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Thoughts from the Christian perspective: discernment issues as they relate to the current state of the church and society.
We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum. A.W. Tozer
Friday, January 15, 2010
How Deep The Father's Love For Us
This is one of my favorite contemporary hymns, because it has some good "meat."
How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure;that He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure.How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face awayas wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory.
Behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulders. Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished. His dying breath has brought me life. I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything - no gifts, no power, no wisdom. But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection.Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer.But this I know with all my heart; His wounds have paid my ransom.
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Homebrew Equipment Kits
We were all beginner home brewers at one point and deciding on our first home-brew kit wasn’t easy. We want to make it simple for you so we created solid kits and this handy sheet to help you get your hands on the right one.
Common Questions
Where do I find a complete list of what's exactly in these kits?
Just keep on scrolling. We've made it easy to compare below.
Why should I pick up one of these kits?
We created these kits to save you from the trouble of traveling around our site and picking up each item you need to get started. Everything is included right here! There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a brew day and not having the gear you need. We've made sure not to leave anything out.
What's the minimum equipment I need as a brewer?
Our Starter Homebrewing Kit is just that! Of course it assumes that you already own at least a 5 gallon pot to brew in and a metal spoon. Don't have those? Then the complete kits will get you there.
One of your Complete Kits comes with a Carboy, and the other a Bucket. What's the Difference?
It comes down to personal preference. Some people prefer a carboy over a bucket because a giant glass jug looks nicer than a plastic bucket. A carboy is also more difficult to scratch which makes it easier to clean and sanitize. Carboys are glass and heavy when full, and can be slippery; some people prefer the ease of moving a fermenting bucket.
What are some other items I should think about down the road?
Beer Bottles, additional carboys and buckets to ferment more than one batch at a time, carboy handles, yeast nutrients to give your beer a boost, wort chillers to help with the brewing process, and a kegging system after a few batches to make sharing easy. There are so many options to help you in your quest as a home brewer. You don't need them to get started, but we know you were already thinking about them.
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl9zyXEBnlM&list=UU7RQMyUPzbQerM6rKRGqhvA[/youtube]
Now i've seen this video...
I really don't think that triple gillusion should be banned...
because the game itself has it's own restrictions...
like every player can use only 12 b-dama , they must not loaded the bdaman with b dama before the game begins etc...
well anyway it's really up to the tournament host how the rules it must be and i guess we all must obey the tournament host anyway if we want to enter the tournaments..
Concerning trigger pads. I think they should be illegal if it's a part from another B-Daman such as the Rapid-fire trigger thing on Ultimate=Drive=Garuburn or something like that that goes on like Assault Dragren's trigger for example.
No matter how bright the light may be... It can always be overcast by a shadow.
Found this on a Blog out there on the interwebs. There's a chance it's not 100% legitimate, but I'm under the impression that it probably is.
Apparently these are the official Japan WBMA CB-31 Break Bomber rules:
Quote:Before The Battle
-B-ders will do a simple Rock,Scissors,Paper to determine play position.
-Each B-Der will have 12 Official CrossFight B-Daman Marbles (B-Da) provided by Judge.
-Each B-Der is Restricted only to their respective Play Area from the Slope Ram to their 'Start Shoot Area' Pad.
-Battle will only Start when the 'Three,Two,One,B---Fight' command is given by the Judge.
-Before the 'Three,Two,One,B---Fight' command is given, No B-Der is allowed to touch/load the Marbles or the B-Daman Shooter.
-Tune Up Parts are allowed to be used. (subjected to safety and gameplay restrictions)
During the Battle
-Do NOT damage or take apart the 'Break Bomber' Arena.
-B-Ders are Allowed to push away the scattered 'Blocks' in their OWN area. 'Blocks' are only allowed to be move WITHIN the OWN area and NOT out of the Arena.
-B-Ders B-Daman Shooters are only allowed to move/shoot in within the 'Start Shoot Area'.
-B-da Marbles that are in OWN play area are Allowed to be re-loaded.
-B-da Marbles, Blocks, Shutter outside of own play area are NOT allowed to be picked up.
-B-daman are only allowed to Shoot within the 'Shoot Area'.
-The B-Daman Shooter's 'Leg' should NOT exceed the 'Shoot Area' at all times.
-The following Battle conditions are Allowed and Battle will continue:
1)Part of the B-daman Shooter's Tune Up Parts exceeds the 'Start Shoot Area'.
2)The B-Daman Shooters Tune Up Parts comes lose.
3)When the B-Daman shooter's Tune Up Parts falls out of the Arena during the Battle.
4)When the B-Da Marble is Jammed in the B-Daman or Tune Up Parts.
-When the D-Der knocks a 'Block' out of the 'Break Bomber' to the opponents Play Area, B-Der gets a Point.
-If 'Block' get knocked out of the arena, the Judge will determine the 'Block' drop area.
(when a 'Block' in your own area is Pushed to the opponents Area by a B-da Marble, B-der scores a point.)
*Only applies to Normal and Red Blocks
-B-Der is NOT allowed to push the 'Block' to the opponent side when their B-Daman Shooter is unable to Shoot. (No Ammo)
-When a B-daman Tune Up Part falls off within your Play Area, quickly put it aside or retify your B-daman without leaving the Play Area.
(however if Tune Up Parts Falls to the opponent's Side, the respective B-Der is Not Allowed to access it.)
-Special Condition: CB-35/40 Drazeros comes with an addition 2 B-da Marbles in its Wings that can be used in a Battle as Bonus Ammo. If B-Der chooses to use it, it will have 14 B-da Marbles.
-The B-Da Marbles in Drazeros Wings must be removed when decided to be used as extra ammo.
-CB-33 'Quick Loader Magazine' must be in Set position (unloaded) before Battle start.
Winning Conditions
-When 3 'Red Blocks' are on one side of the Battle Field, Battle Ends.
-Respective B-Der with 3 'Red Blocks' in the Opponent side Wins.
-In the Event a Halt is called by the Judge, a 10 second countdown will be given.
*Within the 10 Seconds if no 'Blocks' were scored, the Battle Ends.
1)B-Der with the Most 'Red Blocks' on the Opponent side Wins.
2)If both B-Ders have the Same amount of 'Red Blocks', The B-Der with More 'Normal Blocks (yellow)' on the Opponent Side Wins.
3)If both B-ders have the Same amount of 'Normal Blocks', there will be a Re-Match.
Others
-If the 'Break Bomber' side Parts fall off or Out of the Area, Judge will decide if Battle should Halt to rectify. Once recovered, Battle will only continue Upon the 'Three,Two,One,B---Fight' Command.
I especially like: "However if Tune Up Parts Falls to the opponent's Side, the respective B-Der is Not Allowed to access it." How do you even manage that?
I also think the rule that if a marble flies out of the walls you can't retrieve it seems fair enough, actually.
This also confirms that the marbles in the Drazeros wings do in fact allow a slight advantage under the OFFICIAL rulings.
[quote name="IXRollOutIX" post="4450" timestamp="1385086988"]
Found this on a Blog out there on the interwebs. There's a chance it's not 100% legitimate, but I'm under the impression that it probably is.
Apparently these are the official Japan WBMA CB-31 Break Bomber rules:
Quote:Before The Battle
-B-ders will do a simple Rock,Scissors,Paper to determine play position.
-Each B-Der will have 12 Official CrossFight B-Daman Marbles (B-Da) provided by Judge.
-Each B-Der is Restricted only to their respective Play Area from the Slope Ram to their 'Start Shoot Area' Pad.
-Battle will only Start when the 'Three,Two,One,B---Fight' command is given by the Judge.
-Before the 'Three,Two,One,B---Fight' command is given, No B-Der is allowed to touch/load the Marbles or the B-Daman Shooter.
-Tune Up Parts are allowed to be used. (subjected to safety and gameplay restrictions)
During the Battle
-Do NOT damage or take apart the 'Break Bomber' Arena.
-B-Ders are Allowed to push away the scattered 'Blocks' in their OWN area. 'Blocks' are only allowed to be move WITHIN the OWN area and NOT out of the Arena.
-B-Ders B-Daman Shooters are only allowed to move/shoot in within the 'Start Shoot Area'.
-B-da Marbles that are in OWN play area are Allowed to be re-loaded.
-B-da Marbles, Blocks, Shutter outside of own play area are NOT allowed to be picked up.
-B-daman are only allowed to Shoot within the 'Shoot Area'.
-The B-Daman Shooter's 'Leg' should NOT exceed the 'Shoot Area' at all times.
-The following Battle conditions are Allowed and Battle will continue:
1)Part of the B-daman Shooter's Tune Up Parts exceeds the 'Start Shoot Area'.
2)The B-Daman Shooters Tune Up Parts comes lose.
3)When the B-Daman shooter's Tune Up Parts falls out of the Arena during the Battle.
4)When the B-Da Marble is Jammed in the B-Daman or Tune Up Parts.
-When the D-Der knocks a 'Block' out of the 'Break Bomber' to the opponents Play Area, B-Der gets a Point.
-If 'Block' get knocked out of the arena, the Judge will determine the 'Block' drop area.
(when a 'Block' in your own area is Pushed to the opponents Area by a B-da Marble, B-der scores a point.)
*Only applies to Normal and Red Blocks
-B-Der is NOT allowed to push the 'Block' to the opponent side when their B-Daman Shooter is unable to Shoot. (No Ammo)
-When a B-daman Tune Up Part falls off within your Play Area, quickly put it aside or retify your B-daman without leaving the Play Area.
(however if Tune Up Parts Falls to the opponent's Side, the respective B-Der is Not Allowed to access it.)
-Special Condition: CB-35/40 Drazeros comes with an addition 2 B-da Marbles in its Wings that can be used in a Battle as Bonus Ammo. If B-Der chooses to use it, it will have 14 B-da Marbles.
-The B-Da Marbles in Drazeros Wings must be removed when decided to be used as extra ammo.
-CB-33 'Quick Loader Magazine' must be in Set position (unloaded) before Battle start.
Winning Conditions
-When 3 'Red Blocks' are on one side of the Battle Field, Battle Ends.
-Respective B-Der with 3 'Red Blocks' in the Opponent side Wins.
-In the Event a Halt is called by the Judge, a 10 second countdown will be given.
*Within the 10 Seconds if no 'Blocks' were scored, the Battle Ends.
1)B-Der with the Most 'Red Blocks' on the Opponent side Wins.
2)If both B-Ders have the Same amount of 'Red Blocks', The B-Der with More 'Normal Blocks (yellow)' on the Opponent Side Wins.
3)If both B-ders have the Same amount of 'Normal Blocks', there will be a Re-Match.
Others
-If the 'Break Bomber' side Parts fall off or Out of the Area, Judge will decide if Battle should Halt to rectify. Once recovered, Battle will only continue Upon the 'Three,Two,One,B---Fight' Command.
I especially like: "However if Tune Up Parts Falls to the opponent's Side, the respective B-Der is Not Allowed to access it." How do you even manage that?
I also think the rule that if a marble flies out of the walls you can't retrieve it seems fair enough, actually.
This also confirms that the marbles in the Drazeros wings do in fact allow a slight advantage under the OFFICIAL rulings.
[/quote] This my be liget I myself have come across this several times the easyest way to find these rules are on the Singapore crossfight b daman related websites. I'll look for the site with these rules but it my take some time...
Also should we allow " intigrated battles " like crash b daman in a break bomber setting or battle b daman in a crash tower setting?
ââ¬ÅYou, people down there, are you satisfied with the way the world is? As for meââ¬Â¦ I hate it.ââ¬Â ââ¬â Lockon Stratos
[quote name="b-dablader95" post="4672" timestamp="1385915865"]
[quote author=IXRollOutIX link=topic=46.msg4450#msg4450 date=1385086988]
Found this on a Blog out there on the interwebs. There's a chance it's not 100% legitimate, but I'm under the impression that it probably is.
Apparently these are the official Japan WBMA CB-31 Break Bomber rules:
Quote:Before The Battle
-B-ders will do a simple Rock,Scissors,Paper to determine play position.
-Each B-Der will have 12 Official CrossFight B-Daman Marbles (B-Da) provided by Judge.
-Each B-Der is Restricted only to their respective Play Area from the Slope Ram to their 'Start Shoot Area' Pad.
-Battle will only Start when the 'Three,Two,One,B---Fight' command is given by the Judge.
-Before the 'Three,Two,One,B---Fight' command is given, No B-Der is allowed to touch/load the Marbles or the B-Daman Shooter.
-Tune Up Parts are allowed to be used. (subjected to safety and gameplay restrictions)
During the Battle
-Do NOT damage or take apart the 'Break Bomber' Arena.
-B-Ders are Allowed to push away the scattered 'Blocks' in their OWN area. 'Blocks' are only allowed to be move WITHIN the OWN area and NOT out of the Arena.
-B-Ders B-Daman Shooters are only allowed to move/shoot in within the 'Start Shoot Area'.
-B-da Marbles that are in OWN play area are Allowed to be re-loaded.
-B-da Marbles, Blocks, Shutter outside of own play area are NOT allowed to be picked up.
-B-daman are only allowed to Shoot within the 'Shoot Area'.
-The B-Daman Shooter's 'Leg' should NOT exceed the 'Shoot Area' at all times.
-The following Battle conditions are Allowed and Battle will continue:
1)Part of the B-daman Shooter's Tune Up Parts exceeds the 'Start Shoot Area'.
2)The B-Daman Shooters Tune Up Parts comes lose.
3)When the B-Daman shooter's Tune Up Parts falls out of the Arena during the Battle.
4)When the B-Da Marble is Jammed in the B-Daman or Tune Up Parts.
-When the D-Der knocks a 'Block' out of the 'Break Bomber' to the opponents Play Area, B-Der gets a Point.
-If 'Block' get knocked out of the arena, the Judge will determine the 'Block' drop area.
(when a 'Block' in your own area is Pushed to the opponents Area by a B-da Marble, B-der scores a point.)
*Only applies to Normal and Red Blocks
-B-Der is NOT allowed to push the 'Block' to the opponent side when their B-Daman Shooter is unable to Shoot. (No Ammo)
-When a B-daman Tune Up Part falls off within your Play Area, quickly put it aside or retify your B-daman without leaving the Play Area.
(however if Tune Up Parts Falls to the opponent's Side, the respective B-Der is Not Allowed to access it.)
-Special Condition: CB-35/40 Drazeros comes with an addition 2 B-da Marbles in its Wings that can be used in a Battle as Bonus Ammo. If B-Der chooses to use it, it will have 14 B-da Marbles.
-The B-Da Marbles in Drazeros Wings must be removed when decided to be used as extra ammo.
-CB-33 'Quick Loader Magazine' must be in Set position (unloaded) before Battle start.
Winning Conditions
-When 3 'Red Blocks' are on one side of the Battle Field, Battle Ends.
-Respective B-Der with 3 'Red Blocks' in the Opponent side Wins.
-In the Event a Halt is called by the Judge, a 10 second countdown will be given.
*Within the 10 Seconds if no 'Blocks' were scored, the Battle Ends.
1)B-Der with the Most 'Red Blocks' on the Opponent side Wins.
2)If both B-Ders have the Same amount of 'Red Blocks', The B-Der with More 'Normal Blocks (yellow)' on the Opponent Side Wins.
3)If both B-ders have the Same amount of 'Normal Blocks', there will be a Re-Match.
Others
-If the 'Break Bomber' side Parts fall off or Out of the Area, Judge will decide if Battle should Halt to rectify. Once recovered, Battle will only continue Upon the 'Three,Two,One,B---Fight' Command.
I especially like: "However if Tune Up Parts Falls to the opponent's Side, the respective B-Der is Not Allowed to access it." How do you even manage that?
I also think the rule that if a marble flies out of the walls you can't retrieve it seems fair enough, actually.
This also confirms that the marbles in the Drazeros wings do in fact allow a slight advantage under the OFFICIAL rulings.
[/quote] This my be liget I myself have come across this several times the easyest way to find these rules are on the Singapore crossfight b daman related websites. I'll look for the site with these rules but it my take some time...
Also should we allow " intigrated battles " like crash b daman in a break bomber setting or battle b daman in a crash tower setting?
[/quote]i think yes cuz me & my friend play break bomber with battle b-daman
Just to put it out there: I think the Quick Loading Core of the Battle B-Daman Series should be banned from DHB because it requires the B-Daman to be lifted of the battlefield, which is unfair/illegal. Also, I have an idea for a universal game mode:Target Fighter
Rules:
1. There are Three Zones on each side of the field: No-Fire Zone, Fire-OK Zone, and Target Zone, from front to rear in that order (Target Zone being closest to the B-Shot)
2. (Insert number of targets here) are placed in the Target Zone
3. B-Daman cannot enter the Target Zone or the No-Fire Zone, and must remain in the Fire-OK Zone at all times
4. How to win: Knock over all targets in opponent's Target ZoneStarting:
1. All B-Daman must be empty of all B-Dama
2. B-Shots cannot touch their B-Dama or their B-Daman until the judge starts the match
3. Match begins when judge calls "3....2....1....B-----FIRE!" or "B-Shots! Ready! Aim! Crossfire!" (English Dub version if you wanna use it lol)
4. Once the match begins, B-Shots can grab their B-Daman, load their B-Dama, and shoot the targetsOptional Rules:
1. Time limits
2. B-Dama limits
3. Series specification (Battle, Crash, etc. exclusive)
4. Weighted Targets
5. Barricades
Just a fun little idea. If I come up with more banned parts/game-types, I will post them here (unless told otherwise). Also, I can post a video example if I didn't explain it very well or you want a demonstration. Anyway, hope you enjoy ^^
I have made a lot of mistakes in my life... I don't want losing you to be one of them... ~Elfen Lied
@ arkra12: The Quick Loading Core is unusable in DHB anyways--It cannot use DHB parts. Plus, it's still usable in other game types.
@ Mana: Oh, and I think I found another ban-worthy part; the Dr. Tamano Special's Motor Barrel
It works similar in concept to Megadiablos' Motor DHB Core, in which uses a battery-powered motor to send B-Dama flying out, when the marbles are passed into the barrel with the trigger.
The Motor Barrel is 120mm in length, and has a Shot Selector switch for two different firing modes; Acceleration Shots or Acceleration Volley Shots.
[quote name="arkra12" post="4745" timestamp="1386208983"]
Just to put it out there: I think the Quick Loading Core of the Battle B-Daman Series should be banned from DHB because it requires the B-Daman to be lifted of the battlefield, which is unfair/illegal. Also, I have an idea for a universal game mode:Target Fighter
Rules:
1. There are Three Zones on each side of the field: No-Fire Zone, Fire-OK Zone, and Target Zone, from front to rear in that order (Target Zone being closest to the B-Shot)
2. (Insert number of targets here) are placed in the Target Zone
3. B-Daman cannot enter the Target Zone or the No-Fire Zone, and must remain in the Fire-OK Zone at all times
4. How to win: Knock over all targets in opponent's Target ZoneStarting:
1. All B-Daman must be empty of all B-Dama
2. B-Shots cannot touch their B-Dama or their B-Daman until the judge starts the match
3. Match begins when judge calls "3....2....1....B-----FIRE!" or "B-Shots! Ready! Aim! Crossfire!" (English Dub version if you wanna use it lol)
4. Once the match begins, B-Shots can grab their B-Daman, load their B-Dama, and shoot the targetsOptional Rules:
1. Time limits
2. B-Dama limits
3. Series specification (Battle, Crash, etc. exclusive)
4. Weighted Targets
5. Barricades
Just a fun little idea. If I come up with more banned parts/game-types, I will post them here (unless told otherwise). Also, I can post a video example if I didn't explain it very well or you want a demonstration. Anyway, hope you enjoy ^^
[/quote] it does not requires the B-Daman to be lifted off the battlefield, cuz i use it & i do not do that but if not touched it will tip over
[quote name="JustAlex93F" post="2919" timestamp="1379706892"]
Speaking of magazines, you guys, take a look at the images below;
[img width=500 height=375]http://userdisk.webry.biglobe.ne.jp/008/918/29/N000/000/002/134787695990313124958_cb11-15.jpg[/img]
[/quote]
[shadow=red,left]This is the true face of evil![/shadow]
Questions:
1. Why can we not make cosmetic changes?
2. Would using only the center core of Triple = Gillusion, in a Burst=Bison esc. fashion, be illegal as well? What I mean is like attach, say, a Power Handle and pump the trigger like using the Burst core.
3. Would changing the spring of a trigger be illegal? (Ex. Replace the Sonic core's spring with a Battle B-Daman trigger spring)
4. Could I use the CB-19 Grip Handle Without the Handle?
Someone please reply, the questions are haunting me ;n;
I have made a lot of mistakes in my life... I don't want losing you to be one of them... ~Elfen Lied
That depends on what you mean by "cosmetic changes". I would think simply painting a B-Daman part (so long as it is a thin layer that doesn't affect performance) is acceptable. Anything else in the likes of modding parts is not acceptable.
[quote author=Kaede666 link=topic=46.msg4764#msg4764 date=1386286330]
2. Would using only the center core of Triple = Gillusion, in a Burst=Bison esc. fashion, be illegal as well? What I mean is like attach, say, a Power Handle and pump the trigger like using the Burst core.
[/quote]
It's not called the "Power Handle", it's the Bison Grip and it would be illegal as well.
That depends on what you mean by "cosmetic changes". I would think simply painting a B-Daman part (so long as it is a thin layer that doesn't affect performance) is acceptable. Anything else in the likes of modding parts is not acceptable.
[/quote]
By cosmetics I meant like paint, custom stickers, etc. Thank you for clearing up the confusion on that!
[quote author=EdBoy3 link=topic=46.msg5101#msg5101 date=1388771530]
[quote author=Kaede666 link=topic=46.msg4764#msg4764 date=1386286330]
2. Would using only the center core of Triple = Gillusion, in a Burst=Bison esc. fashion, be illegal as well? What I mean is like attach, say, a Power Handle and pump the trigger like using the Burst core.
[/quote]
It's not called the "Power Handle", it's the Bison Grip and it would be illegal as well.
[/quote]
No I meant CB-46 Tune-Up Gear Power-Grip. This thing:
That brings me back to the question, just revised: Can I use the center core of Triple = Gillusion by itself using the CB-46 in a Burt=Bison esc. way? Like pumping the springless trigger of the center core with the Power Grip.
Definitely illegal unless the spring swapping come from the same Cores (so if one lost their Sonic spring, they can swap it with another from Sonic).[/quote]
Understandable.
[quote author=EdBoy3 link=topic=46.msg5101#msg5101 date=1388771530]
[quote author=Kaede666 link=topic=46.msg4764#msg4764 date=1386286330]
4. Could I use the CB-19 Grip Handle Without the Handle?
Someone please reply, the questions are haunting me ;n;
[/quote]
Uh, CB-19 is not the "Grip Handle", it's the Rubber Seal. If you mean the CB-39 Grip Barrel then no, you can only use it with the handle.
[/quote]
Oh woops lol. Forgot to check the packaging of my Grip Barrel lol. Anyway, I asked because with some B-Daman heads, the barrel interferes with part of the head (using it with say the Dravise 2 head has the stud in the back of the barrel pushing against the end of Dravise's spiky head lol). Thank you for clearing that up!
I have made a lot of mistakes in my life... I don't want losing you to be one of them... ~Elfen Lied
That brings me back to the question, just revised: Can I use the center core of Triple = Gillusion by itself using the CB-46 in a Burt=Bison esc. way? Like pumping the springless trigger of the center core with the Power Grip.
[/quote]
Oh, I apologize for that.
Can the center Core of Triple even be used by itself? I know Left and Right can but I'm not so sure about the one in the middle. If it can be, I suppose it is okay to use any attachments such as the Power Grip.
Though i get Triple=Gillusion is banned from tournaments, i think that he is ALOUD in tournaments for the following reasons....'
1)His accuracy sucks! when you shoot with him, all 3 of them might only shoot 2 targets/bombs!
2)As you all know, you only get 12 bdama in tourney's(it might be different for u, but thats how the tourney's i go have)so 12/3=4 they can only shoot 4 bdama at once. And you will need 3 magazines which are quite useless cause you only have 4 bdama
3)Your opponent will only need to reload one bdaman while you have to divide them equally and put 4 each in every bdaman which is kinda unfair
4)His emblem charge doesn't effect the middle gillusion.
5)He is EXTREAMLY expensive like RM182.99(I'm from Malaysia) or something.
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Series rotations field new, but rare, looks
Yanks, Phils could start as many as six newcomer pitchers
By Tom Singer / MLB.com
New faces in new places always come into focus at this point in the baseball calendar. It is part of the game's tradition -- recent transplants ready for starting and starring turns behind the World Series curtain.
But the 2009 Fall Classic that kicks off Wednesday at 7:57 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium may set new standards for teams resting their fortunes on new arms imported exactly for this purpose.
While all the pre-Series attention is befalling the Game 1 matchup of the Yankees' CC Sabathia and the Phillies' Cliff Lee, the two erstwhile Cleveland left-handers will only lead off the parade of starters new to to their teams.
For the Yankees, Andy Pettitte looms as the only incumbent in their rotation, surrounded by Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and perhaps Chad Gaudin.
Philadelphia's 2008 postseason hero, Cole Hamels, will start Game 3 at Citizens Bank Park, with veteran Pedro Martinez -- late of the Mets -- set to go in Game 2 at Yankee Stadium, across the street from the old ballpark where he had many a battle with the Yankees as a member of the Red Sox.
Joe Blanton, a holdover from last season, could be a candidate to start Game 4. But if Phillies manager Charlie Manuel wants to lean more to the left and goes with rookie J.A. Happ over Blanton, that would bring the total of newcomer starters to six of the eight in the two rotations.
We've never been treated to such a pitching renovation, with or without Happ's inclusion.
In the 39 World Series played in the divisional-play era that began in 1969, teams have turned to newly adopted pitchers for 43 starts within the opening three games.
But never more than three of them in any one Classic.
NEW BEGINNINGS
Since the 1969 start of divisional play, there have been 43 starts within a World Series' first three games by pitchers in their first year with their teams. When CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee meet, it will be the first time such pitchers face off in a Game 1.
In 1969, Mike Cuellar and Jim Palmer started for the Orioles after having pitched the previous season in Houston and Triple-A, respectively, and Gary Gentry started for the Mets after having also spent the previous season in the Minors.
In 1976, Doyle Alexander (formerly with the Orioles) and Dock Ellis (Pirates) started for the Yankees against the Reds, whose Game 3 starter was Pat Zachry, who spent '75 in Triple-A.
Now the Yankees, chasing their 27th World Series championship, and the Phillies, bent on defending their title, will both lean heavily on newbies.
Sabathia and Burnett, high-profile free agents signed last offseason for an aggregate of $243.5 million, have been Yankees pillars all season. But Gaudin was acquired from the Padres in early August and immediately made his presence felt.
Among occasional relief outings, Gaudin made six starts and the Yankees won each of them, although his personal record was only 2-0. Manager Joe Girardi has been keeping him "on ice" for a possible World Series assignment: Gaudin has appeared in only one postseason game, logging a hitless ninth inning against the Angels in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.
The Phillies' situation is even more remarkable, considering they will defend their championship with new arms.
Hamels could be their only returning starter from the rotation that repelled the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2008 Fall Classic. To compensate for Brett Myers (right hip surgery), Jamie Moyer (torn tendons in left groin) and possibly Blanton (who could be used out of the bullpen), the Phillies reeled in:
Lee, this non-waiver Trade Deadline's biggest catch, for a package of four blue-chip prospects.
Martinez, unemployed until signing in mid-July; the Phillies won eight of the nine starts he made in the final two months of the regular season.
Happ, the 27-year-old who stepped up as a leading National League Rookie of the Year candidate by going 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA, after five mediocre Minor League seasons (including 8-7 with a 3.60 ERA at Triple-A in 2008).
These are the arms that will continue the tradition of newcomers and latecomers going above the World Series marquee.
Two pitchers turned the newcomer act twice.
Jack Morris did it in consecutive World Series, starting for the Twins in 1991 after having pitched for the Tigers in '90, and the following October starting for Toronto. And John Tudor started Game 1 in 1985 for the Cardinals after having spent '84 in Pittsburgh, and in 1988 started for the Dodgers after having left St. Louis.
As an inset to that broad picture, Lee and Sabathia will also be continuing one of the prevalent themes of this entire postseason. New faces have been extending lifelines all along: 24 games, 48 starts -- 21 of them by pitchers who had undergone wardrobe changes since 2008.
However, the Lee-Sabathia duel will also be unique on multiple levels.
For openers, it will be the first instance in which pitchers new to their teams will oppose each other in a Game 1.
This will also be the first World Series meeting of Cy Young Award winners from the immediately preceding two seasons.
Not too surprising, given that, historically, there have been only five prior World Series pairings of Cy Young honorees:
Ironically, Lee and Sabathia are both pitching in the same postseason for the first time. In 2007, when Sabathia won the AL Cy Young Award and pitched the Indians to the brink of the World Series, Lee was left off the Tribe's postseason roster at the end of what was a woeful year for him.
Lee marvelously reversed course in 2008, inheriting both Sabathia's ace mantle and his Cy Young Award.
The left-handers, who combined for 154 wins in their 6 1/2 seasons together in Cleveland, developed a tight kinship that has survived their separation, and which has spiced their runs to the World Series with added anticipation.
"I've been pulling for him every step of the way," Lee said when the Phillies finished off their five-game victory over the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series -- when the Yankees' fate was still undecided.
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After the company's CES event, Sony gave Pocket-lint a tour of its new Life Space UX concept which included an apartment-type setup filled with interactive lights, minimalist speakers, app-controlled projectors, and other internet-connected devices. The star gadget however was the Symphonic Light, which uses both lighting and sound to create a smart home experience from the future.
The light is meant to mimic the look of an old school candle, but it's actually an LED bulb and speaker encased clear glass. It not only shines bright but also spits out crisp sound in all directions. It can stream music from your mobile device and work with other lights, allowing you to customise your experience and achieve an effect that'll make all your friends jealous.
Apart from the Symphonic Light, we also saw a portable, waterproof projector that can create a screen (up to 71 inches) on a wall or anywhere you'd prefer. We saw it used to create a fireplace as well as a TV in the dining room. Next door, we saw last year's cinema-like laser projector throw Spiderman and other movies onto a living room wall. Both projectors were capable of emitting crisp, vivid video.
Pocket-lint
The next thing Sony showed us was a desk projector. It can be placed over a table or any ceiling-like surface. It uniquely supports interactive touch too, so you can project a DVD cover, for instance, then touch that cover, and start playing the movie through the same projector. Amazeballs. In the same room, we saw another connected light speaker that stood tall and could project 360-degree sound.
And finally, Sony showed us a standard LED bulb that you can control with an app. Sony said the LED bulb will be available this summer, while the portable projector will debut next winter. Release dates for the Symphonic Light and desk projector haven't been announced.
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Rational synthesis of carbon-coated hollow Ge nanocrystals with enhanced lithium-storage properties.
High-capacity anode materials based on alloy-type group IV elements always have large volume expansion during lithiation when they are used in lithium-ion batteries. Designing hollow structures is a well-established strategy to accommodate the volume change because of sufficient internal void space. Here we report a facile template-free route to prepare hollow Ge nanospheres without using any templates through a quasi-microemulsion method. Ge nanocrystals are preferably self-assembled along the interface of liquid vesicles between water and tetrahydrofuran, and well-defined hollow architectures of ∼50 nm in diameter are formed. Both the wall thickness and hollow interiors can be easily tuned. After subsequent carbon coating via pyrolysis of acetylene, the as-formed Ge@C nanocomposite with hollow interiors exhibits a highly reversible capacity of about 920 mA h g(-1) at 200 mA g(-1) over 50 cycles, and excellent rate capability. The small size and the high structural integrity of hollow Ge@C structures contribute to the superior lithium-storage performances.
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This analysis uses the Wisconsin Recall True Vote Model (TVM) to calculate Walker’s share of Obama returning voters that were required to match the state/county recorded vote. It is further evidence that Walker’s recorded margin was implausible and that Barrett very likely won the election.
Walker won in 2010 by 124,638 votes with a 52.3% share. His margin improved in 2012: he won by 171,105 votes and had a 53.1% share.
This worksheet provides a comparative analysis of the 2010 and 2012 elections.
In 2008, Obama won Wisconsin with a 56.2% recorded share. But he had 63.3% in the unadjusted exit poll, far beyond the 2.5% margin of error. Although the exit poll is strong evidence that election fraud sharply reduced Obama’s True Vote, we will be conservative and use the recorded vote in this analysis.
It is important to note the sensitivity analysis tables in the TVM. They display vote shares and margins over a range of turnout and vote share assumptions around the base case.
The following DEFAULT assumptions can be overidden on the INPUT sheet:
1) Equal turnout rates for returning Obama and McCain voters.
2) Barrett’s share of returning Obama voters is estimated as an increment applied to his base case 90% Wisconsin share.
3) Shares of New voters are set to the estimated 2008 vote shares.
4) Barrett won 5% of returning McCain voters
The model calculates Walker’s share of Obama returning voters that were required to match the state/county recorded vote.
The “2010-2012” worksheet provides a comparative analysis of the 2010 and 2012 elections
KEY STATE AND COUNTY RESULTS
The very conservative assumption is that Obama’s recorded 56.2% share was his True share. But he did better than that. He had 63.3% in the unadjusted exit poll, therefore Barrett probably did better than his True Vote shown below.
Outagamie
Obama had 54.9%.
Barrett had 36.1% and lost by 48k votes.
Barrett True Vote: 52% and won by 4,000 votes.
Walker needed 38% of returning Obama voters.
Racine
Obama had 53.1%.
Barrett had 46.7% and lost by 5k votes.
Barrett True Vote: 50.3% and won by 1,000 votes
Walker needed 18% of returning Obama voters.
Rock
Obama had 63.8%.
Barrett had 55.7% and lost by 8k votes.
Barrett True Vote: 61% and won by 15,000 votes.
Walker needed 17% of returning Obama voters.
The Walker Recall County/Ward Database
This spreadsheet database was created to facilitate analysis. A data filter function let’s one quickly view Ward totals for a given county. In addition, vote shares are calculated and automatically sorted.
The data is available as an Excel spreadsheet from Wisconsin GAB. The file consists of 3500 Ward vote records. By itself, it is not very useful since the viewer must scroll through all the records to get the desired county – a time-consuming process.
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's Most Recent Stories
NEW YORK — Sony will have to wait another quarter before “Spider-Man 2” swings to its rescue.
Despite a string of recent box office successes — including “13 Going on 30” and “Hellboy” — revenues at Sony Pictures Entertainment slipped 1.9% to $1.3 billion for the three-month period ended June 30, the day of Spidey 2’s U.S. debut.
Company said a strong yen and weaker TV sales numbers thwarted an otherwise steady showing. (On a dollar basis, company said film and sales were up 6% over the year-earlier quarter.)
Parent Sony Corp. on Wednesday reported total sales up barely 0.5% for the fiscal first quarter to $14.9 billion as sales of flat-screen TV sets, digital cameras and cell phones produced a net profit of 23.3 billion yen ($210 million) compared with only $10 million in the same period last year.
Currency woes again damped earnings as a weak dollar and the strong yen led to a 41% falloff in operating income to $91 million. On a local currency basis, however, operating income at the Japanese consumer electronics and entertainment conglom was up 27%.
Related
Fortunately for SPE, strong, high-margin homevideo sales of titles like “50 First Dates” and “Big Fish” and mid-budget theatrical winners helped the division flip last year’s $22 million loss into a sprightly $38 million quarterly operating gain.
In even better news for Sony’s U.S. entertainment wing, the bulk of “Spider-Man 2” marketing costs were already paid for in the last quarter, so the sequel will be contributing big theatrical bucks to the bottom line in the second quarter. Sony’s third quarter will have even more potential padding from the homevideo release in the fall.
Speaking to journalists at a Tokyo press conference Thursday morning, Sony VP Katsumi Ihara and managing director Takao Yuhara said the company continues its negotiations to buy MGM, with talks now focused on key conditions of the deal rather than valuation. News of the dragged-out negotiations did little to convince pundits that Sony was anywhere closer to making a deal, however, especially while Time Warner seems to be gaining an advantage with a more clear-cut cash and stock offer for the Lion.
Sony Corp. USA exec VP and chief financial officer Robert Wiesenthal said homevid has become increasingly important to SPE topline growth, with some 50% of total filmed entertainment revenues now coming from DVD and VHS sales.
Company is pleased as punch with Spidey 2, of course, which has so far grossed $600 million worldwide. But Wiesenthal said the film was simply an indication of the overall direction of the pic division, which has put out “10 profitable films in a row and is No. 1 in domestic box office to date.”
Company also noted that TV revenues were up thanks to higher ad sales on “The King of Queens” and higher international syndication and DVD revenues from its TV library. Numbers were offset somewhat by lower “Seinfeld” syndie sales. Company last year raked in a high six-digit per-episode deal when it extended TBS’ rights to the sitcom.
Elsewhere, sales and operating income decreased in its typically lucrative videogame biz, recording an operating loss of $26 million in contrast to a profit of $16 million a year ago.
Sony Music Entertainment posted 1.5% sales increase to $1.1 billion (up 7% on a local currency basis) thanks to top albums such as Prince’s “Musicology” and country artist Gretchen Wilson’s debut release “Here for the Party.”
On the eve of its merger with Bertelsmann Music Group, Sony Music managed to drastically trim its operating losses to $10 million from a loss of some $60 million a year ago. The improvement came mainly from its continued worldwide restructuring efforts over the past two years, which have included rationalizing record label shared services, manufacturing, distribution and support functions.
Wiesenthal said he expects the merged companies will save at least $300 million annually, mostly from back-office cost-cutting efficiencies. He also said group expects to mine significant revenue opportunities that have “not yet been identified.” He emphasized that the goal is still to invest to build artists and repertoire at all the labels.
Deal has been approved by European regulators, and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission OK’d it Wednesday (see related story).
Sony chief exec Nobuyuki Idei is counting on new products like the PlayStation Portable handheld vidgame console, next-generation computer chips and liquid-crystal displays and the cost-saving BMG merger to pave the way for long-term growth.
“Sony will be a company that works together as a group for the realization of ever more enhanced profitability,” he said in a statement.
Company also benefited from a $115 million gain from a licensing agreement with Microsoft.
Operating income nevertheless fell almost 50% in Sony’s core electronics business to $62 million on account of a high yen and restructuring charges.
Company was cautious about the balance of the year and maintained its forecast for total earnings of just over $900 million for the full fiscal year ending March 31, 2005, a 13% improvement over last year.
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NEW YORK — Sony will have to wait another quarter before “Spider-Man 2” swings to its rescue. Despite a string of recent box office successes — including “13 Going on 30” and “Hellboy” — revenues at Sony Pictures Entertainment slipped 1.9% to $1.3 billion for the three-month period ended June 30, the day of Spidey […]
NEW YORK — Sony will have to wait another quarter before “Spider-Man 2” swings to its rescue. Despite a string of recent box office successes — including “13 Going on 30” and “Hellboy” — revenues at Sony Pictures Entertainment slipped 1.9% to $1.3 billion for the three-month period ended June 30, the day of Spidey […]
NEW YORK — Sony will have to wait another quarter before “Spider-Man 2” swings to its rescue. Despite a string of recent box office successes — including “13 Going on 30” and “Hellboy” — revenues at Sony Pictures Entertainment slipped 1.9% to $1.3 billion for the three-month period ended June 30, the day of Spidey […]
NEW YORK — Sony will have to wait another quarter before “Spider-Man 2” swings to its rescue. Despite a string of recent box office successes — including “13 Going on 30” and “Hellboy” — revenues at Sony Pictures Entertainment slipped 1.9% to $1.3 billion for the three-month period ended June 30, the day of Spidey […]
NEW YORK — Sony will have to wait another quarter before “Spider-Man 2” swings to its rescue. Despite a string of recent box office successes — including “13 Going on 30” and “Hellboy” — revenues at Sony Pictures Entertainment slipped 1.9% to $1.3 billion for the three-month period ended June 30, the day of Spidey […]
NEW YORK — Sony will have to wait another quarter before “Spider-Man 2” swings to its rescue. Despite a string of recent box office successes — including “13 Going on 30” and “Hellboy” — revenues at Sony Pictures Entertainment slipped 1.9% to $1.3 billion for the three-month period ended June 30, the day of Spidey […]
NEW YORK — Sony will have to wait another quarter before “Spider-Man 2” swings to its rescue. Despite a string of recent box office successes — including “13 Going on 30” and “Hellboy” — revenues at Sony Pictures Entertainment slipped 1.9% to $1.3 billion for the three-month period ended June 30, the day of Spidey […]
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Welcome To Impact Church’s Website
Impact Christian Church is an independent Christian church who welcomes everyone with open arms! At Impact, you can relax in our informal services and enjoy worshiping and learning how God’s Word can impact your life today. We are just ordinary people striving to live extraordinary lives. We would love for you to join us! We are located on the right just past Shining Mountain Golf Course on Hwy 67. Sunday services are at 9:00 and 10:45 AM.
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#ifndef UTIL_LINUX_STATFS_MAGIC_H
#define UTIL_LINUX_STATFS_MAGIC_H
#include <sys/statfs.h>
/*
* If possible then don't depend on internal libc __SWORD_TYPE type.
*/
#ifdef __GNUC__
#define F_TYPE_EQUAL(a, b) (a == (__typeof__(a)) b)
#else
#define F_TYPE_EQUAL(a, b) (a == (__SWORD_TYPE) b)
#endif
/*
* Unfortunately, Linux kernel header file <linux/magic.h> is incomplete
* mess and kernel returns by statfs f_type many numbers that are nowhere
* specified (in API).
*
* This is collection of the magic numbers.
*/
#define STATFS_ADFS_MAGIC 0xadf5
#define STATFS_AFFS_MAGIC 0xadff
#define STATFS_AFS_MAGIC 0x5346414F
#define STATFS_AUTOFS_MAGIC 0x0187
#define STATFS_BDEVFS_MAGIC 0x62646576
#define STATFS_BEFS_MAGIC 0x42465331
#define STATFS_BFS_MAGIC 0x1BADFACE
#define STATFS_BINFMTFS_MAGIC 0x42494e4d
#define STATFS_BTRFS_MAGIC 0x9123683E
#define STATFS_CEPH_MAGIC 0x00c36400
#define STATFS_CGROUP_MAGIC 0x27e0eb
#define STATFS_CGROUP2_MAGIC 0x63677270
#define STATFS_CIFS_MAGIC 0xff534d42
#define STATFS_CODA_MAGIC 0x73757245
#define STATFS_CONFIGFS_MAGIC 0x62656570
#define STATFS_CRAMFS_MAGIC 0x28cd3d45
#define STATFS_DEBUGFS_MAGIC 0x64626720
#define STATFS_DEVPTS_MAGIC 0x1cd1
#define STATFS_ECRYPTFS_MAGIC 0xf15f
#define STATFS_EFIVARFS_MAGIC 0xde5e81e4
#define STATFS_EFS_MAGIC 0x414A53
#define STATFS_EXOFS_MAGIC 0x5DF5
#define STATFS_EXT2_MAGIC 0xEF53
#define STATFS_EXT3_MAGIC 0xEF53
#define STATFS_EXT4_MAGIC 0xEF53
#define STATFS_F2FS_MAGIC 0xF2F52010
#define STATFS_FUSE_MAGIC 0x65735546
#define STATFS_FUTEXFS_MAGIC 0xBAD1DEA
#define STATFS_GFS2_MAGIC 0x01161970
#define STATFS_HFSPLUS_MAGIC 0x482b
#define STATFS_HOSTFS_MAGIC 0x00c0ffee
#define STATFS_HPFS_MAGIC 0xf995e849
#define STATFS_HPPFS_MAGIC 0xb00000ee
#define STATFS_HUGETLBFS_MAGIC 0x958458f6
#define STATFS_ISOFS_MAGIC 0x9660
#define STATFS_JFFS2_MAGIC 0x72b6
#define STATFS_JFS_MAGIC 0x3153464a
#define STATFS_LOGFS_MAGIC 0xc97e8168
#define STATFS_MINIX2_MAGIC 0x2468
#define STATFS_MINIX2_MAGIC2 0x2478
#define STATFS_MINIX3_MAGIC 0x4d5a
#define STATFS_MINIX_MAGIC 0x137F
#define STATFS_MINIX_MAGIC2 0x138F
#define STATFS_MQUEUE_MAGIC 0x19800202
#define STATFS_MSDOS_MAGIC 0x4d44
#define STATFS_NCP_MAGIC 0x564c
#define STATFS_NFS_MAGIC 0x6969
#define STATFS_NILFS_MAGIC 0x3434
#define STATFS_NTFS_MAGIC 0x5346544e
#define STATFS_OCFS2_MAGIC 0x7461636f
#define STATFS_OMFS_MAGIC 0xC2993D87
#define STATFS_OPENPROMFS_MAGIC 0x9fa1
#define STATFS_PIPEFS_MAGIC 0x50495045
#define STATFS_PROC_MAGIC 0x9fa0
#define STATFS_PSTOREFS_MAGIC 0x6165676C
#define STATFS_QNX4_MAGIC 0x002f
#define STATFS_QNX6_MAGIC 0x68191122
#define STATFS_RAMFS_MAGIC 0x858458f6
#define STATFS_REISERFS_MAGIC 0x52654973
#define STATFS_ROMFS_MAGIC 0x7275
#define STATFS_SECURITYFS_MAGIC 0x73636673
#define STATFS_SELINUXFS_MAGIC 0xf97cff8c
#define STATFS_SMACKFS_MAGIC 0x43415d53
#define STATFS_SMB_MAGIC 0x517B
#define STATFS_SOCKFS_MAGIC 0x534F434B
#define STATFS_SQUASHFS_MAGIC 0x73717368
#define STATFS_SYSFS_MAGIC 0x62656572
#define STATFS_TMPFS_MAGIC 0x01021994
#define STATFS_UBIFS_MAGIC 0x24051905
#define STATFS_UDF_MAGIC 0x15013346
#define STATFS_UFS2_MAGIC 0x19540119
#define STATFS_UFS_MAGIC 0x00011954
#define STATFS_V9FS_MAGIC 0x01021997
#define STATFS_VXFS_MAGIC 0xa501FCF5
#define STATFS_XENFS_MAGIC 0xabba1974
#define STATFS_XFS_MAGIC 0x58465342
#endif /* UTIL_LINUX_STATFS_MAGIC_H */
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Join us as we return to the Providence, Rhode Island area for a fun-filled weekend celebrating the Fabulous ’50s. We’re pleased to announce that we were able to negotiate the same affordable hotel room rates of $99 double/standard king or $119 king suite. See below for information on reserving your room at the Radisson Hotel Providence Airport.
The convention commences with registration at 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 21 followed by afternoon speakers and adjourns at noon on Sunday, Oct. 23 after our morning educational workshops. However, we have special Thursday afternoon and evening activities in the works, so you may want to consider arriving early. We will post more news about pre-convention activities as our planning continues.
Our attendees will also enjoy meals together during the convention weekend; our open-to-the-public Saturday Show and Sale; and a fun-filled celebration Saturday evening including the presentation of the 2016 CJCI Achievement Award.
Join us in welcoming the following speakers and special guests during our Fabulous ‘50s Weekend at CJCI Convention 2016:
Steve Guyot – Owner of the 4th generation business, Guyot Brothers Company, Inc., Steve will be accepting this year’s CJCI Achievement Award honoring his family’s contributions to the costume jewelry industry in New England. For more than 100 years, Guyot Brothers has provided findings for adornment bearing names such as Mazer Brothers, Hattie Carnegie, Miriam Haskell, DeLizza & Elster, along with dozens of others.
Alan Weimer – Chief designer for Jonette Jewelry Co. (J.J) will be sharing insights and recollections about working with the company. J.J. is best known for its fun figural jewelry, and Mr. Weimer will be bringing some of his design books for us to peruse as an added bonus.
Kris Brandriff – Garnered through a decade working in quality assurance for Trifari, Kris will be hosting a special display of historical memorabilia during the weekend. This will be a must-see for any fan of Trifari jewelry.
