond, so they waited to see what I would do and say next.
In an inspired moment, I dropped down to my knees (wearing a dress and heels, mind you) and exclaimed,
Now I invite you to imagine that I am the child you will have someday. I am your little girl between the age of five and seven. And I come to you and I say, "Mommy, is loving myself a good thing? Should I love myself? Be my own best friend?" What would you say? Would you say, "No, honey, that's selfish. No, child, have self-esteem but not self-love. Self-love is selfish, or something you only do in private"? Of course not! You would never say that to your child. Why? Because you have no doubt in your mind that you want your child to love himself or herself.
Instinctively, you know that loving yourself is crucial to a happy life, and you want your child to be happy. Your instincts are clear — self-love is good. You would say to her, "Yes, child, be your own best friend! Love yourself and treat yourself well. Be proud of who you are; share her with the world. Honor and respect yourself without apology, because if you don't, how can you expect anyone else to? Go for your dreams, regardless of what anyone else says. Take care of yourself, because if you don't, you won't be able to care for anyone else."
"So, all of you beautiful, powerful, intelligent young women," I said to those students that day — and I say this to you too — "if these instructions are so obviously appropriate for a child, then why don't they also apply to you?"
Since leaving my corporate job to teach, speak, and write full-time about self-love, love, and the true power of the feminine, I have talked with thousands of women and have received some of the wildest comments when I voice the term self-love. One moment, as we talk about selfesteem, their heads are nodding, their faces are smiling, and all is good. But as soon as I mention self-love, heads quirk to the side, defensive walls go up, and comments like these come out of their mouths:
"Loving myself? I don't have time for that."
"Oh, sure, I love myself. I went to the spa last month."
"I think that self-love stuff is all pretty hippie-dippy!"
Then there's the take-my-breath-away, shocker-every-time-I-hear-it line: "Self-love? Do you mean masturbation?" (And they don't mean it in a good way.)
My heart gets so sad at how quickly people link something so sacred, so essential to our basic happiness — love — to behaviors and traits that are frowned upon, hidden, and often a source of shame in our society when the word self is added to it. You don't see people walking around proclaiming, "I don't have time for love" or "Love is only for hippies." No, while we may not always be good at loving others, we all know and believe that loving others is a good thing. So why would love, when directed at yourself, be any different? We consider it acceptable, even admirable, to express love by giving to others our energy, time, resources, compassion, and more with little thought for ourselves, and by saying words like "I love you," "I appreciate you," and "I respect you" to friends, family members, and lovers. But saying, "I love myself" out loud? Better keep that under wraps! Or giving to yourself first? Why, that's selfish! And yet, it's the same energy — love — simply pointed in a different direction.
At first I thought the self-love taboo affected only people who had never been introduced to the concept of loving themselves. Just like the college girls in the room that day, I too, at the age of twenty, hadn't yet received the Self-Love Handbook. But when I observed that the women and men who came to the workshops I held at spiritual centers, which are like self-love safe havens, were just as resistant to publicly claiming their love of self, I was floored. One Sunday I asked a group of spiritual seekers I was speaking with, "Who here would stand outside after next Sunday's service with a flag that on one side says, 'I am madly in love with ME,' and on the other side says, 'Love yourself; you deserve it!'?" Surely there would be at least a few bold souls willing to be beacons of love. Yet again, not one person raised a hand, except for the person I had brought with me to the workshop, my soul partner, Noah. Okay, yes, I had upped the ante by asking for a public display of self-love, but these people were used to hearing about self-love and were part of a community that supported love in all forms. Surely they would have no fear about proclaiming their selflove in public. But they did.
What the heck was going on? What was causing the fear surrounding self-love? What I discovered was shocking.
I looked up the definition of self-love on Dictionary.com. I've learned over time that the definition of a word can tell you a lot about the current beliefs our society, institutions, and familial tribes — and, therefore, we — deem acceptable, valuable, and either right or wrong. Definitions — because they reflect mainstream thought — influence and inform the ideas and beliefs that run through our subconscious minds and, subsequently, affect our actions and thoughts. And because many of us may be unaware of the meanings of specific words (honestly, how often do you look up words you hear every day?), we often have no clue that we are being influenced by outside forces that may not even align with what we believe to be true in our hearts but that nonetheless affect our actions. Moreover, the definition we give a word today may not even be the original meaning of the word. Words seem to change over time, without explanation. This is the power of words, and once I realized this, I started looking up definitions and the history of words a lot more!
I'm not sure what I expected as I typed the word self-love into the white search box on Dictionary.com — maybe something simple about self-love promoting happiness and well-being. What appeared on my screen, however, was quite different. My mouth dropped open; my eyes could not believe what I was reading. Self-love was defined as "conceit," "vanity," and "narcissism."
What? My eyes scrolled the page again and again. I had to make sure I wasn't just seeing things. And then, as if a lightbulb went on in my mind, everything began to click. Now I understood the wacky responses and lack of raised hands. By definition, self-love, in mainstream society, is considered taboo, scary, and maybe even a little dirty. Which, of course, makes public displays of self-love feel wrong and risky, something to be avoided. Who wants to be called a narcissist, after all?
Merriam-Webster.com was not much better. While it defines self-love as "love of self" (which essentially is just the word self-love in a reverse order), the first full definition given is "conceit," which it goes on to define as an individual opinion, especially excessive appreciation of one's own worth or virtue, a fancy item, or a trifle. I think it is not a stretch to say that you, and no one you know, wants to be called conceited or excessive. And since when is love a trifle or an opinion instead of a sacred, beautiful, essential act?
What I wanted to know next was who the heck writes these erroneous definitions. Is there some person or council in some city sitting at a desk deciding on a whim what self-love means today? If so, they should be fired for bastardizing such a sacred word and then fired for poisoning our minds. When the word self is placed in front of the indisputably beautiful and good word love, this should not change the beauty and the goodness, only the direction in which it flows.
Maybe you're thinking right now, "Of course I know that self-love isn't all those awful things." And yes, at some level you do know that loving yourself is a good thing, or you wouldn't be reading this book. And yet, you know there are still places in your life where you don't let your self-love flag fly free, where you don't show up as your own best friend or make sure you get what you really need to be happy, healthy, and wellloved. One big reason for this is that you have been influenced, whether you know it or not, by the collective thoughts of a society that says loving others is good, and loving yourself is selfish, vain, narcissistic, and something you may do only in private.
Think about it this way. If you saw a woman loving her child in public, what would you think? That she's a good woman doing a good thing, right? If you witnessed a woman spending her time and energy nurturing others, what would you believe? Good woman doing a good thing. If you heard a woman expressing how much she loves her parents, friends, or partner, what would you say to yourself? Good woman doing a good thing. She is a loving person.
Now let's say that same woman turns the love around and directs it at herself instead of others. Imagine her saying something like "I really love myself." What would you think? Be honest. That she's conceited? Audacious? Full of herself? What if this woman told you she'd made a decision to take care of herself before giving to someone else? Would you think of her as selfish? Narcissistic? You probably wouldn't be thinking, "There goes a good woman doing a good thing; she is a loving person," because your belief system has programmed you to think that openly and fully loving yourself is not acceptable, that taking care of yourself first is selfish.
You live in a society that has made it more comfortable to read a book about the ten ways to get a guy or girl to fall in love with you, or to obsess about your romantic love life, than to share your self-love journey with your friends and family. You're bombarded with images and media, like reality TV shows, whose underlying message tells you it's normal to look to outside sources for confirmation that you are good enough, rather than to unapologetically stand for self-respect and self-worth.
Given the cultural climate, it's no wonder we have such a hard time loving ourselves. I have no doubt that every person at the spiritual center that day believed loving oneself is a fabulous idea. Fear of being seen as selfish, conceited, or vain prohibited them from freely expressing what they had come to receive: self-love. If not for the collective belief that self-love is selfish, the recognition that "self-love lets you love others more not less" would have prevailed. Fear wouldn't have stopped them from expressing the most powerful force in the world — love — even when that love is directed inward.
The rest of this book is dedicated to showing you how to give love to and express love for yourself, always — how to choose love for yourself in all its forms, again and again, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly for the rest of your life. Choosing self-love is like taking a powerful stand for yourself and saying no! to accepting the energy of hate, abuse, neglect, shame, fear, and guilt, whether that energy comes from yourself or from anyone else. And it's saying yes! to receiving and giving love in its many forms — to receiving love from and giving love to yourself first and, as a result, sharing the overflow of love with those around you.
If you complete the journey this book can take you on, then not only will you be able to say, "I love you!" to yourself out loud without shying away, but also, most important, you will be able to make big life decisions and everyday choices that are congruent with, and aligned with, love. That is, you will act like a woman who truly does love herself. It's one thing to say, "I love you," but to act on that love is the true test, and it's where the true power lies. Note that choosing is an active verb. To choose requires you to make a choice to give love to yourself, to express love, or to receive love.
The more you act from self-love, the greater will be your ability to feel love for yourself no matter what is going on in your relationships, the outside world, or your external circumstances. You will become empowered to draw love from within yourself, rather than have to look for it in someone or something else. You will become masterful at filling your mind with loving thoughts, even when self-doubt, fear, and self-criticism are knocking on your mind's door. And as a result, you will find it easy and natural to act with love and kindness toward yourself.
You see, in addition to being one of the best ideas in the world, loving yourself, and making sure that you have the love, care, happiness, joy, and peace you desire, is a necessity. You need love in order to survive and thrive. And while there are many ways to get this love from outside ourselves, it's when we remember how to get it from inside that we come to know the deep levels of love that our heart and soul crave.
The good news is that you already know how to love yourself; you've just forgotten. You were actually born in love with yourself; it's your natural state. Think back to yourself as a little girl, to a moment when you remember being carefree and open to the wonder of the world, a moment when your light was superbright, before anyone told you to dim it down. Even if you can't remember a specific time when you felt this way, this part of you that could fully and freely be, love, and live you still exists.
Close your eyes for a moment, put your hand on your heart, and just see if you can feel this younger self, maybe even see her, sense her. Maybe you can recall a time when you were doing something you loved as a little girl — playing, creating, laughing. Maybe a time when she was all alone, with no one but her "magical" friends (whether imaginary friends, stuffed animals, or a favorite doll). This is the part of you that knows how to love yourself easily and without care for what others may think. As we go through our magical, fantastical journey together, we want to connect with that part of you as much as possible, because she is going to be a huge ally. She will give you permission to be madly in love ... with yourself.
If you'd like some assistance in connecting with your little-girl self, I've recorded a meditation for you called "Come Play with ME!" It's a visualization that will reconnect you powerfully and sweetly to your inner little girl. Sometimes our little-girl selves are easy to access, and sometimes they like to stay hidden. Whichever is the case for you, know that it's okay; you can rest assured that she is going to come out to play, to be loved and adored, on this adventure. You can download this visualization at www.SelfLoveMeditations.com.
You should know that self-love, while yummy, fulfilling, and healing, is by nature a daring adventure, one designed not to make you comfortable but instead to bring you more love, which is often uncomfortable. We do what works, regardless of what you may look like in the process or what other people might think. In fact, the farther out of your comfort zone you move, the more likely you are to bust through the blocks standing between you and your ability to love yourself well, unconditionally, and forever.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Madly in Love with Me by Christine Arylo. Copyright © 2012 Christine Arylo. Excerpted by permission of New World Library.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Introduction: Imagine a World of Love x
Part 1 See the Love!: The Truth about Self-Love
Chapter 1 Why Is It So Hard to Say "I Love You"...to Yourself? 2
Chapter 2 Self-Love Isn't a Dirty Word, and You Can't Catch Narcissism 20
Chapter 3 What Is Self-Love...and How Can You Receive More? 46
Part 2 Grow the Love!: The Self-Love Tree and the Ten Branches of Self-Love
Chapter 4 Self-Awareness & Self-Honesty 70
Chapter 5 Self-Acceptance 88
Chapter 6 Self-Care 112
Chapter 7 Self-Compassion & Self-Forgiveness 132
Chapter 8 Self-Trust 154
Chapter 9 Self-Esteem 176
Chapter 10 Self-Empowerment 196
Chapter 11 Self-Respect & Self-Honor 216
Chapter 12 Self-Pleasure 236
Chapter 13 Self-Expression 254
Part 3 Amplify the Love!: Secrets to Cultivating a Long-Lasting, Loving Relationship with Yourself
Chapter 14 Make a Self-Love Promise: Stay Committed to Choosing Love for Yourself 274
Chapter 15 Engage in a Radical Act of Self-Love: Practice Self-Love for Forty Days Straight 290
Chapter 16 Be a Love Ambassador: Use Your Love Power to Generate Love for Yourself and Others 308
A Love Letter for You 322
Acknowledgments 324
Notes 326
About the Author 327
Success, Motivation & Self-Esteem
Arylo’s (Choosing ME before WE) unabashedly positive, step-by-step workbook is designed to help women take the compassion, appreciation, and care one would lavish on a companion, and redirect it inward. The author rescues the notion of “self-love” from the reductive realms of masturbation, narcissism, and days at the spa, and presents it instead as a fruitful alternative to the incessant reprimands to sacrifice. Arylo is an enthusiastic mentor, and she offers plenty of creative tips for creating self-love, from going on a nice date (by yourself), working on a self-love–centered art project, and taking a love bath. For those made uncomfortable by the admonishment to “vigorously love-loofah yourself,” she also provides practical exercises, such as quizzes, suggestions for how to productively rephrase ideas of oneself, and inspiring affirmations and “love truths” to guide readers on their journey. Though couched in overwhelmingly saccharine language, Arylo’s warm, fun, and informative handbook contains deep truths. (Jan. 1)
"A witty, soulful book written by the Queen of Self-Love herself. This book not only makes loving yourself possible, it makes self-love fun." — Marci Shimoff, author of Love for No Reason
“Written by the Queen of Self-Love herself, this witty, soulful book makes loving yourself not only possible but fun.”
— Marci Shimoff, New York Times bestselling author of Love for No Reason
“Christine Arylo turns the elusive task of learning to love yourself into a concrete, how-to, doable path that anyone can master. This is by far one of my all-time favorite books.”
— Rhonda Britten, Emmy Award winner and author of Fearless Living
“Madly in Love with ME is like a magic elixir — just the potion we need to recapture that powerful, transformational force of loving ourselves fully and fiercely.”
— Meggan Watterson, author of Reveal
“Christine Arylo can help you know yourself, accept yourself, delight in yourself, and love yourself for real and for keeps. The result: you’ll shine more light, radiate more charisma, generate more power, and have more fun.”
— Victoria Moran, author of Creating a Charmed Life
“Much more than a self-help book, Madly in Love with ME is an illuminated self-love guidebook that shows you exactly how to love yourself well and live your happiest life — no matter what.”
— SARK, artist and author of Glad No Matter What
“There’s a difference between liking yourself and loving yourself; there’s a difference between self-esteem and self-care. Transformational teacher Arylo has made a career out of teaching women what those differences are....[This book] unflinchingly affirms every woman’s right to love and care for herself first. Arylo makes the case with such enthusiasm and logic that, by the time the reader gets to the Forty Day Self-Love Practice protocol at the end of the book, it’s difficult not to sign on and give it a try....A terrific gift for special women.”
— Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insight
“Arylo’s (Choosing ME before WE) unabashedly positive, step-by-step workbook is designed to help women take the compassion, appreciation, and care one would lavish on a companion, and redirect it inward. The author rescues the notion of 'self-love' from the reductive realms of masturbation, narcissism, and days at the spa, and presents it instead as a fruitful alternative to the incessant reprimands to sacrifice. Arylo is an enthusiastic mentor, and she offers plenty of creative tips for creating self-love, from going on a nice date (by yourself), working on a self-love–centered art project, and taking a love bath. For those made uncomfortable by the admonishment to 'vigorously love-loofah yourself,' she also provides practical exercises, such as quizzes, suggestions for how to productively rephrase ideas of oneself, and inspiring affirmations and 'love truths' to guide readers on their journey....Arylo’s warm, fun, and informative handbook contains deep truths.” |
What is the Best Sublimation Printer?
February 3, 2022 January 7, 2022 by Crown
If you want to sell personalized clothing or accessories, the ideal option is a sublimation printer. This unique printer uses cutting-edge technology to generate long-lasting, vibrant designs. As such, here is a comprehensive guide to the top sublimation printers available.
Sublimation printers are extremely powerful, rapid, and economical. Additionally, they produce more long-lasting effects that do not peel or fade. As a result, they’re great for selling personalized products.
1 What is the Best Sublimation Printer?
1.1 Is sublimation and heat transfer synonymous?
1.2 Is it possible to sublimate anything?
1.3 What are Sublimation’s limitations?
1.4 Is it possible for a sublimation printer to print white?
1.5 Order Quantity
1.6 Establishment of the Job
1.7 Materials Selection
1.8 Which printers are suited for dye sublimation?
1.9 Which materials are suitable for sublimation printing?
1.10 What are applications conceivable for sublimation printers?
1.11 Advertisement material in the form of printed things
1.12 Sublimation printers have several advantages.
1.13 Disadvantages of sublimation
1.14 Which Printers Are Compatible with Sublimation?
1.15 Which Ink Should You Purchase for Epson Sublimation Printers?
Sublimation shirt printing is a unique kind of printing that begins with the image being printed on a special sheet of paper and then transferred to another material (usually polyester or a polyester mix).
After then, the ink is heated until it dissolves into the fabric. Sublimation shirt printing is more expensive than other processes, but it lasts longer and does not crack or peel over time, as other methods do.
Is sublimation and heat transfer synonymous?
The primary distinction between heat transfer and sublimation is that in sublimation, only the ink is transferred to the substrate. Typically, a transfer layer is also applied to the material during the heat transfer process.
Is it possible to sublimate anything?
It works best with polyester textiles for the most excellent Sublimation results. It is compatible with various materials that have been coated with a specialty polymer, such as those found on mugs, mousepads, and coasters. Sublimation can also be used on glass in some situations, but the glass must be standard glass that has been treated and prepared correctly using a specialized spray.
What are Sublimation’s limitations?
Apart from the materials that can be utilized for Sublimation, one of the primary constraints is the color range of any substance. Because sublimation is primarily a dyeing process, the most outstanding results are obtained with white or light-colored textiles. If you’re printing on a black shirt or other dark material, you could be better off with a digital print solution.
Is it possible for a sublimation printer to print white?
Sublimation printing is MCYK, and no combination of base color inks can generate a white color. You can print on white or any other lighter color material. However, if any part of your design contains white, Sublimation will not work.
Is sublimation a superior method of printing than screen printing? Both printing procedures, when used properly, will produce long-lasting prints that will not fade or crack, even after prolonged washing.
While both printing technologies have their advantages, there are a few critical aspects to consider while deciding between dye Sublimation and screen printing:
This is frequently the first thing to consider. Naturally, the bigger the volume, the more cost-effective screen printing becomes. Due to the additional time required for dye, Sublimation is not the most feasible method for large orders. On the other hand, sublimation is likely to be the superior option for smaller orders. Most printers will also have a minimum order quantity for their screen printing services.
Establishment of the Job
One of screen printing’s most significant constraints is that only one color may be applied to the substrate at a time. Additionally, there is the issue of color layer alignment. As a result, screen printing setup times might be lengthy when multiple colors are used.
On the other hand, with Sublimation, there is no need to be concerned about color alignment because the process prints all colors simultaneously. This approach allows for greater customization of designs since you will just need to alter the article work and print out a fresh transfer to see the changes take effect.
For some, this new technology is a game-changer, as it frequently allows or disallows the use of a particular printing method. Screen printing is the most versatile printing method on a variety of surfaces. It enables printing on nearly any material and in virtually any area. However, dye Sublimation is often best suited to white or light-colored polyester or polyester blend textiles.
Which printers are suited for dye sublimation?
Sublimation printers often use water-insoluble dispersion dyes (i.e., dense dyes). These printers are frequently referred to as sublimation or “subli” printers. Due to the ink’s consistency and temperature sensitivity, special sublimation sublimes are necessary. Regular inkjet printers are not compatible with water-based inks. Changing between standard and special inks, on the other hand, is not suggested due to residue contamination of the print heads and tubes.
Which materials are suitable for sublimation printing?
Polyester, or fabric consisting of plastic fibers, is the optimal carrier material. Polyester content should be at least 80% for optimal printing with sublimation printers. If other materials such as cotton shirts, ceramic mugs, or metal plates are used, they must be coated with polyester; otherwise, the motif will fade quickly, and natural materials such as cotton may catch fire at high heat colors straight forward colors. On the other hand, polyester begins to dissolve at high temperatures, allowing the dye gas to penetrate the fabric through the pores. White or light is the appropriate background color. Polyester textiles that have been dyed can only be printed in black.
What are applications conceivable for sublimation printers?
There are virtually no restrictions on use as long as the material is polyester-based or polyester-coated. T-shirts and workwear, for example, can be personalized with a club emblem or the company name; lanyards, pillows, and towels can be personalized as gifts or for guests; and signage, mugs, cell phone cases, and even snowboards can be customized.
Advertisement material in the form of printed things
On the one hand, sublimation printing is a beautiful method for personalizing T-shirts with a chosen motif. On the other hand, printed textiles provide an excellent advertising medium. T-shirts give a wide surface area for brand logos and sponsors, resulting in increased visibility. After all, imprinted clothing grabs the viewer’s attention considerably more quickly than a key fob or a ballpoint pen does. Simultaneously, textiles can reach a large number of people since, unlike billboards, people are mobile and interact with many people. If you also use high-quality fabrics, the T-shirt will be worn frequently and provide significant value to the recipient.
Sublimation printers have several advantages.
Sublimation printing enables the printing and transfer of virtually any motif onto various substrates, including intricate picture motifs. Additionally, sublimation printing is distinguished by its high precision, allowing for intricate motifs. This way, you can avoid post-transfer treatments and lengthy wait times: the motif is immediately ready.
The fact that the ink is trapped within the substrate’s fabric, rather than just applied to it, results in a variety of benefits: For starters, you are not aware of any used color, which can easily be rubbed off or become brittle. Despite this, the colors are vibrant and rarely fade. As a result, they may be readily washed or rinsed without affecting the color intensity. Additionally, they are resistant to UV light and other potentially hazardous environmental impacts. As a result, sublimation printing is also suited for outdoor applications, such as printing on flags. Additionally, the ink does not completely seal the textile, allowing for breathability – excellent for sportswear and club jerseys. Sublimation printing is also a very environmentally friendly method, as it does not use any binding agents or solvents.
Disadvantages of sublimation
Sublimation printing requires specialized printers and inks. As a result, the initial expenditures are higher than those associated with alternative procedures. Additionally, the printers operate slowly.
Other materials can only be employed to a limited extent other than polyester. They must be coatable, which is not always possible. Additionally, white cannot be printed. If the motif is composed entirely of white or light hues, a white background is required. Further, you must account for a minor shrinking of 1 to 4% with sublimation designs.