Mary Ann Docktor-Smith – Jewelry historian, collector, dealer and expert on Florenza jewelry will lecture on the history of Dan Kasoff Inc. including new research and discoveries.
Kevin Friedman – Traveling to be with us again from South Africa, this ever-entertaining couture jewelry designer and fine jewelry historian will talk about the design process in his lecture – A Designer’s Work from Concept.
Brigitte Gervais – With a passion for true antique adornment as a dealer and long-time collector, Brigitte’s presentation will focus on the beauty, history, and intrigue of Victorian costume jewelry.
Anne Morrissey – As a jewelry collector, dealer, and bead expert, Anne will share insight on identifying vintage beads in her lecture – Beads Used in Costume Jewelry.
Joyce Simmons – Avid collector and jewelry historian Joyce Simmons will present 100 years of American Costume Jewelry. Her presentation is based on a recent museum exhibit she curated in her home state of New Jersey, and she will have an informative display set up for our attendees as well. A video recap tour of the museum exhibit will also be shared during the weekend.
To download the complete list of Special Guests and Speakers for the CJCI Convention 2016, click here.
PRE-CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES – OCT. 20, 2016
For attendees coming in to enjoy all the Providence, R.I. area has to offer before the official start of the convention, please join us for these pre-conference activities (transportation on your own):
Waliga Imports, 1467 Atwood Ave, Johnston, RI 02919 – Waliga is partnering with CJCI to welcome convention attendees with refreshments and offer a 15% discount on your total purchase. A huge lot of vintage beads, charms, and findings is being added to their inventory in the coming weeks so they will have lots of fresh merchandise available. The warehouse is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Wolfe E. Myrow, 46 Aleppo St, Providence, RI 02909 – This favorite with convention attendees will be offering a 10% discount off their total purchase. Mention that you are a CJCI convention attendee to receive the discount. Chris is getting lots of rhinestone repair packets ready for us up in the Swarovski room! The warehouse is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.Rhode Island Antiques Mall, 345 Fountain St, Pawtucket, RI 02860 – Back by popular demand, the mall will host a wine and cheese “shop till we drop” reception beginning at 5 p.m. The mall will stay open late again expressly for our attendees, and many of the mall dealers will be offering special discounts that evening as well.
Attendees who would like to carpool together to pre-conference activities are encouraged to post a request in the CJCI Convention Attendees Facebook group. You will receive an invitation and link to the group in the email you receive confirming receipt of your registration payment.
REGISTER AND PAY FOR CJCI CONVENTION 2016
The cost for the event will be $375 via PayPal or the discounted price of $355 if paying by check or money order. The fee includes meals during the convention weekend; admittance to our open-to-the-public Saturday Show and Sale; guest speakers, workshops and activities; and a fun-filled Fabulous ’50s Prom Celebration on Saturday evening where attendees are encouraged to wear their favorite 1950s prom-style attire.
Attendees requesting a table for the Saturday Show & Sale will be charged an additional $25 to help cover the cost of permits, local newspaper advertising, and security on duty during the show.
Those who would like to participate in Kevin Friedman’s beading workshop on Friday morning can opt in for a $25 fee. Net proceeds from fees paid for this class will benefit the CJCI Education Fund.
Registration deadline: Extended to September 7, 2016.
For more information on what we’ll be doing during CJCI CONVENTION 2016, please download and thoroughly review the following PDF files (Adobe Acrobat required):
A completed registration form is required for either Check/Money Order or Paypal payment. Your registration will not be complete until the form is received.
Note: Since space is limited, spouses, other family members, and guests who would like to partake in meals served to attendees and/or attend workshops, classes or other activities that are part of planned convention agenda are required to pay the full registration fee.
Please print the Registration Form above and use the Payment Calculation section to determine the appropriate registration package for your custom weekend experience. Pay by choosing the corresponding button below.
Please download and submit the registration form linked above by U.S. mail (send to CJCI, P. O. Box 446, Benicia, CA 94510) or scan and email to melinda @ costumejewelrycollectors.com. Your registration will not be deemed complete until your form is received.
We understand that unavoidable circumstances may require the cancellation of CJCI Convention 2016 registrations for our attendees. All cancellations made prior to the registration deadline of August 31, 2016 are subject to a $35 processing fee.
Cancellations made Sept. 1, 2016 or later will be subject to the following schedule:Sept. 1-10 – 75% refundSept. 11-20 – 50% refundSept. 21-30 – 25% refundAfter Sept. 30 – No refund will be issued
You also have the option of donating your refund to the CJCI Education Fund or CJCI General Fund at any time if you determine you will not be able to attend after paying your registration fee. CJCI donations are NOT tax deductible.Note: Cancelling your convention registration with CJCI will not cancel your hotel reservation with the Radisson Hotel Providence Airport. Be certain to call the hotel directly and cancel your reservation to avoid being charged for your room.
RESERVE YOUR ROOM AT THE RADISSON
CJCI is pleased to announce that our negotiated group rates at the Radisson Hotel Providence Airport are the same as in 2015! Double/standard king rooms are $99 per night, and King suites are $119 per night (plus applicable state and local taxes).
Call 401-739-3000 to book your room directly with the hotel. Mention Costume Jewelry Collectors Int’l to get the affordable group rates noted above. Don’t delay though! We do anticipate the hotel selling out prior to the close of registration. Scroll down for more information on our 2016 event venue.
The hotel is in close proximity to T.F. Green airport serving the Providence, Rhode Island area.
Note: When the Radisson Hotel Providence Airport sells out, rooms will be available directly across the street at the Hampton Inn & Suites located at 2100 Post Road, Warwick, Rhode Island. Negotiated rates at the Hampton Inn are $115 for king and $129 for suites.
Please mention CODE: CJC when calling the Hampton Inn to make your reservation. Call the Hampton Inn at (401) 739-8888, press 0 for the front desk to make your reservation.
Both hotels are in close proximity to T.F. Green airport.
JOIN US FOR THE SATURDAY SHOW & SALE!
Don’t miss this opportunity to see table after table filled with sparkling collectible jewelry offered by up to 70 dealers at the CJCI Convention 2016 Show & Sale. The sale is open to the public with FREE admission!
Feel free to share information about the show with your friends, customers and family members in the New England area through social media or via email. To download a double flyer for this event to share with others please click here.
— Wolf E Myrow – Located at 46 Aleppo Street, Providence, RI 02909
Phone: (401) 331-2921 Fax: (401) 331-2172. This is a must see for anyone coming to the convention.
The warehouse is huge. Plan on spending several hours here and wear warm and comfortable clothes.
Click here for directions.
— Legal Sea Foods, 2099 Post Rd., Warwick, RI 02886, 401-732-3663. Located across the parking lot from the Radisson Hotel Providence Airpot, Legal Sea Foods is a favorite for convention attendees. Be sure to buddy up with your jewelry friends for fun New England dinner. (Most folks staying through Monday dine together here on Sunday evening as a last get-together before they say their goodbyes.)
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# Project-wide Gradle settings.
# IDE (e.g. Android Studio) users:
# Gradle settings configured through the IDE *will override*
# any settings specified in this file.
# For more details on how to configure your build environment visit
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# We allow more space (no MaxMetaspaceSize; bigger -Xmx),
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org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xms256m -Xmx1024m
# When configured, Gradle will run in incubating parallel mode.
# This option should only be used with decoupled projects. More details, visit
# http://www.gradle.org/docs/current/userguide/multi_project_builds.html#sec:decoupled_projects
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# AndroidX package structure to make it clearer which packages are bundled with the
# Android operating system, and which are packaged with your app's APK
# https://developer.android.com/topic/libraries/support-library/androidx-rn
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FLIPPER_VERSION=0.33.1
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Menu
brgr
*DISCLAIMER: FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER AT YINZ HUNGRY WE HAVE A GUEST BLOGGER! BLAKE TARR IS GOING TO GIVE HIS OPINIONS ON A RECENT TRIP TO BRGR. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY BLAKE TARR DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE OPINIONS OF YINZ HUNGRY… SO WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY, INTRODUCING BLAKE TARR…*
Oh the burger revolution, with the ongoing advent of Foodie culture, there has been a movement to the appreciation of food to degrees unseen before; your typical hot dog can becomes a work of art which belongs in an art gallery instead of your large intestine. Thus you can purchase a gourmet burger, I repeat gourmet burgers, the concept really boggles my mind! Burgers are meant to be delicious, simple and delicious. An unhealthy guilty pleasure where a man can relive his prehistoric roots and engulf an animal that has roamed the purple mountain majesties above the fruited plains! Taking a burger to fine dining just strikes me as generally wrong; if a chain smoking waitress named sue with a blue apron isn’t asking me “Would you like fries sugar?” I feel I am missing something!
With that being said back to BRGR, I went into the establishment after work and the first think I noticed looking at the decor was I felt underdressed! Again, I just came from work so when business casual is underdressed for a burger joint let’s just say it gave me pause. The inside of the establishment resembled an apartment of a hipster and yuppie cohabiting a new york loft. If this seems like the location that you want to ingest grade A angus beef go right ahead, I was still looking for Sue to come around. The inside: trendy, elegant, refined (everything a burger should not be) We got offered to sit on the rooftop which the host said was beautiful, again when I am attempting to ingest butchered cow, beautiful isn’t exactly what I am intending.
When reaching upstairs, they had a nice rooftop enclosure which was heated, since the day was slightly chilly. There was no dedicated bartender upstairs so if you wanted a beer on draft you could only order one downstairs (Alcoholic Milkshakes, and Beer Bottles were offered upstairs). Burger with no draft beer, I was about to throw a shoe at the wonderful waitress. Sitting down and calming myself I noticed this seemed like a comfortable place to eat a burger, not as stuffy and metro as downstairs. I ordered a chocolate covered cherry spiked milkshake, which had cherry vodka, cherries and grated dark chocolate, I gotta say not bad! You tasted every flavor present, and definitely tasted the vodka. It was a nice novelty, maybe this place would start to grow on me. We ordered fries, which had Parmesan cheese and herbs on top and they were quite tasty, we added the truffle cheese whiz which was a delicious dipping sauce! (Warning: As you know I am lactose intolerant, so after ingesting the milkshake and cheese fries I began to second guess my dining options, but the food was so tasty, it was something I was willing to pay for!)
Now what you are curious about, the burger. first and foremost, my expectations were a place that you could build your own burger, this was not the case. For a place that specializes in burgers the options are relatively limited. 6 angus beef burgers, 1 salmon burger, 1 turkey burger, 1 veggie burger, 1 pork burger, 1 kobe beef burger, and a few other options. No substitutions is written in big bold letters! Even at Wendy’s I can have it my way! A burger place where I can’t customize my order, oh no BRGR we have a problem ( and where are the vowels in the name, I understand the general rules of the English language!)
I orderd the Shroomz Angus Burger cooked medium, that is what I received! The burger itself was cooked perfectly, the flavors were sadly one note, a tasty burger yes, was I transported to anywhere other than a rooftop in East Liberty, no! No flavor really came out at me, the brie cheese, the mushrooms, the carmelized onions, the mustard aioli. Not bad, flavors were muddled, you could say harmonized if you want, I will say it was just a good burger. The only criticism with the burger was the bun. Soft and delicious but my bun started to fall apart a bit upon tooth destruction of my burger. I would have liked a more hearty bun.
BRGR (where are the freaking vowels!) service was nice and quick, we had a nice conversation with one of our waitresses, but alas, I don’t think I will be returning, while it was a ok time, paying for gourmet prices for an OK time is simply not ok. In Pittsburgh there are a plethora of gourmet burger joints (Burgatory, The Pittsburgh Burger Company, Fat Heads) sadly BRGR you don’t cut the mustard….
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Rebecca Cruise
Contributor and Guest Host, World Views
A regular panelist on World Views and the primary substitute host, Rebecca Cruise specializes in security studies and comparative politics focusing on issues of security community development, international organizations, post-conflict resolution, political participation and gender. Though taking an international perspective in much of her work, her regional focus tends toward Southeastern and Central Europe.
She has published a number of articles, including pieces in International Politics, Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Croatian International Relations Review. Dr. Cruise also co-wrote a book exploring international maritime security policy. Currently, she is working on the manuscript for her forthcoming book entitled, Eastern Efficacy: Female Political Participation in Post-Communist Europe. Beyond her research interests, Dr. Cruise has developed and taught a number of courses for the University of Oklahoma including Global Security, Comparative National Security, Women in International Security and International Activism.
After receiving a BA from the University of Portland, Dr. Cruise earned her Ph.D. from the OU Department of Political Science in 2011.
Ways To Connect
Guest host Rebecca Cruise is joined by University of Oklahoma professor and European Union expert Mitchell Smith about how Greece got to its current economic crisis, and why its citizens are still on a "quest for hope."
Then Suzette Grillot talks with geographer Kathleen O’Reilly about the gender and social issues of sanitation projects in India.
In light of this week’s nuclear agreement with Iran, Asia-Pacific trade talks and renewed diplomatic relations with Cuba, Rebecca Cruise and Suzette Grillot talk about why 2015 has been arguably President Obama’s most successful year in foreign policy.
Then I’ll talk with Nigerian filmmaker Kenneth Gyang about bringing attention to issues facing his country through narrative storytelling.
Saturday marks 20 years since Serbian forces systematically killed 8,000 Bosnian Muslims in the town of Srebrenica. Suzette Grillot and Rebecca Cruise discuss what has (and hasn't) changed about how the international community responds to genocide in the two decades since the atrocity.
Then Suzette speaks with author and journalist Stephen Kinzer about how easing hostility between the U.S. and Iran might be the best way to advance the interests of the United States in the Middle East.
Rebecca and Suzette Grillot talk about protests in Hong Kong on the anniversary of the handover back to China, and remember Nicholas Winton, a British humanitarian who rescued more than 600 children during the Holocaust. He died Wednesday at the age of 106.
Rebecca Cruise talks with journalist and activist Rebecca MacKinnon about information freedom in the digital age. The Internet allows people to organize politically and instantly share information across the globe. But an open web isn’t always guaranteed.
When President Obama signed the USA Freedom Act last month, he said the measure would “strengthen civil liberty safeguards” in government surveillance programs. The Freedom Act includes reformed provisions from the PATRIOT Act and was meant reign in government surveillance activities.
Guest host Brian Hardzinski talks with regular contributor Rebecca Cruise about apartheid-era South Africa and the former country of Rhodesia, and why many white supremacist groups embrace the African country that no longer exists.
Then Cruise talks with ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen about establishing the first 24-hour sports broadcasting network and how it became the self-proclaimed worldwide leader in sports.
At 7 p.m. on September 7, 1979, ESPN hit the airwaves with the first episode of its flagship program, SportsCenter. Although ESPN has become a staple of international sport and television, cofounder Bill Rasmussen says that when he first pitched the idea of a 24-hour sports network, reactions were mostly negative.
“I had people off the street say [a 24-hour sports network is] never going to work. I had business people say it’s never going to work,” Rasmussen said.
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Synopsis:
Awakening Adam Warlock from his stasis, the Hulk and Warlock briefly fight before they realize they should be focusing their attention on the Man-Beast. Waging an assault on the forces of the Man-Beast, the Hulk and Adam Warlock are captured once again. Believeing that this is the right thing to do, Adam Warlock sacrifices himself in order to save the entire Counter-Earth!
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Ducks play host to Huskies in Pac-12 tilt
Eugene, OR (Sports Network) - The 16th-ranked Oregon Ducks look to remain at
the top of the Pac-12 standings when the they host the upset-minded Washington
Huskies at Matthew Knight Arena on Saturday.
Washington is coming off its second straight loss after winning four straight
contests. The most recent setback was a 74-66 loss on the road against Oregon
State that pushed the Huskies to 12-7 overall and 4-2 in league play.
Washington has been competitive on the road with a mark of 4-2 in away
contests, but will be back home for its next two games against No. 6 Arizona
and Arizona State.
Oregon has been one of the hottest teams in the country with wins in eight
straight contests after a 68-61 triumph over Washington State. The win has the
Ducks in sole possession of first place at 6-0, the first time that has
happened since the 1925-26 season. Oregon has been impossible to beat at
Matthew Knight Arena with a 13-0 ledger at home. That mark has extended the
Ducks' current home winning streak to 19 games, the third longest in program
history. Oregon hits the road next to face Stanford.
Last season these teams split the season series but Washington took home a
90-86 victory when they matched up in the Pac-12 Tournament. The victory was
the third in the last four meetings for the Huskies, who lead the all-time
series, 187-105.
Despite a 23-point effort from C.J. Wilcox, Washington was unable to hang with
Oregon State on Wednesday. The Huskies trailed by as many as 20 points in the
contest and never led in the loss.
Wilcox (19.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg) has led the Huskies on the offensive end this
season as the second-leading scorer in the Pac-12. The 6-foot-5 guard has
scored in double figures in all but one game this season and with his size,
has the ability to dominate against smaller backcourts. Flanking Wilcox on the
wings is Abdul Gaddy (11.3 ppg, 3.4 apg), who runs the point and 3-point
marksman Scott Suggs (12.1 ppg). In the frontcourt Aziz N'Diaye (10.7 ppg, 9.5
rpg) is a double-double threat, while providing solid defense in the paint.
Oregon rallied in the second half after trailing by 10 points at the break
against Washington State. The Ducks limited the Cougars to 27.3 percent
shooting in the final 20 minutes, while improving by nearly 10 percentage
points themselves.
Led by a balanced attack that features five players scoring in double figures,
the Ducks have been one of the best offensive squads in the Pac-12. Oregon is
ranked second in the league in scoring (75.9 ppg) and third in field-goal
percentage (.460). The Ducks have a +13.6 scoring margin by holding teams to
less than 40 percent shooting. Oregon controls the boards well as the league's
leading team on the glass (39.7 rpg). Damyean Dotson (11.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and
Dominic Artis (10.2 ppg, 3.8 apg) are the duo in the backcourt. E.J. Singler
(10.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.2 apg) is a versatile forward that stretches the floor,
while Tony Woods (11.1 ppg), Arsalan Kazemi (8.8 ppg, 9.5 rpg) and Carlos
Emory (10.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg) provide plenty of depth in the paint.
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The Gospel of Jesus Christ -
An Inclusive Message
The Abundant Biblical Evidence of a Gospel Which Continually Reaches Out to the Lost
The Pharisees Sought to Exclude and to Condemn, but Jesus Wants to INCLUDE, and to SAVE...
When the Scripture says that Christ is 'The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world' (John 1:29), it is not playing with words; yet the really strange thing is that a large portion of evangelicals refuse to believe it...
T
he Pharisees and the Sadducees were appalled by the ministry of Jesus Christ; His whole style was a shameful and dreadful scandal to them.
How so and why?
Well, for a people who had been immersed in the approach that salvation was only for the Israelites, and that that nation alone were the sole recipients of divine blessings, the message of our Lord seemed a confusion. For these stern religionists, the identity of those who might aspire to be the true people of God was already a decided matter - nothing left for further debate or discussion! Moreover, they believed that not even many of the Israelites could finally be saved, rather, only Israelites of very high moral character who were exemplary in religious observance and performance could ever expect to enter the kingdom of God. The modern 'NPP' movement might challenge this view of New Testament religious Jewry, but for the keen student of the New Testament, there really is no other conclusion to draw; indeed the evidence is nothing short of substantial, where one is determined to be faithful to the biblical approach alone (rather than the post-holocaust Jewish rehabilitation sensibilities coupled with the pro-Catholic sensibilities of the NPP people). This is not to say that every Pharisee and Sadducee of the time of Jesus was a hateful religious bigot filled with arrogance, pride and hypocrisy, but it was undeniably a strong tone among those of such groups who would interact with and - at the last - conspire against Jesus.
So for those officiating religionists, the ministry of Jesus was seen as humiliating and an open and painful sore. The whole concept of One who was plainly well-versed in the received Hebrew Scriptures, to be able to competently interpret those words differently to them, was contemptible in their sight. Didn't this upstart from Nazareth know that the interpretation of Scripture was solely the domain of the Pharisees?
Who Were the Pharisees?
But who were the Pharisees? Are we sure that we correctly understand just who they were?
The exact definition of this group varies according to the period of time in which one might consider them: The Pharisees were - at various times - a political party, a religious sect, certainly always a socio-religious movement, and a philosophical school of thought which flourished among Jews during the Second Temple period (536 BC–70 AD). Following the destruction of the Second Temple, Pharisaism necessarily started to change, becoming re-established as Rabbinic Judaism — which ultimately produced the later normative traditional Judaism, finally evolving into the foundation for all modern religious Judaism. However, we need to understand that these people were largely self-appointed; Jesus did recognise that the Pharisees pointed to the Scriptures as the best way and pattern of life, therefore occupying 'the seat of Moses' (Matthew 23:1-3), but He never recognised their authority beyond that. However, some have claimed that the term "seat of Moses" was used somewhat sarcastically by Jesus referring to a common Pharisee boast.
Some Christians persist in mistakenly believing that these people were originally appointed by God, but had started becoming a little extreme and legalistic shortly before the time of Jesus, but this is an erroneous view. While certain of these people could certainly trace lineage to the Levites (the priestly tribe), they were largely a self-appointed body. The Pharisees existed for a few hundred years even while the Temple stood, but when the Second Temple was destroyed in AD70, religious Pharisaism plainly had to quickly adapt to a new situation or disappear from history. For this momentous event plainly brought a conclusion to the divinely-appointed Levitical Priesthood (since under the divine prescriptions and ordinances, no worship was possible without the presence of a temple, whether portable or permanent). Later Pharisaism well understood this point and understood that the later representatives of their group represented a compromise. Restricted in what they could preach and observe, especially under Roman occupation, they would focus on national Israel as the 'chosen ones' of the Lord and the recipients of the Old Covenant Mosaic revelation. 'The Law, Prophets and Writings' (our Old Testament) was, and remained, their primary focus; to this they had already added voluminous interpretative writings even well before the time of Jesus. This whole body of interpretation, including the Tanakh (The Hebrew Bible), was usually referred to as the Midrash. This approach, at length, led to extra-biblical teachings being placed in almost equal authority with Holy Scripture.
Despite the modern claims of the NPP people (the so-called 'New Perspective on Paul'), there can be no doubt that Jewish separationism, elitism and legalism strongly flavoured the general approach even from an early point in their history. It has become a little unfashionable to so clearly state this, yet we should continue to do so since it is where the evidence clearly points.
So the religionists that Jesus encountered clearly represented a closed, exclusivist and works-based approach to the knowledge and worship of God; indeed, the New Testament (a point already alluded to in passing), provides more than ample examples of this approach; we find within its pages numerous instances of the Pharisees seeking reasons to exclude people seen as unworthy of the revelation to Moses, and - very soon - the primary person they wished to exclude was our Lord Jesus Himself! Therefore it would be no exaggeration to say that the Gospels picture the Jewish religious authorities continually looking for reasons to exclude people from the kingdom of God, even while they portray a Jesus of Nazareth who was far more interested in generously including people in the scope of His kingdom. This is not subtle - it is huge in both scope and theological implication.
One of the primary reasons for the jealousy, contempt, and finally, just plain hatred which the religionists held for Jesus was because of His effective tearing down of the exalted pedestals which these people had placed themselves upon before the people. They also feared for their position under the Romans; the Roman governors had given great authority to the Jewish religious authorities, seeing them as helpful for holding the people in submission; this is something they certainly did not want to see challenged or undermined from within their own community.
Jesus Makes Clear His Desire to Include...
Let us now consider two points which will serve to illustrate some examples of Jesus' refusal to allow His divine message to be restricted and exclusive - something which would have certainly been more pleasing to the Pharisees:
1. The authorities complained that Jesus consorted with people who drank rather too much alcohol, and who were employed in professions seen as shameful, tax-collecting, for example (Luke 7:34). Even the disciples were astonished that Jesus was prepared to open a conversation with a Samaritan woman (John 4:7-9) - certainly the religionists - and most other Jews - refused all social contact with these people, and to address a Samaritan woman probably appeared especially shocking; actually, the Jews never initiated a public conversation with any unrelated woman in the normal course of events. Thus - right from the beginning - Jesus made it plain that His ministry would not be stern, restrictivist, nor bedecked with separationist religious trappings; He plainly held no desire to form an elitist 'ivory tower' movement which sought to deny any place for ordinary people.
2. In His ministry of healing, Jesus showed exceptional compassion and empathy with and toward those who were suffering, plainly having no regard as to the sufferer's general background, previous religious behaviour, nor social standing: Harlots, Roman soldiers, the wealthy and the desperately poor were all the same to Jesus who refused to discriminate in such matters. Indeed, the New Testament presents us with strong evidence that the healing ministry of Jesus only increased the religious authorities opposition to Him, this gathered pace, of course, when He healed on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-6). Jesus healed people who were not recognised socially by these authorities, who would normally shun all contact with them, therefore those authorities increasingly felt hostile to Him and very soon sought for an early conclusion to His ministry; Jesus' action of healing on the Sabbath accelerated this opposition.
We must also note that the Pharisaic movement of this period held rather a strong flavour that the sick deserved to be sick, at least in the great majority of cases; certainly such people should not detain nor hinder the strong necessity of ongoing religious duty, separation and observance. When Jesus chose to go out of His way to heal the sick, even entering the homes of the socially despised, the religionists could only view His conduct as a very bad example.
So we may observe that even in His social interactions and behaviour Jesus did not show any support for Jewish elitism or exclusivism, save that He obviously did recognise that 'salvation is of the Jews' (John 4:22), referring to the Divine Revelation within the Hebrew Scriptures (our Old Testament). So Jesus supported the revelation within Holy Scripture, and agreed that the Pharisees did expound those Scriptures, but he did not support the way those Scriptures were often being interpreted by these people in His own day (Matthew 23).
Inclusion: Organisationally and Theologically
We now need to move on and to consider certain comments of Jesus which reveal His inclusivity more organisationally and theologically. Typically of Jesus, these points are seemingly just mentioned in passing, yet they reveal a theological scope which must have been stunning at the time and, even today, is frequently not truly appreciated.
1. Mark 9:38-40 and Luke 9:49-50. This comment of Jesus as noted in both Mark 9:38-40 and Luke 9:49-50 reveals a point too often carelessly overlooked!
Vs. 38. John said unto him, Teacher, we saw one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followed not us.
Vs. 39. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man who shall do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me.
Vs. 40. For he that is not against us is for us. (Mark 9:38-40. ASV).
So the disciples had tried to stop another man, who was unknown to them, from carrying the message of Jesus to others. In His quick retort to them, Jesus effectively told the disciples that they themselves would have no private ownership of the Gospel, nor exclusive rights to its message, but - rather - that it would be open and accessible to all. This one Scripture strongly challenges the hierarchical approach towards church government; it perhaps does not finally demolish the schema of 'apostolic succession' lock, stock and barrel but it surely places it under very considerable stress!
John, and maybe the other apostles, had possibly somehow carelessly assumed one future body or institution representative of Christianity (that is, if they had given it any thought at all), but the retort of Jesus started to reveal that things would not be panning out in quite that manner.
It is interesting indeed that just reading that comment of Jesus, one would now expect to see many Christian organisations - and that is exactly what we now find, of course.
But again, the point is made that Jesus was Inclusivist in general approach. The Pharisees sought to quickly persecute and exclude any religious rivals, but this was not to be the approach of true Christianity; as long as the genuine Gospel of Jesus Christ was - and is - being preached, then rejoice! That would be (or, should be) the approach of Christianity. Of course, many other New Testament Scriptures make it absolutely plain that heresy was not to be tolerated, just read the entirety of Galatians, Matthew 7:21-23; 15:9, 1 John 2:18-19. for example. Yet, otherwise, as long as the true Gospel is being authentically preached, don't persecute and don't exclude is what Jesus is surely saying. How different this was to the strictly authoritarian, elitist and regimented approach of the Pharisees!
Do we not immediately have to seriously ask ourselves whether the much later formal, separate and authoritarian ecclesiastical systems of Catholicism and Orthodoxy could be pleasing to God?
So this comment of Jesus alone makes one suspect that God would prefer many Christian enterprises. Unsurprisingly, Paul the Apostle later confirms this approach. Carefully note the entirety of 1 Corinthians 12, but especially verses 12-27. Multiplicity without spiritual division is the approach and pattern which can be quickly perceived in these verses. Paul underlines this approach again in Ephesians 4:1-16; unity is emphasised, but in an atmosphere of a multiplicity of service, with verses 12-16 revealing that this would be the best way for Christians to spiritually grow.
Foolish therefore for Baptists to oppose Presbyterians, or for Methodists to oppose Anglicans, as long as, within organisational differences, the true Gospel is preached. But none of this gives support to Liberalism which - make no mistake - is a different message and must be concluded (along with things like the 'prosperity gospel') as plain heresy.
So we see that Jesus was not only 'inclusive' in all social aspects of His behaviour, but clearly indicated an inclusive 'road ahead' for His ministry. One is obviously bound to feel that this general approach should continue to be practiced by the Church which He built.
2. The Parables of Jesus.
Depending on exactly how they are counted, there are between 30 and 50 New Testament parables, Here are just some of these:
First of all, we should not abuse the parables as some have done. The parables normally have one central point to get across, although there could also be subsidiary ones, but the concept that every single point is 'interpretable' at every stage has led some into serious confusion - we must avoid that. Nevertheless, the parables were used by Jesus to teach, therefore any article such as this, must give some serious consideration to their approach. The interesting thing about the parables is that they are overwhelmingly inclusivist in general approach; the concept that only the Jews are the true people of God is often attacked, assumed privilege is often attacked, the great and priceless value of the Gospel message is always upheld (often in contrast to the unreliability of worldly wealth), the responsibility of being steadfast and being prepared to grow in the Christian life also often comes out. But certain parables are exceptionally inclusivist in general tone and teaching, in total contrast to the Pharisees often stern elitism, restrictivism and separationism. Such parables include, 'the labourers in the vineyard,' 'the lost money,' 'the good samaritan,' 'the lost sheep,' 'the prodigal son,' 'the wedding feast,' 'the Pharisee and the publican,' 'the guests,' and several others too.
But the following is, perhaps, one of the most striking examples of Jesus' clear inclusivity. It occurs from Luke 14:16. This is the parable in which certain ones received invitations to a feast but then made excuses as to why they could not attend:
Luke 14:21: ...And the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and the maimed, and the lame and the blind.
22. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as you have commanded, and still there is room.
23. And the lord said to the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.
24. For I say to you that none of these men who were invited shall taste of my supper. (Luke 14:21-24, MKJV).
3. Exclusivity in Jesus? But we must now consider two Scriptures which might initially appear as though Jesus is teaching 'exclusivity.'
3a. Matthew 19: 23-26.
Why is it that when enquirers ask about this Scripture, they only recall the part about the impossibility of a camel being able to pass through 'the eye of a needle'? They never seem aware of the context, nor of Jesus' response!
The context was when a wealthy young man enquired about Eternal Life (Matthew 19:16). This young man revealed that he had been obedient to the commandments, but Jesus made it plain that this was not enough and He invited the young man to give all his possessions to the poor and to join Him in His ministry right there and then (Matthew 19:21). This was a rare and priceless opportunity indeed! This, by the way, was not just some reckless gesture, it is how the early Church operated! All funds and possessions went into a pool and this helped support the poor in the Church and also financed the spreading of the Gospel (please consult Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35, and note the 'A Better Way' section of our tithing article. Tithing, by the way, should not be practiced by Christians in our day).
So here we have the context in which Jesus made His famous 'eye of a needle' comment. He was referring to the wealthy who trust in their wealth, which this young man did, and He was considering the difficulty of these people coming to Christ during this present age; that is the context.
Secondly, we must look at Jesus' response to the disciple's despondency regarding the numbers who could be saved (19:25). The disciple's first response seems a little strange to us today - they almost seemed to assume that most people in the world were wealthy! Again, let us remind ourselves that Jesus was discussing the wealthy who find it especially hard to trust in God; even today, very few wealthy people become converted. This is because they tend to trust the power of wealth itself. In response to the disciple's despondent feelings regarding the numbers who would be finally saved, Jesus said this,
But Jesus looked on them and said to them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26).
Jesus understood that if one considers the state of the world and the behaviour of men and women in their current state of 'falleness,' one might indeed be pessimistic, but His answer was, 'With God all things are possible.' In other words, this whole matter is not just about men and women but about the plan of God and the glorious gift of redemption in Christ. Of course, the disciples were still learning at that point. Eventually they would come to understand that Christ is 'The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world' (John 1:29), that 'God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved' (John 3:17), and that Jesus gave His very flesh, 'for the life of the world' (John 6:51). Eventually the disciples would come to understand, how disappointing then that even today many modern Christians with easy access to the entire wealth of Scripture still often seem unsure on this point. But it is important to note that Jesus did not accept the humanly logical feeling that few could be saved, rather, He reminded His hearers that these matters are in the hands of God who may set His hand to save wherever He wills.
Therefore, when properly understood, Jesus was not uttering any elitist nor exclusivist sensibilities regarding the scope of the Gospel in this Scripture; on the contrary, He quickly challenged that impression. He was considering the wealthy who tend to overly trust in that wealth; it was the disciples who jumped to a conclusion, a conclusion which Jesus promptly rejected.
3b. Matthew 7:13-14.
This is an especially important text to consider because it has, frankly, been so theologically abused, one has to say, especially by certain sections of Calvinism; yet the abuse is widespread. Let us consider it:
Vs. 13. Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
Vs. 14. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14, NIV).
This might seem as though, after having initially experimented with it, Jesus decided to abandon His approach of inclusivity of access to God, just like a politician might decide to abandon a previously preferred policy, if it was just not working out! This, of course, is obviously nonsense. Yet this text has been lifted from Matthew and made to 'force-fit' into areas with which it was never concerned. It has been made to 'force-fit' the schema that God has pre-ordained a huge majority of Mankind for Hell, with a tiny elite group being pre-ordained to be saved. The monstrous teaching never actually occurs anywhere in the Bible and comes straight from fatalistic Manichaeism; it is the result of mishandling the biblical doctrines of election and predestination (turning the latter into "double predestination"). If this were true, it would portray a Jesus who used the exclusionary and exclusivity tactics of the worst of the Pharisees, however, it is not a correct teaching. But since we have articles which explain those areas in some detail elsewhere within UK Apologetics we must not allow that point to detain us here.
Once again, we must start off with getting the correct context in which Jesus used the comment. It occurs within the 'sermon on the mount' in which Jesus was giving some concentrated spiritual teaching to the disciples in a somewhat early stage of His ministry. The disciples will undoubtedly already have noted that the incumbent religious authorities were not exactly enthusiastic about this new ministry and many questions will already have come up. These words from Matthew, chapters 5 to 7, have been referred to as the 'Terms of the New Covenant' - here is where Jesus starts to make it clear how dramatically different His ministry of reconciliation between God and Man would be to anything previously available.
The more immediate context here (the beginning of Matthew 7), concerns having faith in God, and the need to refrain from judging wherever possible - in stark contrast to the high judgmentalism of the Pharisees! Jesus wished to prepare the disciples for the fact that most would reject their message, maybe they had been too enthusiastic on this point. Today most still reject the message of Christianity; for many years western culture had given huge respect to Christianity and it was always granted a place and position of respect - that is now almost completely gone. But - in this present world and during this age of the Church - most reject the gospel and just a few come to Christ; that is all this text is saying. Jesus was considering the intense philosophical/religious world which the Apostles would necessarily soon enter; He was preparing them, and He prepares every modern Christian too, that rejection should be the commonly expected response. However, He is not saying anything more than that at this point. Since He mentions a 'broad road' leading to 'destruction' is this not saying that God wills the majority to go on that road and never wants them to have the opportunity to understand spiritual truth? Absolutely not! Even we Christians are described by Paul the Apostle as being "without hope" before we came to Christ - that only concerned the situation which we were then in - it was obviously not a comment about our eternal salvific status if we later came to Christ; to put it another way: it was an epistemological comment - not an ontological comment! See Ephesians 2:12. In like manner, people who reject the Gospel are indeed 'heading for destruction' as things currently stand (epistemologically). Make no mistake: some of these people - if they fully understand the message of the Gospel, yet willingly reject it - will not inherit Eternal Life, yet many of them probably have never yet fully understood and may yet accept Christ, even on their deathbeds. Yet it remains the case that the majority of the human race have lived and died without ever even hearing the name of Christ - these people are not condemned.
So we need to ensure that we do not pull this Scripture out of context and make it 'force-fit' into Fatalism (a doctrine of the pagans), as, to be frank, the hyper-Calvinists have done. Neal Punt has made an especially helpful comment upon this Scripture:
'The "small gate," "narrow road," and "few" finding convey the intrinsic value of salvation, not the extent of it's availability. These expressions have the same meaning as finding the "hidden treasure" and selling everything else in order to purchase the "pearl of great value." These figures of speech are intended to teach us to covet salvation as a rare discovery and an invaluable treasure.' (chapter 22, page 219, 'A Theology of Inclusivism' - 2008. Northland Books paperback).
The New Testament overflows with evidence that the ministry of the Lord Jesus and the entire approach of the New Covenant is Inclusive. Just as the Pharisees sought to exclude, Jesus sought to include. Indeed, Jesus is the 'good shepherd' who never gives up on a straying sheep (Matthew 18:12).
' For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.' (Luke 19:10, NIV).
'My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand.' (John 10:27-28, NIV).
' For God did not send His Son in to the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.' (John 3:17, NIV).
We may perceive, then, a difference: the Pharisees indeed wanted to exclude and to condemn, but the Lord Jesus wants to include, and to save!
If perhaps, we have tended to accept a brand of theology which is closer to the Pharasaic model, it is never too late for a readjustment.
Let us rejoice, then, at the inclusive, loving ministry of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We have a Saviour who is not prepared to despise those whom others have despised but continually reaches out to the lost, the dispossessed and the broken of society.Robin A. Brace, October, 2008.
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Q:
Regex to match "a string of length less than X resides between two ">" symbols"
The have text in this form:
>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxx
>
I need regex to match all >xxx... if there is less than, say a 100, amount of x in between > symbols. How can I do this?
The actual problem is: "smalt.c:334 ERROR: sequence too short to be hashed"
when trying to index fasta file with reference sequences of multiple viruses. It worked before, when only longer sequences were present in the file.
I haven't found a solution for the smalt error (and even if I would, I would prefer to run it first with default settings), so
I need to remove all the shorter reference sequences from the reference file.
A:
you can use grep to give you only the parts of the file where there are more than 100 characters in between > and write the results into a new file (which then should work with fasta):
grep -Pzo '>[^>]{100,}' fasta.txt > fasta_wo_short_genes.txt
explanation:
-P tells grep to accept pearl regular expressions (for some reason, I could not get it to work with the normal grep regular expressions)
z tells grep to see the whole file as one big line
o tells grep to output only the matching parts (otherwise, because of the z flag it would always output the whole file if it finds any match at all)
the regular expression:
> the character separating your virus gene sequences
[^>] matches any character except >
{100,} matches 100 or more repetitions of the previous expression (in this case [^>])
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As I walk, as slowly as possible, toward the end of my life, I find that I long to gather all its memories, passions and learnings in one place. I have decided that rather than use my site solely for paintings, I will expand it to include all the loves in this current adventure in being human. I am committed to the practice of living deeply. I understand that what I create is a co-creation always. I am understanding that each day is extra, a gift to be used carefully. I hope to do my gathering in this space so that I, and anyone who might be interested, can join me.
Years ago I found this Lady’s Slipper on the ridge above my cabin. I brought her with a huge ball of dirt down the hill and placed her just outside my kitchen window. Each April I wait for her, an announcemnt of another year when I am blessed with spring and hope. The Lady’s Slipper will transplant only into familiar soil. When I first came into these mountains, I felt immediately at home. My roots had never gone deep anywhere I was transplanted though there were many beautiful landscapes that I inhabited and loved. I have felt complete here on this little mountain and able to thrive and bloom in the unlikely geography of these ancient spaces. Its seasons are icons, its beauty is eucharist, its every growing inhabitant and every dying one a metaphor and a prayer.
I have begun to deeply understand Beauty as the single spiritual force that draws me through life and propels me, gives me courage, inspires me. I somehow think it should be Love or Truth..making rules as usual. But it is the Beauty in people, places and things that causes Love to arise in me and saturate me. Beauty activates Truth that then compels me to reject the shallow, the illusory and the sentimental. They are not separate forces but aspects of the One. Finally though, it is the longing for and search for Beauty that flows through my being. It is my life force. It is the gift that is given to me in this particular human incarnation. It is Beauty that invites me into the mystery of experience.
I will put on my painting clothes in a few hours and go down the hill to slather oil paint on panels and push it around, scrape through it and see what happens.
I have worked as a serious craft artist for the past twenty years, painting papers and textiles to use in the creation of one of a kind handmade journals. I have loved color and paint as long as I can remember. One incident with my parents when I was in grade school so threatened my need for praise that I refused ever again to paint “pictures”. Two sisters who achieved success as painters further influenced my decisions to write poems, work with people and finally come in by the back door in my other great loves cloth and bookarts thinking I could satisfy my need for the process of painting in other ways. The longing to paint was intentionally pushed under the surface of a busy life.
One morning in March of 2015, I woke with a searing longing to paint, the intuition that I could do it and the imperative to get started. I did. I went to my studio, pulled out some old oil paints and concluded that I needed to do some research before beginning. A friend had begun using oils and cold wax medium on paper, and I was immediately in love with the results she was getting. I researched, bought supplies, reorganized my studio and got started.
My first try was a quick sketch of large girl and the word addiction scrawled across it that showed me clearly that I am NOT the painter. It expresses the pain and shame I felt in active addiction and still do when those demons grab another substance like food or acquiring or gambling with money. It came from some space in my gut. Like poems, the paintings were going to arrive..I was and am simply the conduit and the craftsperson who works with the raw material..a familiar space. Another one came quickly later after I had taken a couple of excruciating classes that brought all my shame about being inadequate and exposed to the surface..it called itself "Burn It Down". It was a strange fiery abstract. I had to get over the picture of old lady painting bad landscapes for her children to put in the post mortem garage sale. I stuck with it. Paintings began to work. I knew I had found a meaningful practice to dance along with my poetry.
I have since taken classes, practiced, acquired a mentor and a gallery. The longer I do this, the more joy it gives me and the more I know I have to learn.
PAINTING AS PRAYERI smear a forest onto paperdrag yellow light through cries of scarlet Irest here in the silence of blue cut green again in sharp bladesand violet..Oh violet!
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You are here: Home / Animals / Guinea Pig Road In Japan During Rush Hour Traffic
Guinea Pig Road In Japan During Rush Hour Traffic
earth porm
The Nagasaki Bio Park in Japan has found the most creative way to transport large groups of guinea pigs across the zoo; they built the world’s most adorable bridge. When it comes time for the Guinea pigs to switch locations, the bridge is extended and the little rodents know just what to do!
In an orderly fashion they follow one another in a line, over the bridge and through a tunnel to their next destination. Check out the incredibly cute guinea pigs during rush hour traffic as they bustle across the bridge in the video below.
The Nagasaki Bio Park is a place of education, enlightenment, and friendly encounters with all types of animals. And although guinea pigs might not be the first animals you think to visit while at the zoo, this enclosure, complete with its own toll road, is well worth a look.
The guinea pigs pass through a number of different places along their way. Part of the plastic tunnel leads directly past an enclosure containing cats and dogs. The dogs and cats can’t help but gawk at the passing guinea pigs as they scurry on by through the see-through tunnel.
Domesticated guinea pigs have gotten smarter over the years, learning at much faster rates than their wild ancestors, known as cavies. This is rather interesting considering domesticated dogs prove less intelligent in similar research tests when compared to their wild counterparts, wolves and dingoes.
Above, you can see the guinea pigs have successfully followed the tunnel and made it to their final destination… dinner!
One of the zoo’s employees explains a mission of the zoo as, “We want to break the barrier between human and animals…. We want the animals and humans together.” And what better way to bring out the humanity in guinea pigs than to train them to use public transportation, and in an orderly manner!
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<MBFastDialogue.Settings>
<pattern_whitelist>
<!--pattern>looter</pattern-->
<!--pattern>bandit</pattern-->
</pattern_whitelist>
</MBFastDialogue.Settings>
<MBFastDialogue.Settings>
<pattern_whitelist>
<pattern>looter</pattern>
<pattern>bandit</pattern>
</pattern_whitelist>
</MBFastDialogue.Settings>
Special thanks to @Aragasas for rewriting most of the mod with Harmony support.Interacting with looters, bandits, and enemy lords now uses menus instead of dialogue interactions. This removes at least two unnecessary loading screens.Source: https://github.com/DonoA/MBFastDialogueFeel free to submit any PRs!Recent Fixes:- Bandit lair boss fights (1.2)- Compatibility with other mods (1.2)- Apply to lords (1.3)- Apply to all map interactions (1.5)To configure which parties will be affected by that mod, edit the settings.xml file in the mod folder:By Default it looks like:To make only looters and bandits affected, change it like so:You may add or change the patterns as you see fit. To make all parties affected again, simply leave the list blank or comment out the entries in it like in the default settings.xmlManual Install:- Extract the zip file to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Mount & Blade II Bannerlord\Modules.- Make sure that SubModule.xml and the bin folder are now in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Mount & Blade II Bannerlord\Modules\MBFastDialogue- Navigate to "Modules > MBFastDialogue> bin > Win64_Shipping_Client" in your game files.- Right click the "MBFastDialogue.dll" and click properties- If you see an unblock at the bottom, click it. (Visual reference: https://www.limilabs.com/blog/unblock-dll-file)- Start the Bannerlord launcher and then tick MBFastDialogue in the Singleplayer > Mods tab.When interacting with villagers for example, you first see this menu. Converse allows you to use the normal dialogue options if you want to do more complex interactions.
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Nextance picks up $10.6 million
August 15, 20022:43 PM PDT
Enterprise software developer Nextance has raised $10.6 million in a third round of funding led by venture capital firm 21VC Partners. Also participating in the round were previous investors Onset Ventures and El Dorado Ventures.
Redwood City, Calif.-based Nextance, which has raised a total of $22.6 million, plans to use the money to increase sales and marketing efforts. Nextance's software applications help companies manage contracts and other business processes.
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George Estabrook
Malory Jefferson
Special Newborn Practices Focus on Health and Bonding
Passavant's leading-edge practices for newborns, including waiting to bathe and “rooming in”—a model in which babies remain alongside their mothers rather than staying in a nursery—promotes emotional and physical well-being.
Kerri Barton
Jacksonville Weight-Loss Services Help Mom Lose 150+ Pounds
Kerri's father died from weight-related complications, and she was determined to be healthier for her children. In addition to her determination to make healthy choices, the Memorial Weight Loss & Wellness Center, including services close to home in Jacksonville, helped her lose more than 150 pounds.
Lois Wicks
Melissa Dyson
Rehabilitation at Passavant Helps Melissa Overcome Complex Injury
A hand-crushing dog bite required 16 stitches at the Passavant Emergency Department and an orthopedic surgery to reattach a tendon and repair a joint. Rehabilitation at Passavant, and a strong relationship with staff close to home, helped her stay positive and regain grip strength and range of motion.
Steve King
Ortho Surgery at Passavant Gets Champion CrossFitter Back in the Game
He set his sights on the CrossFit Games, spending three to four hours in the gym each day. But that process came to a halt when he slide down the fire pole to respond to a call and felt a pop in his right knee. Despite his setback, six weeks later Steve was back on track to be a champion.
Beard Family
Family Chooses Passavant for Orthopedic Care
Jacksonville’s Beard family understands they have a choice when it comes to healthcare. Over and over again, they choose Passavant Area Hospital—seven times for orthopedic care alone in the past several years.