In sublimation printing, white toner printing or white toner printers can be utilized. Toner transfer refers to transferring the motifs to a transfer foil (A-foil) and then joining it to the so-called B-paper on a transfer press. The B-paper is coated with a heat-activated adhesive to the A-foil print. Once the A-foil and B-paper are separated, the design can be transferred to any material. Unlike sublimation, the substance used in this process is irrelevant. Printing is possible on a wide variety of textiles, including cotton, polyester, blended fabrics, felt, and other materials such as silk, wood, or cardboard. Additionally, white toner enables printing on dark and colorful substrates.
Which Printers Are Compatible with Sublimation?
You’ll need a sublimation-specific printer. As a result, your standard printer will not suffice. The majority of sublimation printers utilize viscous colors that are insoluble in water. These specific sublimation dyes cannot be used in a standard printer.
A sublimation printer converts these inks from solid to gas using heat. They then dye your material permanently to create a straightforward, vivid design that will last.
However, sublimation inks require a specific process and temperature to function correctly. Additionally, they have a unique uniformity that not all printers can reproduce. As a result, you’ll require a sublimation printer rather than another form of printer.
Which Ink Should You Purchase for Epson Sublimation Printers?
As you might assume, the answer is dependent on the type of printer you own. You’ll need ink that can absorb heat from your sublimation rather than simply be heated by it. Therefore, anything will suffice if you’re using a regular heat press or a similar device. In that scenario, you’ll want to hunt for inks compatible with such instruments.
In Summation
Each printing process has advantages and disadvantages. As we’ve just discussed, numerous variables will determine if Sublimation is the best option or whether you should choose another method such as screen printing, heat transfer, or direct to garment printing.
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Improving the Penitentiary response in Latin America and the Caribbean José Santos July 29, 2022 November 23, 2022
Improving the Penitentiary response in Latin America and the Caribbean
National authorities from Latin American countries and international experts gathered by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to share best practices in the penitentiary sector. The goal is to enhance the response to the sanitary and humanitarian crises exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prison systems in Latin America and the Caribbean have been facing serious challenges. With high and rising incarceration rates, prison overcrowding is often a problem. This overload leads to low living standards inside prisons and usually hinders rehabilitation programmes.
A combination of factors contributes to prison overcrowding in this region, namely highly punitive justice systems, the overuse of pretrial detention instead of community alternatives, and the underdevelopment of the penitentiary infrastructure.
The COVID-19 pandemic intensified these challenges bringing the need for new health and sanitary measures. New procedures requiring heightened hygienic care, physical distancing, and medical care placed a heavy load on the already scarce resources and space available. Overall, the long-term impacts of the pandemic are taking a toll on the region’s sizeable development gap, with far-reaching consequences in the economic and social dimensions.
IDB promotes a prison management model focused on health and humanitarianism
In the face of this situation, in 2020 the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved the project “Comprehensive Penitentiary Management Model for Health and Humanitarian Crises Response in Latin America and the Caribbean Prisons”. This project is part of the IDB’s larger initiative, Regional Public Goods (RPG), created to face the development challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean.
In this effort directed at the penitentiary setting, the aim is to develop sanitary guidelines and contagion mitigation mechanisms that will be implemented in a new comprehensive management model in the prison systems.
Beyond strengthening the institutional capacity to respond to public health crises, the policies to develop under the IDB’s initiative framework have in mind a
humanitarian vision and respect for human rights.
Shaping new prison management in Latin America and the Caribbean from experiences worldwide
In the scope of this project, the IDB organised a four-day event gathering international experts and penitentiary authorities to learn more about innovative solutions implemented around the world to respond to the pandemic challenges and beyond. Exploring new inmates’ rehabilitation models, programmes for alternative measures to imprisonment, and digital innovation in prisons were among the topics on the table.
The “RPG Follow-up Technical Dialogue” was held from July 26th to the 29th, at Rutgers University, in New Jersey, USA. The event gathered international experts and representatives from the Ministries in charge of the justice systems of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Portugal.
IPS_Innovative Prison Systems CEO Pedro das Neves, participating in his role of IDB consultant, contributed to presenting the project’s progress and work plan. Furthermore, through his experience in supporting digital transformation in corrections, Mr das Neves led an insightful dialogue on the process of implementing safe digital technologies and innovations in the prison system.
The event included field visits to explore relevant initiatives that could contribute to mitigating prison overcrowding and the lack of rehabilitative efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean. These insightful programmes include The Manhattan Justice Opportunities programme and the Little Scandinavia prison unit in the Chester State Correctional Institution, Pennsylvania.
Through the Manhattan Justice Opportunities programme, the Center for Court Innovation in New York provides free support for accused individuals and community-based alternatives to fines and incarceration. Involving judges, lawyers, and community organisations, the programme aims to assist people charged with misdemeanour offences and felony crimes.
Manhattan Justice’s programme provides counsel and case management, connecting the participants with services to address healthcare, mental health, or substance abuse issues. Moreover, with a focus on community involvement, the programme can develop plans for educational opportunities, job-readiness training, and other civic engagement opportunities.
The Little Scandinavia prison project is a reform initiative conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections with support from the Norwegian Correctional Service (Kriminalomsorgen), the Swedish Prison and Probation Service (Kriminalvården), the Danish Prison and Probation Service
(Kriminalforsorgen) and a research team led by Drexel University and the University of Oslo.
The project is piloting the Norwegian Correctional Service’s rehabilitative focused concept in a Pennsylvanian facility. The goal is to increase both staff and inmate wellness, reduce dangerous situations in prison, and reduce future recidivism rates, with an emphasis on rehabilitation instead of punitive measures.
The four-day event was ultimately very fruitful in knowledge sharing, contributing to the development of future initiatives that have the potential to make a difference in the justice panorama of Latin American and Caribbean countries.
For more information on the Regional Public Goods initiative and its projects, please visit its IDB page.
Radicalisation Prevention
Supporting Radicalisation Prevention in Central Asia in light of Dynamic Security and Prison Intelligence
ICPA re-elects Pedro das Neves (IPS) to Board of Directors
The need to reinforce the civil society’s role in P/CVE highlighted at the EUROCRIM conference
Refocusing the European approach to prison and probation
Discussing ways to strengthen evidence-based approaches in radicalisation prevention
Reducing disparities in learning outcomes of juvenile justice settings – “EIGEP” project approved
“Radicalisation strategic challenges” on the 20th Council of Europe Conference
ECOPRIS project in the EuroPris Annual General Meeting
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The EU needs to provide assistance to migrants affected by Covid-19: our briefing to the European Parliament
To the Members of the European Parliament and to the Committee on Budgets of the European Parliament The EU urgently needs to step up and provide assistance to protect the health and safety of people trapped in camps on the Greek islands - not just to protect their welfare, but to contain the virus itself as a matter of global public health. However, as we detail in the briefing below, the current European Commission proposal for funds allocation is insufficient to ensure the safety of… |
Chasing Dragons (Best of 2013 — Part 11)
On December 30, 2013 May 21, 2014 By Time LordIn 2013
I discovered this band purely by chance. Instigated mainly by my nephew (but also by others), I was attempting a Web search on “Imagine Dragons,” that overrated and overhyped band. But, as I tried to recall the name of that band I was searching for, I accidentally typed in the wrong name. Instead, I typed in “Chasing Dragons,” which is — let’s face it — a much cooler name for a band. But as I realized my mistake, I was nevertheless pleasantly surprised. For I had just discovered a much better band that was playing much more interesting music. I had discovered Chasing Dragons, the under-estimated and under-appreciated hard rock band from Leeds.
Two string-meisters, Mitch and Ant, handle the mayhem on guitar and bass. At the other two ends of this quadrilateral, on vocals and drums, we find the incredible Tank and the mighty Kate. All four of these outstanding musicians demonstrate an exceptional degree of talent.