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<?php
/**
* osCommerce Online Merchant
*
* @copyright Copyright (c) 2011 osCommerce; http://www.oscommerce.com
* @license BSD License; http://www.oscommerce.com/bsdlicense.txt
*/
namespace osCommerce\OM\Core\Site\Admin\Application\PaymentModules\Model;
use osCommerce\OM\Core\OSCOM;
use osCommerce\OM\Core\Cache;
class save {
public static function execute($data) {
if ( OSCOM::callDB('Admin\PaymentModules\Save', $data) ) {
Cache::clear('configuration');
return true;
}
return false;
}
}
?>
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Here i declare two variable 1st is @ValueToBeReplace and 2nd is @ValueReplaceBy . 1st value is user want to replace & 2nd is value which take place of 1st value . IN Query you see that i just use REPLACE Function.I hope you aware about this if not then click on replace function . First we add , to both side of column value like this ','+CityIds+',' .Since we know that REPLACE function takes 3 parameter In first parameter we set ','+CityIds+',' in second we set ','+@ValueToBeReplace+','
and in third we set ','+@ValueReplaceBy+',' . Another REPLACE function is used for remove the first and last comma which we add in columns.
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A list of all the animated features I have watched, taking into consideration not only overall movie but animation style/technique, and sentimental value. Sometimes I feel conflicted on which to put first… technique > overall movie? Sentimental > technique? Sentimental > overall movie? Or backwards?
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Did Voyager Get It Too Easy?
23 posts in this topic
Voyager, for a ship alone, always looked pristine. After every battle there was minor damage in that they never lost a nacelle (a la Relaint in Khan) or a major bulkhead. Would you have liked to have seen them struggle a bit more in the last seasons like in Year of Hell or the Equinox? A half dead crew struggling for survival years away from home really tugs at the heart strings. A blind Tuvok, a dead Seven: now that would have been drama. Never have I ever laughed or felt like crying at Voyager. I feel the actors were capable of more but the circumstances and the stories just never opened up the floodgates. Voyager was essentially a flying hotel throughout with lovely lighting and immaculate carpets. They always briefly got into trouble but you always new they would get out of it. Imagine if in season 4, a big chunk of Voyager was lost forever. That would have put a spin on the show making it darker and more dangerous. Voyager should have got home by the skin of their teeth and no more, with a heavy price to pay.
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Guest Ktrek
I agree here Prometheus! I would have liked the show more if it had been a little more realistic. I know it's not generally good to kill your stars off but it sure adds to realism and heavy drama that the fans won't forget. Voyager coming through virtually unscathed is unrealistic for sure. I wish I had liked Voyager more than I do. I'm hoping that when it's released on DVD that I will look at the show differently.
Ktrek
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All right on the money prometheus. Generously speaking, I would say there were perhaps 20 noteworthy episodes in all. Here is the stickler though, I will, most likely, buy every season! I'm insane for Trek!
I'm hoping that when it's released on DVD that I will look at the show differently.
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Everyone in the Delta Quadrent ended up hating the Voyager crew. They were always interfering with active wars and getting caught in the middle of them. But the Engineering staff always managed to make the ship look brand new. A little hard to believe, eh?
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They had to ration food becausethe replicators supposedly used lots of power. I mean, that was how they tried to inject suffering into the show. How much power does a flippin replicater use anyway? I think having to eat Neelix's poo-poo eggs and stuff was a load of hoey. The amount of power used in phasers and lifts and stuff ,not to mention when Voyager kept getting taken over by aliens, would have made the power used replicating a bowl of soup negligible. And i thought dilithium crystals went on for ever?
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I don't think they had it easy at all..It seemed that just because the ship was always proper that we assume it was easy for them. The mental anguish alone ( Am I being over dramatic) was enough to cuz un-ease..True, Janeway did float over Prime Directive enough.
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I agree Voyager should have been the most dangorous show, yet compared to DS9 and TNG Voyager was a joy ride most of the time. I also feel kind of the same way about Enterprise. The NX-01 is the only Human ship out as far as it is, they don't have shields, they don't have good weapons, transporters are still a new thing, ect... In TOS and even in TNG people got killed all the time. It made sense because they were doing very dangourous things. Enterprise however just isn't neer as scary as it should be. It's still a good show, I just think they should make it a bit darker.
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I never thought of that, but it's true, Prometheus! IF they had a tiny little scratch on them, and it was always gone by the next episode (or scene for that matter). Also, TNG had more people die than VOY, I think, and they were in safe federation space half the time...I don't think I'd be happy-smilie-face if members of the crew died, but I think I'd have been happy-understanding if they had. (I don't handle death too well, though. I was even sad when Seska died and man did she annoy me)
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I think people are neglecting the logicstics of Voyager.... think about all the knowledge the people have gained in the late (what was it, 23rd century) Picard and Kirk (not to mention Archer) all survived terrible fates in their quadrant. Although that Voyager was lost, they had the spirit and determinition of kicking it through the Delta Quadrant. I believe that they made terrific allies that helped them through the way and made some daring mission tasks.
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I do agree that Voyager had it a little easy. I mean they were a great crew, but in the time they spent in the Delta quadrant we should have seen more damage to the ship. At least they could have left damage for an episode or two until they could find a friendly race or a place to put in to dock to make the repairs.
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Watching Year of Hell on rerun and it is by far one of the best episodes of Voyager. THAT should have been what the pilot was like. The named Anorax is a bit funny though. Like jackets.
We needed a darker more dramatic realistic series called Voyager. Even the name could have been better. Voyager is a bit blah. They might as well have called it Challenger or something.
Storylines, for example, where a crew member has Cancer and knows he or she is going to die without ever getting to say goodbye to their loved ones. An episode where the crew are so hungry and working so hard to keep the ship going that they are bad tempered and fight. Maybe fly on the wall style like they did with Galactica ...
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... or they should have just gone the whole cheesy hog and had a concussed Janeway wake up (bun and all) in the Badlands with her First Officer helping her up saying "are you all right mamn" and her croaking "I had the stangest dream ..." [ouch]
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2019 IL App (3d) 170185
Opinion filed July 11, 2019
_____________________________________________________________________________
IN THE
APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS
THIRD DISTRICT
2019
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ) Appeal from the Circuit Court
ILLINOIS, ) of the 10th Judicial Circuit,
) Peoria County, Illinois.
Plaintiff-Appellee, )
) Appeal No. 3-17-0185
v. ) Circuit No. 16-CF-264
)
WILLIAM GRANT, ) The Honorable
) John P. Vespa,
Defendant-Appellant. ) Judge, presiding.
____________________________________________________________________________
JUSTICE CARTER delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion.
Presiding Justice Schmidt and Justice Lytton concurred in the judgment and opinion.
_____________________________________________________________________________
OPINION
¶1 After a jury trial, defendant, William Grant, was convicted of home invasion (720 ILCS
5/19-6(a)(1) (West 2016)) and was sentenced to 24 years in prison. Defendant appeals his
conviction and sentence, arguing that the trial court erred in (1) granting the State’s midtrial
request to remove the lone African American juror from the jury for cause and (2) considering a
fact inherent in the crime of which defendant was convicted as a factor in aggravation in
defendant’s sentencing. We affirm the trial court’s judgment.
¶2 I. BACKGROUND
¶3 In April 2016, defendant, who is African American, was charged with home invasion
(two counts), attempted aggravated criminal sexual assault, and certain other related offenses for
allegedly breaking into a home in Peoria, Illinois, and attempting to sexually assault a person
who was staying at the residence. Four months later, in August 2016, defendant’s case proceeded
to a jury trial. The jury was selected with one African American juror, Juror B., on the jury.
¶4 Following opening statements, outside the presence of the jury, the trial court noted that
two of the jurors were starting to fall asleep. The trial court stated:
“Okay. I’m gonna make a record of this then too. It’s 10:00 in the
morning. At 9:40, less than one half an hour of—of time being on the—being in
the jury box I noticed a juror starting to nod off, starting to fall asleep, and I told
the lawyers about it, indicated which juror it is, and it is Juror [B.].
And I see his eyelids going more and more towards closing, and as—as
that’s happening, his head starts lowering. That whole thing is only maybe five
seconds, and I cannot say that he ever fell asleep.
And, in fact, I don’t think he did ever fall asleep, but I’m thinking at 9:30
in the morning he’s like that, it worries me then about his ability to stay awake the
entire morning.
And by the way, the juror sitting right in front [Juror C.] was doing the
same thing, but nowhere near as much as [Juror B.] so I’m gonna be keeping my
eye on—on both of them.”
¶5 After the testimony of the State’s first witness, the alleged victim of the attempted sexual
assault, the trial court took a recess. Outside the presence of the jury, the prosecutor informed the
trial court that he had asked a victim witness advocate who was employed by the Peoria County
-2-
State’s Attorney’s Office to watch Juror B. during the victim’s testimony. According to the
prosecutor, the advocate indicated that Juror B. was sleeping for a large and significant portion
of the victim’s testimony. The trial court stated that it had been “keeping an eye” on Juror B.
during the testimony but it had not noticed him sleeping. The advocate told the trial court that
Juror B. was nodding off and that he had lowered his head down and jolted awake during the
testimony. The advocate stated further that Juror B.’s tablet had slid off his lap onto the floor two
or three times and had attracted the attention of other jurors. Defendant’s attorney indicated that
he did not see Juror B.’s conduct because he was paying attention to the witness and commented
that, before the trial court considered removing Juror B., it was important for the court to actually
establish that Juror B. was sleeping. The trial court stated repeatedly that it had complete faith in
the advocate’s credibility and noted that there easily could have been times where Juror B. had
done what the advocate claimed but the trial court had not seen it because the trial court was
watching the witness testify a lot of the time and was also watching the lawyers and all of the
jurors. The trial court checked to see if the courtroom security cameras had recorded the
complained-of conduct but was told that the security cameras did not record the jurors. After
some further discussion, the trial court found that Juror B. had been sleeping.
¶6 On the State’s motion and over defendant’s objection, the trial court dismissed Juror B.
from the jury for cause. Defendant moved for a mistrial, and the trial court denied that request. In
denying defendant’s request for a mistrial, the trial court stated that, based upon its own
observations coupled with the observations of the advocate, it had concluded that Juror B. was
sleeping and that it had removed Juror B. from the jury for that reason.
¶7 Defendant reminded the trial court that Juror C. had been falling asleep as well. The trial
court commented that Juror C. “was only doing the eyelids getting heavy thing, nowhere near the
-3-
extent that [Juror B.] was doing” but stated that it was worried about Juror C. and that it was
going to instruct the jurors that they should all stay awake. When the jury was brought back into
the courtroom, the trial court instructed the jurors that it expected the jurors to stay away during
the trial. The trial then proceeded, and defendant was eventually found guilty of home invasion. 1
¶8 A presentence investigation report (PSI) was ordered, and the case was scheduled for a
sentencing hearing. Prior to the sentencing hearing, defendant filed two posttrial motions. One
motion was filed by defense counsel; the other was filed by defendant pro se. In the motions,
defendant (defendant and defense counsel) argued, among other things, that defendant was
denied a fair trial when the trial court granted the State’s motion to remove the lone African
American juror from the jury and that the trial court applied a double standard in doing so. After
a hearing, the trial court denied defendant’s posttrial motions. In doing so, the trial court
commented on Juror B. falling asleep during the trial and stated that there was a big difference in
what the court had observed between Juror B. and any other juror.
¶9 Defendant’s PSI showed that defendant was 48 years old and had a lengthy criminal
history that spanned over 30 years. Defendant had seven prior felony convictions—four for the
Class 4 felony offense of failing to register or to report address change as a sex offender (1998,
2000, 2000, 2002), one for the Class 3 felony offense of failing to report address change as a sex
offender (2009), one for the Class 2 felony offense of aggravated domestic battery (2006), and
one for the Class X felony offense of aggravated criminal sexual assault (1987). Defendant also
had approximately 18 prior misdemeanor convictions (not including traffic offenses), many of
which were for resisting a police officer or correctional employee.
1
Defendant was actually found guilty of two counts of home invasion. A mistrial was declared on
a remaining charge because the jury was unable to reach a verdict on that charge.
-4-
¶ 10 A sentencing hearing was held in December 2016. During the sentencing hearing, the
State recommended to the trial court that defendant be sentenced to the maximum sentence of 30
years in prison because of defendant’s criminal record; the circumstances of the offense
(breaking into a person’s home, holding a knife to a woman’s throat in her own bedroom, and
demanding that the woman take her clothes off); the need to deter others from committing the
same offense; and the need to protect the community from defendant. In addition, the State
suggested to the trial court that defendant’s conduct had threatened serious harm in that the
victim awoke to find defendant on top of her and that defendant had held a knife to the victim’s
throat in her own bedroom. Defense counsel argued that, while defendant had a number of
previous convictions, his record did not warrant the harsh sentence advocated by the State and
asked the court to consider a sentence in the lower portion of the sentencing range. Defense
counsel pointed out to the court that five of defendant’s seven prior felony convictions were for
registration offenses, that defendant’s prior Class X felony conviction was for an offense that
took place a long time ago, and that defendant had already been punished for his prior offenses.
Defense counsel also noted that defendant had obtained his General Education Development
certificate, had a significant work history, and had struggled through some difficulties in his life.
¶ 11 After listening to the arguments of the attorneys, the trial court announced its sentencing
decision. The trial court stated that it found three factors in aggravation: (1) that “defendant’s
conduct caused or threatened serious harm with the holding [of] the knife to the throat *** of the
victim in this case,” (2) that defendant had a history of prior criminal activity, and (3) that the
sentence was necessary to deter others from committing the same crime. The trial court
commented further about defendant’s criminal history, stating:
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“Seven prior felonies is a lot to overlook, to be asked to overlook even if
only figuratively asked that. Seven prior felonies. One is a [sic] aggravated
criminal sexual assault, a Class X. Another is aggravated domestic battery, Class
2. The others are failures to report. I count failures to report. The legislature
counts them and insists that I count them. This [‘]only failures to report,[’] what
do you mean only I would say? Definitely do not rise to the level of an aggravated
domestic battery or a [sic] aggravated criminal sexual assault.”
The trial court ultimately sentenced defendant to 24 years in prison. 2
¶ 12 Defendant filed a motion to reconsider sentence and argued that the sentence imposed
upon him was excessive. A hearing was later held on the motion. When defense counsel finished
his argument on the motion and before the State responded, the trial court commented:
“Sentencing range was six to 30 years. Day-for-day good time applies. I
did not have the option of probation. Defendant had seven prior felony
convictions, just for everybody’s information.”
After the State made its argument on the motion, the trial court announced its ruling—that it was
denying defendant’s motion to reconsider sentence. In doing so, the trial court stated:
“I said what I said between the two lawyers speaking for a reason, laying
out a foundation for my ruling which is to deny the Motion to Reconsider the
Sentence. Six-to-30-year range and you get 24 when you’ve got seven prior
felonies. And the situation I’ve [sic] presented with on file 16 CF 264, the one
that the sentencing was about, looking at my trial notes, and 24 is a fine sentence
that I can easily defend. So Motion to Reconsider is denied.”
2
The trial court imposed sentence on defendant on only one of the two home invasion convictions
(count I) and did not impose sentence upon defendant for the other home invasion conviction (count II).
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¶ 13 Defendant appealed.
¶ 14 II. ANALYSIS
¶ 15 A. Midtrial Removal of Juror for Cause
¶ 16 As his first point of contention on appeal, defendant argues that the trial court erred in
granting the State’s midtrial request to remove the lone African American juror from the jury for
cause. Defendant asserts first that the disparate treatment of the lone African American juror
amounted to unconstitutional discrimination that denied defendant equal protection of the law
because the African American juror (Juror B.) was treated differently than the other similarly
situated juror (Juror C.) who was not African American. Second, defendant asserts that he was
denied due process of law when the trial court granted the State undue, outsized influence over
the composition of the jury during defendant’s trial by granting the State’s request to remove
Juror B. from the jury for cause without any factual support and without conducting an inquiry.
According to defendant, there was no independent evidence to support a finding that Juror B. had
fallen asleep or that he had missed any testimony. Defendant also claims that the trial court did
not recognize that it had the discretion to reopen voir dire and conduct an independent
investigation of the State’s allegation of juror misconduct. Instead, defendant maintains, the trial
court essentially delegated its authority to the State and merely adopted the State’s victim
witness advocate’s representations that Juror B. had fallen asleep during the testimony, even
though those representations were contrary to the trial court’s own observations. For all of the
reasons stated, defendant asks that we reverse his conviction and that we remand this case for
further proceedings, presumably a new trial.
¶ 17 The State argues first that defendant has forfeited this claim of error on appeal by failing
to specifically raise it in the trial court. In the alternative, the State argues that the trial court’s
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ruling was proper and should be upheld. As for defendant’s equal protection claim, the State
asserts that the trial court’s ruling did not deprive defendant of equal protection of the law
because Juror B. and Juror C. were not similarly situated, as the trial court noted that Juror B.’s
conduct was far worse than Juror C.’s. Thus, the State contends that Juror B. was properly
dismissed for race-neutral reasons—because he was falling asleep during the presentation of the
evidence. As for defendant’s due process claim, the State asserts that defendant’s claim should
be rejected because it is based upon unsubstantiated statements and selective quotes from the
record. According to the State, a fair reading of the record shows that the trial court exercised its
discretion and made a finding, which is entitled to deference on appeal, that Juror B. was
sleeping during the trial. Thus, the State contends, defendant was not deprived of due process of
the law. For all of the reasons set forth, the State asks that we affirm the trial court’s judgment.
¶ 18 In reply, defendant asserts that he sufficiently raised this claim of error in the trial court
to prevent the issue from being forfeited on appeal. Alternatively, defendant asserts that this
court should reach the issue, nevertheless, as a matter of second-prong plain error.
¶ 19 We need not address plain error because we agree with defendant that he properly
preserved this claim of error for appellate review. See People v. Lovejoy, 235 Ill. 2d 97, 148
(2009) (stating that the issue raised by a litigant on appeal does not have to be identical to the
objection raised at trial and that a court will not find that a claim has been forfeited when it is
clear that the trial court had the opportunity to review essentially that same claim). Even though
defendant may not have specifically referred to equal protection or due process, he raised
essentially the same claims in the trial court when he argued that the trial court erred in granting
the State’s request to remove Juror B. for cause, that the trial court applied an unfair double
standard, and that he was deprived of a fair trial as a result of the trial court’s ruling. We find,
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therefore, that the forfeiture rule does not apply, and we will now address the merits of
defendant’s first claim of error.
¶ 20 The question of whether a defendant was denied equal protection or due process by the
trial court is a question of law that is subject to de novo review on appeal. See People v. Hollins,
366 Ill. App. 3d 533, 538 (2006) (stating that because an equal protection claim is a
constitutional question, the standard of review on appeal is de novo); People v. Williams, 2013 IL
App (1st) 111116, ¶ 75 (stating that whether a defendant’s due process rights have been denied is
an issue of law that is subject to de novo review on appeal). The equal protection clause of the
fourteenth amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the exclusion of any individual
juror from a jury on account of his or her race. See U.S. Const., amend. XIV; Powers v. Ohio,
499 U.S. 400, 404 (1991); Hollins, 366 Ill. App. at 538. Although a defendant has no right to a
jury composed in whole or in part of persons of his own race, he does have the right to be tried
by a jury whose members are selected using nondiscriminatory criteria. Powers, 499 U.S. at 404.
Because the fourteenth amendment protects an accused throughout the proceedings used to bring
him to justice, the State may not draw up its jury lists pursuant to neutral procedures but then
resort to discrimination in other parts of the selection process. Id. at 409. An equal protection
claim arises when a charge is made that similarly situated individuals were treated differently
without a rational relationship to a legitimate State purpose. Kaltsas v. City of North Chicago,
160 Ill. App. 3d 302, 305-06 (1987). To establish a claim of racial discrimination in jury
selection, a purpose to discriminate must be present, “which may be proven by systematic
exclusion of eligible jury persons of the proscribed race or by unequal application of the law to
such an extent as to show intentional discrimination.” Akins v. Texas, 325 U.S. 398, 403-04
(1945). The burden is on the defendant to establish discrimination. Id. at 400.
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¶ 21 The due process clauses of the United States and Illinois Constitutions protect individuals
from the deprivation of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. U.S. Const., amend.
XIV; Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, § 2; People v. One 1998 GMC, 2011 IL 110236, ¶ 21; People v.
Pollard, 2016 IL App (5th) 130514, ¶ 29. Under the case law, there are two distinct branches of
due process analysis: substantive due process and procedural due process. Pollard, 2016 IL App
(5th) 130514, ¶ 29. When a violation of substantive due process is alleged, such as in the present
case, the appropriate inquiry is whether the individual has been subjected to the arbitrary
exercise of the powers of government, unrestrained by the established principles of private rights
and distributive justice. Id. Substantive due process requires, among other things, that there be an
overall balance—a level playing field—between the prosecution and the defense in a criminal
trial. See United States v. Harbin, 250 F.3d 532, 540 (7th Cir. 2001); Tyson v. Trigg, 50 F.3d
436, 441 (7th Cir. 1995); In re Detention of Kortte, 317 Ill. App. 3d 111, 115-16 (2000).
Substantive due process, however, does not mandate that the rights or advantages granted to the
prosecution and the defense be in absolute symmetry at every stage of a criminal proceeding,
only that the overall total balance between each side be designed to achieve the goal of a fair
trial. See Harbin, 250 F.3d at 540; Tyson, 50 F.3d at 441. Nevertheless, a shift at just one stage
of a criminal trial as to the rights or advantages granted to each side might so skew the balance of
rights or advantages in favor of the prosecution that it deprives the defendant of the right to a fair
trial. See Harbin, 250 F.3d at 540; Tyson, 50 F.3d at 441.
¶ 22 After having reviewed the record in the present case, we find that the trial court did not
deprive defendant of equal protection or due process by granting the State’s midtrial request to
remove Juror B. from the jury for cause. The record clearly shows that a race-neutral reason
existed for the removal of Juror B.—Juror B. had fallen asleep during the presentation of the
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evidence. Although defendant points to Juror C. as a similarly situated juror who was not
removed, the record abundantly shows that Juror B. and Juror C. were not similarly situated. In
fact, the trial court specifically noted that Juror C.’s level of “nodding off” was nowhere near as
bad as Juror B.’s. Furthermore, we are not persuaded by defendant’s suggestion that the trial
court failed to conduct a proper inquiry as to whether Juror B. had fallen asleep during the first
witness’s testimony. The trial court obtained input from the State, the defendant’s attorney, and
the victim advocate; checked to determine whether the jurors’ actions had been recorded by the
security cameras; and considered its own observations before ultimately making a specific
finding that Juror B. had fallen asleep during the testimony of the witness. Contrary to
defendant’s assertion on appeal, there is no indication that the trial court was unaware of its
ability to inquire further into the factual circumstances surrounding Juror B.’s conduct during the
trial if the trial court chose to do so. Moreover, the facts in the present case do not in any way
indicate that the trial court gave the State an improper, unfair, or outsized amount of control over
the composition of the jury at any time during the course of the trial. Rather, the facts show that
the trial court was required to make a difficult decision and to remove a juror for cause after that
juror had fallen asleep during an important part of the trial. We, therefore, find defendant’s
argument on this issue to be without merit.
¶ 23 In reaching that conclusion, we note that we are not persuaded that a different result is
mandated by the decisions in Harbin (cited above) or People v. Brown, 2013 IL App (2d)
111228—the two main cases cited by defendant in support of his argument on this issue. Both
Harbin and Brown involved the prosecutions’ midtrial use of a peremptory challenge (see
Harbin, 250 F.3d at 537; Brown, 2013 IL App (2d) 111228, ¶ 1), which is not the situation
before the court in the present case. Indeed, in both of those cases, the courts recognized,
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although somewhat implicitly, that the result might have been different if the juror at issue had
been removed for cause, rather than pursuant to a peremptory challenge. See Harbin, 250 F.3d at
539; Brown, 2013 IL App (2d) 111228, ¶ 31.
¶ 24 B. Possible Consideration of an Improper Factor in Sentencing
¶ 25 As his second point of contention on appeal, defendant argues that the trial court erred in
considering a fact inherent in the crime of which defendant was convicted as a factor in
aggravation in defendant’s sentencing. More specifically, defendant asserts that the trial court
improperly found that the threat of force underlying the incident was a factor in aggravation at
sentencing (that the conduct caused or threatened serious harm), even though that fact was an
element of the offense of home invasion. Defendant acknowledges that he did not properly
preserve that claim of error for appellate review but asks that this court review the error,
nevertheless, under the second prong of the plain error doctrine. For all of the reasons stated,
defendant asks that we vacate his sentence and remand this case for a new sentencing hearing.
¶ 26 The State argues that the trial court did not commit plain error in sentencing defendant in
this case and that defendant’s sentence was appropriate based upon the offense and defendant’s
criminal history. In support of that argument, the State asserts first that even though the trial
court mentioned the allegedly improper factor in sentencing defendant, a remand for
resentencing is not required because the record clearly shows that the trial court did not give
significant weight to the improper factor. Second and in the alternative, the State asserts that
although consideration of that factor would be improper in some circumstances, it was not
improper under the circumstances of the present case where the trial court considered the factor
when it was considering the nature and circumstances of the offense and the degree of harm. For
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all the reasons set forth, the State asks that we honor defendant’s forfeiture of this issue and that
we affirm defendant’s sentence.
¶ 27 The plain error doctrine is a very limited and narrow exception to the forfeiture or
procedural default rule that allows a reviewing court to consider unpreserved error if either one
of the following two circumstances is present: (1) a clear or obvious error occurred and the
evidence in the case was so closely balanced that the error alone threatened to tip the scales of
justice against the defendant, regardless of the seriousness of the error, or (2) a clear or obvious
error occurred and the error was so serious that it affected the fairness of the defendant’s trial and
challenged the integrity of the judicial process, regardless of the closeness of the evidence.
People v. Walker, 232 Ill. 2d 113, 124 (2009); People v. Piatkowski, 225 Ill. 2d 551, 565 (2007);
People v. Herron, 215 Ill. 2d 167, 177-87 (2005); Ill. S. Ct. R. 615(a) (eff. Jan. 1, 1967). Under
either prong of the plain error doctrine, the burden of persuasion is on the defendant. Walker, 232
Ill. 2d at 124. If the defendant fails to satisfy that burden, the forfeiture or procedural default of
the issue must be honored. Id. The first step in any plain error analysis is to determine whether an
error occurred. Id. at 124-25. To do so, a reviewing court must conduct a substantive review of
the issue. Id. at 125.
¶ 28 Whether the trial court relied on an improper factor in sentencing a defendant is a
question of law that is subject to de novo review on appeal. People v. Abdelhadi, 2012 IL App
(2d) 111053, ¶ 8. In general, although a trial court has broad discretion when imposing a
sentence, it may not consider a factor that is inherent in the offense of which defendant has been
convicted as an aggravating factor in sentencing defendant for that offense. Id. ¶ 9; People v.
Phelps, 211 Ill. 2d 1, 11-12 (2004). Doing so would constitute an improper double enhancement.
See Phelps, 211 Ill. 2d at 12. The rule prohibiting such double enhancements is based on the
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rationale that the legislature obviously already considered the factors inherent in the offense
when setting the range of penalties for that offense and that it would be improper, therefore, to
consider those factors once again as a justification for imposing a greater penalty. Id. The
defendant bears the burden to establish that a sentence was based on an improper consideration.
Abdelhadi, 2012 IL App (2d) 111053, ¶ 9. On appeal, a reviewing court will not vacate a
sentence that was based upon an improper factor and remand for resentencing if the reviewing
court can determine from the record that the weight placed on the improperly considered
aggravating factor was so insignificant that it did not lead to a greater sentence. See People v.
Heider, 231 Ill. 2d 1, 21 (2008).
¶ 29 In the present case, we need not determine whether the trial court improperly considered
a factor inherent in home invasion when it sentenced defendant for that offense because we find
that, even if the trial court did so, defendant’s sentence should still be affirmed because the
record clearly shows that the trial court gave insignificant weight to that allegedly improper
factor. 3 Although the trial court mentioned the factor as being one of the three factors it was
considering in aggravation, it is clear from the trial court’s comments, especially those that the
trial court made in denying defendant’s motion to reconsider sentence, that the trial court’s focus
on the aggravating factors in sentencing was upon defendant’s criminal history and his prior
3
Although the State agreed that the trial court considered a factor inherent in the offense, we
make no such determination in this case because we have found it unnecessary to do so. We have made
no ruling upon whether the threat of force, which may be an element of home invasion depending on how
the offense is charged, is the same as the factor in aggravation—that defendant’s conduct caused or
threatened serious harm. While not a determinative factor in our decision in this case, we note that our
supreme court has indicated that it is permissible for a trial court to consider the force employed and the
physical manner in which a victim’s death was brought about (but not the end result—the fact of the
victim’s death) in applying the statutory aggravating factor that defendant’s conduct caused serious harm
to the victim when sentencing a defendant for voluntary manslaughter, an offense in which serious bodily
harm was implicit in the offense. See People v. Saldivar, 113 Ill. 2d 256, 271 (1986).
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felony convictions. We, therefore, reject defendant’s argument on this issue and uphold the
sentence imposed.
¶ 30 III. CONCLUSION
¶ 31 For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the judgment of the circuit court of Peoria County.
¶ 32 Affirmed.
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No. 3-17-0185
Cite as: People v. Grant, 2019 IL App (3d) 170185
Decision Under Review: Appeal from the Circuit Court of Peoria County, No. 16-CF-264;
the Hon. John P. Vespa, Judge, presiding.
Attorneys James E. Chadd, Peter A. Carusona, and Matthew Lemke, of
for State Appellate Defender’s Office, of Ottawa, for appellant.
Appellant:
Attorneys Jerry Brady, State’s Attorney, of Peoria (Patrick Delfino,
for Thomas D. Arado, and Richard T. Leonard, of State’s Attorneys
Appellee: Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, of counsel), for the People.
- 16 -
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Sunday, October 13, 2013
Guy Delisle: Graphic Novels you must read!
A package arrived from Lahore via TCS on my birthday. Sent by Maleeha Azeem. It was longish and fat … and I thought the girl must be really mad to send me Sugar-Free Laddoos, Barfees, & Gulab Jamuns from Nirala (and I thought again, for the hundredth time, "Why the fuck have they closed their shop in Karachi?").
I hurried to open it and put the contents into the fridge … and, lo and behold, there were two gifts inside. Worth a lot more than the Sugar-Free stuff.
There was a box of 100 Comic Magazine Covers and a book: "Jerusalem" by Guy Delisle. The cards were a thrill to view quickly and be put aside to view again at leisure. But Delisle! I had to start reading it right away.
The first page had this, of course.
I had liked this French-Canadian cartoonist when I read his "Burma Chronicles", mainly because it went back to a land that I had visited three times in my early shipping days. It has changed an awful lot, since then, though the people still seem to be as aggravated as ever if they are in uniform.
I remembered how, in 1959, I had put my pass down at the main desk to go out, once. A very, very drunken guardsman had pulled out a cocked gun and pointed it a couple of inches from my head because he felt that the paper made a noise while he was sleeping. He was shaking wildly and said my body can be taken back to the ship when he was through, swearing in Burmese.
Trembling, Stanley Fernandes (a Second Engineer who was with me) and I pleaded with him and apologised as profusely as one does when facing death. Fifteen minutes of standing there, with a gun at your head is a terrible experience, let me tell you. Finally the guard agreed, took all the money we had, and let us go out.
Photo by Luigi Novi
Guy Delisle draws simple things wonderfully well!
Take a look at this mess/mass of wires …
… that reminded me of Karachi,
as did the sketch of a plug point inside the house.
So does this:
Right on!
It reminds you of how close to our home Burma is! (It's called Myanmar, now, by many countries except US and a couple of others who do not recognize it's Government and insist on calling it Burma.)
The trip to Burma with his wife who works at Doctors Without Frontiers shows you their life for a few months in that country, introducing you to its people, their customs, their religion, the repression that takes place there, and much more that could remind you of our own military rule.
•••••
So getting to read Jerusalem was essential! Once again, I thought how amazing these people are. Away from us, they think very much the same way as we do, give or take a few points.
I am not sure if we can find Mullas who would be anything like the anti-Zionist Jews, apart from the 'seven kids', their 'fashions', and the 'variations' among their personal beliefs that make everyone else a kaafir.
The Arabs, naturally, are even more like us.Which is why we like them? Don't we?
The buses and the clothes. Wow.
The books takes us into their places that are strictly Jewish, strictly Arab, and includes the mistreatment of the Arabs by the Israelis (which is plenty!), and offers you a run down of the city that is (was?) a home to Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
The book also suggests, as most Muslims do, that the Second Mosque is in Jerusalem. There was no mosque at the Meraaj (Isra' in the Qur'an) of The Prophet at Jerusalem, of course. It was built much later. The Second Mosque, as you may know, is never named in the Qur'an. It just states that it is the furthest mosque. Also the Qur'an says that the First and Second Mosques will have Peace … something that this Mosque has never really had. The First Mosque is the Kaaba and the Second Mosque is the Masjid Al Nabvi — both known for Peace!!! This statement is now accepted by a few scholars. You can go to Google or YouTube and find a video from Mohammad Sheikh about this.
The priests there, too, have a sacrifice of animals, and seem to love blood! No wonder there's so much killing of humans in both parts because this must allow them to get over the feelings I and many others have about killing.
When I was 10 years old a Mulla came to do the sacrifice at our downstair neighbour's house. He gathered all the children and said that the way to do this is to look straight at the animals eyes … "and that will help you kill kaafirs in a Jihad without fearing." I wonder how many kids are taught this at Madressahs.
The Jerusalem book was superb and I learnt a lot more about the Jews despite having read many of their writings. My paternal side of the family that came from Turkey used to be Jews three generations before they migrated to India with Babar, who brought Kazi Kidvah with him to be the head of his court. I was most amused to find out about the Messianic Jews. (Read the book and you'd be surprised, too.)
Now I am waiting to read "Pyongyang" - a slightly older book by Guy Delisle - and learn more about Korea.
words of wisdom
Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong, have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind.These passions, like great winds, have blown me hither and thither, in a wayward course, over a deep ocean of anguish, reaching to the very verge of despair.
I have sought love, first, because it brings ecstasy - ecstasy so great that I would often have scrificed all the rest of life for a few hours of this joy. I have sought it, next, because it relieves loneliness - that terrible loneliness in which one shivering consciousness looks over the rim of the world into the cold unfathomable lifeless abyss. I have sought it, finally, because in the union of love I have seen, in a mystic miniature, the prefiguring vision of the heaven that the saints and poets have imagined. This is what I sought and, though it might seem too good for human life, this is what - at last - I have found.
With equal passion I have sought knowledge. I have wished to understand the hearts of men. I have wished to know why the stars shine. And I have tried to apprehend the Pythagorean power by which number holds sway above the flux. A little of this, but not much, I have achieved.
Love and knowledge, so far as they were possible, led upward toward the heavens. But always pity brought me to earth. Echoes of cries of pain reverberate in my heart. Children in famine, victims tortured by oppressors, helpless old people a hated burden to their sons, and the whole world of loneliness, poverty, and pain make a mockery of what human life should be. I long to alleviate the evil, but I cannot, and I too suffer.
This has been my life. I have found it worth living, and would gladly live it again if the chance were offered me.Bertrand Russell
The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum - even encourage the more critical and dissident views. That gives people the sense that there's free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the limits put on the range of the debate.Noam Chomsky
Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions.Albert Einstein
Each century seems to take on a particular character as we view it in retrospect. How will the 20th Century be remembered? My guess is that this dramatic span of 100 years will ultimately be marked not by computers or the Internet, but by the drive toward individual freedom, the breaking of human barriers of prejudice, and the opening of society to include all people.John S. Spong
DESIDERATA
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.Max Ehrmann
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The Department of Labor released the numbers for last week’s unemployment filings. 3.28 million for the country. For The New York Times, Quocktrung Bui and Justin Wolfers show the numbers relative to the past and a breakdown by state:
This downturn is different because it’s a direct result of relatively synchronized government directives that forced millions of stores, schools and government offices to close. It’s as if an economic umpire had blown the whistle to signal the end of playing time, forcing competitors from the economic playing field to recuperate. The result is an unusual downturn in which the first round of job losses will be intensely concentrated into just a few weeks.
You can find the recent data here.
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DROID3 Poses Again, This Time With Keyboard Showing
The DROID3 made a surprise public appearance this morning and apparently wasn’t done. A lot of of us were wondering how its keyboard would look under what appears to be a much thinner top piece. I think it’s safe to say that we now know. Five rows of fun, with an HDMI port just below it on the side. Slap a stock Google Experience on this phone with a 4″ qHD screen and you could have yourselves a major player here.
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Highlands row over armed police
POLICE officers are now regularly carrying firearms while supporting colleagues on normal duties in the Highlands, in a major departure from the established approach to policing.
POLICE officers are now regularly carrying firearms while supporting colleagues on normal duties in the Highlands, in a major departure from the established approach to policing.
QUESTIONS: John Finnie is raising the issue with Police Scotland.
Custom byline text:
David Ross Highland CorrespondenT
The Highlands and Islands MSP who discovered the move, which followed the creation of a single police force last year, is to raise the issue in Holyrood and with the Chief Constable of Police Scotland Stephen House.
John Finnie, the Independent MSP for the Highlands and Islands who was a police officer and a full-time elected official of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), said it was a "worrying development".
Officers can be armed when keeping a watching brief on customers dispersing from night clubs in the early hours of the morning, it has emerged.
Mr Finnie, who was also a parliamentary liaison officer to Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill until he left the SNP in 2012 in protest at the party's decision to end its long-standing opposition to Nato membership, said: "There was an armed response vehicle (ARV) in the old Northern Constabulary force area. But then the firearms were stored in locked gun-safe in the boot of the vehicle and could only be removed from the safe on the authorisation of a senior officer.
"But I am now reliably informed that, since the advent of Police Scotland, officers deployed in the ARV wear a side-arm all the time."
He said these officers were routinely deployed policing the major trunk roads and on occasion support other operational officers on non-firearm-related police business. This included supporting officers at the time when the nightclubs are closing and people disperse.
"So, you have armed uniformed officers on the streets of the Highlands for what is routine police business of monitoring crowds leaving licensed premises," he said.
He added that given his background in the police and the federation, he recognised and accepted the need for a risk assessment of every situation. However, he could not understand how any meaningful assessment could identify a routine need for guns.
"I understand this is uniform practice across Scotland. But the routine deployment of armed officers in the Highlands, even in small numbers, is a very worrying development."
He said he was dismayed at Police Scotland's failure to recognise the unique nature of policing in the Highlands and Islands.
"I will write the chief constable reminding him the Highlands and Islands is the safest place in UK because of public support - and co-operation could be threatened by police appearing militarised and unapproachable. I also intend raising this matter at the Parliament's Police Committee."
When asked whether officers could be wearing side-arms while supervising the departure of late-night revellers, Chief Inspector Charles Armstrong said: "All officers within specialist services, which includes armed policing, are deployed in support of their colleagues in territorial divisions.
"They have their part to play in keeping people safe and that includes addressing concerns within communities and responding to calls. I can confirm armed-response officers within Police Scotland are routinely armed and have been since April 1, 2013."
Police Scotland was criticised when it cracked down on saunas in Edinburgh that sold sex.
The practice had been tolerated for health and safety reasons under Lothians Police, but Strathclyde took a tougher approach on its patch and critics said it was this tougher policy that appeared to be adopted under the new national force.
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UA researchers put the bite on mosquitoes
January 15, 2008
By Flinn Foundation
[Source: Deborah Daun, BIO5 Institute] – Few things sting like a mosquito’s bite–especially if that bite carries a disease such as malaria, yellow fever, Dengue fever, or West Nile virus. But if a team of University of Arizona (UA) life sciences researchers has their way, one day mosquito bites may prove deadly to the mosquitoes as well.“Our goal is to turn the female mosquito’s blood meal into the last meal she ever eats,” explains project leader Roger L. Miesfeld, a professor of biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology in the UA College of Science and a member of BIO5 and the Arizona Cancer Center.
Other UA researchers involved with the project include Patricia Y. Scaraffia, Guanhong Tan, Jun Isoe, BIO5 member Vicki H. Wysocki, and the late Michael A. Wells. These researchers have discovered that one particular mosquito species, Aedes aegypti, has a surprisingly complex metabolic pathway, one that requires its members to excrete toxic nitrogen after gorging on human blood. If the mosquitoes fail to do so, they’ll also fail to lay eggs–and will likely sicken and die. Scaraffia, a research assistant professor in UA’s department of biochemistry and molecular biophysics, and the other members of the team are publishing their findings in the January 15, 2008 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Miesfeld and his colleagues are seeking a molecule that is harmless to humans, but that will gum up the works of mosquito metabolism, forcing the mosquitoes to hang onto the nitrogen. Such a molecule would kill both the mosquitoes and their would-be progeny–thus slowing the spread of disease. Once found, this molecule–and similar molecules aimed at other mosquito species–could be developed into an insecticide and sprayed in places where mosquitoes congregate, such as around water and on mosquito netting.
The researchers envision one day also developing an oral insecticide–a mosquito-slaying pill that members of a community with a high instance of, say, yellow fever or malaria might take in order to reduce the mosquito population. The pill wouldn’t be a vaccine; if someone who took it were then bitten by a disease-carrying mosquito, they would still become infected. However, the mosquito would ingest the insecticide, along with the human blood, causing her to bear fewer young and possibly die before she could bite anyone else. “The whole community would essentially become one big mosquito trap,” Miesfeld explains, and over time, mosquito populations and disease rates would both decline. “It would be a group effort that in the long run could have a huge impact.”
In a world where both mosquitoes and the diseases they carry are becoming increasingly resistant to known insecticides and medicines, finding new ways to fight them is crucial. “This would be one more weapon in our arsenal against diseases that kill millions of people a year,” Miesfeld says.
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Mechalarum Page-a-Day: Page 6 - Bugs
Although I do not have the privilege of calling myself a professional software developer, I've spent enough time around them (two decades and change) to know what goes into building digital products.
Namely, it's impossible to create anything technological without countless iterations, and in some cases you create more bugs than you fix. Additionally, your program or device is almost guaranteed to display the most embarrassing of those bugs on Big Demo Day.
In some science fiction worlds, technology is effortlessly integrated into everyday life. Not in the Citadel! The difficulty in perfecting technology is, in fact, essential to the story. Life ain't perfect, and neither are widgets.
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! with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
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## <a id="ComparisonFunctions">Comparison Functions</a> ##
### greatest ###
* Syntax:
greatest(numeric_value1, numeric_value2, ...)
* Computes the greatest value among arguments.
* Arguments:
* `numeric_value1`: a `tinyint`/`smallint`/`integer`/`bigint`/`float`/`double` value,
* `numeric_value2`: a `tinyint`/`smallint`/`integer`/`bigint`/`float`/`double` value,
* ....
* Return Value:
* the greatest values among arguments.
The returning type is decided by the item type with the highest
order in the numeric type promotion order (`tinyint`-> `smallint`->`integer`->`bigint`->`float`->`double`)
among items.
* `null` if any argument is a `missing` value or `null` value,
* any other non-numeric input value will cause a type error.
* Example:
{ "v1": greatest(1, 2, 3), "v2": greatest(float("0.5"), double("-0.5"), 5000) };
* The expected result is:
{ "v1": 3, "v2": 5000.0 }
### least ###
* Syntax:
least(numeric_value1, numeric_value2, ...)
* Computes the least value among arguments.
* Arguments:
* `numeric_value1`: a `tinyint`/`smallint`/`integer`/`bigint`/`float`/`double` value,
* `numeric_value2`: a `tinyint`/`smallint`/`integer`/`bigint`/`float`/`double` value,
* ....
* Return Value:
* the least values among arguments.
The returning type is decided by the item type with the highest
order in the numeric type promotion order (`tinyint`-> `smallint`->`integer`->`bigint`->`float`->`double`)
among items.
* `null` if any argument is a `missing` value or `null` value,
* any other non-numeric input value will cause a type error.
* Example:
{ "v1": least(1, 2, 3), "v2": least(float("0.5"), double("-0.5"), 5000) };
* The expected result is:
{ "v1": 1, "v2": -0.5 }
|
package au.edu.wehi.idsv.visualisation;
import au.edu.wehi.idsv.visualisation.TrackedBuffer.NamedTrackedBuffer;
import htsjdk.samtools.util.CloserUtil;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileOutputStream;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.lang.ref.WeakReference;
import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
import java.time.LocalDateTime;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.List;
/**
* Tracks intermediate buffer sizes for memory tracking purposes.
* @author Daniel Cameron
*
*/
public class BufferTracker {
private final List<WeakReference<TrackedBuffer>> bufferObjects = Collections.synchronizedList(new ArrayList<WeakReference<TrackedBuffer>>());
private final File output;
private final float writeIntervalInSeconds;
private volatile Worker worker = null;
/**
* Tracking
* @param owner owning object. If the owning object is garbage collected, tracking stops
* @param output output file
* @param writeIntervalInSeconds interval between
*/
public BufferTracker(File output, float writeIntervalInSeconds) {
this.output = output;
this.writeIntervalInSeconds = writeIntervalInSeconds;
}
public void start() {
worker = new Worker();
worker.setName("BufferTracker");
worker.setDaemon(true);
worker.start();
}
public void stop() {
if (worker == null) return;
Worker currentWorker = worker;
worker = null;
currentWorker.interrupt();
}
public synchronized void register(String context, TrackedBuffer obj) {
obj.setTrackedBufferContext(context);
bufferObjects.add(new WeakReference<TrackedBuffer>(obj));
}
private synchronized String getCsvRows() {
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
String timestamp = LocalDateTime.now().toString();
for (WeakReference<TrackedBuffer> wr : bufferObjects) {
TrackedBuffer buffer = wr.get();
if (buffer != null) {
for (NamedTrackedBuffer bufferSize : buffer.currentTrackedBufferSizes()) {
sb.append(timestamp);
sb.append(',');
sb.append(bufferSize.name);
sb.append(',');
sb.append(Long.toString(bufferSize.size));
sb.append('\n');
}
}
}
return sb.toString();
}
private void append() {
FileOutputStream os = null;
String str = getCsvRows();
if (!str.isEmpty()) {
try {
os = new FileOutputStream(output, true);
os.write(str.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8));
os.flush();
os.close();
os = null;
} catch (IOException e) {
} finally {
CloserUtil.close(os);
}
}
}
private class Worker extends Thread {
@Override
public void run() {
while (true) {
try {
Thread.sleep((long)(writeIntervalInSeconds * 1000));
append();
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
} finally {
if (worker != this) {
return;
}
}
}
}
}
}
|
(CNN) Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser on Wednesday declared a state of emergency and a public health emergency as the nation's capital looks to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The move -- which will help free up resources and funding -- came alongside news of six new cases in Washington, bringing the total number to 10.
"While this is an administrative action, largely, it will give me more authority to implement and fund the measures that we need to monitor and respond to Covid-19 in our community," Bowser told reporters.
The announcement came just hours after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic with more than 1,200 cases in the US and growing clusters of the disease forcing many Americans to change their daily lives.
In Washington, this includes the suspension of visitor tours in the US Capitol, according to a Capitol official. Additionally, a city health advisory published earlier Wednesday recommended that "non-essential mass gatherings, including conferences and conventions, be postponed or canceled" through the end of the month.
Read More
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We had a cross-country move and Tony made sure we knew what was happening every step of the way! The move was tough enough by itself, but it would have been even harder without Tony’s help. Thanks for the wonderful support Tony!
Howard Hampton and Karen Staehling-Hampton – Purchased and Sold in Bothell – 2006
We were glad to be referred to you thank you for your efforts in finding our ideal home! Once we gave an outline of requirements for what we wanted in a home, you went to work trying to locate it. With the low inventory, it took some time. However, you were very flexible and accommodating to our time schedule, so we could quickly see any potential contender. Once we did find the perfect home, we appreciate that you were on it, so we could pull the trigger and secure the home. You were very much hands on when it came to the finalizing, making sure everyone involved was on pace to get this purchase wrapped up. Thank you!
Kevin Hazelwood and Asfira Usmanova – Purchased in Woodinville – 2013
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Flute Musical Instrument For Cake
Yes, musical instruments also have a family just like we do. They are grouped together to form a family depending on the sounds that they produce. Let us introduce you to the most common members of a.
Evanston Police Department officers on Tuesday morning responded to a report of a theft in the 800 block of Davis Street in downtown Evanston. A 46-year-old Evanston resident came to the EPD.