I am very impressed with the way that Chasing Dragons stands out from the crowd. In addition to being riveted by their uncommon energy and passion, I am also very impressed by the careful artistry and consummate craftsmanship that they put into every aspect of their songwriting.
This band is so tight and generates such dramatic musical excitement that I could not believe my luck when I stumbled across them in their current relative obscurity. Who knew that hidden away in Leeds is such great musical talent, about to take the world by storm! I am hoping that they develop their fan base further and thus gain the wider recognition that they deserve. (It will be fun to follow their career as their future records take shape.)
Therefore, by the powers vested in me as a citizen of the republic of Progarchy, I am creating a special 11th spot on my traditional end-of-year, “Top Ten” list… for Chasing Dragons, my #11 for this year. I am taking this extraordinary action because it is in 2013 that I discovered this band, an epochal event which I want to commemorate somehow.
Luckily, I have a loophole: Chasing Dragons released a first-class single in 2013. By combining it with the material from their 2012 EP, “Take Flight for a Firefight,” I argue that Chasing Dragons has, as of this year, released enough music that, in composite, forms what I consider to be a solid LP of very impressive material.
The following is the playlist — the “virtual LP” — that I have fashioned for myself. I have been listening to it repeatedly. I argue that this playlist showcases a “Virtual LP” that constitutes, from beginning to end, a first-rate achievement. In my own mind, I christen this “Virtual LP” with the name “Seeds of Tomorrow,” because that Chasing Dragons song is arguably what should be considered their signature track:
Chasing Dragons — “Seeds of Tomorrow” (Virtual LP created from EP & Single):
1. Into the Pit
2. Under the Earth
3. Spawn of the Succubus
4. Mirror’s Edge
5. Black Velvet
6. Seeds of Tomorrow
7. City of Steel
8. Hindsight’s a Bitch
9. Let Sleeping Lions Lay
“Unplugged” Bonus Tracks:
10. It’s Bravery, Honestly
11. Spawn of the Succubus (Live Acoustic)
12. Into the Pit (Live Acoustic)
The first nine tracks as above form a solid 40 minutes of excellent female-fronted metal music. The last three tracks are 12 minutes of acoustic bonus tracks that prove the band’s remarkable musical versatility, thus pointing towards a promising future. By the way, “Black Velvet” is a cover of the tune by 1990 Grammy winner Alannah Myles, and it is even better than the original. So, I say that, any way you look at it, Chasing Dragons have shown themselves capable of producing not just the cumulative output of an LP’s worth of material, but of astoundingly upper-echelon material.
I myself think of the LP-sized slice of nine tracks above as forming a showcase of “Past” (“Into the Pit,” “Under the Earth,” and “Spawn of the Succubus”), “Present” (“Mirror’s Edge,” “Black Velvet,” and “Seeds of Tomorrow”), and “Future” (“City of Steel,” “Hindsight’s a Bitch,” and “Let Sleeping Lions Lay”). What I mean is that the band shows their “Past” first by singing songs with themes that are genre-bound in lyrical inspiration; then they showcase in the “Present” the fact of their undeniable ability as a band to write truly superb original songs and the fact that they are so talented themselves that even their covers can transcend the original inspirations and showcase the band’s unique personality; and finally they give some exciting indications of the directions in which their “Future” work might head. In short, this is a very dynamic band moving quickly, rapidly developing before our very ears, hurtling from one excellent achievement to another. The Virtual LP captures that truth in a musical snapshot.
If I had to pick favorite tracks by Chasing Dragons they would probably be “Mirror’s Edge,” “Seeds of Tomorrow,” and “City of Steel,” because of Tank’s great lyrics in them. But really, all the band’s tracks are excellent. Sample them all, and please notice how there are nice bursts of creative genius from all four corners of this band. As just one example, take this great line from the chorus to their 2013 single, their ode to hindsight:
If regrets were made of bullets
then we’d all be dead inside
Keep your ear on this band. If you like female-fronted metal, then be sure to try out all the tracks. As I have said, I find they all work exceedingly well together as a solid unit in the playlist order that I have invented and listed above.
Make sure you always buy music from and support the promising artists in our midst like Chasing Dragons. Indeed, this young band arguably has within them the “Seeds of Tomorrow.” Therefore, let me end my review here with a quote from their own song of that name. This song could be considered their musical signature. Arguably, its lyrics, paired with the powerful music, sum up how we should best construe the meaning of the band’s formidable name, Chasing Dragons:
Chase the demons away
Show them where the trouble’s at
Take up arms and fight
Show them that you won’t hold back
Chase your demons away
Show them you’re not here to play games
Take your life in your hands
Tomorrow’s ours
So let’s take it back
Best of 2013Chasing DragonsTop 13Top Thirteen of 2013
Top Ten… or Top Thirteen?
Interview with Andy Tillison by James R Turner |
Home America and the World Exit Yemen Now to Assist a Fragile Peace
Exit Yemen Now to Assist a Fragile Peace
It’s time for a war powers resolution to end U.S. support for Saudi’s war of aggression.
by Annelle Sheline
Hani Mohammed/AP Photo
Armed Houthi fighters attend the funeral procession of Houthi rebel fighters who were killed in fighting with forces of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, November 24, 2021, in Sanaa, Yemen.
On February 27, the 115th commercial flight since May of last year landed at Sanaa International Airport in the capital of Yemen. Children at a nearby hospital were exhilarated as the plane descended overhead, according to a local journalist, and even elderly patients smiled.
The plane is a tangible representation of the current de facto truce between Sanaa’s Houthi-led government and Saudi Arabia. Between March 2015 and March 2022, a Saudi-led military coalition conducted more than 2,500 air raids on Yemen, using American-made bombs and with the assistance of the U.S. military. As long as the cease-fire holds, Yemenis need not fear the sound of planes overhead.
Although the truce expired in October, both sides have largely kept to its terms. After closing it to commercial travel in 2016, the Saudi-led coalition permitted Sanaa Airport to resume limited operations. Before last April, the Saudi-led coalition periodically blocked petroleum imports through the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah, sparking acute fuel shortages that deepened the existing humanitarian crisis, which the U.N. has long called the worst in the world. Yemen imports 90 percent of its food. Without fuel for transportation, prices for basic food items soared. Meanwhile, hospitals were forced to turn off ventilators and other lifesaving equipment when they ran out of fuel for generators. Under the truce, the Saudis have allowed fuel to enter Hodeidah port, granting a slight reprieve.
More from Annelle Sheline
The lull in conflict offers a brief window to achieve a more prolonged peace. Currently, rumors abound that Riyadh may be on the verge of a deal with Yemen’s Houthis, which would allow the Saudis to finally withdraw from the conflict after almost eight years trying to defeat the rebel group. As I show in new research for the Quincy Institute, this is a narrow opportunity to end U.S. involvement, while promoting stability and avoiding additional bloodshed.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) took a step in this direction when he introduced a war powers resolution last December. But he quickly withdrew the resolution in response to stiff opposition from the White House. With talk of a Saudi-Houthi deal, now is the right time for Sanders to reintroduce the war powers resolution and finally end U.S. support for the brutal Saudi war of aggression on Yemen. This should be accompanied by robust humanitarian aid and efforts to stabilize the region.
Unfortunately, the U.S. is currently doing the opposite: quietly pulling back its humanitarian aid, without taking the necessary, decisive action to withdraw military support during this fleeting lull in fighting.
While Saudi bombs are not currently falling and fuel is finally making its way inland from Hodeidah, the humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen has only deepened. The decline in violence has contributed to a drop in attention, exacerbating “donor fatigue” as competing crises divert funding away from the desperately impoverished Arab state.
Late last month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced at a donor conference in Geneva that the U.S. would send an additional $444 million to Yemen. He called on other countries—including wealthy Gulf States like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which also bear responsibility for Yemen’s agony—to give more. Yet he failed to mention that the U.S. will be sending 25 percent less aid than last year, and next year may cut aid by as much as 40 percent, despite committing $110 billion to Ukraine.
This is a narrow opportunity to end U.S. involvement, while promoting stability and avoiding additional bloodshed.
Meanwhile, the conference raised only about a quarter of the $4.3 billion it sought for Yemen. Last year, the U.N.’s World Food Program already slashed the assistance it provides for 13 million Yemenis, cutting back food aid by 50 percent for five million people, and by 75 percent for eight million. This followed cuts from 2021, in a country that ranks as the worst in the world for hunger. Without this aid, civilians will starve.
Prior to the truce, the Saudi-led coalition had bombarded and blockaded Yemen for seven years: In addition to deaths caused directly by falling bombs, the starvation and disease wrought by the devastation of war had killed almost 400,000 Yemeni civilians as of 2021. Previous attempts to achieve a cease-fire had failed.
The truce has held past its official expiration because the war had become a mutually painful stalemate following Houthi attacks last year on sensitive targets in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. From the perspective of Abu Dhabi, Houthi attacks not only endangered critical infrastructure, but threatened to puncture the carefully crafted image of luxury and stability on which the UAE stakes its reputation. For Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Houthi missiles could derail his plan to transform the Kingdom through foreign investment and tourism.
Since both the UAE and Saudi Arabia are seeking to avoid the possibility of future Houthi attacks, they may agree to officially end hostilities in Yemen. The UAE officially withdrew troops in late 2019, although it continues to fund and outfit militia groups on the ground.
In a possible signal of progress, on February 26, the Saudi-led coalition permitted the first general cargo ship to dock at Hodeidah since 2016. Since 2018, the Saudis have blocked almost all containerized goods, according to the U.N. Verification and Inspection Mechanism, which monitors imports to Yemen to prevent Iran from smuggling weapons to the Houthis. Although Houthi leader Abdelmalik al-Houthi said on February 17 that “we are still in a phase of war with the coalition of aggression, and there is no agreement yet,” the ship’s arrival appeared to indicate Saudi efforts to address Houthi demands to open up access to Hodeidah port, potentially as a confidence-building measure for a longer-term agreement.
Yemen experts are divided as to what a Saudi-Houthi deal could mean for the war-stricken country. Some fear that a Saudi exit would leave the Houthis as the strongest military actor, handing control of northern Yemen to a group that has consistently blocked humanitarian aid and suppressed human rights, especially targeting women, journalists, and religious minorities. Yemen’s internationally recognized government, now represented by a group of eight men put in place last year by Saudi Arabia after the Saudis ousted exiled president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, remains weak and internally divided, incapable of challenging the Houthis without foreign assistance.
Others fear that the Saudis’ withdrawal could plunge the country into greater violence due to resistance to Houthi control. Yemenis who fought alongside the Houthis against foreign aggression could pivot to overthrowing Houthi rule. Reports of dissension among the ranks of the Houthis’ approximately 200,000 troops demonstrate the potential for infighting.
The Houthis themselves have relied heavily on the legitimation provided by foreign military action, portraying themselves as defending Yemen against American, Saudi, and Emirati aggression. In an interview, Greg Johnsen, former member of the U.N.’s Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen, said that the Houthis “probably underestimate how difficult it will be to consolidate control in a post-Saudi, post-UAE phase.” If the Houthis are left to govern, they will face the consequences of the violence they have wreaked upon the population.
Other experts, such as Princeton professor Bernard Haykel, posit that the Houthis have effectively cemented control over much of the former North Yemen by empowering tribal leaders they consider loyal, while removing or assassinating those opposed to their rule. The Houthis’ political project—to establish the political authority of the sada, or descendants of the Prophet Mohammed—represents a return to Yemen’s pre-republican era, which ended in the 1960s with the overthrow of the Zaydi imamate. The Houthis have transformed educational curricula to align with their ideological project, escalating the potential for sectarianism between Yemen’s Zaydi Shias, who constitute approximately 35 percent of the population, and the Sunni majority.
If Saudi Arabia chooses to begin dropping bombs again, it would do so with U.S. support. Furthermore, a future presidential administration could again escalate U.S. support for violence, as President Trump did by lifting Obama-era restrictions on weapons designed to target civilians. Therefore, the U.S. should prioritize ending its support for the Saudi-led coalition. A war powers resolution would end the logistical and maintenance support the U.S. provides for Saudi aircraft, approximately two-thirds of which are American-made and operate only with U.S. assistance.
Meanwhile, the U.S. should also significantly increase humanitarian aid. The U.S. has profited handsomely from the sale of weapons to the Saudis and Emiratis, many of which rained down upon Yemen’s civilian population. Lawyers for the administration already fear that the U.S. could be implicated in war crimes in Yemen. Shifting the U.S. role from that of directly enabling Saudi aggression to providing significantly more aid to starving children would at least begin to address the enormous crime the U.S. has committed against Yemen.
foreign policy National Security military Middle East hunger United Nations
Annelle Sheline
Annelle Sheline is a research fellow in the Middle East program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.
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3D-QSAR
3D-QSAR has emerged as a natural extension to the classical Hansch and Free-Wilson approaches, which has served as a valuable predictive tool in the design of pharmaceuticals. BOC Sciences provides tailored 3D-QSAR model building services to accelerate your drug discovery process.
Many scientific methods have been applied to drug design, and one of the most popular methods is computer-aided drug design (CADD). The quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modeling was used to explore the relationship between the chemical structure and biological activity of a given group of small molecules. As an extension of the classical QSAR method initiated by Hansch and Free-Wilson, 3D-QSAR makes use of the three-dimensional properties of ligands and robust stoichiometric techniques such as PLS, G/PLS and ANN to predict their biological activities. They are valuable prediction tools in the design of drugs. Although the trial and error factors involved in the development of new drugs cannot be completely ignored, QSAR will certainly reduce the number of compounds to be synthesized by promoting the selection of the most promising candidates.
Our 3D-QSAR analysis is a valuable pharmaceutical chemical tool that enables researchers to effectively perform force field calculations that require a three-dimensional structure of the training set (to measure known activities through experiments). More and more information from structural biology will provide valuable feedback on the assumptions that form the basis of the 3D-QSAR method.
Biological data analysis
Optimization of 3D structure of the biomolecules
Determination of bioactive conformations of biomolecules
Calculation of molecular interaction energy fields
3D QSAR model generation and validation
Automatic 3D-QSAR workflow
Experienced scientists and technicians for modeling
Improve the biological activity of the existing leading compounds
Predicting the activity of unknown compounds
Technical advice on data selection for further processing, such as docking analysis
Fan, F., Warshaviak, D. T., Hamadeh, H. K., & Dunn, R. T. (2019). The integration of pharmacophore-based 3D QSAR modeling and virtual screening in safety profiling: A case study to identify antagonistic activities against adenosine receptor, A2A, using 1,897 known drugs. PloS one, 14(1).
Verma, J., Khedkar, V. M., & Coutinho, E. C. (2010). 3D-QSAR in drug design-a review. Current topics in medicinal chemistry, 10(1), 95-115. |
I was planning to write a post about an article I found well written (later: cancel that, apparently I did, see the following), but a bit depressing -- this Newsweek article about a book about FDR and his mistress(es). The article writer brings up very good point about physical comparisons between Eleanor and her rival. She wraps up well with a positive note about how much Eleanor was able to accomplish that she might not have been able to had she been the "helpmate" her husband needed. I'm not sure why exactly I found it sad, but it probably had something to do with the fact that Eleanor had to choose between being a do-er and being a supporter. The book seemed to support the old stereotypes, which always affects my mood.