Rock Progressivo Italiano definition aka "RPI" "So it’s an established fact that in Italy during the period between 1971-1974, a music movement existed where bands would challenge each other to see who could be the most imaginative, who could create the album for the ages.
Learning the Music. Listen to other flute players to get a sense of the range of possibilities. You can also get ideas from listening to pipers, fiddlers, whistle players,
Students of Stephanie Bailey’s Physics 6B course are donating the instruments they made for their final project to a small school in the Philippines. (Photos by Carolyn Lagattuta) Asia Stautz (Crown,
Find flute in Western Cape! View Gumtree Free Online Classified Ads for flute in Western Cape and more.
(CNN)– I keep my hands hovering in the space. Around a dozen keen members — and 150 part-time – form the basis of this music chapter; designing, building and re-purposing instruments to suit ambi.
Clarinet Quartets, Quintets and Larger Ensemble Music (Updated 2 November 2018) This page has sheet music (scores) for clarinet quartets, quintets, and larger clarinet ensembles.It includes both collections and individual pieces.
(CNN)– I keep my hands hovering in the space. Around a dozen keen members — and 150 part-time – form the basis of this music chapter; designing, building and re-purposing instruments to suit ambi.
Howe also pursued his interest in the construction of antique woodwind instruments, particularly the oboe, which he had studied as a student. Over the past two decades, he has conducted research and p.
A lot of instruments have happy new homes as of Tuesday afternoon. Music for Everyone, the Lancaster-based nonprofit with a mission of cultivating the power of music, distributed instruments to local.
(AP) – Never discount the value of a good music teacher. Music for fiddle player and Tiny. This teacher, though, was open-minded and they tried different instruments until they came up with a violi.
Howe also pursued his interest in the construction of antique woodwind instruments, particularly the oboe, which he had studied as a student. Over the past two decades, he has conducted research and p.
The initiative invites people to donate their gently used musical instruments, for distribution to music programs at Newark and New York City public schools, as well as community music programs. The d.
16th, 17th 18th and 19th Century (1800s) musical instruments, Military and Civilian, along with pictures and pricing.
Brooklyn Daily Eagle A new program allowing patrons to borrow musical instruments at Brooklyn Public Library is an overnight sensation. The library officially launched the Musical Instrument Lending L.
Where others see trash, Donnie Badgett sees guitars, drums and other instruments. Beyond the door of an unassuming. like N.
The sousaphone (US: / ˈ s uː z ə f oʊ n /) is a brass instrument in the same family as the more widely known tuba.Created around 1893 by J.W. Pepper at the direction of American bandleader John Philip Sousa (after whom the instrument was then named), it was designed to be easier to play than the concert tuba while standing or marching, as well as to carry the sound of the instrument above.
*** Musician Jokes *** Welcome to the Worlds Largest Collection of Musician Jokes. No instrument, musician or music style is sacred here. Special thanks to Sheldon Wong of Mountain Group Audio and Rick Rosen of the Rick Rosen Marketing Group for helping to get this whole thing started.and to all who have contributed.
Pink Elephants On Parade Orchestra Small humans, big art: Free classical for kids in Littleton The Littleton Symphony Orchestra’s. Henry Mancini’s “Pink Pant. The show will feature a mix ofGreat Deals Cd Classical Music Jan 01, 2017 · The 10 Best Classical Releases of 2016: Every year I publish a ‘Best of the Year’ list. The 10 Best Classical RecordingsHymns Of Faith Review We provide free desk, exam, and review copies of many books to professors who are adopting or have adopted one of our texts for their
which involved using improvisational approaches through musical instruments, songs and rhythmic cues to target social communication, or non-music intervention, a structurally-matched, play-based inter.
Cecilio violins are handcrafted instruments and are tested at our factory. Prior to shipping each instrument is inspected by skilled technicians at our Los Angeles distribution center.
Rockabye How To Dance Just Dance Now Published by Ubisoft Game credits. Developed by Ubisoft Paris Studio Ubisoft Pune Studio Massive Entertainment, a Ubisoft Studio. Just Dance Now Active
The prize for the best march was awarded to the Co-operative Funeralcare Band. The prize for the best soloist was awarded to Andy Enzor of the Reg Vardy Band.
The first modern humans in Europe were playing musical instruments and showing artistic creativity as early as 40,000 years ago, according to new research from Oxford and Tübingen universities. The re.
Branding themselves as "Jazz From the East Bay," 510Jazz, named for their home base area code, is a fascinating collective of regional session musicians and world-class vocalists performing Sergio Mendes and Quincy Jones-influenced arrangements of spirited original bossa nova flavored tunes.
People who make music out of carrots. The World Carrot Museum has discovered several groups of people who make, and then play, musical instruments from Carrots (and other vegetables and fruit).
and drill holes in them to create musical instruments. Not only do they create musical instruments from almost all vegetables that are stiff, they also play music themselves. They have been playing mu.
I hope you have found this site to be useful. If you have any corrections, additions, or comments, please contact me.Please note that I am not able to respond to all requests.
Black Truffle present the release of Ichida, the first release from the duo of two important, yet often underappreciated musicians, Eiko Ishibashi and Darin Gray.Ishibashi is a singer-songwriter, keyboardist, drummer, and multi-instrumentalist, known in Japan both for her own elaborately conceptual solo albums and for her frequent collaborations with figures such as Jim O’Rourke, Merzbow.
Students of Stephanie Bailey’s Physics 6B course are donating the instruments they made for their final project to a small school in the Philippines. (Photos by Carolyn Lagattuta) Asia Stautz (Crown,
At the same time, we learn of traditional instruments from all over that are unlike any we’ve seen before. Here are some more in a continuing series on strange and wonderful musical instruments. 1. Wh.
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Point of Sale solutions for Retail Companies
Scalables and adapted to each type and size of business independently if it is managed a single business or hundreds of them. Our POS systems, are suited to needs of boutiques, shoe stores, jewelleries, perfume stores, supermarkets and food stores.
With our soultions you can manage Retail chains and shopping centre in different countries, with several languages, currencies and tax systems.
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The examples shown don’t really have to be used inside but most of these were meant for indoor, porch, deck or patio installation.Most fit into a copper rectangular pan but could fit in any large rectangular or square water container.
Palm tree copper fountain with HeronClick to Enlarge
You can Hop around the main pages on my site by clicking pictures below.
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AUSTIN, Texas—As South by Southwest approached, tech and cultural leaders from more than a hundred countries were preparing to flock to the festival this weekend to network, build buzz and down a few drinks.
Walt Disney Co. rented out a sausages-and-beer restaurant to create an immersive experience promoting its X-Men spinoff movie, “The New Mutants.” DTSQ, a South Korean rock band, was ready to fly halfway around the world to play for 40 minutes on a rooftop bar. Austin food truck owner Kati Luedecke was preparing to order 1,200 turkey legs from a nearby town.
Then last week, city officials abruptly canceled South by Southwest. The same global crowd that made the festival a major moneymaker now made it a potential public safety threat in a time of coronavirus.
The rapidly spreading virus is now expected to cut into global economic growth this year. It has already been brutal for the fast-growing global events industry. Organizers of Coachella, the annual music and arts festival that draws 200,000 people to the Southern California desert, postponed the event for six months. The BNP Paribas Open, a high-profile international tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif., called off this year’s event.
That doesn’t count dozens of smaller professional conferences and sporting events canceled across the globe that reliably pump cash into regional economies. Even the Tokyo Summer Olympics might yet be curtailed.
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Our privately held, mid-size organization is an aggressive growing company known for its technical excellence. We offer a competitive salary, medical benefits, an excellent 401(k) and profit sharing.....Read More
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Peter Mettler film on tar sands to make North American premiere at TIFF
On this page
Feature story - August 3, 2009
Greenpeace Canada is pleased to announce that Petropolis: Aerial Perspectives on the Alberta Tar Sands will make its North American debut at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival this September.
Shot primarily from a helicopter in cinematic high-definition, Petropolis offers an unparalleled view of the largest industrial project on earth. The film, directed by award-winning filmmaker Peter Mettler, is a visual exploration of the tar sands that brings viewers directly into the oily belly of the beast.
"There has been a lot of debate about the tar sands, but the opportunities to actually see and somehow experience them have been rare," said Mettler. "The beauty of cinema is that it can deliver an experience at least somewhat close to the real thing - in this case though, seriously lacking the smell."
The 43-minute film is part of TIFF's Real to Reel programme and will compete in the short documentary category. It's the first film ever produced by Greenpeace Canada and has only been screened on one other occasion, at the Visions du Réel film festival in Nyon, Switzerland, where it won the "Prix du jury du jeune public" (Public youth prize) in April.
For more than 20 years, Peter Mettler's films and collaborations have taken a unique and influential position within cinema. His visionary meditation Gambling, Gods and LSD (2002) won the director a Genie Award for Best Documentary, and his collaborations such as a cinematographer on the early films of Atom Egoyan and Jennifer Baichwal's Manufactured Landscapes have been acclaimed for their visual acuity.
"Petropolis is a beautiful film on a very ugly subject," said Spencer Tripp, communications director at Greenpeace Canada and the executive producer of the film. "By showcasing the extreme destruction of the tar sands, this film will help raise awareness of the consequences of our reliance on dirty oil."
Canada's tar sands are an oil reserve the size of England. Extracting the crude oil called bitumen from underneath unspoiled wilderness requires a massive industrialized effort with far-reaching impacts on the land, air, water, and climate, as well as First Nations communities downstream.
In addition to Mettler's film, Greenpeace conducted interviews for presentation solely as short "webisodes" online at the film's website (http://www.petropolis-film.com/). These further illuminate the wide-reaching development with first-hand accounts from residents of Fort Chipewyan, Fort McMurray, Fort Saskatchewan and leading climate and water experts.
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Despite its iconic status as the king of dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus rex biology is incompletely understood. Here, we examine femur and tibia bone microstructure from two half-grown T. rex specimens, permitting the assessments of age, growth rate, and maturity necessary for investigating the early life history of this giant theropod. Osteohistology reveals these were immature individuals 13 to 15 years of age, exhibiting growth rates similar to extant birds and mammals, and that annual growth was dependent on resource abundance. Together, our results support the synonomization of “Nanotyrannus” into Tyrannosaurus and fail to support the hypothesized presence of a sympatric tyrannosaurid species of markedly smaller adult body size. Our independent data contribute to mounting evidence for a rapid shift in body size associated with ontogenetic niche partitioning late in T. rex ontogeny and suggest that this species singularly exploited mid- to large-sized theropod niches at the end of the Cretaceous.
Moreover, by histologically quantifying the ontogenetic age of BMRP 2002.4.1 and BMRP 2006.4.4 and inferring skeletal maturity, we present new data that can be used to evaluate competing taxonomic hypotheses regarding these and other mid-sized tyrannosaur specimens discovered in the HCF, specifically whether BMRP 2002.4.1 (and by proxy other specimens) represents an adult “pygmy” genus of tyrannosaurid, “Nanotyrannus.”
Here, we examine the femur and tibia bone microstructure of two tyrannosaur skeletons of controversial taxonomic status recovered from the HCF: BMRP (Burpee Museum of Natural History) 2002.4.1, a largely complete specimen composed of nearly the entire skull and substantial postcranial material, and BMRP 2006.4.4, a more fragmentary specimen. Respectively, we estimate these specimens to be 54 and 59% the body length of FMNH (Field Museum of Natural History) PR 2081 (“Sue”) ( 6 , 7 ), one of the largest known T. rex. The ontogenetic age of BMRP 2002.4.1 was previously reported by Erickson ( 8 ) as 11 years based on fibula osteohistology. However, because the fibula grows more slowly than the weight-bearing femur and tibia, it does not reflect annual increases in body size or relative skeletal maturity as accurately [e.g., ( 9 )]. We use femur and tibia data to (i) provide detailed comparative intra- and interskeletal histological descriptions, (ii) quantify the ontogenetic age and relative skeletal maturity of these specimens, and (iii) allow empirical observation of annual growth rate, with emphasis on variability during the life history of tyrannosaurs ( 10 ).
After the publication of its discovery from the famous Hell Creek Formation (HCF) in 1905, the carnivorous dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex ( 1 ) was met with intense scientific interest and public popularity, which persists to the present day ( 2 ). Numerous hypotheses concerning T. rex biology and behavior result from decades of research primarily focused on skeletal morphology and biomechanics [e.g., ( 3 ) and references therein]. Only within the past 15 years has bone histology been applied to investigate the aspects of T. rex life history inaccessible from gross examinations, addressing questions concerning ontogenetic age, growth rate, skeletal maturity, and sexual maturity. In 2004, two teams independently assessed the growth dynamics of T. rex using osteohistology. Their results suggest that T. rex had an accelerated growth rate compared with other tyrannosaurids and achieved adult size in approximately two decades ( 4 , 5 ). The teams focused on growth curves, rather than on detailed analyses or interpretations of bone tissue microstructures. However, osteohistology is critical for establishing a baseline against which skeletal maturity and growth changes in cortical morphology related to life events in this taxon can be tested. Identifying the timing of growth acceleration and empirically quantifying juvenile T. rex growth rates are of special importance because the juvenile growth record is lost in older individuals because of bone remodeling and resorption ( 4 , 5 ).
Prondvai et al. ( 13 ) demonstrated that inaccurate bone microstructure interpretations are possible if the mineralized tissue is observed in only a single plane; specifically, the more slowly formed parallel-fibered mineral arrangement could be mistaken for the rapidly deposited woven-fibered mineral arrangement, which has direct bearing on growth rate interpretations. Therefore, the femur of BMRP 2006.4.4 was longitudinally sectioned in an anterolateral-posteromedial plane, and the tibia of BMRP 2002.4.1 was sectioned in a medial-lateral plane to accurately assess tissue organization and associated relative growth rates ( Figs. 1C and 2B , and figs. S2, B and C, S5, and S7). In the femur of BMRP 2006.4.4, vascular canals are arranged parallel to the plane of section and to the shaft of the long bone. Adjacent to the vascular canals, bone fibers are highly anisotropic in CPL and contain osteocyte lacunae with long axes arranged parallel to the vascular canals and plane of section. Tissue of the laminae between primary osteons varies locally in degree of isotropy, with corresponding variable shape in osteocyte lacunae. On the medial side of the longitudinal section through the tibia of BMRP 2002.4.1, vascular canals are arranged obliquely with numerous communications (fig. S5B). From the mid- to the outer cortex, vascular canals are more uniformly parallel to the bone shaft, with fewer transverse Volkmann’s canals (fig. S5C). Adjacent to vascular canals, fibers of the primary osteons are anisotropic in CPL with longitudinally flattened osteocyte lacunae. Fibers within the primary laminae vary locally in isotropy and osteocyte lacuna orientation ( Fig. 2B ). The lateral cortex is thinner than the medial cortex, and vascular canals are more closely spaced with fewer communicating canals (fig. S5D).
In the femur of BMRP 2006.4.4, there is an annulus at the periosteal surface on the medial side ( Fig. 1D ), but when followed posteriorly, the annulus is within the outer cortex, while fibrolamellar tissue makes up the cortex of the periosteal surface ( Fig. 1E ). Within the innermost cortex on the anterolateral side, six LAGs are closely spaced ( Fig. 2D ). Because of resorption from the medullary drift, these LAGs are absent within the innermost cortex of the posterior and lateral sides.
Cyclical growth marks (CGMs), resembling tree rings in transverse thin section, were observed in the femora and tibiae of both BMRP specimens. Studies on extant vertebrates demonstrate that CGMs result from brief interruptions in osteogenesis, occurring with annual periodicity and typically coinciding with the nadir ( 12 ). The annual pauses in bone apposition are recorded as CGMs in cortical microstructure as either pronounced lines of arrested growth (LAGs) or diffuse annulus rings. On the basis of counting CGMs, BMRP 2002.4.1 was at least 13 years old at death (13 CGMs in the femur and 10 CGMs in the tibia), and BMRP 2006.4.4 was at least 15 years old at death (15 CGMs in the femur and 13 to 18 CGMs in the tibia). Typically, vertebrate long bone cortices will exhibit widely spaced CGMs within the cortex when young, corresponding to high annual osteogenesis. In subadults, CGMs become more closely spaced as osteogenesis decreases approaching adult size [e.g., ( 10 )]. In contrast to these frequently observed patterns, the spacing of CGMs was unexpectedly variable throughout the femur and tibia cortices of both BMRP specimens.
Of special note, within the medullary cavity of the femur and tibia of BMRP 2006.4.4, isotropic, vascularized, primary tissue is separated from the cortex by a lamellar endosteal layer. These features are morphologically consistent with medullary bone ( 11 ); however, additional studies on the systemic nature of this tissue throughout BMRP 2006.4.4 and biochemical tests on this tissue are necessary to test this hypothesis.
In the tibia transverse section of BMRP 2002.4.1 ( Fig. 2A and fig. S4), longitudinal primary osteons are isotropic in circularly polarized light (CPL), but fibers of primary osteons encircling laminar, circular, and plexiform vascular canals are anisotropic. In contrast, primary osteons in the tibia of BMRP 2006.4.4 are frequently isotropic regardless of vascular canal orientation. Because of its proximal sampling location, the cortical shape of the tibia from BMRP 2006.4.4 in transverse section differs from that of BMRP 2002.4.1 and incorporates the fibular crest on the lateral side (figs. S2D and S8, A and F). Highly vascularized reticular woven tissue is present on the anterior and anterolateral periosteal surfaces ( Fig. 2C ). In both individuals, the thickest tibial cortex is located anteriorly.
( A ) Transverse mid-cortex thin section of BMRP 2002.4.1. Longitudinal POs are evident, and PPL emphasizes osteocyte lacuna density and variability in shape within laminae. CPL reveals varying birefringence associated with bone fiber orientation, but with a weak arrangement of fibers parallel to the transverse plane of section. Many POs are composed of highly isotropic fibers with rounded osteocyte lacunae. ( B ) Longitudinal thin section of the mid-cortex of BMRP 2002.4.1. Vascular canals appear as near-vertical, dark columns. Adjacent to the vascular canals, the POs contain laterally compressed osteocyte lacunae. CPL demonstrates that the laterally compressed osteocyte lacunae of POs are embedded within a uniformly birefringent matrix (anisotropic), indicating that the lamellae of POs are LP. Osteocyte lacunae orientation varies in the thin laminae between POs. In CPL, the laminae are weakly isotropic, corresponding to the weak arrangement of parallel fibers in transverse section. ( C ) In transverse thin section, the periosteal surface of BMRP 2006.4.4 on the anterior side consists of reticular POs within laminae of highly isotropic, woven tissue. ( D ) Within the anterior and anteromedial innermost cortex of BMRP 2006.4.4, in transverse thin section, six closely spaced LAGs are visible interstitially. Blue lines highlight the LAG trajectories.
( A ) Mid-cortex of the transverse thin section of BMRP 2002.4.1. Plane-polarized light (PPL) emphasizes osteocyte lacuna density and variability in shape within the laminae, as well as longitudinal primary osteons. In CPL, there is a weak preferred fiber arrangement parallel to the transverse plane of section reflected by regional birefringence. Many primary osteons (POs) have uniformly isotropic fibers with rounded osteocyte lacunae. ( B ) Mid-cortex of the transverse thin section of BMRP 2006.4.4. Osteocyte lacuna density and variability in shape within the laminae are evident in PPL. CPL reveals varying birefringence associated with bone fiber orientation, but there is a weak preferred fiber arrangement parallel to the transverse plane of section reflected by regional birefringence. Many POs are composed of uniformly isotropic fibers with rounded osteocyte lacunae. ( C ) Longitudinal section of the mid-cortex of BMRP 2006.4.4. Vascular canals appear as near-vertical, thin, dark columns. As in the transverse section, the primary laminae between POs contain variably arranged osteocyte lacunae. In CPL, the laminae are weakly isotropic (I), corresponding to the poorly organized parallel orientation of fibers in the transverse plane. The laterally compressed osteocyte lacunae in POs are embedded within a uniformly birefringent [anisotropic (AN)] matrix in CPL, indicating that the PO lamellae are longitudinally oriented parallel-fibered bone (LP). ( D ) On the posteromedial side of the transverse section of BMRP 2006.4.4, there is a parallel-fibered annulus located at the periosteal surface (thickness indicated with blue line). Photographed in CPL. ( E ) In the transverse section on the posterolateral side, the annulus shown in (D) (blue lines) is overlain by highly isotropic woven-fibered laminae.
For detailed, orientation-specific histology descriptions, refer to the Supplementary Materials. In general, the femur and tibia cortical bones of BMRP 2002.4.1 and BMRP 2006.4.4 can be classified as a woven-parallel complex. Vascularity and osteocyte lacuna density are uniformly high throughout ( Figs. 1 and 2 ). In the femora, the primary and secondary osteons surrounding vascular canals are frequently isotropic in the transverse section ( Fig. 1, A and B ) and anisotropic in the longitudinal section ( Fig. 1C ). Also in the transverse section, femur primary tissue exhibits moderate anisotropy regionally and weak anisotropy locally, corresponding to a loose arrangement of mineralized fibers in parallel (e.g., Fig. 1, A and B , and fig. S3B).
DISCUSSION
Limb bones exhibit moderate growth rates and tension loading Comparison of BMRP 2002.4.1 and BMRP 2006.4.4 bone fiber organization in the transverse and longitudinal sections using CPL confirms that primary tissue is generally poorly organized parallel fibered to weakly woven. Dense osteocyte lacunae and poor bone fiber organization, in combination with a rich vascular network of reticular, laminar, and plexiform primary osteons, are characteristics that empirically correspond to elevated osteogenesis ranging from 5 to 90 μm/day (10). Nonetheless, the frequency of longitudinal vascularity, as well as regionally prevalent poorly organized parallel fiber bundles within the transverse sections, suggests that annual growth rates were nearer the lower bound (10). The BMRP individuals did, however, experience occasional periods of faster growth indicated by bands of regionally isotropic woven laminae with reticular vascularity (e.g., Figs. 1E and 2C, and figs. S6D and S8, C and D) (10). In both BMRP specimens, the majority of primary osteons as well as some secondary osteons were isotropic in the transverse section. Corresponding anisotropy in longitudinal examination confirms that the fiber bundles within osteons are longitudinally arranged (Figs. 1C and 2B, and fig. S5, B to D). Studies on long bone response to loading show that longitudinal collagen fiber orientation within secondary osteons is commonly found in habitually tension-loaded regions (14), which may also apply to primary osteon collagen fiber orientation. As such, future studies on tyrannosaurid locomotion biomechanics may benefit from incorporation of osteohistology.
Relative skeletal maturity Rather than exhibiting an external fundamental system (EFS) (Fig. 3), a woven-parallel complex extends to the periosteal surface in both tyrannosaurid specimens. Thus, histology supports morphological observations that BMRP 2002.4.1 and BMRP 2006.4.4 were skeletally immature individuals at death (10). In lieu of epiphyseal fusion, which most reptile taxa lack, an EFS is the only way to conclusively confirm attainment of asymptotic adult body length from the long bones of a vertebrate. When present, the EFS occupies the periosteal surface as either closely spaced LAGs (separated by micrometers) (Fig. 3A) or as a thick, primarily avascular annulus (Fig. 3B) (10). CGMs close to the periosteal surface can sometimes be mistaken for an EFS. In the case of BMRP 2006.4.4, an annulus is present at the periosteal surface of both the femur (Fig. 1D) and tibia (fig. S8E), but when the annulus is followed around the cortex, in both cases it becomes embedded within the outer cortex and superseded by woven primary tissue (Figs. 1E and 2C). The proximity of the annulus to the periosteal surface instead suggests that BMRP 2006.4.4 died soon after growth resumed following the annual hiatus and that cortical osteogenesis was directional. Fig. 3 The presence of an EFS at the periosteal surface of a long bone indicates skeletal maturity, while the absence of an EFS indicates that the bone is still growing at the time of death. (A) An EFS composed of tightly stacked birefringent LAGs (between blue arrowheads) at the periosteal surface of an Alligator mississippiensis. (B) The EFS (between blue arrowheads) in an ostrich (Struthio camelus) is made of nearly avascular, birefringent parallel-fibered to lamellar primary tissue. (C) No EFS is present at the periosteal surface of the femur of BMRP 2002.4.1, (D) the tibia of BMRP 2002.4.1, (E) the femur of BMRP 2006.4.4, or (F) the tibia of BMRP 2006.4.4. All panels are shown in transverse thin section, with CPL.
Ontogenetic age On the basis of femur CGM count, BMRP 2002.4.1 was >13 years old at death, which is 2 years older than the original estimate by Erickson (8) based on fibula CGM count. The slightly larger BMRP 2006.4.4 was >15 years old. The number of CGMs missing due to medullary expansion is unknown, precluding an exact age at death for BMRP 2002.4.1 and BMRP 2006.4.4. Although the number of missing CGMs could be predicted on the basis of innermost zonal thicknesses and a process of retrocalculation [e.g., (5, 10)], the variable spacing between CGMs observed in BMRP 2002.4.1 and BMRP 2006.4.4 and other tyrannosaurs (15) renders the technique unreliable in this case, and it was not attempted. Within the innermost cortex of BMRP 2006.4.4, there is a tight stacking of six CGMs (Fig. 2D). Because the CGMs remain parallel about the cortex and do not merge, they either represent a single hiatus in which growth repeatedly ceased and resumed (totaling 13 years of growth) or up to 6 years where relatively little growth occurred annually (totaling up to 18 years of growth) (9, 16). This tight stacking of six CGMs is not observed in the femur of BMRP 2006.4.4, which preserves 15 CGMs. The CGM count from the partial tibia of BMRP 2006.4.4 is questionable because the proximal sampling location away from midshaft incorporates the fibular crest, introducing associated regions of remodeling and directional growth affecting apposition interpretations. Because of this and their absence in the femur, the observed grouping of six CGMs is conservatively interpreted as a single hiatus event. Similar instances of a single hiatus represented by narrowly spaced LAGs are reported in other tyrannosauroids (15). If this grouping of CGMs instead represents 6 years of protracted growth, then BMRP 2006.4.4 demonstrates the extent to which these individuals could adjust growth rate based on resource availability, in this case prolonging the ontogenetic duration of BMRP 2006.4.4 as a mid-sized carnivore. Bone tissue organization was similar across femora and tibiae, suggesting that both bones record annual increases in body size equally well. If the stacked CGMs of BMRP 2006.4.4 reflect a single hiatus, then each femur preserved more CGMs than the associated tibia. Previous studies demonstrated that intraskeletal inconsistencies in CGM counts are due to variable rates of medullary cavity expansion or cortical drift across elements (9, 17, 18) when sampled at midshaft. Therefore, our preliminary assessment of T. rex intraskeletal histology suggests that the femur is more informative than the tibia, despite regions of cortical remodeling from tendinous entheses about the cortex. Additional intraskeletal histoanalyses of tyrannosaurid specimens are necessary to test whether the femur is the preferred weight-bearing bone for simultaneous assessments of annual growth rates and skeletochronology. In addition to ontogenetic zonal thickness variability within the cortex, zonal thickness also changed with respect to cortical orientation. That is, zones were often much thinner relative to one another on one side of the transverse section and much thicker on another side (e.g., fig. S4, G and H). This pattern is particularly noticeable in the tibia of BMRP 2002.4.1 (medial cortical zones are thickest) and the femur of BMRP 2006.4.4 (posteromedial cortical zones are thickest). This observation implies that directional cortical growth occurred over ontogeny and stresses the necessity of complete transverse sections for histological analysis: Obtaining a fragment or core for study from one orientation may result in erroneous interpretations of growth rate and skeletal maturity.
Variability in annual growth as a response to resource abundance Interpretations of relative maturity in nonavian dinosaurs often rely on reported trends in the thickness of cortical zones between CGMs from the inner to the outer cortex (10). Zone thickness is typically greatest within the innermost cortex, corresponding to rapid annual growth early in life. Zones become progressively thinner in the mid- to the outer cortex of older individuals, as annual growth rate decreases approaching asymptotic body length. These general trends provide the interpretive foundation for the two previous histology-based ontogenetic studies on Tyrannosaurus growth (4, 5). The spacing of CGMs within the outer cortices of BMRP 2002.4.1 and BMRP 2006.4.4 (Fig. 4) is narrower than between some CGMs deeper within the cortices, which suggests that, although not adults, the specimens were approaching a body length asymptote at about one-half the body length of FMNH PR 2081. However, annual zonal thicknesses between CGMs deeper within the cortices of BMRP 2002.4.1 (Fig. 4A) and BMRP 2006.4.4 (Fig. 4B) are variable, and zones do not consistently progress from widely spaced within the inner cortex to more closely spaced in the outer cortex. Because of unpredictable spacing within the cortex, reduced zonal thickness near the periosteal surface is likely an unreliable indicator of skeletal maturity in BMRP 2002.4.1 and BMRP 2006.4.4. Variable zonal thicknesses are, thus, likely to be observed in ontogenetically older T. rex individuals. To test this hypothesis, we examined femur and tibia thin sections from T. rex specimens USNM PAL (National Museum of Natural History) 555000, MOR (Museum of the Rockies) 1125, MOR 1128, MOR 1198, and CCM (Carter County Museum) V33.1.15. In all individuals, variability in annual zonal thicknesses was observed. In particular, compared to zone spacing within the mid-cortex, noticeably thinner zones are present within the innermost cortex of USNM PAL 555000 (Fig. 4C) and MOR 1128 (Fig. 4D). These results contradict the mathematically predictable zonal spacing in T. rex long bones reported by Horner and Padian (5), which used some of the same specimens reassessed in the present study. Results further suggest not only that BMRP 2002.4.1 and BMRP 2006.4.4 had not yet entered the accelerated growth period proposed for this taxon (4, 5) but also that the accuracy of the generalized T. rex body mass curve from Erickson et al. (4) would be affected by undetected individual variation in annual growth. Fig. 4 Examples of variable CGM (blue lines) spacing in tyrannosaurids examined for this study. (A) The variability of CGM spacing in the femur of BMRP 2002.4.1 and (B) the tibia of BMRP 2006.4.4 may imply that these individuals were approaching asymptotic body length. However, CGMs within the innermost cortices of much larger T. rex specimens (C) USNM PAL 555000 and (D) MOR 1128 demonstrate that the CGM spacing is not a reliable indicator of relative maturity status. All panels are shown in transverse thin section. Variable LAG spacing is reported in ornithomimids, ornithopods [(19) and references therein], and other tyrannosauroids (15) and may correlate with annual resource abundance (12, 19). Our data suggest that this trait also characterizes T. rex: Because the level of bone tissue organization within zones remained the same from the innermost cortex to the periosteal surface in the BMRP specimens, growth rates were within a similar range from year to year. To produce these extremes in annual bone apposition, the duration of the growth hiatus must have varied annually. On the basis of the larger T. rex specimens examined here for comparison, the adjustment of annual growth hiatus duration in response to resource abundance is a physiological characteristic observed throughout T. rex ontogeny. Regardless of cause, unpredictable CGM spacing observed here and in previous studies stresses caution when inferring relative maturity based on cortical LAG spacing (19). The observation of closely spaced CGMs within the innermost cortices of larger T. rex validates our interpretation that the thin zonal spacing observed in the outermost cortices of BMRP 2002.4.1 and BMRP 2006.4.4 are not reliable indicators of relative maturity when an EFS is absent.
Implications for the Nanotyrannus hypothesis The bone microstructural interpretations discussed here not only provide insight into T. rex ontogeny but also have bearing on discussions concerning CMNH (Cleveland Museum of Natural History) 7541 and Nanotyrannus. CMNH 7541 consists of a small isolated skull 572 mm in length (20). Inferred to be sympatric with T. rex, it was originally named Gorgosaurus lancensis (21). In 1988, Bakker et al. (22) redescribed CMNH 7541 as an adult specimen of a new genus, Nanotyrannus. Using an extensive empirical dataset, Carr and Williamson (23) formally synonymized Nanotyrannus into Tyrannosaurus in 2004, supporting the interpretation of CMNH 7541 as a juvenile T. rex proposed by Rozhdestvensky in 1965 (24). Presently, most tyrannosaurid specialists consider CMNH 7541 and possible referred specimens to be juvenile T. rex based on morphological skull features shared with those found in undisputed juvenile individuals of other tyrannosaurid taxa [e.g., (2, 20, 23, 25–28)]. Nonetheless, several publications have since argued for the validity of Nanotyrannus based not only on morphological characters of the CMNH 7541 type skull but also on characters from the somewhat larger skull of BMRP 2002.4.1 (720 mm in length) [e.g., (29–33)], which some researchers have assigned to Nanotyrannus based on shared morphological characters they consider adult autapomorphies of the taxon [e.g., (29–33)]. Currently, BMRP 2002.4.1 is the only accessioned specimen with postcranial skeletal elements preserved that is specifically argued by proponents of Nanotyrannus as belonging to that genus [e.g., (29–32)]. Because CMNH 7541 lacks the postcranial skeleton and proponents of Nanotyrannus refer BMRP 2002.4.1 to that taxon, the limb bone histology of BMRP 2002.4.1 (and additionally BMRP 2006.4.4; see the Supplementary Materials for taxonomic discussion) reveals the life history of CMNH 7541 by proxy. Here, we provide histological data that can be used to reject the hypothesis that Nanotyrannus was erected on the basis of a skeletally mature “pygmy” individual, resulting in two remaining alternative hypotheses: (i) Nanotyrannus is a valid taxon, but the holotype and all currently referred specimens including BMRP 2002.4.1 and BMRP 2006.4.4 are immature, with no skeletally mature individuals yet known; and (ii) CMNH 7541, BMRP 2002.4.1, BMRP 2006.4.4, and other mid-sized tyrannosaurid specimens collected from the HCF represent juvenile ontogenetic stages of T. rex. Thus far, the femur and tibia of BMRP 2002.4.1 and BMRP 2006.4.4 are the only weight-bearing bones of Upper Cretaceous HCF tyrannosaurids described histologically from complete transverse sections, and these universally demonstrate features characteristic of actively growing juvenile dinosaurs that had not yet entered an exponential phase of growth (as demonstrated by our new data identifying noticeably thinner zones within the innermost cortex of large-bodied T. rex specimens such as USNM PAL 55500). On the basis of these data, the latter hypothesis is most parsimonious and is congruent with the morphology-based conclusions of Carr (20) and Carr and Williamson (23). Incorporating additional mid-sized HCF tyrannosaurid specimens into this histology-based relative maturity assessment is necessary to further support or refute the parsimonious hypothesis.
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Corning’s future vision of glass
Videos
My Comments
I had heard about Corning’s new series of videos about glass being more than just windows, mirrors and drinks containers. Their vision in these videos was to have windows, mirrors and similar objects as display surfaces for computer-hosted data; as well as for other applications like photovoltaic (solar) cells or electrochromic uses like tinting or frosting on demand.
Some of these visions include windows that are clear but become frosted “on demand” for privacy or show images or text such as a themed photo cluster or a diagram, with some being touchscreens for interacting with the display or being a control surface for lighting for example. The applications were being extended to automotive use like the glass displays being part of a dashboard for example.
This has been made feasible through efforts like the “Gorilla Glass” technology that is now being implemented in smartphones, tablets and large displays like TVs. Here, this glass is about an increasingly-tough surface or about a thinner glass surface for an LCD or OLED display application (including a touchscreen) being as tough as a glass surface of regular thickness.
It is even worth noting that Philips was also involved in “taking glass further” with mirrors that are displays and lately with an OLED light / solar-cell combination which is transparent one moment and a light-source another moment while supplying extra power during the day. This latter application was pitched again at cars with a way of bringing more light in to the car but also working as an interior light when it is darker.
At least this shows that there will be many different game-changers when it comes to the design of display and similar technologies.
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A woman named ‘Aaishah, from Pakistan, relates the following experience:
I was once busy reciting the Quraan Majeed, as was my habit, when my eldest son, Shafee’, who was approximately six years old at the time, emerged from the house to play outside. We are still unsure as to exactly how it happened, but he somehow closed the door of the car on his finger! His hand was injured so badly that his third finger was almost totally separated from his right hand. The finger just managed to remain attached to his hand by a thin strip of skin.
I was seated in our home, reciting Surah Ar-Rahmaan, and remained oblivious to what had transpired. My husband, on seeing our son injured, did not wait to inform me of what had happened but instead instantly bundled him into the car and raced off to the nearest doctor. On arriving at the doctor’s surgery, the doctor urged him to rush Shafee’ to the Civil Hospital.
I was just about completing Surah Ar-Rahmaan when the guard started urgently shouting for me. I did not turn my attention to him and indicated that he should wait as I wished to complete the surah before hearing his message. When I had completed reciting the surah, I turned to him and he informed me of the tragedy that had befallen my son. On receiving the news, I also set out for the Civil Hospital.
The doctors had used stitches to reattach his finger but felt that the finger would not successfully connect and join with the hand and it would thus be better to remove it altogether. I, however, could not tolerate the thought of my son living with only four fingers on his hand and begged them to give the finger a chance. In this way, two days passed with the finger attached, until the signs of infection and decay became apparent. The hand began to emit the odor of disease and we now feared that the infection had spread to the rest of his hand. In desperation, one of the most prominent surgeons of Karachi, Dr. Pinthu, was summoned.
When Dr. Pinthu examined my son’s hand, he supported the opinion of the other surgeons, claiming that my son’s finger was beyond saving, and also declared that the right hand would have to be amputated until the wrist on account of the infection. Overcome by a mother’s love for her child, I pleaded with Dr Pinthu to prescribe more medication which would hopefully remove the infection and save my son’s hand. Dr. Pinthu became angry and admonished me saying, “If you refuse to allow us to amputate until his wrist, the infection will spread! Within 24 hours, we will be forced to amputate until his elbow!”
Hearing this, I stood up and exited the hospital. I had turned to the best surgeons in the city and they had failed to save my son’s hand. I should rather turn to Allah Ta‘ala and place my reliance and faith in Him. Still standing outside the hospital, I began to make du‘aa to Allah Ta‘ala saying, “O Allah! This tragedy struck while I was reciting your Quraan Majeed! O Allah! You have complete control over the entire world and You are all powerful! Do not let me become despondent of Your mercy! O Allah, have mercy on my son! O Allah! I will recite one entire Quraan in the next day, You save my son!”
In order to console me, the Doctor gave me two capsules to give my son and a bottle of Dettol to disinfect his wound. The amputation, however, was scheduled to take place in 24 hours.
I turned my complete attention to Allah Ta‘ala and placed my complete confidence in Him alone for that 24 hours. I remained in the Hospital and began to recite the Quraan Majeed with my husband until we had together completed a khatam of the Quraan Majeed in 17 hours. In these 17 hours, the wounds on the hand of Shafee’ miraculously dried and all the signs of infection miraculously disappeared.
What all the doctors and surgeons combined were unable to accomplish, Allah Ta‘ala had done for us in just a few moments. The surgeons were speechless and realized that all their degrees were worthless before the Quraan Majeed of Allah Ta‘ala. This incident transpired 14 years ago and the hand of Shafee’ healed so completely that not even a scar can be seen today. (Quraan ke Hayrat Angez Waaqi‘aat pg. 151)
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Do you avoid adopting from an animal shelter because you worry about behavior issues or because you want a specific breed? Or maybe you'd like something other than a cat or dog? We have some great news for you. READ MORE
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The Human Equivalent of Feeding Your Pet Snacks
By Amanda Baltazar
You hear a whine from under the dinner table and there sits your poor dog waiting for you to toss him a metaphorical bone — or maybe even a real one. But what you have is a cookie, so you toss him that instead. No harm done, right, it’s only a cookie?
In fact, given the size difference of humans and animals, a small portion of something for us can almost constitute a meal for your dog or cat. Our pets need remarkably few calories compared to our own caloric needs. Read on to see what different snacks mean in human terms when you feed them to your pet.
WARNING: Consult your vet before providing any "human food" as some may be dangerous for pets.
1. Oatmeal Cookie
One small oatmeal cookie for a 20 pound dog is the caloric equivalent of an entire hamburger for a person. For a human, that’s around 300 calories, or almost a sixth of the average woman’s recommended daily calories and an eighth of man’s daily calorie intake. It could be worse, though: An oatmeal cookie at least provides some fiber — chocolate chip cookies, meanwhile, are a definite no-no since chocolate is harmful, and even toxic, to dogs.
2. Hot Dog
One hot dog for a 20 pound puppy is the caloric equivalent of three hamburgers for a person. That single hot dog may not look like much but it has around 175 calories, which is a third of what a 20 pound dog should be consuming. “I think people get gratification out of their pet eating and being happy about it, but they don’t think about the long-term consequences,” says Dr. James Darden, DVM, chief of staff at Banfield Pet Hospital in East Houston, Texas.
3. Cheese
One ounce of cheese for a 20 pound dog is the caloric equivalent of 1 ½ chocolate bars for a person. Cheese is loaded with fat — a single 1 oz. slice of American cheese packs 105 calories and 5.5 grams of saturated fat, while Cheddar is even worse: 114 calories and 6 grams of fat. That ounce of cheese constitutes about a third of a small dog’s daily required calories, says Dr. Darden. “And for a cat it’s worse — it’s about half his daily caloric intake, so two slices of cheese for a cat is all it needs in a day.”
4. Potato Chip
One potato chip for a 10 pound cat is the caloric equivalent of half a hamburger for a person. You may think that a thin potato chip is lighter than air, but don’t forget that it’s been fried in saturated fat and coated in sodium. For your small cat, you’re almost providing lunch with a potato chip. A superior option, says Dr. Darden, is a small handful of kibble. He suggests you subtract whatever you feed your cat as a snack from her evening meal so she doesn’t overeat.
5. Cup of Milk
One cup of milk for a 10 pound cat is the caloric equivalent of five chocolate bars for a person. Besides the fact that whole milk provides 122 calories per cup — and even skim clocks in at 86 calories — neither dogs nor cats should drink it because it can upset their stomach, says Dr. Darden. A good alternative is fruits or vegetables, especially frozen, such as green beans, peas, and apples. (Ed. Note: Consult your vet before providing any "human food," as some fruits and vegetables are dangerous for pets.)
6. Peanut Butter
A single ounce of peanut butter (about a tablespoon) is close to cheese in calories, packing around 94 calories. It also contains around 8 grams of saturated fat, which is 12% of what a human needs, and of course far higher for a dog or cat. Just 8 to 10 tablespoons of seemingly innocuous peanut butter may be delicious, but it would provide all the calories a 30 pound dog should eat in a single day. And for a 10 pound dog, just three tablespoons would fulfill his daily caloric requirements.
7. Jerky Strips
Jerky strips are beloved by dog owners because they’re easy and make no mess, but a single jerky strip provides around 88 calories. “So three of them for a small dog provides most of his caloric needs without any [significant nutritional value],” says Dr. Darden. “Every time you give one of these treats you’re filling him up with extra calories and making our obesity numbers increase.” Jerky strips are also very high in sodium (providing around 12% of a human’s daily sodium needs), which can lead to high blood pressure in both dogs and cats.
8. Tuna
Almost every cat loves tuna, but at 36 calories per ounce she shouldn’t be eating much of it, if at all. Despite the fact that tuna is a good lean protein source, it’s not providing a balanced diet, says Darden. An ounce of tuna provides about 16% of the daily calories required for a 10 pound cat, he adds. “I’d stick with premium [pet food] brands rather than getting tuna off the shelf and preparing it myself.”
What About Pet Treats?
Commercial pet treats are okay in moderation and if they are of high quality. Ask your veterinarian for some recommendations and don't forget to subtract the treat's calories from your pet's overall daily calorie consumption so he or she doesn't inadvertently become overweight.
Comments 3
Hi, I have to admit that i feed my dog too much. I don't really know how many calories she should eat per day; she's overweight and 9 yrs. old.
The vet has told us to cut back, but she has built up a ferocious appetite!
We give her half a can of "Mighty Dog" in the morning and the other half at night and some treats in-between and when she "makes" outside, (she doesn't make in the house lol). i love her and really want to help her lose weight :( She's half miniature doberman pinscher and half dachshund and she's adorable, it's just that her head is so much smaller than her body :(
Switch Mighty Dog to a high quality diet food and make sure those treats are TINY. The dog is happy because you are giving her a treat, not because it is big. Consider slicing some carrots or apples into small pieces and having them handy. Frozen peas can also be a great treat. And do not give up if your dog immediately turns up her nose at the diet food. You are weaning her from the equivalent of McD's to a healthy weight-control diet and it may take some time. A dog will not starve itself to death. Continue to offer NOTHING but the new food and she will cave and eat it within 2-3 days. A little tough-love is important sometimes. Dividing the same amount of food into 3 daily feedings instead of 2 can also help. Few things will help your pet live longer, healthier, happier lives than being at a lean body weight. It will also save you vet bills down the road. Google "Purina Life Span Study" to learn more. Good luck!
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The cheering echoes still throughout librarianship. Recent court decisions—such as the HathiTrust’s win over the Authors Guild—strengthen the use of the concept of “fair use” to exempt from copyright the reproduction of material, liberate the free digitization of so-called “orphan works,” and allow free public access to the results. Yet even those cheering the loudest caution that there are still no definitive rules to apply to these victories. The victories are yet evidence of the value of well-organized efforts to prevent copyright from locking up our intellectual and cultural resources. The leaders of the Library Copyright Alliance (LCA), comprised of the Association of Research Libraries, the American Library Association (ALA), and the Association of College and Research Libraries (an ALA division), deserve the cheers and the continuing support of librarians.
A huge, much more important question lurks over the entire struggle. We have to participate in the ongoing effort to decide whether the digital brave new world into which we are moving will offer people more freedom of access to information and entertainment, or confine our intellectual resources in a maze of impenetrable legal walls that could ultimately end much of the intellectual freedom we have enjoyed through the print era. Is technology liberating information, or will it allow special interests to use the law to deny access to it? Currently there are many attempts to create models for a digital information future. In most of them, the concept of a book collection is replaced by a universal online catalog of digitized works that everyone can simply tap for downloading onto their own devices. The problem is that many will not be able to afford the fees for such access. Proposed models that require us to pay for each use of our intellectual resources are far more plentiful than those that let us pay once for all of our uses of them.
In the print era, individual purchase and ownership of a work allowed the owner and borrowers to use that work in any way they wished. It could be sold, given away, lent, or locked away by the “owner.”
The inexorable march to digitization has already challenged those rights of ownership and in some proposed models it eliminates them altogether. Right now it looks like the intermediaries—vendors, publishers, wholesalers, et al.—have taken control through contracts and laws, giving them temporary power to dictate pay-per-view rules for the dissemination of digital material. I say “temporary,” because it is now clear that courts, legislatures, organizations of stakeholders and interested parties, and creators can bring pressures to bear to change the operating model.
It would be foolish to predict the result of these struggles so early in the game. It took centuries for us to develop the fragile system of copyright and custom that gave us the existing scheme for information and entertainment in physical formats. When all that information and entertainment float in a digital cloud of bits and bytes, it will be more difficult to create a set of rules for their use.
Many take comfort in the thought that the familiar physical formats, especially printed books, will continue to be around for a long time. They say the “book” will never disappear. The arrival now of technological change with accelerating speed means it is time to safeguard our values in the new paradigm.
We can predict that while it may be a long struggle, change will come faster than we expect. For those of us who believe in free, open access to the information and entertainment that make up our culture, we must work with strong groups like LCA to guarantee that the coming upheaval liberates access to our intellectual assets. Along with allies and constant vigilance, we can fight off any effort to control our intellectual legacy by those who seek to use it for monetary gain. It is our duty to ensure that as technology marches on, we use it to allow our cultural resources to be accessed more freely, not locked up in an economic prison.
John N. Berry III
Editor-at-Large
This article was published in Library Journal. Subscribe today and save up to 35% off the regular subscription rate.
About John N. Berry III
John N. Berry III (jberry@mediasourceinc.com) is Editor-at-Large, LJ. Berry joined the magazine in 1964 as Assistant Editor, becoming editor-in-Chief in 1969 and serving in that role until 2006.
Comments
From the above: In the print era, individual purchase and ownership of a work allowed the owner and borrowers to use that work in any way they wished. It could be sold, given away, lent, or locked away by the “owner.”
… but Mr. Berry does not include in his list the right to reproduce & distribute.
The following is from the 26MAR2012 version of the Copyright Limitations & Exceptions Treaty as proposed by the IFLA at WIPO — now since modified — while the IFLA WIPO delegation was headed by the past president of the ARL:
Article 7 — Right to Reproduction and Supply of Copies by Libraries and Archives
1) It shall be permitted for a library or archive to reproduce and to supply a copy of a copyright work, or of material protected by related rights, to a library or archive user, or to another library or archive in connection with a request by a user at that library or archive, for the purpose of education, research, or private use, provided that such reproduction and supply is in accordance with fair practice.
In this essay, Berry is addressing half of the issue. Even as content owners seek to restrict users’ rights via restrictive licensing agreements on the one hand, socially produced content (open access, creative commons, etc.) is freeing up content on the other hand. As Stewart Brand famously stated in The Media Lab, “Information wants to be free. Information also wants to be expensive.” The point is, we do have options to expand and improve socially-constructed, freely accessible content, even as we work to preserve user rights under commercial licenses.
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require "backup/config/dsl"
require "backup/config/helpers"
module Backup
module Config
class Error < Backup::Error; end
DEFAULTS = {
config_file: "config.rb",
data_path: ".data",
tmp_path: ".tmp"
}
class << self
include Utilities::Helpers
attr_reader :user, :root_path, :config_file, :data_path, :tmp_path
# Loads the user's +config.rb+ and all model files.
def load(options = {})
update(options) # from the command line
unless File.exist?(config_file)
raise Error, "Could not find configuration file: '#{config_file}'."
end
config = File.read(config_file)
version = Backup::VERSION.split(".").first
unless config =~ /^# Backup v#{ version }\.x Configuration$/
raise Error, <<-EOS
Invalid Configuration File
The configuration file at '#{config_file}'
does not appear to be a Backup v#{version}.x configuration file.
If you have upgraded to v#{version}.x from a previous version,
you need to upgrade your configuration file.
Please see the instructions for upgrading in the Backup documentation.
EOS
end
dsl = DSL.new
dsl.instance_eval(config, config_file)
update(dsl._config_options) # from config.rb
update(options) # command line takes precedence
Dir[File.join(File.dirname(config_file), "models", "*.rb")].each do |model|
dsl.instance_eval(File.read(model), model)
end
end
def hostname
@hostname ||= run(utility(:hostname))
end
private
# If :root_path is set in the options, all paths will be updated.
# Otherwise, only the paths given will be updated.
def update(options = {})
root_path = options[:root_path].to_s.strip
new_root = root_path.empty? ? false : set_root_path(root_path)
DEFAULTS.each do |name, ending|
set_path_variable(name, options[name], ending, new_root)
end
end
# Sets the @root_path to the given +path+ and returns it.
# Raises an error if the given +path+ does not exist.
def set_root_path(path)
# allows #reset! to set the default @root_path,
# then use #update to set all other paths,
# without requiring that @root_path exist.
return @root_path if path == @root_path
path = File.expand_path(path)
unless File.directory?(path)
raise Error, <<-EOS
Root Path Not Found
When specifying a --root-path, the path must exist.
Path was: #{path}
EOS
end
@root_path = path
end
def set_path_variable(name, path, ending, root_path)
# strip any trailing '/' in case the user supplied this as part of
# an absolute path, so we can match it against File.expand_path()
path = path.to_s.sub(/\/\s*$/, "").lstrip
new_path = false
# If no path is given, the variable will not be set/updated
# unless a root_path was given. In which case the value will
# be updated with our default ending.
if path.empty?
new_path = File.join(root_path, ending) if root_path
else
# When a path is given, the variable will be set/updated.
# If the path is relative, it will be joined with root_path (if given),
# or expanded relative to PWD.
new_path = File.expand_path(path)
unless path == new_path
new_path = File.join(root_path, path) if root_path
end
end
instance_variable_set(:"@#{name}", new_path) if new_path
end
def reset!
@user = ENV["USER"] || Etc.getpwuid.name
@root_path = File.join(File.expand_path(ENV["HOME"] || ""), "Backup")
update(root_path: @root_path)
end
end
reset! # set defaults on load
end
end
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Posts tagged with: retribution
If God wants to make my happiness complete, he will grant me the joy of seeing some six or seven of my enemies hanging from those trees. Before their death I shall, moved in my heart, forgive them all the wrong they did me in their lifetime. One must, it is true, forgive one’s enemies – but not before they have been hanged.
Richard John Neuhaus, over at the First Things blog On The Square, posts an excerpt from the upcoming print edition that excoriates the NAB translation (also noted at Mere Comments).
Neuhaus writes of Jesus’ answer in Matt. 18:22 to Peter’s question, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” that “Jesus obviously intended hyperbole, indicating that forgiveness is open-ended. Keep on forgiving as you are forgiven by God, for God’s forgiving is beyond measure or counting.”
It’s not so much that I think that Neuhaus’ comment is wrong as I think it misses perhaps the primary allusion in Jesus’ statement: a reversal of the commitment to escalating retribution that marks Lamech’s legacy.
Thus we read in Genesis 4:23-24 of Lamech, “I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.”
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// CodeContracts
//
// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation
//
// All rights reserved.
//
// MIT License
//
// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
//
// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
//
// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED *AS IS*, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Diagnostics.Contracts;
namespace Tests.Sources
{
[ContractClass(typeof(GenericAbstractClassContracts<,>))]
public abstract class GenericAbstractClass<A,B> where A: class,B
{
public abstract bool IsMatch(B b, A a);
public abstract B ReturnFirst(B[] args, A match, bool behave);
public abstract A[][] Collection(int x, int y);
public abstract A FirstNonNullMatch(bool behave, A[] elems);
public abstract C[] GenericMethod<C>(A[] elems);
}
[ContractClassFor(typeof(GenericAbstractClass<,>))]
internal abstract class GenericAbstractClassContracts<A,B> : GenericAbstractClass<A,B>
where A : class, B
{
public override bool IsMatch(B b, A a)
{
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
public override B ReturnFirst(B[] args, A match, bool behave)
{
Contract.Requires(args != null);
Contract.Requires(args.Length > 0);
Contract.Ensures(Contract.Exists(0, args.Length, i => args[i].Equals(Contract.Result<B>()) && IsMatch(args[i], match)));
return default(B);
}
public override A[][] Collection(int x, int y)
{
Contract.Ensures(Contract.ForAll(Contract.Result<A[][]>(), nested => nested != null && nested.Length == y && Contract.ForAll(nested, elem => elem != null)));
Contract.Ensures(Contract.ForAll(0, x, index => Contract.Result<A[][]>()[index] != null));
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
public override A FirstNonNullMatch(bool behave, A[] elems)
{
// meaningless, but testing our closures, in particular inner one with a static closure referring to result.
Contract.Ensures(Contract.Exists(0, elems.Length, index => elems[index] != null && elems[index] == Contract.Result<A>() &&
Contract.ForAll(0, index, prior => Contract.Result<A>() != null)));
// See if we are properly sharing fields.
Contract.Ensures(Contract.Exists(0, elems.Length, index => elems[index] != null && elems[index] == Contract.Result<A>() &&
Contract.ForAll(0, index, prior => Contract.Result<A>() != null)));
// See if we are properly sharing fields.
Contract.Ensures(Contract.Exists(0, elems.Length, index => elems[index] != null &&
Contract.ForAll(0, index, prior => Contract.Result<A>() != null)));
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
public override C[] GenericMethod<C>(A[] elems)
{
Contract.Requires(elems != null);
Contract.Ensures(Contract.Result<C[]>() != null);
Contract.Ensures(Contract.ForAll(Contract.Result<C[]>(), resultElem => Contract.Exists(elems, orig => resultElem.Equals(orig))));
throw new NotImplementedException();
}
}
public class ImplForGenericAbstractClass : GenericAbstractClass<string, string>
{
public override bool IsMatch(string b, string a)
{
return b == a;
}
public override string ReturnFirst(string[] args, string match, bool behave)
{
for (int i = 0; i < args.Length; i++)
{
if (IsMatch(args[i], match)) return args[i];
}
return default(string);
}
public override string[][] Collection(int x, int y)
{
var result = new string[x][];
for (int i=0; i<result.Length; i++) {
result[i] = new string[y];
for (int j = 0; j < y; j++)
{
if (x == 5 && y == 5 && i == 4 && j == 4)
{
// behave badly
continue;
}
result[i][j] = "Foo";
}
}
return result;
}
public override string FirstNonNullMatch(bool behave, string[] elems)
{
if (!behave) return "foobar";
for (int i = 0; i < elems.Length; i++)
{
if (elems[i] != null) return elems[i];
}
return null;
}
public override C[] GenericMethod<C>(string[] elems)
{
List<C> result = new List<C>();
foreach (var elem in elems) {
if (elem is C) {
result.Add((C)(object)elem);
}
}
if (typeof(C) == typeof(int)) {
// behave badly
result.Add((C)(object)55);
}
return result.ToArray();
}
}
partial class TestMain
{
partial void Run()
{
var i = new ImplForGenericAbstractClass();
i.FirstNonNullMatch(behave, new string[]{null, "a",null,"b"});
}
public ContractFailureKind NegativeExpectedKind = ContractFailureKind.Postcondition;
public string NegativeExpectedCondition = "Contract.Exists(0, elems.Length, index => elems[index] != null && elems[index] == Contract.Result<A>() && Contract.ForAll(0, index, prior => Contract.Result<A>() != null))";
}
}
|
We all know that there have been some very nasty attacks on Palin from some feminists, as well as a lot of condescension from the Maureen Dowd types who look down their noses at a small-town, gun-owning, Walmart-going, Bible-believing mom with five kids. But it takes two to do the culture-war tango.
For instance, in The American Spectator, one Jeffrey Lord rightly deplores the feminist attacks on Palin. Then he goes on to say:
This election is now being fought openly between, as Whittaker Chambers once described the same fight in a different era, “those who reject and those who worship God.” Between those who believe “if man’s mind is the decisive force in the world, what need is there for God?” — and America’s own Joan of Arc, Sarah Palin.
If Barack Obama is an atheist, that’s news to me. And I certainly hope that Palin doesn’t actually see herself as Joan of Arc on a God-given crusade. (It’s interesting how the left-wing caricature of Palin is barely distinguishable from the right-wing icon.)
Praising Palin’s decision to keep her baby with Down’s Syndrome and to encourage her pregnant 17-year-old daughter Bristol to bear her child, Lord writes:
Twice over in two now ongoing and very public situations, Sarah Palin has focused on the love of God rather than herself. To those who have vested their life and career comfortably believing there is little need for God because what of what rolls around aimlessly in their heads and those of their like-minded friends at any given moment, to those who view government and the power of the state as an object of worship, this is taken as a serious, gut-level threat. A threat to the existence of their own very carefully structured non-religious secular value system.
Glossing over Lord’s apparent assumption that Palin expects to have no personal joy or satisfaction from her special-needs child or her grandchild, and that her decision was solely a sacrifice to God, this is a pretty nasty portrayal of secularists. Further down, it is compounded by nasty swipes at insufficiently masculine liberal men (“Glutted with Hollywood pâté, Al Gore would have a coronary trying to keep up with Palin, who probably wouldn’t be bringing along any seriously good wine as he races through the backwoods. Once off the basketball court, Obama would be clueless on snowshoes with a gun and a charging moose”).
On a less hysterical note, Jonah Goldberg in National Review defends Palin against the “she’s not a real woman” attacks … and then sneers that the same people would consider “a childless feminist who looks like a Bulgarian weightlifter in drag” a real woman. On Townhall.com, Kevin McCullough speculates that “modern feminists” hate Palin because she’s a real woman:
She has a manly, and (according to several women I’ve overheard) handsome husband. She is content in their life together as a couple where each goes out and works hard. As a mom she is parenting her kids giving them what mothers give best, and her husband, gives what only a father can.
She’s not afraid to don some lipstick and use her comely attraction to romance “her guy” one night, and turn around and beat back corruption as a fierce defender of what is right the next day.
As opposed to, say, the notoriously unwomanly Geraldine Ferraro (married mother of three) and Nancy Pelosi (a married mother of five whom a poster on Michelle Malkin’s blog charmingly described the other day as “the result of mixing June Cleaver with Code Pink, Steroids and a strap on”)?
A pro-life activist suggests one of the reasons liberals despise Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin so passionately may be because she gave birth to her son despite a diagnosis of Down syndrome.
… Mark Crutcher, the president of Life Dynamics Incorporated (LDI), notes that in America today, 90 percent of all Down syndrome children are killed in the womb.
“I wonder what the people who are doing that — the parents who are ‘choosing’ to have their child executed — what they think when they look at Sarah Palin and her family, when they see the example of that family welcoming a Down syndrome child in and loving that child. I wonder what those people think,” Crutcher contends. “I also wonder whether this is where you’re seeing some of this hatred and venom that’s coming from the godless Left directed at [Palin]. I’m beginning to wonder if Sarah Palin isn’t rubbing their noses in their own shame.”
What hateful tripe. If 90 percent of people who find out they are carrying a fetus with Down’s Syndrome terminate their pregnancies, there must be quite a few non-liberals among them (and even, I daresay, quite a few conservatives). And frankly, if Sarah Palin’s example is going to be used as a moral club to beat those who make the choice to terminate a pregnancy under those circumstances, an angry response will be justified.
7 responses to “More Palin: The other side of the culture war”
I appreciate your taking on both sides of the culture war over Palin. I’ve been rather disgusted with the whole story-with the bullsh*t whining of feminists and lefties about “hypocracy” and “see what abstinance only got her daughter” bla bla, as well as the absolute contempt, and dare I say projection, on the right of anyone who criticizes a “real American” like Palin. Spare me.
What bothers me so much about all of this, though, is that it distracts from the real issue, which is governing. In my opinion, and I know many will disagree with me, the addition of Palin to the ticket was about politics, not governing. She energizes the base, but brings no expertise, and inspires no confidence in the ability of the McCain administration to govern effectively. I’ll admit I don’t like McCain very much. Even though his voting record suggest thoughtful moderation, his public persona is anything but thoughtful or moderate. Palin seems to have added an energized resentment to the ticket, and little more.
I would like to argue with you about her candidacy being a step forward for women. I see it as cynical tokenism. I certainly appreciate that women politicians need not march in lockstep with feminists, that women politicians and voters care about some things more than “reproductive rights” and “choice”, and I admire the way Palin’s personal choices line up with her politics.
But she’s pretty much a big liar with no demonstrated grasp of foreign policy, and her/McCain’s attempts to gloss over that with some such crap about Alaska being near Russia is infuriating.
There are other women out there, conservatives and moderates and liberals, who are more accomplished, more articulate, not currently evading abuse of power investigations, who could have been elevated to the second highest office on merit alone. I’ve always had a grudging respect for Liddy Dole and Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Christie Whitman even though I don’t agree with all of their politics.
I just don’t see what Palin has to offer, other than a gigantic distraction from any serious issues.
But you often manage to get me to think about things differently, so I await your response.
Oh-LOVED the line about the confluence of the left wing caricature and the right wing icon. Brilliant.
ada47 is right on. The issue with Sarah Palin is primarily whether she’s fit to hold the office she’s running for, and all of these questions about the reactions of various cadres to her are tertiary.
Palin was clearly chosen for her ability to pump-up the religious right, who were in a Schiavo-like coma where McCain is concerned before her selection. McCain also fantasized that she would appeal to centrists as another maverick, and to disaffected female-identity-driven Hillary supporters.
The secondary issues – policy positions – aren’t pressing because she doesn’t have positions on much of anything beyond birthing babies and attracting big-box retail to small towns.
If a complete and sober assessment shows that Palin is not fit to hold office, by reason of preparation, intellect, and temperament, than the most virulent reactions to her from any cadre are in fact reasonable.
And from what I’ve seen, that’s what’s going on: a laughably inappropriate candidate has been chosen to grace the Republican ticket, and all of the people who’ve been paying attention are pissed. Not just whackos, but serious conservatives like Wick Allison, George Will, David Brooks, David Drezner, Charles Krauthammer, Peggy Noonan, Mike Murphy, David Frum, Richard Brookhiser and Ross Douthat.
You add Glenn Greenwald and Kay Parker to the list of the early Palin supporters who’ve thought better of their first reaction.
The novelty of a woman on the Republican ticket has given way to a sober assessment of Palin’s severe lack of ability and preparation for a job that could very likely land her in the Oval Office. Serious conservatives are saying “thanks but no thanks” to this Nowhere Woman.
Cathy Young, a writer and journalist, was born in Moscow, Russia in 1963, and came to the United States in 1980. She is a graduate of Rutgers University.
From 1993 to 2000, Young wrote a weekly column for The Detroit News. From 2000 to 2007, she was a weekly columnist for The Boston Globe (where she is still a frequent op-ed contributor) as well as a monthly columnist for Reason magazine.
At present, she is a weekly columnist for Newsday, a contributing editor/feature writer for Reason and a regular columnist for RealClearPolitics.com.
She has written for numerous other publications, from The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal to Salon.com and The Weekly Standard.
Young is the author of two books: Growing Up in Moscow: Memories of a Soviet Girlhood (1989) and Ceasefire: Why Women and Men Must Join Forces to Achieve True Equality (1999).
Young has appeared on numerous radio and television shows including To the Contrary (PBS), Talk of the Nation and Fresh Air (NPR) and The O'Reilly Factor (Fox News). She is also a frequent speaker on college campuses and has participated in conferences including the 2012 Battle of Ideas in London.
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Montana Highway 15 from Shelby to Great Falls is a step back to the old west. You drive by miles of the high
plan farms that helped to win the west. The drive is a mix of farms and rolling hills. If you stop and let your
imagination run you can still see the giant herds of Bison roaming the open plans.
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Job gap study finds hardship in Virginia
According to an annual job gap study, Virginia and other states are struggling to offer enough jobs that pay a living wage of at least $15 an hour.
Virginia Organizing, a nonpartisan statewide organization, released the results of the 15th annual study by The Alliance for a Just Society on Wednesday via a tele-media conference. The report finds a shrinking proportion of jobs that pay enough for families to make ends meet, with the number of job seekers exceeding the number of jobs that pay a living wage.
In Virginia, there are about seven job seekers for every job that pays a living wage in a single adult household. That number increases to 16 job seekers for every living wage job available in a two-child, single parent household.
Nationally, the report found an increasing share of low-wage jobs since the end of the Great Recession. It said the share of jobs that pay below the $15-an-hour, low-wage threshold increased from 36.5 percent in 2009 to 39.4 percent in 2012. There were 51.4 million low-wage jobs in 2012.
During the press conference in Virginia, speakers expressed concern that the state has not agreed to expand Medicaid.
“This report shows what Virginians already know — we need better wages and better social safety net programs in Virginia,” Virginia Organizing chairperson Sandra A. Cook, said in a statement. “Medicaid expansion and an increase in the minimum wage can clearly help those working low-wage jobs have more financial security and add more to the economy through being able to afford to spend money in local communities. These things are good for all of us.”
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Pro - Support of the hobby and flying field. Con - You have to pretend the to understand your friends desire to fly electric, that's just wrong. Pro - You get to meet funny people like me. Con - You may have to wait your turn to fly. Pro - You get to fly with other people.
Used to fly by myself and there were moments where you would look around and wonder... did anybody see that?!?! LOL
PRO:
A true club works together to maintain a place to fly, enjoys each others involvement as a hobbyist, and continues promote model aviation by supporting those involved (training, parts, gain knowledge or insight about the hobby, and to challenge each others abilities in the name of good fun in the form of heckling). This is a place of fun and happiness with other rc pilots to learn from.
CON:
There really isn't a CON if you keep this saying in mind: "At the end of the day, all we ever want to do is go have some fun and fly our airplanes" Keep it FUN! And for crying out loud be nice!
You learn so much from other people, and it's an absolute joy to be a part of a like minded group of hobbyists.
Used to fly by myself and there were moments where you would look around and wonder... did anybody see that?!?! LOL
PRO:
A true club works together to maintain a place to fly, enjoys each others involvement as a hobbyist, and continues promote model aviation by supporting those involved (training, parts, gain knowledge or insight about the hobby, and to challenge each others abilities in the name of good fun in the form of heckling). This is a place of fun and happiness with other rc pilots to learn from.
CON:
There really isn't a CON if you keep this saying in mind: "At the end of the day, all we ever want to do is go have some fun and fly our airplanes" Keep it FUN! And for crying out loud be nice!
You learn so much from other people, and it's an absolute joy to be a part of a like minded group of hobbyists.
Iím fortunate that we have many excellent pilots that have taught me much. The 2 gents Iím thinking of are IMAC World Champs and will almost give you the shirts off their backs to help. Also the best flying facilities require that you be a member of the AMA and the club.
Iím fortunate that we have many excellent pilots that have taught me much. The 2 gents Iím thinking of are IMAC World Champs and will almost give you the shirts off their backs to help. Also the best flying facilities require that you be a member of the AMA and the club.
i am very fortunate enough to have become with both that you speak of and i totally agree! meeting them through imac... that is one thing about a club you meet people like that!
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Udemy - Geek dating guide Natural Attraction System Pick Up Artist
Dating tips for geeks, nerds and those that just cannot get a date or have hard time finding a girlfriend complete guide
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Over 15 lectures and 1.5 hours of content!How to get her to like you being yourselfLearn secret of attractionGet real results in offline datingHow to be attractive to women being yourselfOnline dating tips for geeks profile creationLearn to approach women without fear of rejectionDevelop unstoppable confidenceConfidence to approch ANY womenTheory of the game and practiceSecret to getting the kiss on first first dateLearn how to text correctly
What is the target audience?
Anyone interested in improving their dating lifeCourse was created for men who have had issues with attracting womenClass for anyone who wantsto improve your dating skillsGreat class for geeks and nerds anyone who is not natural being social around womenSpecially created class to make you attract women by being yourselfSingle men who want to get more dates with women do not have to be a geek
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package problem0958
import (
"testing"
"github.com/aQuaYi/LeetCode-in-Go/kit"
"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
)
// tcs is testcase slice
var tcs = []struct {
root []int
ans bool
}{
{
[]int{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6},
true,
},
{
[]int{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, kit.NULL, 7},
false,
},
// 可以有多个 testcase
}
func Test_isCompleteTree(t *testing.T) {
ast := assert.New(t)
for _, tc := range tcs {
root := kit.Ints2TreeNode(tc.root)
ast.Equal(tc.ans, isCompleteTree(root), "输入:%v", tc)
}
}
func Benchmark_isCompleteTree(b *testing.B) {
for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
for _, tc := range tcs {
root := kit.Ints2TreeNode(tc.root)
isCompleteTree(root)
}
}
}
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Constantinos Philippou scored a a stunning first-round knockout over the durable Jared Hamman. The former Golden Gloves champion dropped Hamman numerous times, but Hamman just kept fighting back. However, one more big right hand sealed the deal.
Hallman def. Makdessi
Dennis Hallman made quick work of dangerous striker John Makdessi. Hallman, who missed weight by almost three pounds, immediately took Makdessi to the mat. After chipping away with strikes, he slipped in a rear-naked choke for the submission victory.
Jabouin def. Watson
Montreal’s Yves Jabouin won a split decision in an entertaining stand-up battle with Walel Watson. The two went toe-to-toe throwing out a variety of flashy kicks and spinning back fists, but it was Jabouin who continually landed the cleaner, heavy shots.
Bocek def. Lentz
Mark Bocek handed Nik Lentz the first loss of his UFC career. The story of the fight was Bocek securing takedowns and working his ground-and-pound, while Lentz frantically looked for guillotine chokes. After three rounds, the judges unanimously awarded it to Bocek.
Hecht def. Attonito
Jake Hecht weathered the early storm to secure a second-round TKO victory over Rich Attonito. As Attonito worked for a takedown attempt, Hecht caught him with a vicious elbow to the side of the head. A few punches on the mat and it was academic.
Cholish def. Clarke
Strikeforce veteran John Cholish earned an impressive TKO victory over Saskatoon’s Mitch Clarke in the opening bout. After a kimura attempt resulted in a wild scramble, Cholish secured back control and unloaded with punches for the win.
Pokrajac def. Soszynski
Igor Pokrajac demolished Krzysztof Soszynski, earning a lightning quick knockout victory. Despite being a strong grappler, Soszynski came out looking to brawl with the Croatian striker. It took Pokrajac only 35 seconds to put Soszynski away with punches.
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[Entoptic]
Exploring 'entoptic phenomena' - realtime particles
Quick audio reactive realtime particle animation project exploring entoptic phenomena experienced from the central nervous system whose source is within the eye itself. You can see them by rubbing a finger against the eyelid of a closed eye or for the more serious, entering trance-like states. Evidence suggests 'Neolithic Shamanism' derived rock art and megalithic architecture from entoptic experiences.
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Teixeira: Klopp gives confidence to challenge for Liverpool FC first team
The Portuguese midfielder is looking forward to playing more minutes under the Liverpool boss
Jurgen Klopp manager of Liverpool hugs Joao Teixeira of Liverpool during The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round between Liverpool and West Ham United at Anfield on January 30, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“I’m training hard, working hard and giving my best so that when I have a chance to play, I play the best I can.”
The 23-year-old playmaker has played seven times for Liverpool, with six of those appearances coming under Klopp.
He is one of a number of inexperienced players the German boss has handed opportunities to since his arrival – and Teixeira believes that is giving all the youngsters a boost.
He added: “We have had a lot of games, two games a week at least. You can’t play with the same 11 players, so you have to change the team. He has trusted the young players and they have been doing well.
“He gives us confidence and always tells us to enjoy the game, not to be afraid and to do our best. The young players have been showing that.
“He always gives me a lot of confidence to play my game, to be free on the pitch and not to be afraid. Confidence is the most important thing for a player.
“When someone is behind you and pushes you all the time – saying ‘you can do it’, ‘you will do it’ – it is good because it gives you confidence. You know you have the support from the manager. You can see he is a very passionate person for football and everything he does. It’s great to have his support.
“Klopp has showed [his confidence] in the cup games – FA Cup and Capital One Cup. He has been playing the young players and showed confidence.
“We’re young and have a big desire. We want to play more. We don’t have anything to lose, it’s the opposite. Every minute we play is to win and to show how good we are and can be. That’s what all of the younger players are trying to do now.”
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The Galaxy is in turmoil:
Lord Cracken, son of the emperor, is dead, and the Imperial Remnant threatens to tear itself apart. Meanwhile, the Heloki have been unleashed, and the Prophecies of the Blood Scrolls are close to coming to pass...
Not a bad opening, Deac, but you did forget BD's stuff, as I'm sure he'll point out if he pops his head in here. ))
Coruscant, Waste Reclamation Facility
Voice: Are you going to attack me? Well... if that's what you want. It won't do you or I much good. Not that much of anything you people does you lots of good. Still, we can't do much to hurt each other. I've long been beyond any being's touch. Except Hers, of course.
Official Forum Expert on Norse Mythology
As Odin says in the Hovamal:"Praise no day 'til evening; no wife 'til on her pyre; no sword 'til tested;
no maid 'til bedded; no ice 'til crossed;
no ale 'til drunk."
((WTF. I've had problems accessing this website for the past week or so, and when I try it from another computer it works just fine. SIGH.
For the record, I've always read it was "Deek".
P.S. reply to PtH, Deac!
EDIT: Erk, sorry Scar, I'll get to Tatooine ASAP.))
Coruscant, Waste Reclamation Facility
Voice: Must 'suck'? You have no idea. What it's like to have no body, you mean. It's been hard to keep the world in focus... no, not world, worlds. Worlds without number. Dizzying. You lose focus. You lose all understanding. Forget how to see, hear, touch, speak. I don't doubt I would've dissolved into a sea of stardust, floating mindlessly around the universe for eternity, if not for...
You want to know what I want? Redemption. I want to save the galaxy. And I'm going to use you to do it. Why you? Because you won't - you can't - say no. You are psychologically incapable of refusing to save the galaxy, of turning down the chance to be a champion. That's what I mean when I say I know you, Deac Starkiller. I know you're going to say yes.
Why is it? I always seem to do it. Is it because I saw half my world burn at the hands of the Empire, not once, but twice? Is it because I think I owe an alien god that saved me from becoming another laboratory experiment? Or is it because...*he remembers a blue haired young woman from a long time ago*...that I owe it to her. I "think all of the above" probably covers it.
Deac: Alright, you want to save the galaxy, and you want me to help. It won't be my first time. I'll help you, but you're going to need to tell me who you are, what's threatening the galaxy, and how we're going to save it.
*The view was specatular, the enomious structure ment to appear as a figure 8. Made from metal found a mile underneith the surface of the colonial planet. When activated the structure creates a wormwhole from both openings. One was ment outgoing from this system. One coming from the Alpha Centauri system.
Talon grined at the opertunities that would outcome of this. He sat in the rear of the shuttle craft as it steamed onward to it's destination. The HQ of the contruction efforts rested on a smaller orbital platform tethered to the central platform that connected, what would in time, be the two vast openings. Large enough to send battle cruisers through...
Talon winced as a sharp pain in his mind enteres. No. It can't be...*
Behomoth *telepathically* 'I find it quite insteresting to find you in this neck of the universe, and I thought I got away from you. Wait, wasn't you who threw me into an oblivion? Good thing I still had my support system...'
Talon *replying back* 'Quiet. It's none of your business how I'm here, or what I'm doing here. Stay out of my mind.'
Behomoth 'It's your fault in the first place. You made me, rather you made Davin. And he shared a piece of your, what was, human soul...'
Talon 'I said quiet!'
Behomoth 'Touchy. You still trying to get that back? The man in the white suit meat you again? All your power, and you're still a silly sod.'
*Talon shakes his head hard. And forces the pain away. Bastard, he thought, the excuse for invading my thoughts, only becuase we had once shared a human soul. They're both demons. Full blood. Vicious, killing monsters. And for how meny hundreds of years? Pathetic how Behomoth carries on.*
"If he's here, then how long has he been here? Does he know whats out there that I might be able to expect? No. I don't expect him to be. I'll have to arrange another meeting with my old friend..."
((damn, almost 4 mounts and counting. I wonder what it means when you say i'll do it eventually...
btw: you all suck. :P
i've desided that I need to break reality, cus why? it sucks.
Kyle: post again.))
Tatoonie: Basement Lounge
*Behomoth rubs his temples, the strain causes a little irritation for himself as well. But it surprised him that Talon would find his way out here in this universe. Where ever it was he was lurking. Apparently controlling an empire on Earth and the Solar System wasn't good enough.
Behomoth wondered if Talon ran into that man in the white suit again.*
behind behomoth "Tell me there demon? Looks of you, you needs some medicine..." *refering to the apparent headache
Behomoth "Sung'chi, can it. Don't you have something better to do? What's the news on more contracts. My wallet hasn't been getting enough attention as of late."
Sung'chi "Was about to head down myself. But I wasn't going to go down and tell you about it. You seemed not interested as of late. You are an assasin aren't you?"
Behomoth "Well since I did that mission with the military-man, and got a little bit of a licking from that, what do they call em, Jedi... I haven't had the need to go into the inner sector." He stands up from his seat and heads to the elevator to the lower level.
Heh... well, I've returned to the Forum after my six month stint of trying to pretend I didn't want to be here (been like six months since I came back, too... interesting...), so I'm around... though I'm not sure exactly what's going on with any of my characters at the moment...
((wouldnt mind picking up...just forgot where i left off...been in SWG alot lately))
Battle is a pure form of expression. It is heart and discipline, reduced to movement and motion. In battle, the words are swept away, giving way to actions-- mercy, sacrifice, anger, fear. These are pure moments of expression.
Huh. I suppose I should ask the obvious: Anyone interested in continuing? I am, but only if a majority of the old players are...
I was supposed to spin up an apocalypse in this thread. I'm sure I can still oblige. (And, if anyone's interested in helping out with it, we could do that too! A co-apocalypse?)
(Yes, I know that I should be talking about this in the discussion thread, but that's silly if we don't end up starting the thread again. And with my magical mod powers of magicalness, I can always move it there.)
Battle is a pure form of expression. It is heart and discipline, reduced to movement and motion. In battle, the words are swept away, giving way to actions-- mercy, sacrifice, anger, fear. These are pure moments of expression.
Battle is a pure form of expression. It is heart and discipline, reduced to movement and motion. In battle, the words are swept away, giving way to actions-- mercy, sacrifice, anger, fear. These are pure moments of expression.
Well, if y'all are in, I'm in. I would like to pull off this apocalypse, just because I spent so much time setting it up . But yeah, if people are interested, I'm totally up for a reboot. What do you suggest, BD?
We need to streamline the story somewhat. I would suggest that everyone write a summary od what their characters have done and we try to create a synopsis, rather than going back over the last two threads to try and work out all the nuances of what we were doing a year and a half ago.
i remember before i joined it, i read through ALL of them....the first few were the most interesting, after that it was like 'ok wtf is going on this isn't star wars...' but that's just me.
Battle is a pure form of expression. It is heart and discipline, reduced to movement and motion. In battle, the words are swept away, giving way to actions-- mercy, sacrifice, anger, fear. These are pure moments of expression.
Battle is a pure form of expression. It is heart and discipline, reduced to movement and motion. In battle, the words are swept away, giving way to actions-- mercy, sacrifice, anger, fear. These are pure moments of expression.
We need to streamline the story somewhat. I would suggest that everyone write a summary od what their characters have done and we try to create a synopsis, rather than going back over the last two threads to try and work out all the nuances of what we were doing a year and a half ago.
I totally missed this post, but that's a great idea, BD.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Writer
Well, I don't have a clue what the hell any of my characters were doing, so... maybe a reboot would suit me better
Hey, we could always go with "a summary of what their characters have done that we care about." XD
Maybe even have a semi-reboot in the style of a time skip, in which anything we don't care about anymore gets resolved offscreen.
After all, the title of the thread is "Apocalypse", not "Apocalypse: Now".
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
It's possible that the reason I'm replaying Skyrim yet again is that maybe I want to expect that my choice or say in a matter holds weight, holds meaning towards the end of a long adventure. Extra Credits started doing episodes on agency and the illusion of choice and I have to say, yes , I agree with them.
After defeating Alduin (where the victory felt hollow to me), killing Miraak and Harkon, everyone still treats me with a resounding MEH. I never join the Stormcloaks or the Empire because I'm rather tempted by Clavicus Vile's offer to kill off everyone so there'd be no one left to fight. Bam, no more fighting.
Did I catch Bethesda trying to create the illusion of choice but failing miserably? Or is it because there's a lack of consequence I'm detecting faintly? Does Skyrim have enough choice to make it feel like what you choose has agency?
Mods help, you can screw up compleately if you set the characters to mortal, then killing them, of course, why would you do that when you could potencially set the game off its rails and crash. Mods which add expansion, help somewhat, but do include the set off of being incompatible with some quests and mods.
I think Bethesda either made some poor choices in putting together the side quests or simply ran out of time to finish them, as the Mage's College especially is very very short, to give one example of a common gripe.. But even so, they all follow predefined arcs that were never designed to allow for multiple paths and outcomes at the end, same goes for the main quest, and so on..
Looking back on it, pretty much all the others were the same too though, there wasn't too much recognition of the character after completion of side quest lines or main quests in either Morrowind or Oblivion aside from the odd line of dialogue or reward for being a guild master (amounting to a weapon, spell, armor etc usually), etc.
Personally I play Skyrim for the sandbox gameplay and mods, as the choice based action that you refered to is a much more prominent thing in other games. It'd be awesome to see that kind of thing implemented in an open world game, but there aren't many potentials for that around (pretty much the only one being the Witcher 3, supposed to be out next year) probably on the basis that it's a massive amount of work to get it all to flow together as a coherent story when it can be manipulated as you progress through it.
Thanks for your input, Doom. It could be I was a little angry with Skyrim simply for the amount of imagination I was forced to come up with on the fly.
"Uh, yeah, so my parents passed away but left me with a decent inheritance. I decided to use that inheritance to take a trip to Skyrim since Cyrodiil is no longer safe to live in (damn those Thalmor). Uhm, okaayy, I wake up and the first thing I see is a big black dragon that just flew over and roared at me as it was flying north...aaaaannd there's alot of smoke coming from Helgen. Maybe I should jog over there and help the soldiers..............OH MY SHOR this place has been wasted badly. I don't - woah, I don't see many bodies - I hope there are survivors..."
In Morrowind I felt I really did something good (aside from gaining favor from the nicer of Daedric Princes, Azura), and I think Skyrim is a good game. Not a great one, but just good.
Oh you've found us out! You've uncovered the secret! You were being led by the nose the whole time, no choice, no options, it was all Bethesda forcing you along. Damn, I thought the ruse would have held up a while longer.
Here, let me rephrase that. You're adult enough you don't want to be led around like a child through a story, but still childish enough to whine when the game doesn't pat you on the head for defeating the boss.
Skyrim is great at being an open-world game, but terrible at being a RPG. Unfortunately, the previous Elder Scrolls suffer from the same problem. I find this odd because ohter Bethesda games, like Fallout 3, actually have branching dialogue and quest options. Why can't they bring that system over to TES?
Well you don't have that problem in Fallout 3, because once you save the wasteland the game is over. If you do Broken Steel, people still treat you like dirt. Fallout New Vegas is different though. It's broken in many ways, but they actually have a working reputation system. Hmmm, perhaps if Skryim ended the game immediately after you defeat Alduin, and play a ten minute cut scene, people will stop complaining about the lack of respect.
Imagine it: "And so the Lone Dovahkiin wandered off to Akavir and was never heard of again. Lydia picked up the pieces of her shattered life and moved on. Mjoll finally dumps Aerin and moves in with Aela. Etc., etc."
Oddly enough, so does Skyrim, but the complainers just want to ignore. Just now, in the past hour, I was addressed as Praefect by an imperial soldier, and Thane by a town guard. True, no one is holding parades in my honor, but I don't need that kind of stroking.
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Pages
Monday, 10 March 2014
Victoria Falls ready to host Routes Africa 2014
According to Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ), Victoria Falls chapter chairperson, Jonathan Hudson, Victoria Falls is ready to host Routes Africa 2014 forum for the first time. He said while there were no major refurbishments to be expected for the forum to be held from June 22-24, this year, indications were that hosting the event would see the country derive major economic benefits. Routes Africa, the largest route development forum for the entire African region is a forum where airlines, aviation, tourism and government representatives from the continent meet to explore opportunities to develop the aviation industry. The event will be organised by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ).
“As HAZ I think we are ready for the forum which will see about 400-500 delegates in attendance."
Much work was done last year as the country prepared to co-host the 20th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly,” he said. Clement Mukwasi, a tourism executive in the resort town said the forum was also coming at a time when the country was making aggressive strides to make Zimbabwe a leading tourism destination.
“As operators we feel all is in place. UNWTO last year was a platform that is opening such avenues and we are hoping that such forums pay dividends through increased arrivals by tourists,” he said. Victoria Falls International Airport, situated 21km south of the town, provides easy access to Victoria Falls and is currently served by scheduled domestic and regional flights and charter flights from various parts of the world.
The airport is currently implementing a major infrastructure upgrading project at a total cost of $150 million including construction of a new runway, international terminal building and control tower and is expected to be completed by December 2014.
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On walking away from BMX
Photograph ByDebra L Rothenberg/FilmMagic
"I've probably ridden three times in the last two and a half years, and to be honest I don't really miss it. I had a great run and I loved the years that I did compete and all the success that I had, but it felt good to walk away from it," says Mirra.
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Chile's Senate votes to impeach education minister for professional misconduct
SANTIAGO, Chile – Chile's Senate has voted to impeach Education Minister Harald Beyer for professional misconduct for failing to monitor profits in the education sector.
Beyer will be banned from holding public office for five years following the 20-18 vote. The Chamber of Deputies had previously narrowly voted in favor of the measure to remove him from office.
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Wednesday's vote was seen as a triumph for Chile's center-left opposition, which hopes to regain the presidency in November elections, and the country's student protest movement, which has held two years of marches to demand free education and an end to for-profit universities.
Opposition lawmakers had accused Beyer of not investigating complaints about profits being made at the private Universidad del Mar.
Visibly distraught, Beyer thanked his team at the Education Ministry and said that "the worst face of politics has taken precedence."
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Q:
sync option in /etc/fstab
From the man pages of mount command
sync All I/O to the filesystem should be done synchronously. In
the case of media with a limited number of write cycles (e.g. some
flash drives), sync may cause life-cycle shortening.
Does this mean that when providing this option in /etc/fstab (given the following definition of sync command)
$ sync --help
Usage: sync [OPTION] [FILE]...
Synchronize cached writes to persistent storage
...caching of contents (i.e. of memory pages created from the contents of the particular device) is prohibited?
A:
Read caching is not prohibited. Write caching is prohibited. In other words, writes to the device have to be done immediately, so there is no risk of data loss.
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SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
Appellate Division, Fourth Judicial Department
995
KA 10-00808
PRESENT: SCUDDER, P.J., SMITH, LINDLEY, VALENTINO, AND WHALEN, JJ.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, RESPONDENT,
V MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
JUAN C. MEDINA, DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.
CHARLES J. GREENBERG, AMHERST, FOR DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.
CINDY F. INTSCHERT, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, WATERTOWN (NICOLE L. KYLE OF
COUNSEL), FOR RESPONDENT.
Appeal from a judgment of the Jefferson County Court (Kim H.
Martusewicz, J.), rendered March 15, 2010. The judgment convicted
defendant, upon his plea of guilty, of attempted promoting prison
contraband in the first degree.
It is hereby ORDERED that the case is held, the decision is
reserved and the matter is remitted to Jefferson County Court for
further proceedings in accordance with the following memorandum:
Defendant appeals from a judgment convicting him, upon his plea of
guilty, of attempted promoting prison contraband in the first degree
(Penal Law §§ 110.00, 205.25 [2]). The record of the plea proceeding
establishes that County Court failed to apprise defendant, a
noncitizen, that deportation was a potential consequence of his guilty
plea. As defendant contends and the People correctly concede, the
case should be remitted to afford defendant “the opportunity to move
to vacate his plea upon a showing that there is a ‘reasonable
probability’ that he would not have pleaded guilty had the court
advised him of the possibility of deportation” (People v Fermin, 123
AD3d 465, 466, quoting People v Peque, 22 NY3d 168, 198). We
therefore hold the case, reserve decision, and remit the matter to
County Court for that purpose. Defendant further contends that
counsel was ineffective in failing to inform him that deportation was
a potential consequence of the plea (see Padilla v Kentucky, 559 US
356). Inasmuch as that contention is based upon matters outside the
record, it must be raised in a motion pursuant to CPL 440.10 (see
People v Drammeh, 100 AD3d 650, 651, lv denied 20 NY3d 1098).
Entered: October 9, 2015 Frances E. Cafarell
Clerk of the Court
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News
Watch: Mojo Market, Sea Point’s brand new foodie hotspot
When it comes to food, Sea Point’s Regent Road is sizzling. The latest addition to the restaurant road is Mojo Market; a vast indoor market offering everything from potjie to poke. We visited the market in their first week to take some of the stalls for a test drive. The results were delicious!
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Zippered Cover “Alpha Zone” (NEGATIVE ION)
3D mesh fabric for air ventilation & Upholstery fabric for the border.
Bottom side is taped and top side is zippered.
Unique look with Turkish Tailoring…
Inner cotton cover…
Special Mattress Ticking ALPHA ZONE explanation;
Electrical signals spread from the brain can be measured by receivers connecting to the head. The signals measured by the tool called Electroencephalogram are called brain waves. Alpha waves locating in these waves provide comfort, awareness and receptivity.
When alpha waves are normal, the body performance is saved and calmness and tranquility are provided. According to the experiments, it is stated that subjects who closed their eyes spread the brain waves.
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Badstuber celebrates winning return
vor 2 Stunden
FC Bayern defender Holger Badstuber returned to action in his hometown of Memmingen on FridayNew signing Juan Bernat lined up against the Red Baroons fan club at the sold-out Fußball ArenaDavid Alaba netted twice, with 17-year-old Daniel Hägler also on target in the routine 3-0 win
Memmingen - After 594 days out through injury, Holger Badstuber made his long-awaited comeback in FC Bayern München's 3-0 summer friendly win over fan club Red Baroons Dietmannsried e.V. on Friday.
The 25-year-old defender was handed the captain's armband and completed 58 minutes of a decidedly one-sided encounter at the heart of a in his first appearance following cruciate ligament surgery.
Like father like son
Robert Lewandowski, Franck Ribery and Claudio Pizarro missed out, but there were debuts for summer signings Juan Bernat and Sebastian Rode alongside the more familiar faces of Tom Starke, Rafinha, David Alaba and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
18-year-old Lucas Scholl, son of legendary Bayern midfielder Mehmet, also completed the full 90 minutes, with the game itself wrapped up in the first half thanks to an Alaba brace and a well-taken effort from Under-19s midfielder Daniel Hägler.
Free!
Get the Bundesliga newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up today!
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Вышедший из порта Джейхана 5 марта танкер с азербайджанской нефтью Azeri Light для Мозырского НПЗ пришвартуется в порт Одессы 12 марта во второй половине дня. Нефтепроводные системы двух стран – "Одесса-Броды" на территории Украины и "Броды-Мозырь" на территории Беларуси готовы к прокачке, сообщил агентству "Интерфакс-Запад" пресс-секретарь концерна "Белнефтехим" Александр Тищенко.
"Танкер с азербайджанской нефтью прибудет в Одессу сегодня во второй половине дня, нефтепроводная система готова к прокачке", - сказал Тищенко.
Он также отметил, что НПЗ в Мозыре имеет опыт переработки легкой нефти. Пресс-секретарь также сказал, что система прокачки нефти из Одессы в Беларусь выстроена таким образом, чтобы не оказывать влияние на транзит российской нефти по нефтепроводу "Броды-Мозырь".
Как сообщалось, Госнефтекомпания Азербайджана (ГНКАР) в марте поставит для Беларуси три партии нефти общим объемом около 250 тыс. тонн через порт Одессы и нефтепровод "Одесса-Броды". В том числе Socar Trading поставит в порт Одессы еще два танкера - 80 тыс. тонн нефти сорта Urals из Новороссийска и 80 тыс. тонн нефти сорта Azeri light из Супсы.
Как сообщалось ранее со ссылкой на председателя концерна "Белнефтехим" Андрея Рыбакова, Госнефтекомпания Азербайджана может поставить в Беларусь в 2020 году до 1 млн тонн нефти.
Поставки нефти из Азербайджана в Беларусь через Одесса-Броды осуществлялись в 2011 году. Контракт предусматривал поставки 4 млн тонн, однако фактический объем отгрузок составил около 900 тыс. тонн.
Поставки нефти в Беларусь на южном направлении через Украину возобновлены из-за отсутствия импорта от крупных российских НК из-за разногласий в цене.
Премьер-министр Беларуси Сергей Румас после переговоров в среду в Москве с премьер-министром РФ Михаилом Мишустиным заявил, что Беларусь будет ежемесячно закупать не менее двух танкеров нефти из альтернативных РФ источников даже в случае достижения договоренностей с крупными российскими НК о возобновлении поставок нефти в республику, которые отсутствуют с начала этого года из-разногласий в цене поставок.
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Hope: The Sequel
That Obama should find himself on the losing end of a dash for cash is, to anyone familiar with his 2008 campaign, mind-boggling. Four years ago, the upstart candidate had the temerity to take on not only Hillary Clinton but the Clinton fund-raising juggernaut—and kick its ass. The mythology today is that the prodigiousness of Obama’s buckraking was all due to small donors and the juju of the web. Not so. Obama went toe-to-toe with Clinton in competing for Wall Street donors and whipped McCain among the Masters of the Universe. And the expectation was that his fund-raising prowess would be all the greater as a sitting president. Obama would raise $1 billion. His White House–sanctioned super-PAC would haul in at least another $100 million. Obama might fail to secure reelection, but his team would never find itself in the position of hoarding its pennies.
And yet here we are. Although Obama is surely raising a boatload of dough, it appears his campaign (combined with the DNC) could fall short of its goal of $750 million. (Its April fund-raising total declined to $43.6 million from $53 million in March.) Meanwhile, the pro-Obama super-PAC, Priorities USA Action, has raised less than $10 million since setting up shop more than a year ago—$2 million of it from Jeffrey Katzenberg—leading a highly placed Democrat involved in the reelection effort to describe it to me as a “fucking abysmal failure.”