On a lighter note, could someone order me up an extra 24 hours? Thanks.
Categories: life, society
Sorry, I'm short 48 myself. :-(
John the Scientist said...
The title of your post is correct. You can't have it all. There is not enough time in the day. As you seem to have found out ;-).
But I think you are taking too much doom and gloom from the article. In an age where divorce was not acceptable, these were two very incompatible people yoked together at a young age. Franklin needed someone very different, and so did Eleanor. Today they simply would have divorced early in the relationship.
Assuming (as unfortunately is often the case) that the personalities don’t clash too much, two people can be supportive of each other while leading Type A lives. One does not have to choose between supporting the partner and having a career. However, doing each takes time, so you are going to make trade-offs. You are not going to be the best you could be at either thing, but most of the time you only lose a little on one front and gain a lot on another. Spending one less hour at the office when the spouse has a bad day usually doesn’t kill your career, and vice versa. They key is balance.
Where the “you can’t have it all” really comes into play is when kids arrive. The concept of quality time when they are very little is a crock. Quality is Quantity to a toddler. That article about the Alaska governor going to a meeting the day after her kid was born is a good example. That kid is getting shortchanged big time. There are going to be times in a parent’s life when the kid is going to negatively impact the career – if you are raising the kid right. I want to go back to Asia. I had the chance last year, but getting my daughter through kindergarten was more important.
My wife and I made a decision that raising our kids was the most important thing we were going to do in our lives, and she made the decision to stay home and be Dr. Mom. The payoff is obvious.
We received a thank-you note from the class after we went in to do a Chinese New Year presentation. I thought my daughter’s name was written by the teacher it was so neat. No one else in the class came close to that. Why? Every day after school the girl has to write several sentences describing what she did that day into her journal. She has to write them neatly. Then she has to learn 3 new Chinese characters. She gets yelled at (and so do I) if we speak English at home. Full blooded Chinese kids whose parents shuffle them off to Chinese school for 3 hours a week on Sunday morning don’t speak nearly as well at 9 years old as she does at 5 (she tested into the third grade Chinese school class before she started kindergarten). If my wife worked, the kid would be no where near that level. All I get to do is 30 minutes of math with her every night.
Could the kid get by and even do well academically without that? Sure. She’s sharp as a tack. But we decided that just getting by wasn’t good enough for our kids. There’s a sliding scale – we’re a bit obsessive. But it’s a decision you must consciously make, and all the messages telling you that you can do it all and do it all well are full of BS. Once you start multi-tasking, something gives in each task. Now sometimes that’s OK, sometimes it’s not. Sure, not everyone has to speak 3 languages fluently by 5. Some people work part time and still spend more time with their kids than otherwise. It’s OK to spend less time than we do with the kids (we haven’t been to a movie since ROTK), but don’t kid yourself, you are giving up something. But as they get older, you can take more time for you. That’s the other pernicious message in society today – that you should not delay gratification. The first 5 years are critical. I’m not going to make CEO – started too late and spend too much time with the family. That’s OK, we do all right. Life is good, if you make the right choices, and make them consciously so that you don’t second-guess yourself.
The article didn’t make me depressed at all. It made me thankful I live in the early 21st Century and not the early 20th.
Beautifully written, John. (And anyone who skipped/speed read (sped read?) through it should take a minute to read it more slowly.)
You are right, of course, that anything that shows how difficult things were in the past should make us appreciate the present that much more. I have noticed in the past and noticed again today how much more often you see a couple in a car and the woman is driving. That speaks to an everyday kind of equality that is reassuring.
I also agree that FDR and Eleanor's relationship seems to be an extremely beneficial one for both. I think it's the romantic training that makes me feel like Eleanor lost out because she wasn't pretty enough. Of course, like anyone, I'm sure she had her own ways of getting what she needed or doing without.
More than anything, you are correct that childrearing (or whatever we choose to do) is a matter of priorities. The fact that one's child goes to school is no substitution for actual parenting.
Thanks for the positive spin!
Hey, we Boonsboro grads have to stick together!
Eleanor had an extremely complex life.
Joseph Lash wrote a two book biography of her that is fascinating and well worth a read if you have the time.
Did Franklin hurt her? Most certainly. But would she have chosen to leave him? Considering her background? Maybe not.
John - wow, I really enjoyed reading your perspective. So eloquently written, and so true. Thank you! It's easy to get caught up in lamenting the small margin that you might be sacrificing in each area of your life due to multi-tasking. I like your view of minimizing the margins on the things that are most important and moving on from all the rest with no regrets. :-)
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How your infection fights back: Bacterial defense against hypochlorous acid (HOCl)
Posted byrmarroquin03 May 18, 2021 August 28, 2022 Posted inBiology, MircobiologyTags:Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), Innate immune system, Reading Level: Grade 10, Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC)
Featured Scientist: Sadia Sultana (she/her/hers), PhD student (Anticipated: Spring 2024), School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University
Birthplace: Dhaka, Bangladesh
My Research: Humans, animals, and several insects have an innate immune system. The innate immune system is the body’s first line defense against pathogens. Pathogens are a type of microorganism that can cause disease. After our body recognizes the pathogen, it activates the immune system to destroy it. In my research, I work to understand how pathogenic bacteria defend themselves against the innate immune system in humans.
Research Goals: I am interested in studying how pathogenic bacteria interact with their hosts.
Career Goals: My long-term career goal is to establish myself as an academic researcher. My research focus would be how pathogenic bacteria interact with their human hosts.
Hobbies: I like traveling and sports!
Favorite Thing About Science: Science brings people from different backgrounds together. It is interesting to learn how scientists from diverse research fields work together to answer new questions.
My Team: We have a diverse research group that consists of graduate and undergraduate students. We also host visiting research fellows.
Organism of Study: In my research, I work on a type of bacteria called uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). UPEC can cause urinary tract infections (UTIs) in humans.
A spot plate of UPEC bacteria
Field of Study: Microbiology
What is Microbiology? Microbiology is the study of the forms of life that you cannot see without the use of a microscope. Microbiologists study how microscopic organisms play helpful or harmful roles in our lives.
Check Out My Original Paper: “Bacterial Defense Systems against the Neutrophilic Oxidant Hypochlorous Acid”
QR code that links to the original publication
Citation: Sultana, Sadia, Alessandro Foti, and Jan-Ulrik Dahl. “Bacterial defense systems against the neutrophilic oxidant hypochlorous acid.” Infection and Immunity 88.7 (2020).
Research At A Glance: Our paper is a review article, a type of scientific paper that focuses on a very specific topic. Review articles summarize the results of prior research and propose possible directions for future research. In our article, we covered how pathogenic bacteria defend themselves from the human immune system. When people become infected by a pathogen, the immune system is rapidly activated to fight off the infection. The innate immune system is the first line of defense against infections. As part of the innate immune response, a type of protective cell, the neutrophil (also called a phagocytic cell) is activated. Neutrophil will surround and engulf the pathogen to destroy it. Once the bacterium has been engulfed, the neutrophil will produce strong chemicals, like hypochlorous acid (HOCl), to destroy it. However, bacteria have also evolved ways to defend themselves from HOCl. In our paper, we focus on some of the defense strategies that bacteria use against HOCl and describe how bacteria use those strategies to survive in the human immune system.
Highlights: Our paper contains several illustrations that show how bacteria generally protect themselves from HOCl exposure, but our most important image was Figure 1. Figure 1 is broken into three steps. It shows how an innate immune cell, the neutrophil, will engulf a pathogen and how it will make HOCl to destroy it.
Figure 1. Upper panel: the three-step process that neutrophils use to 1) sense and attach to the bacteria, 2) ingest the bacteria, and 3) kill the bacteria. Lower panel: how the neutrophil kills the bacteria. The neutrophil will release the antimicrobial enzymes, NOX2 and MPO, into the membrane that surrounds the bacteria. These antimicrobial enzymes help to make HOCl. Figure adapted from Sultana et al. 2021.