Bill Burton, the former White House deputy press secretary who is one of two men running the super-PAC, disagrees. It’s still early, he says, and professes “no doubt” that his group will reach its $100 million target. But Burton allows that the task has been harder than he anticipated. “We had to spend a year talking to donors, educating them about why super-PACs would matter, even though in 2008, I, as the president’s spokesperson, and the president himself were saying, ‘Do not give to outside groups,’ ” he says. “And we had to do that with the group of people who are automatically skeptical of money in politics.”
But one of the most vaunted fat-cat-wranglers in Democratic history tells me that this is only part of the story. “There are several things going on,” this person explains. “Number one is the shabby treatment the president has given his donors. Unlike Clinton, who loved them and accommodated them, Obama announced he didn’t like big money and gave them the back of the hand. Point two is the president’s campaign announced—or not announced, they let it out, it got in the press, it got in the ether—that they were going to raise $1 billion. So when they come to you and say, ‘We need two-fifty,’ the answer is, ‘What the fuck do you need my two-fifty for? You’re going to raise a billion! Not a hundred million. A fucking billion dollars!’ You’re getting into federal-budget territory with that kind of claim.
“Three is the Obama donors aren’t scared. They think this is a slam dunk. They don’t think the president’s in trouble. They look at the Republican-primary process and say, That group of fucking clowns? Fourth, Burton and his partner are great guys, but they have no experience in fund-raising. They thought that with the patina of the White House, the checks would just roll in. Wrong.
“Then, everybody looks to George Soros. ‘Why won’t George throw in?’ I know George pretty well. Early on, he wanted to come in to make his case on the economy. George doesn’t want legislation tweaked. He doesn’t want a rule changed. He wants his ideas heard out. But George couldn’t get a meeting in the White House. And then George is saying, ‘Where are the Obama money people with their 5 and 10 million dollars? Where is Penny Pritzker, Exhibit A? Why isn’t she throwing in 10 million?’ And that is a very good question.”
A prominent private-equity player in Gotham who supports Obama agrees with all of that but adds another insight. “Among rich Republicans, the view of Obama is that he’s the Devil,” this person says. “But on the Democratic side, certainly on Wall Street, there’s no visceral reaction against Romney. So if I give $10 million, I’m out the $10 million, and I’m gonna pay more in taxes if Obama wins. And I’m doing it against somebody who—I may not agree with his social views, but I don’t think he’s a bad person. And I’m not really into negative advertising, which is what a super-PAC would do … Then there’s the fact nobody on Wall Street thinks Obama gives a shit about them. They think his attitude is, ‘If I lose Wall Street, it’s not the end of the world.’ And they’re right.”
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This photograph depicts Theodore (Ted) Pedersen's homestead at Bear Cove in the summer of 1953. It was likely taken by Roxolana (Roxy) Pomeroy, and the title is a translation of a caption written in German on the back of the photograph in her...
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Indian Health Service Urges Native Parents To Protect Pre-Teens With Vaccines
Campaign urges routine check-ups for 11- and 12-year-olds
As children approach their teen years, parents often worry about how to protect them from new
risks and potential dangers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is partnering with the
Indian Health Service to launch a campaign informing American Indian and Alaska Native parents and other caregivers about the importance of a preteen medical check-up and preteen vaccines.
Research shows that preteens generally do not get preventive health care, visiting the doctor only when they are sick. One goal of this campaign is to encourage parents to take their preteens in for an 11- or 12-year-old check-up, which is a comprehensive, preventive health exam.
During the checkup, the doctor takes a complete medical history, screens for diseases like diabetes, discusses puberty and other issues such as how to stay healthy and avoid substance abuse, and ensures that immunizations are up to date.
“Many parents may not be aware that there are vaccines that preteens need to protect them
against potentially serious diseases, including meningitis, pertussis, influenza, and the virus that causes cervical cancer,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. "Vaccinations play an important role in protecting your child’s health. But they do more than protect children. By ensuring you and your family receive recommended vaccines, you help to prevent the spread of disease and protect the health of the community."
Three vaccines are specifically recommended for the preteen years: MCV4, which prevents
some types of meningitis and its complications; Tdap, which is a booster against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis or “whooping cough;” and for girls, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which protects against the types of HPV that most commonly cause cervical cancer. Annual seasonal flu shots and vaccination against H1N1 influenza are also recommended for preteens, just as they are for younger children starting at age 6 months, and for older children, through age 18.
Preteen vaccine recommendations are supported by the CDC, IHS, the American Academy of
Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Society for Adolescent Medicine.
“There is a common perception that check-ups are only for infants, but this isn’t true,” said Dr.
Michael Bartholomew, a member of the Kiowa Tribe and chief of pediatrics at the Fort Defiance
Indian Hospital in Arizona. “Eleven- and 12-year-olds also need a check-up to ensure that they stay healthy as they enter their adolescent years.”
CDC and IHS have developed posters and flyers to educate parents about the preteen check-up
and preteen vaccines, which can be ordered or downloaded from the campaign Web site at
www.cdc.gov/vaccines/preteen/aian. These materials were created with input from American Indian
and Alaska Native parents in the Southwest and the Pacific Northwest.
Other campaign activities include outreach to American Indian and Alaska Native media,
partnerships with American Indian and Alaska Native organizations that reach parents and healthcare providers, and a community-based education project in New Mexico.
For more information about the campaign, please visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/preteen/aian.
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Show #63 Jason Fried, 37signals and REWORK
Bob interviews Jason Fried, co-founder and president of 37signals and co-author of Getting Real and now REWORK. Jason is the archetype of a successful web-based software company founder (Basecamp, Highrise, Campfire, Backpack), a strong proponent for a reality-based (versus VC-funded) approach to building a tech company with a point of view, and a strong believer most of the accepted ways of doing business don’t scale down to startups.
In this interview, we dig into not just Jason and David Heinemeier Hansson’s new book about the business of startups, but why and how they arrived at 37signals’ successful approach to building a software company. Jason generously shares a range of advice and experience about building your startup that is anything but a rehash of all the other advice you’ve heard.
Also, If you’re a web designer or web developer, open source or .NET, Microsoft WebsiteSpark and StartupToDo.com have free Microsoft software for designers and a six month scholarship to StartupToDo.com you may be interested in. For details and how to apply, visit http://startuptodo.com/websitespark/.
2 Responses
For what matters to my ‘young business’ most right now, Jason has some very good points in this podcast. Amongst them the idea that business ‘physics’ apply even at tiny size businesses (or ‘young businesses’) seems to be the most helpful one
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Silver Must Resign
‘Three Amigos’ ain't so funny anymore
Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Sheldon Silver, walks out of a New York court house after being arrested on federal corruption charges on January 22, 2015 in New York City. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Days after he was placed in handcuffs and led into a courtroom, Sheldon Silver agreed to step aside temporarily as speaker of the state Assembly. You now know everything you need to know about the ethical and moral rot that has taken over Albany. Even after his indictment on serious corruption charges, Sheldon Silver simply is incapable of surrendering power. All he can do is loosen his grasp ever so slightly while he tries to avoid spending the better part of his old age in prison.
Sheldon Silver should resign and Assembly Democrats ought to choose a new speaker as soon as possible
It’s not enough. Sheldon Silver should resign and Assembly Democrats ought to choose a new speaker as soon as possible. A clean break is necessary because—and this may come as a surprise not only to Mr. Silver but to Albany’s legion of lobbyists and hangers-on—the issues confronting New York are far more important than the speaker’s elevated sense of entitlement.
Albany does not lack for politicians willing to use their political clout for personal enrichment. More than two-dozen state legislators have left office because of criminal or ethical issues since 1999, according to the Citizens Union. But even in this moral cesspool, Mr. Silver stood out as an exemplar of everything public service should not be. The indictment brought against him last week simply confirmed what many suspected: Mr. Silver’s association with the law firm of Weitz & Luxenberg was a conflict-of-interest charge waiting to happen. The Observer reported last week that the same law firm was also outrageously generous to two other New York pols tied to the Moreland Commission, now-Congresswoman Kathleen Rice and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. We call upon them to return the contributions from the law firm alleged to have showered more than $5 million upon the speaker.
More than a century ago, during another ethical crisis in Albany, Tammany Hall boss Richard Croker was called to testify about his many private business deals and the ways in which he manipulated public policy to benefit those interests. A lawyer for a special investigative committee was taken aback by Croker’s candor. “You are working for your pocket, aren’t you?” asked the lawyer, Frank Moss.
“All the time,” Croker responded.
The same question should have been asked of Mr. Silver years ago; although it’s unlikely he would have answered as honestly as Croker did. (Former Gov. George Pataki came close—as Michael Goodwin of the Daily News noted, during a contentious budget meeting more than a decade ago, Mr. Silver’s opaque machinations led Mr. Pataki to ask him, “Who’s your client?”)
Those kinds of questions ought to be asked of every member of the Legislature, and they should be required to answer in painstaking detail. Technically our Assembly members and State Senators are part-time workers and are allowed to supplement their incomes with outside work. Mr. Silver did just that with enthusiasm, adding to his $121,000 annual salary with millions in dubious legal fees from Weitz & Luxenberg. What Mr. Silver did on a grand scale is being done every day by his colleagues, although it should be noted that they have not received a raise since 1999, while Mr. Silver, who refused to fight for a raise for his friends and allies, has been raking in his fees on the side.
New Yorkers have been hearing promises from governors and attorney generals for years about their burning desire to change the way Albany does business. And yet nothing, or very little, changed. Few would-be reformers were more insistent than Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and yet it was he who disbanded a Moreland Commission investigation just as it seemed to be making headway. Mr. Cuomo’s decision outraged U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who immediately took up the fallen standard of reform. The Silver indictment grew out of Mr. Bharara’s investigation. And the prosecutor suggested there may be more to come.
In a speech at New York Law School the day after Mr. Silver’s arrest, Mr. Bharara made it clear that the days of business as usual in Albany are coming to a close. He wondered aloud why it was that crucial decisions were made by just three men—the governor, the Senate majority leader, and the Assembly speaker. Just two days earlier, Mr. Cuomo had made a playful reference to the “three men in a room” ritual, referring to himself and his two colleagues as the “Three Amigos.”
People laughed at the reference. They’re not laughing now, least of all Mr. Cuomo.
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Blog: Uncategorized
Every once in a while, I have something that I feel so strongly should be presented because of its importance to community, change and capital that I write it without a question from my readers. Ken Saxon’s work is one such example. Ken Saxon rightly is seen in the Santa Barbara community as the guru of leadership and the nonprofit world. He has a background from a great business school and has proven his ability as an entrepreneur. He is extremely bright, a systems-thinker with great humanity and commitment to helping our community and world. Besides all that, he is
I started this column wanting to highlight how people can have an impact or create positive change, find personal meaning, and sometimes even make money doing it. I hoped to spotlight new and existing opportunities to benefit our community—what’s out there and what can be done to achieve these goals, who is doing it and what we can learn. I wanted to address individual change as well as community change. I hoped to introduce and discuss innovative processes and new tools to balance individual fulfillment and capital needs in the world of “causes,” plus share impact investing avenues and other
QUESTION: Why are there so many stores downtown that are empty? There are other towns like San Luis Obispo and Palm Springs that have made successful efforts. Why isn’t Santa Barbara doing more? . . . Mathew in Montecito Clearly, there are problems with downtown retail struggling all over the country as online purchasing grows and consumer needs shift. However, Mathew, to answer your question I went to a person who is personally and professionally connected to this issue and is putting in great efforts toward addressing the problems. I met with Amy Cooper, who owns Plum Goods on State
QUESTION: One of the biggest challenges I face as a member of the Santa Barbara community is what to do about climate change. Can you help? . . . Greg in Goleta Thank you for your question, Greg. I went to John Steed for an answer. He is the President of the Board of the Community Environmental Council (CEC), a leading environmental organization in Santa Barbara. John is a fit, very bright, well-read and highly articulate man who looks much younger than his years, with a quiet intensity and occasional flashes of deep emotion. He speaks easily and with well-formed
What really matters in life? What experiences shape our journey? How is today a reflection of our journey and what we have learned and experienced along the way? And mainly, what causes a person to dedicate their life to philanthropy? I have been writing about community, change and capital for months now and I thought I should talk to someone who has spent and does spend the majority of his life dealing with those three concerns. Ron Gallo is a high-energy, intelligent, and charming man with a great sense of humor and who is passionate about effective philanthropy and giving
QUESTION: Dear Dr. Brill. I have appreciated much of what you have written. I understand that you are interested in what produces change. With the crises in our ocean, could you say something about that? . . . Marlene in Carpinteria Thank you, Marlene. I thought I would try to answer your question in a different way—by telling you a story of a journey. Many people know the work of author Joseph Campbell. He described myths and an important one was “the hero’s journey”. A hero’s journey is one that starts with an adventure, intended or not, where the
QUESTION: It is clear to me that you are passionate about impact investing. I am having trouble finding my passion. How did you do it? . . . Michael from Santa Barbara Thank you for the question; it really caused me to think. Very few people actually just walk into passion and success. Passion, like great loves, develops over time. When I first retired at 52, I didn’t like the term retirement. It seemed to focus on withdrawal. I was also interested in how people do this stage of life well. So, I started a radio show called “The
What makes a person great? If they are rich enough, are they great? What do we look for when we say they are wise? What does it mean when we say they make a difference? If we want to make a difference, are there models we can emulate or admire? I have been answering questions put to me in this column by others so I thought this month I would ask myself a few of my own. I came across someone who I think is a great person, and who has taken me a long way toward answering my questions. Tom
QUESTION: I have felt betrayed in my love life and also at work. Can you help me to get over these feelings of hurt? . . . Patricia in Goleta Thank you for your question, Patricia. It is an important question and a large topic. You have given me very few details of either situation, so I am going to have to write in general. I am not going to address betrayal at work in this column, but perhaps in another, as it is a broad topic and deserves one of its own.You have caused me to think deeply about
QUESTION: I hear there are 1,000 non-profits in Santa Barbara. I am newly retired and moved here from Chicago after selling my business. I look at an organization like the Girl Scouts which provides for a significant portion of their financial needs by selling cookies and other things. Why don’t more of these organizations find ways to create revenues to help them sustain themselves? . . . Stephen in Montecito That is an excellent question, Stephen. I feel that this is such an important question that I hired a research assistant, Mariah Miller from UCSB, to help me research it
Peter Brill is the founder and first Executive Director of Sustainable Change Alliance. He is also a founding board member of SCA Inc., a profit impact investing firm. In addition to serving on their board, he is exploring ways to change the conversation regarding how people think about affecting social change at the community level by launching his Discovering What Matters with Dr. Peter Brill communication campaign which includes a monthly column in the Montecito Journal as well as his Blog www.dwmblog.com.
He received his M.D. from U.C.L.A. and became a board-certified psychiatrist after his residency at the University of Pennsylvania. He also attended the Wharton School of Business where he became a Senior Fellow. He founded and directed the Center for the Study of Adult Development affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. He consulted to over 150 organizations, founded and ran two national companies, while carrying out a private practice. He is a best-selling author who has appeared numerous times on radio and television, and has also lectured internationally.
Since moving to Santa Barbara, he became the Director of the Third Age Foundation where he lectured and led groups and workshops. His latest publication is Finding Your J Spot, Joy in Midlife and Beyond. He also hosted a radio show titled The Third Age. Additionally, he has served on several boards in Santa Barbara and wasa member of Social Venture Partners where he served on the executive committee for 3 years.
To stimulate conversation about transformative social and environmental change.
Copyright 2019. All rights reserved.
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Experts discuss moving past mine spill
Scientists at a multi-day conference continued to raise concerns about long-term effects resulting from the Gold King Mine spill, particularly as the Animas River's spring runoff starts
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Shiprock farmer Gilbert Yazzie voices his concerns during a discussion of the environmental condition of the Animas and San Juan watersheds on Wednesday at the Henderson Fine Arts Building at San Juan College.(Photo: Steve Lewis/The Daily Times)Buy Photo
Story Highlights
Scientists say heavy metals from the Gold King Mine spill have formed a compound called jarosite.
As spring runoff begins, the jarosite may dissolve and wash down the Animas River.
Because many rely on the river for agriculture, experts worry the toxins will spread through the food web.
Organizers plan to make this week's conference an annual event that fosters collaboration.
FARMINGTON — Long-term effects from the Gold King Mine spill remained the focus of today's conference at San Juan College, as scientists and local officials addressed the public on how to move forward from the disaster.
The discussion concluded a multi-day conference on water contamination issues surrounding the Gold King Mine spill last August, when a crew from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency working near Silverton, Colo., accidentally released millions of gallons of mine waste into the Animas River.
While the EPA has since declared the river safe, experts at the conference warned of lingering issues.
Scientists at the conference presented evidence that heavy metals released from the blowout have formed into a compound called jarosite, and remain settled on the river bottom near Durango, Colo. As spring runoff begins and the river chemistry changes, the jarosite may dissolve and heavy metals may wash downstream once again.
Concerns also remain over health risks from exposure to the mine waste. Many people in the region use the river for agricultural purposes, and experts worry this can spread the toxins throughout the food web.
"The EPA model for exposure is focused on a hiker drinking water," said Karletta Chief, a professor at the University of Arizona. "But the reality is much more complex."
She said screening levels need to be adapted to address the risks associated with everyday water use.
The EPA has been criticized for its involvement and response to the spill. However, officials at the conference said the outcry symbolizes a fundamental lack of trust in the government, which needs to be rebuilt within the community.
EPA representatives attended the conference. Jane Watson is a department chief at the agency’s region 6 office, which encompasses New Mexico. She was at the conference and said she took extensive notes on the public's concerns to present to agency officials.
Moving forward, the EPA is seeking a Superfund designation for the mining district surrounding the Gold King site. The classification would provide funding for reclamation efforts on the dozens of mines that still pose a threat to local water sources.
“We’ve got to stop blaming people and move forward.”
San Juan County Executive Officer Kim Carpenter
Experts say the Superfund designation will not prevent occasional blowouts, though, and local agencies should focus on how to prepare for future incidents.
The city of Farmington, which draws its drinking water from the Animas River, has installed sensors that can detect contamination and automatically shut down supply pumps.
The state has developed a long-term monitoring plan that collects data from a variety of sources. Bio-monitoring and well-water testing services are also underway in San Juan County.
The conference, which brought together a broad spectrum of scientists, ranging from geologists to fish biologists, is expected to become an annual event. Speakers said it's important exchange information to fully conceptualize the issues at hand.
"We're need to look at this in a holistic way," McQuillan said. "It's going to require lots of collaboration."
Brett Berntsen covers government for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4606.
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459 S.E.2d 151 (1995)
194 W.Va. 40
Jessica DUNN and Jason Dunn, et al., Plaintiffs,
v.
KANAWHA COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, et al., Defendants.
No. 22550.
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.
Submitted February 28, 1995.
Decided May 19, 1995.
*153 Guy R. Bucci, Robert C. Chambers, Bucci, Chambers & Willis, L.C., Charleston, and James T. Cooper, Henry R. Glass, III, Lovett, Cooper & Glass, Charleston, and Carl S. Kravitz, David N. Webster, Caplin & Drysdale, Washington, DC, for plaintiffs.
David L. Shuman, Shuman, Annand & Poe, Charleston, and Avrum Levicoff, Brown, Levicoff & McDyer, Beckley, and Michael Fisher, Offutt, Eifert, Fisher, Duffield & Nord, Huntington, and William J. Cooper, Jacobson, Maynard, Tuschman & Kalur, Charleston, for amicus, WV General & Plastic Surgeons.
Arden J. Curry, II, Pauley, Curry, Sturgeon & Vanderford, Charleston, for amicus, The Builders Supply Ass'n of WV.
Jeffrey M. Wakefield, William L. Ballard, Christine Fox, Richard D. Jones, Tracy L. Webb, Flaherty, Sensabaugh & Bonasso, Charleston, for defendant, Kanawha County Bd. of Educ.
Paul M. Friedberg, David Johnson, Lewis, Friedberg, Glasser, Casey & Rollins, Charleston, and Donald W. Fowler, Joe G. Hollingsworth, Katharine R. Latimer, Bruce J. Berger, Spriggs & Hollingsworth, Washington, DC, for defendant, Velsicol.
Charles R. McElwee, Robinson & McElwee, Charleston, for amicus, The WV Hosp. Ass'n.
Anita R. Casey, Renatha S. Garner, Meyer, Darragh, Buckler, Bebenek & Eck, Charleston, for amicus, CSM Systems, Inc.
A.L. Emch, Anthony Majestro, William D. Esbenshade, Jackson & Kelly, Charleston, for amicus, WV Retailers Ass'n.
Cheryl A. Eifert, Blake Benton, Offutt, Eifert, Fisher, Duffield & Nord, Huntington, *154 for amicus, American Medical Ass'n and West Virginia State Medical Ass'n.
*152 FOX, Judge:[1]
We accepted this certified question from the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia, to consider whether a good faith settlement between a plaintiff and a defendant in a multiparty lawsuit extinguishes the rights of non-settling defendants to seek indemnification from the settling defendant.
The sixty-seven plaintiffs from three consolidated lawsuits are students, parents, teachers, and others who allege injuries resulting from exposure to toxic substances at Andrew Jackson Junior High School, in Cross Lanes, West Virginia. One of the toxic substances was a termiticide known as chlordane.
The plaintiffs initially asserted numerous theories of liability against various defendants, including negligence, willful, wanton, and reckless misconduct, breach of warranty, strict product liability, and deliberate intent to injure an employee. However, the focus of this certified question is the plaintiffs' product liability claim against Velsicol Chemical Corporation. Velsicol is the only United States manufacturer of technical chlordane, which is chlordane in its purest form and is used to make other chlordane-containing compounds.[2] In addition to suing Velsicol, the plaintiffs are pursuing product liability claims against others in the chain of distribution, including distributors and applicators of chlordane. Defendants Kanawha County Board of Education and Robert Klatzkin, a former principal at Andrew Jackson Junior High School (hereinafter referred to collectively as the BOE), contend the defendant manufacturer Velsicol is ultimately responsible for damages caused by its defective product.
On 1 April 1994, the plaintiffs agreed to dismiss all claims against Velsicol in exchange for a substantial monetary settlement. Pursuant to court order, the amount of the settlement remained confidential, but non-settling defendants were informed and given the opportunity to challenge its reasonableness. Velsicol intends for this settlement, reached prior to a judicial determination of liability, to extinguish all potential claims arising from this lawsuit, including claims for implied indemnity. However, because Velsicol's settlement agreement did not include therein a release from liability, the non-settling defendants in the chain of distribution want to be able to seek indemnification from Velsicol if they are subsequently made to pay damages to the plaintiffs for injuries they contend Velsicol was solely responsible for as the manufacturer of the defective product.
On 22 April 1994, the plaintiffs and Velsicol jointly requested that the circuit court find their settlement was in good faith in order to extinguish any potential claims against Velsicol for both contribution and indemnification. The non-settling defendants potentially affected by this settlement objected on the grounds that (1) a factual determination of good faith was premature, and (2) a finding of a good faith settlement does not extinguish claims for implied indemnity.[3] Following a hearing, the circuit court tentatively found the settlement was in good faith but deferred *155 its ruling on the settlement's effect on any cross-claims against Velsicol.
After a second hearing on 6 May 1994, the circuit court concluded the settlement was negotiated in good faith and it barred claims for contribution against Velsicol. However, the circuit court ruled that claims for implied indemnity would not be extinguished by the good faith settlement.
On 24 May 1994, the plaintiffs and Velsicol moved for reconsideration of the 6 May 1994 ruling on the implied indemnification issue. The circuit court denied the motion for reconsideration on 31 May 1994, and an order certifying the indemnification issue to this Court was entered on 8 July 1994.
On 12 October 1994, this Court granted the joint petition for review of the following certified question:
Whether a good faith settlement by a defendant extinguishes rights of non-settling defendants and others for implied indemnity against the settling defendant under West Virginia law?
The Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia, the Honorable Paul Zakaib, Jr., presiding, answered the question in the negative, finding there is a legal and factual distinction between claims of implied indemnification and claims for contribution.
Relying primarily on language found in Smith v. Monongahela Power Co., 189 W.Va. 237, 429 S.E.2d 643 (1993), the plaintiffs and Velsicol now contend the 6 May 1994 circuit court ruling was erroneous, and argue this Court's prior decisions establish that their good faith settlement extinguishes all contribution and indemnification claims the non-settling defendants might wish to assert against Velsicol.
However, the BOE argues the plaintiffs and Velsicol have confused the issues by treating contribution and indemnification as identical legal concepts, when, in fact, "the concept of indemnification plays a unique role and is clearly distinct from contribution in product liability cases." We agree.
Indemnification and contribution are separate and distinct legal concepts. "The idea of indemnity implies a primary or basic liability in one person, though a second person is also for some reason liable with the first, or even without the first, to a third person. Discharge of the obligation by the second person leaves him with a right to secure compensation from the one who, as between themselves, is primarily liable."[4] There are two types of indemnity. Express indemnity is based upon a written agreement between the parties, while implied indemnity is based upon the relationship between the parties. In syllabus points 1 and 2 of Sydenstricker v. Unipunch Products, Inc., 169 W.Va. 440, 288 S.E.2d 511 (1982), this Court explained:
1. "The general principle of implied indemnity arises from equitable considerations. At the heart of the doctrine is the premise that the person seeking to assert implied indemnitythe indemniteehas been required to pay damages caused by a third partythe indemnitor. In the typical case, the indemnitee is made liable to the injured party because of some positive duty created by statute or the common law, but the actual cause of the injury was the act of the indemnitor." Syllabus Point 2, Hill v. Joseph T. Ryerson & Son, Inc., 165 W.Va. 22, 268 S.E.2d 296 (1980).
2. Implied indemnity is based upon principles of equity and restitution and one must be without fault to obtain implied indemnity.
"Very broadly, contribution is the right of one who owes a joint obligation to call upon his fellow obligors to reimburse him if compelled to pay more than his proportionate share of the obligation. Limiting this definition to the tort context, contribution is a method to promote an equitable distribution of loss among those who are jointly and severally liable for a given wrong."[5] Contribution *156 was distinguished from indemnity in syllabus point 4 of Sydenstricker:
The doctrine of contribution has its roots in equitable principles. The right to contribution arises when persons having a common obligation, either in contract or tort, are sued on that obligation and one party is forced to pay more than his pro tanto share of the obligation. One of the essential differences between indemnity and contribution is that contribution does not permit a full recovery of all damages paid by the party seeking contribution. Recovery can only be obtained for the excess that such party has paid over his own share.
The doctrine of contribution and the effect of a good faith settlement between a plaintiff and one of multiple joint tortfeasors on the rights of non-settling joint tortfeasors to contribution were discussed at length by this Court in Board of Education of McDowell County v. Zando, Martin & Milstead, Inc., 182 W.Va. 597, 390 S.E.2d 796 (1990). In syllabus point 2, we explained:
A defendant in a civil action has a right in advance of judgment to join a joint tortfeasor based on a cause of action for contribution. This is termed an "inchoate right to contribution" in order to distinguish it from the statutory right of contribution after a joint judgment conferred by W.Va.Code, 55-7-13 (1923).
Further, in syllabus point 6 of Zando, this Court explained that contribution rights are terminated by a good faith settlement, stating that "[a] party in a civil action who has made a good faith settlement with the plaintiff prior to a judicial determination of liability is relieved from any liability for contribution." However, whether a good faith settlement terminates a non-settling defendant's right to seek implied indemnification against the settling defendant is an issue that has not been addressed by this Court until now.
The principles of Zando regarding contribution rights among joint tortfeasors were reiterated in Smith, supra, an opinion in which this Court set forth specific criteria to aid in determining whether a settlement is in fact made in good faith. As we noted above, the plaintiffs and Velsicol now rely upon language found in Smith to support their contention that the law in West Virginia is that any indemnification claims a non-settling defendant might wish to assert against the settling defendant are also extinguished by a good faith settlement.
In Smith, John Q. Hutchinson was electrocuted when he was working on a truck manufactured by Dico which came into contact with a power line owned and operated by Monongahela Power Company. Dennis Dwight Smith, as administrator of Hutchinson's estate, sued Monongahela Power for negligence, and Monongahela Power filed a third-party complaint against manufacturer Dico for contribution, alleging that defective truck design was a proximate cause of Hutchinson's death. Smith, 429 S.E.2d at 646.
Dico settled with the Hutchinson estate before trial. After the verdict, Monongahela Power and the estate reached a settlement, under which Monongahela Power reserved its right to pursue contribution claims from others, including Dico. Dico moved to dismiss Monongahela Power's claim on the grounds that its settlement with the estate insulated it from Monongahela Power's claims for contribution. The trial court granted Dico's motion. Id. at 647.
The issue in Smith was whether a settlement entered into between a nonparty (Dico) and a claimant (Smith) prior to the instigation of a lawsuit would discharge the nonparty (Dico) from further obligation to either the claimant (Smith) or the nonparty's joint tortfeasor (Monongahela Power). This Court agreed with the lower court's finding that Monongahela Power's right to seek contribution from nonparty/joint tortfeasor Dico was extinguished by the good faith settlement between Dico and Smith.
In the case now before us, the plaintiffs and Velsicol rely heavily on Smith because of the following language contained in the opinion: "Accordingly, we find Monongahela Power's right to seek contribution or indemnification from Dico was extinguished by the settlement between the Hutchinson estate and Dico, provided that the settlement was in *157 good faith." Id. at 649 (emphasis added). Despite this reference to indemnification, the facts indicate quite clearly that Smith was only about a claim for contribution.[6] This single reference to indemnification was unnecessary in the context of the opinion.[7]
Smith is also distinguishable from the case now before us because the relationship between Monongahela Power and Dico did not give rise to a right of implied indemnity. Monongahela Power and Dico were joint tortfeasors. Dico settled with the claimant before trial, and Monongahela Power settled afterwards. The issue was whether Monongahela Power had a right to pursue a contribution claim against Dico, not an indemnification claim. A non-settling defendant's right to seek indemnification from the settling defendant following a good faith settlement in a product liability case is the only issue now before this Court. Reliance upon Smith as precedent is pointless, because although that case addressed a similar question, the issue was raised in the context of contribution claims.
To argue that both contribution and implied indemnity claims should be extinguished by a good faith settlement is to ignore the substantive differences between the two legal concepts. "While contribution permits one tortfeasor to shift a part of the loss to another, the purpose of indemnity is to shift the whole loss."[8] As we noted above, a fundamental distinction between indemnity and contribution is the absence of fault on the part of the party who seeks indemnification. Contribution claims involve joint tortfeasors who share some degree of fault; their liability is premised upon independent negligent acts. However, the only real tortfeasor in an implied indemnity action is the indemnitor, who commits the tort which causes injury.
In product liability cases, the manufacturer is often the culpable tortfeasor as a result of conduct associated with designing or manufacturing a defective product. Product liability law in this State permits a plaintiff to recover where the plaintiff can prove a product was defective when it left the manufacturer and the defective product was the proximate cause of the plaintiff's injuries. Morningstar v. Black & Decker Mfg. Co., 162 W.Va. 857, 253 S.E.2d 666, 677 (1979). Strict liability in tort relieves the plaintiff from proving the manufacturer was negligent, and instead permits proof of the defective condition of the product as the basis for liability. Because the product manufacturer is not always accessible to the plaintiff, strict liability extends to those in the product's chain of distribution. Thus, an innocent seller can be subject to liability that is entirely derivative simply by virtue of being present in the chain of distribution of the defective product.
Extending liability to those in the chain of distribution in this manner is meant to further the public policy that an injured party not have to bear the cost of his injuries simply because the product manufacturer is out of reach. The liability of a party in the chain of distribution is based solely upon its relationship to the product and is not related to any negligence or malfeasance. For this reason, this Court acknowledged the right of *158 implied indemnity in note 22 of Morningstar, supra. In syllabus point 1 of Hill v. Joseph T. Ryerson & Son, 165 W.Va. 22, 268 S.E.2d 296 (1980), we held that "[a] seller who does not contribute to the defect in a product may have an implied indemnity remedy against the manufacturer of the product, when the seller is sued by the user." "[I]n the field of product liability, the concept underlying allowance of indemnity is that the indemnitee has been rendered liable because of a nondelegable duty arising out of common or statutory law, but the actual cause of the injury has been the act of another person." Hill, 268 S.E.2d at 301. The remedy of implied indemnity provides an innocent seller, or indemnitee, with the means to seek restitution from the actual wrongdoer, or indemnitor.
Again, we emphasize that the right to seek implied indemnity belongs only to a party who is without fault. If a seller in some way contributes to a product defect, the seller and manufacturer are jointly responsible for damages the product causes, and the seller has no right to seek implied indemnity. Instead, because of the shared fault, the rules of contribution would apply. However, the rules of both contribution and indemnity could apply where a seller does not contribute to a defect in a product, but commits an independent act of negligence or is at fault in some other manner.
Indemnification is a remedy available to innocent parties who have been held strictly liable and made to pay for injuries caused by others. It would defeat all notions of fairness and equity to deprive an innocent party of the means to seek reimbursement from a culpable manufacturer simply because that manufacturer reached a "good faith" settlement with the injured plaintiff. Velsicol now complains that: "Notwithstanding Velsicol's good faith, its payment of substantial proceeds to plaintiffs, and its motivation to buy peace, Velsicol has not obtained peace. Velsicol has instead bought only the risk of continued liability via implied indemnification claims and the burden of having to continue to defend its products."
However, we believe if Velsicol truly wanted to "buy peace," then, as the manufacturer of the allegedly defective product, Velsicol should have included lesser defendants in the chain of distribution within the terms of the settlement agreement, thereby eliminating its own risk of continued liability via implied indemnification claims. If chlordane is determined to be a defective product, and it is also determined the non-settling defendants did nothing independently wrong or in no way contributed to the defect, then equity demands that Velsicol indemnify the non-settling defendants if they are ultimately found liable for damages caused by its product.
Therefore, our answer to the certified question is negative: In a multiparty product liability lawsuit, a good faith settlement between the plaintiff(s) and the manufacturing defendant who is responsible for the defective product will not extinguish the right of a non-settling defendant to seek implied indemnification when the liability of the non-settling defendant is predicated not on its own independent fault or negligence, but on a theory of strict liability.
In fact, it is arguable that basic fairness and sound public policy dictate that a settlement by a plaintiff with the manufacturing defendant solely responsible for the defective product covers all damages caused by that product and extinguishes any right of the plaintiff to pursue others in the chain of distribution who did not make the product, contribute in any way to the defect, or commit any independent acts of negligence or fault. However, this issue was not raised by this certified question, and we leave its resolution for a later time.
Certified question answered.
Justice BROTHERTON did not participate.
Judge FOX sitting by temporary assignment.
NOTES
[1] Pursuant to an administrative order entered by this Court on 18 November 1994, the Honorable Fred L. Fox, II, Judge of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, was assigned to sit as a member of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals commencing 1 January 1995 and continuing through 31 March 1995, because of the physical incapacity of Justice W.T. Brotherton, Jr. On 14 February 1995 a subsequent administrative order extended this assignment until further order of said Court.
[2] The defendant BOE states that in October 1987 the EPA issued a Final Cancellation Order prohibiting all sale, use, or distribution of chlordane after 15 April 1988.
[3] The non-settling defendants who objected to the settlement were the Kanawha County Board of Education and Robert Klatzkin, Bruce Terminex of West Virginia, Inc., Terminex International Company, L.P., and Forshaw Distribution, Inc.
According to the defendant BOE, Forshaw Distribution, Inc., a distributor of chlordane, was sued because it sold chlordane to a commercial applicator. Forshaw and other defendants have since settled. The Board, Alford Termite & Pest Control (which has not participated in the defense of this case), and General Exterminating (which has not entered an appearance in this case) are remaining defendants.
[4] Leflar, Robert A., Contribution and Indemnity Between Tortfeasors, 81 U.Pa.L.Rev. 130, 146 (1932).
[5] Stoneking, James B., Beyond Bradley: A Critique of Comparative Contribution in West Virginia and Proposals for Legislative Reform, 89 W.Va.L.Rev. 167, 170 (1986).
[6] Although indemnification and contribution are separate and distinct legal concepts, leading commentators have noted that these terms are sometimes incorrectly treated as interchangeable:
There is an important substantive difference between, first, an order distributing loss among tortfeasors by requiring others each to pay a proportionate share to one who has discharged their "joint" liability and, second, an order requiring another to reimburse in full one who has discharged a common liability. In the prevailing usage, the first is referred to as contribution; the second, as indemnity. Because of either confusion or deliberate departure from prevailing usage, however, there are decisions in which full reimbursement has been allowed under the name of contribution, or some form of distribution has been allowed under the name of indemnity.
W. Page Keeton, et al., Prosser and Keeton on Torts, § 51 (5th ed.1984) (footnotes omitted).
[7] We realize this language could again be cited to support the proposition that a good faith settlement between a plaintiff and defendant in a multiparty litigation extinguishes a non-settling defendant's right to seek indemnification from the settling defendant. We believe, however, that the inclusion of "or indemnification" in the Smith case was mere surplusage and, therefore, should be disregarded.
[8] Stoneking, supra, note 9, at 168.
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Wired Magazine Produces Special Lex Luthor Cover For CES
You may already know that the January issue of Wired magazine ran a “faux” interview with Lex Luthor, which was reproduced online here. It may have been a featured sponsored by Warner Bros, but it probably made more of an online impact than any of the magazine’s “real” articles in the past few years, and it seeded loads of ideas and concept that we assume will be showing in future DC shared universe movies beyond the obvious Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice hyping.
The magazine has now taken the idea one step further, producing a special version of the January issue with an alternative cover featuring Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg variation) which was only available at this year’s CES in Las Vegas. It even includes a specially redesigned logo. Now, that’s what we call a collectable.
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Note: Javascript is disabled or is not supported by your browser. For this reason, some items on this page will be unavailable. For more information about this message, please visit this page: About CDC.gov.
Privacy Act System Notice 09-20-0160
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System name: Records of Subjects in Health Promotion and Education Studies. HHS/CDC/NCCDPHP.
A list of contractor sites where individually identifiable data are currently located is available upon request to the system manager.
Categories of individuals covered by the system: Adults and children, including health and education agency administrators, school health personnel, teachers, parents, and students who participate in studies and surveys designed to obtain data on their knowledge, attitudes, and reported behavior related to a variety of health problems and/or other potentially preventable conditions of public health significance; also included are control group participants.
Categories of records in the system: Responses to questionnaires by adults and children, including health and education agency administrators, school health personnel, teachers, parents, and students, pertaining to health knowledge, attitudes and behavior, site visit data, organizational data regarding health education in school curriculum, course content, medical histories, demographic data of the survey population as well as identification data for follow-up purposes.
Authority for maintenance of the system: Public Health Service Act, Section 301, "Research and Investigation" (42 U.S.C. 241).
Purpose(s): This record system enables the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials to develop and evaluate existing health promotion programs for disease prevention and control, and to communicate new knowledge to the health community for the implementation of such programs.
Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses: Disclosure may be made to CDC contractors in the conduct of research studies covered by this system notice and in the preparation of scientific reports, in order to accomplish the stated purpose of the system. The recipients will be required to maintain Privacy Act safeguards with respect to such records.
Disclosure may be made to a congressional office from the record of an individual in response to a verified inquiry from the congressional office made at the written request of that individual.
In the event of litigation where the defendant is: (a) the Department, any component of the Department, or any employee of the Department in his or her official capacity; (b) the United States where the Department determines that the claim, if successful, is likely to directly affect the operations of the Department or any of its components; or (c) any Department employee in his or her individual capacity where the Department of Justice has agreed to represent such employee, for example, in defending a claim against the Public Health Service based upon an individual's mental or physical condition and alleged to have arisen because of activities of the Public Health Service in connection with such individual, disclosure may be made to the Department of Justice to enable that Department to present an effective defense, provided that such disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which the records were collected.
Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records in the system:
Storage: Computer tapes/disks, CD ROMs, and file folders.
Retrievability: Name of individual, identification number, school name and year tested are some of the indices used to retrieve records from this system.
Safeguards:
Authorized Users: Access is granted to only a limited number of researchers and designated support staff of CDC or its contractors, as authorized by the system manager to accomplish the stated purposes for which the data in this system have been collected.
Physical Safeguards: Access to the CDC Clifton Road facility where the mainframe computer is located is controlled by a cardkey system. Access to the computer room is controlled by a cardkey and security code (numeric keypad) system. The hard copy records are kept in locked cabinets in locked rooms. The local fire department is located directly next door to the Clifton Road facility. The computer room is protected by an automatic sprinkler system, numerous automatic sensors (e.g., water, heat, smoke, etc.) are installed, and a proper mix of portable fire extinguishers is located throughout the computer room. The system is backed up on a nightly basis with copies of the files stored off site in a secure fireproof safe. Security guard service in buildings provides personnel screening of visitors. Computer work stations and automated records are located in secured areas.
Procedural Safeguards: Protection for computerized records both on the mainframe and the National Center Local Area Network (LAN) includes programmed verification of valid user identification code and password prior to logging on to the system, mandatory password changes, encryption, limited log-ins, virus protection, and user rights/file attribute restrictions. Password protection imposes user name and password log-in requirements to prevent unauthorized access. Each user name is assigned limited access rights to files and directories at varying levels to control file sharing. There are routine daily backup procedures and secure off-site storage for backup tapes. When Privacy Act tapes are scratched, a special process is performed in which tapes are completely written over to avoid inadvertent data disclosure. Additional safeguards may be built into the program by the system analyst as warranted by the sensitivity of the data.
CDC and contractor employees who maintain records are instructed to check with the system manager prior to making disclosures of data. When individually identified data are being used in a room, admittance at either CDC or contractor sites is restricted to specifically authorized personnel. Privacy Act provisions are included in contracts, and the CDC Project Director, contract officers and project officers oversee compliance with these requirements. Upon completion of the contract, all data will be either returned to CDC or destroyed, as specified by the contract.
Implementation Guidelines: The safeguards outlined above are in accordance with the HHS Information Security Program Policy and FIPS Pub 200, “Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Information and Information Systems.” Data maintained on CDC’s Mainframe and the National Center LAN are in compliance with OMB Circular A-130, Appendix III. Security is provided for information collection, processing, transmission, storage, and dissemination in general support systems and major applications.
Retention and disposal: Records are retained and disposed of in accordance with the CDC Records Control Schedule. Records are maintained in agency for two years. Source documents for computer disposed of when no longer needed by program officials. Personal identifiers may be deleted from records when no longer needed in the study as determined by the system manager, and as provided in the signed consent form, as appropriate. Disposal methods include erasing computer tapes, burning or shredding paper materials or transferring records to the Federal Records Center when no longer needed for evaluation and analysis. Records destroyed by paper recycling process when 20 years old, unless needed for further study.
Notification procedure: An individual may learn if a record exists about himself or herself by contacting the system manager at the above address. Requesters in person must provide driver's license or other positive identification. Individuals who do not appear in person must either: (1) submit a notarized request to verify their identity; or (2) certify that they are the individuals they claim to be and that they understand that the knowing and willful request for or acquisition of a record pertaining to an individual under false pretenses is a criminal offense under the Privacy Act subject to a $5,000 fine.
An individual who requests notification of or access to medical records shall, at the time the request is made, designate in writing a responsible representative who is willing to review the record and inform the subject individual of its contents at the representative's discretion.
A parent or guardian who requests notification of, or access to a child's medical record shall designate a family physician or other health professional (other than a family member) to whom the record, if any, will be sent. The parent or guardian must verify relationship to the child by means of a birth certificate or court order, as well as verify that he or she is who he or she claims to be.
The following information must be provided when requesting notification: (1) full name; (2) the approximate date and place of the study, if known; and (3) nature of the questionnaire or study in which the requester participated.
Record access procedures: Same as notification procedures. Requesters should also reasonably specify the record contents being sought. An accounting of disclosures that have been made of the record, if any, may be requested.
Contesting record procedures: Contact the official at the address specified under System Manager above, reasonably identify the record and specify the information being contested, the corrective action sought, and the reasons for requesting the correction, along with supporting information to show how the record is inaccurate, incomplete, untimely, or irrelevant.
Record source categories: Individuals, and participating public and private schools which maintain records on enrolled students.
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When elders reach a phase in life where more thorough care and assistance are needed, it might be time for the family members to consider moving them into assisted living facilities. Throughout the years, there is a misconception on what assisted living really is. It certainly is not “locking up” the elderly in a care home, as most people perceive it to be. Assisted living is a community where the elder is helped by the staff in doing their daily activities, such as eating, bathing, and many more. The elderly does not have to be severely ill to be living with assistance. In fact, assisted living is more like an vibrant alternative to the confined nature of staying at home, since it is generally a difficult feat for the elder to move around, go out of the house, and live a normal and fulfilling life at their old age. So, what really are the concepts behind assisted living?
First and foremost, it should be defined what assisted living is not – a nursing home. Assisted living homes do provide medical care, but only minimally. Assisted living facilities do not have in-house nurses and doctors and are not for illness treatment. Elders with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease (and without serious medical requirements) are sometimes placed in assisted living because of sundowning, a case where they manifest agitation and confusion late in the day. They would generally need more assistance during that time, and assisted living homes provide and specialize in these services.
Assisted living facilities also have homey centers where the seniors could gather and socialize with each other and feel that they belong in a community. This is one feature of assisted homes that may be a difficult task if the elders stay at their own houses. Transportation is also another feature of assisted living. Elders who need to get to places such as shopping centers and hospitals but are not capable are serviced by the homes as well.
Essentially, as mentioned above, assisted living aims to make the senior feel that his/her life is “normal” and easier despite the complexities that are associated with old age. According to the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), each state provides unique regulations for the senior care industry.
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Unisport look of: The Red Devils take over the streetscape
In today’s Unisport Look of we zoom in on one of the world’s most popular football clubs. We are naturally talking about the Red Devils from Manchester United. The last couple of years haven’t been the clubs most impressive, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t show your colours all the same.
Manchester United started building their popularity in the nineties, where players like Eric Cantona, David Beckham, Peter Schmeichel and many other legends helped bring the club countless trophies from domestically and on the European front. Today the club is in a different state, but the red colours still dominate the streets.
Manchester United are more than a club. They are an institution that has attracted fans from around the globe. And if you are a proud fan, this hoodie from Nike’s popular AW77 collection is a perfect way to show your loyalty, not only in the stands, but on the streets too.
If you want to match your outfit, without compromising on quality, then the Team Orange/Team Red/Hyper Jade/Cedar Roshe Run Hyperfuse is the perfect icing on the cake. The Roshe Run is one of Nike’s most popular sneakers, because the combination of technological ingenuity and modern design is hard not to fall for.
Manchester United are well on their way to regaining their former strength and reclaiming their lost throne. Superstars like Angel Di Maria, Falcao, Van Persie and Rooney are certainly not players to be trifled with on the pitch, but now United can show their strength off the pitch too with this line of fashion wear. Are you a loyal Red Devil?
E-Trade awards
User Award in 2011 and 2012, Social Commerce in 2012, B2C in 2013, E-Commerce Price Gold in 2013. Bronze at European E-Commerce Award 2013. Cross-border 2014 and 2016. Users Favorite in 2017.
#unisportlife
Get the best football experience with the latest boots , gear and reviews. Share your best football moment with #unisportlife
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Kampfer Episode 2
October 8, 2009
Well this episode was a bit of a mixed bag. I’m kind of in limbo about the series as a whole now. Things pick up from Akane’s gunshot last time, with Natsuru jumping in to save Kaede from getting her head blown off. The school bell chimes shortly afterwards and the Schwert attacks cease; the “mysterious” assailant doesn’t want to be late for class it seems.A more pressing problem comes up though — Kaede wants Natsuru to introduce her to the tall, blue-haired beauty who saved her twice now and on a whim, he actually agrees to do so. On the suggestion of Akane, Natsuru reluctantly tries to make Kaede hate his female self, but finds himself unable to do so when Kaede goes out on a limb and asks “her” out.
Before Natsuru gets a chance to respond to her feelings, Shizuku shows up and attacks him while using Kaede’s well-being to egg him on. With Akane’s help, he’s able to beat the student council president and get her to agree not to involve Kaede anymore. However, Shizuku says she’ll continue to fight other Kampfers in order to figure out the purpose of it all. The next day, Natsuru and Akane learn that Shizuku was able to wipe Kaede’s memories of the incident, but she’s unable to calm the commotion in the school over Natsuru’s female presence. To disperse the rumors going around, Shizuku gets Natsuru to join the classes on the girls’ side of the school. As you may recall, I was concerned about the pacing of the manga and how that would translate to the anime. Well it seems like the producers were thinking the same thing, because they just consolidated A TON of material and plowed right through it. Now I’m concerned about the exact opposite — things are going way too fast. For one, it looks like they completely removed the date that Natsuru and Kaede were supposed to have gone on. I have no idea whether or not they’ll bring it back in some form later on, but I’d imagine they have something planned at the rate they’re going. In addition, the battle between Natsuru/Akane and Shizuku should’ve dragged out a fair bit longer, with the whole sprinkler bit serving a bigger purpose than a mere distraction. That I didn’t mind so much though, because the suspense they were going for in the lengthier version just wasn’t worth the effort.
On the plus side, the comedy I enjoyed from the first episode was still prevalent here. The scene with Akane in Natsuru’s room was a good example of that, in conjunction with all the foul-mouthed stuff that Kampfer Akane spouts out. Mizuki Nana also made her appearance as Shizuku’s Messenger, Kanden Yamaneko, along with the inaugural seiyuu shot to welcome her to the series. Story-wise, they hinted at the idea that all the stuffed animals Kaede gives out end up becoming Messengers. Seeing how early signs indicate this will be a 1 cour series (i.e. 12-13 episodes), I just hope the plot starts coming together around either that or something else.
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He wanted to make a mirror. Glass, mercury and a wooden frame- the perfect mirror. But he was no good at it. So he went to the people he knew and asked them for a mirror. All they could give him were bits of old mirror. He took these home, stuck them on a board and hung it up. It's a mirror.
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// Copyright 2008-2018 Yolo Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. https://www.comblockengine.com
#include "db_exception.h"
#include "db_interface_redis.h"
#include "db_interface/db_interface.h"
namespace KBEngine {
//-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DBException::DBException(DBInterface* pdbi) :
errStr_(static_cast<DBInterfaceRedis*>(pdbi)->getstrerror()),
errNum_(static_cast<DBInterfaceRedis*>(pdbi)->getlasterror())
{
}
//-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DBException::~DBException() throw()
{
}
//-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bool DBException::shouldRetry() const
{
return (errNum_== REDIS_ERR_OOM) ||
(errNum_ == REDIS_ERR_OTHER);
}
//-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bool DBException::isLostConnection() const
{
return (errNum_ == REDIS_ERR_IO) ||
(errNum_ == REDIS_ERR_EOF);
}
//-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
}
// db_exception.cpp
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Chicago Stars quarterback Dean Robillard is the luckiest man in the world. But life in the glory lane has started to pale, and Dean has set off on a trip to figure out what's gone wrong. When he hits a lonely stretch of Colorado highway, he spies something that will shake up his gilded life in ways he can't imagine. A young woman . . . dressed in a beaver suit.
Blue Bailey is on a mission. As for the beaver suit she's wearing . . . Is it her fault that life keeps throwing her curve balls? Witness the expensive black sports car pulling up next to her on the highway and the Greek god stepping out of it.
They're soon heading for his summer home, where their already complicated lives and inconvenient attraction to each other will become entangled with a charismatic but aging rock star; a beautiful, fifty-two-year-old woman trying to make peace with her rock and roll past; an eleven-year-old who desperately needs a family; and a bitter old woman who hates them all.
Does this woman lace the pages of her books with crack? Again, I didn't want to close one of hers. As the pile of pages remaining got smaller and smaller, I kept wishing more would magically appear. An A-.
Dean Robillard first showed up in MMIYC, the hot new football player Heath wants to sign and who becomes friends with Annabelle. From the very beginning, I was completely charmed. My reaction to SEP's heroes are usually more in line with how I felt about Heath, in that book: I always want to kick their asses first, but as the book progresses, they win me over. With Dean, it was nothing like that. It was love at first sight, in spite of his being a God's-gift-to-women type.
As NBC starts, Dean is heading to the farm he's bought in East Tennessee. Life is great: he's at the top of his game, he's got money to burn and women want him. But this is not as exciting as it was at the beginning, and so he's bought himself a place to regroup and relax. The house is still under renovation, but since his housekeeper seems to have that under control, he still expects to be able to rest.
As Dean is driving across Colorado, he's astonished to see a young woman in a beaver suit walking along the road. By this point, Dean is a bit bored, so he gives her a ride and witnesses her confrontation with her ex. When he finds out the young woman, Blue Bailey, is completely broke, Dean accepts to give her a ride to a bigger town. After all, as I said, he's bored, and also Blue is very cute and sexy under her combatively non-cute, non-sexy clothes.
Blue ends up travelling with Dean all the way to the farm in Tennessee, and once he sees what's waiting for him there, he refuses to let Blue leave.
See, Dean has a secret. He's the son of a rock and roll legend and a groupie, and this has left him with some understandable abandonment issues. His father, "Mad Jack" Patriot, was never part of his life, other than paying child support. Dean didn't even find out who he was until he was in his teens, and even after that, they only met a couple of times. As for his mother, April was an addict and a groupie who spent her life following musicians and sleeping with them. Let's just say this didn't make Dean's childhood particularly stable or secure. Oh, financially, it was ok, but not emotionally. So when he grew up, Dean separated himself completely from his parents. He found success completely on his own and he likes it that way. Both parents have tried to bring about a rapprochement with him, but he wants nothing to do with them.
But when he arrives to his house, he receives a big surprise. The mysterious housekeeper who's managing his renovation for him, and with whom he's never managed to speak on the phone, turns out to be his own mother. April has been clean for years now. She's rebuilt her life and after a few abortive tries, she's finally resigned herself to the fact that she can't fix her relationship with her son. But before she gives up for good, she wants to do something for him... give him a gift, basically. Thus her hard work on his house.
Dean still wants nothing to do with her. His first impulse is to send her away, but it soon becomes clear that if she's not there, the renovation will go to hell, and so he allows her to stay. But he still doesn't want any contact with her, and for that, he needs a buffer. And since Blue is right there...
But then things get even more complicated. First Riley shows up. Riley's Dean's half-sister, Jack's daughter from his marriage to a country star. Her mom has just died, and Riley has been pretty much left alone among people who care nothing about her, so she runs away to meet the brother she's not supposed to know is her brother. And then Mad Jack comes after Riley, and the four of them end up spending time on the farm, and almost against their will, slowly repairing their damaged relationships.
And as this happens, Blue and Dean are building theirs. Blue understands Dean's issues perfectly, because her childhood was similar, in a way. Only Blue doesn't feel comfortable accepting she's angry about it, because her mom didn't abandon her for drugs or sex, but to save the world.
I guess you can tell from my (very long *sigh*) description that there's some heavy emotional stuff going on here. Mad Jack and April have hurt each other and their children, and Blue, Dean and Riley have been deeply hurt by their parents. The healing and reconciliation are heart-wrenching, as well as very, very satisfying.
The only reason this doesn't get too heavy is that SEP has written her story with her trademark humour. This is not the laugh-a-minute book the first scene with the beaver-suit might suggest, but there's still plenty of incredibly funny stuff to lighten up things when they threaten to drag the book down. And the peace circles thing was almost as good as the cereal killer crack!
Now, how about the romance? I loved Dean and Blue together. The grumpy Blue was the perfect match for golden-boy Dean, just the right person he needed besides him. They're sweet and sexy and fun together.
I wasn't completely sold on the secondary romance, though. I never completely warmed to Jack, and I thought April deserved better than him. I liked that they'd forgiven each other, but I would have preferred April to get her HEA with someone else.
Even so, I loved practically every minute of this. I want a new SEP now!
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>> Thursday, March 29, 2007
I've been meaning to read more Lois McMaster Bujold books for ages, ever since I read Shards of Honor. When I finished that one, I was all fired up to keep reading, but I had some trouble finding an affordable copy of the next book. That problem is solved now (most, if not all her books are available as e-books), but by the time this happened, I'd become a bit overwhelmed by the length of the Vorkosigan series.
Troubled young Fawn Bluefield seeks a life beyond her family’s farm. But en route to the city, she encounters a patrol of Lakewalkers, nomadic soldier–sorcerers from the northern woodlands. Feared necromancers armed with mysterious knives made of human bone, they wage a secret, ongoing war against the scourge of the "malices," immortal entities that draw the life out of their victims, enslaving human and animal alike.
It is Dag—a Lakewalker patroller weighed down by past sorrows and onerous present responsibilities—who must come to Fawn’s aid when she is taken captive by a malice. They prevail at a devastating cost—unexpectedly binding their fates as they embark upon a remarkable journey into danger and delight, prejudice and partnership . . . and perhaps even love.
It took me the longest time to decide how to grade this book. Vol.1: Beguilement and Vol. 2: Legacy are not book and sequel, they're really two halves of a very long book. Well, duh, you say, couldn't you guess that from the fact that they're called Vol. 1 and Vol. 2? Well, no, I'm an idiot. I just assumed the whole Volume thing was some kind of affectation. *shrugs* My bad for not doing enough research, but the fact remains that I wish I'd known and waited until July to read them both together.
Read as a single book, Beguilement feels very unbalanced. The action is all at the beginning, and it's pretty fast-paced and exciting. Then the rest of the book is purely about the hero and heroine falling in love and working on the world accepting the seeming mismatch. I loved both parts, especially the second, as a good romance reader, but it still felt weird that there was nothing else about the rest. The external threat doesn't show up again at all. Obviously, we'll get that in the second book, but the fact remains that there's not even a small, intermediate climactic moment. So technically, I'd say this book is pretty flawed.
But you know what? I rate books for my enjoyment of them, not really for technical considerations, and this first volume of The Sharing Knife is a good example of it. I loved it, totally adored reading it, even as I saw the flaws. So I'll have to go with an A-.
Ok, on to the actual story. Our hero, Dag, is a Lakewalker patroller. The Lakewalkers are a separate cultural group (and also a different race, I believe) from what they call the farmers; i.e. the regular, mundane humans. The main difference seems to be that through time, the Lakewalkers have been able to retain a kind of mystical connection with the forces underlying all matter, whether inanimate or alive. They can sense these forces and sometimes even manipulate them. It's hard to explain, you'd have to read the book to really understand As it is, most farmers don't get this at all, and it, together with the Lakewalkers' main activity, have won them a reputation for black magic.
This main activity of the Lakewalker patrols is to rid the land of malices. Just what is a malice? Well, we don't get all the answers here, but they seem to be mysterious forces that periodically rise up and grow, blighting more and more land around them. A malice kills everything alive that it comes in contact with. More than kills: it even leeches inanimate objects of their "ground", that force of them that the Lakewalkers sense. Left unchecked, a malice could conceivably eat up the whole world.
Malices are not easy to destroy. The only way to get rid of them is with what the Lakewalkers call "sharing knifes". Bujold has crated a fascinating concept here: these malices are immortal in that they don't know how to die, so, to kill them, one needs to teach them how. Thus the sharing knife, which is "activated" or "loaded" with the death of a person. Don't think gruesome thoughts of human sacrifices here... Lakewalkers simply always carry an inactive sharing knife with them, and when they're at the edge of death, they simply speed the process by actually causing it with this knife, activating it in the process.
So, before I disgressed and started talking about how this world works, I mentioned that Dag is a Lakewalker patroller. As the story starts, he's hunting a malice with his patrol. Fawn, the heroine, is a young farmer's daughter who's run away from home after becoming pregnant by one of the neighbours. To cut a long story short (and I really, really need to learn to write shorter!), Fawn finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and she and Dag end up facing the malice together.
And during this confrontation, something unheard of happens: Fawn manages to accidentally activate the inactive sharing knife Dag was carrying. This is done in such a way that gives Fawn some moral right over this knife, and so, after consultation with Dag's patrol's leader, it is determined that both she and the knife will travel with Dag to consult with an expert maker of knives, so that the events and its repercussions can be truly understood.
As long as it took me to write it, this all happens relatively early in the story, and that's about it for the external plot. The malices fade into the background completely, and for the rest of the book, we get to see Dag and Fawn's relationship develop into love. We also learn more about this strange and intriguing world, and most especially about Lakewalker/farmer relations.
Because romances between the two groups happen, but they're not meant to last, not like Dag and Fawn soon decide they want theirs to. They'll have to face a lot of opposition from both sides, and not just because of their different origins, but because of the significant age difference between them.
In this Volume 1, we explore the resistance among the farmers, Fawn's family, and we see how out protagonists manage to win them over. I'm not sure, but from what's going on when the book ends, I suspect in Volume 2 we'll be moving into Lakewalker territory, and that the opposition will be just as adamant.
Without much plot left, Beguilement becomes a quiet, romantic book, and I loved every minute. It's the wonderful main characters that carry the book. My first impulse was to say "Dag", not "the main characters", and I fear I was making the same mistake Fawn's family made and underestimating her. She's quite wonderful on her own, but in a less-than-obvious way. I loved the way she grows in this book from a scared young girl to a woman willing to face the entire world over her love.
As for Dag... ahhh, Dag. Most of the reviews I've read are by long-time Bujold readers, and they draw some fascinating parallels between Dag and her other heroes. Being a novice Bujold reader and more into romance than anything else, I'll make a different comparison. Dag reminded me a lot of some Carla Kelly heros. It's the honour and gruff kindness and weariness, together with the less-than-perfect appearance and the unassuming demeanor. Dag is the very opposite of the arrogant, all-knowing alpha, and he has plenty of vulnerabilities.
I even loved the May-December aspect of the romance. It actually surprises me that it works so well, because I tend to find dramatic age differences icky, and Dag is much older than Fawn... much, much older. He's got even more years on her in life experience, too, because Fawn has always lived quite a sheltered life. The reason it didn't matter to me is that I never got the feeling Dag was drawn to Fawn's innocence or purity, or anything else creepy like that. I truly believed he'd fallen in love with the inner woman, the "spark" from which his nickname for her arose.
This is actually a pretty hot romance, which surprises me, because I don't think this is the usual for Bujold. As it is, I think many romance authors should take notes, because her love scenes are fantastic. Hell, some erotica authors should read her and take note on how to create sex scenes with emotional connections.
Put this one in your TBR, even if you're not a regular fantasy reader. Just don't read it yet; wait until July!
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The universe isn't what it used to be. With the new alliance between the Triad and the United Coalition, Captain Tasha "Sass" Sebastian finds herself serving under her former nemesis, bio-cybe Admiral Branden Kel-Paten—and doing her best to hide a deadly past. But when an injured mercenary falls into their ship's hands, her efforts may be wasted …
Wanted rebel Jace Serafino has information that could expose all of Sass's secrets, tear the fragile Alliance apart—and end Sass's career if Kel-Paten discovers them. But the bio-cybe has something to hide as well, something once thought impossible for his kind to possess: feelings...for Sass. Soon it's clear that their prisoner could bring down everything they once believed was worth dying for—and everything they now have to live for…
Well, wow. Spaceships! A half-robot hero! Yummy romance and a really cool plot! What more could I ask for? An A-.
The Triad and the United Coalition have just established a new alliance, and U-Cee Captain Tasha Sebastian and other members of her team have been assigned to serve on the Triad's most famous and impressive ship, the Vaxxar. The assignment is the result of a direct request made by the Triad's most famous and impressive admiral, bio-cybe Branden Kel-Paten, who commands the Vaxxar.
This is quite a big surprise for Tasha, because during the war between their two sides, she kind of made it her mission to thwart and annoy Kel-Paten as much as she could, so she can't understand why he'd want her and her people on his ship, unless it's for some nefarious purpose.
We soon find out that it's not for any nefarious purpose. Kel-Paten has been madly in love with Tasha for years, since their first encounter, and now that the war is over he's decided to make a last-ditch attempt to get close to her. He knows it won't be easy, especially because he's a bio-cybe -a kind of hybrid between man and machine-, but he needs to try.
Unfortunately, he won't be able to devote all his time only to this project, because events soon intervene. I won't go into all the plot, because there's a lot of it, but among many other things, we get vortices, a former mercenary telepath with a chip implanted in his head by a rogue Triad government agency, someone wanting to kill either Tasha, Kel-Paten or the mercenary, a trip to a strange dimension and a mysterious Bad Thing which has Tasha and her friend Eden's pet furzels very worried.
GoC is a perfect combination of sci-fi adventure and romance. The adventure is well-developed and interesting, with a fully-realized world and a plot that feels fresh. I mentioned there's a lot going on, but the action never gets confusing or feels episodic.
And, at the same time, we get great characters and great romances. Yes, romances, because we get two for the price of one. And not even really a main romance and a secondary one. Both share the spotlight. There's Tasha and Kel-Paten, and there's also Tasha's friend Eden, the doctor, and Jace, the mercenary telepath who has that little problem with the implant in his brain.
I got the feeling Tasha and Kel-Paten were a bit more important, but that might have been because I was much more interested in their romance. Eden and Jace, well, on its own, their story would have been good enough, but next to the other two, it was a bit overshadowed.
It's probably that Tasha and Kel-Paten's relationship seemed to have been tailored especially to my taste. I love virgin heroes and I love it when the hero has been hopelessly in love with the heroine for years and years. Even more, I love still-waters-run-deep heroes, those guys who seem to be cold and unflappable, but who, in reality, are a seething mass of feelings. And as a cybe, Kel-Paten was the ultimate.
I also love seeing heroes like this paired with strong, experienced heroines, and Tasha was all that. She's extremely competent, and a bit older than usual, which was great. Definitely not a low-level officer, terribly impressed by the mythical Admiral Kel-Paten, Tasha's got rank and power on her own, and the confidence of her people.
I also adored the way Sinclair wrote their relationship. When the story starts, Kel-Paten is already completely crazy about Tasha, and he's trying his best to somehow make her see him in a different light, but having trouble making her see him as more than an unemotional machine. His feelings for Tasha are so strong, that they've broken through actual programmed emotional blocks, have actually inspired him to basically hack his own mind and go around those blocks. But it's not easy, because these blocks are still active, and both that and having had them for so long make normal, regular-guy reactions and, say, banter, very hard for him. Add to that a lot of shyness and vulnerability, and getting close to Tasha is pretty much impossible.
But Kel-Paten perseveres and keeps trying, even risking being reported as a mal-functioning cybe (they're not supposed to have feelings, after all). I loved the guy to death, and seeing him struggle was heart-breaking. Every time Tasha unwittingly said something that seemed to indicate she thought of him as nothing more than a robot, I cringed, and when things finally started happening between them, I practically did a happy dance, because he so deserved to be happy.
It takes a huge thing for Tasha to see him differently. It takes her accidentally discovering how HE feels, and I liked how Sinclair showed us the evolution of Tasha's feelings since that moment. It's not a matter of her immediately loving him because she discovers he has feelings for her. No, the discovery simply makes her look at him again, and her feelings move forward from that point, and she has to overcome a huge fear of her own to get to a point in which she can return his feelings.
And as if I needed any more reasons to love this romance, Sinclair makes things better and better. For instance, how about the fact that Kel-Paten has the utmost respect for Tasha and her abilities? He doesn't go all caveman "must protect" on her, doesn't try to shield her from danger, when it's her job to face that danger. Or how about Sinclair's treatment of Tasha's secrets? Tasha has a very hush-hush past as a mercenary, something that could prove disastrous if the Triad were to find out about it, and I half feared we'd get a horrible overreaction when they were finally revealed, but Sinclair took a wholly different tack with that. They're revealed at the precisely right point, and Kel-Paten's reactions are perfect.
The only thing about how Tasha and Kel-Paten were written that wasn't perfectly wonderful was that I would have liked to know more about them. I mean, Sinclair painted them both so well that I felt I knew the people they were now, but I remain very curious about their past, because about that, we get nothing more than what amounts to some very tantalizing hints. Just what is Tasha's story, how did she become Lady Sass, the mercenary? What brought her to that point? Just what happened on Lethant? (I couldn't help but think of Gabriel's Ghost, and the heroine's experiences at the beginning of it)
And Kel-Paten, there's a reference to him having been a perfectly regular human until age 16 (or 17? can't remember exactly), when they turned him into a biocybe, and I somehow got the impression that it wasn't a wholly voluntary process. Just what happened there? Is it related to the other reference we get much later in the book about his being so-and-so's brother? There just seems to be so much story behind these two characters, and I wanted to know more!
Paragraphs and paragraphs, and I still haven't talked about Jace and Eden at all! See what I mean when I say the other two overshadowed them? I might not have paid enough attention to them, really, because in all their scenes, I kept wishing the action would move back to the other romance. Plus, there just wasn't all that much tension there. They fall in love very quickly, and after that, the only thing keeping them apart is the external problems. I was actually more interested in seeing the development of the relationship between Jace and Kel-Paten (they pretty much hate each other at first sight) and the warm friendship between Tasha and Eden.
If not for two things, I would have gone for a straight A with this book. One was that the ending felt a bit rushed. The problem wasn't that we didn't get a "perfect" HEA ending. I mean, we do get a great HEA love relationship-wise, but the situation is not one where these two couples will simply spend their life with no more worries other than loving each other. What's going on around them, in their universe, is still pretty huge, and very much unsettled. I wouldn't be surprised if we got a sequel, maybe with another couple, showing us how this struggle proceeds.
Ok, I got a bit sidetracked here. The thing is, some very huge things happen in the last few pages. Enormous, world-changing things, and I felt they got short-thrift. They were over in about 10 pages of my ebookwise, and that's probably no more than 4 or 5 in a regular paperback. This is a long book (over 500 pages, according to what I see in amazon), so it's not like 20 more pages were going to make a difference, and in this, they were needed.
The second negative... I feel evil for saying it, but those furzels, they were nauseatingly cute. They didn't belong in this very grown-up story, they belonged in a 12-year-old girl's Mary Sue fanfic. I understand the role they played in the plot, and that was great, but their voices needed to be toned down drastically. It's a shame, because they had the potential of being good cute.
But hey, all that wasn't big enough to make even a dent in my enjoyment of this book. Sinclair is an author I'll definitely be watching. I'll also be hoping she's so successful that she can single-handedly create a renaissance in the subgenre of sci-fi romance. Meanwhile, I'll be reading Accidental Goddess, and waiting for her next book to come out.
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>> Monday, March 26, 2007
You met star quarterback Kevin Tucker in This Heart of Mine. Now get ready to meet his shark of an agent, Heath Champion, and Annabelle Granger, the girl least likely to succeed.
Annabelle's endured dead-end jobs, a broken engagement . . . even her hair's a mess! But that's going to change now that she's taken over her late grandmother's matchmaking business. All Annabelle has to do is land the Windy City's hottest bachelor as her client, and she'll be the most sought-after matchmaker in town.
Why does the wealthy, driven, and gorgeous sports agent Heath Champion need a matchmaker, especially a red-haired screw-up like Annabelle Granger? True, she's entertaining, and she does have a certain quirky appeal. But Heath is searching for the ultimate symbol of success -- the perfect wife. And to make an extraordinary match, he needs an extraordinary matchmaker, right?
Soon everyone in Chicago has a stake in the outcome, and a very big question: When the determined matchmaker promised she'd do anything to keep her star client happy . . . did she mean anything? If Annabelle isn't careful, she just might find herself going heart-to-heart with the toughest negotiator in town.
It took me a while to finally read this one. First my sister took it, then a friend (who took it on her honeymoon), then even my mother. By the time it returned, the urgency to read it had abated, and so it took me another month to start it.
I wish I hadn't waited so long. I wish I'd wrested it out of little sister's greedy hands and hid it under the bed. It's that good. No wonder every time mom asks me for a book now, she tells me she wants "something like that Susan Elizabeth Phillips book I borrowed the other time". An A.
The plot is vintage "how the hell will she make this work" SEP. Annabelle Granger has just taken over her late grandmother's matchmaking firm. The company's on the low end of the spectrum and doesn't have a particularly lucrative client base, but in spite of her family's pressure (and there is a lot of it... her whole family consider Annabelle a flighty screw-up and keep trying to get her to be something serious, like a doctor or a lawyer), Annabelle is determined to turn it into a powerhouse business.
Her best plan to do so involves getting herself a high-profile, glamorous client and succeeding in finding him the perfect match, to popular acclaim. Heath Champion seems to be her best bet.
Heath, a sports agent nicknamed The Python for his merciless way, is determined to marry the perfect wife before he turns 35. It's all part of his life plan. Heath has managed to rise from his trailer-trash beginnings, and he wants a wife who will enhance his image, and at the same time, be the perfect mom. I don't think I can remember all the requirements Heath feels his wife must fulfill, because they are myriad. She must be sweet and classy, well-bred and sexy, athletic and submissive, able to cook an impromptu dinner for the kids from scratch and to plan a dinner party for rich guests. And above all, an incredibly attractive woman who idolizes him and thinks he can do no wrong. Yeah, I wanted to bang the guy's head against the wall.
Heath's too busy to look for this wonder himself, so he has hired Chicago's premier matchmaking agency: Power Matches, to find her. When Molly, wife of one of his best clients, Kevin Tucker (both from This Heart of Mine) asks him to listen to a pitch from her friend Annabelle, Heath agrees only to keep her happy. Molly's not just his client's wife, she's also the sister of the owner of the Chicago Stars (Phoebe, from It Had To Be You), who absolutely hates Heath, so he's very interested in keeping her happy.
He doesn't plan to do much more than give this Annabelle Granger five minutes of his time, so he's very surprised when she manages to manouver him into giving her a shot. She'll get the chance to do one introduction, and only if her candidate is outstanding (and Heath really doesn't expect her to be), she'll get Heath as a client. Heath is astounded when the woman Annabelle comes up with is outstanding, and so he ends up signing on with her. And they start spending more and more time together as she tries to find him the perfect wife.
I give SEP chances I wouldn't give to other authors. Her books never sound like something I like, and yet, I know I'll like them, so I just ignore any apprehensive feelings and buy them. And when I start the books, I always start out disliking her heroes intensely, and yet I keep on reading, knowing the feeling will go away and I'll love them to pieces. It's all about trust.
And I needed a lot of trust here, because Heath starts out really, really dense. Forget about banging his head against the wall; I wanted to strangle him. But this first impression slowly changed, and I ended up really, really liking the man. Not that I didn't enjoy the way SEP drags him through hell before he can get Annabelle, but by the end of the book, I understood where his misguided ideal woman came from, and I was willing to forgive him for his denseness (especially because he fully realized he'd been dense).
I had no mixed feelings about Annabelle; I liked her from the very first. She's funny and smart and warm-hearted and I liked that she didn't let Heath walk all over her (quite an accomplishment, because he's naturally very dominating). She's also very much a SEP heroine, in that she's unappreciated by all those around her but ends up understanding her own worth.
Speaking of that, one of my favourite scenes was the one at Annabelle's birthday dinner party, because it turned what I felt about her relationship with her family on its head. I was totally expecting a scene in which Heath would defend her against her family's bullying and excessive pressure, but then SEP showed us what their relationship looked like from Heath's point of view, and damned if he didn't have a point.
A big part of the book's charm was its fully realized and extremely entertaining secondary characters. This is part of her football series, so obviously, there are a lot of football players around, and I liked that there is not that much romantization of them. All right, they're all really sweet guys, apparently, for all their arrogance and sense of entitlement, but it seems SEP's got her eyes wide open about them. I loved the scene in which Heath is going on about how his poor clients are being taken advantage of by those awful gold diggers, who sometimes even get *gasp* pregnant on purpose, and Annabelle asks him: which poor guys? The ones who go *you*, *you* and *you* on the hotel lobby, and then when they get to the room start explaining all the reasons why they won't wear condoms? Right on, Annabelle! See what I meant when I said she's not afraid of standing her ground with him?
In addition to those football players (including the to-die-for Dean Robillard, the hero of the next book, which I'll probably also be reviewing this week), the characters of SEP's other related books are a big part of the plot. I'm never happy when an author parades her older characters around just to show us how deliriously happy they are, but this wasn't like that at all. Phoebe and Molly and Kevin and Dan and the rest of them play an important role here, and they never felt extraneous. On the contrary, I felt they added a lot to the book (and I loved Heath's run-ins with Molly's daughter. Hah!)
Oh, and there's also a secondary romance, between Portia Powers, the owner of Power Matches, Annabelle's rival agency, and Heath's rough-looking chauffer and good friend. Portia is a fascinating character. She's portrayed like super-bitch, and she really does act like it (those weekly weigh-ins she had at her company, anyone?), but I could see the twisted logic and the good intentions behind what she was trying to do, and I just wish SEP hadn't brought her down so completely before she got her HEA.
But that's a small complaint, compared to how much I loved everything else in the book. Just thinking about it now, I'm wearing a huge grin. This was a book I didn't want to end, and there's no better compliment than that!
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>> Friday, March 23, 2007
Ok, next week, to show Cindy why I'm not in a slump, I'll be talking only about the great books I've recently read, but to end this week, another of the blahs: Ever Yours, by Gabriella Anderson.
Could a letter change her life?
Ivy St Clair doesn't think so, but she's certain that the missive from eccentric Lord Stanhope, who has named her as one of his heirs, will at least provide adventure. And adventure is the one thing sure to be missing from her life when she marries Neville Foxworthy as her family expects her to do.
To inherit from Stanhope, she must deliver a portrait to reclusive Auburn Seaton, Earl of Tamberlake. No one has seen the man, badly injured in a carriage accident, for more than five years. But Tamberlake's scars are far less interesting than his melancholy, and Tamberlake himself--gentle, kind, and dangerously appealing--is everything her distasteful fiance is not. Before long Ivy realizes that the unlikely friendship they find together has deepened into the kind of love she will risk name and fortune to claim...
I've lost count of how many times I've said this recently: this book started out well enough, but after a while, it completely derailed. The main problem here was a conflict that didn't convince me. A C-.
Lady Ivy St. Clair is very surprised to receive a bequest from a man she's never met, her mother's former suitor, Lord Stanhope. Because of his fond memories of her mother, Stanhope has left her a house of her own and some money, but only if she'll perform a small service for him. She must go to Wales and deliver a package to the Earl of Tamberlake.
Ivy has recently succumbed to her father's pressure to marry, but she manages to convince her parents to allow her to have this last adventure before her betrothal is announced. And so, she sets off with her brother and Lord Stanhope's former housekeeper, who'll act as a companion.
The Earl of Tamberlake has been a recluse since the carriage accident that disfigured his face, and the sudden appearance of Lady Ivy and her companions is not a pleasant surprise. And even less pleasant is that the package Ivy brings is a portrait of him before his accident.
But Ivy seems to be different from other women. For starters, she doesn't seem to be repulsed by his appearance. A carriage breakdown forces Ivy and her party to stay in Tamberlake's house for a while longer, and as they spend some time together, she even appears to be attracted to him. But Ivy has promised to marry her fiancé, and she's not one to make a promise lightly. And then her fiancé suddenly appears to bring her back to town...
The first part was basically all right, a nice "Beauty and the Beast" story. Ivy and Tamberlake connect nicely and I bought that they'd fall in love. Both are interestingly-drawn characters, and likeable enough, and I liked how Tamberlake was so gruff on the outside and so obviously a marshmallow on the inside.
However, after the first 150 or so pages, we get what to me was basically a fake conflict. Ivy is in love with Tamberlake, Tamberlake is in love with Ivy, and they both know it (or at least, know that the other would like nothing more than a marriage between them).
But there are still 170 more pages to go, and there needs to be conflict. Sure, ok. Problem is, the way the conflict was created involved making the characters behave like fools, especially Ivy. She loves Tamberlake and he actually told her that he's in danger of losing his heart to her and that it might even be too late already. She dislikes her fiancé and even thinks badly of him for his unkind comments about Tamberlake. The only reason she agreed to marry him was because her father told her to, and she's well aware that her father is a selfish lout and cares nothing for her. She doesn't even appear to particularly care for her father. So what the hell is the problem? "Oh, I said I'd marry him and my father has already announced the betrothal" just doesn't cut it, when she doesn't care a whit about society's opinions and marrying an incredibly rich Earl would obviously fix any scandal that would be generated. Ivy needed to grow a spine, fast.
And Tamberlake doesn't get off scot-free. He's got the perfect way of convincing Ivy to change her mind about marrying her fiancé, because he knows a huge secret about him, and he doesn't use it, for no reason. Instead, he runs around for weeks making things extremely hard for Ivy, apparently not caring that he's creating a situation in which she'll get immense pressure and disapproval from her father.
And it wasn't just this that I found unconvincing. I thought most of the characters' motivations were iffy. Ivy's father is a cartoon, and I never understood why he was so adamant about Ivy marrying her fiancé. And what about Stanhope? Why is he so insistent on matchmaking between Ivy and Tamberlake? (don't tell me it's not obvious from the very first that this is what he's doing). He doesn't really know her, how does he know she won't take a look at his face and be repelled?
Of course, all this isn't enough to carry that many pages, so we get The Other Woman bent on mischief and a booooring suspense subplot about someone wanting to kill them.
Anderson voice is nice and smooth, but her story... not so much.
Read more...
>> Thursday, March 22, 2007
After I'd had the cover of A Most Suitable Duchess, by Patricia Bray on my sidebar for a few days, jmc emailed me wondering if she was seeing correctly. Since not everyone is as eagle-eyed as she is, click here to see a larger version of the cover, and read the title carefully.
I've checked the actual book and the title is fine there, so I wonder where that image came from (obviously, I didn't scan it. I just searched for it with google images). Is it someone's idea of a joke? I don't think this book had more than one printing, so it can't have been fixed in the reissue. Just strange.
Marcus Heywood, the new Duke of Torringford, must take a wife in three weeks or lose the country estate he's unexpectedly inherited. But how can he possibly find a suitable mate in so short a time? His brother, Reginald, suggests an advertisement in the papers, something Marcus refuses to consider, until a wine-fueled evening when he pens one in jest. Now, in a horrible mix-up, the ad has been printed and Marcus is mortified. Yet a week later, he is no closer to being wed than before. That's when the lovely Miss Penelope Hastings suddenly enters his life and his heart.
A Spinster Longing For Love
At one and twenty, Penelope's spinsterhood seems onfirmed; she'll never find a man she can marry. But her half-brother thinks otherwise. Without her knowledge, he answers the Duke of Torringford's advertisement for a wife and signs her name to it. When an announcement of her upcoming wedding to the Duke appears in the papers, Penelope knows she must take her place as his wife, or her honor will be ruined. But it will be a marriage in name only, that she's sure of; until the handsome good looks and warm smile of her new husband make her heart pound in a most unsettling way...
Best word for this book is "pleasant". Bray has a smooth style of writing and the book is very readable. It's got some very nice touches, but it's not particularly excellent or exciting, just... pleasant. Since it was just what I was wanting to read at the time, and it hit the spot perfectly, I'm giving it a B-.
Marcus Heywood has unexpectedly inherited a dukedom, after everyone else who was in line for it managed to pass away. Unfortunately, though, to inherit all the unentailed wealth that would come with the title, Marcus needs to be married before he turns 30... in barely a month.
Marcus is perfectly happy with his placid life in his farm, so he wouldn't mind passing on the inheritance. He intends to do just that, until he finds out that the former heir borrowed heavily against his prospects. This guy, BTW, was the reason for the "must be married by 30" clause... the old duke thought he was an irresponsible twit and that marriage would steady him. He had no idea that the guy who'd ultimately inherit would be as steady as Marcus.
Anyway, Marcus' overdeveloped honor just won't let him ignore those debts, but there's no way he can pay them on his normal income. Ergo, he'll need to claim that inheritance; ergo, he'll need to get married quickly. But.. who to marry, and so fast? Talking with his brother, they joke about how easy it would be if he could simply put an ad in the paper for candidates to the post of duchess, the same way they're advertising for a kennelmaster for Marcus' estate. They even write a mock ad with the attributes this duchess should possess.
A few days later, Marcus is horrified to discover that his brother took the wrong piece of paper to the newpapers, and everyone is talking about that crass new Duke of Torringford, who's advertising for a wife. He's even got a pile of replies, and since he's no closer to finding a wife on his own, he's persuaded to actually meet with the most likely candidates.
One of those candidates is Penelope Hastings, but she wasn't the one who answered the ad. It wasn't her brother, either, as it says on the back cover, but her brother's jealous fiancée. Penelope meets with the duke thinking he called her to talk about a contribution to one of the societies she's a member of, and is stunned to discover what has happened. She explains, Marcus explains, she politely refuses to consider any possibility of marriage, and leaves.
But oops! Everyone's seen her come out of his office, and rumours start flying that she was one of those trashy women who answered the ad. As a result, her nitwit of a brother, spurred on by the mean fiancée, gives her an ultimatum: either go through with the marriage, or retire to the middle of nowhere.
Penelope, a total city girl and no nitwit herself, goes for the marriage, and so she and Marcus begin what's a very classic marriage of convenience.
As you can see from my description, the whole book is based on a chain of errors and jokes and mean people behaving meanly, but there are no big misunderstandings, and that was something I loved about how Bray set things up. Penelope and Marcus actually talk to each other and quickly set things straight, going into their marriage understanding the circumstances perfectly.
They are both quite interesting characters, too. City-girl Penelope has quite a full live, with plenty of good friends and lots of different interests. She's not a social butterfly, but she makes the most of living in Edinburgh, participating in a bunch of societies. She's smart and sensible, and a pretty well-drawn character, with her own very individual flaws. For instance, Penelope has a bit of a sharp tongue. She doesn't tolerate any impertinence with the Torringford servants, who at first are predisposed to think badly of her and the new duke, and she doesn't like it when her friends try to gently remonstrate with her for something she does. It's definitely a fault, but one that makes her more distinct and human, and I liked her more for having it.
As for Marcus, he's very much the country gentleman, who just lives for his farm and his crops and his dogs. He's uncomfortable in his new role as duke and really wishes he could just ignore all this nonsense and continue with his comfortable life.
I liked seeing the slow development of their relationship, with their increasing fondness for each other and growing physical attraction. On this subject, I must mention that the door is banged on the reader's face during the sex scenes. Usually, I tend to prefer to actually see the sex (yeah, prurient interest, but not just that. Sex scenes can tell you a lot about characters and their relationship, if done right), but in this case, there wasn't any particularly hot chemistry going on, so I don't know. Maybe instead of going through the motions of a love scene just for the sake of a love scene, better to just skip it and be told they enjoyed themselves very much.
In this area we get the only misunderstanding in the book. Or rather, I don't know if I should call it a misunderstanding. What happens is that when it comes to their feelings, both think the other is happy with the original agreement of a marriage that's purely of convenience, while the reality is that both have fallen in love. But it's, well, such an understandable misunderstanding, and one true to their personalities and relationship. It makes sense that neither of them would feel comfortable going out on a limb and expressing their innermost feelings, and it's completely in-character for both that they prefer to wait and see. And anyway, this doesn't go on for an excessively long time.
As pleasant as this book was, it still had a couple of problems and annoyances. Near the end, a subplot develops about Penelope's former suitor reappearing. The guy is obviously up to no good, etc., etc. This was very uninteresting and came completely out of the blue, but I did like how it was solved, with complete honesty between Marcus and Penelope.
Something else I wasn't completely convinced by was about how Marcus and Penelope are supposed to be passionately in love. Hmmm. I just didn't see that much passion there. It looked more like great fondness and being best friends, but I guess it could have been simply a quiet, warm love. Still, not wholly convincing.
Finally, there's the issue of just how and where they will live that is left a bit hanging. All throughout the book, Penelope is presented as loving life in the city. As I said, she's not one for lavish balls and parties, but she does like having culture and sophisticated company nearby. Marcus, on the other hand, obviously hates the city. So once their feelings are expressed and seen to be returned, and they decide to have a true love marriage, what happens? How do they live? My impression is that they're living in Torringford, but what about Penelope? I'm willing to assume that Marcus will spend some time with her in the city, but it's not stated, and all I'm basing my assumption on is a feeling that Marcus is a decent man, so surely he'll be willing to spend some time there so that Penelope will have what she so loves at least a few months every year.
>> Wednesday, March 21, 2007
One of these challenging invitations is accepted by Jarrett, Lord Dering, a family outcast who lives by his own rules...the other by Kate Falshaw, a high-tempered actress on the run from a scandalous past. The exclusive resort promises to fulfill every desire, but beneath the glittering surface deadly games are in play...
Jarrett and Kate, with nothing in common and nothing to lose, are forced into a dangerous alliance against a powerful enemy. But the daring masquerade that hides their true purpose also sets them on a journey of self- discovery. When Kate's antagonism yields to Jarrett's seductive charm, the unexpected passion engulfs them both. Jarrett longs to understand the secrets of his tormented and beautiful new companion.
And as the two work their way into the dark heart of Paradise, through its perils and mysteries, they discover that Kate's own past could prove to be the gravest threat of all.
Well, Kerstan can definitely write, but the story she tells has an unconvincing, cliché-ridden plot and characters I never particularly cared about. A C-.
Jarrett, Lord Dering is barely surviving by gambling in the London hells and clubs, when he receives a mysterious summons. "You are summoned, for your failures, your guilt, and your debts ... ", the letter starts, and it introduces him to the members of the mysterious Black Phoenix society, devoted to righting wrongs the authorities can do nothing about.
Through a mix of pressure and bribes and mild threats, Jarrett is recruited by the Black Phoenix into undertaking a dangerous mission. He's to spend some time at Paradise, an infamous resort which caters to rich noblemen's every whim, no matter how decadent. Another Black Phoenix operative will contact him, there, and together, they're supposed to investigate a series of crimes.
The other Black Phoenix operative is former actress Kate Falshaw, who's been performing in Paradise as the exotic gypsy dancer Gaetana. It just so happens that the resort owner has given Kate an ultimatum: if she wants to keep working at the resort, she'll have to make her sexual attentions available to the guests in an auction. Just dancing doesn't cut it any more, because the clients have began to complain that Paradise's promise that everything can be had, for a price, is not being fulfilled.
Kate decides to kill two birds with one stone. She needs to be able spend time with Jarrett unsuspected, so to do so, while at the same time saving herself from the owner's demands, she creates a complicated charade. Her plan involves her humiliating Jarrett on their first meeting, so that this not-particularly-rich guy will be able to win the auction because his fellow noblemen will relish seeing the proud Gaetana demeaned and owned by the very man she was so uppity with.
The plan works, and so Kate and Jarrett find themselves working together to accomplish their mission, while having to keep up the public appearance of the sexually-charged roles they're playing.
The set-up of DD asks for a huge suspension of disbelief from the get-go, and I'm afraid it never fully got it from me. The whole concept of the Black Phoenix society felt suspect. Even worse, I might have accepted it if it had appealed to me in some way, but I didn't find the idea of such an organization intriguing in the least. I'd even go as far as to call it contrived and silly. I didn't much like them, actually. Yes, they are against evil, and everything, but what right do they have to go around judging people and deciding that their "sins" merit that they should risk their lives doing their dirty work?
I also never saw why Jarret and Kate would volunteer for those plans. For your guilt, for your sins, for your debts? (paraphrasing here). Oh, please. Ok, Jarret does say something about being bored and accepting for that reason and for the money he'd get, but Kate? No reason I can see for her to do so, except for a martyr complex, and absolutely no reason for the Black Phoenix to use her and make her do what they were ready to make her do.
When Jarrett arrives at Paradise, that got another groan from me. Yeah, yeah, another Hellfire Club-type plot. Can we move on, please?
Maybe if the romance had been good, I would have been able to overlook the dubious plot, but it wasn't. I didn't feel any real fondness and not even much real attraction between Kate and Jarrett. And what attraction there was was tainted by the seedy feel of the roles they were acting, of dissipated rake and his sexual plaything. I guess that might have felt piquant, if done right, but it felt dirty instead. The humiliation Kate was feeling in some of those situations was too real for me to enjoy most scenes.
And yet another annoyance: the last 80 pages felt tacked on. They take place after the events in Paradise and after all danger emanating from it is over, and they were just not organic to the book. I was very puzzled by all the new characters coming out of the woodwork and the unnecessarily complex plans to fix Kate's past. Maybe it's a way of introducing characters who'll star in the next book in the series, but I really don't think I'll be looking for that one.
Read more...
When Rachel had offered to help Matthew Riordan undress after a party her intentions had been purely innocent. She'd been trying to avoid a scandal -- instead, she found herself being blackmailed!
Yet, Matthew oozed sex appeal. He simply didn't need to blackmail Rachel into his bed! Or was this some kind of revenge plan because Rachel had clashed with him over a business deal? Matthew certainly wanted Rachel as his mistress. But was he driven by desire -- or deception?
Hmm, what a quandary. It seems a shame to give away this book's plot, because part of the fun at the beginning is discovering what the hell is going on. But if I don't say anything, people will assume that the back cover copy actually describes what happens, and that couldn't be farther from the truth.
Ok, just forget that awful title and back cover copy, at least the second paragraph. What mistress? What blackmailing into his bed and into being his mistress? What clash over a business deal? All come only from the fertile mind of whoever writes these things at Harlequin.
To give you a very vague idea of the plot, it involves apparently compromising photos of a situation that was actually perfectly innocent. Someone is trying to cause trouble with them, and at first, Matthew thinks Rachel is trying to blackmail him, while Rachel thinks it's exactly the opposite. And while trying to straighten out the situation, they end up falling in love.
It doesn't sound particularly interesting, but what makes the book good is that the characters have a high degree of individuality. They and, especially, their history have plenty of quirks that make them different from the usual.
And in Matthew's case, there's something very remarkable. It would be a spoiler to say, so just highlight the following if you want to know:
[[What we have here, ladies and gentlemen, is a virgin widower. Yep, you read that right, a virgin widowER; Matt, not Rachel is the virgin, and I completely bought the explanation of why he was one. Napier reveals this at just the right point, too, and like it happened in the other one of her books with a virgin hero, it made me rethink some of the previous scenes and go "ahhh, now I understand!"]]
Anyway, this was one of the better Napiers that I've read. The characters are interesting, the plot is pretty good and there's plenty of chemistry and steam. A B.
Now, No Reprieve, from almost 10 years earlier, was a very different book.
Seven faced a real problem
It didn't really matter to the quiet librarian that her Aunt Jane had become Madam Zoe, medium and spiritualist. Nor that she often enlisted Seven's aid.
But that was before Jake Jackson's mother wanted Madam Zoe to trace her missing grandchild. Jake, editor and owner of a crusading newspaper, wanted no part in their plan.
Seven knew that any future she dreamed of with Jake was in jeopardy. Trying to extricate Aunt Jane while maintaining her own anonymity was going to be next to impossible. Especially when this forceful abrasive man turn up at every corner...
For starters, No Reprieve (I started to write "NR", but that will forever be "Nora Roberts" to me) has much more of a plot, and it's one that could have been excellent, if done right.
The heroine, Seven, is psychic, but for years, she's been trying to block out the outside world. She doesn't read the paper, or watch TV, or do anything that might trigger her visions. One day, while throwing away some years-old newspapers in her Aunt Jane's house, she sees a photo of a missing child, and gets a flash telling her that the girl is just fine. Seven isn't particularly bothered by this vision because she assumes that since she got this particular feeling, it means the case was resolved favourably. She mentions it to her aunt, and leaves it at that.
Aunt Jane, however, doesn't leave it at that. She checks it out, and discovers the girl is still missing. So what does she do? Well, that stupid old bitch has been pretending to be a psychic, using Seven's occasional comments. So she goes to the girl's grandmother and tells her she had this vision of her child and asks her for money to help find little Rebecca. And when the girl's father, who turns out to be this cynical tabloid owner, finds out, the shit really hits the fan.
This could have been really good, because both Seven and Jake are interesting characters (quite individual, just as Rachel and Matthew in the book above) and the plot had potential. However...