When the human body becomes infected with pathogenic bacteria, neutrophils will migrate to the site of infection. The neutrophil will bind to the bacteria or “microbe” (step 1). It will then ingest the bacteria and enclose it within a small membrane (step 2). This process is called phagocytosis. In the final step, small particles called granules will release antimicrobial enzymes into the membrane that surrounds the bacterium (step 3). Enzymes are a type of protein that speed up chemical reactions. Antimicrobial enzymes cause a chemical reaction that damages the cellular structure of the bacteria. The top panel of Figure 1 shows steps 1-3 of this process. The bottom panel shows the chemical reactions that take place inside the membrane that surrounds the bacteria. Two important antimicrobial enzymes are NOX2 and MPO. They bring about a series of chemical reactions that create HOCl from oxygen (Figure 2).
Figure 2. A series of chemical reactions that can make HOCl from oxygen. One of the chemicals in this process is Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2). Many people are familiar with H2O2 because it is often used as an over-the-counter disinfectant for small cuts and scrapes. HOCl is also a very strong disinfectant and better at killing bacteria than H2O2. HOCl is the common ingredient of the household disinfectant, bleach.
What My Science Looks Like: My PhD research aims to understand how pathogenic bacteria defend themselves against HOCl exposure. I study a specific type of bacteria, UPEC. In our lab, I recently discovered a group of genes in UPEC that appear to help the bacteria to defend against HOCl exposure. Now, my goal is to find out how these genes function.
The Big Picture: UTIs are the most common types of bacterial infection worldwide. They are particularly common among young and otherwise healthy women. In fact, about 60% of all women are diagnosed with a UTI at least once in their lifetime. Upon entering the urinary tract, UPEC rises from the urethra into the bladder. In response, our innate immune cells, neutrophils, infiltrate into the bladder and generate HOCl. Surprisingly, how UPEC defend themselves from HOCl exposure is completely unexplored. It’s important to learn how these bacteria defend against HOCl exposure. Doing so could reveal new drug targets that make UPEC vulnerable to this immune response. This treatment might increase the body’s ability to clear bacterial infections and lower the chance that the bacteria will become resistant to treatment.
Antimicrobial enzymes: Antimicrobial enzymes are any type of protein that can kill bacteria. They function by targeting different cellular components of the bacteria.
Granule: A granule is a small particle that contains different enzymes. It is barely visible under a microscope.
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2): H2O2 is a type of reactive oxygen species, a molecule made from oxygen that can damage bacteria. Many people use H2O2 as an over-the-counter disinfectant.
Hypochlorous acid (HOCl): HOCl is a reactive chlorine species that can damage bacteria but is more effective at killing bacteria than H2O2. HOCl also commonly known as bleach.
Innate immune system: The innate immune system is the first line of defense against an infection. It is a fast and generalized response that involves many types of immune cells, such as neutrophils. When you get a small cut on your finger and it swells, that is an example of an innate immune response. It is different than the adaptive immune system, which is much slower. In the adaptive immune response, the body will recognize a pathogen and create a defense that is specific to that pathogen. For example, if someone has previously had measles and has recovered, then that person will be protected for the rest of their lives from that illness. This is because the body has designed a specific defense to the pathogen that causes measles.
Myeloperoxidase (MPO): MPO is an enzyme that is expressed by a neutrophil immune cell. It produces HOCl.
Neutrophil: A neutrophil is a type of white blood cell that is involved in the immune response to infection or injury. Neutrophils are very abundant and can make up 40% – 70% of all white blood cells. Neutrophils will move to the site of injury or infection very quickly and ingest pathogens to destroy them.
NADPH oxidase (NOX2): NOX2 is an enzyme that is expressed by a neutrophil immune cell. It converts oxygen (O2) to super oxide (O2–). Super oxide is one of the chemicals in the series of chemical reactions that is needed to make HOCl.
Pathogenic: Pathogenic refers to a pathogen. A pathogen is any type of microorganism, like a bacterium, or virus, or more generally, a “germ”, that causes disease or infection.
Phagocytic cell: Phagocytic cell refers to a class of immune cells that are capable of ingesting invading pathogens to clear them from the body.
Phagocytosis: Phagocytosis is the process that specialized immune cells use to clear infectious microorganisms from the body. The process involves recognizing the invader, surrounding and engulfing the invader, then destroying the invader once it is inside the cell.
Spot plate: A “spot plate” is the plate used in a spot plate assay. A spot plate assay is a research method used to see how sensitive bacteria is to a type of antimicrobial (chemicals that kill microorganisms). The scientist will apply antimicrobials at different concentrations, then count how many bacteria able to survive at each concentration.
Urethra: The urethra is the duct that connects to the bladder and allows people to urinate.
Urinary tract infection (UTI): UTIs are common infections that take place in the urinary system. Most infections take place within the lower urinary tract, in the urethra and the bladder, but the infection can also reach the kidneys. Symptoms generally include painful urination, but symptoms become more serious if the infection reaches the kidneys. UTIs can occur naturally and can also occur in a medical setting when patients have a catheter placed to allow for assisted urination.
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC): UPEC is the most common bacteria that causes UTIs. It causes about 80% – 90% of the UTIs that occur naturally.
Article on innate and adaptive immunity
Research paper on pathogenic Escherichia coli: Kaper JB, Nataro JP, Mobley HL. 2004. Pathogenic escherichia coli. Nature reviews microbiology. 2(2):123-40.
Research paper on hypochlorous acid on hosts and pathogens: Ulfig A, Leichert LI. 2020.The effects of neutrophil-generated hypochlorous acid and other hypohalous acids on host and pathogens. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 13:1-30.
Synopsis edited by Rosario Marroquin-Flores, PhD (Anticipated: Spring 2022), Illinois State University, and Jaclyn Everly, PhD (Anticipated: Spring 2024), Illinois State University.
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Classical Polymers as Highly Tunable and Designable Heterogeneous Photocatalysts
Ferguson, C. T. J., & Zhang, K. A. I. (2021). Classical Polymers as Highly Tunable and Designable Heterogeneous Photocatalysts. ACS Catalysis, 9547-9560. doi:10.1021/acscatal.1c02056.
Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-0008-FE96-1 |
So I Send You Ministries
If you're a member and can't attend this Sunday, or just looking to get a feel for us, you can watch our latest service and previous services on our YouTube channel.
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"The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect..." - Rush "The Garden" |
The International Drone Expo Announces its First Ever Drone Race
September 30, 2016 By News
The International Drone Expo (IDE) announced on September 28 the details of its first ever drone race. The event brings together innovative and talented members of the commercial drone community from around the world. The two-day event, scheduled for December 9-10, 2016, will feature an exhibit floor displaying a wide variety of drones, parts, and services for the vast majority of commercial applications ranging from cinematography to agriculture. As the largest leading commercial drone conference in the world, there will be a huge amount of attention there, meaning a huge amount of potential interest in their sanctioned drone race.
Their indoor race course is custom-designed by MultiGP, the sanctioning body and leading drone racing league for first-person view racing. It will be larger than other indoor courses, featuring more advanced obstacles for pilots to maneuver around. Expo attendees will be able to view the race from a massive spectating area, and it will all take place in the Los Angeles Convention Center.
The IDE Drone race is a two-part series. Pilots qualify at an event at the SoCal Maker Convention in Pomona, CA on November 5, and finalists will advance to the IDE Drone Race Cup championship on December 10.
Find more information at the IDE’s official site here, or at their various social media channels, their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Filed Under: DroneRacingLife, News, video Tagged With: california, center, convention, drone, drone racing, drone racing league, expo, ide, international, league, los angeles, race, racing |