For a book that has at its heart the search for a missing little girl, the book is weirdly not about the efforts to do so. Seven's actions to find Rebecca are very unfocused. I kept wondering why she didn't try harder. For instance, we discover after a while that being in the girl's former room might trigger visions. And yet she doesn't do this until days after she becomes involved in the case. Both she and Jake seem curiously leisurely about the whole thing.
And then there's Aunt Jane. I HATED her, I truly did. I thought she should be shot for her cruelty and the way she courted publicity no matter what the consequences to Jake and his mother and to Seven. She seemed like a child in her selfishness and her lack of concern about the consequences of her actions, and yet, though Seven and Jake did disapprove of her behaviour, they seemed to find it, at worst, mildly reprehensible.
>> Monday, March 19, 2007
From This Day is a very early book from one of my favourite authors, Nora Roberts. It's from 1983, and the "Other books by this author" page has only 6 other titles, so she must have been a real newbie back then!
An Unexpected Dilemma
When B.J. Clark, the young and pretty manager of the Lakeside Inn, met the new owner, Taylor Reynolds, she was fully prepared to dislike him. For she feared -with good reason- that he planned to transform her sleepy old hotel into a resort for jet-setters.
That sparks should fly between them was inevitable. But that these should be fanned by a mutual passion was not in her plans. Against all reason, B.J. found herself torn between her professional antagonistm and her growing attraction to the man she had sworn to despise.
It's been a while since I've done one of these, so follow me as I read From This Day....
pg 27 - This is one of those "heroine against modernity" books. BJ is the manager of the old-fashioned Lakeside Inn, in Vermont, and Taylor Reynolds is the new owner, who wants to modernize it. Conflicts ensue (how's that for a concise summary? I'm getting better!)
It's been only a few pages, and BJ is already driving me crazy. It's been a while since I've seen a more childish, narrow-minded, judgemental, unprofessional heroine. One of her arguments not to make a few changes to the inn? "I don't want any plastic surgery on my inn". And her retort to Taylor's reminder that he is the owner, so he does have the right to make those changes, and as the manager, the final decision is not hers? Does she make a calm argument about why as the manager, she's the one who knows the inn best and so he should listen to her thoughts? Nope, when told that her position as manager does not entitle her to a vote, she cries "Your position as owner doesn't entitle you to brains!" Real professional, that.
Fortunately for the idiot woman, Taylor is a smart guy and recognizes that she might have something valuable to say, so he ignores the little temper tantrum.
pg 36 - Oh, give me a break! She's watching a horror movie, Taylor shows up, and the twit literally throws herself into his arms in fright at the monster... twice! Mindbending. He's your boss, you idiot! And of course, here we start with the inappropriate kisses.
pg 45 - Finally, finally, BJ starts behaving a little more professionally and giving some real arguments against turning the inn into a resort. About time!
BTW, so far, no hero's POV. Do we get any? I don't want to spend all the book in BJ's mind!
pg 61 - This is the kind of book where the heroine's mind turns to putty the minute the hero puts his hands on her, no matter how much she tells herself she despises him. Sigh.
pg 91 - Half the book is over, and all I know about Taylor is that he owns the inn, drives a Mercedes, is a bit imperious and is attracted to BJ (for some unfathomable reason). Oh, and he kisses well, though BJ is (of course!) a virgin, and doesn't really have much basis for comparison. Nothing else. Pretty flat characterization, so far.
pg 93 - Oh, fuck it. Just what was missing, the evil other woman, miles more sophisticated than BJ. Ah, and she behaves towards Taylor, her boss, in a way that obviously suggests that there's more than business between them... not that Taylor seems to notice, of course. These old-style heroes always were pretty oblivious to the Evil Other Women's machinations. I'm so looking forward to see BJ feel jealous and make even more of an ass of herself... not!
pg 106 - Ahh, now she cries. I knew she'd do so at some point.
pg 140 - We're now in Palm Beach, where Taylor has taken BJ with him to show her how his other hotels are run. Blah. And I still know nothing about Taylor other than what I mentioned already.
p 180 - "We're getting married, we will live in this house here, your mother is sending me your birth certificate so that you can get a passport, so we can fly to Rome in a couple of weeks." Whaaa?? Out of the blue, much? Yeah, imperious is an understatement for this guy (who I still don't know, BTW).
p 186 - The end. This was BAD. Stupid conflict, a twit of a heroine, a cardboard hero and no chemistry whatsoever. Nora Roberts has really come an incredibly long way from this. Unfortunately, this early effort rates only a D+.
Read more...
>> Friday, March 16, 2007
I've accumulated piles and piles of Harlequins in my TBR, but in this "tame the TBR" project I'm working on, I've kind of been avoiding them in favour of single titles. I'm consciously going to be trying to read more of them from now on. First up: Trick Me, Treat Me (excerpt), by Leslie Kelly.
HIS TRICK... After spending more than a year overseas doing research, true crime writer Jared Winchester is dying for some excitement. So when he receives an invitation to a party his first night back—an in-character Halloween party, at that—he decides to go for it. For one night he’ll be secret agent Miles Stone. Too bad he doesn’t know that the party already took place—last year. Or that one certain woman will find secret-agent men irresistible…
...WILL BE HER TREAT!
Gwen Compton is tired of playing it safe. For months she’s thrown all her energy into turning an old haunted house into a bed-and-breakfast. Now it’s Halloween. The inn is ready…and so is Gwen! She’s going to find herself a man—a dangerous man, an exciting man! And she doesn’t have to look very far….. Late that night she discovers a dark, sexy stranger in the kitchen. He says he’s on a secret mission. But Gwen has other thrills in store for him….
This one was hard to grade. I was thinking a C+, but its charm and fun factor raise it to a B-.
The plot sounds crazy and wacky, like the author just threw everything in but the kitchen sink. We've got ghosts and gangsters and amnesia and mistaken identity and old family secrets, not to mention a spooky, gothic-sounding old house.
It's like this: Jared Winchester is a true-crime writer who's just returned home after spending over a year abroad, doing research for his next book. One of the first things he sees when he gets back is a Halloween invitation from his cousin. Cousin Mickey is organizing a pretty unique bash: a role-playing weekend in the scary house he and Jared were fascinated by as kids. It sounds like fun, and Jared needs some light-hearted amusement after his intense past year, so he decides to go. Plus, he hasn't been in his hometown for a while, so he's overdue for a visit, anyway.
But here's the thing: Jared's mail service sucks, and the invitation he got was actually for the previous Halloween. In the year since, Gwen Compton and her aunt, Hildy, have turned the old Marsden place into a gangster-themed inn. This Halloween weekend is their grand opening, just in time to take advantage of the house's reputation for ghostly activity.
Obviously, Jared has no idea of this, and when arrives in the middle of the night, fully characterized as secret agent Miles Stone (and this is one elaborate role-playing party... Jared's got a complex mission and plenty of props, from a fake weapon to fake IDs), and meets a lovely young woman in the kitchen (and wearing a sexy nightgown, too!), he thinks she's role-playing, just like he is.
Gwen is startled when a strange man suddenly appears in her kitchen (she's not used to having guests all over the place yet), but that's nothing next to her alarm when he reveals he's a secret agent, going after an international arms dealer who's staying at her inn. It sounds like a wild tale, but the man has ID and plenty of proof, including official-looking documents.
But things get weirder still, when light flirting leads to a kiss, and Aunt Hildy comes into the kitchen and sees this stranger seemingly attacking her niece. Auntie is carrying a bag with rolled pennies, which she puts to good use by hitting the guy over the head and putting him out cold.
And guess what ensues? Why, yes, amnesia! When Jared wakes up, he has no idea who he is, and so Gwen helpfully brings him up to date: he's agent Miles Stone, in a mission to catch an arms dealer. The same evidence that convinced Gwen of the story's authenticity convinces Jared, as well, and off they go, trying to catch the dealer together and falling in love in the process.
Yes, it sounds ridiculous, but surprisingly, I thought it read much more plausible than a simple description would suggest. Well, not exactly plausible, but at least it doesn't depend on the characters acting like morons. Gwen and Jared act like normal people would ask if they were stuck in this unlikely, crazy situation. Maybe slightly gullible normal people, but at least their emotions ring true, especially Gwen, whose current sedate life has had her yearning for some excitement. Oh, and I especially liked that Jared comes clean with Gwen as soon as he gets his memory back, even though he's worried she might not be as interested in a boring writer as she was in an exciting secret agent.
Both of them are likeable characters, and there's some very nice chemistry between them. And not just chemistry, they seem to like each other very much and enjoy spending time together, so I bought that a relationship would develop between them, in time. In time, I say, because what I didn't buy was that they'd be "in love" after this one very crazy weekend. The book would have worked better if the HEA had simply been Jared and Gwen deciding they had a nice beginning of a relationship and were going to be seeing what developed.
But well, this is just light fun. No deep issues or characterization, but a nice way of spending a couple of hours.
Read more...
...This is less a review of the book as a whole, than a review of parts. There was a lot going on in Lover Revealed and I realize that the romance between Butch and Marissa, in hindsight sort of takes the back seat to my impressions of the other plot elements. Nevertheless, I give it a B+ too.
Butch And Marissa
I think JR Ward deserves a gold star. Or a governmental investigation for mind control, LOL! Like Rosario, I wasn't interested AT ALL in this book. I didn't think there was anything remotely interesting about a whiny, boozing, depressed has-been cop and a sheltered, ex-Queen, society princess. Not to mention the fact that both were to a certain extent the dumpees from Dark Lover. No, I was going to read the book for Vishous insights and more Rhevenge/The Reverend. And maybe some John Matthew.
Boy was I ever wrong. Though I still had my doubts, I ended up enjoying all the story lines in this installement, including the main romance.
If that guy had been any more crazy in love with Marissa, he'd have been locked up. And the resolution was very much in JR Ward style so I was only mildly annoyed. Though, to be fair, she did hint at something like that in the previous book.
I also couldn't help thinking about Harry Potter, especially when the side-effects of the Omega's gift kick into action.
Marissa is definitely the breakthrough character here since her transformation is purely internal. Not only is she conscious of vampire females lesser status, but she decides she won't put up with it. Paranormal female empowerement at it's best. If there hadn't been the whole century-old virgin thing, I'd have voted M as Council leahdyre.
The theme
Call me Decontruction Girl but I think LR's theme is acceptance. Personal acceptance but also social acceptance. Actually, one can't happen without the other. I also believe the titles give away the plot. Butch was in between two worlds, the human and the vampire. His inadequacy issues, as we learn later in the book, take their roots in his family history. Marissa isn't exempt of her own self-esteem issues, particularly since she's ostracized by the Glymera since Wrath's repudiation. We also meet other misfits, of sorts : Vishous, John Matthew, Payne, Rehvenge/Reverend.
The Love Quadrangle
Each book seems to feature a love/lust triangle of sorts and in this one, it's even a love quadrangle. There are two people who, consciously or not, don't want want Bush and Marissa to get together: Rehvenge, who loves Marissa but knows his two Big Secrets can never make him an acceptable companion for her; and Haverswho's obviously not over Wrath's rejection of Marissa and who can't even conceive of his sister hooking up with a mere human of questionable origin.
New Characters/Aspects
We're introduced to new vampires in this book and the one I love the most is Xhex (visually painful spelling is still a problem for me). A kick-ass female who sounds like a dom. She's officially made my list of characters to watch. She's portrayed as a strong working woman, with an equally strong sexuality. I wonder what kind of hero wil l be worthy of her trust, caring and loyalty. And of her secret.
Speculation time: How cool and seemingly inappropriate would it be if Havers was paired with her? (Rosario says: yep, Arielle was the friend I mentioned who suggested the idea to me). Seriously, she lives on the fringe, a victime of an unfair and rigid society while he's never had to question (until his sister's adventures, anyway) whether or not he belongs. IMO, this bad girl and that good boy are made for each other. And I bet it's going to be kinky as hell...
The Glymera
We get to see more or the Glymera and it ain't pretty. Definitely inspired by the Regency Ton. Elitist, priviledged and very rigid. With the changes slowly but surely being initiated since bk 1, it's going to get ugly when the shit hits the fan. I also wonder about this Princeps Council.
Obviously, the Lessers are getting more daring and violent and yet the PC's decision regarding sehclusion seemed...stupid. Hello, you guys are getting killed left and right and the master plan is locking up the womenfolk? These people need a little revolution to get the blood flowing in their brains again.
Training Camp
Vampire Boot Camp is also fun to see. And John Matthew, baby, I'm sooo in love. I can't wait so see his transition, first feeding etc. So many questions: how many of his classmates will die during transition or even their first fight? Will JM use a Chosen? Also can't wait to see how he works out his problems with Draco...I mean Lash (another HP moment, folks). Blaylock, on the other hand, seems to be set up as the best friend / sidekick. Hope he doesn't die.
My New Boy Toys
The two men I'm dying for: Rehvenge and Vishous. Rehvenge/Rehverend, is that going to be explosive or not? I just know he's going to fall for a Glymera Girl. Unless she's human. But I know it's going to be hot and dangerous. And that's just his sex life, LOL! The tight rope of his double-life is sure to make for a compelling future book. I'm also really interested in discovering the full extent of his sympaths abilities. What can he do when he's not drugged up?
As for V, I'm more intrigued than ever. Thank God his book is coming soon. Anybody read the sneak peek on the boards? I just knew it was something like that. I'm happy I was right. (Rosario says: What, what? I don't go on the boards, what's on the sneak peek?)
JR Ward might have said in her AAR interview that she doesn't plan the sensuality level beforehand but there is no doubt that both these guys are going to have very hot books.
What I didn't like
Since writing the first draft of this, I've reread this book and now have time to stop and think about the cons. And definitely, this couple is not equal in treatment in the book. Marissa is more interesting to me in her development than Butch. I also felt, as my friend Helga put it, that the romance just didn't shine. And, contrary to some people I know, I thought the first make-out scene in the hospital was a little yucky, especially the, euh, conclusion. (Rosario says: er, I think someone's talking about me...)
For the most part, the other stories overshadowed B&M's romance for me. Even the Lessers were more interesting for me to read about this time around. I like the prophecy angle but not very much the treatment. It seemed this centuries old prophecy was understood a little too quickly. Still, jumping from one story to the next was distracting, especially where B&M are concerned.
Havers was such a jerk in this book, I wanted to bitchslap him, several times. And yet I still like him. I'm sticking with my prediction that Xhex is the girl for him. He's also one of the few civilians we actually do see in their daily lives. I'm pretty sure JR Ward is going to move the focus more and more towards the rest of Vampyre society, and not just the Brotherhood. I can't wait. Even in this book, the Brothers seem to live outside of their society, and more so the females. I might want a Brother (or two or three) but I sure don't want to be his female if it means some Council can just lock me up at will.
Like Ro said, I'm also pretty sure she will tone down V's sexual preferences. I thought Butch and V had great chemistry together but her fans are against homosexual Brothers and so that's not the nature of these two characters relationship. I feel like she's closed the chapter on the strangely sexual vibe between these two, and frankly I'm going to miss it. It was hot. Together, these guys were hot. And totally dug the BDSM, and that was a surprise to me, LOL!
But the one WTF? moment I had was with Butch's sister. Ok, I get it we needed backstory AND confirmation but did we really need the sister so much? I was hoping he'd go visit her or the mom at dusk and the truth would come out or something. Or, as my friend Heidi said, I thought she was going to be killed. Instead she gets all these pages. Utterly superfluous, IMO.
That said, LR whetted my appetite for V's book and Rehvenge's book. And John Matthew and Phury and Thor (where is that man, anyway?). I read it's an open-ended series now, and that sounds scary. I don't want to get bored with this series, even if LR was in a way less exciting than the previous titles.
Read more...
>> Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Butch and Marissa were never really the characters I was most intrigued by in this universe of J.R. Ward's, but I was still very anxious to read Lover Revealed (excerpt)
I haven't even tried not to go into spoilers below, so if you haven't read this book, you'd be better off if you stopped reading now. Like I said in my review of the last one, if you want to know if these books would be for you, read reviews for the first one, Dark Lover. Here's mine:
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Now, an ally of the Black Dagger Brotherhood will face the challenge of his life and the evil of the ages.
Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard living, ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world- to engage in the turf war with the lessers. He's got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. If he can't have her, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers...
Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, found by a miracle, the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him...
I keep wondering if Ward is going to be able to keep up the intensity, and so far, she does. Lover Revealed was just as absorbing as the previous books, and it left me just as desperate to get the new installment. A B+.
I'm afraid LR left my mind spinning so fast that I can't really offer a coherent review. Here are some disjointed thoughts:
Z's story had been more of a traditional romance than the first books, with the focus more on Z and Bella. Lover Revealed goes back to being a story about the whole universe Ward is creating. Yes, there is somewhat a focus on the romance and on Butch and Marissa as characters, and the romance is perfectly satisfying, but again, what's going on around them is so interesting that it sometimes risks overshadowing what's going on between them.
I thought it was amazing, the way Ward managed to maintain the tension, even the sexual tension, between Butch and Marissa, when they acknowledge that they love each other practically at the beginning of the book. There are just so many issues there, what with Butch being so screwed up and having to deal with the Omega's little present, and Marissa still needing to come into her own, that the relationship never becomes boring in the slightest.
Butch's feelings towards Marissa were at times a little too earnest and made me cringe, but mostly, I thought it was sweet that he was so incredibly silly and ga-ga about her.
Marissa's final realization that brings her back to Butch for good was well done, I thought. It felt right. I hadn't thought of the fact that she was doing to him a similar thing to what Havers did to her, but it's true. And it made Havers' actions a bit more understandable. I still think he should be flogged for what he did to her, but at least I understand where he was coming from. Oh, and back to Marissa deciding to finally accept Butch, with his mission, and all: I liked that she had already made up her own mind before the other wives came to talk to her. They simply provided reafirmation, Marissa wasn't browbeaten into chaging her mind.
I liked that, in certain ways, Ward did tackle the issue of the sexism of the vampires' world, with the threat of mandatory sehclusion being imposed on all unmated females and the lack of resources available for a female whose mate is violent. And I LOVED how Marissa stuck it to the glymera in this matter!
Related to this, I was very surprised to see that of all the heroines so far, Marissa is the first to actually decide to do something outside the house. I think that's what many of us mean when we say that we'd prefer it if the females' lives weren't just about being in the Brotherhood's compound, waiting for their men. We're not necessarily asking for them to go hunt lessers with the Brothers (though I do like the idea of the female warrior who's coming up, Payne. I wonder when we'll be introduced to her?), but there's so much they can do, even if it's not that. Marissa perfectly demonstrates this.
Also related to sexism in the books: Rhage can't feed from Mary, and though Mary would prefer that he could, she has been able to accept without much effort that he feed from one of the Chosen. But Butch just can't take that Marissa might feed from someone other than he, even before he finds out that there are possibilities that he might be able to feed her. I guess it might be a vampire / human thing; that is, that vampires attach a deeper meaning to the act of feeding, so Butch, with his vampire blood, instinctively reacts that way, while the still-human Mary doesn't, but when Butch needs to feed from Beth, Marissa doesn't really seem to mind all that much, and neither did Beth in Dark Lover.
Butch's change into a vampire: I can't say I didn't suspect it would turn out to be something like this, but even though I didn't think this would be a good move for the story, I ended up liking where Ward went with it, especially because it wasn't a magical, effortless bit of deus ex machina. It was hard and difficult and dangerous, and given Butch's history, I understood why he'd be ready to risk everything going for it. I also liked that as desperate as he was to do it, he loved Marissa enough to be ready not to do it, if she asked him not to.
LOL at Butch's new name. He's the Destroyer from the prophecy, so his new name is Dhestroyer. Let's throw in an "h", just for the hell of it! Otherwise he'll be embarrassed before the other brothers. Best name of them all, though: Hhurt. I was laughing out loud in that part, in spite of the seriousness of the context. I actually thought "oh, poor Hhurt! He's dead and here I'm making fun of his name!" Yep, as much as I love these books, and as much as I've (mostly) gotten used to the names, they are still silly as hell!
This Hhurt actually dies in his change, and I enjoyed the new insight into what this process might be like, with Butch going through it, but also the young vampire, Blaylock, and John's preparations for it.
Speaking of John, his storyline remains fascinating. I can't wait to see what develops of his 4 AM walks with Zsadist.
To my surprise, I actually enjoyed the lesser subplot this time, and very much. The whole deal about why the prophecy was so important to Mr. X was intriguing, and what it turned out to be surprised me, and made perfect sense. I was also surprised by how touching and even tragic I found that final scene of Mr. X's. Does it speak badly of me that I would have prefered the guy, evil as he was, to get his wish? I wouldn't wish the Omega on anyone!
Vishous' feelings for Butch. I don't think anyone can deny the homoerotic vibes now! Though I'm still left with many, many questions about the exact nature of Vishous' feelings. Some of the description was a bit oblique.
Everything about Vishous left we with question after question, actually. The hints about his past were tantalizing, and the whole BDSM thing was something I expected, but didn't expect to be interested by. Will there be an element of this in his romance? Part of me hopes not, because BDSM is just not my cup of tea, but on the other hand, if there isn't, there's the risk of having a message there that V has been "cured of this perversion" by the love of a virtuous woman, or some such rot. Hmmm, we'll have to see.
Who was the surgeon who ends up being Butch's father? My first thought was Vishous, given his comment about being a pretty good medic, and it would give a different interpretation to his feelings of Butch being "his". But the homoerotic vibe would become very disturbing, if this were so!
Is it just me or was the slang a little less heavy this time? But this was compensated by the increase in brand-name dropping. Gah!
The Scribe Virgin was less annoying this time, a lot less unreasonable. The scene with her and Butch when he was about to undergo his turning was very funny, and provided a much needed break in the tension. The idea of the other Brothers practically banging their heads against the wall at Butch's constant, involuntary questions made me smile.
Xhex: will she turn out to be this almost mythical "Payne"? I hope so, that would be interesting! And a friend suggested a possible romance between her and Havers. Hey, that would be fun enough to watch if Xhex were just Xhex, but if she were part of the Brotherhood, even better. That should give the little bastard a couple of strokes!
I broke my rule and read the excerpt for Vishous' story, Lover Unbound. Damn, damn, damn! Now I need the book NOW!
>> Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Nope, The Vampire Viscount, by Karen Harbaugh isn't about a Trad Regency author getting on the vampire bandwagon. This is a 1995 book, from long before having paranormal elements became de rigueur.
Being a vampire is okay--you get to stay up all night, women find you irresistable, you're strong, fast, and magic is yours for the taking.
But Nicholas, Viscount St. Vire finds all of that means little in the face of impending insanity and the eventual deterioration of his senses. Only the the willing embrace of a virginal young woman can reverse his condition. Who better for his wife-to-be than the impoverished Leonore Farleigh, whose abusive father sells her to St. Vire to pay off gaming debts?
Leonore agrees to marry him--how else is she going to save her sister and her mother from their poverty and pain? But she soon finds she's stepped into a marriage of inconvenience… and possible death.
Disappointing, disappointing, disappointing. That seems to be the word of the week. TVV started out very well, but things first fizzled and then plunged down a cliff. A C.
Nicholas, Viscount St. Vire is sick of being a vampire, so when in his studies he comes across a method to reverse his vampirism, he's willing to go to some lengths to pull it off. The spell requires a virgin's blood, freely given in the marriage bed on the summer solstice, so he needs to find himself a virgin bride willing to marry him fast.
Nicholas doesn't have the time or inclination to do his courting the traditional way, so he simply researches possible candidates, and on his first night out, succeeds. The father of the most likely candidate is as inveterate a gambler as reported, and on his first try, Nicholas manages to make him lose more than he can afford. When Nicholas proposes that the man give him his daughter hand in marriage to cancel the debt, his offer is accepted.
Leonore Farleigh is shocked when her father announces that he's practically sold her off, but when she meets Nicholas and sees he's not the old, depraved lecher she feared, she begins to see the positive side of the situation. Things at home aren't good (to say the least), and marrying this guy is a good way to escape. And things begin to look up even more when she spends some time with him and realizes that they might even manage to build a good marriage between them. But after a while, it becomes clear that Nicholas has some secrets he isn't telling her about...
The first parts, with the proposal and marriage, and the first weeks of their marriage, were really, really, really good. For some strange reason, there's something about the won-in-a-card-game plot that intrigues me, and I liked the clear-headed way in which Leonore accepted the marriage, realizing it was her best way of escaping her father's control and quickly understanding that she and Nicholas could rub along quite well. I also enjoyed the sort of courting period they had, and how they started getting to know each other even before the wedding, getting a good start in building a good, solid marriage.
After a while, however, the book did lose a bit of the momentum that had made me wonder, at first, if I might not have a keeper in my hands. I just wasn't getting the emotional depths I was hoping for, so when we were told these two were in love, I just didn't feel it. Plus, the whole thing about the virgin blood requirement and all that made me roll my eyes. Magic hymen to the max! But all right, I was liking the book well enough.
But then, disaster. We needed external conflict, apparently, so we got an evil other (vampire) woman determined to wreak havoc. This didn't just completely change the tone of the story, it was also very boring. I especially disliked how monumentally stupid Nicholas' way of dealing with things was. The only thing his actions achieved was hurting and humiliating Leonore, and he should have known better. As I neared the end, it became harder and harder to resist the temptation to start skimming (and yeah, I did give in to the temptation for some stretches).
Still, even if in the end, TVV wasn't a success, it was interesting to take a look at one of the precursors of one of today's trendiest trends. Main difference? No twists here; Nicholas is a very old-school vampire. I guess all the twists we get today are authors attempts (sometimes successful, sometimes not so much) to make their stories feel fresh. 12 years ago that just wasn't necessary. Having a vampire hero was twist enough on its own, I guess.
Read more...
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Jonathan Wolfe, Holmes’s attorney, confirmed the deal in a statement to PEOPLE magazine.
“The case has been settled and the agreement has been signed. We are thrilled for Katie and her family and are excited to watch as she embarks on the next chapter of her life,” he says.
Katie’s attorney adds, “We thank Tom’s counsel for their professionalism and diligence that helped bring about this speedy resolution.”
No details surrounding the agreement have been leaked yet, but sources close to Tom and Katie say their biggest concern remains their daughter Suri. They’re reportedly working on an arrangement where Suri lives with Katie in New York and Tom will have visitation rights.
Publicists for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes released a joint statement earlier today from the couple. The statement says, “We are committed to working together as parents to accomplishing what is in our daughter Suri’s best interests. We want to keep matters affecting our family private and express our respect for each other’s commitment to each of our respective beliefs and support each other’s roles as parents.”
Weren’t we all expecting more fireworks? Such a speedy resolution is surely going to spark those “marriage contract” rumors.
We’re looking forward to seeing more of Katie as she reignites her career. She has already taped a guest spot for Project Runway All Stars.
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Old Documents
Following is a list of documents originally on www.invisiblenet.net/i2p/ and
rescued via the
Wayback Machine.
They are quite dated and may or may not be accurate.
However, the I2CP and I2NP documents in particular have some good information.
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#!/bin/bash
# Script for running all tests in this directory
# This script has to be run in its directory, as shows the usage.
# main ------------------------------------------------------------------------
if test "$#" -ne 0; then
echo "Usage: ./test_all.sh"
exit 1
fi
mkdir -p log
TIMESTAMP=`date +'%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M-%S'`
LOGFILE=log/$TIMESTAMP-test_all.sh
GITVERSION=`git version`
if [[ "$GITVERSION" ]]; then
echo 'Git is available in the working directory:' >> $LOGFILE 2>&1
echo ' Merlin version: ' "`git describe --tags --always`" >> $LOGFILE 2>&1
echo ' branch: ' "`git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD`" >> $LOGFILE 2>&1
echo ' status: ' >> ${LOGFILE}.gitstatus 2>&1
git status >> ${LOGFILE}.gitstatus 2>&1
echo ' diff to Merlin version: ' >> ${LOGFILE}.gitdiff 2>&1
git diff >> ${LOGFILE}.gitdiff 2>&1
echo ' '
fi
bash ./test_install.sh >> $LOGFILE 2>&1
source ../src/setup_env.sh
python ./test_classes.py >> $LOGFILE 2>&1
bash ./test_training.sh >> $LOGFILE 2>&1
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Well folks, I did purchase the 12.9 inch model. I use it as an e-reader, but simply cannot figure out what else it can do (besides e-mail and basic surfing). There must be a more productive use for this devise. Any input would be great. I did get MS Office (subscription), but do not use it because I do not know where any of the documents are stored or how to retrieve them. The good folks at the Apple store also do not know.
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CFP: International Philosophy Colloquium on Disagreement
We invite proposals (maximum length: one page) for presentations, along with a short CV (maximum length: two pages), by March 31, 2013. Please send these documents via e-mail to:evian@philosophie.fu-berlin.de
Is there disagreement? That is, do we really disagree? From the standpoint of everyday life, the answer seems to be clear. Disagreements among us are legion: about scientific, political, and social questions, about questions of right conduct and religion, about questions concerning subjective preferences and aesthetic taste. From the standpoint of rationality, however, it is not so clear how these disagreements should be assessed. Shouldn’t the forceless force of the better argument carry the day in almost all cases of disagreement? Isn’t it possible in principle to determine which view is the better one among rival views? Aren’t disagreements better seen, therefore, as intermediate stages on the way toward a more comprehensive agreement – at least among all those who conduct themselves rationally? If not, can a disagreement itself be rational, even when two interlocutors share the same epistemic presuppositions and the same relevant information? Is “reasonable disagreement” an enduring feature of our practices and reaches deeper than we generally assume? What is the theoretical and practical relevance of persistent disagreement? Does the latter lead to the acceptance of relativism, skepticism, or pluralism?
A detailed exposition of the topic and all relevant information concerning the character and history of the colloquium as well as matters of accommodation and costs can be found on our website:
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Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth is a heavy metal band formed in Suffolk, England in 1991. It has been embraced and disowned with equal fervour by various metal communities, and its particular subgenre has provoked a great deal of discussion (see below). Roughly speaking, the band's sound has gradually evolved from raw, traditional black metal, to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic, symphonic and extreme styles, while its lyrical themes and imagery are heavily influenced by gothic literature, poetry, mythology and horror films. The band has successfully broken free of its original niche by courting mainstream publicity (often to the chagrin of its early fanbase), and this increased accessibility has brought coverage by the likes of Kerrang! and MTV, frequent main stage appearances at major festivals such as Ozzfest and Download, and in turn a more commercial ima...
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In May, 1940, the individual respondents filed claims for unemployment benefits with the Unemployment Compensation Commission of the Territory of Alaska. After an initial determination by an examiner and after decision by a referee the Commission held that the claimants were disqualified from receiving benefits for a period of eight weeks since their unemployment was due to a labor dispute n active progress within the meaning of the Alaska Unemployment Compensation Law.1 The United States District Court affirmed the Commission's holding in all particulars. The Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, one judge dissenting. We granted certiorari because of the public importance of the questions involved.2
2
Among the petitioners are three corporations engaged principally in the business of salmon fishing, canning, and marketing. One of the companies owns canneries and other facilities at Karluk, Chignik, and Bristol Bay, Alaska. The other two companies operate only at Bristol Bay. Catching and canning salmon is a seasonal activity.3 The companies customarily hire workers at San Francisco at the beginning of the season, transport them to the Alaskan establishments, and return them to San Francisco at the season's end. Similar operations are carried on by other companies out of other west coast ports, notably Seattle and Portland. The individual respondents are all members of the Alaska Cannery Workers Union Local No. 5, and each worked in Alaska for one of the three companies during the 1939 season. Local No. 5 is the recognized bargaining agent of the cannery workers in the San Francisco area.
3
In 1939, as had been the practice for some years, the union entered into a written agreement with the companies covering in considerable detail the matters of wages, hours, conditions of employment, and the like. After the end of the 1939 season, the companies terminated the agreement then in effect, which made necessary the negotiation of a new contract for the 1940 season. Consequently, on March 6, 1940, the companies through their authorized agent, Alaska Salmon Industry, Inc., invited the union to enter into negotiations for a new agreement. In a series of meetings held shortly thereafter, serious disagreement appeared which quickly developed into an impasse on the question of wages. The union demanded wages equal to or in excess of those paid under the terms of the 1939 agreement. The companies offered wages which for the most part were below those paid in 1939. On April 1, 1940, the union caused the negotiations as to the wage issue to be transferred from San Francisco to Seattle where an attempt was being made to effect a coastwide agreement to cover all west coast companies carrying on salmon operations in Alaska. Local No. 5, however, refused to sign a 'memorandum' agreement incorporating such terms as might result from the concurrent Seattle negotiations.
4
On April 3, the companies notified the union that if operations were to be carried on in Karluk and Chignik during the 1940 season, an agreement with respect to the former would have to be reached by April 10 and with respect to the latter by April 12. Although negotiations proceeded up to the deadlines, the parties arrived at no understanding, and on April 22 Alaska Salmon Industry, Inc., formally announced that no operations would be carried on in Karluk and Chignik during 1940. Meetings continued, however, in an effort to come to an understanding with respect to Bristol Bay before the arrival of the May 3d deadline which had been set for those operations. Although federal mediators intervened in an attempt to d scover a suitable compromise, the deadline date passed without agreement. It appears that after May 3, negotiations continued in Seattle where a contract affecting only canners and workers operating out of ports other than San Francisco was finally executed on May 29. The companies and union which are involved in this case were specifically excluded from the terms of the 1940 Seattle agreement.
5
Shortly after May 3, the individual respondents filed claims for unemployment benefits with the Alaska Unemployment Compensation Commission. The Commission, acting through an examiner, held that respondents were disqualified from receiving payments for the statutory period of eight weeks under the provisions of § 5(d) of the Alaska law. At the time this case arose, that section stated in part: 'An individual shall be disqualified for benefits * * * (d) For any week with respect to which the Commission finds that his total or partial unemployment is due to a labor dispute which is in active progress at the factory, establishment or other premises at which he is or was last employed; provided, that such disqualification shall not exceed the 8 weeks immediately following the beginning of such dispute * * *'
6
In pursuance of the appeal provisions of the statute,4 respondents asked for a review of the examiner's determination. The Commission, in response to this application, appointed a Referee to pass on the disputed claims. The scope of the hearings was confined to the issue of whether the unemployment of the claimants was caused by the existence of a labor dispute. At the end of the proceedings, the Referee came to the conclusion that although there was a labor dispute in existence initially, the dispute was no longer 'in active progress' after the passing of the dates fixed by the companies for consummation of the working agreements. Consequently, the disqualification under § 5(d) with respect to each of the localities was held no longer to attach after the passage of the respective deadline dates.5
7
The Commission, on appeal,6 reversed the Referee's decision and held that within the meaning of the Alaska law, a labor dispute was in active progress throughout the entire eight week statutory period of disqualification beginning with the opening of the season in each locality. Consequently, no benefits were payable until the expiration of the disqualification period. The United States District Court affirmed the Commission's decision in all particulars.7 The Circuit Court of Appeals, with one judge dissenting, reversed, however, on the ground that the labor dispute was not physically at the Alaska canneries where the individual respondents had been last employed.
8
We are met at the outset with the contention that the facts of this case do not present a 'labor dispute' within the meaning of § 5(d) of the Alaska Act. Respondents urge that the term must be narrowl construed to require a strike or leaving of employment which, in turn, calls for a presently-existing employment relation at the time the dispute arises.8 According to this view, the term would not cover a situation, such as presented here, where the controversy precedes the employment. Respondents would justify this restricted construction on the ground that the Unemployment Compensation Law is remedial legislation, and any provision limiting benefits under the Act should be narrowly interpreted.
9
The term 'labor dispute', is not defined in the statute. The term appears in the Act in one other connection, however. Section 5(c)(2)(A) provides that benefits under the Act will not be denied any individual, otherwise eligible, who refuses to accept new work 'if the position offered is vacant due directly to a strike, lockout, or other labor dispute.' The Social Security Act of 19359 requires that the state or territorial law contain a provision to this effect before the legislation can be approved by the Social Security Board. Obviously, for the purposes of § 5(c)(2)(A), the term, 'labor dispute,' has a broader meaning than that attributed to it by respondents. Unless the Territorial Legislature intended to give a different meaning to the same language appearing in another subdivision of the same section, the term must be given a broader meaning than that contended for by the respondents, for the purposes of § 5(d) as well. We need not determine whether 'labor dispute' must in all cases be construed as broadly as it is defined in the Norris-LaGuardia Act,10 and the National Labor Relations Act.11 But here there was full-scale controversy. Companies engaged in carrying on a seasonal business were ranged against a union representing seasonal workers who had been employed by the companies in the previous year. Dispute there certainly was; and the subject of that dispute consisted of matters usually contested in labor disputes as that term is normally understood.12 Since we find nothing to indicate that the Territorial Legislature intended a contrary result, we conclude that the Commission might properly find a 'labor dispute' here presented within the meaning of § 5(d) of the Alaska Act.
10
We think that there is evidence in the record to support the Commission's conclusion that respondents' unemployment was 'due' to a labor dispute insofar as that holding relates to the individual respondents employed in 1939 by the Alaska Packers Association and the Red Salmon Canning Company. At the hearings before the Referee the respondents attempted to establish that the companies called off their 1940 operations for reasons other than their inability to negotiate a satisfactory labor agreement. It was argued, for example, that the companies feared a poor catch as a result of governmental restrictions on fishing applicable to the 1940 season. The evidence adduced before the Referee indicates that both of the above-mentioned companies made extensive preparations for the 1940 operations. In anticipation, equipment and supplies of the value of several hundred thousand dollars were purchased. Ships were prepared and held in readiness for the expeditions. The Referee found that these companies negotiated in good faith and failed to operate in Alaska during the 1940 season only because of their inability to negotiate satisfactory labor agreements before the passing of the deadline dates. There is evidence that the Alaska Packers Association expected to hire about two-thirds the number of workers in 1940 it had employed in 1939. But there is nothing in the record to establish that any of the claimants in this action would have been unemployed as a result of this contemplated curtailment in activity or if any of the respondents would have been affected, which of their number would have been unemployed. It appears that the Red Salmon Canning Company expected to use the same number of workers in 1940 as in 1939, or possibly a few more. Under these circumstances, we think that the Commission's finding that the unemployment was 'due' to the labor dispute, should stand, insofar as it relates to the claimants indicated.
11
But a different situation is presented with reference to the respondents employed by the Alaska Salmon Company in 1939. That company has an establishment only at Bristol Bay. On April 30, three days before the deadline relating to the Bristol Bay operations, Alaska Salmon withdrew from the negotiations with the union and announced that it was unable to send an expedition to Alaska in 1940. The Referee found that the withdrawal was caused primarily by factors other than the company's inability to negotiate a satisfactory labor contract. At the hearings before the Referee, counsel for the company stipulated that even though the other companies had negotiated a labor agreement with the union before the deadline date, Alaska Salmon would have conducted no operations out of San Francisco in 1940 after its withdrawal from negotiations. We conclude that the record does not support the finding of the Commission that the respondents employed by the Alaska Salmon Company in 1939 were unemployed 'due' to a labor dispute at the establishment at which last employed.
12
Respondents urge that, assuming their unemployment was due to a labor dispute, there was no labor dispute in 'active progress' within the meaning of the Act after the passage of the deadline dates. It is argued that when the expeditions were abandoned by the companies, the dispute must necessarily have terminated since there was no possible way in which negotiations could have brought about a settlement. It should be observed, however, that the record does n t reveal that negotiations abruptly terminated with the passing of the last deadline date. Conferences continued at Seattle in which both the companies and the union were represented. The respondents considered the negotiations sufficiently alive to make an offer of terms at least as late as May 29. Even if it be assumed that at some time within the eight week period of disqualification the point was reached when all possibility of settlement disappeared, it does not follow that the Commission's finding of a dispute in 'active progress' must be overturned. Here, as in National Labor Relations Board v. Hearst Publications, Inc., 1944, 322 U.S. 111, 131, 64 S.Ct. 851, 860, 861, 88 L.Ed. 1170, the question presented 'is one of specific application of a broad statutory term in a proceeding in which the agency administering the statute must determine it initially.' To sustain the Commission's application of this statutory term, we need not find that its construction is the only reasonable one or even that it is the result we would have reached had the question arisen in the first instance in judicial proceedings. The 'reviewing court's function is limited'. All that is needed to support the Commission's interpretation is that it has 'warrant in the record' and a 'reasonable basis in law'. National Labor Relations Board v. Hearst Publications, Inc., supra; Rochester Telephone Corporation v. United States, 1939, 307 U.S. 125, 59 S.Ct. 754, 83 L.Ed. 1147.
13
Applying these tests, we are unable to say that the Commission's construction was irrational or without support in the record. The Commission apparently views a dispute as 'active' during the continuance of a work stoppage induced by a labor dispute. That agency might reasonably conclude that the unemployment resulting from such work stoppage is not of the 'involuntary' nature which the statute was designed to alleviate, as indicated by the statement of public policy incorporated in the Act by the Territorial Legislature.13 We see nothing in such a view to require our substituting a different construction from that made by the Commission entrusted with the responsibility of administering the statute.14
14
Nor can we accept the argument of the majority of the Court of Appeals that since negotiations between the companies and the workers were carried on in San Francisco and Seattle, the dispute could not be said to be 'at' the Alaskan establishments as required by the statute. So far as we are able to determine, this issue was injected for the first time by the opinion of the majority of the Court of Appeals. The contention does not seem to have been raised or pressed by respondents up to that point. The responsibility of applying the statutory provisions to the facts of the particular case was given in the first instance to the Commission. A reviewing court usurps the agency's function when it sets aside the administrative determination up n a ground not theretofore presented and deprives the Commission of an opportunity to consider the matter, make its ruling, and state the reasons for its action.15 Nor do we find the argument advanced below convincing on its merits. It is clear that the subject matter of the dispute related to the operation of the Alaskan establishments. As a result of the dispute the normal activities involved in catching and canning salmon were not carried on throughout the 1940 season at any of those establishments. We do not consider significant the fact that the companies and the union did not negotiate at the canneries or on the ships in Alaskan waters. A legislature familiar with the nature of seasonal operations carried on in the Territory could hardly have been unaware of the fact that companies and workers customarily carried on negotiations far distant from the Alaskan establishments. It seems unlikely that it was intended that this ordinary and usual procedure should defeat the disqualification for benefits incorporated in the Act. Furthermore, it should be observed that the respondent union voluntarily entered into the negotiations conducted at San Francisco and Seattle and at no time challenged the propriety of this practice. Thus if we assume with respondents that this issue is properly presented for consideration, we conclude that under the circumstances of this case the dispute was 'at the factory, establishment, or other premises' in the sense intended by the Territorial Legislature.
15
For the reasons stated, the judgment of the Circuit Court of Appeals is affirmed insofar as it holds that the statutory eight-week period of disqualification is inapplicable to the individual respondents employed by the Alaska Salmon Company in 1939. In all other particulars, the judgment of the Circuit Court of Appeals is reversed and the case remanded to the District Court with instructions to remand for further proceedings pursuant to this opinion.
The alaska statute is part of the legislative scheme for unemployment compensation induced by the provisions of the Social Security Act of 1935. 49 Stat. 620, 626—627, 640, 42 U.S.C.A. § 301 et seq. It is said that forty-three states and territories have provisions similar to those in the Alaska law disqualifying from unemployment benefits persons unemployed due to a labor dispute.
As provided by Benefit Regulation No. 10 of the Alaska Unemployment Compensation Commission, the season at Karluk extends from April 5 to September 5, at Chignik from April 1 to September 10, and at Bristol Bay from May 5 to August 25.
The Referee found that there had been unemployment due to a labor dispute in active progress at Karluk from April 5, when the season opened, to April 10, the deadline date, and at Chignik from April 1 to April 12. Since the deadline date with respect to Bristol Bay was set two days before the season opened there, the Referee found that there was no dispute in active progress at those plants.
Section 6(i) of the Act provides that within thirty days after the decision of the Commission has become final, any party aggrieved may secure judicial review in the United States District Court. The section states, 'In any judicial proceeding under this Section, the findings of the Commission as to the facts, if supported by evidence and in the absence of fraud, shall be conclusive, and the jurisdiction of said Court shall be confined to questions of law.'
The Examiner, the Referee, the Commission, the District Court, and presumably the Circuit Court of Appeals all found a 'labor dispute' to have existed, at least before the arrival of the deadline dates.
The 'Declaration of Territorial Public Policy' states that 'Involuntary unemployment is * * * a subject of general interest and concern which requires appropriate action by the legislature.' It is further stated that the public welfare demands the compulsory setting aside of unemployment reserves 'for the benefit of persons unemployed through no fault of their own.' Chapter 4, Extraordinary Session Laws of Alaska, 1937.
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@Jayhawk: the playing field has to be leveled somehow. Geriatric care has been one of the most abused areas of medicine, especially in rural areas. There should have been a watch-dog in place years ago, but that was against the desires of private insurers and the gigantic insurance lobby. There has been no accountability. Plus, Americans no longer care for their elderly. I accompany my folks to hospital and serious doctor visits; patient advocacy goes a long way.
Jayhawk•September 07, 2012 07:54
@Peach The elderly will still be the losers in health care. Even now so many Drs. refuse to treat them. With the mega-billions Obama robbed from the program, the fees for treatments will be even less. The elderly will be squeezed...the medical board will deny them more. The readmission issue will be just an excuse to not deny hospital care to this group. Some readmissions have to occur toward the end of life. It's all a ruse to deny care to this age group and transfer the funds to Obama Care to offer it to those who haven't paid in or very little. When Govt. get involved they always screw it up! Private sector is not a dirty term..only in Obama language!
@Jayhawk: I understand the fear with Medicare, but the core of what you're saying is wrong. The CBO says Ryan's take on Medicare is no different than Obama's. The overhaul is supposed to protect Seniors from unscrupulous practices from both hospitals and private insurers like Medicare Advantage (set up by Bush). Hospitals will be paid less if they fail to meet benchmarks per law and/or have too many readmissions.
Matt, there you go being a redneck again. I wouldn't care if he was green.....I'm a staunch Democrat who supports the President. Leave color out of this please....America is made up of all creeds. You're showing your ignorance again (as usual).
Matt•September 06, 2012 22:14
@Daina- the list of actors above haven't made a decent movie in years. They are hoping the Liberal Producers will " Flip them a script" but nobody is buying tickets to see these radicals- ask SAMUEL L JACKSON! He hasnt made a movie worth watching since he threw a fit and trashed the whites in the tea party! He forgot who was paying the bills! Alicia Silverstone? What has it been- 14 years since she has been on the silver screen! Jesus! At least Pitt & Angelina have enough sense to shut up.
Matt•September 06, 2012 22:00
YOU ARE RIGHT! That was a giveaway not a bailout- Biden is a Clown!
Rah-Rah Girl•September 06, 2012 21:51
Biden is saying that Obama saved the auto industry. Ha! The bulk of the stimlus money went for auto union pensions....Obama saved the UNION PENSIONS! It's now been estimated by the CBO that GM will not be paying back $55 Billion of their stimulus money loan...hmmmm thought they were doing so good? The taxpayers will be on the hook. Usa Bin Laden was killed by Obama? No! Navy Seals...3 times Obama was told they could take him. He said NO! Finally, the 4th time he gave in...why did he wait? He's not the big HERO that Joe would like us to think Obama is!
Matt•September 06, 2012 21:45
Peach seed- I thought you went to bed! Look- cut 2 the chase ok- You are voting for him because he is black! Just come out and say it! hate rich people - you've basically already said that! If Hilliary clinton was running you wouldn't even be discussing it.
Jayhawk•September 06, 2012 21:40
@ Peachy WAKE UP, GIRL! We're STILL going to pay for those uninsured! They can't afford their own insurance STILL...we will continue to pay for that by this new TAX...and it'll hike 'n hike every year! You will pay for YOUR medical health care...but that of others. This is no better! Only a political shell game. As I said, denial of treatment will occur. It did in the UK...it'll happen here! The elderly already have trouble getting medical care because Medicare pays low reimbursements to medical providers....but that jerk in the White House stole $716 Billion from the elderly who paid in & paid in all those years to cover those now who haven't paid in or very little. They will suffer. Sad.
She is winning the general election today and he is not, according to all the evidence. And I have never seen anything like it. I have never seen a candidate treated so disrespectfully just for running.
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